Evening Star Newspaper, June 4, 1935, Page 17

Wash WARDMAN CALLS ELF FIGUREHEAD, SCORES “BANKERS™ Informs House Inquiry He Knew Nothing of Re- financing. SABATH WILL INSIST ON GRAND JURY PROBE | Thought He Was Rich, Woke Up ' Without Nickel, Realty Operator Says. BY JOHN H. CLINE. ington News Harry Wardman, who built up vast | holdings here with an ultimate loss of millions of dollars to the investing | public, today testified he knew roth- | ing about the disastrous refinancing | of his holdings by Halsey. Stuart & Co. | The 62-year-old builder told a House subcommittee investigating mortgage refinancing that he was a mere figure- head so far as the fiscal affairs of the companies bearing his name were concerned. “I did the building work,” he said, vand signed the papers when they were put before me. All that stuff was foreign to me.” He said Leonard Stanley, Halsey | Stuart representative. ran the show. I didn't even have an opinion about the matter,” he said. “Stanley had all the opinions. You'll never stop this sort of business until you get rid of all the Halsey Stuarts in the country.” Grand Jury May Get Case. After it had been testified that rep- resentatives of “the bankers” still have a hand in the management. Rep- resentative Sabbath, chairman of the subcommittee. said he was going to insist the matter be presented to the grand jury. “I am convinced the statute of limi- tations has not run—that this is a continuing fraud.” he declared. “I am going to insist that the matter be presented for indictment.” i d he was cleaned out and didn't even know | what was happening “They wiped me out.” he declared. “They didn't leave a nickel. I'm broke now, but I'm still going.” “Are you planning to build up an- other real estate empire,” a committee member asked. “No sir,” Wardman replied. “I'm through with that stuff.” | Wardman said he was retained as! nominal head of the organization at a salary of $50,000 a year. Gave Up Salary. “I didn't know then what I know | now.” he sald, “and I deliberately gave up my salary because I thought it would help the security holders.” He said he thought the management of the properties by Thomas D. Car- son and Humphrey Lloyd, put in by “the bankers” had been “intentionally destructive.” “The bankers,” he said, deliberately depressed the price of the securities 50 they could wipe out the “widows and orphans” and buy up the bonds themselves. Wardman said he did not even know whether he was making any money before the crash. “I thought I was a rich man,” he said. “Why, I was paying big income taxes; I raised the salaries of my as- gociates and then I woke up and found 1 didn't have a nickel.” Refinancing Described. James P. Hobbs took the stand after Wardman, his former associate, at first failed to answer his name. Hobbs told of the refinancing of the ‘Wardman properties through Halsey- Stuart Co. when $11.000,000 of first mortgage refinancing bonds and $2.- 500,000 of debentures were issued and sold. He said no provision was made for | paying $4.000,000 of the bonds falling due in 1931, three years after the refinancing. and expressed the opinion it was “very unlikely” the properties cauld earn enough to pay this sum. | The witness then described the in- | tricate corporate set-up of the made- | over Wardman Companies, which lodged control of all the properties in | the bankers. H. L. Stuart, he said, insisted that current liabilities of the | ‘Wardman Companies be reduced, and to accomplish this more than $2.000.- 000 of three-year notes were issued to | creditors. Although reluctant to admit | the controlling Wardman Co. was in- | solvent at the time, Hobbs said their liabilities were greater than their | assets. Appraisals Differ. He testified that the firm of Ford. Bacon & Davis, at the request of the | bankers, appraised the properties at $28,000.000 a few months after Weaver | Bros. had fixed the value at $23.- | 000.000. Hobbs said he was retained after the | reorganization under a five-year con- | tract at $15,000 a year, but resigned after six months because he expected | to be asked to resign. He said he had | no work to do. | Robert Taylor, another of Ward- | man's associates before the refinanc- | ing. told the committee the hnnkers! advanced money on “very doubtful” | security from the sale of Wardman bonds to keep the Wardman cor- poration from going into bankruptey. They did this, he said, because they wanted to dispose of some of the se- curities still on their hands before the @rash came. R. S. V. Hartz, speaking for the employes’ savings fund of the B. & O. Railroad, which bought $100,000 of the bonds, said he believed Halsey | Stuart & Co. was guilty of “tragically | bad