Evening Star Newspaper, December 19, 1935, Page 2

A-2Z =% THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C., THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1935. ™ RIGHT TO PRIVACY | [ What's What | GALLES REFUSES IEXHUSBAND HELD [SLVERMAN HEARD Principals in Milne’s Return FOR DATA UPHELD Business Urged to Fight in Courts to Secure Pub- licity Protection. BY DAVID LAWRENCE. The right of privacy—long guaran- teed by the Constitution—is appar- ently to become a relic of the past. Nobody has arisen to challenge in the courts the flagrant action of the v rious New Deal agencles in making public data filed with them as con- fidential. Specifically, the right of the Se- curities and Exchange Commission to make public data about corporation salaries and thus to provide the racketeers and kidnapers with their best prospect lists has not yet been questioned in the courts-— Maybe it never will be. Likewise the Federal Government is about to make available duplicate copies of all Federal income tax re- | turns to all State and city agencies. The process of virtual blackmail and extortion which so often atfends the levying of assessments under threat of criminal proceedings may now be extended widely into the several hundreds of taxing units in the country. Philadelphia Case Cited. When a citizen files his income | tax return he has a right to have it | kept confidential. Congress may make laws requiring publicity, but the con- stitutionality of such laws may well‘ be ‘doubted. Thus, within a fort- night, a decision by the Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia held that | a certain company had a right to have its trade data kept secret by | the Securities and Exchange Com- mission. ‘The opinion was brief and oral and no comment was made as to the reasons for granting the injunction. | Reference, however, to the brief filed | by the petitioners shows that the | complaining company argued about | the damage that might be done to its interests by a revelation of statistical data with reference to gross volume. | In principle, there is no difference | between one kind of data and another | if it is likely to be damaging to a com- | pany to have it made public. Thus | the company in question argued that | competitors could figure out its prices if gross sales and other items of ac- counting were revealed. Certainly corporation with a large number of executives could prove conclusively that friction within its organization | and other damage might ensue if it | were required to make public a list of salaries and those receiving them; that its expenses would be conceivably increased as a consequence. Data Can Be Classified. 1t so happens that the public inter- est actually can be served in another way, assuming that it is important to know what amounts of money are being spent by a management of a given concern for salaries, honuses and commissions. Many a company which filed recently with the S. E. C. offered to have the data made public in a compilation which would show how many individuals received salaries of a given sum and the total amounts Ppaid to each class of salaries, The public interest and the interest of stockholders are readily served by such a compilation because the stock- holders, who alone could legally ques- tion the wisdom of spending such amounts, coulc enter suit in a State court if they differed with the man- | agement as to its alleged extrava- gances, Likewise, the names of the officers and directors are known to the stock- holders and they can at any time ask for their removal on the ground that the total salaries paid to subordinates are excessive. Withholding the names of the re- cipients in these days of kidnapers and extortionists would not hurt the cause of the radicals one bit, for they Behind News . In Capital CummingsSays Farmers and Consumers Pay A. A. A. Bill, BY PAUL MALLON. T LAST a competent New Deal authority has decided who is | paying the bill for the farm' program. Hidden down in the Government brief in the rice millers’ case before the Supreme Court is the unadvertised pronouncement, signed by Attorney General Cummings. The brief de- clares that “processing taxes are usually either passed on to the ultimate consumer or back to the producer.” And a particular study of the rice processing tax, it says, showed that the rice tax had been “in part taken out of the producer and in part passed on to the con- sumer.” In other words, Cummings’ ver= dict is that the farmers themselves and the city consumers are paying for the farm program. Other New Deal authorities have been asserting that