Evening Star Newspaper, July 25, 1935, Page 3

LOBBYING PROBERS SUMMON SPEICHER Witness Who Disappeared Once Is Slated to Tes- tify Tomorrow. BY REX COLLIER. | Prank E. Speicher, whose disappear- ance on the eve of a grand jury inves- tigation of lobbying for Army con- tracts is the subject of special inquiry | by the ‘United States attorney'’s office and the House Military Affairs Com- mittee, has been summoned for ques- | tioning by the committee when it re- sumes hearings tomorrow. This will be Speicher's first public | appearance in the lobbying investiga- tion. He has given sensational testi- mony behind closed doors to the com- mittee and to a court-martial which recently convicted Col. Alexander E. Williams of accepting a $2,500 loan\ from Speicher. Since Speicher’s first appearance at | an executive session of the committee | some months ago, investigators have | uncovered evidence of what Chairman McSwain declares was an apparent | Figures in Two Lobby Hearings Magill, THE EVENING Left: Hugh R. president of the American Federation of Util- ity Investors, as he appeared today be- fore the House ules Committee’s investi lobbying. gation of At right: Senator Connally of Tezas (left) chats with John W. Carpenter, president of the Texas Power Light Co., & at the Senate Lobby Com- mittee’s hearing. conspiracy to commit perjury and ob- | 8 struct justice in connection Wl[h Speicher’s absence from Washington during the grand jury inquiry lnsl' year. MoNeill to Hear Testimony. After receiving conflicting testimony as (o the purpose of certain payments allegedly made indirectly to Speicher by Joseph and Nathan Silverman, sur- plus Army goods dealers, the commit- tee yesterday asked United States At- torney Leslie Garnett to assign one of his prosecutors to hear the testimony. Assistant United States Attorney George E. McNeill sat with the com- mittee yesterday and will be present when Speicher is quizzed tomorrow. Harold Schruer, who said he was Speicher’s attorney, yesterday gave the committee a first-hand account of a mysterious “biue envelop” passing in what he described as “an arrange- ment” between the Silvermans and Speicher for the latter to “stay away from Washirgton.” This was at the time a Nation-wide hunt was being made for Speicher by Justice Depart- ment agents. Schnuer said the en- velopes were referred to as “circus tickets,” but that they really contained money for Speicher. Ryan's Testimony in Record. On receipt of a telegram yesterday | from Thomas J. Ryan, | New York | attorney, denying press reports that he had testified Speicher got this money from the Silvermans, Chair- | man McSwain read into the record ! these excerpts from the official tran- | script of Ryan's testimony | “Mr. McSwain: As to this money. | who furnished it? } “Mr. Ryan: That came from the Silvermans. Every dollar Speicher got came from the Silvermans. “Mr. McSwain: Which Silverman? | “Mr. Ryan: That I do not know. It came down in the envelopes and stayed that way.” Bert C. Brown, Secret Service agent in Detroit, told the committee | yesterday of a meeting he had with Joseph Silverman in a Detroit hotel in 1933. Silverman had been sent to him by a New York policeman, Dennis | Mahoney, who had struck up an ac- quaintance with the agent during the | | inauguration of President Roosevelt. Tells of Silverman’s Request. } Brown said Silverman wanted the | agent to use his influence with offi- cials of the General Motors Corp. to “get him a position” for which he had been recommended by Norman K. Haig, | much Halsey Stuart paid. | attorney, —A. P. Photos. (Continued From First Page.) Co.?” asked Senator Schwellenbach, | Democrat of Washington. “I don't know,” Carpenter replied. “Did you ever see such an announce- | ment?” “No, I don't recall that he made| any announcement.” Explains Spending. When the House Rules Committee resumed its investigation of lobbying| for and against the utilities bill, Dr. | Magill told of the $60,000 expenditure by the American Federation of Utilities Investors and explained that the group had receipts of $75,000 from member- ship fees prier to this year and $62,000 during the first six months of 1935. and $23,900 from sale of literature last year and $22.800 this year. “Our particular purpose was to pro- | tect the investors,” he