Evening Star Newspaper, April 13, 1935, Page 1

WEATHER. (U. 8. Weather Bureau Porecast.) Cloudy and continued cold, probably light frost, with temperature about 38 de- grees tonight; tomorrow fair, rising tem- perature. Temperatures—Highest, 49, at noon today; lowest, 43, at 5 a.m. today. Full report on page A-2. Closing N. Y. Markets, Pages 14 and 15 Entered as second class matter No. 33,219. DANUBIAN PARLEY ON AUSTRIA VOTED FOR NEXT MONTH BY STRESA POWERS Guarantee of Freedom for Vienna Back of Confer- ence—Mussolini Asks/| Armed Neighbor. GENERAL EUROPEAN ’ SESSION LATER TALKED France, England anc Italy Will‘ Invite Germany to Confer on Independence Issue—Plans Are | Made for Upholding Sanctity of Existing Treaties. | (Copyright, 1035, by the Associated Press.) STRESA, April 13.—Premier Mus- solini pleaded for an armed Austria at closing sessions of the Stresa confer- ence today and the three nations rep- resented agreed upon a Danubian conference to find a way of guar- anteeing Austria’s independence, with Germany, Italy and France present. It was virtually decided to hold the eonference next month, probably May | 20. at Rome. The premiers concluded their dis- cussion of the proposed European air pact, a part of the Franco-British | agreements reached in London last| February, without reaching any de-| cision. With the Danubian parley as the} immediate outcome of the tri-power | conferences, observers saw the further | possibility of a general European con- | ference to seal the stability of Europe, | now that Germany's willingness to | adhere to a non-aggression pact has been expressed. Last Meeting Tomorrow. The discussions here, interrupted by a luncheon given by the British Yo the French and Italian delega- tions, closes this evening, but the con- ferees will have a last meeting to- morrow to draw up a final com- munique on their talks as a whole. “A wide range of subjects,” was the | only official description of what the premiers discussed this morning. It was intimated that those invited to the Danubian conference will be Austria and the states bordering upon her—Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hun- gary, Italy and Yugoslavia—and | France, Britain, Poland and Rumania. It was said this conference may be followed by other sessions to treat with the concrete subjects and per- haps by a general European session to | consider the question of European se- | curity in a broad way. Appeal at Geneva. At Geneva, also, where the Council | gession next week will consider France's protest against German re- armament, a movement broad in na- ture presumably will be inaugurated in connection with the Paris govern- ment's appeal. It is expected, by an exhaustive examination, to arrive at | the best method of assuring the sanc- | tity of treaties. | Practical measures to restrain and | even punish treaty repudiators—for example, economic and financial isola- tion—may develop from the inquiry | by the League. Present plans call for the appointment of a League Com- mission of Study. One question to be decided is whether measures against treaty vio- lators would require an amendment to the League covenant or whether such action could be taken under the | existing covenant. If treaty repudia- tion was deemed to involve the threat of war, then the League Council could | act, since the covenant authorizes in | such cases “any action deemed wise | and effectual to safeguard the peace ©of nations.” League’s Position. ‘The League Assembly several years | ago adopted a report interpreting the covenant in the sense that economic and financial measures could be ap- | plied against an ofiending nation and | that even naval demonstrations could be resorted to. Another solution would be for a | group of League of Nations coun- | tries, by special treaty, to interpret | the covenant as authorizing them to take specific measures to assure re- spect for treaties. Today's final deliberations began | at 9:30 am. with no light on two outstanding questions. These are the prospects of getting Germany into the League of Nations and into a con- ference for the limitation of arma- ments. The problem of German colonies stands out as a possible impediment to Germany’s return to Geneva. Reichsfuehrer Hitler virtually made this return conditional upon equality in all things including colonies, all of which Germany lost in the great war. An air of cheer—"light after dark- ness"—as the delegates expressed it, prevailed as the conference among Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald of Britain, Premier Pierre-Etienne (Continued on Page 3, Column 5.) - GENEVA BODY BACKS CONTROL OF ARMS Disarmament Conference Commit- tee Adopts Report Proposing Strict Supervision. By the Associated Press. CENEVA, April 13.