Evening Star Newspaper, September 14, 1936, Page 23

A F.G. £ AGAINGT TREASURY DRAIN Era of Economy Forecast Regardless of November Outcome. FOR JUST CHANGES TO BENEFIT EMPLOYES Georgia Representative Tells Opening Session at Detroit of Heavy Expenses. ¢ BY J. A. FOX, Staff Correspondent of The Star. DETROIT, September 14.—A warn- ing to workers against seeking any benefits that would cause an addi- tional drain on the Federal Treasury ‘was sounded today by Representative Ramspeck, Democrat, of Georgia, ad- dressing the opening session of the Fifth Annual Convention of the Ameri- can Federation of Government Em- ployes. » Ramspeck, who is chairman of the House Civil Service Committee, fore- cast an era of economy and said with emphasis: b “Regardless of what party wins in November, Federal employes must be on guard to hold what they've got rather than add td the expenses of the Government. Ramspeck said he believed the time had come to reduce Federal personnel, but wants “changes made justly and wisely, and not just for the sake of saving a few dollars.” His statement was made in a dis- eussion of proposals that have been advanced to liberalize the retirement act. He said the employes themselves ‘would have to increase their contribu- tion if this is to be done. Ramspeck said the cheapest pro- ‘posal for lowering the retirement age limit would cost $10,000,000 more yearly, and that others ranged as high as $50,000.000. ‘The speaker also told the conven- tion he would like to see the marital status law repealed, and that in the next Congress he proposed to work for extension of classification to the field. With Michigan faceing a bitter pri- mary tomorrow, a vein of politics was injected into Ramspeck’s speech when he took up a defense of the patrbnage charges hurled at the Roosevelt ad- ministration. Saying he had “no patience” with such critics as Senator Vandenberg; Republican, of Michigan, whom he accused of giving “lip service” to civil service, he also accused Representa- _tive Wolcott of Michigan of blocking i move to put the postmaster civil g service bill on the House consent calendar. Ramspeck also took cognizance of the internal troubles facing the fed- eration, which is to elect a president, and urged that “intelligent leader- ship” be chosen. “You must have the type of leader who can hold the confidence of Con- gress and the respect of the public,” | he said. He warned also that Federal em- | ployes cannot adopt the same tactics | as those in industry to improve eco- nomic conditions. “The people of the United States | are your employers, and you cannot afford to antagonize them,” he said. As soon as Ramspeck concluded the convention got to work. As had been anticipated, in view of the internal troubles besetting the organization, George Googe, personal representative of President William Green of the American Federation of Labor, was designated to preside. After the morning session the con- vention recessed until 8 o'clock to- night. In the fight for the presidency, the pringipal fight is being waged by Charles I. Stengle, former Repre- sentative from Brooklyn, and John R. ‘W. Smith, president of War Depart- ment Lodge of New York. A delega- < tion from Cincinnati, however, was urging the candidacy of James A. Campbell, a vice president from the ‘. Ohlo city, while a potential entrant into the race was James B. Burns, vice president. from San Francisco, although he said he would have to be . “drafted.” Still another name figur- ing is that of Dr. Thomas Larkin of Elreno, Okla. The post pays $6,000 a yesr. Judging from the attendance at caucuses yesterday and last night as the bulk of the delegates arrived, Stengle, now attached to the national + office of the federation, has the sup- port of the “conservative” majority of the District Department, as well as some strength in the field. He is claiming victory. Smith is making his appeal to the field lodges and the “liberal” element of the District, and undoubtedly will . have some backing from both. The others appear to have little chance. ; At tonight’s session, it is proposed £ to submit to the delegates the resigna- tion of E. Claude Babcock, who went on leave from the presidency several weeks ago when his recall was de- manded by the Executive Coyncil be- cause of what was termed a political attack on the Roosevelt administra- tion. Then the balloting to fill the office would be in order, under this program. .