Evening star. [volume], February 23, 1926, Page 2, Image 2

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

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2
WOULD LET LEAGUE
FIX COUNCIL SIZE
Brian:! Opposed to Outside
Interference in Solving
Problem.
I'.y (hr AsiOfiated Prrs*.
PARIS, February 23.—The League
r.f Nations itself is the "sole and
best judge” of the question of en
larging the league council. Premier
Briand said today after a meeting of
the foreign affairs committee of the
Chamber of Deputies. Referring to
the movement for additional perma
nent council seats and Germany e
objection to such procedure. M.
Driand said: "I have full confidence
in the league for Interpretation of
Its statutes in conformity with the
great interests confided to its care,
li will decide in complete independ
ence without taking into account at
tempts to influence its decision."
The premier dismissed as “out of
place’’ polemics regarding the en
largement of the council.
"The Locarno negotiators have no
occasion to take up that affair. ’ he
said. "The question was propounded
several times before Locarno. The
nations interested in increasing the
number of seats merely have profited \
I.v the occasion offered by Germany's
admission to the league to present
their demands anew.”
(This is an apparent reference to
the speech at Birmingham yesterday
cl’ Sir Austen Chamberlain, British
foreign secretary, who remarked that
if the same men who took part in
the Locarno conference could meet
end discuss the council membership
problem, they would be able to deal
* with it practically.)
The foreign affairs committee ap
proved. with four dissenting nation
alist votes. M. Paul-Boncour’s report
on the Locarno pact. Premier Briand
Insisted that nothing was discussed
n.t that conference beyond the texts
already published and that the agree
ments left France's rights under the
Versailles treaty absolutely Intact.
The nremier and the committee
men agreed to urge the chamber to
hasten its discussion of the Locarno
ratification so as conclude It be
fore the opening of the league coun
cil on March 8.
OFFICIAL CALL ISSUED.
League Council Summoned to Meet In
Geneva March 8.
GENEVA. February 23 OP). —An of
ficial call for the council of the League
of Nations to meet March 8, when the
special assembly summoned to act on
Germany’s application for member
ship in the league will open, was Is
sued yesterday. Viscount Ishii. Jap
anese Ambassador to France, will pre
side.
The official agenda includes 26
items, but the list omits the most Im
portant question brought up by Ger
many’s application, that of whether
other states besides Germany shall be
given permanent seats In the council.
Among the questions to be consid
ered is a report of the league’s ex
perts on arbitration conventions and
treaties of mutual security registered
with the league. It is understood that
the experts have found that existing
documents show that the idea of set
tling conflicts by conciliation and ar
bitration has been more widely adopt
ed than Is generally supposed. This
is expected to encourage the league’s
disarmament discussions.
The council will fix a new date for
the meeting of the preparatory com
mission for the disarmament confer
ence. and also will decide whether this
meeting shall be held outside of
Switzerland, so as to assure the par
ticipation of Soviet Russia.
The council also will choose a date
for the meeting of the preparatory
commission for the international eco
nomic conference. Other matters to
be considered include the report on
»he French mandate in Syria, which Is
being prepared by the permanent
mandates commission in Rome, and
the selection of a site for a new as
sembly hall. This latter topic Is ex
pected to bring up the discussion of
whether, in view of the controversy
)>etween Switzerland and Russia over
the Vorovsky murder, the league
f-hould definitely tie itself to Geneva.
U. S. MAGAZINE BARRED
BY CANADA AS OBSCENE
Liberty Printed Untruthful and
Libelous Matter About Prince,
Official Declares.
Jiy the Associated Press.
OTTAWA. February 23.—Based on
fiction of the customs act, which pro
hibits the importation of obscene
matter, the American magazine Lib
erty has been permanently barred
from Canada.
George 11. Boivine, minister of cus
toms and excise, announced last night
that the publication had been ex
■iuded on the ground that it published
articles about the Prince of Wales
and the late Queen Mother Alexandra
which was misrepresenting and li
belous.
If the publishers of the magazine
w Ish to appeal the order they must
’'rove that steps have been taken to
eliminate objectionable matter in fu
ture issues. Boivine said.
MRS. KATE A.* FLAGG DIES.
Widow of Well Known Writer Suc
cumbs at Age of 88.
Mrs. Kate A. Flagg. 88 years old,
widow of Edmund Flagg, well known
writer and editor, died at her home,
in Falls Church. Va., Saturday. She
was formerly a resident of Washing
ton, but had lived in Falls Church
for the last 57 years.
Funeral services will be conducted
si.t her residence in Falls Church to
morrow afternoon at 2 o’clock. In
terment will be in Oakwood Ceme
tery, near Falls Church.
Mrs. Flagg was a decendant, on her
mother’s side, of the Howard family
of Baltimore. She leaves two sons,
Edmund Howard Flagg and Sidney
Webster Flagg, both residents of
Falls Church.
MESSENGER DIES.
Veteran in U. S. Supreme Court
Service Succumbs.
Eugene Brooks, colored, who serv
ed as a messenger in the United
States Supreme Court for more than
40 years, died at his residence, 1842
Thirteenth street, Sunday night.
Brooks, who was a member of the
colored Masons and an Odd Fellow,
was one of the founders of the Oldest
Inhabitants’ Association and the Cliff
Rock Association. He was a member
of the United Aid, the Frederick
Ilouglass and the Banneker Relief As
sociations.