added, “but in| doing that not to be harmful to the consumer.” The largest of the membership con- tributions—"reaching from less than a dollar up”"—he said was $1,000 from W. A. Alexander, Chicago insurance broker. He could not remember how | He said he had not talked with more than a dozen Representatives and | Senators, including Chairman Wheeler of the Senate Interstate Commerce Committee. That took place on May 30 in the presence of Benjamin Cohen, P. W. A. he said. Magill said Wheeler knew his posi- tion and that he went to see the chair- man about acceptance of the Dieterich amendment to knock out the provi- sion for abolishing ‘“unnecessary” holding companies. Senate and House conterees are | seeking to agree on what should be done about this provision voted by the | Senate and rejected by the House. President Roosevelt is for it. Magill said he talked over the amendment with Senator Dieterich, Democrat, of Illinois, before it was introduced. Asked by Representative Cox, Demo- an executive of a General Motors sub- sidiary. Brown said there was some discussion of Silverman's plans !orl setting up an agency in Washington | whereby he would sell General Motors cars to the Government. “I didn’t like the looks of things,” Brown said. “I had a feeling that everything was not on the up and up, and I refused to have anything to do with introducing Mr. Silverman to some officials whom I knew. I told him I though it funny be would ask me, an outsider, to introduce him | when Mr. Haig, his friend, was con- nected with General Motors.” | ‘McSwain asked the agent what his | reaction would have been had he known “that specifications for C. C. C. trucks were drawn in such a way as| to exclude the type of lubrication used on General Motors cars” and that *Silverman thought if he could use his influence with the War Depart- ment to get the specifications changed he could get 7, per cent commission from General Motors, or about $750,- 000.” “I can see now what he wanted,” Brown replied. — FALL FATAL TO WOMAN Mrs. Birdee Ashford, 75, Dies of Injuries of July 13. Mrs. Birdee Ashford, 75, of 1232 Water street southwest, died last night at Gallinger Hospital of in- | Juries received July 13 when she fell on the steps at 1311 Union street southwest. She suffered a fractured leg and #pinal injuries in the fall. Dr. Ma- gruder MacDonald issued a verdict: of accidental death. . Czechoslovakia Improves. Czechoslovakia is making marked progress toward prosperity. SPECIAL NOTICES. JHE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE STOCK- Bolders, of The Botomas Tnturance. Gome pany of the District of Columbia, for the election of directors. will be held in_the ©office of the company. 900-906 F St. NW., Washinston, D. . Monday, August 5. af books for the transfer of ‘mck “Will be clossed from July 25 to August inclusive. 19: Al NDER K. PHILLIPS o BE SOLD AT PUBLIC Aum 7th_and Cathedral ave. n.w. * wxu. N BE RESPONSIBLE FOR bt ncureed By any- one oRe: than EXTER T. THOMAS, 416 Xn'rl- NOTICE (S HEREBY GIVEN_ THAT N e nfter ‘oven date hereof July 30, 109 1 will not be responsible for any debt or charge accounts contracted by any one other m“m!in"‘" JOHN A. RUSSELL. a. L Bethesd: SPECIAL RETURN-LOAD RATES ON FULL and part loldl to all points within 1.000 miles; padded vans; guaranteed service. Locn Boring Siso Phone Natlonal, 1460. . ASSOC. . 1317 N. Y. ave. MOVTN LOADS AND Prequent trips T ‘Dependaple Service Since 1 THE DAVIDSON TRANSFER & €O _plone Decatur_2500. crat, of Georgia, when he first knew Dieterich, he said he became acquaint- | ed with him when Dieterich and Senator Hastings, Republican, of Delaware, walked out of an Interstate | | Commerce Committee meeting dis- | | satisfied with the proceedings. | MaGill said, he called on “an amend- Later, Dnetench and suggested ment.” Pressed by Cox, MaGill said: “I gave him the general idea but | | did not write it.” “The general idea was carried into the amendment,” he said but quickly added: “I don't think I made the original suggestion to him, though we were in agreement on ‘the death sentence’ proposition.” “I wouldn't want to take any credit for the amendment,” he smiled. Magill said the American Liberty League had not purchased any of the utility federation's literature, but he thought that perhaps a few hun- dred