Evening Star Newspaper, May 16, 1933, Page 1

WEATHER. (U. 8. Weather Bureau Forecast.) Fair tonight and tomorrow; little change in temperature; gentle, northwest and west winds, becoming variable tomorrow. Temperatures—Highest, 78, at 2 p.m. yesterday; lowest, 60, at 1:45 a.m. today. Full report on Page Closing N. Y. Markets, Pages 14 and 15 A-9. ch WITH SUNDAY MORNING BDITION ¢ Foening Star. The only evening paper in Washington with the Associated Press news service. Yesterday’s Circulation, 121,089 —— Entered as second class matter post office, Washington, D. C. WASHINGTON, , D. C, TUESDAY, MAY 16, 1933—THIRTY- SIX PAGES. sk () Means Associated Press. TWO CENTS. ROOSEVELT ASKS WORLD PLEDGE TO GIVE UP OFFENSIVE ARMS:; SOVIET RECOGNITION REVIVED Message Seen as Plain Talk to Reich. GETS SUPPORT AT CAPITOL| Hull Says Pact Plan| Affects U. S, Marines. By the Assoclated Press. Concerned over threats to peace, President Roosevelt appealed to/ the world today to repudlate: wveapons of aggression and join | ¥or real promotion of 1nu=ma-i gional understanding and eco- pomic recovery. | To the leaders of 54 nations he | eddressed a suggestion for treat agreement against troops cross ing frontier lines. He notified Congress of his ac- tion a few hours later, saying it was impelled by evidence that assurance of “world political and economic peace and stability is "threatened by selfish and shon-: sighted policies, actions and threats of actions.” No Names Mentioned. No names were mentioned, but even | b:fore his words were read to House and Senate, legislators had commented on his move as of particular significance at this time, in view of the declaration of policy Chancellor Adolf Hitler of Ger- many is scheduled to make tomorrow. Tne President’s communication to foreign governments called for aban- | donment of “petty” national aims in | the interest of all people, and warned that unless this is done, the world will know where blame goes. His approach and proposals com- manded immediate support from both parties in the Congress, although here and there comments showed doubt of much concrete result. | Secretary Hull made plain at the ' State Department that the yroposm: treaty against armed troops crossing | frontiers applied decidedly to sending ! of American Marines to Latin Ameri- | can countries, as has been done in the | past. He would not comment on questions as to the sending of a copy of the mes- sage directly to Russia, whose govern- | ment the United States does not recog- ‘ nize. Asks Accord on Four Steps. “The way to disarm is to disarm,” the | President bluntly said in his message | to Congress transmitting the earlier document. | “The way to prevent invasion is to fmake it impossible.” | Thereupon, he summarized: | “I have asked for an agreement | kmong nations on four practical and simultaneous steps | “First, that through a series of steps | the weapons of offensive warfare be eliminated; Second, that the first definite step be taken now; “Third, that while these steps are being taken no nation shall increase existing armaments over and above the limitations of treaty obligations; “Fourth, that subject to existing treaty rights, no nation during the dis- armament period shall send any armed force of whatsoever nature across its own borders.” Belicved Aimed at Germany. Rosevelt's message was immediately Interpreted on Capitol Hill as consti- tuting particularly plain speaking to Germany. the President admonished all foreign potentates to give up “petty” national aims, or the civilized world would know where to place the blame. Dispatched, unheralded, to 54 foreign | eapitals just on he eve of Adolf Hit- ler's expected pronouncement of Ger- man policy, the message was a diplo- matic sensation of first magnitude. It proposed that no armed troops Whatsoever should hereafter cross any| frontier save when a neighbor Lad offended by breaking her armament agreements. Backs MacDonald Plan. | Tt backed the MacDonald proposal for a consultative pact for securlty,‘ which the United States heretofore had | shunned and which France much de- | sires, but it also proposed that all na- | tions hold armament within treaty limits, which France has been accused of failing to do. ) It dencunced foreign invasions at a (Continued on Page 3, Column 3.) AL THOMAS, NAT HURLER, WEDS AT ALEXANDRIA Justice of Peace Officiates at Mar- riage to Miss Alice C. Fleming. Epeclal