Evening Star Newspaper, November 30, 1936, Page 21

Washington News TWO.DIE AS FIRE SWEEPS 4 HOUSES INNEARBY VIRGINIA White Man and Colored Man Cremated by Early Morn- ing Blaze. CRIPPLED BOY CARRIED TO SAFETY BY MOTHER Freezing Weather Hinders Effort to Gain Control—Coroner Starts Probe. : By & Staft Correspondent ot The Star. ARLINGTON, Va., November 30.— A white man and a colored man were burned to death when fire swept through a row of four houses occupied by colored people near the intersec- tion of Columbia pike and Arlington Ridge road early today. The dead were identified as: Louis W. Cockrell, 50, of East Falls Church, employed as head machinist at the West Bros.” Brick Co. for more than 20 years. Joe Cammack, 47, colored, an oc- cupant of the house in which the two ‘were cremated. Third Man Burned. Another colored man, Sylvanas Thorpes, 33, was burned on the neck and right arm. He is being treated at Emergency Hospital, Washington. Several neighbors reported hearing sounds of a fight in the house at 1219 Columbia pike prior to discov- ery of the fire. The blaze swept through four attached frame-stucco houses to rout their occupants out in the freezing early morning air. Arlington County police made no arrests immediately after the fire. At Ives’ funeral home, where the body of Cockrell was removed for burial, it was learned there was no evidence of his having received bodily injury although the body was badly burned. Cockrell, whose son and daughter lived with him at East Falls Church, did not return home last night. He left work at the brick company late yesterday. Maggie Ruffner, colored resident of one of the houses, carried her 13-year- old crippled son to safety and roused her seven other children before the flames reached their home. Firemen from for Arlington County companies worked more than an hour to control the blaze. Water from their hose lines froze on the ground and roadway to make their work hazardous. The damage was estimated at $3,000. + William Kenney, colored, another occupant of the house in which the fire started, escaped without injury. Dr. W. C. Welburn, county coroner, s making an investigation. Accidental Death Certificate. George A. Martin, superintendent of the West Bros. Brick Co. plant, said | Cockrell might have gone to the house last night to get help for some work at the plant. He frequently worked at night and had recently been experi- encing trouble with a drive fan at one of the kilns, the superintendent said. Cockrell was employed as master mechanic and foreman at the brick company plant. Kenney, one of the | occupants of the house, has worked at the plant. Dr. W. C. Welburn, county coroner, #aid he will issue certificates of acci- dental death for Cockrell and Cam- mack after an investigation of the fire | this morning. —_— HOLIDAY ON DEC. 26 IS HELD OPTIONAL Merchants May Use Own Discre- tion in Observance, Seal : Announces. ¢ Although December 26 was made a legal holiday for all purposes by a Joint resolution of Congress approved last June, merchants of the city may use their own discretion as to whether to observe the day, according to Cor- poration Counsel Elwood H. Seal. The question was raised by a num- ber of merchants because the day falls on Saturday, usually one of their busiest days. The resolution grants a holiday to all Federal and District employes with full pay. It also permits banks to close. Seal explained the special holiday falls in the same category as the pres- ent half-day holidays given vern- ment workers each Saturday after- noon. Although the half-Saturday statute affects all Government and District departments, it does not af- fect private employers and no penalty is provided to make such holidays ‘compulsory. 5 The Merchants and Manufacturers’ Association announced that its mem- bers have voted to remain open for business on the 26th. AUTO LICENSE SALE BEGUN “OVER COUNTER” 800 Motorists in Line Despite Chilly Weather—25,000 Tags Mailed Out. The “counter” sale of 1937 license tags opened at the Department of Vehicles and Traffic this morning, with about 200 motorists in line, despite the chilly weather, The rush is not expected to reach its height until the latter part of the month, however, as the department is able to take care of between 2,000 and 3,000 applicants a day without special personnel being brought in from other District departments, Traf- fic Director Willlam A. Van Duger id. uun.nwhile, about 25,000 tags have been sent out by messenger to those who paid an extra 10-cent fee for the service by a private delivery company, and another 20,000 will be sent out in that way before the desdline Janu- ary 1, Van Duser estimated. —— Magazine for Latin America. Life” s