Evening Star Newspaper, March 30, 1932, Page 17

Washington News WITH SUNDAY MOENING EDITION WASHINGTON. D. C, TAX BILLS LINKED WITH FISCAL ISSUE AT MAPES HEARING Citizens Oppose Increases as * Way for U. S. to Cut 60-40 Ratio. OPPOSITION HOLDS FIRE FOR FINAL MEASURE Proposal to End ‘Lump Sum' Agree- ment to Be Target—Revenue Raising Is Passed Over. A feeling among people of Washing- ton that changes in District taxation are inseparably linked to the problem of fiscal relations between the Federal and District government and should be weighed by the effect they would have on an equitable settlement of that problem was indicated clearly by wit- nesses before the Senate District Com- mittee hearing on the estate tax bill yesterday afternoon. Spokesmen for local organizations who appeared at this opening hearing on the Mapes bills did not oppose an estate tax as a source of revenue, but | stressed the point that new taxes should not be enacted merely as a means of reducing the Federal Government's share of the expenses of the National Capital. The Senate District Committee will hold its hearing on the motor vehicle weight tax next Tuesday, April 5, at 2:30 o'clock in the afternoon. The gasoline tax increase bill will be taken Caveman Myth Exploded RESEARCH SHOWS HE BY THOMAS R. HENRY. The “cave man” probably was a mild meek husband. | Al the evidence indicates that his domestic status has been grossly mis- represented, Rev. Dr. John M. Cooper | of Catholic University told the Catholic Anthropological Conference at its an- nual meeting here yesterday. There are no actual “cave men" left in the world, Dr. Cooper said, but among the most primitive peoples ex- tant, who may represent the nearest ap- proach to the primaeval condition of man, the status of woman often is near- ly that of absoiute equality with the | males. Dr. Cooper, however, gave lit- tle credence to the theory of a prime- val matriarchy in which woman was supreme. | Primitive soclety the world over, Dr. Cooper explained, appears to be di- vided according to various economic | levels. At the bottom, among living races, are the hunters and food gath- erers, who live entirely off the country. Here the sexes approach equality. Near Economic Level This must have been close to the eco nomic level of the cave men. The come the horticultural peoples who have mixed rude agricuiture with their hunt- | ing. Here begins the division of labor. Woman, burdened with her children. is | left to tend the garden while her hus- band takes care of the hunting. As one or the other of these activities becomes of greatest significance the relative status of the sexes tends to change. The next stage is the introduction of flocks and farm animals. which generally fall into the province of the men. This is the pastoral stage. Woman, her im- portance as & breadwinner gone, is likely to be pushed into an inferor position. Western civilization, Dr. Cooper said, is “masculine-tinged.” This may be due | in part, he pointed out, to the fact| that so many of its traditions have been | drawn from the Near East, where its| great religions have originated and which was the center of a vast pastoral area The ancient Hebrews, for exam| were largely a race of sheep herders | among whom the man tend>d to be | supreme. These masculine supremacy | traditions were grafted on the traditions | | of the primitive horticultural area of | {the Western Mediterranean region. | PROBABLY MEEK AND MILD. REV. DR. JOHN the most obvious of these lines is sex Some of the reports of ill treatment of women among primitive peoples, Dr. Cooper said, probably have been due to misunderstanding of racial psychol- ogy. Thus explorers have described women among some Australian tribes as beaten by their husbands for trivial offenses until their bodies are covered with blood. In the first place, he said, these reports are probably grossly ex- aggerated. In the second place, what seems a brutal beating, according to Western standards, may not actually be considered as much of a punishment as a tongue-lashing which an American husband might give his wife. ‘The misunderstanding, he said, seems to come from the inability to under- stand that the significance of physical pain is relative, varying greatly with different group psychologists Strange Mourning Customs. Thus both men and women of this same Austrelian tribe cut many deep gashes in th th stone knives as a s d apparentiy it is c e significance than the wearing of black among civil- | ized pecples. This may be due to differ- up at 2:30 o'clock on the afternoon of | The present status