Evening Star Newspaper, April 12, 1931, Page 18

THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, ALEXANDRIA MAY | VOTEONNEWRULE Faction Claims Signatures to Force Referendum on Government Change. BY HOWARD M. BAGGETT Staff Correspondent of The Sta: ALEXANDRIA, Va., April 11.—Pros- | pects that this city may face a referen- dum on a change in the form of city government have increased considerably within the past few days, with those behind the movement claiming already to have more than enough signatures to petitions to force the matter to a vote. The last of several public ques- tions discussed in connection with the proposed referendum is the sale of the gas company to the Seaboard Invest- ment Trust, later acquired by the Peirce interests of Tllinols. | Those close to the prime movers be- hind the proposal for a return to the old mayor and council form of city | government, in vogue here up to 1922, | report that six or more petitions are in existence, containing approximately 1.- 900 signatures. The statuts requires that the signatures of one-fifth of the registered voters of the last general| election are necessary to force such action, and under this provision the signatures of about 1,350 registered voters would be required. To Present Matter to Court. While those behind the movement are known, they have moved quietly for the past few months and are under- stood to be about ready to present the matter for the court action of calling the election. The petitions are expected to be presented to Judge Walter T. McCarthy of the Circuit Court. The proponents of the change in the form of government base their plea on several points. They site the recent wrangle over schools, ccmplain that taxes are too high, censure the city government for spending $23,000 to have the city scientifically assessed by an outside firm, assert that the city manager is inefficlent, object to the remaining members of city council be- ing able to appoint councilmen to fill vacancies, have some grievances sgainst the mayor, are not entirely in sympathy with the present plans to zone the city, ity Tn sling the oty gas works. city gas E H{hammrvupufiwlmnext week it would ire much work to defeat it, city ticians say, but it would nevertheless fail. If it is put off and nothing further develops, the poli- ticians state, it may never come to a vote, or if it does, victory would be more easily assured. Hold People Are Satusfied. Those behind the political scenes hold that the more substantial people of the city are satisfied with the city manager-city council form of govern- ment, have absolute faith in those who govern the city and would uphold the present form. The proposition to change the form of city government is not a new one. It cropped up sbout two years ago, shortly before the present city manager was appointed. It came up again some months ago and for weeks rumor has had it that the petitions were being At least one member of City Council ‘been approached and asked to sup- to elect a fifth man and that he will | again present it as soon as the council . Vice Mayor E. F.| been ted for the position of mayor if Mayor Pierce resigns, but some other move along this line may take place due to certain other govern- ment chu;fu which may be forced on the counc! to its sale, but the sums offered were not_sufficient in council’s opinion and nothing mates . The Seaboard Investment Trust, owners of the Wash- ington Gas Light Co., then got into the picture and offered $750,000 cash for the plant, with a proposal to re- duce gas rates 30 cents on each 1,000 cubic feet of consumption. When this offer was received mem- bers of council asked for bids and found that the Seaboard people were higher than other firms interested. The mat- ter was then put through the proper legal channels and the plant sold. No intimation that $1,000,000 had ‘been authorized for the purchase of the plant was made to them, councilmen staze, and they add that the plant did mctually cost the company almost $1.