Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 1 August 1936 — Page 18

)

4)

| to keep the peace or limit arma-

NETRALTY WAY GT TEST

Tatavs Unrestricted Sea Policy Begarded as Major ‘Factor.

BY WILLIAM PHILIP SIMMS | Seripps-Howard Foreign Editor

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1.— Washington and London are increasingly apprehensive over the naval race,” which, from being merely an unwelcome prospect, has now be® come an unpleasant actuality.

Japan is the chief bugaboo and unknown quantity. Having cut loose fromy"any and all restrictions, either

ments, she is not only free to build any kind of warships she pleases and as many as she pleases, but

seems determined to .exercise that

privilege. Hardly had it become known in Tokyo that Great Britain planned to lay down two capital ships, probably in January, and that the United States might follow . suit, than the Japanese announced that they contemplated building not two battleships, but four.

Japan, Blocks Limitation

Except for Japan, naval limitation

would be perfectly possible. In fact it had already been achieved. Britain, America and Nippon agreed in 1922 to a ratio of 5-5-3. Japan, however, insisting on equality with the others,. denounced the agreement at the end of 1934. Japan's pretext was that naval “inferiority” was “humiliatfng.” France, Italy and even Nazi Ger-

, many felt no such “inferiority” de-

spite small ratios, and limitation with them is feasible. Japan, however, insisted on parity or a free hand. Now she has a free hand. The alarming thing is that nobody_ apparently has the faintest notion of how she intends to use it. Britain, France and the United States agreed this year in London to limit the tonnage of individual ships and the caliber of their guns. Also to keep each other posted with regard to building plans. But Japan is free from even these commit-

. ments. For her only the sky is the

limit. Accordingly, rumors are going the rounds of London and Washington that the four new ships Japan proposes to build will be larger than

. anything afloat and will mount 18-

bothers the Japanese.

inch guns. The designers plan to turn out vessels which can outsteam and outshoot anything on the high seas.

Nippon Fears Air Attack

Insiders here discredit these rumors. Indications are rather that Japan intends to create a fleet based entirely upon Japanese policy in Asia. That policy is one of expansion at the expense of China and perhaps elsewhere in the Orient. What she needs in the way of a navy, therefore, is something that can hold at bay any who might try to oppose while she works her will in the Far East. While Nippon has Britain and America worried over her plans, it is the Soviet Union that is causing the Japanese army and navy leaders

- to lie awake nights. Russia is known

to be building submarines for use in the Sea of Japan, how many no outsider seems to know. which But what

Developments in Spain Are Seen as Spark Which. May Start War.

BY ROBERT 'W. HORTON Times Special Writer |

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1.— America’s new neutrality policy may get its first major workout sooner than has been expected. The - crash of Italian military planes on French soil en route ap-

parently to aid Spanish Fascists|

might be the spark, some officials fear, to set off a general European conflagration. If it is proved that Italy is arming the rebels, ‘France is likely to go. to the assistance of the Spanish government, many believed. War would then be in the cards. That is why the State Department and diplomats here are uneasy. Our neutrality policy provides that the President shall proclaim the existence of war when he finds two or more nations at each other’s throats. The. prohibitions and warnings included in the new plan then become effective automatically. It is possible for American munitions makers, before the proclamation is issued, to export arms and ammunition and other implements of war to the beligerents. But the exporter must be licensed by the State Department, and must apply for a shipping permit. The purpose of the system is merely to keep the government advised akout who is exporting, and to whom.

No Arms Shipped

Thus far in the Spanish civil war no permits have been requested of the State Department for shipments to Spain, with the exception of two last month for airplane motors consigned to commercial airlines. After the President proclaims the existence of a war, exportation of arms, ammunition and implements of war to belligerents is banned. The embargo is extended to additional nations as they enter the war. A prohibition is also laid upon the purchase, sale or exchange of bonds, securities or other obligations of belligerents issued after the proclamation. Loans and credits are also prohibited, except that the President may permit ordinary commercial transactions.

