Evening Star Newspaper, January 31, 1935, Page 2

A—2 % CONFEREES ON PAY PLAN MEET TODAY Possibility of Report Ap-| proval This Afternoon Seen in Both Houses. With both branches of Congress on record for restoration of the last 5 per cent of the Government pay | cut on April 1, House and Senate; conferees will meet this afternoon to iron out a few other details of the| urgent deficiency measure. | As soon as the House and Senate | approve the conference report, which ; does not affect in any way the pay | amendment, the deficiency resolution | will be ready to go to the White| *House, where presidential approval is | expected. | If the conferees adjust the other {tems in the resolution early this aft- ernoon there may be time to have the | conference report ratified today. In| any event, the measure is likely to be | on the President’s desk within a few | days. | Enactment of this proposal means a return to basic salaries throughout the Government service three months earlier than had been expected. While | friends in Congress of the Government | employes wanted the 5 per cent re- stoerd as of January, they decided to accept the April 1 compromise rather than run the risk of having the entire issue held up. { Meanwhile, Senator McCarran, Democrat, of Nevada, who led the | fight for pay restoration, made known | he will continue his efforts to elimi- nate some of the other limitations in | the economy law, such as the ban | on promotions and reallocation of positions under the classification act. | Employes Gratified. The House action on the pay res- toration legislation brought expres- sions of satisfaction from the Na- tional Federation of Federal Employes and the American Federation of Gov- ernment Employes, which had been working toward this end. | The former. in a statement. said | both branches of Congress now had | recognized the “injustice” of the pay cut, and expressed the view President | Roosevelt would sign the measure | *“without delay.” | It was added that “with this legis- | lation disposed of. it now is possible for | the National Federation to devote all | of its energies to other vitally needed | reforms, especially with respect to the strengthening of the merit system.” Held Practices “in Line.” The Federation of Government Em- | ployes, an affiliate of the American | Federation of Labor, said the cam-| paign for pay restoration was sought | - only to correct an injustice to| Government employes. but to serve the | cause of all the working men and; women in America. by bringing the! practice of the Government in line with its vrotestations. | T What’s What Behind News In Capital Ickes Rumors Again Current, But President Seems Unchanged. BY PAUL MALLON. HE rumor is going around again that Secretary Ickes has | reached the end cf his tether | and soon will seek other | pastures. A congressional wish is probably the father of that thought. If congressional antagonism to Mr. Ickes has made Mr. Roose- velt think any less of him, the Presi- dent is keeping it very mach to him- self. All signs indicate that it really has made him like Mr. Ickes more. That is not true of some of Mr. Roosevelt's closest White House as- sociates, who share the congressional viewpoint, in moderation. The hush is supposed to be on the stamp matter. Postmaster Gen- eral Farley’s spokesmen have just about confessed the facts, indicated that he was victimized by friends and are hoping every one will for- get it The facts seem to be that Sunny Jim took about 10 sheets of stamps in all. He paid the regular price for them, 3 cents per stamp, probably about $60 in all. They may now be worth $100,000 in the philatelic trade, which apparently is not on the gold standard, but fixes its values on the obsolete law of supply and de- mand in defiance of Mr. Morgen- thau's gold price policy. However, Mr. Farley's people contend few, if any, of his friends violated his ad- monition not to sell them, and that the trade will never see them. His political opponents may not permit him to forget about the mat- ter, but strong inside forces are at work to smooth it over, and it will not happen again Secrecy Over Silver. It 1s not possible to give an exact line on what will happen in silver. The silver agitators in and out of Congress are trying to cook up some- thing, but so far they have