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WASHINGTON j ' GENERAL NEWS 3 * ~ WASHINGTON, D. C., SUNDAY MORNING, JANUARY 31, 1932. *__ PAGE B—1 GLASSFORD ORDERS MORE PROTECTION FOR CAPITAL BUNKS Action Follows Bus Hold-Up of Runner. 20. Carrying $7,000 in Checks. BANDITS TAKE SATCHEL AND ESCAPE IN AUTO Recent Robbery of Branch Bank and Failure of Probe to Date Irk Crosby and Chief. Orders for increased police protection for Washington banks were issued yes terday by Brig. Gen. Pelham D. Glass ford. superintendent of police, at a pro tracted conference with members of his executive staff, precinct commanders and lieutenants. Gen. Glassford's action came as a sequel to the latest of a series of spec tacular hold-ups—the assault on a Erookland bus of Pau': Clarke, bank runner, who was robbed of a satchel containing approximately $7,000 in non-negotiable checks. The recent hold-up of the branch of the Washing ton Mechanics' Bank at Ninth and East Capitol streets, in which four gunmen obtained about $14,000. also impressed the police superintendent with the need for better protection of the banks. Details of Gen. Glassford's plans were not disclosed, but it is known he placed squarely on the police captains the re sponsibility for giving increased atten tion to the banks, especially those out side the congested area. Bank Hold-up Irks Chiefs. Robbery' of the branch of the Wash ington Mechanics' Bank and the failure thus far of police to capture the ban dits is said to have irked Gen. Glass ford as well as Police Commissioner Herbert B. Crosby. Fears have been expressed that the success of that hold up might inspire other bandits to at tempt similar robberies. Clarke, a messenger for the Federal American National Bank & Trust Co., was slugged as the bus swung around the corner of Thirteenth and Lawrence streets northeast, three blocks from the branch for which he was bound. While the bus driver and a woman passenger looked on, two men, who also were riding in the vehicle, at tacked Clarke, one of them strikjftg him over the head with the butt or a re volver. At the same time, the othei bandit snatched the satchel containing the checks. The bus rounded the inter Sfeticn. the pair pushed open the door and .umperi to the street. Bandits escape in \uu>. Meanwhile, an automobile had been j f .lowing close behind the bus. The! robbers leaped into the car and the driver sped away. Clarke, who is 20 and lives at 2440 Monroe street northeast, walked to the blanch at Twelfth and Newton streets northeast and reported the robbery. Although there was a gash on his head, he refused to go to a hospital. The only other passenger on the bus .—Mrs. Anne Hofmann, 3600 Twelfth street northeast—gave police detailed descriptions of the men who attacked Clarke. She also gave a partial de scription of the driver of the machine in which they escaped. The license number of the automo bile 'was noted by the bus driver, who turned it over to headquarters detec tives assigned to the case. Maryland and Virginia authorities, as well as po- ! lice in all Washington precincts, were ! asked to be on the lookout for the rob- ! bers. Checks Valueless to Bandits. The checks, according to J. L. Sher wood. vice president of the bank, had been issued by clients and were being returned to the branch through the Clearing House, for payment While they had not been canceled, they were valueless to the bandits, he said. The Washington Mechanics’ Bank was held up while Gen. Glassford was in the South recovering from a severe cold. He learned of the robbery through the newspapers. Protection of banks was only one of the many police problems discussed at the conference, the first Gen. Glassford has had with the executive staff and precinct commanders since his return. Removal from the streets of cars seized by police was one of the major topics of discussion. Complaints have been made to police officials of the un sightly condition in the vicinity of pre cinct stations due to the storage of the seized machines, and Gen. Glass ford gave instructions that the cars must be moved. Gen. Glassford was advised that an Intensive search already had been made for a vacant lot on w’hich the cars could be stored. — - • G. W. ALUMNI HEAR MARVIN AND M’KINLEY Medical Schools' Importance Em phasized in Address Be fore Association. With distinguished guests in attend ance, the General Alumni Association oi George Washington University held a meeting in the Mayflower Hotel yes terday to hear talks bv Dr. Cloyd Heck Marvin, president of the university, and Dr Earl Baldwin McKinley, dean of the School of Medicine. In the absence of Justice James M. Proctor, pi sident .of the Alumni As sociation. Dr. Frank A. Hornaday, past president, preiided at the session. Dr. Marvin, in referring to the pro gram of medical education of the uni versity. said that the facilities offered in Washington for the teaching of medicine give the university an oppor tunity to take place with the leading medical institutions of the country. The reorganized program of medical education recently inauguratec at the university was outlined to the alumni by Dean McKinley. In collection with , the development of the medical re- j search at the university, the clinical i work at the institution will not be neg- i lected. Dr McKinley emphasized. Among guests at the luncheon meet ing were Dr Luther H. Reichelderfer, ; chairman of the Board of District Com missioners: Assistant Superintendent of1 Schools Stephen E Kramer: Brig. Gen. Rufus Land of the Marine Corps and others. —— • -- Offers Reward in Kidnaping. MEXICO CITY. January 30 </Pt.