Indianapolis Times, Volume 46, Number 241, Indianapolis, Marion County, 16 February 1935 — Page 1

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ROOSEVELT HITS NEWS DISTORTERS

M’NUTT FORCES TO URGE ADOPTION OF STATE SALES TAX 2 Per Cent Levy Is Favored to Bring- in an Estimated §14,000,000 to Finance Social Security Program. GROSS INCOME LAW FACES REVISION Impost on Retailers’ Receipts Would Be Reduced, Exemption on Salaries Raised Under Tentative Proposal. Enactment of a 2 per cent retail sales tax, in addition to the state gross income tax, to produce $14,000,000 revenue for the states social security program, has been tentatively agreed upon by the state administration. The sales tax, it wasMeamed from authoritative sources, is the forerunner to the enactment of a state net income tax within two years. Revenues from the retail sales tax would be used principally to replace the gross income tax allotment to pay teachers’ salaries.

The fiscal program cal’s for revision of the gross income tax law to reduce the levy on receipts from retail sales from 1 per cent to onefourth of 1 per cent. Increased exemptions for levies on professional incomes in excess of SIOOO are contemplated. New Tax on Trucks Abolition of the emergency clauses in the present tax limitation laws will be recommended. The emergency clause at present permits local taxing units to levy more than $! in rural areas and $1 50 in urban areas. Another revenue-producing plan Is the levy of anew impost on common and contract carrier trucks. It is estimated $500,000 a year will flow from this source. The state now pax’s S4OO a year for each teacher. New legislation mav increase this to S6OO. This would permit a reduction in property tax rates. Would Balance Budget The program assures balancing of the new state budget, which was out of balance approximately $790,000 following yesterday's budget meeting. Revenues collected by the state excise department from liquor and beer licenses will become available In the general fund under the proposed program. The principal details of the program were described in The Indianapolis Times two weeks ago. At that time administration financial advisers were continuing their study of methods of providing sufficient revenues to meet new demands upon •he state treasury. DRASTIC CHANGE FATcES RELIEF BILL IN SENATE Administration 3lav Agree to Spread Funds Over Two Years. (Copxrlßht. 1935. by United Press* WASHINGTON, Feb. 16.—Fear among certain Senators that government credit is being endangered may influence the Administration to spread its contemplated $4,000.000000 work relief expenditure over two years instead of one, it was learned today. Several senators expressed alarm at any precedent which would make It appear ar.ifcal appropriations of $4 000 000.000 would be necessary indefinitely. Carrington Gill, assistant FERA administrator, testified the estimates for putting 3 500.000 persons on work relief projects were on the basis of 12 months. Senator Millard Tydings <D.. Md.>. doubted whether the country could afford to face an annual expenditure of this magnitude. Seidentirkrr to Re Honored A fun festival in honor of Postmaster Adolph Seidensticker will be held by postal employes tonight at the Athenaeum. Dancing, cards, a floor show and a buffet lunch will be included in the program, which begins at 8.

ATTENTION Pinochle Players! Entrants in The Times Championship Pinochle Tournament will play in the following order: Monday Evening All entrants whose last names begin with the letters A to G. Tuesday Evening All entrants whose last names begin with the letters H to Q. Wednesday Evening All entrants whose last names begin with the letters R to Z. The Time: 7:45-p. m. The Phue: 10th floor, Columbia Club.

The Indianapolis Times Light snow flurries tonight and possibly tomorrow morning; colder tonight with lowest temperature about 23.

