Evening Star Newspaper, February 10, 1921, Page 2

WENESSES TELL OF COAL COBI ‘ Senéte Committee Informed | of Price-Fixing by D. C. Association. Testimony in support of the charge of John C. L. Ritter th a combina- tion exists in Washingtun to fix the prices of coal sold to consumers was &iven before the Senate manufa: turers’ committee yesterday after- noon by several men who have en- zaged in the coal business here. commit- .A B. M. Van Ness told tes that hé whs formerly al de er and that his coal supply had bee cut off because he sold coal at prices below those fixed by the Washington the Coal Dealers’ Associution. He t tified that in April, 1919, L. E. Wh from whom he had purchased coal wrote that he couldn't deliver more coal to Van X but that he would the retail price. the v« F t ell Is Told of “Developments. The witness said that White in- formed him there had n develop- ments which prevented the sale of any more coal at the trestle. Mr. Van Ness said that he tried several other dealers here, but could not buy co: fr. them except at the retail prices. He added, however, that he had had an agreement with White at one time to sell coal at prices charged by White, and that if he shaved the price was not to let White know about it. Van Ness said that he went to the | Johnson Coal Company. but found that it had been ta over by the Standard Coal Company. Senator la Follette read a L6t of coal deal- ers who were identified as directors of the Standard Company. “They told me.” said Van Ness, “that T couldn't get coal unless I had a yard and scale, and I had neither.” The witness said that later White had told him he was sorry, but that the association would not let him sell coal to Van Ness. He added thut White said Ritter was the man they had to “get.” George W. Rue Testifien. George W. Rue, the next witness, #aid that he was in the coal business for himself in April, 1919, and con- tinued until Jume 2 1920, when he could buy no more coal. At present he is in" the employ of Chapman, a 1 dealer. He testified that J. R. Zimmerman. secretary of tne Coal Dealers’ Assoclation. called on him in December. 1919, and asked what ~he was getting for coal sold to Ward- man Park Hotel. “I'told him I was getting $7.65 a ton.” s=aid Mr. Rue. He continued -that Zimmerman had said that was | all right—that he, Rue, was a begin- Bmer and that he wanted to see that he should get the profit allowed by the Fuel Administration. Latér. Rue said. Chapman, a vice president of the coal association, eame to him and said he had heard Rue was planning to sell coal cheap to the lanndries. “I told him that the rumor was wrong.” said Rue. “and that I would £o before the next meeting of the Association and say so.” He said he aid go to a meetipg of the board of directors in Marcl 1920, and tell them he was not planning to sell at low prices FIND INFANTS’ BODIES. Two Located on a Dump and An- other in a Satchel. Bodies of two infants and the skeleton of another are at the Dis- trict morgue. The bodies were found on the dump near Connecticut avenue and Woodley road yesterday after- noon. while the skeleton was found in a satchel in a vacant building on Duncan_street northeast Records at the morgue show that the bodies are those of colored in- fants. The satchel containing the skeleton wus seen in the Duncan house by workmen some time It was not opened until yester- . however. HARDING AND ROOT WINNAVY DISPUTE IConvinced Congress It Would . Be Unwise to Stop Building ! Warships Just Now. BY DAVID LAWRENCF The influence of President-elect (Harding and Elihu Root. both of whom advised republican leadets in Congress that it would be unwise to { commit America for the present to a reduction of naval armament, final- Iy has prevailed. And the Senate com- mittee on naval affairs has recom- mended that ruction on ships ready be continued un- il an tlonai disarmament wise, About the time that Senator Borah his campaign for a three- rty agreement whereby Japan. the Unifed States and Great Britain would agree to reduce naval arma- ment, the movement in Congress to cut down naval appropriations on ships already under construction be- gan to grow to an alarming extent. One day a republican member of Congress happened to be calling upon Secretary Daniels at the Navy Department. “I'm going to Marion tomorrow,” said the republican member, with a smile. “Any message to Senator Harding? Daniels Sends Harding Tip. “Yes." replied Mr. Daniels, with a twinkle in his eye. “tell Harding to look out or he on’t have any Navy {by the time he's inaugurated—the {feilows on the Will are liable to take it away from him before he gets a chance to negotiate for disarmament.” Several days later the same view jwas brought to President-elect Hard- | ing from other quarters. The plan of having Elihu Root write a letter to members of the House committee on naval affairs was adopted in order to prevent action in thé House that might embarrass Mr. Harding when he took office. Similarly. conferences with Senate leaders ensued, and Mr. Harding made it plain that it would be unwise for the United States to take the Initiative in disarmament when there was no assurance concern- ing the attitude of other powers, and that it would be particularly embar- rassing if the United States scrapped her Navy and then sat down to the table with the other powers in an attempt to induce them to do like- A member of the committee asked if [ W15 he had been reprimanded. “No,” said Senator La Follette. “he pleaded not guilty.” The witness said that he was selling coal to a church at prices below the vrevailing prices, and that Zimmer- man called on him