Evening Star Newspaper, December 26, 1936, Page 1

‘WEATHER. (U. 8. Weather Bureau Porecast.) Fair and slightly warmer; lowest tem- perature about 36 degrees tonight; to- The only evening tEaper in Washington with the Associated Press News and Wirephoto Services. morrow mostly cloudy, with mild tem- perature. Temperatures—Highest, 59, at 3:45 p.m. yesterday; lowest, 34, at 7:15 am. today. Full report on page A-8. New York Markets Closed Today ¢ Fpening Star WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION ch WASHINGTON, D. C., SATURDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1936—TWENTY-EIGHT PAGES. Yesterday’s Circulation, 118,995 (Some returns not yet received.) TWO CENTS. ¥ Entered as second class matter (®) Means Associated Press. post office, Washington, D. 85th YEAR. No. 33,842 FRANCE WILLING 10 GIVE GERMANY Another Prisoner Dies as Fire Destroys Second Virginia Jail GEN. CHANG BEGS Yule Blaze Similar to Colonial Beach ~HER OLD COLONIES) Tragedy—Ten Others Meet Violen 10 INSURE PEAG Settlement Must Include Hitler’s Promise to Join Arms Curb and Keep Vol- unteers Out of Spain. MUST ALSO RENOUNCE ALL EUROPEAN CLAIMS Britain Is Reported to Have Joined in Demand That Reich Join in General Disarmament Agreement—Situation Not Held “Alarming” by Officials. BACKGROUND— Shortly after outbreak of Spanish eivil war last July 27 European nations joined in neutrality pact, pledging to keep hands off Com- ‘munist-Fascist struggle. Russia later accused Italy, Germany and Portugal of aiding Fascist rebels. Allegations were denied and in return Russic was accused of assisting Socialists. Russia denied the charge. 1t has since been disclosed that Russian, Italian and German soldiers have engaged in Spanish conflict, A few days ago France warned Germany to cease inter- vention, precipitating present crisis, PARIS, December 26 (#).—France s willing to give Germany back her former colonies in return for “a full and lasting settlement” of European worries as to the Third Reich’s future path, officials of the foreign office said today. Such a settlement must include Reichsfuehrer Adol! Hitler's promise to participate in controlled disarma- ment, as well as his stoppage of volunteer German enlistments in Bpain, they said. Hitler must also renounce territorial claims within Europe and agree to re- turn to economic collaboration with the world, it was stated. On the other hand, the officials said, if Hitler desires the colonies only to make Germany stronger in a war- like way, “he will have to take them from France by force.” ‘The colonies now under French mandate from the League of Nations which would be concerned in such a deal are Togoland and the Cameroons. ‘They have a combined area in Africa of 188,321 square miles and, officials declared, are “paying propositions.” ‘Togo is rich in the raw materials Germany needs—iron, rubber, dye- ‘woods. Cameroon produces timber, hides and ivory and is especially suitable for the raising of live stock. Britain Joins Demand. Both France and Great Britain, au- o thoritative sources said, have joined in the demand that Germany enter a general disarmament agreement, as well as stop the flow of fighters to Spain, if she is to get economic help.” This became known after it was dis- closed Great Britain and France had begun the outline of a program to give the Third Reich access to European raw material markets as a projected reward for refusing to send military * assistance to Spanish Fascists. The further condition for such eco- nomic help will be a German pledge to curb the Reich's arm-making race, informed persons stated. At the same time, qualified govern- ment spokesmen let it be known that Prance and Great Britain have no in- tention of backing down on their de- mand for guarantees by Adolf Hitler against the sending of either regular troops or volunteer civilians to Spain. ‘The two democracies have been in accord on all moves to date in the crisis brought about by Gen. Francisco Pranco's plea for 60,000 German troops, the spokesmen said. ‘They are agreed it is necessary to T (8ee WAR, Page A-2) TWO KILLED LIFTING BODY IN AMBULANCE Pittsburgh Mayor's Nephew Af-‘le.'lous condition, rested After Crash Near Winchester. Srecial Dispateh to The Btar. WINCHESTER, Va., December 26.