Evening Star Newspaper, December 29, 1924, Page 1

WEATHER. (U. §. Weather Bureau Cloudy and warmer tonight, prob- rain_or snow ably followed by morrow. Temperature ended at 2 p.m, noon today: lowest, 17, at ¥ull report on page 5. fe today: Highest, 30, at Forecast.) to- r 24 nours £ a.m. today. Closing N. Y. Stocks and Bonds, Page 20 Entercd as sec post_office, No. 2946 Washington, ord class matter D. ¢ FRANCE IS WARNED BY U. S. DEBT MUST NOT BE REPUDIATED All Other Nations Obligated to America Included in Of- ficial Pronouncement. LECONOMIC UPSET SEEN IN CANCELLATION POLICY Maxes Here Would Rise If War Loans Are Lost, or Fall If They Are Paid Off. BY DAVID LAWRENCE. United Government, ough official spokesmen, today known that repudiation or can- of debis any country mould be a serious disturbance to the u condition of the world Specifically, the comment rican Government officials was ted at France, because of the wessions given in Paris dispatches in tie speeches of the French er of finance that payments of to the United States was ing arranged for. Officlally France has never sald to Ah¢ American Government that she v-ould not pay and officially the Washington Government has never [ intimated that a reduction or « weellation of war permitted. But t ¥ood deal said by Fran « Washingtor discussion the giewspaper men is the taken to assure the that the Coolidze administration not mean to permit the state- ments of the French to pass by with- out polite diplomatic dissent. ‘Take Note of Purix Budget. Officials took notice of the fact that the French budget just presented makes no reference to the war debt owned' to America. Nor did any pre- vious year's budget since the war. The French have consistently refer- red to the debt to America a “political” debt and have ralsed the argument that France furnished battleground and made the greatc sacrifices of all the allles and £hould be given special treatment. Also the French have revived a contention which they made in vain to the Wilson administration, namely that the war debts should be re- garded as war expenses and pooled. Under such an arrangement the Tnited States would be asked to pay proportionate share of the cost of the war before April, 19 gestion has In the past heen em- yhatically rejected and will be dis- spproved again whether officially or unofficially proposed. The French are also much of the money they borrowed was spent In the United States to which high officials today ed that about a billion dollars to France after the stice of November, 1918, and that a half billion Was written off becwuse of the fact that the France furnished the Ameri- can Army with certain materials and supplies Reaction Congress belng French may expect pointed remarks from the members the Senate and the House because whole subject is definitely related xation. The money which ich borrowed amounting to about and a half billion dollars came the American people who Liberty bonds and now it is the Treasury Department in izton to raise money to pay e bonds interest, moreover, must be paid Liberty hondholder: Approxi- matcly $140,000,000 a year must be raised to pay that interest. Such an ftem is big cnough, together with the $78,000.000 estimated surplus, to give the American people another 25 per cent reduction in taxes, Apart from the interest some ments on the principal are essential. The whole question affects the taxpayer vitally, because if France doesnt pay, the Treasury Department here must pay, which i only another w ayving the American people must be taxed 10 pay the French debt Officials are careful to say they ex- pect France to pay her debts, officially she has never repudiated them, but they cannot conceal their snxiety lest American public opinion Vecome irritated over the turn of events. And what will happen does? What can the American Govern- ment do? Very little of an affirma- tive characier beczuse debts now. neither collected by economic reprisals, Credit Effect Cited. The worst possible $ssuc from the on the French one to the The States ' tion by the debts has been to cause un and today's ation with first step open- American peo- a iness in e Uoes as st saying that in Congress. in session, the to hear some the to t Tre 1 from bought up to 2 o th The to effect that can international debate attitude is a harmful credit of France. The French are floating loans in the I'nited States and their securities are Yeld by many Americans. If credit 4= adversely affected the French franc Wil be hurt and the French will see the error of their way ultimately, Just they did when they refused I0 adopt a concillatory attitude 1oward the German reparation prob- Jom. Another