Evening Star Newspaper, March 20, 1925, Page 1

WEATHER. {U. 8. Weather Bureau Forecast.) Fair tonight, minimum slightly above freezing; tomorrow: in- creasing cloudiness and Temperatures: Hlighes p.m. yesterday; lowest, 4 today. Closing N. Y. Stocks and Bonds, Page 30 Full report on page 7. temperature armer. t, 64, at 2 4, at 7 am. 29,543. Entered as second class matter post ofice, Washington, D. C. - STORM WRECKAGE ISHUNTEDFORDEAD AS RELIEF GOES ON; TOLL PLACED AT 800 577 Bodies Recovered, But Many Are Believed Buried in Ruins—35 Towns Are Hit—Property Loss Huge. GAS, LIGHT AND WATER GONE, ADD TO HORROR Temporary Morgues and Hospitals Filled and Doctors Are Forced to Operate Without Using Anes- thetics in Some Cases—No Food Shortage Reported. By the Associated Press. CHICAGO, March 20.—Still pros- trated, but with the hurried efforts| at temporary relief supplemented by the arrival of trained workers, sup- plies and medicincs, the storm- | stricken area of the Ohio Valley today continued to count the terri- fic loss in life and property of its greatest tornado catastrophe. Revised casualty lists indicated lit- tle change from the first estimates as Wednesday afternoon’s twister plowed its eccentric and destructive course into five Middle Western States. Fairly systematic checking | in 35 cities and towns in the storm’s path indicated a death list of be- tween 800 and 900, with approxi-; mately 3,000 injured and many other thousands homeless. At noon today 577 bodies had been recovered, but it was believed that many were still to'be found, as en- tire towns were demolished and iso- ! lated. i | i Untold Property Loas. | A check of the devastated areas had | not progressed far enough to permit | even a rough estimate of property | losses, although sums of millions were | mentioned from many points. Officials | of the Red Cross in Washington ch acterized the storm as the greatest disaster since the Ohlo Valley flood of 1913, when $500,000,000 Worth ol Droperty was laid waste. Additional light on the charae- teristics and behavior of the great| tornado was provided by Prof. Henry J. Cox, Government forecaster at Chi- cago, who called It a typieal Middle- t Springtime storm. It originat. | ed over the Gulf of Lower California, | he said, passed harmiessly over Colo- rado, dipped to Arkansas and then took a path of le_st res the Ohio Valley. There force was spent and it rushed off on a high wind in the direction of Iceland. | Prof. Cox explained that in the Spring the sun heats the air in cer- taln reglons, causing warm whirling eurrents which strike colder waves | from the North. The result is a great circular movement of air over a large area, which is called a cyclone. Tor- nadoes, varying from a mile to five miles in length, develop on the edges of the cyclone and cause the damage | by their vielent movement, Shipping Is Damaged. | Sporadic reports of the storm's| Gourse after its five-hour dip to earth from eastern Missouri to western In- diana came yesterday and last night from Great Lakes ports. Some dam- age to.shipping and property was re- ported near Buffalo, N. Y. The tor- nado then moved Northeastward | through the St. Lawrence Valley to| the Atlantic Coast, dissipating as it | went. \ As rellef measyres got under way, stories of the almost unprecedented misery in the storm-swept area came in from all points. Temporary morgues and hospitals were filled to overflowing, while frantic men, wom- en and children searched the long lines of dead for missing dear ones In some instances, doctors performed major operations out of doors or in roofless buildings, without the aid of anaesthetics. . _ Paralysis of gas, light and water facilities in some towns added to the discomfort and confusion, and through a second night of horror, re- lief workers had only candles and lanterns to guide their efforts of mercy. No food shortage exists, how- ever, the Red Cross at St. Louis an- | nounced | Denth List Mounts. In southern Lilinols, havoc was wrought in four towns, Murphysboro, West Frankfort, De Soto and Gorham, all in coal mining | territory, within a 25 mile radius of Carbondale, the rellef center, the toll of dead and injured continued to mount today as additional bodies wera taken from the ruins. The! death list was above the 500 mark, ' while between 2,000 and 3.000 were injured and thousands were homeless. Reliet workers said the loss of life might reach 1,000. The property dam- in the area was estimated at 000,000, There the disaster fell largely on persons of limited means, some out of work because of the shut-down of coal fields. Many women and chil-| dren and a score of bables appeared | on the death list. Entire families were wiped out. One man, searching tarough a morgue for his wife and three children, found the bodies of his babes side by side in one room, his wife in another. Many of the bodies were mangled, scarred or burned, some beyond rec- ognition. Identification in many in- flances had to be made by rings or other personal belongings. No Plans for Funerals. The Government, Red Cross, private institutions and individuals combined in the huge task of caring for the injured, glving shelter and hunting bodies, while additional workers and State troops. including medical units, were due today. Funeral plans had not been made, but it was expected where terrific Free State Will Redeem Republic Bonds, Is Report LONDON, March 20.