Wilkes-Barre Sunday Independent

              CITY POLICE MEET WHOLESALE ROBBERY PLAN
A Paper For The Home
SUNDAY INDEPENDENT
Weather
Sunday:  Cloudy,   warmer, occasional  rain, Monday: Partly cloudy.
FORTY-EIGHT PAGES
WILKES-BARRE, PA., SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1938
PRICE TEN CENTS
I
HUGE WARSHIPS OF RADICAL DESIGN PLANNED IF U.S. ENTERS NAVY RACE
HND SIGNS IN MOST OF CITY BLOCK
Discovered    During   Probe of White Hardware En¬ try; IWcttiod Unknown
MYSTERIOUS ANGLES
British Ship at Airbase of Italians Aiding Rebels
Battleship Southampton Drops Anchor at Palma; Eden Warns of Refusal to Recognize Block¬ ade; Franco Gains in Bloody Battle
Paris, Feb. 5, (UP)—The British battleship Southampton w(i re¬ ported tonight to have arrived at Palma de Majorca in the Balearic I.iland.s, base for Italian aviators ,serving with the Spanish Insur¬ gents, to guard against further "pirate" attacks on neutral ship¬ ping.
let  to  make  certain  they  did  not attack neutral shipping.
It appeared that the contem¬ plated dispatch of the aircraft car¬ rier had been replaced, at least temporarily, by the dispatch of the battleship  Southampton.
Drug Store and Gas Station S^""^',",", Also Broken Into With Nothing Taken
Evidence that thieves had plan¬ ned or were in position to enter nearly all establishments on the lower .side of the fir.st block of Eaat Market street wa.s discovered yesterday when city detectives in¬ vestigated the White Hardware robbery which took place early Saturday morning. A safe was cracked open and looted of $611 in currency. A considerable amount of money in coins was left behind. City police last night were with¬ out clues to this and two other mysterious entrances made the same night. It is presumed the hardware store was entered from the roof, since the glass in a door nn the top of the six-story struc¬ ture had been smashed. How the building was scaled is unknown. The building is about 75 feet high and towers 17 feet over the adjoin¬ ing structure, occupied by Vesuvio Restaurant. Four people were aaleep right underneath when the robbery is understood to have taken place.
Two Other Bol>bprleii
Equally mysterious were early- morning entrances Into the R. Ramsey Mebane Drug Store, 306- 308 Ea.st Northampton .street, and Mobilgas Service Station, 84 South Pennsylvania avenue, city. Both places had been entered early Saturday by forcing rear windows, but police report "nothing missing."
A small window screen had been torn from the cellar window of the drug store and a lock leading to thp prescription department forced. Entrance to the gasoline station wa.s in similar manner. Police be¬ lieve vandals were scared away hefore they had opportunity fo loot the   establishments.
Checking the White robbery, practically nil rity detectives work¬ ed on the case. It is one of the most unusual ever staged here. Store officials report that entry was gained through the roof, hut detectives were at loss to find how it rould have been done, A ladder | or rope would have hern needed and nn trace marks or other evi¬ dence to substantiate the theory could   he   located.
Threnton Other Ktores
A maze of roof openings to varioiis stores In the block were noted In the investigation. A lock also had been forced from a first floor door to allow entrance to the roof. It also revealed that a trap door, covered hy hoards and an "Id radiator, made possible easy eiilrance to a big store in the bock. Precautionary measures •since have been taken hy proprie¬ tors.
Robbery of the hardware store «as not discovered until about "Ven    oclock    yesterday    morning
hen Edward (ieorgc of Laurel iConfiniied  on  Page  B-ll)
Loyalists Slaughtered
Hendaye,   Franco-Spanish   Fron-1 tier, Feb. 5. (UP)—A heavy Spanish i The   Agencc   Radio,   semi-official | insiirgent  offensive  on   the   Estre- ] French  agency,   reported  that  the; madura  front of southwest Spain, I a   leader  among   40' '"   which   Moroccan   cavalry   and British   warships   assigned   to   the ( ItaHan     legionnaires     slaughtered new   .shoot-to-sink    patrol   against! hundreds  of Loyalists  In  hand-to- marauding    submarines    and    air-
NAZI PURGE HIT LOYALTY FOR KAISER
Hitler Struck at Old Army
Leaders Still Proud Of
Monarchist  Period
Eight Months To Live, Four In Jail
PUNISHMENTS FEARED
in      the     Mediterranean, achor    at    Palma    early
planes
dropped
today.
