Evening Star Newspaper, April 4, 1940, Page 1

Weather Forecast Partly cloudy; slightly cooler tonight; minimum about 44 degrees; tomorrow fair; moderate west winds. tures today—Highest, lowest, 44, at 4 a.m. From the United States Weather Bureau report. Full details on Page A-2 Closing New York Markets, Page 22. Tempera- 69, at 1 pm.; 88th YEAR. No. 35,037. Chamberlain Is Confident 0f Victory Hitler ‘Missed Bus’ By Holding Attack, Premier Says i STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE of time factor in war increasing, says Eliot; Germans needed to finish Poles before allies could act. Page A-8 REYNAUD RULES OUT any “phoney” peace with Hitler; weap- on forged against Germany now to be used, he tells Americans. Page B-10 By the Associated Press. LONDON, April 4—Prime Min- ister Chamberlain declared today he was “ten times as confident” of vic- tory now as he was when the war began because Adolf Hitler “missed the bus” by failing to use the arms superiority Germany had at the start. The Prime Minister spoke before the Conservative Party Council. Afterward he announced that a secret session of the House of Com- mons would be arranged for next Thursday to debate the govern- ment’s economic warfare policies. ‘The only previous secret session dur- ing this war was December 13 and was followed—almost a month— later by the removal of Leslie Hore- Belisha as war secretary. Britain still is building up her strength, Mr. Chamberlain declared, while Germany is close to the limits of her strength. Mr. Chamberlain hinted at im- pending new measures to make the allies’ blockade of Germany escape- proof. | ou can take it from me,” he| said, “that one by one leaks anrd| loopholes are being stopped ard | that as the war goes on that stran- | gling effect will more and more | drain the lifeblood out of our en- | emy.” No Shortage of Food. | On the other hand, the Prime | Minister declared, there is no short- age of food in Britain. “If sometime later on we want to save shipping space for war mate- rials or if we want to restrict de- mands upon our foreign exchange we may have to do without some things that we have been used to, but we can stand a lot of curtail- ment yet without feeling any the worse for it,” he said. He said consideration for neutrals had hampered the allies’ blockade, but warned that “it cannot be ex- pected that we should allow Ges- many indefinitely to profit by our scrupulousness and to draw aid and comfort from neutrals who are not free agents and who knowr in their hearts, whatever they may say, that our victory spells freedom for them, whereas our defeat would doom them to slavery.” The recent British-French decla- ration of a closer alliance gave the | “pest assurance” that “we shall not | be cheated out of the fruits of vic- | tory and that the essential elements of European security will be avail- able to us when the war is over,” he told the council. “When we embarked upon this war,” he said, “I felt we should be bound to win it. After seven months of war, I feel 10 times as confident as I did at the begin- ning.” Never So United. The Prime Minister said he be- lieved that never before in all Great Britain’s history had the nation been “so completely united upon the broad aims of our policy and upon our determination to carry on this fight until we have achieved our purpose.” He praised the decision of the political parties to lay aside party strife as far as possible “in order to concentrate on winning the war.” “I do not claim that the gov- ernment should be exempt from criticism,” he declared, “but I do feel that as we are all agteed as to what we want out of this war, the government of the day is en- titled to claim general support for itsvwar policy.” Hitler's failure to “take advantage of his initial superiority and to make an endeavor to overwhelm us and France before we had time to make good our deficiencies,” he called a “yery extraordinary thing.” Full Strength Not Reached. “We must admit—I do admit— that we have not yet succeeded in so bringing work and workers together as to make full use of our existing manpower,” Mr. Chamberlain said. “That means we have not reached our full strength. We are making great efforts to do so.” 3 Of Germany's failure to strike hard at the beginning, Mr. Cham- berlain declared it might have been *“that Hitler thought that he might get away with what he had got without fighting for it or * * * that, after all, preparations were not suf- ficiently completed. * * *” The seven months of war, he said, have enabled the allies to “make good and remove our weaknesses, to consolidate and tune up every arm, offensive and defensive, and so enormously to add to our fighting strength that we can face the fu- ture with calm, whatever it brings.” He continued: “I would be the l‘jl!:t to :‘xsxdgrrt:u the enemy’s strength or