Evening Star Newspaper, November 17, 1935, Page 21

[ooemive | The Sunday Star " LEAVE NEASLRES FOCUS ATTENTION IN NEXT SESSION Bills Passed by House Were on Senate Calendar at Adjournment. ONE WOULD RESTORE U. S. VACATION PERIOD Other Permits Accumulation of Sick Leave Up to 120 Days. Other Legislation. BY J. A. O'LEARY. Renewed efforts to pass the annual and sick leave bills in the Senate this Winter will feature discussion of Gov- ernment employe legislation at the coming session of Congress. Spokesmen for Government workers have a number of other important questions to bring to the attention of the lawmakers, but at the start of the session, interest will center chief- ly in the leave bills because of the| progress these measures already have made toward enactment. The leave bills have passed the House and were on the Senate calen- dar when Congress adjourned. One restores the annual vacation period from 15 to 30 days, as it existed for many years prior to the economy legis- lation of a few years ago. The other | reduces sick leave from 30 to 15 days, with the privilege of accumulating un- used sick leave up to a total of 120 days. The present law places no limitation on the accumulation of un- used annual leave, but the pending bill limits the accumulation of this leave to 120 days also. Both the National Federation of Federal Employes and the American Federation of Government Employes place the leave measures high on the list of subjects affecting Government personnel to be advocated at the ap- proaching session. Other Essential Objectives. ‘Extension of the merit system to make it as nearly universal as possible, and liberalization of the retirement law to give employes the option of re- tiring after 30 years of service, at lower age limits than is permitted at present, are other essential objectives on which various groups of Govern- ment workers are expected to unite. In connection with the retirement law, Robert H. Alcorn, chairman of the Jéint Conference on Retirement of Civil Service Employees, has called a meeting for November 26 of the ‘Executive Committee to consider plans for the coming session. This com- mittee meeting will be followed early in December by a meeting of the entire conference. At present, the age limits for auto- matic retirement are: For clerical and other departmental employes gener- ally, 70 years; for lettercarriers and postal clerks, 65, and for those in hazardous employment, 62. Existing law gives ‘each of these groups the option of retiring two years earlier than the compulsory age, or at 68,63 and 60. In prior years bills have been con- sidered to permit optional retirement after 30 years' service. the 30-year option clause, although definite plans have not been worked out. One suggestion being discussed informally is that after 30 years’ serv- ice optional retirement be permitted | at 55 for those who go out automatic- ally at 62; at 58 for those in the 65- year automatic group and at 62 for those in the 70-year automatic group. Benefit to Government. ‘Without discussing what detailed provisions may be urged, Alcorn ex- pressed the view yesterday that some liberalization of the optional feature of the retirement law would benefit the Government as well as the em- ployes. Other subjects on which bills will be pending at the coming session are: 'To extend to the field service the clas- sification system by which positions and salary schedules in the depart- ments in Washington have been gov- erned for & number of years and the bill to establish a civil service board of appeals to adjust disputes affecting individual employes. All of these various proposals still require action by both branches of Congress except the annual and sick leave bills. Senator McKellar, Dem- otrat, of Tennessee took the lead in preventing Senate action on the leave bills in the closing days of the last session, contending they should be given further study. One of his ob- Jections was to the inclusion of cer- tain groups of employes who are on the five-day week. Since the coming session will be a part of the same Congress, the leave bills retain their place on the Senate calendar. Defi- nite plans for resuming their consid- eration in January are awaiting re- turn early next month of Chairman Bulow and other members of the Benate Civil Service Committee. Merit System Measure. On the question of extending the merit system, Senator Logan, Demo- crat, of Kentucky, had a bill reported favorably to the Senate last Sum- mer. This measure also met with opposition @ the floor and was left on the calendar. The bill sought to make all positions in the executive branch of the Government subject to the civil service, except such groups ®s the President may exempt for a period of not to exceed four years. Incumbents of positions that were filled outside of civil service could ac- quire a classified status by taking & non-competitive civil service test. Sen- ator Logan said yesterday he will re~ new his efforts to obtain considera- tion of the bill, although he indicated he expects further opposition in the Senate. In the House, Chairman “Ramspeck of the Civil Service Com- mittee had a bill on the same subject, although differing in details. George II Leaves Paris. PARIS, November 16 (#).