Evening Star Newspaper, January 16, 1924, Page 1

WEATHER. Rain this afterncon and tonight, posaibly changing to snow tomorrow morning; temperature above freezing tonight; much colder tomorrow. Tem- perature for twenty-four hours ended at 2 p.m. today: Highest, 61, at noon today: lowest, 35, at 2 a.m. tod Furl report on’ page 5. “From Press to Home i Within the Hour” The Star’s carrier system covers every city block and the regular edi- tion is delivered to Washington homes I as fast as the papers are printed. WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION Yesterday’s Circulation, 99,890 Foening Star. @b Closing N. Y. Stocks and Bonds, Page 28 No. 29,114. Entered as second-class matter post office Washington, D. C. NEW YORK CHOICE BY DEMOCRATS IS BLOW T MADOO Enhances Chances of His Foes to Nominate Compro- mise Candidate. EARLY DEADLOCK IS HOPE OF UNDERWOOD FRIENDS Former Secretary of Treasury’s Defeat Seen in Two-Thirds Nominating Rule. BY N. 0. MESSENGER. The principal consideration in the relection of New York city for the democratic national conveption was & question of finances, but politicians expect it to play a part in influencing the choice of a présidential candidate. The argument they advance in sup- Pport of this suggestion is that the atmosphere surrounding the conven- tion wiil be so friendly to Gov. Al- fred E. Smith, who is certain to figure largely in the proceedings, s to prob- ably enhance the strength of the bloes which are Intent upon prevent- | ing nomination of Mr. McAdoo, leav- ing the ficld open to a compromise candidat. although no one expects mith s been, and is, regard- Adoo’s frlends as “the The large finan- are suid to be opposed Adoo on account of his al- leged radical tendencies. Mr. McAdoo &t present sids admittedly the most valuable political assets of any of the actual and potential candidates for the presidential nomination: that is to say, to have the prospective sup- port of more delegates than the othe; ut even his most optimistic friends cannot figure the necessary two-thirds. The one chance of his cpponents lies in blocking his ef- fort to get the two-thirds, throw the convention into a deadlock and hold it until It Is shown that .\i!‘,‘ McAdoo - cannot win, and then all hands scramble for the nomination on a compromise, New Y ed by Mr. M enemy's o cial intere: to Mr. M Is Hope of McAdoo Foes. This is what Mr. Underwood’s friends hope to accomplish for him.| It is what Thomas Taggart of In- diana, Charles F. Murphy of New York and George E. Brennan of Ili- | inois hope to effsct—not necessarily | in favor of Senator Underwood, but ! to set the deadlock and then cast| bout for the most available nomi- e. It might be Senator Ralston, it ght be Senater Underwood, some western “dark hors they do not want McAdoo and the only way to beat him is through a deadlock. It the question-is asked how New York came to be chosen in view of the claim that Mr, McAdoo has the support of a majority of the na- tional committee which made the se- lection, it is answered that some of his friends, notably Homer S. Cum- | mine, voted for New York fn the| belfef that the financial consideration mount to all others. Mr. contended that “the loca- | tion of the convention s immaterial it is the possession of the delegates | that ccounts, and we have them.” $205,000 Looked Good. That $205,000 loked too good to the committee to “pass up.” To be sure, San Francisco was ready to meet it, but there came in the question of railroad expenses for the delegates. It was a costly railroad bill they had to rears ago, when the con- nt to San Francisco and ‘t forgotten {t. as significant, too, vs," who all along have Dbeen cpposing the selection of New York that the atmosphere of that city would be too “wet” and tend to encourage the advocates of | & wine and beer plank In the plat- form, were not able to keep the con- | ventfon away. It is nsafe to predict that such a plank can be put in the platform, but there can be no question that the movement to that end will be given an fmpetus, especially in the enthusi- asm likely to be shown for Gov. Smith iIn his own home town. WILSON GREETS LEADERS. that the The democratic party today squared away for the 1924 campalgn. Its na- tiona! committee, having selected New York for the party convention June 24, concluded lesser detalls of its work and adjourned. No change alternates, vided places for woman delegates at large, four from each state, with half & vote aplece. 