Evening Star Newspaper, December 3, 1923, Page 1

WEATHER. Cloudy, followed by rain late to- night or tomcrrow; warmer tonight, ‘Temperature for twenty-‘our hours ended at 2 p.m. today: Highest, 52 at 4:30 p.m. vesterday; lowest, 39 at 7:30 am. today. Full report on page 19. “From Press to Home Within the Hour” The Star's carrier system covers every city block and the regular edi- tion is delivered to Washington homes Closing N. Y. Stocks and Bonds, Page 24 No. 29,070. Fntered as eecond-class matter post office Washington, D. C. OUSE DEADLOCKED, N OPENING SESSION Gillett Fails of Election When He Receives But 198 Votes on First Ballot—Garrett Close Behind With 195. LITTLE HOPE IS HELD | OF EARLY AGREEMENT| Fight Is Expected to Continue for Two Days—Progressives Line Up Behind Cooper—Senate Takes Adjournment After Holding Short Unruffled Session. The third ballot in the House falled to elect the Speaker. A total of 413 votes was cast. The result was: Garrett, democrat, 196; Gillett, 195; Cooper, 17; Mad- den, 5. The clerk immediately began reading the roll for the fourth ballot. The new Congress began its first ®essfon to and before it was an hour old the House was in the throes of a spectacular fight over the elec- tion of a Speaker. The little progressive bloe, made up of followers of Senator La Follette of ‘Wisconsin, refused to support Speak- { er Gillett for re-election, and pre- cipitated a deadlock, blocking all other business. Mr. Gillett had the support of the republican organization, but his| £th fell short of the majority | 1 necessary to elect. = The ts voted solidly for Repre- White House Is Unsafe Structure The White House has been de- clared unsafe. Conditlons there are such as to require that im- mediate remedial measures be taken to prevent a possible ca- lamity. These disclosures were made to- day by Maj. Gen. Lansing H. Beach, chief of engineers of the Army, In his annual report to the Secre- tary of War. Congress Is asked for $400,000 for the work of re- constructing the interior portion of the famous building, to make It secure. ‘A preliminary study of the sit- uation in the interior upper por- tion of the Executive Mansion has indicated a condition which ren- ders the building unsafe, both from the standpoint of security in the structural features and the fire hazard present,” sald Maj. Gen. Beach, “the conditions are such as to require that immediate remedial measures be taken to pre- vent a possible calamity. These conditions have called to the attention of the President, and his authority for the in. on of the item submit- ted herewith ($400,000) has been requested. While such approval has not yet been secured, the item is tentatively included herein.” MILLIONS ASKED FOR CAPITAL WORK Gen. Beach Says This Sum Is Needed for Parks, River and Water System. been Approximately $5,000,000 can be “profitably expended” during the com- ing fiscal year for maintenance and improvement of public buildings and grounds, for continuing work on the new condult from Great Falls, for partial reconstruction of the Execu- tive Mansion and for varjous other federal projects in the District of Co- lumbia, according to Maj. Gen. Lan- sing H. Beach, chiet of engineers of the Army, in his annual report sub- mitted to Congress today. Some of these items have been in- sentative Garrett of Tennessee, and the bulk of the progressive bloc | strength went to Representative | Cooper of Wiscons ! Compromise negotiations to permit an election within . day or two were expect the republican chiefs, but voting went on there ‘were oms of capltu- lation to the progressive bloc de mand for councessions in committee | nments and changes in the| House rules. Senate Adjourns. { On the Senate side moro smoothly. By prar-| rangement a truce was declared in the fight over Senate reorganization, | and after a session of three-quarters | of an hour adjournment was taken | until tomorrow out of respect (or“ senators who have dled during the| nine-month rec Gillett Is Nominated. The roll call the House con-| cluded, nominations were made for | Speaker. Representative -Anderson | of Minnesota, chatrman of the repub- liean conference, placed Mr. Gillett | n nomination and Representative | Itatney of Illinofs, chairman of the | democratic caucus, nominated Repre- | sentative Garrett of Tennessee, the unanimous choice of the democrats. ‘The name of Representative Coope « leader of the republican insurgent was presented by Répresentati Brown of Wisconsin. Ther s0 much hubbub during Mr. Browne's speech that he had to appeal for order Wo nominate him.” he sald, “not | that we expect to elect him, but as a protest against the rules of the| House.” Representative Reid of Tllinois pre- sented the name of Chairman Madden of the appropriations committee, de- aring he did so on his own inftia- ive, and Mr. Madden immediately arose declared he wanted lfouse to know he was not date things went | ess in