Evening Star Newspaper, January 31, 1924, Page 1

WEATHER. Mostly cloudy tonight and tomorrow; no change in temperature somewhat above freezing tonight. perature for 24 hours ended at 2 toda terd Highest, 59, al lowest, 33, at Closing N. Y. Stocks and Bonds, Page 28_ No. 29,129, post temperature Tem+ Entered as second-class matter office Washington, D. C. h ¢ WASHINGTON Fi 1 1 BREWER IGNORES WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION g Sk e B B8 < e e e e D. (., THURSDAY, JANUARY 31, 1924 - FIFTY-TWO. PAGES. FLASKS AND FIST FIGHTS | L4 Star. every city bl Yesterday’s * “From Press to Home Within the Hour” The Star’s carrier system covers ock and the regular edi- tion is delivered to Washington homes as fast as the papers are printed. Circulation, 100,435 TWO CENTS. | W—EU.UN HOLDS BUI—HU%V%D JAPANESE DIET SESSION INT923 INGOME TAX - ISPRAGTIGAL PLAN Some Officials Guess De- crease This Year Will Be $200,000,000. . GREEN SAYS DEMOCRATS ARE “PLAYING POLITICS” |SENATEUNANIMOUS INVOTE DEMANDING COURT ACTION FOR LEASE ANNULMENT Walsh Resolution, Appro- priating $100,000 for Legal Steps, Passes. President Calls Both Par- ties’ Leaders. Stormy Scenes Follow Effort to Question Govern- ment on Wreck of Opposition Leaders’ Train at Nagoya. | DISMISSALS OF 8 - INBUREAU REPORT Charges Duplication of Se- curities in Final Document to Treasury. ALL HIS ALLEGATIONS ARE TO BE CHECKED UP By the Axociated Press. TOKIO, January 31L—The imperial diet was dissolved today following scenes of the greatest disorder, in| which water flasks were thrown and fists used. The disturbarce resulted from attempts of the opposition to interpellate the government regard- ing the attempted wrecking of a, train at Nagoya carrying oppositig leaders to Toklo. P The turbulent scenes whicl, becur- red in the lower house magé further | business impossible. ” | 7The outburst camgshortly after| the representatives<had taken their | { seats upon the rgsumption of the diet ion. to reply to the interpellations. 1In the confusion an agitater, not 4 mem- ber of the dlet, rushed to the plat- form and thrust Komatsu aside. A rtiot_followed. The legls used watér containers as millile several engaged in fistic combat. Hostilities ~ continued until the speaker of the houte hastily declared | ' temporary adjournment, which was | followed by dissolution of the diet. Police Strenxthened. Siy rallies were held In Tokio by | the opposition this afternoon. The police, strengthened by the addition of an extra force, were maintaining a close watch over proceedings. : Viscount Takahushi, X, lowiu, | Integrity of Government Bonds :\anvjc'r of the former nationalist, Not Affected by Findings, ‘hm and Y. Ozakl, former minister | 5. Officials Say. Garner Denies Rejecting Compro- mise, as Republicans Failed to Submit One. of justice, were the leaders on the! train. They were en route from an opposition party rally at Osaka to Tokio for resumption of the sessions of the diet. They escaped uninjured although the locomotive of their train was_damaged by logs and ston piled on the track. The incldent was one of a series| Prender In Questioned. Interpeilationg tlie government in connection with the train wreck, in which three proinent opposition leaders cscaped injury, although the locomotive of their train was dam- uged, the foes of Premier Kiyoura FIGHT TO FORCE DENBY QUIT GAINS MOMENTUM Secretary Mellon regards a al and feasible the plan of repub- ican members of the House ways @nd means committee to make the wroposed income tax reductions cf- prac- Charging duplication of securities at the bureaw of engraving and | printing, but not mentioning the udden dismissal of former Director Robinson Presses Action on Reso- Wilmeth and twenty-eight chlefs of INcomE Tax REDUCTION and his newly installed cabinet de- manded that the premier reply per- gonally. Kiyoura. however, refused to rise. Great disorder immedlately ensued. amid which Kenjiro Komatsu, min- ister of communications and a mem- ber of the house of peers, attempted o-GENT FARE BILL fective on 1923 payments, which tax- mayers will remit to the government Tieglnning March 15. He believes the step would entail no difficuities on the Treasury. Under the opticnal plan of paying es in four installments, probably per cent of the taxpayers take dvantage of the privilege of retain- 15 moneys that might otherwise be | rned in to the Treasury in a lump| m on the first tax-paying date. The | @ marking the bitter fight between the newly formed cabinet under Premier Kiyoura and opposition leaders, both siden ustng rufanism as a weapon. Within the pa: v-elght hours political “bullies. n to the Jap- anese as “soshl,” attempted to force the homes of the elder statesmen Matsukata and Safonji at Okits | | the bureau nearly two years ago, the |latest report by Charles B. Brewer, speclal: attorney of the Department of Justice, is being sharply scrutiniz- ed by Treasury experts, with a view to establishing the facts in every stance. 