Evening star. [volume], February 23, 1926, Image 1

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

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WEATHER.
(U. S. Weather Bureau Forecast.)
Fair and colder tonight; tomorrow
fair, with rising temperature; lowest
tonight about IS degrees. Tempera
tures—highest, 59, at 2:45 p.m. yester
day; lowest, 29, at 7:40 a.m. today.
Full report on page 9.
Closing N. Y. Stocks and Bonds, Page 26
*)0 ftQ't Kntered as second class matter
O. post office, Washington, D. C.
HANEY QUITS POST
ON SHIPPING BOARD,
ENDING LONG ROW
Declined to Resign When Ask
ed to Do So by Coolidge,
» Last August.
OREGONIAN MENTIONED
AS SENATE CANDIDATE
Finds Reforms in IT. S. Merchant
Marine Administration Bet
tering Conditions.
Bv rht* Associated Press.
Ilert E. Haney, Democrat. Oreg., re
* signed today as a member of the
Shipping Board, effective March 1.
The action brings to a head a
troublesome situation which has ex
isted since last August, when Presi
dent Coolidge requested Mr. Haney's
■esignation on the ground that, by
proposing to remove Leigh C. Palmer
><s president of the Fleet Corporation,
the commissioner had run “contrary
to the understanding I had with you
when I reappointed you.”
Mr. Haney declined to resign on
my such ground, denied any knowl
edge of an understanding with the
i'resident to support Mr. Palmer, as
serted that the Chief Executive knew
of his opposition to Mr. Palmer and
declared that to accede to the Presi
' dent's request for hie resignation
'would carry an implication which I
cannot permit.”
Tn his letter of' resignation the
commissioner said he felt he could
Properly end his service now, as three
months had elapsed since Congress
convened and Mr. Coolidge had stated
he would not be reappointed.
Sees Conditions Improved.
The letter declared that since the
Shipping Board had “reasserted its
l>ower” over the Government mer
chant fleet after the dismissal of
President Palmer by majority vote of
the Shipping Board conditions had
improved to the point that “American
shippers today are being furnished a
‘ substantially better service, and for
eign shipping is no longer gaining
ground at the expense of the Govern
tnont-owned fleet.”
The letter, addressed to President
Coolidge, was dated today and was as
follows:
“On August 27 of the last year you
requested my resignation as a com
missioner of the United States Ship
ping Board, stating that my action in
trying to remove the president of the
Fleet Corporation was contrary to an
understanding I had with you at the
time of my reappointment. In my let
ter to you on August 28 I answered
your request, setting forth at length
that no such understanding had ever
existed, and frankly pointed out that
1 could not at any time have agreed
to take any action which I believed
might be prejudicial to the Govern
, ment shipping interests, or in conflict
with my obligation under the law as
T interpreted it. Accordingly, I de
clined to resign, as my resignation
might have been construed to bo an
admission that I had entered into the
understanding you mentioned.
"t nder the then inefficient admin
istration of the Fleet Corporation the
' lovernment fleet continued to lose
ground rapidly to foreign shipping in
terests, and T felt It my duty to take
every action possible to oorrect this
condition.
He asserted Its Power.
"The Shipping Board, on October 1,
reasserted its power with respect to
the duties imposed upon it by law and
made such changes in personnel and
administrative policy as to re estab
lish the regional control of the Gov
ernment-owned merchant marine, in
accordance with the provisions 'of the
law creating the Shipping Board.
These changes have brought increased
revenues, lessened the cost of opera
rion. reduced the personnel of the
Fleet Corporation and greatly in
creased the number of Government
ships in operation, with the result
that American shippers todav are be
ing furnished a substantially better
service, and foreign shipping is no
longer gaining ground at the expense
of the Government-owned fleet.
"These necessary reforms in the ad
ministration of the Fleet Corporation
were made prior to December 7 last,
the date the Sixty-ninth Congress con
vened. At that time you announced
'hat it was your intention not to re
appoint me, and informed Senator Mc-
Nary of your desire to nominate an
Oregonian to succeed me as a commis
sioner of the United States Shipping
Hoard. Since then I have expected
daily to be relieved from service by
your action. It has been my desire to
allow you ample time within which to
reach a decision as to my successor,
but after a . lapse of almost three
months, in the absence of any action
by you. and in view of the fact that
my commission expires at the elose
of the present session of the Senate.
T now feel that I may properly end
my service. ,
“For these reasons I hereby tender
» my resignation as a commissioner of
the United States Shipping Board, to
take effect March 1, 1926.”
