Evening Star Newspaper, May 9, 1937, Page 2

COURT BILL FACES SHOWDOWN MAY 18 Both Sides Consider Logan Proposal to Vote on Amendments Last. BACKGROUND— Demands for a compromise have ‘been advanced from sereval quar- ters since President Roosevelt on February 5 announced his plan to increase the membership of the Supreme Court by a mazimum of 2z unless present justices over 70 retire. The White House, however, has refused to listen to any com- promise suggestions, despite the Jact that the Senate Judiciary Committee is reported to stand 10 to & against the Ddill. The 8enate Judiclary Committee will have before it for one more week the President’s bill to increase the membership of the Supreme Court. ‘The showdown will come on Tuesday, May 18, when the committee votes. The committee now is divided, 10 to 8, against the bill in its original form. Both sides have been consider- ing & proposal by Senator Logan of Kentucky to vote on the bill before voting on any amendments. There is strategy in the proposition, appar- ently, for both sides. Several of the committee members have offered amendments, notably Senator McGill of Kansas and Sena- tor Norris of Nebraska, who might be willing to vote against reporting the President's bill if their amend- ments were to be voted on later. Mc- @Gill and Norris have both been count- ed by the sdministration leaders as among the oommitteemen who will support the President. However, if Norris and McGill, or one of them, should vote “no” on a motion to re- port the bill favorably—before their amendments had been disposed of— the showing of the supporters of the bill might be worse than 10 to 8. It might, for example, be 11 to 7, or even 12 to 6. Chance for Compromise. On the other hand the administra- tion leaders might be able to avoid an adverse report on the bill if, after the committee had voted against re- porting it, a majority supported the bill in amended form. Here would be opportunity to compromise and bring in & bill with a favorable majority It is against all parliamentary tisage to vote on a measure beiore woting on proposed amendments and substitutes. It might take a unani- mous oonsent agreement in the com- mittee to follow the course proposed by Senator Logan. The general impression prevails, however, that no matter which course s followed, the bill will eventually be reported adversely to the Senate in its present form—so far as it relates to the Supreme Court. Unless the sdministration agrees to a compro- mise, and so informs Chairman Ashurst, the Senators supporting the bill will resist all amendments, and enough of the opponents are expected to do the same thing to assure de- feat of the proposed amendments. Berry Vote Chalked Up. President Rooseveit returns to ‘Washington Thursday. He is expected to get into the fight for his court bill without delay. Wavering Senators will be called upon to fish or cut bait. Already the President is credited with having won a vote by insisting upon the appointment of Maj. George L. Berry as Senator from Tenneasee, fill- ing the vacancy caused by the death of the iate Senator Bachman, a foe of the court bill, according to his friends. At the same time, it may be ex- pected that some of the Democratic Senators who do not like the pros- pect of & hard and bitter fight with some of their Democratic colleagues over this court bill, will urge the President to sagree to some kind of & compromise. They wili point out to him that all major legislation, or almost all, is the result of com- promises, compromises between the Congress and the President, or com- promises between the House and Benate. Chairman Ashurst continued yes- terday to declare for a “clean victory or & clean defeat, without compro- mise.” There are other members of his committee, however, slated to vote for the President’s bill, who would very much prefer s compromise. Several opponents of the President’s pian to increase the Supreme Court by a maximum of six new justices will deliver addresses over the radio to- morrow night. Senator Burke of Ne- braska is to speak in the National Radio Forum at 10:30 pm. against the bill. TFour Senators, Copeland of New York, Byrd of Virginia, Gerry of Rhode Island and McCarran of Neva- da—all Democrats—will - address a mass meeting in Philadelphia and their speeches, too, will be trans- mitted by radio across the country. McAdoo to Appear. The Judiciary Committee meets at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow to continue its “ddscussion” of the bill and amend- ments. Senator McAdoo of California is to