Evening Star Newspaper, February 15, 1922, Page 1

. WEATHER. Rain this .afternoon, snofv tonight; colder. Tempera erided at tore for twent: 3 p.m. today: at § p.m. yesterday;- lowest, on Page 7. 2 a.m. today. Full report changing to tomorrow falr and y-four hours Highe! at Closing New York Stocks, Page 30. No. 28416. NINE HELD IN CRASH SHOOTING RESUMED OF KNICKERBOCKER ||\ BrIFAST, DEATH GIVE BOND IN COURT Released on $5.000|D- C. Officials Begin! Bail for Action of Grand Jury. GORDON IS PLANNING FOR PROMPT ACTION Expects to Begin Work of " Presenting Case to Jury Next Week. Accompanied by squads of attor- neys and bondsmen and flanked and shot at by photographers, the nine men whom the coromer's jury ordered held last night for the action of the grand jury—the nine men on whose shoulders was placed the blame for the collapse of the roof of the Knickerbocker Theater on the night of January 28, with the resultant loss of ninety-eight lives and injury of scores of others—appeared at the District courthouse today. There they went through the formalities of signing the bonds, and- were immedi- ately released pending thé action of the grand jury, which is ‘the next gov- ernmental agency of justice which must review their cases. The bond in each case was fixed by Maj. Gordon, TUnited States district attorn at $5,000. Eight Put in Appearance. By 1 o’clock the nine men had appear- ed to deliver themselves into custody. They were: Julian R. Downman, engineer in the District building department; John Howard Ford, designer of the steel roof framing and contractor for fur- nishing the steel; Reginald W. Geare, the sudervising architect who design- ed the building and supervised its construction; Morris Hacker, super- visor of city refuse disposal; John L. McDonald, contractor erecting the steel work: Richard G. Fletcher, man- ager for the company, which did the fireproofing: Frank L- ‘Wagner, gen- eral contractor for thie building; Donald ‘Wallace, general foreman of construc- tion for Mr. Wagner, and Thomas L. Cestigan, superintendent of thz city street clearing department. Detective Mullen. who has been assigned to the case since the collapse, stood In the corridor with the coroner’s commit- ment ready to take any into custody who did not appear. ® Prompt Action Premised. Prompt action will mark the pro- cedure of presenting tha:tgse to the grand jury, it was indieatsd today by Maj. Gordon. He sald that the jury now is considering certain important matters, and that it will he through in a short time. He expects to begin the presentation of tha Knicker- bocker case to them about the middle of next week. The voluminous récord of testimony taken during the six days ef the coro- ner’s inquest will be presented, not as evidence itsel, but it will be gone over nd the n ‘t‘n get it.ofcially before the grand fury. "This js necessary, it was explained, as the grand jury inquiry is independent of the coroner’s inquest. Tests to Be Available. In addition to the mass of testimony and exhibits presented at the coro- ner's inquest the grand jury will have for consideration the results of the bureau of standards’ tests’of the steel, concrete and other materials used in the construction of the building. The bureau now is engaged in making these tests at the request of Maj. Gordon. from the wreckage by Col. William Kelly, Corps of Engineers, U. S. A., head of the board of Army and Navy department engineers which conduct- ed an investigation, and the board's report, which was an important part of the testimony at the coroner’s hearing, have been delivered to Maj. Gordon and will be made exhibits before the grand jury. & Mr. Downman was the first of the defendants to appear at the district at- torney’s office today. He was accom- panied by his counsel, C. B. Garnett, and after several hours spent in find- ing a bondsman P. F. O'Connor was accepted as his surety. Inspector Pratt, assistant superintendent of police. and Detective Mullen accom- panied Mr. Downman to the office of Willlam Gilchrist, assistant _district attorney, who examined the sureties. The bondsman beinz approved, Mr. Downman, accompanied by Detectiv Helan, was taken to the office of E. J. McKee, clerk of Criminal Court No. 1, where the necessary papers were! made out. He was immediately re- leased. Same Procedure Followed. This procedure was followed in the case of the other defendants as they appeared. Mr. Geare, accompanied by his attorney, Daniel Thew Wright, and bondsman, E. S. Kennedy, wasi the next to come in. He was followed | by J. H. Ford with Ralph P. Barnard of the law firm of Barnard & John- son. The National Sirety Company furnished bond. Mr. Fletcher was ac- companied by E. F. Colladay, his counsel, and L. E. Smoot of the Smoot Sand and Gravel Company, who fur- nished bond for him: John L. McDon- ald was accompanied by his counsel, Vincent L. Toomey, of Toomey & (Continued on Page 3, Column 4.) ON WAY TO BERMUDA. Secretary and Mrs. Hughes Sajl From New York. NEW YORK, February 15.