egair and brought up_the question of prices. “ “The association seemed to be much interesied in_vour welfa suggested Sénator La Follette. Rue said that when coal got scaroe in the spring of 1920 he could get no more. He had made arrangements ondy with Chapran to buy coal. He is now manager of a branch yard for Chapman. Required to Raise Price. Lester L. Chariton, who told the committes he had been in the coal -Elect. Mr. Harding took the view that the United States would have much more influence at a disarmament confer- ence not only if she continued to build the ships which had already been authorized, but if she showed the world that she would continue to expand her Navy unless an absolute agreement were entered into relieving the peoples of the world of the bur- dens of taxation which a naval build- ing race would entail. The action of the Senate naval af- fairs committee, in contending that the United States must have a navy “at least equal to that of any other power,” is not a jingoistic observa- tion, nor the beginning of any naval. istic ambitions aimed at Great Britain business for eight years and has for a | or any other power. It is, on the other number of years been @ member of the | hand, part of the republican policy ¢€oal association. was asked if he had( of compelling disarmament by bufld- advertised in the newspapers to sell Totl at prices below the prices prevail- ng. ““The last three days of Apri said ing up to the naval strength of any other power, so that the example of the United $tates and Great Britain, in agreeing jointly to reduce arma- Chariton. “I advertised coal at'50 cents | ments may be followed by powers of a ton off. On the third day the ad- rtisement was to run Zimmerman met me at the ball park, after he had been to my office. He said different dealers had called him up and com- plained of my advertisement and ask- ed if he'd see me about it and ask me 1o discontinue. “I told him that T wouldn't advertise any more and would put prices back as soon as possible.” JUDGE WITHHOLDS DECISION. Nebecker Reviewing Reports Against Alleged Coal Combines. Assistant Attorney General Frank K. Nebecker today had before him a re- port of the bureau of investigation on the alleged combination of Washington coal dealers, as outlined before the Sen- Ste manufacturers committee by k. M. Van Nesa and others. . Until he had studied the report and learnéd whether the evidence at hand would warrant action in the federal courts Judge Nebecker would not fore- cast “what the department would do. In this case, as in the hearings before the Calder committee, the department will have a Tull copy of all of the tes- timony taken. RALLY FOR ENDOWMENT. Wellesley Club Arranges Enter- tainments in Interest of College. To mark the opening of the semi- centennial endowment fund, the Wellesley Club of Washington will hold a rally at the College Women's Club. 1832 I street. tomorrow night at 8 o'clock. Members of the Balti- more Wellesley ('lub have been asked to attend. - Mrs. Margarita S Gerry. a member of the club, will read Ivr iatest short story, “Indirect Lighting." Frederick Wilitam Wile will speak on “Qur Relationship With Great Britain.” Dancing and cards will foilow. In addition. the Washington lesiey Ciub will have a benefi ing of Jack Pickford. in Shepherd of Kingdom Wellesl Ims at the Knickerbocker February 23, at 345 o'clo and three performances of Tony Sarg s Marionettes at the D. A R Hall the evening of March 11 and the aft- ernoon and evening of March 12. The two latter performances are given in co-operation with the local Sim- mons Club, which ix also working for a college endowment fund In order to give an auspicious start to the drive for *$9.000,000 by 1 very Wellesley club in the Uni tes will have u rally on or near the date Set for the Washington club. RITES FOR CONGRESSMAN. Funeral of Mr. Blackmon Held This Morning in Alabama. ANNISTON, Ala., February 10.—Fu- neral services over the remains of the late Representative Fred L Blackmon of the fourth district, Al bama, whose death occurred at Bar- tow, Fla. were conducted here at 11 o'clock today from the Blackmon resi- dence. Delegations from the Senate and House of Representatives attended, to- gether with prominent citizens of the state. Services were in charge of Rev. Frank W. Brandon, presiding elder of the Talladega district, Meth- odist conference, and Rev. W. A. Pawson, & former classmate of the de- lesser naval strength. Other Expenses to Be Cut. Having succeeded in suspending for the present the movement in Congress to curtail building appropriations, it is to be expected that naval expendi- tures of other kinds will be sharply ptuned. Although Mr. Borah and others probably will not consent to be silent on disarmament proposals, the chance of action by the present Congrese has passed and the whole problem has been left for the next President of the United States, who really wanted it handled that way so he might have a powerful lever in his first negotiations on a foreign policy. Great Britain, aware of Mr. Hard. ing’s views, promptly called Sir Auck. land Geddes, British ambassadotr here, for a conference abroad with the prime minister and the British cabinet. When Sir Auckland left the United States he knew that the whole ques- tion of disarmanent would come up in the very beginning of the Harding administration and that he could spend the month of February in no better wuy than in formulating pro- posals for Mr. Harding’s consideration during the month of March. Begins Disarmament Program. Although the supremacy of the seas in something dear to the heart of every Englishman, the argument that in- ternational exchange will improve and that the financial burdens of the Brit. ish public will be made considerably lighter by & naval building agreement with the United States, makes an ef- fective appeal perhaps not to senti- ment, but to sound econormnics on both sides of the Atlautic. The report of the Senate naval af- fairs committee does not mean con- tinued naval expansion, however am- bitlous sounding it may be. It does mean the beginning of a disarmament program and less taxation, for there is every reason to believe Great Britain means to co-operate with the United States In reducing the size of national budgets in @ world struggling despe. rately to get back to normal. (Copyright. 