the | a candl- | Gillett Gets 195, On the first ballot in the House speakership fight Speaker Gillett re- | celved 198 votes to 195 for Repre- | sentative Garrett and 17 for Repre- sentative Cooper. Representative | Madden, republican, Illinols, was | given 5 votes. The seventeen who voted for Coop- er were: Beck, Browne, Frear, Lam- vert, Nelson, Peavy, Schafer, Schnel- der and Voight. all of Wisconsin; Clague, Davis, Keller and Knutson, republicans, of Minnesota; Kvale, in- dependent, of Min Wefald, Tar- amer-labor, Guardla, re- Dublican, , and Sinclair, re- publican, North DaKota. The five who voted for Madden | were: King, Michaelson and Reid, | lllinots, and James and Woodruff, Michigan, all republicans. Madden' voted for Gillett. Vietor Berger, socialist, Wisconsin, voted esent, as did Gillett, Garrett and Cooper. Immediately after the vote was an- nounced the House began to take a second ballot. The second ballot also failed to re- suit In an election. The result of the second ballot was @ total number of votes cast of 411, of which Gillett received 195, Garrett «democrat), 193; Cooper, 17; Madden, 6. Three voted “presen The additional vote which Madden received on the second ballot was a complimentary vote cast by Repre- ntative Richard Yates of Illinois. The clerk jmmediately began calling the rog for the third ballot. thire vallot was begun imme- th House and Senate the gavels fell promptly at 12 o'clock, with Sena- tor Cummins of Jowa, the President pro tempore, presiding over his_col- leagues, and Clerk Willlam Tyler Page occupying the Speaker's chair of the House pending the outcome of the fight over the speakership. Whils on the Senate side the open- ing formalities passed off with the usual outward calm and decorum, the threat of a fight to force reorganiza- tion of the Senate and some of its more important committees was in the background. For an_hour before the House went into session the progressive bloc held a_conferenc: “There will be no election of Speak- er today,” said Representative Nel- son of Wisconsin, chairman of group, after the meeting. He reiterated that the progressives controlled ~nough votes to prevent the re- clection of Speaker Gillett, but de- clined to say how long the insurgents expected to hold out. “Our_real fight” he said, “will “kContinued on FPaga 15, Column 21 . | palrs to ex | tion, cluded in the regular budget sub- mitted by the President, some have been reduced in amount and others are omitted entirely. Half for Water System. The largest item In Gen. Beach's list is $2,500,000 for continuing work on the project for Increasing the water supply of the District, nearly half of which amount is required for the con- struction of the substructure of the new filtration plant and pumping sta- tion to be located at the District line just south of the dalecarlia or re- | ceiving reservoir. Due to the advance of prices of construction material, Gen. Beach estimates that the entire construction of the new water sys- tem will cost $8,169.000, an increase of $441,000 over the original estimate. That total comprises $5,92i new work within the Distri lumbia, $2,942,000 for new work out- t and $302,000 for re- 1¢ work. A speclal re- port on the subject will b» submitted to Congress In a few days to show that the work of construction will be delayed considerably unless the ap- propriations asked for are made at this session. The sum of $180,000 is asked for the maintenance and opera- tion of the Washington aqueduct to meet current demands. Work on River, Reviewing the operations for the improvement of the Potomac river at this city, the report says that the total expenditures on the existing project to date have been $3,283,256, of which $2,455,831 covered new work and maintenance prior to March, 1899, and the balance‘for maintenance since that time. As a result of the opera- tlons Gen. Beach says that deep-draft vessels can now enter the harbors of ‘Washington and Georgetown, freight |rates have been reduced and com- | merce facilitated. He says that as a rule the wharves In the Washington channel “are in a very poor condi- except those operated by the municipal and federal governments.” | He adds that the terminal and trans- fer facilities at ‘this city are inade- quate and should be improved. Cur- rent_operations consist of dredging the Virginia channel and bullding a levee around Columbia Island (re- claimed area of 172 acres). The chlef of engineers says that $7.200 can be profitably expended on the work dur- ing the next fiscal vear, in_addition to an_available balance of $70,443 from the last previous allotment. Other items in the report are $75,- 000 for Rock Creek Park, $75,000 for Meridian Hill Park, $65,000 for East Potomac Park, inciuding the —widen- ing of roadways; 330,000 for West Potomac Park, $30,000 for a heating plant in the propagating garden, $10,- 000 for Rock Creek-Potomac Park- way, $15,500 for fire protection and purification of water at tidal basin bathing beach, $125,000 for general park maintenance, $10,000 for reflect- ing pool, Lincoln Memorlal; $29,000 for Washington Monument 'grounds, including new drainsge system; $20,- 000 for widening inlet bridge, West Potomac Park; $15,000 for improving grounds at birthplace of Washington, Wakefleld, Va.; $100,000 for roa and sea wall, Lincoln Memorial; $50, 000 for sea wall from foot of New Hampshire avenue to G street, $16,- 000 for park playgrounds and $2,000 for painting house where President Lincoln died. AUTOIST GETS 6 MONTHS FOR INJURY TO WOMAN Cleveland Man Who Dragged Pedestrian Five Blocks Also Fined $200. By the Associated Press, CLEVELAND, Ohio, December 2.