magazin W":-' lished in London, “champions interests of Latin America.” . i Fascist Symbol on U. S. Dimes || \WMAKER BACKSIGOURT BUILDIN Treasury Says Is Coincidence, Traditional Coins Three Years of Mussolini in Italy. BY PHILIP H. LOVE. So many 100 per cent Americans have written to Washington to inquire what the symbol of fascism is doing on the back of thousands of good United States dimes that the Treas- ury Department has armed itself with a stock explanation. Queries concerning the fasces—the bundle of rods with a battle ax pro- truding from its top, standing upright beside the traditionally American “E Pluribus Unum"—began coming into the Treasury flve or six years ago. “Since then,” a Treasury official said today, “we’'ve been receiving so many letters asking about the origin and significance of the design that ‘we've got up a form explanation, which we incorporate into letters to all in- quirers.” “ Despite the frequency of “dictator- ship” charges during the presidential campaign, the Treasury spokesman said, that period brought no increase in the number of queries—possibly for the reason that most of Uncle Sam’s 10-cent pieces have been carry- ing the fasces since 1916. “The inquiries still come in at about the same rate as they did when they started,” the Treasury said. “We've kept no accurate check on them, but they probably average something like two or three a month—enough, at any rate, to justify getting up a form an- swer, Fear Fascist Connection. “Most of the correspondents simply ask what the design is and what it ‘means. Some, however, make it clear that the possibility of some sort of connection with Italian fascism is worrying them. “Frankly, we feel that many of the others probably have the same thoughts in the back of their minds, but are simply too polite—or perhaps, too cautious—to come right out and say so. That's why we got up the form explanation.” Here’s what the Treasury tells all inquirers: “The obverse (of the dime) shows a head of Liberty with a winged cap. The reverse shows a design of a bun- dle of rods with battle ax, known as Roman Emblem Began Appeuring on he Fy ening Sfaf SUNDAY MORNING EDITION WASHINGTON, D. C., MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1936. Before Emergence ‘fasces’ and symbolical of unity, where- in lies the Nation's strength. Sur- rounding the ‘faces’ is a full-foliaged branch of olive, symbolical of peace.” Ancient Rome was the birthplace of the fasces. A bundle of elm or birch rods with a battle ax project- ing from the top and bound together by a red strap was the emblem of of- ficlal authority. Such bundles were carried by lictors (magistrates’ at- tendants) as a symbol of the power over life and limb possessed by the kings. A victorious general, when sa- luted “imperator” by his soldiers, had his Fasces crowned with laurel. Under the empire, laurel was regarded as distinctive of the imperial fasces. Preceded Italian Fascists. The political party with which the symbol is now identified was founded in Milan, Italy, in March, 1919— three years after Uncle Sam began to use the emblem on his dimes. Benito Mussolini, then editor of Il Popolo d'Italia, formed the first Fascio de Combattimento among approximately 200 of his friends, and the party adopted the faces, on a tri-colored shield, as its official insignia. It was not until October, 1922, that the Fascists came into power, however, and not until five or six years ago that American citizens started to no- tice that the blackshirts’ insignia and “the thing on the back of dimes,” as some letters to the Treasury describe it, are basically the same. Uncle Sam's fasces was designed by Adolf Weiman, eminent New York sculptor, and approved by both the Treasury and the Fine Arts Commis- slon, as required by law. Even if the design were unsatisfactory, the Treasury explained, it could not be changed until 1941, as the law permits such alterations cnly at 25-year in- tervals. s As it is, however, there is no de- mand for a change, the Treasury de- clared, adding: “Among sculptors the faces is widely used because of its graceful design. And once we've explained the true origin and significance of the symbol, as used on dimes, even our most worried correspondents can't help being relieved.” FOELTY FFARS AVATING LA Receiver Mails Out Second Letter to 3,600 Tardy “Members.” Final disposition of the affairs of the closed Fidelity Building and Loan Association is being delayed by about 3,600 “members,” who have neglected to file claims with the receiver. James H. Nolan, receiver, has mailed out a second letter to these members, inclosing copies of the official claim blank and asking that they respond, 50 that work of the receiver can