0
( i
1
7
MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 1939.
Young Billy
Conn Fights Way
to Top Notch
E:cisicn Over Fred Apostoli at New
York May Open Way to Future
Heavyweight Match..
By HARRY FERGUSON
NEW YORK, Jan .7 (UP) They
gave us one out of the story books
in the smoke ad noise of Madison
Square Garden last night, and we're
passing it along today to prove that
things sometimes turn out just like
Horatio Alger said they would.
Every story has it's hero so here"f
young Billy Conn of Pittsburgh, a
gangling boy who may be eating him
self into a match with Joe Louis, a
rollicking, honest Irishman who scorns
tho odds fate lays against success, a
guy who grins when he's huit and
whotomes out in the end the winner!
He came out that way last night
against Fred Apostoli after 10 bruis
ing rounds and even though no boxing
title was at stake, it's been a. long
lor.g time since the wise, tough fight
crowd in the garden has come to its
feet, screaming like foghorns, slap
ping strangers on the back and yelling
"the kid did it, the kid did tr
Get the picture, Apostoli, recogniz
ed as middleweight champion in New
York state, was a 13 to 5 favorite.
He punches hard with both hands.
He's crafty. He knows ail the tricks
of goughing and butting. He's getting
the big cut of the gate. He'i; confi
dent, a little contcmptous. He's out
to do a quick job.
And over in the other corner is
Billy Conn. He's 21 years eld and
still growing. Even if he wirs and
people laugh when they think about
it he can't claim the middleweight
title because he's more than seven
pounds over the limit. His legs are
thin and his shoulders are narrow.
He's white and gangling, six feet tall
and too thin to stand up urdcr the
bulling and beating that Apostoli can
hand out. They say he can't punch.
He's making his first appearance in
the big time. Why, he doesn't even
wear a mouthpiece and, brother, when
Apostolli clouts him on the chin.
Conn's going to find he has bitten off
his own tongue.
So there they are and it's the old.
old story. David against Goliath, the
Greeks at Thermopylae, Horatius on
the bridge -and all the rest of his
tory's short-enders who stood up
against the odds and beat them.
The bell clangs in a sad soit of way
almost a dirge for Billy Conn. Ap
ostoli rushes out, cocks his dynamite
right and slams Billy just over the
the left eye. The knees that hold the
thin legs up buckle for a moment and
Billy reels into his own corner. Then
like lightning in a summer r.ky, there
goes Billy's left stab, stab, stab into
Apostoli's scowl.
There were about 10,200 persons
in the garden and Billy won 10,000
of them in those few seconds. He won
the ladies because he has a Hollywood
profile and curly hair and for the
rest of the fight you could hear Con
tralto and alto voices pleadirg through
the roar "kill him, Billy, kill him."
lie won old-time boxers because they
liked the way his left landed on Ap
ostoli's face before Fred could get
in a counter punch.
It would be nice to say that Billy
won every round, but he didn't. lie
Vt.cw he was in for a tough fight be
cause Apostoli kept crowding and
slugging, driving him back to the
ropes and making him spit red streams
on the white canvas. Bat the kid
hung on and bop-bop-bop went his
story book left and the points piled up.
So they came to the 10th and las:
round and it was so close that this
one was going to pay-ofT.
Apostolli knows it and he comes out
plugging. Then Billy drops his fancy
btunT, plants' his heel firmly, sticks
out hs Irish chin and slugs it out.
The bell rings but they don't car it
and who could in all that yelling
Then the announced collected the
jjdges' votes, steps to the microphone
and "the winner, Conn."
It hurt your ears tho way they
jelled, but through it all you could
hear a red-faced gent in the fifth row
shouting "I lost 50 bucks and am I
glad."
Conn weighs 167 V. In a couple
c" vcars he probably will pick up 10
cr 15 pounds and then lie will be a
full-fledged heavyweight. And if Joe
Louis is looking for somebody to fight
in 1911 Well, take it away, Mr.
Alger.
