Evening Star Newspaper, March 1, 1924, Page 1

WEATHER. ¢ cloudy tonight o change in temp est tempe Hi and tonior- rature; low- four hours ighest, 47, at 30 pan. 29,159, t office Wa Enterea as second-cl matter, shington C. ) No. BURNS MUST .EXPLAIN §1388 007 EXTRA USE OF OFFICIAL CODE FOR GOAST GUARD BY McLEAN'S AGENTS ™ yononen vy Committee to Call Head of Federal Investigators DING ADMITTED BY MRS. DUCKSTEIN Probers Will Inquire If | Publisher Is Still Secret Agent. A new trail that appeared to lead directly into the Department of Justice was uncovered today upon further inquiry by the oil committee » the famous McLean telegrams. turned out that onc of the messages was sent in an old Depart- ment of Justice code by Mary Duck- stein, formerly secretary to William J. Burns, chief of the department’s bureau of investigation. Mrs. Duckstein still is listed among the department agents, and the mes- sage she sent, when deciphered, ap- peared to say that Burns had been concerning himseld bout “the Mc- Lean investigation.” The message w addressed to W. O. Duckstein, Mary Duckstein's husband and one of McLean's employes at Palm Beach. Will Summon Burns. summoned to the committee he will be only about the telegram, but whether McLean himself is not Jisted as one of the “secret agents of the department, entitled to a copy the code book. Today Burns denied that he had had hing to do with the oil scandal, declined to deny the Teport that MeLean was on the list of his agents. Will Call Mrs, Ruckstein. Ars. Duckgtein confirmed that she had sent the mysterious se, but refused to discuss it further. She also witl led Lefore the committee after it reconvenes next Tuesday. At today sion John F. Major, ¢ the telegrams lorida over com- red before the little light on that most puzzle commit- He said that all the mes- saze; sent over the private leased wire to Florid: had been destroyed. Several bills have been introduced, ng the McKenzie bill, which is ar to the measure vetoed by dent Harding. Members of the umittee have indicated Increasing favor, however, for _ proposals to make the maln featute of adjusted mpensation pald-up insurance poli- ces. Su Lills presented by Representatives trew, Massachusetts, and Fish, ew York, republicans, both of whom hefore 'he coramittee. en_favors i Burns is the When nd by arked mot e ki of dis- too late 5 compen: actically the only actual cash involved under the present plan id be the payment of sums of $30 in completing the benefits allowed e who rved for a short time. king up the legislation today ~eithin sixt hours after the pas- f the revenue bill by the House, ommittee followed the instruc: tions of a republican party confer- held some weeks ago. dem- conference this week also «d upon the committee to Teport onus. bill. 4 Lo Charged to Post. This code message was sent on Feb- indorsed in red “Charge O, D." with the initials . D. M. aftixed. Arthur D. Marks is business manager of the Post. Mr, Burns said today that he under- stood the code employed in this mes- sage was uscd at one time by Depart- ment of Justice agents. At Nominal Salary. is known that in the past a aber of persons have been enrolled &s agents, at a salary of a dollar a Tonth, but with the understanding that they shall not devote all of their the work of the department. Such employves with the It num badges, pistols and department’s secret ittee members would not dis- cuss this situation today, beyond say- {2g that Mr. Burns and Mrs. Duckstein e questioned w the oil committee was ex- amining ome of the McLean em- ploves today regarding the mysteri- Washington-Palm Beach mes- O. Duckstein and Mary were among the spectators nittee room. conferred with officials of Department, who also were iu attendance at the hearing. Willing to Testify. fore ke had been notified that he would be called hefore the com- mittee Mr. Burns told newspaper men toduy that he was anxious to be al- Jowed to tell w! he knew about a rd B. McLean, while s in Florida. ave any tips to McLean,” 3 “The telegram yto McLean that I knew about was all right. It contained no tips of any kind. 1 will be_willing to tell the com- yujttee all I know when the time comes, The Department of Justice never had anything to do with the oil scandal or Teapot Dome,” he said. Mr. Burns said the codé used in messages between McLean's employes e and their employer in Florida not used by tire bureau of in- igation now, although it still is use among certain of the field ents and United States marshals i some parts of the country. The code used in the McLean wires was discarded by the bureau of investiga- tion when he took office, said Burns. MESSAGES DECODED. Iew York World Claims Govern- ment Cipher Was Used. By the Associated Press. EW YORK, March 1.