Evening Star Newspaper, October 24, 1937, Page 20

B—2 = FREIGHT RATE HIKE THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTO D. C, OCTOBER 24 Tree Planting Furthers Mall Developmen'th ISHIT AND PRAISED, Coal Official Condemns New Schedule, but Willard Lauds It. Condemnation and comunendation of the action of the Interstate Com- merce Commission in granting an incresse in freight rates were voiced yesterday by individuals of the bi- tuminous coal and railroad indus- tries. Denunciation of the action came from John Carson, consumers’ counsel of the National Bituminous Coal Commission, who said the increased freight rates would cost consumers an additional $31,000,000 yearly. Favorable comment on the action was forthcoming from Daniel Wil- lard, president of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. Willard said: “Inasmuch as the estimated ag- gregate amount which will be re- alized by the railroads from the rate increases authorized in the report made public by the Interstate Com- erce Commission yesterday will evi- dently be little, if any, more than half the amount which the railroads as & whole lost when the surcharges were discontinued the first of last January, it is natural that from that aspect the order should be disap- pointing. A careful reading of the report, however, indicates that the eommission fully realizes the needs of the carriers for further additional revenue and is prepared to give prompt consideration to that mat- ter.” Carson characterized the I. C. C. decision as a “policy of robbing Peter to pay Paul” and said his office would try to “impress on bituminous coal consumers the absurdities of the existing freight rate structure.” “The railroads did not attempt to prove that railroad rates on coal were too low,” he said. “They just contended they needed more revenue from all sources and coal was a place where they could get the revenue.” The commission limited the opera- tion of the higher soft coal rates to December 31, 1938, and refused to sanction a permanent increase be- cause it would benefit only three road which carry 25 per cent of the soft coal transported by rail. . Opera Star Is Brilliant As Carmen Miss Caselotti’s Performance Is Well Received. BY ALICE EVERSMAN. Staging “Carmen” without suf- ficient space for the lively movement which flows through the entire opera is a hazardous undertaking and last evening’s presentation at the Rialto by the Columbia Opera Co. of New York of the popular opera suffered this handicap. It seems too bad that with the spaciousness and comfort of the theater itself one must harp on the lack of room on the stage, but the limitations are more apparent when such an opera as “Carmen” is given. The unaccus- tomed hampering of movement may have accounted for the slow tempo with which the opera opened and the | time it required before the singers were in the swing of the action. The cast assembled was one of the best, with Louise Caselotti in the title role. Miss Caselotti has sbeen heard | here before as the cigarette girl and ! proved to be exceptionally well suit- | ed for the part. With a contralto | voice that is full and luscious through- | out its wide range, she can give the vocal credence to the character for which many a singer has tried and failed. Stirring Climax. Nothing finer has been heard than her delivery of the card scene aria, in which she transcended her singing of the previous famous arias and reached a stirring climax vocally and emotionally. There is no question that with her magnificent voice she is an ideal Carmen. In the more difficult matter of acting out the character through the panorama of | the opera she may not entirely have | eatisfied her audience with her idea | of it. Her point of view does not| outline a temperament, which, pas-| sionate as it is, is thoroughly spon- taneous and completely of the people. Miss Caselotti’s characterization was on more restrained lines, although her rich, warm vocal timbre cesateracted | this impression. Her entire perform- ance was by far the most brilliant heard this week. Ralph Errolle, as Don Jose, was splendidly adapted to the role vocally and made the part outstanding through his superior vocal gifts. It was beau- tiful singing at every point, growing more effective as the opera progressed. Mr. Errolle was less convincing in his acting, however, needing more freedom and warmth in his portrayal ef the soldier who forgot honor for love. Next in vividness was the Escamillo by Anthony Meli, whose fine voice made much of the aria and whose stage presence was forceful. After a start in which insecurity was apparent, Virginia Sellers, as Micaela, gained in | poise and tonal steadiness until, in the aria, she found herself completely and sang it in & manner to arouse prolonged and enthusiastic applause. Smaller Roles Admirable. The smaller yet vastly important roles of Frasquita, Mercedes, Remen- dado and Dancairo were admirably taken by Mary Elton Roberts, Gretch- en Haller, Bernard Polande and Raoul Carrere. The card duet between the girls and the famous quintet was spirit- ly sung and well acted. Lloyd Har- ris was & capable Zuniga and Raoul Carrere was