MORE SPANISH BOMBING
MADRID, Spain, Jan. 7 (UP) A
Heinkel (German) seaplane dropped
15 incendiary-bombs on Ganadia to
day, damaging a wharf and destroy
ing oranges awaiting export, loyalist
authorities said.
CHRONOLOGY OF MOONEY CASE
By United Press
July 22, 1916 Ten killed, 40 hurt, when bomb exploded at Stcuart
and Market streets in San Francisco, during Preparedness Day
. parade.
July 23, 1916 Warren K. Billings, Edward Nolan and Israel
Weinberg were arrested, and it became known that Thomas .
Mooney was sought.
July 27, 1916 Tom and Rena Mooney arrested. Indictments fol
lowed against the five.
Sept. 11, 19 IS Billingg tried and convicted. Sentenced to life.
Nolan stayed in jail nine months; released on bail; charges
dismissed. He was suspected of having made the bomb. Wein
berg, who was supposed to have driven Tom and Rena Mooney
and Billings to the place where the bomb exploded, was ac
quitted and released.
Jan., Feb., 1917 Mooney trial.
Feb. 9, 1917 Mooney convicted; sentenced to hang May 17. The
case was appealed.
April 23, 1917 Judge Franklin Griffin, who heard the evidence in
Mooney's case, wrote State Attorney General U. S. Webb, ask
ing him to petition the State Supreme Court for a new trial
for Mooney. Webb did so.
May 11, 1917 President Wilson asked Gov. Stephens to postpone
date of execution. This was found necessary because of pend
. ing appeal action and the date was reset for Aug. 23. 191S.
June 11, 1917 Rena Mooney went on trial for murder; acquitted,
but held in jail for trial on second indictment; released on
?15,000 tail after 22 months in jail. Charges later dismissed.
Sept. 11, 1917 State Supreme Court denied Webb's motion for a
new trial.
Sept. 25, 1917 President Wilson sent a federal commission, headed
by Secretary of Labor William W. Wilson to San Francisctf to
investigate the case.
Jan. 16, 1918 -Wilson commission report unanimously favored new
trial for Mooney.
Jan. 22, 191S President Wilson wrote Gov. Stephens asking that
Mooney be granted a new trial. The governor took no action.
March 2G, 1918 President Wilson again asked Gov. Stephens to
. grant Mooney a new trial.
June 5. 19 IS The President repeated his request. Nothing was
done about it, however.
Aug. 23, 1918 Date set for Mooney's death, which again had been
postponed and set for Dec. 13, 191S.
Nov. 1, 1918 J. B. Densmore, director-general of the Federal Em
ployment Service, who had been directed by the Secretary of
Labor to conduct another investigation of the Mooney case,
made his report.
Nov. 18, 1918 U. S. Supreme Court, without comment, refused to
review the Mooney case.
Nov. 2S, 1918 Governor Stephens commuted Mooney's sentence to
life imprisonment.
April. 1921 Byron Parker, an attorney, attempted to re-open the
case by filing a writ of audita querela. The Superior Court re
fused to allow the new trial, and the case wr.s pending in the
Appelate court when Mooney asked that it be withdrawn.
Dec. 1, 1930 California Supreme Court denied Mooney's pardon
plea.
March 3, 1931 Mooney filed another pardon application. James J.
Walker, then Mayor of New York, entered the case.
Nov. 24, 1931 James J. Walker arrived in San Francisco to plead
for Mooney and Billings.
April 21, 1932 Gov. James Rolph denied pardon.
May 22, 1933 Mooney went on trial on second murder indictment
in Preparedness Day bombing.
May 24. 1933 Court directed jury to return verdict of guilty.
May 7. 1934 Mooney applied for writ of habeas corpus in Fed
eral District Court of Northern California.
May 17, 1934 Judge A. F. St. Sure denied writ.
Jan. 21, 1935 U. S. Supreme Court in unanimous decision, re
fused to accept jurisdiction of tb case.
April 12, 1935 Judge Edward I. Butler denied writ.
April 29, 1935 Writ of habeas corpus sought in District Court
of Appeals.