'here was no attempt to change the two-thirds rule gov- erning party nominations. Its work completed, the committee was given an informal reception by former President Wilson. In a pour- ing rain the members went to the Wilson residence, filed through the library and shook hands with thcir former party leader and Mrs. Wilson. Previously a resolution had been adopted extending greetings to Mr. ‘Wilson, assuring him of the party's interest in his record and policies and expressing hope.for his prompt physical recovery. The plan for additional woman delegates at large was presented by SenatoraGlass of Virginia, and after lively discussion the ~ committee adopted the broader resolution pro- viding for an explicit recommenda- tion for the four additional woman delegates. Another resolution, proposed by Samuel B. Amidon of Kansas and adopted, provided that national com- mittee members shall pay thelr own hotel convention bills, an innovation that is expected to save $25,000 or more to the national committee treas- ury, he committee’s felicitations to Mr. Wilson were expressed in this reso- 1ution: “Resolved, that the democratic na. tional committee hereby extends its cordial greetings to Woodrow Wilson and ‘assures him that the party is preparing to enter the approaching presidential campaign inspired by the incomparable achlevements of his great administration and confident of the compelling power of the high ideals which he brought to the serv- ice of his country. It wishes for him an early restoration to complete health. Visitors to the Wilson home were first received by Mrs. Wilson, stand- ing at the head of the stairs, and then passing through several rooms were greeted by Mr. Wilson in his library. The former President was seated in an easy chair by a fireplace and shook hands with each caller, ox- changing pleasantries with several pld friends, was made in the con- | vention roll of 1,094 delegates and | but the committee pro- | Zeppelin Tower, Indoor Golf, Polo Pool in City Club By the Ansoclated Press. DETROIT, January 16.—A 32- story town club house will be erected at Washington boulevard and Clifford street, a block from Grand Circus Park and “Theater Circle,” it was announced by the Aviation Town and Country Club at its anpual dinner and election last night. The estimated cost of the building, construction of which will begin socn, is $2,000,000. Outstanding features of the pro- posed structure, Fred W. Warner, president of the club announced, include a Zeppelin tower, a roof hangar, an indoor golf course on which "seventy-five 'persons may play at once, a pool large enough for water polo and a complete children's club. Except for the ground floor which will be devoted to store space, the entire building will be occupled by the club, Six- teen floors will be glven over to rooms for members. DAWES DENOUNCES DISSENSION RUMOR | Committee of Experts Har- monious, He Declares. Hears Budget Facts. By the Associated Press. PARIS, January 16.—Baron Maurice Houtart of Belgium took the floor at today's session of the reparation committee of experts headed by Charles G. Dawes, and analyzed the German budget, of which he has made & most intensive study. He was asked from time to time searching questions by Sir Robert Kindersley of England, Dr. Albert Pirelll of Italy, M. Parmentier of France and by Chairman Dawes, and answered the interrogations inform- ingly from the stock of knowledge he has acquired. No Decislon Reached. No decision of any sort was taken by the committee and it was evident that many such days were before its members—days of exposition and in- quiry, which will not take definite shape In the way of resuits for a con- siderable perfod. Gen. Dawes, taking cognizance to- day of intimations in some of the French newspapers that dissensions had broken out among the experts, said it was not true that Sir Robert | Kindersley and other members had had differences about policy. No differences at all had arisen between the English and any of the other delegates. Explains Sehacht's Call. Gen. Dawes sald the invitation to Dr. Schacht was extended on the suggestion of Sir Joslah Stamp, Brit- ish delegate, and not upon his (Dawes) proposal, as reported in some of the papers. The committee has given up the idea, at first entertained, of appoint- ing subcommitters, because various | of the delegates wished to serve on both the committees suggested. ! Dr. Schacht, head of the German | reichsbank, has not yet replled to the