Evening Star Newspaper, March 20, 1931, Page 1

WEATHER. (U. 8. Weather Bureau Forecast.) Fair tonight and rain; not much change in temperature; lowest tonight about 32 degrees. ‘Temperatures—Highest, y; Jowest, 36, at 11:00 p.m, yesterday. 1l report on page 9. Closing N.Y. Markets, Pages13,14 & 15 tomorrow; Sunday 43, at moon Ch ¢ Foen WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION ing Star. No. 31,734, 10 "omee Entered as second class matte; Washington, r D. € WASHINGTON D. €, FRIDAY, ) MARCH 20, 1931 —FIFTY- SIX PAGES. #¥#% “From Press to Home Within the Hour” The Star’s cairier system covers every city block and the regular edi- tion i5 delivered to Washington homes as fast as the papers are printed. Yesterday’s Circulation, 118,552 TWO CENTS. (P) Means Associated Press. THREE DIE, 1 HURT [N CRASH OF TRUCK i AND BUS ON 18-F00T CULVERTINVIRGINIA All Fatalities and Most of In- jured Among Passengers. First Aid Given at Fort Humphreys, Close to Scene BUREAU IDENTIFIES ONE; BOTH DRIVERS DISABLED TLeft Side of Bus Ripped Out by Impact—Concrete Wall of Cul- vert Cracked—Accident Occurs | Shortly After Midnight on Rich- mond-Washington Road. Three passengers were killed and 11 other persons injured shortly after midnight, when a Norfolk- bound bus of the Great Eastern Stages Co., and a huge six-wheel- ed truck, loaded with eggs, north- bound, sideswiped as they at- tempted to pass on an 18-foot cul- vert on the Richmond-Washington highway just north of Fort Humphreys, 15 miles from here. The truck tore away the left side of the bus for half of its length, killing the occupants of the first three seats on that side. Then it plunged off down the em- bankment at the side of the road, overturning and injuring its three ocupants. ‘The dead: Mrs. Ruth Dudley, News, Va. Ray A. Morriss, 1038 North street, Portsmouth, Va. Liloyd B. Mitchell, 35, Norfolk, Va. List of Injured. Seriously injured: John McCall of 1114 Fourteenth street northwest, driver of the bus, severe lacerations, a broken arm and possible internal injuries. He is being treated at a local hospital. J. E. lenc: ¢l)( ‘Woodville, N. C., Alexandria Hospital. Minar injuries, consisting chiefly of wi hby of antry, . 8. Ay of Fort Eustis, ; Mrs. Mabel M. McDaniel, Norfolk, Va.; Miss Louise Powell, Norfolk, Va.. Robert E. Hardcastle, Oaklyn, N. J.; W. W. Mar- tin, Norfolk, Va.; John W. Shaw, Eden- ton, N. C.; W. B. Omahundro, Rich- mond, Va., owner of the truck; John Clements, Ashland, Va., driver of the truck; R. E. Sparks, Ashland, Va. Only two passengers on the bus es- caped injury. They were Mattie L. Hale, Winston-Salem, N. C., and Rob- ert Nicholls, 35, Newport Atlantic City, N. J., both colored, who were seated in the rear of the bus. Concrete Wall Cracked. Investigators, after viewing the po- sition o(“'}u two vehicles, believed that the truck was about two-thirds of the way across the culvert when the crash occurred. The bus driver, in an effort to avoid the collision, apparently had swerved to the right, only to have the bus strike the congrete wall of the culvert curb and rebound into the truck. The wall was cracked for a distance of . about five feet. The bus came to a stop in a ditch south of the bridge. The dead had crushed skulls. The driver was the first to be struck, as the side of the bus was torn away, but his seat was far enough inside to save him most of the force of the im- act. ? The truck was loaded with approxi- mately 200 crates of fresh eggs 2nd sev- eral crates of chickens, and was pro- ceeding to New York from Richmond. The eggs were strewn all over the vicin- ty. Chickens Survive Crash. Among the survivors also were listed a crate of barred-rock chickens. Al- though partly buried beneath the pile of egg crates from the overturned truck, the chickens were very much alive this morning. An investigation of the accident was gtarted by Coroner C. A. Ransom of Fairfax County, in an attempt to fix the blame. A number of the passengers were questioned Ly the corone The time of the accident set 1:40 o'clock by a watch in ths pocket of one of the dead men, which stopped at that hour. Two soldiers returning to Fort Humphreys passed the wreck just after the crash and hurried to the Army post, where two ambulances were immediately dispatched to the scene. These am- bulances made twe trips carrying the dead and injured to the fort. First Aid at Post. Pirst aid treatment