Evening star. [volume], March 20, 1928, Image 1

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

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V , Oil iIOO Kntcred so* second class matter
*’V> OV'.tiiiit. oost office. Washington. l>. t\
SENATE OIL PROBE
WILL GO DEEP INTO
HARDING’S SLOCKS
Source of All of Late Presi
> dent’s Securities Will Be
Inquired Into.
SENATOR NYE IS SEEKING
TO CURB CAMPAIGN FUNDS
JTeelarf* He Is Out to See That
' Contributions Are “Kept
Within Reason.*’
Br th« Aworiated P-e?s
Inquiry into the financial affairs of
the late President Harding by the Sen
ate Teapot Dome committee will go fur
ther than to determine whether anv of
the Liberty bond profits of the Conti
nental Trading Co. of Canada came
« Into his possession.
* We shall have to determine whether
there were any oil stocks or other secu
rities that might have emanated from
the oil deals into which we are Inquir
ing.” Chairman Nye said today. “We
* will have to go into that as well as also
reopen the matter of the sale of the
Marion Star." The Star was formerly
owned by the late President.
The examination of the records of
the Harding estate will be made by an
investigator, who will be sent to Marion
. to confer with executors of the estate.
Searching Probe Planned.
The North Dakota Senator said the
fnquirv also would go back to the t ime
Harding became President and continue
through the records to the time of his
* death.
Turning to the political campaign
contribution phase of the inquiry,
Chairman Nye said he thought the rev
elations to date would "make it ex
tremely difficult to raise funds by either
party as they have been raised in the
past ‘
‘Tf the inquiry accomplishes nothing
more than that it will have done much
good,” the North Dakotan added. “I
hope out of the whole thing can come
-a more clearly defined corrupt practices
act. so that political campaigns can be
conducted within some measure of rea
son. both as to contributions and ex
penditures.”
The chairman disclosed that a study
of the record of the Chicago hearing
now is being made to determine
whether any of the contributions to the
'1924 Republican campaign fund were
made in violation of the election laws.
Corporate Gifts.
He said the particular contributions
trader study are those for 92.000 by the
Congress Hotel Corporation through
John Burke, its managing director, and
the 94.000 gift of the Corn Products
Corporation. The chairman said he
was under the impression that corporate
ets to campaign funds were made il
ai under the corrupt practices act.
just how much further the commit
tee is going in seeking to trace all of
the 9290.000 of Continental Liberty
bonds which Harry P. Sinclair turned
over to Will H. Hays in 1923 to help
meet the Republican party deficit is
another matter now under consider a
lK>n
, The chairman and some others are
fairly well satisfied that all of the
bones were "washed out” through the
Mine method that was followed bv
the late Fred W. Upham. treasurer of
the Republican national committee at
that time. This was to turn the bonds
over to various persons to have them
sold in the open market and the indi
viduals make contributions to the face
, value of the bonds delivered to them.
Harding Estate Inquiry.
Today was another off day for the
inquiry, but it will get under way again
tomorrow after three days of subcom
mittee investigation in Chicago.
While be did not believe any of the
bonds would be found there. Nye said
the.-e would be a “lack of satisfaction
if this committee submit* a report to
the Senate without going into the
matter.
"If they are there, we are going to
tell tine world.” he added. “If they
are not there, we are going to tell the
world. I don t think they are there.”
Agreeing that Nye was "absolutely
ngm,” Louir H. Brush, who with Roy
Moore, purchased the Markin <Ohloi
* Star from President Harding issued a
statement last night saying that he and
bit associates, who are in Washington on
another matter, were willing to give
the oil committee any and all details
of the transaction.
“Let us, for the sake of square shoot
h * and in fairness to the memory of
♦ President Harding ” the statement said,
•bring this thing right out in the open
and go straight through it.”
The Marion Star figured in He early
part of the oil investigation when in
quiry was made into sensational report*
, that some* of the profit* of the naval
Ml reserve deal* were included in the
sale price of the paper The h*ws
patrrs p ircilaser* vigorously d« nted
ihl*. at the time, and no evidence was
uncovered to support the charge*.
Partnun Debate in Senate.
A committee investigator will b* sent
xa Marion to inspect tin- Harding es
tate foes Indications nave neen given
t,y Senator Nye that tie probably will
not leave f*er* before early next month
it was Pi evident Harding who signed
the executive order which Albert D
pai, as {secretary of the Interior, as
surned direction over the Elk Hills and
Teapot I>>n.e reserve* and later leased
them to Ed sard 1,. Doiieny and Marry
' p Himla;r Thu vu m 3 922, and
when the Government recovered these
properties oy court at lion Pre-UteM
Cor-' <dge rescinded the order of his
predecessor.