copies were sent to it. Sees Congress Slurred. In a prepared statement, Magill took note of the Senate investigation of “faked” telegrams by declaring that to say they “had any influence in turning three-fifths of the Democrats in the House of Representatives against the leadership of their Presi- dent with his almost unlimited power, slurs the intelligence of the whole Seventy-fourth Congress.” “It is absurd to state that these stupid frauds should have had any weight in the face of the hundreds of thousands of letters and telegrams in protest of the death sentence whose authenticity and sincerity cannot be questioned,” he said. “I am proud to have had a part in defeating such an unjust measure, proposed by pseudo economists, and promoted by the President with the tremendous weight of his $5,000,000,- 000 lobby fund of taxpayers’ money.” Blanton Before Group. ‘When today's Senate lobby hearing opened Representative Blanton, Demo- crat, of Texas voluntarily appeared be- fore the committee to deny he had talked with Carpenter about the hold- ing company bill. Carpenter told the committee yes- terday he had talked with all-members of the Texas delegation except Repre- sentatives Maverick and MacFarlane, Texas Democrats. “If I've ever seen Mr. C nter before I don't remember it,” Blanton said, telling the committee he had just- been introduced to the power head. Blanton said the only man who had a&‘;g Turn your old frinkets, jewelry and watches into MONEY at— wurrm—nrnfm LOADS FROM 1 S Roringac Tampe. Wimingto Youngstown and l.exh;{tom Also moving._ SFER AGE CO.. 1313 You st. n.w. Phone North 3343, REPAIRING. Mantels—Tiling— ELLETT 11965t st NW. A 4 | section of the country. | tacking power rates and advising the | companies are bound to get some crit- A.Kahn Jne. Arthur J. Sundlun, Pres. 43 YEARS at 935 F STREET 'y el talked to him about the bill was Robert W. Hainey, attorney for the West Texas Utility Co. Before Bianton took the stand, he was introduced to Carpenter by Sena- tor Connally, Democrat, of Texas. | Connally objected vigorously as photo- graphers began taking pictures of him chatting with the power officials. Blanton described Hainey as a| “friend and pal” and said he had | entertained Hainey rather than vice versa. Raps Carpenter Salary. Blanton denounced Carpenter’s salary of $20,000 a year as “uncon- | ceivable.” “If he's worth $20,000, then the| chairman of this committee, Senator Black of Alabama, is worth $100,000 a year to the people.” Blanton said “I'm backing this committee 100 per cent,” he added. “This commit- | tee is doing wonderful work.” Blanton remarked that if Car- | penter received a salary of $10,000 “as you and I do, Mr. Chairman, the | other $10,000 could be used for dividends to the people—there’s the crux of the whole thing.” Black asked how many telegrams Blanton got on the bill. | “They came in volumes from every It was propa- | ganda of the worst kind. It was so evidently propaganda they went into the waste basket as fast as they came in.” Blanton said he replied only to those from personal friends, and that when he explained to them his posi- tion most of them told him to go/ ahead. Pastor’s Letter Read. Carpenter testified he could not re- call writing letters about the utility bill to ministers—“we did not single them out as a class”—but said he re- ceived some communications from | them. | Black then had him read a letter Carpenter received from G. E. Cecil, pastor of a church in Neches, Tex., at- T. P. & L. to lower its charges. As he finidshed reading, Carpenter said: “Now, Mr. Black, about this letter; ical letters—even some Senators get criticism, unjustly so, of course.” Black then asked Corpenter if he | had refreshed his memory over night with regard to his activities on the Sunday before the House vote on the utility bill. He said yesterday he did not re- member giving the newspaper-wrapped package to a Congressman. “Do you remember now,” Black asked. “Yes, sir,” Carpenter replied. “I called my wife and told her of the questioning yesterday. She laughed | and said, ‘Don’t you remember, we were out all day together on that day with our boys?’ " Carpenter added he and his family drove around Washington suburbs all day and had lunch in nearby Alexan- dria. “I don't know why I didn't remember that yesterday,” he added. He denied anyone had visited his hotel room before he went out with his family, but said he might have met some one in the lobby. Senator Minton, Democrat, of In- diana, expressed surprise that Carpen- ter spent all that day driving around when he was so concerned about the vote in the House the next day. Carpenter insisted, however, on his story. CITY NEWS IN BRIEF. TODAY. Meeting, Capitol Council, Royal Ar- canum, 930 H street, 8 p.m. Meeting, Psi Lambda Tau Sorority, Raleigh Hotel, 8 p.m. Dance, Strayer College graduating class, Mayflower Hotel, 8 p.m. WHERE TO DINE. FAMILY AWAY? EAT AT Gan 17th Cafeteria whii > 'th Se. M. W. - Ber. H & Penn. Ave. You'll Not Miss Li ‘Them GARDEN 1341 Conn. Ave, Enjoy bubbling beverages and your favorite foods at this gay | tions. STAR, WASHINGTON, Suppression Plea Arouses Ethiopia (Continued From First Page.) credentials to King George today after going to the foreign office for con- versations from which he emerged | smiling, but without comment. King Goes to Party. The presentation ceremony was &c- complished just before the King went to the gardens of Buckingham Palace to mingle with his guests at a party which marked the official close of the ubilee season. Several hundred ‘Americans, headed by Ambassador | Robert W. Bingham, attended the | party. An authoritative source said the ban on arms shipments would con- tinue in effect at least until the League Council had opportunity to consider the Italo-Ethiopian contro- versy. The British government will recon- sider the question, it was learned, should the Geneva efforts to settle the dispute fail From Brussels came the report | that Prime Minister van Zeeland | told the Foreig Affairs Committee of the Senate that Belgium had decided to ban the licensing of arms exports to Ethiopia. He said the govern- ment's decision was dictated by prac- tical reasons concerning present cir- cumstances. Mussolini Word Awaited. An authoritative source said Great Britain still was without definite word from Premier Mussolini on the Italian plgns for next week's League of Na- | It was understood that the British were prepared to discuss all questions involving Ethiopia as well as Italy, but even this stand has not shaken Mussolini. from his silence. Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin and leading members of his cabinet were represented as favoring full League ac- tion, provided other powers agree, s a last resort to avert war between Italy and Ethiopia. The time limit for appointment of a fifth arbitrator to the deadlocked Conciliation Commission expires to- night, apparently killing all hope of | settling the crisis by direct negotia- | ARMS EXPORT IS DENIED. Japanese Press Moderate in Answer to Italy. TOKIO, July 25 (#).— A foreign office | spokesman issued a denial today that | Japan was exporting arms to Ethiopia. The Japanese press, meanwhile, ap- parently under instructions, made only moderate comment in reply to virulent attacks on Japan by the Italian press, FRENCH PLANS COMPLETED. Proposals for Staving Off War Sub- mitted to Cabinet. PARIS, July 25 (#).—France's plans to stave off war between Italy and Ethiopia by using to the utmost the conciliation procedure of the League of Nations were completed today and | submitted to the cabinet for approval. Authoritative sources said Premier Pierre Laval sought to exhaust all the resources of the League's concilia- tion routine. This would allow time for moderating influences to be brought to bear on the disputants. No Aim to Quit League. French authorities said Italy has made it plain to them that it has no present intention of quitting the tacked today on three fronts—against the foreign press, against the Catholic press at home, and against the war veterans’ organization, being informed of the posal of | | tion’s Council meeting at Geneva. | . s = | grotesque. D. O, FEAR REICH BLOW Concern—Foreign Press Scored in Germany. By the Associated Press. BERLIN, July 25.