Wilkes-Barre Sunday Independent

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EUROPE FEARFUL AS SPANISH WAR NEARS END
A Paper For The Home
SUNDAY INDEPENDENT
LEASED WIRE TELEGRAPH REPORT TO 3 A. M. SUNDAY
THE WEATHER
Kn»trrn T%Miii'iviTanif? • Snow nnii '"Mshtly r-ntdor In wrnt nntX north an'1 snow- or rain nnd rnldor iit nnn th rant portion Sinulny nnd SiinfTny nigbt; Mnnday   probably   fair.
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FIFTY-SIX PAGES
Tht   Only   Sunday   Newspaper CoT»rlng   Ihe   Wyoming   Vnlley
WILKES-BARRE, PA., SUNDAY, MARCH 14, 1937
Kntered   st   Wilkes-Barre,   Pa., As   Serond   Class   Msil   Mailer
PRICE TEN CENTS
RAILROADS PREPARE TO RETIRE MORE THAN MILLION EMPLOYEES
MD ITAlf
Postal Department May Ban Sweepstakes Lists
Charge Nazis And Fascists With 120,000 Troops Pitted   Against   Spanish
REBELS CANNOT LOSE
Believe Navies Will Shell Valencia And Barcelona As Armies Smash Madrid
PEACE PLAN FUTILE
I^ondon, March 13. (UP)—Charges before the League of Nations that the German and Italian navies are planning to attack two of Loyalist Spnin's greatest seaports -V'aiencia ai'.d Barcelona-—and the wbirSwikd driva «< lUHMTlipll* up*" Madrid aroused grave ' fears among Europe's statesmen tonight.
Tlie great powers, believing that tho civil war may be embarked upon its final stage, were appre¬ hensive lest in the mounting fury the conflict burst Spain's boundar¬ ies and touch off the tinder of European hatreds and jealousies.
Possibility of a European war in the not far distant future was openly discussed by one statesman, Ivan Maisky, Soviet ambassador to London,
Italy, Germany Fighting
The major powers put the skele¬ ton plan of their international non¬ intervention scheme — patrol of Spain's frontier* and coasts—Into effect at midnight Saturday but it wns only n gesture because any real control to confine the war to the Iberian penninsula can not be¬ come fully effective for anolher Week.
Ironically, two of the four powers called upon lo enforce the patrol are those charged with providing the Rebels with the men and equ'/- ment needed to smash Spain's leftist democracy and establish a Fnscist dictatorship. They are Germany nnd Italy.
Julio Alvarez Del Vayo, Loyalist foreign minister, informed the LeaRiie of Nations that Italy and Germany have launched what nmounts to an "undeclared war" on Republicnn Spain and that four divisions of the regular Italian army as well ns German regular troops are aiding the Rebel drive on Madrid from the Guadnrrnma mountains.
130,000 Foreign Troops
The extent of this Fascist Inter¬ vention has never been deter¬ mined officially but the Loyalist government charges that 120,000 Italian and German soldiers are Within her borders.
These reports, if true, give ample credence to months-long predic¬ tions by impartial observers that the Madrid government cannot win, that its scant aid from remote Ru,'ssia is insufficl*nt to cope with (Continued on Page A-14)
Although Scranton poslal author¬ ities were ready to serve notice on newspapers there that publication of Irish Sweepstakes winners will no longer be tolerated, officials of the Wilkes-Barre post office lacked similar instructions from Wash¬ ington last night.
Assistant Postmaster William E, Newhart said that no notice had been received here to "tighten up" on the postal regulation which stipulates that publication of sweepstakes lottery winners is punishable by a fine of $1,000, two years in a federal penitentiary or both.
Warned In Scrantton At Scranton. however, Postmas¬ ter Joseph F. Conrad said he would transmit to newspapers there a recent ruling of Karl A, Crowley, post office department solicitor at Washington, that is a marked departure from the liberal attitude of postal authorities to publications of "sweeps" winners. Since 1933, postal authorities had not attempted to enforce the regu¬ lation prohibiting publication of winners' names. When Postmaster General James A. Farley assumed his post, he let it be known that the department's policy toward lot¬ tery and sweepstakes winners would be "liberalized," in direci contrast lo the attitude of the Hoover administration.
At a. result, for thrfee years news¬ papers throughout the country have headlined sweepstakes news, particularly in this region^^here major prizes have been <m>n or shared by a number of local resi¬ dents.
