Evening Star Newspaper, March 24, 1933, Page 1

WEATHER. (U. 8. Weather Bureau Forecast.) Fair, with lowest temperature about 32 degrees tonight; tomorrow cloudy, slowly rising temperature; rain tomorrow after- noon and night. Temperatures—Highest, 41, at 2:00 p.m. yesterday; lowest, 36, at 7:20 am. today. Full . 32,469, post office, report on page B-13. Closing N. Y. Markets, Pages 14 and 15 Entered as second class matter Washington, D. C. Che WASHINGTON, D. C, FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 1933—FORTY-TWO PAGES. ‘WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION EXPULSION OF JEW FROM STEP TAKEN N GERMAN STATE| Hitler Agent in Palatinate Issues Orders Preventing Release of Bank and Postal Funds to Race. BRITAIN ORENS INQUIRY INTO ATROCITY REPORTS Action Follows Rumor 1,400 Per- sons Were Slain at Hamburg. Many Traders Start Boycott. Censorship of News Attacked. Activities Condemned in U. S. By the Assoclated Press. BERLIN, March 24.—Adolf Hit- ler’s legalized four-year term as dictator began today with one Western German state taking ac- tion which, it was thought in .Bome quarters, may lead to the expulsion of all Eastern Jews within its borders. The legislative bodies of both the German Reich and its test unit, Prussia, have been indefi- mitely suspended. The signature of Ex'esidem Paul von Hinden- burg to the decrees which Hitler may desire to enact is no longer necessary as a result of the Reichstag's action yesterday in granting aboslute power to the ncellor. ch'f"he Hitler government’s commis- sioner in Palatinate, a state lying be- tween the Rhine and the French frcn- tier, has ordered that no bank or postal funds be delivered to Eastern Jews. The ban was invoked until all business obligations have been settled. Emigrated From Poland. Most of the Eastern Jews in Pala- tinate emigrated there from Poland since 1914, (An_estimated two-fifths of the Eastern Jewish populaticn of Europe—3,500,000—came under Polish domination after the war and this total has decreased by nearly one mil- lion. A British inquiry commission re- ported 348 Jews killed and many more wounded in Poland in the first vear after the war and there have becx: many outbreaks since then in that to%teryn)ew Prussian Diet, which held its brief organization meeting ‘Wed- nesday, was expected to be called to- gether ‘again whenever the Hitler party and its allles, the Nationalists, decide on whom they want for premier of Prussia. The first rupture between the Nazis and Nationalists was reporteld With the former supporting Hitler'’s right-hand man, Herman Goering, minister without portfolio, for the post and the Nationalists demanding the se- Jection of President von Hindenbuig's close adviser, Vice Chancellor von Papen, who is now commissioner for the state. Braun Flees to Switzerland. The ousted Prussian premier, Otto Braun, has fled to Switzerland. His chief aide, Dr. Carl Severing, was ar- Tested yesterday on charges of em- bezzlement, but was released today. He placed himself at the disposal of Capt. ‘Goering for a rehearing this afternoon, He was allowed to vote with the So- cialists against the act making Hitler dictator and then was taken to the ministery of the interior for examina- tion. Another embezzlement charge brought a Nazi official into custody last night. Guenther Gereke, Nazi state commis- sioner for job creation, was arrested on sllsplcionl of diverting funds for his own political uses. ThsoDuke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, a leading Nazi supporter, whose ducal seat has been the residence of former Czar Ferdinand since his departure from Bulgaria, has been appointed Reich commissioner for automobilism. He is chairman of a special commit- tee to promote the motorization of Ger- many. Pledges Support to Hitler. The executive of the Reich’s federa- #ion of industry, headed by Gustav XKrupp von Bohlen und Holbach, the prominent industrialist, pledged its sup- port to the Hitler regime in a resolu- tion last night which criticized the “vaccilating” policies of former gov- ernments. Although not stating any plans for the Reichstag to meet again, Chancel- or Hitler announced yesterday that (Continued on Page 5, Column 5.) AUSTRIAN ARRESTED ON SPYING CHARGE Bruno Seletzki, Agent for Skoda Ammunitions, Taken by Rumanians, By the Associated Press BUCHAREST, Rumania, March 24.