Evening Star Newspaper, December 14, 1924, Page 2

’ SENATE T0 PROBE EDTORIAL ATTAGK Underwood Charges Sinister Influence Behind News- paper’s Stand. By the Associated Press. An editorfal in the Washington Flerald attacking the Underwood Muscle Shoals bill and its author will be the sub‘ect for investigation by the Senate judiciary committee. Senator Underwood, Domocrat, Ala- bama, who drafted the measure, ob- tained unanimous consent of the Sen- ate yesterday for such an investiga- tion after he had delivered a denun- clation of the editorial and Its writer. The inquiry will be taken up by the committee tomorrow and Senator Underwood sald he would demand a subpoena for the author “to find out the truth of this editorial and who is respoonsible for it.” Just before the close of yester- day's session, Senate leaders made a move to break up what they re- xarded as a flibuster. against the Underwood bill. They obtained unan- imous consent for a vote on the Smith amendment before 8 o'clock Tuesday and limiting cach Senator to one speech only of not more than 10 min- utes. Amendment Vote Blocked. A vote on the amendment was blocked, after the presicing officer had called for a roll cail, bv objection from Senator Norris, Republican, Nebraska, an opponent of the Underwood bill, and Senator Smith, Democrat, South Carolina, author of the amendment. ‘They denled the existence of a fili- buster and declared they wished the vote delayed because of the absence of Senators. A vote on the Smith amendment will serve as an expression of the Senate on whether it prefers Govern- ment or private operation of Muscle Shoals. Senator Underwood said he would regard the vote as an indica- tion of the final vote on his measure. At the opening of the session, Sen- ator Underwood rose to a question of personal privilege and declared that “it is not often that I worry myselt about any newspaper comment, but when 2 propaganda is organized for the evident purpose, through lies, or of creating a misunderstanding and misinterpretation by the American people, the man involved not only must rise to defend himself, but it is his duty to make very clear what stands behind the libel and the false- hood uttered. Calls Editorial Lie, “There is in the Washington Herald this morning,” he said, “an editorial that deliberately tried to put me in a position that I never have occupied and do not occupy.” Continuing, he sald: “I would not be dolng justice either to myself, to the Senate or to Cross-Word Desert Obstacle To Santa Claus Land Explorers Star’s Expeditiofi ' Thinks and Skates Way to Safety. Compass Dog Gives Key Word Needed for Puzzle. BY CAPTAIN ELLJAH SQUINT, } The only explorer who ever read through a whole geography, and the only one who can bound Patagonia with his eyes shut; leader of The Star's expedition to Santa Claus Land. By Courler Duck to The 8 CRANBERRY COVE, Santa Claus Land, December 13.—Crossing the red confett{ border, we were in Santa Claus Land, but were suddenly haited before a vast desert of squares of purple and white icing, arranged in pleasing geometrical forms. As we stepped on them, we were thrown back by a mysterlous force. After repeated trials, by which we were all utterly exhausted, I called a confer- ence in the tent. No one could give any explanation and we were almost in~ despair when Ishy-Koo returned from a hunting expedition on which he had bagged three bilg Yorkshire puddings. After studying the squares, and, llke us, being repulsed when he tried to cross them, he toid of a curlous game being played by the Eskimos north of the Arctic Circle, and sald that he believed we had come to a cross-word desert. “Somewhere,” he sald, “we shall find the key.” Finally, digging into a huge sugar drift, he uncovered a glant cake, scrolled with ‘etters in frosting. “Vertical,” it said. “Two-letter word meaning to wiggle the ears.” Skated om Icing. We then saw that each group of squares was numbered and the key told us the kinds of words we had to think of to fill them. We copied the key, and began making our way across the squares. We put on skates and skated on the icing from one square to another, as we thought of of a great corporation interest, when I was putting the product of my own district in my own State on the free 1ist?* he asked. ot that I was discriminating against them, but I knew they did not need a tariff,” he added. Reiterating that he had never had any connection with the Alabama Power Co. “either as a stockholder or an Individual,” Senator Underwood my constituency If I did not challenge the lie that is editorially uttered in this paper.” The heading of the editorlal, Sena- tor Underwood said, {s “Another Tea. pot Dome Is Thrust Upon Mr. Cool idge.” The editorial goes on to say. he asserted, that “President Coolidge is & wise, courageous and patriotic leader. Therefore the country can have confidence that President Cool- idge will disregard those advisers who seek his support of the Under- ‘Wwood bill, now in the Senate, author- 1zing the Secretary of War to lease Muscle Shoals for 50 years to the Alabama Power Ci “This slimy snake,” Senator Under- ‘wood declared, “that crawls through an editorial column bearing misrepre- mentation and slime is too cowardly to attack the President of the United States, and seeks by innuendo and charge to attack other people who are only