davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-18
SHIP FEARED LOST

LONDON, April 17.-(R-A Reu-
tiers British news agency dispatch
from Stockholm said tonight the
Finnish steamer Signe, 1900 tons
was feared lost with her crew OF
10. She has not been reported since
leaving for England March 20.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-18

meals served, $3.50; operations
4o3. laboratory tests. 1874; ambul-
ance calls, ISL; x-ray examinations,
1874; out patient services ool; num-
ber of DAYS of nursing service by
student nurses, 2,35S; departmental
earnings, pay patients, ~$l4'75S.57
and free patients, $11, 59S.50.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-18

Goering boasts a German army
standing with an iron 'front.'" and
begins looking around for an ersatz
metal should Britain's blockade OF
Scandinavian ore go through.
Evening star., 1940-02-25
at $210-a decline of $11O, or "a

at $21o-a decline of $11o, or "a
per cent.
Had the same assessment policy
been followed in arriving at the
assessment for this year the total
would have been $165, but under the
new method being followed the as
sessment remains at $40, the same
as last year, though the machine is
a year older.
Averages 81 Difference.
Mr.. Dent, after checking through
various schedules, declared the new
policy would mean a difference Of
about 81 in tax, on the average.
The fact that the registration
date for cars, which governs dead
line for the personal property tax
payment on cars, had been shifted
from January l to March / last
year was offered by one official as q
possible partial reason for the re-
duced tax total. He said there was
some tax loss because cars bought
Between January and March l
last year have not yet been taxed.
Another suggestion was that car
owners last year had been given
a whole additional year of deprecia-
ton allowance because market re-
ports of different years were used
as the registration date was changed
from January to April l. But Mr..
Dent doubted that could be the an
swer. He said the market report
used for this year is that dated as Of
| last December and argued that tha
Evening star., 1940-02-25
Income Tax
Continued From First Page.)

tax, I think the matter should be
clarified without delay"
Mr.. Seal also is scheduled to ap-
pear before the committee with four
or five minor changes the Commis-
sioners want made in the present
revenue law to correct so-called 'in-
equities" One of these, 1t was said,
would relieve corporations whose in
come is not derived in the Washing
ton area from paying $25 filing fee
in connection with their tax returns.
Another would avoid the taxpayer
the trouble of having his return
notarized.
Threats were made on the House
floor several weeks ago that steps
would be taken to amend the income
tax law, in view of Mr. Seals ruling.
which several members believed
might force Federal employees to
give up voting residences in the
States. At that time. the House had
under consideration bill permitting
payment of the income tax in two
equal installments, the first April IS
and the second october Is. In order
to assure its passage. Chairman RAN
dolph of the House District Com
mittee promised that amendments
would be offered later to save those
Federal employees who pay an in
come tax in the States in which
they vote from paying the local
income tax.
Nichols Issues Warning.
The House and Senate subse-
quently passed the split payment bill,
and it is now awaiting the sigma
ture of President Roosevelt.
Meantime, however, Chairman
Nichols of the Fiscal Affairs Sub
committee of the House District
Committee, which will first handle
any proposed amendments to the in
come tax law. predicted efforts to
change the present law might result
in a move to substitute q sales
tax for the income tax.
ANY proposal to change the in
Evening star., 1940-02-25
(See Full Page OF Pictures IN
Rotogrnpure Section.)
BY BEN H. PEARSE.
Star stan CORRESPONDENT,

DICKERSON, Md, Feb. 24.-Post-
master Roy William Swank, with 453
other fourth-class postmasters in
Maryland and 29,428 throughout the
United States, is looking forward to
the day when he will be denoted to
rural carrier.
The change would mean leaving
the comfortable corner of Samuel c.
Isnes' store, set aside as the United
States post office 1t would mean
delivering the mail come rain, sleet,
snow or the hottest summer sun.
But it would mean also substantial
increase in quarterly remuneration.
The postmastership, in fact, is a
sort of training ground for the post
of rural carrier. Mr. Jones was post
master for 16 years before he got
promoted to his present position OF
rural carrier two years ago. How
ever, Mr.. SWank is only 80, and
meanwhile there is always the pos
sibility that the Dickerson Post Of
flee will pass the dividing mark, cam
cellations totaling $1,100 year,
which separates fourth from third
class post Offices.
Not Much More to Go.
A few more greeting cards every
month would turn the trick; can
ceIlations at Dickerson last year
were about 81 ,040. Postmaster Swank
would be in favor of movement to
promote Happy Fourth of July,
or a Grandmother Day. If 1t
would put Dickerson over the top
AS a postmaster of the third class
his salary still would depend on vol
ume, but would be set on an an
nual basis.
AS things are, figuring out how
much he made last quarter takes
good deal of Mr.. Swank's time and
most of the arithmetic he learned
at Gaithersburg High School. Posta.
regulations provide he receive 16(
per cent of the first SIS in cancella-
tions during the quarter, IS per cent
of the next 500 and IS per cent or
all above $155, he explained.
Besides that, he receives 3 cents
for every money order he writes
making the mail-order houses hi.
Evening star., 1940-02-25

