Evening Star Newspaper, April 24, 1937, Page 1

WEATHER. (U. 8. Weather Bureau Forecast.) Occasional rain tonight and probably tomorrow morning; slightly warmer to- day; fresh winds, mostly easterly. Tem- peratures—Highest, 67, at 4:15 p.m. yes- terday; lowest, 46, at 6:45 a.m. today. Full report on page A-12. Closing New York Markets, Page 13 85th YEAR. No. 33,961. SIT-DOWN STRIKE IN FORD'S COAST FACTORY IS BRIEF 600 C. . 0. Unionists Leave 11 Hours After Start of Trouble. CHARGE DISCRIMINATION IN WORKERS’ TRANSFER U.A. W. Leaders Claim Assurance a High Official Is Coming From Detroit. BACKGROUND— Sit-down strikes, first introduced into labor disputes in America in General Motors plants last Fall, finally spread to Chrysler, Packard, Reo and Hudson factories and since have retarded automotive production in the United tSates and Canada. Launched by the United Auto- mobile Workers of America, an af- filiate of the C. I. O., in its fight for bargaining rights, strikes have been absent from Ford plants, al- though leaders recently declared attempts would be made to organ- ize Ford workers. Charges of dis- crimination closed Ford’s Kansas City plant for a brief period sev- eral weeks ago. Yesterday strikers occupied the Richmond, Calif, plant, but it likewise was drief. B the Assoclatea Press. RICHMOND, Calif., April 24 —Six hundred sit-down strikers evacuated the Ford Motor Co. assembly plant early today to the accompaniment of tooting automobile horns and shout- ing. Quickly ending the second such ktrike to close a Ford plant in the Na- tion, the C. I. O. unionists began their exodus 11 hours after workers took possession, charging discrimination in the transfer of 12 men. Officials of the United Automobile ‘Workers' Union said they had been as- | sured that a high Ford official from Detroit would arrive today, and that settlement was but a matter of a day | or two. : Frank Slaby. president of the local of the U. A. W. A, declared he was satis- | ofied with the prospects of settlement. Another union official, who declined | to be named, said: “We don't consider this a retreat; we | could hold the plant forever.” Plan Demonstration. Workers started for Richmond's business section, and nearby Oakland to hold a demonstration before going | home. Immediate plans were made to re- open the welded side gates and turn over the property to the company guards. The strikers left by the front gate which had not been welded. The strike was one of the most short-lived in the turbulent labor history of the San Francisco Bay district. Power was shut off at 1:12 | pm. yesterday, as 1200 day shift | employes were cailed from their jobs. By midnight, union officials had advised the men to leave the plant. A general vote on the proposition practically was unanimous in the affirmative. In all, 1,800 men were involved, in- cluding 600 on the night shift, but (See STRIKE, Page A-2.) ARKANSAS STORMS KILL 2, MANY HURT Tornadic Winds, Lightning and Hail Cause Extensive Damage in Widely Separated Areas. Py the Assoclated Press. BENTON, Ark., A,ril 24.—Tornadic winds, lightning and hail left two dead, more than a score injured and thousands of dollars worth of property damage today in widely separated sec- tions of the South. The dead are Herman Zinn, 50, Benton, Ark.. and J. H.-Howard, 46, Cullman, Ala., both farmers. Zinn died when a tornado de- molished his home and swept through the north section of thir town of 3,445 population last night, leaving approximately 30 persons injured and & block of Benton's residential sec- tion in ruins. Howard was killed by lightning yes- terday near Cullman, bringing Ala- bama’s Apri] storm death toll to 11. Severe hailstorms were reported in other sections of Alabama. The tornado here mowed down a row of 10 residences and damaged about 12 others. Benton is midway between Little Rock and Hot Springs. —_— PARTICULARS REQUIRED IN CURLEY LIBEL CASE Former Governor Asking $500,- 000 of Harper's Must Cite Statements in Article. By the Associatec. Press. NEW YORK, April 24—Former Gov. James M. Curley of Massachu- setts, suing Harper & Bros. for $500,- 000 for alleged libel in an article of