Evening star. [volume], October 14, 1925, Image 1

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

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W LATHER.
(T7. S. Weather Bureau Forecast.)
Rain tonight and tomorrow morn
ing. partly cloudy tomorrow afternoon,
warmer tonight, cooler tomorrow.
Temperatures—Highest, 63, at 2:45
p.m. yesterday; lowest. 48. at 12:30
a.m. today. Full report on page 5.
Closing N. Y. Stocks and Bonds, Page 30
-vt on Entered as second class matter
ISO. 0,1. post office, Washington. D. C.
NAT-PIRATE GAME
IS BALKED BY RAIN;
MORE DELAY SEEN
Pittsburgh in for Siege of Bad
Weather, According to
Forecaster.
BOTH CLUBS’ PITCHERS
WILL BENEFIT BY REST
Johnson and Aldridge Were
Scheduled to Meet in Deciding
Clash Today.
BY DENMAN THOMPSON.
Sports Editor. Washington Star.
FORBES FIELD. Pittsburgh. Octo
ber 14. —Rain forced postponement of
the deciding clash between It ashing
ton and Pittsburgh for the world
championship here this afternoon.
Commissioner Landis waited until
2:32 p.m. before deciding that the
continued precipitation would pre
clude play.
'With several days of bad weather
predicted by the official Government
forecaster for this section, the pros
pect was for a long delay before i
the 1925 world series could be decided. J
The delay was regarded as likely j
to prove beneficial to both clubs, as j
It would give the rival pitching staffs j
additional time for recuperation from
their earlier efforts.
A half hour before starting time j
interjnittent drops of moisture in-1
dicated that it was only a 'lues- j
tlon of time before rain in sufficient
quantity to prevent play might set
In. Ten minutes later the downfall
had assumed the proportions of aj
ligfyt drizzle, with a brisk breeze from
the southwest driving storm-laden
clouds toward the battlefield. Many
spectators, prepared for just such an
emergency, sat in their seats with
umbrellas raised, but some 500 news
paper men and telegraph operators.
* along with .the thousands of fans In
the uncovered stands, faced the pros
pect of a good drenching.
Champions Practice in Rain.
Preparation hv the athletes for play |
went on as usual, but with only 20 |
minutes left t>efore the starting hour,
the Pittsburgh ground crew made prep
arations to spread the huge canvas
tarpaulin over the infield. Although
Commissioner Landis, whose word is
final in everything pertaining to world \
series, let It be known that he planned
to have the game started regardless
of prevailing conditions, the precipita
tion by this time. 15 minutes before
the barrier was due to he sprung, had
Increased in intensity, but the Wash
ington players trotted out for the usual
fielding practice.
The expected announcement that
Johnson would make his third start
in an effort to record as many vic
tories was forthcoming from Manager
Stanley Harris, despite the fact that
Barney had had but two days of rest
and was suffering with a lame leg.
At this point, 10 minutes before!
game time, although the drizzle had
decreased slightly, the covering was
spread over the infield, with the um
pires gathered at the home plate mark
ing time. At the zero hour no word
had been forthcoming from Commis
sioner Landis, who sat in his unpro
tected front seat vigorously puffing
at a cigar. This indicated the com
missioner had determined to await
developments in the weather. It still
was drizzling steadily. At five min
utes past two. Manager McKechnie of
the Pirates crossed the field to Mr.
Landis’ box, as the rain descended
steadily, and after a five-minute con
ference Judge Landis sent word to
the press to ‘‘sit tight for a while.”
The rain by this time had slackened
a trifle, constituting a steady drizzle.
Comedians Go Swimming.
Some 10 minutes later the fans be
gan yelling. "Call it off!” came from
those in the unprotected seats and
"Play!” from the spectators i>rotected
from the elements. Promptly at 2:20
pm. the umpires made a pilgrimage
from the Pirates’ bench, where they
had sought shelter, to Commissioner
Landis’ box as Nick Altrock and A1
Schacht provoked merriment by start
ing out to the diamond wearing hip
boots and carrying agyly-covered um
brellas. Seated on the tarpaulin, the
comedians put on their well known
fishing stunt, in which they fall out of
the boat and Schacht swims to the
rescue of Altrock its the crowd roared
with merriment. Commissioner Landis
then sent further word to the press
to “sit tight for 10 minutes,” as Al
trock amused the throng by taking
running dives on the ground. A slight
sign of clearing skies caused the cen
ter-field hleacherites to raise a cheer i
at this point.
Then came the official announce
ment that the game was off.
JOHNSON WAS CHOICE.
Ready to Go to Mound With But
* Little Rest.