the rich packing and food companies footed the bill. Hoover’s Strength Bared. Only a chosen few were permitted to squint at those written secret bal- | lots by which the Republican National | Committee chose Cleveland as the convention city. Those who did saw something which made the eyebrows | stand up straight. The ballots disclosed that commit- teemen fro mthe South rallied vir- tually unanimously behind the leader- ship of Mr. Hoover's good friend and Postmaster General, Walter Brown. BURDEN In fact, before the balloting began, advocates of other cities ran into that same inside situation. As they tell it, Mr. Brown had the Southern “delegates” all wrapped up in his vest pocket. They wondered whether this meant that Mr. Brown would also| control these sections at the conven- | tion. There have been many rumors that he and other Hoover workers have been striving in that direction. Not only from this development, but from others, the best Repub- lican authorities have concluded that Messrs. Hoover and Brown will ezxert a major convention influence over the large voting bloc of Southern delegates. The tip on the inside is that these delegates will be uninstructed, prob- the presidential nomination, dut will follow his leadership on the platform and in choosing the can- didate. Farley and Philadelphia. The inside reason why Postmaster General Farley cannot make up his mind about choosing Philadelphia as the Democratic convention site is this: Business men in the City of Brother- ly Love have shown an unwillingness to unloosen their purse strings for a convention fund. They figure they wiil get the convention anyway. Thus there is a strong question whether Philadel- phia will raise the necessary money. If it fails, the convention will be taken elsewhere. But it will be kept close io Washington. Prsident Roosevelt has not said anything about it publicly as yet, but he has tipped Farley that he intends to appear before the con- vention for a speech, and therefore wants the convention nearby. G-Men Offer to Find Thomas. would have just as much ammunition. But a few families might be spared | the cruel hardships of being expased | to racketeering. It would be unfor- tunate if the public were to infer that the New Deal is pursuing a campaign of vindictiveness against its opponents in the business world. Congress Groups Conflict. There is a group in Congress who | insist that all salaries of all corpora- tions and all income-tax returns shall be given the widest publicity. There’s | another group which opposes it be- cause one step will lead to another of more drastic character. Supposing the public, for instance, would demand to know just what in- come is received from outside invest- ments by the members of the House and Senate, the cabinet secretaries and the President and the members of their families? Would these offi- cials feel that their private affairs should thus be subject to public curi- osity? Still, this is the logical out- come of the present drive against privacy which is being made, and when such data are published unjust-infer- ences will be drawn against public of- ficials that may undermine confidence in government, irrespective ef party. (Copyright. 1935.) 12* Cent. Egypt had the first “oir mail”— carrier pigeons. = SHOPPING DAYS TO CHRISTMAS P!omNs probebly were used to carry messages long before the birth of Christ, although it has been said that the first verified instance of using & pigeon 8s A& messenger was during the flood, when Noah released the dove from the ark. Egyptian sul- tans used pigeons as messengers, and 1t is related that a sultan who lived in the 12th century maintained 2,000, which were so highly esteemed that the sultan was the only one permitted The quadrennial Socialist presiden- tial candidate, Norman Thomas, was supposed to have been a leading speaker at a large dinner last week | attended by the President, members of | the Supreme Court, etc. He was to| have been the opposition speaker to Mr. Roosevelt. A motion picture was shown to build him up. It was called “The Newer Deal,” envisioning his {n- auguration in 1937. But Mr. Thomas failed to show up for his inauguration or his speech. Friends later explained that bad flying weather prevented him from leaving | Boston on his scheduled plane. How- ever, no explanatory wire was received from him at the time and promoters of the dinner became fidgety. J. Edgar Hoover, head of the “G” men, heard about it and of- fered his services. He said that if Thomas was wanted at the dinner and was in the City of Washington he, Hoover, would guarantee to de- liver the