Evening Star Newspaper, January 28, 1937, Page 1

WEATHER. (U. 8. Weather Bureau Forecast.) Rain, with slowly rising temperature tonight and tomorrow;" lowest tempera- ture tonight about 36 degrees; moderate winds. Temperatures—Highest, 36, at 3 p.m. yesterday; lowest, 31, at 6 am. to- day. Full report on page Closing New York Markets, Page 18 85th YEAR. No. 33,875. o —————————— B-15. Entered as second class matter post office, Washington, D. O. @b WASHINGTON, D. C, THURSDAY, JANUARY 28, 1937—FORTY-EIGHT PAGES.*¥¥*¥ WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION ¢ Foening Star The only Associated (UP) Means Associated in Washington wit! evening paper the Press News and Wirephoto Services. Yesterday’s Circulation, 144,805 (Some returns not yet received.) Press. TWO CENTS. MISSISSIPPI VALLEY AWAITS CRISIS AS OHIO’S WATERS SLOWLY RECEDE GENERAL EVACUATION OF AREA BELOW CAIRO IS SEEN UNNECESSARY & 61-Foot CrestIs Expected at Paduecah. RAIN RESUMES AT LOUISVILLE Rehabilitation Cost Estimates Run to Billions. Full page of flood pictures, Page A-7. By the Assoclated Press. The flooded Ohio River, struggling like a captive serpent of fabulous strength, sought escape against weak- ening levees today on its cresting descent to the Mississippi. The known dead stood at 293, the homeless passed the ‘miltion mark, an additional 500,000 were endangered and property loss was estimated at more than $400,000,000. Along the 1,000-mile ghost town trail, the slowly receding waters lapped houses in the empty towns. The cost of rehabilitation, now becoming of Paramount interest in Northern Ohio Valley com- munities where the worst appar- ently has passed, drew estimates ranging into billions. Officials said the average cost for clean- ing and drying out a single flood- ed home was $250. Fresh dangers cropped up by the dozens as the crest of the[ flood swung South. At Paducah, Ky., the next point of erisis, Red Cross officials hurned_w‘ evacuate thousands of reluctant in-| habitants in advance of the oncoming | flood peak. 61-Foot Crest Expected. Col. dmt Rhodes, U. 8. Army en- gineer, warned of a 61-foot crest with- in the next 48 hours. Below, at Cairo, Ill, only men re-| mained in the island city to boltser the 60-foot seawall against an ex- pected 4-foot rise in the river. Eight thousand—mostly women and chil- dren and the aged—had already fled. At Mound City, Ill, a back levee collapsed, routing 650 men, 50 women and 175 C. C. C. boys to higher ground. | On the Mississippi River itself, now beginning to stir uneasily under the vanguard lash of the Ohio’s flood load, the Melwood Levee was threatened with collapse, endangering two coun- ties. Hard-hit Louisville, Ky., with the highest death roll in the 1,000-mile disaster area, had its hopes darkened again today as rain began to fall. In Tennessee, levee workers battled desperately to save the dike above Tiptonville. High water that passed Cairo when ~(See FLOOD, Page,A-2.) —_—— PHILATELIST FINED Charged With Attempt to Sell Fraudulent Stamp. PHILADELPHIA, January 28 (P).— Henry R. Jarrett of Bethlehem chose to pay a $2,000 fine and give up deal- ing in stamps for five years rather than go to jall for two years for offer- ing for sale a five-cent red Annapolis postmaster’s provisional stamp which & Federal jury held was rot genuine. Jarrett was allowed the alterna- tive of the jail sentence yesterday by Judge Albert B. Maris, himself a stamp collector. Mississippi Crest idly at empty‘l < Mrs. Frank Reed and three of her children after she, her husband and five other children were taken to Columbus, Ohio. She is holding a girl born two weeks ago. Mrs. Reed, bedfast with the baby, was rescued Friday. The station at Jeflersonville, Ind., across the river from Louisville, shows how completely the town was inundated. Ez- treme cold added to the suffering.—A. P. and Wide World Photos. PADUCAH PEOPLE REFUSE TO LEAVE Residents Remain in Homes, Hoping for Best—Fire Is Menace. | BACKGROUND— Robert B. Phillips, jr., of The Star staff was the single passenger on the first plane to reach be- leagued Paducah, Ky., yesterday afternoon, Phillips, a native of Paducah, and the pilot took a chance and made a landing on @ tiny strip of concrete highway to bring in Red Cross supplies. He sends the following account of con=- ditions in Paducah. BY ROBERY B. PHILLIPS, JR., Staft Correspondent ot The Star. PADUCAH, Ky. January 28.—At 2:20 o'clock yesterday afternoon a lean young pilot named Tom Livermore lifted his ‘Waco monoplane from Mc- Connell Field in Nashville, Tenn., headed for the worst-hit town in the Ohio Valley flood. I was his only pas- senger. The back end of the foure passenger ship was crammed to the top with Red Cross supplies, every- thing from outboard motors to rub- ber hoots and flashlights. The load we did not regard as es- pecially significant. The point was that Nashville authorities wanted to know where it would be possible to land an airship in Paducah. We were to be the guinea pigs. An hour and 10 minutes later we began to get an idea of what the laboratory pig feels like. We were over Paducah Airport by that time, 5 Feet Under Army Figure Seen By the Associated Press. MEMPHIS, Tenn, January 28.