—A report of the Arms Trade Control Committee in- cluding the draft of a treaty text, with reservations, for government control of armaments was adopted today on first reading by a committee of the Disermament Conference. Hugh R. Wilson, United States Mirister to Switzerland, said commit- tee debates had showed unanimous recognition of the principle of full na- tiana) responsibility for national con- trol of arms outputs. He said the committee in two months’ work had made substantial progress. ¢ post office, Washington, D. C. | and Industrial Figures Seen i Boy, 15, Kills Eagle With Stick as Bird Attacks Brother, 8 By the Associated Press. LYNCHBURG, Tenn., April 13. —Fifteen-year-old Floyd Tipps was a worthy foe for a massive golden eagle with a wing spread of 85 inches. The big bird came out a poor second vesterday to Floyd. who beat it to death with a stick as it tried to carry off his 8-year- old brother, Charles. Attracted by screams and shouts, Floyd said he ran to his brother’s aid and found the eagle dragging Charles along the ground. Floyd grabbed a stick and flayed the bird across the head until it released its hold on the little boy. Then he killed it. FARMERS PROTEST N.R. . CODE PRICES Disparities Between Farm| Hindering Recovery. By the Associated Press. Farmers, speaking through the Na- tional Grange, protested to the Sen- ate Finance Committee today that recovery had been retarded by a dis- parity between agricultural and in- dustrial prices under N. R. A. They demanded elimination of monopolistic code provisions if the recovery law is extended. Fred Brenckman, Washington rep- resentative, was spokesman for the | grange. He told the Senate N. R. A. investigators that disparities between farm and industrial prices had been prolonged as & result of “artificial and arbitrary regulation {and regi- mentation of industry der Lhe‘ N.R. A" The committee sat in a session in an effort to conclude next week if possible, the inquiry into ad- | ministration of the recovery law. Code Held Poultry Aid. James E. Rice, Cornell University professor and New York poultryman, told the committee the poultry code had proved of benefit to farmers and poultry breeders. Poultrymen, he said, were having & better season than any for many years. 1. H. Kopf of Cincinnati protested codes in many instances had been tiarmful to small business. Brenckman testified the “growth of monopoly, the fostering of illegal combinations for the artificial fixation of prices, the many and varied re- strictions placed upon industry” had all increased the cost of production and “placed industrial commodities beyond reach of our agricultural pop- ulation.” Revision Begun. Working behind the scenes in an effort to meet the monopoly charges | thrown against N. R. A. by Senator Borah, Republican, of Idaho, and others, Senate administration leaders have begun to revise the bill for extending the Blue Eagle machine. Borah, called into covference by the administration spokesmen, in- sisted upon three major points. He demanded full restoration of the anti- trust laws, an affirmative orohibition against price-fixing and a clear dec- laration that the Government is not seeking to interfere with purely intra- state trade. Those in charge of the legislation conceded privateiy that the adminis- tration measure introduced recently by Chairman Harrison of the Senate Finance Committee leaned more heavily toward price-fixing than does even the present law. There was agreement that it would do little to restore the anti-trust laws. Virtually all agreed, too, that the measure would have to be modified in both respects to obtaln congressional approval. Wagner Called In. Harrison and Senator Wagner, Democrat, of New York, collaborated yesterday in redrafting the bill and in negotiating with Borah. At the same time, Senator McCarran, Dem- ocrat, of Nevada was working on a measure further to curtail N. R. As powers by putting the entire code structure on & voluntary basis. Indications were that Borah and the administration representatives might get together on the elimination of price-fixing except possibly in such | natural resource industries as coal | and oil. There was more difficulty, however, | in reaching a compromise on the other two points in Borah's program. To Finish Work Soon. Further conferences between the conflicting parties was planned for next week. One of the most impor- tant code authorities, that for most of the retail trades, last night came to the support of N. R. A, urging its continuance for two years. This code authority is constituted of nine retail trades associations—Variety stores, mail order houses, music, re- tail clothiers, two shoe groups, dry goods, furniture and hardware. | Ali but hardware voted for the | resolution. FIREMEN OFF DUTY LANESBORO, Mass., April 13 (#).