of woman in Europe | ences in the sensibility to pain Friday, April 8. Center on Rates Bill. ‘The final bill in the program of the Mapes House Committee deals with ths |and America, he pointed out. partly | | may have evolved out of a balance be- | tween the two. | | The primitive food gatherers, of | whom Dr. Cooper has made a special study, have a very simple social organ- | Among various Indian tribes, he said it is customary as a gesture of mourn ing to cut off a finger joint, which i done as a matter of course, with no great significance attached to the act The behavior of a primitive people, ho basic question of fiscal relations by | ization and travel about in small bands | said. hardly can be judged without an seeking to repeal the substantive law establishing the 60-40 ratio of expense between the District and Federal Gov- ernments. Chairman Capper assured those who eppeared at yesterday's hear- ing that when this fiscal relations bill is reached they will be given a full opportunity to discuss the effect of the tax program as a whole on the financ- ing of the city. For this reason yes- terday's hearing was confined to con- sideration of the detailed provisions of the first bill, to levy a local tax on the transfer of estates. The viewpoint of the local com- munity toward the tax program was indicated by L. A. Carruthers, spokes- man for the Federation of Citizens’ As- sociations, who declared “the federation is opposed to any increase in taxation or :epgb forms 0{ taxation having for their object a reduced Federal appro- priation” toward the District. Wants Lower Limit. Mr, Carruthers advocated & brief es- tate tax law which would enable the "District to collect the 80 per cent credit on Federal estate taxes which the United States allows to the States hav- ing similar local laws on the subject, | instead of the pending House bill. It/ had been shown by previous testimony that the pending House bill would col- lect locally more than 80 per cent of | the present Federal tax. Sp‘;llmg for the Washington Cham- ber of Commerce, Raymond F. Garrity told Senator Capper the chamber fa- vors a general inquiry into the whole subject of taxation and fiscal relations, and has prepared an elaborate report from that standpoint which it wil present later. Chairman that report when the fiscal relatlons measure is reached. Mr. Garrity said that, as a general | proposition, the chamber is not opposed to an estate tax, but if it is to be passed just to raise $750,000 and then take that amount away from the Federal contribution mothing would be accom- plished, he said. Statement Prepared. Evan H. Tucker, president of the Northeast Washington Citizens’ Asso- ciation, said his organization is a part of the Citizens’ Joint Committee on Fis- cal Relations. He said the committee will have a statement to present later, and that his association would present its views through that committee. ‘The Mapes Committee, in drafting the four tax increase bills, estimated they would produce approximately $4,000.000 annually, and at the same time the House Committee recommended the Pederal lump sum appropriation toward District expenses be reduced from $9,500,000 to $6,500,000. Thomas F. Murphy, assistant chief of the Bureau of Efficiency, which is studying all of the Mapes bills for the Senate Committee, explained the 12 amendments the bureau deems neces- sary in the estate tax measure to make it more equitable and to clarify it. The bureau favored the bill with the pro- posed changes. The House bill, he said, provides for a graduated rate of tax, ranging from 1 per cent on estates not in excess of $50,000 up to 15 per $5,000,000. Exceed 80 Per Cent. In response to questions by Senator Capper, Murphy showed the House bill would. go further than a mere transfer to the District treasury of 80 per cent of the Federal estate tax already col- lected here. There are which the Mapes bill would raise more than the 80 per cent credit on Federal taxes—first, because it would collect some tax iocally from estates under $100,000, which is the figure at which the Podezal law begins to operate; sec ond, the scale of rates in the pending bill ‘are such as to collect “slightly in excess of the 80 per cent credi 2 said. It is estimated that the Mapes estate bill would raise $750,000 of District Tevenue, of which $600,000 would come from the PFederal Government through the 80 per cent credit Early in the hearing Senator Cope- land of New York predicted that any additional revenue accruing to the Dis- trict through this bill would be fol- Jowed immediately by a reduction of