Evening Star Newspaper, December 23, 1937, Page 1

WEATHER. (U. 8. Weather Bureau Forecast.) Occasional rain, somewhat colder; low- est temperature about 36 tonight; tomor- Tow rain; moderate winds. Temperatures today—Highest, 49, at midnight; lowest, 44, at 6:30 am.; 48 at 3 pm. Full report on page A-2, Closing New York Markets, Page 18 86th YEAR. No. ENGO 1 ROGKED B INTENSE QUAKE DAMACEUNKNOWN " Temblor So Violent G. U. Seismograph Shows Wide Fluctuation. .CENTER UNDETERMINED; COMMUNICATIONS OFF < Two Are Killed and Number of Adobe Huts Leveled in Mexico City. v By the Associated Press. MEXICO CITY, Dec. 23.—A heavy | earthquake shook Mexico City early today, killing at least two persons and crushing adobe homes at the outskirts of the city. Communications with cities in the ° interior were disrupted and it thought possible they may have been harder hit One report was that Toluca, south- ern part, was damaged. Puebla and Cuernavaca were among the cities from which no reports could be ob- tained. One aged woman was fatally in- Jured here when the roof of her adobe home collapsed and a man was elec- trocuted by a broken high-tension wire People Remain Calm. A number of adobe huts at the edge of the city collapsed. The people were calm, however, an occasional «Indian praying in the middle of the street being the only sign of alarm. A few rock walls also tumbled under the temblor, which began at 7:18 am. (8:18 am., EST.) and lasted 1 min- ute. There was no damage to the business section. The 30 old lake beds upon which the capital is built served to soften . the shock and it was believed these prevented greater damage. The quake created no unusual con- cern, for residents have learned to iake as a matter of course the fre- | quent light temblors. | The National Observalory's seismo- | graph recordings were unreadable be- cause a passing train threw the record- ing apparatus out of commission. It was, therefore, impossible to determine where the quake might have been felt with heavier force. | +» No serious damage was reported here. (The seismograph at Georgetown University was so violently affected by today’s quake in Mexico that the recording beam of light shifted s0 rapidly the graph is hardly legible. The quake was still in progress at 11 o'clock. The sever- est recording came at 9:05.) Today’s temblor was preceded by two “very slight” earthquakes at the Southern port of Acapulco on Sunday night. No damage was reported there, however. A tremblor was reported yesterday in the direction of Mexico, but its exact location was not determined. The Harvard University seismograph station recorded a widespread area in Southern Mexico affected by a quake &tarting at 8:18 am. (E. S. T.). Thou- sands of miles were affected, Dr. L. Don Leet said. Dr. Leet estimated the disturbance's = epicenter at 2,275 miles from Harvard, which would place it roughly in the mountainous region to the south of | Mexico City. | Severe earth tremors caused acute alarm through much of Southwestern Mexico October 6, injuring several per- sons when buildings collapsed at Chil- pancingo, capital of the State of Guerrero. Believed Off Coast. NEW YORK, Dec. 23 (#).—The Rev. Joseph J. Lynch, director of Fordham University’s Seismographic “ Observatory, today reported an earth- quake of “destructive” intensity prob- ably off the Mexican Pacific coast slightly north of Tehuantepec. The first shock, he said, occurred at 8:24.27 a.m., Eastern standard time, and the second at 8:29.56. He described the tremors as of about half the intensity of the Japanese quake of 1923. Today’s shocks, he said, were the latest of a series of three disturb- ances, which started late Tuesday night. The center of each successive quake, he said, had been slightly nearer the coast line. Today’s, he suggested, “probably would be found to be as near as possible the shore * line without actually having been on land.” Recorded at Loyola U. NEW ORLEANS, Dec. 23 (#).