1921.) —_——— SPEAKS FOR BOLSHEVISM. Lecturer Condemns American Sys- tem of Government. At the old Masonic Temple last night Robert Minor, lecturer, car- toonist and correspondent. speaking upon the advertised topic of amnesty for political prisoners, delivered an address in praise of bolshevism and in condemnation of the American system of government. CRIES TERRIFY THIEF. Miss Fisher Seized on Street. Several Thefts Reported. 1.oud cries for help last night prevent- ed the robbery of Miss Nellie Fisher, 3249 N street, 'in front of 1245 Potomac atre Miss Fisher was passing along c street about 6:30 o'clock when an unidentified white man suddenly ap- peared from behind and grabbed her. Alarmed by her crics, the man fled through alley and soon was out of sight. The police were furnished with the man’s description. Thirty quarts of whisky, twelve of one brand and eighteen of another, dis- appeared from the home of Harry Sherby, 1413 Decatur street, the past v;ém\lh. Sherby valued the liquor at 50. Walter E. Scott, 2818 M street, re- ported the theft of an overcoat from St. Paul's: Church, between G and H streets. He valued it at $10. Helen Castillo, 314 Ford court, re- ported the taking of a fur cape valued W WY Rotuce-ihopton = Poton THE -EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C., THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1921 VISITING NURSES TAKE MANY CASES 2,511 Visits to 844 Patients Made by Society in January. A total of 2,511 visits to $44 differ- ent patients was made by the gradu- #le nursing staff of the Instructive | Visiting Nurse Society of Washington {during the month of January, accord- g to the report of Miss Ruth A. E. Adamson. superintendent, submitted at the recent meeting of the board of managers held al the soclety's headquarters, 1413 G street northwest. Of these, 1,600 were n 1455 were instructive v prenatal visits, while the matern nurse assisted at twelye confinements and a score of babies were referred to_the Child Welfare Society. Beginning February 1, M Adam- <on snnounced, two maternity nurse were available to assist during con- finements. Thiz service has been in !great demand and doubtiess the nurs- {ing personnel will have to be inc ed from time to tim “It in very gratifying to be able to report,” said the superintendent. “that Columbia Hospital has requested the services of a full-time medical social service worker and that I will be able to place Miss Bates in charge of this work on or about February 18. She will assist in the clinic work, visit the wards order to get in touch with the patients who will need home visits and advice on leaving the hospital.” “A second point of interest to us is the dcvelopment of our long-con- templated teaching center for pab- lic health nursing. The National Or- ganization for Public Nur: ferred to us son, who was appointed She i a graduate in publ nursing from Columbia University and Henry Street Settlement, New York city.” It was explained that the training center will be opened on February 15. with headquarters in Neighbor- hood House, in a district with a varied population. The Associated Charities has an office in this sec- Ition, and the Child 1fare Society conducts a clinic. ght students | fro Walter Reed Hospital will be admitted, and four months will be given to class and field work. CORNER STONE OF FIRST AIRWAY WILL BE LAID Notables Will S8ee Ceremonies of Inauguration of First Charted Air Route. “Laying of the corner stone” of an American airway at Bolling field Sat- urday at 2 p.m. will mark the first time in the history of the United States that the highways of the air have been marked and charted. Assisted by the Boy Scouts of Washington, under the leadership of Scout Master Edward D. Shaw, the identification mark, D. C.-1 will be installed. The public is invited to attend the exercises. A distinguished assembly is ex- pected to witness the event, included afong_whom will be Gen. John Persh- ing, Maj. Gen. Charles T. Menoher, chief of the United States Army air mervice; Brig. Gen. Willlam Mitchell, Senator New of Indiana, Senator James Wadsworth of New York, District Com- missioner Boardman, Glenn Curtiss, Glenn L. Martin, Orville Wright and many other well known aviators. An elaborate program of aerial exhibi- tions has been prepared in conjuncs tion with the inauguration cerd= monies. This first American airway extend$ from Washington to Dayton, Ohio, { passing through Moundsville. W. Va., and Columbus, Ohio, and its estab- lishment will prove, it is claimed, a vital milestone in the progress and development of both commercial and military aeronautics, No efforta will be spared to make this first route from Washington to Dayton a model, by which similar routes throughout the United States may be based. Since the ways of the air must be charted and marked, as the oceans are, 8o that navigators may pilot their craft to safety across the coun- try, the