Evening Star Newspaper, April 4, 1933, Page 3

) NAVY T0.CONDUCT | TS OWN NOURY Al Washington Is Shocked ‘by Aviation’s Worst Catastrophe. (Continued From First Page.) that she would not give up hope. The President’s announcement indicated that the Government itself was without hope of further re:cues. For hours in the silence of the Navy's communication's office, officers sat last night grimly hoping for the finding alive of more of their comrades than the few picked up in the early morning. as the day drew on, what hope there ‘was diminished. Aides of the President decided not to disturb his sleep when the first re- ports filtered in from the Jersey coast. Once the circumstances became plain, however, a bustle stirred the White House akin to that at the Navy De- partment to make sure of prompt relay of the situation for Mr. Roosevelt. The first officlal word from the Navy to the President was that the Akron had been caught by storm, probably been hit by lightning, caught fire and finally crashed at 12:30 a.m. The department told the President that of the 76 or 77 men on board, only Jour were rescued, one later dying. Investigations Demanded. From Capitol Hill, Senators and ‘Representatives poured inquiries into newspaper offices as to just what had happened and the prospects. Demands for an investigation were made even as the Navy itself moved to initiate one. The accident also aroused slumbering opposition to the expenditure of money for lighter-than-air vessels. The cruiser Portland, from the crash scene, notified the Navy at 9 am. that the Akron caught fire after it fell, on Barnegat Inlet. It said no survivors and no bodies had been found by the two Coast Guard planes and several Nessels in the search. 'The report said that the Akron was in a severe electrical storm before she went down, but that Lieut. Comdr. ‘Wiley, apparently the sole officer who escaped, “gives no reason for crash.” Wiley, two enlisted men who were rescued, and the body of R. W. Cope- land, who died after he was picked up by the tanker Phoebuz, were en route to New York in the Tucker. The message from the Portland said two Coast Guard planes and the cruiser had ‘“covered most probable areas en route to present position,” pparently referring to the area where survivors might be seen or bodies might be picked up. Believed Impossible. As the demands arose on Capitol Hill for an investigation, Senator Walsh, Democrat, of Massachusetts, a member of the Naval Committee, asserted that a “prompt, thorough and direct inves- tigation should be undertaken without delay.” “The tragedy that has overtaken the ‘Akron is appalling,” he said. “I thought the large number of aircraft catastro- phes in the Army and Navy had led to the exercise of such care and cau- tion that an accident of this propor- Committee, who had consistently op- posed appropriations for lighter-than- air craft, called the mishap another “fllustration of the awful waste of money in building great gas bags that serve only as sky shows in peacetime and are worthless in war.” “One little airplane would put them out of use in a minute,” he contended. “We have wasted more money on them than anything we have done in the Navy. e ¥ don‘t see what use they would be in war and they risk the lives of good men. It is a crime to put the boys in these things and we in Congress are to But CHIEF. MACH. GEORGE C. WALSH. LIEUT. ROBERT SAYRE. THE EVENING STAR, Missing in the Akron Tragedy LIEUT. CHARLES H. CALLOWAY. LIEUT. HERMAN DUGAN. COMDR. FRED T. BERRY. McCLELLAND. LIEUT. HERBERT M. WESTCOAT. WASHINGTON, D. C., TUESDAY, LIEUT. JOSEPH SEVERYNS. 1 blame for letting the Navy talk us into " At the same time Representative Mc- Clintic (Democrat) of Oklahoma, spon- sor of the investigation of a charge of sabotage made by the House Naval Committee last Congress, said he always had felt the airship might have been : jrreparably damaged by its accident at Lakehurst. McClintic was one of the Representa- tives standing on the ground waiting for & trial flight in the airship at the time of that accident. “When you throw an airship weighing 100 tons against the ground,” McClintic said, “that blow is bound to have an effect on its construction one way or another.” McClintic recalled that the Akron was 19,000 pounds above specified contract weight and because of that weight had not been able to “carry enough fuel for & safe cross-continent trip.” Mrs. Moffett Bears Grief. “This is a terrible catastrophe,” Mc- L Clintic said. “But I hope it will cause those building the Macon and those who operate it to be more careful.” Meanwhile, the wife of Rear Admiral ‘William A. Moffett—who was aboard the aircraft—was upholding the Navy tradition that the wife of a Navy man doesn’t become discouraged and lose hope easily. ‘Through the late night she had wait- ed patiently for cheering word, bearing up, a friend sald, “just like the wife of &any Navy man” Mrs. Mofett has two sons mnaval aviation service. With her were two children, Charles S. Moffett, 18, and Beverly, 14, both of whom attend school here. On the West Coast are stationed En- sign William A. Moffett, jr., now re- ported flying to the Aleutian Islands, ard Lieut. George H. Moffett, who is #board the flying cruiser Lexington. There is one other child, Janet, the SPECIAL NOTICES. = MEMBERSHIP CONGRESSIONAL COUNTRY Address Box 1190-M. Star office. T WILL NOT BE RmPoNsmLE FOR ANY debts " contracted by one other than myselt, JAM S WILLIAM SAUNDERS. 