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THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTO! D. C, FRIDAY PSASTERBL [ ashingon 0.6 INTHEADS s SUTONBHOON DUE FOR PASSAGE H6use Leaders Decide to Push Civil Service Meas- ure to Senate. By the Ascoctated Press. House leaders agreed today to try topass and send to the Senate during the day the Ramspeck bill to put fiFst, second and third class postmas- ters under civil service. e action was interpreted in some mrs as an administration. Teply - the Republican declaration at Cleveland last week in favor of the mérit system, and to attacks from va- hjus Republican sources on NewgDeal patronage. Speaker Bankhead agreed, after a conference with party floor leaders, to=recognize Chairman Ramspeéck of thé Civil Service Committee fof con- sigieration of the measure under sus- pension of the rules. Although this cedure will require a two-thirds vote, the Speaker said he thought the bill would pass. dwe are going to take our chances aet off a two-thirds vote,” he said, “ ing on a little Republican help.” +On questioning, Bankhead said Sen- ator O'Mahoney, Democrat, of Wyom- ing, author of a companion Senate bill, had told him he thought that if the House passed the measure today it would get’ Senate action before ad- Journment. Bankhead expressed approval, also, of the Senate-approved Black bill to penalize attempts to influence civil service appointments, but said he doubted whether there would be time for House action this session. Cataloguing all pending civil serv- ice bills as, “one penny, two penny,” Representative McLeod, Republican of Michigan, yesterday introduced a clvil service bill which would impose merit standards on virtually every owilian position in the executive Wanch of the Government. The bill was referred to the Ramspeck Com- ttee. *The measure would take in all ex- oopt cabinet officers and one assistant 8 each, and would require civil serv- jee appointment of all members of the Post Office Department from the Postmaster General's office down. WILLIAM D. POGUE, ount- WAR VETERAN, DIES' iAdjutant of 2d Division Legion ] Post Was Native of : Tennessee. ;. Willlam D. Pogue, 40. of 1669 Co- . lumbia road, ‘claims examiner of the .Veterans Administration and adjutant -of the 2nd Division Post, No. 28, sAmerican Legion, died yesterday in the Episcopal Hospital. iseveral months. +_ A native of Columbia, Tenn., Mr. : Pogue had been a resident of this city { ifor eight years. He had been adju- | itant of the Legion post for two years ! and was a member of the Masonic | fraternity. Special services will be held tonight by the American Legion at Chambers i funeral home. 1400 Chapin street, 1 where the body was taken. The re- -malns will be sent tomorrow morn- ting to Columbia, where funeral serv- {lces and burial will be Sunday after- + noon. { Mr. Pogue is survived by his widow, {Mrs. E. Jeraldine e; his parents, + Mr. and Mrs. Jam < bia; three brothers, . S., A. L. Pogue, all of Columbia, and three .mm-s Mrs. Ulna Swann and Mrs. « Liggett Lane. both of Columbia, and -Mn Frank Shelwn, Boston. HITCH-HIK HIKER KILLED IN VIRGINIA CRASH : “Robert. Burns” of Washington or Philadelphia Victim as Cars Collide. | @pectal Dispatch to The Star » LEXINGTON, Va. June 19.—Police Mny were trying to locate the family .of a hitch-hiker, tentatively identified 188 “Robert Burns” of Washington or -Phundelphln, who was killed in a Juu)mebue collision on the Lee High- . way near Timber Ridge late yesterday. The dead man was a passenger in a car with John J. Altice, Redwood, , Franklin County. In his pockets, po- ‘lice found a card bearing the Burns ‘name and papers indicating he was (from Washington or Philadelphia. He ‘was about 22. . Altice received a head injury. Oc- ;eupants of the other machine were W. J. Kent of Charlottesville, who ..received a broken leg and possible in- ternal injuries, and his wife, who, !who was not seriously injured. jNEw ARMY MEDICAL CATALOGUE PRINTED ‘Fourth Series of Index to Be Exhibited at St. Paul Session Next Week. Another milestone in scientific pro- -gress has just been achieved as volume ione of the Fourth series of the Index :Catalogue of the Army Medical Li- ‘brary rolled off the presses this week, 4t was announced today by the Sur- 'geon General's Office. . Founded in 1880 by the late Dr. iJohn Shaw Billings, bibliographer and |idesigner of the Johns Hopkins Hos- 'pital, the work is recognized through- ‘-out the world as the accepted stand- ard of medical bibliography. ‘" The new volume will be exhibited \next week at the meeting of the Medi- ‘ical Library Association in St. Paul, :aunn by Maj. Edgar Erskine Hume, CITY NEWS IN