was given the in- jured at the post hospital. Identifica- tion of two of the dead persons was made through letters in their pockets. made through letters in their pockets. Mitchell was identified by the Bureau of Investigation of the Department of Justice by his fingerprints, which a Star reporter took to the bureau. Later another bus of the Great East- ern Stages went to Fort Humphreys and the passengers who have received only (Continued on Page 2, Column 5.) BETHUNE IS RELEASED ON PROTEST BY U. S. Chilean Government Frees Ameri- can on Bond to Face Fraud Charge Later. By the Assoctated Press. The State Department was officially notified today that Larry Bethune, Chilean manager of the General Motors Acceptance ation, had been re- Jeased from jail following the delivery of a note to the Chilean foreign office protesting his being held incommuni- cado. Ambassador William 8. Culbertson at Santiago cabled the department Bethune was free on bond on & charge of fraud. ‘The American note protesting the hold- ing of Bethune incommunicado was de- ent after from Three years merly Dorothy livered to the Chilean Culbertson had asked Escretary at the Judge Frees Man Who “Wore” Whisky For Keeping Warm | By the Associated Press. CHICAGO, March 20.—It's all right to wear a moonshine neck- lace. It may not be stylish, or what the well dressed man is wearing, but it certainly isn't disorderly conduct. Judge Samuel Trude so_ruled yesterday in the case of Foster Parrett, a Negro, brought into his court because he was wearing around his neck a hot-water bot- tle filled with moonshine whisky. “I didn’t drink and I didn’t sell it, judge,” the prisoner protested. “Then what?"” asked the court, “was the idea.” “I was just wearing it to keep me warm,” the prisoner replied, and lacking any other evidence the judge dismissed the charge. PAVELROPE NOVE ADED BY TREATY Berlin and Vienna Effect; Customs Union—Seen Helping Briand Idea. BY EDGAR AN By Cable to The Star. BERLIN, Germany, March 20.—A | | German-Austrian customs union, the first great step in the realization of Pan-Europe, is now fully prepared by‘ two governments and will be announced with all details in the near future. ‘This sensational scheme, which was perfected during the recent visit of | Foreign Minister Julius Curtius in| Vienna, has been a matter of long | stud; The greatest secrecy is being | observed, but hints have been trickling | through the press the last few days and | today I have reason to believe that the | entire scheme is perfected. Others to Be Invited. It will consist first of a customs union between the two countries, realized without violation of the war treaties. But more important is the second idea, namely, an invitation addressed to all | other European States to negotiate a similar arrangement. ‘The Deutsche Volkswirt, the best German economic weekly, states that a special plea to enter a common customs territory with similar duties will be extended not only to the Agrarian States of Eastern and | Southern Europe, but also to the in- dustralized States of the West. It is considered here that not the slightest objection can possibly be raised by a State which has taken the lead in proclaiming the need for an economically united Europe. It is ob- vious that just at this moment of eco- nomic depression, the constitution of greater European economic and terri- torial units on the United States model can be calculated somewhat to reduce the pressure and better conditions. Minimize Objections. | ‘The idea, already expressed today in the Paris newspaper, Midi, that tbis scheme is a German plot to reconquer Southeastern Europe and organize it against the west certainly does not seem to fit the impression here. It is Pc-.slble. indeed probable, that a state like Czechoslovakia may object. But the Germans claim that while other states have talked about pan-Europe, they really have gone ahead and carried | out something creative—the first step to organize the continent. Such a Europe, with fewer customs barriers, may hope to eliminate the present stupid maladjustment and so- called overproduction, stave off economic decline and maintain a living standard for its inhabitants, and thus become a better customer for both the United States and the British commonwealth of nations. | There is not the silghtest doubt but | | that the political and economic reper- | cussion of this action will be