Evening Star Newspaper, June 16, 1921, Page 1

WEATHER. Partly cloudy. tonight ai little change in tes nd tomorrow; rature. Temperature for twenty-four hours ended at 2 p.m. today: 3 pm. todsy; today. Full report on page 9. Highest, 81, at lowest, 60, at 6 am. Closing New York Stocks, Page 24. Entered as No. 28,172 - PLAN TO PREVENT ‘STRIKES URGED BY SECRETARY DAVIS Proposes Spending Quarter Million Yearly to Keep Observers in Industries. COULD CHECK TROUBLES IN THEIR INCIPIENT STAGE “Key” Men-Would Keep in Con- stant Touch With Situation. Obviating Spy System. For an outlay on the part of the government of approximately $250,000 annually, fully nine-tenths of the strikes which occur in various parts of the country could be prevented, ac- cording to Secretary of Labor James J. Davis, who is formulating a plan of preventive treatment for presen- tation to Congress. Adoption of the plan being devel- oped by Secretary Davis will result, it is believed, in keeping the wheels of industry turning continuously, keep 1abor in & happy mood, employers sat- isfled, and result in maintenance of the countrys prosperity. Secretary Davis knows the mind of labor and_the mind of the em- ployer. He knows the troubles of solving strikes after they are start- ed, and knows the difficulties faced by those who attempt to settle them when new men are sent to investigate the troubles. He believes ?fl! plan will nip the troubles in the incipient stage. “Key” Men in Industries. “Prevention of strikes is the great nged today,” said the Secretary in scussing his plan. “I believe that it the government would provide ‘key’ men, one for each of the fifteen major or ‘key’ industries, strike troubles ‘would cease to a large extent. “One of these men,” he continued, explaining the system, “would be as- signed to each major industry. He would have a couple of assistants. Treir duties would consist of making a study of the industry, both from the employers’ standpoint and also from the viewpoint of labor. They would be governmental laision officers be- tween the employer and the employe, would be in close touch with opera- tions in the industry and the work of the labor udions. They would always have at their finger tips every bit of information as to what was going on all the time. When something came up between employer and employe they would have immediately at hand all the information necess 0 effe ! uieic " settiement BetoFe- It - couNt | even reach the strike stage. ®ould Check Up Methods: ~They could quickly ascertain whether the methods of the union representatives were fair. and wheth- er spy systems of the employers of the unions were being carried on properly. In fact, money for both the unions and the employers could be saved. for with such a govern- mental representative always on the | job these systems, which have grown up, could be abolished, with the knowledge that there was a man al- ways on the job, who would foresee tggubles, and take them up before er side has the opportunity. The system of spyins that has grown up in various industries is hurtful, and on these systems the Secretary placed the blame for many strikes. “key” men would be able to wipe out much of the suspi- cion between employer and employe, he_poirited out. The Secretary made no secret of the ‘t that these are trying times in the industrial and labor world. Only on the ground of fairness can both ides be brought together to settle disputes, he said. He has not the op- portunity enjoyed by his predecessor of appealing to labor and capital vn the ground of patriotism, so success- ful many times during the war in bringing out a settiement of dis- putes. Fairness on Beth Sides. But labor is taking wage redustions, mencrully speaking, without a grcat complaint, he said. Reports to ths| department indicate’ that both sides are inclined to be fair and se: the roubles that are facing each other; during this readjustment perini | While in some of the strikes there can be seen a hand working to destroy or throttle unionism, it has not been effective, he pointed out, and those working for_its destruction should lcok twice. For if they succeed. they will_undoubtedly find something else much more powerful will spring up. But unionism cannot be abolished, for where there are a handful of men, who will stick together sand loyally sup- port the cause of unionism. it cannot be downed. One of the greatest needs, not only during the period of readjustment, but for all time, is that of collecting and disseminating' monthly information on costs of living and wages. Now, he said, these figures are gathered only every six months, which provides too great.a gap for them to be of any effec- tive use. This question of costs al- ways enters Into every dispute, he said. Weep Up-to-Date Fixures, But this information could be gath- ered by the “key” men if me; are provided, he pointed out. It would be a necessary part of their work of keeping In close touch with every- thing affecting their particular in- dustries and the subsidiaries thereof. They would always have at hand up- to-date figures on which they could rely in" straightening out difficulties which crop_up, and in which the cost- (Continued on Page 2, Column 6. By the Associated Press. FRANKFORT, Ky., June 16.