— Father O. L. Abell of Loyola Uni- versity reported today the Loyola seismograph recorded a severe earth- quake, which began at 7:21%2 am. (C. 8. T) and was continuing at 9 am. * Father Abell estimated the quake centered 1,500 miles from New Or- leans, but did not indicate the direc- tion. He said the seismograph rec- ords showed a preliminary quake at 7:21%2 am. secondary tremor at 7:24%; and long wave at 7:26 a.m. AMNESTY APPROVED List Includes Former President Machado. HAVANA, Dec. 23 (#).—The Cuban House of Representatives approved today a Senate bill granting amnesty to all persons charged with political and social crimes committed up to December 19, 1937. . The measure was sent to President Federico Laredo Bru, whose signature ‘will make it effective. (Cuba’s former President Gerardo Machado probably would come under the amnesty provi- » sion. In exile since 1933, he now is critically ill in & New York hospital, under technical arrest and flxm:fll‘l Cuban request for his extradition st pending. He has been charged by Oubans with mass murder and mis fiqd.unz of Cuban funds.) ( 4 Cuban 34,204. is | Entered as second class matter post ofice, Washington, D. C. Mrs. Roosevelt Is Flying West " Tolll Daughter President’s Wifeto Be Gone Over Christ- mas Day. By J. RUSSELL YOUNG. A sudden decision by Mrs. Roose- velt to fly to Seattley Wash., and spend the holiday with her only daughter caused the White House Christmas program to be somewhat revised today. Traveling “light and fast,” Mrs. Roosevelt took off last night and was expected to reach her destination early tonight. Mrs. John Boettiger, daugh- ter of the President and Mrs. Roose- velt, returned home yesterday after spending 10 days in a Seattle hos- pital recovering from an illness. It was believed that Mrs. Roose- velt's decision to go to Seattle, a point decided upon at dinner with the President yesterday, was prompted to a large extent by her daughter's illness. It will be the second consecutive Christmas Mrs. Roosevelt has been away from the White House. Last year she spent the holiday in Boston, | where Franklin, jr, was ill with a | throat affliction Telephone May Unite Them. | Mrs. Roosevelt carried only a small | amount of luggage when she left, most I'of her gifts for the Boettiger family | having been sent earlier by mail. She | will return to the White House Tues- day night. Aides to the President said there was a possibility the whole Roosevelt family might be united Christmas day by telephone. Plans were being discussed for a three-way conversa- tion connecting the Washington and Seattle groups with the family of the Roosevelt son, Elliott, in Fort Worth, Tex., who, with his wife and small | daughter, were guests at the White | House a week ago. i Several engagements, among them | attendance today at the annual | Christmas party of the Central Union | Mission, were canceled by Mrs. Roose- | velt's departure. Mrs. Sara Delano Roosevelt, the 83- year-old mother of the President, | arrived at the White House this morn- |ing. She was accompanied on her | (See MRS. ROOSEVELT, Page A-3.) 'KANSAS CITY VOTE PROBE TO BE ASKED | U. S. Attorney Will Appeal to Federal Bureau of Investi- gation for Quiz. B5 the Associated Press. KANSAS CITY, Dec. 23.—Maurice M. Milligan, United States attorney, announced today he would ask Fed- eral Bureau of Investigation agents to examine evidence of an apparent at- tempt to pad Kansas City’s new reg- istration rolls with fake names. Federal intervention was asked by the bi-partisan city election board, appointed by Gov. Lloyd C. Stark af- ter a Government purge of whole- sale voting frauds in the 1936 general election. The board suggested Federal prose- cution under the same statute under which more than 150 persons were in- dicted for vote frauds in November, 1936, general election here. Approximately 50 persons were con- victed of fraud in that election. Chairman J. E. Woodmansee of the board estimated, “conservatively,” 6,000 questionable applications have been received. A handwriting expert was employed by the board, which said numerous applications appeared to bg in the same writing and to Bear identical dates and places of birth. County Prosecutor W. W. Graves, jr, shown such applications, said “there’s no question attempts” have been made to pad registration rolls. He indicated he would ask a county grand jury inquiry. HOLIDAY FOR DEBTORS Detroit Commissioner and