missing speaker within 15 minutes. The offer was not accepted, but the promise indicated that the “G” men have developed unheard- of facilities for fast delivery of other than gangsters. . SHURE. ILLGETHIM IN FIFTEEN MINUTES / McGroarty Bill Arithmetic. Careless Townsend arithmetic men- tioned in this column recently does not apply to the McGroarty bill. That measure avoids arithmetic entirely by levying certain taxes and authorizing that the revenue therefrom be split among whatever annuitants there are. 1t does not promise $200 a month, but specifies that no annuitant would be permitted to receive more than that. Where the fantastic arithmetic comes in is in the Townsend Club circulars and speeches. A trustworthy authority who attended a New Hamp- shire meeting recently understood Dr. Townsend himself to dwell on the thought of $300 a month and explore the possibilities of a $10,000-a-year income for every one. Of course, every sound economist around here believes the McGroarty bill would wreck a large part of the Bconomic system of the country and produce less money for the aged than the social security plan eventually will produce. Mr. Roosevelt, leaving a dinner party here recently, came face to face with Col. Frank Knoz. They did not exchange a greet- ing, but Mr. Roosevelt observed ably will not vote for Hoover for | 10 LEAVE MEXICO Branded as “Traitor” by His Party, Ex-President Defies Government. BACKGROUND— Mezico has seethed for a week. Return from siz month’s ezile of Plutarco Elias Calles, former “strong man” of the republic, brought minor political crisis, has resulted in ouster of 5 senators and 4 state governors, demand for his expulsion by four labor organmizations and angry demonstration before his home by 200 students. Calles left Mezico in June, outraged by the “marathon of radicalism” intro- duced by President Lazaro Car- denas. Calles, Labor party president from 1924 to 1928 and power be- hind throne when Gil and Obregon were presidents, was once consid- ered violent radical himself. By the Associated Press. MEXICO CITY, December 19. Gen. Plutarco Elias Calles, branded a “traitor” by the national revolution- ary party he founded, defiled the gov- ernment’s demand today that he leave the country. “Mexico is my country and only by violence can they make me leave,” he declared after the national Senate wrote him out of the party as a “traitor to the revolutionary program and a conspirator against the na- tion’s institutions.” Calles said the agitation raised by the government, now headed by his political rival, President Lazaro Car- denas, is “artificlal and unjustified.” Charges of conspiracy were preferred against five Senators and Luis N. Morones, former minister of labor and esonomy, the latter being accused by the Senate of having urged workers in Manzanillo to revolt. Big Fortune Built Up. Senator Torres Ortiz charged Mo- rones with “tricking the workers” and building up a personal fortune which he said includes real estate valued at 500,000 pesos ($13,500). Morones “betrayed the governments of Obregon, Portes Gil and Cardenas,” Senator Ortiz asserted, “and the blood of Obregon is on him. The charges were referred to the attorney general, who will decide whether the six men are to be arrested and brought to trial. Calles, in his challenge to the gov- ernment, admitted his life is in danger and “they may assassinate me.” “The government has become alarmed, believing I am conspiring against its institutions,” he said, “which is completely false. To con- spire in this country it is necessary to count on the army, or part of the army. “I've interpellated the generals in the army, including the President himself, and not one of them has come forward to say they ever re- ceived an insinuation from me to | abandon their duty.” Calles Denies Charges. Calles has denied he was leading the country toward Communism. “I believe the government is fol- lowing the wrong road, one which is | producing a state of anarchy and in- discipline,” he said. “The gravest error which is being committed is to lead this country to Communism, which is unsuited for Mexico.” Labor leaders announced that syndi- cates representing all organized work- ers would participate in a monster demonstration against Calles Sunday. They said at least 50,000 workers are expected to join in the demand for | the expulsion of the former President. S. E. C. CASE COMES TO0 D. C. GRAND JURY Inquiry Begins Into First Action of New Type Ruled in Jurisdiction. The District grand jury was con- sidering today the first case involving the making of an alleged false state- ment