Haney’s Record.
Mr. Haney first took office in July,
1923, for two years, and when his
term expired last Summer was given
a recess appointment by Mr. Coolidge
after a conference at the White House.
That recess appointment would have
held until the last day of the present
session unless Mr. Haney had resign
ed or the President had appointed and
the Senate confirmed a successor.
The impasse has been a subject of
debate in the Senate, with Senator
. Democrat. Washington, and
other Senators defending Mr. Haney.
Tho President meanwhile canvassed
the situation with the view of appoint
ing a successor from tho Northwest
States, but no indication had been
given In recent weeks that he would
soon make an appointment!
Mr. Haney has been mentioned in
connection with the Democratic nom
ination for Senator in Oregon this
vear, but he said today he could n<*t
discuss that and would not be in a
position to do so until after lie re
turns to liis home. The last day for
filing senatorial nomination papers in
Oregon is April 5.
Radio Programs —Page 34
GIGLI, TENOR, CANCELS CONCERT
AFTER RECEIVING DEATH THREAT
Opera Star Quits Detroit
at 3 A.M. After Night
Guarded by Police.
Singer Twice Before Has
Been Made Object of
Blackmail Efforts.
By the Associated Press.
DETROIT. Mich., February 23.
The black band squad of the police
department today is seeking a clue to
the identity of the person who sent a
threatening letter to Beniamino Gigli,
tenor of the Metropolitan Opera Com
pany, causing him to flee from De
troit during the small hours of this
morning after canceling an engage
ment t<> sing in concert here tonight.
"If B“iiiamino Oigli thinks he can
shi~ before better Italians than him,
"i'll bis traitor ideas, he is mistaken.”
"aid 'lie letter, which was addressed
to Police Chief.”
”7 ou can let hint know there are
ways of slicing canary throats, and
if you don't want a corpse in your
morgue you’d better keep him out of
this town, where there are some good
Italians that know what patriots
should be. You can put all your
black hand bulls on the job you want,
and then we will get him. any way.”
The letter was signed “True Son of
Italy.” It was received February 19.
Detectives were at the station yes
terday to meet Gigli and guarded him
uitil he reached his hotel.
Gigli learned of the threatening let
ter after their departure and gave
orders for packing at once. Gigli and
Ids party left at 3:17 a.m. on an east
bound Michigan Central train.
Leaving the hotel. Gigli and his
party went to the railroad station and
boarded a Pullman car which is at
tached to the Chicago-Buffalo train
here. Making of the reservations was
kept secret, and no one was allowed
into the car to talk to the singer be
fore he left.
The note left at the hotel said:
“According to the statement made
to my secretary by Mrs. Isobel Hurst,
my local manager, that an anony
mous letter was .received threatening
personal jnjury to me upon my con
cert appearance here Tuesday night,
I have decided to cancel same, with
sorrow to disappoint my beloved De
troit public. But the nervous reac
tion would prevent my doing a truly
COMPROMISE TAX
BILL BEFORE HOUSE
Leaders Confident Body Will
Accept Report of Con
ferees Today.
By the Associated Preps.
With leaders expecting quick action
the compromise revenue bill agreed to
by Senate and House conferees and
proposing a tax reduction of $387,000,-
000 was brought up for ratification to
day in the House.
Several members opposed the con
ference recommendations, but man
agers for the measure were confident
that the House would accept the com
promise bill before night.
AGRICULTURAL BILL
REPORTED IN SENATE
Committee Increases Amount of
Fund Measure $2,366,940.
Amendment to Be Asked.
v
The agricultural appropriation
bill, carrying a total of $129,370,468,
was reported to the Senate today by
Senator McNary of Oregon on behalf
of the appropriations committee. The
Senate committee increased the
amount carried by the bill as it
passed the House by $2,366,940.
The committee authorized Senator
McNary to offer on the floor of the
Senate an amendment providing $25,-
000 for a preliminary entomological
survey of salt marsh areas fn the
South Atlantic and Gulf States in
order to determine the best method
of controlling the breeding of mos
quitoes.
Among tlie items of increase al
lowed by the Senate committee were
the following: For the Bureau of
Animal Industry, $1,897,000, for the
tuberculosis of animals; for the Bur
eau of Plant Industry, $120,475; for
tho Bureau of Soils, $190,000, includ
ing $185,000 for fertilizer investigation
and a fixed nitrogen laboratory; for
the Forest Service, $53,000; for the
Weather Bureau, $15,000; for the Bur
eau of Entomology, $49,000; for the
Bureau of Agricultural Economics,
$19,500; for the Horticultural Board,
SIO,OOO.
