Evening star. [volume], February 21, 1930, Page A-2, Image 2

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

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
A-2
WETS TO RESUME
GIVING TESTIMONY
Four-Day Limit for Each Side
in Dry Law Hearings
Is Abandoned.
St the Associated Press.
The House judiciary committee will
resume its hearings on measures to re
peal the eighteenth amendment next
Wednesday, with the wets still present
ing their side of the argument.
The plan to limit the hearings to
four days for the wets, an equal period
for the drys and brief rebuttal testi
mony has been abandoned, so that op
ponents of the dry laws may present
witnesses who could not be heard in the
four days that the inquiry has already
been in progress.
However, Representative Linthicum,
Democrat, Maryland, chairman of the
unofficial House wet bloc, who is In
charge of the anti-prohibition side of
the case, expects his testimony to be
completed in one more day of hearings.
Hundreds of prominent people, he
says, have asked for an opportunity to
appear in support of repeal measures.
However, he adds, “I am afraid we will
have to end our argument next Wed
nesday."
Dr. Church Witness.
Prior to Chairman Graham of the
committee declaring the recess yester
day. Dr. Samuel Harden Church of
Pittsburgh, president of the Carnegie
Institute, appeared as a witness. Dr.
Church said there is a “swelling wave
of evidence on hand that, in the opinion
of many millions of the American peo
ple. prohibition, after 10 years of trial.
Is unenforceable because It is opposed
by the popular will.”
The Pittsburgh educator asserted the
dry law was a social and legal failure
and had resulted in an increase of in
temperance, corruption and crime. He
charged that the Methodist Board of
Temperance. Prohibition and Public
Morals. Bishop James Cannon, jr„ of
Virginia, the Anti-Saloon League, the
Ku Klux Klan and the Lord's Day
Alliance were dictating to the legislators
laws to enforce prohibition.
Another witness was Frederick Clark
of New York and Cleveland, a leader
of “the Crusaders.” as an organization
of young men terms itself. He ex
plained that the association's member
ship is recruited from all sections of
the country with the avowed purpose
of bringing about the repeal of prohibi
tion.
As an organizer of it, Clark said the
members were determined to “substitute
real temperance for prohibition intem
perance " He said that while “the
Crusaders” was a young organization,
it had more than 50.000 members and
was constantly increasing.
Norris Resolution Up.
"The youth of America." he declared,
•having fought the World War. now
rises up to fight for temperance to sub
stitute for the present chaotic state, a
condition under which the children of
those who fought in the late war, in
cluding those who died in service, msy
Mve and enjoy the inalienable rights
■Bar sn teed to them under the Declara
tion of Independence.”
Before the House group returns to its
Inquiry the Senate judiciary committee
will again consider Chairman Norris’
resolution for a general investigation of
prohibition enforcement. Norris said
late yesterday that he favored prelim
inary hearings on the advisability of
undertaking the investigation. The com
mittee is scheduled to meet on Monday
and Norris intends, to present at that
time some evidence on violations of the
dry laws tfca} has been sent to him.
Walter K. Liggett*s testimony before
the House committee that crime is ram
pant in Boston was assailed late yes
terday by* Representative Luee, Repub
lican. Massachusetts, as a “foul and
vicious libel.” He received unanimous
consent to insert in the Congressional!
Record the report of a Federal grand;
jury that he claimed proved that none
of Liggett’* charges was “capable of be- ■
mg sustained.’*
Liggett's testimony also had an echo I
last night in the publication of a com- I
mimication forwarded to the House
committee by G. D. Eaton, the editor ;
of Plain Talk, a magazine for which '
Liggett writes. This had to do with
charges Liggett made against Gov.
Green of Michigan and four Detroit
Circuit Court judges. Liggett said they
attended a party at which liquor was
served. Green has denied this asser
tion.
Eaton challenged Green’s denial with
the assertion that the governor had de
clined to go before the committee and
be questioned. He and Liggett, he said,
%ere ready to iwear to the details about
the party.
PURCHASE OF RAILWAY
GIVEN I. C. C. APPROVAL
Great Northern Pacific to Take
Over Great Northern and
Northern Pacific.
By the Associated Press.
Acquisition by the Great Northern
Pacific Railway Co. of control of the
Great Northern Railway and the North
ern Pacific Railway was approved today
by the Interstate Commerce Commission.
Under the order the Chicago, Bur
lington * Quincy Railroad, now owned
by the two roads, but assigned
by the Interstate Commerce Commis
sion in its consolidation plan as head
of a trunk line system of its ownT
would be divorced from the unification
of the two Northwest systems.
SHOOK RITES ARRANGED.
Funersl services for * Henry Clay i
Shook. 81 years old, retired clerk of j
the Bureau ot Internal Revenue, who
died in Sibley Hospital yesterday fol
lowing an operation, will be conducted
at Murray’s, undertakers, Anacostla,
this afternoon at 4 o’clock. Interment
will be at Clyde, N. C., his former
home. Mr. Shook resided at Oxon Hill,
Md
Mr. Shook retired from the Govern
ment service about two years ago. He
was a member of the Masons.
He is survived by his widow, Mrs.
Clara Orimes Shook; three sons. Wood
sin Shook and Walter Shook at Clyde,
N. C., and B. F. Shook of Knoxville,
Tenn., and one married daughter.
H. OPPENHEIMER BURIED.
Funeral services for Herman Oppen
heimer, 84 years old. local meat mer
chant for more than 60 years, who died
Wednesday at the George Washington
University Hospital, were held at 10
e clock this morning from the chapel
of Bernard Dansansky. 3501 Fourteenth
street Burial was in the Washington
Hebrew Cemetery. He is survived by
two sons. Max Oppenheimer and Jacob
Oppenheimer of Washington.
PRIZES TO BE AWARDED.
The Chevy Chase Pen Women will
award tonight six Evelyn S. Hawley
prlaes tor the winners in an essay and
a drawing contest. Three prizes of 813.
