Evening Star Newspaper, February 9, 1940, Page 2

Fireworks Plant Blast in California Felt 20 Miles Away Damage $200,000; Workers Miraculously Escape Death By the Associated Press. REDONDO BEACH, Calif., Feb. 9.—Explosions so violent that people 20 miles away thought they felt an earthquake shattered a fireworks plant, but by some curious chance apparently no one was killed. ‘The loss was estimated at $200,000. The first of the explosions rocked the Golden States Fireworks Co. plant, 2 miles from the center of this beach city, shortly before mid- night. Dozen Houses Damaged. ‘The blast damaged a dozen houses in which people lay sleeping. Debris from one shaken roof partially buried two people. Police said it was almost incredible that there had been no loss of life. 5 The Rev. Nettie Denman, 50, oc- cupant of a house 200 feet from the factory, was the most seriously injured. She and her son, Eugene, 20, were thrown from their beds and bat- tered by falling plaster. She suf- fered deep lacerations of the legs. F. H. Bragg, also cut by flying debris, was sleeping in his bungalow less than 100 feet from the plant. “My first thought,” he said, “was that it was an earthquake. “Then I saw a blinding sheet of flame and saw the whole side of the house had been blown in. I saw different shells exploding, stars and pinwheels flying, and the roar was deafening. My two brothers and I rushed out. We were lucky to be alive.” The small structures in the factory lot, all leveled by the blast, were unoccupied. Believed Earthquake. The explosion was felt at Hunting- ton Park and Pasadena, 15 miles dis- tant, and generally throughout the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Many believed it to be a sharp earthquake, but others as far distant as South- gate, 10 miles inland, could hear the explosions. Flattened by the three major blasts and 10 lesser ones over a half- hour period or destroyed by the fire that followed were the main plant building, a brick structure, and 29| small houses in the block-square | factory system. Roofs Damaged. In addition, a house across the street from the plant burned down, and walls and roofs of 10 other dwellings in the neighborhood were damaged. Harry Northern, a watchman at the plant, escaped with his life but his clothing was blown off and he was badly burned. Others injured included a woman spiritualist, a 35- year-old man and an 8-year-old boy. Elliott Roosevelt Thinks Father Should Not Run By the Associated Press. CHICAGO, Feb. 9.—Elliott Roose- | velt doesn't believe his father should run for a third term. In answer fto a question regard- ing a third term for the President, young Roosevelt said yesterday: *“I don't know whether he will run or not. But all the jobholders want him. Personally, I think he shouldn’t.” After he had addressed an Illinois Lumber and Material Dealers’ As- sociation meeting, Mr. Roosevelt answered several questions from the floor concerning the country’s labor organizations and leaders. To a query as to whether he thought the “power of C. I. O. Leader John L. Lewis should be| curtailed,” the President’s son an- | swered: “There is no need to curtail it. ‘You can do it more easily by laugh- ing him out of power.” The difference between Mr. Lewis and William Green, president of the American Federation of Labor, he said, is that “Green wants to run a labor union—Lewis wants to run the country.” Snow, Rain fo Dispel Present Hint of Spring The hint of spring now hovering over Washington is likely to fade tonight and tomorrow, the Weather Bureau reports. Snow may be mixed with the rain predicted for the next 24 hours. A low temperature of 32 degrees {s predicted for tonight, compared with a low of 36 degrees at 6 o'clock this morning and a high of 46 de- grees at 8 pm. yesterday. Fresh winds will bring cooler air from the northeast and east, it was pre- dicted. Last night the steamer South- land, first vessel to attempt naviga- tion of the Potomac in more than two weeks, was reported to have fought her way through ice 6 inches thick on her way to Norfolk. Her crew found ice conditions in Chesa- peake Bay improved, the Associated Press said. Agents for the Norfolk and Wash- ington line declared, however, that they will keep the steamer District of Columbia in port at Norfolk, though she was to have sailed for the Capital at midnight. There will be no further sailings until tomorrow or Sunday and not then unless Potomac ice should greatly improve, they reported. Congress in Brief TODAY. Senate: Considers $100,000,000 increase in eapital of Export-Import Bank to permit additional Finnish and Chinese loans. House: Debates bill to extend civil service system. Mrs. Roosevelt testifies on Wash- ington welfare conditions before House subcommittee, 2 p.m. TOMORROW. Senate: ‘Undecided on meeting. Commerce Subcommittee meets on nominations at 10:30 am. House: Not in session. No eommittee meetings scheduled. of his others were reported missing. THE EVENING LOS ANGELES.