Evening Star Newspaper, February 20, 1935, Page 1

WEATHER. (U. 8. Weather Bureau Forecast.) Fair and colder tonight and tomorrow; minimum temperature tonight about 27 o degrees; moderate to fresh northwest winds. Temperatures—Highest, 49, at 3:30 p.m: yesterday; lowest, 32, at 7 a.m. today. Full report on page A-9. Closing N.Y.Markets, Page: No. 33,167. post office, Wi Entered as second class matter 315,16&17 ashington, D. @b . WASHINGTON, D. C., WEDNESDAY," FEBRUARY 20, 1935—THIRTY-EIGHT PAGES. 2.YEAR N. R. A. EXTENSIONICONTROL (F ALL IN SAME GENERAL FORM]ARMSPRODUCERS IS ASKED BY ROOSEVELT] BACKED BY 1. §. Gains Dictate Continuance, He Asserts. MESSAGE URGES SOME CHANGES CongressAdvised to Set Standards and Define Policies. BY G. GOULD LINCOLN. President Roosevelt today called on Congress to extend the national indus- trial recovery act for a period of two years from June 16. In a message read to both Houses he declared: “The fundamental pur- poses and principles of this act are sound. To abandon them is unthink- able. It would spell the return of in- dustrial and labor chaos.” While admitting that there should be amendments to the present law, the President laid down certain specific benefits which, he said, have accrued and which must not be abandoned. He listed among these the abolition of child labor, the establishment of max- imum hours of work and of minimum ‘wages, the right of the workers to col- lective bargaining and the freeing of industry from dishonorable competi- tion. Clarification Asked. In its writing of the new law to ex- tend the life of the N. R. A., the Presi- dent recommended that “the policy and standards for the administration of the act should be further defined in order to clarify the legislative purpose and to guide the execution of the law.” Under the new act, the President said, the submission of voluntary codes of fair competition by industries should be encouraged. But, he added, if an industry fails to come to an agreement, unquestioned power should rest in the Government to establish in any event certain minimum standards of fair competition in commercial practices and adequate standards in labor relations. He reiterated a demand that the rights of employes to organize freely for the purpose of collective bargaing- ing be fully protected. This would mean a continuance of Section 7-A of the recovery act and perhaps its further clarification and strengthen- ing. Would Stop Monopoly. He urged that the fundamental principles of the anti-trust laws should be more adequately applied, saying that “monopolies and private price fixing within industries must not be allowed or condoned.” He declared that the people need Government supervision of “certain | natural resources.” He mentioned | coal, oil and gas as having taken on ] The text of President Roosevelt's N. R. A, message to Congress follows: On May 17, 1933, I asked the Congress to “provide for the ma- chinery necessary for a great co- operative movement throughout all | industry in order to obtain wide re-employment, to shorten the working week, to pay a decent wage for the shorter week and to prevent unfair competition and disastrous overproduction.” ‘The national industrial recovery act was passed by the Congress in June, 1933, and the administrative machinery to carry it into effect was set up during the succeeding month. It is worth remembering that the purpose of this law challenged the | | Text of N. R..A. Messag imagination of the American people and received their overwhelming support. Enforcement during the earlier life of the act was not a problem which gave the country concern—for the very good reason that public opinion served as an en- forcing agency which potential vio- lators did not dare to oppose. The immediate objective was to check the downward spiral of the great depression, and it met this objective and started us on our forward path. It is now clear that in the Spring and Summer of 1933 many esti- mates of unemployment in the United States were far too low, and we are therefore apt to forget today that the national industrial recov- ery act was the biggest factor in “(Continued on Page 4, Column 3) FORD-.R.A. STRIFE DECLARED AT XD |Executive Order Nullified Through Waiving of Technical Rules. Henry Ford is back in good stand- | ing with the Government. B | Barred a few months ago by execu- tive order from motor vehicle con- tracts running into t_he millions by refusal to sign a certificate of com- pliance to the automobile code, Ford | for several weeks has been doing | business with the Government through | the Northwest Motors Co. of Bethesda, | Md., local distributor, whose own cer- tificate is being accepted. This became known today as the Associated Press announced that steps | are under way to remove some of the | technicalities surrounding Govern- ! ment contractural awards, to give | more business to Ford, and aid some other large concerns also. Among these, the Associated Press said, would be