As the Hiding phase was developing
yesterday, the bens’* floor was treated
ts) on* of the most ur< ’ U partisan de •
bahr of 1U career with mow* than a
idtucn Benator* flinging verba * dart*
a/'f'c* the vykf si each oilier aii a* s
mvit of the recent at**' 'insure* ins’
g;60.000 of s oond piofi’s Iron
the Oaitir.eutai oil deal *mc used n
3&23S U» lee ip Wipe out the Republican
iitity deficit fions Ui* IV2O Hardin*
< ai/jpaign
|seo»anfl> »w* u.. o<- sot ’ne »e- ;gi,s
on of n.gb adiob.ie’rsUon ofli* l»l»
iciudhig Secretary Mehta* sod on*
benavif fiotoliiMiii so Indiana Itepub
*mo suggested *nst Gov. bntCn of
?,*»■ y>>rz might oe able n> ‘‘throw
rOadinued on Page t* Column 2 >
•
Jr our Dig m Film Theater Fire
bOl/j Hungary, Ma/< l* 2b '4O
I* *,r p *ne killed and 41 it)
)ur«d in a panic which resulted wiiej
fu» Moke out in a moving pb-tun
thea er turn huuday night ‘Hoit l
a bits of ft ja>t*iil»tir»fi a'Ciu» 4i
4W.il** soph of B'Ptepe*M
WT.ATHKR.
fCJ. V \'e.»thf»r Bimvjii) Kortcatt )
Fair tonight, and tomorrow; slightly
warmer tomorrow; lowest temperature
tonight about, 32 degrees.
Temperature—Highest. 44. at noon
today; lowest, 31, at, 6 a m. today.
Full report on page 9.
Late N. Y. Markets, Pages 12 and 13
BODIES ON S-4 GUARD SECRET
OF HOW DEATH CAME TO THEM
Oxygen Tank Valve Found
i Closed—Gas Masks
) Unused.
Nicks on Hull Show Where
Fitch Tapped His Last
Signals.
BA’ BEN McKEMVAY.
I
Stiff Correspomtcnl of The Star.
BOSTON. Mass.. March 20—That
J silent company of six men who for
• three months kept a watch with death,
locked in a tomb of steel on the floor
. of the sea. was parted for all time to
day. The bodies of Lieut. Graham Fifrh
j of Washington and of the five who died
with him in the torpedo room of the
! submarine S-4 together with two others
i found elsewhere in the hull, were sur
! rendered to those who in life were dear
|to them. And as they went their va
f rious ways to final places of rest, a
- naval board of inquiry continued to
. plumb the dark, damp recesses of the
* S-4 s hull to piece together, if it is pos
__ j siblc. the story of how they died.
But no mortal man will ever know
? that story. Scattered remnants have
been found here arid there, and put to
r ; ——.— , - . -
r r
: DYNAMITE HINTED
L IN DAM TRAGEDY
11
i 1,1
Evidence Believed Found at i
Scene of Break to In
> *
; dicate Plot.
1
* i Br the Associated Pre*«.
LOS ANGELES, March 20.—The Eve
' niag Express today says that Los
, Angeles city authorities are carrying on
their investigation of the St. Francis
; Dam disaster on the theory that the ;
i I collapse of the big buttress was caused
* I by dynamite.
’ | Evidence pointing to the alleged act i
' is declared to be in the hands of Dis
’ i trict Attorney Asa Keyes
The following statements are listed
I in support of the claim that the death- !
dealing deluge in the Santa Clara River
Valley was the work of bomb setters:
1. Investigators are said to have in !
, their possession a sheet of note paper >
found at the dam site and kept secret j
] until today, on which was drawn a
rough chart of St. Francis Dam.
2. The notations on the chart were j
said to be written in the same hand- ,
writing that sketched charts found at
j the scene of recent dynamitings along i
! the city aqueduct.
3. A short length of newly frayed
rope of the same strand size as that j
used by aqueduct dynamiters in Owens ,
j Valley to lower their charges into sev- j
eral sect Urns of the waterway was found *
Tat a spot where the dynamite could
! have been lowered into the St. Francis
. I Dam reservoir.
i i •
MARINES CONTINUE
NICARAGUAN DRIVE
’ I Flyeri Report Three Contacts
With Rebels—Skirmishes
1 1 Occur.
;|
MANAGUA. Nicaragua. March 20 <A*>.
—Marine airplanes pursuing a group of ,
, Ssndir.o rebels who fired on two Ameri
, can planes yesterday, wounding one
. man. have made contact with the rebels
I three times since then.
Each time the Marine flyers opened
i | fire with machine guns and bombs, but
i could not determine the casualties
, I among the Sandino njen. who scatter
■ ed under their fire.
The contacts were made near Murra, j
i 20 mile* southeast of Jalapa, where yes
■ terday s skirmish took place.
