Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 20 August 1938 — Page 1

FORECAST: Thundershowers tonight and probably tomorrow morning; cooler tomorrow.

FINAL HOME

VOLUME 50—NUMBER 139

Sesonnas, AUGUST 20, 1938

Entered as Second-Class Matter Indianapolis, Ind.

at Postoffice,

seen

PRICE THREE CENTS

LEGION

MOBILIZES, ™

25,000 STRONG, FOR ONVENTION HERE

Delegates Register] From 350 Posts in State.

40 AND 8 TO MARCH

Auxiliary Is to Hold Processional to Memorial.

(Editorial, Page 10; Photos, Page Two; Auxiliary Story, Page Five.)

On the flying heels of Douglas Corrigan, 25,000 Legionnaires poured into Indianapolis today for their four-day State convention. Thousands of men, wearing overseas caps and reuniting for the

20th time since Worla War days, jammed the lobby of the Claypool Hotel for registration. Brilliantly uniformed legions from 350 posts in Indiana were to march through downtown streets at 7 o'clock tonight in the famous Forty and Eight parade, a torchlight procession with model engines, mounted: on auto chassis, bearing the classic identification: 40 Hommes et 8 Chevaux. Each engine will bear 1949 membership cards from its respective ft: DS undrads of veterans meanwhile journeyed to Ft. Harrison, where the men who trained there in 1917 will hold a reunion before the marching men of 1938, the C. M. T. C. enrollees.

Mayor to Welcome Legion

After today's festivities Legionnaires will settle down to serious business at 10 a. m. tomorrow in Keith’s Theater, where the call to order will be given by Department Commander Russell R. Rhodes, Peru. Mayor Boetcher then will welcome the Legion to Indianapolis and the convention will open its business session. - Auxiliary members will hold their

annual state procéssional at the:

Indiana World War Memorial. In tribute to th war dead, they will march from the shrine building to the Cenotaph in War Memorial Plaza, where a wreath will be laid. Bands and drum and bugle corps, representing various Legion posts throughout the state, will compete at Delavan Smith Field tomorrow afternoon. Finals in the musical competition will be held under the floodlights of Perry Stadium in the evening. A small admission charge will be made to the public. These gayly uniformed corps, crack marching units, are expected to give close competition to the LaPorte Drum and Bugle Corps and the Richmond Band, present state champions. The annual Legion parade, which is to be two miles long and take two hours, will start at 2° p. m. Monday.

Election to End Convention

Gen, L. R. Gignilliat, Culver, past State commander, will be grand marshal of the parade and Robert L. Moorhead, Indianapolis, chief of staff. Monday night’s program includes the all-State dinner in the Riley Room of the Claypool Hotel and the annual Past Presidents’ parley dinner. Afterwards, the Legionnaires and Auxiliary members will meet for the annual convention ball in the Riley Room. Tuesday's session will be devoted te election of a new State commander and selection of the next convention city. Daniel Doherty, Legion National Commander, will address the assembly, followed by the farewell address of present Department Commander Rhodes,

Hoosier Elected by

Disabled Veterans

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich, Aug. 20 (U. P.).—Owen A. Galvin of Minneapolis today was the new commander of the Disabled American Veterans. He was elected at the annual convention here. He was Spress by Michael A. Whalen of troit. Other officers named were: Senior Vice Commander,.Lewis J. Murphy, South Bend; first junior vice commander, Milton D. Cohn, Buffalo; senior junior vice commander, Charles Barrett, Tucson, Ariz.; third junior vice commander, Don Jones, Rock Island, Ill.; fourth junior vice commander, J. C. Broom, Columbia, Miss.; judge advocate, Sylvester Hoffman, Glendale, Cal.; Shiaplain, George Faust, Salt Lake A ty. : Boston was selected for the 1939 convention.

TIMES FEATURES ON INSIDE PAGES

Books ........ 9 Broun .......10 Churches .... 5 ‘Clapper ..... 9 Comics ...... 14 Crossword .... 7 Curious World 14 Editorials ....10 Fashions ..... § Financial ..

