Evening Star Newspaper, April 21, 1940, Page 17

General News New Peace Plan Expected fo Save Symphony Union Accepts Formula And Board Will Act Tomorrow A swift end to the impasse be- tween musicians of the National Symphony Orchestra and its board of directors, which had caused the management to drop plans for next season, appeared in the offing last night. It remained only for the board to accept a formula, to which the Musicians’ Protective Union agreed at a meeting yesterday, for the | whole difficulty to be settled and the life of the orchestra preserved. The board will take up the for- mula tomorrow, and Dr. John R. Steelman, director of conciliation | for the Labor Department, who, en- gineering the negotiations for a set-| tlement, predicted that the pro- | The Sundy Stae WASHINGTON, D. C, APRIL 21, 1940, * THOSE LITTLE DROPS OF WATER GOT TO GETHER — The -rain which has been spoiling ball games and mothers’ dispositions here for more than a week has brought the threat of floods. This is the old Bolling Field, with water up to its hangars from the nearby river. Pposal would ‘be accepted. Further weight to favorable ac- | tion on the plan was added when | it was recalled that the formula was | worked out at a joint conference | between committees from the union | and the management, so that the directors presumably were ready to | hegotiate on that basis. Sliding Pay Scale Reported. While the formula was not made public pending action by the m-{ chestra Association, it was under- stood to contain a sliding scale of pay, depending on the length of the season. A two-year contract was another clause reported to be in- cluded. | Yesterday’s meeting at the union | hall, 1105 Sixteenth street Nw, | lasting nearly four hours, was at- of the Philadelphia Orchestra Asso- ! ciation, who volunteered his services | in an effort to preserve the National | Symphony. At the close of the long meeting, union officials referred all inquiries to Dr. Steelman. He said: “The formula worked out by our Joint committee last Tuesday has been agreed to at a meeting of the membership of the orchestra, and | it was submitted today to the as- | sociation to be acted upon at a meeting Monday. 1 “I believe the action will be fav-\ orable.” Gives Rosenbaum Credit. Dr. Steelman said both parties to the negotiations and the conciliation service of Labor Department gave | chief credit for the proposed settle- | ment to Mr. Rosenbaum. The exe- cutive of the famous Philadelphia | Orchestra, Dr. Steelman added, “has | been of invaluable service to all of | us.” Mr. Rosenbaum served as ad-| viser to Dr. Steelman at that offi- | cial’s request. | Dr. Steelman admitted he had | been in constant touch with both | sides since a ray of light appeared | on a dark horizon at the conference | last Tuesday. i That meeting was attended by Mr. Rosenbaum, Dr. Steelman, A. C.| Hayden, president of the union; Paul J. Swartz, business manger of | the union; Bob Gatz, a union board member; L. Corrin Strong, president | of the Orchestra Association; Wal- | ter B. Howe, vice president; C. C.| Cappel, orchestra manager, and | Frederick Spaulding, chairman of the financial campaigp. Entirely Different Plan. At the close of the joint confer- ence Mr. Hayden, the union’s presi- | dent, remarked that it was entirely | different from any other plan which | had been discussed. Negotiations between the musi- | cians and the management over | wages broke down during the pres- ent season, and it appeared that no compromise could be reached. The directors had abandoned further plans for the orchestra when Dr. Steelman and Mr. Rosenbaum stepped into the picture. They found | both sides co-operative, however, and eager to settle the controversy if some plan could be worked out. Last Sunday Dr. Hans Kindler di- rected the orchestra in the closing concert of the season—a concert that might well have béen the or- | chestra’s swan song—and the all- request program, modified somewhat | to suit the mood of the occasion, | brought the conductor and his play- | ers an ovation. First Municipal Center Unit| To Be Ready by End of Year| ‘The first unit of the Municipal“ Center, the East Building, will not | be ready for occupancy before the| end of this year, it was revealed | yesterday at the District Building, | when the Commissioners granted an ‘ extension of time, for 155 days from June 30, for completion of the project. Among major agencies which are| to be housed in the East Building | are the Police, Fire, Traffic and Health Departments and a number of agencies now housed in old struc- tures in scattered buildings, some of them in the site for the West Build- ing of the Municipal Center. ‘The general contractor on the East Building is the D M. W. Con- struction Co. of Brooklyn, N. Y. De- lays in various preliminary phases of the project