Evening Star Newspaper, January 15, 1936, Page 1

WEATHER. (0. 8. Weather Buresu Porecast.) Rain this afternoon ending early to- night, tomorrow fair and colder; lowest temperature tonight about 32 degrees. Temperatures—Highest, 46, at 3:30 p.m. yesterday; lowest, 34, at 2 a.m. today. The only evening paper in Washington with the Associated Press News and Wirephoto Services. . workers. . to reach here tonight. Full report on-page A-9. Closing N.Y.Markets, Pages 17,18 & 19 Entered as second class matter post oftice, Washington, D. C. No. 33,496. TREASURY FREES SALARIES OF 9000 A A A EMPLOYES 2,500 of Own Workers Are Affected—Distribution Due Tomorrow. ACTION IS TAKEN AFTER | M’CARL CONSULTATION o EEE Controller General 0. K.'s Trans-l‘ fer of $3,000,000—Force Liqui- dation Begins January 31. ‘The Treasury this afternoon released | the pay of 6500 Agricultural Adjust-| ment Administration employes and | 2,500 members of its own staff engaged | in A. A. A. work, whose standing had | Own Rays Destroy Protoactinium; Only Bitin World Discoverer Describes Ef- fort to Photograph Rare Metal. By the Associated Press. CHICAGO, January 15.—The world’s known supply of the second heaviest element in nature, metallic protoactinium, was wiped out today. There was only one milligram of the element in existence, and it was de- stroyed by the scientist who isolated it, Dr. Aristid von Grosse, of the Uni- versity of Chicago. It was all an accident, Dr. von Grosse explained after the metal's loss was disclosed by the Museum of Sci- | ence and Industry. He was trying to take photographs of the tiny bit of stuff by the light of its own rays when the metal broke into pieces. Metallic protoactinium is a radio- active substance, found in nature in combination with radium. Dr. von Grosse isolated it in 1934 by extracting | it.from the residue of radioactivity ex- periments. He gave his sample of the metal, | been in doubt since the Supreme Court decisipn put the farm aid organization | out of business. | The action was taken after consult- | ing with Controller General McCarl, whose decision yesterday on the status | of the two groups had. left officials of | the respective organizations in the dark | as to just what might be done. 1 Because of the mix-up, it was said | that pay generally will not get around | here until tomorrow, although Loday‘ is the mid-month pay day. Field em- ployes will suffer no delay. as their | pay day always is two or three days | after that here. i McCarl Calls for Data. McCarl had held that employes on functions not banned by the court could continue on a duty status, but suggested that he be advised what | was contemplated so he might deter- | mine its legality. At the same time he held flatly that no further salary payments could be made from processing tax funds. This latter decision, automatically stopped the pay of the Treasury em- ployes all of whom have been ‘en- gaged in collection of these taxes, and | also affected some of the A. A. A.| staff. It was to devise some method of paying t*is_group and of clarifying the status oi‘the others that the con- troller general was approached again He agreed to the transfer oi $3,000, 000 from the regular A. A. A, appro- prigtion to the Treasury to care for the latter's needs, and, accepting this as a precedent, the Treasury degided on its own initiative to pay off the A. A. A workers. Decentralizing Starts January 31. Concurrently with announcement of the pay arrangement, it was made known at the Treasury that decen- ' tralization of its processing tax force will start on January 31, the same date chosen by the A. A. A. to begin cutting down. Only a skeleton force will be re- tained of the 2,000 workers in the field, but it is not intended to dis- turb the local force of 500 at this time. The Treasury employes, like those to be retained by the A. A. A. will constitute a liquidating force to wind up loose ends as quickly and orderly as possible. In both establishments it is planned to furlough, rather than dismiss, those being cut off. as they are to get preference in re-employ- ment if the Government again em- barks on a farm program. | Decentralization Plans Begun. Meanwhile, at the A. A. A, plans | were being pushed for starting de- | centralization of the huge force. | It was announced definitely that 1,600 temporary workers, 1,000 of whom are employed here, would be dropped. The extent "of the reduction of the permanent force was not certain, although it was