Evening Star Newspaper, December 17, 1935, Page 1

WEATHER. (U. 8 Weather Bureau Forecast.) - Some light snow probable tonight and tomorrow; not much change in tempera- ture; lowest tonight about 32 degrees, Temperatures—Highest, 43, at 12:30 p.m. yesterday; lowest, 32, at 6 a.m. today. Full report on page A- Closing N. Y. Markets, Pages 17, 18, 19 No. 33,467. 11, Entered as second class matter post office, Washington, D. C. ETHIOPIANS FORCE [TALIAN RETREAT. LAVAL VICTOR IN PEACE SHOWDOWN Warfare Flares Anew in Africa as French Premier Wins Vote of Confidence by Count of 306 to 242. BIG BATTLE NEARING ON NORTHERN FRONT British Cabinet Meets to Draft Answer to Critics of Proposal. Main Fascist Forces Go Into Action With Planes and Tanks. Italians Are Killed in Fighting. BACKGROUND— Leaders originally in urging firm policy of economic pressure against Italy, Britain and France at same time sought basis for peace mego- tiations in Italian-Ethiopian con- troversy. Suggestion for cession of land to aggressor brought vigorous condemnation jrom small nations of League, but had most serious re- actions in domestic jortunes of Baldwin and Laval governments, both shortly before boasting confi- dence of their countrymen. Mean- while, Italian reaction guarded, except for some critic gov- ernment-controlled press. In Ethi- opia. invading troops move slowly, raiding airplanes furnishing prin- cipal action. By the Associated s The Italian-Ethiopian for weeks past ha by diplomats in Europe, in actual combat today. A force of 3,000 Ethiopians was re- ported from Rome to have out- War. flared out maneuvered an Italian detachment in the the Takkaze River Valley on northern front, forcing Italian out- posts back with considerable losses. The main Italian forces immediately went into action with airplanes and tanks. Premier Pierre Laval won a vote of confidence in the Chamber of Deputies The on his ability to settle the war. vote was 306 to 242. While he spoke before legislators who both insulted and praised him the British cabinet met in portentous session to draft an answer to cr of the peace plan drawn up at Paris by Laval and Sir Samuel Hoare. the British foreign secretary. Ethiopians Map Attack. . From Asmara, Eritrea, came reports of fighting along the northern front indicating Ethiopian forces were swooping down on Italian outposts in test skirmishes preliminary to a mass attack. Sporadic fighting was known to have occurred today along the front in Tigre Province. It was apparent from the nature of the fighting that the Ethiopians were sending forward highly mobile, but closely connected, advance guards. | Fights were reported south of Makale and along the Takkaze River. Ttalian officers said that in most | cases the Ethiopians swooped down on Italian outposts and engaged in “prisk battles,” then retired quickly before the counter attacks Baldwin Holds to Stand. The turn taken by the diplomatic interchange tangent to the East African campaign at arms—resent- ment against the plan which has forced French and British leaders to the defensive—found Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin reportedly staking the life of his government on the issue that the program was reasonable. However, the government majority in the House of Commons appeared sufficient to avert a crisis if the matter came to a vote, despite wide- spread defections. Authoritative London quarters in- dicated, as leaders of the cabinet met, that the government might not cling to the Hoare-Laval peace proposals if the League of Nations disapproves of the plan. Anthony Eden, British minister for (See WAR, Page 3. MERRILL AIRPLANE LANDS IN SQUALL Ellsworth Rescue Ship Put Down Safely on Island After Sending S 0 S. By Radio to The Star. BALBOA, Canal Zone, December 17 (N.AN.A)).