Evening Star Newspaper, March 12, 1924, Page 1

P ¢ Foening Staf. WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION WEATHER. Pagrtly cloudy tonight and tomor- row; no change in temperature; low- est temperature tonight near freezing. Temperature for twenty-four hours ended at 2 p.m. today: Highest, 42, at noon today; lowest, 35, at 11 p.m. last “From Press to Home . Within the Hour” The Star's carrier system covers every city block and the regular edition is delivered to Washington homes as jast as the papers are printed. Yesterday’s Circulation, 101,656 TWO CENTS. Closing N. Y. Stocks and Bonds, Page 26 No. 29,170, EIntered as sccond-class matter post office Washington, D. C. WASHINGTON, D. APRIL 15 APPROXIMATE DATE SET, C., WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 1924 -THIRTY-EIGH’ * “MLEA , ON STAND, ADMITS HE MISLED PROBE CONGERNING LOAN TO HELP FALL Stands on Story Told at Paim Beach—Makes Sweeping Denial of Any Knowledge of Leasing Oil Reserves. THOUGHT ‘PRINCIPAL’ WAS DAUGHERTY REFERENCE Testifies Former Secretary Asked Him to Say He Loaned Cash. Denies Connection With Siush Fund Rumored Sent Here—Ask- ed Slemp to Florida. Tidward B. McLean told the oil committee today that he had given it misleading information about the celebrated $100,000 loan because he trusted and desired to help his friend, Albert Fall The, publisher insisted that his second story about the loan, told to ISenator Walsh in January at Palm Beach, was correct. He said he had loaned the former Secretary $100,000 in checks for a ranch enterprise, but that the checks were returned to him uncashed. His previous assertion that the loan was made in cash, he said, was made at Fall's request. The latter appeared to be in trouble, he added, but had represented to him that it had nothing to do with oil Ignorant of Leases. ‘The publisher also asserted that he himself had no interest in the Sinclair or Doheny companies and knew noth- | ing about the Fall oil policies, ex- cept what he had read in the news- papers. Asked about the code messages ex- «changed between Washington and his cottage at Palm Beach, he was unable to decipher or explain many of them. He said William J. Burns had wiven one of his employes a Depdrt- ment of Justice code, but that he himself never had coded a mmessage. He became a secret agent of the Justice Department, he continued. shortly after the beginning of the Harding administration, largely be- cause the official badge would make it easier for him to get through police g:eé when traveling with the Presi- n Thought “Principal” Daugherty. The “principal” referred to in one of the telegrams sent him by his em- ployes, McLean said, appeared to him to refer to Attorney General Daugh- verty and did not refer to President Coolidge. He identified the Attorney General as the author of the message assuring Lim not to worry, because everything that could be done “will e done by us.” 5 Led into a long discussion of his re- lations with Mr. Daugherty, he said the Attorney General had lived in one ©f the McLean houses here for seven or eight months after coming to ‘Washington, and that Fall had visited | there often. But he added that Daugh- | erty “wouldn’t do anything wrong for me.” even if he had been asked. The publisher declared he had never bad anything to do with any million- dollar ‘slush fund rumored to have| ‘een sent to Washington for govern- ment officials. McLean said he invited C. Bascom Slemp, secretary to President Coolidge to come to Florida last December. Senator Ladd, republican, North Da- kota, as acting chairman, opened to- day's session by reading a telegram | from R. W. Stewart of Ol Company of Indiana, e had been in Three . in 1921, for conference with A. B. Fali, Harry'F. Sinclair and others, re- garding naval reserve leasing. A re- Tort of such a conference had reached denying that | Rivers, N. M . committee members. H. E, MoKenna, White House door- keeper, was then called. McKenna explained that McLean had asked that he let him know when Becretary Slemp left for the south. Had Slemp’s Perminsion, “T asked the Secretary if it was all Sright to teil Mr. McLean he was go- {ng to Florida,” McKenna added, “and he said it was, so I sent the telegram, and that's all there was to it.” E. W. Starling, White House secret gervice man, then was called. He testified that his message related to the emplovment of E. P. Wilkins of | Hopkinsville, Ky., in the McLean