appear before the committee on ‘Tuesday in support of a proposal he has offered to increase the court to 15 members, either by bill or by con- stitutional amendment, or by both, and at the end of 25 years, let Con- gress decide what the number of the court shall be. His plan also contem- plates compulsory retirement for aged Justices. ‘The administration forces insist they are gaining by delay in consideration of the Supreme Court bill. They see it more and more difficult for Demo- eratic Senators and Representatives, particularly those who come up for re- election next year, to oppose the Presi- dent on this issue. The nearer the election comes before the bill is voted on the more votes the administration expects to get. In the meantime, Chairman James A. Farley of the Democratic National Committee, con- tinues to crack the whip and demand votes for the President’s bill as evi- dence of party loyalty. Ladd Articles Dug Up. ‘Three articles written by the late Benator Edwin F. Ladd of North Da- kota and published in Henry Ford's Dearborn. Independent in 1923 at- tacking the Supreme Court have been placed in the hands of the adminis- tration forces. Ladd, one of the Pro- gressive Repubjjcans of the Northwest, supported in 1924 the late Senator La Follette of Wisconsin, Progressive candidste for President. Senator Ger- ald P. Nye is Ladd’s successor in the Senate. The articles are entitled: *“Has the Bupreme Court Usurped Pee- ple's Power?” “Congress Lax in Not Ohecking Slupreme Court” and “Source of Misfortunes and Oorruption.” Sen- ator Ladd went the whole route, insist- Ing that the Oongress should be su- preme in writing the laws and that the Supreme Court had usurped the Readers' Guide and News Summary The Sunday Star, May 9, 1937, PART ONE. Main News Section. FOREIGN. Insurgents press closer to Basque ocapital. Page A-2 NATIONAL. 5 BScreen Actors’ Guild near walkout this week. Page A-1 Ohio Wesleyan U. girl student disap- pears. Page A-3 Snell warns inflation is due to U. 8. spending policy. A-1 ‘Weirton cited to N. L. R. B. by unlon organisers. Page A-2 Court bill showdown due after one more week. Page A-2 President to see Congress chiefs on return here. Page A-4 WASHINGTON AND VICINITY. Commissioners to report favorably on daylight-saving bill. Page A-1 Commissioners considering tax on business firms. Page A-1 Four found guilty of motorist extor- tion plot. Page A-2 Horses burned to death in Pimlico sta- bie fire. Page A-1 Federation of Churches starts welfare department. Page B-1 3,000 expected tomorrow as Red Cross opens convention. Page B-1 Ickes to lay Langston corner stone on Thursday. Page B-1 “Cat” burglar suspect quissed by Dis- trict police. Page B-1 Officials asked to name auditorium commission advisers. Page B-1 SPORTS. ‘War Admiral romps to victory in Derby with Pompoon next. Page B-6 Nationals trim Tigers and move up to sixth place. Page B-6 Three stables in running for leading show honors. Page B-7 ‘Underdog Georgetown golf team gains league lead. Page B-8 McDiarmid and Sabin capture Chevy Chase doubles. Page B-8 District yachtsmen are attracted to East Coast test. Page B-9 Eleven all-time records fall in men’s pin tournament. Page B-10 Calumet Dick, Thorson score in Pim- lico, Jamaica stakes. Page B-11 MISCELLANY. ‘Washington Wayside. Lost and found. Obituary. Page A-2 Page A-3 Page A-12 PART TWO. Editorial Section. Editorial articles. Pages D-1-3 Editorials and comment. PageD-2 Civic news. Page D-4 Military and veterans’ news. ‘Women's clubs. Parent-teacher activities. Cross-word puzsle. Resorts. Stamps. Winning contract. PART THREE. Society Section. Bociety news. PagesE-1-12 ‘Well-known folk. Page E-4 Vital statistics. Page E-3 City news in brief. PageE-8 Service Orders. Page E-16 Traffic convictions. Page E-10 Barbara Bell pattern. Page E-11 PART FOUR. Feature Section. News features. Pages F-1-4 Page F-3 Page F-4 Page F-5 Page F-6 Page F-6 Page F-6 PageF-7 Pages D-5-7 Pages D-6 Page D-6 Page D-7 Page D-8 Page D-10 Page D-11 Dick Mansfield. Automobiles. Aviation. Children’s page. PART FIVE. Financial, Classifled. Industry holds high level. Page G-1 Stocks ease, bonds gain. Page G-1 D. C. trade advances. Page G-1 Stock table. Page G-2 Bond table, Page G-3 Curb table. Page G-4 Educational Page G-5 Classified advertising. Pages G-5-17 MAILERS SETTLE NEWARK STRIKE Morning Ledger Agreement Calls Off Picket Line, Permits Publication. By the Associated Press. NEWARK, N. J, May 8—Edwin Russell, associate publisher, an- nounced at midnight a “tentative agreement” had been reached be- tween