BRIEF. TODAY. ] ! Luncheon, Washington Soclety of M. I T, University Club, 12:30 p.m. nce, Benjamin Pranklin Univer- , Mayflower Hotel, 7 p.m. Moonlight excursion, Congressional Council, National Union Assurance Society, Steamer Potomac, 8:30 p.m. TOMORROW. ¢ Meeting, - Rainbow Division Veter- wahe, District of Columbia chapter, Dufty'’s Ses Grill, 1508 Fourteenth s@treet, 6:30 pm. i 5 £ Wayside Random Observations of Interesting Events and Things. CAMERA! ETTING a picture of the old Smithsonian building would be just about the simplest thing in the world, you would think. It isn't though, and if you doubt that you can ask Senior Photo- grapher Olmstead of the Smithsonian staff. A Wayside operative whose work keeps him out all night came upon Olmstead at 6 am. trying to get a picture of the building. It seemed such an odd time to be doing any- thing that looked so official that the operative began to ask questions. Mr. Olmstead eéxplained that at other times of the day cars are parked so thickly around the grounds that the picture he wanted was impossible to He didn't get it that particular morning, either. Every time things looked to be perfectly set a cloud would scud across the sun or a pedes- trian would flit past the lens, or some- thing else would happen. At 6:30 the the clouds got thicker and Mr. Olm- stead folded up his camera and went away from there. == CYNICS. Veteran hackers, pretty cynical chaps, say the timing of trafiic lights along Connecticut avenue from K street to Kalorama road steps up the speed in a 22-mile zome, since the driver who makes 35 miles an hour can hit the sig- nals on the green. The “fastest” lights, they say, are on Constitution avenue — the motorists who drive 65 miles an He had been ill | Pogue, Colum- f nd J. | hour get “the breaks.” e e QUIET FISH., “IE HAVE found the most literal- minded man in the world. Read- ,ing a Jease for an apartment he was | about to rent, he discovered a clause ‘m it prohibiting the keeping of pets of any kind on the premises. In trep- | idation he called the rental agents |and asked if he could please keep his | tropical fish. | “Do they agent asked. “I have never heard them make " our man replied. ell, as long as they are quiet, |it's all right, T guess.” His mind relieved on that point, his | next thought was how to hang pic- | tures without driving nails in the walls, also prohibited by the lease. “I can do without.the plclurm. said. make any noise?” the he | ® X ok % GUIDE. IF COMMISSIONER MELVIN C. HAZEN ever gives up public offici- | {aling and needs a job (which he | i won't), he ought to be able to do ,preny well asia ballyhoo man on a | | sight-seeing bus. His friends think so, and they ought to know. History is one of Mr. Hazen's habits. | | He can't get away from it. The his- ! tory of this section of the country is his specialty and such is his detailed knowledge that you can hardly pass 2 house, or a field, or even important | tree, that he doesn’t know romething * interesting about it. | He was in Charles Town W Va.| recently with a group of friends. They | did not know, until he told them, that | it was named for Charles Washington, George's brother, and that the found- ing father's house was still standing there. He knew just where the house | was, too. | | | * ok ok % THE LION'S TAIL. , & Washingtonian took a lion by the tail and twisted it. When he tells the first part of the story, his friends either look at him in awe or make derisive remarks. But it's true, all the same. He twisted the tail of a real, honest-to- goodness lion. The lion wasn’t tame, either. | ‘The end of the tale about the lion’s tail, however, is that the lion was in & cage. He was sleeping, with his tail dangling outside. Our man couldn't resist the tempta- tion. He gave an almighty twist and stepped back. The lion leaved and i roared, but the bars were still there. * x % x NUMBERS. Do you know the diflerence between the numbers on a police- man’s cap badge and those on the badge of a postman? There is a diflerence, quite @ considerable one. The policeman’s number is his own. He gets it when he joins the force and it stays with him so long as he is member of it.' The postman’s badge number, however, designates his route and he changes it as often as he changes routes. * x * % MAN BITES DOG. FOR the first time in the history of mechanical writing devices, per- haps, a dry fountain pen is being ex- tolled in Washington. So grateful is the owner of the pen that he is think- ing of turning it out to pasture the rest of its days. His wife, in a hurry the other morn- ing, woke him out of a sound and slightly alcoholic slumber to ask for some extra money. He was in no