Evening Star Newspaper, February 4, 1940, Page 1

Weather Forecast Fair and slightly waymer teday; tomor- row, cloudy followed by rain in after- noon or night. Temperaturas yester- day—Highest, 38, at 4 p.m.; lowest, 19, at 4 am, Single Copy From the United States Weather Bureau report. Full details on Page A-2, No. 1,820—No. 34,977. (/) Means Associated Press. e = WITH DAILY EVENING EDITION unday =1 WASHINGTON, D. C, FEBRUARY 4, 1940—112 PAGES. EVENING AND DELIVERED IN CITY AND SUBURBS SUNDAY 75 CENTS MONTH Red Raids Spread Ruin in Finland, 78 Planes Blasting Single City; Nazis Claim Flyers Sank 14 Ships Russian Big Guns ¢ British Shoot Down 3 Bombers In War's Fiercest Air Fights Shell Length of Mannerheim Line BALKAN PARLEY FAILS to find formula for united stand against war; national interests are re- vealed too widely divergent. Page A-6 WAR MUST END POWER of Ger- many to inflict misery, says Stan- ley; troubled truce, not lasting peace, seen if fight stops now. Page A-9 BALKAN TALKS may affect effort by allies for new front, Maj. Eliot believes; firm Yugoslav-Italian stand may bar attack on Ru- mania. Page A-13 HELSINKI, Feb. 4 (Sunday).— PFinland's most terrible punishment by bombs in a little more than two months of Russian invasion was re- ported early today, with a total of 78 planes raiding one city alone and many other cities suffering deadly raids. First estimates of yesterday’s vic- tims said at least 50 were killed and 100 wounded in the south half of Finland, but that was before the 78 planes, in three waves, made an evening attack on Kuopio, the second of the day. Kuopio, a railway city of some 10,000, is located in the great lake country of middle Finland. (The Leningrad headquarters of the Russian Army issued the {following communique early to- day: “Feb. 3—Nothing of importance took place at the front. Soviet aviation successfully bombed the enemy’s military objectives.”) Mannerheim Line Shelled. While these raids were going on, big guns of the Red Army shelled the Mannerheim Line from one end to the other, after two days of direct attack had been broken on the battlefield of Summa. In a raid earlier in the day 30 peoeple had been killed at Kuopio. Casualties from the second raid were not known, for the populace was huddled in air-raid shelters far into the night. Three Finnish fighting planes fought a fleet of 20 Soviet bombers in a spectacular air battle over Kerava, near Helsinki, late in the day. The Russians dumped all their bombs and turned on their ma- .chine guns. Residents ef the town came out of air-raid shelters to see one Soviet bomber fall and the others turn tail and run. Ten people were killed when a 16-plane Russian squadron bombed & chapel at Sienajoki. Heavy Damage at Viipuri. At Pori, on the southwest coast, there were many dead and wounded. Beveral others were killed at Vii- puri, main target of the Red Army’s Mannerheim Line drive, and heavy damage was inflicted. Sailajoki, Lo~ visa and Kotka also were raided. Thirty-six planes set aflame the little city of Kerava, 20 miles north of Helsinki, while the mad music of air-raid sirens howled “in the ears of capital residents. Authori- ties said the raids were fully as extensive as those of the previous day, when 400 Russian planes were counted over Finland. Yesterday's estimates of air-raid casualties brought to approximately 150 the civilians known to have died In the week’s bombings. Two Attacks Fail. Continued bombings and the in- cessant shelling of the Mannerheim Line were the aftermaths of two Red Army attacks in the snows of Summa. There, 20 miles south of Viipuri, tanks, armored sledges, par- achute troops and infantry smashed at the strongly fortified area of the Karelian Isthmus. Both these at- tacks failed. In Viipuri, Finland's second city, the boom of the Red Army's big guns could be heard almost without pause last night. They were firing apparently in preparation for a third offensive. Gathering new strength behind their forest-hidden isthmus posi- tions, the Finns admitted the in- cessant shelling was “very power- ful” at times, but asserted their own guns were giving no quarter. The (See FINLAND, Page A-3) Pittsburgh Youth Lost In Mountain Blizzard By the Associsted Press. CRAWFORD NOTCH, N. H, Feb. 8.