Dawes plan may have 10 be deviged to cure the French sit- wation, but before the acuteness of 4t is realized there will be some plain speaking from the Washington Gov- etnment and perhaps the Amefican YPanker: interested in French securi- tics will advise their French friends «of the painful effect the French poliey 1< havinz on American opinfon. Slowly but surely the problem of Siiterallied debts well as aliled debts to America becoming the garamount issue, and until it is dis- yosed of even the Dawes plan may Jiave hard sledding, for France is treating England much the same as « is treating the United States— mely, ignoting Jer war debts. (Copyrizht, 1921.) ¥ [ Saves Coal in 37 Letters. BASLE. Switzerland, By his invention of a hochdruck- Xondensationsdampflokometive, Prof. JKurt Wiesinger of the Zurich Tech- nological University has demonstrated his capacity not only as an engineer, but also us a coiner of lonz words. His invention with the 37-letter name means high - pressure - condensing - steam-locomotive. It is claimed that #t will mean a saving of about 50 per_cent of cal Radio Programs—Page 15. F ] December 29. let | the | hence This. sug- | loaned | the | if the French do not. | if it | foree | U.S. Agent in Cairo Comes 8,000 Miles For Artificial Limb ¥ the Associated Press. CHATTANOOGA, Tenn., Decem- ber 29.—Judge Plerre Crabites, representative ' of the United tes on the Cairo International ourt, who is in Chattanooga, traveled 8,000 miles to get an arti- ficial leg. Judge Crabites lost his right leg June 25, when he was struck by a street car as he was leaving the International (Court Building in Cairo, Egyrt. In Egypt such a thing as a modern artificial limb is practically non-existent, he vs. He was forced to travel to w York to purchase his substi- NEWLOW RECORDS | Temperature 13 Minus in | Chicago—Gradual Relaxa- tion Is Forecast. |CAPITAL MISSES WORST | Winter for Long Period—50 | Below in Michigan. | bts would be | ( By the Associated Press. | CHICAGO, December 23—Gradual ! relaxation from the frigidity which | tumbled temperatures to low records | for 25 years over much of the country | was forecast for today and tomorrow, | although from the Rocky Mountains il‘agl\\';\l‘d Winter retained a strong | srip. i After receding to minus 13, the sec- ‘»nnd lowest in a’quarter of a century | the thermometer at Chicago had | climbed to plus 5 early today. that ng indicative of the changes over the zero-swept arcas. | Fair weather almost generally East | of the Mississippl was forecast for | today, with the steadily rising tem- S to bring snow in the North- ern, rain or snow in the middle, and rain in the Southern sections tomor- row, however. Moderates in Mountains. | | In the Rocky | moderation w | night. Mountain s noted as early Montana, which suffered a protracted period of sub-zero temper- | atures while most of the rest of the country was undergoing three dis tinct onslaughs, reported therometer readings of from plus 10 to plus 25 over the State, with considerable snow fall. Higher temperatures also brought relief to the Pacific Coast. | . A dozen deaths were added to the | Winter's toll, six {n Chicago, three |in Portland, Oreg., and one each in | Tacoma, Wash.; Reno, Nev., and Indianapolis, Ind. Humboldt, Mich., the Northern peninsula, had the | doubtful honor of reporting the low- j est temperature in the United Statcs | vesterday, 50 below zero. Other Cen- | tral Western States contiguous to | Michigan, vied, however, belng trailed by New England, of which | Malne, Vermont and New Hampshire reported thermometer readings gen- erally of minus 8 to minus 20, Low Marks in Hiinois. In Illinois, Harrisburg, with 11 be- v zero, had its coldest weather In years; Bloomington, with minus 20, coldest in 25 years, and Peoria | reported 24 degrees below. Indiana had readings of from 10 below below. Farther West, Towa had numerous cities with double figures below z section last | | | | a high spot in ter precipitate drops of more than | {fifl degrees In 36 hours. Des Moin |felt a chill of 21 below, Cedar | Raplds, 28 below; Fort Dodge, 27 ! below and Red Oak minus 24. | St Louls, Mo., on the Mississippi | River, had 8 below, and at the other :nd of the State, at the { windswept Kansas prairie | City was 2 degrees colder. New York City's thermometer re- |ceded to 12 above zero yesterday | morning, although upstate ranged as |low as 26 degrees below zero. Ice Jam at Niagara, For the first time In years an ice jam was reported in Nlagara River below the falls this early in the Win- ter. A 16-foot-thick jam extended | from Horseshoe Falls almost to Lake | Ontario. In Lake St. Clair and