— Thomas Aguilar, whose baby daughter was kidnaped last Monday, offered a reward of 2,000 pesos <$7801 today for the child's safe return. Police have foHowed several clues, but thus far without success. Three of a Kind EVEN A MOTHER SOMETIMES MISTAKES A TRIPLET. Here are. as alike as three peas in a pod, the Hardin triplets, left to right —if that makes any difference—Charles. James and Robert. -—Star Staff Photo. Lieut, d. w. hardin. united States Navy, of 6200 Stratford road. Chevy Chase, believes in manning his boats with his own crew The lieutenant has gotten a good start with a future "all-Hardin" crew for the Naval Academy eight with Bobby, Jimmie and Charles, 41 -year old triplets, born in Covington. Ky.. at their mother's home, while their sailor daddy was at sea. Bobbv. Jimmie and Charles, fair haired. blue-eyed youngsters, are real boys, who make a lot of noise, squabble together over their toys, but all told, love each other dearly and have no difficulty in identifying each other, as do the majority of people who meet them. “I couldn't tell them apart until they were two or three months old." laughed Mrs. Hardin. "We always kept a band on them, and had other methods by which w>' identified them Now it isn’t so difficult as we can always dis tinguished them by their heads, the swirl of Charles' hair is on the left; Bobbie's is in the middle, and Jimmie's is on the right." In addition to the triplets. Lieut and Mrs. Hardin have a 6-year-old daughter. Alice. Lieut Hardin, who wras graduated from the Naval Academy in 1922, hopes to send his three sons to his Aima Mater some day But then, as Mrs. Hardin said. Bobby and Jimmie and Charles will have something to say about that when the time arrives. FINANCE BUILDING L _ New Government Corpora tion to Move Into Quarters Now Nearly Ready. The hurry-up job undertaken by the Office of Public Buildings and Public Parks in getting ready the new home of the Reconstruction Finance Corporation at Nineteenth street and Pennsylvania avenue is about done. James F. Gill, chief of the building division of the office, yesterday explained that about 100 persons were put to work on the job. which is about finished, except for odds and ends. It was begun Janu ary 22. In addition to the regular force of skilled workers called in from other public buildings, the building division had 40 painters. 10 carpenters and a dozen electricians getting the former home of the Department of Commerce into shape. The eighth, ninth and tenth floors were made ready, with the artisans working at night and on Sun day The Federal Reserve Board and otner fiscal units will likely share the old Commerce Building with the Recon struction Finance Corporation, but this has not vet been definitely determined. The telephone company rushed Its workers in to set up the communica tion system for the Reconstruction Finance Corporation. A buzzer system is now being installed. The Buildings Division is getting the first and second floors of the old Patent Office Building ready for oc cupancv by the Civil Service Commis sion. The balance of the building will be used by General Accounting Office units The second and third floors of the old Land Office Building at Eighth and F streets are being pre pared for the Tariff Commission and the first floor will be used by other Government groups The building at 119 D street north east. which until recently was the home of the Coast and Geodetic Survey, is being turned back to the owners and bv midnight tonight. Uncle Sam will vacate it entirely. The Government has been paying an annual rental of $45,000 for this structure, which was shared with the International Boundary Commission. DRIVER FINED FOR CRASH THAT INJURED POLICEMAN Failure to Give Right of Way Blamed; Side Car Torr. From Officer's Machine. Arrested for failing to give the right of way, after an accident in which Policeman W. C. Lewis, Traffic Bureau, was injured last night, John McLlean. colored, of 1126 Third street, was con victed and fined $10 by Judge Isaac R, Hitt in Polic-' Court yesterday. Lewis and Policeman R. A. Cunning ham. who was riding with him, said McLlean drove out of an alley at First and E streets at a high rate of speed, striking Lewis' machine and tearing the side car from it. Lewis was thrown to the street and suffered a badly sprained knee. He was also charged with operating on improper tags, as Tils car bore dealer's license plates, but Judge Hitt I accepted his personal bond on this i count as McLlean said he had recently ; bought the machine and had applied I for title. HOUSE MAJORITY GAINS