— Fred M. Affieck, fire truck driver, and Homer Hook, driver for a transfer com- pany, were almost instantly killed early today when struck by an automobile poiice sald was driven by Thomas D. Beully, local lawyer, several miles north of here. Hook and Affleck, police said, had gone with an ambulance to bring here the body of Dewey Newlin, who had been struck and killed by another ear. State Police Inspector Raymond F. Bayliss also was struck by the Scully machine and slightly injured. Scully, member of a prominent family and nephew of Mayor Cornelius Scully, Pittsburgh, Pa.. was released on bail for a hearing. Bayliss sald they were placing Newlin's body in the ambu- lance when the Scully car bore down upon them. Roosevelt Returns To Office to Work Despite Holiday Roosevelt went to his office for half a day of work. He conferred briefly with R. Walton Moore, acting Secretary of State, and John H. Fahey, chairman of the Home Loan Bank Board. on BY the Assoctated Press. An agonizing death in the burning Dillwyn Jail early Christmas morn- ing ciaimed John Edd Garrett, 58, colored, as one of 11 Virginians whose | lives reached tragic ends as their fel- { lowmen feasted with good cheer. Automobile accidents took seven lives, on person was crushed be- | tween two trains, a Lynchburg court reporter was burned to death, a colored man was fatally shot and a Newport News boy was smothered by a land- slide while playing in a cave. Cremation of the Buckingham County colored man, lone prisoner in the frame town jail, duplicated almost exactly the death of John Coates in Holiday. the Colonial Beach Jail fire a few weeks ago. Town Sergt. P. W. Amiss said the man, here for some shopping Christ- mas eve, got drunk and was locked up for “safe keeping,” without formal charges lodged against him. B Amiss said he took matches from Garrett, but left a cigar in his pocket. The officer expressed the be- lief the prisoner lighted the cigar from other matches secreted on his person and accidentally fired the two-room fail. Amiss lived some distance away, and there was no resident jailer. John Pendleton, living nearby, saw (See PRISONER, Page A-8.) INDIANS MAY SHUN GORONATION RITES Resolution of Boycott by National Committee Is Deemed Certain. By the Associated Press. BOMBAY, India, December 26.— Adoption of a resolution by the Indian National Committee to boycott corona- tion ceremonies for George VI in India was considered by well-informed sources today to be virtually certain. ‘The resolution against the projected durbar, a rite at which the new Brit- ish King would be proclaimed Emperor of India, would implore Indians to avoid “any imperialistic celebrations or functions connected with the cor- onation, as such festivities are meant to tend to strengthen the hold of British imperialism or add to its pres- tige.” Drafted by leaders of the Congress at Faizpur, it was scheduled for sub- mission before a full committee today. Constitution to Be Rejected. The Congress also planned to re- Ject the new constitution for India. The Mahatma Gandhi, long a leader in the movement for Indian freedom, supported the boycott proposal, but it was understood he wanted it known the protest was not directed at the new King personally. (No definite date has been set for the durbar. (It is generally expected, however, to take place late in 1937, after the cor- onation scheduled for next May in London.) ‘There were strong indications the Mahatma, emerging from more than a year of political inactivity, would take an active part in the Congress, a political party convention of about 200,000 Nationalists. Plans Village Exhibition. A speech he made in opening a vil- lage industries exhibition at Faizpur indicated he was planning a surpvise. The Mahatma offered to wager he could double the villagers' income without taking a scrap of material from the cities and without using “a single middleman.” “We have not begun to show our real hand yet,” he declared. “Wait some time and you will see it in full” 26 DEAD, 100 HURT IN BLAST ON SHIP JMicial Communique Tells of | Disaster in Massaua, Italian Eritrea. BY the Associated Presa ROME, December 26.—Twenty-six persons were killed and 100 injured December 23, an officlal communique said today, in an explosion aboard the | steamship Cesare Battisti in the har- bor of Massaua, Italian Eritrea, on the | east coast of Africa. A fire resulting from the explosion spread rapidly over the water front and the port. Twenty of those injured were re- ported seriously hurt, “A boiler exploded in the steamer Cesare Battisti about 10 p.m. Decem- {ber 23 in the Port of Massaua,” an | offcial communique said. “The explosion tore the vessel open amidship and the ship sank near the dock. Twenty-six persons were killed and 100 injured, of whom 20 are in & “Identification of the victims was delayed because all documents aboard the steamer were destroyed. The in- jured were taken immediately to Um- berto Hospital in Massaua.” Slayer of Four Pays With Life In Indiana Chair Former Farm Handy Man Shows No ! Remorse. | By the Associated Press, MICHIGAN CITY, Ind.. December | 26.