Evening star. [volume], February 25, 1926, Image 1

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

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WEATHER.
(LYS. Weather Bureau Forecast.)
Rain this afternoon, followed by
generally fair; colder tomorrow; lowest
torhj>erature tonight about 36 degrees.
Temperatures—Highest, 52 at noon
today; loM’est, 33 at 1 a.m. today.
Fut! report on page 9.
Closing N. Y. Stocks and Bonds, Page 30
Y f , OM QCT Entered as second class matter
J. post office, Washington, I). C.
MELLON APPROVES
NEW REVENUE BILL
DESPITE BIG SLASH
Secretary Confident Govern
ment Can Meet Bills if
Care Is Exercised.
WARNING IS SOUNDED
ON MORE EXPENDITURES
Compromise Passed by Senate $40,-
000.000 Over Limit Set
by Secretary.
T)' ii)o Tress.
Speaker Longworth anti Yice Pres
ident Dawes today signed the $357.-
onn.ooo tax reduction bill and it then
vas transmitted to the White House
b\ special messenger for the Presi
dent’s signature. Speaker Long worth
v igne<l the measure soon after the
House convened. It then was taken
to the Senate by a clerk for Mr.
Dawes to sign.
Although the new tax bill some
what exceeds the reduction in reve
nge which the Treasury believed
safe. Secretary Mellon said today
that it is generally satisfactory to
the administration.
As the bill now stands, the Secre
tary said, the Government should
have little serious difficulty In meet
ing Us financial needs. He explained,
however, that any appropriations by
Gongress not now contemplated would
create a deficit.
The Secretary believed that the re
troactive features of the estate tax
will not cause embarrassment to the
T reasury.
The 1927 fiscal year surplus will
he small. If there is any. in the opin
ion of the Treasury head, but he
. suggested that the revenue reduction
will have little effect on the current
fiscal year program. Such surplus
as is available for the current year
is being applied to reduction of the
public debt and that policy will con
tinue to the end of the fiscal year, j
.Tune 30. :
T'ndersecretary Winston predicted ]
that the new bill should be produc- i
tive of increased revenue in future
''ears. It has been proved, he de
clared, that the lowering of the tax
levies was conducive to business ex
tension and the opening up of new
sources of taxation.
The undersecretary said present in
dications were for revenues somewhat
in excess of expenses for the fiscal!
ver ir ending June 30. 1927—the first
fu»l fiscal year after the bill becomes
effective. lie added, however, that
these calculations were predicted on
retention of the Government esti
mate of expenditures for the fiscal
yea r.
Enactment into law of the reve
nue bill proposing tax reduction of j
3357.000.000 this year awaited today j
only the signature of Tresident Cool- |
blge, who was expected to approve
the measure within a short time.
Senate approval late yesterday by
n vote of 61 to 10 of the compromise
reached in the conference with the
Douse completed the work of Con
gress on its first and probably most I
important piece of legislation this I
session.
The widespread slashes in taxes i
will become effective in most in - |
stances immediately upon enactment
"f the measure and income taxpayers
" W have their assessment cut by
more than $200,000,000 with the re
duced rates effective on first pay
ments for this year, which are due
March 13.
Increase in Exemption.
More than 2.300,000 of the approxi
mately 7.000,000 Federal taxpayers
would be relieved of all taxation
through the proposed increases in
t ersonal exemptions from. SI,OOO to
D. 500 for single persons and from
*-.090 to $3,500 for married persons
Hastening to complete the bill in
order to permit the reductions to be
effective with the first payments. Con
gress sidetracked much other legisla
tion and perfected the measure in al
most record-breaking time, less than
three months after the opening of the
session.
The demand for haste was heeded
bv leaders of both parties in the
Douse and Senate and resulted in a
compromise In both branches between
; f l |e parties on the major provisions of
' the bill.
Inheritance Tax Fight.
The principal liight developed over I
the inheritance tax, which the Senate !
voted to repeal, hut which was kept in '
the bill by the House, which modified!
the rates. In contrast to the two pre I
\ ions reduction bills voted since the
Mar, almost complete agreement was !
reached between the party leaders on j
the vital income tax schedules.
Doth Republican and Democratic |
leaders defended the measure in the j
four hours of Senate debate yesterday j
>m the conference agreement, and aj
proposal to rcommit it to conference I
for further tax reduction was defeated I
on a point of order.
