Evening Star Newspaper, February 1, 1922, Page 1

er tonight; -lowest temp night slightly.above freezing. Temperature for twenty-four hours Highest, 45, at 1 p.an. yesterday:| lowest, 13, at 7 a.m. rt see page 7. i cnded at 2 p.m. {oday: I today. For full re "WEATHER. Rain tonight and tomorrow; warm- erature to- Closing New York Stocks, Page 27. No. 28,402, Entered as second-class matter post offce Washington, D. C. [ —— 5 Mhenen CONFERENCE ADOPTS NAVY PACT AND FAR EASTERN AGREEMENT; BRITAIN HANDS BACK WEI-HAI-WEI Full Text of Naval Treaty - Presented to Arms Parley Final Settlement on Shantung Is Reached. EVENTS MOVE FAST AT PLENARY SESSION Balfour Lauds Labor of Mr. Hughes as *“Crown- ing” Work. BY G. GOULD LINCOLN. Adoption of the naval limitation treaty and of a separate treaty limit- ing the use of submarines in war and forbidding the use of poison gas, formal announcement of the set- tlement of the Shantung question, and the promise of restitution by the British to China of the leased terri- tory of Wei-hai-Wei are outstanding features of the fifth open plenary| on of the Washington conference ! today in Memorial Continental Hall.| The reading of the Shantung agree- ment, which puts an end to the long controve between China and | Japan over the former &erman! lcasehold, was unexpected. Tt w: laid before the conference by Secre- tary Hughes. Minister Sze, a mem- | Ler of the Chinese delegation, voiced ! his gratification for the scrvices: rendered by President Harding aud Secretary Hughes and Mr. Balfour, lead of the British delegation, at; bringing about this desired settle-| ment. Assures Entire Return. The announcement of Great Brit-| in's intention to return to China the feased territory of Wel-Hai-Wei was officially by Mr. Balfour, and| was the on of applause As Secreta said a moment! Jater, t ment, assures China the return of all the territory in China's mést sacred Jossession, the province of Shantung. 'As chajrman of the conference Sec- retary Hughes also presented the im- portant resolutions relating to China, Which in recent weeks had been adopted by the far east committee, dealing with the open door in Chin The publication of existing conces- | sions and commitments of China, the radio communications in China, the Chinese railways. the withdrawal of foreign post offices and the with- drawal of foreign troops from Chinese; territory. | These resolutions were formally!! assented to by the powers attending the conference. They will be em- bodied later in a treaty or conven- tion. oce Hughes s with the Shantung agree- | Submarine Treaty Up. The treaty on the use of subma- rines in war and forbid@ifig the useT™ of poison gas was laid before the conference by Elihu Root of the ‘American delegation at the request of Secretary Hughes. The treaty fol-| Jows the resolutions previously adopt- | ed by hte committee on limitations of armaments. 1t restates viding that s international law pro- | bmarines must act in | the same way as surface vessels in regard to merchant craft during a war. It further provides that sub- nes shall not be used as com- merce destroyers during war, and provides that the submarinc com- mander violating this rule shall be a pirate. ¥ also prohibits the use of as or other similar chemicals < weapons of war. The assent of other nations of the world to this treaty will be asked. i On’a roll call of the five delegations | the submarine treaty formally | approved The session adjourned at 2:36 p.m. to meet again at the call of the chair. Parley Moves Fast: After Fifth Open Session Is Convened By the Associated Press. he fifth open session of the arms conference was called to order just| after 11 o'clock today for the presen- tation of the naval limitation treaty and the special treaties limiting the use of submarines and poison gases ! “The exact moment of the opening of | man Hughes began with the resolutions adopted in the far eastern committee. He brought in first the resolution of December 12 for with- 1 of foreign post offices from! China. Without discussion the post| office resolution was adopted and the, conference then went on to other far eastern resolutions. Many Spectators Stand. Every seat in the conference hall was | occupied and many spectators stood. “The audience included cabinet officers, Supreme Court justices, members of Congress and other official ' The committee resolution providing for withdrawal of foreign troops from China also was adopted unanimously. nnounced that the | inese ssolution would be | ed over for the present because of 1 considerations affecting it. It the conference er. he said, embodied in a customs treaty. ’ In quick succession the two open- door resolutions and the two resolu- tions pledging against discriminatory railroad practice in China were adopt- ed_without