Evening Star Newspaper, April 7, 1923, Page 1

WEATHER. Cloudy and warmer morrow cloudy, with showers. Temperature four hours ended at 2 Highest, 66, at noon toda: at_6:40 am. today. Full report on Page 4. tonight: to- occasional for twenty- p.m. today: v; lowest, 37, Closing N. Y. Stocks and Bonds, Page 10 ch No. 28,831. e Entered as second-class matter post_office Washington, D. C. WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION ¢ Foening Star. The Star’s carrier every city block and the regular edi- tion is delivered to Washington homes as fast as the papers are printed. “From Press to Home Within the Hour” system covers Ye_aterday's iet Circulaf WASHINGTON, D. C, SATURDAY, APRIL 7, 1923—THI ion, 95,992 RTY PAGES. TWO CENTS. * ALL HERRIN RIOT CASES NOLLED AT ~ STATF' REQUEST Prosecutor Declares Action Taken as Further Trials “Would Be Farcical.” “JUSTICE UNOBTAINABLE IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY” Decision to Act Reached After Jury Frees Six of Murder Charge. ted Press. 1., April By the Aswoc MARIOD 7.—All of the untried criminal indictments growing out of the Herrin riot were nolle prossed today following the acquittal by a jury last night of six defendants charged with murder in conmection with the outbreak. The request that the indictments be nolled was made in court this morn- ing by Delos Duty, state’s attorney of Williamson count When court assembled A. W. Kerr, chief counsel for the Illinois Mine Workers, demanded immediate trial for the twenty-four men still under indictment on charges of murder, con- spiracy and assault. “I am not going to try any more of these Mr. Duty declared “Right or wrong, does not make any difference. 1 have done my duty and done my best.” Should Not Be Dropped. “We have dome enough, but the attorney general does not feel that these cases should be dropped until he has a chance to report to the legislature,” C. W. Middlekauff, spe- clal assistant attorney general said. cases.” 4 you do mot dpmtest?" Judse D. T. Hartwell asked. “We do not” sald Mr. Middle- kauff. Judge Hartwell then entercd the order nolle prossing all of the in- dictments. The following statement was i out by Mr. Middiekauff at the Attorney General E. n T “Justice Unobtainable.” “The prosecution Is reluctantly obliged to admit justice can not be ob- tained in Willlamson county. No im- partial jury can be obtained to try the men responsible for the murder | of a score of men at and near Herrin last June. “Witnesses, reliable and trust- worthy, at great riek of personal vio- lence, have courageously testified to what they beheld on that fatal day. only to be impeached by witnesses who plainly were interested in the defense, and who clearly were testi- tying falsely. “Intimidation, prejudice or down- right dishonesty actuated them. Un- der the rulings of the trial court, when jurymen were being examined, any man who admitted he had an opinfon whether the massacre of the | disarmed and helpless strip miners was lawful or unlawful, was dis- qualified for jury service. In opinion this ruling is not the law of Illinois. On the other hand all men contributing to the defense fund, vol- untarily or otherwise, have been held to be competent jurors, but in my view of the law, such men are not competent jurors and could not be impartial jurors. “Further Trials Farcical.” “Every man in Williamson county has repeatedly heard or read the de- tails of this horrible and revolting tragedy. If he has no opinion whether such kiilings were lawful or unlaw- ful, he is, in my judgment, wholly unfit for jury service. “I must say that under my view of the law, citizens having an opinion a8 to the right or Wrong of the mas- sacre, but with no opinion as to the guilt of any defendant on_trial are qualified to sit as jurors. These ob- stacles, in my opinion, seem unsur- mountable. “Under the conditions it {s my opinion that further trial would be useless, re- sult only in acquittals and continue the check-off from the wages of some 90,000 industrious men, many of whom are strongly opposed to murder. It would further jeopardize the lives of cour- ageous and honest witnesses who have testified for the people of the state of Illinols solely because of their respect for law ana order. “At this time it seems that further trials would be but farcical.” Defense Issues Statement. The following statement was issued by “all the attorneys for the de- fense: “A representative of the press has presented the lawyers for the de- fense with a statement issued on behalf of the attorney general ap- pearing for the prosecution in the so-called Herrin mine riot cases. This statement wholly {gnores the wanton slaughter of three unarmed union gnen on the day provious to the kill- ing of guards. It wholly ignores the invasion of Willlamson county armed guards equipped with high- powered pistols.and rifles, riot shot- (Continued on Page 8, Column 6.) CHINA PRESS INJECTS U.S. INTO TREATY ROW By the Assoclated Press. PEKING April 7.