Senator Xeely, Democrat, West Yir- !
ginia, made this motion, which would j
have instructed the Senate conferees i
to insist upon repeal of the taxes on !
admission, dues and automobiles. I
Leaders on both sides argued this I
would cause undesired delay, and I
Senator Robinson of Arkansas, the
Democratic leader, made the point j
that the motion was out of order, since
it would not provide a means of get
ting the bill back before the Senate.
Vice President Dawes upheld the
point of order, and an appeal from his
ruling by Senator Neely was voted
down, 62 to 8. The roll call on adop
tion of the conference agreement im
mediately followed.
The 1(> Senators who voted against
the conference report on the bill were:
Republicans—Frazier. Howell, Nor
heck. La Follette and Nye. Demo
< rats—Blease, Trammell, Walsh and
AVheeler. . Farm-Labor—Shlpstead.
MRS. COOLIDGE BETTER, j
Remains Indoors While Improving
From Cold.
Airs. Coolidge today appeared to be
rapidly recovering from the cold
which she contracted several days
ago. Site did not remain in bed todaji
hut kept within doors.
Although Mrs. Coolidge is feeling
much better, it Is not thought likely
that she will accompany President j
■ ’oolidgo to the reception to bo given
their honor tonight at the Congres
sional Club, on Sixteenth street. >
BOOTLEGGER MAY LOSE PERMIT
TO DRIVE AUTO UNDER NEW RULES
Eldridge Preparing List of Persons to Be Denied
Renewal of License Considers Liquor Seller
Potential Traffic Regulation Violator.
j Traffic Director Eldridge is con
sidering compilation of a list of pres
ent holders of automobile permits
who will be ineligible when the law
requiring renewal of permits becomes
effective.
The Traffic Bureau head has out
lined a group of offenses committed
either in AYashington or in other
jurisdictions which will render a per
mit subject to revocation. He draws
a dear line of demarcation between
bootlegging as infringement of the
prohibition laws and bootlegging as a
menace to traffic, and insisted that
while he has no intention of regulat
ing the morals of the automobile
drivers of the city, he considers boot
leggers potential or actual violators
of the traffic laws. A provision In the
Blanton traffic hill calls for revocation
; of permit on moral grounds.
J Mr. Eldridge has drawn tip a group
iof eight offenses or Infirmities for
which renewal or issue of a perndt
I may be denied In his discretion. He
! made it plain that if he decided to
j withhold issuance of permits in eer
j tain police cases now before the
| courts, the permits may be revoked
I immediately.
Those liable to revocation of per
; mits include the following:
| Persons convicted of manslaughter
| in which an automobile figured as the
i cause of death and in which a speed
-1 ing charge was collateral with the
manslaughter charge.
MELLON DEFENDED"
BY SENATOR REED
Pennsylvanian Asks Fair Play
for Treasury Head in
Aluminum Matter.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.
i Secretary Mellon of the Treasury
| Department and his brother Richard
; do not own a controlling interest in
the Aluminum Company of America,
j Senator Reed of Pennsylvania told
i the Senate today. Insisting that “the
; ground has not been laid for an at
tack on Secretary Mellon” in the dis
cussion in the Senate of the charges
against the Aluminum Co. and
the Department of Justice made by
Senator Walsh of Montana, an<\ a
majority of the Judiciary committee.
“It has not been Shown that Sec
retary Mellon controls this company,”
said Senator Reed, “yet throughout
his recent speech in the Senate Sena
tor Walsh made it very clear that
this whole proceeding was an attack
on the Secretary of the Treasury.
"I am not here to praise Mr. Mellon.
It is not necessary. But if Senator
Glass of Virginia or Mr. Houston of
Texas, former Secretaries of the
Treasury, were Involved, there should
he the same restraint and the demand
for fair play would be the same. It
is not asking too much to request that
men who have served as have Glass,
Houston and Mellon should he accord
ed fair play.
Should Consider Facts.
“The facts should he considered be
fore- acting on this report of a major
ity of the judiciary eommitte as a
party measure. The inquiry proposed
is a Judicial inquiry. Assuming we
have' the power to make it, we are
sitting as a court.
“The fact is that Secretary Mellon
owns less than per cent of the
voting stock and less than 16per
cent of the non-voting stock; and his
brother Richard owns a similar
amount, the two together owning less
than 33 1-3 per cent of the stock.”
Senator Reed said that the report
of the Department of Justice on the
Aluminum Co. of America shows that
the control of the company appears
to rest In the Hall estate, of which
Mr. Davis, president of the company,
is one of the trustees and votes the
stock of the Hall family; .Airs. Alfred
E. Hunt, widow of one of the found
ers; her son, Roy A. Hunt; George H.
