Evening Star Newspaper, March 25, 1932, Page 1

WEATHER. (U. 8. Weather Bureau Forecast.) Cloudy and warmer tonight and to- morrow; showers tomorrow; colder Sun- day. ‘Temperatures—Highest, 59, at noon today; lowest, 33, at 6 a.m. toda; Full report on page 9. New York Markets Closed Tod y. No. 32,105. Frerehmes Entered as second class matter ‘Washington, DG ch ¢ Foeni WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION ny Star. WASHINGTON, D. C., FRIDAY, MARCH' 25, 1932—FIFTY PAGES. x*x% LINDBERGH BABY'S RETURN PREDIGTED WITHIN FEW DAYS Norfolk Intermediaries See Early End of Negotiations With Kidnapers. ALL THREE REFUSE TO DISCUSS PROGRESS Jersey Police, However, Say Colo- nel Himself Believes Chesa- peake Clue Useless. By the Associated Press Autoists Buy Truck Tags to Monopolize Commercial Parking By the Associated Press. SAN FRANCISCO, March 25. —Edward F. Bryant, city tax col- lector, was puzzled a while by the demand for commercial motor vehicle licenses—200 applicants in_two weeks—but not for long. It's one solution of the street parking problem, he sald today. Truck licenses at $6.75 a year each, he explained, authorize rking at spaces ordinarily pro- mbiltd to the motoring public. Some owners of private cars, he said, were paying the excess over the $3 charged for pleasure vehicles to obtain those parking privileges. “It seems to be legal” Bryant said. WAL LOAN PRSSED WITH RELUTANCE NORFOLK, Va., March 25—Rev. H. Dobson-Peacock said today completion of negotiations for the return of the kidnaped Lindbergh baby are not only hoped for, but are expected within the next few days by Norfolk men acting s intermediaries. Nelther of the three intermediaries— Dean Dobson-Peacock, Rear Admiral Guy H. Burrage, retired, and John Hughes Curtis—would discuss the de- tails of the negotiations. Admiral Burrage reiterated his as- sertion that any information concern- ing the move to recover the 20-month old infant must come through Col. Charles A. Lindbergh. Mr. Curtis did not care to discuss the matter. Publicity Regretted. “We are not only hoping, but expect, the completion of negotiations within & few days,” Dean Dobson-Peacock said. He expressed’ regret for publicity given to the activities of the Norfolk interveners and expressed fear that it ‘would “jeopardize a good clue " “We had hoped for an early and a happy solution,” he said, “and such is still our hope.” Reasserting his conviction that the clue on which they were working was - ,ood one, the dean asked: “Otherwise, why should men from a certain class of society seek out three Tepresentative men in a community?” Dean Dobson-Peacock pointed out that he had often approved the hope in radio broadcasts from Christ Epis- copal Church for the safe return of the kidnaped child. ‘What I said on those occasions cer- tainly was heard on the Eastern Shore and as far north as Baltimore,” \he | added. He would not consent to fur- ther questioning along this line. Denies Seeing Baby. Dean Dobson-Peacock flatly denied that the kidnaped baby was with the | go-between @uring their negotiations | with the three Norfolk men. “That's all wrong,” he asserted. “Ask | yourself what could be more foolish.” Dean Dobson-Peacock would not say whether a recent report had been re- {’:’"" concerning the safety of the by. He added that he was puzzled as to the manner in which the negotiations became public. He said he was con- | vinced & “leak” could be traced to Hopewell, N. J., and not to a Norfolk source. Negotiations had been con- ducted with all secrecy here, he said, but apparently became known to Hope- well and Norfolk police CLUE HELD VALUELESS. Lindbergh Himself Doubts Significance, Police Say. HOPEWELL, N. J, March 25 (#)- Police at the Lindbergh home an- nounced today that Col. Charles A. Lindbergh himself had cocme to the conclusion that information brought by | three citizens of Norfolk, Va., had “no| specific significance” in the investiga- tion of the kidnaping of the Lindbergh ba B’{"he Rev. Dobson-Peacock and two | president of the - other Government financial stalled 1. C. C. Questions Wisdom of | Large Credit for Mis- souri Pacific. By the Associated Press. The Reconstruction Finance Corpora- tion has caused the Interstate Com- merce Commission to approve, “with some reluctance,” an additional loan of $12.800,000 to the Missouri Pacific Rail- road Co. The approval will take care of, among other things, half of a loan of $11,700,- 000 