Harper’s Magazine, was ordered by appellate division yesterday to serve a bill of particulars specifically desig- nating the statements he believes li- belous. Curley previously had called the ‘whole article libelous. It appeared in last September's issue of the maga- zine. : In its ruling the appellate division, by a vote of three to two; upheld a de- cision of Supreme Court Justice Sam- uel 1. Rosenman, who had said: “Obviously many of the statements in the article which referred to the plaintiff are true, and it would impose an undue and perhaps impossible bur- den upon the defendant to prepare an answer to each and every statement contained in the article in total ignor- ance of the particular statements re- lied upon by the plaintiff as « fama- tory and false.” Entered as second class matter post office, Washington, D. C. @ WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION ¢ Foening Star WASHINGTON, D. C, SATURDAY, APRIL 24, 1937 —FORTY PAGES. #*% American Resigned to Ax Death By the Associated Pre: BERLIN, April 24 —Helmuth Hirsch, young German son of a naturalized American, told United States consular authorities in Ploetzensee Prison today he had ho hope of escaping the head- might have involved an attempt on the life of Adolf Hitler, Hirsch has been sentenced to die. The United States Government in- terested itself in his case yesterday, when it became established he held American citizenship through the naturalization of his father, The state's attorney who prosecuted the case, Dr. Volk, declined to divulge the exact nature of the alleged offense except to state that Hirsch had vio- lated the explosives law. (Trials on such, treasonable charges are con- ducted secretly.) MADRID ORDERS MARTIALLAW END Council of Anti-Fascist Par- tigs Suceceds Gen. Miaja in Capital. BACKGROUND— Climaz of Spanish civil war was drive last Fall om Madrid after rebel victories in many. provinces. Gen. Franco's Fascist forces were met by strong opposition from Loyalist Leftists and capital did not fall. Fighting lulled during Winter months, but about two months ago rebels again launched attacks on capital, atiempting to cut off food supplies. Air raids have been fre- quent, with casualties ranging into the hundreds. But Madrid defend- ers have clung to city. By the Assoctated Press. MADRID, April 24—Civil rule was man's ax for an alleged act which | ¥ For Alleged Plot to Kill Hitler State Department I nvestigates Facts on Learning Hirsch Is Citizen Through Father’s Naturalization. In informed circles, however, it was an open secret that Hirsch was ac- cused of intending to use explosives for an attempt on “a very high gov- srnment official ’—presumably Hitler. United States Consul Raymond H. eist and Dr. Volk visited Hirsch in the prison today. They said they found him completely resigned to the extreme penalty, and unhopeful of any favorable action on a clemency plea which his attorney has presented. Hirsch, who is Jewish, is 21 years old. He said he had a “non-citizen- ship” passport until 1933, when his father's status as a naturalized Amer- ican citizen was established. That made him also an American. Hitler has not yet considered the Hirsch clemency plea and the state’s attorney told Consul Geist that at (See AMERICAN, Page A-2.) BELGIUM FREED FROM AID PACT Britain and France Waive Pledge to Fight if Either Is Attacked. BACKGROUND— The Locarno treaty, nullified by Germany's remilitarization of the Rhineland, was between five pow- ers—Britain, France, Italy, Ger- many and Belgium. Under its terms, Belgium would have had to go to France's aid if the latter were attacked by Germany. By the Assoclated Press. BRUSSELS, April 24 —Belgium was released today from her promise to fight for France or Great Britain if | either were the victim of aggression. Two documents, releasing the na- restored to Madrid today after mne; months of martial law in the besieged | city. | Gen. Jose Miaja, who had been given | virtual dictatorial power in the capx-} |tal's co-ordinated defenses, was lim- | ited to “strictly military affairs” to| enable him to concentrate his atten- tion at the war front. In his place a