5 s was revealed at the Treasury where it ‘was indicated that would give this report by similgr treatment accorded arly charges, which were in- ficials Pwe TO TAKE EFFECT ON 1923 INCOMES / lution Asking Resignation of Navy Secretary—Hughes De- nies Legal Aspects of Deal Ever Discussed in Cabinet Session. The resolution demanding resignation of Secrctary Denb; taken up today by the Senate after it had passed unanimously the W nechanics of dealing with a retro- sctive reduction, In Mr. Mellon's opin- would be lurge paper tran ion. consisting of the placing . tite Treasury of a credit to the ta: er on future installments. Little casli rebate, he believes, would be involved. Decrease Not Estimated. Treasury has had to estimate the The tunity decreas ing from the proposed change, that it would 000,000 on the around this range payments $200,- the lne on tax rates committee. Garner Suggests Plan, been made known when Representa- tive Garner. democrat, presented in the House a joint resolution propos- ing reduction on the basis of the dem- veratic tax revision scheme, £8.000. the proposal adopted by the republ ean members of the committee ye. terday to cut the 1923 taxes about per cent as a part of the revision bill objected to consideration of the resolution when it was asked for by Mr. Garner. In objecting to Mr. Garner for immediate consideration of the proposal. Mr. Green congratulated him on_“vour happy afterthought.” Eeneral Mr. Garner pointed out that if the | mittee would go ahead as rapidly as|gop resolution were adopted 2,000,000 tax- payers would be eved from ma ini fncome tax returns on March 15 whereas under the plan suggested by republicans the reduction in 1923 could not b approved before March 15, as.it was incorporated in the revenue Dill. The democratic tax program would increase the exemption for singla men 10 $2,000 and of married men to $3,000 and revise the surtaxes on a graduating =cale up to a 44 per cent maximum. The Green plan would al- Jow flat reductions on all income taxes. Republicans Strike Snag. Tepublican members struck a_snag in their privats consideration of the tax bill toda reaching the sur- taxes jon of opinion de- veloped on § - Mellon’s proposal + to cut the surtax rates from ¢ um of 50 per cent to 25 per cent. Other differences developed 7 (Continued on P Civil Service Commission Sees Still Further Drop in Federal Forces. L Trecrease of 10,000 federal employes here in the past two years is expected to be shown in tabulations now being prepared by the Civil Service Com- As of November 30, 19 there were 65,530 employes in the government de- partments, independent establish- Jnents and branches of the field serv. jce here, the commission announced toda a June 30 and November 30. On October 31 there were 65851 employes of the government working in Washington. Drop of 10,000, On December 31, 23 employes on the government pay roll in the Capital, while the re- port now being prepared is expected to show just over 65,000, or a reduc- tion of 10,000, in round figures. There is no ground for reports that the government is considering en- Jargement of its forces in Washing- ton, officials of the commission de-!pyplic Utilitles Commission had fixed | clarcd today. The commission has Jeen embarrassed by recently pub- Jigshed reports that large numbers of woman employes were to be added to the pay rolls. Such reports only add 10 the work of the commission and “Ntail needless expense and trouble, they said. Decrease to Continue. As the activitles of the Shipping Board and other agencles are being closed out employes ‘will be dropped from the rolls, it was sald, and in- stead of an in¢rease in the rolls here reases will continue to be shown for many months. Government pay rolls reached their peak on Armistice day, November 11, 1918, when a total of 917,760 persons vere in the government employ, of { this number 117,760 being employed in the District of Columbia, outside H ©§ the Army, Navy and Maripe Corpa reduction of 460 between | 1921, there were | l no oppor- | in | the total government income result- | but | some officials made the guess today | vear | it the 25 per cent reduction all along | the line on tax rates is agreed upon | is agreed upon, | i ! author of