debate. The declaration of the powers ing Chin reduce her milit forces and the resolution for publicity | of foreign commitments in China fol- | Jowed the same rapid pathway to adoption. Radie Resolution Adopted. The conference ‘then adopted the Chinese radio resolution of December | with the accompanying declara-| ons_of principles by the powers and by China. already made public. speci would_come befor tions. and Chairman Hughes an- nounced, amid applause, that he had Dbeen informed that the Shantung con- troversy “has been settled.” The chairman then read the points of agreement between the Japanese ‘nd Chinese in regard to Shantung, ihe substance of which previously had been announced by the two dele- gations concerned. The big program, which had re- quired months of steady work, went through quietly. Territory Return Provided. The Shantung treaty between China and Japan. consisting of eleven atticles in addition to a number of annexes, provides for return by Japan to China of the territory and property in Shan- ung. as_reported previously. . The Japanese agreed to turn over the Shantung railway at a valuation of ,000,000 gold marks plus Japanese expenditures - for permanent improve- ments, with allowanaces for deprecia- tion, in return for Chinese treasury. notes running fifteen vears, but re-| The text of the naval treaty agreed on by the conference on limitation on | armament follows: The United States of America, the British Empire, France, ltaly | and Japan; | Desiring’ to contribute to the | maintenance of the general peace, and to reduce the burdens of com< petition in armament: Have resolved, with a view to accomplishing these purposes, to conclude a treaty to limit their respectice naval armament, and to that end have appointed as their plenipotentiaries; The President of the United States of America: Charles Evans Hughes, | Henry Cabot Lodge, | Oscar W. Underwood, Elihu Root, - Citizens of the United States; His majesty the kimg of the united kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British | dominions beyond the seas, em- | peror of India: The Rt. Hon. Arthur James Balfour, O. M., M. P., lord president of his privy council; The Rt. Hon. Baron Lee of Fareham, G. B. E, K. C. B, first lord of his ad- miralty; The Rt. Hon. Sir Auckland Campbell Geddes, K. C. B., Ris plenipotentiary to the United States of America; and for the Dominion of Canada: The Rt Hon. Sir Robert Laird Borden, G. C. M. G., K. C.: For the commonwealth of Aus- tralia: Senator the Rt. Hon. George Foster Pearce, minister for home and territories; | For the Dominion of New Zea- land: | The Hon. Sir John William | Salmond, K. C., judge of | the supreme court of New Zealand; For the Union of South Africa: | The Rt. Hon. Arthur James Balfour, O. M., M. P.; | For India: | The Rt. Hon. Valingman Sankaranarayana _ Srini- vasa Sastri, member of the Indian council of state; The president of the French re- public: Mr. Albert Sarraut. deputy, minister of the colonies; Mr. Jules J. Jusserand, am- | bassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to the | Tnited States of America, grand cross of the national | order of the Legion of Honor: | His majesty the king of Italy. The Hon. Carlo Schanzer, | senator of tho kingdom; | The Hon. Vittorfo Rolandi, | Ricci, senator of the king. = -dom,” his ambassador ex. traordinary and plenipo- tentiary at Washington The Hon. Luigi_Albertini, senator of the kingdom; His majesty the emperor of Japan: . Baron Tomosaburo Kato. NAVY CURB TREATY BEFORE THE PARLEY Pact Entered Into by the Great Powers Submitted | by Secretary Hughes. BY G. GOULD LINCOL! The naval limitation treaty, the first | pact of its kind' in the history of the world ever entered into by great pow- ers, was laid before the Washington conterence today by Secretary Hughes. | The assent of the five powers sign- ing the treaty was a signal to sup- porters of the movement for limita- tion of armament that the first great step had been taken. It is their hope that the success of the mew treaty will lead to its perpetuation far be. yond the fifteen-year limit set in th treaty itself. It is their hope that' eventually there will be limitation of all kinds of naval craft and of land armament. The naval treaty is fruit of the program laid down by Secretary Hughes at the opening of the Wash- ington conterence November 12—a | program that caused the world to| gasp with astonishment at its bold- | ness. Limits Capital Ship Tonnage. The treaty limits the tonnage of capital ships and of aircraft carriers which in the future may be beld by the powers signing the agreement. 