Evening Star Newspaper, February 5, 1932, Page 1

WEATHER. . (U. 8. Weather Bureau Forecast.) Fair tonight: minimum temperature tonight about 30 degrees; tomorrow in- creasing cloudiness and warmer. Tem- peratures—Highest, 45, at 6:50 p.m. yes- terday; lowest, 32, at 7:35 a.m. today. Full report on page 4. Closing N.Y. Markets, Pages13,14 & 15 The b n‘ ‘WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITIONg St “From Press to Home The Star’s carrier system covers every city block and the regular edi- tion is delivered to Waskington homes as fast as the papers are printed. Within an Hour” ” Yesterday’s Circulatior, 124,036 e Entered as sec. 32,056, Fotereq as e ond class matte) ashington, D. C. WASHINGTON, D. C, RIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1932—FORT Y-SIX PAGES. *¥* » P) Means Associated TWO CENTS. Press. JAPANESE MOBILIZATION ORDER REPORTED EMPEROR SAID TO HAVE AFFIXED HIS SIGNATURE; CHINESE Prime Minister Confers With Hirohito. CABINET TALKS MONEY ANGLE Officials Here Still Hope to ffect Peace in China. BY CONSTANTINE BROWN. According to reliable, but as yet unconfirmed, reports the Japanese government has decided to issue a general mobilization order for its entire military and naval forces This decision was reached, it is asserted, after Japanese Prime Minister Inukai visited the Em- peror yesterday afternoon and convinced him of the necessity of owing the world Japan is deter- mined to put through her policies in the Far East, regardless of what other powers want or think. A “momentous” cabinet meeting was held in Tokio last night where the financial angle of the mobilization was discussed. The order for mobilization has not been issued yet, but it is as- serted that the Japanese premier has the Emperor's signature on that important document in his pocket Division Ordered Out. meantime another division of troops has been ordered to ng while two more cruisers, three and an airplane tender have ored in the Woosung River. his news is, of course, perturbing to gton, especlally since nobody can guess what the Japanese objective for 1 expensive general mobilization might the nese roye given to this new ai- > of the Japanese govern- that the Japanese finding ves in a precarious position in and being urged by the nited States and Great Britain to ac- t a compromise which would put an intend to make such at even the wester me intimidated Reply Held Unsatisfactory. This interpretation seems to be logi- cal because of the Japanese reply to offer of mediation made considered both in swer s tory on rmment has. how- sed the door to any further it ajar. But they ew_suggestions they Britain and the make, to be along st ones. For that belizved in rey intend to make a v of military force as a ng to the powers, that rate any trifiing with the Far East INCREASE FORCE. the lir purpose JAPAN WILL Replacements of Unstated Strength Will Be Sent to Shanghai. TOKIO, February 5 (#).—Japan has de to send a military force of Shanghai, but the would not of the sailing date force is to take. r war explained this was imposed so that the Shanghai would not mass the naval force now in hoping to wipe it out iction inese at attack on forces were being the bluejackets who n down by “‘continuous enemy 10 times stronger than themselves new Shanghai “Passing Incident.” “We are sincerely anxious to remove sunderstandings and suspicions nfortunately, appear to have aroused in the United States,” the admiral. “Japan has abso- ly no intention of carrying out an responsible | TRAIN IS Chinese Casualties Placed at 1,000 In Chapei District ‘ By the Associated Press | SHANGHAI, February 5—Re- | | cent fighting in the vicinity of North Station, in Chapei, has cost the Chinese 1,000 dead and wounded, it was reported today. The Chinese Red Cross said 300 wounded were being treated in Chinese hospitals in the Chinese portions of Shanghai and that | | 210 were in hospitals of the In- ternational Settlement. Forty ad- ditional were accounted for at ‘Woosung. APANESE TROOPS IARCH INTO HARBIN Terrific Artillery Bombard- ment Precedes Occupation | of Important City. | | By the Associated Press HARBIN, Manchuria Gen. Jiro Tamon finally achieved the occupation of Harbin, last important stand of the Chinese in Manchuria, to- day after almost a week of sanguinary battles with the troops of Gen. Ting Chao. Although the Chinese stubbornly re- sisted the advance of Gen. Tamon's brigade up to the last minute, the head- quarters of Gen. Ting were deserted when the Japanese finally occupied the city. Harbin is the headquarters of the Chinese Eastern Railway, jointly owned by Russia and China. The last stage of the Japanese at- |tack was a