Evening Star Newspaper, October 29, 1936, Page 1

WEATHER. (U. 8. Weather Bureau Forecast.) Fair and slightly warmer, lowest tem- perature about 40 degrees tonight; tomor- row fair, followed by cloudy and colder at night. Temperatures—Highest, 56, at noon The only evening paper in Washington with the Associated DPress News today; lowest, 35, at 6:45 Full report on page A- New York Markets a.m. today, 19, ge 18 @b e ————————————e el 84th YEAR. No. 33,784. d class matter Entered as secont Washington. D. C. post offi WASHINGTON, D. C, ‘WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION “PAY ENVELOPE PROPAGANDA” IS ASSAILED BY ROOSEVELT; WAGE TAX STIRS CONNECTICUT < Urges‘Handful’ of Employers Leave U. S. WILKES-BARRE - MINERS CHEER Tactics in Class With “Coercion,” He Asserts. (Texts of President’s Speeches, B-14.) BY the Associated Press. WILKES-BARRE, Pa., October 29.| ; ~Asserting a “handful of employers” | Long Island community, was along ‘were attempting to sabotage the so- cialsecurity act through pay-envelope | propaganda, President Roosevelt ex: pressed the belief today that American | workers would not be “fooled by this | campaign any more than they were | frightened by the strong-arm squads | of the past.” | The Chief Executive, on his second invasion of the State offering second | highest prize in the electoral college, addressed his remarks to a large, ap- | plauding crowd of Anthracite workers ! and their families crowded into | Miners’ Park. He spoke from a high, flag-covered platform beside his train, | looking down on the thousands massed in the park. Charges Coercion. Leading up to his statement about security “propaganda,” he asserted: “No employer has a right to put his political preferences in the pay envelope. That is coercion even if he | tells the whole truth. But this propa- | ganda misrepresents by telling only | half the truth. Labor and a fair- minded public must place such tactics in a class with the coercion of the| strong-arm squad and the whispering ef the labor spy.” After cautioning to “get these facts | straight,” Mr. Roosevelt went on to| say the social security law calls upon | the employer to put up $3 to every $1 | by the employe for old age and unem- | nominee laid on it a wreath of Au- | to Oyster Bay came after a con- <« Gov. Landon Places Wreath On Theodore Roosevelt’s Grave Republican Nominee Pays Respect to Widow, Following Conference With Al Smith—Speaks Tonight. BY the Assoclated Press. NEW YORK, October 29.—Gov. Alf M. Landon, refreshed by a good night's rest, motored to Oyster Bay today to place a wreath on the grave of Theodore Roosevelt in tribute to the twenty-sixth President of the United States. Pausing briefly at the grave of the | famous “rough rider,” the Republican tumn leaves and chrysanthemums. His trip to Oyster Bay, a small winding concrete highways. The | morning air was crisp. His route gave him an opportunity to see the recently opened Tri-borough Bridge which links the New York City| boroughs of the Bronx, Queens and Manhattan. The laying of the wreath followed | a brief visit with the widow of the| former President at her Oyster Bay home. | The day's activities preceded the climatic speech of the nominee’s East- ern campaign at Madison Square | Garden tonight. The Republican nominee’s visit ference with Alfred E. Smith, 1928 Democratic presidential candidate, and Republican leaders, following a tumul- tuous welcome from cheering throngs that lined the streets from Penn sta- tion to his hotel. After their half-hour conference Landon told photographers who urged them to “get closer together” that “we are as close together as we can get and we're going to stick together for a long time.” Smith, declining to predict the out- come of the election, told reporters in response to questions: “I'm sure I was right” in supporting Landon. Concluding his visit, the nominee | planned to attend a luncheon of | Brooklyn Republican leaders, return- | ing to his hotel headquarters in mid- | afternoon to rest before going to the auditorium for his half-hour radio ad- dress. | The appeal for the voting support | of the Nations largest city will be | broadcast at 9:30 p.m. (Eastern stand- | ard time). | Smith, who it was considered pos- sible would present the candidate to (See LANDON, Page A-5.) REPORTSOF W.P.A FALSE, SAYS 6.0.P. Jersey Republicans Declare They Have Right to Probe Sources. Charges that reports published by the Works Progress Administration and Treasury Department concerning ployment