— John Fallis. Frankfort grocer, who last night shot six persons while resisting arrest for interfering in an altercatio. between a police- man and Fallis’ son, escaped dur- ing the night from the combina- tion grocery store and dwelling ‘where it was believed he had barricaded himself. Fallis apparently left the build- ing before the officers had an op- portunity to surround it. Early today Sheriff Bain Moore and a large number of deputies, who_had guarded the place since early in the. night. riddleg the house with bullets. The fire elicit- ed no response. The bullets, how- eyer, had ignited matches or other inflammable material in the struc- ture, which was gutted. Posses today were scouri: wmeighborhood for Fallis and po- lice in towns within a radius of second-class post_office Washington, D. GROCER SHOOTS SIX AND ESCAPES CORDON AS DEPUTIES FIRE HOME d matter “Why Is An Airplane, | Like Poison?” Wire Jest to Daugherty Attorney Gemeral Daugherty was asked today to decide the jestion of “Why is am alr- plane like polsont” The query, Mr. Daugherty said, was received in a tele- gram sent from Denver to him by Coleman du Font. A half r after receipt of the wire, Mr. Daugherty said, telegram came from Mr. Pont saying: “Because ome drop kills.” A F.LASKS INOURY OF MARNE STRIE Calls on Congress to Adopt Bill Providing for Probe of “Lockout.” By the Associated Press. DENVER, Col, June 16.—The American Federation of Labor today by resolution called upon the United States Senate to adopt the La Fol- lette bill providing for a federal in- vesgigation of the nation-wide *lock- | I | out™of seamen. Two international unions have de- American Federation 6t Labor in ses- sion here instruct President Samuel federation with the International Federation of Trade Unions. resolutions presented by the Inter- national Association of Machinists were made public. Both practically call for a repudiation by Gompers and the executive council ropean labor movement because of its “revolutionary activities. As both resolutions were referred lations, which is headed by President they would be reported unfavorably ials upheld. our resolution,” said Fred R. Hewitt, egation. “We have not completed our few days to decide upon definite ac- on.” The United Brotherhood of Mainte- nance of Way Employes and Rallway ship of two hundred and fifty thou. sand, will make a fight on the floor of the convention, it was learned today. The union was suspended in 1919 be- the United Drotherhood of Car ! and Joiners. i be manded that the convention of the Gompers to reatfiliate immediately the This became known today. when and the Firemen and Oilers’ Union the dele- gates of the action of President in severing relations with the LEu- Resolution Likely to Fail. to the committee on international re- Gompers, labor leaders predict that and the action of the federation's of- ci “We will probably make a fight fy chairman of the machinists’ union del- plans, but will meet within the next Shop Laborers, comprising a member- the convention for reinstatement in cause of a jurisdictional dispute with The _entire controversy - will brought before the convention in a resolution presented by the rallroad organization, which declares that the claims of the carpenters’ union “can- not be sustained by any method of in- telligent reasoning nor by precedent.” President E. O. Grable and Vice President James Malloy of the main- tenance of way union are here in support of the resolution which the carpenters have anncunced their in- tention to oppose. Demands Protest on Chinese. The San Francisco labor council in 2 resolution demands that protest be made to the Department of Labor against “the leniency that permits the smuggling into the United States of five hundred or more Chinamen every month.” The executive council is asked to oppose any attempt in Congress to change the exclusion laws so that they would permit the admission of Chinese into the country. i _The resolution charges that a “na- tional organization of the enemies of labor and the people of this country have been working secretly for sev- eral years to break down the Chinese exclusion act.” and demands that the federation condemn “this most des- picable conspiracy to break down American standards in order that a few of the enemies of labor. and the people may profit from the labor of the Chinese coolies to t! detriment of all honest employer: Congress is also called upon to “in- dignantly refuse the appeal of the Hawallan legislature in the interests of the sugar planters to modify or amend in any manner whatever the laws that were enacted after years of agitation to forever exclude the Chinese.” % he bering i i o Mages o T R Sise s and i Tt e T i WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION WASHINGTON, D. C., THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 1921—THIRTY-SIX PAGES. 