FORBES FIELD. PITTSBURGH, Pa..
October 14 (A*).—Under overcast and
threatening skies the greatest crush
of fans that lias yet attempted to see
the 1925 championship games eddied
and swirled about Forbes Field to
gain places in the background of the
* seventh and deciding battle between
Washington and Pittsburgh.
It seemed from the size of the rap
idly gathering throng more than two
hours before the game that the park's
capacity of about 45,000 would be ex
tended, with probably as many more
vainly seeking admittance.
Enthusiasm, aroused to high pitch
•yesterday when the Pirates won their
second straight game to tie the series
at three victories each, grew by leaps
' and bounds overnight. There were
wild scenes outside the park through
out the morning as the crowds strug
gled and pushed their way into lines
that stretched almost, without end in
all directions from the main gates.
This was to be the crucial test to
day. with the veteran Washington
club fighting to defend its title against
the onrush of the inspired young
Pirate horde, but there was a prospec
tive individual clash that almost over
shadowed the main goal—a probable
pitchers' battle between the two un
defeated twirling heroes of the rival
clubs, Walter Johnson and Victor Ald
ridge.
Overnight It developed that the rival
“(Continued on Page 2, Column 3.)
■'■■■■ ■! I - ■
Town’s Bakeries
Closed, Gouging
Bakers in Jail
By the Aaeo<-iate<l Preas.
CALAHORRA. Spain. October 14.
—This town of about 11,000 has
plenty of flour, but nobody to knead
and bake it. All the bakers are in
prison. They were sent there for
having refused to sell bread at a
price fixed by the municipality.
Each of the incarcerated men also
has l»een fined 500 pesetas. The
authorities threaten to seize the
bakeshops if the bakers when they
are released still refuse to comply
with the price scale.
Meanwhile neighboring towns are
supplying the people here the bread
they require.
RUM BOAT FLEETS
DASHING TO SOUTH
I
Seek Riches and Greater
Safety in Florida and
Gulf Ports.
By the Associated Press.
ATLANTA, October 14. —Rum row,
that movable mart for illicit trade in
forbidden beverages, Is now more or
less firmly established in Southern
waters. Present activities there are
so extensive it Is believed the trade in
j eludes most of those former operators
I who managed to escape the sharp
j shooting Coast Guardsmen's cam
i paign to break up flourishing business
; off New York. Boston and Atlantic
j City shores.
I Rum runners have accepted literal
| lv the admonition of Col. Luke Lea of
| Teuneessee to "come South, young
j fellow,” paraphrased from Horace
I Greely’s famous advice to young men.
I And they have come —fleets of
j them. Many have been lured to
i Florida by tales of fabulous riches
and of an orgy of spending by Winter
tourists. Others have been driven to
Florida by Uncle Sam's Intense efforts
in other Southern waters.
Coinbat Force Ready.
Three branches of America's com
bat service are represented in Florida
! by Col. B. T. Simmons, retired Army
j officer. State prohibition administra
tor: Comdr. P. F. Hambsch, retired
! Navy officer, his assistant, and Capt.
John G. Berry, active commander of
the Coast Guard forces.
Col. Simmons has set up headquar
ters at Tampa with branch offices at
Miami, Jacksonville and Pensacola.
Key West is headquarters for the
Coast Guard.
Comdr. Hambsch has discovered
that a giant English rum running
syndicate is operating in Florida
waters. In the syndicate’s fleet are
ships carrying cargoes of 15,000 to
20,000 cases valued at $500,000 and re
tailed in Florida for $3,500,000. There
are seven vessels —six schooners and
a converted yacht—in the fleet, which
keeps its supplies replenished by fast
motor boats capable of outdistancing
any craft in the Coast Guard Service.
There was a time when Jacksonville
and vicinity were favorite haunts for
! the smuggling ilk, but these now have
been transferred to Miami, Tampa
and Key West.
Norfolk Blockaded.
In Norfolk the blockade has been
made effective. With many ships
coming in daily from foreign ports
considerable rum Is landed In small
quantities, but there is nothing to in
dicate any wholesale deliveries. The
story is virtually the same as other
Atlantic Coast ports down to Sa
vannah. where a big rum ring was
uncovered a short time ago. Six
ships were confiscated and seven ring
leaders sent to the Federal peniten
tiary. One of the vessels seized at
Savannah, the Astra, flying the Brit
ish flag, was turned into a rum chaser
and used with good effect by the
Coast Guard.
Dash and deviltry displayed by the
rum runner elsewhere are lacking in
the species working out of New Or
leans to the West. They have been
consldrably discouraged by activities
of Federal agents in and around the
Crescent City and have been cautious
In recruiting for fear of tfigning on
some Federal “under-cove r ” men.