—King George II of Greece, en route from London to rule the newly proclaimed monarchy, departed tonight for Rome, accompanied by & dozen exiled Greek royalists. Hundreds of his country- m cheered him as he boarded the [ 1t is possible | some age limit may be coupled with | { by the University Press Association. Central Edit $ii . Richard Murphy, editor of the high school paper in Washington, is Press Association last night. spondent of the London Times, one at the left, PRESS CRITICIZED AS SENTIMENTAL Sir Willmott Lewis Tells Student Editors Much News [s Overwritten. Newspapers have become “sentimen- talized” to a point where overwriting is a common fault, Sir Wilimott Lewis, ‘Washington correspondent of the Lon- don Times, told a group of District, Maryland and Virginia high school | editors at a banquet last night that | brought to & close the two-day con- vention of the George Washington University Scholastic Press Associa- tion. Development of feature writing has resulted in a change of news report- ing and subsequently has given press accounts of trials, demonstrations and other events more space than they really merit, the speaker declared. Newspapers formerly were printed principally for the consumption of adults, Sir Willmott said, but today when persons of all ages are con- sidered potential readers, newspapers must be careful that “the food they provide must not be too strong for | the digestion of the young.” Sentimental Writing Hit. The British journalist warned the young editors to remember that senti- mentality, which he described as “emotion for its own sake and not for the sake of an object,” is some- thing that should be avoided when they enter newspaper work. Sir Willmott concluded with the re- minder that the world depends in a large measure on newspapers, adding that without them countries would be thrown into confusion. The press, however, he said, depends in turn on the individuals connected with it, their honesty and integrity in handling news. Other speakers at the banquet, at which Prof. Willard Hayes Yeager of George Washington University fa- culty presided as toastmaster, were Ray Tucker of the McClure Syndicate, | and Howard Parrish, business man- | ager of the Daily News. Tucker gave the delegates some | “behind the scene” pictures of news reporting in the Capital and pointed | out the difficulty of the press in keep- | ing up with prominent figures and | their movements. Parrish empha- sized the importance of the co-opera- tion between the editorial and busi- ness departments of a newspaper. Central Paper Wins Cup. The Central Bulletin was awarded a cup as the best Washington high school paper in a contest sponsored | Richard Murphy, editor, accepted the | trophy, which was presented by Miss | Eleanor Heller, Hatchet editor. High Times, published by the students of E. C. Glass High School, Lynchburg, Va., was selected as the best school paper submitted by Maryland and Virginia schools. In the individual writing contest the following were selected as the best in their respective classes: News writing, Richard Murphy, Central; features, Sydney Rosendorf, Roose- velt; editorial, Betty St. Clair, Mc- Kinley; sports, Robert Speaker, Cen- tral, and column, Jean Gorbach, Roosevelt. Earlier yesterday the delegates elected the following officers of the George Washington Scholastic Press Association: Howard Lewis, Roosevelt, president; Doris Yetten, Immaculate Conception Seminary, vice president; Ann Mitchell, McKinley, secretary, and Mary Ann Fugitt, Immaculate Con- ception Seminary, treasurer. HATCHE RANKS HIGH. G. W. U. Newspaper Rated Fourth in WASHINGTON, D. C, SUNDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 17, 1935. or Honored Central Bulletin, adjudged the best shown as he received a trophy from Miss Eleanor Heller, editor of the George Washington Uni ersity Hatchet, at the annual banquet of the George Washington University Schiolastic Sir Willmott Lewis, Washington corre- of the principal speakers, is seated —Star Staff Photo. P 6 CRASHES OCCUR ONRAINY STREETS Nine Persons Are Painfully Injured—Woman, 72, Has Broken Leg. Nine persons were in hospitals here last night with injuries received in traffic accidents in and near Wash- ington. Rain and slippery streets were | blamed for a total of 46 accidents in Washington up to midnight, most of only. Mrs. Jesse Carll, 72, of 1358 Oak street, was in an undetermined condi- tion at Emergency Hospital, suffering from a fractured leg, bruises and shock, after being struck by the auto- mobile of Taylor H. McCauley. 