— Members of the volunteer fire depart- ment of this Berkshire Hills town yes- terday were called to the Summer home of Mrs. George Briggs of Chi- cago. The house was destroyed. It seems, the fire truck was hauling tnow for a maple sugaring party when it should have been on hand to battle the flames. News of D. A. R. Full reports of the D. A. R. Convention, April 14 to 21, inclusive: Mail—Postage Pre- paid U. S., Mexico and Canada ....... 35¢ Foreign ...........$1.00 Leave orders with Star representative at Consti- tution Hall or The Eve- ning Star office, Saturday | @h WASHINGTON, D. | by Dulin & Martin was $26,000 a year | SABATH ATTACKS FIRST WARDMAN BONDS AS FRAUD Head of House Committee Pledges Prosecution if Possible., ATTORNEY 0’CONNELL TELLS OF SUIT OUSTER Five District Supreme Court Judges Will Be Heard on Col- lusion Charge. Declaring the “original issue of | Wardman bonds was a fraud on the pedple,” Chairman Sabath of the spe- cial House committee investigating mortgage refinancing announced today his committee will make every effort to have the guilty parties prosecuted. The securities were sold through the banking houses of Halsey Stuart & Co. and Hambleton & Co., but several prominent Washington men were in- volved in floating the issue. “I know the original issue of these bonds was a fraud on the people,” Sabath said. “I don’t know whether | we will be able to reach them because | of the lapse of time, but if we can find any way to have them prosecuted, we will do s0” Representative Fuller, Democrat, of Arkansas, another member of the committee, said: “The bond situation js worse than the stock exchange scandal.” 0’Connell on Stand. I These statements followed testimony by William B. O'Connell, local attor- ney, who represented former Secre- tary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw in the Wardman litigation. | O'Connell said he filed a foreclosure | | suit in District Supreme Court for Shaw, and that while his suit was pending, counsel for the bankers went before another judge in the same cour:i and secured the appointment of their own receivers, thereby “kicking | his suit out of the window.” The second suit on its face was filed on behalf of bondholders, and O’Connell did not explain his state- ment that the attorneys acted for the | bankers. Representative Dirksen of Illinois asked O'Connell if he thought the bankers had tried to salvage the ‘Wardman properties. “I think they tried to steal the property.” O'Connell said.” “Well,” replied Dirksen, “salvaging is & polite word for stealing.” 0’Connell Sent Dare, O’Connell was summoned after he sent a telegram to committee counsel daring him to call him as a witness. Five justices of the court were scheduled to appear as witnesses, and it is expected they will be questioned about the collusion charges in con- nection with the Wardman foreclosure | suit, made by W. Bissell Thomas, at- torney, who represented minority | Wardman bond interests. Thomas did no explain what he meant by the use of the term “col- lusive suit,” but did say in response to & question by Representative Cul- kin, Republican of New York, that he considered it an “indictment of the| court.” The justices who have been invited to appear before the committee are Chief Justice Alfred A. Wheat and Associate Justices Oscar R. Luhring, James M. Proctor and Jesse C. Adkins of the District Supreme Court, and Associate Justice William Hitz of the District Court of Appeals. Co-Receivers Disagree. George E. Sullivan, attorney, said he resigned as a receiver for the La Salle Apartments because he could not agree with his co-receivers—Edward F. Colladay and Enoch A. Chase—in a settlement worked out with Dulin & Martin for compromising overdue rent. Dulin & Martin, a tenant in the apartment building, offered $7,500 in settlement of unpaid rent aggre- gating $36,000, provided a 20-year lease be canceled. Sullivan said he considered this compromise too liberal from the receivers’ standpoint. He added, however, that the agreement | was submitted to the court and ap- proved. H. Clifford Bangs, real estate man, said he had expressed the belief the | top rental value of the sprce occupied | shortly before it was rented to the Government for office purposes at | $70,000 a year. | “It looks like Washington bond- | holders hold losing cards until the | Government comes along and pays twice the rental value for their prop- erty,” the committee observed. Refinancing Described. Details of the refinancing of the Shoreham Hotel were described by Walter B. Guy, who said he “had his chest out” because he thought a good job had been done in reorganizing the property. He testified that new bonds, paying a lower rate of interest, have been issued to holders of the old bonds and that Harry M. Bralove, builder, has acquired any equitable interest there may be in the property. Bralove testified that he acquired the equitable interest in the hotel, which is subject to some $4,000,000 in debts, by cancelling mechanics’ liens for $270,000. He also told the com- mittee he has purchased $100,000 of Shoreham notes from brokers at prices ranging from 20 to 47 cents on the dollar. He said he regarded them as a good investment at that price. GRAIN PRICES SOAR SHARPLY AT CHICAGO Broad Speculative Buying Sweeps All Wheat Futures Well Above Dollar Mark. By the Associated Press. CHICAGO, April 13.—Broad specu- lative buying, more pronounced than at any time in recent weeks, swept grain prices sharply higher today, with all wheat future deliveries selling well above $1.00 per bushel. After the first hour of irading in 11th St. and Pa. Ave. N.W, 10ld C. W. A. Plan Is Model, | “security” wages. | Weeks” which would provide an addi- | $100,000,000 and $200,000,000 of work- wheat prices had advanced 1%- to 21 cents above yesterday’s close, with May only below $1.02. ® ¢ Foenin WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION B3 C., SATURDAY, APRIL 13, 1935—TWENTY-EIGHT PAGES. - KNEW THESE HEAVY FROSTS HAD NT KILLEDIT! The only evening in Washington wit Associated Press o Star ¥ aper the News and Wirephoto Services. WE B0 ouR paRT Yesterday’s Circulation, 131,586 Some Returns Not Yet Received. (®) Means Associated Press. TREASURY REPORT URGES FULL STUDY OF FISCAL ISSUE Inquiry Proposed to Fix Amount of U. S. Share of D. C. Expenses. TAX COMPARISONS ARE PARTIALLY MADE | Finding of Low “Adjusted” Rate " WS AN /AT | MCARRAN SCORES WORKS CAMPAIGN and That Was “Fizzle,” Senator Asserts. By the Associated Press. Senator McCarran, Democrat. of Nevada said today he understood the | “old C. W. A. plan” was going to be followed in the Government's $4,000,- | 000,000 works drive. “I understand they are going to go on the old Civil Works Administration | plan,” he said. “The C. W. A. was the | greatest fizzle there ever was. They, might just as well slush out the| money.™ | McCarran was the leader of one of the hottest fights over the works bill in the Senate. He led the attempt to make it mandatory to pay relief work- ers the same hourly wage rate received by employes in private industry. His efforts were opposed by admin- | istration advocates of $50-a-month The result was a compromise providing that wage rates prevailing in private industry should be paid workers on permanent public | buildings erected with work relief! money. “But now,” McCarran said today, “it seems as if they don't want to con- struct Federal buildings because such | construction is too slow.” Commenting on the wages issue, he said: “They'll either have to tear down the wage structure of the country or| else follow the spirit of the McCarran | amendment. It looks to me as if they are vitiating the spirit of the amend- ment. I have always contended that they are trying to tear down the wage | scale.” House Leader Unperturbed. McCarran’s comment was prompted | particularly by the disclosure yester- day that at least one Democratic| leader in the House expects the com- | promise wage requirements to give the administration no trouble. Representative Buchanan, Democrat. of Texas, told the House he believed President Roosevelt could set aside money from the works fund for Federal buildings if he wanted to do so, but| that he was confident this would not be done. Buchanan said he would introduce a separate bill within “a month or six tional fund of $40,000,000 or $45,000,- 000 for Federal building construction on which prevalling wage rates will be paid. Meanwhile, one of the principles laid down by the President yesterday in anncuncing plans to spend between relief money for grade crossing elim- ination turned attention to another major problem of the program—that of speedily obtaining land needed in public works