held by the New York banks, which J. P. Morgan & Co. had notified the carrier must be paid on April 1. Later, however, the banks agreed to carry half the loan until October 1 and the board of directors of the Pinance Corporation voted a loan of $5,850,000 for this pur- pose, subject to approval of the com- mission. The commission’s decision recited in full the resolution of the Finance Cor- poration. Unconvinced on Policy. “We are taking the acticn here with some reluctance,” sald the commission. “We are not convinced that the Recon- struction Finance Corporation should be expected to take up banks’ loans of this character. “We yield our own views to those of that body which, as we construe the| law. is cl Congress with responsibility determining question.” The Finance tion resolution was adopted March 18, the same day on which President Hoover called Balthaser H. Meyer, chairman of the| finance division of the Interstate Com-| merce Commission; Charles G. Dawes, Corpo- for Tation, and After stating that “in the opinion this board all existing uncertainty as the disposition of the April 1 maturities of the Missouri Pacific Railroad Co. is| detrimental to the general credit situa- | tion of the rai ,”" the corporation | esolutiop said: ;. Outlined. “Resolvéd, That subject to the ap- proval of -the Interstate Commerce Commission this board authorize a loan to the Missouri Pacific Railroad Co. to the extent of $5,850,000, which amount is 50 per cent of said rallroad com- pany's bank joans maturing April 1, 1932, on ccndition that the holders of the balance of said bank loans agree to an extension of the payment of said balance of $5.850,000 to a date not | earlier than October 1, 1932, and on | further condition that there is de- | livered to this corperation as collateral security for said I one half of the collateral now held security for said $11,700,000 of bank loans and such ad- ditional cecurity, if any, as may be | recommended by the Interstate Com- merce Commission or as to this board may hereinafter seem advisable; and be it further Resolved, That the secretary of this corporation be directed to forward a copy of this resolution to the Interstate MARINE DESERTER SOUGHT BY POLICE Sergeant, “Hard Pressed for Money,” Is Hunted as Suspect. LEFT BARRACKS MAREH 3; | HOME TROUBLES BLAMED Belongings Yield Letter Paper “Al- most Identical” With Lewis Notes, Says Burke. A Marine Corps sergeant who is & deserter from the Marine Barracks here is being sought by police as the ex- tortionist who has written threatening letters to Mrs. Alice Roosevelt Long- worth, widow of the late Speaker of the House Nicholas Longworth, and Sir Willmott Lewis, Washington corre- spondent of ¢he London Times, it was learned late today. The sergeant left the barracks March 3 and has not been heard from since. Capt. George Spotts, adjutant st the barracks, said he understood the de- sertion was caused by domestic troubles. “Hard-Pressed for Money.” Inspector Frank'S. W. Burke, chief of detectives, declared the man was known to be hard-pressed for money and said “everything points to him as the writer of the letters.” The sergeant is reported to have a wife and child living in Washington, but since his desertion from the barracks is understood to have seen neither of them. Searching the belongings of the Marine sergeant, detectives found letter paper “almost identical” with that on which the two letters to Mrs. Longworth and the two to Sir Willmott and Lady Lewis were written, Inspector Burke disclosed. A typewriter belleved to have been used in the writing of the letters was found today by detectives in a down- town office building, where it is believed to have been taken by the man when he left the barracks. The typewriter will be compared by experts of the Bureau of Standards with the letters received by Mrs. Long- worth and Sir Willmott. An arrest is expected momentarily by Police Chief Pelham D. Glassford A constant police guard has been in- in the home of Sir Willmott, 1605 New Hampshire llv:nuz. as a . A guard placed around the e Mrs. Longworth, who received an x- tortion note three weeks ago, has been removed at her request. Lewis’ Son Threatened. ‘The letters to Sir Willmott, the latest of which was received yesterday, de- sult of two threatening letters and #‘i‘" telephone call recelved thex his 5-year-old son, Willmott, jr. The note to Mrs. Longworth, however, con- tained no direct threat against her