—A flip of an electric chair switch i at Indiana State prison early today | abruptiy finished the bloody career of {Harry Singer, 25, farm handyman who had confessed four gruesome murders. With no show of remorse or emo- tion the cynical slayer slumped into eternity at 12:14 a.m. (Central stand- ard time) after s Christmas day spent in grumbling, playing checkers and eating a fried chicken dinner. The “last mile” walk from “death row” was uneventful. When sum- moned, Singer shrugged his shoulders and stared blankly ahead to the last chair in which he would sit. At 12:07 am. he squirmed and twitched as the current coursed through his body. Taken out of the chair at MISSING TEACHER REPORTED SUICIDE Rhode Island Economist, Was Sought Since Parley Here Tuesday. Prof. Arnold Hinrichs, 39, of the economics department at Rhode Island | State College, who disappeared Tues- day after attending a soil conserva- tion conference here, was identified today by the coroner at Hutchinson, Minn,, as a man who took his own life with a shotgun there Thursday afternoon, according to an Associated Press dispatch. ‘The death of the college professor, for whom police of eight States had been searching, was first learned this | morning through telegrams received by his wife and Dean George E. Adams of the college department of agricul- ture. ‘The Associated Press dispatch from Minnesota said Coroner W. R. Schmidt said he had ascertained that Prof. Hinrichs came to Hutchinson Thurs- day, purchased a shotgun and wrote several telegrams to relatives and friends announcing his own death. ‘The coroner said Hinrichs took quarters at a hotel. Schmidt said Hinrichs was in a bath room when | he shot himself. “Premeditated Suicide.” Coroner Schmidt said it was a case of “premeditated suicide,” but that a | formal inquest might be held. ‘The telegrams, left on a table in Hinrichs’ room, were written in long- hand, said the coroner. Schmidt said Hinrichs left $25 in cash to pay for the wires and also wrote instructions for “a simple fu- neral in Hutchinson.” A dispatch from Kingston, R. I, reported Dean Adams as saying the telegram he received did not specify how the college professor, who was employed here for a short time as an economist by the Agricultural Adjust- ment Administration, had met his death. The dean would not disclose the contents of the telegram other than to say the message said Hin- richs died accidentally. Prof. Hinnichs came to Washington Sunday from his home in Kingston to attend the soil conservation confer- ence Monday and Tuesday. He registered at the Harrington Hotel, remaining there Monday night. On Tuesday he checked out of the hotel, leaving no forwarding address, it was said. He attended conference meetings Tuesday and has not been seen since. Executive for Rhode Island. Prof. Hinrichs had just beem ap- pointed executive officer for Rhode Island for the A. A. A. and remained in Washington Tuesday for a special conference following the general soil conference, according to Allen W. Manchester, director of the North- eastern Region of the A. A. A, He was in conference with Manches- ter most of Tuesday morning and was with other officials of the A A A during the afternoon, Befim leaving he loaded his brief case with papers and material he would need in carrying out his duties in Rhode Island. He also is believed to have obtained a governmental travel order for his return to Rhode Island. “I did not know Prof. Hinrichs well and was not able to judge whether he was in norma! health” Man- chester sald. “He appeared to be per= haps a little tired and tense.” Prof. Hinrichs, it is said, left his post as senior agricultural economist for the A. A. A. here about a year ago. He is the father of two children. Telephone Call Tuesday Prof. Hinrichs telephoned his wife from Washington Tuesday that he would return home the following day, the Associated Press reported. That was the last she or any of his friends heard from him, The professor formerly was a mems ber of the faculties of both the Uni- versity of Washington and of Purdue University. A. Pord Hinrichs, chief economist of the Labor Department, Bureau of Labor Statistics, believed to be a relative of the dead professor, is spending the Christmas holidays visit- ing relatives in New York and Rhode Island, it was said at his home at 3214 Newark street. PLANT RUNNING AGAIN Kelsey-Hayes Firm Operates After MERCY OF CHIANG, BACK IN NANKING Informs Dictator in . Letter. RELEASE OF LEADER HAILED BY THRONGS Credit for Liberation Is Given to Mme. Chiang—Martial-Law Order Is Bescinded. By the Associated Press. NANKING, December 26.