—Meteorologist F. W. Brist of the Weather Bureau predicted today a probable Mississippi River crest stage for Memphis of 48 feet by February 5 to 7, more than 5 feet below Army engineers’ esti- mates. “We think the probable crest stage, barring further heavy rains, will be: Memphis, 48 feet by February 5 to 7; Helena, Ark., 57.5 to 58 feet, February 7 to 9,” Brist said. Army engineers had said they expected a stage of from 53.5 to 55 feet at Memphis. after circling the floodbound city to confirm our suspicions that the worst (See PADUCAH, Page A-9.) MASS EVACUATION S HELD UNLIKELY Army Officers Believe Re- moval of Families Can Be Confined to Small Areas. By tle Assoctated Press. High y officers today expressed the bel{éf removal of families from the path of the rising Mississippi River probably could be confined to small areas. Although the War Department checked precautionary plans to evacu- ate tkousands if levees break, Maj. Gen. Malin Craig termed the possi- bility of any widespread evacuation remote. Army egineers along the levees will sound & warning before any removal is ordered. Families then will be carried to safety only from localized danger spots rather than from the entire 1,000-mile stretch between Cairo, Ill, and New Orleans. Generals of three Army corps areas reported they were ready for any (See EVACUATION, Page A-3,) QUAKES IN JAPAN Populace of Northern Kyushu Is- land Thrown Into Panic. FUKUOKA, Japan, January 28 () —Strong earthquakes threw the populace of Northern Kyushu Island into panic today in widely scattered areas. ‘The epicenter of the tremors, first' felt at 9:44 am. today (7:44 pam., E. 8. T, Wednesday), was reported west of Mount Sao, an active volcano. Residents of the vicinity, fearful of & possible eruption, fled their homes. ‘There were no casualties. Star Will Receive Funds for Red Cross Flood Relief The District of Columbia has been assigned a quota of $120,000 (originally $24,000) for flood relief by the Amercan Red Cross. The Evening Star will assist in raising the required amount by receiving and acknowledging in its columns the contributions of Washingtonians. Red Cross, for flood relief. Evening Star. Make checks payable to District Chapter, American Bring or mail- them to the cashier, The Those who desire to submit their contributions directly to the American Red Cross may send or deliver cash or checks to the District-Chapter, American Red Cross, 1730 E street. GOVERNMENT ASKS ADDITIONAL POWER 10 PROBE STRIKES Secretary Perkins Seeks Right to Subpoena Records in Labor Disputes. $50,000 REQUESTED FOR INVESTIGATIONS @. M. C. Negotiations Continue Deadlocked—Union Organizer, Reported Missing, Shows Up. BULLETIN. . Secretary Perkins dispatched & representative to Anderson, Ind., today to investigate charges by the striking United Automobile Work= ers that the General Motors Corp. had incited violence there. B> the Associated Press Demands of two Government agencies for more power to investigate strike conditions carried phases of the General Motors deadlock today to Capitol Hill. Secretary Perkins asked quick au- thorization for the Labor Departmeut to seek out and make public the cause of the strikes, lockouts and other in- dustrial disputes, and to recommend settlements. Miss Perkins said the proposals, which would give her power to take testimony under oath and subpoera records, was not aimed at the General Motors impasse, but “this situation brings it to mind.” The financial position of employers could be studied under her proposal, making possible recommendations oa wage Increases for employes. Funds Sought for Probe. Another appeal to Congress affect- ing the General Motors situation was the La Follette Civil Liberties Com- mittee's request for an additional $50,000 to investigate the strike. With- out the money, according to Senator Thomas, Democrat, of Utah an ex- haustive inquiry would be impossible. As part of its industrial espionage, the committee dipped again today into the General Motors situation. Leon Scott, whom & union official called an undercover operative for the Corporations Auxiliary Co., was called to testify, as were union repe- sentatives. George Boysen, president of the anti-strike Flint, Mich., Alliance, is scheduled to appear February 8. After conferring with John L. Lewis, the auto union’s adviser, and other strike leaders, Miss Perkins said yesterday a situation developed “which will make a settlement quite possible if the third party consents.” Alfred P. Sloan, jr, president of General Motors, told his workers what Lewis wanted was “that we should turn you over, body and soul, for exploitation.” Employes Declared Discharged. Lewis made public a letter