—The deadlock growing out of demands by parlia- ment that a second note be sent to Japan demanding retrocession of the Liaotung territory and the inability of the cabinet to get a foreign minis- ter who will assume this has been complicated by newspaper representa- tions that Secretary of State Hughes favors euch actlon. With a note to Tokio outlined by the cabinet and submitted to Huang Fu, retiring foreign minister, for re- vision, the vice minister in charge of the foreign office has issued a state- ment to remove the misconception spread broadeast by the Chinese press that the American Secretary of State encouraged the Chinese charge d'affaires at Washington when the Chinese representative sought sup- port for parliament's {nflexible de- mand that Japan return Liaotung. Inquiry at the American legation here elicited the information that Becretary Hughes has informed Amer- “jcan Minlster Schurman that he had had no such interview with the Chinese charge d'affaires and _that America’s position still remained the same as outlingd at the Washington ronference 1ash year. my | by | “Easter Actually Comes Tomorrow, But Keep It Dark” Special Dispatch to The Star. WORCESTER, Mass.,, April 7. And tomorrow’s Easter! If April showers already haven't wilted the May flowers on mi- lady's Easter bonnet she may join the parade in it tomorrow, and in the elephant's breath frock that set poor father back an oil well. No, this s not last Saturday's story lifted from the forms by a dizzy printer. It's newer than the King Tut Toddle. That the world got its signals mixed last Sun- day and that tomorrow’'s Easter day is an assertion fresh from the Bunker Hill-Plymouth Rock state; from Rev. Henry W. Hobson, lead- in iscopal divine of this city. falls on the first Sun- 3 full moon follow- ing March 21,” he declares. “How- ever, if the full moon comes Sun- day, then Easter is the next Sab- bath day. Where the moon got it, Dr. Hobson, of course, doesn't know, but it Was certainly full last Sun’ ay. Fully two-thirds of America's Easter frills and furbelows could not be displayed to advantage last Sunday. Boreas was too ferocious. Jack Frost at last, however, has gamboled from the lap of spring and called it a winter, and women the land o'er are accepting Dr. Hobson's revelation with delight. So Atlantic City may be a Tutankh- amen corner tomorrow, and_5th avenue may be blithe with Pha- raoh’s daughters flirting their Tut- ankerchiefs, and in moist seclu- sion celebrants of suicidal dis- position may get royalty Tu- tanked. But keep still about it to the children, for the bunnies, tricked last weelk, positively decline to re- peat. PRESIDENT SCORES LEGISLATIVE BLOGS Declares Nation Should Guard Against System. Foreign Affairs Status. By the Associated Press. AUGUSTA, Ga., April 7.—Domestic affairs of the nation are the great- est concern, and the nation should guard against the development of classes and the organization of blocs, according to President Hardins. The chief cxecutive expressed these views at a dinner given in his honor by Augusta citizens last night. 1t was his first speech since he began his vacation trip into the south. “There is a menace to the nation,” said the President, “in the develop- tion of bloy There s danger in envy and jealousy. Let us be on guard against thelr development” Spoke for South to Hear. The President touched on a variety of topics and it was apparent that in talking to his Augusta audience he was striving to reach the ear of the | south, Domestic affairs constitute the pres- ient chief concern of the natlon, Mr. | Harding said after his reference to | classes and blocs. “We need not worry about our in- { ternational affairs,” he continued. “I |can tell you with a measure of pride | that they were never better than they jare today.” i He added that perhaps the United ates was not doing all that “some of r friends in Europe” would have i America do, but predicted that “it will be the veidict of Europe when she has righter herself, as she surely will, that the republic of the United States {s the most just nation in the worl | St Says South Co-Operates. The President also voiced an ap- peal that the people of the south as well as those of the north “think more {of what you can do for your govern- ment than what your government can do for you.” After declaring that he did not be- lieve a vestige of the civil war sec- tionalism remained, Mr. Harding said that during his administration he never had received more generous of- fers of co-operation than those ten- dered by the south. “There ought not be any sec- tionalism in the United States,” he went on. “There ought not to be any classes in the United States.” Opposes Play for Votes. “Government can only be concerned in the things that come of the com- mon weal,” he said, after having as- serted that the government was not Interested in the farmers