Should the postal authorities de¬ cree that "teeth" be put in the regulation   prohibiting   publication
of winners' names, hundreds of regional purchasers of tickets on the Irish Free State Hospitals Sweepstakes will have to depend on some ithcr agency than news¬ papers or radio.
.S350,000 Won Here
During the past four years, nearly $350,000 in major cash prizes have been shared by Wyoming Val¬ ley "sweeps" winners, while others have drawn substantial residual or "consolation" prizes. Others hnve drawn horses that were either scratched or were out of the run- nipK when the event was staged, giving them plenty of excitement it little money.
Charles Gallagher, East End druggist, was the first local resi¬ dent to win a big prize, getting $80,000 several years ago. During the last two years two major prizes of $150,000 have found their way here. Albert J. Trethaway and Louis Houser, bolh of Parsons, held a ticket on a horse which won $150,000 but sold a half interest for $30,000. Their share of the winnings wns $105,000 nitogether, as they split the major prize with the syndicate which purchased half of the ticket.
In the same race. Miss Agnes Hocken of Nanticoke, a registered nurse in a Philadelphia hospital. waa one of four holders of a ticket which brought them $150,000.
Last year members of the "JlWttA-!•««,'»'.,*-Hotel Sterling luWdlyeOrt'gTOupf comprising 16 prominent busines.«i and profes¬ sional men of this city, held a ticket on a horse that did not win but paid a substantial lower bracket prize.
At least ten local residents have won rcsidunl and "consolation" prizes ranging from $500 upward.
PICKETS TOME
He's A Movie Actor Now
Trades Council Officials Amd Construction Firm Head Due For Conference
FINNEY HOPEFUL
State Senator Returns From Florida To Face Demands For   Union    Recognition
UPHOLDS POLICY
STATE EXPECTED
QUAUTYOFCOAl
To Prohibit Mixture With Surface And Refuse Fuel; Must Refill All Strippings
BILL MEETS FAVOR
Harrisburg, March 13. (UP)— The Bradley Bill drafted to pre¬ vent "fraud and deception" by re¬ quiring classification of anthracite coal marketed will be reported favorably by the House Committee on Mines and Mining, the United Press  was  advised  today.
Rep. Joseph P. Bradley, North¬ umberland, sponsor of the "pure coal" measure, said he was assured by the committee chairman. Rep. John J. Downey, Schuylkill, that the bill would bn released to the House floor early next week. It was Introduced January 8, open¬ ing day of the session.
The bill would prohibit adultera¬ tion of anthracite removed by miners with stripping or refuse coal for sale as freshly mined fuel. Refuse and stripping coal must be labeled as such for the informa¬ tion of consumers regardless of (Continued on Page A-14)
IP.
READY TO LEAVE SERVIC[OFWPA
First District Director Named By Edward N. Jones; Organized Work In County
WILL JOIN MAGAZINE
WPA Investigators Arrive In City; Expected To Probe Serious Charges
Arrival of a squad of WPA in-
.     vestigators  In  this  city  yesterday
I    presaged  interesting   developments
¦     In  connection   ¦with   some   serious
charges that have been lodged In
Washington   against  some   of   tho
•mployment  features  of  the   local
Work relief setup.
The charges, it is said, were filed
•'ter   an   litvestigatlon   by   SUte
officials that extended over a period
k    of  several   months.   Although   the
r    leader   of   the   Washington   squad
^as  recognized  on  the  streets   of
the city, being well known to many
local citizens,  he  refused  to com-
•"fbt   on   the   object   of   his   visit,
But those familiar with the thor-
oughnesa  with   which   many   past
U I5iy""»'"<"'» have been made by
% ""' officer were not alow to real-
ize that something big is in the air.
From a reliable source il was learned that, among the specifii; charges being investigated, is the employment of an extraordinary number of married women whose husbands are gainfully employed in the public service.
Another very serious charge Is that some individuals of promi¬ nence manage to get on project payrolls without giving the least return for the money they received from the government.
A third charge is that super¬ visory officials used WPA project workers on private work.
Local directors of WPA work professed Ignorance concerning the appearance of the investigators in the city.
