Evening Star Newspaper, February 10, 1925, Page 1

L WEATHER. (U. S. Weather Bureau Forecast.) settled, probable rains; tomorrow afternoon or night. Temperatures: Highest, 67, at 4 p.m. vesterday; lowest, 53, at 11 p.m. yester- day. Full report on page 2, colder No Entered as secol 929 505 29,505, Ente office, Wa Closing N. Y. Stocks and Bonds, Page 22 nd class matter shington, D. C. BULK OF INAUGURAL FUNDS ARE CUT OFF INEGONOMY MOVE Yielding to President’s De- sire, Plans for Display on March 4 Are Curtailed. BADGE APPROPRIATION ONLY ITEM RETAINED Taking of Oath and Parade oflr 7.000 Troops Will Mark Total of | Exercises Beginning Term. At the request of William T. Galliher, the Washington Inaugural | committee today rescinded all of the | appropriations it had set aside for the celebration of inauguration day next March 4, and unanimou: adopted a policy of strict econom Yeeping with the repeatedly ex- pressed wishes of President Coolidge. As a result plans for the creation of a beautiful court of honor in front of Lafayette square, to cost 328,000, were abolished; the display of fire- works in the evening has been per- manently canceled, and even an appropriation of $230 to cover the expenses of the committee on his- toric sites has been rescinded. The only appropriation that was permitted to remain intact was one for $430 to cover the expenses of huying gold badges for the President and Vice President, and bronze insignia for the members of the in- augural cofamittee. It was made Pplain. however, that there probably Will be no badges distributed either. Formal Service Only Left. Briefly, the official celebration that I* to attend the inauguration of President Coolidge and Vice Presi- dent Dawes has narrowed down to the formal aaministraticn of the oath on the east steps of the Capitol, and ® procession consisting of 7,000 troops and a number of State gov ernors, requiring about an hour to pass any given point. In asking the committee 1o rescind its action or several weeks ago, Mr. Galliher declared that ne felt himself | chligated to make the requast. He! pointed out that patriotic Washing- ton business men and public-spirited waomen had contributed unstintingly to the guarantee fund of $100,000, de- spite repeated statements from unoffi- cial sources that muci: of it probably would never be returned. Deprived of the revenue that used to be derived from an official inaug- ural ball and with the military pro- cession cut to a size that would not justify adequate prices for seats in the grandstands, Mr. Galliher frankly admitted that he could see no means of raising enough money to guar- antee a return of this loan to the people of Washington, and that, un- der the circumstances, he did not feel justified in making expenditures that had been previously planned. Court of Honor Discarded. | The first plan to be erased was that for a luxurious court of honor, in the center of which the President would yeview the passing military parade. An appropriation of $15,000 for the stands and $10,000 for decorations had Dbeen voted for this purpose. but Mr.| Galliher never permitted it to be! “drawn from the funds. Next came the $3.000 appropriation for fireworks | and finally the $250 for the commit- tee on historic sites, which were the only three made thus far. The committee will raise no objec- tion to the construction of public re- viewing stands on Pennsylvania ave- nue by private concerns. It has a number of choice reservations which | it will rent to any responsible con-} cessionaire, but the only stand to be built in the site of the proposed court of honor will be one for the President | and his personal party. Chairs for 25| persons will be placed in the stand. but | fts capacity can be raised to 50, if| necessary. May Lease Stand Reservations. Mr. Galliher explained that the| committee on reviewing stands w meet at the Willard Hotel Thursday and take up the question of leasing reservations to persons who wish to erect private stands. “The com- mittee in each Instance, however,” he declared, “will point out that the | parade as now planned will be short | and that prices for seats should be gauged accordingly.” “This meeting has been called,” Mr. Galliher began, immediately after Col. Fred A Fenning, secretary to the committee, had read the minutes of the previous meeting, at which all of the appropriations were author- {zed, “to present to you some matters that have developed since last’ we gathered. 