Evening Star Newspaper, April 13, 1931, Page 1

WEATH (U. B Weather Bures: iy Porecast ) Pair and warmer tonight and tomor- Tow ‘Tempera i report on page tures—Highest, lowest, 40, at 62, at noon : am, totday. Closing N.Y. Markets, Pages13,14 & 15 he Fp ening WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION > far. “From Press The Star's e every city block delivered ast as the pa to Home Within the Hour" frier aystem covers and the regular edi- Washington homes pers are printed, Saturday's Circulation, 114,568 Sunday's Circulation, Mo, L0V, . o caen Entered as second class matter Washington, nC WASHINGTON, D. C., MONDAY, APRIL 13, 1931—THIRTY PAGES. NICARAGUABANDITS KILL 3 MARINES IN DESPERATE BATTLE FOLLOWING ATTACK Several Natives Also Lose Lives as Large Force Makes Raid on Commissary Early Sunday Morning. AMERICANS’ AMMUNITION EXHAUSTED "IN FIGHT Admiral Pratt, Asking Full Details, Says He Has No News Concern- ing Report 25 Were Slain—U. §. Victims Include Captain, Lieu- tenant and Sergeant. By the Associated Press. PANAMA CITY, April 13.—Ad- Vices received by officials of the Standard Fruit Steamship Co. at Cristobal today said three United States Marines were killed in an attack by a large force of bandits on the commissary at Logtown, Nicaragua, 7 miles from Puerto Cabezas. The three Marine: listed as kille2 in the reports to the steam- ship company were Capt. Harlan Pefley, Lieut. Darrah and Sergt. Taylor. Scveral native employes of the com- missary were also killed, the report said. Ammunition Gives Out. ‘The steamship company has consider- | able holdings at Logtown and Puerto Cabezas. ‘The report of the steamship company said that the wiped | having been “under the eye of Govern- ing Self; Anxious | | Tired of dodging po'icomen and anxious to see his four children again Albert C. Baker, who fled April 2 after | fatally shooting his wife, Mrs. May Baker, in his basement apartment in the 800 block of O street, walked into police headquarters and surrendered today. Accompanied by his brother, with whom he said he has been staying in Caroline County, Va., Baker entered the police building as Inspector Wil- liam S. Shelby, chief of detectives, was }gomg to lunch. | “Who?” Policemzn Asks. | Recognizing Baler from photographs | | on file at headqu: 7s, Shelby followed the two men to an office on the second floor. There Baker, obviously nervous, approached a sixth precinct policeman, who was visiting headquarters on busi- ness, and announced: “I'm Baker.” :Who?"rthe policeman asked. ‘Baker,” was the reply. “The man BAKER, WIFE SLAYER, TIRED CF HIDING, SURRENDERS Walks Into Headquarters and Is Told to See Lieutenant After Finally Identify- to See Children. hy shot his wife a couple of weeks Told to “See the Lieutenant.” The policeman suggested Baker see Lieut. Charles Weber. The latter looked up from his desk a few moments later in response to a repetition of Baker's original announcement. “So you're Baker, eh?” Weber said, eyeing the stranger quizzically. “Well, T'm mighty glad fo see you.” Baker, who appeared neat despite his frayed clothing, explained the fact he was “tired of hiding” had prompted him to give himself up. He had planned to surrender chortly after the shooting, he said, but his courage cesert>d him and he decided to seek rofuge in Virginia Lacked the Courare. A few days ago, Baker continued, he met a lifelong friend, whom he asked | for advice. The man advised him to give himself up, he said, but he could not muster sufficient courage to do so. It was not until today, he went on, that he definitely decided to follow his friend’s_counsel. He accompanied his " (Continued on Page 2, Column 4. “CARRIE” EXPLAINS HARDING LETTERS Marion, Ohio, Woman De- clares * Surveillance Was Caused by Spy Hysteria. By the Assoclated Pres CLEVELAND, April 13.—The Cleve- | land News today said Mrs. Carrie Phil- | lips, wife of J. E. Phillips, prominent Marion, Ohio, merchant, today readily admitted she was the “Carrie” men- tioned in two autcgraph letters ascribed to President Harding, which were made public in New York. The letters mentioned “Carrie” as| ment agents” during the war. Mrs. Phillips laughed when the letters were read to her and explained the surveillance of Government agents was is on her msmdm nd armed A al saflors. The U. 8. 