Evening Star Newspaper, February 21, 1923, Page 1

WEATHER. Fair tonight and tomorrow; some- what warmer tonight; lowest temper- ature slightly below freezing. ‘Temperature for twenty-four hours ended at 2 p.m. today: Highest, 88, at 3:30 p.m. yesterday; lowest, 25, at 7:15 a.m. today. Full report on page Closing N. Y. Stocks a!l_d Bonds, Page 24 _— 28,786. BILLTOPAYD.C. SURPLUS REPORTED OUT BY COMMITTEE Will Facilitate Passage When House Gets Senate Rider on Deficiency Measure. MEMBERS FOR PAYMENT WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY Focht and Zihlman Delegated to Urge Chance for Teacher Bill Monday. “The House District committee, on a motion pressed by Representatives Zihiman of Maryland and Walters of Pennsylvania, today unanimously re- Pported out the Hardy bill, desighed to carry into effect the report of the Joint select committee investigating the District’s surplus. ‘This bill proposes to place to the credit of the District in the federal Ureasury the free surplus of $4,438,- 354.29 that the joint select committee decided was due the District from the federal government. Representative Zihlman, in pressing for action at this time, explained that a similar measure had been placed by the Senate as an amendment to the deficiency bill. and when that de- ficlency bill comes back to the House with this legislative rider, it will be strengthened by the fact that the House District committee, with juris- diction over such leglslation, has made a favorable report. Favored by Hammer. 3 Representative Willilam C. Hammer of North Carolina said: “We owe this money to the Dis- trict, select committee, having made a per- sonal investigation which convinced me long ago that the National Capital is entitled to this money, and the debt should be settled. Representative Walters of Penn- sylvania said: “I am convinced that we owe this | money to the District.” Representative that the understanding this fund will be u building program such as the “nem- bers of the House District com- mittee have emphatically favored. The House District committee by a unanimous vote instructed Chairman ocht and Representative Zihiman, the latter an active proponent of the school teacWers* ®alary bill, to confer with Chairman Campbell of the rules committee and with House Leader Mondell, insisting that the commit- tee be given 'its regular day in the House Monday, 80 as to bring up the | 0ol teachers' salary bill under the special rule authorized on Monday by the rules committee. Blanton Makes Motion. Representative Blanton of Texas made this motion after emphasizing that this is the most important plece of legislation affecting the whole people that has been before the committee. He pointed out that next Monday is the regular District day and that the grant- | ing of the rule makes it mandatory on | Congress to allow this bill to come up. Chairman Focht explained that he | and Representative Zihiman, acting for the committee. had called on House | Leader Mondeli late yesterday, endeavor- ing to have a day fixed for the teachers’ | bill, that they might prepare to present | it to the House. He said they made their plea in ali earnestness, and the best reply they had been able to get | was a facetious remark by Mr. Mon. | dell, “I guess March 5 would be about the ‘best day to bring up that bill.” The House District committee today approved a report from the special subcommittee headed by Representa- tive Walters which has been conduct- ing hearings on the Free bill to estab- | lish a parental court in the District. Want Bill Redrafted. The Walters report recommended that a special subcommittee be ap- pointed to Tedraft the bill so as to remedy imperfections in the existing statutes, covering the matters in- vestigated, and that the report should be made at the earliest possible mo- ment. The subcommittee which has been conducting the hearings was directed to redraft the bill, being more famil- fa® with the “Imperfections” than other members of the full committee. As Representative Hammer of North Carolina has been serving on the sub- committee during the absence of Rep- resentative Gilbert of Kentucky, both Mr. Gilbert and Mr. Hammer were made members of the subcommittee to_draft the bill. The committee today granted hear- ings on tie substitute bill presented by William V. Mahoney, executive secretary of the Emergency Housing Assoclation, Inc, which proposes a Zoning arrangement to close up one- third of the alley dwellings a year on