Reports of another contact with the j
Sandino forces were received from Tei- }
r paneca, near which a pack train under
i Lieut. Peterson encountered a small )
band The rebels fired on the pack
t train, which returned the outburst, kill-!
I ing two men. It was believed that some j
i ’of the Sandino men were wounded, but
* an inspection of the surrounding moun-
I tainous country was impossible.
! THREE DIE, FIVE HURT
i j IN APARTMENT FIRE*
f 1
- j By th# A»*'*M*t*'<l
(. I BOSTON, March 20.—Three persons
‘ wer* burned to death and five others I
injured In a fire which drove 200 ten
-3 ants of a four-story apartment house
s in the Upham s Corner district to the I
street, early this morning
The dead are Mr, and Mrs Waller
i Donahue and the latter's mother Mrs
William Donahue, who occupied »n!
apartment on the fourth floor, to which
|; the flames were largely confined
’ SHOALS BILLS TABLED.
J Military Committee Plans to Diaft
Measure.
5 The Home miiUary committee voted
f
’ Whs which it has been considering and
s W'gin tomorrow with the drafting of a
| committee measure
“ Tit* Cy ana mid offer was tabled by
'ia vote of’l3 to 7; the Norris resolution
| by a vote of J7 to 4. and the Morin
* Wii by a vote of 15 to ft
* The other three projiosais wer* re
* jeded ptactually unanimously
li ;
n Town s Industry Halls as Grand Jury
U *
Checks First City Election Ballots
« i
’ hy »!<► > I'm*
'• j POINT INAtthh 7*-* March 20
* > Th* giand Jury InveaOgating the bra* !
I municipal election in this 100-yeai -old 1
Oulf coast town h»flay waa only down
1 to "H ' hi ha lnU-irogallon of the 30#
| voter*. having Industry virtually at a—
j standstill
i- Summoned hi testify In Ilia hivruliga*
i* Hon of alleged hieguiarltl*# In the bal* 1
* j inUng Mtn.li 13 which resulted hi a
h i vote of 143 to 42 to incorporate a* a ;
IHi* >v the i» 'idente < lino (Plated a< III* -
< <>ui • w«hrri(»ji, j
Ittenittfl Jto.
X J Vs ✓ WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION V /
WASHINGTON, D. C., TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 1928—THIRTY-EIGHT PACES. *
r
m
’liL''-' , Jll&i
pm:'. ■ «*** '’
JP w . * c x*
S.,
, LIEUT. GRAHAM NEWELL FITCH.
gethor they give a. clue. But these clues
I lead only to theories, and one man’s
I theory is as good as another's. What
I went on in the torpedo room of the
S-4 during the three days that Lieut.
Fitch tapped out signals in code; what
went on when the signals last their se
quence and became mere taps; what
i (Continued on Page 3. Column 4.»
1 BOARD TO EXPLORE
S 4 HULL IN DETAIL
Naval Officers Surprised at
Smallness of Hole Cut by
Paulding’s Bow.
Bt th* Associated
BOSTON, March 20—The Navy
today was intent on a fresh inquiry into !
the disaster which claimed the lives of
40 officers and men aboard the sub- j
t marine S-4.
Secretary Wilbur of the Navy De- '
partment notified Rear Admiral Philip
Andrews, commandant of the Boston j
Navy Yard, today that he would be In j
Boston early thLs afternoon to Inspect ;
j the S-4.
When the craft had been dry docked j
and the bodies of the last eight victims [
to be recovered been removed from their j
I steel tomb, the tragic story was but I
j partially revealed.
Naval officers who inspected the scene >
before the bodies were taken out saw !
‘ mute evidence of the desperate fight to
shut out incoming water, but failed to
I find written messages in which it had
1 been hoped the doomed men might
have recorded their account of the!
disaster.
Covered With Mud.
The bodies were covered with mud
which had seeped in from the ocean
bed off Provincetown, scene of the crash
between the submarine and Coast
Guard destroyer Pauling. December 17.
and there were several inches of water
over them.
One of the surprising features of the
dry docking was the revelation of how
small a hole the Paulding had cut
through the hull of the submarine. It
seemed a minor gash, naval officers said,
but submarine men explained that the
collision had rendered the submersible’s
machinery useless and left her helpless.
, a victim of the law of gravity.
The delicate machinery of the ship
I was destroyed by long immersion, and
every compartment was filled with de
i bris and silt.
Board Is Designated.
A board of Investigation was desig
nated to study each compartment thor
oughly and to be especially careful to
search for possible logs, records and
confidential notes which may have been
left by the victims. The Inquiry Is ex
pected to last about five days.
The bodies removed were those of Lieut.
Graham Newell Fitch. Washington,
D. C ; Torpedomen Roger Leslie Short,
Boonville. Mo. Frank Snizek. Ridge
: field Park. N. J., Russell Archibald
j Crabb, San Diego Calif.; Seamen Jo
j s«*ph Leighton Stevens. Providence,
j R I; George Pelnar, South Omaha.
