Evening Star Newspaper, February 15, 1923, Page 2

ESIGNATION SENT IN'BY COL FORBES President May Appoint One . of Three Ex-Service Men . Veterans’ Bureau Head. 4 o ! The resignation of Col. Charles R. Forbes as director of the Veterans' Bureau has been placed in the hands 4f President Harding. and the Presi- dent now is considering appointment of one of three former overseas serv- fce men to the directorship, it was dald definitely today in administra- tion quarters. NO‘!’C Dame Sister Whe Was Kidnaped quitting 1 1 | i i i At the same time, however, it was indicated that the appolntment of a successor to Col. Forbes might not be made immediately. and that he might resume his duties temporarily after his return from Kurope, where fje recently went on a vacation trip. " In view of the criticisin of his admin- {stration, which has been voiced by oili- cials of the American Legion, members of Congress and others, it was said that Col. Forbes might desire to postpone Nis retirement for a time in order not 1o be in the positian o post under fire. Col. Miller Not Receptive. Such a delay, however, will not inter- fere with plans which now are going | forward to eelect another director. It was understood today that Col. Thomrss | W. Miller, now alien property custodian though = President Harding's first | oice for the place, has informed the hite House he would prefer to remain ,E his present position. The names of the three men now under considera‘ion were not divulged. The affairs of the bureau are under vP\'ssr(gallon by a special Senatel| dommittee, whose members have in- dicated t the, would ask for hroader powers which will enable them to go fully into the subject dur- ihg the coming recess of Congres: Several resolutions proposing Inves- figation also have been introduced in the House, and it has been predicted that House members would be added b the present Senate committee be- fore the congressional session ends yareh ¢ New Resolution ONered. i Another resolution proposing a gen- éral investigation of the bureau was tntroduced today Representative Connally, democrat, Texas, calling at- gention that there had been no action an any of the investigation resolu- tions offered in the House, Mr. Con- nally, in a formal statement. declared the recess of Congress could be em-! ployed “very profitably” in an in- vestigation into all of the activities of the bureau by a committee com- fosed of members of the new Con- ss. The committee on contingent €x- Penses of the Senate is to meet this afternoon to consider further the Caraway resolutien providing for an investigation the dismissal b executive order last year of twenty Gight employes of the bureau of eit- graving and printing, it was said to- day by Senator Caldér of New York, of the committee. T e Calder will lay before the | committee additional information ; which he has recelved from the White Jouse. 1t is understood that Senator Calder has talked to the President| several times in regard to the matter. ; It appears improbable that thel Caraway resolution will be reported | to the Senate, but that is a matter | which will be determined at the meet- ! ing this afternoon. 4 Tt the resolution Is not reported it is expected that Senator Caraway will take the floor and discuss the case of the dismisced employes again. JOINT. COMMITTEE | e g (Continued from First Page.) lture to the Department of the In- | tertor. H The functions of the Federal Power Commission, an independent estab- lishment. are transferred to the De- partment of the Interior. Department of Justice—The so- | licitors of the several departments &re now nominally under control 0(' e Department of Justice. They are thansferred to the department- in ! which they are respectively attached. | The office of the zlien property cus todian, now an independent establish- ! ment. is_transferred to the Depart ment of Justice ! The administration of United States prisons is transferred from the De partment_of Justice to the Depart- aent of Education and Welfare, The Department of. Communica- tions—The Post Ofice Department is renamed as the Department of Com- munications. The only important | change contemplated is the addition of a bureau to develop and extend telephone and telegraph communica- tions, including wircless for the gen- eral public benefi, Letter of President. President Harding's letter trans- mitted by Walter F. Brown, chairman of the joint committee on the reor- wanizaticn of government depart- ments, is as foilows i hand you herewith a chart which exhibits in detail the present organ- jzation of the government depart- ments and the changes suggested | after numerous conferences and con- ultationg with the various heads of cutive branch of the govern The changes, with few excep- ions, notably that of co-ordinating all agencies of national defense, have the sanction of the cabine “In a few instances, which T believe are of minor importance, the principe of major purpose has not been followed 10 tha let'er. in order to avoid con- troversy which might jeopardize reor- sanization as a whole. Permit me to repeat what T have | sald to the members of the joint com- mittee on reorganization that I regret degply the delay in placing our sugges- ”o"“l[h;x §(\";r hands. 