pro- ceed. No final decision has been reached, it was learned from authoritative quarters, as to whether the associa- tion can be reorganized, or will have to be liquidated. Further inquiry will have to be made into the assets and" liabilities, it was explained, before a decision on this important point can be made. The exact amount of the “shortage” at the association has not yet been disclosed by officials in charge, al- though it is known that careful check has been made. Meantime, a case is pending in Dis- trict Court against Fred B. Rhodes, former president of the association, who was indicted on charges of for- gery and larceny. He pleaded not guilty and now is awaiting trial. ‘There was no indication today as to when people who have money in the institution may expect to get any of their funds. Spellers Tackle Longest Word in English Language Club Goes Outside Ordi- nary Dictionary to Get Poser. Can you spell “osseocarnisanguine- oviscericartilaginonervomedullary”? It's not in the ordinary dictionary, but members of the Capital City Spelling Club point to it as one of the posers occasionally used in its spelling bees, such as the one to be held at 7:30 pm. Wednesday in the Mount Pleasant Library. The word, according to E. C. Helm, president of the club, is the longest in the English language. It is an adjective used medically to describe the human E At the spelling bee Wednesday night, Helm said a- special contest will be held for children of the sixth, seventh and eighth grades. Necklace Microp |Co-Defendant Enters Plea NOLAN ON TRAL INBRBERY S of “Nolo Contendere” in District Court. ‘William J. Nolan, automobile dealer, went to trial on a bribery charge in District Court today after his co-de- fendant, Francis M. Kearney, had en- tered a plea of “nolo contendere,” which neither admits mor denies the guilt of the defendant. However, this plea, rarely used in modern practice, is tantamount to a plea of guilty, since the defendant is | subject to punishment as though con- victed of a crime. The value of entering such a plea is | that the defendant subsequently can- not be held to have confessed guilt in any civil suit that might be instituted against him. Kearney asked Trial | Justice James M. Proctor to refer his case to the probation officer for inves- | tigation before imposing sentence. Nolan, who has pleaded not guilty, 1s accused with Kearney of bribing two witnesses for the plaintiff in a divorce suit filed by Mrs. Alice M. Nolan, who subsequently was awarded a limited divorce from the automobile dealer. In his statement to the jury, Assist- ant United States Attorney John W. Fihelly said the prosecution would show that Kearney and Nolan, or Kearney acting at Nolan’s direction, gave $50 and two automobile tires to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Young, colored, s0 they could leave the District for South Carolina two days before Mrs. Nolan's divorce suit was to be tried. It is alleged the Youngs had been subpoenaed as witnesses at the time of this transaction. Kearney, Fihelly said, was a busi- ness associate of Nolan's at that time. The first material witness called by the prosecution was Attorney Henry 1. Quinn, who represented Mrs. Nolan in the divorce proceedings. Quinn testified he accompanied a deputy marshal when Mrs. Young was served with the subpoena. The Government contends this also constituted service on the husband because he actually received the notice that the summons had been issued. Quinn said he expected to prove by the Youngs that Nolan had rented an apartment in the 1800 block of Mas- sachusetts avenue, and had been seen there with women other than his wife at various times. Kin of Virginians Dies. ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.,, November 30 (#)—C. P. Van Sickler, retired dry goods dealer, died yesterday of influ- KING EDWARD'S RIGHT TO ROMANGE Canadian Woman M. P. Omits Reference, However, in Town Hall Talk. LIBERAL POINT OF VIEW - IS TOLD IN INTERVIEW But the Hon. Agnes MacPhail Cuts Short Questioning by Reporters. A marriage between King Edward VIII of England and Mrs. Wallis Warfleld Simpson of Baltimore, Md., is the affair of King Edward and Mrs. Simpson, the Hon. Agnes Mac- Phail, only woman member of the Canadian Parliament, told reporters after her talk last night before the Town Hall at the Shoreham Hotel. In the midst of her explanation of her liberal point of view on the world’s most famous current romance, she suddenly halted when she real- ized she was talking for publication and declined to expound further her thoughts on the matter. Miss MacPhail earlier had been re- lieved of the embarrassment of speak- ing directly to the Town Hall audi- ence concerning King