32, of 2018 Evarts street northeast, at Con- necticut avenue and Q street. Police charged McCauley with reckless driving. Garfield Hospital physicians said Lebron Ard, 40, of 320 B street north- east, run down on the Baltimore boulevard fn front of Maryland Uni- versity, possibly received a skull frac- ture. He had cuts on the head and face. Ard was brought to the hos- pital by Charles Hecht, 28, student at the university, who was driving the car that struck him. Man, 69, Hit by Car. Isaiah Prettyman, 69, of 1201 Twentieth street, received a broken leg and cut when struck on M be- tween Nineteenth and Twentieth streets by the automobile of James E. Murphy, 45, of 2921 Tenth street northeast. At Emergency Hospital, his condition was said to be unde- termined. Brought to Georgetown Hospital after an accident on the Ieesburg road near Dranesville, Va., Miss Cath- erine Ryan 58, Poughkeepsie, N. Y., was found to have a fractured left leg and cuts. Details of the accident were noi available. Although not injured. William A. Brooks, 66, Netional Training School employe, was reported in a serious condition from shock at Casualty Hos- pital following a collision between his car and the machine of William C. E. Harne, 53, 1116 Orren street northeast, at Thirteenth street and Pennsylvania avenue southeast. Harne was not hurt. Edward C. Smith, 46, 616 D street southeast, was treated at Providence Hospital for shock and scalp lacera- tions received when struck at North Carclina and Pennsylvania avenues southeast by an automobile operated by William G. Mason, 419 B street northeast. Collar Bone Is Broken. Knocked down at Sixteenth and U streets, Earl Owens, colored, 32, of 2311 Sherman avenue, was treated at Freedmen'’s Hospital for a broken col- lar bone and a dislocated shoulder. Police said the automobile that struck him was operated by John A. Simms, colored. George Grayson, colored, 47, of 30 Florida avenue northeast, was knocked down by a hit-and-run driver at Eleventh and Irving streets. Grayson was only slightly injured. In another mishap, Helen Smith, 24, of 712 Eighteenth street, was taken to Emergency Hospital, where she was said to have a fractured pelvis. The young woman walked into the path of an automobile at Nineteenth and F streets and was either knocked down or fell, receiving the injury. Dr. James Ehrhard, Elkridge, Md., and witnesses told police she started to jump back when she saw the car, caught her heel in the street car track and fell. News Competition. & Competing with 36 student publica- tions, the George Washington Uni- versity Hatchet won fourth place in the news division contest at the Fall meeting of the Intercollegiate News- paper Association of the Middle At~ lantic States, held yesterday at Pitts- NEW FARM AID PLAN Magazine Will Present Proposed A. A. A Substitute to Parties. A new farm aid plan, based on a study made by the editors of the Country Home Magazine, will be of- burgh, according to an Associated Press dispatch. The Hatchet also fin- ished third in the editorial division. Temple University News took major honors in the competition, capturing first award in both the news and ad- vertising divisions, and placing second in editorials. BRAKEMAN INJURED \ 2o B. & 0. Worker Hurt in Fall From Car in D. C. Yard. Carson Flanigan, 32, of 233 R street, a brakéinan for the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, suffered brain concussion end dislocated his left shoulder and several fingers last night when he fell from a freight car in the rail- road yard at First street and New York avenue northeast. At Casualty Hospital his condition reported serious, fered this week to the two major po- litical parties. The new plan will be suggested as a replacement for the present agricultural adjustment act. Briefly, the plan is to pay farmers for producing farm products which are now imported by the country instead of paying them not to produce certain commodities. Other planks are to pay farmers to grow soil-building crops to prevent