8. wes re- e uu-—z, planes s=t out to Pplaces. Marine Officer Killed, Corporal Shot by Insurgents.' mva.lfle;::mA 13 (P).— ‘The truce which lween cer. Capt. Har'an Pelfey, U. 8. M. C.,-was killed as he stej into bezas, and a corpcral named Morales was ‘wounded. ‘Word of the ambush was carried to Puerto Cabezas and Lieut. Darrah took 2 small patrol toward Logtown, where reports later said that he had been sur- rounded and two of his pztrol captured. Ancther patrol went to his assistance end two bombing pianes took off lmm' the Managua field. The U. §. 8. Ashe- the outgrowth of spy hysteria. “The entire affair was so_al that Mr. Harding's anxiety, well in- tentioned, was unnecessary,” Mrs. Phil- from itzerland. ~ Apparently over-patriotic residents of Marion re- sented the fact that Europeans were guta &t my home during war time. some manner the Mr. Harding, who had been a close | friend of Mr. Phillips and myself for | many years. *The wholz thing was silly. I never mad: any pro-Gzrman remarks, and of the agents ever and nothing was ever | done about the matter.” | The daughtcr mentioned by Mrs. | Phillips, she said, is the belle” men- tioned in the President’s letters, and is Mrs. Willilam H. Mathee, wife of a for- mer consul to Switzerland. Mrs. Phillips said she did not know who was the “Jim” t> whom Harding letters were addressed. LLNOS REPEA MEASLRE VETOED Governor Terms Wets’ Drive on Prohibition Laws Nulli- ficationism. By the Associated Press. SPRINCFIELD, IIl, April 13.—Gov. Louis L. Emmerson today vetoed the bill for the repeal of the Illinois search and seizure laws. The measure, which would have placed Illinois sixth in the column of States repealing their prohibition en- forcement acts, had been enacted by the State Senate by only a two-vote margin, 26 to 24. For more than two decades the State Senate has been traditionally dry, while the House has thrice passed repeal bills. In his veto message the Governor said the efforts of Illinols “wets” to strike all prohibition laws from the statute books was nullificationism. Last November the voters of Illinois - ‘expressed their ap- majority repeal in a referendum vote Wmu as San chief lrg\‘: anti-) n group Mur. Both Sides Given Hearing. During the protracted hearings dele- gations irom wet and dry organizations were given audience, and finally, with son granted hearings to both sides be- fore preparing his veto message. Yesterday the Crusaders, anti-prohi- ! bition crganization, presented a final plea for the Governor's approval of the | 1| bill and advocated it as the begin ning of a movement to bring “law and order back to the country.” Gov. Emmerson asked in reply whether the bill would not tend rather to “repudiate the eighteenth amendment than aid in its enforcem-nt” and asserted that the pro- hibition issue had never come before him officially before and he would de- cide it withcut regard to party politics. | ‘The vote for it in the House had been 91 to 56. Several of those who voted for repeal in the Senate, where the turn | of two votes would have changed the | LETTERS ON EXHIBITION. vote, frankly admitted they voted for it ville was ordered down from Panama to Addressed fo “Jim” and Signed With only because of the referendum. FPuerwo Cabezas. DARRAH SERVED AT QUANTICO. Marine Sergeant Killed by Bandits En- | Initials “W. G. H.” NEW YORK, April 13 (A).—Two auto- graph letters ascribed to President | Harding, written at the time he was a | member of the Senate and mentioning | Net for Nullification. “I am not for nullification,” the Gov- ernor’s message in part said. “This act not only removes all laws on this sub- ject, but tends to strike at the funda- | | | Three Alternative Courses for Mon- | | ALFONSO'S DEFEAT RESULTS IN CRISIS AS THREE RESIGN Ministers of State, Justice and Education Out, and Confusion Reigns. REPUBLICANS TAKE KING’S OWN WARD arch to Choose Today Include Abdication. PARIS, April 13 ().