because they were the largest body of voters, {but because they were engaged in a great basic industry; not interested in the railroads because of their wealth and power, but because of thelr importance to the welfare of the nation, and not interested in the former service men because of their numbers and political power, but be- {cause of the debt of gratitude it owed them. arYou cannot Tun thls republic of ours merely to affect votes on - tlon day,” he declared. s Brief 'addresses were made Thomas J. Hamllton, editor of the {Augusta Chronicle; Maj. Julian M. Smith, Benjamin E. Pierce, vice presi- dent of the Augusta Chronicle Pub- lishing Company; Rodney S. Cohen, commander of the Georgla depart- ment of the American Legion; Fed. eral Judge Willlam H. Barrett and Judge Henry C. Hammond, all of Augusta. Responses were made by members of the presidential party, including Brig. Gen. Charles . Nawyer. the President’s physician, and Edward B. McLean, published of the Washing- ton Post. The final address of the evening was made by the President. Preparations for leaving here were made today and tonight the presiden- tial party will begin the journey to Washington, where the President will again take up his official dutie by attitude of -his government on ington next Monday in ment of classes and in the organiza-| BIG PLOT 10 HELP MAIL BANDIT SEEN Burns Sure He Knows Men Who Aided Chapman’s Escape. EXPECTS TO TAKE THEM New York Funds Supplied to Con- vict Fleeing From Atlanta Prison. By the Associated Press. ATLANTA, April 7.—That he has a “very definite idea” of the men who “put up the money” for the escape of Gerald Chapman, the million-dollar New York mail bandit, from tr federal penitentlary here, was as- serted today by Willlam J. Burns, | chief of the investigating bureau of | the Department of Justice. Apprehension of the men, he said, is expected shortly. “From informa- | tion I have just received,” Mr. Burns declared, “I think the case will be cleared up shortly.” He would not | Indicate how many men he suspected | of complicity in the case. The director of the bureau of in- | vestigation declared that he was | “primarily” interested in the appre- hension of the men whom he said pro- vided funds which resulted in the escape of Chapman. At the same time the hunt for the bandit is beln, pushed vigorously and additional De- partment of Justice agents have been dispatched to Athens to join in the hunt. Mr. Burns sald the warden and penitentiary officlals would take care of the inquiry into the escape at the prison, but he was investigating the outside associates who assisted Chapman. Many Afd in Search. last reported seen in the basement of the hospital from which he escaped in Athens, is being prosecuted vigor- ously. The Department of Justice men are assisted by state and county authorities. | A guard of another tederal prisoner {at the hospital in Athens reported |early yesterday that Chapman es- icaped from the basement where he jpanied the guard, fainted. A search jof the grounds and buildings failed yto discl any trace of Chapman. {Mr. Burns last night ordered more Department of Justice men to Athens, following a conference with Warden Assistant Attorney General Mabel Willebrandt and Heber H. Votaw, su- perintendent of federal prisons. Director Burns came to Atianta trom Florida en route to Los Angeles, ‘1o interview a prisaner, Herbert Wi son, who declares he made the bomb which resulted in the Wall street ex- plosion in 1920. He sald today he ex- pected to resume the trip to Los |Angeles in a day or two. The arrests will involve members of a gang from New York, who came to Atlanta to furnish money to pave the way for Chapman’s escape, Mr. Burns believes. Explanation Doubted. It is understood that the federal authorities are investigating the story that Chapman was seen in the basement of the hospital in Athens yesterday morning, and that some are inclined not to accept the explanation of the escape. One high officlal 1s known to disbelleve the explanation and to have doubts about it having been Chapman that was seen in the basement. Director Burns today would not talk on the Athens end of the Chapman case beyond saving the hunt for the convict was being pushed and to ex- press the bellef that Chapman will soon be recaptured. The bandit is weak from the wounds received in a pistol battle with officers which pre- ceded his first capture after his es- cape from the federal prison. . As- sistant Attorney General Willebrandt and Supt. Votaw were still in Atlanta today and (vere understood to have engagements for another confer, with Warden Dyches. e DEPARTMENT CLERKS’ FUND $27,984,250 Disability and Retirement Money Much Greater Than Be- lieved. Good news for the departmental clerks is found in a review of the condition of the disability and retire- ment fund, which shows that instead of the investment being approximate- 1y $17,000,000 it s, in fact, $27,984,250. And that is not all; President Jacob W. Starr of the Assoclation of Retired Federal Employes, states that in ad- dition to the invested funds there is @ reserve cash balance of $2,268,682 to meet the cost of annuities and re- funds to June 30. 