terrific artillery bombard- ment last night, in which several Jap- anese shells exploded near the head- quarters building of the Chinese East- ern Rallway and caused Soviet Rus- sian officials of the railroad to hold an_emergency meeting to consider the sitiiation. Foreigners All Safe. The Chinese placed two field guns |in an open area directly in front of the railway headquarters and opened fire |in reply to Japanese attacks. Japanese authorities said they thought the Chinese placed the guns there in the hope of embroiling Japan with Soviet Russia American, European and Japanese residents of Harbin were believed safe {Unit after unit of Gen. Ta 's column marched into the city | other Japanese forces pursued the re- treating Chinese toward the northeast. Harbin is the most valuable city in Central Manchuria, second only Mukden in population. It is the hub of the <o led Russian zone of influ- ence in Northern Manchuria 1 Japanese airplanes bombed the flee- | ifon, but with each new day the bom- | ing troops of Gen. Ting. Chinese on Offensive. Chinese troops were reported from Changchun, Manchuria, to be advanc- ing toward Tsitsihar, hoping to take advantage of the fact that a part of the Japanese garrison there had gone to aid in the c ict of Harbin. Two Chinese infantry regiments at Koshan, northeast of Tsitsihar, which was captured by the Japanese last Au- tumn, began the advance, dispatches | said. " Chinese cavalry units joined later. The Japanese airplanes inflicted heavy casualties on Gen. Ting's troops. Most of these were apparently head- ing for Pinhsien, 60 miles east of Har- bin, where it was believed Gen. Ting would attempt to establish head- quarters IRVING NETCHER TO WED ROSIKA DOLLY IN MARCH Ceremony to Take Place at Home of Sister Jenny in Fontaine-* bleau. 5 “Dolly Bisters” PARIS, February Dolly of the singing will ‘marry Irving Netcher of Chicago. | a brother of Constance Talmadge's husband, early Jennie announced here today. | “The wedding is all planned for the first or second week in March at my home in Fontainebleau,” Jennie said. Rosika is now at St. Moritz.” Gandhi Property Seized. AHMEDABAD, India, February 5 (). —Mahatma Gandhi's spinning wheel, clock, cupboard, typewriter, two iron safes and $10 in cash were seized by the government today at Ashram for non- payment of taxes. “(Continued on Page 5, Column 2 ;ARM PRICE FORECASTS CEASE AS DEPARTMENT PLAYS SAFE Differences Among Experts of Past Lead By the Associated Press. The Agriculture Department will make no more public forecasts on the probable course of prices for farm products. This decision was reached because of pronounced differences among its experts on the 1932 farm outlook and in the light of inaccuracy in past pre- | The only announcement of the new policy has come from the Bureau of Agricultural Economics: “The bureau, under its present policy, makes no public_forecasts of the prob- able course of the farm situation.” By contrast a year ago the bureau sssued an outlook report citing pros- pect for gradual recovery in domestic demand for farm products in the last Lalf of the year, “based on the belief dictions. and Inaccurate Predictions to Decision. |that the world-wide economic depres- | sion will have run the worst of its course by the Summer of 1931.” | The divergence of opinions on the 11932 prospect showed itself in the an- nual conference held last week of Fed- |eral and State economists. | very cheerful signs, others were pessi- mistic. The department decided to play safe. | A few years ago the department was | prohibited by law from making any | forecast of the price of cotton. This came after one of its cotton crop re- ports cited prospects for a price drop. | The market took a nose dive right then and there. Aroused Scuthern legislators were not satisfled until they had clapped a muzzle on the depart- ment. & February 5.— | () —Rosika | in March, her sister | Some saw | OMBED B Raid on Troops Causes Big Loss 'TOKIO PLANE IS SHOT DOWN IWoosun? Fort With- stands New 2-Hour Bombardment. By the Associated Press. | SHANGHAI, February 5— | Shanghai shook to another ter- rific bombardment of Chapei this afternoon and there were reports | the Japanese at last had suc- | ceeded in blasting the stubborn | defenders out of their position | around the strategic North Sta- tion. It was impossible to verify them, for the smoke from guns and fire hung so thick over the Native City no one could see what was going on. Japanese airplanes rained bombs on a Chinese troop train moving into Chapei, taking heavy toll. Flying high over the Chapei area, the planes spotted the train moving up with reinforcements for the 19th Chinese Army, which