Evening Star Newspaper, December 17, 1924, Page 2

2 GHARGE MAIL COST FINDING IS WRON Publishers Say Postai Ex- perts-Make Improper Allocations. Incorrect allocation of costs to ond-class mall by Post Office Depart- ment experts who prepared the cost ascertatnment report on handling of the mails is charged Ir a letter trans- mitted to Senator Dale of Vermont, member of the Senate post office committee, by the American News- paper Publishers' Association. The letter asserts that & total of §$82,- $67,565.95 was allocated to second- class mail, which it s claimed, ex- ceeds by £7,794,697 the deficit charged to that class of postage. The letter sent through Elisha Hanson, the assoclation’s Washington representative, stated that the total sum credjted to the cost of handling second-class matter was arrived at after improperly charging $29,125,- 097.11 for rural free dellvery service; $20,112,153 incident to the country free circulation privilege; $14,951,858 for distributing “favored rate" pub- lications and $18,318,457.87 for over- head in the handling of county free and “favored rate” publications. Charge Overhead In Wrong. The method ‘of mllocating overhead chargos to the paying users of second- class mail also was attacked i the letter. the rate of 12.35 per cent be- ing described as far out of proportion not only to receipts from this class, but to service rendered. “It the department seriously de- sires to increase its revenues from socond-class mail” the letter sald, “the proper method for it'to follow Wwouid 1e to reduce existing rates to a point which would make it profit- able for those users of the second- class mail who have withdrawn their publications from the mail, again to avail themselves of the malling privilege. This would enable the de- partment fully to utilize the present city post office clerical and delivery service without increasing its ex- pense. Would Drive Dailles From Mafl “If, on the other hand,” it continued, “Congress should adopt the sugges- tion of the department for a 100 per cent increase in the first and second zones, such an increase would drive all dally newspapers from the mails and the department would be confronted with a situation where It would be compelled to maiutaln its present owerhead, in- cluding the rural free dellvery servs ice, and suffer a loss of between 3$20,- 000,000 and $30,000,000 in revenues.” Declaring the cost ascertalnment report was prepared “In secret.” re- quired more than two years for com- pletion, and is not yet avallable for consideration either by the Senate, which has had it 10 days; a commit- tee of that body, the publishers or the public, the letter asked that no action be taken on the Sterling bill proposing increased rates based on the expertd’ findings mntil the pub- lishers of the country.are given full opportunity to present their views. It asserted that only one section of the report had been submitted to the publishers up to this time, but that this contained “such absurdities in sccountipg and the allocation of costs that the American Newspaper Publishers’ Association desires to call your attention to certain of these ab- surdities.” - Proof of Contentions To prove Its contentien that the Government profits instead of loses on second-class mall, it was asserted that Comgress. in ocreating the rural free dellvery service “took cognizance of the fact UMA this service repre- Lawyer’s Charge Of Third Degree Breaks Up Trial A “third degree” accusation against Detective Burke of tha seventh precinct today broke up the trial of Shirley Hutchi colored, 23 years old, who w: fore Chief Justice McCoy and & jury in Criminal Division 2 on & charge of housebreaking. Hutch- inson had complained that the po- lice beat him, and the court let the testimony stand, but when his counsel, Homer F. Phillips, In the ence of the jury, remarked the principal duty of Detec- tive Burke seems to be to beat up prisoners,” the Chlef Justice stop- Ped the trial. The court criticised the statement of coun: missed the jurors who had heard the remark from further consider- ation of the case. Hutchinson testified that for three nights following his arre: September 3, he was beaten Over the head by Detectives Burke and Rabinson at the seventh precinct, in efforts to extort a confession. Heé also sald he was treated for his bruises at the District jail. Dr. De Carlo, the jail physician, testified he had go record of treat- ing the prisoner. OLD GASE AGAINST THAW 1S DROPPED Gump Refuses to Testify in Alleged Kidnaping and Assault in 1917. ociated Press. NEW YORK, December indictments charging Thaw with second degree sssault, kidnaping afld conspiracy were dismissed today by Judge McIntyre By the 17.—Three Harry K. in the Court of General Sessions. The indictments were returned in 1917, and alleged that Thaw assaulted and kidnaped Frederick Gump. Upon his release last May from the Pennsylvania Hospital for Mental and Nervous.Diseases Thaw came to New York voluntarily, and was ar- ralgned on the three indictments. He pleaded mot gullty, and was al- lowed- his -freedom on $10,500 bail. Assistant District Attorney Pecora, who recommended dismissal of the indictments, the last against Thaw, said that Gump. the complaining witness in all three cases, was in Los Angeles and was reluctant to come here as a witness. Gump was 19 years old at the time of the alleged assault in a New York hotel. He was alleged to have been kid- naped in Kansas City and brought to New York by Thaw and two private detectives. Mr. Pecora read to the court a let- ter from Gump's mother in California in which she said: “Such a_long period of time has elapsed and we are so weary with it all that we do not feel equal to tak- ing it up again.” The prosecutor also presented to the court an aMdavit from Gump stat- ing he was established In business at Long Beach, Calif, and that “because of his business, as well as pérsonal reasons affecting his peace