Evening Star Newspaper, January 26, 1922, Page 1

Fair tonight .&7d probably ’tomor- row; slowly rising temperature. Low- est_tonighi about 15 degrees. p.m Highest, 29, a da; Full report on Page 7. Closing New York Stocks, Page 26. No. ;;'8,39:6. Entered as secol SCORES OF Temperature for 24 Rours ended 2 toda Jdbwest, 11, at 7 a.m. toda post office Washington, t 2 p.m. to- Y. 1 nd-class matter D. C “BOOKIES”, FLOURISH IN DISTRICT WITHOUT FEAR OF LAW| { To Be Found Every- | | where Looking for “Easy Money.” RECENT “FAKE TIP” CLEARS THOUSANDS Arrests Bring Smile—Go Right Back to Busi- ness Again. Handbook making is as common as colds in Washington todny._dgspile the activities of the police depart- ment’s “flying squadron.” It is easy as rolling off a slippery log to put a bet on the ponies and get away with it. Every time & handbook man is caught red-handed and haled to court he winks at the policeman who ar- rests him and puts up his bond and walks out of court and down thej street to get busy before all the bets are closed for that day. - He takes it as a matter of course—just a common risk in the business—viewing his ar-{ rest in the same manner an automo- bilist looks on a blown-out tire. It means a little expense and inconven- fence. perhaps, but that's about all. Bookies Abound Everywhere. Bookmaking is going on every- where. A man can't get away from it. On the street corners, in the lunchrooms, in the cigar stores and barber shops, he hears the tips going ‘round on “Silvery Sunbeam” or| “Bucking Baby"” or some other little horse that's down to run that day. And a little money is all that's neces- sary to place a bet. If you are among the initiated, yon can pick up a telephone and call one of several “parties” who are on the inside and place a thousand-dollar bet on a horse, and, win or lose, no money will pass hands for several days, maybe weeks, after the race is run. If you are just a plain, ordinary fel- low with no overcoat, and a few dol- lars in your pocket you are willing to risk on the speed of a horse, you can take post on one of several cor- | ners or in one of several cigar stores, barber shops or restaurants in Wash- ington and pretty soon pass over your last eent to the man with a fur coat and smoking an expensive cigar. Maybe you lose, maybe you win—its all in the game. Families Made Dentitytes It’s the latter class—the small fry— that suffer from the handbooking in ‘Washington. It's the man With no overesat, who may have a wife and baby at home or an old mother to support. He’s the “big man's” game. And he is the man for whom a cam- paign against bookmaking should be directed; according to the police. There are scores of cases brought to the attention of the police where families are made destitute by the Jove of gambling of the breadwinner; a weakness catered to by the hand- book men. Letters, many of them un- signed, e sent to the “flying squad- ron,” asking that the police do some- thing to stop an evil that means loss -n'dl‘ hrulnn.llo:. . ““Thot who haven't ths money, shouldn’t try this game,” an omd'z! said the other day. “But you might as well try to change human nature as to argue that way. What's needed 18 a cleaning out of the handbook men— putting them in jail and keeping, them there until the temptation is put out of the way of the ‘goats.’ " Clean Up on Fake Tip. ‘These men—the little men, the men who have five dollars but no over- coat—are made the victims of a big “clean up” once or twice a year. * A case is remembered here of a partic- ular clean-up that took the salaries of scores, maybe hundreds, of govern- ment clerks and store employes. The thing was worked from -the inside of a ring here in Washington. A “tip” started in the government printing office—a “tip” that said that such and such a horse was sure to win and bets could be placed on him at the limit—15 to 1. It doesn’t take a tip long to get started in Washington. It spreads like wild= fire through an underground channel that stretches into every portion of the city. Within two hours after the tip had gotten its start monev began 1o pour into the hands of local book- ' makers. Let's call the horse “Shrink- lnfi Violet.” verybody at noon hour was talk- ing about “Shrinking Violet,” an though the money placed on ‘that| horse mounted into the thousands; the odds failed to decrease. To make a long story short, “Shrinking Vio- Jet” failed to place that day. One bookmaker alone was known to have cleaned up something like _$35,000. He was the one, by the way, who started the tip. Regarded “Dishonest” by Pullman. “Handbook makers are known’ to be t most dishonest kind of gam- blers,” the late Maj. Raymond Pull- man, superintendent of police, said in one of his annual reports. Commenting on the same thing, MaJ. Harry Gessford, retired superin- tendent, said: ‘“Very satisfactory progress resulted in the matter of se- curing evidence and a great many arrests were made for violation