insurance. “Three for one” he exclai “There’s the rub. That is what these | propaganda-spreading employers ob- | Ject to. These propagandists are driven in their desperation to the contempt- ible, unpatriotic suggestion that some future Congress will steal these insur- ance funds for other purposes. Better Leave Country. “If they really believe what they say in the pay envelopes, they have no confidence in our form of government or its permanence. It might be well for them to move to some other nation in which they have greater faith.” In reading his prepared speech, the President added politicians and | newspapers to the “handful” of em- | ployers he said were misleading la- | bor on the social security act. i Paying tribute to the late mine | union organizer, John Mitchell, for whose memory the day had been set | aside, the President said Mitchell pioneered in his day for collective bargaining. | “Today,” he added, “we have put upon the statute books the legal mech- amsm to make collective bargain- | ing a reality.” | John L. Lewis, president of the United Mine Workers of America, | * presented Mr. Roosevelt as the “de- | fender of the Republic and the cham- | pion of the people.” After the speech the President | stepped back on his train as the crowd cheered and left for Harrisburg, the State capital, for his second address of the day. In his Harrisburg speech President | Roosevelt declared he knew the Ameri- can people would not return to power those Republican leaders who he said *emptied the national market basket.” “I know that the American people will go forward with those who are succeeding in filling it once more,” he added, contending the New Deal had filled the housewife’s pocketbook faster than food prices had risen. Before his audience surrounding the Capitol steps, Mr. Roosevelt asserted the Republican leadership today was (See ROOSEVELT, Page A-4.) e ROOSEVELT CLAIMS ON SECURITY DENIED Hamilton Challenges Statement Money to Be Held Solely for Workers. BY the Associated Press. CHICAGO, October 29.—Republi- can National Chairman John D. M. $Hamilton’s declaration that money collected under the Social Security Jaw would be used “to pay current Treasury bills” spotlighted the legis- lation’s position as a campaign issue today. Hamilton, challenged, in a state- fment directed to President Roosevelt fast night, a passage he said was from the President’s radio address Jast Priday: “Your dollars are held in a Government trust fund solely for the social security of the workers.” “With the utmost respect, I can- not believe you read it (the law) or you could not have made the state- ment * * *,” Hamilton said. “Really, Mr. President, there is no such pro- vision in the act. “The money taken from our work- ers' pay envelopes, and taken from every employer of labor in addition, » = * goes into the general fund of the Treasury. “Once there it can be used for any purpose the politicians elected to Congress decide. * * * There is no A. operations and. expenditures ; are “incorrect and misleading” were made in District Court today by former | Senator Walter E. Edge and three| other New Jersey Republican leaders who are seeking a court order giving them access to W. P. A. recorde. The real issue, the Republicans told the court in their reply to the W. P. A. answer to their suit, is whether of- ficial reports are correct and whether | those who challenge the truthfulness of published information should have a right to search the records to verify | 1t or prove it untrue. They admitted practically all the facts demanded have been published from time to time in voluminous tracts by W. P. A. and the Treasury, but said they had reason to doubt the | accuracy of these reports. | Don't Want Personal Information. | Edge and his associates made plain | that they are not asking for personal | information concerning W. P. A. em- | ployes, which reasonably might be | withheld for the protection of the em- ployes themselves, but that they want the names and salaries of all #d- ministrative workers. There appeared to be little likelihood that the litigation can reach the hear= ing stage before election, since the W. P. A. now has five days in which to come into court and either file a demurrer or a joinder of issue, which would result in a hearing date being set. In an answer Monday to the suit by the Republicans, W. P. A. had stressed | the necessity of protecting its person- nel against political solicitation or co- ercion. It never was their purpose to (See SUIT, Page 3.) WARM