that amount from the Federal contri- bution. This led him to assert that the District, as a city, “would not benefit in the last analysis” from having the estate tax law “In making up the next budget they would undoubtedly deduct that $600,000 from the lump sum,” said Senator Cope- land. State Laws Cited. Tt was brought out in the testimony that since Congress in 1926 agreed to give a credit of 80 per cent on Federal estate taxes for similar taxes imposed in the States, many of the States have passed laws designed to take that credit and also have included retroactive uses. program ehw. Murphy sald the Federal law 15 pleted. Capper said | the committee would be glad to have | hat that | cent over | two ways in | in which social differentiations have little chance to crystalize. Depends on Personality. | Everything depends on the personality | | of the individual, he said. If a woman | | has a more forceful personality than | her husband she will make her in-| fluence felt in the band. Life is so simple that there is no need for an| extensive system of laws and traditions. | The value of labor—that is, the gather- ing of such scanty food as the country- side affords—is approximately equal re- gardless of sex. But at the horticultural level K of human culture it may be necessary, in order to assure the food supply of the tribe, that the women tend to their gardens. So various taboos are estab- lished to keep them there. Communi- ties become larger and social groups de- velop along many lines which mark off the interests of the individual. One of understanding of this variable pain sen- sibility. They might wonder how an! American woman could endure the cruelty of being scolded by her hus- band. Woman probably attained her highest status amcng the Iroquois Indians be- fore the coming of the white man, Dr. J. N. B. Hewitt of the Bureau of Amer- ican Ethnology, told the conference Among this people the women had a slightly greater voice in government than the men. While American women are spending their afterncons and nights at the bridge table, Miss Regina Flannery of Catholic University told the conference, the Apache Indian husband in the mountains of New Mexico is faced with the same sort of situation. card game has been taken up by the women of the tribe. Groups of them will go to secluded spots and gamble desperately. silent as to the retroactive feature, but that when the States began passing re- troactive clauses the Federal Govern- ment interposed no objection within a limit of three years. While witnesses were explaining the operation of the 80 per cent credit al- {lowed by the United States, Senator King of Utah declared that when the new Federal tax bill being written in the House reaches the Senate an effort | will be made to “do away with the dis- proportionate credit.” Asked if he would take it away entirely, Senator King sald he would favor lowering the rates in the Federz] law and make no credit to the Statos Sepator King also declared a member of Congress told him he knew of sev- eral instances where persons maintained a nominal residence in the District for income tax in the States. Senator | Copeland brought out by questioning| Mr. Murphy that an individual would not escape the Federal estate tax by living in Washington, and that if a person came from a State that collects the 80 per cent credit, the effect of liv- ing in Washington would be that the Federal Government would get the 80 | per cent. | Lowers Collection Total. District Assessor William P. Richards told the committee he had made a more | | conservative estimate of the probable District collection under the pending | estate bill, placing it at $600,000. The House estimated $750,000. Asked by Chairman Capper if he { thought the District would be justified in increasing its revenues by this| method, Richards replied affirmatively. He said he was guided in that opinion by the fact that it is being done else- where. Senator Capper then asked if the District is facing an_increase in its tax levy. Richards said, in his opinion, the District faces one of two things, cither an increase in its present tax| |levy or an increase in the Federal share | | Theodore Cogswell, register of wills, | advocated an amendment to the sec-| tion which would require 10 days’ | notice to the Commissioners before the property of a decedent could be trans- ferred. " The same section would re- quire retention of property sufficient | to cover any tax that might be found due. Cogswell argued these require- ments would be unnecessary and Cor- poration Counsel Bride indicated he would