best friends. Every G. o. D. pack
age means a money order remitting
the amout due the sender. Decem-
Der, of course, is the best month, and
January, when few thank-you let
ters are all his customers have the
inclination to write. is the worst.
The second best season comprises
the weeks after the spring and fall
mail-order catalogs arrive. Ali
postmasters, from fourth to first
class, have a soft spot in their hearts
for former Representative David J.
Lewis, the father" of the parcel
post law.
Figuring Salary Is Difficult.
But when and if Mr.. Swank is
promoted to the post of rural car
rier, as was Mr.. Jones before him,
he will get paid on a mileage basis,
$50 mile per year up to 30 miles,
$50 mile per year over 80 miles,
and 5 cents mile per day for equip
ment. Mr.. Jones route, No. /, is
about As miles long. Only machines
in the Post Office Department in
Washington, or persons long trained
at computing salary as postmas-
ter can figure rural carriers SAL
ary exactly, but roughly it is 1890
for the first 80 miles Of his route
and $500 for the other Is miles, plus
five times As, or S225 a day, for
expenses every day but Sundays and
holidays. Mr.. Jones never argues
about his check, because it always
looks about right and he hasn't time
to 60 into too much detail.
There's the question of rent, too,
for which Is per cent of the annual
cancellations Is allowed. When Mr..
Jones was postmaster, Postmaster
Jones paid the rent to Storeowner
Jones, and because postal regula-
tions are strict and inspectors are
reputed to have the eyes of hawks,
he knew we'll what his receipts were
down to the last penny stamp.
One thing Postmaster Swank and
Rural Carrier Sam G. Jones have
in communicating up with the
Jonses and that is no little problem
in this section. Not so long ago,
there were four William T. Joneses
receiving mail at Dickerson, and 1t
was as much as the whole Dicker-
son postal department could do to
see that the right letter went to
the right William T. Jones. Then
there were the other Joneses, and
the Riggses and the numerous other
families with the same family name
living in the neighborhood.
BY getting some of the William
T. Joneses to have their relatives
add their fathers initials to the ad-
dressee, and by knowing the hand
writing and places of residence of
the various branches of the Jones
families, the problem finally was
solved. When Postmaster Samuel
G. Jones received letter for Will
liam T. Jones with the notation "of
J.. r. T." or postmarked Sandy
Spring, Md, or with the "Ws" made
in a certain way, he knew immedi-
ately the letter was intended for
William T. Jones No. /, or 2, or 3, or
4, as the case might be. Doubtless
the postmasters in Washington and
New York have their difficult situa-
tions, but so has the postmaster in
Dickerson.
Evening star., 1940-02-25
Byrnes Hits Teaching
In Law Schools as
'Antiquated'
Coses Not Up-to- Dote,
Legal Fraternity
Bouquet Told