~ Babcock, however, has declared his ¢ Intention of addressing the convention on the recall issue, and if he chose to do this when the resignation was taken 5 up, the fireworks expected inevitably to accempany this move probably would halt the convention machinery. As the convention got under way, it was understood the Executive Council £ 'was prepared to announce once more . the suspension of Justice Department Lodge, No. 21, which has been doing battle with J. Edgar Hoover, director of the Bureau of Investigation, for ousting eight of its members from the bureau. ‘The council has had thi consideration since Priday when it re- voked the original suspension voted sgainst the lodge on charges of pick- eting and other acts in contravention g w2 i under WASHINGTON,; D. C, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1936. rphans Perplex Uncle Their Father and Mother Killed, He m Al_l_[]w I_UI]KES Ponders How td Care for Them. their marriage. H dozen small nephews and nieces orphaned by a truck crash Saturday night was a perplexing problem confronting James | Corley today. Corley, brother: of Mrs. Bertha Tompkinson, 31, who, with her es- tranged husband, Earl, 33, was killed on the Washing®n-Richmond high- way, sat in his dibdest home at 1301 Fourth street southwest and wondered | how his meager earnings as a grave- idigzer and odd-job man could be | stretched to sufficient proportions to support the children. Meanwhile, five of the youngsters— Earl, jr, 12; Clarence, 11; Jack, 9 | Ruby, 7, and Freddy, 3—were in the Receiving Home, trying in their child- {ish way to understand the tragedy that had come into their lives. The other child—Aloha Jean, 5—was en route here from Mount Holly, N. C. with her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. 8. 1. Corley, who were expected to make arrangements for the double | funeral. | Earl, Clarence, Jack, Ruby and | Freddy were asleep when a policeman | came to notify their uncle of the ac- cident. The uncle, who always took care of the youngsters when their mother was away, permitted them to | be taken to the Receiving Home—but, | he wanted it clearly understood,: only | temporarily. “I love those -children,” he said, “and they love me. As long as we can get cornbread and water, we'll get along somehow.” Tompkinson's father was killed when he was a small boy and he was bréught up in Illinois by a man named Wilson, Corley recalled. He worked in the coal mines at Whitesville, W. Va., until his back was injured in a cave-in several years ago. Later he went into the junk business. He and his wife separated about two years ago, but, for the sake of the children, they saw each other frequently, and he helped to support them. Above, five of the siz children of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Tomp- kinson, 1301 Fourth street southwest, fatally injured in a truck crash near Fredericksburg, Va., early yesterday. Left to right: Clarence, 11; Ruby, 7, Freddie, 3; Earl, jr., 12, and Jack, 9. Below: Mr. and Mrs. Tompkinson, taken at the time of @ = OW to take care of the hll!-‘ ‘The couple had been to Fredericks- —Star Staff Photos. | burg in the husband's small truck to | bid on a load of junk and were re- ! turning at the time of the crash. James Morgan, 20, of Washington, driver of the other truck, and his | companion, L. B. McCarthy, 20, De- | troit, were held by State police for & preliminary hearing. -~ Morgan said | that in passing the Tompkinson struck | he heard something “scrape” his ve- | hicle and, glancing around, saw the other truck leave the road and crash |into a tree. The youths extricated | the couple and took them to Mary Washington Hospital jn Fredericks- | burg. How Corley is going to take care | of his six nephews and nieces he was | not quite sure today. ° | “I don't know,” he mused. “Maybe | mother and dad can take some of | them. But we’ll get along somehow.” Corley was also awaiting the call that a life insurance agent always makes on Mondays. His sister had | the receipt book with her and he doesn’t know the name of the com- pany, but the insurance will help a lot in paying the funeral expenses. It was not found in the wreck of the car, so far as he has been able to learn. Twenty other persons, four of them Washingtonians, were injured in week end traffic accidents in the District and nearby Maryland and Virginia. None was seriously hurt. Virginia counted seven deaths in all, raising its total for September to 44, and for 1936 to 456. g Two men suffered bone fractures when the car in which they were riding overturned at Central avenue and Forty-ninth street northeast. ‘They were David Upperman, 33, of 5102 Sherrier place, whose right foot and ankle were broken, and -George Hilleary, 36, Rosslyn, Va., who suffered fractures of the right foot and arm. The Nation’s week end death toll was at least 84, according to the As- sociated Press. Federation of State, County and Mu- nicipal Employes—now more than 8,000 