democratic “ayunta- miento”—a city council government composed of representatives-of various anti-Fascist political parties—took of= fice immediately, The decree dissolving the all-power= ful defense junta was signed by Premier Francisco Largo Caballero at Valencia, temporary seat of the gov- ernment. Heavy rain clouds hung low over the capital and provided a respite from the 12 successive days of insur- gent artillery attacks, which had taken a toll of more than 250 lives, had de- stroydg whole blocks in the center of the city and had caused untabulated injuries in the hundreds. The new City Council of 18 mem- bers is headed by Socialist Rafael Enche de la Plata, who was unani- mously elected Mayor of Madrid by the popular front. Six members of the Union de Tra- bajo, whose ranks include Socialist- Communist trade unionist, are to be counsellors with five Communists, six Socfalists and one member of a socialist youth movement. Miaja, elderly, bluff general from " (See SPAIN, Page A-3.) NEW ‘BRACE.S’ PROMISED British Sailors to Get New Type Suspenders Soon. LONDON, April 24 (#).—His majes- ty's seamen are to get better support for their pants. An admiralty fleet order today con- tained a solemn nronouncement that “requests for better cuality braces” would be met with the introdiction of & new type “in due course.” s Hirohito Decorates Colpitts. TOKIO, April 24 (#)—Edwin Henry Colpitts, vice president of the Bell Telephone Laboratories, was decorated today by Emperor Hirohito with the Fourth Order of Merit of the Sacred Treasure in recognition of his promo- tion of electrical engineering in Japan and his furthering of good relations between Japan and the United States. tion from her mutual assistance obli- | gations under the nullified Locarno treaty, were signed at the foreign office at 11 am. (6 am. E. S. T).| Paul Spaak, the Belgian foreign min- ister, and the British and French Ambassadors, Sir Robert Clive and Jules Laroche, signed the documents. The first document was an Anglo- French declaration freeing Belgium from her treaty obligations, and the second & Belgian acknowledgement of receipt of the release, Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden of Great Britain was cheduled to arrive from London by plane tomorrow for further discussion of Belgium's status in the changing European pattern. The foreign secretary will confer with Belgian statesmen and is ex- pected to have an audience with King Leopold before returning to England Thursday. HONOLULU AWAITS AIR FORCE ‘ATTACK’ “Enemy” Conquers Hawaii Is- land With Strategic Air Bases in War Games. £y the Associated Press. HONOLULU, April 24¢.—Honolulans, taking the United States war games seriously, gazed skyward anxiously to- day for sinister signs of potential winged destruction. Capture of the Island of Hawaii yesterday when the outnumbered de- fenders “withdrew” gave the “enemy” possession of land air bases of great strategic importance for the expected attack on Oahu Island, Pearl Harbor and Honolulu. Hilo, a city of 20,000 population 200 miles from Honolulu, was reduced to & theoretical shambles in the attack on Hawaii Island. Eight warships, firing blank shells at the rate of two & minute, and 35 planes participated in the attack. Two battalions of In- fantry were landed. Leaving 18 planes and the land forces, the ships withdrew toward Oahu Island. An armada of 111 warships and more than 400 planes manned by 40,000 officers and men under the command of Admiral Arthur J. Hepburn is arrayed against the islands. Deploy- ment of this mighty force has been veiled by the greatest secrecy. Accused of achieving the “impos- sible"—robbery of the United States Treasury right under the noses of an elaborate guard force—four veteran woman clerks today were without their jobs in the currency redemption divi- sion. Their system of pilfering small bills from bales of currency received for re- demption and destruction worked well but for one minor detail—and this slight oversight spoiled a “perfect crime” and brought the Secret Serv- ice on their trail. The system, Treasury officials ex- plained, was to slip into their own pockets any bills