again heard in the first act as Morales. The incidental dances were by the Baltimore Ballet. Although the orchestra was not as smooth or as full of vitality as could be desired, the chorus was thoroughly in the spirit of the opera and sang and acted with vigor. All told, it was & better performance of Bizet's im- mortal work than has been heard in @ long time and a large audience was fully appreciative in its response. To- morrow afternoon Donizetti's “Lucia di Lammermoor” will be given and tomorrow night Verdi’s “Il Trovatore,” closing the engagement of the com- pany. showing the progress made in t: The vista across the Mall from the Washington Monument to the Capitol, photographed from the top of the Monument, have been planted on each side of the inner drives from Third to Fourteenth streets. ree planting. Four rows of elms . Surveyed i1 $1,000,000 Betterment Plan v District Parks Benefit of Supervision by Trained Of- ficials Seen in 2 Years’ Work—Mall Development Cited. ECAUSE of the transfer of the Washington parks to the In- terior Department in August, 1933, trained park officialsof National Park Service, realizing the deplorable condition of the parks, asked Public Works Administrator Harold L. Ickes for an allocation of $1,000,000—and secured it. Results | achieved under this city-wide pro- | gram, inaugurated two years ago, un- | der the supervision of C. Marshall | Finnan, superintendent of the Na- | tional Capital Parks, were surveyed | yesterday by Mr. Finnan and pro- nounced “well worth while.” Aside from the lasting benefits, economy of maintenance and the ad- dition of needed recreational equip- ment, Mr. Finnan stressed that the money made available for planning has enabled park officials hese to work up the necessary basic data | looking to a long-range program. The improvement program, which also made it possible for the Gov- | ernment to realize the virtual com- | pletion of beautiful Meridian Hill | Park, affected developments in the Mall and practically all the smaller | | parks of the city. Annual Appropriations Needed. “In their previous conditions, most | of these smaller parks were practi- cally worn out and the deterioration | would have become more pronounced as the years went on,” Mr. Finnan| said. “Now, they should be good for | | at least & generation or two—pro- vided Congress supplies adequate maintenance funds annually—to care them properly.” m{rhe wo};k px:oree in the downtown parks and small reservations has materially cut down the cost of maintenance, after more convenient walks and adequate benches were put in, the park superintendent said. This is especially true in Franklin Park, which has been made more de- sirable for resting, he said. Addi- tional lighting has reduced the prob- lem of policing the area. The e'::ensn‘e tree surgery work has been more than justified, Mr. Finnan said, because it has Jessened the storm damage done to the trees and given them a longer life. Many Shrubs Planted. «“A number of young trees have been planted under this program,” he said, “and in 10 or 15 years, they will have a tremendous value to the downtown section and will develop into real shade trees. We have planted a large number of flowering shrubs and mag- nolias, which blossom about the same time as the Japanese cherry trees, add- ing to the attractiveness of the city.” The tree surgeons artificially fed many of the old trees in the Ellipse and in East and West Potomac Parks. | Except for the soft willows, the trees have held up remarkably well under the stress of storms, the park chief | said. Dead wood was cut out from the | trees, cavities filled and many of them cabled and braced. As a result, there are fewer limbs to be picked up after strong winds and the danger of accl- dents has been reduced. Due to improved lighting systems installed in some of the larger down- town parks, Mr. Finnan pointed out as another advantage, there has been a marked decrease in arrests and vio- lations of regulations. Designed by Kirkpatrick. Malcolm Kirkpatrick, resident land- scape architect of the branch of plans and design of the National Park Serv- ice, Interior Department, who is offi- cially attached to Mr. Finnan’s office, directed the designing of the new pro- gram. Mr, Finnan checked over the plans, made suggestions and con- curred in them when they were in final shape. Then, they were laid be- fore the National Capital Park and Planning Commission and the Fine Arts Commission, for - advice and criticism and—after their wishes were met—given official approval. Gilmore D. Clarke, New York landscape archi- tect, in whose offices Mr. Kirkpatrick was trained, personally gave his time to making a first-hand survey of the needs of the downtown parks to be rehabilitated and, as the work prog- ressed, gave his advice on the ground. Mr. Clarke is the new chairman of the Fine Arts Commission. Mr. Clarke not only worked with Mr. Kirkpatrick over the drafting board to perfect plans for the im- provement program, but in the field as well. This is particularly true with reference to Lafayette Park, the | Fine Arts Commission, which bears the date of February 11, 1921. 