Evening Star Newspaper, November 12, 1923, Page 2

President. Lays Wreath: Thousands: Gather for Serv- ice im Afternoon. A great cirele of white chrysanthe- mume: and, beside it, a single white rose bud, lay today on-the tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington. Tlie first, the Armistice day tribute of the American. people to those who died in the winning of the war, was placed; there by President Coolidge and the other was laid close by, from the hand of Mrs. Coolidge, as the special tribute of American woman- hood to the Unknown Dead. Impressive in its almost complete absence of ceremony, the act of tribute to the world war dead was performed by the Chief Executive vesterday in strict accord with the Armistice day custom established a year ago by President Harding. Walk Up to Tomb. The Prestdent, accompanied by Mrs. Coolidge, Secretary Weeks of the War Department _and acting _ Secretary Roosevelt of the Navy Department drove from the White House in the morning to the uth tional cemetery, where cort awalted. Amphitheater, the party from there advanced on foot to the tomb of the unknown soldier, about which an honor guard of marines stood at at- tention. TLaying the floral tribute upon the marble top, Mr. Coolidge stood with bowed head for a minute and then raised his hand in salute to the hc ored dead. He was turning to leave whien Mrs. Coolidge stepped up to the tomb and laid the rosebud near the wreath, cavalry Many Visit Spot. All America, it seemed, bowed in reverence beside the silent sepulchre. Throughout the day _individuals, small groups and even entire proces- slons of patriotic orders filed silently past the tomb, which was guarded by 1wo motionless marines with fixed bayonets. The sun had gone down over the white stones when the pa- rade ended. Washington pald its tribute to the glorious dead in a mass meeting held in the Arlington amphitheater at 3 o'clock fm the afternoon under th ausplces of the city’s churches and most of its veteran associations Thousands gathered while the memory of the. natlon’s martyrs was honore by hymn, sermon and prayer. Plcked Cholr Sings. The United States Army Band and & picked choir of seventy-five voices, chosen from the choirs of Washing ton’s churches, furnished cred music. Massed buglers sounding “To the Colors,” which were grouped in the boxes of the amphitheater, opened the services. Rt. Reyv. James E. Freeman, Episcopal Bishop of Wash ington, offered prayer. The Scripture was read by Rev. Jason Noble Pierce, followed by a prayer offered by Rabbi Morris S. Lazaren of Baltmore. Bishop William F. McDowell of the Methodist Episcopal Church deliver- ed the principal address, in which he appealed to the American people to i:sep the faith at the time when the temdency is strong “to lapse back anw ordinariness of aspiration, into complacency of soul when the glory of conflict hae passed” He warmed his vast audience that it must “carry on" the task where those it has as- sembled to honor bequeathed it to them. Time of “Long Pull” “Those who sieep now were brave unto death,” he safd. “Their strug- gle i9-.over. but thelr task is un- finished.: - Ideallsm: so often fails in the long pull, in-the patlent and creative enduramge tp the end, in the days that, show fio heroism, but only toil and effort. THat is the test that is_upon us now." Benediction Wwas pronounced by Chaplain E. W. Seott of the Nav. and.the entire agsembly moved to th tomb of the unknown soldier. There representatives of eight military or- manizations placed wreaths beside the tributes of President and Mrs. Coolldge. Those represented were: The Grand Army of the Republic, the United Spanish War_Veterans, the American Legion, the Disabled Ameri- can Veterans of the World War, the Military Order of the World War, the American Veterans of Hellenic Descent, the Salvation Army and the Sons of Veterans. Capt. Paul J. McGahan, commander of the District department of the American Legion, placed the wreath bhestde the tomb for that organization. The Military Order of the World War was represented by Capt. Enmalls Waggaman. Those who represented the G. A. R. were John W. Reid, department com- mander; E. G. Godfrey, department senior vice commander; F. W. Archi- bald, adjutant; Col. O. J. Oldrovd, assistant adjutant, and E. S. Currie, color bearer, The wreath of the Sons of Veterans was placed by James W. Lyons, divi- sion. commande: Albert Lang, divi- sion’ senior vice commande: " Johuson, past commander-in-chief; H. eelman, past commander-in- Clinton Hiatt, past division : Commander F. A. De Commander J. W. Reynolds Parker, color bearer. The ceremonies were brought to the singing of the na. tional anthem, with a prayer by Chaplain John T. AXton of the Army JAPAN PAYS TRIBUTE TO 33,000 QUAKE VICTIMS | (Continued from First Page.) been growing scarcer each year in Yokohama and Tokio, have been prac- tically climinated never to return. The growini evidence of corrugated irom roofs, which has been deplored by those: of artistic mind in re vears; will be accentuated bes realization. Practically all the povary 8 ringing up mushrooms re covered with. this cheap, but efficient, matertal, which spells the doom of the quaint tile roofs t erushed so many to death ag they rained down from shaking bulldings during the quakes. Cities of Shacks. That Tokio and Yokohama will be “gities. of shaclks” for at least the vext filve years is a well-accepted 7o#. Zven were the restoration board Lestening forward ity reconstruction ytans instead of dallying along, it would be impossible to launch any extensive building operations within a year at the earliest. Then the first worle would be the reconstruction of important government, municipal and commercial buildings, with smaller structures coming in turn. Thousands of owners of smail over, will be financially unable to rebuild in the near futurs, and pos- sibilitleg