Evening Star Newspaper, December 31, 1924, Page 2

COVELL EXPLANS GHT RATE PUTLE Charge Is Cut in Face of Higher Valuation. “How is it we get an electric light rate of 7' cents per kilowatt hour h the valuation raised to $32,500,- 000, while in 1914, with a valuation of ounly $11,000,000, the price was higher? Since the settlement of the Potomac ners have been puszzling over this question. Today Maj. W. E. R Covell, who, with Corporation Counsel Stephens, represented the commission in the agreement conferences, pre- pared a brief statement explaining why the lower rate was possible. He said “To make clear why Tis-cent electric light $32,500,000 valuation, while in 1914 with a valuation of only $11,000,000, the rate was considerably higher, the following table is offered: In 1914, the output of the company wa$ 32,000,000 | kilowatt hours; fn 1917, 52,000,000 kilowatt hours; in 1920, 100,000,000 kilowatt hours, and in 1924, 118,000,- 000 kilowatt hours. Output Greatly Incrensed. “That is, the output has from 32,000,000 kilowatt hours to 148,000,000 kilowatt hours, or 362 per cent, while the valuation has in- creased only 188 per cent. That is, the output per dollar of valuation has increased from 2.7 kilowatt hours to 4.35 kilowatt hours Maj. Covell also issued a statement today, expiaining the difference be- tween the value of $11,000,000 placed on the power property in 1914 and the value of $32,500,000 agreed upon in the settlement. His statement fol- lows, in part “In 1916 the Public mission claimed that no allowances should made for increased value of plant due to the increasing price level. Subseguent Supreme Court de- cisions in general and the decision the Court of Appeals of the District «f Columbia in the Potomac Electric Power Company case in particular cstablished the principle that some allowance must be made for increased value due to higher price levels. The fight since this time has been on the | amount to be allowed and hence to | be added to the 1914 value Cases Are Listed. “The courts have very generally held that an amount should be added to the value of the plant to represent ‘Going concern value,' or the increas- ed value of a golng company over the bare value of a newly erected but idle plant. The Public Utilities Commis- s maintained that no such val- ould be added, but that this was already allowed for in the value of we can get a rate with a increased Utilities. Com- |say to Germany | understood to be briefly thes Capitol Contains W hite House, Says Sweet Young Thing Syreet young thing to docrkeeper at Senate Office Building: “Can you tell me where Congress meets?” “Certainly,” answered the ever- obliging guardlan of the portals. “The House of Representatives meets on the. left side,” as he pointed to the Capltol, “and the Senate meets on the right side, as we look at it from here.” “Oh yes, of course.” she said, “T might have known that. It makes it 50 convenlent for the President, doesn’t it, with the White House in between. BERLINNOTE TODAY i Four Reasons to Be Given for Not Evacuating Cologne January 10. By the Associated Press, PARIS, December 31.—The British apd French governments having agreed on what they are going to in their note ad- Vising her that the Cologne area will not be evacuated on January 10, the allled council of ambassadors, meeting here to is expected to cettle upon the final draft of the document in short order. The coun- cil s also expected to decide upon the date for forwarding the note to the Reich. The reasons given in the note for the extension of the occupation are Con- viction on the part of the allies that Germany has not fulfilled her mili- tary obligations under the Versailles treaty, the impossibility of her ful- filling them by January 10, the in- sufficiency of the proportion in which she has fu'filled them up to the present and, finally, the neces- sity for the allles to awalt the gen- 1 report of the Interallied control commission 50 as to be able to judge what may be expected of Germany {In the future The hour of the council's meet- Ing had becn set for 11 o'clock this morning, bt during the forenoon it was decided to change the time for assembling to 4:15 pm. FUTURE OF WORLD HINGES ON SCIENCE, 1914. In public utility cases in other | states the °‘Going concern_value' al-| lowed has usually been from 10 per| cent to 20 per cent of the .value of | the plant: 1 The following figures show in| round numbers the cost of plant and | other capital items, over which there | was practigally no disagreement be- | tween the Publie Utilities Commisslion | and the company value of plant in 1914: No depreciation deducted, $11,090,- 000 “Actual cost of total additions to December 31, 1924, $14,860,000. “Value of Maryland property, $500, 000, “Material and suppiles, $§00,000. “Working capital, $400,000. “Total, $27,450,0 “To this figure*therefore, under the principles justostated ugust be added two amounts—first, art amount repre- senting the increased value due to the great rise in prices since 1914, and, second, an amount representing the joing concern value.” Wanted $10,000,000 Added. “The company maintained that at least £10,000,000 should be added to cover the increase in value since 1914. THe assistants to the commis- sion found that if the Bureau of La- bor Statistics wholesale commodity index figures were used the net in- crease would be about $4,550,000. “Under ‘going concern value' the company has claimed that approxi- mately a 20 per cent value was not 100 much. TIn the list of cases where ‘going concern values' were allowed Ly other States, prepared for the court by the Public Utility Commis- sion assistants, the