Evening star. [volume], September 22, 1925, Image 1

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

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WEATHER.
<U. S. Weather Bureau Forecast.)
Showers tonight and tomorrow; not
much change in temperature.
Temperatures—Highest, 87. at 3
p.m. yeste-day; lowest, 55, at 6 a.m.
today.
Full report on page 7.
Closing N. Y. Stocks and Bonds, Page 28
’M' r , 9Q 79Q Entered as second class matter
xstj. a. post office, Washington, D. C.
WILBUR FLAYS IDEA
OF ONE AIR FORCE
AT PROBE SESSION
Raps ‘Young, Inexperienced’
Flyers Who Are Favoring
Unified Service.
PERSONAL GREED BLAMED
. FOR POPULARITY OF VIEW
: “Marine Corps” Plan Is Based on
“Utter Fallacy,” Navy Chief
Says at Inquiry.
The Navy presented a solid front
for continuation of its Air Seifice in
its present form, when the aviation
hoard of inquiry resumed its hearings
today. From Secretary Wilbur and
Hear Admiral Eberle. the chief of
operations, came the warning that a
radical change now would constitute
“a well nigh irreparable mistake.”
It was the Navy's day before the
President's investigating body and
hour after hour its ranking officers
poured into the minds of the commit
tee high technical statements and im
posing arrays of figures in support of
its demand that the Naval Air Service
be maintained as "an essential part of
’v, the fabric of the Navy itself.”
Air Force Integral Part.
"The effect of the batteries of our
ships will be almost wholly lost with
out the assistance of our air force to
fire effective on the gun range of the
battle of tomi#row,” Secretary Wil
bur declared. The air force is an in
tegral part of the very fabric of the
Navy itself. It cannot be forced into
a separate corps.
“Any attempt to do this would con
sist in amputating from the Navy a
part of its very being. The argument
advanced by so many young and in
experienced naval aviators that they
desire a separate air corps analagous
to the Marine Corps is based on utter
fallacy and complete misunderstand
ing.”
Time and again Mr. Wilbur referred
to those of the naval Air Service who
would like to see it become one with
„ the Army Air Service as "inexperi
enced young men.” He even accused
them of being persuaded to their views
by ideas of personal greed, of wishing
to make the Navy impotent that they
personally might win higher promo
tion and increased pay.
Limitations of Planes.
"The higher officers of the Navy.”
Mr. Wilbur added, "understand the
limitations of aviation. These enthusi
astic flying officers cannot possibly
understand these limitations.” Then
reading from the report of the special
naval board of inquiry, which went
into the entire question of the effi
ciency of the battleships, submarines
and airplanes, he added, with delib
erate emphasis:
“Flying officers must be naval offi
cers first!”
Before completing his testimony
Secretary Wilbur introduced to the
board the officers he had brought to
* the hearing with him to present fur
ther testimony. First among these
was Rear Admiral Eberle. then Rear
Admiral Straus, Rear Admiral Moffett,
chief of the Bureau of Aeronautics:
Rear Admiral Hughes, Maj. Gen. Le-
Jeune, commandant of the Marine
Corps, and Capt. A. W. John
son, who is soon to be relieved as
assistant chief of the Bureau of Aero
nautics by Comdr. John A. Rodgers.
"I am sorry, too, that my Marine
Corps aid. .Maj. Brainerd. is not here.”
Secretary Wilbur concluded. "He
spent 10 hours adrift in the Gull'
Stream in an airplane once, and he
knows something about the relation
between air and water.” The specta
tors laughed heartily at the correla
tion and the members of the board
suppressed their laughs into quick
smiles.
Rodgers to Be Called.
Secretary Wilbur disclosed that the
board had requested permission to
bear testimony from Comdr. Rodgers.
He pointed out that the commander of
the recent attempted flight to Hawaii
( would not land on the Pacific Coast
until Thursday, that he had an en
gagement in St. Louis en route to
Washington and that he would arrive
"in due course,” if that was satisfac
tory to the board.
Dwight W. Morrow, the chairman,
then intormed Mr. Wilbur that the
board would like to hear from Comdr.
Rodgers by not later than September
30. Mr. Wilbur replied that he would
probably have to "fly” to get here in
such a short spuce of time, but added
that every effort would be made to
meet the wishes of the committee.
There was much logical speculation
after this brief passage at words.
Comdr. Rodgers, it should be remem
bered. asked permission to remain on
I flying duty when he was offered the
’ post of assistant chief of the Bureau
of Aeronautics. This request was de
nied. Now there is speculation as to
whether or not he might have some
personal ideas as to the administration
of the air services.