Neb.: Machinists Mate William Demp
i sey. Walkersvllle, Ont., and Engineer
j Joseph William Sternman, Riverside.
R I
All exrept Dempsey and Sternman
were in the torpedo room.
PRESIDENT SUGGESTS STUDY.
Recommends 9200,000 to Seek Subma
rine Safety Device*.
WeMdent Cooiidge yesterday recoin
mended that Congress appropriate
*200.000 to enable the Secretary of the
j Navy to Investigate and experiment
i with safety devices for submarines.
I Such devices as might lie found prac
j ticable would be installed on undersea
! boat* in service.
ICE IMPRISONS TUG.
. Crew of Three Stays Aboard Boat
Held in Lake Michigan Floe.
i BENTON HARBOR, Mich, March
i 20 The fishing lug William Kngle,
; imprisoned in a Lake Michigan ice fine
: for five days, was frozen solid today In
j the Ice a mile and a half off shore, in
no immediate danger
Although the three men aboard the
boat could walk ashore over the ice,
they remained with the shin, hoping
for a rhift in the wind which would
break in the ice and enable the tug to
make harbor With the assistance of
the coast guard they obtained addi
tional food supplies last, night
Tile boat sailed from Booth Haven
last Friday, was caught In the Ice floe
and drifted until it became frozen in
Tli* 27 fulling smack*, around which
Industry here centers, remained at lhe
drains A nursery was established In the
courthouse for Ihe bahlea. and *yste
matle questioning carried the Jury
through the ‘T«“ of the voting Hat.
Wtille 123 iieraons did not choose to
vote, they wcie informed by the court
that “(ci lain reputable pel sons had
charged Irregularities ' arid a thorough
Inquiry was necessary.
•
Kiitlio IVojjrHin J'hjJc 21
SENATORS TO CALL
ROCKEFELLER INTO
COAL FIELO PROBE
Committee Also Decides to
Issue Subpoenas for Schwab
and R. B. Mellon.
WATSON SAYS INTENTION
IS ONLY “CONSTRUCTIVE”
Declares Object Is to Get Sug
gestions on Remedy for
Conditions.
j By Ih* Associated Pit.*.
| The Senate roal investigation com
mittee decided today to issue subpoenas
I at once for John D. Rockefeller, jr.;
Charles M. Schwab and R. B. Mellon,
a brother of Secretary Mellon.
“The purpose of our action.” said
Chairman Watson, 'is entirely con
structive. We want to get the views of
j these men. the btg fellows, in order to
And out just what they think should
be done to remedy this sad situation.
Some committee members believe that
these leaders have not realised what, is
going on. and we want to see if they
j think it would be possible for them
| to agree to take steps for the purpose
; of adjusting the troubles in the coal
| fields. This would obviate the neces
sity of Government Intervention, a
course which we agree should be de
| ferred in rase the operators them
selves can organise to improve condi
tions.”
Other* to Be Summoned.
Chairman Watson added that he ex
pects to request the appearance of
Rockefeller. Schwab and Mellon later
| this week, if such is possible. He added
that J. D. Lyons, A. K. Oliver and W.
I D. Reiss, who served on the board of
the Pittsburgh Coal Co. with Mellon,
also will be requested to appear at the
same time.
Gov. Fisher of Pennsylvania has sig
! nlfied his willingness to testify, said
; Watson, and has assured the .Senate
i committee that he would co-operate in
j any way possible to help the lnvestiga-
I tion. The Indiana Senator intends to
| write to Gov. Fisher requesting him to
! state a time when he can testify con
; vcniently.”
i The move to call Rockefeller, Schwab
and Mellon was started yesterday by
| Senator Wheeler. Democrat. Montana, a
member of the coal committee.
It was explained bv Wheeler yester
day that he wanted to question Rocke
feller because of his connection with
; the Consolidation Coal Co of West Vir
ginia He said also that Schwab wouid
j appear as chairman of the board for
th«* Bethlehem Steel Corporation, which
I mines coal In Pennsylvania, and that
Mellon, a brother of the Treasury Sec
t ret ary. would be questioned as a mem
! ber of the board of the Pittsburgh
Coal Co.
Lumber Ordered for Barracks.
Lumber has been ordered for con
struction of barracks to house union
! miners due to be evicted from property
jof the Clarkson Coal Co. and the
V. Ae O Coal Co. in Ohio on April 1,
I Lee Hall, president of District 6 of the
United Mine Workers, said here today.
The eviction, he added, was in ac
cordance with the injunction issued by
Judge Hough at Columbus on December
j 4, and 131 families were affected.