have a change to suggest in this section. It was pointed out that executors or administrators are under | a bond which would cover the question | | of taxes. Favors Estate Tax. | Asked by the chatrman for his opin- | lion of the estate tax, Mr. Cogswell said | that if the District must be further | taxed, he regarded an estate tax as a | fairer method than an increase in the | general property tax. Mr. Carruthers, speaking for the Piscal Relations Committee of the citi- zens' federation, in urging a brief, sim- ple bill that would give the District the | benefit of the 80 per cent credit allowed on Federal estate taxes, and no more than that, recommended the law re- { cently passed by Alabama. - “We feel,” said Mr. Carruthers, “that Congress ought to be as fair with the | people.” He added that States that have re- cently passed local laws on this sub- ject have had in mind getting only the 80 per cent credit. Senator Capper suggested that he draft a proposal for the consideration of the committee later. Senators King of Utah and Gore of | Oklahoma indicated they thought the {locai bill should not be reported to the Senate until after the Federal tax bill is disposed of. It is not expected the committee will act on any of the local tax measures until the hearings on the the purpose of avoiding estate tax and| District as the States are with their own | BLASSFORD PLANS SURVEY OF CITIES Will Inspect Police Systems in Boston, New York, Phil- adelphia and Others. Brig. Gen Pelham D. Glassford, su- perintendent of police, it was learned today, is planning a first-hand study f the administrative organization of the police departments in a group of Eastern and New England cities. He will leave on a trip late tonight or early tomorrow. Although Gen. Glassford has not yet mapped out his complete itinerary, he expects to visit Philadelphia, New York, Boston, and probably several smaller Cities along the route. His first stop will be in Philadelphia. Will Compare Systems. A study of the administrative set- ups of the Philadelphia, New York and Boston departments is the particular object of the junket. Gen. Glassford wants to compare the administrative or- ganization of those departments with Washington from the standpoint of efficiency and effectiveness. The administrative set-up here has undergone several changes in the last year, and while it is believed to be functioning satisfactorily at present, Gen. Glassford is giving constant atten- tion to plans for improvement. Military Regime Set Up. The most important change went into effect last July 1, *vhen a military sy tem replaced an administrative plan that had been in use for years. The department at that time was reorganiz- ed into inspection districts, and an in- spector placed in command of each district. Gen. Glassford has been planning the inspection trip for several weeks, and was on the verge of postponing it when he received reports several days ago that & group of radicals had made ar- rangements for a mass meeting tomor- Tow night in a protest against police treatment during the demonstration last Saturday in the vicinity of the Jap- anese embassy. Investig assigned to check up on the reports learned they were without foundation, and Gen. Glassford went ahead with his plans for the trip. Inspector E. W. Brown, senfor as- slsm:t s;lpe;in!end(-m. will be in com- mand of the deartment during Gen. | Glassford's absence. i HOLD-UP MAN BEATEN Thomas R. Jordan of Philadelphia has a badly bruised hand today as a result of an encounter with an uniden- tified colored man who attempted to rob him last night at Fifteenth and E streets northeast. Jordan, stopping off here on a trip to Chattancoga, Tenn., asked a colored pedestrian, shortly after midnight, for directions to Union Station. The man offered to show Jordan the way. At Fifteenth and E streets northeast the man made a grab for Jordan's purse, The pair scuffled for several moments and Jordan struck at his as- sailant, but missed and his fist crashed into the brick wall of a house. The colored man fled. as & whole have been com- Jordan hailed a passing taxi and went to Casualty Hospital for treatment. A Mexican | OFF IN NIGHT ATTACK! HOUSE BODY ASKS XPLANATION OF TAXI METER ORDER Calls on Utilities Board to Outline Reasons for Ruling. PALMISANO DEFENDS PRESENT ZONE RATES Maryland Man Opposes D. C. Changes—Traction Merger Hear- ing Set for April 7. An explanation by the Public Utilities Commission of the order to force the use of meters on Washington taxicabs was demanded today by the House Dis- trict Committee on motion of Repre- sentative