said “a good many” necessarily would be | dropped. Representatives of the A. A. A. lodges of the American Federation of Government Employes, accompanied | by the federation president. E. Claude Babcock, conferred on personnel prob- lems yesterday with Administrator Chester C. Davis and were advised every effort will be made to care for the workers. In view of the fact that so many employes apparently face dismissal, representatives of five New Deal lodges of the American Federation of Gov- ernmen. Employes decided last night to campaign for a special W. P. A. project to absorb the workers and give them at least temporary employ- ment. * A committee composed of John Don- ovan, N R. A, Lodge; Mrs. Janet Gaines, Resettlement Administration Lodge; Miss Edna Richter, W. P. A. Lodge; Dan Kessler, A. A. A. Lodge ®No. 116 and Ben Allen, A. A. A. Lodge No. 170, called on Babcock to present the plan. Babcock Pledges Support. ~“Babcock promised to support the proposal Harry L. kopkins, W. P. A. administrator, will be asked to create the special project immediately. He ‘will also be asked to pay the dismissed workers at the existing classified rates of wages. Asked about the A. A. A. personnel yesterday, President Roosevelt said he did not know exactly what the sit- uation was, except that the controller general had made a ruling. Mr. Rooseveli added, however, that if a substitute program was approved by Congress a considerable personnel might be required. Some observers interrupted this to mean there would be no wholesale discharge of A. A, A. LINER LIMPING TO PORT City of Hamburg Damaged in Atlantic Storm. ST. JOHNS, Newfoundland, January 15 (P —Battered by an Atlantic gale, the Baltimore mail liner, City of Ham- burg, was limping toward St. Johns today for repairs to a camaged rudder. Bound for Hamburg, from Baltimore; the 8,424-ton liner was 350 miles south of St. Johns when she reported the mishap to Bowring Brothers, Limited, Lloyds agents here. ‘The message stated she was proceed- ing under her own steam and expected i only a few molecules thick, to the| Museum of Science and Industry to exhibit. A few days ago he borrowed it back for the photographs. When the metal shattered, he dissolved it in solution. U S. BANS PARITY AND JAPAN QUITS NAVY CONFERENCE | Davis Reads Flat Refusal of Demand—aBuilding Race Forecast. ; By the Associated Press. LONDON, January i5—a flat re- | fusal to discuss Japanese demands for | the Senate Foreign Relations Com- | equality in naval strengzth was read to the International Naval Conference today by Norman Davis. delegate to the parley. The Japanese delegates tonight announced thewr withdrawal. Their decision signifiea the end of five-power dicussions secking to effect an agreement on naval limitation to replace the expiring Washington and London treaties. Davis set forth the United States Government’s conviction that the “principle of a comacn upper limit would not serve as a basis for nego- tiation and agreement.’ This principle has been insisted upon* by the Japanese delegation as the basis of any discussion for a new naval treaty. “The United States is unable to ac- cept the principle of the common up- per limit as the basis for an agree- ment,” Davis added. “While we would deeply regret the inability to arrive at an agreement acceptable to all the powers here rep- i resented, our decision and purpose | would be to promote the continuance of our friendly relations with all the naval powers.” The four other powers—Great Brit- ain, the United States, Italy and France—expect to meet tomorrow to agree upon opening a new four-power parley without the Japanese. Authoritative sources, however. said any such move would ne virtually an 1dle gesture, since any four-power agreement must provide for the uncer- tainties of Japan's future building plans. Thus, these sources said, would end the current trial of fect restrictions, started at Washington, February 6. 1922, and the only successful form of disarmament resulting from the les- sons of the World War Japan Outlines Position. Nagano's final statement to the con- ference was understood to be based on thiee principal points: That the Japanese want the lowest possible total (See NAVAL, Page 5.) POLAND TO RETALIATE Citizens From Countries Mistreat- ing Poles Are Marked. WARSAW, January 15 (#).