Evening Star Newspaper, February 7, 1925, Page 1

WEATHER. (U. S. Weather Bureau Forecast.) Fair and warmer tonight, lowest temperature about 40 degrees; tomor- row cloudy, with mild temperature; rain tomorrow night. 3:30 p.m. yvesterda. am. today. Full report on Closing N. Y. Stocks and Bonds, Page 14 20 502 0. 20502 e ORE TROOPS SENT WITH AMMUNITION T0 CAVERN PRISON Tennessee Joins Kentucky in Dispatching Soldiers to Hold Back Crowds. TRUCK OF CARTRIDGES RUSHED TO CAVE CITY Friction Growing Between Guard and Citizens—Little Hope Held for Collins, Br the Assoclated Press. CAVE CITY, Ky.. February measured tread of Kentucky beat a staccato today picking by miners shaft to S Collins, 7.—The troops to the frenzied digging away at A new nd Cave., where Flovd entombed, has lain, pinioned by a boulder, for almost 200 hours Determined that no effort shall in- terfere in any way with the opera- tlons, the guardsmen, under Brig. Gen. H. H. Denhzrdt, last night or- dered Homer Collins, brother of the victim, and John Geralds away from the cave. Geralds was the leader of »ne of the numerous rescue parties which earlier in the week made] fruitless efforts to get to Collins| through the cave entrance. Both| men were called to National Guard| headquarters and officors there told them the mine now boring down- ward was the last chance to reach the! cavern prisoner. Their activity, es-| pecially Geralds’ criticlsm of the| means being employed, made their presence undesirable because it slowed the work, officers explained to them. It would be necessary, therefore, to forcibly eject either man Who returned to the cave, they were warned. Both agreed not to offer further interference. i { i | 48 Hours More Needed Slowly but surely the shaft, pre-| ceded by a diamond point drill for sake of safety, was going down. Early today it had gone below the 20-foot level and had that much more to go, possibly more. Workers have been - digging for 48 hours, day and night, and another 45 hours probably will| have passed before the opening is made. Test drilling was discontinued early today after the diamond drill had reached limestone at a depth ‘of | 40 feet. Dr. W. B. Funkhouser, geols| ogist of the University of Kentucky, expressed the opinion that the drill | had reached the caprock of the cave. | Resentment i Growing. When the rescue work took on & memblance of order, after jealousies, glory seekers and heroes intermingled | for four long days when Collins was in communication with the outside world by the slimy channel, Geralds and Homer and Marshall Coliins were barred from entering the cave. Since then a growing resentment against the “outsiders” who came to Sand Cave and assumed charged has been observed. Homer Collins, during the night made a forbidden trip into the cave & ew hours before he was called to military headquarters. He found the | 1light near the “squeeze” still burning and, by turning off all lights outside for a few moments, said he deter- mined that the entombed man's light | still glowed. A truckload of ammunition and oth- er supplies was en route to Cave City from Frankfort by way of Louisville this morning, despite denials by Na- tional Guard officers that any am- munition had been ordered. Elght hundred rounds for rifles were re- ported in a baggage car at Frank- fort. A newspaper man there climb- ed o the coach and says he count- ed 2.400 rounds in boxes, consigned to Capt. J. L. Topwliller at Cave City. The shipment was understood to have been transferred to a motor truck at | Louisville. More Guardsmen Arrive. Eleven more National Guardsmen arrived last night and 14 others were expected soon from Bowling Green. J.arge crowds are hampering the mine workers, it was sald by way of ex- planation for the presence of addi-| tional guardsmen. A handful of Tennessee National Guardsmen, members of the 164th | ¥ngineers, arrived this morning to mssist Kentucky National Guardsmen on duty at Sand Cave, where Floyd Collins has been penned underground for eight days. The guardsmen were dispatched here by order of Gov. Austin Peay. Brother in Collapwse. Andrew Collins, eldest of the Collins brothers, figured in two accidents while burriedly driving overland from Kewanee, Tll, to reach Sand Cave. He thought yesterday he had covered a new crevice, which might lead to the chamber where his brother is shut in, but was prevented from entering the sink hole by guardsmen. Shortly afterward he col- lapsed near the shaft, and was taken to a Red Cross hospital unit, which has been established on the grounds. Physicians are constantly on duty at the Red Cross tent, prepared for emergency service. Miss Fay G.