before the Securities and Ex- change Commission referred to it for criminal prosecution. Presentation of the case to the grand jury was pursuant to a recent ruling by the commission that all such | prosecutions must be conducted here, regardless of the location of the regis- trant. Four alleged violations have been been brought to the attention of United States Attorney Leslie C. Gernett. Making a false statement of any material fact in the registration cer- tificate required under the securities act or omitting to state any material act is made an offense by the act itself. The penalty is five years’ im- prisonment or $5,000 fine or both. The case now before the grand jury is understood to involve persons con- nected with a Southern California mining concern. Three witnesses were brought here from the West Coast at | Government expense and appeared be- fore the jury yesterday and today. Preparation of these Securities Com- mission cases ihvolves an unusual amount of labor. Three of Mr. Garnett's assistants, including David A. Pine, his chief aide, worked on the Cali- fornia case for more than a month before placing it before the grand jury. Because of the time required, Mr. Garneti has considered asking that his staff be enlarged so the securities cases will not interfere with the routine prosecutions conducted by his office. CLIPPER ENDING TESTS Hawaiian to Join Trans-Pacific Fleet in Short Time. BALTIMORE, December 19 (#).— The Hawaiian Clipper, its four 900- horsepower motors in condition, took to the air today for final tests before leaving for Miami, Fla, to join Pan- American Airways' trans-Pacific air- mail and passenger fieet hailed the passing of Ted Clarke the other day. As official adviser to Cool- idge and unofficial counselor to many another Republican statesman of the last 20 years he probably had more in- fluence on our times than any dozen Congressmen. However, he always worked in the name of others. Radio, politicians thought that Mr. Hoover’s delivery at St. Louis was far better than ever before. A top cog in the Kelly-Nash machine says that the prominent Negro con- ancther arch Republican, Charles Hilles, nearby and shouted: “Hello, Charlie” 4 to take the message from the bird ‘when it arrived. 3 L tender for the heavyweight prize- fighting championship (Joe Louis) has been made s precinct committeemani in Chicago. (Copyrisht. 1985.) No. 1—These Philadelphia men and a.Philadelphia salesman found Caleb Milne, 4th, on & road near Doylestown last night. Left to right: Lance Smith, Max Riskin, Robert Keaser and John Keaser, No. 2—The kidnaped youth. No. 3—Warren Milne (with pipe at right), an uncle of the youth, leaving the Doylestown hospital after identifying the victim. ~—Copyright, A. P. Wirephotos. Milne said the tape apparently had not been | on Milne for any length of time and each piece was clean. A nurse attending Milne at the hos- pital said he mumbled repeatedly in | balf-consciousness, “I'm Caleb.” | Occasionally she said he cried out, “Oh, my arm.” Finding of the victim climaxed & night of intensive, shielded activity | that began at dusk, amid rumors that the family had contacted the abductors | and waited to pay $25,000 demanded in a note received this morning. Members of the family persistently denied this; Search had shifted to New York earlier. A cottage in the Catskills, | near Woodstoek, was scrutinized after | policewere told of a report that lights were seen in the vacant house. Meantime the Milne place. Scoti- land, was deserted, save for a few |servants and & G-man. Caleb J. Milne, jr., the grandfather, went to his downtown Philadelphia office for the first time since the boy was re- | ported missing. Milne disappeared after leaving a | note addressed to his brother Frederic | saying he was going to see his grand- | father in Philadelphia. He said he had received a telephone call from a “Dr. Green of Gracie Square.” Investigation failed to dis- | close such a person. Prederic reported his brother's dis- | appearance Sunday after receiving a | note made up of words clipped from | newspapers, pasted on a sheet of yel- low paper. The note said Milne was held in the country and indicated de- mands for ransom would be made. Activity at Hospital. Federal apents centered their ac- tivity at the hospital today. R. George Harvey, chief of the Philadelphia squad, was among the first arrivals, bringing with him Warren Milne, the uncle. Milne’s mother reached the hospital, accompanied by two Federal agents and her 16-year-old son, Aubrey. Caleb’s brother, Frederic, 18, who shared his New York apartment for several