average llowed was about 12% per cent. Thus the ximum figure would be 20 per cent 450,000 plus $10,000,000, or 490,000, while 12% per cent on 000 plus $4,550,000 would be $4,000,000. “In the compromise the sum cover- ing both these points was only a little _over $5,000,000, or $3,500,000 less than the sun f the two smaller tigures given al ve Depreciation Not Deducted. “The resulting value, $32,500,000, is | the value of the company, with no depreciation deducted. The question of depreciation deserves some atten- tion. It has been strongly maintained ¥ the commission, and as strongly combated by the public utilities com- panies in general, that a deprecfation reserve accumulated om what s known as a “strajght line basls,” must ba deducted from the value of the company to get the rate base. The mmission insists that. money paid in by consumers in the form of rates for depreciation of plant mmust not be recapitalized and used as a basis for further rates. Therefore, if it is con- sidercd as belonging to the company, {t must be deducted from the value of the company to get a base for fates. If, on the other hand, it be considered as belonging to the pub- lic but borrowed by the company, just like money borrowed from the | bank, it cannot be deducted from the| value of plant, but the company | must pay interest on it just as om other borrowed money, and thus de- ¢rease the amount to be paid by the| people through the rates for depre- ¢iation. The commission has been (n- ¢lined to favor the latter method, be- cause it removes the vexing question of depreciation reserves from the de- batable ground. “The commission has, in fact, tried to gct some of the other utilities to take up this method, and has tried to show the companies that, if anything, 3t is to their advantage. The Capital Traction Company, however, Is the! 3nly one to use this method up to the present time. The Potomac Electric Yower Company has accepted this method, and therefore the $4,000,000 depreciation reserve will not be de- iuctde from the value of the plant, but the company will pay interest on this amount.” Veteran Newspaper Man Dies. MONTGOMERY, Ala., December 31. | +-Col. Horace Ho6d, 71, veteran news- paper man and founder of the Mont- gomery Journal, died at his home here t night. While Col. Hood had been in failing health for some time. the iliness which culminated in his death was of short duration. kS E s Des Moines Bank Is Closed. | DES MOINES. Towa, December 31. ~The Commercial Savings Bank here ralled to open this morning under ders of the State Banking Depart- ment. The bank had $1,000,000 or_l wublie funds on deposit. = 1 COOLIDGE ASSERTS have simply evaporated, become part of that atmosphere themselves. Go 43 Miles In Secom These little celestial visitors, parts of which sometimes succeed in reach- ing the earth before they are en- tirely consumed by the friction that results from their own topsy-turvy speed, are highly important to man- kind, Dr. Sparrow- sald, because they teach us the density of our atmos- phere. These meteors, the- speaker 2dded, travel at a speed of from 10 miles to 45 miles a second. The Coast and Geodedic Survey has all but eliminated the necessity for the old, expensive method of deter- mining the longitude of observation stations by means of the telegraph wire, Clarence H. Swick, geodedic mathematician, declared in a paper today. Since June, 1922, the survey has been using the radio and the stars to accomplish the same results with equal accuracy and less expense. “The observer on this work,” Dr. Sparrow sald, “has used a new radio recelving device, by means of which the radio time signals sent out each day by the Naval Observatory, through the Annapolis radio station, are re- corded accurately on the revolving drum of a chronograph. By making star observations for time at the fiald station, and comparing this with the observatory time, the difference in time between the two places is ob- tained and’ the corresponding differ- ence of longitude becomes known.' Says Chimpanzees Think. Chimpanzees not only appear to think, but do think, Dr. Robert M. Yerkes of the psychological institute of Yale University declared in a paper read before the psychologlcal section. He based his conclusions on studies made of two young chimpanzees, which he sald knew how to study a problem presented to them in a way essentially like that of man and quite unlike that of any other animal. “The great apes areintellectually closer to men than we havé hither- to imagined,” Dr. Yerkes stated. “The evidence for their solution of prob- lems ‘ideationally’ is now abundant and convincing.” Dr. Yerkes said one of the char- acteristics of the solving of problems by chimpanzees was that the solu- tion seemed often to comfe &uddenly to them after a period of quiet reflec- tion. In reply to & question, he sald it was possible that chimpanzees might be taught to read and write, or at least to use some sort of symbols. “If they get that far there is no telling how far they will g declared. Tells of Sea Rescarch. The aims of the proposed ocean- ographic research by the Navy were | summarized by Dr. Austin H. Clark of the Smithsonlan Institution in a general address. They include the diecovery of new flshing banks and an increase in food resources; better understanding of climatic conditions, which will ald in weather forecasting and in anarine and aerial navigation; fuller knowledge of ocean currents and of the drift of icebergs; knowl- edge of ocean depths and contours, which will aid navigation, fishing and the laying of telegraph cables, and knowledge of the composition of sea water, which wlill lead to greater ac- curacy in the use of, the nic depth finder. “Research in Federal _Personnel Work"” was discussed by L. J. O'Rourke of the United States Clvil Service Commission, who advocated more practical tests, not merely those which looked practical. He reported a new method of correction of papers which 0LDS MCLINTOCK VIGTIM F TYPHOID “Millionaire Orphan’s” Death Due to Eating Oysters, Health Officer Believes. . By tie Ausoclated Press. CHICAGO, December 31.