posi- tion either to protest about being awakened or to deny her request. The only money he had left, after the night before, was that represented in his bonus check. He'd sign ii, he said, but when he started to do so the fountain pen was dry. The house was searched for ink, but it, too, was dry. Even the neighbors were of no help, representing, so far as ink was con- cerned, an arid wasteland. The husband is spending the check on himself now; not a cent of it going | for ink. day's crop of cars began to arrive, | FORM “CABINET” Will Consider Problems Col- lectively to Advise Com- missioners. District Government department heads, sitting as the commissioners’ “cabinet” hereafter, are to act coll¢c- tively in consideration of many of the important problems, at least so far as general principles are concerred Organization of a District of Colum- bia Department Heads Association, composed of the executives of depart- ments and sub-divisiorr chairmen, has been effected with the approval of tnhe commissioners, Street Heads Group. Elwood Street, director of welfare, | who suggested the plan, was elected chairman at the initial meeting yes- terday. Maj. Daniel J. Donovan, auditor, was named vice chairman, and Roland M. Brennan, secretary. Brennan is secretary to the Soard of | Commissioners. These officers and District Surveyor Edward Dent and sanitary engineer make up an execu- tive committee. Meetings will be held monthly for round-table discussion of mutual problems. Commissioner Hazen said the “cabinet” would be asked frcm time to time to pass on general prin- ciples involved in important legisla- tive and administration mutters. More Powers Favored. To stress the importancs of collec- tive judgment, Hazen outlined Dis- trict needs for more schools, libraries, playgrounds, a larger Feceral payment toward National Capital expenses end | improvement of District government services. He repeated his object'on to any wholesale reorganization of the Dis- trict government, but favors enlarging the powers of the commissioners to | deal with many details now dependent upon Congressional action. | 'VETERANS’ RELIEF CONTINUANCE HIT Taxpayers’ Group Favors Drop-| ping Those Given Big Bonus Sums. Veterans® who cash any substantial | amount of their bonus bonds should | be dropped from the District's relief list, the Washington Taxpayers' As- sociation declared today. “There is no more reason why a| veteran should continue on relief when he has up to $800 in bonus money than he should be continued on relief {if he had $800 in a savings bank,” said a statement for the association, issued by Rufus S. Lusk, its secretary. | | _ Meanwhile, Postmaster Vincent C.| Burke said the peak load of mailing | | final checks to District veterans who | surrendered bonus bonds is past, and ‘wdas that the total of checks ran ‘substnnlmll\ over $6.000,000. This is in addition to those being mailed out to local velerans from the Treasurer | of the United States on bonds sur- | rendered through banks. {» Including a large number of checks | delivered this morning, Burke said de- | liverles of final checks had been made | Yo 13,164 veterans, in g tofal value of ! 186,451.000. While many veterans (surgendered ' their bonds through banks, it was Be- lieved the City Post Office handled by far’the greatest number. ;While some increase in retail busi- u- was reported to have followed | distribution of the checks, there was a definite feeling in the business and | | ing so far Had not been nearly so great | as anticipatéd. | TWith the last of the night service | | bonds last night, mail carriers con- | cluded their four days and four nights ' of special duty on the bonus. There will be no more night certifications. But all postal stations began work to= day to certify bonds during their regu« 1aF business hours. DR. HOWLETT-WRIGHT EXPIRES HERE AT 75, Retired New York Physician Was Stricken Year Ago—Lectured for W.C. T. U. Dr. Prances Howlett-Wright, 75, re- tired New York physican, died yester- day at her residence, 1802 Lamont street. She had been stricken with a cerebral hemorrhage -bout a year ago. During the World War Dr. Howlett- Wright was a lecturer for the Wom- en’s Christian Temperance Union. She ‘was president of the Bible Readers’ League of Washington and formerly was secretary of the Florence Critten- ton Mission of New Jersey and a member of the Women's Purity League. Y She was a chemical diagnostician, using the method to treat persons ac- cording to their general body chemis- try. In New York she was the only woman honorary member of the Ori- ficial Surgeons’ Association. At one time she had charge of a large chil- dren’s clinic in New