weeks before his disappearance, arrived alone shortly before 8 a.m. Frederic refused to answer questions of newsmen. He was in the hospital about a half hour and then left with Harvey, who said they were going out for breakfast. MOTORIST GIVES STORY. Flagged by Finder of Milne, Who Feared It Was Trap. PHILADELPHIA, December 19 (®). —Robert Keaser, 26, told today how he and three other youths found Caleb J. Milne, 4th, lying trussed and gagged in a highway ditch near Doylestown. Keaser was the driver of an auto- mobile stopped by the road by S. R. Gerhart, Philadelphia salesman, who was first to come upon the 24-year-old kidnap victim last night. “I saw a man waving at us from the middle of the road,” Keaser said. “His car was parked on the other side of the road. “He said, ‘T'm glad you stopped be- cause there's something here I'm afraid to look into. It might be a trap.’ “He pointed to a man lying on the right side of the road, all tied up and his face covered with something white. “We ran over and found the man’s wrists were lashed to his heels and his eyes and mouth covered with ad- hesive tape.” Scurrying movements by members of the family of Milne and by Fed- eral agents lent an air of suppressed excitement to the Milne mansion last night, while reports persisted that the family had contacted his supposed kidnapers. R. George Harvey, in charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Philadelphia, drove to the home and departed 15 minutes later. Two hours later an automobile identified as that of Harvey's as- sistant, Al Schrader, drove in. As it did so a light on the second floor of the house went out. ‘Warren Milne, uncle of Caleb, drove the family sedan away from the house with the youth’s grandparents in the back seat. They returned in half an hour. Telephone linemen completed in- stallation of new private lines at 11 pm. After the workmen departed lights flashed up in the left wing of the house, revealing members of the fam- ily conversing with two Federal men in a second-floor room. ‘The lights went out. fice, (Continued From First Page.) —_— ] | port that arrangements had been made to “plant” a package of cash somewhere in the Philadelphia area last night, and that the plan had been abandoned at the last minute. They | ‘would not verify a report they had en- deavored during the night to identify | and trace a man who called the Milne | home by telephone. MILNE RANSOM NOT PAID. | J. Edgar Hoover Says Several Kidnap | Clues Are Being Traced. No ransom was paid for the return of Caleb Milne, 4th. kidneped New | | York youth, who was released at Doylestown, Pa., early today, it was announced this morning by J. Edgar | Hoover, director of the Federal Bu- | reau of Investigation. Hoover said his agents are investi- gating several important clues in an | effort to apprehend the kidnapers. Experts in the F. B. I technical laboratary here are conducting micro- | scopic examinations of three ransom | notes purported to be the handiwork |of the young man’s captors, who | sought to confound handwriting au- thorities by clipping words from news- | papers and pasting them on brown paper to form the communication. The investigation director withheld | official details of the negotiations | which preceded the release of the kid- | napers’ victim on a road near Doyles- | town. Hoover's denial that ransom money was paid was in contradiction of re- | family held a rendezvous with the kid- | napers last night. It was considered | possible the kidnapers were duped | with a fake ransom bundle. Hoover was to confer later today with Attorney General Cummings and it was expected the latter might discuss | the case at his press conference. Hoover has been directing the in- | vestigation of Milne's disappearance by “remote control” from his office in the Department of Justice Building. He has been in frequent telephonic consultation with Rhea Whitley, agent in charge of the New York City field office of the F. B. I, and with George Harvey, agent in charge of the Phila- delphia office. Although the kidnap- |ing occurred in New York City, the ransom demands were made to the | youth's grandfather in Philadelphia. Insurance (Continued From First Page.) Marshall be continued as District su- perintendent of insurance, while act- ing as compensation insurance di- rector, Marshall to receive but ome salary, that for compensation direc- tion. The board decided finally the compensation insurance work would be enough of a task for one man. The Commissicners will name a new su- perintendent of insurance after Mar- shall officially assumes his duties as