| Lewis of Omaha, Neb., and Miss Ruble M. Lawrence of Chicago, both trained nurses, are waiting to lend their as- sistance The last word from the entombed man was at 4 am. Thursday and he had not been fed for 12 hours prior to then. The last men to crawl within talking distancs of Collins reported ecough food had been left along the »ides of the cave to feed several men | and expressed the opinion that only | v little of that reported to have een given him ever reached his side. EXPERTS ORDERED BACK. Mines Bureau Men Can Do Little at Cave City. Three rescue experts of the Bureau of Mines who were sent by Secretary ['Work to Cave City, Ky., to lend their id in the attempt to rescue Floyd “olling were ordered today to re- urn to Vincennes, Ind. “There is little the bureau can do ere except in an advisory capacity, aid a telegram from C. A. Herbert, pne of the three experts. Radio Programs—Page 9. Highest, 66, at ; lowes 34, at 7 page 7. Entered as second class matter Washington, D. C. Prisoner Is Freed For Exposing Plot Of 19 to Escape Special Dispatch to The Star. RICHMOND, Va., February Charles Singer, serving a term in the city jall for a misdemeanor, has been set free on recommenda- tion of the officers. He gave the alarm that prevented a delivery several nights ago. Roy Beasley, serving a term for bootleg opera- tions and wanted for escaping prisons in Florida and Alabama, was ringleader of the prison band that sawed & number of bars in an attempt to escape. Singer dis- closed the plot‘in a talk with his father. Automobiles were waiting to take the 19 plotters away from the city. Beasley will have to stand trial here for his effort to get away and for cutting the bars of the jail, and then he will be sent back to Florida. EUROPE 1 LD TO ARMS PARLEY Many Obstacles Seen to Pro- posal of Congress for New Conference. BY FRANK H. SIMONDS. Special Cablegram to The St LONDON, February 7.—Action of Congress in passing a resolution ad- vocating a new disarmament confer- ence at Washington awakens little sympathy and less interest in Lon- don, for the simple reason that Brit- ish public opinion, official and unoffi- clal, regards it as a premature, fruit- less proposal. The fact is that the British at last realize with pretty conclusive clarity that there are a- whole variety of European questions which must be dealt with before it will be possible to discuss elther reduction or limita- tion of armaments so far as armies are concerned. On the naval side, as to crulsers, for example, British naval experts believe that different require- ments in the British empire and the United States necessarily eall for aif- ferert establishments; that there could be no agreement on equal ratios {as tn cruiser strength which would not involve the expansion of Amer- ican strength rather than the restric- tion of British tonnage. As for the question of submarines and aircraft, the latter is linked to the question of land armaments, and the former is in aleyance until continental questions are settled. French Question Seen. The British are thoroughly con- vinced that there can be no discus- 8idn with France in the matter ol the limitation of armaments on land until the question of French security is disposed of in such fashion as te ‘SAUETY " legitimate French concer: They are equally satisfled that it not much use opening the subject with the states bordering Russia while the future policy of the Soviet government remains wholly problem- atical. In the case of the Washington con- ference, the United States was able to offer definite large concessions as the price of British and Japanese ac- ceptance of the naval ratio proposed by Secretary Hughes. In the matter of land armaments, the United States can offer nothing in the way of reduc- tion of its own strength; It Is willing to offer nothing in the shape of a guarantee of its own aid to countries which, having reduced their armies in conformity with American views, may be later attacked by their neighbors. MacDonald Point Stands. In a word, the declaration as made by Ramsay MacDonald and Herriot last year—that a discussion of disarm- ament could only follow a settle- ment of the question of security— stands, and the Tory government of Great Britain, howaver polite and sympathetic its response to the Ameri- can proposals might be, knows that in the present situation of Europe to discuss disarmament before settling the problem of security is to put the cart before the horse, and Is con- vinced that any conference called upon present circumstances would lead to a fizzle with not impossible disastrous consequences. The British situation at the mo- | ment is excessively difficult. Neither the mother country nor the dominions will hear of any adoption of the pro- tocol made at Geneva last Summer. But it must be remembered that it was also agreed at Geneva that dis- cussion of disarmament must walt