—The Nazis at- the Sted® Helmet. A large portion of Germany's press heaped scorn on foreign newspapers for alleged “slander, biased reporting and exaggeration” of the German government’s anti-Semitic and anti Catholic measures. Catholic_editors were worried as to how soon Max Amann, the president of the Reich press chamber and boss of the German publishing business, would strike against Catholic news- papers which he decides are not edited “in the national Socialist spirit.” Political police dissolved the Steel Helmet units in Western Mecklen- burg, at Parchim, Ludwigslust and Waren on the grounds of subversive activity. Parallel Abroad Seen. ‘The attack on the foreign press took the form mainly of pointing out that other nations had their own riots, Iynchings and such disorders and that therefore there was no cause for them to get unduly excited over disorders in | Germany. The Nazi party organ at Baden, | Fuehrer, appeared with a demand that Catholic newspapers be eliminated, as | part of the Nazi drive against “polit- ical Catholicism.” Last April 25, Amann published an edict giving newspapers three months to show they agreed with Nazi party principles. That time now has ex- pired. unit in Western Mecklenburg was ordered, it wasgofficially announced, because “resistance has been offered by members of the Steel Helmet to orders issued by state officials and officers of the (Nazi) party.” Most particularly, the complaint was made that the members of the war veterans’ units concerned had not participated. in the studies of aerial protection ordered by the ad- ministrative leader of the district. Whether the entire Steel Helmet organization may be dissolved has not been ascertained. Although various rumors have said £ich dissolution is likely. A campaign against the Catholic press became noticeable in upper Silesia, where church circles said the | Hitler youth movement war the back- | bone of a drive against the Cav.hohc press. There, however, church circles con- tended that the campaign was being carried on by word-of-mouth propa- ganda. They said the drive was ai- ready partly successful, with the number of subscribers to the Catholic newspaper declining. A spokesman for the propaganda ministry, meanwhile, chuckled on Senator King, Democrat, of Utah, for an investigation to determine whether the Nazi anti-semitic and anti-church policies warranted breaking off diplo- matic relations between the United States and Germany. Germany “Not Alarmed.” *“Would the United States feel war- ranted in breaking off relations with England over the Belfast riots or with France over anti-Jewish disorders in Algeria several months ago?” the| spokesman asked. “Why, the idea is “I'll bet some of Senator King's colleagues will be chuckling about his proposition the same as I. Tell them in America Germany doesn't feel the least bit alarmed at Senator King’s threat—if it is a threat.” While some church circles saw fur- ther repressive measures almost cer- | tain within the next month, Jews were more and more shunning public places. THURSDAY, JULY 25, GMHUUB PAPERS Actress and Husband Hurt Mayor Treff of Steglitz, Berlin borough, demanding a boycott of Jew- ish stores, said: “The shameless behavior of certain Jewish elements and other state ene- mies has recently made necessary spe- cial regulations. It is more than ever necessary for each public employe to buy only from German fellow citi- zens.” Before Selling lunm.au the Prices We Pay for OLD GOLD AND SILVER Jewelry of every description. bridge- WOTK, siiver No matter how old of dilapidated any of foregoing ar- ticles might be you will be lrenly surprised at cash prices paid by us. (Licensed by U. 8. Govt.) SHAH & SHAH 921 F St. N.W. League, its action depending entirely on what is done at Geneva. Toll House Tavern (Colesville Pike) Silver Spring M Electrol Is an All-Electric Oil Burner GOOD THINGS TO EAT “Quaint Old Dining Rooms™ Country Sunday Breakfast Phone SHepherd 3500 @wnm-@nsumms (GmPaNY Phone NA_5543—We Will Call 1935. The dissolution of the Steel Helmet | ¥ MR. AND MRS. GILBERT WILSON, ELSIE JANIS HURT INAUTO ACCIDENT Condition of Actress Is Seri- ous—Husband Also Is Injured. By the Assoctated Press. EAST VIEW, N. Y., July 25—Elsie Janis, severely injured in an auto- mobile accident, slept quietly early today in Grasslands Hospital. The resident physician of the hos- pital issued this bulletin: “Patient responding favorably to treatment. Sleeping quietly. Condi- tion serious, but slightly improved as compared to that on arrival at hos- pital. Not immediately critical.” Strike Parked Truck. ‘The auto in which the famous en- tertainer