of their receiving govern- ment aid are very remote. Each day as one passes along the thoroughfares in Tokyo his attention is suddenly arrested by a deep boom as of cennon fire. is near at hand, perhaps in the dis- tance, No, it ig not the fleet at tariet practics off the coast or firing a salute to some- distinguished ar- rival—it is merely the sappers of sev- . eral regiments of the Japanese army engaged in razing with dynamite the tone and brick bulldings left stand- ing, to prevent further loss of life through crarhing walls, This is only one small item in the work of the doughty little Japanese soldier during the past few weeks. Engineors Work Fast. To the army engineers must go the credit for the rapidity with which trafic and communications were: re- stored in the destroyed dimtricts, for as soon as they were ordered out hey set 1o Work With & Yim that like - e of the na- | Nearing the Memorial , buildings, more-| Perhaps the report | \District Pupils Faound Wanting In Civics Data Washington public sehool chile dren are not familiar with. their own peculiar form of local gov- ernment, . although. they are: wiz- ards with figures, educational measurement testss conducted by school officers show. In a general ctvies: test: given to 1,792 eighth grade pupils not 50 per. cent of them. answered. cor= roctly simple questions concerning the District government. The ques- | tiony were put'to the pupils in the following: forns: “The exceutives of' the District! of Columbia are called They. are appointed by......for a term of The executive work of! the District government is cons ducted through departments, such as the health department, public schools, . » o .vy 020" LOf the 1,7 given the test; the $B pupils made the highest rating of’ 49.5 per cent. The SA pupils had a percentage of47.5. { Unrest in:Europe Makes: Peo- | ple of France Sober-Minded on Armistice Da By the Associated Press. | PARIS, November 12.- |brated the fifth {armistice with more pomp and solem- nity. but less exuberance and greater intensity of feeling, than were di played on any November 11 since the |last shot of the war was fired. | The momentous events in Europe, {the unrest along the Rhine, the men- lace seen among the common people ‘against the security of France in the "rtnrllonnry nationalists' open activi- {ties in Germany, and the return to {the reich of one of the men whom they hold responsible for their losses, 1 tended to make this day not one of rejoicing for the people of France, | but one intended to show unalterable Getermination that the calamities, the lend of which it commemorates, shall i not again be visited upon them. | Pershing I Present. i The Par mony cente the tomb of the unknown soldier, where a large number of troops were jreviewed by President Milleranad, { Premier Poincare, all the members of | the cabinet and Marshals Foch, Pe- | tain and I y. The presence of { Gen. Pershing, general of the Ameri- n armies, and the Marquis of Crewe, { British ambassador to | international chara | festation. But each report of the { heavy guns from the Mont Valerien i batteries made for stern, sober faces ‘as if a noté of warning was being | sounded instead of the triumph of Dpeace. Promptly at 9 o'clock men of all arms of the Fremch army, having i formed in Invalldes square, set forth across Alexander bridge en. route to the Arc de Triomphe. Led by Gen. Gouraud, military governor of Paris, they marched up the Champs Elysees, which was decorated with allied flags entwined, through:an immense concourse of silent peaple. Hold Silent: Prayer, The troops encircled the Arc de Triomphe; then President Millerand. Premier Poincare and War Minister Maginot arrived and joined the group {of marshals, generals and ambassa- dors, amonc whom were Gen. Persh- yron T. Herrick. At 11 o'clock sharp the last report of the cannon was heard; all {uncovered and bowed and silence was observed for one minute. Slowly President Millerand ad- vanced ahead of the line of brilliantly | uniformed military men and diplo- mats; the troops filed past to the ren- dition of the “Dead March” in “Saul, followed by the organizations of war veterans, orphane, invallds and school children, in plous homage to the un- known soldler. Similar ceremonies _before monuments to the war dead | place practically in every important {clty in France. Sergt. Maginot of 1918, now a gen- erzl, and the French minister of war lighted under the Arc de Triomphe at 6 o'clock yesterday evening a flick- ering oil flame, which will burn for- ever alongside the tomb of the un- known. ABBEY SERVICE IN LONDON. France cele- around the King and Queen Attend Ceremo- nies—TU. S. Represented. By the Associated Press. | LONDON, November 11 —The peace {and quiet of Sunday added to the solemnity of the fifth observance of mistice day. London's strests, | which usually are deserted on Sun- | day, | golng. to. Westminster Abbey and { toward the cenotaph erected to the | dier. King George and Queen Ma tended the service Abbey. The king laid a lone wreath of laurel, bound with poppies from the flelds of Flanders, on the grave [0t the unknown "ae The Prince lof Wales placed @ similar wroath at the foot of. the cenotaph in White- | han. People Bow Teads. At 11 o'clock the populace stood at- m- | With. bowed heads for two minutes, | maintaining . meanwhile: profound ilence. Afterward the pilgrimage | past the cenotaph began. Persons of all ‘clasres marched four abreast on ench side of the column. The pro- jcession continued all +ay. The wreaths and flowers deposited formed. | huge piles in tha center of the street. | _As a special tribute to the United i States, Post Wheeler, the American { charge d'affaires, and. Mrs. Wheelar | were invited by the dean of West- mineter to attend the services in the {abhey. No other foreignors. were | present as representatives of their countries. |~ The streets of central