The committee decreased by $13,780
the appropriation for the investigation
and improvement of tobacco, including
methods of production and handling.
DROP OF 80 DEGREES.
Temperature at Tupper Lake, N. Y.,
Is 30 Below Zero.
TUPPER LAKE, N. Y., February
23 op).—A temperature drop of 80
degrees since noon yesterday had
sent the mercury to 30 degrees below
zero here today. The cold snap fol
lowed two days of balmy weather.
Thermometers at Saranac Lake
registered from 22 to 28 degrees be
low zero, the lowest readings of the
Winter.
Oscillating Bottom in Bay of Biscay j
Is Indicated in Varying Soundings
By the Associated Press.
BORDEAUX, February 23.—Wheth
er the bottom of the Bay of Biscay is
suffering from a state of instability is
a problem that has been given to sci
entists to determine. It would appear
from reports of navigators during the
past few vears that the crust of the
earth under the famous agitated water
of the bay oscillates with such fre
quency that it is impossible to keep
records of water depths straight.
The captain of the French liner La
®he Mbmim Sfotf.
y v J \ X WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION
jpßyjgH ■
_ BENIAMINO GIGLI.
artistic performance.”
Mrs. Hurst, when notified early
today of the singer's action, said she
had heard nothing of Gigli's leaving,
but added. “T don’t blame Gigli for
going in the face of those threats.”
Twice Before Threatened.
NEW YORK, February 23 OP).—
Beniamino Gigli, noted tenor, who left
Detroit secretly early today, after
threats against his life had been re
ceived, has been threatened with
harm twice before.
In January, 1925, it was learned
that Gigli had received two letters
from extortionists and had been
guarded for several weeks by a de
tective. The first threat was in No
vember, 1924, and demanded that the
.enor send SSOO to * “Emile Stadler”
of Los Angeles for the benefit of
Italian members of the Ku Klux
Klan. alleged to be held in prison.
The second threat was similar.
Gigli then was an honorary captain
in the New York police.
No Buffalo Engagement.
BUFAFLO, N. Y„ February 23
OP). —Beniamino Gigli. Italian tenor,
who was reported to have left Detroit
early today for Buffalo after receiv
ing backhand threats, has no en
gagements to appear here. He was
not registered at any Buffalo hotel
this torenoon.
AMNESIA VICTIM’S
TALE IS UNFOLDED
Says He Was Robbed of
$1,500, But Doesn’t
Know Where.
Detectives Kelly and Scrivener of
police headquarters today started un
raveling the vague and twisted tale
of Fred McDonnell, amnesia victim,
at Emergency Hospital, believed to
be a 70-year-old merchant of Spen
cer, Mass., who says he was robbed
of approximately $1,500 somewhere In
Washington prior to last January 30,
when he was picked up rambling
about Union Station and sent to the
hospital hy the Travelers’ Aid Socie
ty.
First efforts of the detectives, di
rected at establishing whether tho
robbery was real or imaginary, met
with scant success.
It was learned definitely that Mc-
Donnell came to the Arlington Hotel
on the night of January 28, register#
ed and checked out the next day,
paying his bill of $4. The following
day McDonnell stayed at the Harris
Hotel, near the Union Station, and it
was the next morning that he was
picked up by the Travelers’ Aid So
ciety.
Had Money in Socks.
When he arrived at Emergency
Hospital, unable to tell his name,
with no marks of identification on his
person, and with a handbag with
clothing in his hands, McDonnell was
found to have $238 secreted in his
socks.
He said that he was robbed of
$1,600, which he kept in a wallet in
his inside coat pocket, and that at the
time of the robbery his papers and
identification cards were also taken.
McDonnell stated that he was a Ma
son and this fact has been verified,
although a canvass of Masonic organi
zations throughout the country, con
ducted about a week ago, failed to
locate the lodge of his membership.
Today he told the detectives that he
was about three years behind In his
Masonic dues.
Lived 15 Years on $15,000.
During the interview with Detec
tives Kelly and Scrivener at the hos
pital this morning McDonnell said
that he had $15,000 about 15 years
ago; that he had lived during the
last 15 years with no source of in
come; that he might have had $1,500
when he came to this city, and was
sure he had more than SI,OOO, and
that ail his money save that in his
sock had been stolen from him—how,
where or when he did not know.