Funeral services will be held to
morrow afternoon at St. Luke’s Epis
copal Church, of which Mr. Brooks
was for many years vestryman and
treasurer.
PARK COMMISSION BILL IS O. K.’d
BY SENATE HEARING WITNESSES
Delano and Others Indorse Measure—Bell Urges
Modification of Provisions —King Would Create
Body of Expert City Planners.
(Continued from First Page)
plunnlng commission. He took the
position that the Jeeislons of the
planning commission should l>e more
than merely advisory and yet should
not be so iron-clad that the District
Commissioners would bo bound to
carry them out regardless of the
circumstances.
To make his position o’enr. the wit
ness explained that if the planning
commission favored the widening of
a certain thoroughfare and the Engi
neer Commissioner should be opposed
to it. he believed a likely procedure
would be for the Engineer Commis
sioner to go before his colleagues on
the board of District Commissioners
and explain that while he personally
was not in favor of the proloet the
planning commission had taken the
opposite position and that the gen
eral plan of the city should be ad
hered to.
Cites McMillan Plan.
"Unless you give the planning com
mission that much standing, it will
not succeed,” said Mr. Delano. “That
is what happened to the McMillan
plan for parks.”
Mr. Delano declared he would not
advocate absolute power for the plan
ning commission, but that it would
have to have more than mere ad
visory status if its plans are to be
accomplished.
When the question of whether the
Federal Government should beur a
part of the expense of buying the re
maining land Itetween Hock Creek
and Potomac Parks was taken up by
the committee. Senator Phipps, who
is in charge of District appropria
tions in the Senate, declared that
fairness to people of the District
required the Federal Government to
contribute toward the completion of
this project. The linking together of
Rock Creek and Potomac Parks is
more of. a Federal project than a
local one. the Senator asserted, and
at least 40 per cent of the cost should
be borne by the Federal Government.
Asks Committee Support.
The bill already has passed the
House, and is now on the Senate
calendar In such form that all of the
8600.000 needed will be taken from
the surplus revenues of the District.
Senator Phipps has offered an amend
ment which would take 60 per cent
of the cost from the suprplus revenues
of the District and 40 per cent from
the Federal Treasury and he appeal
ed. today to the members of the Sen
ate District committee to support
that amendment when the bill is
taken up on the floor.
Senator Phipps was chairman of the
committee of Congress which found
after long and careful investigation
that the District had to its credit in
the Treasury a surplus fund of $5.-
250,000. the existence of which was
recognized by Congress for the spe
cific purposes of school building and
park buying.
Senator Phipps explained today that
$2,625,000 of the surplus was appro
priated for school buildings during the
current year “without any definite
amount contributed by tho Federal
Government.”
The citizens of the District, Sena
tor Phipps continued, wanted those
BIG POTOMAC DAM
REPORTEDPLANNED
Harnessing of River to Pro
vide Washington With Elec
tricity Under Study.
Special Dispatch to The Star.
HAGERSTOWN. Md.. February 23.
—Washington and all cities near the
Potomac Valley are to be supplied
with low-priced electric current man
ufactured in a huge power plant
that Is to be built at Harper’s Ferry,
according to reports reaching Hagers
town this morning.
This information is to the effect
that the National Power Supply Co.
of Cleveland, is about to announce
plans for harnessing the wasted
power in the waters of the Potomac
and Shenandoah Rivers by construct
ing a big dam at Harper’s Ferry. The
main powerhouse would be erected
there, but there would be amplifying
Impounding and storage plants at fre
quent intervals all the way down to
Great Falls, It Is said.
The dam. it was reported, will raise
the Potomac River two feet for a dis
tance of 10 miles.
No Permit Bought.
The Federal Power Commission
has received neither an aplicatlon
for a permit to engage in such an un
dertaking. nor has it been formally
appraised of the plans described
above
Although it Is not obligatory for
an engineering enterprise to seek a
permit to dam waters except those
which affect navigation, engineers at
the Federal Power Commission said
today it is possible such a project
as the one described in the Hagers
town dispatch might have an effect
on navigation in the lower Potomac.
The contractors could go ah°ad le
gally without fear of interruption, it
was said, but should It Interfere
with the flow of water sufficiently to
disturb navigation. It would then face
serious litigation.
Spain Supports Poland.
MADRID. February 23 (A 3).—For
eign Minister Yanguas announced to
day, following a visit by the Polish
minister, that the Spanish govern
ment had tacitly agreed to support
Poland in her claim for a permanent
seat on the League of Nations coun
oil.
NOON-DAY
LENTEN SERVICES
B.F.KEUH’S THEATER
12:30 to 1 O'clock
Speaker Tomorrow
Payson Smith
Conducted by
Rev. E. Pinkney Wroth
Every One Invited—No Collection
THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C., TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1926.
schools badly, and the forthcoming
District bill provides for the spend
ing of another $2,000,000 of the sur
only $600,000 out of the entire surplus
for park purposes.
Asks for Fairness.
"It seems in all fairness,” Senator
Phipps went on. “that this money,
having accumulated under the 50-50
fiscal arrangement, should have been
matched by ihe Federal Government,
but the people needed these schools
and had to use their surplus to get
them or seek a bond Issue.”
Senator Phipps then emphasized
again the point that by using a larger
l>art of the surplus for the urgent
school building program, there was
left only $600,000 for the park pur
poses. and he expressed tho belief
hat tHe people of the District would
much rather have used that small
allotment for a park like the Patter
son tract, rather than see it used to
complete linking of the Rock Creek
and Potomac Parks, which Senator
Phippe cnaraeterlzed ns more of a
Federal than a local park project.