1t does not limit the total tonnage of cruisers and other auxiliary craft. An agreement on this important matter was prevented by the conflicting views of France and the other pow: ers as to the submarine tonnage which should be allowed them. The naval treaty, however, which is signed by the United States, Great Britain, France, Italy and Japan, fixes a limit to the tonnage of the great battleships, the vessels which today cost in the neighborhood of $40,- 000,000 to build. 1t fixes the limit to riers which might readily become the capital ships of the future. Total capital ship replacement tonnage of each of the contracting powers as fixed by the treaty is as follows: United States, 525,000 tons; British Empire, 525,000 tons; France, 175,000l tons; Italy, 175,000 tons; Japan, 315,- 000 tons. Moreover, it is provided that no capital ships exceeding 35,000 tons shall be acquired or constructed by any of the contracting powers. No capital ship of the powers shall carry a gun with a caliber in excess of six- teen inches.' So much for the battle- ships and battle cruisers. Clause on Afrcraft Carriers. The total tonnage for aircraft car- riers of dach of the contracting powers is fixed as follows: 3 United States, 135,000 tons; British Empire, 135,000 tons; France, 60,000 " 4Continued on Page 2, Column 7.) (Continued on Paze Z Column 3.3 minister for the navy, Junii, a member of the firet class of the imperial order of the Grand Cordon of the Rising Sun with the Paulownia Flower; Baron Kijuro Shidehara, his ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary at Washington, Joshii, a member of the first class of the imperial order of the Rising Sun; Mr. Masanao Hanihara, vice minister of foreign affairs, Jushii, a member of t second class of the in perial order of the Rising Sun; 0, having communicated to each other their respective full powers, found to be in good and due form, have agreed as follows: ? CHAPTER I. / General Provisions Relating to the Limitation of Naval Armament. ARTICLE 1. The contracting powers agree to limit their respective naval arma- ment as provided in the present treaty. ARTICLE 1L The contracting powers may re- tain respectively the capital ships which are specified in chapter II part 1. On the coming into force of the present treaty, but subject to the following provisions of this article, all other capital ships, built or building, of the United States, the British empire and Japan shall be disposed of as prescribed in chapter 11. part 2. In addition to the_ capital ships specified in chapter II, part 1, the United States may complete and retain two ships of the West Vir- ginia class now under construc- won. On the completion of these two ships the North Dakota and Delaware shall be disposed of as prescribed in chapter II, part 2. The British empire may, in ac- cordance with the replacement table in chapter II, part 3, con- struct two new capital ships not exceeding 35,000 tons (35,560 met- ric tons) standard displacement each. On the completion of the said two ships the Thunderer, King George V. Ajax and Cen- turion shall be disposed of as pre- scribed in chapter II, part 2. ARTICLE IIL Subject to the provisions of arti- cle II, the contracting powers sball abandon theig respective capital ship building® programs, and no new capital ships shall be con- structed or acquired by any of the contracting powers except replace- ment tonnage which may be con- structed or acquired as specified in chapter II, part 3. . - Ships wwhich are replaced in ac- cordance with ehapter II, part 3, shall be disposed of as prescribed in part 2 of that chapter. ARTICLE 1V. The total capital ship replace- (Continued on Page 4, Colum SECRETARY DAVIS, ILL, GOES TO BATTLE CREEK |nesrssars, sions as may be in the interest of the | Condition of Labor Department’s Head Described as Nearly Physical Breakdown. By the Associated Press. BATTLE CREEK, Mich., February 1.—Secretary of Labor Davis patient at a local sanatorium. is a He | arrived yesterday from Washington, suffering from what is described as nearly a physical breakdown. Suffered From Cold. At Mr. Davis' apartment in Ward- man Park Hotel, it was learned to- day that the Secretary of Labor con- tracted a celd last week and com- plained of feeling indisposed for sev- eral days. A physician at the de- partment advised that he take a week's rest from his official duties, "l v;a:h exnrl'ained. It was empha- size at there was nothin, about his condition. reeriong At the Department of Labor the in- formation was elicited that Secretary Davis would be away from his desk for a few days, and that the first as- \ sistant secretary, E. J. Henning, will act as Secretarv during Mr. Davis' absence. Apparently the fact that the Secretary was ill was not known generally in” Mr. Davis' office. —_— A.G. FROE EXPECTED TO BE D. C. RECORDER OF DEEDS Colored Attorney of West Virginia Great Orator and Ardent Republican. Arthur G. Froe, a colored attorney of Welch, W. Va., probably will be named recorder of deeds for the District of Columbia, it was learned at the White House today. Accompanied by Representative Goodykoontz, republican, of West Visginia, Scnator Elkins called at the White House today and was closeted With President Harding for some time. Following the conference, it was understood President Harding had de- cided to forward the nomination of Mr. Froe to the Senate this afternoon or tomorrow. ~ Mr. Froe, a member of the West ‘That ended the string of resolu-|the essentially offensive naval craft.