Yousehold. “Wilkins, Stariin, was his lifelong friend. i The committee then called W. W. Smithers, chief of communications at the White House, who operated the Washington end of McLean's wire at Palm Beach. Smithers declared his duties were “purely mechanical”: that he pald no aitention to the subject matter of the meusages handled, and that he took the job only because he needed the extra salary. . Pald $30 Week Salary. Smithers said he got $50 a week &nd that he had been employed from time to time for overtime work as a telegraph operator by various news- papers. Senator Walsh suggested that JMcLean's tender was ‘“unusual em- ployment,” but Smithers said he did not so consider it. He was seeking overtime employment, Smithers sald. “The moment my name appeared in the papers,” he added, “T Eot out, but not because it was wrong." As to the messages moving over the wire, Smithers said, his “Juties were purely mechanical,” and he pald no attentlon to what was done with the e had seen John F. Major, ntial agent of McLean, destroy of them. Why did you take that job?" ask- #d Senator Dill, democrat, Washing- 1. “Because I needed the money.” His salary, he sald, was $2,500 per year. Senator DIll said that he “agreed that was not enough for the work,” J. V. Pitzgerald, formerly employed " (Continued on Page §, Column 1) will be yeady for use by June & . 'aud Chin FOR RESIGNATION OF DAUGHERTY | Coolidge Demamis Attorney General Have Chance to HOUSE TO LAUNCH | the Standard | ! BY FREDERIC WILLIAM WILE. Harry M. Dangherty's official fate is to be decided by the Senate in- vestigating committee, but not in the sense his enemies desire. The Attor- ney General is fighting for and look- ing for exoneration at the hands of the Brookhart inquisitors. By the middle of next month the investiga- tion ought to have been in progress long enough, the Attorney General's supporters think, to clear him of any wrongdoing. If, as they confidently expect, the investigation takes that course, Mr. Daugherty will be justi- fied in stepping out of the cabinet. { April 15 is set as an approximate date at which his retirement from the De- partment of Justice may be looked {Tor. He will leave office with Presi- jdent Coolidge's confidence in his in- tegrity unimpaired. Mr. Coolidge believes that Daugherty 1 has been absolutely clean. 'The Presi dent at no stage of the crusade against the Attorney General has been inclined to dismiss him out of hand. He has insisted throughout that Daugherty is entitled to the farthest-reaching opportunity DAUGHERTY INQUIRY T00PENAT4PM; - WITNESSES READY Special Stress During Probe to Be Placed on Activities of Jesse Smith. The Daugherty investigation will be opened this afternoon at 4 o'clock under a decision reached today by the {=pecial Senate committee. Chairman Brookhart announced that testimony {of witnesses would be begun at that {nour. | Senator Brookhart would not dis- close the names of the witnes-es to be heard today. or the reasons behind the sudden decision for immediate opening of the inquiry. “I will say, however, that thers 15 a sufficient reason for the imme- diate hearing,” said Mr. Brookhart. The part played in Department of Justicg affairs by Jesse Smith, friend of Attorney General Daugherty, who committed sulcide & year ago in Mr. Daugherty’s apartment here, will be inquired into in detail in the Senate investigation. Senator Wheeler, democrat, Mon- tana, preparing the case for the com- mittee, announced that all telegrams sent to and received by Smith at Co- lumbus, Ohlo, after the election of President Harding, had been sub- poenaed. The senator sald that the reported influence of oil interest in the Mexi- can _ revolution, planned for inquiry at the opening session, —probably would give way to some other un- disclosed subject. Had Intimated Inquiry. A forecast that the inquiry would go into the relations between the At- torney General and Smith was given by Senator Wheeler, in an address several weeks ago in the Senate, in which he referred to Smith's actlvi- ties as mysterious. Smith occupied an office adjoining Mr. Daugherty's in the Department of Justice. The reference made by .Senator ‘V"I:iceler in his speech February 19 sal erybody knows that Jesse Smith, who was brought from the state of Ohio and had an office in the De- partment of Justice and who was not on the pay roll, was accepting money in connection with various charges that arose in the Department of