the -cent street car fare Hardly had the Treasury’s approval | anth = {today before the Senate which nou would cut the normal rates to 2 per|in readiness to go‘ahead with the cent under §5,000 and 4 per cent under | pegrings at any time Chalrman Green of the House ways|desired an expeditious cousideration | and Means committee and author of {of his bill. immedlate | gent that the District committee wae plea | its consideration, he said. | | | i { | | made to offe { District should have a fiv { Traction Company will be heard. {officials of the street car companies 10 REST ON OWN MERITS, SAYS BALL McKellar Declares He Will Not Hold Up Other Meas- - ures if Met Half Way. Senator MERellar of Tennessee. bill for the District, at the hearing District subcommittee on that measure, .com- pleted his own testimony and an- nced that he would hold hlmnell: He saldihe He would not seek to! hold up other District legislation in the Senate by offering his bill an amendment as long as it was evi- continuing in & reasonable way with | . C. INSTITUTIONS GIVEN 31,300,000 ININTERIOR BILL House Committee Slashes $207,500 From Howard U. Sum After Speech. trumental in the dismissal of | Wilmeth and Lis chiefs, and which Lave heen wholly discredited by the judministration’s investigations and |its announced plans to reinstate, all the ousted bureau officials. ‘Will Report to Prexident. 1 When the Treasury has developed |all the facts fn the matters presented by Brewer, a report will be made to {the President. This report may be made public eventuall; that, it was said today, no further details of Brewer's charges probably would be revealed, as they were sald to be similar to previous charges, and simply listed the securities. and their numbers in which Mr. Brewer charg- Carrying appropriations amounting | ®4 there was duplication. to more than 31.500,000 for four hu- | monte that thie tre riborh®hs SLate- 3 ments that this new report of Brew manitarian nstitutions in the District | er's casts absolutely no reflection of Columbia, the Interior Department | Upon the integrity of the government's Sopmneiation which carrles a | fecurities There would be no more L __ | danger from this report than thers total of $261.000,000, was pussed by the | was from his earlier peporte it was House today. | said. Conspicuous in the reductions made Brewer's Instances “Isolnted in this bill wes the cutting off of | : items amounting to $207.300 from the | "o INLANCEs BrOURht up by Brew- $365,000, which the bill recommended | srg e o heveaioas erma ot o A e e ey T nie Chact | stances of mechanical error. ard University. This siash| . iy regard to thess latest of was made as & result of an address i to theologlcal students by the Rev.|oTeWer's charges of course, could not be revelued, it was explained, until Francis J. Grimke, who i a member the 1 a i r of the board of trustees. the House |\ ¢ 10n8 and tedtous process bf trac- ing the history of each security men- Scnator Ball, chalrman of the Dis- trict committee, announced the com-; possible; that he, too. was anxious to dispose of the bill and that after all of the testimony ngcessary had been taken, the committee would re- port the bill. Senator Ball insisted, however, that the bill should,stand on its own mer- ! its and that no attempt should bej it as an amendment to other District legislation from the floor of the Senate. H “I am as anxious as any one,” said | Senator Ball, “that the ple ‘of the i | i fare. The only question er they can have it with jus- Next Hearing Tuesday. The committee decided to hold its | next hearing on Tuesday at 10:30 am., when officials of the Capital Conrad H. Syme was the first wit- ness today, appearing at the request of Senator McKellar. Mr. Syme told the committee that he had been gen- eral counsel for the Public Utllities Commisston for six years and that afterwards he was employed by the commission as special counsel in con- nection with the cases in the courts involving the valuation fixed by the commission on the varlous public utilities. He said that in_the law that became effective last July Con- gress had provided that none of the ppropriation made for ~the Public ‘tilities Commission should be em- ploved In_the payment of special counsel. He told the committee that he did not belleve that any of the i i ' hed anything to do with the prohl- bition of the use of funds for the {1n the debate this week that this itew | was told by Representative James F. Byrnes of South Carolina, damss e | tioned 1 4a taken its course. T The appropriations carried in the | pfocess might take a long time. bill for the