Representative Leech Resigns for Tax Appeals Board Post. The Democrr:ic majority in the House was increased by one when Rep res: ntative J. Russell Leech, Republican, of Pennsylvania, resigned his seat to become a member of the Board of Tax ; Appeals. Leech was appointed to this post re cently by President Hoover and has been confirmed by the Senate. His resignation left the party standing in the House: Democrats. •20; Republic ans, 214; Farmer-Labor, U. AFTER AUTO CHASE Trio Held for Investigation Following Call at Home of School Heads. Dr Edgar C. Higbie, president of Wil son Teachers’ College, stepped into the role of amateur detective last night and caused the arrest of three men who may or may not have had something to do with an automobile chase from Maryland into the District, The chain of circumstances leading to the arrest of the three men is believed to have started on Riggs Mill road, just beyond the District line. At that point Prince Georges County Police man Ralph Brown started in pursuit of a car he thought might contain liquor. The car sped into the District and collided with the curb at Shernyin Cir cle. smashing a wheel. According to Brown, one man jumped from the car and ran. He searched the machine and found a smoke screen apparatus, but no liquor. Officer Brown then notified sixth precinct police and left. Asked to Use Telephone. At about 8 o'clock, approximately half an hour after the accident, two men knocked on the back door of Dr. Higbie's residence at No. 7 Sherman circle. They asked for permission to use the telephone and were admitted, i Becoming suspicious. Dr. Higbie listened to them while they made the call and heard them request a friend to come out and get them. They of fered Dr. Higbie $2 from a large roll of bills for the use of his phone, and left when he refused to accept any money. As soon as they were out of the house Dr. Higbie called the police. Be fore the officers arrived, however, three men drove up m front of his house. One came to the door and asked for a "Mr. Campbell." Learning that the two men who had made the call were gone, the stranger went back to his ear. Dr. Higbie followed him out, in tending to get the license number for the police. Once outside, he decided to stand in front of the car so it could not leave. Held For Investigation. A moment later the police car ar rived and the three men were arrested. At the station house they identified themselves as Nathan Miller. 21, 1100 block of Sixth street southwest: Irvin Siegel. 33, 1400 block of M street, and Romeo Stellabotta, 19, 500 block of Massachusetts avenue. They were booked for investigation. Police are now trying to find out whether the man who ran from the wrecked car was one of the two who i used Dr Higbie's phone, and. if so, where the second man came from. They would also like to know w'hat if anything the three men under arrest have to do with the affair and why the two men who called them didn’t wait for their arrival. AUTHORITY ON MEXICO AND RUSSIA MARRIES Roberto Haberman. 49. of New York, a former offical of the educatonal de partment of the Republic of Mexico and now a member of the Mexican bar. was married in the Municipal Court' House yesterday morning to Miss Suzanne F. Sackett. 34, also of New York. The ceremony was performed by Judge James A. Cobb. Mr. Haberman, a Russian by birth, is widely known for his writings and lectures on the revolutionary and cul tural reform problems of the two coun tries with which his interests have principally been involved. He has been ; a volunteer interpreter of th'' social as ; pirations of both Russia and Mexico. Mrs. Haberman is said to be a con i tributor to the press, and it is under I stood that she has been associated with Mr. Haberman’s work for several years. Judge Cobb was unable to give the present address of the couple. He said that Mr. Haberman was a fellow-mem ber of the Civic Club in New York, but that they had not met on any previous occasion. HOLDERS OF 1ITH SECURITIES FIGHT 0. S. FOR PROPERTY $1,000,000 in Seizures from Pitts Sought in Suit as Salvage in Losses. OFFICIALS ARE NAMED DEFENDANTS IN ACTION Justice Letts Sets Wednesday for Prosecution to Present Im pounding Proceedings. The long struggle of F. H. Smith Co. security holders to salvage something from their investments was narrowed down to a contest between the in vestors and the Government yesterday when a suit was filed in District Supreme Court for recovery of more than $1,000,000 from the Bureau of In ternal Revenue. The suit, filed by Charles Malone, treasurer of the re-organized Smith company, asked that the Bureau be compelled to return to the company all property taken from G Bryan Pitts in satisfaction of income tax claims amounting to $2,000,000. The court action was taken after company officials received information the Internal Rev enue Bureau had been negotiating with Pitts for the return of this property in exchange for a bond covering the amount of the tax claims. Pitts, formerly chairman of the com pany's board of directors, is now in the District Jail, having been found guilty of conspiring to embezzle $5,000. 