Evening Star Newspaper, April 18, 1922, Page 1

WEATHER. Fair ‘tonight and tomorrow; much colder tonight; cooler tomorrow. Temperature for twenty-four hours ended at 2 p.m.-today: Highest, 71, at 3 p.m. yesterday; lowest, 61, at 2 p.m. today. Full report on page 7. Closing New York Stocks, Page 25. 98,478. No. Entered as tecond-class matter post office Washington, D, C. Tt . ¢ Foeni WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION e - ‘ o Star. WASHINGTON, D. C, TUESDAY, APRIL 18, 1922 --THIRTY-FOUR PAGES. Member of the Associated Press ‘The Associated Press is exclusively entitled to the use for republication of all mews dispatches credited to it or not otherwlse credited in this paper and also the local mews published herein. Al rights dispatches of publication of speclal Lerein are also reserved. * Yesterday’s Net Circulation, 89,615 TWO CENTS. GENOA IN BALANGE AS ALLIES CONFER ON GERMAN MOVE Reporting Drafting Note to Soviet and Berlin Demand- ing Renouncing of Treaty. PROPHETS SEE DISASTER IF POLICY IS ADHERED TO Powers Attach Significance to Po- litical Possibilities—Poincare Calls Cabinet. Br e Associated Press. GENOA, April 18.—~The allies have decided that Germany having effected her own arpangement with Russia in the treaty signed Sun- day at Rapallo is debarred from further participation in the dis- cussion of the conditions of the agreement between Russia and the various other countries represent- «€d at the economic conference. PARIS, April 18.—A high official of the government declared this afternoon there was mo possibility of continuing the discussions at iemoa unless the Russo-German trenty were canceled. Even if it were annulled, he deciared, the moral effect would remain on two of the parties to the conference maneuvering on side to forestall the conference’s work. PARL from enoa this afternoon says the mans and Russians, notifying them it will be and Russians to continue to partici- pate in the sessions of the Russian affairs commission of the conference if they persist in maintaining the Russo-German treaty. GENOA, April 18. —The consterna- tion caused by the German-Russian coup in concluding the treaty at Rapallo supplanting the Brest-Li- tovsk pact, showed no signs of abat- ing as the economic conference dele- gates continued their deliberations \'nl‘a_\‘. On the contrary, as the different na- tional groups examined the text of the new agreement and deliberated on its possible effect upon the future balance of power in Europe, they were impressed with the deep importance the signing of this separate pact was ely to have on the general po- 1 situation. See Disaster Ahead. April 18.—A Havas dispatch | allies are drafting a note to the Ger- | impossible for the Germans | Pistols Now Checked_ Along With Infants And Flappers® Corsets * By the Assoclated Pre: NEW YORK, April 18—The checking business, which has made rapld strides with the opening of checkrooms for bables parking stations for flappers’ corsets, has been broadened again. The police announced today they had dixcovered m checking ! wtation for pistois, where mem. | bers of the underworld may park thelr lery when they Rave a few hours of lelsure. Mont of the city’s gun wield- ers apparently were on the crime path, however, as the parking ton had only two Ppintols on its shelves. The concexsfonnaire was book- ed at police headqunrters Fred Piccora, and charged wit viglating the Sullivan law. TORNADOES SWEEP TOTHE EASTWARD !Twenty-Eight Persons Killed and Many Are Homeless by Storms. HEAVY PROPERTY LOSS { Disturbance Centers in Illinois. Indiana Gets Full Effect—Two Distinet Belts. i By the Associated Press. 1 CHICAGO, April 1S.—Sweeping| northeastward through the middle | ! states a storm, which had its origin | in the Rocky mountain region Sun-| day. had passed over Ohio today, leav- | i | ing in its wake death and much destru destruction. A loss of thirty lives was attributed to the -storm, which devel- | oped considerable energy as it progress- | €d over Illinois and Indiana, taking in | i many places the form of tornadoes. | Damage to property will mount into | millions, it is believed. Accompanied by rains which sent| | streams, then swollen, coursing far| |beyond their usual channels, the; {storm brought added suffering and | | inconvenience to some communities | which for several days have been| flected by flood conditions. A drop n the temperature to below season: | normal adied to tne discomfort of| ! families whose homes having been | | destroyed by wind or made unin-j | habitable by floods, are now living in tents or improvised shelters. | Twenty-One Dead in Indiana. | | Indiana apparently felt the full] leffect of the wind storms yesterday. lin that state thirteen persons are | {known to haye met death in different a 1 i ter | base agitator into silence. The prophets who when the eco- | communtties. Early yesterday morn- nomic conference was inaugurated |ing the storm centered in predicted that it would result