Londom last | night presented a. strange sceme of | mixed solemnity, jostling and, rev- elry. In all the principal hotels of London there were merry throngs. {at dinners, dances and carnivals. | SCHOGL SOCIAL WORK, TOPIC. | Supermtendent ot Schools Frank W. | Bailow will speak om Social Work” at a meeting of tne Council of Social Agencles. in the Raleigh Hotel this afternoon at 4 o'clock. Miss Jessie La Salle, super- vising principal of the second di- vision, who ls introducing _educa- { tiomal measurement tests im the Di trict scnools, aiso will spesk. R R A — brought quick results. Up to Oc- tober 16 the few regfments on hand had completed comstruction of thir- teen miles of tram tracks in Takio and two miles in Yokahama and had bullt forty bridges in Tokio and a similar number in the Iatter city. In addition the engineers Bave built forty-three plers at Shibaura, on the Tokio waterfront, while tele- graph units have strung 200 mifies of wire and railway units have latd eighty-seven miles of track. The sappers iw their destruction of dam- gerous hulks haye used fifteen tons 9f explosive, anniversary of the| heads were | took | were erowided from. the early | {hours of the morning with people | memory of England’s unknown sol- | in Westminster | he Schools in § - THE EVENING STAR, WA {MEEBADIS .. " PUSTRCOURSE 'Nation. Reserves Right to Say When, Haw to Aid World, Armistice Day View. Dy the Awsooluted Prens. BOSTON, Nowember 12.—At the end of the world war America asked for nothing and’ got precisely what she asked; Senator Honry Cubet Ledgd sid in: an: address at am Armistice day mass meeting arrangied by the American Legion. “I am prond to think that we, in all the circumstances of the war, Relp- ed others and asked nothing ma- tertal for- ourseives,” Senator Lodge sald. “We can give that help to the wordd' which wa have given as a government and as' a people, but we reserve the right to ay that it should remainr with. us as to when we shall give, what we shall give and how wo shall give.” U. S. Makes Owsd Way. “The thirteen colonies that formed this government of the Uriited States were helped in their revolution by the armles of France, and from: that Ay to this the people of United ates have made their way upward in the world,” Senator Ladge said in another part of his address. ‘They have risen from a few, two or three millions of people. here on the border of the Atlantic, into | the greatest d most powerful nu- |tion on earth. And during all these {years the never asked - helw and the have ver received help from any other nation. They made their own way alone. That is the { reason. above all others that we | should be willing to extend a help- | us hand to the less fortunate. But !that is something for us to decide. | as we have dccided it in the pmat, and in my judgment, decided it rightly in the past’” . Defends Religious Righte Those who organize to make dis- crimination against a citizen because of his belief seek to destroy the Con- stitution_of the United States and to |tear down the flag which symbolizes “the sacred principles of our bill of right nator Oscar W. Underwood f Alabama said in an armistice ad- on Boston common The will of the majority may be- come tyrannical, nator Underwood 1id. “and may be the greatest enemy the liberty of mankind so far as individual liberties are woncermed. But the fathers of the Canstitution curbed the power of the majority. y gave freedom to womship God ording: to the dictates of one's own conseience. “To the man who comes{ to this country, no matter from what far- fluny field, and. takes on the o8 of citizenship, he assumes equal rights with tizen.of the United States. That is what our flag represeints.” DAWES HITS ISOLATION. U. S. Part. in Warld Affairs. Urged in Chicago Address. CHICAGO, November 12.—Prayers and parades and speeches and silence marked. Chicago's observance of the {fifth anniversary of Armistice day. Services were held In hundreds of churches, and. at 11 o'clack church congregations and others faced east and stood in silence for one minute in tribute to the unknown soldier. A parade to the municipal piar, where a mass meeting. was held, was led by Gen. Josef Haller, Polish war hero, who also addressed the mass meeting. Gov. Small, Mayor Willlam:E. Dever, Maj, Gen. Milton J. Foreman and Maj. Gen, James. A Stewart participated in }the parade and mass meeting. Today schools and many public buildings are closed in observance of the occasion. In an address.delivered before the Palish Officers’ Club yester- jday Gen. Haller declared.that the American Legion in’ America and so- cleties of veterans in other countries constituted the greatest force for Dpeace in the world toda, Add to Eurepe Urmed. Approval of France's action in occu- pying the Ruhr and a plea for a more effective participation in warld affairs were voiced by Brig. Gen. Charles G. Dawes, speaking at the Armistice day .celebration of a local post of the American Legion. “The place of the political dema- 1gogue 15 certainly not in_world af- fairs,” said Gen. Dawes. “This busi- ness of A and B getting together and | telling C how to do something for D | won’t get us anywhere. Nefther will i@ strict Isolation policy. It seems that every time a proposal for us te render alittle effective ald to Eu- rope is made there ix a howl from California warning us to keep our hands off. President Wilson had the (right idea, but he was ahead of his time. Suys Framce Camnot Pay. France, the general said, eamnot be expected to pay her debt to us until she has collected the full reparations guaranteed by the Versailles treaty. | ““Right, courage and common sense om both sides of the Atlantic are needed to straighten out the Euro- }pean muddle,” he said. “It is absard to valk of asking the debtor countries to pay us in gold now. There isn't that much gold. OQur diplomats will | haver to figure out a way