— Fred M. Weston, real estate operator, charged with assault to kill in strik- ing and dragging Miss Eleanor Carl- son for five blocks on the bumper of his automobile on November 7, plead- ed gullt to & charge of assault and battery in eriminal court today and was fined $200 and costs and sen- tenced to six months in the work- house, the maximum penalty under the charge. “The maximum penaity is fnade- quate in a case of this sort,” said Judge Cull In passing sentence. “Un- doubtedly you have suffered already from the notorlety and the knowledge that you were intoxicated at the time of the accident.” ‘Weston, who fled after the accident, was captured ten days later in Man- chester, N. H. Miss Carlson has filed suit for $50,000 damages against Wi aom, t IS e, Coolidge Warned| ch WASHINGTON, | general |.C. C. ORDERS CUT IN EXPRESS RATES Zone System Changed to Wipe Out Discrepancies, Effective February 21. New bases for the application of interstate express rates were lald down today by the Interstate Com- merce Commission in a decislon which refused the American Railway Express Company the right to make increases which it asked. Express companies were ordered to establish new schedules on or before February 21 nex incorporating the changes. Present interstate express rates ap- plied to food articles of nearly all Ikinds, the commission held, are too high and should be reduced by amounts ranging from 10 to 11 per cent. The companies wers required to make the reductions by Installing charges which will equal those in effect on October 12, 1920, when in- creases to the present level were made. Raten for Three Zenmes. The commission pointed out that rates are now built up on the basis of five zones. There are differences in the factors of rates between each zone, and the commission decided that these result in too great a dis- crepancy. Accordingly, a three-zone system was ordered into effect, one zone to take in generally the ngrth- eastern section of the United States, | the second the southeast and the third | to include all of the territory west of the Mississippl river. In the rates reconstructions to be made on the basis of the zones, the commission held that the express carriers might include a haulage fac- tor charge of 26 cents per 100 pounds for the first fifty miles in_the north- eastern section; a factor of 27.5 cents for the first fifty miles in the south- eastern or second zone, and thirty cents for the same distance in the third zone. Special Rate Changes. In dealing with two minor points raised during the general rate study, the commission ruled that hereafter rates on fiber or reed furniture should be reduced to an equality with like rates on wooden furniture. Racing or homing pigeons, it was also said, should hereafter be hauled at the second-class rate over distances not exceeding 400 miles, instead of the first-class rates now charged. The question of express rates was brought under investigation by th commission in 1922 following a re. duction in general rallroad freigh rates. The opinion was expressed that with a good volume of business the American_Railway Express Company could make proper earnings and at the same time give the rail lines which handle its traffic a, fair return. GASOLINE TAX GIVEN BUDGET BUREAU 0. K. Commissioners Now Free to Bring Question Before Congress. . Maryland Seeks Data. The bureau of the budget today gave its approval to the gasoline tax bill designed to bring about auto- mobile reciprocity between Maryland and the District of Columbia. Maj. Donovan, local budget officer, obtained the bud ment this morning, which clears the way for the Commissioners to trans- mit the measure immediately to the Senate and House District committees of Congress. It was necessary to submit the bill to Gen. Lord because of the Executive order requiring that all legislation involving finances must go through the budget bureau. E. C. Baughman, motor vehicle commissioner of Maryland, will come to Washington tomorrow to inter- view leaders in Congress to find out what the chances are for obtalning prompt action on the measure. Mr. Baughman is getting this in- formation for Gov. Ritchie, who has stated that he will agree to temporary {‘OCLPM.