inauguration of these air- ways i8 with & view to making air- craft aerial transportation surpass in speed, comfort and safety, most of the modern modes of transportation. HARDING TAKES UP MASS OF BUSINESS (Continued from First Page.) realized that there may be many a slip between the 1st of February and the 1st of March. Gossip About Various Positions. For the secretaryship of war sev- eral men still are mentioned in gos- 8ip close to the President-elect. Prominent among them is John W. Weeks of Massachusetts, whose name also is linked repeatedly with the Navy and Treasury portfolios. Frank O. Lowden of Illinois is an- other mentioned as a possibility for the secretaryship of the Navy, and the friends of Andrew W. Melion of Pennsylvania still are urging his qualifications to be Secretary of the Treasury. For the latter post it is understood that Charles G. Dawes of Tilinois, once conceded to have an in- side track, no longer is a serious pos- sibility. Benator A. B. Fall of New Mexico is believed to be under serious con- sideration for Secretary of the In- terior, and whether he goes {nto the Place is understood to depend largelyy on his own inclination. For the samel place John Hays Hammond of New York is being strongly recommended by one republican. It is in regard to the secretary- ahips of labor and of commerce that Mr. Harding's mind is believed to be farthest from a decision. The records and qualifications of several men are sald to be under investiga- tion in connectlon with the labor portfolio, one of the latest to recelve prominent support being J. A. Davis of Pittsburgh, formerly a steel work- er and now a banker. The place at the head of the Commerce Depart- ment is expected to be the last o) all to be filled, and it may fall to one now mentioned for a post rank- ing nearer the top of the I ‘Will Confer With Advisers. It is certain that Mr. Harding will take no definite steps until he has held further conferences with his ad- visers, and next week is expected to see the bginning of a series of con- sultations here that will bring the problem to a decision. It is unlikely that any appointments will be an- nounced, however, until a day or two before the inauguration. In addition to his work on corre- spondence, which Mr. Harding began last night within & few hours of his arrival here, he had appointments to- day with John Barrett, former head of the Pan-American Union, and Mrs, William H. Felton of Cartersville, Ga. Mr. Barrett brought a pressing in- vitation to the President-elect to go to New York in April for the unveil- ing of a memorial erected by Bolivia. Although his vacation is at an end, Mr. Harding will take a plentiful share of outdoor exercise during his stay in Bt. Augustine, and he began today by allotting the afternoon to golf. —_— PROVISION FOR CONDUITS. Provision for extension of public utilities conduits under permits to be insued by the chief of engineers, United States Army, in and under public grounds in the District, i found in & bill Introduced by Chai man Langley of the House committep 9 { some poison sonK OF LEUT RUPPFOUND BY WIFEIFELES Commandant at Post De- clares That Poison Was Taken by Mistake. Associnted Pres EWPORT N Va. February 10.—Lieut. D. A. Rupp of Langley Field was found dead at his quarters there last night, it announced to- day by Maj. Hensley, commanding of- ficer at the post. The licutenant's mouth was badly burned. Army authorities at Langley Field are Investigating the circumstances of Lieut. Rupp's death. They decline to let any one view the body. which has been removed from Rupp's quar- ters, the destination being kept secret. Maj. Hensley stated at 10:30 o'clock that Rupp died as the result of taking through mistake. “IL! can say positively that it was neither suicide nor murder,” he declared. The major has named a board of three to inquire into the lieutenant's death. This board is expected to re- port some time this afternoon Or to- BY night. Lieut. Rupp has been ill for the past several days. His wife found ; him dead last night. By him was a | bottle of some medicine, the name of which has not been made public. Maj. Hensley thinks Rupp took this by mistake. Admitted Assauit on Wife. Lieut. Rup i3 the man whose wife reoently was mysteriously assaulted in her home at the flying station. HMpp later declared in a signed state- ment that he was responsible for the assault. At the time Mrs. Rupp was found bbaten, ecratched and stabbed Maj. Hensley investigated reports that her assailants were after letters supposed to have been held by her and that a handsome woman was linked with the case. Rupp's confession that he, was responsible for Mrs. Rupp's condition served to hush the entire matter up, however. Transferred to Hawail. Lieut. Rupp had just previously faced a court-martial on a charge of donduct unbecoming' to an officer. Later it was reported that Rupp had been transferred to Honolulu and the public thought that the court-martial took this means of settling the case. The lieutenant served through the war as a captain of the Quartermaster| Corps. He was at one time stationed | at Camp Dix and had a reputation at Langley Field as one of the most pro- ficient administrative officers ever stationed at the post. His home was at York, Pa. Reports from York are to the effect that Lieut. Rupp's father is one of the wealthiest men in Pennsylvania and is said to be high in the councils of the republican party of that state. LUCIUS E. JOHNSON DEAD. Former Railway President Began His Career as Locomotive Fireman. ROANOKE. Va, February 10— Lucius E. Johnson, formerly president of the Norfolk and Western Railway Company, dled in Deland, Fla., yester- day, after a brief illness.” Mr. Johnson on January 1 was retired by the Nor- folk and Westcrn, along with several other men who had served the com- pany as officials for many years. He left’ soon afterward for Florida to spend the winter season. Mr. Johnson began his railroad career as @ fireman on the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy in 1866 at the age of twenty. His rise was rapid and he came to Roanoke in 1897 a8 gen- 1 superintendent of the Norfolk and Western. In 1899 he was made vioe president and general manager, and in 1904 became president. —_— WOULD DEPOSE SULTAN. Fifteen Angora Assemblymen Make Request, Says Report. BY CONSTANTINE BROWN. ¢ Cable to The Star and Chicago Duily News. B O vneoe i CONSTANTINOPLE, Turkey, Febru- ary 10.