Evening Star Newspaper, October 20, 1935, Page 23

DRIVERS AT FAULT, SURVEY REVEALS United Dry Force Warns Use of Alcohol Is Traf- fic Hazard. Calling attention to the increasing numbers ' of automobile accidents which are attributable to errors on the part of the driver, rather than to the coudition of the car or the highway, the United Dry Forces of the District of Columbia today issued a warning that the use of alcohol by drivers must be considered as a major traffic hazard. “Despite safety campaigns waged in Washington, where for the last five years $25,000 has been spent annually for the installation and replacement of traffic signals to make driving safe, automobile accidents and fatalities have increased,” it is said in a state- ment prepared by Laura Lindley, re- search secretary of the Anti-Saloon League of America, and issued by the United Dry Forces. “This is true throughout the coun- try,” the statement continued, “and indications are that 1935 will surpass even the unprecedented number of 36,000 recorded in 1934. Drivers at Fault., “Back of the carelessness and speed- ing that have caused 85 death$ zud over 7,000 accidents in Washington since January 1, 1935, lie various causes, human and mechanical. In 939 per cent of the accidents result- ing i death and injury in 1934, the Travelers’ Insurance Co. reports that | the vehicles were in apparently good | condition, so the fault must have lain with the driver. “One item which is often overlooked in rules for safe driving is that of abstaining from the use of alcoholic liquors. Cn the same day that the Census Bureau released a statement that automobile deaths in 1934 were the highest on record, J. J. Pelley, president of the Association of Ameri- can Railroads, said, ‘Not 1 single rail- road passenger was killed in a train accident on steam railroads in the United States in the first six months of 1935, though the passenger traffic was the largest since 1931. Rule G, an important railroad safety regula- tion, which has muck to do with se- curity on railways, reads “The use of intoxicants by em- ployes while on duty is prohibited. ‘Their habitual use, or frequenting of places where they are sold, is suffi- cient cause for dismissal. No Rule For Drivers. “No Rule G is in force for the driver of the powerful engine of the auto- mobile. Instead, by advertising and | display of their wares, the 1,788 retail | licensed places in Washington solicit | the patronage of men, women and | youth. “The danger in the use of alcoholic liquors is shown by scientists who find ‘a measurable loss of efficiency when * as little as an ounce of whisky is con- sumed.’ An ounce of whisky contains a tablespoonful of alcoho'. One pint of 3.2 per cent beer contains shghuyi more than that amount of alcohol. | The individual who consumes even | the so-called ‘modeorate’ amount of | alcohol represented in a cocktail or & bottle of beer is unfitting himself for driving an automobiie, because alcohol slows reaction time. He may not show visible signs of intoxication and yet be a menace to himself and others if he drives a car. “By no neans are all the ‘had-been- drinking’ drivers arrested. or if some are apprehended, the charge is often “speeding’ or ‘reckless driving’ Yet the police of Washington arrested on charge of driving wiile drunk 423 | during the calendar year 1928; 291 in 352 in 1930: 354 in 1931: 307 in : 317 in 1933: 403 in 1934: and 238 during the firs! eight months of 1935. “During the calendar year 1934, the first vear of repeal, deaths from sutomobile accidents reached the un- precedented number of 135, compared with 91 in 1923: 91 in 1924; 84 in 1925; 76 in 1926; 84 in 1927; 83 im 1928; 84 in 1929; 77 in 1930; 85 in 1931; 123 in 1932 and 80 in 1933. Nineteen iundred and thirty-five has seen special efforts made by the police to reduce traffic accidents, and thousands have pledged themselves to safe driving in a safety campaign, yet traffic deaths reported to October 15 are equal to or more than in eight ©f the past twelve years.” Keaton Il of Pneumonia. LOS ANGELES, October 19.—(P)— | Buster Keaton, film comedian, was suffering from an attack of pneu- | monia at his home here today, but| his physician, Dr. John Shuman, said | his condition was improving and he| believed the crisis had passed. Expands Industries. India is planning to expand its in- Qustries. Bootleggers Pay Million in T axes On Illicit Rum | More Than 25,000 Beer | Barons Have Been Sent “True” Bills. By the Associated Precs. The Justice Department said yester- | day bootleggers aind beer barons of the prohibition era have paid the Government since repeal more than $1,000.000 in past-due taxes on illicit rum and booze. Led by Al Capone and “Waxey Gor- don,” more than 25000 beer and liquor dealers of dry days have been | sent “true tax” bills since repeal, said Joseph Lawrence, ltead of the taxes and penalties unit. The unit is still devoting two-thirds of its time to settling the Govern- ment’s accounts with rum row, but doesn’t expect to finish before 1940. When a retired beer