Evening Star Newspaper, July 19, 1923, Page 1

WEATHER. Feir tonight and tomorrow: { no change in temperature; gentle winds. Tempe: ended at 3 p.m. toda; 0 p.m. vesterday; 140 a.m. today. Ful] report on page 7. : Hi lowest, ratare for twenty-four hours, ighest, 86, at 62, at Closing N. Y. Stocks and Bonds, Page 28 2 .Entered as second ~lats caatter ington, D. C. Rear Admiral Sigsbee Dead; * MAUGHAN REACHES ST. JOSEPH IN DAY FLIGHT ACROSS U. . Wings His Way 1,140 Miles From New York in Lit- tle Over Six Hours. ENGINE RUNNING WELL; NO DELAYS ARE MET Flyer Takes First Lex at 149 Miles an Hour to Keep Route, Then Geoes to 160. AIR SCHEDULE BASED ON 160 MILES PER HOUR . FIELD, July 19.— schedule, prepared prior to his first attempted t continental flight, on a of 160 miles an hour aver- aga speed, is the one he is using today. Counting only time in the air, not including twenty. minute stops at the way sta- tions, the scedule follow: Mitchel Field-Dayton, miles, 3 hours 36 minutes. Arrived MITCH Maughan Dayton-St 560 miles, 3 hours 2 Arrive standard castern st 530 miles, 3 hours 20 minutes. Cheyvenne-Salduro, 470 miles, 3 hours. Salduro-Gri miles, 3 hour! Field, & minutes. 00 By the Associated Press., ST. JOSEPH, Mo, Lieut. Manghan departed from St. Joseph at 12:03 p.m., central time. ST. JOSEPH, July 19.—Carrying a bundle of toda New York morning newspapers which he hopes to sell in San Francisco this Lieut Tussell L. Mayghan, Army aviator, landed at ‘St. Joseph, Mo., at 11 a.m., central time, thus completing the second leg of his transcontinental hop. Lieut. Maughan ‘naintained hi stride of 160 miles an hour in the| jump from Dayton to this city, a dis- | f 560 miles. He left Dayton| central time. i He landed smoothly and his two mechanics, who have been in St. Jo- seph for three weeks, at once went over the plane. | Nearly Half Way Across. i St. Joseph, 1.140 miles west of New | York, brought the aviator almost half | ay across the continent in his dawn- | to-dusk effort. at Avenue City, ten mile of ‘here, where " Lieut. Maughan was forced down July 9 in his previous attempt at a sea-to-sea | flight in one day. | Although badly damaged at Avenue | City, the same plane, havingz-under- gone extensive repairs, is being used today. It is a Curtis pursuit equipped with a 400-horsepower D-12 | engine. Next Stop Cheyenne. The purpose of the flight is to blaze a trail for the possible transporting in one day of fleets of airplanes across the United States in event of war. Sites for establishment of landing, elds in the development of commer- | cial aviation is another object in view Lieut. evening, tance at | | Maughan's next stop is venne, Wyo., 530 miles, which he expécts to negotiate ir about three hours and twenty min. utes. IN DAYTON AT 8:35 A.M. scheduled Covers 570 Miles in Four Hours| and 27 Minutes. DAYTON. Ohio. Russell L. Maughan a Field here at 8:35 o'clock standard time, on his first dawn-to-dusk flight from > to San Francisco. After his plane had been refueled and examined thoroughly by mecha- nicians, and the aviator had break- | fasted. he took the air at 8:53 o'clock, | agtern standard time, and after cir- | eling the field eonce for altitude, | headed southwest for St. Joseph, Mo. Lieut. Maughan was greetod upon | his arrival by Commanding Officer | Melntosh at McCook Field, and dur- | ing the refueling and examination of | the plane service men stood guard | with fire extinguishers ready to| smother any flames that might a pear. as was the case when Lieut.| Maughan arrived here on July 9, on | his first attempt of the dawn-to-dusk flight. Lieut. Manghan covered the G570 miles from ' Mitchel Field, N. Y., in! four hours and twenty-seven minutes. | Only e‘ghteen minutes were allowed | at McCook Field for refueling the | Curtiss pursuit plane. Piays Safe on Route. “1 feel much better on this trip than | I did on my former attempt,” declared | Maughan upon landing here. | “My time was not so good, But 1| played safe. T did not lose the way | for a single instang although heavy haze and fogs were encountered over | Pennsylvania. | “In place of flying a compass or straight course, I flew a_circuitous one, using familiar landmarks to | keep me on the course. This, of | course, cut down the time, but I feel it is better to have less speed over the first leg of