—The Cath- olic Herald today says it understands the Free State government has prom- imed to redeem in 1927 the Irish Re- publican bonds, issued to finance the Republican struggle. TheaHerald states also that it has learned an organization is being dis- cussed through which the holders of these bonds would be asked to sub- scribe for the promotien of various Irish enterprises, the amounts re- QUAKE AND FLAMES RAZE CHINESE CITY Thousands Suffering in Tali- fu, West Yunnan—Casual- ties Are Not ‘Known. By Cable to The Star and Chicago Daily News. SHANGHAI, March 20—Talifu, a large Chinese city of 50,000 popula- tion In West Yunnan, was destroyed by an earthquake yesterday, accord- ing to a telegram received at the Chinese International Mission here. A disastrous fire followed the quake, creating havoc. Relief is needed urgently. Thou- sands are suffering. Details of the casualties ‘are now known. Foreign missionaries residing at Talifu are reported safe. (Copyright, 1925, by Chicago Daily News Co.) Talifu Is located between Lake Esh-nai and the snow-capped Mount Tsang-Shan (altitude, 6670 feet). The earthquake is the second great disaster to have fallen upon this cit It was the headquarters of the Ch was captured by Chinese troops and the entire population put to the sword. FORD WILL BUILD AIRPLANE MOTORS ch nese Mohammedan rebels in 18 1t | Also to Construct 201- Foot Moor- ing Mast in Detroit for | head. Huge Dirigibles. | By the Associated Press. DETROIT, Mich., March 20—The Detroit Free Press today quotes Edsel Ford, president of the Ford Motor Co., as saying that his company will go into production of airplane motors as soon as experiments now in prog- ress at its laboratories come to a Mr. Ford also is quoted as saying that construction will bé started at once at the Ford airport of the largest dirigible mooring mast in the world, to be constructed at a cost of $75,- 000, for mooring the Shenandoah and Los Angeles or any other craft of sim- flar or even greater size. The Free Prers said that it was told by Mr. Ford that the Ford Motor Co. is not considering the manufac- ture of complete planes, but that it is interested financially in a Detroit airplane company, now building planes, and in a Detroit organiza tlon which Mr. Ford is quoted saying soon will place the first metal- clad lighter-than-air ship in the air, The mooring mast, on which the steel work Is expected to start April 16, according to the Ford interview, will be 201 feet high, 26 feet higher than the mast at Lakehurst, N, J. Three legs on which the mast will rest will be 70 feet apart, and between them will be erected a building to serve as a station for alr travelers. A five-passenger elevator, com- pletely inclosed, runs to a height of 176 feet. Beyond that, leading {o the operating platform, s an inclosed stairway. The gangplank into the airship will be Inclosed. FORMER CAPTAIN KILLED. Thomas Hayes Accidentally Shot ‘While Cleaning Pistol. NEW YORK, March 20.—Thomas Hayes, described as a retired Army captain, accidentally 'shot and killed himself yesterday while cleaning a .45-caliber Army automatic in his apartment, on Riverside drive. The Army register lists Thomas J. Hayes as a captain ‘of Infantry, United States Army, formerly an offi- cer of the National Guard of Ohlo. By the Associated Press. CHICAGO, March 20.—Fairly system- atlc checking in the towns which were struck by Wednesday's tornado at noon Indicated that the list of dead would not far exceed 800 and might be somewhat lower when dupli- cations had been eliminated. The to- tal reported in the five States swep! o e Gtorm stood at 802, with 2,861 llsted as injured, or a total of 3,663 ualties. C Reports at noon gave the fol- lowing: Iiinots— 5 Murphysboro ...... West Frankfort ... De S0t0 vesensesenre 200 Gorham ... 5 200 McLeansboro -...... 5 Parrish Tk 100 Logan . . 50 Benton L 50 Enfleld ....- A 60 Hurst 40 Thompsonville .. 60 Bush . i % Akin weee 10 Carmi Rty 25 Crossville ....... 10 Dead 210 Injured 500 500 that multiple services would be held. (Continued on Page 2, Column §) Grayville v Totals. . 649 1,945 WASHINGTON, D. C., FRIDAY, MARCH MORE SHIFTS DUE OFOLLOW PATENT OFFICE TRANSFER Bureau of Mines May Go to Department of Commerce, But Barrier Is Seen. CHANGES ARE IN ACCORD WITH REORGANIZING AIMS Speeding Up of Work on Inven- tions One Result Expected. 