Evening star. [volume], October 26, 1915, Image 1

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

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CLOSING NEW YORK STOCKS PAGE IS. ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
Xo. 20.117. WASHINGTON, D. 0, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1915.-TWENTY PAGES. ONE CENT.
?m ?? ? ;
BALKAN CAMPAIGN
AN EXCITING RACE
FOR TURK CAPITAL
"Hold On for Five Days!" Is
Message From Entente
Allies to Serbians.
BOTH RUSSIA AND ITALY
PREPARING TO SEND HELP
British Troops Leave Saloniki to
Join With French on Bui
garian Front.
GERMANS PRESSING ADVANCE
Berlin Reports Tell of Steady Progress
Made by Teutonic
Forces South of
the Danube.
BERLIN, October 26, by
wireless to Sayville. N. Y.?
A further advance was made
yesterday by the German
forces in Serbia. East of
Visegrad, Bosnia, further
progress was made and
several positions were occupied.
South of Palanka
ground was gained on the
northern slope of the Raca
valley.
Farther east* the Germans
captured Markovatsh, Laope
and Kutshevo. During the
last three days 960 Serbians
have been captured.
Race for Turkish Capital.
LONDON, October 26, 11:45
a.m.?The race for the road to
Constantinople lias reached an exciting
stage. The Bulgarians are
within a few miles of forming a
junction with their Austro-German
allies, while the French, in
small force, already have joined
the Serbians.
The French are not yet in sufficient
numbers to assume an
actual offensive in Macedonia, but
the rapidity of the Bulgarian advance
in that region already has
diminished. Aloner the old Bui
garian frontier, from a point
northeast of Vranya to the Rumanian
border, the Serbians are
yielding little ground.
Actual junction between the
Bulgarians and their allies, which
may be a matter of only a few
hours, will soon show whether
the Serbians are able to hold their
mountain positions until the entente
allies bring up strong forces.
Russia and Italy to Aid.
Russia has completed preparations
for the dispatch of strong forces of
troops to help the Serbs at points
where they are most needed, according
t<.? Petrograd advices.
Reuter s Malta correspondent reports ;
that more Italian classes are being j
summoned to the colors to enable Italy !
to co-operate with the allies in the
near east as soon as possible.
The allies have asked the Serbian
headquarters to resist the Teutons and
Bulgarians for only five days more, by
which time effective aid from the allies
will be forthcoming, says the Daily
Telegraph's Nish correspondent under
date of Sunday. The correspondent
adds that, judging by the fine spirit the
Serbian troops are displaying, they can
hold out double that time.
Bulgar Troops Distrusted.
The report that Turkish troops are
being concentrated at Burgas, Varna and
other points on the Black sea coast of
Bulgaria is reiterated in advices received
here todav from Ath^n*. Rf.utor'B i
respondent says that the Turks are to j
oppose Russian attempts to land troops. !
having replaced Bulgarians, because It i
was feared the latter could not be counted
on to resist the Russians.
A dispatch to the Exchange Telegraph
Comi*any says:
"Five thousand German soldiers from
Constantinople are replacing Bulgarians
at points on the Black sea littoral. Defense
of the coast has been intrusted to
Germany."
The iteuter dispatch asserts the damage 1
inflicted on Dedeaghatch by the bombard- !
ment of an allied fleet last week was j
considerable The extent of the property
loss is due largely To the Are. which, fan- j
ned by a high wind, swept through the j
congested shipping quarter.
Pursued to the Frontier.
A dispatch to Reuter's Telegram Company
from Athens says
Reliable news received concerning
the last battle near Valandovo is to the
effect that the French pursued the Bui- !
garians to the frontier. The Bulgarians
have been defeated in the sector of j
Krupuli. to which three Serbian regiments
from Strumitsa proceeded and
occupied the left bank of the Vardar.
The Bulgarians for two days occupied
a section of the railway, but. owing to ;
; lack of explosives, failed to do
>erious damage. The French occupy
.he sector between Deiran and Gratzo."