—Secre- tary and Mrs. Charles E. Hughes sailed on the steamship Fort Hamil- ton today for a two-week vacation in Bermuda. 7 % Mr. Hughes smilingly refused to be interviewed on affairs of state, as- serting he already was on va on and had put aside official care: ‘They will spend their vacation with their daughter, Mis: Elizabeth ‘Hughes, at Fort Hamilton. CONFIDENCE IN WIRTH. By the Associated Press. s BERLIN, February 15.—The reich: tag today voted confidence in the gov- ernment of Chancellor; Wirth. The ~Vote was 230 to 185. essary witnesses subpoenaed | The “erectlon bolts” taken, Entered as sicond-clacs matter 2ost offce Washington, Study of Jury’s l Suggestions. |CLOSING THEATERS Inspection Now Going On Is Expected to Cover Structures in Time. [ District officials today began the study of recommendations embodied |in the coroner's jury verdict returned | 1ast night, which advocate a thorough | revision of the building code of the District, with heavy penalty for vio- | 1ation of any of its clauses; the clos- 1 Ing of all theaters and other public Inuembl-ge places until their safety i1s assured and provision for, the fire 1department of jacks, searchlights, oxy-acetylene torches and other equipment needed by a wrecking crew in an emergency, “the lack of { Which seriously handicapped the res: j cue of the victims of the Knicker- | bocker Theater.” I~ The District Commissioners prob- ably will not find it necessary to close all theaters in Washington pending |an investigatin to determine thelr i safety. Although no officlal statement was issued by the Commissioners today in reference to the recommendation of the coroner’ssjury that all playhouses be shut down until their condition can be determined, the impression pre- vailed at the District building that (2: suggestion would not be carried out. Engineer .Commissioner Keller, who has been designated by the board of Commissioners to handle the theater question, was before the Senate ap- propriations committee all morning and could not be scen. Committee Busy Ten Days. Commissioner Rudolph, however, called attention to the fact that a committee of builders, engineers and architects have been busy for ten days at the request of the city heads sembly in the city. Commissioner Rudolph said that while Col. Keller is handling this matter, it is obvious that no theater has been found in such condition as to warrant it be- ing closed or such action would have been taken.. o2 “Thin un ] sammitteaof experts; working without pay, 'has already made . a survey of tew moving houges. Comparal remain to be visited. teps te Follow Reports. As this committee reports its find- ings in regatd to each theater they will be referred to the building in- spector’s office, where necessary steps will be taken to correct any condition reported by the committee as needing attention. ., Col. Keller stated to The Star yes- terday afternoon that- the District government would undoubtedly have the right to direct the theaters to make any structural repairs which, in the judgmnt of the Commission- ers, are deemed necessary. He called attention to the fact that in the case of the old playhouses, it might be impossible to bring them up to all modern requirements of fireproofing without complete rebuilding. Commissioner Oyster announced to- day that he has aiready been in con- ference with Fire Chief Watson rel- ative to carrying out the recommen- dations of the coroher’s jury that the fire department be- better equip- ped to deal with an emergency such as the depurtment faced on- the night 'the hnickerbocker collapsed. Cutting Outfits Asked. It became known today that Com- missioner Oyster and Chief Watson last week requested Director of the Budget Dawes to obtain from the government eight oxyacetyline cut- ting outfits for the local fire depart- ment, also a score of other types of equipment to improve the efliciency of_the department. The request made to Gen. Dawes included hooks, pickaxes, pinchbars, crowbars, tin rcof cutters, electric wire cutters, with rubber handles, five-ton jacks and handies, cold chisels, electric” hand searchlights, tinners’ snips, sledgehammers, rip and hand saws, door openers, monkeywrenches of varlous descriptions, one five-ton- motor truck, one motor searchlight wagon, three passenger automobliles for chiefs and four pulmotors. Whether it will be passible for the department, to obtain this materfal from the ‘government will not be learned. Tong Needed, fays Watsom. Chief Watson safd today that the fire department has long recognized _the necessity for having acetelyn torChes, but Las never been able to obtain more than one. ‘That one was in use at the Knickerbocker, but proved inadequate because the tank had to be recharged frequently. He sald the value of these cutters became appatent following a fire in Néw York city about ten years ago, inwhich a man was trapped in the basement, from which it was impos- sible to rescue him because of bars on the window. It was pointed out at the District building today that revision of the building code, as recommended by the coroner’s jury, is now under way. This work was started, it was said, before the Knickerbocker collapsed. - { RANCH MANAGER SLAIN. UNLIKELY RESULT!