daughter Paulina, Detective Chief Frank 8. W. Burke said. Nevertheless, Mrs. worth has instructed servants in her home to keep the child under con- stant watch, it was learned. Similar extortion letters also have been received within recent weeks by Ben Lyon, movie star, who was here two weeks ago; a banker, whose name police refused to reveal, and about a dozen other persons prominent in the | cording to Inspector Burke. All are be- lieved by police to have been inspired | Col. and Mrs. Charles A. Lindbergh. Letters Similar. Great similarity has been noted in the letters to Mrs. Longworth and to the | Lewises, Inspector Burke asserted, and N EXTORON LT manded the $1,500 under threats against | Capital's social and political life, ac-| | by the kidnaping of the infant son of | Use of unlicensed radio communica- tion stations by organized criminal groups is imperiling efficient function- ing of licensed short-wave stations, in- cluding police networks, and to some extent large broadcasting stations, Di- | rector W. D. Terrell, director of the Commerce Department’s radio division, said today. So thorough and so thick is the criminal wireless network around New York City that it has caused the de- partment’s radio division and the De- partment of Justice to establish a “black chamber,” similar to the decod- | ing bme’:’uwln operation here during the Worl ar. Mr. Terrell said today it has been estimated that during 1931 approxi- mately 50 unlicensed < radic stations g operated in and around New |¥Yark to communicate | among criminal groups. This activity, WAR DECODING BUREAU TRAPS RACKETEERS USING WIRELESS “Black Chamber™ Established by Govern- ment as Criminals Clog Air With Unlicensed Messages. | he said, is not confined entirely to this | section.” Stations operated by gangsters | have been located along the South At- | lantic and the Pacific seaboards. | With the aid of the Justice rt- | | ment, Mr. Terrell said his division | | agents have closed up 13 stations oper- | | ating unlawfully around New York | during the last 12 months. Several | operators have been sentenced to prison | terms. He said the relentless tactics being | pursued by the Government to stop this | ether interference has caused the more | highly organized criminal groups to | use complicated and expensive systems of n:mmunmmn for their intelligence worl Messages picked up by the division's momorm;' rsonnel indicate that the | radio is g used by the gangsters | | mostly for the smuggling of liquor, nar- ‘cotmm aliens. Virtually all | traisttiitted to the rum fleets off the (Continued on Page 2, Column 2.) | TROOPS SKIRMISH - IN SHANGHAI AREA Outposts Clash and Snipers | Are Active—Sino-Japanese Peace Discussions Lag. By the Associated Press. nese peace negotiations ceptibly today while armies of the two nations engaged in sniping and skir- | mishing a few miles outside Shanghai. SHANGHAI, March 25.—Sino-Japa- | lagged per- | “BIG FOUR' T0 HOLD - DANUBIAN PARLEY |France, Britain, Germany, Italy to Discuss Aid for “Little Five.” By the Associated Press. PARIS, March 25—A four-power conference among France, Great Britain, Germany and Italy to discuss methods to give economic aid to the five Danubian countries was considered n{ffi"«"fi‘.’e Yesterday’s Circulation, 124,582 () Means Associated Press. TWO CENTS. DENIES SMALL BANK. AIDWASVOLUNTARY Glass Bill Foe Says Hoover Promised Reconstruction Agency to Assume Work. By the Assoclated Press. A statement that formation of the National Credit Corporation last Oc- tober by bankers was not “voluntary,” but_was undertaken on the assurance | of President Hoover that the Recon- struction Pinance Corporation would be formed to take over its work, was made | before the Senate Banking Committee todey by Percy H. Johnston, president of the Chemical Bank & Trust Co., New York. The statement was made during hearings on the Glass banking revision bill when Senator Glass, Democrat, of Vi ia, recalled the contribution of Teas banks to the National Credit Corporation fund. to and used the word ntary. who opposed the Glass bill, he would not describe the action as voluntary. “I was in that conference at Secre- | tary Mellon’s home,” he added. Opposes Glass Bill. “President Hoover told us he had talked to leaders in Congress and that | s soon as Congress met it would form the Reconstruction Corporation to take us out of this position." “Then you didn’t do it voluntarily?” asked Senator