the Newark Morning Ledger and striking mailers’ union members which would maeke possible publica- tion of the Sunday edition. ‘Fhe agreement, Russell sald, pro- vided for withdrawal of a mass picket line of mallers and sympathizers which had kept most of the employes from entering the plant tonight. The pickets soon started to disperse and employes of various departments entered the building. A handfui of editorial department employes had worked through the evening preparing stories. Russell said he could not estimate how late the edition would be. ARBITRATION IS OFFERED IN LONDON BUS STRIKE By the Associated Press. LONDON, May 8—The London ‘Transport Board today offered to arbi- trate all differences in the city’s bus strike of 25,500 workers except the strikers’ prigcipal demand for reduc- tion of the working day from eight to seven and a half hours. The bus operators also asked for slower running schedules. A spokesman said the transport board would be willing to refer the dispute to a eourt of inquiry. There was no definite indication that the strike would end before the coronation Wednesday, but some news- papers predicted the busses would be running by Monday at the latest. power o pass on the constitutionality of acts of Congress. “It was intended,” wrote Ladd, in collaboration with James Martin Mil- ler, in the Dearborn Independent, “that the Congress should be the su- preme branch of government, and that the Congress would have to go back to the people and report every two years.” It was Ladd’s contention that if Congress put through laws that did not agree with the Consti- tution, then the people would turn the COongress out and repeal the uncon- stitutional laws. » THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, MAY 9, 1937—PART ONE. WEIRTON STEEL CO. CTEDTON.L.RB. Organizing Group Charges Workers Are Qusted for Union Activity. By the'Associatea Press. PITTSBURGH, May 8.—The Steel ‘Workers' Organizing Committee car- ried its fight with the Weirton Steel Co. to the National Labor Relations Board today with a charge the firm is violating the national labor relations act by dismissing workers for union activity. Weirton Steel is a subsidiary of the National Steel Corp., of which Ernest ‘T. Weir is board chairman. The steel workers’ committee is & major affliate of John L. Lewis' Committee for In- dustrial Organization. Regional Director Clinton 8. Golden of the steel workers’ committee told the labor board that Weirton had fired 160 workers for joining the union since the Wagner measure became law in July, 1935. He asked that Weirton be ordered to return the men to work and pay them approximately $180,000 for lost time. Affidavits Are Filed. Golden also filed with the board afdavits from Weirton workers who 3aid they were beaten &nd forced from the mills last week because of their sctivities in connection with the steel committee. He asked that their cases “be placed in the same category as that of employes dismissed because of union membership and activity.” Golden said the attacks “were under direction of Claude Conway of the Weirton Employes’ Security League and were evidently prearranged fol- lowing the return * * * of Chairman E. T. Weir. “Immediately thereafter, according to the information in our possession, & meeting between company officials and members of the notorious hatchet | gang, some of whom already are under subpoena by the La Follette Senate Committee, was held. The assaults followed this conference and are con- tinuing whenever any of the employes of the company are spotted wearing insignia indicating union member- ship.” Five With Firm 26 Years. The committee said that the dis- missed employes’ affidavits show that five were with the firm 26 years, that 21 others were with the company more than 20 years, and that the average is between 10 and 15. The charges are the first filed with the board against any big steel com- pany since the Supreme Court decision upholding validity of the Wagner act. Ernest Dunbar, director of the sixth regional office of the board, said they will be investigated next week. MERRILL TO START OCEAN HOP TODAY Poor Weather and Delay in Instal- lation of Radio Delays Flight. BY the Associated Press. NEW YORK, May 8—Dick Mer- Photo Interview With Ford Henry Ford as he posed for a picture interview at his office in Dearborn, Mich, are parrots for international financiers . . .” s ol o : iness to pay tribute to money lenders . ..” “. . . Congress has heard from home.’ FOUR HELD GUILTY IN EXTORTION PLOT Garageman Convisted With 2 Maryland Policemen and Ex-Officer. By the Associated Press. ELLICOTT CITY, Md, May 8.