Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 9 March 1939 — Page 1
FORECAST: Unsett] ed and colder tonight with lowest temperatures 30 to 35; tomorrow, mostly cloudy with rising temperature, probably followed by rain. ; —e’ + : —— | PRICE THREE a x
as Second-Class Mattes
VOLUME 50-NUMBER 311
REPORTF.D.R. AGREES TO END OF PROFIT TAX
Washington Hears Decision Was Made as Gesture to Aid Business.
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
“NUISANCE” tax extension to be sought.
‘ROOSEVELT sees Congressmen ~~ on tax question, RECIPROCAL tax bill snarled as deadline nears. REORGANIZATION battle - lines drawn in Senate, MI monopoly charged before col ittee, | (Editorial, Page 16)
WASHINGTON, March 9 (U, P).} —The Administration is prepared to drop the undistributed profits tax as a gesture of friendliness toward business, reliable sources indicated today. The tax, which was modified at the last session of Congress because —. business and industry claimed it was retarding recovery, expires at the end of this year. The business-aid tax program, which the Administration will submit to Congress shortly, will omit any recommendation for its re-enactment. - It is the one tax which Government fiscal experts have decided could be eliminated with no great loss of revenue. President Roosevelt discussed the tax program yesterday with Treasury Secretary Morgenthau and Undersecretary John W. Hanes. The conferees declined to discuss the meeting, but it was understood a few decisions were reached and that actions on other proposals and suggestions will be withheld until after the March 15 income tax returns
two basic
Butler’ S Choice
Miss Betty Wangelin, 251 Buckingham Drive, queen of the Butler Indoor Relays last year, is Butler University’s candidate for the Queen of the 1939 Drake Relays. She will compete with beauties from other Midwest colleges and universities to reign over the sports carnival at: Des Moines, Iowa.
LABOR TALKS IN 1-DAY RECESS
A. F. of 'L. Proposal Likely;
Mine Workers Start Drafting Demands.
NEW YORK, March 9 (U. P.).— The labor peace conferences were in recess today while C. I. O. officers mapped strategy for renewing collective baigaining
contracts. Negotiations initiated by Presi-
dent Roosevelt will resume here to-
LONG-TERM PLAN DUE
‘costs of its vast street lighting. sys-
-|livan, the Wokks Board and City
.|extension of a 1925 public lighting
can. be: analyzed. ‘Nuisance’ Taxes to Stay
One of the decisions believed
reached, although official confirmation was lacking, was for re-engct-ment of excise and so-called “nuisance” taxes which expire next Juné 30. These taxes provide an estimated 500 million dollars annually in revenue. Administration officials hope to have the excise taxes re-enacted in the present form although it appeared that efforts might be made in Congress to modify some of them. Senator Pepper (D. Fla.) and Rep. Hardin Peterson (D. Fla.) said they would seek 50 per cent reduction in excise tax on Grade A cigars to aid the tobacco industry. The tax conference came almost at fhe same time that Commerce Secretary Hopkins was announcing that he had been discussing tax revision with Mr. Hanes and working to carry into effect “all the points I made in my Des Moines speech”— tax adjustment, aid to railroads, settlement of the utilities dispute and labor peace. He predicted that national income would be six to eight billion Soars higher this year than in 19
“Go’ Signal Given
morrow night. A. F. of L. and C. L O. negotiators have agreed to consider at that time a C. I. O. proposal
to end the three-year-old struggle between them for supremacy by merging A. F. of L, C. I. O. and
independent railroad unions into an
“American Congress of Labor.”
The A. F. of L. committee likely
will present a counter proposal at that time.