soil erosion and for growing non-food crops for industrial uses. The plan is submitted to the more than 1,000,000 readers of the magazine with a request that the farmers of the ccgatry express their preferences. Italian Agent Is Shot. CORTE, Corsica, November 16 (#). —Italian Consular Agent Del Monte was shot in the hand today by an unidentified assailant. The attacker escapedy them resulting in property damage | SALE OF GAS STOCK WATCHED CLOSELY BY . C. OFFICIALS Auction Wednesday of Trust Shares May Complicate Control. CONFEREES TO RESUME RATE TALK TOMORROW Agreement on Sliding Scale for Annual Correction Possible This Week. BY DON S. WARREN. Announcement that 1,800 shares, or 30 per cent, of the trust ownership of the Washington Gas Light Co. would be sold at auction Wednesday in New York City raised pointed inquiries in District utility circles yesterday as to the purposes and reasons. The development served to confuse further the already tangled situation in the control of public utilities con- cerns here by giant holding com- panies. The announcement was that the General Investment Co., formerly known as the Public Utility Holding Corp. of America, and the United Founders’ Corp. “each proposes to sell at public auction” Wednesday 900 shares of beneficial interest in the ‘Washington & Suburban Compahies, a Massachusetts common-law trust, which controls the Washington Gas Light Co. Commission Watches Sale. Members of the District Public Utilitles Commission and People's Counsel Willlam A. Roberts both an- nounced yesterday they are “watching developments closely” and will scruti- nize reports of the impending sale. The announcement of the sale, con- tained in a report filed with District Supreme Court and the Public Utili- ties Commission, comes on the heels | of maneuvers by the North American Co., giant utilities holding corpora- tion, to withdraw from the Federal | Securities and Exchange Commission | ;l proposal to divest itself of control over the Washington Railway & Elec- | tric Co, which owns the profitable | Potomac Electric Power Co. ‘The petition to withdraw this plan | from consideration was said to have been motivated by the announcement by the District Utilities Commission | that it would soon investigate the rate of return allowed the power company under the present sliding scale ar- rangement. This allowed net rate of return now is 7 per cent. The im- pression was that the commission here | would consider a reduction of this | allowed net return. Doubt Move Influenced Sale. Whether this indication of the in- tention of the District commission | had any connection at all with the move to sell what amounts to con- | trolling interest in the Washington Gas Co. ownership was strongly doubt- ed by some District utility experts. Others recalled that counsel for the commission and the company and | People’s Counsel Roberts tomorrow will resume conferences on proposed | adoption of a sliding scale plan for annual correction of the rates of the Washington Gas Co. and its subsid- iary, the Georgetown Gas Light Co. There are reports there is great | hope that the conferees this week will be able to reach agreement on the| terms of a proposed sliding scale. If this is done, the suggested plan will g0 to directors of the Washington Gas Co. for approval, and if they approve it will be forwarded to the District | Utilities Commission for considera- | tion. ‘Three Questions Raised. District observers yesterday raised | these questions, among others, as to the possible meaning of the move of the two gas company ownership in- terests to sell at auction their shares in the trust: 1. What relation will there be be- tween the buyers of the stock to be auctioned to the other corporate in- terest in the common-law trust? 2. Will there be a change in the ownership control of the Washington and suburban companies? 3. When and from whom did the United Founders Corp. obtain owner- ship of as many as 900 shares of beneficial interest in the Washington and suburban companies? 