davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1939-03-01
Intermediary Seized
Admits Part in -.
kidnapping Of Boy
Two Confess Stealing
Son of Bookmoker
To Recoup Race Bets
BACKGROUND

BACKGROUND
Michael Katz. 4-yedr-old son OF
Brooklyn bookndker,- Wds- kid
naped February 20 and released
tDo hours after father paid $3.50
OF $1,000 ransom demand. TUo
men employed in the shipping
department OF a NthoQraphtng
firm haze confessed.
By the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, March IA friend
OF George Katz, Brooklyn race
track bookmaker, who acted as in
termediary in the ransoming of
Katz's 4-year-old son Michael, was
held by police today as one of two
men who kidnapped the boy Febru-
ary 20.
Capt. Frank c. Balls said that
Charles Mitchell. 81, the inter-
mediary, and Sol Schwartz, %, en-
ployed with him in the shipping de-
partment of a lithographing firm,
had confessed the kidnapping.
Locked up for further questioning
was Mrs. Nellie Resnick, 81,
Schwartz's sister. in whose apart
ment authorities said the boy was
held.
Later all three were booked at
police headquarters-the men on
kidnapping charges and the woman
on a charge of withholding informa-
tion about a kidnapping from police,
which is felony.
The two men, Capt. Balls said,
told him they abducted Michael in
an attempt to recoup $500 lost in
racing bets placed in the last year
with the father, George Katz.
Freed After $3.50 Payment.
The boy, seized a week ago Mon
day, was released within two hours
after payment by the father of only
$3.50 of a $1,000 ransom demand
Mitchell earns $50 week as a ship
ping foreman. police said, and
Schwartz. shipping clerk under
him. S45.
The kidnapping. Capt Balls said
the two men told police, was exc
cuted as follows:
Schwartz grabbed the child from
its colored maid after Turing her
from the home by phone call He
took Michael to the home of his sis
ter, in Manhattan, and asked her to
care for the boy, telling her he was
Mitchell's son.
Meanwhile, the father, advised in
a ransom note to use Mitchell as
an Intermediary, paid him $3.50
all he said he could raise. Mitchell
drove to Mrs. Resnick's home,
picked up Michael and returned
him to his parents.
Police Check on Story.
Police described as fictitious the
story Mitchell later told them that
ne had paid over the ransom money
to two men in a darkened East
Side tenement hallway and had
found the boy a few minutes after
ward in an adjoining doorway.
Suspicious of his role, police
checked and found that neither
Mitchell nor his friend, Schwartz,
had been at work at the hour of
the kidnapping. They explained
they were attending the funeral
of one of Schwartzs relatives.
1t. Thomas M. Reilly arrested the
two men after he said investiga-
ton disclosed the relative was not
dead.
Evening star., 1939-03-01
Madrid Population
Reported in Mood
For Open Revolt Y
Franco Told People Are
Demanding Bread
Or Surrender

By the Associated Press.
BURGOS, Spain, March Ma
tionalist Generalissimo Francisco
Franco carefully scanned reports of
a threatened revolt in Madrid today
while keeping his troops ready for
instant action near the Republican
capital.
The Nationalists were informed
that garrisons and police in Madrid
had been strengthened because of
fears of serious internal trouble from
elements among the population that
were demanding bread or sur
render
Many Reported Surrendering.
Reports from Nationalist war OBJ
servers said that the entire Madrid
front was in state of decom-
position" with many men and wom-
en- risking their lives to leave the
besieged city and pass into Nation
alist lines.
"a dispatch from Madrid
quoted Republican Premier Juan
Negrin as saying that the mo-
and civil population was high)
Gen. Frances plans We're guarded
carefully, but Nationalist troops said
the feeling was general that Madrid
would fall soon.
Nationalist newspapers said that
Premier Negrin and his foreign min
lister, Julio Alvarez del Vayo, alone
were holding out for resistance.
More Dissension Reported.
Reports reached here that in
creasing dissension in the Repub-
lican zone among Anarchists, So.
cialists and Communists had spread
to Cuenca, Guadalaja and Toledo
provinces, where Anarchists were
said to have instituted a reign of
terror"
A campaign to raise food for Mad
rid, meanwhile, assumed broad
proportions. Civil governors, banks,
business establishments and the
aters in Nationalist Spain-about
three-fourths of continental Spain
were acting as collection centers.
An especially-formed organiza-
tion, the Social Auxiliary for Lib
Grated Cities" expected to send
10000 tons of food into the Re-
publican capital within 48 hours
after its fall. Huge supplies of food
already have been concentrated
within easy distance of Madrid.
Evening star., 1939-03-01
Joy Cormody to Speak