Favors Preseii! Policy.
Secretary Wilbur skipped over most
of his written statement, submitting
it to the board to read at its leisure.
He made few recommendations for
betterment and none of outstanding
importance from a defensive point of
view. He answered negatively the
questions as to what he thought of
the establishment of a unified air serv
ice. adoption of the "Marine Corps
idea” or the creation of a minister of
defense.
On the question of whether the pres
ent organization should be continued
substantially in its present form, how
ever, his response was an emphatic
and solemn 'Yes!” "If no serious
mistakes are made,” he explained,
“all defects, real or imaginary, in
aviation in the Navy will be correct
ed. But the mistake of establishing
a separate department or corps would
be well-nigh irreparable.”
Praises Navy Service.
In this position Admiral Eberle sup
ported Secretary Wilbur without qual
ification. Adoption of plans suggest
ed by such men as Col. William Mit
chell. he said, without mentioning any
names, would "bring disaster to the
national defense interests.” “It is
considered, he added, "that our Navy
% has progressed further in aviation
development than any nation of the
world.”
"The Naval Air Service goes to
m (Continued on Page 5, Column ti.)
EXCESSIVE EXPANSION NOTICED
BEFORE SHENANDOAH BREAK-UP
New Note Introduced in Testimony Today—Wit
nesses, in Accord, Tell Vivid Stories in Con
nection With Disaster.
i
| By the Associated Press.
I LAKEHURST, N. J., September 22.
A new bit of testimony—that there
was unusual expansion of the gas
cells before the airship Shenandoah
broke up—was given today before the
naval court of inquiry investigating
the loss of the ship.
Lieut. Thomas S. Hendley. com
munieations officer, testified that he
was awakened by the pressure of a
gas cell on his face and likewise by
the unusual angle at which the ship
was riding. Previous testimony had
been at this time the Shenandoah was
above her pressure height—that is.
where the inside pressure of gas
equaled the outside pressure of the
air.
Before Lieut. Hendley was called
Lieut. Charles E. Bauch, watch officer
on duty at the time, declared inspec
tion some time before the accident
showed that the gas pressure was not
excessive.
Both Lieuts. Hendley and Bauch ns
well as Lieut. Roland G. Mayer, con
struction officer on board, agreed with
other witnesses that the break-up oc
curred when the ship's nose was sud
denly tilted up during a second rapid
ascent.
Stories as told by civilian eyewit
nesses to the special investigating
naval board were summarized to the
court by Comdr. Jacob H. Klein, presi-
Further Building
Os Dirigibles by
IL S. Waits Probe
By the Associated Press.
No steps toward construction of )
a new dirigible are contemplated I
by President Coolidge pending the
outcome of inquiry now in progress
at Lakehurst into the wreck of the
Shenandoah.
The President does not expect,
however, that the inquiry will re
veal such difficulties in dirigible
building as to convince the Gov
ernment it should abandon such
construction.
WOMAN IS SLAIN
IN LUMBER KILN
Placed in Furnace Alive,
Fireman, Arrested, Says
He Feared Poisoning.
By the Associated Pr<-«c
NEW YORK, September 22.—Mrs.
Sophie Poieski, whose body was found
by police today in the furnace of an
East Side lumber yard kiln, was
placed in the furnace wfyiLe still alive
and was burned to death. Medical Ex
aminer Schwartz announced following
an autopsy.
Two fractures were found on the
woman's skull. George Symuk, fire
man in charge of the furnace, was ar
rested and charged with Mrs. Pole
ski's death after a policeman had been
attracted to the lumber yard by the
woman's screams.
George Symuk. fireman of the lum
l>er yard, was arrested for the wom
an's death.
Patrolman William Merrick, hear
ing a woman’s screams coming from
the lumber yard, investigated. As he
scrambled over the piles of lumber the
screams ceased.
Merrick found Symuk near the fur
nace. but he denied that a woman was
on the premises. As Merrick began to ;
question him, Symuk fled and Mer- j
rick fired his revolver. The shot was
heard by two other patrolmen, who |
caught the fireman and took him back I
to the furnace room. The officers !
found Mrs. Poieski's body inside the j
furnace, the door of which had been
closed and a shovel proped against it.