88 and 85 will be awarded lor the
drawing and an equal number will be
given for the best essay on “My Lile s
Highest Ambition.” The presentations
will be made at the Bethesda-Chevy
Chase High School.
A moving picture entitled “The Thief
•f Bagdad” will be shown following
the awarding of the prises.
Plunge to Death
(CL Kiij>
y /
%: Mr ,; mm
- ||g«iM P
I I i
Upper: Lieut. Joseph Leon Wolfe.
Lower: Lieut. William R. Ostertag.
Marine flyers who were killed in a fail
at Quantico yesterday.
UTILITIES CONTROL
BILLS ARE SHAPED
Couzens Hopes to Get Meas
ure Providing New Set-up
Through This Session.
Br the Associated Pres*.
After weeks of Intensive investigation
two important pieces of legislation
! looking toward Government regulation
of utilities in interestate commerce are
on their way to the Senate.
Senator Couzens. Republican, Michi
gan, who with othef members of the
Senate Interstate commerce committee
laid the foundation for the measures,
hopes to get one of them through this
session, setting up a new Federal Fower
Commission in accord with President
Hoover's desire. The Couzens proposal
for Federal control of communications
also will be pressed.
i “We want complete information,” he
said today, “but we hope to finish our
; investigation of the present commission
I with dispatch. We shall do everything
i possible to speed passage.”
Two Others Contemplated.
In addition, the committee contem
! plates a measure further regulating
power generation and distribution and
a fourth looking to railway consolida
tion along lines laid down by the Inter
state Commerce Commission.
Because of the legislative jam behind
the tariff bill, leaders hold little hope
that the railway bill by Senator Fess,
Republican, Ohio, will be reported in
time for action by this Congress. There
is some doubt also, it was indicated to
day, that the second power bill will l
get beyond introduction.
The interstate commerce committee,
however, has completed hearings on the
communications bill and likely will re
port it shortly after the first power
measure is ready for presentation.
Drafted by the Michigan Senator, the
first power bill would reorganize the
Power Commission to meet difficulties
the present body has encountered in
performing its duties. It would make
the commission a body of three civilians
working full time for SIO,OOO a year
with full authority for employing as
sistants.
Little Opposition Appears.
Virtually no opposition to this meas
ure h*s appeared, but it is expected
that some differences of opinion within
the committee will arise before discus
sion is completed.
Over the accounting %nd engineering
departments of the commission control
ing permits to power companies devel
oping hydro-electric power, there is dis
cussion of matters of Jurisdiction. This
agency’s business deals with navigable
streams in which the War Department
has jurisdiction, and with national
I forest lands, over which the Agrieul-
I ture Department has supervision.
Consequently there appears to be
some question how far Congress should
go in creating a set-up under which
the commission would act indeperd
ently, through its own staff of engineers
and other experts. It is recalled, how
ever, that this difficulty might be han
dled through control of appropriations
allowed the new commission.
Complaints of insufficient personnel
have gone hand in hand with charges
against officials throughout the Senate
committee's Investigation this week.
They have been expressed repeatedly by
officials in published reports virtually
since the commission began to function.
Provisions Meet Opposition.
Senator Couzens drafted the com
munications measure to establish con
trol of all companies dealing in inter
state commerce. Bitter opposition has
been presented to provisions which
would place telephone and telegraph
companies under Federal control, but
this has been met by other witnesses,
and by Senators cross-examining oppo
sition representatives.
Little objection has been raised to
the proposal to put radio communica
tion under control of the suggested
commission, although it is clear that
the regulation contemplated would be
more thorough than that exercised by
the present Radio Commission.
The second power bill must have ex
tensive'preparation before its drafting
is completed, but work upon it already
is going forward. It would accomplish
with power companies, distributing, sell
ing and generating, the same degree
of control embodied in the communi
cations measure, including supervision
of rates to the consumer.
■- ♦- —•
Delegates from Egypt, Syria, Turkey,
Transjordanla and Palestine met re
[ eently in Jerusalem to consider the lo
cust menace.
TfTT STAR, TVASHT?C<jTOX. P. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 199 b.
QUANTICO CRASH
PROBE IS OPENED
Bodies of Two Victims Are
Recovered From Wreckage
of Planes in River.
Formal inquiry to determine the cause
of the double crash which yesterday
cost the lives of two Marine Corps pilots
at Quantico, Va., was’begun today by
a board of Inquiry, which is hearing the
report of witnesses of the accident.
The bodies of both pilots. Lieut.
Joseph Leon Wolfe of Coeburn. Va.,
and Lieut. William R. Ostertag of Co
i lumbia, Pa., have been recovered by
i grappling from the wreckage of the
planes in which they were tangled after
plunging into the Potomac River in a
power dive at 2:30 p.m. yesterday.
The two lieutenants had been flying
close formation with four other plane*,
divided Into two flights of three planes
each. Llent. Wolfe was leader of the
flight in which Lieut. Ostertag was fly
ing. The formation work had been
completed and the order given to break
formation and land.
Crash Almost Simultaneously.
Lieut. Wolfe, coming down in a hurry,
made a steep power dive over the river.
Lieut. Ostertag did not break forms-
Uen. but continued in the dive after
his flight leader. Lieut. Wolfe flew
headlong Into the river at high speed,
Ostertag following him in almost at the
same instant.
Maj. Roy S. Geiger, in command of
Marine Corps aviation at Quantico, said
unofficially today that he is inclined to
believe that Lieut. Wolfe mLsjudged his
altitude above the surface of the water,
which was glassy smooth, and flew in
while still thinking he had sufficient
altitude to pull out of the dive. Lieut.
Ostertag, apparently relying on his
leader to pull out in time, flew forma
tion on the first plane so close that he
I had no time to pull up when Lieut.
i Wolfe struck the water.