—Willlam Nelson McClintock, “millionaire or- phan,” whose death four weeks ago at the home of Willlam D. Shepherd, heir to his $1,600,000 estate, has been under Investigation, probably died from typhold fever contracted from tainted oysters, according to a report |of Herman N. Bundeson, city health | commissioner. Health department officers have found that he had eaten oysters twice shortly before he became i1l at the same time that a slight epidemic of typjppld. attributed to tainted oys- terdy occurred in Chicago and its suburbs. Investigation Was Independent. The health commissioner's investi- gation was made independent of one conducted by Dr. Willlam McNally, coroner's chemist, who made tests for polson traces in the youth's vital organs after the body was exhumed. His report will be completed Friday. A conference today between Coroner Oscar Wolff, assistant State's attor- ney, and Harry Olson, chief justice of the Municipal Court, who Instigated the investigation by the coroner, was contemplated to question Judge Olson regarding suspicions on which he based his request for the Inquiry. Typhold Theory Indorsed. James Simons, who represented Shepherd at the autopsy, was ready to report today that typhold caused McClintock’s death, to which it was attributed in the death certlficate. ONTRACTOR GIVES FORBES GOODNAME for Veterans’ Bureau, Says Detroit Man. By the Associated Pres: CHICAGO, December cital of difficulties his firm for the Northampton, Mass., Veterans' Hospital by J. J. Brennan, former pyesident of the Pontiac Construction Co. of Detroit, remained for comple- tion at today’'s session of the trial of Charles R. Forbes and J. W. Thomp- son. The Northampton foundation con- tract was the only award to any of Thompson's firms during Forbes' term as director of the Veterans' Bureau. It was important in the Government's case, which alleged the award was one of the speclfic acts for which the 31.—The re- encountered by defraud the Government through hos- pital contracts. Brennan, called as a defense wit- ness, testified yesterday the project netted a loss of $20,000 on & $160,000 contract. Letters from Brennan. te.hisefirm e read to the jury. T~ = t is plain to me thaGitts Was De: partment did not want us €0 got-that contraet,” said one. Department that put 11! the hard clauses in our contract.™ * w —— DEPUTIES FIGHT ON FLOOR One Gets Nose Bloodied in Clash on Amnesty Bill. By the Associated Press, PARIS, December 31.—The amnesty bill, as amended by the Senate, came before the Chamber of Deputies this morning and within haif an hour had led to a fist encounter between Depu- ties Simon and Raynaud, Soclalists, and M. Balanant, & member of the Democratic group, who was shouting opposing interruptions at a deputy who was speaking. They got in their work so rapidly that the ushers were unable to sepa- rate them.before Raynaud was bleed- ing freely from the nose. _———— — — — effected a saving of 50 per cent in the work. Discovery of bacteria that appear to be responsible for the present epidemic of hiccoughs was reported in a paper prepared for the medical science section by Dr. Edward C. Rosenow of the Mayo Foundation at Rochester, Minn, The bacteria are of the sort known as streptococe! and produced hiccoughs when injected into the brains of animals. The streptococcl were obtained by Dr. Rosenow from the throats of per- sons suffering from hiccoughs in the present epidemic, which ha described as milder than previous ones. In six cases studled hiccoughs had been constant from two to elght days. Of 32 animals injected with culture of the bacteria, 15 soon began to hic- cough, while 13 had spasms of the abdominal muscles and 23 of other muscles. Control of Diabetis. Favorable results looking toward the control of dlabetic symptoms by means of insulin administered by the mouth in- stead of hypodermically, as at present, were reported in a paper by Dr. John R. Murlin of the University of Roch- ester. To overcome the problem of the destruction of ineulin by stomach Julces, Dr. Murlin said he had prepared in- sulin tablets which pass through the stomach unaffected and are dissolved in the intestines. Crushing of the very molecules of matter themselves by pressures five times that of the firing preesure of the biggest guns was described in a paper by Dr. P. W. Bridgman of Harvard Uni- versity, Caesium, & rare metal similar to sodium and potassium, was found to be still compressible at enormous pres- sures, the loss of volume representing a crowding and crushing of the molecules themselves instead of a taking up of the slack between them. Dr. Bridgeman predicted that all metals would act the same way at pressures beyond the range of present laboratory equipment. Dry Agenis Lay Aside Guns to Make Drive on Indoor Prohibition agents armed only with their authority will watch Washing- ton’s indoor farewell to the old year tonight. Orders were issued today to the Capital’'s dry force to leave guns at home and to strenously avold fights while searching for liguor in public places. Hotels, great and smalil, and caba. rets will receive special attention of the agents, who have reserved rooms and tables from which to