Clapp, a former partner of Alfred E.
Hunt; Arthur V. Davis, A. K.
and a few other of Mr. Hunt’s orig
inal associates.
Senator Reed declared it was evi
dent that the stock was closely held
by this group.
"It is idle to say, therefore, that
tHe stock ownership is dominated by
the Mellons,” said Senator Reed.
Describes Aluminum Company.
Senator Reed described in detail
the history of the Aluminum Co. of
America. He said that up until 1909
the company did have a monopoly,
since it owned the only patents under
which aluminum could he produced.
“Since 1909 the field has been abso
lutely open,” said Senator Reed.
“There have been no patents to im
pede the entry of other groups into
this field.”
Senator Reed said that the Alum
inum Co. of America owns only 623
acres of bauxite, the ore from which
aluminum is made. This, lie said,
does not constitute by any means a
monopoly in the ownership of baux
ite. for many deposits not owned by
the company have been discovered.
He referred to those In Dutch Guiana
and British Guiana and In other
places.
In 1912, Senator Reed said, the De
partment of Justice filed a bill in
equity against the Aluminum Company
of America, charging unfair prac
tices. This was the suit whioh
resulted in a consent decree which
the company has been charged with
violating by the Federal Trade Com
mission and in the debate in the Sen
(Contlnued on Page 2, Column 2.)
Government Will Try to Recover Tax
From Pennsylvania Dry Violators
By the Associated Press.
PITTSBURGH, Pa., February 26.
The Federal Government will seek to
recover several millions of dollars
from Pennsylvanian dry law violators
as a retail liquor dealers’ tax, under
provisions of the prohibition act, it
has been made known by the prohibi
tion unit here.
The tax will be determined by the
quantity of liquor sold. Wade Heil
man. Federal counsel, said. The tax,
amounting to $90,000. already has been
assessed against Pittsburgh saloon
keepers and bartenders, he added, and
W\t Mbmina Jikf.
WASHINGTON, I). C., THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1926-FIFTY PAGES. **
Persons known to be epileptics and
persons in an insane asylum or ad
judged insane and in the care of rela
tives. In this connection the traffic
director said permits have been taken
from four i>ersons at St. Elizabeth's
Hospital.
Persons who have been convicted
| ,! f crimes In other jurisdictions .which
; if committed i.i the District of Colum
bia, would also be crimes here. These
include drunken driving, leaving
after colliding, second offense for
reckless driving and third offense
speeding.
Persons who are known to be habit
ual violators of the prohibition act.
have been convicted on such charges
1 and use automobiles In transporting.
Persons who cannot read or write
and who have broken the traffic regu
lations because of these deficiencies.
Partially or totally blind persons.
Sufferers from had cases of rheu
matism or other diseases involving
possible impairment of the faculties.
Cripples, who because of infirmities
cannot successfully operate an auto-
I mobile without danger of accident.
The traffic director said he is not in
terested in the morals of the commu
nity, even though the Blanton bill
gives him power of revocation of per
mits in cases involving moral turpi
tude. He said that “petting parties”
may continue undisturbed by him on
the thoroughfares of the city if the
do not violate the traffic
lOontinued on Page 2, Column 6.)
ROUSE WIELPROBE
TRACTION PROBLEM
Night Hearings Planned to Go
to Bottom of Matter.
% Coveil Reports.
Night hearings are to be held next
week on the street railway problem by
the House District committee, which,
in executive session after a hearing
today, determined to go to the bottom
of the street railway problem.
Maj. AY. E. R. Covell was the only
witness testifying todav. He read
lengthy reports asked by the commit
tee. one on service-at-cost plan of op
erating street railways and the other
a summary of the requirements under
■existing law regarding the accounting
service of the Public Utilities Com
mission.
Maj. Covell explained that service
at-cost Is a term applied to a method
of conducting the business of a trans
portation company as a quasi-private
enterprise, by which fares paid are
made to respond automatically to the
cost of service—this cost including
the cost of capital, of preferred and
common stock, as well as bonds.
Tried Out Elsewhere.
He told the committee that since
1917 a service at-cost plan has been
tried in Chicago, Cleveland. Columbus,
Kansas City, Dallas, Montreal, Cincin
nati, the State of Masschusetts,
A'oungstown, Memphis, Toledo. Roch
ester, Des Moines, Louisville and
Grand Rapids.
For a service-at-cost plan he recom
mended the following provisions:
First--Safeguard the integrity of
the capital invested by making the
franchise terminable only under cer
tain agreed conditions, such as pur
chase. and providing for the neces
sary reserves.