enormous, | that it will be both criticized and | praised, that it will be considered as directed for and against the Soviet Union, the little entente, or the Western states. according to the writer's na- tionality. It can be safely said that efforts may | |be made to induce Hungary and Ru- | mania to join and it is no accident that | | German-Rumanian negotiations are be- |ing carried out in Vienna. The answer | here to all such statements is simply | that the present customs union, whichl it is hoped will merely be the first step even greater European continental unity, is simply an act of common sense | {long overdue. | | (Copyright; 1931.) SEL MOWRER. |SAYS SENATOR NORRIS { IS “WORSE THAN REDS” | MONTGOMERY, Ala., March 21 (). | | —W. A. Praser, national president of | Woodmen of the World, speaking | here today at a State encampment of | the order, criticized Senator Norris of | | Nebraska, as “worse than the Russian | reds” and charged him with seeking |the get personal control of Muscle | Shoals through Government operation. | Representative Ed Almon of the eighth Alabama district, another speak- | er, said the next Congress would pass a | bill to place the power project in opera- | tion, even over the veto of the President. | Fraser replied he was unalterably op- posed to Government operation of pub- lic utilities and in that connection criti- cized Senator Norris. | man of Maj. Hill's type in the office of NEW ROT ATTENPT AT LT FALS AS INQURY S STARTED Prisoners Break Plate-Glass From Cell Doors, but Es- cape Is Impossible. PROBE QUICKLY HALTED AS OUTBREAK BEGINS Inmates Boo Investigators Making Tour of Inspection, With Guards Unable to Quiet Them. By the Associated Press JOLIET, Ill, March 20.—Prisoners in cell house at Stateville sought to stage a riot and to escape from their cells today. The riot was short-lived. No prisoners were Teleased. The dis- turbance consisted principally of break- ing glass in the cell doors and yelling and cursing. There were 729 convicts in the cell house, most northly of the four circu- lar blocks. One prisoner gave the signal for the outburst by kicking through the heavy plate glass pane in his barred cell docr and snouting. His fellows took up the concert of boos, but could do little damage. No Chance to Escape. There was nc chance for an escape. All the convicts have been locked in| their ceils since Wednesday's riot aLnd disastrous fire, and yesterday's “shake- dcwn” had removed from the cells every hidden tool or weapon. One con- vict managed to set fire to a news- paper in his own cell, but it was quick- ly extinguished. 4 warden Henry C. Hill was testifying before the Legislative Investigation Com- mittee when the alarm came and with the committee, his assistants and Rod- ney H. Brandon, State welfare superin- tendent, he sped to the scene, but all ‘was quiet upon his arrival. Two of the four National Guard companies were still on duty at State- ville and patrolled the yard as soon | as the trouble broke. ~The reduced force of 35 State highway policemen | was also on hand. Company D of the 120th Infantry| from Aurcra, a machine gun unit and | Company G of Joliet remained on guerd, approximately 100 men. Newspaper Men Barred. The Parole Board, against which most of the impreeation was directed, accompanied the official party of prison | officers and lawmakers to Stateville to | participate in the inspection. Supt. Brandon, upon his arrival, or- dered all newspaper men ejected from the cell blocks and issued notice that none were to be admitted to cell houses, Officials have laid some of the blame for the cutbreaks of the past week on publicity given recent events, which, they believed, had created feeling amcng the convicts -that public sym- pathy was with them. All communi- cation from the outside world has been denied the prisoners since Wednesday. All prisoners at Statesville, with the exception of a few trusties, have been confined to their cells since the riot of Wednesday. Boos greeted the special Legislative Investigating Committee and the five members postponed questioning Wit~ nesses to inspect the prison. Couldn’t Stop Din. Guards warned the committemen there was no way of stifling the some- times muffled and sometimes angry roar of prison voices. Boos came from every- | where and nowhere—prisoners near at | hand holding their peace, while others | took up the booing. | Solitary cells in