Evening star. [volume], May 09, 1925, Image 1

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

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
WEATHER.
(F. S. Weather T!ure»>t Forecast.)
Cloudy, followed by showers tonight
and tomorrow; not much change in
temperature.
Temperatures—Highest. 69, at 3:30
p.m. yesterday: lowest. 44. at 3:15 a.m.
today. Full report on page 7.
Closing N. Y. Stocks and Bonds, Page 24
\*)<i *G'i Entered as second Mass matter
post office. Washington, L>. C.
22 SWEPT TO DEATH:
IN OVERTURNING OE
MISSISSIPPI BOAT
Vessel Careens, Catapults
Passengers Into River Near -
Memphis, and Sinks.
EXCURSION IS TURNEO
TO TRAGEDY BY DISASTER!
I
Dramatic Tales of Heroism Told.
Absence of Panic in Emer
gency Is Marked.
I
li, 11.. A ... UI.-.I Pee**. j
.M K.xi IMUS. 'iVim.. May 9. Caught j
it. 1 1..- sw/Hing inn.ul> c urrent of the
Mi - i-.- 1I »r*i Itiver. a.s slit- attempted l«> ;
i:. -iter ashore, the t'liileci Stales ;
i:. c ernment steamer Norman today •
li> s in :r. feet of water just below ;
«'•>. linma l,andiny. Tetin.. after going j
down late yesterday and causing loss
of approximately 22 lives. I
Among the 60 or more men. xxonten 1
end < hildren who were oatapnlted in
the turbid stream and who remained;
there- or were lished out with life ex- 1
tinet. were some of the best known,
men in the engineering; profession of i
the South. The trip had been taken j
as a side issue to the first annual eon- t
vention of the Midsouth Association j
of Engineers just formed here.
List of Head Compiled.
The list of dead its given out by j
Mayor Paine, who worked all night I
with members of the Midsouth As-!
sm-iation of Engineers, and city offi- \
rials checking up, follows:
E. H. Bowser. .Memphis: P. 11. Mil
ler. Eittle flock. Ark.: C. E. Shearer..
Memphis; Mr. and Mrs. Ralph:
Bosard. Memphis: Edgar Bosard,
Memphis; Mrs. Lydia Hidinger,;
Memphis: Paul Xorcross, Atlanta; G.
L. Anderson. Memphis: Maj. W. \V. !
fiardiner. Memphis: Mr. and Mrs.
Walter Kirkpatrick. Oxford. Miss.:,
William Humon. Memphis: T. Wal- .
ters Fox. Paducah. Ky.: Mrs. .1. K.
1 tor rob, Oxford, Miss.: Mrs. Caldwell!
(first name and address undeter
mined): Jack Cothran, engineer on
Norman. Memphis; Earl Simonson,
fireman on the Norman. Memphis;!
Roy Thompson, stoker on Norman, j
Memphis; Will Moore, negro, deck-'
hand: Tom Plunkett, negro, deck
hand.
Missing—Prof. K. 11. McXeily.
Nashville.
The Norman today rested bottom
up on the muddy bed of the river and
efforts were made to chop away her j
hull, in the hope thttt some of the 22 i
listed as dead might be found.
River Combed by Boats.
A number of small steanuits atxi)
motor boats today combed the Ten
nessee and Arkansas banks of the |
river, seeking any survivors who !
might have safely reached a sand bar. 1
The Norman showed a sudden list j
while making its way l>ack to Mem- j
phis late yesterday afternoon after an 1
excursion to Cow Island to view Gov- j
ernment work there. Within a few \
minutes, and before a lifeboat could I
be launched, it had turned over. Few !
of those aboard had time to adjust !
life preservers.
When the struggle in the water
was about over. George Foster, Mem- j
phis engineer, fought his way through j
brambles, over sloughs, and finally :
managed to get a mule and rode to a |
.plantation several miles distant. There
he got into touch with Memphis and j
gave the alarm.
Within a few minutes, it seemed, j
the news had filtered throughout the ;
city. Frantic friends and relatives be- !
sieged newspaper offices. Doctors and 1
first aid were sent to the scene in fast j
motor boats. Ambulances went by j
land. The Choctaw arrived with her '
uuota of excursionists. Doctors were
waiting. She landed her passengers I
and put out again so quickly that j
some of the physicians arriving a min- ,
u|.‘ lale had to jump aboard.
Crowds Frantic For News.
For what seemed like hours to I
anxious friends and relatives there I
was no news. No one could be reached i
who had any first-hand information. !
Then a reporter got his newspaper on j
the telephone. The list of those known i
to have been saved came first, it was '
relayed from the telephone booth, j
and frantic men and women fought for '
a word as to what it contained. News- !
I>a|ter extras sold as fast as newsboys j
could hand them out.