"The 60-40 division of this item is
a fair proposal,” he concluded, “and
it would leave tho people of the
District a balance of $240,000 in their
surplus fund for the purpose of some
other park land.”
Others Are Heard.
Others who testified in connection
with the National Capital planning
bill were Charles F. Consaul. repre
senting a committee of the Board of
Trade, and Mrs. John B. Henderson,
who made a strong appeal for tho
systematic and attractive develop
ment of the District from now on.
Mr. Consual said he wanted to in
dorse the general principle of the
bill, and that while it might be im
proved by amendment, he thought
the advantage of having obtained ac
tion in the House should not be lost
by far-reaching changes in the Senate.
After Senator King had expounded
his theory of having a temporary
group of planners draw up a compre
hensive scheme for the approval of
Congress. Senator Copeland of New
York expressed the belief that the
House bill practically provides for
such procedure by enabling the pro
posed commission to engage the nec
essary experts to draw a definite plan
Bell Closely Questioned.
Senator Copeland also questioned
Col. Bell closely as to whether any of
the power now held by the District
Commissioners would be given to the
Planning Commission if the pending
bill should be modified as the Com
missioners request. Col. Bell replied
that he thought the modification
would give the Planning Commission
more responsibility over develpoment
of highways, parks and playgrounds,
but admitted that it would not deprive
the Commissioners of any definite au
thority.
In addition to advocating that the
powers of the Planning Commission
l.e curtailed, Col. Bell also proposed
to strike out that part of the bill
which would add citizen members to
tho existing Park Commission. <
He added the qualification that if
Congress decides to re.ain citizen
members on the proposed commission
that they be District of Columbia resi
dents.
HALF MILLION LEFT
OF PEPCO SURPLUS
Considerable Part Probably
Never Will Be Claimed,
Officials Believe.
Approximately $580,000 of the im
pounded fund of the Potomac Electr'c
Power Co. remains to be refunded to
electricity consumers in the District,
according to figures compiled today
by the Public Utilities Commission.
Since last July 1, when the company
undertook to distribute the consum
ers’ share of the impounded fund,
$2,370,000 of the $2,950,000 total has
been refunded. Utility Commission of
ficials believe that a considerable por
tion of the remaining $580,000 will
never be claimed, due to the death or
removal from the city of consumers
who cannot be located.
Three years was the time fixed for
the adjustment of all claims. After
that time the amount remaining in
the impounded fund credited to the
consumers will accrue to the com
pany.
Some Blanks Returned.
Officials of the commission explain
that the company is making every
possible effort to locate persons en
titled to a refund, but that a number
of applications sent out by the com
pany have been returned by the Post
Office because of the failure to locate
the proper consumers. Whatever
amount which may accrue to the com
pany, it was said, probably will not
meet the expenses of distributing the
refund.
The impounded fund amounted to
$6,401,576, including the interest. Five
thousand dollars was deducted for ac
crued taxes, leaving $5,901,576. This
amount was divided equally, one-half
going to the company and the other
half set aside for consumers.
It is not unusual for a utility com
pany to accumulate a surplus in such
a manner as the power company un
doubtedly will through its acquisition
of unclaimed consumers’ refunds, ac
cording to Utility Cfemmission officials.
The Washington Railway and Electric
Co. and the Capital Traction Co., it
was pointed out, have made large
profits through the failure of street
car passengers to turn in old tickets
for redemption at times when an in
creased rate of fare was put into ef
fect.
Left Big Surplus.
Figures on the commission’s books
show that the Washington Railway
and Electric Co. gained almost $50,000
In November, 1918, when the fare was
increased from 6 tickets for 25 cents
to 5 cents straight cash fare. Thou
sands of tickets held by passengers
were not redeemed in this case, it was
said, leaving the company a sizeable
surplus. Again the following yean
when the fare was raised the com
pany added SIO,OOO to Its surplus ac
counts for the same reason.
The commission has been unable
to determine how much the Capital
Traction Co. has Increased its surplus
accounts through the failure of pas
sengers to redeem old tickets due to
the company's system of bookkeeping.
Statisticians of the commission, how
ever. believe that the figures are
lower than those of the Washington
Railway and Electric Co.
Library Association to Meet.
The annual meeting of the District
of Columbia Library Association will
be held tomorrow night at the Mount
Pleasant Branch Library at 8 o’clock.
A symposium of book reviews will be
given by John B. Wolcott, H. H. B.
Meyer, Frederick W. Ashley and Miss
Emma Hance.
GALLINGER PLANS
MAVGET APPROVAL
House Subcommittee Expect
ed to Favor Fund for 250-
Bed Building.
Erection of a new ward building, ac
commodating not less than 250 l»eds,
at Gallinger Municipal Hospital at a
cost not to exceed $1,000,000 was dis
cussed sympathetically by the sub
committee of the House appropria
tions committee which is now fram
ing the District appropriation bill for
the next fiscal year, when the District
budget for charities and corrections
was under discussion at the hearing
this morning
Tlie bill as reported will probably
contain a provision for the erection
of this building, with an immediate
appropriation of $300,000 and author
ity to the District Commissioners to
enter into contracts for completion of
the building. This would include
$75,000 for furniture and equipment.