Glass. “We were asked to do it on that basis as a quick stop gap and we did it,” Johnston replied. Earlier he had opposed the Glass bill, saying its passage now would “destroy all effect of the remedial auuures looking to an end of defla- g Johnston asserted the penalization of 15-day borrowings from Federal Re- serve banks would “make United States bonds less desirable, would handicap the United States Treasury in its nec- essary financing and would increase | the interest rate on governments, and thereby the interest rate on all classes of securities, and depreciate the market LABOR CANVASSES CONGRESS IN FIGHT ON L S.PAY CUTS 48 Leaders Make Personal Calls on Lawmakers to Protest Slashes. FEAR POSSIBLE EXAMPLE TO PRIVATE EMPLOYERS Advance Guard of Workers, Under McGrady's Direction, Meets in Connery’s Office. BY WILL P. KENNEDY. Forty-eight leaders of American work- ers from every State in the Union, under the direction of Edward R. Mc- Grady, legislative committeeman for the American Pederation of Labor, are today making & personal canvass of every member of Congress, protesting against passage of any bill to slash the salaries of Federal employes. The group started making & door-to- door canvass in the House Office Build- ing and Capitol today after a conference with Representative La Guardia, Re- publican, of New York, who is leading the fight on the floor to defeat whatever salary reduction bill may be brought out by the Special Economy Committee. The conference was held in the office of William Green, president of the Amer- ican Federation of Labor, last night. Other Leaders Active. Other leaders of organized labor have put themselves behind this fight, which Mr. McGrady explained was not only on behalf of Government employes affiliated with the American Federation of Labor, but for the wage earners of the country, who are threatened with pay cuts if the Government sets the example to private interests. This advance guard of the American workingmen made headquarters today in the office of Representative Willlam P. Connery of Massachusetts, chairman of the House Committee on Labor, who has been outspoken and vigorous in | denunciation of any attempt to cut | salaries on the Government pay roll or elsewhere. Mr. McGrady, speaking for this group | of workers today, said they are pre- pared to show members of Congress | from any State in the Union that any petitions they receive, signed by Ameri- can workers, urging reductions in the Government pay roll are on petitions circulated by employers and were signed | under coercion. Blames Organized Business. Mr. McGrady emphatically stated that the proposal to reduce Government sal- aries, and the labors of the Economy Committee which has been wrestling for nearly a week trying to find some scheme of cutting which will produce an appreciable saving without ruthlessly levying a heavy toll against those receiving $2,000 or less, was planned and a campaign for support made by organized business. At the same time that these labor leaders were making a personal protest to each member of Congress, Chairman McDuffie, of the committee of three to whom were delegated the tasks of draft- ing the salary slashing bill, granted a hearing (o Willlam R. Vallance, presi- dent of the Federal Bar Association, representing attorneys in all depart- ments and bureaus of the Government service. Representative McDuffie had previously declined to grant a hearing to_Mr. Vallance In executive session today, Mr. Val- lance protested vehemently that this | proposed salarly cut would be a triple tax on Government employes who have (Continued on Page 5, Column 1.) 'HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT value of all existing securities.” HOLUSE VOTES DOWN PLAN T0 TAY BEER BY REVENUE BIL Blanton Loses Point of Order Against Cullen Amend- ment to Measure. SALES LEVY SUBSTITUTE PROPOSALS STUDIED Ways and Means Subcommittes Given Free Hand to Find Way to Meet Budget Needs. The House today rejected the Cul- len beer amendment to the revenue bill. The vote was 216 to 132, BY G. GOULD LINCOLN, ‘The House today gave comsideration to the Cullen amendment to the reve enue bill proposing a tax of 3 cents & pint on 2.75 per cent beer. An agree- ment was reached to vote at 3:15 p.m, The beer amendment, which Repre- sentative Cullen of New York, a wet Democrat, estimates will raise millions of dollars of revenue, was held in or- der by Representative Bankhead of