the flight than to lose the way entirely, as 1 did the last time. “My air. speed indicator showed only 155 miles an hour for the greater por- tion of the way between New York and Dayton. - I had two objects in view by flying at this rate. Flew Around Alrways. irst, 1 flew around the usual air. | vays between the two cities, picking up points that I recognized, and sec- ondly, if 1 should have lost my way, by flying at this comparatively low speed I was conserving my gasoline supply. “If "Irshould have lost the route, T figured 1 would have enough gasoline to take me to McCook Field from any point that I happened to recognize. “Today's filght from New York was much more sitisfactory than the first one. It takes a lot of starch out of a July 19 ived Lieut. MeCook | eastern | leg of al ew York kind of mlhh but it is more es: { iutter plane. | it | been placed against him. I homicide, | has 'been recalle: |to_investigate the cause of the death Montara, in the Half Moon Bay dis- | {trict, within the past few days, ac- jcllow when he loses his. way on Inyl WASHINGTON, D. C, Ar!ingzon Next Monday. Won Fame in Ex- plosion Starting War of °98. Assoclated Press. W YORK. July 19.—Rear Ad- miral Charles D. Sigsbee, U. 8. N, re- tired, captain of the ili-fated battle- ship Maine, died suddenly at his home here toda Admiral health for the last two yea only yesterday he was out riding. death was due to heart failur The arrangements for the funeral have not been made, but he will be buried at Arlington cemetery, Wash- ington, probably next Monday. igsbee had been in poor , though His In Command of Maine. Rear Admiral Sigsb through one of the disasters in Amerlean “blowing up of the Main fifty-two years the time; captain, a veteran of the Civil and an inventor of decp-sea explo ing and sounding Capt. S rose to fame test He wa old a war, apparatus commander of the *d to Havana harb. KEPNER'S LAYYER SCORED BY COURT Orders Letter Asking Disre- garding of Coroner’s Jury Verdict Destroyed. 'y a Staff Correspondent FREDERICK, Md., July 19 fort by B. Evard Kepner to ta initiative in the legal Lattle th to be waged before the grand heré next week to determine murdered his wife was Ly the circuit court tod t] Judge Hammond Urner ordered the foreman of that body to desiroy a letter Kepner had addressed to him in which he asked the jurors to dis regard his association with prewy Lulu Rickett side the findings of the coroner’s jury and open again he question of whether Mrs. ace Simmons Kepner might not have com- mitted sui Immediateiy p. It 5 d u K had sent to the grand jury foreman,| Judge Urner suminoned all per concerned to manded the law pted to ucu iging the jury man to tear up thc without ading it. Burns Letter in Cour That officer, having the mis his pocket at the time, withdrew it and burned it in the prescnce of the court . Not since the first suspicion le: ' out that th wealthy and aristo- ratic Mrs. Kepner had been mur- red_has this quiet ¢ty beéen so thrilled with news of leg he letter it be: Judge Urner is expected to structions to the juro i convene Monday morning which will| virtually make of them trial body instead of jury of ratificati normal function of a grand under the Maryiand, code. Kepner Offers to Appea In the letter Mr. Kepner's attor- neys had attempted in his name to | accomplish that same end., Judge ] Urner assented that it amounted to ittle more than a charge to a courl‘ ody by a member of the bar. Mr. Kepner had offered in the doc- ument to appear before, the grand | jury and supply it with a list of | names of seven witnesses he wished | to have summoned in his behalf. Mr. Kerner's attornevs have ar- ranged to bring before the grand jury every witners and every argument in their possession to rid him of the ac cusation that he admits has virtually Mr. Wein- berg was non-commital when ap- proached on the question of a possible | indictmegt today, saying: “I wuold not be surprised either way. 