—HOME WRECKED BY BLAST—This is what remained of one of five houses wrecked by two explosions at the Golden State Fireworks Co. plant in nearby North Redondo Beach early today. Two persons were injured and at least two Shown beside the wreckage is Harry Northern, a night watchman, who was in another house destroyed by the blast, but who escaped injury.—A. P. Wirephoto. Evidence Labor BACKGROUND— National Laber Relations Board has been under investigation by special House committee headed by Representative Smith, Demo- crat, of Virginia since December. Evidence of alleged partiality to- ward C. 1. O. and of dissension on board has been uncovered. By CARTER BROOKE JONES. The House Committee investigat- | ing the National Labor Relations | Board today sought more informa- | tion about asserted board activity in | lining up “good witnesses” to testify on Wagner Act amendments at con- | gressional. hearings. | The committee asked for all the |agency’s correspondence hearing on | the situation after hearing evidence yesterday that agents in the field were instructed to interview prospece tive witnesses and ascertain their views. J. Warren Madden, N. L. R. B, chairman, defended the practice of board’s employes carrying on ac- | tivities in support of the Wagner Act, contending during the com- | mittee hearing yesterday that such | | activities often were necessary to preserve a tribunal from ext\nction} by Congress. The committee, which took a re- |cess last night until Tuesday, learned from Edmund M. Toland, | its counsel, that Mr. Madden said | to a conference of the board's re-| | gional directors in the fall of 1938: ! | “It occurred to me that a little work might be done all the time on our relations with Congress in this way: Instead of on the critical day —the ratification of the appoint- | ment of a member of the board or | any other legislative proceeding— that probably these Congressmen | keep the files on various subject matters, and it might have at least as much effect on them and it might irritate them less if they were getting through the mail a some- what deliberate letter now and then from a labor organization, or some | other organization, or people ofy substance in communities, about the | work of the board. Might Survive in Files. | “I should think if that word was passed on to our friends in the labor movement and elsewhere that they would write to their Representatives or their Senators, giving their opin- ion at some length about the work of the board. Probably these let- ters would get into the files, and when our critical situations came up in Congress, the Congressman’s secretary would dig out that file and would let the Congressman know that we did have friends. As |it is now, we have a rush at the last minute—a lot of telegrams, quite obviously solicited, and the effect on people who are not other- ise friendly to us is the effect of irritation at being put under pres- sure. “I do not think that the receipt of these letters in normal times, scat- tered over some period of time, would irritate them at all and I think that it would affect them and at the same time it would save you people the work of having to do a lot of last-minute solicitation.” Previously the committee counsel introduced a letter which Benedict Wolf, a former secretary of the board, then in private law practice, wrote the regional directors. A copy of this letter, it was brought out, was sent to the succeeding board secretary, Nathan Witt, and also bore the initials of Mr. Madden. By the Associated Press. MANILA, Feb. 9—Capt. Crispulo Onrubia of the steamship President Quezon, which struck an uncharted shoal and sank January 27, charged before the Marine Board of Inquiry today that a Japanese vessel refused aid unless he signed papers guaran- teeing pay for the rescue. The 8,341-ton President Quezon, formerly the President Madison, foundered south of Kanegashima Island in the Japanese archipelago. The -Japanese freighter Ukishima Maru effected a rescue. Onrubia said he was forced to leave his sinking ship aboard the second lifeboat launched in order Board Quizzed Prospective Witnesses Probed Lobbying to ‘Safeguard’ Act Is Defended by Madden The chairman said he did not re- call the letter, but must have read it, and added that he had conferred with Mr. Wolf concerning some scheme the former secretary had to | defend the Wagner Act. The letter urged the regional di- rectors to rally American Federa- tion of Labor unions against pro- posed amendments to the act which | were