(Special  to  Sunday  Independent)
Harrisburg, Mnrch 13.—Resigna¬ tion of John J. P. Dunn, nttached to the executive staff of the Works Progress Administration since its inception in July, 1935, was an¬ nounced here today. It will be¬ come effective Monday, when Mr, Dunn will take up his duties ns business manager of "We, The I People," a state news magazine of which Edward N. Jones, Pennsyl¬ vania administrator of the Worka Progress Administration, is pub¬ lisher, Mr, Jones, it is generally understood here, will be named next week to the chairmanship of the Fair Rate Board which Gov¬ ernor Earle will create to supplant the present Public Service Com¬ mission,
Mr. Dunn was the first district director appointed by Mr. Jones to assist him in the WPA progrnm In this state when it was started two years ago. He was assigned to Luzerne county where, at the peak of the WPA enrollment load, there were more than 19,000 men at work. In October of 1935 Mr, Dunn was also placed in charge of the Schuylkill county district where, in less than a month, he increased the number of employed from 1,500 to 14,000. At that time he was in charge of a larger num¬ ber of workers than any other dis¬ trict director with the exception of those in Philadelphia and Pitts¬ burgh,
Had S3 Counties
About a year ago Mr, Dunn was transferred to the state executive staff to become personal field rep¬ resentative of State Administrator Jones. In this capacity he gradu¬ ally assumed supervision of the WPA activities in 32 counties. His territory included the counties of Green, Fayette, Washington, Cam¬ bria, Blair, Somerset, Tioga, Brad¬ ford, Lycoming, Sullivan, Union, Snyder, Northumberland, Montour, Columbia, Dauphin, Lebanon, Cum¬ berland, Adams, Perry, Juniata, (Continued on Page A-14)
After five days of picketing by union craftsmen associated with the Building Trades Council and flve days uf cessation of worlc on almost a million dollars' worth of construction work by tha A. J, Sordoni Company, conferences be¬ tween the compnny and the pickets' representatives ure in progress. One meeting between Building Trades Council officials and Sordoni Company executives was reported since the picketing began on two jobs in this city and one in Scran¬ ton on Tuesday, Another confer¬ ence is said to be scheduled for to¬ day and State Senator A, J. Sor¬ doni is expected to attend. The head of the vast construction com¬ pany returned on Friday from Florida after recovering from a serious illness.
Following a mass meeting of trades unionists last Sunday, pickets were posted at the Moses Taylor Hospital, Scranton, where a new wing is being erected; at the new Swift Packing Company build¬ ing on North Pennsylvania avenue and at the Boyd Dodson school building, Jones and Airy streets. Demand  Closed  iShop
The Trades Council demands demands union recognition from the Sordoni  Company.
Edward Finney, president of the Wyoming Valley Building Trades Council, said last night that he was optimistic as to a final settlement of the issue which caused the tie- up of the construction work of the Sordoni firm. He said that a mass meeting will be held this afternoon nt 2 oclock in the Carpenters hall, Enst Market street, and an exec¬ utive session will follow.
Senator Andrew J. Sordoni, head of the Sordoni construction firm stated last night that he resented the statements in circulation re¬ ferring to wages paid bricklayers and carpenters,
"It was only during the paat two days that I became familiar with the situation which brought about a halt to the construction work of my organization," the Senator said. "I have talked to my men as to whether any dissatisfaction existed pertaining to wages and they in¬ formed me there were none.
"As to the pay of our bricklay- er.s, the hourly rate is $1,25 an hour and carpenters get from 75c to $1,12':.'. I wish to make it plain that I pay good wages and that an inspection of the books of my organization will support this state¬ ment. The rate paid bricklayers is (Continued on Page A-14)
HUNDREDS HERE TO BE AFFECTED BY PENSION PLAN
Industry And Union Near Agreement On Neiv System That Will Reduce Cost Of Fund $17,000,000 Yearly And Replace That Outlaived Last Year By The U, S, Supreme Court
TO DISTRIBUTE $100,000,000
That widely known Irish dramatist, George Bernard Shaw, has agreed to take part in John Drinkwater's new screen play, "The King's People," now In preparation in London, which shows British celebrities of the day. Here is Mr, Shaw adjusting his glasses before the cameras click off a special reel in which he appears.
BY COURT RULE
Judge Will Give Opinion On Chrysler Injunction To¬ morrow;  Union  Aroused
IN AUTO SMASH
RATIFY AGREEMENT
Detroit, March 13. (UP)—Dele¬ gates representing United Automo¬ bile Workers locals in all of Gen¬ eral Moters 69 plants tonight rati¬ fied an agreement which settled all disputes in the recent 44-day automotive strike. Approval came after a heated session of nearly 14 hours.