Alabama, chairman of the Committee of the whole House. Representative Blanton, Democrat, of Texas, an ardent dry, made a point of order that the beer amendment was not germane to the bill, and furthermore that it J’,’“"“’d a violation of the Eighteent Amendment. Representa- tive Hoch of Kansas, another dry, in- sisted the amendment was out of or- der because it proposed to change the law which says no beverage containing more than one-half of 1 per cent alco- hol shall be manufactured and sold in this country. Amendment Held Germane. Representative Mass of Minnesota, a wet, retorted that the Treasury Depart- ment now levies an income tax against bootleggers who make their money out of selling unlawful liquor. Bankhead then ruled the amend- ment was germane. In this he was upheld by Representative Crisp of , acting chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, who pointed out his committee already had given con- sideration to the Cullen amendment. In the Ways and Means Committee, it was defeated by a vote of 21 to 6. Such an uproar greeted the an- nouncement by the chair that a vote on the amendment was in order that the sergeant-at-arms was called upon the floor to clear the aisles of members. Sees $450,000,000 Income, ‘Taking the floor in support of his amendment, Cullen intimated his pro- posed tax on 2.75 per cent beer would bring into the Federal 'nauur{ - 000,000. He told the House it would put a large number of men to work again and would go far to relleving unemployment and distress. Rgcirueumwe Blanton made a flery atta on the proposal to tax beer, which he said would be an unconstitu- tional beverage. Representative Mec- Cormack of Massachusetts, Represen- tative W. E. Hull of Illinois and Rep- resentative Oliver of New York, all members of the “wet” bloc, strongly urged adoption of the amendment. McCormack said it would put half & million men to work. Hull insisted 2.75 per cent beer was not intoxicating. He said if it were legalized 1t would give the farmers a wide market for their crops and would give employment to many workmen reconstructing the breweries. He sald that by selling beer in bottles and not permitting the drinking of the beer on the premises, it would be pos- sible to prevent a return of the saloon. Crime Reduction Forecast. Oliver said if the amendment were adopted and light beer permitted to be manufactured and sold, the liquor in- terests would be taken away from the other citizens of Norfolk are not|Commerce Commission | they have been sent to the Bureau of| Each blamed the other for a clash | a certainty in official quarters here Challenged by Senators. H negotiating for the return of the baby 80 far.as the police authorities at Hope- | well know.” Schwarzkopf said in his formal morning bulletin today, issued (Continued on Page 2, Column 8.) PRICE-FIXING URGED TO AID U. S. FARMERS Representative Andresen Reveals Plans to Keep Up Value of Basic Agricultural Products. By the Assoclated Press. Federal price fixing for basic tural oroducts was advocated ay by Representative Andresen, Republican, of Minnesota, a member of the House Agriculture Committee. In a statement, Andresen said “I have introduced a bill which fixes & minimum price on certain basic agri- cultural products. If its provisions are properly administered by the Secretary of Agriculture, it will not take long be- fore prosperity is again restored in this country. “I have established the following minimum prices: Wheat at $1.25 per bushel, cotton at 15 cents per pound, corn at 75 cents per bushel, rye at 70 cents per bushel, barley at 65 cents per bushel, hogs and cattle at 10 cents per pound and butter at 32 cents per pound “I could include a large number of agricultural products in the bill and will have no objection to other products be- ing included by the Committee on Ag- riculture when this legislation is given consideration.” MISSING WOMAN HOME, POLICE CHECK STORY Beauty Parlor Operator Attended Classes Despite “Kidnaping,” Officials Told. By the Associated Press. CENTRAL CITY, Nebr, March 25.