its connect- | Ing Link, the Detroit River, ice jams | proved serious hazards for ferry and | steamer navigation, and several boats were caught in the ice. | Tn Lake Michigan the steamer Wis- | consin, carrying 60 passengers, was | caught in the ice off Holland, Mich., { while the car ferry, Pere Marquette, | 7" (Continued on Page 2, Column 1) RAIN OR SNOW DUE Kansas | IN D. C. TOMORROW! | Forecaster Notes Gradually Rising | Temperature and End of Ice- } Skating Carnival, the gradually rising -temperature cf today, probably bringing to an end the ice-skating carnivals of the past | few days, according to the way the weather man views the outlook for Washington. Skaters continued today to make the most of the opportunity afforded by last week’s cold wave, flocking to the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool and other available frozen surfaces. At the office of Col. Sherrill it was Stated that the sun this morning had not vet thinned the ice coating to the danger point. S “The abnormally cold wave that has engulfed 1linois” and Indiana with a | below-zero temperature failed to ne. ! otiate the mountains eastward suf- |ficiently to break the low records | here, as was expected. | Mitchell said today. The tempera- | ture tonight barely will drop=helow the freezing mark, and the extent of its variation tomorrow will deter- | mine, he explained, whether it will rain or snow. As to the probability of a white | New Year day the forceaster refused to commic himself. | { | i i ch SET BY COLD WAVE Niagara Has Ice Jam, Earliest of | to! of the | Rain or snow tomorrow will follow Forecaster | WASHINGTON, D. SCIENTISTS LAUNCH VIGORQUS DRIVE T0 EDUGATE LAYMAN Committee of 100 Named to Push Research and Popu- larize Findings. SESSION OPENING TODAY GREATEST IN HISTORY i Experts of All Fields of Exact Knowledge Gather in Sec- tional Meetings. i | A aefinite program for the greatest campaign of scientific education and research in the history of the world' is to be completed during the seven- - 1th convocation of the American | | Association for the Advancement of | | Science. which began to get under| | wity here today in several score of | meetings of affiliated so- | i sectional cieties. | As the hosts of science in America | convened what possibly may prove to | be the largest and most important meeting of its kind ever held on this continent the executive committee of |the American Association revealed {for the first time plans to revive the | program for education and research | that was contemplated before the however, it became known. s fight to discover new fields knowledge nd distribute and | popularize the facts It has learned is { to be waged on an even broader sca'e {than had heretofore been considered. {and to encourage the program a { committee composed of 100 of the |most prominent scientists in the | United States has been appointed. War Curtailed Plans. | milar plans were inaugurated be- | fore the war, but when America was | called into the world conflict part of the program was indefinitely post- poned and the remainder of it was merged with the general war plans jof the Government, proving of indis- pensable value to America in its | essful campaign for a victorious At that time a like committee of 100 | prominent scientists was appointed and 79 of these have been recalled to personnel. Twenty-one vacancies were to be filled today, and when the mem- bership of the committee is announced it is expected that it will rnnt:\ln‘tha |names of a large number of Washing- | ton_scientists. | The executive committee went into ’.\esxlon in the Willard Hotel, which is headquarters for the American As- | soclation for the Advancement of | Science during the present convocation, | at 10 o'clock this morning. Dr. J. Me- | Keen Cattell of New York, president | of the association, explained the pur- | poses of the program as far as it has | gone in the fnllowing words: Explainx Objects. | “The program of the American As-| | sociation for the Advancement of | Sclence has two phases. They are the | discovery of new knowledge and the | distribution and popularization of what | we have. This new committee of 100 will alm to encourage in every way at | | our command all forms of scientific | research.” | "In &adition to the general commit- | tee, 2 number of subcommittees, cov- |ering widely varied phases of re- carch, are to be selected. During the nvention, which will continue through New Year day, detailed plans | for fnauguration of the program im- mediatel. will be taken up by the/ | executive committee and other asso- ciation hoards. Much of this morning was occupied | wtih the task of registration. The | hotel corridor was packed during this necessary preliminary task. Just cross the F street lobby, in the grid- ron room, a publicity bureau, in e of Dr. Austin H. Clark of the | Natlo Museum, has been estab- |lished for the dissemination of the | news of the Scattered meetings. Meeting Seattered. Tt was along toward noon before most of the affiliated socleties convened their own conventions in conjunction with the | general convocation. While physicists {l‘m\'(‘nad in the Bureau of Standards | and specialists in geology and geography held forth in the library of the National Geographic Society, students of the zoo- logleal and botanical sclences gathered in Central High School. Other sciences that were under d cussion, and the places where their so- cleties met, included psychology. at orge Washington University; social a economic, George Washington Uni- versity and the Robert Brookings Graduate School of Iconomics and Government; medical, Central High { School; agricuiture, Central Tiigh | School, and science in general, which | occupied the attention of the American | Association of University Professors, | at the National esearch Council. Many Papers Rend. score societies were rep- vesented at these meetings and the morning program was mostly con- {fined to the reading of papers. A {large majority of the papers were {highly technical and so specialized as to be of immediate interest only to those who fully understood the veral WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION DECE MONDAY, MARYLAND SHARES IN LIGHT RATE GUT Nearby Suburbs, With 9,000 Consumers, Benefit—Do Not Get Refund. The Potomac Elcctric Power Com- pany announced today that the re- duction in rate for household cur- rent from 10 cents to Tl ts a kilowatt hour will be extended to its 000 consumers in nearby Maryland cuburbs as a result of its agreement reached with the Utilities Commis- slon Saturda Maryland consumers, however, will not share in the distribution of the approximately $2,800,000, representing the public's share of the impounded fund which accumulated during the weven years of litigation. Officials explain that this is because Maryland was not Involved in the court sult under which the impounding fund ac- cumulated. The reduced rate within trict of Columbia will apply to all meter readings taken in January. It wao said, however. that the reduc- tion in nearby Maryland probably would not be applicab’e until Feb- ruary. the Dis- Big Beokkeeping Task. soon as the District Supreme Court signs the decree providing for the distribution of the impounded fund the company will begin the stu- pendous task of finding out how much is coming to cach individual One official of the company said to- day that from rough calculations he has made the amount to be returned to consumers will not fa'l much under 10 cents on the dollar ce the impounding began in 1917. A glimpse into the bookkeeping vau As | of the power company today turnished a vivid picture of the enormity of the t: confronting the company in returning the money due its 75,000 consumers a result of the settlement. Must Consult 700 Books. There are four sets of ledgers, totaling about 700 volumes, containing the ac- counts since 1917. Each of the four sets of books covers one period of the seven vears, and the separate volumes represent geographical neighborhoods and not an alphabetical ing of cusxtomers. It will be necessary. therefore, for clerks to go through all of the books and bring together from each set the amount of money due each individual But before this work is begun it will first be necessary to write into the ledge: the amount of impounded money due each customer for the last 21 months, Extra Work Involved. In April, 1921, the commission ordered a slight reduction in the cle tric light rate, which was not ratified by the court. The company, not knowing whether that reduction would be made effective in the end, set aside the necessary amount for impoundings in a lump sum, but did not enter the individual proportion after each account. It will require about two months to enter on the books this impound-| ing for the past 21 months before the calculating for the entire period be- gins. The tentative plan of the company to establich headquarters at the Capitol street barn of the Wash- ington Railway & Tlectric Co. for the new work. Willlam F. Ham, president of the power company, saild today that, while the company felt it might have er in the end by con- is bt ubjects under discussion. This aft- ~(Continued on Page 2, Column 7.) Secretary Weeks approved today & plan for reward of the Army world flyers which would advance Capt. Lowell H. Smith 