The bill will also provide for con
tinuing the construction of the do
mestic building and will carry an ap
propriation of $7,050 for the purchase
and installation of special apparatus
and equipment for the hospital and
laboratories.
Other Funds Considered.
For Columbia Hospital and Lying
in Asylum, the subcommittee favora
bly considered today an Increase of
$10.500 for repairs.
For the District Training School,
the subcommittee listened sympatheti
cally to the argument of District of
ficials for the expenditure of $25,000
for furniture and kitchen equipment
for the new buildings; for $12,000 for
the installation of laundry machinery:
$6,000 for purchase of a dairy herd
and other tarm equipment and $4,600
for repairs to buildings.
Chairman Funk and his associates
took particular interest in the items
for the Home for Aged and Infirm and
signified their acquiescence in the
proposed appropriation of $14,000 to be
made immediately available for re
pairs and improvement to the power
plant; $5,000 lor the rewdrlng of build
ings and installation of new lighting
fixtures, immediately available; $2,000
for kitchen and dining room equip
ment, $3,000 for extension of the cow
barn and SI,OOO for fencing and mark
ing of Potter’s Field.
Consider Militia Measures.
An increase of S3OO In the salary of
the presiding Judge of the Police
Court is proposed in the pending bill
and was discussed at the hearing to
day.
This afternoon the subcommittee
will consider the militia items and the
reeomended appropriations for Ana
costia Flats with MaJ. O'Connor, en
gineer officer for the rivers and har
bors district including Washington, as
the principal witness.
Tomorrow MaJ. U. S. Grant. 3d, will
be the principal witness in justifica
tion of the proposed appropriations for
public buildings and parks.
BATTLE ONIRT
SENATORS PRESSED
Borah and Reed Continue In
vasion of Territory of
Protocol Backers.
By the Aiwoelated Pres*.
CHICAGO, February 23.—The Mid
west has become the temporary battle
ground in the fight on the issue of
adherence by the United States to the
World Court as primary time draw’H
near in several Central States.
Senator William E. Borah, Republi
can, Idaho, foe of the court, who
bitterly denounced it twice here yes
terday, invades Wisconsin, home of
Senator Irvine Lenroot, Republican
champion of adherence, today. The
Idaho Senator speaks tonight in Mil
waukee, tomorrow at Racine and re
turns to Chicago tomorrow night en
route to Washington.
Senator Lenroot at Janesville, Wis.,
last night, said he would rather have
his record of aiding in obtaining
favorable Senate action for entering
the court than re-election.
Reed Asks Reprisals.
In the territory of Senator William
McKinley, Republican, Illinois, candi
date for re-election, who voted for the
court. Senator James A. Reed of Mis
souri, Democrat, in East St. Louis,
la6t night pleaded for voters’ re
prisals against those who invoked
cloture on the issue in the Senate
and who voted for the court.
Senator Henrik Shipstead, Farmer-
Labor, Minnesota, will follow up the
efforts of the anti-court Senators in an
address in Chicago March 17.
In their Washington’s Birthday ad
dresses, Senators Borah and Lenroot
invoked the principles of Washington
in support of their arguments.
It devolves on the people to save
the abandoned policies and princl
n'e* of the first President of the
United States, Senator Borah declared
in his two addresses, one in the Coli
seum and the other at a banquet of
the Crowe-Barrett-Brundage-Thomp
son faction of Illinois Republicans.
Both speeches were radiocast.
Stands by Washington.
Senator Lenroot said the foreign
policy of Washington embodies the
foreign policy of the Republican party
today. He referred to Sections of
Washington’s farewell address as
those “Senator Borah will not quote.”
"Washington said if we desired to
avoid Insult we must be able to repel
It. If Washington were alive today
he would uphold the foreign policy
of the United States.”
“We are m the position that we
must come out of the court or in
evitably become involved In the affairs
of tire League of Nations,” said Sena
tor Borah. “If the spirit of ’76 still
dwells in the heart of America, we
certainly can get out of this proposi
tion that is neither court nor any
thing. There is just one supreme
ruler in the United States from which
there is no appeal—public opinion.”
SEEKS PAY RAISE.
Blanton Asks Increases for Guards
in Public Buildings Here.
Representative Blanton, Democrat,
of Texas renewed yesterday his plea
for an increase in pay for the guards
under the administration of the engi
neer officers in charge of public build
ings. He argued that in many cases
they receive only SBS a month, which
is too small for a mail with a family
to live on.
This plea came during considera
tion of the independent offices appro
priation bill, which carries an item of
$2,100,000 for the office of director of
public buildings and public parks,
which Includes $8,000,000 for installa
tion and operation of a lighting sys
tem for the Lincoln Memorial and
$20,000 for installation of a public com
fort station in that Lincoln Memorial.
Final action was not reached last
night on this MIL
SNIPER CAPTURED,
ADMITS SLAYING 2
Omaha Renews Normal Life
With Phantom Gunman in
Cell, Facing Death.
By the AieodstM Prese
OMAHA, Nebr., February 23.
Stark terror, which had gripped
Omaha and Council Bluffs for more
than a week, gave way to relief to
day with the knowledge that the
"maniac gunman” who slew two per
sons and fired at many others was
behind bars.
Frank Carter, 46, captured at Bart
lett, lowa, yesterday and brought
back to Omaha after confessing that
he was the “sniper,” stoically beguiled
time in the county Jail as Omaha re
sumed normal activities.