either | Striking a number of villages in the in great good or disaster to Europe |darkness, tornadoes wrought havoc were inclined today to take the view | to many homes, and such reports as that the congress seemed to be|were available from agricultural Iilinois. | HISSING TONGUES DANGER T0 ALLIES, SAYSDAR. LEADER, Warns Against Rift Through Propaganda, in Speech at Arlington. TRIBUTES PLACED ON TOMB OF HERO i Mrs. Minor Lauds Cause of Hu- manity Exemplified at Arms Conference Here. An appeal to patriotic Americans to turn deaf ears to all propaganda designed to divide the allied nations the world, whose friendship and uitusl understanding have been cemented more closely by the con-) ference on the limitation of arma-, ment, was made by Mrs. George Maynard Minor, president general of | the Daughters of the American Revo- lution, at memorial exercises this afternoon in the amphi theater in Arlington cemetery. The ceremonies in tribute to (hel i unznown heroes of this nation, who died in the world war, were attended exclusively by the officers and 2,700 | accredited delegates and alternates of the society. The delegates left Continental Memo- rial Hall at ‘1 o'clock in automobiles decorated with the official insignia of the society. Some delay was encoun- tered in lining up the machines in front of the hall for the journey. Threatening skies, which were preceded by showers, did not diminish the crowd. It s esti- mated that more than 2,000 of the 2,700 delegates and alternates went to Ar- lington. For many of the delegates the trip to Arlington was the first visit to the na- tional cemetery. The automobiles as- cended in a steady line up the hill to the vicinity of the amphitheater, where they were parked or dismissed. Just preceding the conclusion of the exercises, Mrs. Minor placed a beautiful floral wreath on the tomb | She was | | i of America's unknown hero. followed by the state regents of the organization, who placed similar tributes on the shrine. ‘The program included Scripture and prayer by Mr: Selden P. Spencer, wife of Senator Spencer of Missouri and chaplain general of the societ a solo, “The Heavens Resound Wit His Glory.” by Flora McGill Keefer, and prayer bythe ex-chaplain gen- eral. Faith in Hero's Memory. propaganda that has sought. the war, to divide the allled “has failed as it deserved| to fail” declared Mrs. Minor. “Its hissing tongues of slander should | fall on deaf ears hereafter, if we are to remember this boy who lies at Arlington.” “The thought of Arlington,” she| continued, “should forever shame the | America will not forget the cause for whieh she paid the price of Arlington, ner will she forget the allies who held The since nations { the lines for nearly three years be- fore her flag was unfurled. “The conference on the nmiunnn! of armament has drawn the nations THE RUSSO~E}ER MAN CHERUBS. DIVERGENT VIEWS ON MORELAND CASE Likely Effect of Decision of| Supreme Court Widely Discussed. What will be the effect of the de- cision of the United States Supreme Court in the Moreland case? Lawyers take divergent view Those who have been staying cases BOOTLEGGERS TRAIN BURROS TO STAMPEDE TO WARN OF OFFICERS Texas bootleggers are training burros to stampede in order to give warning of approaching pro- hibition officers, according to re- ports received by Commissioner Haynes. The cducated burros do not actually recognize the agents as dry law enforcement officers, the reports declared, but are trained to stampede at the ap- proach of any strangers. This is done, the report explained, by the bootleggers feeding them sugar f and then having accomplices give them a sugar substitute causing severe pains in the stomach. “Consequentiy.” the reports said, H | called for trial in the Police Court| <the animal becomes skeptical of by applying for writs of prohibition| strangers, and stampede at their to the District Supreme Court ex-| APProach. press the view that the decision broad enough to strip the Police Court of jurisdiction to commit to Occoquan, because, they claim, pris- oners sent there are compelled to do; hard labor. United States Attorney Gordon thinks the decision binds only the _Juvenile Court, and today ex- pressed the conviction that if there are any prisoners now at Occoquan, sent there by the Juvenile Court. their 1fbér@#ION” might be secured by habeas_corpus proceedings at Rich- mond, Va., because the institution is located in Virginia. He does not fear that the courts| will hold that the Police Court lacks jurisdictien to try cases where pris- oners may be sent to Occoquan, and PLANWAYSTOEND G MAILROBBERES Small Thefts Checked, De- partment to Go After Or- ganized Bands. | ngressio once more together in the same spirit | considers” any wholesale release of headed in the direction of disaster,| communities which had been striped | which only the coolness of Prime |of nearly all means of communication Minister Lloyd George of Great Brit- ) indicated that thirteen persons had been | ain and other conference leaders | killed. | could prevent. Some men in allied| Missouri, lo?'u anddKPng-ls ‘l|ndmf:;:] circles read into the Russo-German |the storm eafly SERdes PR 0 o treaty, and especially the manner In|iarked its sweep across Llinois and | whicl it was signed, a future al-|MATKED (05, SECEP 8 CT0SE Jinnce between these two countries. | INQIan& aRC (RO SU0 g Prime Minister Lloyd George, him- | 5 Lo there | self went 8o far as to say the pact was a step in the direction of divid- ing Europe into separate camps, the very thing the conference wished to avold. Germ Apparently Deeply Disappointed. the iermans were to take part in the private conference of allied leaders with the bolsheviki in an endeavor to lay down the gen- eral lines of agreement before bring- ing tfe discussions into the confer- ence commissions, thus reducing the chances of a break. allies were trying to make a secret separate agreement with the soviets,” said a British delegate today to the Associated Press, “but nothing was further from our thoughts. We were * merely trying to expedite the work of the conference, especially seeking by all possible honorable means to make the Genoa conference a suc- cess. England, like every sane na- tion of the world today, knows some- thing helpful must emerge from Ge- noa.” Jaganese Not Present. As these preliminary conversations with the soviets particularly con- cerned Europe, the Japdnese leaders were not present, but they were kept informed concerning developments. They participated in yesterday's re- union of the allied leaders, and now that the situation has assumed = broad international aspect by virtue of separate action on the part of Germany, Japan, as well as the mem- the allies and give of their counsel. The organizers of the ¢ »nference today were attempting to grope their way out of the debris and confusion. The judicial experts of the powers which “organized the conference met to consider whether the new pact violates the stipulations of the treaty of Versailles or conflicts with the resolutions of the supreme council at Cannes on which the present confer- _ ence is founded and whick all the na- tions coming to Genoa were expected to accept as the basis of the meeting. Will Report to AlL The experts later were to report to an assembly which included not only the chief representatives of the five inviting powers—Great Britain, France, Italy, Japan and Belgium— but also the leading delegates of the little enténte nations, who were es- pecially invited because of the vital character of the question to be dealt with and its possible effects on cen- tral Europe. g Without exception the delegations of —the thirty~-four countries repre- sented here are wondering what the real effect of the surprise treaty will be on the conference. The pact con- stitutes, recognition by Germany of the Russian government—a question forming one of the chief points of .+ vthe conference agenda. Termed Disloyal by British. Hence, the terms “‘dishonorable” and (Continued on Page 4, Column 2.) N deeply disappointed at not being able | “Probably the Germans thought the | bers of the little entente, will sit with | 4 tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 o'clock. were two distinct tornado belts. The one in the southern part sustained some damage, but across the northern part of the state there was a wind- { swept strip in which the loss of life | was heavy. Warren county, in the western part of the state, reported a { loss of twelve. lives. Four met death ! in Madison county, in the central por- | tion of the state. Two Villages Wrecked. The death toll was greatest in cen- tral Illinois. The villages of Irving- {ton and Plainfield, near Centralia, { were badly wrecked and several per- | sons were killed. Other fatalities in | | this state were in small rural com- | | munities. | Wires were blown down by thel wind, and telephone and telegraph | companies_hurried today to complete | repairs. With restored communica- tion it was considered probable that | the complete reports might indicate even greater disaster than was indi- cated early today. FROST THREATENS CROPS. COLUMBUS, Ohio, April 18.—With; the storms of the past twenty-four hours apparently over, Ohio farmers and fruit growers were making prep-; arations to fight a heavy frost, pre-| dicted for tonight in this state by the | { weather bureau. The frost may be | | “killing” in the lower sections, the | weather bureau announced. | The tornado _which - yesterday | wrought havoc in Indiana and Illinois last night worked its way into Ohio, | cutting a swath through Auglaize and | Allen countries, in northwestern Ohio, ! {injuring three persons and doing much property damage. 