One of the most difficult things for a
: pilot to do. It was pointed out, is to
judge his altitute over perfectly smooth
water, unless there are floating objects
or the shore line is close enough to give
a reference point. Many accidents have
resulted from this cause, including a
fatal crash off Alexandria last year
during the speed teats of a civil trans
port plane, which dove into the river
channel.
Planes Are Demolished.
Lieuts. Wolfe and Ostertag were flying
F7C-1 Curtiss Hawk single-seater fight
ers. The planes were demolished.
Rescue operations were begun imme
diately by a detail of Marines headed
by Maj. Geiger. After considerable dif
ficulty a line was made fast to Lieut.
Wolfe’s plane, and it was pulled to the
surface, where the body of the pilot was
removed.
Grappling for the body of Lieut.
Ostertag continued far into the night
under the light of searchlights and
electric flares. Recovery of the body
was reported to the Navy Department
early this morning.
The board of inquiry, appointed last
night, is composed of Col. William B.
Sullivan, Maj. Louis M. Bourne and
Lieut. George M. Tower, all of the
Marine Corps. The board is expected
to be in session all day today. The re
port of its findings will be sent through
the commandant of the Marine base at
Quantico to the Navy Department.
Lieut. Wolfe was the son of Dr. J. 1.
Wolfe of Coeburn, Va. He was a grad
uate of the Naval Academy at Annapo
lis, Md., in the class of 1026. and was
commissioned in the Marine Corps. He
served a year in China, and then waa on
duty at the naval air station, Pensa
cola, Fla., prior to his transfet to Quan-
Lieut. Ostertag graduated from the
Naval Academy in 1924, but resigned
after serving for a short time as alieu
tenant in the Marine Corps. He re
turned to his home In Columbia, Pa.,
where he later was commissioned in
the Marine Corps Reserves. He had re
turned to Quantico for a year of active
duty, though remaining on a reserve
basis.
‘HOOVERDEATiTPLOr
REPORTED IN LETTER
Mexican Student Congratulates
Friend on Attempt to Slay
Ortig Rubio.
B y the Associated Press.
MEXICO CITY, February 21.—A La
Prensa dispatch from San Luis Potosi
today stated that Nicolas Alcorta. a
former student there who is wanted in
Mexico in connection with the Investi
gation into the shooting of President
Ortiz Rubio, has been arrested in St.
Louis, Mo.
Alcorta is alleged to have sent a letter
to a friend in San Lula Potosi con
gratulating him on the attempt against
the Presidents life and saying that
plans were virtually completed for a
similar attack on President Hoover.
The paper said Alcorta would be re
turned to Ban Luis Potosi for investiga
tion in the Ortiz Rubio shooting.
MRS. WILLEBRANDT
PAYS $lO ON GUILTY
PLEA TO SPEEDING
(Continued From First
aistant Attorney General, in the same
tone of voice.
Then Policeman William B. Hopkins,
third precinct, took the witness stand
and told how he arrested Mrs. Wille
brandt on K street, near Nineteenth,
last Friday night after pacing her ma
chine for five blocks at a speed of 38
miles an hour.
Mrs. Wlllebrandt was hurried from
the court room to the chambers of
Judge John I\ McMahon, the only
Democratic judge at Police Court
where she sought shelter from the
photographers, while Bailiff Bernard
Baruch was settling her account with
the court financial clerk.
The court attache took a brand-new
S2O bill to the financial office and re
turned two fives to Mrs. Wlllebrandt
Then, while anxious photographers
waited, she dropped from sight.
A battery of cameras was still in
front the court house a full hour
after Mrs. Wlllebrandt was comfortably
seated in a chair in her office in the
Investment Building.
Yesterday Mrs. Wlllebrandt called on
Judge Given at his chambers in court
and spent a half hour talking over the
case with the magistrate and probably
learning all about Traffic Court pro
cedure. It was then that the strategy,
used at court thia morning, was thought
out.
At one time after Mrs. Wlllebrandt
was slated to appear In court last Mon
day the Information papers in her case
were reported as “missing” from the
court flies of continued cases. A day
later they were reported to be in their
proper places.
Cardinal Pcroai Under Operation.
VATICAN CITY, February 21 (A*).—
Cardinal Perosi, secretary of the Con
| sistorial Congregation, today underwent
an operation in an effort to combat
general blood infection. »
' mA.'
Women Are Barred
From British Army
Boxing Contests
By the As«ocl«te<J Press.
LONDON, February 21.—The
Daily Express today said .that
women henceforth would be bar
red from attending boxing tour
naments organized by the British
Army Boxing Association. The
paper said that heads of the as
sociation had decided that box
ing was “not an edifying spec
tacle for women."
LEHLBACH TO TAKE
RETIREMENT BILL
OFF OF CALENDAR
(Continued From First Page.)
stantial relief to many thousands of
employes now on the retirement roll
and to those who are to be retired in
the near future.”
"Our principal objections to this new
idea i the Lehlbach bill) are the tontine
feature and forfeitures,” he stated.
"Ihe tontine feature or the setting
aside of $1 per month by each and
every employe to the fund is no little
item. This item alone which the em
ploye forfeits amounts to something like
$4,000,000 annually, but while I shall
not attempt to go into details of the
bill I do wish to call attention to sec
tion 4 of the bill, beginning on line
21, page 9, and closing at line 10 on
page 10:
“ ‘That the total annuity paid shall
in no case be less than an amount
equal to the average annual basic sal
ary, pay or compensations, not to ex
ceed $1,600 per annum, received by the
employe during any five consecutive
years of allowable service at the option
of the employe, multiplied by the num
ber of years of service, not exceeding
30 years, and divided by 40: And, pro
vided further, that an employe at the
time of his retirement may elect to re
ceive, in lieu of the life annunity herein
described, a reduced annuity of equiva
lent value which shall carry with it a
proviso for the return of the unpaid
principal upon the annuitant's death.
For the purpose of this act all periods
of service shall be computed in accord
ance with section 5 hereof, and the an
nuity shall be fixed at the nearest mul
tiple of 12.*
Idea Called Undesirable.