This was indicated by the joint A. F. of L.-C. I. O. statement but could not be confirmed. President R. J. Thomas of the C. L O.-recognized faction of the United" Automobile Workers Union urged A. F. of L. members today to 4. O. peace plan. He said. such a study would convince|" them that “C. I. O. leaders are sincere. in their move for peace.” C. 1. O. President John L, Lewis and Vice President Philip Murray came here to attend ‘a United Mine Workers Union policy committee meeting. They are both members of the C.'1. O. peace committee. The A. F. of L. negotiators will arrive today. Mine Talks Open March 14
The U. M. 'W. session will draft demands for negotiations beginning March’ 14 with Appalachign bituminous producers, and shortly after April 1 with Pennsylvania anthracite operators. The basic bituminous contract,
a, flat meter rate for public build-
~ On Tax Revision
By THOMAS L. STOKES Times Special Writer
WASHINGTON, March 9.—The Roosevelt Administration was definitely committed today to tax revision as a business-conciliation and industrial-expansion measure, and was prepared for the usual headache incident to tampering with the tax structure. President Roosevelt has given the go -signal to Treasury Secretary Morgenthau and Undersecretary Hanes to. draft tax changes, and today he had a conference arranged with Senator Harrison (D. Miss.) and Rep. Jere Cooper (D. Tenn.) Upon these two men may fall the arduous’ task of piloting a bill through House and Senate. Mr. Harrison heads the Senate Finance Committee, Rep. Caoper is a member of the House Ways and Means Committee. The tax revisers are faced with the difficulty of making changes to mollify business and industry and at the same time keeping revenues intact. The President is insisting that the revenue must continue at its present level. This means that, if some taxes are reduced or repealed, other forms of (Continued on Page Three)
REPORT IN WPA QUIZ IS DUE TOMORROW
‘The Federal Grand Jury was completing its investigation of alleged WPA fraud at Kokomo and of other cases today preparatory to returning a report in Federal Court probably tomorrow, District Attorney Val Nolan announced. The bulk of the testimony was presented Monday, Tuesday and yesterday morning. Although refusing to comment on the nature of the probe, Mr. Nolan : said it was the “biggest WPA investigation eve: undertaken by a Federal Grand Jury in this State to my knowledge.”
TIMES FEATURES ON INSIDE PAGES
BOOKS cassis 15| Movies . Broun ....,. 16!Mrs. Ferguson 16 Clapper ..... 16 Obituaries .,. 17 Comics ...... 24|Pegler ....... 16 Crossword ... 25| Pyle 15 Curious World 24| Questions .., 15 Editorials ... 16| Radio 25 Fashions .... 13| Mrs. Roosevelt 15 5 Financial .... 25| Scherrer sss 1B Flynn ....... 16{Serial Story., 24 Forum ...... 16/Society ...... 12 ‘Grin, Bear If 24{Sports ... 20, 21
. 18, 19
covering more than 300,000 miners,
expires March 31, and the anthra-
cite agreement, which covers approximately 100,000 men, ends April 30. U. M. W. officials entered the strategy session with a feeling thas their hand had been strengthened in dealing with major eastern soft coal producers because there will be no strike in the principal Illinois and Indiana coal producing regions April 1, Under secret instructions from Mr. Lewis, it was understood that district union officials had agreed with operators to extend indefinitely the present contracts in Illinois, the Terre Haute region of Indiana Washington, Montana, North Dakota, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and all but two counties ip Missouri, Illinois and Indiana long have been competitors of the Appalachian producers, and, if a deadlock develops in negotiation of the basic Eastern contract, these twc states could increase production anc ship toad into the Eastern market
GROVER WORKMAN, LEGION AID, DIES AT 53
War Veteran Served as "Purchasing Agent.
Grover William Workman, American Legion purchasing agent more than 16 years, died in St. Vinceni': Hospital last night. He. was 33. Mr. Workman, who joined the national headquarters staff in Indianapolis as chief clerk, Sept. 23, 1921, was made purchasing agent, Jan. 1 1923. He was born at Churubusco; Ind., Dec. 28, 1886, the son of Casper and Martha Wade Workman. When the United States entered the World War, he joined the 228th Aero Squadron at Kelly Field, Tex. He is survived by his wife; a brother, Shirley of Washington, D. C:; and a sister, Mrs. Nora Strong of Churubusco. Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Hisey '& Titus Mortuary and burial will ke in Crown Hill. ; :
RICHMOND WOMAN DIES IN 3-CAR CRASH
CHARLTON, Mass, | Mass., March 9 (U. P.).—Mrs. Bebe Vaughn, 49, Rich-
mond, Ind., was killed and her husband, Edward, 47, was injured last night in a three-car collision on
.In Indpls. ... 3|State Deaths.. 17 Jorden... 15 Wiggam
+ 16{the Bo,
EE, LA
CITY OFFICIALS | SEEK REDUCED ELECTRIC RATE
Mayor Holds Talks on New - Contract With Power & Light Co.