—It is reported on good authority that fifteen members of the national assembly at Angora pre- sented a request to the government to depose the sultan as one who had worked against the interests of the fatherland. The nationalist representatives ac- cuse him of having signed decrees describing the nationalist movement as non-patriotic, and of having signed death sentences against nationalist jeaders or whoever joined the na- fonalist movement. ‘h is reported that the Armenian goviet government has notified the Turks that it considers the peace treaty signed by the non-bolshevist Armenian government a8 canceled, Gen. Karabekir, commander of the Turkish forces in Armenia, tele- graphed to Moscow from Erzerum that in case the Armenians persist in their decision he will be compelled to use armed force to compel obedience to the treaty stipulations. —_— OPPOSES K. OF C. GIFT. CHARLESTON, 8. C., February 10— On the ground that the orgenization of world war veterans ought to “preserve Its independence of spirit o that it may deal with all problems on their merits,” Charleston Post, No. 10, American Legion, has gone on record as being opposed to accéptance of the $5,000,000 fund offered by the Knight of Columbu wven ', though the axadooseds. . and he alone, TAE SPOILS OF HARDL FLURRRY IN W. VA. COURT FOLLOWS JUDGE’S ACTION Proposed Postponement of Matte- wan Murder Trials Shown to Work Dismissal of Charges. WILLIAMSON, W. Va., February 10.—The Mingo gounty court was thrown into a flurry of excitement at the opening today, when, with twelve jurors ready to hear the Matewan murder trials, Judge R. D. Bailey stepped down from_the berich to ascertain the truth of a rumor | that the state would ask for a con- tinuance because of the absence of important witnesses. After a hurried conference with S. B. Avis of counsel for the state, Judge Bailey returned to the bench and ordered a roll call of witnesses. It was understood that, while Mr. Avis had not asked for a postpone- ment, he had asked the indulgence of Judge Bailey owing to the ab- sense of witnesses. Postponement at this time, it was stated, would, under the law, throw the cases out of court, as the trial has already been post- poned twice. —_— POLICE-FIREMEN BONUS 1S URGED Kalorama Citizens Also In- dorse Strict Censorship of Movie Films. Bonus for the members of the fire and police departments whs jndorsed by the Kalorama Citizens' Agsociation at a meeting held at the Highlands 1ast night It was the sentiment of the assocla- tion that the bonus should be granted the firefighters and police for the coming fiscal year, and that these protectors of the city had earned the bonus and by all means should recefve it. Proper “dressing up’ of fireman when they appear outside the fire en- gine house was urged by President A. Coulter Wells. The matter was referred to the proper committee. Sheppard-Towner Bill Indorsed. The association indorsed the Shep- pard-Towner bill for nattonal protec tion of maternity and infancy, follow- ing an address by Miss Marshall, sec- retary of the Consumers’ League. Motion pictures were freely dis- cussed by the citizens. Edwin S. Hege, delegate to the Federation of Citi- zens’ Associations, was instructed to fight for proper constitution of the proposed District Board of censors, an age limit on admittance to motlon pic- ture houses, and strict censorship of films as to morals and crime elements. For Cemmittee on Taxation. The aésociation authorized the ap- pointment of a committee on taxation. Meeting date of the body was changed from the second Wednesday to the third Tuesday in each month. ——— PER CENT ALIEN BILL IS APPROVED Substitute Senate Measure Governing Immigration Voted by Committee. A bill limiting immigration from any one country to 5 per cent of aliens of such country in the United States when the jast census was taker was approved unanimously to- day by the Senate Immigration com- mittee. It {8 a substitute for the House measure which was designed practically to stop immigration for one year. mmittee members said the bill was ordered reported with the under- standing that it would be open to amendment when it reaches the floor of the Senate. It was by this agree- ment_that the unanimous consent was obtained for its favorable report. ergency Meawure. Arguments between the committee members, sitting in executive session, were 8ald to indicate the acceptance of the substitute as an emergency measure only, designed exclusively to restrict European immigration. Members sald later they believed the measure would restrict immigra- tion more rigidly than the Johnson bill would have done if that had been accepted. Under the dependents clause of the House bill, they said, more immigrants would have heen ad- mitted than can possibly come in un- der the 6 per cent maximum figure. It was the