both prisons, the ! ‘screen”—a milder sort of solitary, the “chairs” and the dining room were visited on tour, in addition to the scenes of fire and riot damage. Hunger apparently made all except | 680 prisoners, who have thus far re- frained from trouble making—more | surly—and the disrespect they hurled through the bars at the Legislative | Committee quickened the steps of the lawmakers and sent them for longer visits in other places beside the cell blocks. Since they started rioting several days ago the prisoners have been on a bread and water diet. They also have been deprived of their personal possessions. Warden Hill said he would not at- tempt to influence the committee in the selection of convicts to be ques- tioned. State Director Brandon following statement: “The State is fortunate in having a issued the warden at this trying time. He has the power of quick and right decision, he has strength and bravery without cruelty. He has done an unpleasant duty very well.” All of tke 32 convicts identified as major participants in the riot last Wed- nesday faced the possibility of life im- priconment for their parts in the up- rising. This became apparent when Warden Hill announced last night that he would ask the grand jury for indictments. Regardless of the length of their pres- ent terms the ringleaders will receive life terms if convicted. Assault, arson and larceny charges, the warden said, would be asked from the grand )u_ry. 1 SINCLAIR LEWIS, Author Said to Have Ch By the Assoclated Press. NEW YORK, March 20.—The Eve- ning Post says that Theodore Dreiser, novelist, slapped the face of Sinclair Lewis, Nobel Literary Prize winner, at a dinner last night honoring Boris Pilnyak, Russian Communist writer. The incident, says the Post, was the result of a literary feud brewing since 1928 between the author of “Main Street” and the author of “An Ameri- can Tragedy.” It occurred after Tewis, called upon to speak at the dinner, said, according the Post story, “I feel disinclined to say anything in_the presence of the man who stole 3,000 words from my wife’s book, and before two sage critics who publicly lamented my receiving the Nobel prize.” ago Mrs. Lewis, for- ‘Thompson, charged that 'BY DREISER AT DINNER, ISREPORT arism Of wi‘e‘& BOOI(. FACE SLAPPED arged Latter With Plagi- Dreiser literally plagiarized her book, “The New Russia,” in his volume, “Dreiser Looks at Russia.” The ‘“sage critics” were not imme- diately identifiable. ‘When Lewis mace his remark, the newspaper says the other guests “waited hopefully for the shooting, but Dreiser restrained himself.” o “No apologies were given or asked, the Post continues. “The amenities were preserved while the company ad- journed to the next room for coffee and cigars.” Strangely enough, the account says, Dreiser and Lewis found themselves face to face conversing, “presumably on the subject nearest to their hearts.” Suddently the guests heard a re- sounding slap, saw Dreiser leaning for- ward and Lewis nursing his cheek. TWO HEART | i IS THAT BEAT AS ONE! 2 VNG MISSING ARE THOUCHT DEAD Frissell and Penrod Among: Those Thought to Have Sunk With Vessel. By the Associated Press. | ST. JOHN'S, Newfoundland, March 20.—Captains of sealing vessels report- ed to St. John’s today that they had searched every foot of ice Within 22| miles of the scene of the Viking dis- aster without finding a trace of the 28| men still missing. They declared turther search useless. Twenty-seven of the 28 missing mem- bers of the Viking company are believed | to have gone down with the ship after | it exploded Sunday, a message to Bowring & Co., owners, of New York, | sald today. It said: Missing Believed Dead. *Imogene today landed men With | food supplies and got Viking survivors off to the Sagona. Is tightly jammed in effort fo reach islanti, but hopeful change of conditions wili free. Have | done splendid work. Twenty-eight un- acccunted for. Believe all these, with possibility one_exception, whose tracks show he was drowned, went down with the Viking.” ‘The weather report from Horse Is. land, near which the vessel and sank Sunday, shows east by north- erly gales with thick fog along the coast. Navigators familiar with the airplanes to search for the missing. Air expeditions, it was felt here, | would needlessly endanger the lives of fiyers, and would accomplish nothing. Official Tabulation Made. Richard Squires, prime