Present Agreement Will
Expire First of Next Month.
City officials today began to study
tem as a preliminary step toward obtaining a new long-term electric contract. A conference between Mayor Sul-
Engineer M. G. Johnson was held behind closed doors in the Mayor's office yesterday on the contract. Mayor Sullivan said that he would try to obtain a lower light rate in the new contract, which presumably would be negotiated between the City and the Indianapolis Power & Light Co.
Expires April 1
The new contract, which Mayor Sullivan said would cover a five to 10-year period, would replace an
contract made between the City and the old Merchants Heat & Light Co. The contract was for 10 years and expired April 1, 1935. Since then, it. has been renewed every six months and the last renewal, made last fall, expires April 1. The contract provided payment by the City on a flat rate basis for each street lamp the year and gave
ings of 3 cents a kwh. Between 1935, when the contract expired. and this year, street lighting costs have increased By $264.26, according to records of the purchasing agent. Installation of additional street lights on 16th, West and S. East Sis. brought the increase, according to Mr. Johnson.
$500 Lights in Network
For ‘its network of 8500 street lights the City pays more than $27,000 a month. In January, 1935, the bill was $27,225.94, and in January, 1934, it was $27,520.20, “The Park and Safety Boards pay their lighting costs’ separately. J. Edward Perry, Park Board engineer, estimated that the Board, which holds & separate contract with the Indianapolis Power & Light Co., pays about $37,000 a, year for its bouleverd and park lights.
INCOME TAX OFFICE TO EXTEND SERVICE
The Infernal Revenue Office in the Federal Building is to be open until 4:30 p. m. Saturday to aid persons in filing Income Tax returns, Will H. Smith, collector of Internal Revenue said today. Individuals filing returns: now may avoid the possibility of standing in line for hours to receive assistance, Mr. Smith said. He warned that March 15 is the final day for filing.
SAFETY BOARD MAPS PLAN TO STOP BINGO
City Won’t Try to ‘Regulate’ Game, Keach Says.
Safety Board members. today announced they were considering steps to halt hingo games and declared no attempt would be made to Taegulate” them.
Board members announced ' they were “serjously considering police action io close them all.” Regarding Board discussions Tuesday on the question of “regulating” the games, LeRoy J. Keach, Board presider f, said: “The Board obviously is not going 0 undertake regulation of something that is illegal and we now are considering steps to stop the games.” Mr. Keach announced this following Prosecutor David M. Lewis’ statement that “bingo games are in violation of the. State gaming laws.”
COLDER WEATHER FORECAST 1 TONIGHT
TEMPERATURES
44 10a. m 42 1la m.... 39 12 (Noon). 36 ‘36 1pm... 39
36 35
a.m a.m... a. m 9a m.
It will become cold colder again tonight and the weather will be unsettled, the Weether Bureau predicted toddy. Temperatures tonight will probably renge from 30' to 35. It will be mostly cloudy tomorrow and the temperature will rise, possibly bringing rain, the Bureau said.
COPPER SHARES SAG, MAEKET UNSETTLED
NEW YORK, March 9 (U. P.)—A sag in some copper shares that ranged ta more than 2 points, fol- | lowing announcement of -a proposed { Chilean copper export tax, unsettled the whol2 stock market today: The sag followed an early rise to new highs since the first week in January. Trading in stocks quieted m the ¢ecline,, Some prime shares
| counties and
bers ‘would like that b
THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 1939
{
Entered at Postoffice,
Frazz led Documents to. Go Off Record
. Thousands of old, musty documents stored in the Marion. County Court House are doomed. For years they have been collecting, Mrs. Emma Yeager, recorc custodian, stored them as it was illegal to destroy them. Because of their weight and because
ladder, Wagy.
Times Photo.
they constitute.-a fire hazard, the Legislature has made their destruction legal.
STATE ORDERED
~ T0 ECONOMIZE,
Ketchum Notifies Bureaus “Cut Cost of Official: Auto Operation.
