Evening Star Newspaper, November 20, 1924, Page 1

! \ ] WEATHER. Fair and slightly warmer; minimum temperature tomorrow partly clouds Temperature for 2 pm. today: Highest, today; lowest, at 3 Full report on page 7. No. 29,423, ARMS PARLEY CALL UPTO EUROPE, .S, OFFICALS BELIVE Position of America Renders Action by Coolidge Impos- sible, Observers Say. QUESTION FAR DIFFERENT FROM CUT IN SEA POWER Nation With Largest Army Should Summon Conference, Is Ad- ninistration View. BY DAVID LAWRENCL hough the United 1t is deeply interested i that may reduce ti ments to the eivi n the chances of war, the Cool- administration expects the ini in respect to land uuction to o come from Kuropean wers. and others who feel wment should call of that think takes nator Be arms conference ar unless 1 in th was the little will come armament. the other hand, the United vernment felt that the mere an arms au e of succe! ol- vould call on That, isn't the unfor- there are somie factors (ko it apparent the Amer- vernment ean only helpfully nnot compel reductions of upinion snferen forwurd and proclaime m of sacrifice. Ha g one of ding navies in the world, Inited States could tuke ship, and LY her example compel the others to follow or d in the awlkward position of blocklnz redu tion with of the wval talk as ment reduced case overnight. nowe and, Tunately which outsot New Question Differs. With land armament the whole question changes. The United States has one of the smallest standin armies in the world, just enough f police protection and probably not as much as European powers with the same Jength of boundaries would think was safe. For the Unitad States to announce ber willingness to cut her standing army would have no ef- fect on ropean powers and the administration knows that ail too well. When . the last .arms conference’ was held in Washington, Premier Briand told the world how France regarded the question of land armament and vigtually killed all chance of even discussing the ques. <on in the same conference with na- val reduction. The American com- sion was reluctantly compeiled to :ree to that viewpoint or clse enter into a controversy over reparations and the security of France. This is still the obstacle against American entry into the discussion of land armament. he Coolidge-Hughes administra- tion is trying scrupulously to Keep out of European parleys about fron- tiers. security, offensive and de- fensive alliances and all the other intricate political problems that are wrapped up in the.debate on whether a ixrge or small standing army shall be re d to prevent another Euro- pean war. V. S. Sympathy With Europe. The American Government is deep- 1y sympathet| can be sald at the moment. « conference be called, America would accept an invitation to be present and would lend a helping hand at every turn to make the con- ference a success, but a nation which eschews Furopean problems cannot, Should it is felt by the highest Government | officials, enter jpto the land arma- ment question without being incon- sistent and doing the very thing the administration in its recent cam- paign promised not to do. The President and Secretary State look, therefore for take the initiative. If Europs wants the conference held Washington, America probably would gladly con- sent, but there is a feeling that the place for the next armament confer- ence is in the country which has the largest army and which must come forward with~a program to which other nations can subscribe just as did the United States in the naval conference. The limitation of ajrcraft building, submarines and other new weapons of war are, of course, related vitally to the land armament problem. The Washington conference was nearly wrecked by the conflict of opinion about submarines, and the delicacy of that question alone fllustrates how much more complicated Is the matter of military strength generally. Other Problems Firat. The renewed discussion of an arms conference while regarded as some- what premature, hardly digested the Dawes plan’ for economic reform especially ou repa- of zed world and | nent re- the Jeader- ! that is about all that | Europe to | because Furope has | slightly above freezing: 24 hours ended at 45, at noon am. today. Closing N. Y. Stocks and Bonds, Page 28 Entered as second class matter post_office ‘Vashington, D, C. U. S. Flatly Denies Plan to Call Disarmament Parley at Hague| { i | | | {Bs the Assouiated Press, GENEVA, November 20.