Evening Star Newspaper, December 24, 1924, Page 1

WEATHER. 0. 8. Weather Bureau Forecast.) Rain changing to snow tonight, pos- sibly clearing tomorrow morning. Colder tonight and tomorrow. Temperature for 22 hours ended at 12 moon today: Highest, 35, at noon tod: &t 5 a.m. today. No. 29457, FRANCE T0 OPPOSE ALLIES EVACUATING AREATCOLOGNE Herriot Cabinet Feels Berlin Has Failed to'Disarm as Treaty Provided. ALLIED COUNCIL MEETS SATURDAY FOR DECISION Departure Date of January 10 Likely to Be Set Forward. Report Being Drafted. o Asmociated Press ‘ARIS, December 24—The evacu- of the Cologne area of the Ger- wan eccupled region on January 10, «s conditionally set by the Versailles treaty, is deemed impossible the French cabinet in view of aports from the interallied mil- ary control commission. At this orning’s cabinet approved a memorandum ch the French government ssed this concluston. Tremier Herrlot In submitting the wocument to the cabinet read a note trom the British government regard- g maintenance of the occupation. The French memorandum is based the control commission’s official port aiready r ed setting forth lure in some respects by Germany with disarmament condi- ex- Later Information Received. ‘The cabinet, however, was also, In- d of later information regard-| “rench dlscoveries of concealed | lowest, 31, Entered as second class matter post office Washington, D. C. [Bank and Stores | All Over Town Are Looted by Bandits By the Assoclated Press, | FORT WORTH, l 1 1 Tex., December 24.—The bank and yractically every store in Paradise, ‘Wine County, were looted last night, according to word received this morning. The bandits are belleved to be the ones who sacked and burned Val- ley View last week. The amount of the loot has not been deter- mined. e e ANDERSON FREED, * RETAKEN AT ONCE ! Leaves Sing Sing on Way to New York to Answer Larceny Charge. Y. December | Releascd from Sing Sing prison on {parole this morning, after serving |nine months for third-degres forgery, { William H. Anderson, former State superintendent of the Anti-Saloon League, was immediately arrested on | indlctments charging grand larceny {and extortion. . Dressed in a gray suit and wearing {a new gray hat and black overcoat, | Anderscn walked from the prison at 120:(5 c'eclock in the custody of De- tective Charles Kane, attached to the district attorney’s office in New York City. They left at once for New Yoric City, where Anderson was to {be arraigned and bail fixed. | Anderson’s request that he be al- lowed to make the trip to New York City in his own automobile was re- ¢h WASHINGTON, D. C LIFETERMISGIVEN TO HIGHT; 35 YEARS . FORNRS. SWEETIN Jury Out All Night in Case of | Murder of Woman’s Hus- bland by Poison. TWO MEMBERS WANTED | DEATH FOR EX-PASTOR WEDNESDAY, i émvided Over Penalty for Mrs. Sweetin—Defense Will Ap- peal Verdict. Dy the Associated Press. MOUNT VERNON, 1L, December 24—The jury trying Lawrence M ilight, deposed pastor of Ina, IlL, and | Mrs. Elste Sweetin for the murder by | poison of her husband, Wilfrod Sweet- in, early today returned a verdict of “gullty.” High was given life impris- onment.and Mrs. Sweetin 85 years, in the penitentiary. After deliberating all night, the jury reported at 8:30 o'clock this morning that it had reached an agreement. Divide on Penalty. | The jury retired at 10 o'clock last | night. "It considered the case almost continuously during the night and this morning, except for a short time for | breakfast. The jurors stated after the | verdict that the jury had been unani- mous for finding both defendants guilty from the first ballot, but that there had been wide difference as to the punish- ment to be inflicted upon Mrs. Sweetin. | The decision as to her, the jurors sald, represented a compromise, Only two of the jurors had favored UETGHRISTIAS WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION ¢ Foening Star. DECEMBER NOW LET CHRISTMAS COME, CAN SOVIET HEADS DENIED CONTROL OF U. S. GHURCH | Russian Body's Attemyt to Tak: ] Over Orthodox Properfies Through I, Court Action, Pails. . By the Associated Press. / { NEW YORK, December 24.