Jus- tice.” The plans to delve into this angle were disclosed by Senator Wheeler upon his return today from a secret mission out of town. He withheld information regarding his work yes- terday, but said that he had to open the hearings tomorrow. He conferred today with Chairman Brookhart and committee assistants in the preparation of additional subpoenas. Will Demand Telegrams, In search for the conmection of Jesse Smith, the telegraph companies here and at Washington Court House, Ohio, were directed to submit “all incoming and outgoing messages sent by or received by Jesse W. Smith, since November, 1920, and up to the tinfe of his death.” Another subpoena issued was for ‘Will R. A. Hayes, manager of the Ungerleider Company, Columbus, Ohio, to appear immediately and bring certain documents. A firm of that name is a stock brokerage house which formerly had a Washington branch office. Mortimer Is Called. Issuance of subpoena for Elias H. Mortimer, the principal witness against former Director Forbes in the Veterans' Bureau investigation, has indicated another phase of the Daugh- erty inquiry, and Mr. Brookhart has let it be known that other ‘“leads” have been received in the last few days which he and Senator Wheeler regard as “important” 'He has re- fused, however, to divulge their n ture thus far in advance of their con. sideration. Authority Widened. The committee's authority was broaded under a_resolution adopted | yesterday by the Senate upon request iol Chairman Brookhart. Under it each ator on the committee is au- thorized to subpoena witnesses and {also to take testimony alome at any lace outside of Washington. The tter power, Chairman Brookhart said, already has been found to be . desirable. PLAN LOG SHELTER HOUSE A small shelter house, built of logs after the manner of the Joaquin Mill cabin in Rock Creek ed this spring near/ the Brightwood reservoir, on 16th street at Kennedy | street, for the use of picnic parties who patronize that popular playground, The building will be twenty-four feet by six- teen feet in size and one story high, with a rustic veranda on_two sides., It to| Park, is to be erect- | Clear Himself—May Still Be Factor in Republican Party. clear himself. That, in_effect, was what Senators Lodge, Pepper and Borah were told at the White House when they joined in the demand that republican party expediency required Daugherty's decapitation. Inxists He Have Chance. It .has become obvious to President ! Coolidge that Mr. Daugherty's early | disappearance from the Department | of Justice is inevitable. The depart- {ment is suffering in public esteem through his continuance at its head under as merciless a fire as ever was directed against a cabinet officer. The administration is admittedly |suftering from the fight on Daugherty, too. Nobody but a political ostrich would try to deny that. But for a willing to throw him overboard with- out, as the Attorney General's re- joinder to Senator Pepper put it, a {chance accorded even to “the ba: criminal.” As it is political expediency which will cause the Attorney Genecral's forthcoming disappearance from the cabinet, it is likewise volitical ex- pediency that s him to be re (Continued on ORIENAL GAS TAY BL GETS SENATE - COMMITTEE . iHouse Reciprocity Measure Amended to Conform to Commissioners’ Plan. The gasoline tax bill virtually in the form recommended by the District Commissioners was ordered favorably reported to the Senate today by the Senate District committee. The committee acted upon the House bill, amending it to conform to the plan suggested by the Com- missioners. It provides a tax of 2 cents a gallon on gasoline for use in motor vehicles or any other such fuel. The bill states (hat this tax shall be In lieu of the personal property tax now charged on motor vehicles here and that one-half of the gaso- line tax shall be pald Into the Treas- ury of the United States to the entire credit of the District of Columbla and the other half shall be paid into the Treasury to the credit of the TUnited States and to the credit of the District in the same proportion the appropriations for the District of Co. lumbia are paid from the Treasury from the revenues of the District during the fiscal year in which the tax was collected. $1 Registration Feer The bill as reported also provides for a registration fes of $1 each year for each motor vehicle operated in the District except for motor vehicles propelled by steam or