The British government mean¬ while communicated to the French Foreign Office the rough drafts of two notes which British Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden will send to the Spanish Insurgents and Loyalists advising them of the re¬ inforced "anti-piracy" crusade and refusal to recognize a blockade.
The notes set forth the agree¬ ment of the British, French and Italian navies to .sink at sight any { Aragon submerged submarines found on tanks the trade routes of the Mediter¬ ranean high seas protected by the "antl-plracy" accord ilgned by 10 nations at Nyon, Switzerland, last September  12.
The notes were said to contain a strongly-worded protest against the sinking of two British mer¬ chant ships off the Spanish east coa.st, not far from the Balearics, during  the   last  week.
hand battle, was reported tonight to have cut the important Cam- pillio-Peraleda   highway.
The insurgent victory, according to Generalissimo Francisco Fran¬ co's southern headquarters at Seville, seized positions dominating one of the most heavily fortified Loyali.st strongholds on the south¬ ern  fronts.
Across Spain to the east, on the Teruel front, the Nationali.sts an¬ nounced lhat they had advanced four miles along a six-mile front in the Sierra Palomera sector north of the  Aragonese  city.   The
More  Removals  Also  Ex¬ pected; Await New De¬ mand for Lost Colonies
advance   was   led   by   15
.Along the eastern Mediterranean seaboard, already wrecked by al- itiost daily air raids, insurgent bomtnifi ttajfid a series of destruc¬ tive foraj's during the day.
The worst raid was at Alicante, to the south, where three German ,lunkcrs-typc planes at 9:10 a, m. dropped 40 bombs, causing 20 casualties and badly damaging the French-owned   Reigos   de   Levantc
The Loyalist government at Bar-'/-ompany and the Air France air cclona charged, on the basis of the'f'^'d. stories of the rescued members of;
the Alclra's crew, that the attack¬ ing planes were Italian-make Savol seaplanes  from  Palma,
This disclosure led to Anglo- French discussions of the possibil¬ ity of stationing an aircraft carrier oft the Balearic A'ith instructions to send planes aloft and follow any fighting planes leaving the Balear-
Defense Lines Collapse
Salamanca, Spain, Feb. 5 (UP) — Spanish Insurgent columns today advanced more than six miles in the Alfambra sector, 16 miles north of Teruel, when Loyalist defense lines collapsed at several points and more than 1,000 enemy losses were reported, it was announced tonight at insurgent headquarters.
5 LOCAL BANOIIS WILL FACE T E
«he
Reported to Have Confessed
Five Crimes Including
Old Gold Robbery
HID IN NEW JERSEY
Five young Wilkes-Barre ban¬ dits who are accused of having participated in a series of local lobberies will be brought to trial at the court house  on Wednesday
MILLION A WEEK IN DIRECT RELIEF
Union Leader Martin Makes
Plea   as   Auto   Plants
Curtail   Schedules
Berlin, Feb. 5. (UP) — Strong monarchist sentiment that threat¬ ened the solidarity of Fuehrer Adolf Hitler's Nazi dictatorship, particularly among veteran army leaders still loyal to ex-Kaiser Wil¬ helm II, was reliably reported to¬ night to have been one of the causes of Hitler's "bloodless puige." It was pointed out, as Hitler appeared before his new "secret cabinet council" tonight to be ac¬ claimed in his new role as supreme chief of Germany's war machine, that a section of generals in the army were "more than usually en¬ thusiastic" on the occasion of the former Kaiser's 79th birthday on Jan, 27.
It was indicated that some of the 1,3 generals whom Hiller removed might have been among those re¬ garded by Nail party leaders as being too deep in their allegiance toward the exiled Kaiser.
PunNhnient   Predicted Ouster of more army officers and dLsciplinary   action  against  several of the 13 ousted generals were pre¬ dicted in some quarters tonight.