—A telephone message from Madrid to Reuter's Agency tonight said that the Span- ish cabinet had decided to resign. By the Associated Pr MADRID, April 13—King Alfonso was considering today what action the government should take in a situation gravely threatening the throne, brought about by the Republican victory in yes- terday’s municipal elections. He will decide late this afternoon at o cabinet meeting Whether to accept | and announce the resignations of three | members of his cabinet, which were tendered this morning. In the opinion of qualified observers, the King has three possible courses of action: 1. To continue the district and then the parliamentary elections either under Premier Juan Bautista Aznar or a new government. This probably would lead to a republic. 2. To establish another military dic- tatorship. This might mean an im- | mediate general strike, revolution and civil war. 3. To abdicate. Officlals In Confusion. The government is confused in the face of the sweeping Republican ma- jorities. Amid occasional outbursts of Joy, the Republicans are sitting tight and awaiting for the King's decision. If the government proceeds with its election program the Republicans expect to win and establish their form of rule. If the government cancels the elections, the opgoslunn believes that the peopie will fight. The three ministers, Count Cande de Romanones, minister of state; the Marquis de Alhucemas, minister of Jjustice, and Minister of Education Gas- con Marin, handed their resignations to King Alfonso, declaring they couid no| longer serve in the government. The | King received the resignations, but did not_a t them. * Count told the King that Republican victory was “disastrous” d_that he could no longer continue in the cabinet. He added, “I will not serve in a government of force.” Dictatorship Expected. ‘This declaration was construed to mean that monarchistic circles are con- sidering the establishment of a military dictatorship which Romanones refused to approve, A report that Premier Aznar has also offered his resignation could not be confirmed. It was said that efforts were being made to hold up all resig- | nations until the King and the govern- ment could decide upon a program. It is believed the Republicans can elect a majority of a new Parliament, so that the King would be inviting the loss of his throne if he agreed to parliamentary_elections. ‘The Paris Latin quarter, where ex- patriates of every land gather to spend their exile, saw a tumultuous celebra- tion last night as returns drifted in. Alfonso must be ready to retire with- out delay, Indalecio Prieto, leader of | the exiles resident here, declared in a speech to a roisterous celebrating group. “After such a calm, clear, loyal expres- | sion of the Spanish people’s will, there will be no other course for him.” | The Paris press today’ almost with | one accord asked the question: “What | By the Assoclated Press. () Means Associated — TWO CENTS. Press. RUTH NICHOLS SETS NEW SPEED RECORD AT 21 Exceeds Previous Mark, Held by Amelia Earhart, by Almost 30 Miles an Hour. Makes Two Round Trips Over | Measured Course With Four | Timings Averaged. DETROIT, April 13.—Ruth Nichols, Rye, N. Y., aviatrix, set a n>w speed record for women over a 3-kilometer | course here today with a speed of | 210.685 miles an hour. Mrs. Amelia Earhart Putnam held the previous rec- | or4 of 181.157 miles an hour. ‘Taking off from the Grosse Isle Air- port at 6:50 am. to avoid cross winds forecast for later in the day, Miss Nich- | ols, flying the Lockheed-Vega plane in which she set th women’s autitude rec. " (Continued on Page 2, Column 6.) 0 MILES AN HOUR FINE BALCHEN S50 ON MERCY FLIGHT Boston Officials Levy Penalty for Landing After New- | foundland Trip. By the Associated Press. BOSTON, April 13.—A fine of $500 | has been charged against Bernt Balchen, transatlantic aviator, for violation of customs regulations at this port, Wil fred W. Lufkin, collector of customs, said today. The fine resulted from an unauthor- | ized landing at the East Boston Airport WOUNDED PREMIER OF JAPAN RESIGNS Hamaguchi’s Post to Go to Wakatsuki, Former Encum- bent and Treaty Friend. By the Assoclated Press. TOKIO, April 13.