—The senate has approved a presidential decree by which Poland will apply retaliatory measures against countries in which her citizens are not treated equally with the treatment of na- tionals of those countries in Poland. The decree may be applied to Ger- many on account of the treatment of Polish Jews there, and to Czechoslo- vakia, where the Poles complain of dis- crimination. The Foen WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION ny Star WASHINGTON, D. C, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 1936—THIRTY-EIGHT PAGES. WILSON CHARGED WITH FALSIFYING ON SECRET PACTS Denied Knowledge of French, British and Italian Agree- ments, Says Nye. RECORDS ARE BARED AT MORGAN HEARING | War President and Secretary Lansing Testified in 1919 Be- fore Senate Committee. BACKGROUND— Believing commercial complica- tions responsible for drawing Amer= ica into last World War, Senate committee investigating profits in manufacturing war supplies called J. P. Morgan and associates to tes- tify at open hearings. Morgan firm was active in securing loans and trade concessions for -allied nations. - Basic objective of committee is to develop background for emact- | ment of eflective neutrality legis- lation. Group started work in Summer of 1934, cited early find- ings last year in hurried drive for | temporary neutrality bill. BY REX COLLIER. A charge that President Wilson and | Secretary of State Lansing “falsified"” before a Senate Committee in disclaim- | |ing they had advance knowledge of | secret, treaties among the allies as to | disposition of territory after World | War, was made today by Chairman Nye of the Senate Munitions Commit- e. { Nye made the charge after Senator | Clark, Democrat, of Missouri, had | | brought out that Wilson had been ad- | vised of the treaties by Lord Balfour |at » White House dinner. | | Clark read from testimony given in 1919 by Wilson and Lansing before‘ mittee, denying they had any knowl- edge, prior to the Paris Confer- ence, of British, French and Italian | agreements over division of territory. | Then he read excerpts from Bal- ! four’'s memoirs telling of offering to give Wilson copies of the treaties | | during a dinner at the White House | | in May, 1917, shortly after America’s | entry into the war. Ifour had come here to dis | (See MORGAN, Page 5 ) D.C.TRAFFICSTUDY ORDERED IN HOUSE District Committee Also Ap- | proves Plan to Develop Airport. The House District Committee today directed its Subcommittee on Streets and Traffic to make a comprehensive survey of Washington's traffic situ- ation to determine what steps can be | | taken to curtail the mounting traffic fatality list. The committee also unanimously approved a proposal of the Commerce Department to develop the Washing- ! ton-Hoovers Airport with Federal | funds. | “The proposal for a serious study of | traffic conditions was made by Repre- | sentative Schulte, Democrat, of In- diana, who pointed out that traffic accidents last year claimed 113 vic- tims and that since January 1 this year there have been 9 traffic deaths. Although Schulte is not a member of the Streets and Traffic Subcom- mittee, Chairman Norton added him | to this group to assist with the study. Representative Patman, Democrat, of Texas is chairman of the sub- committee and will direct the survey. In addition to Schulte, the other members are Representatives Carpen- ter, Democrat, of Kansas; Wood, Démocrat, of Missouri; Fenerty, Re- publican, of Pennsylvania, and Short, Republican, of Missouri. The Commerce Department pro- posal for solution of the airport prob- lem included development of an air- port at Gravelly Point as well as improvement of the Washington- Hoover air field. The committee, however, sidetracked action on the Gravelly Point proposal because of a bill now in conference providing for the creation of a special commission (See TRAFFIC, Page 5.) | | i | | Fletcher Dials for G. O. P. Skit, But “Music Goes Round and—" By the Associated Press. Imagine Henry P. Fletcher's dis- gust when he tried to tune in on| an anti-New Deal radid skit last night and instead got—dance music. Fletcher, chairman of the Repub- lican National Committee, had put aside all other “engagements to hear “Liberty at the Crossroads” broadcast from an independent Chicago station. But his radio set could not pick it up. It was broadcast from the inde- pendent station after the two large radio chains declined to carry it, one saying big issues shouldn't be treated on a basis of “dramatic license.” Fletcher replied the chains either feared the administration or were exercising unwarranted censorship. The skit contained