-The of “From Press to Home Within the Hour” «The Star’s carrier system covers every city block and the regular edi- tion is delivered to Washington homes 24, 1924 _TWENTY PAGES. ilbur Praises Men of Navy in Yule Greetings Secretary Wilbur's hollday greet- ings to the Navy, containing an expression of sympathy for those bereaved by deaths in the service and congratulations for the work of the last year, have been made public. “I wish a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all officers and enlisted men of the Navy and Marine Corps and to all civillans connected with the service and to their families, especlally to those in our hospitals,” the message ‘read. “I congratulate you all that your work was wedl done this year and confldently - expect that you will uphold the traditions and rep- utation of the service for loyalty and devotion in the coming year. “Let us also remember in this holiday season those in the serv- ice who during the past year have yielded the last full measure of devotion and loyalty. The relations and friends thus bereaved will b sustained and comforted by a knowledge that we remember the loss and the service =o devotedly rendered.” IGHT DIE N PLANE CRASHINENGLIND | London-Paris Express Falls | and Burns Passengers - and Pilot. DOISNEDED = —Eight persons were killed when an lairplane crashed at the airdrome here this morning. { The plane which crashed was the | big air express from London to Paris. as fast as the papers are priated. Yesterday’s Circulation, 95,800 TWO CENTS. PRESRENTTOLEAD YULETIDE SERVIGE INCITY TONGHT ECarol Singing at White House Feature Event on Open- ing Program. | }TREE WILL BE LIGHTED ! AT8P.M.BY COOLIDGE | Many Destitute Made Happy by Gifts From Civic and Church Bodies. The night befors Christmas will fi: ¢ National Capital, from the Pres t down to the tiniest wide-eve heralding with son and dignified f |#nd good will that help to make ti a mighty good old world, after all Setting an example for a nation jemulate, President and Mrs. Coolidg will join with the plain citizenry a great old-fashioned celebration just without the Whi House gates, later to lift their voic: with their fellow men and women the singing of Christmas carols in shadow of the White House itself. The dual ceremony will serve as gnal for similar celebrations other parts of the clty and its e virons, ranging from community en tertainments to the individualistic an time-honored customs of hanging |the stockings, peeping from beneat ithe nursey covers at Santa Cla itrimming the tree, and trying to el recalcitrant eyes for the big den ment of the morrow. tot, commun *:'S0S Call Sent Out to Raise EIch atcans hienss "ohial irea™ infliction of the death penmalty upon| President to Spend This Aft-|attempt the/Soylet . Church {Tt fell shortly after leaving the air-| Destitute Alded. ons advanced for refusal to evacu- ate the Cologne district. The meeting of the allied council of | ambassadors has been put off until Saturday, principally to give time for the experts to-complete thelr draft of tiie note relative to the evacuation »f Cologne, which will be submitted council, and, after ratification, red to the German government. Confers With Herriot. M. Laroche, chief of the political department, and M. Fromageot, chlef legal advises of the foreign office, orked all day yestsrday on the note h Gen. De Sticker, Marshal Foch' nlef of staff, and had a long con- ference with - Premier Herriot last evening. P he arpfaments control commission will not have completed its inves gation until gfter Junuary 10, and consequently will not be able to 1ake a full report contalning it: nal opinioh on the execution of .the disarmament clauses of the Ver- sailles treaty by Germany until after that date. Only when in poscession of the commission's report will the allied governments be in a position to pronounce finally on the guestion of evacuating the Cologne bridge- head vl DIES FBR SLAYING BRIDE 18 DAYS AFTER MARRIAGE Bridegroom Hung Murder When Governor Declines to Wait Over Christmas. for 3 December 24— Convicted of slaying his bride of 18 days, Lester Kahl, 24, farmer, died on the scaffold here Monday. He valked to the noose wiih firm step, professing falth in a forgiving God and asserting he welcomed death. Eleven minutes after Sheriff John H. Russell sprung the trap doctors pr nounced the convicted mad dead. Kahl paid the extreme penalty for he slaying of his second wife, for nerly Margaret Schaulter of Gilman. He shot her after directing her to go behind some bushes and scare out some game. Gov. Small refused to grant a re prieve requested on the plea that a hanging should not be allowed to mar the spirit of Christmas. CHILD:GLLED IN FALL. Plunges Four