—Webster Jones, 20, of Pittsburgh, Pa., was reported lost tonight on the southern slope of Mt. Washing- ton, where a blizzard raged and the temperature was below zero. ‘The news was brought to the Btate highway camp at the floor of the Notch by Jones’ hiking and skiing companion, Karl J. Sax, 20, of Boston, who stumbled into the bullding with his cheeks, fingers and forehead frozen. Several hours after Sax appeared, two highway patrolmen and a band of White Mountain national forest- ers returned from a search, and said that if the youth was above ulllnbefllne he would not be found alive. PITTSBURGH, Feb. 3 (#) —Web- ster Jones, jr., 20, of Pittsburgh, re- lost on the southern slope of Mount Washington, is the son of s well-known Pittsburgh educator lflnd a student at Harvard Univer- ity Tile father, Webster N. Jones, is director of the college of engineer- ing at Carnegie Institute of Tech- nology. 2 Fourth Believed Felled As Artillery and Aircraft Meet Attack By the Associated Press. LONDON, Feb. 3—Britain’s Royal Air Force, fighting to protect her vital sea lanes from Germany’s bomb blockade, today shot down three Nazi warplanes in the fiercest air battles over England since the war’s start. Late tonight it was reported that a fourth German bomber had been damaged so badly that it “probably did not reach home.” British observers estimated that at least a score of German bombers joined in the wave of attacks on British and neutral shipping up and down 400 miles of the east coast. The only authorized comment re- garding the reports by DNB, official German news agency, that 14 ships —including 9 merchantmen, 4 British patrol boats and 1 mine- sweeper—were sunk during the day was statement distributed around mid@ight which said: “Com- parative little damage was done in proportion to the size of the raids.” The fourth German plane report- ed hit was engaged by two British 32 Vessels Total Of Week’s Losses, Berlin Reports By the Associated Press. BERLIN, Feb. 3.—The German official news agency reported to- night that far-ranging Nazi air raiders today sank 14 ships in a| blazing climax to a week of mass attacks on British and neutral shipping. Three Nazi planes were admitted to have been destroyed. The day’s reported toll made a total of 32 ships—23 merchantmen, eight British patrol boats and one mine sweeper—which the Germans said have been sunk in the aerial forays which began last Monday and have ranged the entire length and breadth of the North Sea. The Germans said all the sunken merchantmen were either armed or convoyed (They have contended that all such ships were subject to attack.) (The British announced that three, and possibly four, German planes were shot down today. In London the loss of only two ships was reported up to midnight, however. One was the 629-ton Norweigian freighter Tempo. At (See LONDON, Page A-10.) (See BERLIN, Page A-10.) Grand Jury Probe Of "Pelley’ Letters Asked by Hook Jackson Told Charges Of Forgery, Perjury Need Clearing Up By the Assoclated Press. Representative Hook, Democrat, | of Michigan demanded yesterday a grand jury investigation of all the facts connected with letters which he placed in the Congressional Record concerning Representative Dies, Democrat, of Texas. Mr. Hook made the request in a letter to Attorney General Jack- son, saying there had been “charges of forgery, perjury, collusion and conspiracy” which he thought should be cleared up. The letters purported to estab- lish a link between Chairman Dies of the House Committee on Un- American Activities and William Dudley Pelley, chief of the Silver Shirt Legion, an organization de- scribed by the committee as “Fas- cist.” The Dies committee informed the House that David Mayne of this city had confessed that he forged the documents and sold them to persons who handed them over to Mr. Hook. Mr. Mayne appeared before the committee at a closed session yes- terday. Informed sources said he had been asked to show the com- mittee how well he could imitate Pelley’s signature and that the re- sult was “a masterpiece.” Censure Resolution Possible. The Rules Committee wili consider tomorrow a resolution by Repre- sentative Hoffman, Republican, of Michigan to have the Hook letters and remarks expunged from the Record on the ground they im- properly reflect on another member of the House. One member of the committee predicted that “Hook will be pretty well skinned” by the committee, unless he offers to withdraw the matter from the Record, apologizes and concedes that the documents were forged. This informant said the “skin- ning” would - take the form of a resolution of censure. Mr. Hook attempted to withdraw