Sears, Roebuck & Co. Chicago | mail order house, whose president, | | Robert E. Wood, recently was se- | lected to advise in the spending of $4,000,000,000 under the proposed | work-relief bill. Approval Held Certain. It seemed certain, too, that the present arrangement under which Ford sales are being made would get the approval of Controller General McCarl, who ruled out the Detroit motor king in May. The barrier which has hitherto stood in the way of Ford sales was an executive order issued last March this public interest. Whether Con- which provided that anybody doing gress will see fit to adopt or add to- | pygineqs with the Goverment must this list of natural resources requiring | sign 5 certificate of compliance with Government supervision remains 0| the gpplicable code, and must further be seen. | certify that all products entering into The President recommended 10 the articles being sold likewise were ®Congress that it Should prevent “in- ' proguced under code and would con- PROBEOFN.R.A. GIVEN APPROVAL Senate Committee Amends Resolution for Inquiry During Bill Framing. By the Assoclated Press. The Nye-McCarran resolution for an investigation of N. R. A. and the administration of codes was approved today by the Senate Finance Commit- tee with an amendment that the in- quiry should be conducted by that committee during the framing of new recovery legislation. Chairman Harrison said the com- mittee would start work immediately on the inquiry. He said it would take some time, but would be “advantageous” to the committee in writing a bill to extend the Recovery Administration. Harrison said he had suggested to President Roosevelt last Fall that the committee conduct an investigation of N. R. A. in connection with framing the new legislation and the proposal had met with the full approval of the Chief Executive. SWANSON OPPOSES DIRIGIBLE BUILDING| Doubts if Congress Will Ask Construction for Navy Over His Veto. By the Associated Press. Secretary Swanson said today he would oppose further construction of Navy dirigibles. At a press conference Swanson said dirigibles “might” be useful for com- mercial purposes, but not for mili- tary use. “If they compel us to construct them we will construct them,” he sald. “They haven't up to this time.” | Wilson Tells Conference Pri- vate Companies Would Be Regulated. POLAND JOINS BRITAIN IN AIRCRAFT VIEWS France Would Extend Publicity on Manufacture as Proposed by American Delegate. | By the Associated Press. GENEVA, February 20.—The United States advocates the same supervision of private manufacture of arms as of State production, Hugh Wilson, the American delegate, told the World Disarmament Conference today. Wilson'’s declaration was made in response to criticism by M. Ventzoff, the Soviet representative, that the American proposal for an arms con- vention imposes less stringent restric- tions on private munitions plants. The American said the United States is ready to meet Russia’s views on this question by equalizing control and pub- licity in both instances. He asserted that the world demands prompt ac- tion on the arms control problem. Poland Joins Britain. “We want to keep track of a cannon from its birth to maturity,” he said. “We believe arms can be controlled like narcotics and drugs.” Poland and Czechoslovakia went over to the British camp today, sup- porting Britain’s stand that commer- cial aircraft should be given the same treatment as military planes. The general discussion of the vari- ous categories of armaments was com- jpleted without the adsption of any :articles. Amendments to the propos- als will now be prepared by subcom- mittees. France once more squarely backed the essentials of the American draft. Louis Aubert, the French delegate, contended, however, the United States proposals, failed to go far enough on some points and should provide for publicity for governmental subsidies to private arms plants. Briton Outlines Proposal. Lord Stanhope, the British delegate. isaid publicity should be simplified rather than extended. He suggested four principles as the objectives of any convention which may be adopt- ed. They were: 1. National responsibility for arma- | ments. | 2. Publicity to remove distrust and | suspicion. 3. Information about increases of the armaments of countries. 4. An effective embargo on imports and exports when the situation justi- fles an embargo. The American delegates favor the Prench suggestion for ac ance pub- licity on armament activities, but will consult Washington before commit- ting themselves on this point. LONDON, February 20 (#).