May 14, 1935 Writ denied.
May 30, 1935 Petition for writ taken to California Supreme Court.
June 17, 1935 Petition granted.
Sept. 24, 1935 Mooney and Billings reunited for first time in 19
years at writ hearing before Supreme Court.
Oct. 14, 1935 U. S. Supreme Court declined to interfere in case.
Oct. 2S, 1935 U. S. Supreme Court again declined to enter case.
March 10, 1937 California assembly adopted resolution to pardon
Mooney.
March 17, 1937 California Senate defeated pardon resolution.
March 10, 1938 Mooney makes unfrecedented appearance before
California Legislature.
March 11, 1938 Capt. Charles Goff of San Francisco Police De
partment offers rebuttal testimony before Legislature. As
sembly approves pardon resolution.
March 12. 1938 Pardon resolution defeated in State Senate.
Oct. 10, 1938 U. S. Supreme Court denies writ of certiorai to re
view case.
Nov. 1. 193S Culbert Olson, campaigning for Governor, declared
he believed Mooney innocent and intimated that, if elected, he
would be receptive to granting pardon.
Dec. 5, 1938 U. S. Supreme Court refuses to accept original
petition of habeas corpus.
Dec. 12, 1938 U. S. Supreme Court reiterates refusal to review
the Mooney case.
Jan. 2, 1939 Culbert Olson becomes Governor of California, giving
renewed hope of early pardon for Mooney.
Jan. 5, 1939 Mathew Brady, San Francisco district attorney, an
nounced he would not oppose pardon for Mooney at hearing
before Governor Olson Saturday.
Jan. 6, 1939 Brother of one of those killed in Preparedness Day
bombing announced he would seek impeachment of Governor
Olson if Mooney granted executive pardon.
Jan. 7, 1939 Governor Olson conducted official hearing in state as
sembly chamber and announces decision that Mooney be freed
at once.
To Hold
Open
Meeting on Frank
furter Nominate
Senate Judiciary Subcommittee to
Take Up Matter of Approval of
Nomination Tuesday.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 7 (UP) A
senate judiciary subcommittee voted
today to hold an open hearing Tues
day on the nomination of Professoi
Felix Frankfurter to the supreme
court.
Frankfurter will be "invited" to
appear at the hearing, Senator Pat
McCarran, D.. Nev., a member of the
committee said.
Committee Chairman, Matthew M
Nelly, D., W. Va., said he would tele
graph Frankfurter that the committee
"would be glad" to hear h3 views.
"I have received about half a dozen
requests for hearings" Neely said.
"Any person who has any rellevant
evidence to submit will be heard."
McCarran, who was an opponent
of President Roosevelt's supreme court
reorganization plan said that Frank
furter "in all probability' would be
asked for his opinion about that.
During the court controversy, sev
eral attempts were made to have
Frankfurter appear bsforc congres
sional committees considering the bill,
but he remained silent except to deny,
in a letter to a London newspaper
that he was the author of the measure.
All members of the subcommittee
were present at today's meeting.
They were Neely, McCarran, Tom
Connally, D., Texas; William H. King:
D., Utah; George W. Norris, Ind..
Nebr; William II. Borah, R., Idaho;
Charles L. McNary, R., Ore.; Warren
R. Austin, R., Vermont; and James
II. Hughes, D., Del.
Norris said he had received several
telegrams, one from the Mssachusetts
Women's Constitutional League, pro
testing the Frankfurter nomination
and requesting hearings.
FATHER OF RATH TESTIFIES
PARIS, Jan. 7 (UP) The father
and brother of Ernest Von Rath, Ger
man embassy secretary whose assas
sination caused the drastic anti-Jewish
campaign in nazi Germany, testi
fied before an examining magistrate
today.
The father affirmed that he intend
ed to be a civil party to the prosecu
tion of Herschel Grynszpan, the Jew
ish fouth who shot Rath.
Addressing the judge, the father
expressed indignation at reports of
differences between himself and Adolf
Hitler, and reports that he had ben
sent to a concentration camp.