the matter from the Record Thurs- day, but Representative Keefe, Re- publician, of Wisconsin blocked the (Continued on Page A-4, Col. 6 Girl, 20, Fafally Hurt In 8-Floor Plunge From Hotel Window D. C. Stenographer Tells Police She Jumped; Was Registered From New York Miss Mildred Friedman, 20, of 5500 Thirteenth street N.W., died |at Emergency Hospital last night three hours after she had plunged from a tenth-floor room at the May- flower Hotel and landed on the sec- ond-floor skylight over the lobby. Police said she admitted jumping. The girl suffered compound frac- tures of both legs and arms, and a fracture of the jaw, striking the skylight with such force that two small panes were broken, pepper- |ing the crowded lobby with the falling particles. Miss Friedman, a stenographer for a local insurance company, reg- istered at the Mayflower Friday afternoon, identifying herself as Mary McAllister, a New York news- paper woman, here on an assign- ment. She was given a tenth-floor room on the center court. No one witnessed the plunge, it was said. Hotel employes were brought hurrying to investigate by the sound of the crash against the skylight and the resultant shower of glass about 8 o'clock. ‘When hotel attaches reached her, she was crying incoherently. She was taken to a second-floor room, where Dr. F. A. Hornaday, the hotel physician, attended her. Then she was removed to the hospital. An examination of her room showed the window was open. Miss Friedman was the daughter of Harry Friedman, employe of a local newspaper. Raiders Find Whisky And Scarlet Fever By the Associated Press. OKLAHOMA CITY, Feb. 3—Two deputies and a State prohibition op- erative may have picked up some- thing besides the 612 pints of whisky they seized in a raid on a nearby farm home today. After th-ir search the housewife sighed and said: “I'm sure glad you came, my baby nas scarlet fever.” The raiders sent a doctor. As War Heroes E) the Associated Press. NEW YORK, Feb. 3—They have come here as athlete and coach to raise funds for the relief of Fin- land, but it was as Mannerheim Line infantryman and Helsinki air raid warden that Taisto Maki and Paavo Nurmi were welcomed to New York today. ‘As they came up the bay shortly after sunrise in the Norwegian- American liner Bergensfjord, the questions had very little to do with track. They dealt almost exclu- sively with Finland’s great stand against Russia’s numerically su- perior forces. Maki, who looks like Bob Meusel and has taken over Nurmi’s title of “Phantom Finn” as well as most of his records, said the Russian sol- diers were “very bad,” but their arms and equipment “excellent.” The blue-eyed, curly-haired, ruddy- faced 29-year-old runner denied he had been wounded in his six weeks at the frent, but said he had suf- fered a slight touch of rheumatism in his right knee. Russian prisoners? He had seen many, some young and healthy, Radio Programs, Page F-3 Complete Index, Page A-2 3 others old and in poor condition. He had not spoken to any of them. € p Nurmi and Maki Welcomed in New York “He does not speak Russian,” said the Finns' interpreter, Consul Gen- eral T. O. Vahervuori. Nurmi, who is 43 and balder and considerably stouter than on his last visit in 1932, said both their homes so far had escaped bombing; that no bombs had fallen on the portion of Helsinki to which he was assigned, but that in the first days of the war he had taken some 100 persons out of the danger zone in his own car. They agreed that Finland’s chief need is “more planes for protection of the civilians,” and Nurmi added: “Except for that, we can carry on very well.” Neither felt that the coming of spring or even summer would be much help to the Russians. “In the winter,” said Paavo, “we are aided because of our extremely mobile ski troops. And in the spring, the thaws will keep the Russians from moving their tanks through the lake and marsh areas. Besides the Russian soldier far prefers to travel along the roads. He does not like to go into the forest alone, as the Finns do.” But after all they had come here T (8es NURMI, Page A-3) A 25% of Liquor Men Here Called Ex-Bootleggers Licenses Bring as High As $7,000 Each, Schulte Is Told Representative Schulte, Democrat, of Indiana said last night he had received information that 25 per cent of the liquor dealers in Wash- ington were “bootleggers” during the prohibition era and that liquor licenses are being sold as high as $7,000 each, At the same