(Continued on Page 2, Column 2.b
TWO SEVERELY BURNED.
Mother and Boy Injured While
Fighting Blaze.
Vincent Rudolph. 11 years old, and
his mother. Mrs. Nora Rudolph, 42,
were burned about the hands and
arms last night while attempting to
extinguish a fire in clothing in a
closet at their home, 415 H street.
I They were treated for burns at Emer
gency Hospital.
Two companies of firemen responded
to the alarm and extinguished the fire
after about $75 damage had been done,
it was reported.
IOWA FARMERS DEMAND
“COST PLUS” CORN PRICES
By the Associated Press.
DES MOINES. lowa, October 14.
Meetings are being held in lowa this
week to organize farmers to withhold
their corn from the market until it
can he sold for “cost plus” prices.
Success of the movement is assured
now, recording to officers of the lowa
Corn Growers’ Association.
Farmers are urged to take advan
tage of the new State warehouse law
by sealing up their corn, obtaining
a warehouse receipt and holding it to
prevent warehouse companies and
grain companies in the East making
the profit on the corn "dumped” on
the market all at one period.
Seven-Ton Meteorite, Dragged Two Years
Out of Greenland, Is Brought to Europe
By the Associated Press.
ABERDEEN, Scotland, October 14.
—The third largest meteorite In the
world has just arrived here from
Greenland aboard the Danish schooner
Sokongen. Nobody here has yet seen
the stone, but Capt. Pedersen of the
Sokogen says it weighs 7 tons.
Eskimos are attributed with the
statement that the meterorite fell in
1918, and that they had been dragging
it toward the coast on dog sledges
©he Mtomim Skf.
V J V X WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION
WASHINGTON, D. C., WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1925-FIFTY-EIGHT PAGES. -
M’NIDER REGARDED
CERTAIN CHOICE AS
DAVIS’ ASSISTANT
Former Legion Head May
Get War Department Post
by Saturday.
REPORTED SELECTION
WINS POPULAR FAVOR
New War Secretary Takes Oath of
Office Before Army Heads and
Many Friends Today.
Col. Hanford MacNider of lowa, for
mer national conlmander of the Amer
ican Legion, Is understood to he Presi
dent Coolidge’s choice for Assistant
Secretary of War to succeed Dwight
F. Davis, who has been elevated to
succeed John W. Weeks as Secretary.
Mr. Davis was sworn in today.
This is the opinion of associates
of the President, who, while discuss
ing the subject today said they look
for no delay in filling this vacancy.
They explain that the President has
given the question considerable
thought, inasmuch as he made up
his mind several weeks, ago to pro
mote Mr. Davis, and that since then
his only concern has been to decide
on a successor to him.
It is known that the White House j
has been in touch with Col. MacNider I
within the past few days, and that he
is expected to himself at the
White House within the next day or
so. Some who are in a position to
speak authoritatively feel certain that
the President will announce Secre
tary Davis’ successor by Saturday,
possibly sooner. The President is
known to have a high regard for Col.
MacNider. and is convinced from his
record while at the head of the Ameri
can Legion that he possesses the
training and ability admirably to fill
the office of assistant head of the
War Department.
Choice Would Be Popular.
It Is iH)‘nted out by friends of the
President that Mr. MacNider would !
not only prove a splendid acquisition
to the administration because of his
peculiar fitness, but they say there is
no doubting the j>opular effect such
an appointment would have generally
throughout the country. Besides his
brilliant and enviable war record. Col.
MacNider was more than ordinarily
active and conspicuous while com
mander of the legion.
That was during the younger days of
the Legion and during a period when
the National Government and the
country at large was struggling to
recover from the World War, and to
enter upon a sound program of recon
struction. He made innumerable
speeches through the country, not
only In the interest of the Legion itself,
but in the interest of the Nation in
general. He forcibly urged stabiliza
tion and normalcy and the building-up
of Industry.
Mentioned for P. O. Post.
The fact that President Coolidge is
known to have seriously considered ap
pointing Col. McNider Second Assist
ant Postmaster General to succeed
Paul Henderson when the latter re
signed last Summer is taken by many
as strong evidence of the President’s
favorable opinion of the former Le
gion head, and suggested that Mr.
Coolidge has had his eye on him for
some time as a possible addition to
his official family.
The opinion was expressed in some
quarters today that there is a possi
bility of Col. MacNider not accepting
the assistant secretaryship. However,
this is taken as being only an opinion
of those who are Inclined to think that
Col. MacNider’s aspirations go much
higher than an assistant secretary
ship.