Edward's American friend by Huston Thomp- son, chairman of the Board of Trus- tees of the Town Hall and presiding officer of the meeting, who announced: “There are many questions before me concerning Canada’s attitude to- ward the lady whose name we haven't named and whose name we are not going to name, and I am not going to ask these questions of Miss Mac- Phaijl.” “They should do as they please,” Miss MacPhail told reporters of King Edward and Mrs. Simpson, before she stopped and exclaimed: “Really, I can’t say anything” Stresses Canadian Freedom. At the beginning of her talk Miss MacPhail, who has been a Canadian legislator since 1921 without pledging allegiance to any political party, em- phasized Canada’s feeling of freedom from England, whose King is nomi- nally Canada’s King. Miss MacPhail said she was pleased by the good will existing between Can- ada and the United States, but the Canadian M. P, who is a vigorous worker in the cause of peace, con- demned our armaments policy: “If you wish the world to pay more attention to the brave, sweet words about good will and peace which drip from the lips of your President Roose- velt, I should say it is time to call & halt on military and navil appro- priations. “I am not goot at hiding what I think, and so I am saying it. I think there is a point at which military preparations cease to become defensive and become offensive to those look- ing on.” Miss McPhail, who was the first woman appointed to membership on the League of Nation’s Disarmament Commission, expanded this point when she was asked by the audience if she did not think American military strength would not aid Canada in the event of “aggression from the Far East?” “I never get along with people who fear nations are coming across great seas to gobble us up,” she replied. One of the sensations of the evening was provided by a member of the panel of questioners, holder of an im- portant New Deal post, who expressed his lack of sympathy with a major New Deal policy. He was Kenneth Simpson, secretary of the Securities and Exchange Commission, who in- terrupted another member of the panel to say: “I think 1t would be great if we could get rid bt some of our gold. Gold gets you nothing but a sense of secur ity. Great Britain in her great days did not seek gold. She held interest- bearing paper and put the gold to work in other parfs of the world. I wish Canada would sell her gold to coun- tries like Germany and Austria and others with unbalanced budgets and depreciated currencies.” Gold Policy Discussion. Gold is one of this country’s chief imports from Canada, and the policy of buying gold in unlimited quantities was initiated by President Roosevelt in 1933. “I hope you in the United States don’t gét wise to that” Miss Mac- Phail said after Simpson spoke. Canada should be represented at the Inter-American Peace Conference at Buenos Aires, Argentina, Miss Mac- Phail said, but “Canada asked not to be invited.” She continued: “I think it is a neighborhood meet- ing and that we are one of the neigh- bors. If the conference brings out that there will be no domination by the United States, it will hasten the day of Canada’s realization that her place is definitely North American.” GEN. HOLCOMB TAKES enza in the Veterans Hospital. His parents and several brothers and sis- ters of Roanoke, Va., survive, hones Aid Law School’s Class Work Professors at the Georgetown Law School now wear “necklace” micro- phones while lecturing. The installation of this novel pub- lic address system was an idea of Rev. Francis E. Lucey, 8. J., regent of the school, who is interested in sore throats need to be excused. The apparatus can be tuned so delicately that the slightest whisper is carried distinctly to students in the rear studying its effects on class room effi- | tions, ciency. From the viewpoint of professors, and especially the “back-seat” stu- dents, he claimed, it already has facilitated class work. Earlier experi- ments proved so satisfactory that the systemr has been' installed perma- nently in the three largest halls, in- cluding the auditorium. It has made lecturing easier on the strained vocal cords of professors who sometimes come to class after a stren- uous day of court room arguments. OFFICE TOMORROW Officer Will Be Sworn in as Com- mandant of Marine Corps. Brig. Gen. Thomas Holcomb, com- mandant of the Marine Corps School, Quantico, will be sworn in as the new commandant of the Marine Corps at 11 am. tomorrow in Secretary Swan- son’s office. The ceremony will be attended by high-ranking naval and Marine Cérps officers. Today, Maj. Gen. John H. Russell, the retiring commandant, was show- ing his. successor over the Navy De- partment. Gen. Holcomb was intro- duced to the various bureau chiefs as well as to other senior ‘officials. In October, Secretary Swanson ap- pointed Gen. Holcomb as a member of the Selection Board which con- vened today, but due to his choice by President Roosevelt as the next com- mandant, he became ineligible to .