minister Newfoundland, also listed 28 as still missing in the destruction of the Viking with 127 survivors. The premier said the ship carried | a signed crew of 147, 4 members of the | motion picture expedition, headed by Varick Frisscll, 2 stowaways and 2 men who had joined the ship, but were not listed on the ship's articles, making a total of 155. The survivors who reached Horse Island, 8 miles from where the ship | blew up Sunday night, numbered 121. The resciie steamers Sagona and Beothic picked up three each in White Bay, a total of 127 saved. Three men who had signed on for the seal hunt did not-sail when the Viking sailed from here March 9. Frissell, who was aboard the Viking with his’ companions to take motion pictures of the seal hunt, and his cameraman, A. G. Penrod, are among the missing. Harry Sargent, actor and explorer, who was one of Frissell’s party, was picked up by the rescue ship Sagona. Survivors Aboard Ships. All of the survi' >rs who were able to travel across the ice barrier from the island were taken aboard the Sagona and the seal ship Imogene yesterday, after crews of the rescue vessels suc- ceeded in reaching the island with food and medical supplies. The rescue party, Wwhich included doctors sent from St. John's on the Sagona, found the refugees and the residents of the tiny settlement virtually at_the end of their food supplies and subsisting on a ration of crackers and tea. While medical attention was being given the injured and the removal of the Viking's people to the rescue ships was being pushed, the steamer Imogene landed supplies of butter, biscuit, sugar, coffee, bully beef, bread, fresh meat, canned milk, cheese and tea. MUELLER NEAR DEATH BERLIN, March 20 (#).—Dr. Herman Mueller, former German chancellor, who is serlously ill with bronchial trouble, was regarded as near death to- day. Inflammation of the lungs had grown worse and his temperature was higher. { Dr. Mueller’s physicians said In a bul- letin_ they doubted the former chan- cellor would survive through the day. MONTFAUCON! Triumph of 79th at beginning of Meuse-Argonne f Engagement | GEN. PERSHING Tomorrow in Once again Dreiser slapped. Lewis ut- tered no words, but his cheeks flamed. ‘Then friends leaped between them and the incident was over. = | Gatley, | Henry Arnold of New York, a nephew |of Mrs. Henderson, to intervene in the 1 The Euening Star | T Mellon and Mitchell 0. K. Fruit Distilleries Under 1930 Tariff Act By the Associated Press. Regulations were promulgated today by Secretary Mellon and Attorney General Mitchell, per- mitting the distillation of high- pruof fruit spirits in distilleries connected with wineries, which will allow the spirits to be manu- factured and sold for any use now legal for industrial alcohol. The action was taken under the tariff act of 1930. Commissioner Doran of the Industrial Alcohol Bureau said the new regulations would affect California wine own- ers, whose products have been un- salable since prohibition, and open a new field for use of high-proof fruit spirits. MRS. HENDERSON'S PETITION ATTACKED ICounsel for Mrs, Wholean Charges She Is Seeking to Set Up New Facts. Asserting that Mrs. Mary F. Hender- | son is now trying to establish a new set f facts, counsel for her adopted daugh- burned | ter, Mrs. Beatrice Wholean, today asked District Supreme Court Justice James M. Proctor to dismiss a petition recently locality doubt the wisdom of sending |filed by Mrs. Henderson asking that the adoption decree be vacated. It was declared Mrs. Henderson al- leged certain facts six years ago in her petition for adoption and she is now An official tabulation issued by Sir |estopped from attempting to set up a of | contrary set of facts merely to further her own purposes in having the decree | declared void. Sees Elimination of Heir. Mrs. Who'ean's attorney, H. Prescott also_ protested an effort by petition seeking vacation of the de- cree. “It is as plain as the nose on his |face that Mr. Arnold's only purpose in | attempting to intervene is to ell |an heir to the Henderson estate,” Gat- iminate ley asserted. ‘The attorney for the defendant con- tended that when Mrs. Henderson in- stituted her adoption proceedings six years ago she told the court Mrs. Wholean was then a minor child and that, despite diligent efforts, all at- tempts to-locate or learn the identity of her parents had failed. Points to Early Adoption. He