—The New York World in a copyrighted story making public today what it calls a paraphrase of code messages sent to 32dward B. McLean from Washington to Palm Beach says: “Ons of the messages to McLean ruveals William J. Burns, director of ihe bareau of investigation of the SCortinued on Page 4, Columa 2.) ). I provisions are carried in | District Deficiency Estimates MAIOR, IN GRILLING, SAYSHEDESTROVED. ™ soorma o~ | M’I_EA!—MESSAGES NEW FUND WILL ALLOW WAR ON RUM-RUNNERS | Confidential Wires Torn Up Nightly, He Says, Telling Purpose of Private Line. Boats—$200,000 for Klingle Parkway Refused. Carrying 2 total of $153,696,567, of which $13,887,007 Is to strengthen the [ACCESS TO WHITE HOUSE’ CALLED MISQUOTATION | ioiry e, o vumming, and $260. ! e 929.80 {s for the District of Columblia, the first deficiency appropriation bill for the current fiscal year was re- ported to the House today by Chair- Publisher's Attorney Says Major ; Did Not Understand Re- man Madden of the House appropria- i mark on Phone. tions committee. i The totul recommended for the Dis- trict is $206,100 less than the esti- mates. ‘Lha $200,000 asked for the Klingle ! Valley boulevard; the $4,500 asked for the special counsel for the Public tilities Commission In valuation T was omitted, as was al: $1,600 I which had been recommended for the office of the recorder of deeds, John F. Major and other employes oi Edward B. McLean, publisher of 1 the Washington Post, were ques- | tioned by the oil committee today in its search for further details of | the communications that passed be- tween Washington and the McLean cottage at Palm Beach during De-! cember and January. . It was Major who signed most of | the telegrams to McLean already put into the committee record. He was | questioned at length about these! messages, but he said the telegrams sent over the private wire by Mc- Lean between Washington and Palm Beach had been destroyed. Items for District. The items allowed for the District include $100,000 for sewers, assess- ments and permit work; $50,000 for the water department, extension of mains under assessment system: $22,- 260 for completion of the Bancroft {School; $22,063.94 for miscellaneous expenses of the Supreme Court dur- ing the last three fiscal years; $1 399 for allowances to principals in Souneon: dkitibon: the public schools: $10,000 for com- John J. Spurgeon, managing editor | Pltion Of the Raymord School; $10.- of the Post, called as the first | 8 :g"fi;”‘;"“" or sonylote st witness. nator Walsh, democra! or iremavsl of unsate Montana, asked about installation of the private wire, anl he replied: “I can't tell you who Installed the; wire. Mr. McLean directed that it be | installed.” He said that he did not know what went over the wire, or whether rec- ords were kept. His dut chief >f the news department of the paper, he explained, did not require him to be responsible for such arrangements. | Senator Walsh asked for the iden- tity of the “man who is over vou all, and the witness said it was Mr. Mc- ean. Senator Adams, democrat, Colorado, asked if the wire to Palm Beach had | any news use. Mr. Surugeon said it| had none. Spurgeon had wired McLean, men- tioning a $100,000 loan to A. B. Fall, and Senator DIl democrat, Washington, asked about it. “McLean told me of the loan.” | Sprugeon said, “and said that if an: thing came -out we should print it like other news.” \ Major Takes Stand. John F¥. Major then took the stand, identifying himself as “confldential em- ploye of McLean.” He said he had or- dered the private wire installed. The | wire connection had been made in the |on, The committee desires to invite room where the other Post telegraph Tochitios were located. . Major exprained | e e on othe testiony there was a New York and Cincinnati | 0f_ the com heus s wirs akealy inatalied. Fhcorporated In"the heatinge, Biving Urged to Tell Full Story. the best obtainable data to the “Don’t. hahe hatk and impke me extent of the violations of law. question you,” Senator Walsh urged Gam i Buy, East: Hasts. him,” “go ahead and tell us about| “The amount recommended covers this. the acquisition of 323 fast motor “I sent mesages over the wir boats and their equipment, the con- Major replied “and received them.” |ditioning and putting into service of askogiere