such scenes as the following: An announcer declared the New Deal was spending $1.95 for each $1 earn? The average man must pay $460 a week to the Government.” In a breakfast nook sketch, husband Jack is informed by wife Jane that they can't afford bacon at 53 cents a pound. A year later they return to the table to eat bacon imported from Poland. The husband observes: ,“We good Americans are eating Polish bacon. in a suburb of Chicago, the world's meat packing center. It's the New Deal for foreign farmers.” As the broadcast hour drew near, Fletcher sat down in his study in his stone house on Q street. He drew first turning up the amplification knob to get plenty of power. “A Little Bit Independent—" wailed a torch singer in tones that | CANT SEE Wy MY BOY FRIEND €ALLS THESE So IMPOSSIBLE ! FASCISTS REPORT ENEMY ROUTED IN DOLOFRONT FIGHT Ras Desta’s Army “Repulsed and Pursued,” Badoglio Declares. BACKGROUND— While Britain and other Euro- pean nations show no intention of relenting in their opposition to Italian invasion of Ethiopia, Mus- solini’s troops are stalled by new rainy- season and increased con- centration of defending forces. Latest review of troop disposition showed about 758,000 Italians on northern front and about 76,000 on southern front; only air squadrons, however, have reported any suc- cesses in recent weeks. Meanwhile, Britain increases fleet concentration in Mediter- ranean and League members con- tinue economic pressure against Italy. Threat of oil embargo, most feared by Il Duce, still in air. By the Associated Press. Italy claimed today that her sou'h- ern armies had crushed a gathering Ethiopian drive on the Dolo front, “repulsing and pursuing” the enemy A communique from Marshal Pietro Badoglio, the Italian high commander in Africa, said the Somaliland forces Townsend Fight Over New Party Threatens Ideal Pension Plan Author and McGroarty at Odds on Issue. BY JOHN C. HENRY. Openly-expressed dissension between leaders of the Townsend old-age re- ened to become the most serious ob- which has worried regular party poli- ticians, economists and conservative citizens alike during recent months. The dissension, breaking out be- tween Dr. F. E. Townsend, sponsor of the $200-per-month pension program, and Representative McGroarty, Demo- crat, of California. Capitol missionary " (See TOWNSEND, Page 5.) GRANGE SUBMITS Breaks With New Deal on . Substitute—Outlines Sur- plus Proposal. | | By the Associated Press. | The National Grange, dean of or- volving pension program today threat- | [(-POINT PROGRAM | | | | stacle in the path of a “security ideal” | | lawyers, 10 LIVE CARRIED AGAIN TO' CAPITAL Action Expected Before U. S. Supreme Court Tomorrow. BACKGROUND— Bruno Hauptmann was convict- ed in February, 1935, of kidnaping and killing of first son of Charles A. Lindbergh. Last October New Jersey Court of Appeals upheld verdict. In December United States Supreme Court declined to review case. Last Saturday New Jersey Court of Pardons refused clemency. Yesterday United States circuit judge refused to issue writ of ha- beas corpus delaying execution of Hauptmann, now scheduled for Friday night. Rumor persists Gov. Hoffman will grant reprieve. PN 17 TORN (®) Means Associated Press. Yesterday’s Circulation, 136,384 Some ReturnsNot Yet Received TWO CENTS. BODIES FOUND IN PLANE INARKANSASBOG New York-Los Angeles Airliner Carries All Passengers and Crew to Death in Swamp. BITS OF CRAFT AND VICTIMS SCATTERED OVER WIDE AREA Cause ‘Probably Never Will Be Known,’ Says Inspector—Two Farmers Saw Ship Plow Into Marsh. (Copyright, 1 GOODWIN, Ark. January 5. by the Associated Press.) 15.—Remnants of 17 bodies—victims of America’s most disastrous airplane catastrophe—were recovered today from There were no survivors. Coroner J. C Crawford held that | Two Who Boarded Airliner Here Die And Two Escape | Of the four passengers who boarded the transcontinental American Air- lines plane at Washington Airport shortly after 2 p.m. yesterday. two rode to death in the Arkansas swamp near Goodwin, and two escaped by leaving the ship at Tennessee stops. Both Washington passengers who were killed were Works Progress Ad- ministration officials, on their way back to their posts at Little Rock, Ark., | after conferring here with Works | Progress Administrator Hopkins and | other officials. They were W. R. Dyess, W. P. A. administrator for Ar- kansas, and R. H. McNair, jr. engi- neer and aide to Dyess. Both had been frequent visitors