Black. Before this action was taken, Repre- sentative Palmisano Teported Mary- land's experience has been that order- ing meters on taxicabs has caused the fares to be increased and has driven off the streets all of the smaller competi- tors. He said he favored continued operation on the present zonme rate basis he committee o ixed Thursday, April at 8 pm, a special meeting to consider @a favorable report on the street railway merger bill to be made by the Public Utilitles Subcommittee. Chaiynan Norton said she had not heard of any complaint against the amalgamation Two Bills Approved. The House District Committee or- dered a favorable repori on two bills. | One of th drs. Norton's bill au- thorizing the appointment by the su- perintendent of schools of public school employes belween meetings of the Board of Education. Representative sque was also ready to report for he subcommittee on_schools, without recommendation, the De Pri bill au- thorizing the secretary of the Treasury to refund to assisant directors in the public schools of the District, divisions 10 to 13 all that portion of their sal- aries erroneously and illegally deducted |and withheld. This report was with- held. however, due to the fact that De Priest had asked to be heard on this bill sometime later than April 15 ‘The committee also ordered a favorable repert on the bill reported from sub- | committee by Representative Palmisano of Maryland. which authorizes the new measure of two-and-a-half gallons for ice cream containers. Promised Needed Time. Chairman Norton advised the mem- bers that Speaker Garner has promised her sufficient time at the earliest pos- sible date for consideration of District measures which are pending in the House calendar. He said that if a day session was not sufficlent he would also allow her to have a night session in the House. The Speaker advises that more important _controversial bills should be called up first, but that time would be allowed for passing all neces- sary legislation i Mrs. Norton said that she understood an opportunity would be given to take up the merger biil among the first of the District measures. She tentatively | has set Monday, April 4. at the probable | District day in the House. PROBERS T0 STUDY OCEAN MAIL FIRST Special Senate Committee Named | to Investigate Air Con- tracts Also. With the appointment of a special subcommittee of the Senate Post Office Committee, plans were being made to- day to start the investigation which the Senate has ordered into air and ocean mail contracts. Chairman Oddle named a subcom- mittee headed by himself and includ- ing Seénators Moses of New Hampshire and White of Maine, Republicans, and McKellar of Tennessee and Byrnes of South Carolina, Democrats. McKellar, who is author of the reso- lution sponsoring the inquiry, said it would probably get under next week. He said the committee would investigate ocean mail contracts first. A House Committee already has in- vestigated air mail contracts, and the Senate Appropriations Committee is now engaged in a study of ocean mall | contracts in connection with the Post Office appropriations. COLLEGE CA'I-'HOLIC CLUB PLAN SESSIONS HERE Middle Atlantic Province to Open 17th Annual Convention at Mayflower April 20. ‘The Middle Atlantic Province of the Federation of College Catholic Clubs will convene its three-day seventeenth annual convention at the Mayflower Hotel here on April 29, according to plans being made today. More than 200 delegates will attend the sessions which will be the first held by the or- ganization in Washington The Newman Club of George Wash- ington University will be host to the visitors. Dr. William Allen Wilbur, pro- vost of that university, will deliver the address of welcome. ~The principal address will be delivered by Rev. Igna- tius Smith, O. P., of the Catholic Uni- versity faculty. Rev. Dr. John W. Keogh, of the University of Pennsyl- vania, chaplain of the middle Atlantic province, will direct the religious dis- cussions, Patrons of the convention include the Itallan Ambassador and Nobil Donna Antonietta de Martino, the Japanese Ambassador and Mme. Debuchi, the British Ambassador and Lady Lindsay, the Brazilian Ambassador and Mme. de jLima e Silva, the Austrian Ambassador ,and Mme. Prochnik, the Guatemalan Minister and Senora de Recinos, the Minister of the Irish Free State and Mrs. MacWhite, the Jugoslavian Min- ister, Dr. Leonide Pitamic; the Vene- zuelan Minister and Senora de Arcaya, the Columbian Minister and Senora Dona Ester de Lozano, Justice Wendell Phillips Stafford, Dr. and Mrs. William Allen