—Defi- nite progress in bringing Germany into agreement with the Anglo- French program for settlement of Europe’s problems will be impossible for several weeks, official circles con- ceded today. This view was taken as the British cabinet met to consider developments ¢ Foenin WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION corrigible minorities” in industrie: from playing the game unfairly and | thereby compelling others to compete upon their low level. At the same time Mr. Roosevelt warned that the privilege accorded industry to co-operate to prevent un- fair competition must not be abused or regarded as a license to strangle fair competition. “Small enterprises,” he said, “espe- cially #hould be given added protection against discrimination and oppres- sion.” Leaves Draft to Congress. The Chief Executive sent no bill to| Congress to carry out his recom- mendations, preferring to leave to Con- gress the working out of the final de- tails of the law to cover his recom- mendations. He did say, however, that he had received “detailed recom- mendations” along the lines of his recommendations from the depart- ments and agencies of Government now charged with the enforcement of the national industrial recovery act and these would be available for con- sideration of the Congress. While the President believed that they might be helpful to Congress. he said that they did not constitute a precise draft of lJegislation. Administration bills to cover other recommendations submitted by the President have gone forward promptly in the past. One of the most recent examples was the administration work- Telief bill, over which the Senate is struggling today. . A severe contest in Congress over the proposal to extend or make permanent the N. R. A. has been forecast. It may be necessary for the President to exert his powerful influence to bring about the enact- ment of a law satisfactory to the ad- ministration. In his message today, the President praised highly the purposes of the N. R. A. and declared it had brought about substantial accomplishments. He insisted that the national indus- trial recovery act was “the biggest factor in giving re-employment to 8 tely 4,000,000 people.” Under its operation, he said, both “(Continued on Page 4, Column 3. VISCOUNT. BYNG BETTER Former Canadian Governor Gen- eral Suffered Heart Attack. PASADENA, Calif, February 20 (P).—Viscount Julian Byng, English war hero, was believed today to be rapidly recovering from a heart attack suffered 10 days ago. Yesterday he was able to take a brief walk in the garden of the hotel where he and his wife are spend- ing the Winter. ; News of his illness brought a deluge of messages from England and Canada expressing hope that the former Canadian governor general would recover. His wife sald the viscount’s condition was not serious &nd there was no occasion for alarm. tinue to be. | This was an amplification of an carlier executive order on code ad- herence, and was viewed as a club to be wielded against Ford; inasmuch as a few months previously, Con- troller General McCarl had held at the outset of the fight between Ford and the N. R. A. that the signing of | a code itself was not a necessary pre- requisite to getting a Government contract. McCarl said, however, that once a code was adopted, it was bind- | ing on all members of an industry. _ Sabine Challenged Order. This latter executive order was challenged by R. P. Sabine, head of | Northwest Motors. Affirming his own j adherence to code, Sabine, in bidding for business, specified he was not binding the Ford Co., and could go no further than to say that to the best !o( his knowledge the product he was | offering was being made under code. McCarl held this gualification dis- qualified the bidder, and when the issue went to court, the Government was again victorious. Temporarily, the matter rested there, but then, it was understood, when the Federal Alcohol Control Administration sought an executive order similar to that which stirred the Ford trouble, Attorney General Cummings advised against it, cloud- ing its validity. On the basis of this holding and the further fact that the Ford sales department in De- troit had once stated that Ford was complying with the automobile code, the Northwest®Motors was understood to have maintained its right to give an unqualified certificate of compli- ance. Departmental officials seem to have gone along, for the Agricul- ture Departmerit has bought some 400 cars, Interior about 35 Commerce is reported to be open to acceptance of Ford bids and the company is also expected to seek to qualify for 2,500 cars for the War Department. N. R. A. May Finally Decide. Controller General McCarl's office is not required to do further than see that this certificate, accompany- ing bids, is unqualified. Should a question be raised as to compliance with a code, the N. R. A. itself would adverse. ruing would ring “Becan a ng wor M bk iy e ' to the Associated Press, simplified regulations which now are Dures achaly Sompping whe s p! . R. A. codes from being excluded by):eella‘- orders, nicalities from vernment even though they might not be actual signatories. This in effect would in- validate the March Executive order and put the matter back where it was before that time. It is the intention, also. it lerstood, to allow signa- tories to contest in court possible fu- ture code