Mayor Rowlett Paine, for an hour j
or more believed to have been on the '
ill-fated boat, came in on the Choctaw, j
As soon as the survivors of the Nor- I
man had been brought to Memphis and !
landed from the steamer Mississippi a !
c h. ck of all delegates to the conven
tion and their friends was begun. At
daylight this morning every one had
been accounted for except 22 who were
dead.
Today the search for the dead and
possible living continues. Up the
banks of the stream from Bruins,
the Chisca and the Monitor are scour
ing the banks looking for bodies and
possible living. The United States
Government is planning to send down
divers in an effort to penetrate the
sunken cabin in the hope of recover
ing some of the bodies. It also was
planned, if necessary, to bore a hole
in the steel hull of the boat.
Disaster Cause Unknown.
The reason for the sinking of the
Steamer has not been determined.
L. L. Hidinger of Memphis saved
his 5-year-old son. Leroy, jr.. but his
aged mother. Mrs. Lydia Hidinger,
vent down before his eyes. When the
steamer began to sink Mr. Hidinger
started to search for his mother and
son. He could not find them.
"As the boat continued to list, the
starboard hull became completely
submerged and the passengers all
grouped on top of the port hull.” said
Mr. Hidinger. "I was about to jump
into the river when I saw my boy
standing quietly by my side. How
be got there through the jam of
people I do not know—it was a
miracle.
Drifts Mile In Mater.
"We jumped together and Leroy
belli his arms around mv peck while
J drifted for about a mile with the
current. It was entirely too swift
and powerful for me to attempt to
swim against it.
“As we were floating along Leroy
• suddenly cried: ‘Daddy, daddy, there’s
grandma sinking. Let's save her.’
•She was a few yards to our right. 1
swam oxer to her and reached her
just as she sank for the last time.
tContinued on Page 3* Column l.j
Amu ml sen Polar
i Flight Still Held
Back by Weather
I
; Bj thf* AesouiatPtl l > rc«s.
NEW YORK, May —The j
Amundsen Elving Expedition to j
the North Pole probably will he
delayed in starting several days
more, due to weather conditions.
| according to the last word received
j from the explorer’s base in Spitz- j
I bergen.
j These advices through the Nor
• tvegian capital. Oslo (formerly
j Christiania), said a continuous
j snowfall was expected over the
' archipelago for the next few days, j
i it is assumed that Capt. Amund
i sen's two planes will not lake the j
i air until the weather clears.
The steamer Farm, assigned to
| the expedition by the Norwegian
government, is moored in the ice
; between Danes Island, the prob
able starting point of the final
dash, and the coast of West Spitz
i bergen.
LIQUOR SABOTAGE
IS LAID TO BRIBERY
!
!
Coast Guard Reports Two
More Boats in Blockade
Damaged.
! By the Associated Press,
j NEW YORK, May 9, —Sabotage.
; made possible through bribery, is the
; latest xveapon being employed by
bootleggers in their war against the
; Government’s dry navy.
Coast Guard officials said the ma
■ chinery of two of twelve converted
! submarine chasers, xvhich returned to
the Staten Island base early today,
- after spending four days in blockade
service, showed every evidence of j
having been tampered with. One of
the chasers was towed in with a dis
: a hied engine and another was hauled
; into the base with one propeller gone.
Coast Guard officials expressed the
; opinion that the mishaps were not
the result of accident, but of delib
■ crate design.
Capt. W. E. V. Jacobs, commandant :
' of the Coast Guard for the area from |
New London to Cape May. and sev- j
• eral of his officers admitted today ■
J that not only had the lives of Capt. :
: Jacobs and others been threatened by
! the lioorleggers. but the runners had ;
j also declared it was their intention to 1
blow up the barge office, the Coast
Guard headquarters, at the foot of
Manhattan near the Battery.
Capt. Jacobs also said that the i
j rum row captains had attempted to I
| communicate with the bootleggers'
leaders ashore by use of carrier ■
pigeons. One of these birds, with a j
; code message attached to it. was cap- ;
t tured bv the blockading boats Tues- I
dav, Capt. Jacobs said.
I
BLOCKADE CONTINUED.
Coast Guard Hopes Bum Fleet Will
Disband.
j The Coast Guard dry armada con-
I Mnued today to hold its bulldog grip
(on the rum fleet.
In spite of aggressive tactics of the ;
! rum runners in attempting to un- ;
dermine morale of the Coast Guard !
jby threats against the lives of its j
I officers, to sink its ships in the night,
jand to wreck boats, motors and ma
■ terial, the "pacific blockade" continued I
j with persistent determination to a j
! "starvation finish."
j In fact, yesterday broke a record [
! for the Coast Guard, according to j
i preliminary reports to headquarters, |
; in that every ship in the service was !
;at sea. either in holding the embat
j tied rum fleet at bay, scouting for
I icebergs in the North Atlantic, or
assisting ships in distress in rivers
and bays.
