Evening Star Newspaper, November 14, 1924, Page 1

WEATHER. Fair and sl tomorrow fair; north winds. Temperature for 24 hours ended at 2 p.m. today: Highest, 62, at 2:30 p.m. Yesterday: lowest, 52, at 10 p.m. yes- terday. Full report on page 2. ntiy cooler tonight; moderate to fresh Closing N. Y. Stocks and Bonds, Page 28 No. ' 29,417. (55 omés Waa COURT DENIES PLEA 10 STOP SCRAPPING OF U.S. WARSHIP Suit Against Secretary Wil- bur Dismissed—Appeal Will Be Made. USING VESSEL AS TARGET DECLARED SOUND POLICY Cost. $15,240,144, Not $30,000,- 000, as Shearer Said, Cabinet Member Insists. 1 Tustice Mitz of ipreme urt today dismissed the suit for in- Junetion brought by William B. Shearer, naval expert, of New York, against | Curtis D. Wilbur, retary of the Navy, vent destruction of the battleship | Washington, off the Cheshpeake Capes, scheduled for tomorrow After arguments of counsel on a motion of Secretary Wilbur to dis- miss the Justice Hitz sald that the court ha” no jurisdiction to en- tortain the suit, and the petitioner had shown any peculiar interest which would entitle him to maintain the the District s 10 suit not sui Shearer Will Appeal. Counsel for Shearer noted an appeal | to the Court of Appeals from the| order dismissing the bill. ! Secretary Wilbur filed a_motion to | dismiss the suit, claiming that Shear- | or has no interest in the subject mat- ter which will entitle him to main- tain the action: that the proceeding is in effect against the United States, | which is not made a party and which has not consented to be sued. Finally the Secretary says Congress author- | ized the President of the United States to serap certain vessels In con- formity with the ment treat limitation of arma- | in destroying the Washington, wh included | In the act, the defendant is acting as | the azent of President Coolidse, who | is not a party and who cannot be; sued The serap the characterized William B Counsel for® the that the act of July 1, the President of the United States alone with discretion to decide in what manner ves not needed un- der the treaty for limitation of naval | armament should be destroyed. The claim was made in the course of al gument before Justice Hitz of the | District Supreme Court. lawyers for. the petitioper call- tention to the laws relating the rights of the Secretary of | the Navy over ships no longer useful | and pointed out that he is authorized | only either to dismantle, appraise or | sell and no power of destruction is granted. They also urged the right of taxpayer to maintain the suit and quote an opinion of Justice Bailey al- Jowing W. R. Hearst to enjoin the hipping Board from selling the Ger- n ships. Ask Prompt Decixion. i United States Attorney Gordon and Assistant United States Attorney West asked the court this morning to advance the case for hearing, as i stuod No. 33 on the court docket for the d: He declared all prepara-| tions had been made for using the vessel ag a target tomorrow and that wval Eperts had been sent to the to observe the result of the ex- periments in connection with the scrapping of the vessel. While the department was not under an injunc- tion, he told the court, the officials did not like to procced while a rule was In existence against them. Ceunsel for Shearer joined in the request, but the court declared other its were entitled to their rights r the calendar, and he would T the « when reached. In his answer Secretary Wilbur ad- mits that under the terms of the the United State: allowed | apital ship displacement ton- and the British Empire 580,000, d to 555,950. The re- tions of the sixth par- agraph of the bill relating to the in- tention of the British Empire in ref- erence to th treaty, the Secretary says he is advised by counsel are “impertinent” and “immaterial,” and £0 he makes no answer thereto. Other Shipx Doomed. The defendant admits that time to time ships have been destroyed under the treaty, but denies” that the only remaining ship to be scrapped is the Washington Many vesscls are in course of | scrapping, he says, and the battle- | ship North Dakota'is to be retained | for use as a target under the terms | of the treaty. Work on the shington was stopped February 17, 1922, the court §s advised, and the contract was canceled August 17, 1923. The ship js not S5 per cent complete, the retary states, but even with ma- tcrial assembled but not placed in the vessel is only 75.9 per cent con- structed. The vessel has not cost 0.000,000, as claimed by Shearer, Wilbur says, but up to date there has been spent on it $15,240,144.05, which