Flights Seeking to View Yule Tree. A prospective joyous holiday season in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Howard | Peck, 1100 Tenth street, will not be realized. Thelr three-year-old son, Aobert T. Peck, was killed in a fall trom a fourth-story window yester- day afternoon. WWhile the parents were busy about tae house, making preparations for the appearance of Santa Claus, the \ttle fellow and his fou brother, Patrick, were playing In an uppor front room. The children, ap- parently anxjous to get a glimpse of a Christmas trec on balcony below, pushed a screen out the window, Rob ert falling all the way to the side- valk. Suffering from cuts and bruises and fracture of the skull, the child was taken to Emergency Hospital, whers he dled. FORD BUYS STAGECOACH. Vehicle Was in Service 75 Years Ago in Vermont. MONTPELIER, Vt. December 34— The old Concord stagecoach, which was placed in service between Middle- sex and Waltsfleld, Vt., some 75 years ngo, and which, according to tales <till told, figured in exciting holdups, Las been sold to Henry Ford, auto- nobile “manufacturer, and will shipped to Dearborn, Mich. The conveyance was buflt to carry i8 passengers, with seats inside and on top. Until about 10 years ago the ©ld coach was used for regular trips up the Mad River valley. NOTED SCIENTIST DIES. SOUTH PASADENA, Calif,, Decem- v 24—Dr. Philipp Rahtjen, scient- ist, poet, yachtsman and recent dis- coverer of the germ of anemia, died the Mount Washington Hospital o yesterday, it became known to- y. Death is said to have resulted irom accidentally drinking a poison- ~us solution in his Hollywood labora- toré 1% -Qays ago. - year-old ! be | fused by Detective Kane, who in- sisted that they go by train. | Met by Pastor at Gate. | The Rev. Dr. Charles R. Ross, pastor of the Central Methodist Episcopal Church in Yonkers, of which Ander- leon s a member, met the former dry leader at the prison gate. After { Detective Kane had refused to make {the trip to Manhattan in Anderson's {car, the Rev. Dr. Ross drove them to | the railroad station in his own auto- mobile. { Anderson carried his own suit o {from the prison and to Dr. Ross' au- |tomobile. He refused to make any !st.{temen( to the score of mewspaper jreporters who were walting at the prison gate. The warrants for Anderson’s arrcst rere served on him In the prison yard. He apparently was not sur- prised. According to prison employes, Anderson accepted the $10 which is lalways given to prisoners on leaving Sing Sing. He wore his own suft, however, instead of the one given to |departing prisoners. | The warrants for Anderson’'s arrest fad been forwarded hers from New York City, where the indictments for |grand larceny and extortion were re- {turned at the same tume .the indict- |ment charging forgery in the third |degree was returned, Anderson had seryed nine months of ntence of fromgd one to two years he third-degfee forgery convic- as for tion. CLAIS CAPTURE " OF SERBRERULARS | | | | Albanian Consulate Says In- vaders Had Guns From Government Arsenal. | | By the Associuted Press. SOFIA, December 24—A statement | issued by the Albanian consulate | here alleges that Albanfan govern- | ment troops, retaking Krouma, in the Kossovo district, from the in- surgents, captured a detachment of | Serblan regular troops with field and machine guns from the Serbfan arsenal. BELGRADE, Jugoslavia, December .—The capture of Scutarl and Alessio, 17 miles from Scutari, by in- surgents after two days’ hard fight- ing is confirmed by newspaper dis- patches just received. Former Pre- fect Bayrovitch of Scutar was killed. A flerce struggle Is reported in the region of Elbassan, which was at- tacked by a column of insurgents debouching from Avlona and also in Mourit Pass, $ miles from Tirana. There the insurgents Monday night captured four field guns and six ma- chine guns. Former Premier Ahmned Zogu, who 1s directing operations against Tirana, was 15 miles from the capital on Monday. | BY HIRAM K. MODERWELL. By Cable to The Star and Chicago Daily News. ROME, December 24.