Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 11 April 1939 — Page 1

The Indianapol

CALs

is Times

FORECAST: Much cloudiness tonight and tomorrow; colder tonight with freesing temperature and probably frost; continued cold tomorrow.

Sours -howanell VOLUME 51—NUMBER 26

TUESDAY, APRIL 11, 1939

Entered as Second-Class at Postoffice,

Indianapolis, Ind.

FINAL HOME

Matter

PRICE THREE CENTS

No War Now, Beaverbrook Tells Howard

COX ADAMANT ON TAX SALES

Property Auction to Meet $2.000,000 in Claims Due Next Week.

Circuit Court Judge Earl R. Cox today refused tO set aside the order that county tax delinquent property must be sold at auction.

County Treasurer Frank E. MeKinney immediately announced he would abide by the ruling. He said the auction would be held next week at the Court House. Property tg go on the auction block for as little as $3 a parcel inciudes all which has been advertised for sale for back taxes and penalties two successive years. This amounts to thousands of parcels on which more than 2 million dollars in taxes are past due.

Must Wait on Title

Buyers at the auction must wait two years and pay current taxes before a clear title to the property can be granted under the law. Any time during the two-year waiting period the original owner may redeem his holdings from the original buyer by payment of the Juction price plus taxes and penales. The auction sale will break a 40-year-old precedent in the County and “could lead to a tax strike by the general public,” Mr. McKinney said. He declared “the law is unjust and inequitable but any correction of this injustice is up to the Legislature in 1941" Mr. McKinney said an opinion from the State Tax Board declared the law “clear.” Judge Cox, who

granted the mandate to a group of} local real estate dealers a month]

ago, stated that the law was plain but against public policy.

Percentage ‘Worth While’

About 10 per cent of the property to be auctioned is “worth while” Mr. McKinney said. He warned that the danger of a tax strike lies in the possibility of owners buying their own property at auetion and clearing their back taxes. Today's auction brought a climax to the tax auction dispute which flared in the open March 17 when county officials declared their intention to defy the order to sell the property. The real estate dealers who brought the original petition sought to buy more than a thousand parcels of property on a bid of $3 a parcel, the minimum to cover the cost of the sale. One of the parcels was valued on the tax books at $14000, records showed. Although it had been previously reported that County officials would defy the court order, one to the extend of “going to jail first,” Mr. McKinney said he wished to have it pointed out “there is and never

has been any friction between his] He |

office and the Circuit Court.” said he merely asked for a declaratory ruling on his rights under the law, :

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BOOKS coevesen Johnson Bhan 10 Broun Ses RAES Comics ..eese Clapper ..... 10 Crossword ... 8 Curious world 16 Editorials ... 10 Fashions .... Y Financial ... 1% Fynn ooo 10 Forum ...... 10 Gallup ...... 11

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7/Benjamin Scheinman

First Pitch To Drop Oft Monument

T high noon Thursday some member of the Indianapolis Indians is going to drop a baseball from the 2281: -foot peak of the Monument in the Circle and some other Indian is going to catch it—maybe. It's a Junior Chamber of Commerce stunt te ballvhoo the opening of the baseball season at Perry Stadium that afternoon. Safety Board members granted permission today, somewhat reluctantly and over the objections of Chief Morrissey who thought about the traffic and safety angle.

WIFE OF JUDGE

SENT TO PRISON

Gets 3 Months as Smuggler; Chaperau Given 5Year Term, Fine.

NEW YORK, April 11 (U. P)— The Government today completed its prosecution of smuggling operations by persons prominent in the social and entertainment worlds with the sentencing of a master ‘smuggler and a New York State Su-

|preme Court Justice's wife.