4 een causad solely by dificulty which has been .nc'ou‘iwii‘s in reconciling the views of theivari- ous persons charged with the respon. sibility of administering the execu- tive branch of the government. With the earnest hope that the suggestions submitted may be of material assistance to the committee in_performing its most important task, T am, "ery truly vours, “WARRE: HARDING.” Roada Bureau Changed, Department of Agriculture—Tha bureau of public roads is transferred to _the Depariment of the Interior. The Botanic Garden is transferred from congressional supervision to the control of the Department of Agri- culture. Department of Commerce—The De- partment of Commerce is given thres major functions—the promotion of industry, the promotion of trade and the development, regulation and pro- | tection of the merchant marine. The subdivisions of the departments are organized accordingly under three as. sistant secretaries. The bureau of mines and the patent office are transferred to the Depart- ment of Commerce from the Depart- ment of the Interior, as well as the compllation of statistics of mineral production, which are compiled by the geological survey of the Interior De- partment. “The lake survey, the inland and oastwise waterway service, the super- visor of New York harbor and the com pilation of statistics of internal com iherce are transferred from the Wa: Department to the Department of Com- Therce. The hydrographic office and the val observatory are transferred from the Navy Department to the De- partment of Commerce. The life-saving service is transfer- red from the Treasury Department (coust guard) to the Department of mmerce, which is given control wise. oyer .the United States wec- f the.inter-American high com- i i ia s thir | the cold on New York city | from | was three below zero. lice SISTER CECILIA. STORMS ARE SWEEPING TO EASTWARD ON COAST tinued from First Page.) BOVSCRESSAVE. TTAGKEDCHLD Beaten in Soldiers’ Home Wood. PROMISED VALENTINES Police Seek White-Mustached Man Wearing Straw Hat With Overcoat. “A man with a white mustache and big heavy, brown overcoat and & |straw hat enticed little Ruth Pruss, |seven vears old., of 1035 20th street, to the Soldlers’ Home grounds yester- day, tied her hands behind her and dealt her biows on the face that brought tears to her eyes, while her five-year-old companion, Maurice Wall of 2000 L street, looked on, help- less, and yelled for help. Ruth, with her big brown eyes| ibulging, today told her story in the {tailor shop of her father, I. M. Pruss at the above address. Mother at Hospit: “Mamma was at the hospltal with ibrother,” she said, twisting her hands minimum temperatures at were maintained, and in some more severe weather obtained. the lowered be extended to the Gulf of he statement at Houston, of the weather forecaster. He ed of storms along the Texas jcoast and “nearly rreezing” for Hous- ton, The Pacific coast today was free of the terrific gales which caused much damage yesterday, although effects of them still were felt. One ship was reported ashore and a second. rudderless, was fighting the heavy scas. The wooden motor ship Cooloha went aground near Van Couver, B. Five additional deaths were report- ed throughout the storm area, four at Seattle, Wash buck. Manitoba. Despite the severity of the weather but few reports of suffering were recorded, the bulk of them in con gested New York and Chicago among the poorer people. The terrific winds which hit the northern Pacific coast had their coun terparts all the way across the coun try. “At St. Paul, Minn., yesterday & wind of forty-eight miles an hour ve locity piled the snow in great drifte. Chicago felt approximately forty miles an_hour. Pittsburgh, Pa, had xty-mile gale which blew the d story from a brick dwelling and overturned several smaller residences. A cutting wind that at times reached seventy-two miles an hour rushed Snow Plow Snowed In the near northwest Rocky Mountain district and in the Canadian central northwest snow and cold in- terfered seriously with transportation. A Canadian National railway pas senger train which departed from Re- gina, Sasketchewan, Tuesday drifts near Cromer. for Winnipeg Manitoba, today i With fifty passengers aboard. A snow plow was snowed in ahead of \ the train. Rallroad officials said the pas- sengers had plenty of provisions and | coal. Some relief from transportation difficulties was expected in the north- west today. St. Paul reported rail- roads preparing to resume today in- terrupted main line train schedules to_points west and on branch lines. Coast trains on the Northern Pa- cific and Chicago, Milwaukee and St. {Paui roads started out late last night, | the first in twenty-four hours leave the Twin cities for the The Great Northern planned to than forty-eight hours. Train service on the main lines into |Chicago from the north was reported demoralized. The Pere Marquette rail- way was reported to have suspended service entirely. The coldest weather of the winter {was in prospect for Oklahoma today as the crest of the cold wave crept into the southwest. Temperature in north part of the state, it was pre- dicted, would reach a minimum of 4 degrees Dbelow zero to 1 e. w temperatures throughout Kan- nd western Missouri continued to. The coldest weather reported in above 1 { that district was five degrees below ero. cattle, Wash., was one of the hard- est hit cities in the country. Trans- portation systems practically sus- ponded service after eighteen inches of snow, the greatest fall in years, had covéred the streets. Hundreds of workers, unable to reach their homes, were sheltered for the night in down- town hotels. Train service was halted on some lines. Public schools and the University of ained closed today. Washington Temperature in Chicago early today | POint of a pistol at Delaware avenue igmendment to the District appropria-; Nearly a dozen | and B street southwest by a YOUng |ejon bill agreed to tentatively in con- persons were injured by falls on the overed sidewalks and firemen were called out more than 150 times to combat fires due to overheating be- | cause of the excessive cold. mission, now in the Treasury Depart- ment Department of Labor—The func. tions of the women's and children’s | bureaus, except such as relate to women and children in industry, are transferred to the Department of Education and Welfare. The Department of Education and Welfare—This is a new department to have four major subdivisions, each in charge of an assistant secretary, as follows: Education, health, social service and vetewans’ reifef. Existing bureaus and offices to_be transferred to the Department of Ed- { ducation and Welfare are as follows: From the Department of the In- terfor. the bureau of education, In- {dian Schools, Howard University, St. E‘llznhelh'! Hospital, Freedmen's Hos pital Bureau of pensions—From the De- partment of Labor, women's bureau (part) and children’s bureau (part); from the Treasury Department, pub- lic health service; from the War De- partment, Soldiers' Home: from the | Department of Justice, office of the superintendent of prisons. Independent establishments—Smith- sonian Institution, Federal Board for Vocational Education, National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, Co- lumbia Institution for the Deaf and the Veterans' Bureau. There is some doubt, considering the legal charac- ter of the Smithsonian Institution, whether it can be incorporated in a government department. Its func. tions, however, are in harmony with those of the proposed department of education and welfare, and the pro- priety of its inclusion therein is un- questioned if it can legally be accom- plished. Independent Establishments.