Evening Star Newspaper, May 26, 1924, Page 1

WEATHER. Fair and slightly warmer tonight; to- morrow unsettled, showers following; variable winds, becoming southerly. Temperature for twenty-four hours ended at 2 p.m. today: Highest, 64, at 2:10 p.m. Full report on esterday; lowest, 46, at 5:30 page 7. Closing N. Y. Stocks and Bonds, Page 20 No. 29245, Entered as second-class matter post office Washington, D. C. PRESIDENT SIGNS IMMIGRATION BILL BANNIG IAPANESE Disapproves Failure of Con- | gress to Provide Longer De- | lay in Effective Date. | SAYS OTHER FEATURES OF LAW BASIS FOR 0. K'iVETERATS' BUREAU Feared Veto Would Result in Faulty Emergency Law, White House Announces. | | | | bill was signed | President Coolidge. the provis making exclusion effective next iuly 1, put into the measure over his | \iZorous opposition. the President de- died because of other considerations | give the Ixecutive approval cessary to spread the legislation on © statute books. | It was pointed out the present immigr June 30, a veto might have it necessary to rush through emergeney measure in the closing tours of the session. Such a step, the would not be practi e tangled legislative ie certainty that any emergen _Provision would be beset by many tempts at amendment and possibly blocked altogether. The 04, immig by Despite Japanese ade President felt, ble in view of tuation and Disapproves Short Delay. he had affixed his to the bill. however, the began preparation of a| statement expressing his disapproval of the failure of Congress to provide for a longer delay in the effective e of Japane: exclusion i The President's statement declared | e had approved the bill because of | necessity of considering “the bill | 8 a whole and the imperative need of the country for legislation of this! seneral character.” | If the exclusion provision stood | wione, the President said, he would luve ‘disapproved it without hesita- | tion Besides the Japanese exclusion fea- e, the bill contains a number of | visions which were the basis of | stubborn contests when the legisla- | tion first wus under consideration in Senate and House. One question | long in dispute was the method of | determining natio which under the measure v passed are reckoned per cent on the | Lasis of the 1890 NSUE, " Exclusion Big Issue. i | This and all other disagreements ! over the bill's provisions have h(-en" subordinated to the Japanese ux(‘lll»‘ sion e ever since Amhassador‘ Hanihara on April 11 ent a note to the State Department suggesting that | PO bility of ‘grave conse- quences” be considered before an ab- | solute legislative barrier was reared | iwainst the Japan The note was | haracterized in both Senate and | House as a veiled threat and both re- | uftirmed quickly and by overwhelm ing majorities their desire for exclu sion. The House passed the bill, 322 to and the Senate, to 6. Under| e measure exclusion would | n effective July 1 of this| the Senate voted to make eftective immediately. While the gislation was in confercnce the resident appealed directly o the eres to write in postpon ent util March 1, 1926, so 5 to permit gotiation of an agreement with | an, but the conferen »mmittee | €d to accept his plan. i Subsequent the onferes did | s1ee to a postponement untll March but when their report was \rought into the House it was voted own, 191 to 171. A new conference i ort was drafted making the ef. foctive date July 1, 1924, and It was dopted by the House, 308 to 58, and Ly the Senate, 69 to Y. In each’ case he majority was far in excess of the wo-thirds that would be necessary or passage over a veto. Conferred With Hughes. The President's signature was af- fixed to the bill after he had con- terred with Secretary Hughes and ad devoted a week end to study of e measure and the reports made on by the State and Labor Depart- ents. The President's message to the “iouse in connection with the immi- sration bill follows: : “In signing this bill, which in its \ain features I heartily approve, 1 egret the impossibility of severing rom it the exclusion provision which, W the light of existing law, affects ~specially the Japanese. I gladly rec- \ Lgnize that the enactment of this pro- Vision does not imply any change in wur sentiment of admiration and cor- \ial friendship for the Japanese peo- ile, a sentiment which has had and ill continue to have abundant mani- fvstation. The bill rather expresses tlie determination of the Congress to . xercise its prerogative in defining by gislation the control of immigration instead of leaving it to international arrangements. It should be noted that he bill exempts from the