Jay Carmody, dramatic editor of
The Washington Star, will be heard
tonight at the weekly institute of the
Jewish Community Center. Mr..
Carmody will discuss the Hollywood
influence on the theater, basing his
observations on visits to the film
capital.
Evening star., 1939-03-01

-. The disturbance that was over the Middle
West Tuesday morning has moved north
eastward to Quebec Lac Dore. 29 30 inches
and broad trough extends thence south
southwestward to Southern Florida An
other disturbance is moving inland over
British Columbia and Southeastern Alaska,
LanEara Island. British Columbia 20 81
inches, Incl and minor disturbanee is moving
Alpine. Tex, 29.ss inches. Pressure is
hish over the sreater part. of the United
States. with an extension from Minnesota
northwestward to extreme Northern Alaska.
Elko: New; 1880 inches; Kansas City. Mo.
3O.4S inches and Copper Mine. District
Of Mackenzie. 30.28 inches Pressure is
high also over the Western Atlantic Ocean.
st. Georges. Bermuda. 3O.36 inches Pre-
cipitation has occurred in the Atlantic
and east Gulf States. the Lake region and
the Upper Mississippi Valley and in por-
tions Of the Rocky Mountain and Plateau
REGIONS. Heavy. snow fell in portions of
rep. reporting 3s inches Of snow on the sround
in the North Atlantic and Middle Atlantic
States. North Dakota and Southern Mani
toba. while it mas fallen over most other
sections
Evening star., 1939-03-01
D. c. Official Says East Capitol
Site Ideal for Armory-Stodium
Copt. Tonsey Declares Auditorium Is
A Separate Project; Fund Sought

This Is the 18Th of a series of
articles dealing ,oith the audito-
rum stcdium problem pending
III Congress. Further discussion
1Dhl jollo1p, and the opinions OF
re1de:-s are tnDited.
The East Capitol street site is
ideal for the projected local National
Guard Armory-spo center build
ing and. for the first time. all
organizations concerned with this
project are in full accord on both
the site and the proposed plan, in
the opinion of Capt. Patrick H.
Tansey, Assistant District Engineer
Commissioner.
Capt. Tansey, who is chairman of
the District Project and Planning
Board, said there Is some apparent
confusion existing as to the audito-
, rlum-armory-sports center problem
He pointed out that there are two
separate projects under considera-
| tion: First, the Federal auditorium
project, and, second, the armory-
sports center, which is to be a single
building.
The site for the armory-sports
center building has been acquired
and approved for the proposed use
by the National Capital Park and
Planning Commission, Capt. Tansey
pointed out His board has ap-
proved the armory-sports center
project and favorably reported to
the District Commissioners on this
proposal. The Commissioners, in
turn, approved the project as a part
OF the proposed 10-year District
building program and submitted it
to the Public Works Administration
for an allotment of funds last year
from the sl8,000,0O0 Districts works
fund.
Funds Exhausted.
Local funds were exhausted, how
ever, before the armory-sports CEN
ter project was reached and the
application still is on file with the
P. w. A. as an approved project.
1t also is listed in Senate Document
Is, 18th Congress, submitted to
Congress as report from P. w. A.
of approved projects for which there
were not sufficient funds on hand
Senator Byrnes of the Senate
Appropriations Committee has in
troduced bill to establish a De-
partment of Public Works, which
would authorize such projects as
the armory-sports center now on
the approved file of the P. w. A.
Evening star., 1939-03-01
Cummings in Partnership

Homer Cummings, former Attor-
ney General, has formed a law part
nership with William Stanley, a
former assistant. and is opening
Offices here in the Normandy Build
ing, 1926 K street NV, it was an
nounced today. Mr.. Cummings will
also act as cousel for his old firm in
Stamford, Conn.
Evening star., 1939-03-01
5000, ,000, 900 Is Spent
By w. P. A. for Materials
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
w. P. A. reported yesterday that
5000, 100000 worth of building ma
terials, equipment and supplies were
purchased in connection with its
projects during the 312 years ended
December 81, 1898.
At the same time, Edward j.
Harding, managing director of the
Associated General Contractors Of
America, issued a statement saying
w. P. AS methods of construction
were inefficient, uneconomical and
dilatory."
Evening star., 1939-03-01
Boy Dies of Burns