to Miss Perkins charging that employes of G. M. C.s Delco-Remy plant at An- derson, Ind, who refused to agree not to take part in union affairs were dismissed. Speaker Bankhead said today he had assured Secretary Perkins her letter requesting expanded authority in dealing with strikes would be “given the consideration a communication of that sort justifies.” Miss Perkins asked Bankhead and Senator Robinson of Arkansas, the Democratic leader, for “utmost haste” in enacting the legislation. Bankhead said he had advised the Secretary he could not assure her defi- nitely Congress would comply, because SPEAKING OF “SIT DOWN” STRIKES— LOUISVILLE HAILS RECEDING WATERS {200 Known Dead, With Property Damage Esti- mated at $100,000,000. By the Associated Press. LOUISVILLE, Ky., January 28.— Wounded just short of the heart but no longer frightened, Louisville knew the worst today and faced a long, sad convalescence after five days of terror. There were hundreds dead, perhaps hundreds more in a great plain of dwellings completely covered by water, but that maniacal Ohio was going down, and for the moment that was all that mattered. The greatest flood in the history of the Ohio Valley now turns its force toward the mighty Mississippi, leaving behind a record of 57.1 feet, over 200 known dead, thousands gravely ill of diseases attributable to the raging waters and the possibility that it will be weeks at least before the full death toll is known, if it is ever to be known. Damage Is $100,000,000. Property damage in all probability will amount to $100,000,000, but no one wants to talk of that right now, any more than they want to think of what may have happened to those thousands of the poorer class of Louisville working families who may have been trapped in the miles of frame and small brick dwellings com- pletely covered by flood waters in the badlands of the West End water front. How great the loss of life could be was indicated last night in a resume of the situation given the Nation by Mayor Neville Miller over a radio net- work. He said there were 200 dead after Chief Health Officer Dr. Hugh R. Leavall admitted that 130 dead had been taken from homes along the fringe of the West End section from homes that were not submerged en- tirely. ‘These, he said, were victims of heart failure, pneumonia and exposure, suf- ferers who died just out of reach of the waters, but beyond the helping hands of a tremendous relief drive in which all parts of the Nation joined hands with funds and supplies. Citles (See STRIKE, Page A-6.) Summary of Page. Amusements B-12 Army, Navy. C-12 | Comics _ C-7 Editorial Financial .. A-17 Lost & Found A-3 Obituary ... A-12 FOREIGN. New French Ambassador plans to stabilize money. Page A-3 Spanish rebels defeated in surprise attack. Page A-12 NATIONAL. Government seeks new power in settle strikes. Page A-1 Possibility of widespread flood evacua- tion remote. Page A-1 Louisville cheered as flood waters of ©Ohio recede. Page A-1 WASHINGTON AND VICINITY. Jacobs report committee meets to map program. Page A-1 Robinson auditorium bill reported favorably. Page A-1 Extradition papers prepared for Wil- liam B. Reed. Page A-2 Five Maryland Legion legislative bills introduced. Page A-2 Traffic toll for month rises to 12. A-3 new projects. Page B-1 Maj. Brown gets Cosmopolitan Club - award-for 1936 service Page B-l . Page Art and planning session to consider. (See LOUISVILLE, Page A-4.) Today’s Star . | Miss Lind is named to high school post. Page B-1 Movie stars again at top in supple- mental salary list. Page A-8 D. C. Appropriations Committee to tour city. Page A-2 District Jail inmate “‘walks out” of Gallinger ward. Page B-1 EDITORIAL AND COMMENT. This and That. Page A-10 Answers to Questions. Page A-10 Stars, Men and Atoms. Page A-10 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 SPORTS. Pastor’s pilot sure his protege will con- quer Louis. Page C-1 Perry says overplay brings waste of U. S. tennis talent. Page C-1 Government workers aifhing to revive golf club here. Page C-2 MISCELLANY. ‘Washington Wayside. Page A2 Vital Statistics. Page A-14 Young Washington. Page B-8 After Dark. Page B-10 Betsy Caswell. Page C-4 Dorothy Dix. Page C-4 Nature’s Children. Page C-5 Bedtime Story. Page C-5 City News in Brief. Page C-8 Trafic Convictions. Page C8 Bank Investing In U. S. Bonds to Drop, Says Smith Association Head Tells Conference Effect of Social Security. BS the Assoclated Press. PITTSBURGH, Pa., January 28.