judgment” in the refinancing. but | said he has never believed they inten- | tionally defrauded those to whom they sold the bonds. He sald he believed | the company suffered financially and Jost customers and prestige. He also said he regarded Mr. Carson as an “honorable and upright gentle- man,” and that he as a bondholder would be willing to have him continue | his work in managing the properties. Hartz, however, criticized the plan under which the properties are now | operated as harmful in several re- | spects to the bondholders. A0SR S Candidates Invited. BARCROFT. Va., June 4 (Special). | ~—The Barcroft School and Civic League has invited all candidates for | public office to attend a meeting | Thursday night in the league’s hall and speak on the political questions « the campaign. HARRY W, Builder, as he related his financial today. he Foening Fhaf Wardman on the Stand ARDMAN, troubles to a House subcommittee —Star Staff Photo. ALVAS MEMBERS UTILITIES CONTROL WILL AID P[]HL‘E} EARINGS ENDED | an immense stretch of downtown city |the Air Corps Tactical School, Ma: | lieutenant at that time. Been Sworn In as Mem- | bers of Force. A Shrine provost guard of 40 mem- | bers of Almas Temple will co-operate | with police in maintaining order during the imperial conclave here | next week. | This was announced today jointly by Maj. Ernest W. Brown, superin- tendent of police, who is a member of Almas Temple, and Robert P. Smith, director general of the Convention Committee. The guard of Shriners will co- operate with police and will ride with uniformed members in police cars on a constant iookout for any violation of law. They already have been sworn in as members of the police force. This provost guard headed by Edwin C. Dutton. past ,otentate of Almas. The first vice chairman is Swagger Shirley. 1,500 Force Planned. Maj. Brown. explaining details of police arrangements for the Shrine convention, said that, including spe- | cial forces from several cities in the | East and his Metropolitan force here. there will be a total of more than 1,500 | men. It will require 936 men to police the parade and the streets adjoining the parade. In addition to this. the Police Department must patrol all the rest of the District of Columbia. Ten policewomen from Eastern cities will be among the outsiders com- ing to assist the local forces. Others | include 150 uniformed men from New York City, 100 from Philadelphia, 10 | motor cycle State police from Penn- | I sylvania and 75 detectives from the ' expediting settlement of utilities rate | | principal Eastern cities, who are fa- | controversies, and, second, that of miliar with gangsters and the crim- inal element of this seaboard and would be ready to pick up any of these discovered among the throng of visi- tors. Emergency traffic lanes will be set up across the line of march in order | to allow late arrivals to cross Penn- | sylvania avenue, should the parade have a break of sufficient length to allow this. “The Shrine is desirous of main- | taining perfect order during the con- | vention,” said Maj. Brown, “and we have set up an organization which we believe will be able to do this.” Will Wear White Uniforms. Maj. Brown explained that the | Washington motor cycle police who | will accompany him at the head of all | parades will be dressed in white uni- forms and will ride white motor cycles. | Maj. Brown, riding in a special car | painted with the Shrine colors of red. | yellow and green, Wil ride at the head of all parades and will wear his red Almas fez. | A gigantic dance for the public, to| which all Shriners and everybody | else are in.jed, will take place over | pavement on Wednesday and Thurs- day nights, it was explained today by Director General Smith. This will be known as “the dance of the nations,” and will be on Fifteenth street from Pennsylvania to Consti- tution avenue, a city gtreet almost 80 feet wide and five bl long. It will | be brightly illuminated, and the | music will be furnished by Shrine bands and orchestras amplified to provide music sufficiently loud throughout the area. In order to smooth the pavement for dancing, the streets will be strewn with corn meal. Arrangements for this are in charge of John C. Koons. chairman of the Entertainment Committee. The dancing will follow the two big night parades and will start at 11 o'clock. Real Indians in Parades. Real Indians of the Mandam tribe will appear in the parades in their native costumes, Smith announced. These men are all Shriners trcm El Zagel Temple, Fargo, N. Dak. The first 2xhibition of the pic- turesque Roman chariot race will take place tomorrow afterncon at Fort Myer, when four of the eight chariots that