2 | The tornado cut a path several hun- dred yards wide, passing south of Lima and continuing in a northeasterly di- rection. Several houses and at least fifteen barns were reported demolished and some live stock was killed. Wire communication was demoralized and trees and growing crops damaged. The injured are Mrs. John Van Fleet of Yoder, who was brought to a local hospital after her home had been razed by the wind, and Mr. and Mrs. J. Riley of Buckland, a village south of here, who were removed from the wreckage of their home in a serious condition. ; Faulty telephone and telegraphic communication has prevented a com- | plete check of the damage done. | sl | FOUND DEAD IN HOME. i Special Dispatch to The Star. FALLS CHURCH, Va., April 18.—| Edward M. Updike was found dead | in the kitchen of his home here yes- terday morning by his wife, who had | hurried downstairs upon finding that he had not been in his room. Mr. Updike had attended services at the Baptist church Sunday even- ing and his wife had retired when he came home. The lights were on, and |1t is believed he fell dead directly after reaching home. The deceased was about ffty-two years old and a native of Virginia. Besides his wife and young son he leaves a sister here, Mrs. J. L. Shot- well, and his mother. He was a mem- ber of the L O. O. F. and the lodge will take charge of the funeral serv- ices, which will be held at the home. i i | | | | in which they fought together for liberty and righteousness and lasting peace. “Here at the grave of our unknown dead we dedicate ourselves to the high ideals for which our allies and ourselves have given our sons. We offer to them a nation’s gratitude and reverence through the women who by their ancestry and their heritage are pre-cminently pledged to perpetuate the ideals of liberty and justice and national honor for which these sons laid down their lives. Service and Remembrance. “We offer fervent prayers to the fathers of all to make us worthy of these men who gave their all that we might live in peace and security. We pray that we may be given the strength to service and the stead- fastness to remember. “Humbly and reverently we come here today to bring the tribute of a sacred vow to America’s unknown dead. In the presence of the unseen hosts of God here in this sacred spot we vow that we shall not forget what this unknown American and hi Tellows did to save the world and civilization from cruel brutishness. reater than tribute of flowers, greater than tributes of praise, is the tribute of loyalty. to the things for which these men died. These things cannot be measured by material standards; they are the things of the spirit. “They are the things made sacred by the blood and sacrifice of millions in"all ag Liberty and justice, faith and honor, mercy and truth— these were the things that Germany vio- lated and that these men fought to save. They poured their fresh young strength into the struggle for a right- eous cause, and planted our flag with the allied flags in time to help stem the tide of horror !hat seemed about to submerge the world. Good Triumphs Over Evil. “The grim, gray lines broke and fled. Good prevailed over evil; right prevailed over might; righteousness (Continued on Page z. Column 6.) prisoners at Occoquan under sentence from the Police Court-as Fighly im- probable. Opinion of Maj. Gordon. Maj. Gordon takes the position that since neither the law nor the com- mitment papers concerning cases tried in the Police Court call for “hard labor” the Moreland decision does mot affect the jurisdiction of that tribunal. He points out that the Juvenile Court act uses the words “hard labor,” and that made the case | infamous and brought it under the| inkibition of the Constitution pre- | venting imposition of infamous pun- ishment withous a presentment of a| | grand jury. Y No hard labor is ordered by the Police Court, he states, and any la- bor required of the prisoners at Oc- coquan is only such as the rules and regulations of that institution di- rect. Such regulations cannot, he thinks, affect the jurisdiction of the ! court or invalidate its sentence. The lawyers representing persons charged with liquor law and other violations take heart from the fact that Justice Hitz of the District Su- preme Court has announced that he would await the decision of the United States Supreme Court in the Moreland case before handing down his findings in the fifty or more pro- hibition cases. They take that to mean that the court will decide that since the Moreland case has been sustained there is nothing else for the court to do but to sustain their view that it also covers the trial of cases in the Polfce Court. “United States Attorney Gordon . is inclined to think that Justice Hitz will not rule as counsel think, but if he does an appeal will bé taken. The prosecutor points out that com- mitment papers from the Police Court direct incarceration in the Washing- ‘ton Asylum and Jjail and make no men. tion of hard labor. Under a law of 1911 the District Commissioners are au- thorized to transfer persons under jail sentence to Occoquan and pris- oners are sent from the District jail to Occoquan under this authority and not by order of the Police Court. ‘DOWN WITH JAZZ! VOTES SAVANNAH; POLICE MUST DECIDE ‘WHAT IS JAZZ® Special Dispatch to The Star. SAVANNAH, Ga., April 18.