Determination and Bifies.
The underhanded methods of the
I rum agents in making depredations
I upon the Government’s “grayhounds
i of the sea" are being met by the old
! Coast Guard Service with grim de
! termination and loaded rifles.
| it is hoped by officials that the re
i cently increased bloodshed in the rum
I war may be decreased by the "pacific
| blockade,” which is intended to bottle
t up the rum fleet so that it may not
I make any kind of contact with shore
! and eventually give up its fight. It
' was the constant chases and skir-
I mishes between fleeing rum runners
land Government boats, after the liquor
: had been unloaded for speedy dashes
| to the shore, which have resulted in
| much gunfire.
| Turned down once in an attempt to
j get funds with which to recondition
: for use in the "dry” navy 200-odd rum
running craft that have been seized.
Coast Guard officials appealed today to
i Controller General McCarl for a rul
| ing as to whether appropriations
| available for the prohibition and cus-
I toms services can be used for the pyr
j pose. He already had held that Coast
Guard funds could not be so expended.
YOI NG ORATORS SEE PRESIDENT
AND HISTORIC SPOTS OF CAPITAL
As Guests of The Star Finalists in Great National Con
test Feted and Shown Varied Beauty Spots
and Shrines of the City.
———
I
j Throwing off the anxiety that marked
their demeanor prior to the culmina
tion last night of the national oratori
: cal contest, the seven young partici
! pants, victor and vanquished alike,
i gave vent to their pent-up emotions
I today by plunging into a round of en
i tertainment, one of the preliminary
! features of which was their reception
at the White House by President and
: Mrs. Coolidge.
The visit to the White House was
made at noon, following a morning of
i sightseeing as guests of The Evening
Star. The five young men and two
voung women, representing every sec
tion of the United States, first were
received by Mrs. Coolidge in the White
1 House.
Meeting them in the famous blue
room, where many historic receptions
1 have been held in years gone by, Mrs.
Coolidge shook hands with each final
i ist and congratulated them all for the
honors they ha Vi won.
■ | Passing out of the White House and
i to the presidential offices in the execu- i
Wht femitra
V J WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION \^/
VVASHINttTON, l>. <’., SATURDAY, MAY !), 1!12.',-TII [RTY-I-’OUR I>A(»ES.
ALABAMA 00Y WINS'
ORATORY CONTEST:!
LOCAL GIRL FIFTH
j Robert Sessions. 15, Takes
National Title Before
j
Highest Officials.
i
COOLIDGE SOUNDS PEACE j
NOTE IN OPENING SPEECH
Praises Result of Competition. ,
Los Angeles Boy Is Atvarded
Second Place.
Displaying an oralorb al genius that j
visibly stirred an audience of more j
than C,.Odd i itizetis, Ruben Session- j
Ir. year-old Birmingham. Ala . high i
school boy. was adjudged the chain ,
| pion student orator of the 1 nited ,
States and awarded first prize of $2.
1 by a distinguished committee of critics j
at the elimination finals of the Xa <
tional Oratorical Contest in the Wash
j ington Auditorium last night.
Miss Asenath Graves, 16-year-old ,
Eastern High School senior and cham
pion of the District of Columbia, "as '
awarded fifth prize of S4OO.
Robert, who represented the South,
in the nation-wide contest, won the
coveted honor from a field of com- ,
petitors numbering, in the words of l
President Cootidge, who opened the
contest, “the well-night unbelievable j
figure of 1.400.000.” The subject of his!
oration "its "The Constitution."
Los Angeles Boy Second.
The committee of judges, composed :
of Chief Justice Taft. Justice Van,
Devanter. Justice Butler, Justice San
ford and Attorney General Sargent,
i awarded second honors and a prize
~f SI,OOO to Eugene F. MoElmeel of
Los Angeles, 16-year-old Pacific chain j
pion. Max X. Kroloff, IT, of Sioux
City. lowa. Midwestern champion, re
eeixed third prize of S 300: Miss Flora j
Longenecker. lti. of Ilion. N. Y.. North
eastern champion, fourth prize of $450:1
George Sianseli. 17. of Chicago. 111., j
Central States champion, sixtli axvani ;
;of $350. and Philip Glatfelter. 17. of I
i Columbia. Pa.. Eastern champion. ,
j seventh award of S3OO.
President Coolidge opened the com-1
j petition xvith a significant address <
- woven about the merits of the National |
I Oraorical Contest, but xvhich struck!
i out into the broader field of interna- (
tional peace xxith a solemn call to the j
'duty of full citizenship.
Text of Coolidge Speech.
He said:
"We are gathered to signalize our i
| approval and attest our interest in !
j what has been. I presume, the greatest j
| competition of its kind ever held in ;
the world. The essential part of the-,
j program here wilt be' the delivery of!