were given as reasons for the extension of time. The proj- ect is included in the District’s P. W. A program, with a total authorization of $5700,000 for the Center, and while all such works are supposed to be completed by June 30, there are saving clauses permitting extensions for justifiable causes. The East Building now is expected to be completed about November 15; but furnishing the structure and moving office pieces will consume several weeks. The contract cost of the superstructure of the build- ing is some $3,574,000. Some 500 workmen now are employed on the project. Card Party Planned The Park and Playgrounds Com- mittee of Brentwood, Md., will hold 8 card party tomorrow night at the firehouse on Henry street, Brent- wood., | the | delay to built the Scott Circle pro- | followed later by changes at Dupont | street traffic and to create a long { for the city refuse division. .| of the Virginia Society of Osteo- D. C. Heads o Urge Senators fo Restore Underpass Fund Scott Circle Work and Other Increases to Be Asked Tomorrow Restoration of authority to proceed with plans for a traffic underpass at Scott Circle, and small increases for various municipal departments, will at 10 am. tomorrow on the $48,- 276,717 District supply bill for the next fiscal year. Even if all of the items to be asked by the city heads are restored, the total will be only $633859, or about half the amount the House cut from the budget estimates. | The subcommittee headed by Sen- | ator Overton of Louisiana is expect- ed to devote the first few days to hearing District officials explain the items they believe should be re- stored, after which spokesmen for civic groups will be heard. As the bill passed the House it was estimated the District may have an $800,000 deficit at the end of the coming year, a prospect which leaves the Senate little leeway for consideration of any substantial | new projects. $336,489 for General Fund. Of the $633,859 restoration Com- missioners are seeking “only the $336,489 is for purposes chargeahle to ‘the general fund--the fund in which the deficit may occur. The | highway and water department items are financed separately out of gaso- line taxes and water rents, and are | not affected by the deficit problem. If all general fund increases are granted, therefore, the deficit might exceed $1,000,000, depending some- what on the ultimate yield from the new income tax. Figures avail- able thus far do not measure up to the advance estimate that the city would get $3200000 a year from the corporate and individual in- come levies. The only specific amount being requested for the Scott Circle underpass is authority to use $15,000 | to prepare plans. Upon completioni of the plans, however, the Commis- | sioners would submit them to the Public Roads Administration for construction as a Federal-aid proj- ect, and under that heading the Dis- trict would have money in its high- | way fund to meet the local ‘share. The new underpass is expected to cost $400,000. Dupont Circle Next. The Commissioners have informed Senator Overton that the increase in traffic congestion at Scott Circle since the opening of an underpass at Thomas Circle was expected by District officials. They informed the Senator the logical course is to proceed without Ject, and added that this would be Circle At Scott Circle the Commissioners propose to underpass Sixteenth oval with channels and direction islands to make the remaining inter- section of Massachusetts and Rhode Island avenues a simple intersection east and west of the present circle. The Senator was told that the Scott Monument would remain the central feature, and the other monuments would be relocated at each end of the large plaza area. \ $75,000 for Incinerator Site. The city heads also will ask for restoration of $75,000 to acquire a site for an additional incinerator Under the heading of the Free Public Library, the Commissioners will ask for an $8,000 increase in the item for books and periodicals, the addition of $2,500 to the book- binding fund and minor changes for maintenance. Restoration of a variety of com- paratively small House cuts in school estimates will be asked for by the Commissioners. * . All indications are the Senate sub- committee will not change the $6,~ 000,000 lump-sum figure as the Fed- eral payment, since the House has agreed to that amount for another year. On the eve of the hearings, Dis- trict Budget Officer Daniel J. Don- ovan was confined to his home yes- terday with an attack of bronchitis. It is not likely he will be able to attend the hearings, but will be rep- resented by Willlam Wilding, who has assisted him in the preparation of estimates for a number of years. Dr. F. D. Swope Nominated Dr. Felix D. Swope of Alexandria was nominated for the presidency pathic Physicians and Surgeons in 1941 at the annual