—Jazz at last is an outlaw. The Savan- nah city council at a meeting late Monday afternoon passed an ordi- nance barring jazz, syncopated or otherwise, from the stage, from all public dances, and presumably from all homes, for the new law makes it & crime o “engage” in this terpsichorean pastime. Now that the law is on -the city statute books, the city fathers are looking for some one definitely to define jaszs. In the modern dance ‘where does jazz begin and where does it leave off? The law declares “jazz” to be “indecent and injurious to public morals” and fixes 2 penalty of $100 fine or thirty days in jail for those who participate In the barred dance, or those who permit it at affairs whicn they control. ‘The ordinance was adopted be- fore the largest crowd that has attended a council meeting in years. Alderman A. J. Garfunkel is the father -of the anti-jazz ‘movement. He introduced the ordinance ten days ago and it has been the town talk ever since. So great was the interest displayed that Mayor Stewart decided to hold a special meeting of council and to invite “all comers” to ‘ap- pear and discuss the measure. The women of the city turned out in force. They were against jazz “to a man.” They met every one who entered city hall during the meeting and pinned on coats and shirt waists a tag reading, “Down with jazz.” As originally drawn the ordi- nance exempted professional dan- cers appearing on the theatrical stage. Aldermen opposed to the new law thought to discredit it by offering an amendment striking out the provision permitting pro- fessional jazz. The proponents of the measure quickly accepted the amendment and the ordinance went through with & whoop. “The professionals,” said Alder- man Gordon Saussy, ‘“emphasize and exaggerate every féature of the dance that is objectionable.” So far as known here there is no precedent for the passage of such a municipal act. No other city is known to have a similar measure, Those who spoke for the ordinance sald the young people needed some restraining measure to keep their morals clean. From what some of the speakers said, jazz is a very bad thing, indeed, but no one has been found yet who can draw up rules to guide the jazz inspector. (Copy! 922.) | Having practically eliminated petty mail robberies, the Post Office De- {means to put an end to the major mail thefts which are believed to be the work of concerted bands of thieves. & ! In the past six months mail thefts totaling approximately $2,353,000 have occurred in the United States, of which about $300,000 has been recov- |ered. The huge total was secured by partment today considered ways and | - BAKHMETEFF FULLY ACGREDITED ENVOY Mr. Hughes Informs Senate | Ambassador Has Been Rec- ognized Since 1917. Boris Bakhmeteff, the last accred- ited ambassador from Russia to the United States, is recognized as the| representative of Russia in the United | !States. and as such enjoys the diplo- | matic immunity which attaches to all | ion\'uys of foreign governments ac- credited to the United States, Secre- | jtary Hughes ared in a letter {transmitted today to the Senate. Secretary Hughes added that he| jdeemed it incumbent upon him to] {point out that under established dip- | {lomatic custom an ambassador is “not | required to respond to process” of a| mittee, When the -Jetter was presented to the Senate the Semenoff hearing was | in process in an adjacent committee | room. ! The State Department secretary’s| letter, addressed to Vice President Coolidge and, after reading in- the | Senatg, referred to the Senate labor| committee, which subpoenaed the| ambassador to appear at its Semenoff hearings, declared that Mr. Bukhvl ameteff was “officially received” as!| Russian ambassador by the President | July 5, 1817, and “since that time this | government has recognized him in| i | struct the building. California Pastor, 60, Going Blind, Walks To See President By the Assoclated Press. SAN FRANCISCO, April 18— Rev. W. F. Damewood, a loeal minister, declared today he would start Thursday for ‘Washington, D. C., afoot. wanted to see a President while ke could. The mininter, who is past six- 1y, will take about seventy-five of luggage with him, he said he would haul in a small wagon. He will start with 85 in cash. 56,200,000 HOTEL T0 RISE AT ONCE| Walker to Erect Structure at Connecticut Avenue and De Sales Street. Announcement of a six-million-two- hundred-thousand-dollar eleven-story hotel, to be erected at once on the vacant land at the southeast corner of Connecticut avenue and De Sales street, was made today by Allen E. Walker, president of the Allan E.