Second—lnclude all mass transpor
tation wthin the metropolitan area
of this community and allow for nec
essary extensions.
Third—Make the company its
proper tax burden and no more.
Fourth —Provide for a variable
scale at net return to insure ef
ficiency and economy, safeguarded
against changes in the actual worth
of the dollar and against public de
mand for exhorbitant extensions of
trackage or service.
Fisth —Allow for possible changes
in cblleotion of fare, kind of fare,
etc., which will not materially affect I
the net revenue.
Sixth —Contemplate the possible
use of public credit for the purpose j
of reducing fares by cutting the cost
of capital, or for providing rapid
transit lines.
In reply to requests from Repre
sentative Hammer, Democrat. of
North Carolina, Maj. Covell read a
lengthy digest of the accounting serv
ice required by the existing law. In
reply to Mr. Hammer’s insistence that
the Public Utilities Commission was
not actually doing many of the things
thus required, Maj. Covell replied that
it was trying to do something
about all of them, hut that it was
handicapped by not having a suffi
cient force. Mr. Hammer declared
it was "just scratching the sur
face,” and Maj. Covell acquiesced, ex
plaining that it was impossible to do
thoroughly all the work prescribed by
the act with a force of three men,
even though some of them are work
ing day and night.
BELGIAN BANK FAILS. |
Ten-Million-Franc Institution in !
Antwerp Suspends Payments.
BRUSSELS, February 25 OP).—The
newspapers announce the suspension
of payments by the Credit Fonder
of Antwerp, a hank with 10,000,000
francs capital and with 100 branches.
The liabilities are placed at 20,000,000
francs. The operations of the savings
banks department are said to have
reached 40,000,000 francs. The loss
falls chiefly upon small depositors.
Two other banks may be involved in
the failure.
where payment is refused the plan of
action calls for recourse to the courts.
The attorney explained that in
dividuals who manufacture liquor are
subject to a tax of $2,000 as distillers,
a penalty of $2,000 under the prohibi
tion act. and a tax of $4.60 on each
gallon of liquor made. Others are to,
be taxed $2,550 for selling liquor, the
total including the tax of dealers, an
occupation assessment and a special
retail dealers’ tax fixed by the pro
hibition act.
Heilman said tax hearings would be
held throughout the State.
LITTLE HARD (iOAL
EXPECTED HERE IN
NEXTFEWMONTHS
Bins of Local Dealers Filled
With Substitutes and More
Are on Way.
;all efforts to cancel
ORDERS PROVE USELESS
i Washington Finns Caught in Bad
Jam With Rapidly Falling
I* Market.
The chance of any appreciable
j quantities of Pennsylvania anthracite
i coal reaching AVashington before Sum
| mer faded almost to hopelessness to
i day when an unofficial survey of the
! fuel situation disclosed that local
I yards are stocked to the brim with
•substitutes, while thousands of tons
| more are still en route from the bitu-
I minous mines and the coke ovens.
Five dealers alone accounted for
approximately 20.000 tons of substi
tutes, and It is estimated that the 60
odd retail coal concerns doing business
in the National Capital must have
100,000 tons of substitutes either in
I their yards or under order. Efforts to
j cancel these orders have proved fruit
! less, and the dealers were caught ac
j cepting them at the high prices that
I prevailed before the anthracite strike
I ended.
In the meantime, the public has
■ sharply curtailed purchases of substi
j tutes in anticipation of soon getting
I hard coal, whereas, the dealers de-
I dare, there is no room to store unth
: racite even if it were obtainable. The
{ situation is described as desperate,
; with not only the retailers facing
■ losses in the crumbling substitute
market, hut the hard coal operators
j confronted with the possibility of cur
i tailing production until room has been
j made for their shipments.
Condition Is General.
j Washington is not alone in this di
l lemma, according to dispatches from
! other parts of the anthracite-burning
i districts. Stock taking in the New
! York market showed 700,000 tons of
i substitutes on the market, with the
{ consumers demanding anthracite or
| nothing. The situation, it is declared,
j is full of serious danger both for the
: retail dealers, the wholesale operators,
J the anthracite miners and the general
public.
One AVashington dealer has 4,000
! tons of bituminous coal and stove
■ size coke already in his bins and full*
j 6,000 more tons in curs or on skips
! ready for shipment. His efforts at
least to curtail shipments not yet
I delivered have met with failure thus
; far. and unless renewed entreaties
pfove more successful this dealer ad
mitted he would face a problem, not
alone Because of the tremendous sup
ply of substitutes, but also because
I he would have no room for the coal
the iMtblic wants.