baron gets a bill from Uncle Sam for taxes on his illegal merchandise, he has four choices. Some pay the tax in full. Many seek to prove they are in financial distress and gsk the Government to compromise the bill, letting them settle for a portion of the total. Oth- ers deny they owe the Government the taxes and file a court action to stop collection. Some pay the tax and then sue the Government to recover. ‘The Government’s final offensive egainst the leading “public enemies” of the dry decade draws its ammuni- tion from the records of old investi- gations, arrests, seizures, indictments and convictions for violation of the prohibition law. There are stilP 50,000 of these records to be studied. [ Volunteers of America Chief_Greeted Preparing to attend the annual meeting of the National Executive Council, Volunteers of America, Gen. and Mrs. Ballington Booth, veteran welfare workers and founders of the Volunteers, are shown above as they were met at Union Station yesterday by Maj. H. Mills Eroh, District commander of the Volunteers, and Charles J. Warren, vice department commander of the District of Columbia American Legion. Booth, Warren and Mrs. Booth. The little girl is Shirley Hein, drum major Left to right: Maj. Eroh, Gen THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C., OCTOBER 20, 1935—PART ONE. MICHELSON STIRS POT OF POLITICS Attack on Liberty League Marks Week—G. 0. P. Scraps Among Selves. By the Assoclated Press. A Democratic attack of the Amer- ican Liberty League yesterday topped off a week of one-sided political ac- tivity marked by a disagreement among Republicans over 1936 issues. A period of unusual quiet on the Democratic front was broken by criti- cism of the Liberty League's Volun- tary Committee of Lawyers consider- ing New Deal legislation. It came from Charles Michelson, publicity di- rector for the National Committee. Michelson said the committee had not only asked lawyers to join its ranks, but had issued the same invita- tion to “sitting judges,” including Justice Carew of the New York Su- preme Court, who had replied it was an “impudent attempt to bulldoze tor Tydings, Democrat. of Maryland, | judges.” |for a Senate speech criticizing New | While the Democrats were on the Deal policies. whole watchfully quiet, the nepub.\ While Tydings was silent, his co- lcans not only debated issues, but | operation with the league inspired talked candidates, both publicly and | speculation among political leaders privately. over the part he might play in the 1936 campaign. He was tue first prom- Borah Contention Hit. = In Chicago, Senator Hustings ox‘!nenr. Democratic office-holder to co- | g licly with the league in its | Delaware challenged Senator Borah's | operate pula‘ contention that monopoly should be:ut!.acks on the administration. the outstanding Republican issue. He Michelson made no mention of this development, confining his statement served notice also he would not Com- | i the league’s Committee of Lawyers, promise with “any liberal or Progres- | ypich he said was “composed princi- ;':m;ul’“b““fl" on printing Paper | pally of attorneys who have received The Delaware Senator, directing his ‘;‘;5:(,1‘0?:_"1“ representing large cor- attack at President Roosevelt person- |~ After noting the committee’s letter ally, characterized his administration | to Justice Carew, Michelson said “their as the “era of deception” and said effort to get State judges ot throw in no one could “rely” on his promise | with them, as typified by the approach “that taxes would not be increased. |to Supreme Court Justice Carew of Borah's proposal of monopoly as the ‘New York—and that is no isolated chief 1936 issue set the key for the |instance—makes one wonder if they week’s debate. Theodore Roosevelt, t hdve ever thought of approaching the proposing instead “the scandalous |members of the national tribunal of waste of the people’s money,” was last resort.” backed not only by Hastings, but other | Reco! Republicans, including Representative } Analyfilx!::!hc mr::::‘ug‘:)“tflt.he Law- Bolton of Ohio, chairman of the Con- | yers Committee, Michelson said about gressional Campaign Committee. & dozen of them had appeared before Speculate on Tydings. the Supreme Court, and 44 of them Michelson’s attack on the Liberty |had not. League followed publication by that| John W. Davis, he said, had the organization earlier in the week of ex- | best record, with 17 victories and 15 cerpts from letters commending Sena- | losses; James M. Beck had lost 8 out | BUY IT AT (F, of the American Legion's Boys' Band. More than 100 Volunteers officials from various parts of the country will attend the sessions which begin tomorrow. Opinion on Teaching of Communism Prettyman’s Views on Act of Congress Printed to Give Interpre- The ruling by Corporation Coun= sel E. Barrett Prettyman that public school teachers may outline the facts of Communism to their pupils so long as they do mnot “advocate” its cause has aroused wide discussion. It has been ac- cepted by the Board of Education and the District Commissioners. Some