electricity. Electrically-driven passenger-carry- ing vehicles must pay $11 a year. Electrically operated trucks having 11,000 pounds or less carrying capacity, $20 a year, plus $2 for each additional 1,000 pounds carrying capaelty. The Commissioners’ bill made the minimum charge on electrically op- erated trucks, $11. The Senate com- mittee accepted the House figure of 20, ’An motor vehicles' operated by steam must pay a tax of $15 a year. The Senate committee also accepted the House provision making it neces- sary for sny person selling gasoline in the District for stationary gas en- Eines, tractor or for agricultural pur- poses, motor boats, aircraft or clean- ing or dyeing. or for propelling any vehicle owned by the government, to collect the 2 cents per gallon tax, which would be refunded to the per- son paying the tax. The Commission- ers' bill provided that the tax need not be collected for gasoline sold for these purposes. Section Stricken Out. That section of the bill authorizing the Commissioners to employ addi- tional assistants in the office of the assessor, auditor and collector of taxes was stricken out of the bill on the ground that any additional as- (Continued on Page 2, Column 6.) B | INTERNAL REVENUE I INQUIRY ORDERE Senate Directs Investigation of Bureau Affairs by Select Com- mittee of Five. Inquiry by a select committes of five into the administration of the {bureau of internal revenue was or- dered today by the Senate. A resolution providing for the in- i vestigation, introduced by Semator Couzens, republican, Michigan, was adopted without a record vote. Sen- ator Watson, Indiana, will be chair- ; man of the committee and the other ; members will be Senators Couzens, Jonen: New Mesico, snaHan® i ew an 3 democrats. —_— CHINESE SOCIETIES HOLD MEMORIAL FOR LENIN Thirty Groups at Shanghai Gather ‘While Late Red Ruler Is Bulogized. Onbi The Chieago By e to Star I:I‘m Daity News. SHANGHAI March 13. — Thirt; Chinese bodies, including pouflflz labor, student and socialist societies, held a memorial meeting here for Lenin, the soviet dictator. The épeakers included the editor of a {rmnit‘ h:cll C‘I‘zlnua plp;:. who eulo; nin and urged China to follow his principles of ing all Jaborers and farmers into the fight against imperialism, The meeting was closely watched by both foreign pollca. vakbiely of reasons Coolidge was un- | t | OWN INVESTIGATION * OF BRIBE CHARGES Adopts Garrett Resolution to Probe Evidence by Viva Voce Vote. 1 LONGWORTH OPPOSES SUCH ACTION IN VAIN { Speaker Ordered to Appoint Com- mittee of Five to Pro- ceed at Once. H Congressional investigation of | eriminal charges sald to have been developed before a Chicago grand jury against two representatives was | ordered today by the House. By a viva voce vote, a resolution offered by Representative Garrett, the democratic leader, to create a special House committee to conduct an inquiry was adopted. By this action the House reversed its decision of yesterday to leave In- vestigation of the charges to the De- partment of Justice and to make no further effort to have the names of the accused disclosed. Longworth Move Lost. In an effort to head off a vote on the resolution, Representative Long- worth, the republican leader, pro- posed that it be referred to the rules committee, but his motion was lost on a record vote, 197 to 138. Organization republicans supported the Longworth motion for the most part, Democrats and republican in- surgents opposed it. The Garrett resolution, after de- claring that the Chicago grand jury had reported “that certain evidence has been submitted to them involving the payment of money to two mem- bers of Congress,” said that “the honor and dignity of the Congress requires that the facts be immediate- ly ascertained to the end that such action as is essential for the Con- Bress itself to take may be promptly taken.” ‘The resolution instructs the com- mittee, which will be composed of five representatives appointed by Speaker Gillett, to proceed immedi- ately with its inquiry. During a brief debate Mr. Garrett said the House investigation would not interfers with Department of Justice plans to lay the charges before a grand jury. He recalled that two representatives, Langley of Ken- tucky_and Zihlman of Maryland, both repubficans, had declared they had unotlicially been informed they were involved and had asked for investi gation. Pleading_for the House to keep its hands off, Mr. Longworth