WEATHER HERE TO CONTINUE 24 HOURS Drop in Temperature Forecast, However, for Tomorrow Night, ‘With Overcast Skies. A let-up in unusually low October temperaturgs is promised for the next 24 hours. but after that the Weather Bureau says more cold weather is in sight. With this afternoon expected to be fair and moderate, the mercury over night probably will go no lower than 40, according to the forecaster. To- morrow, however, will be generally fair, with the skies becoming overcast at night and the temperature again fall- ng Frost covered the suburbs again this morning as the mercury dropped to 35 shortly before 7 o'clock. Yesterday’s maximum was 53 at 3:15 p.m., while at midnight the reading was 44. At 9 o'clock this morning the temperature had reached 48. Policeman Who Quit to Run For President As the presidential nominees of the two major parties near the close of their campaigns, Washington has a lesser candidate who now would be happy to serve again on the metro- politan force, but has been turned down. At the beginning of the campaign. Pvt. Howard M. resigned years service, announcing he was date for President, a post which "he protection in the law, Mr. President, * * * for the workers. Their money 35 not set aside. It is used to current Treasury bills.” from the force after of govern- could not seek while in the mental service. EARNINGS MOUNT 10 HIGH LEVELS 12 Steel Companies Show 912 Per Cent Increase Over Last Year. | cent would be taken from the em- { what the Democrats had not reckoned. B the Associated Press. NEW YORK, September 29.—When directors of the United States Steel | Corp. plumped down the most favor- ‘able third-quarter earnings statement in six years, they started Wall Street on a serious review of mounting in= | dustrial earnings in general and other i indices in the improving business pic- | ture. Allowing for the deterring factors | that do not always show in the bare | figures, business observers found these | statistical grounds for optimism in | the flood of company reports of the ! last few days: 1. September quarter earnings of | 172 companies in all branches of in- dustry showed combined net profits of $226,353,400, an advance of 55.6 per cent over the $145.384.383 earned ‘ in the third quarter of 1935. 2. Twelve steel companies reported for the quarter net income of $23,- 394,473, against only $2,085,794 last year, an increase of 912.1 per cent. Statisticians warned that in noting percentages of increase account must be taken of transfers from loss to the black-ink side of the ledger. 3. Net operating income of 40 rail- roads rose 19.6 per cent in Septem- ber over that of a year ago, with $48.873,000 earned, against $40,873,000. | Estimated net operating income of class 1 railroads was placed at $27.- 000,000 for the month, against $13.- 500,000 in September, 1935, & 100 per cent rise, Some less optimistic features must be taken into consideration in ana- lyzing the favorable figures, Wall Street men warned, however. Possible wage increases throughout the steel and some other industries, (See EARNINGS, Page A-2) ACTION FOR CONTEMPT IS FACED BY COUGHLIN Priest Must Appear by Noon for Deposition Hearing, Says Plaintiff's Counsel. By the Associated Press. CLEVELAND, Ohio,, October 29.— Attorney B. F. Sacharow, counsel for J. H. O'Donnell of Pittsburgh, said to- day that if Rev. Charles E. Coughlin fails to appear by noon for a deposi- tion hearing in O'Donnell’s civil suit against the National Union for Social Justice he would file a contempt of court action. O'Donnell, in suits at Detroit and here, asked removal of Father Cough- lin as head of the National Union, the ouster of six other trustees and an accounting of funds contributed to the union. Sacharow, who claimed a deputy sheriff subpoenaed the priest on the latter's arrival for an address here Monday, said he also would ask a body attachment should the priest not appear. Asks Job Back from their home at 1244 Water street southwest and dropped out of sight. Recently, it was today by Maj. Ernest W. Brown, superintend- ento!pouee.heneelvedllztfl!rhun the erstwhile presidential candidate asking to be reinstated on the force. The letter was postmarked Hot police foree.” Lower Salaries Feared by Workers. HIGHER PRICES ARE ALSO SEEN Promises Will Be Major Issue in Nutmeg State. BY G. GOULD LINCOLN, Staft Correspondent of Lue Star. NEW HAVEN, Conn., October 29.