Memorial Presbyterian Dele¬ gates To Bible Conference Taken To Easton Hospital
MINOR MISHAPS HERE
Detroit, March 13. (UP)—Gov¬ ernor Frank Murphy today form¬ ed a committee of twenty prom¬ inent citizens to seek a solution of the epidemic of sit-down strikes that have left 80,000 workers idle in Michigan, and to devise mach¬ inery and legislation for peaceful adjustment of future labor dis¬ putes.
The committee, composed of in¬ dustrialists, labor union leaders and representatives of the public, waa charged with developing a program to bring labor disputes within the bounds of public au¬ thority and prevent what Murphy termed "intolerable conditions."
The governor's action to deal (Continued on Page A-14)
YOUTHFUL GUNMAN ROBS STORE IN CITY
Wilbur Hoyt, 30, proprietor of the Hoyt Market at 63 East South street was checking Saturday busi¬ ness receipts last night about 11;30 oclock when a youthful stranger entered the establishment and asked for a package of cig.ircls,
Hoyt laid them on the counter and looked up—into the muzzle of an automatic pistol,
"This is a holdup," the gunman said as he swung the weapon to¬ ward three friends of Hoyt who were waiting for him to close up for the nighl,
Hoyt and the others, Anthony Siani   of   69   East   South   street,
Harry Eckenrode of 117 Park ave¬ nue, and James Cheffi of 40 Rector lane, were herded into the rear of the store.
The gunman then calmly opened tho cash register and scooped out approximately $50 in bills and coins.
Warning Hoyt not to follow, the bandit dashed out of the store and disappeared.
Detectives Nolan and Schwab, confronted with the first city hold¬ up In many weeks scoured the neighborhood while cruiser cars concentrated in the area, but no suspicious characters were taken into custod}'.
Six Wyoming Valley residents were injured yesterday, one of them critically, when their auto¬ mobile skidded on an icy road and crashed inlo a truck as they were returning from a church conven¬ tion in New Jersey. The victims, all delegates of Memorial Presby¬ terian church of Wilkes-Barre, were taken to Easton hospital. They were riding In a machine driven by Mrs. Anna Newhart, 42, of 9 Mount Greenwood Road, Trucksville, when the accident occurred.
The six taken to Easton hospital were:
Elizabeth Barnhart, 17, of East North street, city. Condition crit¬ ical due to fractured skull, com¬ pound fracture of right leg and extreme   shock.
Mrs. Newhart of Trucksville. Condition serious; possible internal injuries; fractured arm; fractured ribs, and severe contusions of the scalp.
Ruth Newhart, 18, daughter of the driver. Bruises of the legs and body,
Robert Newhart, 15, a «on. Frac¬ tured left ankle and cuts of the fact.
Jack Haines, 17, of Madison street, cily. Possible fracture of the skull and extensive lacerations of the face.
Jessie Pattison, 16, of 51 South Main street. Plains, Extensive lacerations of the scalp, probable skull injury and contusions.
The party of six was returning from Frenchtown, N. J,, where they had gone Friday to represent the Memorial Presbyterian church at a Bible conference. The return trip met with tragedy between Wind Gap and Saylorsburg. The machine skidded on a slippery pavement and before it could be stopped, it crashed into a truck operated by Walter Kunkle of Easton, Kunkle was only slightly hurt. Witnesses hurried the vic¬ tims in other machines to Easton jlContinued on Page A-14)
Washington, March 13, (UP)— The railroad industry and union representatives were near com¬ plete agreement tonight on a pen¬ sion system that will provide re¬ tirement benefits for more than a million employees.
The agreement, expected to be announced within several days, will fulfill President Roosevelt's request that the railroads and their employees agree ipon details of such a plan rather than continue court controversy over government rail pension legislation.
President George M. of the Association of Railway ecutives said the announcement of complete agreement would come "about the middle of the week."
"We have just about got the matter all settled up," ho said, add¬ ing that there were still several In¬ complete details.
Some Points Uncertain
R, V. Fletcher, general counsel of the Association of American Railroads, said there were some "uncertain factors" in the present draft of the agreement. He did not indicate when the final draft would be ready.
Both the rail unions and rail¬ roads approved a tentative draft submitted to them by a committee working on the new pension plan and authorized the committee to make final adjustments.
Neither group would divulge the terms of the agreement, which is expected to end carrier or labor attacks on legislation embodying pension   plans   for   rail  employees.