may be reduced by the sale of material. Secretary prders ha sretary Wilbur to ashington was counsel for unauthorized | claimed | 1922, invested | order of & battleship W today b Shearer a petitioner from Wilbur admits that Dbeen issued by the Navy Department for the towing of the Aashington to the Chesapeake Capes 10 be used for certain tests which are important in the development of the Navy. As a result of these tests the vessel may be sunk, he says, but it a0t it will still be necessary to scrap it _under the treaty. Wilbur denfes any knowledge of the ntention of Congress to hold hear- ings to determine the policy of the Government as to the retention of the Washington by converting it into an airplanc carrier or of salvaging the material. He shows the .court that the treaty provided that two ships might be converted into car- riers and that the cruisers Saratoga und Lexington have been designated for such use. By act of July 1, 1922, the Secretary concludes, Congress ordered the scrapping of certain capital ships of the Navy not directed to be retained Dy the terms of the treaty. In chap- ter 2, part 1 of the treaty, he states, there was scheduled a list of the ships 1o be retained by the United States and the name of the Washington does ot appear on that lst. Shearer is represented by Attorneys ‘Wilton J. Lambert, Rudolph H. Yeat- man, W. E. Leahy and M. J. Mc- Namara. lin Entered as second class matter hington, D. C. ah WASHINGTON, D. Hiccough SieEz In Connecticut; Blame Dry Spell Ry the Associated Press. MERIDEN, Conn., November 14.— Pen authentic cases of hiccoughing have been reported by physicians here, with unofficial reports of many additional victims. The attacks last two or three days. The cause of the epidemic Is a mystery. The only theory advanced is that the unusu- ally long spell of dry weather may be responsible. FARM RELIEF BILL WILL BE HELD UP Senator McNary, Co-Author, Says Measure Will Not Be Pressed Now. The McNary-Haugen farm relief bill will not be pressed for enact- ment at the next session of Congress, enator McNary, Républican, of Ore- gon, co-author of the measure, said today upon his return to Washington. Senator McNary said he still be- lieved in the bill as a fundamental principle of legislation, but felt that the emergency it was designed to meet had passed. Conditions bf dis- tress among farmers had been largely [relieved, he said, except for the cattle raisers, who could not be assisted by the Dbill. He predicted that if the present Increased price of wheat, corn and hogs is maintained for the next vear or two the farmers will extricate themselves from any further diffi- culty. The Oregon Senator declared he could not agree with those who be- lieved the farme salvation lies in co-operative marketing. Co-operative marketing, he declared, can be used successtully only when' it applies to special products, such as the prune growers and fancy fruit growers, when the producers can control the product and command a market. Plans Reclamation Hearingn. As chairman of the Senate commit- tee on reclamation and irrigation Senator Mc ry expects to hold hear- ings this Winter on the Boulder Dam and Columbla River reclamation projects. It is doubtful whether leg- islation can be enacted any time soon for the development of these prop- erties. Appropriations for this de- velopment would meet strong oppo- sition, he sald, because they would {open up large new farm areas, which would add surplus crops. He predicted that no difficulty would be found in the short session the passage of the second defi- clency Dbfll, carrying appropriations for a number of reclamation projects. This bill failed of passage in the last session. BROOKHART’S FINAL LEAD FIGURED 750 1Pmc':ically Complete Official Can- vass Gives Senator Safe Majority. By the Associated Press. DES MOINES, lowa, November 14. enator Smith W. Brookhart's final majority over Daniel F. Steck, his Democratic opponent in the reecent election for the United States Senate, will be approximately 750 votes, it was Indicated by official and unofficial reports on the nearly complete county canvass. The Senator | today had, on officlal county returns, a lead of 613, while canvasses in two counties which had not yet been made official by the sig- natures of clection board members, recorded net galns for him totaling 142. Only five counties had failed to re- port officially at noon today. The only change in the official fig- ures this morning was made by the Pottawottamle (Council Bluffs) re- port, which cut 31 from Senator Brookhart's lead, bringing it down to 613. Obregon Prepares to Quit. MEXICO CITY, November 14.