Evening Star Newspaper, October 9, 1936, Page 21

Wash U.C. GROUP ASKED TO MAP PLAN FCR TAX COLLECTIONS Law to Permit Attachment of Rents Is Among Suggestions. DONOVAN URGES STUDY OF LEGISLATIVE MOVE Recommendations of Delinquency Committee to Be Presented by October 31. Members of the District’s Tax De- linquency Committee were asked today by Auditor Daniel J. Donovan to con- sider whether legislation should be sought which would permit attach- ment of rents and other moneys for non-payment of taxes due the District. This was one of a long list of sug- gestions for improving collection of taxes which Donovan placed before the committee for study in prepara- tion for adeption of recommendations | which must be submitted to the Com- Tmissioners by October 31. Formation of the committee resulted from criticism by members of Con- gress over the present tax-collection ‘machinery. One of the things criticized was the annual tax deed sale, which permits professional tax brokers to buy tax certificates and to charge high fees from property owners when they re- deem their holdings. was failure to collect long-overdue yearly and personal taxes and special assessments, . Ditter's Suggestion Recalled. Asking for special attention to the question of attachment of rents, | Donovan told the committee “it will | be recalled that Representative Ditter, | Republican, of Pennsylvania, a mem- | ber of the subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee in charge | of the District bill, suggested that | such a procedure should be put into | effect in the District. He said that in his home jurisdiction the sheriff has authority to attach rents for un- paid taxes.” Another suggestion which Maj. Donovan asked the committee to con- sider was whether legislation should | be recommended for the attachment ' of funds of delinquent taxpayers in banks. He also raised the question of . whether owners of real estate could be proceeded against, under the exist- ing law, for the collection of delin- quent personal taxes and whether the ! statute of limitations runs against collection of unpaid personal taxes in arrears for three years or more. “Set-Off” to Be Considered. The committee also was asked to Another point | | made public, in accordance with a re- ington News Prisoner’s Plea For Longer Jail Term Is Granted Says He Would Get in Trouble With Only 180 Days. Thomas F. Wenner, charged with vagrancy in Police Court today, told Judge Robert E. Mattingly he is afraid of liberty. Wenner, who came into court under two aliases, pleaded guilty to being a vagrant and was ordered to post a $500 bond or spend 180 days in jail. Wringing his hands in desperation, Wenner addressed the court with: “Judge, can’t you make that 360 days? If I get out in six months, I'll just get in trouble again.” Judge Mattingly accommodated and set the sentences at one year in jail. 7 MORE REPORTS * O FISCAL STUDY |Committee’s Statistics, Show Federal Benefits at District’s Expense. Twenty-three additional reports, | loaded with statistics showing benefits | reaped by the Federal Government at | District expense, were submitted today | | to the committee of tax experts ap- | pointed by President Roosevelt to make an exhaustive study of fiscal relations between the two governments. The initial ihstallment of 15 reports was | turned over to the committee last week. | All the reports were prepared by de- | | partment heads of the municipal gov- | ernment. Each discloses in dollars | | and cents how much the United States | | Government would have had to pay | for the services it received from the District in the last 12 years if it could have been taxed as an ordinary tax- payer. The details, however, were not quest of J. L. Jacobs, Chicago effi- | ciency engineer and tax authority, who is directing the fiscal relations | study. Millions Saved by U. S. Despite the veil of secrecy thrown around the reports, it is reported that the services listed by the department heads would cost the Federal Govern- ment millions of dollars each year, nearly doubling the $5,000,000 lump- sum contribution it made this year toward District expenses. ‘The 23 additional reports covered the following District activities lnd: institutions: Gallinger Hospital, District Train- ing School, Home for the Aged and | Infirm, Industrial Home Schools (white