being discussed in Congress and agitated elsewhere. “Unofficial” Action Advised. “I realize,” said Mr. Wolf, “that | the board itself cannot openly lead | any such move as I have suggested, but I doubt if your actions along the lines outlined will be disapproved by | the board. Certainly anything you do would have to be unofficially.” | Mr. Madden admitted that he had | telephoned David I. Dubinsky, head | of the International Ladies’ Gar- ment Workers, an independent union, who was in Kansas City, urging him to appear before the Senate Labor Committee, which was considering amendments to the labor law. “I djd suggest to Mr. Dubinsky that he should come here and tes- tify,” Mr. Madden added, “though if I had known his position I wouldn't have called him.” The board chairman added that he had written a number of educa- | tors and others suggesting they ap- pear at the Senate hearings in de- fense of the act. “Your function as I see it,” Com- mittee Chairman Smith interposed, “is to administer the act. I am wondering whether you think it is fit for you to lobby for amendments. Isn't it the function of Congress to consider amendments?” Mr. Madden admitted it was a problem how far employes of a Gov- ernment agency should go toward protecting an act from attack, but he added that he considered the administrators of such an agency had the duty of guarding the law against its enemies as well as en- forcing it. When an amendment is proposed, he pointed out, the board members ask permission to go before the congressional committee con- sidering it, which might be con- strued as a form of lobbying. Questioned on Propriety. “I'm talking about this pressure on the regional directors,” said Chairman Smith, “which was in- itiated by Mr. Wolf, certainly with the consent of your board. Do you think that was proper?” Mr. Madden said he thought it was a matter of pointing out to the workers, with whose protection the board was charged, how they could protest against attacks on the act and whom they could address. “Do you think it was a helpful gesture on the part of your board to help create dissension among the different branches of the A, F. of L.2” “Not at all.” “Can you put any other construc- tion on Mr. Wolf's letter?” “I suppose,” said the board chair- man, “the primary purpose was to let them know what their people really think of the act.” At the demand of its counsel the committee ordered subpoenaed all correspondence relating to lobbying in regional offices. Mr. Madden conceded that re- gional directors had been active in bringing pressure to bear on Con=- gress to pass adequate appropria- tions for the board. The four-day recess was taken to give the committee’s staff more time to sift its evidence. Mr. Madden will resume the stand Tuesday. Japanese Asked Pay for Aid, Sunken Ship’s Skipper Charges and children, and his crew. Many crew members still were aboard when he left the ship, he said. The skipper of the Ukishima Maru flatly refused to lower life- boats until the papers were signed, Onrubia charged, adding: “If I hadn’t gone in the second lifeboat half the crew men would possibly have perished.” Rescue work began after Onrubia signed the papers, he said, but he also charged that the Japanese radio operator aboard the Ukish- ima Mara refused to send messages of his ship’s plight unless paid for in cash. One man was lost in the rescue. ‘gve 1:“ the second cook, gwud dJ. ‘alker, supposedly drowned when & lifeboat capsized in the high ses. o i o e STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C., FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1940. Approval Is Indicafed For Ramspeck Bill In House Today R@ublicans Continue Fight on Civil Service Blanketing Provisions BACKGROUND— . Ramspeck Act climazes several moves by Roosevelt Administra- tion ertending the civil service merit system. It breaks down last barriers against the merit system advance, leaving only the W. P, A. exempt. Some Republican op- position has been advanced on ground blanketing employes into civil service unfair to persons who passed competitive examinations. By WILL P. KENNEDY. The House has up today for ac- tion, under a special rule adopted late yesterday by a vote of 213 to 122, the Ramspeck bill to permit the President to give civil service status to some 250,000 to 300,000 employes. This would be done through non- competitive examinations. The fight, principally from the Republican side, is for insistence on competitive examinations and the “maintenance of a real civil service” instead of “opening the doors for wholesale invasion by political patronage ap- pointees.” ‘The rule provides for two hours’ general debate, but the vote on the rule yesterday indicates the measure will pass. Meanwhile, President