—Disabled as the result of a shet fired last November 14 by a young assassin, Yuko Hamaguchi resigned today as premier of Japan and | presented the resignations of his entire cabinet. The appointment of Reijiro Wakat- suki, former premier, as successor to listed In 1917, Clyde Roy Darrah was a first ser- geant in the United States Marine |2 woman “under the eye of Govern- |ment agents” as a German infcrmer, | | were placed on exhibition in New York |today. They are a part of a collection s Alfons il 3 i mental unity of National Government. | taay ot e wove of fu, e “Repeal of the Illinois prohibition act | = "= =1 would leave Iilinois, for the first time | (Continued on Page 3, Column 3.) | in its history. without any State law . by Balchen on his return several weeks | Hamaguchi was regarded as a foregone ago from a flight to Newfoundland in conclusicn, and it was expected Wakat- o £ _survivors of the explosion of |Sukl would retain most of the Hama- the snalisg ship, VKL | guchi cabinet. but held the rank of first lieu- of historical documents assembled by | for the control or_regulation of intoxi- Dr. A. 8. W. Rosenbach, noted co!- cating beverages. This State has always MOSLEM FLAYS GANDHI | the sealing ship Viking Lufkin said Boston was not & port of | The Hamaguchi administration, which Corps, tenant in the Guardia of Nicaragua. Records at Marine Corns_headquar- | jocior. ters show he was born in Springfleid. | “The letters are addressed to “My I, August 26, 1898, and served at|gear Jim: and . are. signed merely m“‘“fi“v‘" ‘b’l,"';;n!;‘"“"}: (A~ |"W. G, H."_They are concerned almost ragua. next of el g 3 - mr . records as ‘Mrs. Alica B. Darrah of | (Continued on Page 2, Column 3. Quantico, his widow. ———— Lieut. Darrah enlisted ‘n the Marine | Corps in March, 1917, and was I'nund;;d 1 PANTAGES GETS HEARING | 1n action in 1918 in Santo Domingo. He | ’ - was an expert. rifieman and was ordered | ON GIRLS” CHARGES TODAY | from Quantico to Nicaragua in Au-| - gust, 1928. NO NEWS OF 28 DEATHS. By the Associated Press. | Admiral Pratt, chief of naval opera- | tions, today asked Marine officers in | BY the Associated Press. | Nicaragua for full details as soon as| SAN DIEGO, Calif, April 13.—Alex- possible on reported bandit activities in ' ander Pantages, wealthy theater ope: that country. | ator, and four other persons were sum- | At his office it was said no word had | moned to court here today for prelim- been received on the slaying of 25 Ma- | inary hearing on charges of participat- Tines as reported in press dispatches |ing in a “love bazaar” involving girls from the Canal Zone. | of high-school age. One dispatch to the department said | The co-defend a detachment of Marines had contacted | wealthy Los Angeles real es ate dealer: | Theater Magnate and Four Others Are Summoned in California | “Love Bazaar” Case. | a group of bandits one league north of | Jesse Shreve, San Diego business man: | San Rafael and had pursued them for | Willlam Jobelmann, former publicity about_anghour, but that there were no | man for Pantages, and Miss Olive Clark casualties. San Rafael is in Central | Day. Nicaragua, considerable distance from | A battery of expert criminal attorneys Bragmanns Bluff on the east coast of | was retained to defend them against the Nicaragua, where the latest outbreak is | accusations of Lydia Nitto, alias Alice reported to have occurred. Blake, 16, and Helen Livingston, 17. HUEY LONG’S BAND WAGON GOESV IN DITCH WHILE AIDING FRIEND Intensive Campaign Made to Win Congress Seat for Lawyer Who Fought Impeachment Charges. By the Associated Press. NEW ORLEANS, April 13.—Huey P. which has carried Claybrook _Cottingham, president of Louisiana College, a Baptist institution. The race is.to fill the seat of the late James B. Aswell and the election is to- morrow. As in all Long campaigns, the pace has besn fast and flery, with the excite- ment terminating Friday night in a fight at Monttomery between Preston LeBlane, brother of a candidate for the governorsbip, and Fdward Boudregur and Overton support:rs. * LeBlanc and Boudreaux first were held without bail, ceadly | recognized the need for regulation or control of traflic in intoxicating liqucr. | BOMBAY, April 13 (#).