Evening Star Newspaper, March 7, 1940, Page 1

Weather Forecast Increasing cloudiness tonight, followed by light snow and slightly colder tomor- row; lowest tonight about 32 degrees. Temperatures tday—Highest, 43, at 2 Established in 1852 Most people in Washington have The pm.; lowest, 34, at 6 From the United Full det Closing New York Ma es Weather Bureau report. s on Page A-2. a.m. rkets, Page 18. 88th YEAR. No. 35,009. WASHINGTON, ‘D. C, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 1940—FORTY-EIGHT PAGES. ‘WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION New Labor Relations Board Shorn of Prosecution Functions Urged in Smith Report to House Committee Minority Hits Proposals as ‘Emasculatory’ By J. A. FOX. Abolition of thes present Na- tional Labor Relations Board and replacement by a new three-man body shorn of prose- cution functions were proposed today in a series of sweeping amendments to the National Labor Relations Act offered by the Smith committee of the House, which for weeks has been studying the operations of the ‘Wagner Act. The incumbents could be reappointed to the board. The prosecution of unfair labor practices under the revamped setup would be vested in a new officer— an administrator—while the board would sit in a judicial capacity. The amendments, which, it was made clear by Committee Chairman Smith, Democrat, of Virginia, are designed to meet only the muost pressing needs disclosed by the in-- quiry, which is to be continued, pro- duced a split in the committee. Lining up with Mr. Smith in ad- vocacy were Representative Halleck of Indiana and Routzohn of Ohio, both Republicans; in opposition were Representatives Healey of Massa~ chusetts and Murdock of Utah, both Democrats, who protested against the amendments as “emasculatory” and threatening the “the principles, purposes and objectives of the act.” ‘The minority members said that the . changes “propose to sacrifice vital | rights of labor.” Referred to Labor Committee. The amendments were introduced | es the House convened, and were re- ferred immediately to the House Labor Committee, headed by Repre- | sentative Norton, Democrat, of New Jersey, which has been viewed as antagonistic to the Smith commit- tee. As soon as he introduced the amendments, Mr. Smith took the floor to announce that the commit- tee had disagreed and that “it is now up to Congress” whether to change the law. In explaining the amendments at an early-morning press conference, | Mr. Smith said that it was to be understood that they in no way | interfered with the right of labor to | collective bargaining, and that they were predicated on the assumption that company-dominated unions ‘were not to be recognized—the phi- losophy of the Wagner Act. One of the proposed amendments confers on employers the right to demand an election when there are two competing unions in the same bargaining unit, in order to de- termine which shall be recognized. At present, the granting of such‘; elections is optional with the board. Chairman Smith said no provision ‘was made for run-offs, but added to “bear in mind we have not finished + work.” The majority accepted in sub- stance a proposal of Lloyd K. Gar- rison, administration adviser in labor disputes, that the Labor Board be relieved of responsibility of set- tling disputes between the C. I. O.- A.F. L. | Explained by labor authorities as & move to take an employer “out of the middle” when two union fac- tions are fighting between them- selves, the requirement would be ‘that the factions would have to agree on what was an appropriate bargaining unit before either could request an election to determine which faction should represent the unit. Presumably, they would have to compromise. Circuit Court Review. Another important amendment would give circuit courts the power to review election cases—a right that recently was denied in a series of decisions by the Supreme Court, notably on the West Coast, where the C. I. O. was certified as the ex- clusive bargaining agency for long- shoremen at all ports over the pro- tests of the American Federation of Labor, which at present is starting a new action in District Court here, under the general jurisdiction of that tribunal. Under the machinery now advo- cated, the administrator would de- cide if a complaint of unfair labor practices justifies action, and so certify to the board. He then would prosecute the proceedings before a trial examiner, who, as now, would be under the supervision of the board. After the trial examiner had made his report, the board would decide the issues. Board Authority Limited. 