The Bucharest, Rumania, correspondent
of the Times sends the following:
.Serbian troops have withdrawn
f o;n the neighborhood of the Danube
and the Austrians have crossed the
river, traversing i lie Island of Odakale
The Austrian forces will now
(Continued on Second Bag*.) i
I
HOPING FOfl UNITY
ON DEFENSE PLANS
President Wilson to Have Conference
November 16 With
Representative Kitchin.
HUUSE LEADER IS SAID
TO OPPOSE PROGRAM
Mr. Wilson Seeks a Definite Understanding?Administration
Officials
Predict Complete Line-Up.
A conference which President Wilson
| today arranged to have November 1 *3
with Representative Kitchin of North
Carolina, next chairman of the ways
i and means committee of the House
land democratic leader of that body in
I the next Congress, may settle whether
the President is to engage in a clash
j with the young North Carolinian over
national preparedness and other matj
ters that will have the support of the
administration. Mr. Kitchin has been
j quoted in the last few months as
I making statements indicating that he
i may join the ranks of those who will
| stand out against the program which
the President has definitely adopted
and which he hopes to haVe go through
Congress with comparatively little opposition.
As democratic leader of the House
it is recognized that an awkward situation
would be created fur Mr.
Kitchin to oppose the biggest feature
of the administration's legislative program.
Mr. Kitchin- is admittedly a strong
... ma uwii siate. out a clash with
President Wilson would do neither man
any good, and of the two Mr. Kitchin
would be more seriously hurt, it is
pointed out. As leader of the House
the expectation is that Mr. Kitchin will
work iri harmony with the President
with a view to democratic prospects
next year.
Definite Understanding Desired.
The President will be able to ascer- ,
tain definitely at the conference whether
reports of Mr. Kitchin's opposition
are accurate, so that lie can map the
course he hopes preparedness legisla- 1
tion will fellow in that body. ]
The President is understood to be ,
hopeful that the reports are erroneous ,
and that Mr. Kitchin, like Mr. Hay ]
and others who were- represented as ]
ready to head the opposition, will join j
hands with what is now believed to be 1
a sure majority in both branches for j
administration plans. j
One of the objects of the President's <
request that Mr. Kitchin call upon him <
is that the machinery of the House <
may be placed in readiness to put ?
through defense legislation in a com- <
paratively rapid manner, so that the \
world will get the impression that this
country means business and is solid in
its purpose to prepare itself against attack
from any direction.
Officials Optimistic.
Administration officials were enthuthiastic
today over prospects for the
enactment of national defense legislation
at the coining session of Congress.
Thic An.imic~ ....... 1 '
a vjjiiiuiojii n ao uascu upuu ixy- i
proval by Representative Hay and Senator
Chamberlain, chairmen, respective- I
ly, of the House and Senate military
committees, of plans for strengthening
the army. Representative Hay's approval
was announced following a conference
with President Wilson, and
Senator Chamberlain already had similarly
expressed himself.
Approval by these two leaders of the
army plans and the approval already
of the navy plans by congressional
leaders is believed by officials to insure
the full support of administration '
forces for the entire program.
Secretary Garrison Elated.
Secretary of War Garrison voiced his
delight over the situation, saying that 1
approval of the army plans by Chair- '
men Hay and Chamberlain insured the
best possible results. He declared that ?
this meant united support in both
houses of Congress. "This situation,"
said the Secretary, "should hearten and :
enthuse all those who are interested
in seeing this vital subject properly
considered and properly settled "
Methods of raising additional revenue
on account of the proposed defense
legislation wlll# form the subject of a ;
conference during the week between
President Wilson and Representative
Kitchin. democratic leader of the
House and chairman of the ways and
means committee. An effort will be
made to bring Mr. Kitchin into line for
the entire program.
PARCEL POST DISCONTINUED.
German Government Announces
Suspension of Service to America.
BERLIN, October 25, via London, October
26.?The parcel post, service to
America has been discontinued until
further notice. No official reason for
the discontinuance Is given.
