Evening Star Newspaper, December 21, 1932, Page 1

WEATHER. (U. 8 Weather Buresu Forecast.) Cloudy, followed by light rains tonight and {bly tomorrow morning; warmer tonight; minimum temperature about 28 degress. Temperatures—Highest, 42, at 3:15 p.m. yesterday; lowest, 18, at 5:00 am. today. Closing N.Y. Markets, P: Full report on page 9. 13,14&15 Entered No. 32,376, Enferedes secol Washington, nd class matter D. C @b WASHINGTON, D. C., WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1932—FORTY PAGES. ### FRENCH CONSIDER LOAN T0 AUSTRIA WHILE U. S, WAITS $9,750,000 Is Due Under League of Nations Relief Plan. VIENNA NOT HOPEFUL OF RECEIVING AID FUND Paul-Boncour Cabinet Expected to| Recommend Neutral Participa- | tion in Debt Iscue. By the Associated Press. 1 PARIS, December 21.—Another phase | of France's financial dilemma—a pro- posed loan to Austria—pressed forward today for a decision while responsible leaders hoped for early settlement of the American debt problem. The two problems were linked by Dep- uties who asked how France could make the loan to Austria when it re- fused to pay a sum only twice as great to the United States last week. The League of Nations approved a $43,000,000 loan to Austria last July, at the Lausanne Conference, to be Taised by member nations. France's share in this loan, intended to save Austria from = perilous financial situation, was 250,- 000,000 francs, or about $9,750,000. Question is Raised. Within the next 10 days a decision is to be reached by the French Govern- ¢ Foeni ‘WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION HAPPINESS OF 78 ‘Which shall it be? D. C. CHILDREN DEPENDS ON OPPORTUNITY GIFTS Fourteen Families Remain to Be Provided For as Donations Continue to Pour In. A chorus of 78 childish voices resounding in Yuletide happiness, or Grim silence of wan little faces sobered by long days of domestic distress and stained with the tears of disappointment that come with empty stockings and empty stomachs on Christmas morning? ‘The answer to that arresting question will be known in the few days remain- ing before the peal of Yule bells and the inspiring lilt of carols that herald Christendom’s joyous era of peace and good will. Not alone the happiness, but the fu- ture health and general welfare of these 78 boys and girls of 20 poverty- stricken Washington families depend on the resp: to this query. The Star has reason to balieve that the good citizens of Washington are tod considerate and generous to permit of any but the right answer being made to this vital question of family wzll-being. Cold Cash Writes Reply. ‘The answer already is being written in terms of cold cash. Every mail is laden with letters of sympathy from known and unknown benefactors, in- closing checks, money-orders or cash for the relief of the 14 families yet to be taken care of under The Star's Christmas Opportunity Fund. Some of the contributions are large. Some are “widow's mites.” All attest the desire of the givers to help to the | Timit of their abilities. | Perhaps the mcst touching note re- | ccived by Th> Star today came from | pils of the Ben W. Murch School, it | exemplified the spirit that is being | demonstrated from all sides this Christ- | mas season. Children Forego Candy. “We usually have candy canes to cel- ebrate Christmas on the last day of school,” the letter sald. “We should like to use the money this " (Continued on Page 4, C PRIVATE CREDITORS WARNED BY REICH Nationalist Leader Starts Move for Revision—Cut in Interest Demanded. ment on whether the loan should be made. Deputies who favored making | the irterest payment of more than $19,- | By the Associated Press. ROOSEVELT PLEADS . FOR PUERTO RICO |calls for Speedy Welfare Action in Message to Food Ship. | By the Associated Press Y. December 21.— a group of fourth and fifth grade pu- | BERLIN, December 21.