Evening Star Newspaper, May 16, 1933, Page 17

BONUS MARCHERS | ASK WHITE HOUSE | 10 EXTEND TIME! Fort Hunt Committee Will Get Roosevelt’s Answer This Afternoon. CONVENTION IS STIRRED BY FACTIONAL STRIFE 1,500 Delegates Assemble at Audi- torium for Opening Session of Convention. An extension of time for the use of | the facilities of Fort Hunt, Va., by the ; eonvention of bonus seekers was re- quested at the White House today by & eommittee frcm the convention, headed by George D. Brady. Under previous errangements the ex-service men were %0 have been the guests of the Govern- | ent until Thursday night. It is not own how much of an extension was asked, but it was believed that the ‘bonus men r::nt to stay at camp| through Saturday. Brady ccnferred for about 15 minutes with Col. Louis McH. Howe, presidential gecretary, and the committee was asked $o return this afternoon for an answer., Delegates Disagree. Factional strife among the delegates had delayed the opening of the con- wvention until late yesterday afternocn, eithdugh it had been planned to start it Saturday morning. The committee members said that in addition to the Jate start they had been notified many ©f the delegates were still on the road. At the first session of the convention %0 be held in the city this morning there * were only approximately 1,500 delegates. The convention is being held today and tomorrow at the Washington Auditorjum. It had been previously ex- that there would be 6,000 to ,000 delegates assembled. While the audience of bonus seekers walted for their committee to return they were entertained by Louis Miller of Brooklyn and his trick dogs, Pal and Jiggs. Shortly after the Bonus Convention mundur way at the Washington Audi- um with George D. Brady as per- manent chairman, a sharp division ap- among the delegates on the :umlon of confining their activities to lemanding the bonus. However, the delegates who favored going after other benefits in addition to the bonus, out- numbered their opponents by a narrow margin in two preliminary skirmishes. Veteran Preferences Urged. The first came on a resolution brought in by the Resolutions Commit- tee veteran preference in all Federal, State, county and city public work. There was a motion to table this Tesolution and when the vote was taken, the chairman announced that the mo- tion to table had failed. The second test of strength came on & second resolution by the same com- mittee demanding socks, shoes and un- derwear to be supplied to the veterans encamped at Fort Hunt, at Govern- ment expense. Again, the vote seemed close, but the chairman ruled that the resolution had been accepted. Brady was elected permanent chair- man by acclamation. There were no other candidates. Emanuel Levin was nominated for permanent secretary by Leslie Parmalee of San Francisco, and at the mention of Levin's name, the delegates “booed” lustily. The name ©of Harold Foulkrod, also placed in nomination, was received with mixed boos and cheers. Brady ruled that since neither of them was present the nominations were out of order. A. Basil Wheeler, the only candidate left, ‘was then elected. By noon the number of delegates had increased substantially, although only 879 had been transported from Fort Hunt by Veterans' Bureau busses. Launcheon was served for the men, con- sisting of sandwiches brought in trucks from Fort Hunt. When the chairman wsked for 18 volunteers to serve the sandwiches several hundred immedi- ately rushed for the job. Report 3-Point Program. ‘The convention got off to a belated btart under a large Army tent yesterday afternoon. After much backing and filling, it got down to the business of sppointing committees on a fusion ticket senting both the majority faction, which now acknowledges George $Brady as its king pin, and the minority group under Mike Thomas. The Con- vention Committee chosen consists of Brady, Albert J. Sellers, Edward J. Wil- llams, John P. Deere, Harold Foulkrod, George Alman and Arthur H. Milton. ‘These same men, with the exception of Foulkrod and Alman, form the Veterans’ National Liaison Committee, which will eontinue in separate existence. Albert Wood, a Thomas supporter, | ‘was elected chairman of the Committee on Rules, Regulations and Proceedings; Brady was chosen chairman of the Cre- dentials Committee, and Mike Thomas | was made chairman of the Resolutions Committee. The Legislative Committee, which will be permanent, was eles but has not yet chosen a chairman. The Resolutions Committee reported $ three-point program as follows: Immediate cash payment of the bonus, With refunds on interest charges. Immediate restoration of compensa- tion and disability allowance cuts to married men earning less than $2,400 i ) | n;?:% and single men earning less | %:‘pén of the demands of farmers |t and the unemployed for immediate relief. P RAINEY AND NYE TO TALK - AT JEWISH CONGRESS F i Sdesions May 20-21 to Hear Dis-' cussion of German Situa- tion. jouncement that an emergency ses- of the American Jewish Congress, be addressed by Speaker Rainey and Sénator Nye will be held at the Willard | Hotel May 20 and 21 was made last t shortly after the formation of the ashington Chapter of the congress' during a_meeting at the Jewish Cam-| munity Center, attended by representa- tives of 50 Jewish organizations. ‘The sessions of the Congress are to| be devoted primarily to a discussion of the German situation and of the World Jewish Congress. ‘The permanent organization formed fast night was an outgrowth of the re-| cent public protest against alleged Nazi rosecution of Jews. Prior to the forma- of the local organization Abraham Goldberg, Jewish writer and spoke. Col. John A. Korman was elected Eruldent of the committee and Zalman enkins, Ben-Zion Emanuel. Morris Garfinckle and Dr. A. Harry Ostrow vice presidents. Morris Klass was elect- ed executive secretary azd Sam Golden treasurer, Archer G. W. U. CO-ED PRACTICES IN POTOMAC PARK. KATHERINE CAMPBELL, Member of the George Washington University archery team, fires a few arrows in Potomac Park, where the team practices. —Star Staff Photo. D. C. PROBE PLANS WILL BE PRESSED Mrs. Norton Seeks Funds for Far-Reaching Inquiry This Summer. Chairman Norton of the House Dis- trict Committee announced today she would make determined efforts this week to ‘'get an appropriation of $2,500 for a far-reacl investigation this Summer of various activities in the Dis- trict. The inquiry would be made by a special subcommittee of the House District Committee, headed by Repre- sentative Palmisano, Democrat, of Maryland. A resolution authorizing the appro- priation is now pending in the House Accounts Committee, and Chairman ‘Warren, according to Mrs. Norton, has indicated he is ready to report the resolution at her request. Senate ap- proval of the resolution is not necessary. No Conflict Seen. Mrs. Norton pointed out that the Palmisano subcommittee investigation would rot conflict with the inquiry the Senate District Committee plans to make of the set-up of the municipal govern- ment with a view to recommending a reorganization. The Palmisano sub- committee’s studies, she said, would not contern itself with the form of gov- ernment in the District, but would be | devoted to various municipal services. The rent situation as well as the rates and services of the public utility corporations also might be included in the scope of the investigation. ‘The inquiry, Mrs. Norton declared, D. | would be made along constructive lines in the hope it would result in increased economy and efficiency in the municipal government. Plans to Organize. Mr. Palmisano plans to organize his investigating committee and map out plans for the inquiry as soon as the House appropriates funds. It is likely hearings will be held at least once & week during the Summer in the District Committee room of the House or at such other places where records might be_more accessible. Since announcement of the investi- gation, Mr. Palmisano said the only complaints he has received from resi- dents of the District concerned rentals. Baby Carriages Sought. An urgent appeal for baby carriages and one gas range for families of desti- tute ex: men was issued today by the District Chapter, American Red Cross. The chapter asks those wishing to donate the articles to telephone Na- tional 1910, branch 243, and the dona- on will he called for. he Foe L ingy 5 T WASHINGTON, D. C, TUESDAY, MAY 16, 1933. TOM HARVEY, VETERAN COURT TESTIMONY OF U.3. IN TRIPLE SLAYING - TRIAL COMPLETED Jury in Donaldson Case Hears Boy, 11, Tell of Murders. LEAPED FROM WINDOW TO ESCAPE BULLETS Defense Attorneys Stress Portion of Child’s Story That His Uncle Looked “Crazy.” Government testimony in the murder trial of Charles Donaldson, ¢2, former night engineer at police headquarters. was completed today in District Su- preme Court after a jury had heard Luttrell Donaldson, 11-year-old nephew of the defendant, describe details of the triple killing of his father, brother and sister. The shooting occurred January 5 at the Donaldson home, 923 Mary- land avenue southwest. N neerased