The Cincinnati Enquirer from Cincinnati, Ohio · 1

FINAL EDITION WEATHER-?05 f And Warmer Thursday. Temperatures Yesterday: High, 37; Low, 19; Mean Humidity, 81. Detailed Weather Report, Fife 4 and 13. VOU XCVI. NO. 316-DAILY Entered as Becond-c1si matter. Post Office, Cincinnati, Ohio. THURSDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 18, 1937 26 PAGES TUPCE PPVTQ Hamilton ('onntT and I FIVE CENTS) XtlMXIUHj KjCjXVXO Campbell and Kenton Coontln Elsewhen VACATIONS With Pay Sought 1 "SKY LIMIT" In Liquor Quiz, TEN MEN Plunge To Death TRIO ESCAPES INJURY DUST STORMS HIT WESTERN STATES As . Bridge Framework Falls At Golden Gate. By Miners At Opening Of Wage Negotiations. Davey Says In Reply To . Threat Of Subpoena. THE CINCINNATI ENQUIRER I I Pay Increase, Shorter Week Also Urged. Operators Stunned By Demands Of Toilers. Aims "Utterly Impossible," They Say John L. Lewis Declares April 1 Pact Deadline. Is New York, February 17 (AP) The soft coal industry replied "ut terly impossible"' today to John L. Lewis's demand for a thirty-hour work week and a 13 per cent pay Increase for his 400.000 bituminous coal miners. After thus bluntly rejecting the United Mine Workers' proposals, the coal operators demanded that the present work week be increased from 35 to 40 hours, and that hour ly pay rates be cut 15 per cent, With this exchange, negotiations toward a new wage and hour agree ment were under way. The pres ent contract expire3 at midnight, March 31. Lewis and Charles P. O'Neill, spokesman for the operators, ex pressed hope the new agreement could be reached without a strike, but Lewis warned the operators that the miners would not work April 1 without a contract. VAST AREA AFFECTED. The miners and operators announced their demands at the opening session of the Appalachian joint wage conference. Technically, this conference fixes wages and hours only for the commercial mines in the vast Appalachian fields, reaching from Central Pennsylvania to Tennessee. . All other mine wages and hours, however, are based on the Appalachian standard. The increase the miners asked for would amount to 50 cents a day for those men hired by the day, bringing the basic daily wage from $5.50 to $6 in the North and from $5.10 to $5.60 in the South. The miners also asked for an increase of 15 cents in the combined cutting and loading rate (2 cents to the cutter and 13 to the loader) ; 25 cents a ton increase for pick mining and 20 per cent for yardage and dead work. VACATIONS ALSO SOUGHT. The next step in the negotiations will be the appointment of a joint committee to draft the new agreement. Both miners and operators expressed an opinion this committee would not get down to work for two or three weeks. The operators gulped when Philip Murray, Vice President of the mine workers, read the union's demands. . With the cut in hours and the pay increase, the miners demanded a guaranteed income of $1,200 a year and a two-week vacation with pay each year. O'Neill smilingly told the conference the only point on which minors and operators agreed was that the next agreement should remain in effect for two years, until March 31, 1939. Still pale from the cold he contracted when helping to negotiate the General Motors strike settlement last week, Lewis said the miners would "make every contribution toward the success of the conference." "Peace dwells in the Industry," he said, "we hope that this conference may work out terms or a new agreement without the loss of a Continued On Page 12, Column 7. I ?i fix? ' J&PA Poulson Also Is To Be Called, Ohio Told By State Auditor, Ready ' To Press His Study. " Investigation Also Is Asked In Senate Topper's Aid To Be Sought By Ferguson, Is Tip. mnm,S Associated Press. Three persons were trapped in an automobile when it was driven into a two-story brick, steel, and frame building at Los Angeles. The occupants of the car escaped injury, but the building was virtually destroyed. Court Revision Is Indorsed By Labor Executive Council; Compromise Plan Opposed Washington, February 17 (AP) The Executive Council of the American Federation of Labor gave official indorsement tonight to President Roosevelt's judiciary reorganization proposal. William Green, American Federa tion of Labor President, announced : "It was the opinion of the Execu tive Council that the sincere and earnest desire of labor for judicial reform and for the realization of social and economic advancement,' could be promoted better through the acceptance and application of the President's recommendation, rather than through the slow, tedious process of a constitutional amendment. 