time, Mr. Schulte, one of the ranking majority mem- bers of the House District Commit- tee, announced he would demand that the committee make an imme- diate investigation of the activities of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board. He said he would make his de- mands at the regular meeting of the committee tomorrow &t 10:30 am., in the presence of the board mem- bers who have been ordered to attend. Chairman Randolph of the Dis- | trict committee, at the request of Representative Kennedy, Democrat, of Maryland has served notice on the A. B. C. Board members to at- tend the meeting. Mr. Kennedy told |nim he wanted to question the mem- bers particularly about their proce- dure in issuing and renewing liquor permits. Wants Facts on Rossiter Action. Mr. Schulte, however, said he par- ticularly wanted to “find out the facts” about the board’s refusal to renew the license of Leo Rossiter. proprietor of a sea food restaurant at 4132 Georgia avenue N.W. “I want the committee to make an immediate and thorough inves- | tigaton of the entire liquor setup in | Washington,” said Mr. Schulte. | “I have been told that at least 25 per cent of those handli:ng lquor, either directly or indirectly. were hootleggers during the period of pro- hibition. I have been told, too, that liquor licenses are transferred at a top price of $7,000, and that the average price of a transfer is $5,000. | If such conditions are true, an in- | vestigation should be made and the | entire liquor situation cleaned up | without further delay.” | (A certain commercial value has been attached to class “A" permits, kinds, during recent years, since the | Commissioners fixed at 400 the num- ber of such permits. (Under law and regulation, per- | mits may be transferred from one | person to another, or from one lo- | cation to another, providing the A. B. C. Board finds the license appli- cant and the new location proper. | (The matter of the price to be | paid _by the new applicant for a | permit to the holder of an old per- mit, has been left to a private deal between the two, within these limits.) Meredith Succeeds Gans. Thomas E. Lodge, former president of the Federation of Citizens’ Asso- ciations, is chairman of the A. B. C. Board. The other members are Mrs. Agnes Mason and William P. Mere- | dith, who yesterday succeeded Isaac Gans, who is il in Emergency Hospital. “Because of the attitufe of Mr. Lodge in support of the prohibition- ists to make Washington powder- dry, contrary to the wishes of the majority of the people,” declared Mr. Schulte, “I intend to find out his ex- act position on this liquor situation. “Mrs. Mason, while stern, has been fair-minded and has been a credit to the board.” Mr. Schulte said ne could not siter's license was denied, since 90 per cent of the residents in the im- mediate neighborhood of his seafood place had not objected and that the police department had not reg- (See A. B. C. BOARD, Page A-10) 50 Patrons Held as Police Raid Prince Georges Inn Fifty patrons of the Home Stretch Inn, on the Marlboro pike a mile and & half from the District line, were held as material witnesses under $100 bond after Prince Georges County (Md.) police raided the place yesterday afternoon for the third time in three months and the second in less than 30 days. Harry Cqsman. desk clerk at the Hyattsville * police station, and Policeman E. R. Thompson of the county police said they entered the inn and had placed several bets by the time Corpl. J. F. Dent and Policemen F. A. Richards, W. J. Purdy and C. N. Thomsen sur- rounded it and detained the patrons and three men charged with viola- tion of the gambling laws. The men charged were John A. Mahoney, 33, of 1200 block of G street N.E.; James Conner, 48, of 500 block Fourth street SE., and John E. Miller, 26, of 2400 block of Newton street N.E. Police said Mahoney was arrested in the same place on the same charge January 9. His case is still pending. Corpl. Dent said a quantity of horse race betting slips, a loud speaker system and about $270 in bills were seized in the raid. Ma- for the sale of bottled liquors of all | understand why renewal of Mr. Ros- | To Conference on R BACKGROUND— Congressional investigation of Blue Plains Home for Aged and Infirm was ordered last week after Mrs. Roosevelt deplored conditions found on surprise visits to this and other District of Columbia institutions, includ- ing Receiving Home for Children. Subsequent inspection by Public Health Subcomrmittee Chairman D’Alesandro brought new criti- cism of same establishments. By JAMES E. CHINN. Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt has planned an extraordinary conference at the White House sometime this week to discuss with members of | Congress, Federal and District offi- | cials, steps that should be taken to | correct conditions at the three insti- tutions she recently visited — the Home for Aged and Infirm, the In- D. C. Institution Probers to Hear Democras fo Meet Mrs. Roosevelt at White House Here Tomorrow fo She Calls Members of Congress and Officials | emedying Conditions dustrial Home School and the| | Receiving Home for Children. | Representative D’Alesandro, Dem- ocrat, of Maryland, temporary chair- man of the Public Health Sub- | committee of the House District Committee, in charge of the con- | gressional investigation of these three institutions, revealed Mrs. Roosevelt's plans last night. Mr. D'Alesandro declined to dis- close the exact time of the confer- | ence but said Mrs. Roosevelt had invited members of his subcommit- tee, the three District Commission- ‘lers. Robert E. Bondy, director of | public welfare, and Harold D. Smith, director of the Budget Bureau. The White House conference, | was indicated, will serve as a substi: tute for Mrs. Roosevelt's appearance | before the Public Health Subcom- mittee as a witness. Several days “(See INSTITUTIONS, Page A-9) | ISAAC GANS. Isaac Gans Dies; Four-Day lllness Fafal | To Civic Leader, 80 Was Taken to Hospital Day He Retired From A. B. C. Board Post Isaac Gans, for years an out- standing civic leader in the District, | died at 2:30 o'clock this morning at Emergency Hospital. He was 80 years old. Mr. Gans was taken to the hos- | pital Wednesday after he suffered a heart attack in his home at the Iowa Apartments. His resignation as a member of the Alcoholic Bev= erage Control Board became effec- tive on the day he was stricken. He was pronounced dead by Dr. Clifford Webb of the hospital staff. Known for Kindliness. Mr. Gans was known everywhere in the city for his kindliness. At the District Building he had endless visitors and found time to chat with all of them about their problems. Many of them came to see him for a “touch.” It has been said publicly by his successor that only once had he ever seen Mr. Gans lose his temper. During a hearing before the A. B. C. board one time Mr. Gans inter- rupted a flery young lawyer to ask a question. “You' wouldn't understand, Mr. Gans,” said the lawyer, “you are not a lawyer.” “I may not be a lawyer,” Mr. Gans retorted firmly, “but I know a gen- tleman when I see one.” Mr. Gans has been nclc‘urd vrg.:he- longing to every church in - ington and leaders of all creeds turned out to do him honor at a recent testimonial dinner in his honor. On that occasion one of the trib- utes paid him was by a colored man —John H. Wilson—who as a news- paper boy knew Mr. Gans. Mr. Wil- son is now a member of the Board of Education on which Mr. Gans served beginning in 1927. Received Many Tributes. Mr. Gans was convinced of his friends. “They all love me,” he told those who paid him honor last 4 ' !Keys'lone Democrats Avoid Guffey Split by Failing fo Pick Slate State Body Unanimous In Insisting Roosevelt Seek Third Term | By the Associated Press. Pick Convention Site Party Chiefs Likely to Delay Setting Date Till G. O. P. Has Acted By G. GOULD LINCOLN. ‘The Democratic National Commit- | tee, meeting here tomorrow, will| endeavor to select a city for the party’s national convention—when- ever it is to be held. The committee will assemble at 10:30 am. in the Willard Hotel. Illinois Pefitions Enter Roosevelt In Primary Candidacy Statement Lacking, No Light Shed on Third Term By the Associated Press. SPRINGFIELD, Ill, Feb. 3.—Pe- titions to enter President Roosevelt in the Illinois presidential prefer- ence primary were filed today, but they afforded no answer to the moot | question .whether the Chief Execu- tive would seek a third term. The unheralded action was taken by Chicago Democratic leaders shortly after Thomas E. Dewey en- tered the primary and his State spokesman challenged other Repub- lican contenders to get into the race. The petitions for Mr. Roosevelt, bearing 14,000 signatures, were brought to the office of Secretary of State Edward J. Hughes. They shed no light on the President’s inten- tions, however, because they were not accompanied by the customary signed statement