Evening Star Newspaper, February 8, 1931, Page 17

Y. M. C.A.HERE ACTS 70 AID DESERVING UNENPLOYED MEN Lobby Bureau Opened to Separate “Bums” From Those Seeking Work. BUILDING HAD BECOME RENDEZVOUS FOR IDLE Association Organizes Employers and Others to Help Bona-Fide Job Hunters. Discovery of a so-called “bread-line racket” in Washington participated in by unworthy unemployed has led to a novel “scientific experiment” by the Y. M. C. A. and the D. C. Committee on Employment, wherein the lobby of the Central Y. M. C. A. Building has be- come a laboratory to test the sincerity ©of self-styled job seekers. Four days of experimentation have been sufficient to rid the lobby of a perceptible number of “bums” who would not work if given the opportuni- ty and, at the same time, to focus at- tention of officials on the plight of others really anxious to obtain employ- ment Under this plan, originated by Leon- ard W. De Gast, general secretary of the “Y,” after he had found definite evidence of a “panhandling ring,” each stranger lounging in the comfortable lobby of the association at 1736 G street is interviewed politely but per- sistently, as to his employment status. Committee Organized. 1If the lounger proves to be a person unworthy of help, he is denied the hos- itality of the lobby and is advised, if rom another city, to return to his home and friends. 5 If, however, he is really ready and willing to work, a special effort is made to find him a job. A committee of prominent business and professional men is being organized to aid in placing these bona fide, unwilling members of the idle army. ‘The interviewing of the lobby loungers has been undertaken by George B. Landis, veteran Y. M. C. A. secretary ©f Oberlin, Ohio, who was brought here with the co-operation of the Delano Employment Committee. Frederic A. Delano, chairman of the D. C. Committee on Employment, agreed to ald in the experiment after Mr. De Gast had written him a letter, giving startling revelations in connection with the association’s study of the “lobby- lounging” problem. Called for Drastic Action. “I have been very much concerned during the past few weeks over the situation that has developed in the lobby of our central building,” Mr. De Gast wrote. “It has been literally Jammed on certain days with unem- ployed seeking comfort and warmth, especially on cold, rainy days. “I feel the situation calls for drastic action in the form of throwing them out or dealing with the matter sympa- ghetically and scientifically. Our de- €ision is to adopt the latter course. “May I say I am not in sympathy Wwith the wholesale establishment of breadlines, soup kitchens and free eat- ing places. I think they but contribute to the problem rather than help. Among those who flock to our building are many of the floater type and ‘bums,” but I believe there are also many who are valuable members of society, tempo- rarily out of luck, who would again be- come self-supporting - andself-respect- ing members of society. ““Thus far we have been handling this matter by having the members of our secretarial staff deal with these men in # rather haphazard manner, I fear. I have had reports of several interviews that showed the thoroughness of the in- terviews, but -we have not had any con- structive or consecutive program in dealing with these men.” Plan of Action. Mr. DeGast outlined his plan for bringing Mr. Landis to Washington as & special case worker, with a desk in the lobby of the Y. M. C. A, where he would interview every lobby visitor. “We propose,” Mr. DeGast advised ©Chairman Delano, “not only to make & study of these individuals, but to endeavor to secure for them as many Jobs as possible, both temporary and permanent. A special appeal will be made to the members of this association ‘who are employers and other interested friends in the city who could prob- ably create special jobs to meet spe~ cial situations. It will at any rate pro- vide a test for each man, to see whether he is honestly seeking work or is simply one of those who visit a ‘maximum of free eating places in the course of a day. “I recently ran across.one individual ‘who had had seven definite free meals that day. Another I found panhandling on the street within 10 minutes after having been given a free meal at the Mayflower garage. “Helping men find employment and Jobs is not an innovation, as you know, with the Young Men's Christian Asso- ciation. We long ago learned that a man who is honestly looking for work wants no charity, nor is it his desire 4 %o regarded as an obiect of charity. One Case Cited. “One of our secretaries just reported to me an interesting case ‘which illus- trates the danger of providing too many free eating places and bread lines at this time. There was a young man in| our lobby from Jersey City, 18 years of age, who comes from a family where there 'are eight other children. An olier hreter s serving a sentence of toree vears ‘. il =vrds young man left his home and grarted to wander. On the way he picked up a chum and they formed a partnership, determined to bum and panhandle their way while this situa- tion lasted. At the moment of the interview he was waiting the return of his chum, who was then out on’ the street panhandling, and the young man boastingly said that on the return of his chum he would have money enough 0 they could take care of themselves for the rest of the day, with several free meals that would be provided. “He said they never slept in mis- slons if they could help it. Occasion- Right to lef William Good of George B. Landi WASHINGTON, D. C., Columbus, Ohio, being interviewed by of Oberlin, Ohio, who was brought here by the Young Men's Christian Association and the District of Columbia Committee on Employment. —Star Staff Photo. BRIDE TO CONFER ON PEPCO DECREE Preliminary Talk With Elec- tric Executive on Rate-Mak- ing Begins Tomorrow. A preliminary conference between S. R. Bowen, vice president and counsel of the Potomac Electric Power Co., and Corporation Counsel Willlam W. Bride relative to the proposed change in the system of adjusting electric rates in Washington will _be held tomorrow morning, according to present arrange- ments. Mr. Bowen and Mr. Bride will confer informally with regard to the compro- mise the Public Utilities Commission is seeking to effect with the corporation over its Announced intention of going to court to secure a modification of the consent decree of equity court which governs electric rates here. i If tomorrow's conference and the later formal consultations, which will be attended by People’s Counsel Rich- mond G. Keech, are successful, they are expected to result in the establish- ment of some type of sliding-scale ar- rangement for adjusting the electric rates of the year providing for reduc- tion of rates when ths company's profits increase. Such a system is now in ef- fect, but the present system has re- sulted in excessive earnings for the power company, according to a finding of fact by the commission in the recent power company case. ‘The commission has ready a petition asking the court to change the terms of the present decree so as to make possible greater rate reductions during the company’s prosperous years than are possible under the operation of the present decree. This petition is being held in abeyance while an effort will be made by the commission and Mr. Bride to get the company to agree to such a revision without the necessity of going to court. FORMER TII.lE DEALER IS GIVEN TWO YEARS Aaron Trachtenberg Convicted of Tllegal Sale and Transporta- tion of Liquor. EMPEOYES LOSE PAY RAISE GROUND Senate Conferees Yield to House on Cutting Interior Bill Amendment. Government employes lost ground yesterday in the fight for a systematic program of salary increases during the next fiscal year for workers in under- average grades, when the Senate con- ferees on the Interior Department sup- ply bill yielded to the House by agree- ing to strike out the Senate salary amendments. ‘The Senate has added similar salary amendments to all of the other de- partmental appropriation bills, but it has been generally conceded that what- ever decision is reached on the first bill passed will be adhered to on the other bills. May Await Next Year. If the Interior conference report is agreed to by the Senate and House, therefore, it is believed the contro- versy regarding these increases will be over until next year. Even with the, Senate amendments eliminated it will be possible for de- partment heads to grant some increases within grades during the next ‘fiscal year by using lapsed balances resuiting from resignations and deaths, the amount depending on the extent to which such balances accrue. Increases will not be pogsible, however, to the extent contemplated by the Senate amendments. The Senate amendments were in- tended to meet the budget recommen- dation that all under-average cases be taken care of in a three-year program and that a start bé made by appropri- ating for 30 per cent of these cases in the pending supply bills. Aggregate of $4,300,000. For the next fiscal year these in- creases, under the Senate program, would have aggregated $4,300,000. ~ * Until yesterday the Government sal- ary increase battle had been waged in conriection with the Treasury-Post