Symuk told the police that the wom
an often visited him at the yard and
that*she once threatened to poison;
him. When she brought him two hot- j
ties of wine early this morning he |
suspected that she had placed poison '
in the wine. He said he beat her over
the head with v a bottle and then carried |
her body from an office in the main
building to the furnace room. Police
said Mrs. Poieski was gagged before
being placed in the furnace.
Symuk told his captors that when
he ran from the lumber yard he in
tended to commit suicide by jumping
into the East River nearby. He was
held on a charge of homicide.
A new angle in the case developed
when detectives found John Poieski,
the dead woman’s husband, in bed at
his home with a serious wound on the
head. He was taken to the district at
torney’s office for questioning.
AIR PILOT NEAR DEATH.
Mail-Carrying Plane Crashes to
Earth During Flight.
ATLANTIC, lowa. September 22 (4 1 ).
—W. C. Hopson, air mail pilot, nar
rowly escaped death when his plane
crashed to earth southeast of Anita,
near here, yesterday, it was learned.
The plane was badly damaged and
the pilot was severely bruised.
The electric beacon at Anita was
not in operation and in the darkness
and storm the pilot lost his way.
The plane was taken to Omaha and
the mail was taken aboard another
plane.
“Were They Goldfish?” France Asks
Berlin of Stock Hurt in Plane Fall
By the Associated Press.
PARIS, September 22. —Germany, it
now develops, is asking 3,000 marks
reparation for “damage caused to the
fish” when the French aviator Dieu
donne Coste fell into the river near
Freiburg-in-Breisgau, Baden, and the
French are facetiously asking whether
the stream is stocked with goldfish.
Coste has been held by the Germans
since September 13, the date of the
accident, in which his companion.
Roberta Thierry, w i>? killed. Tn ad
dition in the reparations for the fish
©f)e JEtienitw Jsfef.
V y J V WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION
WASHINGTON, D. C., TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1925-FORTY PAGES. *
dent of that board. He said the two
most intelligent of these witnesses
agreed that the ship broke at the bot
tom. Others, less intelligent. Comdr.
Klein said, insisted that the craft
‘ humped up” and broke at the top.
The special board was told by some
farmers near the scene of the wreck
that the wind was the strongest they
' had ever experienced. Comdr. Klein
said it appeared that the wind was
coming from all directions at once.
None of the witnesses saw any
lightning near the ship, Comdr.
Klein added, and there was no evi
dence that there was any fire of any
kind before, at the time of, or after
the craft broke up.
After all the officers of the Shen
andoah have been heard the court
will face the question of the additional
witnesses to be called. * •
Stories Show Aceord.
There was practically complete
agreement between the officers and
men who testified yesterdav as to
just what the ship did before the
crash as she was making a second
rapid ascent in the squall. None of
fered any suggestions, however, as to
what caused the wreck; whether it
was due solely to the storm or to
some inherent weakness in the ship
itself. There was no reference to the
structural changes which had been
made in the ship to accomodate water
tanks, hut it is stated on behalf of
(Continued on Page 4, Column 2.)
HOPE m FRENCH
AGREEMENT GROWS
Debt Settlement Appears
Probable as Both Sides
Accept Principles.
Prospects of success in the forth
coming Franco-American debt nego
tiations today appeared brighter than
ever.
Although there was no official or
observer in the Capital who would
go so far as to predict definitely that
the French debt of more than 14.000,- j
000.000 to the United States will be
funded, several factois combined to !
indicate that the two countries are !
now nearer a solution of the delicate i
and troublesome question than at any j
stage of the several approaches made !
since the war.
Admittedly, the French negotiations ‘
are looked'forward to with consider- 1
able uncertainty, both on account of
the failure to make substantial prog
ress in the past, when advances were
made by French re presen tatl vs In dis
cussing their debt, and on account of
the present economic situation of
France, about which there seem* to
be difference of opinion in various
quarters.
Agree on Principles.
Hopeful signs, however, are plain
From the steamship Paris, with
Finance .Minister Caillaux and his
commission aboard, now approaching
American shores, and from American
officials have come assurances that
the two debt commissions are pre
pared to get together for an imme
diate businesslike consideration of the
problem.
Both commissions alreadv under
stand. it was said here yesterday, that
a basis acceptable to both, in brief, is
that the entire principal is to he met.
and that the negotiations will turn on
the kind of terms and the interest
rate which will constitute payments
such as France will be able' under
her present economic situation to
meet.
j ''Capacity to pay”—those words.
I (Continued on Page 4, Column 4.)
SHENANDOAH DAMAGE
TO FARMERS DENIED
i Klein Declares Losses More Than
Covered by Admission Fees
to See Ship.
