Evening Star Newspaper, March 31, 1935, Page 7

BATES T0 ADDRESS VOLUNTEER GROUP Will Speak on Crime Control Before Chest Workers’ Institute. Sanford Bates, director of the Bu- reau of Prisons, Justice Department, will speak on “Can Crime Be Con- trolled?” at an ingjitute on delinquency and healt: for volunteer workers of the Community Chest tomorrow at 11 a.m. in the United States Chamber ©of Commerce Building. The institute is being inaugurated by the Council of Social Agencies under direction of Mrs. John Jay O’Connor in an effort to afford volun- teer workers an opportunity to obtain knowledge of the fundamentals of the various branches of social work in which they may wish to serve. Similar institutes in the past have resulted in obtaining a large number of volunteers for various Chest agencies. The institute last year had an attendance of nearly 200. As the general theme of the institute is changed each year, a large number of these volunteers return from year to year. After Mr. Bates' talk the speakers and discussion leaders for the two- “week period will be Capt. Rhoda J. Milliken of the Woman's Bureau, Police Department; Miss Louise Mc- Guire, director of social service at the Juvenile Court; Dr. George C. Ruhland, health officer of the District of Columbia; Dr. Harriet Twombley, senior psychiatrist, St. Elizabeth’s Hospital; Miss Beatrice Mullin, direc- tor of the Social Service Department, Georgetown University Hospital, and Miss Margaret Hagan, field director at St. Elizabeth's for the American Red Cross. Registrations can be made tomorrow morning at the Council of Social Agencies, 1101 M street, or at the vegistration desk in the Chamber ‘of Commerce Building previous to the| opening of the meeting. The Volun- teer Service Bureau at the council will be glad to place any volunteers, . GEORGETOWN DEBATERS | WILL MEET PRINCETON Alumni Invited to Hear Argu- ments by Teams Tuesday Night in Gaston Hall. Local alumni of Princeton and Georgetown Universities have been in- vited to attend a debate between teams representing these two institutions ‘Tuesday night at 8:15 o'clock in Gas- ton Hall at the Hilltop. The question is, “Resolved, That the hations should agree to prevent the international shipment of arms and | munitions.” Georgetcwn’s debaters, who successfully opposed any embargo on shipments in a recent contest with Johns Hopkins University, will take the same side of the question in the forthcoming debate. Princeton is supporting the affirmative. Princeton is sending Gordan A. Craig of New Jersey, James L. High- #aw, jr, of Tennessee and John S. Harlow of Massachusetts, members of its intercollegiate team. The George- town team will comprise Leo F. Cur- ley of Massachusetts, a son of Gov. Curley; John S. McKenney of Massa- chusetts and James H. Guilfoyle, president of the Philodemic Society. The verdict will be rendered by a board of judges. 2,000-YEAR-OLD ROMAN HELMET GIVEN TO V. M. . Persian War Headpiece, 500 Years 01d, Also Tendered School by Alumnus.. By the Associated Press. LEXINGTON, Va, March 30.—A ‘Roman helmet 2,000 years old and a Persian helmet 500 years old have been presented to Virginia Military Institute for the Francis H. Smith Memorial rooms, it was announced today. Miss Nellis Gibbs, museum custo- dian, said the two helmets were given by Paul D. Troxler, class of 1926, who recently returned from Persia. The Roman helmet originally was picked up on the battlefield of Philippi, ancient Macedonian city. JORDAN'S, 13th & G Garland Gas Range $15 ALLOWANCE for old stoves THE SUNDAY STAR. WASHINGTON, D. C. MARCH 31, 1935—PART ONE. AirWarSeen 27 Years Ago Young Enlisted Man Turned Inventions Over to U. S. Although John W. Cur- rell, ex-Ma- rine and vet- eran of two wars, has nev- er flown in an airplane, he has contrib- uted more, perhaps, to the field of aviation than some of the world’s most famous fiyers. Some of his ideas and in- ventions be- came impor- tant factors in the World War. He is shown at work on future plans. —Wide World Photo. BY JOSEPH S. EDGERTON. ROPHECIES of inventions upon P which much of our modern national defense is based were made 27 years ago by a young Navy enlisted man in a letter to the then Secretary of the Navy, Navy flles have revealed. The far-seeing young enlisted man, | who had been brought to Washington |by high naval authorities to develop his ideas for inventions which have had a profound effect on aerial war- fare, today is laboring in Washington as a part-time mechanic