York. Dr. Howlett-Wright, & native of Wisconsin, had lived in this city about 12 years. She is survived by several nieces and nephews. Funeral arrangements were to be announced later. The ARTHUR GOOCH, Gooch (Continued From First Page.) declined to intercede for the second time, saying: “Use of the executive power to modify the sentence imposed would be to render nugatory a law carefully considered by the Congress and de- signed to meet a national need.” Gooch, who had been nervously garrulous up to the time he was taken from the death cell, shook his head when United States Deputy Marshal George Hall asked: “Do you have anything to say, Arthur?” Until Mr. Roosevelt's statement was | read to him the one-time bullymgy gangster clung to his hope for clem-l ency. | He called a newspaper man to his hot, stuffy cell, shortly before the death march and said: “Make sure the President hasn't changed his mind. I'd like to know right away if he does. I don't want to be kept in suspense a minute longer than necessary. This isn't much fun.” ROOSEVELT BREAKS RULE. Refusal to Intercede Oklahoma Case. Reveals in SENTENCE APPEAL Gangster Must Now. Serve Life Term for Part in Wilson Murder. B a Staft Correspondent ot The Star. ROCKVILLE, Md., June 19.—Albert 8. Sutton, one-time lieutenant of Eddie Killeen, slain overlord of gambling in the Nation's Capital, has abandoned his appeal from conviction in the mur- der of Allen B. Wilson, Washington newspaper route agent, who died amid a hail of gang bullets in October, 1934. The gangster must now go to the State penitentiary for life for the brutal killing, which occurred when gunmen lying in wait for Edward Mickey McDonald, well-known District gambler, shot down Wilson by mistake. State’s Attorney James H. Pugh was informed today the appeal was auto- matically dropped when Sutton’s coun- sel failed to appear before the Allegany County Circuit Court in Cumberland to have that tribunal sign a bill of ex- ceptions. ‘The law permitted Sutton’s attor- ney 20 days from the filing of the appeal to come before the court for indorsement of a bill setting forth the exceptions taken by the defense to the ruling under which the gangster was convicted. Pugh said he would take immediate steps to have the Department of Jus- tice turn Sutton over to the State of Maryland to serve the life sentence for the slaying. He had been serv- ing time In the Lorton Reformatory on a Federal charge at the time he was “borrowed” by the case. The Wilson slaying occurred at the entrance to McDonald's Takoma Park, Md., residence. Two of Sut- ton's companjons in the crime. Ernest Meyers and Albert McDermott, alias John Slim Dunn, now are serving life sentences for their part in the mur- ! der, e — Blanton lOonlinll?d From Pll'fl Plr(l\ propriations Committee is authorized to make investigations.” “Do you know whether there was any authority for sending out the questionnaire?” asked Keller. “I know that under the practices of the House committees are author- | ized to investigate any matter they President Roosevelt broke a rule of silence last night in revealing he had | refused to intercede in behalf of Ar-| thur Gooch, Oklahoma police kida naper, who was hanged early today. Contrary to the usual procedure in | handling decisions on pleas for com- | | mutation of sentence, the President, in a memorandum to Attorney Gen- | eral Cummings, said “use of v.he‘ executive power to modify the sen- | tence imposed would be to render nugatory a law carefully considered by | the Congress and designed to meet a national need.” CHARLES P. TAFT, 2D, ON LANDON STAFF Son of Former President Expected in Topeka Today for Conference. By the Associated Press. TOPEKA, June 19.—Gov. Alf M. | financial districts today that the spend- | | Landon disclosesd that he expected | | Charles P. Taft, 2d, son of the for- mer President, to arrive in Topeka to- day to join the Landon campaign |at postal stations for certification of | gtrategy staft. The Cincinnati lawyer, a brotoher of Robert A. Taft, Ohio’s “favorite son” candidate for the Republican presiden- tial nomination, will be stationed here during most of the campaign, Gov. Landon said. He will join Farl H. Taylor, former | associate editor of the Country Gen- tleman, who became a Landon ad- | viser several weeks before the Cleve- land convention, which nominated Landon for the presidency. Gov. Landon also announced that Ralph West Robey, economist, a member of the teaching staff of Co- lumbia University, New York, was ex- pected here today to assist Taft and Taylor. The presidential nominee said the staff may be augmented by others later. uestioned as to the nature of their work, Gov. Landon said: “They’ll form the usual campaign staff. They'll assist me in the cam- paign.” “A brain trust, eh, Governor?” Lan- don was asked in his press conference. “No, they will not be a brain trust,” the Governor replied with emphasis. lCongress in Brief ] TODAY. Senate: Debates shipping bill. House: Votes on Walsh-Healey Govern- ment contracts bill. TOMORROW. Senate: Expects to have tax bill conferees’ report and other late miscellaneous business for consideration. House: Considers miscellaneous bills. National Scene BY ALICE-LONGWORTH HE scramble of Senate New Dealers to pass alleged Civil Service ‘reform legislation is & remarkable tribute to Gov. Landon's poduon on that issue, yet it does not show an altogether convincing change of heart. The Black bill is hardly more than s vague pronouncement against politics in the Civil Service, and the La Follette-Mahoney bill is aimed at freezing the beneficiaries of the spoils system during the past three years in the jobs they now hold. Whether either of the meas- ures will pass Congress before adjournment is not certain, but the sudden attack of conscience that has seized the administration is evidence of its reslization of the aroused interest of the country in this vital question. Every one is phis plank on the subject will be. Farley consent curious to see what the Phfluel- : Will Mr, to match Gov. Landon's proposal “Mmmmmmtmwwmwcw Service? The bare thought of such a possibility is calculated to give the boss job dispenser goose mumm (Copyright, 1936.) see fit,” responded Cannon. “Does the gentleman hold that this | House would have the right to apply any test to the teachers?” asked | Reller., “No,” replied Cannon. been no test applied.” “Do other members on tje Subcom- mittee on Appropriations approve of the questionnaire?” Keller next asked. “I don't believe they would take a position in opposition to the chair- man,” said Cannon. Constitution Cited. At that point Sisson arose and pointed out that the Constitution of “There has | the United States provides that po religious test shall be applied in the | appointment of public officers, whlph includes school teachers. . “No religious test is beirig applied.” said .Cannon. “This is a matter ol:} character education.” Taber congratulated Blanton on the fight he has made against com- munism and declared: “I am op- posed to the teaching of communism in the public schools.” Representative Pish, Republican, of | New York also congratulated Blan- | | ton and said that “at least one mem- ber of the House is trying to expose | the activities and propaganda of | Communists in our public schools.” | “Do you know of any instance where communism is taught in the schools of the District,” interrupted | Mrs. Norton. “None whatever,” Fish “There is only one Wi communism,” Fish resumed. | what the gentleman from Texas is | doing — expose what communism stands for. All that is needed is to show what they are trying to do.” Keller Is Criticized. Rankin criticized Keller for offering @ resolution calling on the House to censure Blanton. “The gentleman from Illinois went out of his way to capitulate to a bunch of propaganda put out by the newspapers of Wash- ington,” he shouted.” Rankin predicted that if the House had voted on Keller's resolution the outcome would have shown that the members have not lost confidence in Blanton. Blanton, in closing the arguments, again told of the tax situation in Washington and declared that some day the people of the United States are going to “wake up” and discover conditions here. He also charged that Washington money is being used in his congressional district to hire brass bands end for other purposes to fight his re-election. Keller yesterday sought to have Blan- ton censured by the House on the ground that the questionnaire reflected upon the dignity of the House. Failing in that move, on a technicality, he later appeared before the Board of Educa- tion at a special meeting called to con- sider the teacher investigation and promised to give Blanton the “fight of his life.” Keller also advised teachers at the School Board meeting to refuse to answer. Promises House Injunctions. “If Blanton starts anything,” and subpoenas any teacher “the House will stop him,” Keller declared. “Just let me know,” he said, “and I promise you an injunction from the House that will keep him in his place.” Keller's statement preceded action by the board at which it officially in- formed the teachers to use their own discretion in answering the Blanton questionnaire. Regardless of decision of the teachers,"the board ruled their status and récords would not be im- paired in any way. After the attack by Keller and| members of