—The cere- mony of opening the holy door of St. Peter's Cathedral which Rome witnesseq today 1s one of the most solemn and beautiful and certainly one of the most rare in the whole ritual of the Catholic Church. In the presence of the whole pon- tifical court, the members of various relgning families, all the cardinals, archbishops and prelates who are in Rome, the Roman nobility, repre- entatives of lay socleties, hundreds of pilgrims from foreign lands and a vast crowd of the Roman populace, iPope Plus XI struck three blows - B | i B ! Hight, None voted for the hanging of | ! Mrs. Sweetin, The two defendants received the verdict in silence and with no outward | display of emotion. Notice of Appeal Filed. that ernoon at Desk—Mrs. Cool- idge to Aid Charity. | ! Attorneys gave notice would ask for a new trial. The case went to the jury after seven hours of argument, during which the State demanded the death | penalty for both defendants. Judge J. C. Kern instructed jury on six possible verdicts: they | Memories of Christmases in other | years before the family circle was broken crowded in upon President |ana Mrs. Coolidge today as they | prepared for their second Christmas }in the White House. With the approach of the holiday, ey of murder, with death as the | Lringing fresh reminders of the loss punishmen guilty of murder, with| 1vi ¢ i 11t imprisonment; guilty of murder,|°f C#1Vin, the younger son, who in with not less than 14 years' fmprison- | Ye4rs past contributed much to the gullty of manslaughter; not|Season’s merriment, the preparations | and not guilty by reason of in- | made were with a view to the sim | plest observance. There will be mo Christmas tree, and no guests other than Mr. and Mrs. Frank W. Stearne of Boston, who arrived today and who, through long assoclation, have {come to be regarded by the President | and his wife almost as members of the family. W1l Spend Part of Day at Desk. Although Mr. Coolidge by executive { order released all Government em ployes from their work at noon and Government business virtually ceased “Hight said that they wanted mercy. gt that time until Friday, he himself not justice,” sald Thompson, “but inlpaq arranged to spend the greater | Illinois we etill have the old Mounlcimr, of the afternoon at his desk. law of an eye for an eye. A life has|y;g Coolldge had accepted an invi- been taken in Jefferson County and |iation to assist officers of one of the death should be fmposed.” { city’s charitable organizations in the In epite of the strong probability of a | gistribution during the afternoon of g::’:‘“““ e ot e it of I Christmas baskets to the poor. * “hristmas played only a minor role in = the arguments. Referring to an appeal | To Attend Church Service. !by Attorney Nelson Laymen in his ad-| Tomorrow morning, after an ex- dress In behalf of Hight, Thompson |change of gifts, the President, Mrs. said: “They talk to you about Christ- | Coolidge, and their son John and mas, and I ask you to think of last;Mr. anc Mrs. Stearns will attend | Christmas and remember who was here ' union Christmas services arranged then and is absent now. But for this |by the churches of Washington. crime Wilford Sweetin would now be | Christmas dinner will be served in | playing Santa Claus for his boys.” the evening with a big turkey, grown | Thompeon called Hight's plea an|on a Wyoming reclamation project| “artful dodge.” { and recently sent to the White House | “Nothing was ever heard of this|by Wyoming friends of the Chief man being insane until after he was|Executive, occupying the place of arrested and charged with this| prominence. crime,” he said. { The White House “This insanity dodge is & man of |~ (Gontinued on Page straw. The fact that & man is sub- | normal does not excuse the commis- | sion of a crime.” | Layman, defense counsel, in his ar- | gument described Hight as “a poor little country preacher, who has al- ways had the worst of life, and has| not had a square deal in this case.”” | Calls Confession Prompted. ! Robert E. Smith, attorney for Mrs. Sweetin, emphasized that the testi- PROBEADENTHS === PUIEN his death and had opportunity to| Officials Believe Damage in o, :dmlnlluer npnh!don ;. 