There is no doubt that the appoint
ment would be pleasing to the Re
publicans of the Midwest and inti
mates of the President feel certain it
would further strengthen the Presi
dent with the American Legion.
Col. MacNider’s name was promi
nently mentioned tn 1924 as a running
mate for President Coolidge on the
national ticket and his name was
actually placed In nomination for the
vice presidency. Besides this compli
ment, friends of Col. MacNider at
tempted to obtain his consent to op
pose Senator Brookhart last No
vember.
Col. MacNider is a native of Mason
City, lowa, and is only 37 years old.
He has been successful as a banker
and as a business man. He was grad
uated from Harvard, and saw military
service on the Mexican border In
1916 before entering the Army in the
World War. He resigned from the
Army In 1919 with the rank of lieu
tenant colonel, and afterward re
ceived the distinguished service cross.
While discussing this probable ap
pointment at the White House to
day the associates of the President
said that very few names have been
presented to the President for consid
eration in connection with the ap
pointment of an Assistant Secretary
of War. This is explained by the
fact that it was not known that
Dwight Davis was to be appointed to
succeed Secretary Weeks, but now
that the other appointment has been
made public it is expected that there
will be a number of names suggested
between now and the time the Presi
dent fills the vacancy.
Davis Takes Oath.
Col. Davis formally assumed the du
ties of Secretary of War at 10 o'clock
this morning in succession to Secre
tary Weeks of Massachusetts, who i
resigned on account of ill health. Chief
.lustice Taft of the Supreme Court,
former President of the United States,
(Continued on Page 2, Column 8J
• since 1923. Great difficulty was en
countered in taking the meteorite on
board the Sokongen.
Capt. Pedersen said he had much
trouble in steering his vessel to Aber
deen because the stone deflected the
compass. The Sokongen in 1924 res
cued the Danish explorer Peter Fre
unehen, who had been lost in Baffin
Land for three years.
Os the two larger meteorites in ex
istence one is in the United-States and
the other in Great Britain.
fsfdfdf
POLISH PROBLEMS
TROUBLE LOCARNO
{
| Question of Corridor One of
| Few Still in Way of Accord
on Security Pact.
By the Associated Press.
LOCARNO, Switzerland, October 14.
i —That the Polish problem, particular-
I ly the question of a Polish corridor to
I the sea, still troubles the Locarno se
! curity conference was the impression
j Riven today by Austen Chamberlain,
j British foreign secretary, who said
I that he and Sir Cecil Hurst, English
j jurist, had placed their services at the
| disposal of the delegates in an en-
I deavor to reach an agreement con
cerning Germany's eastern frontiers.
Mr. Chamberlain was optimistic
over the possibility of bringing Ger
many and Poland together. He em
phasized that sueh a measure of agree
ment had already been reached at the
Locarno conference that no country
and no parliament could dare to as
sume responsibility for bringing to
naught those things that had been
achieved.
New Chapter in History.
“We have opened a new chapter in
European history,” he said, "not only
fashioning peace on paper, but also
within the councils of government and
the hearts of men, and the treaty of
Locarno would appear to be a real
watershed between peace rind war—
even more so than the treaty of Ver
sailles.” The British statesman ad
mitted that formal solution of all the
points had not yet been reached, but
said he was convinced they would be,
and that mutual good will, b; sed on
common Interests, would establish an
enduring peace.
It is understood that difficulties have
arisen over the text of the Polish-
German arbitration treaty because
Poland, wishing to protect her corri
dor to the sea. does not desire that
the treaty shall affect disputes aris
ing out of existing treaties, which she
believes can only be revised under the
provisions of the League of Nations
covenant.
Moreover, Poland wants the same
guarantee from her ally, France, for
the Polish-German treaty as Great
Britain is according to France and
Germany In connection with the Rhine
security pact.
Mostly Agreed Upon.
In principle the greater portion of
the Locarno pact has been agreed
upon.
Dr. Kempner of the German delega
tion here has proceeded to Berlin,
where he Is outlining the entire situ
ation at Locarno to President von
Hindenburg and the members of his
cabinet.
If finally the compact Is signed and
Germany enters the League of Na
tions, Great Britain, France and Italy,
under the gentlemen’s agreement en
tered into with Germany, will en
deavor to aid Germany in her plea
that she Is unable to contribute eco
nomic, financial or military aid to
help the League of Nations In any
move It may take against a nation
that has been proclaimed an ag
gressor.
It seems evident, however, that
once Germany Is a member of the
league she must convlncee the coun
cil of the league of her lmpotency In
her effort to secure a revision of the
penalty clauses of the league cove
nant.