has been resisting artillery bom- bardment for several days. Counts 16 Bodies. They swooped low enough to cut loose with their bombs and one of them struck a closed car, splitting it from end to end and | scattering the bodies of Chinese soldiers over a wide area. The Associated Press correspondent counted 16 bodies strewn along the railroad track. The bodies of mangled horses also lay among the wreckage. Before they attacked the hiain the planes dropped 12 omns on Chenju University, wrecking one largc buila- ing and setting fire to .wo otners Simultaneously Japanese planes swooped about the Chinese forts at | Woosung, guarding the mouth of the while | Whangpo, 16 miles below Shanghai, but | after a 2-hour bombardment | Chinese still were holding on. For more than two days those forts the to | have been under heavy fire frum the air | and from warships in tne river. Re- | peatedly the Japanese have asscrted | they were reduced to a pile of scrap | bardment has been resumed. Chinese Believed Reinforced. It was considered significant that | thus far the big guns of the fort have | not gone into action, but this is prob- | ably because those guns are obsolete and of no use in such an engagement as | this has been. | _There was a widesprend belief the | Chinese in Chapei had received heavy | reinforcements, and it wes known a | force of 1,000 Japanese bluejackets werz landed during the day. A brigade of the Japanese Army was cxpected to- | morrow. A full division was ordered | to Shanghai from Tckio jesterday | Chinese airplanes toox 'a more im- portant part in today's action than at any time hitherto. One Japenese plane was shot down, but it was not alto- gether certain how this was accom- plished. Chinese sources here said anti- aircraft gunners had brought it down, but the aviation headquarters said it was a victory of a squadson of Chinese planes over "three enemy ships. This report said two additional Japanese | planes had been forced down behind the Japanese lines. | Brought Down in Flames. | Within 100 yards from the head- quarters of the commander-in-chief (Continued on Page 5, Column 1.) IN CRASH OF SHIPS Radio From Steamship Says Six of Crew of Fishing Schooner Are Safe. the Associated Press. NEW YORK, February 5—Twenty- one members of the crew of the fishing schooner Eleanor Nickerson of Boston were reported missing following a col- | lision with the steamer Jean Jadot | 365 miles east of Halifax today. A radio message from the Jean Jadot | to the Lloyd Royal Belgian Line said | the fishing schooner was sunk and that | six members of the crew of 27 were | rescued. The message, relayed by a radio sta- tion at Rockland, Me., said: | “Collided and sunk this morning fishing schooner Eleanor Nickerson of Boston at position 43.05 north and 63.45 west. Rescued 6 members crew, 21 missing. Expect arrive quarantine Saturday evening.” The Eleanor Nickerson is listed as a wooden motor fishing vessel of 143 tons | gross register. It is 110 feet long and | 27 men comprised a full crew. First word of the collision was re- ceived here from the Mackay Radio Co. | Then the steamship company received | its more detailed report and this was | followed by a message picked up by the Radi» Marine Corporation saying that | all ships in the vicinity of, the accident | were standing by. | By | | Radio vProgmmr on Page C-5 KLIN FAo’;SEVEL Ths 1s No TIME ToTaLk LEAGUE ‘paul MOOI‘E. From By the Associated Press A farmer from West Branch, Iowa— | President Hoover's birthplace—today told a Senate committee that a “farm- ers’ strike” was impending uniess Con- gress passed relief legislation at this session. T think the farmers of this country will be driven to withhold their food products until the world is satisfied it for them,” Paul Moore, representing the {Farmers’ Union members of Cedar | County, asserted before the Senate Agriculture Committee. MELLON APPROVED BY SENATE GROLP iForeign Relations Committee | Acts Hour After Hoover | Submits Name. | | By the Associated Press | The nomination of Andrew W. Mellon 1 to be Ambassador to Great Britain was | approved unanimously by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee today within an hour after President Hoover | forwarded the name to the Senate. The committee, out of deference to the veteran Secretary of the Treasury | the veteran Secretary of the Treasu | name. Senator Reed of Pennsylvania, close friend of Mr. Mellon, immediately brought the nomination back to the Senate and confirmation was expected | before nightfall. | 'Mr. Hoover sent the nomination to the Senate a few hours after Senator Watson of Indiana, the Republican floor leader, had assured the President Senate. No words were wasted pointment, “To be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Great Britain Andrew W. Mellon of Pennsylvanid, vice Dawes resigned.” i in the ap- President Hoover would send up the of the Treasury. Prospects_are both would be con- " (Continued on Page 2, Column 8.) i 'Succumbs Following Operation Last Month—Body to Be Taken to Pittsburgh. By the Associated Press. NEW YORK, February 5.