exclusion yrovision government officials, those oming to this country as tourists, or emporarily for business or pleasure; hose in transit, seamen, those al- eady resident here and returning jrom temporary absences, professors, | \inisters of religion, students, and hose who enter solely to carry on rade In pursuance of existing treaty vy ns. "Bt wé have had for many years .1 understanding with Japan by “hicl. the Japanese government has oluntarily undertaken to prevent the wmigration of laborers to the United ltates; and in view of this historic rslation and of the feeling which in- «pired it, it would have been muck bhetter, in my judgment, and more ef- ‘ctive in the actual control of immi- ration, 1 we had continued to in- te the co-operation which Japan \as, ready to give and had thus avoid- .d creating any ground for misappre- ension by an unnecessary statutory .nactment. That course would not iave derogated from the authority of lie Congress to deal with the ques- tion in any exigency requiring its action. ¢There is scarcely any ground for disagreement as to the result we want, but this method of securing it 4 unnecessary and deplorable at thiy \ime. If the exclusion provision stood “lone I should disapprove it without esitation, if sought in this way at ihis time. But this bill is a compre lensive measure dealing _with the \s signature President soon as a » 1ear, but | measure designed to | | ary. Col. Forbes and J. H. Thompson, | | matherea | of the bureau’s supplies. | British Cabinet to Quit if Beaten on Housing Measure By the Associated Press. LONDON, May 26.—The Mac- Donald cabinet has decided that if the government is defeated on any essential feature in the forth- coming debate on the housing bill it will immediately resign and appeal to the country, according to the parliamentary correspond- ent of the labor organ, the Dally Herald. It has been further agreed, the me authority states, to divide the housing bill into two parts— namely, the housing measure proper and the portion of the check prof- iteering in building materials. INQUIRY TO REOPEN Chicago Grand Jury to Call Many | Witnesses at Former Proceedings. MAY Attack on Indictment of Forbes | and Thompson Cause. By the Associated Press. | CHICAGO, May 26.—Federal of- ficlals prepared today to reopen the federal grand jury into the administration of the Vet- erans’ Bureau under Col. Charles R. Forbes, former director. Subpoenas were prepared, it was understood, for many of the witnesses in the original grand jury proceedings last Febru- Chicago and St. Louis contractor, were indicted by the February spe- cial grand jury impanelled to review evidence in the Veterans' Bureau case in nine months of Senate inquiry, Reopening of the case is believed to forecast a complete shift in the prosecution plans of the government, in view of interested parties, as a result of an attack on the indictment by Forbes and Thompson, Irregularities Charged. The answer of the defendants to the indictment was contalned in a plea of abatement charging gross ir- regularities In the grand jury pro- ceedings. The government, through John W. H. Crim, assistant attorney general, denied the charges. The de- fendants demurred, characterizing the answer as insufficient and re- questing a jury trial on the plea for | abatement. As counsel assembled in court here recently prepared to go to a jury hearing, the case was unexpectedly postponed, presumably at the request of the government. It {s understood now that the new sessions were called with a view of perfecting legal tech- nicalities surrounding the original in- dictments. Forbes and Thompson were indicted on four counts charging conspiracy to defraud the government and to bribe a government official. The in- dictment was understood to have cen- tered around discussion before the grand jury of alleged payment of $5,000 in cash from Thompson through Elfas Mortimer, Philadelphia attorney, to Forbes in 1922, The whole investigation of the Vet- erans’ Bureau centered around charges of graft, bribery and other irregulari- ties in connection with the award of hospital contracts and the distribution | | Col. Forbes and Mr. Thompson have | unequivocally denied the charges. SHERRILL TO RETAIN POSITION IN DISTRICT Army Officer in Charge of Build-| ings and Grounds Found to Meet Active Service Rule. Lieut. Col. Clarence O. Sherrill, mili- tary aide to the President, is per- forming “service with troops” within the meaning of the provisions of the national defense law of 1916, and he consequently will retain his existing status in this city at the pleasure of President