FREDERICKSBURG, Va, March
l R)-John Wesley Carneal, 4
year-old son of Mrs. Florence Car
neal of near this city, died in Mary
Washington Hospital yesterday Of
severe burns received Monday at
his home when he fell into q
washtub of scalding water.
Evening star., 1939-03-01
Report

District OF CombiaFair and colder with lowest
81 degrees tonight tomorrow increasing
lhng northwest winds becoming easery tomorrow.
MarylandFar
and colder on the coast; Friday
Vrgnla-Falr colder
and colder south followed
Friday ~ e''' "
West VgniaFar and colder
ness with Slowly rising temperatures rain
Evening star., 1939-03-01
Leading Tin Consumers

Maj. Gen. George A. Lynch OF the
Infantry School at Fort Benning,
Ca, detailed. plans to reorganize the
Infantry regiment from its World
War Setup.
Evening star., 1939-03-01
Report for Last Fl Hours.

Record for Last "a Hsurs.
(From noon yesterday to noon today)
ago 55
Lowest, 4e. am. today. Year ago, 21.
Record Temperatures This Year.
Highest. "A. on February -.
Lowest. II. on January &C.
Humidity for Last "a Hours.
From noon yesterday to noon today)
terday
Lowest. 43 per cent. at noon today.
Tide Tables.
(FurniShed BY United States Coast ana
HAaAAf{e anrv
Evening star., 1939-03-01
Congress in Brief
TODAY

Senate:
Nears vote on limitation of planes
in Army expansion bill.
Extension of Federal Housing Ad-
ministration before Banking Com
mittee 1890 am
Naval Committee plans hearings
on s48, 100000 Naval base bill
1890 am.
Secretary Perkins quizZed on pro-
posed consolidation of Federal agen-
cies by Unemployment Committee
1920 am.
House:
Considers T. v. A., Census Build
ing and New England hurricane ap-
preparations.
Industrialists testify on social Sc
curity before Ways and Means Com
mittee. 10 am.
Interstate Commerce Committee
hears opponents of freight rate diff
ferentials 10 amD and of wool
labelling legislation. 2 pm.
Military Affairs Committee hears
witnesses on need for purchase OF
war materials. 1880 am.
Agriculture Committee continues
hearings on cost-of production bill
10 am.
Rivers and Harbors Committee
studies Florida canal project
1890 am.
Judiciary Committee opens hear
ings on bankruptcy legislation
TOMORROW.
Senate:
Continues consideration of Army
expansion bill.
Interstate Commerce Subcommit-
tee considers truth in fabric bill. 10
am.
Banking Committee considers
stabilization fund. 10:3O am.
Monopoly Committee continues
hearings. 10 am.
HOUSE:
Considers War Department ap-
preparation.
Rivers and Harbors Committee
continues hearings on Florida ship
canal bill. 1920 am.
Ways and Means Committee con-
tinues hearings on social security
legislation. 10 am.
Appropriations Subcommittee con-
tinues hearings on agriculture sup
ply bill. 10 am.
Subcommittee of District Commit
tee begins investigation of Gallinger
Hospital. 10 am.
Evening star., 1939-03-01

Netherlands Indies Is just recover
ing from the September crisis In
Europe,
Evening star., 1939-03-01

Lace shipments from France to
America are the heaviest since 1881.
Evening star., 1939-03-01
PFecipitation.

Monthly precipitation in inches in the
CAPITAL (current month to datel:
Evening star., 1939-03-01

River Report
.Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers muddy
at Harpers Ferry: Potomac muddy At Great
Falls today
Evening star., 1939-03-01