econduct their operations. Officials said - they woulg seize all liquor In sight, ‘no New Year Tippling matter where found. They observed, however, that it would be impossible to be everywhere at once. | Along with the orders against gun- toting in the hotels went instructions to the agents to be prepared to defend | themselves and to help each other. They were especially counseled against a show of forge, being told that it would .be wiser to lose a possible ar- rest than to start a fight. On last' New Year eve a few raids were directed against public drinkers in the cabarets outside the fushionable |.aistrict, but in the dining roomns of the. ! pr ,218 hotels merrhmaking went forward without interfs e 5 Lost Money Building Hospital | in placing the foundations | two were Indicted for conspiracy to| “It was th vrnr1 Boyx of St. Joseph's Orphan Asylum, photographed today o they joined the 140 girls from St. Vincem LITTLE FOLK VISIT NEVER, NEVER LAND Star’s Guests, Numbering 225 Children, See “Peter : Pan” Picture. Two hundred and twenty-five boys and girls from St. Joseph's and St. Vincent's Orphan Asylums spent two hours in ‘“never, never land” this morning as the guests of The Eve- ning Star. They were the first con- tingent of more than 600 children In the varlous institutions of Washing- ton who will see Sir James M. Barrie's story of child life, “Peter Pan,” in motion picture form at the Columbia Theater today, tomorrow and Friday Saturday the carrier boys of The Star will attend In a body. The institutions invited by The Star for these performances of “Peter Pan” are old friends of this news- paper, they having been guests of its annual outings to Marshall Hall in the past two years. 200 Guests at Time. Manager Mark Gates of the Colum- bia, with whom The Star has a spe- clal arrangement for entertalning its little friends, is able to accommodate only about 200 children on each of the foregoing mentioned mornings. The many homes and institutions were canvassed vesterday and plans drawn up for getting the children to | and from the theater. St. Vincent's and St. Joseph's were selected to at- { tend today, efforts having been made | to get these two institutions together because there are many little brothers and sisters between the two homes, resulting in pleasant reunlons. Promptly at 10:15 o'clock two spe- clal cars of the Washington Rallway and_FElectric Co. pulled up in front of the Columbia Theater with a cargo of 140 little girls. The cars had called for the children at Fourth and Channing streets northeast and were routed through the city to the door of the theater. On conclusion of the performance an inspector of the rallway company was at the theater to learn the exact time the plcture ended and. going to Twelfth and G streets, be signaled two spe- clal cars. which had been walting 4t the Treasury, These cars again picked “up -thefr happy cargoes and convered them direct to the insti- tutior L | The St. Joseph's delegation of boys. 85 in number, marched down to the theater from their home, 924 H street, !in as orderly a manner as a company | of soldiers at attention. As the main |entrance of the theater was crowded with children who were guests of other organizations, the $5 manly little fellows were taken in the side entrance and just before they went in were photegraphed by a Star photographer. The ease with which this blg bunch of boys was handled [by the sisters in charge was inter- esting. After they had been seated in the mezzanine floor there was a wait of but a few minutes before the show started. There had been a constant buzz ever since the St. Vincent's girls entered the theater, augmented by the St. Joseph's boys and other chil- Gren. This buzz was changed to a roar as the words “Peter Pan” were thrown on the screen., and then the children settled down for a two-hour visit In “Never, Never Land." It had been planned to distribute some souvenirs to The Star's guests this morning, but the sudden change in plans from next week, as was originally proposed, to this week, prevented them from being received at the theater on time. However, some toy balloons from Chapin-Sacks arrived ‘on time, and they were given to the sisters in charge for distribu- tion when they reached their respective homes. The children didn’t seem to mind this, as “Peter Pan” had a far greater effect on them. All day yesterday the walls of every institution invited to attend rangz with “Peter Pan and from those in charge of the children it was learned that some of them find it difficult to live down their anxiety over the possibility of seeing “Peter Pan” moving about on the screen. Famous Players-Laskey Corporation, which produced this 10-reel Paramount plcture, selected Betly Bronson, the beautiful 17-year-old girl, for the titie role, made famous years ago by Maude Adams. She was chosen to star as the mythical lad, Peter Pan, over all the famous motion picture actresses and actors in the country, and has won fame and fortune overnight. Her | piquant charm, her vivacity, her win- ning smile and her desire never to grow up, but remain a boy and have fun, went right to the hearts of the children in today’s audience. Tomorrow morning 197 more children will attend the performance. They represent the following institutions: Washington Home for Children, 1715 Fifteenth street, 18; Swartzell Metho- aist Home for Children. 201 Ritten- house street, 10; Jewish Foster Home, 3218 Q street, 41; Hpiscopal Home for Children, Anacostia, D. C., 48, and In- dustrial Home School, 80. Guard Ousts State Official. DENVER, Colo, December 3L— Ofclals of the Colorado National Guard, at the order of Gov. W. E. Sweet today removed W. V. Roberts, Civil Service commissioner, from his office, carried him into the hallway at the State capitol and took his keys from him. s March Like Soldiers. Sl $150,000 Fire at Penn State. | STATE COLLEGE, Decemiber 31.