invitation to come to Paris. He will not be asked for any plans of his own for re-establishing the Ger- man currency. The purpose of bring- ing_him before the committee, it Is explained, is only for the informa- tion of the committeemen. Money Facts Wanted. He will be questioned as to the exact present position of German money In all its aspects. This is part of the preparation of the members' minds for constructive work later. They have agreed in| conversations that their real effort must come when they undertake to reconstruct the German administra- tive mechanism. Thelr intention is to devise a plan | which, when applied. will restore German money appreciably, result in the payment of the government's ex- penses out of the revenue and create a_productive commercial organism which wili yleld a sufficient amount for the Oerman government's home requirements and leave a margin for the payment of reparations. The time and amount of the rep- aration payments, it I8 forecast, will bo wholly contingent upon the way the proposals work when they are applied. The prevalling idea is first to create what looks like a practical plan. Then the results will prove | later were returncd to him uncashad. | ASHINGTON, D. C, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16, 1924—FORTY PAGES. CHARGES FALLAID SOURCE OF FUNDS IN SENATE PROBE Senato; Walsh Accuses For- mer Cabinet Officer of Mis- leading Committee. CITES McLEAN VERSION OF $100,000 LOAN DEAL ‘Will Leave Matter of Reappearance to Correct Testimony to ‘Witness Former Secretary Albert B. Fall was charged today by Sepator Walsh, democrat, Montana, with having mis- led the Senate public lands committee when it was inquiring In the Teapot Dome investigation Into the source from which he obtained funds for the enlargement and restocking of his New Mexico ranch. The charge was made by the Mon- tana senator upon his return to Wash- ington from Florida, where he exam- ined Edward B. McLean, Washington newspaper publisher, with regard to the $100,000 loan which Mr. Fall said | he had obtalned from him for the ranch improvements. Senator Walsh indicated, however, that he would not insist upon the further appearance of the former In- terlor Secretary before the committee to_glve an additional explanation. He sald he was content to let Mr. Fall determine for himself whether he would voluntarily appear. Appearance Up to Fall. records of the committee show,” said Senator Walsh, “that Mr. Fall misled the committee when it was inquiring into the source from which he obtained funds for ranch improvements. As I see it, he must determine whether he desires to | again come before the committee and correct the testimony he gave.” In a statement presented to the com- | mittee on December 27 Mr. Fail said | he obtained $100,000 from Mr. McLean ! when he was contemplating a_pur- | chase of ranch property in New Mexi- | co. that he paid down $10,000 as a first’ payment and gave instructions that the balance be deposited in El Paso, Tex., subjeet to check i Mr. McLean testified at Palm Beach | that he had glven Mr. Fall the $100,000 in the form of several checks, which “The Senator Walsh asied that the com- mittee meet tomorrow to recelve his report of the investigation in Florida. FUQUA HOLDS LEAD INLOUISIAN Gets 48703 to Nearest Rival 37,172 in 624 Precincts for Governorship. By the Associated Press, NEW ORLEA La., January 16.— With nearly one-half the precincts | in the state counted, Henry L. Fuqua continued to lead for governor. 8ix hundred and twenty-four of 1,308 precincts give Foiua 48,703; Hewitt | Bouanchaud, 37,172, and Huey P. Long, 27,447, Democratic voters of Loulsiana braved rainstorms to go to the polls yesterday and cast their ballots in the primary to nominate candlidates for the legislature and state and parish offices. Fuqu‘n"(xormerly was general man- | ager o e state prison. He carrl, the clty of New Orleans. 2 0! Jouanchaud and Fuqua had anti-Klan planks in their p?nfprml. while Long was non-committal. In New Orleans no attempt was made last night to tabulate the vote | polled for candidates for other state offices, iInterest centering in the gubernatorial contest. 12,000 MINERS STRIKE. SYDNEY, Nova Scotia, January 16. —The 12,000 workers in Distr: of the United Mine Workers ot ffn i ica walked out today. Nine thousand of them quit because of the failure of wage negotiations last midnight, fol- whether the plan i a good one to leave intact or if it must be modified (Continued on Page 2, Column 6.) Severely Injured in By Cable to The Btar and the Chicago Dail News. Copyright, 1024 10 o TOKIO, Janyary 16.