—To the greatest possible extent the existing independent establishments have been placed under the administrative su- pervision of some department. Only those remain which are quisi-judicial in character, necessitating a board or commission form of organiszation or which perform a =ervice function for all branches of the government. These are as follows: Commissions, board etc. — Civil Service Commission, Shipping Board and Emergency Fieet Corporation, Tari Commission. Interstate Com- merce Commission, Federal Trade Commission, Federal Reserve Board, ‘War Finance Corporation, Coal Com- mission, Railroad Administration, Railroad Labor Board, World War Foreign Debt Commission. Service bureaus and offices—Bureau of the budget, government printing office, bureau of efficiency, bureau of purchase and supply, including the government fuel yards. temperatures | and one at Star-| west. | to send | out today fts first coast train in more | re- | ling her eyes up, “and Maurice 1 went down on Pennsylvania avenue near 19th street.” “We were looking in & window at| valentines,” broke in Maurice, gesti- ting. 'And then a man with a white mus- tache and a big brown overcoat and raw hat came up and stood beside went on the little girl, in a low voice. “He asked us if we didn't want 1to €6 to a valentine party. And 1 {sald, ‘No. And he said: "Well, come on, anyway. And we went on three street cars and transferred. And So we came to a woods. And he took the belt off my coat, see. like thls, she picked up a neat littie blue coat and showed the bLelt detached. “‘And tied my hands In back of me. And he put a hankerchiet in my mouth. And cried. Then he hit me on the nose and the mouth. And Maurice j yellea.” i Runs to Man in Grounds, {_ “I wanted him to leave Ruth alone,” bubbled Maurice. —and then he ran away. And then iwe came to a man who was in the grounds. and 1 said: ‘Mister, I am lost. I live at 1035 20th street, and 1 gotta °t home.’ 'So he give us a quarter.” overflowed faurice. _“But we met another man in_an automobile—" “And then we came home.” Immediately after her arrival at home, her father took Ruth to a physician for examinations, whers It was found | that she had not been criminally a saulted. An attempt was made today o find the handkerchief that was tied about the child's mouth, but it was impoesible for the chlidren to locate the exact spot. Boy Untied Her Handa. Maurice, after velling to frighten awa the man with the white mustache, un- tied Ruth’'s hands and took charge of the homeward journey. Ruth had returned from her c ' 5 l 8s- still was stalled in 8now {room at the Raymond School at about | military i {1 o'clock vesterday, and it is believed that the ‘man met the children at about 1.30 o'clock. Mrs. Pruss was at the Children's Hospital. where her four-year-old son i critically 11l. The father was abeent on business. Police of the third precinct and De- tective Sergts. Thompson and Em- brey are conducting an investigation. A thorough search s being made for the man today throughout the city and each policeman has received the description given by the children. A singular point is the consistency ith which they stick to the state- iment that the man was wearing a straw hat. Both Ruth and Maurice several times reiterated this. Ruth apparently is none the worse for the adventure with the exception of bruises on her face and marks of the belt on her wrists. ————— /BANDIT STOPS AUTOIST, BUT FALS TO GETLoOT| i Three Men Sought for Anotheri Hold-Up—“Customer” Flees ‘With Pork. i i i { | Rovert 4. Barrett. 517 H street| { northeast, employed at Ryan's under- | taking establishment, 313 Penn i vania avenue southeast, early today was held up in his automobile at the | white man, who searched the car but| got nothing. Barrett described the hold-up man as being about thirt: {five years old, having a smooth face and wearing dark clothing and a cap. James Callas, in business at 477% Missouri avenue, reported to police i of the sixth precinct early last night that three Greeks entered a room in rear of his store about 7:30 o'clock, beat him and robbed him of & goid watch and $15 in cash. Harry H. Block, grocer, at 2540 P street, told the police a colored man entered his store last night and pur- chased a five-pound roast of pork. The customer ran from the store without paying for the pork, he said. Jacob Bogorad, 1820 14th street, re- ported that burglars entered his store last night and stole $30 from the cash register. {FEDERAL COMPENSATION | BILL CHANGE APPROVED | House Committee 0. X.'s Volstead Proposal to Cover Those Be- coming Permanently Il i Favorable report was made today | lemect that any one who’ contracted permanent lliness would not come un- | der the provisions of the act cover- 1\!