While the detectives started delving
Into the robbery report, more definite
identification of McDonnell as the
Spencer, Mass., merchant was being
awaited by the authorities here. Thus
far there has been a telegram re
ceived stating that the Identification
has been made from a photograph,
and that plans for enlisting the aid
of friends of the merchant were go
ing forward with the expectation that
one of them would visit Washington
McDonnell does not know where hir
friends can be found, he said, stating
that he had no family and that there
was nothing any one could do for him
in this city.
Bourdonnais on bis last trip from New
York says he found 35 yards of water
where Dr. Charcot, the explorer, re
cently found 4,000 yards, and where
Lieut. Cornet of the French navy a
few months ago found 135 yards. The
accuracy of the soundings taken bjf
these three persons is admitted. .The
question Is What cjyused the. difference
in depths between the # .soundings? Old
maps, which were long accepted as
official, give depths In the region
sounded as from 4,000 to 5.000 yards.
WASHINGTON, D. 0., TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1926-FORTY PAGES. *
PARK COMMISSION
BILL IS BACKED BY
SENATE WITNESSES
Committee Hears Delano,
Bell and Others—Latter
Urges Few Changes.
KING WOULD HAVE EXPERT
COMMITTEE APPOINTED
Suggests Present Measure Be Side
tracked Until Development
Scheme Is Created.
The Senate District committee to
day heard views voiced on tho best
method of creating a plan for the fu
ture development of the National I
Capital and also listened to an earnest I
plea by Senator Phipps of Colonido
that the United States bear a part :
of the cost of completing connecting '
links between Rock Creek and Po j
tomac parks.
All those who had testified up to I
noon favored the general object of
the bill, which has passed the House, j
extending the power of the National
Capital Park Commission to Include
city planning and also to add to the
membership of the commission a nuni- .
her of citizens qualified to assist in
designing the Capital of the future.
Several suggestions were, made to the
committee, however, for amendments
to the bill as passed by the House.
Delano Gives Views.
Frederic A. Delano, president of the
American Civic Association and chair
man of the local committee of 100, was
was the chief spokesman this morning
for advocates of the bill as passed by
the House. He proposed one change,
however, namely, to add six instead of
four citizens to the park commission,
which consists at present of only offi
cial members.
Engineer Commissioner J. Franklin
Bell told the committee the Commis
sioners are in sympathy with the pur
pose of the bill, but he advocated that
the powers granted the new Park and
-Planning Commission by the House
Mil be substantially modified so as to
give the new commission responsi
bility over planning for parks, high
ways and playgrounds, but removing
what he pictured as the possibility of
the new commission hampering the
functions of the Zoning Commission,
the Public Utilities Commission and
the director of traffic if the bill as
passed by the House becomes a law.
King Urges Changes.
Senator King. Democrat of Utah,
proposed an entirely different pro
cedure from the bill now- under con
sideration, taking the view that the
proposed bill confuses two proposi
tions. He advocated tho appointment
by the President of three or four of
the best known experts on city plan
ning to devote one year to the prepa
ration of a comprehensive scheme for
the future development of Washing
ton which would be presented to
Congress for ratification. If it should
be approved. Senator King said, then
would be time to create a continuing
commission such as is now proposed
to carry out the city plan prepared
by the experts. This committee of
experts would go out of office upon
completing a plan and the creation
by Congress of a permanent commis
sion to execute it.
When Engineer Commissioner Bell
took the stand he Indicated that the
Commissioners are In sympathy with
a procedure similar to that outlined
by Senator King.
Grant Favors Bill.
Maj. U. S. Grant, 3d. director of
public buildings And grounds, testified
in favor of the bill as it passed the
House, with one modification, which,
he said, would eliminate the objection
raised that the decisions of the Park
and Planning Commission might ham
per the members of the commission
in the performance of their separate
duties as officials of the Federal and
District governments.
Maj. Grant suggested the elimina
tion of a sentence in the House bill
which would make It the duty of
each member of the planning com
mission to adhere in principle to the
official plan of the commission.
With this alteration, Maj. Grant
said, he thought the bill a very de
sirable and Important measure and
urged Its passage. As to .the discus
sion over the number of citizens who
should bo added to the present Park
Commission Maj. Grant testified that
the House bill, authorizing the Presi
dent to appoint four such members,
Is probably the best middle ground
that can be reached between the dif
fering views of those interested In the
legislation.