FUrnlShed BY United States Coast ana
.Geodetic Survey
Evening star., 1939-01-31

OF millions of families living in the
country, who in 1929, boom year,
had an average gross income OF
less than $3.50 a year; who had less
than 10 cents day a person to buy
salt, sugar, coffee, clothes and
medical attention?
DR.. Alexander has a vivid idea
OF the desperate situation of these
people-far more desperate today
than 10 years ago. No man Is bet
ter informed or better qualified to
tackle the national job. A South
erner, born in Missouri, with much
of his own life spent in Tennessee, to
which his family migrated from Vir-
ginia, he has given years to studying
the social economic problems OF
the rural South and other sections.
He is a graduate of Vanderbilt Uni
versity. During the World War he
had charge Of the educational pro-
gram of the Southwestern military
department. He is the author of the
Collapse of Cotton Tenancy" pub
lished in 1885. In that year he was
appointed assistant administrator
of the F. S. A.-and became admin
istrator when Rex Tugwell resigned.
A kindly, jolly. rotund, short man
with craving hair. DR.. Alexander is
crusader nevertheless. He is just
back from 4000-mile jaunt to the
SouthWest-visiting projects, givina
the good word to these people with
their pioneer instincts
BY May l, 1888, rehabilitation loans
had been made to more than 600 900
farm families, loans that went far
to restoring confidence, earning, and
producing power, benefting 100000
people Over half the applicants for
these loans had no COWS, chickens, or
pigs, ploWed with steers because
they had no mules. Already nearly
$40 100000 has been repaid. The F.
S. A is completing 145 resettlement
projects to accommodate 10000
families, who lived on Worn-out farm
areas or worse. Loans are being
made to farm tenants (there are
100000 tenant farm families-the
ranks increasing by 100000 a year,
at the rate of s1o.OOOOo0 this fiscal
year, s25,000,000 the next, and $780,
100000 each year thereafter.
DR.. Alexander says the Govern
ment carried on a rural relief pro-
gram for century, under the guise
of free land to the West. There is
no more such land. The Govern
| ment devises a new program.
Evening star., 1939-01-31

the voting
dent did ask for he would vote for it,
The real issue the President, his
and his power his party Fridays close being
vote of confidence congressional
rpartie system President of
the vast he could his side a
national reaction convince his they
the President must to contend with frequent
out all his forces in legislative controversy
anticipate sharper humlaons for his Senate leaders
Among the 46 the President, three Toilette
Lundeen and Norris members of minority parties
better be called
cans progressive stripe both lines Wayed
by the vestga
the irredube minimum of presidential followers Brown of
Michigan Maoney Connecticut Walsh Massachusetts
Donahey of Ohio all conrvativey inclined but
industrial States could not afford Of
against relief Andrews of Florida also
tive until the moment And although
Wheeler Of Montana making his with the White he
hardly be considered permanently dependable.
Clearly, the President will have trouble holding the
lines of his faithful 49, To be the At the other side
coalition made 26 Democrats 20 Republicans
FamerLaborite The Republicans casting straight
partisan them of Pennsylvania, shared
tates back home changed his mind in the nick of time
The strength of the coalition will depend however the 26
Democrats voted the roughly
divided three First the
whose ancient in their threatened by the President
The extremely srewd of leaders, Vice President
John and Senators Harrison Mississippi South
that President still holds
of the and they do be read out of the
Democracy without struggle.
In the second the two three like Holt Of West
Evening star., 1939-01-31

personal feelings in the matter was
the obvious resentment of the voters
because of the use of relief funds
for political purposes.
1t is expected that in the end
these anti-politics amendments will
be written into laW-though they
may take some debating in the con-
ference between the Senate and the
House. Whether in that event there
will be great increases in the num-
ber of persons on relief work just
before an election-as shown during
the debate over the nomination of
Harry L. Hopkins to be Secretary
Of Commerce-remains to be seen.
Evening star., 1939-01-31
The Political Mill
Senate Jumps Vigorously Into Role
Of Purqinq w. P. A. of Politics

person, directly or indirectly, to
promise employment out Of relief
funds or any other act Of Congress
as reward for political activity, or
for support of or opposition to any
candidate or any political party IN
any election.
That it shall be unlawful to de-
prive, or threaten to deprive, any
person of employment out of relief
appropriations on account of politi-
cal activity, or because of race, creed
or color, or because of support of or
opposition to any candidate or party.
This is limited to relief activities.
That it shall be unlawful for any
one in an administrative or supervi-
sorry capacity in agencies paid from
relief appropriations, to use his Off
cial authority or influence to inter-
fere with an election or affect the
results thereof. All such persons
would retain the right to vote as
they please and to express privately
their opinions on all political sub
jects, but they could take no active
part in political management or in
political campaigns. This is limited
in scope to the relief program.
That it shall be unlawful for any
person knowingly to solicit, or know
ingly be in any manner concerned in
soliciting, any assessment or cam
paign contribution for any individual
or political party, from any employe
paid from relief funds, or other acts
Of Congress.
Offenses Ranked as Felonies.
These provisions carry penalties
for violation-fine or imprisonment,
or both, or dismissal from jobs. The
fines shall not exceed 81 900 and i'm
prisonment shall not be for more
than year. They are heavy penal
ties-and the offenses are declared
to be felonieS. The amendment
which prohibits the solicitation of
funds for political purposes from
any Government employe, whether
he be working for the w. P. A. or
any other Federal agency, may be
far reaching if finally enacted into
law For while Government en-
ployes may voluntarily make con-
tributions to political committees,
they may not be asked for such con-
tributions, either by another Federal
employe or by any one outside the
Government service. What will this
mean to the $100-a-plate dinners
which have grown to be a fixture in
Washington about the time of An
drew Jackson Day? And what will
it mean to the Government en-
ployes who have been shaken down
for the desired $100?
A year ago the Senate declined
to accept the Hatch amendment,
which aimed to apply the civil serv-
ice law against political activity to
the w. P. A. 1t turned the amend
ment doWn-by comparatively
narrow vote-When it was well un-
derstood that there was plenty of
politics played with the w. P. A. Its
action was tantamount to an in
vitation to the relief organization
to go right ahead and play politics
which it did. as brought out by the
Sheppard Committee on Campaign
Expenditures. The other day these
far more drastic amendments to
prohibit politics in the relief organi-
zation were adopted without dis
Evening star., 1939-01-31