1,000 files on the promotion lists and Lieuts. Wade, Nelson and Arnold 500 files each. Sergts. Henry H. Ogden and John Harding, who hold Reserve Corps commissions as second licutenants, would be appointed officers in the Regular Army in their Reserve Corps grades. All members of the flight squadron would receive Distinguished Service Medals and would b: permitted to aceept the decorations oftéred by for- cign governments. The plan was drawn up at the War Department at the request of Presi- dent Coolidge, to whom it was sub- mitted today by the Secretary of War. 1t it receives the President’s approval it will be tranemitted to Congress, which alone has authority .to confer the privitezes recommended. % The advancement proposcd for | i on Page 2, Column 3.) 11,000 File Advance for World Flight Chief, 500 for Three Others Asked Capt. Smith would equal approxi- mately 13 years of service in the line of captains, and would place him among officers of the grade whose names appear on the pro- motion list for majoriti The advancement in files given the three. . lieutenants approximates four years' service, and places their names high on the list of first lieutenants. Secretary Weeks explained to- day that the advancements pro- posed for the officers and for Og- den and Harding would be the greatost ever ziven In peace time, and would be comparable to the promotion given Gen. Pershing in time of war. In addltion the rezular retire- ment provisions of the Army could be set aside in the case of the six men, and they could be retired on their own request at any time with the rank and pay allowance of the next higher grade than that held at the time. s paid | as | ¢ Foening MBER 29, DENY PHONE RATE RAISE. Maryland Officials Refuse Petition of C. & P. Co. BALTIMORE, Public December 29.—The ervice Commission re- of the Chesapeake and Telephone Co. for increased { telephone tates throughout Maryland ind ordered the existing rates main- sion handed down to- | Potomac he commission says the company’s oposed scale of increased rates is mnjust and unreasonable and would sonstitute an unfair burden upon the tedanione users of the State. The decision is bassed upon the mission’s finding that the Chesa- & Potomac Telephone Co. is | not a separate company but is merely | an intergral part of the American | Telephone & Telegraph Co. The present rates are continued for two years. Dozier A de Vane, general counsel of the telephone company, said the company would either cut the Mary- land telephone service or appeal to the courts. Decision as to which course would be made later, he sald. PAY SUUSPENSION BY MCARL BLOCKED | Writ Denied Against Injunc- tion Pending Review of Navy Controversy. J. Raymond McCarl, controller gen- | eral of the United States, was defeat- d today in Lls effort to withhold the of 1 officers pending review the Court of Appeals of the deci- n of Justice Hoehling of the Dis- | trict Supreme Court granting an in- junction agalnst the retention of pay of the officers. McCarl asked the Court of Appeals for a Writ of super- sedeas, hich would have the effect of holding the Injunction in abeyance until the case was heard in the ap- pellate court. The Court of Appeals demied the application. Commarder John F. Cox, U. 8. N, zht the suit for injunction aint Secretary of the Navy Wilbur, Controller McCarl and FPaymaster Larkford to prevent retention of 20 per cent of his pay to reimburse the Government for dlsallowed payments for dependents. Secretary Wilbur answered the suit and declared that, while he did not agree with the ac- tion of Controiler McCarl, he had ordered the withholding of per cent of the officer’s pay as a com- promise when McCarl wished to re- tain the whole salary of the officer until the supposed debt to the United Stal was repaid. McCarl insisted on his view of the law and asserted the court had no jurizdiction to en- join him. | Justice Hoehling held that Congress | fixcd the pay of the officers and the controlier had no authority to with- hold any part of it to offset a claim | ‘nf the Government. IBANEZ RAPS SPAIN | | FOR FIGHT ON BOOK Those Who Read It Imprisoned, Deflant Author Tells Paris Correspondent. by br t the Asscelated Press. PARIS, December 29, the King of Spain is hunted down with the utmost rigor,” said Vicente | Blasco Ibanez to Excelsior’s Mentone correspondent, “Anybody found read- ing it on the other side of the Pyrenees gets 15 days in jall. That is what happened to a French engi- neér recently, who, unaware of the decree, was reading it on a train. “They fear that I and my friends will attempt an invasion of Spain, for which reason they have strengthened the frontier regiments. Three fresh | battalions were sent to the French| | side and three others to the Por- | turuese frontier. 