Hall said the national union had been
supplying between SBO,OOO and $90,000
monthly since November. 1927. for the
relief of striking union miners in the
Ohio section.
“Miners’ families In the Pittsburgh
district are living under animal condi
tions," the committee was told bv Fan
nie Hurst, authoress, who declared that
conditions In that area "were worse
than I found in Russia.
“The human degradation there Is be
yond the telltng." she said, and her
views were seconded by Senator Good
ing
Authoress Testifies.
Senator Wagner. Democrat. New
York, likewise agreed with the story of
"malignant conditions” in Pennsylvania,
adding that he was struck by the indif
ference of the State government toward
the situation.
Miss Hurst described large families
of striking miners as “living in sham
bles" and said that such conditions "sow
seeds of anarchy." She advocated gov
ernment intervention.
Herbert McCory. a photographer who
visited the Pittsburgh coal area for the
New York Dally News, said he saw ne
gro strikebreakers shooting Into homes
of strikers and into the schoolhouse at
Broughton. Pa.
“The school was In session at the
time," he added, "and the teacher later
told me that she had the children lying
on the floor to keep them from get
ting hit."
The photographer said that about
8 or 10 Coal and Iron police, under
command of Bergt. Little, "were In the
vicinity at the time, but did nothing to
halt the barrage "
He also asserted he obtained a con
fession from Hampton Matthews, a
negro strikebreaker, that he had been
paid $25 bv a Coal and Iron policeman
for shooting Into milters’ homes at
Bruceton.
Miner*’ Counsel Statement.
Rives K Kahili, the miners' counsel,
today replied to the denial by the
Canadian National Railways to his
charge that its subsidiary, the Rail and
River Coal Co., had been guilty of op
pression toward the miners
"As a mattefi of fact," Eaton said,
“W It Woodfold, president of the(oni
pany, testified yesterday, under oath,
that he was a rnernlier of a committee
of Ohio operators which oil March 25,
1928. demanded a wage reduction for
the mines of eastern Ohio, which in
cluded the Canadian National Hallways'
property. He further testified thui
these mine* itad lieen rinsed down for
two years, throwing 1,500 men out of
work rather than pay the union wage
scala in Ohio,”
After Senator flooding had railed at
tention yesterday to an attack by Gov
Fisher of Pennsylvania on the Henale
subcommittee which toured the Peim
-1 sylvania coll fields. Chairman Watson
of tiie Renats interstate commerce com
1 mil lee said the governor would be “In
vited to ap|>ear at his convenience "
' Henutor Gooding declared the sub
committee, of which he was chairman,
* went into Pennsylvania with an open
mind and that the subcommittee's re
-1 port was a “siiunle account of eondl
-1 Ilona as we found them " The Menatot
said I lie stand attributed to the Penn
sylvania governor was "an insult to iht
Henale soiirnmmttlee to this committer
ami to (tie United hiatus fcjenal*,"
recomputed
: INCOME PAYMENTS i
GREATER THIS YEAR
Tax Receipts Thus Far Lead
ing Figures for Same Period
in 1927.
j Bf the Associated Preen.
Treasury receipts from the March 15
income tax payments, which are being
' watched closely by Congress and the
j administration, show that at the close
•of business March 17 the Government
had obtained payments of $215,550,-
j 008.07. while on the same date last year
! the total was $197,690,398 51.
If this proportion should carry
j through for the entire collections of
1928 the Treasury would be likely to
have about $100,000,000 or more above
; its estimates. On this showing hinges j
i the fight in Congress over tax revision, j
but Secretary Mellon is expected to |
await a fuller showing before announc- ,
ing his position on this issue.
The March 15 payments usually com- j
prise one-fourth of the total due on
1927 income, although many taxpayers
select that date for making payment in
full, and thus the quarter is by far the
most prolific in increasing Government
receipts.
The Treasury statement of March 17
Included all payments received and
checked during the first three full busi
ness days after the installment fell due.
and a factor of Increasing efficiency in
> collectors’ offices, or of increased fa
miliarity with income tax requirement
on the part of taxpayers, might be
sufficient to bring about the apparent
1 increase indicated, while at the end of
the month the Government might find
itself with less cash than it obtained
last year in the same period.
Another effect of the inflow of in
come tax funds was to bring the Gov
ernment's cash balance hist Saturday to
1 the comparatively high figure of $438,-
' 572.477. while the manipulation of the
floating debt timed for the March 15
payment date has resulted in the retire- I
1 i ment of short-time obligations to a ’
' total of $824,000,000 for the month and
the incurring of new short-time debt
so far in the month to a total of
' $1,086,000,000.
PRIEST ARRESTED
AFTER AUTO CRASH
i His Car Caught in Chase by An
other Motorist, Police Say—Faces
Four Traffic Charges.