—Barney Dreyfuss, president of the Pittsburgh Pirates of the National Base Ball League, died today in Mount Sinai Hos- tion for a glandular trouble. have been 67 years old his next birth- day. Dreyfuss was operated on January 6 and, although he rallied for a time, his strength was not equal to the task. Mrs. Dreyfuss and, their daughter, Mrs. W. E. Benswanger, have been constantly at his bedside since the operation and were with him when he passed away. Mrs. Sam Dreyfuss, v{‘ljdow of his son, also was at the bed- side. Pneumonia set in yesterday, the first complication since the operation, and the end then was seen as inevitable. Benswanger, ball club and who also was with his father-in-law, said he planned to take “the body to Pittsburgh tonight, with burial probably Sunday or Monday from the Dreyfuss home. £ has to have them and is willing to pay | that Mellon would be confirmed by the | There has been no indication when | nomination of Ogden Mills as Secretary | DEAD IN NEW YORK| pital, at 11:40 am,, following an opera- | He would | treasurer of the base | “FARM STRIKE" IS IMPENDING. IOWA FARMER TELLS CONGRESS Hoover's Birthplacm Urges passage of Bill Which Would Abolish Farm Board. | ‘The committee has before it a bill which would abolish the Farm Board and would guarantee farmers at least the cost of production. “T think the next step to be {akea by he organized farmers of this country will be a strike unless iegistation is passed,” Moore added in urging passage of the bill He said this is “the last time that agriculture will be able to make this appeal,” adding that “by the time an- other session of Congress rolls around agriculture will be unable to be with vou.” T. E. Howard of Denver, representing the National Farmers' Union, also ad- vocated passage of the measure. He (Continued on Page 2, Column 7.) 17 BUSINESS HEADS O HOARDING WA ‘Conference With President | Tomorrow Will Represent \ National Organizations. By the Assoq Heads of 47 national organizations, ranging from the Chamber of Com- merce of the United States to the railroad labor brotherhoods, have been enlisted by Prseident Hoover in his war on hoarding of badly needed dollars. The executives of virtually every unit capable of reaching large num- bers of people have been summoned, and are expected to attend the Pres| dent’s conference tomorrow. Mr Hoover will address the groups and so will Charles G. Dawes, president of the Reconstruction Corporation. This unit heard its first direct ap- peals for aid from delegations repre- senting Ohio and North Carolina. egations were given reason to feel en- couraged, they sald. It was indicated the Federal Reserve structure would play a part in the set-up of a regional organization for the Teconstruction group. 1Its executives are busy now perfecting procedure and completmg‘ the personnel. Guarantee Section Raised. A dissenting note to the anti-hoard- ing campaign was voiced yesterday. Representative La Guardia, Republican. New York, wanted to know if the ri | construction corporation would guar- antee deposits in the “sound institu- hoarded money be deposited. ‘The White House has announced the following as a “partial list” of organiza- tions and individuals invited to tomoi- row’s conference: | of the board, United States Chamber of Commerce; J. Lewis Benton, New York, secretary of the National Association of Manufacturers; S. McCrea Cavert, New York, secretary of the Federal Council of Churches of Christ in America; Rev. John J. Burke, general secretary of the National Catholic Welfare Conference; J. W. Crabtree, secretary of the Na- tional Education Association; Mrs. John F. Sippel of the General Federa- tion of Women's Clubs, Fred C. W. Tarker, Chicago, of Kiwanis Interna- tional; Chester R. Perry, Chicago, of Rotary International; Melvin Jones, Chicago, international secretary of the Lions Club; J. Edgar Masters, Chicago, grand secretary of the Order of Elks; Reuben A. Bogley, grand master of District of Columbia Masons; Darold D. Decoe, commander in chief of the Vet- erans of Foreign Wars; George B. Cut- ten, Hamilton, N. president of the Y. M. C. A.; Judge Irving Lehman, New York, president of the Y. M. H. A; Martin H. Carmody, Grand Rapids, Mich., grand knjght of the Knights of