was riding with her hus- band, Gilbert Wilson, struck a parked truck on the Sawmill Parkway last night. Police said there were no parking lights on the truck and that it was screened from view by trees. Charles Coughlin of Yonkers, N. Y., owner of the truck, and his two help- ers were held by Greenburgh, N. Y., police. Patrolman Charles Stein said he warned the two helpers to put on parking lights 20 minutes before the accident. Miss Janis suffered brain concus- sion, a deep gash in the back of her head and loss of blood. Physicians said a blood transfusion might be necessary. They planned to take X-rays as soon as her condition per- mitted. Husband Hurt About Head. The singer’s husband suffered | slight head injuries. Miss Janis recently has been active as a radio announcer. She was fa- mous on both the American and Eng- lish stages. Through her entertain- ment of American troops in France during the World War she became known as “the sweetheart of the Eoxs LS —A. P. Photo, WATER DEPARTMENT PAY ISSUE BLOCKED McCarl Maintains Former Stand on Money Held Erroneously | Deducted. [ Efforts of employes of the District Water Department to collect pay | | which, it was contended, had been er- | roneously deducted under the Econ- | omy act, were blocked today by Con- troller General McCarl. McCarl held in conformity with a previous ruling by the District Com- missioners that the deduction had been properly made. | The issue was raised by the Ameri- can Federation of Government Em- | ployes. It had contended the water | funds were for maintenance and dis- tribution of the water system only and that, therefore, it was not proper that tne pay of the workers should have been deducted and segregated with other deductions made throughout the Federal Government McCarl held, however, that the only ‘ period in the operation of the econ- | omy act to which objection could be EAM One of Nature’s luscious fruits is in season and what a delicious dish— glorious rosy - cheeked peaches smothered in Thompson’s Rich Golden Cream— U-m-m-m. Leave Extra Order Card in empty bottle tonight. Leading 100% Independent Washington Dairy THOMPSONS DAIRY DECATUR 1400 The Year Round With ELECTROL OIL BURNER In addition to automatically heat- ing the home, ELECTROL pro- vides domestic hot water Summer and Winter at the lowest cost ob- tainable. 1413 New York Ave. § ME. 4840 | raised to impoundment of this money was between July 1, 1932, and March 1, 1933, when certain exemptions from the impoundment were being made. | However, he said, a case could not be maintained even for that period because the water tax revenues have | substantially the same status as gen- eral funds in the Federal Treasury, from which impoundments are made without question. . Japan Hopes for Island Trade. MANILA, P. I, July 25 (A)— Katsuji Debuchi, former Japanese Ambassador to the United States, ex- pressed hope here today that forma- tion of the new Philippine common- wealth would result in improved trade relations between Japan and the is- lands. Debuchi, in Manila for a rour- | day visit as a “good-will envoy” en route to Australia, predicted success for the new government., Swanscombe, England, with a popu- lation of 5,000, has no post office or bank. Country Home A HALF ACRE FULL ACRE Built and financed for you in rihwest’s new This way you really get individ- wvality and the best of suburban Washington, DRIVE OUT TONIGHT TO INSPECT— Drive straight out Wisconsin ave Bethe: property. Bus line mow approved. i DON'T PUT OFF. { SHANNON-&-LUCHS LR &) Saturday Hours 9:15 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. MENS WEAR) Regular Semi-Annual CLEARANCE Fancy Neglige SHIRTS Were Now $1.95 .....:$1.55 (3 for $4.50) $2.50 ......$L.95 (3 for $5.50) $3.50 ......5245 $5.00.......53.65 White Collar-Attached Broadcloth 81 85 Shirts c..oceeees ° Beach Robes Were Now $3.95 .$2.95 $5.00 $3.75 Silk Robes & Lounge Suits, Less 25% STRAW HATS—PANAMAS ... Less 25% West, Sidney Eugene C. Gott, President 14TH & G STS. Pa j(’mas Were Now $2.00 . ..$1.55 £300 ......3:80 $3.50 ......$245 $5.00 ......$3.35 ° Neckwear Were Now $1.00";........65¢ $150 ..-...SK15 $2.00.......8145 $2.50 & $3..81.85 $350 ......$245 OSSOSO ® Fancy Half Hose Were Now 50c . - (3 for $1.00) $1.00 ........65¢c (3 for $1.75) 727, Z 14TH & G STS.