had no fire under their kettle. The Treasury is trying to becloud its activities with secrecy, but is not succeeding. One week recently it | purchased more silver than in an\'{ previous week. Yet the insiders all‘ know more gold is coming in con- stantly and the Treasury is not getting any closer to the proposed ratio of | 25 per cent with gold. Indeed, it has | THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, THURSDAY, JANUARY 31, 1935. President’ Birthday Ball in Capital Draws Distinguished Gathering | been purchasing silver very carefuily | |in London since the Chinese protested | | that we were draining their money. | | Purchases may be stepped up as far as Your Income Tax No. 3—Miss Prances Robinson “Robbie” of N. R. A. fame, arriving Hundreds of notables of official and social life of Washington were Personal Exemptions. In addition to the personal exemp- tion of $1,000 for single persons and $2.500 for married persons living to- gether and for heads of families, a taxpayer is entitled to a credit of $400 for each dependent, defined by income tax law and regulations as a person | ,under 18 years of age or incapable of | self-support because mentally or phys- | jcally defective. The term “mentally | or physically defective” means not | only cripples and those mentally de- | fective, but persons in ill health and | the aged. | In order to be entitled to the $400 credit, the taxpayer must furnish the | dependent his or her chief support. | The credit is based upon actual finan- | cial dependency and not mere legal dependency. For example, a father whose children receive half or more | of their support from a trust fund or other separate source is not en**1e " ! to the credit. Neither relationship nor residence is a factor in the allowance of the £400 credit for a dependent. The tax- payer and the dependent may be resi- dents of different cities. If husband and wife both contribute to the sup- port of a dependent the $400 credit may be taken by the one contributing the chief support and may not be di- | vided between them. ! A single person who supports in his home an aged mother is entitled not only to the $400 credit for a depend- ent, but also to the personal exemp- tion of $2.500 as the head of a family. | A widower supporting under similar | circumstances a dependent child under 18 years of age also is entitled to the personal exemption of $2,500 as the head of a family, plus the $400 credit for a dependent Under the revenue act of 1934 both the personal exemption and the credit for dependents are required to be pro- rated where the statu of the taxpayer | changed during the year. Congress in Brief By the Associated Press. TODAY. Senate. ‘Takes up amendments to farm | eredit laws. Agriculture Committee confers on | cotton exports. Judiciary Subcommittee hears William Green. president of American Federation of Labor, on 30-hour week | bill. Munitions Committee seeks identity of alleged “fixer” of shipbuilding contracts. Finance Committee continues social security hearing. House. Acts on conference report on Re- construction Finance Corp. extension measure. Considers Treasury-Post Office ap- propriation bill. Ways and Means Committee con- siders economic security. Military Committee scanned na- tional defense measures. YESTERDAY. Senate. Passed ‘“baby bond” bill widening bonding authority of Treasury. Sent crop loan bill to conference. Confirmed Frank R. McNinch as chaitman of Federal Power Commis- sion, Finance Committee studied social security. Agriculture Committee heard Sec- yetary Wallace outline cotton export lan. pApproprinuom Committee consid- ered work-relief. Witnesses before Munitions Com- mittee charged collusion in ship con- struction bids. House. Completed congressional action on independent offices aeppropriation. House and Senate conferees agreed on R. F. C. extension measure. Ways and Means Committee studied social security. Military Committee called hearings on Army increase and aviation border defense measures. - | window. possible until Congress adjourns and | then the Treasury may ease up. i The best guess now is that the| existing situation is likely to drag on | for a year or two, or three, and Lhat.] in the end, the silver purchase act| will be repealed. That is only a long- | range guess. A leading New Dealer has