American postal authorities said today
they had no intimation from Oermany)
of a discontinuance of the parcel post I
with the United States. ' j
I-ast April several thousand parcel I
post packages mailed from Germany to
the United States via Switzerland were
returned to the senders by the Swiss
postal authorities because the British
and French governments had given
notice that parcels addressed to German
citizens in the United States
would be seized whenever they would
be found on shipboard. Parcels sent
from Germany to Spain and Portugal
have met a similar fate in France.
April 7 the German postal officials
suspended the parcel post service to
various parts of South America.
MASSACRE OF ARMENIANS.
Turks Reported to Have Rilled Entire
Population of Kerasund.
l/)NDON. October 2?.?A dispatch
to the Daily Mail from Odessa says:
"The Turks have massacred the entire
Armenian population of Kerasund,
011 the Black sea."
Kerasund lies severity miles west of
i rrer>iz??na on a roc-ay promontory. The
town has a population of 24,000. The I
; number of Armenians In the town is!
'not known. Kerasund does a larj?e I
business In the exportation of nuts and
nut kernels.
f
Telephone Main 2440.
A telephone message to
Main 2440, or postal card
mailed now, will start the
delivery of 'l'he Star tomorrow*
.
CONSPIRACY CHARGE
PREFERRED BY U. S.
Three Alleged Plotters Against
Munition Ships Freed and
Rearrested at Weehawken.
ANOTHER MAN IS HELD
UNDER $25,000 BAIL
Fifth Still at Liberty and General
Alarm Is Sent Out for His
Apprehension.
NEW YORK, October 2G.?Robert Fay.
a lieutenant in the German army ; Walter
L. ?choIz and Paul Daeehe were arraigned
in a Weehawken, N. J.. police
court today on charges in connection with
an alleged plot to blow up steamships
sailing from New York with munitions
for the allies. The three men were discharged
by the court, but were immediately
arrested by federal agents on
charges of conspiracy sworn to by Chief
Flynn of the secret service.
Fay and Scnolz were brought to NewYork
in custody of the federal officers.
When Fay and Scholz reached New
York shortly after noon they wrerc
taken to the office of Chief Flynn at
the Battery, where, it is understood,
they were Again questioned. Arrangements
were made to keep them there
till their arraignment at 4 p.m. before
United States Commissioner Houghton.
The complaint charges that the three,
in conjunction with Dr. Herbert Klenzle.
heid m $25,000 bail yesterday, and Max
Breitung, still at liberty, conspired to
commit an offense against the United
States.
After failing to locate Breitung at
either his home or office here, police today
sent out a general alarm for him.
Daeehe, when arraigned today, at
first agreed to go to New York with
the federal officers, but when counsel
advised him that he had the right of
arraignment before the nearest federal
commissioner, he claimed that 'privilege,
saying he had nothing in common
with the others and did not care to go
to New York without arraignment. He
then was turned over to an assistant
of Chief Flynn.
While waiting for the men to be
transferred to his custody this morning
Phief Flvnn said he was in possession
of information which showed that Fay
had t'old a man named Veig that the
proper way to stop the shipment of
munitions to the allies was to blow up
the chemical works. He explained that
it was useless to try to blow up shell
ind powder works, because those plants
:ould make repairs easily and the worst
lamage that could be done them would
1elay them only a week or so. If the
chemical plants were attacked they
would be at the fountain head and repairs
could not be quickly made.
Ridicules Bombs Found.
Fay had also, the chief said, ridiculed
some of the bombs found on various
ships in the harbor and declared they
were no good and made by amateurs.
"Joke bombs," he termed them. He
said they would do no effective damage.
According to the chief. Fay asserted
that when he left Holland for America
on the Rotterdam he carried a letter
to a very high official, but on the
first day out he destroyed it, fearing
he might be searched and the letter
found.
Chief Flynn, when asked if he considered
that Capt. Boy-Ed and Capt.
von Papen had been implicated In any
way, replied that Fay absolved them
from all participation.
Dr. Krienzle, manager of a cloak
company in this city, was arrested yesterday
on a charge of plotting, with
others, to destroy steamers plying between
New York and foreign ports.
He was arraigned in the federal building
and held in $25,000 bail for further
examination.