Hitler, responding to the con¬ gratulations of Premier Benito Mussolini of Italy on his .nssump- tion of the title of "chief of de¬ fense," announced that he would embark on even closer relations be¬ tween totalitarian Germany and Italy.
"In the future I shall consider it my task to further strengthen the political and doctrinal ties be¬ tween Germany and Italy, thus serving the preservations of peace and civilization of the world," Hit¬ ler telegraphed II Duce,
X^*<» T^.t...  «...  r^^i
WILL BE BUILT IF JAPAN FAILS TO TELL PLANS
Huge Ships Will Have Many Innovations as
Result of Secret Tests; England Also
Is to Build Biggest In History;
Tokyo Asks to Be Trusted
SAYS INTENTIONS ARE NON-MENACE
Harry Turner, 49, of Chicago, was told by doctors he had an Incurable disease, wilh eight months to live. Then he was convicted of stealing si,100 from his sister and was sentenced to four months -half his remaining life, In jail. Above, right, he shows Warden Frank Sain of Cook County Jail when his  sentence  ends  and life  is  halt  over.
PRESIDENT SEEKS 'JAPANESE BE METHODS TO T
Wages, Rails, Housing and Credit to Fore as Can¬ vas of Opinion Ends
REVIVAL EFFORTS
MURPHY FAVORABLE
nelroit, Feb. S. (UP)- An im¬ mediate demand for a million dol¬ lars a week in direct relief "to keep Michigan's unemployed from starv¬ ing " was made to President Roose-
They   are   Robert   O'Boyle.   22.   282 ¦ veil  today  by  the  United  Automo- Ea.st Market streel: John T. Plata, ! bile Workers Union.
18, !,•? John street; Harry Turkas jr., 18, .130 South Main street: Charles Burgit, 18, 9 Hayes Lane; and Stanley Mlliencwicz (alias Stanley Miller) of 408 South Meade street. The local men will be tried on (Continued  on   Page   A-2)
F, M. Kirby's Woolivorth Holdings Still  Valued Over $23,500,000
'-r-=rial to Sunday Independent
New Vork, Feb, 5:-Stock hold- "igs of Kred M. Kirby of Wilkes- «arre in F. W. Woolworth & Com- P«ny have a present market value "'523,531,550, it was revealed hr-.-e today by the Securities and Ex- «iange Commission. As an officer •na director of the Woolworth cor¬ poration, he is credited wilh own- '"8 more than a half million •hares.
The  figures made  public  hy  the :i/'"''"" """^  Exchange  Commis¬ sion   indicated    that    Mr.    Kirby's "^nolworlh stock is divided among I trM     '.;"'''""'a''ons   which   he   con-' whi 'i •'"remkir Corporation, of
hold    ¦'^''-'''   "P"''^''''   "i*"   ''^a'J'
ation is credited with 900 shares of Woolworth common  stock.
During  the  month  of  December the   Frcmkir   Corporation    bought and sold 8,800 shares of the stock, Ihe  commission  announced. Once  Near  100  .'Million
At today's Stock Market quota¬ tion of $42 per share, Mr. Kirby's .')60,275 shares of Woolworth are worth more than twenty-three mil¬ lion dollars. During the bull market days on the Stock Ex¬ change, the same huge block would have been worth -pproximatcly one hundred million dollars.
Woolworth at present pays an annual dividend, without including
•-111,87,')
! any sperial disbursements, of J2,40 ^        .~:r> shares of Woolworth. | per share.    On this basis the divi-
•th P*''''"der Corporation, an-1 dend yield alone or the Kirby hold- "T   Kirby   affiliate,   owns   47,500, ings would be equivalent to »1,500,-,
•¦""•(s while the Greystone Corpor-1 000. '
The plea came from Homer Mar¬ tin, union president, as a sequel to the union's mass meeting of more than  100,000 persons yesterday.
"Immediate and direct relief is needed in this emergency," Martin wired the president, "Michigan workers face a crucial health situa¬ tion due to the lack of work." Plants On Short Schedules
With most of the slate's automo¬ tive and parts plants—backbone of Michigan industrial employment- operating on sharply curtailed schedules, the number of jobless workers was reported to exceed 250,000, Nearly a third of this num¬ ber packed Cadillac Square Friday aftarnoon, shouting approval fori welfare demands upon national, state and city government.