—Rebel- lious Marshal Chang Hsueh-liang, as- serting his willingness to “suffer death,” threw himself tonight on the mercy of his former captive at Sianfu, Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek. The leader of the military mutiny which caused a grave governmental crisis made known his intention in a letter addressed to the premier shortly after his arrival in the cap- ital. ‘The letter said: “I am ready to suffer whatever you and your government desire. Whether it means deati or not, I am here and ready, for I realize my wicked- ness and my sin against you and the nation.” Held in Soong’s Residence. Chang, it was disclosed, is being held under guard at the residence of Dr. T. V. Soong, the generalissimo’s brother-in-law, who brought the mutineer from Sianfu by plane this afternoon. Gen. Chiang, meanwhile, returned triumphantly to Nanking to assume control of his Nationalist government after spending two weeks as Chang's prisoner in interior Shensi Province. The government announced all of Chiang’s lieutenants who were taken prisoner with the generalissimo De- cember 12 had been released from rebel quarters at Sianfu and were en route to Nanking. Credit for the dramatic solution to the grim threat of civil war was uni- versally accorded the generalissimo’s American-educated wife, the former Mei-ling Soong, who-stood proudly at his side as he took the tumultuous salute of the thousands who rushed to hail their leader’s freedom. Wife Braved Captivity. With her brother, Dr. Soong, the intrepid Mme. Chiang, unaided by the Nanking government, braved the hardships of her husband’s captivity to negotiate directly with the rebel marshal for his release. Marshal Chang’s whereabouts was & closely guarded secret. ‘The arrival of the rebellious military leader in the capital was announced b’id. government spokesman, who said: “Information concerning the mar- shal has heretofore been banned. Now, however, we can say the marshal ar- rived in Nanking at 2:30 pm. (130 am, E. 8. T.) with Dr. Soong. “He will remain here pending a :ttlment of the issues concerning iy shal Chang was being brought to Nanking aboard the giant American- made military plane as the generalis- simo’s personal prisoner. But when the transport settled heavily to the ground at the military (See CHINA, Page A-2.) STATE DEFENSE COURT EXTENDED BY IL DUCE Five More Years Added to Exist- ence of Tribunal First Created in 1926. By the Associated Press. ROME, December 26.—The life of the special tribunal for defense of the state was extended a second time by official decree today. The order, published in the official Gazette, added five more years to the court’s existence, first established in 1926 after an attempt to assassinate Premier Mussolini at Bologna. The first extension came in 1931 after the tribunal’s initial five-year period had expired. The court hears cases of conspiracy attempts against the Italian Premier or King Victor Emmanuel, Summary of Books - B-2 C-1-2-3 Church_ News, A-6 Lost & Found A-3 Music B-4 NATIONAL. Professor who disappeared after con- ference here is suicide. Page A-1 National leaders begin preparations for Congress opening. Page A-1 FOREIGN. Indian National Committee is expected to boycott coronation. Page A-1 Chiang Kai-shek returns to Nanking hailed by thousands. Page A-1 Germany may be offered return of colonies to keep peace. Page A-1 Pope Pius hopes to pronounce Easter Settlement of Strike. DETROIT, December 26 (#).—De- troit plants of the Kelsey-Hayes Co., where a strike was settled Wednesday night, resumed operations in part to- day. Lester R. Downle, treasurer, said full operations would begin Monday. The company manufactures auto- mobile parts. Several motorcar man=- 12:13 am, he was pronounced dead & minute later. 2 Singer died without friends. No ‘_'_(’;fi—'m Pags A3) - ufacturers, including the Ford Motor benediction. Page A-8 WASHINGTON AND VICINITY. Parents of eight burned in blast at Maryland home. Page A-1 5 persons killed in holiday traffic mis- haps in this vicinity. Page A-1 Six persons injured in esrly-morning fire on Wisconsin ave. Page A-1 Man shot by wife, then left dying, po- lice are told. Page A-1 Co., were forced to curtail production because of parts shortages brought sbout by the strike. - | Another Virginia prisoner dies in jail blaze Dage A-1 € It had been thought at first Mar- | Willing to Accept Death, He| ,-—- 1 Hocmig' Cumuwfi OuT OUR EXTRA DINNERS THL. — S 3 0.K. Wity our ME,JACK? S YEAR ? HUSBAND 15 SLAIN; WIFE BEING HELD Woman Said to Have Used Pistol Bought to Pro- tect Herself. A pistol she bought three days ago was used early today by Mrs. Frances Norene Kellison, 35, of 1311 Eleventh street, to kill her husband, John H. Kellison, 25, an unemployed truck driver, according to Detective Sergt. Whalter S. Beck, of the homicide squad. Mother of six