people as by the peoples of France
and Britain and America. Had there
been in the speech before the
Reichstag some evidence of de-
sire to follow the processes of reason,
the rest of the world would now
be grasping for the making of a
durable peace But the address is
shot through with threats and i'm
plications of more force. Such a
speech makes difficult the role of
appeasement followed recently by
Prime Minister Chamberlain. The
speech, nevertheless, presents chal-
lenge to the democracies Herr Hit
Ter has chosen a world forum in
which to express his point of view.
1t is important that the debate
be continued. Only from America
can the reply come, because objec-
tive reasoning is possible here be-
cause we have no colonies acquired
from the war spoils and because
Evening star., 1939-01-31

would make it impossible for any
one to retain a w. P. A. relief job
| if he or she declined private en-
ployment.
This last amendment hits at an
alleged evil in many parts of the
country-that workers prefer to re-
main on the relief rolls rather than
accept private employment; that
they find relief work, paid for by the
Government-and the taxpayers
preferable to working for private
employers. Indeed, it has been
charged that the w. P. A. rolls have
prevented farmers from getting the
help they needed, that they have
made it increasingly difficult to OBJ
tain domestic servants, and that
generally the morale of good many
workers was being broken down.
Give Answer in Amendment.
The Senate Appropriations Com
mittee and the Senate itself appar-
emily have been impressed with these
charges. For the committee recon-
mended and the Senate adopted the
following amendment:
Section 7. No person in need who
refuses a bona fide offer of private
employment under reasonable work.
ing conditions which pays the pre-
vailing wage for such work in the
community where he resides and
who is capable of performing such
work shall be employed or retained
in employment on work projects
under the funds appropriated for
the period such private employment
would be available; provided, that
any person who takes such private
employment shall at the expiration
thereof be entitled to immediate re-
sumption of his previous employ
ment status with the Works Progress
Administration if he is still in need
and if he has lost the private en-
ployment through no fault of his
own"
This covers the problem rather
conclusively. although just how the
w. P A. administration Is to know
whether worker has refused pri-
vate employment is not clear. The
prospective private employer could,
it is presumed, report to the w. P. A.
officials that some of its workers
declined his offer of jobs. But even
if he did, and the w. P. A. shut down
on the workers who would not take
private employment, the private en-
ployer would be faced with one or
more unwilling workers. However,
the very threat that they would lose
their relief status might be sufficient
to make workers pause before they
declined private employment. Now
according to reports, they have no
hesitation-in some instances-about
turning down private employment.
Bind Politics Firmly.
The House, when it passed the
relief appropriation bill, took cogni-
zance of the charges of w. P. A. in
politics, adopting an amendment
which provided that none of the
money could be used to pay the
salary of any person who hereafter
seeks to influence the vote of any
w. P. A. worker. But the Senate
went after the problem of w. P. A,
politics in a big way 1t is just as
we'll to resurvey the Senate amend
ments dealing with this subject
They were four in number and pro-
vided:
That 1t shall be unlawful for any
Evening star., 1939-01-31

senting vote. The change of heart
was due to the widespread and open
indignation of the public over what
happened during the last campaign.
Democratic Senators had found
that the relief organization could be
used against them. even to seek to
defeat them for denomination. 1t
was the attempts at the purge
which rallied many of these Sena-
tors to the support of these anti
politics amendments. The Repub-
licans, few enough in number, al
ready were convinced that the use
of w. P. A. in politics was out
rageous. But above and beyond any