davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1937-09-05

Job OF keeping an "ear" open for the
international distress signal As soon
as the alarm hears" an S o S bell
rings in the operators cabin and
red lights flash on the bridge, sounding
the newest call OF the sea, Get to
your radio"
Had this device existed in 1914 the
loss in the Titanic disaster might have
been nil, for after the Titanic hit
skilled operators sat in her radio room,
ignoring the wall of ice glittering at
their elbows, and sent over and over
again the dots and dashes that should
have informed every ship within hear
Ing distance that she was sinking
AS 1t happened, however, the call
reached only a passenger ship 500
miles away-the distance between life
and death away When the Caledo-
nian reached the scene the ship that
couldn't be sunk" was on the floor
OF the ocean and the rescue crew
took aboard only . few half frozen
men and women in 4 scattering Of life
boats dotting the horizon.
THIS, of course, was tragedy, but
when 1t was learned later that
the California had been scarcely an
hours run from the stricken liner
when the first desperate dots and
dashes leapt into the ether, it became
horror. First radio messages from the
Titanic at that time were picked up
in New York City, on the radio set at
Wanamaker's store by David Sarnoff,
now president Of the Radio Corpora
ton of America, parent company Of
the Radio Marine Corporation of
America, whose engineers invented
the new radio automatic alarm. The
story Of how Mr.. Sarnof remained
at the key ~ hours, receiving and
sending to both the Titanic and the
rescue ship has long since become one
Of the most stirring tales Of radio
lore.
Evening star., 1937-09-05

America takes stock of recent strikes clashes beoeen
uno ana non union forces, differences beeen ,ooker and
employer and seeks remedy another Labor day rolls
around Nine Perkins, Secretary OF Labor center gves her
tom m Bqlmore Phiqdephia Nev York and Boston
on washington ~ When 100 900 sypathizer massed
in Detroit in support OF the dopn strikers auto plants
~ Scene during the battle OF lettuce farmers Calf
~ Hand -to-idnd fighting betUeen strikers and strike
11eakers OF packing company at Siour Fails ~
workers mdsed IN Cadillac Square, Detroit to
eyct,on OF sdonners 6 Workers picketing
plant IN recent demonstration at Ambrdge Pa ~
graduating loyal 10orkers during in South
Chicago ILL., (S The National Guard protects back-o-1Uork
mopement IN sheet and steel plant at Youngstown Ohio
(9) And at Little Palls ~ j. skish marks the outbreak
OF a strike uiolence at laundry plant.
Photos bU A. and de
Evening star., 1937-09-05

YHEN the Titanic was sunk
M by an iceberg off the Grand
Wv Banks in 1914 nearly 1900
persons lost their lives in
the frosty ocean, although small
freighter, the California. was less than
20 miles away from the doomed liner
when the first distress signals cracked
into the late hours Of the night.
1ne California's radio operator had
gone below, and the Titanics S O S
signals echoed into an empty, dark
ened cabin several decks above him,
But when the steamship Guardian
grounded at Lobos Bay, Cuba, in the
early hours OF the morning last June
rs emergency signals awakened radio
operators on dozen vessels from 80 to
nearly 1000 miles from the scene of
the accident.
Between the greatest maritime dis
aster Of peace times and that recent
summer morning the automatic radio
alarm has been invented, a device
mat might have saved every one of
tne T1tanic's victims and which now
marks dramatic victory In mans
age-old battle with the sea. Today
nearly $50 American vessels have been
equipped with the alarm, and existing
orders will bring the total to around
1000 In the near future.
The radio slarm is designed for
vessels that do not carry three radio
operators for daily shifts of eight
hours each, legal requirement for
passenger vessels. It is made for small
vessels, with only one operator aboard.
so that mechanical contraption can
do his listening for him when he is
on duty. But 1t protects all the craft
afloat, even ifeboats adrift If they
are equipped with a radio As is the
present-day trend.
When the radio operator on a vessel
completes his watch he turns on the
automatic alarm and leaves the cabin.
and the alarm at once takes over the
Evening star., 1937-09-05
By Lucy Salamanca.