to Washington during the last three years and had many friends among W. P. A. officials. i | Washingtonian Escapes. | | The only Washington resident who | rode on the ship is W. M. Taylor, 2100 | Massachusetts avenue, 33, a review examiner for the Federal Deposit In- surance Corp. Taylor left the airliner | at Memphis. He telephoned to friends | here last night, when he heard of the crash and reported that he was safe. |He is returning to Washington today | by train, according to the Associated —12 men, four women and a child—died “by accidental airplame crash.” Arkansas marsh country, where they crashed to death last night in “The Southe «ener,” luxurious American Airlines transcontinental ship. the 14 passengers and crew of thres A Department of Commerce cfficial pre- dicted the cause of the disaster prob- ably never would be known The last of the podies was brought out of the swampland this morning on flatbed wagons drawn 5y mules strug- gling in deep mud Al were removed ‘o a Memphis fu- neral liome where it was hoped de! nite identifications could be made. Bodies Dashed to Bits. Rescue workers, wno found plane and hodies torn to bits over an area 400 vards long and about 75 yards wide in a water-filled bog. left the wreck- age as it was for a study by Jack Janes, Fort Worth divisior airline ine spector for the Depa-tment of Com- merce. The liner crashed early last night on the Memphis-Little Rock hop of the regular New York-Los Angeles flight. Searching parties did not locate the wreckage until midnignt. finding plane and bodies torn to bits as the big liner settled down over a woodland, then crashed through a aense growth of trees in the midst of the swamp. Chief officers of the American Air- lines and district airline inspectors for the Department of Commerce arrived here this morning to investigate the crash, but the Federal agents said no announcement of findings would be made public until a full report was made ro Washington ‘The group included Lake Littlejohn of the Department of Commerce force, Jack Janes and B. M. Jacobs, depart- ment inspectors from Fort Worth, (Copyright. 1936. by the Associated Press) | Press. He came here from Norfolk. 'qey. ¢ R smith of Fort Worth, TRENTON, N. J., January 15—Gov. Harold G Hoffman announced through his press aide today that he was still | studying the Hauptmann case and was undecided on the matter of a re- prieve. His comment came as two defense a paper signed by Bruno Richard Hauptmann in their pocket, | Va. where his family lives, to enter the Treasury Department. The fourth passenger who boarded the plane at the local airport is W. S. Howland. managing editor of the | Tennesseean, who left the plane at | Nashville, | | Dyess, before taking over the post | of W. P. A. administrator for Arkansas, had driven back the armies of Ras| ganized farm groups in America, sub- | sped to Washington intent, it was un- | was connected with the Federal Emer- Desta Demtu in a “vigorous action ™ Mitted to the Senate Agricultural Com- | derstood. upon instituting habeas cor- | gency Relief Administration in that but added: mittee today a 10-point program for pus proceedings in the United States State, joining the New Deal ranks “Fighting continues along the entire & New national plan to replace the Supreme Court or before a Supreme |there when the F. E. R. A. was or- front. Our losses so far have not been serious.” Nothing was said about Ethiopiea | losses. British Cabinet Meets. The British cabinet met in Lond n to instruct Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden on his course regarding fresn penalties against Italy at the League of Nations Council session Monday Authoritative sources predicted that when Eden arrived at Geneva he would carry pledges of British participation | in further sanctions against the ag- gressor nation in the East African war The possibility that the Leagne Council may virtually ignore the Italo- Ethiopian conflict at its January 20 meeting was reported in informcd Paris circles. Dr. Augusto Vasconcellos of Portugal chairman of the League Committee of 18, called on Premier Pierre Laval and was reported reliably to have discussed the advisability of postponing coming meetings of the Committee of 18 to discuss an oil embargo against Italv and of the Committee of 13 to consider further conciliation measures. Nominal Session Held Unneeded. Responsible sources said the states- men felt that even a nominal meeting of the Sanctions Committee