Roosevelt described as “excellent” the purpose of the Ramspeck bill. Asked about the measure at his press conference today, the Chief Executive said he was not in posi- tion to give detailed indorsement, since he had not become familier with all provisions of the measure, but that he felt that the bill as a whole is fairly worthwhile. The bill, sponsored by Chairman Ramspeck of the House Civil Service Committee, specifically provides for blanketing in large groups of em- ployes in 26 New Deal agencies and in other establishments. It also in- cludes all deputy marshals and dep- uty collectors of internal revenue and in a special title extends the service of the Government. ‘Work Projects Administration is ex- empted by a special committee amendment. Two Democrats Object. Mr. Ramspeck was the only com- mittee member who spoke in favor of adoption of the special rule yes- terday. It was opposed by two prominent Democrats—Representa- tive Moser of Pennsylvania, a mem- ber of the committee and a veteran of 22 years in the civil service, and Nichols of Oklahoma. Republican committee members who urged that the rule be not approved included Representatives Halleck, Indiana; Edith Nourse Rogers, Massachusetts, and Reese, Kansas. Mr. Halleck protested that he is in favor of a fair extension of the civil service and the “merit system” and resented “political pressure and coercion to put this bill through.” | He quoted President Mitchell of the Civil Service Commission in testi- fying that only 20 to 25 per cent of these employes could retain their status under a competitive exami- nation. Mr. Reese said the question was | simply whether members favored a true merit system, with real com- petitive examinations, or “would authorize the blanketing in of 300,- 000 political patronage appointees, | whom Congress deliberately kept out of the merit system by provisions in substantive law.” He predicted that if the bill passes “it will wreck the civil service.” He suggested that in competitive examinations credit should be given for experi- ence. Cites Success in Tests. Mrs. Rogers quoted testimony that there are more than a million now on the eligible rolls who have passed competitive examinations, but who will not receive considera- tion for career positions if the bill passes. Mr. Nichols said: “I don't believe the majority in the House will vote to pass this bill.” He declared that “the man who wants to do a day’s back by the drones.” Mr. Moser also declared for open competitive examinations. He re- viewed the history of the legislation and contended that 65 per cent of those who would be blanketed in failed in competitive examinations. He protested that no one who be- longs to an organization urging the overthrow of the Government should be allowed to enter the civil service. He emphasized that when President Roosevelt said that one of his ideals was_extension of the civil service he did not advocate it through non- competitive examinations. Mr. Ramspeck pointed out that the only difference between non- competitive and competitive ex- aminations was that under the for- mer the present employe must get a rating of 70 per cent to retain his job, while in the competitive ex- amination he would be against the field. “The content of the examina- tions is the same,” he said. He also pointed out that it would cost $6,000,000 to $8,000,000 to hold com- petitive examinations. Redskins to Be Guests At Father-Son Fete Members of the Washington Red- skins’ football team will be honor guests at the father-son banquet of Ninth Street Christian Church at 7 o'clock tonight at the church, Ninth and D streets N.E. They will include Albert G. “Turk” Edwards, Don Irwin, Charles Malone and PFrank Filchock. W. W. Kirby, president of the Men’s Club of the church, will be toastmaster. Dr. Oscar F. Blackwelder, pastor of the Church of the Reformation, will be principal speaker. Pythian Lodge Marks 72d Anniversary Representative Kee of West Vir- ginia was the, principal speaker at the 72d anniversary banquet of Syracusians Lodge, Knights of Pythias, at the Pythian Temple last night. James G. Yaden, chief of the examining division of the Civil Service Commission, introduced the speaker. Supreme Representative Edward J. Newcomb was master of classified civil service to the field | The | work in the civil service is held| Jobless Tax Merit Plan Looms as Major D. C. Revision Issue Unworkable, Contends Marshall—McGehee Declines to Seek Delay BACKGROUND— Washington employers, paying highest pay roll tax in the coun- try, haye urged amendment of District law. Plan suggested this year by District Unemployment Compensation Board reduces rate and erpands benefits to eligible jobless persons. Wash- ington business interests gener= ally