Columbus. Brotherhood Represented. A. F. Whitney, Cleveland, president of the Brotherhood of Railway Train- men; Stephen I. Miller, New York, executive manager of the National As- soclation of Credit Men; Earl L. Shaner, Cleveland, president of the Na- tional Conference of Business Paper Editors: Gerish Gassaway. Wilinington, (Continued on Page 2, Column 2.) No | commitments were made, but the del- | [tions” in which the President urged | Jullus Barnes, New York, chairman | PATROLS T0 GUARD CITY FROM GUNMEN Extra Police Details Will| Take Streets Tonight to Prevent Shootings. A dozen armed detectives, in addi- tion to policemen from four precincts, will cruise through the northern section ! of the city tonight in an effort to block additional shootings by the gunmen who wounded three persons and at- tempted to fire upon another last night. | Plans to patrol the area in which {the shootings occurred were announced today by Brig. Gen. Pelham D. Glass- ford, major and superintendent of police, while Gordon T. Backus, 51, one of the victims, lay in an “extremely critical” condition in Emergency Hos- pital. 12 Detectives Detailed. Three cars, each containing four armed headquarters men, will keep the section _under constant surveillance, | Gen. Glassford said. The detectives will be assisted, he added, by the regu- lar scout machines of the fifth, sixth, | [ eighth and tenth precincts, with two | policemen assigned to each. The additional protection was ordered | shortly after Lieut. John Fowler, Police | Department ballistics expert, announced | that the bullet that struck Backus and | the ones that hit the two girls—Miss | | Helen Andrews, 18, and Miss Doris | Beall, 16—were fired from pistols of the | same style and caliber. Both Backus and the girls were fired upon from a black sedan Shot in Back. Backus, Who is attached to the for- estry division of the Department of Agriculture, was shot near his home, at 3433 Mount Pleasant street, less than half an_hour after the girls were fired | | upon. The .32-caliber copper-jacketed | slug pierced his back. Miss Andrews, a night student at Business High School. and Miss Beall, a student at Eastern High School, were less seriously wounded than Backus. Miss Andrews was shot twice through her left arm, the bullet fracturing the bone, while Miss Beall escaped with & slight wound in her left leg, just below the knee. Revolver Misses Fire. While police were making every ef- fort_to clear up the shootings. Arthur H. Clephane, 2032 Belmont street, re- ported that a man attempted to fire a revolver at him on Lanier place near Ontario road. Only the fact the gun misfired saved his life, he said Miss Andrews and Miss Beall. who | was spending the night at the former's home, at 5811 Sixth street, were return- ing from the Takoma Park Public Library when they were fired upon They had just reached the inter- section of Fifth and Aspen streets, | they said, when a black sedan drove up beside them. “I didn't pay any attention to_the car until the shooting began,” said Miss ~ (Continued on Page 2, Column 3) THREE MISSING FLYERS RESCUED IN SAHARA Frenchmen, in Heart of Desert, Make Plea for a “Barrel of Beer.” By the Associated Press. ALGIERS, Algeria, February 5.— Three French flyers, missing four days in the Sahara Desert trying to estab- lish a flight record from France to Madagascar, were located today 219 miles south of In Salah in the Sahara Desert. Searching planes probably will bring them out of the desert soon. In Salahk is more than 1,000 miles due south of the Mediterranean coast in the heart of the desert. The airmen, in their plane St. Didier, reported. by radio on Monday that they had been forced down by fuel and water shortage, but rescue planes searched for them for three days in vain. Their wireless failed them Wednes- day, their last message sending love to their families and thanks for radio communications, but, adding “We had rather have a barrel of beer.” Two Flyers Feared Lost. PARIS, February 5 (#).