and colored), Municipal Lodg- | ing House, National Training School | for Girls, Receiving Home for Chil-| dren, Board of Public Welfare, Mu- | nicipal Architect’s Office, Building In- | spection Division, Police Court, City consider if the District could apply | Refuse Department, Public Library, | a “set-off” in payment of claims of | Public Assistance Division of the, individuals or corporations, from whom | Board of Public Welfare, recorder of taxes are due the District. , | deeds, Health Department, Child Wel- Summarizing a long list of sug® |fare Division of the Board of Public gestions made for improvement of | Welfare, A<alt Tuberculosis Sana- the systems of tax billing and tax |torium, Children's Tuberculosis Sana- accounting, Donovan asked the com- mittee to be prepared to make recom- mendations before the end of this | month. Members of the committee, in addi- tion to Donovan, are: Rufus S. Lusk, ‘Washington Takpayers' Association; Thomas E. Lodge, Federation of Citi- zens’ Associations; District Tax As- sessor Fred D. Allen; William L. Beale, Board of Trade; Assistant Cor- poration Counsel Vernon E. West; Herold E. Doyle, Real Estate Board, and Tax Collector Chatham M. Towers. REPUBLlCA&.WOMéN WILL HOLD RALLY Mrs. Coleman and Mrs. ‘Will Be Speakers at White- law Hotel Meeting. Mrs. Maude B. Coleman, director of womens’ work for the Eastern division of the Republican National Committee, and ;Mrs. Virginia White Speel will addréss residents of the District, Maryland and Virginia at a rally at 6 p.m. tomorrow at the Whitelaw Ho- tel, Thirteenth and T streets. ‘The meeting will be held under the auspices of the Landon and Knox Campaign League, of which Francis Wells is president. ‘The league is planning a special 10-day excursion to New York for voters registered in New York City and reservations are now being made #t the Whitelaw Hotel headquarters. Sunday at 6 p.m., the league will hold its usual public forum. At 8:30 p.m. tomorrow, the Young Republicans will hold a dance at the hotel. Speel | | torium and Police Department. | Four Yet Incomplete. | These 23 reports, together with the | | 15 previously submitted to the com- mittee, virtually completes the pic- ture of municipal government assist- ance to the Federal Government. Only four more reports are as yet uncom- pleted. These are under preparation by the Playground Department, the Public Utilities Commission, the Office | of National Capital Parks and the | National Capital Park and Planning | | Commission. Jacobs asked the municipal govern- | | ment heads to prepare the reports at | | a conference a month ago as a means | of aiding him and his Advisory Com- | mittee to determine what constitutes | a fair and equitable basis of fiscal| relations between the Federal and | | District governments. Jacobs also requested civic organiza- tions interested in a solution of the fiscal relations problem to submit data | that will be of value to him and his Advisory Committee not later than Monday Representatives of these or- ganizations are to be granted a public hearing October 23 and 24. CINEMA CLliB TO MEET The National Capital Cinema Club, consisting of amateur motion picture snthusiasts, laid plans for its third year’s prcgram last night at the first meetirg of the season at the Powhatan Hotel. Mark Lansburgh, president, ap- pointed Harry E. Smith chairman of the Program Committee and arrange- ments were made for a “ladies’ night” at the next session, November 12. Donovan Is Denied Freedom, Despite Parole Official’s Aid Efforts by attorneys for James F. (Bugs) Donovan to obtain his release ftrom prison on a writ of habeas corpus failed in District Court today, when Chief Justice Alfred A. Wheat ruled he was without jurisdiction to review the action of the Parole Board in Donovan'’s case. High light of the hearing was testi- pony by Wilbur La Roe, Parole Board thairman, who testified that Donovan broke his parole through no’ fault of his own and was arrested and incar- was to remain in the vicinity of Flora, Ind., and work on a chicken farm der supervision of a parole officer. tly Donovan made an hon- gemn to rehabilitate himself, La- " said, but he was placed in a dilemma when newspaper Y $ concerning him reached the fown. Although Donovan's had been exemplary, & dele- | torneys said they would warned him, under