! seven addresses on the Constitution of I
j the United States. They will l>e de- J
livered by their authors, students in I
! high schools, or private or parochial ,
] schools of like grade, throughout the j
I country. The contest originated in I
I the patriotic enterprise of a group of !
great newspapers, each paper assutu- j
ing the leadership in organizing com- j
petitions, local and regional, in its own j
territory. The winners in the local j
I contests met later in regional ones. >
j the series of them completely cover- !
I ing the Nation. The seven who are to
j speak here tonight are the final sur
vivors of this process of elimination.
I candidates for the highest national
| honors.
i "l was amazed to learn, as I am
! sure my hearers xvill be, hoxv many j
! students have participated in these 1
contests. I.ast year was the first com- j
I petition on a Nation-wide scale, aid
| no less than 500,000 addresses were 1
prepared and delivered. This year I
the number has increased to the well *
nigh unbelievable figure of 1,400,000. j
It is certainly a splendid demonstra- i
tion of the efficiency of our educa
tional system, of the interest that has j
been inspired in the study of our |
country’s institutions, and of the j
zealous effort that has been put forth I
by those who have organized and ■
directed the contests.
Praises Achievement.
"It must be matter of gratification. :
and of profound assurance, to every
lover of our institutions, that so uni
versal a response should have been
evoked by the invitation to partici
pate in this striking effort. We ex
tend, of couise, our first congratula
tions to these seven young men and
women who have survived to the last
lap of the race. But in truth their
; achievement, though it has brought so
much distinction to them as individ
uals, is unimportant when contrasted
• xvith the big and pregnant fact that
near a million and a half of their fel
loxx’s back at home have participated in
■ the serious studies, the work of prepa
• ration and self-education, preparatory
- to this event. Speaking on this same
i occasion a year ago, 1 observed that
’there never was a time when our
■ institutions were so universally be
(Continued on Page 2, Column 2.)
. tive wing, the group was introduced to
I the President, who shook the hand of
I each contestant in turn. The J’resi
-1 dent complimented his guests on their
| orations, and indicated his pleasure in
I personally greeting so talented a group
; of patriotic young American citizens.
It was expected he would consent
! to pose with the finalists for a photo
graph, in compliance with the wishes
of the army of news photographers
j on duty at the White House.
The party assembled this morning
| in the boardroom of The Star Build
ing, where C. Fred Cook, represent
ing The Star, assumed the role of
official host. The honor guests were
Miss Asenath Graves, local champion;
Miss Flora Longenecker. Northeast
ern champion; Robert Sessions,
Southern champion; Eugene F. Mc-
Elmeel. Pacific champion: George
Stansell. Central States champion;
Philip Glatfelter, Eastern champion,
and Ajax X. Kroloft, .Midwestern
I champion. Bach honor guest was
J (Continued on Page t’, Column 0.,
! '
RIFFS SURROUND
FIVE FRENCH POSTS
i
Relief of Blockhouses Awaits
Arrival of Reinforcements.
Planes Take Food.
I
I
By tho Associated Pros*.
! RABAT, French Morocco. May 9. —
j Five French blockhouses on the
j northern front, where Gen. t’olombat
and t'ol. Freydenberg are attempting
|to force back Abd-El -Krim's Rifßian
i tribesmen, are still surrounded, it j
j was learned today, and ihe relief
i columns will be unable to reach them ,
( until reinforced.
! The announcement was made from
! the French headquarters here, which
added that provisioning of the block
house garrisons by the use of air
i planes was being successfully con
itinued and that the needed reinforce
-1 ments would soon be available to
j advance to the relief of the be
leaguered puyposts.
| One French blockhouse, which was
i held by five Senepale.se. a part of the
I French outposts near Aloulay. has
• been destroyed by Riffian artillery, !
French headquarters said today. It
I denied rumors that the entire post
j and garrisons of that section had
\ been captured.
PLANS “SEVERK LESSON.”
I '
Painleve, Ordering Reinforcements,
Will Punish Invaders.
PARIS. May ft (A.P.). —Premier Paul
Painleve. who also is actinp minister
! of war, said today, after the French
I cabinet meetinp had discussed the sit
uation in Morocco, that "a severe
j lesson will be given those who have
invaded our territory. We are actinp
|in full accord with the British and
j Spanish governments.”
j The Premier said: “There is no 1
question of militarism or imperialism.
, It is an operation of stabilization and j
> of repulsinp intruders.”
j At the session of the cabinet de- j
I tails of French operations in Morocco j
i against the invadinp tribesmen under)
j Abd-el-Krim, the Riflian leader, were
; discussed.
j The French columns are beginninp
i to get reinforcements in preparation
i for a movement, which, it is confi
| dentially believed, will drive Abd-el
' Krim’s Riffian tribesmen back into the
i Spanish zone.
i Marshal Lyautey's request for heavy
artillery has been met. The guns are
j already on the way, together with;
; 10 battalions of infantry and two air-
I plane groups from Algeria, and are
'expected to be in position by the
1 first of next week.