District Institutions are: | was indicated, St. Blizabeth's Hospital, $1.108,000: | ' There was no doubt on the part of Freedman's Hospital, $165,700: ' officials as to the general effect of the for Howard University, $157,500, and | fina) results. These results positively {;fi_ [";ll\ll","'flfl 'nfl"‘illufl"r_‘ for the . would not endanger the currency or eaf, $100.000. making a total of | gecurity of the federal government $1,540.200. No one could predict what detalls Provides lloward Bullding. might be discovered in running down " = the “isolated” instances mentioned. The one appropriation left in the| it will go through with of restoratlon, it A new director employment of special counsel by the Public Utllities Commission. ¥He sald that Representative Ben Johnson had been the first to ralse the question as to the right of the Public Utilities Commission to em- ploy special counsel and that the question had been raised on the floor of the House. The appropriation bill, he sald, was sent to the Senate with a prohibition against such employ- ment of special counsel and the Sen- ate had stricken it out. In confer- ence. however, the prohibition was retained. Mr. Syme told the committes that the Public Utilities Commission in fixing rates charged by the Potomac Electric Power Company and by the street car companies had taken into consideration the falr valuation fixed by the commission on the properties of these companies, together with Such additions to the capital charges as had been made since the date on Which the valuations were made. ite said that the commission haa net given ‘consideration to the outstand- Tnx securities of these companies in Differ on Valuation. Discussing the Potomac Electric Power Company, Which is owned by the Washington Railway and Elec- tric Company, Mr. Syme sald that the ! | valuation for the power company as: of December 31, 1916, at about $12,- 500,000. He said that the Potomae. Electrle Power Company insisted that | the valuation should be about $23,- 000.000. s “The questlon is, then, whether this ! company shall be’ permitted to earn a fair yeturn on $12,500,000 instead of | $23,000,000,” sald Senator MeKellar, ! Mr. Syme replied that the basis. of the rate allowed by the commission was on the valuatfon established. by it plus'the capital account charges since that time. In reply to & question by Senator Ball, Mr. Syme said that he had never had 'any doubt but what the Publie Ttilities Commission had the right under the act creating it to fix the rates to be charged by the public utilities in the District. He said that he did not think the fact that the charters of the street railway com- Prior to| Rumor Daugherty And Denby Tried To Resign Denied . Congressional discussion and ex- ccutive consideration of the oil land leasing question has served to fill Washington with more rumors and counter-rumors than the Capital has known in many The most persisf ports involv of Secretary MINERS BOD DAV, BT HE SPEAKS Lewis Finally Quiets In-| surgents After Tumult at Indianapolis Meeting. By the Awsociated Pre INDIANAPOL! January 31 Howls and boos greeted James J. Da- | vis, Secretary of Labor, when he was introduced by President John L.| Lewls to the blennial convention of the United Mine Workers of America ! here today. Lewis had asked for a' respectful hearing for @ “member of the President’s cabinet.” While the tumult proceeded Lewis again took the, floor and shouted at the top of his volce to make himself heard: “The honot of your organiza- tion is at stake. You are on trial b fore the country. Exercise self-re- strafnt that our organization be not publicly shamed.” He then requested those unwilling to hear the speaker to leave the hall. After prolonged hand-clapping, Secretary Davis began | to speak. Sees Prices Too High. “The price of coal has been and even now in many cases is too high." he sald. “It would be better for the! miners, the operators, and all of our people if fuel prices were more stabil- | ized. “The way to hold the confidence of | the American peopie is to keep your contract. Yes, make it the most sacred_instrument of your organiza- d that the accept the: seminated widely tod: i to Mr. Coolidge. ‘HUGHES DINES { | Replies to Senator Who Said “lllegality” Should Have Been Pointed Out. A suggestion in the Senate yeste day by Senator Norgs, republican, Nebraska, that Secretiry Hughes, a former member of the Supreme Court, should have called attention to the | “plain illegality” of the ofl leases {when they were discussed by the e tee what pocurs oF gocs, | cabinet. was followed today by the is- keep your