projects. States Must Give Help. Mr. Roosevelt, mentioning the cross- ing crash at Rockville, Md., Thursday night in which 14 occupants of a school bus were killed, revealed that States or localities will be required to provide the land needed in crossing elimination projects. Mr. Roosevelt indicated also that progress had been made toward work- ing out the machinery for handling other phases of the work to be done with the $4,000,000,000 work appro- priation. Highway allotments to the States, he said, would be handled through the same channels as previously. He add- ed that thought would be given to low- ering interest rates on public works loans if that became feasible. It was a safe guess, he said, that if the Gov- ernment is able to borrow money at less than 3 per cent it probably will make loans at less than 4 per cent. JAPANESE OIL POLICY PREVENTS AGREEMENT Negotiations With U. 8. and Brit- ish Firms Fail as Tokio Eyes Manchoukuo. By the Associated Press. TOKIO, April 13.—Negotiations be- tween the Japanese government and American and British oil companies seeking a basis for foreign companies to continue business in Japan proper broke down today without an agree- ment, Manchoukuo has already begun en- forcement of an oll monopoly which will completely eliminate American and British firms as distributors .and retailers. A Tokio newspaper said the Japanese government considers the step an experiment and its results will be watched with & view to extending the system to the empire, 'and drought relief, CAPITAL GETS $602,900 FOR RELIEF IN APRIL More Than $3,000,000 Allotted Maryland, Virginia and District by Order of Hopkins. More than $3,000,000 for April re- lief was allotted today to the District, Maryland and Virginia by Federal Re- lief Administrator Harry L. Hopkins. The District gets $602,900; Mary- land, $1,326,03, and Virginia, $1,- 221,310. The grants were part of a national allotment of $113.661,384, including funds previously made available as| well as grants for the remainder of the month. Funds were for general transient aid, emergency education and the student- aid program. U $. DUST FUNDS CHEER ARID REGION for Five States as Wheat Hits $1. By the Assoclated Press. Release of Federal relief funds for dust control work cheered residents of the Midwest's drought area today as short crop reports influenced wheat in a rise to the dollar-a-bushel mark at Chicago and silt clouds whipped up by the Spring winds spread afar. Payment for tractor fuel—at the rate of 10 cents an acre—and the use of relief workers was authorized by Administrator Harry L. Hopkins in the relatively small affected region. The Federal funds and labor will | be used on projects in Kansas, Texas, | New Mexico, Colorado and Nebraska. Strip listing already is under way in | Kansas, the project being financed by | & previous $250,000 allotment. Damage Survey Begun. Seeking to withdraw arid areas from agricultural production, the Depart- ment of Agriculture projected a sur- vey of the damage. Plans under con- sideration call for withdrawal of be- tween 50,000,000 and 100,000,000 acres for grazing, forest planting, rec- reation and wild life. F. K. Reed, Federal crop statisti- cian at Topeka, Kans., said that West- ern Kansas wheat farmers should re- ceive in round numbers $15,000,000 this year in Government payments. More millions are' counted on by wheat farmers in the other affected States. Additional funds were sought to make possible a gigantic listing pro- gram, creating high furrows intended to toss the dust-laden winds upward and break them up. Health Measures Taken. Cary T. Grayson, chairman of the American Red Cross, said nursing service would be furnished communi- ties where illness has resulted from the dust. At Dodge City, Kans., physicians re- ported after a careful check-up that harmless hay bacillus was the “worst” germ they could find in the dust clouds which have rolled over Western Kansas. They added, however, that lung irritation by dust could be seri- ous and may have been responsible for several measles cases that turned into pneumonia. Pessimism over the wheat outlook in | the dust area of Western Kansas, (Continued on Page 2, Column 1.) S LT Routs Bandit With Bottle. DENVER, Colo., April 13 (#).