&: injuries received while in service. by the House judiclary committee on the bill introduced by Chairman Vol- stead, at the request of the National Federation of Federal Employes, to liberalize the federal compensation Dblil to meet a decision recently made by Controller Genéral McCarl. This amends an act to provide com- pensation to employes of the United States suffering injuries while in per- formance of their duties. The ruling of Controller General McCarl was in In reporting the bill the judiciary committee amended it by striking out section 2 —_— 28 DOGS POISONED. LAKE PLACID, N. Y., February 15. Twenty-eight: dogs, belonging to Jacques Suzanne of this village, valued at $30,000, have died during the past week. Their deaths are be- lieved to have been caused by poison. Thy included Lone Wolf, valued at $3,000, and Panikhah, the last of the dog team.that made the dash_te the north pole with Peary, * o2 HOUSE ACCEPTS D. C. , | MR i THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C |GIRL ATTACKED AND PLAYMATE WHOSE GHTENED CRIES FRI e HURSDAY, ASSAILANT AWAY Maurice Wall and Ruth Pruss, who were lured to Soldlers’ Home grounds yesterday by a man who promised them a Valeatine party. RECALL OF BRITISH ON RHINE HANGS ON CONFERENCE TODAY (Continued from First Page.) | | in maintaining a limited railroad serv- ice and otherwise galning control of the industrial area, it is the bellef of the Germans that passive resistance will checkmate the allles. Both sides admit that economic cone ditions in many centers are becoming worse as the smaller industries close. Yesterday the iron and wire facto- ries near Duesseldorf, employing 3.000 ! workers, were compelied to shut down | because of the coal shortage. In| Dortmund the French have opened food kitchens, where they are feeding nearly 1.000 civilians dally Hostllity Is Increasin, | In the Essen district the hostility | toward the French and Belgians is admittedly increasing as the nation- alists have taken a stand against compromises of any kind. Pamphlets, printed in French, urg- ing the soldiers to revolt and leavei Germany to herself, have been dis 1 tributed through the barracks of the | n varlous parts of the Ruhr. | The French say that this is plainly a an trick to incite the soldiers. | Intelligence officers are searching for the printing plant, but suspect that it is in Berlin. SEE SHOWDOWN IN APRIL. American Observers Say Coal Stocks Will Run Out Then. By the Associated Press. PARIS, February 15.—Some Ameri- can and other neutral gbservers here declared to be in a position to know with considerable precision the coal | etocks of both France and Germany predicted today that the struggle go- ! fig on between France and Germany the Ruhr was likely to come to an end in the early days of April by the fuel starvation of Germany. These observers estimated that Ger- many, if the struggle was not termi- nated soomer by negotiations, would be unable to operate her rallways and factories after that time. The coal| supplies of France also will be run- ning short, but France. they contend- | ed, wwas better able than Germany to | buy of Great Britain. Poland, Czecho- clovakla and in other quarters. BILL WITHOUT BEACH Item for Colored Bathing Resort in Rosslyn Stricken From Appropriation Measure. today accepted an The House ference between representatives of the House and the Senate. This strikes from the bill the language which would locate the bathing beach for colored residents at the Rosslyn end of the Francis Scott Key Bridg: This finally disposes of the District ppropriation bill as far as the House is concerned. WHITE HOUSE VISITOR. German Member of Mixed Claims Commission Sees President. Dr. Willlam Kiesselbach, German member of the mixed claims commis- on, was presented to President %flrdln today by Dr. Otto Wiedfeldt, the Gerlnan ambassador. " DR. H. L. MANN DEAD. Former Washingtonian Away at Kansas City. Dr. Henry L. Mann. for many y a citizen of Washington, died at 35 ‘City, Mo., February 3, according o2 word received here. Dr. Mann was Yorn_in Delaware county, Ohio, wa graduate of Delaware College, ‘Ohi e practiced medicine at Wapa e eta Onlo, from 1877 to 1882. From K230 01916 he lived in this city, being & medical examiner in the pen- sion offi Ofe was for many vears a_trustee and elder in the First Presbyterian and roh, during the pastorate of Dr. Syron Sunderland, Dr. T. DeWitt Tal- By fige and Dr. McLeod. Since 1916 he P sesided in Kansas City, Mo. i Wite, formerly Frances E. In- m of Coshocton, Ohio, was an Sroomplished musiclan and was for nal corresponding secre- e Daughters of the Ameri. Revolution. Mrs. Mann CAnut's year ago at Kansas City. ——e—— GETS FINAL INSTRUCTIONS New Apostoljc Delegate to U. 8. Visits Cardinal Gasparri. . February 15 RO umasoni- Blond te ‘lD ,Vlalhln‘to‘m ::' i rdinal lasparri, e day Y iatretary of state, and Cardina De Lal, secretary of the cons! storial D gtegation. The archbishop. who is scheduled to sail for the United iates on Saturdsy, received final In- Structions concerning his post. He Pade farewell to Cardinal Bonzano, Who asked to be remembered affec- to his many friends in Passes ! dled ; l 1 tary of the Pietro apostolic dele papal se tionately America. QUIZ ON PARENTAL COURT CONDEMNED (Continued from First Page.) seen and suggested that it be re- drafted. Judge Sellers told the committee that the bill in its present form not only fails to carry out the purpose for which it was drawn, but would result in great confusion and in dis- rupting the school system. Tllustrating this she said that it Supt. Hallou should transfer a_child from the Dennison to the John Eaton School, the parents would have the right under the provistons of the Free bill to appeal from the action | of the superintendent in the proposed parental court. Thi# would have a tendency, sho said, to place authority in the court. which she belleves, and in which opinion she i= supported by school and social welfare authorities, Dbelongs primarily to the schools. Case of Probatiomers. Judge Sellers pointed out that there were about 550 children under ! probation and that about 350 of these are in attendance at the schools. It has been the policy of the Juvenile Court that probation officers should ver interfere In any way with the | teacher’s handling of the child, so that there would be no suggestion or encouragement or discrimination against these children probationers of the Juvenile Court. She attacked the bill by stating hat apparently it had not been drawn y & lawyer, but by some person who had a smattering of legal terms. The gentences, she =ald, were Involved, and in some cases did not make sense. Soms of the paragraphs did not mean anything. he took up section by section, pointing out alleged defects in the 1 bill as drafted. Judge Sellers opposed the change of name to parental