Of- fice bill, but developments in the con- ference Teport on the Interior bill yes- terday mean the final decision on sal- aries will come in that measure. When the question was before the Senate few days ago Senator McKellar, Demo- crat, of Tennessee, made a strong ap- peal in support of retaining the Senate salary amendments. comicea oty on sraracs ot 1- CROWDING AT SCHOOL legal sale and transportation of liquor, Aaron Trachtenberg, former tire dealer at Rhode Island avenue and Tenth street, was sentenced by Justice Peytoh Gordon yesterday to serve two years in L?z‘sgenihenmry and to pay a fine of $50. Earl Mullen, colored, who was jointly indicted with Trachtenberg, was given a term of 15 months in the penitentiary and was also fined $50. Dillard E. Clark, colored, who was convicted of second-degree murder in connection with the death of Thomas A. Dayis, also colored, was sentenced to serve 30 years in the penitentiary. The tragedy occurred in November during a drinking spree at 2008 Ninth street, it was testified. Assistant United States Attorney ‘Walter M. Shea conducted the prosecu- tion of Trachtenberg and Mullen, while the prosecution of Clark was han- dled by Assistant United States Attor- ney John J. Sirica. SRl SRR THEFT SUSPECT BOUND OVER TO GRAND JURY Youth Pleads Guilty to Charge of Taking Pharmacy’s Cash and Whisky. Charged with with the robbery of the National Press Pharmacy at 1340 F street January 25, Adam J. Urban, 21 years old, 750 Third street, pleaded guiity and was bound over to the grand jury on bond of $1,500 when arraigned before Judge John P. McMahon in United States branch of Police Court yesterday. Urban is charged with breaking into the drug store through a rear window and taking $250 in cash from a drawer and eight pint bottles of bonded whis- ky, each valued at $1.60. Detective V. D. Hughes of headquarters told the court that Urban admitted taking the money and the liquor. When asked by Judge McMahon what he did with the loot, Urban said he drank the whisky. and squandered the money. theft in connection Reserve Commissions Issued. Commissions in the Reserve Corps of the Army have been issued by the War Department to Leopold Stocker, 2013 New Hampshire avenue, as a major ix_¢he Auxiliary Reserve, and to ally they were forced to go to missions. Asked whether they visited the free em- ployment department, he said, ‘Yes, but they didn't have anything worth while,” and they had never gone back because “‘there wasn't any use’ He was urged to go back to his home, but was seen 4n the lobby the next day. “This. I believe, is an extreme case and this young man should be dealt with. It illustrates, however, the need for a careful, scientific study of this entire problem.” s Crowd Weeded Out. Mr. Landis has discovered a number of similar cases since establishing the lobby laboratory, he said last night. The “Y¥” lobhy had become a mecca for idle men, and numbers of them even sought to curl up on the cushions and fi“ the night there as well as the A The interviews have served to ‘Warren H. Banford, 5426 Connecticut avenue, as & second lleutenant of Engineers. WILL BE PROTESTED Chillum Heights Citizens Direct Committee to See Officials About Keene Building. Chillum Heights citizens, at a meet- ing of their association Friday night, re- ested that the School Committee of eir assogiation appear before District officlals with reference to the over- crowding of the Keene School, at Riggs road and First street northeast. There is an item in the District appropria- tion bill, it was pointed out, for the purchase of a site for a school in the vicinity. ‘The committee was instructed to seek clarification of this information to see if it meant an addition to the present site of Keene School, which is favored by_the association. It was voted to request of the Dis- trict government a sign which would mark Concord avenue at Blair road northeast and to ask the Police De- partment to act in confining a dump which 1is becoming obnoxious, they said, at the corner of Kennedy and Second streets northeast. The alley housing bill and the How- ell prohibition bill were discussed at the meeting. but no action was taken other than the referring of the issues to the Law and Legislation Committee, of which H. J. Overman is chairman. Thomas Joy, president of the asso- clation, presided. MORE TAXICABS REDUCE INITIAL RATE TO 25 CENTS Charges to Second and Third Zones Also Cut by About 130 Cars. ‘The Central Cab Co. yesterday noti- fied the Public Utilities Commission that it would follow the lead of the City and Stop-Me cab companies in reduc- ing the rates for their cabs from 35 cents to 