SCALPERS OPEN OFFICES
NEAR PITTSBURGH FIELD
By the Associated Press.
PITTSBURGH, October 14.—Reports
here are to the effect that scalpers,
who hitherto had found little business,
are reaping a rich harvest from the
demand for tickets to the seventh and
deciding game of the world’s series to
day. Through "dummies” in the
ticket line the scalpers yesterday ob
tained scores of choice seats, it was
said. Their box offices sprang up near
Forbes Field and fans seemed eager to
buy the scalpers’ tickets at twice their
original price.
FORD PAYS FOR SHIPS.
Check for Received in
• Settlement.
A check for $1,522,470 was received
by the Shipping Board today from
Henry Ford in final payment for the
200 ships he has bought for scrapping.
Previously he had paid $175,000 on
deposit for the ships and $255,000 for
six steel tugs to be used In hauling
them to points for scrapping.
NOTRE DAME UNIVERSITY
LOSES SIOO,OOO BY FIRE
Flames of Undetermined Origin
Destroy Main Building in Farm
Group Adjacent to Campus.
By the Associated Press.
SOUTH BEND, Ind., October 14.
—Fire of undetermined origin last
night razed the main building of the
University of Notre Dame farm build
ings group, adjacent to the campus,
causing a loss unofficially estimated
at SIOO,OOO.
Nearly 2,000 Notre Dame students
aided the South Bend firemen In their
attempt to save the building, but a
high wind swept the flames beyond
their control soon .after the fire was
discovered.
The entire local fire department and
a majority of the students stood by
ready to resume their fight should a
changing wind endanger the university
bui'dings nearby.
U. S. WOVE PUZZLES
PRESS IN LONDON
Holds Reported Independent
Action in China In
comprehensible.
By the Associated Press.
LONDON, October 14. —The Times in
an editorial this morning expressed
perplexity and concern over informa
tion it has received from Washington
to the effect that the United States
Government is prepared, unless agree
ment on concurrent action dan be se
cured among the powers at the cus
toms conference in Peking, to act in
dependently and immediately revise its
commercial treaty arrangements with
China.
"This is so nearly incomprehensible,”
says the Times, "that the natural at
titude here must be one of puzzled In
credulity until further information is
available.”
The newspaper adds that the sugges
tion of independent action by any
power participating in the conference
is likely to render the whole effort of
the conference nugatory, and that “In
the crlcumstances some fuller and
precise definition of the attitude the
American government purposes to
take at the conference is eminently
desirable.”
%
CAUSES SURPRISE HERE.
Kellogg Stands For United Action
On Chinese Problem.
Reports circulated In London that
the Washington Government was pre
paring to deal with the Chinese
problem independerttly of the other
powers caused considerable surprise
here as the attitude thus far taken
by Secretary Kellogg In all aspects of
the discussions has been that unity
of action was essential.
There has been no disposition In
official circles here to doubt that the
British government Is as anxious to
reach constructive results In the forth
coming customs conference in Peking
as Is the Washington Government.
The chief difficulties that will be en
countered are due to the disturbed po
litical situation in China itself and not
to divergent views on the part of the
other powers.
There has at no time been a sug
gestion in any official quarter that a
threat of independent action by the
United States, direct of Indirect, had
played any part in the negotiations.
CHARGES INVOLVING PANI
FAIL TO INTEREST WlF€
“We Mexican Women Our
Husbands Ho Questions,” She
Says, in Actress’ Case.
By the Associated' Press.
LCfs ANGELES, Calif., October 14.
—Seffora Esther Alva de Pani, wife
of the Mexican finance secretary, Al
berta Par.’., expressed little surprise
and less interest In the charges
brought against a Mexican actress in
New York in connection with Senor
Pani’s visit to the United States.
Without expressing any opinion as
to the credibility of statements con
tained in the complaint filed with im
migration authorities in New York,
she pointed out that It had been filed
by a political enemy of her husband.
"Besides,” she remarked, "we Mexi
can women ask our husbands no ques
tions, so that they can tell us the
truth.”
ARMY TORN ANEW
BY FUMY ROW
Orders of Maj. Gen. Fries for
*
Articles Countermanded
by Post Commander.
'
The gaunt specter of another war in i
the Army has stalked into Washing- i
ten from the stormy posts of Texas, ■
birthplace of the most recent air j
service tornado, and parked itself .
with uncomfortable complacency In i
the heretofore peaceful precincts of 1
the Chemical Warfare Service.