1923. President Starr made this explanation to Senator Sterling, chairman of the Senate com- mittee on civil service, in_a confer- ence on the proposed new legislation on civil_service retirement, which Senator Sterling will consider during the Tecess. The significance of the prosperous financial condition of the retirement fund lies in the foundation which it presents for making more generous terms for the beneficiaries of the re- tirement act. Efforts will be made to increase the maximum and minimum annuities; also to provide for grant- ing the annuities at the end of thirty years' service, regardless of age, or to reduce the age limit. Obregon Breaks Silence! In one of the most important announcements officially made since the Mexican situation came to public attention, more than ten years ago, the President of Mexico definitely outlines the the intervention question in a signed statement which will be published exclusively in Wash- The Evening Star The search for Chapman, who was | saw him when a nurse, who accom- | i ' ibyches of the federal penitentiary, | INDUSTRIAL CRISIS - FEARED N BRITAIN | | Outlook Disquieting — More | Strikes and Lockouts Loom : Over Wage Disputes. | By the Associated Press. i LONDON, April 7—The industrial| outlook in Great Pritain at the pres- | ent time is regarded as extremely ! disquieting. It s estimated that nearly 70,000 | workers are involved in disputes | | With their employers and some 56,000 | |are already on strike. These include | | the Welsh miners and the Norfolk | tarm workers. | The employers trades announce today a new sched- | ule of wages and hours which wil] become operative on April 14. If the men do not accept it a lockout of nearle 508,000 workers rmay result. | Arbitration is proposed, but the is- sues are much involved and it is un- certaln what course will be decided upon when the leaders of the four- teen unions to which the building operatives belong meet next Monday to discuss the new scheduie. Crisis Is Feared. { Another source of industrial and na- | | | in the building | tional anxiety is in the differences which have arisen over the railway shopmen's wages. The employers pro- pose an extensive reduction, and this | is regarded as holding the possibil- | ity of a general railway men's strike | throughout Great Britain. | The dispute in the pottery trades| involves about 60,000 men. | The effect of this industrial unrest | —among other equally disturbing fac tors—upon the position of the govern. | ment after parliament reassembles on Monday, s discussed today in an edi- | torial article in the Daily Telegraph. | The newspaper takes the view that | the next few weeks may be the cru- | cial time in the fortunes of the ad-| ministration. ‘ The Telegraph, supporter of the government, says that in ordinary | times. the government’s majority | would be largee #hough to render it | safe from parliamentary accidents but that “the times are not ordinary | and the best friends of the govern- | ment cannot hide the fact that its parliamentary _start hay been none | too good.” | “The government cannot cut them- selves free” the writer continues. | “They can at best only hope slowly to disentangle their limbs.” | “We cannot look forward to a| smooth time for the government; rather the reverse,” the editorial as- serts. HARVEY PLANS INQUIRY. | | By the Associated Pre: | LONDON, April T.—Ambassador Harvey plans to turn reporter again to seek the facts in England’s farm strike, which, from the American point of view, he considers the most impor- tant current problem in Great Britain. He will go through the Norfolk dis- trict next week questioning farmers and strikers, hoping by personal investiga- tion to obtain data Qhich, he says; can- not be had from the meager newspaper reports and brief unsatisfactory par- llamentary debates. Inasmuch as agriculture is Ameri- ca’s basic industry, the ambassador sald he would be doing less than his Quty if he falled to send to Washing- ton all information obtainable regard- ing the causes of the strike, means for settlement and ways to prevent agri- cultural labor troubles in the future. He did not anticipate a farm-strike issue in the United States, but declar- ed the farmers there are confronted with great problems, which must be solved at the earliest possible mo- ment, and he belleved that in ques- tlons involving farmers the American government should get the facts. The Norfolk strike has entered a new phase through the strikers hav- ing been fined for Intimidation. One judge has warned that futuro cases of intimidation will be handled se- verely, while the secretary of the farmers’ organization announces that if intimidation