— Bruno Seletzki, agent for the Austran Bkoda Ammunition Works, was arrested today on a charge of espionage. In the Chamber last night, all op- ‘position leaders demanded his arrest, mng he had bribed officers in the try of war and also various poli- ticians to secure munitions orders for Ais firm. . Nicolae Lupu, leader of the Peasants party, charged he also had spread falss Tumors of Soviet mobilization in order o frighten the country into demanding farms. Nicolae Lupu, head of the Rumanian Peasants , charged in Parliament last Tuesday night that important mili- tary documents belging to the war had mysteriously come into on of an agent of the Skoda Ammunition Works. ‘The Peasant leader also c! that documents showed that 25 per cent of & 15,000,000,000 lei ($75,000,000) muni- tions order went to bribes for an uni- dentified cabinet minister and that other money was distribued among wvarious politicians, SRRl S .’ Kadio Programs on Page C-3 s : |HARRIMAN BANK REPORT HELD | . IN TREASURY FOR SIX MONTHS LIKELY T0 RESULT g carminer Findings of Alleged Irregulari- ties Delayed From July to December, Records Disclose. BY REX COLLIER. examiner’s report on alleged irregularities at the Harriman National Bank & Trust Co., in New York City, apparently was held by the Treasury for nearly six months, due to the gen- eral banking crisis, before it was for- warded to the Department of Justice, The Star learned today from an au- thoritative source. After Justice officials finally received the report—which involved Joseph W. Harriman, head of the bank—a brief delay in impending grand jury pro- ceedings was granted at the argent re- quest of the new management of the reorganized institution, with indorse- ment of the New York Clearing House Association, the chief bank examiner in New York and the controller of the “Presuably the long delay in cal esumably the long delay in the case to the attention of the léx: partment of Justice was occasioned by the fear of Treasury officials and finan- cial interests in New York that im- mediate prosecution of Harriman would precipitate runs on the Harriman bank and on other financial institutions in New York and possibly elsewhere. Routine Proceeding. Attorney General Cummings said yesterday that prosecution had been de- layed by an order of his “predecessor,” but William D. Mitchell, former attor- ney general, was quoted as denying knowledge of the case. It was learned today that the matter was handled by an assistant attorney general as a “rou- tine proceeding” and that the request for a delay of “a few weeks” was granted “in the public interest” and without possibility of hazard to the eventual court proceedings against Harriman. The statute of limitations did not project itself into the situation. The bank examiner’s report was dated last July but it did not reach the De- partment of Justice until the latter part of December, it is reliably reported. Almost simultaneously with its re- celpt there appeared at the Department of Justice a delegation of three repre- sentatives of the new management of (Continued on Page 2, Column 7.) MOVE T0 REDRAFT REFORESTING PLAN Roosevelt Program Expected to Be Revamped After Attack by Labor. By the Associated Press. In bristling language, the opposition of the Federation of Labor to Presi- dent Roosevelt's reforestation program was put before a congressional com- mittee today and immediately after- ward indications were given that the measure would be redrafted. Chairman Walsh of the Senate Labor Committee called a meeting of the committee to begin redrafting the bill tomorrow, but said it probably would be two or three days before the meas- ure would be ready for eonsideration by the Senate. Hearings, held jointly with the House Labor Committee, were concluded to- day at a session in which Willlam Green, president of the American Fed- eration of Labor, denounced it as a proposal for “regimentation of lubor m peace times.” “They regiment labor in Fascist ltaly, in Hitler Germany and Soviet Russia, but it seems to me the spirit of America is not in favor of the regi- mentation of labor here,” he told the committee. Bill Up Monday. Chairman Connery of the House Labor Committee called a meeting for Monday to begin consideration of the bill. Both Houses are ready to con- sider it when committee action is com- pleted. Walsh said he thought the bill would kave to be revised to make selection and dismissal of members of the pro- posed civilian conservation corps more voluntary. During the hearings today Connery suggested the measure pro- posed a “draft act” under which men would be picked off the streets and told to go to camp for a year. Objection also was made by Green that the $1 a day wage provided in the bill would have a bad effect on general wage standards. Earlier, Gen. Douglas MacArthur, chief of staff of the Army, had denied the bill was a “draft act” by which men would be picked up on the streets and forced to go to camp whether they wanted to or not. Work Temporarily Stopped. Lewis Douglas, the budget director, testified that all new public works con- tracts had been subjected to a “tem- porary stop order” by the administra- tion to save funds to finance the proposal. Green cited the proposal to send the men to Army posts to support