'My client js willing to stand trial—nay, he would welcome trial— | where his name is sure to be \'lcarpf‘.l T do most emphatically deny, how- ever, having said that 1 expected Mr. | Kepner, to be indicted. There s just at muéh evidence to indicate suicide in this case as there is to prove! if we are permitted to An ef- 1s jury | who | blocked when Chie i 1 i set 1ae. after lcarn neys utte ‘s, Ke co W and Chie 1 communica ticn | Simulta ! # Chief | { present it." p Letter to Jury. The letter, which was addreseed | to C. Albert Gilson, foreman of the grand jury. follows: “Dear Mr. Glison: JAs you are now aware. the grand jury, of which gyou are foreman, in special session (Continued on Page 2, Column 4.) Speed Up! Judge | Warns Autoists, To End Accidents‘ By the Associated Press. DETROIT. July 19.—Sitting in a court made famous by Judge —~Charles L. Bartlett, who slapped “'big fines on.speeders, sent them to jall and even to the psycopathic ward for observation as to thelr “sanity, Judge Edward J. Jeffries naval | istory—the i i | | | | i FORPLEATOJURY I Gov. | return of President | Alaskan tri | further detalis | the Quezon | Secretar. little_mountain | the difference neously ! ga over | g yesterday took a rap at slow driv- ers and told them to speed up. “Driving slowly causes more ac- cidents than driving f. Judge Jeftr .7 “It ‘gums up® trafic. fher.un.rv mn?:l. accld:‘l:lfl un‘(::r twenty-five es -an hour there are above.” - 2 | warsh Was Captain of Ill-Fated Maine |Burial Scheduled at AL SIGSBEE. to protect American 1i erty during the crisis of the Cuban rebellion against Spain in 1898, the vessel was on a friendly mission, she was received with the customary courtesles from the forts and Spanish and the usual officlal visits, to a special there by Spanish s and prop- an- the gov- aced of the and proper agents ernment. - On the evening of Febr ad v at anchor for more Capt Sig: shortly after vrote a long letter to his wi time he. had finished 28 men_and twenty-six . Column 2.) MANILA FIGHT NOW ary 15 the n riding than two By of cers P TOPRESOEHT :Gen. Wood and Quezon Both Send Statements of Their Positifiv‘s’.‘ Yok Final action in Washington nection with the incident in which resulted in resignation Philippine cabinel in protest a Wood t the policles of will . await * the Harding from his Gen, hed Secretary Weeks to- Wood and from Manuel president of the Philippine tting forth both sides of the | sy. It” was indicated would be zovernor general and from and that when all formation is at hand the case will be that asked from il»u to the personal consideration of | the Pr ident Points Of Difference. The text of the two cablegrams to Weeks was not made public, {but it was understood they presentéd of zeneral and the specific view between the the native of- point of the vernor als on - in- |powers. of the governor general. Examination of the legal basis for he action taken by Gen. Wood in reinstating Ray Conley, secret service agent. without reference to the wishes the Philippine cabinet officer who was the immediate superior of the agent, has convinced War Department ficials that there is not any reason able basis for the claim by Mr. Quezon and his associates that Gen. Wood exceeded his legal powers. Weeks Studies Case. It is assumed that when the case is finally presented to President Hard- ing, it will be accompanied by recom- mendations from Secretary Weeks ased on the findings of War Depart- ment officials who have Jjurisdiction in such matters. The Secretary al- ready has begun a study for the pur- pose of preparing such recommenda- tions. : 1t is generally expected that the at- titude of the War Department will be in support of the governor general's | position, but pending final action by the President or under his instruyc- tions, there will be no orders from Washington intervening in the matter in any way. —_— SHIP LANDS LIQUOR Whisky Valued at Two Millions Got on Shore. SAN FRANCISCO, July 19— Whisky valued,at approximately $2.- 000,000, as based upon retail prices in San Francisco, has been' landed from the motorship Malahat néa: cording to information received by federal prohibition officers. The motorship has hovered off the heads beyond the three-mile limit and a flotilla of fishing schooners has bee‘ plying between it-and the shore. 1 . GERMANS TO PROTEST HERE ON RUHR TIE-UP| Long. Trafic. Blockade Results. in New Move at Three Capitals.: By the Associated Press. BERLIN, July 19.