carrying out exactly what the President of the United States has recommended.” The editorial, the Alabama Senator asserted, “Is the first attack on this Republican administration since It was elected, because all the power of the bill rests solely in the hands of the President of the United States and Attempts to carry out {dentically the terms that the President names in his message to Congress.” Declares Editorial Bought. “As a matter of fact,” Senator Un- derwood declared, “I have no doubt that that editorial was purchased by interests who are trying to gobble | this power. I do not know, I have no proof of it, but it bears on its face evidence that the corrupting hand is behind this libel. “To say that it is going to create a Teapot Dome scandal” he continued, “is identical with saying that if the matter shail go to the President we cannot trust him, but that he will be- tray the confidence which the Ameri- can people reposed in him when he was elected President of the United States in November.” Senator Underwood declared that “these men who are Interested in power fear they cannot command sufficient votes to defeat my bill, which they do not want; are trying to libel me and make the American people believe that the bill is in the interest of power and not in the in. terests of fertilizer for the farmers. “It is simply a damnable misrepre- sentation by a lobby that stands with- out the doors of the Senate chamber at this hour,” he said. “I know they are there and Senators know they are there and we know their pur- pose. “They are here,” he contin- ued, “to shape this legislation in fa- charged that “these men who are be- hind the power trust which wants this power are trying to connect me and my bill with that interest to de- feat my bill by a damnable lie.” Denles Implicatio: “The editorial,” Senator Underwood said, “challenges the bill as a steal. Thers are just two parts to the bill. One provides that under the limita- tion a lease must contain a clause that compels the making of 40,000 tons of nitrogen, and a requisite amount of fertilizer to consume it, for national defense, and that the con- tract shall:mot be for dess than 4 per cent on the cost @f the dam. “The President of the United States,” he continued, “through his Secretary of War, has the right and power, under this bill, to make any kind of a lease he desires. I ask any man who challenges that statement to do so now." He read further from the editorial: “President Coolidge cannot afford and does not want & Teapot Dome scandal in his administration. He is being offered a greater scandal in this proposal of Senator Oscar Un- derwood.” Calls Artiele a Lie. “Mark the lle that lay in the mouth ot the writer of the article in this paper,” Senator Underwood exclaimed. “when he wrote those words, trying to hitch this matter up with a scandal such as the Teapot Dome scandal, when there is a llmitation on the power of the President, requiring him to make the lease with a provi- slon for the production of nitrogen. Otherwise he can make the lease as he desires.” “This adroit editor,” the Alabama Senator continued, “tries to placate the President in his opening words by saying he is ‘a wise, courageous and patriotic leader,’ as he is, and then saying that because I put in the hands of that wise, courageous and patriotic leader the power to make a lease to dispose of - the property, there {s a greater scandal than the Teapot Dome.” Senator Underwood read as follows from the editorial: “The interests behind the Under- wood bill are perfectly obvious. "It would be wrong to give Muscle Shoals power away to a private power corporation under any condi- tions. It is & crime to give it away for such a miserable pittance as a 4 per cent remtal—not 4.per cent on the entire $135,000,600, but 4 per cent only on the $45,000,000 that the Wil- son dam cost.”. i} Minimum Rental Fixed. vor of power and not for the produc- tion of fertilizer.” Refers to Committee Bills. Continuing, the Alabama Senator asserted “Incidentally, I wish to say that the committee bill is the one which would develop this great horse- power, not my bilL” Senator Underwood read from the editorial: “The power :trust, always wise and always awake, s terrifie ltlthu prospect of Senator Norri bl “I think if the Senators will read the testimony before the committee,” he added, “they will find that the gen- tlemen who are interesteed in power were testifying favorably to a power bill, and not to the Ford offer, which is a nitrogen and fertilizer proposi- tion, and the Ford provisions are the provisions in the bill 1 have intro- duced.” “The Alabama Power Co. the Alabama Senator asserted, “has been collaborating on the other side of the question and adjusting a pow- er bill, not a bill for fertilizers ana national defense, and I chalienge any man in the Senate to deny that state- ment.” “I want to challenge the statement of any man on this floor or off of it Senator Underwood said, “who eks to that the bill I have in- <reduced has any connection at all win the Alabama Power Co. The statement is false in its concep- Sion and in its intention.” Dentes Corporation Service. “There never was & lle,” he de- @lared, “that was more deliberate and manifest than the utterance of this paper. There never has been a time in the 30 years that I have been in the Congress of the