changes which might be Swanson explained he was refer-| gor the first time since Reichsfuehrer ring to Congress. He said it was un- likely that Congress would vote funds| over his opposition. i Saying he had been subjected to “a ! good deal of criticism” because he had refused to recommend construc- tion of Navy dirigibles, he added that | the “pressure” for construction would | be less since the loss of the Macon. He said he had asked a special science advisory board, headed by Dr. Carl T, Compton, president of Massa- chusetts Institute of Technology, to study construction of dirigibles pri- marily for commercial purposes. JAPANESE PLEDGE U. S. ABUSES PROBE Americans Reported Tied and; Marched to Jail for Hit- ting Extorter. By the Associated Press. TOKIO, February 20.—Fumio Goto, minister for home affairs, today prom- ised a speedy investigation of the in- dignities police were accused of in- flicting on three Americans at Osaka last week. Fusaaki Usawa, an outstanding legal authority, charged in the House of Peers there had been many instances of police infringement of personal rights. “Newspapers report a case of this nature at Osaka involving Americans,” Usawa said. “What is the truth of the affair?” Goto said he was not informed, but that he would order a speedy report. A report of the affair from the United States consul at Osaka was| received at the embassy today. It was | accompanied by affidavits from the three American citizens said to have been involved. United States Am- bassador Joseph C. Grew did not in- dicate what action might be taken. R. 8. K. Irvin, former New Yorker, now managing director of a subsidiary of the American Corn Products Re- fining Co., teported last two of his employes had been tied and marched streets of Osaka Amusements Hitler replied to the Anglo-French proposals. The German response con- tained a request for direct Anglo- German negotiations. DRIVER TOO DRUNK FOR DEATH TRIAL Supreme Court Case Put Over and Defendant Locked Up to Insure Sobriety. Allegedly drunk when he ran down and killed a 12-year-old boy with his automobile three months ago. Les- ter E. Athey of Alexandria was so intoxicated he could not stand trial when he appeared in District Supreme Court today t6 face manslaughter charges in connectjon with the traffic case. As a result, the trial was put over until tomorrow by Justice James M. Proctor. Athey, whose record shows two previous convictions for drunken- ness, was locked up to insure his sobriety when the case comes up in. u:ui!hnt United States Attorney Samuel F. Beach said Athey was drunk when he arrived at the court house today and was surrendered by his bondsman before he actually entered the court room. Justice Proctor was then notified the man could not go to trial and the continuance was or- dered. He was the driver of the automo- bile which fatally injured Floyd C. Jackson, 12, on Bladensburg road last November 13. Witnessés said the boy ran toward the curb when he saw the machine approaching him, but that Athey was unable to turn out and ran the boy down. He sought to flee, but was caught. s 0N Bl W i \\\{;\§\ \ MELLON PROFITS AS" SHORT" BARED $72,250 Made in Transac- tion by Treasury Head in 1931, Aide Shows. By the Assoclated Press. PITTSBURGH, February 20.—An- drew W. Mellon's confidential secre- |tary, Howard M. Johnson, told the | Board of Tax Appeals today his chief |sold two blocks of stock “short” in Treasury, taking a profit on one and a loss on the other Johnson took the stand as a wit- nes at the board's hearing on Mellon's | petition for a refund of $139,000 for | overpaid taxes in 1931. The Gov- |ernment charges Mellon with fraud |and claims he owes more than $3,- | 000,000. tion that the two blocks Mellon sold | consisted cf 2,500 shares of Westing- house. Profit of $72,250. One was sold “short,” he testified, in March, and “covered in April or May. Mellon took & profit of $72,250 on the transaction, Johnson related, but lost $68,300 on the other deal, | which he “covered by delivering to his broker stock from his own port- folio.” On cross-examination, Attorney Robert H. Jackson for the Internal Revenue Bureau asked Johnson: “While Mellon was Secretary of the ‘Treasury he was making “short sales” —selling stock he did not own and covering later?” Johnson answered: “Mr. Mellon sold through a broker stock which he did not have in the broker's account, but he had in his personal account more than twice the amount questioned.” Transaction in Panic Year. The attorney queried: “This transaction occurred in the panic year of 1931?” “March, 1931,” was the reply. Jackson's next question was: “And the profits on that transac- tion were more than $70,0002" To this, Prank J. Hogan, counsel for Mellon, voiced objection and the question was ruled out. Mellon, who will be 80 years old next month, cupped his hands to his ears and listened intently to thg testi- mony. The Government previously has made known it would seek to prove | that Mellon through stock transac- tions and transfer attempted to evade payment of income taxes. Takes Report Blame. Johnson. who drew up Mellon’s 1931 income tax report, and takes all the responsibility, began his story late yesterday and in a matter-of-fact voice told the board: “I am responsible for the report. I prepared it and assured Mr. Mellon it was correct.” He came to Washington on March 14, 1932, said Johnson, just before the Court of St. James. The finan- cier was busy packing as he presented the tax report and assured Mellon it was correct, said the secretary. Describing the scene in Melon's home, Johnson said: “It was like a three-ring circus. 