Condition Satisfactory.
The situation along the 100-mile
i front continues satisfactory for the
j present and. according to the latest
j dispatches, there have been no actions
I for the last two days.
Abd-El-Krim appears to be eoncen
j trating forces in the region of Ouez-
I zan with a view to attacking the
j important railroad running from Fez
|to the coast. It is in this region
! that the tribes are most turbulent ami
; always ready to fight.
The rebel chief is devoting consid
• era hie activity at present to propa
ganda. hut the French say that tribes
; men in the French Zone are chary
about committing themselves to the
i support of the invaders.
i The correspondent of Le Matin at
] Rabat says that for several weeks
1 past Communists and Bolshevists
j have been conducting an intensive
■ i campaign of propaganda at Casa
! hlanca, Rabat, Meknes, Marrakesh,
I Tangier and other places, with the
object of turning the inhabitants
against the French.
A Madrid dispatth last night, based
jon an official announcement, said the
, i Spaniards had inflicted'a severe de
'lfeat upon 1,500 Riftians, who; while
apparently marching toward the bat
. tie front in the French zone, sud
i rienlv attacked the Spanish front in
, the Mellila sector. The tribesmen
were said to have lost heavily in dead
and prisoners.
RUMOR SAN BLAS REVOLT.
Panama Sends Coast Guard Boat
to Indian Territory.
PANAMA, May 9 (A.P.).—The Pana
man newspapers prominently display
rumors of an impending uprising
among the San Bias Indians, and the
> government has dispatched a coast
guard ship with a police contingent as
a "preventive measure.”
officials have been tillable to verify
; , ihe rumors because of the Isolated
1 position of the affected territory.
! i
W oodlock\s Pay
To Be Withheld j
( ntil Confirmed
I Thomas F. Woodlock. who was j
given a recess appointment by i
President Poolidge as Interstate
Commerce Commissioner April 1.
after his nomination had failed of i
j confirmation in the Senate, will not j
receive salary from the Govern
ntent until his appointment is con- :
I firmed.
j Tills was decided bv Controller
j General Me Carl for the Interstate
I Commerce Commission, in a ruling
published today.
"The recess appointment of
j Thomas W. Woodlock." said Mr.
McCarl. "falls squarely within the
terms of the prohibitory statute.
Payment of salary under his recess
appointment is not authorized un
less and until he shall hereafter
j be confirmed by the Senate."
CAILLAUX TO FORCE
CONFIDENCE VOTE
French Cabinet Approves
Plan for Defense of New
Financial Program.
By lhe Associated Press.
PARIS. May 9.—Finance Minister
Cailiaux today was empowered by the
cabinet to make his financial plans a
question of confidence before Parlia
ment. The cabinet approved the out
line of his proposals at its morning
session, which was almost entirely
devoted to this subject.
M. Cailiaux after the meeting said j
j he had promised not to reveal the I
I exact nature of his plans until his
appearance next Tuesday before the
j finance commission of the Chamber of
Deputies. In fact, he added, he had
i not completed all the details.
"My colleagues approved my sup
! gestions fully.” M. Cailiaux said as
Ihe left the Fly see Palace, where
President Douniergue presided at the
cabinet meeting, "and they gave me
the fullest powers for the defense of
these measures before Parliament.”
“1 will make every point a matter
of confidence in the government.”
M. Caillaux’s presentation of his
financial plans consumed so much
time at the cabinet meeting that For
| eign Minister Briand’s draft of his
proposed note to Germany regarding
the question of a security pact had
only a scant hearing, but it will be
examined thoroughly at the next
cabinet meeting Tuesday. M. Briaryl
gave the general outlines of his note
and it is believed that future serutiny
by the cabinet will not result in great
changes.
WOMAN CREATES PANIC
IN THEATER AT VIENNA
Kills Male Companion in Box;
Shoots Two Others—Result of
Red Feud. Police Say.
By tlip AsMK’iiited Vre**.
VIENNA. May 9.—One person was
killed and_two were wounded when a
1 woman named Mencia Carniciu, wit
> | nessing a performance of Ibsen’s j
‘ t‘‘Peer Gynt” at the National Theater
'last night, fired five revolver shots at
. I members of her box party.
•j All persons in the box were
; i Macedonians, police said, and at
tribute the shooting to a political
: feud. The man killed was described i
! as Arnautovic Panizza, a member of i
■ the Macedoonian Federalists’ party. !
- Police said the woman represented
> Macedonian autonomists under Mos
• cow's direction.
Mencia Carniciu refused to testify,
i saving that her companion she had
i killed was a "coward and traitor.”