upon the adoption of the protocol. Now the British are going to scrap the protocol, although they will do it by indirection, by reservation that means that in reality they are going to refuse to take the step which would alone permit a disarmament conference in Europe to take place this vear. They are also golng to give the French some measure of as- surance in the matter of security, but they have not any idea how far their own country is prepared to go in this direction, Certainly they are in doubt as to whether their people will go far enough to satisfy France. See Move as Fallure. In that situation, it is plain that the British look with unconcealed ap- prehension at any attempt to get France to reduce her armies, while ntinued on Page 4, Column 7.) Beauty of Bricks Overwhelms Child Seeing for First Time in His 11 Years By the Associated Press. DENVER, Cole.,, February The common place things of life today became a source of wonder to two children, recently operated on in an effort to restore their sight, when, for the first time, Peter Morris and Viola Emour saw the blue sky, the wonders of a zoo and went into raptures over the warm color of bricks. The children, two of the 11 from the Colorado Home for the Blind and Deaf, at Colorado Springs, who underwent operations, were driven about the city, able for ‘the first time to stand the strong light: of day on their newly awakened eve: ¥ “Would you mind if I ask a great many questions?” Viola ked. “Everything is so stran —=s0—s0—s0 beautitul “Bricks, bricks” the-boy once ch WASHINGTON, D. CHNA GUTS QPN PARLEY FOLLOMIG EXANLE U. . SFT Convinced of Failure of Con- ference to Devise Success- ful Program. U. S. ENVOY’S ACTION HIT BY HOLLAND DELEGATE Says Restrictions Imposed by the United States From Start Made Withdrawal Necessary. By the Associated Pres GENEVA, February 7.—China, fol- [lowing the United States, dropped | from the international oplum confer- | ence today, thus producing another | | dramatic situation, which had ita} climax a violent attack on Stephen G Porter, head of the American delega- | | tion, by J. J." Loudon, Dutch Minister | in Paris. who is known as the master diplomat of the conference. In ignorance of the storm, Repre- sentative Porter packed his trunk and, with Dr. Rupert Blue, left for Parls en route to Washington, where he will make a personal report to the State Department and probably to Presi- dent Coolidge. Alfred Sz, Washington, delegation, followed as Mr. Porier. He did not Chinest Minister at | heading his nation's | the same method | appear at toda Dlenary session uf the conference called to discuss the draft of the anti-narcotic convention, but sent his | personal secretary with a letter | Dr. Herluf Zahle, president of the conference, announcing the with- drawal of the Chinese delegation, and a memorandum setting forth the reasons for this action. These, in brief, were his conviction that nothing definite would be acheiv- ed toward stopping oplum smoking, in the Far East, as required by the Hague convention. He characterized! opium smoking as morally degrading to hundreds of thousands of Chinese n Far East territories, and he in- sisted that the present conditions in! China, which prevent prohibition of | the production of opium except for medical purposes were merely | porary. M. Zahle, at the opening of the ses- sion, read a letter he had sent to, Representative Porter, In which he assured the head of the American delegation that the representatives of all other countries regretted his departure, but hoped to find solu- tions of the problems confronting the conference. Withdrawal Explained. The Chinese communication | ex- plained that the delegation was with drawing because of the conference failure to reach a satisfactory agree- ment for the suppression of oplum smoking in the Far East. Mr. Sze recalled he had always held that no proposal was acceptable to | China unless it gave definite assur- ance that the legalized traffic in opium (for smoking would be ended within a reasonable time. It is apparent now from the pro- posals made by the delegates of Great Britain, France, the Netherlands and Portugal, and insisted upon by them | that the governments they represent are not at this time prepared to agree to adopt measures which will meet the desires of the Chinese govern- ment,” his communication continued. “China sincerely hopes that the policies of these governments will tol { tem- —_— SENATE COMMITTEE VOTES DRY BUREAU Measure Would Concentrate En- forcement Under Independent Treasury Unit. Favorable report on the l‘ram(nng bill, concentrating all prohibition ad- ministration under a separate unit in | the Treasury Department, was or-| dered today by the Senate judiciary | committee. The bill passed the House