! Overtaken after Ills automobile Is al
■ leged to have upset another machine,
> injuring its occupant. Rev. Gerald
James Flnan, 31 years old. 1244 V
, street southeast, was arrested shortly
. before midnight last night and charged
; with leaving the scene of an accident
’ without making known his Identity.
Rev. Flnan is an assistant rector at
81 Theresa's Catholic Church.
He was caught by another motorist,
who saw the accident, followed and
overtook him, forcing him to hall by
ramming his car. police report.
Four specific charges were lodged
against him; Colliding and failing to
stop, reckless driving, failing to exhibit
an operator's iwrmlt and failing to ex
hibit a registration card
The accident occurred at the clrtle
south of the Connecticut Avenue Bridge.
The car driven l>v the priest. It is al
leged, struck a machine operated by
Thomas Harold Williams, 28 years old.
1215 Vermont avenue, overturning it
and Inturlng the driver's hand
Jefferson D. Brooks. 26 years old,
litghvlew Apartments, 61 Rhode Island
1 avenue northeast, set out in pursuit of
the car and at Connecticut avenue and
; Florida avenue he struck It. ripping off
one of Its running boards. Ills car was
! damaged also
Police of the eighth precinct arrested
, Rev. Flnan. He was released on S7OO
collateral
•
MRS. LONGWORTH HELPS.
Benda SIOO to Senator Borah's “Re
demption Fund.”
i
Another member of the Roosevelt
family* Alice Roosevelt Urn*worth
lias contributed SIOO to the fund being
raised by Henator Hoiuh of Idaho, to
, reimburse Harry F MlneUlr for the
i $160,000 In contributions be made to
tire Republican parly In 1923
The wife of lire Hpeaker of the House
sent lit Iter check Her brother, Theo
dore Hooarvclt, It . sent Benalor Borah
Iris check for *IOO yesterday
The collection now tula I* about
$3,600,
••Knowledge** Fails,
“Strength” Is 111,
Play Handicapped I
Br tb* A.inof’iatcd Press. •
WILLIAMSBURG, Va.. March 20.
—Fate has stepped into the field of
dramatics at the College of Williath
and Mary and smote with a heavy j
hand the plans of directors of
dramatic productions. i
One club, deciding to present a
play from the ancient classics, found \
characters to portray the roles of
“Strength” and “Knowledge ”
Latest rehearsals have disclosed *'
i that the student in the role of
j “Strength” is confined to the college j
infirmary, while “Knowledge” has
become ineligible under a rule that
bars students with scholarship de
ficiencies from extra curricula ac
tivities at William and Mary.
HOTELS BLAMED
FOR DRY LAXITY
Lack of Enforcement Also
Laid to ••Society” by
Brookhart.
Bjr the Aiwociaved l’r»*<k».
“High-tone society and high-tone
hotels” were declared to be the root of
prohibition enforcement troubles today
by Senator Brookhart. Republican,
lowa, in a committee room quarrel
with Senator Bruce. Democrat. Mary- !
land, over the merits of the dry law. j
The Maryland “wet” denied that the
“highbrows or smart set” were to blame
and asserted that not one member of j
thLs class had been convicted in Balti- j
more, but that it was almost every ■
other class of people which was inter
j ested in liquor.
The lowa “dry” countered that on
i that basis, every class of people should
I be rounded up and convicted, but Bruce
replied that an indictment against the
whole people cannot be framed.
Doran Is Present.
Commissioner Doran of the Prohibi-
I tion Bureau, who was before the com
mittee. commented that improved con
dlttnns had resulted generally since the
j prohibition law became effective, and
I that the law could be given some of
! the credit
i Senators Bruce and Brookhart locked
horns in a long hut more or less dis
passionate row over the dry law during
consideration by the Senate civil service
committee of a bill by the lowan to
relieve some of trie prohibition agents
from terms of the civil aervtce exam
inations. Bruce opposed this and Com
missioner Doran demanded it.
Chairman Dale, a dry and the only
other' committee member present,
chimed into the discussion to ask the
Prohibition Bureau to defend Us men
from the attacks in magazine articles
by Chester Mills, former prohibition .
administrator lor New York.
Attacks Criticism.
Senator Bruce assured his support
of the enforcement measures when Sen
ator Brookhart remarked that enforce
ment would vbe improved if men in
public life and particularly those n»
Congress would refrain from “eternal
criticism."
“But a large part of the public has
no faith in the prohibition service,”
Bruce continued. “It may lie unjust,
but it is so. You go to almost any
hotel and see liquor flowing freely and
read in the paper the next day where
trie dry agents have pounced on some
wretched little bootlegger."