000 of the company's funds. The pres ent officers of the company contend virtually all of the assets seized by the bureau were directly or indirectly ac quired by Pitts through thefts and that therefore they are now the property of the company and cannot be taken in satisfaction of claims against Pitts. Damages Are Asked. The suit, filed through Attorneys Conrad H. Syme, William Warfield Ross and Richard S. Doyle, named as de fendants Galen L. Tait. Ralph S. Nagle and David Burnet, officials of the bureau; Pitts, and his wife. Gladys T. Pitts. The court was asked to require these defendants to pay money damages to the Smith Co. for any loss it may suffer by reason of the "wrongful seizure" of Pitts’ assets. Justice P. Dickinson Letts yesterday signed a rule calling upon the defend ants to show cause next Wednesday why these assets should not be im pounded by the court pending final de termination of the suit. In asking the court to prevent return of the property to Pitts, the suit said if it is returned it will be concealed or disposed of so as to make it difficult or impossible for the company to trace or recover it. The company says it is not fully in formed as to the nature and location of all the property seized, but that it believes it includes $189,000 worth of second-trust notes secured on the In vestment Building, coupons clipped from bonds secured on the Riverside Apartments, the A1 Roy Apartments, the Cedric Apartments. Corcoran Courts and the Vermont Building; $145,000 w'orth of Peruvian government bonds, and between $500,000 and $1,000,000 w'orth of jewelry. Palm Beach Property. Also included among the things seized, it is said, are approximately 8.000 shares of preferred stock of the Smith Co., real estate in Palm Beach valued at $250,000 furniture and auto mobiles worth $200,000 and a farm in Montgomery County, Md„ valued in excess of $200,000. The petition alleges that all of this property was purchased by Pitts with money estimated to have been in excess of $2*000.000. which he is said to have embezzled from the Smith Co. while serving as its chief officer. Some of the property, it is charged, was transferred to his wife, the details of which trans actions are unknown to the plaintiff. Pitts is charged in the petition with having concealed a large amount of personal property in addition to that described in the suit. The company says it has not been informed whether any of this property has been seized by the bureau. Disclosures Are Requested. The court is also asked to require the defendants to disclose to the company the nature, description and location of all the property taken from Pitts or his wife. It is also requested that offi cials of the bureau be restrained from delivering to Pitts any of this property pending a final determination of the suit, and that they be held responsible for any damages the company may suf fer by reason of the alleged wrongful seizure of this property. It is also asked that Pitts and his wife be required to disclose the nature of all money and other property be longing to the company and held by them, and that they also Be made liable for money damages. Under a tentative plan recently worked out, these assets, if rec9vered by the company, would be applied in payment of the claims of preferred stock and bondholders, whose ultimate losses in an event will aggregate many millions of dollars. --•--— HEARING SET ON BILL TO MERGE CAR LINES House D. C. Committee to Take Up Traction Measure Tuesday and Credit Unions Friday. The traction merger resolution, which was considered last week by the House subcommittee, will be taken up for hearing by the Senate District Com mittee at 2:30 o'clock Tuesday after noon. The resolution sets forth a form of unification agreement, outlining in detail the conditions under which the Washington Railway & Electric Co. and the Capital Traction Co. could merge. It is based on similar resolutions which were considered but not finally acted on by Congress during the past few years. The regular weekly meeting of the ommittee Friday is expected to be devoted to the Caoper bill to authorize incorporation in the District of credit unions, co-operative organizations which make loans to members. The committee also may take up the ques tion of increasing the powers of the Commissioners to enable them to pass on some of the less important local problems which now require attention of Congress. This was slated for con sideration last week, but was not reached. FOLGER LIBRARY 10 BE DEDICATED ON ANNIVERSARY Rites Are Set for April 23, Re puted to Be Birthday of Shakespeare. COOLIDGE IS EXPECTED TO ATTEND EXERCISES Dr. Joseph Quincy Adams, Head of Research, Will Deliver Address at Presentation. The Folger Shakespeare Library, in East Capitol street, adjacent to the Li brary of Congress, will be formally dedi cated on April 23, anniversary of the reputed birthday of William Shake speare. The program for the occasion will in clude actual presentation by Mrs Henry Clay Folger. widow of the donor, and acceptance by Dr. George A. Plimpton, president of Amherst