uncle, turned i tvo heir father, Silas Donaldson, 25 he rushed to the defense of his children. The indictment on which the present trial is based charges the mur- der of the father. Leaped From Window. falteringly, Luttrell described how hl:hllnclz mk; into the room where he, George, Mary and their younger brother, Allan, 8, had locked themselv d firing. The boy said he l‘entpedb?r‘:m the window to escape the flying bullets. ‘Mary came to the room in which he slept with his two brothers, Lauttrell related, and told l;,hem that “Uncle Charley has got his guns” 'rheqde{endfit had threatened Mary before, Luttrell testified, because he did not think she should go out so much and did not approve of & youth with whom she ated. When the girl sought refuge in the boys' room, Luttrell said, George locked the door. A.few minutes later their uncle knocked and demanded entrance. When he was refused, Luttrell declared, he went away and came back with his two revolvers. He then is sald to have broken down the door and ordered them all out of the house. “You're crazy,” Luttrell quoted George “"Thy;nl'he shot George and then he shot Mary,” the boy continued. “And I jumped out of the window.” Under cross-examination by Henry Schweinhaut and Lucian Vandoren, at- torneys for Donaldson, the boy said his uncle was always kind to him when he was sober, often giving him and his brothers and sisters presents. The de- fendant also got along well with Mr. and Mrs. Silas Donaldson, the boy ad- mitted. Uncle Looked “Crazy.” The defense attorneys emphasized portions of Luttrell's testimony in which the boy said his uncle looked “crazy,” giving indication of a probable insanity defense. Dmgtlve Sergt. Richard J. Cox, the first officer to reach the scene of the shooting, said he found the defendant standing in the hall and his dying brother on his hands and knees at the foot of the steps. Donaldson admitted the shooting, Cox testified, and Mary, who at that time had not lapsed into unconsciousness, pointed her finger at her uncle and said, “My uncle shot me and the rest of us. He's no good.” Yesterday, the opening day of the trial, Mrs. Silas Donaldson gave a sim- {lar account of the triple murder. She said the family had planned to move the next day because of trouble her husband had mmwhh his brother, who | boarded with E BEES STILL BUZZING PROTEST AT EVICTION Swarm Believed to Have Lost Queen as Result of Firemen’s Efforts, Howeyer. A few bees still were buzzing abcut the home of J. J. Gall, 1432 Fairmont street, today and it is thought that they may have lost their queen in yester- day’s eviction fight with firemen. The trouble started when the large swarm, numbering thousands or gal- lons, gathered about the front of the Gall residence. Mrs. Gall went outside to investigate the humming and locked herself out. Police, asked to do bees, turned the matter With a fire hose and insect spray members of Engine Company 11 fin- to the bees, but only one casualty to the nrex;en_ A spray gun worker was stung on_the £ Today the Galls announced remnants of the bee tribe were flying absut the house in bewildered and they believe these will soon decide to depart. Highway Coffee Barred. Middlesex County, mgmd. barred coffee booths from highways. FORMER ATTORNEY FOR McLEAN SENTENCED ON CHECK CHARGE|, . Frank Calvert Brooke, at One Time Wealthy, Gets| Lightest Possible Sentence. ' Prank Calvert Brooke, 47, said to be | s member of a well-known Virginia family, at one time an attorney for the Edward B. McLean interests in Vir- ginia and the possessor of a large for- | Street tune, was sentenced to 60 days in jail in Police Court today for writing & bad check for $7.50 in' Washington. In passing sentence on the gray- haired former barrister, Judge Gus Schuldt said. he was imposing W penalty “consistent with the acts.” Brooke was convicted of giving the urious check to Gurnie O. Brock of the.2000 block of Fifteenth street. In return, he received $5 in cash and $2.50 in_merchandise. Testifying in his own behalf, Brooke said he had given the check only be- cause he feared. his wife and ldin chil- Seen Sl Savertiti g on & som A the mission basis, but had been able wl make only a few dollars a month. For the past few months he had been unable to pay the rent on his apartment in the 1400 block of s Brooke and local charities knew | ished the bees with great loss of life g REPORTER FOR THE Well Known Newspaper Man for Nearly 40 Years Was Il Two Months. Funeral Will Be at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church