Although Detroit was the only mldwestern city where such an un¬ employed demonstration was held, plans were being made in Chicago by mayors of nine cities to appeal to Washington for an immediate emergency appropriation of $400,- 000,000 for "the nation as a whole" to prevent curtailment of WPA em¬ ployment. Among the mayors dele¬ gated to confer with the WPA ad¬ ministration In Washington next week was newly-elected Mayor Richard W. Reading of Detroit.
Reading's name was booed by the thousands  who packed the square. The automobile union ha.s been out¬ spoken    in    its    <ritici.>:m    of    the (Continued  on  Page  A-2)
New Drive for Colonies
Nazi newspapers Indicated that the new Reich foreign minister, Joachim von Rlbbentrop, who is an ardent Nazi, would launch out soon with a revitalized demand for restoration of Germany's war-lost colonies,
W'ell-informed quarters said that Great Britain was expected to sub¬ mit a note within two weeks in¬ dicating a readiness to discuss the colonial issue.
Information placed before foreign correspondents tonight denied that any high army officers had been arrested, aa reported abroad, or that any startling coup d'etat was planned.
In connection with the diplomatic shakeup it was Indicated that none of the three key ambassadors re¬ called from their posts—from Vienna, Rome and Tokyo—would be given any new jobs In the Nazi regime,
Nazis R<'sented Monarrhlsni
All of the dismissed generals are known lo have been  proud of the monarchist   period   when   they   be¬ gan  their  military  careers   and   to (Continued on Page A-l'
Is It Kingston's 'Woman In Black'l^
Rock Hill, S. C, Feb. .5.   (-UP)
An epidemic of monsters, which started with "The Mon¬ ster of Marmotte Street" which terrorized the Negro population of Mobile, Alabama, tonight ap¬ peared to have spread to the Negro community of this town.
A mysterious beast, said to resemble a gorilla, was report¬ ed to police by two frightened Negroes, They told police a "fierce, fur-covered animal" ac¬ costed them on a lonely street last night.
Another Negro reported that the beast had attacked him and ripped off his clothing before he   managed   to   escape.
Police were without a theory as to the identity nf the animal. They said Ihey also received a report that the creature had killed a large calf on the edge of  the  village  and  eaten   It.
Washington, Feb, 5 (UP)-Presi¬ dent Roosevelt's search for meth¬ ods to meet business recession enters new flelds next week when wages-hours problems and the con¬ dition of the nation's railroads come to the fore.
The White House has griven no indication yet when the President's business message will be submitted to Congress. However, It was be¬ lieved that Mr. Roosevelt's canvas of business and economic opinion is virtually complete.
Thus far, it was Indicated, the drive against recession will com¬ prise: Credit aids to small business. The home construction expected to result from liberalization of federal   housing   requirements.
Legislation against bank holding companies and an anti-monopoly drive.
Efforts to revise automobile and possibly other time-payment fin¬ ance plans.
Possible WPA Increase Possible increase in Works Prog¬ ress relief expenditures.
Congressional revision of the un¬ distributed  profits tax.
A new effort to enact wage?- hours  legislation.
All these subjects have been dis¬ cussed extensively, but recommen¬ dations are not yet In final form. Wages-hours legislation received new attention because a group of 2!) congressmen, advocates of wages-hours control, will meet with President Roosevelt Monday, Chairman Mary T. Norton of the House labor committee is working on a new draft of the bill which waa defeated in the House during the special session. Th- draft is not expected lo be complete for a month  or six weeks.
Rail, Credit Queotinns Mr. Roosevelt will confer on rail questions wilh a group headed by Interstate Commerce Commissioner Walter M. W. Splawn. They will discuss all aspects of rail problems except the request for increased freight rates now pending before the ICC.
The question of credit aids to business is being studied by treas¬ ury and  federal  reserve  experts.