Judge Are Real Santas. DETROIT, Dec. 23 (#)—Debtors here are getting a real Christmas holiday. Henry H. Weidman, Wayne County Circuit Court commissioner, instruct- ed constables to serve no eviction no- tices until after January 1, and said no new eviction notices would be is- sued before then. Common Pleas Judge John D. Watts said no gar- nishments or executions would be au- thorized until after January 1. Summary of Page. Amusements B-8-9 Christmas Page. Lost & Found B-12 Obituary... A-14 Radio...... A-15 Society. -- B-3 Sports___ A-18-19 ‘Woman’s Pg. B-11 Comics_. B: Editorials... A-10 Financial .. A-17 FOREIGN. Barricaded Teruel garrison defies victors. Page A-1 Britain prepares fleet for action in event of emergency. Page A-4 NATIONAL. 2,000,000 lost jobs since September, P. A. official estimates. Page A-4 House group to call parley on budget balancing. Page A-1 Mrs. Roosevelt flying to spend Yule with daughter. Page A-1 WASHINGTON AND NEARBY. City makes final preparations for Yule celebration. Page A-1 Three youths nabbed after chase and gun fight. Page A-1 Maj. Brown predicts solving of Lim- erick case. Page A-1 Witness held for old fine in bonds- men’s hearing. Page B-1 Alleged companions of slain “Cotty” ‘Willlams indicted. Page B-1 High-speed boulevard to bay resort area planned. Page B-1 Sale of Fidelity assets conditionally approved. Page B-1 SPORTS. Physical hagards seen for basketers under new rules. Page A-20 Connie Mack, 75 today, longing for his 10th pennant. Page A-21 @ W. | The Capital Parade. WASHINGTON, D. ARMY NOW ADMITS MAGHINE-GUNNING INPANAY INCIDENT Lt. Col. Nishi’s Report, However, Fails to Mention Firing on Gunboat Itself. ADMISSION IS FIRST MADE BY LAND FORCES Japanese Warn Foreigners to| Evacuate Hangchow as Siege of City Approaches. BACKGROUND— Bombed from the air and straf- fed by machine guns from the ground, United States gunboat Panay and three Standard Oil Co. tankers were destroyed by Japanese on December 12 in Yangtze River above Nanking. Three persons were killed. President Roosevelt directed a personal protest to Emperor Hiro- hito, demanding an apology, guar= antees for the future and com- pensation. Japan was quick to make amends, but the Emperor's pledge is still awaited. BULLETIN. Senator Borah of Idaho today condemned creation of “a war psy- chology,” contending it was neither necessary for America to get out of China nor to go to war with Japan. “I do not think we ought to get out of China or leave the East,” he said, “and neither do I think that if we fail to do so we are going to war with Japa! By the Associated Press. TOKIO, Dec. 23.—The Japanese Army today admitted for the first time the machine-gunning of Ameri- cans in the Yangtze River Panay in- cident, but did not mention firing on the United States gunboat itself. Lt. Col. Yoshiaki Nishi, former as- sistant Japanese military attache at Washington, described at length the incident in which the Panay and three other American vessels were attacked. He had just returned from an investigation held at Pukow, across | the Yangtze from Nanking. (Nishi’s investigations had formed the basis of previous offi- cial Japanese Army statements on the Panay incident. He flew from Shanghai to Tokio yesterday to submit his detailed report to the war office. (Previously, Maj. Gen. Kumaki- chi Harada, military attache at Shanghai, had issued a denial of American charges that Japanese Army boats had machine gunned the Panay. (On the same day, the Japanese foreign office spokesman at Tokio reversed the government’s previous denial that Japanese Army craft had fired on the Panay.) Heavily emphasizing Japanese troops’ humanitarian actions when they were said to have discovered the Panay and launches evacuating its crew carried Americans, Nishi declared the entire incident resulted from efforts to cut off Chinese troops fleeing Nanking. Text of Nishi's Report. Nishi’s version of the firing was: “About 3 p.m. (December 12) four Japanese planes appeared and began bombing the steamers. (Previous ac- cepted versions have fixed the time at 1:30 pm.) Two steamers caught fire. One launch went downstream, one went toward a wharf and one ap- proached the