'This judicial review, and the hold- Ing of elections, constitutes the en- tire authority of the board, Chair- man Smith said. Under the present act, charges of unfair labor practices go to the regional directors of the board for formal complaint to the board; now the charges would be filed either with the regional directors, who shift to the control of the admin- or to the administrator Appellate courts could not set aside verdicts of the board unless they were not supported by “sub- stantial” evidence, or were clearly erroneous. Chairman Smith said this language was borrowed from the Walter-Logan bill to circum- scribe the activities of administra- tive agencies which has been re- ) ported out by the House Judiciary Committee and is awaiting consid- eration by the House under a spe- cial rule, Subpoenas Made Mandatory. ‘The issuance of subpoenas for both sides in board proceedings also would become mandatory. The committee wrote in amend- ments which in two instances pro- vide for operation of a statute of limitations. First, it provided that ¢ Explanation of Amendments Labor Act Changes Recommended By House Investigating Committee The text of the explanation of amendments to the National Labor Relations Act recommended to Congress today by the spe- cial investigating committee follows: The amendments provide for the abolition of the pres- ent National Labor Relations Board and the creation of a new board of three members to be appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate. Not more than two of the members are to be members of the same political party. The new board is to have the same name as the present board. There are no restrictions placed on the power of the President to appoint the members of the present board to the new board. Separation of Prosecuting And Judicial Functions. The bill proposes to separate the prosecuting and judicial functions under the National Labor Relations Act by distributing the powers and duties under the act between the new board, which is to exercise the Jjudicial functions on the one hand, and a new officer, to be known as the administrator of the National Labor Relations Act, who is to ex- ercise the prosecuting functions on the other hand. The administrator is to be appointed by the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate, and is to have no connec- tion whatsoever with the board. The new board is given power to appoint employes necessary to the exercise of its judicial functions, and the ad- ministrator is given power to ap- point employes necessary to the ex- ercise of his prosecuting functions. Whereas under the present act charges of unfair labor practices are made to the regional directors of the board, and complaints based on those charges are issued by the board through the regional direc- tors, under the amendments recom- mended charges will be filed with the administrator or his regional director. All the preliminary inves- recommended« CHAIRMAN SMITH. | believe that the charges are true, | he, and not the board, will issue | the complaints. Under the present act, the time and place for aring is desig- ! (Continued on Giant Brifish Liner Reaches New York In Bold Voyage Queen Elizabeth s Sufe After Evading Threat Of Sub Attack By the Associated Press. NEW YORK, March 7.—With the | “red duster” union jack proudly flying at her mast, Britain’s new | $28,750,000 liner Queen Elizabeth— the largest, fastest ship afloat— arrived within the safety of New York Harbor waters today at the end of her bold dash 3,000 miles across the Atlantic. The Bluish-gray coat of the ves- sel, unrelieved by a single note of color, blended into the haze over the harbor. She looked like a ghost ship as she reached quarantine and dropped anchor. Having missed the morning slack tide, the Queen Elizabeth was to remain at quarantine until about 3 pm, to await a tide permitting her | to tie up at pier 90 at the foot of Fiftieth street. Moves Up Harbor Alone. Unidentified escort vessels, seen with her farther out, were dropped somewhere in the lower bay and the queen of the seas moved up the harbor alone—in solitary majesty. The first welcoming salutes came from a salvage and a press tug. The Queen Elizabeth responded with a throaty roar from her whistle and ran up the yellow quarantine flag. No guns were evident. Her life- boats, of which she did not carry a complete complement, were uncov- ered. Members of the crew and a number of stewards waved from the rails. As she reached Quarantine sev- eral planes, including a police am- phibian, soared overhead and nu- merous harbor craft circled around the