are to participate in the pageant on Thursday night next week will be driven by drivers dressed as Roman soldiers. The chariots, which have been specially built for ihe oc- casion, are gaudy in color and both horses and drivers will be decked glamorous ‘rappings for the try- ts. ORDERED TO SCHOOL Maj. Donald B. Phillips, General Headquarters Air Force, commanding the new 14th Bombardment Squadron at Bolling Field, has been ordered to | in oul well Field, Ala., August 28, the War Department has announced. He will revert to his pegmanent rank of first It also was announced today that Pirst Lieut. Arthur L. Bump, jr., has| been appointed flight commander in the 21st Observation Squadron. Boll. ing Fleld, with temporary rank as captain, T | Senator Tydings, Democrat, oi Ma Guard of 40 Shriners Have‘Compromise Reached on! Bill Governing Rate Body’s Procedure. After arriving at a compromise agreement on the wording of the key section of the measure, hearings were | concluded today by a subcommittee of the Senate District Committee on a bill bearing on changes in procedure affecting the Public Utilities Commis- sion. Hinging on the extent of jurisdic- tion of the District Supreme Court in reviewing decisions handed down by the commission, the compromise ef- fected would limit the review “to questions of law, including constitu- tional questions, and the findings of fact by the commission shall be con- clusive unless it shall appear that such findings of the commission are un- reasonable, arbitrary or capricious.” In the bill as passed by the House. there was the additional clause “if supported by substantial evidence.” land, who presided over today's hear- ing. declared this was too restrictive in curtailing power of the court. Two Objectives Cited. Under its terms, the review by the court of a commission finding would be confined solely to matters of law rather than a review of the technical phases of the case which had been used as a base for the commission’s decision. In urging approval of the measure, Corporation Counsel E. Barrett Pretty- man pointed out that enactment of the legislation would achieve two principal objectives; first, trhat of strengthening the commission in its function as a controlling unit. In cross-examing Prettyman. Sen- ator Tydings expressed the belief the proposed measure is too broad in its action of “hamstringing” the court. “You have a good utilities com- mission here now.” Senator Tydings said. “but there may come a time when you will not have such an effec- tive body." To this argument Prettyman an- swered that the commission was es- tablished as a fact-finding body and that unless its decisions are to be ac- cepted as conclusive, it would serve no real purpose. Reberts Urges Strict Control. People’s Counsel William L. Roberts was the second to appear in behalf of the measure. “It is my belief.” he said, “we should have as vigorous regulation of the utilities as is possible within the constitutional rights of those con- cerned. The utilities companies will take care of themselves.” Appearing in opposition to the measure were legal representatives of the Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Co., the Potomac Electric Power Co. and the Washington Gas Light Co. Two amendments to the ball as passed by the House, both having the effect of giving the courts more latitude, were submitted on behalf of the utilities companies. Present to argue in favor of these amendments was R. A. Van Orsdel and George P. Hoover, counsel for the telephone company; S. Russell Bowen, counsel for the Potomac Electric Power Co., and William G. Horton, counsel for the gas light company. Others present included John C. Kooms, vice president of the telephone company, and C. Melvin Sharpe, vice president of the Potomac Electric o ROOSEVELT SIGNS FARM CREDIT ACT Measure Hailed as One Which Will Induce Tenants to Be- come Landholders. By the Associated Press. The new farm credit act, amended to permit loans to finance purchase of farms, was signed yesterday by Presi- dent Roosevelt, and hailed immedi- ately by officials as an instrument that would spur tenants to become landholders. At the same time, Gov. William I Myers, announced a reduction in in- terest rates, which now will range from 3! to 41 per cent in contrast to the 5 and 6 per cent prevailing. ‘The Farm Credit Administration reported that loans from May 1, 1933, through December 31, last, had totaled $2,379,063,000, Woodside P.