court, pointing out that the word juvenile was now well established and more appropri- ate She did not approve the provision to pay the judge of the proposed urt a salary of $6.000, saying that she was satisfled with her present| salary of $3.600, more " appropriate, is established. and believed that if the new court Judge Sellers said that she recently went before the| judiciary committee and she did not keep her busy. told them ave enough work to She attacked the power vested b)'! the bill in volunteer guardians, which she claimed, was practically unlim ited. She characterized this as being dangerous, and Senator Stanley of Kentucky 'concurred with her. The senator sald that he would never con- sent to give these volunteer guard! ans the right to place handcuffs on or place a stigma on their Senator Stanley said there are al- ready too many people ‘“snooping around” and that in his opinion these volunteer workers are all “bugs.” Judge Sellers showed that petitions could be filed that did not have to be sworn to and then have the action deferred, holding this as a club over the heads of parents. Committee for Change Representative Blanton asked Judge | Sellers i she would consent to a |change in the present Juvenile Court laws so as to have the clerk stenographer make record of nd trials !and commitments: the appointment of 1 for parents when they could ord to hire counsel themselves; provision for trial by jury: to make the law specific, so that no child could be taken from the mother uniess she was proved to be inhumanly cruel or of immoral character. Judge Sellers said she would ap- prove of all of these, but thought the last limitation too drastic. All_members of the committee said either that the blll should be amended from top to bottom or that a new bill should be drawn. They pledged their best efforts to see that the present situation was remedied, if possible, before Congress adjourns. DROP TO 12 DEGREES IN D. C. PREDICTED (Continued from First Page.) the cold will remain here over the week end, although there probably will be much diminished winds. Contents of hundreds of uncovered trash boxes, private and public, blown from the boxes, littered streets and al- leys in all sections of the city, and a number of trees were blown down, while many decayed branches found their way to the streets and sidewalks. At 14th and Corcoran streets a large tree was blown down, obstructing traf- fic on Corcoran street. Other trees re- perted down by the police were at 14th and D streets northeast, in front of 1104 B street northeast, in front’of 2841 Mills avenue, 5243 14th street northeast, 409 4th street and Ridge road and Hawthorne street. Broken or crossed wires resulted in the sounding of burglar alarms in the atores of H. Bachrach, 1303 G street, and Max Needle, 437 7th strest. Police responded and learned their services were not needed. An ice cream sign was blown from . ::n.huu house at Georgia avenue and ur street. It landed against a lamp post and demolished it. Two men. working at a sawmill at Great Falls, Md., were seriously in- jured yesterday, when a tree, uprooted by the gale, fell on them. 'They are John Mudd, twenty-one vears old, Ar- mondale, Va., and Richard Mance, twen- ty-two years old, Fairfax, Va. The men were brought to Georgetown University Hospital, where physiciane found they ~wers. seriously urt. Mance, - suffering from bruises and shock, was unconscious, waile Mudd was sufering from shock and a broken arm. Mance regained consciousness last night, and was reported as being much better today. Mudd’s broken arm was set by hospital surgeons today. It fs expected both will recover, although it was said at the. hospital today that Mance was“uot out of danger. % FEBRUARY 15, 1923. BELLEAU WOOD BILL NOW BEFORE HOUSE Favorable Report Given Measure for U. S. Charter for Association. WOULD AID IN PURCHASE French Laws Make ‘Aoguiring of Land by Foreign Individuals Difficalt. The House judiciary committee to- day ordered a favorable report on the Overman-Frothingham bill, granting & federal incorporation to the Belleau Wood Memorial Association, indors- ing its purpose to purchase 150 acres |in Belleau Wood, where the bitterest | fghting occurred, apd to erect there suitable memorials. This action was taken after Repre- sentative Frothingham and Mrs. Elizabeth Van Rensselaer Frazer had appeared before the committee, ex- plaining the objects of the legisla- tion. Mrs. Frazer, who is president of the Belleau Wood Membdrial Association, iincorporated in the District of Co- lumbia two years ago, told the com- mittee’ that she has in hand $17,000, contributed by seventeen persons, for the purchase of the land and for the preliminary work of preparing the land as a perpetual sanctuary for the hero dead who fought there. Ne Graves om Grouwad. She explained, in reply to questions, that while there are no.graves of American dead on this property, it touches the American burying ground. Mrs. Frazer pointed out that thil battieground is the nearest to Pari and therefore is the one which will be most visited. For this reason she belleves it should be in reverent American hands, Mrs. Frazer emphasized that units of the American overseas force, which participated in the fighting at Belleau Wood, are anxious to set up memorial tablets and that her association de- sires to erect a more pretentitious memorial. No Ceat to U. 8. She told the committee that funds had been guaranteed for 5 l SENATORS URGE 6-YEAR: TERM FOR PRESIDENTS Hefiiln and Dial Wanc House to Amend Norris Bill to Bar Re-Election. Suggestion that the Norris oon- stitutional amendment, approved esterday by the Senate, be amended the House to provide a Pre dential t of six years with executive ineligible for re-election wes made in the Senate yemr“&rhv Senators Dial, dem; t, South 0~ lina, and Heflin, démocrat, Alabama. Senator Dial als0 u: 2 four-year term for members of the House. but this was opposed by Senator Hefiin on the ground that it would remove representatives too far from the will of the people. NEW SCHOOL PLAN URGED IN'DISTRICT Expert’s Report Suggests Board Should Control Fiscal Affairs