children by a previous marriage, Mrs. Kellison, according to the police report, sald she purchased the weapon from a colored man to “protect” herself against the abuse to which she said she had been sub- jected in the four years she had lived with her second husband. Shortly after 3 o'clock this morning, Kellison, accompanied by two of his wife's sons, Roy Gregory, 21, and Louis, 18, of 1118 Tenth street, returned from Baltimore. The sons went to their home. Mrs. Kellison was standing at the corner of Eleventh and N streets awaiting her husband. Shoots Him Four Times. She walked up as her husband crossed the street to their basement home and asked where he had been. Her story, as related by police, is that he replied with an oath that it was none of her business, and motioned (See SHOOTING, Page A-8) FORMER FRENCH LEADER IS DEAD Etienne Clementel, Veteran French Political Leader, Served With Clemenceau. Br the Associated Press. RIOM, Prance, December 26.— Etienne Clementel, former member of several French cabinets, died today. He was 72 years old. Clementel was a veteran French political leader who was minister of labor in the Clemenceau cabinet of 1917 to 1920 and, later, minister of finance in the Herriot cabinet of 1924 and 1925. He played an important part in inter-allied debt negotiations during 1924 and was formerly president of the International Chamber of Com- merce, whose French section he headed. After retiring from the government he was elected to the Senate. Clemen- tel was regarded by French officials as one of the country’s foremost au- thorities on finance and economic questions. Today’s Star .| Nation recuperating from one of its merriest Christmas days. Page A-12 ‘Transit company offers Georgetown road right of way. Page A-12 Pugh to confer with W, Va. regarding Kirby-Gingell trial. Page A-12 Admiral Grayson names Parade Com- mittee for inaugural. Page A-12 $8,000 fire damages office of Bladens- burg stone company. Page A-12 EDITORIAL AND COMMENT. ‘This and That. Page A-6 Answers to Questions. Page A-6 Stars, Men and Atoms. .. Page A-6 David Lawrence. Page A-7 Paul Mallon. Page A-7 Mark Sullivan. Page A-7 Jay Franklin. Page A-7 Headline Folk. Page A-7 SPORTS. Great mile field of Olympic stars in Sugar Bowl meet today. Page C-4 California U. gridmen choice over Ga. Tech in game today. Page C-4 Chief National League pitching honors g0 to Carl Hubbell. Page C-4 ‘Youngsters open national indoor tennis championship play. Page C-4 Phenomenal growth of interest in ‘Winter sports is recorded. Page C-5 Star duckpin lists close tonight as ace mixed pairs clash, Page C-5 MISCELLANY. Young Washington. Page A-7 Nature’s Children. Page B-5 Betsy Caswell. Page B-8 Dorothy Dix. Page B-8 Bedtime Btory, * Page Mother of Eight Badly Burned in Turpentine Blast Explosion Destroys Christmas Tree in Maryland Home. Srecial Dispatch to The Star. LEONARDTOWN, Md., December | 26.—The eight children of Mrs. Ed- ward Owen spent a cheerless Christ- mas day as physicians fought to save their mother’s life at the hospital here. Even their Christmas tree had been destroyed by the flames which | brought her near death and badly | burned their father. Mr. and Mrs. Owen were burned Christmas eve when a mixture of lard and turpentine exploded at their home (See EXPLOSION, Page A-8) SIK ARE INJURED INFRE OF HOME Three Children and 82-Year- 0ld Great-Grandfather Among Hurt. Six persons, including three young children and their 82-year-old great- grandfather, were injured early today in a fire which virtually destroyed their home at 1677 Wisconsin avenue. The flames broke out shortly after 2 o'clock. They forced five persons to leap from a second-story window. The great-grandfather was carried down the rear steps by firemen. ‘The injured were Mrs. Catherine Milstead, 28; her mother, Mrs. Aurelia Carroll, 58; her grandfather, Henry Harding, 82, and her three children, Ernestine and Christine, 10-year-old twins, and Gerald, 7. All were slightly burned and bruised. They were admitted to Georgtown University Hospital after being taken there in police cars. Mrs. Milstead said the heat and smoke awoke her as she slept in a bed room adjoining the stairway. “I could see the flames shooting up the stirway, filling the hall,” Mrs. Mil- stead said. *I was so scared I did not know what to do, but my children and I ran instinctively for the window. “We did not even try to put on any- thing—we just jumped!” The children and Mrs. Carroll leaped from the window and fell in the soft dirt in front of their home. All were bruised and slightly burned. Firemen arrived in time to carry the great-grandfather down a stairway in the rear. The flames destroyed the interior of the wooden dwelling. Top