United States when I have ever served, directly or indi- pectly, the great corporations of Ala- bama or of the United States, and I challenge any man to show that I have.” To refute the statement in the edi- torial that he was “yielding to the demands of & great corporation,” Sen- ator Underwood pointed to the Under- woed tarift bill. “Was that yielding to the demands ‘The Alabama BSenator declared that the rental in the bill was made low to try to induce some citizen like Henry Ford to make nitrogen for national defense and Teftilizer for farmers. He explained that his bill fixed the minimum rental, and not the maximum, and that the Presi- dent, “if he can find a bidder who will do the work, can charge him twice or three times or four times the minimum price as fixed in the bilL” “If there is any purpose in putting his provision in the bill” he said, it 18 for the purpose of seeing that the power is not given away en- tirely.” Referring to the. editorial writer, Senator Underwood declared: ‘Listen to where he pleads guilty to the in- fluence of the power trust himself. 1 do not know whether those influ- ences were gold, dinners or personal influence, but here is his plea of guilt: “ ‘Muscle Shoals 18 purely a power proposition,’ he quoted. “Mark you, my bill is not purely a power proposition.” Senator Under- wood said. ‘“My bill is a national defense and fertilizser proposition. Charges Confession of Influence. “He comes down to his confession ‘when he says, ‘Muscle Shoals is pure- ly a power proposition, and all talk ot making cheap fertilizer for the farmers .18 pure buncombe, and the Underwood bill advocates know It." “I do not know it e Alabama Senator continued. “The efforts I have made in that direction ars ear- nest and honest, and I hope they will be successful. But I do know that when this paper published that arti- cle and sald that the Muscle Shoals dovelopment {8 & pt power proposi- tion it admitted that it had accepted » brief from the power companies of America to try to kill my bill. “That {s all there is to it” he de- claged. “They want to wipe out fer- tiliger, they want to wipe o6ut na- tional defense, and then allow some power company that is probabl: within thelr own trust to absorb &l the power of the Tennessee River,” dia B HERE’S ISHY-KO0O, ‘The Eskimo who solved the mystery of the checkerboard desert. the right words. Sometimes we stopped for hours, but as night fell we reached the last row of squares. It was a four-letter word, meaning to depart suddenly. - We were all so tired we could scarcely stand up and all we could do was just babble words, in the hope of saying the right one. We had almost given it up and were mak- ing ready to spend the night there, [ when agatn little Spud saved us—al- though I don't really think he knew. what he was doing. Seeing it was no use, Spud had stopped pointing North and had sat down. I saw him scratching himself. Spud Gives Key. “He must have a flea,” I said and skated toward him. To my aston- | ishment, as I sald the word “Flee, | T shot across the border into the next Tow of squares. “Flee" we all shouted, as the others came skating across. g We had traversed the fast row, and crossed the Cross-Word Desert. Below us lay Santa Claus Land. (Copyright, 1924.) (Continued Tomorrow) Editor’s Note: The following dis- patch was sent to Capt. Squint last night: “Please rush by return courier duck two-letter word meaning to wig- gle the ears.” The following answer was received: “Word Is ik, an Eskimo word.” AIR BOMBS PROVED T00 WEAKIN TEST Army Planes Must Be Built Bigger to Sink Warships, Patrick Testifies. Modern battleships have the power of resisting bombs carried by the type of airplanes possessed by the United States Army, Maj. Gen. Pat- rick, chlef of the Army Air Service, said yesterday in testifylng before the House committee investigating aircraft problems. 4 & Tests on the hull of the uncomplet- ed battleship Washington, off the Vir- ginia Capes recently, he said, proved that the Army bombing craft were obsolescent and should be replaced with bigger and more powerful ships capable of carrying bombs, which would be effective against modern enemy capital ships. The United States, he sald, had de- veloped types of bombing planes, which equalled any in the world, but the majority of the bombers now in service were of ag older type. Bomb Defenses Improved. Gen, Patrick pointed out that a race between battleship designers and makers ofyaircraft and alrcraft bombs was In progress similar to that which has gone on for years between armor for battleships and armor plercing projectiles for great naval rifiles. Bombs of a size that could be carried by the present day Army bombers were of sufficient power to sink or cripple any battleship of a pre-Jut- land type, he said, but the experi- ments against the post-Jutland Wash- ington, had made It obvious that more powerful and heavier bombs would be required. The statement to the committee was in line with that made by Secre- tary Wilbur in his recent appearance before the House naval appropria- tions subcommittee In urging that funds be made available to strength- en the decks and install blister pro- tection on pre-Jutland battleships of the American fleot. 