sald that if the department failed within two weeks to do something definite, he would favor action. An investigation now would be productive of no good, he said, and might embarrass the grand jury proceedings. Refused to Give Names. In the communication sent Satur- day to Speaker Gillett the Attorney General offered to submit evidence in poisession of the department to the House, but served notice that if the House undertook an inquiry into the charges said to involve two of 1ts members the department’s investi- gation would be su-pended. Frequent references were made during the debate to Representative Zihlman, Maryland, and Representa- tive Langley, Kentucky, who had stated on the House floor that they understand they are the representa- tives referred to in _the Chicago grand jury's report. Speakers who referred to them, without exception, declared they had faith in their in- | establish their innocence if charges were brought against them. The original committee resolution ‘was broadened to include instructions to the Department of Justice to speed up its investigation by a vote of 178 to 162 in the face of almost solid democratic opposition. BONUS WILL COST 1.5, $2.000,000,00 Basis of Value of Paid-Up In- surance Policy Fixed by Subcommittee. The paid-up life insurance policies, which will be given veterans under terms of the new soldier bonus bill will be valued at $1 a day for home service and $1.25 a day for overseds services, it was decided today,by the subcommittee of the House ways and means committee framivg the new measure. An additional 25 per cent of the total amount of the adjusted service credit would be allowed, thus making the basis on which compensation would be flsurfil m°¢a“;“;:x'.' ll:;; in the bill pass : X:flf'{mo«l by President Harding. | | ‘ The average value of each nolé:vyl will figure at about $2.65 for each !nf service, It was estimated, with the | total cost about $2,000,000,000, muct¥less than the cost of last year's bill. | Cash_payments to those veterans not | ! entitled to more than $50 will be given. ‘The first sixty days of service cannot be counted In figuring the amount of adjusted service credits. POPE URGES BRITISH TO INTERCEDE IN RUSSIA By the Associated Press. LONDON, March 12.—Pope Pius, ac- cocding to the Dally Telegraph, has asked Premier Macdonald to Inter- cede with the soviet government in favor of the Catholic clergy impria- in_Russ], m:lshde gape :A}'l the Pope thinks that the British, having recognized the bolsheviks de jure, are in a po- sition to take the desired step. As the papal missions sent to Mocow on behalf of the prisoners have been unsuccessful, he hopes that during the coming Anglo-Russian conference Great Britain will find an oppor- tunity thus “to.serve the cause of charity aud humanity,® __ tegrity and were satisfied they could |¢ THE EARLY BIRD CATCHES IT. 1 ! PRESIDENT BACKING CAPITAL DRY PROBE Admiral Plunkett Asked to Substantiate Charges of Law Violations Here. The White House has set out to sift to the bottom sensational charges by Rear Admiral Charles P. Plunkett, commandant of the Brooklyn navy vard, that Washington is “the wet- test city in the United States.” Admiral Plunkett's charges, made at a police trial in New York city, bring to a haad the series of prohibi- tion sensations here. Prohibition Commissfoner Haynes yesterday was ordered to the White ‘House, Where he was told- to- invosti- gate the matter, to get at sll the facts, and, it necessary, to take cor- rective action. Acting Secretary Roosevelt has called upon Admiral Plunkett to ad- vise the Navy Department if he was correctly quoted and how his charges may be substantiated. Admfnistration Is Aroused. At the Navy Department, it was said no indications had been received that the admiral's report would go further than the department. It was learned authoritatively, how- ever, that the administration, arous- ed by the series of sensations which the Cipital \has been' furnishing to the country, has determined to get at the bottom of the whole matter, and find if there is basis for the icharges against prohibition enforce- ment here, which reached their sharp- est expression in testimony of a dis- tinguished naval officer. ‘The Whjte House, i{t was indicated oday, may call for tie report of Admiral Plunkett, or have it for- warded direct to Commissioner Haynes for the latter to use as a basis for some action. Plankett’'s Service Notable. Admiral