contract and the Amerlcan : Suance of this statement by Mr. people will have faith in you and | Hughes: your organization. i i i Lot 1he eraphasize the fact that the | “The questions of the legulity or five chief needs of the coal industry | Propriety of the oil leases now under are: {discussion in Congress were never M Peace In Advocated. i cision. “1. Peace for a term of years; and [ {50 you will i 2. Eliminate the spot coal gamble~ 3. Create your own permanent re- search bureau “4. Appoint interpreters of your lo- cal agreements, and You will remove the causce for any petty local strike, thus demon strating to the country at large that the problems of the coal industry can opinion upon these ques- as never sought or expressed either in or out of the cabinet. | “If the oil leases were ever refer- ired to in cabinet meetings, and I do t recall that they were, It was cer- 1y by way of general refer without requiring any re- action, which, of course. 1 ishould not have been willing to take jwithout examination of papers and jstatutes. Having plenty of work in best be solved jointly by your employ- [the Department of State. I had ne ers and vourselves.” ____|occasion to consider the questions of A delicate subject, that of Ku Klux 'Jaw and fact involved, and T have not Klan membership, Is due for consider- heen called upon to take any respon- ation today. Feeling concerning the gibility in the matter.” issue 1 notlceable. There are several resolutions both for and against ihe Klan. The present law of the or- nization is that any miner con- Vieted of Klan membership shall be expelled from the union. A small wagonload of anti-Klan literature as distributed among: the delegates vesterda; i { | | WILL INSPECT FALLS. | House Subcommittee to Seek Pow- er-Plan Data. The special subcommittee on G | | = -~ reat LEASES BISCUSSED | brought hefore the cabinet for fts de- necessary ex- | one at a time, or a few at a time, according to present ind..ations ( First the director. then the assistant | director, then others—this seems to { be the prospect now. Will Make Amends. The sénsation of nearly two years ago, when the sudden dismissals roused a great suspiclon in the minds of the public concerning the bureau, !the Integrity of the pusted, chiefs and the sccurity of the bureau product, is believed to be nearing a | : in so far as WOODROW WILSON ILL; GIVES UP AUTO RIDES Former President Suffering From - Digestive Upset—Doctors Not Alarmed. ‘Woodrow: Wilson has been confined Falls water power development, of which Representative Fred N. Zihl- man of Maryland is chairman, intends to vigorously press the investigation to determine the practicability of using Great Falls to furnish not enly water, but light, heat and power to the National Capital and adjacent territory. This was stated as the policy of the subsommittee today by Representa- tive Zihiman in announcing that he expects to take the subcommittee on a trip of personal inspection to Great Falls on Saturday if Maj. M. C. Ty- ler can arrange his time so as to conclusion, in which, possible, amends will be made to the ousted men and women. accompany them and point out the to his room for several days suffer- | proposed development. ing from what Rear Admiral Cary.T. But there was no evidence anywhere LIl for Howard. University is for|that there had been any “extra” se- completion of a building for an as-| Srities, turned, Gut, B the B icates fad been produced by the error of dmintstrative headquarters for the | the | ering ine e a cala total number of securities produc department of health and hygiene. | %o government taliied exactly through the efforts of Representative | by the bureau books and the books Louls C. Cramton of Michigan, who | Of the register of the Treasury. Some bill & limit of cost for thix bullding | the bonds all were as good as gold. with a clause stating “which is here- | Has Not Delayed Treasury. would have been subfect to & point of | Treacury in its program of restoration order If made last year, but that point | ¢ "o ’ : e L Mot having bean made, it was | Of the ousted cmployes to their old po- substantive law which required com- | gaining strength about the city that lete the work. cietary Mello: o victe the work, | o0 is far support|Secretary Mellon's delay fo maming a (O Gaing salaries, books and illustra- | in restoring the ousted men and women, tive apparatus and general repalrsjngnyated that the. secretary might ftom of $9.000 for repairs to buildings of the’ institution, Including plumb- 'not Intend after all to carry out the ced a few weeks ago. o o ements within the grounds, | DrOSTam