—The second airplane fly- ing to the rescue of Lincoln Ellsworth ran into trouble yesterday when the Northrop Gamma monoplane, piloted by Dick Merrill, ace pilot for the East- ern Airlines, was forced to land in a tropical rain squall on the beach of Salango Island, off the coast of Ecua- dor. Fortunately the plane was not dam- aged, and, according to reports from Guayaquil, Merrill will leave there at dawn today for Lima on his 4,000- mile flight to Magallanes to join the Wyart Earp, the rescue ship of the Elilsworth expedition. Merrill left Cristobal yesterday morning with fuel for six hours’ fiying, expecting to refuel at Guayaquil at noon. The Pan-American Grace Air- line stations at Guayaquil, Buena Ventura and Lima picked up at 11:20 am an S O S flash from an un- known plane landing on Salango Beach saying Merrill had not arrived at noon. Pilot Stephen Dunn, flying north with the regular mail, was ordered to search the Ecuadorian coast. Later Dunn redioed he had found the plane at Salango, 100 miles west of Guaya- quil. The safe landing of Merrill was Teported at 3:30 p.m. ? ] which s been fought mainly BACKGROUND— Speaking at Atlanta, Ga., on November 29, President Roosevelt emphasized the following points: “—the mechanics of cibilization came to a dead stop on March 3, 1933. “—gross national debt under the last administration rose from a lit- tle over $17,000,000,000 to $21,000,~ 000,000. “—since March 4, 1933, the na- tional debt has risen from $21,000,- 000,000 to $29,500,000,000—included in this figure is nearly $1,500,000,~ 000 of working balances in the Treasury and nearly $4,500,000,000 of recoverable assets.” Speaking at St. Louis last night, former President Hoover answered. | the Associated Press. | ST. LOUIS, December 17.—Herbert Hoover’s lashing attack here on New Deal relief threw beforc the Nation today a Hoover plan of decentralized reliéf based on “the voluntary services of American men and women.” The former Republican President, | answering President Roosevelt's recent | speeches, offered ‘his proposal last! a@h WASHINGTON, D. C, Hoover Offers Plan to Turn Relief Back to Local Control Demands Decentralization of Aid After Lashing Attack Charging Politics and Waste in Allaying Suffering. | States and local communities” all| night as an alteynative to the New Deal relief setup, which he branded | as “typical of the whole gamut of waste. folly, ineffectiveness, politics and destruction of self-government.” His caustic indictment of the Dem- ocratic administration generally, and its relief system in particular, drew cheers and laughter from the more than 1,000 persons who heard him address the John Marshall Republi- can Club of St. Louis and its guests. Wants Immediate Change. He asserted the administration of relief needs reform “right now * * *” and demanded a setup devoid of politics. He advanced a plan to “confine | public works projects to the projects which meet the needs of the Nation”; | decentralize and turn back “to the| other forms of relief: cut Government | allotments to States by more than half and relieve human distress, (See HOOVER, Page 4. The full text of Mr. Hoover’s speech appears on Page A-15. CONVENTION SET, ;Next Big Task Is Selection! | of Candidates and Plat- form Drafting. MEVIGAN SENATE b. 0. P. CHEFS GO, OUSTS GOVERNORS Four Accused of Aiding Calles—Garrisons Are Strengthened. BY G. GOULD LINCOLN, “ Well pleased with their selection of Cleveland for the 1936 national convention and radiating confidence, members of the Republican National Committee were leaving Washington today. As members of the committee, | they have nothing to do with candi- | dates for the presidential nomina- tion. But as individual leaders in | | their own States. the committeemen {and committeewomen necessarily | | must take the matter into considera- tion. The next great job of the Repub- licans is the nomination of presiden- tial and vice presidential candidates | and the drafting of a platform. These | | things will be attended to when the ! | convention meets June 9 on the | shores of Lake Erie. | Preliminary Plans Laid. | A committee on arrangements to- | day laid preliminary plans for the | convention at a meeting in the May- | flower Hotel. The committee is made | up as follows: i Henry P. Fletcher (ex officio), chair- man, Pennsylvania; Ralph E. Wil- liams, vice chairman and acting chair- man in charge, Oregon; R. B. Creager. Texas; Mrs. Grace Semple Burlin { ham, Missouri: Ezra R. Whitla, Idah, | Charles D. Hilles, New York: Mrs. Manley L. Fosseen, Minnesota; Walter | | s. Hallanan, West Virginia; Frank L.