- 000,000 when the pipe line from Ross- Jyn was completed and mains repaired #nd extended in various sections of the sity. 0ld Employes Complain. ‘There are reported complaints that bills since the rate was cut are as mh as before, but the chief complain- ants seem to be employes of the old gas rompany, who have been laid off with the exception of one man, and this tman’s salary has been reduced. Concerning the actions of City At- torney Carl Brudewesky, who has come 4in for some criticism due to reports that since the sale has been completed he ‘has represented the gas company in the settlement of & claim, members of City Council say that they do not feel that he has acted rly. He served A Ak = S asked council's permission to do so. it is reported. Brudwesky was told, they say, that he might represent the com- pany provided he did not take the part of the company against the city or the people in any matter. Concerning the sale of the gas plant, ‘Vice Mayor Edmund F. Ticer stated: “We think the e of $750,000 which we obhhudc!gr é:a glnlalxdallnt s good price. y Council adver- tised the sale of the plant, with certain stipulaions about rates, and the bid from the Seaboard Investment Trust was the best one received. “Council held open hearings on the matter and it was favored by nearly every one in the city. I have heard no complaints locally about the sale. There s no itisfaction in Alexandria over the Our gas rates are now 21 per than they were last Oc- Sober,” A Have Roles in Festival GIRLS TO REPRESENT STATES. & L 5 Helen Poole of Syracuse, N. Y., was chosen Miss New York and Margaret Shepard (inset) of Kensington, Pa., will represent Pennslyvania in the forth- coming festival of States to be held at St. Petersburg, Fla. —A. P. Photo. From the Front Row Reviews ard News of Washington‘s Theaters. “The Finger Points,” Newspaper Yarn at Earle. HE case of Jake Lingle, news- paper man extraordinary and martyr to that old, thread- worn saying, “You can't kill a reporter!” cortinues to be thrashed out by the screen. This time Richard Barthelmess is the lad who goes under, and the film is called “The Finger Points.” It opened _yester- day at the Earle Theater with every in- dication of success. Rather ter than advance ners is this story of the newspaper man who gets into the inside of the racketeer- ing game, does a little himself, and then is lhcfd du:;‘l 12 co oo Richard Barthelmess. €016 D100Q fault of his own. True, Mr. Barthelmess seems a trifle languid for the role he assumes, and true bet- the run- purposes & tragedy, ‘band—highly reminiscent of s second-rate Sal- vation Army outfit—doling forth the funeral anthem. 8till, there are many moments of excitement be- fore the final flicker is reached, and for once there are one or two things about a newspaper office that are lukewarm to reality. Mr. Barthelmess arrives from the languorous South and at once gets a job on “the best paper in the world” as & cub reporter, at the munificent salary of $35 a week. Within two weeks he has landed the neatest story of the year—been rewarded by a by-line that stretches half across the page—gets a few ribs broken by ominous bandits for the story he wrote, and continues to work for $35 a week, with a dirty look from the managing editor when he suggests thet bread and butter have to be spread pretty thin at such a smail weekly pittance, Fesolving to get enough money so that he can marry the dreamy-eyed Fay Wray, he joins up with a gang of gangsters, does a little bribing on the side, puts away a million or so dollars, and is about to run off with his lady when his best friend springs the wrong story in the paper, and the next morning he gets lead for breakfast. This is the story that the author of “Wings” and the author of “Little Caesar” have contributed as their fictionized idea of what happened to Mr. Lingle, with an fronic twist at the end that makes one wonder if grhlps there mightn't really have en some truth in it. The actors are for the most part well cast. Mr. Barthelmess is good, but not perfect. Fay Wray has less glue on her eyes than usual. and about the besi thing in the picture is Regis Toomey, who might very well have risen from the newsroom of any paper in the country. The stege show is full of “Rum- bas”—that Cuban dance with the earthy pulse —done to a crisp by Charley Boy Rimac and Ciro Rosary, assisted by their Royal Havana Rumba Orchestra. And_others on the long and interesting bill include Audrey Depew in “Porcelain Ro- mance,” with a swell adagio in the middle of it; Harry Ross and Eddie Edwards, Bob Carleton and Julie Ballew, Maxine Doyle getting less coy with her “Thank you!" and ‘most_everything to lure 'you inside and away from the great and gold Spring sunshine. E. De 8. Melcher. “Honor Among Lovers” and Goed Stage Program at Palace. “I{ONOR AMONG LOVERS,” shown at the Palace theater, is very largely a study of the ability of Claudette Colbert to put reality into differing phases of the feminine character. If her standing on stage or screen were dependent on this drama of business life, no further test would be required for a favor- able decision. Although she is as- sisted by an excellent cast, it is her production from the opening scene to