—Alfred Hu-| ALBANY, N 000,000 to the United States last Thurs- | genberg, Nationalist leader, today fired | President-clect Roosevelt today called dey. raised the question of grounds for making the Austrian loan. (A sirangely contrasting view was | taken in Vienna before France de-| faulted on the due date for the Ameri- | man private debts, urging that the in- terest rate on short-term credits should be reduced to 1': per cent, and inti- | the opening gun for revision of Ger-|for “a vigorous, constructive program for the welfare and rehabilitation of the Island of Puerto Rico, in a message SENATE TAKES UP TRACTION MERGER | PLAN TOMORROW District Committee Meantime to Consider Details of Compromise. TENTATIVE AGREEMENT REACHED AT CONFERENCE Spokesmen of Transit Companies Werk Cut Solution of Dis- puted Questions. | —_— ‘With hope running high for a final settlement of the long-discussed Dis- trict street rallway merger, the Senate agreed today by unanimous consent to e1p | 1ay the question aside until tomorrow to give District Committee members time in which to work out, with the inter- ested groups, details of the suggested compromise. Senator Austin of Vermont, in charge of the pending consolidation plan, told the Senate when it met at noon that | overnight a tentative agreement for set- tlement of the merger had been reached and that the interested parties were now at work setting up the exact lan- guage of the proposed agreement. He said time would be Tequired to consider these new developments after they had been reduced to writing. Study Fair Trade Bill Austin’s original suggestion was that the Senate recess until tomorrow, but it was decided after a brief debate to stay in session today and discuss the Cap- per-Kelly fair trade bill with the under- tanding that the merger discussion will e resumed tomorrow | Senator Blaine, Wisconsin, who with | Chairman Capper of the District Com- mittee, is insisting on the changes in WiSH HE DDNT HAVE TO JUMP IT France for Bravery, Lies All Night in Cold. “From Press to Home Within an Hour” The Star's Carrier system coversevery city block and the regular edition is delivered to city and suburban homes ny Star. as fast as the papers are printed. Yesterday’s Circulation, 118,154 @ M Associated Press. TWO CENTS. v A Q\ NS, g WAR HERO IS FROZEN TO DEATH ON SIDEWALK IN FRONT OF HOME Lieut. Carll, Decorated by‘ SENATORS REPORT DRAFT FOR REPEAL Tentative Measure, Basis for | Discussion, Has Dry State HOUSE TURNS DOWN PROPOSED CHANGES IN BEER MEASURE Effort to Reduce Alcoholic Content Is Defeated With Other Proposals. BALLOT BY TONIGHT EXPECTED BY LEADERS Palmisano Fails to Reduce Tax to $3 Per Barrel So Poor Man Could Buy Beverage. BY G. GOULD LINCOLN. By a vote of 124 to 75 the House in committee of the whole this afternoon defeated proposal to reduce the alco- holic content of beer authorized in the pending beer bill from 3.2 per cent to 2.75 per cent. The friends of the beer bill as it came from the Ways and Means Com- mittee apparently were in command of the the situation and bowled over amendment after amendment offered from the floor. Indications were that the Collier bill would pass when it came to a flnal vote sometime late today. l ‘The amendment to reduce the aico- | hotic_content of beer was offered by | Representative Michener, Republican, {of Michigan. chener’s amendment | was opposed by Representative Hull, | Ilinois; Mead, New York; Celler, New | York, and others. Hull Favors 3.2 Per Cent. Hull insisted 3.2 beer and 2.75 beer | | were both non-intoxicating, but that the former is the more palatable and Leg Wound Suffered in Con-| flict Causes Veteran's | | By the Associated Press. would bring in double the revenue the latter would produce He said, too, that if the alcoholic content were reduced to 2.75 per cent | the cost of manufacturing would bt increased, since an additional Protection. A tentative draft of a resolution to Sreatly from the New York Governor's office | : ¥ the directed o the Puerto Rico Christmas | the, merger plan. which ece Zow zan debt. It was believed that if France | Fatal Fall. | Process would be necessary and the cos paid the United States, the chance o:f its making the loan would be practi cally wiped out. This view also applie 10 qular\d, which was_to shn}'e in the | Austrian loan, and which paid its Amer- | ican debt.) | Behind both problems is the fact that | France is financially able to make either the debt payment or the loan. The French viewpoint was, however, that; the Lausanne agreement reducing Ger- man reparations was approved by the | United States with a virtual promise of & similar reduction to its debtors. New Cabinet to Announce Stand. Meanwhile, the French cabinet, | under Premier Paul-Boncour, prepared to make its initial bow to the Chamber | of Deputies tomorrow with a declaration | of policy on debts and other French | problems. It will ask for a vote of con- | fidence. This will decide whether the | cabinet, now just three days old, will | gemain in