—Several Amer- fcans escaped death or serious injury by leaping to safety when Tokio and the surrounding districts were hit by another severe earthquake yesterday morning. : Frederic Le Clerc of Washington, cond secretary of the American em- bassy, sustained severg lacerations of the body when he leaped from a win- dow of the Imperial Hotel. John Harrison Gray of Syracuse, third . American secretary, jumped from a window of his home when the walls crashed In. He grasped a tele- phone pole and escaped uninjured. Jefferson - Caffrey of Lousian: American charge d'affalres during the absence of Ambassador Wood and R. H. Norweb of Cleveland, American first secretary, miracously escaped injury by leaping to safety. ‘he writer, sleeping on the second story of a Japanese home, underwent experiences similar to those of Sep- tember 1. The dwelling swayed erilously_snd ho leaped from the Paicony - with Frederic Taylor ' of Sacramento, Calif. Linton Wells, Los Angeles, newspaperman, sustained a fractured ankle and serious bruises when he fell from the stairs of his home which was badly damaged. The latest reports place the num- ber of dead.in Tokio at eight, AMERICANS LEAP FROM WINDOWS TO ESCAPE DEATH IN TOKIO Second Earthquake Catches Legation Secretaries Unawares—Frederic Le Clerc of Washington lowed by the British Empire Steei Cor- poration’s 20 per cent cut in the scale, and the other 3,000 struck in sym- pathy. Jump From Hotel. o Twelve are known to have lost their lives at Yokohama and two at Hommoku. Others killed in outlyin districts bring the total death toll| to fitty. Five tralns were derailed wl;_: mflfiykcuullll;l; e akone region was badl: shaken. The quake lasted tweive minutes, according to meteorological experts. DEATH TOLL NOW THIRTY. Reports From Country Districts Swell Casualties. By the Associated Press, TOKIO, January 16.—Reports re- ceived here from the country dis- tricts to the southwest of Yokohama, near Fufiyama mountain, have brought the known death toll in yesterday's earthquake to approximately thirty. Hundreds of houses, chiefly those already damaged by the disastrous temblors of last September, oF Struc- ures of a temporary nature 't erected as shelters after the c.l.tIL! trophe, were shaken down or dam- aged in Tuesday morning’s temblor. Normal rallway traffio and other communications- virtually have been restored. . L = Great anxlety is manifest in finan- clal circles over the probabje effect the new quake destruction may hav upon the exchange and loan situs- lon. i . % | the ! for DE \t‘,’//;%t\' 2 TAGONA AGROUND CALLING FOR HELP Navy Department Dispatches Richmond to Her Aid Off Vera Cruz. i | o Associated Press. i GALVESTON, January 16—The | United “States' cruiser Tacoma is| aground and in distress on the Ban-| quillas reefs, sixteen miles from Vera Cruz. and is sending out distress calls, according to advices received at the hydrographic office here today. Wircless messages intercepted by | the naval station here sent out by the Tacoma at 6:25 am. appealed to American consul at Vera Cruz two strong tugs, saying that un- less the tugs arrived within two hours It might be too late to pull the warship off the reef. Whether there will be any danger to the crew of the Tacoma was not apparent from the messages. The first message read: ‘Tacoma aground on Blanquilla reef, Vera Cruz, SOS need help. “Immediately. The second, addressed to the United Stateg consul at Vera Cruz, read: “If two Strong tugs or steamers come soon we may puil off the reef. If there is two hours' delay will be too late. 6:30 a.m. Blanquilla reef is sixteen miles off the entrance of Vera Cruz harbor. Every effort is being made by the hydro- graphic office here to get into communi- cation with the Tacoma. The Tacoma, a light cruicer of 3,200 tons, left Galveston Sunday for Vera Cruz. Since the outbreak of the Mex!