By the Associated Press.
LAKEHURST, N. J., September 22.
—One of the three Ohio farmers on
whose property parts of the wreckage
of the airship Shenandoah fell took
In 55.00 D in admission charges to tour
ists and for sofe drink concessions, the
naval court of inquiry was told here
today by Comdr. Jacob H. Klein, presi
dent of the special board which inves
tigated the wreck.
This farmer Is C. W. Nlswonger and
it was on his property that the main
section of the wreck came to rest.
Comdr. Klein said Nlswonger showed
him his bank bool; carrying deposits
in this amount from September 3 to 8.
Because of this the officer recommend
ed that Niswonger's claim for ssoo
damages to property be disallowed.
The other farmers, a Mr. Davis and
Ernest W. Nichols, put in no claim,
but each made an unnamed amount
from tourists. Andy Gamary, who
rents part of Davis' place, claimed
$2OO damages by reason of the control
car and part of the ship falling on his
property. Comdr. Klein recommended
that he receive $111.75 and that a
claim for damage to the linoleum on
his kitchen floor be disallowed.
‘‘l do not think the United States
Government is responsible for this
damage,” Comdr. Klein said.
the Gerhian government is demanding
payment of a 6,000-mark fine for fly
ing over German territory without
permission.
It is expected that the matter will
be amicably arranged, although the
French government objects to the fine
on the ground that the aviators did
not purposely' fly over German terri
tory, but merely lost their way in the
clouds. ___________________
Rr.dio Programs—Page 24.
PRESIDENT TO LET
CONGRESS FIX ITS.
ARMS PARLEY ROLE
i :
! Wants to Do Nothing to Dis
courage League’s Plan,
However.
GENEVA IS UNDECIDED
ON BID TO AMERICANS
j Questions Whether Experts Could
Work on Body Directed
* by Council.
I ■
By the Associated Press,
i American participation in disarma
j ment conference plans of the league
I of Nations should only he undertaken
j on congressional authorization, in the |
, judgment of President Coolidge.
The President wants to do nothing
j to discourage effort* for a cut in arma
ment by mutual agreement, but he is
not inclined to co-operate in a League
of Nations disarmament conference if
there is a possibility that Congress
will olfject.
No suggestion whether the Wash
ington Government will he asked to \
take part in the expert committees of i
i the league which will discuss plans !
I for a disarmament agreement has
i reached here through official channels.
| LEAGUE HEADS PUZZLED.
\ ‘
Doubt United States Could Send Ex- j
perts to Aid Parley Plans.
By the Associated Pres.
GENKVA. September ??.—The ques
| tion whether the United States is to
j he invited to send experts to Geneva
| to aid in the technical preparations
for the League of Nations disarms-
I ment conference, on the holdings of
j which the leaders of the assembly of
j the league, including delegates of
I Great Britain and France. have
' reached an accord, and whether Amer- j
j leans will sit on the study commission
! still remains unanswered. The prln ;
: eipal spokesman for the various dele-
I gatlons are side-stepping the question, !
j saving that it Is one for the assembly
! as a whole to reply to.
j The preivarations for the disarma- j
[ ment conference are to start lmmedi
' ately, but, in accordance with the j
; agreement reached yesterday to hold
I it, convocation will occur only when
j the council of the league is sur/' that
• security has been attained. “A mm
j mission to study for the reduction and
| limitation of armaments” will be the
; name of the new organism. All states
! having special interests in the dis- j
j armament problem ami which are not
\ represented in the council will have
I a place on the commission.
U. S. Consent Doubted.
i
! It is generally conceded that an in
, vitation will be forwarded to Wash
• ington to send experts to Geneva to
! assist in the preparatory work, but
! doubt is expressed that the United
States will consent to place its rep
! resentatives under such direct control
I of the* council of the leagus as is
i envisaged for the commission,
j Earlier in the assembly meetings
there were suggestions of British op
-1 position to a league armament con
j ference on the ground that Great Brit
ain preferred one at Washington.
The league is also to hold an eco
■ j nomic conference, as suggested by
France. Representation of the United
i J States is regarded as necessary to
. ' make it international, but if the Unit
i !ed States does not participate, there
; will be an European economic confer
• i ence. Preparations for this confer
’ ! ence will start when the council of
> I the league decider, the time opportune.
j Viscount Cecil in saying that Great
■ Britain was immensely interested in
l such a conference, denied that the
■ British people were showing a luke-
I warm attitude toward the league. He
. i said they were resolved to support the
j league by every means possible.
