davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1934-07-24
Drought in Capital Region
q Lighter Than That of 1880
Wheat and Hay Crops already Har-
rested in Maryland and Virginia.
Rain Figures Compared.

progressive exhaustion of ground
water.
The center of the great drought.
Weather Bureau experts explain, Is
doing some curious shifting. After
the middle OF May the Northwest had
practically normal rainfall-too late
to do the wheat much good-and the
drought settled sharply beyond line
extending southeastward through
Eastern South Dakota and Southern
Iowa and then southwark along the
Mississippi. East of this line there
was enough rain, although none 10
spare. Now 1t has settled over the
Southwest, taking In the States Of
Nebraska. Kansas. Missouri, Okla
homa, Texas, Arizona and New Mex
leo. Large parts of this area are nor
mally desertlike, but they get their
heaviest rainfall in June and July.
This year they are not getting it.
The unparalleled heat wave over
the Middle West, which now has con-
tinued for two weeks and has not
even been approached since 1901, al
ready has moved eastward over the
Ohio Valley and may continue east
ward. The eastward drift Of the heat
cannot be predicted, but is the most
probable course in the light of similar
situations in the past.
The fundamental reasons, Mr.. Kin
Ger points out, are highly speculative.
In the first place. the climate of the
United States, with temporary inter-
missions, has been getting hotter for
some decades, and this year seems to
represent an unusually high jump for
the Mississippi Valley region.
Meteorological Phenomenon.
Next is the curious meteorological
phenomenon which the country ex-
perienced last Winter. For some years
past the influx of cold air from the
Arctic Basin over the North Ameri-
can Continent had been primarily by
way OF the basin Of the Mackenzie
River, east of Alaska. 1t would bring
exceptionally cold weather to the
Northwest east of the Rockies, turn
eastward across the southern part of
the Great Plains area and have lost
a good deal of its force before 1t
reached the Atlantic Seaboard. This
year the Mackenzie inlet was plugged
up" for some unknown reason. The
Northwest was not getting any cold
air to cause snowfall, or any other
sort of precipitation. Instead the
Arctic outflow was southwark over
Hudson Bay The East got its cold
air direct, with the result that it ex-
perienced one of the severest Winters
on record.
Now, for some reason or other, the
Hudson Bay channel also appears to
be plugged up"
The actual condition over the Dis
trict-M -Maryland-Vi Virginia area is not so
good as the records might indicate,
for what rainfall there has been over
the Potomac and Shenandoah VAL
leys has been very "spotty." Some
places have had heavy showers, but
not enough to break the deadlock and
break the drought over more than a
few square miles.
Evening star., 1934-07-24
RESCUE EFFORT FUTILE

Using special equipment, two nearby
Maryland fire departments last night
joined District of Columbia authorities
in futile effort to rescue l0-year-
old colored boy who drowned while
swimming in the Eastern Branch near
Benning.
The Hyattsyille Fire Department
sent its light truck to the scene while
the Riverdale Fire Departments rescue
squad helped with their first aid boat,
the only one of its kind In this
vicinity.
The child that drowned was Thomas
Dyson, 10, 500 block Of Twenty-flfth
place northeast.
Evening star., 1934-07-24
NAZIS SEEK ACCORD
ON CHURCH PROGRAM
Prussian Education Commissioner
Explains Need in Swearing
New Catholic Bishop.
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
BERLIN, July 24.-It Is necessary
for responsible clerical leaders to come
to clear understanding with the
Na1 government in the development
Of a religious program in Germany,
Bernhard Rust, Prussian commissioner
of culture and education. said yester-
day.
Rust asked for a clarification Of the
relations Of religious and political
leaders as he administered the civil
oath to the new Catholic Bishop Of
Hildesheim, DR.. Nachen.
The government has no desire to
start a conflict with church authori-
ties, Rust asserted.
Responsible leaders ought not to
make the communities of their fol-
lowers battlehelds," Rust said. The
domains of the Christian church and
the Na1 state are different, but un-
opposed, he asserted.
It is a patriotic duty, he continued,
ito forestall demoralizing religious and
class warfare" He cited the treaty Of
Versailles and the Westphalia peace Of
1648 as supreme examples Of German
impotence resulting from such strife.
Evening star., 1934-07-24
German He Captured in War
Pops Up to Greet Policeman
NJ. A. Rainey Picks Up
Former Lieutenant
as Speeder.
Once Met Soldier He'd
Shot Against During
Hospital Vigil.