| Virginia bar for twenty years, is.one pat s 11t fixes a limit to the aircraft car-|Of the most prominent colored attorneys in that state. He is described by his friends as a fluent orator, and his talent has won for him the name of the ‘‘colored William Jennings Bryap.” He has taken a prominent part in re- publican politics in West Virginia for many years and is known throughout the state as an ardent worker for the party among the members of his race. FREE BORDER PASSAGE. Passport Regulations Between U. S. and Mexico Lifted. NOGALES, Ariz., February 1.—Pass- port regulations affecting "residents of the United States and Mexico crossing the international boundary between those two _countries were lifted today in accordance with proc- lamations issued by Presidents lflo - ing and-Obregon.. The regulations had ,been in effect for the past five years. i i i | i ( 4 WASHINGTON, D. €, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1922, ASKS ZONE SYSTE ORSAME CAR FARE President Ham Says One or of W.R. & E. The Washington Railway and E tric Company today asked the Pug Utilities Commission to continue the present rate of carfare indefinitely on all street railway lines in the Dis- trict. The present rate of five tokens for 35 cents or S cents h expires {March 1. The W. R. & E. summed ot | up its appeal for continuation present rates in this paragraph: “That asidle from the constitutional right of your pefitioner to be author- ized to charge rates of fare which 1d them a reasonable return upon | the fair value of their properties, the | |best interest of the public which they | serve demands that your petitioner be permittcd to charge rates which will enable them to kecp their respective i properties at all times is a condition of repair ahd maintenance adequate to the requirements of the public and secure upon reasonable terms the neceseary new capital for refinancing and for making. provision for such improvements and exten- public. Plea Against Reduction. “Your petitioner. therefore, states that any reduction in the present rates of farc would affect disastrously the ability of the petitioner to render adequate and proper service to the public, and if the present rates ure interfered with, either in amount or uniformity, the result will be to so reduce the revenues applicable by the petitioner and its afiiliated companies to return on investment as to con- ls!hule a further confiscation of its and their properties, the only remedy which would lie in the institution within the District of Columbia of the zone system, or some other form of measured service.” The foregoing language meams that the W. R. & E. asks for a_ continua- tion of present rates on the Capital Traction lines also, and irtimates that if the commission finds it al- visable to change the rates of the latter company. the zome system | : < s should be adopted. cept inequitable wage reductions,” Mr. Ham of the W. R. & Il testi-|and asserted propaganda now is be-| fled that if service on_ his lines is completely restored by, Friday. the company will have lost $69,000 in re- ceipts, or 57 per cent, due to the storm. . Even if service is fully restored by Friday, Mr. Ham said. the company woudld suffer an additional loss of 10 per cent in pay passengers up to February 15, due to delays in service caused by traffic using the car tracks. Capital Praction Men Present. Officials of the Capital Traction Company were present at the open- ing of the hearing, but up to noon had not testified as to what rate of fare they desire. At the opening of the hearing Wil- liam McK. Clayton asked Chairman Keller if it would be permissible to ask the companies in this rate case what steps, if any, have been taken since the last hearing toward a merger. Col. Keller replied that such an in- quiry would be permitted at the close of the hearing. Mr. Clayton also asked that the commission inquire into the salaries of officials of the two companies when it takes up the question of wages paid trainmen. Col. Keller also agreed to that sug- gestion from Mr. Clayton. Upon opening his testimony, Wil- liam F. Ham, president of the W. R.! and E., introduced an exhibit showing the operating income of the company {for 1921 as $1,077,365.07, showing