—The latest rumor eirculating in Geneva on the {disarmament question is that Presi- {dent Coolidge will convoke a new {arms conference to meet in Europe, iperhaps at The Hague. Those circu- lating this rumor insist that the | Washington Government already has ]Qvundr-d the new Bnitish government lon the subject. | By the Assiciated Press., he State Department fssvod today flat denial of rumors o rrent in va that the Washington Gov- ternment wus taking steps to con voke disarmament conference = department’s statenrent fol to a question by the s todaw, the Acting State - wuthorized the tement that therec was nq_truth [in the report circulated in Geneva that the Washington. Governmen was taking steps to convoke a dis- armament. conference in Furope.” This was the first pronouncement on the fubject to come from any re- ponsible officlal here since the dis- jarmament question recently was | brought under wctive dlscussion the proposal for a_confcrence under {the ausplees of the Leugue of Nations Officlals were unwilling to go fur. of it ques- i Treadway Urges Minority Places For Insurgents| Congress who have been privately talking about | “reading out of the party” mem- | bers of the insurgent group found an open advocate today. when Representative Treadway of Mas- sachusetts urged that the insur- minated in Republican ssignments iu the newly elected Congress. Representative Treadway, who exlled on President Coolidge, said he would “advocat grouping these men us part of the minority of the House and giving comm tee assignments accordingly. ¥ “We have suffered long encugh from their committee influence,” he added, “and they should no longer have controlling places.” Republicans i committee ‘JAPANESE WARNS - OF DISARMAMENT {Ambassador Says Should Proceed Cautiously at Present Stage.- Bs the Assoclated Press, OXFORD, England, November 20.— The world should proceed most cautiously in any scheme of dis- armament, Baron Hayashi, Japanese Ambassador to Great Britain, told the |Oxford International Assembly in an | address Iast night on “The Foreign Pol- ltcy of Japan.” | soung—"the Americans think it still la child"—the Ambassador sald, adding: “Let it wait until it reaches full age before it attempts such a great task as disarmament. 1 think the question of disarmament should be talked over slowly.” Baron Hayashi also advised a wait- {ng policy with regard to the present {situation in China, declaring the powers should not be in a hurry to {intervene. On the other hand, China should not be overhasty in terminat- ing extraterritorial rights and con- cessions, even though she was less independent now than Turkey or Afghanista; The Ambassador characterized selff- | determination as a danger in the Far | East, adding that for the present the | Philipptnes, Borneo and Indo-China | should remain under forelgn protec- tion. He also advocated a waiting pollcy as regards Siberia, but said { Ryssia had no right to exclude the {Test of the world permanently. The population of Siberia - was scanty and its resources great and other peoples should be allowed to participate in opening up these re- sources. ¢ MRS. HARDING SINKS; | HAS RESTLESS NIGHT Enep;}zed in Semi-Comatose State | * Today—Coolidges Send Mes- sage of Hope. i rations, is looked upon as a” healthy | sign of the times. But before ra- duction of armament gets into the realm of tangibllity there' are other «conomlc problems that will become involved in the discussion. America has declined to discyss in- terallled debts In relation to the money owed to the United States by France and other allies. Interaliled debts stand out as the big unsettled problem of Europe. Were they out of the way and a program of pay- ment arranged, the powers themselves would, for economic reasons if for no other, be Interested in scaling down the military budgets. It's considered, . therefore, here as a European prob- lem in most every phase and the policy of the administration is that the initiative in European questions must come from Europe. (Copyright, 1924.) —_— QUAKE TOLL IS 664. Batavia Shock Loss Is Announced After Check. BATAVIA, Java, November 20.—It is definitely established that 664 per- o sons perished in the earthquake which_recently shook central Java. Radio Programs—Page 36. By the Associated Press. MARION, Ohio, November 20.—Mrs. Warren G. Harding was in a semi- comatose state today at the White Oaks Sanitarfum of Dr. Carl W. Saw- yer, where she has been at the point of death for the last week. Dr. Saw- yer in a bulletin, however, said that hor heart actlon was fair. 4 The White House is keeping in con- stant touch with Dr. Sawyer. Several inquiries were received last night from Washington concerning Mrs. Harding’s condition. Dr. Sawyer's bullet(n follows: “Mrs. Harding was restless most of the night. 'Phis morning she is in a semi-comatose condition. Her heart action ts fair; elimination poor. She 1s very weak and exhausted. Mrs. Harding received a telegram trom President and Mrs. Coolidge this morning saying that-she constantly was in their thoughts and-that they | were anxiously awaiting word of her improvement. The message was read to her by George B. Christian, jr., who was President Harding’s secretary. It fol- lows “‘Mrs. Coolidge and I send affection- ate regards. You are. constantly in our thoughts and we anxiously await word of your coftinued improve- ment.” . 