Bought at Teak Price.
One of the large wholesale firms has
I 4.000 tons in Its yards or on the rails
! en route to the yards. Every piece of
| this coal, it was declared, was bought
■at the peak of the market. Another
1 retail firm reported 2,000 tons of sub
-1 stltutes now on hand, a third said he
| had the same amount and still an
other counted approximately 1,500
tons of substitutes either in his yards
or en route from mines and ovens. All
said they are hound to accept the coal
now on the way.
; All of this coal AA’as purchased in
anticipation of the public having to
rely on substitutes throughout the
Winter. When the second conference
between the miners and operators of
the anthracite industry failed, it was
generally believed that Rummer alone
would force peace. The retailers or-
I dered accordingly. Now, they declare,
the sudden termination of the strike
has left them completely sunk with
I their yards full of fuel the public has
plainly shown It no longer wants.
Buying Almost Stopped.
The mild Aveather has aggravated
the situation. It has encouraged the
public to practically cease buying al
together, and a situation is being
reached whereby there will not even
be enough room for the substitutes
now en route unless some of those on
hand are bought. This will create a
shortage of cars for hauling anthra
cite, it is declared, and demurrage
charges will pile up.
Several dealers declared they have
even had demands from customers
that they como and remove what
ever was left of substitutes pur
chased weeks ago and deliver anthra
cite in its place. Others swear they
can not burn the substitutes, al
though most of them were obliged to
do so much of the Winter. A good
cold March, it is declared, appears to
he the only hope of saving some
dealers from utter ruin and the fue>
industry from demoralization.
Those who do weather the storm
admit that tremendous losses on
substitutes now will mean higher
prices for anthracite in the Summer.
The bottom has dropped out of the
bituminous and coke markets, prices
having been cut to half. The fuel
that dealers have to sell, however,
cost the full strike-time price. Local
dealers declare they can not sustain
such a loss and continue In business,
but the loss must be absorbed in the
business for the whole year.
Cost of Demurrage.
No word has come from Pennsylvania
to indicate that anthracite coal will
reach AVashington in normal quan
tities before April, at least, it is said.
But even if hard coal were obtainable,
it Is probable that weeks will pass be
fore there will be enough cars to main
tain shipments or enough room in the
yards to store it. A dealer, it was
pointed out, must dump his coal in 48
hours or pay the railroads demurrage
for the use of the cars.
The first anthracite to come here
was on February 18, consisting of four
cars. Practically none has arrived
since. Reports from Pennsylvania in
dicate that deliveries to towns near the
anthracite mines are about normal
now, but with thousands of cars in
New York. Baltimore, Boston, Wash
ington, Philadelphia, Cleveland and
other cities loaded with substitutes for
which there is a poor demand, there is
scant hope of much l>eing delivered to
those places before Summer.
Radio Programs—Page 38
fsfdfd
CHANGES IN PARK
BIEL AGREED ON
Commission Told by Maj.
Brown Need of Specific
Language.
Apparent differences of opinion be
tween the District Commissioners and
the National Capital Park Commission
which have developed at congressional
hearings on the proposed amendment
to the National Park Commission act.
changing tiie commission Into a city
and park planning commission, were
ironed out at a lengthy session of the
commission in the office of public
buildings and parks today.
It was pointed out by Maj. Carey
H. Brown assistant director of the
office of public buildings and public
iwrks, who was delegated hy Maj
Grant as spokesman, that the com
mission. after some discussion, agreed
that a change in the language of the
measure was necessary. This would
api>ease the opposition, it was pointed
out, by putting in specific language
the apparent Intent of the proposed
law as it passed the House of Repre
sentatives.
AU Favor Measure.
Maj. Brown said that all agreed that
the measure should he adopted, and
the only fear on the part of Commis
sioner Bell was that some of the pres
ent activities of the District of Colum
bia government, such, for instance, as
the Zoning Commission, might he chal
lenged in court procedure unless the
language of the law wvs made to show
specifically that it was not the intent
to have the proposed planning com
mission usurp the powers of the Zon
ing Commission or any other District
activity. It is designed merely as a
recommending body to lay down a
plan for the District of Columbia in
the same manner that the plan of 1901
was laid down.
The commission heard Dr. E. E.
Richardson and Edward J. Newcomb,
who asked for the prompt purchase of
what Is known as AVilson Park, bor
dering on Nichols avenue and immedi
ately south of St. Elizabeth’s Hospital.