- can revolt she has been patroiling the I coast and frequently came into alveston. She was commissioned in 1906, and was built at a cost of $1,- 470,000. RICHMOND TO RESCUE. ! The light cruiser Richmond, en route from New Orleans to Panama, has been instructed by radio to go to the assistance of the crulser Tacoma, aground on Blanquilla reef, off Vera Cruz. Another rescue vessel probably will be dispatched. Intercepted S. O. 8. calls from the Tacoma, forwarded to the Navy De. partment today, said the Tacoma struck the reef some time during the night and was in need of immediate help. ‘The Blanquilla reef is outside the Vera Cruz breakwater, directly op- posite the city. It is 'a small sub- merged reef and on It is situated a lighthouse. Near it are other reefs, also with lighthouses. Bearing In mind the warning re- cently given by the Navy hydro-| graphic office that vessels should not; enter Tampico harbor at night be- cause of the possible change in light | signals incident to the revolution Soms Navy officers today expresse the view that the kBIm:’q::_l\‘;.lh'r‘Y‘\; n darkene T e Ciahta wan altered in such m of 1 :y!\;:y Siat Ghe Tacoma was thrown urse. fn;:n :S.l;’l%o have been imposaible, s said, for the cruiser to ;:ev!: ?G'l.“{.. the reet if the light- nouse had been functioning. HURLEY NOMINATED TO FUND COMMISSION Former Shipping Board Chairman Named as Democratic Member by Coolidge. lidge today sent to e momination of Edward former chairman of the rd under President Wil- @emocratic member of funding Commis- President the Senate t! N. Hurley, Shlpp'lnzhgfli n, to The' American Debt- $800,500 ALLOTTED BOTANIC GARDEN Senate Passes Bill Authorizing New Conservatory and Other Needed Buildings. The Senate today passed a bill au- | thorizing the expenditure of $800,500 | for the construction of a new servatory and other necessary build- ings for the Botanic Gardefi The| bill was introduced by Senator Fer. nald, chairman of the public bufld-| ings and grounds committee and re- | ported favorably by that committee. | It now goes to the House for consid- eration and action. i con- It is not proposed to build the new | conservatory where the present rnn»i servatory is located. A companion bill. which it is expected will pass the Senate, authorizes the purchase of two squares of property to the southeast of the Capitol for the ex- tension of the Botanic Garden. It is on that property which the new conservatory would be erected. COMMITIEE FAVORS CHAIR EXECUTIONS Senate Body Approves Dial Measure to Abolish Gallows Here. The Dial bill substituting electro- cution for hahging in cases of capital punishment in the District of Columbia was reported favorably to the Senate by the Senate District committee- today. The District committee also re- ported favorably the Commissioners’ bill providing for the establishment of a tree nursery in a part of Anacostia Park. A number of bills providing for the opening, extension and change of names of strects were also reported favorably, as follows: Authorizing the District Commis- sioners to close the following streets rendered useless or unnecessary by reason of the opening, extension, wid- ening or straightening, in accordance with the highway plan of other streets, roads or highways: Broad Branch road between Jocelyh street and 31ist treet, Piney Branch road between Spring road and Blair road, Pierce Mill road between Tilden street and Wis- consin avenue, Belt road between Wis- consin avenue and Chevy Chase Circle, Colfax street, through square 712; Queen’s Chapel road between, Bladens- burg road and Irving street, Grant road between Wisconsin avenue and Connecticut avenue, and such other streets, roads or highways or parts thereof as may In the judgment of the Comissioners become useless or un- necessary. H Authorizing the opening of a minor | street from Georgla avenue to 9th Street northwest through squares 2875 ana 2877, Authorizing ‘the widening of Georgla avenue between Fairmont street and | Gresham place. Authorizing . thy, widening of 4th street south of Cedar street north- west. “Keokuk Changing the name of street” northwest, extending from Military road at 27th street to Wis. consin avenue, to “Military road.” All of the bills reported today go to the Senate calendar for action. The subcommiteee of the District committee on_public utilities will; hear Senator McKeller of Tennessee | sion. Mr. Hurley; confirmed hi‘:’l‘l;esloe plete the pel nisTbers ission, as prov o e med “act authorizing tnat body. e bership at present Ms‘t:eolm;:nfleunel Mellon, Hugh Hoover, Bemntor Reed, ion. " ail ro- 00 5 .;,llt'l'?un““-, and - former Representa- {|vel Charles A. Crisp of Georgia and Richard Olnev of VMIlllchulvet;ls, democrats, -Mr. Hurley would be the third democrat on the commission. SLEMP RETURNS TO DESK. Slemp, secretary to Presi- dacl;tBCo:l'l“d‘e, returned to his desk today after a three-week vacation in Florida. NOTED AUTHOR INJURED. Associated Press. B EORENCE, Ttaly, January 16— Glovanni Papini, the writer and phi- I er, author of “The Life of Christ,” recently published, met with a painful aceident here today, his heel being crughed as the result of a fall from- & mOVing street car, &t & meeting on Monday on his pro- posal to reduce street car fares in the District to 5 cents. FINNISH PREMIER RESIGNS Head of Latvian Cabinet Also Quits Post. STOCKHOLM, January 16.