of System. Reorganization of the public school system of the District is proposed in the report of Dr. Thomas E. Finegan, commissioner of education for Penn- sylvania, on the schools here, sub- mitted to the joint congressional com- mittee considering District =school matters and made public last night by Senator Capper of Kansas, chair- man. ‘The control of the public schools, in- cluding their fiscal affairs, would be placed in the hands of the board of education, and the appointment of the members of the board would be placed in the hands of the President, if recommendations of Dr. Finegan should be adopted. ‘The report criticizes vigorously school conditions here and attributes backwaerd conditions to “fundamental lexislative defects.” It goes very fully into the matter of additional bullding sites and points out the necessity ot developing a school building program to meet the future as well as the present needs of the National Capital. Committee to Meet. Senator Capper sald today he con- thege | 8ldered the Finegan report a strong memorials and for the perpetual|Presentation of the school situation maintenance of Belleau Wood, so that | Nere. Many of the recommendations it will never be & cent of cost to the | CONtained in the report are similar to United States government Mrs. Frazers plea for a federal in- corporation o that through interna- tional courtesy the complicated laws of France could be met, allowing Ameri- cans to own this property, was supported by Representative Montague of Virginia, & member of the judiclary committee, Who has been advising Mrs. Frazer on the desired legislation. In reply to a question from Repre- sentative Goodykoontz of West Virginia, 8 member of the judiciary committee, Mrs. Fraser sald that any time the United States government wants to take over this property her association will be pleased to relinquish all claims. Before reporting the bill alight amend- ments were made by the committee, which were agreeable to Mrs. Frazer and Representative Frothingham. French laws are complicated in re- gard to foreigners holding title to 1and, Representative Frothingham ex- plained. and for that reason this legislation is necessary giving char- ter to the Belleau Wood Memorial Association, which was incorporated in April, 1921. A similar charter was granted by the Canadian government to a Canadian memoriai association to acquire land at Vimy ridge. Option on Land Secured. An option on the land has b obtained from the French owner, who had been negotiating with a syndicate which had intended to erect & tourist hotel and amusement park. ‘As it would have been a national disgrace to allow so sacred a spot to be turned into an amusement park, ’lhe present legislation is eought. Representative Frothingham contends to preserve it to thte memory of jour boys who made there the su- preme sarcifice, and to enable com- memorative tablets to be placed at points where the terrible fighting took place.” Backed by Promiment Perseas. Unde~ the terms of the charter the association would be authorized to ac- quire all or any part of Belleau wood, Wwhere American marines and infan | lry stopped the German rush on Parls in 1918, and to erect therein suitable buildings and monuments as a memorial to the Americans who fell in that battle. Among the incorporators named in the bill are Maj. Gen. Tasker H. Bliss, Maj. Gen. John A. Lejeune, Frank B. Noyes, John Barton Payne and Mrs. Elizabeth Van Rensselaer Frazer. Mrs. Frazer, who {s president of the association, today made the followin; statement regarding the association lns the legislation sought from Congress: Mrs. Fraser's Statement. “The Belleau Wood Memorial Asso- ciation was incorporated in April. 1921, for the purpose of erecting in Eelleau village a suitable monument to those of our men who had fallen in the great war in that secto: The work is go- ng on n't'uucng-nyi . “Last November learned indirect); that the French owner of the 150 acres known as Belleau Wood, had been ap- proached by an English syndicate that wished to buy the wood for the pur- pose of erecting a tourist hotel and quas! amusement parKi The Idea seemed to me a very distressing one, and that it would be a national dis- grace if we allowed 80 sacred a spot in the annals of our history to be turned into amusement park and the circumstances of our boys' deaths to be exploited commercially. There seemed no question in my mind but that that spot should be forever in reverent American hands. Fands All Ready. “I therefore wrote to Judge Walter Berry, living In Paris and then pres- ident of the American Chamber of Commerce in France, to see the own- er of the woods and secure, if possi- ble, an option from him, giving me time to raise the money for the pur- chase of this property. “This I have done, and the money is ready to be paid over and take title. The optior expirés the middle of March, We propose clearing out the wood sufficiently to enable people to walk through it, and dp\n commemo- rative tablets at the different points where the very terrible fighting took lace. The money for these tablets a8 ‘been contributed. Ultimats 1y we hope to be able to erect a very beautiful monument in memory of ail the men who fell, and do other memo- rial work. Charter Would Clear Issme. “When this society was incorpo- rated in April, 1921, we had no idea of holding property, and merely in- rated for the purpose of doing ::;flp: memorial reconstruction work in France. In order to hold this prop- erty we therefore would have, in-any event, to amend our charter. The French laws (so Judge Berry, who an international lawyer in P‘rll' tell ‘me) are somewhat complicated in re. Prfl to_foreign corporations i:hlfltl ", tha e Tad a charter from Congress ther would be no difficulty whatever. He bases his opinion on the precedent of a Canadian memorial corporation ac- Quiring _some land at Vimy Ridge; their difficulties were overcome by a charter from the lan govern- ment. do not approve of the practice of bothering Congreas for charters for every conceivable thing that starts up, but I do think that it is not in- appropriate for this society to ask