Daeche, arraigned later in Jersey
Carpenter, asked for delay in the preliminary
examination, and his case
was put over until November 3. Bail
was fixed at $25,000, in default of
which he was locked up.
In addition to the charge of conspiracy,
covering the cases of the other
prisoners and Breitung, Daeche also
was charged with having and concealing
a high explosive for the purpose
of blowing up a ship in the jurisdiction
of the United States. United
States Marshal Kavanaugh, who preferred
the charges, did not go into details
concerning the additional charge.
Plan Hatched on Battlefield.
IJeut. Fay confessed that while on
the battlefield he talked with his superior
officers about a device to blow up
ships, that later his idea of coming to
America and carrying his scheme through
was well received by the German secret
service; that he came well enough supplied
with money to act on his own responsibility,
and that he talked with
Capt. von Papen, military attache, and
Capt. K Boy-Ed, naval attache of the
German embassy, about the plan, but
they had refused to have anything to do
with it.
The confession of Fay covers his arrival
In the United States April 23, his making
of clock worked bombs since then and
his activities in experimenting with explosives
along the Hudson river.
Lieut. Fay explained how he planned
to attach mines carrying his device
to the sterns of ammunition-laden vessels
sailing from New York. By properly
arranging the device, he calculated.
the mine would be exploded
when the steamer was about half a
day out.
Fay declined to say whether he had
attempted to attach mines to any ships
in mis narrwr, uui uci-ioiwu nc no.u nu>.
attached loaded mines to any vessels.
He said he' had been ready since early
in July to carry out his mine-planting
campaign, and waited here, hoping the
German military and naval attaches
would change their minds about accepting
his offer. The prisoner said
the German authorities figure it requires
about twenty shells to kill one
soldier. Fay said he understood the
average steamer leaving New York
with ammunition carried enough shells
of all kinds to kill 20,000 soldiers. Fay
said he relized that his plans were
contrary to the United States laws, and
also that he probably would have been
safer on the firing line in Europe than
doing the work he planned here.
Scholz gave out a statement explaining
his actions since coming to this country
and his relations to Fay. To Fay he
gave all the credit for the idea of the exploding
devices to be attached to ships,
but said that only an empty mine was
ever actually used. Scholz said he came
here four years ago from Cologne, where
he studied architecture and civil engineering.
It was while working on a
farm at Waterford last April that he
received, he said, the request from Fay
to come to this city.
"Fay wanted me to work for him, and
said he would give me $25 a week,"
Scholz said in the statement. "Fay told
me of his secret to make mi nee. We
made tests of explosives and experiments
with the exploding devices. We
never attached a loaded mine to any
ship. We did attach an empty mine to
an English vessel that was loading at
i * Continued oiv #eoondPage4 "
4
^ V ' _ ?==r~ -J
^5GERMANY'S
TERMS I
TO BE OUTLINED
AND SPAIN, 1
Prince Von Buelow, Former
ported to Have Been Select*
to President Wilson c
LONDON, October 26, 1:33
today that Prince von Buelow, fo
shortly submit to President Wils<
an outline of the conditibns on v
posed to discuss terms of peace.
The report is contained in a ]
and has not been corroborated fro
patch gives as authority Prince <
man, who is a brother-in-law of
port was first published in Madri
the form of a message from Romi
At last reports Prince von Bu<
Berlin on Sunday said he was coi
as the result of a slight indisposi
way to Baden-Baden.
GERMANS REGAIN LOST 1
iiAMlfA III Al I I I IIM AIIP 1
WW IN UHAMKAUNt
French War Office 9ays Fighting T
Continues With "Limited
Fluctuations."
BERLIN, October 26, by wireJ
hi
less to Sayville, N. Y.?German cr
advances on all fronts are reported
in today's official state- t?
ment. at
Captured Trenches Retaken.