indorsed both sides of liber- alization move. McGehee bill, offered January 16, was speeded to House for action Monday. Fol- lowing January 15 committee hearing, various groups found some “flaws” in draft. By DON S. WARREN. Director John A. Marshall of the District Unemployment Compensa- tion Board declared today he felt an experience or merit rating plan for employers under the pay roll tax system was “unworkable,” there- by possibly setting the stage for one major issue in the move to revise the present District law. | His statement was at odds with those of spokesmen for both the ‘Washington Board of Trade and the | Merchants and Manufacturers’ Asso- ciation, who are insisting that the proposed new compensation law in- clude a definite provision for early establishment of such a rating plan. ‘The Marshall statement, presum- ably in accord with views of Federal officials, since the local board gem- erally follows the lead of the Federal Social Security Board, was taken to mean that a restricted reference to the plan in the pending bill was a first move to place it “on the shelf.” | For five years the District law has | provided for such a plan, beginning | next January 1, and it was generally | understood that employers showing stability of employment could—and | one day would—be rewarded by the | grant of a differential rate in the pay roll tax. See Sufficient Experience. Spokesmen for local business groups declared the last two years of payment of jobless benefits, fol- lowing three years of preparatory pay roll tax collections, gave suffi- cient experience to warrant early | adoption of such a plan, at least on | a trial basis. | Meanwhile, Representative Mec- | Gehee, Democrat, of Mississippi. who introduced the bill to revise the jobless aid law, which provides for reductfon in the flat pay roll tax from 3 to 2.7 per cent, and to grant extensive liberalization of benefit payments to the eligible jobless, said he would make no move to de-| lay action on the measure. It is| scheduled to come before the House | for vote Monday. Postponement of action on the| bill for two weeks was requested | by the presidents of the two trade | groups to permit a more careful | analysis of some features. Mr. Me- | Gehee said he was inclined to let the issues ride, since the measure | was on the House calendar, and that | amendments could be made on the | floor, but that the best chance for any necessary changes lay in con- | sideration later in the Senate. Labor Urges Liberalization. Among other developments in the rather complicated picture were: | 1. Spokesmen for local units of | the American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Or- ganizations protested there should be no diminuation of the proposed | liberalization of benefit payments, afforded by a variety of means in the proposed bill. 2. Very rough estimates of the effect of the proposed pay roll tax cut placed the saving at at least $600,000, while an appraisal of the prospective increase in benefits ran from a “conservative” estimate of some $700,000 to as high as nearly $1,000,000. Director Marshall, while holding that an experience rating system was not workable, said he felt the real “solution” lay in awaiting the time when a flat reduction could be made all along the line in employer taxes. (In the District, as in most States, there is no tax on employes for unemployment compensation.) A recent report by the Federal Social Security Board shows that such merit rating systems have been employed in five States: Indiana, Nebraska, South Dakota, Vermont and Wisconsin. Thirty-nine States in all have laws permitting such plans to be adopted. Marshall Favorable “If.” Mr. Marshall said he would like to see such a plan—“if it was work- able.” Proponents of such arrangements were quick to declare that while the District employer pay roll taxes may be cut by 10 per cent, as proposed, and while liberalization of benefit payments, as provided in the bill, would place the District far in ad- vance of the States, the District board still would be colleeting be- tween $2,000,000 and $3,000,000 more than the benefit disbursements, ac- cording to best estimates. This, they argued, gave warrant for a trial of the merit rating system here, without raising any hazard of hav- ing to dip, even lightly, into the $16,000,000 reserve fund that has been set up. In fact, some observers insisted that while the District now is col- lecting four times as much in taxes as now are needed for benefit pay- ments, passage of the pending plan would find the District collecting, roughly, twice as much as needed for current benefit outlays. Opposition to the request of busi- ness groups for delay in House action on the pending bill came from John Locher, president