are the coples?” Walsh twenty desrtoyers and, two mine “They've been destroyed.” “They |SWeepers to be turned ‘over to the were destroyed every night. Navy; the commissioning and putting (Continued on Page 4, Columa 4.) |into service of nineteen coast guard statlons now closed; the employment TAKES UP BONUS ditional commissioned officers, 261 warrant officers and 2,205 enlisted men and the necessary fuel and other Three-Day Session, Opening Menday, to Precede Re- drafting of Bill. Hosnital; $5720.28 for payment of judgment against the District in 1923 and prior rs; $£4,040 for the Rent ission; $2'000 for the plumbing inspection division; $2.000 for T printing the building code: $2,770 for the education of deaf and dumb dur- cing the fiseal vear 1923; $1.700 for the pelice department for heating plant for the harbor police head- guarters. and $1,500 for reprinting the zoning regulations. Const Guard Fand. In discussing the recommended ap- propriation of nearly $14,000,000 for making the coast guard - strong enough to cope with organized rum running, which has reached the stage of open warfare against this govern- ment, Chairman Madden said: “The supplemental appropriation of $13,850.622 for the coast guard Is for the purpuse of providing that service with vessels and the necessary operating personnel to combat the so-called ‘rum-running’_and the unlawful im- portation of intoxicating ilquors along the coast line. The program was outlined to the Congress by the President in his message delivered on December 6, 1923 i i | | operating expenses of such of the vessels as will be in operation for a period of the fiscal year. “Of the sum allowed, $2,110,000 is estimated for the reconditioning and equipping of the destroyers and mine sweepers; $10,084,900 is for the ac- quisition of 323 motor boats and their dquipment and $1,655,722 for pay of personnel, expenses of operation of the President’'s program. Need of Extra Foree. “The sum recommended, except the amount for additiogal vessels, is for the remainder of the current fiscal year. “If this program is adopted by the Congress the additional expenses for operation of the coast guard for the fiscal year 1925, over and above the sum previously provided, will ap- proximate $10,000,000. The commit- tee belleves that the amounts recom- mended in this bill should be ap- proved by the House to the end that the coast guard may be equipped with the boats and personnel neces- sary to enable it to meet the existing situation and reduce the now flagrant violation of law to the lowest mini- mum possibl + Of the total carried in this de- ficfency bill, $112,586.98 is for the leg- islative branch. leaving $153,583,980.08 for the executive and judicial branches of the government. The amount recommended is $387,438.75 less than the total amount requested. Two Sorts of Ite: The soldiers’ bonus bill was taken up by the House ways and means committes today and given a clear slate for immediate consideration. The ' committee voted to open a three-day hearing Monday, and then to proceed with preparation of a re-, draft of the bill. Chairman Green sald he expected the measure to be re- ported by next Saturday. DAUGHERTY SILENT AT FLORIDA RESORT Denies He Promised to Issue Statement on Reaching Jacksonville, self logically items, urgent deficiencies in appropriations for the fiscal year 1923 and prior fiscal years for obligations already in- curred, and (b) supplemental appro- priations for the fiscal year 1924 for purposes for which no " appropriation was made, and rendered necessary be- cause of the enactment of new law or of a situation arising which could not be foreseen when the regular bills were enacted. In the total of $116,608,367.54 on ac- count of the fiscal year 1923 and prior years appears $900,000 for vocational rehabllitation under "the Veterans' - Bureau. e act of April 20, 1922, Augustine thly evening. The Attor-|guthorized the appropriation of $1 Y G s spending the morning ; 99,000 for additional hospital facili- on a ride about Jacksonville and en- | (it of the Veterans' Bureau, of Yarons. nnd this afternoon Will molor | which $12,000,000 was appropriated {to St & 3 m are his t of ‘ secretary, E. G. Staiger, end his|PY_the act of May 11, 1923, and brother, M. 5. Dnuznen‘ AContigued on Page 5, Column 1.) By ttie Abectited Brsas: into two classes of JACKSONVILLE, Fla., March 1.