vessel, which rode high in the water. Painted a drab gray, the 85,000~ ton liner passed Ambrose Lightship shortly after 9 am. and headed to- ward the narrows, past winter- deserted Coney Island, with the sky- line of New York 20 miles distant. A war-time fugitive, fleeing the | dangers of German bombing assaults in her Clyde River berth in Scot- land, the Queen Elizabeth success- fully evaded the threat of German undersea attack and triumphed in its risk of a mortal blow against British claims of supremacy of the sea. Planes Sight Liner. Planes flying out of New York first sighted the queen “looking like a dirty gray whale” off Fire Island, cutting up a mile-long wake as her giant engines turned up apparently close to her top speed of more than 32 knots. Only a few figures were seen on the decks, and from the planes there was no indication that the world’s largest ship even had a name painted on her gray-smudged prows. Not until a T. W. A. plane made & second circle over the Queen Eliza- beth did the ship even make her nationality known. On the second circle, crew members broke out the union jack and some of the crew waved. Black smoke belched from the Queen Elizabeth’s two slanted fun- nels as she suddenly straightened out from her previous zig-zag course and cut a direct line for New York (8ee LABOR BOARD, Page A-4) ) 4 (See QUEEN ELIZABETH, P§. A-3) German Air Raider Felled Off Scotland, Brifish Announce Air Minister Wood Asks Commons for More Money To Expand Air Force BULLETIN. LONDON, March 7 (#).—Two German warplanes fought with British pursuit planes off the east coast of England tonight. Onlookers saw one raider al- most collide with a British plane as the fight in the clouds began. In a few minutes a second raider with two British fighters in pur- suit appeared. Then came three more British planes and the two Germans “were driven out to sea,” the onlookers said. By the Associated Press. LONDON, March 7—The Royal Air force in a day of brisk activity at home and abroad today shot down a German air raider off Scot- land, announced the successful scouting of strategic German bases and cities during the night and went to the House of Commons for more money. : How much money is to be spent is a war secret—hidden behind a £100 ($400) “token” appropriation—but Sir Kingsley Wood, the air minister, said it involved “the greatest ex- penditure” of this kind in British history. He said the Royal Air Force had carried out more than 1,000 sorties into German territory by day and night in the six months of conflict. Northwest Reich Scouted. Royal Air Force planes were an- nounced to have scouted the Ger- man naval bases of Wilhelmshaven, Helgoland and Cuxhaven and most of the principal cities and ports of Northwest Germany last night. The air ministry said the planes drew anti-aircraft fire and great séarchlight activity, but all returned safely after covering an aggregate of 10,000 miles. It was the second suc- cessive night of such reconnaissance. | tigations in relation to charges ! | made will be carried out by the ad- | | ministrator, and if he has reason to | A-4, column 1) | Sweden Seeks Russo-Finnish Armistice- Red Terms Reported Given Helsinki in Ultimatum Form By the Assoclated Press. STOCKHOLM, March 7.—Sweden is seeking to arrange an armistice in the Russian-Finnish war, usually reliable sources said today, adding that Russian peace terms recently had been presented to Finland. The exact nature of the terms is" still the subject of speculation, but there were unconfirmed reports that Russia demanded surrender ot the Karelian Isthmus, Viipuri, Lake Ladoga and part of the far northern Petsamo area. An armistics, it was said, would be followed by further efforts to arrange a peace settlement. (Stockholm dispatches to Paris newspapers said the Russian peace terms were in the form of an ultimatum expiring at mid- night March 8-9. Russia’s de- mands were said to include sur- render of Hanko, naval port in Southeastern Finland, and the Hanko Peninsula.) Officials Are Silent. Official Swedish circles said they could neither deny nor confirm re- ports that Sweden had submitted peace terms from Joseph Stalin to the Helsinki government. One theory was that negotiations thus far had proceeded through the Russian Minister to Sweden, Mme. Alexandra Kollontary; the Finnish Minister here, Eljas Erkko, who is former Finnish foreign minister, and the Swedish foreign office. (Reports in well-informed quarters in Belgium assert that an armistice between Russia and Finland may be expected shortly, perhaps today, the Brussels cor- respondent of the Chicago Daily