of the Central Labor Union, A. F. of L. affiliate. He declared the C. L. U. and its affliated bodies here had indorsed the bill “100 per cent” and were anxious for adoption. He said many employers were canvassed and were found “equally favorable” to enact- ment of the plan to aid both tax- paying employers and the eligible Jobless. Answers “Model” Complaint. Speaking of reports that agents of powerful national business groups had come to Washington planning to block the bill on the ground that if it became a “model” the States would be expected to follow, Mr. Locher declared if the measure is “killed” it would mean employers would continue to have to pay the present pay roll tax of 3 per cent, while additional millions were piled up in the Treasury account. Asked what he felt about the Dis- TO 'THE HIGHEST BIDDER—Auctioneer Benjamin S. Bell is shown with a painting of the late Speaker Rainey which will be auctioned off tomorrow night for the benefit of the Finnish relief fund. —Star Staff Photo. Nazi Plane Downed In Resuming Raids Along British Coast Bomber Crashes 20 Miles East of Edinburgh; Ships Attacked Again By the Associated Press. LONDON, Feb. 9.—British fighting planes intercepted and shot down one of several German warplanes]‘ which raided Britain's east coast ! today and bombed and machine- gunned vessels off shore, the British | announced. i Two men were feared lost when a lifeboat from one of the attacked | vessels, identified as the 800-ton | dredger Foremost, was swamped. | Seven survivors of the vessel's | crew of nine were landed and said a hit by a German bomb had ren- dered the dredger unmanageable. ‘The air ministry said a German bomber crashed near North Berwick, | on the south shore of the Firth of | Forth near the mouth and only 20 miles east of Edinburgh, after being attacked by British fighting planes. ! Another German plane was en- | gaged over the northeast coast, and | which would have forbidden the | although state Department to lower excise | py | taxes on oil, coal, copper or lumber still others attacked ships, no damage was reported. One Raider Escapes. Three British pursuit planes were unable to catch one raider which | machine-gunned vessels along the | coast, and later two German war- | planes bombed & ship off the Scot- tish coast and were believed to have | escaped. | A distress signal was sent out by the vessel attacked. Lifeboats and fishing smacks put out to the rescue. | A crowd along the shore watched British planes drive off the Ger- mans. | A small fishing boat was reported machined-gunned and bombed in | another plane attack off Scar- borough, but was said to have re- turned to port safely. | The Firth of Forth contains the | vital naval base of Rosyth and fre- | quently has been the target of raid- ing German planes. Ship Safe After SOS. The 2284-ton Irish Channel steamer Lady Connaught, which early today sent out an SOS and & half-hour later advised that she was proceeding on a voyage to Ire- land, was reported to have arrived safely with the information she had been “in trouble” off the northwest coast of Britain. Later it was said the Lady Con- naught had struck an unidentified submerged object in the Irish Sea near where the steamer Munster was mined Wednesday and it was suggested she had hit the Munster’'s wreckage. The arrival of 25 crewmen of the | 2,156-ton French steamer Marie Dawn at a British port yesterday disclosed she had sunk in the North Sea after striking a mine. It was feared the 3,847-ton British freight- er Highcliffe, reported ashore on the Northern English coast, would be a total loss. An admiralty announcement to- day confirmed reports that Comdr. J. R. N. Taylor and 53 of the crew were lost with the British mine- sweeper Sphinx. trict benefit plan becoming a na- tional “model,” Mr. Locher said: “So what? If the jobless workers are not getting enough here, and we are now generally in line with the States, then I would say workers in other places are not getting enough in benefit payments.” He declared only four States are not now building up large surplus ac- counts and that they should follow the District’s lead. Sidney R. Katz, secretary-treas- urer of the Maryland-District In- dustrial Union Council of the C. I. 0., protested the proposed benefit payment liberalization was not lib- eral enough. He said: “Only a nearsighted business in- terest can oppose liberalization of unemployment insurance because & | good system stimulates trade when employment is on the downgrade; that is, when such stimulation is most needed. If anything is to be changed in the bill it ought to be liberalized and improved. Sees One Man Informed. “As a suffrage advocate, I feel compelled to comment on the meet- ing at which the House