told his friends very much on the Q. T. that Attorney General Cummings was mot so wromg as every onme thought when he said negotiations for currency stabilization were un- . der way with Great Britain. { This unquestionable authority said the New Dealers were actually dicker- | ing with London for a de facto sta- bilization which would not involve a written or public agreement. Britain is supposed to have balked because of uncertainty of Supreme Court action No separate agreement was contem- plated with any of the gold bloc countries. Shyness to Continue. This may not be as important as the New Dealers thought. Britain will continue to shy away from stabi- lization for a long time yet. The old Treasury idea of balancing foreign trade with silver purchases ! appears to have gone quietly out the | The Chinese protest would | have blocked such a move, if other | technical protests from the inside had not. . The latest on Japan is that she i8 again trying desperately to revive something in the nature of the old Anglo-Japanese alliance, but the Anglo end of it won’t ally. The outside job which A. A. A.-er Chester Davis is going to take July 1 is with the American Maize Co. The | public excuse is more money, which | may or may not be true. His successor probably will be R. H. Tolley, now | a director of the program planning division, A. A. A. A certain administration Senator, who should know what he is talking about, says that Housing Administra- tor Moffett was confirmed by the Sen- ate only after an inside understand- ; ing that he would retire February 1. (Copyright. 1935.) AMELIA EARHART AT WHITE HOUSE Breakfasts With Mrs. Roosevelt Immediately After Arrival in Capital. Mrs. Amelia Earhart Putnam, who recently added to her aviation glories by flying from Honolulu to Oakland, Calif,, was a breakfast guest at the ‘White House today. Mrs. Putnam arrived in Washington by train at 8 o'clock today and went directly to the White House, where she was met by Mrs. Roosevelt, and a few minutes later they sat down to breakfast together. The President, as usual, had breakfast later in his bed room. Mrs. Putnam left very shortly after the morning meal and, said she in- tended to return to New York some time today, but before leaving Wash- ington she would visit some friends at the Capitol. She said she would re- turn to Washington March 1 to give an address under auspices of the Na- tional Geographic Society. When Mrs. Putnam made her suc- cessful landing in Oakland, among the first telegrams of congratulations she received was one from Mrs. Roose- l velt inviting her to the White House the next time she came to Washing- ton. ] among the guests at the President’s birthday ball at the Shoreham Hotel here last night. No. 1—Former Vice President Charles Curtis and his sister, Mrs, Dolly Gann, pictured in a happy mood during the festivities. —Harris-Ewing Photo. No. 2—The First Lady arriving for the ball. With her are Mrs. John R. Williams, chairman of the ball (left): Raymond T. Baker (second from left). and Rear Ad- miral Cary T. Grayson (right) ide World Photo. Paralysis Campaign Drafted Based on Benefit Ball Funds ‘Capital’s Observance to Honor Roose- velt and Swell Research Coffers Proves Brilliant Event. Plans for an intensive medical and scientific research program to curb the ravages of infantile paralysis were being laid today as auditors in all parts of the United States totaled the hundreds of thousands of dollars raised last night at benefit balls and enter- tainments in celebration of the fifty- third birthday of President Roosevelt Thirty per cent of the proceeds of more than 7,000 benefit affairs in all of the States and Territories of the Union will go into a national fund to be employed by a group of cele- brated scientists and physicians, yet to be named. in the study and con- trol of a scourge which has killed or crippled thousands of Americans. The major portion of the proceeds of each of the benefits is to be de- voted to the relief of infantile par- alysis sufferers in the separate com- munities concerned. Local Event Most Brilliant. Most brilliant of the thousands of balls held in every part of the Nation last night was the local birthday ball at the Shoreham Hotel—one of the outstanding social functions of the season. The presence of three mem- bers of