—Premier Kalolo of Finland has resigned owing to a disagreement with President Stahlberg over the dissolution of par- liament, it is reported here. It is ex- pected that elections will be held in a few weeks. RIGA, Latvia, January 16.-—Premier Melrovitz has tendered to the presi- dent the resignation of his cabinet. The resignation was due to the oppo- sition of the center groups in par- liament to the minister of finance, TO FORM POLISH BANK. WARSAW, Jlnu? 16.—Premier ‘Grabsky, who Iso minister of finance, has formed & committee to orgaaize a state bank of issye, l | announced today. i rallroads, WEALTH OF CITY HAS BIGINCREASE {Growth of 45.9 Per Cent Shown From 1912 to 1922, Individuals Gain Slightly. Principal forms of wealth in District of Columbia, as of Decem- ber 21, 1922, increased in valuation approximately $500,000,000, per cent over 1912, the census bureau The total as of the end of 1922 was placed at $1,697,270,- 000, as compared with $1,162,925,000 in 1912. Per capita values increased from $3,392 to $3,878, or 14.3 per cent. All classes of property in the Dis- trict increased in value from 1912 to 1922, except live stock, which de- creased from $1.795,000 to $542,000, or €9.8 per cent, and farm implements and machinery, which decreased from 384,000 to §66,000, or 21.4 per cent. Property Value Increase. Estimated value of taxed real prop- erty and improvements 000, or 60.7 per cent; exempt real property from $406,640,000 to $478,- 424,000, or 17.7 per cent; manufac- turing machinery, tools and imple- ments from $13.786,000 to $22,097,000, or 60.3 per cent, and railroads and their equipment from $17,315,000 to $21,231.000, or 22.6 per cent. Privately owned transportation and transmission enterprises, other than increased in value from $64,167,000 to $77.745,000, or 21.2 per cent, and stocks of goods, vehicles other than motor, furniture and Clothing from $163.754,000 to $280,- | 694.000, or 71.4 per cent. Comparison is impossible, the bureau said, for the value of motor vehicles, which was estimated in 1822 at $19.996,000, because no separate estimate was made in 1912, Due to Price Increase. “It should be borne in mind" the bureau sald, “that the increases in money value are to a large extent due to the rise in prices which has taken place in recent years, and So far as that is the case they do not represent corresponding increases in the quantity of wealth.” ues of gold and silver cantuma Sullion, vessels of the Navy and privately owned waterworks will appear only in totals for the United State: THE YEAR'S RECORD 1923 CIRCULATION 922 pt The Evening Star. . ......38325 The Sunday Star........89,776 The circulation of The Star is confined largely to Washing- ton, the residence of people of the highest average intelligence and importance in the United States. . According to the latest A. B. papers the circulation of The Star in Washington and suburbs is 56% greater daily and 52% great, ington newspaper, morning or ADVERTISING 1933 The Star, daily and Sunday . . . 23,846,758 2d paper, daily and Sunday. . .11,306,202 o Bsaay, 19aa) - 7,022,484 *3d paper (p *4th paper, daily 5th paper, daily ("aimas). ... 1,125,115 The Evening Star (not indudihg The Sunday Star) for the year 1923, after rejecting a great quantity of undesirable adver- tising, printed 17,781,906 lines of that printed in the four other Washington (daily only) newspapers combined. The Sunday Star printed an average of over forty columns the | or 459! increased | from $495,484,000 in 1912 to $796,476.- ( ® 300,000 Pictures Taken a Minute By 2-Ton Camera By the Assoclated Press. LONDON, January 15.