1 am getting chal- lengos for duels or threatening let- ters daily from generals, magistrates Journalists. ut nothing shall stup me. I have the documents for two more books which will soon be published on the regime, in Spain. T shall tell all I know, notably about the massacres in Morocco, of which one has not the right to speak in Spain. “I love justice and liberty above all things, that is why I admire and love France so deeply. A revolu- tionary in Spain. T am a conservative In vour coantry.” 1924 —TWENTY-ELGUT | RUMTRUCK SEZED INWILD PURSUT Police Battle Smoke Screen Before Capturing Man as Driver Escapes. Swinging corners with a speed that | tore tires from the wheels and with the throttle wide open, a liquor-laden, | high-geared truck swept through | three miles of clty streets this morn- emitting clouds of smoke into the | fac of Detectlves Berry and Ogle of | the fourth precinct, who finally ran tite car to a stop at Second and I streets, within a few rds of Juvenile Court Bullding. The chase paralyzed traffic. Berry and Ogle were cruising about Third and L streets when the truck passed them. They noticed cases In the rear, and decided to ask the driver what they were. The driver didn't walt. He sterped on the gas and away the truck flew down Third. street to H strest, out H street to Thirteenth. 2ipping awav upn _Thirteenth and swinging back into New York avenue, heading east with such speed that one rear tire went wabbling away to the curbstone. That didn't stop the truck The driver shot more gas into the motor and tore away on three good wheels and one bare rim. This is where he first opened the smoke screen, ac- cording to the police. Through the denge smoke, while pedestrians and motorists stood gaping and street cars jammed on brakes to avoid col- lisions, went the pursuérs after the fugitives. Passing down New York avenue to Seventh street, the truck slowed down just a bit. Out hopped one of the Uin men. Uut_hopped Ogle from the pursuit car. Ogle airested this man, W. O. Ware, 46, of Richmond, Vi, on charges of tranzporting and illogal possession of liquor. The second stage of the chaze con- tinued out Massachusetts avenue to H street, thence to Second and a turn inte Second street north. The truck throttle was wide open, hitting 50 miles an hour with a roar. The police ear gained on the hill, despite h smoke, and at Seeond and 1 treets crowded the machine into the curb, where it lost another tire. The driver jumped out and disappeared down a nearby alley. He got away. Police think they'll get him ba The machine was towed back to the fourth precinct. According to the police there, it was evidently being used the first time. The cargo constituted 15 cases of alleged corn whisky. SHOT BY SON, WHOSE DIVORCED WIFE HE WED By the Ask JOHNSTOW: Y., December 20 —William L. Baker is being held on n open charge here pending outcome of serious bullet wounds sustained by his father, Daniel Baker, in a fight in the father’s home here last night. Police say young Baker has admitted the shooting. Police say the shooting appears to be the climax of a family feud which has existed since the father married the son's divorced wife. Young Baker. it was said, was married in November, 1917, making his home with his father. Shortly afterward, Mrs. Baker brought suit for divorce, and wag awarded the custody of their two children. Then she married the elds- ker, ted Pross. | tion ward, § “From Press to Home The Star Within the Hour” carrier system covers every city block and the regular edi- tion is delivered to Washington homes as fast as the papers arc orinted. Saturday Sunday’s Circulation, s Circu'ation, 93,138 103,566 Earthquake Rocks Japanese City; Is 108th for Month the Associated Press. TOKIO, December 29.—Another severe earthquake, which lasted two minutes, rocked Kushiro, in northeastern Jopan, o'clock this morning, The tremor was les a like disterbance last but §t wae followed by t shocks. The origin of the disturb- ance is attributed to the sub- sidence of the sen bed about 20 miles off Kushiro Kushire is located in the Holk- kaido group of 40 islands and is export port for sulphur and ber brought to the mouth of Kushirc River. The carth- numbered 108 during De- Tum th. qua cember. arthqualkes sity woere feit The shocks duration of of » in Tokio were of an 20 seconds. erage inten- tonight average The latest earthquake in Japan was recorded plainiy on the seis- mograph &t Georgetown Univer- sity, and a few minutes after the tremors ceaged Father Terndorf, in charge of the insiruments