Coolldge. This decision has just been made by the general staff of the Army. Under the national defense law all officers of the Army below the grade of brigadier general are required “to serve with troops” at least one year in every five. Col. Sherrill has been stationed in this city about five years and since March 21, 1921, has been in charge of public buildings and grounds, in which capacity he served also as military aide to the Presi- dent, - constitutional “commander-in- chlef of the Army and Navy." 1t is sald at the War Department that the question was not raised by the President, but came up in the routine administration of the law re- quiring periodic service with troops. —_— JAPANESE CHRISTIANS RAP EXCLUSION BILL Action of U. 8. Causing Natives to “ Distrust Missionaries, Report States. By the Associated Press. TOKIO, May 26.— According to the Hochl and other newspapers, the smaller native Christian churches have been dealt a damaging blow by the passage of the American immi- gration bill with its clause excluding Japanese. These journals declare that the action on the immigration bill has made the Japanese distrust the missionaries and their teachings and has been influential in causing many Japanese Christians to leave the churches. Native christians leaders are quoted in the vernacular press as saying that few Japanes belleve in Christianity as it {s taught by missionaries he: considering it a sham and the mi sionaries’ professions of Christian humanity, justice and brotherhood false. " These leaders are quoted as saying SHIFT PROSECUTION | invesestigation | |and brought to Chicago for question- he . FRANKS CASE CLUES PROVE UNFRUITFUL Three Men in Car Like That Kid- napers Used Able to Satisfy Police in Grill. GIRL IS LINKED WITH CASE Missing Student of Nearby School May Have Seen Kidnaping. By the Associcted Press. CHICAGO, May 26.—The state's at- torney, his assistants and the police worked all night on clues as to the possible kidnaper and murderer: of fourteen-year-old Robert Franks, son of Jacob Franks, retired millionaire pawnbroker and manufacturer, but early today appearea no nearer a solution of the mystery than when the boy's nude body was found last Thursday. The body of the lad was laid to rest yesterday afternoon, attended by classmates at the private school he was leaving when last seen alive last Wednesday. Early today three men riding in an automoblile answering the description of a machine said to have loitered near the private school attended by young Franks several days before he disappeared were seized at Summitt, 1L, about twenty miles from here, ng. There was some effort to connect the disappearance of Gertrude Bar- ker, seventeen, with the kidnaping of young Franks. The gir1 has been missing since Wednesday, when she left an academy near the school at- tended by the murdered lad. Her usual course homeward would have taken her past the corner at which the boy was last seen. Relatives Fear for Girl. Miss Barker's relatives fear that she might have been a witness of the Franks kidnaping and, there- fore, taken along by the kidnapers. For that reason efforts to find the kidnapers were increased. A florist, who sent 2 wreath bear- ing the name Johnson to the funeral of the kidnaping victim yesterday, is_positive he could identify the man who gave him the order. The let- ter demanding $10,000 ransom sent to Mr. Franks after his son was dead was signed “George Johnson.” The floker sender was described by the florist as of the type built up in theory by the police the possible owner of a pair of spectacles found near the boy's body. The police continue to look to ex- aminations of typewriters and oculists’ prescription records for clues, the ransom-demand letter hav- ing been typewritten expertly, and the prescription for the glasses care- fully worked out. The three men seized in an auto- mobile gave & good account of them- selves, but will be questioned again. Instructors Grilled. Three instructors at the school still are being questioned by the police and a more intensive interroga- tion of the students at the school was being carried out today. The police were overlooking no possibility to obtain some clue from the instructors and students which might throw new light on e mystery. The heavy-rimmed spectacles pick- ed up near the place where the boy's body was found were declared by the police today to be a recent de- sign, such as turned out by only three optometrists, who are to be questioned and their records examin- ed. The glasses are believed to have been worn by & man of narrow face, or & woman. The design, however, is