News cabled. (Directly behind this possibility is the fact that four days ago the British and French asked the Scandinavian countries for the right to pass troops to aid Fin- land, he said. This proposal so frightened the Scandinavians that they promptly encouraged truce pourparlers between Mos- cow and Helsinki, he added.) @he Foening Star Star delivered (@) Means %%k to their homes every evening and Sunday morning. Associated Press. THREE CENTS. The Same Sweetheart in Every Port | By JOHN C. HENRY. Speaking outright defiance {or two cabinet officers, Senator Wheeler, Democrat, of Montana emerged | from a conference with President | Roosevelt at the White House to- { lation for further co-ordination of all transportation systems would be enacted at this session. The Montanan is chairman of the | Senate Interstate Commerce Com- mittee and cosponsor of the Wheeler-Lea bill to effect certain transportation consolidations and Paasikivi Reported in Stockholm. Significance also was seen in re- ports that Dr. Juho Paasikivi, Fin- nish diplomat, is in Stockholm. He headed the Finnish delegation in un- successful pre-war negotiations at Moscow on Russian territorial de- mands which Finland found a threat to her independence. If peace negotiations actually are under way, Scandinavian political quarters assume that Berlin also is interested. There are unconfirmed reports even that the German Minister to Finland, Dr. Wipert von Bluecher, has conferred in Helsinki with a representative of the Finnish gen- eralissimo, Baron Carl Gustaf Man- nerheim, and Finnish government officials. Sweden’s interest in any peace negotiations is believed to have been prompted by the increasingly diffi- cult position of this country in view of her stated policy as regards pas- sage of foreign aid to Finland and new reports that Finland is con- sidering an appeal directly to the Western powers for military assist- ance. As for Germany, it has become the popular view that the Reich would be ready to intervene as soon as Russia gained some outstanding military success in Finland. Reported conversations in Berlin T (See PEACE, Page A-2. 18 Believed Lost On Dutch Freighter By the Associated Press. ROTTERDAM, the Netherlands, March 7—An empty life raft and some wreckage bearing the name Grutto found in the North Sea to- day were interpreted as mute evi- dence of the loss of the 920-ton Netherlands freighter Grutto with a crew of 18. Bulletin BUENOS AIRES, March 7 (#). —Police used tear gas today to disperse hundreds of persons seeking to gather around the government house of the pro- vincial government of Buenos Aires in La Plata as President Roberto Ortiz named a federal interventor, or emergency ad- ministrator, to rule the province. ‘The move came in a situation in which an armed revolt has been threatening. Page. Amusements. C-6| Radio. Comics.. C-10-11 Editorials.. A-10 Finance.__. A-17 Lost, Found. C-7 Obituary... A-12 Page. Foreign Reds suffer heavily crossing bay ice, say Finns. Page A-1 Sweden seeking armistice in Russo- Finn war. Page A-1 Welles sees Lebrun; confers with Daladier later. Page A-2 Rumania to throw all resources be- hind army, says Carol. PageA-13 Resumption of British trade talks urged in Italy. Page A-13 National ‘Wheeler defies cabinet officers on transportation bill. Pagé A-1 Senate to reconsider rejection of Hatch act amendment. Page A-1 Milder substitute census resolution reported agreed on, Page A-2 Stritegic value seen for U. S. in Atlantic islands. Page A-16 Washington and Vicinity Pire destroys main unit of Rockville High 8chool. Page A-1 " Summary of Today's Star . Ballou to confer with Randolph oh child labor bill. Page B-1' Deficiency sum sought for school in Southeast section. Page B-1 Airport building bids to be opened March 27. Page B-1 Auto driver sentenced to jail in traf- fic death case. Page B-1 Editorial and Comment This and That. Answers to Questions, Letters to The Star, David Lawrence, Alsop and Kintner, G. Gould Lincoln. Lemuel F', Parton. Constantine Brown. Page A-{O Page A-10 Page A-10 Page A-11 Page A-11 Page A-11 Page A-11 Page A-11 Miscellany After Dark. Service Orders. Of Hearts and Song. Nature’s Children. Bedtime Story. Cross-Word Puzzle. Letter-Out. Winning Contract. Uncle Ray's Corner., Page A-16 Page B-6 Page B-14 Page C-7 Page C-10 Page C-11 Page C-10 Page C-10 Page C-11 City News in Brief, Vital Statistics. Page C-12 PageD-12 N to bring waterway transport lines | day to predict that pending legis- | | under regulation of the Interstate Commerce Commission. Passed by | both Senate and House at the last session, the