3 The Secretary said that tests had shown that the deck armor of even the older battleships would resist ex- plosions of bombs dropped on those decks, but, he added, that protection must be provided against armor-plerc- ing acrial bombs. The naval Secre- tary also sald that the proposed mod- ernization work on the old battle- ships was expected to render them as secure from aerial or submarine attack as was possible in the case of any old ship. Throws Light on Tests. Detalls of the experiments con- ducted 2galnst the Washington’s hull have never been revealed by the Navy Department, which regards the data as highly confidentfal. Gen. Patrick’s statement yesterday, however, threw additional light on the subject, as there had been no official announce- ment that the ship had been attacked from the air with heavy bombs and had withstood the attack. She was sunt by the big guns of the battle- ship Texas. s Gen. Patrick also discuseed before the committee the decline of the air- craft building industry in the United States. While the Army Alr Service had attempted to 'standarize types of planes It required, so far as was pos- sible in the present stage of aircraft development, he said, it had been necessary to place arders for Army alrcraft through negotiated contracts rather than by competitive bidding in order that as many aircraft fac- tories as possible might be kept alive. PRESIDENT TO BE INVITED. A committee of 25 prominent men and womnien, representing the United States Good Roads Association, Bank- head National Highway Association and the city of Houston, Tex., will call on President Coolidge tomorrow at 10 o'clock to extend an invitation ::lttnnd :ht.l annual meeting of these 0 assoclations, to be held - mnGoAanl 21-26 mext. e v. e Trinkle, president of the United States Good Roads Assor ciation; Bennehan . Cameron, presi- dent Bankhead National Highway Assoclatien; J. A. Rountree, director Eeneral, representing both associi- tions; Lynch Davidson of Houston, Tex.; Senator Morris Sheppard of Texas and Representative Daniel Garrett, representing the * Houston congressional district, will extend tlhre h;vluu:-- ;;n Dbehalf of the associa- tions, the l:.uxstuu.lhga Texas and the congressional dis he represents, g s GERMAN CABINET QUITS TOMORROW Marx Announces Decision to Socialists—Sees Dawes Plan Endangered. By the Associated Press, BERLIN, December 13.—Chancellor Marx, at a meeting with Soclalist leaders this evening, announced that the cabinet would resign Monday. Sces Dawes Plan Periled. By Cable to The Star and New York World. BERLIN, December 13.—“I see danger for a successful operation of the Dawes plan with a reactionary government, but 1 can do nothing,” Chance'lor Marx today told Hermann Mueller and Rudolph Holferding in the chancellory, when the two So- clalist leaders called to confer on the character of the proposed new government. The chance'lor made it clear in his talk with the Socialist leaders, from one of whom The Star obtains the discourse practically verbatim, that Forelgn Minister Stressemann, and Stressemann alone, is responsible for the shift to the Right after the elec- tions had swung to the Left. “Under no clrcumstances will 1 enter a Right government,” he said. “When the cabinet resigns I retire trom the negotlations.” Stlent on Action. He refused to comment on the ac- tion of his party, which is apparently willing to enter a Right coalition. | But he emphasized he is personally through. The two Socialist’ leaders I got the impression that Marx was not | jable to swing his party with him to iu.e Left bloc. Chancellor Marx in- dicated his bellef that a reactionary government would hinder negotia- tions with the entente over the evac- uation of Cologne and left bank of the Rhine, which hinges on the out- come of the report on Germany's mili- tary status. “In any case I ses no guarantee for the continuance of our present for- elgn policy with a Right government | in control,” he sald, emphatically. It| is reported in the evening papers that the British, French and Italian gov- ernments have intervened in the po- litical crisis and warned the foreign |oMce against a Right government. | No such step has been taken officiall. Inor could 1t be. But unoffic| Y, | Stressemann has learned he will not | be popular abroad as chancellor of a Right government, and the informa- tion has annoyed him a good deal. But he is going ahead notwithstand- ing, and early next week the Right government should be a reality. It will come in surrounded by plenty of predictions that its rule will simply mean another election and a new deal all around. (Copyright, 1924.) MOVES TO PREVENT MONEY OLIGARCHY Ayres Proposes Radical Change in Federal Reserve Elections. Proposing to “put a stop to the build- ing up of a financlal oligarchy,” Repre- sentative William 4. Ayres of Kansas, Democrat, a member of the House ap- propriations committee, yesterday pro- posed a radical change in the Federal Reserve act in regard to the election of Federal Reserve Bank directors. In brief, the bill introduced by Rep- resentative Ayres proposes that every director of a Federal Reserve Bank shall hold office for a term of three years, and be ireligible to, again hold that position until another three years have elapsed. In explaining what he proposes to ac- complish through this legislation, and what he means by “building up a finan- clal oligarchy,” "Representative Ayres points out that “in several of the Fed- eral Reserve districts the officers and di- rectors have themselves re-elected, and in doing 8o can form a combine against certain localitles in their districts. It | not. | road Administration, has been charged in some districts this is, or has, been done. Of course, it is not charged openly because of fear on the part of the bankers in sugh locali- ties. “It is contrary to the intent and spirit of the Federal Reserve act for a set of directors to perpetuate them- selves in office. This is being done through influence with member banks they are able to dictate their re-election. 