4 World | The League of Nations was vet too ASHINGTO v | Rumor That Coolidge Would Convoke; Conference, Widely Circulated in | Geneva, Brings Hasty Contradiction.. | | | ther in commenting on the Ai»n:‘\'a’ dispatch, reserving until a later time | whatever opinions they may hold on ! the general subject of any new con- ference that may be called either by the league or by President Coul-1 idge. ‘ Such a conterénce, if held in Fu- 'n,m, naturally, would be concerned | with land -as well as naval arma- ments,. and it has been understood that the Washington Government al- ways” has regarded the question of land armament limitatio as es-| sentially @ problem of the Buropean | |powers. While the historic Washington Government istep that would relicve nations of | heavy armament burdens, and while | it has been felt in Washington that | | economic restoration in Kurope re-| | quired t the military outla the Jluropean powers shotld be mi- | | terially reduced, there has heen noth- ing to indicate that the Washington | Government expected to initiate a conference to deal with that yuestion. | An agreement to limit land arma- {ments could be reached only when | the powers in Lurupe were r to negotlate for treaties havimg that | | object and it has been felt here that attitude of thel TAVOTS 4Dy v ! the inftiative for an attempt to bring | Ment of whi jabout a conference for land arma-| uent limitations necessity must ome from some Buropean power. BALTMOREPOST INDITED N TEST FTAX PUBLIETY |U. S. Grand Jury Charges 5 | Violations in Publication of | | Income Payments. The Baltimore Dally Tost'w cted by the Federal grand jury or pubdlication of the incon to- 1o indictment, the first test | torbe fustituted by the Department of { Tustice obtain judicial construc- | {tion of conflicting provisions n the | {income tax law, charges that the| |Post printed the returns of income | | taxes in violation of section 2167 of | [the Revised Statutes despite & warn- {iug given by the Tre:\nur)" Depart- {ment when public inspection was or ldered. Five Counts in Indictment, |indictment returned by the Balt!more igrand jury against the Baltimore Post Company. They were hased on | the publication of five separate re- turns of Maryland citizens, published | lon October 24. | { The indictment followed the ap-| pearance before the grand jury toaay of Harold Allen and Sewell Key, spe- lcial assistants to Attorney General| |Stone. H Galen L. Tait, Internal revenue col- | lector of this distrfct, was named as | the prosecuting witness far as | |known, he was the only witne I | Plans Other Textn. In the grand jury proceeding . against the Post Attorney General | Stone sought to present the fous | phases of the question of publishing ! income tax returns, so that a court | ruling may be obtained unmder the conditions existing in Baltimore. He has instructed United States at- torneys in six or seven other in- stances to make presentments to | grand juries in ‘s many cities, ask- ing Indlctments of newspapers there to obtain court expressions in a va- riety of communities. The Attorney, General said today he would press for early court action in the Baltiniore case, and would pursue the same policy with respect to the others. He desires to get the tests to the Supreme Court as soon as possible. Wil Try Other Fhase. Sifice the indictment in Baltimore is.against the Baltimore Post Com- {pany, it was indicated that the De- partment of Justice desired to hinge that case on the alleged culpability of a corporation Instead of an individual. In some of the other cases indictments may be brought against individuals in order to develop another phase of the ap- parent conflict In the tax law, which says in one instance that the income tax returns shall be opn to public inspection and in another paragraph re-enacts section 3167 of the revised statutes, making it an offense to print information concerning the returns, The Attorney General received the question of liability of newspapers. under the tax law from the Treasury Department, which at the time it or- dered the income tax lists made pub- lic issued a warning against their publication. The Treasury, Secretary Mellon said at that time, could take no further i6teps in the matter. It had attempted to comply with the law, which sald | specifically that the returns must be opened at the earliest date after the | tax year was complete. i Losal Indictment Expected. \ While it had been expected ‘that a ‘Washington newspaper might be in- dicted -because of the national inter- est In the case, the Department of Justice apparently has charged none before the grand jury now in ses- sion. : United States Attorney Gordon said today that he had been informed of no intent on the part of the De- partment of Justice to Institute