the final climax. While the story presented has the interest that pro- duces the unusual phenomenon of bursts of applause for a mere pic- ture, yet it is the leading featured player whose every appearance gives satisfaction from the theatrical and artistic standpoints. As a representative efficient secre- tary to a man of affairs, she makes the character a reality in a way that is seldom shown. As the chief fig- ure in a romance involving a com- paratively poor man, she invests the role with a decisive quality of sin- cerity. As the neglected wife, her appeal is equally potent, and as the defender of an ungrateful man who has been guilty of major crimes she displays a range of emotions which is far above the average. The Pal- ace, in fact, presents some attractive acting. While Fredric March contributes his vigor and discrimination to the success of the piece, the demands on him are nglf so great as in other recent prodé-ations, yet he reveals no faw i a &00d picturization of the l financial wizard who is as faithful to the demands of conscience and sentiment as to the requirements of the market. The play also is fa- vored with the comedy work of Charles Ruggles and Ginger Rogers, a combination which materially re- lieves the intensity of somewhat tragic drama. Monroe Owsley ap- pears with realism as the erring hus- band. Bert Frohman's scenic concoction, “On Your Toes,” occupies the stage period of the program. Expert dancing is an important ingredient of the show, which sets its high mark with the act of Vivian Fay, exponent of the pirouette and of other dance ideas. Appearing in white and silver, she is assisted by the chorus in brilllant contrasting colors, and finds good material in keeping with the title of the per- formance. Wilbur Hall a?nln presents his unique method of extracting comic music from various instruments bor- rowed from the orchestra and winds up with the playing of two instru- ments at one time, then finding musical tones in an air pump. Dick and Edith Barstoy, with tap dancing, employ intricate time and reveal capacity in balance, on the surface of the stage and on a flight of 50:‘&5. Bert Faye and Mr. Prohman 0 have their share in a good series of acts. The usual short subjects and newsreel are offered, with contribu- tions by the orchestra apd the Chester Hale Girls. D. C. C John Boles and Tarkington Divide Honors at the Rialto. (OQNE can easily understand why John Boles was one of Jean de Reszke's favorite pupils. Mr. de Reszke, for those who don’t know, 1s one of the most celebrated of sing- ing teachers. And in the south of France he takes a few “promising pupils” and makes them fairly nearly great. Mr. Boles, before he arrived in New York and turned to the stage, was one of the honored few who studied singing after this manner. And that explains why, when he sings his audiences cry for more— since his voice didn’t just come from musical-comedy scales, but through the hard practicing and training that only a real singer is willing to succumb to Yesterday, when Mr. Boles walked out onto the stage of the Rialto ‘Theater, the thunder of the applause that greeted him showed how true is his fame. All he had to say was “thank you,” and there was a re- newed volley. The thousand or more ladies in the audience leaned for- ward with rapt expressions and sald, “Isn't—or ain't he grand.” Mr. Boles, as a matter of fact, is grand. He has a grand voice and a grand manner—and his blushes are far removed from the Buddy Rogers school. His feet are firmly op the ground. His speeches not penned by his traveling secretary. Three songs were all that he did —but he did them in splendid fashion. And he says he's coming back every Spring—Ilike Peter Pan— except that he won't fly in through the window—so the thousand or more that can't get into the thea- ter this time may have another view of him perhaps before they die. Other than Mr. Boles, the program boasts a picture with Conrad Nagel, Sidney Fox, Bette Davis, Zazu Pitts and David Durant, which is recom- mended as one of those Booth Tark- ington stories, “Bad Sister,” which will not hurt anybody. 