Representative Byrnes Of Tennes-
see, in q speech last night at the
seth annual founders day banquet
of the Washington chapters Of
Gamma Eta Gamma Legal Fra
ternity, branded legal teaching today
as 50 "antiquated" that one-quarter
of the cases used for law study in
schools were decided before CO.
lumbus discovered America" and
that half Of the cases used do not
represent the law in any State in
the Union" ~
Describing himself as a fanatic"
on the subject of antiquated legal
teaching, Mr.. Byrnes, son Of the
late Senator from Tennessee said,
I'VE are arming law students today
with the wrong view of the law. II
you want to teach a man the law,
teach him the law as it is now. You
wouldn't teach a medical student to
heal fever by bleeding, a cut by
stunhng it with cobwebs or a bee
sting by putting tobacco juice on it.
If you send your son to medical
school you want him taught the
latest wrinkles in medicine. If you
send him to law school you want
him taught present-day law, the
tools Of his profession, or he can't
be . credit to his profession.
Answer Not the Same.
Every one says tighten up on
the bar examinations I'm in favor
of that. But let's have men taking
the examinations who have the
benefit of knowing the present-day
law, not the law of the times in
which Columbus discovered Amer
ica," Mr.. Byrnes said.
AS 1t is now, Mr.. Byrnes said. the
answer a professor gives a student
who asks What is the law?" is not
the same one the student should give
his client when he starts practice
The banquet. which is held each
year on the day the Alpha Chapter
of the fraternity was started at
the University of Maine, was at
tended by approximately 100 per-
sons, many of them prominent in
the legal profession. After brief
Introductory remarks, George A.
Didden, president Of the mid
Atlantic province of the fraternity,
introduced E. Barrett Prettyman,
former corporation counsel for the
District of Columbia, as toast;naster
I'VE are living in time of great
stress where the legal profession
is concerned" Mr.. Prettyman said
Government by law is under vigor-
Gus debate all over the world. A
heavy and perhaps historic re-
sponsibility rests on the profession
at this time"
Mr.. Prettyman introduced as the
Evening star., 1940-02-25
Perkins Now CHALLENGES
Stute JobIess Aid Law
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
HARRISBURG. Pa, Feb 24.-A
small businessman who once went
to Jail for defying the N. R. A.
today challenged the constitutions
ality of Pennsylvania's unemploy-
ment compensation law
Fred Perkins. York (Pa) battery
manufacturer, contended in an an
swer to the States suit to collect
S222.6l in unemployment taxes that
the act violates both the Federal
and Pennsylvania Constitutions.
Mr.. Perkins, 6l-year-old self
styled small businessman and former
Cornell University football player,
refused to pay both State unemploy-
ment compensation taxes and Fed
eral social security taxes, claiming
they were unjust. The Federal
Government conflscated and sold at
auction two trucks for . 4117.48
claim.
Evening star., 1940-02-25
Van Duzer Defends
Traffic Control al
Station Plaza
Insists Setup Will Work
Efficiently If 1t Is
Given Fair Triul

If District motorists would stop
to consider the new trafnc light
control setup at Union Station
Plaza in terms Of trafic safety, they
might not be so quick to condemn
the new system as a whole. in the
opinion of Traffic Director William
A. Van DuZer.
The traffic director. who has been
the target of much criticism since
the new traffic light system was
placed in operation early last week,
said yesterday that he is convinced
the plan will work If drivers and
pedestrians give it fair trial"
There's one thing I want to en-
phasize," Mr.. Van Duzer said,
We're great deal more interested
in making the plaza safe than we
are in getting motorists home S
minutes earlier.
THE system was bound to slow
up traffic at first, but for the tirst
time pedestrians are given a break
in crossing one of the most con-
gested areas in the city, and cars
bound for Union Station are at last
given safe opportunity to break
through the heavy traffic flow
toward the northeast"
The traffic director pointed out
that more than 600 pedestrians cross
the plaza during the morning and
evening rush hours.
Eight Accident in Year.
There were eight accidents there
last year-bad accidents" he said.
Luckily. no one was killed. But
think it would have been only
matter of time before we would
have had a fatal accident there.
If we can save one life, isn't 1t
worth little inconvenience"
The traffic director reasserted his
belief that the system will work
smoothly after motorists get used
to it. There was bound to be con-
gestion at first, he said. because
1000 vehicles enter that area dur
ing the peak of the morning and
evening rush hours. During the
oft-peak hours. about $500 cars
enter the section each hour.
Il think we have a system that
will unquestionably reduce the haz-
ard of accidents-to motorists and
pedestrians alike" Mr.. Van Duzer
said.
M. o. Eldridge, assistant traffic di-
rector, and Inspector William E.
Holmes, police traffic supervisor.
paid another visit to the plaza yes
terday, and both said they found
traffic running more smoothly than
In previous days.
Traffic Fairly Heavy.
Inspector Holmes said traffic was
fairly heavy and added, laughing:
Il guess motorists have given up on
their boycott of the plaza"
Two days ago, according to some
observers, motorists appeared to be
steering clear of the plaza because
OF the traffic snarls that resulted
when the lights were first placed in
operation. Yesterdays traffic seemed
to be about normal, however, In
spector Holmes said.
Inspector Holmes said he would
continue to detail three officers to
duty at the plaze until about the
middle of the week to keep the
vehicular and pedestrian traffic
moving smoothly.
"By that time" he said, II think
most of the trouble will be cleared
up. Then I'll assign only one officer
to duty there"
Outside of prohibiting parking for
300 feet on the plaza approach from
Louisiana avenue between 4 and 6
pm, Mr.. Van Duzer said he couldn t
say now what other changes might
be made to facilitate the movement
| of traffic in the plaza.
Evening star., 1940-02-25

