Evening Star Newspaper, January 10, 1922, Page 2

2 SAYSIMAL OPIE SHO - SOLDIER IN BACK Witness Before Senate Com- . mittee Testifies to Charge { Against Virginia Officer. Charles B. Fox of Richmond, Va., testified today before a Senate inves- tigating committee that he saw Maj. Hierome L. Opie of Staunton, Va., shoot a soldler in the back north of Verdun in 1918. “The man shot was wearing the American uniform,” said Fox. “I was 150 feet away. As the boy was shot he threw his hands in the air and toppled over. I do not know if the man died. Sergt. Kane also saw the shooting.” Fox declared the soldier was with- in six feet of the major when the shooting took place, that he had ap- )\ruoached the officer and was moving off. Men Afraid, Witness Saild. “Do you know Opie? Chairman Brandegee asked. “l was positive it was Maj. Opie. There was much talk in the company —Company B, 116th Infantry. The men wondered why the boy had been shot, but they were afraid to esk about it “You made no complaint?” No, sir; 1 was afraid.” Asked why he did not report the case to Lieut. Moring of Richmond, Fox said: “That guy would shoot me; he wouldn't take any foolishness.” Fox gave Chairman Brandegee a letter from Moring, written from Cas- per. Wyo., saying he was “Sorry to hear about Maj. Opie.” Fox did not want all the letter read, saying It contained *“some rough stuff.” “I am used to rough stuff in this case,” the chairman said. Gives Advice to Fox. The letter quotes Moring as saying he had heard the soldier was running away and that Opie had a right to shoot, and advised Fox not to say anything about the case “unless yvou actually saw the shooting,” adding that rumors did not stand up in court. Banging the table, Fox shouted that he saw Opie shoot. saw it with my own eyes. “From Moring's letter he believed that Opie was justified,” sald the chairman. “Well, I don’t,” Fox declared. Verbally Assalls Lawyer. When John A. Cutchins of Rich- mond, V counsel for Maj. Ople, took the witness, Fox went right after the lawyer. “I know what you want to-do,” he exclaimed, shaking his finger. “You are trying to make a fool of me. You ean't do it.” Cutchins tried to fix the exact day of the alleged shooting. “How do you know so much about this?" Fox shouted. “You were back at _headquarters, thirty miles away. “I was where duty sent me.” eaid Mr. Cutchins, who was attached to 29th Division headquarters. “Why were you behind your lines that morning? “By orders. I had been ordered to get back and destroy grenades. Another Witness Accuses Ople. Stonewall Jackson Albin of Kerns- town, Va., declared he saw “Maj. Opie shoot an American soldier in cold blood.” “The runner, who was shot, was running toward the major,” said Al- bin. “I saw him hand the major a Piece of paper, which Maj. Ople glanc- ed at. Then the runner turned his back and started to walk away when Maj. Opie shot him. Ople gazed at the fallen man for a few minutes and then moved on." Albin declared 100 or more persons could have seen the shooting. The Witness was gassed in the war and has been unable, to work, he said. ‘While testifying Albin, pointing to a :?‘ee«i‘u[tor. asserfl that the man had 0 _persuade him not t. y against Maj. Opie. et Records in Cases Reported. Complete records in the cases of American soldiers hanged after court- martial in France were cabled imme- diately to the War Department, said Col. Walter A. Bethel, assistant Judge advocate general in the Army. Col. Bethel had been pressed by Senator ‘Watson, democrat, Georgia, whose charges in the Senate led to the ap- pointment of the committee, as to why no reports of legal executions were made public until long after the armi- stice. We sent the department the name of the man hanged, the fact of the ex- | ecution and the offense,” said Col. Bethel. “I do not Know how soon the department made the facts public.” Names of men hanged were not giv- en to the press out of consideration for relatives, the witness said. Ones Cane Is Cited. Touching on the case of Benjamin King of Wilmington, N. C., wht’). ac cording to previous witnesses, wa killed by orders of “Hard-bolled Smith, an officer in charge of a prison guard, Col. Bethel reiterated that ivailable War Department records indicated” that King was killed in action or died of wounds. No evi- dence, he said, has been obtained to support the charge that King was murdered, and information to this effect has been conveyed to his family. Questioned by Chairman Brandege Col. Bethel declared notices of exegc:- tions were published overseas in gen- eral court-martial orders and were sent to all organizations with the ex- peditionary forces. “Probably most of the enlisted men did not know about the cases,” Col. Bethel added, “but the Army en- deavored to have everybody informed about executions.” “Was any effort made to keep hang- ing news from being sent to this country? “Not at all. There were several references to Frank H. (“Hardboiled”) Smith, who, Col. Bethel said, had been sentenced to three years' imprisonment for cruelty to prisoners. He had recom- mended that the term be reduced to eighteen months, Col. Bethel added. “Would war correspondents have been permitted to send the news of the legal executions Senator Willis, republican, Ohio, asked. “I would not attempt to answer that because I know nothing about the actu: working of the press cersor- ship.” the colonel replied. Senator Watson asked that Repre- sentative Johnson, republican, South Dakota, who had stated In the House it probably was true that soldlers at the front had been shot by their offi- cers because they had become de- mented or showed cowardice, be sum- moned. Col. Bethel sald that while he had no personal knowledge of such shoot- Ing. “1t may have happened.” “I can lenagine circumstances where ; an officer would be justified In shon: ing a man to prevent a stampede. he added. “Such a shooting would not be for punishment but to prevent dissolution of the ranks. MILK PROBE CONTINUED.' Manager of Oyster Dairy Only ‘Witness Heard Today. The manager of the Oyster dairy +was the only witness today before the subcommittee of the House District committee, which is investigating the milk supply for the District. The witness was questioned principally by Representative Kunz of Illinols, but the subcommittee s dissatisfied with the information supplied. hearing was continued until Friday smorning. —_— SEEKS $500 DIAMOND. Mrs. Emma Child. 