Tippecanoe Democrats Name Chief Times Special LAFAYETTE, Ind, Aug. 1.—Tippecanoe County Democrats have elected George W. Burnell, local auto license bureau manager, as county chairman to succeed Harry P. Schultz, who resigned to accept the Second District chairmanship.

they really fear is the Soviet air force—the still unanswered: question of plane versus battleship. Unfortunately for Japan, most of her industries—without which she would almost certainly be quickly defeated—are concentrated on the main island of Honshu. Osaka, Kobe, Tokyo, Yokohama and vicinity “Torm almost a continuous community. Houses are mostly of flimsy wood. A fleet of hostile planes, dropping incendiary, bombs, would play avoc.

IN INDIANAPOLIS

= . MEETINGS TODAY Andy Jackson Club, picnic,

plhdy Riverside aa a ee Francaise, luncheon,

Washington. 1 Sope) a, m. Mid- A Sern Pirederation of Syrian and ban nese Clubs, brotherhood headquarters, Riverside-dr, all day.

MEETINGS TOMORROW Beasley Reunion, Jin ‘and outing, R.

.. 7, Box 200, afternoo Re: eton Reunion, picnte, Brookside

. Tark, afternoo

Shake ‘Reunion, picnic, Garfield Park,

Midwestern Federation of Syrian and banese Clubs, federatiort headquarters, E. verside-dr, all day.

— MARRIAGE LICENSES (Incorrect addresses frequently are given to the Marriage License Bureau deliberately. The Times in printing the official

gist sssumes no responsibility for such

addresses.)

John Young. 21, of Roachdale, Ind. farmer, and Mary Eileen Boots, 19, of 17 34th-st, housekeeper. Harold M. Kerber, 24 of 1331 N. Penn2 Fleas cook, and Betty F. Schuster, 253 Piedmont-st, housekee oT. t M. Smith, 27, of 5933 imtock: 5 machinist, and | Barbar H. McC

« of 846 W. 30th-st, telephone ©

perato Floyd D. Baldwin, 31, of Phoenix, Ariz. . Rodenbarger, 26, o

ames B. ells, 42, of Muncie, Ind. salesman, and Veda E. Johnson, 4, of 928 N. Pennsylvania-st housekes Donald: Wilson, 23, of Manlove-st, Bi or as emp. loye, and Edna Cuber, nar, "housekee; Grimes, 45. of 161 N. Ala nase BTR and Hise L. Strap, of 1614 N. Alabam shy ho usekeepe Willis M. Dilts, 19, of Anderson, per, rer. and nh Mas Hoppes, 18, of Plaza Hotel,

housekes es W: Brown, 22, of 818 Arbor-av gh d Dorothy W. Shaner, 16, of 659 D -5t. yp nousekesher poet t, inns d: : 5 my a Thema -st, laun wor er, an a 20," of 336 amilton-av, factory

wogker Peters, 35, ot I iT en chin Pragtie & doctor, and M. Massey of 730 N. Tremont-av, Alles Joseph C.

37, Linco In Hi Harold L. Haslet, 19, ot 1938 machinist, and Bessie 1944 Ludlow-av, housekssper. William Karns, 37, of Linden Hotel, inGoldie Heard, 35, th Myers, 16, of of 2619 N. New beth

us-av, telephone

Leo Welsh, 220 Bright-st. repairs, $100. roger Baking Co., 2218 Shelby-st, re-

pairs . A. Pho 952 Leslie-st, dwelling, $3500: garag! Wy Shun & Holly, 1525 N. Meridian-st, HS arket Parking Lot, 140 N. Alabama-st, signs, $50. R. Miller, 1318 N. Capitol-av, signs, $3 8. F. Hoffe, 217 E. 62nd-st, addition, H. Jlitchell. 11th-st and Sheffield-av,

garage so ‘Brewer, 2315 W. Walnut-st, garage,

ELECTRICAL PERMITS 8

46 Matachydekis-a

nate-av and ion

Klee & Schrieber ay + N. - Dr. W. H. in 909 E. Rene: 28: Howard yar. "ise N. linois-st. $25. oot. 1 Building, 23 E. Ohlo-st,