right bank. Two red- masted launches fled upstream.” He said one of the launches es- caped and another was captured and 11 Chinese soldiers taken prisoner. Other troops approaching the wharf, he added, saw Chinese soldiers leav- ing the launches. “Army patrols opened fire with light machine guns and rifles. Another patrol approaching through fields and intending to cut off the retreat of people fleeing from the shore found Americans and Europeans among the group and ordered the troops to cease firing. "'The commander ran to the wharf, “When the commander reached the whart a subofficer, engaged in round- ing up 60 or 70 Chinese soldiers, said the ship belonged to the Standard Oil Co. Only then was it discovered (See PANAY, Page A-4.) Today's Star G. W. U. lists new gridiron foes for next fall. Page A-20 "Bama and Bears, Rose Bowl foes, both nurse injuries. Page A-20 Miami bids for future pro grid title games. Page A-20 Rosslyn swells Evening Star bowling tourney entry. Page A-21 EDITORIAL AND COMMENT. Editorials. Page A-10 This and That. Page A-10 Answers to Questions. Page A-10 David Lawrence. Page A-11 Page A-11 Page A-11 Page A-11 Mark Sullivan. Jay Franklin, Delia Pynchon. FINANCIAL. Corporate bonds hesitant (table). Clearings still lag. Traders desert market. Opposes small quorums. Page A-17 Stocks sell off (table). \ Page A-18 Curb shares narrow (table). Page A-19 MISCELLANY. Vital Statistics. Service Orders. Shipping News. Page A-11 Page A-17 Page A-17 Page A-17 Page A-12 Page A-12 Page A-12 After Dark. ‘Winning Contract. Dorothy Dix. Betsy Caswell. Bedtime Stories. Cross-word Puzzle. Letter-Out. Nature’s Children. Page B-¢ Page B-10 Page B-11 Page B-11 Page B-12 Page B-14 %: B-14 B-16 WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION C., TOTAL OF IDLE UP 2000000 IN FALL, W.P. A AIDE SAYS 1,000,000 More May Lose Jobs in Next 2 Months, Henderson Asserts. SENATE PLANS INQUIRY OF BUSINESS sfump Government and Industrial Lead- ers to Be Called to Testify in January Investigation. BACKGROUND— Degree of national prosperity al- ways is important part of political picture as each administration claims full credit for good years and disclaims responsibility for bad ones. Enjoying four years of rising business activity, present adminis- tration is now being concerned at sharp decline starting last summer. Determination of fundamental causes might lead to effective cures. By the Associated Press. A Works' Progress Administration official estimated today that 2,000,000 persons had become unemployed since September 1 and that 1,000,000 more might be out of jobs by the end of February. These estimates were made by Leon Henderson, consulting economist, while preparations were being made for a Senate unemployment investiga- tion beginning January 4. Mr. Henderson gave no estimates of the total number now out of work. The Labor Department reported yes- terday that industrial employment fell off 5.8 per cent last month—=570,000 workers losing their jobs. Harry L. Hopkins, W. P. A. ad- ministrator, announced recently that W. P. A rolls would be expanded to care for an additional 350,000 needy unemployed. Meanwhile, members of the Senate Investigating Committee indicated their study would develop into a broad analysis of the extent of the business recession. Governmental and industrial leaders will be called, they said, to testify on present industrial activity and pros- | pects for the next few months, Some informed persons forecast that the inquiry, under the direction of Senator Byrnes, Democrat, of South Carolina, would be one of the most significant events of the 1938 congres- sional session. It probably will provide the back- ground, they said, for the dominant issue of the session—Government ex- penditures and budget balancing. Relief Program of Own. Furthermore, the inquiry will con- stitute the first attempt by Congress to study the relief problem for itself and devise a program of its own, distinct from the recommendations of President Roosevelt. This was the primary purpose of the inquiry when it was conceived more than a year ago by Senator Hatch, Democrat, of New Mexico. When the Senate ordered the investi- gation, the Senate