—German repre- sentatives 'in London, Rome, Wash ington and at the Vatican, hive been instructed to make representations against prolongation of the traffic Nockads -];Ql‘ve:‘n the ;fifen fed and ‘unoccupied - terrifories ~of- according to 'n seml 1 statement. As | id council of state | Mr. | available | rmany,” WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION IGERMANS PROPOSE ENDING RESISTANCE IFFRENCH CONCEDE Government Makes Over- tures to British to Convey This in Coming Note. LONDON PUTTING FINAL _ TOUCHES UPON PLAN Completed Document May Go For- ward to Allies and U. S. Gov- ernment Tonight. | By the Associatea Press. PARIS, July 19.—The German gov- ornment, through its embassy in | London, 1s striving to have the forth- oming rBitish note on reparations onvey to the French government Germany's willingness to cease passive {resistance in the Ruhr, subject to certain concessions on the part of France. This information has reach- ed the French government on what is regarded as unquestionable, but unoffieial, authority. Germany, it is asserted, must first cease her passive resistance, after which the French government would | se disposed on its own account faver- ably to consider Germany's views, whereas it could not receive them in the nature of an ultimatum. The British government, it is un- derstood, already is aware of the French ministry’s feeling on this sub- ject. Asks Troops’ | These concessions appear A‘" ine lelua First, withdrawal ©f .the | Franco-Belgian troops of occupation | with the exception of a mere skele- { ton military force which would in the {@iplomatic sense be “Invisible." | Second. Permission for the German | offictali and tunctionaries expelled from |the Ruhr t8 return to their posts, re-{ | storing the local administration of all | | eivil services as it existed before Janu-{ | Withdraw ary 11, when the occupation took place. Third. That the French government | agreed to restore the currency it con- fiscated. Unacceptable to French. These conditions, it is declared here, would be unacceptable to the French ! government, beca they are unaccom- panfed by any definite assurances or guarantees that reparation payments wou'd be forthcoming. Lilcewlwe! 1t is explained. the Freneh | government feels that between France,{ | Which._is enforcing the peack . treaty, nd Germary, which Is refusing to exe- cute it, it would not be equitable that | Germany should impose conditions in- | stead of yleiding to the French demands. NOTE MAY GO TONIGHT. in con- | Manila of the By the Associated Pross. LONDON, July 19—The Britishi | cabinet held a protracted session this | morning at which the proposed rep-| aration documents formed the maln topic of discussion. Up to the early fternoon it was still uncertain as to | whetlier the documents—the draft I reply to Germany and the accompany- | ing note:-would be forwarded to the| other vernments, including the “nited States, tonight | It is understood that each of the | propositions advanced by Lord Cur- zcn, who s the aythor of the note was subjected to a searching exami- nation by the members of the cabinet. New Meeting May be Needed. It was still regarded as posible tha another meeting of the ministry might be required before the pro-| {posed documents were harmonized to | meet all the shades of opinion re- presented in the cabinet. Lord Curzon, the Earl of Derby, the | secretary for war. and the Marquis {ct salisbury, “tord president of the | council, as well as Prime Minister Baldwin himself, are especially anx- fous that nothing shall be said to hurt the susceptibilities of France on lany paint, while other members of the cabinet appear to favor a firmer, | more independent attitude. ‘Secrecy About Negotiations. 1t has been agreed among the Brit- {ish. French and Belgian foreign of- | fices that no light shall be permitted {to emerge to the waiting public re- garding the progress of the negotia- tions. It also seems certain that none éf the documents will be sub- rmitted to public scrutiny until the comment from all the interested gov- ernments has been returned and the | final. modified text 1s in the hands of Germany. From reliable sources. however, it is learned that the draft reply will furnish what Great Britain believes to be an adequate basis for fruitful discussion along tHe allies and an ultimate accord on the fundamental points of difference with France. In the British view the propositions ad- vanced will be of such & liberal char- acter that France cannot afford to re- ject them without risking the disap- proval of the world. g The vexed questions of Germany's passive resistance and the assessment of Germany's ability to discharge her indemnity obligations will be treated. Stress will be 1aid upon the accuraté interpretation of the treaty of Ver- saflles and the necessity of unjted and progressive action upon the basis of that treaty. Law Routs Cupid In Romance of Heir to Throne | By the Associated Press. LONDON, July 19.