Treat} - Reference Deleted.
I i Furthermore the delegates deleted
j from the original draft of the resolu
| tion all phrases drawing attention to
i the fact that the conference is for
1 j the study and remodelling of treaties
! and contented themselves with an ex
! pression of deep interest in the plan
| (Continued on Page 2, Column 4.)
| GAMBLING PLUNGER
KIDANPED BY BANDITS
; Ransom or Revenge Are Seen as
Motives of Men Who Held -
Up Machine.
1 !
i 1
By the Associated Press.
I j CHICAGO, September 22.—Ransom
5 ; or revenge were police theories today
; |on the kidnaping of two armed men
l of Henry Belford. known as a wealthy
i real estate dealer but identified by his
l I wife afc "Hickory Slim.” one of the
• 1 biggest gambling plungers in the
;I country.
I ! The revenge theory held that some
I I heavy ioser in Belford's operations,
i I which raised him from the crap
1 ! shooting class to the millionaire rank
1 i as a bookmaker, may have decided to
1 ! punish him.
, . Mrs. Belford told the police of the
, i kidnaping early last night. She and
her husband were returning from a
- theater a short distance from their
fashionable hotel, when two men halt
ed their automobile, demanding money
an d Jewelry*
| She threw Jewelry valued at $2,000
L on the fl°o r and stepped out. The
men drove off with her husband.
When she told them her husband
was ‘‘Hickory Slim,” police recalled
’ the stories of the famous plunges
1 credited to him. “Hickory Slim”
’ had a luck or acumen, that was pro
, 'verblal. His associates were wont to
» declare his talisman was the first
' dollar he cut from a crap game. His
j rise to wealth was steady.
His most recent coups were made at
, Hawthorne track, where, with a New
York bookmaker, he cleaned up SIOO.-
L 000 or more a day. His real estate
1 holdings in Florida were listed at
• 1 SSIM>,WO.
J*
THE “RED” FOX—AN UP-TO-DATE FABLE.
EDGE PLAN MERIT
SEEN BY COOLIDGE
Is Not Opposed to Blanket
Authority for Re
organization.
BY J. RUSSELL YOUNG.
The proposal of Senator Edge of
New Jersey to give the President au
thority to reorganize the departments
of the Government at his own discre
tion is not opposed by President Cool
idge.
This was learned at the White
House today when it was explained
by a spokesman for him that Presi- '
dent Coolidge is deply impressed with
what Senator Edge told him yesterday
regarding his intention to Introduce a
resolution at the coming session of
Congress that would permit the Ex
ecutive to transfer and co-ordinate de
partments at wili. It was explained
further that the President is commit
ted only to one plan for reorganiza
tion. That is known as the Smoot
plan.
Thinks Action Needed.
It was added, however, that the fact
that the President ts committed only
to the Smoot plan docs not mean that
he would not favor the proposal of
Senator Edge. The President was
represented as feeling that the time
has come when there should be a gen
eral reorganization of the various de
partments and bureaus of the Govern
ment. and. inasmuch as the Smoot bill
is the result of several years' study
made of the subject by the joint con
gressional committee on reorganiza
tion and has the approval of the ad
ministration. the President naturally
will use influence of his office to bring
about enactment of this legislation.
But those who know him well feed
that he was sufficiently "impressed
with the idea for reorganization ad
vanced by Senator Edge yesterday to
approve the latter’s resolution in the
event the Smoot bill has no chance
for success.
One of the arguments offered by
Senator Edge was that, because of
the general nature of the Smoot bill,
it will meet with opposition of snch
a formidable nature that its passage
will be impossible, and that his pro
posed resolution unquestionably stands
a better chance for approval. The
President, however, made no com
ment today as to the treatment the
Smoot hill probably will receive
when it comes before Congress; nor
did he indicate that he agreed with
Senator Edge that the latter’s pro
posal would have easier sailing.
Wants Efficiency Improved.
The President wants to establish
a greater efficiency in the Federal
department by eliminating the great
mass of duplicated effort, and this
can only be done, he believes, by the
method of practical reorganization..
As for the blanket authority Senator
Edge would vest in the President of
the United States. President Coolidge
is represented as feeling that such
authority might prove very helpful,
but at the same time he is not un
mindful of the fact that too much
executive authority might some time
prove inconvenient.