—A Howard County Circult Court jury today brought in a verdict of guilty against two suspended Maryland State policemen, a former State officer and » Savage, Md, garage owner on charges of conspiracy. The jurymen deliberated minutes less than an hour. During the day all four defendants had testified in their own defense, denying the charge they conspired to extort money from Washington boule- vard motorists. The defendants are Albert Mark- ley and John Taylor, suspended State policemen; John Wheeler, former State policemen, and John Herbert, the garageman. Mercy Recommended. The jury recommended mercy in Taylor's case. Wheeler and Herbert denied today they comspired to force motorists to patronize the latter's shop. The State charged three State officers got & percentage from Herbert for repair work directed to him. Herbert denied that he had paid commissions either to the officers or to any other persons. ‘The garage proprietor also denied that he had made a statement to Maj, Enoch Barton Garey, former superintendent of State police, that he “jacked up” prices so he could pay off the officers. He repudiated a State-introduced statement bearing his signature and ssserted the signature “must have been placed there when I was drunk.” Tells of Drinking. He said that when he went to Maj. Garey's home, where he allegedly signed the statement implicating him, that he had already drunk wine and beer and that he drank whisky at the major's home. Wheeler also denied that he forced any motorists to patronize Herbert's garage, contradicting the testimony of Herbert Starin, Indianapolis truck driver, a State witness. The former officer asserted he did not make Strain take his truck o Herbert's place when he arrested him on a charge of having a faulty motor. He 3aid they went toward the garage because there was a magistrate close by. He allowed Strain to park the truck on a vacant lot, he said. . 6,203 FARM DEBTS CUT $1,878,072 Resettlement Administration Ad- justments in Principal Cover Four States. By tle Associated Press. MONTGOMERY, Ala, May 8 The Resettlement Administration an- nounced today that 6,203 farm debt & few iy —A. P. Photos. rill's take-off on his proposed round- trip flight to London to deliver photo- graphs of the Hindenburg disaster and bring back coronation pictures was postponed tonight until tomor- row afternoon. Poor weather and delay in com- pleting installation of radio equip- ment and test flights were given as the reasons. The veteran commercial pilot and trans-Atlantic flyer had planned to leave Newark, N. J., Airport this aft- ernoon and take off from the mile- long runway at Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn, but remained in Newark instead. United States Weatherman James H. Kimball raid mist all along the Atlantic Coast to Newfoundland would have made flying under 5,000 feet difficult. Merrill plans to take along Jack 8. Lambie, his regular commercial co-pilot. Latest plans were for a take-off at 3 pm., Eastern standard time, to- morrow. SURF WRECKS SHIP WHEN 21 ARE SAVED Crew and Captain of Schooner Trinidad Await Orders at Raymond, Wash. By the Associated Press. RAYMOND, Wash, May 8—Res- cued by daring Coast Guard surfmen, Capt. I. Hellesto and 20 members of the crew of the steam schooner Trini- dad awaited orders here tonight while heavy seas pounded their grounded craft to pieces off the mouth of wil- lapa Harbor. Cosst Guardsmen effected-the res- cue, after an all-night battle, with the loss of but one life. Second Officer Werner Craft was washed overboard shortly after the Trinidad atruck, listed and started sinking and break- ing to pleces 3 or 4 miles off North t. . spl’l‘he Trinidad, and the surf boats which went to her rescue after she started showing flares in the stormy night, carried no wireless, s0 it was not until the men had been trans- ferred to the tug Ruth E. and brought here todsy that details were available. Crew members’ accounts and Coast Guard reports, however, indicated the Trinidad, outbound with a capacity cargo of lumber for her home port, San Prancisco, struck about 8:10 p.m. It was not until 4:30 a.m. today that the Coast Guardsmen could reach her lee and the survivors could leap to safety. At that time only the Trini- dad’s bridge was above water. YALE CORPORATION PICKETED BY STUDENTS Divinity Group Protests for Sec- ond Time Failure to Renew Prof. Davis’ Contract. By the Associated Press. NEW HAVEN, Comn., May 8— For the second time in less than three months, Yale divinity