Thursday. Thomas M. Harvey, veteran court reporter for The Evening Star, and one of the best known figures in Wash- ington’s legal circles, died about 3:15 o'clock this morning in his apartment at 4700 Connecticut avenue. At the suggestion of W. W. Millan, president of the District Bar Associa- tion, Chief Justice Alfred A. Wheat di that the death of Mr. Harvey be alized with an appropriate entry in the minutes of the District Su- preme Court. Entry Asked of Court. Mr. Millan appeared before Justice Wheat early this afternoon. He said: “It has come to my attention that Mr. Thomas M. Harvey, who for more than 40 years has been known and held in esteem by the judges of this court and most of the members of the bar, died this morning. “Therefore, with your honor's ap- proval, I suggest that an appropriate entry of this fact be made in the minutes of the court.” “I will direct that it be done,” Jus- tice Wheat replied. “Mr. Harvey en- deared himself to all of us by his many likeable and personable qualities.” Mr. Harvey had been {ll for about two months. Twice in March he un- derwent operations in Providence Hos- pital, and was belleved by his family to have been making marked progress toward recovery. Mr. Harvey had covered the court house for The Star for nearly 40 years, giving the reading public of Washing- ton graphic accounts on divorces, mar- riages, murder trials, suits and all other important legal proceedings that make up the daily routine of the District Supreme Court and the Court of Ap- peals. He was regarded as a walking encyclopedia of past performances of lawyers, judges and criminals. His memory carried a perfect panoroma of bygone days all the way from the time he saw Charles J. Guiteau, slayer of President Garfield, taken out of a side door of the court house to be hanged. Was Friend of Judges. ‘Theodore Roosevelt was a civil serv- ice commissioner, and Justice Peyton Gordon a mere title clerk at the court house when Mr. Harvey took up his reportorial duties there for The Star. He fraternized easily with all the STAR, DIES THOMAS M. HARVEY. judges and had been able to call every chief justice the District Supreme Court had in the last 40 years by his first name. Mr. Harvey “broke” into the news- paper fraternity by way of a legal paper called the Real Estate and Court Rec- ord in July, 1891, following his gradu- ation from Georgetown University with an A. B. degree. At 21 he was editor of this paper. In January, 1894, he joined The Star staff and ever since contributed to this paper’s printed pil- lars of court house proceedings. Mr. Harvey was born August 31, 1869, son of the late Thomas M. Harvey, founder of the nationally known Har- vey's Restaurant. In the public schools of Washington he received his ele- mentary education and completed the secondary step in Georgetown, where he was a member of the institution's centennial class. Holy Name Soclety Member. Mr. Harvey’s home life and his re- ligious activities occupied virtually all of his periods of relaxation from his court house duties. His only affillations were with the Catholic Church. He was a member of the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Chevy Chase and the Holy Name Society. At one time he was president of the Holy Com- forter branch of the Holy Name Society. Mass will be said at the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church Thursday torning at 10 o'clock. Burial will be in_Mount Olivet Cemetery. Mr. Harvey is survived by his widow, Mrs, Katharine B. Harvey; three daugh- ters, Miss Katharine Maurita Harvey, Mrs. Carl J. Bock of Birmingham, Mich., and Mrs. Vincent D. Callanan | of Lakeland, Fla.; a son, Herbert Noyes Harvey. and two sisters, Mrs. Clara Wheatiey of Chicago and Mrs. Mae Castell. PROGRAM FIXED BY TRADE BOARD Elaborate Entertainment Schedule Prepared for Shad Bake Saturday. An elaborate entertainment program for the annual shad bake of the Wash- & Board of Trade, which is to be el announced today by Hollls B. Fritts and Preston W. Perkinson, chairman and vice chairman, respectively, of the Entertainment Committee for the affair. ‘The program starts with two pro- fessional wrestling bouts, under direc- tion of Joe Turner. Turner will face Dutch Greene in one of these, while the other contest will be Bakash and George Kattia. This event is in charge of J. Mitchell Owens and Jerome Barnard of the Shad Bake Com- mittee. Boxing Events Slated. ‘The Corbett Athletic Club and the Northeast Boys' Club will compete in a series of boxing events, which will be under