—Photo- graphs at the rate of 300,000 a minute—thirty-one times as fast as those reeled off by the Slow- motion picture camera—are being made at Shoeburyness under Brit- tsh government ' auspices. The camera used in these lightning snepshots weighs two tons, and 18 belng used by ordnance experts to examine the behavior of shells and armor plate. It has also shown clearly what happens to a golf ball when struck by a clubhead. The ball is pressed flat on one side during the 1-1200th part of a second that the driver is in contact with lts hard surface. An exceedingly hard rubber ball, teed up and then shot at by a wooden plug projectile, acquired some curions shapes before re- turning quickly to the simple life of a sationary sphere. When the projectiie hit it the Dball was pressed into the shape of & half moon. Flying through the air, it expanded in the direction of flight until it looked like an egg. Strik- ing a steel plate, it expanded in the opposite direction until it had the appearance of a coln Btu S "Then it rebounded and be- came again a sphere. NEGLECT OF FALLS DECLARED “CRIE” [Senator Norris Sees Big Saving for D. C. in Pow- i er Project. Failure to utilize the water of the Potomao river passing over Great Falls was characterized as “a crime’ { by Senator George W. Norris of Ne- braska, addressing a public confer- I ence on super power today at the Hamiiton Hotel. “Within sight of the United States Capitol,” Senator Norris sald, “we have great power development pos- sibilities. It is a crime to see the potential water power going over Great Falls when men toll to pro- duce coal which manufactures the power used by the people of Wash- ington, at a cost higheg than the cost of producing electricity by water power. The consumer now foots a bill that would be considerably lessened by development of the Potomac river. Waste of Energy Deferred. Senator Norris declared the energy that now goes down to Potomac river is owned by the people and should be developed by the govern- ment for the use of the people. “Millions of horsepower.” he declared “goes to waste here, that ought to be used to pull every street car, light and heat every home and turn every wheel in Washington, at & minimum | The opening session of the confer- ence today was characterized by | lcrhlchrm of Secretary of the Interior | Work, for alleged violation of the alvil service laws by his dllcharge& jof Arthur Powell Davis as head of the reclamation service, and “a dem- | onstrable unfitness for the office ha | now holds.” M. F. Boyd, who sald| he represented the Coal Consumers’ | ! League of Washington, asked Senator | Norris as to his views on the dis- charge of Mr. Davis and also ques- tioned the sincerity of members of | Congress who have been approached | to make an Investigation of the ac- tlon of the Interior Departmen® Secre- tary. Wants An Investigation. | Senator Norris said he agreed that the oustig of Mr. Davis ought to be investigated, declaring that in his opin- | ion, a great wiong has been done and an efficlent government employe re- moved in violation of law. He said he felt much the same way at the time of the removal of the employes of the bu- reau of engraving and printing, and so declared on the floor of the Senate. Even if a_formal investigation of the removal of Mr. Davis is not pushed, Senator Norris added, the facts made \nown since his removal will be used | against the administration. Outlining the purposes of the con- ference. which will last through to- (Contilaued on Page 2, Column 8.) 1923 92,016 97,035 Increase 3,691 7,259 C. audit of all Washington news- er Sunday than any other Wash- evening. Lines 13 21,659,650 10,990,352 8,576,272 5,798,489 507,311 y.. 5,854,300 advertising, which was more than TWO CENTS. RECIPROCITY BILL 1S REPORTED WITH §1,000 EXEMPTION Measure Carrying 2-Cent Auto Gas Tax Limits Per- sonal Property Valuation. POLICE AND FIREMEN'S LEGISLATION DELAYED Control of Social Diseases Also Recommended to House by District Committee. _ The so-called reciprocity bill carry- ing a two-cent gasoline tax was ordered favorably reported to the House by a 7-t0-6 vote in the House District com- mittee today, after it had been amended allowing exemption from personal property tax on each auto- mobile up to a valuation of $1,000 on each car. The police and firemen's pay bi Which was ordered favorably reported to the full committee by a subcom- mittee yesterday, has been temporari- Iy held up to meet the wishes ot Representative Beers, republican, of Pennsylvania, a member of the sub- committee, who has discovered some Inaccuracies g 8 v Do wishes o' cofcent: sod n ik unable to attend the meeting today. The committee, however, was em- phatically on record as favo this legislation. IR Would Report More Rills, Emphasis was laid by several speakers on the necessity for report- ing out geveral important measures affecting the District in order that they may be on the District