convention in Richmond yesterday. The society re-elected all of its principal officers, headed by Dr. C. P. Dickerman, Staunton, president, the Associa Press reported. The picnic grounds were abandoned to the catfish and the ducks yesterday. This is how the area around Pierce Mill looked when Rock Creek went out of Cold W?II Not Harm Flowers And Greenery, Expert Says Double Cherry Trees to Be in Bloom At Hains Point by End of Week Washington’s display of flowers and greenery in the city’s parks should lose nothing in color ‘or. beauty this year because of the rainy, cold weather. The winds have scattered the petals of the single-bloom cherry trees about the Tidal Basin, but the | double-bloom trees around Hains| Point give promise of an early blos- soming. Starting this week, hardly a day will go by when there will not be | some new botanical attraction in the parks. Trees, shrubs and flow- ers already are making their annual | spring bows. Before the end of the week George Harding, horticulture and mainte- nance chief of the Office of National Capital Parks, said yesterday the double-blossom cherry trees are scheduled to bloom along Riverside drive from the Lincoln Memorial and around Hains Point. Even to- day, he said, despite recent cloudy skies, the narcissus beds are in full bloom from Eighteenth to Twenty- first street on Pennsylvania avenue, at the Palisades Park fieldhouse, in Franklin Park, Chevy Chase Circle and in the White House Grounds. Dogwood in Early May. By next Sunday the pansy beds | in West Potomac Park should be in full bloom, 35000 plants bearing 175,000 flowers, the parks office esti- mates. Shortly after that and into the first part of May will come the dogwood displays throughout the park system. The dogwod trees may Qe seen at their best starting around May 1 in Rock Creek Park, Frank- lin Park and along the Mount Ver- non Memorial highway and near the District War Memorial. With the dogwood will bloom the red- buds or Judas trees. Not long after this the rhododen- dron and azalea in Meridian Hill Park and the laurel in Fort Bunker Hill and Rock Creek Parks will be- gin to show signs of blooming and throughout May the crabapples in Anacostia Park are expected to be a sight worth seeing, Mr. Harding said. Roses in June. During the first part of June, 4,552 rose bushes of 56 varieties will be in bloom in the rose garden in West Potomac Park. Many varieties of water lilies will begin to make their appearance at the Kenilworth (formerly Shaw) Lily Gardens starting in June and continuing into the summer months. Many other lesser horticultural at- tractions will also meet the eye throughout the parks. Starting about May 1 nature lovers will be able to find Jacks-in-the- pulpit, bloodroot, wild geranium, May apples, Virginia cowslip, Dutch- man’s breeches, meadow buttercups and other wild flowers in large quan- tities. Already many varieties of violets are making a showing. Best Places to Look. According to Donald E. McHenry, National Capital Parks naturalist, the Jacks-in-the-pulpit may be seen best in upper Rock Creek Park, lower Fort Dupont Park and along Cabin John Run in Maryland. In these same localities also will be found the best bloodroot, wild geran= ium, May apple blooms. Best dis- play of Virginia cowslip and Dutch- man’s breeches, Mr. McHenry said yesterday, will be along Rock Creek just below the District line and the best buttercups will be in the field Immediately northeast of the inter- section of Ross and Ridge drives in Rock Creek Park. About the second week in May wild cherry, black locust and catal- pa (Indian cigar) blooms may be seen throughout all wooded areas, Mr. McHenry said. In June come the wild hydrangeas in upper Rock Creek Park, lower Fort Dupont Park and along Cabin John Run. A tree familiar to all is the horse chest- nut, which should be in bloom par- ticularly at the Washington Monu- ment Grounds and at Logan Circle within a week. Committee Will Promote Latin American Travel James W. ‘Young, director of the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commierce, announced yegterday the formation of a permanent commit- tee, headed by John W. Chapman, vice president of the Grace Lines, to promote travel between the United States and Latin America. Appointment of the committee is an outgrowth of ‘a series of confer- ences called by Secretary Hopkins in the last four months to increase trade and travel between the United States and Latin America. As one of its principal objectives. the committee will seek to reduce obstacles to tourist travel from the United States, such as the numer- ous visas, health certificates and po- lice permits required for admission to many Latin American countries. The committee also will co-operate with the Bureau of Foreign and Do- mestic Commerce in ‘distributing travel promotion