for them to So ves Dald a tribute to Gen, Pershing in discussing the w: i | the azmistice. - e 10,000' MARCH IN NEW YORK. Wickersham Advocates U. S. Join- ing World Court. { NEW ‘YORK, Novémber 12—Ten thousand ,persons marched through a drizzllng rain In an Arimtsice day parade hege. Further observance in- ciluded metmorial services and pleas | trom. all pwmlpits in the eity to abol. {ish militartism forever and establish ja lasting peace. ) The parade down 5th avenue was {made up of soldiers, sailors, marines, (naval militia, boy and girl scouts, {members of various patriotic orders {and veteranms of the Spanish war. Memorial services at the Central Park mall_were attended by 25,000 i persons. George B. Christian, jr., paid a sim tribute to the late President ing. Arraigning. the allles, as well as Germany, for-their fallure to live up to the letter and spirit of the peace treaty of 1918, George W. Wicker- sham. former Attorney General of the e o o Aseition speech, ur; e acceptance by the | United States of the world onrt.’u a step toward securing the “reigm of international justice™ and relieving the country frem the criticism of “saying fine things and doing mean ones.'” FESS MAKES PEACE PLEA. Ohio Senator Sees Sermon on Mount Solution of War Peril. x Mr. and Mrs. William W. Corcora: SHINGTON, D. after their return to Paris from their honeymoon which was spent hiking in the Pyremees. Mr. Coreormn ix a Washingtonian and ix the American consul in Boulogne-Sur-Mer. His bride ‘was formerly Mie. Andree Ridoux of Sinceny, department of the Alsne, France. Fess. He cited Europe as the great- ext prioblem of peace at the present me. “Thel solution of the troubles of the warld today is found in the rules laid down in the sermon on the mount,” Senator Fess said. SOUND CEASE-FIRING CALL. Buglers in Philadelphia Armistice Day Observance. PHILADELPHIA, November 12.— Exercises in Independence Square, mass meetings in various parts of the city, patriotic sermons and parades of veterans marked Philadelphia’s celebration of the fifth anniversary of the signimg of the armistice. When tBe bell in_Independence Hall | tower tolled 11 o'clock Army buglers in various parts of the square sound- ed the call of “cease firing" and the police band struek up the national anthem. The speakers included Wil- liam B. Healey, national vice com- mander of the American Legion, and Rear Admiral Scales. commandant of the Philadelphia navy yard. WREATE A THARDING TOMB. Col. George B. Christian Speaker at Marion Serwvices. MARION. ©Ohio, November 12.—A large wreath was placed at the foot of the flag-draped catifalque of the late President Warren G. Harding by local ~American Legion officials, churches thmoughout the city dis- missing Armistice day services early for the services at the cemetery. Col. George B. Christian, civil war veteran and father of George B. Christian, ir. former secretary to President Harding, was the speaker of the day. CHANGE OF HEART NEEDED. ‘Wallace Says War Will End When Good Impulses Lead. CAMDEN November 12— Wars will only stop when the impulse for war is crowded out of the me hearts by better impulses, Secretary of Agriculture Henry C. Wallace said in ‘an Armistice day address before the Sunday school of the North Bap- tist Church in this city. The church and Sunday schools, he declareds would have a greater in- fluence In preventing and ending wars than the league of nations or in- ternational courts. ‘WORLD COURT FAVORED. Pittsburgh Meeting Urges Mem- bership After Nansen Talks. PITTSBURGH. Pa., November 12— A resolution urging emtrance in the world court by the United States was adopted at Pittsburgh's Armistice day peaco meeting after Dr. Fridtjof Nansen of Norway, sclentist and ex- plorer, had described the danger of a rew war in Burope. The resolution was introduced by Judge W. H. S. Thompson of the Unitd States district court. “Even now we hear the rumble of war,” declared Dr. Nansen. “We do not know at what hour it will break out. When, five years ago, we cele- brated the first “Armistice day, we thought we were coming to a new sun, a sun of peace. But now, after five years, where is the world today? I am almost afraid to say it, but I very much foar that a greater part of Europe is right mow in a darker Yalley than in the days of the great war.” PARADE IN SAN FRANCISCO. Armistice Day Observance Quieter Than in Other Years. SAN FRANCISCO, November 12. Quiet church services and prayers marked this city’s observance of the Afth anniversary of the signing of the armistice. Yesterday, the first Armistice Sun- day, civic center and Market street were peopled with only the usual Sab- bath crowds. In the morning. a pro- cession of military organizations, in- cluding the 30th Infantry Band, color bearers, detachmeénts from the Army, Navy and Marine Corps, National Guard troops, boy scouts, War moth- ers and various other societies, was held. CELEBRATE IN MANILA. Americans Gather in Hotel to Hear Speakers. By the Associated Press. MANILA, November 13.