assessors last year must have used a
late 1898 report and not 1899 re-
port, as suggested. (Mr. Dent be-
came assessor about four months
ago.
There was one agreement, that is,
that If there was any Gloss" In
revenue last year by reason of de-
laying taxation until this year of
the tax on cars bought after last
January /, this has been cor
rected by the amendment enacted
last year, which provides for pro-
srating Of the tax on cars bought
after the beginning Of the regis
tration year. This same measure
changed the registration date again,
to move 1t from March / to April i,
effective this year.
Evening star., 1940-02-25

nrst speaker OF the evening Clarence
r. German, high national recorder
treasurer Of the fraternity. Strong
individual chapters are necessary
to the welfare Of the organization,
Mr.. German said.
l.. Clark Schilder, national high
chancellor, next told active and
alumni members Of the three local
chapters OF the organization that
dormant chapters" Of the fraternity
must be revived 1T we are to render
. real service to the legal profess
SION"
Mr.. Schilder also stressed that
budding lawyers need alumni help,
especially at this time.
In more idealistic and general
vein Police Judge Edward M. Cur
ran, an honorary member Of the
fraternity, addressed the youthful
members Of the organization still In
law schools with your life work
before you"
II bid you take up the line Of ad-
vance into the future and press with
earnest purpose to the noblest aims.
Your education has intended to flt
you, not for leisure, but for manly
work. I bid you believe in no tri-
umph which Is won by loss of self
respect-better that you should be
men of high character than do
deeds which will make your names
famous" he said.
New Honorary Members.
Next were introduced the frater-
nity's two newest honorary men,
bers, Joseph B. Keenan,, former As
sistant Attorney General Of the
United States, and Judge James w.
Morris of the District Court for the
District Of Columbia.
Mr.. Keenan, took time out to spar
with Representative Byrnes by say
ing that to bring legal teaching
really up to date you would have to
give all the professors stop watches"
In more general vein Mr.. Keenan,
said that I'VE are concerned today
with the growth of the law" He
added that young lawyers must al
ways think of the law in terms of
q growing. ever-changing, live thing.
Our real heritage is government
under law" he said.
Ministers Of Justice.
Judge Morris, speaking specifically
to the students, told them that a
Judge is helpless unless members of
the bar help him see that justice is
meted out. TT is your privilege and
opportunity to be ministers of JUS
tice," he said.
Other guests of honor present, all
of the honorary fraternity brothers.
were Representative Boland of
Pennsylvania. Judge Nathan Cayton
of Municipal Court, Presiding Justice
Finis j. Garrett of the United
States Court of Customs and Patent
Appeals, James P. McGovern, Rep
resentative Plumley of Vermont and
James Blaine Fitzgerald.
Other national officers OF the fra
ternity present were John T. Welsh,
high assistant recorder treasurer.
and Fred A. Sperling, president of
the Eastern province of the organi-
Zation.
Student initiates. all from George
town University law school. were
John j. Bowler, James j. Bresnahan.
Jerry Doherty, Cary Euwer, Joseph
F. Gusic, Daniel j. McCrosson. John
w. Melroy, Thomas j. Murray.
Richard Peltier and Jerome Wis
niewski.
Evening star., 1940-02-25
Vehicle License Aides
To Meet in Alexandria

G. F. Joyner, jr., director of the
Virginia State division of motor
vehicles, end John Munce, auditor,
this week WI. begin q series Of re-
gional meetings with the divisions
license agents.
They will be at the George Mason
Hotel in Alexandria March 6 to ex-
plain license manuals and arrange
ments for handling motor vehicle
license plates, according to an As
sociatsd Press dispatch from Rich.
nond.
Evening star., 1940-02-25
Catholic Drama Group
To Complete Plans
Today for Plays
Series Of Presentations
To Be Given Beginning
On March 3