pro- ceedings against any Washington newspaper. HARRISON FAVORS REPEAL. Senator, Who Supported Publicity Measure, Changes Position. Repeal or modification of the pub- leity feature of the income tax law was urged today in a statement by Senator Harrison, Democrat, Missis- sipp!, a. member of the Senate finance committee, who supported the meas- ure when it passed the Senate. Declaring he had become con- vinced that the practice of giving (Continued on 2, jumn 1.] ._n fwhe Five counts were contained in thel — | suffering wounds D. 1.5, WARONOPIUM | GIVEN BACKING OF ! CANADA AND CHINA Sze Says American Delegate Brings First Ray of Light ‘ to Conference. NEW PEKING GOVERNMENTE PLEDGED TO CURB EVIL, Heroin Principal Form of Nareotic | Drug Smuggled Into This Coun- try, Says Bishop Brent. Byt Press G Novewmber Canada y aud China threw their support to the ! American proposals for the control and ulti lication of the nar- cotie ‘the international opium confe resumed sions today. Dr. Henry & Beland, speaking for Canada, pointed out that the Unite States had enacted lJaws the enforce- \ would be sufficient to ! eradicate the opium cvil if clandestine ! and organized smuggling did not flood the whole land with heroin, morphine | and inc insisted that the remedy ag invadin lague Loy the onfer a pealed to all the nations to thes evil its ses- m Chinese Envoy. ° M that Chinese said speech rles United the n delegat erican propo- L s neva for the 1 allusion ding con with ad broug] he bad s fortnight. » tie fallure of ference At whic tern opium probl ze th din ishop Brent nations derivin of oplum id expend unfortunates were obtaine ought for this t the first conference. He ded that there had been a cultivation of opium he said Ch abandon her policy suppression declared in 1 o this | trom smoking reves the n the profits ing he ha of Pledge In Renew ave his p . » that the new nt in & 5 in would steps to free China om the The flood of Chinese opinion. was rapid!y rising and only 3 received cablegram from the Natfonal Anti-Optum Associa- tion saying it comprised 1,300 organiza- tions with 00 members, Rumani Ireland DBominic: Kepublic all expressed in faver of strict prov (Continued on Pege 4. Column 1.7 i governm take and the n BRITAIN AROUSED BY STACK SHOOTING i Sharp Note to Egypt Likely; to Bemand Satisfaction for Assault. By the Associated Press. LONDO: November 20.—Strong | immediate action will be demanded | by the British government in repre- | sentations to the Egyptian govern- ment as a result of the attempt on| the Iife of Sir Lee Stack, sirdar of | the Egyptian army, in Cair vester- day, it was indicated in official quar- ters here today. Several of the cabinet ministers were at No. 10 Downing street dur- | ing the morning and their confer- ences with tie premier are expected | to lead to the dispatch of a sharp note | to Cairo. This note will probably de- | mand Immediate investigation of the | affair and the arrest of the assailants | and may touch upon the subject of | stopping _the cireulation of anti- | British propaganda in Egypt. Attitude of Drital | The attitude of Great Britain on | the question of responsibility of the | Egyptian government for the affair | will, it is assumed, run parallel with| that adopted In the case of murders of British subjects in Mexico, which e WITH 'SUNDAY MORNING EDITION THURSDAY, NOVEMBER i By « ? | to the st | aged 20, 1924—F FIGURIN MY OWN TAX, Star. eve: as, fast as tl Yesterday’ The Star” city block and the regular edi- tion’is delivered to Washington homes “From Press to Home Within the Hour” s carrier system covers he papers are printed. s Circulation, 98,247 IFTY PAGES. ’ . = RETURN WAS A C'NC COMPAR! \WNCO RUBLACAT \ NS (v = b BOMBS PEPPERING BATTLESHIP HULL Bombardment of Dread naught Washington Begins Off Cape Henry. | post Under the eves of 15 of the Navy Department, the resistance of the uncompleted hull of the battle- ship Washington to attacks by shells, al 1 depth bombs is being tested today 40 miles northeast of Cupe Henry. The death blow w1 not he admin- istered to the great hulk until late tomorrow, it was said today Hampton Roads naval operatin No informa to which th by the been received at the base. Tests of the ability of the uneom- pleted vessel to withstand bomb and rifle fire will be carried through de- spite tourt actlon taken in Washing- to to restrain the Navy from destroy- ing the ship. Its destruction is pi vided for in the treaties lfmitin naval armaments A board of experts of the N partment is studying the tests and watching how the mammoth hull withstands the punishment inflicted on it by shells and bombs. The board is on the dreadnaught Texas. The at- tack on the Washingten is being di- rected by Rear Admiral Hughes, di- rector of sea training on the scouting flect bombs 8 De- RESULTS TO BE SECRET. Government to Withhold Details of Washington’s