Evening Star Newspaper, March 24, 1923, Page 1

WEATHER. Falr and colder tonight and tomor- row, lowest temperature tonight freezing or slightly below. Tempera- ture for 24 hours ended at 2 p.m. to- Highest, 78. at 1:30 p.m. yester- owest, 40. at 7 am. today. Full report or’ page 7. élosing N. Y. Stock: @h WITH SUNDAY MORN. ING EDITION “From Press to Home Within the Hour” ‘The Star’s carrier system covers every city block and the regular edition is delivered to Washington homes as fast as the papers arz printed. s and Bonds, Page 14 T Entered as second-class matter No. post office Washington, D. C. 28.817. WASHINGTON, D. C, SATURDAY, MARCH 24, SEINYRATIO [Fre NI ONESS U S " CHANGES BG GUNS Experts Urge Increasing Range of Main Batteries to That of British Ships. Unfeasible, But A By the Associated Press, PARIS, March 24.—"The Washing- ty permits changes in old warships, but vital changes are u Admiral Lacaze, one of the most { distinguished officers in the French navy and former minister of marin in commenting today on the disc | sion of the treaty terms now going on {in England and the United States As 1 understand it.” he continued, State Department Consults With | " g . he present discussi relates to Odicersihelore AN e | chunges made in British ships under President's 0. K. construction at the tme the treaty was made. long these ships smain under 35,000 tons, and without exceeding the caliber preseribed, there NOT CONSIDERED BREACH OF FOUR-POWER TREATY | at ! o | naval ratio, the founda- stone of all the naval agreements &rowing out of the Washington arms | «wonference, will be utterly destroved! unless the United States carries t] its program to modernize the Ame can treaty fleet. in the opinion of e #-rt naval officers, as it has taken shape after a careful study of the whole subject The range of the American Navy's anain batteries, it was authoritatively esserted, will be extended at least to the 24.000 yards now claimed by Great Britaln, despite informal intimations from London that the British govern- ment would regard such a move as a \J‘I‘Q;\(’h of the treaty preventing the British from making ships in_question longer or re- ibuting the calibs so long as the total iber presc is not ¢ ceeded.” Explains French Changes. In ussing the question of changing old ships, Admiral Lacaze said “From time immemorial it has been the custom to make alterations in old ships if they were not to be thrown away, but with battleships it is out of the question to make any vial changes. The ships are built and bal- anced to carry certain caliber weights and these cannot be altered at will, €0 that all that France is doing con- sists in changing the sigh's and ms SENATOR DEMANDS BIG BUSINESS CURB Gambiing, Such as That in Sugar, to Bring 1924 Sur- prises, Says Ladd. cd Rated at 6-5-4. On a computation in Known factors naval considered. some officers occupying | advisory positions in the Navy De- | partment are inclined to rate the treaty navies of Great RBritain, the Tnited States and Japan, respectively Qn a 6-5-4 basis. with the United States placed in the position of being compelled to modernize her capital ships if she is to restore the compara- tive standing to which she subscribed. This rev s is_admittedly reache Jlete information. and a possible wutzrowth of the pres- ent sit fs a reeuest that the | other b s to the treaty make an officfal_statement of details of their | impending and present naval pro. MANLY FOR COURT CLUB the erpretation o treaty as now | which the ! of power were written 5 : Injunction Offers Means of Deal- ing Promptly With Specu- lators, His View. To Go to President. \ Decision upon t Wwhether such requests will be made Tes with the Department which general subjeet of the under discussion with n It is thought| rm.r-.n,‘ a euiche matter had 1aid before Presid-nt Harding, with | Whom ulso rests decision as | whether the U tes should | ahead with modernization | am authorized by Congress, ir of hints from Great Brita h a course would be inter-| ted as oppused to the spirit of the | trean Naval i whi PP e question of now the Na val of Mo that Letore s i - The demand for action against gam- blers in sugar, who it is charged, have forced the price to a high level in| the last two months, was further em- phasized today by Senator Ladd of North Dakota, who issued a state- | ment predicting that next year will contain important surprises for the old-line