The city caught up the thread of
its business and social life after it
virtually had been severed through
fear of the prowler whose .22-caliber
shells invariably were left as grim re
minders of hIA activities.
Streets Deserted.
Streets almost * were deserted at
night, theaters and other places of
amusement suffered a preclpitious
drop in patronage and some stores
canceled newspaper advertising be
cause of a dearth of shoppers.
When arrested Carter, who said he
formerly was a farm laborer, possess- -
ed a .22-caliber pistol, equipped with
a silencer, and a leather vest—ac- i
couterments which the popular imag-:
lnatlon already had credited to the
mysterious slayer.
A speedy trial was promised by
County Attorney Beal, who said he
would ask for the death penalty.
"There is no Insanity there.” said
Beal. “He has a low mentality but he
is cunning and sharp.”
After his capture by a four-man
posse led by a railroad section fore
man, Carter confessed to the shoot
ings of last week.
Victims Made Him Mad.
Carter asserted he killed W. L. Me-
Devitt and Dr. A. D. Searles because
"they made me mad by thinking they
could resist.” He said he shot Ross
Johnston in Council Bluffs "for pro
tection when I thought ho would
spread an alarm.”
"I held up McDevitt to rob him,”
Carter related. “He tried to grab my
gun and I fired a shot over his shoul
der to make him behave. Then he
started to run. That made tne mad
and 1 shot to kill.
"I can't Bay that I felt sorry for
what I had done, but two or three
girls came along and I felt sorry for
them. I thought they might tumble
onto the body, and get the shock of
their lives. But they didn't.”
He said the girls scared him away
before he could rob the body. Rob
bery was also his objective when he
shot Dr. Searles, he said, but “I did
have a slight grudge against him.”
MINES IN INDIANA
REOPENED QUIETLY
Troops Called Out to Quell
Anticipated Disorders.
Only 25 at Work.
By the Associated Ptpm.
EVANSVILLE, Ind., February' 23.
With troops of the Indiana National
Guard encamped here, five non-union
bituminous coal mines in southern
Indiana reopened today after several
weeks of idleness.
Only 25 men reported for work, how
ever. at the five mines, according to
observers for Sheriff Earl Spradley of
Warrick County. The mines normally
employ several hundred men.
An Indiana[>olls company of the Na
tional Guard arrived at Evansville to
day and three planes reached the
scene from an observation unit at
Kokomo. A company of guardsmen
from Greensburg. Ind., also has been
ordered to Evansville.
What little activity was possible at
the reopened mines with the small
force which reported was begun
quietly, the sheriff was told, and with
no signs of disturbance.
Troop movements were ordered late
yesterday by Adjt. Gen. 11. Kershner
following a conference with Gov. Ed
Jackson.
Sporadic fighting between union
sympathizers and non-union miners
during a unionization campaign which
has been in progress several weeks
has resulted in a tense situation, State
officials have been advised.
Adjt. Gen. Kershner said last night
his latest reports from the mining
district indicated that quiet prevailed.
EXPLAINS TRAFFIC JAM.
Due to Laxity of Policeman, Says
Capt. Headley.
Complaints of the congestion of
traffic at the Junction of the Highway
Bridge approach road and the north
roadway of East I‘otomac Park were
received today, and when the mattei
was taken up with Capt. Albert Head
ley of the fourth precinct he pointed,
out that the fault was due recently
to individual laxity.
A policeman is assigned there regu
larly to regulate possible heavy traffic,
but was found off his post during the
Sunday afternoon congestion.
This roadway was formerly patroled
by the park police, but the Jurisdic
tion is now in the Metropolitan Police
Department.
Capt. Headley said that there is a
standing order that a man shall be
assigned to this post for traffic duty
on Sundays, holidays and other day?
when traffic is expected to be heavy
However, the precinct has no men
available for a permanent assignment
here and on days of heavy traffic it i
necessary to take a man from another
beat.
GRANT ELECTED MEMBER
OF MONUMENT SOCIETY
Succeeds Sherrill, Who Resigned
After Retiring From Post—Of
ficers Re-elected.
The 'Washington National Monu
ment Society, at its annual meeting
yesterday afternoon, elected Maj. U.
S. Grant. 3d, to its membership, suc
ceeding Lieut. Col. C. O. Sherrill, who
resigned following his retirement from
the office of director of public build
ings and public parks, to which office
Maj. Grant has succeeded.
The society also unanimously re
elected its full list qf officers for an
other terra, as follows;
President Coolidge, president ex
officio; the governors of the several
States, vice presidents ex-officio; Willis
Van Devanter, associate justice of the
United States Supreme Court, first
I vice president; Charles C. Glover, sec
| ond vice president; Theodore W. Noyes,
treasurer; William R. Harr, secretary.
SAYS WASHINGTON AS “DRY” CITY
IS “MORE DRUNKEN” THAN LONDON
William P. Eno Develops Plan for Regulation of
Liquor in U. S., Which Is Before “Wets” Modifi
cation Committee for Consideration.
Charging that statistics show that
"Washington, under Federal enforce
ment of prohibition, is eight times as
drunken as Ixmdon and five times as
drunken as Paris under regulation,”
William P. Eno of this city has de
veloped a plan for regulation of liquor
in the United States, which will be
studied by the modification committee,
of which he was appointed a member
last night, by the Association Against
the Prohibition Amendment.
"On the basis of arrests for drunk
enness per 100,000 of population, ’ Mr.