| Smith, Illinois; Daniel E. Pomeroy, New Jersey; Mrs. Paul FitzSimons, | Rhode Island; Earle S. Kinsley, Ver-| | mont; Mrs. John E. Hillman, Colorado; | J. Henry Roraback, Connecticut; John ! | Hamilton, Kansas. | The committee today received from Representative Bolton of Ohio a check‘ for $150,000, Cleveland's contribution | | for the expenses of the national con- | vention. H Hillis was elected treasurer of the| committee and George B. Kern was elected secretary. Lafayette G. Gleascn {of New York was electe¢ temporary secretary of the national convention. | This is the eighth term Col. Gleason has held this office at the Republican National Convention. | The committee adjourned to meet |in Cleveland on January 27 to go | forward with the arrangements. | Definite Trends Seen. | At the conclusion of the meeting to- day Chairman Fletcher said all mem- | bers of the National Committee had reported definite trends in-favor of the Republican party. * | R. B. Creager, national committee- | man for Texas, predicted the Demo- + cratic solid South would be broken by the Republicans next year. He men- | tioned Florida, North Carolina and | Virginia as States likely to go for the Republican nominee. He predicated his prediction on the assumption that the national convention would write a sound platform anc nominate a man fitted and willing to stand on it. He said that Senator Borah was well liked | in Texas. “I do not mean to say that I shall | (See G. O. P, Page 4. WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION TUESDAY, SINGE WE'LL NEVER DAVIS ASKS JAPAN Change Unnecessary, Since Nations Have No Offensive Intentions, He Says. VOICES AMERICAN STAND IN PRIVATE CONFERENCE Admiral Nagano Declines to Re- treat—Great Britain to Pro- pose Compromise. BACKGROUND— Seeking to establish naval arma- ment agreements while whole world seethes with plans for war, London Conference has been un- der impossible pressure. More than year ago, Japan became in- sistent in demands for tonnage parity with Britain and United States, forced deadlock in prelim- inary conference as United States objected to “paper parity” sugges- tion of Britain. Before present sessions opened, Japan warned is- sue must be settled: objections of other powers brought new dead- lock. Cold reception also greeted American proposal for reduction by all nations. By the Associated Press. LONDON, December 17.—Norman H. Davis, the United States chief delegate to the International Naval Conference, told the Japanese today that inasmuch as neither the United States nor Japan has any intention of taking the offensive against the other, there is no reason to change the existing relative power of their BACKGROUND— Virtual dictator of Mexico for more than a decade, Gen. Plutarco Calles saw power fading quickly with inauguration of President Cardenas last ‘December. In June, break became open, Calles left country, “leaving all responsibility for pubdlic aflairs to those who have it in their hands.” Cata- logued a “radical” in his early po- litical days, Calles became in- creasingly.” conservative with the years. From 1924 to 1928 he served as Labor, Party’s President; today the party disowns him. Over week end, former “strong man” returned to Mezico, stirred polit- ical tempest. By the Associated Press. MEXICO CITY. December 17— After taking precautions to prevent any armed uprising or other retal- iatory action, Mexican government of- ficials made it known today that the Senate had ousted four State gover- nors considered to be followers of former President Plutarco Elias Calles. These governors were accused of supporting Gen. Calles in alleged se- ditious activities. By unanimous vote, the Senate de- clared the legal powers of the states Sonora, Sinaloa, Durango and Guan- ajuato “to have disappeared,” thus unseating Ramon Ramos, Dr. Man- uel Paez, Carlos Real and Manuel Yanez Maya, the respective governors of those states. The action was taken last night, but, apparently in order to forestall the possible organization of a re- bellious movement, the government forbade circulation of the news out- side of the capital until this morning. Garrisons Strengthened. No announcement was made of the steps taken, but it was reported the Federal garrisons in the capitals of the four states had been reinforced and that the former governors were being watched closely. New governors were also named by unanimous vote. They are Jesus Gutierrez for Sonora, Hernando Javier Leyva for Sinaloa, Gen. Sev- erino Ceniceros for Durango and En- rique Fernandez Martinez for Guan- ajuato. Former Gov. Ramos, who, during