Evening Star Newspaper, March 4, 1937, Page 4

CANTREL PREPARES MERI SYSTEMBIL Would Open Appointive Posi- tions in Montgomery to Competitive Test. BY JACK ALLEN, Staft Correspondent of The Star. ANNAPOLIS, March 4.—The pos- sibility of Montgomery County’s em- ployes being placed under a rigid merit system comparable to the clas- sified service of the State was fore- seen in legislative halls today. Delegate Joseph A. Cantrel is pre- paring & bill which would open all appointive positions in the county gov- ernment to competitive. examinations and then put the successful applicants under the new plan. X Senator Stedman Prescott, who vir- tually controls all Montgomery legis- lation under the “home rule” policy of the Upper House, declared he “fa- vors the proposal in principal” and would back it if the State civil service law can be tightened: “to prevent favoritism.” Cantrell’s bill would embody all the features of the merit plan advocated by the Montgomery County Civic Fed- eration, whose representatives came here last night to discuss their legis- lative program with Montgomery County members of the State As- sembly. He informed the visitors his bill has been in the process of preparation for several days and might be ready for introduction by today. It would cover every job in the county except police and school teachers, who already are under a merit plan, and elective of- ficers. Credits for Experience. The measure would allow present employes credits for experience. One point would be added to the examina- tion grades of incumbents for each year of experience. The total credit received in this fashion, however. would not exceed five points. The hearing was executive, but Col. O. P. M. Brown, chairman of the fed- eration’s Legislative and Legal Action Committee, later announced none of the legislators seems opposed to the merit plan, while they likewise ap- peared agreeable to providing for the appointment of & county controller as proposed by the civic body. Col. Brown, who discussed nearly a score of proposals with the lawmakers, said they were noncommittal on the federation’s stand against liberaliza- tion of county liquor laws, while they refused to abolish the Liquor Control Board or the post of supervisor of school property and also declined to amend the home rule law to allow a longer period of time in which to obtain supporters of petition for a charter form of government. Bond Issue Planned. Brown said the Assembly members already have introduced the bill for police salary raises and are preparing another to enable the county com- missioners to sell $723,000 in bonds for development of the school con- struction program introduced by the federation. ‘The spokesman declared it appeared the federation’s efforts in favor of refunding 50 per cent of county ma- turities during the next year would not bear fruit, for a bill to refund the $693,000 obligations in their entirety has been introduced and likely will pass. On all the other points of the pro- gram, however, the legislators agreed to follow the civic organization’s rec- ommendations. These include: Legislation to authorize renaming of streets and renumbering of houses to eliminate duplications in the sub- urban area of the county. Repeal of the State’s law-making declaration of intentions a pre- requisite to voting. Transfer of appeals from decisions of the Liquor Control Board from the State License Commission to the Montgomery County commissioners. State-wide reassessment of real property in 1937. It would become effective July 1, 1938. Equalization of . assessments by county commissioners. E—— ~ PURSE-SNATCHER SEIZED BY TWO PASSERS-BY After snatching & purse belonging to Miss Helen Selby-of the Chastleton Hotel, in the 1700 block of Sixteenth street, last night, 8 man turned to flee, but was seized by two passers- by, who held him until police arrived. Miss Selby told police the man snatched her purse as she was walking near the hotel. James S. Shnault, 1620 Nineteenth street, and A. T. Bar- ber, 1638 Sixteenth street, held the man while she telephoned for police, she said. The man, who identified himself as John Wendall Williams of Beaumont, ‘Tex., is being held at third precinct. In another purse-snatching, Miss Lucy F. Howard, 1028 Connecticut ave--| nue, reported that while she was walk- ing in the 1700 block of S street her pocketbook was snatched by a colored man. Robert C. Brown, 1707 S street, looked from his window and saw what was happening. He started after the fleeing man, who dropped the purse @&bout two blocks away. —_—— ELECTED BY ALUMNI Harry C. Hensley Is President of Missouri U. Association. Harry C. Hensley was elected pres- ident of the University of Missouri Alumni Association of Washington yesterday to succeed Frank B. Scheetz. Other officers chosen were Belmont Farley, vice president; Miss Ida Can- non, secretary, and