Federal Judge Murray Hulbert imposed a five-year and three days sentence and a $5000 fine upon Al-

bert N. Chaperau, confessed master

smuggler whose clients included the radio comedians Jack Benny and George Burns. Earlier in the courtroom of Federal Judge Vincent Leibell, Mrs. Elma Lauer, ailing 58-year-old wife of Justice Edgar N, Lauer, was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment as a second offender against smuggling laws, placed on probetion for one year, and fined $2500. Benny and Burns, who pleaded guilty to smuggling by means of Chaperau, were given suspended sentences of one year and a day each, placed on probation for that period, and paid heavy fines. Chaperau, self-styled commercial attache of the Nicaraguan consulate here, had claimed diplomatic immunity from prosecution. His sentencing had been deferred pending disposition of the Lauer, Burns and Benny cases, Mrs. Lauer collapsed as the court announced the prison sentence. The court told Mrs. Lauer that despite her prominence in public and social activities she would have received a longer sentence but for her physical condition. She has been ill for some time. Judge Leibell asserted Mrs. Lauer had been impelled to smuggle by an “insane vanity” that was a form of kieptomania. “Underlying the whole case is feminine rivalry in the community,” Mrs. Lauer's attorney said.

DIVORCE IS GRANTED TO JOAN CRAWFORD

HOLLYWOOD, April 11 (U. P).— Joan Crawford was granted a divorce today from Franchot Tone after she testified that Tone had

8 been mentally cruel to her by his

“sullenness.” The decree was granted by Judge who previously had refused to permit the film

9istar to obtain a divorce by proxy ¢| rough a deposition containing her arges.

in person today, showing signs of

“he appeared

By ROY W. HOWARD Copyright, 1938, Seripps-Howard Newspapers

ARIS, April 11.—Great Britain's production of first-line fighting planes—bombers and pursuit ships—is reported to have approximated one thousand during the

month of March, according

to a statement made to me

here today by Lord Beaverbook, England’s No. 1 newspaper publisher and since the death of Lord Northcliffe probably her best-informed journalist on world affairs. Even more interesting to Americans, if less startling, is his prediction that there will be no war in Europe at the present time, and the corollary statement that the British are not basing their calculations on any expectancy

of American participation in whenever it may come.

the next European conflict—

My talk with Lord Beaverbrook was incidental to his

week-end visit in Paris.

“You have been quoted,” Lord Beaverbrook said, “as

having said in some of your

articles or in your broadcast

to the United States that you cannot tell your readers whether there is going to be war. “I can supply this deficiency. There isn’t going to be a European war just now. I say this because the Germans will not provoke the British and French to fight, bécause they know such a fight would be the end of Hitler and

his National Socialists.

“We have no illusions. The British and French would

be very badly handled, at

the start. But before the

war was over the German people would have had such a

terrible time that they would and his colleagues.

have rid themselves of Hitler

“The moment war breaks out, Hitler knows that the actual command goes to the soldiers in the field. His

own authority dwindles, his power declines, his reputation vanishes, Hitler the politician goes into eclipse when the

need of military strategy becomes paramount. diers’ trade union takes over.

The solAnd when that happens

they will move independently of Hitler and his Nazis.

“Hitler is no Napoleon.

Napoleon was a trained, ex-

perienced soldier who achieved his victories by conquest and the sword. Hitler achieves his aim by oratory, radio

and the press.”

British Empire.

Express) opposed intervention in

EDITOR'S NOTE-—Born William Maxwell Aitken 60 years ago in New Brunswick, Canada, and created a baron in 1917, Lord Beaverbrook is today one of the most influential figures in the

Politically, he is an independent Conservative. London Daily Express, of which he is the controlling shareholder. With approximately 2,500,000 circulation, it probably has the largest circle of readers of any daily newspaper in the world.

Outspokenly isolationist, the “Beaverbrook press” (Lord Beaverbrook is also chief owner of the Evening Standard and the Sunday

vakia. “The British,” Lord Beaverbrook once said, “deplore Mussolini’s aggression just as they deplore Hitler's but neither Ethiopia, Austria nor Crechoslovakia is our affairs. Britain is our business!” By which he meant that Britain should fight only if, when and where her own vital interests were at stake,

And so is the

Ethiopia, Austria and Czechoslo-

ECALLING the publisher's long-sustained policy of

isolation for England, I

asked if recent events had

caused him to modify his policy, to which he replied: “We have not modified our policy. I am still an isolationist, but I believe the British people are determined to

defend the French frontier.”

