Evening Star Newspaper, January 15, 1932, Page 17

Washington News @he Zoeni WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION ny Star e WASHINGTON, 19 YD) FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 1932, PAGE B—1 COMMERCE STAFF HITS NEW ROOMS, HEBERT ASKS PROBE Senator Calls for Inquiry After Workers Protest Con- ditions in Basement. CLERKS ;EAR HEALTH WILL BE ENDANGERED Dampnes-, Ventilation and Light- ing Regarded as Menace to Lives and Efficiency. _harges of dampness and poor venti- lation of the basement working quar- ters in which 40 men and women clerks of the Patent Office have been assigned in the Commerce Department’s new building today drew a request from Chairman Hebert of the Senate Com- mittee on Patents for an investigation by departmental officials. Al the same time Secretary Lamont received letters of protest from Sena Tydings of Maryland, Walsh of Massa- chusetts and Glass of Virginia. They objected to the placing of these clerks 12 feet underground, and it was pointed out by them that many of the women clerks were past middie age and that such quarters would be injurious to their health Room Has Eight Windows. ‘ All of the clerks, 30 white and 10| colored, will occupy one room in the | basement, directly beneath the beauti- | fully decorated and spacious search room in the Patent Office section of | the building. The room has eight win- | dows on the Fourteenth street side of | the structure, but they open into & concrete walled areaway extending | down from the street level i The clerks are members of the pub- lication division of the Patent Office | and have supervision over approxi- mately 173,000,000 coples of patents, which the Government sells for 10 cents per copy. Abcut 20,000,000 copies | are sold daily. The filing room for | these coples also is located in the base- ment where many boys are to be em- ployed The means of ventilating the huge filing room is by electrical blowers, one of which is to be located in a room adjoining that of the 40 clerks Interested in Efficiency. Senator Hebert said today that his committee’s jurisdiction in the matter extended only to whether or not the efficiency of the personnel of this division would be cut down as the re- sult of working in such quarters. In a petition signed by the majority of the clerks, the committee was in- formed, in part. as follows “There is no doubt but that the un- | healthy location will work injury to| manv of the elderly people in this division, with the result that many clerks will be necessarily absent on sick | Jeave, which will contribute to the im- | pairment of the smooth running and | effielency of this division “Also the great number of electric lights necessary for this room will un- doubtedly cause injury to those who are required to sit under this artificial light all day, and the result is bound | to_manifest itself in the quality of the ‘work produced.” ] Motor’s Noise Scored. “The noise from the motor, which is Jocated in the end of the room, is bound | to cause harm to the nervous system of | all these people to be located in this | room, and the result is bound to be | shown in their work. “The depressed feeling which this room provokes has already been shown in the attitude of the clerks, who have seen the conditions under which they | will be forced to work, and we believe | that this spirit of depression is boun® to increase after they are actually at work in this room, and consequently the morale of the clerks will be greatly les sened and the efficiency greatly im- | paired.” This division is expected to be moved into the new building tomorrow night Commissioner Thomas E. Robinson of the Patent Office said today he had not replied to Senator Hebert’s letter and had taken no action for the time being. | He said he had conversed with members | of Senator Hebert's office stafl Believes Quarters Tdeal. The commissioner described the room as a “beautiful one, 100 feet long and | 14 feet high, with 6-foot-high windows “I would rather work in this room | than in many offices on the first floor | of the Patent Office section of the | building,” the commissioner asserted “Because of the length of the big search | room, many offices on the first floor will | have to be lighted artificially.” PLAQUES T BE GIVEN | ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUNNERS | Mrs. General, Hobart, D. A. R. President ‘Will Present Three Trophies to Adams. Mrs. Lowell Fletcher Hob: presi- | dent general of the Daughters of the American Revolution, arranged to pre- sent