—Armistice day was celebrated at the Manila Ho- 300 of the most prominent ‘A..llnebr{m.: and their allles In the absence of Gov, Leonard Wood, who will not arrive until today, Vice Gov. Gilmore delivered an address. Maj. Gen. Read and Read Admiral Marvell also were speakers. C. C. HANSEN EXPIRES. CINCINNATT, Ohlo, November 12— | Well Enown as Employe of Govern- Although peace strikes the dominant Tote in America, when & Wrong has been done and nothing else remains war will come over America, United States Senator Simeon D. Fess sald “here in an Armistice day address, “America has been, iy and always. will be that way,” the added. Senator TFess declared that the great problem confronting the world was to make war and the chances of war less. “Make ‘war horrible and Jpeace attractive” he said, “but re- member the advice of Col. Fear that the worlé, ly Eu- fope, was drifting to 2 return to the iniddle ages when the mighti- est ruled was expressed by Senator ment Printing Office. Christian C. Hansen, well known at one time as an employe of the gov- ernment printing office, dled yester- day at his home, Danlels Park, mnr Georges_county, Md., aged sixty-six Seare *Hia death was due to blood isoning. Funeral services will be Be18 tomorrow afternoon at 1 o'clock at the Berwyn Presbyterian Church, Rev. B. Andrew Matson, tor, offi- clating. Inf will in Glen- ‘wood cemetery. o s . Hansed is l-um-- ved wig Grace Ellen and thess Hansen, dren: Berthn H. Gottimar, Mrd. Béatfice J. Edwards, Miss Marie C. Hansen and Charles J. Hansen. ARLINGTON HONORS WORLD WAR DEAD Bronze Tablet and Eim Stand as County’s Mute Testimony. Special Dispatch to The Star. CLARENDON, Va., November 12— An American white elm and a bronze tablet, mounted on a concrete basis, on which is inscribed the names of oleven heroes of the world war, to- day stand fn Clarendon as mute tes- timony to Arlington county's life contribution in the world war. The dedication of these two markers was the outstanding feature of Arling- ton county’s observance of Armistice day. The ceremony, which was ar- ranged by the Woman's Civia League of Clarendon, attracted hundreds of county citizons to the little triangle on Wison boulevard, which was dedlcated for the purpose by Ashton C. Jones. Frank M. Sherwood, com- mander of Arlington Post, American Legion, was master of cerémonies. Representatives of the United States Army jolned with the citizens of Arlington in making the ceremony a most impressive one, Brig. Gen. C. H. Martin, who was accompanied to the grounds by several other Army officers, having made the dedi- catory address and Sergt. Miller and Corp.” August having sounded ‘“‘taps." Recalling _days of 1917 and . 1918, Gen. Martin sald that the United States had no part in the jealousies, the ambitions and hatreds that wera the basio causes of the war and held aloof from the conflict until the safety of the world demanded that she enter. “We threw our strength on the side of right, and it was due 10 our strengt at righ < he said. s No ‘finer Army.” Gen, Martin sald, as ever been sent forth by any na- tion than that which represented our country in the world war, and these men whose memory we are honoring today were part of it. sing the same trowel that wa used by Mrs. Harding when she plant- ed the memorial elm on the grounds of the Lincoln Memorial in April, 1921, little Miss Kathryn Bruce, daughter of Corp. Robert J. Bruce, who was killed in Russia, placed the first bit of soil around the roots of the tree. She also unvelled the me- morial tablet, Recitations by Miss Mary Fitc] Ashton C. Jones and frtesn 1tde girls were other Interesting and im- pressive features of the program. Miss Fitch recited Joyce Kilmer ‘Tree”; Master Jones had as his sub- “He Is Not Dead, He 1y Just while the little girls recited lines each of “What the Trees Teach Us. “America,” “Onward, Christian Sol dlers” “and _other appropriate selec- tions were rendered by the Clarendon Band. On the memarial tablet are in- ribed the names of the followln, apt. O. L. Housel, Lieut. John Lyon, Lieut. Irving T. C. Newman. Corp. Robert J. Bruce, Corp. Frank E. Dun- kin, Harry R. Stone, Harry E. Ver- mililon, Edward J. Smith, Henry G. Smallwood. Archibald Walters Wil- llams and Frederick Schutt. COOLIDGE NOW WRITING MESSAGE TO CONGRESS (Continued from First Page.) ury Department, with such minor modification as ' republican leaders believe are advisable. In the matter of transportation the President has recelved much advice relative to consolidation of rallroads, and may urge legislation to that end. It is reasonable to expect that he wili not give any measure of approval to the proposal that Congress by its own action reduce frelght rates on farm products, inasmuch as the Interstate Commerce Commission has instituted an inquiry to determine whether such rates can be lowered. Shipping Board Policy. ‘The merchant marine recommenda- tions will be gulded by the advice of members of the Shlprrnx Board, and are expected to be along the line of encouraging private enterprise In ocean transportation. The present immigration law expires next June, and Mr. Coolidge has let it be known that he will look to Congress to :rlulntlln at least the present restric- ons. International affairs, excapting the reference to the Mexico convention, seem to those close to the President to be destined to occupy a secondary lace in the message. The greatest nterest will be in the manner in which Mr. Coolidge treats the pro- posal made by President Harding to the last Senate that the United States accept membership in the Permanent Court for International Justice. So far as has been revealed, Mr. Cool- idge still expects to make mention that the proposal is before the Sen- ate for action and let the matter go at_that. Numerous minor matters un- doubtedly will find a place in the message as is usually the case in messages presented at the convening of & new session. These may include recommendations to_re niza- tion of the executive departm: n‘ re- forestation, Veterans' Bureau adminis- tratlon, waterway JImprovemeiits, pub- lic buildings and disposition of Muscle Huoala, O, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 12,-\1923. WT::__—“T;:" VETERAN LAWYER 15575 nexpsctedty DROP IN GAS PRICE DIES N HI OF¥ICE Alexander H. Semmes Qv come While Taking Testi- mony in Patent Case. Alexander H. Semmes, sixty-one years old, well known lawyer, died suddenly this morning about 10 o'clock while taking testimony in a patent case in his office in the Mes Lachlen bullding, 10th and G streets. He was the senior member of the patent law firm of Semmes & Semmes, his son, Harry Hodges Semmes, being the other member. Mr. Semmes had just entered an objection to certain testimony. The stenographer noticed a