One important provision of the agreement will determine the dis¬ position of approximately $100,000,- 000 in taxes accrued under the Railroad Retirement Act during the ten months in 1936 in which the tax was effective. It was re¬ ported that it will be distributed equally between the carriers and employees, with $50,000,000 going to each.
It is believed the retirement age will  be  set  at 65.
Wage   Increase   Sought
Meanwhile, the nation's carrier.s prepared their reply to demands of organized railroad workers for wage increases totaling $360,000,000 annually.
Harrison said he hoped to de¬ velop   a   "joint   conference"   with
railroads to consider the wage de¬ mands. The carriers have until April 3 to make their reply under the Railway Labor Act.
Affects IMany In Valley
Several hundred railroad work¬ ers in Wyoming Valley, who would be affected by the new pension retirement plan, last night showed keen interest in the Washington dispatch received by the Sunday Independent. Since tho previous pension law was declared uncon¬ stitutional laat year, these men, to- ether with hundreds of others i« ultimately will come under the provisions of the new agree¬ ment, have been waiting for some announcement of defenite progress toward a final contract between the railroads and their employes.
Likewise, they have been equally interested in disposition of the thousands of dollars they paid into the pension fund which was never distributed by the government. The now plan, which is reported near agreement, will save money for both the railroads and the workers, a local railroad executive last night declared here.
Will Save .Millions "It is my understanding that ths new plan provides that the rail¬ roads will pay two and one-half percent of their payroll and the em¬ ployee will pay an equal amount of their wages into the new pension fund." this railroad official said. "Under the previous law, the com¬ panies and the workers each paid three and one-half per cent. The new plan will mean a saving of ap¬ proximately $17,000,000 in tha course  of a year,"
Similar interest was displayed in the announcement that the age of retirement may be lowered to 65 years. In the previous law, de'- clared unconstitutional, tho age limit was fixed at 70. Under that law a railroader could, upon reach¬ ing the age of 6.^, retire and claim his pension even though he passed an examination showing he was physically fit. However, if he claimed his pension under those conditions, he was required to for¬ feit fifteen percent of hi.s pension. A penalty also was imposed by the earlier law on those who reached 70 and wanted to keep on working. In that event, these men would also be required to forfeit (Continued on Page A-14)
U, S, Cruiser Saves 8 Americans As British Ship Burns At Sea
Honolulu, T.H„ March 13. (UP)— The crack U. S. Naval cruiser Louisville drew alongside the flam¬ ing British Motorship Silverlarch in mid-Pacific late today and re¬ moved eight American passengers who were preparing to take to life¬ boats in  the open sea.
Coast Guard headquarters here was advised of the rescue by radio dispatches from the cruiser and the U. S. S. Destroyer Talbot, which reached the stricken vessel as the Louisville was removing the passen. gers. That was at 4:42 p. m. EST. The rescue was completed within an hour.
The Silverlarch's crew of 45 had been fighting a fire in the No. 2 hold since Thursday. The flames got out of control today and the heat became so intense that the tar in her deck seams bubbled out.
Shortly before the warships reached the Silverlarch, about 480 miles northwest of Honolulu, the vessel's master had radioed that he was putting the passengers to sea in lifeboats. All of them board¬ ed the ship in New York and they included three women.
The l..oui8ville arrived just as Capt. F. H. Henderson 'A-as arrang¬ ing for the transfer to Ufeboata.
The rescue climaxed a spectacu¬ lar race in which five warships and a Coast Guard cutter battled against time and the .sea to reach ing Silverlarch before the spreading flames made assistance futile.
It was expected they would ba transferred to the Coast Guard cutter Roger B. Taney, scheduled to arrive at the scene later.
The 45 members of the Silver¬ larch crew remained aboard and were aided by United States sailors in fighting the flames which four times broke oul of control in th* ship's hold.
Aboard U.S.S. Louisville, March 13. (UP)—Eight passengers res¬ cued from the flaming British Motorship Silverlarch were mada comfortable aboard this cruiser to¬ night as their disabled craft, on which they were making a round- the-world cruise, limped Into Honolulu, The rescued passangers: Miss Katherine Grenfell, Wash¬ ington; Miss Helen A. Weller and Mrs. Michael Weller, Stroudsburg, Pa., Miss Gladys Morris, New York; Mrs. 1. C. Lewis, Barrying- ton, R, I; Harry Dobert, Naw York; G. N. Camp, Nsw Yorlt; Dt, A. T, Wilion, Cinclanati
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