-T. A. to Elect. WOODSIDE, Md.. June 4 (Special). —Election of officers will be held to- night at a meeting of the Parent- Teacher Association of Woodside School. Mrs. James T. Reside, chair- man of the Nominating Committee, will present a slats of offlears, 4 BUS LINE CHANGES ORDERED BY BOARD City Heads Approve Rerout- ing to Give Area Bet- ter Service. BARNEY CIRCLE MADE MAJOR CONTACT POINT Hillcrest, Randle Highlands and ‘Washington Interurban Routes Are Affected. Revamping of bus lines operating in the Eastern section of city, in a move to give better service and better tie-ups in the rerouted trans- portation system was ordered today by the Public Utilities Commission and approved by the District Com- | missioners. Changes in routes of the Hillcrest,, Randle Highlands and Washington interurban bus lines. today’s order, are to go into effect June 23. Only two major rerouting problems | now await action by the commission. “One is the proposal of the Capital i all covered in Transit Co. for substitution of bus service for street cars on Connecti- cut avenue from the new Calvert| Street Bridge to the end of the line. The other is the plan. already tenta- tively agreed to by the commission, to make a change in the Anacostia- Congress Heights bus line, which is to be substituted for street car service | July 1, to give these busses to the | | cowntown business section. The com- mission is expected to order in the next few days a change which would | Witnesses applauded “the unlucky 13" | send these busses from Constitution gisciples who were jailed, vaccinated | avenue north on Sixth street to Penn- sylvania avenue, then west to Eleventh street and then north to I street, where a loop would be made for the | return trip. Under today's order the Hillcrest busses would have a half-hour head- way in non-rush hours and 15-minute headway in rush hours. The new route is to be from Barney Circle along Pennsylvania avenue, Branch avenue, | Camden street. Thirty-second street, | Alabama avenue, Naylor road, Twenty- | fifth street and back to Pennsylvania | avenue. The direction followed by the busses would be alternated. | Randle Highlands Route. | The new route for the Randle High- | lands busses will be from Barney Circle (Seventeenth and Pennsylvania avenue | southeast) along Pennsylvania and Minnesota avenues, Good Hope road, Fourteenth street. U street. Nichols | avenue, Good Hope road and back to' | Minnesota avenue. An alternate route would be east on Pennsylvania avenue, south on Twenty-fifth street and then along Naylor road and Minnesota avenue to Pennsylvania avenue. A special service also was ordered | to take care of school children going to and from Eastern High School. These busses will go from Seventeenth and East Capitol streets, south on Seventeenth street. east on Massachu- setts avenue, south on Nineteenth street, west on Potomac avenue, south | on Seventeenth street, east on Penn- sylvania avenue and then aloig Min- nesota avenue, Good Hope road, Four. teenth street, U street. north Nichols avenue, east on Good Hope road and along Minnesota avenue, and back Perusylvania avenue to Barney Circle and thence to Eighteenth and East Capitol streets. | The route of the Washington Inter- urban line was ordered changed so as to send these busses to Barney Circle where they would reach the other East ‘Washington lines as well as the street car system. The busses now go to Eleventh street and South Carolina avenue southeast. The new route will | be. in-bound, along Bladensburg road. Florida avenue, Thirteenth street. East | Capitol street, Seventeenth street. Massachusetts avenue, Nineteenth street, Potomac avenue and Seven- teenth street to the circle. | Extension Withheld. | The commission had tentatively | | planned to extend the Benning bus line from its present terminus to Min- nesota and Deane avenues to afford a | connection with Kenilworth street | cars and Chesapeake Junction bus lines, but this was held in abeyance and the present route is left standing. The commission emphasized it has definitely determined not to adopt & proposal for abandoning operation of street cars on Pennsylvania avenue southeast between Eighth and Seven- teenth streets. Barney Circle has been selected as a major transporta- tion contact point, as shown in to- day's orders. Recently the commis- | sion ordered extension of the South | | Washington bus line to Barney Circle | | on the east so as to provide a contact | with the street car service there. ‘The Public Utilities Commission will | withhola decision until next week on | the petition for substitution of busses for street car service on Connecticut avenue. The commission said today the mat- ter cannot be deferred long because of necessity of proceeding soon with | rebuilding of wornout tracks and con- | struction of tracks on the new Calvert | Street Bridge, if busses are ‘ adopted. ‘ All interested parties are