—~The marriage of Crown Prince Gustave of Swe- den to Lady Louise Mountbatten may be postponed, according to & Central News Dispatch from Stock- holm, until a change Is made in the fundamental law of Sweden, which prohibits the heir to the throne from marrying a daughter of a Swedish or foreign “private man. investigation by a member of the superior court, the dispatch sald, revedled that the prince's “English flancee is the daughter of a “private man,” but the judge pressed the opinion that the dif- fioulty soon could be obviated sat- isfactorily with- the co-operation | sof the Ewedish reyal house and the - Teople. i Erisdy BROOKHART URGES isults of his observations in Europe, | opening ot Ibe friendly imation to the French foreign officc RUSSRECORNTION Would Stabilize Europe, Says Senator, Preparing to Call on Hughes. Senator Brookhart of Towa, repub-) lican progressive, this afternoon will | lay before Secretary Hughes the re- particularly Russia, during his recent travels. Senator Brookhart, who has just re- turned to Washington, said that he believed the United States could ald{ 1o a considerable extent in the settle- | ment of European affairs through the recognition of the Russian govern- ment. s “There will be no general revival of world affairs until the ‘diffféuitics between Framce and @Germany are settled.” said Senator Brookhart, at hie office at the Capitol today. I be- Heve such a settlement can best be arrived at through Russia. The French apparently have a fear of the | combination of the Germans and the| Russians. While I was in Russia [ discussed this matter with the Rus-|{ siane and 1 found that, with the the Dardenelles nnd the Bosporus, as provided under the treaty now being drafted at Lausanne, the Russians are just as inclined to ith the French as with: 1 _conveyed this infor- i the Germans. while I was In Parls. Much to Be Accomplished. “If our recognition gf Russia would | encourage France to a similar recog- | nition of «he Russian government, | much would be accomplished.” Senator Brookhart said that found the Russians with a stable| sovernment. and he belleved it should be recognized—not because he Lelleved in many o: the principles set | up by the soviet but becausé such ! recognition would tend to stabilize ' European affairs. The Towa senator said that he in- tended to do everything he could to bring about an extra session of Con- gress immediately so as to take steps to aid the farmers of the country. Unless the government comes to their ald, he said, the farmers with a great crop coming along, would be faced with ruinous prices. He said that he would communicate his ideas to Se retary Hughes in regard to a special session of Congress for transmission to President Harding, now in Alaska. “Unless a special session of Co gress is called to aid the agricultural interests,” Senator Brookhart warned, | “the progressive group in Congress, | when that body meets in regular ses- sion in December, will prevent the organization of the House and Senate by the conservative republicans.” Senator Brookhart was asked if this meant that the progressives, holding the balance of power, would combine with democrats to bring about an or- ganization of the House and Senate and thelr committees. He replied that some means would be found to pre- (Continuea on Page Z, Column 6.) ROAD MUST REPAY “NEN T IN PAY Rail Board Holds Erie Line Liable for Wages Fixed in Its Ruling. he i By the Associated Poress. CHICAGO, July 19.