Plot of 100 Acres.
This plot of ground contains about
100 acres, 40 acres of which may imme
diately be turned into a playground,
but It was pointed out that unless
prompt action is taken, this, like other
parcels of land in the District, will be
forever destroyed for park purposes.
As a matter of fact, the delegates
pointed out that preparations were be
ing made * for building operations on
this plot of ground this Spring.
The delegation was informed that
the commission has no funds at thl§
time for the purchase of any land,
but there is a provision in the Dis
trict appropriation hill to make the
current appropriation immediately
available, and the matter was referred
to Maj. Grant, executive officer of
the commission, for a study as to
the price and the amount of land
which should be purchased.
The commission also considered the
matter of purchasing two small
areas bordering on Sherman Circle,
hut took no action, considering them
merely in connection with a priority
list which is now being formed for
use when the funds become available.
FOUR ARE ACCUSED
OF BURNING STATION
Two Men and Two Women, Cap
tured in Illinois, Charged Also
With Series of Robberies.
By the Associated Pres*.
ROCK ISLAND, HI., February 25.
Two men and two women, believed to
have been responsible for the robbery
of post offices and express offices and
the burning of a railroad station in
Nebraska and lowa, were captured
here today.
The men were cornered in a garage
by Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific
Railroad detectives and special gov
ernment officers representing the
American Express Co. The women
were arrested while waiting outside.
Search of their hotel rooms disclosed
loot A’alued at $3,000 and a case of
nitroglycerine, officers said.
The quartet is charged with burning
the railroad station at Elkhorn, Nebr.,
and robbing express offiq.es and post
offices at Omaha, Nebr.; Des Moines,
lowa, and several other lowa towns.
The women gave the names of Mrs.
Tom Brown and Mrs. Harry Boyd,
both of Atlanta, Ga„ while the men
said they were Tom and William
Burns.
Free Speech Lost,
English Newspaper
In Peking Suspends
By Cable to The Star and Chicago Daily New*.
PEKING. China, February 25.
The Peking Daily News, one of
the oldest English language dailies
controlled by the Chinese, suspend
ed publication today, announcing
that this action was due to mili
tarist interference with the rights
of free speech.
The action followed the sup
pression of two Chinese news
papers and the arrest of their
editors by the local military align
ed with the Feng Yu-Hsiang fac
tion. The editors were not inform
ed of any definite charges against
them except that they were ac
cused of publishing “untrue war
reports detrimental to the public
! peace.”
These newspapers had been pub
lishing anti-Communist articles,
and it is therefore believed that
the Communists influenced the
local military.
The Peking Daily News recently
published a statement that the po
lice had appealed for the payment
of their wages, overdue for six
monthg.
(Copyright, 1026. by Chicago Pally News Co.)
I ARE RESCUED
FROM PATH OE EIRE
Harbored in Australian Post
Office for Six Hours With
Flames All Around.
By the Associated Press.
MELBOURNE, Australia, February
25.—One hundred and fifty men.
women and children, who took refuge
in the post office building at King
Lake while the remainder of the town
was swept by a great bush fire, have
been rescued after being surrounded
by the flames for six hours.
Is Thrilling Story.
The story of the rescue is among
the most thrilling in the ananls of
Australia. Hemmed in by the flam
ing bush, the outlying buildings in
the little town caught Art like tinder,
and the inhabitants fled to the post
office, the most substantial structure
in the place.
News of their plight reached
Queenstown, and a rescue party head
ed by newspaper men made a wild
dash in automobiles over burning
bridges and along fire-swept roads
partly blocked by fallen trees.
Through this inferno the rescuers
reached the imprisoned company and
brought them to safety. One of the
heroic figures in the episode was the
postmistress of King whose
name is missing from the press dis
patches thus far received.
Stuck to Her Post.
Throughout the long hours while
the town was burning about her she
stuck to her post telephoning to the
outside world, telling of the progress
of the flames and giving directions
for the firefighters and rescuers.
AVhen the. wires were burned away
she turned her energies to the task of
sustaining the courage of those who
had taken refuge in the building. Lite
dispatches say the hush fires in the
Queenstown district have been check
ed. at least temporarily, by a change
in the wind.
A party of fire fighters who left
Queenstown for King apparently
were cut off by the flames. A
large party of Melbourne police went
to Queenstown to try and get through
to King Lake, hut were unable to
reach that place.
Fire lighters have been cut off at
Baton Hill. Many Houses at Heales
ville have been burned. The greatest
anxiety prevails regarding the safety
of the people there owing to the rapid
advance of the flames, fanned by a
fierce north wind.