1 was able to see Mr. Mellon only a few minutes. He asked if the report was correct. I told him it was and he signed it.” Then the secretary began checking over the many technicalities which went into the Mellon income tax statement, Johnson said he took 123,622 shares “(Continued on Page 2, Column 7.) New Archeological Treasures Revealed by Honduras Quake By the Associated Press. TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, Febru- loss of life in the Copan district of Honduras have given archeology new treasures of 1,700-year-old Mayan civ- ilization. Gustav Stromsvik, head of an archeological commission now work- ing in the area, announced fissures opened by the earth tremors had laid bare stone staircases leading to vast galleries. commission which Stromsvik The archeologist said the relics disclosed by nature's phenomenon in- dicate Copan is the most important center of ancient Maya civilization yet found. Gold statues and utensils inspected in a preliminary survey of the under- ground chambers show the ancient craftsmen possessed a skill in metal working hitherto unsuspected. ‘The discoveries, Stromsvik said, when exhibited to the world, will prove of and startling value to archeology. Stone canals and an intricate sewer- age system connecting the various sec- tions of the galleries were among the other marvels which Stromsvik de- 4 1931 while he was Secretary of the| ‘The witness said on direct examina- | Mellon left to become Ambassador at | knife. o Star KK kR | WONDER IF HE CARES AS ONCE HEDID! BULLETIN Harrison McKinley Kaiser, who killed an official of the Washington Navy Yard Machinists’ Union dur- ing a labor dispute was convicted on first-degree murder by a jury in District Supreme Court today. Trial Justice Proctor next week will impose a death sentence. (Early Story on Page B-1.) PO Excavations B?tre 15-Inch Humans In Ancient India By the Assoclated Press. VADNAGAR, Baroda, India, Feb- ruary 20.—Fossil remains of human beings only 15 inches tall have been discovered here, experts in anthro- pology announced today. It was considered likely the dis- | | covery would have some affect on cur- | | rent theories regarding the cradle land | of the human race. The remains excavated include those | |of a 15-inch pigmy man, an 18-inch | pigmy cow and a 10-inch walking cane. Experts expressed the view a fresh field has been thrown open for in- vestigation of an extinct race of pig- ! mies much smaller than the Obongo, Akka and Batwa pigmies of Central | IM?C" who measure between 4 and 5 | feet. Discovery of this smallest man re- | calls the reference of the poet Homer to pigmies 1315 inches tall. HEX SPELLVICT CUTS BABY TWICE The only evening paper in Waushington with the Associated Press News and Wirephoto Services. Yesterday’s Circulation, 132,517 Bome Returns Not Yet Receiv (P) Means Associated P GOLD LEGISLATION STILL UNCERTAIN Roosevelt Says Decision for | U. S. Protection Awaits Study by Lawyers. By the Associated Press. President Roosevelt said today a de- cision on possible legislation to protect the Government fully against any legal suits under the gold clause de- cisions would await thorough study by lawyers. Obviously pleased by the Supreme Court’s ruling upholding the Govern- ment’s monetary program, Mr. Roose- velt at his regular press conference | said it would be some time before it | was determined whether further leg-:ment that says the President can't go islation is necessary. As the President spoke there already was Capitol Hill talk of injecting into | ed. TWO CENTS. BYRD DENOUNGES BIG AID BILL AS CURB T0 RECOVERY Virginia Senator Demands Defeat to Restore Busi- ness Confidence. ress. UPSET ON AID PAY FEARED BY LEADERS Veto of Measure Forecast if Sen- ate Increases Wages to Prevailing Rates. By the Associated Press. A violent attack on the administra- tion’s $4,880,000,000 relief bill was made in the Senate today by Sena- tor Byrd, Democrat, of Virginia, who said its defeat would be a “direct assurance to the Nation that the Government is determined to main- tain the credit of the United States above reproach.” “Ambitious plans for great public works and social service should await recovery,” said the Virginian, first Democrat to speak against the bill 1tself. Reading from prepared text, Byrd delivered his broadside in the midst of debate over