and hap- pimens, as well as his homelife,” he declined to proceed further in the case. Gump is now married. ‘From a careful examination of the fact,” said Mr. Pecora, “it is apparent thet without the testimony of Fred- erick_Gump, no prima facie case be sented expenditure and not {ncome.” Had “the departmént spread the rural delivery cost over the general postal service, apportioning to each class its proper percentage, the letter stated, it would have found the “prop- er” charge to users of second-class mail would have been only 6 per cent instead of 46 per cent of the rural free delivery cost, or $5,250,000 jn- stead of $34,375,097.11. Regarding the departmental policy of permitting free distribution of small weekly newspapers in the coun- ties in which they are published, cal- culations placing the.deficit from this service at $20,112,153 annually were cited, with_ a declaration that the Postmaster General, fa hls letter to Chairman Sterling of the Senate post office committee “ignores this alleged deficit, but in other communications has insisted the county-free service should be mafatained.” Charges Misstated. With this poltcy the publihers of Qaily newspapers agree in full” the Jetter asserted, “but they most em- phatically disapprove of his effort to charge this special service cost to their account, as he has done.” To add an additional overhead cost of yuore than $18,000,000 against news- paper publishers for allowing sclen- tific, agricultural, religious and fri ! publications “favored” rates d for handling county-free publi- cations, it was held, is not only “im- proper and unfair,” but “entirely un- Just,’ since the allocatlon of such rhead, added to ‘the other costs merated, brings the total “im- properly assessed second-class mall 1o $82,607,565.98," an amount in ex- cess of the Department's reported defieit. NORRIS DENOUNCES - UNDERWOOD' SHOALS BILL IN WARM SPEECH (Continued from First Page.) bill as a power bill and the Under- wood bill as a fertilizer bill. He asserted that although the Norris bill provides for more development of power “the ‘Coolidge bill"* lkewiss pro- Vides for power develépment. But, he sald, the Underwood bill would deprive the people of the country of the use of this power in distribution. He said the Norris bill provided for fertilizer production after the necessary product had been produced by experi- mentation by the Government. He declared that.if a new fertilizer process was produced by the Govern- ment it would be given-to the world for its benefit. X If a private corporation discovets. the. progess it will have it patented and will bufld up a great “fertilizer monepoly.” Belleving the way: clesred for pas-. sage of the Uhderwood Muscle Shosis bIL by the defeat uf the Smith aniea ment, Senate supporters-of the meas- ure today were bending their efforts toward maneuvering it into position sor a final vate before the Christmas recess next Saturday. - Although™ opponents fo -the- bill in- dicated theg intended to coutinue their fight against it, with the use of tactics which have brought charges of filibuster from its supporiers, the Jatter regard the vote of 49 to 33, by which the Smith amendment propos- ing to eliminate entirely its leasing feature, was rejected yesterday as established upon any of the indict- EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C., WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, BNGHAN S WIRNE INRAGEFORSEMATE Corineotiout Elects Repub- lican to Succeed Brande- -gee by 40,000 Majority. By the Associated Preas. NEW HAVEN, Conn.; December 17.— Hiram Bingham, Republican, long a professor at Yale, now is lleutenant governor, governor-glect and United States Senatar.elect. .In .a speclal election yesterday he defeated Hamil- ton Holt, Democrat, by more than 40,000 votes for the seat made vacant by the death of Frank B. Brandege Republican, who, represented the State in the Senate for nearly 20 year. After being inzugurdted next month Col. Bingham wifl resign as governor. He will then go to Washington to take the oath as a member of the Senate. The office of goyernor auto- matically will fall upon the newly elected leutenknt governor, John H. Trumbull. During. the brief period that Col. Bingham holds the office of governor he will be-ex officlo a fellaw of Yale University, from the faculty of which he resigned-a momth ago. Man of Many Honors. No man in the political history of Connecticut has had o many honors placed upon him fn so short a time as Col. Bingham. After two years' service as lleutenant governor he was nominated for governor and on the ticket with - President Coolidge last month he was swept into office by the largest plurality ever given a guber- natorial nominee in Connecticut. With the State organization behind him, Col. Bingham, ' within three weeks after he had been elected governor, was hamed by a convention as the Republican nominee for. Sena- tor over Representatives Tilson and Merritt, both veterans of the lower branch of Congress. Holt carried only 3 of the 21 cities In the State and few of the towns. His home town of Woodstock was in the Republican column Every county showed a plurality for Bing- ham. The total vote was about one- half of that at the presidential elec- tion. Col. Bingham' In _a statement on Col. Bingham sald: “I realize that the votes which I have just received ‘have come to me not as a personal tribute but as an expression of faith in the Republican party and a desire to sae the hands of its great leader upheld. Person- aily it is a_keen disappointment to me not to be able to carry out my term as governor. T must now look forward to being the funfor member of the greatest deliberative body in the world, x position requiring pa- tlence and self-restraint, rather than action or oratory. % “In the words of our great Senator Platt, ‘I am_golng to ‘listen and learn. The happfest aspect of the whole affalr is the ‘opportunity which it gives me to aid President Coolidge in carrying out those sound princi- ples of political economy which have endeared him to the hearts of the American people.” Holt Advocated League. Mr. Holt, who as a magazine editor in New York, was an ardent advocate of the League of Nations, in congrat- ulating Col. Bingham, expressed his best wishes for -the euccess of Col. Bingham's work in the Senate “for the welfare of our State and our Na- tion and for. the maintenance of peaee throughout the world.” % President Coolldge 1s much grati- fied over the victory of Col. Bingham, aceording to a telegram sent by Sec- reary Slemp. to- J. Hemey Roraback; §late chairman, whe.vas largely re- Statement. the election ments. There s no legal process by [sponsible for the colonel's nomination. which we can compel said witness to appear to testify.’ PACT WITH GERMANY INCURS OPPOSITION Senate Committee to Advocate Modification of Pending Com- 2 mercial Treaty. So strofg.an opposition to the Ger- man comnercial treaty has developed in the Semate-foreign relations com- mittee that a subcommittee was del- egated today to confer -with Secre- tary Hughes with a view to modifi- cations. Some of the leaders declared it would be impossible to muster a two- thirds vote in the Senate to ratify the pact in its present form, even it the coiffmittee reported {t favora- bly. Those opposing it argued that the Government merchant fleet, a legacy from the war, should be aided by every means in keeping the flag on_the high seas. The committee did not consider the World Court proposal at today’s ses- ston. Democratic leader, is co-operating with the majority leader to bring it to a final vote. An element of the opposition favor- ing reference of the entire Muscle Shoals question to a congressional commission also was endeavoring to- day to develop strength for such a proposal, with. Senator Watson of Indiana, assistant Republican leader, leading the movement. The vote oni the Smith amendment was 5plit widely, more Republicans than Democrats voting to sustain the Alabama Semator's bill: Thirty-four Republicans and fifteen Democrats voted sgainst the amendment and elght Republicans, twenty-one Demo- crats and one Farmer-Labor member and two insurgents voted for it Senator Underwood yesterday again took notice of the Washington Herald editorial attacking him and his bill by charging on the Senate floor that the editorial had been influenced by the fertilizer interests. Ofters Bulletin as Proof. Dec'aring he had found proof of his statement that a lobby had in- fluenced the editorial, he read a bulle- tin which he said had been issued by the National Fertllizer Association with offices in Washington. The or- ganization, he aseerted, was referred to by %armers as the “fertilizer tryat.” = ~7The bulletin said the Underwood Ul was as objectionable as the Ford proposal, and, as quoted by Senator Underwood, added that “the writer has interviewed many Senators .dur- ing the last week and has been as- sured that they would carry the op- position to the last ditch.” The bulletin, the Senator continued, suggested that people in the South wire their Senators to vote against the bill. He asserted the bulletin re- ferred to the Underwood bill' as the “power companies bill.” “You will see,” he remarked, wvirtually assuring its final passage. Passage Predicted. Both Senator Curtis of Kansas, the TRepublican leader, and Senator Un- derwood, Democrat, Alabama, author ©f the bill, said they belleved it would be passed by the Senate before the holiday recess. The leaders were plasning night sessions, howaver, if Mecessary, to make progress with th bill. Senateg Robinson, Ark: “where the motive for the editorial came from.” The subcommittee of the Senate Judiclary committes appointed to in- vestigate the editorial will hold its first mesting tomorrow. The sub- committee is composed of Senators Spencer, Missouri, chairman; Sterling, South Dakota; Butler, Massachusetts. blicans. Overman, North Caro- Mr. Roraback wired the President that the colonel's majority was the largest ever received by y candi- date in Connecticut at any electlon not a presidential one. Restgns From University. Col. Bingham résigiied as Townsend professor of Latin American history it Yale shortly after his eléction as gov- ernor in November,. having held the chair since 1915.° He was a graduate of Yale, 1898. He was born in Hawall In 1875, the son of Rev. Hiram and Minerva C. Bingham., He folds degrées from Harvard and, the University of California. He was & preceptor in his- tory at Princeton in 1905. . - In 1306 Mr. Bingham began a series of explorations {nto..Peru and South American countries, and was director of, Peruvian expeditions. in 1911, 1912, 1914 and 1915 under auspices of Yale and the Natlonal Geographic Soclety. During the. World War Mr. Bingham commanded the -largest allied aviation instruction camp at Issoudin, in France. He was elected lieutenant governor of Connecticut in 1922. G. 0. P. LEADERS PLEASED. Bingham’s Election in Connecticut Satisfactory to Party. The Republicans of the Senate to- day expressed entire satisfaction with the senatorial election in Connecticut yesterday, ~when Gov.