Roos, 1338 Lexington-av, $25. Fpl R fnie, Hobart, 1 714308 Eastet, $35. Charles Dameyer. 907 S. Da to nslade Construction Co., 801 N. BolA. & P. Grocery Co., 3522 College-av, ga ervice Electric Co., 916 N. Illinois-st, gS OTRe Pappas, 2017 N. New Jersey-st,

$30 Ho 8 Nant, 808 N. Leland-st, $50.

oel, 5455 N. Meridian-st.

OFFICIAL WEATHER

eee United States Weather Bureatlo.... Sunrise ....... 4:43 | Sunset ....... 8:59

» | Precipitation 34 hrs. ending 7 a. m..

.00 Total Drecipitation since Jan. 1....... :15.61 Deficiency . 1 8.68

ir tonight and tomorrow; rismg temperature tomorrow and north por tion tonight.

Lower Morrow; west and no tonight. : fair tonight, tomorrow increusing. sioudiness followed . by showin extreme south portion; not much change in temperature.

Lily Pons...

Petite Opera and Film Star

“I'd say orange juice,” was the reply. Andre Kostelanet; her musical manager, and rumored to be her fiancee, then ordered orange juice. ) She drank it. Some one presented her with a box of lilies. She placed them in the plane, along with a lot of other boxes, also containing lilies. It seems she got a box of -lilies every time the plane landed. She said she would put them in her Hollywood apartment. She likes pictures as well as opera, she said, maybe a little better. Eight minuutes after landing she got back on the plane, waved and was off. Also in the party was Alberti Di Gorortiaga, her teacher, who commented that the “student is much better than the teacher.”

G-MEN BARE THREAT TO ABDUCT SHIRLEY

Farm Youth Charged With Demanding ' $25,000..

(Pictures, Page 4)

By United Press NORTH PLATTE, Neb, Aug. 1. — Sterling Walrod Powell, 16, was arraigned before a United States commissioner today charged with threatening Shirley Temple, child movie star. Culminating an investigation, Gmen yesterday took Powell into custody at Grant, Neb.,, where his father is a farmer.. admitted writing George Temple, Shirley’s father, that unless he paid $25,000 his’ daughter would be kidnaped, officers said. Powell, the G-men said, insisted he wrote the letter as a joke. He was brought here for arraignment on a charge of using the mails to extort. Residents of the farming hamlet, Powell's parents and schoolmates, were amazed. The youth never had been in trouble. He was a high school junior, was considered a bright and a good boy. He pleaded guilty and was bound over to the United States District Court for sentence.

MARILYN THORPE, 4, MAY DECIDE CUSTODY

Judge to Ask Mary Astor’s Child Which Parent She Prefers.

By United Press HOLLYWOOD, Aug. 1.—A child's simple statement of whether she likes better her father or her mother may decide the custody of battle raging between Dr. Franklyn Thorpe and film actress Mary Astor as tiny ‘Marilyn Thorpe, their 4-year-old daughter, meets Superior Judge Goodwin J. Knight today. The judge journeyed to Miss Astor's Tolucca Lake home, exclusive motion picture residential area, to have a heart-to-heart talk with Marilyn The ) little, blue-eyed girl and the judge will sit down together in a room with no one else nt. Judge Knight was said to feel that the child's statement in her own words should ‘be a deciding factor in any verdict.

FIVEDIE INCRASH OF SPEEDING AUTO

Car Traveling 78 Miles an Hour Hits Post in Hlinois.

By Mited Press

WOODSTOCK, Ili, Aug. 1.—Five residents of Kenosha, Wis, were killed and one critically injured today when their automobile struck a bridge post four miies' west of here

[APPOINTED TO SCHOOL a

le wes To Academy,

Powell readily |

. She took orange juice!