— Attorney General Harry M. Daugh- erty characterized as “bunk” news | dispatches sent out from Columbus, Ga, last night, stating that he was planning to issue a statement today on his arrival here this morning. “There are several newspaper men on the train with me,” said T, Daugherty, “and If T wish to make any statement I have every facility: Mr. Daugherty would not discuss the Teapot Dome situation, and stated that he would not even read the! newspapers until he arrived at St. 3 WASHINGTO. Permits Purchase of 300 New) $5.000 for the Children's | additional and swifter | vessels and other items incident to| The total recommended divided It-‘ WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION The principal omission was | D.C. DAYIN HOUSE LET GO T0 WASTE Members Discuss Prohibition and Garden Seeds Instead of Capital Needs. With wday sct apart as District day by special arrangement in the House, following a fisht by Repre- tative Underhill of Massachusetts, to preserve the regular District days | for District business, when the tax | revision bill had right of way on Monday, practically all of the time was taken up In general debate on sub- jects ranging from immigration to garden sceds. When Acting Chairfhan Zihlman called up the police and fireman's pay bill the time limit for general debate was fixed at two hours. Im- mediately Representative Cooper of Ohio, a vigorous dry supporter, was given twenty minutes in which he discussed prohibition enforcement, tak- ing the occasion for a vigorous attack against the prohibition unit, charging that it is a political ma- ne from top to bottom. Others who spol and_the subject of their speeches, were: Representative Cable of Ohio, immigration; Representa- tive Sabbath, lllinois, immigration; Representative Johnson, chairman of the House immigration committee, im- migration; Representative Blanton, Texas, garden seed; Represeniative Connery cl A ., police and firemen's salaries, advocating that all of them be doubled; Representative Langford, Georgia, automobile speeding. At one time there were as many as thirty-four members on the floor. WORKERS CLASSED KE TIN SOLDERS Moffett Criticizes Allocations at Hearing on Lehl- bach Bill. Federal employes In the District were allocated to grades by the per- sonnel classification board in much |the same manner that th soldiers |are slapped into a box, according to i testimony today before the House j civil service committee, holding hear- ings on Representative Lehlbach's bill to abolish the board. The government workers did not {know their tentative allocation; ino hearings were held upon them by the board. administration officials of the government had filled out the questionnaires upon which the al- {locations were based and the em- i ployes had no opportunity to review : these questionnalres. { These were the statements made by Guy Moftett, the Civil Service Com- mission representative on the person- nel board, at today's session of the | hearing at the Capitol. Mr. Moffett told the committee that he had personally examined between 5,000 and 6,000 of the allocation sheets, and in cases which he said “were too numerous to mention” had found that the allocations did not seem con- sistent as between persons doing like {work in different departments. i Mr. Moffett declared that he had been unable to approve such alloca- | ~ (Continued on Page 2, Column 7.) 121 ALIENS CAPTURED ON FLORIDA ISLAND | By the Associated Press. { FORT MYERS, Fla, March 1— imwenty-one allens were captured by Sheriff Albritton early yesterday om Estero Island, twenty miles from here. Twenty-two were unloaded Thursday night from Cuba on a sall- | boat, but one escaped. - : Fifteen Italians, four Greeks, one Syrian and one Albanian were caught hiding™in the bushes and palmettos | on the island and are being held here. ! Forty other aliens were captired on { Estero Island last Monday that were i brought I from Cuba. This brings the total number of captured this week to sixty-one. The first thing the aliens call for, it is said, is food. They appear to have been almost starved and seem unable to get enough to satisty them. (a) appropriations to supply | ATURDAY, MARCH 1, 1924 -THIR" Boys Send Nickel To Aid Coolidge In His Campaign The Coolidge campaign fund was augmented today by one nickel. The sum, in hard cash, was re- ceived at the White House, ac- companigd by this letter in a boy- ish scrawl from Central Falls, R. L: dear President Coolidge: “In honor of you some boys of Central Falls have formed a club. 1t is called the Coolidge Club. As a beginning the club’ consists of five members. The age ange from eleven to thirteen, “Later we