4. Is there possibility that the As- sociated Gas & Electric Co., of which Howard C. Hopson is the “master mind,” will be interested in buying up control in the Washington and subur- ban companies? Inquiry Resumes This Week. In connection with the last ques- tion, it is recalled that the House Lobby Committee this week plans to resume its inquiry into the cam- paign against the Wheeler-Rayburn holding company bill, which became law at the end of the last session of Congress. It will recall Hopson to the stand and inquire into his per- sonal income and the reason for the purchase of the A. G. & E. of stock of the Virginia Public Service Corp. This corporation services certain Virginia sections with electric power, gas and water. The announcement about the auc- tion sale was contained in a notice to the clerk of District Supreme Court from Sullivan & Cromwell, New York attorneys for the Washington and su- burban companies, and other big util- ity holding organizations, a copy of which was given the District Utilities Suburban Cos, we have been been advised by General Investment Corp. (formerly the Public Utilities Holding Corp. of America) and United Foun- ders Corp. that they each propose to sell at public auction on November 20, 1935, 900 shares of beneficial interest in Washington & Suburban Cos., & Massachusetts common-law trust. Consent Decree Cited. “As soon as such shares are pre- sented for transfer, after the auction ‘Tablet Honors Colonial Church A bronze tablet was placed yesterday afternoon by the State Historical Committee of the Daughters of the American Revolution in St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Rock Creek Parish, the only Colonial church in It was founded in 1712 as & mission and in 1719 as & church. the District and the oldest here. The building now standing was constructed in 1775. end, but the rest of the structure is original. was dedicated to the church and its members who gave their lives in the War of Independence. A fire in 1921 them are buried in its churchyard. Left to right: Mrs. Lee R. Pennington, Mrs. Harry Howard, Mrs. George M. Grimes, State regent; Mrs. Samuel McCrory, State historian; Miss Ethel Jene Lamond, Right Rev. James E. Freeman, Bishop of Wash- ington; Miss Ruth Ann Parker and Rev. John F. Bohanan, rector of St. Paul's, destroyed the roof and the north The tablet, placed on the interior of one of the original walls, Many of —=Star Staff Photo. PLANNERS T0 SEEK MEMORIAL" SITES Jefferson and Cleveland Markers to Be Discussed in Joint Session. A site for a memorial to Thomas Jefferson will be sought when the Fine Arts Commission and the Na- tional Capital Park and Planning Com- mission meet in joint session Friday to discuss & number of mutual problems, including that of bus terminals. The commissions will likewise turn attention to plans for a memorial to another former Grover Cleveland. The recent controversies over the proposal to locate a bus terminal at Chevy Chase Circle has led the com- missions to consider the whole problem. The Fine Arts Commission is par- ticularly anxious to discuss off-street bus terminals end similar subjects and their relationship to residential dis- tricts. H. P. Caemmerer, executive secretary, has said that one of the ques- tions is that of a suitable union bus terminal for downtown Washington. Bus Terminals Confusing. At present, he said, the visitor is con- fused here by the great number of bus terminals, each line maintaining its own in different sections of the city. Just as the railroads now have a Union Station here, so the bus facilities should combine to have a unified’ terminal, in Caemmerer’s opinion. The desire to have a fitting memorial to Jefferson has taken a new twist this past week, when Secretary Ickes an- nounced allocation of Public Works Administration funds for the erection of a new Apex Building, at the eastern tip of the Triangle. At one time this site was under consideration for the Jefferson memorial. Now the two com- missions will canvass the situation anew and tentatively pick a location. The Fine Arts Commission is expect- ed shortly to suggest an architect and sculptor for the memorial, as soon as the Congressional Commission having the matter in charge makes a definite decision on the shape it is to take. A similar move will be made in the case of the Cleveland memorial. " Will Discuss Rectangle Buildings. Future buildings to be erected in the Northwest Rectangle—bounded by Seventeenth street, Constitution ave- nue, the Potomac River and E street— will be given additional attention when the two commissions meet. Periodically the two bodies that are guiding the development of Washing- ton hold joint sessions to map a course of action for the immediate future. ‘With many improvements speeded up through the allocation of Public Works Administration funds, the Works Progress Administration and the Civil- ian Conservation Corps, they desire at this time, officials said, to have adequate plans worked out in advance to meet any further development. 25-TON CHINA CLIPPER TO TEST WINGS TODAY 1,000-Mile Cruise to Tune Giant Plane for Long Hop to Orient. By the Associated Press. SAN FRANCISCO, November 16.