~0F 15 ULSTER PRISONERS inspecting all places of public as-| 7 | Shots were fired into i WASI—fINGTON, /D. C, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1922-THIRTY-EIGHT PAGES. TOLL REAGHING %5 Disorders Break Out After Troops Had Quieted City for Short Period. COLLINS GETS RELERSE Evacuation of Southern Ireland by British Resumed—Free State Pledged Support From U. 8. By the Assoclated I'ress. BELFAST. February 15.—After a| period of quiet lasting several hours, disorders again broke out in this city at 3 o'clock this afternoon, when { shooting began in the Stanhope street | area, near the Victaria barracks. The military promptly opened fire. « This afternoon raiders entered the offices of the New Northern Spinning Company, on the Falls roads, and shot and killed Willlam Duffin, the assistant manager, and wounded a clerk, bringing the death list in the present disorders up to twenty-six. At noon today Belfast was reported absolutely quiet, the presence of troops on the streets having had the desired effect of checking the opera- tions of the gunmen. Ome Prisoner Released. Conditions on the border, where | forces of North and South Ireland are facing each other as the result of the tension created by the recent kidnap- Ing of Ulster unionists, also were reported quiet. With the exception of | Constable O'Donnell, released from { Drogheda, County Louth, who return- ed to his barracks today, no addi- tional unionist prisoners had been released up to this afternoon. Arrangements for the evacuation of the British troops from southern Ireland were resumed today, after a suspension lasting two days. At Dublin preparations were making for the embarkation of 400 men. Shooting was resumed in the early bours of the morning in West Bel-| fast ut;r a temporary lull at mid- night. McCoy was found dead | on a sidewalk with bullet wounds in the back. -~ Meets Horrible Death. The report on the death of James Rice, whose body was found late last night, says that an armed gang bound his hands behind his back, pulled his coat over his head, tied scart over his eyes, kicked and beat him and then ended his sufferings wi bn'llou. B the anl‘glde of the city, a section that been relatively . several privite houses. Maggle Teggart was wound- l in the ju Patrick Bradley, Tcome tax Solector, was Wodudsd in the stomach by shots fired t h the door of his house. ‘The door of Father O'Brien’s house was smashed by bullets, and Peter Keeney and Frank McHugh were se- verely wounded while in their houses. The deaths in the hospital of a girl and a ‘\‘mu(h who were shot Mon- day braught the total deaths in the present series of outbreaks to twen- ty-five. v John O’Nelll, a postman, was shot from a side street this morning while in Falls road. His arm was broken. GETS 15 MEN RELEASED, Collins Reports Success in Move to Return Prisoners. By the Associatsd Press. LONDON, February 15.—Michael Collins head of the Irish provisional government, has obtained the relense of fifteen of the Ulster unionists re- cently kidnaped, it was announced in the house of commons today by Wins- ton Churchill, secretary for the colo- nies. Mr. Collins, who arrivel in Lon- don this morning, had a long con- ference with Mr. Churen!ll, ac .the <clonfal office during the foceavon! Twenty-four hours of calm on the Uiner frontier, wnere fo=:s.of tnel north and south are facing each other, | { has brought some relief in the ten-| sion of the Irish situation. The state- ment by Lord High Chancellor Birkenhead yesterday, however, that! “in the next few weeks we afe going| through the most grave and critical period lvrobahly in living memory,” is generally regarded as in no particu- lar_overdrawn. 2 There is no indication from Ulster of an intention to free the foot ball| { players, but it has been officially in- timated that an application for bail will not be refused. The lord chan- cellor in his speech in the house of lords yesterday said he believed the northern government, taking a leni- ent view of the circumstances, would not be unwilling to assent to a nolle | prosequi when the cases against the| men .were returned to the assizes. Consequently hope _is entertained that feeling on both sides of\ the bor- der . will be modified before long on the question of prisbners. -Further hope for lessening the ten- sion is based on the fact that the British. government has suggested to Premier Cralg und Mr. Collins the appointment of liaison officers on each side of the line to kéep in constant touch and calm local irritation. COLLINS WINS SUFPORT IN U.S, | Irish-Americans Declared to Be Firmly Back of Free State. By the Associated Press. LONDON, February 15.