last ses- sion, but has been the subject of at- tack before the committee by users of industrial alcohol. It was modified by the committee to provide for a board of review to hear appeals from rulings of the prohibition commis- sioner, and for separate divisions to control Industrial alcohol and bever- age alcohol. The board would be com- posed of three members appointed by the Secretary of the Treasury. There have been indications that with passage of this bill President Coolidge contemplates & change in personnel of the prohibition unit. Hearings on the bill produced con- | siderable objection to the rulings of Commissioner Haynes. The bill is supported by the Anti- Saloon League, but faces some op- position on the floor. shouted. Bricks—why, T knew the shape of them, I knew how s, brick felt, but look at the color—look at the color!” As their au‘omoblile rounded the first corner, Viola buried her head in her arms. Then she raised her head. “It's all right—I can't be- lieve my eyes are so full of tears. They're. not cry tears—they're happy tears and Il never cry again.” “Lovely houses, made of bricks,” the boy kept murmuring. “Love- ly, lovely bricks—the color of them.” Lakes, trees, street cars, people, houses, grass and shrubs all came in for their share of the delighted attention. It was a great day for two children and the elder blase city folk fell under the spell and saw beauty growing in the ¢lty streets ‘where It never had been seen be- fore \ ¢ Foend WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION ¥ Jey NO D.C. SCHOOL BUDGET NOW BEFORE HOUSE Attitude of Members Seems Very Liberal, and Reduc- tions Appear Improbable. When the House resumed work on the $31,000,000 National Capital supply bill today it took up the big school budget with evident intention of being extremely liberal and” with the expectation that the entire bill will be passed today with no serious cut In the appropriations approved by the appropriations committee. The amendment fathered by Acting Chairman Zihlman of the District legislative committee and by Repre- sentative Willlam A. Ayres of the subcommittee on District appropria- tions, which provides for enlarging the Police Court and authorizing two more judges, will probably be passed without serious opposition. $70,500 for Twe Streets. After the Cramton amendment to {make permanent a $9,000,000 annual contribution as the Federal Govern- ment’s share in the costs of the Na- tional Capital (the other $22,000,000 or more to be paid by District tax- payers) was rejected on a point of order ralsed by Representatives Zihl- man and Chindblom, good progress was made on the bill yesterday after- noon, On the motion of Representative Zihlman $70,500 was added to extend Sixteenth street and Western avenue, both of which were approved by the Budget Bureau. Of this amount $40.- 500 will be used to grade Sixteenth street from Alaska avenue to Kalmia road. The other $30,000 will be used to grade Western avenue between Massachusetts avenue and Forty-first street northwest. The land required for this extension is owned by the District. The appropriations com- mittee withdrew its objections when Representative Zihlman stressed the need for these improvements, Representative Zihlman made an unsuccessful fight to increase the ap- propriation from $430,000 to $500,000 for street cleaning. the extra $100,000 ~ “(Continued on Page 5, Column 1) GERMANY AND RUMANIA FACING ECONOMIC WAR Threat Follows Berlin's Attitude on Settlement of War Finan- cial Situation. By the Associated Pre: BUCHAREST, Rumania, February 7. —An economic war between Rumania and Germany is looked upon in po- litical quarters as a possibility be- cause of Germany's persistent refusal to adopt what Rumania considers a reasonable attitude toward the set- tlement of financial differences re- sulting from the war. A notable in- stance of this is Germany's failure to assume liability for the 2,000,000.- 000 lei issued by the Germans during their occupation of Rumania, which has been redeemed by the Rumanian government. In consequence of the developments Finance Minister Bratiano announces that the Rumanian government is disposed to withdraw the present right of German goods to enter Ru- mania at the so-called conventional tariff rates. Such withdrawal would mean that German imports would pay duties three times higher than those of other countries. The German pre- war exports to Rumania were 65 per cent of Rumania's imports, and the Germans have made rapld strides in the past two years toward regaining a dominant economic hold on the Ru- manian markets. As Rumanian ex- ports to Germany are insignificant it is felt that Germany would be the heavy loser in a tariff war. o 3 BODIES FOUND IN ICE. Missing Mail Boat Located South of Juneau, Alaska. By the Assoclated Press, JUNEAU, Alaska, February 7.