political parties unless some- | g is done to curb “big business.” | At the Department of Justice it was | said that the investigation into the charges of a combination to boost! sugar prices is “proceeding. The suggestion was made today by, Basil M. Manly, director of the peo- rle's legislative service, that the in- junctive process be used in dealing with the speculators on the sugar| market By the use of the injunc- tion. Mr. Manly said, it would be pos- i sible to deal promptly with the spec uiators. hitting at sales made purel for the purpose of reasing prices &nd not made for delivery. any vl ofticers who concerned es upon | were estima ation of America) eted approving nts take the on e standing the effeet should sail to remedy was well known t States to fore be co pren b the 1 that in ay the | and States any « ey insi 1 ratio L ratio 4 minor element aval strength iting of Advantage, v fir Tonnage computa | i in | i | | People Ahead of Parties. 3 | Senator Ladd, in his statement to- Naval War College. the gen- | day, declared that the people are far | Deupdlanc ool ;,r:"sf"'_:,f(’i";]"_i ahead of the old political parties, who | by's official circle of advise ‘| “seem without courage to face the ted their opinion that | problems of the American masses.” T T heed and @ superiorits of | Sugar at 7 cents a pound and above Fritish holds an advantage over | Senator Ladd characterized as “pure | that of United States which {graft and worse.” He asked for the | smpute 4s 20 per cent. | Prompt prosecution of those respon- | : Is s to Jap- | Eible for the present “robbery of the i Strossed o |American people by a sugar corner.” - study the For very one-cent rise in the The Japan price of sugar,” said Senator Ladd, Asai A “the people of this country are being P oy robbed at the rate of $90,000,000 an- £0.000,000 ven for *mc {nually. We are told that sugar ma fleet.” but” advices to th £0 10 20 cents per pound before June 1. embassy. Indicate that this & ~“Under those conditions the Amer- Sty b e perioi of ciphilican housewives and their families | Nears and that onle a titos SkMtiare to be robbed at about the rate | 100,000 yen, or roughly $1 6ue,000 | of $1,000,000,000 a year for the benefit | SOlBATEpeREthis poar \ 0005 of a bunch of speculators, gamblers Details of the purposes for which | #1d Brafters, some of whom are evi- tis experditure D Wil mo are ‘mop | dently not only in high society, but, availanit, but It is presamed it will | If we believe the rumors, are holding cover the cost of improvements which | T°Sponsible positions at the will of } ane the outgrowth of Japanese co-|the people. i this view it is known | i is in eve fon, publi naval press recently the carrent oferation with allied fleets during People Losing Confidence. 1he war, as well as protection against submarine and air attack. Treaty Declared Vague. The wording of the treaty. accord- ing to Navy officers, is very vague. Buth the British and French inter- pretations show a wide discrepancy. " (Continued on Pa Column, RISH PEACE EFFORTS REPORTED PROPRESSING Emportant Ex. pected Early Next Week—Two Women Killed by Raiders. B the Associated Press. ©OUBLIN, March 13 reached Cork on the highest au-i thority, says the Press Assoclation, | that the proposals for peace in Ire-! Jand recently put forward by Most ! Ttev. John Harty, Archbishop of| Cashel, and others, which have been | wnder consideration by the republi- an_army utive, ure being dis- cussed “in a satisfactory manner.” \Important progress is being made, 4t is stated, and in &ll probability a public announcement on the subject Nill be made early next week. An eighty-year-old woman and her daughter were shot dead yesterday at Aughafin, Longford, by a raiding Yarty. 5 The daughter's tional officer, and nas being sought. A mine wrecked the lobby of a mo- tion picture theater in Dublin last ht. An outburst of rifle and ma- chine gun firing followed. One man was seriously hurt. “There has been too much of this in the past eight years and the common | people are losing coufidence in those whom they have honored in the past and old party lines are crumbling un- til, as shown in the last election, party labels no longer insure elec- tions when there are good primary laws so that the will of the people may be freely recorded. Cites Department Statement. Basil M. Manly, director of the peoples’ legislative service, who an- nounced several days ago he had urged President Harding to bring | about a federal investigation of re- cent Increases in sugar prices, fssued (Continued on Page 2, Column 4.) | ¢ { Announcements 24.