power. While Premier Paul-Boncour has| promised action on the debts in| friendly accord with desires in the| United States, reliable sources were cer- tain he would not seek to alter the chamber’s decision to postpone the De- cember payment pending “generai and pecessary negotiations.” | A high official predicted it probably weuld be two months before the cham- ber would change its decision. A cabinet member said he was convinced the | December payment would be made, but | that it was “a question of time.” The view that the next move is up to France has turned attention to the cabinet stand, which will be made public tomorrow. May Ask Commission. Government officials declared Presi- dent Hoover's view that the debt ques- tion must be treated from a broad standpoint of econcmics was welcomed in France. But there was a difference | oen in the form of agency which should | consider the problem. French quarters expected the Paul- Boncour cabinet to recommend neutral | participation or an international com- miscion, while President Hoover's views were interpreted as insisting on direct | and separate dealings with each debtor nation. Herriot Stands Firm. Former Premier Herriot, speaking to- | day to the Anglo-American Press As- | sociation, said, anent his war debt| stand: | “I am not to be congratulated or thanked. I did my duty.” He said he cared little for his per- sonal fall. “I am attached to t! (Continued on Page TWO MEN FOUND DEAD he old doctrine of | "2 Column 1) Defeated Sheriff Candidate and Foe | Lying in Vernon Street With Pistols Beside Them. By the Associated Press. VERNON, Tex., December 21.—Two men, one a defeated candidate for sheriff, were found dead on Main street here last night shortly after pistol shots were heard. Police said a pistol lay beside each body and the men apparently had fought a duel, but they could not ascer- | tain a motive. Police said one shell had been dis- charged from the pistol which lay near H. H. Hulto, 50, the defeated candidate. They said all five shells in the pistol near the body of David R. Farrar, 35, had been fired. Four or five bullets had struck Hutto, One had hit Farrar. An inquest was announced for today. mating that for long-term credits 'z er cent “or thereabouts” is quite suffi- lent. | New York pier. he “Germeny's private creditors,” “I sm familiar with Puerto Rico's Do said, “must frankly face the issue. Do many problems.” Gov. Poosevelt said, hev want their capital back, or o they | vand am confident that any phuan want high interest? If they contlnueg‘R“ii?’:_m‘“;:fx‘l’:*:;o d‘“:n; Niiits °re‘f demanding high interest they may never | yyrps i get back their capital.” “'é‘t:iel h:;an é\l‘dA{)ner{;a has"bclm re; Herr Hugenberg further opined that Ppeatedly ouched by the suffering o those far removed from us, but let amortization of private debts should| s remember that Puerto Rico is in no take place on the basis of Germany's | sense foreign—the port to which this excess of eXports over imports. Christmas food ship will sail is within irieiagtn for [the fitine’ he esly | e baunastlsiotiou own NAESH: “can only be one which on one hand | Silent on Debts Tssue. puts the interest rate so low that busi- “This Christmas ship for Puerto Rico ness and industry can stand it. and oD | wij] not carry toys cr games or Christ- the other hand provides for amortiza- | mas trees. Its cargo concists of food ;ga‘:nzggy does not exceed her exwfl‘mr the desperately needy children of T eenbery said that It inutead | Cor o BBt G s jolijan £e8 ;gs:‘:flfl:‘nfiu‘:g“b!“:“;‘:ijw}']lznesses a practical demonstration of ® | the true spirit of Christmas.” Consonance with the principles of Ta- | take s hand in D tional economy rather than of private word econcmic and diarmament mat- gains. ters prior to his inauguration as Presi- VENGEANCE FEARED oot of the day working on Christmas IN NITTI’S SHOOTING| | food ship Coamo, which sailed from a pardons fcr inmates of State pricons and conferring with heads of State de- partments regarding the State budget. His reply to President Hoover's proposal for a_commission approved by both the with the three internaticnal problems was understood to have been forwarded to Washington. Mr. Roosevelt’s close assoclates did not believe he would be willing to Wife of Detective Who Shot “En-| forcer” for Capone Receives | President and the President-elect to deal | Threats From Gangland. By the Associated Press. CHICAGO, December