ct BELIEVE that We are started
upon policy Of cooperation
between employer and en-
ployee that will be the means
IN this country Of achieving peace
with justice, in the industrial world
] have been astonished, in the imme-
dtate past, not by the number of dis
putes that have come to strikes. but
by the far greater number of disputes
that have not come to strike. And
this has been due to the increasing
willingness of employers to deal with
labor. 1t is my firm conviction that
this prevention, creative attitude is
rapidly replacing that selfish, destruc-
tive attitude that characterized so
many disputes in the past
Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins
thus outlined to the interviewer her
f1rm belief that out of the present
labor upheavals in this country is
growing a better understanding be-
tween those who employ and those
who are employed 1t is further evi-
denced, she asserts, by the manner in
which both industrial groups are avail
ing themselves of the assistance of
those Government boards that have
been set up for purposes OF media
ton
More and more" Secretary Perkins
said, our Labor Relations Board is
being consulted by industriaNs!s and
labor in an effort to settle disputes
IN satisfactory manner and prevent
strikes. This evidence OF increasing CO.
operation is one Of the most helpful
signs Of the times.
There Is general misconception
on the part Of some" Miss Perkins
added, about the power of the Gov
ernment to intervene in such cases.
We cannot dictate settlement. That is
not possible in a democracy. We can
only suggest. have, In one day, had
1ndustrialists call upon me to tell
Labor where 1t gets off, and have had
Labor call upon me to give 4 piece
OF Its mind to the employers. OF
course. neither Is possible, for it is
not within the province OF the De-
partment OF Labor to do either of
these things. We can only help esch
side to see the others point OF view
And seek to work out 3 settlement
satisfactory to both. And we have
done 80 in hundreds Of cases that
have not, because they were thus set
tied. ever come to public attention. 1t
Is the case that does not submit to
mediation that makes the headlines.
But there are individuals and groups
In all classes Of society who are less
amenable to arbitration than others.
And We cannot expect not to come
into contact with such cases in the
industrial field. But In a definitely
encouraging manner can see the
growth Of real capacity to deal sensi-
bly,. intelligently and practically with
labor disputes, on the part Of those
who represent employers and those
who represent labor"
Mss PERKINS stated that the
present unsettled conditions BE-
tween the two industrial groups are a
Evening star., 1937-09-05
Woman Cabinet Member Who Has Had Long Service in Field
States Improvement Is Achieved, Despite Unrest That
Usually Accompanies Recovery

when conditions are at low-water
mark, the workman thankful for the
bare fact Of holding job at all, moth
ing Is done about improvement of
working conditions or to raise the de-
pressed standard With recovery,
however. comes the natural determi-
nation to right such conditions and,
as result, there are labor disputes
and unrest resulting from the effort
to make readjustments.
During the period Of depression, {"
Miss Perkins stated, the workman
has brooded so long upon the injustice
Of his situation, without opportunity
for expression or correction of the
condition, that when things are i'm
proved to point where he dares to
make demands, those complaints are
bound to be bitter. 1t is a natural
result Of having borne grievances for
a long period of time
The public, seeing only one side
OF the picture, and having no knrwl-
edge, naturally, of the many disputes
Evening star., 1937-09-05

filed in the previous II months Of the
boards existence"
A sKED next if, in her opinion, the
lot OF the wage-earner had i'm
proved during the Roosevelt admins
tration, Miss Perkins stated The
first great improvement has been that
now there are jobs and in 1888 there
were none. At the present time We
are only million and quarter below
the figures for those employed in 1929
And in this connection it should be
remembered that We took over at the
very lowest point of the depression.
There has been an increase in
wages" she continued. "and wage
rates have gone up. Income has gone
up. Hours, pretty generally, have
been shortened. The code esta blisn ID
the 40-hour week and many employers
have continued it. The right OF work
ers to organize is now protected by the
national labor relations act which
prevents discrimination agains, work
ers who belong to unions.
In addition. we have the United
States Employment Service that now
has branches in every State. And, Of
vital Importance to our future welfare,
the social security act"
Miss Perkins expanded upon these
accomplishments, insisting upon gi(
ing credit for them to the co-operatio,.
between State labor departments arr
the Federal Department OF LAboA
which made possible passage Of more
and better labor laws. This, however,
could not have been brought about,
despite the modesty OF the gentle
and charming Secretary of Labor,
without her own ability, tact and
expert knowledge and experience, We
would add.
To outline briefly the definite steps
forward taken under her adminstra-
ton, they have been: G) In States,
minimum wages 10 in 13 States,
shorter hours (3) in 3 States, COL
lection OF wages; % in 20 States,
regulation Of prison-made goods; 60
in l8 States. curb on the issuance
of injunctions; 90 In States, reg
ulation and abolition OF home work;
CD in 5 States. regulation Of fee
charging employment agencies: (S) in
Is States. protection against accidents
and industrial disease; (9) in 7 States,
establishment Of l6-year minimum for
the employment Of boys and girls;
NO In ~ States, maintenance of
State employment services In CO.
operation with the United States En-
ployment Service.
THESE improvements reflect, to's
large extent, the wisdom and ex-
perience OF Miss Perkins herself, whose
entire adult life has been devoted to
Of laboring conditions.
Born IN Boston, Of the Perkins and
otis families, she received her early
'ducation In the private and public
schools OF Massachusetts,, and later
vas graduated from Mount Holyoks
Ioleee. AS postgraduate student
me attended the Universities OF Chi
ago and Pennsylvania and Columbia
(see LABOR, Page T-3J
Evening star., 1937-09-05