As preparations were being com-|- .
pleted for the publication and dis-. tribution of the acts of the 8ist Legislature, A. C. Ketchum, State Budzet Director, today notified State Departments to reduce the expense of operating State-owned automobiles. The new biennial budget provides that State-owned autos shall not be used by State employees unless it can be shown that this use is necessitated by duties of the office. Mr. Ketchum said employees were to receive 4 cents a mile for operation of their automobiles, They had been receiving 5 cents. Leaders of both political parties continued ‘to attempt to shift the blame for the failure of the legislative session to repeal the truck weight tax. Issues Are Linked
This issue was tied up with the problem of increasing the -distribution of State-collected motor vehicle and gasoline tax funds to local governmental units and’ of lowering motor vehicle license fees and raising the gallonage tax on gasoline. None of these proposals was enacted. While Senator E. Curtis White (D. Indianapolis) charged that Arch N. Bobbitt, Republican State chairman, was responsible for the defeat of the measures affecting motor vehicles, Mr. Bobbitt countered with & charge that the blame should be fixed on ‘the Governor and the Democratic majority in the Senate. Of the 184 bills passed by the Legislature, 137 still await action by the Governor, who already has|C signed 45 bills and permitted two others to become laws without his
signature. Bills containing emergency
clauses go ‘into effect immediately upon the Governor's signature. The others are not effective until copies have been distributed to the 92 the Governor has issued a promulgating statement. lial ii
DIONNES ‘CONSULTED’ ABOUT VISIT OF KING
(Another Story, Page 15)
. CALLANDER, Ontario, March 9 (U. - P)~The argument about whether _ the Dionne quintuplets shall go down to Toronto May 22
fo meet the King and Queen|day
reached the point today where the babies’ own wishes were being ‘considered. Judge J. A. Valin, chairman of the quintuplets’ board of guardians, said it would be better if the visiting King and Queen came to Callander to see the babies at the Dafoe Hospital. “There they are mistresses—they are boss,” he said. “They are 80 happy and free there. . . . If has
been suggested that they he pre-
sented to their majesties in the House of Parliament.
The mem-
Owner Gives Life to Save Bull Terrier |
' AURORA, Mo., March 9 (U. P.).—A small bull terrier was alive today because its mistress had died under the wheels of a fast freight train to save it. . Mrs. Earl Thompson, 30, was walking her pet when It ran in front of the train. She jumped on the tracks, shoved it to safety. A second later the train struck her.
‘RUM REBELLION’ FEARED UPSTATE
Police on Hand as Taverns Flay Midnight Closing.
GARY,, March 9 (U. P.).—Eight State Excise Police were in Lake County today to black a threatened “rum rebellion” ‘by tavern owners against the new midnight closing law. Tavern operators held that much profitable business will be driven away under the new law, which advances the time from 1 a.m. to. midnigrt on all week days except Saturday night. The State Police group has been divided into four squads of two each to check reported late closers in Gary, East Chicago, Whiting and Hammond. They have orders to arrest operators open after midnight -and take them to the nearest police station where they will remain until able to furnish bail. Officials. of the cities assured Hugh Barnhart, head of the State Excise Commission, that they would co-operate in enforcing the closing law.
REFUGEE FOUND HANGED NEW YORK, March 9 (U.P. .— The body of Mrs. Lotta Grinsweig, German refugee, who arrived in this country six weeks ago with her husband, George, was found hanging by a rope from a door hinge in their furnished room today. The motive was unknown.
ACCIDENTALLY
+ Don't Really ally Know How It
Happened,’ Acton Father Says; Death Near. Accidentally shot through the
right eye by his father, 4-year-old James Leon Grimes, of near Acton,
[still was alive today, after surgeons|
at St. Francis Hospital extracted a
bullet from near tne center of his head. While James and his 2-year-old btother, Jesse Paul, were playing games on the floor of their home late yesterday, their father, , Cecil Grimes, 29, got out an old revolver he had. repaired end was showing it to Mrs. Grimes. Suddenly it was discharged just as the child crawled up to his father’s chair. “I have no idea how it happened to go off,” the father said. “I don’t remember touching the trigger. or Snapping it . . . . . the thing just went off so suddenly, I guess I don’t really know how it happened.:, Yes, I knew it was loaded.” An Acton physician took the boy to St. Francis Hospital and an operation was Performed immediately. Physicians said there is little chance for the boy to recover.