1 shall ask you to take definite action on the matters I am about to present “I'rom information obtained from the War Department, it has developed that the parade to be held on March 4 will be able to pass any given point in possibly 45 minutes. Certainly it will not require more than an hour| at the most. With this in mind, your advisory committee decided that it would not be justified in building a | court of honor, with stands that would have to bring $3, $4 or $5 a seat, for so short a parade. Asks Appropriations Rescinded. “Neither do we feel that it would be suitable to disburse $3,000 for fire- works and $250 for the committee on historic sites. We are obliged, there- fore, to ask this inaugural committee to rescind all of the appropriations heretofore authorized with the single exception of that allowed the com- mittee on badges.” Without a word of debate, the com- mlittee unanimously adopted a resolu- tion blotting out in a few minutes virtually all of the work that had required long hours to accomplish. As a result the inaugural committee is left for the present with nothing to do but arrange detalls for the short parade. The joint congressional com- mittee will handle all arrangements for the administration of the oath of office at the Capitol, including the oonstruction of a large stand there. It is probable that the space where the stands in the court of honor would have been erected will be occu- pied by disabled veterans of the World War, gathered from all of the hospitals in-and around Washington. Chairman Owens of the court of honor committes made a motion that chairs for the veterans be placed along the Coolidge Planning Brief Address at Inaugural Rites The President March 4 will de- liver 4 comparatively brief in- augupal address. At least it is his Intention to do so. He has started the draft of his address, and he follows out his present inten- tion it will compare in brevity to the one delivered by Grover Cleve- land at his first Inaugural, which’ did not require more than about 12 minutes to deliver. Having heard about the brevity of Cleveland's first inaugural address, the President re- cently obtained a copy of it, and, discussing the subject with friends, he sald that it was a very ex- cellent paper and he could not see how it could be Improved on by extending its length. He re- alizes, however, that there are many more _activities of impor- tance in the Nation today, and that as a result events develop rapid- ly and ideas arise constantly, all of which tend to prompt the ex- ecutive to a leng paper. DISCREDIT PLEDGE OF CABINET POST President’s Friends See Only Inconsistency in Story From lowa. Two developments of the last few days have served to revive interest in the appointment of a Secretary of Agri- culture to succeed Secretary Gore, who retires March 4. One is a story of a campaign promiee that Iowa should have a determining volce in the selection of the agricultural member of the cab- inet, and the other the springing of a vigorously backed boom for Representa- tive L. J. Dickinson of Iowa for the sec retaryship. | Charles E. Hearst, president of the Towa Farm Bureau Federation, who Is now in Washington, is given as au- thority for the story of the campalgn promise. It is reputed to have been given late in the campaign, when there was talk that lowa would go over- whelmingly for La Follette. Secretary Wallace had just died, and there Is said to have been a report that a Massachu- Setts man was to be selected to suc- ceed him. Story of Telephome Talk. This inspired Chairman Burnquist of | the Iowa Republican committee, accord- ing to the tale. to call up National Chairman Butler to protest and to de- mand that a man should be selected who would “carry out the policles in- augurated by Secretary Wallace, and who would be satisfactory to Midwest agriculture.” Mr. Burnquist, according to_the story, was switched from Chair- man Butler's office to “the White House in Washington,” where the pledge is said to have been made that the condi- tions laid down by the Iowa chairman would be met. The story finds little credence among friends of the President or those who know his attitude toward such matters as pre-election pledges regarding appointments to office. They do not believe the President himself would have authorized such a pledge or that, had it been made by some one ‘without his authority, he would feel himself bound by it. Inconsisténcy Is Cited. .In the first place, a pleadge that a Secretary would be appointed who would carry out the policies inaugurated by Secretary Wallace would have been utterly inconsistent with the Presi-| dent’s known views. Probably the most conspicuous of Mr. Wallace's policies was support of the McNary- Haugen bill for the artificial increase of farm produce prices through a Fed- eral export commission financed by funds from the United States Treas- ury. The President oppesed this measure at the time of its