the first of each June, instead of in November, as proposed in the Com- missioners’ bill, previously favorably reported by the House District com- mittee. Dr. Waldron Explal Dr. W. H. Waldron, pastor of Shiloh Church, who is a member of the Dis- trict Commissioners’ housing commit- tee, said that the closing of these al- leys had twice been postponed, houses were deteriotating and the owners would not improve them. He said that there are 14,000 persons affect- ed and about 2,500 dwellings. He advocated closing part of them, which would serve notice on the rest that they must be ready to get out in a year or two vears. This would make it easler to gradually absorb these alley dwellers in other parts of the clity. o reply to & question from Repre- sentative Sproul of Illinols as to what they proposed to do with those 1iv- ing in the alleys, Mr. Mahoney said that_it would mean one person could Le absorbed by every forty-one other persons in the District;” that one- sixth of the alley dwellers are white and that some of the worst charac- ters would be driven out of the city. Miss Rhoda Milliken, acting lieu- tenant- of the woman’s bureau, de- scribed the worst condition as exist- ing right under the shadow of the Capitol, where, she said, disease and vice were festering. She supported the alley bill for the purpose of driv- ing out commercialized vice. Repre- sentative Blanton asked why the po- lice department did not clean up 4% treet and the neighboring alleys, and ut. Milliken replied that perhaps (Continued on Page 2, Column 7.) is 1 favor the report of the joint | Zihiman explained | that i ed for a school Entered as seacond-clas post office Washington, matter D. C. Boy Scouts Run City as Officials Give Them Sway Special Dispatch to The Star. CHESTER, Pa., February 21.— Boys will be boys. If you don't be- it ask Mayor Willilam T. Ramsey of this flourishing municipality. In an effort to instill love of civic virtue in the youthful element of this | vicinity, it was decided to allow the Boy Scouts of Chester to demon- strate that they were qualified to exercise executive abllity equal to that of their elders. So they were glven a whack at running the city government for two hours. Every office, high and low, was turned over to the boys. Did they fight to be named as city treasurer, as controller or to sit in the high places and pose as mayor and pre- side over the city councll? Em- | phatically, they did not. The post | most in demand was that of chief of police. From 3 to 5 Tuesday afternoon the “scouts” had full sway here. 1f the opinion of the citizenry, as ex- pressed today, is any criterion, they did an excellent job. In every office in the city hall a khaki-clad young- ster sat behind the official desk and was allowed to act as though the job was his for life. The regular officials, from or Ramsey down, hovered in the background to answer questions. They agree they had very little to do. X At all of the important street in- tersections along Market avenue Boy Scout privates replaced the regular traffic cops and directed travel. In every possible way the thirty-five se- lected members of the boys’ organiza- tlon’ were given a_complete insight into civic affairs. “The benefft of the lesson is expected to be lasting. (Copyright, 1923.) CITIZENS URGE BAN ON ONE-MAN CARS Committees From Dozen As- sociations Plead Before Public Utilities Body. SERIOUS CRASH FEARED | | | Traffic Engineer, in Statement to Keller, Defends Their TUse. g An appeal to the Public Utilitles Commission to take one-man cars off the streets of Washington before a | serious accident occurs was made by William G. Henderson of the North Capitol and Eckington Citizens’ Asso- ciation at a public hearing at the District building today. Committees from more than a dozen nelghborhood associations united In the request. Declaring the money saved by the Washington Rallway and Electric Company through the operation of such cars should not be weighed against the convenience and safety of the public, Mr. Henderson asked the commission to give serious thought to the arguments advanced. Several State Views. The following had testified up to noon: Robert M. Yost, North Wash- ington Citizens' Association; Rev. Charles Afken of the Brookland Citi- zens' Association and the Catholic University; J. A. Marceron of the Con- gress Heights Association and Robert Conroy of the Anacostla assoclation. William McK. Clayton was present to represent the Federation of