Wilbur, Dr. Charles Clinton | Swisher, Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Gans, Mrs. Moncure Burke, Miss Marie M. Ready, and the Gibboas Club of Willlam and Mary College. Horses Displace Machines. Because of the high cost of gasoline in New Zealand, many farmers are storing their power machinery and are going back to horses. WEDNESDAY, - @he Zpening Star Society and General MARCH 30, 1932. PAGE B—1 Daring Riders Practice for Society Circus TEAMS TO PERFORM AT FORT MYER FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. practicing and Bartlett and Pvts M Roslick, De Prince and Rocky. ous “neck ride,” while, lower left, Corpl. Rocky does a “Russian drag.” EMBERS of the crack riding teams who will perform in the Fort Myer, Vi some of their stunts. Top left is a pyramid formation composed of Sergt. Krotchko, Corpls. Collyer | of $25 or serve 30 days. Upper right, Sergt. Krotchko demonstrates the danger- Society Circus are seen aoove A combination “Russian drag” and 19 RADIGALS BEGIN TERMS AS. RELIEF RALLY IS PLANNED Officials to Demand Uncondi- tional Release and Police Punishment Friday. FOUR OF FIVE WOMEN GO TO OCCOQUAN LATER Thirty to Sixty Days’ Penalty After Two-Day Trials in Anti-Japanese Demonstration Last Week. While Communist officials made plans for a mass meeting here Friday night to “demand their unconditional release,” 19 so-called radicals todey began serv- ing their sentences of from 30 to 60 days for having participated in a demonstration in front of the Japanese embassy last Saturday. Twelve of the male members of the group were transferred from the Dis- trict Jail early today to Occoquan Prison to serve their sentences. Three other men, Albert Suskin, James L. Kennedy and Ivan Kostraw, were held at the District Jail to await trial April 6 on charges of assault growing out of the fight the demonstrators staged with police. Maj. Willilam L. Peak, superintendent of the jail, said he would transfer four of the five young women to Occo- quan later in the week. The fifth, Joan Hardy, 18 years old, of Baltimore, will be held in prison here until after her trial on an assault charge with Suskin, Kennedy and Kastrow. Bail Arrangements Fail. All arrangements for bail of $500 each for release of the prisoners pend- ing appeal of the case fell through last night, Communist officials said to- dayd The following statement was is- sued: “A mass meeting to protest against the brutal attack by the police on the demonstrators at the Japanese em- bassy is called under joint auspices of the International Labor Defense, the Friends of the Soviet Union and the Unemployed Councils of Washington. “The meeting will be held at the Musicians’ Hall, 1006 E street, Friday, April 1. The meeting will demand the unconditional release of all ar- rested and the punishment of the po- lice who attacked the demonstrators. Resolutions will also be presented for the release of the Kentucky mine strik- ers and Tom Mooney.” After trials lasting two days, Judg Ralph Given, in the District branch of Police Court late yesterday, sentenced the following to pay $300 fines or serve 60 days for disorderly conduct and parading without a permit: Ivan Ignatoff, Albert Sylvester, James L. Kennedy, Albert Suskin, Joan Hardy, th and Mary Dorothy Dare, Rose Smif Grossman, Lesser Fines for 10. Fines of $100 or serve 30 days were imposed upon the following 10 for pa=- rading without a permit: Lewis Willlams, colored, the only Washingtonian demonstrator; Walter G. Woods, colcred; Willlam Henry Baragoss, B. M. Brown, Walter L. John- son, Pete G. Stergion, Charles A. Ed- wards, Donald E. Plymton, Elva Gray- son and Ivan Kostraw. Stephen Rathajgzak, who said he was a World War veteran and now drawing a disability allowance from the Gove ernment, was sentenced to pay a fine The charges against Ella Tyler, col- ored, ana William Dorsey, colored, were “airplane” is scen in the lower right photo, with De Prince and Krotchko performing. The men belong to a | dismissed. The woman convinced the squad of 15 “rodeo riders” from Troop F, 3d Cavalry, commanded by Capt. Hugh Fitzgerald. (Story on Page A-16.) —Star Stafl Photo. POLICE HEAD PROBES EXTORTION NOTES Gen. Glassford Believed in Personal Charge of Hunt for Threat Authors. Absent from police headquarters all morning, Brig. Gen. Pelham D. Glass- ford, superintendent, today wes report- ed to be taking statements from sus- pects in the series of extortion threats against prominent Washingtonians. In personal charge of the investiga- tion into the threats and attempted ex- tortions against a dozen or more men and