It's getting so Park Policeman M.
A. Rainey expects to see some Ger
man whom he fought against in the
World War pop up just about any
where.
Its happened twice now" Rainey
declared yesterday. Once, several
years ago, I was assigned to guard a
murderer under treatment in Emer-
gency Hospital. They brought in a
fellow with a broken ankle and put
him in the next bed-and who should
he turn out to be but Heinie I'd shot
against In France. We'd gotten good
looks at each other as We exchanged
shots. and recognition was immedi-
ate"
That was nothing. however, COM
pared to the experience Rainey had
Sunday night Patrolling his motor
cycle beat in Rock Greek Park, he
noticed a speeding automobile and
started in pursuit.
And" he said, who should the
driver turn out to be but a lieu
tenant in the Prussian Guard whom
I captured at Montfaucon, In one Of
the last battlessof the war. He said
I'm just as tough now as I was the
day / dragged him out of a dugout
and marched him of 10 prison
Evening star., 1934-07-24
Committee of Association
Is Named to Assist
241 Involved.
GROUP TO DRAW BRIEF
AND PETITION TONIGHT
Action Supports Argument and
Data Already in Hands Of
Board of Appeals.

Veterans Administration attorneys
who face reclaSsiflcation as clerks, will
have the aid Of the Federal Bar As
sociation in opposing recommended
tions Of the personnel classification
division Of the Civil Service Com
mission.
Ralph @, Cornell, president Of the
Federal Bar Association, last night
named a special committee to prepare
a brief defending the 24l men and
women.
The brief will be an addition to
argument and data already in the
hands Of the Board of Appeals and
Review. The attorneys themselves
have flled opposition to the new clas-
sification and the Veterans Admins
tration, acting at the behest of Gen.
Frank T. Hines. administrator, also
is opposing the reduction Of the rat
ings.
Members Of Committee.
The Bar Association committee Is
composed Of Charles w. Flora, Gen.
eral Accounting Office. chairman:
David d. Caldwell, Justice Depart
ment: William N. Morrell, Veterans
Administration: George A. Warren,
Interior Department, and William A,
Roberts, peoples counsel.
This group will meet tonight at
Federal Bar Association headquarters,
in the Earle Building. TO prepare their
petition and brief.
Roberts, explaining the attitude Of
the Bar Association today, said the
organization is particularly interested
for three reasons--flrst. the lower
ratings would deprive the association
OF many Of its present members; Sec
ond, the original classification as pro-
fessional employees was made years
ago at the request Of the association
and, third. the reclassification is un-
fair In that It does not give proper
consideration to the legal experience
and training Of the men and women
involved.
Result Of Redistribution.
The case Is the outgrowth of a
general reclassification Of Veterans
Administration employees, which re-
suited from the consolidation of the
old Veterans Bureau with the United
States Pension ONCE.
The affected lawyers contend that
because work similar to their present
duties was performed In the Pension
ONCE by employees with clerks rat
ings, the entire personnel has been
stepped back to the lower grades. Re-
classification from professional q and
3 to CAT s and z. they argue, will
reduce the possibilities Of promotion,
in addition to depriving them Of their
professional standing. Many of those
affected are attorneys Of many years
experience and practice.
Evening star., 1934-07-24
WHITE HOUSE BIDS
0FFEREDBY EIGHT
Chicago Concern Makes
Lowest Offer of $318,757
for Contract.

Eight contracting firms today sought
the job of enlarging the executive
Offices at the White House. when bids
were opened by the National Park
Service, the main figures running from
$3lS, 900 to S375 900.
The indicated low bidder is the N.
P. Severin Co. of Chicago, which gave
an estimate of $3l8,757, although OFF,
cials made it clear that when the
alternatives for doing various phases
of the work are considered the con-
tract may go to another concern. Sew
eral variations we're called for in the
specifications. The Severin Co. put the
new roof on the present executive
Offices when fire destroyed part Of the
building at Christmas a few years
ago.
Other bidders were the McCloskey
Co. of Philadelphia with main bid
of $3.50 PIT; James Stuart Co., Inc,
New York, $347, 400; the Consolidated
Engineering Co. of Baltimore, $685.
500; Charles H. Tompkins Co. Of
Evening star., 1934-07-24

THE dog-actor in Midsummer
Nights Dream" wasn't con-
sidered important enough back
when Shakespeare wrote the piece to
be included in the dramatis personae,
but the role will be filled In the
Washington Community Players pres
entation of the comedy next Monday
and Tuesday nights.
The lucky dog is Ugly. owned by
Ofiicer p. T. Tierney Of the park
police. He won In a contest con-
Quoted by the players, who wfll pre-
sent the show in Sylvan Theater
under auspices Of the Community
Center Department.
"Ugly's role is TO let himself be
carried in under the arm (right, If
memory serves correctly of one
"Starveling, the tailor" played by
William Austin Davis.
Starveling's only reference to Ugly
will be when he says:
And this lantern, my lantern (he's
carrying the lantern in his other
hand), and this dog, my dog"
Evening star., 1934-07-24