“This idea is to our minds quite ob
jectionable, that is, the forfeiture op
tion therein. In the first place we will
say an employe retires having, say,
$5,000 to his credit, or some like
amount, and when the employe reaches
retirement age as provided in this sec
tion of the bill, and decides to take the
full annuity on retirement instead of
the lesser amount, what happens? This
is what happens and what would &ap
! pen in many cases—the employe goes
j on retirement and inside of six months
he dies. All of his contribution with
interest is forfeited to the fund, instead
bf being returned to his family or
estate as is now provided by law. There
have been some tables presented with
reference to the amount which would
be provided, which is known as the re
duced annuity, but so far as I know,
the amount of that reduced annuity
can only be approximated at this time,
and when the matter is finally deter
mined it may be far less than any esti
mates submitted. There are other
phases of the bill which I shall not go
into as there are others who desire to
be heard, but I do wish to call attention
to the benefits and protection of the
employes under the present law and as
proposed in the Dale-Lehlbach bill—
that is to say, employes are fully pro
tected with regard to their contribu
tions, which are returned to them, or
to their estate in case of death, with
interest compounded—and to my mind
this is a very important phase of th ;
law, and thousands of employes looU
upon this as a life-saver—something in
the form of a nest egg or saving as it
might be called—even though they may
never receive other benefits from the
law. Many die a short time after re
tiring. and if they have elected to take
the full annuity all their deductions
with interest are forfeited under the
new bill.”
John M. Klir.e, president, and George
G. Hoover, secretary of the National
Association of Retired Federal Em
ployes. urged the committee on behalf
of 7,000 retired employes to report
the Dale bill. The retired employes are
most interested in immediate relief,
Kline said, adding that his organiza
tion felt that increased annuities might
better be had under the Dale bill.
Letters Read .Into Record.
Hoover, who also is editor of the
association's publication, the Annuitant,
read into the record letters from several
retired employes, in which they de
scribed impoverished conditions of liv
ing. Some of the writers advised him
they were being paid $22, $22.60 and
$37 a month by the Government, and
complained that while they could buy
food and pay rent, they were unable
to provide clothing or shoes.
Commenting on the condition of
high-salaried employes, and referring
to one witness before the committee,
a young man in the biological research
division of the Agriculture Department,
who testified earlier in the week that
he received $5,600 a year, Hoover told
the committee that at the present rate
of relief to the retired the grandchildren
of the high-salaried employes would
be establishing banks before the desti
tute men and women could buy shoes.
Another objection to the Lehlbach
bill, he said, was that it would tend
now to “muddy the legislative waters."
“When we read that the House could
adjourn in a month if it were not for
the tariff.” he said, “it is beyond our
finite minds to understand how the
Congress would consider a controversial
measure such as this when it would
take a month to have the committee
prints studied and acted on, not to
mention getting the two Houses to
gether on the bill.”
Mrs. Margaret Hopkins Worrell, presi
dent of the League of the American
Civil Service, whose membership is
made up of employes In the lower and
middle grade salary groups, also urged
the committee to report the Dale bill.
Obscure Wording Claimed.
“Three bills have been introduced in
Congress,” said Mrs. Worrell. “They
are the Dale bill, the La Ouardla bill
and the Lehlbach bill. The provisions
of the Dale bill and the La Guardia
bill need no explanation, as they fol
low the policy laid down by the Govern
ment and provide benefits to be reaped
at once The Lehlbach bill is an in
surance bill instead of a retirement bill.
Its wording is obscure and its interpre
tation is susceptible of intrigue, while
its benefits are largely for future gen
erations and high-salaried employes.”
Mrs. Worrell said that if it is the “de
sire of Congress and our President to
liberalize the retirement act, as Mr.
Lehlbach says it is,” then Congress
should enact the La Guardia bill, which
provides a minimum annuity of $366
and a maximum of $1,500, with op
tional retirement at 60 years of age
after 30 years' service, and other lib
eralising features.
But, all things considered and espe
cially in view of the legislative situa
tion, Mrs. Worrell asked the committee
to report favorably the Dale bill, al
ready passed by the Senate. Failure
of the committee to report the Dale
bill, she held, will result in no action
at this session of Congress.
Mrs. Worrell Tead into the committee
record a telegram she said she had re
ceived from the United States Employes’
Association of San Francisco urging en
actment of the Dale bill. The telegram
concluded with the expression, “Luther
Steward playing heads of departments
as usual.”
The committee laughed, as did Stew
ard, who, as president of the National
, Federation of Federal Employes, is sup
porting the Lehlbach bill.
NEW PARIS CABINET
IS PROMISED TODAY
Chautemps Fills Main Posts,
but Tardieu’s Party Re
fuses Support.
By the Associated Press.
PARIS, February 21.—Camille Chau
temps, French premier-designate, after
completing a tentative cabinet, ran into
difficulty today and at noon asked Pres
ident Gaston Doumergue to give him
more time.
The radical Socialist president never
theless told M. Doumergue that he was
quite confident he could arrange mat
ters. He promised to report with a
cabinet list late this afternoon.
A full cabinet had been formed, with
the exception of a few of the under
secretarial positions, but the apple cart
v,a. upset by retiring Premier Tardieu’s
party, the “Republicans of the Left,”
who refused to support the projected
new government by a vote of 26 to 3.
Their action, which was taken at a
party caucus this forenoon, eliminated
three of the projected cabinet—Francois
Pietri, minister of colonies; Pierre Eti
enne Flandin, minister of commerce,
and M. Ricalfl, minister of pensions.
The premier-designate, therefore, had
to make some last-minute switches. He
went to the Elysee Palace at noc . and
spent a half hour with the President,
announcing as ?rward that. he would
have a cabinet formed la,er in the day.
There was widespread prediction that
while he probably would present a min
istry to President Doumergue during the
day it would last only long enough to be
voted down in the Chamber of Deputies
when the ministerial declarations are
read.