1730 st nw 5° in the | OR D TO " Richmona. Boston. Bitts: d all way points:' special rates NATIONAL DELIVERY ASSN. INC. 1417 N_Y. ave. Nat. 1460. Local moving also, FROM THIS DAY ON I AM NOT RESPON- Bible for any debts contracted by any one myself. LEROY J. W. DE GRO! 5 Cedar st Mount Rainier, M. 4+ dm{%‘hno"rh BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY er than those contracte FRANK T. GARTSIDE. 3810 Van Nets p.w. 4 GET_MINNICK REPAIRS OLD PLASTER- ing. stucco, craftex. cement. chimneys, leaky basements.”old roofs painted. Call Me. 2K4G AUCTION SALE—_FURNITURE OF 1 VERY description to be sold for storage charges on Thursday. April 6. at 10 a.m. in our ware- house, 420 10th st. n.w. first floor, con- sisting of living room 'suites, bed room suites. dining suites, used and remade mat- tresses, dressers, tables, chairs, beds, linens, gishes ' books, rugs. etc. United States Stor- LONG-DIST: VING BETW] Eastern points. “Service since 1896 Da- Yidson's Transfer & Btorage Co.. 1117 H &t. n.w. _Nat. 0060. EEN ALL wife of Lieut. Elliott M. Moore, & re- tired Navy officer. They also live in California. Portland’s Message. The text of the message from the Portland to the Navy follows: “Portland maintaining position of Phoebus. Mojave, McDougal, Hunt and Cole, searching, also two Coast Guard planes. “Portland has covered most probable areas en route to present position. “Tucker (Coast Guard vessel) reports Akron crashed and then caught fire. “She was in severe electrical storm. “Lieut. Comdr. Wiley gives no reason for crash, body of Chief Radioman Copeland en route New York on Tucker. “Visibility now about 3 miles.” Wreckage Reported. Sighting of considerable wreckage was reported to the Nayy by the Coast Guard destroyer Tucker. Naval officers saild the Tucker had apparently found no signs of life or in- dications that a further search of the wreckage was essential, since they had proceeded from the point where it was found. ‘The Tucker repeated previous in- formation which it had wirelessed through the cruiser Portland saying the Akron had crashed and then caught fire in a severe electrical storm. The Tucker added that Lieut. Comdr. Wiley could give no reason for the crash. “No other information obtained so far,” the Tucker's message concluded. The destroyer about daybreak in mak- ing contact with the Portland had passed some other wreckage, but a search of it had been without results. Chairman Trammell of the Senate | Naval Committee said he thought a congressional investigation probably would be made. “The disaster is most shocking,” he said. “Our Navy and our Nation have felt a deep pride in the Akron, and her fate in combat with a terrific windstorm again illustrates what a difficult task it is for man to overcome the unrestrained forces of the elements.” Was Headed for Boston. President Roosevelt ordered Col Henry Latrobe Roosevelt—Assistant | Secretary of the Navy—to go to the Naval Air Station at Lakehurst, N. J., today to assume charge of rescue work and investigation. ‘The Assistant Secretary was accom- panied by his aide, Comdr. M. C. Tis- dale. The trip was by automobile, Meanwhile, the President eagerly jawaited latest reports. Mrs. Roosevelt immediately after Moffett, At the Capitol, Senator Trammell's office later anncunced the Naval Com- mittee would co-operate with the Navy to determine the disaster cause. vestigation, the committee would make | no attempt to make an independent | inquiry. Contrary to previous information that FOR ELECTRICAL REPAIR SERVICE. CALL The Electric Shop on Wheels. Inc., complete electric _shop will be Your door. Wis. 4821 ‘CHAIRS FOR _RENT, SUITABLE _FOR BRIDGE PARTIES, bariquets, weddings s ac) Rlso-vaud mxfn ONFrED st now. Lt ew chair lling < or_Tent or SRAGE CO4ls Toth Metropolitan 1844, Gas Rangc Repamng Complete Service. ‘ [E DAL’ 1807 o B Easter Cleaning Special. ANY 9x12 RUG sHAuPoom IN YOUR HOME—$ Dirt. srease, animal stains removed; work Suaranteed. A 1 references. LUNDQU HT, Phone_Met. 8362 Hov:rs YOUR ROOF? o, have ample facliities for teking Tere "o our lag or tin. K 06Nsur s, el Ay g l\oornlo North 4423 the Akron was making a training flight, the Navy disclosed today that its destination was the first naval dis- | trict with headquarters at Boston. The flight purpose was to adjust er- Tors in radio compasses along the coast. It had been arranged to spend four days along the New England Coast working with compass stations. Sent Routine