it. ‘Want American Contrel. “I {magine there would be me 4ifi- emlty in getting it were the time less| have 'reliable short, but that, by reason of the ad- | those carrfed In a tentative report which was drafted by Senator Capper and laid before the committee several months ago. The Finegan report, however, has been prepared after careful study by & number of leading educators of the country, and will be given due considerstion by the joint committee. The final report of the committee has been held up, awaiting the arrival of the report from Dr. Finegan. A meeting ‘of the joint committee will be called within the next day or two, Senator Capper said, and the Finegan report will be considered. It 8 not likely, however, that the joint committee will submit its report to Congress until the opening of the next session, it was said. With little more than two weeks of the present session remaining. it would be impos- sitle to get through any further school legislation now. s feeling is that a report should be made to the new Congress containing a_pro- gram of legislation, and that it should be pushed vigorously then. Discussing the need of a program for adequate school buildings to care for the children of the District, Dr. Finegan sald in his report: “The District of Columbia should have a definite, workable plan for achool buildings, school sites and playgrounds that will look ahead for at least twenty years. and provide in an effective way for the needs of her school children. Congress and girl in the Capltal city of the United States has a seat in a modern school bullding when he needs it, and all other modern school facilities ‘when he needs them. Cengestion Is Acute. “Such provision has not been made, the congestion in the school having be- come very acute during the ‘lost time’ in oconstruction since 1914. Effective administrative authority, together with adequate staff, has not been placed at the disposal of the superintendent of schools in order that a well conceived building program might be support authorized by Congress in order that it may be carried out. Until this is done the boys and girls of the Dis- triot cannot come into full possession of thelr inherent rights to receive that ed- ucation and training that will prepare them for service and citizenship.” Dr. Finegan points out that the present school population is about 85,000 and that thers are 150 build- ings, 100 of which have eight rooms or less. There are 500 classes, which are too large for the proper instruc- tion of pupils. many of the school buildings are located in noi6y streets; some of the classes are conducted in portable school buildings and In ~~ut- ed quarters. The report continues: “A wtudy of existing bulldings should be made h regard to their adequacy as school plants and in their relation to the surrounding school population. After such studies have been made three definite courses of action should be mapped out con- cerning: “The buildings that should be aban- doned; buildings that can be remod- eled at a reasonable expenditure so they may be adapted to modern school work: new buildings for im- mediate needs and for prospective growth. Thirty Pupils to Room. “Elementary buildings should not have fewer than sixteen rooms nor mors than thirty. Not over thirty pupils should be allotted to one room. Ele- mentary buildings should not be more than two stories high and of fireproof construction; each one should be pro- vided with a gymnasium and assem- bly hall, The bulldings should be pro- vided with M!aulta playground area and ground sufficient for school gar- Gening sctivities, in which Washing- ton has always taken a lead. “The immediate bullding dome to carry out the six-three-three plan and e —— Journment, 1t will be difficult to get it just now. Nevertheless, we have the money on hand to buy the Wood and proceed with putting it in order, and a delay of nine months would be a serious inconvenience to us. ‘The present owner of the Wood agrees to pay the transfer tax of 10 per cent. If we have to take title in some other way, pending a con- gressional charter, it would ‘mean an additional transfer tax later. If we did not get a charter at all our only alternative would be to incorporate a French company composed of French citizens to hold the Wood and receive the money we send from America. Frankly, I would be very sorry to have the administration of the wood pass out of American hands, and this obviously will have to be unless we get our charter from Con- gress. Case in Class by Itself. “Y appreciste the difficulty in view of the many applications Congress has for private charters, but I feel that this is in a class by itself. We ask for a charter to enable us to hold Belleau Wood as a memorial national wL erect a suitable monument and mark with descriptive tablets the va- rious historical spots. We do not and never will ask any money of Coni "&:‘ have the money on hand not only to buy the wood, but to do = rtion of the necessary work, and m.ddluon to the money on hand we promises for what is needed in the future.” should } make such provision that every boy | MOVE TO ADVANCE INAUGURAL HAILED Norris Amendment to Consti- tution Meets Wide Approval i on House Side. There. is every prospect of the pas sage by the House of the Senate reso lution, fostered by Senator Norris of Nebraske, submitting to the states for ratification a proposed amendment to the Constitution of the United States advancing the inauguration of the President and the assembling of a newly elected Congress to January immediately following their election Strong Faver in House. House leaders have been sounding the sentiment in that body and report they find the proposition sent over by the Senate has been received with pronounced favor. The bellef obtai that on one of the closing days of the 'utsslbn. when motions to suspend the iTules are in order, a motion will be made under the ruie to pass the reso- lutlon. This will require a two-thirds vote. The understancing fs that President Harding will not interpose resistance to the effort to enact the legislation although he is personally not in fave of it. Upon