329,939 workers in TOT strikes were
idle 26 6,2l8,628 man-days, whereas last
year more than double that number
of workers in three times as many
disputes were idle 13,90l ,956 man
days-about half as many. Certainly
this shows that industrial differences
are becoming susceptible to quicker
adjustment as general rule. as work.
ers and management become more
understanding of each others prob
Evening star., 1937-09-05

for lifeboats was designed and installed
on hundred or more small craft.
This apparatus makes 1t possible for
boats which have left sinking ship
to maintain contact with rescue ves-
sells and to assist in guiding them to
the scene Of the disaster. And a d.
rection finder for small boats Is q
device that assists the rescuing vessel
to locate the distressed boat.
Today, when adrift in small boat
at sea, castaways need not scan the
horizon for sail If their equipment
Is up to the minute-they must, in
stead, keep their head sets over their
ears and remain in touch with ships,
heard but not seen, Just over the
horizon.
However, the automatic radio alarm
is doing good Job Of preventing per-
sons being adrift at sea, according to
Charles J. Pannill, president OF the
Radiomarine Corp. 1t is contrived to
receive, he says. not only the 600-me-
ter distress call wavelength, but
small band on either side Is we'll. 30
that 1t may not be deaf to . ship
which may be 4 little OF the calling
wave.
1T Is SET" he explains, ito 'recog-
nize' a series Of dashes, each of four
seconds duration, separated by an
interval Of one second. It is also
endowed with the discretion Of recog-
nizing dash which may be . trifle
less or trifle more than four seconds
IN length. It has an electrical men,
ory that will retain four such dashes
in sequence, after which it will start
ringing bells and turning on warning
lights In cabins and on bridges all
over the ocean.
But this is not all that is required
Of the new device. It must let the
deck ofiicer on watch and radio oper-
ator know Immediately II 1t should
become incapacitated for Its assigned
duties. Accordingly, Il battery fails
Evening star., 1937-09-05

or tube burns out or II it deyelop,
other pains in its sawdust' the same
alarm Is operated, bringing human in.
telligence on the run to its assistance. ;
NDER the law the new device will
not be recognized on American
passenger ships as 4 substitute TO,
radio operators, but may be used or
cargo vessels Of $500 gross tons or
over employing only one radio oper-
ator
Foreign ships report numerous in
stances of results obtained through the
automatic alarm-many Of which
might have made newspaper head
lines-during 1896, before any Ameri-
can ships were equipped with the de-
vice. Twenty-three British vessels
alone in trouble were answered by rs
vessels with radio alarms, and the
worlds total for the period shows that
l08 rescue vessels were summoned bv
81 calls of distress in that one year.
Only last June 26 the British ship
Sandgate Castle. ablase ut sea, sent
signals that touched of the automatic
alarm Of the Ensley City, 100 miles
away. The Ensley City changed her
course and proceeded to the rescue,
but the fire on the disabled vessel
necessitated her abandonment and
the crew was picked up in life boats
by the President Pierce. carrying 4
full boat Of radio operators. But had
the passenger liner not happened to be
close to the Sandgate Castle, and the
Ensley City been minus an alarm and
the operator of duty, what might
have happened to those men?
Mr. Pannill points out that although
the distress signals from the Sandgate
Castle were also picked up by oper-
ators on passenger vessels other than
the President Pierce their vigilance
was in this instance augmented by at
least q dozen freight vessels and points
to future when fewer and fewer per.
sons are lost st sea.
Evening star., 1937-09-05

amicably settled without coming to
strike, gains a disproportionate i'm
preston. But here in the department,
where We see the increasing demand
for assistance or suggestion from our
Labor Relations Board, We are much
encouraged for the future. Since April
IL. when the National Labor Rela-
tlons act was declared constitutional.
regional boards have received 2,sll
cases, as compared With 2.425 cases
Evening star., 1937-09-05

lens and can be counted upon more
and more to utilize the machinery
which is available to maintain har-
monious industrial relations in the
best interests Of the parties directly
concerned and the public as we'll"
The Secretary attributed the pres
ent unrest to what she termed the
reason for all strikes-national re-
covery.' She pointed out that stand
ards inevitably become depressed and
Evening star., 1937-09-05