advocacy by Secretary Wallace and has subse- quently on seyeral occasions declared himself against any such economic policy. His friends do not believe he would call to his cabinet a man who held conflicting views on so funda- mental a question, and they do not believe, of course, that he would au- thorize the making of any promise so manifestly impossible of fulfiliment. For the same reason, those who know the President’s views indicate that they are unable to take seri- ously the boom for Representative Dickinson, which seems, it fs sug- gested, to owe its revival largely to the fact that he was Mr. Coolidge's (Continued on Page 2, Column 5.) = FRANCE TO SEEK TRIAL IN 500-YEAR-OLD CASE Society Formed to Ask Hearing for Baron de Rais, Companion 1 of Joan of Arec. By Cable to The Star and New York World. PARIS, February 10.—Baron Gilles de Rals, marshal of France and com- panion in arms of Joan of Arc, is.to get a new trial. A society for his defense has formally applied to the appellate court to hear their petition. The baron was accused 500 vears ago of killing §00 children in order to placate the devil and obtain gold. After the death of his leader the, baron had retired to his estate near Nantes and was supposed to be an alchemist, but the society has dis- covered there is a vein of gold under his chateau and it wants the courts to pronounce formally that Baron Gilles got his money by working this @b WASHINGTON, D. C | times a minute, la vein. (Copyright, 1925.) Failure of Russian Crops Brings Fears of Acute By the Associated Press. MOSCOW, February 10.—With the failure of this year's crops the ques- tion of providing flour for Russia's millions of population Is giving the Soviet government Increasing con- cern. Renewed orders are being placed abroad to meet the acute shortage of grain at home. With the exception of the Caucasus area, Russia had an unusually mild and irregular Winter this year, affecting crops adversely. The absence of snow and molisture has caused large sowing areas to eurb opposite the President's review- IContinued on Fage .2, Column,2.)’ perish. . 4t was announced today.at & meet- OLLINSSTILLLIVES, RESPIRATION TESTS DECLARED 70 SHOW Experimenters Record 14 or 15 Breaths a Minute Over Wire to Cave. SHAFT IS NOW 38 FEET DOWN TOWARD VICTIM Witness at Military Inquiry Gives Direct Proof Story of En- tombment Is True. By the Associated Press. | CAVE CITY Ky, February 10— Another amplifier test today con- | vinced experimenters that Floyd Col- lins still breathed in his Sand Cave prison. Respiration is about 14 or 15 it was indicated. The military court of inquiry in- vestigating circumstances surround- ing the imprisonment and rescue work of Floyd Collins in Sand Cave ad- journed shortly after noon until 3 p.m. after hearing two witne More testimony was in prospect when the session was to be resumed. William B. Miller, reporter for the Courfer-Journal at Louisville, and B. Fishback, a farmer, were heard during the two-hour morning session. Hoax Rumor Is Refuted. Their testimony was to the effect that rumors speculating on whether Collins still was in the cave were false and that threats of danger to | the reporter in his cave rescue ef- forts were delivered by friends, not enemies, seeking to warn him of the hazardous undertaking in which he was engaged. H A depth estimated at more than 38 feet had been reached in the shaft at Sand Cave at 10:15 a.m. today. Rescu- ers continued thelr efforts to reach the | cave prisoner, but spectators had | largely moved 1o Cave City, where the preliminary of the military | court of inquiry were being conducted. “I arrived at Cave City about 9 o'clock on the morninz of February 2, said Miller, in opening his story “I went directly to the hotel and made inquiry as to whether the man had been gotten out of the cave or not. “I then proceeded to the cave, where I found six or eight men! standing around the outside, and two | boys were also there. There were altogether about 15 men in and around the cave. - T met Homer and Marshall Collins, brotbers of the en- tombed man, Floyd Collins. They came up out of the cave entrancé | and Homer sald he had fed his brother. “On the way out to the cave I met Columbus Doyel, brother of B.Doyel, who owns the property on which the cave entrance is located. “I went down in the hole with Columbus Doyel, who directed the way. He stopped at a narrow pass- age where it was too hard for him to get through, and I proceeded far- ther by worming my way down on my stomach. Went Down Head First. | sessions “I went down through the passage | head first until, without realizing it, I was right on top of Floyd. I had begun calling when about 10 feet from him and