—Receipt of the following cablegram from the United States was announced today by Michael Collins, head of the Irish provisional government: - “Eighty-five per cent of tirt mem- bership of the American -Association for Recogniticn of the-ifish Repub- lic _is "llrmly behind” yourself ‘and American Killed Near Monterey, | Grimth. Mexico, o} February 1. Charles Burrow, also known as Charles Miller, American, manager of a ranch near the city of Monterey, Mezxico, was shot to death by un- identified persons on February 1, the State Department was advised todsy in a dispatch from American Consul Bowman at Monterey. .. — . The department . has ~instructed Consul Bowman-@nd the embassy at Mexico City to request the proper Mexican juthorities to apprehend and pyfiish the persons responsihic for. the crime. e was signed by Dr. M,. -Dorfovan, sixth district state. % Mr. -Collins replied expre: preefation of this support. RMS TO BE IRISH-MADE. ‘Plans Announced for Clothing of Pree State Soldiers. By the Asociated Press. | BELFAST, February 15.—The uni- forms of the Irish Free State soldiers will_be entirely Irish-made. They P AT TS ing ap- . N PUZZLE—FIND THE GOOD CITIZ GATELOCKEDFAST T0EASY DIVORCE' Action of Alexandria Judge Revolutionizes Business of Obtaining Decrees. From a Staff Correspondent. ALEXANDRIA, February 15.—The divorce business of this city has |been practically revolutionized by the action of Judge Robinson Mon- cure of the local corporation court in establishing a rule of the latter which embodies the spirit and sub- stance of the bill intended to strengthen the divorce law of the state, which was drawn up by the committee investigating the alleged { divorce evil here, and which is now pending in the state legislature. ? Gigtes ‘Securely, Le " The™ gates to the so-cklled “easy vorce” having ~been unquestion- ably securely locked, at least tem- porarily or until the bill In question, has been énhdted into law, according hrough | 15 the views today of practically the|hOrse-drawn graders in action before entire community. There is no one who is known to be of apy other opinfon than that Judge Moncure's adoption of this rule will put an in- stant stop to whdt has been charged by some as a “shameful and fradulent practice.” Judge Moncure today, in commenting upon his ready compli- an with the investigating commit- te request for such an order from the court, stated to The Star's repre- sentative that he was glad to be in a | position to éxtend any aid in bringing about the immedlate correction of an unfortunate or evil situation, if such exists. In adopting the rule he used practically the same language as is contained in the committee's pending bill, except for a few minor changes /| and the elimination of the last para- graph which prevents the court from issuing a divorce decree until three months after suit has been instituted. Kept Within Statute.— In not including this-provision for the limitation—on the issuance of a decree, Judge Moncure explained that the . divorce code now specifically places no such limit, and he there- fore did not care to takeit upon him- self to make & ruling in this respect. The judge is satisfled that his rul- ing will greatly reduce the divorce practice, that it will lessen possible intrigues in the endeavor to obtain di- vorces, and that it will make it ex- tremely difficult and more expensive for those seeking freedom from the marriage ties. He i3 positive that the results to be derived from this ruling will be extremely beneficial to th community and he believes also that members of the bar having divorce practice and the court itself will, as a result of this rule, be amply protected from imposi- | tion on the part of unscrupulous liti- gants anxious to quickly and easily abtain a divorce, and who in the past, because of the unfortunate indefinite- ness in the wording of the law, have been able to take advantage of their attorneys and the court. % + Entered as Rule. ‘ Judge Moncure issued his order yesterdgy afternoon, beneath which he wrote the following direction for the clerk of the court: “Dear Mr. | Greenaway: Please enter the above as rules in the chancery code book of the city of Alexandria, Va., applicable to all divorce suits hereafter filed and notify all attorneys of the same. Also file these papers in the court record.” The outstanding features of the court's new rule are: The require- (Continued on Page 2, Column 2.) Today’s News In Brief juestion of soldier bonus perturbing S Congress. o Page 'z reés method of inspector's of- "'E'ci .i';oxn(ekerbocker verdict, . Page 3 h Curley, in reception ad- “5?-’.".’