—Two Belgian fiyers, Gilliaux and Dubois, were feared UNNERSAL POLE TOENFORCE PEACE ASKED BY FRENCH Tardieu Proposal at Geneva| Comes as Surprise to Arms Delegates. REDUCTIONS ARE ALSO OUTLINED IN STATEMENT Paris Government's Outline Would Guarantee Security of ‘ All Nations of World. By the Associated Press. GENEVA, Switzerland, February 5— | Concrete proposals for establishment | of an international police force to guar- | antee the security of the world were | presented formally to the World Dis- armament Conference today by Andre Tardieu, French minister of war and | head of his country's delegation to the conference Although today’s meeting was_origi- | nally called solely for the election of | officers, President Arthur Henderson | did not stand on technicalities He accepted the French document as “in order.” although general debate was not scheduled before the conference until | next week. | Delegates Surprised. The French declaration, presented with a sudden gesture which took the assembled delegates by surprise, dealt at great length with technical details of armaments and national defense M. Tardieu particularly outlined France's wishes with regard to reduc- tion of airplanes, tanks, big guns and other instruments of aggressive war- fare. It was 2t the end of the day's brief session that Tardieu sprang his surprise | by asking for the floor for a brief decla- ration. “The bureau of the Conference hav- ing been constituted,” M. Tardieu be- gan, “I have the honor on behalf of the French delegation to place on the table of the Conference a concrete and constructive proposal of the French government bearing on disarmament.” | Day's Session Adjourned. i After the French plan had been pre- sented today’s plenary session adjourned at 5:05 p.m. The French plan, it was understood, made reduction of armaments condi- | tional upon the creation of effective guarantees of international security and embodied “in a practical manner” the main points of a Prench memorandum in like vein submitted to the League last August. The memorandum was the result of several months preparation by the French cabinet and the Superior Coun- cil of National Defense in co-operation with Gens. Weygand and Petain It was understood also that the dec- laration today was largely technical with political factors implied rather than designated. Only 20 Can Sign. Only 20 of the 57 delegations attend- ing the conference have power from | their governments to sign an eventual disarmament treaty. France is the only great power, however, which has not given_her dele- gation such authority. The position of Germany, Poland and 10 other coun- tries is indefinite, and as a result the conference has ‘asked for a precise | definition of their powers | The United States, British, Japanese, Italian, Russian, Argentine, Mexican |and Panama delegations are fully en- abled by- their governments to sign an agreement. The delegations of Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba. Bolivia, Chile, Uruguay, Venezuela and Hon- duras are not so authorized. It was considered probable today, however, that these governments would give their delegations more authoritative creden- tials when the time comes to sign. | Earlier in the day, in accordance with | a decision of yesterday, the conference | designated 14 countries to select vice presidents, 7 of them chosen from the “big powers” and 7 from the minor powers. Gibson Is Vice President. The great powers chosen for this | honor were the United States, France, | Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan and Soviet Russia, and the minor pow- ers Spain, Sweden, Argentina, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Poland and Austria. It was undersiood the head of each delegation would be designated as vice | president, thus making Hugh S. Gib- | son, Ambassador to Belgium, the Amer- ican vice president. Of the 54 votes cast only France and | Italy received a unanimous ballot, while | Great_Britain and the United States | got 53 and 52 votes, respectively.| Sweden received more than either | Japan, 47, or Soviet Russia, 36. President Henderson then constituted the conference bureau, naming him- | self an honorary president, as well as the 14 vice presidents, and called " (Continued on Page 5, Column 6.) ROOSEVELT FOES RELY ON SHITH T0 HALT STAMPEDE Expect Early Statement to Leave Door Open to Ex- Governor’s Candidacy. OUTLOOK HELD DARK WITHOUT HIS SUPPORT Announcement of Stand Is Looked For Tomorrow by Some Party Leaders. BY G. GOULD LINCOLN. Anti-Roosevelt Democrats who have hoped for a statement from Alfred E. Smith, former Governor of New York and the party standard bearer in 1928, which at least will not close the door to the election of Smith delegates to the national convention believe that such a declaration by Mr. Smith is practically at hand. The group opposed to the nomination of Pranklin D. Roosevelt has for a long time considered Smith their “ace in the hole.” With Smith a receptive, if not an active, candidate, they have be- lieved they could effectually “stop” the advance of the Roosevelt bandwagon. Without Smith the prospect of defeat- ing the Governor of New York for the nomination has been anything but | bright. The New York Times today carries a report that “at Mr. Smith’s office in the Empire State Building it was an- | nounced last