—Information ! BY LEOPOLD ALETRINO. By Cable to The Star and Chicago Daily News. Copyright, 1923. AMSTERDAM, March 24.—Princess Herminie, wife of Ex-Emperor Wil- liam, has left Doorn for Sabor Castle in Silesia, where she will pass the| aster holidays with her two sons and afterward will return to Doorn. Contrary to recent ‘reports she w not procecd to the Island of Corfu. It is denied that the relations be- tween “the former emperor and his second wife are strained. They are often seen together in the garden at- tached to the house of Doorn, where Princess Herminie has succeeded in creating a real society life among! the noble families in the neighbor- hood. The princess has adopted an attitude of modesty, indicating that she is anxious to aveld anything which might | | i | i | | husband it is a is believed na- he | MULLINGAR, Ireland, March 24— Irregulars early today attacked out- Posts of national troops quartered at g0 raillway station and near the 1dwn’s reservoir. The band was re- yulsed after prolonged rifle and ma- chine gun fire. The nationals suf- gered no casualties. ® I is the opinion expressed. by | is nothing in the Washington treaty | ! | \French Navy I ncreasing Range Of Old Guns on Battleships, Vice Admiral Lacaze Says Vital Changes | lterations O. K. if Tonnage and Caliber Is Same. ing alterations in the turrets io pe mit a longer range for tne old zuns | the provisions of agreement, should it, he said. adding: We discontinued the construction of five battleships, two or which were vearly completed, nud our whole pol- icy now is to build smaller vessel Admiral Lucaze made it plain that he is not in sympathy with those who | wish to scrap the capital ships, and he claims that the whole question of limiting the number of such ships is therefore an idle one. Sees More War: Washington wholly ratify the she France is making no effort to uvoid | “We are by no means at the end of | world wars,” he asserted. will be more terrible than the | one and one of the main factors that war will surely be the big ships. The last war showed their value. T wa due to the big ships that we maintained the blockade of Germa the latter's use of submarines wa: h co the battleships. There are two “The next| last in t t successful enough to counterbal- present principles we are bound to apply—first, so long as one nation has battleships other nation must have them and, second, until tute for battl maintain them. The naval now concentrated also, | 1s in finding It small submarines | one. | many battleships. i REVEALS FRIEND J. K. Mitchell of Philadel- phia, Says Prosecutor. LISTED RUBBER CO. HEAD |Social Register Shows Man in Murder Case Husband of Mrs. Frances Stotesbury Mitchell. By the Associated Press. NEW_YORK, March 24—Assistant Distriot Attorney Pecora today an rounced that the mysterious “Mr. {Afarshall,” who was the last person ¥nown to see Miss Dorothy Keenan, 1 model, before she was chloro- formed, was J. K. Mitchell of Phila- delphia. Mr. Peccra also identified the mys- ter 1S *“Mr. Wilson “Marshali's” seeretary, who was said to have ac- companied the Philadelphian to the Keenan suvits. as John H. Jacksor. a New York lawyer. Mr. Mitchell,” listed in the Phila- delphia social regiter as J. Kearsley Mitchell, is president of the Phila- delphia Rubber Works Company and husband of Mrs. Frances Stotesbury Mitchell, prominent in Philadelphla arn New York society. Answers Call in Probe. Mr. Mitchell came to New York last nizht in response to a request from Mr. Pecora, who wanted to question him further about the possibility that he might have written Miss Keenan letters which could have been made the basis for an effort to blackmail him. He returned to Philadelphia this afternoon “for further after a telephone conversation with the assistant prosecutor. The mystery of the identity of “Mr. Marshall” had been intensified just before Mr. Pecora broke his silence of more than a week, when Neilson Oleott. counsel for the mysterious man, declared flatly that Mr. was' not “Marshall” and that he would prepare a statement disclosing his client's identity. Mr. Pecora sald, a few minutes later: ~ “My attention has just been ('dlledv to the publication in one of the New York papers that the man known us ‘Marshall,’ whose name ap- peared in conncetion with the death of Dorothy Keenan, is in reality one J. K. Mitchell of Philadelphia. I re- gret that such publication has been made. Inasmuch as it has been made without my consent or authority, I ) think it only fair and proper for me | to confirm ‘the fact that the man known as ‘Marshall’ is John Kearsley Mitchell.” Mr. Mitchell is a son-in-law of Ed- ward Townsend Stotesbury, who is a Philadelphia capitalist, head of Drexel & Co. of Philadelphia and a member of the firm of J. P. Morgan & Co. of New York. —_——— REPORT “DIVINE SARAH” IN CRITICAL CONDITION By the Associated Press. PARIS, March 24.