| serve. The vacancy on the board was A Nor will professors suffering frop'has the excuse that he couldy't hear. Gen. Randolph taken by Brig. ‘Berkeley. < WIL HAVE MOST MODERN FEATURES Large Soundproof Rooms to Replace Present Crowd- ed Quarters. BROADCAST FACILITIES WILL BE INSTALLED Nine Elevators and Cell Blocks for Prisoners Among New Equipment Planned. ‘Washington’s new Police -Court Building, in Judiciary Square, planned to take care of the business expansion for the next 100 years, will have many features never before installed in a District-owned building, plans and specifications show. And when they move into the new, ultra-modern structure, few court at- taches will look back with regret on the dingy old red fire trap now occu- pied at Sixth and D streets, they ad- mit. Many court attaches have been coming to work in the old building since it was erected in 1907. Where the personnel and others having business there have been walking up one to three flights of rickety stairs in the present building, nine elevators will carry them in the new structure. Four will carry traffic from the main lobby, two will be de- voted exclusively to the use of judges, two are for prisoners only, while an- other has not been assigned to a task. Where court transactions involving more than 100,000 cases a year are now carried or in three overcrowdes drab rooms, six large and airy, soun proof rooms, ranging up to 30 feet wide and 60 feet long will be avail- able immediately, and two others will be left unfinished for the future ex- pansion. Broadcasting Facilities. One innovation in the new building will be the installation of radio broad- casting facilities. If in the future judges can agree that broadcasting court procedure will be beneficial, all the radio engineer will have to do is plug in to a wall socket and turn on the “juice.” So far as is known by officials of the court, this is the first such radio hook-up arrangement ever installed in a court bullding. While there is only one court room being so equipped under present plans, William A. Norgren, chief deputy court clerk, said yesterday negotiations are being carried on with broadcasting companies with a view to putting the equipment in the other five, The four judges of the court are said to be equally divided over the question. Two of them favor the in- stallation, while the other two are opposed. 5 With the completion of the new building will come the first time since the court was established by act of Congress in 1870 that adequate quar- ters have been provided. Police Court always has been the “ugly duckling” of District jurisprudence, having been housed in old dwellings, business houses and in a church until the pres- ent building was erected. Officials of the court agree the pres- ent building is little better than a fire trap. An extra flight of stairs was installed a few years ago, but both flights are in the front of the build- ing and a fire starting up the wells, they claim, would undoubtedly trap hundreds of persons, if the fire oc- curred on a busy court day. The new building will be fireproof throughout. Offices on First Floor. The first floor of the building will be occupied by the office of the as- sistant district attorneys, the assistant corporation counsel, the clerk’s office, police liaison officer, deputy United States marshals, press room and tele- phone exchange. Two court rooms, the office of the probation officer, judges’ chambers and cell blocks for prisoners on that floor will occupy the second floor. Instead of the present system of escorting prisoners through court rooms and corridors, cell blocks will be provided for both men and women prisoners 1n the rear of each of the court rooms. On the third floor witl be two fin- ished and two unfinished court rooms and the library as well as judges’ chambers and cell blocks. Another new departure will be the installation of an air-cooling system, making it the first building owned .by the District to have such facilities. The heating will be furnished by the Federal central heating plant. This also is the first time that a District- owned building has been connected with this plant, it is said. - JUDGES ASK FOR BRIEFS IN FLAG SALUTE CASE Ludke’s Mandamus Plea Taken Under Advisement After Hearing at Marlboro. By a Staff Correspondent of The Star. UPPER MARLBORO, Md., Novem- ber 30.