of this law. Out of a very large number of arrests, however, only a few cases ‘were brought to trial, most of the de- fendants being released on bond pending trial, during which time some were rearrested on the same charge. “While it is realized that the dock- eots in our courts are much congested, it is suggested that if there could be ‘brought about a more prompt dispo- sition of these cases the police would be materially assisted in the eventual elimination of this insidious form of gambling. It would also. have a de. terrent effect upon prospective hand- book makers if they knew absolutely that once caught ip‘the act of violat- lngl the law speedy prosecution would follow.” Not Any Go to Jail ‘Where is the remedy? In some quarters it is pointed out that Ma). Gessford's statement that “only & few cases were brought to trial” has = meaning full of sig- nificance. ~Prompt trial and the . im ison sentences, "be_unconstitutional. COURT ORDERS “IVORIES” INTO PLAY TO SETTLE CRAPSHOOTERS™ TERMS By the Asociated Press. NEWBERN, N. C., January 26.— A practical application of the pro- verbial joke told on the late Judge Crutchfield of Richmond, Va., in regard to his method of sentenc- ing “crapshooters” was made by Judge Edward L. Stewart, recor- der of Beaufort county court, when he let five negroes charged with gambling sentence themselves with their own dice. When the negroes pleaded guilty to the charge Judge Stewart asked one of them for the cubes, which were quickly produced. He told them he would let each de- fendant roll the bones one time and would sentence them to serve as many months on the road as the dice indicated. The negroes began to roll and talk to the dice, and they received sentences rang- ing from three to twelve months on the chaingang. Judge Stewart later changed sentences to fines. Secihe FARMERS WORK ON METHODS OF RELIEF Pinchot in Plea for Nation’s Forests—Ball Sees Need of Greater Food Supply. Propesals to take the United States forest service out of the Department of Agriculture were scored by Gifford Pinchot of Pennsylvania, In an ad- dress at today’s session of the na- tional agricultural conference at the New Willard Hotel. Such proposals, Mr. Pinchot said, are proposals “to check the progre: of forest preservation in America, and are hostile to the interest of the farmers of the country. His state- ment was roundly applauded by the conference. Utilization of scientific research in | production of a sound agricultural policy was considered generally by the conference today, set addresses concluding the formal program, the remaining portion of the conference to be given over to committee reports and their consideration. Pinchot Urges New Law. * Mr. Pinchot, presenting the need for a national forestry policy, drew applause when he told the delegates “there 18 & §Youp of men up hers on the hill, most of .them not fArmers, who have earned the everlastin, titude of every farmer in the Unil mntu for what they have done for em.* ‘With five-sixths of the virgin timber of the United States gone; “we are réplacing by growth only one-foyrth of what we cut,” Mr. Pinchot to}d the conference. ’ “When a house is on fire,” he said, “the first thing is to stop the fire. Replanting, fire prevention, and the saving of what timber lands still remain on the public domain and the Indian reservations are each of great importance, but the first thing is to put an end to forest devastation.” Mr. Pinchot advocated a natiopai forestry law, to become effective at once. If the 460,000,000 acres of tim- berland remaining produced fifty cubic féet per acre per year, they could almost meet the present needs, he pointed out, adding that only fif- teen cubic feet per acre was now pro- dl’xrl:ed. 'he need of greater food supply for an increasing population wag Y outs lined for the delegates by Dr. E. D. (Continued on Page 2, Column 7.) —_—— IPOLIGE SEE PUZZLE IN DISTRICT BILL Police Court officlals were puzzled today over a proviso written into the | new District appropriation bill as re- ported in' the House Tuesday. After appropriating $9,000 for the compensation of jurors in Police Court, the bill reads: afe “Provided, that none of the money appropriated in this act shajl be avajl- able for the payment of jurors’ unless the actual cost of flie trl:l ’1'::; s - WASHINGTON, D. C, FURTHER BREACH OF ORGANIC ACT ‘Sinking Fund Provisions Now Put on New 60-40 Ratio. HERETOFORE TREATED ON THE 50-50 BASIS Joint Congressional Committee of 1915 Found That Half-and-Half Law Should Govern. While the District appropriation bill |as it comes from the House commit- tee follows exactly in its appropria- tive clauses the same formula that has prevailed in the last two fiscal enactments, it makes one important change in both fact and principle, to the disadvantage of the District, and in departure from the previous prac- tice. It provides a fund of $400,000.to meet interest and sinking fund