— The 25-ton China clipper was put in shape today for & 1,000-mile tuning-up cruise off the Golden Gate tomorrow as a preliminary to her inaugural trip to the Orient next week with the-first trans-Pacific airmail. Sunday’s jaunt, expected to keep the big seaplane in the air about eight hours, will serve as a training cruise for new crew members. Some of them may be included in the air- mail inaugural California-to-Manila trip set for Wovember 22. More than 75000 airmail letters were in the post office today, with ad- ditional thousands coming in, for the Alameda-Manila trip. Postal officials thought the number might reach 200,000 Efforts are being made to round-up two or three of the still surviving drivers of stage coaches of frontier days to take part in the takeoff fes- tivities. mon-law trust was recognized by Dis- trict Supreme Court in 1932, but the court ordered that the case be kept “open” and required that any change of ownership in the gas company trust be certified to the court so that there would be official records of any possible changes of control. The common-law trust is controlled by the Chase National Bank and other financial interests. Creation of the common-law trust resulted from a move by the Public Commission and Roberts as to divest themselves of control of the local gas company, P Chief Executive— | Professor Reports I Autos Kill 7,350 Wild Animals Daily Traffic on Highways Be- lieved Serious Men- ace to Game. By the Associated Press. NEW YORK, November 16.—Is the | automobile a definite and serious | menace to America’s wild life? W. A. Dreyer of the University of iCln(’innsH. writing in the magazine, | | “Science,” estimates that 7,350 wild | | animals may be being killed every day in the United States by automobiles; but he adds that these figures may not be a true picture for all sections | or all seasons. Dreyer reports on observations made during a 1,500-mile trip from Chicago |to Woods Fole, Mass., last Summer and on a subsequent trip from Woods Hole to Cincinnati. On the two trips he observed 61 dead animals at the side of the road. | The slow-moving turtles were the | most frequent victims. Dreyer finds that the wild life death rate per mile per day. is .0098, a an estimated daily destruction in the entire United States of 7,350 animals. TRIAL OF MNEL BEGINS TOMORROW Park Savings Assistant Cashier to Answer Two Peculation Charges. Benedict M. McNeil, assistant cashier of the now defunct Park Sav- ings Bank, will go on trial in District Supreme Court tomorrow on charges growing out of alleged peculation of bank funds. Involving intricate banking pro- cedures, the case is expected to oc- cupy a week. It will be heard by Justice F. Dickinson Letts. Assistant United States Attorney John J. Wilson, assigned to prosecute, will delve deep- ly into the handling of bank funds during an eight-year period prior to the closing of the institution March 3, 1933. Two Counts Charged. The indictment against McNeil is in two counts. The first charges him with conspiring with his father, the late Alexander McNeil, a local real estate man, and Robert S. Stuntz, bank vice president, to commit larceny of $50,000. The elder Mc- Neil was arraigned before he died, while Stuntz committed suicide just before the bank closing. ‘The second count covers the same transactions, but charges conspiracy to embezzle the $50,000. The Govern- ment will attempt to prove the specu- lations were during a period beginning February 1, 1925, and ending when the bank closed. McNeil left the service of the bank in 1929 to join his father in the real estate business. 300 Exhibits Promised. ‘Wilson said he expects to use eight witnesses and 300 exhibits to present the Government's case. Another trial resulsing from the col- lapse of the Park Savings Bank is scheduled to begin as soon as the McNeil case is disposed of. It is that of John Cooke Grayson, former Treasury official, who is charged with conspiring with Stuntz to defraud the Government by giving advance infor- mation of visits of national bank examiners. His trial has been delayed repeat- edly on the grounds he is in precarious health, but Justice Daniel W. O'Don- rate which he adds would produce | oghue recently ruled he must stand trial without further delay. TWO ARMED BANDITS GET $435 IN HOLD-UPS Proprietors of Two Stores Are Robbed Within 15 Min- utes’ Time. Within 15 minutes two armed colored bandits last night held up and robbed the proprietors of two stores of a total of $435. The pair first appeared at the liquor store of Isaac M. Casel, 1769 U street, and after forcing him into a back room, escaped