CANCEL BANQUET FOR F. D. R. DUE TO-STRIKE
(Editorial, Page 16)
WASHINGTON, March 9 (U. P.). —The White House: Correspondents Association today canceled its an-
nual banquet because of a strike in 13 Washington hotels and thus removed the possibility that President Roosevelt would have to decide whether to cross a labor picket line. Mr. Roosevelt annually is honor guest at the banquet, given by newspapermen assigned to the White House. The Mayflower Hotel, where the banquet was to be held Saturday night, is being picketed by membexs of two A. F. of L. unions, part of the estimated 2200 employees
of the 13 hotels who struck Yesterday.
‘Hi izzoner > of
Boys’ Town
Here Is Rival of Sullivan
Indianapolis has io. Mayors to-
Mayor Sullivan's rival is Harry Hall, the 13-year-old. boy who has beenn elected Mayor of Boys’ Town, a self-governing youth's organization at the Northeast Community Center. Harry, who lives at 2914 N. Sherman Drive, is not only an honor student at School 73, school traffic patrolman and Boys’ Town mayor, but also is judge in the organization’s’ court. - There are 355 boys between 8 and 15 in Boys’ Town which is modeled |in after Father Flanagan's crganizaOmaha, N
sponsor, organized another commu- |
nity three weeks ago in Drexel Gardens. “Our purpose in establishing -Boys’ Towns here is to develop citizen=ship,” Mr. Scalf said. “We promote athletic activities among members and provide the boys with ‘a place to assemble in their spare time.” Boys meet every afternoon and Saturday. “Judge” Hall gives demerits to those violating the rules against profane language, unfair practices in athletic contests and other reg-
nlations. Demerits. affect the boy’s tion vities
Indianapolis, Ind.
Standing on the stepinspecting some of the documents, is E. L. A commission will decide what to save. (Story, Page 14.)
SHOOTS SON. 4,
FINAL
URB SPEED OR LOSE LICENSES,
KARABE
L SAYS | 3
Municipal Court J Tudge Wer Warns of Revocation For Motorists Convicted of Driving More Than 40 Miles an Hour.
IRE RISES DURING ARRAIGNMENTS
122 Arrested on Traffic Charges in 24-Hour Period; No Special Campaign, Police’ Say, Just Usual Preyention.-
Municipal Court Judge Charles J. Karabell warned today that he will revoke driving licenses of motorists convicted in his court of driving more than | 40 miles an hour in the
-
City.
“People have got to stop ‘this ; shealing? he declared
on various traffic charges.
[following a court session in which 40 defendants faced him
The 40 were among 122 arrested on various traffic charges in the last 24 hours. Forty-five of them were charged with speeding, 30 with running preferential streets, and 30 with failing to stop for preferential streets.
DRIVER LICENSE
BILL GONFUSES,
Finney Cites Problem Due
To Killing of Auto Tag Extension Plan.
State officials today sought to relieve confusion resulting passage by the Legislature of a bill to extend the deadline for purchase of drivers’ licenses from Jan. 1 to March 1. A bookkeeping problem has developed, it was said, since no final legislative action was taken on a
companion measure to make a similar time extension for the purchase of automobile license plates. The drivers’ license bill, which passed both houses, has not yet been signed by Governor Townsend and it was reported that he might not approve this bill. The measure te make a corresponding extension of dates on plates passed the Senate but records show it was not handed down for final action in the House. : Expects Confusion
Frank Finney, State Auto License Bureau Commissioner, said enactment of the drivers’ license bill
without the auto license measure “would confuse the records” of his department. As the drivers’ license bill is worded there is some danger, he said, that it would throw out of gear the present machinery for suspending and revoking licenses. During the period from Jan. 1 to March 1 a person who had had his own license suspended or revoked might be able to purchase a new 1940 driver's license, Mr. Finney said. He added that this purchase would be revoked, of course, after the record reached the State House, but the driver might be able to operate for several days before this action was discovered. Mr. Finney also announced that his department today is placing an order with the State Prison’ at Michigan City for manufacturing 200,000 truck weight tax plates for 1939. |
Repeal Move Failed The Legislature also failed to re-
|peal this law which is based on
truck tire size. He said no deadline would be established for purchase of these truck tax plates until it was determined how soon delivery could be made. " Collection of this tax was held up during 1938 pending outcome of litigation. The tax was declared constitutional by a Supreme Court decision. Before the 1938 collection was held up the Department took in approximately $619,000. Mr. Finney said he saw no way to enforce the collection of the rest of .the money owed for last year since the Department would be unable to prove that the trucks which were not licensed were actually in operation during that year. “Of course we will make the collection if persons voluntarily come in and admit they operated trucks during last year and make the payment, ” he said.