College Corpora tion. trustees of the library under the terms of Mr. Folger's will. Dr. Adams to Deliver Address. The dedicatory address will be de livered by Dr Joseph Quincy Adams, supervisor of research at the library. Distinguished guests from all parts of the country are expected to attend. Among these probably will be former President Calvin Coolidge, who was named chairman of the Library Plan and Scope Committee to succeed the late Senator Dwight Morrow of New Jersey. Representatives of the National Gov ernment, of universities and colleges. | of arts and letters and of the stage will be present. Will Be Closed Several Months. Mr. Folgerg roduated from Amherst in 1879. became a leading executive of the Standard Oil Co. and one of the foremost collectors of books by and about Shakespeare in the world. His will provided for the maintenance of his vast accumulation of Shakespearean material in the library edifice designed and built to receive it in the Capital, the management to be in the care of his alma mater. William A. Slade, librarian, has indi cated that for several months follow ing its dedication the library will be closed to the public, pending the cataloguing and arranging of the trea surers in his care. D. C. CAR TAG DESIGN CONTEST ANNONUCED Board of Trade Moves for More Artistic Auto License Plates. A movement to have the District adopt a more artistic automobile tag, both in color and design, was initiated yesterday by the Municipal Arts Com mittee of the Washington Board of Trade. The committee announced a contest open to all students and artists, to be conducted by Arthur B. Heaton, promi nent Washington architect. The judges will be Alexander B. Trowbridge, fa mous architect; Clifford K. Berryman, cartoonist of The Evening Star, and William A Van Duzer. traffic director, who is said to favor a new and more artistic tag. All drawings should be delivered to Mr. Heaton at 1211-A Connecticut ave nue. not later than February 17. The design should be made full size. 6 by 12 inches, on cardboard 9 by 15 inches. The number shown on the design sub mitted is to be A-000. Only one de sign may be submitted by any one com petitor. Names of the competitors must be attached to each drawing inclosed in a plain sealed envelope. The design. Mr. Heaton said, should be made in composition and color suit able for the District, simple and easy [ to read at a distance. The three best designs will be submitted to the Com j mission of Fine Arts for its comment. MAN’S DEATH SPEEDS HEATING PLANT WORK _ Col. Grant Orders Installation of Steam System at Tour ists’ Camp. Friday's fatality at the tourist camp, in which a man lost his life by being overcome by gas from a heater, led l to the decision yesterday to start work immediately on the proposed steam heating plant and the elimination of gas heat at once. Lieut. Col. U. S. Grant, 3d. director of public buildings and public parks, who supervises the tourist camp, said that an investigation convinced him that the fatality was the result of neither faulty equipment nor human carelessness. Col. Grant asserted that the cutting off of the heat at this time will result in hardship for some persons in straightened circumstances, who have been using the Tourist Camp in order to live cheaply, but there appears to be no other way out. The decision to install the steam heating plant was reached two or three weeks ago and specifications are already available, the colonel said. Signs were placed in the cabins, warning occupants of the dangers of the gas being used with the windows closed, the colonel pointed out, and ventilators were cut in the top, and in addition, a guard goes around to see that the windows are kept open during the night. In the case of the most recent fatality, the window was open all night, the colonel ascertained from Inquiries. Some time ago two men were fatally overcome by the gas at the tourist camp, and then additional pre cautions were taken, officials said. 11 SEIZED IN RAID Rum Possession and Weapon Charges Face Colored Youth. Thomas Woodstock, 22, colored, 1400 block of Swan street, was arrested last night and charged with illegal posses sion of liquor and carrying a concealed weapon, after the first inspection dis trict vice squad raided a house in the 1400 block of S street. Ten other col ored persons were arrested there on charges of disorderly conduct. The concealed weapon charge was placed against Woodstock after a knife was alleged to have been found in his possession. He was held under $500 bond in each case. Samaritan Hole Hard 1 KINDLY GROCER GETS THREAT AND BOYCOTT. There was the Count of Monte Cristo, who spent 15 years in prison because he tried to play the Good Samaritan And there was Harry Abelman. Abelman didn’t get into prison, but he did get into hot water. Today he's trying to puzzle out how It all hap pened, and why, and incidentally to conjure up some special brand of pun ishment for neighborhood busybodies. Abelman became busybody-conscious when he opened his grocery at 1200 G street southeast yesterday morning, and found a threatening note under the