the President's immediate family, strikingly uniformed diplo- matic representatives of a score of nations, Washington official and social leaders, a three-service guard of honor and the Marine Band in dress uni- forms, stage, screen and radio stars, and thousands of Washingtonians from every walk of life, in gala mood, made the Shoreham ball a memorable affair. For more than an hour before the ball got under way with the arrival of Mrs. Roosevelt, her newly-married daughter, Mrs. Anna Boettiger, and her son Elliott and his wife, a large crowd waited patiently outside the hotel and in the lobby. Trumpets hailed the arrival of the White House party, the crowd surged forward against the line of soldiers, sailors and Marines forming the guard of honor, and the ball began in four ball rooms, each with its own orchestra. Stars Aid Program. ‘While Mrs. Roosevelt nibbled straw- berries, picked yesterday morning in Florida and flown here in six hours, Eddie Cantor rolled his eyes and sang; Joseph Peter Piper Penner, minus G00-Goo, his duck, laughed the Pen- ner laugh and spoke in his best “You na-a-a-sty man” tone of voice; Ray Perkins, musical comedy star, enter- tained on his baby piano which he calls Clarence, and Rubinoff played on his violin. There was one mix-up when Rubin- off, raising his eyes to those corners of the ceiling whence violinists seek their most soulful effects, launched into a melody only to be interrupted by a vigorous “ump-ta-da-da” from the next room as the Marine Band swept into a stirring march. Rubin- off, suspecting Cantar, gave his radio | partner a dirty look, but Cantor ap- | peared as surprised as Rubinoff and it turned out to be only an error in timing, which was speedily forgotten. | Phil Baker acted as master of cere- monies and the entertainment pro- | gram included a rapid-fire talk by Floyd Gibbons: songs by Nan John- | son, friend of the Roosevelts from the | hospital days at Warm Springs, G | dances by Frederica and Barbara, and | a Cossack number by Boris Yourlo, from the Club Troika. Mrs. Roosevelt and her party re- mained until after the President’s message had been received by radio. The dancing went on long after they had returned to the White House. Scene of Splendor. Beautiful gowns, costly furs and jewels together with the lavishily | gold-braided dress uniforms of the White House aides, who served on the Floor Committee, made a scene of splendor seldom equaled outside of the Executive Mansion. Mrs. Roosevelt was greeted by Ray- | mond T. Baker, chairman of the Ex- ecutive Committee of the ball, who escorted her to the receiving party whicn included Mrs. John R. Wil- liams, chairman of the ball; Admiral Cary T. Grayson, honorary chair- man, and Mr. Baker. Included in the guard of honor for the presi- dential party were Maj. Edward M. Watson and Capt. Wilson Brown, military and naval aides to the Presi- dent. In the First Lady’s party were her daughter, Mrs. John Boet- tiger; her son and daughter-in-law, | Mr. and Mrs. Elliott Roosevelt, and Mrs. Malvina Thompson Scheider, secretary to Mrs. Roosevelt, Mrs. Roosevelt wore an unusually striking gown of deep sapphire blue chiffon, the waistline marked by a girdle of silver lame. The neckline of the gown was,V-shape and the shoulder | lines were cut to give the effect of Ixhort cap sleeves. The First Lady wore an unique necklace of ham- mered silver and carried a large feather fan to match her gown. Her wrap was of ermine with a deep col- lar of white fox. The blond daugh- ter of the President and Mrs. Roose- velt was in a lovely gown of white and silver lame, the decoletage with a deep band of flame-color chiffon which crossed in the back and fell into a graceful train. Mrs. Boettiger wore a string of tiny pearls which matched a bracelet and a ring worn on the third finger of her left hand. Mrs. Elliott Roosevelt was in a gown of black velvet, the bodice trimmed with narrow bands of ermine. Spring Flower Centerpiece. ‘The table in the greater ball room, where the party from the White House was seated, had a centerpiece of Spring flowers and ferns. Mrs. Roose- velt sat at one end while Mrs. Wil- liams, in & gown of bronze lace, the b - | | | for the ball, —A. P. Photo. No. 4—A distinguished Demo- cratic group at one of the tables Left to right: Senator Joseph Robinson of