— I State College avenue, accupled/ by a | number of stores, were badly damaged | by fire and water today, causing a loss estimated at $150,000. The bulldings were owned by H. L. Lietzell, G. L. Smith and the Montgomery Ciothing Co. * el D ssing Shiow. From the London fond of entertaining He—Are Yo callers? them arel bul, dear-me, so few of Three buildings at Allen street and | the wteps WOMAN WHIPPER HELD. Atrocious Assault Charge Made by Alleged Rival. = NEWARK, N. J, December 31.— Mrs. Albert Eitner of Irvington to- day was held for the grand jury on charges of atrocious assault and battery made by Mrs. Rose Donahue, a widow, who alleged that she was whipped by Mrs. Eltner. Counsel for Mrs. Eitner, in whose custody she was paroled, told Judge Gritce that Mrs. Eitner had followed hef husband to Mrs. Donahue’s home, armed with a dog leash, because she thought her husband was being en- ticed. The alleged attack was the outcome of Mrs. Eitner's trip. Mrs. Donahue asserted that Eitner had occasionally while taken her down town In his car, his attentions| SUED FOR 300,000 Alienation Charged by New York Husband Against Har- vest Company Chairman. By the Assaciated Press z NEW YORK. December sum of $500.000 is asked in a suit brought against Cyrus H. McCormick of Chicago, chairman of the board of the International Harvester Com- pany, by Edwin W. Jacobs of this city, who charges his wife's affections have been allenated. The summons and complaint have been served on Mr. McCormick, who is a son of the inventor of the har- vester and a brother of Harold F. McCormick, husband of Ganna Walska, the opera singer. That the sult had been filed be- came known yesterday when at- torneys for Mr. McCormick flled ap- plication for transfer of the case from the State to the Federal Court on the ground that the plaintiff lives In this State. while the defendant lives in Illinols. Mr. McCormick is above 60 years of age. Mrs: Jacobs is said to be 3% years old. In his complaint Mr. leges that at different places and times Mr. McCormick showered presents and money upon the wife of the plaintiff, and completely turned her head that she no longer cared for the plaintiff A statement by attorneys for Mr. McCormick sald that there was no basis for the suit, and that if Mr. Jacobs had lost his wife's affections Mr. McCormick was In no way responsible. The application of Mr. McCormick's attorneys for transfer of the case to the Federal Court was granted by a Supreme Court justice here last Fri- day, it was learned today. The order transferring the suit has not yet bee filed, the rules permitting 30 days in which to fine. The order was ex parte and did not call for argument. McCORMICK RAPS SUIT. Jacobs al- so Denies Alienation Charges and Says Action Is Without Merit. By the Associated Press. CHICAGO, December 31.—Cyrus H. McCormick, head of the International Harvester Company, characterized the suit_filed against him in New York by Edwin W. Jacobs, who charges alienation of his wife's affections, as “absolutely without merit." “The entire matter is in the hands of my New York attorneys.” said Mr. McCormick, “and I have nothing to say except emphatically to deny the charges. The suit is absolutely with- out merit.” Mr. McCormick is a widower, 65 vears old. He had been president of the Harvester company for a number of years, and became chairman of the board of directors in 1910. His wife, Mrs. Harriot B. Hammond Me- Cormick, dled in 1921 EFFICIENCY RATINGS OPEN TO INSPECTION UNDER STONE’S RULING (Continued from First Page.) | departmient cannot be réfused, as the employes are expressly given the same right of inspection as the rep- resentatives of the (classification) board. This right is not discretional in any sense and nothing in the his- tory or phraseology of the classifi- cation act of 1923 would indicate any such intent. The dismissal of an em- ploye of the Government. and his or her promotion or demotion are to depend upon his or her effictency rating. Con- gress doubtless believed that inspection of sald ratings by all employes would discourage favoritism, permit cor- rections of any errors which might exist, Inspire confidence in the ac- curacy and fairness of the ratings and make possible a correction by the employes themselves of existing causes of inefficiency.” The Attorney General went into the history of classification, quoting from the report of the congressional joint commission on reclassification of sal- aries concerning the publicity of rat- ings. This commission said, according to the Attorney General, that em- |ployes “are inclined to question the infallibility and impartiality of their superiors. Even where efficiency rat- ings are established by personnel committees, made up both of adminis- trative officers and' employes, this is apt to be true. Furthermore, the fact that efficiency ratings are usually surrounded by secercy and are seldom open to inspection even by the em- ploye concerned suspicion and distrust, no matter how conscientiously ‘the work may be done. Differs on Three Questions. The three other propositions sub- mitted by the classification board Orphan Asylum for the motion pleture, “Peter Pa 31.—The | inevitably arouses of the Columbia Theater, just before 1 DEAD, 11-HURT INAUTO CRASHES Woman Killed at Street Crossing—Two Flee After Collisions. One death and two cases where a motorist ran away after a collision | were among last night's traflic casual- ties. Mrs. Eleanor Clark. 