1.246 Employes Affected. Further changes in the organiza- tion of the Government departments are looked for following the transfer of the Patent Office from the Interior Department to the Department of Commerce, announced yesterday at the White House. The transfer af- fects 1,246 employes and will be ef- | fective April 1 | The Patent Office transfer carried out one of the two recommendations with regard to changes In the line- up of the Interior Department bu- reaus recommended by the joint con- gressional commitee on reorganiza- tion of the executive departments. The other recommendation involved| transfer of the Bureau of Mines to the Commerce Department Secretary of the Interior Work and ¢ Foen ‘WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION News Note: .o FIVEBODIES FOUND Secretary of Commerce Hoover, who were represented today to be In com- plete accord with the recommenda- tions of the joint committee, discussed the transfer for several months before it was made. Mr. Work secured an opinion from the Attorney General several weeks ago as to whether the act of 1903 authorizing the President to transfer bureaus from one depart- ment to another without specific au- thorization of Congress was a con-{ tinuing act. He was informed it was with regard to scientific bureaus, and it was then left to the President to declde whether the Patent Office was a scientific bureau. The present intention of Government heads with regard to the Bureau of Mines was not known today, although officials gave it as thelr opinion that the transfer of the bureau from the Interior Department to the Commerce Department would need specific au- thorization from Congress, inasmuch as the bureau was placed in the In- terior Department by Congress. Placement Called Error. However, after the bureau was in the Interior Department, the old De- partment of Commerce and Labor was split into two departments, in 1913, and since that time the joint commit. tee has recommended the transfer. This is éxplained in the report of the joint committee, which saye that al- though the Department of Commerce and Laber had been specifically charged by its organic act with the duty of promoting the mining Inter- ests of the country, the Bureau of Mines, created in 1910, was placed under the Department of the Interior. The report described the placement as an “anomaly.” Changes in the personnel of the Patent Office are not contemplated, Secretary Hoover said today, adding that better organization of the Gov- ernment, to secure economy and effi- clency, requires that functions of similar major purpose shall be gToup- ed together. Change in the procedure, with re- spect to protection of rights of Amer- ican patentees in foreign countries, forecast by Mr. Hoover yesterday as one of the major 4ssues involved in the transfer, was said today by Mr. Robertson to be a “very vital mat- ter.” Mr. Robertson had not seen Mr. Hoover today. Hopes to Speed Up Work. Before the transfer takes place the Patent Commissioner hopes to so speed up the work of the Patent Of- fice that consideration ‘our years ago, will be but six montns behind on April 1. Integration in the Department of Commerce of bureaus dealing with commerce and industry was regarded by the joint congressional committee as incomplete, in its report. To bring all the existing agencles within the purview of that department the com- mittee recommended not only the transter of the Patent Office and the Bureau of Mines, but also urged the transfer of the Lakes Survey and the Inland and Coastwise Waterways Service from the War Department; the National Advisory Committee for (Continued on Page 2, Column 1.) STORM DEATH TOLL ABOUT 800; INJURED TO APPROXIMATE 3,000 iF atalities May Be Somewhat Reduced W hen Duplica- tions Are Eliminated by Rechecking—Total Casualties Are Placed at 3,663. Indiana— Grifin . Princeton . Owensville . Poseyville Elizabeth Tennessee— Gellatin . Shelbyville .. Wartrace Knoxville . Kirkland . Missouri— Biehle . Annapoli: Altenburg. Totals Kentucky— Beaumont Holland . Lakeland .... Springfield . Lexington Bridgeport . Totals. Grand totals...... 302 Total casualties, 3,663, applications for patents, | which were 15 months behind in their | N FARNONT N Rescue Workers Advancing to Points Where Remainder | of 34 Are Held. By the Associated Press. FAIRMONT, W. Va, March 20— Five of the 34 miners imprisoned under ground Tuesday night by an explosion in mine No. 41 of the Beth- lehem Mines Corporation at Barzack- ville had been accounted for early *oday. During the night two bodies { were brought to the surface and {dentified and subsequently rescue workers brought out three additional bodies. All the bodies were found far back In the left heading. The right head- ing, where officials say more than 20 Ten were at the time of the blast, has not been examined. Bad alr was encounteréd iu the workings last night, the first sign of impure air coming with the death of