continues, efforts will be made to bring the police from other countles to assist the Norfolk officers. May Buy U. S. Coal, By the Associated Press. CARDIFF, Wales, April 7—With the strike in the Rhondda coal flelds now involving 46,000 men, leaders of the Industry are taking a gloomy view of the future. They are particularly concerned lest the European market transfers its orders to the United States, from which large consign- ments of coal are sald to be already on the way to France and Germany. | viction | ter end. | as | Loucheur's vacation.” Ttaly, hitherto one of the best custom. ers of south Wales, is also reported to_be buying extensively in America. “Pwo hundred steamers are awaiting coal in south Wales ports, ‘which-was entitled ta “eecuritiea’t Solid Hydrogen, 400 Below Zero, Object of Test An attempt to produce liquid and solid hydrogen with a new apparatus, through which a tem- perature below 400 degrees un- der the Fahrenhelt zero mark can be attalned, was stated today by Prof. C. W. Kanolt, at the bu- beau of standards. Air chilled to a liquld state was used merely as a preliminary agency in the process of reducing the temperature of the gaseous hydrogen after it had been com- pressed to 3,000 pounds to the square Inch.' The liquid air, it was explained, can reduce 'the temperature of the hydrogen to approximately 200 degrees below zero, after which the process calls for ' successive _expansions and contractions to get it to the point of liquification, which is lower for this gas than any other. LOUCHEUR FINDS CHANGE N BRITAIN | Attitude Now Favorable to Rubr Policy—Germany Quick to Oppose Move. By the Associated Press. PARIS, April 7.—Louis Loucheur, returning from London last evening, disclaimed the views on the repara- tions issue attributed to him in the press, but told the foreign editor of Le Matin he had brought back a con- that British opinfon had changed and that the great majority of the public sentiment in England was clearly favorable to France. This attitude, he sald, was also evi- dent in the political world, except that there was mingled with it an uneasi- ness as to the possible consequences of the French Ruhr policy. Agreement May Result. “I did not find an English politician, no matter what his party nor what views he entertained originally on the opportuneness of the Ruhr operation,” | M. Loucheur is ‘'who did when 1 declared that we will carry through this undertaking to the bit- Nobody, not even Mr. Lloyd George, had anything to say against that declaration. Le Petit Parisien says an entente agreement may be the result of M. Loucher’s visit. Pointing out that he is not a member of the government and that the British ministers whom quoted as saying, | he saw will not speak, the newspaper “We shall soon be enlightened the consequences of M. It adds that before leaving Paris he had several says: to | talks with Premier Poincere, at which | the situation was thoroughly dis- cussed. The former minister and his British friends, the journal affirms, are both satistied with the result of the exchange of views. Le Matin asked whether one may conclude from M. Loucheur's impres- sions that a change in England’s at- titude toward the Ruhr occupation is imminent. The newspaper concludes: . “Does M. Loucheur bring back from Premier Bonar Law suggestions of a nature which will hasten the abandonment of British neutrality?” HELD AS ANNEXATION. By the Associated Press. BERLIN, April 7.—Official quarters in Berlin thus far seem wholly disin- clined to react to the reparations plan Louls Loucheur is alleged to have submitted in London. Aside from rejecting its reported financial features as wholly outside the range of serious discussion, the opinion of the foreign office, a8 re- vealed Informally, takes prompt and primary exception to the proposed “demilitarization” of the Rhineland or the suggested establishment of a so-called autonomous frontler state, which project is viewed in German officlal _quarers as a thinly disguised attempt permanently to detach the territory on_the left bank of the Rhine from Prussia. “Viewed from any angle and strip- ved of all its ambiguous verblage, this proposal spells annexation, which is to be achieved by previously breaking up German _soverelgnty throughout the Rhineland and bring- ing the Rhineland under the untram- melled control of France,” sald a for- olgn office official this evening. The official added that the “cry for se- curities” assumed a ludicrous aspect in face of France's present military equipment in all branches of the service, against which Germany is able to pit only 100,000 men with re- ricted equipment,” which precluded any suggestion of a war footing. In view of such preponderance in armed power, the official declared, the popular opinion in Germany was that it was Germany and not Franos not approve unreservedly | HELDFORSPEEDING TANMAKESESEAPE fDashes Through Front Door | of First Precinct