— With newspapers and employers daily calling the attention of the workers to the coming pay roll tax, under the Roosevelt social security law, the tax promises to become a major issue in the industrial centers of the Nutmeg State. I found today a Democratic State leader with a photostatic copy of an announcement put out by the New York, New Haven & Hartford R. R, explaining the tax, on his desk. It was a plain statement of the fact that beginning January 1 one per ployes' envelopes or checks. It was not put up as a political argument, merely a statement of fact. But the Democratic leader was sorely incensed over the notice which has gone to | all the road’s employes. This is merely a sample of what is being done ‘ now by employers throughout the State. To Democrats, who have been counting as “in the bag” the votes of labor throughout Connecticut as | well as other States, the pay roll tax | issue is as disconcerting as a red rag | to a bull. It brings an element of | uncertainty into the campaign upon | Just to bring the matter of the pay roll tax further home to the workers, | the Hartford Courant and other | newspapers are calling attention to | the fact that next week the State | Legislature is to meet in special ses- sion to pass a bill providing for con- tributions to the unemployment in- surance feature of the social security act. This tax is separate from and in addition to the pay roll tax for old-age pensions. The new bill has been framed by the Governor's Un- employment Commission. It is drawn to comply with +3e terms of the Fed- | eral social security act. Under the commission’s plan, the employers will | pay 1 per cent on their pay rolls for 1936, 2 per cent on their 1937 pay rolls and a 3 per cent tax on the wages paid in 1938 and thereafter. In addi- tion, there is levied on the employes a 1 per cent tax on their wages be- ginning January, 1937, and a similar tax each year indefinitely. Fear Boost in Prices. These pay roll taxes, old-age pen- | sions taxes and unemployment insur- ance taxes are beginning to make the | workers wonder if the concerns they | work for will be able to pay increased | wages, and whether-they may not in | the future bring lower wages. Fur- thermore, the workers do not like the | idea of having deductions mnade reg- ularly from their wages by the Gov- ernment. They are figuring also, that the things which they must buy for ordinary living will increase in price because of pay roll taxes. Stirred up in the final days of the ' ¢ Toening Star THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, -1936—FIFTY-TWO PAGES. *** THE REAL FIGHT IS ON'! MILK AGREEMENT 1S RULED INVALID Federal Regulation Is En- joined by Justice Luhring in D. C. Court. BACKGROUND— Federal control of the distribu- tion of milk in Washington became eflective September 21, after more than two-thirds of the farmers supplying the Capital had voted for such control. Three weeks later 13 farmers supplying the Highland Farms and Model Farms dairy petitioned for injunction in District Court on ground the con- trol was in reality a regulation of production, The government op= posed this argument with a state- ment that the farmers were free to sell as much as they could pro- duce. Justice Oscar R. Luhring of District | Supreme Court late today enjoined operation of the milk marketing agree- ment for the Washington area. He held that Federal regulation of the distribution of milk—which involved price-fixing—by the Agricultural Ad- justment Administration was outlawed by the United States Supreme Court decision invalidating the A. A. A. act. The effect of the decision will be to eliminate the scale of minimum prices paid to producers by distributors un- der the agreement. Also it renders void the recent A. A. A. ruling in- creasing milk prices about 1 cent a| quart to producers, which was ex- pected to bring a similar increase in retail price. The judge said that the agreement constituted production control, and added: “The question here is not an open one. It has been settled by the Su- preme Court of the United States. Congress may not, under the com- merce clause, regulate the production of milk or any other farm product.” Quotes Bay State Opinion. He then quoted with approval an opinion by Judge Brewster in the Fed- eral District rt for Massachusetts (See LINCOLN, Page A-5.) . Summary of Page Amusements B-16 | Puzzles Comics Editorial wvost-Found - A-3 | Short Story..C-6 Obituary ...A-12 | Woman's Pg..C-4 POLITICAL. New Jersey Republicans hit W. P. A. reports as “false.” Page A-1 Pay roll tax becoming major issue in Connecticut. Page A-1 Roosevelt attacks pay