— Miss Laurel Morrison, 30-year-old Aurora beauty parlor operator, was back home with her parents here today, after being missing two days. She told suthorities she had been kidnaped and held captive in Lincoln. George Gohde, operator of a Lincoln tology School, told police there, however, that Miss Morrison had been sttenoing classes at the school and that recognized her from pictures pub- lshed 1 Lincoln newspapers. Sheriff J. H. Mohr of Merrick County sald he planned to question her later. Although J P. Morgan & Co. was named by the Missouri Pacific in cor- respondence with the commission as having spoken for the holders of the bank loans the decision disclosed that they were held jointly by J. P. Morgan & Co., Kuhn, Loeb & Co. and the Guaranty Trust Co. of New York. “The bankers who hold the loans are bankers for the carrier,” said the com- mission in commenting. “As such they have profited largely in handling its financing in the past. Point to Past Profits. “It is often represented to us that the relation of a banker to a railroad is very valuable to it because of the banking assistance so rendered avail- able in time of stress, that a railroad can afford to compensate its bankers (Continued on Page 5, Column 1.) FINANCE BOARD LENDS $8,000,000 TO FARMERS Money for Nation's Crops Flowing | Out at Million a Day, U. 8. Inspector Says. By the Assoclated Press. SPOKANE, Wash., March 25.—D. w. | Davis, chief national inspector for crop production _loans, said today Recon-| struction Finance Corporation money | has been flowing out to farmers. to finance 1932 crops at the rate of more than $1,000,000 & day for the last week. In seven days, he said, more than | $8,000,000 has been loaned to farmers for this purpose. He is here on an in- spection tour. Standards for minute inspection in effort to determine whether they were | sent by the same person. Although every detective and police- man on the force has been instructed to persons, the detective chief said there was little in the way of clues to work on, man whose arrest is expected soon is known to Inspector Burke and Police Chief Glassford, but his identity is being withheld. The letter received by the Lewises yesterday, which was addressed to “Mrs. Willmott Lewis,” followed a phone call (Continued on Page 2, Column 4.) $250,000 RUM CARGO SEIZED ON TUG AT DOCK 50 Men Arrested, Five Autos and 8 Trucks Confiscated Next to Ferry Landing. By the Associated Press STAMFORD, Conn., March 25— Liquor valued by officials at $250,000 was seized today aboard the seagoing tug William H. Moody of Rockport, Me., berthed at a Stamford dock, dur- ing a raid in which 50 men were ar- rested. Complaints of unusual activity on the street leading to the Stamford- Oyster Bay ferry, which docks next to | the landing where the liquor was seized, | resulted in the raid. Twelve Stamford policemen found a gang of laborers unloading the tug. They arrested the land crew and seized five automobiles and six trucks. 1GOLD RUSH STARTED BY JOBLESS MERELY TO EARN A LIVING Amateurs Prospect in Georgia Hills and Make 50 Cents or §1 a Day. By the Associated Press. DAHLONEGA. Ga.,, March 25 —The gold hills of the Southern Appalach- fans, little worked in the years since discovery of more opulent fields in the West, are attracting the unemployed. Armed with picks, shevels and sluice pans, numbers who have found time | heavy on their hands or encountered the bottom of the meal barrel have gone up the creeks in the back country | He said he would turn over a $1,000 note, which was not complied 1 authorities after he had of it made. of Dixie's old gold belt to prospect. Back before the days the forty- niners millions of worth of metal taken the North Georgia mountains around Dahlonega and Auraria. No;‘. hohw!e':en 5 hew gold rush is on—though its participants have mainly the objective of subsistence rather than ;l:;.“‘ of accumulating fortunes over Numbers are panning out gold in the North Georgia creeks—averaging from 50 cents to $1 or more a day. A Dah- | lonega merchant buys the dust at 90 | cents a pennyweight and ships it to the Philadelphia mint and some pros- pectors ship their own gold. There is (Continued on Page 3, Column 5.), be on the lookout for suspicious-looking | |between outposts near Kating, and neither had an official explanation of snipimg between troops in the vicinity of Chiawangmiao, incidents which add- ed to the general uneasiness. The Chinese defled the 121;-mile- limit ultimatum of the Japanese when they occupied Chiawangmiso recently, | and they have shown no disposition to retire across Soochow Creek as the Japanese have demanded. The delegates—Chinese, Japanese and | neutrals alike—emerged from a three- hour session of peace negotiations with weariness written on their faces, al- though the official communique noted, as_usual, “some