Aunounces & 2 Kands for Hospitaln. At ‘the Treasury today as abkolutely 1 false. item of $80,000 for officers and em- | The ployes and compensation for all m)\l‘r“v::s‘::;‘; . may be expressly approved by the |, peen due to the Brewer repori. Secretary of the Interior. | "“Restoration of the ousted employes ence, fuel, clothing, bedding, medi- 2 o cine, medical and surgical supplies, stroke. * They will probably go back X-ray apparatus, a motor ambulance and other absolutely for the pathological building, an item of $18,700 was approved with the pro- cent from the revenues of the District of Columbia and 40 per cent from the 'An item of $212,400 is carried for remodeiing and extending the power, Elizabeth’s Hospital. For the general support of St. Elizabeth's Hospital cludes not to exceed $27,000 for the | purchase and maintenance of motor Cincinnati Pair Get Nine Years CINCINNATI, Ohlo, January 31— George H. Beazell and William H. curities turned out at the bureau of sembly ball, gymnasium, armory and the numbering machines, but the This item was saved in the bill|wjn the total number recorded both S oar wrote Into the appropriation | 0f the numbers had been mixed, but v g It was ht o D S TOUBNT OUT | Erewer's report has not delayed the sitions or equivalent. Rumors had been continuing of appropriations to o ia Ihstitution for the Deaf, | successor to Director Louis A. Hill, and and jmprovements. There 1s another |, "oone back on his word. and did fag and steamfitting, and for repairs These rumors were branded officlall For Freedmen's Hospital there is an | Tl% o (o professional and other services that |y ,y not been chosen, but the delay has An item of $67,000 Is for subsist- | Restoration of the Suned, Sreploe surgical instruments, replacement of penses. For equipment and shelving Viso' that It shall be payable 60 per Treasury of the United States. | heating and lighting plants of the St. there s an item of $900,000, which in- propelled passenger carrying vehicles. | Each for Embezzlement. Chatfleld, Jjr., former Cincinnatl bro- | kers, convicted last week of cmbezzle- ment, Were sentenced today to nine Judge | years' imprisonment’ each. Thomas H. Darby Imposed the sen- tences after overruling motions for new trials. Attorneys for Beazell and Chatfield announced that they would appeal the cases. 'GOV. PINCHOT IS ILL. Will ‘Be vnlbl. to Fill Speaking .Engagement Here Tonight. . HARRISBURG, Pa, January 31— Gov. Pinchot, who has been confined to the executive mansion for several days with a slight ear allment, has cancelled his engagement to attend canceled his engagement to attend vania Society at Washington tonight. Physicians advised the governor to stay indoors for thewemainder of the _4Continued on mc:m.uf ~Watle. 10 430Id- A0Y.. 00 - The resignation of Director Hill was the first act in’ the restoratign program. The offer of his old job to Wilmeth was another. Wilmeth refused. y Brewer is to go. He will remain at the Department of Justice for a short while. | FAMOUS PARIS DOCTOR CALLED FOR VENIZELOS | Inability of Greek Physicians to Diagnose Illness Given as Cause. ] i i By the Associated Press. ATHENS, January 31.—Because of the inability of Greek physiclans to diagnose Premier Venizelos' {llness, the famous French Professor Abramie has been summoned from Parls. i 1 LONDON, * January 31.—Vénizelos will retain the premiership for the time being: says a Reuters dispatch from Athens, aithough he will not af tend the assembly. PARIS, January 31 by Prof. Vasquez, a prominent g o - Mme. - Venize- | tory during a_fire al los left today for Athens, accompanied rmny. |« | fire Grayson, his personal physician, de- scribed today as “a digestive upset.” Although Admiral Grayson said he hoped the former President’s condi- tion would not prove to be serious, it will 'be necessary to keep him | confined to his room for several more days. motor rides with Mrs. Wilson have Dbeen discontinued for the present. Admiral Grayson was away from Washington at the time Mr. Wilson was stricken and the former President } was attended by Dr. Sterling Ruffin. Both physicians called at the Wilson residence on § street this morningi for an examination. Upon leaving, Dr. Ruffin confirmed Admiral Gray- son's diagnosts. “I hope Mr. Wilson will be all right again in a few days” Admiral Grayson said. “I have been away, however, and this is the first time 1 have ¢alled. He is permitted to dttend to routine matters, but we Dbelleve it is advisable to have him rest now and the — NINE STUDENTS INJURED. SPRINGFIELD, Ohio, January 31.