compensation insurance director. Allen Backs Suggestion. A qumber of controllers of business houses had proposed recently to the board that it should not require em- ployers to make detailed monthly re- ports, on number of hours worked, wages, name and address and other information as to each worker held eligible under the act. This plan was fostered by Commissioner Allen, who objected to the consequent necessity of maintaining a massive flle on Dis- trict workers. - At the November 27 meeting it was reported the board was “favorably im- pressed” with the suggestion that the pay roll reports be divided into two classes. One was to have been for the regular employes on which only summary statements would be re- quired and the other was for casual or temporary employes on which full details would be required to be re- ported monthly. The compromise adopted by the board broke the re- ports into two classes, those dealing with employers having more than eight employes and those having eight INBEAUTY'S DEATH |Tells Police He Feels Sure Olga Steck Jumped From Hotel Window. By the Associated Press. SAN FRANCISCO, December 19.— Thomas L. Matkins was held without charge today in the death plunge of his divorced wife, Olga Steck, for- mer Zeigfeld Follies beauty, from his twelfth-story hotel room. The 50-year-old bond salesman told police: “I can't explain what hap- pened, but I feel sure she jumped from the window.” He said he heard & “swish” behind him as he was pack- BY GRAND JURY Seeks to Quash Any Prose- cution From War Depart- ment Deals. ‘Waiving the immunity of a witness, JAPAN ALS0 SHUNS | | gardless of world opposition emerged | clearly today as seapowers’ delegates debated the merits of British com- | ports that representatives of the Milne | | The second Federal Government | promise proposals. NAVAL NEEDS PLAN Parley Delegates Voice Ob- jections to British Com- promise Proposal. BACKGROUND— During the '20s the war-weary world sought means of guarantee- ing eternal peace. Disarmament was one approach to the millenium. First practical arms limitation step was agreed to at Washington Con- ference in 1922, with 5-5-3-15-15 navy ratio for United States, Brit- ain, Japan, France and Italy. Lon- don Naval Conference in 1930 re- iterated 5-5-3 ratio. Japan has long sought sea equality with America and England. Preliminary conmver- sations year ago ended in confu- sion because of Japan demand. By the Associated Press. LONDON, December 19.—Japan's stubborn, unswerving determination to have & navy equal to any re- While American, French and Italian conferees after a recess for study and consideration voiced approval of the principle of the British proposal that each nation set a limit on new con- struction based on naval needs in- stead of “rights,” the Japanese made no secret of strong objections. Security Assured. ‘The preamble of the tentative draft of the plan recognizes the right of each power to possess naval strength necessary to assure security, but speci- fles each base construction on the minimum adequate to obtain security. Viscount Monsell, first lord of the British admiralty, was understood to have informed Admiral Osami Nagano, chief of the Japanese delegation, that existing strengths would provide equality and security, hence the build- ing program—to be submitted and ap- proved by the conference before pub- lic announcement—should conform to present relative strengths. While the Japanese have made no flat rejection it was learned Admiral Nagano, after a long, critical analysis, declared proposals based on the prin- ciples of the Washington and Lon- don treaties are simply a subterfuge for continuation of the 5—5—3 ratio system which it is impossible for him 1o accept. Equal Level Demanded. Admiral Nagano'asserted the Jap- anese objective of equality could only find its logical solution through agree- ment of each power's right to build up to an equal Jevel, He added he believed the proposal would actually result in an increase in naval armaments instead of re- duction. Carefully refraining from outright rejection, Nagano clearly indicated the Japanese consider further amplifi- cation and exploration of proposals useless because of their basic unde- sirability. ing a bag and when he turned she had vanished. Story Is Doubted. “We don't believe Matkins is tell- ing the truth,” Police Inspector Allen McGinn said. “There was a violent quarrel and we want to find out what it was about.” McGinn did not elaborate. Matkins, accompanied by an at- torney, appeared at police headquar- ters several hours after the body of | the 38-year-old woman was