early today took action to prevent gangland from attempting a reprisal for the recent wounding of Frank Nitti, re- puted “enforcer” of the somewhat deci- mated gang of Al Capone. A guard was established at the home of Detective Harry Lang, who shot Nitti when police raided a downtown office. The action followed anonymous threats telephoned to Lang's wife. One call warned her to “watch out for yourself.” Another was “If I were you I'd keep close tab on my son.” This apparently referred to Lang's 15- year-old son Sidney. Detective Lang is in a hospital suf- fering from a wound received in his en- counter with Nitti. If Nitti suryives his wounds he will face charges of assault to murder. He was in a private_hospital today after Municipal Judge Francis Borrelli admitted the gangster to $25,000 bond the assault charge. derworld to have given orders for tor- ture and slaying of enemies of the Ca- pone crime syndicate, amazed doctors by a rally. Three of four bullets still remain in his body. Doctors said he had an “80 per cent” chance to live. YULE GIFT IS $10,000 Baltimore Woman Aids Children’s Home in Germany. GLAUCHAU, Germany, December 21 ()—This Saxon city is happy over a Christmas gift for the children's open air home, of $10,000 from Mrs. Elsie Schmidt, nee Ackermann, of Baltimore, Md., whose father was a school prin- cipal here. The city fathers, in accepting the gift, voted that the home should bear the name “Elsie Schmidt Kinderwald- | heim.” FARMERS BOYCOTT SHERIFF'S SALE TO AID FRIEND SOLD OUT FOR DEBT Landowners in Hagerstown Area Unite Against Legal Action, Property Reported Bought in for Debtor. Special Dispatch to The Star. HAGERSTOWN, Md., December 21.— Farmers in this section apparently are | making good thei threat not to attend any farm sales conducted by the sheriff. This decision was made last week at a‘ meeting of the Farmers’ Protective As- ‘ sociation, which was addressed by a | group of Midwestern farmers, Wwho | stopped over en route home from the National Farm meeting in Washington. ‘ At a sherifl’s sale of the personal proverty of Frank B. Statler of near Greencastle four horses sold for 5 cents each, an automobile brought 60 land calves and cows sold for from 10 to 75 cents each. It is understood that the property was bought in for Statler. Four pens of hogs brought an aver- age price of 50 cents each, a mower sold for $1 and a binder for $3.50, while Statler's one-fourth interest in the growing wheat crop on 50 acres sold for $37.50 and a grain drill and a four- horse wagon sold for $5 each. The sale totaled $85, while executions against Statler, on which the sale was held, aggregated $1,000. 2 21. — Police 'Nitti, ‘eputed by police and the un- | AFTER DUEL IN TEXAS | * cents | pass upon the membership of such a commission, feeling that his hands would in some measure be tied by the ccmmission’s policies before he enters the presidency March 4. His plans for a Southern deep-sea yachting vacation in February were | announced at his press conference late yesterday. Mr. Roosevelt said he would | follow up his Warm Springs trip with | a cruise of about 10 days from some | Georgia or Florida point. Several tors will be barred. Yacht Is Unnamed. | Springs, Ga., probably January 20 or 21, and will go to sea about February 5 'on a yacht as yet unnamed. The | President-elect said in this way he | hoped to get away for a few days from | all’ routine | " “I need the rest before returning to take up final preparations for assuming office March 4,” he said. He did not reveal which of his friends might go with him. The Governor sald his eruise might take him as far south as_the coast of Cuba. The cruise will be the Governor's | second since he opened his campaign for the presidency. Last Summer he and his sons sailed a yawl from Port ‘Washington, Long Island, up the Atlantic Coast to Portsmouth, N. H. Mr. Roosevelt is an expert sailor, and has navigated many vessels from warships down to the smallest sailing dingies. Today the program cut out for him includes conferences with Joseph Wolf, national committeeman from Minne- sota, and _Adolph Bramer, another Minnesota Democratic leader, and with certain members of cabinet on State financial matters. HITS “HUMILIATION BILL” But Quezon Won't Address Manila Mass Meeting. ‘MANILA, Philippine Islands, Decem- ber 21 (#)—Manuel Quezon, veteran president of the Philippine Senate, to day announced he had declined to ad- dress a mass protest meeting tomor- row against the Hawes-Cutting Filipino independence bill. Quezon, who has vigorously ecriticized the bill as passed by the United States Senate, explained he did not want the observers in America ‘o think only po- litical leaders were opposing the meas- ure. He expressed a desire to have the people of the islands express their own feeling toward the bill which, he said, “should be called the anti-Filipino, or | humiliation bill.” RADIOLOGIST DIES . PARIS, December 21 (A).