economy bloc seized on it as a vehicle for cutting down expenditures. Vice President Garner, who played & prominent backstage role in the campaign last session to reduce ex- Penditures, appointed Senator Byrnes to head the inquiry. The South Caro- linan proposed an amendment to the relief bill which would have thrust more of the financial responsibility on local communities. Changes Course of Inquiry. The recent indwstrial recession, however, has changed the course of the 1nquiry. Even some of those most determined to economize have come to the conclusion that greater relief spending temporarily may be necessary. Committee officials said the first week of the inquiry would be devoted to finding out the facts about the re- cession and its effect on unemploy- ment. The first witness will be John D. Biggers, director of the Unemploy- ment Census. He will be followed by Secretary Perkins and Isador Lubin, director of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, who will be asked to bring the unemploy- ment count up to date and to fore- cast likely developments during the first half of 1938. Committee aides said John L. Lewis of the Committee for Industrial Organ- ization and William Green ‘of the American Federation of Labor would be asked to present reports from their affiliated unions. . Industrial Information. 3 The committee then will turn to in- dustrial leaders for information, cen- tering on spokesmen for the steel, automobile and textile industries, which committee aides said were at the “core of the recession.” Other experts to, be called probably will include Marriner S. Eccles, chair- man of the Federal Reserve Board, and Leonard P. Ayres, Cleveland statis- tician, who has estimated an increase in unemployment for 1938. Once the size of the relief problem has been established, the committee intends to ascertain to what extent ex- isting facilities will care for the un- employed and how much emergency treatment will be required. This will include an analysis of the extent of unemployment benefits start- ing January 1; assistance to be ex- pected under other sections of the Social Security Act and from private charity, and whether present public relief funds will cover the remainder of the need. Divorce Granted Grand Duke. BAYONNE, France, Dec. 23 (#).— The Grand Duke Dmitri of old Tsarist Russia, a claimant to the throne of the Romanoffs, and the Princess Ilyil- sky, the former Audrey Emery of New ‘York, were divorced in Civil Court yesterday. 3 The Grand Duke was & nephew of the Czar Nicholas. The couple was married at Biarrits in Nove ) 1926, They have one son. LIMERICK MURDER SOLVING FORECAST Maj. Brown Cites Woman Witness and Several Unrevealed Clues. BACKGROUND— Beulah Limerick, 19, was shot to death on New Year Eve, 1930, ap- parently as she lay in bed in a dilapidated frame dwelling at 18 Nineteenth street S.E., where the body was found. Four suspects, in- cluding slain usherette’s brother and former Policeman Robert F. Langdon, were held for coroner’s jury, which absolved them. Police Chief Ernest W. Brown an- nounced this afternoon that the re- turn of a woman witness from New York and the discovery of several un- revealed clues have convinced him that the seven-year-old mystery of the murder of Buelah Limerick, 19, eventually will be solved. Maj. Brown said the witness, Mrs. Rose V. Langdon, 37, wife of former District Policeman Robert F. Langdon, 44, the “cop on the beat” at the time of the Limerick shooting, will be kept in a secret place and interro- gated further today. The police chief hopes information obtained from Mrs. Langdon can be pieced together with the story of a man whom police have located in a nearby city and who is willing to re- veal all he knows. Checked on Pistol. Lt. Floyd Truscott, who brought Mrs. Langdon here from New York last night, went to that city on several missions, Maj. Brown said. One was to “check” on a partially melted auto- matic pistol found in the ashes of a trash fire behind the death house about a year after the murder. Maj. Brown would not reveal the nature of the “check” or say if the gun was subjected to ballistics comparison with the bullet taken from the