'The council fully believes that labor throughout the United States, as represented by the American Federation of Labor, will rally to the support of the President in the recommendation which he made." Green said an intensive campaign was planned throughout the United States "to acquaint the members of Congress with the desires of labor and labor's friends for favorable action upon the President's recommendation at the earliest possible date." The action climaxed a day of numerous developments in the controversy over the reorganization proposal. Senate and House' Democrats brough forth compromise proposals to smooth the dispute surrounding President Roosevelt's request for authority to enlarge the Supreme Court unless Justices whose ages exceed 70 retire. Senators Burton K. Wheeler of Montana and Homer T. Bone of Washington, acting jointly, introduced a resolution embodying a constitutional amendment under which Congress by a two-thirds Continued On Page 2, Column & Kuhlman's Life Story Is Told By Sister, With Mercy Plea BY JOSEPH GARRETSON, JR. By Staff Correspondent. SPECIAL DI.HIMTOH TO TUB ENQUIRER. Brookville, Ind., February 17 A frail, white-faced woman sobbed a story of crime, insanity, brutality, and poverty from the witness stand here today to delineate the wretched environment in which William A. Kuhlman, confessed slayer of Captain Harry R. Miller, passed his formative years. The testimony of Mrs. Carolyn Broerman, Clinton Street. Cincinnati, sister of William A. Kuhlman, marked the high spot of the defense's fight to save Kuhlman from the electric chair. At one point the FORCED LANDING Made By Lindberghs Parents To Testify Against Son Or Go To Jail, Is Threat Chicago, February 17 (US) Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Shapiro were served with notice today they must help send their only son, Harold, 21 years old, to prison or go to jail themselves. The son, a college graduate, is under indictment on charges he directed two other youths in robbing his parents of $6,000 in jewels and $500 cash. Assistant State's Attorney John Boyle said the parents were his only witnesses, obtained a continuance to March 29, and announced: "If the Shapiros don't appear to prosecute the charges I'll go before the grand jury and ask that they be indicted for conspiracy to obstruct justice. That may mean jail for them." In Syrian Desert Oasis During Sandstorm Couple To Stay Overnight At Rutbah Wells. Jerusalem, February 17 (AP) A stinging sandstorm forced the flyine Lindberghs Charles and Anne to an emergency landing today at a Syrian desert oasis, tardy but safe on their aerial jaunt to the Near East. Reports from Bagdad, their destination, told Increasingly anxious watchers at many Asia Minor airports that the famous Americans had landed at Rutbah Wells, on the Damascus-Bagdad motor route. Airport officials at Bagdad said the Lindberghs had tried to fly on from Rutbah after crossing over that place, but were driven back by the treacherous sand. At one point the visibility was reduced to 200 yards. The Lindberghs are on a flight that has taken them by easy stages from England to Italy, Sicily, Tripoli, and Egypt. Rutbah Wells,' their haven, is in the Wady Harun, a stony water course that is dry in the summer. . f sister reproached herself for her brother's crime, blaming herself for being unable to cure his physical infirmities which shadowed his adolescent life. Mrs. Broerman is the former wife of Frank Gore Williams who, with John J. Poholsky, has pleaded guilty to a first degree murder charge in the Miller case. Williams and Poholsky will be sen tenced next week. Kuhlman's de fense counsel contends that Wil liams is responsible for leading Kuhlman into a life of crime. It was necessary for Judge Ros-coe C. O'Byrne to recess court twice to allow time for Mrs. Broerman to compose herself. Just after leaving the courtroom she collapsed in the corridor of the Courthouse. William F. Hopkins, Cincinnati Continued On Page 5, Column 1. BY CHARLES M. DEAN. Columbus Bureau, 207 Sahr Building;. SPECIAL DISPATCH TO THB E.MJCIItbK. Columbus, Ohio, February 17 Names of prospective witnesses in State Auditor Joseph T. Ferguson's liquor investigation were announced today and those of Governor Davey and Francis Poulson, Chairman of the State Democratic Committee, led all the rest. "Jack" McCombe, one-time reported collector of campaign funds also was mentioned as a possible witness. A dozen other names of persons connected with distilleries and whisky agents were listed as among those to be subpoenaed. Governor Davey was unperturbed by developments of the day. "So far as I am concerned he can investigate to his heart's con