The committee adjourned the hear
ings this afternoon and took the mat
ter under advisement for decision
later.
Mr. Delano made a convincing
statement of the urgent need for a
comprehensive plan for the future
growth of the National Capital. He
told the Senators that the bill as
passed by the House is a good one,
and his main suggestion was that the
number of citizen members be in
creased from four to six, and added
that he was willing to accept the
suggestion recently made that the
two thus added be District of Colum
bia residents.
Would Revise Reduction.
He pointed out that as the measure
was reported by the House District
committee it provided for a commis
sion of the seven officials who now
constitute the park commission and
six citizens appointed by the Presi
dent. On the floor of the House the
number of citizens was reduced to
four. Mr. Delano said the supporters
of the bill felt that if the size of the
commission was to be reduced, the
reduction should have been divided
equally between the officials and citi
zens on the commission. He sug
gested, for example, a commission of
five officials and four citizens.
Referring to the section of the bill
which defines the powers of the pro
posed planning commission, Mr. De
lano dolared that If the various
activities mentioned as elements to
be considered in the drafting cf u
city plan, such as zoning, public utili
ties, traffic, drainage and water sup
ply, are to be restricted they should
either all be omitted' or all left in.
Mr. Delano also explained to the
committee that section of the bill
which provides that individual of
ficials on the commission ffiall ad
here In principle to the plan of the
(Continued on Page 2. Column J.)~
SHADE OF G. \V.: “THE KIND WORDS PREDOMINATED. ANYHOW.” j
FALL AND DOHENY
APPEAL DECISION
Ask Special Action on Ruling
of Justice Stafford Uphold
ing Indictments.
Albert B. Fall, former Secretary of
the Interior, and Edward L. Doheny,
oil magnate of Los Angeles, today
asked the District Court of Appeals to
grant a special appeal from the deci
sion of Justice .Stafford of the District
Supreme Court sustaining the validity
of the new conspiracy indictment
growing out of the leasing of the Elk
Hills naval oil reserve in California.
Through Attorneys Ilenry A. Wise of
New York and Frank J. Hogan of
Washington, the accused point out
that a great saving of time and
pense would result from the appellate
tribunal taking up and deciding the
law points Involved in advance of a
trial.
Justice Stafford, according to coun
sel for the defense, in sustaining the
validity of the indictment extended the
scope of the Latest conspiracy decision
of the United States Supreme Court,
which has been generally regarded as
limiting the scope of a conspiracy to
defraud.
Counsel also call attention to the
fact that Justice Stafford called on
them for brief's on five Important
questions of law raised by the jus
tice himself and in his decision failed
to dispose of them or to discuss any
cme of them.
In the event of a trial, the court is
told, a large number of witnesses for
both the prosecution and defense
would have to be brought 3,000 miles
from their places of residence and
business. Witnesses would have to
come from New Mexico, Texas, Cal
ifornia and a number of other West
ern States. Such trial would occupy
not less than sLx weeks, counsel sug
gest, and would involve a record of
several thousand pages and about 400
exhibits. It would be an Idle thing,
say counsel, to go through a long trial
on this indictment only to learn that
the facts established constituted no
offense cognizable by the court.
Similar action is expected to be
taken by Attorney George P. Hoover,
counsel for Harry F. Sinclair, who is
also Indicted for conspiracy with Fall
in connection with Teapot Dome re
serve.
TWO OFFICERS SLAIN
IN BRUTAL MANNER
Shot Deliberately Through Heads
by Bandits as They lie
Wounded.
By the Associated Press.
ST. PAUL, Minn., February 23.
Two St. Paul patrolmen were shot by
an unidentified gunman In the resi
dence district here early today, and
then as they lay helpless in Hie street
each was killed with a bullef through
the head.
The slayings came as a climax to a
search for robbers who had terrorized
the residence district since Monday
night and who had committed seven
holdups in three hours. **
The slain policemen, John Schultze
and Fred A. Poitsch, were patroUing
the district In an automobile and had
started to Investigate a large car
when the shootings occurred. Poitsch
flashed his light Into the machine and
was met with gunfire, two bullets hit
ting him. As Schultze started to his
companion’s aid he also was struck.
Mrs. Thomas Cameron, living near
by, said she was awakened by the
first shots and saw a man walk to
the spot where Schultze was lying.
The man, she said, held his revolver
close to the wounded policeman’s head
and fired. He then walked to Poitsch,
pressed his revolver close to the dy
ing officer’s head and fired again.