after spurn- |ing a fortune for the military inven- | tions which he turned over to the | United States as a patriotic duty. |~ The inventor, John W. Curreil, who now lives at 521 Fourth street, for years has had an uncanny insight into the future of military develop- ment, his friends say. He is now so thoroughly convinced that aerial war- . |fare in the future will prove insup- portably destructive to mankind that he has deliberately scrapped inven- tions for increasing the deadliness of aircraft. Air Improvements. Currell, a Spanish War veteran, has seen service in the Army, Navy and Marine Corps. Since leaving the mili- tary service, he has continued work- ing on his inventions, seeking part- time work as a mechanic to raise funds with which to keep himself alive and in materials. He has to his credit within recent years improvements in airport and fog-flying lights, airplane flares and other aeronautical devices. In the files of the Navy Department is a letter, written by Currell in De- cember, 1908, to the then Secretary of the Navy, Truman H. Newberry, at the request of the Secretary, in which there are & number of remark- able prophecies as to aerial warfare which were strikingly fulfilled nearly 10 years later during the World War. The letter forecast bombing raids, aerial combat and development of the tracer bullet, upon which Currell then was working. Born in Birkenshaw, England, May 19, 1878, Currell was brought to the United States in early childhood by his parents, who settled in Youngs- town, Ohio, where he was educated. He enlisted in the 5th Ohio Infantry in 1898, served in the Spanish War, served in the Marine Corps from 1900 to 1905 ahd then went into the Navy. While with the Marines at Goat Island, San Francisco, in 1904, he saw a captive balloon carrying passengers up on sight-seeing flights. The idea dawned upon him that in event of part. It was less than a year after the first flight of the Wright brothers | at Kitty Hawk, N. C., and no one had | taken the airplane seriously. Currell began to “potter around,” as he describes it, with powder and shells. He developed a -bomb which could be dropped from balloons and which became the aerial bomb of the | World War, which started 10 years later. Rear Admiral E. W. Eberle became war aviation might play an important | interested in thé work of the young Marine and arranged for him to trans- fer to the Navy and go to the Sea- man Gunners' School at the Wash- ington Navy Yard, where tools and equipment were available for develop- ing his ideas. The admiral mentioned the fact to the Secretary of the Navy and Secretary Newberry called upon young Currell, then a master at arms. second class, to outline his ideas. The result was a letter which is regarded by Navy officials as remarkable. In this letter, written in 1908, when the Wright brothers were preparing to demonstrate their first military air- plane to the Government, Currell voiced the opinion that “airships will be put to the test, and play an important part in warfare, if war should break out between any of the following named countries within the next few years: Germany, France, England, Russia or Austria, or between Russia and Japan.” He predicted that, with the develop- ment of the airship and the airplane, “should war break out they will no doubt be put to a test in regard to dropping explosives from them.” Currell told the Secretary that he was working on an incendiary shell which could be used against hydrogen- filled airships for destructive pur- poses. “My idea consists of a light shell containing a mixture of meal powder and another chemical,” he said. “This shell when in flight will have a flame coming out of its rear end, and if the shell shoyld go through or rip the gas bag in any manner so that the flame comes in contact with the gas, it will ignite and destroy the airship.” Currell's flaming shell is now the tracer bullet, which came into wide use during the World War. Machine Gun Use. The young inventor told Secretary Newberry that in his opinion in fu- ture years “airships will carry one or more light high-power long-range rifles for the purpose of destroying the airships of the enemy, and there will be battles fought in the air be- tween airships the same as between war vessels in sea fights of the pres- ent, except there will not be the amount of men engaged.” Six years later, when the World War started, airplane rilots shot at each other with pistols and rifies and then machine guns began to play