Jane Jordan.. 2 Mrs. Ferguson.10 Music 13 Obituaries ....11 Pegler ........10 Pyle sevens 9 Radio ........13 Mrs. Roosevelt. 9 Serial Story ..14 Society ......4, 5 Sports ......6, 7

2 Wiggam- .0 vee.10

Lovion Program TODAY

3 p. m.—Executive Committee meeting, ninth floor, Claypool Hotel. 4:30 p. m.—Eight and Forty marche, 14th floor, Claypool. 7 p. m—Forty and Eight parade. 8 p. m.—Rules and Permanent Organization Committee,

TOMORROW

10 a. m—State Legion Band, Keith’s Theater. 10:45 a. m.—Call to order by Department Commander Russell R. Rhodes. Noon—Memorial service. p. m.—Preliminary drum corps competition, Delavan Smith Field. 6 p. m.—Past Department Commanders’ dinner, Athletic Club. 7 p. m.~—Finals in drum corps competition, Perry Stadium.

CLAIMS BRITON

ADMITS SPYING|

IN EUROPE—

BERLIN—Press claims British aid confessed to spying

[I LONDON—Nazi plane’s appearance probed. ROME—Fascists and Catholic Society in accord. PRAHA—New Sudeten negotiations blocked. HENDAYE—Franco pushes offensive. JERUSALEM—One slain in raid on Palestine town.

IN THE FAR EAST~--

SHANGHAI — Chinese claim Japs use poison gas.

BERLIN, Aug. 20 (U.P. .--The Deutsch Allgemeine Zeitung said today that Capt. Thomas J. Kendrick, British passport officer at Vienna,

confessed that he was a military;

Spy. Capt. Kendrick, who was held by the German Gestapo (secret police) at the Metropole Hotel in Vienna, was released, but ordered to leave the country immediately. He left with his wife, presumably for the frontier. The release was ordered after Sir Neville Henderson, British ambassador to Berlin, made a strong protest to the F n Office which said the GritiSh Government tonk “an extremely serious view of the arrest of Capt. Kendrick. “Kendrick confessed having engaged in military espionage against Germany,” the Deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung said. “That is a very serious matter particularly since an English diplomatic official was involved. “The fact that Germany merely expelled the man is proof that Germany attaches the highest value to its good relations with England. It (Continued on Page Seven)

HUBBELL TO HAVE OPERATION ON ARM

MEMPHIS, Tenn., Aug. 20 (U. P.). —Carl Hubbell, left-handed pitcher of the New York Giants, will undergo an operation on his ailing pitching arm Monday, Dr. J. Spencer Speed said today after an examination, Dr. Speed, a noted bone and arm specialist, sail that he found “a loose bone in the back of the elbow” of Hubbell’s pitching arm. He said an operation would improve materially the use of the arm and “there is a possibility he may be able to pitch again before the season ends.” Hubbell will remain in the hospital for four or five days after the operation.

EIGHT ISSUES MAKE NEW HIGHS FOR ’38

NEW YORK, Aug. 20 U. P).— Stocks rounded out a full week of advance today, cutting down the losses suffered in the sharp decline last week when. prices dipped in every session. Eight issues, including General Motors, Bendix Aviation, IngersollRand and American Can preferred, made new 1938 highs. Closing gains in the short -session today were small, but they were sufficient to lift the industrial average for the sixth consecutive session. With many traders away on extended week-end vacations, trading was very quiet.

"HUGHES ON WING .

IN THIS PLANE

Indiana Business Gains Are Shown;

National C. of C. Notes Hopeful T T vend

I. U. Report rt Claims Uoturn:| City’ s Retail Sales

Times Special BLOOMINGTON, Aug. 20.—Indiana business increased during July for the first time since September, 1937, the Indiana University Bureau of Business Research reporied today. In Indianapolis, however, ' July

retail sales dropped 10 to 15 per cent from the June totals. Although there was little change in.employment in the 600 establishments reporting to the Indiana State Employment Service, payrolls ‘showed uniform improvement. Indicating more full-time ‘eémployment than in June, the increase in payrolls was attributed to an expansion in manufacturing, contrary to the trend of recent months. Indianapolis manufacturing payrolls were 3 per cent larger in July than in June, while nonmanufacturing payrolls dotiingd almost 2 per cent. ;