Limerick girl's head. The police official also refused to identify the witness in the nearby town, but declared detectives were in touch with him and he would come to Washington willingly to tell his story. Maj. Brown revealed that while Mrs. Langdon is not under arrest, she will remain here readily available for questioning. He said he is convinced she will be a material witness. The unrevealed clues and the stories of the two witnesses, Maj. Brown hopes, will bring out new facts not developed at the sensational inquest into the (See LIMERICK, Page A-3) NEW GOVERNMENT FORMED IN NANKING Japanese Officials Announce Au- tonomous Rule Replacing Regime of Chiang. By the Associated Press. SHANGHAL, Dec. 23.—Japanese of- ficials today announced the formation of a new autonomous government at Nanking, presumably replacing the Chinese regime of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, which fled from the former capital a month ago. “autonomous commission” was headed by Tao Hsi-shan, hitherto obscure, described by his Japanese sponsors as & 61-year-old philanthropist and head of the Nanking branch of the Red Swastika Society—Chinese countet- part of the Red Cross—since Chinese- Japanese hostilities began. The vice chairmen are Wang Chun-sheng and Cheng Lang-po, both obscure Chinese. The Japanese Army announced the capture of Nanking December 13, and Japan’s highest army and navy com- manders in this area made a triumphal entry four days later. Recent Japanese military operations on an arc west and north of Ni have been described as designed prevent any Chinese counterattack which would upset Japanese plans for e Foening Star THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1937—THIRTY-EIGHT PAGES. ##% IF THAT BE TREASON MAKE THe MosT oF I The only evening paper in Washington with the Associated Press News and, Wirephoto Services. (P) Means Associated \\\ N NN N \ % \'\SN\ \ Fugitive Runs Through a Door And Chase Ends ‘Window washers pain Joseph Brown severely. He blamesthem for putting him in the hospital and preventing him from eluding police when trapped in a Peoples drug store at 3129 Mount Pleasant street N.W. early today. Clear sailing loomed for Brown, who is 22, colored, and lives at 1907 Third street N.W., when Officer J. W. Nally, tenth precinct, started for him through a rear door. Sprinting the length of the store, Brown thought it looked pretty easy to make the street—which beckoned plainly—and escape. Just then the world crashed right in his face. What looked like an open- ing was a full-length plate-glass door, shined to perfection. The way Brown was going, probably nothing else could have stopped him. But, cut from the impact, which was 50 great he left his outline clearly de- fined in the glass, he was subdued without difficulty by Officer W. 8. Kelly, who waited outside. Now Brown is in Preedmen’s Hos- pital with multiple lacerations, in- cluding serious cuts to his thigh and wrist. JERSEY CITY GIVES WARNING TOC...0. Official Advises They’ll ‘Be Dealt With’ if They ‘Pa- rade or Assemble.” By the Associated Press. JERSEY CITY, N. J, Dec. 23.— Corporation Counsel James A. Hamill warned C. 1. O. and Labor’s Non- partisan League leaders today that if their members held a ‘“public parade or public assembly” here with- out a police permit, distributed cir- culars in any public place, or vio- lated the State law governing un- lawful assembly, they would be “dealt with and punished according to law.” Saying he wrote “in a spirit of fair warning,” the political ally of Mayor Frank Hague and former Rep- resentative addressed letters to Wil- liam J. Carney of Newark, regional C. I. O. director, and Carl Holder- man of Paterson, head of the New Jersey Labor’s Non-partisan League. | When the C. I. O. attempted a month ago to enlist workers here, scores of organizers were escorted out of the city by police and 13 were arrested. Seven served five- day jail terms for violating a city ice banning circular distri- and six were held for the grand jury on charges of unlawful assembly. THREE ARE SEIZED AFTERWILD CHASE Gas Station Hold-up Leads to Capture in 85-Mile-an- Hour Dash. Three Philadelphia youths, armed with “mail