receiving only a grunt for an answer. “Before I realized it I had slipped down the chute. All I could see was Floyd's head covered with an ofl- cloth, which was wet.” At this point Miller was asked whether at this time he had received any information from persons who had already been in to Collins. He said he had been told that Collins had been fed Saturday evening and | also that John Jerald had been dig- ging around the prisoner. “Oh, you and the stone are hurting me,” were the first words Miller heard from Collins, Miller said. This came when | he slipped down the chute onto the! prisoner. He lifted the cover from Colling' face and Collins asked him| to put it back to protect him from the fall of dripping water. Asked About Detalls. At this point Miller was asked to! describe in detail conditions at the point where Collins was found. “There are,” said Miller, “no pools of water, but a constant seepage. I was unable to see his feet, I could see as far down as his chest, but could not tell how much of his body was covered below that point. “A large stone arches over his breast with only about two inches clearance. I just got my hand under the stone and over his chest. I-car- ried a flashlight, but, was unable to see beneath this stone. Floyd said he was cold. I believe it is colder inside the cave than outside. In ad- dition the seeping water wets any one who goes in, causing them to feel cold. “On this, my first trip, I remained near Collins about half an hour. I believed the case to be hopeloss from | what I saw and returned to the sur- face. Made Second Trip. | “My next trip was made about 5:30 | o'clock that afternoos. Homer Col- lins, " brother of Floyd, went in first. 1 was second and Lieut. Robert Bur- don, Louisville Fire Department, was third. There were others back of (Continued on Page 2, Column 2.) Shortage of Food ing of the government's central executive committee that Russia had spent 70,000,000 gold rubles in providing the population with sowing material for the next harvest, extend- ing loans to prevent the population from selling livestock and for the revictualization of children. It was stated that no definite fore- cast could be made regarding the prospects for the coming crops, but there were indications that some Winter sowing must be resown in the early Spring, and the government has assigned 100,000,000 .pounds of sowing wheat for this purpose. Radio Programs—Page 38: ¢ b WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION TUESDAY, NEW ARREST DUE INSTUDENT DEATHS Ohio Prosecutor Has Fresh- man Held for Quizzing in Poison Capsule Case. By the Ascociated Press COLUMBUS, Ohio, February 10— Arrest of another Ohio State Univer- sity student in connection with the poisoning of two students was fore- cast today by Prosecutor Chester. He said evidence had been found against a student who previously had testi- fied before the Investigators. Authorities are said to have found a small quantity of narcotics and poisons in the suspect’s room. Prosecutor Chester sald he had in- vestigated the story previously told by the student and had found that it did not check in several instances. He would not say when the student would be questioned further or when he might be arrested. Freshman First Arrest. Louis Fish, 19, freshman in the college of pharmacy at Ohio State University, was the first student ar- rested and was held in city jall here for further questioning by Prosecutor Chester following his ad- mission last night that without per- mission he had dispensed poison cap- sules to David 1. Puskin. a fellow student, which caused his death. Fish was held incommunicado. Fish, while admitting he failed to tell all he knew of the facts on first being questioned, denied he put poi- | son in the capsule bottle. Puskin, | Fish told the city prosecutor, was his “best friend.” His willingness to do a favor for Puskin, Fish saild he now realizes, caused the latter's death. At the re- quest of Puskin, he sald, he entered the pharmacy dispensary to get “a couple of capsules that wouldn't be missed,” although Puskin had a pre- scription for the capsules in his pos- session. The capsules normally cost 20 cents. Fish Had Been Questioned. Fish, the first student to be ques- tioned last Wednesday when the po- lice inquiry into the poisonings be- gan, was also one of the firat two students who were on duty in the dispensary during the week when the poison capsules were dispensed. With his partner, a Cleveland student, he was on duty there from 9 to 10 am., Monday, January 26. With the questioning of students and instructors completed, further inquiry into the poisonings was transferred today from the university campus to police headquarters. ' PARENTS STAND BY FISH. Were Told of His Part in Dis- pensary Case, They Say. By the Associated Prese. CANTON, Ohjo, February 10.