his claim it was a “regimentation of labor” and said he saw no need for that sort of military organization and control. Asserting that the proposal was “highly objectionable to labor,” Green said it ‘“violates the very spirit of voluntarism and freedom of personal action.” In his testimony, Budget Director Douglas said $40,000,000 of unobligated public building funds would be used to finance the reforestation plan. He said, however, this did not necessarily mean permanent abandonment of the build- ing projects which would have been paid for out of the.fund. $250,000,000 Cost Seen. Douglas estimated it would cost about $250,000,000 to finance the proposed civilian conservation corps for a year, but that the $40,000,000 would finance it for the remainder of this fiscal year. The administration is now working on a large range and complete relief program, together with plans for financ- ing it, Douglas said. Chairman Gonnery asked if the proj- ects from which the funds have been Douglas said most of them probably would be “covered in the complete and co-ordinated program now being worked out.” “Do you plan to replace this money diverted from _the public building fund?” Senator La Follette, Republican, of Wisconsin, asked. “I can't say it will be feplaced in toto,” Douglas said. Questioned by members of the com- mittee, Douglas said the administra- tion had stopped making contracts for (Continued on Page 2, Column 8.) FRANK EVANS RESIGNS FROM U. S. FARM BOARD Resignation of Salt Lake City Resident Accepted by Pres- ident Roosevelt. By the Associated Press. Frank Evans of Salt Lake City re- signed today as a member of the Fed- eral Farm Board, effective April 1. The resignation has been accepted by President Roosevelt. Evans began duty with the board September 1, 1931, for a term which was to have expired in June, 1986. He specialized in the development of a farmer-owned system of co-opera- tive marketing. R MITCHELL INDICTED ONU. 3. TAX CHARGE Former National City Chair- man Accused of Evading $573,312 Payment. By the Assoclated Press. NEW YORK, March 24.—Charles E. Mitchell, former chairman of the board of the National City Bank, was indicted by a Federal grand jury today on a charge of willful evasion of his income tax for 1929. The indictment charges that in 1929 Mitchell's net income was $2,823,- 405.95, whereas he reported a net loss of $48,000 and paid no tax. He was charged in the indictment with evading payment of a tax of $573,312.81. Mitchell resigned the chairmanship of the board of the National City Bank and also of the National City Co. and other affiliates of the bank during the period in which he was a witness be- fore the Senate Banking Committee in its investigation of the Stock Ex- change. The indictment charged his income tax for 1929 wes erroneous in that he reported a loss from sale of stacks of $1,484,067.53, instead of a profit Bf $1,- 388,237.97. -4 Bona Fide Sale Denied. ‘The difference is represented by a loss set up by Mitchell from the sale of 18,300 shares of stock of the Na- tional City Bank. The Government contends was not a bona fide sale. This was the stock which Mitchell testified before the Banking Commit- tee he had repurchased from lis wife at $212 a share, the price at which he sald he sold it to Mrs. Mitchell, al- though the stock at the time he re- purchased it—March 24, 1932—was then selling in the open market at $40 a share. For the past three days United States Attorney George Z. Medalie and {wo as- sistants have been presenting evidence to the Federal grand jury, which re- sulted in the indictment handed up to- day. !y/[ednlle began his investigation the day after Mitchell testified before the Senate Banking Committee concerning the sale of the stock to “a member of’ his family for the purpose of taking an income tax loss on his 1929 return. During the investigation Medalie's as- sistants examined a large number of bank accounts and made an exhaustive study of the history of the securities transactions of both Mitchell and his wife for a number of years back. Many Witnesses Examined. Witnesses from various banks, ettor- neys and certain other witnesses who were brought from Chicago and Florida and whose names were not ‘disclosed, were examined in the course of the investigation. Medalie, it was said at the FederaM Building, also investigated the question of how the income tax re- turn was passed at the time it was ex- amined. During the investigation Mitchell sub- mitted to two examinations and was examined for almost an entire day, having voluntarily offered to submit to an examination. The indictment contains one count, as there is only one act of evasion charged. The maximum penalty pro- vided for a conviction in such a case is a term of imprisonment for five years and a fine of $10,000, although either imprisonment