—Dr. Georges Haret, eminent French radi- ologist and head of the radiology de- partment at Lariboisiere Hospital, X-ray burns incurred in a scientific ca- Teer beginning with treatment of wounded soldiers during the World War. He was 58 years old. 'hand and then his right arm had been amputated. | friends may accompany him, but visi- | | He plans now to leave for Warm Previously the fingers of his right’ subject of compromise efforts, concurred in Senator Austin's request Just before the Senate met, members of the Citizens Joint Transportation Committee, headed by Thomas P, Little- page. the group which took the initi- RIE¢ Vesttday in starting the com- promise negouations, arrived at the Capitol with a report covering the tan- tative agreement. This had been work- ed out at a conference last night with Tepresentatives of the strect railway companies, including William F. Ham of the Washington Railway & Electric Co.: John H. Hanna of the Capital Traction Co., and Harley P. Wilson. One Question Omitted. 1t is understood this report dealt with ell of the disputed questions except one, namely, the indeterminate franchise clause advocated by Senator Blaine. A suggested amendment on this question is being prepared by W. A. Roberts, | counsel to the Public Utilities Commis- sion. in conference with People’s Coun- sel Richmond B. Keech! Roberts also arrived at noon with an outline of that amendment and it is likely that the Senate District Committee will meet later in the day to go over the pro- posals on which it is hoped a final agreement will be reached. i Senator Copeland of New York told { the Senate today that the merger has been under almost continuous discus- sion for 10 years and that at last an agreement seems to%be in sight. Willlam McK. Clayton, who has been studying utilities problems for the Fed- eration of Citizens' Associations for day as the negotiations on the merger were going forward. The Issues Involved. The issues involved in the Capper- Blaine minority report, concerning which an agreement appears necessary in the committee if the merger legisla- tion is to succeed, include: Universal transfers between street cars and busses as well as between cars; the power clause, defining the terms under which the Potomac Electric Power Co. will furnish current to the merged car system; the question of whether the merged company should be allowed to operate through sub- sidiaries; the granting of power to the | Utilities Commission to order abandon- ments and the method of treating abandonments in valuation cases, and the so-called saving clause, relating to the power which Congress would re- 1 tain to modify or change the terms of { merger in the future. CHINESE GUERILLAS | Two Missing, Four Wounded. Survivors Cut Way to o Safety. By the Assoclated Press. MUKDEN, Manchuria, December 21. —Seventeen Japanese are dead, two are missing and four lie seriously wounded today after a battle with Chinese forces 30 miles east of Tashihkiao (a Mukden- Dairen railway station, about 100 miles southwest of here). A Japanese platoon of 40 soldiers was surrounded two days by greatly supe- rior Chinese guerilla forces until the survivors cut their way to safety, Jap- lnnese military reports said. The conflict occurred in the eourse of sweeping -operations by the Japanese army in_a triangle bounded by the Mukden-Dairen and Mukden-Antung - | Railways to the sea. 7 FREE POWER YULE GIFT Month’s Service in Two Nebracka Towns. POTTER, Nebr.,, December 21 (#).