literature. Old Teheran, Iran, is awakening and will have a new water system. A $10,000 Damage Suit Filed by Ex-Tenant A $10,000 damage suit was filed in District Court yesterday by a former tenant in the White Court Apart- ment, 2131 O street N.W., scene of 3 disastrous fire April 1. The action was taken by Irwinv W. Silverman, now residing at 4024 Cal- vert street N:W., who named as de- fendants the District National Se- curities Corp., H. G. Smithy Co. ahd Building Inspector John W. Oeh- mann. 2 The suit, filed through Attorney J. 8. Guthman, stated the Securities corporatioh was owner and proprie- tor of the apartment and Smithy Co. was the agent in charge of operation, control and management of the premises. Trial by jury ‘Was-demanded. Byrd, Glass Indorsed ‘WINCHESTER, Va., April 20 (#.— ‘Winchester De::cuu 1':‘ & mass meeting today indorsed records of Senators Byrd and Glass and Representative Robertsor. - A ihall and heating plant of the new | | dential inaugural ceremonies next Rain water is standing on the park roads in some areas. Many roads through Rock Creek Park and in the suburbs were closed part or all of the time yesterday. Automobiles going along Anacostia Parkwny_. near Eleventh street SE., made a splash when they hit the low spots. Guar&bri“ Hall Bids ? Will Be Asked by D. C. Tomorrow Cost of Advertised Project Is Limited To $1,600,000 Bids for construction of the drill home for the District National Guard, on East Capitol street be- tween Nineteenth and Twenty-sec- ond streets, are to be advertised tomorrow by the Commissioners, in the hope that the hall may be ready for possible use at the next presi- January. The bids are to be opened at the District Building in 28 days. A period of 180 calendar days will be allowed for completion of the pro- ject, which calls for a hall having dimensions of roughly 400 feet by 200 feet, providing for 9,152,278 cubic feet. The cost of the advertised pro- ject is limited to $1,600,000. A total of $2,750,000 in all is available for the armory. ‘While the drill hall building is to be available for the next inaugural, if desired for that purpose, District engineer officials made clear yester- day that the drill hall section of the armory would have a “terrible” ap- pearance, since arrangements would be made for the addition of wings, which would leave sdme sections of the hall temporarily showing board- ed-in entrances and exits, portions of walls with finished stone sections above brick or concrete wall units and the like. “In other words,” one official said, “it should be remembered that the drill hall as it appears next January will not be finished, though it may be habitable for the purpose of the inaugural, and it will be some time later before the structure appears completed.” The Commissioners yesterday or- dered advertisement of the hids after they had approved plans on recommendation . by Nathan C. Wyeth, municipal architect. Parent-Teachers To Give Style Show The Parent-Teacher Association of the Chevy Chase (Md.) Elemen- tary School will give a bridge and fashion show next Wednesday after- noon at the Chevy Chase Woman’s Club. Summer fashions of sport clothes, bathing suits’ and evening clothes will be displayed by professional models, beginning at 3 pm. The committee in rge consists of Mrs. Burrell H. Marsh. Reserve Officers Meet At Alexandria Tomorrow By s Staff Correspondent of The Star. . ALEXANDRIA, Va, April 20— Maj. John L. De Witt, U. 8. A,, will ‘ashington Chapter, Reserve Officers’ Associa- tion, at its ;nuu m.mmmzh"ntfl Gadsby’s Tavern. “Tanks and Chemical Warfare,” There will be & buffet supper. " Financial News, 9-11 Federation Hits Plan fo Revise D. C. Taxes Now Too Little Time Left In Present Session Of Congress, Is View The Federation of Citizens’ As- sociations last night moved to fore~ stall any revision of the District tax structure this.year with the “pos- sible exception” of amending pres= ent laws to make them “workable.” The delegates took cognizance of recent investigations into building inspection and urged funds to in- crease the staff of the building in- spector. ‘They also decided not to press for an increase in the lump sum this year in deference to a House- Senate compromise on $6,000,000, but agreed to seek adoption of the Overton formula in the next Con- gress. The formula would determine Federal contribution by the amount of property owned by the Federal Government in the District. Appropriation Bill Items. Several appropriation bill items were supported in a last-minute resolution by Vice ?resident Harry ‘Wender for action in time for the Senate hearings this week. Declaring that assessments levied for widening or paving streets on an assumed benefit to abutting or adjacent property is “arbitrary and questionable,” the delegates favored discontinuance of all assessments for