Message. From the time it cleared Lakehurst until the first news of its destruction | came from the tanker Phoebus, the Navy here received only this message | at 7:30 o'clock last night: “Akron Lakehurst for sea. Moffett on board.” The message was simply the usual routine clearance dispatch. Under normal conditions, the airship was supposed to report its position every four hours to the Navy, but due to stormy conditions and the necessity for the to have unintermipted and ac- “Wiley (and) two enlisted men and | breakfast drove to the home of Mrs. | It was added that pending this in- | Admiral | curate weather reports at all times, the Navy office here through the Annapolis station did not seek out the ship. ‘While under usual procedure the ship would have reported its position at 11:30 pm, communications officers merely believed that static might be in- terfering with messages or it might be devoting entire attention to receiving weather reports. Secretary Swanson, speaking in low voice and strained, said every eflon will be made to recover the les of men who lost their lives and to sllvlge such of the ship as is possible in the fairly shallow water. Need Ships More. Asked by newspaper men about his opinion of the mighty airships as a | result of the disaster, the Secretary re- plied that he had “never been as en- thusiastic about them” as some of the Navy had. Asked about the pessibility of replac- ing the Akron, the Secretary quietly smiled and said appropriations for such work would be a matter for Congress. “It seems to me we need ships more than anything else,” he added as an afterthought. The Secretary disclosed that the new | airship Mazconl, after its tests and ac- ceptance by the Navy, would probably be the only airship in the service. The airship Los Angeles, which has been out of service since the Akron was commissioned, is to be sold, Swanson said. The decision to sell the former Germsn ship was the result of a survey made by a board which recommended its_disposal. The Secretary did not know what | conditions under which the Los Angeles | would be sold or the price it might | bring. | “It is more of a commercial ship then a warship, in any event,” he said. May Close Lakehurst. In response to questions whether if the two airships were no longer to be housed there, what disposition was to be made of the Lakehurst station and would the station be temporarily closed, Swanson said: “That is yet to be determined but it might if there is nothing there to do.” He indicated that the plan to send the Macon to the West Coast would be carried out when its tests and accept- ance were completed. He recalled that | the purpose of the Macon was to co- cperate with the fleet, and said that since the fleet was on the West Coast it would naturally follow that the air- ship would be sent there. Commenting on the fact that Rear Admiral Moffett still was among the missing, the Secretary said the admiral had made the flight upon his own (Moflett’s) insistence. | Asked if the admiral had taken the trip against the advice of others, the Secretary emphatically replied that he had not. “The Navy will indeed have lost a | very fine' man if it has lost Admiral Moffett,” the Secretary said with a hint of his own saddened feelings in his voice. Bingham Blames Storm. A thunderstorm was blamed by Hiram Bingham, president of the American Aeronautical Association, and former World War aviator, for the Akron’s destruction. The former Senator from Connecti- cut said there were three danger ele- ments in thunderstorms to dirigibles: | First, the tortuous character of - the winds: second, the danger of lightning cxploding the gas tank; third, the \nelght of the rain which sometimes adds three of four tons additional weight on the dirigible. “I hope this accident won't discourage us any more than the loss of the Ti- | tanic failed to stop the British from making big sea ships,” he said. “I fully expect to see the American spirit prevail and our air work to go on. Pmldznl Roosevelt was urged by Bingham to fill the vacancy of Assist- ant Secretary of Navy in charge of aviation. “I pointed out,” he said on leaving, “the unfortunate circumstance of coin- cidence that when both the Shenandoah and the Akron crashed there was no Assistant Secretary in charge of avia- tion. I think we need a man who is a pilot in high rank in the Navy to help some of the admirals who know the sea better than the air.” After a conference with Navy offi- cials, Chairman Vinson announced that the House Naval Committee will investi- INUTE VSWHE y Can VYou, Solvelt?, P Fordney is professor of criminology at a llmaux university. His advice is often lollf)fl by the police of mlnt citles when confronted with particularly Afllnz cases. This problem has been taken from his case book covering hundreds of crlmlnul investi- tlu_rl\_s Iy your wits on it!' It takes but ONE MINUTE to read! Every fact and efery clue necessary to its solution are in the story ft- self. there is only one answer. HOWw ®ood letective are you? BY. H. A. RIPLEY. 