— Potter and Dix—both served by the Potter municipal light plant—will re- celve free electric power this month as a Christmas gift from the village Board of Trustees. The concession applies to every consumer, regardless of whether his account was paid to date. Lodge Pole made a similar offer last week, but !l;:q“uired that all accounts be paid in Voted Consumers Akron Ends Flight. LAKEHURST, N. J., December 21 (®). —The U. S. 8. Akron, with Rear Ad- miral William H. Moffett aboard, re- turned to the naval station at dawn today after a -training flight. at sea. The craft will not fly again until after the first of the new year. many years, also was at the Capitol to- | Lieut. Joseph L. Carll. who was de- corated by the French governmen: while serving with the Army Air Corps during the World War, was found frozen to death early today in front of his home, 307 I street southeast For some time. he had experienced difficulty in walking, the result of a war_injury to his knees which_ kept (Continued on Page 2, Column 4.) LIEUT. JOSEPH L. CARLL. OFFICES OF LABOR DEFENSE RAED Porter Bound, Papers Scat- tered by Mystery Pair in Alabama Row. | By the Associated Press. BIRMINGHAM, Ala., December 21.— Two unidentified white men who dis- played officers’ badges, early today ran- sacked the Southern headquarters of the International Labor Defense in the BURNS WILL TAKE * STAND AT HEARING |Gov. Moore to Permit Chain Gang Fugitive to Plead Against Extradition. By the Associated Press. TRENTON, N. J, December 21— | Gov. A. Harry Moore will permit Robert Elliott Burns. convict-author, to take the stand today and make a perscnal plea against his return to a Georgia repeal the eighieenth amendment | emerged today from a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee. Drafted as the basis for discussion and not as necessarily representing the views of the committee, it would give Congress power to prevent return of the saloon. It included a clause to guard against | liquor being shipped into dry States, | which was agreed upon by the com- | mittee tentatively last week. The text follows: “Section 1. The eighteenth amend. pealed. “Section 2. The transportation or importation into any State, territory or possession of the United States for de- livery or use therein, of intoxicating | liquors, in violation of the laws thereof, |is hereby prohibited “Section 3. Congress shall have con- current power to regulate or prohibit the sale of intoxicating liquors to be drunk on the premises where sold.” Adoption Not Agreed. When the subcommittee broke up from its executive session, Chairman Blaine handed the tentative draft of a repeal amendmeat to reporters, but said there was “no agreement it will be Ada‘i;edl;" “We have agreed upon the language, but not on the principle,” he ndd?é : “This resolution, we have agreed, will repeal the eighteenth amendment, pro- tect dry States, bring the liquor prob- lem within control of the States and | bar_return of the saloon.” The committee will meet again short- ly to decide upon the manner in which ment to the Constitution is hereby re-| of beer to the working man would be increased. Representative Wood, Republican. of Indfana, urged adoption of the Miche- ner_ amendment. | “Every one ‘who knows anythin about beer and’ who has had 1o 4o with the enforcement of the law in the past, knows that 4 per cent beer is in- toxicating.” said Wood. “Beer of 3.2 per cent alcoholic content by weight is 4 per cent beer by volume.” Point of Order Made. + Representative Mouser of Ohio, & dry flered an amendment to change the title of the beer bill so that it would | provide for “intoxicating” beverages, in- stead of non-intoxicating. A point of | order was made against the amendment and was sustained by the chair. An amendment to increase the tax under the proposed beer bill from $5 to $7.50 was offered by Representative | O'Connor of New York. He said in support of his amendment that the brewers last May had not been opposed | to a tax of $7.50, no matter what they may say now. O'Connor added that the Government | needs the revenue and should take this | opportunity to get it. After he had | talked in favor of the amendment, the New York member withdrew it, saying it was apparent that the bill was “sacrosanct” and not to be amended. | Earlier, by a vote of 163 to 118, the House, in committee of the whole and by a teller vote, turned down an amend- ment to strike out the enacting clause of the bill. | The amendment was offered by Rep- | resentative Sirovich of New York, a | wet, as a pro forma amendment to ob- | tain the floor and to make reply to at- Martin Building here after binding and | prison camp, from which he twice | 8agging the colored porter. | escaped. | All movable records and a quantity | Burns. who has been held in the, {of pamphlets stored in the offices were | Newark Jail in default of $25.00 bail taken and