.': irges more attention tor“.ln. er education under Catholic aus- pcises. & ; X View citizens to urge P;:vor new conduit. n_mak ot D. C. s cCormick defends “l‘llnll attack by Cox. 1 startling report ichool dflldren. Page § republicans Page 16 Senate t: Page . Emerso D;n health ur again is quiszed by officers mllx:\';neununt film director's I;urde‘r_i » age t to ask President to 0. K. U. 8. sg.:r't'llclplnon at Genoa. Citizens condemn action of Congress ~“in blocking street improvements. Page 17 . C. A. Eaton calls education Ame:-- D{u‘- greatest need: ;- Page L« and the commonwealth, | Pagel?| SEES GAIN FOR JAPAN. | Recently Returned Delegate Dis- ] cusses Results of Arms Parley. # Correspondence of the Associated Press. TOKIO, January 23—Japan lost | nothing at the Washington confer- ence, but, instead, promoted her wel= fare and secured her interests, ac- cording to T. Yamamoto, a promi- nent member of the Seiyukai party. recently returned from Washington. On local questions Japan gave inj on some points, sald Mr. Yamamoto, ! but, he continued, “everything taken into consideration, Japan must be re- garded as no loser at all.” QUCK WORK SEEN INSNDW RENOVAL |Street Force, With Plows and| | Graders, in Action Beforé | Daybreak. With four motor plows and twelve i daybreak, the Washington street cleaning department made a credita- ble showing in snow removal today. The secret of today's success may be attributed to the fact that follow ing the last storm Morris Hacker. su pervisor of city refuse. and Thomas L. Costigan, diroctor of street cleaning. mapped out a definite plan-of opera- tion which was put into” effect auto- matically early this morning. Planned by Mr. Hacker. Mr. Hacker arranced last week to have the motor truck plows follow the snow sweepers of the street car | companies and_ throw into the curb the snow brushed aside by the track | sweepers. He also made ~rranzements séveral days aco with Maj. Sullivan to have the police motify the crews of these street-cleaning plows at any hour of | the night when two inches of snow Is on the ground. Mr. Hacker- was awakened at 3 o'clock this morning. and, after ob- gerving the situation from his win- dow. telephoned the word to Detec- ! Itive Sergt. Fred Cornwell, on duty at police headquarters, to turn outj the plow crews. The addresses of these men had al- ready been placed on file in each precinet station and patrolmen were directed to notify them to turn out. Smow Plow Trucks Assigned. The tour snow “plow trucks pro- ceeded to the stgrting points of im- portant street car lines and txailed| behind the sweepers of the compa- nies. This step was taken to pre- ‘vent the crippling of car service, such as occurred last month, when auto. mobiles, unable to travel on the road- ways, used the car tracks and packed snow and ice into the rails. As one car line was opened up, the trucks moved to other lines. Mr. Hacker said the ‘trucks and! plows are owned by ‘the District. The trucks are used in the collection serv- ice. They were owned by the District iast month at the time“of the big snowstorm and were in operation on county roads. The plows were at- tached to the trucks early this morn- Ing and put in operation. He said the snow-cleaning proposition was not handled properly last month, but that | how it has been systematized. i "'The twelve horse-drawn graders | were assigned to the task of opening ia ten-foot space for vehicles on the + main arteries of travel other than car lines in the area between Pennsyl- 1 vania'and Florida avenues. i\ The regular sweeping force of the i street cleaning department, and some ! extras, were put to work clearing the | crosswalks at principal .intersections. ! . Leyson in Recent Storm. i ; a Page 4{. . peavy snowfall of last ‘month|hiies.1s-a distinct advantage. taught thiem a lesson in the necessity. !!or preparedness, and the well defined |'system under-which the men worked today indicates that snow - removal will be better handled in future. It {s practically certain that the Commisstoners will endeavor to have more mechanical equipment for snow removal/before next winter. John ¥. Hanma, vice president of the Caplisl Trection Company, ob-' served the work of the motor truck plows in conjuriction With the track sweepers this morning and said the D pracict Gid, guod work. | property .devoted to the service of i | son_exhibit No. 2 to be in service in | ORDERS CONTINUING TELEPHONE RATES District Utilities Commission | Decides to Prolong Same Charge Indefinitely. Existing rates of the Chesapeake and Potomac were continued indefinitely by~the; utilities commission today., as pre- | After d’scussing in detail the va- | 1 rious.issues raised at the hearing, the | commist paragraph: “In view of the circumstances and the evidence in this case, the com mission is of the opinion that it will| be fair and just alike to the public and the company if the present rates are continued, since under these rates the compgiy Wil earn only 2 rea-| sonable return