174 DD how a murderer actu- ally conspires with the fates Pl'of Fordney as he paused 762 in his casebook. ‘While on a huntlng trip in 1931 with Joe, they had discovered Denver Dan, & recluse, dead from a bullet in his heart. Summoning continued on their way, falling in the next evening with per and bitter en- emy of Denver Dan. Knowing his camp cook, they readily accepted his invitation to him. As they sat around after a sat- Shot Joe taunted Sam with his su- perior ability as a $50 that he was a better shot at a moving target than Sam. Sam good naturedly accepted the offer and sug- he had trapped. The next morning the test was held. Sam was to shoot the running coyote eye, both firing simultaneously on sig- nal from Fordney. As both rifles crack- ed the coyote dropped in his tracks. professor probed the bullet from the coyote and slipped it into his pocket he pointed out to Sam that he had Sam took defeat with his usual good nature and the incident was apparent- ly forgotten. East Fordney had a lengthy talk with Sherift Waters, Two days after his re- turn to New York he telegraphed Wa- dering Denver Dan. WHY? Perhaps you have a story or prob- Fordney. If so send it to him care of this paper. He will be delighted to receive it. The Murder of Denver Dan. to convict himself,” mused Col. Wise and a guide, one Sure Shot the sheriff, the trio Sam Slit, a trap- reputation as a pass the night with isfying meal Sure marksman, finally offering to bet him gested that they use a coyote, which through the heart, Joe through the Joe hit his mark all right, but as the missed the heart by a bare fraction. Before boarding the train for the ters to hold Sam on suspicion of mur- lem you would like to submit to Prof. (For solutigy see page A-10 - gate “the cause and circumstances” of | the accident. In a statement Vinson said, “The Na- | tion is stunned by the terrible disaster which has overtaken the Akrcn, and by the loss of so many of her brave officers and crew.” “The Navy Department,” he con-| tinued, “will order a court of mquiry and the Houvg: Naval Affairs Commit- tee will hold an investigation to de- termine the cause and the circum- stances of the accident. * * * “The durability of the Akron had been | thoroughly tested out, and she had just | returned from a cruise to Panama.” Will See Roosevelt. Vinson told newspaper men that “since the Justice Department wound | up the case involving Paul F. Kassay | (prosecuted for sabotage on the Akron | in 1931), my committee won't hear | him. “We will be concerned only with the immediate causes of the accident,” he said. “There was nothing, apparently, to the sabotage charge. “The hearings will begin as soon as the survivors get back and have a chance to recuperate. We should get some accurate information from them. “And you can add this—there won't be any more big airships hul‘t Wel have built three and lost twe Vinson is to confer with President | Roosevelt late today about a naval| construction program. Later, in an address, Secretary Swanson said it was still too early to | attempt to outline the department’s fu- | ture policy on aircraft. He said the air problem was still in the experl-\ mental stage in many of its aspects, | but like gunnery, which also has taken its toll of life, it would have to be solved by the Navy if possible. An indication that wreckage and de- bris of the Akron was drifting from the scene of the disaster was contained in a message to the Navy Department from the Coast Guard vessel Vigilant which picked up a piece of the Akron ! 20 miles east of Atlantic City, some 22 miles from where the disaster occurred. | . | Gets Thief’s Coat. ‘ S8T. JOSEPH, Mo, April 4 (A’L—\ Frank Hershfield, manager of a clothing | store, saw a man grab two suits of clothmg hide them under his coat, and go out the door. He followed and caught up with the thief. A scuffie followed and Hershfield came out with | both of the stolen suits and the shop- lifter's overcoat as well. ‘The thief escaped. Noté v office al ways met reduced incomes with a pro- vortionate reduc- tion in fees. DENTlSTRY NEW LOW PRICES cessful experi- i ence, ability and known reputa- tion, at the low- est prices at | which this qual- & ity of service can § be obtained. My own attention to every patient | | Dr. Va“ghan’ Dentist |into nearby countries, APRIL - 4, 1933.. BOYCOTT RENEWAL TOMORROW 15 OFF ‘Atrocity Lie Factory’ Charge of Nazi Editors Incenses U. S. Consulate. By the Associated Press. BERLIN, April 4—The government announced today that the anti-Semitic boycott will not be resumed tomorrow. The Nazi party, which called the one-day boycott last Saturday, re- serves the right, however, to reinstate the boycott in the event the “atrocity campaign” is resumed abroad. American officials in Berlin were dis- turbed over an allegation by the “Pang- erman Press Service,” edited by two Nazis, that “an atrocity lie