—Mr. and Mrs. David Fish of Canton, par- ents of Louis Fish, Ohio State Uni- versity, who is being detained in Co- lumbus for further questioning in connection with the poisoning of stu- dents, said that their son told them about his part in the affair when he was home last week. “He told us not to worry; that he had two witnesses,” they said. The parents expressed the opinion that Fish's story was told to protect an- other student. They announced that an attorney would be retained to de- fend their son. Fish's friends here say he has a good reputation. e PISTOL CURB PROPOSED. CHICAGO, February 10.—Enactment of a law making it a crime to pos- sess a revolver without a license will be urged before the Illinois legisla- ture, Judge John R. Caverly, who pre- sided at the trial of Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb, has ennounced. The proposed law would make it a misdemeanor to possess concealed weapons and a felony in the case of any one previously convicted of crime. —— RITES FOR MRS. TICHENOR Funeral services for Mrs. Mary H. Tichenor, 89 years old, who died at her residence, 1311 M street, Sunday, will be held at the residence tomor- row morning, at 10:30 o’clock. Rev. Dr. Charles Wood, pastor of the Church of the Covenant. will officiate. Interment will be in Arlington Ceme- tery. Mrs. Tichenor was the widow of Col. Isaac S. Tichenor, who was for ering many years prominent in Masonic cir- cles here. She has been a resident of this_ocity nearly 60 years, °Your AIm; ’ CHARACTER SOy BUILDING AN Star. FEBRUARY 10, 1925—THIRTY-FOUR PAGES. D §3 CITIZENSHIF, e TRAINING /3 0 < r&mns . MY Crsdls AS WELL! OY Votes for Women Main Issue Raised | In Belgian Election By the Associ BRUSSELS, February 10.—-Wom- an suffrage is to be the mfain issue of elections for Parliament on April 5. The question has caused the government to decide to dis- solve Parliament at the end of this month or a month prior to the expiration of the terms of the members, The Catholic deputies, allied with 21 Soclallsts, favor granting women the suffrage in provincial elections, while the Liberals and the bulk of the Socialists are op- posed. Since the Chamber is %o equally divided on the duestion and since the Liberal members of the cabinet refuse to collaborate with their Catholic and Conserva- tive colleagues on imatters thay consider outside the program of the present Liberal-Catholic coali- tion, there was no way out but to appeal to the country. ed Pres: —_— INSURGENT QUITS “BLOC” IN HOUSE Sinclair Returns to G. 0. P. Fold—Lampert Reported Ready to Follow Suit. } | { A break in the ranks of the La Follette insurgents in the House de- veloped today, Representative Sinclair of North Dakota announcing that he proposed to attend the Republican caucus to be held February Some House members were inform- ed that Representative lampert of | Wisconsin also would bolt the in-| curgent bloc to cast his lot with organization Republicans. Sinclair and Lampert both are| among those 12 members whom Re- publican leaders had decided to bar from the caucus, called to elect a candidate for Speaker and a floor leader. Lampert is chairman of the patents | committee and of the committee in- vestigating the aireraft industry. Sinclair is a member of the agricul-' ture committee. Both would lose their committee places if excluded from the Republican caucus. The grounds for barring the insur- gents from Republican councils was that they campaigned against Presi- dent Coolidze in States other than their own. Sinclair and Lampert in- sist they did not do so. Several Republican leaders predicted that if Sinclair, Lampert. or any other insurgent would assure the Repub- licans that they had not been active in opposition to the Republican na- tional ticket, and were willing to ablde by decisions of the organization caucus, they probably would be per- mitted to take part in the meetings. oL NEWS PRINT INK RATE DISCUSSION RENEWED Railroads in Reply to Publishers Ask Adoption of Report Recently Made by Examiner. Replying to the contentions of at- torneys for the Washington Publish- ers’ Association in the cases before the Interstate Commerce Commission involving alleged overcharges on shipment of news print ink to Wash- ington, attorneys for the railroads today asked the commission to adopt an examiner's report on his findings in the cas The cases were brought at the in- stance of the Washington Publishers’ Association, alleging overcharge and seeking reparation, and a report by Examiner Fleming was made public several months ago. L CHILD. HURT BY