on the value of its the publi The | company makes monthly reports to the commission of 1 its opérations, and the commis- fon. therefore, can ascertain at any time if these rates are bringing a rate of return higher than that which it believes is fair and reasonable. More Inquiries Promised. “After the question of its jurisdic-.. tion in the matter of the depreciation | of the various utilities in the District has been determined, the commission | will consider and determine the rule: and regulations for the proper ac-| counting for depreciation, and if it then appears that a revision of the rates for service should be made, a further investigation will be held.” The commission failed to settle, definitely the question of whether the | 43 per cent of gross earnings paid| annually by the local company to the American Telephone and Telegraph | Company is excessive. The testimony | showed that last year this payment amounted to $216,481.93. View of Commisaion. Discussing this matter, the com- mission states: “The item of service rendered by | the American Telephone and Tele- graph Company under thisagreement, most susceptible of a definite money ! valuation, is that of the rental charge | for the telephone instruments, the Ppatent rights to.which are controlled | by the American Telephone and Tele- | graph Company. The testiniony in this case shows that at the present, market price for these instruments, the Chesapeake and Potomac Tele: phone Company is. saving approxi- | mately $1 per annum per station by | renting them from the parent com- | pany instead of purchasing them out- right. This rate, applied to the 94,373 subscribers® stations shown by Clark- 1921, would account for $94,373 of the | amount paid to the American Tele- | phone and Telegraph Company during | 1921. To this figure should be added | the saving through the rental of in- i struments used by the company’ operators and linemen and those éar- ried in stock, which, it may be as-{ sumed, would bring the amourt of | the payment to approximately $100,- | 000 annually. This would leave, in| round numbers,-$116,000 as the amounc | paid for the other services rendered | by the Amierican Telephone and Tele- | graph Company during the year under review. This amount undoubt- edly represents payment for services or privileges of substantial value to the public, though it is difficult to| state positively in precise terms what the services and privileges are, and equally difficult to determine what would be more than a fair payment for them. In view, however, of the recent financial history of the local company and of its past and present earnings, the extent to which this re- maining amount, $116,000, is, if at all, an overpayment remains of compara- tively little importance in its effect| on the rate schedule.” { Contraet an Advantage. The commission finds that the con- | tract which the company has with| the Western Blectric Company for H “Strest cléaning officials admit that {the :purchase of equipment and sup-|came known here today. Testimony at the heafing was to| the effect that the company had 391 unfliled applications for service pepd- ing at the end of the year. The ciu' mission states in ‘its declsion that nearly al} of these orders will be pro- Discussing | pany, is making every reasonable ef- fort."tp furnish_service to these ap- plicants, and that it is inadvisable tq require the company to extend i lines to .those sections where, shown by_the testimony, the ct 3 |dent said.™ “In such communities! movement which would briag together LBy the Associated Press. {of Massachusetts commending him to (Continued on Page 2, Column §.) ~ "he can apply again for examingtion. * Yesterday's * WOMAN BOOTLEGGERS WEAR COPPER TANKS HIDDEN UNDER WAISTS By the Associated Press. PEABODY, Mass., Februgry 15.— Woman bootleggers are plying their trade here using moonshine containers made for wear under their waists, Chief of Police Grady #aid today. He had shown in court a copper tank, constructed like a base ball catcher’s chest protector, in connection with his report of a raid on the home of Mrs. Annie Shanaway. ~ Contalner and still were seized. Mrs. Shanaway was fined $50 today for keeping liguor for sale. Chief Grady explained that if an order for moonshine was received, the container, which holds a gal- lon. was filled and strapped to the boay of the bootlegeer, who was able 10 go into the streeis with it without detection. HOUSING STTUATION MEETING OPPOSED BY THE PRESIDENT Considers It Inadvisable to Call Conference, He Writes Senator King. President Harding in a letter to Senator King, democrat, Utah, made public today by the latter, declared he considered it inadvisable at this time to call a national housing con- | ference. The executive also asserted that he did not know “of a legislative palliative” to relieve home shortages and added that he very much doubted “if we ought to try to create one.” The letter of the President was written in reply to one from the Utah senator suggesting that a national conference to consider means of in creasing housing facilities be c; by the Depariment of Commgc?