Washington, $36S,S0o: George A..
Fuller, Washington, 1928, 500; Davis,
Wick & Rosengarten Co. of WASH
ington, $375.000, and James Baird
Co., Inc., of Washington, 1852 ,95I.
Some of these firms were furnished
plans as the engineers Of the National
Park Service turned them out, caus-
ing other contractors to contend they
were being Disseminated against. The
plan to furnish half a dozen firms
with working drawings ahead of
schedule was explained by Govern
ment officials by saying they wanted
reliable firms whose financial and pro-
fessional standings were unassailable,
to get an opportunity to bid. Ma
tional Park Service engineers defend
ed this practice as being legal. The
Government engineers vii study the
figures and alternative bids and the
opinion of the White House will be
asked. before final award is made.
Evening star., 1934-07-24
APARTMENT MANAGERS
WARNED OF RUG THEFTS
Chairs and Other Furnishings Re-
ported Stolen From Lobbies
in Scattered Sections.

Apartment house managers were
warned by police today to be on the
alert for thieves specializing in the
theft of rugs, chairs and other fur
nishings from the lobbies of buildings
in widely scattered sections of the city.
During the last week or so, police
said, furnishings worth more than
500 were stolen from the Hobbies of
two apartment houses. Theft of fur
nishings with total value of $475
from sample house at 3l05 North
ampton street-presumably by the
same gang-also was reported, police
added.
Other robberies were reported by
the following:
Theodore Stone, 1841 Columbia
road. a diamond ring worth s4O0:
John T. Rhine, 913 Third street south
west, diamond pin valued at $3.50;
DR.. William Gausman, 2702 Twelfth
street northeast, a watch worth $50;
Ruth Haffer. 2311 Connecticut avenue,
jewelry valued at $3.50.
Soon after William West, Ills
Ninth street, reported the theft of
Jewelry and other articles from his
apartment yesterday, Policeman w.
B. Yates, twelfth precinct, arrested
Floyd Cooney, 10. of Cambridge City.
Ind, in Union Station Some of the
articles were in the youths possession,
Yates said.
Evening star., 1934-07-24

camp, and I told him he wasn't any
softie, either.
Hes living In this country now.
preparing to become an American citi-
zen. and there was no animosity. We
shook hands. and I let him go. He
said, We shot at each other then.
and we cuss each other now. but
we're friends. anyway-ya? And. Of
course, agreed"
Rainey. who holds Croix de
Guerre and a Distinguished Service
Cross, was "shot up" himself soon
after his capture Of the German
"looie"
'Dillinger should have been there. "
he said. I'm bet nickel he couldn't I
have taken il"
Evening star., 1934-07-24
NINE SANATOR|UM
|. SITES CONSIDERED
Committee Of D. c. Officials
to Make Inspections
Thursday.

Nine proposed sites for an adult
tuberculosis sanatorium viii be in
spected Thursday by q committee OF
District oflcials set up by the Com
missioners. The committee, headed
by Surveyor Edward A. Dent, will
leave at about $3.50 am. and spend
the day on the Bluemont, Va, sites.
The District already owns a site for
the sanatorium in Glenn Dale, Md.
part Of It occupied by the buildings
Of children's sanatorium. But for
some reason, not yet quite plain, the
Commissioners are in the market for
another site In the mountains. They
have applied for $500 900 as an
allotment of p. w. A. funds with
which to put up the buildings. OF
this, 10 per cent must be repaid. with
interest.
29 Sites Offered.
The committee has before Il offers
for the sale of 20 sites, but only about
Is win be examined. It has ruled out
Of consideration all sites with an ele-
vation of less than 500 feet.
I'VE already have Glenn Dale and
that is less than 500 feet" said Dent,
so why should we examine any other
site below 500 feet?"
Since you already have the Glenn
Dale site, why examine any other site
at alp" he was asked.
THAT Is something with which this
committee has nothing to do" was
the answer.
I'VE have been ordered to examine
the site and we viii do so."
The committee, after looking over
the Bluemont sites, will spend another
day or two examining the other sites
with an elevation of plus 500. Dent
said that the principal features to be
examined were accessibility Of trans
portation systems, water supply, TO-
Biography (the site must contain
enough level land for the buildings)
distance from the District Of Colum-
bia. elevation and price.
List of Sites.
The sites which have been offered
so far are:
Junction Of the Potomac and Shen-
andoah Rivers. SIS miles from Wash
mgton; Braddock Heights; Clark
County, Va: 3 miles from Front
Royal. Va; nine sites in the vicinity
OF Bluemont, Va; l mile from Alex
andria on Franconia Highway; De-
fense Highway, near Riverdale road;
4 miles from Bladensburg ON the De-
tense Highway; Y mile from the
District ON Queens Chapel road: Bath
County, Va; Rock Greek Ford road,
Chevy Chase; II miles from White
Sulphur Springs, Monroe County, w.
Va; Manassas, Va; vicinity of Bowie.
Md; Edmundston road, Prince
Georges County, Md; vicinity of
Rockville, Md: Oxon Hill, Md; 2
miles west of Alexandria, Va; Parcel
223, District Of Columbia; vicinity Of
Rockville, Md; vicinity of Wood
bridge (name of State not given).
Commissioner George E. Allen, who
has charge of the Districts hospital
affairs, still withheld comment on the
entire situation, which developed
while he was away from the city on
vacation. He said. however. that the
question might come up at the regular
meeting of the Board of Commis-
sioners today.
Evening star., 1934-07-24
Business Mems Groups of
Section Seek Action
in Resolution.
$4,000 is SUGGESTED
AS NECESSARY AMOUNT
Petition Is Forwarded to District
Commissioners Following Meet
ing of Association.