widening streets or highways, and also urged that present assess- | ments for new pavements be re- duced by one-half. The conse- quent loss in revenue would be made up from the gasoline tax fund, the resolution said. L. A. Carruthers, chairman of the Fiscal Relations Committee, told the delegates in connection with a mo- tion against tax revision, that his committee felt there was not enough time left this session for Congress to draft or consider revision of the tax structure. He, therefore, urged that no revision be made unless it | was to change present laws to make them more workable. Hits Sales Tax Plan. Specifically, Mr. Carruthers re- bounds. The creek, swelled by rain, spilled over its banks at several places, blocking traffic from time to time. —Star Staff Photos. Potomac N_;ring Flood Stage, But No Damage Is Expected 10-Foot Level Due Six Miles Above Key Bridge | Today; Bladensburg The Potomac was rising toward the flood stage above Washington last night, but there seemed little likelihood that the city would see anything approaching the high water of 1936. The Weather Bureau said that some time today the river was e:- pected to reach the flood stage of 10 feet at the Lighter Gauge, 6 miles above Key Bridge. This will mean that Washington is “on the verge of flood,” the Weather Bureau explained, but un- less heavy rains fall to swell the yellow torrent rushing down from the mountains to the west there is little danger of damage. The northwest branch of the Anacostia River was spilling over its banks and Bladensburg, in the area around the Peace Cross, was suffer- ing one of its regular inundations. Rock Creek was overflowing at sev- eral points. Along the Washington water front, the river was high but not causing alarm. At the foot of Wisconsin avenue, the water late yesterday was still 5 feet below the flood stage of 7 feet. The forecast for the Washington area today was fu cloudy skies, with occasional rain.' The clouds will still be around tomorrow, the ‘Weather Bureau said. 15 Feet at Cumberland. Swollen streams in Maryland and West Virginia were pouring into the Potomac. In Cumberland, the water stood within two feet of its flood level of 17 feet, with a rise of one more foot expected. At Harper's Ferry both the Poto- mac and Shenandoah were about 11 feet above normal, but still far below flood level. They were rising about two inches an hour in the late after- noon, with rain still falling. The Potomac was rising slowly at Hagerstown, Md., and at Williams- port, Pa., was 10 feet above normal. In Frederick, Md., the Monocacy River was 16 feet above normal, but no damage was reported. % The high water followed steady rains which have been falling for the last 10 days along the Potomac watershed. In Washington, the pre- cipitation has been 3.89 above nor- mal so far this month. = Parts of the old Bolling Field were under water, and in some parts of the city parks water stood several inches deep. Traffic through the Rock Creek Parkway was halt- ed from time to time yesterday when the creek spilled over on the road at several points. Traffic Problems. Water continued to stand at a depth of about 2 feet in the Pflmm night. Automobiles-at Cottage City were routed from the Washington- Baltimore boulevard, by way of Barney street, over to Rhode Island avenue, to continue out into Mary- land and avoid the flooded Bladens- area. e ce turned off traf- Hyattsville fic lights placed patrolmen at Area Inundated | intersections to speed up traffic. Cars had to creep at a snail's pace along the narrow portion of Rhode Island avenue between Hyattsville and the District line. Water backed up to nearly 2 feet | in Brentwood, it was reported, and lapped around the front porches of some of the homes in the low sec: } tions of that community. Water in Restaurant. Members of the Hyattsville Fire | Department reported water stood | more than 2 inches in the floor. of a barbecue restaurant at Peace Cross. | The northwest branch of the Ana- | costia River passes through Hyatts- |ville and this is usually the first place in the near-Washington area that feels the effects of high water. Motorists from Marlboro reported yesterday afternoon that the branch of the Patuxent River passing near the intersection of Crain highway and the Landover road was 5 feet beneath the bridges. Land along Crain highway between this inter- section and the Pennsylvania Rail- road tracks—about 200 feet—was in- undated, it was reported. At another point along the Land- over road between Marlboro and Largo, where the Western Branch of the Patuxent River passes be- neath the highway, three families of sawmill workers left their homes yesterday' when the water rose to their door steps. Later reports in- dicated that the creek was receding at this point. The Patuxent River was several feet above normal at the