Eno pointed out in a pamphlet dis
tributed at the modification banquet
last night at the Mayflower Hotel, the
figures are: London, 380; Paris, BOO;
Washington, 2,500.
"The enforcement of the Volstead
act is under direct control of the
United States Government in the City
of Washington. Yet. the statistics
nrov’ beyond controversy that the
Capital of the United States under
Federal enforcement of prohibition is
eight times more drunken than the
capital of England and five times more
drunken than the capital of France
under regulation.
The facts are beyond dispute that
AIMS TO ABOLISH
D. C. FEE SYSTEM
Madden Offers Bill Affecting
Offices of Deeds and
Wills.
The final step toward abolition of
the fee system In the District Govern
ment was taken today by Chairman
Madden of the House appropriations
committee when he introduced a bill
to do away with the use of fees for
support of the office of Recorder of
Deeds and Register of Wills in the Dis
trict of Columbia. This measure would
place these offices upon an annual ap
propriation basis, turning whatever
fees are received directly into the Fed
eral Treasury.
Mr. Madden explained that the pres
ent laws provide schedules of fees to
be charged by the Recorder of Deeds
and the Register of Wills for work per
formed by their offices for the public.
The law also permits the use of these
fees to the extent they are necessary
for the payment of salaries of em
ployes and defraying other expenses
for the conduct of those offices. What
ever surplus fees remain after the ex
penses are paid are deposited In the
Treasury at the end of the fiscal year
and credited to the District of Colum
bia.
Chairman Madden emphasized that
the tendency of Government in recent
years has been toward the abolition
of the use of fees for the support of
public offices. The purpose of the
bill, he said, is to take away from
these two offices the use of the fees,
a practice of many years' standing,
and require them to be supported by
direct appropriation in the same
manner as other activities of the Dis
trict government are supported.
This bill will require the heads of
both of the offices to prepare a budget
annually setting forth their needs
and to come before the proper admin
istrative authorities and the commit
tees of Congress to justify the funds
which they ask.
Mr. Madden insisted the bill is in
the interest of good legislative pro
cedure. good administrative practice
and says that its passage will mark
the passing of the last of the fee-sup
ported offices under the District, of
which there were at one time a great
many.
Eleven Die of Pneumonia.
Eleven more deaths from pneu
monia were reported today to the
D'rtrict Health Department, bringing
the total since January 1 to 268.
Eighteen new cases of the disease
also were reported. There have been
761 cases under treatment since the
new year.
Today in Congress
Senate.
Senator Mayfield of Texas ad
dressed the Senate on the powers of
States to authorize new railroad
construction.
The proposal to further Investi
gate the Aluminum Co. of America
was debated today.
The District committee heard
Senator Phipps of Colorado in sup
port of his proposal that the Fed
eral Government contribute 40 per
cent toward the parkway connect
ing Rock Creek and Potomac Parks.
The committee also held a hear
ing on a bill to enlarge the powers
of the National Park Commission.
From the appropriations commit
tee the agricultural appropriation
bill was reported to the Senate.
The public lands committee con
sidered legislation dealing with graz
ing on public lands.
The claims committee considered
claims in executive session.
House.
House today acted upon confer
ence report on tax reduction bill.
House takes up railroad labor
bill to be under consideration until
completed, which is expected late
tomorrow.
Bill to legally establish Police
Women’s Bureau in the District of
Columbia, subject of hearing be
fore Rathbone subcommittee of
House District committee.
District appropriation bill for
fiscal year beginning July 1 next,
subject of hearing in executive
session by Funk subcommittee of
appropriations committee.
Legislation providing for equali
zation of rank, subject of hearing
before naval affairs committee.
Foreign affairs committee, in
executive session, continues hear
ing on education of Persian stu
dents under the Imbrie indemnity
fund.
Admiral Moffett was principal
witness before military affairs com
mittee at hearing on proposed De
partment of National Defense.
Agricultural committee considers
migratory bird bill in executive
session.
Committee on flood oontrol holds
hearing on Missouri River projects.
Committee bn immigration con
ducts .hearing, with Representa
tive McDuffie and Delegate Davllla
as principal witnesses.
Insular affairs committee con
ducts hearing on establishment of
a permanent government for the
Virgin Islands.
Merchant marine committee con
tinues hearing on Scott bill for con
solidation of certain bureaus in the
■, Department of Commerce.
Pw'fcHc lands committee, in execu
tive session, considers private bills
on the calendar.
Subcommittee .of Judiciary com
mittee conducts hearing on motor
theft legislation.
other nations are making: great
strides toward a maximum of temper
ance under wise regulation, while we
are headed In the opposite direction
under the eighteenth amendment and
the Volstead enforcement act."
Mr. Eno’s plan, which would entail
a new constitutional amendment, pro
vides for licensing the sale of liquors
under certain restrictions, a tax of 1
cent for each ounce of alcohol, "in
whatever combination," and an ad
ditional tax of 1 cent per ounce on
imported alcohol.
Nothing could be imported under
Mr. Eno’s plan without coming up to
"Government test of purity of con
tents," salonnß or bars would be “sup
pressed” and any reputable eating
place vouched for by reputable citi
zens, whether a restaurant, hotel or
club, would be able to procure a per
mit to sell alcoholic drink with meals
between the hours of 4 and 10 p.m.
In the sale of alcoholic drink in bulk,
not leas than one full bottle would be
licensed to "reputable dealers" vouched
for by reputable citizens during cer
tain days, at the beginning or middle
of the week only, “so as to prevent
Saturday purchases after wages are
paid.”