his four months in office has been the target tor numerous attacks, was ac- cused by the Senate of provoking the armed uprisings which took place in Sonora recently “in protest against his illegal manner of governing.” The three other governors were charged with “reactionary subversive activities in violation of the constitu- tion and personal libertles.” Move to Crush Calles. The government moved today to crush the last vestige of the once enormous power of former President Gen. Plutarco Elias Calles. Secrecy was maintained in official (See CALLES, Page 5.) Toy Heaven at 933 € street has no chimney, so when Santa Claus called ai midnight he made an un- conventional entrance. A red monkey with cobalt blue feet loped over to the door to let him in. Toys, you know, come to life late at night when every one’s gone home | and their antics can be their own secret. The fairy books in Toy Heaven say 0. Santa picked his way through the heaps of playthings and looked around approvingly. Like the button on that mechanical man there which sets him to jigging, The Star-Warner Brothers-National Broadcasting Co. appeal for Christmas gifts for the city’s poorer children seems to have touched off a flood of generosity, the old fellow mused. He noticed, too, that despite the fact the special toy matiriees offered « 3 . °“""‘§‘x§wfl’i’5.=‘lnfl'{§e’l°':‘n“c.§""“‘i by Warner Brothers were given thres |Santa Takes I nventory of Toys Donated for Poor Children |Estimates 50,000 Toys Have Been Re- ceived at Toy Heaven, and Helpers Report Gifts Still Arriving. days ago, gifts from folk ‘who were unable to attend the shows still are coming in. Unable to make their pur- chases in time for the shows, these donors are bringing their contribu- tions to theaters and The Star in re- sponse to the appeal. For instance, a group of employes of the Mutual Life Insurance Co., un- able to attend the Saturday matinees, are preparing large baskets of gifts to be turned over to the Council of Social Agencies. Feeling a plucking at his trouser leg, Santa gazed down to see a 2-foot doll, all frilly in & blue dress an fluffy white cap. i If you were going to live with strangers you'd want to know some- thing about them, and so did this doll. Santa, as chief distribution agent for the Central Christmas Committee. of —Tfimi-._' two navies, | He made this statement to Admiral | Osami Nagano, the chief Japanese | delegate, directly across a private con- ference table. | Davis told the assembled conferees that the usefulness of the Washing- ton treaty of 1922—which set the British-American-Japanese navies on a 5—5—3 ratio—had been fully dem- onstrated, and that there was no rea- son to change the existing system. Nagano Stands Firm. Admiral Nagano, however, did not | retreat a single step from Japan's de- | mand for equality with the Umted] States and Great Britain in sea| pewer, declaring that Japan has made great sacrifices in the Washington treaty ratios. | He said these sacrifices would not be repeated inasmuch as modern ships | | and weapons had rendered Japan's | position more dangerous. | | In informed quarters. it was stated | | that the American-Japanese confer- | ence could be regarded as resulting in a draw. | After the meeting, the American | delegates went to the British admir- alty to thresh out the details of the | Japanese plan with the British. The British are standing solidly with the | United States against the Japanese demands for parity. Compromise Proposed. Nevertheless, the British delegates proposed a compromised plan for fleet tonnage limitation. The American delegates promised | | they would study the British pro- posals “in a friendly spirit” on me; | definite understanding, however, that | ‘lhe proposals would not contain a | | major variation from the principles of | | existing treaties. The British plan is that each naval | power—Great Britain, the United | States, Japan, France and Italy—| | should make a “unilateral,” or indi- | vidual, public declaration of its naval | | building program for a period which | { the British suggest should be about | six years. After the American proposal for | progressive fleet reduction and the | Japanese proposal for naval equality | failed alike to make headway, the | British devised their plan in hopes of {achieving a solution to the vital