—The Erie Rail- road Company has made itself liable for a money recovery to every em- ploye who, suffered loss of compensa- tion when the carrier arbitrarily re- duced ‘the wages of the crossing watchmen, flagmen and trackmen in violation of decision No. 147 of the {little since the war emergeney TAX REVENUES UP { the ! share of appropriations. THURSDAY, JULY 19, 1923—FORTY PAGES, EVOLUTION. “From Press to Home Within the Hour” The Star’s carrier systom covers every city block and the regular édi- tion is delivered to Washington homes; as fast as the papers are printed. : Yuurdny’: Net Circulation, 88,041. TWO TCENTS. Rent Commission Needed Here For Long Time, Members Think New Cases Now Being Filed at Rate of 70 or 80 a Dey, With 800 Old Ones Still on If tie Rent Commission is to be made permanent continued Con- gress must be shown that the hous- ing situation here reguires the serv- ices of such a body. The opinion of the majority of the commission is that the situation pas improved very and that there will be need of supervision for a long time to come. The Ball extenstdn act of May, 1922, prolonged the life of this body for two years. Between now and next May when it is destined to go out OF exltence, the “commission must dispgse of §00 cases and must réview several hundred other cases. In making this known today the commission called attention also to the fact that new cases are being or 5204550 N YEAR Total Collections for District, $19,121.374—All Sources Show Increases. After making a complete check of his books for the past fiscal year, Col- | lector of Taxes C. M. Towers reported to Commissioner Rudolph today that | net incr in revenueover the | preceding twelve months was §2.484.- | 692.62, or even more than he predicted | a month ago. The total amount placed in the Dis- trict cash drawer for the year ended July 1 was $19,121.374.87. Of that sum | $16,064,353.74 Wi the amount J re- ceived from local taxation and whi was available to meet the District's The remain- | ing $3,000.000 represents deposits in | trust and special funds and miscel- | laneous collections for the United States government. Mr. Towers' report shows that every source -of revenue increased during the year. Here is a list of the amounts collected from each source: Real estate taxes, $9,473.81 tangible personal property . 779.603.10; Intangible personal prpp-| erty tax, $1.723,443.10; special reim-, bursable taxes, $1,126.05; insurance taxes, $212,577.65: penalties. $118,- 581.54: miscellaneous collections, $1.- 745,210.96. These seven items make up what is known as the general fund and total $16,054,353.74. Trust and special funds, $2.392.490; miscellaneous collections, United States, | $628,270.07, and repayment to Appro- priation, $46,261.06. Grand total, $19,- 121,374.87. 7 Increase From Real Estate. In the case of real estate taxes the increase over the previous year was $1,042,631.11. The increases from other sources of logal taxation were: Tangi- ble personal property. $109,318.18; in- tangible personal property, $774,385.10; insurance taxes, $20,268.43; special re- imbursable taxes, $126.01; penalties, $31,734.38. A report_also submitted to_Commis- sioner Rudolph today by Wade H. Coombs, superintendent of licenses, shows that the revenue in that office d from $512,480.28 for the fiscal l;:f:‘:’:zz to $612,865.35 for the twelve United States Rallroad Labor Board, the board anpounced today in a decl- sion rendered in the case of the Amer~ fcan Federation of Railroad Workers against this carrier. The railroad, the board's decision said, has also violated the transporta- tion act and has persisted in the vio- 1ation of the board's order relative to the “contracting out” “of railroad labor. The classes of labor, involved in the dispute, were contracted out to the Lincoln Engineering Company at an hourly wage of 5-to 10 cents lower than the present wage of ;similar ~lrsses of Aailroad workers on other | railvopds.sas-estadiished by- decision. No 147 of the board.. 5 ded. e automoblle was the main factor in- this Increase. Mr. Coombs states that he sold 100,015 automobile tags, netting $401,711 in revenue. He issued) approximately 26,000 operating:permits, bringirg in $42,800 in revenue. —— DOCK STRIKE ENDS. By the Associated Press. ° LIVERPOQL, July 19.—The striking dock | workers here returned to work ‘m’;h:’:nm at Birkenhead are sti’l out, but are expected to- return tomurrow. 