"Although the possible theaters of
strife are quiet at present, details of ;
the controversy are just beginning to :
seep through the long channels of
their official itinerary, disclosing a sit- !
uatlon which may Involve the whole
question of Army publicity and free
dom of speech in the service before it
is cleared up.
The whole upheaval started when j
Maj. Gen. Amos A. Fries, chief of i
the Chemical Warfare Service, order
ed officers of his section In the va
rious Army corps areas to prepare
for the newspapers in their sectors j
certain publicity setting forth the i
true mission of the Chemical War- j
fare Service in contradiction of recent j
misstatements that have been pub- j
llshed about it.
General Bans Story.
Everything apparently went well
until Lieut. William S. Barret, chemi
cal warfare officer at Fort Bliss, Tex.,
endeavoring to carry out the orders
of his superiors in Washington and
at the same time to accord his post
commandant the usual courtesies,
submitted his publicity campaign to
Brig. Gen. Joseph C. Castner, com
manding officer at the fort.
According to the formal and strictly
military report received by Gen. Fries
from Lieut. Barrett, Gen. Castner did
nothing more unusual than forbid
publication of the articles until after
they had been submitted to Maj. Gen.
Hinds, commanding that corps area,
and formally approved by him. But,
according to accounts published in
Texas newspapers and received in of
ficial circles at the War Department,
the outbreak was much more serious.
Gen. Castner, who won his way to r
brigadier’s star after entering the
service without the assistance of a
diploma from West Point, is quoted
as having used some hard language,
covering not only the question of pub
licity for the Chemical Warfare Serv
ice, but the Army Air Service, too,
and the entire Army personnel, as a
matter of fact.
"The sooner these galoots out here
understand thaf “T £nf"running this
show,” the El Paso Post quotes him as
declaring, “the better we’ll be. I don’-t
give a damn who tells these blrdfi to
talk, as long as they are slider me
they are going to do as I say.
“ 'lf Washington wants the news
papers of El Paso to know anything
about chemical warfare, all the War
Department has to do Is to notify me
and I’ll prepare a series of articles tell
ing them what I think they should
know. This will soon be & hell of an
Army If every half-baked officer wear
ing a uniform Is allowed to go around
shooting off his mouth to the news
papers.’ ”
Await Castner Action.
On top of that, Gen. Castner is re
ported to have informed Lieut. Barrett
that he would be court-martialed if he
"shot off his trap” to the newspapers.
As a result, Lieut. Barrett simply with
held his articles and Informed Gen.
Fries of the situation. In his letter,
however, he'did not quote Gen. Cast
ner as having used such terms as
"shooting off his trap.”
At- the Chemical Warfare Service
officers seem bewildered whether to be
Amused or worried. Officially, that sec
tion of the Army will withhold any
action until Gen. Castner has had
time to submit the chemical warfare
publicity to Gen. Hinds. It is not
known whether that has been done or
not, but two weeks have passed, and
(Continued on Page 2, Column 8.)
[What About Florida? !
Have you invested money ,
there, expecting to get rich
quick?
If you have, or are thinking
about doing so, you will be In- \
terested In the series of articles i.
by i
Ben McKelway
Beginning tomorrow in
The Evening Star
“From Press to Home
Within the Hour 99
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.
Yesterday’s Circulation, 103,629
G4 5 ) Means Associated Press.
ONE KILLED, 2 HURT
IN GAS EXPLOSION
AND FIRE IN GARAGE
Blast at 13th and B Buries:
i
Michael O’Connor, Gas
Man, in Debris.
FIRE SWEEPS BUILDING,
BUT QUICKLY IS QUELLED
Woman Employe of Federal Taxi
Company Among Hurt in Early
Afternoon Accident.
One man was killed and a man !
and a woman were less seriously hurt |
when an explosion, l>elieved to have |
originated in the illuminating gas line,
wrecked the second floor front of the
federal Taxicab garage at 212 Thir
teenth street this afternoon.
Lying in the red-hot embers fire
men found the prostrate form of j
Michael O’Connor. 55 years old, em- ]
ploye of the Washington Gas Light i
Co. and a resident of 205 Shepherd
street, Chevy Chase, Md. He was ,
pushed to emergency Hosptial in the]
rescue squad vehicle of the lire De-j
partment, but he was so seriously
burned about the body that he died J
shortly after arrival there.
Spectacular Rescue.