1.5, SHUNS LEAGUE| BAIT IN MANDATES; HARVEY 1S UPHELD Ambassador Shown to Have Correctly Stated Policy of Government. SUPREME COUNCIL ONLY MEANS OF NEGOTIATION Purpose of Administration Is to + Develop "Association of Nations Through That Bedy. BY DAVID LAWRENCE. The United States government has no intention of sending a representa- tive, even unofficially, to discuss with the council of the league of fiations the matter of mandates. This may be unpleasant news to those who have had a lingering hope that the mandate question would serve as a bridge over which the Harding administration could conven- iently reach the council of the league without embarrassment, but it is nev- ertheless the truth. The Invitation sent by the council of the league to Secretary Colby to send a representative, to discuss man- dates was purposely left unanswered so that the Harding administration might be free to do as it pleased with the request. Paris dispatches in the last few days have sought informally to remind the American government that the invitation is still unanswered. In the same informal way the wor goes out that thi Harding administra- tion does not anticipate the necessity of sending any representative, official or unofficial, to the next meeting of the council. In Supreme Coumell So far as mandates are concerned, the United St has a means of communication with all the powers through the supreme council, Which is attended by Ambassador George Harvey as the personal representa- tive of the President of the United States.” 3 Although the American ambassador has made one or two errors of speech, which he himself attributes to in- experience as a diplomat, and, al- though Secretary Hughes and Presi- dent Harding have bpn!stepl‘ll rl‘:a::;:e'!“ to define. America’ ontering the war as unselfish instead of selfish, the fact is Mr. Harvey good favor, and is charged with the responsibility of negotiat- ing all the delicate questions which America may want discussed With t powers. A e who nave had L chance to read the Harvey cablegr: nbnndhsay they are eharacterietice: 1y direct and to the point. lnd&:l he 18 following carefully the instfuc- tions of the Department of State. In- deed, the notes of instruction sent by Secretary Hughes to American diplomats abroad are themselves so precise and definite that there is no room for misunderstanding. Statement Confirmed. assador Harvey made the state m.fix’?l:hat the United States would not have anything to do with the league or any of its committees, directly or indirectly. This was doubted at the time, but it turns out that he had an accurate idea of Harding administra- tion policy. -Even the Root plan for an international court of justice, which is the offspring of a committee of the league of nationms, is not to be 2ccepted unless it 1is completely separated from the machinery of the league. The determination to steer clear of the league of nations and deal only with the supreme council is growing stronger in administration quarters, especially because the Presidert is becoming ‘convinced that there is no real task which cannot be as directly handled in the supreme council as in the parallel organization of the league of nations, namely the council. After the next few meetings of the supreme council it would not be sur- prising to find President Harding openly commending that body as an effective medium for international in- tercourse and urging its use as a nucleus for a greater association of nations which shall differ from the present league of nations in that it shall have nothing to do with the en- forcement of the treaty of VersaiMes or any other treaty. One Step at a Time. THOUSANDS STARVING IN KIEV; MURDER OF REDS IS ALSO RAMPANT By the Associated-Press. BERN, Switzerland, June 16.—A catastrophal outbreak of famine in Kiev is reported today in dis- patches from the Ukraine, which assert that the people are dying in masses from starvation, 2,000 of them having been buried in one day in the city., which is being besieged by Ukrainian insur- gents. At the same time, the dispatches add, secret nationalist vigilance societies are murdering promi- nent bolehevik leaders and mag- istrates, some of whom have been - found hanging to lamp posts or killed by bullets almost every morning. The bolshevik newspapers of Kiev_ have registered the names of thirty commissaries, who al- ready have been killed, the dis- patches more than 100 miles were fur- nished with his description. Fallis shot four policemen and two bystanders. He demanded the release from custody of his son Elbert, who had been arrested on a minor charge. When Patrolman Guy Wainscott, who, with Patrol- d the youth, Fallis drew a pistol and shot Wainscott in the abdomen, probably fatally wound- ing him. In the general shooting that followed Patrolmen Will Wil- helm and Jesse Colston were slightly injured. Fallis, with his son, whom he had liberated, ran to their home, over a_grocery store. Patrolman , despite a warning led to enter the shot with a shot- gun and probably fatally wounded. Two bystanders, Jeff Lynn and John Foster, were slightly wound- ed by buckshot from the