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VOLUME 46—NUMBER 241

SRIINO STARTS TRIP TO PRISON Lindbergh Killer on Way to Death House at Trenton. By United Prcai FLEMINGTON, N. J.. Feb. 16. Bruro Richard Hauptmann, handcjffed to two guards, and surrounded by State Troopers, started today on his journey to the death cell in Trenton prison where he is doomed to die for the murder of the Lindbergh baby. Still protesting his innocence, and hopeful that an appeal would nullify the death sentence imposed on him, Hauptmann was taken at midmorning from the cell where he had been held during his trial. A convoy of automobiles carrying county officers and State Troopers in bright-colored uniforms escorted the priosner through the quiet streets of this old town and across the New Jersey countryside. Hauptmann was taken from his cell in Hunterdon County Jail at 9:33 a. m. Outside the jail four automobiles waited for him. State troops surrounded Hauptmann as he came from the jail, manacled to Warden Ham- M. McCrea and Lieut. Allen Smith. For a moment, the parties paused on the steps of the jail while photographs were taken. Then the prisoner was hurried into his automobile while a crowd of about 250 persons looked on. “I'm glad to be on my way,” Hauptmann said as he laughed and chatted with reporters on the steps of .he jail. He posed in jovial mood.

TODAY'S WEATHER

Hourly Temperatures 6 a. m 32 8 a. m 34 7 a. m 33 9 a. m 33 Tomorrow's sunrise, 6:35 a. m.; sunset. 5:23 p. m. Monday's sunrise, 6:34 a. m.; sunset. 5:24 p. m. NAZIS ORDER EXECUTION OF TWO BERLIN WOMEN Society Beauty and Girl Secretary to Be Beheaded. F’l United Peru* BERLIN, Feb. 16.—Two women—a Berlin society beauty, Baroness Benita Von Berg, and an unnamed girl secretary in the army—were sentenced today to be beheaded at dawn Monday for espionage. Two other girls, secretaries in the Reichswehr, were sentenced to life imprisonment. The sentences were announced in the "people's” court, a dreaded tribunal whose judges are mostly Nazi officers, as the mothers and families of the three girl secretaries wept hysterically. HOLDUP VICTIM FLEES: SO DO TWO BANDITS Stirkup Men Run Opposite Direction in ‘Track Meet.’ An attempted holdup which turned into a track meet early today was called a draw for both sides. Gordon Sifton, 25. Los Angeles. reported that as he was entering his auto parked in front of 406 W. Washington-st. two men walked up to him and murmured "Let's have it." Mr. Sifton jumped out the other side of the car and ran. Frightened by these tactics the two bold bad men ran in the opposite direction.

Striking Franklin College Students Win Trustees’. Promise to Probe Charges of Inefficiency Against President and Dean

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G. O. P. Ready to Repeat Exodus When House Resumes Budget Study Monday

Another flare of partisan politics is expected Monday when the Indiana House of Representatives resumes consideration of the $50,000,000 state budget. Threats that the Republicans would repeat their action of yesferday when they marched in a body out of a meeting of the committee of the whole, were heard in Statehouse corridors. The Republicans have it in their power to block all legislation by remaining away from the session. The Constitution requires attendance of two-thirds of the membership to form a quorum. The Republicans have 35 votes and might again be joined by the two Democrats who bolted with them. Yesterday's “protest” had been prearranged at a Republican caucus. Professing that the state budget was being “railroaded through the committee,” the Republicans left the chamber and remained in their hotels until the budget bill had been reported to the House by the Democratic majority. Seasoned political observers saw nothing but practical politics in the KENNAMER INSISTS ON GOING TO STAND Slayer Overrules Lawyers to Give His Version. Bv Cnitrd Prrst PAWNEE. Okla., Feb. 16.—Nine-teen-year-old Phil Kennamer, member of the fast set of Tulsa society charged with murdering his best friend, overruled his attorneys today and will take the stand in his own defense. Humiliated by hearing Miss Virginia Wilcox. 19, millionaire's daughter and object of his secret love, and his own father, Federal Judge Franklin E. Kennamer describe him as irresponsible and an addict of drink, young Kennamer felt he could convince the jury of country people that he was justified in killing John F. Gorrell. 23. He resented particularly the stigma of temporary insanity with which his defense seeks an acquittal. His attorneys had planned to keep him off the stand to forestall cross-examination. Kennamer claims he killed Gorrell because Gorrell was plotting to kidnap Miss Wilcox.