their part in aerial warfare. “Several men can man an airship ily,” Currell wrote, “and if given a favorable opportunity, they can do considerable damage both to vessels, fortifications and army of the enemy.” This was years before the first bomb- ing flights. In his letter Currell foresaw the present-day airplane carrier. “In future years,” he wrote, “I think airships will be carried on men-of-war, or specially designed vessels for that purpose for long-dis- tance service, and when they are near the enemy’s country, they will be equipped and sent up from the vessel and flown over the encmy's vessels, forts, cities, etc., and try to destroy them.” Curtell apologized in his letter for having undertaken to patent his aerial bomb. “I assure you,” he said, “I will not attempt to patent any more of my inventions that can be used by our Government, but will give them to the service direct. For Protection of United States. “I think it is no more than my dity, when I know that my inventions will be for the protection of our country. I am in the service for the protection and welfare of our country and to protect it to the best of my ability and knowledge, whether in peace or war, and I feel proud to have the honor of having inventions that can be used in its defense.” In the years since that letter was written Currell stood by his promise to turn over his inventions to the service and even after leaving the service, before the World War, he continued to turn over military in- ventions to the Government without charge. | Currell today says he realizes the | terrible effectiveness of the modern | airplane in warfare and has scrapped several devices which would add to the destructive power of aircraft. | “War between any of the ' Euro- Ppean nations now or in the future,” he said, “will be wholesale murder. The | bombing, gassing, maiming and loss of life and destruction of property will | be appalling and nations are now pre- plrer_l to cause such destruction in DAYTON GENERAL MOTORS SHOW BEGINS HERE SATURDAY Sprintgime Exhibit of Corpora- tion’s Products to Open at 1 P.M. at Auditorium. General Motors Spring exhibit will open next Saturday afternoon at 1 o'clock at the Washington Auditorium, Nineteenth street and New York ave- nue. The showing here of the corpo- ration's products is the first of a Nation-wide display. Locally the show will run from April 6 through April 13 and after Sunday the hours will be from 10:30 am. to 10:30 pm. Ad- mission will be free. The 1935 General Motors show will be introduced with appropriate cere- monies now being arranged by a Gen- eral Show Committee, headed by A. C. Tiedemann, jr., Washington man- ager for the Pontiac Corp., as general chairman; McCleod Maurice, district manager for the General Motors Ac- ceptance Corp., will be assistant gen- eral chairman. Working with them are the following subcommittees: F. D. Akers, president of the Capitol Cadillac Co., assisted by W. A. Kolb, | and W, J. Hasket, is in charge of the This Spring, you'll want more paint than ever 53 T | Committee gn Products, Decorations ‘:nd Buildings. > The Entertainment Committee ‘is headed by P. W. Budworth, assistant general manager of the Prigidaire Corp. Working with him is M. C. Gibson. J. B. Woodside, chairman of the Publicity Committee, is aided by W. A. Rogers and F. S. Pohanka. Mr. ‘Woodside is the manager for the Gen- eral Motors Fleet Sales Corp. The prizes which are to be award- ed to those attending the Washing- ton showing are the charge of F. A. Palmer, president of L. P. Steuart, Inc., who is assisted by H. H. Smith. The exhibit sales managership is in the hands of W. T. Agee, manager | of the Olds Motor Works. K. S. Rufe, M. C. Nourse, J. H. Powell and W. A. Kolb also are on the committes. L. W. Kiefer is chairman of the com- mittee in charge of ali the General Motors dealers. E. L. Yates and Wil- liam Emerson are assistants. Vincent Lopez and his orchestra will play both afterncon and evenin~ throughout show week. Stamp Insured for $50,000. When a British Guiana 1-cent stamp of the Hind collection was taken re- cently from New York to London it ' was insured for $50,000. to use before., It's a good time to remember the ECONOMY AND SATIS- FACTION of using PAINT. “MURCO" GOOD Lifelong Paint is made from Pure White Lead, Pure Linseed Oil, Pure Turpentine and Japan Dryer. Your painter will tell you no better formula exists for mak- ing good paint. For your home's sake . + . insist upon “MURCO.” for a modern Garland Range Ry < MODERN GAS RANGE JORDAN W. & J. Sloane 711 Twelfth Street, ~ Summer Furniture That is well-nigh Indestructible IT IS possible for us this season to offer furniture for the solarium and porch that neither wear nor weather, abuse nor exposure can faze—and you know that has not been easily possible heretofore. We have developed a new finish, available in all the many beautiful colors and combinations, but which is absolutely resistent to dampness and even abuse. You just simply cannot break through this enamel no matter how hard the knock or how serious the accident. Of course, you could dent the wood; but you can’t break the enamel. We will show you a chiir which has been soaked in water and immediately placed before a soft coal fire to dry, showing no trace of the treatment to which it had been subjected. The pieces comprising this extraordinary collec- tion are constructed with the same technique and fine- nesse as that employed by the most skilled cabinet craftsmen. You will make a real investment for many years of comfort and service. Bridge Chair in closely wov- en rattan; natural finish with black permatex cushions.. §8 Bridge Tabl? to match, nat- ural base with washable black permatextop ..........$§15 Rattan Chairs, all done in this remarkable.indestructible finish $7.50 Folding Chair of sturdy con- struction which folds up flat. Canvas seat and back in red and white, blue and white and yellow and white 'W.&]J. SLOANE Free parking for our customers directly opposite the store on 12th Street 711 Twelfth Street DIstrict 7262 Stick Rattan Suite of three pieces, with gracefully carved backs and arms; deep seats with box-filled spring cushions and covered with artistic fab- ric. The finish of the frame is natural antiqued Rattan Suite of three pieces, finished in a charming color scheme of green and white, with green, white and gold cre- tonne covered cushions. Each piece is excellently propor- tioned; has full spring seat and padded backs. The sofa and easy chair are upholstered in the same fabrics, while the third chair is done in brown and white, with red, white and brown cretonne cushions ............$49.50 A Rattan Group of three pieces, luxuriously comfortable with broad arms and deep seats, equipped with spring cushions in both back and seat. Finished in striking color com- binations—the frames in solid black with the upholstered cu;hions in gold and Sleepy Hollow Easy Chair in rattan, the coolest and most comfortable type of Summer chairs; in natural color inter- laced with green and orange .............$19,50 FAN BELTS For All Cars MILLER-DUDLEY/ NORTH 1583 W. & J. SLOANE, E. J. Murphy Co. Inc. 710 12th St. N.W. NAtional 2477 711 Twelfth Street With Our Compliments and to Your Advantage HERE has been a not- able chapter written in furniture and furnish- ing history here this week by W. © J. Sloane, in the inauguration of a new and original plan of pres- entation. It amounts to a permanent exhibition of the evolution of designs during the three popular centuries—expressed 1in appropriate individual sgteings. The public’s enthusiastic reception of the idea and its practical as well as ar- tistic application, is most gratifying. Sincere ap- preciation is tonic to am- bition. As a postlude to the oc- casion we have provided thirty-five bedroom groups—one of which is included in the formal dis- play—and with the re- mainder will be placed on sale Monday morning at a complimentary price. The value will appeal and the price persuade. Fine Example of American Colonial (As illustrated) The construction is genuine Honduras mahogany, with spe- cially selected swirl mahogany on the drawer fronts of the chest, dressing table, bureau and headboards. Each piece in the group is a faithful copy of a real antique. Correctly and har- moniously proportioned, adapt- ing it to wonderful arrangement in any room. Details are faith- fully copied even to the brass drawer pulls, and Colonial red finish. Seven pieces—including full size poster bed; bureau; hanging mirror; chest; dress- ing table, with hanging mirror; bed-side table; chair and bench. We shall not attempt to du- plicate them at this price. 235 With twin poster beds, $275 You will find a charge account a convenience we are pleased to extend. Settlements arranged as you require. W. & J.SLOANE Free Parking oni12th Street Opposite the Store 711 Twelfth Street DIstrict 7262 i’ PIANO COMPANY 1239 G St., cor. 13th & G The House With The Shutt'ers'rrhe House Green Shutters 1 v [} Green With the