45, 1215 | Twenty-ninth street, was fatally in- {Jured when struck by an automobile | operated by Willlam D. Price, 20, of | 612 Tenth street northeast, when | crossing Eleventh and E streets. She | died at Emergency Hospital an hour |after the injury, the ninety-first per- | son killed in traffic accidents in the |1ast vear. f Price was detained at the first pre- inct station Following investiga- tion of the aceldent by the police, Acting Coroner Herbert E. Martyn paroled Price to appear at the inquest at the District morgue today. Price was exonerated from blame by | coroner's jury today, which found the death accidental. Driver Runs Away. The first case where the motorist ran away to escape identification was at East Capitol and First streets yesterday afternoon, when Mrs. Edna Dunks of 160 Sixth street southwest was thrown from her seat and in- jured in a collision with an auto- | mobile listed to a resident of Lake- |land, Md. The latter automobile was abandoned by the operator near the scene of the collision. Police found a quantity of liquor in it Driver of an automobile that col- | lided with the machine of John L. Gibson, Congress Heights, at Penn- sylvania avenue and Eighth street southeast about 5:30 o'clock yester- day afternoon, disappeared without making his identity known. Driver Is Injured. Charles Green, colored, 20, 1015 Thirteenth street southeast, sustained a fractured collarbone and minor in- juries yesterday afternoon when a horse-drawn vehicle he was driving was struck by an automobile at Ninth and* B streets southeast and over- turped: He was taken to Casualty Hospital. An ‘automobile and motor vehicle of the Dome Gas Co., Takoma Park, collided in front of 3222 Park place yesterday morning. The former ve- hicle was overturned. and Cornelius Shafp, colored, 17, one of Its occu- pants, sustained an injury to his face. He was treated at Emergency Hospital X Other persons injured In traffic ac- cidents yvesterday were Ida Jackson, colored, 55, 807 Half street southwest Mrs. Mollfe Lyon, 39, Baltimore, Md. visiting at 1300 N street; Mrs. Charles Douglass, 201 Tennessee avenue n:lrlh(ust; Scott Montague, colored, 65, 1108 Third street; Charles Hoy- | berger, €0, 13 Fourth street north- east; C. H. Gier, 1251 Rhode Island avenue northeast; Mrs. Irene Jeter, 142 Sixth street southwest, and Eliza- Dsth Costello, 1428 Girard street. L I T TN Which the Attorney General decided were incorrect interpretations of the publicity provisions of the law in- cluded: 1. That each employe shall be notifled of his own rating and his| relative standing in his grade or| class, but not permitted to inspect the ratings of other employes in the same bureau or office. 2. That each employe .shall be notified of his own rating and his relative rank within the grade or class and shall upon his request be permitted to inspect the ratings of all other employes with whom he is in competition—that is, all other em- ployes in the bureau or office who are in his classification grade. That the names of the employes be deleted and identifying numbers substituted in the list made available for inspection, so that each employe, although able by number to identify his own rating in the list and to com- pare with the percentage ratings given to all others of his competing group, would be unable to identify the percentage ratings of other em- ployes. . Letter to Employes. The Classification Board proposed to the departments a form of a letter which they should use to notify each employe of his efficiency rating. This letter would show the employe's serv- ice, grade, ciass, the percentage of his efficiency rating, but would not show the employe his relative rank in his classification grade. However, another paragraph in the proposed letter would notify the em- ploye that he might see the current rat- ings. This paragraph reads: “The cur- rent ratings for each bureau or office as exhibited by efficiency rating form No. 6 shall be open to inspection by any empioye of the department upon his re- quest at such hours and at such places as the head of the department may fix.” it T Cries of Insects Not Their Way of Speaking Thoughts Insects may have languages of thelr own in tones the human ear can not detect, . but, generally speaking, the croakings and lamentings of insects mean noth- ing between them, according to a paper read yesterday by Dr. Trank B. Lutz of the American Museum of Natural History be- fore the American Association for the Advancement of Sclence. “I have spent many - hours in the hot sun watching lady grass- hoppers,” Dr. Lutz said, “and I must say that if human lovers | recelved as little response to their serenades as do the grass- hoppers, most of them - would either give up music or remain bachelors.” | pressed regret that a single phrase &0 SHOTS OVERHAUL SPEEDING RUMBOAT New York Police Seize Fivel Men as Holiday Runners After 15-Mile Chase. By the Associated Press. NEW YORK, December 31.