threat of death, | to leave the town. Realizing that if he failed to leave he would be in serious danger, and that if he fled he would violate his parole, Donovan communicated with his parole officer, who removed him to South Bend, Ind. Donovan then was rearrested and returned to Wash- ington, where he has been held since. LaRoe explained that the board in & better position than h before his rearrest, since at that he was still uder jurisdi thorities. After the hearing, L] 2 g $ i wabion of citizens called on him nndfuv.lce Wheat's decision. - The Fpening Har WASHINGTON, D. C, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1936. Society and General Pets Hold Sway at Fredericksburg Dog Mart Scenes at Fredericksburg yesterday during the annual d. No. 1—Beauty, Eskimo Spitz, owned by Mrs. Morris Herndon, takes Betty Jane Hall and Anne Thomason for a ride. No. 2—Mrs. Garrett Parr of Bolling Green with Skippy and Fido, which took ribbons in the show. RED CROSS DRVE N FIVAL WEEK Enroliment Reaches 33,870 in Campaign to Get 65,000 Members. One week remains for the Red | Cross to get 31,130 members necessary to go “over the top” in its drive for | a 65,000 enrollment. The campaign passed the halfway | mark yesterday, when enrollment rose | to 33,655. Bad weather hampered so- licitors today, but an increase of 215 | was.reported, bringing the total mem- | bership to 33,870. | Campaigners believed their goal | would be reached successfully by mid- | night next Friday, although they are faced with the task of enrolling al- | most as many members in one week as have been recorded in two. Many solicitation units are delaying reports until their rosters are complete. Heavy Government Returns. The majority of yesterday's re- turns again came from the Govern- ment, this solicitation division, under Maj. Gen. Fred W. Boschen, report- ing &n increase of- 1,988 members dur- ing the day. Totals for other units were:' Pinancial, 2,167; utilities, 1,317; professional, 1,539; general business, 1,379; resjdential, 667; miscellaneous, 821; booths, 821. ‘Twenty-five booths opened yester- day ‘in -downtown department stores, office buildings and banks, under the supervision of Miss Mabel T. Board- man, chairman of the Red Cross vol- unteer service. Although many of the larger divi- sions in the roll call organization have not as yet reported on as much as 50 per -cent of their personnel, an in- creasing number of units are turning in 100 per cent enroliment records. Among those received yesterday were the Community - Chest. and Capital Motors Co., the latter numbering 83 members. Other 100 per cent received recently came from the Budget Bu- reau, Fine Arts Commission, Export: d [ S AR Sightless, but “Prepared.” FIEDMONT, ~Calif. (#.—Donald Latrens, 13:year-old Boy Scout, won 'Hunter’s Artistry on Horn mart. cowboy suit, Wins “Dog Mart” Feature . 2 T —— No. 3—Robert Resio transforms his dog Rex into a cow pony to match his No. 4—Walter Stanley, 5, with a fine litter of Red Bone hounds. —Star Staff Photos. 'TAXIGONTROLLAW 0LD-AGE PENSION | Sam Ford’s Blasts Shrill Through Coun- BY W. H. SHIPPEN, JR. Staff Correspondent of The Star. FREDERICKSBURG, Va., Oct. 9.— “No, don’t blow that horn yet, Sam!"” | Sam Ford, like Gabriel of “Green Pastures,” was all set to sound a mighty blast, his cheeks puffed out‘ and his horn held high. But the voice stopped him. It was a huge horn, as fox horns go, which the colored man lowered | from his lips with some disappomh; ment, a polished, three-foot taper- ing spiral that once had crowned the hard head of a Texas long horn. “Ladies and gentlemen,” continued | the voice, “you are about to see.or I might say hear, the finals in a con- test to- determine the champion fox horn blower of Virginia. “This contest, ladies and gentle- men, is an innovation, I might say a unique innovation, in Fredericks- burg's ancient, annual and traditional heritage from Virginia's first settlers and their Indian friends—the Fred- ericksburg Dog Mart!” Dogs Sound Chorus. When the voice in the loud- speaker subsided there was a flurry of applause among hundreds of spec- tators grouped about a roped-off arena under the trees. In addition, 300 dogs of every deseription were yap- | ping, howling and whining as the fox | horn finalists- took their places. A sun-burned, barrel-chested farmer i was