'It's an amusing little trifie about the black sheep of the family, who pretty nearly breaks her family wide open, and then shows in the end that she isn't so bad way down deep. There is much that is amusing & it, and nothing objectionable. The whole family can see it—and like it. de 8. M. “Too Young to Marry,” in Screen Vgrsion, at Metropolitan. WABHINGTON theatergoers who saw the stage play ecalled “Broken Dishes” will find interest in observing that the motion picture producers have made use of this ma- terial under the more conventional title “Too Young to Marry,” a pro- duction now offered at the Metro- politan. Broader backgrounds are made available for the camera and there is greater tendency to carry the eye alternately from onme inci- dent to another without the necessity ' for shifting scenery. The 2 however, and the plot follow much the same lines, while those who find pleasure in results when a worm turns, or when several worms turn, and interest in the older perscn who displays sympathy with the aspira- tions of youth in a matter of near- elopement, will discover new sources of satisfaction in following the story on the screen. One of the added features of the drama is the view of the crowded lodge rcom, with the installation in progress and the merry incidents of the serving of re- freshments to a most vigorous col- lection of citizens of the town. It is in the refreshments that Cyrus Bumpstead, hen-pecked hus- band, and parent devoted to the heroine of the occasion, begins his revolt against family despotism, and from that time on until the marriage has taken place to the strains of marital music, events le over each other in rapid successioy. Reve- lation criminal o D C, APRIL 13 1931-—PART ONE. IMODEL YAGHT CLUB PLANS 1951 SEASON Opening Regatta at Lincoln Memorial Pool Set Next Sunday—Cup Offered. With the first touch of Spring pav- ing the way for the renewal of com- petitive water sports, the Washington Model Yacht Club is preparing to o) its 1931 sailing season hext Sunday, followed by a succession of weekly re- gatias that will continue through Octo- ber on the Tidal Basin and the Reflec! ing Pool of the Lincoln Memorial. At a meeting of the club Friday eve- ning at the home of Clinton R. Thomp- son, 1334 Farragut street, with Com- modore Joseph R. Branham presiding, it was decided to encourage junior yachtsmen by offering a silver cup as a prize to which the owners of the smaller yachts may aspire. During the Winter the club added a number of new members, and the 1931 season promises more competition than any other. Several new boats will make their first appearance at the regatta on the These include some class A about 70 inches over all and ‘aging 2,000 square inches of sail area, which have just been constructed. Other model yachts now building will enter the races on succeeding Sundays as rapidly as their owners put them in commission. Smaller Craft Sponsored. A special effort is being made this year to interest owners of models smaller than those of the international class A type sailed by club members. Every Summer numbers of junior craft make their appearance on the pool, sailed by individual skippers, but with no leadership to arrange and instill a spirit of rivalry among them. So to encourage these youthful skippers, the ‘Washington Model Yacht Club will put up & cup as a prize, ‘There will be a meeting of the club at the Tidal Basin boat house on May 2 at 3 p.m. to discuss racing rules and schedules_and to make plans for a junior cup regatta. Owners of model sailing yachts, measuring 18 inches or more, will attend. ouncement has been made that the elimination contests for all member clubs of the national Model Yacht Racing Association to select a chal- lenger to go abroad this year will be held at the Larchmont Yacht Club, New York City, in July. Washington boats to enter the New York elimina- tion will be se'~cted in local contests to be held during the first two weeks in June. International Trophy. Local members are determined to make a good showing as the winner in the national eliminations will go to Gosport, England, in August to com- pete for the international trophy pro- vided by Yachting Monthly, an English sport magazine. From April to October there will be a succession of model yacht regattas on the Tidal Basin and the Reflecting Pool for the various trophy cups that have been placed in competition. Model yacht racing has become a regular Sun- day feature during the Summer. Some remarkably bullt boats are to be seen. The boats sailed by the Washington club are designed and built with a fidelity to detail comparable to the argest yachts afloat. Their sailing ualities ‘and the accuracy with which | they are automatically controlled on | their courses are a source of surprise to follow the races LONDON JEWISH GROUP HONORS LLOYD GEORGE Speaker Says There Is Plenty of Room in Palestine for National Home. By the Associated Press. LONDON, April 11.