tent," the Governor said. "SKY IS THE LIMIT? "The sky is the limit. I have no objection to any inquiry by any competent authority." During the day Senate Republic ans made a move for a second in vestigation of the State Department of Liquor Control. Senator A. D, Baumhart, Jr., of Erie County, pre 3ented a resolution providing for a Senate committee to investigate the purchasing and awarding of con tracts in all state departments. Under the Senate rules the reso lution went to the Rules Committee, where it must receive approval be fore it can be introduced formally. The Rules Committee met follow ing the session, but did not discuss the resolution of the Erie Senator, Baumhart's resolution recites "va rious investigations have come about from various departments of state government which would place a question upon the business meth ods engaged in by these state de partments. SENATE QUIZ SOUGHT. "The criticism of the method of doing business in the State of Ohio has become widespread and the activities thus engaged have come into ill repute." The resolution directs that a committee of five be named, with not more than three from any one political party, "for the purpose of investigating the purchases and letting of contracts in all state departments. The resolution carries an appropriation of $500 for expenses of the investigation. Throughout today Ferguson proceeded with plans for an elaborate investigation of the State Liquor Department. At the same time he announced other departments would be investigated, particularly as regards purchase of coal by the state. The Auditor indicated he expected disclosures to come would lead ifim to investigate many other departments, not excepting the Highway Department. In the afternoon Ferguson went Continued On Page 7, Columqn 3. r. i mmmmia teiiis mmmm i-AvmmBM . " j.is . t.C-.fT' - i f S s s- " flTLEflST0 r Safety Net Is Carried Down For 200 Feet Into San Francisco Bav V Victims Enmeshed. Killed In Air Raid At Madrid As Defense Yields In Southeast. Mass Of Steel And Timber Crashes Into Waters To Drift Toward Open Sea With Boats In Pursuit. San Francisco, February 17 (AP) Scaffolding that collapsed today on the Golden Gate Bridge previously had been declared unsafe by an Inspector for the State Industrial Accident Commission. The commission's chief Inspector, L. K. Reinhardt, and officials of the Pacific Br' Age Company, building the giant structure, were on the way here for another inspection when the scaffolding collapsed In a roar of rending steel and splintering wood. Rebel Ring Around Capital Complete If Tajuna Valley "Pincers" Meet. Madrid, February 18 (Thursday) Ten persons were killed and more than 70 wounded In the Vallecas District alone as Insurgent air raiders bombed Madrid and its environs twice last night. (Vallecas Is on the southeastern edge of the Spanish capital.) . The second bombing came shortly after the first air raid on Madrid since January 6. A dozen bombs were dropped on the capital in the first raid, which began at 10:15 p. m. (5:15 p. m. E. S. T.) Madrid, February 17 (UP)-Rebel and Loyalist forces tonight were locked in terrific combat which may mark the beginning of the end of the Spanish civil war. Fighting was heaviest in the southeastern sector in the Jarama River area. Both sides asserted they were on the offensive. Fighting started before dawn and was continuing at nightfall. , Despite the new united Loyalist command under General Jose Miaja, the government forces slowly were giving ground tonight. Miaja told the United Press, how ever, his troops were advancing slowly against determined resistance" and had gained ground both in the southern Jarama River and Lamanarosa sectors. "The enemy has not set foot on the Valencia Highroad at any time," he said. Crack German, Italian, and Moorish troops were aiding the mass drive started by rebel General Francisco Franco and his commanders. Rebel planes dominated the air and twice bombed olive groves where Miaja was attempting to con centrate reinforcements. Loyalists admitted heavy losses. Units of the government's foreign Drigade chiefly French war vet erans with a sprinkling of anti Continued On Page 12, Column 5. International News. "Black blizzards," or dust storms, again have caused distress in Western states with Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Colorado having received the brunt of the red-brown haze, which darkened a prairie town, top. Last year the storms were so severe that pedestrians in Kansas City, Mo., were forced to resort to dust masks, bottom. Dust I urns Day Into Wight, Closes Schools. Blocks Roads Owes Life To Six Dogs. Injured Hunter In