also pointed out Mrs. Henderson had stated that Mrs, Wholean “always had been regarded as her granddaugh- ter.” Mrs. Henderson's adopticn peti- tion, Gatley pointed out, also stated that Mrs. Wholean, as a child, had in fact been adopted by her son, John B. Henderson, jr. According to the attorney, Mrs, Hen- derson, in her original petition, set forth that Beatrice Henderson was brought up as the child of her son, John B. Henderson, and his wife, Angelica Schuyler Crosby Henderson; that after tk . death of the wife, John Henderson continued to bring up the child as his daughter, and that both the scn and the adopted child continuously resided with her until the death of the son in January, 1923. “Mrs, court and asks that the decree be va- cated, alleging it was known at the time of adoption that the mcther of the child was alive and her consent was not se- cured,” the attorney said. Cites Legal Aspect. “It is an established doctrine of law that a petitioner in a court of equity cannot, to further a personal interest, attempt to set up facts which would nullify and be contrary to a former set (Continued on Page 2, Column 4) FLYERS MOV'E ARTILLERY Entire Battery of Guns to Be Transported in Army Test. PANAMA CITY, March 20 .(#)—For the firsc time in Isthmian history. pos- sibly in the history of the world, an en- tire battery of field artillery, including equipment, is to be transported by air- plane. Maj. John B. Wogan will carry out an experiment having for its object the start of actual firing at a distant point not more than one and one-ha'f bours from the time of rcceiving orders. This will involve loading Battery B of the 2d Fleld Artillery abroad bombing planes and landing the guns in the Rio Hato district, Panama. The trip ordi- narily would take four days. Radio Programs on Page D-8 CORDON UPHOLDS * HAYNES CHARGES Former Bank President Must Stand Trial Despite Quash Motions. Justice Peyton Gordon in Criminal Division 1 today ruled that Harry V. | Haynes, former president of the Farm- ie“' and Mechanics’ National Bank, | must stand trial on an indictment charging him with making false en- tries in the books of the bank, with misapplication of the funds and credits of the institution and with abstraction of bank securities. Haynes, through Attorney H. Winship Wheatley, had filed a motion to quash the indict- ment, alleging that the indictment was invalid because returned by a grand jury on which women were permitted to serve without any authority of law 4n July during the Summer of the court ‘without lawful auf . Justice Gordon overruled the motion on thes: grounds and also the claim of the defense that a representative of-the Department of Justice had been allowed in the grand jury room. The defense also attacked the methods used in se- lecting the grand jury and the validity of the appointment of Mrs, Lillian 8. Pritchard, a member of th" Jur, Com- | mission, when no date had be:n set for the starting of her term of office. A | number of other objections by counsel for the defense was also overruled. At- torney Wheatley noted an exception to the court’s ruling and will take no fur- ther steps to delay a trial. Haynes, he said, will plead not guilty trial when a date has been agre:d on l\!“l‘l’tl"l United States Attorney Leo A. ver, PASTOR ENDS LIFE AS TRAIN HITS HIM | Chesapeake Beach Engineer Says Rev. D. E. Beavens Leaped on Rails. Special Dispatch to the Star. UPPER MARLBORO, Md., March 20. —A retired Methodist minister, identi- fied as the Rev. D. E. Beavens, about 62 years old, of Baltimore, jumped in front of a passenger train of the Chesa- peake Beach Railway today near the Marlboro crossing and was instantly killed, according to a report made by the engineer of the train to Acting Coroner Thomas B. Griffith. The engineer of the train declared that he saw the man standing on a bank near the tracks as he approached the crossing. When the locomotive drew close to him the man leaped in front of the engine and was killed, the engineer said. The authorities at Upper Marlboro were notified and an investigation be- gun. Coroner Griffith said the minister formerly had churches in Calvert Coun- ty and Hyattsville, Md. He was visiting his daughter and son- in-law, Mr. and Mrs. John Dent, at Henderson now comes into?