found yesterday. | He said he first learned of her | death in a newspaper. Everett E. Saxe, liquor salesman, told police the woman, who wi divorced from Matkins 17 years ago, was his wife. Saxe was treated at a hospital for head wounds he said at a night club, where she was an entertainer, because he refused to join a party with Matkins. Wanted Two Sons. He told police Miss Steck was “being nice” to Matkins because she wanted their two sons, Thomas, jr., 19, and Robert, 18, who are in Matkins' custody, with her for Christmas. Capt. of Detectives Charles Dullea said fingerprints on Matkins' hotel room window sill indicated Miss Steck clung desperately in a futile effort to save herself. he and Dixie Marsh, night club pian- ist. accompanied Matkins and Miss he and Miss Marsh left a few min- | utes later. Payton said Matkins and | Miss Steck appeared on friendly terms. COURT ORDER ISSUED TO EDWARD HANDIBOE Contempt Action Threatened for Alleged Failure to Support 19-Year-Old Daughter. Edward S. Handiboe, 613 Nicholson | street, former umpire in the Inter- national League and American Asso- | the woman inflicted with her slipper | Lyle Payton, Stockton, Calif., said | Steck to the hotel room, but that | Joseph Silverman, jr, millionaire dealer in surplus Army materials, went before the District grand jury today avowedly to “quash once and for ali* | any possibility of criminal prosecution against him arising from his War De« | partment deals and subsequent actvi- | ties. | It is understood the jury is inquir- | ing into his alleged efforts to prevent | Frank E. Speicher, automobile tube salesman, from testifying at the in- vestigation conducted by the House Military Affairs Committee during most of 1934, which brought to light charges of War Department irregu- larities. Previous Testimony. Testimony of loans, undue influence and expensive entertainment of Army officials, which subsequently was aired before the House group, was pre- sented to the grand jury early last year, but no criminal prosecution resulted Learning of the current inquiry, | Silverman is said to have asked | United States Attorney Leslie C. Gar- nett to allow him to appear as a Wite ness. He arrived here this morning in company with his attorney, Thomas J. Ryan of New York, and was sent | into the grand jury room after a short wait Before testifying Silverman told newspaper men he came here “merely | to answer any questions the jury has to ask me.” ‘I Loan Is Questioned. The House Military Affairs Come mittee wanted to question Speicher | last year concerning a $2.000 loan he | made to Brig. Gen. Alexander E. Wil- | liams back in 1933, when the officer | was assistant to the quartermaster | general in charge of the Transporta tion Division of the War Department | Gen. Williams later was court-mar= tialed, convicted of “soliciting and cb- taining™ the loan and dismissed from the Army. It was to protect Gen. Williams that his friend, Silverman, is said to have | induced Speicher to hide i while he was being so ment of Justice ager t by Depart- sent after him by the House Committee. He finally was located and voluntarily testified at the Capitol. —_— BANDITS GET $200 IN NIGHT HOLD-UP Transfer Firm's Employes Forced to Submit to Colored ciation, was ordered today by Justice | Jennings Bailey to appear in District | Supreme Court Monday to show cause | why he should not be found in con- | tempt for failing to pay $15 a month for the support of his 19-vear-old daughter, Katherine Handiboe. | Mrs. Nellle Handiboe, 1823 Kil- | bourne piace, was awarded custody of | their daughter two years ago and the | | court ordered «the father to pay the $15 monthly allowance. Through At- torney Jean M. Boardman Mrs. Handi- | boe told the court that her husband | is in arrears $150. Handiboe now is said to be engaged |in the real estate business, WASTE PAPER FIRE IN HOUSE OFFICE Blaze Is Second in Federal Build- ing in Week—Guards Pre- vent Damage. building fire in a week occurred today when several bales of waste paper | burst into flames in a basement room at the House Office Building. A box alarm brought half a dozen their services were not needed, guards at the building having extinguished the blaze within & few minutes after it was discovered. Origin of the fire was not ascertained immediately. The room in which the blaze siarted has fireproof walls and doors and does not contain any furni- ture or equipment. It is used solely to assemble and bale waste paper, which is taken from the building daily. Smoke filtered through lower floors, but the air had been cleared when em- ployes arrived for