charges for the funded debt of the District, payable at the ratio of 60 per cent from the District revenues and 40 per cent from the federal rev- enues. Heretofore this sinking funa item has been kept on the fifty-fifty ratio. It was so stated in the esti- | mates submitted by the Commisston- ers and by the budget bureau. The sinking fund item has hereto- fore been tréated consistently in a class of its own as a contractual co- ligation. The joint congressional committee on fiscal relations betvjeen the District and the general govern- ment made that distinction in 1915, and Congress has recognized the equity of the fifty-fifty ratio as ap- plied to the debt even when it has changed the ratio in other respects. It is now proposed for the first time to break down the hitherto preserved rule in respect to this contractual joint participation in debt extinction and on the very eve of the final liqui- dation of the debt- which, it is esti- mated, will be extinguished August 1, 1924, Joint Committee’s Report. In its report to Congress the joint committee on fiscal relations in 1915 said: We find that the interest on the funded debt should be paid by moneys from the 'Treasury of the United States and 50 per cent charged to the Diatrict of Columbia from the moneys of the United State: % The “funded debt” consists entirel of 3.65 bonds (20 Called because the rate of interest they bear) of the District of Columbia, lmo:atln’ at this date to §6,223,000, ai ol 'mlfl:t $975,408 is pald yearly, one- hal the revenues of the District of Columbia and one-half by the moneys of the United States. The time of payment of this funded debt extends to the year 1924, but with an annual appropriation of ap- proximately $975,408 the debt will be two prior to 1924, and when paid the District of Columbia will have no other funded debt. ‘This funded debt had its origin in the very extragrdinary expenditures for city improvements, principally the streets and avenues, the construction of sanitary sewers, the planting of trees and generally the rebuilding and re-equipment of the city of Wash- ington from a then existing deplora- ble condition of utility and sanita- tion along the lines of a great na- tional capital which it was intended :;‘7 be and which destiny it is fulfill- 8. Move for New Basic Law. These expenses accumulated between 1871 and 1874 in very large amounts, Columbla and its citizens, which bur- dens became fully realized and for which relief was first sought by the act of June, 1874, providing, among other things, “That a joint select: committee shall be appolnted, consisting of two senators, to be appointed by the presiding officer of the Senate, and two members of the House, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, whose duty it shall be to prepare a suitable frame of government for the District of Columbia and appropriate drafts of statutes to be enacted by Congress for carrying the same into effect, and. re- port the same to the two houses, re- spectively, on the first day of the next session thereof; and they shall also pre- pare and submit to Congress a state- ment of the proper proportion of the expenses of said government, or any branch thereof, including interest on the funded debt, which should be borne by said -District and the United States, re- 8| ively, together with the reasons beitaxen o t of the e uporl which their conclusions may be judgment rendered therefor. to by | beSed-" ; i paid by the unsuccessful litigant,| The Principle of broportional pay- Provided, further, that no person, I default of payment thercof. shall ba imprisoned on that account.” e language of the proviso indicate that a man Gemanding. o Jury trial would have to pay for the Jury in cvent SF convietion, ne Police Court official the belief that such & oourse masey of man: - strictions which nppnr'inn:l:: ar;- Ppropriation bill as it now stands Prohibits Ash Collection. -~ Another clause in th “pro- F;:::.;gtheh Gammlulonn: lhfil‘)lr‘n Dro. ashes or miacellane from apartment o5 or " iates ;))t‘:l{dxln‘ houses, strict collects-"this waste from small apartment houses, large ones. - o SRaty it trean Another “proviso propriations would This is one in the school. ap- hibi Com- miscioners from mnkh}‘m:p the work on a building into - tracts. i;tdrex\ds: AL “Provided, That none of the mon appropriated by this act shall be p.fii or obligated toward the construction | of or addition to any' building, the ' whole and entire construction of which shall not have been awarded in one or a single contract to the | lowest bidder complying with all the legal requirements as to a deposit of money or the execution of a bond or both for th ithful performance of the contract. This restriction, however, would not apply to contracts already awarded, an: | tnereiore. wil ool int.i.re with work on the new Eastern High School, which was not let edtirely in one contract. The foundation of the Eastern High School