invited to submit their views. Edwin S. Hege | of Chevy Chase Citizens' Association | is canvassing sentiment of members of that organization. TUESDAY, JUNE 4, 1935. EASTERN SEB"UN Hearing on Liberalized D. C. Divorce Law Left to right: Representative Carpenter of Kansas, author of the House bill to liberalize the District divorce law; Mrs. Martha Gold of the Woman's Bar Association, George C. Gertmann. secretary of the District Bar Asso- ciation, and Representative Palmisano of Maryland, chairman of the judiciary subcommittee of the District Committee, APPLAUSE GREETS FREED DISCIPLES Jehovah’s Witnesses Hear One of “Unlgcky 137 Tell of Treatment. Shortly before closing their con- vention at Washington Auditorium and leaving town last night, Jehovah's and fined yesterday for a midnight descent on Alexandria, Va. in sound trucks blaring criticism of the police force. One of the 13 told his fellows he was brutally treated when he de- murred at the compulsory smallpox vaccination. He explained they had been locked in cells “unfit for ani- mals” and roughly forced to undergo the vaccination. His story met with sympathetic response. Previously other rounds of applause from an audience of at least 7.000 were given the “testimonials” of men who had been arrested in various communities for canvassing them with religious tracts and pamphlets while en route to the convention here, Capital Is Canvassed. The delegates while here canvassed ‘Washington, according to reports from | scores of residents. with religious tracts which they offered “free” or | for such “free-will contribution” as the recipient might care to make. Half a dozen disciples were arrested in Alexandria several months ago on charges they were selling tracts with- out a license. Another was arrested Sunday afternoon because he was | the address of Judge | broadcasting J. P. Rutherford, head of the Bible and Tract Society, from a sound truck parked on a residential lot in Alexandria. This stirred the ire of the disciples in convention here and hundreds of them descended on Alexandria after midnight, ringing doorbells and broadcasting appeals for the release of the prisoner. Of 15 arrested two were boys in their ‘teens and one a woman. The boys were given sus- pended sentences and the others fines for disorderly conduct ranging from $5 to $15. All Fines Are Paid. All fines were paid late yesterday afternoon, save that of the man ar- rested for the afternoon broadcast. Attorneys engaged by officials of the Jehovah's Witness group posted bond for the latter man and announced the case would be sppealed. The delegates, least 20,000, left the city for the Midwest, California and distant parts of Canada in automobiles and busses. While here they stopped at tourist camps and rooming houses, taking their meals in their own cafeteria in the basement of the Auditorium. . MAJ. G. P. SANDROCK DIES AT HOSPITAL Medical Corps Officer, Native of Nebraska, Succumbs at Walter Reed. Maj. George P. Sandrock, Medical Corps. U. S. A, executive officer at Carlisle Barracks. Pa.. where the Medi- cal Field Service School is located. died Sunday evening at Walter Reed Hospital. Born in Nebraska in 1889, Maj. Sandrock graduated from the Chicago College of Medicine and Surgery in 1916. He entered the military service during the World War as an emer- gency officer. He was commissioned a first lieutenant in the Medical Corps, Regular Army, on July 1, 1920. He graduated from the Medical the | Army Medical School in 1922 and the | Field Service School in 1921, Command and General Staff School in 1933. He is survived by his widow, who has been staying during his illness at 5620 Wilson lane, Bethesda. Elizabeth Mathilda, the 6-day-old Idlughur of Dr. and Mrs. Anton J. Lang, jr. cocked her head sidewise this morning and gave her twin sister an appraising glance. “So this is Annemarie Moniker | Maria,” the puckered little mouth | | seemed to say. Having finally selected a name for | his second and unexpected daughter, | Dr. Lang heaved a sigh of relief. The saby is named Annemarie after a sister | of her famous grandfather, Anton J. | Lang of Oberammergau, who portrayed | the role of the Christus in the Passion | Play, more often than any other per- son. She is given the middle name of Moniker in memory of another great-aunt. Dr. Lang said that both \infangs will have the third name ef ¥ Langs Solve Problem of Names Presented by Twin Daughters Maria, because they were born in the month of May. It was quite a problem determining names for twin girls, when both Dr. and Mrs. Lang were so certain their first child would be a boy. Elizabeth Mathilda, named after her maternal grandmother, wasn't so difficult for