AUTO. Five-Year-Old Girl Severely 'In- jured in Accident in Northeast. ‘Virginia Cannon, 5 vears old, of 644 Morton street northeast, was severely injured when struck by an automobile near her home early this afternoon, She was taken to Casualty Hospital, ‘where physicians stated she was suf- fering severely from shock and from serious. Injuries, | House | announced | There | House lout the reported wish of the Presi- SCOUTS OF AMERICA. EXPECT FAILURE OF D.C. RENTBILL Leaders See No Chance of Measure Passing Present Congress. The District rent bill has a very slight chance of being passed at this| session of Congress, in spite of the fact that Representative James Begg #f Ohio while at the White House that President Coolidge was very anxious that this measure should be promptly passed. House leaders are known to be not at all friendly to this legislation, and unless additional influence is brought to hear they will not exert them- selves to give it privileged status. is little or mo chance of it being passed on the next District day, February 23, part of which at least will be taken over for Washing- ton birthday exercises. The District reat bill can hardly be pased except under a special rule, and the present temper of the rules committee is not to grant such a rule. | House leaders have grave doubts whether the President was quite as forceful in his insistence that this legizlation should be passed as some people have been led to believe. If Representative Begg, who is ex- pected to handle the District rent bill on the floor, although he is not a member of the House District com- mittee, which reported this bill, and leaders were anxious to carry dent, the District rent bill have Leen taken up today. The House adopted a resolution making today a suspention day, when the Speaker ‘could recognize any mem- ber and when any bill could be pass- ed in 40 minutes. t There will be bitter opposition to the District rent bill, especially the pro- posal to continue the life of the Rent Commission for 2 years. This opposi- tion wiil be Thomzs L. Blanton, Democrat, of Texas, who expresses confidence that “the rent bill will not be passed.” would COOLIDGE WILL SPEAK AT TWIN CITIES’ FETE Minneapolis and St. Paul Celebra- tion, June 8, Will Mark Norse- American Centennial President Coolidge will speak June 8 at the celebration in St. Paul and Minneapolis of the Norse-American centennial. Acceptance of the invitation ex- tended the President several weeks ago by the Minnesota congressional delegation and officers of the centen- nial committee was announced today by Representative Kvale, Independent, Minnesota, and Dr. Giste Bothne of the University of Minnesota, after a further conference on the matter with the Executive. The celebration, which marks the one-hundredth anniversary of the landing of the first Norweglan set- tlers in America in 1825, will be held June 6 to 9 at the Minnesota State Fair Grounds between St. Paul and Minneapolis. The invitation is the first involving a trip from Washington during the Summer that Mr. Coolidge has ac- cepted and will take him for the first time since he entered the White House. into the Northwestern States. CROWN PRINCE OF SIAM IS CLAIMED BY DEATH By the Associated Press. BANGKOK, February 10.—Prince Chao Fa Asdang Tejavudh, heir pre- sumptive to the Siamese threne, is dead. Prince Asdang, who was born May 12, 1889, was made helr presumptive through a ruling in November, 1910. This ruling was that, until the new King Rama VI, had male issue, the succession would p: mptively P! the line of the Queen moth- er's. zons. Three Placed on Retired List. Capt. ‘Allen H. Platt, 12th Field Artillery, and First Lieut. Morton D. Adams, Coast Artillery Corps, have been placed on the retired list of the Army on account of disabilities in- cident to the service. Staff Sergt. George D. Gruninger, 12th Infantry, at Fort Howard, Md.. Bas been retired om ‘aceount of age. “From Press to Home Within the Hour” The Star’s carrier system covers every city block and the regular edi- tion is delivered to Washington homes led by Representative | Yesterday's as fast as the papers are printed. Circulation, 104,300 * 15 Armed Men Rob | Chicago WarehouseE Of $12,000 in Wine| By the Associated Press. CHICAGO, February 10.