-elfct Hiram Bingham, the Republican nominee, de- feated Henry Holt, Democrat, for the seat made -vacant by Senator Bran- degee’s death. Senator George Moses of New Hampshire, chairman of the Repub- lican senatorial campaign committee, said that he was' well pleased with the result. The vote showed, he sald, that the Republicans had maintained their strength in the State. With the efection of Mr. Bingham all vacancles in the Senate have been filled. "The political makeup of the Senate a8 soon as Mr. Bingham tak his seat will be ms follows, 52 Re. publicans, 42 Democrats and 2 Farm. er-Labor Senators. Included in the 52 listed as Republicans are the four insurgents, headed by Semator La Follette, whonr tife ‘Republican con- ference recently excluded from party counefls. “ShouTd the “insurgents vote with the Democrats and the two '‘armer-Labor Semators against the regular Republicans, the Senate would be divided, 48-48. NULTON APPOINTED NAVAL ACADEMY HEAD Rear Admiral Logjs M. Nulton has been- selected by the Navy Depart- ment’ to sueoeed-Rear Admiral Henry B. Wilson" as superintendent of the Naval Academy at Ammapolls, when the latter retires from active service next February. Admiral Nulton now is In.commsnd of Battleship Division No. 3, in the fleet in Pacific waters. Admiral Nulton - was appointed to the Naval Academy from Virginia. He was commandant of midshipmen at the Naval Academy in the war period, later being assigned to com- mand the battleship Pennsylvania, then flagahip of Admiral Wilson, who tommanded the floet during the war. He was in command at the Navy Yard, New York,’ and of various crulsers and successively of the bat- tleships Maine, Texas, Ohio and Wis- consin before -he commanded the Pennsylvanla. s His last East Coast command was| the fourth maval district, Philadel- phia, which includ _as ocom- UNION OF FRANEE AND AMERICA FOR PEACE, HERRIOT’S ADVICE Premier 'Says Country Abandoned Alliance Too Soon. Declares Experts® Parley Gives Opportunity to Reunite Broken Bond. Bditors Note—This 1s the first of a serles of ten articlés on America, tten by the French premier. . Other articles will ap- oea ‘dnny Until the series is com- pleted. By EDOUARD HERRIOT, Premier of France. The United States wants peace. If people occaslonally -have what m to be unjustified prefudices against what we do, only loyal.dis- cussions will_end them. They aban- doned ys too seon. Many among them know (t and admit it. They left at the hour of settlement, an error from a business point of view, and even more from a moral standpoint. But the experts’ conferepcé has given us the opportunity to reunite the broken bonds. Let us make the mast of it. Let us count more upon the justice of our cause than upon the talent of our advocates. Let ,us come together, heart to heart. And I .fof my part, am firmly convinced that our commu- nity of ideals will once more be ef- fective, The Transplanted Fremchman. It would be a ridiculous preten- slon to make believe, after & short visit to the United States and Canada, that I had discovered America again, In the manner of M. de Tocqueville or Christopher Columbus. The traveler, newly landed and as quickly taken in charge, must protect himself against two irritating nulsances. The first of these is the transplanted Frenchman who refuses to become acclimated, who passes his time counting his vic- tories over the prohibition regime and who explodes in summary formulae, such as “America Is the land of draughts; nobody can_avoid colds here” or, again, “The United States Is a paradise for women and children, but a hell for the dilettanti.” Wen't Be Educated by a Crank. I do not mind sight-seelng with such a crank, but I will not confide my education to him. On a certain morning I found him in bad humor. He had met a painted negress. We visited the great business cathedral which dominates the whole promon- tory of Manhattan. Obviously, this basilica recalls only vaguely the rhythms of the Pantheon. Neverthe- less, a house 260 meters high, shel- toring 14,000 employes; a bullding which each day swallows the popula- tion of a clty is enough to astonish anybody for a moment. I was naive enough to be amazed. “Bah!" said my friend, “they have invented noth- tng. Imagine the Cathedral of Stras- burg, the tower included, converted tnto furnished offices, and you have the Woolworth Bulilding. The French are not alone in smil- ing at the constant repetition of the words, “The first, the biggest, the largest in the world.” I was told that a Japanese, on hearing of & new sub- way express that saved two min- utes, asked, “And what are you going to do with these two minutes?” *Ware the Theoretic Philosopher. But even more than against the skeptic determined not to be duped and not to let Himself be baMed one must avoid the theoretic philosopher whose Ideas are organized in squares Hke an American city and who re- duces accidental impressions to fixed theorfes. The unity of the United States is only political. ~ With ~its = §,000,000 square kilometers, with the contrasts of the soil, consisting here of sedl- mentary plains Grained by the Mis- sissippi, in the East of the parallel folds of the Alleghenies. in the West of the rocky mass dominated by Mount Whitney, almost as high as Mont- Blanc: varled in climate as in appearance, torrid or glacial at cer- tain hours, charming during the golden days of Indfan Summer, the young and generous republic lends itself badly to the summary defini- tions which so many travelers have tried: Modern science, justly exact- ing, forbids one to confuse in the same definition the great wheat-pro- ducing States, such as Kansas, with the Southern States below the 27th degree of latitude, which concentrate on the culture of cotton. An independent writer, such as Waldo Frank, In his very original book on “Our America” protests LNING YULE TREE GVEN PRESDENT Coolidge Will Turn Switch Lighting Permanent Christ- mas Spruce. The Natjonal Community Christmas tree, given to President Coolidge through the American Forestry Asso- ciation, was planted this morning in Sherman Park, the smal] reservation directly south of the Treasury build- ing, and will be illuminated Christ mas eve. . ® ‘When the time arrives for the light- ing of this handsome tree Presidént Coolidge will personally switch on the thousand electric lights which will illuminate it. Appropriate and impressive ceremonles conducted un- der the auspices of the Community Center Department of the Washing- ton Public Schools will mark this Yuletide observance. . Perfect Spruce Specimen. This tree, a perfect specimen of spruce, is 35 feet tall and was shipped ffom the nursery of Miss Evelyn W. Smith at Amawalk, N. Y., last