Plunkett has a distin. guished record in the Navy, and has, at various times, been stationed at Washington, in responsible posts. During his latest residence here, the admiral was president of the board of inspection and survey, serving in that capacity from July, 1921, to Oc- tober, 1922. He was stationed here previously in charge of the target practice office, the position he held when the United States entered the world war. During the war, Admiral Plunkett saw active service in France, com- manding the naval battery of 14- inch guns on the western front. No indications had been received at the Navy, the White House or at the (Continued on Page 2, Column 3.) S Ry BOMB BRITISH LEGATION IN ATHENS; NONE INJURED Material Damage Results—Seen as Attempt to Discredit Greek Government. By the Associated Press. ATHENS, March 12—A bomb was exploded early today at the entrance to the British legation, causing m | t| | | terial damage, but injuring no one.] Greek officlals expressed belief that the incident was staged In gn effort to discredit the government. The premier and minister of in- terior expressed the regrets of the Greek government to the British minister for the outrage. An inquiry was opened under the direction of British police officials and several suspects were detained. i GOLF COURSE T0. REOPEN. ; East Potomac Park Links Ready by Saturday, March 22. ‘The public golf course on East Po- tomac Park will be ready for use Sat- urday, March 22, sccording to. Col Sherrill, the officer in charge of pub- lic buildings and grounds. TR~ tions for the opening of the links have been delayed by recent bad weather. 30 HURT BY BOMB BLAST. DETROIT, Mich., March 12.—Thirty persons_were injured, two buildings ‘wrecked and windows for blocks broken, when a dynamite bomb was exploded at the entrance to a down- town Greek coffée house in:Monroe Aveaue, early this merning; .. QEpMbrsTan JUDGE W. S. KENYON, MAY NAME KENYON T0 SUCGEED DENBY| Coolidge Said to Have For ‘mer Senator, Here for Con- ference, in Mind. By the Associated Press. Former Senator W. Kenyon of Iowa, now judge of the eighth federal cireuit court, is understood to be under conslderation for appointment | as Secretary of the Navy, to succeed Secretary Denby. Judge Kenyon arrived here last night and shortly afterward went to the White House, where he con- ferred with President Coolidge. His friends sald today he had not reached a decision, but had an ap- pointment with President Coolidge tomorrow morning. The former Iowa senator at first had been considered for the post of Attorney General upon the retirement Harry M. Daugherty, but the Presi- :\tenz is” understood to have decided that he w(‘zu!lld prefer to offer him the Nav. rtfolio. Xtylspoexpected that a definite deci- sion will be made within a day or two. WARDMAN TO BEGIN FILLING PARK SITE May Start Placing Earth in Klingle Valley Tomorrow, Builder Announces. s, The first step toward the elimina-| tion of the Klingle valley as a propos-, grocer, according to the telegram, a | ed 4»-:-1: probably will be taken to- motrow by the filling with ear 2 section of the valley. Harry Wardman, owner of the land,; has had building plans ready for some time, but delayed operation because ofl his desire to co-operate with the civic leaders of Washington, who have been endeavoring for a number of years to Induce Congress to buy the land as omo:link (n the park system. - Mr. Wardman stated today that he could not afford-to. wait longer and that he probably would begin tomor- row making the fill. He explained that it would cost him uu.oo: to uestion away from ' ?;:‘?b'.fix'a?.fi"-’dl‘ and $50.000 more to bring it back again'if he had to e heked Congrits 1. thelr sup- ;‘1:?::;::.1‘ estimates for, $200,000 to acquire the Klingle valley and ST, mes ML 2 e thoe DAtk sites, but sction Las aot yet LR COOLIDGE PROBES AFFAIRS OF D.C. Letter of Mrs. A. Hopkins on Commissionerships Scores Alley Conditions. The White House continued to mark time toda on the question of filling the vacancies soon to occur on the board of District Commissioners, to i enable the President to examine care- t fully the reasons that have been ad- vanced against reappointment of Commissioners Rudolph and Oyster. Meanwhile Mrs. Archibald Hopkins, member of the Dupont Circle Citi- zens’ Assoclation and leader in the movement to improve alley condi- tions in Washington, has written to President Coolidge, calling his at- tention