expect to have elght members. On the 19th day of Feb- ruary we held our first meeting. “Inclosed you will find as a token of respect the first nickel we received. The members of the club wish you luck in your presidential campaign. - names of the members are: sident - treasurer, Leonard i tdent, David Cher- sceretary, Robert McElroy; assistant secretary, George An- drews; member, Leo Sonkin.” U . TANDS MORE MEN IN HONDURAS Destroyer Ordered to Puerto Cortez as Ceiba Force Is Increased. Continued disorder at Ceiba, Hon- duras, where American marines were landed yesterday, have prompted thirty-five additional men. An Américan destrover has been ordered from Kingston, Jamaica, to Puerto Cortez, on the Atlantic coast of Honduras, where the situation also is disturbing. Admiral Dayton now has seventy marines and ashore at Ceiba. His reports Indicate that the situation is so bad he deems it wige to keep his ship off shore. The request from Puerto Cortez for about a naval vessel was transmitted to Ad- ' miral Dayton by the consul and re. layed to Washington. The trip from Kingston will take the destroyer about two days. Information Lacking. No detailed information as to the conditions at Puerto Cortes have been received. Officials here are losing hope that the Honduran situation will clarify itself through the efforts of the con- tending political leaders alone. Ef- forts to enforce loans from American business concerns in Ceiba have been resisted, and_the American consulate has been fired upon. Additional ships may be sent when the situation is better understood. MAY SURRENDER CAPITAL. | Honduran Officials Reported About to Yield to Rebels. By the Associated Pres: SAN SALVADOR, Republic of Sal- vador, February 29.—The Gutierrez government in Tegucigalpa is re- ported to be negotiating the sur- render of the Honduran capital to the rebels, who have captured San Pedro, in Sula, and the port of Tela. Gen. Gregorio Ferrera has been proclaimed provisional president, ad- vices say. A quick end of the civil warfare is predicted. = MARINES ON FRONTIER. Americans Aided by Nicaragua in Search for Arms. By the Assoclated Press. SAN JUAN DEL SUR, Nicaragua, February 29.—American marines are on the Honduran-Nicaraguan frontier searching_for arms and preventing gun-running by Hondurans in Nica- ragua across the border to aid the revolutionists in their country. The American minister to Nicaragua, John E. Ramer, made a request of President Martinez for assistance and support for the marines by the Nica- raguan authorities, and this has been accorded them. Gen. Garibaldi IIL ROME, March 1.—Gen. Ricclotti Garibaldi, last surviving son of the Italian patriot Garlbaldi, is gravely 11l with a bronichial affection and com- plications. His heart is extremely weak, and his wife and daughters are watching at his bedside day and Zleht. " His wns are in Mexico and Rear Admiral Dayton to send ashore | bluejackets s {minimum, The Foening Star Y PAGES REVENUE MEASURE REACHES SENATE Long Debate Seen—Bill as Approved in House Pleases Both Parties. The revenue measure arrived in the Senate today to start the second lap of its legislative journey. The House, by & vote of 408 to §, approved the bill yesterday after sending it through a last-minute crossfire, in which the democratic income tax schedule was knocked out and a compromise, offered by Repre sentative Longworth, republican leader, and supported by every mem- Iber of the party present, was sub- stituted. Members of the Senate finance com- mittee have indicated a desire to {hasten thile consideration of the imeasure, but have determined upon no definite program. The House ways and weans committee spent almost twg months in framing the measure, ibut in view of that exhaustive study the Senate committee expects to re- quire much less time. Two weeks were devoted by the {House to consideration of the bill after it reached the floor. A longer period of floor discussion, however, {is looked for in the Senate, since the | rules of that chamber do not permit restriction of debate. Compromise Wins, 20 to 199. The income tax ratés voted into the measure yesterday provide for reduction of the normal tax to 2 per cent on incomes under $4,000; 5 per icent on Incomes between $4,000 and 18,000, and 6 per cent on incomes over £5,000. The surtax rates of the { present law were reduced 25 per cent iall along the line with the present | brackets retained, making the | {maximum 37% per cent on the amount | of incomes in excess of $200,000. The minimum is placed