Destruction. BY ROBERT T. SMALL. The task of sinking the battleship Washington zomewhere off the Vi glnia capes Is expected to be a long | and tedious one. The longer more tedious the better the Navy will like it. The impending doom of the big super-dreadnaught is in no sense a Roman holiday. It is hard labor. If the coup de grace is given to the hull by December 1 the | Navy will be satisfled. But if a chance shot should send the Washington tumbling down to Davy Jomes' locker in premature fashion, the world at lurge may never know it. The “operations” against the Washington are wholly confidential. They are expected to tell the Navy where any weakness may lie in the present theory of design and construction. The value to America in_ the information gained will depend entirely upon its secrecy, for if this confidential data shouid reach the other powers they-would gain similar advantages and there would be no strategic point in the experiments. The United States Navy has the old- fashioned idda that maybe there will be need for a fighting force afloat at some distant time in the future. They is that while the government con- |8till cling to the old-fashioned theory cerned was not directly responsible, it had not attempted to check ant British feecling and propaganda and| therefore could be held morally re-| sponsible. ] EGYPT IS INDIGNANT. . Condition of Gen. Stack Reported Slightly Better. By the Associated Press. CAIRO, Egypt, November 20.—2aj. Gen. Sir Lee Stack, the sirdar of the Egyptiap army, who was wounded by assassins yesterday, passed a good night and there was some improve- | ment noted, but his condition this| morning was still very serious. Six or eight gunmen,. using both bombs and automatic pistols, were| concerned in the attack, and the sirdar was struck by three bullets, in the abdomen, one hand dand one foot. After an operation for transfusion of blood last night the surgeons expressed hope for his recovery. The Egyptian premier, Zagloul Pasha, In_a statement to the news- papers declared the government would take every possible step to solve the mystery of the crime and capture the assassjns. “The outrage,” he continued, “will cause s very bad impression with every one everywhere. I deplore this crime. I do not know to what end the criminals are acting or to what class they belong, but I am con- vinced that its authors want to dis- turb the peace of the country. They shall not attain their end ‘The newspapers publish many mes- sages indicating universal reproba- tlon of the outrage. : that there Is rivalry among the greater powers and that each signa- tory to the Washington treaty on naval armaments is endeavoring to get all it can out of that treaty—all except perhaps the United States. The tinued on Page RAIL BOARD ABOLISHMENT | BILL DECLARED DOOMED |Senator Watson Says Only Real Modification Can Save Howell- Barkley Measure. Defeat of the Howell-Barkley bfll‘ proposing abolishment of the Rail- road Labor Board unless it is great- 1y modified was predicted today by Senator Watson, Republican, Indiana, after a conference with Presldent | Coolidge. Senator Watson sald ths 30-minute | discussion, with the President was| devoted entirely to the question of railroad legislation. He expressed the hope that the rall comsolidation plan, supported by the President, would go through on a voluntary basis, but declared that if necessary the consolidation should be brought about by compulsion. G s R Gould’s Condition Improves. PARIS, November 20. Gould, who underwent an’ operation Sunday, was much improved today. The patient passed a good night and the doctors announced that the heal- Ing process was progressing nor- mally. / > and | —Frank Jay| H - ep’ /\To‘fiusv [EUROPEAN FINA | | CIAL TANGLE '\ AT END, U. S. EXPERTS DECLARE| ?l)awes Plan Proceeding With Greater Success Than Hoped, Young Says on Return to New Amer- ve ut the who n ions experts. to stralgnt financial muddle, returned ship Homeric today at the Dawes plan &l had restored confiden ANl agreed, moreover, th | stallation of the plan s p { with even greater slecess framers had anticipated. Th. | included Owen . Young {of the technical features | Rufus Dawes, brothe | President elect, who h the Berlin office of the agent gene tions: H. M. Rol i s. who had charge of the! anization of the reparations bank, ASKSGOURTPROBE OFPOLICENETHOLS | irope war vinced t to ¢ | Los - ’Jury Foreman Recommends i Investigation of “Third- Degree’™ Work. Courd inquiry into alleged degree” methods of the pol ked of Justice Siddons, presiding in Criminal Division 1, today by the | | jury which had h Walter Bush, charged with bring- | {ing a stolen automobile from Gary,} Ind., to this city, John Inider of the TUnited States! { Chamber of Commerce, foreman, re-| ported the verdict of the jury finding | Bush guilty and stated to the court] {that the jury recommended