Satur- day in a special car. With its 6-foot root ball carefully incased in canvas the tree weighed nearly § tons, The thee is known to ‘be 30 vears old and has been transplanted eight times since it was a seedling. This, it is pointed out, insures proper root cul- tire, necessary so that the tree will thrite in its new location. The tree Was sejected by officers of the Ameri- Forestry Assoclation from th more than 600,000 trees at the Ama- walk Nursery. It is the intention to have this Dbesutiful spruce serve permanently as the National Yule tree. The en- deavor for & national tree began last year, when a forest-grown evergreen was cut in the hills of Vermont—the President’s native State—and shipped to Washington ~and placed in the Bilipse just south of the White House grounds. This year the Soclety -for Electrical Development,” Wwhich fos: HESE s Jm Rl ne, -r;-‘:,-d ror & llying tree prese! to the President. The spot selected for its planting is in the space where stood the model home. “at has not been determined at what , Christmas eve, President Cool- ‘will throw om the switch and “America,” he tells us, “ls a com- posjtion of lights playing upon thou- sands of planes. Its unity is only in the eye of the spectator. Its reality is a vast continent on which swarms and spreads an aggregation of human beings. To limit it I8 to suffocate it. To define it is to weaken it. To give it an official spokesman s te con- demn it to silence.” . If 1 dared to borrow a metaphor from my old profession, that of a schoolmaster, I would have the ped- antry to say that in the world final examinations the United States would not win the first prize in every classi- fication, but that, on the whole, It would clearly win the first prize of general excellence. Is this to say that the country is so fllled with ‘abundance as to be exempt from those difficulties which weigh In these complicated times upon all the states of the universe? An affirmative answer would show little clairvoyance. America’s Strike Problem. To speak only of production—we will_examine other problems later— the United States is as familiar as we are with strikes. At the beginning of my visit President Coolidge was preoccupled with possible trouble in the anthracite mines, and the solu- tion found by Gov. Pinchot seemed to many to be little more than a truce. The American mining indus- try demands stable basis. The public complains of speculation. in the steel mills the adoption‘of the eight- hour day has made it difficult to re- cruit enough manual labor. The United States complains espe- cially of an agricultural crisis. Re- cently wheat fell to below $1 a bushel. Reglons specializing in wheat raising were so affected that Secretary of Agriculture Wallace pre- dicted the bankruptcy of thousands of farmers. In Minnesota the dis- content of the farmers resulted in the electlon of radical Senators, such as Shipstead and Magnus Johnson. They demanded the creation of a govern- ment corporation, with a capital of $500,000,000, for the purchase of wheat at a price fixed at $1.50 or $1.75 per bushel. War Dlamed for Crisis. The cause of the crisis Is easily de- termined. The war provoked an ex- tension of wheat planting, which was followed by a decrease in exporta- tion. (What will it be when Russia resumes her place in the world mar- ket?) The American farmers will be forced, it seems to me, to reduce the planting of wheat and vary their crops. But while awalting the crea- tion of a new economic equlilbrium the country suffers from the Increas- ng gap botween the prices of agri- cultural and manufactured produots. They were already discussing at the time of my visit the formation of a farmer-labor party in Minnesota. The question may very easily pass from the econom!c to the political field. That will be an evil for the United States. It is to these difficulties that must be attribued a certain slackness in all Industries, including bullding, fron and steel. Russia Econo: Not Pelitical, Menace. These are only incidents, but I re- peat: What will happen when Russia shall have approached normal pro- duction? Our friends across the sea showed me that they feared Russia politically. In that, I think, they are mistaken. If they feared her, how- ever, from -an economic point of view they would be nearer right. For the whole world the industrial problem is less a problem of produc- tion than one of markets FORBES' EXPENSES FIGURE IN TRIAL Veterans” Bureau Tele- graphic Files Produced on Request of Both Sides. By the Atsociated Press. CHICAGO, December 17.—Telegrams from former Director Charles R. Forbes of the United States Veterans’ Bureau to members,of his staff and varipus contractors In June ana July, 1922, were read tc the jury today in the trial of Forbes and J. W. Thomp- son contractor, charged with con- spiracy to defraud’ the Government through hospital contracts. Wardner S. Benjamin, a clerk in the General Accounting Office, Washing- ton, summoned by both the prosecu- tion and defense, presented the Vet- erans’ Bureau telegraphic files for the period of the Western inspection tour, in the Summer of 1922, claimed by the Government to be the basis of the al- leged conspiracy. Expease Accounts Shown. In re-.onse to the defense sub-| poena, Benjamin produced -copies of the expense accounts of Forbes and ?:I secretary, Merle L. Sweet, for The telegrams were read by John W. H. Crim, in charge of the Gov- ernment case. “They related princi- pally to the movements of the in- spection party from city to city, to hotel reservations and tc routine matters of the bureau. Marion Edwards, a file clerk in the Veterans’ Bureau, identified a tel &ram from Charles F. Cramer, coun- sl of the bureau, to Forbes, in Bos- ton on August 3, 1922, urging him to return to the Capital by August 9 to open bids for the Tupper Lake, New York, hospital “Unless you are here we will have no argument against allowing other departments