| Upper Marlboro for several days, Grif- fith said. Griffith said he learned that the man retired from the ministry sev- eral years ago. An inquest will be held at Upper Marlboro at 7:30 p.m. HUGE AIRCRAFT PLOT SUSPICIONS REVEALED to the indictment and will proceed to | By the Assoclated Press. was revealed today, poration, said the crash of a Navy to be defective, said, that he meant to see that the the United States Navy. in the Austro-Hungarian Navy. Officials Describe How Justice Agents Revealed Sabotage BY REX COLLIER, States Bureau of Investigation, tending to be a meéchanic on the Navy's new dirigible, the Akron, has forestalled a major aviation disaster and exposed a sabotage plot wide ramifications. The inquiry, resulting in the arrest at Akron yesterday of Paul Kassay, em- ploye of the Goodyear Zeppelin Co., on a charge of lnzn.\gud sabotage has led to San Diego, Calif., where Kassay is said to have been linked to a mystery involving the fatal crash of a naval bombing plane last September. It was learned from reliable sources today that an additional charge may be placed against y shortly in con- nection with the San Diego crash, in which a pilot was killed when the of a plane collapsed in a suspicious manner. Communist Angle Scouted. It is said Kassay was employed at San Diego at the time of the so-called acci- dent to the bombing plane. Kassay is reported to have told the disguised Federal operative that he was a Communist and was working un- der “direct orders from Moscow.” Of- ficials here are inclined to discredit the Communist angle, however. Acting Director Nathan of the Bureau of Investigation told a remarkable story of the secret workings of two bureau agents in uncovering the plot to de- stroy the big dirigible. Attention of Federal authorities was called to certain suspicions aroused b Kassay as a result of remarks dropps among fellow workmen at, the airship plant. Kassay is a Hungarian, and a bureau operative of Hungarian descent was assigned to enter the plant as a mechanic and work beside the suspected man, Pretended to Be Communist. Another agent was stationed outside the plant for purposes of general sur- veillance. The agent-workman donned overalls and went to work as a riveter. He en- listed Kassay's interest and friendship by p;mnis(a of Mlngt n“iellow Com- munist. assay eventually grew quite chummy with the agent, and t.heyqlun- ternized socially for some time. Before long Kassay told the agent of plans he had for wrecking the dirigible on her first trial flight. He solicited the agent’s aid, after being certain of the new workman’s confidence. “Kassay showed our man all about his scheme,” Mr. Nathan explained. “He was to take a rivet, place it in the hole in the frame, and, instead of ham- mering it into place, would wet the hole with water so that the rivet would freeze fast in its socket. When the inspector came around to test the rivet, he would find it to be apparently solid in the hole, and pass it as O. K. “Such rivets, Kassay told the agent, (Continued on Page 6, Column 6.) A $60,000 talking moving picture with a National Capital setting will be made | by Warner Brothers, producers, for dis- | tribution throughout the United States | during 1932, as a contribution to the George Washington Bicentennial anni- versary celebration. | Announcement to this effect was made at a meeting of the Bicentennial Com- mittee of the Washington Chamber of Commerce in the Homer Building today by a subcommittee consisting of Sidney Lust, local theater operator, and A. Julian Brylawski, official of the local Warner Bros. branch. Both members of the committee reported that ar- rangements with Samuel Morris, vice TALKIE WITH SETTING IN CAPITAL IS PLANNED FOR BICENTENNIAL Warner Brothers to Produce Film for Nation-Wide Dis- | tribution as Contribution to Fete. president of Warner Brothers, in New York recently, had assured the produc- / a tion of the picture her oom sgmmetrfi here during the ough a theme for the proj picture has not yet been decidgd m it is definite that it will be a talking picture and will deal with Washington and its environs. The Bicentennial Ccmmittee of the chamber proposes to sponsor a city-wide scenario contest in the District for suggestions as to a suit- :ble story upon which to base the pic- ure. When completed, the production will be made available to schools and col- leges and other interested organizations throu it the cotmggy, It will also be Ero .this BY DIRIGIBLE EXPOSE Mystery Bomber Crash at ‘San Diego, Killing 1, Linked With Akron Sabotage Arrest. FLAWS NOTED AFTER TWO PLANES PASSED RIGID CHECK AT FACTORY Mechanic, Trapped, Confessed Plan to Wreck Giant Navy Airship, Federal Investigators Say. CLEVELAND, March 20.