an alternate name had been chosen to meet that possible contingency. Mrs. Lang, the former Miss Klara | Mayr, who played the role of Mary | Magdalene in the Passion Play last Summer before her marriage to the young Georgetown University profes- jor, is happy. too, that both her daugh- ters now bear names, They are thriv- ing at the university hospital and soon will be christened by a mutual friend, Rev. Bernard Hubbard, the Glacier priest, £ who numbered at | zer Infant to " mens '2 Girls Rob Man Of $200 as Third Sticks Gun in Ribs i Another Victim Loses $10 to Siren Who Threw Arms About Him, A blond bandit, Betty to her victim, known only as early today —Star Staff Photo. LOCAL GAS RATE HEARING RESUNED Value of Additions to Plant Is Subject of Cross- Examination. W. Bryan, 55, of Bristow, Va., while her two young girl companions took $200 from his pockets. The robbery occurred at dawn in the 600 block of E street after Bryan had refused the girls' invitation to be- come a guest in their house. The four had been together since 9 pm., when the man met the girl in a cafe at the Virginia end of Highway Bridge, according to police. John M. Shaw, 2000 H street, lost $10 to another girl robber. who stepped from the park to throw her arms about his shoulders as he walked along Twentieth street. a short distance south of Pennsylvania avenue at about 10 p.m. When the girl departed, Shaw missed his billfold containing the $10. ANOTHERD.C. MAN | PROFITS IN ‘SWEEPS Max Vogt Draws Long-Shot—As- sured of $3,000, He May Win $150,000. The name of a second Washing- tonian to draw a “live” ticket in the Irish Sweepstakes. to be run tomor- row on the English Derby at Epsom Downs. was announced today by the Irish Hospitals group in New York. Earlier more than half a dozen Washingtonians had drawn consola- tion tickets worth about $500 each. Max Vogt, 211 Cromwell terrace northeast, a machinist at the Wash- | ington Navy Yard, was notified today he had drawn the horse Spanner, a long shot in the Derby. Vogt and John P. Collins, 28-vear-old loco- motive mechanic, whose ticket was drawn yesterday. will win $150.000 should their horses finish in front in the historic race. Even if scratched or u::;lced, the two will receive $3,000 e Vogt's lucky ticket was purchased in | his name by his wife. “We received a telegram from New York signed ‘Irish Hospitals.' telling us our ticket had drawn Spanner.” Mrs. Vogt. said. “We are walting to_see what happens tomorrow The good fortune of Collins. along with that of local holders of consol | tion tickets. was announced yesterda | The horse that Collins is pulling for to win is Maltravis, also a long shot. MARRIED 50 YEARS Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Michael today celebrated their fiftieth wedding an- niversary at the home of their son, C. W. Michael, 111 Kentucky avenue southeast, with whom they live. The couple came to Washington after their wedding in Frederick, Md., and have resided here since that time. Mr. Michael is 76 and his wife is 71. They have one other son, M. M. Michael, residing in Hyattsville. Births Reported. Noland H. and Virginia A. Wiles. boy. John W."and Agnes M. Middlebrook: bo: and Anna M_Brisbane. boy. and Freeda F.Shaw. girl and Harriet V. Bailey. girl. Ho tton. wirl. Jarrell. girl Norman R. and Katherine Miller. girl. Frank B. and Betty Clinton._girl Wilbur 8. and Genteliska 1. King. bov. Russell T. and Esther A. Wilson. boy Floyd E. and Catherine A. Blanton, boy. John J” and Winifred Heil. boy. Willlam A and Emily Lindsay. boy George F. and Thelma L. Niedomanski. girl. Raymond P. and Marjorie E._Schaefer. girl. Raymond G. and Beulah L. Moore. giri Raymond W. Ang‘flnrenu L. Colton. girl. rso | Thomas 1. Walter Deaths Reported. Charles W. Needham. R6. 1028 Conn. ave Joseph Giacchefti. 80. 4503 17th st Adelaide R. Marceron 70 Neal st.n.e Rose M. L. Gliddon. 75. Wardman Park Wise. 75. 818 Jefferson st 8. 73, Walter Reed spital Caroline E. Bacon, 72. 3044 R st. Charles B. Vincent. 67. 640 K st. ne. Vene Petterman. 64, 714 7th st_n.e. Earl B. . 40, George Washington Hospital, Elizabeth Chadwick, 48. 1619 Mass. ave. sce, 45." Sibley Hospital. 8 5th st. n.e. m Eastern Branch, tomac River. Eleanor M. Chaesema Harry Sommers, 22. n. 32. 829 Quincy st Potomac River, near Chain_Bridg: Herbert Biegert. 20. Walter Reed Hospital Cecil B, Landis. 18, en route Emergency | Hospital James Gitting. 4'2. Children's Hospital. "Gallinger Hospital. 1112 49th pl. n.e. 1 E st. 5w 50. Gallinger Hospital. N Gallinger Hosoital, Willle Davis. Gallinger Hospital. Arthur Corner. 10. 3533 Jay st. n.e. ed. 1208 4th st. d Grace it and Theresa Hawkins. 