Is Greeted Here by Friends

-.on Flight to Hollywood and‘Gets Box of Lilies; Likes Her Job in Movies.

Out of the T. W. A. Sunracer at Municipal Airport this noon stepped Lily Pons, the opera singer, Hollywood-bound and wondering what she could take for nourishment that would stay with her. “What shall I take?” she asked one whosgreeted her almost before the greetings were said. “It’s only my fifth flight and I don’t want to get sick.”

INDIANA WEALTH UP $20,000,000

Heavy Increase Is. Shown in Personal Property Valuation.

Hoosiers this year are paying taxes on about $20,000,000 more of assessed valuation than they did last year, figures released today by the state auditor’s office showed. The increase in state wealth is due to the increase in value of personal property. This increase totaled $50,623,682. In 1935, the total net assessment value of taxables in the state was $3,673,917,5566. This citizens are paying taxes on $3,693,896,218 valuation. The rise in value of personal property, according to Lawrence F. Sullivan, state auditor, is due in part to increased prices of farm products and the sale of new automobiles. Other taxable items showed a decline, Mr. Sullivan said. For example, real estate ‘declined about $8,000,000 in value. In Marion County, the total net value of taxables dropped more than a million dollars from $593,433,610 to $592,014,510. However, the figures show, the total value of taxable personal prope:ty rosc about $1,500,000.

FOOD FOR EPILEPTICS IS CUT BY DROUGHT

State May Have fo Appropriate More Funds for Village. Times Special NEWCASTLE, Ind. Aug. 1—Additional appropriations of state funds may he necessary to buy food for inmates of the Indiana Village of Epileptics, Dr. Walter C. Vannuys, superintendent, said today. Drought conditions have so damaged the gardens and fields of the village that a problem of supplying food for them has risen. The gardens are one ‘of the principal

"| sources of supply, Dr. Vannuys said.

year Indiana;

“GOAL OF DRIVE * BY DEMOCRATS

|Balance of Power in Eight

States Held by Race, Farley Estimates.

BY DANIEL M. KIDNEY Times Staff Writer WASHINGTON, Aug. 1~—An unprecedented effort to capture the Negro vote is to be macie by the Democratic National Committee, according to Chairman James A. Farley. How important he considers this vote was indicated today by his estimate that Negroes will hold the

balance of power in the : z po

and Kentucky. A Negro voters’ section of the national headquarters is being established in New York City under direction of Julian D. Rainey, Boston, former assistant United States district attorney.

Western Headquarters at Chicago

Robert L. Vann, Pittsburgh, former assistant United tates at-

. | torney general, who had been men-

tioned for the headquarters .post, is to give his entire time to Negro

‘Democratic organization in Penn-

sylvania, Farley said. A Western Negro headquarters is to. be established in Chicago under Arthur W. Mitchell. Rep. Mitchell has tabulated Negro voters in the key states as follows: Pennsylvania, 265,000; Illinois, 213,000; New York, 276,000; West Virginia, 41,000; Ohio, 180,000; Tennessee, 249,000; Indiana, 63,000, and Kentucky, 113,000. Reports to Negro leaders here indicate Mitchell himself is in danger of defeat in his Chicago district by the former Republican Negro congressman, Oscar De Priets, Mitchell is being charged with working too closely with southern Democratic leaders in Congress and not giving enough of his attention to the racial cause, Lincoln Delicate Point

It is said he may lose many white votes in his district due to certain speeches he made in the House in which his opponents charge he “insulted the memory of Abraham Lincoln,” by urging his race to forget about Lincoln and vote Democratic. How some Negroes feel abqut voting Democratic was expressed here by G. N. T. Gray of Texas, organizer of the Negro postal employes.