to Secretary Adams this afternoon three trophy plagues, to be awarded an- nually to the battleship, heavy cruiser | and light cruiser of the fleet standing first in anti-aircraft gunnery Lieut. Ralph 8. Barnby, Construction Corps, U. 8. N., on duty in the Bureau of Aeronautics, Navy Department, the first license holder given to glider pilots, submitted the basic design of the trophy cup. The design shows an anti-aircraft gun firing at a group of planes and has 2 series of small shields around the bor- der for engraving the names of winning ships and the year in which the trophy is won. NICARAGUAN OFFICIAL'S WIFE DIES IN CAPITAL! Mrs. Arne Jordan Lindberg Suc-! cumbs—Husband Is Customs Chief for Central American Nation. Mrs, Anne Cornelia Jordan Lind- berg, wife of the collector general of customs and_high commissioner of the Republic of Nicaragua, Irving Augustus Lindberg, died yesterday at Emergency Hospital, after a long illness, Mrs Lindberg formerly lived in Mirineapo- lis, where she had been prominent in social, club and literary work \ She left Managua, Nicaragua, after | the earthquake and was joined by her husband here in October, when he was | sent to this city on a financial mission and as_an officlal delegate to the Fourth Pan-American Commercial Con- ference from the Nicaraguan govern- ment. | fair and much colder. Heat Reco BLOSSOMS UNFOLD AS April, on a Japanese quince tree G. W. Vinal, 3810 Je: putting forth these deep pink shi but only in the early Spring In the lower picture are scme of t out in all their Springtime glory in the of the Department of Agricuiture, at Ki ‘Washington flower gardens blossomed today as all records for warm weather on January 15 in the history of the Weather Bureau were shattered for the second time this week with a tempera- ture of 76 shortly after noon. The previous high mark for January 15 since establishment of the bureau in 1873 was 69 degrees, touched in 1928 Indications were that the thermom would soar even higher as aftern progressed. The mercury stood at 66 at noon yesterday and Wednesday, both record-breaking days also. The maxi- mum on those days was reached around 3pm The all-time high for January was tied yesterday, when the temperature registered 76 at 3:30 p.m. This had been equaled in 1890, 1907 and 1927 A break in the “heat wave" was pre- dicted for tonight, however. The fore- cast: “Light rain this afternoon, partly cloudy and colder tonight. Saturday Lowest tempera- ture tonight 44 degrees.” Encouraged by recent record-breaking warm weather, narcissus and pansies blossomed forth in all their glory. De- partment of Agriculture officials said a few more days of mild temperatures would hasten the opening of buds on peach, plum, sweet cherry and pear trees. They 'added if the trees blos- somed a light frost later would be fatal to their fruit Narcissus bloomed in Chevy Chase while pansies made their appearance in mid-April fashion in Agriculture De- partment beds at Fourteenth street and ACCESS T0 PITTS RECORDS 1S SOUGHT Revenue Bureau Looks for Evidence to Back Tax Debt Claim. Continuing their efforts to seize assets of G. Bryan Pitts, former head of the F. H. Smith Co., in satisfaction of in- come tax claims, the Bureau of In- trict Supreme Court for permission to examine his books and records. A great many documents belonging to Pitts were seized several months ago in his Florida home and impounded by the court. The bureau wants to e amine these records to check on the incomes of various subsidiary corpora- tions of the Smith company, believing that from this source may come evi- dence supporting their claim that Pitts owes more than $2,000,000 in back taxes. Justice Peyton Gordon today signed an order requiring Pitts, now in -the District Jail, to appear before Justice Daniel W. O'Donoghue January 21 and show cause why these records should not be made available to Internal Rev- enue agents for examination The petition was brought by Nugent Dodds, Assistant Attorney General. Three Sisters Ambidextrous. CHICAGO (N. A. N. A). — Three The body will be taken to Minneapo- Us, where funeral services will be held Mondsy at 126 Oak Grove street, daughters of W. H. Killian of Chicago can write equally well with either left or right hand. HE unseasonal warmth unfolded these blooms r street. ternal Revenue today appealed to Dis- | rd Br TEMPERATURE RISES. which nominally appear in in_the front yard of the home of Mrs. For 10 years past the tree has been ading to red blossoms of waxy texture, —Star taff Photo. he 40,000 pansy blooms