A spectacular rescue probably saved j
the lives of three others who were in i
the building at the time. Nearby j
workmen threw a ladder up to the
front window of the building before
the Fire Department arrived. In an j
j instant P. M. Kirkwood, chief book- j
i keeper of the firm, had sent Miss j
i Edna B. Riddle of 1217 H street |
I down the ladder with A. T. Lichten- j
] berg, another clerk. Kirkwood then '
• descended himself, turning, on the
i ground, to see the whole front of the ;
■ building wreathed in a sheet of flame. ;
Had the rescue been delayed until j
j the arrival of the Fire Department I
J this method of exit would have been j
: cut off by the flames which engulfed j
' the second floor, although the speed :
|of the fire engines themselves was !
, considered remarkable. ;
I O’Connor, accompanied by Paul i
j Collins, another employe of the gas J
I companv, had been blowing out the
' gas lines to get rid of an obstruction i
J just three minutes when the explosion !
! rocked the building. Kirkwood said. !
I He was positive that there were two |
! employes of the gas company in the j
I building. Only one was found — \
O'Connor, who later died at the hos- I
pital.
A thorough search of the charred
ruins by firemen failed to disclose
any trace of Collins. He had not
reported back to his foreman at the
gns company an hour after the fire,
but the idea was prevalent that he ;
had escaped, through some good for- i
tune unharmed.
Fire Marshal Seib explored the build-'
' ing immediately after the firemen had !
| extinguished the blaze. He refused
j to make a statement as to the cause. ]
• The only clue as to the possible cause:
I of the explosion is furnished by Kirk
j wood.
“I was sitting at my desk,” Kirk- j
wood said, “when a terrific explosion ;
occurred in the northeast corner of j
this building.
Struck by Timber.
"A chunk of timber fell and hit j
me on 'the head. The desk toppled j
over on Mrs. Riddle, one of our clerks.
I remember that the explosion hap
pened just nhout three minutes after j
the gas company men had started to !
blow out the pipes to give us more;
pressure.
"Exactly where the explosion hap
pened I can’t say.
"Well, somebody went and got a
ladder up to this window. We couldn’t
get down the stairs for the fire had
already cut us off and hedged us into
this little office. That ladder and the
one who did the quick thinking saved
our lives, I believe, for when the Fire
Department got here and I looked at
the building all you could see was a
sheet of flames.”
Two alarms were sent in for fire
apparatus. The blaze was under con
trol within half an hour after the ar ;
rival of the Fire Department. By^aW
hour and a half after the arrival of
the fire apparatus the fire was an
nounced as “out."„ '
Difficulty was 'encountered in get
ting O’Coruaorto the hospital. He was
brought-ffown a ladder on a stretcher,
barely breathing, and it was found Jm
'possible to put the stretcher In the
patrol wagon. Then the fire rescue
squad automobile was summoned and
after much difficulty in backing into
position through the large crowd, the
man, dying, was put Into It and taken
to the hospital.
An Investigation into the exact
cause of the fire was launched by the
fire marshal this afternoon.
Estimates of the damage run above
SIO,OOO. The fire destroyed many
valuable records of the company.
Mrs. Riddle, it was found at the
hospital, was cut about the hands and
body and suffered considerably from
shock. Lichtenberg, also treated at
the hospital, was burned about the
neck. Kirkwood said he was not In
jured.
O'Connor, who had been employed
by the gas company 30 years, was a
complaint man and pipefitter. He is
survived by his wife and daughter.
SCOPES’ COUNSEL
ACCUSES STEWART
By the Associated Press.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.. October 14.
Attorney General A. T. Stewart, prose
cutor for John Thomas Scopes, con
victed of violating the Tennessee anti
evolution act, has been accused by
John Randolph Neal of changing the
memorandum on the bill of exceptions
in the case from 30 to 60 days.
This declaration is made in the re
ply of counsel for the plaintiff in error,
in the case of Scopes, vs. the State of
Tennessee, to the motion of the State’s
attorney general to quash the appeal
now pending before the Supreme
Court. The reply was filed with the
clerk of the court here late today by
Mr. Neal, senior counsel for Scopes. It
states that Stewart changed the dates
in conformity with the order, which it
was then understood between him and
other counsel for the State and the
attorneys for the defendant, would be
entered before the minutes were
signed.
The minutes had not been signed
when the change was made, the plain
tiff asserts.
TWO CENTS.
MORALE OE NAVY
HURT BY UNTRAINED
HEADS, SAYS SIMS
Retired Admiral Tells Board
Air Development Is Impossi
ble in Such Atmosphere.
OPPOSED TO SEPARATE
AVIATION DEPARTMENT
Initiative of Subordinates Blight
ed by Unmilitary Administra
tion, He Says.