to the need of a thorough clean-up of these byways of the city. After setting forth in detall her belief that the Commissioners have ample law to handle the alley situa- tion, Mrs. Hopkins told the President her ‘criticism of the city heads was actuated by personal feelings. ut,” she added, “it seems to have been reserved to me, an old woman, to tackle this great subject of the health of the Capital city, at first, single-handed.” Invited on Inspection. Mrs. Hopkins invited Mr. Coolidge to accompany her on a tour of the alleys to see conditions for himself, "ls Mrs. Woodrow Wilson did ten years ago * ¢ * . In the first part of her letter Mrs. Hopkins reiterated the complaint pre- viously lodged at the White House that the zoning commission, of which the Commissioners are members, “violated their own law in changing the height for buildings at Massachusetts avenue and 21st street from fifty-five feet to eighty-five feet.” Another point raised in the past twen- ty-four hours is-that the firm of Ru- dolph and West has been getting annual contracts for supplies for the District service. Commissioner Rudolph has let it be known that he has not been connecteG with the management of the firm for a numiber of years, but has merely re- tained stock ‘in the corporation. Supply Contracts. It also was stated that, except in the case of occasional small pur- chases, after competitive bidding, with Mr. Rudolph taking no part in the eign- ing of the contracts. ‘With regard to the alley situation, the Commissioners feel that the health department has done all pos- sible to correct insanitary conditions with the limited means at hand. Although the terms of Commis- | sioners Rudolph and Oyrter techni- cally expire on Friday, under the law they remain in office until the Senate [‘;cln on the nominations made by the resident. Brig. Gen. Anton Stephen, active in trade and civic circle: at the White House today, but stated his visit was of a pureiy personal WARN OF MANIAC SLAYER. Louisville Officers Report Escape From Hospital for Insane. Touisville, Ky., .authorities today ‘wired local police to be on the look- out for a maniac murderer, who escaped from the Central State Asylum for the Insane a short time 280, The name given is Ernest C. Hu- bert, twenty-five years old. He held up and murdered Dennis Reardon, short time after his escape. He had th of| formerly served a penitentiary term. | Motorist Is Indicted: For Manslaughter .In Woman’s Death Manslaughter is charged in an in- dictment reported today by the grand Jury against Henry C. Abramovits, otherwise known as Henry C. Miller, in connection with the death of Car- rie Morris February 27 last. Abramovitz'is alleged to have been driving an automobile which struck and dragged the woman on 1st street southeast near the House office build- ing. She was taken to a hospital, ‘where ehe died. ‘The driver did not stop his machine, the police say, and Abramovits was not _apprehended for several days. A reward had been offered for the apprehension of the driver of the the supply contracts are let was a caller MELLON BROADSIDE DEMANDS REVISION OF HOUSE TAX BILL Senate Committee Told Def- icit of $450,000,000 In- volved in Measure. | IDEMOCRATIC SENATORS ASSAll- COOLIDGE PLEA |Cut in 1923 Rate by Saturday Deemed Unlikely by Party Leaders. ‘While Secretary Mellon was firing a broadside today at the revenuo bill as passed by the House, Senate democrats turned their big guns on the President’s message urging a Jjoint Tesolution te make tax reduction apply to incomes payable next Saturday. Meanwhile, with only three days left for action such as the President rec- ommended, the leaders showed Ilittle disposition to start on such a courss. Deficit Is Foreseen. Mr. Mellon told the Senate finance committee the bill as it now stand: must be changed to prevent a Treas- ury deficit, and he gave the committec a long list of modifications which would be necessary, in the view of Treasury experts. In the Senate the question of Mr. | Coolidge’'s message was brought up by Senator Robinson of Arkansas, the democratic leader, who said he be- lieved Mr. Coolidge knew it would be impossible to obtain the action re- quested in the time avs lable. He charged the President me®ly wanted a free hand to veto the b * Action Deemed Unlfkely. Senator Reed, democrat, Missouri, said the President probably had been fully occupied with cabinet troubles, and Senator McKellar. democrat, Tennessee, suggested