groups contend it is wrong as an interpretation of the intent of Congress in banning use of school junds for salary for any person “teaching or advocating” communism. The Star has been requested to publish the following text of Prettyman’s opinion, since it has been adopted as a principle to be Jfollowed by the school system. To: The Commissioners. In re: Request of the Board of Edu- cation for an interpretation of the clause in the appropriation act of 1935, which provides that no part of any appropriation for the public schools shall be available for the payment of the salary of any person teaching or advocating communism Report: The question is the meaning of the phrased “teaching or advocating communism.” ‘The term ‘commun- ism’ is used loosely to cover all forms and theories of social ownership of wealth, but has a more specific cur- rent meaning to denote the type of revolutionary socialism first expound- ed in the communist manifesto of Marx and Engels of 1847, and today held by the various Communist par- ties that exist in most countries and are united in the Communist Interna- tionale.” The foregoing quotation from the Encyclopedia Brittanica is so apt to the question presented to us that we quote it verbatim. We think that the word “communism” as it appears in this statute has no reference to the theories of Plato’s “Republic,’ More's “Utopia” and similar clas- sics, or to the customs of the early Christians, the “Brook Farm” and oth- ers, to which the term is frequently (and in former years usually) applied. It refers to the governmental forms and theories of the present-day Com- munist parties composing the Interna- tionale. Chief among their economic and political tenets are (1) the abo- | lition of private ownership of property and the substitution therefor of a system of common ownership; .(2) control of the government of the pro- letariat (wage earners without prop- erty), that is, a dictatorship by the proletariat; (3) the destruction of present systems of government and the substitution therefor of other sys- tems adapted to the theory of prole- tarian dictatorship. Opposed to U. S, System. These tenets are, of course, directly opposed to the established American system, principal bases private ownership of property, governmental control by a majority of all classes, periodically expressed, and a governmental sys- tem, legislative, executive and judicial, designed to function in accordance with these concepts. The congres- sional intent in the present statute was obviously directed to the protection of | this system against internal attack. The word “advocate” is easy of defl- nition in this context. It means to plead for, or to urge the adoption of. . Much more difficult is the exact de- lineation of the limits of the word “teach” as it appears here. In ordi- nary parlance it may mean to en- lighten, or to indoctrinate, or to nur- ture, or to train. Clearly any teach- ing of communism which has for its purpose or its nurture, the training or the indoc- trination of the pupils in communistic | | thought is forbidden by this statute. But I am of opinion that the mere inferming of pupils concerning the history, existence or theories of the communistic governments or parties is not prohibited. Obviously Congress did not mean to prohibit comment or instruction which is adverse to com- munism, that is, teaching against it. Neither does it seem to me that the congressional intent reaches to the re- cital, without any shadow of favor or support, of factual data, whether his- torical, economic or political. There is a vital difference here be- tween “teaching” and “teaching about.” To state that communism ex- ists is not to “teach” it. To state what Communists believe is not to “teach communism” within the meaning of this statute, provided that the method or manner of statement does not im- ply approval, Perhaps, if I may be excused for a Alreunlm«.!unmhw which includes among its intended effect the| tation in Full. E. BARRETT PRETTYMAN. | meaning clear by an illustration. | Georgetown University has for some | Winters sponsored series of lectures concerning the history, the beliefs, the purposes, the practices, etc., of com- |munism as it exists in Russia and | elsewhere. But would any one famil- |iar with Washington say that this lecturer “teaches communism”? The suggestion is laugh-provoking. Simi- larly, it would be ludicrous to say that 1the morning newspaper which con- stantly carrier reportorial articles on conditions in communistic countries { and the purposes of communistic par- | ties is “teaching communism.” Thus, I am of opinion that the mere recitation or study of factual data is not the “teaching” prohibited by this statute. But I am also of the | view that any shadow of favor or | support of communism shown by or | reasonably to be drawn from such | recitation or study is prohibited. Purpose of Statute Hit. ‘The purpose of this statute is fully met by the view I have just expressed. So long as we have a freedom of the press for the uncensored reporting of