supervision of Frankie Mann, with Charlie Short as referee. Con- testants will include Joe Green, Jules Murell, Naj Nolan and Bill Howard of the Corbett Club and Willie Feary, Reds Hewitt, Craton Allan and Pete Buoniviril of the Northeast Club. Gran- ville Gude and Joseph C. McGarraghy are in charge of this event for the Shad Bake Committee. ‘The 6th United States Marine Re- serve Brigade Band, commanded by Lieut. Col. J. J. Staley and conducted by Lieut. Leon Brusiloff, will provide concert music throughout the day. The music program is in charge of T. B. Amiss and Elmore T. Burdette. Five Prizses Offered. Five prizes await winners in a golf tournament which will be held on the Annapolis Roads Club course. Archie K. Shipe and William R. Ellis are mak- ing arrangements for this contest. Other events, with contestants com- peting for handsome prizes, include trap shooting, in charge of Ernest F. Gude, George A. Emmons and William B. Coombs; horseshoe pitching, in charge of C. Emory Hall and William . Lanham; base ball game between members of the Membership and Public Order Committees of the Board of FIELD OF CANDIDATES NARROWS TO FIVE al Men Among Those Being Considered for Public Printer. With the fleld of candidates now limited to five, two Washington men are under consideration for appoint- ment as public printer, it was said today in an authoritative guarter. They are Cornelius Ford, who was public printer under President Wilson, and James Willam Bryan. The latter has been active in Democratic circles , Tennessee. the selection will be post 15 now held by George H. Boys to Stage Prom. The last social event of the season for the ' Club of Washington, the Northeast ’ Club and the George- Boys’ b will be a Spring prom Boys' Club of Washington gym- 230 Prida; made ‘The at Bay Ridge, Md., Saturday, was | between Al | POLLARD DEFENDS STATE POLICE USE Virginia . Executive Answers Labor’s Protest in Galax Strike. By the Associated Press. RICHMOND, Va, May 16.—Gov. | Pollard, answering protests against use of State police and possible use of militia in the Galax Furniture strike, last night telegraphed a special com- mittee of the Virginia Federation of without consulting the Governor, and that without the State police it “would have been called for in three parts of | Virginia within the past week.” “Those who like you and myself de- plore the use of military in time of | peace ought to be thankful that we have a statute which provides for additional necessity of calling out troops may be avolded,” the Governor said. Move in Public Interest. “But for the use of this statute, troops would have been called for in three parts of Virginla within the last week. I feel certain that upon knowl- edge of the facts and the law you will agree that the action taken is in the public interest.” The Governor said the police were to prevent development of a situation which might necessitate military action and that if used at Galax, “they protect equally the rights of the fac- tories and the strikers.” ‘The Governor was criticized by speak- ers at the federation convention yester- day, who said he had declined to as- sume there would be lawlessness at the bonus army camp at Fort Hunt and asked why he did not take the same position with reference to Galax. Prepared for Trouble. In his telegram the Governor said he would not assume lawlessness, but that authorities would be prepared to sup- press it should it arise. The chief executive did not explain his statements that the militia would have been called at three places in Vir- within the last week except for the State police. The police have been on duty in the Fort Hunt area where the bonus army is encamped on Fed- eral property. No_militia units have been called, but Danville and Roanoke units have been instructed to hold themselves in readiness for duty should their-aid be requested by civil authorities. ‘The Governor told the federation in his telegram last night that under Vir- ginia law a sheriff can call out troops without consulting BALLANTINE LEAVES POST AT TREASURY Dean Undersecretary Successor, Acheson, Not Yet Labor that the militia could be called | police in cases of emergency so that the | ALLEY DWELLING MEASURE CHANGES ARE AGREED UPON Bride and Grant Decide Upon Several Revisions in Legislation. SENATE DISTRICT GROUP TO RECEIVE PROPOSALS One Would Relieve D. C. Govern- ment of Financial Burden—Op- tional Methods Proposed. A new draft of the measure to pro- vide for abolition of Washington's alley dwellings was decided upon at a con- ference