Frank F. Espen- schied, treasurer. The meeting was held at the Cosmos Club. President *(Continued From Pirst Page.) time as possible to complete the writ- ing of the address he will deliver to- night at the victory dinner at the ‘Mayflower Hotel. The speech, which will be broadcast to similar dinners throughout the country, will serve as the foundation for the “fireside talk” he will give March 9. It is expected to be about 3,000 words long. ‘The President started writing the address yesterday. It was said at the White House today that his principal problem has been to condense the speech and, at the same time, includé everything he wants to say. | Morgan & Co. . __THE -EVENING STAR, WASHINGTOIN. D. C, THURSDAY, MARCH 4, 1937. Collision Stops Firebound Engine Here is what happened when a No. 7 fire engine answering an alarm crashed into a Sholl’s 3 Cafe delivery truck at the corner of Thirteenth and R streets today. Two colored persons, occu- pants of the truck, southbound on Thirteenth street, were slightly injured when their machine careened onto the sidewalk after the impact, knocking over a lam; on the westbound engine were uninjured. The fire, on the third street, was extinguished, with small loss, by another engine company. (Story on Page B-1.) WARELER HARGES 30D “OCKEVHG Morgan Firm Held Power Over Other Banks, He Asserts. By the Associated Press. Chairman Wheeler, Democrat, of Montana, of the Senate Railroad Finance Committee, asserted today that the financing of the far-flung Van Sweringen rail and industrial enterprises had been “jockeyed around” | among New York banks by J. P. He said the Morgan firm, which supervised the underwriting of $518,- 000,000 worth of Van Sweringe~ se- curities, had exercised power over other | banks through its ability to distribute | bonds for retail sale “to any one it/ pleased.” “We don’t call it power,” protested Thomas W. Lamont, 66-year-old Mor= gan partner. “We call it good-will.” Lamont testified yesterday that the Morgan company and its partners made $8,326,000 profit in handling | security issues for the late Van Swer- ingen brothers, but argued this was canceled by a $9,621,000 loss on loans. ‘The gray-haired banker testified that “on the average the Van Swer= ingen railroad securities stood up bet- ter than many others” during the de- pression. “If they did,” Wheeler snapped, “it | was because (hose roads borrowed mil- lions from the Reconstruction Finance Corp.—and $70,000,000 was handed on to the House of Morgan.” He added that the one loan to the Missouri . Pacific—a Van Sweringen line—had been “obtained under false pretenses” and was “a fraud on the United States.” 2 The banker tossed an occasiona: good-humored aside to his questioner, Chairman Wheeler, who contended the Morgan firm was in a “scramble” of bankers to head a syndicate which issued $518,627,000 of Van Sweringen securities during the last 16 years. Lamont denied his frm “discrim- inated among various banks,” and said: “We never did business in any arbitrary way whatever.” He testified briskly, in crisp tones. Occasionally he consulted George ‘Whitney, another partner, who sat behind him, or the firm's lawyers who flanked his chair. The ruddy-faced Lamont, who said he could not quite recall all the firms he serves as director, smoked cigarettes in a yellowed ivory holder as he spoke, lighting them with matches from a gold case. Frequently he twirled his spectacles on the black cord, or ran his fngers over his fringe of graying hair. Lamont testified with other mem- bers of his firm at the Pecora banking inquiry and the Nye munitions in- vestigation. — Give Ships for Funds. Many vessels being built in Germany are for foreign concerns whose funds were frozen in that country as the re- sult of government orders. The President had a luncheon con- |’ ference with Frank Walker, former head of the National Emergency Council and head of the Finance Com- mittee of the Democratic National Committee in the ln*mwm Communist Costs Per Vote Highest In 1931 Campaign $3.37 Per Ballot Ex- pense Compares With G. O. P. 85 Cents. B3 the Associatea Press. Senate investigators disclosed to- day that the Communist party got the least results for its money during the 1936 election campaign. It spent $270,489, or $3.3% for every vote its presidential candidate re- ceived, the Senate Campaign Ex- penditures Committee reported. Republican expenditures averaged 85 cents for each ballot cast for Alfred M. Landon, while the average Demo- cratic vote cost 33 cents. The lowest cost per vote was 11 | cents, reported by th> Union party. LONDON BALLOTING FOR COUNCIL REINS Conservatives Need 8 Seats to Re- gain Majority Lost to Laborites in 1934. BY the Associsted Press. LONDON, March 4—London coun- ty voters weighed the campaign ar- guments of Conservatives and Labor- ites in a municipal election today to determine