Citizens' Assoclations. Indications are that the hearing will continue throughout the afternoon. Mr. Henderson admitted the com- pany has an emergency lever which any passenger may turn to open the rear door in case of a panic. “But how many cool-headed persons would there be on the car to use that lever?” he asked. Opens on Opposite Track. Mr. Henderson further called atten- tion to the fact that the rear door operated by the emergency lever opens out on the opposite track, where another car might strike the alighting passengers. Father Alken reminded the com- mission that on two-man cars, where the motorman has nothing to do but run the car, warning signs are dis- played—"No standing on the front platform.”” On the one-man car, he continued, the passengers are placed out on the platform all around the motorman-conductor. Mr. Yost of the North Washington Assoclation declared he had found the one-man cars lose time in load- ing and unloading at Rhode Island and New York avenues. Types Widely Different. Mr. Conroy contended the duties of motorman and conductor call for widely different types of men. A motorman, he said, should be of the quiet, persevering type, while the conductor must be a born diplomat. Other speakers laid stress on the argument_that the operation of the car and the collection of fares is too .great a burden to impose upon an individual, Commissioner Rudolph, who pre sided in the absence of Chairman Keller, announced that Samuel Gom- pers, president of the American Fed- (Continued on Page 2, Column 3.) JANUARY WASHINGTON, D. C, ¢ Foenit WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION WRANGLE TIES UP RECLASSIFICATION; PLEA TO PRESIDENT Senators Sterling and Smoot Want Rival Plans Adopted by Congress. . DEFEAT WOULD MEAN RETURN TO THE BONUS Dispute to Be Aired at Second White House Conference, Set for Tonight. legislation has struck a snag. A week ago it was re- ported that “reclassification legisla. tlon was surely going through at the present session.” It may still go through, but much will depend upon a meeting which Senator Sterling, chairman of the civil servico commit- tee, and Senator Smoot, chairman of the appropriations subcommitteo now considering the bill, will have at 8 o'clock tonight with the Prestdent. The principal dificulty lies in the fact that Senator Sterling is insisting upon the adoption of the principles contalned in the Sterling-Lehlbach reclassification bill—meaning the ar- rangement of schedules—and Senator Smoot Is insisting upon the adoption of the method of reclassification used by the bureau of efficiency in working out a reclassification under the ex- ecutive order of October 24, 1921. Reclagsification Taken to President. The controversy was takfa to the| President this morning. with both sen- ators present at the White House. Sen- ator Sterling and Senator Smoot stated their positions. The President, it is understeod, listened to the senators without committing himself one way or the other, and the suggestion was made that they return to discuss the matter more fully at a conference at the ‘White House tonight. Senator S willing to accept an amendment to the by providing that the work of the bureau of efficiency for reclassification of government employes under execu- tive order of October, 1921, may be made use of as far as it conforms to the principles of the proposed new law. It now appears that Senator Smoot is _demanding that the entire plan as worked out by the bureau of efficiency be put Into effect. This, Senator Ster. ling will not agree to. To do so, it was pointed out today, would be-tantamount to accepting the ‘Smoot-Wood reclassi. fication bill, which was overwhelmingly defeated in the House when the Lehl. bach bill was it thi Dashnil put through the House Question of Jurisdiction. The contention of Senator Sterling right along has been that the ap- propriations committee had jurisdic- tion over the salary schedule alone and not over the method of reclassi- fylng. He has contended that this is a matter which belongs to his commit- tee on civil seryice. He has been willing to modify the bill to meet some criticisms made on it, and has rresented a revised bill, which it was believed would be adopted changes. But the stand now taken by Senator Smoot may prevent re. classification legislation entirely at the present session of Congress, it is 1f no reclassification bill s enacted into law within the next week or ten days, Congress will again have to pro- vide the $240 