ques- | tion of relative sea powers, Plans Held Feasible. The French consider the plan fea- sible, but decline to make definite com- | mitments for jmore than one or two years, conwna{':g the revival of the German Navy injects an unknown quantity into the future. The Italians are willing to consider the plan. Meanwhile, Ambassador Robert W. Bingham, for the first time since he was accredited from the United States to the Court of St. James, announced that he will not go home for Christ- mas. No explanation was given, but it was assumed the Ambassador was remain- ing in London because of the naval conference and the delicate inter- national situation. YOUNG LIVERMORE KEPT ALIVE IN OXYGEN TENT Son of Wall Street Stock Operator Develops Pneumonia in Lung Pierced by Bullet. By the Associated Press. SANTA BARBARA, Calif., Decem- ber 17.—Jess Livermore, jr., son of the ‘Wall Street stock operator, lay under an oxygen tent today after developing pneumonia in a lung wounded by a splintered rifle bullet allegedly fired by his mother Thanksgiving night. The bullet broke into five pieces, which have not been removed because of the boy’s condition, which Drs. Ne- ville Usser and Irving Wills termed “extremely serious.” Mrs. Dorothea Wendt Longcope, his mother, is charged with assault with intent to commit murder. Bank Robbers Get $10,000. ARDSLEY, N. Y., December 17 (®). —Five robbers staged a swift hold-up of the First National Bank here to- day, snatched $10,000 in cash and got away without & shot being fired. . Later the sutomobile used by the|. Tound sbandoned near the ‘Yonkers, 4 men was New York City line in FIGHT, WHYPARITY? - MISS T0DD'S DEAT PUZZLE TO POLICE Telephone Talk on Sunday Afternoon Upsets Theory First Adopted. By the Associate LOS ANGEL December 17.—A maze of conflicting and mysterious cir- cumstances confronted police today in the investigation of the death of Thelma Todd. blond screen beauty. Finding definite traces of carbon monoxide poisoning, the ecounty autopsy surgeon said she probably died in her garage about 4 am. Sunday, after she had been driven home from a gay Hollywood party by Ernest Peters, auto livery proprietor. Later, however, Dr. A. 8. Wagner, the autopsy surgeon said: “It is quite possible Miss Todd may have come to her death after 4 p.m. Sunday. In this cold weather it is| difficult to determine how long in the matter of hours a person has been dead.” Talked on Phone Sunday. But Mrs, Martha Ford, wife of Wal- lace Ford of the films. told poiice she talked with the actress late Sunday afternoon over the telephone “I am certain it was her voic2," Mrs. Ford said “She told me: ‘I'll be with you in a half hour. When you see who I am bringing with me to your party you'll drop dead! Mrs. Ford said the voice added: “Oh, and another thing—I went to a party iast night and I'm still in evening clothes. Do you mina?" The body of the 30-year-old actress was found slumped behind the wheel of her big touring car in her garage about 10:30 am. yesterday by her maid. May Whitehead, who had been off duty Sunday. Police said the last person known to have seen Miss Todd was her chauf- feur, Ernest Peters. who said he had taken her to her home, 4 miles north of Santa Monica, and arrived back at his Hollywood rental service stand about 4:20 am. He said Miss Todd left a Saturday night cafe party about 2 am, thus placing her arrival at home at about 3 a.m. or shortly after. Declined Escort From Car. Peters said he customarily escorted Miss Todd from the car to her apart- ment. but she told him Sunday morn ing that would be unnecessary, that she would “look after herself.” The maid said she went to the ga- rage Monday morning while looking for Miss Todd and found a door open slightly and the screen star dead. Miss Todd's face was bloody. The crown of a tooth had been dislodged. Her expensive mink coat, her jew- elry—three large diamond pieces—and her handbag were untouched. The ignition key was in the lock, and it had been turned on. Three questions puzzled police. How did she get there? Why did she go to her garage? What happened there before she died of monoxide poisoning despite the fact the door was open when she was found? ‘The garage is about 500 yards up & cliff from the ocean. It is built di- rectly under the home of Roland West, film director and her partner in “Thelma Todd's Sidewalk Cafe” n the Coast highway West's theory, as he told police— “She found she was locked out of her (See THELMA TODD, Page 5.) Conway Tearle Is Bankrupt. LOS ANGELES, December 17 (£).