—A youth, his face covered with a hand- kerchief and one hand moving men- acingly inside his coat pocket, ordered Ernest L. Simpson, 56-year-old store- keeper to turn over his money. Simp- son turned, but grabbed a milk bottle and chased the hold-up out of the store. Guide for Readers Short Story .. goclety s | ever, Hopkins Authorizes Cash! MOFFETT SEEKS T0QUITJOB SOON To Confer With President Today Before Submitting F. H. A. Resignation. By the Associated Press. A conference between James A. Moffett, the housing administrator, | and President Roosevelt was expected today to determine whether the for- mer Standard Oil official will re- main at the head of the Federal Hous- ing Administration. MofTett let it be known today that he expects to ask to be relieved within | a short time, but persons close to him and the White House said it was doubtful whether the President would | consent to his leaving at this time. Moffett is known to have been in- | tending to resign as soon as he felt | the Housing Administration was on its way to success. He refused, how- | to discuss his plans beyond| stating that he wants to confer Wwith | the President and then may submit ! his resignation. | It is known that Moffett has been somewhat disappointed by the pace of | the P. H. A. The repair program of | the administration, he feels, has pro- | ceeded as well as could be expected | and has been successful in creating a | large amount of employment. The | second phase of the housing plans, | however, has been obstructed, some officials feel, by the fact that banks have been hesitant about making long- | term loans for new construction. | Already there is speculation as to who may succeed him. It was said | today in some administration quar- | ters that both Secretary Ickes and | Harry L. Hopkins, the relief adminis- | trator, would like to gain control of | the Housing Administration. Efforts are being made, it was learned, to ob- | tain the appointment of one or the other, or of some member of their stas, to the housing administratorship | in addition to their other jobs. | ROBBER SUSPECT HELD | NORFOLK, Va., April 13 (#— Police here were holding a man who | said he was F. G. Blackney, Detroit, | Mich., charged with attempted rob- bery. He is accused of having walked | into a restaurant here yesterday aft- ernoon and, holding a pistol in his | hand, ordered a waitress to open the | cash register. | ‘The waitress, Lily May Clark, 24, said that the gunman glanced into the cash drawer and when ne saw only a few dollars he slipped his gun into a shoulder holster and walked out. | Retail Sales Up 1.8% Retail sales of Washington department stores, as re- ported by the Richmond Fed- eral Reserve Bank, again show an increase for March, as compared with the same month of last year. This is the only gain reported for any city in the fifth Federal Re- serve district. Business continues to im- prove in Washington. With the pre-Easter week and pros- pects for delightful weather still ahead, Washington mer- chants can expect a still fur- ther improvement in their Spring business. Yesterday’s Advertising (Local Display.) Lines. The Evening Star. 84,574 2d Newspaper. ... 41,789 3d Newspaper. ... 27,002 4th Newspaper... 13,927 5th Newspaper... 12,877 To‘zl ( Four other 95,59’ newspapers Yesterday's total circulation of 131,586 included an in- creased coverage over last year of almost ten thousand more reader homes in Wash- ington and the immediately surrounding territory. Local merchants are using this profitable medium to increase their Spring business. ' Here Faces Criticism for Methods Used. A further investigation by expertsboth in and out of the Government to settle | the question of how the expenses of the National Capital should be ap- portioned between the United Stafes and the local community was recom- mended today by the Treasury Depart- ment in its long-awaited report to President Roosevelt on local taxation. In making the report public, it was stated at the Treasury Department that the President today is forwarding copies to Senator King and Represent- | ative Norton, chairmen, respectively, of the Senate and House District Com- mittees. ‘The Treasury report is almost en- tirely an analysis of comparative tables of tax burdens and costs of government in Washington and 14 other cities. The Treasury reported that “if con- sideration of the quality and quantity of services received by residents of the District be excluded and attention be focused solely on the actual money burden of taxation, the clear an- swer is: “The evidence indicates that Wash- ington taxpayers bear a smaller total burden of taxation than the residents of other cities of roughly comparable size and character.” Vigorous Protest Seen. This conclusion, however, will prob- ably be met by vigorous eriticism from local citizens who have made frequent studies of comparative tax burdens. ‘The