1 have seen letters sent out by these di- rectors soliciting their re-electlon as directors, and also letters sent out by their friends for the same purpose. When a bank receives such letters its officers hesitate to say no. “It may be for the best Interests of the Federal Reserve banking system to have the active officers in such banks, 8o long as they are competent, succeed themselves, but it ie a mistake for the directors in these banks constantly to re-elect themselves.” WOMAN FATALLY INJURED BY AUTO Victim Unidentified—Driver Did Not See Her Until Too Late. An unidentified white woman about 60, years of age was knocked down and fatally injured last night on First street between Randolph -and R streets by an automobile operated by Randolph Norup of 117 Adams street northwest. She was crogsing the street, accord- ing to the story Norup, told police, and he did not see her form in mid- block nntil only a few feet from her. He s.d an automobile running south was j:st passing his machine, which was running north when he noticed the form of the woman. She seemed to be swerving, he sald, although he was not sure whether she had been hit by the other machine or He jammed on his brakes, he told the police, but the distance was too short to prevent hitting her. Police belleve that the woman passed in the rear of the south bound automoblle from the west side of the street toward the east slde into the path of Norup's automobile. After the accident, Norup stopped and picked up the woman, speeding to Sibley Hosplital, where she was pronounced dead by Dr. Rogers. Norup was taken to the second pre- cinct to be held pending order of the coroner. Police immediately started work in an attempt to learn the identity of the victim. In her pocket was found @ thin plece of “flimsy” or tissue paper, bearing the name “Mrs. Annie E. Roblnson.” The paper was the type used in the United States Rail- police estab- lished. Another piece of paper from the Bureau of Lighthouses of the De- partment of Commerce also was found on her person. The woman was of medium stout- ness with mixed gray hair and a round broad face. She wore a black velvet hat relleved of somberness by & bright pink band. Her outer coat was black and a three-quarter-length garment. She also wore a sult coat with a white collar and a tan blouse with blue and red squared figures. Her skirt was black with white and red stripes, and she wore high tan shoes and black stockings. BORAH GETS FACTS OF ‘MYSTERY' FUND Campaign Expenditures Com- mittee to Consider Docu- ments This Week. Having come into possession of doouments bearing on the “mystery” story of campaign expenditures re- lated by two Chicago men, Chairman Borah, of the Senate campalgn in- vestigating .committee, sald yester- day ha would call the committee to- gether early this week to consider the matter. 2 These documents are the ones Samuel Untermyer, New York attor- ney, who assisted in prosecuting the pre-election inquiry of the committee, presented at Chicago to Chairman Butler of the Republican national committee, who testified that he had never seen them before and had no information as to their subject mat- ter. Up to this time the documents have been closely guarded as profound secrets for the disclosing of which neither Mr. Untermyer nor the com- mittee would assume responsibility. As desoribed yesterday by Senator Borah they are telegrams purported to have been sent from the Franklin National Bank at Washington, D. C.. to the Federal reserve banks at St. Louis, Kansas. City, Minneapolis and San Francisco, and referring to $1,000,000 to be sent to those banks in’ equal Installments of $250,000 for use on behalf of the Republican na- tional ticket In the last campaign. The documents came into the pos- session of Mr. Untermyer while. the Senate committee was sitting in Washington last October. It was the understanding at that time that two telegraph - operators had _identified them as messages they had seen. Mr, Untermyer said he did not care to spread the evidence on the record without further substantiation be- cause of the possible effect on the Republican campaign and asked'that the committee hear witnesses in ex- ecutive session. This the committee refused to do. There the matter rested until the Chicago end of the hearing was re- opened. A Life-Saving Story . 