opinion of some senators that the maximum number of aliens who could enter into the United Staten under the Senate measure would not exceed 300,000 a year. —_——e CALIFORNIANS TO MEET. The California State Assoclation will celebrate its twenty-sixth anni- versary at Thomson School, 12th and L streets northwest; this evening. A program has been arranged. The California State Assaciation was started by a small group of Cali- fornians, then living In Washington, more than a:-Juarter of a century ago. oné of the first of the numer. assoclations now in exi EXTENDING POWER 1Judges Give Diverse Opinions of Results of Bill Enlarg- ing Jurisdiction. i A conflict has developed between the District Court of Appeals on the one side and the District Supreme Court and the District Bar Associa- tion committee the on other, over the bili proposing to extend the ju- risdiction of the District Municipal Court. Chief Justice Smyth and Associate Justice Van Arsdell of the Appellate | Court appeared before the Senate Judiciary subcommittee in charge of the bill yesterday afternoon and pointed out that if the bill is passed |as at present drawn it would resuit in further congestion of litigation Irl.lh?r than relieve the situation. The bill would extend to the Munici- pal Court jurisdiction over cases in- volving up to $2,000. It now has jurisdiction in cases involving up to $500. The bill also provides for jury trials in the Municipal Court in cer. tain _instances, and for appeals to the Court of Appeals. The members of the Court of Ap- peals pointed out that the court docket is already crowded, and insisted that the proposed legislation would make the situation worse 80 far as that court is concerned. The Court of Appeals, they said, must give much attention 1o the patent cases, which are appealed to it—in fact, half of its time. ‘The District Supreme Court. on the other hand, has appeared in the past before th¥ Senate committee and COURTS FIGHT OVER recommended the passage of the bill in the interests of expediting litiga- tion. By giving the Munictpal Court jurisdiction over many cases which are now tried before the District Su- preme Court, they contend, the situs tion would be much relieved. In this position the District Supreme Court has the support of the Bar Association committee. Senator Kellogg of Minn., chairman of the subcommittee, said today that the committes would make an effort to work out amendments to the bill, which would prove satisfactory to all Among the witnesses heard yester- day, in addition to the justices of the Court of Appeals were Chapin Brown, George Sullivan and W. E. Lester. The bill had already passed the House, and it was supposed to be ready for action in the Senate, when the protest was lodged against it by members of the Court of Appeals. SAYS SHACKLEFORD FIRED FIRST SHOT Man Opened Fusillade—Case Near Ready for Jury. MANASSAS. Va., February 10 (Spe- cial).—W. B. Dunlavey, member of the party of prohibition officers present at the shooting of Raymond Shackle- ford and Lawrence Hudson, near Win- chester, almost two years ago, testi- fied today in the trial of W. C. Hall, former state prohibition inspector. charged with the murder of Hudson, that he saw Shackleford fire the firat shot on the morning when the shoot- ing toek place. nlavey said that he was stand- ing near the car when the first shot was fired, and that it came from the pistol of Shackleford, who was killed short time afterward. Joreph Wil- ams. chauffeur for the party of pro- hibition agents, took the stand follow- ing Dunlavey and corroborated the lat- ter's testimony. 1t i3 expected that all testimony will be concluded today and that the case will go to the jury tomorrow. 1t is pos- sible that argument may start late this afternoon. The prosecution rested its case yes- terday afternoon, after exdmining a score Of witnesges. Herman Goode, who lives about 150 yards from the scene of the shooting, near Fisher's Hill, Va., testifled that while he had heard no shot fired on the morning of March 26, 1919, when the killing is al- leged to have occurred, he had seen men standing about an automobile and drinking from a bottle, which one of them had taken from the car. William Goode, small son of the witness, cor- roborated the testimony. Dr. P. W. Boyd, who treated Hudson's wouhds at the Memorial Hospital shortly after the shooting, testified that several hours hefore Hudson died, and before he knew that death was ap. proaching, the latter declared: “I did not shoot and I do not think my part- ner did. T do not know.” Miss MURRAY ENTERTAINS Songe, dances and monologues fea- tured the entertainment last night At the John Dickson Home for the Aged, given by Miss Estelle Murray under the auspices of the entertain- ment committee of the membership committee of the Washington Board of Trade. The program follows: Spanish group dance, Misses Ida Belt, Mildred McLébd, Marion O'Connor il- dred Inge: vocal solo, Miss Estelle Murray: “just a Little Nonsense,” S, Percy Oliver; “A Dark Sermon,” Her- man F. Carl; “A Little More Dark-fe Stufr,” Brooke Johns: plano solo, Mildred Hufi\l!ly; “Back to hildhood Days” . Miss idstelle Mur- tay and Muu‘; Mildréd McLeod, Ida Belt, Marlon O’Connor, Mildred Inge and Loretta Bradley, and a baritone Prohibition Officer Testifies Slain |, INEED FORSAFETY DRIVE SEEN AGAIN City’'s Death Rate From Traffic Increases—St. Louis’ Example. NOVES. BY THEODORE Although only two months has p, since Washin wa the of a comprehensive safety for the reduction of traflic fatalit the city is again in the grasp of epidemic of accidents, which scems destined to pass the mark sct in