3722 13th street, Jast night appealed to police of the tenth-preeinct to recover a diamond. ring valued at $500. She sald she left the ring on a table at Wardman Park y-qu;lufipol and when she re- _turned {t-wes gone. 'DR. BALLOU CONDEMNS SELLING OF ESSAYS BY MR. EDWARDS THE EVENING President of Board Superintendent of Schools Not in Sympathy With the Enterprise. Dr. Frank W. Ballou, superinten- dent of the District public schools. emphatically condemned the commer- clal enterprise of Danfel A. Edwards, president of the Washington school board, in advertising that the Colum- bian Information Bureau, owned by him and his brother, will write com- positions for eighth grade school pu- pils for $2 and sell duplicate copies at 50 cents each. This became known today, when the official record of the hearing on this subject was made available. Dr. Ballou pronounced his condem- nation of tnis practice when ques- itoned by members of the District subcommittee of the house appro- priations committee, this practice of the head of the school which exposed board. Vigorously Condemned. ‘When questioned Dr. Ballou said, would like to say that I have no sympathy whatever with this enter- prise as a commercial enterprise and I certainly condemn it very Vigorous. 1y _from the standpoint of education. When the subcommittee first ques- tioned him Mr. Ballou sail 1 would suggest that the president of the board of education be asked to make his own defense and that you do not ask the superintendent of schools, 0 is a subordinate of the board, to do so. In reply to other questions, Dr. Ballou said: “I would like to say for the record that I do not believe the superintendent of schools or the school officers ought to be called to account for a commercial enterprise the board of education is engaged. That is purely a private concern. Speaking for myself, of this sort in which any member of that sort of thing participated in by the public of Education Scbi";d. school system in the conduct of his business. He pointed out, however, that up to the present time he has not cof- templated resigning. “I am not feeling a bit tough about | this case,” said Mr. Edwards. “I have I not done the least bit wrong.” Members Reticent. School board members were reti- cent when asked to express an opin- lon today on the Edwards case. They assumed the attitude that judgment and comment should be suspended until Mr. Edwards' statement has been presented to the board for con- sideration. The criticism of the board presi- dent has created a mild sensation In school circles and has been food for gossip since the hearings before the House sub-committee on appropri- ations at which Mr. Edwards testi- fied relative to the nature of his business. School authorities are re. luctant to discuss the case for publi- cation, emphasizing that they have no control over the school board or its _individual members. The Edwards case already has been discussed by justices of the District Supreme Court, who appoint mem- bers of the scool board. After a brief consideration of the case, the Jjustices deferred action pending the outcome of the special meeting of the school board tomorrow afternoon. Sees Siniuter Influence. That some sinister influence s at work in Washington to create a dis- bacce in the school system Is the belief of Mr. kdwards. He expressed the opinion today that he probably would not have been criticised by members of Congress had not cer- tain individuals or an organization furnished the House committee with the information relative to his busi- ness affairs. Mr. Edwards took issue with a statement to the effect that he had a STAR, WASHINGTON D. C, IN WASHINGTON. TUESDAY, JANUARY 10, 1922. NEW SENATOR FROM PENNSYLVANIA, AND FAMILY .ARRIVE‘fAVOR FREE TEXT BOOKS. Senator George Wharton Pepper, who succeeds the late Senator Bolse Penrose, photographed with his f: 1y in this city today. Mrs. George W. Pepper, jr. and T. S. Paul. the thoughts are used and different language supplied. We do not know Front row, left to right: Back row, left to right: |BRIEFLY TOLD STORY school pupils, or by teachers, would be condemned and would not be per- Chairman Davis of the subcommit- large practice before the bar of the United States Supreme Court. He said that he is a member of the bar what use is to be made of these ad- dresses nor do we inquire. We are simply authors and publishers. one would question our right to print No | Mra. F. E. Newbold and Mrs. George Wharton Pep) tee and Representative Buchanan of of the United States Supreme Court these addresses in book form and Texas then asked Dr. Ballou: ‘Do you not think the superintendent of schools ought to ask the chairman of the board of education if it is the right thing to do, as you are th one who makes up the curriculum Dr. Ballou said: “I shall do so,” and then added his condemnation of the enterprise. The questioning of Dr. Ballou oc- curred at the morning session of the hearing. At the afternoon session and various lower courts. The board president denied that he testified before the House committee that if the question of an expulsion of a punil who had used one of his i{prepared cssays came up before the school board he probably would not cast his vote. “I did say, in this connection,” he said, “that if the child cheated 1 