Dispatch to The Star. | ALEXANDRIA, Va, May 16— Alphonse Thomas, pitcher with the Washington American League base ball team, was married to Miss Alice C. Fleming, 28. by Justice of the Peace Gecrge S. French here at 11:30 o'clock | this morning. Thomas gave his age as 3 Alphonse Thomas Thomas, jr, 33 years old, was born in Baltimore and still resides there with his mother at 3313 St. Paul street. He has been in pprofessional base ball since 1918, when e started pitching for the Buffalo club of the International League. He later pitched for the Baltimore Orioles and | Joined the Chicago White Sox in 1926. The Nationals took him from the White Sox last June. The bride is a Chicago girl whom fThomas met while playing there with the White Sox. She came East yes- terday with the pitcher when he re-g turned with the clzb and stayed with his mother in Baltimore last night .Today Moe Berg, who played Wwith *Thomas on the White Sox, and Le Roy McAfee, also a Chicagoan, accompanied Sheir teammate and his bride to Alex- andria for the ceremonies. The couple will make their home here ardmep Park Hotel. i e Wi Roosevelt’s Arms Statement Message to Heads of 54 Agreement Not to Send Any Armed Force Across Frontier. HE text of President Roose- velt'’s message to the heads of the nations participat- ing in the World Economic and Disarmament Conference fol- lows: A profound hope of the people of my country impels me, as the head of their Government, to address you and, through you, the people of your nation. This hope is that peace may be assured through practical meas- ures of disarmament and that all of us may carry to vietory our com- mon struggle against economic chaos. To these ends, the nations have Nations Calls for General called two great world conferences. The happiness, the prosperity and the very lives of the men, women and children who inhabit the whole world are bound up in the decisions which their governments will make in the near future. The improve- ment of social conditions, the preser- vation of individual human rights and the furtherance of social jus- tice are dependent upon these de- cisions. The World Economic Conference | will meet soon and must come to its conclusions quickly. The world can " (Continued on Page 3, Column 2) | ROOSEVELT MOVES 10 SAVE PARLEYS |Telegrams Indicate Hitler Will Throw Down Gaunt- let to World. BY CONSTANTINE BROWN. A statement of policy as sensational as the 14-point declaration of President Wilson was sent out last night by Presi- dent Roosevelt to all the nations of the world, including Russia. Realizing that the Geneva Limitation of Arms Conference could not succeed without a spectacular move on the part of the American Government, the Presi- | dent dectded that it was his duty to| take the lead and save from disaster both the Disarmament Conference and the London economic parley. President Roosevelt's declaration to the world contains three salient points: It urges the nations gathered at Geneva to accept the MacDonald dis- armament proposal. It rallies the United States to the Franco-British thesis that “no nation should increase its existing armaments over and above the limitations of treaty obligations,” which means that the United States re- fuses to accept the German claim of equality in arms, and proposes that all nations of the world should enter into & | solemn and definite pact of non: aggression. Motive of Vigorous Step. The President decided to take this vigorous step today because telegrams from Berlin indicated that Chancellor Adolf Hitler was going to throw the gauntlet down to the world in his decla- | ration in the Reichstag tomorrow. Europe was awaiting the Roosevelt declaration with mixed emotions. The British and the French talked about re- occupation of the Rhineland; the Ger- mans were expected to defy them. Un- Message to Congress Concerning Appeal To World Nations | was that the sending of the com Rule Approved, Robinson and Borah Say. |CITE NOTE SENT DIRECT TO CHIEF Different View Is Taken by U. S. Officials. Inclusion of Russia among the 54 nations addressed today by | President Roosevelt was hailed by of | Senator Borah, Republican, Idaho, as “the same as technical recognition” of the Soviet govern- | ment. Although the official attitude munication to Moscow constituted neither recognition nor a step to- ward recognition, Senator Joseph Robinson, the Democratic leader, also had said in a