that have come beds of Walter A. Barnes, an employe enilworth, D. C. Constitution avenue. Other pansies made their debut just south of the Inlet Bridge in Potomac Park near the High- way Bridge. Tulips sprouted in Claren- don. Van., several weeks ahead of time. Because of the warm weather of the ast few days many people are alarmed he growth of flowers, such as inths and daffodils, the De- Agriculture said_tod for this region, Dr. David bulb_specialist of the depart- vs that unless this weather there will probably not be so mage to the stock as many Tulips, hyacinths and dils out of the ground an inch or ot likely be injured, unless 5 drop exceedingly low e very hardy and with- tures down to 20 above much danger. very low temperatures are householders may cover their 1 the cold snap has passed. dry mulch which will not too_tightly is all right for advises a hay or ine boughs if they are to cover the bulbs > the weather is warm the mulch on after the passed on account of still further. Another out for, Dr. Griffiths says, w the plant to come up ich. The best plan is weather predictions and ther is coming cover PN uncover as soon as past with mu the cold Police Criticized | For Serving Traffic ‘ Warrants at Night Judge Hitt Dismisses | Charge Against Man i Routed From Bed. | - Judge Tsaac R. Hitt in Traffic Court toda cri police methods of serv- g wa for small traffic offenses of the night, and dis- ge against a man who was from his home at nearly mid- Ast night and escorted to a pre- on house to deposit collateral 120 Stanley D. Willis, num street, was passing a stop sign o Upshur streets. He failed to deposit collateral and police secured a warrant and called at the (\,\(,]:Inl dwlm? at 11:30. He sald he was | compelled to accom Snpelled it pany the officer to | _Willis denied the charge in Police | Court and protested vehemently to the | judge about the time of the police visit, | Judge Hitt promptly dismissed the case. | He admonished the officers that except in cases of extreme necessity warrants should be served at “a reasonable hour.” ROAD PROMOTES PRINCE The Southern Railway today an- nounced the promotion of Sydney Prince to the office of general counsel of the. system. Since 1918 he has been its general sollcitor. r. Prince succeeds the ‘L. E. Jeffries, general counsel and wci xlfmh dent, who died last Wednesday, when stricken &t a hearing before the | Interstate Commerce Commission. issed a ch: an attorney, of 17 given a ticket fo | at Sixteenth and | his_ Legislative Committee would make | BINGHAM PLEDGES HEARINGS OND.C. TAXATION BILLS Careful Study Will Be Given Increases Before Action in Senate, He Says. SENATOR HITS “ORGY” OF U. S. TAX SPENDING Levies Without Representation Are Assailed in Speech Given at Trade Board Meeting. There will be no hasty action by the Senate on the group of proposals of the House of Representatives calling for a $4,000,000 boost in taxes here, Sen- ator Hiram Bingham of Connecticut told the Washington Board of Trade and the District generally last night in an_address broadcast from the trade body meeting at the Willard Hotel “Very careful study” will be given these bills by the Senate District Com- mittee, following receipt of an analysis of them now being made by the Bureau of Efficiency, prior to Senate action, the speaker predicted. Furthermore, Senator Bingham re- ported, Washington taxpayers will be given an opportunity to express their views on the proposed measures at pub- lic hearings before the Senate District Committee, headed by Senator Cappe of Kansas, before that legislative groun reports its conclusions. Senator Bing- ham is a member of the Senate Appro- | priations Committee and chairman of | the Subcommittee on Appropriations for the District of Columbia An unusual and particular responsi- bility is placed upon Congress in the drafting of tax measures for the Dis- trict, in order to insure equitable treat- ment for residents of the National Cap- ital, who are disfranchised and de- prived of a voice in their government, he asserted. “Taxation without representation unjust. It has led to rebellions, upri ings and revolts in many lands and was the inspiration of our own Boston Tea | v that led to our break from Great in. I still believe in that princi- ple.” he said. Later in his address, Senator Bing- | ham, who is regarded as one of the | leading economists of the Senate, lashed | out at extravagance in governmental expenditures by Federal, State and mu- nicipal governments, ~declaring the whole country “has been on a spending