would vote to punish him.” sell them to all who wanted to buy them or hold us responsible for the use the purchasers made of them. The same is true where they are zold one at a time. It would be ridiculous to say an author should be held re- ponsible for the use made of his compositions. Compared With Libraries. “Most schools in small places have special exercises every Friday after- (The Star js publishirg daily a sum- zed story of the developments of the ‘mament _conference. By reading it each day you will keep in touch with the ont- standing events of the historic meeting.) The naval limitation treaty to- day was in the hands of the vari- ous delegations for consideration. At 3 pm. the heads of the dele- T. S. Paul, daughters; Mrs. Pepper per, jr., Semator Pepper, F. Newbold OF ARMS CONFERENCE reservations for ngland the end of Press of conference canceled thei sailing for this week. work and the fact that many im- portant matters still remain to be considered, practically with re- gard to the far east, 'is under- 8tood to be the cause of change of plans. 1t is considered likely now that Mr. Balfour will not sail be- fore January Commissioners Vote to Recommend Them for High Schools. The Commissioners today voted to make a favorable report to Congress on the bill to provide free text books in_the high schools of the District. Books already are furnished with- out cost in the grade schools, and citizens’ associations have long been working on extension of this privi- lege to the high schools. The pro- posed legislation came to the (o missioners with the approval of the board of education. NEAR EAST RELIEF WORKER HONORED Clarence T. Ellis Receives Special Medal in Recogni- tion of Service Overseas. Clarence T. Ellis, a junior at the ‘Washington College of Law, was pre- | sented with a special medal in recog- nition of three years' service with the Near East Relief overseas at a public meeting last night in the Town Hall of New York city, held under the aus- pices of the Natlonal Near East Re- lief. Mr. Ellis returned to Washing- ton last fall to complete his law course. i Frank Morrison, secretary of the American_Federation of Labor; for- mer Ambassador Morgenthau, Dr. Talcott Willlams and Stephen 8. Wise were among the speakers at the meet- ing. Reports Amount Expended. Cleveland H. Dodge, “the fairy god- father of the organization,” reported | at the annual meeting, Which pre- ceded the public gathering, that §8.-1 729.760.68 had been expended for di-| rect reliet during 1921 in Southern Russia, Transcaucasia, Armenia, & ria, Mesopotamia, Persia, Palestine and Greek areas. Edwin M. Bulkley of Spencer Trask Company, chairman of executive com- mittee, announced that 117,000 acres of farming land had been turned over to the American Near East Relief committee by the soviet government of the Armenian repyblic, to teach the youth of Armenia methods accord- ing to American systems. Grain seed and implements were appealed for, | 80 that crops produced the coming; year would make impossible another | famine condition in that area. Charles V. Vickrey reported the need for medical relief as so vast as to defy an attempt to meet it. “The great stan- dard remedy to cure most diseases,” SEES PRESS BAN IN PROPOSED LAW Senator Stanley Represents Newspapess Opposing Anti- Gambling Legislation. wspapers opposed to the anti- gambling legislation proposed in a rider to a postal bill which has passed the Senate, and in a bill in- troduced by Senator Sterling, re- publican, South Dakota, were repre- sented at hearings today before Senate judiciary subcommittee. Senator Stanley, democrat, Ken- tucky, who introduced the press rep- resentatives, asserted that the legis- lation was designed “not to prevent racing, but to limit the freedom of speec by placing arbitrary rescoic- tions, not upon the tracks, but upon the press” He declared that “to directly and arbitrarily limit freedom of speech in order to possibly and in- directly reach some local violations of law, such as wage upon a track, is essentially vicious and indefens- ible.” a Senator's Prediction. The senator predicted that no en- lightened legislative body would en- act such restrictions. The state and not the federal government should regulate the merits of the people, he aid, and characterized as cgisla- tive itch” the tendency of Congress to regulate all activities of the peo- ple. Ho asserted he abhored gam- bling in all forms, but opposed legis- lation ch would place a censor- ship up: the pre You do not have to make a legal argument so far as 1 am concerned interce Senator Borah, republi Idaho “that Congre er to establish a censor: The proposed Stanley as would prohibit t legislation, Senator d. if enacted into circulation in this | country of newspapers issued under the scvere and drast nsorship of the autocracies of Europe. He con- demned what he termed “half-baked legislation” and said that “neither the minds nor the stomachs of a free people are prepared to endure such a bill,” adding t he “wished to emphasize its evils in order that this character of legislation may be dis- couraged. Interpretation of Proposed Law. 1¢ the bill become a law, the senator said, a schoolboy t college who wrote his mother that his roommate had bet 5 cents on a foot ball game, could be sent to the penitentiary for five years and fined 35,000, ¢ enator Sterling asked whether there would still be opposition if the bill was amended to prohibit circula- gations were to meet to discuss Mr. Edwards presented himself and Pamphlet of Thirty-Two Pages. noon and at the close of the school The Chinese and Japanese still i he said, “is pure food, and of that thei tion of newspapers containing sug- sald he wished to make a statement. Opposed by Representative. Representative Buchanan said to The pamphlet advertising that the Columbian Information Bureau would Iwrite