to open bids In the fu- ture,” the message concluded. light the amber, green and red elec- tric lamps upon the tree, but it is understood that it will be either just before his dinner hour or immediately after it. " The ceremonfes being arranged for the ocoasion include general singing 1924. COUZENSCHARGES " IREET BY BLAR Commissioner Defends Bu- reau’s Determination of War Amortizations. Commissfoner of Thnternal Revenue Blair, in a statement issued last night, replied to charges by CHair- man Cou: gating committee relating to the handling of some Income tax cases. Mr. Blalr sald determination of “a reasonable allowance for amorti- zation as required by law s & matter of judgment.” " Pointing out tHat amortization allowances were brought about as a result of war-time condl- tlons, and, once settled, would not recur, Mr. Blair expressed the opinion that the bureau's employes had * complished much under the very dif- ficult conditions resulting from post- war adjustment.” With reference to the United States Steel Corporation case, he sald the amount of amortiza- tion due it had not been “finally d termined in the Bureau of Internal Revenue, and in the ordinary cour ::-m‘orlhl(t l;1]11::- must elapse before e tax of this. corporatl Srlosats rporation is finally Authortxati “During the war," 2 statement, “the great industries in this country, {n most instances at the direct request of some Government agency, Instajled large plant facil ities for the production of articles contributing ta the prosecution of the | president of the Fleet Corporation, war. In many cases the industry was assured by the Government agency before it began copstruction that it would be made whole after the war. War prices had to be pald. When the war did end, these facilities, in large part, were no longer necessary. to the peacetime requirements of the indus- try. The Revenue Act of 1918, passed immediately after the armistice, pro- vided for the amortization of these facilitles that is for a credit to the industry of the difference between the war cost and the post-war value of the facilities to the industry, Neces- sarily, a determination of the amount of amortization required detailed ex- amination by engineers of the actual physical properties, which has taken much time; for example, the amorti- zation due the Lnited States Steel Corporation, the largest industry in- volved, has not yet been finally de- termined in the Bureau of Internal Revenue, and in the ordinary course considerable time must elapse before the tax of this corporation is finally adjusted. Reasonable Allowance. “The law requires that the tax- payer be given a reasonabie allow- ance for amortization. What con- stitutes a reasonable allowance is in large part a question of judgment which must be submitted to and de- termined by the officers of the Bu- reau of Internal .Revenue, to whose decision this matter is left by the law. On questions as compiicated as these men may honestly differ as to what constitutes in every case a reasonable allowance, and it frequent- | Iy happens within the Bureau itself that there is a sharp confilct of opinion. Under such circumstances it is not surprising that the special com- mittee Investigating the Bureau of Internal Revenue may express. dis- agreement with some 'determination of judgment as to the reasonable- nees of a particular amortization al- lowance. ¥ “The public should bear in mind, first, that there is no provision for amortization in the present law, but the amortization -of the cost of war facilities is entirely a war measure and once settled will not arise again; second, these war questions should be finally closed, so that the country may know where it stands, and, third, the determination of a reasonable al- lowance for amortization as re- quired by the law is a matter of judgment. An honest ‘attempt has been made to exercise this discretion with due regard to the law and regu- lations. The Bureau of Interna Revenue does not claim infalifbllity but I think its emp! plished much under the very dif- ficult conditions resulting from the post-war adjustment. U. S. SHIP OFFICIAL WITNESS IN PROBE Rassbottom Tells House Committee of Handicaps in Meeting Pri- vate Competition. Thomas H. Rossbottom, general manager of the Untted States Lines of the Emergency Fleet Corporation. was called as the first witness today by the House committee investigat- ing the Shipping Board and its sub- sidlary organizations. After inquiring into activities of the United States Lines the commit- tee plans to call Leigh C. Palmer, either tomorrow or Friday, as the last witness before closing Spen hear- ings In the investigation. If this plan is followed it is expected a re- port on the inquiry will be ready for presentation to the House the latter part of February. Mr. Rossbottom said the land per- sonnel required to handle the Levi- athan could operates two additional ships of the same type at only 325,000 or $30,000 mors per year than the amount needed at present. He ex- plained that the force had to be main- tained to care for the vessel, but had much. idle time when the ship was at sea. The deficit for the United States Lines for one vear and eight monthe, ending June 30, 1923, was $4,529.000, he added, and the deficit for the fiscal year ending June 30 last Wwas $2,- 957,000. s Mr. Rossbotton declared the lines* agents found difficulty in meeting competition of private corporatiof solicitors, who “wine and din spective customers. FRANCE CERTAIN SPAIN - WILL HOLD RIFF AREQ Sure Presemt Withdrawal = of Troops Does Not Mean Re- linquishment of Rights. yes have accom- | jand the tndependent bus operators. PARIS, December 17.