“The French are worried about Britain's failure to

adopt conscription,” I suggested.

“Remembering 1914,

they are wondering how long it will take Britain to get an effective expeditionary force to France in the event

of another war.”

“The situation differs greatly from 1914,” was the reply. “The might of Germany now depends altogether on her Air Force, which is the only branch of her fighting force that is completely equipped. “So far, the menace to Britain depends upon the

threat to bomb London.

Now London is in a position

to meet and delay that menace.

“Our output of planes

has been stepped up very

rapidly. It has been reported to me from reliable sources

that our output last month

(March) approximated one

thousand first-line planes. That figure does not include

training planes.

“While the actual facts have not been given out, it is believed that we divide our strength fifty-fifty—half bombers and half fighters. Germany is supposed to divide on a basis of three-quarters bombers and one-quarter (Continued on Page Four)

BAYS ELECTION APPEARS SURE

Party Aids Will Name New Indiana Chairman Here This Afternoon.

A Democratic harmony movement for the 1940 campaign was to be started today following the scheduléd election of Fred C. Bays of Sullivan as state chairman to succeed Attorney General Omer Stokes Jackson. The Indiana Democratic Committee was to convene for the election at the Claypool Hotel this afternoon. Party leaders said a last-minute poll of 24 committee members over the state indicated that the 12 districts “except one or two” will vote solidly for Mr. Bays. The committeemen described as “only lukewarm” for Mr. Bays were not identified but it was rumored that the 12th District might place another candidate in the race.

Election ‘Seems Assured’

Earlier Governor Townsend said Mr. Bays’ election “seems assured.” Mr. Bays announced that if elected chairman he will resign as a member of the Public Service Commission and set up a full-time campaign office here by May 1. He indicated he would start immediately on a harmony movement to smooth over the scars of factionalism that have existed in the party's ranks since Paul V. McNutt was elected Governor in 1932. Mr. Bays said he will conduct the campaign on the idea of “selling the Democratic program as the best possible program for most of the people.” “If elected chairman I will stump the state from one end to the other,” he said.

Successors Considered

He first attracted state-wide attention several years ago by the campaigns he conducted as chairman of the Sullivan County Democratic Committee which turned out one of the largest Democratic majorities in the state last fall. He has been Sullivan County chairman since 1932. Governor Townsend appointed Mr. Bays to the Public Service Commission in September, 1937. The Governor yesterday said he was “considering several candidates” as possible successors to Mr. Bays on the Public Service Commission. Among them are Marshall Williams, now a member of the State Tax Bod; Samuel Trabue of Rushville, former memer of the Public Service Commission: Richard Shirley, member of the Alcoholic Beverages Commission, and Sugust Mueller, former secretary of Ss .

COUNTY WOMAN, 32, KILLED AT GROSSING

Mother of Boy, 7, Struck by Interurban.

Mrs. Bertha Pollert, 32, of 1023 Thompson Road, was Killed instantly today when struck by an Indiana Railroad car at Thompson Road and Madison Ave. She had ridden to a Thompson Road grocery on a bicycle and was returning home. She had placed her purchases in a basket on the handlebars and was pushing the cycle. John Hayes, 64, a witness, said she apparently did not hear the warning signal sounded by the interurban operator and that after she had turned to look at an approaching bus she stepped into the traction car's path. The interurban was in charge of William Miller, Seymour, and was en route to Indianapolis from Louisville. Mrs. Pollert is survived by her husband, John; a son, Jack, T; “ NG t

.

ner , M :

es Ph

m 0. If the Democratic harmony program works out as Prey lenders hope, Fred F. Bays (left) of Sullivan will be elected by the State Democratic Committee this afternoon to succeed Attorney General Omer Stokes Jackson (right) as State Chairman.