with $185, which they took from the cash register. Fifteen minutes later the bandits held up Michael Hurwits, 35, in his grocery store at 450 R street, and TRANSIENTS TO GO 10 HOUSING J0B3 550 Cases to Be Added to Tugwelltown Work Rolls as Aid Is Cut. ‘The exodus of 550 “problem cases” of transients from the District to the Federal transient camp at Fort Eustis, Va., will start today with the depart- ure of a vanguard of 70 of the home- less men, District officials announced last night. To date 1325 of the District| transients have been assigned to work | at “Tugwell town,” the low-cost hous- | ing project at Berwyn Heights, under | the direction of the Resettlement | Division. Approximately 600 of them are scheduled to start work there to- morrow. Previously 725 transients had been given work assignments at Berwyn Heights. Saved From Streets. Meanwhile, arrangements have been worked out for Federal care for about | 350 or more war veterans, now being given temporary care by District agencies, thus saving them from be- ing turned into the streets, local offi- | cers explained. Aid for the veterans is to be halted tomorrow as the Vet- erans’ Administration arranges new care for them, it was said. Without the aid of Federal funds, District relief officials went forward with the plans for taking over the entire relief machinery. Il at home, Commissioner Allen conferred with relief and welfare officials who are | putting plans into shape. $166,666 Per Month. Commissioner Allen reiterated that relief expenditures are to be kept down to $166,666 a month. This is one-twelfth of the $2.000,000 appro- priated out of District revenues. In order to bring expenditures with- in the limit, it will be necessary to reduce the number of persons on relief as well as some of the relief payments. It has not been determined how many will be dropped from the relief rolls. 40 ATTEND DINNER OF 1847 AZTEC CLUB Col. J. F. Reynolds Landis Heads Military Society — High Officials at Meeting. More than 40 members and guests of the Aztec Club of 1847, military society of the Mexican War, last night attended a banquet at the Army and Navy Club. Officers of the organization are Col. J. F. Reynolds Landis, U. S. A., presi- dent; Charles Lee Andrews, vice presi- dent; Leonard L. Nicholson, jr., treas- urer; Alexander B. Hagner, assistant treasurer; Conway B. Hunt, secretary, and Edmund Hayes Bell, assistant secretary. Members of the Dinner Committee were Mr. Nicholson, Brig. Gen. David D. Porter and William W. Mackall. ‘The guest list included—Col. Landis, Brig. Gen. Perry L. Miles, U. 8. A,; Capt. Stephen C. Rowan, U. 8. N.; Maj. Gen. Louis McCarty Little, U. 8. M. C.; Right Rev. James E Free- man, Bishop of Washington; Lieut, Col U. 8. Grant, 3d, U. 8. A.; Maj. Edgar E. Hume, U. S. A.; Charles L. Andrews, Dwight Clark, Lieut. Fran- cis M. Eliot, U. S. N.; Maj. Gen. Preston Brown, U. S. A.; Robert P. Shepherd, George M. P. Murphy, Wil- liam M. Sweeney, Dr. George Tully Vaughn, Dr. Aurelius R. Shands, Col. Marcus Stokes, U. S. A.; Dr. Prancis Hagner, Alexander B. Hagner, Francis B. Taylor, jr.; Richard P. Whiteley, Richard E. Shands, William Payne Meredith, Capt. E. J. Dorn, U. S. N.; Dr. Camp Stanley, Maj. C. C. Griggs, U. 8. A.; Col. Burnet Puryear, U. 8. A.; Col. John P. Hains, U. 8. A.; Col. John W. Wright, U. 8. A.; Mahlon H. Janey, Col. William P, Upshur, U. S. N.; Admiral 8. E. W. Kittelle, U.|’ 8. N.; Prank P, Abercrombie, Dorrance Brown, R. S. Andrews, Edmund H. Bell, Leonard L. Nicholson, jr.; Con- y B. Hunt, Maj. Gen. Leon B. Kromer, U. 8. A; Maj. Lawrence U. S. A; Sterling Wilson and Ellis H. Martin. —_— LIVING COSTS RISE Conference Board Reports Slight Increase in Month. NEW YORK, November 16 (#).— Living costs of wage earners in the United States, measured today by the National Industrial Conference Board, increased 0.5 of 1 per cent from Sep- tember to October. ‘The board said: “Living costs in October of this year were 3.7 per cent above those of a year ago, 17.3 per cent higher than in April, 1933, the low the depression, and 16.9 per in October, 1929.” A Sports—Pages 13 to 17 PAGE B--1 MAYOR ASSAILS WITHDRAWAL OF FEDERAL RELIEF Cities and States Not in Position to Take Over Burden, Says Hoan. MORE THAN HUNDRED EXECUTIVES GATHER Hopkins to Address Conference Tuesday and Answer Questions. Visit to White House. As the mayors of more than 100 of the Nation's largest cities began con- verging on Washington last night, seeking information on the adminis- tration’s future relief plans, Mayor Daniel W. Hoan of Milwaukee branded as “absolutely untrue” any statements that