— Three bodies, caked in ice and partly covered with snow, were found aboard the gasoline mail boat George Junior, on Admiralty Island, south- west of here yesterday. The boat was reported missing Jdnuary 25. The body of Capt. Nick Bystrom master of the vessel, Was not recov: ered. Three boats were continuing a search for it. The George Junior was last seen leaving Taku harbor for Juneau. It ‘was believed that the vessel founder- o4 Quring a gale in Taku harbor, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, END OF WELL, RECKON 1VE GOT ToDo4 T AETER! ! ALL ! THE WORLD FOR | Longworth Aides Predict Victory | In Speaker Race House Leader Longworth can count on a “rock-bottom™ total of 122 votes in his contest with Chairman Madden of the appropriations committee for Speaker, according to a tabulation made at a conference in his home last evening attended by 30 of his campaign workers. With a total of Republican | votes to be cast, Longworth, with at least 122, his friends claim, iIs certain of election to the Speakership. The tabulation of this vote by States, as reported at the conference, follows: California, 3; Colorado, 2: Connecti- cut, 5; Delaware, 1; Indiana, lbw’.i Kansas, 1; Kentucky, 1: Maine, 3; Maryland, 1; Massachusetts, 7; Michi- gan, 6; Minnesota, 1; Missouri, 4;| Montana, 1; Nevada, 1: New Jersey, 9; | New York, 12; North Dakota, 1; Ohio, | 16; Oklahoma, 2; Oregon Pennsyl- | vania, 16; Rhode Island, 2; Tennessee, 2; Texas, 1: Utah, 1; Vermont, Washington, 2; West Virginla, 2, and | Wyoming, 1. i — THREE DISTRICT BILLS INTRODUCED 2 Reed Presents Measure for Parks, Hospitals and Street Changes. Three District bills were introduced in the House today by Chairmar Reed of the House District committee. One of them authorizes the expenditure of $600,000 to enable the Rock Creek and | Potomac Parkway Commission to complete the acquisition of land re- | quired for a connecting parkway bé- tween Rock Creek Park, the Zoologi- cal Park and Potomac Park. This measure was also introduced the Senate. Another bill provides for protection against fire in hospitals. It prohibits children under 16 years of age or in- valids from sleeping above the first( floor in any hospital not of approved | fireproof construction. It also re quires that within a year all frame buildings used as hospitals should be replaced by fireproof structures. The third bill introducéd by Chair- man Reed authorizes the closing of the park of Thirty-fourth place to make a slight change in the perma- nent system of highway plans of the District. Five Reports Made. Five reports on District measures are made available today. One of these is filed by Representative Ernest Gibson of Vermont, covering the five-year school-building pro- gram for the District, including amendments approved in joint con ference Dbetween the Senate and House committees. These amend- ments cover construction of an eight- room addition to the Burrville School, including a combination gymnasium and assembly hall and the necessary remodeling of the present building. Provision also is made for the pur- chase of land in the vicinity of the (Continued on Page 2, Column 3.) BLAST VICTIMS HURLED THROUGH WALL; 1 DEAD Twenty Are Injured .When Am- monia Tank in Film Laboratory Blows Up—Loss, $2,000,000. By the Associated Press FORT LEE, N. J., February 7.—One man was killed, two were severely in- jured and eighteen were slightly hurt by falling walls after the explosion of an ammonia tank today in the Na- tional Evans Film Laboratories. The explosion followed a fire. Salvatore Joy, a projector. w killed. The explosion practically de- stroyed the two-story plant, which occupled nearly an entire city block. The loss is estimated at nearly two million dollars by Thomas Evans, president of the concern, who said that a number of valuable films stored in the vaults were destroyed. Eigthy employes were on duty. Some of the injured were firemen. Fire Commissioner James Carney and four firemen who were in the building muking sure the fire was ex- tinguished were blown out through the walls when the exp'~ 'on shat- tered the building. Alu._agh hurt, Commissioner Carney refused to leave. He announced that a meeting of the Town Council will be held to- night to Investigate the cause of the fire and explosion. in | ed | night as acting postmistress and she ny Star. 1925 —TWENTY-EIGHT PAGES. HIM. POSTMASTER GONE AND§1,9500 MISSING Inspector Finds Floor of| Arlington Office Littered With Undelivered Mail. Paul master D. Marye, ,23-year-old post- of Arlington, Va, i being sought by postal inspectors on a charge of embezzling approximately $1,500 in stamps and cash from the mails, it was announced today by Chief