—The Times “The Supreme Court of this State has | of India today cariied a bitter criticism said that the Illinois prohibition act|of Mahatma Gandhi by Shaukat Ali, was a revision of the whole subject | noted Mosiem leader, who presided a: under the amendment to ths Federal | the recent Moslem conference of New entry for airpanes and landings could | lasted less. than two years, weathered not be made here without permission |many storms growing out of its accept- from the Treasury Department at Wash- ance of the London naval treaty, and ington. | the attempt upcn the premier’s life was Baichen has been notified of the Cus- | attributed 'to dissatisfaction among pa- toms Department action, Lufkin said, | triotic extremists with Japan's position | and has been instructed concerning the | regarding the arms limitation agree- ants were John P. Mills, | Constitution end was intended as a sub- | Delhi. stitute for and to repeal all existing on that subje: The statutes of th State provid repealed by the General Assembly shail be deemed to. be revived by the repeal of the repealing act. BINGHAM FORECAST STIRS MANILA PRESS Possibility of Inderendence Vote in Next Ccngress Favor- ably Discussed. By Cable to The Star MANILA, P. I, April 13.—Senator Hiram Bingham's belief that the next Congress will pass an independence bill | Graws comment from the Filipino press, which, expressing responsible Filipino | opinion, concurs in Senator Bingham's view because of the increased Demo- craiic vote, anti-Filipino labor agita- ;mn and the objeetions of the Repub- i~an entry in the American market. | Th> commentators do not count the prolonged Pilipino independence agita- tion as decisively influencing Congress. |to give a people frexdom,” says the Herald, doubting Senator Bingham's pm&k::cy It adds: “If independence is imminent, we hope everything will be arranged to insure the greatest fair- ness to Filipinos and Americans both, Americans as well as Filipinos who have staked everything on the development of the Phillppines want a chance to readjust their interests.” The newspaper says that the Fili- | pinos expect suzh an oppartunity before or associated with th> independence grant. It scores Sentor “fear that freedom will seriously affect the welfare of the masses,” and al- being carried on indocrinating the people with fear so as to make them satisfied with their exis! n' status, {(Copyright, 1931, | ‘No act or part of an act : danger in Indian politics. insurgents to Philippine goods’ | “Yielding to selfish clamor is no way | (N.AN.A). The Mohammedans, he said, could not expect any justice of Gandhi, who is a He feared | thet Gandhi not only wished the Hindus and Moslems to quarrel, but destred the Moslems to cut one another’s throat. The Moslems, he declared, could not be expec ed to give up their campaigns for separate electorates, and any cam- pa'gn to induce them to do so would only mean trouble. | tance of the $500. In most past in- stances of this kind. Lufkin said, the fincs have been remitted. On the fight to Newfoundlahd Bal- | was accompanied by F. Merion Country e explorer "and moste broducer. | disclosed ‘that no “responsible_political | Cooper, a friend of Varick Frissell, who | group” had anything to do with the | perished in the Viking explosion, or- |shooting, and Sagoya was regarded as | | ganized the fiight at th~ request of Fris- | a misguided patriot. He has not yet sell’s father, Dr. Lewis Frissell of New | York. FALL RIVER. HARD HIT BY DEBT. MAKES RECORD Branch Libraries and 120 Teachers Le Salaries Cut “My other piece of advice. Copper- fleld: #nnual fncome 20 'Pounds. annual expendifure 19 Dounds six, result happi- hecs. Annual income 20 pounds, annual | expenditure 20 pounds ought and six, re- | sult misery.”