was by George Hyman and the superstruc-ion and principal ture hes been awar contractor, G > ments on the funded debt account was established in the sundry civil act of 1874. President Grant {n his message in December of that year noted spe- cifically this principle and subsequent enactment in 1875 further established it. The joint committee In its report quotes from the debates to show the intent to maintain a partnership of obligation in the discharge of this District indebtedne: Controller’s Decision. Noting that the organio act of June the debt of the District by definite apportionment on the fifty-fifty basis, the joint committee recited an opinion rendered. by the Controller of the Treasury, January 3, 1914, in which he reached the following conclusion: “It remains for us, upon the prem- ises thus,-as I believe, satisfactorily established, to predicate proper. con- S5O he _indebtea c ited e _indel ness represente by the 3.65 bonds was lnd:ht.dnu- of the District of Columbia, and not gnm:n &.::- the 3:“&"“»‘&'«'.' of the ,-and - the District of Columbta. * 7 o “3. To restore the cri f the District of Columbia, mnkat-mo p?:- ble to creditors of the District 3.65 bonds by a guarantee of payment, and: assume the to-be-determined equitable proportion to be contributed by the United States toward the ex- penses of the District, the United | States covenanted with the holders g’ :{xlml:):nd- !h:ht it would pro'vlhd‘n. xation on the property wit the District, a portion g: t’h‘. rcval: nues necessary to pay the'interest of these bonds, and ded to- another| that it would provide the other por-|ury ‘of —-— ltion, to be-d: treasurer 184, .by. appropria- INNEWD. C.BILL) henis WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION ! \ \‘ n Star. THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 1922.--THIRTY-FOUR PAGES. “We stand in our very tracks, just where we were when the votes were counted.”—]J. M. Cox. PRESDENTT0OPEN FGHTFORLLS.AD TOAMERIGAN SHPS Message to Congress Soon Will,Propose Indirect and Direct Help. BY DAVID LAWRENCE. President Harding will go to Con- gross in a fortnight and read a special message advocating government aid to an American merchant marine. After several months of study, a plan has been completed which takes into account many of the traditiona! mense losy In the futupe on the shipe HEADS GIRL SCOUTS. Mrs. Herbert Hoover Elected Na- tional President. SAVANNAH, Ga., January 26.—Mrs. Herbert Hoover of Washington, D. C,, today was elected national president of the Girl Scouts of America, at the annual convention in session here. IPROPOSE IMPROVED RETIREMENT LAW Conference Today in Sena- tor Sterling’s Office Con- siders Plans. | | important conference in SETTLEMENT NEAR INSHANTUNG CASE LEADERS BELIEVE Meeting of President and Minister Sze Proves Very Great Help. BY G. GOULD LINCOLN. Settlement of the Shantung con- troversy, through the good offices of President Harding, is expected in con- ference circles today. The interview between the President and Minister Sgze of the Chinese dele- Proposals for improving and de-!gation on the Shantung matters yes- Senator | clined to state what had been sald by fnvoluntarily placed in its possession ) Sterling's office today. Attending the ! the President at this meeting in the jduring the war,, Limif made by private opetstors’ is one feature, and & system of indirect as well as direct alds is another. May Approve Lasker Plan. The President very likely will give his approval to the Lasker plan, whith contemplates putting the fully and completely paid a year of | smerican merchant marine on a pay- ing basis in a short time by means of a temporary subsidy. It means that instead of a permanent subsidy, the plan when worked out will within ten establishing, grading and paving of ( years. make it possible for American ships to operate without direct aid. The plan looks toward the stimula- tion of the American merchant marine rather than to permanent bounties. The President has approved the deep waterways project whereby the great lakes will be closer to the ocean-going trade and get the direct benefit of an increased merchant ma- rine. This will prabably insure the support of the agricultural middle west, which has hitherto been lulke- warm to subsidy programs. ‘The subject will be a non-partisan burdensome upon both the District of | one, as leading democrats like Sena- tor Ransdell of Louisiana and other members of Congress from southern states with ocean ports will be vi- tally Interested in the success of the program. Philippine Trade Coastwise. Briefly, the system of indirect aid contemplates an amendment to ex- isting law whereby traffic to and from the Philippines shall be consid- ered as ‘“coastwise trade.” Only American ships can ply in coastwise trade, and the inclusion of ‘the Phil- ippines in coastwise trade will mate- rially help American ships plying through the Panamaecanal and from Pacific