women prominent in the social and political life of the Capital, Gen. Glass- ford has been working night and day in an effort to trap the person or per- sons responsible for the series of my: terious telephone calls and letters. Glassford’s absence followed the failure | of a trap late yesterday afternoon to Shshare s man who a few hours before had called a well known society woman and demanded $5.000. Revealing the threat to no one, de- tectives carrled out directions for de- livering the money to a lonely spot said to be near the Burning Tree Country Club in Maryland, but no one appeared to collect the package. The identity of the latest target of the would-be extor- tionists was carefully guarded by police. The message she received came almost simultaneously with the receipt by Mrs, Betty Hanna Davidson of a fourth mes- sage demanding $2.000. The message was a letter addressed to Mrs, David- son, granddaughter of Mark Hanna, and followed three telephone calls re- ceived on successive days, all demanding $2,000, under threats against her 6-year- old daughter, Daisy. Although he would not reveal the name of the latest target, the chief of police did disclose that a threat of death was made by the man who called the woman on the telephone. Gen. Glassford told newspaper men he was confident the voice was the same as| that which threatened Mrs. Davidson's young daughter. Efforts to trace the call were fruitless, he said Inspector Frank S. W. Burke, chiel of detectives, was positive today the threats were ‘“hoaxes of the most vicious and cowardly nature.” In only two cases, that of Mrs. Alice Roosevelt Longworth and Sir Willmott and Lady Lewis, were there. in his opinion, any bona fide attempts to ob- tain money. All others, including threats against Ben Lyon, movie actor; a Washington banker and Mrs. Davidson, he characterized as hoaxes. Mrs. Longworth and several other prominent persons who have received mysterious threats within recent weeks have left Washington. Mrs. Davidson was in New York yesterday, when the letter demanding $2,000 be delivered to a grocery store was received. TEMPORARY TERMINAL | | IS GRANTED BUS LINE Greyhound Coaches Permitted to | Use New York Avenue Curb Despite Protests. The Public Utilities Commission yes- terday granted a temporary permit to the Greyhound Bus Lines to use a curb terminal for its interstate busses on the north side of New York avenue between Thirteenth and Fourteenth streets. Pro- tests had been made by the George Washington University Hospital and New York Avenue Presbyterian Church representatives. The Traffic Co-ordinating Committee is now at work on routing the busses to and from the terminal. The Grey- | hound representatives have stated they intend to build an off-street terminal in that location for use after August 1, when, by order of the commission, all interstate bus lines must cease using curb terminals in either the first or second parking zones. | . The hospital and church had pro- tested that the proximity of the depot would disturb the quiet of the institu- tions unduly. The commission reserved decision on the off-street terminal. SIROVICH BACK ON JOB Chairman Sirovich of the House Patents Committee, who collapsed under the strain of hard work last week, to- day was back on the job. He opened hearings on a group of patent bills designed to extend the patent coverage period to 20 years. approval of plans for construction of | WEIGHT TAX IS HELD BAD CITY PRECEDENT Motor Vehicle Owners Declare Method Will Be Seized Upon by Municipalities. A report declaring that the motor weight tax proposed for the District would set up an undesirable precedent |in city taxation which doubtless would be seized upon by other municipalities to raise funds for their local treasuries will be presented tonight to the Com- mercial Motor Vehicle Owners’ Asso- ciation of the District by a special com- mittee formulating the arguments to be used against the measure at the Senate hearings. This committee completed its report last night at a session at the home of one of the members, C. B. Buck, 3937 Huntington street. It will be offered for the approval of the association at a meeting at the Chamber of Commerce of the United States at 8 o'clock to- night. This national aspect of the taxing plan for the Capital is one of several angles on which it is to be attacked, the association being opposed both to the weight and gas tax, holding that present levies are adequate. Edward Costigan, vice president of the assoclation, heads the committee in charge of the report, and the other members, in addition to