— Tom K. Smith, president of the Amer- jcan Bankers' Association, told the opening session of a regior.al bankers’ conference today the social security act raised a “very major question” in the future investment of bank funds. Declaring the “day is coming” when Government bonds will be available (See BONDS, Page ) CANNON LBELSur TRIAL 1S OPENED Bishop Seeks Damages From Representative Tinkham for Alleged Attack. The long-deferred $500,000 libel suit filed by Bishop James Cannon, jr., against Representative George Holden Tinkham, Republican, of Massachusetts, for an attack the latter made subsequent to the 1928 presi- dential campaign, went to trial today before a jury in Justice Jennings Bailey’s court. Bishop Cannon was absent as the case got under way, with attorneys for both sides outlining to the jury the stand taken by their respective clients. Representative Tinkham sat inside the counsel rail as his attorney, Roger J. Whiteford, declaved in an opening statement that the defendant will show that charges to the effect that Bishop Cannon violated the corrupt practices act were true when his client uttered them on and off the floor of the House. Cannon sued Tinkham after the latter had, first in a speech on the floor and later in a signed statement, accused the Methodist Bishop of con- cealing money contributed for the Herbert Hoover campaign by E. C. Jameson, wealthy New Yorker. Challenge Issued. The signed statement, which was read to the jury, was issued by Tink- ham after Bishop Cannon had chal- lenged the Representative to divest himself of congressional immunity and repeat the charges made on the floor. In the statement Tinkham said, REALTY TO ESCAPE ADDITIONAL TAXES Burden Now Adequate, in| Opinion of House Sub- committees. BY JAMES E. CHINN. Real estate will be spared increased taxation if it is found necessary to raise additional revenue in the com- ing fiscal year to balance the munic- ipal budget, it was indicated today at the initial meeting of one of the two special subcommittees of the House District Committee created to con- sider the Jacobs fiscal relation report. The subcommittee, headed by Rep- resentative Kennedy, Democrat, of Maryland, arranged to start public hearings February 16. It will devote its attention to proposals in the Jacobs report for raising additional | revenue through an increase in the gasoline tax, a weight tax on motor vehicles, a revision of business taxes and substitution of an income tax for the present tax on intangible personal property. Cther Sources to be Tapped. The consensus of members of the subcommittee in an informal dis- cussion was that real estate is already bearing its adequate burden of taxa- tion and that other potential sources of revenue will have to be tapped if it becomes necessary to provide ad- ditional revenue to finance the 1938 budget. This belief also is shared by Chairman Collins of the subcommittee on appropriations that will draft the 1938 District supply bill. Collins has announced he will write a provision into the 1938 bill forbidding the Com- missioners from raising the tax on real estate and personal property. New tax sources suggested by mem- bers of the subcommittee included a sales tax, a gross income tax and a weight tax on automobiles. Repre- sentative Schulte, Democrat, of In- diana, proposed a gross income tax similar to that in effect in his State. “I am opposed to an increase in the real estate tax,” he declared. “A gross income tax like we have in Indiana will not work a hardship on any one. It will catch the fellow who has never paid any taxes before or contributed anything toward the upkeep of the city.” Representative Dirksen, Republican, of Illinois, said he favored a sales tax patterned after the one in effect in his State. The Illinois tax is 3 per cent, but Dirksen said it should not be higher than 2 per cent in the Dis- trict. Such a tax here, he estimated, would yield from $2,000,000 to $5,000,~ 000 a year. Representative Sacks, Democrat, of Pennsylvania agreed with Schulte and (See CANNON, Page A-2.) Canadian Joble And Wage Laws Ruled Void By the Associated Press. LONDON, January 28.—A mass of legislation, through which the Cana- dian Parliament sought to establish unemployment insurance, hours of labor, minimum wages and regulation of marketing, was ruled unconstitu- tional today. The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, the empire’s highest judicial body, held that the Dominion Parliament, enacting the laws in 1934 and 1935, exceeded its authority. The Judicial Committee upheld legislation to regulate certain trade practices and held valid the farmers’ creditors arrangement act, providing relief to financially distressed farmers without actual recourse to a bank- ruptcy court. Only two of the disputed legislative reforms have been placed in opera- tion—the farm relief measure and the national products mATketng act. 1 (See REALTY, Page A-2.) ss Insurance The trade practice legislation upheld authorizes establishment of a federal commission with power to regulate business provincially, interprovin- cially and in relation to the Domin- jon as a whole. The following legislation was held unconstitutional: An employment and social insur- ance act providing for creation of a contributory system of employment insurance and setting up employment agencies. Three acts, based on conventions agreed to by the International Labor Office and ratified