ports to the Philippines. Similarly it is intended to give American ships the business hitherto done by the Army transport service. Also it will be provided by 12w that at least-50 per cent of the immigrants coming -t6~ the United States shall travel in American ships. . . These, three systems of: indirect aid will in many cases bring enough revenue to enable private American ship companies to operate at a profit without any further government ald. The hope is that eventually all ship- ping concerns will be able to get along with indirect aid. The government's plan contem- plates a system of automatic diminu- canference _were Senator mittee . on retirement from the civil service, John 8. Beach, in charge of i Sterling. | White House, -but gaid he desired to tation of the profits that can be | Chairman Lehlbach of the House com- ' have it understood that the call made upon the President was at his, Min- ster Sze's, request, and that the Pres- ident had not summoned him to the the retirement division in the United | White House. States pension office, the three actu- aries who have worked on the re- tirement fund and two members of the Civil Service Commission. One of the most important subjects discussed was the need for more com- plete service records on all govern- ment employes, to be kept probably by the Clvil Service Commission as the most logical custodian. ‘The conference discussed the cost, both present and prospective, of the retirement system. The report was en- larged upon and certain features dis- cussed at length. Plans for future financing were given very serious | conslderation. :lun‘lh was that of additional bene- | fits that are being sought by certain classes of those retired under the act. Following the conference those who had participated said that no de- cision had been reached on any one {of the many matters discussed. —_——— GOV. REILY GREETED BY CHEERING THOUSANDS Unbounded Enthusiasm Prevails When New Executive Arrives at San Juan. By the Asmociated Press, SAN JUAN, January 26.—Gov. E. }Mom. Reily, upon his arival from New |York at 11 o'clock last night, was greeted by a crowd of many thousand Porto Ricans, who had stood patiently throughout the evening awaiting his arrival. As the governor stepped to the exit of the pler to enter his automobile, in which his family was waiting, the crowd swept through the police guard and swarmed about the governor. Be- fore the police could regain control of the crowd it had started on foot to the governor's palace, half a mile away, with Gov. Reily in the center of the moving mass. throng was so great that it required forty-five minutes to reach the palace. Upon !arrival there the governor made a brief midnhight address, in which ke tion of direct aid as soon as revenue thanked the people for the enthusiastic (Continued on Page 2, Column 4.) ‘welcome. Another topic that was discussed at; Minister 8ze said that he believed | the interview with the President had ——————————————————— ettt | tlo’n out of the revenues of the United tes. . By the organic act of June 11, 11, 1878, provided for the payment of|1878, the poftion to be provided by taxation on the property and privi- leges in the District was declared to be 50 per cent and the portion to be apportioned out of the funds of the United States 50 per cent, and that has ever since remained and now is the law. “4. The liability of the United States to the holders of the 3.65 bonds .is, therefore, that of a guarantor that one-half of the principal and inter- est of these Bonds will be paid .out of the revenues of the District’ de- rived from taxation on the property and privileges in the District, and that of & promisor that it will pro- vide for the payment of the other the| hair by appropriations out of the Treasury of the United States. “I have, therefore, to advise you that under the ‘act making appropria- tions to provide for the expenses of the government of the- District of Columbia for thé fiscal year ending June 30, 1914, and for other purposes’ (87 Stat., 938), payment to be made during sald year of interest on and sinking fund for the payment of the funded debt in question should be made within the limits of the amount appropriated for sald purpose with moneys withdrawn from the Treas- the Uni States in-accordance with y the ; priation -zcmn?uuu s 2 of the act of March 3, 1883 (22 Stat., 470), and B0 per cent thereof charged to the révenues of the District of Columbia and 50 per cent thereof charged to the amount appropriated for the expenses of the District from the moneys of the United States, and the money so paid should be ac- counted for accordingly.” December 15, 1914, the joint com- mittee noted further, the controller rendered another opinion on the same matter adhering to and reafirming his previous decision. The Committee’s Conciusion. The joint fiscal committee conclud- ed its report on this subjéct with the following language: “It 1a our