progress was made.” The Chinese insisted there was no advance in negotiations. The Japanese cautiously reiterated that three points were discussed, the re- mainder of Chinese troops in their pres- ent positions, withdrawal of Japanese forces and selection of a joint board to supervise the withdrawal. Japanese military authorities said they “hoped positive measures would not have to be taken” at Chiawang- miao, and announced the continued movement of troops of the 11th Division toward Tokio. $10,000 LEVINE BOND MAY BE FORFEITED Fails to Appear for Trial on Charges of Grand Larceny and Forgery. By the Associated Press. NEW YORK, March 25—Charles A. Levine, first transatlantic airplane passenger, failed to appear today for his trial on charges of grand larceny, forgery and receiving stolen property. His bail of $10,000 was ordered for- feited. Execution of the bail forfeiture, how- ever, was postponed until April 8 after the court was shown a ph: 's affidavit setting forth that Levine was suffering from a broken leg and could not be moved. Levine has been sought for many months on a charge that he obtained a loan by using stolen bonds as security. He was found in a sanitarium last month, registered under another name and suffering from a broken leg. A few days ago he was indicted. —_— French Liner Calls for Aid. e et ncy re| y Al e wire- lhu‘: station at Bastia, Corsica, had aocuty rather tha. ay. Premier Tardieu indicated that France would accept a British semi- official proposal advanced yesterday for such a conference and said he ex- pected to confer with Prime Minister Ramsav MacDonald in the near future. It was believed likely that Neville Chamberlain, British chancellor of the exchequer, and Premier MacDonald would meet the French premier to talk over the proposed Lausanne Debt Con- ference and the Danublan matter, probably in Geneva on April 11. Premier Tardieu has proposed a gen- eral customs pact to promote trade for Austria, Hungary, Rumania, Jugoslavia and Czechoslovakia. SUGGESTED BY BRITAIN. “Big Four” Conference Proposed by London Government. LONDON, March 25 (#)—Great Britain semi-officially threw her in- fluence toward the conference method of solving Central Europe’s economic crisis today by suggesting prel negotiations among the “Big Four.” approach varies sharply from the Prench plan to have the five Danubian states—Austria, Hungary, Jugoslavia, Rumania and Czechosla- vakia—form a general Danubian cus- toms union. It also differs from the Italo-German idea of having the Big Four—France, Great Britain, Italy and Germany—sit in simultaneously with the Little Five on_their most pressing problem. The British proposal last night fol- lowed advance publication of the League of Nation's Pinance Com- mittee's report recommending a con- (Continued on Page 2, Column 2.) ‘SPIRIT OF INE)EPENDENCE' IS SEEN IN RACKETEERING New Zealand Educator Sees Ex- pression of Revolt of Politi- cian-Ridden People. By the Associated Press. MINNEAPOLIS, Minn, March 25— Racketeers in this country, said Prof. James Shelley of Canterbury College, New Zealand, represent what he de- scribed as “a spirit of independence and adventure,” as against efforts of “politicians to make tame rabbits out of people.” school men's week at the University of Minnesota. Prof. Shelley viewed racketeering| in the United States as a “compara- tively trifling problem.” He wasn't so “not a good sign.” W n harm it, he added, He spoke yesterday at the annual|ne This was promptly challenged by Senator Glass and Senator Bulkley, Democrat, of Ohio. Glass asserted the 15-day provision is necessary to keep Federal Reserve funds from going into stock market speculation, as he maintains it did in (Continued on Page 5, Column 3. WIDOW OF CARUSO RENAMED GUARDIAN Court Reinstates Her After She Reveals Daughter Has No T. 8. Property. By the Associated Press. NEW YORK March 25.—Enrico Caruso's widow, Mrs. Dorothy Caruso Ingram, was reinstated yesterday as general guardian for their 12-year-old daughter, Gloria. Surrogate James Foley removed Mrs. Ingram as general guardian on petition of Warren C. P'leldlrllxl. an attorney who was appointed special guardian. Fielding prot.esp;d Mrs. In had not filed an accounting of the proper- ties left to the child by her father for 1936. In her answer the mother stated that she and Gloria were residents of Cannes, Prance, and that the child owned no property in the United States. After the liabilities and assets of the Prorerty had been accounted for, Fielding petitioned the court to vacate the old order, which was done. |SLAIN IN GUN BATTLE Found in Stolen Auto, He Tries to Shoot His Way to Freedom Near Buffalo. By the Assoctated Press, BUFFALO, N. Y., March 25.