recent news- paper articles calling atter.tion to the failure of Congress to act upon any part of the legislative propram out- lined in the President’s first message might have impelied the tardy appeal. nator Giass, democrat, Virginia; Brookhart, republican, Jowa. and Edge, republican, New Jerser, were drawn into the debate before & con- cluded, leaving a convictior that there was not the slightest hnop® of action on the President's requadt. “The President's special messmge urging the passage prior to March 15 of legislation reduction for the calen- dar year 1923 income taxes 26 per cent ‘comes oo late,” Senator Robin- son sald, Reealls Gamner Proposal. “Several months ago, in the body at the other end of the Capitol, the ranking democratic member of the ways and means committee, Répre- sentative Garner of Texae, realizing that the bill to provide for the re- duction of federal taxes would oc- casion prolonged consideration and could not pass in time to afford relial for the calendar vear 1923, suggesves and urged the passage of a separats measure to reduce the taxes for the year 1923. The President did not then think enough of the suggestion to take any action. “It would be interesting to know why he has waited so long and how far political considerations prompted the message, Had such a message been received thirty days ago, action could have been taken. “Since the Constitution requires that bills for raising revenues must originate in the House, it is not pos- sible to take any action here, other- wise an effort would be made to have the Senate proceed to the considera- tion of a measure for the reduction of taxes for 1923.” Deficit of $450,000,000. Revision of the revenue bill passed by the House must be made to pre- vent a Treasury deficit, Secretary Mellon today told the Senate finance committee. The House bill would mean a loss in revenue of about $450,000,000, Mr. Mellon sald, against an estimated surplus of $385,000,000 for the fiscal year 1925. The Secretary condemned the Long- worth compromise on the income tax rate schedule and criticized House amendments which increased estate taxes, created a gift tax and opened tax returns to inspection by congres- sional committees. Some Increases Needed. Some modifications would be nec- essary also, he said, in the increases jordered by the House in the excise and miscellaneous taxes. - | Mr. Mellon's views were sought by | the committee preparatory to the con- { sideration of the rate schedules in the bill. The Secretary and Undersecre- |tary Winston are asked to further {amplify their statements before the | commiittee later this week, The estimated surplus of $395,000,- 000 in the fiscal year 1925 was based, Mr. Mellon said, upon & reduction i ordinary_expenditures from approxi- mately ' $3,300,000,000 actual in 1923 to $3,050,000,000 estimated in 1924 and $2,815,000,000 estimated in 1925. “This reduction in expenditures: he said, “will require persistent et fort and economy, and if extraordi- nary liabilities are incurred by the government, then it is obvious tha: the estimated surplus cannot be re- lied upon.” . The Secretary also warned that this surplus would decrease in the follow - ing years unless the bill, as it now stood, was corrected. “Your plan of taxation,” he said, must be sound in its essential fea- tures, and not destroy the source of Tevenue.” Refrering to the Longworth surtax rates, which made a flat 25 per cent reduction on the rates in the pres- ent law, Mr. Mellon declared “this might have been all right if the rates had been properly scaled in the 1921 Jaw, but the bill simply continues the ‘defect in that law and penalizes principally middie ineomes." Little hope was held out today for immediate action on the proposed resolution providing for a 25 per cent cut in income taxes payable this year, specifically requested of Con- gress in a message yesterday by President Coolidge. Chairman Green of the House ways and means committee, which would have to take up such legislation firs declared yesterday it would be im ossible to get the resolution through th houses of Congress. before Satur- day, when first installments must be Dald on income taxes. The revenu bill passed by the House provides for this retroactive reduction. Both Chairman Green and Repre- sentative Longworth, republican lead. er, argued that as a_unanimous con sent agreement would be nocessary to (Continued eo Page 2 Column 4) H