The complete tentative cabinet fol
lows:
Premier and minister of interior,
Camille Chautemps; foreign affairs,
Aristide Brland; Justice, Jules Steeg;
marine, Alber- Sarraut; war, Rene Bes
nard; labor, Louis Loucheur; finances,
Charles Dumont or M. Lamoureaux;
education. Edouard Daladler; commerce,
Pierre Etienne Flandin; public works,
Jean Durand; agriculture, M. Queille;
colonies, Francois Pietri; merchant ma
rine, M. Danielou; post. Georges Bon
net; air, M. Laurent-Eynac;
M. Ricolfi.
Undersecretaries announced by M.
Chautemps are:
In the premier's office, Aimc Berthod;
interior, M. Cathala; war, M. Barety;
marine, M. I-aganon; finance. M. de
Chappe d*Elaine; colonies, M. Archim
baud; health, M. Marchandeau.
Physical education, agriculture and
fine arts will be filled later.
■ • —■
HOOVER BELIEVED
FIRM IN RESOLVE
TO NAME CROSBY
< Continued From First Page.)
Washington Chamber of Commerce;
Mark Lansburgh, president of the
Merchants and Manufacturers' Associ
ation; John B. Colpoys, representing
the Central Labor Union; Barnum A.
Levitan of the Columbia Heights Busi
ness Men's Association, and H. M.
Welsh of the Georgia Avenue Business
Men’s Association.
Text as Letter.
The text of the letter follows;
“The President, the White House,
Washington, D. C.
“Dear Mr. President:
“The civic and trade organizations of
the District of Columbia listed below de
sire to express to you their deep gratitude
and sincere appreciation of the interest
you have taken in the development and
government of the City of Washington,
and to thank you for your efforts, as
noted in the press of this city, to se
lect from among its ablest citizens
Commissioners for the District of Co
lumbia.
“It is with deep regret, however, we
note press reports to the effect that you
have tendered the appointment as one
of the civilian Commissioners of the
District of Columbia to a majdr general
of the United States Army.
"We most respectively call to your
attention the organic act of June 11,
Is7B, providing for a Board of Commis
sioners, one of whom shall be an Engi
[ neer officer of the United States Army,
and the other two of whom shall be
appointed from civil life, with the
qualifications set out in the act, and in
that connection call to your attention
the numerous court decisions which we
feel bear out this contention, namely:
That a member of the military arm of
the service of the United States is not
eligible for appointment as a Commis
sioner of the District of Columbia from
civil life and this status is not changed
by his retirement from the service.
"We believe the letter and spirit of
the organic act that requires two per
sons to be appointed from civil life
should not be set aside.
“Please be advised that this com
munication is not in any way to be
deemed as a reflection upon the char
acter and ability of the Army officer
whose name has been suggested in the
press, nor upon any other officer in the
United States military service.
“In view of the foregoing, may we
earn-stly urge that you appoint-to the
positions of civilian Commissioners of
the District of Columbia bona fide resi
dents who can legally qualify, with full
confidence that you will grant our
request.”
Kramer Calls at White House.
Harry C. Kramer, a retired lawyer,
who has been living in Washington for
several years, and who was reported as
being under consideration by the
President for appointment as Commis
sioner, called at the White House to
day Mr. Kramer’s name had been
suggested at the White House early in
February by Representative Wolverton
of New Jersey. Mr. Kramer did not
see the President today, but one of the
latter’s secretaries informed him that
he had reason to know that he was not
being considered for the place.
Mr. Kramer said that he was not a
candidate, although some of his friends.
Representative Wolverton being among
them, had attempted to prevail upon
him to accept the place in the event it
were offered. Mr. Kramer said he was
anxious to have it understood that he
was not seeking this appointment and
that he much preferred to remain in
private life.
NOTED AUTO RACER
DIES ALONE IN CRASH
Body of Han Who Was Second in
Pikes Peak Test Found
Badly Crushed.
Mr thcAsioelsUa Press.
LITTLETON, Col., February 21.—The
mysterious crash of his speeding racing
par brought death to Joe Unser, auto
racer who for the past four years in
succession drove his machine to second
place in the annual Pikes Peak auto
race.
Unser died at a hospital here last
night four hours after he was found,
unconscious and badly crushed, at the
wheel of his car, which stood upright
beside the highway near a railroad
underpass south of here.
WAR BAN IS SEEN
IN FOREIGN TRADE
___ ■
Sir Esme, at New York Din
ner, Says U. S. Friendship
With Britain Grows.
Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, February 21.—After a
vivid description of the changes that
had come over Anglo-American relations
I in the last 35 years, Sir Esme Howard,
retiring British Ambassador to the
United States, declared last night that
considerations of overseas trade were
the surest guarantee against war be
tween the two countries. He spoke at a
farewell dinner given in his honor at
the Plaza by the Pilgrims of the United
States.
War between any two countries, he
suggested, was fomented largely by the
secretaries of state and “a baker's
dozen of the most belligerent journal
ists” on either side. The basis of his
belief that even closer friendship would
grow between the United States and
Great Britain lay in the abandonment
of the English attitude of Indifference
toward and ignorance of the United
States, and in the fact that twistin;
the lion's tail was no longer a popular I
pastime here, even during presidential
elections.
Scoffs Idea of War.
He scouted the Idea that the two
nations would fin peril by war a foreign
trade amounting to nearly $20,000,000,-
000 annually, and points out that the
disastrous economic results of the loss
of that trade would far outmeasure any
possible economic or territorial gain.
Sir Esme said that when he first vis
ited the United States. 35 years ago, he
found hospitality and friendliness for
the individual Englishman, but an open
and undisguised suspicion of England
and everything British. On the other
hand, to the ordinary British politician,
diplomat and journalist of that time the
United States ras as far off as Mars
and the general attitude toward the
United States was one of "complete Ig
norance and incredible lack of interest.”