—The state of Sa- rah Bernhardt’s health is causing the greatest alarm. The noted actress passed a very bad night and her physi- cians today express fears of the worst. Kaiser’s Wife on Easter Trip; Still Spurned by His F. amily glve the slghtest cause for hostility upon the part of the H ohenzollern family. Although the strict division of the ex-kalser's property and the property of his wife made in the mar- riage contract removed a bone of con- tention, the kalser’s children and the German ex-crown princess still refuse to recognize their stepmother-in-law and never come to Doorn. Another feature of the marriage contract s that the princess has a right to go twice a vear to Germany for six weeks to waich the education | of her two elder sons and to inspect her estate. News of the Clubs Will Be Published in The Sum:lay Star the we find & substi- ips we are bound to thought of the world not {only a big ship, but an invulnerable is recognized that building and other | light vessels is more expensive than | " OF SLAIN MODEL Mysterious “Mr. Marshall” data” | Mitchell | AN NATIONPAYS HONO ute-to Military Leader at Funeral Today. SERVICES AT CHURCH | Fighters of Famous Marine Corps. | Deceased Officer Once Commanded, | Accompany Body to Arlington. power to give its victorious leaders | in the fighting services, the nation, at {its capital, today paused to pay a last { tribute, with military ceremony, [to Mal Gen. Willam P. Biddle, | former commandant of the United States Marine Corps, who died Febru- |ary 24, at Nice, France. Fighters of the famous corps of a |later day. who carried in battle the { ideals of the corps which the deceased | general helped to set—the famous th {regiment, which set its shoulders and s guns against the most military na- tion of the world, and turned the tide at Chateau Thierry—stood in peace- ful silence outside the Church of the Epiphany, G street, between 13th and 14th streets, this morning, while the services were being held within. Joining them in the tribute to their former commander were seamen, rep- resenting the Nav and fleld artillery and cavalry, representing the Army. Ceremony Most Impressive. It was the most impre tary funeral which the city has v nessed in months, and traffic on the surronnding streets was stopped dur- ing the ceremony, while the troops | filled the streets for blocks in the vi- cinity. Thousands of civillans with bared and bowed heads filled the side- walk in tribute to one who had helped to keep the nation supreme. The famous 5th Marine Regiment eld the position of honor directly {in | entire block in massed battle forma- | tion, with fixed bayonets. As the cas- | ket came into view through the { church door the troops came to “pre- sent,”” their bright bayonets flashing {in the bright morning sun, and the | United States Marine Band played | “Nearer, My God, to Thee” as the | casket, supported by high ranking body bearers of the Marine Corps, was borne slowly to the artillery caisson. The casket iwas silver- trimmed, with emblems of the corps. covered by the colors, lilies and the braided cap of the major general of the corps and his sword. Signals Order to March. A few moments of silence. while officers strapped the casket fast to the caisson, and Maj. Gen. John A. Lejeune, present commandant of the | corps, signaled the order to march. To muffled drums, draped in mourning, the march to Arlington was begun. | As the head of the line turned south into 15th street from G street the Marine Band played a dirge. The right of the line was held by the marine regiment which came from its base at Quantico early today. With fixed bayonets and in massed battle formation, the men marched slowly to the music. As the colors of each organization and the caisson passed along the line heads of those on the side lines were bared and bowed in the chill winds. Following the 5th Regiment of Ma- rines was a_battalion of seamen gun- iners from the Washington navy yard. { followed in turn by a squadron of cavalry in bright nickeled trappings (Continued on Page 2, Column 5.) ———n s ACCUSED BANKER INSISTS, IN TEARS, HE’S INNOCENT Francesco Tisbo and Wife Brought to Prison in Naples—Jewels Declared Old Purchase. By the Associated Press. NAPLES, March 24.