— Nine students were injured, two prob- ably fatally, in escaping from a dormi- t Wilberforce Uni- near Xenia, this morning. The is said to have been of incendiary oTigin. BEaE i) Mr. Wilson's usual afternoon | FIND GIRL BURIED IN WELL Police Afrest Parents, Who Say They Lacked Funeral Money. SALEM, N. J., January 31.—Mr. and Mrs. Robert Atkinson of Woodstown were In jail today, while authorities investigated the finding of the body 1of thelr six-year-old daughter Mirlam lin a well at the Atkinson home. Mrs. Atkinson is alleged to have {told the authorities that the child dled from natural causes and that the parents placed the body in the well because they had no money to give it proper burial. 40-MINUTE QUAKE FELT. G. U. Seismologist Says Tremor Was 2,600 Miles South. A “rather sharp” earthquake last- ing forty minutes was recorded on the Georgetown University seismo- graph late yesterday, it was an- nounced today by Father Tondorf, the seismologist. He estimated that the disturbance, which began at 3:39 and reached maximum intensity p.m., was centered about 2,600 SAYS DENBY FIRST | PROPOSED LEASES | | | Admiral Latimer Tells House| | Committee of Conversations With Secretary. | Scretury Denby “inftiated” trans- fer of the California and Wyoming naval ofl reserves to the Interior, Ilh'-..r Admiral Latimer. judge advo- |cate general of the Navy. today told | the House naval cormmittee. i The admiral said Mr. Denby hadi | told him he had “initiated the trans- ‘fer after investigating the question | and consulting with various experts.” | After becoming & member of the, !rahmu. the witness explained. Mr.| Denby bécame convinced of the necessity of taking prompt action to prevent further depletion of ofl| in the Navy's reserves, but had no i organization in his department which | cculd function to that end. As the committee renewed its fn- lquiry today. Representate Britten, re- ipublican, Tilinols, declared he pro- {pused to show that Deuby “followed in Secretary Dan s’ footsteps.” Remark by Vinson. This statement brought the remark | \from Representative Vinson, Georgia, jranking democrat on the con itte ithat “no one believes that but vou.” | i Il prove it to you before we get | through If you will be fair,” Mr. Brit- | {ten retorted i Tk exchange came after Latimer Lad ieviewed how Mr. Daniels in 1920 recommended legislation to permit the Navy to negotfate for tank con- | struction for the storage of naval oil. {\ulhnr;l)‘ then granted by Congres: it was brought out. enabled Mr. Den- bY to arrange with the Dohe: in- | terests for tank construction at Pearl | Harvor. Hawaii, out of royalties for oils from the California naval r serve Representatives Vinson and 1 u argumen | ten then engaged in to the §100,000,000 Doheny and S clair had been reported as sayi they would make out of the leases. Mr. Britten declared Mr._ Vinson could not produce a statemelit under j & ither of the oil t had made the ;u!erlmn.o SReme Charges Unfairness, | Representative Stephens, repub lican, Obio, declared Mr. Vinson had | been unfair in predicating his ques- | tions and that “fraud and corruption | are still o be proven.” He said he | illad l-elvn‘ informed nelair would ke little or nothing out of j Teapot Dome leasc. . "w; aimed he would make $100.- | 000.000." continued the Ohioan, “he did so to sell stock. If Sinclair made money e did it Gut of the sale of stock. and those who investe (holding the bag. ' ey 1" "It Teapot Dome is returned to the sovernment, will the United States e under obligation to reimburse per- sons who bought stock in the Sinclair Company?" Admliral Yatimer, when the exami- nation was resumed, asserted that {hie never had passed on the legality ! of the Doheny or Sinclair leases, al- i though he had informed Mr. Denby. | that "he could legally arrange with ’vrl\‘ali.- interests for construction of tankage for the storage of naval oil, jas has been done as a result of the Doheny contract at Fearl Hrbor. Legality of Lease. “Do vou think the lease should be revoked?" asked Mr. Vinson. “I think the matter should be re- ferred to the courts,” replied the ad- miral. Admiral Latimer testified that Den- by, after becoming head of the Navy Department, saw it was necessary o take action to prevent depletion of oll in the naval reserves. “The Navy Dcpartment had mo or- ganization,” the admiral continued, “and Denby realized valuable time would be lost in forming one. At the time the Interfor Department had an organization which was handling oil production on millions of acres. Mr. Denby belleved this organization was the proper one to act for the Navy. “You must remember that at the time there was a