whether the Labor party shall retain control of the county council. Conservatives needed to win but eight seats to regain a majority lost to the Laborites in 1934. The council, similar to a board of aldermen, governs an area of 117 square miles having a populatien of 4,397,000. Campaign (Continued From First Page.) were employed by the Federal Gov- ernment. Other high lights of the report were: ‘The Du Pont families of Wilmington, Del., spent more than any other, 12 members donating $510,370 to the Re- publican party and kindred organi- zations. Alf M. Landon, Republican presi- dential candidate, spent not a single penny in his own behalf, all his ex- penses being borne by the party. President Roosevelt’s personal ex- penditures were $20 for postage and $650 in donations to Democratic or- ganizations. The most modest campaign was conducted by the National Greenback party, which spent only $2.50. ] The largest expenditure in the sen- atorial races was $36,573 by Warren 'W. Barbour, former Republican Sena- tor from New Jersey. William H. Smathers, Democratic victor, spent $6,154. The 1936 campaign cost more than twice as much as the 1928 election. the most expensive on record until last year. In 1928 the Republicans spent $6,= 256,000, and the Democrats $5,342.000. bringing the total to $11,598,000. post and mail.box. Firemen oor of a residence at 1319 S —Star Staff Photo. IMPORTS EXCESS NOTEDINJANUARY U. S. Exports Rise in Month, but Not So Fast as Inflow. BY the Assoclatco Press. ‘The Commerce Department reported today that January imports totaled $240,396,000, exceeding exports by $18,846,000. For the seven months ending with January, exports exceeded imports by $24,822,000. For the seven-month period, exports aggregated $1,521,496,000, an increase of $64,169,000 over the same period a | year ago. Imports stood at $1,496,- 674,000, an increase of $256,174,000. The department said the excess of | iwports in January compgared with an excess of exports of $11,082,000 for the same month a year ago. Contributing to the January excess of imports, the department said, were | ipurcham of vegetable food products, | textile fibers, butter, cheese, lumber | | and crude rubber. The rise in exports during January over the same month a year ago was | | most pronounced among semi-finished | 'and finished manufactured products. | Exports of textile fibers and manufac- | tures, edible animal and vegetable | | products and non-metallic minerals fell off. January gold exports were set at | $11,000, compared with $99,000 in De- cember and $338,000 in January, 1936. | Gold imports were $121,336,000, $57,- | 070,000 and $45,981,000 for the respec- | tive months. | January silver exports totaled $612,- 300, compared with $236,000 in Decem- | ber and $253,000 in January a year | ago, while silver imports were $2.846,- 000, $2,267,000 and $58,483,000, re- spectively. s L [ TENNESSEE CORRUPTION | { would, it is said, provide more em- RILADOYSTER PROGRAN IS RGED 6-Point Legislation Would Revive Industry, As- semblymen Told. BY the Associated Press. ANNAPOLIS, March 4—Proponents of the State Planning Commission’s six-point legislation for extended con- trol of the oyster industry appeared yesterday before the House Chesapeake Bay and Tributaries Committee. The committee has the legislation before it as separate bills to be re- jorted to the House. Abel Wolman, chsirman of the commission, outlined the six points and said “The commission is inter- ested that the bills be considered separately and not as a whole. We hope that the committee either will report favorably on them individually, or will offer substitutes for this needed legislation.” The six points include: A joint resolution before both Sen- ate and House to appoint & commis- sion to survey available property in Maryland and to offer a complete re- port on the oyster situation; an act | to allow for the extended leasing of oyster bottoms to private interests for production purposes; to allow the Conservation Commission to control more flexibly the crabbing season; a bill providing for extended cultivation of oysters; to allow the Conservation Commission to open and close oyster beds and change seasons; to enlarge the powers of the Conservation Com- mission. ‘Wolman termed “bunk” charges the pending legislation contains ‘“dyna- mite” and “hidden meanings” and that there was any more to be gained by proponents than appeared in the bills. Park tgog'.'lfled From Pirst Page.) would be considerable, yet the project ployment than there are people in | the area involved. Business from tourists would make the communities prosperous, it is predicted. Several other prominent engineers who have been connected with the survey are said to be enthusiastic about the proposal. The plan can| be consumated under the Fulmer act.