the administration-op- posed McCarran amendment requirs ing payment of prevailing wages on public works. A vote was expected later in the day on this. “The defeat of this proposal to ex- pend $5,000,000,000 on unknown proj- ects, many of no immediate necessity and of doubtful permanent value™ Byrd said, “will do much to restore confidence to those business men anxious to go forward. Sees Calmer Nation. “The defeat of this bill will be a proclamation to the world that the period of acute economic emergency in this country is over, and that we are now turning calmly from the treatment of the crisis to making our recovery sound and permanent.” Senator McCarran (Democrat) of Nevada, author of the prevailing wage amendment, contended that “to tear down the wage structure of America” will do more harm “than the good that | might come from ten times four bil- | lion dollars poured out of the Federal Treasury.” i “There isn't a word in this amend- ‘Iorwnrd with his program,” he said. ! McCarran Plan Feared. Six different attempts to modify the future political campaigns the question | Pill were under way in the Senate to- day, but administration forcesevidenced whether holders of Government gold| confidence of turning back five of bonds should receive & premium in de- | these. They were not so sure about valued dollars. Many considered this|the amendment by Senator McCarran, issue still somewhat remote. however. | to require that relief workers be paid The President denied published re- | wage rates prevailing in private in- ports (not carried by the Associated ; dustry instead of smaller “security Press) that a decision had been | wages” proposed by the President. reached for gold legislation and also| ~Senator Robinson, the Democratic denied that this question came up be- 1 leader, said he doubted if an amend- fore the Emergency Council yesterday. Congratulates Cummings. With a smile, Mr. Roosevelt told | newspaper men that the only reference | to gold at yesterday’s council meeting | was his congratulations to Attorney General Cummings and of his telling ' of the golf story of four down and five to go. This story was not repeated by the |Brother, Declared “Cured,” Repeats Attack While Parents W}atch. By the Associated Press. WILLIAMSPORT, Pa, February 20.—The butcher knife slashing of an 8-month-old baby spurred authorities today to reopen their campaign against “witch doctors” and “hex spells” in the Pennsylvania Dutch country. Victim of the latest “pow-wow,” little James Leroy Fritz, was given a chance to live today by physicians of the hospital where he was taken after his forehead was slashed with a | butcher knife yesterday by his “hexed” older brother. Preparing to appeal to the State De- partment of Health for an investiga- tion, District Attorney John C. Young- man told how the baby was brought close to death as words were mumbled low and “devils” were cast out. The “spell” was invoked, he reported, in the Fritz's humble home at Sallads- burg, 15 miles from here. “Witch Doctor” Called in. It all began, the father explained, when his oldest son slashed the baby’s forehead on Sunday night with a pen- A “mischievous devil” was at work, the parents decided, so they called in the “witch doctor” for a “pow-wow.” After mumbling a ritual, the “doc- tor” declared the boy “cured by faith” and ordered him left alone with the baby. While the parents watched through | a window, the “cured” lad picked up a butcher knife and slashed his brother again. They rushed back to the room and found the older lad “remorseful” behind the kitchen stove. Many tragedies dot the pages of “hex” history, which dates back to the origin of superstition itself. Accepted as Gospel. ‘The “pow-wow"” ritual has been ac- cepted for years as gospel through the Pennsylvania rural districts, where signs of the hex still.mark barns and farm buildings. Handbooks on the exercise of the “black art” are widely circulated. “Magic” phrases are listed in these as certain to ward off evil, Stick pins in an image or a.“hoo- doo” doll, and the “hex” will fall, these superstitious folk belleve. Burn paper and your intended victim will be burned. Pinch something in a doorway and your chosen foe will sim- ilarly suffer—all, of course, if you hold the “witching” power. Chicken hearts, salt, feathers from President, but was believed to be the same one told today on Capitol Hill by Senator Vandenberg, Republican of Michigan, who said: “The Attorney General says that when he enters the Supreme Court to argue money, it is like starting a golf game four down and five to go. “He is better off, however, than the citizen with a gold Government bond. ! The citizen is 18 up and no place to play.” | Meanwhile some observers wondered whether the future might not see hold- | ers of Government bonds organized to carry to Congress a fight to be paid in the equivalent of the old gold dollar. The possibility was discussed pri- vately among high officials of the ad- ministration as