Bank Debits Gain

Employment in:the Indianapolis durable goods industries rose 2 per cent over June and payrolls increased 6 per cent. In the earlier months of the year, most of the gains had been made in nondurable goods. Throughout the State, gains were recorded in bank debits, pig iron production, . electricity production and building construction, the Bureau’s index showed. - Income from = State-wide cattle sales rose, due to better prices, but the quantity market was smaller than in June. A 10-point increase in the operating rate of steel mills in the Indi-ana-Illinois district was ‘described 88 the most encouraging recovery sign. Employment and Jeyols in steel made a better showing during the month than in other durable goods industries, the. review pointed out. :

Retail Figures Drop A

Indianapolis food manufacturers reported -a 4 per cent decline in employment and an 8 per cent decline in payrolls from June to July. Employment and payrolls in nearly all retail lines dropped. Newspaper advertising decreased 13 per cent under June. Building permit values declined only slightly from June to July. The downward industrial trend in employment and payrolls was reversed in July in Ft. Wayne, Crawfordsville, Kokomo and Marion. In Muncie, however, industrial employment declined at:

(Continued on Page Two)

Gunman Shoots Grocer And F lees Without Loot

A nervous gunman today entered a grocery store at 146 Blackford St., wounded the proprietor and fled empty-handed. Dewey Despain, 38, told police he opened his store about 5:30 a. m. and a few minutes later a man walked in and said: “Give me 15 cents worth of potatoes.” Mr. Despain said he went across the room to fill the order and as he stooped down at the potato basket the man shouted: “This is a stickup.” »

The fropiietor said he was startled by the command and raised up suddenly. The bandit, apparently thinking Mr. Despain was going to resist, fired once with a 38-caliber revolver and fled. The bullet struck Mr. Despain in the hip but he was able to stagger to the sidewalk where he saw a police radio cruiser approaching. The ‘bandit: had disappeared, however, officers said.

ow Decline: f- RHIE

Greatest Home Construction Since 1931 Seen as Commitments Rise.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 (U.P). — The Federal Housing Administration today predicted the greatest residential building boom this year since 1931. © Seeking to" stimulate recovery through revival ‘of the construction industry, both the FHA, which is concentrating on small-home build-

ing, and the new U. S. Housing

Authority, which is aiding local communities in financing low-cost housing - projects, pushed forvard

their programs. Anticipating - curtailment of construction this fall and winter, FHA officials intensified efforts to ex-

pand property: improvement. activities—such -as plumbing and heating installations—which can be carried on during. the cold months. -

New Commitments Made

Meanwhile, the Housing Authority, earmarking funds for the first time in six weeks, made new commitments totaling $10,260,000 for nine local housing: authorities. This brought to: $517,081,000 the {otal earmarkings out of the 800 million dollars provided for slum clearance and low-cost housing. “The demands of cities in every part of the nation for Government loans to clear their slums and build low-rent dwellings,” said Acting USHA Administrator Leon H. Keyserling, “are coming in so fast that the entire 800 million dollars authorized by Congress for loans to local housing authorities rapidly is being used up.” FHA officials said present indications are that residential = building |. volume will surpass last year’s record, the best since 1931. In 1937, the residential construction peak was reached in April and pi followed by a sharp decline besinning ‘in. July’ and continuing through the remaining months. But this year such building has shown a steadily increasing trend since Jast March. Each month has gained over the preceding one.

Home Building Gains

In many sections, private home’ sonsisuetion during the first half the corresponding period of 1937. Seventeen states were listed in this group: New Hampshire, New York,: Towa, Minnesota, North Dakota, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Texas, Nevaaa, Wyoming and Washington. The FHA'’s gross business also has shown a percentage increase each month since the liberalizing amendments to the National Housing Act. In: July, small home mortgages selected for appraisal increased 100 per cent over July, 1937.