724 fewer people died in Washing- ton last year from tuberculosis than in 1900, in proportion to increased population. This Chart Shows Declining Death Rate From 1900 to 1923 Based on Official Records When You Buy Christmas Seals Think of This: The Untold Value of This Saving of Lives. Mental Worry and Pain Avoided. Better Heath Assured for All . Christmas Seals pay for the health work of the Tuberculosis Association, especially among children. By improving bodily tone greater resistance is given against tuberculosis and all forms of disease. B This advertisement is paid for by the *fl’fl‘!lfiflnfl. Tuberculosis HUBERT WORI e i " SHENANDOAN ~+ NATIONAL § %, FOREST °, o g e ¥ from the proposed park es. Inset is (Continued from First Page.) the Southern Appalachian National Park Committee, in accordance with your instructions, have spent the past elght months investigating the south- ern Appalachian Mountain _ region with a view of determining whether areas exist of sufficient size, contain- ing scenery of such grandeur, and at the same time typical of the region, which are suitable to be considered as a site for a natlonal park. ature calls us all, and the re- sponse of the American people has been expressed in the creation, so far, of 19 national parks. All but one are west of the Missiasippt River. The two-thirds of our population liviog east of the Mississippl has contented itself with a few State parks, not kriowing that in' the Southern Appa- lachian Ranges there are. several areas, which fill the definition of a national park, because of beauty and grandeur of scenery, presence of & wonderful variety of trées and plant lite, and possibilities of harboring and developing the animal life common 1n the precolonial days, but now near-| 1y extinct. t ‘has not been generally known- that FEastern parks of national size might still be acquired by our Gov-Y ernment. The committee has been tmpressed with the amount of Inter- edt manitested In all sections of ‘the Kast in the proposed establishment of a national park in the Southern Appalachian region, and this interest has resulted in mumerous requests that the committee inspect various areas. Many of these requests per- talned to localities that have abun- dant scenic features, but which are npt of sufficlent size to warrant thelr being considered for a national parke Made Personal Study. “Every effort has been made to con- sider carefully the merits of the vari- ous proposed sites, and wherever there was evidence that an. area seemed to justify the committee in making a personal inspection, Visits have been made, either by the com- mittee as a whole or by a delegation from it. Many of the areas in these mountains having unquestionable na- tlonal park features are now in the national forests under Government control and so available for recrea- tional use, the committee is not dis-. posed to suggest a change in their present status. “We inspected the northern part of Georgla, whose fine mountains. blend with_the Highland region ofj southern North Carolina. We ascend- ed Mount. Mitchell and .viewed the splendid Black Mountalh range north Ride Mountaims of Virgimia. When the Lee highway is completed, a month henee, it will be within three hours’ motor ride of Washington, and acces- sible to 40,000,000 persons, the farthest of these being omly a day’s travel who appointed the committee that selected the Blue Ridge as the site of the { park, and to whom the report was handed. BLUE RIDGE SITE IS SELECTED FOR NATIONAL PARK IN EAST TAX CUT GATHERNG URGED ON COLIDGE National Chamber of Com- merce Wants State Repre- sentatives Summoned. American business as represented in the Chamber of Commerce of the United States urged President Cool- idge yesterday to comsfder the ad- visability ‘of calling a conference ef © STANDARDSVILLE kéd to create im the historic Blue Secretary of the Interfor Hubert Work, tains, depth of valleys, ruggedness of the area and the unexampled variety of trees, shrubs and plants. The re- glon includes Mount Guyot, Mount Le Conte, Clingmans Dome and Gregory | Bald, and may be extended in several directions to include other splendid mountain regions adjacent thereto. Handicaps Listed. “The Great Smokies have some han- dicaps which will make the develop- ment of them into a national park a | matter of delay; their very rugged- | ness and height make road and other | park developments a serious under- | taking as to time and expense. The | excessive rainfall also (not yet ac- curately determined) is an element for future study and investigation in relation both to the development work, subsequent administration and recreational use as a national park. “The Blue Ridge of Virginia, one of the sections which had your commit- tee’s careful study, while secondary | to the Great Smokies in altitude and | some other features, constitute in our | judgment the outstanding and logical place for the creation of the first national park in the Southern Appa- lachians. We. hope it will be made into a national park and that its success will encourage the Congress to create a second park in the Great Smokey Mountains, which lie some 300 miles distant southwest. “It will surprise the American people to learn that a national park site with fine scenio and recreational | qualities can be found within a| three-hour ride of our National Cap- ital and within a day's ride of 40,000- €00 of our inhabitants. It has many canyons and gorges with beautiful cascading streams. - It has some splendid primeval forests and the op- portunity is there to develop an an- Imal refuge of natlonal importance. Along with the whole Southern Ap- palachians this area is full of his- toric Interest, the mountains looking down on valleys with thelr many battleflelds of Revo'utionary and Civil War