in excess of the number listed on the bale they were counting. Banks sometimes make mis- takes in counting contents of the bales of worn currency sent to the Treasury. Sometimes they send 999 dollar bills in a bundle marked $1,000, and some- times they send a dollar or so too many. Officials grew suspicious when they observed that the mistakes always involved shortages—never a surplus. Secret Service agents then began an inquiry. They planted marked bills in carefully counted bales, so there would be an excess over the amount listed officially for the bale. *In every instance—and the trap Wwas set several times to make sure— ] Robbery Leads to Dismissal Of Veteran Treasury Workers the clerks reported the bales con- tained the exact amount listed on the outside. On examination, the agents found the marked bills were missing from the bales. The marked money was found on four of the woman clerks assigned to the counting. Officials said their total “loot” probably did not exceed $100. Because of the age of the women and the inconsequential amounts stolen, Treasury officials in- dicated they would not press criminal charges. The quartet was dismissed, however. Final decision with respect to prose- cution will rest with United States At- torney Leslie C. Garnett, to whom the Treasury transmitted its evidence in the case. The only other theft from the Treasury reported in recent times was that of $30 in gold coins stolen in 1934 from a showcase in one of the main corridors. The coins were not negotiable, as gold had been with- drawn from circulation. The thief has never been identified. The Treasury has surrounded its money and employes with a compli= cated system of protection and sur- veillance. As & further safeguard, the ‘Treasury recently moved a huge store of gold to a newly constructed vault at Fort Knox, Ky. PEAGE NEGOTIATED AFTER 30 ARE HURT INCANNERY STRIKE California Governor Meets With Company and Labor Representatives. INDICATIONS OF EARLY ACCORD ARE EVIDENCED | Doctors Battle to Save Lives of Two Men Wounded in Yes- terday’'s Riot. | B the Associatea Press. STOCKTON, Calif., April 24—The bloody Stockton cannery strike moved today from a field of rioting, where 50 persons were shot, clubbed and sassed, to peace meetings at Sacra- mento, There a conference of canners’ and labor representatives with Gov. Frank F. Merriam, broke up early this morn- ing amid indications of a tentative agreement between factions over de- mands for wage increases and union recognition. A joint statement said canners and workers believed they were “not far from a satisfactory solution,” but ex- plained conferences with their indi- vidual groups would be necessary be- fore resumption of the peace confer- ence. Doctors, meanwhile, battled to save the lives of two seriously wounded men injured in rioting which flared savagely here yesterday when strikers attempted to halt a. spinach-laden truck being taken to a plant reopened in deflance of the strike. John Drake, 22, a picket whose left eye was destroyed by a shotgun blast, and Henry Monroe were in a critical condition after the hour and half of | rioting. A volley of buckshot mangled Monroe's legs. Pickets Suffer Most. The heaviest casualties appeared |among the pickets who attempted to | halt the truck. Sheriff’s deputies and State officers | | bombarded the pickets with tear gas and shotgun fire. The strikers replied with swinging clubs and flying rocks, Finally, J. C. Fitzgerald, Labor Coun- cil member, mounted a loud speaker | | truck and appealed to the strikers | to disperse. | | Quickly a truce was arranged. Gov. ! Merriam obtained renewal in Sacra-‘ mento, 30 miles away, of peace con- | ferences which collapsed last Wednes. day. Representatives of the canners, who operate four big plants here, and the | Agricultural Workers’ Union convened | in Sacramento last night. | A State Assembly committee, created | by special resolution, came here to investigate the strike, promising to “make peace and take no action that ' would create further bitterness.” The committeemen questioned news- paper men who witnessed the rioting, conferred with District Attorney F. C. FREIGHT WALKOUT BY 25,000 FEARED Railway and Steamship Clerks Threaten to Quit at Noon. By the Associated Press. NEW YORK, April 24.