"My presence deenies such rumors,"
he said.
Cass county nas no ttonged In
debtedness, as, like tho state, we
hav paid cash for our hard sur
faced roads and other improve
ments as we went.
PLATTSYOUTH SEMI - WEEKLY JOURNAL
Tom Mooney
is Freed After
a Long Battle
Struggle of Convicted Labor Leader
for Freedom Had Become Inter
national Olson Pardons.
SACRAMENTO, Calif.. Jan. 7 (UP)
Thomas J. Mooney was pardoned
today by Governor" Culbert Olson of
California as the climax to a 22 year
freedom fight that became inter
national In Ecope and attracted world
wide attention aa "America's Drey
fus case."
"I am convinced," Olson said to a
packed throng in the state assembly
chamber, with Mooney occupying the
spotlight on the rostrum, "that
Mooney is innocent, that he was convicted-
on perjured testimony and is
entitled to pardon.
"Let anyone here who objects to a
pardon step forward and present new
evidence if they have it."
No one responded.
"I hereby," the governor an
nounced "grant full pardon to
Thomas J. Mooney."
Olson attributed blame for San
Francisco's 1936 Freparedness Day
bombing outrage the crime for
which Mooney was sentenced to hang
and then commuted to life imprison
ment to "possible bombing activ
ities on the part of Mexicans."
The governor said there was much
Mexican resentment at the time be
cause American troops were then in
Mexico in pursuit of Francisco Villa.
Mooney was overcome at Olson's
words.
"I hardly know how to express my
gratitude for this vindication," he
said.
Clad in a new prison-made "going
out" suit, Mooney struggled for self
control. By Mooney's side was his
wife, Rena Herman Mooney who
waited for him during the years he
was in prison, who played a leading
part in the fight for his freedom
and who turned over to his cause
every spare cent she earned as a
music teacher.
"I am so happy, Tom," she whis
pered. Her eyes were red from weeping.
Mooney insisted throughout the
years he was "framed" because of
his union activities.
The prosecution charged he was
an anarchist.
Also with Mooney at the hearing
were his sister, Anna Mooney; his
attorney and a host of friends includ
ing labor leaders from A. F. of L.,
CIO and railroad brotherhoods.
All of them met Mooney earlier
today when he left San Quentin for
the last time and rode in triumph
with him to Sacramento. The hear
ing was called for Mooney's oppon
ents to show cause why ho should
not be pardoned.
"The month of June 1916," Gover
nor Olson said, "had ended with a
bomb explosion and it was a fuse
bomb in a suitcase, left in a railroad
train by three Mexicans."
The Preparedness Pay blast occur
red July 2, 1916. Ten victims were
killed and 40 were injured.
Near the end of his speech, Olson
asked Mooney to stand up. Olson
solemnly and slowly concluded the
statement with the words, "I now
hand you your pardon."
Olson sat down quickly, signed
the official papers and Mooney was
surrounded by a madly cheering
crowd.
Mooney stepped to the rostrum and
shook hands with the governor as
he received the pardon. He posed
with Olson for pictures.
GAME IN OWN BACK YARD
WEWOKA. Okla. UP) A game
preserve in his own back yard is the
culmination of an idea James K.
J Mulkey. Wewoka real estate man.
has had for years. The preserve is
located at the Hagen lake south of
Wewoka and occupies about one and
one-half acres. Mulkey has collected
numberous species of fish and frogs,
wild geese, quail and pheasants.
GOATS BECOME THE GOATS
UKIAII. Cal. (UP) Goats were
made the goat of an animal farm ex
periment here. The Spring brothers
Installed a goat ranch near here, but
when the goats failed to make it a
paying investment, they turned it
into a mink ranch. However, they
are still raising enough goats to
provide food for their carnivorous fur
bearers.
SOVIET PLANE LANDS IN JAPAN
TOKYO, Jan. 7 (UP; A Soviet
airplane crossed the Saghalien border
yesterday and landed 100 miles inland
on frozen Lake Toro. It escaped just
as Japanese police closed in.