4 M? is, considered likely .in the mllu transatlantic liners. - ‘ll Docket. filed” with it at the rate of seventy to ninety a day. Very Little Rellef. Although there has been extensive building during the past year there is a grave shortage in homes that rent within the means of more than 80 per cent of the population, mem- bers say. There are plenty of high- priced apartments and houses, it stated, but this brings little rellef. Senator Ball of Delaware, chairman of the Senate District committee and author of the rent act. several days 0 revealed that there i a plan afoot to make the Rent Commission permanent. The President is known to be deeply interested in the housing question here. inttmated that he would favor making (Continued on Page Tumn 3.) PRESIENT STARTS ON WAY TO STATES Transport Leaves Resurrec- tion Bay—Three Alaskan Cities to Be Visited. is Ty the Associated Press EWARD. Alaska. July 19.—The naval transport Henderson, with President Harding, Mrs. Hatding and their party aboard, was to leave here early today. Steaming out of Resur- rection through the recently christened Harding gateway, and for the first time in two weeks, turned her prow southward. Although the Chief Executive will visit three more Alaskan cities—Valdez, Cordova and Sitka—he is now en route toward the es, The Henderson is due to arrive at| Valdez today, and the party is to be taken out a ways on the automobile road connecting Valdez with the Richardson highway, Alaska's north and south main road. Here the trav- elers are to view the scenic Keystone canyon. Will Join President. Secretary of Agriculture Wallace, Speaker of the House Gillett and Chief Forester Greeley. who left Fairbanks Monday over the Richard- son highway. are expected to Jjoin he Henderson party before it leaves late today for,a stop tomorrow at Cordova. Mrs. Harding, as well as other members of the party, took - things easy yesterday while the Henderson y at anchor here, resting after their rail trip into the interior of Alaska. Mrs. ‘Harding seemed much re freshed by having passed Tuesday night on the boat. She walked about the deck late yesterday, seeming to have regained her strength. The President spent yesterday af- ternoon working on speeches that he will deliver on the Pacific coast after returning to the states July 27. 3 May Report on Treaties. It became known that he will dis- cuss foreign relations in an address at San Francisco. It is expected, how that all powers have sratified the Washington Arms Conference treat- ies, that the executive will present to the country through his San Fran- clsco address, a report on the ac- complishment. Undoubtedly in California, the home state of Senator Hiram Johnson, the President will again ask support for | his -proposal that the United States Jjoin the world court. ¥ President Harding is also under- tood to have tentatively written portions of an address he will deliver Seattle dealing with Alaska. So fa: he has revealed, his policy for Alaska is based on a story of prob- lems here at close range. BELIEVE MAN LOST AT SEA. NEW YORK, July 19.—Officers of the steamship Seydlitz, which arrived today from Bremen, reported that Rudolph Grotlan of St. Louis, a cabin passsnger, was belleved to have jumped , overboard. He was first found tb be miesing July 12, ° He is reported to have | THLAN TOFIGHT FORHIGH-PRESSURE FIRE MANS N D.C. Declares System Should Be Installed Even if Nation Pays Entire Cost. SEES PRESENT MENACE TO PRICELESS RECORDS Believes $1,500,000 Cost Cheap In- surance for $80,000,000 in Fed- eral Buildings. His intention to take a leading part in getiing legislation at the incoming session of Congress to establish a high-pressure water system in the downtown section of the National Capital, as an adequate safeguard against the growing fire menace, was declared today by Representative ¥red N. Zihlman of Maryland, who will probably be the next chairman of the House committee on District legisiation. Determination to fisht aggressively for this legislation is based by Rep- resentative Zihlman not only on the ground that Congress, having exclu- sve jurisdiction over the National Capital, owes it to the residents here as a sacred duty to afford them ade- quate protection against the fire hazard, since they cannot take action themselves in self-protection, as coul be done in. other communiti H, | argues that even if the federal gov ernment had to bear the entire cost of installing the high-pressure sys- tem it would be the cheapest kind of insurance for the millions.of dollars invested in public buildings. It is only such protection as any good business man would not hesitate a second about