25 cents. This is a flat rate applying to the downtown zone. ‘The reduction also applies to the sec- ond zone which is dropped from 60 cents to 50 cents and to the third zone which is dropped from 85 to 75. There are now about 130 cabs which have an- nounced their intention to the com- missfon of operating on the new rates. " almost like the un- weed out, ;‘ ey ‘magic, Mr. Landis has been connected with the Y. M. C. A. for more than 30 years. He formerly was general secretary of the associations at Grand Rapids, Mich.; Dayton, Ohio, and Aurora, Ill., and of the State Y. M. C. A. in Ohio and Pennsylvania. Since his retirement from active secretarial work two years ago he has been assocjated with the National Council of the Y. M. C. A in organizing a national retirement fund for “Y” secretaries. More recently he assisted the Southern Presbyterian Church in a campaign to raise a . | next Saturday morning at PLAN AIRCRAFT MEET | First Model League Session of Spring Set for Saturday. ‘The District of Columbia Model Air- craft League will hold the first of its Spring meets at Stuart Junior High School, Fourth and E streets northeast, 30 o'clock. The contest is open to ali model plane fiyers in the metropolitan area of Wash- ington. Three types of planes will be flown at this initial meet, inch $3,000,000 retirement fund for retired clergymen, scientific hand-launched, helicopter an sicentific rise-oS-floor planes. ASFACTS DEVELOP, FILIB SUNDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 8, 1931 USTER-THREAT Early Presentation Forecast|La Guardia Blocks Other Dis- After Burkinshaw and Dodds Confer. WESTCHESTER FIRM ASKS FOR PAID- NOTES $1,350,000 Papers Uncanceled and Kept, Court Is Told—$25,000 Deal Aired. Early presentation to the grand jury of the Government's case against Edmund D. Rheem, vice president of the bankrupt mortgage firm of Swart- zell, Rheem & Hensey, and who is charged with embezzlement, appeared probable last night following a lengthy conference yesterday between Assistant Attorney General Nugent Dodds and Neil Burkinshaw, assistant United States attorney assigned to the prose- cution, The Federal prosecutors were known to have made considerable progress in preparing the evidence to be put before the grand jury in connection with the collapse of the widely known invest- ment house. The evidence has been collected by special agents of the Bureau of In- vestigation, operating under the super- vision of J. Edgar Hoover, director of the bureau. Assistant Attorney Gen- eral Dodds has taken personal charge of the sensational case. Firm Asks “Paid” Notes. Rheem is at liberty under bond of $25,000, following his arrest last week on a warrant charging him with em- bezzling $162,000 in mortgage notes left with him for safekeeping. The Federal investigation is said to have uncovered many facts not yet divulged publicly, but deemed of great importance to the grand jury inquiry. ‘While the Government attorneys were getting their case into shape yes- terday, a new development in the tangle of civil litigation growing out of the firm's crash was presented to the Dis- trict Supreme Court. ‘The Westchester Development Cor- poration asked the court to prevent re- ceivers of the bankrupt company from surrendering any notes of the corpora- tion which may be found among the assets of the defunct company and to require the receivers to turn over all such notes to the Westchester Corpora~ tion. ~ “Straw Man” Named. ‘Through Attorneys W. Gwynn Gardi- ner and Howard Boyd, the Westchester Corporation advised the court that in Pebruary, 1930, it borrowed from the in- vestment concern $690,000 and some- time later an additional sum of $660,- 000, giving as security a number of notes payable to John H. Holmead, designated as a “straw man.” Both deeds of trust provided that payment at the offices of Swartzell, Rheem & Hensey would suffice to release the trusts. The corporation told the court that, relying on this provision, it obtained new loans, and, through a legal title company, paid at the Swartzell Co.’s office in November a sum sufficient to pay the notes, and that the deeds of trust were released, as recorded No- vember 21. The notes should have been marked “paid and cancelled” at this time, the court was told. No notice was given the maker of the notes, it was stated, that any transfer or sale of any of them to other persons had been made, and if any were sold, the maker was not advised of it. The court was informed that applica- tion has been made now to the receivers by persons claiming to hold some of the released notes. Unless the court intervenes, it was stated, the notes