charge that struck the officers. Young Fallis, who tried to es- cape from -the house, was shot in mlaxnauvtmj o K Already Mr. Harding is using the supreme council to get at the attitude .of the powers on the disarmament ‘question, and just as soon as the Ver- sallles treaty can be redrafted so as to eliminate certain clauses in which the United States is not interested the move for an association of nations will be begun. One thing has devel- oped clearly in the last few daye—it is that the Harding administration does not intend to rush precipitately into treaty-making or anything else, | but will take one step at a time. The passage of the Knox-Porter resolution declaring the state of war at an end is the first stage of the journey. Next comes the revision or modification of the Versallles treaty s0 that the American Senate can ratify it, and thus peace with Germany be made and ‘diplomatic relations estab- lished. After that comes the making of an association of nations. It is a matter of months—and per- haps a year—before the question of what kind of a legaue shall be formed will come up. Meanwhile the Euro- peans themseives will have thelr own league, and eventually the problem as to whether one or the other will go out of business or the two shall be merged will become as natural as the problem of merging two street car companies in the same town running on parallel tracks. That's the outlook for foreign policy under the Harding administra- tion. (Copyright, 1921.) —_— CONFER ON PEACE. Senators Lodge and Xnox Meet House Members. Senator Lodge of Massachusettsand Senator Knox of Pennsylvania, repub- lican members of the Senate confer- ence committee on the peace resolu- tion, today held a conference in Sen- ator Lodge's office with senta- tive Porter of Pennsylvania and Rep- resentative Rogers of Massachusetts, slated to be the republican members of the House conference committee. It is understood that /an effort was made to arrive -at some basis upon ‘which the two houses could agree on the peace resolution. ACCEPTS CHURCH POST. HARRISBURG, Pa., June 16.—Rev. Dr. Lewis S. Mudge, recently elected stated clerk of the general assembly the Prubyhlarlsn cfil:rfighi an-, today he had definitely de-~ cided to_accept the office. Rev.. Dr. George B. Stewart, president of Aus , will il B S e 2 DEADLOCK REACHED OVER NAVAL BILL COnferqes Return Measure to House When Agreement Becomes Hopeless. Conferences between the Senate and House on the naval appropriation bill ended today In a deadlock and the 9494,000,000 bill with the Borah dis- armament conference amendment was taken back to the House for action. The conferees agreed to disagree and to await action by the House member- republican, Michigan, chair- man of the House managers, said that there was no use to hold further “uonferéntes; and~his ap< nouncement. ended the conferences. which have continued for seéveral daya. ‘The Borah disarmament rider was not reached by the conferees. ~The immediate dispute which broke up the conference was over the 'Senat amendments providing for a person- nel of 120,000 men in the Navy, an in- crease of 20,000 over the House pro- visions, and entailing appropriation increases of around $40.000,000. ‘The House conferees also k *o the House numerjus Nenate amend- ments for Pacific cozst naval hase vivjects. The ,-deadlock followed = ituation yesterday over the zppropriation bill. hi measures, with fuads nceded 1, again before the 'iouse. LODGE TO BACK KLEIN. Senator Will Support Bay State Man for Commerce Job. Senator Lodge, it was announced in his office today, will support th nomination of Dr. Julius Klein of Massachusetds to be head of the bureau of foreign and domestic com- merce of the Department of Com- merce. Senator Lodge consulted with Secretary Hoover of the Department of\Commerce regarding the nomina- tion before this announcement was made. It was said that Senator Lodge found the qualifications of Dr. Klein for the position were ample. A report that Senator Lodge was on the brink of a patronage row with President Harding because of the nomination of Dr. Klein was de- nied. The nomination of Dr. Klein was referred to Mr. Lodge by the Senate commerce committee merely as & matter of routine, as namina- tions are referred to senators of the state from which the nominees come, it was said. AGAINST CITY OWNERSHIP. Staunton Chamber of Commerce Opposes Light-Power Project. Special Dispatch to The Star. STAUNTON, Va., June 16.