at the District Building today between Corporation Counsel W. W. lBHde and Lieut. Col. U. S. Grant, 3d, representing the Park and Planning 1 Commission. measure were agreed to, ported. These will be outlined tomor- row before the Senate District Com- mittee when consideration of the meas- ure is to be resumed. One of the EDl"l:‘nr’g, it was md{ I‘?uld relieve the government of responsibility for bearing the financial cost of pro- posals for replacing dilapidated alley structures with new structures. Under the proposed new bill, an appropria- tion would be made by the Federal Government. Optional Methods Urged. Another important new proposal would be to permit selection ofp oxl))emut two different methods for ‘abolition of alley dwellings, the selection to be left to the authority vested with control of the whole program. the original bill provided for condemning alley dwellings, their razing and the building of new struc- tures, the revised plan suggests as an alternative the conversion of “blind end” alleys into narrow, but through streets. This latter plan involves condemna- tion of what d is needed to extend an alley from street to street. This is designed to eliminate the present con- cealed aspects of many of Washing- | ton's alley dwelling sections. Laid Before Commissioners. The plans involved in the proposed new bill were laid before the Commis- sioners at noon today, but it was not expected they would act officially in the matter at this time. Under one plan, favored by the Park and Planning Commission, Congress will make available $500,000 of Fed- eral money ining from the war- time work of the United States Hous- ing Corporation, to be used to start ley the reconstruction of alley areas. The President would designate some agency to buy all property, rebuild it for dwelling or commercial purposes and then sell to make the projects self- liquidating. Until yesterday this pro- cedure was the main feature of the bill. During a lengthy conference yester- day afternoon with a subcommittee composed of Senators Capper of Kansas and Austin of Vermont, Cor- poration Counsel Bride and other mu- nicipal officials urged the inclusion in the bill of authority for the Commis- sioners to convert as many of the al- leys as possible into minor streets by cutting them through from street to street and assessing part of the cost ;gumu t surrounding property as bene- Col. Grant and T. S. Settle, repre- senting the Park and Planning | Commission, contended the plan of clearing out and rebuilding the alley areas is the best soiution. Mr. Bride and District Surveyor Melvin C. Hazen argued many of the alleys could be converted into 30-foot streets and made satisfactory at little cost. ‘The original bill, embodying the Park Commission's plan, contemplated annual appropriations of $500.000 for 10 years to eliminate gradually all of the 188 inhabited alleys, the first in- stallment to come from the Housing tion’s unexpended balance. amount involved in the complete pro- gram would be too much, and also sald the District does not want to go into avolded. Appropriation Provided. Mr. Settle pointed out that the origl- nal bill contemplates appropriation of Federal money for purchasing and re- building the alley areas, the funds to be reimbursed as the rebuilt properties are sold. He suggested the District government could ask for any changes will | it needs in the street condemnation law to enable the city to open up some of the alleys into minor streets, and let the other plan of acquiring and re- building go forward in other alleys. Mr. Bride said that if the whole project is to be carried out and the entire amount appropriated by the Federal Government, of course, the District government would have no objection. Senator Austin also voiced the belief that the bill might go through more quickly if it provided for a smaller amount, to make a start, instead of authorizing the entire program. Revision Suggested. It was finally suggested by the sub- committee that the bill be revised to make possible the carrying out of both plans, namely, the changing of some alleys into minor streets by the District, and the purchase and rebuilding of the areas in which other alleys are located. The Senate District Committee, at town take up the King bill to District powers of the in the drafting of municipal ordinances. Will Hold Dance at Laurel. LAUREL, Md., May 16 (Special) —A dance will be given by Laurel Post, American Legion, tomorrow night in the National Guard Armory here, starting at 8:30 o'clock. Several