I The audience became panic-stricken
and rushed to the doors when the
woman, rising suddenly during the
(performance, began to fire her re
vnlver. Police said other Macedonians
in the box party were also armed.
j, ’ •
TAKE $90,000 IN IEWELRY.
NEW YORK, May 9 (A.P.). —-Three
robbers held up the jewelry store of
' J. Ross in Grand street today and
‘ | escaped with $90,000 worth of jewelry
| after handcuffing and binding four
‘ | employes.
The neighborhood was crowded with
j Jewish Sabbath crowds and police re
[ serves had to be called out to restore
order, _ .
MELLON EVOLVES
NEW TAX-CUT PLAN
Will Adopt Novel Approach to
Argument Concerning
Surtaxes.
ISY IIAVII) LAWRENCK.
Secretary Alellon has adopted a new '
method of approach to the problem i
of tax revision, which may become the j
basis of the administration's entire
argument for reduction of surtaxes in
the next session of Congress.
Mr. .Mellon confesses that it is hope
less to expect the immediate passage
of a constitutional amendment re
stricting the issuance of tax exempt
securities, but declares there is an
other and even more effective way of
cutting off "this inviting avenue of es
cape from taxation.”
The Secretary realizes, of course,
that even a Federal amendment could
not afTect the 111,000,000,000 of tax
exengpt securities now issued, and pro
poses. therefore, that the Government
readjust surtaxes “on a basis that will
attract capital back into productive
business and keep it from exhausting
itself in tax-exempt securities or from
taking advantage of other methods of
investment by which taxes are
avoided.”
There has been talk of a 25 per cent
[surtax rate as the maximum to be
applied, but Mr. Mellon points out that
. Congress must go even lower than
that, really, to compete with tax
exempt securities.
"To a man whose income is sub
ject to the higher brackets of the
present law.” says Air. Mellon, "a tax
able investment should yield a return
of about 8 per cent to equal the net
return of a 4’ 2 per cent tax-exempt
security. On the other hand, under
a total normal and surtax of 20 per
jcent. a taxable security yielding
slightly more than 5 1 -.’ per cent would
be the equivalent in net return of a
per cent municipal bond. We can
see. therefore, that if the surtax rates
are reduced to a reasonable figure, the
lure of tax-exempt securities will tie
come less appealing and the man of
large income will find it advantageous
to invest in productive business."
At no time has the administration
ventured to ask Congress to place the
surtax rates low enough as to com
pete actually with tax-exempt securi
ties. The Secretary now comes out
frankly for such an equalization and
it means a surtax of not much more
than 15 per cent.
The Treasury experts figured it out
two years ago that the most equitable
surtax maximum that could be applied
and yet yield the Government suf
ficient revenue from that source was
around 15 per cent. Mr. Mellon felt
it expedient to ask for 25 per cent.
Congress gave the country 37' 2 per
cent. The Secretary Is planning to re
new his appeal, but this time the
indications are he will not ask for
(Continued on Page 2. Column 1.)
COOLIDGE HAS WEEK END
PARTY ON MAYFLOWER
Presidential Yacht Left Today for
Cruise About Potomac and
Chesapeake.
President and Mrs. Coolidge and a
small party of friends will spend the
week end aboard the yacht Mayflowet
cruising about the Potomac and Ches
| apeake Bay. The party left Wash
ington this afternoon and is soiled
uled to return early Monday morning
Those who accompanied the Presi
dent and his wife were Attorney Gen
eral Sargent, Postmaster General New
and Mrs. New, Ewing Emison o
i Vincennes. Ind., who directed Presi
I dent Coolidge's preconvention cam
: paign last Spring, and Mrs. Emison
Mr. and Mrs. Grosvenor Backus of
this city, the former being an old
Amhurst friend of the President, and
Gilbert Grosvenor of this city, presi
dent of the National Geographic So
ciety, and Mrs. Grosvenor.
UNCLE OF LASCELLES
FOUND FATALLY SHOT
I
Half-Brother of Princess Mary's
Father-in-Law Dead.
i
Gun by Side.
1 By tlie Associated Press.
SOUTHAMPTON, England, May 9.
Francis John Bascelles, half-brother
lof the Earl of Ha rewood, was found
i dead at his home, at Hornsey, toda,y
I with a gun beside his body. The Earl
|of Harewood is the father-in-law of
Princess Mary.
“From Press to Home
Within the Hour ”
The Star’s carrier system covers
every city block and the regular edi
tion is delivered to Washington homes
as fast as the papers are printed.
* TWO CENTS.
Most Destructive
! Os “Death Rays
Is Claimed Found
I
A new kind of “death ray,” e.\- '
feeding in its destructive eapacitv
i any previous device, rumored or j
I realized, was reported today to the i
Commerce Department as the !
claimed accomplishment of a tier
man inventor.
i William T. Daugherty, trade coni
j missioner at Berlin, forwardetl ti
I summary of a publication descriti
| ing the invention, which is called
“heliotaeus," with the startling
claim Ihitl its iu> sterinus waves
.are capable of paralyzing life for j
hours over a distance of 40 miles
and to an altitude of more than
45.000 feet.