Success of Twin Columns
Means Victory; Chiang
Bolsters Defense
BOMBING NEAR CANTON
t'.  p.  DIKECTOR  DIES
Sherborn, Mass., Feb. R. (UP) - j Professor George Walter Dawson. |fi7. director of University of Peni.- j .sylvania's art department, died I suddenly of a heart atUi k at¬ tributed to "over-exertion" here < tonight
Shanghai, Sunday, Feb, fi, (UP) -Japan early toda.v began a long- awaited thrust through lower Shantung to the walled city of Suchow, junction point of China's two great eastern and Inland rail¬ ways and the key to the vast central territory embracing ap¬ proximately 90,000,000 people.
Massing the mightiest army in Norlh China, the Japanese forces streamed down the Tientsin-Pukow railroad tracks in twin columns, targetting their drive at Suchow, where the Lunghai Railroad, run-! ning 1,000 miles inland, joins the j north-south    Tientsin-Pukow    line.
More than 100 miles south of the j Japanese vanguard, a northbound ! column wa.s pushing over the bloody hatllcgiounds near Pcngpu. When the two forces make con¬ tact, most observers are agreed, Norlh China will be in the hands of the Japanese,
China's Defense Beady
Oneralissimo Chiang Kai-Shek has taken personal charge of the campaign and ordered his forces "not to yield an inch," The most solid defensive line in North China -the so-called " M a g i n o t Line" stretching from the banks of the Yellow River eastward to¬ ward Suchow lies between the tips of the Japanese  columns.
There was evidence that the Japanese military command was throwing all available manpower into this crushing movement. More than 4,000 troops arrived last night at Taming, norlh of the Yellow River, where .numerous Japanese observation balloons were sent over Chinese lines,
Chinese plani's flew over Japan¬ ese lines near Pengpu, covering the retreat of the Chinese toward (Continued   on   Page   A-2)
Wa.shington, Feb, 5. (UP)- The U. S. Navy —anticipating that Japan will spurn America's ulti¬ matum lo expose her naval plans- was revealed loday to have designs in preparation for construction of super-dreadnaughts of 40,000 to 46,000 tons displacement.
Exhaustive tests of model hulls have been under way for some time by navy construction officials at the navy's model ship basin, the United Press learned, to determine the most suitable design and size of battleships exceeding the present y.'i.OOO tons displacement.
Radical New Features Construction officials have hinted lhat some radical new features for battleships  may  result  from  these tests.
Definite announcement of future construction plans Is yxpected to be delayed until some time after Feb. 20, the date by which the United Stales, Great Britain and France today demanded that Japan reveal her plans.
The ultimatum Informed Japan that unless that government agrees lo reveal ils naval building plans, and in case these plans reveal the intention to build capital ships In excess of 3,1,000 tons, "it will be neces.sary for the American gov¬ ernment lo exercise its right." after consultation with other naval treaty powers, to construct super-battle¬ ships of its own. Friendly Nations Would Confer The powers with whom the United States would confer are France and Great Britain. These governments are parties, with the United Stales, lo the 19,36 London naval treaty limiting capital ships to 3,'i.OOO tons, unless some non- treaty power builds larger ships. All three are hound lo exchange in¬ formation of future naval plan"
The British and French govern¬ ments presented In the Japanese Foreign Office notes similar to that delivered by Ambassador Joseph   C.   Grew.
The American note was con¬ sidered b.v diplomatic experts an outright ultimatum. It was the strongest diplomatic communica¬ tion sent by this government to anv foreign government since the World  War.
It reminded Japan that she left the lfl3fi London naval conference, thus turning her hack on naval limitation by treaty. It reminded her that she has refused to limit naval gun calibres lo 14 inches, as desired by the other naval powers.
Reminded of Reporta It reminded Japan lhat there have been repeated, persisilent re¬ ports that Japan is huiiding or plans to build a number of capital ships far exceeding 3,1,000 tons, and that the Japanese government had never denied these reports. In   the   absence   of   explicit   as¬
surance from the Japanese gov¬ ernment that these reports are unfounded, the note said, the American government must con¬ sider them lo be authentic.
The note then expressed willing¬ ness to discuss with Japan possible limitation of sizes of naval ships or gun calibres, at any upper limit the Japanese government might set.