—A gun battle between marine police and rum smugglers aboard a motor boat which contained 200 cases of cham- pagne early today inaugurated the of- fensive against the flow of liquor into New York for the New Year celebra- tions. The battle, during which 50 shots were fired in a 15-mile chase off the Battery, ended with the cap- ture of the boat and five prisoners. While the rum fleet carried out its final maneuvers to check liquor smug- gling and the police department com- pleted plans for increased patrols in strategic positions, Broadway and the other centers of amusement went ahead with plans for gay celebrations to usher in the New Year tonight. Extra Broadway Foree. The police plans called for 300 ex- tra policemen on Broadway between Forty-second and Forty-ninth streets, with 100 extra men to keep a watch on the festivities in Greenwich Vil- lage. Two hundred patrolmen were assigned to duty in the Brooklyn dis- trict, where New Year celebrations are largely concentrated. The extra policemen will remain at their posts from 9 o'clock tonight until 5 o'clock tomorrow morning. Reservations in all hotels, restau- rants, dance and supper clubs far exceeded accommodations, according to the proprfetors, who said there was every indlication of its being one of the gayest New Year cele- brations in a number of seasons. The offensive against rum smug- gling for the holidays reached its final strength last night, when an armed flotilla of 40 Coast Guard rum chasers and destroyers had taken their positions along rum row to in- tercept all smugglers trading with lquor vessels. $40,000,000 in Bootles. The offensive fleet more than dou- bled the rum fleet in numbers, there being only 18 of the latter. The rum vessels, however, had doubled In number since Christmas eve. It was estimated by enforcement officials that the rum ships are loaded with 800,000 cases of liquor valued as high as_$40,000,000 at bootleg prices. The boat captured by the marine police this morning was the Maybe, a 700-horsepower, bullet-proof craft capable of great speed. The police said the prisoners had intended. to land the 200 cases of champagne from an East River pier convenlent to the Broadway district. HERRIOT ASSURES U. S. FRENCH DEBT WILL BE HONORED (Continued from First Page.) the inexplicable effect produced by his inventory in the United States and is giving repeated statements for publication denying that he ever de- clared France would not fulfill her engagements. Finance Minister Explains. Minister Clementel, reiterating his declaration that interpretation of his balance sheet as a suggestion for re- pudiation of France's obligations was absolutely erroneous, declared today that the principle of capacity for pay- ment which was applied to the set- tlement with Germany ought to be applied to the allied debtors as well, and that he was in favor of the Dawes plan, without the control feature, for all the war debtors. The finance minister said this was not an official proposition, but sim- Ply his personal amplification of his own remark that “if the principle of capacity for payment is rightly ap- plied to Germany it ought to be granted to all the war debtors.” In an extended explanation of his inventory of France's debts and claims, made public last week, he ex- from the document had been isolated from thorrexl and had given rise to some unfavorable comment in t! United States. ae Reparation Not Planned. “France,” he sald, “intends to repudiate none of her contracts. Her signature remains sacred. But that does not prohibit her from appealing to that sense of justice which | grouped around her so many nations during the war. She had shown her intention to keep her engagements by paying abroad more than two billion | francs gold, or elght billion francs paper, in actual cash since 1820. That is more actual money than Ger- many has paid on her foreign obliga tions, which the experts found was too much and decided she required a moratorium. “At the same time the French ta payers were taking the place of Ger- many in the effort for the recon- struction of Northern France. Half of the French citizens' tax burden is to pay the interest on the war debts and for reconstruction. “The effect of these payments made from 1920 to 1924 on French exchange was disastrous, but we kept on pay- ing and will continue. ““We omitted from our balance sheet | the war debts of France to Great Britain and the United States for the same reasons that we omitted the debts owing us by other allles, be- cause no final settlement has been reached concerning them. Thinks America Misled. “The conclusion drawn in America from this fact that we Intended to repudiate them is absolutely unfound- ed.and unreasonable. In the same document it was explained that pro- viston would be made in future budg- ets for the payment of debts. We courd ot very well tell just how much we would have to put into those budgets for the purpose, since they have been funded. Does this indicate a tendency to repudiate our debts?" M. Clementel insisted that the de- sire of France to discuss her debts on a basis of equity with her credi- tors was only natural, in view of her immense financial burden, and de- clared it required considerable ack of faith to distort that sentiment into a tendency to repudliate. Explaining his attitude regarding the general settlement of debts on the lines of the Dawes plan, M. Cle- mentel sald he had excluded from the general plan the control that had been imposed upon Germany because there was no reason for it in & coun- try that was not & refractory debtor. He thought, however, that the system ot regulating transfers of money, as well as the principle of capacity for payment, ought to be applied. = Poanibllity of Upnet. “The principles of the Dawes plan, which subordinate payments of a debtor state to its capacity to pay, are quite as applicable to the allied war debtors as to Germany,” the min- ister said.