| Walker Investment Company, which has acquired the ground and will con- The hotel will be of palatial propor- tions and in keeping with the beauty of the National Capital, it is announc- ed. It is to be known as the Hotel Walker, and will contain more than | 1,100 guest rooms. Mr. Walker will form and head a company, which will own and oper- ate the property. Leroy Gaddis. jr. | will be vice president, and William | L. Browning, sccretary and treasurer | of the corporation. The directors will | | contract was signed with the bonding | company to dispose of the issue. | The building will cover a tract 153 | feet_on Connecticut avenue, 455 feet | on De Sales street and 140 feet on | 17th street, comprising 59,383 square | feet. and will contain more than; 4,800,000 cubic feet. It is said to be| the largest private construction en- | terprise ever undertaken in Wash- | ington. Eleven and Eight Stories. i One the Connecticut avenue front! it will be eleven stories high. An| £ Column 2. | " (Continued on Page REFUSES TOORDER., DAYLIGHT SAVING President, When Decree Is Asked, Suggests Action by Departments. President Harding would be in fa-| {olusion were: REPUBLICANS VOTE 25709 FOR BONUS INSENATE CAUCUS Result Shows Determination of Party to Pass Bill at This Session. FINANCE COMMITTEE ASKED TO BEGIN WORK Means of Raising Revenue Still Question—Democrats to Sup- port Measure. Senate republicans in party caucus today determined that a soldlers’ bonus bill should be passed by the Senate at the present session of Congress. The vote stood 26 to 9 in favor of a resolution offered by Senator Len- root of Wisconsin declaring that it was the sense of the republican con- ference that a bonus bill should be passed at the present session and requesting the Senate finance com- mittee to report to the Senate in a reasonable time a bonus bill. These Senators Oppose Resolution. The senators who opposed the res- Senators Calder, New York; Wadsworth, New York; Edge, New Jersey; Nelson, Minnesota; Weller, Md.; Newberry, Michigan Hampshire and Sterling of South Da- | kota. Senator Lenroot's original resolu- tion provided that the finance com- mittee should be requested to report 2 bonus bill within three weeks. On be named at a later date. A bond is- . 5 2 i Wi be taken by the American |MOtON of Senator Fernald of Maine, Bond and Mortgage Company of ewitha resolution was amended so as to ‘:lgrxe and (_l!;rix(x::go.igorm:\-h}:gd -“i. provide a reasonable time instead of Walker and Mr. Browning have just | thTée weeks. The Fernald amend- returned from Chicago, where the|Ment was carried by one vote. The prevailing opinion is, how- ever, that the bill will be reported out within three or four weeks and that it will be taken up for consid- eration immediately, the tariff bill being temporarily luid aside for that purpose, There aresa number of other sen- ators who are known to be opposed to the passage of 0 a soldiers’ bonus bill at this time, including Senators Borah of Idaho, Freli n, New Jersey, and Diiiingham, How- ever,”an overwhelming maj of the republican sena v for the bill and even some of those 1 who opposed taking the m ure up at this time {may vote for it in the end. The bill { will have much support. it is said. among the democrats, and its pas- sage is apparently assured. Financial Feature Question. The question was Falsed today as to whether the Senate could, under the rules governing legislation, in- sert in the soldiers' bonus bill o rev- enue-raising provision. Revenue- producing - bills must originate in the House. It was pointed out that the soldiers’ bonus bill is not a rev- t enue-producing measure and could not be so construed. President Harding. has strongly urged the advisability of including | in the soldier bonus bill a meuns of raising the money to pay the bonus. Since the House omitted this, it is now held that the Senate is not at vor of a concerted effort to save an hour of daylight for Washington, it that capacity and has recognized no | was made known at the White House | other ambassador.” | today, but he would not consider es- The letter, after stating that a |tablishing the daylight saving plan. representative of Mr. Bakhmeteff had | customary in several large cities of liberty to place a revenue-producing amendment in the bill. There has beer much discussion as to whether the President would veto a bonus bill which failed to provide the money to pay the bonus. robberies in ten major thefts., com- mencing with $1,500,000 in New York city last fall. called at the State Department to direot the department’s attention to| the subpoenoing the ambassador, and | quoting the subpoena said: | believing it would the gigantic theft of The President w: [ the Unitea States, by executive order. as represented as be a profitable and All information in the hands of pos- tal inspectors points to the concerted work of organized bands of mail rob- bers, who managed to “pull” rob- beries despite the efforts of United | States marines and others who were on guard. Use of the marines reduced the number of smaller robberies to prac- tically nothing, and succeeded in cut- ting the total amount of money lost, but it did not put a stop to the thefts. Besides the big New York