world news and the untrammeled ex- pression of editorial opinion, no cause can be well served by an attempt to suppress factual data. The danger to be ‘apprehended breeds in ignorance and not in knowledge. The mere fail- ure of public school teachers to men- tion communism would not prevent a school of thought exists. This was not the purpose of Congress. That purpose, as I have said, was to pro- tect the American system of govern- ment from an insidious internal at- tack through the Government sup- ported public school system. Advocacy and not information is the objective | of the statutory mandate. I realize that the line which I have drawn is a difficult one to see in a close case. But it is impossible for this office to visualize the minutial of teaching methods and material. The to positive assertions in lecture form, JORDAN TWO-TUB WASHER $ $1 A WEEK BUYS The two-tub washer and dryer is the safest, easiest and quickest way to wash and dry your clothes. ARTHUR 1239 G STREET \ wbut to supplemental reading, and their pupils from knowing that such | statutory prohibition extznds not alone | SPECIAL Only a few dem- onstrators at t attractive price. Come early. ~—Star Staft Photo, even to inflections and attitude. The responsibility is upon the school au- thorities to abide by the terms and intent of the act as I have outlined it hereinabove, and to see to it that the same policy is followed throughout the school system. The only safe | course for these authorities is to avoid close cases, by intrusting such teach- ing only to those not likely to impinge upon the forbidden territory. We are not here concerned with the | policy underlying this legisiation; we can only attempt to determine the | congressional intent in the statute as written, and when we have ascer- tained that intent, we are bound by it. | | There is, of course, no substantial | | doubt as to the power of Congress to enact this legislation in respect to public schools of the District. 1 Avoids Meaning of “Teach.” It is not necessary, but perhaps advisable, to add the notq that the | question here presented concerning the | “teaching” of communism cannot be | argued by analogy to the meaning of | the word “teach” when applied to | subjects such as mathematics and | | other exact sciences, or to languages, | geography or music. These subjects, being exclusively* informational and cultural, contain no inherent incite- ment to direct political action as com- i munism does when taught in a man- ner to advocate it. (The same dif- sthinyton’s Select a New 1936 General Electric ference applies to philosophies and | religions generally when so taught, ex- | |cept, of course, that the incitement |Is to actions of a different sort.) | If a statute were to forbid teachers | to “teach” a language, that prohibi- { tion would obviously prevent even | | factual ‘instruction as to the gram- | | mar, etymology, pronunciation or lit- | erature in that language. Commu- nism, when expounded objectively, | may be treated in the same manner | as the mentioned subjects. But the | total denotation of the word is clearly different when used in reference to & | subject such as communism. | Recommendation: We recommend | that a copy of this opinion, if and when approved by the Commissioners, | | be forwarded to Mr. Charles B. Degges, | | secretary, Board of Education. Rides 0id Wheel. M. Churchley of Bournville, Eng- langd, has ridden a high bicycle for 53 Buys a New HUPMOBILE 4-Door, 6-Passenger Sedan Limited Number Columbia Motor Sales 1529 14th St. N.W. Open Sunday & Evenings DEcatur 1734 Price Down 5 Payment | Months Per month| onth| 34 Months Montas 49.95| None 780.00| None George’s Radio Co. 816 F Street N.W. s B3 of 10 cases, while George W. Wick- ersham broke even in six appearances. “None of this recital,” he added, “is meant to suggest that the distin< guished attorneys in question are not ' good lawyers. It merely seeks to point out that the ponderous assumption of infailibility in construing the Consti- tution of the United States may not be wholly authentic.” DIETICIANS TO MEET District Association to Hold Card Party at Dodge Hotel. The District of Columbia Dietetic Assoclation will hold a card party in the lounge of the Dodge Hotel Wed= nesday evening. Miss Rowena Rob- erts, chief dietition at Sibley Hospital, is chairman of the Program Commit- tee. Four members of the association will attend the annual convention of the American Dietetic Association in Cleveland, Ohio, next week end. They are Miss Mildred Parker, president; Miss Roberts, Miss Ruth Atwater and Miss Grace Bulman. Tourists Aid. spending by tourist speeding business in Increased visitors is Panama, J, tion Kindly have your representative call with detailed 142.50 | None Home Trial Offer. 155.00| None Name 180.00| None Address - 250.00/ None 816 F St. N.W. 1111 H St. NE. . District 1900 JORDAN Cor. 13th N.W. PIANO COMPANY A Store Near Your Home 3107-3109 M St. N.W. 2015 14th St. N.W. 2139-41 Pa. Ave. N.W. All Stores Open Till 9 P.M. information about your General Electric Free