may be surrendered and the interests of the Westchester Corporation will be ad- versely affected. “First” Trust Was Second. ‘The petition asked the court to re- quire the receivers to disclose where the money is that was paid over in November and to disclose the names of persons now holding the notes, and the court is requested to have the receivers surrender the notes to the Westchester Corporation. Another legal angle yesterday was a petition to the District Supreme Court by A. M. Rizik of 1213 F street asking that foreclosure be ordered of a deed of trust for $25,000 on the New Haven Apartments, for which amount he owns a note deposited for collection with the Swartzell, Rheem & Hensey Co. He says the receipt given for the note describes the trust as a first mort- gage. He claims that a prior deed of trust has been discovered. He asks that the property be sold, since his trust has matured and has not been paid. Attorneys H. Winship Wheatley and H. Winship Wheatley, jr., repre- sented the petitioner. MEYER CONFIRMATION VOTE IS POSTPONED Goldsborough Absent When Fed- eral Reserve Board Appointment Is Before Committee. By the Assoclated Press. Hearings on the nomination of Eu- gene Meyer of New York to be governor of the Federal Reserve Board were concluded yesterday by & Senate Bank- ing Subcommittee, but a vote was de- ferred due to the absence of Senator Goldsborough, Republican, Maryland. Oliver E. Pagan, indictment expert of the Department of Justice, was questioned yesterday regarding prosecu- tion of Farm Loan Bank officers sev- eral years ago when Meyer was a member of the Farm Loan Board. He said he had “no conversations” with Meyer regarding the prosecution. Meyer previously had denied he had any connection with the legal actions as had been charged by Senator Brook- hart and ‘man _McFadden of Pennsylvania of the House Banking Committee. $25,000 SUITS FILED Sisters Charge Negligent Driving ‘With Subsequent Injury. Lillie B, Cohen and her sister, Jeannette Cohen, have each filed sults for $25,000 dam- ages against Joseph A. Petty, realty broker, 1024 Vermont avenue, for al- leged personal injuries. They were riding in Petty’s machine December 24, last, when it was driven negligently, they assert, so that it crashed into an em- bankment near Four Corners, Md., and caused them to be thrown from the vehicle. Attorney Leon Pretsfelder ap- pears for the Mfl“ - 1855 Calvert street, | the ’C trict Legislation Until Measure Is Removed. FIGHT CENTERED UPON HIGH RATE OF INTEREST New Yorker Declares “Sharks” Would Point Out Favorable Action as U. S. Attitude. ‘The so-called “small loan bill” for the District of Columbia was withdrawn from the House program yesterday af- ternocon after a determined filibuster against the measure, led by Representa- tive Fiorello H. La Guardia of New York, had threatened to wreck the chances of all other District legislation. ‘The small loan bill was withdrawn by Representative Prederick N. Zihl- man of Maryland, chairman of the House District Committee, when it be- came apparent that there would be no opportunity, unless this were done, to bring up for consideration a number of other important District bills. Representative La Guardia based his filibuster against the bill on the as- sumption that it would legalize a 36 per cent rate of interest “in this time of need, of stress and destitution ” Couldn’t Stop La Guardia. ‘The New Yorker started his filibuster when the so-called “billboard bill” was brought up, although the “loan shark” or small loans bill then was five or six items down the program. Representa- tives Simmons of Nebraska, Prear of Wisconsin, Elanton of Texas, and a half dozen other members sought to dissuade La Guardia from making his filibuster until several of the important and meritorious measures on the Dis- trict program had been acted upon. He refused. Mr. La Guardia admitted that “no doubt there is a shameful condition in regard to Iban sharks in the District of Columbia, but you can't stop it by legalizing & 36 per cent rate of interest for destitue people.” Representative Bowman, Republican, of West Virginia, who has sponsored the measure, in behalf of former Rep- resentative Gilbert, Democrat, of Ken- tucky, who has been an agent of the Russell Sage Foundation in pressing this legislation, said more than 25 States in the Union.have passed the small loan law and the American Fed- :‘ruuon of Labor is behind the measure ere. Business Is Cold-Blooded. Representative La Guardia declared the loan shark interests are endeavor- ing to get this measure through in the National Capital so they can go before the Legislatures of 23 States and point to it as the Federal Government's atti- tude. La Guardia said that the small loan companies will not loan a man out of a job whose family is starving and who is without indorsers-or col- lateral. He stressed that the loan cor?