orations, essays, addresses, papers and discourses for certain term. Owing to the difficulty of se curing material, little of the enter- tainment can be from original work of the pupils. Many voung children the treaty as drafted by the naval experts, and exchange ideas as to any changes they believe wise. A meeting of the full committes on remain deadlocked over the Shan- tung railroad probiem. The Japa nese have #o0 far not requested Mr. Hughes and Mr. Balfour to act as supply is so low that half rations in} many American institutions over there is now necessary, with nothing to give outside! ! gestions as to the odds offered on horse racing. Senator Stanley replied that such regulation would be unconstitutional, Mr. Edwards 1, for one member of limitation of armaments may be the committee, do not think it would sums, 35.000 of which have been sent have never seen or heard a saluta- mediators in _the case, although “Great_quantities of quinine and se- | the suppression of the race- be right for a trustee of the public schools to furnish essays for the use of school children and to expose them to the temptation of cheating and de- frauding in school work and adver- tising the fact that he is a trustee.” { Mr. Edwards said “I see nothing wrong in advertising that 1 am a member of the school board.” Represcatative Buchanan then pressed Mr. Edwards, “Suppose one of the children buys f yau an essay and pays 50 cents or $2 ac- cording to whether she gets the the money and the essay is handed to her teacher and the teacher dis- covers that the child had deceived her and reports to the principal that original or a copy, and you accept| ibroadcast throughout the country, contains thirty-two pages. In ad- dition to outlining the subjects on which the bureau will furnish its material, it describes “how we secure business,” and contains biographies of the board president and Thomas | Bdwards. his brother, who is presi- dent of the bureau. ome of the papers prepared *“for eighth grade children” at 50 cents each are: Bluffing in School” (for a pupil). “Loyalty by Teachers and Pupils in 0ol ‘Address Presenting Diplomas to Eighth Grade Pupil.” “Salutatory for Eighth Grade.” ‘Valedictory for Eighth Grade.” _“Knocking” (the seventh grade criti- tor: a valedictory or other address of this nature. By reading one they will_readily understand what is de- sired, and write whatever is required suitable to their own school and to the occasion. If it is wrong for young people to have help along these linc. then it is wrong to have in the li brary books containing orations and essays. Copying one of our orations or copying one from a book would be on exactly the same basis. We claim the right to print and sell addresses te any one who wants to buy them and only the purchasers are respon- sible for their use. “Criticism has been made of the fact that in the catalogue of the Colum- bian information bureau it is stated that I am a trustee of the Carnegie she is recommending the child for expulsion. Will you vote to expel that child or will you vote to keep her 50 cents and not let it be i known? {" Mr. Edwards replied. “I would { simply say that I had nothing to do with the case at all” Declared to Have “GalL” Representative Buchanan: “You would. That would not be true.” Edwards: “So far as I can see now, it would be true. Buchanan: “You are advertising here, you will sell the child some- thing to stesl with Representative Evans, of Nebrask: “Would vou vote for-her expulsion Edwards: “It would depend en- tirely on the cass Representative Evans; “The c: is what I tell you. She had offered one of your essa and has handed it in as one of her own and it had been so used and now you are a member of the board of education and have her fifty cents in your pocket, would u vote for her expulsion?” “Yes, it she cheated I Edwards: ng the eighth). he First Station. 1f one wants a paper which is no in the list of subjects given below, said the pamphlet, “we will write one for him on a new subject for $4, provided we think it is something for which there will be future calls. If it is a subject no one else would be likely to want, we would have to make special arrangements about the price. Teachers “Responsible.” “Teachers are usually held respon- sible for the quality of the papers read or the orations dellvered by the pupils. Most teachers are overworked, while many have poor library facili- ties and find it a great burden to look after this feature of their work. Many of them avail themselves of the assistance we can give along this line and thus lighten their loads very much. “We also have a large sale to prin- cipals, superintendents and county school officers. Many of our best in- structors are our poorest speakers and yet are judged by their ability to ) blography Library and a member of the board of education in the District of Columbia. In each of the catalogues which we have published in the last twenty years there appears a short biography of myself and of my brother. who is my partner in business. If there is anything improper about naming in a the various positions of trust and honor one has held in the past or holds at present, then there is room for criticism. “If, on the contrary, every man has a right to print the actual facts about himself, then surely I have act- ed strictly within my rights. To state that it is wrong, morally or other- e, to name the positions I now hold would be to say I couldmot write a truthful autobiography. as important facts would have to be omitted. Surely no one would claim that in law or morals such a course would be neces- sary or even proper. “The biography of a_ congressman that would omit saying that at present he is a member of the House of Repre- sentatives would be incomplete, to say the least, yet that would be on an ex- act par with the statement that in my held tomorrow