— Conway Tearle, movie actor, has flled a petition iN voluntary bankruptey. His petition said a schedule contain- ing a full skatement of all debts and an inventory of assets would be pre- sented within 10 days. Readers’ Guide Cross-word Puzzle Editorials Finance _ Lost and Found Philippine Situation _ Sports .. ...._...C-1-2-3 ‘Washington Wayside -....B-8 Women's Features ‘..-..l-lo ¢ Foening Star DECEMBER 17, 1935—FORTY-SIX PAGES. ##% SOMEBODY'S GONNA GET | COMMUNIST BEHEADED | e Hitler Refuses Clemency to Ger- BERLIN, December 17 (#).—Rudolf Claus, German Communist leader, was beheaded today after Reichsfuehrer | Hitler refused him clemency. Claus was sentenced by the Nazi tribunal, the People’s Court, for “prep- aration of high treason,” last July| iza He was a former associate of | | Max Hoelz, leader of post-war revolts in Germany. | At the same time the death sen- tence of another Communist, former Reichstag Deputy Albert Kayser, 36, was commuted to life imprisonment by Hitler. Kayser also had been sen- tenced for high treason. | 1 man Leader. | MILNE FAMLY ACTIVE IN HONT Relatives of Missing Actor on Mystery Errands as Search Is Pressed. By the Associated Press. | NEW YORK, December 17.—Rela- tives of the missing Caleb J. Milne, 4th, sped on mysterious errands in two States today while Federal, State and municipal police hunted for him | and his supposed abductors. | An aunt, a brother and a Depart- | ment of Justice agent departed hastily | from Woodstock. N. Y.. the Catskill | mountain village where Milne’s mother ; lives. | Miss Anita Smith, the aunt, had | thing will break immediately.” wealthy grandfather of the young actor, sand a man said to be an uncle ‘mansion in the Germanto | and drove toward midcity. They were | gone only an hour and then returned | to the home. | When they started out rumor had it | they were going to a bank—$50,000 ransom is reported to have been de- manded—but “G-men” kept every one | well away from the house. The only evening paper in Washington with the Associated Press News and Wirephoto Services. {Problem of Peak Funds said earlier, “We are hoping some- | In Philadelphia, Caleb J. Milne, jr.| Some Retur; (#) Means Associated P Yesterday’s Circulation, 132,626 ns Not Yet Received TWO CENTS. ress. BANK GOVERNORS WEIGH RESERVES Faces Session of 12 District Heads. WOMAN DEFENDS CAPITAL TRANGIT, ASSAILING TAXIS Stockholder in Company Says Regulatory Meas- ures Are Unfair. WHOLESALE PARKING OF CARS IN CITY HIT Public Utilities Commission Told Investors Wait in Vain for Profit. Charges that the policy of the Dis- trict’s regulatory bodies seems to be aimed at wrecking its mass trans- portation system were hurled into the Public Utilities Commission’s hearing on Capital Transit Co. service today by Mrs. Gardiner P. Orme, 1631 Massachusetts avenue. Appearing as a representative of the stockholders of the transit company, Mrs. Orme directed her criticism chiefly at the 20-cent taxicabs, which she declared had been allowed to “muitiply and flourish,” offering com- petition with the transit service on a $25 annual license fee and no com- pulsory liability insurance She also assailed the policy of per- mitting privately-owned parked auto- mobiles to clutter up the streets and public parks and advocated adoption of regulations that would force the owners to provide garage facilities. I{ that is done, she argued, many of ths cars now unfit mechanically to oe operated safely would be driven from the streets because the owners cannot afford garage rent Says Return Not Realized. Mrs. Orme declared stockholders of the Capital Transit had waited for By the Associated Press. Federal Reserve bank governors gathered today, perhaps to consider anew the problem of peak bank re- serves, which have mounted to $3.