—French- offi- clal circles are satisfied that Spain means to Teserve all her rights in the RIff area in Morocco and to under- take, despite the present withdrawal of troops, to maintaln a theoretical hold upon the Moroccan zone ceded ?:;L” the Franco-Spanish accord of Contact is being maintained by the two governments through the French ambassy in Madrid, but thus far that contact has been limited to the simple observation by the French that they will be-glad to know as scon as pos. nl'bhh:! any chauges in the intentions of tl 3 Old Ladies Home s 3 Inmates Sparring 3 : ““To Keep in Trim” ATLANTA, Ga., December 17.— Miss Joe Davidson, 77, and Mrs. Ann Peabedy, 80, members of the Old Ladfes’ Home hei have be- come so interested in boxing that they have started wparring in “or- der to keep in good trim.” They became interést in the sport recently when it was an- nounced a boxing match soon would be held for the benefit of the hom BUS LINE HEARING DEVELOPS DEBATE Clayton Argues Against Two-Fare Change Backed by Suburban Group. The Public Utilities Cemmission to- day held a public hearing at the Dis- trict Bullding to consider the establish- ment of transportation facilities by motor bus to the suburbs of Hillcrest, Garfield and Good Hope. ‘The hearing developed a division of sentiment between William McK. Clay ton, representing the Federation of Citi- zens' Associations, and the representa- tives of the sections affected over the advisabllity of paying two fares to get into the city from the suburbs beyond the Anacostia River. The Capital Traction Co. offered to establish a bus line into the territory needing it, but contended that it would have to be without @ free transfer to ths Capital Traction cars at Seventeenth and Peunsylvania avenue southeast. Clayton Sees Danger. Mr. Clayton argued that it would establish a dangerous precedent to permit a railway company to extend service by motor bus into a new com- munity and not give a transfer to its cars, thus making two fares neces- ary, He . declared that. for 40 years he tickets formerly used by the rail- way companies carried the statement that only one fare was charged in the District of Columbia. John Collins, speaking people of Hillcrest, ard representing the Garfield took the positior, how. .. people would rather have the Capitai Traction bus line and pay two fares to reach the city than to §o on, With- out any transportation. Mr. Collins said. his people were sgrecable to the proposed arrange- ment because of & hope that even- tually they would get the transfer privilege. Mr. Lewis urged the com- mission to consider that the residents of the sections mentionad are with- sut any service now and prefer two fares to no service. for HY sectlon, the Private Line Sought. In addition to the Capital Traction's offer, the commission had before it a petition from Paul C. Robinson and L. L. Altman to run an independent bus lne from Alabama avenue and Sultland road on Alabama avenue to Good 'Hépe romd, to Niehols avenue and thence downtown'to Eighth street and Pennsylvania avenue northwest The Capital Traction bus would run from Seventeenth street.and Pennsyl- vania avenue southeast along Perm- sylvaria avenue to Branch avenue and Alabama’ avenue to Good Hope, re- turning by the same route. Willlam F. Ham, president of the Washington Rallway and Electric Co., objected to the granting of any bus route that would divert passengers from its Anacostia car line. Mr. Ham said his obfection applied to the in- dependent bus petition The hearing also brought a state- ment .from Elzle Hoffman that the Barry Farm section was in need of some transportation service. Mr. Ham offered to consider the question of running & bus into that locality. The commission, after hearing all thé arguments, took under -advise- ment - the relative merits of the petitions of the Capital Traction Co. TESTIFIES HIBBEN PREDIGTED REVOLT Attorney Says Army Captain Forecast Red Overthrow of U. S. Government. | By the Associated Press. { NEW_YORK, December 17.—Capt. Paxton Hibben, writer and social work- er, predicted a social revolution in the United States in the near future, simi- lar to the revolution in Russia, and said that Americans would one day erect monuments to Lenin and Trotsky, Borls L. Brasol, an attorney, last night told an Army trial board at is resumed hearing into the fitness of Capt. Hitfben to retain his commission in_the Officers’ Reserve Corps. Brasol, who prior to coming to this eountry in.1916, was a second lleu- tenant in the Russian Imperial Guard, said that Hibben had made the above statements during a debate with him PLAN CLUB HOUSE ON HAY PROPERTY Republicans Seek Permanent National Home to Cost $1,000,000. Revival of a plan to erect a large building at the northwest corner of 16th and H streets, where now stands the old home of the late Secretary of State John Hay, to house the na- tional Republican Club, became known today. Already a club to be known as the Natlonal Republican Club has been incofporated and the incorporators have obtained an agreement from Harry Wardman, who purchased the Hay property several months ago from Mrs. James Wadsworth, wite of the Senator from New York, and daughter of the late Secretary of State, to give them an option until the middle of next June to raise suf- ficlent funds to take over his deed to the property. Mr. Wardmen, himself an active Republican, and one of the officers of the Coolidge and Dawes Club of this city, is enthusiastic over the propo- sition. He sald today that he would be glad to abandon his ldea of erect- ing a large apartment hotel on this site as was his original Intention, in favor of the bullding of a clubhouse for the purpose proposed by the I corporators of the National Repub- lican Club. C. M. Kerr in Charge. C. M. Kerr, 1341 Connecticut avenue, as chairman of the promotion com- mittee, will have charge of the work of bullding up the membership and already he has opened headquarters at the above named address. Tt is the object of those who initiated this movement to have an organization in the Capital City that will compare with similar ones in New York, Phila- delphia and Chicago. They hope to have a bullding that will not