first point of attack, it was sug- gested, will be on the method used by the Treasury in making a comparison of so-called “adjusted” tax rates. The Treasury took its tax rate fig- ures from the Detroit Bureau of Gov- | ernment Research, which follows the method of “adjusting” tax rates by obtaining the estimates of local offi- clals regarding the ratio of assessed to actual values of property. By this method Washington, with an assessment ratio of 100 per cent of assessed to real value, is compared with cities where the reported assess- ment ranges upward from 40 per cent. Method Is Criticized. The Detroit Bureau method is to apply the reported, or guessed at, ratio of assessment to the actual tax rate And through use of this method, which TWO CENTS. SIGNALS IN ORDER, WITNESS ASSERTS ATBUS CRASH QUIZ 'B. & 0. Official Testifies All Warning Devices Found in Operation. FIRST OF 14 FUNERALS HELD AT WILLIAMSPORT Roosevelt Prepares to Direct Ex- penditure of $100,000,000 to Eliminate Hazards. Baltimore & Ohio Railway officials, opering today in Baltimore their in- quiry into the Rockville grade crossing | tragedy of Thursday night, were told | today that the crossing signals and warning bells were in full operation at the time of the school bus-train rash. Meanwhile, the stricken town of Williamsport, Md., began the dreary task of burying its 14 dead school children, and President Roosevelt prepared to direct expenditure of from $100,000,000 to $200,000,000 to wipe | out highway hazards. In Rockville, there were unofficial reports that & special grand jury might be sume mcned to inquire into the crash. Overpass Move Spurred. | Pressing for immediate elimination | of the crossing. the Maryland State ‘ Roads Commission today had several surveyors examining the site of the | tragedy preparatory to planning an | overpass. Diagrams of such an overpass have ! been in the office of the Roads Com- mission since 1923, when five boys were killed at the same crossing. The | new measurement will establish whether the previous survey will meet | present needs. | H. W. Routenberg, assistant divie sion engineer of the B. & O., was the first to testify when Charles M. Shriver, superintendent of the Balti~ more division, opened the inquiry in | Baltimore, the Associated Press stated. | “When I arrived at the scene of the accident at about 1 a.m. Friday,” Rou= tenberg said, “I immediately conducted an investigation of the automatic warning devices at the crossing. “I found them all in good working | order. | “I noticed that the next east-bound | train that came through, going in the | same direction as the train which ‘utmck the bus, operated the signals perfectly.” Completing his testimony, giving | statistics on the railroad’s various | safety devices. Routenberg said he was | certain all were in good working ore der and operating in full force at the time of the accident. | Engineer Tells of Crash. J. A. Shoebridge, the engineer of has been widely criticized, Washing- | the express train that rij open ton is shown with a lower “adjusted” | the scyfi,o] bus., was the ,fé’,,':d ‘Ei';. tax rate than any other of the 14 ness. He asserted he approached the cities with which it is compared. crossing with the engine whistle | When the Treasury deducts from the | screaming and the bell going full | dents. tax rate that portion which gves into debt service, Washington having no bonded indebtedness, the resuit shows that Washington's “adjusted” tax rate is lower than that of any city on the list_except Cincinnati. ‘The Treasury inquiry reveals Wash- ington's per capita assessment as by far the highest of any of the cities compared. In governmental cost pay- ments per capita Washington is shown as being the eighth city on the list when the lump sum is included and thirteenth on the list of 15 cities when the lump sum is excluded. Comparisons Crude Measure. ‘Throughout the report, however, the statement is reiterated that “compara- tive general property tax rates offer but a crude and preliminary measure of the comparative burden of taxa- tion.” It also states that “a similar statement must be made about per capita costs of Government.” In this connection the report also states: “The fact is that cities vary widely both in the quantity and the quality of the services rendered their resi- Hence, a direct comparison of aggregate and per capita financial outlays only, properly requires supple- mentation by an intensive analysis | of the character of the services ren- | dered.” Recommendations Listed. After devoting 22 typewritten pages