—Mr. Micawber. Special Dispatch the The Star. FALL RIVER, Mass, April 13| They can quote you Mi-| cawber in Fall River these days, for they are reading their old books over, having no new ones to redd. Library books are among the things a city can do without if it has to. Fall River has entered an era of doing without. Those who point with alarm at the Bingham's upon tne Jeges that widespread propaganda is | Vision. |Radio Programs on Page s;u = extravagances of modern municipal government would be suited with the drastic economies that have tightened fourth elty of Massachusetts. | They have closed the playground di- They nave stopped the kinder- g, Toer haye ket 0 02 branch libraries and cut off all priaf new bling on_ classes mrm'?m in a field day proposing what to cut out |a one-year contract, CUT IN BUDGET Playgrounds Closed.g t Out and City 20 Per Cent. next from the school system. They have weeded out the city pay roll and have chopped a flat 20 per| cent off the salaries of every one of the | remaining 1,800 public employes, from city mapager to pcliceman. The only exceptions were thos> whose wages came to less than $16 a week and teachers on with regard to whom nothing can be done until June. Retrenchment Has Just Begun. The dramatic era has only just be- gun in Fall River. It has set in for 10 years, until the city can get out of receivership. Next year the ax must cut deeper, for an additional $300,000 must be slashed out of the budget to pay off a slice of the debt that had bcen mounting year by year in Fall River until a fatal day last Winter, when the city defaulted on its notes and found its er=dit gone at the banks. ‘Then all th> municipal reform that Fall River had been resisting for years caught up with her over night. To get had "lo” skoept” the’ Lgislature’s. terms. Al 's The terms were a finance board xomua by the Governor to control inances of River until the last ~(Continued on Page 4, Column 1 | procedure necessary to obtain a remit- ment. Assailant Not Tried. Hamaguchi was shot by Tomeo Sa- goya, 23, a member of the “Love of Asscciation.” Investigations been tried. For weeks Hamaguchi lay in a hos- | pital convalescing, while Barcn Kijuro | Shidehara, the foreign minister, acted | as head of the administration, which was the subject of several Conservative attacks in the Diet. Recently Hamaguchi tried to resume active direction of the government, but was forced ‘to re-enter the hospital. Two operations were performed upon him last week. Convinced his illness would preclude his participation in politics for some time, Hamaguchi decided to resign. Bitter Treaty Fight. As leader of the Minseito (Liberal) party, Hamaguchi beczme premier July 2, 1929, Negctiations leading up to Japan’s ratification of the London treaty brought severe attacks from the ad- minitration’s opponents. = Climaxing these, Admiral Kanjo Kato resigne as chief of staff of the navy. Hamaguchi’s victory in bringing about_ratification of the treaty cver | the objections of influential group in the navy was regarded as significant, as previously in naval policies the cus- tom of the government had been to accede to the wishes of this solidarity. As Japan’s chief delegate to the London Conference, Wakatsuki backed the international agreement. Hamaguchi and Wakatsuki are of the same political faith—that is, oi the Minseito. or Liberal, party, as opposed to the Seiyukai, or Conservetive party. Wakatsuki was premier from June. 1926, to April, 1927, and won additional notice with his leadership of the Naval Conference negotiations. His appoint- ment as premier would be considered as a victory for those who favored the treaty, His hcbby is archery. e Masons “Promote” Ortiz Rubio. cO cfl'Y,'dApnl 13 (#).