Arkansas, Mrs. Wood- row Wilson, Secretary of State Cordell Hull and Mrs. Hull. —A. P. Photo 5—Other members of the President’s family arriving at the Shoreham. Left to right: Mrs John Boettiger, the President’s daughter; Mrs. Elliott Roosevelt and Elliott Roosevelt, the Presi- dent’s son. —A. P. Photo. No. skirt falling into a train and her hair held with combs studded with pearls. was at the other end. Mrs. Joseph Leiter, who entertained a large party at a table nearby, joined the White House party for a time. Much of the success of the ball is due Mrs. Leiter's efforts. Mrs. Leiter wore a rust color satin gown made with a train. Perhaps the feature of the enter- tainment program which most delight- ed Mrs. Roosevelt was the little pupils of Miss Minnie Hawk, who gave sev- eral dances in dainty period costumes. Another delightful and appealing part of the program was the appearance of Nan Johnson, .one of the young | girls who has been aided by treatment | at Warm Springs. Miss Johnson sang “Trees.” In the room adjoining that where the presidential party was seated | there was a table for members of the | | cabinet set. Among those at the table | were the Secretary of State and Mrs | Cordell Hull, the Attorney General and ' | Mrs. Homer S. Cummings, the Secre- tary of Commerce and Mrs. Daniel C. | Roper, with their daughter, Mrs. David | Coker, who arrived yesterday from her home in Hartford, S. C.; Mrs. | Woodrow Wilson, Mrs. Edwin T. Mere- | dith and Assistant Secretary of State | Mr. R. Walton Moore. Mrs. Hull wore trimmed with gold lame. Mrs. Cum- mings was in a gown of black lace | her hair and a spray of gardenias on | her shoulder. Mrs. Roper was in a gown of heavy white crepe, which was | beaded to the waist in crystals. The train was of blue velvet. With this | Mrs. Roper wore pearls. Mrs. Coker | chose for the occasion a gown of blue | lace. | Mrs. Morgenthau’s Gown. | Mrs. Henry Morgenthau, jr., wife of the Secretary of the Treasury, wore a striking gown of black velvet made | with a train and the bodice heavily embroidered with crystal beads. The Secretary of War and Mrs. George H. Dern arrived at the ball after attending the farewell reception for the retiring commandant of the Army War College and Mrs. George S. | Simonds. Mrs. Dern wore a gown of | black velvet, the decolletage trimmed with crystal beads, and the skirt fell into a graceful train. Mrs. Wilson, widow of the war-time President, accompanied by her guest Mrs. Edwin T. Meredith, widow of the Secretary of Agriculture in the Wilson cabinet, were seated with members of | the cabinet and their wives. Mrs. Wilson wore a gown of gold lame and a sable wrap and Mrs. Meredith was in dull blue and gold lame. ‘The Secretary of the Navy and Mrs. Claude A. Swanson were at a table with Senator and Mrs. Peter Goelet Gerry and Senator and Mrs. Key Pittman. Mrs. Swanson was in black | velvet trimmed with crystals. Mrs. Pittman wore a gown of silver brocaded satin in pastel colors, the only trim- ming being bands of white ostrich feathers over the shoulders, and Mrs. Gerry wore & gown of midnight blue satin, so dark as to appear as black, the bodice having a deep bertha- like cape of tulle and the skirt having tulle very full and falling into the train at the back of tulle. The counselor of the Belgian Em- bassy and Princess de Ligne had a table, the princess wearing a striking gown of rich red crepe. Senator and Mrs. Warren R. Austin and Senator and Mrs. James Hamilton Lewis had a table together. Comdr. and Mrs. Paul H. Bastedo 5 had among their guests at their table Mr. :nd Mrs. Prederick H. Brooke. Mrs unable to attend the ball, being in New York, where she will remain until the first of next week. Hosts at Dinner. The chairman of the National In- dustrial Recovery Board and Mrs. S. Clay Williams were hosts at dinner before the ball where they enter- tained a company of 32. Former American Ambassador to Spain and Mrs. Irwin B. Laughlin had guests with them at their table and among others who had tables were former Senator and Mrs. B. Dial, the counselor of the Chilean Embassy, Senor Don Benjamin Cohen, who had with him his sister, Senora de Peni. and the second secretary of the embassy, Senor Don Mario Rodri- quez had with him at that table his fiancee, Miss Marjorie Talman. Mrs. Cary