De- cember, when an averaze of three people a week were killed by auto- mobi During the last week been two fatal accidents in the and one just outside, on Con frure nearly equals er mark of two tire city be- ration wn there when 1 ¢ came aroused. and with the poli zens drove th zero for the one srevance. Wan It is significant to not. the recent fatal accident according to testimony inquest, by a beginner in driving automobil ion has been’ passed it more ditiic amobite drivers' pern There are too many . shington for a city rother “n dent wer to mp out this renewed on the part of reckles reck pedestrians it into effect at once be kept up, not for on one month or two mor to week far which will make in If 4 And hould I an ctive is put on the class of drivers who are con- stantly endangering themselves and others Washington's death rate during the | pAst year was 56 persons killed, ac- cording to police department figure St. Louis, a clty of nearly twice the size of W during the year 1920, There is too small persons killed in each « ference in size, as Washington has ap- proximately a # VOO population the lust census shows St shington, h: only Kilie difference in y for the dif- Louis with 7 persons. Tells of St. Louis Plan. Asked by The Star what measures were being taken in St. Louis for the prevention of accidents, Martin O'Brien, chief of police, say: “In a remedial way this departmen E been preachin, and practie ety first for several years. We r raphs on the subject every da 0 in our daily bulletin and police journal, and every now and then on, of our officers makes a safely first talk to the children of the public chools. We also co-operate in every way with the Safety First Council.’ Accident Figures Here. Figures from the Washington po- lice department for January, 1921, show: Accidents, 461; killed 4,; se- rious injuries. 7: minor. 145; property damage, 2X7. and no damage and no one hurt, 14. For the first elght days of this month t1wo persons have been killed, forty have suffered minor injuries, property damage has occurred in six- ty-eight cases, and no one was in- jured in six accidents; total for eight days, 116, an average of nearly fif- teen accidents per day since Febru- ary 1. The situation is again becoming se- rious, and every driver and walker in the city should exert special efforts to hold down this appalling total of maimed and killed. SENATORS'REQUEST REFUSEDBY COLBY Secretary Says No Text Exists of Proposed Agree- ment With Japanese. Secretary Colby refused today to transmit to the Senate foreign rela- tions committee information regard- ing negotiations with Japan looking to the framing of a new treaty to meet the situation created by the adoption of the California anti-alien law. Senator Lodge arranged to advise Senator Johnson, republican, Cali- fornia, of Mr. Colby’s reply, as it was at the instance of the California sen- ator that the committee request was made. Mr. Colby's letter to Senator Lodge ollows: ‘I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of yester- day’s date requesting, if not incom- patible with the public interest that I furnish the committee with “a copy of the agreement reached by the Japanese ambassador and Mr. Morris. Permit me to say that this request indicates a misapprehension of the status of the pourparlers which have been going on for some time past with a view to reaching a friendly understanding as to the scope and terms of a conventional agreement yet to be negotiated by the pleni- potentiaries of Japan and the United States when they shall have been duly empowered to that end. “While 1 think I am warranted in saying that substantial progress has basn made toward an ultimate agree- ment, there is no agreed text of which a copy could be communicated to the committee in advance of the regular submission of whatever con- vention may be ultimately signed. “1 think you and the committee will readily concede that any communca- tion of a record which is practically that of a preliminary comparison of views, coupled with recommendations which are still the subject of exami- nation, would be premature and might tend to defeat rather than aid an eventual settlement of a question which has been the source of much misunderstanding and misinterpreta- tion for a period of many years.” —_ e HARDING BANS SOCIALS. Wants Only Family Luncheon to Celebrate Inauguration. ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla., February 10. —Not only are the inaugural parade and ball to be omitted from the in- auguration ceremonies of March 4. but if President-elect Harding can help it there will be no social fea- tures connected with the event except possibly a luncheon given by him to his father and other members of his family. Mr. Harding said today he was holding to his determination to keep the ceremonies as free from frills as possible. BILL TO PROVIDE VAULT. Authorization for a $2,000,000 vault building for the Treasury Department 1s provided in a bill introduced yes- terday by Representative John Lang- ley of Kentucky, chairman of the House committee on public buildings and grounds. This measure was in- troduced at the request of Secretary Houston, to provide a storage place for immense quantities of bullion and currency which must come to Wash- ington tlrough abandonment of the various dubtreasuries throughout.the have nduit | while | CHARVIAN WHIE * READYFORAFIAT | TComes Prepared to Resist Movement for His Re- tirement. airman George Wh te of the demo- due is n row morning 1y . and ready to i » faction at Washington retirement from 11 | ders in the movement 4 is prepared to resist their fTorts for his undoing H