- panies would assume no risk, thdt they are in a hard, cold-blooded business. Representative Zihlman, in announc- ing his withdrawal, said that he did so because he is very anxious to attempt to pass other legislation which the Commissioners have advised is extreme- 1y important. STAR’S RELIEF FUND MOUNTS TO $1,043.75 Thirteen Contributions Received Give Boost to Red Cross Total. Thirteen contributions _yesterday boosted The Star fund for Red Cross drought relief to $1,043.75. ‘They were: acknowledged . Previously. $064.50 E. 8 8.00 Mrs, E. Florence Willard Day ‘ash .. Club Kappa Rho E. H. v Miss Laura Weaver . Mrs, H. C. Sumner . Robert S. Whaley . W. R. K. . Cash .. Mr. & Mrs. John +.$1,043.75 CITIZENS ASK CONGRESS FOR HIGH SCHOOL FUND Conference of Associations Urges Favorable Report on $200,000 Appropriation. At a recent meeting of the North- east Suburban Citizens’ Associations Conference held in Brookland, a reso- lution was adopted urging the Senate Appropriations Committee to give fa- vorable consideration to the $200,000 item in the pending District bill to be used to begin construction of a junior high school at Eighteenth and Quincy streets northeast. ‘The associations represented in the conference, including the Burroughs, Dahlgren Terrace, Michigan Park and Brookland Citizens’ Associations, re- gard the erection of this school build- ing as the outstanding school need of that locality, the resolution stated. making appropriations for ele- mentary schools, the resolution urged that the entire community bounded by Bladensburg road on the south, the metropolitan branch of the B. & O. Rallroad on the west and north and by the District line on the east should be considered as a whole rather than the needs of a small section thereof. The most pressing need at present of additional elementary school facilities is north of le Island avenue, the resolution stressed. PERSONALITY IS TOPIC \ Pr. Thomas V. Moore to Talk to * Mental Hygiene Group. Various problems in personality and t.wlnbedhcunedb 24 in ri f six lectures, sponsored a series of six lec ‘ashington Institute of Mental Hygiene, to be given in Barker Hall of the Y. W. C. A, bullding, Seventeenth and K streets. Money raised through the sale of tickets of admission to the lectures is to be applied to the sup- port of the Washington Child Guidance Cllmc" at Polk School, Seventh and P treets. “n\e first lecture is to be given’ by Dr. Thomas V. Moore, of Providence ‘Hospial, tomorrow night at 8 o * A family carriage, reminiscent of the days of George Washington, came to the end of its journeys yesterday at the National Museum. of the late Robert Brownfield of Philadelphi The coachee, a gift » was owned by R. Ketterer, who died in 1891, and the papers he had traced the vehicle back to 1802, when it is said to have been auctioned at Mount Miss Elizabeth Andrews, Bethel, N. C.,, Vernon after Mrs. Washington’s death. is looking over the latest museum reli —Wide World Photo. MURDOCK M'DONALD. TENANTS ORDERED FROMNEWP.0.SITE Occupants Notified to Vacate Buildings by March 1 to Permit Razing. Notice has been served on a small group of occupants of property on the site for the nmew Post Office Depart- ment to vacate by March 1. This is the first step of the Govern- ment in ordering persons to vacate the big area bounded by Twelfth and thirteenth, B street and Pennsylvania avenue, of which the Post Office De- partment will occupy the northern two- thirds, The Treasury now is acquiring, through the process of condemnation, the entire site, parcel by parcel, and as o title passes into the hands of the Gov- ernment 30 days notice to vacate ,is being served, in order to get the prop- erty emptied so the old structures can be_torn down. ' In the first group to be served with notices there were only abous a half dozen tenants, or former property own- ters, it was said at the Treas It is the plan to have the whole area empty by April 1. Test drillings al- ready have been made around the site to determine the character of the sub- soil. Drawings for the new ' building are virtually complete, so that as soon as the area is vacant it can be razed and excavated. The District Commis- sioners already have served notice on the Mount Vernon, Alexandria & Wash- ington Rallway to give up its right of way and tracks through this area. Pub- lic_utilities also have been served with notices that the streets are