the Senate, Blanton told newspaper men after the House ad- journed last night he would answer the criticism at the first opportunity on the floor of the House. Says He Will Reply. “I am going to reply to Mr. Keller,” declared Blanton, “but I am not going to treat him as dirty as he treated me. Iam going to invite him to be present in the House when I make my speech abowt him.” Blanton was attending a District bill conference when Keller introduced the wered. State of | Maryland to stand trial in the Wilson | “I Got Tired of It,” Keller Says, Explaining Blanton Attacks to fight | “Do | | | berg University in Germany, where JUNE 19, 1936. Sweet Land Of Liberty o You sELEVE W e ot e docrwes 9% commumis ? HAVE You peen N Russia ? % You APPROVE of D CHanLeg 4, WRivmgs 2 “‘nb{ —From the Baltimore Sun, erner Sees Fundament- als Endangered. “I just got tired of it. his attacks on the fundamentals of ' our. American system of democracy. 1'v® stood as much s I could, and Im| not going to stand any more.” Thus quiet-spoken Representative | Keller of Illinois, who took Repre- sentative Blanton of Texas to task for the questionnaire he sent out to teachers of the District Public Schools, asking statements on their religious and political beliefs, de- scribed his stand on the House floor yesterday. One of the surprises for the House galleries and even the Representatives came not when Representative Scott of California, nor Representative Marcantonio of New York, nor Repre- sentative Maverick of Texas, nor any | of the group generally classed as the House “Liberal bloc” rose to defend District teachers after the question- naire sent out by Blanton had caused such a furor. Blanton Foe No “Radical.” The Representative who arose to recommend censure of Blanton was no “radical,” but an elderly man with white hair who has taken little part in the wordy battles on “communism” and other “radical” tendencies which have been the object of Blanton’s attacks. Representative Keller ls serving his | third term in Congress. He comes | from a downstate Illinois district, the Southwest tip of the State, and in | 1932 was elected with the largest ma- | jority ever given a House mpruenu- tive, and in a Republican district. | The last time he was elected, two years ago, he carried every county in his district, something no other candi- date had ever done before. Not only that, Keller is himself a | former school teacher. He taught school, and later founded the high school in his home town, Ava, Ill. He read law, and after attending Heidel- generations of his family had studied, | he completed a law course at the St. Louis Law School and passed the bar examination at the head of his class. Compelled to give up practice of law after a year because he was stricken with tuberculosis, he refused to accept the verdict of the doctors, who gave him six months to live. He went to Mexico and regained his| health. Later he engaged in min- ing operations and had won a for- tune by his energy and persistence | when revolution sent him back to the United States in 1912. Although he had been away for more than 30 years, he was elected to the State Senate and has been in politics ever since. Explaining his sudden opposition to Blanton's tactics in dealing with the District schools through his strategic position as chalrman of the House Quiet-Spoken Ml'dwest-l I sat in the | | House and tried to be good natured | | while Representative Blanton made | | REPRESENTATIVE KELLER. Appropriations Committee, Keller said: “I don't like to get into a House fight, but I just couldn't stand this any longer. Blanton is not the House, nor even the House Appropria- tions Committee. The House will never give Tom Blanton the right to rag the teachers of the District, nor the Board of Education. Any teacher is justified in telling him he has no right to ask such questions as he asked in his questionnaire. l Cal!s Him Publicity Seeker. “Blanton is an indefatigable worker. | He probably knows the rules and par- liamentary procedure better than any one else in the House. But he has| ‘confi.nuously used his knowledge to | further his own selfish ends. He has | ‘ continuously sought the spotlight. He wu; not fighting communism. That's lonly a camouflage. He is seeking to SULLIVAN DEFENDS HIS TEACHER QuIZ Says Only Two Questions in Blanton Letter Deal With Religion. George E. Sullivan, chairman of the Special Committee of the Feder- ation of Citizens Associations on Elim- ination of Anti-patriotic Matter From the Schools, who yesterday ac- knowledged responsibility for the questionnaire sent by Representative Blanton to Washington teachers, to- day issued a further statement ex- plaining