Engaged. Hal Kemp, 33, crack swing bandmaster; and Martha Stephenson, 19, Manhattan debutante of 1937; in Manhattan.

Married. Mildred ("Babe") Didrikson, 25, famed woman athlete, 1932 Olympic Games track & field star, expert basketball player, golfer, javelin thrower, hurdler, high jumper, swimmer, baseball pitcher, football halfback, billiardist, tumbler, boxer, wrestler, fencer, weight lifter, adagio dancer; and George Zaharias, 29, heavyweight wrestler; in St. Louis.

Marriage Revealed. John Montague (onetime La Verne Moore), 34, prodigious golfer who became a Hollywood celebrity, then turned out to be a fugitive from justice, was later tried and acquitted of a seven-year-old robbery charge; and Esther Plunkett, wealthy Beverly Hills widow; "some time ago somewhere in California."

Died. Karel Capek, 48, No. 1 dramatist of Czecho-Slovakia; of influenza; in Prague. A student of philosophy (William James, John Dewey), Karel Capek played a leading part in introducing pragmatism and U. S. literature to the intellectual world of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. At the same time he wrote two plays, The World We Live In and R. U. R. (Rossum's Universal Robots), protesting against mechanization and the technical perfection of Western civilization. As an exponent of modern Czech literature and a supporter of ex-President Benes, he was in disgrace during the last few months.

Died. Dr. Frank Horace Vizetelly, 74, most famed U. S. lexicographer, for 24 years editor of Funk & Wagnalls' New Standard Dictionary; of pneumonia and pleurisy; in Manhattan. British-born, Dr. Vizetelly became a battler for U. S. colloquialisms ("cootie," "boloney," "chiseler," "it's me," "go slow," "pretty good," "loan me a pencil," "can I go"). In 1925 he proposed that the English alphabet be enlarged from 26 to 62 letters to provide one symbol for each sound, a plan which, it was estimated, would necessitate re-spelling of most of the 550,000 words in the language.

Died. Robert Herrick, 70, veteran novelist of departed social issues (The Memoirs of an American Citizen, Together, The Master of the Inn), onetime (1905-23) professor of English at the University of Chicago, Government secretary of the Virgin Islands since 1935; of a heart attack; in Charlotte Amalie, V. I.

Died. General Severiano Martinez Anido, 76, "The White Terror," Minister for Public Order in Generalissimo Franco's Spain; in Valladolid (see p. 16). General Anido had been mentioned for the post of dictator if the Rebels should win the War.

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