—David Lloyd dinner in his honor tonight there is plenty of room in Palestine for the Jewish National Home without render- ing homeless any of its present inhab- itants. The mandatory power of Great Brit- ain in Palestine, he said, “must dis- charge ite functions with fidelity and resolution.” Whatever doubts were raised by the recent white paper on Palestine have been laid to rest, he asserted, “by the MacDonald and Dr. Chaim Weizmann The mandate will be carried out in let- ter and in spirit.” The dinner marked the opening of campaign for funds to establish a col a George. Dr. Weizmann also spoke. LATIN RADICALS GAIN = Argentine Election Returns Give Increase to Left Wing. BUENOS AIRES, April 11 (#)—The radical party which governed Argentina prior to the revolution is gaining a steadily increasing lead over the cproai— tion parties in the official count of the elections last week in the Province of Buenos Aires. Incomplete returns give them nine gubernatorial electors, against seven for the Conservatives and two for the So- clalists. They also appear to have won three Senators and six Deputies in the provincial Legislature, as compared with three Senators and five Deputies for the Conservatives and two Deputies for the Socialists. The count will continue on Monday. TR LILA LEE RECOVERING Actress to Return to Studios After Months in Sanitarium. PRESCOTT, Ariz, April 11 (#).— Lila Lee is on her way back to health and to Hollywood. The film actress today was discharged from a sanitarjum here, to which she came last July for tuberculosis treat- ment. Sanitarium physicians said she was sufficiently recovered to return to the scene of her cinema triumphs, but it probably would be months before she actually goes on the sound stage again. She indicated plans for an ocean age first Chester Armstrong, who has been the family hero of fiction, in the thoughts of the dominating feminine head of the household, is the basis for the triumph of Pa Bumpstead. Loretta Young has a role as Elaine, temporarily suppressed as “too young to marry,” in which she finds con- genial atmosphere, and revels in the characteristics of the young person who can add vivacity to a family party or deliver a biting speech to one parent in defense of the other. “Bill, her poor but ardent lover,” is played with poise by Grant Withers, and O. P. Heggle, as the one-time mild- mannered husband and father, gives a fine characterization of one of the most human roles in the production. ‘The shrewish person is in the some- what over-effective hands of Emma Dunn, who, however, contributes to the tempo of several occasions. Others in the case of J. Farrell Mc- Donald, Lloyd Neal, Richard Tucker, Virginia Sale and Aileen Carlisle. The Metropolitan also offers “In Conference,” an Educational comedy, a colored travel reel of the Hawailan Islands by Claude Flemming, a pre- tentious singing and dancing plece in eolors, “Girls We Remember,” and the Graham McNamee newsreel. i P.G G Lincoln Memoria! Reflecting Pool next | the gallery which is always on hand to | George told the Jewish Agency at a| | correspondence between Prime Ministor | ony in Palestine named for Mr. Lioyd | T speaers ] HONAN ANTHORYS MATTHEW WOLL., MAURICE 8. SHERMAN. WORLD CONFERENCE ON BLIND TO OPEN |36 Nations Represented by Work- ers Among 5,000,000 Sighj- less People. By the Associated Press. NEW YORK, April 11.—A hundred and twenty of the world's leading work- ers among the blind—about a fourth of them blind themselves and accompanied by guides—will be assembling in New York tomorrow for a world conference which convenes Monday on the call of President, Hoover. From 36 nations they are coming to tell of work carried on among 5,000,000 blind persons. Every one of the six con- | tinents will be represented. The United States will have 39 official delegates, Great Britain, 10; Japan, 7; Italy, 5; | Prance and Germany, 4 each. In addi- | tion to the delegates hundreds of scien- | tists and educators will be present. | . After a week of meetings and round- | table discussions in New York the dele- gates will be taken on a special train for a tour of leading institutions for the blind in Philadelphia, Washington, Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Boston. The | conference will reconvene in New York April 29 and 30 to finish up its business. English will be the official language of the conference, but interpreters in French, German and Spanish will be available. The American Association of Workers for the Blind will hold its fourteenth biennial convention at the time of the conference. TWO LOSE THEFT SUITS AGAINST FLORIDA HOTEL Women Asked Damages of $30,000 and 850,000 in Alleged Gem Robberies. | By the Associated Press. WEST PALM BEACH, Fla, April 11.