1935 Program Completed. Secretary Ickes, the local improvements in July, 1935. All this work has now been com- pleted, Mr. Finnan said yesterday. The $1,000,000 was distributed thus: For the Mall, $81500; rehabilitation of the downtown parks and reserva- tions and circles, $287.750; tree surgery, $41,500; the Palisades Rec- reation Center at Sherrier place and Edmunds place, just south of Con- dult road, $73,100; Meridian Hill Park, $145,000; for the continuation of advanced planning, $20,000; eleva- tion of the Washington Monument grounds and construction of a levee at the rear of the Navy and Muni- tions Buildings as a flood-control measure, $50,500; two new swimming Rock Creek Park, $17,300; moving of an old garage from Beach drive and Military road in Rock Creek Park to & less conspicuous location off Daniel road, $14,400, and for the completion of the memorial en- trance to Arlington National Ceme- tery, $45,600. On the eastern end of the Mall, Mr. Fignan pointed out, grading, topsoiling and seeding, as well as the building of sidewalks and new road work were accomplished, carrying well along the road to completion Washington's great central dowftown park. Four rows of elm trees, on each side of the inner drives, from Third street to Fourteenth street, have been planted, leaving the great central vista open, from the Capitol to the Washington Monument, This, Mr. Finnan said, is & major step in the realization of the L'En- fant plan, which was reaffirmed in the 1901 commission report for the development of the National Capi- tal. The improvement, he pointed out, has ended the chaotic condition that prevailed on this major axis of the city, from shortly after 1850 until 1933. Some progress had been made on the plan by the removal of the railroad station from The Mall, he recalled, but the coming of the World War again cluttered up the park with SHRINKING » SENSITIVE AT HAPPY GATHERINGS fgvring that sufferers ot d wherever ¢l the most happy gathe: onsciousness. Thet is Siroil. For Sirell has actually changed their lives. Sirell zemeves the crusts and scales of psoridsis and relieve: forts. 1t is easy to us re with eny deily rovtine not stain clothing or bed linen, Try Sirell at once. SIROIL JOR REUEVING THE DISCOMFORTS OF PSORIASIS AND DRY ECZEMA SIROIL LABORATORIES, Detrolt, Mich. AT ALL DRUG STORES plans for which were based on a| | previously approved program of the as public works | administrator, allocated $1,000,000 for | pools, $223,350; new police lodge in | structures, when the Government built the temporary buildings there. Field House Used Regularly. Construction of the fleld house at the Palisades Recreation Center and the building of a wading pool and | play area have met a popular demand, Mr. Finnan declared. The fleld house is utilized regularly by a large num- ber of organizations, including the citizens of that neighborhood, as well as girls’ and boys’ groups. Located at Sherrier place and Ed- munds place, the development, along the palisades of the Potomac River, represents the first fleld house of that kind constructed in the Washington park system, the park chief said. Plans were worked out in conjunction with the civic groups of the neigh- borhood, so that they could be prac- tical and serve the greatest number of public requirements, Mr. Finnan said. The equipment is thoroughly modern and the building offers facili- ties that include an auditorium that can seat 300 persons comfortably; a stage, dressing rooms, play rooms for | girls and boys, motion-picture projec- tion booth and a small kitchen, where foods may be prepared for neighbor- hood parties. The development of the grounds at the Palisades Recreation Center in- cludes & wading pool, an active game area, which ‘is surfaced; three soft ball diamonds and a picnic area. Il- lustrative of the popularity of the field house, Mr. Finnan said yesterday that last year 245 permits were issued for its use, but inasmuch as some per- | mits were good for an entire month, this represents a great many people. Sprinkler Systems Installed. Under the city-wide program, sprin- kler systems were installed in the | Folger Parks. This, Mr. Finnan said, Mall and in Lafayette, Franklin and | —Star Staff Photo, there and it is now less expensive than the use of hand hose for water- ing the grass. The virtual completion of Meridian Hill Park was extremely gratifying to the park officials and especially to the hundreds of citizens. Additional lighting has been installed and park officials said that there has been prac- tically no mortality among the big sycamore trees planted there. The park superintendent believes that the flood-control measures made possible through the allocation have been meritorious and will serve a good purpose in preventing the possible inundation of the public buildings along Constitution avenue. Through the Public Works Admin- istration funds, much-needed swim- ming pools were constructed in Ana- | costia and East Potomac Parks. For | the first time they were open to the | public during the past Summer and | well proved their need, as attested by the attendance figures, Mr. Finnan | declared. The East Potomac Park | pool in particular proved one of the most popular in the entire city, he said, while the Anacostia Park pool is located in a section that ‘“certainly needed that facility,” as heretofore the nearest public pool with which Mr. | McKinley pool, at First street and Lincoln road northeast. Construction of the Anacostia pool, said the park chief, represents the first major step in the development of the recreation center there, as ultimately planned. Congratulations Received. Mr. Finnan said that his office is continually receiving letters of con- gratulation on the results of the re- habilitation program, citing especially the approval of the Board of Education for the work done on Franklin Park, where two new fountains and a pool To some housewives that seems impossible .