“In Texas we took several cases

to the United States Supreme Court in an effort to get to vote the Democratic ticket,” he said. “So it is no wonder that the Negro feels himself sort of a natural Republican. “But I believe that the present Administration appreciates the Negro problem better than any we ever had. So I just call myself a Teddy, Franklin, Blesnor Roosevelt Democrat.”

PLAYGROUND, POOL ATTENDANCE DROPS

Unusual Weather Blamed for Recreation Slump.

Attendance at city playgrounds and swimming pools fell approximately 50 per cent during. the past week compared with last year, H. W. Middlesworth recreation director announced today. Playground - attendance declined from 55,534 last year to 38,033 during the last week. Wading pools attracted 7469 boys and girls, and swimming pools drew only 57,308 compared with 70,628 last year. Total attendance at city recreation centers fell from 130,190 during the

same week in 1935 to 74,479 last’

week,

Public Officials Laud Efforts to Improve Housing Conditions

Mayor Kern Cites Need for Long-Time Planning in Indianapolis.

(Continued from Page One)

people are living under conditions over which they have no control. 1 think the plan is a perfect one and would be a remedy for a situation long needed here.” William H. Book, Chamber of

Commerce executive vice president, today said:

“In the summer of 1933 studies |

the old ones are torn down or worse conditions would prevail. “We should look on low cost housing as an investment that would cut down disease and crime which is draining the taxpayers’ money. “There will always be a stratum of society unable to provide adequate housing without assistance and this fact should be looked upon as a community problem; the sooni assistance is provided the George Pops. City Building com“The great number of om which have been left without repairs for a number of years have created a problem for this de-

partment. “Any project seeking to better this condition naturally should be of

im-

GIRL CONFESSES |

| health should be remedied so far as

ii 8

KILLING MOTHER

Lovers, Captured on Flight to Canada, Admit Crime Details. (Continued from Page One) arms and she began “swinging. the

to tack down a carpet. Husband Finds Body

"Mrs. MacKnight’s' husband, Edgar W. McNight, an executive of the General Cable Co. of New Jersey, discovered the murder when he went home last night. He had to pry open a window of the MacKnight apartment on the first floor of a duplex building. He found his wife, who was 40, on the kitchen floor, a hatchet beside her. She had been almost decapitated. Blood had run entirely across the kitchen and into the adiolning living room. Mr. MacKnight's 7-year -old daughter,” Glenna Jane, skipped in

as he stood horrified in a pool of blood that wetted hic shoes a quarter of an inch above the soles. The

on the wet floor, and fell into hysterics ‘that summoned neighbors. Gladys, only other child of the family, was missing. Another occupant of the dupiex, Mrs. Elizabeth Feury, said she had seen Gladys and Wightman drive away from the house in the MacKnight an a few hours earlier. Jersey ‘City police captured them on a highway near the city at 10 p. m. Accuse One Another

Both admitted that Mrs. Mac Knight was slain because she opposed their friendship, and particularly a date they had arranged yesterday.. Gladys at first accused Donald of wielding the ax. “I couldn’t stop him,” she said. Wightman insisted that Gladys used the hatchet. He admitted that he held Mrs. Mac Knight's arms. After both had adhered to their contradictory stories through mearly five hours of cross-examination, police confronted : them with each other. With trembling lips, but gazing fixedly at his sweetheart, Wightman repeated his own story as he had first told it. “Now, I've told:the truth,” he said to Gladys. “Why don’t you tell the truth, too?”

said to Chief O'Neill. She sat silent for perhaps five minutes, while policemen and the boy she had been kissing s. few houss before sat motionless around er. _ Face Murder Charges “All right,” she said. “He’s telling the truth. Tl write it out. Anybody got a cigaret?” Chief O’Neill gave her a cigaret. “What did you do while Donald held your mother’s arms?” he asked. “I struck my mother several times with the hatchet while Donald held her arms and mouth,” she said. The girl and Wightman ‘pleaded not guilty on arraignment and were held to the Grand Jury on murder charges. Gladys and Wightman had gone together since they entered Bayonne High School. Several times, the girl said, Wightman had remarked after arguments with her mother, that “we ought to kill her.”