West  ".Must  Trust"  Japan
Tokyo, Sunday, Feb. 6 (UP) — Government leailers, consulting on the joint demands of the United States, Great Britain and France for data regarding Japanese naval building plans, snid loday that the western powers must trust Japan's policy ot "non-menace and non- aggression."
Almost simultaneous with the formal tendering of the notes, Vlce-Admlral Mitsumasa Yonal, minister of marine, was telling parfiarnent that Japan will pursue a "watchful waiting' policy toward British and American naval expan¬ sion.
"On Banis of Non-.^Ienace" At the same time, he said. Japan is fully prepared lo take effective measures if other powers develop ¦ .aggressive " navies and precipitate a  naval race.
Rear Admiral Kiyoshi Noda, chief of the navy bureau of in¬ formation, was asked whether Japans secrecy might already have prompted  a  building  race,
"Some hold lhat opinion," he said, "But, although we do not publish our plans, we are building entirely on a basis of non-menace and non- aggression. If that policy ia trusted, there is no reason for un¬ easiness.
"Our non-publication policy has not been maintained always, but dated from the London naval limi¬ tation conference of 1936, from which Japan withdrew because of disagreement on the relative strength of navies."
Japan withdrew from the London conference because of the refusal of her demands for full naval parity with the other world powers. To Await Developments Admiral Yonai, speaking hefore parliament, said that officials of Japan's navy believed that the American and British programs were designed to .sound out Japan and that hence the naN^y could await developments "within cer¬ tain limits."
He said Japan did not intend to
Increase  the  number  of  its  naval
landing forces or Its smaller ships.
England  Also   Ready
London,    Feb.    .">    (UP) -British
officials said  tonight  that Japan's
answer to simultaneous ultimatums
from    Great    Britain,    the    United
.'itates   and   France   regarding  her
naval huiiding plans will determine
(Continued on Page A-14)
Italians Claim       , 507 Air Victories
Rome, Feb. .V (UP)--The semi-official Fascist aviation weekly "Le Vie de L'Arla" said today that Italian fliers serving in Spain have destroyed 507 Loyalist planes, mostly In aerial combat, since the beginning of the  civil  war.
The destroyed planes were said to have included 114 Rus- ssian "Rata" planes, 123 Ameri¬ can "Curtiss" planes and French planes.
Survey Shoivs Meat Prices Have Come Doivn Out of Stratosphere
(Copyright 19,38 by Inited Prees)
Chicago, Feb, ."i (UP) A United Press survey of 29 cities tonight disclosed that on the national aver¬ age, housewives are paying 10 to 16 cents les.s per pound for tenderloin, porterhouse and sirloin steaks and pork chops than they did last October at the peak of the 1937 price rise.
The tenderloin which sold in October for 60 cents a pound, now retails at 50 cents and the sirloin then costing 4.'^ cents now may be had for 32 cents on the average. Pork chops, which sold three months ago for 36 cents a pound, now cost 25. Porterhouse steaks lhat cost only ,38 cents a pound, now, were 54 cents in October, 1937. Ham, however, has lost only four rents a pound, from 34 cents last October to a present price of 30 cents.
From New York City to Port¬ land, Ore., butchers reported that prices today are far below those which prevailed during the Septem¬ ber-October peak. Holdouts against declining prices were Miami,  Fla.,
and Kansas City, Mc, the souUi* ern winter vacation capital report¬ ing a three cents per pound in¬ crease in all cuts during the pa»t two months after an early drop. Tourists Hold  I p  Prio*
"Prices will remain as they art for some time," several retallere said there, indicating that demand* of winter vacationists probably were responsible for the Jump. However, prices slill were much below the national peak levels a< October,
In Kansas City prices have gain¬ ed around one cent a pound and, although no reason was reported, it was predicted by retailers that • further increase would become ef¬ fective in  the next two months,
Chicago, center of the meat pack¬ ing industry, had a drop of IS cents a pound on sirloins from an average price of 43 cents two months ago to 28 cents today. Chicago butchers who asked an average price of 46 cents for port¬ erhouse two months ago, today asked only ,33 rents. The drop on pork chops was 10 cent* % pound to 18 cent*.
1