3 H am Marshall, Children's Gallinger Hospital, Infant Lawrence J. Hoepital Infant to Edw. and Naomi Poreman. Gal- I Hospital. Edwin and Bernice Bruce. Freed= “Hoepial. * Pleasure, n | pressed a pistol in the ribs of George | Overshadowed by a threat of court contest over the value fixed by the Government for the property of the Washington and Georgetown Gas Cos., the public hearing on rates to be charged by the firms was resumed today before the Public Utilities Com- mission. The .aorning session was devoted to cross-examination of August C. Klein, chief mechanical engineer of the Stone & Webster Engineering Corp., by Hinman D. Folsom, special assistant corporation counsel, assigned to utility work. Folsom endeavored to break down arguments presented by Klein regard- ing the calculated present reproduc- tion value of additions made to the plants of the companies since July 1, 1932, when proceedings in the valu- ation of the companies were started. Klein yesterday submitted an exhibit showing that the actual cost of plant additions, from July 1, 1932, to De- cember 1. 1934, totaled §1.280.334. He “trended” this cost to conform to what he figured to be rises in material and labor costs. to show that the value of the additions on December | 31, 1934, to be $1.413.875. There was long cross-examination today as to the propriety of theories used by Klein | in arriving at the increased reproduc- tion cost. Gas company officials have ex- plained, for one thing. that labor wages involved in the construction of the additions, were increased by 20 per cent, August 15, 1933, as a result of compliance by the gas companies with the President’s re-employment program. | As a base for its computations the company used figures of the commis- {sion in its valuation decision, but the commission has been warned that the company has not accepted the com- mission’s valuation and that a court test may be expected if the commis- sion orders lower gas rates for con- sumers. On the basis of the commission's valuation it has been confidently ex- pected the commission would order a substantial cut in gas rates. DELEGATES REGISTER FOR SESSIONS HERE Scientists and City and State Officials to Discuss Weights and Measures. Approximately 200 scientists and city and State officials from all parts of the country registered today for the twenty-fifth annual conference on weights and measures at the Bureau of Standards. ‘The session is the first held since 1931 and the opening assembly was devoted to reports by State delegates on new developments in the standard- ization of weights and measures since the last conference. of the National Bureau of Standards, delivered an address of welcome. Since the last meeting three offices | have become vacant. those of president |and first and second vice presidents. These will not be filled until Friday afternoon, but later today a presid- ing officer was to be chosen for the four-day session. Addresses were to be made by Fd- win 8. Emhardt. weights and measures official at Philadelphia_and Ralph W. Smith, member of the bureau staff. New devices are to be demonstrated | during the week by the representatives of manufacturers and an exhibit is to be kept open throughout all the ses- sions. FIRST CONTRACT LET | Work to Start in Two Weeks on Tuberculosis Hos- pital. ‘The first of a series of contracts for construction of the adult tuberculosis hospital at Glenn Dale, Md, was awarded today by the Commissioners, weeks. The contract was for con- struction of foundations and other underground work. The award went to the George Hy- man Construction Co. of this city at a bid of $100.130. It was given 180 calendar days to finish the work. ‘The building is to be erected under an advance of $1.500,000 by the Pub- lic Works Administration, 70 per cent to be repaid by the District over a period of years, with interest at 4 per cent. Copy American Shoes. Ecuador shoe manufacturers are copying American styles, .} E. C. Crittenden, assistant director | AT GLENN DALE SITE| and work will be started within two | Society and General PAGE B—1 APPROVAL OF D.C. LIBERALIZED LAW ON DIVORGE SEEN Favorable Report to Com- mittee Forecast After Hearing. BACKERS DENY BILL WOULD SET UP “MILL” Measure May Be Speeded to Passage in House on Next District Day, Monday. BY JAMES E. CHINN. Liberalized divorce laws for the Dis- ‘lrm moved another step toward real- | ization today following a publie hear- ing before the Judiciary Subcommittee of the House District Committee, at which the proposed legislation was in- dorsed by lawyers and civic leaders. Representative Palmisano, crat, of Maryland. chairman of the | subcommittee, announced after the hearing he probably would favorably report the Senate-approved