legislation has been un- der study of conferees for the last six weeks. Secretary of Agriculture Wallace and Secretary of War Woodring have both gone on record in opposi- | tion to numerous provisions of the measure, and it was their positions | which drew the fire of Chairman ‘Wheeler today. “We expect to get this bill through notwithstanding the opposition of (See ROOSEVELT, Page A-6) deurl Appeal Plan 'In New Hatch Bill To Be Reconsidered Recommittal Move Due, With Senate Reported Closely Divided BULLETIN. Supporters of the new Hatch bill made a last-minute conces- sion today in hopes of passing the bill when they accepted an amendment providing that a Federal agency could withhold from a State only twice the salary of a State employe who had vio- lated the politics ban. Earlier, the Senate approved, 48-36, the Danaher amendment to give State employes the right of court appeal. Meanwhile, Senator Hatch said “there is a good chance” his expansion bill might be pigeon- holed for this session. By J. & O'LEARY. The Senate today reconsidered its action of yesterday in rejecting a move to give State employes the right to a court appeal before they could be dismissed for political activity under the new Hatch bill. Meanwhile the Senate was re- ported to be closely divided on a mo- tion expected later in the day to send the entire bill back to commit- tee, which Senator Hatch, Democrat, of New Mexico, asserted today would be equivalent to killing the bill. The move to recommit will be the crucial vote, following failure of the bill's opponents late yesterday to pass an amendment which would leave both Federal and State em- ployes free to engage actively in political campaigns. The bill was saved yesterday by three votes, 44 to 41. If recommittal fails, the bill is likely to pass and go tothe House by evening, but supporters realized the effort to send the bill back to committee would not be easy to beat. Senator Norris, Independent, of Nebraska opposed the court appeal amendment, offered by Senator Danaher, Republican, of Connecticut as illogical. The Nebraskan said it would not be practical to allow the same right to all employes dropped from the Federal service, but de- clared if it is to be accorded these State workers paid in part from Federal funds, “it ought to apply to every body.” margin, the Sen- Allied Purchasers In Conferences Here By the Associated Press. An allied purchasing mission, re- ported to be considering expenditure of $1,000,000,000 for American air- planes, arranged to confer today with United States officials, including Secretary of the Treasury Morgen- thau, Mr. Morgenthau, who heads the President'’s Committee to Co-or- dinate Foreign and Domestic Air- plane Purchasing, said recently that formulation of plans for the big al- lied buying program awaited the mission’s arrival here. The allied group is headed by Ar- thur Purvis, chief of British-French purchasing in this country, and in- cludes Sir Henry Self, English air- plane buying expert. $250,000 Fire Burns Main Building of Rockville School 10 Companies Battle Flames for Six Hours; Two Wings Saved (Pictures on Page B-1.) A fire which broke out in the base- | ment destroyed the main 24-room | unit of Richard Montgomery High School, in nearby Rockville, Md., early today leaving 650 children without immediate facilities for | classwork. Ten volunteer companies after a six-hour fight managed to save| | two additions to the original struc- | | ture, a classroom unit built in 1925 and a combination gymnasium-au- ditorium erected in 1929. Only the walls of the main wing, constructed in 1903 and used to house the major portion of the student body, were left standing, however, after the blaze, discovered shortly before 3 o'clock, finally was brought under control. It was learned the entire building, including the two wings, saved, was insured for $143,000. Principal L. Fletcher Scott estimated, however, it would cost about $250,000 to re- place the destroyed section. 