leter- mination to use that strength with- out scruple and without mercy if he thinks he can do so without get- ting his blows returned with inter- est. ~1 say this, too—the very com- pleteness of his preparations has Jeft him little margin of strength to call upon.” The Prime Minister declared that Germany “has not any real friend in the world” and that leaks and Joopholes in Britain’s blockade of Germany are being mended. *QOur victory,” he declared, “spells freedom. “I ask you to bear in mind that this is a war of will and the will to conquer. I put my faith in the courage and tenacity of our race, which has never failed.” Creation of an undetsecretaryship in the Navy Department was to be provided in a departmental reorgan- ization bill scheduled for introduc- tion in the House today, it was dis- closed after a White House confer- ence between President Roosevelt and House naval advisers. The new official would outrank the Assistant Secretary, it was indicated. ‘Telling White House newsmen the President gave indorsement to the broad provisions of the legislation, Chairman Vinson and Representa- tive Darden of the House Naval Affairs Committee explained that it also would provide tor consolidation of two Navy bureaus into one new one and the vesting of departmental non-military industrisl responsibil- The Zy ening Star WASHINGTON, D. C, THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 1940—FIFTY-SIX PAGES, **#% Navy Reorganization Measure Provides Undersecretary Bureaus Also Consolidated in Bill Vinson Will Introduce in House ; ities in the hands of the Assistant Secretary of Navy. The consolidation, it was explained, will merge the present Bureau of Engineering and the Bureau of Construction and Repairs into s new unit designated the Bureau of Ships. Heading this division will be an admiral, Chairman Vinson said, with an administrative assistant. Duties of the proposed new Under- secretary's office would be delegated by the Secretary, Mr. Vinson con- tinued. Present responsibilities of the chief of naval operations would not be af- fected by the legislation, it was said. Mr. Vinson and Mr. Darden said a bill would be introduced this after- noon. ‘Gaps Still Remain In British Cabinet, Press Declares Skepticism Is Expressed On Chamberlain’s Ministerial Shifts By the Associated Press. LONDON, April 4—Hard-hitting Winston Churchill climbed into the driver’s seat of the British war ma- chine today with a big share of the job of winning public confidence in the government’s fighting qualities. A new shake-up in Prime Minister Chamberlain’s wartime cabinet puts the duties of chief war strategist on the shoulders of the First Lord of the Admiralty. Sir Samuel Hoare and Sir Kings- ley Wood traded places, becoming air minister and lord privy seal, re- spectively. The shake-up answered clamor to “fight the war,” but there still was skepticism whether the Prime Min- ister had succeeded in plugging all the gaps in the nation's fighting ef- forts. Press reaction to the new cabinet setup ranged from the Daily Herald's brickbat, “Futile,” to the Times’ more subtle comment that 4t “is not calculated, and perhaps was not in- tended, to arouse any great enthus- iasm.” For the most part the new cast is the same as the old, only in different roles, and in several- cases the changes were mere swaps. One car- toonist’ it as a game of musical chairs. with Mr. Chamberlin playing the tune. New Blood in Food Ministry. The only new blood in the minis- terial family is in the Food Ministry, where Lord Woolton, an industrialist experienced in government trade (See LONDON, Page A-4) Body of Gas Victim Found in Apartment A man identified as George H Miller, 50, of York, Pa., who had been living at 305 Maryland avenue NE. recently, was found dead to- day in an apartment in the 400 block of North Glebe road, Arling- ton, Va. The body was found in the kitchen. Arlington police said Mr. Miller was sitting on a table with his head slumped over a gas stove, with all the jets turned on. C. A. Nattania, an employe of the apartment project, smelled gas coming from the building and sum- moned the apartment manager, L. F. Kettell, who entered the apart- ment. The apartment was rented to a woman who works in Washington and who was summoned by police to identify Mr. Miller. She told police he was a Pennsylvania Rail- road brakeman who has been in ill health since January. Violinist Dies on Stage As Audience Applauds - By the Associated Press. SAN JOSE, Calif., April 4—Not until today ‘did members of a San Jose concert audience know they had applauded while life slipped away from Charles Hanson on the stage before them. Mr. Hanson, 78, a violinist, slumped from his chair after a heart attack as the Adult Center Orches- tra finished its first number last night. The curtain was lowered and Mr. Hanson’s body®was carried off stage. 