TROOPS ORDERED BACK.
All Leave Canceled for Soldiers in
Morocco.
MADRID, February 25 OP). —All
officers and soldiers have been or
dered immediately to return to Mo
rocco and rejoin their respective
ranks.
The Duke of Tetuari, minister of
war, has Issued the order without re
vealing the reason for it. All leaves
of absence have been canceled.
Gen. Sanjurjo, eommander-in-chief of
Spanish forces In Morocco, who has
been here on official business, left for
Tttuan. his headquarters, yesterday.
The only evening paper
in Washington with the
Associated Press news
service.
Yesterday’s Circulation, 104,940
(-4*) Means Associated Press. TYY O C'TjNTS
RED DEBT PARLEY
OPENS IN FRANCE
!
Way Sought to Satisfy Claims
of Russian Bondholders
Under Old Regime.
j—*
By the Associated Press.
PARIS, February 25.—Negotiations
between Soviet Russia and France
with regard to commercial relations,
credits and the settlement of debts
were opened today in the foreign
offices under the chairmanship of
Premier Briand. M. Rakovsky the
Soviet Ambassador, represented his
country.
M. de Monzie. French minister
of public works. in a speech
emphasized that the French govern
ment will not abandon its defense of
the rights of the holders of Russia
bonds and was ready to discuss the
methods for liquidating the debts con
tracted in France under the Czarist
regime.
France, he said, wished to have
faith in prompt development of
private Franco-Russian exchanges,
operating under statute which would
reassure private initiative and main
tain credit.
Replying, M. Rakovsky said the dif
ferences between the French and
Russian laws and institutions were
not such as to render solutions impos
sible. He also desired to find a satis
factory solution for the Russian bond
holders. He gathered that the French
nation, like the Russian, was imbued
with a desire to realize an interna
tional order preventing the return of
war, and that France adhered to the
principle of non-intervention.
The accord which the negotiators
aimed to achieve, lie concluded, would
serve the general peace by facilitating
the conclusion of other accords, l>e
cause the negotiations were not
aimed against any one..
During the negotiations it is ex
pected the Russians will ask French
credits to aid in their Industrial resto
ration, in exchange for which they
will consider what can he done regard
ing payment of the 12.000.000 gold
francs which France and French in
vestors loaned Russia during the Czar
ist regime.
TWO JURORS TESTIFY
IN CASE THEY HEAR
Take Stand to Impeach Witness for
Prosecution in Assault
Case.
Two jurors sitting on a criminal
case beforfe Justice Stafford in Crimi
nal Division 2 today testified against
the veracity of a witness offered bv
the Government in rebuttal of the evi
dence adduced in favor of Joseph H.
Mena, a restaurant proprietor, who
is on trial ehhrged with a felonious
assault on a young white girl who
had been in his employ. Never be
fore, as far as could be learned, did
jurors trying a case essay the dual
roles of witness and juror in the local
criminal courts.
The unusual occurrence was brought
about when tho prosecution called iti
rebuttal Frederick G. Shafer, who tes
tified in corroboration of the storv
told by the girl. Attorney p. H. Mar
shall, for the defense, inquired if the
witness had not been in the court
room during the trial of the case yes
terday when all witnesses were ’ ex
cluded by order of the court, and the
witness answered in the negative
Deroy Bastin and Roland Richards!
members of the jury, showed their
displeasure at the statement and at
tracted the attention of Justice Staf
ford. who asked if they had anything
to say.
The jurors declared they saw the
witness in the courtroom yesterday
after the exclusion order. They were
called to the witness stand and re
peated their statements under oath
The court permitted the case to
proceed, and pending the verdict of
the jury took no action in reference
to the testimony of the witness. As
sistant United States Attorney Horn
ing was surprised at the impeach
ment of his witness.
Thirty New Pneumonia Cases.
Thirty new cases of pneumonia
and seven deaths from the disease
were reported today to Healtli Of
ficer Fowler. The death total from
pneumonia now stands at 277 since
January 1, while 812 coses have been
reported in Washington since the I
first of the year. 1
EXEMPIARYUVES
OFTEACHERS IN U.S.
LAUDED BY HOOVER
Seldom Figure in Headlines in
Sensation-Loving Land,
He Declares.