or fine in any term or amount under the maximum may be imposed at the discretion of the court. ‘The amount of taxes which the Gov- ernment charged should have been paid is about $84,000 less than that given in a complaint of Assistant United States Attorney Thomas E. Dewey. A warrant based on the complaint was issued early in the week and Mitchell was arrésted. He was released in $10,000 bail for a hearing before a com- missioner March 29. Mitchell was not in the Federal build- ing when the indictment was received by Federal Judge Goddard, nor was his attorney, Max D. Steuer. Medalie said the case would be moved for an early —_— e RUTH SIGNS CONTRACT AS NEWS CAMERAS CLICK ‘Will Take Place in Line-up in Exhibition Game With Braves Today. By the Associated Press. ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., March 24.— Babe Ruth today signed his 1933 con- tract calling for a salary of $52,000 be- o fore a battery of newsreel and news- paper cameramen. 2 He will take his regular position in right fleld in the line-up of the New York Yankees in their exhibition game with the Boston Braves here today, opening his twentieth major league ‘Hammer Slayer Executed. RAIFORD, Fla,, March 24 (#).—Alvin E. Jeflcoat, 40-year-old Clearwater, &l., was electrocuted at the hammer coat Sally, 8. C. October -14, 1930, Jefl- SENATE- TO OFFER MANY CHANGES IN DISTRICT BEER BILL Many Inconsistencies Found in Measure Voted by House Yesterday. CONFLICTING PROVISIONS DISCUSSED AT PARLEY Tydings Subcommittee to Limit Debate to Two Speakers Rep- resenting Each Side. Many changes in the District beer bill that passed the House yesterday will be sought when hearings on the measure are started this afternoon by the Tydings subcommittee of the Sen- ate District Committee. Amendments designed to remove s number of inconsistencies and eliminate confliction provisions in the House measure were discussed this morning at a conference between Corporation Counsel Willilam W. Bride and Rufus S. Lusk, national legislative officer of the Crusaders. The amendments are expected to be in form for presentation to the Senate committee when the hearings begin. Although the House riddled the beer bill with amendments before it passed, the measure is regarded as being far from the model legislation desired for the District. Inconsistencies Cited. ‘The beer hearing was scheduled to be- gin at 2:30 o'clock, and for the first time, microphones were to pick up the discussion for radio broadcasting. Sena- tor Tydings plans to limit the debate to two speakers on each side. One of the major inconsistencies In the House bill, it is pointed out, deals with the issuance of licenses. Section 2 of the measure specifically gives the Commissioners authority to issue licenses to corporations, but this is nulli- fled by a provision in section 4 which declares that the applicant for a license shall be an individual. In the same section, it was said, there also is a provision which would prevent a corpo- ration with only one place of business from procuring a license. This pro- vision is held to be discriminatory and in favor of chain establishments. Another conflict was found in sec- tions 3 and 5. Section 5, it was ex- plained, sets up two types of licenses, tion 3 provides & third” type. of esme les a to be lmi;d wt?rm' Again sections 8 and 11 incon- sistences wefe found. Section 8, it was pointed out, places a tax on beverages sold by the licensee, while section 11 requires the licensee to file a report on the quantity of beverages purchased, but not sold. Other Objections. In another section, it was said, the bill forbids the issuance of a license to an incorporated club in which mem- bership dues are less than $15 a year, while at the same time authorizing the issuance of a license to an “associa- tion.” This provision, it was explained, would permit any irresponsible group, havng no liabilty, to organze an as- sociation and procure a beer license. Another objectionable feature was found in a provision under section 4, which would require the name of the owner of the premises on which beer is to be sold to be placed on the ap- plication for a license. Since the owner might be a “straw,” the Senate com- mittee will be asked to amend the pro- vision to require the name of the actual owner on the application. Still another inconsistency was dis- covered in section 7, which provides that “on sale” licenses shall be granted only to bona fide restaurants, incor- porated clubs and hotels, but does not include associations, which are given (Continued on Page 4, Column 4.) CLEAR WEATHER IN SIGHT Forecast of Rising Temperature May Be Sign of Spring. Rain and slowly rising temperatures, predicted for the Capital tomorrow afternoon and evening, may be the first signs of a Spring already four days overdue. The Weather Bureau said the rise will begin from a mini- mum tonight of around 32 degrees. ‘Whether the wet weather will con- tinue into Sunday was not forecast. l'rhnzd de?el:g!