The Navy Department is adminis
tered hv untrained leaders In violation
I °f military principles, which Is detri
mental to morale of the service,
Admiral William P. Sims, retired,
commanding the American forces in
European waters during the. war, de
clared before the President's air
j hoard today. The admiral's testimony
] was by far the most pointed and pic
i turesque yet delivered before the
! hoard with the possible exception of
] Col. William Mitchell’s “destructive
j criticism” statement.
The Shenandoah disaster, the ad
j miral said, "is a symbol of the con
i tinuous violation of this age-old prin
! ciple that is destroying morale and
■ blighting initiative of subordinates —
j which is unreasonable, unscientific and
j unmilitary administration. Such meth
! ods applied hy high officials of a great
| railroad would wreck its equipment.
No War Pressure.
j "Why is this allowed to go on? Prin- „
| cipally because we don't feel the pres
| sure of war over here as the Euro
! peans do," he said.
| "We have had men appointed to
high positions whom the whole Navy
knew to be entirely Inefficient. They
: hadn't even looked in a book. 4
j "We are getting tired of it. We
j are not stupid on this side, just in
different, because we are so far re
• moved from the possibility of war."
The admiral said there was no
i policy in the Navy dealing with ayia
j tion. The Navy Department belittles
ithe power of the plane while the alr
| men regard it as rapidly developing.
A policy must be established, he said,
! before a useful decision is reached.
] Admiral Sims opposed a department
|of national defense or separate corps
: In the Navy on the grounds that alr
; men must be Indoctrinated with the
I principles of Navy strategy and tac
-1 tics.
Admiration for Airmen.
"I have tlie greatest admiration for
the airmen, for their courage, skill
and loyal devotion. The deserve all
the praise they get and much of what
they give themselves, but they are
: mistaken in assuming that as mem
j bers of a separate air force or>as
j members of a separate air corps in
| the Navy they can acquire either the
; nautical, tactical or strategic knowl
edge of the line officer in handling
! fleet air forces in efficient, tactical
jand strategical co-operation with the
I plans of the commander-in-chief.
"I understand that figuratively they
j look down on us who never get off
; the earth and regard us as old fogies,
1 who are away behind the times."
j The airplane, the admiral declared,
I has supplanted the battleship as the
] major weapon of warfare and a "good,
j fast carrier can lick any battleship.”
! He said those who believe in the fu
j ture of the airplane want a definite
I policy announced that aircraft is go
] ing to get complete control of the
' air and "not the policy now of a well
1 balanced fleet, which means nothing,
but is dangerous at the same time.”
Senator Bingham interrupted the
witness and said that Secretary Wil
i bur, in testimony before the board,
had declared there was "no such thing
as control of the air as long as the.
Navy has one plane.”
"I wonder who told him that?”
asked Admiral Sims as the spectators
roared.
"That remar-k of the Secretary's,
although ,be does not suspect it.
doesn't fflfen anything at all, really.”
„ - "Development Is Impossible."
The development of an efficient air
force in the Navy is "impossible” un
der present influences. Admiral Sims
declared. He said the Navy is ruled
by the "Daniels’ cabinet" which is
'still in the saddle. They are earnest,
honest, hard-working, able men, but
the idea seems to be that the depart
ment has supreme authority over all
operations, he said. This is done
through an ignorant conviction of
duty, faithfully performed. Manifest
ly, development of an efficient air
force is impossible under such Influ
ence."
"In London,” the admiral said,
“you can go into any barber shop
and they will tell you the names and
histories of all the British admirals.
Over here you never hear of one
unless he gets in trouble.”
He decried the failure of the Navy
to put into key positions in the Navy
Department officers who had grad
uated from the Naval War College.
England, he added, would never think
of such a thing. "The Army system
on the general staff is vastly superior
and should be adopted by the Navy,”
declared the witness. lie said while
he was on active duty and "after r
gave up hope with the Secretary,”
he wrote a letter to the Assistant
I Secretary to put three War College
men on the general board to “buck
up the morale.” His suggestion was
not followed, he added.
Course at War College.
“A man can go to sea for 20 years
and not see a maneuver such as we
carry out on the game board at tho
War College,” the admiral said. He
then explained the course at the col
lege and said the Navy would know
whom to appoint to important posi
tions after a student had completed a
course there.
The admiral said his interest in the
present controversy was in making it
clear that an air force must be trained
with the Navy. «
"Then you don't agree with Gen.
Mitchell's plan for a department of
national defense?” asked Senator
Bingham. „ ,
“No, I don't,” replied the admiral.
"But I have the greatest respect
for him. He is a bully good fellow
and he has done splendid work In
getting the question before the pub
lic, particularly before a board like
this. We are tired of congressional
on Page 2, Column 4.)
Radio Programs—Page 50.