—A strike of the 25,000 members of the Brother- hood of Railway and Steamship Clerks, Freight Handlers, Express and Station Employes was threatened at noon today in the metropolitan area of New York. No strike was voted, but union officials said a walkout was almost certain. The chairmen of 125 local unions met yesterday in conference over an alleged refusal by eight railroads to grant a wage increase of 20 cents an hour and discussed a plan to tie up the movement of freight in and out of New York. Summary of Page. Amusements C-16 Real Estate, C-1 to C-9 Society .. ___A-7 Short Story - B-7 Sports __.A-10-11 Woman's Pg. B-8 Church News, B-5-6-7 Comics .._ Editorials Financial -..A-13 | Lost & Found A-3 | STRIKE SITUATION. Rioting ends as peace is sought in cannery strike. Page A-1 Sit-down strikers quit Ford plant in California. Page A-1 FOREIGN. American in German prison is re- | BACKGROUND— | from signed to ax death. Page A-1 Madrid regime reorganized as rains stop attacks. Page A-1 Belgium freed from pledge to ald France, England. Page A-1 NATIONAL. Hearings on President’s court proposal close, Page A-1 ‘Warrant issued for “spy” in Lindbergh kidraping case. Page A-12 Senator Bachman dies suddenly in smrfment here. Page A-3 WASHINGIQN AND VICINITY. Unsettled wel§her to greet new blos- som visitors. Page A-1 Appropriations Rt proposals gain support. Page A-1 Doctors may examin®Richmond sus- pects in drunk drivif .Page A-3 Congress ended, D. A. H} Prepares for triennial election. Page A-4 Discharged Greenbelt kers to seek hearing. Page A-¢ New Location proposed foff Pan-Amer- ican Union annex. Peaged-12 P— N > | /lr .mw-’gll J DIVINE” BUILDING RUINED BY FIRE “Branch Heaven” at New Paltz, N. Y., Hit by Mys- tery Blaze. Father Divine, most noted Har- lem evangelist, was arrested in Mil- ford, Conn., Thursday night and brought back to New York to face charges of having injured a white man during the serving of papers in a civil suit at “Heaven No. 1” in Harlem. He was relaesed on bail. (Picture on Page A-6.) By the Associated Press NEW PALTZ, N. Y., April 24 —Fire | drove 15 of Father Divine's “angels” a newly-purchased branch “heaven” today, less than 24 hours | after the Negro cult leader who is| known as “God” to his followers was | rraigned in New York City on a charge of felonious assault. | The office of Sheriff A. F. Molyneaux at Kingston announced an immediate investigation. The fire destroyed the | 22-room, two-story structure. Residents of Ulster County protested the Negro's purchase of 22 parcels of land in the vicinity when the sales occurred, and recently attempted to preclude the sequestering of minor “angels” in houses which Father | Divine calls his extension heavens, “So far as we have been able to learn,” an attache of the sheriff's | office said, “the fire started in the rear of the building. What that would indicate, if anything, remains | to be determined.’ | Hampered by lack of water, volun- teer firemen from New Paltz were unable to check the fire. Fire Chief Elting Clearwater, who estimated the damage in excess of $25,000, said the cause of the fire was undetermined. He said the homeless angels took refuge in another “heaven” about a mile west of New Paltz. “None of them was burned,” he said. ‘“‘Some got their hair singed but that was all.” — e Miners Win Hunger Strike. KATOWICE, Poland, April 24 (#).— Hunger strikers at the Moscicki mine returned to the surface yesterday when an arbitrator yielded to tneir demands, including higher pay, removal of cer- tain officials and improved working conditions. Hunger strikers remained in the Siemainawice mine, however; more than 20 of them were taken to a hospital suffering from exhaustion. Today’s Star Lack of funds held threat to hospi- tals here. Page A-16 House group to hear opponents of pro- posed memorial site. Page A-16 Proposed homes for disabled Govern- ment employes indorsed. Page A-16 EDITORIALS ‘D COMMENT. Editorials Page A-! This and That. Page A-8 Questions and Answers. Page A-8 Stars, Men