horizontal bonus for government employes during the next fiseal year, or else the government employes will be in the position of having their salaries lowered, al- ;xl;o't‘\gh the cost of living still is very igh, 3f no agreement is reached at the conference tonight it appears prob- able that a demand will be made that the appropriations subcommit- tee meet and take some action on the reclassification bill, so that it may be reported to the Senate without fur- ther delay, and the Senate itself may have an opportunity of acting upon the measure. RUNS AMUCK, RAMS HEAD THROUGH GLASS WINDOWS Giant Russian, Claiming to Be Ruler of World, Subdued by Police and Firemen. By the Associated Press. NEW YORK, February 21.—Maurice Mellis, a giant Russian, suddenly ran amuck while on his way to his office today, thrust his head through two | plate glass windows, and with blood streaming from his head, terrorized the district, before the combined forces of the police and fire depart- ments captured him. Shouting that he was ruler of the world, he butted his head through the windows of a 6th avenue restaurant and the diners fled in terror. Then he went next door and repeated the per- formance, while waitresses screamed and the patrons overthrew tables and chairs in their haste to get away. He turned in an alarm of fire in front of the Hippodrome and threw two policemen sprawling. Then fire- men tied him in a bundle with tire belts. RECORD Advertising. ‘The Evening and Sunday Star....... 1,759,780 1923 LINES 1922 LINES 1,658,682 terling has sald that he was | with few | 2nd Daily and Sunday Newspaper. 3rd Daily and Sunday Newspaper. 4th Newspaper (Daily only).... 5th Newspaper (Daily only).... Circulation. Daily Average, January.. Sunday Average, January.. 884,404 819,603 762,096 624,903 227,997 421,870 60,916 L, { i | 1 | | REST STRENGTHENS Reed Resumes Senate Fil buster, With.No End of Struggle in Sight. Presenting unbroken ranks and armed with more material for con- tinuing their campaign of talk and more talk, Senate opponents of the administration shipping bill resumed today their fillbuster, with no end in sight. Senator Reed, democrat, Missouri, | started the filibuster off for the day, resuming delivery of his address be- gun last night in support of his reso- lution to direct the Eyesident to - ter into negotiations with Great Brit- ain and France for purchase of cer- taln of their Caribbean possessions. He had hauled forth the two big maps witht which he, with polnter in hand, in schoolmaster style, has been illus- trating his speech. Senator Jones, republican, Wash- ington, in charge of the shipping bill, met the resumption of the filibuster pared to carry on the fight; that he would Insist on another night session lasting as long as possible, and that {every possible strategy would be em- |ployed to defeat the purposes of the | filibusterers. | Break in Session. The recess taken last night at 11:30 o'clock after a twelve-and-a-half-hour (sesslon allowed senators to get a fair right's sleep, and those who answered to the opening quorum call appeared reasonably refreshed, including Sen- ator Sheppard, democrat, Texas, who vielded the floor at € o'clock last eve- | ning, after having spoken continuous- ly for more than six hours, and in all about eleven hours. The break in the session played into the hands of those conducting the filibuster in more ways than in giv- ing them a rest, for it afforded sev- eral an opportunity to gather more material for their contemplated speeches. It gave Senator Brook- hart, republican, Iowa, one of the leaders in the talkfest, a chance to dig_up the speech of fourteen hours made by Senator Jones in 1815 on the ship-purchase bill then before the Senate. Senator Brookhart announced he would read that speech “as a part of my remarks when I take the floor.” He added that he had not given up the plan of using one of the proposed night sessions “as a night schodl for the education_of the old guard in the principles of co-operative market- ing.” Senator Hefiin, democrat, Ala- bama, Informed his colleagues that the respite had allowed him “to do considerable reading on old King Tut of Egypt and his deflation of the Israelites.” Some senators conceded that ne- gotlations were entered into last night for a vote on the pending Ladd motion to displace the shipping bill with the filled milk measure, and amendments to the shipping legisla- bandoned. *PSenator Reed had a little diffculty recovering the floor when the Senate reconvened, but after bickering be- - FOES OF SHIP BILL | with the statement that he was pre-: “From Press to Home Within the Hour” The Star’a carrier system covers ev city block and the regular edition is delivered to Washington homes as fast o Sfar. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1923—THIRTY-SIX PAGES. —— Mlsfek PRESIDENT HAVE —— THaT GUY —; IOWA IDE 'House Demands Restriction on ' Youths in Army By a vote of 177 to 134 the House today Insisted on its provi- sion in the annual army appropri- ation bill prohibiting the enlist- ment of persons under twenty-one vears of age without the written consent of their parents or guar- dians. The Senate eliminated this pro- vision by Becretary Weeks and Chalrman Amthony of the Appro- priations Sub-committee, in charge of the measure, urged that the House accept the Senate amend- ment, declaring that the House provision would “seriously crip- ple” recruitt® for the army, since 37 per cent of the recruits were under twenty-one years of age. ORELIGHT SHED ON KIDNAPING State’s Attorney Tells of Nuns’ Return—Baltimore Police Drop Case. Special Dispatch to The Star. FREDERICK Md., February Further light today was thrown on the case of Sister Cecilia, who is al- leged to have been kidnaped from the Notre Dame convent here a week ago, carried to Baltimore and held cap- tive in an undiscovered house for some hours, with the statement by State’'s Attorney Aaron Anders that the nun had returned from a trip to Baltimore, where she went in com- pany with Sister Nola, prior to her abduction. At the same time Chiet Burns of the Baltimore detective bu- reau, announced that the case is a | closea incident so far as he is con- cerned, unless new evidence is fur- nished to show that Sister Cecllia was actually kidnaped and taken to that city. State's Attorney Anders pointed out_todgy that there is no question that Sister Cecella, Who had gone to Baltimore with Sister Nola, mother superior of the convent, on a Baltimore and Ohlo railroad train, had returned to the convent. Anders declared that the two nuns went to Catonsville, Md., on the night of February 10, to attend the “Passion Play” at St. oJseph’s Seminary. Ac- cording to the state's attorney they spent the night at the Corpus Christl Convent, In Catonsville, and the fol- {lowing day were brought back to Frederick in an automobile by Harry G. Dorsey, a merchant of this city, and his wife. “Both of the nuns were in the con- vent Sunday nlphl—!he night prior to the kidnaping,” declared Anders. The prosecutor’s explanation is that the two nuns went to Baltimore Sat- 21— a suburb, and spent the night there iPlay at St. Joseph’s Seminary and are alleged to have had an engage- ment with Mrs. James E. Doll to drive them back to Frederick. Illness (Continued on Page 2, Column 8.) | { By the Associated Pre MINEOLA, N. Y., February 21.— Wealth—and with it an injunction to devote herself to charitable work for the great human family from which she anonymously sprang—descended today upon nine-year-old Joy Louise Leeds, who was a foundling from an East Side tenement hall. Joy Louise was bequeathed $250.- 000, a fortune in jewelry and even- tually the income for life on an es- tate valued at between $2,000,000 and $3,000,000 by the will of her foster mother, Mrs. Loulse Hartshorne Leeds, filed for probate today. Mrs. Leeds, sister-in-law of Princess An- astasia of Greece and prominent in society and charitable work, died in a plunge from a fifth story window of her New York home on February 1% he bequest to Joy Louls, whom Mrs. Leeds adopted as a baby from Bellevue Hospital after she had been found abandoned in a-tenement hall- way, was followed by the following sgraph: p""’!t“l‘n’my desire that my daughter be educated in an atmosphere of cul- ture and among people of refinement and that she gets the best instruction in those accomplishments for which (Continued on Page 2, Column £.) Leeds Child, Once Foundling, Inherits Fortune of Suicide she manifests an apitude and interest, including such sports as befit her age and position. “I _am especlaly enxious that her mind be directed toward the condi- tions and needs of the human family, that she may become interested and trial intelligently in the beneficent work to an extent such as the means which I am leaving her will place her in a position to do. I enjoin her guardian to do all possible to realize :ny_'wuhal and hopes for my daugh- er."” arner M. Leeds, the child’s adopted