sald to have been made to fit the vest pocket, the bows being short and comparatively stralght. CITIES MAY CUT LIQUOR PRESCRIPTION SALES Supreme Court Rules Police Power Sufficient to Limit Amount Drug Stores May Dispense. Citles under their police power can festrict the quantity of intoxicating liquor which physicians may dispense on prescriptions, it was held today by the Supreme Court. Merlin W. Hixson, a Los Angeles druggist, had protested against the the effect of the exclusion clause will be the divorcing of native churches from the American mission bodies, which may in the long run be bene- ficial as encouraging the remaining Japan Christians to stand unsup- local law which z"rohlhllod druggists from filling physicians’ prescriptions calling for more than half a pint of intoxicating liquor, contending that under the federai prohibition law physicians could prescribe ome pint. The state ocourts upheld the cltyI ordinance. e WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION WASHINGTON, D. C., CUBAN TRAINS TIED UP. Strike Halts Traffic on Central Branch of U. R. HAVANA, May 26.—Traffic on the Cuba Central branch of the United Railways of Havana continues at a standstill because of the strike of union employes, but the main line has not been interfered with. Brotherhood members on the Cuba Central branch went on unauthorized strike, according to railroad officials, because two members of the union di- rectorate were among those discharg- ed under the seniority system in re- ducing the extra number of employes taken on for handling the sugar crop. EXTENSION OF PARKS IN ALL STATES URGED Conference at Gettysburg Attracts 300 Delegates—Judge Payne Is Chairman. PENNSYLVANTA HAS BIG AREA Value of Recreational Effect Stressed in Opening Session. By a Staff Correspondent. GETTYSBURG, Pa, May 26.—To consider the possibility of expanding existing state park systems and estab- lishing new ones in every common- wealth of the country, delegates from every section of the United States gathered here today at the inaugural session of the fourth national con- ference on state parks. John Barton Payne, delivering his opening address as chairman, sound- ed the keynote of the convention when he %said it had been convened for the purpose of bringing togethar the men and women who are devoting their lives to the promotion of fores- try, recreation and parks so that they might compare notes and take back home with them ideas that might be beneficial to their communities. Parks Valuable Asset. The delegates were welcomed to Gettysburg by Representative Milton W. Shreve of Pennsylvania. He said that it was fitting that the meeting should convene on the historic battle- fleld of Gettysburg. The animosities of that war, he said, have long been forgotten, and, therefore, Americans from both sections can meet here in friendship. “Our state and national parks,” he continued, “are among our greatest assets. There is no place where the spirit of democracy lives stronger than on the trail of the great out- doors. 1 remember once seeing a small automobile stalled on a road in one of our national parks. Along came an expensive limousine. A young man stepped from the limousine, took off his coat, rolled up his sleeves and in half an hour had the fiivver running again. That is the spirit of the trail, and that is the spirit that will keep America_alive.” Maj. R. Y. Stuart of Harrisburg, secretary of the department of forest and waters of Pennsylvania, in an in- teresting address pointed out that state parks have four primary uses .and benefits to the people as follows: Produce Timber Supply. “First, they produce a timber sup- ply to meet the need of present and future citizens of the state. “Second, they provide watersheds with forest cover, 5o as to secure an even flow of water to foster the in- dustries of the state and feed her springs and streams, “Third, they combine charm of scenery, with altitude, purity of at- mosphere, and general health giving conditions which make them sani- toriums for those of our populatidn who do not desire or could not go to remoter points. “Fourth, they fill the largest meas- ure of usefulness by serving as col- lecting grounds for the water which (Continued on Page 2, Column 1.) MUSSOLINI tells of Italy’s Regeneration in a serial interview beginning in The Star tomorrow. 