After the second shot, Mrs. Came
ron Bald, the slayer examined both
bodies and then leaped into the car
and was gone. §he called the police.
Mrs. Cameron, who put the time of
the slayings at 3:30 a.m., said that
the slayer spoke to some one inside
the automobile before he leaped in and
was driven away.
All available detectives and patrol
men were ordered in gun squad ma
chines to patrol the city In search
of the murder car.
Both Schultze and Poitsch are sur
vived by families. Poitsch was 37, and
had been a member of the police force
since 1»11. Schultze, SO, became a
patrolman in ISIS.
Coolidge Approved
Disciplining of
Air Service Men
By the Associated Press.
The White House disclosed to
day that President Coolidge ap
proved the action taken in the
War Department) to impress on
air service officers that they must
not engage in efforts to influence
legislation.
He feels the step was necessary i
to prevent establishment in the 1
country of a pressure of public- j
opinion directed by military per
sonnel, and he expects Army and
Navy personnel to comply strictly
with the regulations of the vari
ous services that govern such
actions.
WILL ASK PROBE
OF SALM’S STATUS
M
La Guardia Seeks to Deter
mine if He May Be Deported
Over Finances.
Representative La Guardia, So
cialist. New York, announced today
he would ask the Labor Department
to investigate the status of Count
Ludwig Salm von Hoogestraeten,
husband of the former Millicent Rog
ers, to determine if he was subject
to deportation on the ground that he
might become a public charge.
Mr. La Guardia said he expected
to forward a letter to the Labor De
partment late today asking an inquiry
into the count’s case, and if it was
found he was without visible means
of support, his deportation would be
requested.
Count Salm arrived in Washington
early today from Palm Beach, Fla.
With him was his mother, the dow
ager countess, who has accompanied
him ever since he left Europe.
Count Salm stepped from his train
to the station platform and hurried at
top speed to a taxicab, which In turn
whisked him to the Mayflower Hotel.
There he engaged a suite for himself
and another for his mother on the
tenth floor of the hotel and locked
himself In, refusing to answer tele
phone calls or repeated pleas at his
door for an interview with newspaper
men.
One reporter who succeeded in
coaxing the count to answer his
phone, was curtly told, “Nothing to
say.” Another rapped at the door,
and a voice from within, evidently
that of the dowager countess, de
manded who it was. When the scribe
finally admited his identity he was
greeted with a disgusted “Ach!” and
next heard the feet of the exclaimer
moving rapidly away.
Salm has been In Florida for sev
eral weeks, armed with a court order
giving him permisison to see his lit
tle son, whom the Countess von Hoo
gestraeten had steadfastly declined
to-permit out of her sight. Each oc
casion when the youngster was taken
to his father, he was carefully
guarded by a nurse and a retinue of
detectives, won arbitrarily refused to
permit the count to take the child
away from their vßew.
Flyer Franco Recalled to Spain.
MADRID. February 23 C4»).—Comdr.
Franco has been ordered to return
from Buenos Aires to Spain by ship.
His seaplane. Plus Ultra, has been
presented to Argentina by King Al
fonso.
18,000 Have Influenza.
MEXICO CITY. February 23 OP).—
The newspapers report that at pres
ent there are 18.000 cases of Influenza
in the Federal district. The outbreak
Is due to the recent cold wave.
Edson Bradley Estate, Sold, Is Last
Os South Connecticut Ave. Mansions
The famous Edson Bradley estate,
on the south side of Dupont Circle at
the intersection of Connecticut avenue
and Nineteenth street, has been pur
chased by Moebs Engineering and
Construction Co. of this city, and
while nothing definite is forthcoming,
It is understood that probably a large
apartment or office building Is to be
erected on the site.
The sale of this estate, on which
the palatial Edson Bradley home has
stood partly demolished for nearly
three years, fnarks the passing of the
last of the great mansions that lined
Connecticut avenue south of Dupont
Circle.
C4 5 ) Means Associated TWO CENTS.
WETS OPEN DRIVE i
AGAINST DRY LAW
Committee of 21 Chosen to'
i
j Seek Modification Vol
stead Act Attacked.