envelope “prop- aganda.” Page Landon plans visit with widow of ‘Theodore Roosevelt. Page A-1 Social security act continues as po- litical storm center. Page A-2 FOREIGN. Italian blockade of Spain declared under way. Page A-1 Blum cabinet facing new crisis on budget -increase. Page A-3 Mollison poised to resume flight de- spite gloomy forecast. Page A-3 NATIONAL. Mounting industrial earnings reach high levels. Page A-1 Unions’ committee delays coast strike call at least 24 hours. Page A-2 ‘Tugwell predicts most farmers will re- pay rehabilitation loans. Page A-8 Edith Maxwell prepares for second murder trial. Page B-12 WASHINGTON AND VICINITY. Court holds milk agreement invalid. Hscllcommltwewmrco:::‘lign ers, department heads. Page A-1 Erstwhile presidential aspirant wants back on police force. Page A-1 Census estimate places D, C. popula- tion at 619,000. Page A-1 La Roe condemns sanction of liquor store near Walter Reed. Page A-1 12-year-old boy rescues man tied up in hold-up. A-2 Eight persons injured in traffic acci- dents. Page A-4 Affidavits in police bonding probe given prosecutor. Page B-1 Airplane tests may lead to field zoning rules. Page B-1 Annual chrysanthemum show will open here tomorrow. Page B-1 - (See MILK, Page 2. Today’s Star Seal holds schools can admit non-resi- dents pending appeal. Page B-1 Police details for Halloween night are announced. Page B-5 Many organizations aid in yough plan- ning project. Page C-12 EDITORIAL AND COMMENT. This and That. Page A-10 Answers to Questions Page A- Political Mill. Page A-10 David Lawrence. Page A-11 Paul Mallon. Page A-11 Mark Sullivan Page A-11 Jay Franklin. Page A-11 Headline Folk. Page A-11 MISCELLANY. Washington Wayside. Auto Show Puzzle. Young Washington. Vital Statistics. City News in Brief, Traffic Convictions. Dorothy Dix. Betsy Caswell, Nature’s Children, Bedtime Story. After Dark. SPORTS D. C. grid fans face meager menu this week end. Page C-1 Nation's unbeaten elevens are on shaky perch. Page C-1 Local prep foot ball teams having big Page C-1 Roosevelt High faces Eastern in grid debut. A2 Cc-8 C-8 A-6 Page Page Page Page C-8 Page C-8 Page C-4 Page C-4 - Page C-5 Page C-6 Page B-2 night. Local golfers make odd match bet on election. Page C-3 FINANCIAL. Rail bonds improve (table). Page A-17 Business machines net soars. Page A-17 Lead and copper prices boosted. Page A-17 Selective buying helps stocks (table). Page A-18 Curb list unevenly higher (table). Page A-19 Clearings wide in gain over 1935. Page A- D.C., With 619,000 Population, Leads Increase for Whole U. S. National Rise 5,338,000 Above 1930 to 128,429,000, Says Census Bureau. Adjoining States Gain. Preliminary Census Bureau esti- mates today placed Washington's population at 619,000, or 132,131 above | 1930, when the figure was 4863869 The District’s increase outpaced the whole country, which rose by 5,338,000 | to 128.429,000. “This business of making estimates, however, is pretty precarious,” Leon E. | Truesdale, chief statistician of the population division of the bureau, said. “We can get a very good estimate | of the United States as a whole, but | we have poor figures on the number who come and go from the various States.” In 1928, for instance, the estimate for Washington was 552,000, but the 1930 enumeration showed the popula- tion was 486,869. HEARINGS ARE SET INLUMP SUM QUIZ D. C. Officials to Present Plans to Fiscal Relations Committee. BY JAMES E. CHINN. President Roosevelt's special Fiscal Relations Investigating Committee | made arrangements today to give the Commissioners and heads of the various District government depart- ments an opportunity to present their own plans for solving the perplexing problem of what constitutes a fair Federal payment toward municipal ex- penses Two special hearings were arranged, one for the Commissioners and Ma). Daniel J. Donovan, auditor and budget officer. and the other for department heads. The department heads were notified | to appear before the committee No- vember 7 at 10 am. and the Com- missioners and Maj. Donovan at the same hour November 21. Follows Two-day Hearing. The decision to hear the Commis- sioners and department heads followed a two-day public hearing last week at which representatives of Washington's leading civic, business, labor and pro- fessional organizations submitted a mass of data showing the justification for a substantial increase in tne pres- ent Federal payment of $5,000,000. ‘The department heads already have submitted to the committee approxi- mately 50 