0 ORATORICAL SCORE SYSTEM EXPLAINED Low-Point Method Will Be Used| by National Contest Judges, Director Declares. IMPORTANT PHASE SHOWN. Gives Minority Judgment Chance in Final Decision. Just how the low-point total system of judging. to be used in the national | oratorical contest here June 6 will work. was explained today by Ran- dolph Leigh, national director of the contest, Much interest has been aroused in this system, which will be used by the judges, Chief Justice Taft and Justices Sutherland, Van Devanter, Butler and Sanford of the United States Supreme Court, in awarding the prizes in the national contest to be staged in Memorial Continental Hall. Among the seven national con- testants, chosen from the high schools | of the land, will be Miss Ruth New- burn, sixteen-year-old Central School senior, who will represent the District of Columblia, being selected in | the contest held in this zone under auspices of The Star. Low-Point System. ‘“The low-point total system of Judging. which will be used at the nnlu meeting of the national oratori- cal contest, has within recent e been adopted as the standard in inter: collegiate and interscholastic speak- ing contests.” declared Mr. Leigh. As contrasted with the older fys- tem of selecting speakers by major- ity ballot, the low-point total system is one of checks and balances To put it apother way. It gives the minority judge or jud - tunity o ma S L v into the final decision. Under this system the important & {8 not the number of judges, rather their fitness for the task. e each judge rates each speaker, the final decision does not reflect the opinion of a majority of the judges, but simply the composite mind of all of the judges. “If & speaker five® judges off solutely displeas the extent that thini but sweeps three out of their feet and ab- e:zhthc ofi?er :‘Wo to ey will rat® him last, it is highly probable that he Wwill not secure the first place. Five Judges and Seven Speakers. ‘With five judges and seven speakers, as will be the case in the nath::nl finals, the perfect or lowest Possible score will be five firsts or total of five. The poorest score will be five sevens or a total of thirty-five. It is highly probable that the winner in the national finals will be rated as low as fifth, sixth or even seventh by at least one judge. This Would seem improbable ‘were it not for the fact that the national finalists, or at least most of them, Will be s0 nearly equal in excellence that there will bo an extremely nar- rgin betwe ey en the different “In other words, it is entirel, sible for the difference betwee’n vtoh!; merit of tHe speaker given first place and the speaker given seventh in the national finals to ,be less than that between first and second choice in (Continued on Page 3, Column 3.) EXPERT ON VOLCANOES HASTENS TO KILAUEA Prof. Jaggar Will Be Taken to Exploding Mountain by Airplane. By the Associated Press. HONOLULU, May 26.—Arrangements are complete today for unusual steps to expedite the arrival of Prof. T. A. Jaggar, volcanologist, and authority of Hawailan craters, at Kilauea, now in a state of activity, when he arrives from the mainland Wednesday. Prof. Jaggar, who was in the United States .when Kilauea burst several Weeks ago, has been coming back as fast as railroad trains and an ocean liner could bring him. His ship, the Manca, arrived Wednesday. An’ air- gllne will meet the ship and hurry Im southward to the Island of Ha- wall and Hilo, whence he will go on to_the volcano. The greatest electrical display in the recorded history of Hawall was witnessed over Kilauea yesterday. It followed the day's only explosion in the crater, which occurred at noon. Na rocks were ejected, but there were several violent earthquakes prior to ;l;'e explosion, and some lighter ones ater. ' Sightseers have taken heed of the | bate in the House, the measure as it | best composite measure that can be | modification of the section creating a High | ke their judgment find its | Star. MONDAY, MAY 26, 1924—THIRTY PAGES. TAX BILL APPROVE BYHOUSE AND NOW GOES TO PRESIDENT Provides 25 Per cent Reduc- tion in Income Payments Due This Year. DOUBT STILL REMAINS ON COOLIDGE ATTITUDE Measure Supported by Leaders of Both Parties as Best Possible Compromise. The conference tax bill, already passed by the Senate, was approved today by the House. Providing reduction of taxes for | almost every federal taxpayer, the measure now goes to President Coolidge. It calls for a 25 per cent reduction on income taxes pavable this year; permanent revision downward of the income rates, repeal or lowering of most of the miscellaneous and excise taxes, and a 25 per cent re- Quction on earned incomes of $10,000 and under. Although some doubt still exists as to President Coolidge's attitude in| view of Treasury Department opposi- tion to the provision for limited pub- leity of tax returns and an increase in