Postal Inspector F. G. Bar- clay of this district. The Arlington station, located in a store bullding on Columbia pike, near Fort Myer, has been closed to all but those having urgent business, pend- ing an investigation of the office by Postal Inspector William H. Moore. A notice posted at the office states that “due to an unusual condition ob- taining at this_office, business will not be fesumeéd until it Is possible to afford the public at Arlington, Va., good service, which it is expected will be Monday, February 9, 1925. It is requested that the public here co- operate with the Post Office Depart- ment by being patient until hat time.” Mall Scattered on £ Attention of the Post Office Depart- ment was attracted to the ‘‘unusual condition” at the Ariington post office Thursday, Inspector Barclay stated, when inspectors found the office de- serted and literally bushels of unde- livered letters and packages scatter- in confusion on the floor. Much of the mail bore dates several weeks back, he said. A search for Post- master Marye at his home, about a mile away, in Barcroft, Va., disclosed that he had disappeared. Inspectors found, after a hasty scrutiny of accounts, that about §1,500 in stamps and currency were missing also. Mre. Daniel Watson of Arlington was sworn in Thursday will be in charge when the post office reopens. Inspector Barclay declared that the undelivered mail in the office was in such a condition that it will take some time to sort it for delivery. Marye had been postmaster at Ar- lington-since last September. Before that he had served for several years in the Navy. He was well known in Arlington County, having resided there most of his life. BRITISH GIVE VIEWS ON DEBTS TO PARIS Delayed Scheme Asking Debtors to Equal Total London Pays U. S. Is Hinted. By the Associated Pres: LONDON, February 7.—A note out- lining the British views on the allied debts has been sent to Paris in reply to Finance Minister Clementel's questionnalre to Winston Churchill, chancellor of the exchequer, asking for an interpretation of the applica- tlon of the Balfour declaration of 1922 to the present circumstances. What the British treasury experts endeavored to work out for the bene- fit of the cabinet members who draft- ed the note was a delayed scheme which would bring in annually from the British debtors exactly the same amount of money as England is pay- Ing yearly to the United States. It is “From Press to Home Within the Hour” The Star’s carrier system covers every ciiy block and the regular edi- | today Yesterday's tion is delivered to Washington homes as fast as the p2pers are printed. Circulation, 103,776 Ed Chicago Traffic Halted as Dense Fog Blankets City By the Associated Pres CHICAGO, February 7.—One of the densest fogs in the memory of trafic managers blanketed Chica- go from midnight untli dawn to- ! day, holding all transportation virtually at a standstill. One taxicab company which pre- viously had operated full strength under all weather conditions, i cluding 20 below zero cold, dis- continued service because of the peril of collisions. Street cars and elevated trains moved at a snall's pace, and no attempt was made 10 maintain schedules. Powerful headlights on suburban trains penetrated only a few feet Hundreds of motorists left cars parked, rather than attempt to drive them. Police automobile squads feared robbers would take advantage of the fog, but few reports of crime were received. A man who shot two others probably fatally wounding one, escaped in the fog. WORLD GOES ON; ROWENITES SPLIT Defection Develops, Butl Some Still Cling to Faith | That End Is Near. ! | Failure of the sign of the coming | of the last judgment to appear thus | far resulted in a weakening of the| faith todav among some of Washing- ton’s Rowenites, while others held | firmer than ever to the conviction | that the end impends and that the | sign is being withheld for a short time as a test of the faith. i With the world going on. first in- dication of departures from the ranks of the reformers was seen at 6102 Third street northwest today, where | Isaac Cramer, son of Mr. and Mrs. A. | A. Cramer, heretofore among the foremost in the movement, announced that his father and mother had vir- tually given up hope for the coming. Mrs. Cramer had admitted substan- tially that hope for the coming was | unfounded and, according to the son, | Mr. Cramer apparently agreed with | her. Meanwhile Joseph T. Hickman of 312 D street northeast and Mrs. Eliza- | beth Mendenhall, who was at the same addrgss, remained as strong | in the falth as their leader, | Brother Edmund Alpin, who is in-| | fense in the belief that the failire | of the sign thus far to appear is| merely a test. | Sees End This Month. “The end will come before