door. It was signed “The E/e of the World,” and informed him in no cer tain terms that he would "have to stand the consequences" if a family in the vicinity was evicted for non-pay ment of rent. Though he owns the building in which the family lives, this was the first intimation Abelman had had that the rent was in arrears. Such matters are handled by a real estate concern that, it developed, had sent the tenant a routine printed notice that the rent was past due, and that court action would be taken if payment was not made within a specified time. Neighbors Are Indignant. Since the recipient of the notice was a woman whose husband has been in a hospital since Christmas, and since she is the mother of two small children and penniless, a wave of indignation swept the neighborhood. Little knots of residents gathered to discuss the case, which lost little of its pathos in the re-telling. The snow-ball of gossip gathered weight as it rolled downhill, as such things do. It was of no conse quence that the woman already had a sizable grocery bill at Abelman’s little store, and that her credit had never been called into question. Note Follows Boycott. What appeared to be a boycott of Abelman’s store went into effect, and the threatening note followed. Mean while, since it had already been called upon to help and knew the circum HARRY ABELMAN. —Star Staff Photo. stances in which the family found it self. a charitable organization came forward with the promise that the rent bill would be paid That appeased the rental agent, but did nothing to quiet the wagging tongues of the gos sips. The woman, it developed yesterday, was not in agreement with the spirit that prompted the threatening mes sage and denied any knowledge of it. Abelman. she declared, had been more reasonable in complying with the wishes of his tenants than most land lords. She had no complaint to make. But the gossips are still enjoying themselves, and Abelman is trying to figure out w'hether it is worth while trying to be a good fellow, after all. CITY FIRE SCHOOL Order Requires Members of Upper Ranks to At tend Lectures. The Fire Department is going in for fire education. A school will be founded tomorrow and a distinguished group of "professors" will be on hand to lecture to an enthusiastic student body of firemen of the rank of sergeant and upwards. The course, at the start will be held in the auditorium of the Potomac Elec tric Power Co., which will be lent for the occasion. The charter of the new college takes the shape of an order issued to the force by Chief Engineer George S. Wat son. requiring members of the upper ranks to attend lectures. Among the lecturers are Maj. R. R. Allen, of the office of the Chief of Cavalry, U. S. A., whose subject Is "What ’ Discipline Means and How to Maintain It.” Other Speakers Lasted. A few of the other speakers and the subjects on which they will lecture dur ing the school terms, which runs from February 1 to February 26. are E. S. Brashears. director of the Underwrit ers' Association of the District, on ''The Work of the Fire Department From an Underwriter's Viewpoint’’; Chief Ed ward H Warr. fire insurance salvage corps of Baltimore, on “Salvage Work"; David J. Price of the Bureau of Chem istry, Department of Agriculture. “Dust Explosion Hazards During Fire-Fighting Operations": Dr Morton G. Lloyd of the Bureau of Standards, and L. E. Reed of the Potomac Electric Power Co. on “Electrical Hazards in the Firemen's Work." and Edward R Pierce, executive officer of the Fire Department, on “Effi ciency Ratings." Commissioner Herbert B Crosby will deliver the opening address to the new [school at 1:30 o'clock tomorrow. Salvage Duties Explained. Mr. Warr s lecture on salvage work is expected to be the entering wedge of the development of a salvage corps within the District Fire Department. Chief Watson said many large cities have these corps, charged with the duty of protecting goods in houses and com mercial structures from damage from water, smoke and other fire hazards. These groups respond to fire alarms and where necessary take goods out of buildings or cover them with tarpaulins to prevent damage where possible. Chief Watson said the development in Washington would probably not take the form of a separate corps, but that salvage workers would be taken to fires on trucks now in use in an effort to cut down property damage from water and smoke, which often exceeds damage caused by the fire itself. CHURCHILL WILL SPEAK Famous British Statesman to Ap pear in Capital Feb. 12. Winston Spencer Churchill, famous British statesman, will speak in Con stitution Hall on the night of February 12 under the auspices of the Com munity Instiute of Washington. His topic will be "The World Economic Crisis.” Churchill has been to the fore in Britain for the last quarter of a cen tury, in the course of which he has held almost every first-rank adminis trative post. He also is a painter of distinction, has written prolifically and has won distinction as an orator. TO URGE DEFENSE Mass Meeting Tomorrow Will Open Conference of 42 Societies. Forty-two women's