only bes large enough to answer the demands, but will be of architecture that will conform in every way with the sur- roundings of this property. It is the intention to have a large auditorium ih’ the clubhouse where meetings of Republicans can be held, as well 2 sleeping rooms where Republicans of the varfous States who are contin- ually coming to the Capital can stay. A ‘movement along this line was started two years ago which included Harry M. Daugherty, then Attorney General of the United States, and other prominent Republicans among its Incorporatars. The death of Pres- ident Harding shortly afterward con- tributed toward the abandonment of this peoposition. Mr. -Kerr aiready has cenferred with Senatop William M. Butler, chairman of the Repub- lican national committee, who has taken the matter under consideration, although he has given no indication that he will eithér join the organiza- tion or give it his support. A number of other members of the national committee, as well as numerous per- sons prominent in the Republican party, have had the objects of the club explained to them and, according to Mr. Kerr, expressed enthusiasm and willingness to join when called upon. It is the intention of the incorpo- rators very shortly to appoint & go erning body of fifteen members, half of whom will be selected from among the Republican leaders of the District of Columbia and the others from the States. Samuel J. Prescott, chairman of the Republican State committee of the District and the accredited leader of the party in this city, has not yet made_known his opinion regarding the movement. He wants to give it more theught before reaching & de- cision. It te understood that if Mr. Prescott joins fa the movement he will be named as one of the board of governors. The tertative plans for organiza- tion call for the ralsing of approxi- mately $1,000,000 with which to buy the Hay property and raze the pre: ent structure and erect the clubhouse and otherwise finance the organisa- tion. The greater part of this money will be ratsed from the selllng of life memberships In the club, which would cost $1,000. The general membership wiil be open to Republicans throug out the entire United States, Mr. Kerr sald further details cor cerning the proposition will be made known within a few days, when he expects to receive a definite answer trom Senator Butler and other officers of the Republican national committee and from chairmen of several Repub lican State ¢ommittees throughout the country. WILBUR 0. K.’S WAGE RATE IN NAVY YARDS Annnal Report on Scales Civilian Employes Is For- mally Approved. for The report of the Navy Wage Board, fixing wage scales for civilian employes at all navy ¥ and sta tlons, was approved yesterday b Secretary Wilbur, The -board is required to report annually on wage conditions at the various yards, and to recommend such changes in wage ecales as are necessary to make the Government rate equivalent to the prevailing rate of pay for similar trades in private industry in the general vioinity of each yard. The report is based upon the findings of local boards at the verious yards. The new scale takes effect on the recognition of Soviet Russia at the Society for Ethicsl-Culture on April 15, 1923. He characterized Hib- ben's address on that occasion as-a “glorification of the forcible and bloody ¢ social revolutions which took place In Soviet Russia.” Brasol said that during 1918 and 1919 he acted in an advisory capacity to Brig. Gen. Churchill, U. 8. A., re- porting activities of the Russian revo- lutionary movement In the United States. Hibben Denmies Charges. s He-was placed on the Witness stand by Maj. Thomas L. Heffernsn, advo- cate general of the hearing, after the greater part of the session had been consumed” by character witnesses of Capt: -Hivben, as well @s by the offi- cer’s’ own testimony denying ‘that he had beer engaged In Communist propa- ganda. Seores of ‘letters were intro- duced commending Capt. Hibbed's re- lief werk as a sincere and humani- tarian effort, and many press clippings denouncing the proceedings against him as & “contravention against the rights of free spesch” were ted. ‘Among the character witnessss who testified as to the loyalty of Capt. Hib- ‘ben were: Former Staté Senator Wael- ter R. Herrick, Gardner Murphy, a2 professor at Columbia _University; Capt. James N. Young, former manag- ing’ editor of the ‘American Leglon Weekly, now associate editor of Col- lier's Weekly, and Francis Fisher Kane of Philadelphie, former United States attorney for eastern Pennsyl- vania. s Lake Ship Reaches Argentine. AIRES, December 17.—The ‘| Onondaga, “loaded with_astomobiles, daga, I " ..;L’:fs'!'-m vv!u-ub‘:‘m: fom the lake pests to Buemios Aires. January 1. The delay in of the Individ schedules is due to the requirement that they be printed and checked for errors in the hundreds of specific items covered. While it was announced ti o general the new schedules on - formed closely to those in effect last year, with a considerable number of minor increases and a very few reductions in rates, the individual schedules for each yard will not be avallable for several days. APPEAL FOR PARLIAMENT CALL IN CAIRO REFUSED Premier Will Not Convoke Ses- sion Despite Pleas Submit- ted to King. By the Assaciated Press. CAIRO, Egypt, December 17.—The Egyptlan government of Ziwar Pasha has refused to convoke the National Parliament, it was announced today, deapite the petitions for such convo- cation sent to King Fuad and the premier from parijamentary and other quarters. D. C. Priest Heads Society. PHILADELPHIA, December 17.— Rav. Peter' Guilday, professor of his- tory at the Catholic University, Wi ., was Te-electsd president of the American Catholic Historiesl Boclety at its annual meeting yester- day. Mgr. F. X. Wastl was chosen vice snt, P. A. Kinsley record- ing ‘secretary, Miss Jane Campbell secretary and Thomaas H, T . Seasurer.” ublication