INDIANAPOLIS, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1935

Republican move. The total of the budget is some $3,000,000 higher than it was for the present biennium. Taxes are unpopular. These observers saw in the bolt an attempt of the Republicans to convince the “folks back home” that they alone champion the cause of tax reduction. When the committee of the whole took up consideration of the budget the Republican.-, immediately adopted methods calculated to delay consideration of the bill. They deOFFICERS ARE ELECTED BY WELFARE SOCIETY Austin V. Clifford Named President Succeeding 3lansur Oakes. Austin V. Clifford, vice president of the Family Welfare Society for several years, was elected president yesterday to succeed Masur B. Oakes, at a meeting in the Columbia Club. Mr. Clifford is a member of the law firm of Matson, Ross, McCord & Clifford. Other officers elected are Warrack Wallace, first vice president; John S. Wright, second vice president, and John F. White, treasurer. New directors include Wiliam H. Book, ,C. O. Page and Luther L. Dickerson. Dr. James H. Taylor was made an honorary member for life. He has been a board member of the organization since it was founded.

Auto Plunges 40 Feet After Crash; Three Hurt

A heavy car driven by Dr. Simon Reisler, 45, of 5749 E. New’ York-st, grazed another car at the intersection of Gimber-st, Pleasant Runblvd and Bluff-rd early today and then dropped, end over end, 40 feet down the embankment. Dr. Reisler lost control of the auto after striking the rear end of a car driven by Alva Parker. 39, R. R. 14, Box 115. Dr. Reisler and Mrs. Blanche Hunter. 40, of 947 N. Penn-sylvania-st, suffered serious head injuries. The physician’s wife, who is 40, sustained a broken left leg. All three were sent to St. Francis Hospital,

manded roll calls on every item, event those creating appropriations for mandatory purposes. They began making explanatory speeches of their votes and using other timeconsuming tactics. When the minority members returned to the House, Speaker Edward H. Stein gave them a severe tongue-lashing. “If there is lack of a quorum,” Speaker Stein said, “it is because the Republicans walked out in violation of their constitutional duties and violated their sacred oath of office. The reason they couldn’t get their amendments adopted was because the people of Indiana did not send them here in sufficient numbers.” Added to the budget was $60,600 for maintenance of the Indiana War Memorial >n Indianapolis and $lO,000 more for Indiana State Teachers College, Terre Haute. Republicans offered amendments to cut $2,130,520 from the budget. All were voted down. Another bitter fight in which all the parliamentary tricks will be used will come next week when the administiation liquor control law is laid before the General Assembly. Qov. Paul V. McNutt has announced that the measure will be presented Monday. Republican tactics made clear the minority strategy for the balance of the session. All taxes will be opposed and legislation to supplement the Federal NRA codes will be rejected in the hope of making political capital.

When the taxicab in which she was riding crashed into a post under the railroad elevation at S. Ruralav last night, Miss Gertrude Hulse, 23, of 1734 N. Meridian-st, was so severely injured that she today faced an operation for a blood tumor on her forehead. The driver, Marion Gardner. 23 N. Gladstone-av, said he was blinded by the lights of an approaching car. Miss Hulse was taken, at her request, to a private physician who ordered the operation must be performed. Herbert Heinrich. 27, of 5727 Bonna-av, also ridiDg in the cab, received bruises.

Entered as Second-Class Matter at Postoffice, Indianapolis, Ind.