Out of the fire and smoke of yes-1
terday's cannonading against pro- j
hibition by the biggest guns of the j
modification camp, there emerged at j
I midnight plans for a fresh offensive j
| to be hurled against the eighteenth j
amendment and the Volstead act. |
The new- force is a committee of
twenty-one representative men, who ;
will formulate a legislative program
to be presented to Congress as the
beat thought of combined modiflca- i
I tionism. ,
The committee Was appointed last j
night by W. IL Stay ton, national ,
; chairman of the Association Against !
j the Prohibition Amendment, at th*
I conclusion of an afternoon confer- j
enoe and evening banquet at the May- J
flower Hotel, where prohibition was
given one of the most severe Hayings
in the six years of its history. j
j represented on the committee, ac- j
j cording to Mr. Stayton, are "wets, !
drys and moists,” members of the ■
Senate and House of Representatives, I
business men, a novelist, a playwright
and many other “outstanding men." |
This group is expected to meet
shortly to work out a definite pro- I
gram, as suggested during the i
banquet, by Senator Edge, Repub- j
ltcan, of New Jersey, to be submitted
to Congress as a “concrete legisla- I
live plan.” to correct the “evils” I
which modifleationists feel have 1
grown up under the present system. I
Move Under Way in House.
Representative Hill, Republican,!
Maryland, who was toastmaster at j
the banquet, and was appointed a ;
j member of the new committee, an- I
nounced afterward that the modifica
tion committee of the House of Rep
resentatives, of which he is chairman,
expected to hold hearings before long
on the various proposals for modifica
tion of the Volstead act put forward
by several groups, with a view to
formulating new legislation. This i
however, he indicated, would not halt i
the present plans of the modification- ;
ists to push for consideration of light i
wine and beer bills already introduced :
The new plan. Air Hill thinks, how- !
ever, will develop something of a more
comprehensive nature, as coming i
from what he considers the most rep- :
resentative group of Americans vet
assuming the duty of working out a I
SU i£ tltUte for P rese »t prohibition. I
The new committee, expected to act i
as the spearhead for modification in !
America, includes two Washington i
m ® n ' 18 as follows: Senator Bay
ard, Democrat. Delaware; Senator I
Broussard, Democrat, Louisiana; Rep- !
resentative Hill, Benedict Crowell of |
Cleveland, former Assistant Secretary I
of War; James Duncan, first vice
president of the American Federation '
of Labor; Pierre S. du Pont, Wilming- !
t( “*?• 5® 1 -: William P. Eno and Ar-1
chibald Hopkins of Washington; F |
franklin. New York; Dr. Julius Fried- 1
enwald, Baltimore; Rupert Hughes,
the novelist of Hollywood, Calif • J |
M. P. Murphy, New York; Henry s". I
Priest, former Federal judge, St.
Louis; Charles S. Rackemann, Bos
ton; Charles T. Stout, New York; Wil
liam M. Solame, Princeton, N. J.; Dr.
J. J. Seelman, Milwaukee; Gen. M. O
Terry, Coronado, Calif.; Augustus
Thomas, New York; Calvert Townley,
New York, and R. F. W’ood, Pihla
delphia.
Dry Law Blamed for Much.
Wholesale criticism was launched
against the eighteenth amendment
and the Volstead act during the two
sessions yesterday by Senator Ed
wards, Senator Edge. Representative
Mary T. Norton, Democrat, of New
(Continued on Page 2, Column 7.)
The British embassy was sold to
Harry Ward man, and as soon as the
1 plans for the new embassy at Ob
servatory Circle, on Massachusetts
avenue, are completed by Sir Edwin
, L. Lutyens, the famous British arch
itect, this old landmark also will dis
appear.
The Edson Bradley mansion was
long one of the most notable houses
: in the National Capital, and much of
the exterior ornamentation and the
interior decorations were shipped to
Newport, R. 1., where the Edson
, Bradleys are erecting one of the most
magnificent residences in the country.
The only evening paper
in Washington with the
Associated Press news
service.
Yesterday’s Circulation. 95,927
It A. BACKS BILL
FOR EDUCATIONAL
POST IN CABINET
Superintendents Unanimous
ly Approve Curtis-Reed
Plan for Department.
INDORSE DRIVE TO RAISE
$50,000 EFFICIENCY FUND
Stand on Measure Creating Secre
taryship to Go Long Way To
ward Securing Enactment.
Unanimous indorsement of the
Curtis-Reed bill creating a depart
ment of education with a cabinet
officer, and a campaign to raise a
$50,000 fund to be used by a national
commission on economy and eftic;
eney of business administration of
school systems .('or the purpose of
“conserving fun.is, supplies and hc
-1 man energy" in the public school
systems of the United States was
voted by members of the department
of superintendence, National Educa
, tion Association, at a business session
! held in the Washington Auditorium
1 shortly before noon today.