—After hearing an adverse report by the committee appointed to investigate the proposal, the chamber of com- merce has\ disapproved a petition of citizens requesting the city to enter the commercial lighting and power fleld. The report, which' urged that the Staunton Lighting - Company be re- quested voluntarily to rescind its rate raise of ll,llt year, received unanimous approval. No action has 'been taken by city council on these petitions. Today’s News’ in Paragraphs A. F. L. calls on Congress to pass bill for inquiry of marine “lockout . Page 1 i missioners opposing closing D‘l‘:{l:c:tf:er:‘ at Walter Reed Hospital Page 1 French resume hostilities against Turk nationalists in Syria. ‘Page 1 Mandate question fails to dftw United States into league. x £ P-gely 1 ownership of traction, lines u:“:x‘fi:':lm favor In House subcom- mittee. = P.ndx 1 presentative William Mason es mmddenly at his home here. Page jon of Ball rent act for another E’n:l?n months will be advocated. = distributed In Coflnen opposes l-;'l‘s:‘fl rent a:t ‘extension. Page 13 Plot to smuggle 500 machine guns being probed. m:-ge 13 Inspect ¢ sanitary conditions on Powun&ne cntumer- ordered by Dr. Fowler. & Page 13 d trade with southern B o exolained. before Economic a0 homg -t Toing ‘Washington profiteering; Senator CApDEE. il e Page. 19 gimilar v vas both by July N 7| street offers the only relief possible ilar mel i Conscience No Guide To Women, So Orders For Bathing Change By the Associated Press. CHICAGO, I, June 16—~Pre- dictions of extremely warm weather for the rest of the week. caused Supt. Willlam Byrkhardt to advance the open- ing date at Chicago bathing beaches, all under city couirel, to toda: A ¥ ago he anncunced to women bathers in regard to their beach costumes, “Let your connclence be your gulde. ‘Today ke said, ~So f them didn’t ‘seem to 3 con- science,” and ordered police- mforce the ollvwing 3 Knickers to within four inch- en nbove the kunee, and skirts 10 within two inches of the bot- tom of the kuickers, with ome- 10.C. HEADS 0pPOSE * CLOSING 4THST. Commissioners to Put For- ward Determined Fight Against Plan. ‘When Congress takes up the Wads- worth bill to close certain streets and alleys in Walter Reed Hospital reser- vation it will encounter determined opposition to the measure from the District Commissioners in so far as it cuts off the extension of 14th street through the reservation. Otherwise the bill meets with their approval. Engineer Commissioner Kutz this morning said the Commissioners would deplore action by Congress prohibit- ing the extension of 14th street and the development of the highway plan. If enacted in its present form the ‘Wadsworth bill, he stated, would be a serious blow to the growth of that section of Washington lying north of the. hospital grounds, It was pointed out at the District building today that, if 14th street should be closed, street car service to the community beyond the hospital could be provided only under the most unfavorable conditions and at great cost. It probably would be neces- sary to carfy the 14th street line under 16th street into Rock Creek Park and thence to the section north of the hospital reservation by way of Alaska avenue. This would be a winding route that would involve so much grade work as to make the cost practically prohibitive. ‘ Bflla in Confiict. The Commissioners have in Con- gress a bill authorizing the extension of 14th street in accordance with the highway plans, which is being con- sidered by both the Senate and House District: committees, but it is.in, con- flet with the Wadsworth measure, whch would permit no street to pass through the hospital property. They have urged- that the latter. measure be amended 80 a8 to except l4th street, and, it thig is done, both bl could be passed with the Commis- sioners’ approval. powr 0 Assistant District Engineer Com- missionor Bessoa expressed the view today that 1ith street could be car- ried through the Walter Reed zone on a Brade which would be satis- factory ‘to the .War Department, In fact, it has been proposed that the street could be depressed below the general level and bridges thrown across it so that all footways to, be used by the ofticers, students and in- mates of the hospital would pass over the highway. Sees Menace to.Development. In the Wadsworth proposal, as’ -t stands, Representative Frederick Zihiman of Maryland sees a real men- ace to the development not only of that section of - the District lying north_of _the -hospital ‘grounds, but to Maryland communities just over the District. line. . These residential sec- tions soon muat have additional tréns- portation arteries, he points out. the congestion on the Georgia avenue line is .acute. Extension of. 14th r the rapidly-devaloping section b‘:yond the hospital, between Georgia avenue and Rock Creek parks Residents of Takoma Park, Md., and other sections just over ‘the District line yesterday presented Mr. Zihiman with & petition carrying ‘more than 4,000 signatures lp?ote:tllll‘sm inst roposed closing o street. raatis al was presented to idthe dete: ymbers of Congress told the dele- gation which called upon_them that they are opposed to the Wadsworth bill in its present form and will do all in their power to have it amended so that it will not interfere with the ex- tension of 14th street in accordance with the. highway. plans. y ing disposéd of the routine business of | l, | “The world is settling down, but it is not yet settled:"—Secretary Hughes. FRENCH HIT TURK NATIONALS IN SYRIA Gen. Gouraud, Near Aleppo, Is Crushing Enemy by Artillery Fire. By the Associated Press. ATHENS, June 16.