German positions over a front of 260 m
meters In the Champagne north of Le ai
Mesnil. which the French captured bj
Sunday, are said to have been retaken, cc
Five officers and 150 French soldiers C<
were captured. Only one small trench c*
northeast of Le Mesnil remains in the
hands of the French.
to
Bays Germans Were Checked. er
PARIS, October 26, 2:30 p.m.?Fightin*
has continued in the Champagne {Jc
district at La Courtlne, with limited T1
fluctuations, according to the an- fa
uouncement made by the French war
offlco this afternoon Th?. stuhhnm
French resistance and the offensive ac- ta
tivity of the French troops checked the
counter atacks of the Germans.
ol
- ? D
BERLIN REPORTS GAINS
ON THE RUSSIAN FRONT ?
cl
BERLIN, October 26, by wireless to
Sayville, N. Y.?According to today's
official statement by the German war wi
office, on the northern part of the Russian
front Field Marshal von Hlndenburg's
army has again crossed the IIloukst
district and reconquered Kasimirshiki
farm.
Further south, the Bavarian army of s
Prince Leopold repulsed Russian at- tQ
tacks east of Baranovichi and south of
Vygonovskoye lake.
The army of Gen. von Linsingen has ai
stormed the Russian position east of hi
Kolkt and west of Csartorysa and re- Sj
pulsed a Russian counter attack. Four
officers, 1,450 men and ten machine a,
gun* were captured* Xo
11?i?arrmniTT^^JVMfBTii
lES2?=|?=S>iB^$ * mi*^Sw
~~ \S9j?%c5Sc-.'
fcjy '^%M|
y.?Tp
<OK PEACE
) TO THE U. S.
?rt HA Art Din ur AD
J Vy IWM. nJLflVI ULr/lIV
Imperial Chancellor, Rt
id to Present Conditions
ind King Alfonso.
p.m.?A report reached here
rmer German chancellor, will
>n and King Alfonso of Spain
/hich Germany might be disReuter
dispatch from Madrid,
m any other source. The dis-amporeale,
an Italian noblePrince
von Buelow. The red,
the correspondent says, in
slow was ill. A message from
lfined to his room in Cologne
tion. The prince was on the
IRGES REGISTRATION
OF AUTOS AND BOAT
ax oouector mnce suggests Fla
in Lieu of Personal
Taxation.
Annual registration of motor v
cles, motor boats and other watt
aft In lieu of levying personal tax<
1 auch property. Is being urged upc
ie Commissioners by Ben L. Princ
x collector, as an important need <
cal government administration whi<
lould be provided.
Mr. Prince's plan is to have evei
vner of an automobile, motor cycl
otor vehicle and motor craft registi
mually, the charge to be determin<
r the amount of horsepower. In th
>nnection he has familiarized tl
ommissioners with the schedule <
larges in vogue in Maryland and Vi:
nia under the registration system.
The present custom in the District
levy a personal tax on all such proj
ty. Owners are required to subro
vorn statements of the value of tl
operty in July and the tax does n<
>come due until the following Ma
lis system is declared to be unsatii
ctory for the reason that many owi
s dispose of their automobiles befoi
e tax becomes due and the Distri<
unable to locate them or collect tl
xes.
Mr. Prince also has called the Con
issioners' attention to the necessit
! taking action against tax dodger
eclaring that this matter is one whic
iparently cannot be remedied by a<
inlstrative action, he proposes th*
eps be taken to bring about a we
sflned way of taking the tax dodg<
ito an equity court and having tl
aim against him adjudicated.
/AR LOSSES OF TEUTONS
PLACED AT 5,000,000 MEI
LONDON. October 26, 11:48 a.m.?Tl
Leuwe Rotterdamsche Courant, s
loted by Reuter's Amsterdam corr<
>ondent, gives Oerman losses from 0<
ber 11 to 20, at 67,424 in dead, wounc
I and missing.