orgy.” He declared taxpayers in locali- ties throughout the country now are developing & spirit of rebellion against excessive tax burdens and will force economies. Earlier in the Board of Trade pro- gram, William Tyler Page, former clerk of the House for many years and still an employe at the Capitol, struck also at mounting governmental costs and| urged elimination of scores of agencies, of the central government Led Lump Sum Fight Last Year. Senator Bingham last year led the fight on behalf of District residents which brought about a compromise be- tween the Senate and the House which resulted in appropriation of an addi- tional $500,000 by the National Govern- ment toward the operation of the Dis- trict. This raised the Federal lump sum appropriation from $9,000,000 to $9.500,000. The bills rushed through the House | at the opening of the current session of Congress, at the urging of the Mapes Committee, propose an income tax for the District, a doubling of the gasoline tax, an inheritance tax, estate tax and elimination from substantive| law the provision that 60 per cent of | costs of the National Capital be paid | out of Federal funds. While not a member of the District | Committee, Senator Bingham assured | his audience that Senator Capper and} a thorough and careful study of the tax bills before they report their findings to the Senate. Discussing the disfranchisement of District residents, he brought out that Chairman Capper plans to call public hearings on the bills and is awaiting a report on them by the Bureau of Effi- ciency. “The days of the 50-50 proportional arrangement apparently have gone by,” he said 1in reference to the Mapes Com- mittee action to do away with the 60-40 divisional plan, which though still substantive law, has been set aside by restriction of appropriations to lump sums Senator Bingham praised the District | for being free of bonded debt, and added that “some of my friends who want to increase the tax burden of the District seem to forget that it is mot necessary to take large sums out of District revenues to pay for the huge bonded indebtedness that other cities have.” Here he warned of the billions of dollars of bonded indebledness of | states and municipalities of the country. This practice of borrowing huge sums, he pointed out, has placed great additional burdens on taxpayers. Swinging into the broader questions of governmental taxation and expendi- tures, Senator Bingham urged much more economical procedure, as to the Nation, States and municipalities. Pointing out that the House had prescribed in the deficiency appropria- tion measure that no funds be spent for the razing of the District Building, in the Federal development area here, he reported that the Senate Appropria- tions Committee had written into this measure that there shall be no such expenditure “in this or any other bill.” He referred also to the costly new Municipal Center project “When we are prosperous,” he con- tinued, “there are Tequests for many big projects of all kinds, but when times are hard we do not ask for works of art. “These are days when we are hard up. T have just noticed advertisements of ‘& tremendous list of properties which are posted for tax sales. People are out of work and are losing their homes, “We have been on a spending de- bauch, The Nation has been engaging in an orgy of spending. The time has come to prune Federal expenditures until it hurts. The taxpayers will force this action if our Legislatures do not act first. ¥ “To meet the deficit in the Federal Treasury there must be heavy slashes in expenditures, or increases in taxes, as proposed by Secretary Mellon. Both may have to be adopted. “Money does not come out of thin air.. Borrowing only postpones the evil to some future day.” Giving & picture of the national “spending orgy,” Senator Bingham de- clared the country had been “most ex- travagant,” describing high schools equipped _with hair-drying machines, purchased so that girl students could take a swim in the school pool between study sessions. The Federal Government, he asserted, “has been spending a lot of money for foolish things,” adding that the Na- “D:n‘] Government has been getting ‘more and more paternalistie.” ' Here he descri] a “costly” pam-- Bridge Statue Models Reach Col. Grant JSUAL EQUESTRIAN FIGURES TO ORNAMENT WASHINGTON MALL models of the equestrian statues which will grace the Washington terminus of the Ar- lington Memorial Bridge today reached the office of Lieut. Col. U. S. Grant, 3d, executive officer of the Arlington