SETS OHIO PENSION HEARING WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 (U.P.).— The Social Security Board today ordered. a hearing Aug. 29 to decide whether. to deprive Ohio of Federal aid for old-age. assistance | bl

Mr. Despain was taken to Méth- | because Go

odist Hospital, where physicians said his condition was good.

i

‘Exceptional al Ninproveinient For West Revealed in

WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 (U. P). —The U. S. Chamber of Commerce today reported contraseasonal business {improvement which it cliar-

acterized as “exceptional. "od Emphasizing that business activity normally eases downward at this time, the Chamber said the trend now is upward. Further improvement during September, the Chamber said, appears almost certain “unless the’ politicians ‘manage to thwart them.” Indications were that the upturn began in ‘July, the Chamber continued, and that it since has persisted. “There are not many years in which such an increase. has occurred,” the Chamber commented. Basing its analysis of the trend of business activity on, figures for checks drawn on banks by their customers, the: Chamber: said ‘these “unmistakable - facts” stand. out: Jhat since June there has been fairly steady progress throughout Pacific Coasts states, the Northwest and the Southwest. In the Central West, east of the Mississippi, about half of the re-

porting centers indicated similar

conditions, with about the same ratio prevailing in the Southeast.

In the Northeastern states, the

upward trend ‘has’ been slower. In a number: of: cities where there has not been gradual improvement since early June, evidences of advance have appeared within the last four weeks. “In other words,” the Chamber concluded, “the detailed = evidence suggests that the: improvement which some areas have experienced is spreading, not in any spectacular fashion, but in a manner that permits gains to be consolidated as they are: made.”

CITY SELLS $860,000 CIVIL TAX WARRANTS

- City Controller H. Nathan Swaim today announced the sale of $860,000. Civil City tax anticipation warrants. The money is to be used to finance the City until the fall installment of taxes is collected. Of the. total; $700,000 of os A Tareas were purchased on a joi y the Union Trust Co., Indiana Trust Co., Indiana National Bank, Merchants National Bank, American National Bank and Fidelity Trust Co., at 1 per cent interest. The Fletcher Trust Co. and Union Trust Co. jointly $125,000 in warrants at the same interest charge, the remaining $35,000 going to the Fletcher Trust Co. at 1% per cent interest.

BLACKBURN, FLANNER

HOUSE HEAD, IS ILL|

Cleo Blackburn, director of the Flanner House, is in critical condition following an appendicitis operation at Vicksburg, Miss. his secretary reported here today.

The - secretary, - Clinton Arnold,

said Mr. Biackburn was stricken Sunday while on vacation and was operated on immediately, He said p gave up hope for Mr. Daaskburn Thursday after two transfusions... Mr. Arnold blow he: ‘learned ‘Mr. -Blackburn’s

today, al-

| condition was improved though. still critical,

Ee El

OUT IN RELIEF GOSTS IS URGED

C. of C. Warns of Danger In Curtailment of “Vital Services.

Unless rising relief. and welfare costs can be reduced substantially,

other governmental services will have to be cut sharply, the Chamber .of Commerce Bureau of Governmental Research warned today. In a statement mailed to Chamber members, the Bureau asserted that the actual cost of welfare and relief in Indianapolis now is almost equal to the entire cost of all other activities of local Government, including schools, police and fire protection, health and all other functions. “While a large part of this is paid from the Fedéral and State treasuries,” the Bureau reported, “so large a part still must be borne by local property taxpayers that their payments for this purpose in 1938 are greater than ever before, despite all Federal and State aid.

May Not Continue Long

“After all, the fact that substantial amounts come from Federal and State treasuries is not reassuring, for these Governments receive their taxes from our-community and all others like it, and if we as a community cannot afford to pay for‘this welfare and relief program, it may be questioned seriously whether the country as a whole can continue to do so much lenger.” The statement asserted that: so much of the cost, in the last eight years, has been financed hy bonds that the full effect has not yet been felt by taxpayers. More than 40 per cent of the sum levied in local property tax for township relief expenses this year must be used to pay interest and retire the principal installments of the bonded debt, it was stated. The interest and .principal payments on these bonds, the Chamber reported, has risen from $62,000 in 1934 to $635,000 this year, and will exceed $800,000 next year.

“Services Imperilled”

Furthermore, it was added, despite this year’s record high poor relief taxes, the amount raised will be about one million dollars short of estimated requirements, sending the bonded debt for poor relief to more than six million dollars by the end of the year. “The inescapable conclusion from these facts,” the report stated, “is that ordinary local governmental services are imperilled gravely by’ the enormous increase in expenditures for relief and welfare. “Unless ' these costs can be reduced substantially, very definite re- - (Continued on Page Two)

HGHES SPANS U.S.