his stand. He prefixed his formal statement with the explanation that only two questions in the Blanton letter in- quire into religion, and that they re- quire only “yes” or “no” answers. His statement follows: “The questionnaire has my com- plete and unqualified approval. In fact, the importance of sending some such questionnaire was actually sug- gested by me. I do not believe it will be objected to by any informed per- sons sincerely interested in eliminat- ing Communistic and anti-patriotic propaganda from the public schools *“The suggestiorr from certain quar- | ters that any such inquiry constitutes | invasion of ‘academic freedom’ and ‘terrorism,’ is at variance with the distinet declaration by the United States Supreme Court in the Oregon school case that it is entirely compe- tent for the Legislature to require ‘thot | teachers shall be of good moral char- acter and of patriotic disposition’ and ‘that nothing be taught which is man- | ifestly inimical to the public welfare "’ “A questionnaire is an obvio appropriate and logical method of ¢ rying out the resolutions heretofor adopted by the Federation of Citizens | Assciations of this District, appealinz to Congress for ‘a prompt an: thorouzh investigation into the exist- m. conditions, and the responsibilit therelor, now prevailing in the publ | school system of the District of Co- lumbia, which are faverable to sub- versive, anti-patriotic and communis- tic propaganda.’ In all investigations ot public offices, where thousands of persons are employed, it is quite cu:- tomary to make use of a questionnair= as a convenient and important part of the investigation. 4-H CLUBS CALL AT WHITE HOUSE Dr. Oberholser of Biological Sur- vey Bureau Talks to Delegates. Visits to the White House, museum and the Library of Congress hezc- lined today's program for 160 boys and girls attending the annual 4-H Club encampment here. After an assembly program in the Department of Agriculture auditorium at 9 am. the delegates today called at the Executive Mansion at 11:15 a.m. for a visit'of an hour and a half during which they were to pose for a group picture, Dr. H. C. Oberholser of the Bureau of Biological Survey, Department of Agriculture, was the main speaker a! the morning assembly which follows | the morning breakfast daily at the club camp. located in Potomae Park near the Tidal Basin. | The 4-H meeting, which opened | Wednesday night. will continue through the same day next week. This afternoon’s program was to in- clude visits at 3:30 to the Natural | History Bullding and Smithsonian In- | stitution, with a trip to the Congres- sional Library scheduled at 7:30 p.m. STREET CELEBRATION exploit the situation to promote Tom | Blanton. But because he holds the purse strings he need not think he can have the right to undermine the effectiveness of our American sys- tem of education. In ‘fighting’ com- munism, he employs the same tactics he decries against.” Pointing out that Washington is the pulse of educational interest in Amer- disrupting the morale of teachers not |only here, but throughout the na- | tion. “Blanton’s policies are disrupting the Washington school system as no other man in the country would be permitted to do,” the Illinois repre- | sentative declared. “The Jeffersonian | principle of freedom of religious thought has been so grossly outraged I am surprised that a Democrat could indvoclu it. The permanence of our Government depends on academic freedom. “I hated to butt into this mess, but now that I'm in, I'm going to stay in. | 1f Blanton keeps on, he'll find plenty of opposition right a-straddle his neck. for anybody else.” point of no quorum in order to find time to learn its purport. The resolution was killed on a point of order by Representative Fuller, Democrat of Arkansas, who argued that Blanton's action did not consti- tute a reflection on the House since he had exercised his own judgment as chairman of the sub-commitiee on ap- propriations in charge of the District bill in sending out the questionnaire. Action of Board. Keller's statement preceded action by the board in which they informed the teachers to use their own discretion and to answer or not to answer, as they see fit. “No man or woman on earth has less right to ask these questions,” Keller said, “than Tom Blanton. He was put in his placé this afternoon. The Speaker ruled that he couldn't be cen- sured because to do so would involve the House. ‘Blanton acted as an in- dividual, and the teachers of this city are not compelled to respond to the wishes of a single person acting on his own responsibility. “I want you all to konw that if Blan- ton threatens anything, let me know. 1 promise you