to the, | court that an inquiry be started into | the charges of cruelty to prisoners | under arrest. { Bush in his testimony had declared | | that the police beat him while he| was In custody In an effort to extort a confession. Charles H. jointly Indicted with Bush and who Pleaded guilty and testitied for the Government, also told the jurors on cross-examination by Attorney Det- wiler for Bush that he also wa struck and kicked by policemen. Clinton said one officer struck him a blow on the jaw, and, when he was| down, kicked him. According to Clinton, when he ask- od where Bush was one,of the officers answered, “He has gone to the hos- pital, where some other boys ame go- ing if they don’t tell the truth.” Following this treatment and threat Clinton said he signed a statement concerning the case. Justice Siddons told Foreman Ihl- der that he would glve the matter his | attention. i A number of prisoners recently ap- pearing in court made charges of al- leged brutal treatment against the police. CABAVRETS PADLOCKED. | —_— | TRENTON. N. J., November 20— | Operators of some of Atlantic City's | most popular cabarets wero served | with temporary padlock injunctions today by Federal deputy marshals op- erating from Trenton. Beach-front establishments where liquor was sald to have flo'ved freely during the Sum- | mer season were the hardest hit. | ! The deputles also served warrants | on alleged rum .runners and saloon | operators at the shore resort. Among | the cabarets served were the Palals | Royal, Beaux Arts and Follles Ber- Bere. third SRS R $ i $100,000,000 Bid for Ads. | NEW YORK, November 20.—The| narrow rim of space in subway cars from which hundreds of advertising | cards stare passengers in the face has assumed an enormous value. Thre advertising corporations have offere ‘the Interborough Rapid Transit Com- pany sums ranging from $43,000,000 to more than $100,000,000 for a 20-year advertising concession. —_— " Money Advanced to Greece. ATHENS, November 20.—The Bank of England has advanced £500,000 on the Greek loan of £10,000,000 for the assistance of the Greek refugees, general of i 10 plan Clinton, ;¢ | FRANCE APP. York. and George P. ‘Auld -a counting servic met who orga payments plan to date, My dMng that as a result $200.000.000 Toan. 1 the under Young said, recent for inds of § the reparations con The general effect of the applica- tion of the plan was of such an en- sing ¢ he continued, iticipated Germany would have to float anot year. German industry, taken kindly to the p Two things have surprised 1 every who has . the insta ung sa he said, has with Mr (Continued on Page 4, Column X.) DENTITYOF PRINC SHELDEDBY COUR Accused in Husband’s Suit for £125,000 for At- tentions to Wife. First, the 20.—Trial ot Rohinson, a former tookmaker, to fecover £1 he alieges & London bank on account of a scttlement with a mysterious Eastern potentate who become overfriendly with his wife, developed a mnew thrill tod when Justice Durling, presiding. de- clined to permit the name of the wealthy potentate to be brought out in court and held that he should be known only as “Mr. A" Justice Darifng said that ordinarily he would not consent to the conceal- £ “Mr. A's" name, hut, In this “for reasons of state not con- ted with rank.” and in order that should be caused at the home, he was ullowing the name to he omitted. Meanwhile, it was reported by well informed sources that the unnamed 4 " is one of the wealthiest pung native princes of India. The trial is attracting widespread inter- est, and this morning a long line of curious was waiting on the outside o the courtroom for the case to be re- sumed. ROVES DELAY IN DISCUSSING PEACE AIM British Suggestion About Arms Re- duction Protocol Welcomed on Basis of Time. By the Associated Pross PARIS, November delegates to the League of Nations council meeting In Rome next month will concur in Great Britain's request for postponement by the council of discussions of preparations for the proposed conference for the reduction of armaments, an-official spokesmin for the forelgn office said today. Paul Boncour and the other French delegates who are going to Rome have informed the government that they have a plan ready to present to the council, but feel they would like more time to study and improve it, land thus they welcome the British | suggestion for postponement $500,000 SUIT QUASHED. Judge Rules Out Libel Action by Mabel Normand. LOS ANGELES, Callf, November 20, —Mabel - Normand's $500,000 libel sult agalnst Mrs, Georgla W. Church ‘was quashed in. Superior Court yester- day when Judge Hartley Shaw upheld the defendant’s demurrer and ruled that the motion picture actress had no legal right to seek llbel damages on the ground that Mrs, Church, in euing her wealthy husband for divorce, had re- ferred to his alleged_behavior with Miss Normand. % - Counsel- for Miss Normand