—Attorneys representing both sides in litigation seeking reinstate- ment of the six Ludke children in Prince Georges County schools were given until December 14 to file briefs after a preliminary hearing here today. Officials who ordered the youngsters’ expulsion for failure to salute the flag at school exercises have been named defendants in a petition filed in Cir- cuit Court for a writ of mandamus to return the children to school. The three judges of the Seventh Judicial Circuit conducted their hear- ing in chambers this morning before taking the matter under advisement pending filing of the briefs. Representing the children and their father, August A. Ludke, Washington Post Office employe, are Attorneys Ed- mund D. Campbell of Washington and J. F. Lillard of Hyattsville. Opposing the mandamus petition are Ogle Mar- bury of Laurel, counsel to the Board of County Commissioners, and Waldo Burnside, counsel to the Prince Georges Board of Education. Named as defendants in the peti- tion are Nicholas Orem, superintene dent of schools; William T. Jobe, prin- cipal of the Oxon Hil] School, and members of the District B of [ 4 .For Rousing Families in Fire L3 gi g Sergeant Gets Meritori- ous Service Honor of District Militia. Bergt. Eugene Ferdinand Wemple, | National Guardsman living at 4306 Third street, has been awarded the meritorious service medal of the Dis- trict National Guard for his action in arousing the occupants of an spart- ment house at Eleventh and Q streets, threatened by fire November 16. In announcing the award today, Col. John W. Oel commander of the District National Guard, said that Sergt. Wemple, “in heroically enter~ ing” the smoking building, *“alarming the residents thereof, and in person- ally assisting from the building one H. Malden, a cripple in ill health, saved human life and displayed courage and those traits of character, understanding and action which the National Guard endeavors to so thor- oughly stress in its training, * * *” The building was threatened by a fire which destroyed a gasoline sta- tion next door, Although the blaze did not reach the apartment house; the structure was filled with smoke which poured through the windows. Wemple, who manages a Sanitary grocery in the 1100 block of Q street, rushed to the scene and, although SERGT. WEMPLE. unable to detect whether the flames had extended to the apartments, ran in and helped the occupants to safety. Wemple has been a member of the | District National Guard continuously since April 5, 1927, and is the third recipient of the medal in the history of the organization. He now is with Company E, 121st Engineers. COAST PROTECTION TOPIC OF PARLEY Shore and Beach Preserva- tion Group to Meet Here December 14. Coastal protection work to save de- sirable beaches from destruction by erosion will be discussed at the tenth annual meeting of the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association all day Monday, December 14, in the auditorium of the National Research Council. ‘The associatoln has invited to meet with its members engineers, public officials and private citizens con- fronted with beach erosion problems in Maryland, Virginia and other coastal States. The program will include a review of the scientific advances of the last decade in coastal protection work and a review of progress in obtaining con- gressional recognition of beaches as national recreational assets, it was an- nounced by J. Spencer Smith, national president, who is chairman of the New Jersey State Board of Commerce and | Navigation. Last June Congress enacted & law providing for Federal financial assist- ance in beach preservation work and authorizing the Beach Erosion Board, a division of the Corps of Engineers of the Army, to make surveys and deter- mine the extent of Federal interest in the matter. g Capt. R. S. Pation, director of the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey, and State ‘Senator John A. Lesner of Virginia are members of the board of directors of the association. — MRS. J. H. MACKEY DIES AT AGE OF 63 Wife of Assistant to Budget Bu- reau Director Was Active in Patriotic Work. Mrs. Bessie H. Mackey, 63, wife of James H. Mackey, assistant to the director of the Budget Bureau, died today after a short illness at her home, 1717 Varnum street. Mrs. Mackey had been active here since 1904 in church and patriotic work. She was a member of Calvary M. E. Church and the Board of Man- agers of the Methodist Home for the Aged. She was corresponding secre- tary of the Col. John Donelson Chap- ter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and belonged to Mount Pleasant Union, Women's Christian ‘Temperance Union. Besides her husband, Mrs. Mackey is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Mar- garet