- | 310,000,000 in excess of legal re- quirements. This idle bank capital, some econo- a ratio of 10 to 1, making possible a $30,000,000,000 credit, should a run- away boom develop. The 12 Reserve heads meet as the system's Open - Market Committee, which is charged with advising the Reserve banks on buying or selling Pederal securities. Such transactions are an agency of credit control. The use of controls has been under dis- cussion for several weeks. The Re- serve Board contends no step is DeCcessary Now. Bond Purchases Urged. The sale of Government bonds to member banks, however. has been recommended to the Reserve banks by the Pederal Advisory Council as a means of reducing reserves. This in the 12 Reserve districts. While some persons have contended the Reserve Board itself has expressed confidence that the situation can be controlled with little difficulty by the machinery provided in the recent banking legislation. The board has the authority to in- crease the amount of required reserves, thus removing some of the excess from the credit picture. It is said to believe of the missing man, left the Milue | that by this move, or the xmposmon} section | of stricter margin requirements for stock market transactions, the brakes may be applied when necessary. Eccles Answers Critics. Marriner S. Eccles, governor of the Reserve Board. recently replied to criticism of the board. which followed the rise in the stock market. He said Inquiries Pushed. In New York, where Milne vanished Saturday, special agents of the Fed- eral Bureau of Investigation and the spective inquiries. “The New York detectives are on the outside looking in,” said Rhea Whitley, head of the Federal agents. (See MILNE, Page 4.) 500 Convicts Paroled. MONTGOMERY, Ala., December 17 (#)—Bearing Christmas paroles from Gov. Bibb Graves for meritorious prison service, the first of Alabama’s 500 “most deserving” convicts were heading home today to spend the holi- days with their families. They were sent home on a “man to man” agreement with Gov. Graves to return January 3. Gov. Hoffman Gov. Harold G. Hoffman of New Jersey registered secretly at the May- flower Hotel this morning and then, after eluding reporters by slipping through the rear door of a haber- dashery, departed on a mission which he said had no connection with the Hauptmann case. David T. Wilentz, New Jersey's at- torney general, also was stopping at the hotel, but said his visit here has no connection with Gov. Hoff- man's trip. Wilentz was in charge of the prosecution which resulted in the conviction of Bruno Richard Hauptmann for kidnaping and mur- dering the Lindbergh baby. Gov. Hoffman, who has authority to commute Hauptmann's sentence, came to Washington after receiving a telephone message, according to in- formation obtained at his office in Trenton. Recently he has interested himself in an investigation reported to have unearthed evidence linking some one else with the Lindbergh case, and has been accused of seeking personal publicity in this connection. When interviewed in his room he there had been no speculative use of bank credit and that most securities were being bought for cash. The all-time reserve peak was helped | police department pushed their re- | along by the steady flow of gold from | | Europe. | When credit regulations, the first to be set forth under the 1935 banking act, recently were announced, some observers interpreted this as an indica- tion the board might seek either to check mounting reserves or even force them down. These regulations pro- vided the technical procedure for the board to follow in increasing the re- serve requirements. | Senator Pilsudski Dies. ‘WILNO, Poland, December 17 (#).— Senator Adam Pilsudski, 66, brother of the late Marshal Josef Pilsudski, died yesterday of pneumonia. Denies Visit Relates to Hauptmann Case “I am here on a political matter,” he declared. “Even if I were not, I couldn’t say anything, because my statements are always misquoted.” The Governor, with his secretary, then left the hotel and walked south on Connecticut avenue. Reaching a haberdashery shop, the Governor went in, leaving his secretary standing out- side. A few minutes later the secre- tary walked away, and it was learned Gov. Hoffman left the haberdashery through a rear entrance and walked down an alley to K street. Wilentz arrived last night, accom- panied by Edward Patton, mayor of Perth Amboy, N. J.; Richard Bloom, an Atlantic City real estate man, and Morris Goldfarb, New Jersey real es- tate commissioner. They conferred this morning with P. W. A. officials concerning a proposed grant of funds to Perth Amboy, according to Wilentz. Wilentz