This attitude was well summed up.
Sir Esme said, in a remark in a letter
from Sir Arthur Hardlnge to Sir Cecil
Spring-Rice, who had applied for an
exchange to Washington, that the Unit
ed States was "so off the line.”
“That was a distinctly dangerous sit
uation,” Sir Esme said, "but it has ma
terially changed in the last 15 years,
owing, I think, largely to the great
war. That terrible earthquake shook
us up together as perhaps nothing else
, could have done.”
"Then the settlement of Ireland and
the funding of the British war debt
contributed not a little to improve the
sentiments of most Americans toward
my country,” Sir Esme said. "I be
came aware of this improvement when
I first arrived here as Ambassador. It
was just one of those imponderable
elements of political life which one
breathes with the air. I remember
mentioning my belief fn the general
improvement in our relations to a most
distinguished American at the height of
the controversy over the Geneva naval
conference of unhallowed memory and
saying that I did not for that reason
regard the aftermath of that confer
ence as so serious as. many newspaper
writers seemed to think. He smiled and
said, ‘I believe you are right. I re
member my old grandfather never had
a good word to say for the British.’ ”
After pointing out the direct de
pendence of the two countries on each
other’s exports and Imports, Sir Esme
went into the possible grounds of con
flict, declaring that industrial competi
tion and the struggle for foreign mar
kets were "simply fantastic” as grounds
for war.
"What other grounds for conflict ex
ist?” Sir Esme asked. “Does any one
in this country believe that Great Brit
ain has any hankering for territories
of this country? If he does, he is qual
ifying for thq nearest lunatic asylum.”
Doubts Sea Rights Are an Issue.
Sir Esme was not prepared to grant
that neutral rights at sea could be a
war issue, and insisted that "other
pressure would be sufficient to make
belligerents desist from improper Inter
ference with American sea-borne trade.”
i Sir Esme commended his successor,
i Sir Ronald Lindsay, to the good graces
of hls audience, as once who also had
sat at the feet of Viscount Bryce.
Sir Esme and Lady Isabella Howard
, sail for England Saturday morning on
the Majestic.
TREADWAY ASSAILS
TARIFF COALITION
AS TRADE FACTOR
<Continued From First Page.)
article, and I had about six copies of
it run off In my office to show to some
of my colleagues.”
Grundy spent many months In Wash
ington advocating a high tariff before
■ his appointment to the Senate. He
was outspoken in hls opposition to
rates being written into the measure by
the coalition.
"Os course,” said Senator Harrison,
“we have tried in every way to get
from the leaders here the views of the
President on the rates in the tariff bill
as it was received from the House and
from the Senate finance committee.
They have told us they didn’t know.
"It would seem from this article
that there are people who are closer
to the President than the senior Sen
ator from Utah, Mr. Smoot, the chair
man of the finance committee.”
Highest Farm Schedule.
The Senate yesterday completed its
deliberations on the agricultural rates
and made sure that the measure to be
sent to the House will carry the high
est schedule in history on the products
of the farmer. The Senate's farm
schedule, as a whole, hands back to the
House a considerable Increase over the
latter body’s recommendations.
Against cautioning advice of Sen
ators Harrison, Democrat, of Mississip
pi, and Blaine, Republican Independ
ent, Wisconsin, that the administra
tion’s opposition to the debenture
might gain weight If higher levies,
which obviously were unjustified, were
added to the bill, the Senate yesterday
made seven additional Increases In farm
rates, but turned down four recom
mended increases.
Increases included almond rates, 5Vi
cents a pound on unshelled, against
the present duty of 4% cents; 16Vi
cents on shelled, against 14 cents; It'/a
cents on preserved almonda and sub
stitutes, against 35 per cent ad valorem,
and 18 cents on almond paste, against
14 cents: vegetable oil and oil cake
meal of all kinds, now on free list, given
rate of three-tenths of a cent a pound;
mustard seed, raised from 1 to 3 cents
a pound; alslke clover seed, from 4 to 8
cents; crimson clover seed, from 1 to 2
cents; sweet clover, from 2 to 4 cents,
and crude horseradish, from the free
list to 3 cents a pound.
Bread Duty Proposal Scored.
The brakes to the rate boosting were
applied most effectively when an
amendment of Senator Frasier, Re
publican independent, of North Dakota,,
proposing a duty on bread, now on the
free list, came up.
Said Senator Walsh, Democrat, of
Massachusetts: “I never thought that I
would see a tariff seriously proposed
on bread, the staff of life. It shows
how mad and drunk we have become.
Isn’t there any limit to our greed?—
to put a tax even on the crumbs for
the poor.” The proposal was not
pushed.
The tariff bill as it now stands car
ries higher rates on many forms of
agricultural products—dairy, cattle,
grain, fruits, vegetables, fish, nuts,
poultry, horticulture and seeds.
HOOVER TO WITNESS
WASHINGTON EVENTS
TO BE IN ALEXANDRIA
<Continued From First Page.)
Columbia Society Sons of the American
| Revolution and the Sons of the Revo
lution in the District of Columbia, who
will meet jointly for anniversary ex
ercises at 10 o'clock in Memorial Con
tinental Hall, with the Daughters of
the American Revolution and Children
of the American Revolution also par
ticipating in the program. This is the
first joint observance by these organ
izations since 1924.
Another meeting of more than usual
i interest will be the annual session of the
j Washington National Monument Asso
! ciation at the annual session in the
j Metropolitan Club at 12:30 o’clock.
! President Hoover is the president ex
! officio of the society. Justice Willis Van
; Devanter of the United States Supreme
I Court, as the first vice president, will
preside. There will be no formal ad
dress and the business of the meeting
is to elect officers.
The city will be in holiday attire to
morrow with all Oovernment depart
ments closed and most of the business
life of the Capital at a standstill. Be
cause the anniversary comes on a Satur
day, when the public schools are closed
anyway, no additional holiday will be
granted to Washington’s younger popu
lation. During the week, as conditions
permit, exercises in honor of the Pirst
President's birthday have been con
ducted in the various schools of the
city.