M. Titus; a sister, Miss Helen Harman, and a grandson. A native of Mount Holly Springs, Pa., she was the daughter of the late Philip and Emma Weakley Harman. Funeral services will be held at 10 Families of Sister And Brother Become Parents Same Day Maybe you could call them “twin cousins.” At any rate, it was revealed to- day that on November 21 baby girls were born at almost the same time to the families of a brother and sister. On the same day that Mr. and Mrs. William V. Simmons, 3701 Sixteenth street, became the proud parents of a baby girl, Simmons’ sister, Mrs, Olin V. Mitchell of Northbrook Courts, gave birth to a daughter. Both mothers are in Columbia Hospital. The infants—the first in both families—will probably spend much of their babyhood together. 'BRIDE OF WEEK IS FOUND DEAD Mrs. Nellie Acken Believed to Have Been Victim of Heart Attack. A bride of only a week, Mrs. Nellie Blanche Acken. 40, was found dead today, presumably of & heart attack, in the bath room of the apartment which she and her husband, T. M. Acken, had rented Friday at 1607 D street northeast. After Mrs. Acken's husband, said to be an employe of the Federal Garage, went to work this morning, the landlady smelled something burn- ing on the stove in the Acken apart- ment. She entered, turned off the stove and called for Mrs. Acken. She received no response, but found the bath room door locked. An insurance salesman, George Smith, 1600 Isherwood street north- east, called at that time and the land- Mrs. Acken was found lying on the floor. A physician was summoned and she was pronounced dead. The couple was married in Rich- mond a week ago., Mrs. Acken was a former attendant at St. Elizabeth's Hospital and had been a resident of Washington for many years. The body was removed to the Morgue for an autopsy. — BAND CONCERT. By the Marine Band in the audi- torium at 3 p.m. tomorrow Capt. Tay- lor Branson, leader; William F. San- telmann, second leader, conducting. Program. Marines’ Hymn Overture—“Hungarian Lustspiel” . Keler Bela March—“Spirit of Independence” Holzman “Nocturne” Chopin Played by the entire first clarinet ‘Trombone solo—‘Celeste Aida"_Verdi Harold Bayes Intermezzo..“Love Offering” from the opera “Madelein”.___Schuier “Shepherd Fennel's Dance”.Gardiner am. Thursday at her late residence. Burial will be at Mount Holly Springs. “Bachanale” from “Samson and Saint-Saens Rumanian First Secretary, Here 16 Y ears, Recalled Popovici Was Grandson of Gen. Pomutz of Civil War. Andrel Popovici, first secretary of the Rumanian Legation and lecturer at Georgetown School of Foreign Service, has been recalled to Rumania after 16 years of service in the United States. Popovicl is the only foreign diplo- mat at present in Washington who can boast that a member of his fam- 1ly has rendered other than lip service to the United States. His grandfather, George Pomutz, left his native land in 1848 as an exile and came to this country. He was a graduate of the famous French mili- tary academy, St. Cyr. When the Civil War broke out Pomutz, together with Col Reid, raised the 15th Iowa |. Volunteers and fought throughout the conflict. Pomuts commanded, toward the end of the campaign, the first ‘brigade of Gen. Blair's 17th Army Corps before Atlanta. As a reward for his gallant service, Brig. Gen. Pomutz was sent to St. Petersburg as United States Consul General. Andrel Popovici came to the United States first as a private individual and became eventually the editor of the government and he was sent to Wash- ington as secretary of the Legation. In Washington, Popovict ANDREI POPOVICI. diplomat, liked by all who came in touch with him, but also as a scholar. He obtained a-Ph. D. degree at George- town and later became lecturer at the university’s foreign service school. Popovici, who married a woman from Denver, Colo., in 1927, has been active in the United States not only in the usual diplomatic way, but also as a lecturer, trying to explain his country’s position in the European affairs. Popovicl is leaving Washington on January 1 to take up ‘s position in the foreign Bucharest. lady asked him to break in the door. | PAGE B—1 Ottt Avgediedd Medal - ¢ TRAFF TOLE FALLS AS FIEURES FOR NATION RISE | Fatality Rate Here 20 Pef Cent Below 1935 and 32 ' Under 1934 Mark. VAN DUZER PRAISES ‘ AID OF NEWSPAPERS U. 8. Death Rate Is Expected to Set All-Time Record of 37,500. While the traffic toll for the Nation this year is expected to set an all-time record of 37,500, the fatality rate in ‘Washington shows a 20 per cent dee crease compared with last year and a 32 per cent decrease compared with the year before. High up among the factors which brought a marked downward trend in fatal accidents in Washington