—Presi- dent Obregon left last night for Celaya to arrange the final detalils of the trans: ferring of power to the President- elect, Gen. Plutarco Ellas Calles. Bobbed-Haired Choir Girls Strike After Evangelist Scores Style, Barbed criticism of the bobbed- haired women of the present-day generation has bobbed the ranks of the mixed choir of the Mount Vernon Place M. E. Church South and welded the bobbed-haired mem- bers of the choir into a determined band of strikers against a com- parison of the virtues of bobbed hair versus unshorn locks. Nettled at a remark made a few days ago by Burke Culpepper, an evangelist, of Memphis, Tenn., when the evangellst referred to the bobbed-haired girls of the present day as “you bobbed-haired sissies,” many of the female mem- bers of the mixed choir have re- fused to participate in the sing- ing of the choir at the revival services. As many as half the fe- male members of the choir have refused to sing, according to one source, while Dr. William A. Lam- beth, pastor of the church, de- clares that but two or three have foregone their customary attend- ance. The “tempest in the teapot,” as Dr. Lambeth calls it, came after the evangelistic service last Sun- day, when Dr. Culpepper, after telling the Bible story, turned to the cholr and called some of its members “You bobbed-haired sis- sies.” Immediately after the close of the services the woman mem- bers of the choir held an indigna- tion meeting, the result of which was that many members agreed not to sing in the choir while Dr. Culpepper was conducting serv- ices at the church. The anger of the girls was brought to the attention of the pastor, Rev. Dr. W. A. Lambeth, Wwho sought to soothe them at the evening service. He told the con- HUGE FIRE SWEEPS JERSEY PIER AREA; LOSS IN MILLIONS 900 Families Homeless After Four-Hour Blaze—15 Firemen Burned. SUGAR PLANT AND OTHER FACTORIES IN RUINS Firemen of Three Cities Join in Fight to Stem Flames, Start- ing in Chemical Works. 1 | 15 e Associnted Press | JERSEY CITY, N. J.. November 14 | A conflagration ‘which started in the | saltpeter ~ plant of the Richardson | Chemical Co. leaped beyond the control | of the fire forces of two cities to the abandoned plant of the American S Refining Co. and then destroyed smaller factories and two rows of tene- | ment houses raged for four hours be- | fore firemen declared it under control at 1 o'clock this afternoon. The loss, It is estimated, will run into millions of dollars. Fifteen persons were seriously injured or burned, scores of others were cut by glass blown out over a half-mile radius by a series of | explosions and 900 familics- were made | homeless. | The tenement houses destroyed in- cluded most of the buildings in the block bounded by Morris, Warren, L sex and Washington streets. i At 1:30 o'clock fire in the rear section of the American Sugar Re- finery building forced the fire fight- ers (o retreat. The walls at the rear of the building were beginning to cave. The main warehouse of Col-| gate & Co., filled with soap and other | highly inflammable substances, is across the street Plants of the Vulean Co. and of the Manhattan Electric, Supply Co. also are menace | Walls of the refinery crumpled sud- denly and fell with a series of can- | nonlike reverberations. Firemen said | they expected to - flames from | the warchouse a strect The entire city block, bounded by | Essex, Morrls, Warren and Washing- | ton streets, was a roaring furnace at 11.30 am. The fire leaped through dozens of streams of water and be. yond control, while explosions blew out walls and roof of the saltpeter | plant, broke windows in a half-mile | area and spread terror among res dents. Fifteen firemen were overcome by fumes and scores of people were treat- ed for cuts from flying glass and ef- fects of the fumes which rolled across the city and the Hudson River. | i | | { | Iron Works | New York Semds Help. A hurry call for assistance to New York City brought the fireboats John | Purroy Mitchel and New Yorker to the New Jersey side of the river. At 11:30 o'clock many ambulances were at the scene. The surgeons were {caring for the 15 firemen who had i been overcome by the smoke. Among the injured was a man with a broken leg. When the south wall of the sugar refinery, on Dudley street, caved in the huge plant was seen to be a roaring | mass of flames and all hope of saving | any of it was abandoned. | The Hoboken fire department joined | fircboats from New York