competing with Sam for the | championship. He had a fox horn | half as long as Sam's, and tipped at the large end with metal. The | farmer compressed his lips and blew | until his face crimsoned and every hound within hearing howled an ac- companiment. The farmer and Sam had worsted four other aspirants, one of whom brought out a huge ram's horn. Stiil another had a horn that gave off a Puff of dust and a dry, croaking sound when he blew it. A spectator said Veteran Horn-Sounder. It was a big moment for Sam, veteran fox hunter of near Chancel- Va. As he said, he had beén & fox horn, off and onm, for years or 30, ever since he began ollowing the hounds at the age of ht. R d.mh-m‘tawhkhhehlewm ‘That was just a “starter,” said a | ain't you, Sam?” | | dogs to town for a bit of trading not colored field hand, a few blasts to Jet the young dogs know it was ne * tryside in Opening Event of Fredericksburg Revival. Then Sam blew three thin, high, peals with a fine air of finality. ! “That's the ‘dead fox’ he gave ’'em then,” sald the field hand. “Means it's time to kick out the fire, call off the dogs and go home. Ain't| that right, Sam? ! “You've been practicin' a lot lately, | “Not much, grinned Sam. as the committee handed him the first prize —another horn. | “Not much. oh, no.” grinned the] field hand. “Sam’s been blowin' that big fox horn of his. practicin’ for the championship, until every hound in his end of the county was chew- in' at his chain, or clawin' at the door, howlin' and rarin’ to go.” | Bidders Avid. An auction sale of dogs followed | the fox-horn event. Some spirited bidding was stirred up by P‘rederlcks-l burg’s dynamic auctioneer, Nathaniel Bacon Kinsey. Auctioneer Kinsey had a ripid-fire line of patter waich he| hurled at prospective buyers while accompanying himself with an anti- que hand bell said to be 100 years old, but highly audible nevertheless. Some prices ran as high as $150 for blue-blooded bird dogs, ranging down | to two bits or “what have you” for| miscellaneous muts, curs, hybrids and | hounds of dqubtful lineage. The morring hours at the dog mart were ocupied with the judging of various | classes and the awarding of ribbons. | The first dog mart was held in the 1690s after it occured to the city fathers that their friends, the Indians, | | might be persuaded to bring their unprofitable to the city fathers. i The ancient custom was revived in | recent years by the Fredericksburg | Chamber of Commerce without the aid of Indians, LORTON GUARDS FACING DISCIPLINARY ACTION Two Alleged to Have Engaged in Fight Over Card Game. Disciplinary action was planned to- y against two Lorton Reformatory said to have fought in a quar- over & card game in their quarters ‘ednesday night. One of the men injured. The firuclmm.s were F. W. Raw- ngs and James E. Crawford. Raw- lings, it was said, hit Crawford with his club, causing wounds which re- :ln:.rlea'mwhm at Alexandria Hos Col. William 'L. Peake, reformatory superintendent, was expected to com- plete his investigation of the incident tomorrow, and’ recommend punish- ment of the men to Capt: M. M. Barnard, general superintendent of penal institutions. » PROSECTBETTER - SPACE IS LEAE Need for Regulation Cited in Baltimore Building to House Roberts’ Report to Citizens’ Groups. Hope for adoption of legislation for effective control of Washington's huge fleet of taxicabs and regulation of taxi fares is voiced by People’s Counsel William A. Roberts, in an annual re- port he is sending out today to citi- zens' associations. For a number of years Congress has ! inserted in the District appropriation acts a “rider” forbidding the Public Utilities Commission to enforce an old order requiring the metering of cabs. This was initiated by Representative Blanton of Texas, who recently was defeated for re-election. “The number of taxicabs has in- | creased to a point where it is difficult | for a driver to earn even a meager living if he confines himself to render- ing safe taxicab service. The tendency toward unsatisfactory and unsafe serv- ice and toward the use of taxicabs for unlawful purposes is therefore growing. | tative proposals for construction of a | A number of sections of the city suffer from violent discriminations as a re- sult of the zone system of rates and | the present zone boundaries.” Rail Ownership