Station. Auto Declared Stolen. The arrest of two youths on ap- parently insignificant charges of sgpeeding in Potomac Park early to- | day brought in its wake a sensational | escape of one of the prisoners from | the first precinct police statlon and | revelations that the automobile in | which the pair was arrested had been stolen from the repair shop of Wil- liam R. Rye, rear of 216 C street, to haul away & safe from the same place |to a quiet spot for looting, accord- ing to police. The sate was found in back of the | Gallaude: College grounds, on West | Virginia avenue just above Florida aveme. The (o JORW Tuen were {brought into the first precinct sta- |tion by Park Policemen D. M. Ben- !nett and F. T. Caln. One gave his name as Henry Datrick eeney, twenty-two years old, of 1 sth street. The other sald he was Joseph L. Merica, twenty-one years old, of 517 7th street southeast. Ruskes From Station. | While Policeman J. E. Kane of the | first precinct was searching Sweeney | the second member of the pair rush- |ed to tha door of the station house and raced down the street. He was chased by Kane and the two park policemen into a jumble of vehicles at Center Market, where he disap- | peared. | . Meanwhile at the station house Sergt. Edward Curry was question- |ing_Sweeney. The latter, according | to_the police, admitted that the au- | tomoblle in which they had been | riding_ when arrested was stolen from the Rye repair shop. On pur- suing the questioning police declare | Sweeney said that the purpose of | the automobile theft was to arrange | transportation for the Rye safe to a more secluded spot for cracking it. | He told of the location and when | police visited the scene the empty safe, with marks of a severe batter- | ing present on it was found, with about $20 in cash and several ifberty bonds, saald to have been in it, miss- ing. Sweeney is alleged to have told the police that his companion effeqied entrance through the front door of the repair shop by means of a wrench. Sweeney is being held for further investigation at the precinct station while police are searching for the other man, who, upon registering on the_station blotter, had stated that he had a wife and two children. Spooning has no place in circles of boys and girls where proper ath- letics and sports are taught, Miss Elizabeth Burchenal, chairman of the American Folk Dance Soclety, told the women's conference on physical education, which is meeting here to formulate a program of suitable physical exercises for American ‘women. “It just isn't done, that's all,” Miss Burchenal, who hails from New York, declared. “One of the finest examples of what proper physical training will do for both boys and girls was at a school in Colorado Springs. Physical development ranked with intellectual development there. Urges Outdoor Sports. “Every student was obliged to take a prescribed amount of exercise. But it was given in such a manner that the students just loved it. The per- centage of ‘spooning parties’ In that school was zero. Those in charge declared both boys and girls—but especially the girls—simply forbade spooning when they became inter- ested in athletics.” The days when women and girls are to be regarded as “frail little things” are gone, Miss Burchenal said. They are capable of enjoying Vir- tually all of the physical exercises usually regarded as being intended only for men. She particularly ad- vised, however, that women pay more attentlon to horseback riding, walk- ing, canoeing, golfing and sports of that character. Mrs. Herbert Hoover, who called the conference under the auspices of the Natlional Amateur Athletic Assoclation, of which she is a vice president, is presiding. The object of the meetings, which are being at- tended by physical culture experts from large colleges, universities and assoclations throughout the United States, 18 to inaugurate a movement that will give every girl and woman $ | President Is Due Here Tomorrow; Mansion to Open President and Mrs. Harding and their party are expected to arrive in Washington about 1 o'clock to- morrow afternoon. The White House has been put into readiness for their return, the work of renovating the interfor having been hurried to completion. Upon the President's return the mansion will, commencing Monday, again be thrown open to the pub- lic, it having been closed during the absence of the President. The first cabinet gathering since the adjournment of Congress will be held at the executive offices at 11 o'clock Tuesday morning. BARRACK EYESORE IN POTOMAC PARK Washington Beauty Spot Marred by Presence of Un- sightly Quarters. One of Washington's beauty spots —East Potomac Park, with its golf course, speedway and tourists’ camp —is to be marred again this summer by the continued presence of the un- sightly, unpainted and rusting bar- racks, used during the war to house soldiers, used now as a storage place for surplus office furniture. This