remaining papers were scat- is scheduled to be heard by Gov. Moore tered and keys of a typewriter twisted after lawyers have argued for and | to make the machine useless. against his extradition. The Governor Confronted by Pair. | has said he would decide the case “on The night watchman at the building, | Its merits” immediately after the hear- D. H. Gilbreath, told police he investi- | - ] gated continual buzzing of an elevator | While the American Civil Liberties | 10 = . ; Union had been marshaliing ntmmeys‘ ?;;‘d;“;;‘ou;’,‘;""m;‘"m'{;;;gd“3;;,,’_‘“&1{_ [to defend Burns, Georgia authorities | | the resolution should be gubmitted to the States tacks ridiculing his argument of yester- mittee will get down to the voting stage, When he sought to withdraw his ng:eddecldf \;.mcn clauses of the pro- | amendment, the drys shouted him ahethresio lution should be retained and down and forced a vote on the proposal er it should be approved. | to strike out the enacting clause, which Scon to Be Taken Up. (Continued on Page 5, Column 1.) He ded not indicate when the com- mittee would be able to report, but Senate leaders have made plans to begin consideration of the repeal ques- tion shortly after the Christmas recess, if the committee is ready. Rapid progress was being made by | NEIGHBOR CA.PTURED IN $25,000 DEATH PLOT | SLAY 17 JAPANESE| breath said when he confronted the pair, they displayed arms and badges and ordered him to take them down in the elevator. Donald Burke, in charge of the office was informed of the raid on his head- quarters when he called the Birming- {ham News to announce that a delega- tion would call on Gov. B. M. Miller in Montgomery today | legislative investigation of the dis- I turbances in Tallapoosa County Mon- day and yesterday. He made no com- ment. Burke said the national headquarters of the organization in New York would demand of Congress that the disorders be investigated. Raid Investigated. Police were investigating the raid on headquarters of the organization from where Burke announced yesterday that attorneys would be employed to defend the colored men arrested. Burke today expressed indignation over the “attacks on share croppers” and reiteratec_he would insist on the economic condition of colored tenants being improved. Tallapoosa County officers attributed the outbreak Monday to activity of agitators and organizers of a share croppers union, which they described as communistic. A similar outbreak in 1931 was attributed to the same or- ganization. PENNSYLVANIA TOWN MENAGED BY FLAMES Special Dispatch to The Btar. HAGERSTOWN, Md., December 21 —Shippenburg, Pa., between this city and Harrisburg, was menaced by fre this morning, which already had de- stroyed the largest building in the town and was menacing the entire downtown business section. Fire companies were rushed to the town from Chambersburg. The fire started about 6 o'clock in the basement of the M. L. Beistle Building, occupied by a 5-and-10-cent store, with apartments on the upper floor. This building was destroyed and the Smith Building adjacent was men- aced. The Beistle Building occupies nearly a half block. Earl B. Geyer, rominent real estate and insurance B, SWho lived in one of the apart- ments, was overcome while descending the stairs to the street, and was res- cued by firemen. Radio Programs om Page C-3 to demand | .| which he was cos | had not been idle. John I. Kelly, as- | Blaine’s subcommittee, however, and Decoy Package Used by Pittsburgh | sistant attorney general, arrived in Newark last night and engaged Merritt | Lane, a leading figure at the New Jersey Bar, to represent Georgia. members expressed the view that it | wouléi not be long in reaching an agree- | ment. | This meeting today, at which a | Man Whose Family Was | Threatened. Gov. Moore will hear Arthur Garfield | tentative resolution was drafted, was!| gy ine associated Press Hays. George Gordon Battle, Judge Harry V. Osborne and Charles | Handler for Burns, and Lane and Kelly, for Georgia, before the convict takes the stand. |~ More than a thousand messages have | been received by the Governcr ing Burns' _extradition. Shoul Governor refuse to cxtradite him, legal | officials said Georgia has no appeal. | | But should extradition papers be signed. Burns may try to gain his freedom through a writ of habeas corpus. JUDGE OFFERS HELP. Charges Georgia Promised to Release Robert Burns. CHICAGO, December 21 (P).