opinion that the original in- tent, the understanding of members of Congress, the gavarying practice of the laws of appropriation, the Iaw deli- mitely’ fixing the respective apportion- ment of payment, and, above all, the Justice of the matter, as affecting the | general goverament, the holders of { the bonds, and the District of Colum- bin, lead certainly to the comclusion h years, the provisions of the various “,1; been most helpful. Mr. Hughes Also Present. “The Secretary of tate, Mr. Hughes, was present, as, of course, he always is when I see the President officially,” said Minister Sze. “I found that the President had a very thor- ough knowledge of the entire Shan- tung matter. He was most sympa- thetic.” As the result of the interview, the| Chinese delegation is understood to have sent last night a cable to Peking, and it is believed that this cable will lay before the Chinese government such suggestions as the President| made with regard to the settlement of the troublesome question of the Kiaochow-Tsinanfu railroad in Shan- tung. Furthermore, it is believed that these ! suggestions, coming from the President | of the United States, which has shown itself consistently the friend of China, both before the beginning of t»> Wash: ington conference and during the con- ference, will have much weight with the Chinese government. The appeal of the Chinese minister to the President was made in accord with the general understanding which has existed between the Chinese and Japanese delegations here that the ¥good offices” of the Americans and British might be used in the cansidera- tion of the Shantung problem. Meet Again Today. There will be a meeting of the Ja- panese and Chinese delegates this afternoon on the Shantung question, | but it Is not expected that the all- important matter of the railroad will be discussed, it was said by Minister Sze. A number of minor matters, re- lating to -claims, etc., remain to be discussed. ¥ 5 The Japanese ambassador. Baron Shidehara, called upon Minister Sze last night, and, while the details of the conversation have mot been made public, ¥~ is believed to have helped the situation. Compromise proposals for eettle- ment of the controversy over Shantung. railroad have been under eonsideration for some time, it is known, and the situation has nar rowed down to where one of these proposals is understood to be accept ble to Japan and is waiting the ap- roval of the Chinese. It is believed that Minister Sze's a P! call upon the President was to ask | his advice upon particulars of this; proposal. The Chinese minister said today that the Chinese must be assured, in any settlement of the Shantung question, that China is to have entire control over the Shantung railroad, and that the agreement must provide at least for ultimate control by the Chinese. Settlement Seems Certaln. The feeling in conference circles | iis that ithe Shantung matter is going | to be settled and that what President Harding had to say last night will prove helpful in bringing about a solution of this matter, which is now delayinig the entire Washington co ference. President Harding was a. sured, it is understood, that the Jap- gdnese were entirely willing to have him act as he has in the matter. ‘The tommittee on -the far east of ‘Washington conference, which was to have met this morning, post- poned its meeting until tomorrow a: ernoon, The drafting committds, it is understood, has been unable to work out a plan yet for handling the ques- tion " of wireless communications in China. It has half a dozen resolutions in regard-to this matter before it. The 'drafting committee today tinuéd its labors, and it was would be able to present resolutions to the far east committee for action wheg it meéts tomorrow. Member of the Associsted Press The Associated Press is exclusively.entjtied to the use for republication of all news dispatches credited to it or not otherwise credited iu this paper and also the local news published berein. the con- hoped Al rights dispatchies of publication of special hertin are aiso reserved. Yesterday's FIVE DIE OF EATING POISONOUS GREENS Birthday Dinner to Idaho Girl Re- sults in Tragedy to Brothers and Sisters. Dy the Associated Press. BOISE, 1daho, January 25.—The death toll stood at five today in the family of Charles W. Tuttle, Cambridge, as a result of botulinus poisoning from euting preserved greens at a birthday dinner Sunday for Harriet Tuttle, youngest member of the family. Two daughters and three sons are dead and the father is not expected to live. Miss Bessie Clare, fifteen, a guest, ‘and Russell Tuttle,” another son, who also partook of the poisonous vegetables. have not yet shown symp- toms of the polsoning. Tuttle's daughters preserved the greens. 