at 1% per cent on incomes between §10,000 and $12,000, { the first bracket of the present law— {incomes between $6,000 and $10,000 now under a surtax at 1 per cent— being eliminated. No change in the personal exemptions is made. The vote placing the compromise plan into the bill was 216 to 199, re- { publican insurgents who previously |had voted to substitute the demo- 1 cratie es for the Mellon schedule { solidly supporting the proposal. Rep- resentative Browne, New Jersey, was the only democrat to vote for the plan, while Representatives Wefald, farmer-laborite, and Kvale, inde- pendent, both of Minnesota, voted for the democratic rates. Represent- ative Berger, socialis, ‘Wisconsin, was paired against the compromise. Mellon Rates Rejected. All major provisions of the measure were subjected to attacks in the last iTush, roll calls being forced on sev- eral sections. The Mellon rates, pro- posed again by Representative Haw- ley, Oregon, republican member of the ways and means committee, went down to defeat, 261 to 153. Repre- sentative Browne also was the only democrat voting for these rates.. The provision granting a 25 per cent cut on all personal income taxes payable this vear withstood two de- termined assaults and remained in the bill. Representative Crisp, demo- crat, Georgia, twice proposed to | eliminate the 'section, arguing that the $223,000,000 involved in such a reduction should be used for the pay- ment of a soldiers’ bonus. His pro- posal lost on a record vote, 348 to 68. Other important provisions of the measure as finally approved were the 25 per cent reduction in taxes on earned incomes, all incomes of $5,000 and less being defined as earned for taxation purposes; the repeal or re- duction of many of the miscellaneous or extise taxes; increase in the estate taxes‘of about 38 per cent; Institution of a gift tax with the same rates as carried in the estate tax, and creation of a board of tax appeals. Both Sides Elated. The eight who voted against the measure were Representatives Bacha- rach, New Jersey; Fenn, Merritt and i Tilson, Connecticut; Mills and Wain- wright, New ,York, and McFadden, Pennsylvania, republicans, and How- ard, democrat, Nebraska. Chairman Green of the ways and i means committee, expressed his satis- faction today, declaring the measure now contained every important fea- ture he had advocated. Republican organization leaders also Were enthu- siastic over the adoption of their com- promise income rate schedule, which they insisted would prevent a deficit in the Treasury, and the democrats asserted they had gained the “moral victory” _in - that the ,compromise schedule ‘was so much nearer their own, with a 44 per cent maximum surtax rate, than -the Mellon pro- gram with its. 3§ per cent surtax ] every city bl “From Press to Home Within the Hour” The Star's carrier system covers lock and the regular edi- tion is delivered to Washington homes as fast as the papers are printed. Yesterday’s Circulation, 103,005 TWO CENTS INSURGENT LEADER ASSURED T0 HEAD DAUGHERTY PROBE Way Opened for Brookhart When Lodge Withdraws Objection to Election. OHIO SENATORS ALONE ON SIDE OF DEFENSE Fess Asks Body to Stop “Stump Speeches” and Steady Flood of Rumor. Appointment of a Senate commit- | tee headed by a La Follette Insuf- gent to investigate the entire official record of Attorney General Daugher- ty appeared certain today after fur- | ther conferences among republican leaders. i At the,outset of debate on the in-! vestigation resolution today Senator ! Lodge, republican, Massachusetts, | withdrew his proposal to let thel Senate's presiding officer name the committec, 1t was indicated that the republican | organization would no longer oppose | the plan of the democrats and in- surgents to choose Senator Brook- hart, republican, lowa, to the chair- manship by a vote of the Senate. two Ohlo senators, Willis and Fess, continued their opposition to the proposal, but they got littie sup- poft from any of their nvpuhlir:\n] colleagues. i Defense by Fess. In a speech reviewing the charges made in the past against Mr. Daugh- erty, Senator Fess dgclared it was | time the Senate stopped including!