| Under the proposed plans the Gov- | ernment also would acquire two huge | water front areas, one to the morth and the other to the south of An-| napolis, for the purpose of establish- | ing water front parks and playground | | areas. | The State Planning Commission, at its meeting in Baltimore today, also will recommend that the dua | highway now partly built between | Baltimore and Annapolis be com-| pleted. It also recommends a dual| highway between Annapolis and| Washington via the new national park, and a dual highway from Wash- | ington and Baltimore. Another dual highway to run paralleled to' the | shore lines from Baltimore to Solomons Island is included in the| extensive program. . [CHARGES ARE REJECTED | |Senate Campaign Expenditures ! Committee Reports Refusal to Study Neal Accusations. | By the Associated Press. | The Senate committee which in- vestigated 1936 campaign expenditures reported today it declined to consider charges of “corrupt acts” in Shelby | County, Tenn. preferred by John | Randolph Neal, defeated Republican | candidate for Senator. ‘The committee took up the Neal charges last November, the report said, but decided they related only to the primary, “and that Mr. Neal did not; have a case for consideration un- less he filed a contest with the Senate for his seat.” |] Psychic - Message Council | 1100 Twelfth St N.W. Corner of 12th and “L* |] Circles Daily, 2:30 & 7:30 P.M. | Grace Gray Delons Reader Personal interviews for spiritual nelp and <uidance may be arranged by a visit ta the Council House or Telephone meuuwolitan 5234 Consultation $1 Honor Guest Arrives The President and his son James as they arrived at the Mayflower Hotel last night for the dinner given in honor of the Chief Executive by his cabinet. Jourth anniversary of the President’s inauguration. —Underwood & Underwood Photo. | The dinner marked the FLEMING NAMED TO ADVISORY POST Riggs Bank Head's Election to Commerce Department Council Announced. Rovert V. Fleming. president of the Riggs National Bank, was one of nine new members of the Business Ad- visory Council for the Commerce De- partment whose election was an- nounced late yesterday by Secretary Roper. The new members attended their first session of the council at the Commerce Department yesterday af- ternoon and are in session sagain today. Other new members are William L. Batt, president of S. K. F. Indus- tries, Philadelphit; John D. Biggers, president of the Libbey-Owens-Ford Glass Co., Toledo, Ohio; Edward R. Stettinius, jr., chairman of the Fi- nance Committee of the United States Steel Corp., New York; R. Douglas Stuart, vice president Quaker Oats Co., Chicago; Walter C. Teagle, presi- dent of the Standard Oil Co. of New Jersey, New York; Juan T. Trippe, president of Pan-American Airways, New York; Walter Wheeler, vice presi- dent of the Pitney-Bowes Postage Meter Corp., Stamford, Conn., and R. W. Woodruff, president of the Coca-Cola Co., Atlanta, Ga. . Lincoln Statue Presented Irish. DUBLIN, March 4 (#).—A statue cf Abraham Lincoln was presented to the Irish Free State yesterday by Cril | McCormack on behalf oi his father, | the singer, John Count McCormack | It was officially accepted by President Eamon De Valera. Judiciary (Continued Prom Pirst Page.) program of wage and hour and agricul- tural legislation, not over possible en- largement of the Supreme Court. This is disputed by leaders of the Democratic opposition to the court bill, some of whom insist the proper way to seek farm and labor objectives is by constitutional amendment. These dissenters sought today to enlist aid from spokesmen for business, labor and farm groups themselves. Invitations were extended to many to testify against the bill at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearings. The opposition speakers will be called March 15 after advocates of the proposal havé had their say. Names were withheld pending ac- ceptances. The hearings may go on for days. Chairman Ashurst of the Judiciary | Committee said any one who wishes ' to talk “and can do so coherently” would be heard. Supporters were cheered by a caucus of the large Pennsylvania House delegation. Representative | Dorsey, secretary of the group, said it voted to back the administration’s Supreme Court policy Representative Lamneck, Democflt,! of Ohio, in a radio address last night, denied that Mr. Roosevelt received a mandate for court reorganization in the November election. “Throughout his entire campaign,” Lamneck said, “the President spoke not a word about this proposed | change. | “The question is not whether we shall or shall not support the Presi- dent, but whether we shall do it tution. the rights.” within the framework of the Consti- Since the almost total sur- | render by Congress of its power to the Executive, the Supreme Court remains | last bulwark of the people's | e = Strikers Win Partial Victory. 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