WETS OPEN DRIVE
AGAINST DRY LAW;
21 TO CARRY ON FIGHT
(Continued from First Page.)
Jersey; Rev. Dr. James Empringham
of New York, and many others. Pro
hibition was charged by various
speakers with breaking down the
morals of the youth, with infringing
upon the constitutional liberty of the
people, with diverting revenue from
Government, “underground” to the
thief and bootlegger, with corrupting
not only social, but political life in
America and with violating both the
spirit of George Washington and the
true interpretation of Christianity.
500 Take Part In Banquet.
Among the more than 500 diners at
the banquet last night, of whom about
half were women, there were four
United States Senators—Edge, Ed
wards, Bruce and Bayard—and sev
eral members of the House.
Enthusiasm broke forth not only in
loud applause but In hearty cheers at
both sessions, and it was during the
afternoon, with the meeting packed to
the doors with men and women, that
the spirit of the occasion at times burst
into the fervor of a political cam
paign, with whole groups of the as
sembly leaping to their feet, shouting
and waving flags. The Maryland dele
gation was responsive to Maryland
speakers and at one time during a
pause a big voice boomed out from
the back of the court, "What’s the
matter with Ritchie?” Both sessions
were colorful and lively affairs, with
frequent caustic references to the
Anti-Saloon League and its “politics,”
always provoking laughter or Jeers.
"Prohibition was Uncle Sam's war
bride. He married in haste. Now he
is repenting at leisure.”
This remark by the Rev. Dr. Em
pringham, national secretary of the
Church Temperance Society of the
Protestant Episcopal Church, whose
recent espousal of the cause of modi
fication created a sensation, proved
one of the popular keynotes of the
two sessions, several speakers refer
ring to the Idea.
Mr. Hill charged that during the
war the "Anti-Saloon League was
playing politics, while the rest of us
were a-tiptoe to win the war.”
Reads Beer Recipe.
Announcing that both he and Mr.
Stayton may be "facing the local
Jail” for violation of the Volstead act,
Mr. Hill called attention to George
Washington's recipe for "small beer,”
printed in the elaborate menu-pro
gram for the evening, and read the
entire recipe in a clear voice.
Waving aloft two pamphlets of the
Department of Agriculture, Mr. Hill
told his auditors that if they "were
in danger" in taking home the print
ed recipe, so was the Secretary of Ag
riculture for printing the directions
for making “unfermented grape
juice." The difference, however, Mr.
Hill pointed out was that the Secre
tary said to keep the hting in the
barrel, while George "Washington
said to "leave the bung open.”
"Washington was no small-bottle
tnan,” said Mr. Hill; "he made 30
gallons at a time.” Some of the
recipe was reproduced facsimile In
Washington’s handwriting.
Urges Concerted Action.
Senator Edge, protesting that it was
"no violation of the law to attempt to
perfect the law,” declared that the
"Volstead act and the eighteenth
amendment are the collossal failures
of the age. Any act," he added,
“which has brought in its trail wide
corruption in public service, increased
alcoholic drunkenness, insanity and
deaths, homes transferred into bar
rooms, taught young boys and girls
the use of the flask, unknown before
prohibition, and incited a general dis
regard for all law, cannot be success
fully defended."
Calling upon his hearers to arouse
public sentiment and "present a con
crete proposition for amendment of
law and amendment of the eighteenth
amendment.” Senator Edge declared
Congress was composed of a "small
band of ‘wets,’ a small band of men
sincerely dry and an army in between
waiting to hear some word from the
States." A nation-wide referendum,
the speaker thought, would “result in
an overwhelming verdict for common
se^' se sanity and decency.” Congress
will never act, he said, "until the peo
ple of this great Nation demand that
they act.”
Many persons who are talking about
the eighteenth amendment not being
enforced, according to Mrs. Norton,
are denying the fourteenth and fif
teenth amendments. They say,” she
explained, ”lt is not the custom to
enforce the fourteenth and fifteenth
amendments in the South, and I
would reply, then, If I reasoned on
the same basis, that it would not be
the custom to enforce the eighteenth
amendment 4n the North!
“The most serious question arising
from this contempt of law,” said Mrs.
Norton, "is the harm that is being
done to our boys and girls, mentally
and physically.”
Approves Temptations.
Dr. Empringham declared that "pro
hibition is wrong in principle, but so
long as it is the law it must be
obeyed. God breaks man’s prohibi
tion law every moment by fermenta-
I tion, because God wants us to live
! in the midst of temptations, where
i character can be developed by diffl
! culties. * • * Adam and Eve would
never have noticed that apple tree in
the middle of the Garden of Eden if
it hadn’t been prohibited."
Revenues formerly going to the
i Government, Dr. Empringham said,
j by virtue of prohibition were now
| being “diverted to cutthroats and
; thieves,” instead of being used to re
j lieve the tax burden on American peo
ple. “This law,” said Dr. Empring
ham, "insults our Lord Jesus Christ."
Matthew Woll, vice president of the
American Federation of Labor, made
an appeal for a return to considera
tion of the inherent rights of a "free
people” under the Constitution, de
claring these rights were being tram-
U. S. RAIDS LAI
120 GUNMEN IN NET
Chicago “Bad Lands” Clean-
Up May Bring Deportation
of Many Gangsters.
By th« Ansociated Preia.