planned to live with Wightman “in Canada or some other place,” but said they never had been engaged. ty didn’t like him that way,” she

of good health. The sewage disposal problem coupled with fly nuisance creates bad health, especially in children. Poor water supply from open or dug wells in close proximity : Jo caso cesspools creates a definite health

“Many of these houses have been occupied by tubercular persons. Unless a house is disinfected thoroughly, it is a perfect place for contraction of the disease. - edsonaby safe housing al low cost should be provided for thos who can afford fo pay only $6 to $8 ‘a month rental, if only as a piotection to the surrounding community. “Such houses are occupied by servants and people who work in the manufacture and ng of Transmissable es may spread from such houses to homes presenting the most ideal health conditions. yn > “Most cities have a housing problem and will continue to have one, but inimical to public

statements that fami-

hatchet which she had been using, ‘| even the professors.

through the back door from play |

“Let me think a while” “Gladys

She admitted that she had

William Mitch, One of

| and Stoel Institute. WASHINGTON, Aug. 1

hasn’t any college professors. ization Committee, set up by

| Industrial Organization, and | sive executives who supply their own brains,

These six key men came up

| through the ranks of labor. | They are self-educated, and

able to hold their own with

They are:

PHILIP MURRAY, vice president of the United Mine Workers, chairman of SWOC; JOHN BROPHY, United Mine Worker, director of C. 1. O:; CLINTON S.. GOLDEN, SWOC regional director for the Pittsburgh and Eastern area, where the drive has already passed from the educational stage to organization and chartering of new industrial steel unions; VAN A. BITTNER, Chicago regional director; WILLIAM MITCH, Southern director, and

DAVID J. M'DONALD, secretarytreasurer of the committee. Murray started to work in a

i t the age of 10; I real slitoed wo het knees | Scotch coal mine a ag

Brophy in a Pennsylvania mine at

12; Golden in an ore mine at 12;

McDonald in a Pittsburgh steel plant at 15, and Van Bittner and Mitch similarly have risen to high places in the miners’ union through

: the coal pits.

On War Labor Board

Murray is a hard-headed, mildspoken, cheerful, approachable man of 50, with sparse white hair. A burr in his speech betrays his origin. He was born in Lanarkshire, near Glasgow, and on his first job in the pits there he worked nine ‘hours a day. His father was president of a miners’ local union. His family brought him to America at 16, and he worked in the Pennsylvania coal mines for eight ‘years. In 1912 he was made a member of the United Mine Workers’ national executive board, and in 1920 he became an international vice president. He was in charge of the Pennsylvania-Ohio area in the192728 coal strike, B served on the War Labor Board, the wartime coal production committee, the National Recovery Board which ran NRA for a while, and has been a member of the Pittsburgh board of education since 1918. His own formal education ended at the sixth grade in Scotland, buts she, has read extensively and -he & correspondence course when he was 21. Murray represented the U. M. W. in many Senate inquiries and in the preparation of coal legislation. In 1921, at’ President Harding's instigation, he led the union’s attempt to stop a bloody revolt of Mingo County (W. Va.) coal miners against martial law, private detectives and state troopers. He quieted the situation. Now he lives in Pittsburgh and divides his time between there and Washington. He is married and has one son. He 3 a gevout Catholic.

Brophy Studious, * Talkative Brophy, a studious and talkative liberal, was born in Lancashire, England, of a family engaged in mining for generations, which moved to Pennsylvania when he was 9. He, too, entered the mines, and at 15 he became secretary of the local union. He was elected to various union posts, educated himself by reading, and in 1917 became president of the Clearfield (Pa.) district of the U. M. W. He served until 1927, when he ran against John L. Lewis for U. M. W. president, challenging Lewis’ policies. He lost, and engaged for several years in outside activities, including the management of the Hapgood co-operative canning plant at Indianapolis. Then he came back to the miners’ union ‘as an organizer. Brophy is 53, ‘blue-eyed, pinkcheeked, philosophical, and looks his Irish ancestry rather than his English birth. More than any other man in the movement: perhaps, he has been active in Eastern liberal circles.