strong—into a permanent affilia- tion with the American Federation of Labor, which is the parent body of the A. F. G. E. ‘With one faction of the State-county- municipal group favoring the present provisional set-up; under which they would be chartered by the A. F. G. E., and another faction seeking a new arrangement which would give them a direct charter from the A. F. of L., the council was prepared to recom- mend that the convention go on rec- reconcile this conflict. As a first step it is intended the A. F. G. E. shall amend its constitution to permit the others to come in as an autonomous department, but still subject to the jurisdiction granted to the Government employes by the A. F. of L. The convention then would call on the A. F. of L. to say whether it is desired that this jurisdiction be continued or whether the A. F. of L. itself wants to take direct control and make the non-Federal group independ- ent of the Federal, . Plan Thought Satisfactery. This plan was expected to be satis- factory both to the American Federa- tion of Government Employes and to the other group, which is forming a permanent tion at & conven- tion opening here Thursday. At pres- ent, individual units of the non-Federal workers are joined to the A. P. G. E. by temporary certificates of affilistion. The federation was called on to work for the five-day week and & ord in favor of two propositions to | that is, working the same number of hours weekly as at present, but con- centrating them within the five days.” “Real sentiment,” the report am- plified, “Is undoubtedly for a five-day, 35-hour week, if it can be obtained.” Eventually it was added, the 30-hour week is the objective. _— BONNER’S VERDICT _OF $45,000 UPHELD ‘The United States Court of Appeals today affirmed the $45,000 verdict re- turned by a District Court jury in favor of Frank E. Bonner, former executive secretary of the Federal Power Commission, who charged he was libeled by five articles published in the Washington Times and Wash- ington Herald in the Spring of 1930. The articles were published in a him into disgrace and seriously in- jured him in his profession as an elec- trical engineer. The Court of Appeals ruled against the ‘defendant, the Washington Times Co., on all points raised in the appeal and refused to discuss the reason- The newspaper attacks on the for- mer Power Commission official grew aut of troubles with a commission file R ACTION DUE SOON 10 ENTER SCHOOL But State Board Is Held Un- likely to Meet on Flag Salute Incident. ASKED TO OVERRULE OXON HILL ORDER Lawyer to Seek Mandamus Un- less Maryland Unit Acts Quickly. 85 a Staff Correspondent of ‘e Star. BALTIMORE, September 14.—Court action within a few days to return the six Ludke children to Prince Georges County schools appeared likely today as State Supt. of Schools Albert 8. Cook indicated no special meeting of the Maryland Board of Education would be called for consideration of the case. Meanwhile, Attorney General Her- bert R. O’Conor was studying the State board’s jurisdiction in the matter at the request of Cook. Attorney Ed- mund D. Campbell of Washington, representing the children’s father, has asked - the agency to overrule the county education board’s order barring the Oxon Hill children from school for their refusal to salute the Ameri- can flag. Anxious to avoid delay in their education, Campbell declared he would seek a mandamus from the Circuit Court in Upper Marlboro unless he received “immediate response” from the State Board. According to law providing for daily patriotic exercises at Maryland schools, local boards of education are charged with arranging the cere- monies. O'Conor must determine whether the State agency can force the Prince Georges board to rescind its ruling, issued last June, Cites Difficulties. “We probably will not call a spe- cial session before our regular meet- ing next month,” Cook declared to- |day. “Our board members live al | over the State, and it would be diffi- cult and expensive to gatheér them all | together just to hear this case—even ;1 we find that we have the right to o s0.” | the Oxon Hill Consolidated School had | been “a terrific shock to them, espe- lly the four girls.” * “They aren't at all enthuu'l%er this enforced vacation,” he said. “The shock actually made the youngsters fll for several days. They all liked their school work, you know, and received very good marks.” Members of Jehovah's Witnesses, & religious sect, the children attracted | Nation-wide interest last Spring when they refused to salute the flag at the morning Pledge of Allegiance exer- | cises. They declared they would not | “put the flag before God.” Case in Califdrnia. A similar refusal