District Committer approved this legisla- tion. Only one person there both knew what the bill confained and could explain its provisions. As for the rest, those persons on the com- mittee who could understand the bill didn’'t appear to be informed on the subject at all.” Mr. Katz also declared that the “wave of criticism” against Mr. Mc- Gehee’s “drastic” bill was due, in part, to misleading propaganda by some of the proponents of this bill as to its liberalization of benefits. He argued that in some respects s the bill is less liberal than the pres- ent law. For instance, he said, while | 3 it had been proclaimed that the duration of benefits would be in- creased from 16 to 20 weeks, it was rather the fact that the maximum duration was being reduced from 26 to 20 weeks. [ 4 Sun, today Moon, tod: Ko X ber ZZ70 tomas and Shenandoan Rivers el fifim %..gmu clear at Gnn-g Hava: 12 Hours' Debate On Reciprocal Trade Is Set by House Action Week After Next as Committee Approves Extension House action on renewal of “the Reciprocal Trade Agreements Act today was tentatively scheduled for the week beginning February 18, with 12 hours of general debate re- | ported agreed on. The resolution to continue for an- | other three years the administra- tion's authority to negotiate the con- troversial agreements, due to expire June 12, cleared its first legislative hurdle yesterday when it was ap- proved by the House Ways and Means Committee. The committee vote was on strict party lines, 14 Democrats voting for the resolution and 10 Republicans against it. Disney Votes “Present.” One Democrat committee member. Representative Disney of Oklahoma, voted “present.”” He was dissatis- fied because the committee did not adopt an amendment he proposed when negotiating trade agreements. His amendment lost, 14 to 11. Republicans made a fight in the committee to give Congress a voice in the pact writing. Representative Crowther, Republican, of New York attempted to insert a provision re- quiring Senate and House concur- rence in the agreements negotiated by the State Department. Amendment Defeated. Defeated on this by a strictly | partisan vote, Mr. Crowther then offered an amendment providing for Senate-House concurrence, but specifying they should vote on each treaty within 45 days after its sub- mission. It lost, too, by a 15-10 vote. Leaders on the Democratic side | were free in their predictions the House would approve tinuance of the program by a margin. Ade, 74TodTRefuses To Welcome Birthday By the Assciated Press. MIAMI, Fla., Feb. 9.—George Ade, the Hoosier humorist, observed his T4th birthday anniversary today, but said he wasn't going to “run up any flags or shoot any guns” on the occa- sion. “If I knew any way to suppress my age, I'd do it,” he philosophized. that con- “This birthday isn't very welcome, | but I guess it can't be avoided.” Mr. Ade observed the day quietly, except for a small luncheon given by friends. wide | | Auction Tomorrow To Further Augment Finnish Relief Fund Sponsors Hope to Equal $453 Receipts From First Two Sales With a total of $453 realized yese terday from the first of two publis art auctions, the Washington unit of the Finnish Relief Fund, for which the auctions are being held, expected a similar sum from the auction in the Raleigh Hotel to- morrow at 8:30 p.m. One of the highlights of the auc- tion tomorrow will be the sale of a painting of the late Speaker of the House Henry T. Rainey, which has been donated by the Norwegian- American artist, Bjorn Egeli of Washington. The painting, for which Mr. Egeli once refused an offer of $1,000, has been hanging in the office of Representative Keller of Illinois. The picture will not be sold for less than $500, it was an- nounced. About 20 paintings and etchings purchased at last night's auction have been returned by the pur- chasers for re-sale: for the double benefit of the fund. The second auction will feature the paintings of a Finnish diplomat and the wife of another member of the diplomatic service, Mrs. Alex= ander Lee, chairman of the Auction Committee, revealed. Sibelius Bust Offered. + Tomorrow's sale also will offer & bust of Jan Sibelius, the famed Finnish composer. The bust is the contribution of Yucca Salamunich, one of the 51 artists who have do- nated works of art to the Finnish relief auctions. Another feature of the second auction will be the “yankee auc- tion” of an unpainted portrait. Miss M;r,v Ward, Washington artist, will paint the portrait of the highest bidder. Paaintings contributed by Finns | in diplomatic life include a land- scape of Finland by Elmer Forest- berj, professor of art at the Uni- versity of Chicago and honorary Consul of Finland at Chicago, and a still life painting by Mrs. Helmi Collander, wife