* “The possibility of effect- ing transfers of money, without dis- turbing exchange and unsettling na- tional economic conditions, is not & condition that exists in Germany alone. § “If France asks that her debt set- | Representative | Hines, tlements be made with due regard to the amounts she can recover from her Ll SCOTT SAYS WIFE CHARGE IS FALSE Representative, on Divorce Stand, Denies Drinking, Gambling Excessively. By the Assoctated Press. ALPENA, Mich, December Under cross-examination all yester day afternoon, Representative Frani D. Scott of the eleventh Michigan dis trict, on the witness stand denied allegations of his wife of gambling and intemperance while in Washing ton. Scott brought suit for divorce against his wife, who filed a oross bill. Scott admitted under questioning that he occasionally drank, but as- serted that he never drank to ex cess. He said that he had played cards and mentioned a number of prominent persons in Washington, 11 and out of Congress, with whom h had played, but asserted that losses were nominal Much of the testimony which t gave Monday ani early yesterday regarding his wife alleged indiscretions while In Wash ington did not come from his ow personal knowledge, Scott testified He said that it first came to him through his private secretary, Jane L. Kennedy of Alpena, who stayed a his apartment in Washington wi his wife while he was away. 31— Information Verified. He said he refused to believe Miss Kennedy's stories, however, until ha had substantiated them by hix wife's diary, her guest book and statements of other persons. The witness was testifying regard ing household finances and the dis posal of household goods after he gave up his home in Washington, De cember 24, 1922, when court adjourn ed until this morning. It is belleved the taking of testimony will continu throughout the week. BONUS CHECKS TO G0 DESPITE COURT PLEA Judge Refuses to Grant Injunction to Prevent Mailing Payments. An eleventh hour attempt t the sending of soldier bonus pol valued at $750,000,000, to the veterans of the World War, was frustrated to- day when Chief Justice McCoy de- clined to grant an injunction asked by Benjamin Catchings, a @ew Yorl lawyer, for himself and 30 Bther tax payers, against Maj. Gen. Frank T director of the Veterans Bureau. The polices are in 250 sacks and are ready for mailing January 1 The chief justice held that the cision of the United States Supreme Court in the Frothingham case in- volving the maternity bill stands as an insurmountable barrier to the granting of the request of Catchings and his co-plaintiffs. Catchings contended that the peti- tioners paid a total of $400,000 incor taxes in 1924 and will have their taxes greatly increased when money is ap- propriated to meet the soldier bonus He urged that when the Supreme Court denied the right of one ta- payer it did not preclude a group taxpayers from suing. Assistant United States Attorne West, appearing for the Government, replied that Gen. Hines in his minis- terial capacity is carrying out an act of Congress authorizing the issuance of the policies and denied the right of the taxpayers to sue. The Vetergns Bureau was represented b Willjam Wolff ith, L. J. M. George and Omar C LLS MESSENGER, YOUTH KI BUT MISSES $200,000 | Bandit Locks Up Conductor and Baggageman—Fails to Open Car Safe and Flees. By the Associated Press CHICAGO, December 31.—A held up the express car crew of the Viking, fast Chicago and Northwest ern raflroad passenger train, nea: Highland Park, 111, last night, shot and killed a messenger, locked up the train conductor and baggageman and escaped, after a futile attempt to op the safe, which contained bonds jewels and money valued at upward of $200,000. Russell Dickey, 44, Milwaukee, Wis was slain when he attempted to dis- arm the robber, who took one of two keys necessary to open the safe from Dickey's body. He failed to find the second key, which was in the mes- senger’'s overcoat, hanging a foot away from the safe, and leaped from the train as it pulled into Winnetka I TO AMEND ZONING-LAW. District Heads Have Bill Intro- duced in the House. At the request of the District C missioners Chairman Reed of the House District committee today in- troduced a bill to amend the present zoning law with respect to buildings in_the National Capital. This proposed legislation ha ready been considered by the Zoning Commission, which found no opposi- tion. It provides that bufldings may be erected to a height of 90 feet in residential zones instead of the pres- ent limit of 85 feet. Buildings, how- ever must be held to not more than elght stories. The proposed 90-foo bulldings could be erected only streets 100 feet wide. The legislation also excepts churches now under con- struction, which are allowed to r up to 95 feet. war debtors, it 1s only the natural viewpoint of any business man who is_endeavoring to liquidate a dif cult financlal situation. Where woul. we be if we were required to pa every debt and asked to cancel ever claim?” The finance minister said that no one could tell now whether the allles were going to receive 50,000,000,000 or 40,000,000,000 gold marks from Ger- many, while there was a possiblility that they might receive much less. Gives French Viewpoint. “You can easily figure what differ ence it would make in the balance sheet of a creditor,” he added, “if the debtor defaulted in such an tmportant proportion of his obligations, and what a position it would put him in with respect to the payment of his own debts. “The average Frenchman looks at the question in that way. He also recalls that part of the devastation which he is being taxed to repair was made by the cannon of our allles and that our country was the battlefield used for the defense of Belgium. And when he remembers the proportion of French blood shed in the struggle, he feels it is not rigking the unfriend!l &harge of repudiation to ask that equity enter somewhat into the settle- ment of the financial part of the war om