to salute in Cal- ifornia brought expulsion of a girl in Sacramento County, but .the State Superior- Court, citing the religious | freedom clause of the California con- ‘smution, reinstated the child. She | was also a member of Jehovah's Wit- nesses. Campbell's attack on the Prince Georges board's ruling is founded on the Maryland constitutional provisions of religious freedom and the law pro- viding for the patriotic ceremonies. The latter statute, he.averred in the petition filed with the State board, does not prescribe penalties for in- dividuals’ non-compliance, HUNTS FAMILY HERE. After a fruitless search of more than two months, Thomas N. Up- church, formerly of Hopewell, Va., came to Washington today, seeking police aid in locating his wife and daughter, missing since July 27. Upchurch said he traced his wife, Mrs. Bernice Upchurch, 24, and their daughter, Virginia, nearly 5, to Wash- ington through a bus line, The war on insects enlists two Wheatley School. The pair operati {Public Schools Aid New | for daily special® clinics for free vac- August A. Ludke, 40-year-old Wash- | | ington Post Office employe, today de- | clared his children’s disbarment from Young Washington " i Brother James, principal of Immaculate Conceptiort School, young charges as classes were resumed in the parochial schools today. *okokkk expected to be enrolled in the 27 graded parish schools. Approzimately 2,000 more, pupils in the high schools and academies, will return to their class rooms tomorrow, although some of them began their work last week. Gonzaga High Scheol, with about 300, was the first to open, and Dublane Hall, a junior school for elementary and grammar pupils, scheduled to open next Monday, will be the last. PAGE B—1 JACOBS REQUESTS MASS OF DATA FOR D.C. FINANGE STUDY is shown above greeting his More than 10,000 were —Star Staff Photo. CLINICS TO OFFER FREE VACCINATION Pupils in Complying With Law. In order to expedite compliance with | the compulsory smallpox \'lcctmflnni law, the public schools have arranged | cination of new pupils. The clinic, to be conducted under the direction of the District Health | Department, will be held at 304 In-| diana avenue. It will be open Wed- nesday and Saturday mornings from 10 to 11 o'clock, and Monday, Tues- | day, Thursday and Friday afternoons from 1 to 2 o'clock. New pupils, entering the Washing- ton schools for the first time, will have to present their certificates at the time they spply for admission tickets. Elementary pupils have been directed to apply at the schools nearest their homes Friday or Saturday of this week, between 8 and 10 am. or 4 and 6 pm. In the junior and senior high schools, new pupils or old pupils seek- ing an advanced rating, will apply to the High School Admission Board at the Thomson School, Twelfth and L streets, Wednesday, Thursday or Fri- day, between 9 am. and 4 pm. All those regularly promoted last vear will report to their schools next Monday at 9 am. FLOOD GROUP NAMED. Committee to Prepare for World Conference Here. H. H. Bennett, chief of the Soil- Conservation Service; Morris L. Cooke, administrator of the Rural Electrifica- tion Administration, and F. A. Silcox, chief of the Forest Service, have been appointed as a special committee to prepare for & world conference on flood control and land conservation here September 22 and 23. The conference will concern itself with problems of up-stream engineer- ing in connection with the subjects under discussion. e Stamp Club on Air Again. The Washington Stamp Club of the Air will resume meetings this evening at 8:45 over Station WOL. Albert F. Kunze, president, will discuss “Sep- tember History Reflected in Stamps.” Crash Victim LIEUT. COL. THOMAS O. HUMPHREYS. CARPLUNGEKILLS COL. HUMPHREYS Former D. C. Resident Dies in Colorado—Burial in Arlington. Lieut. Col. Thomas Ogden Hum- phreys, retired Coast Artillery officer and former resident of Washington, was killed Saturday night when his car plunged off & highway near Castle Rock, Colo., 30 miles south of Denver, relatives here were informed yesterday. Burial will be in Arlington Na- tional Cemetery, but the date has not been set. Col. Humphreys, who was 48, re- tired because of ill-hea! about two years ago. He left his home here— the Martinique Hotel—for treatment at the Fitzsimmons Hospital, Denver, » month ago. The colonel was divorced from his wife, the former Caroic Garnett, 301 Cumberland avenue, Somerset, Md., & year ago. She subsequently married Henry S. Wheeler, Mayor of Newport, R. 1. Her son, Thomas O. Humphreys, jr,, 19, arrived here from Newport last night to attend his father's funeral. A native of San Diego, Calif., Col. Humphreys entered the Army after