sudden change in his appearance, and presently Mr. Semmes gave a gasp. He was assist. ed from the chair and died before a physician could be summone: He was a member of one of the oldest families In this city, his a: cestors having settled in the locality at the time the Calverts came to Maryland. He attended the local public schools, and graduated from Georgetown College, later taking a law course. For a time Mr. Semmes served assistant United States attorney, and later was a member of the law de- partment under the direction of the Attorney General, in the Department of Justice. He had been in the prac- tice of patent law with his son since 1889. He was a member of ghe Uni- versity Club, District of Columbia Bar Association and the American Patent Law Association. The late Admiral Semmes ws an uncle of Mr. Semmes' father. Brarches of the family are residents of B: more, Cumberland, Md., and this cfty, Mr. Semmes, who resided at 2208 Q@ street, is survived by his wife, Mri Mary Semmes, and the one son. Fu: neral arrangements have not bee: completed. 323-MILLION TAX CUT IS URGED BY MELLON (Continued from First Page.) and limitation of the deduction from gross income for interest pald during the vear and for losses not of a busi- ness character to the amount the eum of these items exceeds tax exempt in- come of the taxpayers. It also was proposed to tax community property income of tho spouse having control of the income, in order to equalize the tax basis, as between residents of those states which do and those which do not recognize such income of husbands as_joint income of husband and wife. Other suggested revisions were re- peal of the tax on admissions and the tax on telegrams, telephones and leased wires. The full text of Mr. Mellon's specific recommendations_follows: “1. Make a 25 per cent reduction in the tax on earned income. “The fairness of taxing more lightly income from wages, salaries and pro- fessional services than the income from a business or from investment is be- yond question. In the first case the income Is uncertain and Hmited in du- ration: sickness or death destroys it and old age diminishes it. In the ofher, the source of the Income continues: it may be disposed of during & man's life and it descends to his heirs “It is estimated tbat this amend- ment will mean a loss In revenue of about $97,500,000 a year. the great- er part of which falls in the lower income brackets. “3. Where the present normal tax 1s 4 per cent, reduce it to 3 per cent. and where the present normal tax is 8 per cent, reduce it to 6 per cent. Will Mean Big Loas. “This affects all personal income and the loss of revenue comes large- 1y from the lower brackets. It Is es- timated that this will mean a loss of revenue of $91,600,000 a year. “3. Reduce the surtax rates by commencing thelr application at $10. 000 instead of $6,000, and scaling them progressively upward to 25 per cent at_$100,000. “This will readjust the surtax rates all along the line, and the Treasury recommends the readjustment, not in order to reduce the revenues, but a means of saving the productivity of the surtaxes. In the long run it will mean higher rather than lower revenues from the surtaxes. At the outset it may involve a temporary loss in revenue, but the government ac- tuary estimates that even during the first year, If the revision is made early enough, the net loss In revenue from all the changes in the surtaxes wouid be only about $100,000,600, and that In all probability the revenue from the reduced rates soon will equal or exceed what would accrue at the present rates, because of the en- couragement which the changes will glve to productive business. Present Syatem Fallure. “The readjustment of the surtaxes, moreover, is not in any sense a par- tisan measure. It has been recom- mended, on substantially this basis, by every Secretary of the Treasury since the end of the war, irrespective of party. The present system is a failure. It was an emergency meas- ure, adopted under the pressure of war necessity and not to be counted upon as a permanent part of our revenue structure. For a short period the surtaxes yielded much revenue, but their productivity has been co stantly shrinking, and the Breasury's experience shows that the high rates now in effect are progressively be- coming less productive of revemue. “The high rates put pressure on taxpayers to reduce their taxable in- come, tend to destroy individual ini- tiative and enterprise, and seriously impede _the development of Aro- ductive business. Taxpayers subject to the higher rates cannot afford, far example, to invest in American rail- roads or industries, or embark upon new enterprises in the face of taxes that will take 50 per cent or more of any return that may be realized. These taxpayers are withdrawing their capital from productive busi- ness and investing it instead in tax- exempt securities and adopting other lawful methods of avoiding the reali- zatton of taxable income. “The result is to stop business transactions that would normelly go through and to discourage men of wealth from taking the risks which are incidental to the development of new business. Ways will always be found to avoid taxes so destructive in their nature, and the only way to save the situation is to put the taxes on a reasonable basisthat will per- mit business to go on and industry to develop. This, I believe, the read- justment herein recommended will accomplish, and it will not only pro- duce larger revenues, but at the same time establish industry and trade on a healthier throughout the Country. The alternative is a ual breakdown in system and a perversion of industry that stifies our progress &s & nation. "Tge growth of tax-exempt secur- ities, which has resulted directly trom the high rates of surtax, is at the same time encouraging extrav- agance and reckless expemditure on iwo part of local authorities. These state and local securities will ulti- have to be paid, principal and st. out of taxes, thus contrib- uting_directly dy to the heavy local taxation whi farmers and @mall property owners. There is no immediate remedy for this within the power of Congress except the stment of the sur- taxes on & that will permit capital to seek productive employ- ment and keep it from exhausting e ive mss oF Sapital [n our ratly ve ul E Foads and industrigs will alse tend to bring lower costs for fransport: tion and manufactured = products, thus helping to relieve tha farmer mi intere x’x‘]\upon the same basi | While at Hearing i ALEXANDER H. SEMMES. from the maladjustment fzpm which he now suffers. 