nounced that a disturbar “very prorounccd intensity 1robably occurred in the Japane Corthguak He placed the auzke 6.009 miles 1o the at about ard 52,000,000 SOUGHT FOR WALTER REED Funds for Permanent Build- ings to Replace Firetraps Asked by Weeks. WOULD KEEP 1,000 BEDS $15,000 Also Requested for New 8-Inch Water Main at Naval Observatory. Additionsl appronriations far im- portant public work in Washington, includinz $2,000.000 for essentisl buildings at the Walter Reed General Hospital and $15,000 for the installa- tion of an §-inch water main for firc protection at the Naval Observators, were transmitted to the House today. The Secretary of War in a letter emphasizes that Congress has, from time to time, appropriated funds for the develonment of the Army Medical Center. The \Waiter Reed Hospital at this Army Medical cares for about 1,000 paticnc present time, of whom t ths are Wwar veterans. The capacity of this hospital as a permanent and fire- proof structure -hould be 1,000 beds, the Secretary says. “The temporary wards now in use are rapidiv Geteriorating and the re- pairs required to maintain them are excessive as compared with the value of the Luildings. Besides they are fire traps which at any time may be- come thé source of a tragic con- flagration.” the letter continues. “In order that construction of the most essential buildings necessary in the dev ment of the Army Medical Center program may be furthered ux expeditiously as possible, an ap- propriation of $§2,000,000 will be re- quired.” Center t the Pronosed Conmstruction. The construction contemplated con- sists of: The wings containing ward additions to the main hospital buil ing, $1,421,000, A rear aadition to the mai to contain ¢ ng rooms, kitch and a library, $300,000. Laboratcry and morgue $125,000, Tuberculos! infeetious d as a- building ns, wards building, ward, obeervation se ward and sem 0,000 each, ni ward, isoa- Ing a total of $2,546,000. The Secretary explains that the War Department housing program contains items totalling $3,820,000 for construc- tion at Walter Reed General Hospital, of which amount the sum of $2,546,000 is for items contained in this project The housing program provides that construction shall be from funds de- rived from the sale of property after Congress has made an appropriation therefor. To defer action toward the development of the Army Medical Center until such time as funds may be available from the housing pro- gram - would probably work an in- jury to this necessary project, Secre- tary Weeks explains. The Veterans' Burean is to contribute $900,000 of the above total of $2,846.000. This £900,000 is included in the sccond de- ficiency bill, and the War Department is prepared to commence the con- struction program as soon as these funds are made avallable. Water Line Laid in 1592 The director of the budget having stuted that this proposed legislation is not in conflict with the financial program of the President, Secretary Weeks toduy submitted the draft of the Dbill covering the legislation necessary to authorize the $2,000,000. President Coolidge submitted rec- ommendation for the proposed ap- propriation of $15,000 for the new water main for fire protection at the (Continued on Page 2, Column 6.) sts vk on| Widower’s Job Sure Sign to Girl - - Of Number of Children at Home The woman who consents to marry a 45-year-old widower would do well to inquire closely into his occupation before answer- ing “yes,” If certain data compiled Dby the Census Bureau can be re- lied upon. It he turns out to be a foreman tn a:coal mine she may learn for the first time that he has 8.1 children. If he says he is a dentist or physician, however, she may breathe more easily, for he prob- ‘ably will bave not more than 3.3 offspring. And if absence of prospective step-children is an inducement she should lose no time in blurt- ing out her answer when he in- forms her he is an actor. More than likely, the figures show, he will have few or no children to bring along with him. At any rate, the bureau experts have found that the Iargest families, the proud papas of which are between the ages of 40 and 44, are those of coal mine operatives; foremen, overscers and inspectors between the ages of 45 and 49. The highest average of children living also was captured by the coal miners, with an average, per family, of 6.6, while the lowest average, I, was assigned to den- tists and physicians. mployed fathers between the ages of 40 and 44 played Santa Claus to 147,209 kiddles in the birth registration area during the period of calculation, 1923. Those between 45 and 49 had 66,764 to walk the floor with. To mamas whose hubbies were