periods, and the birth- places of many of the Presidents of the United States. Within easy ac- cess are the famous caverns of the Shenandoah Valley. Mountain-Top Drive. “The greatest single feature, how- ever, is a possible skyline drive along the mountain top, following a con- tinuous ridge and looking down westerly on the Shenandoah Valley from 2,500 to 3,500 feet below, and also commanding a view of the Pled- mont Plain, stretching easterly to the Washington Monument, which land- mark of our National Capital may of Asheville. We went over carefully| the Grandfather Mountain region, which for our study included the beautiful country from Blowing Rock to remarkable Linville Gorge. Wi responded to the call of the poet. to see Roan Mountain if we would really see the Southern Appalachians, We went to Knoxville and from there to the tops of “The Big Smokies," which carry on their crest the bound- ary line between North Carolina and Tennesse. We went into Virginia to inspect that portion of the Blue Ridge on the east side of the Shenandoah Valley, which extends from Front Royal to Waynesboro. Some members of the committee also visited Cum- berland Gap, southern West Virgini. northern Alabama, and eastern Ken= tucky. ved by Inacceasibility. “Several areas were found that con- tained topographic' features of great scenic value, where waterfalls, cas- cades, cliffs and mountain peaks, with beautiful valleys lying in their midst, gave ample assurance that any or all of these areas were possible io- de- velopment into a national park which would compare favorably with any; of the existing national parks in the West. All that has saved these near- by regions from - spoilation for so long. a time has been their inaccessibilitys and the difficulty of profitably ex- ploiting the timber wealth that man- tles the steep mountain slopes. Wiik| rapldly increasing shortage and; mounting values of forest producia; however, we face the immediate dans| ger that the last remnants of our primeval forests will be destroyed;} however remote on_steep mountain; side or hidden in deep lonely cove: they may be. : “It is the opinion of the committes that a park In the East should be lo= cated, if possible, where it will bene-: fit the greatest number and it should’ be of sufficient size to meet the needs a8 a recreational ground for the peo- ple not only of today; but of the co: ing generations. The committes therefore decided that no site cover- ing less than 500 square miles would: be considered. This eliminated & large number of proposed areas and allowed the committee to concentrate: its efforts on a few that appeared ta. be possible sites on account of their size, location, and favorable scenfc features. These sites have therefore, been thoroughly examined. B “We have found many areas which could well be chosen, but the com- mittes was charged with the respo: sibility of selecting the best, al ‘| favorable of this proposed park site, be seen on a clear day. Few scenlc drives in the world could surpass it. “We therefore recommend the cre- ation. of a national park in the part of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Vir- ginla above described and shown ap- proximately on the accompanying map. “We have not attempted to estl- mate the cost of acquiring this area as we are not sure that it falls with- in the scope of our committee's work. We suggest, however, that a spirit of constructive co-operation on the part of the State of Virginia and among some of the large land owners of this region with whom we have been in touch.promises reasonable prices and perhaps a number of donations. “We suggest that if Congress thinks: {commercial representatives of the several States with a view to pfomoting economy tn expenditures and reduct'on in taxa- tlon. The suggestion was made ae part of a program submitted by the cham- ber to ald in. the racovery of agri- culture. It was presented by a sve- clal committee, consisting of Richard F. Grant, president of the chamber; Julius H. Barnes, former presider and Lewls E. Plerson, chairman the executive commi: “The administration as played « Breat part in tag relief,” the com- mittee sald n a statement 4iss after the conference with the P dent. “The chamber hopes that the administration will particularly con- sider the advisablility of some form of contact with the governors of eaca State that they may facilitate leglsla- tion and administrative action—State county and municipal—toward the ut most economy, particularly of tax which rest on farm lands.” Matter Previously Studied. Some such conference has been i: Mr. Coolidge’s mind for some tim. and the r mmendation made yos- terday served to renew the thoug! being given to it in official quarters. The Executive, in a statement sued last June when he sigx revenue bill, declared he thought it might be advisable to call a confer- ence of the taxing authorities of the States and the Treasury to consider some comprehensive plan of di on of the fleld of taxation between the States and the. Federal Government, with elimination of overiapping taxe Congressional leaders generall have approved the suggestion made by Mr. Coolidge in his annual budget messages for postponement of tax legislation until the next se T of Congres: Such postponement would perm the convening durine the Summer of a conference along the lines