father, is named guardian of her per- son and estate. He is a brother of the e Willlam B. Leeds, “tin plat. king,” who was Princess Anastasia’s first husband. To Warren Leeds Mrs. Leeds left the bulk of her estate for life, pro- viding that on his death the income from it should be added to Joy Louise’s fortune. Mr. Leeds receives a 3$100,000 legacy outright, together with Leeds’ home, automobiles and furnishings, which include several paintings by such masters as Gains- borough and Sir Joshua Reynolds. The National Board of the Young Women'’s Christian Association, in which Mrs. Leeds had been keenly in- terested, receives a legacy of $50,000. SAYS PRESIDENT . FACES LIBEL SUIT iOusted Bureau Worker to i Ask Damages, Declares Caraway. Sult ag: st President Harding for malicious defamation of character | will be filed by one of the twenty- cight discharged emploves of the bu- reau of engraving and printing, dis- missed by executive order last year, laccording to a prediction made by Senator Caraway of Arkansas, demo- crat, on the floor of the Senate dur- | ing the debate last night. No Immuaity, He Says. After criticizing the President, who Wwas reported yesterday to have “no regrets” in regard to the dismissal of these employes of the bureau, Sen- ator Caraway said: “The immunity against malicious slander does not clothe the Executive. ‘Wisely or otherwise, the constitution clothes us with the right to express opinions in debate in the Senate and in the House, and not be required to answer elsewhere, but such immunity does not run with the President of these United States, and I feel cer- tain that what never happened before in the history of this country is going to happen now—that one of these dis- charged employes is_going to sue the President of these United States for wilful, malicious, defamation of charac- ter, and the President, like any other citizen, is going to the bar of justice in a _courtroom in the city of Washington and answer that charge. Last Resort, He Says. “That f{s their last resort: They hope that the President would have regard for their rights and restore their reputations he 5o ruthlessly de- stroyed; but he says now: ‘I will not do it, and I am not sorry for what I ata” “Therefore, the mere fact that it never happened, is no reason why it is not going to happen; and the Presi- dent, 1 fear, must answer to the Sen- ate, or to a jury, as he sees fit. There must _be a tribunal before which even the President of the United States must answer. Says He'll Be Investigated. “The senator from New York, Mr. Calder, sald in his interview today that it would be & serious thing to investigate . the President. Then it must be that the President has done some terrible thing, because if he had done the thing that is right, the President would not object to being investigated, you know. “Oh, well, the President will be in- vestigated. In spite of all that may be done by the senator from New York and those with him on the committee, who want to smother the investigation, he is now being inves- tigated by hundreds of thousands of people over this country, and they also on one of the more important|urday night and then to Irvington, |have a feeling of astonishment and indignation that a man, simply be- tion, but sald that for the present|at the Corpus Christi Convent. Sun-{cause he is chief magistrate of this all efforts along that line had been|day afternoon they saw the Passion |great country, could strike down the reputations “of honest men and women and refuse to tell them why. Challenges Accusation. “Let me tell you, the President cannot now say that these people were guilty of any wrongdoing. In the first place, under the law in re- gard to accessories after a fact, if these men had been guilty of the wrongful things that he intimated that they had done, if they had stolen bonds and duplicated numbers and profited thereby, and he did not re- veal it, he himself would be guilty of an offense as an accessory after the (Continued on Page 2, Column 4) as the papers are printed. iedndly’t i Net Circulation, 96,337 TWO CENTS. Helicopter, Stays In Air 2 Minutes; Goes Up 15 Feet By the Associated Press. Ohlo, February 21.—A new record was set by the de Bothezaat helicopter, being per- fected by the United States air service at McCook Field here, when it remained in the air for two minutes and forty-five seconds in flight early today. The machine which arises and descends vertically reached a height of fifteen feet. Previous marks set by the machine in filghts December 18, 1922, were a helght of eight feet, and flight duration of one minute and forty seconds. Col. T. H. Bayne, formerly com- mandant at McCook Field, was at the controls. 