not under 40 or over 44 the stork brought 5.6 prize packages, while those with spouses slightly older, but less than 50, were presented with 6.4, All of which information is an- nounced by the bureau for what it 5 wordh, General | TWO CENTS TROLLEY AND BUS MERGER IN SINGLE UNIT ASKED IN BILL Ball Presents Measure Senate Designed to Force Action by July. in |CITY OPERATION ORDERED IF COMPANIES BALK Lower Fares, Better Service Is Object Fostered by Dela- ware Senator. new Gesigned to br Lout of the street raflwa companics of the D'strict of Colur 1 th the a merger | measure troda n hus companles today by § Distriet his committee of the bill th airman of t referred t novel feature the opera companic Public Ctilities ¢ event that no aet operties lace committes A the €t ra syst directio ymmission i merger of th Ly July on of or fin y takes 1 1o Under this proposal the commiseio wonuld 1 autl to design ‘n\ fares. It would be | operate through cars « the various comp cribe on reasona fuse of the trac of the con unifled tran Diztrict. ane authorized to er the lines « and to pres- le terins the mutu and other facilitic nies for effecti ortation system !r Would Force Merger. This prov intend authorize to merg - Was fically pics allytown and Suburban Rail st and “oth motor ind other trar companies orzanized un the Un ates m in the District of Columbi Railway Co. bus £ portat the 1 it Another sectio thorizes the merger i quire all, o: any part, tac Poton Eleciric othing in act, ho v n of the Power the ev a1y, ious Publ Utilities C B¢ asions Mannca. poor mdltfons tdid down by Ctiilties Commission. the bill ns of th betterment on. Provisions or finincing exte transportation system by the proposed new cor- It i< provided that the nev on =hall be subject to the tax r cent on gross recelpts, which the various companies are no ject under the iaw of Ju'y, 1902 Senator Ball and other members Conzress have been anxious for @ lov time to bring about a merger of the street railway companies in the Dis- trict of Columbia, believing that such merger would resuit in lower fare id Letter service for the people. Sen- lator Ball will asi thls committee zive ear ¥ consideration to the bill in troduced today. The Senate Disiric commiitee in the past has heard « lenzth officials of the sirest railw wd others on the merzer propos 4 Joint Session Planned. today House Senator Ball said that would invite the comm’ttee or a subcommittes theres 110 sit with the Senate commitiee to consider the merger plan. If possisle fa meeting will be called of the District committee the latter part of {this week or on Monda Senator {Ball said that the officials of the street rallway companies would 1 {lven an opportunity to be heard on |the new proposal for a merge “Whether the street car companies | will be opposed to this plan or will favor it,” siad Senator Ball, I am not vet informed. The proposal authoriz ing_the Public Utilities Commission | to direct the operation of the street car companies as a unit, unless a: actual merger takes place, has ot before been brought forward. Under 1it the Public. Utilyies Commission jwould direct the # suance of free | transfers over the Znes and do every - | thing necessary for a unified system {of transportation.” |SECRETARY DAVIS IS DUE | AT NEW YORK PORT TODAY Is on Way to Washington From | Immigration Inspecting Tour i in South America. Returning from a twe-month trip inspection of Immigration cond: | tions in South Amerfca, Secretary | Dayis is nearing New York toda | on the steamer Santa Teresa. A radio message reveived at his ofice today | advized that the vessel would arrive | at New York about 6 o'clock tonight jand aked that the usual customs and | health inspection privileges be given | the cabinet officer. e probably will | be back in Washington tomorrow. | Whether Secrotary Davis is de- | termined to resign his cabinet post, as he declared just before salling for South America. Is expected to he set- tled by the Secretary of Labor on his arrival In Washington. Mrs. Davis and Arthur E. Cook, his private secretary, accompanied him to South | America, ‘on a trip which took him into practically every country in the southern continent. | or CHILD CHAINED BY NECK. i KEY IN FATHER’S POCKET Niagara Falls Man Arrested for In- human Treatment of 12-Year- Old Daughter. the Asscclated Press. s NIAGAR.. FALLS, N. Y., December 29 Joseph Zienski was arrested last night, charged with having kept his daugbter, 12 years old, chained for { several da The police say the { chain was about 5 feet long, and was fastcned around the child's neck with 'a pudlock, the key of which the father carricd ia his pocket. < 2 L i