T. Grayson. wite of the honorary chairman for the ball, wore garnet color crepe fashioned after a becoming model; Mrs. William Con- rad, who was in charge of the table reservations for the Shoreham, black velvet made without trimming. Princess Boncompagni wore black velvet. its only trimming a sash of shell pink velvet, the streamers falling to the hem of the skirt in the back. Miss Helen Lee Doherty, secretary to the American Minister to Denmark, Mrs. Ruth Bryan Owen, who is in his country on leave, accompanied the Minister of Denmark and Mme Wadsted to the ball. The Minister and Mme. Wadsted were hosts at dinner in honor of Miss Doherty be- fore the ball. Miss Doherty wore turquoise blue crepe made with a long train. Miss Ruth Wallace, daughter of Mrs. Henry C. Wallace and the late of the present Secretary of Agricul- ture, Mr. Henry A. Wallace, wore only trimming being brilliant clasps back and front at the corners of the square neckline and buckles at the waistline back and front. Mr. and Mrs. Donald Richberg were among the early arrivals, Mrs. Rich- berg wearing black velvet becomingly made and having no trimming. Mr. and Mrs. Frederick DeCourcy Faust were hosts at their table to| molded to the figure, the skirt of | Admiral and Mrs. Hilery P. Jones, Col. and Mrs. William Lyster, Mrs. Newlands Johnston, Mrs. Entertain Guests, The public printer, Mr. Augustus| E. Giegengack, had guests with him at his table, Mrs. Giegengack having been detained at their estate near Rockville Center, N. Y. The company included the assistant production manager, Mr. George Ortleb; the as- sistant to the public printer, Miss Jo Coffin; the superintendent of planning, | Mr. William A. Mitchell; the budget officer and Mrs. Russell H. Herrell. Former Public Printer George H. Carter and Mrs. Carter presided at an- other table, where officials of the Government Printing Office were seated. In their group were the medi- cal director and Mrs. Daniel B. Bush, the production manager and Mrs. Edward M. Nevils, the superintendent of binding, Mr. Joseph Duffey, and his daughter, Miss Irene Duffey, and Mr. Michael McInerney. ‘The superintendent of platemaking of the Government Printing Office and Mrs. John A, McLean acted as hosts at the third table, the group including the mechanical superintendent and Mrs, Alfred E. Hanson, the technical director and Mrs. Morris S. Kant- rowitz and Mr. and Mrs. Felix Belair. Mrs. Jacob Leander Loose, whose gown was of pink taffeta trimmed in white fur, had as her guests Senator and Mrs, James F. Byrnes, Gen. and Mrs. Prederick W. Coleman, Mr. and Mrs. Carroll B. Merriam, Mr. and Mrs. C. F. R. Ogilby and Mr. and Mrs. Louis Owsley. Mr. and Mrs. James S. Patton had as their guests at the ball last eve- ) William Corcoran Eustis was | Nathanijel * RICHARD WASHBURN CHILD. ning Mr and Mrs. Robert Watson Mr. and Mrs. Rudolph Max Kaufi- mann and Col. and Mrs. Earl Briscoe Senator Guffey is Guest. Senator Joseph Guffey of Pennsyl- vania and his two sisters, Miss Ida Guffey and Miss Pauletta Guffey, were the guests of Dr. and Mrs. James Alexander Lyon, who also had at their table Mrs. Edward E. Robbins and Mr. Charles Mason Remey. Col. and Mrs. James Brady Mitchell entertained Dr. and Mrs. Thomas | Claytor and Dr. and Mrs. John Tal- | bott at their table. Among the guests a becoming gown of pansy color crepe ; Secretary of Agriculture, and a sister | of Gen. and Mrs. Hugh Matthews was Mrs. Hamilton C. Claiborne. Mr. Robert V. Fleming, treasurer of with which she wore a pearl band in | black :atin molded to her figure, its |the ball, and Mrs. Fleming had at | their table Mr. and Mrs. John F. | Crosby, Mr. and Mrs. Sydney F. Talia- i ferro and Mr. and Mrs. Walter Distler. Mrs. Fleming's gown was of black velvet. Thin velvet straps were over the shoulders and white point de Venice lace was draped over the arms and down to a V in the back. Mrs. | Taliaferro wore a gown of silver lame, | which terminated in a long train. | Judge and Mrs. Clarence Norton William | Goodwin were at a table with Mr. and | pe; Sowers, Mr. Warren Martin and Mr. | Mrs. Wayne Chatfield-Taylor, Mr. and | 19 | James Wilson Furness. | Mrs. John B. Kennedy and Mrs. Good- win’s brother, Mr. Stewart Macdonald. Others at Ball. Among others at the ball were Miss Marion Mclntyre, daughter of the | secretary