1mm.h M;‘d Sweetin's alleged confessions, he said, : 2 | Previous Take-Off Caused Virginia Crash. the composure~umder & bitter arraignment in the final argument of Frank G. ‘Thompeon, prosecutor. “They stand there two murderers equally guilty under the law,” he said to the jury. “Under your oaths do your duty.” Hight and Mrs. Sweetin are under indictment also for the poisoning of Mrs. Hight Death Ix Demanded. m, were simply what Hight had told her to tell. “I am not prosecuting Lawrence M. | Hight, neither am I defending Hight," ' sald Attorney Smith in opening his argument, E “If Sweetin did die from poison, | BY the Associated Press. there Is no testimony that Elsle had | NORFOLK, Va. December anything to do with it. {Damage sustained in a previeus “As to those confessions Klsie |take-off in rough seas is belleved to Sweetin was supposed to have made |have caused the swamping of a | at Salem, I'll say to you that the| naval' ambulance seaplane at the | testimony of Mrs. Sweetin herself | Hampton Roads naval air station tells you that she was trying to tell | yesterday, -which resulted in the what Hight told her to tell and not|death of three naval men and a what she did.” civillan. An officfal inquiry was The ~attorney then 1went into|ordered by the naval authorities to- Hight's confessions aud statements | day to dotermine the cause of the and reminded the jury that they were | accident which befell. the plane on under {nstructions of the court that|descending to the water after re- | Russtan 'THOUSANDS ATTEND CEREMONY MARKING HOLY YEAR OPENING Many Lands Represented at Observance in St. Peter’s—Exercises Are Colorful—Pilgrims From Throughout World Will Visit Rome. (Continued on Page 3, Column 6.) with a golden hammer on the ‘door which has been sealed for a quarter of a century. Symbol of Graee. - This ceremony, which has & mys- tical significance as symbolizing the opening of the gates of grace to the penitent, marks the formal opening of the year of pllgrimages, in which more than a million Catholics will come to Rome to seck absolution and inspiration. Shortly before 11 o'clock the Pope left his private apartments in the Vatican and, accompanied by t chief dignitaries of the court, his household and a guard of Roman riobles and the Swiss guard, pro- . (Continued on Fage 3, Column &) b ] | Buxton, turning with a hospital patient from | the North Carolina coast. The patient, Landrew Williams of N. G, who was suffering {from pneumonia, was one of tho! | who met death. The others wero | M. Keyser and A. S. Mainwaring, chief petty officers, and P. S. Gavin, { a hospital apprentice. All four‘bodies | were recovered. Propellers Kill Two. Two of the victims were killed by | being struck by the propellers as | they attempted to get clear of the {lane as its bow pltched under the water. The others were drowned. Three occupants of the plane, includ- ing Lieut. W. B. Gwin, the pllot, ";‘h‘?‘}enp\ue was said to have had {a hole stove in her tail in risiug in rough seas off the coast for the re- turn fiight. In order to keep water from rushing in through the hole on descending, the tall was held up as high as possible, it was said, and this appears to have resulted in the swamping of the forward structure. It was the first serious accident in | connection with the Aerial Hospital Service since it was inaugurated more then & year ago to serve emergency needs of the isolated residents of the Virginia and North Carolina Coast regiona. Radio Programs—Page 10, Russla to take over control of the Orthodox Church and its properties here failed today, when State Supreme Court Justice Ford upheld the cZuim of the Metropolitan | Platon Rojfesvensky to the leader- ship of the Russian Greek Catholic| Church in North Amerfea and the | Aleutian Islands. | JUSTICE NFKENNA. MAY RETIRE SOON Senior Member of Supreme Court Expected to Re- linquish Duties. In official circles the retirement of Justice McKenna from the United| States Supreme Court is considered | today_elicited the information that| . Justice McKenna has not ad-| vised President Coolidge of his con- templated retirement but it was not | denled in any quarter and will prob- | ably take place after the court re- convenes. | Mr. Justice McKenna fs already 11 years beyond the age entitling him | to retive. He si still in good health and has been in constant attendance upon his duties, but his friends have foreseen for some time his disposition to relinquish them. Mr. McKenna, who {s 81, is the senlor associate | justics, having served 37 years, under Chief Justices Fuller, White and Taft. He was a cotemporary of Willlam McKinley in the House of Represent- atives during the Forty-ninth, Fif- tieth, Fifty-first and Fifty-second Con- gresses. Appointed by McKinley. He was appointed by President Me- Kinley to, succeed Associate Justice Fleld, and is the sole survivor on the bench of the McKinley administra- tion. Prior to that date he was United States circuit judge for the ninth eircult, having Been appointed | to that office by President Harrison, from which place he was selected by President McKinley to serve as an Attorney General. Two names are mentioned in connection with the naming of his successor, Judge Frank H. Rudkin, now on the Circuit Court of Appeals, San Francisco, and Secre- | tary of the Navy Wilbur, who gave up the the chief justiceship of the Supreme Court of California to take his place in the cabinet. 