+« . But only to those who have never tried as you always have. Electric Cookery. On an Electric Range, you merely turn the switch to "Low” heat and place your chocolate in a saucepan. The heat is under perfect control and there is no flame to overheat and scorch the bottom or sides of the'pan. There’s no secret about it. With Electric Cookery you prepare your foods just Electric Cookery merely eliminates certain unnecessary steps in cook- ing which other types of fuel require. Enjoy the simplicity and certain cooking results which Electricity can give you. Change to Modern Electric Cookery today! ‘ad Finnan's office has contact was the ! 1937—PART OXE. sted, noted landscape srchitect of Brookline, Mass., who served on the 1901 commission, gave the benefit of his long experience in the improving of Lafayette Park. Folger Park, in front of Providence Hospitali, has proved “most attractive,” Mr. Finnan declared, for there a small reflecting pool, ornamental drinking fountains and & large number of trees were added. 1t became necessary to shift a num- ber of trees in the Mall, Mr. Finnan pointed out, in order to consummate the original L’Enfant plan for a vista from the Capitol. Four rows of elms were planted. Some of the trees, which had gone through long years of neglect and disease, when there were inadequate appropriations to care for them, had to be cut down. But with the planting of the new, healthy elm trees, which were carefully inspected by experts from the Department of Agriculture, as well as by landscape architects from the National Park Service, the whole Mall has been toned up, and is. one of the most unusual features found in any city in the world. ‘The great formal park, he declared, will come more into public notice as the elm trees grow and the full value of the central area is more appreciated. With the construction of the Mellon Art Gallery and 9ther buildings, the Mall, as time goes on, will become one of the most attractive parts of all ‘Washington, the park chief asserted. Despite periodical droughts, the sprin- kler system will insure an adequate water supply, furnished in an up-to- date manner, and benefit Washington- fans in having a mighty sweep of lawn area—all the way from the Cap- itol to the Washington Monument, MARKET HELD UP, BANDITS GET $150 One of Customers Used as Shield in Get-Away—Woman Driver's Purse Is Snatched. ‘Two colored bandits held up Feld- man’s Market, 322 Florida avenue, in the presence of a dozen customers last night and escaped with $150 taken from the cash register. Mrs. Jacob Feldman, wife of the| proprietor, was forced to open the | Hurt by Gunman RADCLIFFE GIRL BEATEN ON HEAD WITH GUN, KATHERINE FISKE. Hurled from her own car by a gunman who said he was escaping from police, Miss Fiske was left lying uncon- scious on Charles River speed- way at Boston. She was in a coma for several hours and then told police of the attack, in which the gunman beat her about the head. She is a stu- dent at Radcliffe and the daughter of a Harvard pro- Jessor. —Copyright, A. P. Wirephoto. AVIATRIX IN NAPLES Jean Batten Expects to End Long Flight Today. NAPLES, October 23 (P).—Jean | Batten, New Zealand woman flyer| attempting to better the solo rec- ord from Australia to England, ar- rived here today and announced she would remain for “a good sleep.” | She landed at 3:45 pm. (10:45| am. E. 8. T.), with plenty of time | to spend the night and still better | the present mark of 6 days, 10 cash register by one of the bandits, who pointed & pistol at her and said, | “This is a hold-up,” after she had tried to slap him. The other hold- | up man kept a pistol trained on Feld- | | man and the customers, warning, | “Keep your mouths shut or I'll shoot.” | Backing out of the store, one of the bandits grabbed a customer and | used him as a shield as they made their way to an automobile i which they fled. The hold-up occurred shortly after Lydia D. Fisher, 1451 Park road, re- ported that when she stopped her automobile for a traffic light at Sixth and N streets three colored men jumped on the running board and took her purse, containing $49, from the seat. They escaped through an alley. {HITLER GUARD LEADER LOSES HIS LIFE IN DUEL | | Es the Associated Press. | BERLIN, October 23 —Roland | Strunk, a leader of the black-shirted | Nazi guard and star reporter of | Chancellor Adolph Hitler's own news- | | paper, was disclosed today to have | been slain in a duel defending his | and his family’s honor. Strunk’s adversary was under ar- rest and facing trial before the| Black Guard's honor court. Neither | his name nor the origin of the quar- rel was disclosed, only that the honor court had ruled the insult was so grave restoration of honor was pos- sible only with a weapon. ‘The duel was fought Monday in a forest at Hohenlychen, Mecklenburg, but its fatal outcome was not made | known generally until Hitler's Voel- | kischer Beobachter declared Strunk's | conception of honor thrust the wea- | pon into his hand to meet the vio- has resulted in better lawn areas ' were installed. Prederick Law Olm- | lator of his and his family's honor. You can melt chocolate [ithert DOUBLE BOILER / THE ELECTRIC INSTITUTE [») PEPCD BLDG. I0TH & E STS. N.W. METROPOLITAN 2230 hours and 55 minutes, set by H. F. (Jim) Broadbent. She said she would take off at dawn and make the final 1,000 miles to| London in a single hop. If she| should arrive there about midday, | she would clip about half a day off the record. Pupil Fined $15 In Dispute Over Pronunciation BLASS ‘WoOL' AIDS PLANTS N WINTER Used as Muich, It Keeps Tender Species Alive in Cold Weather. BY HOWARD W. BLAKESLEE, Associated Press Science Editor. ITHACA, N. Y., October 23.—A new step in man's control of weather, this time for the farmer, by use of glass “wool” to keep plants alive in Win- ter, was announced today at Cornell University. The “wool,” made of fibers of glass finer than human hair, is laid on the ground as a new form of “muleh." the blanket which farmers thousands of years ago started with dried grass, |and which has since been improved with many substances. The glass, snow-white, soft as cote ton fluff, was made by the Corning Glass Works and its weather-making properties discovered by R. C. Allen of the Cornell Department of Flori- culture and Ornamental Horticulture, Protects Delicate Plants. “It has been possible,” Allen said, “to carry over Winter, by use of this material, many species of plants which could not otherwise be wintered in this region. “This is particularly true of certain rare and difficult Alpine plants which ordinarily do not thrive in the usual low land conditions.” ‘The glass “wool” comes in bales, and unrolls like a carpet. It is so light that a child of 4 could hold over its head a bale the size of a hogshead. Allen said it was tested in com= petition with many other kinds of mulches, such as straw, leaves, pine boughs and excelsior. In every cass he said the g was superior. One new thing it does is to let through a little light. Under it pansies, when uncovered in the Spring, already had all their leaves green. Under straw mulch the same pansies were partly yellow when un covered, and lost leaves before get. ting & start in the sun Insulation Is Factor. The “wool” is warm. Its heat in= sulating ability was the main rea- son why, three years agn, production proportions ! factured in huge quantities by more than one company. The Corning factory alone makes enough so that if a single day's drawn out into one continuous thread it would reach from earth to the sun It is also, Mr. Allen said, com- pletely sterile, free from all disease, insects and weed pests. It lets in air, but rodents keep out. Is Accused of Hitting | | His Teacher Who | | “Misunderstood.” | | The inability of a 51-year-old French pupil to make himself understood to his 45-year-old teacher cost the Im'-; mer $15 when arraigned in Police | Court yesterday on a charge of as- sault. | Dr. Emile Simon, 1822 Park road, | testified before Judge Edward M. Curran that “my pupil asked me a question several times, but his pro- nunciation was so bad I couldn’t un- derstand him. So he got mad and struck me and hurt my wrists."” | Frank Rizzo, with whom Dr. Simon | was living at 2607 Mozart place at| the time of the argument last Satur-| day, explained to the court with ges- | tures, “I asked the professor what ‘ca ira’ meant. He became disgusted when he couldn't understand me and gave me such a nauseating German ‘aaach’ that I grabbed him by the wrists to protect myself—just in case.” Judge Curran, however, did not be- lieve a Dutch “aaach” to be grounds for any physical action and fined Rizzo. | | Md., COUPLE ARE INJURED IN AUTOS’ COLLISION Man and Woman Suffer Cuts on Face in Accident on Leonard- town Pike Miss Gertrude Dubb, 33, of Los An- geles, and J. A. Carrico, 60, Clinton were painfully injured last night in an automobile collision on the Leonardtown pike at Silver Hill Md., just across the District line Miss Dubb was treated at Casuaity Hospital for face cuts. Carrico, driver of the other car in the col- lision, was treated at Providence Hospital for cuts on the chin. Miss Dubb had been visiting her brother, M. David Dubb, 3425 Garrison street, for the past two weeks. rs. Rita Elijah, 37, of 2408 Rhode Island avenue northeast, received face cuts and chest injuries when, police said, her automobile collided with a street car that had stopped at Rhode Island avenue and Twentieth street northeast. She was treated at Cas- ualty. She was said to have come to Washington recently from Moroc- co, Ind. T i