important changes in the | it was re- | Mr. Bride expressed fear that the. the real estate business if it can be| Hurt in Crash TUCKERMAN PITCHED TO STREET AS AUTO SKIDS. MRS. WALTER R. TUCKERMAN Of Bethesda, Md., prominent in social { and charity affairs of Washington, who was slightly injured this morning when the automobile in which she was a passenger skidded against the curb at Wisconsin avenue and Jennifer street, | throwing her through a door to the | pavement. Mrs. Tuckerman was admitted to Emergency Hospital, where she was ex- pected to remain overnight for treat- ment of minor cuts about the body, bruises and shock. Mrs. Tuckerman's husband, Walter R. ‘Tuckerman, Washington real estate dealer, was driving when the accident occurred. ~Mr. Tuckerman said the machine skidded on the wet pavement. .. CLERKS PUSH BATTLE ON RENTS I!Hold Mass Meeting Tomor- row Night—Milk Situation Also to Be Reviewed. Furthering the campaign for reduced rents in the District, the American Federation of Government Employes at 8 p.m. tomorrow will hold a mass meet- ing at Central High 8chool. ‘The milk situation, in view of the pending price probe, also is to come up for discussion. The speakers will be Senator Capper, Republican, of Kansas; Representative Randolph, Democrat, of West Virginia; Leo E. George, president of the Na- tional Federation of Post Office Clerks, end James G. Yaden, president of the Federation of Citizens’ Associations. In connection with the rent situa- tion, the federation today made public figures which, it was explained, came from Government sources, showing that in the four years from 1928-32, rents in more than one-half of 32 principal cities had decreased 20 per cent or more, while in Washington the cut was but 6.5 per cent. These four years were cited, it was explained, because the 15 per cent Federal wage cut is predicated upon the decline in living costs for the corresponding period. In the calculation, the years 1914 or 1917 are used for bases. In Washington, it was said, the ad- vance from 1914 to December, 1928, was 131 per cent, and in December, 1932, it still amounted to 1225 per cent. | While this was a difference of 8.5 per cent, the rate of decline was only 6.5. THRIFT SHOP SHOWS PROFIT DURING YEAR Mrs. | Arthur O0'Brien Reports $1,000-a-Month Net for Charitable Enterprise. A report showing the Thrift Shop enjoyed a net profit of $1,000 a month during the past year despite the de- pression was submitted to Mrs. Arthur O’Brien, chairman, at the annual meet- ing of its Board of Directors yesterday. ‘The Thrift Shop is a permanent sales | organization maintained by the Wom- | en’s Boards of Children’s Hospital, Co- | lumbia Hospital, Children’s County | Home, the Child Welfare Society and the Junior League, to earn money for children’s charities operated by those organizations. Merchandise donated to the organization is sold in the shop at 1011 E street. | Mrs. O'Brien was named chairman | for the ensuing year. Vice chairmen | named to represent all the organiza- tions participating in the charity are Mrs. Victor Cushman, Mrs. J. Blaise de Sibour, Mrs. Barry Mohun, Mrs. Thomas B. Sweeney and Mrs. Archi- bald Davis. Mrs. John Calvert was named treasurer to succeed Mrs. Frank Hight, while Mrs. John W. Gulick was selected as secretary and Mrs. Randall Hagner recording secretary. Mrs, John R. Williams, Mrs. Frank C. Letts, Mrs. Mohun, Mrs. McCook Dunlop and Mrs. Marion Ramsay were appointed to head the various committees. ALUMNAE FETE NURSES Graduates Emergency Hospital Guests at Luncheon. Nurses who will graduate this month from Emergency Hospital Training School were guests of honor at a lunch- eon given yesterday at the Russian Trolka by the Emergency Hospital Alumnae Association. Miss Louise Famigletta and Mrs. Elias Gelman pre- sided. This year’s class at Emergency is the largest in its history, with 43 members. COURT CASE VAINLY SOUNDED; DEFENDANT CAN’T BE LOCATED , Jail Records Found at Fault—Detectives Ordered to Search for Missing Prisoner. PAGE B—1 VETERANS' SLASHES WILL BE TESTED IN U. S. CLAIMS COURT Repudiation of “Contracts” Made in War Charged by Complainant. $10,000 INSURANCE POLICY FULL PAYMENT IS ASKED Action Is Filed on Behalf of Es- tates of Texas Resident and Son, Insured Ex-Service Man. A test case to determine whether Congress in the economy act has re- pudiated in time of peace “contracts” which it made with its soldiers in time of war has been filed in the United States Court of Claims by William Wolff Smith, former general counsel of