originally suggested b Coolidge and advocated yesterda. the Chamber of Commerce. The chamber's special committe made no direct reference in its s ment to the appeal which Mr. Cool idge made in his Chicago Comme clal Club address to business to i terest itself more in the problems the farmer, but declared that busi- ness men the country over are keenl: aware of the economic necessity for prosperous agricultural conditions. New Spirit of Confidence. “The chamber believes that forces which Influenced _the - improvement in agricultural conditions will continue to have their effect until a full re- covery is assured.”; the committes said, and after pointing to spirit of confidence in industry widening circle of full employment and “the restoration of financial and stability in Europe through the Dawes plan,” as having tended to aid greatly in eliminating agricultural depression, sald: “There are other things which will have their influence in this movement to better farm conditions. “The plans of the administration towards furthering the St. Lawrence project will help. “The Agricultural Credit Corpora- tion already has discharged a great service in the areas of distress. Fur- ther progress in diversification can be made under suitable service by the Department of Agriculture, and the various agricultural colleges and lo- cal agencies. “Readjustment of relative freight rates, another important move, ap- pears to have a place in the admin- istration’s program. “We believe that every possible aid should be extended to farm co-oper- ative organizations, except that Gov- ernment financial assistance should not be used to displace the tried and proven facilities of established in- dustry. “Not shrinkage of output, but in- telligently planned production and e_xpanded markets should be the ag- ricultural aims that would enlist the ald of organized business. — RUSSIA ASSIGNS LAND TO EMIGRANTS FROM U. S. Soviet Sets Aside 400,000 Acresfor Persons Returning From New World. By the Associated Press. MOSCOW, December 13.—The Soviet government has allocated 400,000 acres of land in the Volga and north ern Caucasian regions for settlement by Russians returning from - the United tes and Canada. The re- turning colonists will be encouraged to establish agricultural stations and develop soil generally. The commissariat of agriculture, which is handling the project, i= sending instructions to the Sociaty of Technical Aid to Soviet Russia in Amertca respecting the class of immi- grants especlally desirable for the colonization and the amount of money they will be required to bring. The government inaugurated a similar project some time ago for Russians returning from Germany, Czechoslovakia and other countries. a commisison be appointed to handle the purchase and to solicit contri- butions, and to arrange condemnation proceedings if ‘the State of Virginia Qeems it wise. The creation of such a park may well be made contingent on & limited tetal land cost.” DEVISES SIGNAL LIGHT " FOR FOILING HOLD-UPS Butfer Makes Plan Public After "Trial on Own Home in Philadelphia. By the Associated Press. PHILADELPHIA, - Dacember; 13.— Smedley D. Butler, director of public safety, today made public a plan for foiling holdups whereby red-light sig- nals in front of stores or residences, operated by concealed buttons inside ithe " bulldings, could be flashed to summion police in case of danger to .| the' occupants. Alded by Mrs.-Butler; the director, after 'rigging up an experimentai light on the porch of his own home in_the Overbrook.section, “pounded a*beat” in-the meighborhood, observ- ing the time it took for.him.to notice ‘flashes of the light worked at odd dntervals by his wite. - As a result he advacated the Iniflal installation of 5000 signal lights at o principal:intersections, tick- ers on their fiu-fi“flrofia 'hl:h?ponc men can take Instant instructio tHe whole being operated from & mas- itchboard In the eity hall, to be ted by a new official, dul:ng;r tor of the intelligence- unit. Mayor Kendrick gave the plan his ‘approval. OWEN D. YOUNG TO HEAD UNIVERSALISTS’ DRIVE Is Chairman of Five-Year Cam- paign Committee to Raise Million for Church. By the Associated Press. BOSTON, December 18.—Owen D. Young, American representative at the European debts conference, which resulted in the.drafting of the Dawes reparation plan, has accepted the chairmanship of the advisery com- mittee in the five-year pation-wide campalgn of Universalists to raise $1,000,000, according to an announce- ment here today. Plans for the campaign were made public a week ago.- The drive has for . its object funds for ministerial pensions,-a memorial church in Wash- ington, . reconstruction of ' Japanese missions destroyed in the earthqualke of last year and church extension. HUSBAND WINS DIVORCE. Justice Hoehling of the District Su- preme Court has “signed an inter- locutory decree of absolute divorce in favor of Henry Daye, who sued his wite, Ruth Daye. The costs of the proceedings were assessed by the court ' against Daniel Loughran, named by ‘the ‘husband as co-re- spondent. The court dismissed a petition for & limited divorce- brought by the wife and acquitted Daye from an arrearage of, $1,200. back alimony. Daye led the vice squad to his wife's apart- ntent October 12 last, Where Loughran, Fountl.- Attoraey A. L. Newmye! appeared for Daye.