Joe Arridy
Dies in Colorado
Prison Today
Prisoner With Mentality of Six Year
Old Placed in Gas House to
Suffer Penalty.
CANON CITY, Colo., Jan. 7 (UP)
Warden Roy Best clomped heavily
along the steel floor corridor ta the
cell where a strapping young mar
was playing with an electric train,
and, unlosking the door, said:
"Come along, Joe. It's time."
"It's time for me to go to heaven?"
asked the young man, looking up
brightly from his play.
"That's right."
The young man jumped up eagerly,
grinning. He was naked except for
a pair of shorts and socks and his
powerful, young body glistened under
the bright bulbs.
"You'll want to tell the boy's good
bye," said the warden as they walked
down the corridor.
"Oh yes," said the young man, still
grinning. His eyes sparkled. Obvious
ly, he was anticipating an exciting
and novel journey.
The warden took him in the corrid
or on which were the cells containing
the other condemned prisoners and the
young man said goodbye to them all,
telling thcrn he was going to heaven.
"What ai-e you going to do up there
Jo?, raise chickens?" the Warden ask
ed. "No," said the young man gleefully.
"I'm going to let Angelo do that. I'm
going to play a harp, just like Father
Albert says."
Angelo Agnes, a negro murderer
laughed his appreciation of this joke.
During the weary months in the death
house, he had been kidded a great
deal about his fondness for fowl. The
young man was fond of Agnes and
of the other condemned, but he told
ihem goodbye happily, knowing he
would soon meet them again in the
marvelous city where he was going
where the gates were pearl, the streets
paved with gold, and heney and milk
flowed in the gutters.
The warden, Father Albert, the
prison chaplain, and several guards-
took him down to the execution cham
ber and strapped him in the chair.
He grinned all the time. He seemed
hardly able to wait. But, at the critic
al moment, the crock under the chair
broke when they began pouring sul
phuric acid into it, and he had to be
unstrapped and taken out of the chair
while another crock was brought in.
But it didn't matter. He was blind
folded and Father Albert continued
reciting, "Hail Mary," to which the
young man responded happily. He
had learned the response painfully
over weeks. Finally, all was ready
again, he was put back in the chair.
Warden Best patted his hand, say
ing "goodbye, Joe," and the door was
closed on him.
While 50 witnesses watched through
windows, cyanide pellets were drop
ped into the acid and the resultant
gas rose around the helpless man in
the chair and choked out his life.
FRIDAY'S BASKETBALL RESULTS
By United Press
Nebraska Colleges
Peru Teachers 40, Doane 32.
Wayne 39, Wesleyan 35.
Kearney 34, York 32.
Nebraska B 40, Midland 36.
Scottsbluff jr. 37, 76th F. A. 22.
Nebraska High Schools
Creighton 17. Fremont 13.
Lincoln 26, South 24.
Benson 19, North 18.
Abraham Lincoln 31. Tech 26.
Sioux City Central 38, Central 36.
Arlington 23. Nebraska Deaf 16.
Plattsmouth 60, Hamburg. Ia. 2S.
Jackson 26, Columbus 13.
Fairbury 22. Beatrice 20.
Falls City 37. Nebraska City 13.
Friend 17. Wilber 11.
York 27, Hastings 18.
West Point 17, Pilger 16.
Tekamah 30, Herman 15.
Scottsbluff 36. Morrill 12.
Gothenburg 24. Lexington 21.
Kearney 23. Ord 12.
McCook 41, Cambridge 13.
Max 22, McDonald, Kans. 14.
Manhattan, Kans. 45, Wymore 33.
Peru Prep 20, Auburn 19.
Blair 41, Decatur 23.
COMPLETE NAZI SUCCESS
KOVNO, Jan. 7 (UP) The Memel
directorate, headed by August Eald
scus resigned today marking another
step in nazification of the semi-autonomous
paritory within Lithuania.
The new directorate is expected to be
headed by the nazi sub leader Willy
Bertuleit.