FOR NEW

MARK AS

CORRIGAN LEAVES

Smiling Irish Avion Off for Chicago; 500 Watch.

FILLS OWN TANK

75,000 Turn Out for Downtown Parade; 700 at Dinner.

A full page of Corrigan photos, Page Three.

By JOE COLLIER

Douglas Corrigan, the man who flew backwards to fame, and who yesterday captured Indianapolis’ heart, took off for Chicago at 8:03 a. m. today as 500 persons watched

{ at Municipal Airport.

Arriving at the airport at about 7:45 a. m.. Mr. Corrigan himself filled his gasoline tank and inspected his motor. He then posed for pictures, autographed the dashboards of two airplanes, and took off only three minutes after he said he would. Three other planes took the. air

: | immediately after him as an escort. One of them was a sister ship of

Mr. Corrigan’s, flown by Helen

* | House of Rochester.

Work Ceases for Parade

More than 75,000 cheered Mr. Corrigan as he paraded through the streets in the afternoon and more than 700 enjoyed his Irish wit at the banquet last night in the Indianapolis Athletic Club. Hundreds of pounds of torn paper

Millionaire rire Pilot Flies Los’ Angeles-N. Y. ‘In 10145 Hours.

OXYGEN IS USED

Experiments With

Mask Which Mixes Air Supply.

FLOYD BENNETT FIELD, NEW YORK, Aug. 20 (U. P.).—Howard Hughes landed here at 6:56:50 a. m, (Indianapolis Time) today after a record-breaking flight from Los Angeles in his already famous

round-the-world transport plane. Flying most of the way in the substratosphere, he completed the trip in 10 hours 32 minutes 20 seconds, breaking the transport plane record set four years ago by Tommy Tomlinson, who crossed the country in a transport piane in 11 hours 5 minutes. He took off from Los Angeles at 8:21 p. m. (Indianapolis Time) and reported by radio only twice—at Alton, Ill, and Pittsburgh. He never was sighted. Already, Mr. Hughes held the transcontinental record for speed planes—7 hours 28 minutes and 25 seconds, which he set Jan. 19, 1937, averaging 332 miles an hour ‘from Los Angeles to Newark Airport.

Took Off Without Notice

Flying at an altitude of 500 feet as he crossed the Airport Adminis tration Building, Mr. Hughes turned the plane into a wide circle and brought it down into a 12-mile north

showered on him from office build- | wind.

ings and practically no work was

accomplished in the downtown area "during the parade.

The parade crowd got out of hand occasionally and police were unable

| to control the spontaneous rushes: toward the Corrigan car, He smiled hands and

and waved and shook seemed to be enjoying himself, however.

+ Probably more than anything else,

the crowd enjoyed his Irish repartee, for which he already has become famous and for which he has been likened to the late Will Rogers. Movies? Probably Not

During the afternoon he granted a press interview and at night he spoke glibly at the banquet which was broadcast. Some questions put to him and his answers on both occasions follow: Q—Can you give us your itinerary next week? A—Yes. I can give it to you next week, but I haven't got it anti out now. Q—Who pays the expenses of your trip? A—The Mayor of each city I visit. They invite me, so naturally they pay my expenses. Q—Have you signed a movie contract? A—No, and I don’t think I will. . Q—Have you signed any contract? A—Nothing except for magazine articles. Q—Are you getting tired of public receptions? A—No. Q—Was your interview. with the Department of Commerce Air Bu(Continued on Page Two)

23 COSSACK CHOIR

SINGERS ARE HURT

BERLIN, Aug. 20 (U. P.).—Twen-ty-three members of the famous Don Cossack. choir were injured when a bus went off a road and crashed into trees near Weissemturm, in the Rhineland, last night. Injuries of 13 of the singers were regarded as serious. Members of the choir planned to leave next week for a concert tour in the United States. Forty of them were in the bus when it crashed on its way from Bad Nejenahr to Bad Ems

FORECAST RAIN AND COOLER TOMORROW

HOURLY TEMPERATURES 69 11a. m... 8 71 12 (Noon). 84 16 ip. m... 8 ee? 2pm... 81 10a. m.... 81

Cooler weather tomorrow was forecast by the Weather Bureau today, with thundershowers probable tonight and tomorrow morning. Temperature’s today were slightly

higher than normal, according to the Bureau.