order” pistols and travel- ing in a stolen car, lost an 85-mile- an-hour chase with Maryland State Police into Northeast Washington early today and are being held at the Hyattsville Jail as suspects in a filling station hold-up. | The three, who identified themselves | as Charles Sheldon, 18; Lawrence Bil- | lerback, 17, and Fred Hartung, 17, to- day told a Star reporter they were bound for Florida, where two of them hoped to obtain jobs. Sheldon took entire blame for the shooting, in which a policeman nar- roly escaped being hit, but said he was “only shooting at the tires.” All three denied planning a hold-up and said they only intended to get their tank filled with gasoline and then | drive off. Members of Rifle Club. According to Billerback, the boys belonged to a rifle club and had ob- tained their weapons, a Luger pistol, a 45 automatic and a .32-caliber pis- tol, through a Philadelphia mail order house “We are just a bunch of fellows who like to shoot,” Billerback said. “We got the guns for practice pur- poses and never had any idea of shooting at anybody.” All talked freely in their cells to reporters. Prince Georges County Policemen Richard A. Pearson and Henry C. Briscoe were manning the police car, and it was Pearson who just missed being hit when a bullet ricocheted from the hood. School Books in Car. Police concluded their prisoners were high school boys from textbooks belonging to Billerback which officers said they found in the car. Officers reported they also found an excuse slip for Billerback dated Tuesday and signed by the principal of the Gratz High School in Philadelphia. The trio was charged with hold-up, robbery and assault with intent to kill. Justice of the Peace William A. Bobb set their bond at $5,000 each. A hearing was slated Wednesday be- fore Judge George B. Merrick in Prince Georges Police Court at Hyatts- ville. Four Washington detectives questioned the prisoners this morning and later an F. B. I agent quizzed them, reputedly in conection with the alleged theft of the car they were using. ‘The chase and gun battle started at the overhead bridge on the Baltimore boulevard in Hyattsville, the two cars racing down the Bladensburg road to Fifteenth and H streets N.E, out (See CHASE, Page A-3) Federal Employes Ingenious In Aiding Christmas Campaign echoing with the sounds of Christmas gatherings for the past few days as employes of numerous branches united to help make next Saturday s happy Christmas for needy families of Wash- ington through The Star-Warner Bros.-N. B. C. Christmas Campaign and the Metropolitan Police Christmas Party. Ingenuity marked donation meth- ©ods of not only the folk who cash Gov- ernment pay checks, but of other groups all over| the city—ingenuity that may mean that the police will be able to present 4 Christmas food bas- ket to every family on the long Hst found deserving. About 600 articles of clothing and toys made on W. P. A. projects were added to the contributions of several Federal departments and bureaus. The donations, made up of articles Clever Methods of Winning Donations Promise Happy Yule for Many in Capital Saturday. Federal building corridors have beeng ATTENTION FEDERAL EMPLOYES YOUR STAR-WARNER BROS.-N. B. C. CHRISTMAS CAMPAIGN GIFTS ARE BEING COLLECTED TO- DAY BY STAR TRUCKS to be teken to the NATIONAL GUARD ARMORY for THE METROPOLITAN POLICE CHRISTMAS PARTY e ] 1f The Star has not been notifled kindly leave donations in care of your building guards. Telephone Republic 0883 and ask @ police car to call for Press. TWO CENTS. HOUSE BLOC PLANS PARLEY ON BUDGET 10 SEEK BALANGE Conferees Will Try to Map “Definite Program,” Dies Writes Roosevelt. SAYS 100 DEMOCRATS WILL JOIN MOVEMENT Texan, However, Warns Presi- dent to Expect Opposition From Liberals, BACKGROUND— Present Democratic administra- tion has operated under steadily mounting national deficit since 1933. Recurrently, President Roose- velt has promised efforts to bring spending into balance with income and few weeks ago he asked Con- gress to curtail expenditures as step toward balanced budget. Loom- ing as threat to such an objective 8 recent business decline, accom- panied by increasing public relief