students and representatives from New England colleges picketed today s meeting of the Yale Corp. in protest against the corporation’s failure to renew the con- tract of Prof. Jerome Davis. Of the estimsted 85 students who carried 40 large signs in & demon- stration at Woodbridge Hall, 55 were from the divinity achool, where Davis is a facuity member, while the re- maining participants represented Dartmouth, Massachusetts State Ool- lege, Smith, Vasser, Yale Oollege, and Connecticut-Wesleyan. By the Associated Press. The Securities Commission yester- day heard a story of how three young Harvard graduates, by investing less than $80,000 of their own money, acquired control of nine investment trusts with assets of $30,000,000. The tale of their meteoric rise in the financial world was recited by E. F. Henderson of Boston, who, with George Henderson, his brother, and Robert L. Moore, a classmate in 1916, own the investment firm of Henderson Bros. Henderson Bros. was brought into the 8. E. C. investment trust investi- gation through its recently acquired control of General Investment Corp., & concern whose history is under inquiry. Henderson testified that the Harvard trio's assets at the time they began building their investment trust pyra- mid consisted of their ownership of the World Radio Corp, proprietor of 31 radio stores in New England. A considerable portion of the $200,000 assets, he added, was in installments due on radios they had sold. Began With $10,000, Beginning three years ago with an original investment of $10,000, Henderson explained, the three men had gradually acquired controlling interests in the nine investment trusts, utilizing the asets of each in turn to provide means to purchase control in the next. At present—according to the com- mission’s chart submitted in evi- dence — Henderson Bros. controls ‘World Investment Corp., Beacon Par- ticipations, Central Capital Corp., Standard Investing Corp., General Investment Corp., Utilities Equities Corp., Atlantic Securities of Boston, International Equities Corp., and Allied International Investing Corp. Henderson emphasized that while they had secured control of the in- vestment trusts with a small invest- ment, they had developed several of them from “sick” companies to profit- able trusts through good management. Utilizing the slide rule which he al- ways carries (he also attended Mas- sachusetts Tech) Henderson recited the snow-ball-like acquisitions in mathematical fashion: Court Bill Critic in Forum SENATOR BURKE TO SPEAK TOMORROW NIGHT. ENATOR EDWARD R. BURKE of Nebraska, s foremost con- gressional opponent of Presi- dent Roosevelt's proposal to re- organize the Supreme Court, will apeak on the court bill in the Na- tional Radio Forum tomorrow at 10:30 pm. . The Forum is arranged by The. Star and broadcast over the comst- to-coast network of the National Broadcasting Co. A Democratic member of the Sen- sie Judiciary Committee, which re- ocently concluded .extensive hearings on’ the measure, Senator Burke has teken a principal part in the con- test against the President's plan to increage the membership of the Bu- preme Oourt by & maximum of six Justices. ) The opposition, under his leader- ship, has developed strength emough in the Senate committee to vote down the President’s proposal. Attorney General Cummings spoke in favor of the ecourt plan in the Forum two weeks ago. r U.S. Hears How Harvard Trio | Ran $80,000 to $30,000,000 adjustments, involving a reduction of $1,878,072 in principal, had been made in Alabama, Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, from September, | 1935, until May, 1937, The adjustments were effected, the administration said, by bringing farmers and creditors together in agreements on debts which might not have been paid, except for a reduction, adjustment or general rearrangement of terms. The adjustments are made through committees in various counties and districts. Besides the total adjusted, 2355 cases still are pending. 