—Francesco Tis- bo, the fugitive New York steamship ticket agent and banker who was ar- | rested here when he arrived with his wife on the steamer Taormina from New York Thursday, burst nto tears | When interrogated in the prison today | and declared himself innocent of the larceny charges on which he has been | indictea in New York. Mrs. Tisbo, who also Is being detain- ed, told the authorities that the jew- els found in the couples baggage be- longed to here before she went to America and were not purchased with ‘money from the Tisho bank. ¢ i | | TOMALGEN. BIDDLE | Imposing Ceremonies in Trib- With the highest honors within its front of the church, and filled thy ¢ Fpening Star. Yesterday’s Circulation, 96, 250A v gy HIRTY PAGES. * TWO CENTS g1t VAT Hare4ra; 750! EXTRA STER ?Frost‘ i For Wa: Those came’ w day by t announce tonight Georgia. - aised .+ Georgia has “Sprinj v rtled # disillusioned to- er bureau, which -ost was probabie a outh as southern 18S were ntral New England, while dvices indicated s tonight in the 1e lower lake re- issued York and north weather 1 lower tem, Ohio valle gion Small plaved fr tucket, * —~— ATIE: FTWOMAN - TOARRES ‘eld on Sus- y ldentified » Neighbor. irnings were dis- Hatteras to Nan- [} Colored picion, by V James Me old, of 4 arrested b today and assaulted sixty years east. Mac though a street northeast, was tral office detectives m suspicion of having Catherine Gainey, 308 K street north- 1ied the accusation, al- ghbor of the elderly woman who was attacked partiall identified him as the negro she saw running from the Gainey home. Police declared today Mrs, assailant must be a maniac with a desire to destroy human life by means of asphyxiation. Not only did the man turn on several gas jets after he had left his victim, but re- ports of another house in the north- east section of the city being entered by a colored man who opened numer- ous jets were received, investigated by the police and found to be true. Found Negro in Kitchen. Capt. William Deavers of 1215 Mary- land avenus northeast,‘'reported that he and his family were away from home last Tuesday. During their ab- sence his brother-in-law, Curtin, 720 T street southeast, visited the premises and found a negro in the kitchen. The intruder managed to get away, but Curtin found two gas jets open. Later Capt. Deavers found more jets open on the second floor. Mack was arrested behind a bill- board early today by Detectives Keck and Darnall. He gave the police an account of what he had been doing the last few davs, and said _that he strolled out to Northeast Washing- ton early this morning and stopped on the 1ot where he was arested, kin- dling a fire to warm himself. It was his intention to go home later in the morning. he said. Look for Fingerprints. Gainey's | A thorough examination of the room in which Mrs. Gainey was assaulted was made today for fingerprints of the assailant, but none was found. The detectives took a bloodstained chair to police headquarters, where it was examined by Detective Sand- berg, identification expert. He failed to obtain any fingerprint marks from the stains on the chair. —_— EXPECT SENATOR’S DEATH WITHIN NEXT 24 HOURS Colorado Lawmaker Has Been Critically Il With Tumor of Stomach. - By the Associated Press. DENVER, Colo., March 24—Hope for saving the life of United States Senator Samuel D. Nicholson, who is critically i1l here from a tumor of the stomach, was practically aban- doned today when physicians attend- ing him issued a statement announc- ing he was not expected to live through the next twenty-four hours. | MRS. WEEKS IMPROVED. Wife of War Secretary Arrives at Home Here With Husband. Mrs. John W. Weeks, brought home last night_ from Georgia suffering from intestinal indigestion, was said today to be “very much improved.” Secretary Weeks, who returned to Washington with her, remained at her bedslde during the day. 1 HATCH. colored, eighteen yeark | obsessed | William | THMILE ICE GORGE ‘SAUNDERS REFUSES STOCK T0 “SHORTS Piggly Wiggly President De- clares Chain Store Shares Are Now “Priceless.” DENOUNCES WALL STREET Reports Conflict on Amount of i Stock Sold to Meet Contracts. ' the Associated Press. MEMPHIS, Tenn., March 24.