Utilization Of funds now available to
the Bridge Department of the District
for the preparation Of plans for a
bridge to replace the Pennsylvania
avenue southeast structure, is urged
in a resolution adopted at a meeting
last night Of the business mems
groups Of the Southeast section of the
city. The petition was forwarded to
the District Commissioners.
A meeting of the citizens associa-
tions of that section was held at 314
Pennsylvania avenue last night. when
the resolution was signed by repre-
sentatives Of the Southeast Business
Mems Association. the Southeast
Citizens Association. the Randle
Heights Citizens Association and the
Washington Board of Trade.
$4,000 Termed Necessary.
The sum Of SIS, 900 was suggested in
the petition as the amount necessary
for the preparation of the proposed
bridge plans, and representatives
asked that the District government
appropriate this amount from funds
now available to the District.
At a recent hearing before the Dis
trict Commissioners representatives of
the Southeast section of the city were
told to secure the approval of all in
terested business mems groups in
their section Of the city to joint
resolution indorsing the construction
of the new bridge.
The resolution was signed by r. B.
English, Lewis F. Prick, Alex ]. Berlin,
Charles ]. Jenkins, William Maio, B.
@. Ladd, Aris Bacas and A. w. Lee,
the last named representing the Board
of Trade.
Text Of Resolution.
The resolution follows:
THAT the Commissioners Of the
District of Columbia utilize the funds
now available to the Bridge Depart
ment Of the District government or
other departmental funds for the i'm
mediate engineering study and prepa-
ration of plans for an adequate and
proper bridge to replace the present
obsolete and inadequate Pennsylvania
Bridge. The proposed bridge to have
not less than a 60-foot roadway and
two 12-foot sidewalks. Plans and
specifications for the proposed bridge
to be ready for submission to Con-
gress not later than December 80.
1884, and that the Commissioners re-
quest of Congress when it convenes
this session an appropriation to con-
struct the bridge"
Evening star., 1934-07-24
RELATIVE OF DEWEY
TO CHRISTEN DESTROYER
Great-Grandniece of Hero of Ma
Mia Bay Named Sponsor
bv Swanson

The great-grandniece of the hero
Of Manila Bay will ehristen the new
destroyer to be launched Saturday
at the Bath Iron Works at Bath, Me.
Secretary Swanson today an
nounced that Miss Anna NJ Dewey of
Quechee. Vt, will be sponsor for the
l,500-ton destroyer Dewey, named
for Admiral George Dewey.
The Navy Department has dis
patched the light cruiser Marblehead
TO be present at the ceremonies at
Bath Authorized BY acts OF Congress
of August 20. 1915. and February 2s.
1891, the destroyer Dewey is one of
Q group now under construction. The
nestroyers Drayton and LafnSon. each
of l.500 tons. authorized under the
national industrial recovery act, are
also under construction at Bath.
Capt. u. d. Washburn, jr., who was
on duty last year in Washington in
the once of Naval Operations at the
Navy Department, commands the
Narhlehead.
Evening star., 1934-07-24