Cave 65 Miles From Help For Month Has Food Only For Self. Santa Maria, Calif., February 17 (AP) Six dogs were 'starving. "But I just told them, 'boys, the old man needs all this chow till he gets well.' And they never touched a speck. And I'd have died, for sure, if those dogs had ever left me." That was the story told today by Charles Tant, a hunter of mountain lions, who lay injured since early in January in a cave in the wild Los Padres forest. He dragged himself back to civilization yesterday. Six weeks ago, Tant said, he slipped on ice while hunting, smash ing a knee-cap anl elbow. The first of many blizzards was start ing. Inch by inch, he said, he crawled to a cave where he had cached food. The dogs went with him. He stayed there until several days ago. "Sometimes I thought I'd go crazy what with the pain and all," he said. "Then I'd call the dogs around and talk, and that made me feel better." Tant had hoped passing hunters would rescue him, but the forest was choked with snow. .arly this week, I says to myself, 'when this chow is gone, I got to do something, And I did'." It was 65 miles to the nearest habitation. Half-hobbling, cold and in pain, he made his way through the forest. "The dogs come right along. They watched over me while I slept. And they never touched any of the grub that was left. They went out and got their own. You can tell from the looks of them they didn't get much." At last he reached the forest cabin of Dot Webber near Coleson Canyon. Forest rangers brought him to surgical aid. Girl Asks $500,000; Violinist Is Pictured As'1 A Great Petter" New York, February 17 (AP) In a soft voice, blond Peggy Garcia, former hat check girl in a Harlem night club, testified today that Dave Rubinoff, violinist, asked her "the direct question, 'would you marry me?' " Miss Garcia, who is demanding 500,000 from Rubinoff in a breach of promise action, said the violinist told her how "alone he felt, "made violent love" to her, and said: "I want to ask you a direct question. Would you marry me?" The comely plaintiff told Supreme Court Justice Salvatore A. Cotillo and a jury that Rubinoff asked her to accompany him on his road tour, and, when she protested, told her: "Don't be a child." "But I am a child," she said she insisted to Rubinoff. Then, she said, Rubinoff asked if she would go on the tour if he married her, and she answered, "I would." ' Miss Garcia said the violinist played his theme song for her ardently on his violin, and that he proved to be "a great petter." Miss Garcia raisfld her demand i in the action from $100,000 to 1500,000. Guymon, Okla., February 7 (AP) Swirling "black blizzards" bringing threats to crops and health turned day into night In parts of Oklahoma today while wind-blown top soil spread its haze over sec tions of Kansas, Texas, and Colo rado. Several Oklahoma Panhandle farmers demanded government relief as the dust storm, fourth in as many days, reached serious proportions. Schools were closed as the dust gloom enveloped Texas County, In the Oklahoma Panhandle. Visibility was zero. Busses were stranded. Highway traffic was paralyzed. Street lights burned dimly throughout the day. There was a shortage of dust masks. Guymon stores sold out their supply yesterday. Southwestern Kansas residents donned the masks for the first time this season at Liberal. Hugoton schools were closed. Health authorities banned all public gatherings and the Stevens County Red Cross Chapter wired a request for nurses to help doctors handle flu and pneumonia which, aggravated by dust, have caused 11 deaths in the last few days in Hugo-ton, a town of 1,500. The blowing top soil moved into Lamar, Colo., but the dust area of New Mexico reported clear skies. C. D. McBratney, farmer, living near Guymon, said four days of continual dust had filled up wheat lands between hard ridges thrown up to prevent the soil from blowing. Layers of dust settled in Guy mon school rooms as students were dismissed. Teachers said the gloom of the "black blizzard" made itlm-possible for the pupils to study. As Oklahoma wheat blew out farmers called on the government to "give us jobs so we can eat while we battle the dust.". , . 