3 Would Limit Deduetiorhi. “4. Limit the deduction of ¢apital losses to 12% per cent of the Moss. “The present revenue law limite the tax on capital gains to 12% per cent, but puts no limit on the capltal losses. It i3 belleved it would be sounder taxation policy generally not to rec- ognize elther capital gain or capital loss for purposes of income tax. This is the poliey adopted in practically all other countries having income tax laws, but it has not beep the policy in the United States. In all probabili- ty, more revenue has been lost to the government by permitting the deduction of capital losses than has been realized by including capital galns as income. S0 long, however, @s our law recognizes capital gains and capital losses for income tax pur- poses, gain and loss should be placed and the provi- alon of the 921 act taxing capital exins at 123% per cent should be ex- tewided to capital losges, so that the ameunt by which the tax may be re- duced by the capital loss will not excee! 12% per cent of the loss. “It i8 estimated that this will in- crease the revenues by about $25,000,- 000. “5. Lyt the deductions from gross Income vr interest paid during the year and \OF 10sses not of a business character \> the amount the sum of these Items exceeds tax-exempt in- come of the gaxpayer. “The 1921 Xct provides that inter- est on indebtedhiess to acquire or car- ry tax-exempt nacurities is not deduct- ible. This proviaion is ineffective, be- cause a taxpape¥ may purchase tax- exempt securities’® for cash and bor- row money for OtINer purposes. It is felt zlso that so ICWIE as a taxpayer has income which i not reached for taxation, he should mot be permitted to deduct his non-Lusiness losses from the income wh\'h is taxable, but should be restrictad in the first instance to a deductien of these losses from his non-taxable income. Increase $35,000%000. “The estimated increase of revenue from this source is $35,000000. “G. Tax community property income to the spouse having control of the income. “In some states the Income of the husband is a joint income of the hus- band and wife, and cach, therefsre, is permitted to file a return for one- half of the income. This glves an un- fair advantage to the citizens of those states over the citizens of thie other states of this country, and this Amendment seeks to restore the equality. LIt is estimated that it will crease revenues by §8,000,00 “So much for the Income tax recom- mendations, - which . should become effective January 1 1924. In order in- { that you may have before you a clear view of the effect of these recom- mendations as applied to income in the various brackets, I am attaching a table, prepared by the government actuary, showing the estimated re- fults of the progosed changes in the calendar year 1925, on the basis of the taxable year 1924. ““The schedule shows a loss of reve- nue of about $92,000,000 in the brackets under $6,000, and a further loss of Tevenue of about $52,000.000 in the next bracket of $6400 to $10,000. In about 70 per cent of the - e would Bo. in the brackets of $10,080 or less, and less than 5 per cent would fall in the brackets aver $100,000. Table Shows Changes. “To show the effect of the proposed changes on the income of a tvpical salarfed_taxpayer, married and having two children, I call your attention to the following comparative fgure Present tax. $28.00 s 128,00 e 368.00 189 .00 177.00 “7. Repeal the tax on telegrams, “elephones and leased wires. “This is the last of the transportation ‘axes established during the war, is a source of inconvenience to every person using the telephone -or telegraph, and Should now be eliminated from the tax system. “This would mean a loss in revenue of about $30,000,000 a year. '3, Repeal the tax on admissions. - greater part of this revenue is derived from the admissions charged by neighborhood moving picture theaters. The tgx is, therefore, paid by the great bulk of the peaple whose main source of recreation is attend- ing the movies in the neighborhood of their homes. “This would mean a loss in revenue of about $70,000.000. Miscellaneous nuisance taxes. Your committee may wish to con- sider the elimination of various small Mmiscellaneous taxes hich have an Ihconsiderable bearink on the general revenue of the gcvernment, but which are a source of inconvenience to tax- payers and difficult to collect; and possibly there are some articles of Jewelry which according to our stand ard of lving capnot properly be d nominated luxuries, such as, for in- stance, ordinary table silver or watches you may wish to exempt from the general tax on jewelry. There is not enough.margin of rev- enue available to permit the repeal of the special taxes which are proving Productive, but the law could be re- Vised to good advantage and some of the nulsance taxes repealed With- out- material loss of revenue. ‘Would Enforce Provisions. «10, In addition to the specific recommendations which directly af- |fect 'government revenues, there should be amendments to strengthen the act ,and eliminate methods here fofore wsed by taxpayers to avold tmpositiow of the tax. The exact amount of additional revenue to the govesnment, which will be