to be closed and excavated, so they must re- route their lines and mains. TRAIN CRASH HURTS FOUR Mistake in Switching Sends Pas- senger Into Freight. - BATTLE CREEK, Mich., February 7. —An engineer and three yard employes were hurt and a freight locomotive, tender, caboose and one freight car wred when a passenger train, switched onto a siding by mistake, crashed into the freight train in the local Grand Trunk yards this after- noon. None of the passengers was hurt. The injured are Alfred Swan of Bat- tle Creek, engineer of the passenger train; C. O. Sellers, A. S. Mallory and W. H. Van Sprosen, all of Battle Creek, yardmen. WEIR SEES B‘ETTERMENT Nmoml/ Steel Corp. Chairman Thinks Business Speeding Up NEW YORK, February 7 (#).—Belief that the worst of the business depres- sion had passed, and that a gradual improvement is in prospect, was ex- pressed today by Ernest T. Weir, chair- man of National Steel Corporation of Pittsburgh. He said heavy overproduction in many lines during 1929 was responsible for the depression, and this had largely been absorbed. ‘This is the first depression that the steel industry has gone through without reducing velr poin out, MAN HIT BY AUTO . CRITICALLY HURT Ambulance En Route to Ap- other Victim Whgn Acci- dent Occurs. Murdock McDonald, 68 years old, of 333 C street southeast, who was hit yesterday afternoon by the fire rescue | squad’s ambulance en route to pick up a man reported near drowning in East- ern branch, 5 reported in a critical condition at Casualty Hospital Jast night. The victim of the river accident also was in a serious condition at the hospital. McDonald was bowled over at New Jersey avenue and H street. The am- bulance which hit him was stopped and attendants placed the wounded man in- side and took him to the hospital, while the rescue squad car continued on the emergency Tun, At Benning Bridge firemen picked up Ernest Barnes, 32 years old, a surveyor for the United States Engineer Depart- ment, who had fallen into the river from a motor boat. They returned him to the hospital, where his condition was described as serious from exposure and shock. Although he could swim, Barnes was unable to make his way back to the verge of unconsciousness when his cries. 676 Fourth street northeast and Robert Newman of 1307 Water street southwest. They rowed out from the shore and pulled the exhausted man into their oat. Barnes, who lives at 1652 Avon place, was doing work in connection with the reclamation of Anacostia fla cuers were employed nearb; seawall inspector of the Engineer De- partment and Newman &s a driver for a gravel company. ! FINE ARTS COMMISSION T0 TAKE UP MEMORIAL District Tribute to World War Heroes Among Several Proj- ects to Be Studied. Location and features of the design for the District of Columbia World War Memorial will be given -attention by the Cpmmission of Fine Arts, which will meet Thursday. Among other projects that will be studier are the proposed Gen. Artemas Ward statue; progress studies for the future development of the Arlington Memorial Bridge and the Jane A. De- lano Memorial, to be erected on the grounds of the American Red Cross. The Fort Sumter Memorial Flagpole and the design for the Roosevelt Me- morial, to be erected on the Continental Divide, at Marias Pass, Mont., also are to be ‘studied at the meeting. There will be consideratidn given to questions of design pertaining to the public build- ings program s#nd certain projects re- lating to the George Washington Bi- centennial celebration. JURY HOLDS BERMAN MADE INVALID WILL Vpsets Disinheritance of Four Children in $60,000 Estate Testament. The will of Berjamin Berman, who died June 21, 1929, was declared invalid by a jury before District Supreme Court Justice Siddons yesterday and his $60,000 estate will be administered ac- cording to law if the verdict of the jury is approved by the court. ‘The jury held the testator to have been of unsound mind when he at- tempted to disinherit four of his ,chil- dren with bequests of only $1 each. The will had provided that the estate be distributed among certain charities after the death of the wife, who had died before the cdse was tried. The four children who opposed the will are David, Naomi and Louis Ber- man and Anna Carpel. They were rep- resented bv Attorneys James B. Flynn and 8. J. L’Hommedieu, while Attorney P. H. Marshall appeared for the execu- tor under the FRENCH FLYERS HONORED PARIS, February 7 (#)—Dieudonne Coste_and Mauyrice Bellonte, Paris-to- New York fliers, tonight were awarded the 1930 trophy of the French section of the International of Aviators. The trophy given eacl for dis- tinguished