2 Records Destroyed. Records of the Board of Edu- cation for Montgomery County, which occupied a suite in the main building. were lost when firemen en- deavoring to save them were un- able to penetrate the dense smoke. Explosive chemicals in the labora- tory equipment and ammunition and other supplies belonging to Company F, 5th Regiment, Marine Corps Reserves, were stored in the two -units which were saved. Fearing an explosion which might cause even greater damage and injure fire fighters and spectators, volunteers took the chemicals, am- munition and other equipment to safety. In addition to a large quanity of ammunition, the supplies which the Wheeler Defies Two inC abinet;i Businessmen Ask Predicts Carrier Bill Passage Attacks Stand of Wallace and Woodring After Talk With President |Retention of D. C. Commissioners Board of Trade Does Not | Advocate Local Suffrage Colliflower Says BACKGROUND— Seal plan jor reorganization of District government contem- plates granting of increased pow- ers to District Commissioners, es- tablishment of Citizens’ Advisory Council appointed by them. Al- ternate Griffenhagen plan calls for city manager as administra- twe head of city, retention of Commissioners as local legisla- tive body. Reorganization hear- ings before House subcommittee began last week. By DON S. WARREN. Representatives of leading Wash- ington business groups today strongly urged continuation of the commission form of government for the District and lauded the ability and services of the present ci ! heads in a hearing before the Re- organizatfon Subcommittee of the House District Committee in the House Office Building. Heading a delegation of a half dozen spokesmen for the Board of Trade, the Merchants and Manufac- turers’ Association and other groups, James E. Colliflower, vice president of the Board of Trade, took direct | issue with criticisms which have been made of the administration of | the Commissioners. | He said: “We have found that the Commissioners are very able, honest and efficient. We are thoroughly satisfied with the commission form of government.” | Mr. Colliflower said the Board of | Trade was not an advocate of local | suffrage, although his association | had not prepared a formal state- | ment on that point. | Board to Meet Monday. | Mr. Colliflower reported that his group determined to throw its active support to the Commissioners at a meeting Monday night of its Board of Directors. He explained his group represented 4,000 business and pro- fessional men. Under questioning by Representa- setts, the witness said there was basis for “some” criticism against the Commissioners, that they were not “faultless,” but that the trade body was satisfied with the city's administration. Arthur J. Sundlun, president of the Merchants and Manufacturers Association, declared he had found the city government “very respon- sive” and “very efficient.” He said the commission form was “one of the best,” particularly for a city having the peculiar situation that Washington has. He agreed some changes in the municipal set- up might be desirable, and suggested a broadening of the powers of the Commissioners—so that Congress might be relieved of handling minor matters. Edward F. Colladay, Republican national committeeman for the Dis- trict, who could not be present, sent (See FIRE, Page A-12) (See REORGANIZATION, Pg. A-8.) By the Associated Press. NEW YORK, March 7—With tears in his eyes, Martin T. Manton, former presiding judge of the United States Circuit Court of Appeals, today started on his way to the pen- itentiary at Lewisburg, Pa., to be- gin a two-year sentence for sell- ing justice. E The trip by automobile with United States Marshal Leo Lowen- thal and Joseph Petrina, a deputy, started 18 minutes after he had walked into the Federal Court Building and to Marshal Lowen- thal’s office, his face cast in its cus- tomary scowl. Seven years ago Manton spoke at the corner stone laying of the building. He was a jurist whose opinions were highly respected and whose successful career had been pointed out to aspiring young law- yers, for he had come to the bench when he was only 36. Now he is going to Lewisburg where numerous men on whom he Manton, With Tears in Eyes, Leaves to Begin 2-Year Term The former jurist, who is ap- proaching 60, was convicted last June 3. Federal Judge Calvin Ches- nut of Maryland, who presided at the trial, said the case was with- out +precedence in 150 years of American jurisprudence. Manton fought with every avail- able means the charges of “peddling judicial favors"—specifically, ac- cepting “loans” of $664,000. While three of his co-defendants pleaded guilty, the former judge steadfastly maintained he was innocent. which his father paid the fine im- posed on him. ~ last week refused a review of his case. Convicted with Manton were George M. Spector, an insurance broker, who was sentenced to a year and a day and fined $5,000; John L. Lotsch, & minor Brooklyn politician tive Bates, Republican, of Massachu- | Manton’s son, David, yesterday provided the $10,000 check with ‘The United States Supreme Court and banker, one year and $1,000 fine, Forrest W. Davis, an account- ant,” suspended sentence, and Wil- once passed judgment