statement that ;the act may have the “effect” of | recognition. President Roosevelt's message to Congress concerning his message to the sovereigns and presidents of the principal nations in the world par- ticipating in the Disarmament Con- ference and World Economic Confer- ence follows: “To the Congress: “For the information of the Con- | gress T am sending herewith a mes- sage that I have addressed this morning to sovereigns and presi- dents of those natlons participating in the Disarmament Conference and the World Monetary Economic Con- ference. “I was impelled to this action be- | cause it has become increasingly | evident that the assurance of world | political and _economic _peace snd _ } (Continued on Page 2, Column 3.) CONSIDER REVIVING TREATY COUNCIL [Versailles Pact Signatories| May Act, Depending on Hitler Statement. i By the Associated Press. | PARIS, May 16—The Council of | Ambassadors, the executive body of |the treaty of Versailles, may shortly | resume activity as a result of the con- troversy over the German arms prob- | !lem, it was learned today. | Paris and London are busily discuss- |ing the revival ot the council in an-| | ticipation of renewed applications of | the treaty provisions. The council is presided over by Jules ‘Cambon. veteran French diplomat, and |the United States Ambassador fre-| |less America did something drastic at | the eleventh hour, the situation in Europe may have become extremely | grave and all hopes for a political and Taking advantage of this dangerous |, FOT several years this exccut ™ evoon | state of affairs, the Japanese troops are ;. " gce. ¢ | proceeding according to a well estab- | French Anxiety Allayed. |lished plan and are close to Peiping | Resumption of activity by the council | | and Tientsin, where there are thousands | being discussed in connection with two world-wide declarations, one by | of American, British, French and Italian Chancellor Adolf Hitler of Germany | nationals, to say nothing about the and the other by President Roosevelt. milifary forces of these four nations. | Serious incidents might occur at any | The President, it was said in Govern- moment, and a co-operation in that part | | quently sat as an observer during the i of the world is as necessary as a co- operation in Europe. Hanging the situation on the disarma- ! ment question, the President gave a | gentle hint to the Japanese: “If we ask what the reasons for armaments are * * ¢ it becomes clear that they are two-fold: First, the desire, disclosed or hidden, on the part of governments to enlarge their territories at the expense of a sister nation. I believe that only a small minority of governments or of peoples harbor such a purpose. * * *” Result of Conversations. The President's declaration was not made on the spur of the movement. It is the result of his conversations with Premier Ramsay MacDonald and M. Edouard Herriot. In diplomatic quar- (Continued on Page 2, Column 6.) |“SEAS SOUTH OF JAPAN” TO WITNESS MANEUVERS Grand Exercises Will Begin Early in June, Says Tokio Navy Office. By the Associated Press. TOKIO, May 16.—The navy office formally announced today that the 1933 grand maneuvers will be held in “seas south of Japan,” beginning early in June. The first two months will be devoted to tactical exercises by separate units Fleet maneuvers proper will begin early in August, with practically the entire navy participating under the personal command of the Emperor. The exer- cises will terminate with a grand review off Yokohama August 25. Admiral Mineo Osumi, naval minister, has explained that “there is nothing significant” in the fact that the maneu- vers are being held in waters south of Japan. 'r"s.s:h a big event cannot be staged on the Sea of Japan owing to the lack of space,” he said. el PARIS TO DISCUSS DEBTS PARIS, May 16 (/).