3 - Then the curtain went up and the orchestra finished its program. Summary of Page. Page. Amuse- ments __C-4-5 Comics . C-10-11 Editorials _.A-12 Finance ___A-21 Lost, Found .C-7 Serial Story B-6 Sports ___.C-1-3 Woman’s Pg. C-6 Foreign . Gaps still remain in British cabinet, press holds. Page A-1 Victory is certain, Chamberlain believes. Page A-1 Vandenberg urges probe of “white paper” charges. Page A-2 Canada acclaims Athlone as gover- nor general. . Page A-2 Strategic importance of time factor in war increases. Page A-8 Wang aide denounces U. S. non- recognition policy. Péige A-1 Philippines discuss re-examination of independence. Page A-24 Reynaud rules out any ‘“phoney” peace with Hitler. Page B-10 National Ickes predicts Roosevelt sweep in Illinois primary. Page A-1 Another Communist cited for defy- ing Dies committee. Page A-1 Administration defeats another at- tack on trade program. Page A-1 A Onlario Official Cannot Move U. S. Policies, Says Hull Nye Terms Conant Talk Case of ‘Concentrated Propaganda’ The appeal of Ontario's attorney general, Gordon Conant, to Cana- dians ‘last night to press the United States to enter the war on the side of the allies can have no effect on the policies of this Government, Secretary of State Hull emphasized today. o Meanwhile, Senator Nye, Republi- can, of North Dakota characterized the Ontario official's speech as “concentrated propaganda,” and ex- pressed his sorrow that “Canadians would urge any step that would take the United States into a cause they themselves are somewhat dubious about.” Asked for comment at his press conference on Mr. Conant’s remarks, Mr. Hull said that no nondescript utterance of any individual or minor official abroad could have anything remotely to do with the policies of this Government. Then asked if he believed Mr. Conant's remarks were inspired by a recent pro-ally speech in Toronto by James H. R. Cromwell, United States Minister to Canada, Mr. Hull replied that he was satisfied that the kind of speech Mr. Conant made would not have been inspired by any one. Expanding his criticism of the Conant speech, Senator Nye said: “It is all very well to talk about democracy, liberty and freedom, but before the United States falls for that kind of talk again, it is going to see the cards laid on the table and have those terms defined. “There isn't a single challenge in the issues involved in the Euro- pean war that would merit a step by the United States that would mean the sacrifice of a single Amer- ican life. This is in keeping with the concentrated propaganda that is going to be directed at the United States from now on.” Senator Pepper, Democrat, of Florida said he thought Attorney General Conant was “just like any other fellow who is hard pressed in a fight—he’s hollering for help, and I don’t blame him.” Press U. S. to Enter War, Ontario Official Urges CANNINGTON, Ontario, April 4 (#).—The Ontario Attorney General, Gordon Conant, yesterday told an audience of farmers and business- men that it is Canada’s duty to “do everything within our power to en- list the active support of the United States in the cause of the allies.” Saying the ruccess of the allied cause “may be very doubtful” unless active particfpation of the United States is made effective at an early date, Mr. Conant declared: “No sacrifice on our part will be too great if that can be accom- plished. * * * “The allies need America. They need, and will be accorded, every support that this great northern part of the American continent can extend. But they need even more the moral and particularly the ma- terial resources of our great neigh- boring republic to the south. “If Canada can bring about the active participation of the United States of America in support of the allied cause, particularly at the pres- ent time, she may go down in history as the savior of democracy, of lib- erty, of freedom, of civilization it- self. Today’s Star Barkley says presidential order could limit spending. Page A-2 House factions muster forces for La- bor Act battle. Page A-3 Searchers find body of climber lost on Mount Hood. Page A-9 Washington and Vicinity Census listing here will not jeopar- dize vote elsewhere. Page A-1 Oehmann preparing list of fire rule violators. Page A-1 Editorial and Comment This and That. Answers to Questions, Letters to The Star. David Lawrence. Alsop and Kintner. G. Gould Lincoln. Jay Franklin, Constantine Brown. ‘Miscellany Bedtime Story. Cross-Word Puzzle. Page A-12 Page A-12 Page A-12 Page A-13 Page A-13 Page A-13 Page A-13 Page A-13 Uncle Ray’s Corner. After Dark, Vital Statistics. City News in Brief, Service Orders. Nature’s Childrea. A Trade Proposal 0f 0'Mahoney Beaten Down Amendment Called For Majority Vote Of Both Houses BULLETIN. ‘The Senate this aftérnoon re- Jected, 46 to 3¢, a proposal by Senator