—The unun‘:n’l JUIGE SALES UNDER - FEDERAL SCRUTINY |Woodcock Tells Crusaders Prosecution Will Follow Proof of “Intent.” While Pruit Industries, Ltd., financed in part by Federal loans, is selling here and throughout the Nation its grape concentrate, which under certain condi- tions becomes wine, Director of Prohibi- tion Amos W. W. Woodcock was on public record today as believing that the sale of a product on the expecta- tion that it will develop 12 to 20 per cent of alcohol is not in keepi with the spirit of the eighteenth ame: it He pledged prosecution where “unlawful intent” could be proven. These declarations were made in a letter to Rufus S. Lusk of this city, executive secretary of the Crusaders, | who made public correspondence be- \::;n that organization and Col. Wood- coek. Col. Woodcock admitted, however, the difficulties confronting the Government in attempts to enforce provisions of law | concerning homemade wine. He made it clear that the law allows a person to | make homemade fruit juice and cider, providing they are non-intoxicating. Proof Is Difficult. Asked if the sale of grape concentrate |and kegs by Pruit Industries was “un- lawful,” Col. Woodcock replied that if intent that they be used in the manu- facture of a beverage which is intoxi- cating in fact, then such advertisement and sale are unlawful.” “I am sure,” continued Col. Wood- cock, “that you will appreciate the prac- tical difficuity of the proof of such un- lawful intent.” He said the Govern- ment was prosecuting “somewhat similar enterprises” in Los Angeles and Kan- sas City, Mo. “Such prosecutions will be made,” de- clared Woodcock, “whenever the evi- dence of such unlawful intent is avail- | able to convince a petit jury beyond a reascnable doubt.” . But there was no qualification to Director Woodcock’s flat reply to the | questicn as to whether he believed the sale of a product which was expected to turn into alcohol was in keeping | with the spirit of the dry amendment. “I do not,” was his three-word reply. “Inconsistent Provisions.” Col. Woodcock sald he had no inten- tion of recommending to Congress any (Continued on Page 2, Column 7.) 'HEFLIN GETS RECOUNT IN ELECTION CONTEST Senate Subcommittee Acts Despite Bankhead's Plea to Re- ject Complaint. By the Assoclated Press. The Senate elections subcommittee in charge of the Heflin-Bankhead Alabama senatorial contest decided today to re- count the ballots cast in the election despite Senator Bankhead's motion to dismiss the contest. The committee reached its decision in an executive session following an open hearing at which counsel for Bankhead contended that the terms of former Senator Heflin's complaint were too vague to warrant consideration. Heflin, who was defeated by Bankhead in the November elections, asked the committee for a recount of the ballots cast in Alabama’s 67 counties, g widespread corrupticn. Agents for the committee today re- ported the ballot boxes were all either in Washington or on their way, but that the ballots in three counties have been destroyed and in a fourth, Dekalb, a court order had restrained them from receiving the ballots because of a lccal contest. they were advertised and sold with “an | p, RED CROSS LAUDED BY PRESIDENT FOR DECLINING “DOLE" Hoover Tells Convention Re- | fusal to Accept U. S. Money Preserved Great Ideal. HOLDS ACTION SOLVED GREAT FAMINE PROBLEM Wilbur and Other Government Off- cials Will Address Sessiox on Many Activities. President Hoover today told wns American Red Cross its refusal to se. cept Federal relief funds had helped to preserve the “great ideal” of voluntary ald by avolding a “step on the pathway of Government doles.” Opening the annual meeting of the relief’ organization in Continental Memorial Hall, Mr Hoover, its president, devoted his address entirely to the Red Cross drought relief work. He said the “far-sighted action” of the Red Cross had solved “the problem of famine in over 2,000,000 people” and saved them from “infinite suffering.” The Executive had supported the re- lief agency in its refusal to accept & $25,000,000 relief appropriation which a coalition of Democrats and Republican independents got through the Senate last session, but which the House re- jected. Today, the President con- gratulated the organization on its “momentous decision.” “If your officers had yielded on this occasion,” he said, “the Red Cross would have been rendered impotent in the face of every future national emerfiency, for it would