hold-up, from which none of the money ever has been rocevered, there was another big robbery at Elkhart, Ind., early this year. The entire sum stolen, $500,000, was recovered. This amount represents the sum total of what has been recovered in the ten major theft cases occur- ring throughout the United States during the past half year. Postal officials realize that the robbers are laying low, concentrating their ef- forts on big “jobs.” While officials are pleased with the reduction in the number of smaller affairs, they realize that the condi- tion in relation to major robberies lis still serious. The question of pos- sible “inside” assistance of robbers by postal employes is being censid- ered. Plans to place 100 additional in- spectors throughout the country at important points are being made by robberies being one of the main con- siderations, although the inspectors will perform other work as well. Meanwhile arming and training of the postal service personnel goes on uninterruptedly, so that robbers who attack any of them are most likely to meet a hot reception. The depart- ment hopes to eliminate shortly the element of surprise from such at- tacks, and when this is done it be- lieves' the postal service will be in a position to eliminate mail thefts entirely. SHOOTS WIFE; KILLS-SELF] | isses Her Good-Bye—Tragedy on l]fiurther ~tatement as to the change New York Subway Platform. NEW YORK, April 18.—Frank Mul- ler kissed his wife good-bye on a sub- way platform today, then shot her and killed himself. She was taken to a hospital in a serious condition. Mr. and Mrs. Muller_had been es- tranged foyr years. When she re- fused to return to him he said, “Well, you tell the police hows it happened,’ embraced her, then fired. In ‘Muller’s suit case, found on the station platform, was a letter to his parents, saying: “By the time you re- ceive this letter El 'will probably be somewhat upset. Everything has been a failure, I cannot live without my wife. It is too bad Elsie and I could not agree and must be parted. Please take care of Mildred (his daughter). Please bury us in the same grave.” | the department, prevention of mail{ Text of Mr. Hughes' Letter. “Mr. Bakhmeteff presented his let- | ter of credence to the President of the | United States and was officially re- ceived by the President as the am- bassador extraordinary and plenipo- tentiary of Russia on July 5, 1917, and since that time this government has recognized him in that capacity and has recognized no other Russian am- bassador. “Since Mr. Bakhmeteff, in accord- ance with the general diplomatic practice in such cases, has brought the telegram to my attention, I deem ; it to be incumbent upon me to point out thgt an ambassador is not re- quired to respond to process. The provisions of sections 4062 to 4064 of the Revised Statutes of the United | States are declaratory of the law of | the nations with respect to the im- munity of diplomatic officers.” Justice to Semenoff. Ralph L. Baggs of New York, a former American Army lieutenant with the ferces in Siberia, was before the Senate labor committee yesterday. His testimony, which was said not to re- fute that recently given before the committee by Maj. Gen. Graves, the Siberian expedition commander, or Lieut. Col. Charles H. Morrow, his chief aide, was said to be intended to do “justice to the Russian officer, Gen. Seminoff, in so far as the witness saw events there. He declared that at times the policy appeared to be “an eye for an eye,” but denied general massacres. had taken place in the area where he was stationed. Mr. Baggs cred- ited Semenoff with having checked POEroms, and said that conditions under fhe general were better than where the bolsheviks held sway. In some instances, he added, the actlvities of the bolsheviki were such that “retaliation- was almost justified.” By way of reply to testi- | mony previously given the commit- tee, he declared that early in 1919 there was a change of sentiment jamong the Semenoft forces toward the Americans, who, he said, were looked upon as giving “moral en- couragement to the reds by not en- gaging against them actively. Asked by Chairman Borah for a 1 e had noted in the Russian senti- ment, Mr. Baggs said that he believed it was because “our purpose there never was stated.” Purpose Uhknowa to All “I could not tell' them,” he* con- tinued, “for I was not advised. There never was & statement from my superiors as to what our mission as, and I do not believe they ever ad an expression from their chiefs, either. All.I ever could tell them ‘was that the Americans were there to give economic aid, but when we made no declaration of purpose the anti-bolshevik groups became sus- piclous.” “And when you got back,” Mr. Borah interjected, “did you learn why ion had been there? We here did not now."” -: The answer of the witness, was drowned in laughter. “xo, { communities, but it was stated that i the proposal to establish daylight I vancing the hours of government