was un- necessary, in view of reported virtual abandonment of the oil embargo. A third nation dispatched a formal protest to Italy for Fascist bombings in Ethiopian aerial attacks when the Swedish Minister presented a note at Rome. o The Swedish government, following the examples of Emperor Haile Selassie and the Egyptian government, charged the bombing at Dessye December 30 was & direct attack on a Red Cross ambulance. One Swedish subject was fatally injured and another wounded. Persons fesponsible for the air raid are expected to be taken to account, Sweden told Italy after rejecting a Fascist declaration the assault was in reprisal for Ethiopian violation -of international laws of war. « 65 Italians Reported Killed. Prom Addis Ababa came an official Ethiopian report of a surprise engage- ment by Ras Seyoum’s troops against an Italian detachment January 2, in which 65 Italians were killed. The communique said six Ethiopian A A A Grange officials said it represented a crystallizing of farm sentiment | | soil conservation. | In the first definite break with ad- | ministration plans to draft a bill re- | adopted by Secretary Wallace’s farm | conference last week, the Grange asked Congress to provide: 1. Appropriation to provide for the completion of contracts entered into in good faith and partially carried out | by American farmers. Indorses Conservation. | 2. A soil conservation program through wise rotation of crops and through a system of rentals to build up national resources. 3. Speed up the rétirement of mar- ginal and submarginal lands for for- esting, conservation, recreational and wild-life uses. 4. Retain and expand the surplus commodity corporation to deal with agricultural surpluses by the fol- normal granary by farm storage and commodity loans; (b) pluses, using the export debenture and other measures best suited; (c) to provide new and industrial uses for farm produce, with special atten- tion to by-products; (d) develop new crops and new markets; (e) furnish relief supplies. Would Protect Markets. 5. Protect American markets for American farmers. (a) Establish fa- cilities for controlling agricultural im- ports through permits, such permits to be available only upon showing actual need and non-competition with American farm products. (b) Rewrite reciprocal treaty law, providing ratification by the Senate and repeal of most-favored-nation clause. (c) Eliminate much of the agricul- tural free list. basing rates on these ittms on a revenue basis to prevent other forms of taxation to support the farm program.’ 6. Provide an honest td one just (See GRANGE, .) g Readers’ Guide PFinance _. Lost and Found ........_A-11 S—— T3 & Sports S Washington Wayside .....B-9 ‘Women'’s Feat: ---B-12 | taining A. A. A. principles along lines | Government | lowing means: (a) Maintain an ever- | | export sur- |, Court justice to prevent Hauptmann's execution Friday night. William S. Conklin, speaking for power to reprieve at this late date. Reprieve Not Decided. Questions put to the Governor, and the answers, as given out by Conklin, follow: “1. Are you going to reprieve Haupt- ? A. I have made no decision. “2. Would you feel it mandatory upon you to stay the execution should proceedings be pending in the courts the day of the execution? A. Not necessarily, unless orders should issue from the court. today on whether to grant the re- prieve? A. When an announcement is made it will be made to the news- papermen at the statehouse. (Conk- 1in added that the Governor is seeking legal advice on a reprieve.) “4. Are you continuing your inde- pendent study of the case? A. Yes. “5. Would you grant a reprieve in the event Hauptmann should confess?” (There was no answer to this ques- tion.) Nugent Dodds and Neil Burkinshaw, ‘Washington lawyers for the defense are on their way to the Capital. Mrs. Anna Hauptmann also visited her husband today—her next to last (See HAUPTMANN, Page 4.) m Kaiser “Fit as a Fiddle.” DOORN, The Netherlands, January 15 (#).—Former Kaiser Wilthelm. was described today as “fit as a fiddle” and busy cutting wood. Reports were pub- lJished in London that he was ill with influenza, but a member of his house- hold said the former Kaiser was feeling well and shouldered an ax for his usual recreation. Husband Mourns Wife Lost In Crash as He Searched Dial By the Associated Press. KNOXVILLE] Tenn., January 15.