115 NOTTO JOIN IN GENOA PARLEY, OFFICIALS INDICATE Would Look With More Favor on One Taking Place at Later Date. By the Associated Press. Indications were given in official circles today that the United States| is adverse to participation in a gen- eral European economic conference, should such a meeting be held at the time set for the Genoa gathering, but would look with more favor on a conference to be held at a later dne.{ The Genoa meeting, it was asserted, | would be in position to obtain more satisfactory results, 'in the opinion of some government officials, if more time were given for conditions in Europe to stabilize. The Genoa conference is scheduled to open March 8. | 1 i | { 1 | ! | International Good Sought. The United States, high officials ex- | plained, probably would be glad to take part in a later conference from which some international good could ! be expected, but would hardly be- conie a party to a gathering at which} individual interests might be seeking individual ends. This view, of course, officiais de- clared, would be this country's gen- eral attitude toward any conference of an economic nature without especial reference to the Genoa as- sembly, but it was indicated that this country as yet had not received full jinformation regarding the questions i which would or would not be taken up for deliberation. May Postpone Parley. There has been no official intima- tion of a possible postponement of the date of the Genoa conference, but in officlal circles the belief was ex- pressed that the supreme council may decide to poStpone the meeting. (GAS HEATER USERS WARNED T0 SAFETY Woman’s Death Brings Ad- vice to Buy Those With Flame Protected. Fire Chief George Watson today ad- vised the people of Washington to buy gas heaters in which the flame is so protected that it will not easily come in contact with wearing ap- parel. He was prompted to make the appeal by the death of Mrs. Sarah C. Cross, sixth-one, of 1359 E street southeast, who was fatally burned yesterday when her dress caught fire from a gas heater. Rats The fire chief also took occasion to warn users of gas heaters of the danger of rubber tubing. Metal- I cavered tubing is not only safer, but | more enduring, he said. | Commissioner Oyster, who super- i vises the police and fire departments, revenues of the District of Columbia | projudices against ship subsidies and | veloping the clvil service retirement | terday afternoon was held at the re- | and 50 per cent charged to amount|aitempts at the same time to save|benefits for superannuated govern- ' quest of Minister Sze, the Chinese appropriated for the expenses of "‘GIlhe American government from im-|ment employes were considered at an ! minister said today. Minister Sze de- { from gas heaters would be greatly reduced by an educational campaign to instruct the public in the danger of getting too close to such heaters. The Commisslonér said he would mine how the fire. department might co-operate in preventing tragedies such as befell Mrs. Cross: should be made in such a manner that it would be difficult for a per- i son’s clothing to come in contact { with the flames. { Records of the fire department show that during 1921 many fires were | caused by small oil stoves haying i been placed too close to beds, cur- tains and partitions. This is a source of fire which could be prevented by | lic, department officials believe. Today’s News In Brief nited States not to participate in UGanol parley, officials indicate. {to_the northeast that Central | School icluded from the estimates. expressed the opinion that casuaities | confer with Chief Watson to deter- ! Chief Wat- ' son said he believed all gas heaters: greater care on the part of the pub- | Net Circulation, 92,026 TWO CENTS. 85 PER ENT LOPPED OFF ORIGINAL SUM ASKEDFORSTREETS House Appropriations Com- mittee Leaves But $113,600 of Request for $801,037. CIVIC LEADERS AMAZED BY SWEEPING REDUCTION Commissioners Believed They Had Cut Estimates to Limit—Items Thrown Out. Comparison between the original estimates of the Commissioners for street improvements and the figures for these items contained in the District appropriation bill for the fiscal year 1923 today revealed the fact that $5 per cent of the first items was washed off in passage through budget and initial legislative channels. The Commissioners submitted $801.- 037 as their street improvement esti- mates. The allotments granted in the District appropriation bill as reported to the House by the House appropria- tions committee are exactly $113,600. or a bit less than 15 per cent of the original. Civic Leaders Startled. Friends of local street improvement looked askance when the office of tie budget cut down the Commissioners’ estimates to $275,900, a reduction of more than 60 per cent. But it was with surprise that civic leaders learned that the House committee had wielded a keener blade on the appropriations, even than Gen. Dawes. The committee di- vided his figures in two, and left the smaller portion of $113,600 for District streets of the future. When the appropriation for street improvement was made lasi year, it