to consider the treaty draft. and an open session or the conference Thursday or depending upon how the treaty is agreed upon v the delegations. Mr. Arthur Balfour, head of the British_delegation, and Lord Lee a member of the delegation, have COMPLETED TREATY FOR LIMITING NAVIES BEFORE DELEGATES (Continued from First Page.) tions change. The first is in the event of ma- terial changes in the naval power of some outside nation which may affect the situation of any one or more of the powers signatory to the treaty In such case, any of the powers signa. tory to the treaty may call for a con- ference of the powers to determine what modification, if any, in the treaty agreement shall be made. This must be made by mutual agreement. Deals With War Possibility. The second provision deals with the possibility of any of the signatory powers becoming involved in war. If any of these powers becomes involved in a war with an outsider, then it may give notice that the obligations relat- ing to naval construction, etc., con- tained in the treaty are waived tem- porarily. The other signatory powers relating to naval matters the Chinese have done so. The Japanese insist that it is a matter between Japan and China alone. However, it was pointed out in Japanese quarters, a meeting of the Japanese and Chinese delegates on Shantung for further considera- tion is not impossible and may be called at any tim e e e e g T S L e ] MILLER BECOMES HEAD OF LEGION FOR DISTRICT Other Officers Are Installed and Creation of Three New Posts Approved by Organization. rums, and general hospital supplies | are also needed. Native physicians | and nurses ably aid American sur-| geons, but have no equipment. Every day in such cities as Erivan and Alex- andropo) 150 to 250 are dead in the | streets, not counting citizens who | starve in their own poor homes. And | these people to whom America is de- | laying to give sufficient bread and shel- ter are peoples of best blood and breeding, Christians, with highest pos: sibilitiey and ideals, loyal to the al- lied caue and general progress of the world. The executive committee was_elected | as follow Dr. James L. Barton, chairman; Cleveland H. Dodge, treas- urer; Henry Morgenthau, Edwin M. Buckley, Harold A. Hatch, Abraham I. Elkus, William B. Millar, Dr. Stanley White, George A. Plimpton and Walter | George Smith of Philadelphia. i Plimpton, and Walter George Smith | of Phila. SUE FORFROPERTY SEZED DURNG WAR $4,200,000 Is at Issue in Ac- tion Brought Against Alien Property Custodian. ‘The alien property custodian dur- ing the war seized personal property { | i i i track gambling wi in the hands of the states, all of which, with the ex- ception of two or three, had already acted, making horse racing unlawful. Senator Boral stated that the pro- posed legislation raised in his mind the question whether Congress should further follow what he termed a bad | precedent in such regulatory legisla- tion which the federa] government had set. He suggested that many such jaws already enacted should be | repealed. MR. HAYS AGAINST BILL. Postmaster General Argues for Freedom of the Prese. Opposition to making it an offense for newspapers to publish racing news was expressed in a letter from Postmaster General Hays to Chair- man Nelson of the Senate judiciary committee. Mr. Hays urges that a section to this effect be stricken from the bill recently passed by the House and sent to the Senate, which would prevent among other things the transportation of lottery and cheating devices through the mails. The Senate judiciary committee is hout to begin consideration of the bill. In his letter today Postmaster General Hays declared that a ban on lottery and cheating devices “was desirable” and that he favored the bill as a whole. His objection, emphasized was to the section on publishing racing news. “] was not consulted about it,” he said, “and I hope this section does not pass. The whole bill had better be defeated in my opinion than to add this additional curtailment of the freedom of the press. There has would.” Representative Evans: an awful gall. Chairman Davis said to Mr. “You have Ed- wards “and you Intend to tell the committee that you do not care what that eight, nine, ten or eleven year old girl does with the essay, whether she passes it off as her.own compo- sition or not?’ Declared to Commercialise Position. Mr. Edwards said: “A very large amount of essays are issued and pur- chased by teachers for the children.” Chairman Davis: *“I do not care about the teacher: Mr. Edwards: children buy them.’ Representative Davis: “That is not your fault, because you certainly ad- |ver!lse them profusely. You want | think very few oighth-grade pupils to come’and get them.” Representative Buchanan charged | that "the advertised fact that Mr. Edwards is a member of the board of education (his advertising circu- | far was printed while he was a mem- ! ber of the board and before he be- came chairman) offers double induce- ent for the child to buy the paper from you, thinking that if she got Into trouble about it you would pro-. tect her on the board. %It'1s using your official position, 1t 18 commerciallzing the official posi- tion of the president of the board of education of aWshington.” Representative Evans interjected, ‘And tempting little children.” Representative Buchanan returned to the attack. ‘'You are commer- cializing what should not be com- tmerclalized, an official position of trust and honor, under any circum- Stances, T object to children buying Sieaye from vou by thinking you will give them protection and thereby en- Eourage them to cheat in the schools. Mr. Edwards Scored. Continuing this condemnation of Mr. Edwards, Mr. Buchanan sald: “I raise the question of furnishing any school child any essay or document or paper fhey are required to write by the school authoritis as their