and Atoms. Page A-8 David Lawrence. Page A-9 Paul Mallon. Page A-9 Mark Sullivan. Page A-9 Jay Franklin Page A-9 Delia Pynchon. Page A-9 SPORTS. Nats’ failure to hit is puzzling their followers. L Page A-10 Fist fight on field marks Bucs' win over Reds. Page A-10 Indiana U. tracksters get Penn relays spotlight. Page A-10 Hubbell records seventeenth straight win in 1937 debut. Page A-10 District links women adopt rigid tour- ney rules. Page A-11 ‘Western High's stock rises with win over Roosevelt. Page A-11 College netmen here showing poor form on courts. Page A-11 MISCELLANY. Washington Wayside. City News in Brief. Traffic Convictions. Service Oxders. Shipping News. Vital Statistics. Bedtime Story. ature’s Children. Young Washington. Crossword Puzzle. Betsy Caswell. Page Page Page Page Page Page Page Page Page PageA-13 Page B-8 Dix, Letter-Out Page B-8 PageC-10 ¢ MY DEAR You CANT KEEP THIS Violation of Baton Rule Costs Texans Victory in Relay By the Assoctated Press. PHILADELPHIA, April 24— North Texas Teachers College's crack sprinters, after finishing first in record-smashing time in the final of the 880-yard relay championship race today, were disqualified for violating the baton-passing rules, The ruling automatically gave first place to Indiana in the opening feature race on the last half of the Pennsylvania carnival program. The Texans were stunned by the setback, especially as it came after they registered the best performance of their careers at the half-mile relay distance Elmer Brown, one of the twin brothers on the team, got away to a good lead on the first fur- long, but overstepped the 10-yard zone limit before handing the baton to A. Chrisman. The Texans still were in command when Capt. Stovall missed legal connections by at least five yards before turning over the stick to Delmer Brown, the anghor man. LEWIS WILL URGE DEBT AGREEMENT Offers to U. S. to Be Re- vealed by Senator if President Accepts. Bs the Associated Press. Senator Lewis, Democrat, of Illinois | said today he would urge President | Roosevelt Monday to accept offers of | foreign debt settlement, which he told reporters he “understood” to be “in the possession of the State Department | and the President.” Lewis explained that he had been | informed the settlement offers were in the nature of “a tender of goods, together with other suggestions of a | reconsideration or a readjustment of the remainder of the fund due.” He suggested that acceptance of the offers would aid in solving problems presented by relief and the need for economy. Lewis added in a statement that if the President agreed wWith his views he would “address the Senate as to the full terms and details as proposed by the debtors.” GOERING TO SEE DUCE Conference Set on Policy on Aus- tria and Spain. ROME, April 24 (#)—Col. Gen. Hermann Wilheim Goering, No. 2 Nazi, and Premier Benito Mussolini will meet Monday to discuss the Italo- German attitude toward Austria and Spain. The meeting of the two Fascist statesmen, announced today, climaxes important conversations Il Duce has held in Venice with Chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg of Austria. . Nazi's Slaying Confessed. BUENOS AIRES. April 24 (#).— Police announced today a small-time bandit had confessed Kkilling Josef Riedel, 37, a German Nazi foreign organizer, whose death Berlin had charged to “Communists.” Police said Felix Bucci, 25, confessed he and another man fired at Riedel when the leader of the Villa Ballester group of The only evening paper in Washington with the Associated Press News and Wirephoto Services. BUT Y0U PROMISED To SUPPORT ME IN THE STYLE To WHICH [HAYE BECOME ACCUSTOMED' Argentine Nazis attempted to resist a hold-up. Riedel's watch was found on Bucei. Cherry Blossom Yesterday’s Circulation, 143,602 (8ome Treturns not yet recefved.) s Associated Press. TWO CENTS. HEARINGS ENDED ONGOURT CHANGE Seven Weeks of Testimony Appears Not to Have Moved Committee. BACKGROUND— President’s proposal to add sir PROPOSALS TOCUT APPROPRIATIONS [0% GAINS FAVOR Senate Group Would Accept Horizontal Slash to Bal- ance Budget. FARM BILL BACKERS IN DETERMINED STAND $927,421,996 