CHICAGO, February 33. —More
than 120 were under arrest today ith
a result of police raids throughout
the West Side “bail lands” for th
portable alien gangsters and gun
men. The district has been tei
rorized the last year by gang war
fare.
Twenty-one of the men taken in
the sudden police attack were desig
nated as Government prisoners by
United States inspectors sent here
on instructions from Washington
The suspects must stand trial for
their right to remain longer in this
country, inspectors said.
Ninety-nine arrests were made in
cases, poolrooms and homes and t
men were taken from street corneri-
Don Peppino, a member of the
"Quarto,” which, police say, is the
Inner government of the district's
gangsters, was taken In the round
up.
At the warehouse of Antonio Dorr,
bardo officers found a sawed-off shot
gun recently fired and a quantity of
ammunition. A card index secured
in the raid contains the names of
many alleged gangsters, police 6aid.
The political headquarters of Dla
mond Joe Esposito was among the
places visited.
An exodus of aliens from tho raided
district was reported to police by
railroad ticket agents and word was
forwarded to arrest all suspects on
east-bound trains.
Commenting on the drive, Jeremiah
Hurley, supervising director of im
migration, sent here last week from
Washington, declared the crusade
would be continued until the district
is cleaned up.
NEW TRAFFIC LIGHTS
WILL COST $126,000
Eldridge Estimates Expenditure
Required for Extension of Street
Control System.
Approximately $126,000 Is needed
to provide the desired extension of
the automatic traffic control lights,
according to estimates prepared by
Traffic Director M. O. Eldridge for
the House committee on appropria -
tions.' Mr. Eldridge was asked by
the committee to determine the cost
of the extensions he believes should
be made this year.
There is no provision for the ex
tension of the light system in the
District budget for 1927. Director
Eldridge requested additional funds
for this purpose, but the item was
reduced by $170,000 by the Commis
sioners and the Bureau of the
Budget.
The first deficiency appropriation
bill carries an item for the extension
of existing traffic lights on Sixteenth
street and on Massachusetts avenue,
but Mr. Eldridge is anxious to place
the signals on such thoroughfares
in the downtown section as F and G
streets, and Pennsylvania avenue
from the Treasury’ to the Capitol.
The extension on Sixteenth street
will be from Florida avenue north
ward to Park road. The Massachu
setts avenue lights will be extended
eastward from Twelfth to Seventh
street.
NINE BODIES^RECOVERED.
Taken From Ruins of Wooden Ho
tel at Hurleyville, N. Y.
HURLEYVILLE. N. Y., February
23 UP). —Nine bodies have been re
covered from the ruins of the Schind
ler Prairie House, wooden hotel here,
which was destroyed by* fire early
yesterday. Seven bodies were recov
ered yesterday and two more were
found last night.
The bodies taken out of the ruins
were so charred as to make identifica
tion impossible.
Firemen discontinued work in the
belief that the bodies of all those who
perished had been recovered.
pled by such laws as prohibition,
which was the “true cause for chaotic
conditions in our land.”
Mr. Stayton, announcing his new
committee to formulate a program
for modification, said that the Asso
ciation Against the Prihibition Amend
ment had filed expense accounts with
Congress showing expenditure of $199,-
000, and questioned seriously the re
turn made by the Anti-Saloon League,
which he said was $230.
New York Democrats Attend.
Attending in a body, the New York
Democratic delegation- in the House
said in a statement that it did so be
cause it would aid in calling atten
tion to the “manly, vigorous virtue
of temperance and self-control of
George Washington, which enabled
him to make proper use of beer and
wine, and even strong spirits, and to
avoid the abuse thereof.”
senator Edwards, principal speaker
at the afternoon conference, charged:
"The despicable mockery and hypoc
risy of present-day prohibition en
cement has become such a stench
in the nostrils of right-living and
right-thinking people that whether we
will it or not, facts—cold, hard, indis
putable facts —must be faced if Amer
ica is to maintain the respect and re
gard of her citizens.”
Since the birth of prohibition six
years ago, Senator ‘Edwards said,
“fair-minded, honest and Just Ameri
cans have tolerated the blandishments,
innuendoes, intolerance and auto
cratic exercise of superpower by an
inconceivably small minority seeking
to overthrow a tolerant but unasser
tlve majority * • •
Charges False Statements.
“The entire Nation has awakened to
find itself beset on every hand by false
statistics, false hopes, false promises
and false enforcement measures and
regulations having to do with prohibi
torv restrictions."
Representative Sosnowski of Michi
gan, characterizing the eighteenth
amendment as “one of the causes of
the younger generation’s greatest so
cial evil today,” said he did not criti
cize those citizens and Legislature
who had written the amendment into
the Constitution, but declared that,
was six years ago and we have a new
set of facts to face todav.
Rabbi Morris S. Lazaron of Balti
more said he favored repeal of the
eighteenth amendment and of the
Volstead law and the passage of "such
general legislation as can und will be
enforced by the aid of the States."
He proposed wines and beer, purchase
of whisky by the Government, Inves
tigation of present conditions by a
commission and a "national referen
dum” at the next elections "to sense
the sentiment now.”
Among others who spoke yesterday
afternoon were Mrs. Rufus Gibbs of
Baltimore, Mrs. W. W. Montgomery
of Philadelphia, Mrs. Mortimer West
of Baltimore, Admiral W. W. Kim
ball, I?. S. N.. retired; Gen. W. P.
Richardson, U. S. A., .retired, and
Julian Codman of Boston.