well as some of those opposed to the monetary policies of the Roosevelt administration. Meanwhile, Senator Hastings, Re- publican, of Delaware, while not fore- casting the future, said in a state- ment that the decision demonstrated “that so far as monetary legislation is concerned, the people must depend upon the Congress and not upon the Supreme Court.” Hastings conceded that the imme- diate effect of the decision was help- ful from a business standpoint, but said “no man can predict what effect it will have upon the country in years to come.” “The repudiation of a contract,” he said, “is recognized by all good peo- ple as a dishonorable thing. It is very much more serious, however, when the United States Government is the guil- ty party. “The Supreme Court says that the Congress went beyond its power in passing the joint resolution of June 5, 1933, whereby it repudiated its con- tract, but that the Congress has by other acts prevented a remedy from being applied. Struggled to Find Way Out. “The Congress ought not to be per- mitted to do indirectly what it cannot expressly do. It seems to me that the opinion shows on its face that the majority struggled to find a way out.” Although many agreed the gold de- cisions helped clear the path for American participation in any con- ference on currency stabilization, the | United States has made no moves to open that question. $50,000 RANSOM ASKED ' Father of Missing Boy Receives Note Demanding Sum. | SALEM, Oreg.. February 20 (P).— James Lee, father of Louis Lee, 19, who has been missing since Sunday, was reported today to have received & ransom note demanding that $50,- 000 be placed in a designated building , in Centralia, Wash., for the boy’s re- lease. The note was mailed from Salem, it was stated. Deputy Sheriff Newell of the “hex.” The following the York City Council found it necessary to formally legislate against the prac- Williams said he was not inclined to view the threat very seriously, the father was not ment by Senator Bulow, Democrat of South Dakota, proposing payment of the soldiers’ bonus with new Treasury notes, to be retired in 1945, would be adopted. He expressed the same feeling re- garding the proposal by Senator Wheeler, Democrat of Montana, to finance the $4,000,000,000 public works program with greenbacks and the silver-inflation amendment of Senator Thomas, Democrat of Oklahoma. There also was good reason to be- lieve, those in charge of the bill said, that the amendment of Senator Adams, Democrat of Colorado, to slash $2,000,000,000 from the bill, and that of Senator La Follette, Progressive of ‘Wisconsin, to raise it to $10,000,000,~ 000 by increasing the works fund by $5,200,000,000, would be defeated. Robinson said he had not taken & poll on the proposal to require pay=- ment of prevailing wages on work- giving projects, but other Democrats opposed to it said there was a good chance of rejection. One report which went around the Senate chamber was that the President might veto the bill if the higher-wage requirement prevailed. Senator McCarran, heartened by the fervent speech for his amendment yesterday by Senator Wagner, Demo= crat of New York, ordinarily an ad- ministration supporter, figured the chances for adoption were equally as good. May Cut Aid Figure. Meanwhile, there were indications the administration might be willing to lop off a couple hundred millions from | the $880,000,000 provided in the bill !for direct relief until the work pro- gram—designed to give jobs to 3,500, 000 now on relief—gets under way. This possibility was suggested in view of the impounding by President Roose- velt of $238,000,000 of existing P. W. A, funds for the relief agency. Secretary Ickes, the P. W. A. admin- istrator, said yesterday this transfer was made “in order to tide the relief work over.” Ickes also announced a survey by the P. W. A. had shown a billion dol- lars’ worth of possible work-giving projects in addition to three billions of Federal and non-Federal projects already proposed in pending applica- tions for loans from his organization. The prevailing wage amendment called up for debate today would per- mit varying rates to conform with different wage levels in certain sections of the country. Shift Is Provided. A substitute, sponsored by Senator Russell, Democrat, of Georgia and ap- proved by the Appropriations Com- mittee, would authorize the President to pay “security” wages, higher than the present dole, but lower than rates in private enterprise. It stipulates that the “security” wages be in- creased to the prevailing rates if it is found that they undermine scales in private industry. Elsewhere in the Capital a plan was disclosed to give State branches of the National Emergency Council a major hand in deciding the work projects to be undertaken with the $4:000,000,000 work fund. An official who preferred that his name not be used said the tentative { understanding is for the State Coun- cils to sift proposed from mmmmmeksumammwmw-