Adams, Democrat, of Colorado, to require approval of trade agreements by a simple majority of the Senate. By J. A. O'LEARY. For the second time in a week, administration forces today defeated a major attack on the reciprocal trade agreement program, beating the O’'Mahoney amendment to re- quire future trade pacts to be ap- proved by a majority vote of the House and Senate. The vote was 44 to 38. The roll call showed supporters of the program in a stronger position than when they blocked the Pittman amendment last week, 44 to 41. That amendment would have classed trade agreements as treaties, requir- ing ratification by a two-thirds vote of the Senate. After today's victory, friends of the program were confident of passing late this evening or tomor- row the resolution continuing for three years the authority of the President and Secretary of State to enter into further agreements to stimulate American foreign com- merce by mutual concessions with other nations. Under the original act there are 22 agreements now in effect. Opposed by Coalition. As in the case of the Pittman amendment, the alternative plan of Senator O'Mahoney. Democrat, of Wyoming was supported by a coali- tion of Republicans and Western Democrats. Just before the vote Senator Brown, Democrat, of Michigan re- vealed he has been quietly endeav- oring to induce the administration to agree to some compromise that would meet the opposition of “the 16 or 17" Western Democrats op- posed to continuation of the ad- ministration’s present authority without restriction, He said, how- ever, he had not been successtul and had reached the conclusion the O'Mahoney amendment would create practical difficulties in seeking to carry on the program. For tnat reason, he said, he had decided to appose it. Senator Brown was & White House visitor earlier today. President Has Power. As the law nhow stands, and as the pending resolution would con- tinue it, the President and Secre- tary of State Hull are empowered to negotiate and put trade agree- ments into effect without submis- sion to Congress. In the debate late yesterday Sen- ator Walsh urged Senators who have been willing to delegate this author- 1ty to President Roosevelt and Mr. Hull to remember that they do not know who will be in the White House after next January. He ar- gued, therefore, that the trade agreement power is to be delegated for a period of two years and six months to an unknown executive. Answering the Walsh speech, Sen- ator Clark, Democrat, of Missouri, declared that those who favor the trade agreement program in prin- ciple and at the same time sup- port the O'Mahoney amendment “are trying to ride two horses going in opposite directions.” Sees Nullification Resulting. To require majority approval of both houses would nullify the trade agreement program as effectively as would the Pittman amendment, Senator Clark argued. Whenever a trade agreement was submitted to the House and Senate for ratification, the Missourian con- tinued, “it would degenerate into a general tariff bill, with all the old log-rollng methods.” Senator O'Mahoney spoke at length in support of his amendment earlier in the day. He declared that even if the day. He declared that even if the members of this Congress are willing to delegate the authority to the President, they should not dele- gate it for the men who may suc- ceed them following this year’s elec- tions. Senator O'Mahoney raised a ques- tion as to Europe's capacity to.buy American goods after the present war is over, and suggested that this country’s task should be to build up & home market for American goods. The bituminous coal industry has 8 twofold interest in the develop- ment of foreign trade through the reciprocal trade agreements pro- gram, Secretary of State Hull in- formed Representative Randolph, Democrat, of West Virginia today. In a letter to Mr. Randolph the Secretary pointed out that the coal industry received benefits from in- creased exports under the program and even greater indirect benefils from Improved business’ generally which stimulated use of coal in do- mestic industries. He added that the coal indus- try “has no real cause for con- cern” ‘about concessions made on lmporuh tion of crude oil from Vene- zuela. - —— Boating and Fishing A full page of boating and fishing news will be carried each Friday, starting tomorrow in The Evening Star. Maleolm Lamborne will write about ac- tivities afloat end George Huber will keep the fisherman in- formed as to where the fish are biting and who is eatching them. “To keep-abreast of the news in these fields read. The Evening Star — s S i Joiner Zeidler, Victor In Milwaukee, Finds Eloquence Pays Popular Young Attorney Defeats Mayor Hoan, Socialist Veteran By G. GOULD LINCOLN, 8tar Staft Correspondent. MILWAUKEE, April 4.