During the President's discussion
of' this proposed legislation today,
he wag represented as not touching
upon the declaration made by Sena
tor Edge that he wants to see the
Shipping Board abolished tnd its
functions and those of the Emergency
Fleet Corporation transferred to some
one of the departments, preferably
the Department of Commerce.
•
SAVED ON SCAFFOLD.
King Boris Reprieves Conspirator
as Noose Is Being Fitted.
SOFIA. Bulgaria. September 22 (A*).
j us t as the rope was being adjusted
about the neck of a Communist con
spirator today a reprieve from King
Boris arrived. ;
This is the first instance of the King
annulling a sentence of death after
it had been confirmed and signed by
him.
I King Boris is known for his an
tipathy toward capital punishment.
He was said to have agreed to the
execution of those responsible for the
recent cathedral borpbing and ter
roristic campaign In Bulgaria only
after lengthy importunities from, his
counselors.
Tokio Fire Laid to Workmen.
TOKIO, September 22 (&). Three
workmen have been held for trial in
connection with the destruction of the
Diet Building here nn September 18.
It may develop th u the fire was m
incendiary origin.
Gout Killed Adam*
Ancient Document
In London Asserts
By tbo Associated Press.
LONDON, September 22. —Adam
died of gout, says an ancient
document held by the Heralds'
; College of London. The document,
| the origin of which is unknown.
| but which was written in the six
i teenth century, professes to trace
| the genealogy of the Saxon kings
) back to Adam and Eve.
I It asserts that Adam succumbed
to "gawte" and was buried in
Hebron. Whether, if he had con
tinued to eat an apple a day he
would have kept the doctor away,
is not mentioned.
ASKS BALTIMORE’S
AID IN PARK PLANS
| Sherrill Urges Rotary Club to
Helo Work of Developing
Area Between Cities.
Special Dispatch tn The Star.
BALTIMORE. Md.. September 22.
—Need of a comprehensive plan of
regional development of the National
Capital being put on a sound basis
in the near future, to the end that
parkways and watersheds in Wash
ington and vicinity may he obtained
i before they fail into the hands of land
; speculators, was pointed out this
| afternoon to the Rotary Club of Bal
; tiniore. at its luncheon meeting in
I the Hotel Rennera here, by Lieut.
( Col. Clarence O. Sherrill, director of
; the office of public buildings and pub
; lie parks of the National Capital.
Col. Sherrill told of the plans as
now laid down, of the co-operation
being given by Gov. Ritchie and the
Maryland Suburban Sanitary Comm-is
sion and Gov. Trinkle of Virginia,
and explained how important it was
also to Baltimore to aid to the fullest
extent in the plan which eventually
will Join the two cities by an inter
vening area of parks, boulevards and
a well-planned home development.
Forests Must Be Saved.
Not only Rock Creek, the Northwest
Branch, the Potomac and Anacostia
rivers must be protected, but the
Patuxent and Patapsco rivers must
be taken into consideration, with the
idea of preserving the forested areas
along their banks for park areas and
great national playgrounds, he said.
"The rapid growth of the popula
tion around the National Capital with
in the counties of Montgomery and
Prince Georges. Md.," said Col. Sher
rill. "serves to emphasize the impor
tance of this comprehensive plan of
development being put on a sound
basis in the near future. Although
divided geographically by invisible
lines from the District of Columbia,
these sections in Maryland are so
closely associated that it is evident
i that the planning of the area outside
: of the District should be closely co-
I ordinated with the planning of the
Federal City.
j "While it is true that the Patuxent
1 and Patapsco Rivers do not imruedi
i ately affect the District of Columbia.
1 the conservation of their stream flow
(Continued on Page 2, Column 7.)
Burglar Scare Brings Riot Squad
To Fashionable Home—for Lowly Rat
At 4 o'clock this morning the tele
phone at No. 3 precinct station aroused
a sleepy desk man from his lethargy
with the Information that burglars
were rampant in the fashionable
Sheridan Circle section.
“This is Mrs. Hilliard, at 2131 Mas
sachusetts avenue," the shrill voice
at the end of the line gasped. “Come
quick, there’s somebody in the base
ment!”
The sergeant jumped to his feet,
only to find that the squqdroom at
that moment was empty. During the
next few moments, while he was en
deavoring frantically to round up
the precinct's burglar sleuths, the
same voice called twice more for as
sistance.