—The whole debt problem, the question of the world’s re- turn to the gold standard and the im- pending Economic Conference will be thrashed out Priday in the Chamber of Deputies, which resumed sessians to- day after the Easter holidays. The cabinet threw open the doors to such discussion in order to give the Chamber an opportunity to express what the country really thinks about these problems, H ~ ment circles, was urged by Paris and London to present his disarmament views with an implied, if not outspoken, | common opposition of the powers to | German rearmament and its con- sequences. The 50-minute talk yesterday of Nor- | man H. Davis, American Ambassador | at Large, with Foreign Minister Joseph | Paul-Boncour has allayed French anxiety over German rearmament. Preparation of a common front by the United States, Great Britain and France against German rearming was under way as a result of the conference, whose subject was the Reich's stand on arms, expected to be outlined tomor- row in a speech before the Reichstag by Chancellor Adolf Hitler. Davis to See Daladier. The whole German question was up for consideration by the cabinet today. Davis, meanwhile, will talk with Premier Edouard Daladier, and then go to Geneva to pick up where he left off | while negotiating the tariff trade pro- posal in London. Davis is expected to make a state- ment outlining the United States’ posi- tion after arrival there. A spokesman emphatically declared Davis did not discuss with the foreign minister sanctions which might,be in- voked, but he did counsel, it was understood, & mild stand by France toward Hitler's speech. In that way (Continued on Page 3, Column 1) SENATE APPROVAL |OF SHOALS DUE TODAY House Action on Norris Proposal Before Nightfall Also Re- garded as Possible. By the Assoclated Press. Senate approval of the long agitated Muscle Shoals proposal of Senator Norris, Republican, of Nebraska, was expected today. First on the list of Senate legislative business was the conference agreement on the Tennessee Valley-Muscle Shoals development plan with its big corpora- tion to produce and distribute power and manufacture fertilizer. A vote on the measure was expected almost im- mediately. Quick Senate action on the confer- ence report might permit the House to give its final indorsement before nightfall. “I am not concerned.” said Senator Borah, who has long been an advocate of recognition of Russia, “as to whether the President intended this as recog- nition. I am only concerned with the proposition that its effect is the same as technical recognition. Existence Recognized. “I do not know what the President had in mind as to recognition, but we are now dealing direct with Ri and that is the important fact. We are no longer proceeding upon the theory that Russia does not exist.” Senator Arthur Robinson of Indiana, ! a Republican member of the Foreign Relations Committee, expressed the opinion that formal recognition of Rus- sia by the United States could only be made through definite appointment of diplomatic officers. Other Republicans, who did not want their names used, told reporters they agreed with Senator Joseph Robinson’s statement as to the “effect” of the message to Moscow. Commenting on the fact that the Executive’s message was addressed to Russia, as well as other leading nations of the world, Robinson of Arkansas said: “Whether it is the intention of our Chief Executive in sending the message to the head of the Russian government to recognize the existence of that gov- ernment does not apear on the face of the document, but the action of the President in sending the communica- tion to President Kalinin, particularly in view of implied acknowledgment of conversational relations, it appears to me, may have that effect.” Official Attitude Differs. The attitude in official quarters was to the effect that communicating with Russia in this case not only did not constitute recognition, but also was not to be considered a step toward recog- nition. The cablegram is not the first com- munication to pass between Washing- ton and Moscow under the Soviet. President Wilson sent a message to Jacob Sverdloff, Kalinin's predecessor, 1918 concerning the negotiations which Soviet Russia was making at Brest-Litovsk for separate peace with Germany. In 1921 and 1923 telegrams were sent to Presidents Harding and Coolidge by the Soviet foreign minister concerning American recognition. Replies were made through public statements delivered to Soviet repre- sentatives at Reval, Estonia. When in 1929 the United States in- voked the Kellogg-Briand peace pact in the threatened clash between Russia and China, the American communica- tion was delivered through the French Ambassador at Moscow. The disarmament note of President Roosevelt was sent to Kalinin, instead of to Josef Stalin, the head of the Com- | munist party and real ruler of Russia, because the latter officially holds only a minor government position. The communication was_dispatched €S IN THE SDTEIIIOCRAT 