have paid|liam J. their penalty for breaking the law. . Fallon, nine months and $5,000 fine. ’ Brown Urges Sunday Ban on Beer and Wine Would Permit Bar Patrons to Stand While Drinking BACKGROUND— The House District Committee ordered a subcommittee to in= vestigate the liquor situation in Washington after the " Alcoholic Beverage Control Board failed to issue two liquor licenses. The sub- committee has heard testimony on an “offer” of aid in getting a liquor license and that the board handles licenses by “rule of fear.” The District Committee Monday refused to halt the investigation. By JAMES E. CHINN. Prohibition of the sale of beer and wine on Sunday and return of the old-time saloon where a man can stand up and drink was advo- cated today by Maj. Ernest W. Brown, superintendent of police, principal witness before a special House committee investigating the District liquor situation. ‘The police chief also suggested that class A dealers—those that sell liquor by the bottle—be forced to close at 9 pm. instead of 13 midnight, and that drug stores sell- ing liquor be restricted to sales on prescriptions. When liquor was legalized after prohibition, Maj. Brown pointed out, drinking was restricted to those seated at tables in an effort to pre- | vent return of the old saloon evils. | Backward Step Seen. “It was a step backward,” he de- |clared. “When drinkers stand up | they can better feel when they ap- proach intoxication and others can better judge whether they are | drunk. After the restriction on the | number of bars prior to prohibition, the saloons were kept orderly and | enforcement was simpler than it is | now.” | Maj. Brown advocated the 9 |o'clock closing of stores that sell | liquor by the bottle on the ground such places cause the police depart- ‘ment “considerable concern” at late hours because of the receipts in | their cash registers. | “There is no particular reason | why these places should be kept open after 9 o'clock, except perhaps on Saturday night,” he declared. | Maj. Brown was particularly crite {ical of the so-called “combination stores”’—stores that sell liquor as & | sideline. He said such places offer a “temptation” to customers and also might “influence” the dealer to sell liquor on Sundays. “It's a bad combination,” he said. | “The temptation should be re- moved, and it would not inflict any ‘hardship on the public.” | Says Situation Not Improved. Maj. Brown indicated that places | in which liquor is sold by the drink | require more police attention than | any other establishments. “That’s where you get your drunks and sales to minors,” he said. The police chief proposed the re- turn of the old-time saloon in re- sponse to a request by Representa- tive Hunter, Democrat, of Ohio for a comparison of liquor conditions today with those in the pre-pro- hibition era. “The old-time saloon was regard- ed as a menace to society,” he de- | clared. “New conditions have not | improved the situation a bit. I i believe we had better observance of the law in the old days.” Closing Hours Discussed. Maj. Brown said he is opposed to the sale of beer and wine in hotels and restaurants on Sunday because “you can get just as drunk on beer and wine as on hard liquor.” He also declared it is “not good business” to allow hotels and restau- rants to open their bars for two hours from midnight Sunday until 2 am. Monday. “I would rater see the bars re- main open until 2 am. Sunday than to have them open at 12 o'clock Sunday night,” he added. (Existing law requires bars in hotels and res- taurants to close at midnight Satur- day, although they are allowed to remain open until 2 am. on other days.) Subsequently he "expressed the opinion there would not be much objection to a 2 a.m. Sunday closing of bars in hotels and restaurants. Mr. Hunter asked Maj. Brown if he would advocate 12 o'clock clos- ing of bars every night. He replied that personally he felt that 12 o'clock is the “proper time” for any liquor place to close, but pointed out that “We are living in a differ- ent age.” “Conditions have changed since the old days,” he declared. “Many people feel that 2 am. is not a late hour to be uj (See LIQUOR, P: Bulletin LOS ANGELES, March 7 (#).— Betsey Cushing Roosevelt today was granted a divorce from James Roosevelt, son of the President, Garnet-Patterson Students on WMAL Students of Garnet-Patterson Junior High will participate in 2 radio broadcast on poetry over WMAL at 4 p.m. today. The program is another in the series of educati features sponsored by The Star with the co-operation of the National Broadeasting Co. and the Board of Eduestion,