Massed students at Franklin College today continued their strike against the administration of President William Gear Spencer, D. D. Here (upper) is a group of them near one of the college buildings. Two smiling coeds (below), who refused vigorously and persistently to give their names, are effectively blocking a door into another of the buildings where classes are held. Picketing Wil Continue Unless Demands Are Met, Is Warning. BY JOHN THOMPSON Times slafl Writer * FRANKLIN, Feb. 16.—The board of trustees of Franklin College met late last night with striking students who have demanded a change in the college administration or the resignation of its president and dean, and resolved that, if student charges are true, the “only honorable thing” for the administrative officers involved to do would be to resign. President William Gear Spencer, D. D., is accused by the students of paying “deporable” salaries, the lowest in the state, to his faculty and of not taking advantage of opportunities to pay them more; of not co-operating with the student body; of guiding the entire college program to cater to a “Baptist constituency”; and of the lack of “an intelligent, progressive program and refusal Jo incorporate modern proved plans of education.” The president, furthermore, is accused by the students of stifling student initiative and enthusiasm; refusing to recognize student boards of arbitration, the reduction of the quality of compulsory chapel programs to a level below the average “college student’s intelligence and appreciation of value.” Board to Quiz Officiate Students asked the board that the half-scholarship donations be continued in order that the college will be available to athletes, such as those who made up Franklin’s “Wonder Fives,” and that the student body be increased and the material income of the school be augmented. The board of trustees, meeting at the convenience of student leaders, who had first attended an oratorical contest, heard these and other charges and promised to take them up with the president and Dean P. L. Powell tomorrow. After they had been assured of immediate action by the trustees, students held an impromptu meeting in the Phi Delta Theta house at 2:30 a. m. and resolved “to await the next move of the board of trustees, which, if unsatisfactory, would require that the present strike be continued.” The students dramatized their unrest, which, they say, has been noticable for the last two years with the strike. This began Friday and classes were picketed. Refuse to Attend Seminar Yesterday they refused, almost 100 per cent strong, to attend a seminar on “Modern Trends,” contributing instead their own “modern trend” with more picketing that* before nightfall had united nearly the entire student body in their demands. The students, in their lengthy and well-written resolution to the board of trustees, expressly pointed out that they wished the resolution not be considered as an affair involving personalities, but as an “earnest attempt to remedy a two-year siege of maladministration.” “We offer these resolutions,” the petition said in closing, “not in an antagonistic spirit toward Franklin College, but because we realize that true school spirit does not live in passive submission, but in intelligent criticism and a genuine desire to better Franklin College.”

WRITERS GIVEN ORAL SPANKING AT WHITE HOUSE

Retail Merchants to Approve Amended S-NRA Bill, !s Belief. DRAFT CHANGE IN LAW Proposed Amendment Will Be Given Committee, Say Assembly Heads. Approval of the State NRA bill by retail merchants and department stores of Indianapolis and the state seemed virtually assured today as an amendment to further modify the “loss leader” section of the bill was to be given leaders of the Senate, where the proposed act is in committee. The amendment, the second to be offered to meet criticism of this section of the bill, was written in a conference between Francis Wells, assistant executive state NRA compliance director, representatives of the retail dry goods merchants section of the Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce and T. M. Overley, Better Business Bureau head. The new amendment clarifies the meaning of “loss leaders’’ and specifically sets out types of merchandise that shall be listed as “loss leaders. 1 ' The original “loss leader” section carried price-fixing powers which it granted to Gov. Paul V. McNutt. The House of Representatives struck out the clause and substituted a short paragraph dealing wholly with “loss leaders,” but did not define or exempt any type of merchandise. Amendment. Is Drafted The proposed amendment to the section, which the Senate Judiciary B Committee is expected to receive is follows: “The use of loss leaders as hereinafter defined, in any business transaction, including those of a strictly intra-state character, shall be deemed an unfair method of competition and a violation of this act; provided, however, that any business establishment shall have the right to meet any prices by a competitor which have been established in accordance with the provisions of this act, “Provided further that the provisions of this section (Section 11) shall not apply to merchandise sold at a price less than the commodity and marketing cost thereof if such merchandise is sold as bona fide clearance and is advertised, marked, and sold as such; highly perishable merchandise which has been exposed for sale for at least twelve hours and which is certain to depreciate in value if not sold promptly; bona fide discontinued lines of merchandise, if advertised, marked, and sold as such; merchandise sold upon the final liquidation of any business, and any other class of merchandise specifically exempted by the loss limitation provisions, if any, of the applicable national or state code of fair competition,” C. of C. Attitude Stands Although the amendment will not change the attitude of the Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce’s toward the bill it will mean, in the opinion of one chamber official, that retail merchants will look with more favor on the measure with the “loss leader” section corrected and amended to correspond with business conditions and practices. Two additional important amendments, one drafted at the meeting which Mr. Wells attended, will be proposed in a section affecting contractors and a proposed amendment of a division of the city Chamber of Commerce for the inclusion of a clause in the collective bargaining, or Section 7-A division of the state bill, preventing the coercion of employes from any source to join any organization for bargaining with employers. It is understood, however, that the amended section applying to awarding of contracts on state and municipal projects and the prevailing wage scales to be paid will not be included in the state NRA bill, but is offered in lieu of the present section as less objectionable. Definition Is Changed The new section provides that wages for skilled and unskilled labor shall not be mere “than the minim’im provided in the national code of fair competition, or regional agreement approved by the President; nor can the committee (an agency deciding wage scales on municipal and state projects) require that more than the minima effective at time of contract letting be paid.” In the present section of the letting of public contracts the bill provides that wage scales shall not be "Less than the provided . . . in the national ox fair competition.”