improvement of his bus noss affAirs s moval was un Robert W. Woolley. former State commerce commissioner. up. drawn the petit o having dr ni of the fttee At the Mr. Woo tive among officeholde of Mg n. Coxs ull eoms I Committeemar with his signature nuion > of the roay of the nomi but_upen immediately came into cgmp ook part in the campaign. Mr. Woolley's jssucd by personal Adoo « him. Mr anim: ST of the " a it in Woo W a st me ey disciaims { rd Mr. White, but | the desirability of @ meeting frull committec appointy i { steering . ' and a “new tares it 1o hawe and sl to his undsrstand that Mr. White intends time to relire M. Woollev's | statement in part AT first he indicated thut he might call the mecting in Decemtwer: then he | was quoted later as postpOMINE it un- il January, and when I tahed with him ten days ago he said b might inot retire for six months, tut that he {el o positively would not contipue as irman through the next four years, this there can he no question. | 1 am not a member of the com= I mittee, but it is my belief that the { date of Mr. White's retirement would [ be left to his pleasure. At the pro- H i meeting on March 1, it woubd { le enough to select a campaign ing committee which could ac= work_of or- son for any i misunderstanding and certainly none but t most friendly ings are | cherighed for Mr. White personally by me or by the many petitioners whom I have interviewed.” iSUFFRAGE STATUES GET PLACE IN THE CAPITOL Busts Are Accepted, But Phelan Inaugurates Protest to Art Board. The congressional joint committee on library voted today to accept for placing in the Capitol the marble busts of Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott, tendered by the women of America. They will be placed in the rotunda ot the big building for formal ceremonies of presentation and acceptance on February 15 and later set in their permanent location under the dome. This action followed the receipt by {Senator Brandegee, chairman of the ieommln-a. of a letter from Mrs {Lawrence Lewis. chairman of the { women's committee, in which. she {asked that the marble be placed iin the rotunda for the presentation ceremonies, after which it would be removed to wherever the committee directed. A protest against placing the me- morial in the Capitol has been lodged } with the Fine Arts Commission by Sen- {ator Phelan of California. on the ground that the memorial is bad art, In discussing the matter Senator Phe- {1and sald today: “I regret very much that the wom- en in charge of the memorial had not submitted the model to the Finu Arts Commission before attempting ta place it in the rotunda. It appears ta me almost grotesque, very bad in composition. The impression it makey is that the subjecis are buried alive. “The head of Susan B. Anthony is very fine, and, as her name Is asso- clated with the constitutional amend- ment for woman suffrage, her bust alone would fittingly represent the cause, and might be appropriately | placed in the rotunda. “Bad art should be excluded from any place in the National Capitol, to which the people look fox guidance. I feel. in common with many others, that this strange composition is bad art.” | { | | i H PLANS BILL FOR D. C. RAILWAY MERGER (Continued from First Page.) George E. Hamilton, president of the Capital Traction Company, and Wil- fiam K. Ham, president of the Wash- ington Railway and Electric Com- pany. would be present, but as both could not come, it was decided best to invite neither. Admission by Col. Kuts. Lieut. Col. Kutz admitted that the Public Utilities Commission wanted to have the consolidation of the Potomac | Electric Power Company and the Washington Railway .and Electria Company made conditional on @ merg- er of the two street car companies “as a club. Representative Woods argued that Congress should not be in the position of using a club until they found the public service corporations refusing to do the right thing. He argued that Congress ought first to do the right thing in removing the prohibition placed by Congress against a consoli- dation. The subcommittee of five pretty well convinced the Engineer Commissioner that he had taken a false position. The matter of 1ax on Eross revs enues was debated at length. Repre- sentative Woods' original bill called for a franchise tax of only 1 per cent, and Chairman Mapes held off for tha full tax of 4 per cent. Representativa Clark Burdick, republican, of Rhode Island, suggesied a compromise on 3 per cent, and it seems likely that thig Will be agreed upon by the subcom= mittee. When Chairman Mapes was arguing for the 4 per cent tax and then an excess profits tax that would “hurt, it was pointed out to him that it would be only putting an extra ine croase in fare upon the car riders, since they in turn must pay the increased taxes. Mr. Walters Brings Out Point. resentative Walters, republican of Fonnsylvania, here brought out a other point that impressed the sub- committee. He showed that the tex on theke service corporations would bring in increased revenue to the credit of the District, and that the federal government must meet this on & percentage basis of fifty-fifty or of sixty-forty in making Districs appropriations. n Representative Woods' revised bill provision will be made for in- cluding the Washington and Rocke ville Railway Company of Montgom- ery county, Md., in the proposed merg- er legislation All_members of the subcommittee considering the merger bill said to- day that they expect to be able to report out a bill soon, but that they did not expect it would be passed or even considered in the House mt this session, but that they hoped to piuy