—Mil- waukee Is still rubbing its eyes in surprise over the defeat of Mayor | Daniel Webster Hoan by 32-year-old Carl F. Zeidler. For 24 years the Socialist Hoan— he was 35 years old when first elected—has been in the Mayor's office. He appeared to be unbeatable. Yet on Tuesday he went down be- fore Mr Zeidler, who ran on a non- partisan ticket, although he is re- puted to be a Republican. Mr. Zeid- ler is dubbed Milwaukee’s number one extrovert. Since he left Mar- quette Law School and took up practice here, he has talked and sung and joined every known kind of until he has friends and acquaintances in the thousands. Last January Mr. Zeidler resigned as an assistant city attorney to make the race for Mayor. Some of his friends tried to tell the young man that he would have no chance against the veteran Hoan, the un- beatable. But nothing would stop Mr. Zeidler. “I convinced myself,” he said immediately after he was elected, “that I could carry on a crusade for better government in the city of Milwaukee and in America. I learned a lot about the way things go on in the city hall while I was assistant city attorney. I wanted to help free the people of Milwaukee from the shackles of Socialism.” Supporter of the La Follettes. “The shackles” imposed by Mayor Hoan do not appear to have been very heavy, for he is credited with having given the city a good govern- ment. However, the people of Mil- waukee turned him out—and some of the conservatives were glad of the chance. Mayor Hoan was always a supporter of the senior Senator Robert M. La Follette, and in more recent years he nas gone down the line for the present Senator, Bob, and generally supported the Pro- gressives in their State-wide con- tests. In some quarters Mayor Hoan's defeat was interpreted as a bad omen for the La Follette Progres- sives in the fall elections. Milwaukee has for years been a radical city— now it has gone conservative—and the radicals are shaking their heads. Mr. Zeidler several years ago be- gan the crusade which landed him in the mayoralty Tuesday. Maybe it was just part of a general program to get Mr. Zeidler known to the people of his home city. Anyway, it was effective. He spoke night after night, making as many as 300 (See ZEIDLER, Page A-4) Afternoon Circulation The Star’s circulation in the afternoon (omitting fore- noon editions) is greater than that of the afternoon editions of the two other papers com- bined. Yesterday’s Advertising (Local Display) The Evening Star. 2nd Newspaper._ 3rd Newspaper. 4th Newspaper. Yesterday’s Circulation The Evening Star Wed., April 3, 1840__"_*158,201 Wed., April 5, 1939____*]54,156 Increase _ 4,045 *Returns from newsstands not deducted and no samples included. Telephone National §000 and have the regular edition of The Evening Star and . The Sunday Star delivered to. your home at 75 cents per month or the Night Final and Sunday Btar at 85 cents. Lines. 31,947 LIRS L L/ il .y Census Takers Find ‘Phonies’ On the Job By the Associated Press. CINCINNATI, April 4—“Census enumerators” who collected 3 cents from each person contacted were at work here today. Census Supervisor Joseph Timber- man said two of his workers en- countered difficulty in their dis- tricts when residents reported they “already answered” questions per- taining to the count and had paid the questioners at the rate of 3 cents for each member of the house- hold. Bona-fide workers are paid 4 cents per head—by the Government. Communist Defies Dies Commitiee and Is Cited for Contempt Policeman Escorts Him From Room After He Refuses Answers By the Associated Press. The Dies committee met defiance today from another Communist party leader, Philip Frankfeld of Boston, and voted to cite him for contempt in an uproarious session from which Frankfeld said he was ejected by Capitol police. The Boston Communist, executive secretary of thé Communist party in New England, refused to answer a single committee question unless he was given permission to read a resolution which he said 10,000 citi- zens of Massachusetts had adopted in the Boston Area last Sunday. “I will not answer a single ques- tion until you listen to the voice of the American people,” the chubby Communist official shouted, his black eyes flashing. Chairman Dies of the investiga- tion group refused permission to read the resolution, and Frankfeld roared: “Do you mean to silence the voices of 10,000 Americans?” Witness Then Cited for Contempt. Mr. Dies banged for order, re- buked the witness for making such statements, turned to committee members for a moment and then announced the contempt citation. “The American people will issue & writ of habeas corpus against you,” Frankfeld shouted as Repre- sentative Dies ordered him from the witness stand. ‘The pudgy Communist turned to the press table nearby and hastily distributed copies of the resolution he had tried to read. Some one in the audience