‘ lt:u bureau said, on the speed of the low pressure area now enveloping the section. If it moves out to sea before Sunday, clear weather is probable. By the Associated Press. KANSAS CITY, March 24.—Cock Robin’s determined attack upon his reflection in window panes at the home-office of Dr. H. E. Songer -has won him friends and fan mail. True Some of the friends suggest he should be put to death, but most wish him well in the fight he launched 15 days Hw:‘%m not kill it” said Mrs. inhabited our yard three years. They follow me in the garden without fear. Often I have picked up a worm and tossed it to them. That is the reason, I frighten him away.” modest warrl gaF fi;ggg pi i State prison farm here today for | windows. murder g ROBIN CONTINUES SHADOW FIGHT DESPITE ADVICE FROM FRIENDS “Fan Mail” From All Parts of Country Fails to Halt Attacks on Reflection in Window Panes. ALL SEF bening Star, NN WY AN VAN SR Oy “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 LL N A\ N N (®) Means Associated 26 a @\9 K X \ ) \ FOR THE FARM PROCESSION. HARRIS CONVICTED, WILL FACE DEATH Jury Decision Fixes Penalty for Henry Slaying Here Last April. Charles Harris, alleged Philadelphia and New York gang killer, was con- victed of first-degree murder by a Dis- trict Supreme Court jury this morning | in the slaying last April 21 of Miiton | W. (Milsle) Henry, Washington gam- | bler. The verdict carries the death penalty. The verdict was returned at 11:40 o'clock after 41; hours’ deliberation by | the jury. It was apparently a distinct | surprise to the d:tflem}lm w‘tjll? a l{:‘z\ minutes to the jury’s ing the mr?mm had been joking and laughing with a deputy United States marshal. ‘The jury was ing the phrase, polled, each pronounc- “Guilty in the first de- | hastily conferred with | his attorney, Arthur N. Sager, New York, and the lawyer asked the court on behalf of Harris not to place him in the death cell at the District Jail. | “That is the business of the warden | of the jail,” Justice Daniel W. O'Don- oghue replied, “and the usual procedure | will have to be followed. I do not know | whether it is usual to place a prisoner in the death cell before or after sen- tence.” Makes Personal Plea. Harris then made a personal plea to the judge that he not be placed in the | death cell. “A man convicted of mur- | der,” he informed Justice O'Donoghue | in a positive tone, “is placed in the death cage at once. This is a direct violation of law, and I do not wish it to happen to ma.” Justice O’Donoghue replied that it was a matter for the jail warden to de- cide and that Harris might appeal through his attorneys if he were not treated properly . The death cell in the District jail is in the center of two other inclosures and unusual precautions are taken to prevent any one reaching the prisoners there. There already are 12 condemned men there and Harris would make the thirteenth and the only white man. Throughout the course of the trial, which began Tuesday morning, the jury has been locked up each. night as a precaution against possible intimida- ton or influence and numerous rumors have gone through the court house of a possible attempt to free Harris. Stakes Hopes on AlibL Harris’ attorneys had staked his chances for acquittal on an alibi plac- ing him in New York when Henry was shot to death with a sawed-off shotgun about 5:40 am. near his Sixteenth street home. 7 On the other side Assistant United States Attorney Julian Richards had uced two witnesses who positively identified Harris as having been on the scene of the killing. One of them, Car- roll F. Rhodes, a Federal Trade Com- mission attorney. said he saw the de- (Continued on Page 2, Column 6.) | because they are walting and consulta- tion rooms.” From C. B. Aldrich, San Francisco, came a suggestion on the reverse side of & business card: ""l"q ving the window open, doc- But March winds have been cold Mrs. Samuel Chaney Hunt, Chicago, an( proposed the windows be shaded songster be “gathered in for a few 58% 3 Fe e maintains the bird can’t k1 8 as H.\l[ i | ] i sigé e wlndotwl{ of her last December. E Two Officers Die In Army Air Crash At Florida Airport| Attempt Landing at Miami After Delaying Re- turn North. By the Associated Press. MIAMI, Fla, March 24.