own. Question as to your plan furnishing anz of 1t while you are a_member of the boara of education, and, I belleve it to be your duty as a member of that board, If you know of any school children using that, instead of writing one for themselves, for you to report it and take action to stop it. “How In the world could you ald principals and superintendents in car- Fying on the schools if you lay silent and permitted Immoral or cheating acts to go on in the schools if it is within your knowledge, and you help to pre- Jare papers for them. The two posi- tions are absolutely inconsistent.” MR. EDWARDS REPLIES. i Will Lay His Case Before School Governing Board Tomorrow. ' | Whether Daniel A. Edwards, president of the board of education, will resign as the result of criticism from members of Congress for offering through his firm, the Columbian Information Bureau, to write essays for school children for certain stipulated sums, will hinge en- tirely on the attitude taken by his col- leagues o the school board. Mr. Edwards said today that he will lay his case squarely before the school governing ly al S 8] meeting morrow afternoon, n.nJ will ask the embers to decide whether he has vio- ted his oath and obligations to the I raise the! speak, not teach. We make a specialty of writing political speeches. The Capitol is only a square away from our office and our writers attend many of the im- portant debates. We have direct ac- cess to all government records and can secure information first-hand. This enables us to prepare addresses on either side of any political ques- tion. Many of the best political speeches delivered during the past several years were written in this of. fice.” “Six Papers for $5.” Under the caption “Addresses for use in school for $1 each, six $1 papers in one order for $5” the pamphlet reads: “The following addresses from 1,000 to 1,200 words were prepared for superintendents, principale, teachers and_pupils. “If you do not find what you want under this head consult our list of orations and miscellaneous papers. The price of these is $1 each unless otherwise specified. “If you want an address on any good subject not in any of our lists we will write it for §4. “In all cases remittance should ac- company the order.” Then follow a list of about 500 pa- pers already prepared. Among them are. “Address by the chairman of the school board presenting di- plomas.” “Address—before board of education requesting funds for & longer school “Special standards for educators as 8 broblem for executives in educa- n. “Address by a teacher or principal at a parent-teachers’ association.” Will Speak Tonight. Mr. Edwards said that he will de- liver two of his “stock addresses” at lmeetfnga this afternoon and night. At a meeting of the Emery-Ecking- ton Parent-Teacher Assoclation at the Emery School this afternoon at 3:15 o'clock he (Wi epeak on “The er's Share in the Educatio His Children. e e also will speak at & meeting of the Park View Citizens' Association | tonight on “How Parents Hinder the School Work of Their Children. Mr. Edwards’ Statement. In defense of the criticism, Mr. Edw:rdl issued the following state- ment: “I graduated from the University of Michigan in 1896 with the degree of master of laws and came to Wash- ington in the fall of the same year. In partnership with my brother, J. Alex Edwards (now deceased), I es- tablished the Columbian Correspond- ence College and have been president of it ever since. My present partner, ‘Thomas Edwards, entered the busi ness in 1899, “In 1915 we added the Columbian Information Bureau to our other business. We employed a number of the best writers we could ' secure, every one a college graduate’ and commenced writing addressess for all Iclunl of people as they were or- dered. Up to this time we have writ- Izen on about thirteen hundred dif- ferent subjects, reserving the right to sell duplicates. We print many copies of these addressess, oration debates or political speeches an keep an up-to-date catalogue of titles and prices. “The people who purchase these addresses make use of n-: in a m Sometimés they verbatimg blography I should make mo mention of the positions of trust and honor 1 now hold. “The author of an arithmetic, a his- tory, or any other text book, invariably states on the title page the position he holds or has held, whether he be in- structor, principal or superintendent of schools. No one considers it un- ethical or unprofessional for him to believe it is proper to use these ad- dresses with school children, it is the best evidence that they are well writ- ten and serve the purpose for which they are intended. Printed in Book Form. “Some time we may print these ad- dresses In book form, and no sen- sible person would say that we did not have the right to sell the book to any one who wanted it, and no one would claim that we should be held responsible for the use made of any address printed in It. to sell a book filled with addresses, then surely there is nothing wrong to sell one of the addresses separate- 1y. Of books filled with essays, orations and poems for children of all ages. Our papers are for the very same pur- pose and should be considered in the same light. “] am = trustee of the Carnegie Library of Washington. In there we have a children’s department which has all kinds of books for pupils of all ages. We have scores of books Containing orations and essays of the same kind we write, and we encour- age the children to go to that library 2nd use any book that will be of as- sistance to them in securing an_edu- cation. If a child was asked to write an oration it might go to this library and copy it. thus cheating. “As president of the school board and a trustee of that library would any one say that I should try to pre- Yent children from using any books they wish to use in advancing their education? The only