—Two attempts to hold a fashionable { Palm Beach hotel responsible for the | alieged theft of $49.600 worth of jewels from guests there two years ago have failed in Circuit Court here. A jury today returned a verdict in favor of the operators of the former Alba Hotel, now the Ambassador, in a $30,000 damage suite brought by Anna Silverstone of Montreal, for the alleged theft of $16,600 worth of jewelry. Earlier in the week another jury ver- dict favored the hotel in a $50,000 damage suit brought by Mrs. Pearl Mae Sachs, Newark, N. J, who claimed gems valued at $33,000 were stolen from her. Both suits attempted to hold the hotel liable in that it failed to post ;mnces limiting its lability for such osses. RED GIVEN SENTENCE Philadelphia Prisoner Says He's Proud c¢f Communism. PHILADELPHIA, April 11 _ (R).— Israel Lazar, 23, also known as William Lawrence, was sentenced today to two to four years and fined $250 on a charge of sedition. He told Judge Andrew B. Smith, who sentenced him. he was proud to be a member cf munist party. Lazar was convicted in the State court for violating the State sedition | act passed during the World War. While delivering an address on the | street during the presidential campaign of 1928 he was alleged to have referred to the United States Government as “murderous” and to have advocated revolutionary methods by Communists to gain control of the Government. He came from Rumania and is & natural- ized American _citize: the Com- N WATERY PIPLES Could Not Put Hands in Water. Cuticura Healed. ‘Eczema broke out in watery pimples on my hands. It itched and burned causing me to scratch, and scratching caused eruptions. I could not put my hands in cold water on account of it, and the breaking out disfigured them for a short time. The trouble lasted three months. “I began using Cuticura Soap and Ointment and in about two, days I got relief. I continued the treatment and after using two boxes of the Ointment and two cakes oi| the Soap I was completely healed.” (Signed) Charles J. Davis, 74 Ivy Rd., Wilmington, Del. Use Cuticura Soap, Ointment and Talcum daily and keep your skin clear and healthy. Soap 28e. Ointment #8nd ste. Talcum 2e, Bold CONVENE TUESDAY Plans {{o Support “Wet” Can- didates Will Be Taken ‘Up at Parley. With tlie announced purpose of dis- cussing jdans for supporting “wet”| candidates in the 1932 primaries, the | Women's ©Organization for National Prohibition Reform, whose membership | contains mieny well known names, will start a two-«lay sessign here Tuesday. | The meetiing comes right after that of | the Women'm National Committee for | Law_Enforcement, & group with an| equally proniinent roster, which was concluded he.te yesterday. | Mrs. Charlcs H. Sabin of New York, | national chaiitman, will preside at the sessions_and ill speak Tuesday after- | noon when tite conference formally is launched. Shes will be followed by Mrs. August Belmontt, also of New York. At the evening session, the _principal speaker will be Matthew Woll, vice president of the American Federation | of Labor, who will discuss the attitude of labor on prohibition: Maurice S. Sherman, editor of the Hartford | (Conn.) Courani and Dr. Esther Rich- | ards, Johns Hop tins psychiatrist. Approximately 600 delegates are ex- pected, and the agenda calls for the discussion of protfibition from economic, social and civic wiewpoints. On Wednesday miorning, the national officers will report, and action will be taken on these reports at the final session that afterniaon. Mrs. Henry Lecmmrd of Washington is chairman of the Committee on Ar- rangements, and Miss Bell Gurnee, chairman of the District council of the organization will welcome the delegates. Among the women coming for the | conference are: Mr:x Lawrence O'Dono- | van, Alabama; Mrs.. Nona Shelton, Ari- zona; Mrs. John B. Casserly, California; Mrs. Wilmarth Lewis. Connecticut; Mrs, Henry B. Joy, Michigan; Mrs. Scott Porter, Missouri; M¥s. W. A. Simons, Montana: Mrs. R. Stuyvesant Plerre- pont, New Jersey; Mrs. Archibald Roose- | velt and Mrs. August Belmont, New | York; Mrs. Augustine Healy, North Carolina; Mrs. Heiwry Nelson Rose, Ohlo; Mrs. Grahant Dougherty and Mrs. Carroll Miller, 1’annsylvania; Mrs. Parsons Cross, Rhode Island; Mrs. Pierre S. du Poiu; Delaware; Mrs. William Cabell Bruce, Maryland; M Valentine Vickery, Disiizict of Columbia; Mrs. Robert W. Lovetz and Mrs. Wil- liam Lowell Putnam, Miwssachusetts. Sight Is Restored To Three Pioneer Arizona Settlers By the Associated Press. PHOENIX, Ariz, April 11.