“They don't pounce on any boot
legger that doesn’t deserve pouncing
on.” Brookhart retorted “I would pad
lock about a dosen of these high-toned
hotels mvself But don’t tell me you
can't enforce prohibition ”
New Radio Device Guides Aviators
By Recording Signals From Beacons
ll,v Ilia Alaot'tAlt'it frtu ,
The latest Hid to air navigation, a j
radio device to allot* thr pilot of an
all plane to see whether he la on Ida
comae, was demonstrated today hy Ihe
Bureau of Htandards and William I'
MacOracken, Assistant Mecretarv of
Commerce for Aeronaut lea
A plane equipped with the mech
anism was aueceaafnlly down at t\d~
lege Hark. Md. near Washington, and
Ihe new device probably will lie in all
Mi \lce regularly 111 the tiitmr
While radio guidance for airplane#
ha* been developed huh-Ito the da
rn v tested tod*) t* complete!) eucoru ,
The only evening paper
in Washington with the
Associated Press news
service.
Yesterday’s Circulation, 105,460
( A *) Mean* Associated Pres*.
GORDON QUERIED
| BY II SENATORS
) j
Procedure in Oil Case and
Gambling Charges Basis
, of Questions.
i
The Senate subcommittee handling
the nomination of Mai. Peyton Gordon j
' to be an associate justice of the District j
Supreme Court held an executive ses
sion today, at which Maj. Gordon was
| questioned concerning a number of
matters relating to his duties as district
j attorney. The meeting was attended by
! Senators Deneen. Republican, Illinois.
! chairman, and Caraway. Democrat.
| Arkansas
It was Indicated that the third mem
ber of the subcommittee, Senator
Steiwer, Republican. Oregon, would be
given an opportunity to read the record
! of today's meeting before the suocom
mittee meets again to take action on
! the nomination.
I It is understood that Maj. Gordon
was asked a number of questions con
j ceming the method of procedure in the
Sinclair-Bums contempt case growing
out of one of the oil trials. It was
reported that he was asked why indict
ments had not been sought along with
the contempt proceedings.
It was learned that the district attor
ney also was questioned about reports
of gambling games said to be operated
Just across the District line, drawing
patrons from Washington.
The subcommittee probably will con
fer again within the next day or two. j
at which time it is expected a recom
mendation to be made to the Senate
judiciary committee will be decided
I upon.
UNEMPLOYMENT SURVEY
! BELIEVED ENCOURAGING
President Informed on Some Phases
of Report—Situation in Feb
ruary Held Normal.
The survey of unemployment under-'
i taken late in February by the Labor
Department will show that a few more
I people were out of work at the time
| than is the case at other seasons. Presi- j
dent Coolidge has been informed, but
i it also will indicate that there was a
• lack of labor in certain localities of
j the United States.
So far as the results have been con
veyed to the White House the situation
was found to be normal and the eon- !
ditions of later weeks was found to j
have decreased the total of the jobless.
The President has been given to un
derstand the I,abor Department has
undertaken to recheck some of the re
turns m the Interest of accuracv. but
an early announcement of the finding
is expected.
FRIEND OF HARDING
KILLS SELF IN GOTHAM
Maj. H. J. Harding Uses Same Pis
tol That Wife Employed in Her
Suicide Two Months Ago.
tty the Associated l*tr»*.
NEW YORK. March 20 Maj H '
Jefferson Harding, war veteran and i
close friend of President Harding s fam
ily. killed himself in his Fifth avenue
! office today with the same revolver that
his wife used to commit suicide two
months ago
Friends of Mat Harding, who was 32 t
years o'd. attributed his suicide to de
spondency over the loss of his wife, who
was believed to have killed herself be
cause of txvor health.
The major, a member of the Army
Reserve Corps, an official of the Hotel
Continental, runes Square, and a
widely known real estate man. appar
ently went to his office late last night
and shot himself early this morning in
the washroom adiotumg the office
. passed in a dial on ihf instrument
hoard of the flying machine. A pilot,
instead of listening constantly through
headphones tv»y radio signal*, aiU
merely drop hts eve from lime to tune
on a pointer on his Instrument hoard
and by keeping it at a predetermined :
point, all) know that he ta ou his
proper course
Signals from a radio beacon located
anywhere within UHI mlWat of the mov
ing plane will serve to guide the in
strument The tVmmcrvc ivpartment
I plans to establish a number of such
; beacon stations Several are now m
operation servint instruments of the
i older head tjpe.
TWO CENTS.
HOUSE MEMBERS
JOIN U.S. WORKERS
IN SALARY APPEAL
Many Employes Here Suffer
From Poverty Wages, Com
mittee ToK
I
WELCH BILL TO RAISE
PAY HELD OBLIGATION
Campaign Promises to Compel
Cheap Labor in Effecting Econo
my Bitterly Assailed.
Cumulative testimony regarding the
imperative need for establishing a mini
mum wage of 51.500 in the Federal '
service and the pledged support of
members of Congress to work for enact
ment of the Welch bill was given at
the continued hearing today before the
House civil service committee In the
wavs and means committee room.