said “he might drop in” on his good friend, J. Edgar Hoover, chief of the Federal Bureau of Investiga- tion. The attorney general, however, said he had no intention of discuss- ing the Hauptmann case, and declared he didn’t know Gov. Hoffman was here until he met him as he was leav- council is made up of business men | that the )arge reserves are a danger, | | years for a return on the thousands of dollars they invested in the com- pany. but that under existing condi- tions, it would not be realized. The commission allowed Mrs. Orme to testify out of turn at the request | of William A. Roberts, people's coun- sel, who plans to call more than 150 | mists say, can be turned into loans at | civic representatives to the witness stand after Fred A. Sager, chief | engineer of the commission, completes | his testimony. | Sager returned to the stand imme- diately after Mrs. Orme finished her | statement, and delved into some of the minor complaints against the | transit company, many of which, he | said, contributed to inefficient serv- | ice. These included such factors as | low voltage at different points on the | main line, and failure of bus opera- tors to announce approaching transe fer points. Sager also disclosed that the com- mission, with the assistance of the District Health Department, is mak- ing a series of tests to determine whether busses are adequately ventie lated for the preservation of human comfort and health Gas Killers Proposed. Installation of chemical devices on busses to suppress the odor from gas exhausts. meanwhile, was proposed by Commissioner George E. Allen as one means of improving District transpor- tation operations. He plans to forward the suggestion | to the Public Utilities Commission, he | said. He became interested in the | matter on hearing complaints of bus | passengers. In some of the busses, Sager said during his testimony today, grab han- dles are located too high, especially for woman passengers, and in some instances there have been minor ac- cidents, such as wrenched arms and | backs. Sager referred to a low-voltage point on the Wisconsin avenue line in the vicinity of the Cathedzal avenue hill, where he said cars capable of making |a speed of 18 miles an hour were {forced to run at 10 miles an hour, Improved voltage conditions, he said, would facilitate service i Mass of Charts Exhibited. Sager took up virtually the entire first day of the hearing, introduc- ing and explaining a mass of blue- | print charts depicting deficiencies in rail and bus service. These charts, exceeding 50 in number, were based on a recent survey by commission inspectors. Irregular schedules on both rail and bus lines, overcrowding and other frailties were especially noted. Some of the charts revealed that during rush hours busses are unable to adhere to schedules, and are so overloaded in many cases that as many as three to five busses pass loading stations without stopping. Others showed counts made on the Chevy Chase line, but no records were given for the new Takoma-Fifth street express line. G. A. Corbin of the Manor Park Citizens’ Association and William McK. Clayton, chairman of the Public Utili- ties Committee of the Federation of Citizens' Associations, objected be- cause that line had been omitted from the tabulation. Line Held Inadequate, Clayton declared the service is not a real express service, and although the transit company acted to make improvements, the service still is in- adequate. “We are not getting the service we are entitled to,” said Clayton. “It didn’t require a public hearing for the commission and the company to know that. But we are insistent in our demand that we do have adequate service. If we can't get it through the commission we will go to other agencies of the Government. We are going to have service.” James L. Martin, executive secre- tary of the commission, introduced in evidence 333 written complaints recetved by the commission and Peo- ple’s Counsel Roberts since last August 1. Of these 113 concerned the Con- necticut avenue and Chevy Chase bus line, 37 the chuseits avenue line, 18 the Glover Park and Trinidad line and 16 the Anacostia and Congress Heights line. British Ironmaster Dies. LONDON, December 17 (#) —Percy Carlyle Gilchrist, 83, vice president of the Iron and Steel Institute of Great Britain, died today. )