The riot squad meanwhile swung
into action with faces set and guns
ready. The distance from Twentieth
and K streets to Twenty-second street
and Massachusetts avenue was cov
ered in record time. As the big gray
front of the big stone residence loomed
Into v*ew the policemen dismounted
an<i % *»t»i— ied stealthily to (hr- sre"e.
inspection of the outside of
V
“From Press to Home
Within the Hour”
The Star's carrier system covers
every city bloc* and the regular edi
tion is delivered to Washington homes
as fast as the papers are printed.
Yesterday’s Circulation, 94,557.
UP) Mean* Aaiociated Pre»«. TWO CENTS.
SCHOOL ROUND-UP
WILL BE LAUNCHED
Authorities to Seek All Chil
dren Due in Classes
i
Under New Law.
With previous opening day enroll- j
ment records shattered, the public ;
schools are looking toward the largest
pupil expansion in their history this ;
year as a result of an announcement j
today by Miss Fay L. Bentley, diree- |
tor of the department of school at- '
tendance and work permits that a !
dragnet would be spread over the Dis- j
trict at the close of the week to round
up children affected by the compul
sory education law, who have not re
ported to school.
While the compulsory education law
already has played a large part in in
creasing the enrollment record for
the first day of school, Miss Bentley
believes there are yet some children
affected by the law who have not en
rolled. Principals of all schools, paro
chial and private as well as public,
have been notified to furnish Miss
Bentley at the close of the first week
of school with the names of pupils
who attended their schools last year
and who did not report back this
year. These cases wil be investigated.
This method of checking up will be
one of Miss Bentley's mediums of en
forcing the new law.
61,679 Are Registered.
The schools began the new term
yesterday with a record-breaking first
day enrollment of 61,679, an increase
of 2.054 over the first day of school
in 1924. Further increases are looked
for daily until October 15. when the
peak probably will be reached. By
that time school officials anticipate an
enrollment exceeding 69,000, or about
2.000 more than were enrolled last
year.
Distribution of the total of 61.679
was as follows: High schools. 11.746,
an increase of 967 over last year; ele
(ContiAued on Page 2, Column 3.)
CONTRACTS AWARDED
FOR STREET GRADING
Commissioners Also Authorize
Building of Another Section
of Rock Creek Sewer.
A contract for the grading of sev
eral new streets was awarded by the
Commissioners today to G. B. Mullin,
Co., Inc.
The streets to be graded are; Sec
ond place northwest, Tuckerman to
Underwood streets;- Upland terrace.
Thirty-third street to Western avenue
northwest; South Dakota avenue
northeast from Monroe street to Otis,
and from Otis to Twentieth street;
Gault place northeast, east of Forty
second street.
The Commissioners also gave a con
tract to the Kirwan Engineering Com
pany to build another section of the
Flock Creek interceptor sewer at a
cost of This large sewer is
being constructed to intercept the
sewage which now flows into Rock
Creek.
the house convinced the officers there
was no way of escape from the base
ment. except through the front door
way,'so they went to the entrance and
were admitted into dimlv-lighted re
ception hall, where Airs. Hilliard and
several pale woman servants had
gathered.
"Down there.” one of the servants
Whispered. "Listen, you can hear
him at work.”
The policemen beht forward, cocked
their ears and detected a slight
scratching sound emanating from the
basement. Motioning for the others
to follow, the leader of the squad tip
toed down the steps, revolver in
hand. The scratching noise con
tinued. It came from the direction of
the furnace. It seemed to be inside
the boiler.
A flashlight shot its rays ahead and
focussed inside the boiler. There en
sued the sounds of a desperate en
counter, followed by a thud and then
silence.
The squad returned to the station
house, its work done.
“Any burglars?” the sergeant in
r;ulred eagerly as they entered.
"Rats," was the only reply.
• A
TRACTION MERGER
|IN FUTURE PLANNED
FOLLOWING SURVEY
i North American Co. to Study
Engineers’ Report With
End in View.
REROUTING IS ADVOCATED
IF CONSOLIDATION FAILS
! No Immediate Steps to Be Taken,
But Eventual Uniting of Street
Railways Is Expected.
BY ( HAS. P. SHAKFFER.
The North American Co. hopes
; eventually to control and merge the
' two local street railway lines opera t
i ing in Washington. This fact was
■ by inference but firmly established
lat a conference held with North
• American officials in New York City
yesterday.
Denying the imminence of a
! merger, these officials declared the
I comprehensive survey of Washington
I transportation problems. recently
} completed by the engineering firm of
McClellan & Junkersfeld, would be
; subjected to a minute analysis by
! traction experts of the company, and
i if findings were justified the North
j American Co. would take steps to
| • add to their already large interests
| in Capital street railway lines.