city in | helping the Jersey City firemen. Sev- | eral hundred volunteer firemen were | engaged in battling small blazes which caught in various buildings and tenements. A special watch was kept on nearby piers. Acld Stores Explode. At noon Fire Chiet Boyle called for tons of dynamite with which to blow | up buildings in the hope of cutting off the onward sweep of the confla- gration. City Commissloner Fagan closed one city reservoir, directing all its supply to the fire nozzles which in- creased the water pressure from 32 to 95 pounds. tores of sulphurie acid in the sugar refinery began exploding after noon, and threw blazing debris into groups of firemen. Additional fire lines were brought to bear upon the new dan- ger, and other streams were directed on ‘the Lehigh Valley Railroad coal pockets in the burning area. Six tons of explosive soap materials were reported stored in a tunnel be- tween the old sugar refinery house and the Colgate Soap factory. The entire hose force of the fireboat | John P. Mitchell was deluging the| roof of the tunnel, while a heavy | " (Continued on Page 2 1 2, Column 3.) the remark in the morning about “bobbed-haired sissies” and then declared: “We have a lot of bobbed-haired girls and a lot of long-haired girls in this choir and we sure admire them all. They are the most faithful choir in the cit However, the girls refused to be mollified. Monday night, the first test, found few of them on hand, Tuesday night, likewise, and Wednesday night showed no improvement. Last night, it was called to the attentlon of Rev. Mr. Culpepper. Sticking to his guns In the face of the angered girls, he opened a new broadside upon bobbed halr last night and quoted scriptural passages to bear out his conten- tion that bobbed hair was not in accordance with the teachings of the Bible. “I've had a lot of anonymous | letters and telephone calls since | I expressed my opinion of bobbed hair. All I've got to say is if the people who wrote and called up had spent thelr time praying they'd have a lot more chance reaching the pearly gates.” That the strike of the girls is just temporary was predicted by R, Deane Shure, director of music of the church. “This cholr is the most faithful and loyal choir I have ever had,” he said. ‘“The girls may be a little peeved now. There is no use denying that. But they are ‘not going to quit the church. It does seem that they re not singing in the week day revival cholr, but Sunday morning you'll see them back on the job and youwll see them here every Sunday. They are the finest bunch with which I've ever worked, and We are all proud of them.” gregation of WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION C.. FRIDAY, W — BuLLET fl-, OYSTERT:N(;S BRING UP BRIC-A BRAC MADE IN ENGLAND YEARS AGe RUSSIA DEMANDS PARIS YIELD SHIPS Two Battleships and Sixteen Other Vessels Took Refuge in Tunis Port. By the Associated Press. PARIS, November recognition of the regime by France the Soviet authori- ties have repeated with particular nsistence the demands made previ- ously that the French government turn over the Russian fleet, which took refuge in the port of Rizerta, Tunis, after the defeat of Gen. Wran- gel's army In its anti-bolshevik cam- paign In the Crimea and the advance of the bolshevik forces to bastopol. The flect consists of two battle- ships 10 years old, one superannuated cruiser, seven destroyers, three tor- pedo boats, one auxillary crulser and four modern submarines. Informa- tion reaching the authorities here that the Moscow government had appointed a commission to visit the fieet has brought the question to a crisls, 14.—Since the Russian Soviet Confixcations Possible. The French government is consid- erably embarrassed because of the impression the restoration of the fleet might have on Rumania and other neighbors of Russla, to whom the possession of such a naval force by the Soviet regime might cause anxiety. French technical men say the fleet has real value as a fighting force, the battleships being modern and the submarines efficient. to the pres- ent the fleet has served as a refuge for Russian exiles, many families being housed on the ships, where schools have been organized and all the apurtenances of a Russian colony S0 QUAKE VCTINS ONISLAND OF JAVA Countless Others Reported Missing—Shocks Last Over Two Days. By the Assctiated Press. BATAVIA, Java, November 14— The island of Java has been severely shaken by earthquakes. Already 300 persons are reported killed, and countless numbers are missing. The earth shocks extended over Wednesday and. part of yesterday. Many native towns in the Kedu dis- trict, a central residency of Java, have been destroyved by landslides. One village completely disappeared into the river. The shock centered in the health resort of Wonosobo, where all the buildings collapsed. DISCOVERY OF FASCIST OVERTHROW PLOT DENIED Arrest of Four Communists Not Part of General Conspiracy, Police Declare. By the Assoclated Press, ROME, November 14.