calendar on the first District day in the House, The committee favorably reported the health office bill, fathered by Rep- resentative Ralph Gilbert of Ken- tucky, democrat, for prevention and control of social diseases in the D trict, The committee also agreed to allow a hearing to patriotic and other or- ganizations behind the bill to make Lincoln's birthday a holiday in the District. Zihiman Offers Amendment, Representative Fred N. Zihlman of Maryland offered the amendment to the so-called reciprocity bill allow- ing exemptions from personal prop- erty valuation on motor vehicles up t0 $1,000 on each car. He pointed out that the Distyict an- nually collects about $475,000 in per- sonal property tax on automobiles. Under the amendment, he said, much of this would be wiped out, and in lleu thereof the: District treasury ‘would receive a two-cent tax on gaso- line consumed. Representative Zihlman, who has been fathering reciprocity between Maryland and the District, explained that there s no trouble in raising all necessary expenses of government in the District. “There is no need, there- fore, in the District for raleing more funds by any personal property tax,” he said.” He also declared that this is really no exemption from personal property tax, but substitutes a gaso- line pay-as-you-go tax. Wants Uniform Legislation. Representative Keller, republican, of Minnesota, asserted that under this bill automobile owners in the District would have to pay more than they do now. Representative Kunz, democrat, of Illinols, said that, in his opinfon, it is unfair to make people from all parts of the country who come to their National Capital pay & gasoline tax here. There are a great many of these people coming here, he said, who pay road taxes at home and who, therefore, would be doubly taxed. He spoke in favor of uniform legislation covering all the states. Repreaentative Thomas L. Blanton, democrat. of Texas, offered a substi- tute amendment which would reduce the personal property tax exemption on automobiles to $500 instead of $1,000. He argued that this would cover all the poorer people and own- ers of cheap cars. His amendment was defeated by an 8-to-4 vote. Adopted by 7-to-6 Vete. The Zihlman amendment then was adopted by a 7-to-6 vote, those favor of it being Zihiman, Maryland: Keller, Minnesota; Fitzgerald, Ohio; Gilbert, Kentucky; Gibson, Vermont; Rathbone, Illinols, and Kent, Penn- sylvania., Those voting against it were: Stalker, New York; Blanton, Texas; Hammer, North Carolina; Kunz, Illinois; Jost, Missouri, and Gasque, South Carolina. Representa- tive Blanton announced that he would file a minority report. Repre- sentative Gibson sald he was opposed |to_exemption of personal property fax on automobiles, but that he did not propose to prevent action on this legislation. He favored a graduated tax, based on the weight of auto- mobiles. Representative Hammer said that nd was opposed to exempting auto- mobiles when other means of con- veyance are not exempt. Hepresentative Roy G. Fltzgerald o Ohio, father of the workmen's com- pensation measure, which would make industrial insurance in the District compulsory, under the administration of an already existing agency, asked for the appointment of a subcommit- tee to conslder this legislation. Rep- resentative Blanton called the atten- tion of the committee to the desira- Dility of having some members of the subcommittee include men opposed to this legislation. The subcommittee appointed by Representative Zihl- man, acting chalrman, on account of (Continued on Page 2, Column 2.) ASK CONGRESS CURB DRY LAW ACTIVITIES Virginia Legislature Favors Leaving Domestic Problems to States. By the Associated Press. RICHMOND, Va, January 18.—A Resolution more advertising . each issue than its nearest competitor. *NOTE.—On November 19, :11.‘? edition o 1w preseat same, \ssued o CY - 2ot -to 1922, the Washl; Washi Times and from that date until April 22, 1923, the Bund Depers was lmued o the Sunday TimesHeral pers above records in 1023, Herald was_absorbed by the edition of it was not the advertiaing. U was credited to the Washingtoo Herald, ton after whi resolution memoralizing Congress to confine federal enforcement of pro- bition -laws to national. activities, B %8 Importation of liquor, and Jeave Gomestic problems to the police power of the states, was introduced in the Virginia senate today by,Sen- ator Barron, Norfolk city. The resolution was referred for committee action.