of the honorary Consul of Finland in Ohio. | The portrait of Hjalmar J. Pro- cope, Minister of Finland, went to | Mrs. Emil Hurja at the auction held in the Shoreham Hotel yesterday. Benefit Concert. The Finnish Relief Fund was to | be further augmented this afternoon when Garfield Swift, baritone, as- | sisted by the Pro-Musica String Quartet and Evalyn Tyner, pianist, | was to give a benefit concert at the | Mayflower Hotel. Washington headquarters of the nnish Relief Fund announced yes- terday the appointment of Miss Lansing Hall to head the committee celebrating the miovie industry's 1\"Help Finland Days,” February 17 | and 18. Members of this committee | include Miss Eleanor Hurwitz, Miss Evelyn Freyman, Miss Doris Cooper, Miss Janice Norton, Miss Sara | Meigs, Miss Mimi Norton, Miss Jean Duke, Miss Helen Myer, Miss Clau- | dette Warfe, Miss Betty Seibert and Miss Edith Sognier. 115,000 Motorists Given Reprieve in Parking By the Associated Press. SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 9—The 15,000 San Francisco motorists who faced arrest for ignoring overtime garking citations got a reprieve to- ay. Municipal Judge Alden Ames, who ordered the arrests Wednesday, de=- cided the plan was “neither feasie ble nor desirable” and said the of- fenders would be given two chances to settle things before being are rested. The revised plan was announced last night following a conference between the judge and police offi- cials, who showed a decided lack of enthusiasm at the prospect of serv- ing warrants upon 15.000 people. Judge Ames said if the motorists ignored two warning notices and failed to appear at the traffic bu- reau to deposit bail or pay fines war= rants then would be issued for their arrest. 'Weather Report (Purnished by the United States Weather Bureau.) District of Columbia—Rain tonight and tomorrow, possibly mixed with snow; colder; lowest temperature tonight about 32 degrees; gentle to moderate shifting winds becoming fresh northeast to east. Maryland—Rain tonight and t over north portions; colder. omorrow, probably turning to snow Virginia—Occasional rain; warmer in southwest; colder in northeast portion tonight; rain and colder tomorrow. West Virginia—Rain; slightly warmer in east central portion tonight, followed by snow and colder tomorrow. A disturbance is moving rapidly east- " ward over Eastern Maine, Eastport, 1.011.5 millibars (26 87 inches). Pressure is low from the Central Valleys southwatd over the western portion of the Gulf of Mexico, Brownsville, Tex., 1.007.8 millibars (2076 inches). Pressure continues high off the South Atlantic Coast. Wilmington, N. C. 1,023 millibars (30.21 inches). Pressure is high from the Lake region southwe: ward over the Middle Plains, Sault St Marel “Mich.. 1.026.8 millibars (30, inches). Pressure falling ~ over Northern Plains. Havre, Mont., 1.010.2 millibars (29.83 inches). while it continues | 7} high over the Plateau region. Winnemussa. Nev. 1.020.1 ‘millibars (30.39 inches). During the last 24 hours there have been snows from the Northern Appalachian Jetion and ‘the southern portion of the ke rezion southwestward over the Mid- dle Plains, and rains in_portions of_the alleys and the Middle and West f States. Temperatures have risen over the Southeastern States, but colder Weather has overspread the Lake region, upper Mississippi and middle Missouri pillevs “and the middle and southern Report for Last 24 He Tempe: Yesterday— 4 Re 24 Hours. (Prom noon yesterday to noon today.) u:lubnen. 54, at noon today. Year Lo ss't. 36, at 6 am. today. Year Record Temperatures This . Highest, 55. o-:r“"‘rn." l:."" Lowest, 7. on January 29. The Sun and Moen. 5. - 708 un, tomorrow 7 5:30 0am. 7:10 p.m. Automobile lights must be turned on one- half hour after sunset. Precipitation. Monthly precipitation in Capital (current month to Month. 1940 Average. Record, 915 AyEete Taee 327 884 ! 375 27 ay Rever 1 inches tn the | St. aster Humidity for Last 24 Hours. (From noon yesterday to noon today.) Highest, 81 per cent. at 7 a.m. today, Lowest, 41 per cent, at 4 p.m. yesterday. Tide Tables. (Purnished by United States Geodetic Survey.) Today. 8.4 Coast and Tomorrow. m. 317 am. 9:00 p.m. 3136 pm. Weather in Various Cities. Temp. _ Ratn- Stations. Bar. High. Low. fall Abilene 58 2 Albany _ Atlanta Atlan. City Baltimore Birm'gham : Bismarck_ 30. Boston __ Buffalo Charleston Chicago Cincinnati Cleveland - Columbia Denver 3 Detrojt __ 30. El Paso __ 30.12 Galveston_ 30. Hele: £ Huron Ind'napolis 2 Jacks'ville Kans. City 30.18 L. Angeles Louisville Miami Cloudy FOREIGN STATIONS. (7 a.m., Greenwich time, today.) 3 Temperature. Weather, Horts (Paydl), Azores._ 60 Cloudy (Current _observations.) San Juan. Puerto Rico. ;l ns, Cubs Colon, Canal Zone