—Fifteen | armed men in five automobiles | early today raided a Chicago, Mil- waukee and St. Paul Rallroad Co. warchouse here and escaped with 46 barrels of port wine after they forced Dan Kelleher, warehouse engineer, to assist them. The wine was valued at $12,000 and was the property of the Ital- fan Vineyard Co. Six of the ring leaders of the robber band invaded the warehouse shortly before midnight. The en- gineer told the police there were a number of men outside. The engineer was bound before the robbers departed but he told the police that he freed himself. DENIES CENSORING * OF ARITNESSES House Committee Declares No Evidence of Restraint | Has Been Found. | Taking a hand in the aircraft con- | troversy, the House naval committee | today unanimously adopted a reso-| lution declaring that, so far as its| members knew, no naval officers had ever appeared before it under any) restraint whatsover from the Navy| Department The resolution was adopted at the i suggestion of Representative Britten, Republican, Illinois, who called at-| tention to testimony of Brig. Gen. Mitchell of the Army Air Service be- fore the House aircraft committee | and to a statement by Representative Perkins, Republican, Iilinois, the air- | craft committee’s examiner, that| three naval officers had asked to be ! excused from testifying because of a fear of discipline. | { At the =amc time President Cool-| lidge's opposition to a unified Air| | Service was reiterated today at the| White House. The President believes that aviation should be developed as {an auxiliary arm of the national de- ! | fense by the Army and Navy acting| | separately and that unification would | i be counter to the present policy of | | national defense. Chairman Butler of the naval com- mittee, who phrased the resolution, | declared that in all his congressional jexpex’lenre he had never known a| | naval Secretary who had attempted | | to dictate what naval officers should | | say before congressional committees. ‘The resolution pointed out that fre- qently sharp differences of opinion amcng naval officers as to policy had beeu disclosed by tesimony, Indicac- | ing that they were speaking thei: minds. Will Quiz Ex-Service Men. Tpon the resumption of sessions the aircraft committee plans to ques- {-ion aviaters with World War expe | rience who are not now in govern {mental service, and their testimony. | Mr. Lampert believes, will round out | ull phases of the aircraft industry to be surveyed by the committee. { Chairman Lampert of the aircraft’ committee announced today that he { hoped to bring to an early conclusion | that committee's inquiry into the air- | ! craft situation. He indicated that he did | not favor going into all the various side issues raised during the hearings. Mr. Lampert said it was “impossible to tell what the committee would recommend in regard to unification of | the air services,” but that committee members -seemed unanimous “that a | strong recommendation should be made to aid commercial aviation.” POTOMAC F Rain | i i | | i i ! i 1 i | | i { LOOD FEARED. | and Melting Snow Cause| Steady Rise. | Special Dispatch io The Star, | HAGERSTOWN, Md.. February 10.— The Potomac River. already out of its | banks, due to melting snow and rain of the last two dave. was rising at the rate of six inches an hour this morning and it was feared another flood similar to the three which swept down the Potomac River valley last Spring would result. The river was already six fegt| above normal. All of the tributaries | of the Potomac were alsc rising and many were out of their banks and | flooding the lowlands. APPEAL IS GRANTED TO EDITOR IN LIBEL i i Harry Ely, Who Criticized Court on Rental Hearings, Goes Free on $500 Bond. S | By the Associated Press. H | NEW YORK, February 10.—Harry Ely, 71, editor of the New York Ten- | ant, was to be released from the Tombs today in $500 bail as a result! of a decision yesterday by Supreme! Court Justice Wagner granting a| certificate of reasonable doubt pend- ing appeal to the appellate division. Ely was sent to the Tombs January | 28, after being found guilty of crimi- | nal libel by a jury, with Municipal | Justice Caffrey the complaining wit- ness. The libel grew out of landlord and tenant cases heard by Justice Caffrey, which caused Ely to call the justice a “nincompoop” and a “gut- tersnipe” in the Tenant. The sentence carried a maximum imprisonment of three years. The jury had recommended “extreme len- iency.” In this decision Justice Wagner said the trlal took “a latitudinous and unconfined course into the do- main of the totally unrelated and un- charged crime of seditious libel.” This may have confused the jury's minds, Justice Wagner sald. ALASKA EPIDEMIC CURBED ANCHORAGE, Alaska, February 10.—A pneumonia epidemic at Ko- krines, 29 miles northeast of Ruby, on the Yukon River, was under con- trol today, according to word re- ceived here from Dr. Frost of Ruby. Two persons have died from the dis ease and five were convalescing, the message sald. | Rothberg | vour Psell “ TWO CENTS. §15,000 PROVISED FOR SOFT JAL 0B, WITNESS DECLARES Atlanta Prison Sunday School Teacher Testifies on Talk With Deposed Official. CLAIMS THAT FLETCHER INDICATED AGREEMENT Acted for Friend of Prisoner, Says Business Man—Denies Get- ting Cash Himself. By the Associated Press. ATLANTA uel Rothberg, Ga., February 10.