20 NEW YORK BROKERS INDICTED IN ATLANTA A St R i ! Charged With Violating Geargin{ Law Forbidding Trading in Futures. By the Associated Pre: ATLANTA, Ga., December 24.—In- dictments charging violation of the Georgla law prohibiting dealing in futures yesterday were returned against a score of New York brokers by the Fulton County grand jury. The indictments brought the total| number returned, as a result of a| serfes of raids upon ' brokerage of- | fices here, to approximately 120. | Those named in the latest indict- | ments are Miss Kathryn McDonald | and John V. McIntyre, members of the firm of McDonald Co.; Carlisle Roun- tree, Earl McGugan and Winfield Scott Morris of the firm of Morris Co.; John S. Oliver and B. J. Houghton, com- | prising Ollver & FHoughton; Martin Goulko and Israel Goulko, operating as Martin & Co.; Edward L. Patton, Gerry Watson and Raymond Palmer, operating _as Patton ‘& Co.; Frank | Domo of Domo. Co.; Willlam B. Wil- son and Claud H. Watson of Wilson & Co.; Neal Dougherty and A. M. Russell of Dougherty & Russell, and Chet Clarke and Eugene Clarke of Clarke & Co. No 5:30 Edition f The Eveoning Star ‘Will Be Issued Tomorrow (Christmas Day) | same opportunities. {mas opportunities Whole of Fund by Christmas. Contributions may be sent to John Joy Edson, treasurer, 1022 Eleventh street’ northwest, or - to The Evening Star office. Make checks payable to the Associated Charities. | The Associated Charities sends out an SOS call today for the remain- ing funds needed to insure a happy Christmas and New Year to its “Four- | teen Opportunities.” With a total in | at moon today was $5,701.50. Office Open Tontorrow. ! In the hope that this amount will | s speedily forthcoming, the Asso-| ated Charitle headquarters at the Social Service House, 1022 Eleventh | street northwest, will be open on| Christmas morning to receive do tions by mail or otherwise. There are still 11 opportuni v go | | probable early in the new year. Inquiry |Choose from. Most of these have a ong way to g0 to attain their goal. The sums needed in each case are as | follows Opportunit. Opportunity ™ Opportunity Opportunity Opportunity Opportunity Opportunity Opportunity Onportunity Opportunity No. 12, $1,042 Opportunity No. 13, $784 A voung lad, 10 years old, has sent a contribution of 33 out of his sav ings. The Southern Railw Duckpin League sent $5 No. The Merrymakers' Club sends $12 fe Opportunities 7, 11 and 13, and the Parents’ League contributed to the 0 The purpose of these annual Chris! is to provide an all-the-year-around Christmas of peace and good will to destitute mothers and children who must re- ceive assistance in varfous substan- tial forms if they are to be kept together in family homes. The plan, Dbased on carefully studied budget is made for an entire year. $249 . $521.50 9, $863. 10, $261. 11, $479 No. No. No. No. Allowance Given. i The sums contributed are placed to the credit of the family or fam illes designated by the donors, very much as it individual bank accounts were opened in thelr names. Each week, or, in some cases, semi-month- 1y, the mother is given her stated allowance. Out of this allowance she pays the rent as it falls dus, buys the food, fuel and clothing for the family and any other necessities. It before her widowhood She was un- trained in such matters, sho has the District visitor of the Assoclated Charitles to advise her. The whole process is educational and is intended to be so, both for her sake and for the saks of the chil- dren. She is encouraged to practice economy in her buying, to “shop around” and to watch the daily quo- tatlons of stores In the papers so (Continued on Page 3 | Column 3. { could drome and burst into ‘flames, Kkilling | the pilot and all seven passengers. A statement by the Imperial Air- way Company confirmed the killing of seven passengers and the pilot in the crash. The company said it was | not belleved any Americans were in- volved in the accident. The airplane had gained only slight