more than one occasion he has voiced the opinion that the fathers were wise in providing for the ii.terregnum between the election of the Congress and its assembling, in order to let the voters “cool off” and take second thought upen some possi- ble upheaval of public sentiment ex- pressed in the heat of & popular cam paign. _ Willing to Let People Decide. At this time, however, the Preside: is described as taking the position that i two-thirds of the legislative bod: desire to offer the amendment ho should not seek to frystrate their wishes, even if it lay in his power to do so. As the concurrence of three-fourths of the states is necessary to make the change effective, the President is said to hold that, In’ the last analysis, the people themselves will pronounce the declding word and the executive branch is relieved of responsibility. to relieve congestion should cent on unew junior high school building and on remodeling existing eleme: tary and senior high school build- ings to meet present conditions. “Elementary schools that can be re- modeled to advantage relicving con- gestion during the next five years should be the first taken care of. New junior high schools should be co structed on a city-wide plan and in accordance with the best standards for such buildings. The present se for high schools can be made to fit with a city-wide plan for high schoois in which all work in the manual arts may be done. The report declares that there are too few gymnasiums and playgrounds attached to the public schools here; that in this regard the schools here are far below the standards of the present day. Of 140 elementar; schools here only seventy-eight have been provided with playgrounds and playground apparatus. Of these twenty-three have inadequate space Discussing the school system here with regard to management, the re port say “There should be an absolute di- vorcement of all school affairs from the municipal and political affairs of the city. To accomplish this end there should be a board of education { consisting of nine members, who shall ihave been residents of the District of Columbia for at least five years. ‘The members of such board shall be appointed by the President of the | United States &nd confirmed by the Senate. “The board of education should be made the supreme local authority in the government and administration of the school system. The power and i authority of the board of education should be made as general as possi- ble. The board should also be given the power to supplement the statutes through the adoption of regulations for the administration and govern ment of the schools. “The board of education should he glven power and authority to create |and establish such professional and business organization as may be n essary to manage, operate, supervise and maintain the school system of 2 city of the size and fmportance of Washington, and to modify such or. ganization from time to time as changing conditions show to be wise and necessary. Control Over Funds. “The board of education should have power to select school sites, to ap prove plans and specifications fo school buildings. to repair and con- struct school buildings, and to utilize the school organization and mach ery for meeting any intellectual need: or requirements of the citizens of the eity ‘The superintendent of schools should be the professional or tech- nical adviser apd the chief executive officer of the board of education. “The board of education should pre- pare its budget and submit the same to the congressional budget commit- tee. The funds should be approp ated direct to the board. and that body should have full power and con- trol in determining how such funds shall be used. “Washington,” eays Mr. Tinegan. “is generally regarded throughout the country as being an unprogressive city in educational affairs. It is not only regarded as unprogrossive in public_education, but it is also re- garded as one of the most difficult cities in the country in which to ad- minister a public school system. Th~ general policies which the edu; tional authorities of the city have adopted for the operation and admin- istration of public education are re- garded as modern, progressive and | conforming to the hest practice of the icountry. The superintendent of | schools and his professional staff are iregurded as competent and progres- sive and rank among the most effec 1 tive public school administrators of the country. Handicaps of Scheols. “The backwardness of Washington in public education, the slowness wit which reforms are inaugurated in the school system, the inadequate schooi facilities provided for the childmen of the city, the failure to develop more advanced junlor high school policy, the lack of proper provision Tor the education of the mentally and physically handicapped children, the unsatistactory conditions due to re- tardation, and the other limitations in the courses of study and the fail- ure to equalize educational opportu- nity are traceabls to the fundamentai defects in the legal provisions for the administration of the echool sys- tem.’ The report gives general approval to the work of the teaching staff in the District schools, though sug- gesting some changes in the method of selecting teachers. It also ap- proves generally the courses of stud in the schools. In conclusion, it say “Because of its relation to the na- tion, the country looks to Washing- fon to set a standard of excellence in its schools—which means that the country looks to Congress to estab. lish that standard. This can be brought to pass only by complete abandonment of the indifference and lack of intelligent consideration that has heretofore characterized the treatment accorded by Congress to the needs of the schools of Washing- ton. With such a radical change in its attitude toward these school needs. Congress may easily give the Dis trict of Columbia an educational sys tem commensurate with its impor- tance to the nation. e The Guest—I hope it won't put you out to put me up for a few days. The Host—Not at all. You'll sleep in the cook’s room. She always takes leave of absence when we have company.