have been inevitable to turn 4o the Government and the taxpayer; it would have meant the destruction of the spirit of the Red Cross and it would have been the destruction of even greater than voluntary service—if would have injured the spiritual re- sponses of the American . It would have been a step on the pathway of Government doles. Seen as Spiritual Stimulus. Again the President praised the spirit behind the decision of the Red Crcss. “You have proved yourselves not only a practical instrument of mercy,” he added, “but you have renewed and in- manuumspwmuuauum- oy Red Cross workers from all sections Besides drought relief, the convention will give its attention to child health, aid to former service men and their families, and plans for the forthcoming celebration of the fiftieth anniversary | of the Red Cross. President Hoover’s address was brcad- cast over the National and Columbia roadcasting systems. Mrs. Hoover sat on the platform and a special section was preserved for a large group of uniformed workers from the District of Columbia Chapter. Judge Payne Presides. Judge Jchn Barton Payne presided at the opening meeting as chairman of the Central Committee. Among the other speakers today were Secretary of the Interior Wilbur, James L. Pleser, vice chairman in | charge of domestic operations, and John N. McDuffie, a youth from Grand Rapids, Mich., who appeared as the representative of 7,000,000 school chil- | dren_enrolled in the junior branch of | the Red Cross. Election of convention officers and appointment of committees was to follow. The distribution by the Red Cross of 560,000 packets, each containing four pcunds of vegetable seed, has estab- lished the garden habit in drought areas formerly devoted exclusively to single | crops, Mr. Fieser told the delegates. This, he said, means a valuable lesson to farmers, who have iearned the im- | portance of raising food for | and livestock. Mr. Fieser has just returned from a swing around a score of drcught States covering 6,300 miles. Th: pessimism he formerly found there has been replaced by enthusiasm over the work done, he saild, with every one paying a tribute to the Nationvfor its generosity in raising a $10,000,000 drought fund to supple- ment the $5,000,000 appropriation from Red Cross funds. “The drought struck 905 counties in 22 States,” he said. “It was necessary to make cash grants to 806 chapters,” Mr. Fieser said. “Hence, it is safe to say that 25 per cent of all the countles in the Unitea States received a grant from the relief fund. In scores of other counties Red Cross Chapters aided their fellow men tarough local finances. At the peak almost 800,000 families received total or supplemental aid from the Red Cross. Today more than two-thirds of these have been restored to self-help through farm loans or intermediate credit fa- cilities, made possible ‘hrough recent congressional action or through the normal banking and merchandizing ma- chinery By May 1, a further reduction will have been made. He declared Red | Cross money was thel'any help “without strings ticd to it Mr. Fieser paid a tribute to the un- stinted labor of Red Cross workers and members rendered by, nearly 100,000 chapter committees, most of them new “Brave Man,” Says Judge, A blow on the head from a hatchet in the hands of his flancee failed to disturb the marriage plans of Ambler Roberts, colored, who secured his sweetheart’s release in Police Court to- day and announced to Judge Ralph Given that joing to get mar- ried “right 3 Roberts 3 listed in €O plaining itness in an \ against as com-, case and |BEATEN WITH HATCHET, VICTIM OF FIANCEE FREES HER TO WED to Colored Swain ir Court With Head in Bandages. times with this hatchet. He said she was jealous because he looked at an- other woman. “I don’t want any harm to come to this girl,” Roberts said, when asked for his story. “We are engaged. “Do_you to marry her?” askzd the judge. 2 “Sure, we are going to right away,” the man. ““You are a brave man, If you won't prosecute, I will have to dismiss the case.” - ‘The pair left the cowt & utes later aim in arm.