the Veterans’ Administration, in behalf of R. A. McBean of Dallas, Tex., ad- ministrator of the estates of Eldridge Anderson, an insured veteran, and | Charlie Ford Anderson, his father and | the beneficiary of his Government war risk insurance policy. In the petition it 1s set out that the Veterans’ Administration because of the economy act has refused to pay the insurance, as it was “yearly re- newable term insurance.” Converted insurance policies are not involved in the matter. The Court of Claims is asked to authorize payment to the veteran's estate of the $10,000 insurance policy in full, as it was in effect at the time of the veteran’s death. Thousands of Claims Dropped. ‘Thousands of similar claims which had been pending when the economy act was passed are understood now to have been dropped by the Veterans' Adtmi.nmntlm use of the economy act. The petition in the test case points out that the soldier in question was dis- charged from the Army August 1, 1919, and on August 25, 1919, was taken to a hospital and died October 28, 1919, at Cooper, Tex. It is further alleged that the Veterans' Administration had found the veteran, Anderson, to have become totally and permanently dis- abled from disabilities due to his mili- tary service, beginning with August 25, 1919, at which time his insurance policy was in force by reason of the payment of premiums. Maj. Smith sald that “except for the passage of the economy act there is no doubt that this claim for $10,000 insurance would have been paid by the Veterans' Administration, as we all seem to be in accord that the veteran and his beneficlary were entitled to the insurance, but it is one of the 25,000 claims which were pending in the administration when all action on such claims was suspehded. The Vet- erans’ Administration has taken the position that no matter how meritorious a claim may be it cannot now allow and pay same and that the economy act closed the doors of all courts to such claimants. Over 6,000 Meritorious. “Of the 25,000 claims pending when the bar fell, according to the Veterans' Administration, it is conservatively es- timated that from 6,000 to 8,000 claims were unquestionably meritorious, in- cluding those of many beneficiaries where the veteran died in the service or, ike Anderson, after leaving the service but while his policy was in force through the payment of pre- miums. Under conditions existing prior to March 20, 1933, these claims would have been paid by the Veterans' Ad- ministration or under a judgment of a court. “Bearing in mind that these men not only served their country in time of war, but out of their scanty pay, in addition to making allowances to their families and buying Liberty bonds, paid premiums for their insurance under a contract with the Government which they were defending, it is unthinkable that Congress deliberately intended to deny them a right to have their claims heard and adjudicated by the courts, which are open to every other indi- vidual, partnership or corporation con- tracting with the United States. Opened Claims Court Doors. “It is therefore our belief that if and when Congress closed the doors of the courts lously open to such veterans, as Veterans’ Adminis- tration holds it did, it at the same time opened the doors of the Court of Claims which has jurisdiction over suits against the United States found- ed ‘upon any contract, express or im- plied, with the Government of the United States.’ “We therefore chose this case, con- cerning the merits of which there can be no dispute, to give the Veterans' Administration the opportunity, if it | so desires, to test the jurisdiction of the Court of Claims, and to deter- mine the question of whether Congress intended to, and did repudiate in time of peace the obligations of the United States on contracts which it made with its soldiers in time of war. Such ac- tion would be unconscionable, and we do not believe that Congress intended to or actually did position. ! put the Government in such a o M’CARL OVERTURNS DIPLOMATIC LEAVES Ruling Finds Foreign Service Officers Ineligible for Sixty- Day Leaves. The leave system used by the State Department for foreign service officers was upset today in a ruling by Con- troller General McCarl, who held these officers are not eligible for the 60-day leave to which the law entitles them until they have actually reached their post of duty. McCarl's decision was in response to a letter from the Secretary of State. He explained that, until leave was sus- ?mded by the economy act of 1932, the ore!