1IC COLUMN LAST FALL SEEMED SOFT BY COMPARISON! RANSOM HOAX CASE 5 GIVEN T0 IR Judge Orders Conviction or Acquittal of Means and “Fox” Together. A jury in District Supreme Court re- tired at 2 o'clock this afternoon to de- cide the fate of Gaston B. Means and Norman T. Whitaker. on trial for con- spiracy to defraud Mrs. Evalyn Walsh McLean of $35,000 in a Lindbergh ran- som hoax. The case was given to the jury after Justice Daniel W. O'Donoghue had in- structed the seven women and five men of the jury that they must acquit or convict both defendants—as a unit If one of the pair is guilty, the court ruled, both are guilty, and if one is innocent, both are innocent. | Turco Objects Vigorously. Justice O'Donoghue, in announcing | this decision, explained that the Gov- ernment’s case had been built on the | hypothesis that only Means and Whit- | aker were in the alleg>d conspiracy. | Joseph A. Turco, counsel for Whitaker, | objected vigorously to the court’s in- terpretation and noted an exception to the ruling. The jury was led from the crowded court room to a nearby jury room and locked up. Luncheon was awaiting it at a long table in the room. The court | did not take the usual luncheon recess, in order to facilitate sending of the | case to the jury. .menc witness in the trial, Turco. coun- sel for Whitaker, charged in District Supreme Court today that Rover was seeking publicity and official favor in| the hope of retaining his job under the new administration. Turco declared it was absolutely un- | necessary for Lindbergh to have been | brought here from California to testify |that his son had been kidnaped and |found dead. He said everybody knew | those facts without Lindbergh's testi- | | mony. | | “Why did Mr. Rover send the De- ! | partment of Justice to yank Col. Lind- | bergh into this court room?" the attor- | ney shouted. | “Wants To Make Impression.” | “He did this because there has been a change in the United States Gov- | | ernment. Roosevelt is President. There |is a new deal on. The Democrats are | in power and Mr. Rover is not a Demo- | crat. He entered office under the Re- | publicans and now he wants to make | an impression. | "“If "he is to leave the district at- | torney’s office in the near future, he | wanted to get all the publicity that is | attached to this case. He doesn't care | about the Lindberghs. He thinks it | will help him keep his job. | hearts of Col. and Anne Lindbergh, nor | of Mrs. Means and Mrs. Whitaker. He | wanted the name of Leo A. Rover em- | blazoned in_the headlines, reopening (Continued on Page 3, Column 5.) Artist Colony Votes Wet. CARMEL, Calif, May 16 (#).—Car- mel artist colony went 3.2 per cent wet as the voters expressed themselves Monday in_favor of permitting sale of the beer which Congress has legalized. The vote was 450 in favor of beer to 259 against. (Continued on Page 2, Column 2.) Approves Tarift Truce. BUENOS AIRES, May 16 (P.—Dr. “He doesn't care about the bleeding Judge Commends Prisoner’s “Most Perfect” English By the Assoctated MIAMI, Fla, May 16.—Leo “perfect English” yesterday and then sentenced to six months in the county jail and fined $100 | | for violating the prohibition laws. Ritter after the judge told him he used “the most perfect Eng- lish I ever heard” said he was a university graduate. After 13 years of legitimate business, he said, he went into the liquor business because of continued unemployment. COMPROMISE MAD - ON'STATE QUOTAS Senate Committee Approves Considering Efficiency in Dismissals. | i Feldman, questioned by Judge i A compromise under which depart- ment heads would have to consider both efficiency and apportionment quotas in selecting employes to be dismissed from | the Government service was written into | |the independent offices appropriations | oill today by the Senate Appropriations | Comnmittee. This was a partial reversal of the action late yesterday of the subcommit- | tee in charge of the bill, which voted | unanimously to strike out entirely tne | | Eouse section which would have re- | quired department heads to have due regard for State quotas in making dis- missals. Part of Injustice Removed. Although the substitute adopted to- | cay by the full committee does not eliminate entirely the consideration of | quotas, it removes some of the injustice of the House provision by requiring that efficlency also be taken into account. The substitute reads as