Agriculture Bill Ap- proved With Item for Wool Marketing Studies. BACKGROUND— Failure of taxr revenue to reach estimated levels, accompanied by pressure for increased relief ez- penditures and an erpensive farm aid program, has caused concern to administration leaders. Situa- tion makes virtually certain defeat of President’s hopes of early budget balancing. Thus far in session, assurance has been voiced that no new tax legis- lation is contemplated this year. Increase in relief appropriation above $1,500,000,000 requested by President, however, might be fol- lowed quickly by request for new tazes immediately. By the Assoctated Press. Proposals to slash all Federal ap- propriations by 10 per cent and to | slice $500,000,000 from President Roosevelt's relief estimates gained fresh support today in the Senate Ape propriations Committee Although some committee members described a fixed horizontal cut as un= scientific, a majority said they would | accept it if it proved the only means ‘cf palenting the budget by July, 1938, | Backers of agriculture legislation mew justices to Supreme Court unless present members over 70 retire, submitted to Congress Feb- ruary 5, has, for the moment at least, landed the Democratic ship of state on rocks. The plan aroused the ire of liberal Democrats in the Senate and has virtually tied up congres- sional business during long hear- ings by Senate Judiciary Commit- tee. Various compromise proposals have been made, but to date all have been turned down by White House. BY JOHN H. CLINE. Finishing their protracted hearings on the President’s Supreme Court bill, members of the Senate Judiciary Com- mittee, still almost evenly divided for and against the measure, prepared, to- day for the more important fight be- hind the scenes when executive scs- sions are started Tuesday. Seven weeks of open testimony, | bringing forth the views of scores of | Witnesses, apparently failed to cnange | the vote of a single committee mem- | ber. When the hearings opened the committee was reported divided 9 to 9 on Mr. Roosevelt’s request for authority to name: six new justices to the court unless those over 70 re tire. When Chairman Ashurst, “with great reluctance and unfeigned re- | gret,” declared the meetings ad)surned yesterday, nine Senators were reported opposed to the bill, eight for it and one uncommitted. This close division increased the belief that the committce mermbers may ultimately compromise on a bill adding only two justices to tae tri- bunal, which, both sides agree, could be passed in the Senate. Democrat Attacks Plan. The last witness to appear before the committee was J. F. Smith, chair- man of the Democratic State Central Committee of Connecticut. Smith, the first member of a Demo- cratic State organization to appear in opposition to the measure, attacked the bill on its merits and severely criticized Postmaster General Farley and Secretary Ickes for attempting to force the rank and file of the party into line behind the proposal. “The great Democratic victory in Connecticut in 1936,” he said, “may not soundly or upon any basis of fact be construed as a popular mandate for any such radical measure as the pending bill. Disagrees With Farley. “I find it completely impossible to agree with statements by Postmaster General Farley. Mr. Farley raises the question as to where politics ends and patriotism begins. He then re- solves this question by stating that he believes that those members of his party who refuse to ‘go along’ with the President are straining at a gnat.” Also criticizing Ickes, he asserted: “I believe that Mr. Ickes takes in too much territory when he joins Mr. Farley in an effort to blanket in as natural opponents of the President and of liberalism all those people who cannot ‘go along’ with the administra- tion’s idea of proper judicial reform. “If I may be personal about it, I must say that I find it impossible to find myself under any of the heads of ‘deserter-decoy,’ ‘reactionary geo- graphical Democrat’ or ‘piqued profes- sional_ liberal’ to quote the phrases coined by Mr. Ickes. Visitors Face Possibility of Bad Weather Unsettled weather conditions