Evening star., 1934-02-23
.BR|TT|N To LEAVE
JAIL TOMORROW;
LOOKING FOR lob
Former Airline Official
Completes Sentence for
Senate Contempt.
BROKE, BUT UNW0RRIED,
STARTING ANEW AT 81
Doubts That He Has Many
Friends to Help Him-Popu-
lar With Prisoners.

Col L. H. Brittin, former executive
vice president Of Northwest Airways,
whom the Senate imprisoned for 10
days for contempt, will go free from
the District Jail tomorrow morning
to seek a job and new start in life
despite his 81 years.
II don't know what I will do or
where I will 60" Brittin said in the
jail today. MY first business will
be to find job, any job
The air official is broke and some
how doubts he has many friends to
help him. but I'm not worried" he
maintains with smile.
Against Advice of Counsel.
A week ago yesterday Col. Brittin
went to Jail against the advice Of
counsel to serve his Today sentence
and get 1t over with"
William p. MacCracken, former AS
sistant Secretary of Commerce. chose
to stay in his commodious Willard
Hotel "jair' while his conviction with
Brittin was being appealed to the
courts. The Senate found them both
guilty of contempt for failure to fur
nish subpoenaed papers
During his brief Jail stay. Col Brit
tin has had the sympathy and friend
ship Of officials and prisoners alike.
but his treatment has been the same
as accorded any other inmate. Dur
ing the day he works in the basement
on the records and at night he sleeps
on cot in dormitory with 10 other
prisoners. When the doors of the
Jail open for him tomorrow he must
take his turn with the other prison.
ers going free. Consequently the ex-
act time Of his release is problemat-
ical. 1t may be shortly after 8 o'clock
with the first of those who will be
released, or 1t may be nearer IL or
II: 80 o'clock. The regular jail routine
will not be disturbed and everything
must be done in the proper manner.
Praises Prison Superintendent.
Col. Brittin had words Of high praise
today for his jailers. particularly
Thomas NJ. Rives. superintendent.
He has been kind, as he Is to
all others here" said Brittin, 'but
despite what Representative Shoe
| maker says, I have received no spe-
cial treatment. This place is con-
Quoted extremely efficiently and Mr..
Rives has the confidence of the
prisoners. The morale is high, II
jail can be said to have morale"
Col. Brittin does not know whether
he will stay in Washington when
he is released or go to Minnesota. He
will be guided entirely by the prob
abilities of getting a job.
Resigned to Save Workers.
When his name was first brought
before the Senate in the proceedings
which eliminated in his sentence, he
resigned as executive vice president
and general manager of the Northwest
Airways. which he established little
more than eight years ago.
There are % pilots out there, many
mechanics wireless operators and
Others" he said "I wanted to do
everything I could to prevent them
from being hurt. My connection with
Northwest Airways might have hurt
them"
Col. Brittin is known among pilots
throughout the country for his con-
siderate treatment of his employees,
among the best paid and treated in
the business.
"Of course I want to remain in
aviation" he said today, sitting on a
bench in the lobby of the jail. 1T is
what am most interested in! I feel
like one of the old-timers in the game.
There are not many of US left"
Whether he can get job in the
aviation game, he does not know. He
thinks his experience ought to be
valuable to some one.
For the same reason he resigned,
Col. Brittin was reluctant to speak of
the cancellation of the airmail con-
tracts-he does not want to do any
thing to hurt those former employees
of his back home and their chances
of getting their jobs back. Most have
already been fired and Northwest now
is running but a single round trip,
touching Winnipeg, st. Paul and
Chicago.
But he is extremely interested in
learning what is going on outside" in
aviation.
You know, can't very we'll keep
up with events in here" he said.
Resigned Aviation Posts.
When Col Brittin resigned his post
with Northwest Airways. he also re-
signed as chairman of the Minnesota
Aeronautics Commission, president
of the National Association of State
Aviation Commissions and chairman
Of the board of Aeronautical Radio.
Inc
II also was in charge of the c. w.
A. airport program in Minnesota, but
they fired me from that job," he re-
marked with laugh. II could claim
I resigned there, too, because think
the letters carrying my resignation
and my discharge crossed en- route"
Col Brittin today seems not at all
downhearted or discouraged at the
somewhat dreary prospect before
him. He feels keenly his imprison-
ment, but the courage which enabled
him to fight to near the top Of the
aviation heap In few years has not
deserted him.