Particularly earnest pleas depicting
the plight of underpaid Government
employes who are unable to live up to
: the boasted American standards of
j living were made by Representatives
; La Guardia. New York: Douglas. Ari
zona: Crosser, Ohio, and Stobbs, Massa
chusetts.
Statements regarding the conditions
i of workers in the field service of the
I Government were givpn by vice presi
j dents of the National Federation of
Federal Employes, covering several of
the most important areas.
La Guardia Makes Plea.
The principal speech covering a sur
vey of the Southwest area was made
by Walter P. Taylor, biologist in the
Biological Survey of the Department of
Agriculture, located at Tucson. Ariz.,
who is ninth vice president of the fed
eration and the accredited representa
tive of the American Association of
i Engineers and secretary-treasurer of
I the Southwestern division of the Ameri
can Association for the Advancement
of Science.
Representative La Guardia spoke
feelingly on the necessity of establish
ing a minimum wage somewhat higher
than the actual cost of living. He pre
dicted that in a coming economic re
form the Government will establish a
minimum which an employer mav be
allowed to pay a worker. He insisted
that the Government must establish a
system under which all its employes
will be able to live properly, and de
clared it preposterous that one Gov-,
eminent department engaged in re
search and studv into the cost of living
broadcast its findings that $2,200 to
$2,400 is required for support of a
family and in that same department
making these studies there are many
employes receiving only $1,200.
It is absurd. Mr. La Guardia said,
that Uncle Sam should have any un
married girl on his pay roll for less than
$1,500 or any married man for less
than SI,BOO.
Says Girls Handicapped.
In passing upon legislation. Mr La
Guardia told his colleagues. “We must
not brush aside our knowledge of actual
conditions.” He declared that 75 per
cent of the girls on the Government
pay roll in Washington cannot go to
church on Sunday or get exercise on
that day because they have to stay
home and w ash and ire© their cloth -
i ing.
"They cant eat a classification and
they can't pay rent with the report of
a commission.'' said Mr. La Guardia. “ All
our boast and gl< ry of a great land is
discounted if we have poverty.” he said.
"The greatness and success of our coun
try is measured by the number of happy,
contented people They can't enjoy the
blessings of liberty on an empty
! stomach.”
Herr sentative Sirovitch of New York,
a member of the committee, injected the
remark apropos of Representative La
j Guardia's discussion of the fact that
! children in homes of many Government
employes are not sufficiently nourished,
that "a soldier in the trenches lias three
times better chance for his life than
I a child bom into a family that is try
ing to live on $1,200.”
Representative La Guardia urged the
. committee for prompt action in estab
| fishing a minimum wage for unmarried
? women and married men and to trans
i late the American standards of Wring
mto legislation to meet actual conditions
for practical results.
New Standard Urged.
Representative Douglas said that the
Federal Government should pay suo.\
i salaries as to attract capable employes
and make it possible to weed out work
ers who are not up to the required
standard. After discussing conditions in
; the field service, especially regard*.tig
land examiners who have come under
!us personal observation. Representative
; Douglas states! that the Federal Gov.
I eminent is entitled to employes of a tv,'.*
| tty. comparable with those paid by pn
i vate interest, in order that the Govern*
I mem's decisions may be fair and just.
“From every point of view this meas
‘ ure is fair and equitable, and will do
justice to the employes of the Govern
ment and to any and all taxpayers of
this country.” he sand.
Representative Grosser declared that
there must be a fundamental treatment
of the question of unemployment to
! bring Justice to Government employes.
; Since lsskv the actual compensation ot
1 those employed bv the Government has
suffered a reduction to 70 per cent of
what they received nearly twoscore
vears ago Mr Grosser said He declared
he has no patience with the man m
public life who promises his electorate
that he will get alt the work he can
done tor the Government at the lowest
price,
i'endrwni Kcwaaasy Gry.
“It is no economy to ask any one
to work for less than he » worth.” said
Mr. Grosser. emphasising that the char
j acter of service rendered correspond*
automatically to the satisfaction of the
employe wtth Ins salary and the con*
die ton* under which he work* “The
Government owes « to those who have
served fatlhtuily and well to prw
for a readjustmenl of pay along hive*
of justice." satd Representative CSweser
Representative hiobbs declared that
he i* “in hearts sympathy with the
purpose of the Welch btjl ■ HVs con*
tacts with the various Government de
partment* have brought hhn knowledge
ihat titers are main ee vo* vd abu
tty atrd expert trabtiny ho deserve
much more »t Iran they an , .ung He
tiakt tribute to the high tyiv vd Go>
eminent employe in Washington and
said ”11 vs peuuvkHv* arvd a short
sighted pnhev to force ihe Government
v Continued on Gage *, v\v*uan ***