—Reports have been current in some quarters that a plot has been in preparation for tha overthrow of fascism. It is semi- offlclally stated, however, that such reports of the discovery of an anti- gpvernment plot arc absolutely false. It is explained that the police ar- rested four Communists after a re- cent meeting of subversive elements here, but, it Is added, this 'meeting cannot be described as having the character of a conspiracy. BEATEN BY OWN VOTE. Candidate Loses by Ballot He Cast for Opponent. BRIGHTON, Colo., Novemher 14.— William Heebner, candidate for county commissioner, believing he would be elected by a comfortable majority, voted for his opponent, Frank Kemp, he admitted to friends. When the vote was officially count- ed, Heebner and Kemp were tled. .Yesterday the mail vote was coiint- ed. Kemp was declared the winner by one vote, NOVEMBER ¢ Foening Star. 14, ATTACKS CAUSE THREE TO QUIT POLISH CABINET Ministers of Interior, Labor and Justice Out—Another Ex- pected to Follow. Iy the Associated Press. WARSAW, November 14.—The min- isters of interior, labor and justice have resigned, and the minister of education is expected to follow their example, owing to dissatisfaction with their administration during legislative debate. The min- tster of labor, M. Durowski, declares | his intention of going to the United States, where his brother regides Premier Grabski is expectéd to fill the cabinet vacancies with prominent personuges belonging to the Central and Radical parties and the nobil- ity. SUICIDE FOLLOWS KILLING OF FOUR Crippled = Barber - Shoots Down Wife and Neighbors. Then Takes Own Life. By the Associated Press, MEMPHIS, Tenn,, Four persons were here last night b crippled barber, who self. The victims of Weber's murderous rage were his wife, Mrs. Bessle Weber, Mr. and Mrs. F A. Shader and Mrs. Thomas Alexander. The shooting occurred at the Weber home In_the eastern section of the city ‘Weber and his wife quarreled Sun- day and he had not been home since. according to informatlon given police by neighbors. The man purchased a new rifle and went to his home, car- rying the weapom. Shoots Man Through Head. Shader, employe of a dental firm, who lives in a wing of the house where the Webers made their home, was the first person the barber met. He shot Shader through the head and then, throwing a fresh shell into the rifle’s chamber, walked Into the house. When he emerged a few mo- ments later the place was a sham- bles. Mrs. Thomas Alexander, a bride of only a few months, was visiting Mrs. Wober. Her cries did not save her. In each case Weber shot his victim through the head, and all died within a few minutes’ time, accord- ing to the police. The barber left his house and walked to his barber shop, about three blocks away. There he fired a shot into his brain. Leaves Two Notes. Weber left two notes, according to police. Both indicated that he had planned to kill himself and his wife, but made no mention of any others slated for death. Weber came to Memphis from Elkton, Ky., according to police. He married his wife, a Memphis girl, about three years ago, when she was only about 15 years old. Mr. and Mrs. Shader are survived by two small children. November 14.— shot and_killed Henry Weber, then Killed him- BOXED ROCKS MISTAKEN FOR ALCOHOL NETS 3 MEN Trio Arrested After Taking Cases They Believed Were Filled ‘With Contraband. By tie Associated Press. NEW ROCHELLE, N. Y., November 14—Three men mistook boxed rocks for something harder—180 proof graln alcohol—early today, with the result that they fell into the hands of Uncle Sam. John A. Peterson, Knute Swanson and Otto Nelson, all of New Rochelle, were surprised by the police as they were unloading boxes which they thought were fllled with cans of alcohol from the decks of the stranded rum runner, Rose of Marl- borough. The vessel went ashore on Greens Flats, Long Island Sound, a week ago. . When the police got thelr prisoners and their loot ashore, they revealed the irony of the situation by break- ing open one of the cases and show- ing that it was fifled with rocks. The stones had been placed aboard by Government agents as ballast to keep the Rose of Marlborough from drifting away after the boat's alcohol had been confiscated. The prisoners were held on a charge of “farceny of Government property. Radio Programs——nge 5. 