by the Dominion lawmakers under their treaty-making power, for a weekly day of rest in AUDITORIUM BILL RIVEN APPROVAL OF SENATE GROUI Measure Creating Commis sion to Study Project I Favorably Reported. LONERGAN PRESENTS ALTERNATE PROPOSAL Submits Plan for Combined Meet- ing Hall and Athletic Stadium Seating 150,000, BY J. A. O'LEARY. The Robinson bill, setting up a cor mission to plan a suitable auditoriu. for the Capital, was ordered favorabl. reported by the Senate Public Build- ings and Grounds Committee today following a public hearing. The idea of planning the assembly hall as a memorial to Thomas Jeffer- son was favored by Secretary of the Interior Ickes during the hearing. Before the hearing got under way, Senator Lonergan, Democrat, of Con« necticut put forward a new and sep= arate plan for a combined auditorium and athletic stadium capable of ace commodating 150,000, and announced he was asking the District Commise sioners for their views on such & project. If the city heads indicate their ape proval, he plans to discuss the sube Ject further with members of Congress who have auditorium bills in mind, Senator Lonergan is a member of the Thomas Jeflerson Memorial Commis= sion, but made known several days ago he believes the proposed audie torium and the Jefferson Memorial should be separate projects. Senator Lonergan suggested the structure be named the Roosevelt Building in honog of the President. Others Stress Need. In addition to Ickes, those who joine ed in stressing the need for a large public gathering place at the hearing were Majority Leader Robinson, aue thor of the pending bill to set up a commission to prepare plans and esti= mates of cost; Representative Lanham of Texas, chairman of the House Pube lic Buildings and Grounds Committee; Representative Bloom of New York, who outlined plans he had drawn several years ago for an auditorium here, and Charles Moore, chairman of the Fine Arts Commission. Ickes, who was the first to bring the auditorium project into the limelight again after rain had drenched the oute door inaugural ceremonies last week, told the committee the Federal Gove ernment should own and control the auditorium, but that the Government might accept contributions from local lc:ou:tmes interests toward meeting the “It would not be inappropriate to give the business interests of the city an opportunity to contribute to the cost, because a good auditorium would bring a great deal of business to the city,” said the Secretary. The Secretary declared it ought to be a beautifu monumentall building, and expressed hope “it would be dedi- cated to honest-to-God free speech.” Later he explained he meant free speech as Jefferson regarded it. Opposes Sports Events. Previously the Secretary had said he agreed with those who do not think prize fights or six-day bicycle races should be held in the proposed audie torium. When Senator Green, Demo= crat, of Rhode Island asked the reas son for excluding sports, Ickes said: “Personally, I would like to see 1t made the Jefferson Memorial, and I cannot envisage Jefferson interested in prize fights or wrestling.” As the dis- cussion continued, however, between Ickes, Chairman Connally and Senator Green, it was generally agreed that a line could be drawn to permit certain kinds of athletic events, but not all. Chairman Connally announced that in approving the Robinson bill the committee made only & slight change by authorizing the proposed commise sion to report on how the auditorium should be financed, as well as to rec- ommend its cost and a suitable loca- tion. Connally will place the measure on the Senate calendar tomorrow. After Chairman Lanham of the House committee had made known he is in sympathy with the auditorium proposal, Senator Chavez, Democrat, of New Mexico asked whether there should be a local contribution to the cost. Not for City Alone. Lanham said that is a difficult ques- tion to answer until the commission begins its study. He said it should be borne in mind, however, that this would not be an auditorium for Wash ington, but for the whole country. In a strict sense, he said, it would not be a municipel auditorium, but one for the National Capital. He also pointed out that, in order to preserve the ree strictions Congress would want to place around use of the structure, it would be better to have ff a Government project. Representative Bloom, who said he could qualify as an expert on the subject, reccunted the steps he took to have plans drawn for an auditorium here following Roosevelt’s first inau- gural in 1933. He said the structure industry, minimum wages and limita- tion of hours. An act setting up marketing boards for certain products and establishing wide control by a majority of pro- L ducers, = he had in mind would cost about $4,000,000 and be so designed that the National Guard could be drilling on one floor, while some great musie clan was giving a concert in another (See AUDITORIUM, Page A2