Golden Only Non-Coal Miner “Clint” Golden is the only noncoal miner in the group. He is a heavy six-footer, an old-time railroader and machinist. When he left school as a boy it: was to work in the ore mines. He has been

Group, Piloted Indiana

Miners Through 1927-1928 Strike; All Able to Hold Own With Professors.

Editor's Noet&—Introducing the SWOC! .Here is a story giving the backerounds | of the six men whe, under John L. Lewis’ leadership. are challenging the

+ BY HERBERT LITTLE Times Special Writer

| 1.—The “SWOC” is the newest alphabetical agency, but it isn’t in the government and it

It is the Steel Workers Organe John L. Lewis’ Committee for it is headed by six aggrese

man. He held various union posts and took part in the struggle that ‘culminated in the pioneer Adamson eight-hour day law of 1916.

Then he went back to the ma< chinists, and was a leader in two major strikes. In 1923 he became a general organizer for the Amalgaemated Clothing Workers, and at the same’ time was business manager and field man for Brookwood Cole lege. He also served on the board of - directors of a big New York Publishing house. When ‘the depression came, Golden turned to operating a dairy and poultry farm in Bucks County, Pa., and to promoting farm coe operatives; just to keep his organ izing touch. When NRA came along, after a few months of ore ganizing for the clothing workers, he became senior mediator for the. State of Pennsylvania.

Here he ‘conducted investigations of the coal and iron police and of alleged suppression of unions by the Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp. at its company town, Aliquippa. On his recommendation, Gov. Pinchot sent police into Aliquippa to see that union organizers were not mo= lested. He was with the National Labor Relations Board in its Pitts= burgh office from March 1935 until the Lewis steel drive started.

® ” 8 Bittner Boasts Sense of Humor

Bittner, head of the drive in the Chicago area, is short and slight— about 5 feet 6 inches. He has die rected U. M. W. destinies in West Virginia for years. 3 After years of work in western Pennsylvania mines, union offices which took him into many states on organizing trips. In 1924 he became president of the northern West Virginia area, and in 1933 he transferred to the southe ern West Virginia area, where he led the drive which completely ore ganized one of the union’s biggést units—more than 100,000 miners. Bittner is about 50, has a proe nounced sense of humor, and is fond of the theater and sports. His West . Virginia miners—he is still president of that district—are deemed the. most powerful single political force in the state, and they have gone further into politics than most unions. : ® 8 = : Headed Solera in StrikeMitch is & , quiet Hoosier who after many years in the mines of Indiana became president of that district of the U. M. W.,, and pi= loted the Indiana union through the 1927-28 strike. In 1933 he was appointed presie dent of the Alabama district, ine cluding some of the lowest-wage districts in the country, and after some preliminary strikes against mine-owning steel companies he succeeded in having the fields ine cluded in the national wage agree= ment. The Alabama fields are now 100 per cent organized, and Mitch's new job is to extend this condie tion to the steel workers.

s x. = + McDonald Like Movie Hero

McDonald, the baby of the crew, is a tall young Pittsburgher whe might qualify for a movie hero. But he is strictly business-like, and his record shows that his rise dated from years in which he worked days and spent long nights at school. He studied at Carnegie Institute of Technology and took one year of accounting at Duquesne Univers sity. Then, after becoming secree tary to Phil Murray in 1923, he studied in his off hours in the drama department of Carnegie Institute’s School of Fine Arts. HS. graduated there after five years. He has been considerably more than secretary to Murray in his 12 years in the U. M. W., having been active in nearly all major coal on. ferences of this decisive period. He is secretary of the North-South wage differential commission, an organization of operators and miners charged with adjusting re

A LEGAL RESERVE MUTUAL COMPANY ORGANIZED IN 1905