great effort on the ! part of various departments to avoid ; duplication of work and to econo- mize.” Declaring he was not familiar with the procedure followed in transfer- ring the California and Wyoming re- serves from the Navy to the Interior Department, Admiral Latimer said | he understood that the executive or- | der for the transfer was lssued “at the request of Secretary Denby.” “Mr. Denby told me,” sald the ad- miral, “that he had initiated the transfer after investigating the ques- nd consulting with various ex- - o i 1 BLADES FATAL PIG DIET. | WESTPORT, Conn. January 31. Because the town has refused to pay him $100 for pigs killed by eating safety razor blades in garbage, John James has resigned as town garbag . collectory, | Mr. Denby ! resentat as lessor, resolution proposing annulment oi e Sinclair and Doheny oil leases in the attack on Secretary Denby and a gquestion to the qualification of the special counse appointed by President Coolidge— momentarily crowded all other fe tures of the tangled situation Two elements naval muddle—the as | the background today An effort to so amend the Walsi annulment resolution as to call for s resignation led to debate at the outset of the day’ Senate session, but the proposal withdrawn after the administratior leaders had promised to permit a vote later on a separate resolution relating to the Navy Sccretary. The question of the acceptability of the two attorneys selected by the President to prosccute the annul- ment suits resulted in a succession of conferences at the White House. Ch#firman Lenroot and other repub- lican leaders called Mr. Coolidge’s attention to an effort in the Senate to bar any attorney who had been connected with an oil company. and later Democratic Leader Robinson and Senator Walsh, democrat. Mon- tana. were sent for by the President After the democratic senators had left the White House, Senator Rob- inson renewed his determination to press for action on the resolution calling for Mr. Denby’s resignation, and said he regarded any request for democratic advice as to the selection government counsel as late.” At the office of the President, this statement was given out: “The President conferred with Senators Walsh and Robinson for the purpose of informing himself as to the trend of the oil land lease in vestigation and in order to exchange suggestions for mutual help. “President Coolidge aud the twe nators also discussed the matter of counsel, how to procced and a significance of the cvidence.” The House naval committee re- newed its own inquiry into special phases of the oil lease case, and heard Rear Admiral Latimer testify that Secretary Denby “initiated” transfer of the California and ‘Wyoming oil reserves to the Interior Department. Once again the name of former Secretary Daniels was brought into the inquiry, and Rep- Britten, republican, of Illinois, said he would prove that Mr. Denby had only followed in the footsteps of his democratic pre- decessor. The Walsh oil leasc annulment res- adopted by the Senate fol- of “too ‘Whereas, it appears from evidence taken by the committce on public lands and surveys of the United States Senate that certaln lease of naval reserve No. %, in the state of Wyoming, bearing date April 7, 1922, made in form by the government of the United States through Albert L. Fall, Secretary of the Interior, and Edwin Denby, Secretary of the Navy, to the Mammoth Oil Com- pany, as lessee, and that certain contract between the government of the United States and the Pan-Amer- can Petroleum and Transport Com- pany, dated April 25, 1922, signed by Edward C. Finney, acting seretary of the Interior, and Edwin Denby, sec- retary of the Navy, relating, among other things, to the construction of oil tanks at Pearl Harbor, T. H., and that certain lease of naval reserve No. 1 in the state of California, bear- ing date December 11, 1922, made in form by the government of the United States through Albert B. Fall, Sec- retary of the Interior, and Edwin Denby, Secretary of the Navy, as lessor, to the Pan-American Petro- leum Company, as lessce, were exe- cuted under circumstances indlcating fraud and corruption; and, “Whereas, The contract was en- tered into without authority on the part of the officers purporting to act in the execution of the same for the United States and In violation of the laws of Congress; and, “Whereas, Such leases and contract were made in defiance of the settled policy of the government adhered to through three successive administra- tlons, to maintain in the ground a great reserve supply of oil adequate to_the needs of _the e Ni in_aj Column i