Story Burned Away. The fire burned away most of the top story of the building, but did not reach the room where a Christmas tree had been set up in the center of a heap of gifts. A three-alarm fire at 3149 Mount Pleasant street yesterday morning sent 17 families fleeing from their apartments. The smoke frightened the occupants of the building and they ran to safety. No one was badly injured, however, and the damage was small. John H. Bowser, 70, was bruised when he fell from a fire escape, and his son-in- law, W. B. Totten, was slightly burned. WHEAT PRICES CLIMB TO SEVEN-YEAR HIGH Spurt of More Than 3 Cents Takes December Deliveries to Around $1.42 Bushel. BY the Associated Press. CHICAGO, December 26.—Domestic wheat prices shot upward almost three cents & bushel to new seven- year highs today while markets in other countries were closed in observ- ance of Christmas week end holiday. Rising more than three cents from early low levels, Chicago wheat de- liverable before the month ends soared to around $1.42 a bushe], the highest price paid for any wheat future here since December, 1929. Wheat deliver- able in May sold around $1.37 & bushel. It was probably the most active post Christmas session in recent years. Traders said the world supply and demand situation, with stocks low and war talk persistent, was the back- ground of the buying that found offerings tn the market lght. s FNE RE KLLED N YLE TRAFF Four Washingtonians and Virginian Are Victims. Five persons, four from Washing- ton and one from nearby Virginia, were killed and three others were critically injured in automobile accidents in this vicinity last night and early today. ‘The local victims were: Miss Florence Recknor, 19, of 1424 Belmont street. James Daniels, 50, of 1502 Jefferson Davis highway, Arlington County, Va. Miss Mary Crockett, about 30, 4527 South Dakota street northeast. Garnett F. Luttrell, about 35, 2023 Fourth street northeast. Frederick Mills, 24, of 616 C street northeast. Mrs. Minnie Leighuser, 38, of 1808 Belmont road, died yesterday of inju- ries received in an automobile acci- deut on Christmas eve. More than & dozen persons were injured in other crashes. Killed in Collision. . Miss Recknor, a Washington de- partment store employe and graduate of Powell Junior High School, was almost instantly killed in a head-on crash on the Landover road at Chev- erly, Md., a% 1:45 am. today. Mills died about eight hours later in Casual- ty Hospital. Two companions, were in- jured, one critically. Both were treated at Casualty Hospital. Miss Crockett died en route to a hospital and Luttrell was killed in- stantly when their automobile left the Richmond-Washington highway and rolled down a 25-foot embank- ment four miles north of Fredericks- burg, Va., shortly after midnight. A third passenger, Joseph L Clem- ents, about 34, 312 S street northeast, was admitted to the hospital for treat- ment of a possible skull fracture and internal injuries. The hospital report- ed his condition as serious. Christmas presents the three were believed carrying to relatives were LEADERS PREPARE POLICY ON ISSUES IN NEW CONGRESS Relief and Neutrality Legis- lation in Forefront as Opening Nears. OPPOSING CAMPS FORM ON CONTROL OF BUDGET Roosevelt's Initial Message to Be Followed Soon After by Finance Views and Inaugural. By the Associated Press. President Roosevelt and his con- gressional chiefs set about in serious fashion today to plan for the opening of Congress 10 days hence, with 1nany vital decisions facing them. Some of the Democratic leaders in Congress were already here. Others, who stayed home for Christmas, were heading to the Capital for the im- portant conferences that always mark a new session. The Chief Executive had to sande wich in between his conferences some concentrated work on his opening message, which may chart the course of his second term in the White House. He was looking ahead also to his inaugural address on Janusry 20. Developments already have oute lined two major issues for the coming session—both loaded with argument. They are neutrality and relief. Back of them are scores of other problems and proposals that made the usual forecasts of a short session sound hollow. Neutrality Leading Issue. With war clouds over Europe darke ening, neutrality legislation was on the lips of most of the assembling legislators. President Roosevelt, just back from his peace mission to South America, already has turned his mind to the problem, but has not ane nounced what he would propose to re= place the law expiring May 1. Evidence was accumulating that & bitter fight was brewing. over relief and the interwined problem of bale ancing the budget. Even within the administration there were signs of conflict, and in Congress opposing camps were forming in favor of cone tinued spending or curtailed spending. The issue will come to a head al- most as soon as Congress meets. Cure rent funds are running short, and & new appropriation will be sought dure ing January. President Roosevelt's budget message, to be submitted during the first week, probably will contain his recommen=- dation for relief spending for the remainder of the fiscal year, but is not expected to contain estimates for next year's program. 