Detailed plans are to be completed
today for the presentation Of . series
Of plays in March under auspices
Of the Washington Catholic Theater
Cycle.
Seven groups will take part in the
presentation under direction Of .
board Of directors representing the
Washington Chapter of the Black
friars' Guild, Catholic University
Department of Speech and Drama,
Dunbarton College, Harlequins of
Catholic University, Sacred Heart
Dramatic Club, St. Pauls Players
and the Triangleers of immaculate
Junior College. Miss Mary Olive
O'Connell is chairman of the board.
The group making arrangements ,
will meet at pm. at Dunbarton
College.
The plays, designed for the Lenten
season, will be presented as follows:
At $3.50 pm, March 3, ITO Meet
Three Saints" to be given by the
Blackfriars Guild at st. -Paul's
auditorium; March 7, plays by the
Sacred Heart drama group, the
Harlequins. of Catholic University
and the Triangleers of Immaculate
Junior College at the Sacred Heart
auditorium; March 10, "Lourdes."
to be given by the Dunbarton Col-
lege Dramatic Club at their audi
torium; March IL, Cradle Song"
to be presented by the St. Paul's
Players at their auditorium, and
on March IS, Murder in the
Cathedral" to be given by the
Catholic University Theater.
Among patrons of the cycle are
the Right Rev. Msgr. David
ODwyer of Catholic University. the
Right Rev. Msgr. Michael Ready Of
the National Catholic Welfare Con-
ference. the Right Rev. Msgr. C. F.
Thomas of st. Patrick's Church.
Senator Joseph C. O'Mahoney. the
Rev. Thomas F. Carey, M. j. O'Con-
nell of Warrenton. Va; A. j. Bier,
Charles P. Maloney, NJ. Frank Rup-
pert, DR.. Fred r. Sanderson and
Harry p. Somerville.
Evening star., 1940-02-25
Auto Taxes
Continued From First Page)

easements on cars. Many cities fol-
low similar practice. But this year
the publication included for the
first time, not only a cash" or loan
value figure, for various makes and
models of cars, but a new and higher
figure to represent the "sales value"
As basis for the 1910 assessments
here, the personal property assessors
struck an average between the two
sets Of valuation figures as a means
Of arriving at their best judgment
of the full and true" value of each
ear for taxation purposes.
Announcement that Representa-
tive Randolph had asked the Com
missioners to explain the new as
eessment methods came from Wash
ington I. Cleveland, manager of the
District Motor Club of the A. A. A.,
who had sent a protest over the
change to Mr.. Randolph. He re-
ported Mr.. Randolph had replied:
Il believe there is much merit in
what you say and you may be as
sured of my cooperation in the
matter. I am writing Commissioner
Hazen on the subject and will ad-
wise you when I have received a
report,
Urges Cash Value Use.
Mr.. Cleveland, in his statement,
added:
I'm the absence of individual ap-
praisals of each cara job which
the board points out is physically
impossible 1t would seem that the
only reasonable course to follow is
the one that has been used for
many years. namely, to use the
cash value as carried in the ma
tional used-car market reports.
THE retail sales figure repre-
sents the actual value of the car,
plus cost of reconditioning, plus
cost of overhead and handling, plus
profit, plus salesmen's commissions
and so on. To use this figure as an
excuse for arbitrarily increasing the
property tax load by one-fourth Is
to our minds, inflationary and un-
reasonable"
Onicials Of the Keystone Auto
mobile Club, who revealed the new
policy after receiving protests from
car owners that they had not beer
allowed assessment cuts because o1
depreciation, made the first protest
Later, however. Keystone officials
said they had been convinced the
assessors were within their lega
rights and agreed that most cal
owners would refuse to sell theil
cars for the amount of the assessed
values.
Suggests Assessments "Too Low"
Maj. Donovan yesterday suggested
that last years assessments had beer
''too low" but officials of the as
SCISSORS Office insisted they had fol
lowed the same program as befor'
in using the national used-car mar
ket reports as guage Of values.
Study of an array of figures as II
"values" brought up this showing
That one of the lower-priced car
of a certain make, of 1886 vintage
would have been assessed at $32
in 1898 but that, q year later, tn
same car would have been assessed