'Texas County gave more than $1,000 for flood relief when It needed the money itself," said L S. Palmer, a farmer living near Tyrone. "The government comes in after floods to rebuild homes. Now we are as bad off as the flood sufferers and nothing has been done for us." San Francisco, February 17 (AP) A huge mass of steel and timber fell 200 feet from the Golden Gate Bridge into the San Francisco Bay today, carrying probably 10 men to death in the meshes of a safety net designed to protect their lives. Tons of metal and wood used as paving framework broke loose from a deck of the gigantic $35,000,000 bridge and hurtled at least 13 men to the waters below. The plummeting tangle of men and materials hit the safety net stretching for more than a mile under the side of the bridge deck, broke the life web and peeled it off so that it fell into the bay like a monster strip of fabric in the unrolling process. BOATS ARE SPEEDED. " Fishing boats and fast moving coast guardsmen sped to the scene and immediately recovered one body and two living men. Nine other workers apparently tangled in the wreckage, were believed dead. A section of the mass broke loose and drifted toward the open sea with rescue boats in Dursuit The boats caught up to It before It reached the heads of the Golden Gate and began searching for bodies. Keep Pollution War Apart From Flood, Backers Urge Stream purification should pro ceed on its own, whether the flood-control program goes through or not, Cincinnati sponsors of the stream pollution program declared yesterday. Their views were given following receipt by the Chamber of Commerce of the official report of the National Resources Committee, a copy of which was sent to Hudson Biery, Chairman of the Stream Purification Committee of the Chamber of Commerce, by Charles W. Eliot, Executive Officer of the National Resources Committee, Washington. Neither Biery nor Morris Ed wards. Executive Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce, saw any conflict between tne recom mended program of the committee and the pending Barkley-Vmson stream purification bill. Both said the proposed bill tied in with the flood-control program, that it embodied the best ideas available, and that it should be pressed as a matter of its own, re gardless of the outcome of flood-control plans. The Resource Committee's report covered the subject of stream pollu tion in a general resume of the Ohio Valley situation. i It pointed out that one-seventh of the nation's population Is concerned directly with the waters of the Ohio Basin, "which present grave dangers and great opportunities." The river itself, according to the report, "is a sewer, a source of water supply, an outlet for floods, and a highway." Of pollution, the report says: "Pollution of the main river and some of its tributaries by untreated domestic sewage and industrial wastes is a constant and serious I threat to public health. Acid drainage from mines complicates the problem. It is estimated that the sewage produced by 6,50n,000 per sons drains into tne unio jiver directly, or through tributaries. Less than 30 per cent of this sew age receives any treatment. "On days of minimum flow, about one quart in every gallon n the main river at certain points has passed through a sewer system." Pointing out that a determined attack upon the pollution problem is imperative, the report recommends various undertakings "for immediate investigation or construction," with their estimated costs. These projects, with their estimated costs, include : Study of industrial wastes in Ohio Continued On Page 12, Column 3. THEORY SCRAPPED San Francisco, February 17 (AP) Despite the crash of scaffolding which took probably 10 lives today, the Golden Gate Bridge project still was far ahead of the old engineering theory that each $1,000,000 worth of construction costs one human life. The $35,000,000 project is 95 per cent complete and its engineers said only one man had been killed previously. Twenty-four men lost their lives in construction accidents on the $77,000,000 Transbay Bridge, The spectacular crash was the first major accident on the bridge, which spans the Golden Gate from San Francisco to the scenic and agricultural north coast. Heretofore only one life had been lost during the construction. Bridge officials said the failure of a wheel on a trolley carrier system acted with a trigger-like effect to Btart the ripping away of the framework. Men yelled and scambled toward safety spots as the trolley tore loose, carrying the framework with it. Certain of them jumped Into the net. But the falling debris came after them, ripped away a 2,100-foot section of the web and Continued On Page 12, Column 4. r1llllllltllllllllHllllllllllllllltllllllllllllllllllllllMIIIIHlfl This Morning in THE ENQUIRER Review of News.... Editorials Frank R. Kent News of the Courts. Radio Programs ... Society News Amusements Page 2 4 4 6 . 7 8 Bridge News 10 Serial Stories 10-U Woman's Pages . ; 10-11 Sports Danny Dumm . . 16 Markets Finance 1 Real Estate News 22 Death Notices 2.1 I Comics 25 IIIHIIIIIIIIMIHIHIIIIIIHIWtWtlHltmWItWHIIimHIHtlllltl