The total Prussian losses are give
i 2,021.078. The newspaper says thei
Lve also been issued 228 Bavarian, 2(
Lxon, 286 Wurt tern berg and 68 navj
isualty lists, as well as lists of officei
id under officers with the Turkia
ray. ' The Courant figures the toti
esse to the-eentimi power***-MOQyBO
# J
f
i
F
t
uwsofdisST'
s may be revised ?
c
5- t
Congress Will Be Asked to J
Make Changes in Dis- r
trict Code. f
e
r
r
Congress at its next session is "
to be asked to revise the code of s
laws for the District of Columbia. s
Several amendments and addi- ^
tions looking to the correction of n
apparent defects in the code and c
to make some changes in the pro- a
cedure before the courts are to t
be embodied in a bill which is to ?
be made ready for presentation to
Concress in the earlv davs of the
session. Other changes, regarded ii
as not so pressing, will be re- ?
quested later of the legislators. ii
Chief Justice CovinRton has selected
? a representative committee of the bar s:
to have charge of the proposed revision.
The committee had an informal ?
meeting with the justices of the Dis- ii
trict Supreme Court yesterday, and
Slater organized. A
Members of Committee.
Adolph A. Hoehling was selected as jy
chairman of the committee and George
E. Sullivan as secretary. Other mem- C
bers are Leon Tobriner, James S. Easby- f
Smith and J. Spalding Flannery. These
live lawyers will hold weekly meetings
to discuss the changes which may*
occur to them as needed In the pres- t;
ent code and such as may be suggested t
e_ by others. 6
The committee decided to invite sug- ?
"r gestions from the Justices of the Court v
es of Appeals, the judges of the Municipal
>n Court, Judge Latimer of the Juvenile c
Court, the Attorney General of the 2
1 United States and the solicitors of the ,
various executive departments of the
government. The Chamber of Commerce 8i
and the Board of Trade also will be
y asked to express the views of business
e men as to needed changes in the laws.
' A notice has been posted by the com- j
ar mittee inviting members of the bar assd
sociatlon and of the bar generally to v
is submit five copies, one for each member a.
ie of the committee, of such changes as tl
f they desire to have proposed to Con- q
gress.
r" It is understood that the justices of
the District Supreme Court informally
is discussed with the committee some c<
changes which have become almost im- n
" perative. One of these suggestions of
interest to the citizens generally is a a
ie proposed increase in the number of
>t jurors in the circuit courts and in c<
y. Criminal Court No. 2 when holding civil ai
g- ousniess. cj
?! Much Delay Caused. *
? tr
Much delay Is caused In the law pi
16 courts by what is known as the "long **
i- panel" demand. Each court has twenty:y
six jurors under the present system, t\
and to constitute a long panel twenty gi
I*1 names must be presented by the clerk P<
to the lawyers on both sides. Prom this tc
11 list each side is allowed to strike four ^
m* names, and the remaining twelve shall
ie form the jury to try the case. hi
Under the present method, if a jury of 8i
twelve is considering a verdict, there h<
are only fourteen available jurors for g*
the next case on the call. Should de- th
N mand be made for a long panel, the
court must suspend business until the
return of the jury with its verdict. As
is knotty problems are sometimes inj.
volved in the jury's consideration of its
verdict, one, two, or even three hours b<
5" may elapse before those twelve men hs
I- become available for a long panel. D
It is now proposed to summon enough m
m Jurors in each of the courts where law
e suits are being tried to obviate this ri
>9 delay and to allow the next case to ui
il proceed as soon as the other jury has
rs retired to consider its verdict. of
ih Changes looking to the simplification re
U of practice are also expected to be
0. urged. . cc
DISTRICT TA
ARE FULL'
Representative Rail
ment at Complete I
of Underassessn
lenator Chilton Suggests Inve
by Congressional Joint (
Noyes Appear
Arguments and statistics to
rict are not underassessed or undt
>{ other American cities, today w<
he joint citizens' committee at tl
oint select committee of Congref
>etvveen the United States and th.
Representative Rainey of Illin
lommittee, said during the hearin;
"I may say that I am amazed
he criticism charging the people <
>een answered."
Senator Chilton of West V
gating committee, indicated th;
>f taxation was so intimately
>f the proper burden of taxatic
ederal government should pay fo
tal city that the committee wou
>resent investigation.
Theodore W. Noyes, a memfc
he joint citizens' committee, w
.nd continued this afternoon. H?
ngton for the citizens' committee
ow and Kutz were in attendance ;
Argument by Mr. Noyes.