Memorial Bridge Commis- sion, and represent a further stage in the development of plans for the project Maj. D. H. Gillette, assistant execu- tive officer, explained that these models (shown above) represent further ex- pansion of the program, as succeeding MOVES FORUNITED FIGHT ONTAX PLAN Association Suggests Parley of Groups Opposing Mapes Bills. An invitation to call a conference of delegates of sl organizations which | | plan to oppose the Mapes bills looking to tax increases for the District was extended to “one of the older larger” Y phlet. printed by the Federal Govern- ment in large quantities “for free dis tribution at the cost of the taxpayer, which opened with the statement that “babies of 5 or 6 months need clothes of particular patterns” and closed with | the injunction that “toys are not the only things with which to encourage | manipulation.” Senator Bingham also criticized the expenditure of tax funds for publication of a pamphlet under the name of the Department of Commerce on “The Love Life of the Frog,” prepared by the Bu- reau of Fisheries. He described also how a Government scientist, who had spent 15 years in a study of lightning bugs, thanked a foreign student for asking him about his work, saying it was the first re- quest for information he had received in the 15 years' service. Referring to another expenditure, he scored the distribution by the Bureau of Public Roads of thousands of cards | to motorists entering Washington, which asked where they were going and where they came from, this being a traffic survey project. “Now what business is it of the Federal Govern- ment where these motorists are going in Washington?” he asked. Some of these things may be worthy in themselves, he concluded, “but why should the taxpayers have to pay for them?” Some advocates of such expenditures, he said, seemed to have believed they could make the rich pay for them, only to find that the wealthier taxpayers have been investing their funds in tax- exempt Government bonds. This has raised a question in some guarters, he sald. as to whether the Constitution could be changed so that these bonds may be taxed “We are taxing many things almost out of existence,” he said in conclusion, “and there are tax rebellions in prog- | ress in small measure all over the country.” Mr. Page in an inspirational address on the ideals of the United States Gov- ernment declared that this country has departed widely in the past quarter century from the original concepts of the American form of government, and “to the great detriment” of the country. Uncerlying all our troubles, he said, is the indifference of the franchised citizen to carry out his right and duty to vote. This, he said, has led to ex- travagance in expenditures, to creation of loud clamoring by minorities and organized propagandists, with resulting influences upon officials. This has cre- ated stronger central, State and Federal governments, which have been gradu- ally extending their powers over the lives, activities and even the homes of the citizens. He called such centraliza- tion of government powers a “Franken- stein.” Mr. Page particularly assailed the growth of Federal and State agencies, independent boards, offices and commis- sions, “which have grown up like mush- Toom Many of these, he asserted, could be entirely dispensed with and the functions of others could be trans- ferred to already existing departments, directly responsible to some responsi- ble official. “The only way to economize,” he de- clared, “is to use the knife sharply.” Another speaker was Elwood Street, director of the Washington Community Chest, who outlined the business poli- cies being carried out by the Chest organization and its 65 member or- ganizations. He pointed out that the cost of the current campaign would amount to but 6 per cent, because of efficiency in the organization and the valuable volunteer service given free of charge by workers. This economy has been effected, he said, in the face of a $600,000 increase in the Chest budget, occasioned by the depression and con- dition of unemployment. George W. Offutt, president of the board, presided, with Charles W. Morris, secretary, assisting. Harry H. R. Helwig announced completion of arrangements for the annual banquet meeting of the board February 6. A musical program was given by Charles Trowbridge Titt- mann, accompanied by George Wilson. and | civic bodies today by the Com- | | models will be made increasingly larger | until they become full size. The two to be placed on the bridge represent the | valors of war and were executed by Leo Friedlander, New York artist, | while the two to be erected on the | bridge plaza at the Rock Creek and | Potomac Parkway approach, depicting the victories of peace, were done by James E. Fraser, New York sculptor. As the progressively larger models are | studied, Maj. Gillette explained, changes ERMINUS OF MEMORIAL BRIDGE. will be made. Alongside the horses are | men, those in the war group portraying the warrior going forth to battle, while in the peace group the pursuit of the arts is represented. The inscription to be placed at the base of the equestrian groups has not yet been decided upon. While Col. Grant and were studying the models arrangements were being made today to throw the | bridge and the Mount Vernon Memorial Highway open to public travel, tempo- tomorrow. his associates | rarily, | mercial Motor Vehicle Owners' Associa- | tion. | " The invitation was contained in a | letter addressed to the leading organ- | izations of the District of Columbia | including the Board of Trade, Wash- | ington Chamber of Commerce, Federa- | tion of Citizens' Associations, Merchants and Manufacturers’ Association and the American Automobile Association. In its appeal for concerted action opposing the Mapes bills, the Vehicle Owners' Association pointed out the weakness of any unorganized action | against the measures. Procedure Suggested. “In view of congressional criticism in the past of the failure of Washington interests to get together in agreement with respect to District of Columbia legislation,” the letter asserts, “we suggest that one of the older and larger organizations take the initiative in arranging a conference of represent- atives of all organizations that are planning to oppose the Mapes bills.” The association made it clear that | while it was determined to fight the motor vehicle weight tax bill “in so far as it affects trucks and busses” and the gasoline tax increase, it would not give any attention to the other Mapes bills. Concerted Effort Urged. | “By assigning the detail work of the various phases of the situation to those organizations best qualified to develop the facts, agreeing upon a program and reaching a mutual understanding with regard to the principles involved, it should avoid duplication of effort, in- sure the most formidable presentation of the opposition and impress the Sen- ate committee with the unanimity of opinion of all interests.” the associa- tion contended in its letter. Continu- ing, the association wrote “Nothing will harm the cause as much as a conflict of opinion, and | success will be endangered by an un- | necessary waste of time of the members | of the Senate District Committee.” |~ The letter was signed by Jerome Fanciulli, executive secretary of the association. Members of the Board of Governors | who attended the meeting of the | association at its meeting yesterday in | the United States Chamber of Com- | merce Building were John W. Hardell, | president; A. G. Herrmann, W. Spencer Brenizer, Edgar Brawner, C. E. Fries, Ford Young, A. Biedermann; Bailey, W. N. DeNeane, Charles | Maloney, Willlam E. Humphreys, P. T. McDermott, Charles B. Buck, Arthur C. Smith, Joseph B. Trew and Paul | Lum } MAPES TAX BILL ASSAILED. | College Park Group Also Hits Radio | Crooning. By a Staff Correspondent of The Star. | COLLEGE PARK, Md. January 15 | —Condemnation of radio _“crooning” and objection to the provision of the | Mapes tax bill pertaining to the pay- | ment of income tax by all persons work- ing in the District of Colymbia fea- |tured the January meeting of the | Progress Club of College Park at the | home of Mrs. T. B. Symons. | In expressing their disapproval of | radio “crooning” members of the club | | adopted a resolution declaring the or- | | ganization “shares the point of view | |and is in complete sympathy with the | | sentiment on the subject expressed in | the editorial entitled ‘Immoral and | Imbecile Slush’ which appeared in The Evening Star January 11.” The resolution also invites the Prince | | Georges County Federation of Women’s | Clubs and other civic organizations to concur in the club's action and directs that copies be sent to all radio stations in this vicinity. | U. S. WORKERS START | PAYING $1,007,000 | | First Installment for Community | | Chest and Other Relief Agencies | Paid to Collectors Today. Government employes today paid the | first installment on their contribution of | more than $1,000,000 to the Washington | Community Chest and relief agencies in | nearby Maryland and Virginia. | Succeeding payments will b= made on the 15th of February and March, under the plan by which the workers are giv- ing one day's wage in the first three | | months of the year. The contributions are being handled through divisional chairmen at the head of the soliciting units in each Govern- ment establishment. The Washington Chest is to get a to- tal of $1,007,000 and the out-of-town agencies $73.616.96. The amount to go to each of the latter will be announced shortly, mutual | P. R.