a return upon the fair value, as fixed by the commission, of 6.17 per cent. Using what the company regards as its fair value, the rate of return would have been 3.42 per cent. 1f the present rate of five-tokens for 35 cents had been in effect throughout 1921, Mr. Ham said, the rate of return based on the commis- sion’s valuation would have been 4.90 per cent, and on the tompany’s valua- tion, 2.71 per cent. Mr. Ham presented another exhibit to show that if the present rate of fare is com.lm.lleéi22 throughout the lendar year ficfime would be $764,313.51, or a return on the commission’s valuation of_4.38 per cent. Mr. Ham’'s financial statement for the. calendar year 1921 showed that the following roads fell short of earning operating expenses by these amounts: Georgetown and Tenley- fown, $12307.59; Washington _and (Continued on Page-2, Column 6.) the company’s| BREAKING |WOMAN’S FOUNDATION i . TAKES TITLE TO HOME iPays $70,000 for Dean Prnpert‘y, Connecticut and Florida Avenues, for Headquarters. FOND TIt j After laboring a long time under jmany hardships, the National Wom- fan's land Florida avenues, today. The lamount of $70.000 necessary to ob- itain the title was raised in the last il‘ew weeks and paid today. | Credit for the raising of the fund. iwhich seemed so long in doubt. is {given to Mrs. James Carroll Frazer, |the president, and the {ing efforts made i possible. i Mrs. Virginia White Steel was an- inounced today as electcd a member {of the new board of directors. It is the uitimate aim | foundation that the work of c |and educatioral betterment, the% {foremost_principles of the organiza- {tion, will proceed under clear skies iand that the success of the movement {is assured. ~ WOULD UNITE FIGHT AEANST WAGE UT Miners Ask Railroad Men to Pool Interests in Opposition to Reductions. NAPOLIS, February 1.— United Mine Workers of America are willing “to unreservedly pool their interests with the railroad organiza- | tions and stand with them in resist- lance to the proposed attacks upon | their wage schedule John L. Lewis. international president of the miners, declared in a statement to- day. The statement was made along with the announcement that invita- tions to participate in a meeting with the miners had been sent to officers of the sixteen major organizations of railroad workers. Mr. Lewis declared he the railroad workers have been “compelled to ac- ling conducted on a gigantic scale to enforce further “unwarranted wage | cuts upon them.” i “It is likewise apparent that certain linterests are seeking wage reductions ]m the coal mining industry,” he con- Itinued. 'In order to ‘“successfully i combat this frenzied hysteria,” the miners are willing to join hands with | the railroad workers, he added. Fointing out that the 1919 conven- tion of the miners directed that steps be taken toward the promotion of a closer understanding between the coal workers and the railroad men, the let- ter of invitation declared “thé time is now opportune for the holding of a meeting of accredited representatives of each organization for the above- mentioned purpose. * * * We would respectfully request that, as repre- senting your organization, you give immediate consideration_to the sug- gestions contained therein. No date or place was suggested for holding the meeting, that action being withheld pending replies from the railroad workers' officials, The invitations were sent to the [ following railroad union leaders: M. F. Ryan, president of the Brother- hood of Railway Carmen of America, Kansas City, Mo.; L. F. Sheppard, president of the Order of Railway Conductors of America, Cedar Rapids, Towa; Timothy Healy, president of the International Brotherhood of Sta- tionary Firemen and Oilers, New York city; J. W. Kline, president of |the International Brotherhood of Blacksmiths, Drop Forgers and Help- ers, Chicago; T. C. Cashen, president of ‘the Switchmen’s Union of North America, Buffalo; W. H. Johnston, president of the International Asso- ! ciation of Machinists, Washington; D, | W. Helt, president of the Brotherhood i Railroad Signalmen of America, Chi- jcago: J. P. Noonan, presfdent of the International Brotherhood of Electri- cal Workers of America; J. A. Frank- lin, president of the International { Brotherhood of¢ Boilermakers, Iron i Shipbuilders and Helpers of America, { Kansas City, ns.; W. C. Carter, president of the Brotherhood of Loco- motive Firemen and Engineers, Cleve- land; E. J. Manion, president of the {Order of Railroad Telegraphers, St. Louis, Mo.; W. G. Lee, president of the Brotherhood of Raflroad Train- men, Cleveland; B. M. Jewell, presi- dént of the Railroad Employes De- partment, American Federation of Labor, Chicago; W. S.. Stone, grand chief engineer, Brotherhood of Loco? motive - Engineers, .Cleveland: E. F. Grable, president of - the " United Brotherhood of Maintenances of Way. |Emnloyel, Detroit, and E. H. Fitzger- !ald, president of the Brotherhood of Railway Clerks, Cincinnati. members of | !the board of directors, whose unceas- | now expected by the officials of the ! —THIRTY-SIX PAGES. REPORT INDORSES | D.C.PENSION RAISE | {House Committee Members |: Foundation officially took lifle' Other Essential to Operation |t we Dean property, on connecticut | { Recommend Equalized . | . Rates of Pay. j H i Increased retirement pay for 4 | pensioners, including 307 members of { the police department and 136 mem- bers of the fire department, is rec-| ommended by the House District committee in a report submitted to- lday by Representative Fred Zinlman | of Maryland. This recommendation made to { equalize the pay of veteran pension- ers with that received by those who have been or will be retired unde the increased pay schedule. ] H Measure Passed in 1916. The report says that in 1916 Con jeress passed a law known as the po- {licemen’s and firemen’s relief fund for | the District. This provided that 1% | per cent of the monthly salary of cach {member; all fines imposed by th ! Commissioners upon members of the { police and fire departments by way of discipline; all rewards, proceeds of | {gifts and- emoluments And the net| proceeds of stles of unclaimed prop- erty in the custody of the police de- | partment should be paid into the! United States Treasury as a relier| fund for firemen and policemen. | | It was further provided that any | member of the two departments who | i should become temporarily. disabled | disease eon- discharge of by injury received j(ract»d in the a(‘lfls his duties should receive medithl or hospital treatment to be paid for from the relief fund: and that when- | i ever any member should become per- manently disabled through injury or | disease in line of duty, or having not less than 3 reached the age vears, or for any cause become per- manently disabled, Dbe should be | eligible for retirement. Provision wap made that men hav- | ing reached the age of sixty vears, could be retired by the relief board | and be entitled to receive 50 per cent | of the monthly salary at the date of retirement. Another provision regu- | lated the payment of pensions to widows ard orphans of men in t§ese two services. Would dBenefit 150. i There are 443 pensioners on the roll. 307 members from the police depart- ment and 136 from the fire department.} Of this number 159 would be subject to the increase in their pensions car- ried in this bill, and the total cost to the District of Columbia would be |about $41,804.16 per year. ‘ The House District of Columbia com- mittee recommends that all pensioners, being subject to the same living cost, who have rendered exceptional service i to-the District of Columbia, and who have been injured or retired because of age, should receive the same pension, and there should be no discrimination because of their retirement at a differ- ent period. Representative Zihlman, in his report, emphasizes that the number of men affected by this bill will grow less each year, and that all future pensions will be paid under the law upon the same basis. | |ASSASSIN HURLS BOMB i AT FIUME PRESIDENT i Riccardo Zanella Escapes In-} jury, But Two Others Hurt by Explosion. By the Associated Press. FIUME, February 1.—An attempt was made on the life of President; Zanelli of the independent state of Fiume as he was leaving his hotel in a motor car yesterday. A bomb wasi thrown at the machine, but the fresi- dent was not injured. H A member of the chamber of dep- uties and a police officer were wound- ed by the explosion. - Prof. Riccardo Zanella was one of the leading opponents of Gabriele d’Arnunzio while the latter Was in Fiume. -He occupied the Fiume city hall By a coup d’etat in April of last year and was elected president of the independent state by the constit. uent assembly on October 6. CANAL IS UNAFFECTED. By the Associated Press. PANAMA, February 1.—The Panama canal was not affected by the earth- quake .of yesterday morning. movement was not strong enough to be apparent generally, but was'regis- tered Dby the seismograph as pro- e—s—p———————————————————————— iMember of the Associated Press The Associated Press is exclusively entitled to the use for republication of all news dispatches credited to it or not otherwise credited In this paper and also the local news published hereia. All rights of publication of special dispatches Lerein are also reserved. Yesterday’s Net Circulation, 102,254 TWO CENTS. LAYS THEATER CRASH TO BAD ENGINEERING AND POOR BUILDING Senator Capper Believes Cheap and Faulty Construction Re- | cayed in. { time. i fall, becduse the whole system rested The |” ponsible for Roof