Mr. Noyes opened his argument by
eclaring that the foundation of the
ttacks upon the half-and-half plan is
he erroneous belief that the National
Capital is not meeting its share of the
mrden of its own living expenses, and
old the committee that it would be his
uty to prove that Washington has not
ailed to meet its obligations.
He recalled to the senators and repesentatives,
sitting as a joint select
ommittee, the charge of 1912 that the
rue valuation of Washington's real
state was $744,000,000, that it could
aise $11,000,000 a year easily on its
eal estate, and that it is in no need of
nancial assistance from its partner,
he United States government. He
howed that this great overassessment
- ould make Washington, without reources
such as other cities have,
,-orth twice as much, for instance, as
usy Baltimore and almost twice as
luch as Cincinnati.
"Don't you think that this condition
omes from the speculative value placed
n Washington real estate?" asked Sentor
Works. "I have always felt that
eal estate values here are more fictiious
than real, and that it comes
hrough real estate trades and deals.
!an you blame the assessor?"
Comparison of Standards.
Mr. Noyes said he was not complainig
of the assessor, and that that ofcial
had used higher standards in asesslng
Washington than those used
i other cities:
"My contention is," pursued the
peaker, "that by using in Washington
he same standards used elsewhere the
ssessment would be lower than it is.
lither the assessor here is overassessig
of other cities are underassessed."
"Is not the difference between these
gures found In the personal tax?"
sked Representative Gard.
"The personal tax matter is not in
his argument just at this point," said
[r. Noyes.
"Just there," said Representative
ooper, "is not the $744,000,000 valuaion
that which was placed on the city
1 the House of Representatives by the
pponents to the half-and-half plan?"
"Yes," replied Mr. Noyes.
"There may be questions concerning
he assessment that would necessitate
he assessor himself being here," sugested
A. S. Worthington of the joint
itizens' committee. "Would it,not be
rise to ask him to appear?"
This suggestion was approved by the
ommittee and Assessor Richards was
otlfied to be present, Commissioner
Irownlow, who is attending all meettigs
of the hearing, sending the mesage
to the District building.
Mr. Browne's Suggestion.
"It may appear," interposed Herbert
. Browne, who had announced preiously
that he wished to get Mr. Richrds
on the witness stand, "that others
han those speaking would like to
uestion the assessor; could some ar- '
angement be made for that?"
"We will cross that bridge when we :
ome to it,*' said Senator Chilton, chair- !
*an of the committee; "those matters
re always easily settled."
Mr. Noyes then went on to discuss
snsus reports of assessments, values
id taxation figures from various
ties, showing that accurate returns
ere not the rule by any means and
lat "true valuation" based on many
r. these returns is a fiction. He said
'- *v.?f Athor HtiAs Viavc an- ,
IB ClCdl uiov ?r
lied a different standard for their j
jsessments, and proved It by showing
lat on the face of the returns many
reat industrial centers, of the same J
jpulation and greater than Washing- ;
>n, appeared to be worth millions and I
llllons of dollars less th*n the taxed
)rtion of Washington.
"The delusion of underassessment,"
5 said, "is accompanied by .the deluon
that there is too low a tax rate
sre, and this erroneous impression resived
serious consideration in Cori-ess,
to the Incalculable detriment of
le District of Columbia."
Erroneous Method of Comparison.
Mr. Noyes told the committee that
i erroneous method of comparison
jtween Washington and other cities
id been adopted by the critics of the
Istrict, who had attempted to show
)t only that Washington was the
chest of cities but also that it was
iderassessed and undertaxed.
"Just what is that erroneous method
which you complain?" asked Repsentatlve
Cooper.
"Accepting as a correct method of
mparison one which accepts in turn
I
ICRITCS
V ANSWERED
ley Voices Amazetebuttal
of Charges
nent in Capital.
istigation of Taxation Methods
Committee?Theodore W.
s for Citizens.