shouted: “Put him out of here, the dirty rat!” Frankfeld walked from the room with a Capitol policeman. Smiling broadly outside, he told reporters he had been “thrown out.” Representative Dies denied that he had ordered the witness ejected. Miss Anne Burlak of Boston, ad- ministrative secretary of the Com- munist party in New England, fol- lowed Frankfeld on the stand. Frankfeld was the fourth Com- (See UN-AMERICAN, Page A-6) ‘From Press to Home Within the Hour’ Most people in Washington have The Star delivered to their homes every evening and Sunday morning. () Means A THREE CENTS. Roosevelt Will Sweep Ilfinois, 8 fo 1, Ickes Predicts Garner Spokesmen ‘Irresponsible,” He Says; Refuses Compromise By NELSON M. SHEPARD. Secretary of the Interior Ickes predicted today that President Roosevelt will win a sweeping vic- tory next Tuesday in the Illinois Democratic primary, basing his pre- diction on the strength of the third term movement as indicated in re- turns from Wisconsin. “The vote in Wisconsin is nothing compared to what will happen in Illinois,” he remarked at a press conference. “I predict the Roose- velt ticket will get better than an 8-to-1 vote in the Illinois primary.” By implication, at least, Mr. Ickes contended that House Majority Leader Rayburn and Vice President Garner should clarify claims made after the Wisconsin primary that a vote for Mr. Garner in the primaries would mean a vote for the Repub- wmmn in the presidential el Calls Spokesmen “Irresponsible.” The claim of E. D. Germany and Mrs. Clara Driscoll, Texas co-chair- men of the Garner-for-President Committee, that “the third-term is- sue is now dead” was based, Mr. Ickes said, on the assumption that the combined Garner and Repub- lican votes in Wisconsin outnum- bered the Roosevelt votes. “I don't think they talk Jike the majority leader of the House and the majority leader in the Senate,” Mr. Ickes added. “It is just as logical to say that every vote for Senator Vandenberg will be a vote for Roosevelt and that isn’t true. I don’t think these irresponsible spokesmen—and I say irresponsible advisedly—really rep- resent the feelings and views of the majority leader of the House and the majority leader in the Senate.” Sees Managers Out of Line. Secretary Ickes said he velieved Mr. Garner’s candidacy was based on the assumption that the cteople should elect a party candidate. He added: “I don't think Mr. Garner hss changed from that view,” though some of his managers seem to have gotten out of line.” Secretary Ickes said he did not expect to engage in any activity during the campaign nor would he go into any State in which there was a party contest. Commenting on the large vote polled by Thomas E. Dewey in the Republican primary in Wisconsin and New York, Secretary Ickes con- tended, “If I were Mr. Roosevelt I would want Mr. Dewey to be the G. O. P. candidate.” He declared, however, he believed that Mr. Dewey is stronger now than he will be a month hence. Won’t Talk Compromise. Secretary Ickes indicated he was unwilling to espouse any ‘compro- mise” candidate such as Senator Burton K. Wheeler of Montana. “I have only one candidate,” he said in referring to the President. “You don’t talk of compromise un- less there is a deadlock.” President Roosevelt and all Gov- ernment employes in Washington, with the exception of members of Congress, are being enumerated in the 19040 census as residents of ‘Washington, even though they may vote elsewhere, Garnett R. Brown, area manager for this city, disclosed today. Mr. Brown said many had raised the question as to whether they. might jeopardize their voté back home, but declared that none had refused to be counted here. From Mr. Broyn and from census headquarters came assurances that listing as Washington would not deprive them of their vote. Members of Congress, however, were held to be residents of their home towns for census purposes. Bill Befere Committee. ‘When a voter from another State is counted here, however, his home congressional district loses one resi- dent. The original purpose of the census A residents U. S. Workers Counted Here Won't Lose Yote in States was te apportion the country into congressional districts to determine the number of members of the House. The House Census Committee is considering a reapportionment bill on the basis of the 1940 census. Census Bureau officials voiced the opinion that the count here would have little effect in the reapportion- ment. Officials said the census was pro- ceeding swiftly, with between 45,000 and 50,000 persons being counted here and about 15,000,000 through- out the country in the first two days. Statemenf Issued. In explaining why Government employes, and others even in private employment here, are being listed in the Washington census, without loss of their vote at home, the Census Bureau issued this statement: “In taking the census, each person is enumerated as a resident of the city in which he ususlly sleeps, while (836 CENBUB, Page A-3) | ] [ 'Fire Hazards’ List Prepared By Ochmann Balks at Term of ‘Traps’; Owners to Get Final Warning Building Inspector John W. Oeh- mann announced today he was pre- paring a list of all properties in the District which are not in compliance with fire protection rules, and that he would send a final warning to the owners demanding corrective action. Col. Oehmann, however, said em- phatieally that he would not make up a list of “fire traps” under that definition, as requested by Repre- sentative Schulte, Democrat. of In- diana, chairman of the Police and Fire Subcommittee of the House District Committee. “I am not foolish enough to call 100 or more buildings ‘fire traps.’” said Col. Oehmann. “I would be laying myself open to all sorts of damage actions and I might be doing an injustice to some owners or tenants. I am making up a list of the owners of buildings which we have found to be in violation of building and fire regulations. Some of these may be correctly termed ‘fire traps’ but probably not any- where near all of them.” Transfer of Work Urged. Meanwhile,. Acting Engineer Com- missioner Patrick H. Tansey called on the District Fire Investigation Board to consider the advisability of a transfer of the administration of the District’s fire escape laws from the building inspector to the Fire Department. One engineer department official said this appeared a good move since Col. Oehmann has but two fire inspectors on his staff who now are required to act on the reports of 20 inspectors in the Fire De- partment. It was argued that there is not only some duplication of work here, but that it was impossible for two men to keep pace with 20. The Fire Investigation Board, headed by Capt. John L. Person, an Assistant - Engineer Commissioner, was to meet again this afternoon to consider reports on the disastrous fire in the apartment building at 2131 O street N.W. last Monday. Lists Ideas Being Considered. Maj. Tansey today revealed a long list of suggestions which he said the special investigation group was con- sidering, which indicated the com- prehensive scope of the probe. In addition to determining the causes of the White Court Apartment fire, the board also was surveying these other ideas: To fix responsibility for that dis- aster. To determine if the building code was violated. To determine if the code was faulty or if inspection was inefficient or deficient because of lack of an adequate inspection force. To determine what changes in the code could be made to prevent re- currence of such a disaster. To determine what steps the Com- missioners can take without addi- tiona) legislation to prevent similar catastrophes in the future. To determine ways and means of speeding up Police Court action in vioiations of the Fire Escape Act. Legislitive Needs. To determine what legislation, if any, is necessary to prevent recur- rences of such fires. To determine the cost of a survey to find out how many similar build- ings exist in Washington and where they are located. To consider whether licenses should be required of rooming and boarding houses under the District's License Act, and whether more in- spections, more men and more money are needed. To consider whether the fire es- cape law should be strengthened to make more possible an action to en- join the use of premises when own- ers refuse to comply with fire-escape orders. In this connection, Corpora= tion Counsel Elwood H. Seal yester- day suggested legislation to permit the padlocking of such buildings. To determine the practicability of connecting house fire alarm sys- tems in apartments and hotels with the District fire alarm system. To consider legislation to require fire alarm systems in places of pub- lic assembly in addition to the- aters, where they now are required. ‘To determine whether legislation should be sought to require instal- lation of automatic sprinkler sys- tems in the basements of apartment houses, and ‘To determine whether legislation is needed requiring two or more means of exit for every apartment. Bulletin Work Projects Commissioner Harrington asked a House Ap- propriations subcommittee today to recommend an appropriation of $885,000,000 to finance W. P. A. for the fiscal year starting July 1. i (Earlier Story on Page A-2) e — Terrell Students On Station WMAL A trip through Mexico over the Pan-American Highway will be dramatized this afternoon at 4 o'clock over Station WMAL by students of Terrell Junior High School. Taking part in the program will be members of the Spanish classes and the school’s glee club. The broadcast is one of a series of educational features sponsored by The Star with the co-operation of the Board of Education and of the National Broadcasting Co.