point it passes beneath the Crain highway at the large concrete bridge. Because of the wide, low marshes on either side of the river, there was no dan- ger of the river flooding the bridge, it was believed. Gonzaga Mothers Plan Party Friday The Gonzaga Mothers’ Associa- tion will hold its annual benefit card party and dance Friday night in the Willard Hotel. Proceeds of the affair will be placed.in _the scholar- ship fund of Gonzaga High School, which is‘used to pay;tuition charges for deserving youths who otherwise would not be able to attend. Arrangements for the party are being made by Mrs. J. Chester Brady, president of ‘the association, assisted by Mrs. James Blaine Fitz- gerald, vice president; Mrs. Louis B, Diggins, secretary, and Mrs. Ralph Whelan, treasurer. = Club Will Hear Talk By Democratic Leader Mrs. May Thompson Evans, as- sistant director of the Women'’s Di- vision of the Democratic National Committee, will speak on “Women in the 1940 Campaign” at the semi- annual meeting of the Women's Democratic Club ‘of Montgomery County April 29 at 8 p.m. in the Dis- pensary Building, Silver Spring, Md. Mrs. Ralph A. Wells, president of the club, will presidé. The Program Committee is headed by Mrs. John C. Livingston. above normal and about 18 inches | ferred to a move te substitute a 2 | per ,cent sales tax and tax on in- | comes over $10,000 for the present income tax. | “This has been referred to in som:~ | cases as a return to the Pond plan suggested last year,” Mr, Carruth- |ers declared, “but about the onir | thing that is the same is the desiz- nation of a 2 per cent sales tax.” Mr. Carruthers explained that th~ present bill contemplated use of sales tax tokens which the Pond plan did not and was calculated to reach a transaction of 3 cents. The federation is now on record |8s opposing a sales tax and favor- - ing an income tax. Hold $6,000,000 Is Unfair. A $6,000,000 lump sum does not represent a fair or equitable Gov- ernment contribution, the delegates | decided, but they did not “deem it | wise or appropriate” to urge an in- crease now. The House last year agreed to a $6,000,000 sum instead | of their $5,000,000 recommendation, | provided the Senate would agree not to ask any more than that figure this year. | In bringing in the resolution deal- ing with additional personnel for | the inspection force of Building Inspector John W. Oehmann, Mr. | Wender declared: “We have seen | the disgraceful exhibition of what happens when there is a breakdown in the inspection service.” A delegate raised the question whether the diffitulties revealed in connection with recent fires, par- ticularly that in which a coroner’s inquest was held, were due to in- efficiency or lack of personnel. | “I don't know about efficiency,” | said another, “but I do know they need men.” | TItems for which restoration in the 1941 budget will be sought in- | clude certain equipment for the Southwest Health Center, two cus- | todians for the new Jefferson Junior | High School, two vocation guidance officers and a full complement of 24 teachers for the new Calvin Coolidge Senior High School. Miss Perkins fo Leave | For Mine Work Parley Secretary of Labor Perkins will leave today for Joplin, Mo., where | she will attend a conference called to discuss a joint program for the better control of work hazards, par- ticularly silicosis exposure and im- provement in the living condition of miners in the tri-State mining district of Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma. The conference, called by Secre- tary Perkins, will be attended by representatives of the Governors of the three States, the Federal Gov- ernment, the public and labor ~nd industry. “An unusual situation exists in the fact that the tri-State mining ea embraces a small corner of ree adjoining States—Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma,” Secretary Perkins said today. “Thus there are three States having jurisdiction over both industrial work condi- tions and health and sanitation matters with respect to living con- ditior The Department of Labor has received many communications in the last two years about work and living conditions in this section, and frequent requests have been made for Federal assistance. In order to explore fully the possi- bilities of aid through existing Fed- eral agencies, I have invited to the conference representatives of such Federal organizations as may have an interest in the problem, or a contribution to make in efforts to solve it.” In recent years, two effective methods for preventing silicosis among workers exposed to its hazards have been developed, Miss Perkins pointed out. One is the employment of suction devices, and the other is wet drilling. A third method, which calls for the use of an l.lumlnul&l mx::nur:d ‘txlc in the experiment L ers promise for the future. ~