Senator Fess to Speak.
Senator Simeon D. Fess of Ohio will
make the principal address at the
exercises in Memorial Continental Hall
and a letter from Sir Esme Howard, the
British Ambassador who left Washing
ton Wednesday on his return homeward,
has sent a letter to be read. Dr. Edmund
A. Walsh, S. J., vice president of
Georgetown University and regent of
the School of Foreign Service, will de
liver the benediction. Music will be
furnished by the United States Marine
Band.
Commissioner Proctor L. Dougherty
will conclude the greetings, in which
presidents and vice presidents of the
four patriotic organisations will join.
Rev, James Shera Montgomery, chap
lain of the House of Representatives,
will give the invocation.
The exercises will include the massing
of the colors, supervised by C. V. Lati
mer of the Sons of the American Revo
lution, with Minute Men constituting
the guard of honor.
Before senator Fess speaks, two gold
medal winners in recent historical con
tests will be announced. Murray Bern
hardt of Eastern High School will re
ceive a medal for the best essay on
Contribution of Massachusetts to War
of Revolution.” It will be presented by
Representative Edith N. Rogers of Mas
sachusetts on behalf of the Sons of the
Revolution. The second medal will be
awarded to Miss Elisabeth Drewry of
George Washington University for the
best essay on American history. It will
be presented on behalf of the local
Daughters of the American Revolution
by Mrs. David D. Caldwell.
Tickets Will Not Be Needed.
The public is invited by the organi
zation to attend this patriotic observ
ance. Tickets will not be necessary for
admission.
After the joint meeting the Sons of
the American Revolution will hold its
annual meeting and election of ofll-
Thf 1)16 Mayflower Hotel at noon.
The sole nominee for president Is Wil
liam Knowles Cooper, former secretary
general of the Y. M. C. A. *
The Association of Oldest Inhabitants,
a ,!r ys m “ rk Washing
tons blrhtday, will conduct special ex
rhi?*?h in . the Western Presbyterian
Church, following a business session
J 1 JO: 30 oc:lock. Members are in
vited to bring their families to hear an
address by Representative Henry Allen
Cooper of Wisconsin. There will also be
reminiscences of Washington by other
members of the association.
.While various societies throughout the
city will be conducting their Individual
programs during the day, wreaths and
floral pieces will be placed in their
i names at the base of the Washington
Monument, following the annual cere
mony at the Monument in the morning.
Lieut. Col. U. S. Grant, 3d, director of
public buildings and public parks of the
National Capital, is in charge of these
arrangements.
Col. Grant’s office will place a wreath
at the base of the Monument and
others will be received up to noon from
the various patriotic, fraternal and
civic organizations whieh make this
tribute an annual custom.
The Monument is to be open to
visitors from noon until 4 o’clock. A
feature of the morning exercises, Col.
Grant announced, will be the raising
of 43 flags representing the States of
the Union, on poles surrounding the
Monument.
Although Government departments
will be closed in observance of the na
tional holiday, the central building of
the Public Library, at Eighth and K
streets, will be open from 2 to 6
o'clock. Branches and subbranches will
be closed tomorrow and Sunday,
although the central building will open
Sunday for reference work only from
2 to 6 o'clock.
Sunday School Program.
The Vaughn Class of Calvary Baptist
Sunday school will celebrate Washing
ton’s birthday Sunday evening, at 3:30
| o'clock, in its auditorium, and a patri
otic observance also has been arranged
for laymen of the Brotherhood of the
, Washington Hebrew Congregation at 3
; o'clock that evening.
George Washington’s birthday will be
celebrated tomorrow night by American
[ University College of Liberal Arts with
. a special celebration dinner and dance
at the college dining room. A com
i mittee of students, headed by Miss
' Betty Jacoby, is in charge of arrange
ments.
■• »
FIVE RADIO BOARD
j NOMINEES APPROVED
l "
Committee Votes Separately on
Each —Couzens to Seek Con
firmation on Floor Today.
By the Associated Prsss.
The nominations of the five members
of the Federal Radio Commission were
approved today by the Senate interstate
commerce committee, after a separate
vote on each nominee.
Chairman Couzens, Republican, Mich
igan. declined to give the record votes
of the committee, although he asserted
there was “a substantial majority” for
each nominee.
The following members were absent:
Howell, Republican, Nebraska; Brook
hart, Republican, Iowa: Smith, Demo
crat, South Carolina; Pittman, Demo
crat, Nevada; Hawes, Democrat, Mis
souri, and Tydings, Democrat, Mary
land.
Couzens then announced he would
make an effort to bring the nomina
tions to the floor for confirmation to
day.
Members of the Radio Commission,
with their terms, follow:
Ira S. Robinson, West Virginia, two
years; Harold A. Lafount, Utah, five
years; Eugene O. Skyes, Mississippi,
three years; Charles McK. Saltsman,
lowa, six years; William D. L. Star
buck, Connecticut, four years.
Oil Ship Buna Aground.
NEW ORLEANS. La.. February 31
(A*).—The Standard Oil tanked Worth
ington, inbound from Mexico with a
cargo of oil for the company’s refinery
at Baton Rouge, went aground today
on the seaward end of the west jetty
in South Pass, at the mouth of the
Mississippi River.
BILL INTRODUCED
TO BUY Ml VERNON
Representative Treadway
Wants Government to Own
National Shrine.
Acquisition of Mount Vernon, the
home and tomb of George Washington,
by the Federal Government Is directed
under a bill introduced in the House
today by Representative Allen T. Tread
way. Republican, of Massachusetts, who
desires that the gates of this greau
American shrine shall be thrown open
free to the public for the celebration of
the 200th anniversary of Washington s
birth In 1932.