answer is ‘No. Then when we prepare and place on the market orations of the same na- ture as those contained in the library use made of them by those who pur- chase them? Every fair person will ‘No.” S “ZThe value of a thing can best be appreciated by those who use it. We do a large business with the general public, but this does not seem to be questioned. Nearly all of our school sales are to superintendents of schools, principals of high schools, presidents of private schools and col- leges and cnunlt! lllDel;ianlldel\[!. We d our catalogues to ohually. We get very little trade m_puplil fll""Won d‘;- with many thousands of these men each year and have heard only words of approval from them. When these trained educators do sa why have I not the same right to rint & similar statement in my cata- ogue? “I am sure we are conducting an honorable business gnd doing it in a perfectly honorable way and that many_thousands of people, including school children, are being benefited by it” NAVY OFFICERS T0 ATTEND. Secretary Weeks has informed Sec- retary Denby that he is pleased to authorize the attendance of naval of- ficers at the Army School for Flight Surgeons at such time as he may de- sire to send them, 1t it is proper| should I be held responsible for ““lnnd Italy are allowed 175000 tons of all of them| will meet to decide 1f they also are to modify the arrangement regarding naval limitation owing to the new situation. A similar course would be pursued if any two or more of the sig- natory powers became involved in war with each other. The principle of the naval building holdiay lasting, for ten years, as in- dicated yesterday, is retained for capital ships. Exceptions to Rule. There are some exceptions to this rule, but on the whole it stands. France and Italy, it was at first re- ported, would not be given the right to start replacements in 1927, as they desired. This, however, was a mis- take. France and Italy will be given the right to start bullding one new capital ship in 1927 and another in 1929. But the United States, Great Britain and Japan will not start their replacements until 1932, after the full There are on the market scores|period of the naval-building holiday, except that Great Britain will be al- lowed to build two new battleships of the latest type to supplant four old vessels, and the United States will complete two of its vessels now build- ing. This building by Great Britain and the United States was made nec- essary to meet the desire of the Japa- nese to retain their new battleship, the Mutsu, which, under the original American plan, was to have been scrapped. Contains Twenty-Five Articles. The treaty proper contains about 3,000 words and twenty-five articles. There are some appendices, however, including & replacement chart. The treaty sets up the 5-5-3-1.76-1.76 ratio for capital ships of the five powers. Of course, this exact ratio applies to replacements and will not be es- tablished until the replacemerts are made. For instance, while France capital ships, they are below that figure, and will not reach it until after the replacements ars-made. The provisions relating to scrap- ping of vessels were published yes terday. With regards to the limitation of aircraft carriers, the treaty gives the United States and Great Britain 135,000 tons, Japan, 81,000 and France and Italy 60,000 tons each. The air- craft carriers are limited to ten eight-inch guns, or.if they carry six- inch guns, no limit is put on the number. They are limited in size to 27,000 tons. Six-Inch Guns Limit, An important provision is that merchant vessels are not to be made ready to carry guns heavier than six- inch. Auxiliary ships, cruisers, etc., are limited in size to 10,000 tons, in ae- cordance with the American proposal, and their guns are limited in size to eight-inch guns. The original American plan is modified 8o as to permit the building, of warships by the signatory powers for other nations. It is provide: however, that they shall not con- struct any vessels for foreign ac- count which violate the rules laid down in the treaty as to sise and WATSON B. MILLER. ‘Watson B. Miller, overseas veteran and well known resident of this city, was installed as department com- mander of the District American Le- gion at a meeting last night of the i executive committee at the legion headuaqrters, 1423 New York ave- nue. Other officers installed were Julius 1 Peyser, first vice commander; Paul- ine McVey, second vice commander, and H. C. Davis, third vice com- mander. The appointments by Commander Miller of other officers were ap- proved. They were O. S. Imrey, adju- tant; T. P. Randal and Mary E. Kolhos, assistant adjutants; I. H. Horton, executive officer; Walter B. Howe, judge advocate; B. C. Mac. Neil, surgeon; G. T. Rude, finance officer; Frank A. Connolly, publicity officer; N. E. Martindale, voterars nid officer; D. J. Donovan, legislative offi- Alexander Mann, master-at- W. A. Hamilton, sergeant-at- arms; Frank T. Fuller, liaison officer. J. H. Dunham, chaplain, and Frank Platz and R. A. O'Brien, color bearers. The creation of three new posts for the %’a"’i!fit of Columbia were ap: roved. ey are Cooley-McCullough | Post. Kenneth H. Nash Post and Lin coln Post. PLEDGE ACTION ON BILL. Patent Office Salary Measure May Come Up Tomorrow. ‘The Lampert bill increasing the salaries and personnel of the patent cce a8 & diTect means sf speedin; industry throughout the epoeunlr)g “l’ promised consideration in the House tomorrow. House Leader Mondell has been be- sieged by more than 100 telegrams urging him to expedite the passage of this legislation. Members of Con- gress from all parts of the country, especlally those from industrial cen- ters, have received telegrams urging them to insist 4bon the patent office bill being considered in the House at the earliest possible moment. e e armament of the