patriotic societies are sending delegates to Washington to attend the Seventh Women's Patri otic Conference on National Defense, which will open with a mass meeting in Constitution Hall tomorrow evening at 8 30. The woman champions of adequate national defense will urge that the country not be left powerless and de fenseless. at a time when the ominous rumblings are heard in the Far East. Prominent speakers, including au thorities on Far Eastern affairs and Soviet Russia, will come to the Capital to address the conference. Included on the opening program Monday eve ning will be Secretary of Labor Wil liam N. Doak, Norman Somerville, bar rister of Toronto, Canada, and Henry L. Stevens, jr.. national commander of the American Legion. The object of the conference is to further the cause of national defense as an aid to peace and to study in fluences which tend to undermine American institutions. Adams and Payne to Speak. Sessions will be held Tuesday morn ing ana afternoon in Memorial Conti nental Hall. During the morning ad dresses wall be made by Charles .Francis Adams, Secretary of the Navy; Frederick M. Payne. Assistant Secre tary of War; Gen. Hanson E. Ely. U. S. A , retired, commander of the Legion of Honor; Brig. Gen. Henry J. Reillv. and Representative Thomas A. Jen kins of Ohio, an authority on immigra tion. Tuesday afternoon the program will include Maj. Gen. James E Fechet. who recently retired as head of the United States Army Air Corps; Lieut. Col Orval Johnson and Dr. A Ft Wood of the Department of Agriculture. Addresses Wednesday morning at the concluding session in Constitution Hall will be made by Senator Frederick Hale of Maine. Mrs. O. D. Oliphant. permanent honorary chairman of the conference; John B. Chappie of Ash land, Wis.. and Miss Marion Angeline Howlett. who during the past 12 years has traveled in 47 countries as an ob server of political and economic con ditions. Dinner to Be Held Tuesday. The conference dinner will be held in the ball room of the Willard Hotel Tuesday evening, with Mrs, Lowell Fletcher Hobart, president general of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, presiding. The officers of the general conference are Mrs. Hobart, chairman: Mrs. Fred erick C. Williams, first vice chairman: Mrs. Robert J. Johnson, second vice chairman: Mrs. Virgil H. Stone, third vice chairman; Mrs. Annie Poole At wood. fourth vice chairman; Mrs. Florence H. Becker, fifth vice chair man; Mrs. Percy Young Schelly, secre tary: Mrs. Livingston L. Hunter, treas urer; Mrs. O. D. Oliphant, permanent honorary chairman. SORORITY PLANS DANCE Phi Sigma. Epsilon Sorority will hold its annual dance at the Willard Hotel February 26. The committee in charge of arrangements includes Miss Mar guerite J. Throckmorton. Gamma Chapter; Mrs. Lillian Alexander, Alpha Chapter; Miss Dorothy Golladay. Eta Chapter, chairman, and Miss Betty Ward, Alpha Chapter. ZOO REFRIGERATION ENVISIONED TO KEEP PENGUINS IN HEALTH Odd Arctic Creatures Now Unable to Survive Heat, 7 W. M. Mann, Director, Declares. I The frigid atmosphere of the Arctic and Antarctic may be brought to the Washington Zoo for the benefit of those somber, rotund little creatures with stiff - shirt-like bosoms and frock-coats, who inhabit the polar regions—the penguins. It's more or less a wild sort of a dream right now. Dr. William M. Marm, director of the Zoo, says, but some time in the distant future he hopes his ! plan to build a refrigerated extension to the bird house in the Zoological Park will become a reality. There are no penguins in Washing ton's zoo at all today, and unless a kindly donor presents some to the in I stitution, it will be without them until proper facilities can be provided for their ho«si#g. The greatest age to which penguins in the Washington Zoo have lived is 2 years and 4 months,' according to Dr, Mann, and he explains this is a comparatively short time since pen guins in their native surroundings are reputed to exist to a ripe old age. "They don't seem to survive the hot weather.” the zoc doctor said. "I know of no zoo below the latitude of Ham burg, Germany or Edinburgh. Scotland, that has met with success in keeping these birds in captivity.” Dr. Mann said several buildings at the zoo here have yet to be completed before thought can be given to definite plans for a home for the pengains. BITTER FIGHT DUE ON DEFENSE ISSUE INHOUSETHURSDAY Skirmishing Begins as Storm Gathers; War Secretary Visits Garner. COMMITTEE HEADS IRED BY HURLEY'S ACTION Byrns and Collins Express Irrita tion; Secretary Adams of Navy Pans Proposed Slashes. BY HILL P. KENNEDY. A bitter fight is brewing in the House over national defense legislation. The storm is expected to break Thursday when the War Department appropriation bill, carrying slashes of more than $20,000,000 in the budget recommended for the military an non military activities of the War Depart ment is reported, but there was con siderable skirmishing yesterday. The plan of the subcommittee headed by Representative Ross Collins of Mississippi to provide for the retire ment of 2,000 Army officers, to close up