—Discovery of the alleged plot to wreck the giant dirigible Akron was the outgrowth of an investigation of an alleged widespread sabotage plot against aircraft in this country, it C. F. Barndt, general manager of the Great Lakes Alrcraft Cor- bombing plane at San Diego, Sep- tember 28, 1930, started the investigation, which was climaxed at Akron last night with the arrest of Paul F. Kassay and his alleged confessicn of plans to wreck the huge dirigible. One of the pilots of the bombing plane was killed when the ship mysterfously crashed. It was one of 18 planes built and delivered last Spring by the Great Lakes Co. in Cleveland. Subsequent investigation, Barndt said, showed that some one had weakened the wings so that eventually they would collapse. Two planes which already had passed rigid factory inspection were found Agents Say He Confessed, Investigators of the San Diego tragedy followed the trail back to the factory, where Kassay had been employed as a mechanic, later went to work on the Akron dirigible, and while the investigation continued the alleged plot to wreck this big craft also was discovered. Kassay, trapped by Department of Justice agents, confessed, they He dirigible never took to the air, The Akron, now in final stages of construction, is designed to be the world’s most formidable fighting ship, and 1s to be operated by Kassay was described as a Communist and as a war-time captain Kassay denied to reporters that he A denim-clad sgent of the United | munist party here issued a statement today saying that Kassay is not a mem- ber of the Communist party. Probing Kassay Case. Kassay was arrested under the Ohio criminal syndicalist law, which the Legislature a few days ago refused to Tepeal. Numerous suspected Com- munists have been arrested un provisions of this statute, which for- bld.sd dissemination of seditious propa- ganda. The Communist Committee said Kassay's arrest “occurred conveniently enough when the workers all over the State are aroused against the Legis- lature which voted down repeal of the law and when the sponsors of the Fish (Congressional) Committee pro- posals are in' bad need of justification for terroristic measures.” The committee denied that the Communist party advocates any form of individual violence and terror. An investigation of the Kassay case is being continued by the party, the statement said, it added that the party will “most certainly support the de- fense of Kassay if our present opinion that he is the victim of the infamous frame-up system is substantiated.” WILL PROBE PLOT'S SCOPE. Investigators Seek to Learn If Com- munists Backed Kassay. AKRON, Ohio, March 20 (#).—A plot to wreck the giant dirigible Akron, world’s most formidable fighting ship being built here for the United States Navy, was exposed today with the al- leged confession of Paul F. Kassay, 37, reputed Communist and war-time cap- tain in the Austro-Hungarian navy. Kassay, trapped by Department of Justice agents who worked by his side several weeks, confessed he meant to see that the dirigible never took %o ke air, it was announid last nl&hfi by United States District Attorney Willlam J. McDermott of Cleveland. Omiission of rivets in the hope of weakening the structure and intentions to get into the control room before the scheduled launching of the ship early summer were described in the con- fession, according to McDermott. Kas- say was quoted as saying he “own reasons” for his designs and re- fused to implicate others. Bond Set at $25,000. Assistant County Prosecutor George Hargreaves announced the inve tion now would be directed to learn w the Communist Party or its members were _involved, ‘whe Kassay “merely took it upon himself to further the cause of internationalism by making & martyr of himself.” CIK hnyd airplane {: hul;y highly evel e fac as a id mechanical expert and began ex- orting his fellow workers to sabotage, Department of Justice agents said. County and Federal officials stated Kassay told them he was a Communist, but would not discuss his connections. sho in Warner theaters in States. as P. Littlepage is eha thmnknnh] Committee. o upris| in ry _after the war -ndm-::xud (Continued on Page 6, ge engaged in Communist