—Shares of class A Piggly Wiggly common stock held by Clarence Saunders, president of Piggly Wiggly Stores, Inc., and badly wanted by “short: sellers who were caught in the jam Tuesday when a bear raid on the| stock was repelied, are priceless to- d: { Speaking of this stock, whicn ves- ter ¢ the Piggly Wigxly hzad quoted| to “shorts” at $100 per share, Thurs- day at $150 until 3 o'clock in the afternoon. and for a time thereafter at $230, Mr. Saunders declared in a statement uttering “defiance to Wall street.” late last night: “1 have no price of an fer to any further short interests. Even $1.000 a_sharé would not buy |from me a single certificate for a ‘short.” My offer of $100 was for onc day only and will not be extended.” &ind to of- Denounces Wall Street. Mr. Saunders denounced Wall street and its “tactics” bitterly and declared that he expected to enter suit against the New York Stock Ex change, which he characterized as “of all finstitutions in America the worst menace in all its power to ruin all who dare to opp: “Wall street got licked badly Saunders continued, “and then called for ‘mamma’ Of course, ‘mamma.’ the New York Stock c heard the cry for ita 5 Out of approximately 25,000 shares, which Mr. Saunders said were due him, just 140 were delivered to him Friday. Mr. Saunders said he would here- after dispose of his stock by selling “direct to the people—they trust me, but they don't trust Wall street.” He would not allow the stock to be sold in_the curb market, he insisted. “I am not afraid. Let Wall street get me if it can. It is because most “people are afraid that nothing is done about this kind of business.” Trading Subsides. NEW YORK, March 24.—Piggly Wiggly. one of Wall street’s leading topics for the past few days, virtu- ally dropped out of sight when a ma- | jority of those caught “short” Tues- day when trading in Pigsly Wiggly Stores, Inc, class A common stock was suspended on the New York Stock Exchange, settled their ac- counts on the basis of the $100 offer made by. Clarence Saunders, presi-| dent of the corporation. While accurate information as to the number of shares delivered to E. W. Bradford, counsel for Mr. Saun-| ders, was withheld, it was stated that by far the larger number of the “shorts” took advantage of the lower ofter, A few sales were made in the early forenoon at $125 to $135 previous to receipt in New York of Mr. Saunders instruction to the National Bank of Commerce, where he had a consider- able supply of the stock, to permit the “shorts” to buy it for delivery to his representative at $100 a share. Mr. Bradford, who is a Washington attorney and a director in the Piggly Wiggly corporation, said he would remain_in_New York today to settle with the few “shorts” who failed to put in an appearance yesterday. 1 War Romance With D.C.Setting Ends in Divorce By the Associated Press PARIS, March 24.—Two American women were granted divorces from their American husbands by the Paris civil tribunal yesterday. They are Mrs. Frederick H. Prince, jr., who. before her marriage, w Mary Elizabeth Harding, daughter of W. P. G. Harding, governor of the federal reserve bank of Boston, and Mrs. Eugene Van Renssclaer Thayer of New York and Boston, who was_Miss Gladys Baldwin Brooks. Both divorces were for desertion, Mr. and Mre. Prince were mar- ried in Washington, July 14, 1917, having met while Mg Prince, as a member of the Lafayette Esca- drille, was serving with the French acronautic mission. When the war ended Mr. Prince refused to re- turn to America to make his home. The court granted Mrs. Prince cus- tody of the only child of the mar- DRY LAW RIDICULE STIRS DIGNITARIES TOSPURN DINNER Phi Delta Phi Cancels Ban- quet in Honor of Justice Sutherland. WORDING OF INVITATIONS CAUSE OF PROTEST Son of Justice Walter I. McCoy ! rise from backed-up water. {flood, when the town was virtually riage. Mr. and Mrs, Thayer were mar- d in Newport, K. I, September , 1903, | | MENAGES VALLEY INTHREE STATES 400 Homes Already Flooded in Sioux City Bottom Lands as Water Rises. | By the Associated Press, OMAHA, Neb, March 24.