month is over,” Mrs. Mendenhall, who gave up a position of typist at the ‘War Department with a stipend of $1,680 annually to put all her time and finances into spreading the “mes- sags,” said today. ““We are sure that before the end of the month either the visible sign will appear or the persecutions which were predicted will begin. We are strong in the faith and ready to stand for the per- secutions. We have seen no sign as | vet, but this does not mean a loss of | faith to us.” | the i Mr. Hickman, who gave up approxi- | mately $2,400 a year in the Navy De-| partment to spread the message, and who sold all his possessions to put funds into printing and distributions of pamphlets, last night entertained | a group of half a dozen at his home awaiting the sign, pro- fessed having found no reason for| weakening his conviction in the fail- | ure to observe the sign. He held that | persons might not have attained the | clarity of vision necessary for sight| of the sign. He said that he anticipated persecu- tions, but that the great event was jbtln( looked forward to with great oy. Believes He in Tested. There was a dramatic scene in front/ of the little garage which is the abode of Brother Alpin in Takoma Park last night. Groups of young people, with a sprinkling of older folks. put in an appearance about| midnight to be shown the sign. Brother Alpin took his stand in| tront of the door and pointed to the east. “There is where to look for the sign,” he said. “It will come fr(\m" the east. But if 1 don't see the sign| tonight and if I don't see it all week, | 1 will not lose the faith. The Lord | may simply be testing us.” “For 120 years,” the leader said, “Noah labored at the ark, preaching | the destruction of the world and at| the end of that time the scoffers| Jeered at him and laughed. When the sign of the flood did not come on the | first day they polnted to his preach- | ing and sald it was unfounded. In fact it was seven days before the flood came and then it was too late for the | Tebels against God to be saved. | “He may withhold his sign for seven days again, and then his com- ing will be so swift and sudden that scoffers will perish before they have time to repent of their acts. 1 will| remain firm.” Those outside of the band claim that February 6 was set as the defi- nite date when the proof would be forthcoming. February 6, they say, has come.and gone and there is no left to France to work out her own specific proposals for her payments to this country. Forces of Coast Guard Mobilized ; To Curb Moves By the Associated Preas. N NEW YORK, February 7.—Sev- eral dozen Government craft, in- cluding picket boats. Coast Guard cutters and small speed boats, are on watch off the New Jersey coast to prevent the smuggling of liquor from the largest rum fleet assem- bled off shore in a yea The liquor flest was last report- ed 42 miles off the Jersey coast, slowly moving northward. A rusty old steamer of about 3,000 tons led the procession. Trailing here were smaller steamers, freshly painted in battleship gray; several schoon- ers and a converted yacht, about a dozen in all. Cases of ll& or were 'p:hd high on the decks of some of proof. Rowenites state that the sign was to come after midnight of Feb-| (Continued on Page of Big Rum Fleet Thelr decks cleared for action, the Government vessels kept at a distance of a few miles. On shore a new land patrol was inaugurated with motor cars manned y armed guardsmen to chase bootleggers should any of the liquor be smug- gled through the tightening line of Government boats. The shore patrol covers 38 miles from Seaside Park to High- land Beach, N. J. Supt. Rasmus- sen of the Coast Guard station at Asbury Park, who is in (harge of the patrol, said that is would be possible, on 20 minutes’ notice, to communicate with any. one of the patrol cars and order it to meet smugglers anywhere in his Jurisdiction. { in mind who these officers are. TWO CENTS. MITCHELL UNJUST, SUPERGILIOUS, SAYS WEEKS, IN ANSWER War Secretary Says Great- est Military Figures Criti- cized Unfairly by General. REAPPOINTMENT TO AWAIT AIRCRAFT PROBE’S END Capt. A. W. Johnson Says Army Man's Testimony at Vari- ance With Facts. Making his first public statement regarding the row that has centered about Brig. Gen. Mitchell, assistant chief of the Army Alr Service, Secre- tary Weeks today declared that those who disagree with Gen. Mitchell had been the targets for unjust and supercilious” criticism. Before passing judgment, the Sec- retary sald, it would be well for the country to remember that the oppo- nents of the Mitchell air policies in- cluded Gen. Pershing and many of the other great figures of the American war Army “It is incredible,” Weeks, “that thes wish to take any course relating to the