vessel navies of the signatory [m):u:: the Contractors Must Give Detalls. ‘Whenever one of the nations makes a contract to build for another pow- er, then it must notify the other sig- natory powers, giving all the details. Although the navai building hulf- day runs for ten years only, there are provisions of the treaty which, it appears, runs until 1937, as indicated yesterday. Special provision is made, as indi- cated yesterday also, to ‘allow the French and Italians to regun and re- d, {armor their present ships if they de- sire without waiting, so that the may have ships with 16-fnch “unl): hich neither now W Hief has, although the lued at $3,000,000 and real estate} stimated at $1,200,000 as belonging | to Waldemar Conrad von Zedtwitz of | Berlin, Germany, son of the Countess Mary Eliza Caldweli von Zedtwitz, sister of Mary Gwendoline Byrd Cald- { well, who gave Caldwell Hall to the | Catholic University of America. The | securities and the title to the realty were in the United Trust Company of New Tork and Henry Cachard as trustees under the will of Countess von Zedtwits. {, Today Garnett D. Ripley of Ken- tucky and other citizens of the United States, heirs of the parents! of the Misses Caldwell, filed a suit in the District Supreme Court against Thomas W. Miller, alien property cus- todian; Waldemar Conrad von Zeid- witz and the trustees to recover the property belonging to the countess under the terms of a treaty by which only a certain time is permitted an alien beneficiary under a will to_ re- duce real estate into money and to remove the same from this country. Being an alien, it is urged, Walde mar ven Zeidwitz could not take title to real estate under the law of Kentucky and other states where the property was located, and by his| faflure to reduce the same to cash| within a reasonable time after the death of his mother in 1910 has lost | his right under the treaty provision. | The plaintiffs also claim 2 lien on| the $3,000.000 of personal property held by the alien property custodian for the accrued rentals from the real estate to which they claim title. They | are represented by Attorneys C. C. Calhoun and W. C. Balderston. —_— I CONFER ON RAILROADS. Secretary Hoover, acting with the approval of President Harding, has entered upon a series of conferences lrelul(ve .to railroad labor questions, in which meetings chiefs of the rail way labor unions and representatives lo( the railroads of the country are participating. A high official of the administra- tion in making this known today said that all of those takinz part in the conferences were hopeful of results which would tend toward the avert- ing of disagreements and strikes. APPEAL TO MR. WEEKS. A delegation representing the American Legion, the Disabled Amer- ican Veterans of the World War, United Spanish War Veterans and Veterans of Foreign Wars called on Becretary ‘Weeks yesterday afternoon and asked that the War Department withdraw its opposition to proposed legislation placing emergency officers disabled in the world war on the re- tired list of the Army. l Secretary Weeks said he favored doing everything possible for dis- abled war veterans and would take the matter under consideration. HAIR BOBBED IN WRECK. ST. JOHNS, N. F., January 10.— Flung headlong through a window when an avalanche of snow swept coaches of Reid-Newfoundland Rail- Wi express train from the rails at Rapid Ponds, Miss Margaret M thews, school teacher, crawled out of & snow drift with bobbed hair in- stead of long tresses. Other than a few minor cuts on the shoulder, she was unhurt. A number of her fellow passengers were slightly injured. i | | been a very strong tendency of late !in that direction and 1 am sure it is essential that such tendency be checked.” —_— FORD TO CONFER HERE ON NITRATE PROPOSAL Will Leave Detroit Thursday or Friday to Meet Secre- tary Weeks. By the Associated Pres: DETROIT, January 10.—Henry Ford will leave Detroit Thursday or Friday for Washington for conference with Secretary Weeks and other government offictals in connection with his offer for the Muscle Shoals, Ala., nitrate and power plants, it was said today at the office of the manufacturer. * Secretary Weeks said today he had not been advised when Henry Ford would arrive in Washington for his conference with respect to his Muscle Shoals_offer, but that an Associated Press dispatch from Detroit saying Mr. Ford would leave Thursday or Friday fitted in well with his information that the manufacturer would be here the latter part of the week. ‘War Department engineers were con- tinuing today their study of the pro- posals submitted by C. C. Tinkler of San Francisco, head of the Construc- tion Company of North America, and Frederick E. Engstrum of Wilmington, N. C., head of the Newport Shipbuild- ing Company, for the Muscle Shoals properties. CAUGHT TAKING PENNIES. Bag of Coins So Heavy Fugitive Is Captured by “Coppers.” NEW YORK, January 10.—Pennies delivered Joseph Ramsey to the “cop- pers” today. The 665 one-cent pieces in the bag he took from a Brooklyn confectionery store were so heavy that a patrolman who gave chase captured him after a short run. “Some luck,” said the prisoner. “I thought it was real money.” —_— DRINK KILLS FIVE. HOBOKEN, N. J., January 10.—Five men died today from drinking poison- ous liquor. The authorities believe the liquor had been obtained from sailors on an incoming steamship. The victims ;e;el Ehml'!xl‘ln‘l, : loonkeeper; udolpl jerle an Paul 1 C.H ‘who oahoud?wfit Lange’ enry 'en an - Illm' Bergen, boarders at lodging houses near the waterfront. The police belleve that James Shee- hy. a longshoreman, who died in Jer- sey City Saturday from drinking poisonous liguor, obtained it from the same sailors who sold it to to- . day’s vlpc!llm& :‘ho poll.«-.':l -u:::.d :: search plers and steamships an effort to prevent further sales