of candidacy. (At the temporary White House in Hyde Park. N. Y., the news evoked only a terse “no comment.” Most Washington politicians predicted that if Mr.' Roosevelt’s name went on the Illinois ballot there would be no other Democratic entries, as- serting that Paul V. McNutt, the Federal security administrator; Senator Wheeler, Democrat, of Montana, or Secretary Hull cer- tainly would not oppose their chieftain.) Predicts Name on Ballot. Mr. Hughes predicted the Presi~ dent’s name would be printed on the ballot submitted to voters in the April 9 primary—one of the earliest in_the Nation. He concluded that a signed certifi- cate—required by law from candi- dates for nomination or election— would not be necessary in the pref- erential referendum because such a vote is purely advisory and does not bind delegates to the national con- The call, sent out by Chairman | Farley, said the purpose would be | to select a date as weli as a site. The committee may still go through with that program, although it has been widely rumored that icking the date will be left to the Executive Committee, or a commit- tee on arrangements not yet named. The delay would enable the Demo- crats to schedule their national gathering for a date after the Re- publican convention had named its candidates and written its platform. The G. O. P. National Committee. at its meeting here February 16, will decide both time and place of the party’s national convention, Chair- man John Hamilton and other lead- ers say, no matter what the Demo- cratic committee does tomorrow. Three Cities Seek Convention. Chief bidders for the Democratic convention, it was reported last night, are Philadelphia, Chicago and San Francisco. Most of the Dem- ocratic committee members here so far prefer Chicago. But Chicago, while anxious to have the conven- tion, so far has not come forward HARRISBURG, Pa., Feb. 3. —A | with a money bid. Indeed, its rep- ventions. However, he told reporters that the question of placing Mr. Roose- velt's name on the ballot would be | decided officially at a meeting of the | State Certifying Board early in | March. Members of the board are Mr. Hughes, Gov. Henry Horner and State Auditor Edward J. Barrett, all Democrats. The petitions were circulated and | signed by members of the Chicago | Democratic organization in ward | meetings last Sunday. They were | sent here by messenger Voters’ Expression Desired. In Chicago, Thomas Garry, ser- geant at arms of the Cook County (Chicago) Democratic Committee, said they were filed “in the name of the Democratic party of the State at the suggestion of the Cook County Democratic Committee.” He said | party leaders wanted to get the Pres- | ident’s name on the ballot “to obtain | an expression of the voters’ senti- ment.” It was unnecessary, he |added, to have a declaration from | Mr. Roosevelt. | Previously, Mayor Edward J. Kelly of Chicago, Democratic National | “free and open” primary was ordered | resentatives have indicated Chicago Committeeman P A. Nash, Gov. | tonight by Pennsylvania's Demo-;wlll mak_e no money contribution, | Horner and other party chieftains | cratic State Committee, which voted | though willing to provide a conven- | had urged Mr. Roosevelt to seek to avoid all indorsements rather fthan risk an open split over the | candidacy of Senator Guffey for re- | election. The action came through suspen- | sion of a 10-year-old rule requiring that the State Committee indorse a ticket in advance of a primary election. In two days of pre-con- vention caucusing, leaders were un- able either to agree on Senator Guffey or on a substitute. | 'The convention, after less than 30 minutes’ discussion, voted the open primary, 87 to 22. “I am well pleased,” commented Senator Guffey, who had announced he would run no matter what the convention did. He hailed the move action ” State Senator Leo C. Mundy said a group of anti-Guffey Democrats would meet within 10 days to select a candidate for the senatorial nomi- nation. He added he expected “a liberal” would be selected to oppose Senator Guffey. “They’ve invited a contest, and I think they’ll get one,” Mr. Mundy asserted. There was enthusiastic unanimity on one subject—President Roosevelt for a third term. By a rising, shout- ing vote, the Democrats adopted a resolution “insisting” that he run | tion hall and the Lake front. This | may be amended, however, when the | committee gets down to the busi- | ness of receiving the invitations