taking, Representative Zihlman says. Bulldings Worth $33.000,000. “While the high-pressure water service proposed would give adequate protection throughout the entire downtown business section,” he points out, “it is really imperative for safeguarding the public ' buildings and priceless documents and records. This is a point that Congress must bear especially in mind. “Take the Capitol group alone, re- membering that there is a special triangular 10op of the high-pressurs service planned to take care of these buildings. Entirely aside from the value of contents, which cannot prop- crly be estimated, the Capitol build- ing is valued at $15.000.000, the Li- brary of Congress at $1,500,000, the | Senate office bullding at 34,000,000, the House oflice bullding at $3.500.000. the Capital power plant at $1,000,000. Besides this the architect of the Capl- tol has charge of the courthouse, val- ued at $750,000, the Court of Appeals, $300,000, and Columbia Hospital. $350,000. Here alone we have a real Property value of about $33.000,000. Coxt Trivial in Comparison. “But when you stop to consider that Uncle Sam's ‘workshop is located in 103 government-owned buildings. val- { ued at about $80.000,000, and in six five rented buildings, you get a larger view of the fire menace that the fed- eral government itself is facing, and which could be safeguarded against By this comparatively trivial expendi- ture of $1,500,000. “In ‘all dings which come under the jurisdiction of our own Public Buildings Commission, which upport my statement, there are \758 square feet. The old State, and Navy building beside the Chite House is valued at $13,000,000. he new vy and Munitions building is valued at more than $7.000,00¢ and the Interior building at about $3,000.- 000. There is real property value that Congress must give adequate protec- tion. Fire Weuld Be Costly. “And we consider, too, the | character of some of the building iknown to be firetraps, and the in- flammable material in most of the i temporary buildings which went up Edurix\g the war and which cannot be | torn down because there is an exist- ing shortage of office space. “Besides the must government-owned buildings the federal government maintains offices in sixty-five rented buildings for which it pays an annual rent bill of $671,423. In addition to the actual loss of property which would result-from fire in any of these structures is an equally important consideration that Uncle Sam cannot afford to have his working for driven out by fire, which would causc a serlous delay In important work. Record in Danger. ext, we must consider the con- stant menace from fire to government records which are priceless not only from historical and sentimentally patristic considerations, but also be- cause they are basic . safeguards lagainst pressure’ of unjust claims. The Treasury building was three times within the last year the scene of a xfll’e‘ and with vouchers and other im- portant records stored there. The destruction of any large number of these - vouchers on which' claims against the government .were paid Would mean an avalanche of claims Which could not be sucessfully fought. In the United States patent _offic which for many years has been know to be a fire trap, there are the orig- jnal -drawings and descriptions on Which are based hundreds of thou- sands of patents which are the foundation of our entire industrial life. These are only two Illustrations of how It Is essential for the govern- Tent itself to have high-pressure service for the protection of its Irre- placeable records. “Another worth-while consideration is that when this high-pressure sys- tem is installed It will mean a cer- tain reduction In * insurance rates. Study of this side of the question ! ehows that the key rate, which is now 10% cents, would be reduced to at least 10 cents. But the need"is urgent for this protection entirely aside from any attendant reduction in insurance rates. Urges Caretul Study. “It is my firm belief that there would be no delay in at once au- { thorizing this project and in making an initial appropriation of $500,000 to start the work. I feel very sure that my colleagues in “Congress, if they give the study it deserves to this pro- posal. will support it eagerly. 1 am convinced that the. high-pressure sys- {Continued on Pags 3, Column 1) l