was learned today when the Public Bulldings Commission made it plain that no stcp will be taken any time soon to remove the buildings, which have constituted an eyesore since | the close of the war. 014 Barracks Will Stand. At a time when all forces in the city are combining to make Wash- ington beautiful as the meeting place for thousands from all parts of the country, who will pay their first visit to the National Capital, the old bar- racks will stand, overshadowing the tourist camp which Col. Sherrill plans to make one of the foremost in the nation, and which will house more visitors this summer than ever be- fore. 0f No Use to Shriners. One suggestion has been to use the barracks for the Shriners. The public building commission, however, ex- plained today that this would be im- possible because they are already filled with office furniture of all sorts, such equipment as_ adding machines and typewriters and a large quantity of stationery salvaged from the war supply of the Navy at the various navy yards. Then too, all of the space In government bujldings that is being magde. available for the Shriners is what is known as ‘“good space’—that is, what would make good offices and not storage space. Plan for Accommoaation. Representatives of the Shriners who are planning for accommodations, are making a tour of the vacant govern- ment office space with representa- tives of the public buildings commis- (Continued on Fage 2, Column 2.) MAY BE DESIGNATED NEW POSTMASTER Reappointment of Lueder, Who ‘Was Defeated for Mayor of Chicago, Forecast. Reappointment to the Chicago post- mastership of Arthur C. Lueder, de- feated republican nominee for mayor in last Tuesday's election, was fore- cast today in official circles. The proposal was said to have reached a stage where a decision would be made by President Harding soon after his return to Washington tomor- row from the south. It was indi- cated that for the time being Mr. Lueder probably would be designated as acting postmaster, Post Office De- partment officlals holding that by virtue of his resignation to enter the campaign he is not eligible for recommissioning as postmaster until a new nomination has been sent to the Senate at the next ession. ¢ The Chcago post office is now In charge of an_inspector who has been there since Mr. Lueder resigned to run for mayor. Spooning Stopped by Athletics, Says Woman Physical Expert in America, regardless of her posi- tion _in life, an opportunity to enjoy wholesome physical exercise. Speakers of national prominence particularly stressed the need of hav- ing standard physical tests for stu- dents who are about to enter colleges and_universities. Not only should every college compel students to take gymnastics and outdoor exercise, but they should set up a national stand- ard of physical perfection toward which every boy and girl would strive, the speakers sald. Outdoor exercises were declared essential, particularly in view of the fact that most school facilities for physical education, such as gymnasiums, swimming pools and tennis courts, were held to be inadequate to give every student the proper amount of training. An interesting debate on the psycho- logical effect of giving medals and other awards to winners of athletic contests was led by Miss Ethel Per- rin, assistant director of heaith of the public schools of Detroit, Mich. A majority of the speakers questioned the advisability of offering prizes to younger athletes, who might pay more attention to their intrinsic value than to the ambition to be physically strong. Mrs. Hoover to Speak. While the conference has not yet prescribed any definite program for the physical education of American wom- en, Mrs. Hoover is to speak this after. noon on the encouragement of the pro- gram the conference was called to ar- range. A committee was appointed this morning to consider plans along that line and its report will be received immediately after Mrs. Hoover's re- marks have been discussed. The dis- cusslon will be led by Dr. J. Anna Norris. professor of physical educa- tion for women of the University of Minnesota; Miss Helen McKinstry, director of the Central School of Hy- glene and Physical Education. Y. W. C. A, New York city; Miss Burche- nal ‘and Miss Blanche M. Trilling, professor of physical education and director of the women's gymnasium of -the University of Wisconsin, WEEKS DECLINES 10 DROP INQUIRY INARNY SCANDAL Turns Down Request of Mrs. Randle That No Action Be Taken. SETTLEMENT OF SUIT SHROUDED IN MYSTERY Army Circles Puzzled Over Dis- missal of $100,000 Action Against Col. Conger. Secretary Weeks declined today a request from Mrs. Edwin H. Randle that he cancel his order directing an Investigation into the controversy be- tween her husband, Capt. H. Randle, and Col. L. Conger, commanding the 20th Infantry, at San Antonlio. Mrs. Randle's Telegram. The following telegram waus re- celved by the Secretary from