So Watt?

‘Elektro,’ a New Robot, Talks and Counts Up To Ten.

ITTSBURGH, April 11 (U, P). —A mechanical man who does just about anything except think for himself, today formally took his place among the wonders of the 20th Century. His name is “Elektro.” He is the creation of engineers at the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Co, headed by J. M. Barnett. Elektro walks, talks and counts up to 10 on his fingers. He was a vocabulary of 77 words; he smokes cigarets; he can distin guish two colors—red and green— and says which is which when they are shown him. Requiring three years to create, Elektro weighs 260 pounds; he is 7 feet tall, and has feet 18 inches long and half as wide; he is composed of 900 hand-made parts; he has a frame of steel, a body of aluminum. ;

SEEK ‘TAPE BANDITS’ IN DANVILLE HOLDUP

Operator of Liquor Store Is Robbed, Abducted.

Two bandits who last night robbed a Danville, Ind, liquor store

operator of $50 and then abducted and freed him at the edge of town, were sought by State Police today. Four similar crimes in the last month near here have been blamed on the pair. Meantime, a car stolen by the gunmen from Leo V. Rogers, Indianapolis, when they abducted him April 3 and left him trussed in tape near Noblesville, was found abandoned in Mishawaka. The bandits, unmasked, entered the Danville liquor store, about a half block from the town square, and took the $50, ordering Ray Bennett, 50, into their car. Three miles southeast of Danville, they i or e of his arms and the other his feet and they swung him over a fence. When he fell his shoulder was dislocated. He was treated for his injuries in an India lis hospital. Capt. Walter Eckert of the State Police said that although the description given by Mr. Bennett of the bandits did not completely tally with descriptions given hy other victims, investigators assumed all five crimes had been committed by the same pair. pe were ine

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GOLD RAYS GUT AIR INFECTIONS

Use of Ultra Violet During Operations Described to Hoosier Doctors.

Cold and nearly invisible ultra violet rays, under which surgeons work in pith helmets, have reduced air infections in Duke University

operating rooms to less than onehalf of 1 per cent. Dr. J. Daryl Hart, Duke professor of surgery, this afternoon reported to Hoosier doctors attending the annual Indiana University post-gradu-ate school at the Medical Center, that such sterilization of operating room air is the newest refinement in surgical technique. Dr. Hart began his experiments with air sterilization in 193¢ when the operating infections at Duke in spite of sterilization of instruments and gloves and the filtering and conditioning of air, reached a 4 per cent average. The rays have been found to kill 95 to 99 per cent of air germs, com= ing from the mouths and noses of persons in the operating room, within three minutes, he said. Dr. Hart said air sterilization was particularly necessary when operations required large areas be laid bare for relatively long periods of time. Surgeons operating in ray-steri-lized rooms wear the conventional germless masks and rubber gloves, he said, and the rays are merely an added precaution.

FIRE UP--FREEZING WEATHER IS ON WAY

Frost Predicted: Lightning Strikes Twice.

LOCAL TEMPERATURES 6am... 37 10a mm... 7a m... 38 11a m... ga m... 39 12 (noon). Sa m... 4 1p mm...

Colder weather, with freezing temperature and probably frost tonight, was predicted by the Weather Bureau today following the year’s most severe electrical and thunderstorm. The Bureau reported that last night's heavy downpour which accompanied the storm increased the tation here during the last 24 hours to .27 of an inch. Two buildings were struck by lightning, but there was no loss from resultant fires. Places struck

” 44 4

| 5020 BE. 22d St, and / C t :

3 ilwa) po a wm

were the home of Carl J. Brinkman, the Indianapolis station, Illinois

F.D.R. SCORES WPA CUT AGAIN

Fears 400,000 Would Lose Jobs; Senate Vote on Slash Due Today.