was thought that the sum of $144,840 was to go down .in local history as the smallest appropriation from thenceforth for such a purpose. But if this cut of $31,240 were to he made an annual affair on Capitol Hill, esti- mators have figured out, the District in four years' time would be limited to an appropriation of $19.980 for street improvements, which would do nicely for the. paving of approXi- mately three city blocks. Declare $2,500,000 Needed. Experts on District streets do not hesitate to estimate $2,600,000 as the figure needed to put Washington's roadways- into first-class condition. As a matter of fact, the Commission- lers themselves did considerable red pencil work in pruning estimates before sending them to Director of the - Budget Dawes. That §801,037 estimate left the District building confldent of passing through the budget office and emerging only 30 per cent disabled. When the figures came out, however, they emerged only 40 per cent whole. For instance, there's that matter of repaving the granite block roadway of 7th street from Pennsylvania ave- nue to B street southwest, in the im- mediate vicinity of Center marke: and the Mall. The cost was listed at $35,400. It wasn't listed at all upon exit from the budget bureau. ‘Another proposition was the paving of East Capitol street from 15th street 10 15th street. Eastern High School will be located in this vicinity. It will be bounded by East Capitol street, 17th street and 19th street northeast. The item was intended to provide a suitable roadway to the fu- ture educational and civic center of Northeast Washington. The new Eastern High School. it is declared, will occupy the same relative status Hign does in the northwest. An auditorium will be provided for the benefit of the public, and one of the main reasons for including the East Capitol street improvement in theses- timates was to furnish a convenient means of entry to the high school section for the convenience of East ‘Washingtonians en route to the audi- torium. Two Other Instances. There were two instances also where roadways forming connecting: links with the suburbs and Maryland were ex- One was for the paving of Rhode lsland avenue northeast, from 12th street to 16th | street. This stretch of roadway forms ithe virtual connecting link between { Mount Rainier, Woodridge, Langdon, the Maryland suburbs and the city prop- er. ‘The other was the paving of the ' west side of Connecticut avenue from iChappel road to Chevy Chase Circle, bringing the District into transporta- | tional touch with Chevy Chase, the country clubs and Maryland routes out of the city. The first mentioned would | 2ave cost $45,000, and the second esti- | mate was for $58,500. Both these items were given the stamp of approval by the budget bureau, but fell before the | red pencil on Capito] Hill. | Brookland suffered by the exclusion {of an appropriation for $17.200 to pave 12th street northeast, from Michigan avenue to Upshur streat. The Cqmmissioners had pruned down a preliminary estimate In this vicinity from $27,200 to this figure. The origi- nal proposal was for paving 12th street from Michigan avenue to Tay-, lor street and from Qtis street to Page 1 Senate probe asked of alleged combine ing lease of Muscle Shoals. oppeting Page 1 Farmers study new relief measures. i Page 1 Users of gas heaters warned to buy L:hon wl{h flame protected. Page 1 House appropriations committee lop- ped 85 per cent off original request for District of Columbia !(re;l.. Extra tax on tobacco to raise funds for soldier bonus is considered pos- sible. Page 2 Clash of state vs. church looms in election ‘of Pope. Page 3 Arms conference here arouses. new apirit in China.. o - Mrs. Rosier asks_forgiveness at bier of slain husband. Page 4 Rail unfon heads seek to form labor coalition. Page 4 System of parks from Washington to Baltimore is urged. Page 1 an 35 per cent of white people !‘l;.Dtalrch of Columbia born Mpre'.’ Page 13 Cox, at Jackson day banquet, assails Harding policies. ‘Page 18 Mother of girl defends Rickard in e 19 ichigan avenue at the respective co! of $11,200, and $16,000. This also got past the budget bureau to mleet its death in committee room. A few of the items which went from the Commissioners to the budget of- fice, but which did not emerge there- from, follow. Other Items Dropped. Repaving granite block roadway, 14th street northwest, from C street northwest to Be street southwest, $30,000. % Paving Georgia avenue from Mil- itary road to Piney Branch road, $49.000. Paving Nichols avenue southeast, from the south entrance of St.' Elisa- beth’s Hospital to Portland street, Repaving of the granite block road- ‘way of 11th street southeast from Po- tomac avenue to the Anacostia bridge, $33.500. ¢ Paving 20th street from Virginia avenue to E street, §1 . Repaving of granite block roadway inD street from 6th to 7th street, 1. 4 200. Vil Pa; A% ven: from {Continued on 2, Column 3&