| MAPES REPORT HIT - INCOLUNBIAPARK [Citizens’ Group Sounds Plea | Against Added Taxes | for District. Unqualified disapproval of the Mapes report proposing additional taxation | for the District was voted Wednesday night by the Columbia Park Citizens’ | Association. | “The organization adopted the follow- ing resolution: | “Resolved by the Columbia Park Citi- | zens' Association in regular meeting as- | sembled, That this association expresses its unqualified_disapproval of the so- | calted Mapes District of Columbia tax- |ation bill and its disapproval of the hasty and unfair manner in which this | resolution was passed by the House of Representatives without public hearing | And, be it further, Senator Capper Praised. “Resolved, That it is the recommenda- | tion of this association that this bill re- ceive no consideration in the United | States Senate until a further study is made of it and opportunity given to the taxpayers of the District of Columbia to be heard. And, be further “Resolved, That this association commends Senator Capper for his in- terest in affairs pertaining to the Dis- trict of Columbia and it is our con- viction that Senator Capper will see that such unfair legislation will not | be forced on the District of Columbia | And be it further “Resolved, That coples of this reso- lution be sent to the committees of | the House and Senate on District of | Columbia Affairs, the Commissioners | of the District of Columbia and to the | Pederation of Citizens' Assoclations.” Firearms Bill Backed. The organization indorsed the fire- arms bill for the District sponsored by | Senator Capper. | E. J. Matchett, secretary, was in- structed to request installation of re- flectors at the beginning and end of | the center parking on Kansas avenue north and south of Sherman circle, due to several recent accidents. | Herbert S. Wood urged support for the Community Chest. “ALFALFA BILL” BARS " FORMAL AFFAIRS | Women's Democratic Club Changes Dinner to Buffet Supper | as Result. Formal affairs are “out” so far as| Gov. William H. Murray of Oklahoma is_concerned. That was the word conveyed here to the Women's National Democratic Club in response to an invitation to the picturesque “Alfalfa Bill” to be the honor guest and speaker at a dinner. In consequence the club has arranged a buffet supper Sunday evening, when the Oklahoma executive will be enter- tained. Gov. Murray, viewed as a potential candidate for the Democratic presiden- tial nomination, bars political speeches on the Sabbath, but has promised to talk informally and ‘“reveal the secrets of his political philosophy,” according to an announcement from the club. The Governor’s appearance is set for 4:30 at the club house, 1526 New Hamp- shire avenue. He will be introduced by Mrs. Emily Newell Blair On Sunday night Gov. Murray will speak at Ingram Memorial Congrega- tional Church and on Monday night at the Anti-Saloon League convention at the Mayflower Hotel. JUDGE’S RECOVERY SLOW Wheat Expected to Be Away From Post Several Weeks. Chief Justice Alfred A. Wheat of the District Supreme Court, who fell and broke his arm in New York during the holidays, is not expected to_return to his post for several weeks. He is con- fined to a New York hospital, where the broken arm is being treated. The break has not mended as 000 AUTOS LACK TITLES IN RUSH OF RECISTRATION Van Duzer Surprised by 124,000 Applications Filed Since July 1. 