of the various cities. Meanwhile it was learned Vice | President Garner probably will stand |alone as an open bidder for the | Georgia convention delegation. | Following Mr. Garner’s announce- | ment he would enter the Georgia | primary if one were held, {would remain aloof. The Garner an- | nouncement was interpreted by some as an effort to force other poten- | tial candidates, including President Roosevelt, to declare their inten- | tions. ocrat, of Montana said he had de- cided definitely not to submit his name in Georgia, which is known as Mr. Roosevelt’s “second home.” Well-informed persons said that Federal Security Administrator Paul V. McNutt, Mr. Farley and Secretary of State Hull also would stay out. New Deal forces are reported op- posing having a Georgia primary, hoping that an uninstructed delega- tion favorable to President Roose- velt will be selected by the State committee. The Democratic committee is meeting here in great uncertainty. Its members do not know whether (See GUFFEY, Page A-12) (See LINCOLN, Page A-4.) By the Assoclated Press. SWEET BRIAR, Va., Feb, 3.— Into the post office of Sweet Briar College for girls came a post card, addressed to box 408, from a South- ern school. “Dear Box 408,” it read. “I was just wondering what the holder of my number at Sweet Briar looks like. “As for me, I am tall, dark, and I drive a Ford V-8. I am a freshman. What do you look like? Where are you from and what class are you in?” Out from Sweet Briar went the institution. It read in_part: “T am. tall, $00, FRESHMAN OF 18%6. Sweet Briar Freshman (of ‘96) Replies to a Mash Note and not as thin as I once was. My hair is white and I drive a Buick. I was a freshman in 1896. “You ask what 408 at Sweet Briar looks like. From the recent pie- tures of me in the public press at the time we estab- lished the Carter Glass chair of gov- ernment, I think 1 look like nothing human.” Post office box 408 at Sweet Briar belongs to the president of the college, Dr. Meta Glass, sister of the senior Vir- ginia Senator. In closing her letter she said: ‘“Maybe you will get to Sweet Briar in your Ford V-8 some day; it so, come in to see me.” ] there | | were indications other candidates | | Friends of Senator Wheeler, Dem- | as an “intelligent and far-seeing| | renomination. The Mayor was a | recent visitor at the White House. | Leonard C. Reid of Chicago, man- ager of Mr. Dewey's campaign in Illinois, filed the New York district attorney’s petitions and stated: | “We hope that all other Repub- |lican candidates for the nomina- | tion will do likewise in order that the delegates may be advised not only as to the choice of the voters for the first place but for the sec- ond and third place as well. The man who is nominated by the delegates to the Republican National Con- vention as the Republican candidate {in 1940 must be the choice of the people if the party is to be suc- cessful in November.” So far no other contender has |announced an intention to seek the indorsement of Illinois Republicans at the polls in the primary. Senator Taft of Ohio told report- (See PRIMARY, Page A-7.) Crew Exfinguishes Fire After Ship Hifs Mine By the Associated Press. AMSTERDAM, Feb. 4 (Sunday).— Radio messages from the 5,825-ton Dutch steamer Laertes early today told of a successful fight by 100 crewmen against fire which swept the ship after the vessel had sent an SOS saying she had struck a mine in the English Channel. Late messages said the Laertes was proceeding at half speed, after the crew, which at first took to the boats, had climbed back on board and put out the flames. No one was reported hurt. A tugboat was on its way from Flushing to help the crippled steam- er. The Laertes, owned by the navigation company Oceaan of Am- sterdam, was on its way here from the British contraband control base at Weymouth. ‘The Laertes’ location was given as the English Channel, off the Bouthwest English coast. Death of Mh Postpones Funeral By the Associated Press. KINGMAN, Kans, Feb. 3.—An automobile crash, killing four per- sons, today caused the postponement of funeral services for Mrs. E. R. Kelley. . Friends had gathered at the chapel, but a daughter, Mrs. C. M. Waddell, had not arrived. The Waddell automobile, hurry- ing through a snowstorm, collided with a truck. The collision killed Mrs. Waddell's husband, her son, Halmar, and two friends, C. W. Wenninger and his son. Robert. Mrs, Waddell was injured seriously and taken to s hospital.