'END RESISTANCE REPORTED BERLIN | WAR ‘Germany Afraid Obstruction- | ist Policy Will Aid Separatist Movement. ! By the Associated Press. PARIS, February 21.—The French Bovernment has learned that the Berlin authorities have instructed German officials in the Rhineland to adopt a prudent course and endeavor to come to an understanding with the French authorities, it was said today in official circles. The instructions are interpreted {n these quarters as an indication that the German gov- ernment s discovering that the ex- pulsion of Gérman functionaries from the west bank of the Rhine has affected its own prestige and that it is afraid of the effect it might have {in promoting the separatist move- ment. It {8 understood the Instruc- tions were given especlally to offi- clals in the Rhineland, and do not apply to those in the Ruhr. Negotiations Hinted. This action, following the speech ‘made by former Chancellor Wirth, in which he declared the resistance in the Ruhr was aimed at bringing about negotiations, 1s taken in off- clal circles as indicatihg the growth in Germany of a feeling favorable to negotiations. Premier Theunis of Belgium arriv- ed in Parls today for consultation with Premier Poincare on the Ruhr situation. EXPULSION IS PROTESTED. By the Associated Press. BERLIN, February 21.—In its latest note to the French, British and Belgian governments and the Rhine- land commission at Coblenz, the Ger- man government utters a strong pro- test against the explusion of Presi- dent Fuchs of the Rhine provinces, “Who, as his right and sacred duty, objected to orders of the inter-allied Rhineland commission which are not based on the Rhineland agreement.” The note also protests against the wholesale expulsion of German of- ficials from the occupied area, “‘which expulsions the Rhineland commission apparently is ordering systematically for the achievement of certain aims lying beyond the scope of its actual tasks.” Characterized as Brutal. The expulsions are characterized as brutal. - The note says the officials were arrested and immediately sent away. Members of their familles also were expelled, “which denotes spectal cruelty, as, in view of the well known housing shortage, the expelled fami- lies will be unable for years again to conduct their households in their own homes. “In many instances,” the note con- tinues, “their furniture has he:re\ tak- en over by the occupation forces, Hope of forcing German officlals by such methods to co-operation against the German government is illusory. The application of such means, how- ever, is a violation of right and morals.” The Prussian minister of the in- terior has forbldden the Ruhr police to appear on duty without their uni- forms or weapons. It is belleved that the object of the order is to prevent the occupation authorities from or- ganizing an unarmed and - formed police force. e MORE PROTEST STRIKES. —_— By the Associated Press. DUESSELDORF, February 21.—The conclusion of the sixth week of the Ruhr occupation finds the French re- sorting almost exclusively to expul- slans in their efforts to impress upon the Germans that the orders of Gen- eral DeGoutte are to be obeyed. The Germans, in turn, have adopted the protest strike as the most effective way of showing their indignation. The expulsion of Burgomaster Kot- ten of Duesamlorf. following closely the removal from the Ruhr of Dr Gruetzner, caused a sensation and resulted in the walkout of most of ‘the workers in this city. Only the street rallway men and the employes of power plants were on -duty last evening. Spe Order your copy fro George Washington’s Birthday Rotogravure Section With Tomorrow’s Star cial m newsdealer today NING TO RHINE, 04 ARRESTS BARE AMERICA'S LARGEST - COUNTERFEITPLOT ‘Secret Service Exposes Gang of 9 Wholesale Spuri- | ous Money Distributors. | GOLD AND SILVER COINS MADE IN VAST QUANTITY { 1$2, $5, $10 and $20 Bills Sent to Europe and Cuba—Millions of Fake Stamps Turned Out. By the Associated Press. NEW YORK, February xty- four persons have becn arrested in what secret service operatives de- scribed as “the most elaborate voun- | terfeiting plot ever uncovered In this country,” according to Joseph A Palma, chief of a speclal squad of operatives in the New York district