em- feasible plan, if the departmental | heads in Washington should get to-| gether and decide to start work at 8| o'clock instead of 9. Daylight saving, as an organized movement, was believed by the exec- utive to be a good thing for urban he was not much in sympathy with saving as a national institution by | order of the government. Issuance of an executive order ad- ployes so that they could enjoy more hours of sunlight in the evenings, was asked of President Harding to- day in a letter which was sent to him by E. C. Graham, chairman of the spe- cial committee on daylight saving of the Merchants’ and Manufacturers’ Association. ! It was pointed out that if the gov- | ernment employes’ hours are changed, then the hours of the employes of private establishments would be ad- justed accordingly. While it was pointed out that there is a sentiment in Congress in favor of daylight sav- ing in the District of Columbia, there is not time at this session to enact the legislation, and therefore the ex- ecutive order is requested. The letter, in full, follows: “The Merchants and Manufactur- ers’ Association direct me to record its very great desire to have the working hours of government depart.- ments advanced one hour in the morning with a corresponding re- dyction in the afternoon in order that v.l?e employes of private business may enjoy a like privilege. “Through the instrumentality of city councils and other municipal governing bodies, a great number of cities are enjoying a good deal more of God’s sunlight and realizing physi- cal and mental advantages that ac- crue_thereby. 3 “We need not remind you that the federal government is_ likewise our municipal administrators. “We have no recourse such as Is had in the other metropolitan cities of the country, and therefore appeal to you, the city as well as national fathér of American citizens, to issue an executive order merely advancing the hours of federal and District gov- ernment employment so that the bal- ance of the people of Washington may enjoy the privilege that the Creator Himself must have intended. “We are convinced that there is a sufficient sentiment in Congress to ss & law making such a condition a reality but, owing to the exigencies of leglslation; it would be impossible to bring it about this year. “Permit_me .to further lvise yon tkat the Board of Trade and Chamber of Commerce are already on record in favor of such a change, 80 that far as the large and representative organizations of the District of Co- lumbia are concerned there is an ab- ! solute unanimity <of+ opinion and T} way say appeal.” | House May Be Put in Tariff Bil The suggestion was made today that the provision of raising revenue to meet the soldier bonus couid well be placed in the tariff bill, which is a revenue measure, originating in the and now before the Senate. The republicans plan to go ahead with the tariff bill, beginning on Thursday, and will keep the measure before the Senate constantly in an effort to expedite its passage. Howw cver, some of the republicans are-in favor of reporting to the Senate a soldiers’ bonus bill as soon as pos- sible and temporarily laying aside the tariff bill to pass the bonus meas- ure. Committee to Meet Tomorrow. Senator McCumber, chairman of the finance committee, it is understood, will call the finance committee to- gether tomorrow to begin considera- tion of the soldiers’ bonus bill. Senator Smoot of Utak., who is op- posed to the bonus bill passed by the House, plans to draft a substitute measure, largely dealing with insur- ance features. — MOTHER AND 2 CHILDREN ARE BURNED TO DEATH By the Associated Press. NEW YORK, April 18.—A charge of homicide against Barnet Epstein, landlord of the apartment house in ‘Washington Heights in which Mrs. Laurence Helms, twenty-two, and her two small children were burned to death today, was flled a few hours after their bodies had been found. Mrs. Helms was the daughter of Charles A. Sherwood, general man- ager of the Boston Telegram. With her children, Harold, two, and Flor- ence, three, she had rented the apart- ment only a few days ago. Detectives investigating the cause of the fire reported that the new five- story building recently vpened to ten- ants was without electricity or gas, und that _any one entering it afte sundown had to light candles or lan- terns to see their way. They also reported finding that Ep- stein did not have a certificate of occupancy from the building depart- ment. Epstein, arrested upon the ad- vice of Assistant District Attorney Purcell, said he’was not to blame. He contended that it was the business of the agents and the architect to see that the place was lighted. JOHN McCORMACK BETTER. Physician Notes Continued Im- provement in His Condition. NEW_ YORK, April 18.—John Mc- Cormack is making progress toward recovery, followinx his serious fll- ness. His physician declared todaj% that Mr. McCormack was “doing very nicely,” having continued provenient neied in his con terday.