are in prospect for visitors arriving tomorrow for the second of the Capital's cherry blossom displays—the double variety. Although the railroads reported travel into the city ‘“heavier than usual” and motor clubs said the high- ways probabily will be somewhat crowded, the influx is not expected to approach that experienced here the last two Sundays. The double blossoms are now in full bloom around Hains Point, in East Potomac Park, but some horticulturists claim their splendor is not so great a4 in previous years. P Unlike last week end, park police have made no special plans to cope with traffic difficulties, believing mo- torists will not become entangled as before. The Weather Bureau says showers may develop this afternoon and that occasional rain is due tonight and probably tomorrow morning. Tomor- row afternoon, however, is expected to be clear and “slightly warmer,” with fresh easterly winds. The mercury climbed to 67 at 4:15 p.m. yesterday and fell to 46 at 6:45 am. today. It had risen only one degree at 10 s b served notice, however, they would | not abandon pending farm bills withe lout a struggle. Senator Bankhead, Democrat, of Alabama, expressed the opinion that President Roosevelt, in urging economy, did not intend to withgdraw his support from the Banke head-Jones farm tenancy bill “I have had sufficient comferences | with the President the last two years on the proposed farm tenancy legislation,” Bankhead said Iam firmly of t | abandon it.” A $927,421,996 appropriation to run the Agriculture Department in the next fiscal year was approved lata yesterday by the House, which held close to the President’s budget esti= mates. The members accepted a proposal by Representative South, Democrat, of Texas, to add $23,348 for wool marketing " studies, but defeated one by Representative Taber, Republican, of New York, for a 10 per cent cut {in the department’s funds. Before the appropriation measure brought the economy issue to the House floor yesterday, congressional leaders of both major parties issued | (See APPROPRIATIONS, Page A-12.), WOMAN HIT BY SHOT THROUGH WINDOW Wife of Virginia Merchant Wounded About Face—Assail- ant Eludes Sheriff. | Special Dispatch to The Star. HARRISONBURG, Va., April 24— | Mrs. Jacob Kiser, 50, wife of a mer- chant living at Briery Branch, an isolated section west of Harrisonburg, is in Rockingham Memorial Hospital here with wounds in her head and | face as the result of a shotgun charge |fired through the window of her | kitchen last night. Her condition is | not regarded as serious. Sheriff Joseph Bazzle and other of- ficers searched the countryside for the assailant without success and then called for bloodhounds. Mrs. Kiser and her sister-in-law, Mrs. Pearl Hussey, and Mrs. Hussey's daughter, Cora, were seated in the kitchen talk- ing when the shot was fired Miss Hussey fainted. while her mother went to summon aid. Mr, Kiser, who was at his store when the shooting occurred, found the empty shotgun shell at a wood pile about 15 steps from the window. No motive for the shooting has been reported. WINDSOR BOOK THREAT ! SPEEDS UP ITS SALE Counsel for Duke Says Legal Steps ‘Will Be Taken if It Is Not Withdrawn. | Bv the Associated Press. LONDON, April 24 —The Duke of Windsor’s threatened legal action against publishers of the book “Coro= nation Commentary” caused the vol- ume to sell like hot cakes today. The duke's attorney, A. G. Allen, threat« ened legal steps unless the volume is withdrawn and the publishers, Wils liam Heinnemann, Ltd., discussed with attorneys the 48-hour ultimatum. The book, discussing the brief reign of Edward VIII and his abdication, accused him of “muddling, fuddling and meddling” and referred to reports Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin had other grievances against him than the King's determination to marry Mrs, Wallis Warfleld Simpson. It was writ= ten by Geoffrey Dennis, chief of the document service of the secretariat of the League of Nations. The ninth and final installment of “The Kid- naping of Gen. Chiang Kaij-shek,” from the diary of the Chinese war lord, will be published in The Sunday Star tomorrow.