graduation with honors from Cornell University. He served during the ‘World War with the 2d Division. Just before his retirement he was in com- mand of Fort Preble, Me. Lieut. P. M. Mosier, who was in the car with Col. Humphreys, was un- injured. Col. Humphreys is survived by his mother, Mrs. E. M. Humphreys, 2024 First street, and three sisters, Mar- garet A, Dorothy and Mrs. J. R. McNiel. The colonel's son figured in the wreck of the yacht Kaydet last March off Cape Hatteras. The vessel was in charge of Capt. Homer B. Millard, ‘Washington boys’ school headmaster, accompanied by a group of local youths. They were rescued. by the steamer Rosafio and taken to Puerto Rico. — g TRIO HELD IN ROBBERY. Clothing Store Looted of 'l.‘runL and Men’s Garments. Three colored men are being held at the second precinct station in con- nection with the robbery early today of a clothing store at 1100 L street. in which seven steamer trunks and men's clothing worth $42.50 were stolen. No charges have been placed against the men. Mdx Cohen of the Annapolis Hotel, proprietor of the store, reported the robbery to police, who later arrested Ralph Gray, 20, of 2114 Vermont ave- P -|nue; James C. Strothers, 21, of 507 oung 'yardenen at the ’M spray are Gladys Li; daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Liff, 1215 Morse street nam’z’-' :g.s"t, and Robert Smith, son of Mr. and Mrs. Carter F. Smith, Morse street northeast. Tomorrow: Mr.and Mrs. Vernon Pizzi, at the Takoma o Fare Playground. 'ar| ound. —star $taff Photo. / A Plorida avenue, and Thomas A. Starks, Isabella Circle to Meet. Daughters of Isabella Circle, No. 178, will hold its AIRPORT T0 ADOPT PLANE ‘ZONE' PLAN Radio - Control System to Prevail as Runways Are Constructed. Washington Airport today was to begin operations under a “zoned” sys- tem, with all airplane landings and take-offs subject to radio control, as a safeguard against accidents due to the present construction of paved runways. Unless this system is re- | garded as satisfactory, on trial, trans- | port lines now using the local terminal | have indicated they may be compelled to abandon operations here during the period of construction. Copies of a zoned chart of the air- | port are to be placed in the hands of | all pilots using the airport retuhrly‘ during the course of the day, as a basis for future radio control of opera- tions during the two months which be required for completion of con- struction, according to Samuel J. Solomon, airport manager. ‘Will Contact Control Tower. Before each landing the pilot will be required to contact the airport control tower, which will designate the areas open for the landing. Land- from the tower. Approximately 1,000 feet of the pro- posed 4,200-foot main runway has been graded in preparation for the laying of & slag and crushed stone foundation for the asphalt runway, which is to be 100 feet wide. An addi- tional 200 feet on each side of the paved surface will be graded and rolled, making the available landing area 500 feet wide. Refueling Facilities Improved. As a result of the abandoning of the airline refueling pits in the load- ing ramp in front of the administra- tion building, the airport has com- pleted installation of what is said to | be one of the largest gasoline service stations maintained by any air termi- nal. This station will be equipped to | handle from 160,000 to 170,000 gal- |lons of fuel a month. Three large | fueling trucks now are in service. One | of them was just received from Roose- velt Field, N. Y., to augment the local | fleet. | Cutting of trenches for the enlarged drainage system, now being installed | as a part of the paving program, has | been slowed by the concrete founda- | tions of the grandstand at the former | race track on the site. These founda- ; tions are being cut out and drainage | construction will go ahead this week. pected to start this week. MOTOR CYCLE ESCORT OF PRESIDENT HURT . Policeman Mangum Injured in Warning Motorist Away From Party. Motor Cycle Policeman Percy G. Mangum, 32, was injured yesterday while trying to prevent an automo- bile from swinging into line with cars returning Presi- dent Roosevelt and his party to the White House from s week end cruise. The President’s 4 party, homeward i bound from the navy yard, where it had disem- barked from the yacht Potomac, had jnst passed Constitution and Delaware ave- nues when a car sought to turn into the line, the driver apparently not realizing the situation. Mangum's motor cycle skidded and fell as he drove to warn away the trespassing car. He took the driver, Mrs. Averill E. Baumbaugh, 26, of 4318 Bowen road southeast, to police headquarters before going to Emer- gency