ANTIVACCINATION TRIAL POSTPONED
Trial of Dr. William Huston, 53, of 39 N. Tacoma Ave. on a charge of interfering with a health officer, was continued in Municipal Court today until March 21. Dr. Huston was arrested yesterday when he went to School 3 and reportedly sought to prevent expulsion of his daughter for failure to comply with the City’s compulsory smallpox vaccination order. Meanwhile, Dr. Herman GG. Morgan, City Health Board secretary, reported that no new small-
s|pox cases had been reported tothe day, leaving the total for the month
from]
This brought the number of speeding arrests in the last
eight” days of this month to
134. In January and February, there were 497 speeding
arrests.
Police emphasized they were not conducting a special drive—merely their - usual accident prevention campaign. As defendant after defendant stepped before the bench to answer to charges of speeding, the judge be= came increasingly critical.
Going to ‘Break 1t Up’
In sentencing one motorist, he ase serted:
“People who come in here for speeding—over 40 miles ‘an hour— I'm going to take their licenses away. I'm going to break this speed ing up.” When one defendant, ‘accused ‘of driving 49 miles an hour, steppéd up, he said:
“Forty-nine? Why I don’t drive that fast in the country.” Judge Karabell also warned that speeders were not the only traffié violators who would find rough. going in his court. “ ‘Practical’ stops don’t mean anything; there must be a complete stop at stop streets,” he told one defendant.
When a woman, accused of failing to make a safety stop, said she was “not very guilty,” the court ree plied:
“There’s no degree of guilt. Either you stop or you don’t.” Judge Karabell's warning to motorists came a few hours after Indianapolis’ sixth traffic death of the year, At this time last year, there had been 13 deaths. :
Deaths in Indiana Traffic Take Drop
A reduction of 20 per cent in the number of fatal traffic accidents in Indiana was reported for 1938 as compared with the preceding year, State officals ‘announced today. During the last year — the first
year of operation under the State’s revised drivers: license law—there were 1099 persons killed in trafe accidents as compared with 1357 killed the previous year. Personal injuries were reduced from 23,095 in 1937, to 16,835 in 1938, and a corresponding decrease was reported in property damage. 3 State Departments which have co= operated in the safety program, ine augurated by the 1937 Legislature, are: State Highway Commission, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, State Police, and State Motor Vehicle Department.
Removed Reckless Drivers ’
During 1938, 11,087 reckless and incompetant drivers were removed from Indiana highways, State records show. Of this number 4389 suspensions or revocations were ordered by the State Auto License Bureau and the remainder by local courts. A total of 1,254,024 drivers’ licenses were issued during 1938 or an average of 1.34 to each motor vehicle, Of. the total issued, 26,414 were beginners’ permits and 44,821 were beginners’ licenses. All new drivers were required to pass tests. Total number. of examinations made by the Department for new licensees and chauffers’ licenses was
1110900. Ao total of 6698 failed to
obtain licenses.
WAGE-HOUR OFFICIAL HITS ‘INTERFERENCE’
: | (Editorial, Page 16) -
—Radcliffe M. Urquhart, acting regional Wage and Hour Administrate or in the Philadelphia district, to= day protested political and submitted his conditional resig nation to Federal A ministrator. Elmer F. Andrews. Mr. Urquhart said his resignation , would become effective if Senator Guffey (D. Pa.) spoke with Mr. An. drews’ approval when he. ced he had Tecommanded Jog Con=