Inquiry. Roberts also reported he had re- | ceived suggestions for an inquiry into the feasibility of municipal ownership of the operation of the street railway system. The people’s counsel also declared that unless his office is provided an investigation staff, the position should be abolished and the Public Utilities Commission given sole responsibility to look after the interests of the public. Roberts has taken issue with many decisions rendered by the commis- sion. He alluded to this in saying: “It has become clear that the duties and responsibilities of the office of people’s counsei, if actively performed, | | awaken antagonism and resentment on the part of the Public Utilities Commission and its staff.” Again reviving his proposals for re. organfzation of the District govern- ment, Roberts said: “Further fact- finding surveys are unnecessary. The question is now what affirmative changes are required to increase its efficiency, reduce operating costs and prevent existing abuses. “After 10 years of participation in such studies I have reached the con- clusion that some form of suffrage and representation is justified by the contribution of Washingtonians- to the cost of their Government and is necessary to the tion of an alert, economical and non-political municipal service. “If Congress is convinced that the civic groups are definitely interested in this subject, there is every reason to believe that progress will be made toward legislation in the coming ses- sion.” . He also renewed his suggestions for a new small loans act, a uniform sales act, an assignment of wages act, s wage fraud law and other legisla- “tion. N Division Under Social Security. Preparing to establish an extensive division for administration of the Fed- eral Old-Age Pension Division of the Social Security Administration, the Board has leased about 100,000 square feet of office space in a Baltimore | buildirg. it was anncunced today. Operation of this program will be- | gin on January 1, 1937, with a 1 per | cent wage tax being levied on all employes, and a similar assessment being made on employers. With rec- ords of every employed individual in the country being required, it is ex- pected that this division eventually will be the largest in the Social Se- | curity Administration. | At the present time, activities of | the board are spread through several | buildings in Washington with head- | quarters being in the old Labor De- | partment Building on G street. Ten- | new building large enough to house all activities of the administration al- ready have been considered. The work to be initiated in Balti- more, it was said, will be a tabulating and record-keeping job not yet started so will not involve transfer of any | large group of present employes. The | work is expected to start within two | months. in the Candler Building. — | SUES OVER TRADE NAME Suit to enjoin Joseph Greenbaum, proprietor of a dry-cleaning establish- ment at 39 Florida avenue, from using | a trade name similar to that of the | “Famous Valet Shop,” 1346 E street, | was filed in District Court today by at- torneys for the latter. Attorney Harry W. Held, represent- | ing the plaintiff, told the court that | Greenbaum had his establishment, | “Famous Cleaners and Dyers,” listed n the telephone book just two lines | above that of the other firm. The newly leased space is | PAGE B—1 SAL54194 PAI T0UTLITYFRNS OF CAPTALIN'S Operating Revenue of Eight Concerns $3,553,319 Above 1934 Total. |EXPENSE INCREASES PUT AT $27,541,803 Commission Renews Proposals to Reduce Number of Taxicabs. Eight Washington utilities which | are subject to control by the Public | Utilities Commission collected from their customers during the past cal- |endar year a total of $40,894,194 in operating revenues, the commission re- | vealed today in its annual report to Congress. The commission again renewed its proposals for requiring financial re- sponsibility for taxicab operators and for a reduction in the number of cabs permitted to be licensed. | The aggregate operating revenue for i the eight concerns was $3,553,319 more | than the total in 1934. At the same time operating expenses amounted to | $27.541,803, an increase of $2,962,123 over 1935. | Gross Income, $13,328,863. | These calculations showed that the | utility concerns had a gross income last year of $13,328,863, or an in- crease of $695,233 over the preceding | year. The net income, or the sum left available for dividends or surplus, after payment of interest and taxes, was calculated from the books of the companies at $9,961,393, or an in- crease of $645,099. Four of the concerns were reported to have paid no dividends, however, | these being the Capital Transit Co., | the Washington Interurban Railroad | Co., the Washington Rapid Transit | Co. and the Georgetown Gaslight Co. | Profits of the Potomac Electric | Power Co, which is owned by the Washington Railway & Electric Co., | a holding company, lead the rest. Its !pmflu were placed at $4.006,167, of | which $2,945,041 were disbursed in dividends and $398.899 in sinking fund appropriations. C. & P. Income $1,912,829. ‘The net income of the Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Co. last year was found to be $1.912,829, of which $1,480,000 was distributed as divi- dends, the remainder going to surplus. The Washington Gas Light Co. | which owns the Georgetown Gaslight Co., paid dividends, but these were charged to surplus. It transferred to the surplus account a sum of $958.- 926. The Washington Railway & Electric Co. also paid dividends which | were charged to surplus. During the past vear it transferred to its sur- plus account a sum of $2,626,523. The commission again requested Congress for powers to establish ef- fective control over the taxicab indus- try, with financial responsibility legis- lation and reduction in the number of taxicabs, |CHARGE OF ASSAULT [ IS DENIED BY ACTON | _ Frank H. Acton, 35, was held in the District Jail under $10,000 bond today after pleading not guilty to a charge of assault with intent to kill Donald K. Mersch, 29, in Police Court yester- day. Mersch, who was shot in the chest and left shoulder in an argument over money Sunday night at Eleventh and E streets southwest, is still in a critical condition in Emergency Hospital. Jesse J. Jones, 19, and Bela A. Stramer, 23, who were in a car with Acton when he was arrested, were held as witnesses. :Dog Acts a Lady In Court, Disproves \“Vicious” Charge Donna’sOwn Actionsand Character Witnesses Impress Judge. Donna, police dog pet of Miss Amer- |ica Iglesias, daughter of Santiago | Iglesias, Puerto Rican resident com- | missioner, gave a demonstration of | good manners in Police Court yes- terday to contradict successfully charges that she is a dangerous dog. Miss Iglesias was fined $5 for al- |lowing Donna to roam the neigh- | borhood of her home at 3175 Porter street, but charges that the dog at- | tacked a small boy and colored maid and disturbed neighbors with its howling were disregarded. After hearing 19 “character wite nesses” for Donna and watching the dog submit to teasing by two chil !dun. one a 4-year-old, Judge Robert E. Mattingly said he had no evidence that Donna was vicious or a nuisance. Dr. H. A. Locke, a veterinarian, said he had known Donna for some time, and that she was in every ree spect a canine lady. A petition signed by neighbors supported his | compliment. “Catfish” Proves to Be Shark, Rare Catch for D. C. Waters Neither James Kenney, colored, nor his 10 children are going to eat any “catfish” like the one the truck driver hauled out of the Potomac yesterday. Kenney said as much after he brought his 30-inch catch to Bureau of Pisheries experts, and it was iden- tified as one of the first ground sharks on record to be found in fresh water. “It's a fine little shark,” said an expert. “Why don't you $ake it home fand try it?" “No, suh” Kenney replied, “I've lived in good health for 46 years now and I don't want to spoil my record!"” “Why not take it to your children?” “They don't eat what I won't eat!” declared Kenney, ‘ He said he caught the shark while fishing near Three Sisters Rocks, When he hooked it, Kenney said, he thought “somethin’ was funny” because it was the “fightin’est catfish™ he ever “laid hold of.” He took it to the wharves, but the fish dealers shook their heads over it. Kenney, who drives a truck for & | South Washington (Va.) brick com- pany, was on his way out when Fred G. Orsinger, director of the Com- merce Department aquarium, called | after him: “Hey, you've forgotten your shark!” | _“You can have it,"” replied Kenney. Bo the shark gas consigned to an incinerator i d of a frying pan.