estate taxes, Republican leaders in both the Senate and House joined the solid Democratic line-up in support of the measure. The vote was 376 to 9. The brief debate developed consid- erable opposition in the Republican ranks to the proposal for even limited | publicity in returns, and several an- nounced if the measurc were vetoed they wouTd vote to suetain the action, The nine negative votes were cast by Representatives Fenn, Merritt and | Tilson of Connecticut, Hill of Mary- land, McFadden and Phillips of Pennsylvania, Mills and Wainwright of New York, and Moores of In- diana, all Republicans. Favored on Both Sides. Called up for its last season of de- came from conference was again bit- terly assailed by those who have stood unwaveringly for the Mellon plan, but the leaders of both parties joined in acknowledging it as the put through the present Congress. Representative Mills, Republican, New York, a Mellon plan advocate, asseiled the conferees for accepting board of tax appeals. “Instend of improving the admin- istrative machinery,” he said, “you have wrecked it He characterized as “imposible and | the provisions opening the hearings of the board to the (Continued on Page 2, Cojumn 4.) GROSSMAN APPEALS | T0 SUPREME COURT | Asks Order for Release on Bail| ‘When President’s Clemency Fails to Help Him. Philip Grossman, the former Chi- cago saloonkeeper, now held in con- finement for contempt of court upon order of Judges Carpenter and ‘Wilkerson, despite a commutation by | President Coolidge, today asked the | Supreme Court to release him on bail pending an appeal. Grossman was sentenced to prison by former Judge Landis for contempt of court on the charge that he had violated a prohibition padlock in- junction. Before he was committed President Coolidge extended execu- tive clemency. Recently the case was aired before the Senate Daugherty committee. In ordering him rear- rested the two judges took the posi- tion that Grossman, having been sen- tenced for contempt of court, the President could not act without an encroachment on the constitutional independence of the judiciary. Legal Point Important. The legal point raised is of such importance that the Department of Justice has indicated it would inter- vene in the proceedings in order to secure a speedy and final decision by the highest court. Pointing out that he was committed to the Chicago house of correction on May 23, upon order of the two judges, Grossman, through his counsel, Louls J. Behan and Robert A. Milroy, ad- vised the Supreme Court in the mo- tion filed today that the superintend- ent of the house of correction re- fused to release him when the com- mutation granted by President Cool- idge was exhibited and evidence pro- duced that he had complied with its terms by the payment or a fine of $1,000 and costs. Contending that the warrant on which he was committed to the house of correction was vold because issued without authority of law, the petition declared the three federal judges composing_ the district court for northern Illinois—Judges Carpenter, Wilkerson and Cliffe—are disqualified from hearing or passing upoa an ap- plication for a writ of habeas corpus. Seeks Supreme Court Writ. For this reason. counsel stated, there is no adequate legal remedy open to Grossman except through the granting of a writ of habeas corpus by the Supreme Court. The motion does not discuss any legal objections to the order of the two judges, but is confined to the bare statement that they were without authority to issue the order and dis- qualified to pass upon & habeas corpus don. m%hoa court took the motion under advisement, and probably will an- nounce its decision next Monday. The Justice Department later asked several ‘warnings {issued, and now only a few remain within the na- tional park in which Kilauea {s lo- cated. “From Press to Home Within the Hour” The Star's carrier system covers every city block and the regular edi- * D. C. Navy Aviator Injured in Crash 1 | | LIEUT. A. W. GORTO; By the Associated Press. PROVIDENCE, R. 1, May 26.—Lieut. | A. W. Gorton, a aviator, fell to earth in his plane at the Hillsgro Aviation Field, near here, today as he was taking off for a flight to ‘Washington. The plane was wrecked and Lieut. Gorton's nose was almost torn from his face. Besides, he was| badly shaken up. His flight com-| panion, whose name is not known, was badly shaken up but otherwise uninjured. Lieut. Gorton flew to Providence from the Capital la: week to wisit his mother. As the plane left the| ground and reached a height of about | 100 feet it s seen to take a sud- den nose dive and ecrash to earth. Lieut. Gorton's mother was among ! the first to reach the fallen machine and helped drag her son from the| wreckage. | Lieut. Gorton's aerial career has| been a brilliant one. He has broken | several speed recqrds, won numerous | cups and was a member of the Amer- ican naval flight team sent to Eng land to compete for the Schneider | seaplane trophy at the Isle of Wight | last year. Saturday’s Circulation, 93 Sunday’s Circulation, 102,412 | nally taken, and tion is delivered to Washington homes as fast as the papers are printed. 