needs. By the Associated Press. Representative Dies, Democrat, of Texas told President Roosevelt in a letter today that a House group would call a caucus, or conference; to “agree upon a definite program to balance the budget,” immediately after Con- gress reassembles. o Mr. Dies said an attempt would be made to place organized House sup- port behind the Executive’s budget- balancing program. He predicted there are “at least 100 Democrats who will join in this movement” but warned that some opposition could be | expected from most of the liberals in the House. The meeting, Mr. Dies wrote, would undertake to name a committee to | draw up a “definite and concrete pro- | gram leading to an early balancing of the budget.” “Then we will undertake to get this program approved by the entire con- ference so that it may be transmitted | to you in the form of a resolution.” i Hails Letter to Cartwright. He added that he had noted with | “profound pleasure” a letter in which | the President told Representative | Cartwright, Democrat, of Oklahoma, | chairman of the House Roads Com- | mittee, that Congress alone must take | the responsibility if it appropriates | beyond budget estimates. “The difficulty of curtailing appro- priations in the House,” Representa- tive Dies wrote, “is that some mem- bers only want to economize with respect to Federal activities that do not particularly benefit their districts. “However, I am confident that it Congress is assured that the curtail- ment will be all down the line, and | Will be a consistent policy, the ma- Jority of the members will give you the fullest co-operation possible.” Sees Liberals in Opposition. Most of the liberals, Mr. Dies pre- dicted, would oppose “every effort you make to balance the budget” and would “clamor for bigger appropria- tions to be distributed among their constituents.” Concluding, the Texan said he as- sumed the President would insist either on curtailment of other ex- penditures than those for roads, or on increased taxation. Meanwhile, evidence was accumu- lating that President Roosevelt, fore= warned of his experience at the spe- cial session of Congress, wa$ prepar- ing for a rough-and-tumble battle with administration foes in the forth- coming session. Developments since the House side- tracked the administration’s wage- hour bill have convinced many ob- servers the Chief Executive will aban- don the “hands-off” attitude he as- sumed during the recent session and will take aggressive leadership of the legislative program. One bit of evidence they cited was Mr. Roosevelt’s letter to Representative Cartwright, reiterating his demand for curtailment of Federal road appropri- ations. Appeal by Wallace. Another was an appeal by Secretary Wallace for farmer support of wage- hour legislation in return for labor support on the farm bill. The labor measure, he said, was needed to pro- mote a “more constructive balance” between labor and agriculture. But most convincing to some politi~ cal observers was word that emagated from a secret White House conference with liberal Senators Monday night that the Chief Executive was going to fight for his legislative recommenda- tions, rather than compromise. -In his letter to Representative Cart- (See CONGRESS, Page A-3) e THIRD-TERM HINT DROPPED BY NORRIS Senator Sees Demand Roosevelt Run Again in Growing Op- position Elsewhere. By the Associated Press. Senator Norris, veteran Nebraska independent, said today that methods of “delay and coercion” employed in opposition to the administration may “bring a demand that President Roosevelt seek a third term.” Senator Norris said in an interview that opponents have resorted to “prop- aganda and control of the press” in efforts to block the Roosevelt program. “I can’t help but notice the appar~ ently unanimous agreement between newspapers, prominent business men and the utility men to fight Mr. Roose= velt's program,” the Nebraskan said. “They may succeed in delaying it for a time, but they can't do it always. “If the opponents of Roosevelt con- tinue their methods of delay and co- ercion until the expiration of his term then I think there may be a demand that President velt seek & third term.” i