Methods of operation and the
source of the energy used were
lacking.
War Department experts pointed
out that the highest elevation
reached l>y an airplane as yet j
about 39.000 feet, so that th° new
device—-if it works—woul# effec
tively clear the air in any battle.
WOMEN CAST VOTE
FOR DISARMAMENT
International Council Crushes
Security Advocates After
Bitter Fight.
[ The International Council of Worn*
jen. with German and American dele
• gates not voting, today approved a
resolution to support partial and
(gradual disarmament, with scattering
j dissenting votes, after an impassioned
I deliate. An amendment offered by the
i German delegation, which would have
! stricken out the words “they reeog
! nize that nations will not agree to
! disarm until they feel some sense of
i securtiy.” was defeated, “47 against
land 99 for. The American delegation
j voted against.
In an atmosphere tense with stip
pressed emotions a nervous elderly
lady, trembling a little, faced the
council in the auditorium this morn
ing and placed before the faction
torn delegates the resolutions on dis
armament and the League of Nations
over which trouble has been brewing
since the convention convened here.
Mrs. George £adbury, English
Quaker, has l>een the center of this
threatened storm. But for a few
minutes it seemed that it would not 1
break.
The resolutions for efforts to get
all nations Into the League of Na
tions and into the World Court, pre
sented boldly with even more teeth
than those that appeared on the offi
cial agenda, were passed unanimous
ly and without comment. The Amer
ican delegation abstained from vot
tContinued on Page 4. Column 4.)
MASTER PAINTERS
MAKE PEACE OFFER
Compromise Move Follows
Conference With Leaders
of Union Men.
A special meeting «>f ihe union
painters will be called as soon as
1 possible to consider a compromise
I offer for the settlement of the strike
offered to them by the master paint -
• ers at a conference this morning.
I While the compromise offer was not
j made public, it is understood the
I committee representing the master
I painters based their offer on a $9.50
j scale. Whether or not this will be
! acceptable, together with the other
! features of the proposed plan, to the
I union painters, who have asked for
■ a raise of from $9 to slo a day, can
i not be foretold.
1 There is every indication, however,
j that a number of the master painters
[ will not recognize an increased wage.
! Several of them have recently stated
i that they will not consider a com
' promise, if the other members of the
association decided to suggest one.
The employers, contractors and op
i erative builders will not act upon the
j situation until next week, when a
| conference will be held to consider
i what steps will be taken. Several of
I the operative builders have already
| dismissed the union plumbers who
i received a wage increase the other
i day from $lO to $10.50. The plans
[of the operative builders in regard to
[ the plumbing situation will also be
I considered next week.
i The meeting today between the
j master painters and the union men
j was brought about through the ef
| forts of John B. Colpoys, Federal
j conciliator. While the union men at
, the conference did not offer any plan
l of their own, but merely attended
the meeting to listen to the sugges
j tions of the master painters, much
j hone is held out for a settlement, m
that this is the first decision on the
• part of the union men to call a spe
cial meeting to consider the offer of
the employers. Other suggestions
have been dealt with at the regular
weekly meetings on Fridays.
The meeting this morning took place
I at 1810 M street, office of Edward L.
I Smith, secretary of the Master I’aint
i ers’ Association, and lasted about two
i hours.
GEN. BULLARD ILL.
i
Is Suffering From Congestion of
Lungs in Hospital.
NEW YORK. May 9.—Maj. Gen.
' Robert Lee Bullard, retired, who com
manded the American second Army in
the World War. is in the Army Hos
pital at Fort Totten, Staten Island,
suffering from congestion of the lungs
and possible pneumonia, it was
! learned today. His physicians said he
! was improving, but that he probably
| would be in the hospital for about two
j weeks.
i Gen. Bullard is t»4 years old. He re
i tired from the Army last January,
! when he was commander of the “d
j Corps Area.
I Radio Programs—Page 10.
Yesterday’s Circulation, 100,371
WAR GAMES PROVE
FLISINESS OF U. S.
I DEFENSES AT OAHU
Army and Navy Officials Con
vinced Defects Are Dra
matically Shown.
i
BASIS FOR MONEY PLEA
TO CONGRESS PROVIDED
■
Maneuver? Export Expected to
Emphasize Need for Strength
ening’ Island.
i Bv the A ml ntt-.l Pc-«-
I War and Xav\ Department officials
j are satisfied that the gjaantif war
I game just concluded at Hawaii served
as a dramatic illustration of deficien
1 < ies in the defenses of the Island of
j Oahu, which have been repeatedly
called to the attention of Congress in
the last few years.
in advance of recojpt of the linal re
port on tlie maneuvers these officials
j do not believe that any striking new
j defect t\il! prove to have been dis
! closed, but are confident that the
; sham battle will enable presentation
| of the Hawaiian defense problem on a
| basis of established facts instead of
j theories.