1 TWO CENTS. OPTICIAN'S DEATH LAID TO POISON AND GAS N STORE FIRE Dr. Louis Berman Collapses After Blast Brings Police to Jeweler’s Place. BLAZE OF INCENDIARY ORIGIN, SAY EXPERTS Reason for Being in F Street Building Unexplained—Wife Sure of Innocence. Death from a deadly poison. inter aggravated by car bon monoxide inhaled from the fumes in a fire of incendlary origin at Lucios' Jewelry Store, 1313 F street early vesterday, was the conclusior reached today after a number of ex perts had examined the store and the body of Dr. Louis Berman, thirty six years old, found in the store, and who lived at the Home apartments 7th and K streets. The conclusions reached after ex perts from the United States bureau of mines had been called into con- ference, will end at the inquest at the District morgue this afternoo: one of the most peculiar cases whici the police and fire departments have had to handle for some time. Thert were fire, explosion and death follow ing closely in the order named Experts Direct Inquiry. Early today Dr. chief of the the United Dr. R. R. Sayer: Crawshaw Charles E. Munroe. division of bureau of mines chief surgeon. and plosive engineer of the same bureau, accompanied In- spector Grant, Capt. Emerson and Detectives Scrivener and Kelley of the local police department to the explosives at | scene of the fire and explosion, where Lieut. Gorton is one of the tes® pilots at the naval air station, Au costia. D. C, where he has been sta toned for about two years. He left Friday in a land plane for Provi dence, carrying Lieut. C. F. Sprague, executive officer of the station. In| the absence of official advices here | early this afternoon, it was not| known who Licut. Gorton's passenger | wae. although Capt. W. D. Thomas, | commanding the air station, thought | Lieut. Sprague would return with | Lieut, Gorton. | Lieut. Gorton is regarded as one of the best pllots in the Navy and has been assigned to test new planes for government service with other pilot at the air base here. He was dis-| qualified from flying in the Sehneider | cup races last September when his| plane crashed into the Thames on| official tests. >-— NEW LIBRARY LACKS | FUNDS FOR OPENING | | Cut in Appropriation May Cause| Mount Pleasant Branch to Stand [ Idle Many Months. i The strange picture of a great branch public library opening with- out eifher staff or books will be pre- | sented here January 1 next, in all | probability, as the result of lack of | funds, unless the money is provided | by an amendment to the District ap- | propriation bill, now pending in the | Senate. Dr. George F. Bowerman. librarian | of the Public Library, said today that the new branch now under construc. tion at 16th and Lamont streets, to| to be known as the Mount Pleasant | branch, which is expected to be com- | pleted by the beginning of next year. will stand idle for perhaps as long as thirteen months thereafter. Appropriation Cut Deeply. This is the situation created by the | failure to include in the bill as re- ported to the Senate the full esti mate of $214,300, as passed upon by the budget bureau, for the Public Library and its branches. Only| $170,558 is avallable for the library. The establishment of three public | lbrary branches in high schools, an | undertaking upon which library offi- clals have set great store, aiso is completely swept away by the lim- ited appropriations. This means that plans to place branches of the Public Library in the Eastern High School and the Langley and Macfarland Junior High Schools must be put aside. This idea of a chain of libraries in the schools, sup- plementing the larger branch Ii- braries, has been backed by Dr. Bowerman for the last thirteen years. Available to Public. The idea, supported by the board of education and the District Com- missioners, is to place a small branch | of the Public Library in the schools, to be used by the pupils in the morn- ing and to be available to the gen- eral public in the afternoon and eve ning. The proposed branch at Kast. ern would be in addition to the reg- ular school library. Every