to the President, and Mrs. | Marvin H. McIntyre, who wore a gown | of black satin made with long flaring skirt which formed a short train and brilliant ornaments at the neckline; Mrs. Victor Kauffmann, Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Evans, jr.; Mrs. Bowler Hull, | wearing a gown of black lace over | satin; Mrs. Alice Nibley Smoot, Mrs. | Townsend, Mrs. Theodore P. Noyes, | Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur W. Hubbard, Mr. and Mrs. Cabot Stevens, Judge and | Mrs. Samuel M. Wassell, Mrs. Fenton Bradford, Mrs. Carl A. Hellmann, Mr. | and Mrs. Goring Bliss, Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Gans, Mrs. C. Perry Miller, Mrs. Alexander Bentley, Mrs. Campbell Prichett, Mr. and Mrs. James Haley, the latter in a peacock blue satin veiled in black net; and Mr. Kemper Simpson, recently returned to Wash- ington to live after some years in New York. Mrs. James Roosevelt Honored. The President’s mother, Mrs. James Roosevelt, was the guest of honor at a huge birthday ball at the Waldorf- Astoria, New York; one of 200 formal birthday celebrations held in New York City alone, according to the Associated Press. Mrs. Herbert Bayard Swope was in charge of a ball in the roof garden of the St. Regis, and Post- master General Farley entertained at the Central Park Casino. | Robert Love Taylor, Mrs. Effingham | DIPLOMAT, DIES - Pneumonia Fatal to Noted Writer and Former Envoy to Italy. By the Assoclated Press NEW YORK, January 31.—Richard Washburn Child, 54 years old, at- torney, writer and former Ambassa- dor to Italy, died at his home early today of pneumonie. ‘The funeral will be held Saturday and burial will be at Newport, R. I. | Widely Known as Author. Richard Washburn Child was an author as well as a diplomat His collaboration with Premier Benito Mussolini in 1927 on the Italian leader's autobiography served to bring him to the attention of another set of literatti, those on the Continent. He went from the post of editor of Collier's Weekly, which he held in 1919, to that of Ambassador to {Italy, where he served from Ma.y. 1921, to February, 1924. In 1922 he was chief representative of the United States at the Genoa and Lausanne Conferences. An Ambassador serving under Re- | publican Presidents, he bolted the | party in 1932 to lead a League of Roosevelt Republicans which worked for the election of Franklin D. Roose- velt as President. He summarized his European dip- lomatic experiences in 1925 in a book. A Diplomat Looks at Europe.” Native of Massachusetts. | Born in Worcester, Mass, August 5, 1881, Child attended Harvard Uni- versity, which in 1924 added to his academic degrees the honorary degree of doctor of laws. He was admitted to the bar in 1906, | coming first to national notice during the World War, when he worked as an assistant to Frank A. Vanderlip in war finance work in the United States | Treasury. Five of his volumes were published fore then, the first, “Jim Hands,” in 10. The others were “The Man in the Shadow,” “The Blue Wall,” “Poten- | tial Russia” and “Bodbank.” Among his later works were “Bat- | tling the Criminal” and “Writing on | the Wall” in 1928, and the “Pitcher of | Romance” in 1930, ‘ Married Three Times. | He married his first wife, Maude | Parker, in August, 1916. - To them | were born two children, Anne and | Constance. He married Eva Sanderson iln September, 1927, and Dorothy G { Everson in Septecmber, 1931. Mrs. | Everson had been his secretary, As chairman of the Naticnal Crime | Commission in 1927, he drafted a law | designed to control distribution of fire- arms. Early in 1934 Child sued for damages of more than $1,000,000, charging plagiarism against James Hagan, a playwright; Leo Peters and Leslie Spiller, theatrical producers; Para- mount Productions, Inc., and the Paramount Pictures Distributing Co. all of whom he named as being en- gaged in the production of “One Sun- day Afternoon,” which, he said, was copied from his story, “The Avenger.” The suit was dismissed in June, 1934 and his attorney said he had received & “substantial sum,” which he was giving to the Authors’ League fund. BAND CONCERT. By the United States Soldiers’ Home Band Orchestra, this evening, in Stan- ley Hall, at 5:30 o'clock. John 8 M. Zimmermann, bandmaster; Anton | Pointner, assistant. leader. ’