reports showing the cost to the District of various services pro- vided the Federal Government. The committee, however, has explained that the cost of the exchange of serv= ices between the Federal and District Governments will not constitute an important element in the formula it proposes to work out for fixing an equitable basis of fiscal relations. Work on New Reports. The department heads, at the direc- tion of the Commissioners, now are working on supplemental reports to justify the expenses of their particular departments. The information is be- ing gathered as a result of remarks made during the public hearing last week by Clarence A. Dykstra, city manager of Cincinnati and one of the committee members, indicating he be- lieved some of the municipal expenses here are excessive. The supplemental reports will com- pare the cost of operating various de- partments with similar departments in cities of comparable size. Particu- lar stress is to be laid on the “quality” of the District services in comparison with those of other cities. Various sources of information are to be tapped for the comparative study. Data is to be gathered from the Census Bureau and research or- ganizations that have studied munici- pal government operating costs and some of the department heads plan to write directly to officials of other cities. Former Premier Dies. TORONTO, October 29 (#).—T. C. Norris, former premier of Manitobs, died here early todsy. He was 75 years old. The District estimate is based on service employes, the number of deaths and the number of passengers using public transporation vehicles. who are temporary residents. The total number of Federal employes | working in Washington has risen as follows: June 30, 1932, 68.793; June 30, 1933, 65.437; June 30, 1934, 89,132: June 30, 1935, 103,453; June 30, 1936, the day on which the population estimates were closed, 117,453. There was no indication in the pre- liminary estimate how many of the | added inhabitants of Maryland and Virginia live within the Washington (See POPULATION, Page A-2) WOODRING SCORED Sale Near Walter Reed Of- fends Community, Says Church Group Chairman. pital. La Roe, also chairman of the Dis- trict Parole Board, referred to the license be close to the hospital reservation en- trance on Ceorgia avenue despite the in command of Walter Reed. La Roe wrote Woodring. hard liquor. “Community Deeply Hurt.” such sale. action.” LaRoe declared “the Christian peo- ple of the District received with con- sternation and with extreme disap- pointment the word. that you had (See WOODRING, Page A-8.) —_— BLACKSHIRT BAN LIKELY Cabinet Considers Drastic Restric- tions to Check Disorders. LONDON, October 29 (#).—A ban on the blackshirt uniforms of Eng- lish Fascists, it was reported today, was included by the cabinet in dras- tic restrictions to prevent a recur- rence of recent disorders in the East End. . Sir John Simon, home secratary, it was said, would announce the proposals to Parliament, reconvening today. Second Worker Butchered. ATLIXCO, Mexico, October 29 (#). —Butchered by machetes, the body of another victim in the bloody feud between labor factions was found near Yesterday’s Circulation, (Some returns not yet received.) () Means Associated Press. and Wirephoto Services. 139,227 TWO CENTS. 1L DUCEMOBILIZING SUBMARINE FLEET 10 CUT OFF SPAIN, EMBASSY CHARGES Madrid Officials in Paris Predict Attempt to Block- ade Country and Attack Government Stronghold. 17 FASCIST PLANES REPORTED DESTROYED Zero Hour Approaching for Capi- tal, With Counter Offensive De- clared Under Way—Reds Say They Are Well Equipped to Meet Rebel Thrust. BACKGROUND— After 14 weeks of civil war in Spain the varied results of govern= ment and rebel claims appear to be converging to a crisis today. Em- battled Madrid, the goal of the Fascist armies for weeks, still con= tinues to be the highlight in the battle for victory between the two factions. A crucial battle now fs impending. Dovetailing with this in the final analysis are the Italian charges that Russia has sent arms and men to Spain on 20 occasions within the month, which coincides with the Spanish Embassy “in- formation” in Paris that a fleet of Italian submarines was awaiting sailing orders to blockade or attack school enrollment, the number of civil | ONLIQUOR PERNIT War Secretary's recommendation this week to the A. B. C. Board that & issued for a liquor store opposition of Gen. Wallace R. De Witt, “It is bad enough to have liquor sold throughout the Nation's Capital,” “It