Capital EDITION PRICE THREE CENTS Delivered at Home, 12 Cents Weekly

All Correspondents Attribute Executive’s Anger to Indiana Story. INCENSED BY RESULTS Indianapolis News Target of President; Says He Was ‘Misinterpreted.’ BY DANIEL 31. KIDNEY Times Staff Writer WASHINGTON, Feb. 16. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, incensed over being- misinterpreted by the Indianapolis News on the State NRA controversy, yesterday severely lectured correspondents at his regular press conference. The Indianapolis News reporter interpolated a question on the Indiana NRA legislation into a totally unrelated discussion early this week, and, according to the President himself, was guilty of “extraordinary “misinterpretation” in reporting the answer. Tire President, noted for his amiable relations with the press, is the first chief executive in many administrations to make press conferences informal. His obviously sincere and intensely earnest oral spanking of the correspondents was attributed by all present as having no other motivation than the. News’ story. No Ground for Deductions “You know,” President Roosevelt told the press representatives yesterday, “that I neither comment, nor am to be quoted, on any pending legislation. It shouldn’t be necessary to remind you that questions involving such matters should never be asked. “When I say ‘No’ to dismiss such a question, there are no grounds nor. reasons why any newspaper should proceed to draw deductions regarding my stand. This has happened within the last week or two weeks. “Ninety-nine per cent of such deductions are bound to be wrong.” When the President gave a negative answer to the question as to whether or not he is asking for S-NRA legislation at this time it was “misinterpreted by the News as an expression of opposition to the S-NRA statute being sponsored by Gov, Paul V. McNutt in Indiana. Wire Is Sent McNutt The News climaxed a series of articles on the S-NRA, purporting to show that Washington did not want its passage by the Indiana Legislature, with the misinterpretation of the President’s answer. On Feb. 8 it printed a story saying that Washington did not want the S-NRA and on Feb. 11 The Indianapolis Times printed a statement from R. S. Beach, Washington, deputy NRA Administrator for State Relations, that the NRA favored passage by the Legislature of the measure. On Feb. 13 it printed that the President had denied he wanted passage of the measure. This led to a wire from President Roosevelt to Gov. McNutt denouncing the “misinterpretation.” Times Index Page Bridge 4 Broun 7 Church Services 11 Comics 13 Crossword Puzzle 13 Curious World 13 Dionne Babies 3 Editorial 6 Financial 14 Hickman-Theaters 9 NAPOLEON LETTERS 2 Pegler 7 Piano Lesson 4 Radio 11 Sports 10, 11 State News 2 Woman’s Pages 4, 5 Stolen Car Is Wrecked Police early today found an abandoned car fvhich had been wrecked in colliding with an automatic traffic signal at Madison-av and the Pennsylvania Railroad tracks. Police were unable to find even a title in the car. It was impounded.

THE S-NRA In view of the fact that popular usage in Indiana has made familiar the term “State NRA Bill,” The Indianapolis Times, starting toeiky, will refer to the measure’ now before the Legislature as the S-NHa, an abbreviation for State-Na-tional Recovery Act. If and when the measure becomes law, The Times will refer to the measure as the IRA the Indiana Recovery Act.