civilian training camps and to cut down hard on many activities of the department brought Secretary' Pat Hurley to the Capitol for a lengthy conference with Speaker Garner. Secretary Hurley also discussed with the Speaker the bill sponsored by Chairman Byrns of the House Ap propriations Committee, on which hearings have been held before the House Committee on expenditures in the executive departments, for consolida tion of the War and Navy Departments. Irritated by Visit. Both Chairman Byrns of the full committee and Chairman Collins of the subcommittee were prompt to show irritation when they learned of this visit by Secretary Hurley. Secretary Hurley was the third cabinet officer to complain against reductions in the appropriation bills thus far. Of his visit, Chairman Byrns said: "No cabi net officer is going to dictate to Con gress what appropriations are to be made.” Chairman Collins of the subcommit tee. while declining to be interviewed, let it be known that he believes that national defense will be improved rath er than injured by the bill dratted by his subcommittee. He is of the opinion that when the appropriations are anal yzed it will appear that the savings, amounting to more than $20,000,000. are of the type that prudent business men would today practice in the adminis tration of their private affairs. He in sisted that no worth while activity of the War Department will be injured or crippled. Neither Secretary Hurley nor Speaker Garner were willing to disclose what discussion they had in the conference. The Speaker admitted, however, that it touched upon both the reductions of appropriations and the bill for consoli dation of the two departments. Sec retary Hurley said he had previously expressed his views regarding depart ment economies. Adams Scores Changes. Shortly before the Secretary of War went into his heated discussion in the Speaker's office, Secretary Adams of the Navy Department told the Committee on Expenditures, of which Representa tive Cochran of Missouri is chairman, that the proposed consolidation would leither increase efficiency nor effect sav ings. After conferences with Chairman Byrns and other members of the Ap propriations Committee. Representative William G. Wright of Georgia, ranking Democrat on the subcommittee drafting the Army appropriation bill, expressed his feelings thus: "President Hoover admonishes us to cut down on appropriations, and when our Appropriations Committee applies economy efforts, then we are besieged with howls by cabinet officers." It was learned positively late yester day that when the Army appropriation bill is reported it probably will not carry any cuts that would decrease the military enlisted personnel. This ap pears to be a quite definite assurance that the reported proposal for a cut of 8.750 in the enlisted personnel will not be included in the bill, and that while citizens' training camps will be closed, there will be no curtailment in Reserve Officers’ training camps. Expense paving Seen. One of the biggest sources of saving on the Army bill, it was pointed out, will result from the lower cost of com modities, such as food and clothing for the Army. It is said that the commit tee has had testimony to show that the soldier can be given better food today for 36 cents than two years ago for 51 cents. This has built up a reserve fund said already to have reached $3,000,000 more than the War Department offi cials estimated was necessary. Similar studies with regard to clothing will dis close opportunities for substantial sav ings, it was stated. There also wall be temporary sus pension of “unimportant activities,” a member said. • It was said there will be no slashing of the appropriations for the Air Corps, Coast Artillery, Chemical Warfare, Ord nance. experimentation, and assurance was given that the National Guard and Militia Bureau will have no cause for complaint. Service Officers Alarmed. Meanwhile officers of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard yester day expressed concern over the pro vision voted in the agriculture bill pro hibiting all increases of salaries. They interpreted the language of the bill, ir applied to the Army. Navy and Treas ury appropriation measures, as bring ing to a halt, from the salary view point. all promotions in these services for the next two years. Increases in longevity pay also would be endangered, it was pointed out. Illustrative of the way the salary limitation would work out, this example is given. A naval captain was selected some weeks ago for promotion to the rank of rear admiral by a Selection Board composed of senior officers who passed upon his professional qualifica tions. There is at present no vacancy and he must now wait until one of the rear admirals retires at the statutory age of 64 years next October, before he is promoted actually. Should the legis lation looming be enacted into law this rear admiral-elect would receive the empty honor of the higher rank, but without its pay and allowances. This would prevail all along the line, in Army. Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. \ \