—Unprece- dented mammoth gorges in the Missouri river and tributary etreams | near Vermillion, S. D. and | Onawa, Iowa, and Dakota City, Neb., | toda. have precipitated conditions which present a flood menace for all the lowland between Vermillion and | Omaha, the flooding of thousands of | acres of rich farm lands in the three | states, destruction of hundreds of | farm homes and at least the partial inundation of Sioux City and several lesser cities and town: More than 400 homes in the bottom lands of Sioux City were untenable today, and a two-foot rise in the waters of Floyd river, backing up from the Missouri river, would, ac- cording to police, inundate an addi- tional forty residential blocks. The occupants of the near-river section were driven out by police last night when the swollen waters gradually crept up. Huge Gorge Strangles River. An ice gorge reported to have at- tained a length of eleven miles, and a width in places of seven miles near Blassfield Island, at Sergeant Bluff, Towa, south of Sioux Cit strangu- lating the mighty Missouri river. The stream, strengthened by thaws and | spring floods, is engaged in a titanic struggle to break the deadly grip. In its grapple, the river is dissipating | its strength in overflowing into the lowlands, A decided drop in temperaturs this morning helped the ice mass retain its grip. But at any moment the river's terrific pressure may triumph. | and then its dammed up. choked, and | denied waters would surge down the valley. A conservative Sioux City es- timate placed the number of farms | in the path of such a water wall at two thousand. Ten Counties in Danger. ice Ten counties of South Dakota, Towa. and Nebraska. would bear the brunt! of the onslaught. They are Clay county of South Dakota: Plymouth, Woodbury, Monona and Harrison counties of Iowa, and Cedar, Dixon, Dakota, Thurston and Burt counties of Nebraska. Among them, especially among the Iowa counties,’are to be found some of the choice corn lands of the corn belt. Late last night an ice gorge formed near Onawa, lowa, and flood stage de- veloped, forcing the residents of the lowlands there to flee. Fear Break iIn Gorge. The gorge formed south of the city and at midnight had grown to be three and a half miles long, with towering ice peaks.. At that hour the authorities at | Onawa gave up hope of shattering the gorge with explosives. At Vermillion, S. D., a gorge formed yesterday after- noon and before midnight menaced the surrounding river districts. The gorge caused the James river to A rapid rise | was experienced early this morning in the Big Sloux river at Elkpoint, S. D. where conditions similar to those at Vermillion were reported. Sioux City today was threatened with increased perils as the danger became acute that the gorges at Vermillion and Elkpoint might break during the early morning hours. Breaking of the gorges would flood all the lowlands between Vermi! lion and Sioux City and cause a rise in the Missouri and Floyd rivers at Sioux City. Streets Are Flooded. At 10 o'clock last night the Mis- souri river reached a stage of 16.8 feet at Sioux City and was reported to be practically stationary at that point. The Floyd river, however, con- tinued to rise at last reports early Sends Letters Apologizing for Facetiousness. Facetious references to the proh bition laws in an invitation sent out by the Phi Delta Phi Fraternity the leading members of the judicia and legal profession of Washingtor to attend a dinner tonight in honor of Justice Sutherland, newly appoint ed to the United States Supreme Court bench, resulted in the pros- pective guest of honor and a host of other _dignitaries indigna declin- ing, it developed today, and the d ner was immediately called off. The affair was to have been extrs legal and judicial. Justice Stafford of the District Supreme Court was to have been toastmaster and 230 mem- bers of the fraternity were asked to attend. The invitations took the form of “summo 2 d threatened those who falled to respond with ex- traordinary “default” proceedings. In tongue-twisting legal phraseology the defendant members were inter- rogated as to their views of t eighteenth amendment and the V; stead act. Asks as to Belief: e the eightee amendment and the Volstead law the bill of interrogatories asked. fave you a supp vour cellar or other place of concealment or con- finement? “If you answer 5 (the last previ question) in the affimative, then an- swer this. How much do vou intend to bring? “Whether you have a supply or not. how much do you intend to get