Above, briefly, Is the picture of the
drought situation which is grasping
the District and adjacent areas of
Maryland and Virginia in its ten
tacles this month. as compiled from
the records of j. B. Kincer, chief
Of the Genealogical division of the
United States Weather Bureau.
1t is a somewhat different picture,
Mr. Kincer points out, than that
Of the great drought of 1880, which
burned up the crops of this section.
The crops came into the normally wet
months Of June and July with a
slight excess Of May precipitation
3.85 inches against normal Of $40.
This gave them a good start. While
the June fainfall was only slightly
more than half normal, 1t was enough
to keep them going. although not
enough for any reserve to be ac-
cumulated. BY the time the section
began to feel the full effects of the
drought. wheat and hay had been
harvested and there were fairly good
crops.
In 1880 the drought had been con-
tinuous from early Winter. There
had been practically no snow to lay
up a reserve of water in the soil.
Hay and wheat could not get start.
The great fruit orchards of the
Shenandoah and Potomac Valleys
had not had a chance to get started.
Two Crops Harvested.
This year, however bad the drought
becomes. it can hardly produce such
a tragedy as that Of four years ago,
with two of the chief crops har-
vested and in the barns. 1t has
ever, to burn the corn so that ears
will not set and to ruin the pasturage
so that. If 1t continues, it may be
necessary to draw upon the hay
stored for next Winter.
The continuance of the drought
in this section, Weather Bureau ex-
perts point out. Is anybody's guess.
The general rule, however, is that
it is somewhat more likely to con-
tinue than otherwise. The longer a
drought continues the less the prob
ability of rain without some violent
meteorological disturbance to break
the deadlock.
The situation that is developing
locally, Mr.. Kincer points out, is quite
different from that which has made
a temporary desert out of the North
west wheat belt. There it had been
cumulative through the Winter The
crops came into the growing season
with no reserve water to draw upon
after a Winter which broke all rec-
ords tor heat. They never had a
chance to get started properly. The
Northwest faced a situation COM
parable to what might be expected
here If the present drought contin-
ued with little intermission through
the coming Fall and Winter, with the
Evening star., 1934-07-24
Reports of Deadlock Denied
by Settle in Announcing
Compromise.
SUBCOMMITTEES NAMED
TO LOOK INTO ASPECTS
Efforts to Win Support for Va.
riety Of Housing Schemes
Are Blocked.

The Presidents Committee on the
Alley Dwelling Act has reached what
its secretary, Thomas S. Settle, secre-
tary of the National Capital Park and
Planning Commission, today called q
unanimous compromise agreement
on the authority" that should ad-
minister the new legislation created
to wipe out Washington's alley
dwellings.
The committee arranged to meet to-
day at pm. to receive preliminary
report from its legal and report-draft-
ing subcommittee, which is headed by
Settle. The secretary discounted pub
hshed reports that the committee
members are engaged in fight over
what body should administer the act
Agree on Essentials.
I'VE unanimously agreed on the
essentials of what we shall recon-
mend to President Roosevelt" said
Settle.
Yesterdays meeting Of the commit.
tee named two subcommittee to In.
quire into different phases of the
problem. Settles subcommittee, or
which are serving John Ihlder, hous.
ing expert Of the Washington Com.
mittee on Housing, and Horace w
Peaslee, architect in the Public Works
Administration, Is charged with thu
investigation of legal aspects of the
situation. A report will be drawn up
naming the projected authority" tC
administer the act, setting forth the
committees reasons therefor.
Settle said proposed presidential
executive order, to give effect to the
legislation recently passed by Con.
gress appropriating $500 900 to elm.
mate Washington's alley dwellings, 1,
to be blocked out. Serving on the
other subcommittee are Capt. Howard
F. Clark, Assistant Engineer Commits.
sioner Of the District, and Ihlder. who
will confer with other Government,
agencies that may do housing work ir
the District. This group desires tt
have any information bearing directly
or indirectly on low-cost housing ir
the National Capital.
Limit Project.
The one thing on which the Presi.
dents Committee on the Alley Dwell.
ing Act is insisting, Settle said, is tha
its work be confined solely to ths
eradication Of alley dwellings here.
Efforts have been made by inter.
ested outsiders, including those who
have land to sell and others who wan,
jobs, to sidetrack the committee or
a variety of housing schemes, the Sec
retary said. The committee, however
Is brushing aside these collateral is.
sues, and concentrating on the clear.
ing up Of the alley dwelling situation
Settle made II clear that the lane
on which alley dwellings are located
In industrial areas will be put to com.
mercial use, such as garages, parking
spaces, etc.
Canon Anson Phelps Stokes, chair.
man of the Presidents Committee or
the Alley Dwelling Act, presided al
yesterdays session and is expected tc
preside again today.