factory has been set up in the American consulate general.” The service claims that the American | consulate, like the Polish, collects ac- | cusations of Eastern Jews against Nazis. | George S. Messersmith, United. sutes consul general, said: “We strongly resent these unwarranted implications and will by proper repre- sentations insist on immediate stoppage. Affidavits Taken., “Naturally, during the past days the consulate has received, as is its duty, American citizens who complained of mistreatment. Their affidavits were taken and through the foreign office presented to the police presidency. “It was also our duty to receive appli- cations from foreigners for visas. Whenever they tried to tell us their hardship we poutely entertain these on the against recent raids on offices of Soviet trade delegation in Berlin and Hamburg was brushed aside by the government with a statement that it would brook no interference in this affair. This statement was issued after re- ports had circulated that Maxim Litvinoff, Russian foreign commissar, had filed a similar protest with the German Ambassador at Moscow. Despite’ the announcement that the ant{-Jewish boycott will not be re- sumed on Wednesday, there were in- dications that commercial discrimina- tion against Jews will continue. It was announced at the Nazi Boycott Committee headquarters that “in the near future all German stores will be supplied with big placards identifying them as such.” From the same source came word that creation of a ‘“National Racial :!uruu” is a possibility in the near fu- ure. quarter i e eastern sec- tion of the city mmbmd by poorer classes was raided today by a large police force, assisted by Naz! auxiliaries. Streets were closed and pedestrians were halted while houses were searched for weapons and papers. ‘Worshipers leaving synagogues were searched and those not carrying double identification cards were arrested. Some printed -matter and a few ‘weapons were confiscated. Protestant Nazis Meet. Protestant Nazis assembled in a na- tional convention here today celebrated the triumph of the Nationalist revolu- tion led by Chancellor Adolf Hitler. “Race purity” was declared to be the guiding principle of the new organiza- tion, known as the “German Christian Movement.” Beginning today, all persons desiring to leave Germany were required to ob- tain permission of the police. Reports of headlong flights of thousands of Jews carrying away | money and other possessions, led to the |action. A considerable sum of money | was reported taken from one group. Conclave Concluded. The Protestant Nazis, concluding a two-day conclave, were told equality for Jews was the promise of a future world | but was not to be expected in Germany. Rev. Mr. Peter, one of the principal speakers, said St. Paul's epistle to the Romans about the equality of the Jew and the Greek l%gued to things spirit- ual and & world beyond but not to this | world, where “race purity” dained by God. Iron crosses were pinned on many of the clergymen. A new ruling in the schools through- out Germany banned the distribution of copies of the German constitution, the | symbol of the now dead republic, to graduating students. Hereafter they will be presented a booklet explaining the significance of the restrictions im- posed on Germany in the Versailles was or- SENATE T0 PROBE PRIVATE BANKERS Gives Banking Committee Widest Possible Power for Investigation. By the Associated Press. ‘The Senate today granted the broad- est power in its possession for an inves- tigation of private bankers, including J. P. Morgan & Co,, by the Banking Committee. ) Without debate, the Senate adopted the Fletcher resolution extending wide powef ‘to the Banking Committee to make the inquiry into private banking which President Roosevelt has spon- sored. Chairman Fletcher of the Banking Committee called up the resolution | which he introduced, and -asked for unanimous consent for its consideration. There was no objection and the author- ity was quickly granted. ‘The resolution was drafted by Ferdi- nnnd Pecora, committee counsel, with a view to obtaining all the Senate’s constitutional power over interstate commerce, banking and tax matters for the committee. Pecora told the committee he had submitted 23 questions to the Morgan firm and that on advice of John W. Davis, its counsel, the banking house had refused to answer one and taken several others under consideration. Davis, in a public statement, has announced Morgan & Co. is willing to co-operate with the committee in an- swering “pertinent” questions. A U.S. Depository V4 i LR VIR TR - i SMALL STORAGE, VAULTS at $2.50 and '$3 per month for luggage, files, records, valuables, readily accessible at Qompang 1140 15th Street Since 1890 [ Beef Stew has new goodness soned with GIII.IJEN 8 i\ Mustard g8 PLUMBING Lowest prices in 25 years. Job work or new installations. Send for Stacy NOW for an esti- mate. 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