— ‘Three grizzled Arizona ploneers, veils of darknes lifted from their eyes, were negrlu for words to express. ation today for a miracle of modern surgery. Last week the men were brought from the Arizona Pioneers’ Home at Prescott to submit to opera- tions to relieve total blindness. Today, when bandages were re- moved from their eyes, they saw. Abraham Hamilton Porter, 80, had not looked upon things of life for 25 years, George D. Har- per, almost as old, had been blind 20 years and Steve A. Tyler, 79, had been blind five years. Cataracts were removed from the eyes of all three at State ex- pense. « IOWA FARMERS FIRM AGAINST STOCK TESTS | Governor Calls Meeting in Effort to Settle Difficulties of Tuber- culin Examinations. By the Associated Press. TIPTON, Iowa, April 11.— Cedar County farmers stood firm tonight in their deflance of compulsory tuberculin tests of their cattle, despite threats of State and county officlals to ask State Militia aid in enforcing the State law. After & conference with county and State officials at Des Moines today, | Gov. Dan Turner called a meeting with leaders of the objectors to be held here tomorrow. The conference will attempt to adjust grievances of the farmers, several hundred of whom have pro- tested against the law. While the conference was under way at Des Moines, nearly 500 farmers held a mass meeting near here, but no word of what occurred was permitted to leak out. Pickets were established and news- | paper men were barred. After learning that the Governor had called the peace meeting, the gathering dispersed. ‘The farmers have objected to the law on the ground that the tests are not reliable and that the indemnity in cases of condemnation is unjustly low. T | Nearly one-half of the area of Czecho- | slovakia consists of arable land, only 4 | per cent of which at the present time is unproductive. KIDNAPED BREWER TRAIL LACKS CLUES Two States Probe. Case. Note From Chicago Cuts Ransom to $100,000. By the Associated Press. MONROE, Wis.,, April 11.—Without tangible clues to the identity of the kidnapers of Fred Blumer, 50, Wis- consin brewer, authorities of two continued their investigation tonight while ransom demands for the brewer were reduced to $100,000. C. Wells, secretary of the brew- | ing company which Blumer heads, said he received a letter today, mailed from Chicago, instructing him to take $100,- 000 to a downtown corner in Chicago Tuesday. Previous demands for ran- som, made in a telephone call to Wells, asked for $150,000. Sheriff Myron West said he believed the letter, pencilled on the back of a bank deposit slip and signed “unem- ployed guys” was & hoax. Wells, how- ever, is certain the missive came from the kidnapers, who, he said, told him in the telephone call Thursday that he would receive a message from them within 48 hours. Last Seen Thursday. Blumer was last seen Thursday night when he left home in response to s telephone call. He apparently was seized soon after he had left the house. Sheriff West sald he expected “im- portant developments” tonight. He re- fused to elaborate on this tement, but added that if the kidn: “think any of the Blumer family is going to walk down a Chicago street, even in daylight, with $100,000, they're crazy.” Motive Unknown. Motives for the kidnaping, other than the ransom angle, have not been estab- lished. Brewing company officials said their concern manufactured only near beer and they could see no reason why that product should csuse trouble. Rumors had been circulated that the case resulted from enmity of gangsters who believed the brewer was attempt- ing to “muscle in” on Illinois beer ter- ritory. Members of the Blumer family said they were taking no action toward meeting the ransom demands and would let the authorities hendle the matter. They said previously that they could not raise the amount demanded, as Blumer was not a rich man, own- ing less than 10 per cent of stock in the brewing company which he heads. hat we do NDERSELL Unusual values are offered in these Special Monday Bargains Refrigerator 1923 Venetian Mirrors Feature bed. A beautiful suite af ) saving Monday. This $39 SIMMONS POSTER BEDS A _Simmons Wood Produc Pive designs in red mahoganys one in maple; tionally famous make, | quality and finish. | at $39. 3 i | ”I#Igfi: IIE S L T Erm [11TTH] LAD- DER- BACK CHAIRS plain and torch posts. well krigw, Advertised nefalarly OFF and more A na- for Maker’s Entire Ivory or green ena inty decorations. T because of a sensational 5130 CRIBS led finish. price only purchase. t Special Purchase and Sale of a Warehouse Stock $7 99 ¥21 Cribs sale price. $3.50 Bassinets sale price 20 Other Designs at Similar Prices CONVEWNIENT TERMS 905-90; 7'th St.\ Arranged Weeitly or Monthly to Suit 7WRIGHT=