| “stump speeches” in its resolutions, as he said had been done in the in-! vestigation resolution presented by Senator Wheeler, democrat, Montana. “I hope this is not a school for candal,” Senator Fess said, “I hope! the Senate will not fall from the high | standards of the t and become an | inquisition—a sluice way for rumor.” ‘Has it come to the point where a man must be a pauper, a do-nothing to escape inquiry?” He predicted that the oil reserve {leases would be found legal, despite the “judicial decision” of the Senate to the contrary. In arguing that Mr. Daugherty de- served an impartial committee, the Ohlo senator said that Senator Brook- hart has for years been connected, in his life and thought, with a cer- tain industry that makes certain acts of Mr. Daugherty very gffensive to him. o< hope that will not Prévent fair treatment of Mr. Daugherty,” he added. Senator Fess said he had never been a “great admirer” of Mr. Daugherty, |but had never doubted his honesty, { probity and integrity. ator Walsh, democrat, Massa- chusetts, Interrupted to observe that Senator Fess had made a very se- Vere arraignment of the Senat “1 never heard a worse ome, Senator Walsh, declaring the ‘s dalous” disclosures in the oil scandal were perhaps what was referred to. Senator Fess replied by reading a telegram _scoring the Sen.te for “hysteria_becoming a corner grocery” and for playing““petty politics “jt seems to me it's about time for the Senate to get back to some- thing like the _Constitutfon created it,” said Senator Tess. not going to_ aliow petty politi any organized regime to vote against any man and issassinate his charaeter without a Bearing.. That's un-Amer- ican.” ‘ OFFICIALS TO AID PROBE OF HOUSING District to Aid in Every Way in Survey—Plans Out- lined at Conference. The survey of the housing situation in Washington, ordered by Congres: got under way today at a conference in the office of Engineer Commission- er Bell. Plans were mapped out to have all agencies of the District government co-operate with the man to be desig- pated by the Senate District commit- tee to direct the inquiry. Ma)j. Bell announced, following the meeting, that Assessor Willlam P. | Richards would furnish ali data in ihis office relating to, the number of {apartment houses, fhe accommoda- 1 tions they afford and valuation. | Maj. Dantel Stilivan, superintend- | ent of police, was present and ar- ranged to have the patrolmen on the | street compile a record of vacant dwelling _properties. Maj. John W. Oehmann, bullding in- | spector, was delegated tq furnish a irecora 'of dwellings and®apartment ihouses authorized or in course of | construction. “We will render every possible as- sistance in bringng the proposed survey to a speedy completion,” Maj. i Bell declared. It will take appro: 1 imately thirty days to gather the | formation cailed for in the congres- ! sional resolution. Plans for carrying on the investi- gation, including charges that a combi- nation’ of property owners and dealers here fixes prices, were considered at a meeting of a subcommittee of the Sen- ate District commiitee and members of | the "Board_of District Commissloners | and of the Rent Commission late yester- jday in the Senate District committee room. v i | | dictments handed down thers yester- { are as false FORBES, INDICTED, | 10 GIVE BAIL HERE; WILL DENY GUILT ° Bitterly Scores “Conspira- tors” Who Attacked His Honor—Welcomes Trial. | PRESIDENT TO BE TOLD OF GRAVE REVELATIONS Congressmen Accused of Receiving Money—Defense to Call Forty, Including Mrs. Votaw. Col. Charles R. Forbes, former di- . rector of the Vetera Bureau planned to appear voluntarily before United States Commissioner George H. Macdonaid within a day or two to give bond for hid appearance In Chi- ¢ will shortly plead “not ‘ges of bribery and other contained in grand jury in- day. Col. Forbes Eashy and his counsel, James nith, were prepared to give bond today, and for Col. Forbes to ap- pear voluntarily before the commis- sioner, but it wae understood the gov- ernment case was not ready as yet. This was announced by Col. Forbes counsel, James S, Easby-Smith, who made public a lengthy statement, in which he denied guilt of any kind 3 declared that “the charges against me s heil's own brood. Col. Forbes was In communication during the day with his counsel from time to time. It was thought th: they might leave early next week for Chicago. The time of thelr departure, however, had not been determined early today. Forbes' attorneys made plans to sum- mon about forty witnesses for the de- fense. including Mrs. Caroline Votaw, a sister of the late President Harding. They would not indicate what evidence would be sought from her. “I welcome these indictments with a clear conscience,” said Col. Forbe statement, “because they will perm me to present my case bsfore i fair {court of justice and a jury of my {peers. Throughout the Senate in- | vestigation 1 was not permitted to I present the facts of the case, and, as I told the committee, my destruction was sought by perjiu subordination of perju: and the suppression of {documentary and other evidence | which wouid have fully exonerated {me. The federal grand jury at Chi- | cago has seen fit in its wisdom to | exclude from indictment FElias H. Mortimer, a confessed criminal, who is the only witness agalnst me. Will Go Voluntarily. “Iam firm in the belief that these indictments will give me an oppor- tunity“to reveal before an impartlals court, a fair jury and a just press a hell-engendered conspiracy against my honor and integrity. I shall in- terpose no technical objection to & trial there under these conditions, but, on the contrary, shall go to Chi- cago voluntarily as the firgt step to- { ward my complete vindication. 1 am not going to Florida. I a not going to stand on my constit tional rights and refuse to testify While other men now charged pul liely with crimes against the govern- ment have been reported as hiding behind the screen of ill health, it is a matter of official record that T left a sick bed on the Pacific coast to cross the country in order to attend the Senate investigation. In the mi taken belief that it would be fair, I welcomed that investigation, just as 1 now welcome the court proceedings in 7 © *“There be this difference. though. The Constitution gives me the right to present my complete de- i fense before the Chicago tribunal and 1 intend to exercise it to the limit. Charges Bribery in Erobe. “There was not one fota of truth in any of the testimony given the Senate committee which reflected upon my honor or integrity. Evi- dence taken before that committee late at night on November 7, 1923, tended to show that one of the com- mittee’s counsel (now an assistant director in the bureau at & salary ot $7,200 a year) attempted to bribe Witness to commit perjury. Ther| upon this testimony was suppressd by the committee. } "“By most despicable and dishonor- able means witnesses were subjected to browbeating afid unfair treatment. These same forces were at work on the grand jury which returned the indictments in Chicago. “I unqualifiedly deny the statement | that certain employes of the Veterans Bureau during my incumbency were |regarded as a ‘ring’ The same men were there when I entered office and !they are there today. They are fine, | upstanding examples of the American soldier and gentleman, and any at- {tack upon their loyalty or integrity is an outrageous reflection upon the | American world war veteran. Scores His Accuvers. “I gave almost two years of m: life in an honest endeavor to advance the interests of ex-service men. . The political pressure upon the Veterans' Bureau is a force for evil. Were [ permitted by my counsel, T should now give the complete details and names of individuals involved in this attempted political corruption happily foiled. I shall make this information public later. I am convinced, that for the want of a more convenient political goat, I was selected as a { vietim and a sacrifice. “Phese indictments are as false as the lies of Mortimer, as vindictive as the villainous conduct of O'Ryan and Arnold, as cowardly as the so-called second preliminary report of the Senate committee, who had not the courage nor the falrness to hear my defense, who shirked the duty of formulating an honest report, and who have attempted to escape deserv- Ball Hes Subcommittee. The subcommittee which will have charge of the investigation, appoint- ed by Chairman Ball, consists of himself as chairman and Senator Capper of Kansas and Senator Ed- wards of, New Jersey. Meeting with them were Engineer Commissioner Bell, Commissioner Oyster, who of- fered all the facilities of the District government to help in making the 5tudy, and Richard S. Whaley, chair- man' of the Rent Commission, who also offered the facilities of that commission. Senator Ball said following meeting that the inquiry would be pushed with all possible apeedy t | ed criticism by scurrying behind the barricade of O'Ryan’s malignant verbGsity and by meekly crying out, ‘Some of it we believe; some of it we don’t believe, please take your choice,” knowing all the time that the charges against me are as false as hell's own brood.” . PRESIDENT TO GET DATA. By the Associated Press. % CHICAGO, March 1.—Transactions reported by the federal grand jury, which_yesterday iudicted Charles k. (Continued, o Page 5, Column &4 . \ 5 b