Collapse INSPECTS KNICKERBOCKER RUINS: ALSO CONSULTS SEVERAL EXPERTS U. S. Officials Act to Aid Grand Jury Probe—Coroner Rushes Plans for In- quest-—- ilnesses to Be Called. Bad enginecring, coupled with cheap and fauity construction, was responsible for the collapse o Theater Saturday night, it was asserted tod: |Capper of Kansas, member of the Senate District committee and f the roof of the Knickerbocker - by Senator Arthur author of the resolution proposing a searching investigation of the tragedy by the entire District committee. Senator Capper made the statement after he had made a per- sonal inspection of the ruins today in compa Brown, as 1y with Maj. Care ant Engineer Commissioner of the District of Co- lumbia, and after consultation with other engineers who werc on the ground at the time. Other Developments Toda Other developments of the da the investigations under way to de- termine the cause of the Knicker- in | bocker tragedy were: | A statement from the American As-1 sociation of Engineers, declaring the s r evidently was due “either to faulty d truction.” Confere M Peyton and Gordon, United Army effice detailed 1 Determins the manner in which the inque. bodies of two of the victims will be | heid. Ready to Furnish Facts. E. C. Ruebsam. an engineer. indi-} cated today he would be willing to| submit certain facts regarding 4he| collapse of the Metropolitan Theater, | Dduring its construction, if called upo to do so by an offic stigating | ody. The collapse of the Metropoli an Theater during its construction | is said to have resembled the man- | ner in which the Knickerbocker roof Mr. TRuebsam. Metropolitan Ti investigation of i interests. The N n constructed and, it is said, is con ered perfectly safe at the at the time of the opolitan was re- | <id- | Accompanying Senator Capper on| s inspection of the ruins today were | ors Jones of Washington, Good- | Shepherd of Texas and | 2 whose niece | i Se ing.of ldaho. 5 Weller of Maryland and Represent tive Upshaw of Georgia was injured in the accident. Capper Blames D. C. Officials. While Sei did not as- sume the members, of the party. he’s that_he dis-| cussed the information which they | obtained during the ride back to the Capitol. i In_the opinion Senator Capper the District off who approved the § plans for such construction as were | used in the Knickerbocker Theater! are responsible to a large extent forj the collapse of the building. He said that while he whs not a builder, he had had much to do with building op- erations, and from the standpoint of ! a laymen he could not see why plans’ for such construction as he found in| the Knickerbocker could be justified on any ground whatever. Senator Capper and the the congressional party | length with engineers now on the| ns. and the conclusions formed e based largely on engineering facts as pointed out by the experts. i others in talked at| Explains Reasons for Views. 1 Knickerbocker Thea- | vas due to a_bad job of ) chezp, faulty cc cnator Capper. A superficial examination of the walls, and conversation had with those on | the ground who are competent to ex- press an intellicent opinion upon the | cause of the disaster has caused me | to arrive at the conclusion that the rcof truss system was dependent| upon a central truss which rested at | one end on a steal ‘I' beam lintel on the north wall, making a sharp angle | with the lintel. Other parts of the| system attached to this central | vere placed on bearings in the east wall. Government _ engineers on the ground told me"that none of the bear- ings of truss or beams upon the walls | were anchored or fastened to the walls, which, in my judgment, wasi a fundamental error in such con-| struction, because any unusual dis- | turbing cause might gradually slip! the beams from their support. : “From the hypothetical construction | s explained to me, it would appear that any unusual load on the roof system would tend to draw from its| pport the main truss. which, as 1 have said before, rested upon an I- beam lintel at an acute angle andj was not fastened to it. The result of the bending was to cause the trussi to slip off from the lintel and the| whole roof system would, of course, upon and was dependent upon this one point of support. Therefore, in ! my opinion, if the main truss had ex- tended farther into the wall so that by any bending it would not have | pulled off from its support, the tr | would not have slipped off the sup- i will preclu 1o k | vesti 155 night. | $ae vorting lintel, and the catastrophe would have been averted.” Believes Congress Must Act. With the facts,of the personal in- spec n in hand. together with the information con Senator Capper the congre thoroughly d by the experts, determined that is sional committee shall go into the entire