1924 -SIXTY-SIX PAGES. “From Press to Home Within the Hour” The Star’s carrier system covers every city block and the regular edi- tion is delivered to Washington homes as fast as the papers are printed. * Yesterday’s Circulation, 98,019 TWO CEN' COOLIDGE PLEDGES AIDTOAGRICULTURE Tells Land Grant College Parley Past Difficulties Are to Be Avoided. In his first address since the elec- tion, President Coolidge last night as- | sured delegates attending the meeting here of the Association of Land Grant Colleges that the Government would omit no effort to prevent repetition of recent difficulties encountered in agriculture, Speaking of the immediate future, | Mr. Coolidge warned that more atten- tion must be given by farmers to the marketing problem so the “abnormal and war-stimulated surpluses” may be disposed of. He then pointed to a period, he said was “fast approaching” when this Na- tion will be one of the greatest agri- cultural buying countries, and the problem will be fhe maintenance of a prosperous, self-reliant, confident agriculture in a country preponder- antly commercial and industrial. Education by the land grant col- leges looking o “wise and intelligent farming co-operation in all business operations which affect the farmer, Mr. Coolidge declared. will he one of the maln agencies for protection of this {ndustry. He also stressed the value of organizations and methods which seek economies and greater efficiency in prodwcing and distribut- ing. =L e The President is exepected to discuss in even more detail his hopes for agri- culture in opening the conference here next Monday of the commission which he appointed recently to outline a program for permanent relief of farming conditions. The text of the President's speech last night before the Assoclation of Land Grant Colleges at the New Wil- lard Hotel follows: “It would be impossible for me to come before a gathering of this na- ture at this time without having re- called to my mind the long associa- tion and friendly relations which I had with the late Secretary of Agri- culture, Henry C. Wallace, and my regret and sorrow at his loss. He was most devoted to the interests which he represented in the cabinet, a man of experience, ability and character, who discharged the duties of his office with fidelity and discre- tion. T regarded him as an ideal public servant who met the difficult prob- lems that came to him day by day, and through his industry and intelli- gence found for them wise solutions. He has left behind him not only a precious memory, but remarkable ac- complishments. It is only necessary to recall to mind in this presence the depressed state in which he found the farming industry of our nation in March, 1921, and the prosperous state which it was beginning to as- sume when he left it in October, 1924. “It is because of what I learned through my association with him, as well as a recognition of the impor- tant place which the institutions that (Continued on Page 5, Column 3.) |air defense. “You Mean Thing,” Woman Exclaims; Armed Thief Goes By the Associated Press. BOSTON, November 14.—Faced by a revolver and a demand for money, Miss Mary G. Haviland. Boston Elevated cashier, alone late last night in her cage, merely ex- claimed, “You mean thing” and took up the telephone beside her. The holdup man repeated his: de- mand and then fled. In the till remained intact more than $100 of the night's receipts. BATILE OF BUDGET RAGES AT GAPITOL | | | House Appropriation Com-| mittee Starts Work in Ef- fort to Trim Expenses. BY FREDERIC WILLIAM WILE. Up in the biggest committee rooms on Capitol the headquarters of the House com- mittee on appropriations—the annual battle to keep down Government ex- penses is now raging. For weeks, probably months, to come cabinet officers, bureau chlefs, generals, ad- mirals, subdivisional officials and ex perts of high and low degree will be on the grill. Chairman Madden and his thirty-four fellow-committeemen have embarked upon the task of re- ducing Federal expenditure by, round- 1y, $1,000,000,000. Appropriations at the last session of Congress totaled $3.997,000,000. For the fiscal year 1925-1926 $3,000,000,000. It is evident that the pruning knife | congressional is to be wielded ruthlessly to that end. | The executive end of Pennsylvania avenue is bound, in consequence, to be strewn with