The year brought more jobs
and higher wages. 1t brought
also the most widespread and
violent strikes OF any labor year.
There were 2.S0a. involving
1,5l8,s42 workers. during 1875
first five months, or more than
during the whole of 1896. accord
ing TO a Labor Department esti-
mate.
twenty-five persons were
Killed, 30 shot and hundreds
dubbed and gassed, says the de-
partment, from last Labor day
until late August.
Evening star., 1937-09-05

The II months between last
La Dor day and this have been
packed with developments of
crucial interest to United States
workers.
Two stand out:
/. supreme Court approval of
the Wagner labor act.
,. The bitter struggle between
the American Federation of La
Dor and the Committee for In
dustrial Oreaniza ton.
Both of these spurred union
lahor to huge membership drives.
Unions now claim almost twice
as many members as a wear ago
A. F. l.. puts its membership at
100000, c. I. O. at more than
100000
Evening star., 1937-09-05

natural result of our increasing pros
perlty. Although there appear to be
many strikes she said, they can
only be judged for their Importance
or significance by the numbers Of
workmen affected and the duration
OF the strike. Just after the war we
suffered from long -drawn-out strikes
Evening star., 1937-09-05
BY VeSfa Cummiups.

w YHEN the Titanic was sunk
M by an iceberg off the Grand
Wv Banks in 1914 nearly 1900
loct
Evening star., 1937-09-05

<<T BELIEVE that we are started
upon a policy of cooperation
between employer and en-
4 ployee that will be the means
Evening star., 1937-10-13
PLAN FOR SPECIAL
JUDGE WEIGHED
District Officials Consider
Proposal for 10-Year
Term.

Appointment of special judge for
Traffic Court with tenure of ONCE
Of "at least 10 years" was being con-
sidered today by District officials as
result Of a round table debate at
yesterdays monthly conference of
police. prosecution and traffic officers
on means of improving Washington's S
traffic records.
The suggestion of a special, long
term traffic judge came from George
E. Keneipp, manager of the Keystone
Automobile Club He declared the
long-term appointment would remove
any question of whether prosecution
and punishment were levied without
fear or favor.
Corporation Counsel Elwood H. Seal
disapproved suggestion by Trafiic
Director William A. Van Duzer that
policemen might stop any motorist
to see if his operators permit was
in order Seal said he did not believe
motorist should be stopped unless
the officer noted some infraction Of
the regulations.
The conference referred to Van
Duzer for study suggestion by Ke-
neipp that all motorists be required
to report all accidents, no matter how
trivial, so traffic officials might call
before the Board OF Revocation and
Suspension Of Operators Permits
those who develop a long record of
mishaps.
Col. Lawrence c. Crawford, U. S. A.,
retired, speaking for the Traffic Com
mittee of the Board Of Trade, criti-
cized traffic policemen for what he
called their failure to protect pedes-
trians against vehicles making right
and left turns at intersections.
ITS no wonder that pedestrians
cross streets between intersections, !"
he said
During the debate Commissioner
Melvin c. Hazen agreed that it would
be impossible to obtain full enforce
ment of the restricted downtown
parking regulations unless We could
have policeman at work in every
block"
Washington l. Cleveland of the
District Motor Club of the American
Automobile Association advocated
creation Of an accident prevention
bureau and traffic safety commission.
Evening star., 1937-10-13
CHEST SPEAKERS
TO MEET TONIGHT
IS Expected to Attend Unit Meet
ing to Go Over Campaign
Plans.

The speakers unit OF the Com
munity Chest will meet at the Har-
rington Hotel at $50 o'clock tonight
to discuss plans for this years CAM
paign. More than rs members are
expected to attend.
DR.. Allen A. Stockdale. chairman
of the unit, explained that this will
be the annual informal conference to
equip the speakers with answers to
questions they may expect to en-
counter at meetings where they speak
during the campaign.
Rev. Laurence j. Shehan, director
of Catholic Charities. will deliver the
invocation, to be followed by an ad-
dress of welcome by Clarence Phelps
Dodge, president Of the Chest, and
an instruction talk by Herbert L.
Willett, jr., Chest director. DR.. Stock
dale will summarize the program for
the campaign. i
Evening star., 1937-10-13
C|RL,2;WOMAN,6 G.,
TRAFFIC VICTIMS
Child Darts Under Wheels of
Truck-MrS. Wolfe Killed
by Hit-Run Car.
(Picture on Page A-5.)