WASHINGTON, April 11 (U. P). —President Roosevelt today asserted that Senate failure to vote 150 million dollars for relief during the remaining two and one-half months of the fiscal year would cause the dismissal of approximately 400,000 WPA workers.

The Senate was expected to vote during the afternoon on a proposal to raise the pending 100 million dollar bill to 150 million dollars. In a letter to Senator Pepper (D. Fla.), who took up the fight for 150 million dollars after Administration Senate leaders agreed to compromise on the lower figure, Mr. Roosevelt said that the question “is one of arithmetic.”

‘Nothing to Add’

“In reply to your inquiry,” the President wrote, “I think there is nothing for me to add or subtract from what I have made so clear on sO many occasions since last January. “The sole question of continuing relief to July 1 is one of arithmetic. “If 100 million dollars is voted, between 300,000 and 400,000 fewer people can be given work relief than if 150 million dollars is voted—and in addition practically none of the 700,000 or 800,000 people on the wait ing list can be given employment. “It seems to me,” the President concluded, “that that is the long and short of it.” Speaker William B. Bankhead told reporters that he expected Mr. Roosevelt to send Congress his request for 1940 fiscal year relief funds as soon as it acts finally on the current bill.

Bankhead Sees No Change

Mr. Bankhead said he knew of no reason for any material change in the figure tentatively left open for relief in the President's budget submitted Jan. 5. Mr. Roosevelt estimated then that about $1,750,000,000 would be needed. While the Senate neared a showdown on the relief fund, a House Appropriations Subcommittee began an investigation of the WPA (Continued on Page Three)

7000 ARE DROPPED BY WPA IN INDIANA

Further Reduction Will Be Made on May 1.

Nearly 7000 persons have been dropped from WPA rolls in Indiana this month and a further reduction will be made May 1, John K. Jennings, State WPA administrator, said today. ’ The majority of those taken off WPA, Mr. Jennings explained, were working on projects for which sponsoring communities have not paid their share of the cost to which they agreed. Orders from the national WPA office in Washington accounted for dismissal of approximately 6500 persons in Indiana, Mr. Jennings said. How many more will be dropped May 1 depends upon Congressional appropriations and employment conditions in Indiana, he said. Mr. Jennings said there are 80,000 now on WPA in Indiana. There were 100,000 the latter part of last year as compared with 40,000 in September, 1937. The age, number of dependents or need of WPA workers was not considered in the latest dismissal order, Mr. Jennings said.

BURGLARS RANSACK BUTLER FIELDHOUSE

Thieves who ransacked the Butler University Fieldhouse last night

FOREIGN SITUATION

LONDON-—British and French warships near Corfu.

SOFIA—Britain seeks support of Bulgaria. THE HAGUE—Dutch call reserves to frontier posts. ROME—Italy would regard pledge to Greece as unfriendly. PARIS—Marshal Petain reports on Franco's stand.

8 = =»

WASHINGTON-U. 8S. to seek war supplies barter, 8 » »

HONGKONG-Japanese troops 10 miles from Hongkong.

HULL APPROVES WHEAT BARTER

Begins Negotiations Under Byrnes Proposal to Get Military Supplies.

WASHINGTON, April 11 (U. P). —State Department officials set out today to barter for strategic war materials in international trade. The deals will enable the United States and Great Britain to fortify themselves with reserves of supplies badly needed in wartime. Heretofore, the chief propofients of barter trade have been the totalitarian nations. Secretary of State Hull and his aids approved a proposal by Senator Byrnes (D. S. C) to trade surplus wheat and cotton to Great Britain, Holland and Belgium for their surplus rubber, tin and other strategic war materials. Byrnes and Acting Budget Director Daniel Bell were scheduled to confer with Mr. Roosevelt today ard it was anticipated the discussion would center on the strategic materials barter plan. State Department officials will soon initiate preliminary conversations with diplomatic representatives of those countries to arrange the proposed deals. This country would urgently need reserve supplies of rubber, tin and nickel in event of war. The European countries would need reserve supplies of cotton, which is a war material, and wheat, for food. The plan requires no legislation, the authority coming from the Reciprocal Trade Treaty Act, but any trade would have to be sanctioned by the Senate. It would require little or no cash (Continued on Page Three)

DALADIER CANGELS ARMY, NAVY LEAVES

Envoy to Spain Asked Why Foreign Troops Stay.