— How a young husband sat before his radio waiting for signals from the air- plane that carried his wife to her death was told today by a friend. On the big American Airlines ship Will there be an announcement | | ganized. He and McNair had.prac- | tically their full quota of relief jobs | under way and came to Washington against a constitutionally questionable the Governor. said the Governor was | during the past week end to discuss rewriting of A. A. A. to control agri- | continuing his private investigation, | the next steps to be taken in the cultural production through subsidized | and was seeking legal advice upon his | Arkansas relief project. | “Fine for Flying.” A few minutes before leaving W. P. A. headquarters for the flight | | yesterday, Dyess looked out of the | window of the office of Col. Lawrence | Westbrook, assistant W. P. A. ad- | ministrator, and exclaimed: | | “My, what a wonderful day this Will be for flying!™ The Arkansas official left the office _spirits a_few minutes later See VICTIMS, Page 3.) NEW YORKER PLEADS | GUILTY TO THREAT | | Retired Engineer Faces 10 Years| for Letters Sent Presi- dent. By the Associated Press. | NEW YORK, January 15.—Austin Phelps Palmer, the retired engineer who was indicted yesterday by a Fed- | eral grand jury on charges of sending threatening letters to President Roose- velt, pleaded guilty in Federal District Court today. He will be sentenced January 24. The pleading of the Park avenue resident; an elderly man, who charged the President with attempting to de- stroy his business, was purely routine. ‘Through his attqrney, George Gor- don Battle, Palmer told the court he was' guilty of sending the letters as charged in the two counts of the in- dictment. He is liable for five years’ imprisonment and a $1.000 fine on each count. Palmer was arrested Saturday. “He wasn’t able to get it,” she added, “but didn’t seem to think any- thing about it because reception is At 11:30 p.m., she said, Mr. Gremil- lion was informed by American Air- lines that the plane had made a forced landing. “At midnight,” she continued, “the president of American Airlines: R. S. Damon of Chicago, vice president of the lines; William Littlewood of Chi- cago, the company's chief engineer, and R. W. Cantwell of Chicago, gen- eral superintendent. They flew by plane to nearby For- rest City and came here by motor car. Among the victims was W. R. Dyess of Little Rock, works progress administrator for Arkansas, and Frank C. Hart, weelthy New Yorker, presi- dent of the Hartol Products Co. The Passenger List. The passenger list given out by the company at Fort Worth follows: Charles Altschul, 340 North Cen- tral, Glendale, Calif. J. C. Cahn, 827 South Pimpau boulevard, Los Angeles. Mrs. S. Horovitz, Mrs. B. Horovitz and Seba Horovitz, all of Walcott road, Boston, Mass. Mr. Dyess. R. H. McNair, 314 South man street, Little Rock. Mrs. J. S. Gremillion, Tenn. Mr. Hart. W. S. Hardwicke, Beardstown, IIL A. D. Chernus, Beardstown, Iil N. Porter, Third and Lehi streets, Philadelphia. H. W. Flato, jr., Laredo, Tex.. Sam Schwartz, Apollo Hotel, At- lantic City, N. J. Pilot Long in Service. Gerald V. Marshall, 40, veteran pilot, with the company since 1928, and with 9,400 flying hours under his helmet, was in charge of the ship. The co-pilot was Glenn Freeland, former manager of a Joplin, Mo., air- port. Miss Perla Gasparini, 23, of Fort Worth, stewardess, completed the crew. Coroner Crawford, aged, crippled coroner of St. Francis County, was car- ried on a stretcher through the swamps to the scene before dawn to hold an inquest. He was held aloft by four men, standing deep in water, as he examined the podies, heard two farmers who said they saw the plane fall, and made notes in a small book by the light of lanterns. On stretchers, the bodies which had (See CRASH, Page 3.) AIRLINER'S MOTOR DECLARED LIMPING Passenger Who Left Doomed Plane at Memphis Says He Detected Trouble. By the Associated Press. MEMPHIS, Tenn, January 15— John T. Shea; Memphis attorney, who left the American Airlines Texas~ bound liner at Memphis last night be= fore it resumed its fatal trip west= ward, said today that the ‘“motor didn’t seem to be hitting right” when Bal- Knoxville, ?the big ship took off from Memphis. He boarded the plane at Nashville. “Mrs. Shea met me at the airport,” he said. “As we were ready to leave, the plane roared away over the south- west corner of the fleld. I remarked to Mrs. Shea that one motor did not seem to be hitting right. I couldn't detect anything wrong with it, ex-~ cept that it didn't seem to have that