—Reporis the French have resumed hostilities against the Turkish nationalists in Syria and are making important progres: have been received in Smyr- ra, says a dispatch from that city, published by the Politiea. Gen. Gou- raud. these reports assert, is march- ‘}ing on Aleppa mnd crushing the op- position by artillery fire, CONSTANTINOPLE, June 15.—The British have warned the Turkish nationalists that any attempt to take ‘Consfantinople will mean war|with Great Britain. The purpose of send- ing a British brigade from Malta to relieve the Greeks at Ismid ‘is to frustrate any such nationalist a tempt to occupy Constantinople. KING IN HIGH SPIRITS. Sure His 300,000 Men Will Defeat Turk Nationalists. By the Associated Press. SMYRNA, June 15.—King Constan- tine, "who 'has just arrived here to take a direct part in_the impending clash between the Greeks d the Turks, talked to the Associated Press today concerning some of the main npues of the struggle about to be- gin. | The king said he did not wish to boast or to farecast events, yet he felt convinced, he declared, that the Greek army, with its morale and spirit in a high state, now was able to crush the Turkish nationalist forces under Mustapha Kemal Pasha and was eager for the opportunity to take the fleld. Feels Sure of Viet ‘The army, 000 the Turks were estimated to have less than 100,000 men avallable. King Constantine declared the of- lensive was unlikely to start for se eral weeks, and he said he did not e: vect to go to the front before July 3. The Greek army, the king declared, was not recelving any assistance from the British government. All that the British had done, he said, was to approve certain requisitions for g limited quantity of munitions from private firms. : “Humiliated by Allfes.” ‘Now that I'm away from Athen I want to Torget the cares and wo! ries of state,” he said, sk me about American or foreign recog- nition, because I do not care two cents about it. I've been humiliated enough by the allied governtnents. t them do as they pleas BEVERIDGE DECLINES - JAPAN AMBASSADORSHIP Refuses Honor as He Intends to Run for U. S. Senate From Indiana in 1922. FRESNO, Calif, June 16.—Former United States Senator Albert J. Bev- eridge of Indiana has formally been offered the position of ambassador to Japan; and has declined the post, a cording to a special dispatch to the Fresno Republican from Washington, Ppublished yesterday. “The Teason given for the refusal to accept’the position is that the former senator. intends to be a republican candidate for United States senator in Indiana in 1922, the dispatch says. He. will be opposed by the incum- bent, Senator Harry 8. New. S!{lRI.NE IN SECRET PARLEY DES MOINES, Iowa, June 16.—Hav- electing officers by the simple process of promotion and the election of ‘Thomas J. Houston of Medinah Tem- ple, Chicago, to the imperial outer guard,” the Imperial Council of the Ancient Arabic Order, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, were in secret session yesterday considering the hospitaliza- tion plan. William 8. Brown of Pittsburgh, Pa., was re-elected imperial treasurer and ‘Benjamin W. Rowell of Boston, Mass., for the twenty-eighth time was named imperial recorder. . President Harding’s invitation to hold the imperial conclave jn Wash- ington ip 1923 was read by Henry Lansburgh, potentate of Almas Tem- le, Wash - ';'-a Francigeo ‘was selscted as tha, asnmzflhtu-u, RS 3 that’ Member of the Associated Press The Amociated Press fs exclusively entitied to the use for republication of all news dispatches eredited to 1t or mot otberwize credited in this paper and aiso the local mews published berela, Al rights of publication of special Yesterday's MAY SUCCEED DR. SIMON. Edwin C. Graham Expected to Head Board of Education. ‘Edwin C. Graham, member of the board of education, probably will be elected president of that body at the annual reorganization meeting July 1, to succeed Dr. Abram Simon, the present incumbent. Dr. Simon, it is said, does not intend to be a candi- date’ for re-election, due to his nu- merous personal affairs. r. Graham has been a member of the school board since last Octo- ber, when he was appointed by jus- tices of the District Supreme Court to succeed Dr. Charles P. Neill, who resigned. He has taken a deep in- terest in all matters coming before that body, and some of his colleagues and school authorities are advocating his election as president, if Dr. Simon declines to be re-elected. At the reorganization meeting Wil- liam L. Houston, who was recently appointed to succeed Fountain P ton, whose term expires June 30, will be sworn in. The personnel of stand- ing committees also will be named. CITIZENS MAY SUE FOR ASSESSMENTS District Will Become Defend- ant if Borland Law Deci- sion Is Sustained. Claims for aseessments collected under the Borland law running into hundreds of thousands of dollars will be lodged against the District gov- ernment by taxpayers, it was indi- cated today, if the decision of Jus- tice Stafford in the District Supreme apply to city streets only, should be sustained by the Supreme Court of the United States. The decision. which will be car- ried