This legislation proposes that the di
rector of public buildings and public
parks of the National Capita), who hap
pens to be Lieut. Col. U. S. Grant, 3d
one of the associate directors of the bi
centennial celebration, shall negotiate
with the Mount Vernon Ladies' Associ
ation of the Union, who many years
ago purchased the estate from tfae
Washington family, under a charter
granted by the State of Virginia. It
Instructs him to take such action as
may be necessary to secure a release
from the State of Virginia of any limi
tation against this association disposing
of the property. As a last resort it
proposes that he shall ’’condemn” the
property under right of eminent domain
for the United States Government.
Representative Treadway's bill would
have Mount Vernon maintained as a
public national memorial to George
Washington but would allow the grand
council of the Mount Vernon Ladies’
Association of the Union to continue to
manage the property for five years, sub
ject to regulations by the Federal offi
ciai.
Thinks Time Suitable.
Representative Treadway told his col
leagues in a speech on the floor of the
House that he feels very strongly that
this should be done and desires that ail
the people of the country should give
theeubject very serious consideration.
There could be no more suitable
. ™ J he , s * ld - “ t 0 take up the subject
of Federal acquisition of Washington k
home and burial place than on the an
niversary of his birth.
'" T ‘ or abo “t 45 yrars the question of
the ownership of Mount Vernon by a
private corporation has been discussed
and debated periodically throughout the
country. Washington is becoming more
and more the mecca of visitors. No
citizen can visit our Capital without a
thrill of pride and patriotism. Per
haps the greatest surprise and shock
the visitor experiences Is when he learns
that Mount Vernon is closed on Sun
days and that on week days an admis
sion fee is charged.
"Both the United States and thr
State of Virginia had the chance to
s*®°““ ° w , ner Mount Vernon
while it still belonged to the Washing
ton family. John A. Washington, thf
elder, in acodicil to his will, July 3
1830, provided for the disposal of the
place to the United States, should thr
Congress desire to possess it. Nothin;
came of this proposal.
Congress Asked to Act
"In 1848 Congress was memorialised
to purchase Mount Vernon. The me
morial was signed by the Vice President.
i.u f Houa * and various
other high officials of the Government
as weli as the mayors of Washington
and Georgetown. Nothing came of this
effort.
“In 1853 Gov. Johnson of Virginia
transmitted to the General Assembly of
*£?* ?£**!**” u /l* nt recommendation
that the State of Virginia purchaae the
property from Its owner. The commit,
tee to which the recommendation was
■ referred was unable to make terms with
the owner, and the matter was dropped.
In 1853 Miss Ann Pamela Cunning
ham of South Carolina, a helpless in
valid, organized the Mount Vernon
Ladies’ Association of the Unidn for the
purpose of acquiring, restoring and
caring for the home and burial place
of Gen. Washington. This organization
was conceived by Miss Cunningham
purely in a spirit of patriotism. Through
the efforts of this organization the
purchase of Mount Vernon was con
summated under charters granted by
the state of Virginia.
’’From that time until now the
Mount Vernon Ladles’ Association of
the Union, a self-perpetuating body,
has owned the property and conducted
its affairs.
‘‘Thomas Nelson Page and Charles
Moore have both written accounta of
the stewardship of the Mount Vernon
Ladles’ Association, and are most
laudatory in their praise of the man
agement of the property by the asso
ciation.
Washington Memorials.
"I want now, however, to suggest
that the work of the organization hav
ing been so well accomplished, it pro
ceed to perform a still more worthy
purpose by turning over the actual
ownership of Mount Vernon to the Fed
eral Government, where, in my opinion.
It belongs. In proposing this, it is my
thought that the association should
continue to exercise such managerial
authority as may be mutually agree
able to it and the Government.
‘‘During recent years Congress has
more and more oome to a realization
of the fact that places having directly
to do with our history should be pre
served and ownership placed in thr
Oovernment.
’’But let us refer particularly to proj
ects in memory of George Washington.
Two years ago Congress authorized an
appropriation of $4,500,000 to build a
new memorial boulevard from Wash
ington to Mount Vernon. The contract
for this road is in process of being
awarded. Within a month legislation
has passed this House for the restora
tion and preservation of the birthplace
of Washington at Wakefield. One of
the arguments for having this property
owned by the Federal Government was
that this would obviate the possibility
of an admission fee being charged to
visit the place. Another bill has recently
been passed by the House authorizing a
memorial parkway and boulevard on
both sides of the Potonmc from Mount
Vernon to Oreat Falls, and in that bill
an amendment was Inserted requiring a
free bridge, owned by the Government,
across the river at Great Falls.
"The Washington Boulevard will thus
extend from Great Falls to the gate a:
Mount Vernon, every bit of It owned by
the Oovernment, to be freely used by
its eltlsans. I can conceive of nothing
more incongruous than to have one
of these wonderful memorials to thr
memory of Washington, starting almost
at the base of Washington Monument
Itself In the City of Washington, ter
minate at the gate of Mount Vernon
where access to that hallowed ground
is barred except upon the payment oi
an entrance fee.”
•- -
BAND CONCERT.
By the United States Marine Band
Orchestra this evening at 3 o’clock at
the auditorium, Marine Barracks. Tav
lor Branson, leader; Arthur 8. Witcomb,
second leader. Program:
March, "Washington" Pieraor
Overture, "Leonora,” No. 3.. Beethoven
Cornet solo, ‘‘Stream of Dreams”. .Yost
(Second Leader Arthur 8. Witcomb.)
"Virginia.” a Southern rhapsody,
Trombone solo, “On Wings o^^ong^* 1
Mendelssohn
(Principal Musician Robert S. Clark.)
Bxcerpta from "Roaenkavalier”. Strauss
"Serenade Espagnole” Biset
“Ride of the Valkyries" Wagner
Marines hymn, "The Halls of Monte
luma.”
"The Btar Spangled Banner.”
—■— _
Leveling of the ground and construc
tion of a bridge and retaining walls for
the proposed University city of Madrid,
Spam, will eoet $848,000.