I i It was readily admitted by Edwin
j Gruhl, vice president and general
: manager of the North American Co..
| who is the directing genius in the
, j local situation, that the primary pur
j pose of the survey of McClellan &
i Junkersfeld was in anticipation of a
i future merger of local street railway
' lines, but emphasis was laid on the
j fact that if such action did not take
■ place the expenditure of the sum
! necessary to completing the survey
i would be a prudent disbursement to
] protect an investment of between
1 ; *4.000,000 and *5,000,000, the amount.
; of the company's present interest in
: j Washington street railway lines.
Denies Entire Ownership.
! Mr. Gruhl declared that approxi
j mately 75 per cent of the $6,500,000
• common stock of the Washington Rail
j way and Electric Co. was owned by
i the North American Co.; a relatively
j small amount of the $8,500,000 of pre
. I ferred. and an also comparatively small
| amount of Capital Traction's $12,000.-
r (000 of capital stock. It was further de
, termined that North American inter
' • ests are not npw in the market for any
' J of these stooksrfiaving lost interest in
■ Railway common, their latest activity,
i when that issue was selling more than
30 points belotv its present level. Fur
thermore, according to Mr. Gruhl, the
I company has no physical interest
! whatsoever in the Washington Rapid
Transit Co., nor does it have any
' agreement whereby shares or control
' can be acquired at a later date.
! Mr. Gruhl emphatically denied the
1 ! allegations contained in an advertise
\ J ment of Coburn. Kittredge & Co., Bos
-1 i ton brokers, that the North American
i Co. owned and controlled the entire
i Washington Railway and Electric sys
tem in Washington, and advanced the
information that a letter had gone for-
J! ward asking that this statement be
*■ j stricken from future advertising,
j j In the opinion of North American
! j officials, the recently completed sur-
J ; vey. if not instrumental in facilitating
® I a merger of the two street railway
' j lines, will hring to the surface such
? j essential information that a rerout
| ing of the present lines could be es
-1 | fected by the Utilities Commission,
} j conforming with the salient facts of
j the survey.
Improvement Needed.
were no denials on the part
'• of Mr. Gruhl that the present sys
' tern needs improvement. The sur
| | vey. it was recalled, showed a super
' I fiuity of cars in isolated or barren
territories, and an inadequate num
| j ber on arterial lines during rush
• \ hours. Then. too. attention was
j called to the inability of local lines
] to operate the maximum number of
; ! car miles per car hours, this de
" j iinquency being measured by other
i cities of corresponding sjze. Much
i of the trouble now existing locally
I could be eliminated, Mr. Gruh! be
i lieves, through the medium of terout
j ing, even to the extent of utilizing
- competitive trackage. He alsi added
s ; that a new and faster time schedule;
, i with the threat of dismissal to the
j first man who couldn’t conform to
. j its requirements, had materially in
j I creased service in other cities within
his knowledge.
» | North American officials tactfully
? j declined to shed any light on the prob
, able nature of a merger if such could
; be effected. It v’as stated. l\wever,
L that the usual form of such proced
ures was a cash offer for a majority
purchase of interested stock. #
. I The matter of merger of the two
j properties is primarily a matter of
j : agreement between the companies in
s j (Continued on Page 2, Column 5.;
e I •
:|LAST day of summer
FINDS CITY SHIVERING
l
- !
I Mercury Drops to 55 Degrees, and
! Will Stay Low. According
e j
-; to Weather Man.
a ‘!
j 'Tis the last day of Summer, and a
cl I right chilly departure she will take
d {when she passes out of the picture to
morrow morning at 8:44 o’clock, ac
s coftllng to the Weather Bureau,
r Autumn just couldn’t wait to make
her debut, it seems, and so the fore
a caster found his thermometer at a
t low ebb today. Fifty-eight degrees the
B mercury registered at noon, which was
s only three points higher than the mini
mum of 55 reached during the past
n 24 hours.
i Not much chahge in temperature is
,| in sight for the immediate future
r i either, Forecaster Welghtman opines.
e j To add to the discomfort there will
i probably be a number of shivery
' showers tonight and tomorrow, he as
'■ j serts.
Washington is only one of a score
1 ; of cities throughout the country whose
!inhabitants are unpacking cedar chests
i j today. In North Dakota the mecury
was near the freezing point today,
- while in the Yellowstone It stood at
28 and in Sheridan, Wye., at 30 de
grees.