to the District Court of Appeals. came as a big surprise to municipal officials, who have enforced the Bor- land law on the theory that it ap- plied to all streets and highways in the Distriet. It was admitted that assessments levied and collected for street work in rural and undeveloped sections would run into hundreds of thousand: of dollars, but the exact amount can- not be figured out for the reason that lthere is no rule for determining | where city streets leave off and rural thoroughfares begin. Opinion of Commissioners. The Commissioners do not believe that the decision of Justice Stafford refers to streets in the original city limits, but rather seeks to differen- tiate between streets in the built-up and suburban portions of the capital and travel-ways in the outlying, un- developed sections. They point out the difficulty of drawing a line be- tween the two for the levying of as- sexsments. - ! i Coust vesterday, holding the law to| Gispatches bereln are also reserved. Net Circalation, 91,306 TWO CENTS. MUNICIPAL OWNING OF TRACTION LINES STRONGLY FAVORED Sentiment Expressed at Meeting of House Subcom- mittee on Legislation. ACTION ON PROPOSITIONS DELAYED TILL NEXT WEEK Plan for Abolition of Public Utili- tie§ Act Also Gains Gromnd. Zihlman Asks Statements. Strong sentiment was expressed at the meeting of the special subcom- mittee of the House District com- mittee on street railway legislation today in favor of reporting favorably to the full committee the Keller bill, providing for municipal ownership of the two street car lines, and the Ham- mer _resolution, to repeal the present public utilities act and abolish .the Public Utilities Commission. The subcommittee had expected to jreach a decision today, but voted to i Postpone action until Friday of next ! week because Representative Sproul of lllinois said he wished to study the hearings more carefully. The support of the-Hammer resolu- tion to abolish the public_utilities commission was based on two grounds: “One, that the commission has sub- stituted its own interpretation and ideas for the law as written, by bas- ing the fair return upon the joint fair valuation of both companies instead of upon each one individuall Two. that even if the commission was right in this interpretation, fig- ures supplicd by the commission to Chairman Zihlman of the subcommit- tee show that, considering the joint fair valuation, a 7-cent fare would net a return of 6.04 per cent. whereas the commission is still maintaining an §-cent fare. Chalrman Asks Statements. Because so many divergent and con- flicting opinions have been expressed. Chairman Zihlman suggested today’ that each member of the subcommit- tee make a briet statement regarding what he thinks would be the best course 1o pursue to bring relief. This was done. Representative Zihlman said that |according to figures based on fair | valuation by the Public Utilities Com- missjon, if the two companies were merged it would immediately resuit | 1 In this connection attention was:ih @ Straight 7-cent fare with & met called today to $150,000 last year in improving Geor- gia. Rhode Island and Connecticut javenues. For the most part, streets run through developed sec- tions. Yet there are small areas jacent to all three which prohably could not be considered deveioped. The owners of this property. under the ruling of Justice Stafford, prob- ably were illegally assessed. Assessor Richards said today that because of the lack of definite means for determining what are city streets and what are rural streets no estimate could be given as ta the amount of money that the District has collacted that taxpayers might atempt o cover if the Stafford decision eventual- ly is upheld. The amount, he indicated, would run into big figures. Up to Congress. It was pointed out at the District building that, in the event of the de- cision being upheld and a way found to determine what rural streets had been developed contrary to the law, the ‘question of refunding collections illegally made would have to be put up to Congress. Regardless of whether judgmentis were obtained’against the District or the Commissioners voluntarily asked for appropriations with which to re- fund taxpayers illegally assessed, Congress, in the final analysis, it was pointed out, would have .to provide the funds for relief. The Borland law assesses owners of abutting property for one-half the cost of street improvements up to a width of forty-foot street. The other half is appropriated for by Congress on the 60-40 basis, District taxpayers paying the larger amount. The far-reaching effect of Justice Stafford’s decision can be appreclated when the fact is considered that the Commissioners, in their last estimates, requested about $900,000 for street this emount would have been expend- ed in developing streets in the rural seotions. Congress, however. in the District appropriation act. which goes into effect July 1, allowed only about $144,000 for new street work. Get Illinois Degrees. URBANA, IIl, June 16.