Two-year-old Frances Holbrooke of
Syracuse, N. Y. ran to her death
under the rear wheels OF a truck at
Sherman Circle and Kansas avenue
yesterday afternoon, when she darted
into the street after a ball that had
slipped from her hand.
Her death, following that yesterday
Of Mrs. Elsie Wolfe, 62. of 1923 Four
teenth street, from injuries received
when struck by hit-and-run driver
last Thursday night, raised the Dis
trict's traffic fatality toll for the year
to 81, which is IA more than at this
time last year.
The Holbrooke child and her moth.
er, Mrs. Adeline Holbrooke, were here
for visit with her aunt, Mrs. M. K
Linck, 52l8 Kansas avenue. She went
for a walk with her aunt yesterday
afternoon and broke away from her
escorts restraining hand when her
ball rolled into the street at Sherman
Circle.
Darted After Ball.
A truck, which police said was
driven by Joseph A. Blackburn. 81,
OF Burtonsville. Nd. struck the child
as she started into the street, and the
rear wheels passed over her body.
She was pronounced dead by an
Emergency Hospital physician 10 min
utes later.
Blackburn. who said he was driv-
ing only 10 miles an hour, was re-
leased under 5000 bond pending a
coroner's inquest.
Police at the second precinct said
no trace had yet been found of the
hit-and-run automobile which fatally
injured Mrs. Wolfe at Fourteenth and
N streets last week
Raymond v. Jenkins. 80, Of 5402
Kansas avenue was injured painfully
yesterday when he lost control of
his gasoline truck in the 4l0O block
Of Alabama avenue southeast and it
overturned. He was treated at Cas-
ualty, for possibly fractured left
knee.
Two Deaths Accidental.
Andrew Wooten, AZ, colored, who
had just arrived here from Maple
Hill, N. c.. suffered a fractured right
leg when he ran into the side of an
automobile driven by Louis jacobson,
1112 Sixth street, at Sherman avenue
and Harvard street.
Meanwhile, a coroner's jury held
that the traffic deaths of two aged
pedestrians over the week end we're
accidental.
The jury exonerated William C..
Perkins, 21, Of 1922 Livingston street.
said by police to have been the driver
of an automobile which struck Mrs.
Marion B. Hudson, 10, of 1911 Twen-
ty-f1rst street, Saturday night, and
Thomas A. Bryan, 80, of 108 Nine
teenth street. operator of q street car
which hit John Barnes. "A. Of 17O6
Nineteenth street last Thursday.
Evening star., 1937-10-13

after entering his cab at Fourteenth
street and New York avenue and being
driven to the 100 block of Adams
street.
Knife Rips Through Sweater.
AS he struggled with the two, the
knife welded by one Of them scratched
his face and also ripped through his
sweater. Pushed backward, he saw the
bandits hustle into bis car and start
driving away.
He tore loose the cover from nearby
water meter and hurled it after the
speeding car. The heavy metal cover
crashed through window and caused
the driver to lose control The cab
careened along the street, smashing
into another car. The bandits jumped
out and ran away, leaving their hats
behind. Kulp followed but failed to
catch them.
Previously, the same two colored men
are believed to have entered the cab
of Carl Hansen, ia Willow avenue,
Takoma Park, Md, at Fourteenth and
Belmont streets, and asked to be driven
to the 100 block of Thomas street.
On arrival, they held him up with a
knife, took his change and drove away
in his cab. which later was found in
the rear Of the 1900 block of Seventh
street.
Charles M. Byers, 605 Fifth street.
was the next victim. At 10:30 pm. he
drove the two men from Fourteenth
and Irving streets to the 100 block of
Adams street, where one of them
grabbed and held him around the
neck while the other ransacked his
pockets. His cab later was found in
the rear OF the 2e00 block OF Four
teenth street
Hold Knife at Drivers Side.
In the same vicinity, at Fourteenth
and Irving streets, the bandits next
hailed the cab of Charles N. Haron,
1415 East Capitol street, who drove
them to Union street southwest There
they held knife to his side, took his
change and a watch, and drove of in
his cab, which had not been found this
morning.
In other robberies yesterday a $3.50
platinum pin set with diamonds was
stolen from the apartment of William
A. Mocure, 2123 California street; a
radio and clothing valued at $67 was
taken from the apartment of Martha
P. Rhodes, 1907 Twelfth street. and
5000 was stolen from an unlocked desk
drawer in the ofices Of the Federal
Employees Union, No. 2, at TO Four
teenth street.