30,000 OWNERS MUST GET TAGS BY FIRST 14,000 Trucks, but Only Eight Electric Cars Among Record Applications. Six thousand motor vehicles remain to be titled before the Traffic Depart- ment completes the gigantic task im- posed on it by Congress of titling and registering all of the cars in the Dis- trict, according to a tabulation today {by Trafic Director William A. Van | Duzer. {b ’{.hus far, certificates of title have cen issued for 118,600 vehicles, 14,000 of which are trucks. Piled up in the Traffic Department are 6,203 applica- tions for title which Mr. Van Duzer hopes to clear away before the close of next week so that car owners will have sufficient time in which to procure 19: | tage before February 1, the date follow- Ing expiration of 1931 tags. Registration Is Largest. The title applications filed since last July 1, showing there are more than | 124,000 motor vehicles in the District {completely surprised Mr. Van Duze {and other traffic authorities, and indi- J(';\les the largest registration in the 1 history of the District. Based on the | registration in previous years, and the | normal annual increase, ‘the traffic di- | rector estimated the total registration for 1932 would not exceed 120,000, | Already Mr. Van Duzer’s estimate has been exceeded by more than 4,000, and indications are that a number of other car owners have not filed applications for title. Belief is now expressed that the total registration will range be- tween 125,000 and 126,000. Another interesting sidelight on the registration cited by Mr. Van Duzer is that of the 118,000 title certificates issued, only eight were for electric pro- pelled vehicles. Although the titling of cars has pro- gressed to the satisfaction of Mr. Van Duzer, he is disappointed over the de- lay of many drivers in procuring 1932 tags. Of the 118,000 car owners to whom certificates of title have been issued, 88,000 have 1932 tags, showing that 30,000 have put off making appli- cation for the plates. Expiration This Month. The date fixed for the expiration of tbe 1931 tags—midnight, January 31— will not be extended, Mr. Van Duzer said, and unless these 30,000 car owners pro- cure 1932 tags within the next 10 days a rush at the tag distribution bureau will be inevitable. The tag bureau is located in the Ford Building at John Marshall place and Pennsylvania avenue and the tags can be procured now without delay. If & rush develops at the last minute, how ever, Mr. Van Duzer predicted, appli- cants for tags may be required to stand in line for several hours. WOMAN IS FATALLY BURNED BY HEATER | Daughter Also Treated at Hospital After Attempt to Beat Out Flames. A 70-year-old woman was fatally burned today, despite her daughter’s ef~ forts to save her after her clothing had been ignited by a coal-oil stove. The daughter, who attempted to beat out {the flames with her hands, also was | burned. The woman, Mrs. Nellie Smith, was in the bath room of her home at 800 A street southeast when her daughter, Miss Elizabeth Smith, about 40, heard her scream. Miss Smith ran into the bath room and found her mother's clothes ablaze. After a futile attempt to beat out the flames, Miss Smith, assisted by other occupants of the house, muffied the blaze with blankets, By that time, however, Mrs. Smith was severely burned from head to foot. |A Casualty Hospital ambulance was summoned and Mrs. Smith, after re- ceiving first aid from one of the insti~ tution’s emergency physicians, was tak- en to Providence Hospital. She died several hours later. Her daughter also was treated at the institution, but afterward was permit- ted to return home According to Policeman George Deane, fourth precinct, who investigated the case, neither Miss Smith nor any of the other occupants of the house was able to explain how the woman's clothing caught afire. goiih BUSINESS MEN FLAY MAPES TAX BILL Central Association Luncheon Told No Occasion Exists Here for Increases. The Mapes tax bills were opposed vigorously yesterday by the Central Business Men’s Association at a luncheon meeting at 1403 L street. A report of a special committee in- dicated that there was no necessity for the proposed increase and that the increase was greater than increases in certain whole States. It was pointed out that the higher taxes would place a burden on the shoulders of those who at the present time are carrying additional burdens to help stabilize conditions. Opposition again was voiced to the plan for cutting through Thomas Circle to facilitate traffic. Members of the association charged that utility corpora- tions are the indirect backers of the plan and that it would not be to the best interest of the general public. Change in Charter Sought. FALLS CHURCH, Va., January 15 (Special) —The Falls Church Town Council has sent a request to State Senator John W. Rust and Delegate Edmund H. Allen to secure an amend-. ment to the town charter authorizin, the town to extend its water mains an eventually its sewer connections inte rapidly as was expected, and phy- sicians have not yet deemed it ad- visable to place his arm in a cast. territory ~ contiguous to the town to serve county residents who desire such service.