Mrs. Randle: “An understanding having been reached here, I desire to withdraw my request made to you for an in- vestigation by an inspector gensral and to request that no action be taken as based thereon.” Secretary Expresses Regret. Secretary Weeks replied as follows ‘I regret that it seems necessary for me to have a thorough investiga- tion made of the case in which you are involved. It is of much broader importance than a personal differ- ence between you and Col. Conger. The publicity which has been given it creates {n the minds of the people a serfous reflection on those con- nected with the military service and 1 Yish to know all the facts.” Presumably Mrs. Randle's request was made after she and Capt. Randle had withdrawn the civil sult against Col. Conger which they had instituted for $100,000 damages on the gr of defamation. srouag HALT OF SUIT MYSTIFIES. Army Circles Puzzled Over With- drawal of Conger Case Charges. Bpecial Dispatch to The Star. SAN ANTONIO, Tex., April T.—The biggest mystery in the history of Army circles in the southwest today is why the Conger slander suit was withdrawn. Today, twenty-four hours after the stipulations of discontinu- ance were filed in court. the reasons remain a closed book. tiossip is ripe and there seems to be a bellef that the dropping of the court proceedings came too late to prevent the open scandal Army authorities feared. The investigation ordered by Sec- retary of War Weeks will continue. That at least Is certain, although in this very connection it was pointed out that even here the “soft pedal” can be applied should it be deemed necessary. Original Suit for $100,000. The original suit brought by Capt. and Mrs. Edwin H. Randle against Col. Arthur L. Conger, veteran Regu- lar Army officer, demanded damages in $100,000 for remarks made by the colonel which were alleged to have slandered Mrs. Randle. 1t was the first case of its kind in the American courts. It was alleged that Col. Con- ger was endeavoring to “Prussianize” the Army post here and that he had the support of at least a majority of the officers in his efforts to force Capt. Randle to leave the Army. Because of his standing in the Army it had been freely deciared that the only hope for the Randles to win their case against Col. Conger would be in the civil courts The military investigation, it was generally accepted, would be dominated by the high ranking officer. This very fact attracted great attention to the suit and only as late as yester- day noon it was insisted that it would be forced to trial and all of the facts in the case brought into the open. Case Suddenly Withdrawn. Suddenly, however, the case was with- drawn by mutual agreement. The Ran- dles refused to talk. They insisted they were pledged to say nothing. Previous to the actual dismissal an effort was made to transfer the proccedings to the federal court, but this failed. For a time there were rumors that a_money settlement had been reached. Iut to- day persons who ought to be famillar with all the facts said this was untrue. The inspector general's department will make its inquiry and representa- tives will get the entire story. But these proceedings will be of the most secret character, and the papers eventually will go across the desk of the Secretary of War and be filed away without public knowledge. Groups Are Neutral So far Army society as a whole has treated the matter individually and none of the groups has taken sides. Neither the colonel nor the captain are West Pointers. The for- mer is a graduate of Harvard, while Randle is a graduate of De Pauw Uni- versity, in Indlana. The Army inv tigation has developed the stories of the officers and their familles who lived alongside of Capt. Randle and whose complaint of obscene language and boisterous conduct started the whole thing. The officers and their wives who participated in the parties at the Randle home are to give their stories during the coming week. E. MONT REILY THROWS GAUNTLET TO CRITICS By the Associated Press. GALVESTON, Tex., April 7.—E Mont Reily, former governor or Porto Rico, has announced his intention to challenge to public debate every editor in the United States who criti- cized his administration as soon as his health improves. Mr. Reily de- clared he had been the victim of malicious persecution because he had tried to Americanize Porto Rico. The former governor, who was a storm center of political debate dur- ing his tenure of office as an ap- pointee of President Harding, arrjved yesterday on the United States Afmy transport St. Mihiel from Panama, and made his first public statement since resuming the role ofprivate citi- zen. He is en route to Washington via New York. Reily asserfed his persecution be- gan when he attempted to “clean up” the situation in Porto Rico. He charged that hundreds of thousands of dollars was spent in propaganda against him in the United States by the Porto Rican unionists. -