altitude when it banked in a variable breeze and fell sidewise No Chance for Victims. A puff of smoke and a burst of flame shot out 50 or 60 feet. Before assistance could reach the plane the passengers in the machins were e: veloped in flames Among the passengers killed was a Braszilian, Dr. Borbosa Lima, who was on his way to Switzerland. Hs had |nand of $7.686.50, the balance needed | 2Tived in London a few days ago from Hamburg. Another of the killed was Cedric Trudgett, representative of the Chilean Review. The others, except Dr. Ldma, are believed to have been British residents. Two Women Killed. here were two women among the engers. An eve-witness of the said the plane, fiying low, suddenly banked, eared a nearby hot Almost immediately a gust of wind | caught the plane, ite tail shot up, it ! went into a nose dive and fell like a stone. touched fames. “I ran to the spot.” Immediately the ground the machine it burst the whole machine had burned aw The only things 1 sumed were the two wheel. under-carrfage. In the wreckage see the charred remains bodies—that of the pilot in front. All the passengers must have died antaneously. Thelr clothes were d their bodles were black,’ RADITCH PARTY BANNED, could see uncon- the I of LEADER FACES ARREST | | Adherence to Third Internationale Is Given as Reason for Dis- solving Group. BY A. R. DECKER. By Radio to The Star and Chicago Daily News VIENNA, December 24.—The Jugo- slav Ministerial Council has dissolved the Croat Peasant party of Stephan Radltch, the reason given being Ra ditch’s adherence to the third inter- nationale. The dissolution precedes the Febru- ary elections, in which Raditch, with more than 60 deputles, promised to make things uncomfortable for the ationalist parties. Another reason for the action against Raditch 1s the understanding in England, France, Italy, Jugoslavia, Rumania, Greece and Poland to mak common cause against propaganda, which lately has been in- | tensified in the Balkans. Raditch is in Agram. Probably he| and his lieutenants will be arrested. Twenty Raditch assoclate deputies, displeased with the leader's connec- tion with Moscow, have formed a new part (Copyrigh! 1924, by Chicago Dafly News al e, and then staggered in the afr.| said the eve-| *iwitness, “but by the time I got the 2| White Communist | “Snow,” Says Mitchell; “Bunk,” Retorts And as night draws her mantle o | the city, club members, mission wor: {ers and charity dispensers in g eral will go to their slumbers w | the comfortable knowledge that hu dreds of Washington’s destitue me: women and children learned this da: that there really is a Santa Claua. The city's official welcome to ¥ tide and all that it means will b opened promptly at 8 o’clock tonigh* at the foot of the newly-plantec community tree in Sherman Square to the south of the Treasury Build |ing. Hers President Coolldge will be iiormkliy presented with the tree by Ovid M. Butler, executive secretary of |the American Forestry Associatio: in the presence of Distrlot officiais members of Congress and the gencr: { public. | President (o Light Tree. | At a given signal the Presidc: | will snap a switch, which will trans- {form the big epruce into a pyram! {of sparkling lights of amber, gr |and red. The decorative design. we | worked out by a committee of th. | Electric League of Washington, com posed of T. L, Townsend, chairm L. T. Souder, George B. Colbsck, | P. Harrington, C. M, Marsh and G Mangan. Community singing of Christm carols will follow the dedication fo {malities at the tree, this part of t! program being arranged by the Cc munity Center Department of the ! public schoole. Robert Lawrence wi ”|lead the singing. President and Mrs. Coolidge wi’ leave the community tree at 9 o'clos {t0 join in carol singing in t: House grounds. There vested chorus choir of the First C | regational Church of about 70 volc | under the leadership of Ruby Sm |Stahl, will render a program carols, and will lead the commu in the singing of the more fam! carols. Volces Carry Far. Last year it was discovered i the front porch of the White Hou acted as a sounding board, so th jthe carol singing, with individua olo parts, delicate shadings, soft passages, as well as full volume o. he chorus, were perfectly heard far beyond the White House grounds. A unique feature will be the oper ing carol, “Christmas Bells” th words and music of which have be written by Rev. Dr. Jason Nobic Plerce, pastor of the First Congre- | gational Church. Dr. Plerce has ded | cated this carol to Mrs. Coolidge, and {she will hear it for the first time this evening. The front porch of the Executiva | Mansion will be specially Illuminatec. | Charies T. Ferry will be at the plano {Solo parts will be taken by Ruby |Smith Stahl, soprano; Goldie D. Hutchins, contralto; Hilbert D | Krater, tenor, and John H. Marville !bass. The chorus will be assisted by buglers and flute from the United States Marine Band. Program of Carols. The program of carols to be wu ells of Christmas.’ First Noel,” “Sleep, Holy Babe, | gels We Have Heard on High," Night, Holy “Shepherd~ Christmas Song. od Rest You Merry Gentlemen,” “A Joyful Christ | mas Song,” “O Little Town of Bethle | hem, me, All.Ye Shepherds,” “The Babe in Bethlehem's Ma A “To Us Is Born Immanue), All Ye Faithful” Chureh Services Church services before and at mid- { | follow Star Janitor; “Moon Ain’t Tilted Right”| Charles L. Mitchell, official weather forecaster, and Robert Levi “Shorty” Wilson, janitor par excellance and firm believer in the oceult powers of the moon, are hopelessly estranged on the ques- tion of a svhite Christmas. “Yes, oh, yes; snow tonight and tomorrow. Great Christmas this year—whole nine-tenthe of the country will be under snow.” So prophesied the forecaster today, With an assurance that comes only from long and careful study and scientific knowledge. “You see, the trouble heretofore has been ‘an unexpected rise in the temperature,’ explained Mr. Mitchell. “Just now the tempera- ture is a little above freezing— and our snow naturally turned to rain. But tonight and tomorrow will be colder, and the rain will turn back to snow. Well, good- bye! Merry Christmas.” “Shorty,” who keeps the edi- - torfal rooms of The Star almost immaoculate by day, dropped his reeking mop, gave his damp hands a sweeping wipe against the sur- face of his denim overalls and sped ‘cqnv..emm\lousi}' when the | y e official prediction for a white Christmas was repeated to him. “Huh," he snorted, cast a furtive eve toward the sodden heavens, sniffed the dripping atmosphere three times and then laughed out- right. “No, sah, it ain't gonma snow no mo’ 'til de moon tilts down again. T been studying de moon every night, and It's gonna rain tomorrow sho’ ‘nuf.” Now “Shorty” is a son of night. He feels that the moon is almost of him. “When de moon lies flat on its back de first, second or third qudr- ter, it's gonna be clear; but just let it tilt a little and de watah hes out an it rains. De mo' it tilts, de mo’ it dreens. It's dreening hard now, but de wind ain't blowin’ Just right for snow, so.{t'll jus' keep on rainin’. Thus “Shorty’s figures his pre- dictions, and while he and the offi- clal forecaster argue back and forth the merits of sclentific baro- metric and atmospheric studles, Washington must wait for the ‘morrow to decide the issue. But Dbe {t said for Shorty, he did pre- diot yesterday that it would rain, not snow, today—and it's still raining. night in many of the churches of the city will conclude the community observ- ance of Christmas eve. All of the Cath- olic churches will hold midnight masses and early morning masses tomorrow. Every charitable organization ir | Washington is carrying out today some program of relief for the needy. Hun- dreds of baskets of grocerfes, clothing and toys are being sent out from mis- alons, churches and various relief head- quarters. Mrs. Coolidge is assisting personally in this work. At Kelth's Theather this morning she took part in the distribu- tion by the Central Union Mission of more than a thousand bags of food to poor children, and this afternoon she is to act as hostess with the Salvation Army in giving out the first several bags of goodles at the army's audi- torium, 606 E etreet. More than 650 bags of food, each with dinner enough for five persons, were made up. : The Gospel Mission, on John Mar- shall place, began today its program of supplying Christmas cheer to about a thousand destitute families or in- dividuale. Scores of baskets of food are being carrled to worthy homes. The Full Gospel Assembly, at 10th | and the Avenue, sent out today nearly {a hundred baskets of food purchased | by members of the congregation. or donated by merchants. Willlam B. Payne was chalrman of the committee in_charge, other members of which D e Bk st L IR L o (Continued on Page 4, Column 2.