The votes of '•the superintendents
on these two significant questions
was accompanied by thunderous ap
! plause by the delegates who presented
i a picturesque sight as each one wore
the orange gariafid lies of Hawaii
■ around their necks. It has been the
I custom of the Hawaiian school chil
1 dren for a number of years to send
! the “tokens of aloha” to the superin-
I tendents as a bidding for them to
; hold a convention in Hawaii.
The stand of the educators on the
I Curtis-Reed bill is expected to go a
• long way toward securing the enact
! ment of this measure, which has been
: sought for seven years. It comes on
the eve of hearings which will be
accorded the educators at the Capitol
tomorrow and Thursday by the coi.
gressional committees considering th*-
Curtis-Reed bill.
Coolidge Addresses Meeting.
President Coolidge addressed the
! educators at a patriotic gathering o*
the educators held in the. Auditorium
last night. It was the first time the
I educators had been given a message
j from the Chief Executive since they
• last gathered in Washington 18 years
; ago and President Theodore Roosevelt
j talked to them in the east room of the
| White House.
i “The American public school is the
• bulwark of our civil and religious lib
: erties,” said George D. St ray or, chair-
I man of the legislative commission of
1 the N. E. A., in presenting the resc
j lution indorsing the Curtis-Reed bill.
• "The moral responsibility for the en
couragement and advancement of this
! basic institution rests upon the Fe<l
j oral Governn ent.
“We heart! y Indorse the education
j hill now beftwe Congress. This bill
i does not per.-iit of any interference
; with the con. jlete autonomy of the
j States in the administration and con
j trol of their s.ffiools, hut it does pro
! vide for the more efficient particlpu
i lion of the Federal Government by co
, ordinating its present educational a
j tivities and by extending the scope of
; its scientific investigations,
j “This bill further provides by its
j creation of a Department of Educa
j tion with a Secretary in the Presi
j dent's cabinet for that recognition
• and service which the importance of
: public education merits and the ad
| vanceinent of education requires."
Backs $50,000 Fund.
; In making the report of the execu
tive committee of the department on
the raising of the $50,000 fund for
the year long survey into business
management of school systems. Dr.
Thomas E. Finegan, a member of
the commission appointed by Dr. Hu
bert Work, said:
! “It would be just as reprehensible
! for the richest country in the world
! to debase the quality of instruction
. provided by the public schools for the
j training and discipline of boys and
girls as it would be to adulterate its
I food products or to debase the stand
■ ard value of its currency.
“The commission has decided that
its membership shall not exceed nine
and has authorized President FYank
W. RaJlou to appoint one member who
shall be representative of the views
of business managers of city
school system and one member who
shall be representative of the views
i of organized labor,” Dr. Finegan con
tinued.
; Besides Dr. Ballou, local members
j on the commission are Ernest Green
i wood, vice president of the Board of
j Education; Dr. John J. Tigert. United
, States commissioner of education, and
Elliot Goodwin of the United States
i Chamber of Commerce.
Many Questions To Be Settled.
Questions the commission will cr
deavor to answer and prohlerns they
1 hope to remedy are; “Are the organ!
zations and administrations of all the
interests of a school system co
ordinated so as to conserve funds,
supplies and human energy? Are un
necessary expenditures avoided? Is
waste eliminated? Are economies prac
ticed so that funds shall be available
for essentials and for pecessarv
growth and expansion in vital direc
tion? Do the investors—the taxpayers
and the rent payers—get value re
ceived for every dollar invested?"
The commission plans to devote not
less than one year to the study of this
problem under the direction of ex
perts in education administration and
experts in business administration.
The expense of the inquiry will be
$50,000. Several public-spirited citi
zens of means have been invited to
make contributions toward meeting
these expenses. The department of
superintendence, the National Educa
tion Association, the United States
Chamber of Commerce, the American
Federation of Labor have been invited
to make similar contributions.
“The commission,” Dr. Finegan
told his fellow educators, “believes
this inquiry of such outstanding na
tional importance not only to the
people of the entire country but to
the social, economic and commercial
interests of the land and so fraught
with possibilities of a national
ice of vital significance that hte pW$-
ect is one which individuals, organ!
zations and institutions engaged in
the promotion of the ■welfare of the
country may properly aid aAi
port.
"The commission has accordingly
submitted a memorandum to the
general education board, the Carnegie
(Continued oa XbMre 5, Column 5J