today. Twenty-eight persons were rounded up Jlast night and thirty. have been apprehended in the two weeks, Sent to Europe. Counterfeit bills in denominations of $2, $5, $10 and $20 were sent in great numbers all over the United States, Cuba, West Indies and the European ports, he eaid. In addition the country was flooded with gold and silver counterfeit pleces. Mil- lions of counterfeit United States in- ternal revenue stamps and* liquor labels were also turned out. Nine wholesale distributors counterfeit money, with a centr: plant located on Cornelia street, in Greenwich Village, have been located, Mr. Palma said. These plants were in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Long Island and New Jersey. Long Island House Raided. First to be raided was the house in Long Jsland City, where three men and two women were apprehended. They were taken to the customhouse, where they soon were joined by pris- oners taken in various other parts of the greater city. The ralds wers sald to have followed a general meet- ing of the counterfeiters in Manhat- tan, whence federal agents trailed the participants to their homes. Raids Begin at Dusk. The raids, launched by groups of operatives in widely scattered sec- tions of the metropolis and far out on Long Tsland, began at dusk. Shortly thereafter the prisoners began arriv- ing at the customhouse. The police had no foreknowledge of the raids and took no part in them, Capt. John 8. Tucker, head of ths secret service In this district, was in charge of the operation. A cordon of plainclothes men, arm- €d, was thrown about the custom- house to prevent any leaks of in- formation concerning the cxamina- tion of prisoners. It was learned, however, that those in custody would be held for arraignment before United States Commissioner Hitchcock. The police at Long Island City have reported that the three men and two women captured there were trailed in automobiles from a rendezous in Manhattan, where, it was believed, the counterfeit gangs assembled in secret executive session. Call in Extra Men. Secret service operatives from sev- eral cities were detailed here for the raids, it was learned. Each member of the staff of Capt. Tucker, which had been accumulating evidence for months, was placed in command of a “flying squadron” for this night's work, it was said. Most of the raided places were reached by auto. The Long Island City job was conducted with great thoroughness, the agents arriving in such force they were able to surround the house, post the roofs and then break in upon the suspects from base- ment trapdoors. CAR MERGER BILL - NOWUPINHOUSE Ball Measure Provides Ad- justment of Difference in Earning Power. possibility of getting street railway legislation at this session of Congress was brightened today, when the House District committee favor- ably reported the Ball bill, which has already passed the Senate, granting permissive legislation under which the Washington Rallway and Electric Company and the Potomac Electric Power Company may be merged. The Ball bill provides for adjusting the difference in earning power of the street railways by {mposing an ex- cess profits tax instead af the present 4 per cent gross tax on tne incoses of both companies. As this bill has already passed the Senate, the favorable action by the House District committee today means that under suspension of the rules during the last twelve days of Congress, when any legislation can be called up, this measurs may be passed quickly. . Actfon in the House District com- mittee was taken on a_motion by Representative Sproul of 1llinois, who has persisted in his fight that some street-car legislation should be passed at this session and that the only way in which any legislation of this character can be put through now is by passing the bill which has already passed the Senate without attempting any amendments. ‘The Ball bill proposes to impose an excess profits’ tax of 50 per cent on the net earnings of each company above 6 per cent and a tax of 75 per cent on the net revenues above 7 per cent. As this would apply on the Capital Traction Company’s earnings, and not on the W. R. & E. Co.’s, it is believed by those who framed the legislation that it will be possible to allow the W. R. & E. Co. to charge a living rate of car fare without the necessity of giving the Capital Trac- tion Company approximately 3 cents on every car rider more than the officials of the company say it re- quires to operate on & paving basts,