—Second Lieut. Charles W. Stouff, 24, Thorndale, Pa, and Staff Sergt. Gale M. Lester, 30, of Mitchel Fleld, both members of the 5th Observation Group of the Army Air Corps, were killed early today as their plane crashed during an attempted | landing at Chapman Field here. ‘The accident occurred as the cbserva- tion plane, which had taken off at 5:45 | am. for the return gight to Mitchel | Field, was obliged to turn back to the training field here because of bad weather. Craft Goes Into Spin. Lieut. Stoufl, piloting the plane, was circling the field waiting for other ships (Continus SEATE FOES BEGIN FARM AD REVISON Roosevelt Proposal Meets First Opposition at Com- mittee Session. By the Associated Press. The Roosevelt farm relief bill ran into its first formidable opposition today as the Senate Agriculture Committee considered the measure in executive session, with members expecting to revise and modify it. . Chairman Smith, ene of the oppo- nents of the bill as it was passed by the House, offered a substitute for the committee’s consideration, eliminating the domestic allotment and licensing features modifying the processing tax, but retaining the cotton option plan. Smith declined to make his sub- stitute public until after the committee meeting. Senator McNary of Oregon, the Republican leader, and ranking minority member of the committee, entered the session determined to ask hearings. The bill was referred to the com- mittee only yesterday, after coming through the House untouched by a single amendment, passed with a tre- mendous majority. House Bars Changes. The House, however, was given no chance to alter the measure as it was considered under stringent rules which will not prevail in the Senate. In this morning’s executive the committee took no action on the Smith substitute, reserving a decision for later. The administration bill calls for a tax equalling the difference between the current - price for a commodity and a based on the 1909-1914 average. tion. ‘This tax could be revised by the Sec- retary from ti sul te the drive of many Senators to obtain administration approval of ferm bill amendments Secretary Wal- lace today said he had not given his (Continued on Page 2, Column 1) e BARS U. S. RADIO Imposition of French Tax Will Practically Prevent Sales. U, . HORSE WINS GRAND NATIONAL Mrs. Clark’s Kellsboro Jack Scores Record-Breaking Steeplechase Victory. By the Associated Press. AINTREE, England, March 24.—For the third time in the history of the classic an American-owned horse gal- loped home the winner today in the spectacular Grand National Steeple- chase as Kellsboro Jack, at 25 to 1, scored a decisive record-treaking vic- tory in the colors of Mrs. F. Ambrose Clark, New York social registerite and prominent sportswoman of Long Island and South Carolina. While disaster overtook the American- owned favorite, Heartbreak Hill, as well as Dusty Foot, ridden by George H. (Pete) Bostwick, Kellsboro Jack main- tained a leading position virtually all the way and won by three lengths from Really True, long-shot owned by a British Army officer, Maj. N. Furlong. Third place went to Slater, a neck behind Really True. Slater ran in the colors of George Whitelaw, Briton, who bought the horse recenty from the American sportsman, John Hay Whit-} ney, the owner of Dusty Foot. Delaneige Fourth. Fourth among the 17 horses which completed the treacherous 4!3-mile jumping course, out of a starting field of 34, was another American-owned entry, J. B. Snow’s Delaneige. ‘The favorites, as usual, had plenty of trouble. Heartbreak Hill, owned by Mrs. C. S. Bird, jr., of Boston, fell in front of the grandstand after complet- 1ng the first round of the course. This Irish-bred jumper had gone to the post an 8-to-1 favorite. ‘Bostwick, the youthful American polo star and brilliant amateur rider, 1.ever,) was able to make much headway with Dusty Foot. This popular combination came & cropper on the first round and was eliminated. Bostwick was unhurt uu; Dusty Foot was caught by another jockey. : K:’u.lbm'o Jack, a 7-year-old, carrying 160 pounds and ridden by David Wil- Jiams, is by Jackdaw out of Kellsboro Lass. The horse was bought in Eng- land by Mrs. Clark, who watched the race with somewhat mixed emctions as she is the aunt of “Pete” Bostwick, and her husband also had a contender, Chadds Ford, which was among the finishers. Victory Worth $45,000 The victory was worth approximately (about $45,000) to the ck’s time of 9 minutes, 28 seconds, established a new record for the Grand National. The best previous time, 9:3245, was made in 1931 by_Grakle. ‘The only other victories for American- owned horses were scored by Stephen Sanford’s Sergeant Murphy in 1923 and A, C. Schwartz's Jack Horner in 1926. Bostwick, with a slight cut on one side of his face, walked a mile back to the stands after tumbling off his mount at Becher’s Brook. He said he turned a couple of somersaults as Dusty Foot went down but otherwise was none ~ (Continued on Page 2, Column 3. GIANT METEOR ROCKS SOUTHWEST STATES Appears With Thunder-Like Rum- ble and Illuminates Areas for Miles. By the Associated Press. AMARILLO, Tex., March 24—A great meteor flashed through the skies of the Southwest at 