EXODUS OF EDUCATORS
GETS UNDER WAY TODAY
Session This Afternoon and Mac-
Millan Speech Tonight Close
Convention.
| The exemplary lives of the Na
| lion's 800,000 educators and school
teachers who, he asserted, are “utter
l.v Inconspicuous in a sensation-lov
ing country” and “seldom figure in a
sensational headline in a newspaper
were lauded without stint by Secre
tary of Commerce Herbert Hoover in
an address on "Education as a Na
tional Asset” before today’s general
session of the Department of Super
intendence, National Education Asso
ciation.
“The public school teacher,” con
tinued Secretary Hoover, “Is peculiar
ly a public character under the most
searching scrutiny of watchful and
i critical eyes. His life is an open
book. His habits are known to all.
His office, like that of a minister of
I religion, demands of him an excep
j tlonal standard of conduct.
Seldom In Headlines.
"And how rarely a teacher
fall below that standard: How sel
dom does a teacher figure in a sen
sational headline in a newspaper! It
is truly remarkable, I think, that so
vast an army of people, approximate
ly 800,000, so uniformly meets Its
obligations, so effectively does its
job, so decently behaves itself, as to
be almost utterly inconspicuous in
a sensation-loving country. It im
plies a wealth of character, of tact,
of patience, of quiet competence, to
achieve such a record as that.”
A general session this afternoon at
the Auditorium, beginning at 2
o'clock, and a lecture tonight at the
same place by Comdr. Donald B. Mac-
Millan. will bring to a close the most
successful convention ever held by
the Department of Superintendence.
Hundreds of the educators left the
city after hearing Secretary Hoover’s
address. A general exodus will take
place late this afternoon.
Platoon Type Discussion.
This afternoon's most important
business will be a pro and con discus
sion of the platoon type of school and
the adoption of a set of resolutions.
Among these resolutions will be two
of local importance—one praising the
development of the Washington
schools under the leadership of Dr
Frank W. Ballou, retiring president
of the department, and the other
voicing appreciation for the courtesies
extended the convention by Washing
ton.
If the usual custom of the conven
tion is followed the selection of the
convention city for 1927 will not be
made by the executive committee for
several days, possibly several weeks.
The cities making a bid are Louis
Mile, Houston. Dallas. Denver. Detroit
and Atlanta. There is known to be a
movement afoot, however, to make
Chicago a more or less permanent
contention city, owing to the centra',
location and the ability of this clt>
to accommodate the department’s at
tendance. This movement is linked
with another to change the date of
the department's meeting from Febru
ary to another month.
Southerners Disappointed.
While delegates at the convention
appeared to be elated today over the
election of Dr. Randall J. Condon of
Cincinnati as president of the depart
ment, it was noted that Dr. Condon
had an excellent chance of being
elected president of the National Ed
ueation Association at Ph'ladelphia
in July, considered by some a higher
honor. The Southern educators were
disappointed over the defeat of Dr
Charles B. Glenn of Birmingham, and
some of them declared it was due to
the division of the South between Dr.
Glenn and Dr. E. E. Oberholtzer, su
perintendent of schools of Houston.
Tex.
Prior to this afternoon’s debate on
the platoon school system, to be in
dulged in by Charles L. Spain of De
troit, who will cite its advantages,
and Wilson of Berkelev.
California, who will tell of its disad
vantages, a group of the educators
visited the Park View School, which
is Washington's contribution to the
platoon type of education.
Three Categories.
Secretary Hoover, in his address
before the educators, declared he be
lieved their work could be classified
into three categories: The impartinc
of knowledge and a trained inind. the
training of citizenship and the in
spiring of ideals. He said he would
rank them in that ascending order
and that the Nation owes the edu
cators a debt of gratitude for their
accomplishments.
“To you school men and school
women.” continued Secretary Hoover,
"is intrusted the major part in hand
ing on the traditions of our republic
and its ideals. Our greatest national
ideal is democracy. It is your func
tion to keep democracy possible by
training its children to its ways and
its meaning. We have seen many
attempts in late years to set up the
forces of democratic government, but
many of them are but the forms, for
without a literate citizenry, taught
and enabled to form sound public
opinion, there is no real democracy.
The spirit of democracy can survive
only through universal education.
“All this has been said often enough
before, and lest our national critics
should object to its repetition. I may
add that we don't expect you to teach
the gamut of local, national and in
ternational problems to children.
What democracy requires is a train
ing of mind which will permit an
understanding of such problems and
the formation of a reasonable opinion
upon them. That the resultant will
in the long run be an enlightened
public opinion is a hazard upon the
intelligence of our race that the be
lievers in democracy are willing to
take.
“And democracy is a basis of human
relations far deeper than the form of
government. It is not only a form o f
government and an ideal that all men
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