follows: i “Reductions of personnel shall be| made with regard both to efficiency and | to apportionment of appointments by | States, as provided by law.” | This new language was suggested by Senator Hayden, Democrat, of Arizona and it was carried, although some | | members of the committee voted | | against it. Voluntary Retirement. ‘The Sehate committee also changed the section relating to 30-year retire- ment in order to give any employes who have 30 years of service to their credit the right to leave voluntarily and re- ceive a retirement annuity as provided | in the bill | ‘This was accomplished by adopting | the motion of Senator Byrnes, Demo- crat, of South Carolina, to strike out the word “involuntarily.” The House | Felipe Espil, Argentine Ambassador to| | washington, last night was instructed | to inform President Roosevelt that Ar- gentina had agreed to the tariff truce in connection with the World Economic Conference. VOICE SPEAKS FROM THE GRAVE TO REPORT MURDER ATTEMPT Thugs Fire Casket, But Corpse Awakens, Phones Police and Saves Day’s Receipts. By the Associated Press. NEW YORK, May 16—A cheerful voice from the grave phoned the press of the metropolis before dawn today to tell of dark deeds done in the night at, Denville, N. J. “It’s Ray Richards, speaking from his grave at Denville,” said the voice. “I wish to announce that dastards have just tried to murder me in my grave.” “Oh, yes?” said the press. “You're the lad Who's burled in a 7-foot casket 9 feet underground. And Joe Green- berg, who keeps & hot-dog stand just n:&w;ee ;ou. clnrzud the tcotlkI:e u“ dime a) or & lown & tul you. Oh, yes. MMen he sells the folks hot dogs. Oh my, yes.” “This,” sald the voice hurriedly, “is the truth. About 3:30 am. as I lay peacefully in my grave after a hard day. I woke up suddenly because my pillowcase and my right cheek was on fire. “Then I heard voices up above. I hollered for my watchman, Carl Russi, but_there was no answer. Three thugs, as I later found out, had gagged him in the office (hot- dog stand to you). They must have dropped s lighted match or cigarette “Then the face of one of the thugs appeared at the top of the tube. I could see him because I got an electric light down here—and believe you me, he had an awful tough-looking look, & big mouthful of chewing tobacco and all. “He asked for the day's receipts, which he thought I had in the casket, which I didn’t. He said that unless I handed them up pronto he'd pull up the tube and suffocate me in the grave. He said that would save me dough be- cause, being already burled, no funeral would be needed. “And, oh, I forgot to tell you the first thing I done was telephone Chief of Police Benjamin Kinsey, who over in his motor car. The thugs heard the siren and drove away, which the chief was right behind them, firing his gun, but they got away. He said it's a case of attempted murder. They was awful tough mugs, which I would recognize them a week from today, or a year even.” Chief Kinsey, interviewed, said it really was a case of attempted murder. “Publicity stunt? No, sir, I don’t think s0,” he said. “They were all too tough on somebody’s car, because I fired | three shots at it, and I seldom miss.” (Continued on Page 2, Column 5, MAIL FLYER FORCED TO EARTH IN FOG Bill Griffith, “Caterpillar Club” Member, Descends in Al- falfa Field. Bill Griffith, Pennsylvania Airlines mall pilot, who joined the *Caterpillar Club” when he left his plane by the parachute route on the Washington- Pittsburgh mail route early Sunday morning, was reported forced down on the Washington-Cleveland mail route near Hagerstown, Md., early today. Griffith’s mail plane was reported by the Associated Press to be down in an alfalfa field near Hagerstown. The re- gcn stated Griffith was caught in a eavy fog and had to bring his plane down. It was not damaged. Griffith left Washington shortly be- fore midnight Saturday night with his usua® load of mail for Pittsburgh, and was icrced to leave his plane in the darkness over the mountains near Pitts- burgh when his motor failed. The pilot, who has been in the mail service flying out of Washington for about a year, was uninjured in both mishaps. BANDITS BIND FOUR FARMINGTON, Minn, May 16 (®). -—Three robbers who entered the First National Bank before it opened today, overpowered four employes as they came to work and fled with $6,000. The victims were threatened with submachine guns