—Gordon Allen, 18, high school student, was killed in a gun battle with a policeman and two customs border patrolmen to- day on the River road in the town of Tonawanda, on the northern outskirts of Buffalo. Police said Allen was found in a stolen car and, when questioned at- tempted to shoot his way to freedom. The officers fired five shots at the youth before he collapsed. Police said & .25- caliber automatic pistol and a German Luger pistol were found in his pos- session. Patrolman Elmer J. Bromley of the ‘Tonawanda police reported he found Allen sitting in & parked car. He said he asked Allen to identify himself, and when the latter failed to do so, ordered him to get out of the car. As the youth stepped from the machine, Brom- ley said, he shoved a gun against the officer's stomach. Bromley flung him- self to one side, snatching at his own pistol. Allen dashed behind a nearby building and opened fire, Bromley said. Roy I. Moran and George Ince, cus- toms border patrolmen, were passing and joined in the fight. PARSEE “GOD-MAN” LEAVES INDIA FOR “LOVE CRUSADE” IN AMERICA “Messiah” of Bombay, Silent for Eight Years, to Speak in Harmon, N. Y., Retreat. By the Associated Press. BOMBAY, India, March 25.—Meher Baba, the Indian spiritual leader whose disciples call him “the Messiah” and “the God-Man,” left here today for a ew crusade in America. He intends, he said, to down all religious barriers, America’s mal and amalgamate all creeds into a common element of love. For eight years Meher Baba has been observing & vow of silence, which he said he would break upon his arrival at Harmon, N. Y., where he plans to es- tablish a spiritual retreat similar to Mahatma 's in India. first_interview to an As- of a blackboard, Meher Baba, who, In the eyes of his followers, has performed many miracles, sald Gandhi had prom- ised to come with him to the United States so soon as his political work has Gandhi's duru, or spiritual adviser. Meher Baba is a parsee (priest) of the Zoroastrian faith, and says he is and man. He explained that he at- superconscious state in which into God and re:urud again ouf bootleggers and crime would be enor- mously reduced. Representative Guyer of Kansas, a dry, insisted the Supreme Court would hold the provision unconstitutional. l‘ze d:nld it would be a futile thing Mrs. Norton of New Jersey, a wet, told the House “No one can believe that prohibition has made this country & better place in which to live.” She said prohibition has resulted in & long list of crimes. Other wets who supported the amend- ment were Representatives Dyer and Cochran of Missouri. Dyer pointed out he was one of the first to introduce bills to legalize beer after the eight- eenth amendment was adopted. With the bill shorn of the sales tax (Continued on Page 2, Column 1.) SENATE HEARINGS ON REPEAL TO OPEN Blaine Announces April 14 for Subcommittee Action on Amend- ment Proposal. Senator Blaine, Republican, of Wis- consin, today announced hearings would be opened on April 14 by a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on proposals for repeal of the eighteenth amendment and modification of the Volstead act. ‘There are half a score of measures pending proposing various prohibition changes. Lengthy hearings are in prospect, but Blaine gave assurance that the committee would conclude in time to permit a Senate vote. Chairman Norris of the Judiciary Committee also gave consent to requests of the anti-prohibitionists for a report on the legislation to the Senate. The report doubtless will be adverse, the prohibitionists claiming full command in the Senate. Blaine said the hearings will be de- ferred to April 14 because some of those desiring to testify wish two weeks' notice. Senator Bingham, Republican, Con- necticut, will seek action next week by the Manufacturers Committee on his bill to authorize 4 per cent beer. DIVORCES 23 IN DAY MEXICO CITY, March 25 (®.—A dispatch from Juarez, Chihuahua, to. day said Guillermo Duran Vilchis, civil divorce judge there, bad heard and granted 23 divorces on one dzy of this week. The decrees were filed under Chi- hushua’s new consent divorce law. Most of the decrees went to Americans.