‘ Peculiar to CommuSities. uilding conditions are peculiar to | individual commurities” the Presi- wher€ there Is developed a manifest Telephone Company {shortage of housing. there have been held usuaily under|2Rd SCTapping of those vessels slated of boards of trade or! for disposal, i dicted in The Star several days ago.|chambers of commerce, into which | uling, berthing, docking, etc. local conference: the auspic conferences have been invited repre- sentatives of the material men, con- n closed its order with this | tractors, spokesmen for labor and for banking, and building and loan asso- ciations. most practical plan determined. some such means. “1 do. not know of a legislative | patitative. I very much doubt ought to try to create one. is seldom a lack of it under normal conditions, when building: enterprises may be safely pursued.” Wants to Awalt Results. “While some good came from the conference on unemployment,” the President stated, and while he “hopes good results will follow the agricul- tural conference,” he considered it ad- visable to await “substantial evi dences of accomplishment” of the | conferences already held, before call- ing any more. The President declares the Depart- ment of Commerce has been inspir | ing community conferences in many of the larger cities, and for the i formation of Senator King tran: mitted a copy of a letter from Secre- tary Hoover. The “blockade” in building was attributed by Secretary Hoover in his letter “to the high level of ma- terials, wages, railway rates, and shortage of home-building capital. Prices Slowiy Receding. “Prices and wages are now slowly receding,” he added, “efficiency of labor is increasing and the volume of building is gaining.” “The country badly needs a mobili- zation of home-building capital, based upon our building and loan associa- | tions, insurance companies and savings banks,” the secretary declared. “We have a sound foundation upon which to build some sort of structure that would cheapen home-building capi- tal, give it more mobility to all re- giops and afford greater security. A conference to consider this proBlem would be of great value May Spiit on Prices. Regarding a national housing con- ference, the Secretary expressed fear | such a conference “would be likely to | split upon price of materials and} and, in any event, power to affect either one. Senator Kirg said he hid recelve a large number of letters from varl- ous parts of the country urging some have mo the builders, capitalists and philan- thropists to devise ways and means for improving the housing situation, | and that he had arranged for a con- ference with Secretary Hoover to see if some such a meeting could not be considered. ——————— FAILURE TO SATISFY QUESTIONERS BARS PASTOR FROM PULPIT | PITTSBURGH, Pa, February 15— The Pittsburgh presbytery of the| Presbyterian Church has refused to permit Rev. D. D. Gorton, formerly of Springfield, Mass. to occupy the pulpit of the Lemington Avenue Pres- byterian Church as pastor, because ‘he failed to answer “satisfactorily questions concerning the deity. of Christ and the Virgin birth,” it be- | | Rev. Mr. Gorton came here with a regular letter of dismissal from theas- sociation of cougregational churches the good offices of other religious bodies. The examination conduct- ed by the Rev. Dr. Maitland Alexan- der of the First Presbyterian Church of Pil urgh. To the only two ques- tions asked, it was sald, Mr. Gorton failed to give answers which the presbytery believed indicated “sound orthvdoxy.” 4 . By resolution, Mr. Gorton was di- rected to further study the standards of the Presbyterian Church, and he was Informed that if he so desires I cannot think of any | way in which the federal government jcan help the situatlon other than by f we Housing i8'such & fundamental need that there Net Circa'ation, 94,07 TWO CENTS., WOULD SCRAP SHIPS AT NAVY YARDS 10 AID LAID-OFF MEN Gompers Urges Work Be Un- dertaken Without Delay in Appeal to Mr. Denby. 