&Z for January and Fel rll:m gt- speedy action on the gas tax ¢ Fheni WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION ny Star. D. C, MONDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1923 —_THIRTY-SIX PAGES. $100,000 PARK IS GIFT TO D. C. IN NORTHWEST CLARENCE RICH WILSON, POSSE SEEKS TWO IN GIRL KIDNAPING Thirteen-Year-0ld, Enticed Into Auto, Missing Since Start for Sunday School. _ Special Dispatel to The Star. Md.. December 3. —Headed by Deputy Sheriff Samuel Kaylor, a posse is scouring the moun- tains about Highfield. Md., today for the kidnapers of Beulah Souders, thirteen vears old. David Sduders, father of the girl, reported that she was enticed into an automobile by two men who had call- ed at his home and asked to buy po- tatoes. After he had told them he had no potatoes for sale, they tarried for dinner and the girl was overtaken while on her way to Sunday School with three smalier brothers. The smaller children sald they were re- fused a ride when the girl was taken into the car. Nothing has been heard from Beulah since Sunday and her mother is se- riously ill over her disappearance. The father told the police he believed he had seen the men previously at Highfleld. His home is near Mount Lena. PEYSER APPOINTED T0 SCHOOL BOARD Capt. Julius I. Peyser, a member of the District of Columbia bar, was ap- pointed by the judges of the District' of Columbia Supreme Court shis afternoon to succeed Daniel J. Callahan as a member of the board of education. e FIRE LAID TO JOYRIDERS. Special Dispatch to The Star. HAGERSTOWN, Md,, December 3.— The home and all other buildings on the farm of Allen Taylor, near here, were <destroyed by fire early this morning. Joyriders are blamed. An automobile stopped near the barn about 1 am. and the fire followed shortly after the auto left. Thirty- five head of live stock burned. The loss is estimated at $20.000. OVER THE TOP Yesterday’s Circulation of The Sunday- Star, 100, t bureau's indorse- | Y 7 ) RN CLARENGE WILSON DROPS DEAD HERE Was One of Most Prominent of D. C. Lawyers—Food Administrator in War. Clarence Rich Wilson, forty-nine years old, formerly United States at- torney for the District of Columbia, District food administrator during the war, and one of Washington's most prominent attorneys, dropped dead today on Jackson place, in front of the White House, while on his way from his office to the Court of Claims. Mr. Wilson left his office shortly after 10 o'clock and walked through Lafayette Park on his way to the @ourt. Reaching Jackson piace, he started across the sidewalk and be- fore reaching the curb sank slowly to the pavement. He was picked up by passersby, placed in an automoblle and rushed to Emergency Hospital, where physi- cians said life was extinet. Born In District. r. Wilson was born in this city, March 11, 1874, the son of Nathaniel and Annie (Hutton) Wilson. He was educated at Emerson Institute. He graduated from Harvard University, Columbia University Law School and Georgetown University Law School. He was United States district at- torney here from 1910 to 1914, and federal food administrator for the District of Columbia during 1817 and 1818, Funeral services for the late former district attorney had not been ar- ranged early this afternoon. At her home, 1707 Rhode Island avenue northwest, Mrs. trated by news of her husband | den death. Miss Eleanor Wlison, daughter of Mr. Wilson, a debutante of the season, was to have been pre- ser .d to soclety Friday night at & diuner in her honor. Father Died Last Year. His father, Nathaniel Wilson, dled a year ago last month. Mr. Wilson was vice president of the Chevy Chase Club, a member of the board of governors of the Metro- politan Club_and a member of the ‘Alibi Club. He was also a member of the Board of Trade. He had been prominent for many years in the af- fairs of the Chevy Chase Club and was an enthusiastic goifer.~ He was associated in business with Reginald S. Huidekoper and Paul E. Lesh, with the firm name of Huide- koper, Wilson & Lesch, with offices in the Wilkins building. In addition to his wife and daugh- ter, he is_survived by a brother, Theodore Wilson, of Rosland, Va.i three sisters, Mrs. Eleanor S. Knagen- hiein, Miss Alice L. Wilson and Mra. Ernest Howe. . CRAIG MAY BE FREED. Daugherty Expected, However, to Recommend Rebuke. Attorney General Daugherty's opin- jon on the application for clemency for Conrtoller Craig of New York city, sentenced to Jail for contempt of court, probably will go to the White House late today. Although officlals of the department decline to discuss the subject, it is expected in some well informed quar- ters that Mr. Daugherty will recom- mend commutation of Mr. Craig’s sen- tence, but at the same time will .“f' gest that the President express in vigorous terms his disapproval of the controller's attitude toward the fed- eral courts. 