—Washing- ton, D. C., is represented in the more than one thousand students of the University of Ifinois - who were -anted degrees.. The graduates from ‘ashington are Tsai Chun Chen, Kenneth Woodyard Clarn; William Ben- ton DeGroot, Irving Alson Denison, Jean Paul Grifiith, Robert Armington Ide and Feng Chi Ling. PAY HONOR TO LINCOLN. HINGHAM, England, June 15.—A bronze bust of Abraham Lincoln and a bronze placque of his Gettysburg speech today were presented by Johm i A. Stuart, on behalf of the American { branch of the Sulgrave Institution, to the village of Hingham, whence the ancestors of Lincoln are said to have sprung. Both the bust and the placque were placed in the town hall. - PARISHIONERS, By the Associated-Press. TOLEDO, Ohio, June 16.—An- thony Gorek, priest of_an impov- erished Polish parish at New Chi- cago, Ind., a native of Germany and under indictment for con- spiracy in connection with the theft of a million dollars at cen- tral post office here February 17, yesterday related to a jury in ited States district court how he Uas “brougnt nto the plot by ‘Wanda Urbaytis, one of the eight- een defendants now on trial. The priest, minus the garb .of his order, reiated his life's history to the jury in a voice choked with and the involved two of his ‘ormer flock in the eon.:plncy al- leged by. the government. Father Gorek, explaining how he ‘spent “the muney obtained from n expenditure of improvements. Probably a third of return of 6.04 per cent. “If we give a conocession to the companies by repealing the 4 per these | CENL Eross tax, removing the charge f ble a reduction of almost another cent in street car fares,” Mr, Zihlman said. He also advocated a separate Public Utilities Comymission and the office of people's cetingel. In regard to the abolition of the Public Utilities Commission, he said that such agency is the accepted. modern way of dealing with public y - | utilities, and advised that any prop- osition to abolish would not get far. Belleves ncessions Basis. Representative Zihlman said he be- lieved that the concessions he pro- posed would provide a basis on which the companies could come together and soon- grant a 6-cent fare, this is not done ne said he would favor putting in force the provision of the public utilities act whica would give a different rate of fare to' each company. He said that the prei ent situation is unfaii because more than one-half of the street car patrons are obliged to pay more than {2 cents extra in fare to keep up the finances of the weaker company. Representative Keller of Minnesota, who is not a member of the sub- committee, but is author of ths municipal ownership bill, asked Chair- man Zihlman if he did ot believe that the Public Utilities Commission was not doing its duty, in substitut- ing its own opinion for law. Repre- sentative Zihlman said that he be- lieved the commission was doing its duty according to its light and that ;the law is ambiguous because 1t pro- Ivndu that the rate fixed shall nct ba the commission discriminatory. B In reply to a question from Repre- sentative Hammer, he said he did not believe the District Commissioners can find time properly to perform the duties of the Public Utilities Commis- sion. In reply to a question from Rep- resentative Keller, as to whether the | Hammer resolution. would not solve | the problem, Representative Zihlman said that the 5-cent fare provided in’ the charters of the companies would be confiscatory. Asked if this would not bring the companies together, Mr. Zihlman said that it would force en- tanglements in the courts. Sees Relief in Lower Taxes. Representative Kunz of Illinois ar- | gued that the proposed relief in taxes and other charges would take the bur- den off the street car company and place it on the government and people I of the District. He thought Mr. Zihl- man’s proposition was to pass legis lation that would please the railway interests so that they would merge. He pointed out that this had been tried. for a long time. The Public Utilitles Commission hagn't devoted the time it should to tracidon matters, he said. He blamed the commission for.its a! leged misinterpretation of the law, and charged it with having done great injustice to all the people. The public utilities act should be repealed, he sald, and then the law would come (Continued on Page 2, Cotumn 1; | PRIEST STOLE TO ASSIST NEEDY HE TELLS COURT cashing one of the one-thousand- dollar bonds, declared his parish- joners were starving. He put the money in the bank for their needs, bought $55 worth of candles for ’in church and distributed the rest Jor expenses and necessities of his parish. He paid three sisters their monthly allowancs of $75 a month, he said: . Gorek told the jury he buried most of the $85,000 in-stolen bonds given him by Wanda Ur- baytis, sent $1,000 to his brother in Germany. and gave three to John Paulek, a parishioner. He pointed Paulek out among the de- fendants on trial. How he spent the money Paulek obtained from cashing the bonds given him was the subject of crogs-ezamination - which was still in" progress ‘when t recessed. F & S ¥ather Gorek will fniéd’his tasti- —=