brought {in by thesa amendments, cannot be estimated, byit certainly the amend- ments will Aeach much income that heretofore ha escaped taxation. ‘11. Establivh a boanl of tax ap- peals in the Trvasury, but independ- ient of the burean of internal revenue, o hear and detevmine cases involv- ing the assessment of internal revenue xes. \ u'-'nn- will give an f@ndependent administrative tribunal equipped to hear both sides of the controversy, which will eit on appeal from the B oot il be: Conciusive on ‘whose & w both the bureau and the taxpayer on the question of assessment. The taxpayer, in _the event that decision is sgalnst him, will have to pay the tax, sccording to (the assers- ment, and bave recourve to the courts, while the -goverament, in case decision should be awainst fit, will likewise have to have recourse he courts, in order to enforce n of the tax. ) “12. Changes should be made in the present law to simplify admin- n, make the law more easily understood, and permit a prompt determination of liability in a man- ner more satisfactory to the tax- waver. 5 T 56.00 7.00 144.00 132.00 EFFECTIVE DEC. 1 Utilities Board Orders $1 Rate Applied to Meter Readings Next Month. The Teduction of § cents per 1,000 jcubic feet in the price of gas, order- ed by the Utilities Commission last week, will apply to the December meter readings, the commission an- inounced today, fn making public fts formal decision. The declsion makes the price of gas $1 instead of $1.05 ta all consumers using less than 60,000 cubic feet a month. In its written opinion the commis- slon states that it did not feel Justi- {fied in accepting the claim ¢f the Washington and Georgetown Gas Light Companies for *an increase of 32,500,000 in the combined value of ithe gas properties. The dispute between the commis- sion and the gas companies on the question of valuation is the same as in the Potomac Electric Power valu- atlon case, namely, that the commis- ::;n‘ dld not make proper allowanco nerease s v foriincreass d costs between the years In this rate case the gas companies @rgued that since the District Court of Appeals has decided against the commission In the electric light valy- ation suit, the commission should al- low the gas companies al P D a higher valy- In concluding its written state- ment, the commission says a reduc tion of 5 cents in the rate to privat, consumers is “reasonable and just. FORMER CROWN PRINCE REPORTED AT OELS; PLOT BY STRESEMANN SEEN (Continued from First Page.) setting forth the views of the am- bassadors’ councll regarding the prince’s _return, there developed among the allies a feeling that the matter had been taken too seriously since it appeared very problematical whether any effective action by the allies would be possible. The allies would have been gl if the matter had been dropped, an they were disagreeably affected wher word came that Frederick William had actually returned to Germany, because the note of the ambassadors! council had committed them to actlon of some sort. 1 Just what form that actlon wiil take is said here to deperd largely upon Great Britain. It is understood in allled circles that the initiative in any step decided upon will be left to London, since it was on the request of the British cabinet, it is stated, that the matter was taken up in the first place by the ambassadors, BRITISH POLICY PASSIVE. Will Not Act Alone to Banish Crown Prince. By the Assoclated Press. November 12.—Graat Britain is not likely to take individ- ual action looking to the ejectment of ex-Crown Prince Frederick Will- fam from Germany. Nor Is it at all probable that she will stress his ban- ishment in any collective representa. tions which may be made through tho councll of ambassadors, it was declared here tod The government's law experts re- gard the legal aspects of the case as uncertain and obscure. It is true, the kaiser's heir appeared on the original list of war criminals, as_did ex-Crown If, however, Great Britaln's_allies should demand collectively of Ger- many that the ex-crown prince be banished again, it is considered like- 1y the government will give its con- sent to such a step in order to pre- serve the semblance of the allted unity. HITLER UNDER ARREST. Revolt Leader Taken—Von Kahr Bans Communists. By the Associated Press, ; BERLIN, November 12.—Adolph Hit- ler, leader of the recent Munich re- volt, was arrested today near Lake Staffel, south Bavaria. He offered no resistance. According to advices from Munjch today, Dr. von Kahr, Bavarign dic- tator, has issued an order dissolving the communist party in Bavaria.and forbidding publication of socjalisr newspapers. The dissolution ..of putsch organizations by the reighse wehr is in full swing. it is safd. * - Adolph Hitler, who escaped f¥ofn the hands of sfate authorities after his unsuccessful attempt to seize the government, staved yesterday in the cottage of the peasant at Rosenheim, about thirty miles soytheast of Mun- ich. Hitler was not wounded fn the fighting, but injured his shoulder in talling. Reports that followers of Capt. Ehr- hardt are co-operating with Hitler are unfounded. MARLBORO ENTRIES FOR TUESDAY. FIRST RACE—Purse, 3600; for maiden twe- arolds; fve furlongs: S o3 North, 117 *Plaid .. us SECOND RACE—OClaiming; purse, $600; three-year-olds and upward; fdve and enehelt furlongs. Reyennis . B By oga: Tt .. siaiio; 1 Also’ sligible: Ridel 1 Tanious Woma... 108 - Netoris seeluded THIRD RACE-~Clai yoar-olds and up; six 08 i FOURTH RACE—The Insugural hand [ $1,000; ali agos; six a%d cnealf Fuy 12¢ lantman 108 Jewsll V. D. 120 Captain Gos 118 Freedom's { FIFTH RACE—Claimi $600. thraeyeacolds and w3 i ml T e yards, 13 ol SIXTH RACE, claiming; yoarolds and upward; one mile’ $600; three. and seveaty yards, Jetsam .. e Harry M. Stovens, 110 SEVENTH RACE, 1ds and *Apprentios allowance. Weather—Cloudy. _ Track—Heat First race starts at 130 pome