133 For the first time in its history The Sunday Star passed the 100,000-circulation mark for a regular issue. During the past.year The Sunday Star has gained 5,350 in circulation, of which 4,505 are regular subscribers within the city. According to the publishers’ statements to the audit bureau of circulations for the six months ended September 30, 1923, The Sunday Star’s circulation in the city and suburbs of Wgah- ington was 51 per cent greater than that of any other Washing- ton Sunday newspaper. According to the same statements, the circulation of The Sunday Star, delivered by regular carriers to the homes within the city, was more than double that of any other Washington Sunday newspaper, Nearly every merchant in Washington who advertises uses The Sunday Star, because nearly everybody in Washington reads . The Sunday Star, e L s et Ak il {in in the Tract of 77V, Acres, Charles C. Glover’s Donation. CALLED IDEAL SITE. Land Is on Both Sides of Foundry Branch. Well Wooded. An unexpected addition was made to the park system of the National Capital today, when Charles C. Glover | donated to the city 773 acres of land | lon both sides of Foundry bran northwest, between Massachusetts avenue and Reservoir street. Announcement of the gift, which is sald to be the largest land grant ever given to the municlpality, was made this morning by Engineer Com- missioner Bell Although Maj. Bell's statement does not place a monetary value on the property, it is unofficially estimated to be worth about $100,000. Has Magnificent Trees. Foundry branch, which passes down the valley in the center of tha tract, starts at Tenleytown and enters Carrier Pigeons Used to Smuggle Drugs Into U. S. By the Associated Press. LOS ANGELES, Calif., December 3—Trained carrier pigeons are bringing narcotlcs across the bor- der from Mexico In such quanti- ties that the price of at least one drug in underworld markets has slumped perceptibly, according to federal agents here. Hundreds of these pigeons, each carrying a molsture-proof package of the drug fastened beneath the body or under the wing, are libe ated from the Mexican headquar- ters of a smukgling gang at speci- fied times, according to narcotic agents. A few hours later they are being “checked up" at their owners' homes on the American side of the line, it is said. The system was revealed, au- thorities announced, when one of the border-flying birds was wound- ed by a hunter and picked up by a narcotic agent who happened to be watching the air for a smug- gler’s plane. CRAY ARESTED ON § WARRANS Governor Released on $25,- 000 Bond After Appear- ing in Court. By the Associated Preas. INDIANAPOLIS. December Gov. Warren T. McCray today was served with warrants for his appear- jance to answer to the charges ccn- tained ‘in eight indictments roturned against him by the Marion county grand jury last Friday. Bond of 325,000 was provided by twelve local men. The indictments resulted from a grand jury investigation of the gov- ernor’s financial transactions follow- ing admission to his craditors last August that he was unabls to meet immediately his obligations to them. The bondsmen for the governor are Eben Wolcott, James W. Noel, George Barnard, Fred Robinson, A. M. Gloss- brenner, Bernard Griffey, L. G. Roth- schild, R. L. Moorhead, George Mont- gomery, A. P. Conklin, Henry F. Campbell, and Arthur R. Robinson. The criminal charges against the governor made in the indictments are embezzlement, larceny, forgery, obtalning money by & false statement and issuance of fraudulent checks. Harry C. Sheridan, master in chan- cery of the federal court, today re- sumed the hearing on a petition of three Fort Wayne, Ind., banks to have the governor declared bankrupt. It was indicated that attorneys for the petitioners would attempt to show that the executive has placed inflated values on his assets and es- peclally his farm holding. —_— STRIKES BIG GAS FLOW. 4,000,000 Feet a Day Well Brought In by W. Va. Company. MORGANTOWN, W. Va., December 3. —A gas well, flowing more than 4,000,000 feet a day, has been brought “one-hundred-foot fleld,” near Mount Morris, Pa., by the Shan- non Creek Ofl Company, it was an- nounced today. The gas was found h Saturday’s Sunday’s Circulation, as fast as the papers are printed. Net Circulation, 92,126 100,133 * CHARLES C. GLOVER. the Potomac river near the Three Slsters. The park area is 6,000 feet, or more than a mile, long, and is 1,200 feet across at the widest point, ‘This park area,” reads the state- sued at the District bullding, In_great part by some of 5) | FRENCH SEEK WAY 10 OBTAIN. 5. AID INECONOMIC PROBE Formula Wanted to Win| Hughes Support Without Embarrassing Poincare. IMMEDIATE SUCCESS CONSIDERED UNLIKELY |Franco-Belgian ~ Circles Believe Several Exchanges Needed—Unof- ficial Observers Would Suffice. By the Associated Press. PARIS, December 3.