\
prove that the people of the Dis rtnvpH
n < iTimi with t c
;re submitted by rei>resentatives of
le second day's hearing before the
is investigating the fiscal relations
e District.
ois. a member of the congressional
T *
3 *
at the complete manner in which
)f the District were undenaxed has
irginia. chairman of the investiit
the question of the method
connected with the questions
>n and the proportion which the
r the upkeep of the National C apId
look into the matter during the
ier of the executive committee of
as 011 the stand all the morning
; will be followed by A. S. WorthDistrict
Commissioners Brownat
the hearing today.
as correct the ratio of assessed to
true values as a basis for comparison,"
replied Mr. Noyes. "The flaw lies in
the reported relations of assessed to
true values. These reports are totally
unreliable."
"Where did the critics of the District
in Congress get this method of
making a comparison between the
District and other American cities?"
&o/\*ru senator vvoi'KS.
Mr. No yes replied that they obtained
their figures from the census bureau,
which prepared the figures for them.
"But the census bureau itself has discredited
these figures and also the
method of comparison," he said, "and
1 It has held that the only fair way
of making a comparison is by means
of the per capita tax actually paid.*'
He read an extract from a census
bulletin discrediting the figures which
were given comparing cities and accepting
as true the ratio of assessed to
true values. He showed that these
figures had not been gsithered by census
officials trained in the work, but
were mere guesses by local authorities.
Census Figures Misleading.
"The census authorities knew these
figures were misleading and that wrong
deductions could be made from them,
and they said so," said Mr. N<fy*es.
Representative Cooper asked Mr.
Noyes if he contended that the true
test of real value was the selling price,
after Mr. Noyes had show n, by comparing
actual sales of property with their
assessment, that assessments in some
cities where the true value is supposed
to be taxed are far below what they
should be.
"Yes." replied Mr. Noyes. He continued
that the only fair method of
comparison between Washington and
other cities in America on the question
of taxation was to examine the per
capita tax figures.
"The figures which you have quoted."
uilci i ujhcii oeiiuiur ? oi'Ks, wouia
tend to show not that Washington is
assessed too much, but that property
in other cities is underassessed."
"So," replied Mr. Noyes, "and the
reason I say 'no' is that assessment
taken by itself means nothing. It
must be married to tlie tax rate before
it can mean anything. If a city underassesses
the property in its boundaries
it makes no difference, provided the
underassessment is uniformly distributed.
For there is so much money required,
and if the assessment is too
low, then the official* must increase
the tax rate in order to bring in the
amount required. I do not contend
that realty in other cities is not bearing
its proper tax burden."
Argument to Meet Criticism.
Mr. Noyes said that the residents of
the District had been charged with
underassessment and paying too low
taxes, and his argument was directed
to meet that criticism.
Senator Works admitted that the figures
presented appeared to show that
Washington as compared with other
cities of similar size was not undertaxed
or underassessed.
"But the question before us," lie said,
"is whether the lax burden of the District
is too low or too heavy when compared
to the proportion of the expenses
I of the District which the federal government
is paying."
Mr. Noyes said that the joint citizens'
committee had approached this .
question by showing that the people of
the District were doing their duty in
the matter of taxes as compared with
the'residents of other cities of similar
size.
"The national government is fixing
the tax burden, which we must bear,"
he said; "all the power is in its hands.
We contend that if we are paying what
other American cities are paying. Congress
could not justly impose a greater
burden of taxation upon the citizens of
the District. We believe that if we can
snow mis, }uu win conclude tnat
Washington is doing' its full share, that
it i paying -tts full proportion of the f
expenses of the National Capital and
that it is not shirking."
"I am not contending that you are
n<\t bearing your just burden of taxation,"
said Senator Works, still having
in mind the comparison between taxation
in Washington and in other cities.
Senator Works suggested that the figures
presented by Mr. Noyes tended to
show that residents of other cities were
not taxed enough.
Mr. Noyes did not admit this. "I am
not slurring any other city," lie said.
Scope of Inquiry Discussed.
Toward the close of the morning session
the question of whether or not
the method of rais-ng taxes in the
J district would be considered by the
oint citizens' committee was raisst}
%
J