—Sam- Atlanta business man, testified today in the trial of A. E Sartain and L. J. Fletcher, former officials of the Atlanta Federal peni- tentiary, and Laurence Riehl, Colum- bus, Ohio, that he told Fletcher early in 1924 that if he would “take care” of Fred Haar, sr., Savannah, Ga., con- victed of violating the prohibition law. he would be given $15,000 Fletcher, Sartain and Riehl are charged with conspiracy and bribery as a result of a Federal investigation of alleged conditions at the prison. “Courtesy” Was Sought. As a result of a conference with Mr and Mrs. Marshall McKenzie, former- Iy of Atlanta, but now of Savannah, said, he first told Fletcher, deputy warden at the prison, that he was sure Willie Haar, the elder Haar's son. would appreciate any courtesy shown his father. This con- versation with Fletcher, he testified, occurred in December, 102 Later, Rothberg said, he again saw Fletcher and told him that if he vould take care of the elder Haar, ‘Willle Haar would see to it that ‘the deputy warden’ would be cared for in the sum of $15.000.” “What did Fletcher say?" District Attotrney Clint W. Hager asked “He «aid that would be all right.” Was Told It Was “Ofr.” In March. 1324, Rothberg made another visit to the prison, he said, and told Fletcher Willle Haar was in town money testified On cross-examination. Attorney Wil- liam Schley Howard of the defense developed that Rothberg taught Sunday school ciass at the prison “When did vou sce Mr. Fletcher in March?” “It was on a Sunday.” “So you went to the prison to teach Sunday school class and then offer a Federal official a bribe “1 told Mr. Fletcher Haar was in town after I had taught the class” Rothberg answered. “Haven't you heen after Haar for a $35,000 loan™" No,” Rothberg replied. offered me a loan.” “Didn't you tell Fletcher that Haar had agreed to lend you $35,0007" Denles Gett'ng $3.000. “Didn’t you get $2,000 from Willie Haar to get his father and brothers sinecures at the prison?” “1 did not." “Didn’t Willie $2.0007 That's a lie.” Willie Haar, Fred Haar, jr., and Carl Haar were convicted in the Sa. vannah “rum ring” exposure and sen- tenced to the Atlanta penitentiary. Rothberg said he was led to make his proposal to Fletcher a favor to Mr. and Mrs. McKenzie, customers of his store. District Attorney Hager indicated George Remus of Cincinnati would be a prosecution witness in the trial of Sartain, Fletcher'and Riehl. At the opening of the trial yester- day, Father Thomas P. Hayden, for- mer Catholic chaplain at the prison, testified he participated in a plot to soft jobs” to wealthy prisoners. Fletcher, Sartain and Riehl were the other members of the conspiracy, he etcher told me not to take any that it was all off,” Rothberg Willie “Haar had Haar offer you | said. BUS PERMIT DECISION POSSIBLE TOMORROW | Commission Defers Action—Grant to W. R. E. Co. Had Seemed Likely. The Public Utilities Commission, holding its regular meeting today pPostponed action on the pending ap. plication of the Washington Railwa; & FElectric Co, and the Washington Rapid Transit Co. to operate a cross- town bus line, Indications for several days have been that the permit probab) he granted the Washington Railway & Electric Co., but following fto day's meeting, members of the com- mission said that a decision was not likely before tomorrow. The route asked for by the rallway company starts from Thirty-seventh and T streets, on T to Thirty-ffth, to Q street. to Twentieth street, to K street, to Thirteenth street, to E street, and terminates at Tenth street. Returning the busses would go north | on Tenth to K street and thence over the same route. Whether the commission will make any modifications in the route will not be known until the decision s reached. The company proposes to charge the same fare in effect on street cars, with the sale of 2-cent transfers to intersecting car lines to those pas- sengers paying the cash fare of 8 cents on the bus. At the public hearing last week Willlam McK. Clayton of the Federa- tion of Citizens' Associations sug- gested that the 2-cent transfer be sold to token passengers as well. R Kellogg Bids King Farewell. LONDON, February 10.—Ambassa- dor and Mrs. Kellogg visited the king and aueen at Buckingham Palace this afternoon to say farewell prior to their departure for the United States, where Mr. Kellogg Is to succeed Sec- retary of State Hughes. The Amba dor and Mrs. Kellogg remained at tHe pa'ace for an Informal luncheom.