3 Total debts of the €,203 farmers were $0,581,425 before adjustments made, and $7,703,353 afterward. In Alsbama 32,304 adjustments were made, scaling debts from $2,371,760 to $1,844.159; in Florida, 1,592 adjust- ments, $3,936,146 to $3248424; in Georgia, 863 adjustments, $2,387,174 to $2,006,793, and in South Carolina, 794 adjustments, $886,345 to $603,977, ‘Three years ago sufficient stock in Beacon Participations was purchased from the Beacon Trust Co. for $10,000 to secure control of $25,000 assets. Henderson said that next they ac- quired Atlantic Securities, another ‘“very sieck” investment trust, by an investment of $28,000, Its assets, he said, totaled $450,000. Henderson brothers next, utilizing the asset values of Beacon and At- lantic, secured control of Allied In- ternational with an investment of $100,000. They then, he continued, organized Central Capital Corp., with $600,000 capital contributed by the three trusts they had acquired. They did not put up any of their own funds, he said. In the middle of February, Hender- son explained, Ernest B. Warriner in- formed him he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown and had to dis- pose of the investment trusts he con- trolled. Henderson brothers on March 2 bought control of one Warriner com- pany, Standard Investing Corp, for $850.000. Central Capital Corp. put up $400,000 cash and arrangements were made to pay the remainder in time payments. COUNTESS COVADONGA GIVEN DIVORCE IN CUBA Romance of 1933, When Former Prince of Asturias Gave Up Title Recalled. By the Associated Press. HAVANA, May 8—The marriage for which the Count of Covadonga— once prince of Asturias and heir ap- parent to the now-vacant Spanish throne—abandoned his claims to that throne in 1933 ended here today. ‘The Court of First Instance granted the divorce sought by the count’s pretty Cuban wife, former Edelmira Sampedro, accepting her charges of “abandonment of domicile.” The countess was granted $100 a month alimony and right to possession of all property given or promised her by the count. That included about $3,000 worth of jewelry. The decree left both free to marry within five days. The count said he considered it a “birthday anniversary present, because I will be 30 fears old May 10.” His neme has been linked romantically with that of Marta Roca- fort, Havana soclety girl, but he would say nothing about plans or another marriage. The countess said reports she would marry soon were ridiculous. MOTHER OF TWO BOYS DIES OF FALL INJURY Widow Sustains Skull Fracture in Drop of Few Feet While Wash- ing Windows. Mrs. Ruth Crump, 43, widowed mother of two young boys, died last night in Oasualty Hospital from in- juries received Tuesday when she fell while washing & window at her home, 615 Sixth street. Though she fell only a few feet from the first floor window, Mrs. Orump received a skull fracture. The two boys ate Billy, 7, and Jimmy, 10. NAMED TO CLUB ‘Warner, Herald Tribune Bureau Chief, Gridiron Member. Albert L. Warner, chief of the ‘Washington Bureau of the New York Herald Tribune, last night was elected unanimously an asctive member of the Gridiron Club. Mr, Warner for several years has been fu ahivge of the looal bureau. BRAZIL COURT SENDS 35 REBELS TO PRISON By the Associated Press. RIO DE JANEIRO, May 8 —Brazil's National Security Tribunal today sent 35 men to prison for participating in the 1935 Communist insurrection. Held in prison while their trials were in progress, the men received terms up to 27 years. Similar charges are faced by 1,288 others. The tribunal designated three as leaders of the unsuccessful uprising: Oarlos Prestes, former army captain, was sentenced to 16 years and 8 months in prison; Arthur Ewert, also known as Harry Berger, a farmer Com- munist member of the German Reich- stag, 14 years and 4 months, and Pedro Ernesto Baptista, 3 years and +¢ months. The tribunal's decisions can be ap- pealed to the supreme military tri- bunal. SENATOR BURK - Washington Wayside Random Cbservations of Interesting Events and Things. BENTIMENTALIST. FTER devoting years of his life to driving the big gray timber wolves out of the West (they eat cattle, but uncooked), SBtanley P. Young, principal biologist of the Biological Survey, decided to gives the hungry lupines a break. Most of them are dead anyhow, so Mr. ‘Young wrote a book called “‘Last 8tand of the Pack,” containing nine tall tales of nine famous wolves, not including the Disney model. Volume is illustrated with actual photographs of some of the wolves, but whether there were any interviews we haven't heard. Can imagine the anti- wolfers from the Survey patting one of the shaggy brutes on the head and weaping over his life story, the while holding the dagger of the Borgiss in waiting. *x ok FAN. Dashing up to Harry Jordan, as- sistant manager of the local news- reel theater, a rotund chap gasped yesterday: “Have the Hindenburg Ppictures come in yet?” “Swre,” said Jordan, “the first showing is on now.” ° The man thrust & $5 bill under the boz office wicket, picked up his change and his ticket and strolled lazily down the street. e % SAFETY FIRST. 