as they arrived and forced into the basement, where they were bound with wire and rope and their mouths closed with adhesive tape. Mrs. Millard WI excited when I got there. If it was, it's | fr | National Bank, the Potomac Savings TWO MORE BANKS Judge Halsted L. Ritter for his | | Chevy Chase Savings Also Is Being Considered as Member. ‘The Northeast Savings Bank and the Woodridge-Langdon Savings & Com- mercial Bank were expected to join the new central national bank some time during the day, according to official in- dications in responsible quarters, The name of the Chevy Chase Sav- ings Bank also entered consideration today for the first time as a probable member of the new merger, although it is known that this bank has had under consideration other plans. Edwin C. Graham, president of the new consolidated bank, planned to confer during the day with the new controller of the currency, J. F. T. O’Connor. B Name Is Suggested. The name of the new bank has been suggested, was being carefully checked today at the Treasury Department and may be officially known before nightfall. These were the outstanding develop- ments in Washington's proposed new large consolidated bank, which was of- ficially launched Saturday night with the prospect of gathering into its fold this week a total of at least 8 or 9 of | the 13 institutions which have been in tl};e hands of conservators since March The conservators and officials of three of the four banks already in the merger officially were busily engaged today in preparing forms to be used in presenting the whole financial prob- lem to their stockholders and de- positors. Four Banks In Nucleus. ‘The four banks in the nucleus of the | merger are the Federal American Na- tional Bank & Trust Co. the District gankk and the Washington Savings ank. Graham, as president of the new in- stitution, has been in conference not only with those representatives of the four institutions already officially in the consolidation, but today he was con- tacting officials of the institutions which it is understood may members within a short time. Graham officially announced that public reaction to the formation of the (Continued on Page 4. Column 3.) — DERN WILL DISCUSS PROBLEMS ON FORUM Secretary of War Will Be Seventh Member of Cabinet to Talk in Series. become Problems facing the War Department will be discussed by Secretary of War Dern tonight at 9:30 o'clock in the Na- tional -Radio Forum, sponsored by The ‘Washington Star and broadcast over a Nation-wide National Broadcasting Co. hook-up. Secretary Dern will be the seventh member of the Roosevelt cabinet to speak over the Forum in a series of talks that have attracted national at- tention. Because of many important question affecting the Army and national defense growing out of the economy program, the address tonight is awaited with ex- treme interest. Dern's first public expression of activ- ties going on at the War Department. Station WRC will carry the program HELD IN SUPPOSED PLOT TO KIDNAP VIRGINIA BABY Chicagoan Seized in Tying of Girl to Tree and Attempting to Get Information. By the Associated Press. NEW YORK, May 16.—Harvey Otis, 22, who said he lived in Chicago, was held without bail for & hearing May 26 in Bay Ridge Court, Brooklyn, today. Otis was arrested May 8 at the re- quest of Virginia authorities. He was charged with participation in the tylag of 13-year-old Caroline Musante to & tree at Fredericksburg, Va., early this month and attempting to get informa- tion about & baby, presumably planning to kidnap the infant. Magistrate Sabatino held Otis with. out bail when he was informed the dis- It will be Secretary SALES TAX BATTLE EXPECTED TO MARK - REVENUE: RATSING {Problem of Financing $3,- 300,000,000 Public Works Program Up to Congress. PRESIDENT SUGGESTS ONLY GENERAL MEANS Message Due Tomorrow Outlining Industrial Reorganization Plans. By the Assoctated Press A stormy fight in Congress over new taxes to finance the Government's $3,- 300,000,000 public building program was Indicated today Powerful opposition, already massed against proposals for 2 general sales tax, led to the belief such a levy would meet with almost certain defeat However, the prcblem is one for Congress to settle. President Roosevelt will send up his message on public works-industrial control tomorrow. He will suggest several methods of taxa- tion, but he will not reccmmend any particular one. After