blasted hopes. The Navy | Department will probably be con- spicuous among the disappointed. Sec- retary Wilbur's requisition for the $6,500,000 necessary to elevate our Dattleship guns to the level of Brit- ish guns is not likely to be approved. Leading members of the appropria-| tions committee hold, with Secretary | Hughes, that not only are our battle~| ships adequately effective, but that! the proposed elevation would vielate | the tefms of the Washington nawal | treaty. It the Navy wants clevated | guns, it is already apparent that Sec- retary Wilbur and his coadjutors will have to fight for them. Huge Alr Fleet Scouteds | The controllers of House ‘appro- priations, too, are not filled with any evangelical enthuslasm over naval viation. They seem to think the Navy is doing very well in the air on the basis of past apprapriations. ‘The friends of a powerful air Navy, would seem to have their work cut out for them in Congress. Madden's men_ have no_disposition to neglect But they insist that the fleet confine itself to ‘“necessities” | and not ask for “luxuries.” The postal employes, whose pay- increase bill was vetoed by Presi-| dent Coolidge last spring, also have | @ fight on their hands if the bill is| to be enacted over the presidential| nay. The bill appropriates $125,000, 000 for increased compensation for | letter carriers, post office and other mail service employes. Neither the President nor Postmaster General ew would oppose the ‘“raise” if " "(Continued on Page 2, Column 5.) | MRS. HARDING SHOWS SLIGHT IMPROVEMENT Physician Reports Restless and Painful Night—Now “Not So Well.” By the Associated Press. Ohio, November 14.—Mrs. | Warren G. Harding's condition was improved early today over what it was last night, when she suffered from “air hunger,” brought on by a| heart attack, Dr. Carl W.Sawyer said this morning. An official bulletin said: “Mrs. Harding had another very restless and painful night. The heart symptoms which developed last eve- | | ning are improved this morning. She | is weak and has taken but little nourishment. In general she is not so well.” | o CLAIMS TORPEDO RECORD. Destroyer at Manila Scores Four Hits at 12,000 Yards. By the Associated Press. MANILA, November 14 —The Ameri- can destroyer Borie of the 38th Divi- sion claimed today to have estab- | lished a world record in marksman- | ship by scoring four hits with four torpedoes fired in succession at a target 12,000 yards away during prac- tice in Manila Bay. Obsolete Maps in Schools Forty thousand maps, leading to misinformation, are being used in the schools of the District of Columbia. Forty thousand geographies describe countries of the old world which no longer exist. Forty thousand geographies used daily fail to mention the new countries that sprang into existence with the treaties of peace after the World War. Through the assistance of the National Geographic Socicty, The Star on Sunday will print a large. modern map of Europe. A special article prepa\‘Cd’by the National Geographic Society will accompany it and been wrought since the war. explain the changes that have The map may be cut out and pasted on cardboard for the use of ‘the District’s school children. students color it themselves. Teachers may have the Watch for the New Map in . The Sunday Star | hill—| | it Is aimed to slash them to| | The "territory BLUF RIDGE PARK SITE CHOICE LOOMS AS SURVEY CLOSES “Real National Park Mate- rial,” Committee Reports After Inspection. SECTION IN TENNESSEE IS NEXT TO BE STUDIED Accessibility of Shenandoah Area Regarded as Big Factor in Selection. BY H. K. PH That the ‘s first gre park will be established atop the hi toric Blue Ridge Mountains of V sinia, within a day's travel of Am, 'a’s greatest center of population, seemed more certain than ever tod when the committee of Government experts which has been touring the area for the past week returned to Washington satisfied that it is “real national park material.” Tomorrow the committeemen will leave for the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, there to examine the only other territory that is regarded by disinterested specialists as being a close rival to the Blue Ridge Moun- tains for the privilege of becoming | the Southern Appalachian National Park, which is certain to be created somewhere within a year. - Cholce to Be Made Soon. When they finally return to Was ington, after November 20, the de- cision as to selection will be made, but those who have been In touch with the experts during their exami- nation of the Virginia area confi- dently