—Premier Poin- care, Louis Barthou, head of the reparation commission, and M. Dela- croix, the principal Belgian member of that body, were In conference to- day endeavoring to prepare a satis- factory “formula” for the examina- tion of the German situation. The ef- fort is to find a wording which would ayold infringing the French premier's declaration that France could not en- gage In an inquiry in which Ger- many's llabllities as previously fixed at 130,000,000,000 gold marks could be questioned, and vet would satisfy Secretary of State Hughes that the proposed investigation by experts would have ample range. The desire of the French and Bel- glan governments, it is explained, is to place the negotiations with Wash- ington as nearly as possible in the position they were in before the dec- lination of the American govern- ment a fortnight ago to accept the French limitation upon the inquiry. It is hoped that by carefully omitting “capacity to pay,” or similar phrases, Premier Poincare will not be put in the position of appearing to abandon his declaration and Hughes still will be given adequate assurance that the projected probing into German finances will indirectly bring out fully all the facts pertinent to Germany's paying capacity. Allies in Accord. The British and Italian govern- ments are still strongly desirous of reaching this result. It is not expected in Franco-Bel- glan quarters that the formula can be immediately devised, the idea be- ing that several exchanges of tele- grams with Washington will proba- bly be required before it is de- termined whether an agreement can be reached. If this question s de- cided in the negative, then unofficial American representation on the com- mittees will be sought. The State Department, it is well understood here, could not consider jas officfal the invitation from the ireparation commisslon extended last week, which is explained as designed to sound out Washington as to the (Continued on Page 2, Column 7.) 7) COOLIDGE DISCUSSES SHOALS WITH FORD Manufacturer Declares Offer for, Plant Still Stands—Non- i in the Big Injun Sand, ninety-seven | feet from the surface. Dr. O. C. White, state geologist, who investigated the fleld recently, sald that he belleved it was the only one of its kind in the country. More | than a score of “shallow™ wells have | been brought in at an average depth of 100 feet. Some of the wells have been producing for about fifteen years. e DOLLAR IS STANDARD. Figured as Basis for Ship Passage Rates. PARIS, December $.—The American dollar has been established as the exclusive standard for fixing steam- ship rates from French ports to the United States by all the transatlantic lines in Paris, including the govern- ment subsidized French line, the . C ie Generale Transatlantique, ‘whi refuses to quote passenger tariffs in francs, even to ach na- tionals. The Bri companies with officers here are also quoting rates in dollars, to the exclusion of sterling. The arrangement came into effect I Satyrday, H Committal on 1924. Henry Ford, who came to Wash- ington tdday to appear before the In- terstate Commerce Commission at hearing affecting his railroad prop- erties, had a brlef conference with President Coolidge, discussing, it is undertsood, the status and disposition of the administration toward his offer for Muscle Shoals. Mr. Ford, after ,seeing the Presi- dent, reiterated that his offer for Muscle Shoals, now pending before Congress, stood. Beyond saying that the question was discussed with the President during the twenty-minute conference, however, he would not disclose what details were considered. He was accompanied by E. G. Liebol: his secretary; W. B. Mayo, his e; gineer, and C. B. Longley, one of his | TWO CENTS. VITAL WORK URGED BY COMMISSIONERS IN ANNUAL REPORT More Parks, Branch Libra- ries, Cleaner River Front, Better Lights Asked. NEW FIRE APPARATUS HELD IMMEDIATE NEED More Room at District Building. Greater Police Facilities Proposed. Many recommendations for the de velopment of the National Capital and for the improvement of various departments of the District govern- ment were put before Congress today in the annual report of the Commis- sfoners. In most cases the laws and phy sical betterments suggested repre- sent the views of the heads of de- partments and were incorporated in the report without comment by the Commissioners. Here are some of the outstanding proposals gathered from the several sections of the report: Immediate appropriation of funds to begin reconstruction of the Wash ington channel river front. Would Buy Park Land. Acquisition of park sites, particu- larly the Piney Branch parkway. the Kiingle Road valley and the Pat- terson tract. ‘ontinuation of the work of laying permament paving on the main high- ways leading to the District line. A suggestion that pol magis- trates Le appointed to try cases in the station houses every morning and that the Dis- evening A recommendati trict code be revised to place more vestrictions on the rale of firearms and other deadly weapons. A law 1o enable the poiice to hold for a reasonable time fugitives cap- tured on information that they are wanted in other jurisdictions. A law to provide for the licensing of guldes who show visitors through the city. More street lamps In alleys and ces to ald the police In rime. Appropriations for the purchase of new motor apparatus for the fire de partment to replace a number of old tractor engines that are‘in such ¢ dition that Fire Chief Watson has been forced to limit them to twelve miles an hour in responding to alarms. Urges Parole System. The board of charities urges statute to provide for an indeterm nate sentence and parole svstem for the penal institutions. The board has prepared a bill to carry out this rec- ommendation. 