In the wake of the nazi success in
the recent election the Germanization
of Memal has been proceeding rapid
ly. The directorate issued a decree
yesterday designed to increase the use
of the German language in the schools.
Memel, an area of abut 1-00 square
miles with a population of 150,000
was detached from Germany by the
Versailles treaty.
NO CHECK, CHANGE NAMES
AKRON, O., Jan. 6 (UP) John
Ehmig petitioned probate court to
day to have his son's name changed
from Franklin Delano to Lincoln
Franklin and his daughter's name
from Eleanore Elizabeth to Jessie
Elizabeth.
Ehmig said that he had failed to
receive his December 24 WPA check
before Christmas and that the pro
posed new names were the first names
of two Akron philanthropists who
had saved him and his family from a
bleak Christmas.
Sec'y Wallace
Gives Out Corn
Allotments
Total of 41,239,659 Acres in Twelve
States Nebraska Has 6,876,351
Acres in 64 Counties.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 5 (UP) Sec
retary of Agriculture Wallace today
announced 1939 torn acreage allot
ments totaling 41,239,C59 acres in 12
states.
He increased the number of coun
ties on the commercial corn area
by 20 to 5SC and the allotments by
744,122 acres. The 193S allotment
for 566 counties was 40,495,537
acres.
The national goal remained un
changed at 94,000.000 to 97,000,000
acres. Acreage allotments were made
only for the commercial area.
Wallace said that commercial area
growers who comply with acreage
allotments will receive" benefit pay
ments of from 14 to 15c a bushel
compared with 10c in 1938 on the
normal yield of their allotment and
will be eligible for corn loans next
fall.
Allotments by states included:
Iowa, 9,274,903 acres in 99 counties;
Missouri, 3,301,517 acres in 63 coun
ties; Nebraska, 6,876,354 acres in
64 counties and Kansas, 1,983,137
acres in 25 counties.
DIZZY DEAN SIGNS
CHICAGO, Jan. 5 (UP) Dizzy
Dean heard today that his arm was
o.k. and shortly afterward signed
his 1939 contract with the Chicago
Cubs at a reported salary of $20,000.
Doctors reported that new X-ray
examinations of the shoulder ailment
that nearly blighted Dean's pitching
career showed that a muscle tear was
healing "very (satisfactorily" and
that Dean should be able to take his
regular turn on the mound when the
season starts.
Dean himself was elated by the
news that his arm was responding
satisfactorily and by terms of his
contract.
"I'm not only satisfied with my
contract," Dean said, "I'm over-satisfied.
I never felt better in my life
and my only hope is that I can go
out 'and win 20 or 25 ball games
next season.
COCK KILLS MAN
LIMA, Peru, Jan. 5 (UP) A mes
sage from the district of Santiago,
Province of lea, asserted totay that
a cock had mortally wounded a
sportsman named Quintanilla by
piercing Quintauilla's heart with the
sharp blade attached to its left leg.
The cock attacked Quintanilla, the
message reported, after he had pulled
out its feathers and otherwise anger
ed it in preparation for a fight in the
cock pit.
DEATH OF GOOSE, 45
WAUKON, la., Jan. 6 (UP) The
Otto Sanders family, farmers living
near here, today mourned the death
of a goose 4 5 years old.
Mrs. Sanders raised the fowl from
a gossling. It continued to lay until
it was 37 years old.- After that it
would build a nest each spring, roll
a stone into it and remain there un
til removed.
SAM FRANCIS TO WED
LINCOLN, Jan. 5 (UP) Friends
were informed today of the engage
ment and approaching marriage of
Sam Francis of Lincoln, Nebr., all
America fullhack in 1936, to Billee
Rich of Warrensburg, Mo. They will
be married next month. Francl3 has
played professional football the past
two years with the Chicago Bears.
TROOPS TO S0MALILAND
MARSEILLES, France, Jau. 6
(UP) Eight hundred Senegalese
riflemen sailed for Djibouti, Somali
land aboard the Athos today. They
will join nearly 1,000 sent last week
to reinforce the Sonialiland garrison
because of the border tension with
Italy.