'HE steeplejack who is painting the four faces of the clock on the old Post Office Building always locks the tower door after him when he climbs out to rig his tackle and lower himself down the side of the building on his bo'sun’s chair. Reason? Because you can never tell what an amateur camera fan will do to get an unusual shot for his photo collection. They're apt to slip out on the roof to get the proper “angle” and some of the more rabid ones might even cut s rope to manufacture a picture of a steeplejack hanging from his rig, be- ing rescued by firemen. = x x REWARD. NCIDENTALLY, the fact the clock on the Post Office is being paint- ed at all gives us great satisfaction. You may remember that we com- plained bitterly that there was this huge timepiece straight across from our office windows, but because most newspaper men are near-sighted or sleepy or both, no one got the slight- est benefit from it. ‘We howled about the necessity of & good coat of paint on the clock face and hands, and the results doubtless are not in the least connected with our crusade. Indeed, now that we can tell the time merely by a glance out the window we've decided clocks are a nuisance and have petitioned the management for an hourglass, adjusted in three-quarters time. % x SKI JUMP. JPOSSIBLY the longest aki jump ever made by an American is that of Willlam David Judson, jr, who used to live here before he took up the business of writing plays and be- ing & husband in New York. year Mr. J. bought himself a coun- try place up in the Berkshires, where the hills are steep and the skiing fine. A great ski enthusiast, he labored all last Summer with an ax and some other axmen, clearing ski runs on his property, connecting them up with trails already cut in the sur- rounding country. Then he waited impatiently for Fall and the good old Massachusetts snows. ‘When Spring came he was still wait- ing, and no snows—none worth men- tioning in conversation with a real ski artist. Knowing of his plight, we wondered what would happen to his disposition while he sat around the house another four months, gently cursing the green trees and grass and reading books on the Christiana turn. Yesterday we had our answer. The telephone rang. A familiar voice said, “Hello.” “Hello,” we said. “This is David,” said the voice. “I'm in Baltimore. We are on our way to Chile. Nuts to the Berkshires. You can ski in the Summertime in Chile!!!” * k% % BARRISTRESS. Two lawyers were talking in a restaurant down near the District Supreme Court Building. One of them told about his secretary, who had recently attended a convention for the advancement of modern women, the delegates spending a good part of their time discussing the achievements of their sez. Finally they got around to the subject of woman lawyers. “Why one of the most prominent marriage law attorneys in Wash- ington is a woman—Miss Jean M. Boardman,” the secretary said. Across the table from the nar- rator of this yarn a tall, husky fel- low broke into uproarious laughter. He was Jean M. Boardman. * o % % BAFTLED. JO!B{ L. LEWIS was seated in the lobby of a downtown hotel the other day, obviously extremely per- plexed about something. Approach- ing a bit closer, a friend of ours heard Mr. Lewis humming the opening bars of an aria from “Carmen.” He began again and again, carried the tune a little way, hesitated and lost it, started all over. At that point an attorney for Mr. Lewis’ United Mine Workers came upon the scene. “It goes this way,” he announced, whistled the bers that had stumped Mr. Lewis, went away leaving the labor leader humming contentedly o pimself. [ Last | INSURGENTS PRESS CLOSERTO BILBAD Thundering Guns Endanger Refugees Being Evacuated by French Ships. BACKGROUND— Gen. Francisco Franoco, shifting his attack from Madrid to Bilbao, capital of Basque provinces, where thousands of Loyalist refugees had fled, endangercd lives of women and children and inspired efforts of Joreign ships to evacuate the city of nmon-military elements. Many women and orphaned chil- dren were taken to France by rescue ships in past week as insurgents pressed their attack on the city. By the Associated Press. HENDAYE, Franco-Spanish Border, May 8.