Hospital for treatment for a possible fracture of the left elbow and cuts and brush burns. Mrs. Baumbaugh was released after brief detention for “investigation.” Praises Drought Relief. Senator Robert M. La Follette, jr., says the Wisconsin drought relief pro- :nl: has saved the State’s dairy in- ’ ings will be made only on direction Runway foundation work also is ex- | Department Heads Called to Budget Estimate Con- ferences. SLASH OF $18,000,000 WILL COME UP FIRST Skeleton of $40,000,000 Sufficient Only to Pay Bare Costs to Be Arrived At. A score of District government de- partment heads struggled today with & varied assortment of facts and fig- ures requested by J L. Jacobs, Chi- cago efficiency engineer and tax ex pert, for use in the exhaustive stucy he is making at the direction of Presi- dent Roosevelt to determine the Fed- eral obligation toward local ex- Ppenses. At the same time, the Commis- sioners, having closed the $58,000,000 budget estimates for next year, begar a series of conferences with depart- ment heads with a view to making = final draft of operating expenses { submission to the Budget Bureau. ‘The Commissioners first will cor sider slashing the original estimat | by approximately $18,000,000 in ac- cordance with a previously-adopt iplln. This would leave a skeletr budget of about $40,000,000, sufficie merely to pay actual maintenan costs and existing obligations of ti local government. Alternate Budget Planned. An alternate or supplemental by get, based on the action of the r | Congress with respect to the Fec payment, will be submitted later. The information sought by Jac it is understood, is intended prima to show the additional expenses District must incur every year cause it is the seat of the Fed Government. It will show, for « ampe, the cost of maintaining ex sive park areas and wide streets, cost of fire protection for Gov ment buildings and the value of I | eral property, based on present | sessments. | Jacobs, in asking the departn heads to prepare this informai | indicated it would play an import part in his study. This material, hc ever, is to be supplemented by ot: factual information having a bear; on the fiscal relations question. Later in the inquiry, Jacobs said, ' | will invite every organization intere ed in the problem to submit data. conference for this purpose, Jacol: said, probably will not be held for 2 least another month. To facilitate the study, Jacobs di-- closed, it has been decided tentative™ to permit civic groups to submit writ- ten reports in advance. | Program Is Formulated. The first meeting between Jaco and the Advisory Committee Satu. day resulted in the formation of program of procedure for the inquir- The details, however, were not mac public. The Advisory Committee, whic | the President also appointed, is com- | posed of George McAneny, presiden | of the Title Guarantee Trust Co. ¢ New York City; James W. Martin | chairman of the Kentucky State Ta | Commission, and Clarence A. Dykstr:, | city manager of Cincinnati. Those called in to go over estimatc | with the Commissioners today in- | cluded Maj. Daniel J. Donovan, audi- tor; A. R. McGonegal, chief plumbing inspector; Fred E. Allen, tax assessor; E. P. Brooke, superintendent of the District Building, and Geoffrey Thor- nett, secretary to the Commissioners. The chief difficulty in making the | $18,000,000 reduction will be encoun- | tered when the heads of the Health Department, Board of Education and Board of Public Welfare present their estimates, which account for a major portion of the increase in the origi- nal budget. Even after reducing the budget to $40,000,000, it would still be neces- sary to provide new sources of reve- nue!/ That estimate was said to ex- ceed the general revenue expected | from all sourves next year by $2.- 000,000, and this deficit will have to be met somehow. e BAND CONCERT. By the Marine Band in the Marinc Barracks at 8 pm. today: Capt. Tay- lor Branson, leader; William F. San- telmans, second leader. PROGRAM. March, “My Own United States,” from “When Johnny Comes Marching Home” . Edwards Excerpts from “Wang” - Cornet solo, “Kiss Me from “Mile. Modiste” (Winfred Kemp). Intermezzo, “There Once Was an owl” __. --- Herbert Trombone solo, “Lover, Come Back to Me,” from “New Moon'-Romberg (Harold Bayes). Selections from “The Saxophone solo, "Indlan Sum- (b) March, “The Bride-Elect”._Sousa Selections from “The Red Mill," . Herbert Xylophone solo, Worm” 2 (Charles Owen). Excerpts from “Music in the Atr” “The Star Spangled Banner.” By the United States Army Band, at 5 pm. today in the auditorium, Capt. Thomas F. Darcey, conducting. March, “On the Alert” “Second Polonaise” Cornet solo, “Willow Echoes”