Mr. Buck, are W. N. De Neane, Paul Lum and P. T. McDermott. Several other matters also are to come before tonight’s meeting, includ- ing plans for a truck-safety campaign. | lin “bloom, if the present favorable weather continues, between April 10 and 15, officlals of the park division of the | Office of Public Buildings and Public Parks said today. For the first time, the crabapple trees in Anacostia Park are expected to make a presentable showing this year, initiating a display that promises to rival the cherry blos- | soms for beauty and color. ‘There are some 2,000 crabapple trees in Anacostia Park and officials say they will exhibit colors varying from red to various shades of pink and white. Last | year, there was just a sprinkling of | color. With Easter passed, inquiries regard- ing the cherry blossoms are pouring in in increasing numbers. The Philadel- Washington's cherry blossoms will be | Pl hia Chamber of Commerce today made a long ce telephone call to in-April 10. CHERRY BLOSSOMS EXPECTED TO BLOOM ABOUT APRIL 10 TO 15 Continuation of Favorable Weather to Determine Exact Date of Spectacle. quire the approximate date of the zenith of the cherry blooms. Numerous rail- | roads, steamship companies and tour- ists agencies are sending in queries. David Saunders, head of the horti- cultural section of the park division of the Office of Public Buildings and Pub- lic Parks, who is in charge of the White House greenhouses, has coaxed out some of the blooms on twigs, taken from the | trees around the Tidal Basin, and ma- tured them under artificial heat. The cold nights have been holding back the development of the blooms, officials said. Today, the buds show signs of bursting and when warmer weather comes, they will be brought to full bloom. The officials now expect the trees will begin to show color about April 8 or 9 and, with favorable weather, there should be a good showing on court she had been misled, while evi- dence against Dorsey failed to substan- tiate the charge of vagrancy. Judge Given said he was reluctant to impose sentence upon the 19 defend- ants because, in his opinion, they had been “misguided.” He asserted, how- ever, that the four women appeared to be more informed of Communist affairs than the men. He questioned each of the girls closely as to her age and affliations with the Communist party. Elva ,Grayson, 18 years of, of Baltimore, insisted that she was a stanch member of the Young Communist party. Mary Grossman, Rose Smith and Dorothy Dare of Phil: delphia are acknowledged Communists, while the young Hardy girl was classed y Federal investigators as merely a thrill seeker.” Police Methods Upheld. Judge Given told the defendants he was only concerned with the charges of parading without a permit and dis- orderly conduct, but that he upheld the methods used by police in breaking up the demonstration. “Why should they take upon them- selves to demonstrate in front of an embassy which the United States Gov- ernment is duty bound to protect?” he questioned in his general remarks be- fore imposing sentence. ‘“The scene that occurred may have led to a serious situation,” he added. Charles E. Ford, defense counsel, as- | serted in his argument that the de- fendants had come here from all sec- tions of the country to hold a peaceful demonstration and “it was the conduct of the Washington Police Department that turned this affair into a riot and a bloody riot at that.” “Had not the police been the ag- gressor, there would not have been vio- lence,” he asserted. “JEW BOY” DEITZ GUILTY OF LIQUOR POSSESSION Jury Also Convicts Reuben Green- berg After Arrest in Eleventh Btreet Raid. William (Jew Boy) Deitz, 26, and Reuben Greenberg, 20, arrested several months ago in a raid in the 400 block of Eleventh street, were found guilty of possession of liquor by a Police Court jury today. The jury acquitted them on a charge of maintaining a nuisance. Three other defendants, tried jointly with Deitz and Greenberg, were ac- quitted of both charges. They were Samuel Melincov, 28; Benjamin Cohen, 23, and Shellie Rowe, colored, 21. The raid, which took place December 4, was made after Prohibition Agent Marshall had watched the place for several weeks, Two weeks ago the group was tried on the same charges, but Judge John P. McMahon declared a mistrial when a juror became Il Lincolnia Merchant Dies. LINCOLNIA, Va., March 30 (Spe- cial).—The body of Robert Edward Wingo, 63 years old, who died Sunday at his home here, yesterday was sen to Lynchbur’g. Vlh,.w:oliuhurhlml’l: proprietor of a s re. sure vived by his widow and four ®on& . A