divorce bill to the full District Committee at its weekly meeting tomorrow. This | would place it on the House calen if indorsed by the full committee, in time for passage Monday, the nex: District day in the House. Palmisano said he might suggest an amendment or two to the Senate {bill in the section containing the residence requirements. He fears the measure in its present form, stipu- lating that a divorce decree shall not be granted to any person who has not been a resident of the District for at least a vear before the ap- plication for divorce, ang who has not been a bona fide resident for at least two vears before the application therefor for any cause which oc- curred outside the District and prior to the residence therein, might prove confusing. Bans “Divorce Mill.” Demo- Palmisano announced during the hearings he des! to give the Di:- trict a broader divorce law. but not one that would make the city a “divorce mill.” “I will not approve any law." he de- clared. “That will make Washington 2 dumping ground for Maryland and Virginia divorcees. I am willing to see the District get a respectable di- vorce law. But we should do no mo for the District than Maryland and Virginia.” Palmisano made his statement after Mrs. Martha Gold. chairman of the Legislative Committee of the Woman's Bar Association. had described the simplicity of procuring a divorce in Arlington County. Va.. which she de- scribed as Washington's “divorce mill.” Mrs. Gold cited statistics to show that in the period between 1929 and 1931, inclusive, there were 526 mar- riages in the couaty and 469 divorces. She gave the figures as follows: 1929—178 marriages, 162 divorces. 1930—185 marriages, 149 divorces. 1931—163 marriages, 158 divorces. Mrs. Gold leveled her charge at Arlington County after Chairman Palmisano had announced his desire to give the District a broader divorce law, but not one that would make the city a “divorce mill." Minimizes “Mill” Fear. Jean M. Boardman, a Washington attorney specializing in domestic r lations cases, insisted the bill would not make the District a “divorce mill.” | “This measure,” he declared. “‘will not | encourage any one to come here for a divorce. There would be no danger of any one in Maryland and Virginia coming here to take advantage of our divorce law.” Representative Carter. Democrat, of | Kansas, author of a companion bill to the one passed by the Senate last month, said he believed the measure to be very conservative and expressed belief it should be further liberalized | to make abandonment for one year and “gross neglect of duty” grounds | for absolute divorce. Cruelty Included. The bill would make cruelty. de- sertion for two years, separation for five consecutive years without co- habitation, habitual drunkenness for one year and conviction of a felony involving moral turpitude and in- curable insanity for 5 vears grounds for absolute divorce. Adultery now is the only ground on which an absolute divorce is granted Elwood Seal assistant corporation counsel of the District, said the Com- missioners had examined the bill and found no objection 9 it George E. ®ullivan told the sub- committee the Federation of Citizens' Associations has taken the position that there should be a uniform di- vorce law for the United States and the District law should provide the | pattern. | George C. Gertmann, secretary of the District Bar Association. pointed out that the bill was prepared by a | committee of outstanding lawyers. “This is an excellent bill,” he de- | clared. “We have given you the best |and fairest measure possible. It is | impossible to prepare a document of this kind to which some one will not find an objection.” Woman Asks Amendment, Nina T. Thomas. representing the Portia Club, urged several amend- ments, one of which would make “incompatability of temperament” an additional ground for absolute di- vorce She said another amendment should be added so that infants would be named defendants in divorce pro- | ceedings so they would have the bene- fit of a guardian ad litem. “Infants {are the real sufferers in all divorce | cases,” she declared. Gertmann vigorously opposed her | suggestion—Mexico and the State of | New Mexico are the only places, he explained, where divorces are granted | for “incompatability of temperament.” | Gertmann said such a provision would make the District a greater | “divorce mill” than Reno. |N. R. A. Topic of Grocery Clerks. | Effect of the Supreme Court's N. R. A. decision on the retail food trade will be discussed tomorrow night at a mass meeting of the Retail Grocery and Provision Clerks' Union 639 at the Typographical Temple. 423 G street. The meeting is set for 8 o'clock, ¥