6:15 a.m. today and disappeared with a thunder-like rumble that shook the ground in several States. The meteor illuminated the North Plains of Texas and the Oklahoma as fast as the papers are printed. Yesterday’s Circulation, 123,257 TWO CENTS. DEBT DISCUSSIONS BEGUN FORMALLY AS BRITISH ENVOY AND HULL CONFER State Secretary Announces No Decisions Were Reach- ed in Exploratory Conver- sations at Department. Press. WORLD COMMERCIAL RELATIONS BROUGHT UP Lindsay Calls After Government Instructs Him to Get Views of Roosevelt in View of Reports Another Moratorium Is Being Considered. ‘War debt discussions with the British were begun formally by the Roosevelt administration to- day with a long conversation be- tween Ambassador Lindsay of Great Britain and Secretary Hull at the State Department. Hull said afterward that no de- cisions, tentative or otherwise, had been reached and that the con- versations were exploratory. The Secretary said the discus- sion covered broad aspects of in- ternational commercial relations which would come up at the World Economic Conference as well as in the debt considerations. Sir Ronald called at the department after having received instructions from his government to find out tke position of President Roosevelt and his admin- istration on the debts in view of con- flicting reports that another moratorium on payments due June 15 was being considered and, on the other hand, that the President expects those payments to be made. Tariff Held Main Problem. It was recently announced from the ‘White House that the President had no intention of asking Congress for author- ity to defer the payments and expects them to be met when due. ‘The position understood to have been taken by Secretary Hull today was that the big problem facing the world is the removal of excessively high tariffs and other restrictions on movement of 8oods and the exchange of money. ‘The American Government will em- this contention when the war debts are mentioned. The implication was that if the United States is satisfied that its debtors are willing to pledge themselves in general to the success of the Eco- nomic Conference by reducing trade barriers the United States will be 1eady to consider their pleas for re- vision of their debts. Anothen factor is the ibility of negotiating reciprocal tariff agreements. Secretary Hull said today that if it were possible to make arrangements which are mutually beneficial to each country there would be no controversy about reaching adjustments. Ready to Hear Others. This was taken to mean that if sat- isfactory trade agreements can be made, for instance, with Great Britain and that nation satisfies this Government that it will make tangible contribu- tions to the success of the Economic Conference, the United States will feel that it would be the gainer even if it lost some of the actual income which it now receives in the form of debt payments. Secretary Hull said that when any one government separately desires to discuss a domestic matter such as debts it will be given a courteous hear- ing, apart from the general discussions of world economic matters which it is intended to conduct separately. ‘This statement was made in response to a question as to whether France, and other debtor nations would be heard as are the British. France has not yet paid its nineteen million dollar interest due last December 15, D. C. EXTORTION PLOT THWARTED BY ARREST Former Bureau Employe Accused of Threatening Mrs. Jacob L. Loose. By the Associated Press. ~ KANSAS CITY, March 24—Cyrus M. Zimmerman, postal inspector, said to- day an extortion plot aimed at Mrs. Jacob L. Loose, Kansas City and Wash- ington society woman, had been thwarted by the arrest here of a man whose name was given as Edwin Lewis. Zimmerman said Lewis had sent two extortion letters to Mrs. Loose at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington de- manding $1,000 and had written Ed Dul , Kansas City theatrical man, demanding $500. ‘The postal inspector described the prisoner as_a former employe of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing at Wi . The letters directed that the money be sent to the general de- livery at the Kansas City, Kans., post office. Zimmerman sald Lewis, who also used the name Moore, had signed a full statement admitting the two extortion attempts. STAMP LICKING BEATS ISSUE. 9F TAX NOTES Penasylvania Citizens Deciine to Moisten 16,994,540 Stickers in Finance Plan. By the Associated Press. a of the turned “thumbs down” on a plan to is- sue tax anticipation notes after it was lained the notes would make citizens 16,994,540 stamps. Every man, woman and child in the city would have to moisten the muciiage on the back of 135 stamps, it was ex- plained, 0 the audience voted against the measure and it found little favor the 'd’s members,