—A | Chicago Criminal Court judge today | volunteered to assist Robert Elliott Burns in his legal battle against re- tun to a Georgia chain gang. | ““Attorney David Shipman appeared before Judge Joseph B. David today and asked him if he recalled Burns' arraignment before him on a habeas corpus writ several years ago. ‘The judge said he did. “Do you recall that at the time Vivian Stanley, a Georgia prison com- missioner, promised Burns would be paroled w 90 days if he returned voluntarily?” Shipman asked. I certainly do,” Judge David replied. The judge added he believed Burns had “served fully for the offense of n and ought never mmitted to the chain gang.” to be reco % Judge David sald if Gov. Harry A. Moore of New Jersey desired, he would send an affidavit testifying to the prom- ise by .the Georgia commissioner. He said Burns, basing his actions on the promise, returned to Georgia vol- untarily and paid his own railroad fare. — ELECTROCUTED IN BATH Child Victim When Light Socket Falls Into Water. LOUISVILLE, Ky., December 21 (#). —Grace Vinning, 9, was killed last night by an electric shock while she ‘was taking a bath. Junior Carter, 6, her nephew, had gged an electric Jamp to the tub to see_colored, lights on the water. The socket touched the water. P & protest- | id _the | former | only the third the committee has held. | With the difficult task of framing | language out of the way, committee members predicted the voting on principles involved would not take long. FIRES SWEEP 3 TOWNS 2,500 Japanese Homeless as 500 Houses Are Destroyed. TOKIO, December 21 (#).—Five hun- dred houses were burned and a large number of persons, estimated at 2,500, were made homeless today by fires that swept three small towns near here. post office, railway car sheds and banks also were destroyed, but no deaths were reported. The fires occurred in Iticgawa, Naoetsu and Niigata. PITTSBURGH, December 21.—An extortion plot in which A. A. Adams, retired utilities magnate. and his fam- ily were threatened with death. was frustrated carly today with the arrest of & man who picked up a decoy pack- age of money. In anonymous letters and telephone calls, Adams was ordered to place a ‘ package containing $25.000 under a tree on a golf range in Aspinwall Adams_“planted” a decoy package, and six State policemen lay in wait. Early today a man appeared out of the darkness and picked up the pack- age. State police captured him after a s | chase across a snow-covered golf range. The man was identified by police as Fred S. Day, 40, a neighbor of Adams. He is a prisoner in the State police bar- racks at Greensburg. Uncle Sam's rural mail carriers have been authorized to accept contributions of cracked corn and small grain to scatter along thelr routes to birds per- ishing in heavy snow. The small, feathered creatures are much in need of charity, with intense cold prevailing over snowbound coun- trysides where feeding grounds are covered by drifts. Arch Coleman, first Assistant Post- master General, gave the permission after a telephone conversation last week with T. Gilbert Pearson, president of the Audubon Societies. Thus a sack of grain addressed to “Mr. and Mrs. Bird,” as suggested by Mr. Pearson, in care of rural mail car- riers, will find its way to starving thou- sands. A five-pound sack is the most con- venient size, in the opinion of bird lovers. Organizations and individuals HUNGRY BIRDS WILL GET FEED SCATTERED BY RURAL MAIL MEN Grain Contributors Need Address Packages Only to Mr. and Ms. Bird. are urged to mail them in time for the prgsxem emergency. am certain,” Mr. Coleman said y, “that the rural carriers will be toda: giad {0 co-operate. Many of them are interested in the birds along their routes, and will know the best. places to_scatter the grain.” The contributions should be mmiled by parcel post and the carriers either will scatter the food personally or de- | liver the sacks to persons better able to perform the service. Mr. Coleman said, however, that in most instances the carriers will dis- tribute the grain. The Post Office De- partment will forward instructions to the carriers with packages mailed to the birds, Mr. Coleman added. Meanwhile, many bird lovers in the District were scattering grain and bread crumbs in sheltered places while the present snowfall lies deep over park and field and woodlot. Unless aid is forthcoming, the snow will be the burial place of destitute hundreds in every community. {