to analyzing the several tables on taxes | and costs of government, the Treasury report concluded with these recom- mendations: “In order (1) to supplement the fore- going analysis of the comparative tax rates and costs of government by ref- ererce to the quantity and quality of services rendered, and (2) to provide the data needed for the choice of con- tinuing criteria for the determination of the proportions and amounts of revenues that may be justly raised threugh District taxation and Federal cor.tributions, respectively, it is rec- ommended that a more extensive in- vestigation, conducted with the assist- ance of experts within and outside of tpu:d _Pedenl Government, be author- Inasmuch as the fiscal relations is- sue is one involving the interests of both local residents and the Federal Government the final suggestion in the Treasury report ihat further in- quiry be made by experts “within and outside of the Federal Government,” is important. ROOSEVELT TO ATTEND NATIONALS’ FIRST GAME President Roosevelt today promised Clark Griffith, president of the Wash- ington base ball club, that he would be on hand to toss out the ball for the opening game here Tuesday, and that he would be able to attend a world series next Fall. Grifith quickly retorted that the President could rest assured he would not have to travel very far to attend the next world series. He did not say it would be held in Washington, but Ford Frick, the new president of the National League, who accompanied Grifiith on his White House call, quick- ly joined in by saying to the President, “No, you won't have to go very i farther than New York.” A | blast. Asked to describe in his own words what happened, he said: | _ “When we came through Rockville | I blew my whistle just as I passed the whistle board (1,410 feet from the crossing). I began ringing my bell about half way from the board to the crossing. | “Just a few seconds later I heard ! the fireman shout. A second or two | later the crash came. The fireman yelled ‘We've hit a bus.’” Shoebridge testified that his position | in the locomotive was on the far side | of the crossing and that the bus ap- proached from the firemans side of the cab. He estimated his speed at between 55 and 60 miles an hour. The maximum speed allowed by the rail- | road, he said, is 60 miles an hour. L C. C. Officials at Inquiry. Three representatives from the In- | terstate Commerce Commission—G. W. | Lovering, chief of the Accident Sec- | tion of the Bureau of Safety; T. B. Smith, signal engineer, and Robert | Tonkin, inspector—attended the in- quiry. | Lovering said at the completion of an investigation which he intends to | make, including interviews with Percy Line of Williamsport, driver of the ill-fated bus; Miss A. Louise Funk, | teacher who was riding with the pu- pils: police officials and others, he | would submit a report to the Bureau |of Safety in Washington. | “In that report,” he said, “we shall | include recommendations for crimi- nal action—if any are made.” As the first inquiry got under way, it was reported at Georgetown Hos- | pital here, that two of the injured high school chemistry students were “slightly improved this morning.” Tney are Margaret Kreps and Jane Staley Murray, 17-year-old bride, whose secret marriage to Ned Mure ray was disclosed by her young hus- band hastening to her side after i‘the accident. Carl Brindle Buried. Carl Brindle, one of the 14 victims, is being buried today at Williamsport. From now until Wednesday tolling bells will sound at the little Maryland town as others of his companions are borne to their graves. It was at first thought a mass funeral might be held, but this was decided against. In the Baltimore inquiry, investige=- tors are confronted with conflicting statements regarding warning lights and signals at the crossing, which is protected by a watchman in the day- time, but not late at night. Deny Hearing Signals, Line, driver of the bus, who is held under $1,000 bond on a technical charge of manslaughter, has asserted that he neither heard nor saw warn- ing signals. Miss Funk, teacher of (Continued on Page 3, Column 32) Sl s Fever Spreads in China. HAICHOW, Kiangsu Province, China. April 12 (#).—A “great in- crease” in the number of victims of black fever scourging this area was reported last night by American Southern Presbyterian missionaries Although the missionaries are fight- ing the spread of the disease in North- ern Kiangsu, they said there was little danger for themselves and they had no | refused to heed the urgings of {riends (that they leave.