Spencer's Ballot Probe

Warning that ‘an attempt may be made by Democrats to “smear |V the Republicans” in the Grand Jury probe of alleged primary irregularities, Carl Vandivier, G. O. P. County chairman, today had launched a broadside against Prosecutor Herbert M. Spencer’s investigation. . : Mr. Vandivier, speaking” at a dinner of Republican workers last night, said he had heard constant rumors that the Prasecutor and

his staff will > a Grand Jury.

Attacked by Vandivier ee

re} rt on “recent election frauds, tewashing the whole affair.” Attending the meeting were Indianapolis ward chairmen of the regular party organization and of the Young Republicans Organization, officials of the Republican State Committee, and Raymond E. Willis, G. O. P. Senatorial nominee.

Mr. Willis told the group that the United States is approaching a dictatorship rapidly growing bureaucracy and Se distress. He added there (Continued on Page :

He taxied up the runway and came to a stop in front of 100 spectators, mostly airport attendants and newspapermen, the only ones who knew that he was coming. His takeoff from Los Angeles had been under mysterious = circumstances with no announcement of his ihe tentions. Mr. Hughes was asked at what altitude he flew and said that he flew at “various altitudes.” “We operated at altitudes which depended on the weight of the plane,” he said. “When we started the plane was pretty heavily loaded and we didn't make any attempt to shoot. into the high altitudes. Then as we burned up the gas, we contine ued to go on up but we didn't go nearly as high as I had expected. We didnt go any higher than 20,000 feet. We averaged about 17,000 feet for the entire flight.”

Explains How Mask Works

Mr. Hughes explained that he used a Lovelace oxygen mask which, he explained, differs from other oxygen contrivances in that the air and oxygen are mixed before the user of the mask inhales. The other masks, he said, “feed you raw oxygen.” He said the mixture of the Lovelace mask eliminates the possibility of the throat becoming sore as it sometimes does when the raw oxygen is used. “With this mask,” Mr. Hughes said, “the air and oxygen are mixed before you breath it. It is worked on a different principle than any other mask.” Mr. Hughes said he believed that “the oxygen will work at higher altitudes than planes will be able to fly. With a heavy load, more power will be needed to fly at a considerable height and it appears

in use today could not fly economi= cally at such high altitudes.” ° He said that there was “a good possibility” that in high altitude flying oxygen will be injected into the cabin for the passengers and added that it is “impractical to think that passengers will fly aloft wearing masks like these.” He went on to explain that there is a “popular impression” that oxye gen is not needed until an altitude of 16,000 feet is reached, but said that it was his opinion that pilots would be more efficient if they were supplied with oxygen as soon as they begin to reach an altitude in which the air becomes rarefied.

New Army Bomber

Spans Continent

NEW YORK, Aug. 20 (U. P.)e= One of the Army's new D-18 twine motored bombers landed at Mitchell Field at 8:18 a. m. (Indianapolis Time) today on the first transcone tinental nonstop flight ever made by a heavy craft of that type. » The plane took off from Hamilton Field, San Francisco, at 4:30 p. m., (Indianapolis Time) yesterday with a crew of four. The 2570-mile distance was flown in 15 hours 38 minutes. The bomber was piloted by Lieut. John G. Armstrong of the ‘1ith Bombardment Squadron. Lieut. David H. Walker was copilot. Laden with 1102 gallons of gasoline, the . plane weighed 25,000 pounds at the take-off. The bomb compartments : were used for fuel space.

DROWNS NEAR MONTICELLO MONTICELLO, Aug. 20 (U. P).—= Memorial services were being are ranged - today for Mrs. Roy. Brade berry, 26, who drowned when she:

stepped in. deep. ae while swime ‘ming in the Ti River her home 11 1 north

of . and |

Surviving are the husband stepchildren,

that the planes of the construction