an- TWO CENTS. BOARDASKS S0 (FINE FOR FLEEING - SCENE OF ACCIDENT fCommissioners Expected to { Adopt Recommendation of 1 Traffic Aides: |ACTION DUE TOMORROW TO CHECK “DEATH CARS” ;I.egislalive Help by Congress to Cope With Situation Likely to Be Asked. } The. initi | trict govern ot trim | was Comm ook immediate action | mendation of i jthe fine for lmecident be r ending ality in W afternoon board on a ember & the scene, d from $40 to & regular routine could be given to : th-car” tion, shingto ren i et & recor vressing board not o th Corporatic that the per adopted, ativea truflic re board of Distri t once « | Commissi at its 5 Approves. Holcombe, chis wrd. refused wording of t was indicat orate the sugges Hart in a for o The tenta- awn up by M make puh proposed regzulation €l 11d as approved by the ng of Maj. Hol tor Alber srge of the T lar business befo :s location of hack ause of the seri- murde: t d to suspend the regs s whele . comi that has she bers agre. der. That t no time in tlon was # Commissioners will iew regula- their con ther were ¢ of taking the most the Jaw will pe: ssured to See Need of Drastic Rul Commissloners Oyster, Rud Bell agreed that the traffic s fn Washington called for drastic ac ten and announced their willingnes to take any steps recommended Ly the Traflic Board. Under the present regulations a | “traffic criminal,” viz, a_driver who | speeds away after running down a pedestrian colliding with another | car, Le fined a maximum of only 1 840 for fleelng from the scene. The $40 limit has had the advantage however, of preventing the defenda: from demanding a trial by jury, lie could do were the fine £50 or mo . No jail sentence can be imposes under the present law, according to an opinion by Assistant Corporatior unsel Hart. In his letter to Cha n Holcombe Mr. Hart pointed tl ct out and said th favored asking Congrees for a new ing a fail ase A the board ter of urg more adequate | present conditions stated after that the mat s for new an to cope witl was one fer the mmissioners to take up. It s be- {lleved the Trafic Board will recom ! mend to the Commissioners that appeal be made to Congress tor leg ixlative aid. The sturtling conditions existing in the courts as a result of the « tinuous demand of traffic violators for jury trials was brought forcibi: to the attention of officials today when it was learned that, although cases are piling up daily ‘with gre rapidity, only one afte is avatlable for their Routine Cases Delay. While two of the four days aside for jury trials each week are supposed to be devoted to Distric: of Columbia cases, the large number of liquor law violations has led the District foregoing one of its da; giving federal cases three days fo jury trials. The one day now occu bied with District cases cannot be used wholly for jury trials, however. as routine cases must be disposed of first Thus there is, in few hours that can be devoted ea {week to the trial of “traf. ! eriminals.” and as one case ofter | takes several hours, it is apparent that the headway made in the courts into its large docket of traffic cases in which defendants demand jury trials is almost negligible. i This state of affairs was verified to- day by Assistant Corporation Counsel Hart, who has had long experience with the Police Court through his former assignment there as a prose cutor. actuality, but 20.—The French, Seex Matter Grave. “This stagnation of the docket serfous t ses IS a grave n ter, to careful . considerativu must be given,” Mr. Hart stated. “It {is a forceful argument in favor of i the agitation for gnother judge to as- siat {n the disposal of these cases.” | While the precinct forces of ths Ipolice department were out today to {protect the public from other reck- |less drivers, virtually the entire de tective personnel, under Inspecto {Clifford I. Grant, was continuing i< widespread hunt for the four “death- car” drivers still at large. They are | seeking the “traffic murderers” of Miss {Margaret Heflin, Dr. William A Pethel, Joseph Powell and Williawm {T. Riley, all of whom were struck |down by specding cars whose drivers |failed to bring them to a halt. | Detectives did, however, succecd in | 1dentifying the driver of the truck | which knocked down J. L. Richardson {of 3128 P street, at Vermont avenuo and K street, and which continued on its way after the driver Is sald by witnesses to have glanced back at the prostrate form of the victim. Head- quarters Detective James Springmann located him through a Virginla tag number taken down by a spectator, and last night he went to McLean Va., and conferred with the driver's { attorney, John C. Mackall. The name of the driver, who is about 22 years the issuance of which will be &n- nounced he would appeal the case to | Old, Was mot divulged. He will be nounced shortly. the State Supreme Court. (Continuefl on Page 4, Column 3)