development of the Air Service which would not be for the best inter- est of the future defense of the United States.” continued Mr officers should Capt. Johnson en Stand. The War Secretary’s statement was issued while the House aircraft com- mittee was being told by Capt. A. W Johnson, assistant chief of Naval Alr Service, that some of Gen. Mitchell's most sweeping statements to the com- mittee about the results of joint Army-Navy maneuvers could not be substantiated by the facts. In an indirect reference to the gen- eral's charge that officers are “afrald to tell the truth” for fear of discl pline, Capt. Johnson said he had asked Secretary Wilbur whether there would be objection to giving the committes certain official correspondence, and the Secretary had replied: “Tell everything you know Reappointment Not Touched. Secretary Weeks did not touch rectly in his statement on the qu tion of Gen. Mitchell's reappointment. as assistant chief of the Air Service, which is being held in abeyvance while the War Department head examines the general's explanation of his con- duct. The general's assignment to his present post expires next month, and unless he is reappointed he will Teturn to the rank of colonel. 1t was with reluctance, Mr. Weeks said, that he had decided to make any statement pending a final de- cision on the case of Gen. Mitchell, but félt he could no longer remain silent in justice to other officers of the Army. “I have noted that thers is a tend- ency on the part of some newspapers and men in public life to be critical of the officers actively connected with the management of the Army and to refer to them in rather opprobrious terms,” the Secretary said. “It is well for the country to keep Very largely they are the men who com- manded the American Armles in France during the World War in such a manner as to bring everlasting glory to the American Army and the American people. di- Pershing Heads List. “First and foremost is Gen. Persh- ing, the distinguished commander of the Amerfcan expeditionary force, who has just recentiy been relieved as chief of staff; Gen. Harbord, the distinguished chief of staff of the American expeditionary force; Gen. Hines, the present chief of staff, who is one of the finest commanders of combat troops ever developed in the | history of our country, and his sub- ordinates, every one of whom had an active and important part in the fighting on the other side, and who made good in every position in which they were placed. Now they are as devoted to the service and {ts future as men can be submit that it is unwise and un- to subject such men to super- oillious _criticism. Naturally and necessarily they know about the ac- tivities of the alr service on the other side. It is simply incredible that these officers, based on their long experi- ence, should wish to take any course relating to the development of the air servics, which would not be for the best interests of the future de- fense of the United States.” Appointment to Go Ove: Secretary Weeks has indicated that he planned to make no decision re garding Gen. Mitchell's reappointment until the House inquiry was com- pleted, but Representative Perkins, Republican, New Jersey, the aircraft committee examiner, said today he expected the hearings to be prolonged considerably, in view of recent de- velopments. Gen. Mitchell's appoint- ment expires March 26. With his authority from Secretary Wilbur to “t=1l the committee all that vou know,” Capt. Johnson today, be- fore the committee, pronounced af “gbsolutely Incorrect” statements by Gen. Mitchell relating to the 1921 bombing experiments. Capt. Johnson who was in charge of all aircrafl activities in the target practice on the German ships at that time, also declared that Gen. Mitchell violated printed instructions to which the Army had agreed Pointing to an article in the Satur- day Evening Post by Gen. Mitchell that one of the small bombs drepped by the Army on the target had ex- ploded and wrecked the condensers on another ship a mile and a half away, so that it had to limp into port at three knots, Capt. Johnson read a letter he sent to Secretary. Wilbur, who, after reading Gen. Mitchell's account, asked for an ex- planation. The facts in the case wer: Capt. Johnson said that when ths homb was dropped the Shawmut, tha flagship, was 1,300 yards away. Fif- teen minutes after the bomb exploded the submarine, which had been at- tacked, sank and an Army plane fell into the sea. The Shawmut rushed to the rescue at full speed, Capt. Johnson sald, and, after bringins the pilot aboard, the engineer officer requested permission to stop the ship and examine the con- densers, thinking that some damage had been done by the bomb's explo- sion. Upon examination by Capt. (Coflm)L just