work at 9 o'clock, an hour after the fire started. Aside from blackened cement and several inches of water in the base- ment there was no damage, it was said at the building superintendent’s office. PARENTS START LEGAL BATTLE FOR DAUGHTER Secure Custody for 17- Month-Old Child. ‘With Christmas just two days off, the estranged parents of 17-month-old Mary Catherine Burns will come into District Supreme Court Monday to decide who shall have the little girl. The mother, Mrs. Catherine M. Burns, 20, of 1368 Euclid street, who left her husband Monday, allegedly at his fequest, asked the court late yesterday to give her official custody of the child. Little Mary Catherine now is with her mother at the home of Mrs. Burns' aunt and grand- mother on Euclid street. Mrs. Burns works at the Treasury Department, while her husband, Robert J. Burns, ic Although today's sesslon lasted three hours the Japanese did not complete the statement of their ob- servations on the British proposal. The conference decided to adjourn after tomorrow’s meeting unti! Janu- ary 6. STUDENT AIMS HIT MINNEAPOLIS, December 19 (#).— Attitudes of many college students in acquiring education, Dr. Willam H. Fyfe of Queen’s University said today, or less, Film Director Divorced. LOS ANGELES, December 19 (#). —Ruby Bacon won a divorce today from Lloyd P. Bacon#film director, would “horrify & business man.” Dr. Fyfe, principal of the Kingston, \ moderate fee opens for them thé treasures of knowledge, yet their only demang 1s tor fewer sublects and & e o employed by the Standard Oil Co. Gold Leaf. A thin piece of gold-leaf has a | thinness of one 10,000th of a milli- | meter. | Buy Seals Finance Greatest Organized . Fight in the World. “Christinas seals cost only a penny each, but they finance the greatest organized fight in the world—the against tuberculosis. The disease that kills more persons be- Chief of Buresu of Communicab Diseases, District of Columbia Health Department.” [ pieces of apparatus to the scene, but ! Will Enter Court on Monday to| Robbers. Two colored bandits automatics, held up the office of the Merchants Transfer & Storage Co., 920 E street, near midnight last night and escaped with $200. Wearing masks and going about their work in silence, the bandits entered the office from the rear and motioned William Lyddane, armed with put up their hands. One of the bandits seized a bundie | of cash on a desk and the other looked around for more money. Lyddane, who lives at 443 Irving street, saved several hundred dollars of the firm's money by pulling open a ca: drawer and scattering the contents on the floor. The gunmen left without trying to pick up the | money. I Several other hold-ups were reported last night. William S. Madison, 2207 First street, manager of a filling sta« tion at North Capitol and Decatur streets, was robbed of $90. Other | victims included John L. Williams, 2426 Shannon place southeast, from whom $90 was taken, and Miss Rennie Quarles, manager of an ice cream parior at 723!, Eighth street south- | east, who was robbed of $5 by two men, | Richard S. Quinlan and Francis | Moham reported a $100 watch and | chain and a $30 watch were stolen | from their rooms at 1409 Sixteenth street. John R. Billingsley, 1126 New | Hampshire avenue, told police & | burglar who used a duplicate key | entered his home and took $100 in cash and clothing and a revolver | valued at $25. Book Reviews Announced. | A series of book reviews will be given |in the northeastern branch of the Public Library, Seventh street and Maryland avenue northeast, at 8 p.m., tomorrow, Dr. George F. Bowerman, librarian, announced. Miss Alethea T. Alderson and Cecil J. McHale will speak. Irvin S. Cobb Says: th Old Doc Townsend Casts Shadow Over Both Parties. 'WESTWOOD HILLS, Calif., Decema ber 19.—For a while it seemed that when the Republicans meet next year it would be for memorial services at Armageddon, and adjourning thence to the cemetery.| Now it's settled they'll meet at Cleveland, and er, predicts it won't be any lodge of sorrow, either. Also, the Dem- ocrats, who not 80 long ago were figuring their 1936 to-do would merely be a grand ratification rally, replete with Farly and flags, are now inclined to go in for & regular con= vention, with resolutions deploring, among other things, the Literary Digest. Well, a fight is better than a mas- sacre. And upon the horizon of both parties looms the figure of old Doc Townsend, coming with a little plan, and if you don't think he's beginning to cast a shadow, ask grandpa. Meane while, the Ham Fish boom for Presi- dent spreads like cold molasses. i