assurance is given library officials at this time by the builders that the new branch on 16th street will be completed by the time named. Even had the desired amount of maintenance money been given, the branch would have been handicapped in staff, which was cut from twenty- one to twelve, and in books, the estimate for which was far too low, according to officials. Bullding May St Idle. Now the prospect is unless Con- gress itself decides to “do sometmng‘\ about it,” that the fine building will stand idle, perhaps unheated, without staff, books or the public utilizing its facllities. The needed funds may be secured through a deficiency appropriation, but deficiency appropriations dre none too easy to get, it is realized. Amend- ments to the present appropriation Jeave of the court for permission to file & brief as a friend of the court in the Grossman case, should it later decide to do so. bill may be made on the floor. Dr. Bowerman said today that the Public Library will be forced to con- (Continued on Page 3, Column 2.) they made a of the store. There was no evidence of tamper ing with the safe, but Dr. Munroc concluded that fire, which he belfeve started in the small room in the east side of the rear of the store, was of incendiary origin. He pointed dut that the building was tightly closed. precluding any ventilation, and when one of the windows broke the in- rush of air flashed off the unburned ses in the smoke, with which the ucture had become filled. F Marshal Seib also said that the f of incendiary origin. thorough examination Body Ix Examined. After an examination of the build ing the bureau of mines’ experts, ac- companied by the police, went to the District morgue, where they ex- amined the body of Dr. Berman, in which an autopsy already had bees performed by Dr Herbert Mar- tyn, deputy coroner. Dr. Sayers took a number of samples of blood, and made tests for curbon monoxid: poisoning. “While the specimen: sald, “were poor they showed saturation of about 30 per cent. “Death occurs,” he said, “frow about 50 per cent upward, except, he pointed out, where the person was under excitement, as in the cast of Berman, during the time the polic: were calling to him to come out of the store, when 30 per cent may cause death.” “The history of the Berman casc was that of many case in the mines with which he har dealt,” he suid. The person mo around in the fu but collap: immediately upon reaching fresh air However, examination of the tomach, showed the contents to co tain a deazdly poifon used by jewel in their work he * One Unexplained Phase. Tae only unexplained feature the case so far is why Dr. Berman remained in the store while the fire was raging. The fire was discovered by police on the beat, who saw a | wan moving atound in the smoke fili ed interior. They called to him come out, but instead, they say, h attempted to get under one of the ses. After a policeman discharged pistol the man came out. At first he denied that he was in the store, according to the detec tives, then said if he was there he went with the firemen, and then cor rected this to say that he had a right to be there. He then asked for medi cal attention, and while preparations were being made to send him to « hospital he collapsed and died. On one of the counters was founc a large package wrapped with news papers in which was a large leathe: case, containing watches and jewelr: from the store. Key Found in Pocket. Earl Perkinson, husband of ti proprietor of the store. told the police, according to the latter, that he left the store about 10:30 o'clock Saturday night. Detective Scrivener said that investigation showed tha! Dr. Berman had gone to a local Turk- ish bath about 9 o'clock and regis tered, and then had left. It is mot (Continued on Page 2, Column 7.) SEEKS ACTION TODAY ON D. C. FUND BILL Phipps Will Try to Bring Us Measure in Senate If Chance Offers. Senator Phipps of Colorado. in charge of the District appropriation bill, which was reported to the Sen ate Saturday, said today that he would seek an opportunity to have the bill considered this afternoon. ‘The Senate, soon after it met today, took up the calendar. At 2 o'clock the unfinished business of the Senate— the bill to readjust the pay of post- masters and postal employes—auto- matically came up. Under unanimous consent agreement the Senate is to vote on this bill not later than 1 o'clock tomorrow. If the debate on the postal salaries bill 1ags in the Senate this afternoon Senator Phipps will ask unanimous consent to lay that measure aside temporarily so that the District ap- propriation bill may be considere .