PAGE FIVE
Old Age Insur
ance Enters Third
Year of Existence
More Than 42.C03.00D Workers Over
the Nation Have Applied for
Old Age Accounts.
As the federal old-age insurance
system enters the third ear of it?
existence, more than 42 million woH.
crs have applied for old-:.ge Insurance
accounts and have become potent ia'
beneficiaries under the program, ac
cording to Leo W. Smith, manager
of the Lincoln. Nebraska, office of the
Social Security Board.
More than 21)3,040 of tiicse workers
arc residents of Nebraska, Mr. Smith
s?id.
In summarizing progrcra since the
old-age insurance law went into effect;
Mr Smith stated that cn January 1
1S37, only 17,000,000 account nuni-
j ber applications ad beer, revived. At
the close of the first year of operation
cn December 31, 1937, account num
bers had been assigned to more than
36,700,000 preror.s. During 1533 ap
plicants for account numbers have
averaged nearly half a million a
month.
The board's offices in Nebraska,
located at Omaha, Lincoln, and North
Platte, are issuing more than 3.0o0
account numbers each month, Mr.
Smith declared.
Claim Payments Speeded Up
Along with the issuance of account
numbers the Social Security Hoard ha:
also been developing its s.,stem for
the payment of single cash benefit.
now available under the old-age in
surance law these payments aro
being made to workers who reach the
ge of Co and to the families of work
ers who die. Monthly annuities re
scheduled to begin in 1912.
At the end of Nevember, 1,272
single cash benefits had been paid
to Nebraskans, totalling $o2,192.2"".
Mr. Smith pointed out that claimr
for single cash payments have lee.i
considerably speeded up during the
past year. P.eports from Washington
give 22 days as the average time
now required for the federal govern
ment to handle the entire clcim pro
cess, from the day the claim is filed
by the applicant in the field office to
that on which the United States treas
ury mails the benefit check to the
beneficiary.
"The single cash payment feature
of old-age insurance", Mr. Smith said
"is supplementary to the'major pro
vision for regular retirement an
nuities, which will begin in 1912.
However, the amount of those single
cash benefits is steadily increasing,
as the wage total of the employee
becomes larger. The first claims field
under this program amounted to only
a few cents whereas in November in
Nebraska, the average benefit amount
ed to $66.70."
As a result of the participation of
millions of workers and their employ
ers in the old-age insurance? program,
Mr. Smith stated that approximately
75,000,000 wage items for 1937 have
been entered on the social security ac
count records maintained by the so
cial Security board in Baltimore
Maryland. In taxable wages this rep
resents nearly $29,000,000,000 receiv
ed by these workers during that year.
Figures for 1933 cannot be determine '
for several weeks, since employer:!
have a leewav of a month aftor tbr.
close of each quarter in which to make
tax returns.
Mr. Smith added that any vag.
earner may, at anv ti;ne, ask thr
rccial securtiy board for a statenu-rt
of his social securitv r.cccuit for 1937.
After June 30, 1939, workers will
be zbc to obtain from the board th
exact amount of wages reported by
their employers up to the close of 193S.
NAME POPE TO T. V. A.
WASHINGTON. Jan. 3 (UP)
President Roosevelt today nominated
former Senator James P. Pope, dem
ocrat, of Idaho, as a member of the
Tennessee Valley Authority to fill
the vacancy created by ouBter of Dr.
Arthur Morgan.
CZECHS TO SOUTH AMERICA
PRAGUE, Czechoslovakia, Jan 5
(UP) Arrangements have" been
r.icde for the immigration of lO.OOo
Czcchoslovakians, both Aryans and
Jews, to South America in the near
future, the ministry of economics an
nounced today.
MAYOR FIRES LANDLORD
PEABODY, Mass., Jan. 5 (UP)
Only two days after his inauguration
as mayor, Joseph, Joseph B. O'Keef''
fired his landlord, WPA Coordinator
John, Pcndergast. The mayor tai l
Pendergast raised his recent la;t
year.
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