'ASKS IMMEDIATE START ON OBSOLETE VESSELS Labor Bureau to Redistribute Em- ployes Released on Furlough Also Recommended. Allocation to the navy yards of the work of dismantling the capital ships to be scrapped under the terms of the naval treaty and the establisnment of a government employment service within the Navy Department to facili- tate the redistribution among govern- ment departments of labor released through operation of the international naval limitation agreement are the wo salient schemes designed to pro- vide relief for the 10,000 navy yard employes recently thrown out of work which were recommended to Secretary of Navy Denby today by Samuel Gompers, president of the American Federation of Labor, and a committee of fifteen representing the navy yard workers. Secretary Denby promisef to Bive the proposuls his early arf earncst consideration. h-n/ The program supanftted to Secretary Denby follows: < » wadhlely the programs of ce, conversion, recondition- ing,4modernizing and modification of existing naval crafts and equipment and apply existing funds under the control of the Navy Department to cover the cost of this work. ““Concentrate this work in the navy yards, especially those most seriously affected by recent reductions in tle working force. Would Rusk Dismantling. “Make all necessary arrangements preparatory to actual dismantling maint, €., surveying, sched- It is understood that there are approxi- mately nineteen capital ships of the pre-Jutland type and 100 destroyers now in commission listed for retire- Whether this is not thement, as well as tweive post-Jutland it vet is to be|S! s on the building ways which are not to be completed. Getting ready | to dismantie these without delay will assist to relieve the situation. All this work should be allocated to the navy yards. “In fact, a great deal of actual dis- mantling and scrapping of the older vessels, such as the Maine, Missour! and others, those which are prac- tically obsolete, may be started im- mediately. It would m that spe- cial action by Congress need hardly be awaited. “Then, promptly upon the ratifica- tion by the Senate of the five-power naval “pact, proceed with the dis- mantling and scrapping. “Two of the capital ships now under construction, that is, of the West Vir-, ginia class, on which work has been suspended, are to be completed in | order to ‘replace the Delaware and North Dakota. It is understood that a board of officers is making a survey in order to determine which two are to be selected for completion. It is strongly urged that one of these at least be one of the four now on navy yard ways, i e, at Brooklyn, Mare Island or Norfolk. Urges Start on New Ships. “Begin constructing at the navy yards without delay those new ves- sels already authorized and which It is deemed advisable to build. “Complete plans as quickly as pos- sible and undertake without delay the construction of such new auxiliary vessels, aircraft carriers, new de- stroyers, submarines, etc., which will be required as a result of the revised naval bLuilding program growing out of the five-power pact. Allocate this | work to the navy yards. | | i stablish an agency within the Navy Departmert provided with ade-' | quate personnel, which actively seek | work trom all other federal depart-} | ments and bureaus for the Navy in~ | Qustrial plants. Place an official in | charge of this office who will be in, { full sympathy with its purposes. | “Make a special and defermined. effort to secure maintenance, recondi- tioning, and new construction work { from the Emergency Fleet Corpora- tion, Army transport service, coast guard, lighthouse bureau and rivers: and harbors board (Army engineers).. These governmental agencies operate: and maintain considerable floating equipment, all of which can be han- dled with economy at the navy yards. “Eliminate. from the accounts covering work performed and from stimates upon work to be performed at the navy yards all unrelated over- head charges. Principal among these are those which arise from the mili- tary nature of the yards, as well as those which arise from plant and equipment made idle by causes or- dinarily beyond control. The slatter classes of items are also of a mili- tary nature, for the excess capaci- ties and idle equipment of these | plants as they exist serve the pur- | pose of industrial reserves or in- | surance against future wars, or have i arisen as a result of past large scale {naval operations and protective { measures. This being the case, they certainly should not serve as a bur- den upon reviving and stabilizing production at these plants. ‘Would Establish Employment Office. , “Establish an employment clearing {office in the Navy Department witn branch offices at each yard and In- dustrial »station, whose function it will be to provide navy yard workers laid off or furloughed at one yard opportunity for employment, tempo- rary or permanent, at such other yards where demand for thelr services may develop. Such men should be provided with transportation. > “Navy yard empioyes should be re- tained in the service, transferred or re-employed in accordnage with the length of their service to the govern- nent. ""Employe! furloughed who have been fifteen years or more in the gov- ernment’s service and who ap- proaching the retirement age, the basis of which they will be entitled to a pension, to be permanently fur- loughed untii the date of their retires ment, when they shouid be pensioned. However, if the opportunity for work. in the government's service presents _itself. before the date of (Continued_on_Page 2, Columg 7.)