evening that Mr. Smith would make public a ‘political state- ment’ at 3 o'clock tomorrow (Saturday) afternoon. In most quarters it was taken for granted that the statement would be on Mr. Smith's attitude to- ward the presidential nomination.” Deferred Action Seen. Other reports place the time of Mr Smith's expected statement on the po- litical situation and his own part in it at a later date. possibly next week and certainly in time for his friends in New Hampshire to know his mind prior to the primary there, set for | March 8. Without attempting to speak au- thoritatively for Gov. Smith or even to make a prediction, informed Democrats in Washington suggest that Gov. Smith's statement, when and if it is made, will announce that he is not and will not be an active candidate for the presidential nomination or for Smith delegates to the national conven- tion. On the other hand, Gov. Smith will not, it is suggested,” close the door to the election of Smith delegates where his friends may undertake to put them forward. The Smith statement, it is also sug- gested, will make it clear that if, after | full consideration of all the candidates for the Democratic presidential nomina- tion in the national convention at Chicago, the convention desires to renominate Gov. Smith, he will not de- cline to run. But the statement, at the same time, will urge that the conven- tion give careful consideration to the various candidates. Course Called Sound. Nor will Gov. Smith, it is suggested, declare _himself either opposed to or favorable to the candidacy of any of the men who have entered the race for the presidential nomination or who may hereafter enter. As titular head of the party, it is said, this course by Gov. Smith will be logical and sound. In many quarters such a statement by Gov. Smith, however, would be re- garded as a “Stop Roosevelt” move For it will be argued, in the event that CALLES’ WIFE HAS SON Stork Visits Home of Mexican Secretary of War. MEXICO CITY, February 5 (£ —A son, the second of his present marriage, was born to Gen. and Mrs. Plutarco Elias Calles, secretary of war, at their Winter home in Cuernavaca, vesterday. Thelr fist child was born January 15, 1931 The present Mrs, Calles is the gen- eral’s second wife, his first having died at Nogales, Sonora, about five years ago. Dressmakers Vote to Strike. NEW YORK, February 5 (#).—Five thousand dressmakers at a meeting last night voted to strike rather than ac- cept a new working agreement which | they said called for 30 per cent wage cuts. Four Communists were ejected after a disturbance tha: ensued when the strike resolution was read. FOLDING TOWERS Two monumental structures that would fold up like telescopes to be operated by machinery are under con- sideration for Columbia Island as part of the Arlington Memorial Bridge project to replace the tall columns to which aviaiion interests objected on the ground that they were a menace to air navigation. Lieut. Col. U. S. Grant, 3d, executive officer of the Arlington Me- morial Bridge Commission, today re- vealed that the idea of folding towering structures is being studied. He added that this is not nearly as impractical or fantastic as it sounds. The bases of the formerly projected shafts would be retained under the new scheme, with their ornamental effect on the outside. Another plan under consideration is to have two great jets of water spouting lost today en route from Belgium to Gao, French West Africa. They were due at Oran, Algeria, on Thursday, but early today had not appeared. up from the bases. Col. Grant said the MAY REPLACE COLUMBIA ISLAND MONUMENTS Grant Studying Plan of Having Two Great Jets of Water Spouting From Bases of Huge Structures. pumping plant, which could be easily hidden below ground on Columbia Island. The architects of the bridge, McKim, Mead & White of New York, are now | at work, Col. Grant sald, evolving a new treatment to take the place of the two shafts that have now been rejected as part of the project. The Fine Arn< Commission “will be consulted on the form of the substitute treaiment. While studies are beifig ™3> of the Columbia Island development, granive is being prepared for the memorial en- trance to Arlington National Cemetery Officials of the Arlington Memorial Bridge Commission said today that the new road, from Boundary Channe) Bridge, at the Virginia shore, up to t! east gate of the cemetery, where the hemicycle will be constructed, will be water is readily obtainable from the Potomac River and all that would be , needed would be the insiallation of a | bids will paved in the Spring. Specifications are now being prepared for this work ant %e called for shortly. » &