that he will receive an injunction from the House that will stop him. “The thing to do is put Blanton in his place. Tell him where to.go to. Throw the questionnaire in a waste basket and pick out a basket that will be moved away soon so it won't be too contaminated. Tired of ‘Bullying” “I'm tired of his bullying and bull- ragging and I'm determined to stop it. He has no suthority whatever to ask any such questions and he can't get it.” Keller's appearance was the high point in & special session of the board that was devoted exclusively to criti- Keller in advising teachers to ignore the document. “Mr. Keller says to tell him where to go,” said Mrs. C. D. Wright of Chevy Chase. “Where he belongs s in his own backwoods district in Texas. He has no place here. We parents and tax- payers are good and tired of having this man attempt to dictate to our teachers. I hope that every teacher in ‘Washington will ignore the question- naire. It is not only against the Con- stitution, but it is an outrage and an insult.” timents and urged the board to in- struct the teachers to ignore the Blan- ton letter. Sees Blow at Ballou. Henry GiHigan, vice president of the board, saw a more sinister meaning in the circulated document than a mere invasion of personal rights. “Behind this smoke screen is Blan- ton's well-known campaign to depose Dr. Ballou,” Gilligan said. Gilligan engaged at length with Henry I Quinn, George M. Whitwell, Robert A. Maurer and John H. Wil- son in debate to determine discreet wording of a statement of criticism. They all agreed that Blanton had in- vaded personal and constitutional rights, but they could not agree for some time as to how to express their disapproval. “If we tell the teachers not to | ica, Keller pointed to the danger of | I'm not going to trim for Blanton, nor | Mrs. Betty Lesser voiced similar sen- | Entertainment. dancing and a pa- rade will feature the celebration marking the opening of the newiy- completed Kenilworth avenue at 8 p.m. tomorrow. Leading the parade will be the Po- lice Boys' Club Band, followed by civic and fraternal organizations, school children, members of the Kenil- worth Church and Sunday School and citizenry. The entertainment will fol- low at the Kenilworth recreation | center. state it's position and to advise | teachers as to their duties. The | board is empowered by Congress to | determine questions of educational policies, and to supervise the admin- istration of all who are employed in the public School system of the Dis- | trict. This authority is subject, of course, at all times to the express will of Congress and it would be unthink- | able for the board to fail in its duties scrupulously to observe and to carry | out the acts of Congress. “However, it seems to be clear that it is the duty of the board to protect all teachers and other employes from unauthorized inquisitions and to pro- test any invasion of their private rights when the channel of approach to them is through their official posi- tions. “The board notes that the question- naire does not state that the inquiry is directed by a committee of Congress |for the purposes of legislation and that the questions which are asked are official inquiries of a committee of Congress duly authorized by law to compel the information. It would seem that the will of Congress or a duly authorized committee to compel information of such unusual charac- | ter, directed at the private opinions and beliefs of those of whom the in- quiries are made, should be explicitly clear in order that there may be no | doubt concerning the duty to respond, particularly when, as | here, grave ques- Itions of constitutiorial liberty funder the fourth and fifth amendments to the Constitution, are suggested. “We therefore advise teachers and employes that they are free voluntari~ ly to answer the questions asked, and advise them that if they do not desire to reply, they have a perfect right, in our opinion, not to do so, and that the fact that they reply or make no reply will have no bearing whatever upon their position, status and record in the public schools.” Keller Explains Action. Keller explained that the action of the House in declining to censuze - | Blanton was, in fact, the sustaining of a fuling by Speaker Bankhead that he had acted as an individual and not as a member of the House. “He has no authority as a member of the House; it was never given him and he can’t get it. The House knows Blanton and at least 90 per cent of my colleagues will support me for they know the ordeal you are going through. And I think I can speak for them when I advise you that the shorter and sharper the answer you give the better 1t will suit us.”