is bad enough to have thousands of men crip- pled and wounded by war, but the limit has been reached when a responsible officer of the Government, himself a servant of the people, overrules hos- pital authorities in their effort to pro- tect these men against the ravages of “You have virtually said that the Government looks with favor upon the sale of whisky near military hospitals even when the responsible officers in charge, who are familiar with the particular problem, seek to prevent This conclusion necessarily follows from your letter to the A. B. C. Board asking that the recommenda- tion of the Walter Reed authorities be ignored. The whole Christian community is deeply hurt by your autonomous Catalonia. BY the Associated Press PARIS, October 29.—The Spanish Embassy announced today it had con- | fidential information that a fleet of It does not list as such, however, | Italian submarines was awaiting sail- the number of emergency workers, | ing orders at Gaeta, Italy, to estab- lish a blockade of the Catalonian | Coast and perhaps attack the Spanish | government stronghold. An embassy spokesman, warning | that the civil war on the Iberian Pen- insula might at any moment break out into a grave international conflict, said the information came from “an absolutely trustworthy source.” Subs Declared Camouflaged. Eight submarines, he contended, | have been painted with the red and | gold colors of the Spanish insurgents | at Gaeta, which is 40 miles north- west of Naples. “We do not know what pretext will be used to put the fleet into action,” said the spokesman, “but our ine formation is that the action will start within a week.” The submarines may join in a com- bined sea and air attack on autono- mous, government - supporting Cata= lonia, it was declared. President Manuel Azana now has established offices at Barcelona, capital of the | region. | The Spanish spokesman also re- | iterated previous charges that Italy had landed a large number of troops on the Balearic Island of Mallorca, which, he said, may be destined for In a strongly-worded letter to Sec- | Use against Catalonia. retary of War Woodring, Wilbur la| Roe, jr, chairman of the Civic Af- fairs Committee of the Washington | | Pederation of Churches, today con- | Predicted, would be an attempted demned Woodring’s action in permit- ting sale of whisky within 500 feet of the entrance to Walter Reed Hos- These troops, the spokesman charg- ed, are supported by 112 Italian air- planes. The first step in the campaign, he | Italian blockade of the Catalonian | coast to keep provisions from reaching | Spanish government territory. Thereafter, he said, an actual at- tack may be expected. Asked what hope the government forces have of defending themselves against such an attack, the spokesman replied: “We can always be counted upon to do our utmost.” Supported by Newspaper. Earlier the newspaper I'Oeuvre said Italy and Germany were supporting Spanish insurgent plans to attack Catalonia, the “second seat” of the | Spanish Socialist government in case Madrid falls. The newspaper said preparations for the attack were being hastened at Mallorca, “largely supported by Italian and, even German, forces,” | with eight submarines ready to leave Northern Italy for the Balearics. No source was cited by the newspaper as foundation for the reort. It also declared the insurgents had recently received 112 bombing and pursuit planes. COUNTER OFFENSIVE REPORTED. Capital Reports Destruction of 17 Fascist Planes. By the Assoclated Press. MADRID, October 29.—Spain's gov= ernment announced cryptically today it had “everything necessary for vic- See £ Page A-2) POPE IS PREPARING MARRIAGE MESSAGE Prelates Say Important Document May Possibly Be a New Encyclical. BS the Assoclated Press. VATICAN CITY, October 29.—Pope jus is working on an important docu- ment on marriage, possibly a new en cyclical letter, prelates said today, which he intends shortly to transmit to the world. The holy father has demonstrated great interest In the question of matri- mony in recent months. Under his authorization the Congregation of Rites issued a complete new code for the trying of marriage cases before diocesan tribunals. Later another ordinance was passed which would give the Tribunal of the Sacred Rota, charged with hearing marriage nullification cases, the final decision throughout the world. The ordinance ruled the ecclesiastical ad- vocate defending the marriage bond must appeal to the Rota against all decisions in favor of nullifying it. &