3 Crowded conditions at the Dis- trict jall are called to the attention of Congress by the board of charities with a suggestion that the institution be enlarged or arrangements made for the speedier disposition of cases. The board again recommends that the Commissioners ge given authority to admit pay patients to the Tuber- culosis Hospital and to the psycho- pathic wards of Gallinger Hospital. The Commissioners again remind Congress that the District bullding is crowded, and that additional floor space should be acquired. They do not indicate whether they believe the present building should be added to, or a separate structure erected. Work of Public Library. During the past fiscal year 1,044,- 213 books were taken into the homes of the city from the free Public L brary, according to the annual re- port of the trustees transmitted to Congress as part of the Commis- sioners’ report. The trustees tell Congress that since the southeastern branch of the lbrary was opened a vear ago it has more than justified its existence. a that Secretary | They volce the hope that it will not before there are a series of branch bufldings making library service avallable for every Wash- ingtonian That section of the report dealing with the operation of the Public Library reads, in part, as follows: “The contribution of the free Pub- lic Library during the past vear to the civic welfare of Washington s recorded in the report of the board of library trustees (with which s in- cluded the report of the librarfun to the trustees). The report states that 21,223 vol- umes were added, making the book collection number nearly 250,000 vol- umes. The books added have been carefully selected, the purchases in- cluding only thoso of most value to the library's users. The registered users of the library number more than 60,000, to whom 1,044,213 volumex were lent for home and office use. In addition to the books circulated. more than 89,000 mounted pictures were lent to assist teachers in school work, women’s study clubs, or busi- ness and newspaper men in some pha: of the day’s work. Material to ar swer more than 8,600 questions was put at the disposal of Inquirers at the reference desks. The industrial di- vision, where books, magazines and pamphlets bearing on industrial, tech nical and business subjects are col- lected, had increased use by students and business men and government de- partments. To serve the children of Washington the library operates three children's rooms and lends collections of books to any teacher of the graded schools who may request them Through these means over half a mil- lion volumes were lent to children for home use. The trustees report that the new southeastern branch library, opened in December has loaned more than 86,000 volumes to readers in the southeast- ern section. They believe it may look forward to an annual circulation of 150,000 to 250,000, “A consistent development of the branch-library system is highly m- portant, especlally by appropriations for sultable sites, to that the com- munity may not 10se by delay the ad- ditfonal needed branch buildings which the trustees have reasom to hope the Carnegle Corporation will supply if applications are promptly made and the reasonable, conditions of the glfts fulfilled. Another unit In the branch system is promised In the setting aside in the plans of the new Tenley School bull ing of a room for public library use. In spite of ‘a temporary set- back through not securing any appro- priations for equipping and operating the branch libraries in_the Eastern be long attorneys. On leaving the White House Mr. Ford was asked If he cared to make @ statement as to his attitude regarding movements looking toward his nomi- nation as a presidential candidate. His only comment waa: “Hump! That would -be funny, woudn’t it?” Mr. Ford and his party also called on- Secretary of War Weeks, r 4 High School and the Langley and Macfarland Junior High Schools, the prospect for establishing and operat- ing the series of branch libraries in the public schools seems good. The plan is so reasonable and economical that there should be no delay in carrying it out. The trustees emphasize the fact (Continucd on Page 5, Column 2.3 4