States and cities now are in a position to take over the relief burden from the Federal Government. The bluntness of the Socialist presi- dent of the United States Conference of Mayors, who has headed the city government in Milwaukee since 1916, forecast a stormy openng of the three- day sesson of municipal executives to- morrow at the Mayflower Hotel. Harry L. Hopkins, Works Progress administrator, who is endeavoring to end all Federal relief contributions December 1, will address the confer- ence Tuesday. A discussion of relief problems during which' the adminis- trator has consented to answer ques- tions from the floor, will follow his address. C. of C. Comment Criticised. In an interview last night with the Associated Press, Mayor Hoan com- mented sharply on a statement in the periodical review of the Chamber of Commerce of the United States, which said: “There are strong intimations that the administration intends to insist that the States and their subdivisions carry the burden of relief in the fu- ture. Improvement in the economic position of the States and municipali- ties is such that they are fully capable of bearing a larger load.” The veteran mayor said there are few agencies “which know less about civic affairs than chambers of com- merce.” “It may be that some time in the future cities and States will be able to care for people who can't work. But they don’t have funds even for ‘un- employables’ right now. The Federal | Government must give them time to | adjust budgets and make plans.” | The first discussion of relief will come tomorrow morning when Mayor F.H.La Guardia of New York, a mem- ber of the Works Progress Allotment Board, will report on progress of the work relief drive. Plans Two Proposals. Mayor Hoan said that he intends to present two proposals to the con- vention. One would request Congress to enact legislation for expanding low- cost home building through municipal credit. The other would seek an amendment to the social security act to permit municipal employes to share in old - age pension plans, in which the Federal Government would match local contributions up to $15 a month. President Roosevelt will receive the mayors at the White House Tuesday at 4:30 pm,, after which the annual banquet will be held at 7 p.m. in the Mayflower. Mayor Hoan will preside. Senator Wagner, Democrat, of New York will speak on a national housing program, which will be one of the is- sues in the next Congress. Secretary of Labor Perkins will speak on the same program with Hop- kins. Her subject will be “The New Social Security Program.” At tomorrow’s opening session May- or T. Semmes Walmsley of New Or- leans will preside. District Commis- sioner Melvin C. Hazen will welcome the delegates. Attorney General Cummings will talk on “Co-operation of Law En- forcement Agencies” at a luncheon to- morrow, while the afternoon will be given over to talks on public safety, including traffic control. Others to Be Heard. Lieut. Frank M. Kreml, dean and safety engineer of Purdue University, will speak at this session on “Safety and Traffic Control,” Fire Chief P. J. Steinkellner of Milwaukee will speak on fire prevention and Henry H. Cur- ran of the Mayor’s Noise Abatement Committee of New York will give a report along that line. Secretary of the Treasury Morgen- thau, jr., will address the final session Wednesday on “Problems of Public Finances and the Cities.” The may- ors will receive reports and elect offi- cers Wednesday afternoon. At a special session tomorrow eve- ning, members of the Cities Alliance will discuss the problem of “Cities and Natural Gas,” with John W. Smith, president of the Common Council of Detroit, presiding. A pre-convention meeting of the Executive and Advisory Boards of the Mayors’ Conference will be held this afternoon at 730 Jackson place. ICKES IS ASKED TO 0. K. NEW LIGHTS FOR MALL 153 to Be Installed at Cost of $273 Each, if Contract Is Indorsed. Indorsement of a proposed contract with the General Electric Co. of Schenectady for supplying distinctive lights for the Mall was asked of Sec- retary Ickes yesterday by C. Marshall Finnan, superintendent of the Na- tional Capital Parks. One hundred and fifty-three lights are required at a cost of about $273 each. The lights will be of a lantern type, specially designed and approved by the Pine Arts Commission. Secretary Ickes is expected to award the contract in a few days, so the lights may be illuminated on the Mall shortly after the new year. Fin- nan explained the lights should be placed in commission shortly, now that the newly constructed highways in the Mall are opened, Ld