—Insurgent guns thundered closer to Bilbao tonight; footsore dee fenders of the Basque capital crowded women and children aboard three French refugee vessels. The heaviest fighting centered about a hill in the Solluve Hills, about 11 miles east of Bilbao. The Basques’ last-line positions wese growing more perilous by the hour. A trio of PFrench warships stood by off the 3-mile limit in the Bay of Biscay to protect the evacuation ships, taking away 2400 noncom- batants. Nearly 3,000 already had gone to France. Great Britain sent the destroyers Fearless and Foxhound of the home squadron to Biscayan waters to help protect the ships. Insurgents’ tanks crawled over Basque trenches and raked them with machine gun fire. The insurgents said they captured strategic Solluve Hill, dominating the region between Guernica and Cape Machichaco, northeast of the capital, enabling the three columns that took it to mo nearer Bilbao with less danger of & flank attack. Their plan was to give the weary defenders no rest, keeping them from recuperating for & counter-attack. Basques Hold Ground. Basque commanders insisted, how- ever, that a terrific attack on the hill had failed to budge their forces. But they acknowledge that wooded slopes there were set afire by insurgent air bombs. The hill commands the Ber- meo-Bilbao highway. Basque heavy artillery shelled insur- gent-held Bermeo, Biscayan port, from emplacements southwest of Cape Ma- chichaco. Insurgent planes silenced the batteries. Insurgent Generalissimo Francisco Franco called upon Bilbao to surren- der, declaring he did not want to de- stroy the city. Thousands of leafiets were dropped over Bilbao by insurent planes, say- ing: “Lay down your arms. Natione alists do not seek to destroy your beautiful city. They wish to see it flourish. Renounce your criminal lJeaders.” New Classes Called Out. The Basque government ordered mobilization of the 1928. 1938 and 1939 army classes and 1927, 1937 and 1938 navy classes in three days. Insurgent planes also bombed trenches and fortifications about Bil- bso. Several ammuntion sheds were reported destroyed. Appearance of some government planes in the north cheered the hard- pressed defending armies. Three squadrons of these carried out wide- range bombing expeditions yesterday. The long-distance Spanish govern- ment planes must fly to reach the Basque front from Madrid has hin- dered defense air operations. Much of the territory they must cross te take aid to their northern allies is held by insurgents. Government sources also pointed to lack of air- ports as another stumbling block to helping the Basques in their opera- tions about Bilbao. 3,000 REFUGEES SAIL. Three French Freighters Carry Them to Bordeaux. BILBAO, Spain, May 8 (#).—Three thousand more refugees from this bombed and besieged city sailed for Bordeaux today aboard three French freighters. . The ships—the Calimare, Margau: and Chateau Palmer—flew the French tricolor as they glided down the Ner- vion River into the Bay of Biscay with & convoy of French fighting ships to protect them from possible attack by the insurgent fleet. The refugees, women, children and aged men, will join the more tl 2,800 who were taken from the war zone to peaceful French villages on two Spanish ships earlier th' week The evacuations made almost no appreciable dent, however, in the 300,000 civilians who have congested Bilbao in flight from the embattled Basque provinces and who govern- ment authorities hope to move be- fore insurgent artillery can reach fir- ing range. FIGHTING NEAR TOLEDO Government Troops Repulse Rebel Counter Attacks. MADRID, May 8 (#).—Government troaps, aided by_ bombing planes tanks and armored trains, fought furiously today to hold their lines around Toledo, in face of & heavy in- surgent counter-offensive. Por weeks the government soldiers had threatened to surround the ancient imperial city, 40 miles south and slightly west of Madrid. Toledo was captured by insurgents last Oc- tober 27, and an embattled insurgent garrison in the Alcazar then was de- livered from government besiegers. Insurgents concentrated their drive from Toledo toward the south and east, REVOLT TOLL HEAVY U. S. Ambulance Reports 500 Killed in Barcelona. VALENCIA, Spain, May 8 (#).—An American ambulance unit, reaching here tonight from Barcelona, esti mated 500 persons were killed and 1,500 wounded in the anarchist rebel= lion in the Catalan capital. . Order had been generally restored when they left the city yesterday, they said. They were detained there five days by the uprising. The Americans sald they arrived at Barcelona May 2 and put up at the Oriente Hotel, and when fighting broke out the next day found theme selves in the center of the district oc- cupied by the anarchists. They re- mained in the hotel ‘most of the time until the government gained control of the situation. . None of the group, headed by Dz, Abraham Ettleson of Chicago, was ine Jnred. ]