and bring with you? (Remember the less fortunate who have none of it and might desire som on such an occa sion as this.) “Plaintiffs further aver that in or- der to make the best of a dry town the said defendants must be required to give their assistance to the best of their ability.” “Transportat the bill concluded. would be glad! furnished. Storm of Protest Follows. tly “Do you beli in A veritable lowed receipt George Clarke Ober, jr., the Washington chapter Phi, is said to have dec deluged with protestations from members who failed to see the “joke in such facetious treatment of a law they, as either judges or lawyers, sworn to uphold. He immediately sent aletter to every one who had received an invitation that the contents of the latter was intendec humorous and fronical ve nations and apologies, d been tendered both Ju Justice Stafford. Philbrick McCoy, Walter I. McC: District responsibility for the vitation.” Mr. McCoy declared he had had & hard time explaining that his only purpose was to inject a little “pep’’ in the announcement. He failed to sea how the notice was taken so serious ly, since its wording was so obvi- ously humorous. storm of t of protest fol- invitatior president of Phi Delta red he wa Full of Justice 2 of the ccepted full “summons-in- son Dinner Is Canceled. All explanations were however, and the dinner, wh to have been held tonight University Club, was canceled. tice Sutherland to have initiated into the fraternity, which is the international fraternity of the legal profession, in the the dinner. The text of Mr. Mci explanation, which w: fore the decision to c: ner, follows: “I am writing you this letter to give a more complete explanation of the recent ‘bill of complaint’ invita- tion for the intiation of Justice Suth- erland than was contained in the letter of March 18. “The ‘bill of complaint’ and the terrogatories’ were prepared and sent out by myself without having sub- mitted them to any other member or officer of the inn. Upon hearing of the character of the ‘interrogatories’ the inn, In a speclal meeting, ex- pressed its unqualified disapproval. “It is my personal desire to disavow any intention that th ‘interro- gatories’ were to be considered seri- ously, and I deeply regret that my hasty action should have reflected, any manner, on the inn or its officers. The attendance and support of our alumnl are absolutely essential to the success of the function planned for Justice Sutherland, and it is earnest- iy hoped that this unfortunate cire cumstance will not detract from those vai was th was course oi s letter of s mailed be- ncel the din- today and was within two feet of & stage at which it would present a se- rious menace to the main city itself. A dangerous situation was also de- veloping early this morning at Ho- mer, Neb., the scene of the great 1920 wiped out of existence. At an early hour this morning efforts were being made to dynamite a gorge that had formed in Omaha creek there. and (Continued on Page 2, Column §.) ~—of THE EVEN very latest news—about home. Featured always— finals and a forecast of consider at their next si The Mission of the 5:30 Edition NG STAR is to furnish the where—ready for your reading on the way For sale by newsboys and newsdealers throughout the city. everything from every- financial news, sports f what the courts will tting. elements which are so necessary.” Ober Apologizes. President Ober’'s apologies were contained in the following letter: , “It has come to my attention that a number of the members of the frater- nity have misunderstood the reference to the Volstead act ir the communica- tion recently sent to you by the clerk of the inn. These references were made in a humorous and ironical vein and are 8o far from the ideals and principles of the fraternity that it did not occur to their author that anyone would take them in any other manner than that in which they were in- tended. “However, as these statements have been to some extent misunderstood, this letter is to assure you of the hearty support and respect of John Marshall's Inn for the law of the land and to express regret that the humor and irony of one of its officers was misinterpreted. “Full explanations and apologies have been made to both Justices Sutherland and_Stafford, which have been accepted by them. No change will be made in the plans and it is hoped that the attendance will not uffer becauss of this regrettable in- cident.” 4