during the past two years, Traffic Di- rector William A. Van Duzer placed the sustained publicity campaign care ried on by the newspapers. ‘The policy of publishing the names of drivers whose driving permits were suspended or revoked, inaugurated by The Star nearly a year ago, came in for especial mention by Van Duzer. “The suspension of permits for firsh offense speeding, and increasing pene alties for second and third offenses, according to the rate of speed, is one of the most effective remedies we hava found for cutting down accidents,” Van Duzer declared. “The poliey would not have been nearly as effective, however, if the motorist were not faced. with the cere tainty that the conviction would bee come public knowledge.” Praises Safety Campaign. Van Duzer ‘also praised the safety campaign conducted by The Star last year, and which he believed was pare tially responsible for the lower fatality list in 1935, compared with 1934. The fatality list today stands at 81, as compared with 102 the same day last year, and 118 the same day in 1934, Van Duzer explained. “The old method of stressing safety in sporadic ‘drives’ has proved inefe fective. To Iinculcate safe driving habits requires constant effort and | repetition. We can't let the motorisy forget for a moment that careful drive ing will save lives, perhaps his own,* he said. The prediction that the traffic toll | for 1936 would reach an all-time high of 37,500 came yesterday from the Na= tional Safety Council in Chicago in an Associated Press report. The organization counted 3,930 fae talities in October, a 2 per cent ine crease over the 3,850 recorded in the same month last year. It estimated 29,850 lives were losh during the first 10 months of this year, 1 per cent more than the 29,680 who died in the similar 1935 period. Statistician R. L. Forney pointed to the growing number of persons who | “walked into trouble” as a major face | tor in the upswing. Pedestrian Accidents Increase. Fatal accidents involving pedes~ trians increased about 2 per cent, | while other types of motor vehicle | mishaps dropped approximately 1 per cent. The “most unfavorable” trend was found in a 10 per cent advance over | 1935 in the deaths of victims between the ages of 5 and 14. The problem was termed most acute in small towns and on the open road. While a 5 per cent reduction in fa- talities in all reporting cities during the first 10 months of 1936 showed metropolitan safety campaigns had slowed the slaughter. Record Peak in 1935. Motor vehicle deaths reached a rece ord peak of 37,000 in 1935. Forney saw two favorable aspects in the 1936 situation. Granting 500 more fatalities would be registered this year, the increase would still b& less than that recorded in recent years. The 1935 total was 900 greater than 1934, and the 1934 total nearly 5,000 larger than 1933. Taking a 10 per cent increase in gasoline consumption into considera= tion, he figured the death rate per 10,000,000 gallons in 1936 was 9 per cent below 1935. A new safety education program, consisting of lectures to be delivered in December by Mrs. George C. Thorpe before Community Centers throughout the city, was launched today at a meeting of the Community Center Department staff in the Franklin Building. Support of the American Automo- bile Association in the campaign was pledged by Russell E. Singer, general who accompanied Mrs. ‘Thorpe. Stating her belief that the mental attitude of the pedestrian is respone sible for many accidents, Mrs. Thorpe said that she expected to include in her lectures a survey of the present traffic era as a,whole. She likened traffic hazards of modern civilization to primitive dangers confronting pree historic animals, and urged the dee velopment of a defense mechanism as the best means of protection. This, she explained, should be an attitude of mind characterized by the slogan, “Caution and Courtesy.” Mrs. Thorpe also advocated the. use in schools of films visualizing the dangers of careless driving and em- the necessity for observing caution and courtesy. Attending the meeting were Dr, Frank W. Ballou, Dr. Harvey A. Smith, Dr. Garnet C. Wilkinson, Mrs. E. K, Peeples, Mrs. Mabel Clark, Mrs. M. C. Combs, Mrs. M. W. Davis, Mrs. M, E. Ellis, Miss A. L. Goodwin, Mrs. L, W. Hardy, Mrs. Edith H. Hunter, Mrs, A. L. Irving, Miss Etta Johnson, Mrs, C. J. Knox, Mrs. Sadie Marze, Mrs. D, E. Middleton, Hasold Snyder, Miss A, G. Woodward and Mrs. Louise Wynne, FIRE DESTROYS HOME By a Staft Correspondent of The Star. OCCOQUAN, Va., Noyember 30.— Fire yesterday destroyed the two-story frame home of Mrs. Susan Hixon here and threatened to spread to other homes until checked by fire companiea from Alexandria and Re< formatory. &