Force Inadequate.
' That the combined naval and mili
; tary forces now maintained at Hawaii
j cannot insure the security of the I’earl
j Harbor naval base against a strong
surprise attack is expected to he
i shown in the report by Admiral Coontz
land Maj. Gen. Hines, chief umpires.
■ The actual problem of the maneuvers
| was to test the sufficiency and person
nel and equipment of the peace-time
| garrison of Oahu Island,
i Defects which it is believed the re
| port will point out in the Army gar
; rison are:
First, that 13.000 men in the Regu
; lar Army garrison and forming the
i mobile defense is too small a force
by front 5.000 to 7.000 men.
Second, that failure to provide ade
quate means for interior communion
' tions on Oahu. whi< h includes all al
i lied elements of modern military com
! munications. would have rendered
doubtful the suc -ess of even a larger
garrison in defending the island
against landing operations.
Air Staff .May lie Too Small.
Third, that the present strength of
the Army Air Service detachment as
signed to the Hawaiian Islands is not
sufficient.
Fourth, that the present equipment
■of the garrison air service, particu
larly in long-range scouting planes, is
wholly inadequate to afford the de-
I fending force neceSsa rylnformation of
' an approaching enemy in time to re
pel a landing.
• On the naval side it is predicted that
there will lie again disclosed vital
weakness in the composition of the
1 fleet, among them:
i First, lack of modern post-treaty
high-speed. 10,000-ton light cruisers.
Second, lack of sea-beeping fleet suh
• marines.
Third, lack of large, high-speed air
, plane carriers and of adequate num
i hers of modern aircraft with the fleet
j itself.
In addition, it is expected that naval
j weaknesses will he disclosed from the
i report of Rear Admiral MacDonald.
■ "bo was associated with Maj. Gen.
Dewis in the joint defense of Oahu.
1- rom that aspect it appears probable
jto officers here that lack of mine
j planting submarines as a part of the
i regular naval contingent assigned to
the Hawaiian Islands will be empha
sized. It is felt also that the peace
time naval forces at the island should
include modern light cruisers and
naval aircraft, with the surface auxil
iaries necessary for long-range air
s operations.
I
Harbor Changes Indicated.
! Incidental to the presence of the
United States fleet in Hawaiian
! waters, but not arising out of the
: joint maneuvers, there have already
| arisen wide discussions of the inade-
I quacy of the Pearl Harbor naval base
j to serve the fleet, such service being
i the fundamental reason for establish
j ing any defense whatever of the
| islands. The question has to do with
I the creation of channels deep and
j straight enough to permit entry by
*, the heaviest battleships on any tide,
i dredging within the harbor of an area
j sufficient to permit the mooring of the
j entire fleet and erection of additional
dry-dock facilities.
In connection with the naval base
matter it is to be recalled that the
development of Pearl Harbor on an
adequate scale was rated as of pri
| raary importance by a special naval
j board which made an exhaustive
| study of this subject in 1923. The
| hoard placed Pearl Harbor ahead of
I the West coast base projects or of
j Panama Canal Zone developments,
j and its determination as to relative
I importance has been accepted by the
| Navy Deportment. Congress already
I has authorized the Pearl Harbor
j project, although no appropriations
for the work have been made.
Expenses to Re Eargc.
i An understanding of the problem
1 Involved in the Hawaiian joint ma
neuvers must rest upon the- knowl
edge that the defense of I’earl Harbor
iis a mobile army project from a ntili-
I tary point of view. To provide ade-
I quate coast defenses in the way of
fixed heavy-gun batteries, or even of
j 1G or 40 inch railway artillery, would
j involve expenditures running far into
I the hundreds of millions of dollars,
, and would he wholly impracticable.
Railway guns of such size would re
quire alteration of the present nar
! row-gauge railroad on Oahu into a
| standard broad-gauge line on a scale
that exists only with a few of the
j major railway systems of the United
j States.
' To meet this difficulty Oahu has
ibeen equipped by the Army with bat
teries of 240-centimeter howitzers,
which can be transported on the nar
i row-gauge road to previously prepur
led concrete emplacements at strategic
: points around the coast line. These
jguns would lie effective even against
'battleships at a range of 10 miles, and
| would preclude any attempt to land
i troops front unarmored transports.
As a supporting force for the mo
bile troops, the Island garrison has
I motorized 155-centimeter guns and
I howitzers as well as lighter held artil
i lery. The rapid concentration of
(these weapons and of infantry troops
jut any point which might be atacked,
(Continued on Page 4, Column