belleve they will recommend first, probably suggesting the Smoky Mountain area as a second choice in the event that the Blue Ridge section cannot be purchased on a satisfactory basis. There are three reasons, it is point- ed out, why that area possibly will be the choice: First. It is scenically beautiful From one end to the other the trav- cler meets mountain views that rank with the most beautiful in the coun- try. From any one of half a dozen mountain peaks he may gaze out over the whole territory, spread out in rugged panorama befors him, fts great, rock-ribbed cliffs, rising pre- cipitately from the valley floors, sup plying dizzy views of the rich coun- try on either side. econd. It is typically representa- tive of the territory that the Depart- ment of the Interior wishes to be represented mnext in the national parks system. Within those azure tinted mountains is represented all of the primitive flora and fauna of the great Southern Appalachians. Their slopes and peaks alike are carpeted with rich, primeval forestry, ani through them wander most of the animals that first claimed them long vears ago—wildcats, black bear and nameless varieties of other mammals and birds. Accessibility Is Feature. Third. It is the most accessible ter- ritory that has ever been considered fcr a national park. Thirty-five million per- sons live within an easy day's travel of it. New York may reach it within daylight travel by rail, or by motor it is an easy two-day ride from the same point. Other cities are as close or closer —Washington, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Richmond, Norfolk. 1t is the latter reason that is likely to cause the Blue Ridge area to be se- lected over the Smoky Mountain section. in Tennessee, according to those who know it well, undoubtediy possesses many of the scenic and all of the natural life advantages of the Bluc Ridge, but it would be far removed from the East's center of population Sxpert Approves Site. Robert Sterling Yard, executlve s retary of the Natlonal Parks Assoc tion and one of the best known park experts in the country, who accom- panied the committee the first few days of its tour ip order to examine the Blue Ridge area himself, summed up the superior advantages of that section in the following languag “If Secretary Work's committee should select the location in the Blue | Ridge of Virginia, I believe that w | would have a national park that | would lie within the best standards of the national park system. There | are doubtless other locations which meet standards, and it is the com- mittee’s duty to choose among them. “It must be noted that, while recreation is the most conspicuous function of national parks, it is not the basic function. This one system of national parks is first of all a sys- tem of museums of original, untouch- ed nature. Tt is also our national picture gallery to which are ad- missable only the masterpieces of American scenery. These standards were set with the creation of the first national park. the Yellowstone, 52 ears ago and have been maintained since. “It Is evident that, to be national. our. gallery of masterpieces must represent the whole country.. The | Appalachians, by far the most vene able of all and once as lofty as an other, must be importantly represent- ed before the national collection can be considered representative. That ls why the demand for an Appalachi national park has existed throughout the country years before there wus local demand ‘In the States which are now competing for the choice. Visible Helght Same. “It is misleading to call the Ap- palachians lower than the Rockies and Sierra, although their altitudes are much less. It is their foundations only which are lower. The towering walls of Yosemite, for example, are seven or eight thousand feet in alti tude, rise from a base floor of 4,000 feet. Similarly, the Blue Ridge of Virginia, with summits from three to five thousand feet in altitude, rise from valley floors of less than one thousand feet. The net visible height of all, you see, is much the same. “Note, too, that the lesser altitudes of the East will bring into the na- tional parks system marked differ- ences of aspect which make for pleas- ing variety. Because the Blue Ridge summits fall below timberline, heavy forests blanket them from the forces that erode the bare, unprotected summits of the Rockies and Sierra. We have here a more gracious, high mountain outline which is as char- acteristic of the East as bare rock is characteristic of the West. What it ~ (Continued on Page 10, Column ¥.