gervices to aviation. " At the ‘same time a meda awarded 0 Jean Mermoz, an air pilot, for his crossing the South % lanm: lask year in a commercial was ail PAGE B—1 DISSSAL OF D POLIGENEN ASKED BY TRAL BOAR Patrolman Leroy Batchelor Is Found Guilty in Shooting Scrape in Virginia. CHARLES E. KELLY OTHER OFFICER FOUND GUILTY, Recommendations Go to Commis- sioners for Final Action at Next Meeting ‘Two, policemen were recommended for dismissal from the force by the Police Trial Board yesterday afternoon whem convicted of charges of conduct unbes coming officers. The recommendatioh returned by the tribunal will be brougied before the next meeting of the Distriot Commissioners for final action. One of the officers convicted befove the Trial Board was Patrolman Lerty Batchelor, 30 years old, suspended fout- teenth precinct policeman, who was found guilty of charges growing out ef an alleged shooting scrape at the home of his father-in-law, Lieut. Edwawl Harney of the harbor precinot. Officer Kelly Acoused. ‘The other was Policeman E. Kelly of the eight precinct, found guilty of making untruthful statements and of threatening his com- mander, Capt. H. H. Groves. Batchelor was charged with firing six shots at the Harney residence, one of which struck and slightly wounded a young daughter of Lieut. Harney, and with intoxication and lea the scene of an automobile accident. It was said Batchelor went to the Harney home in 91mv| H:lghf:, Va., utz se: m{e on anuary 5 and was refuse ittance. Then, it is alleged, Batchelor fired sev- eral shots through the parlor window, one inflicting a flesh wound on Ruth Harney, and drove off in his machine. Convicted in Collision The policeman’s automobile collided with another car upon reaching Wash- ington. Batchelor is said to have driven from the scene, but was arrested by first precinct policemen a short time later. He was fotind guilty of a hit-and-run charge in Police Court Friday as & re- sult of the collision. It was alleged Kelly applied for leave on January 4 and 6, stating oh each occasion that a Summer cottage owned by him had burned. prosecution charged that in both cases the alleged fire w; ;I{tl;lsme-mm Kéliyb:lao was charg threa roves when the latter called at his home on January 6. . THREE CHILDREN’S HOME BUILDINGS DEDICATED Bishop Freeman Presides at Exer- cises at Nebraska Avenue and Rock Creek Ford Road. mDedluzlon :xuircheq o‘(l!& held for e three new buildings Episcopal Home for Children, at Nebraska avenue boat in the icy water and was on the |and for help were heard by Arthur Jones of | of bers of the clergy in the diocese of Washington. The new structures are an_administration building and boys’ and girls’ dormitories. In the services following the dedica- tion of the main building, Bishop Free- man addressed the faculty and student body, paying tribute to the Board of Lad: STUDY OF DISTRICT BILL WILL BEGIN TOMORROW Bingham’s Subcommittee to Take Up House Measure Carrying $45,600,000. The District subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations _Committee, headed by Senator Hiram Bingham of Connecticut, will begin tomorrow morn- ing its study of the District appropria. fim':s‘;rutlhmrH the mFx‘xt-l é'lscll year, which passed the House ay carrying ap- proximately us,eoc.m,y i The House continued for another year the Federal contribution of $9,500,- 000, and Senator Bingham said & few days ago he favored leaving the figure unchanged for the next fiscal year to allow the Mapes Committee in the House time to complete its inquiry into fiscal relations. THREE PINNED UNDER CAR Locked Wheel Gives Glenn Binns and Children Close Call. Glenn Binns, 33 years old, and his two children, Robert, 3 years old, and Delaney, 5 years old, narrowly escaped serious injury yesterday when the steer- ing wheel of Binns' automobile locked and the car overturned, pinning and the children beneath it, on Res- ervoir road between Thirty-sixth and ‘Thirty-seventh streets. Passers-by righted the machine and Binns and the children were placed in a truck driven by Joseph Kirim, 1633 Thirty-fifth street, who took them to Georgetown Hospital. Aside from a few cuts and bruises none was injured. WOMEN TO BROADCAST National Party to Present What Political Groups Have Dones Under the W an ity to ‘tomorrow what the two m: political have done for women. Then Miss Maud Younger, congressional chairman of the Woman'’s Party will explain briefly “'lsh:t 'l:mllnl tol be!done.” nator Samuel M. Shortridge of California, Republican, and Senator A. W. Barkley, Democrat, of Kfllfllfi% will give five-minute talks on what ;;smctlve parties have done in the way Tec T