a White House conference yes- terday one Democratic leader said: “The House will not pass a sales tax and from the attitude taken by leaders of the Ways and Means Committee there is little likelinood that the com- mittee will recommend such a levy.” The House declsively rejected the sales tax two years ago. $220,000,000 & Year Needed. The committee of congressional and industrial chieftains, which drafted the measure, suggested a ‘“re-employment tax of 1 to 2 per cent an all sales of industry. The new taxes are needed to Taise $220,000,000 annually to finance interest and amortization charges on the $3,300,000,000 bond issue. Some of the alternative taxes which are to be advanced include an increase in the present 1-cent Federal gaso- line tax: a sales levy on coffee, tea, spices, bananas. pepper and salt: & tax on stock dividends, and & reduc- tion in the income tax exemptions from the present $2.500 allowed mar- ried and the $1,000 allowed single per- 80 ns. _Congressional leaders were called into conference yesterday by the Presi- dent for a study of the taxation fea- tures of the broad measure which, fn addition to its public works provisions, is designed to allow industry to enter into trade agreements for the im- provement of wages and working con- ditions. Difficult to Pass Tax. Senator Robinson of Arkansas, the Democratic leader, expressed the opin- ion later that it would be “difficult to impose a sales tax.” Chairman Har- rison of the Senate Finance Commit- tee sald his committee and the House Ways and Means Committee would be- gin an immediate study of the tax problem. Referring to opinions expressed at the White House meeting. Harrison said: “The attitude generally was that we will take the sales tax if necessary, but we will try to find something else.” ‘The President’s aides have whipped the big bill into final form for sending to Congress tomorrow and Mr. Roose- velt was represented as determined to press the measure to enactment at this session. It will be introduced in the House first. The President's fiscal advisers have decided that to pay interest on and amortize money borrowed for the three- billion-dollar ~ construction program, $220,000,000 a year must be raised in addition to usual Treasury receipts. Insists on Revenue. While no attempt was made at the White House conference to agree on any specific tax, the President did in- sist, with the support of Lewis W. Douglas, director of the budget, that additional revenue be provided to create a sinking fund for the securities with which the building program is to be financed. The discussion was confined, those present said, to forms of taxation and did not go into the other intricacies of the proposed bill, designed to relax the anti-trust laws to permit agreements within industry on wages, working hours and production. Douglas is un- derstood to have told the group that the manufacturers’ tax was the only single levy which would raise the needed money. Suggestions to increase the present normal income tax rates from 4 per cent on the first $4,000 to 5 or 6 per cent and from 8 per cent on incomes above $4,000 to 9 or 10 per cent were made. However, it was said this would not bring in the $220,000,000 needed and would have to be supplemented by other special levies. Organized Labor Opposed. Meanwhile, organized labor was known to be dissatisfied with certain of the provisions relating to working conditions, and at an all-day session & group of prominent manufacturers probed deeply into the probable effects on_industry of these same provisions. From within the closed doors of the meeting of the National Association of Manufacturers' Steering _Committee came report that some members were strongly against the labor clauses, despite the compensating returns to industry through relaxation of the anti- trust laws. At the Federation of Labor it was said President William Green had not seen a copy of the proposed bill and Donald Richberg, attorney for the Assoclation of Railway Labor Execu- tives, who has been one of the drafters, ‘was not regarded there as a spokesman of labor. Another possible objection in Con- gress lay in the anti-trust law changes. Revolting Democrats forced a caucus last week with the intention of putting the House majority on record againsts any loosening of these laws. The move failed, however. i Amusements . Comics Features Finance Radio ... . Serial Fiction ... Soci