4 The Chief Executive has indicated several times that he would propose about $500,000,000 to carry the work relief program until June 30. Harry L. Hopkins, his relief chieftain, has been seeking more. Budget Message Pivotal. With revenue increasing amid talk of curtailed spending, the President’s budget message is awaited with more than usual interest. There have been some forecasts it would point to & virtually balanced budget. Aside from relief, Congress will be calied on during its first month to face one other major problem—ex- tension of the President’s monetary powers. The administration has an- nounced it will ask for extension of found in the smashed car, which stopped in a shallow stream after rolling over the embankment. A letter from Fairport, Va., addressed to Miss Crockett, indicated they were en route to that place. State Officer Robert A. Sims, who investigated the accident, said the machine left the hjghway on a sharp curve. It was en route south. One Seriously Injured. Seriously injured in the Landover crash was Roland Steiner, 23, of 1350 C street northeast, who suffered a possible skull fracture, concussion and lacerations, Steiner, who was hauled from the demolished automobile by passing motorists, was still uncon- scious this morning. Also injured in the accident was Lillian Reamy, 19, of 928 M street, who suffered head and hand lacerations. Physicians said her condition was “fair.” Occupants of the other vehicle, Louis Moyer, 17, and Lynwood Moyer, 28, both of Cheverly, were also treated at Casualty. Louis, suffering a possible skull fracture and lacera- tions, was in “fair” condition this (See TRAFFIC, Page A-3.) Last O’Leary Of Chicago Fire Fame 1Is Dead AlwaysDenied Legend That Cow Started Conflagration. BY the Associated Press. CHICAGO, December 26.—Mrs. Catherine O'Leary Ledwell, 70, last member of the O'Leary family whose cow some say started the Chicago fire, died of heart disease last night at her home. Mrs. Ledwell always denied the leg- end that the O'Leary cow kicked over & lamp in their barn and touched off the great blaze of 1871. She declared they first learned of the fire at 8 o'clock when Denis Sul- livan, “the one-legged drayman from next door,” discovered it in the barn. “That's the first we knew of the fire,” she always said. “No one had been up. I know mother didn’t milk the cow after 5 o’clock.” Mrs, Ledwell theorized that young bloods of the neighborhood, who sometimes drank beer in the loft of the $2,000,000,000 stabilization fund and of the Chief Executive’s authority o devalue the dollar. Some opposition to these proposals was gathering on Capitol Hill, but with huge Democratic majorities in both houses, leaders do not expect much trouble getting them approved. Back of all these things, the most far-reaching decision facing the Presi- dent was whether to ask legislation to achieve the objectives of N. R. A. Most of his advisors at the Capitol believed he might make no recom- mendation on industrial proposals until later in the session, SEABOARD AIR LINE REORGANIZATION DUE Judge Calls Conference January 19 to Plan for End of Receivership. By the Associated Press. NORFOLK, Va., December 26.—An order by Judge Luther B. Way of Federal District Court, calling a con= ference of stockholders, —creditors, mortgage trustees and other interested parties looking to the possible early termination of the receivership of the Seaboard Air Line Railway Co. was made public today by Maj. Paul W. Kear, clerk of the court. The conference is set by Judge Way for Tuesday morning, January 19, at 11 o'clock in the Federal court offices in Norfolk. ‘The order sets forth that the court has now reached the conclusion that the improvement of the business of the railway and the resulting improvement, in e and the disposition of many of the principal problems of the receivership now justify and require & prompt reorganization. The railway has been operated in receivership for some time by Leigh R. Powell, jr., and Henry W. Anderson, co-receivers appointed by the court. No 5:30 Star or Night Final Today Because of the holiday, there will be no 5:30 or Night Final of The Star today. the O'Leary barn had left a cigar ‘mnm‘nmuy.