question, With a view to determining respon- sibility nd to plan lezislation which bility of such ig in future. members of the “nd particuls d him durinz now that must nce of the disas ction and the me official cogni trophe. _He is willing to have the congres- sioral investigation await the resulr of the several other investigations bout to be instituted here. but he is Z0ing 1o insist that the probe be prompt and thorough. At the same time senators are going he and other ep 2 e watch on the other in- to as in whether or bring out all of the facts and conclusions rranted by the in the There is no_ vengeance in the mind of not the ach evidence pper. but he wants the facts and justice done, to the end that a thing of the kind can never be repeated here and charged to cau now believed be respon- ble for the catastrophe of Saturday Convinced Me Is Right. Senator Capper said that he made the stgtements only as a result of conclufions formed following the in spection and conference with en- gi S now on the scene. What he sa he asserted. he would stand saci and he was convinced that he was ‘right. both from his knowl- edge of building and from versation with the engineers. Senator Jones of Wash the con- ton said { that he preferred not to make a state- i ment as a result of his inspection. but he would reserve opinion until he had discussed the matter with the other members of the District committee at its meeting this a noon. Nenators Weller and Gooding could not be reached. Decline Comment on Charges. Both Col. Charles Keller, engine commissioner, and John . Hea building inspector, declined to make any comment today upon Senator Capper's charges. Col. Keller said that he would not care to venture opinion as to the real cause of disaster until he madé a more thorough examination. Mr. Healy of the pinion. Col. Keller id. howev hat if the.plans were ctly in nce with the re- quirements of buildingdepart- ment of the Dis or, in other words, answered all of the require- ments of modern engineering, there is not a question of a doubt but what there must have been some defect in a part of the material, or there may have probably been some imperfect nstruction work. He explained this may be determined after he has completed his examination. No Actual Test Made. The building department of the Dis- triet, after approving the structural | plans for buildings to be used as pub- lic houses, as well as others, does not test the completed structure, it was explained. This is universally the system _throughout this country in gw of thie fact That all structural wdrk has yeached such a point of ad- vanced engineering and standardiza- tion in the matter of equipment and material that tests are not considered necessary nor practical, it was stated. Procedure for Approval. The procedure in obtaining an ap- proval or_the building inspector's “O. <" is after the following fashion: The architect or builder or hoth sub- mit to the building.department com- plete plans and specifications for the proposed building. These structural plans are first checked by the engi- neer of the office and if any deficiency in the design is detected the architect or designing engineer is notified to make the necessary cl nge. Whe the final approval is obtained and t construction work started the in- spectors of the building office make periodical reports of the progress of the work. Should any defect be noted at these inspections, that defect must be corrected. The structure is in- spected Also regarding its_exits and Sontinued on Page 2, Column 4,) KNICKERBOCKER SITE SUGGESTED FOR PUBLIC PARK AS A MEMORIAL Proposal that the site of the Knickerbocker. Theater be used as a park, wherein a fitting memorial would be placed to those whp lost their lives in the collapse of the theater, was considered by the House District committee today. Chairman Focht read to the com- mittee a letter which he had re- ceived containing this suggestion by Paul E. Johnson, an attorney, as_follows: “poday, when our. hearts are Jbowed down undef the frightful calamity of Saturday night, tne thought occurs to e which I pass on to you. as ehairman of the Dis- 2t of Coltmhia on A RN “The site of the Knickerbocker Theater, sanctified by the blood of so many of our useful citizens, should never again be used for commercial or residential purposes. It should be cleared, planted with shrubs and flowers, and adorned by some fitting memorial to those whose lives were so suddenly snapped out on that spot. The land, if not offered for this pur- pose by the unhappy owners, should be condemned. “Congress should insure that in the future this hallowed spol ghould be a beautiful place of rest aml recreation for our citizens .and visitors and as a vestal place * God's winged creatures. ‘-v use wouid be a profans-see