PARIS, April 11 (U, P.)—Naval specialists were called up and all leaves were cancelled today os the main French Mediterranean Fleet at Toulon prepared to sail for the North African and Eastern Mediterranean coasts, Joining Great Britain in naval precautions, the Government also cancelled all Easter leaves for the Army throughout France. Meantime, the Cabinet was“Summoned by Premier Daladier to consider international developments with emphasis on Spain. Marshal Philippe Petain, French Ambassador to Spain, arrived unannounced from his post today and it was reported that he had been

stole three stop watches, a pistol, a fountain

four seks of arrows|

summoned to report to Foreign

FLEETS BACK UP THREAT T0

DUCE

Million Men in Arms In France; Soviet Ships Stand By.

By WEBB MILLER (Copyright, 1939, by United Press)

LONDON, April 11.—Great Britain and France sent war fleets into the Mediterranean today to back up their diplomatic demands for an end

to Italian expansion in the Balkans and the withdrawal of Fascist soldiers from Spain. Under secret orders to dominate strategic points in the Mediter~ ranean, the warships of the demo= cratic powers were reported massing off the entrance to the Adriatic Sea as Prime Minister Chamberlain sought a pledge that Italy would avoid endangering the independence of Greece. Developraents included: 1. King George returned to London from Windsor Castle and received a last-minute report from Mr. Chamberlain, who is expected to announce a British guarantee of Greek and Turkey frontiers on Thursday unless negotiations with Premier Mussolini make it unnecessary. It was recalled that the King returned to London similarly during the Czech crisis last September to sign the order for fleet mobilization.

Russians Are Consulted

9. Foreign Secretary Viscount . Halifax conferred with Soviet Ame bassador Ivan Maisky on the Ruse sian attitude toward latest develope ments. Four Soviet warships were In Mediterranean waters but Moscow remained an uncertain factor in the antiaggression line-up. Lord Halifax has been attempting to bring Russia definitely into the socalled peace front and British sources expressed confidence of So= viet support in event of an emere gency. 3. The firm attitude taken by Britain and France appeared to be influencing the smaller European nations toward the democratic front if they are unable to maintain a neutral role. A British pledge of military aid to Rumania and Turkey as well as Greece is expected to be given if necessary.

Million in French Army

4. A high British source said are rangements were complete under which Turkey would attack Bulgaria if the Bulgars with or without the aid of Italy should invade Rumania or Greece. 5. France's Cabinet, estimated to have called up 400,000 men in addition to her normal 650,000 armed forces, ordered the French fleet to join the British in the Mediter= ranean as the Cabinet met to study developments, especially in Spain. Lord Halifax, Mr. Chamberlain and the heads of the British armed forces were in almost constant consultation. Earl Stanhope, First Lord of the Admiralty; Admiral Lord Chatfield, Minister for Defense Co-ordination; Leslie Hore-Belisha, War Secretary; Sir Kingsley Wood, Air Minister, and others conferred during the afternoon. Although the British-French naval precautions put teeth into Britain's decision to give guarantees to Turkey and Greece if necessary, some opposition sources expressed fear that further attempts to deal with Sig. Mussolini would merely (Continued on Page Three)

STOCKS RALLY 1-3 AFTER EARLY SLUMP

NEW YORK, April 41 (U. P)—A rally accompanied by increased turnover brought stocks back 1 to points in early afternoon dealings . Losses in a morning break

Early losses in some instan were turned into net gains w

small advances noted in John: ville, Pennsylvania R