canary birds taken into the mine by rescue crews. With the removal of two victims Coroner L. C. Fitzhugh empaneled a Jury which viewed the bodies. No ver- dict will be rendered until all those who' were in the mine have been brought out and an investigation made into the cause of the explosion Rescue crews have progressed to the most advanced sections of the left heading and expected to locate the bodies of the seven other miners in that section some time during the day. Exploration then will be started in the right heading, where the remain- der of the entombed miners were at work when the blast occurred. DRIVER SUSPECTED ASBLIND VETERAN Probe Is on to Determine | Identity of Man Getting | $200 Compensation. Veterans' Bureau operatives today are investigating a case in which a Washington World War veteran, who |had been receiving money for total blindness and permanent disability, is alleged to have been seen at the wheel of his automobile and to have exhibited his operator’s permit, issued by the Police Department, when re- quested. At the Veterans' Bureau the files |show that Howard T. Lewis was awarded $150 compensation for total blindness January, 1924. The address |of Lewis at the Veterans’ Bureau is 1115 Sixth street northeast. An investigator of the bureau yes- terday, in company with a police- man, while looking into the case, happened to see a man he belieted to be Lewis at the wheel of an automo- | bile on Massachusetts avenue. At the | request of the policeman, this man displayed an operator's permit issued to Howard T. Lewis, but with the ad- dress given as 507 Fifth street northeast. At the Veterans' Bureau today it was learned that the award for total permanent disability given Lewis was raised to $200 a month on June 7, 1924, by the World War veteran act, which made the increase effective on that date. The files of the Police Department show that on August 30, 1924, Howard T. Lewis obtained a permit to operate his automobile in the regular manner. The investigation is launched to determine whether Lewis has re- covered the sight of both eyes or whether hel is the same man to whom the bureau awarded compensation for blindness, after he had been certified blind by physicians at the Veterans' Bureau. The officials of the Veterans' Bu- reau today stated that no details of the case would be available until the investigation had been completed, but it is known that Logan Purcell, op- erative of the fourth division office of the bureau, which includes the local jurisdiction, has been handling the case, and that he was the one who recognized the man at the wheel of the machine yesterday as the al- leged disabled veteran obtaining com- pensation. ¥ 20, g Star. 1925 —FIFTY-TWO PAGES. pit as Members ot o TR R B L L By the Associated P March 20.—Free-for-all fist fights such as probably had never before been seen in the Chamber of Depu- ties, broke up this afternoon’s session. The disturbance arose after Premlier Herriot, in defending the govern- ment’s policy In religious had sald “We accept and welcome Christianity in its pure forms, but not the Chris- tianity of bankers. Premier Herriot's supporters rose and cheered. The opposition rose and howled .at the speaker. great slamming of desks and shout- ing of imprecations, and the most BOARD MAY ALTR RULING O “FRATS” Two Members Indicate Order to High School Students Is Unenforceable. Consideration will be given by the Board of Education to a modification of its anti-fraternity ruling as a re- sult of the open rebellion against the regulation by students of McKinley Technical High School, it was pre- dicted today by Ernest Greenwood, vice president of the board, who, as chairman of a special committee, has been investigating the high school secret societies. The situation at McKinley, Mr. Greenwood points out, shows con- clusively that the efforts of the board to control the high school secret or- ganizations have been futile. It is a matter of common knowledge, he said, that fraternities and sororities are flourishing just as they did befor the board adopted the regulations de- signed to wipe them out. Legal Status Explained. Mr. Greenwood has the opinion that the board cannot create an effective weapon with which to combat the secret societies because of a ruling of the corporation counsel which pre- cludes school authorities from expell- ing a student for holding membership | in an unapproved organization. “What good is a rule that prevents the ultimate penalty from being ex- tracted?” he asked. In Capt. Julius I Peyser the high school “frat” members will find a stronger advocate for modification of the board's ruling. “When the ques- tion comes before the board,” he said, “I will vote in favor of abolishing the present rule, and offer a substitute which will give greater freedom to the student.” Capt. Peyser is in favor of permit- ting high school students to join fra- ternities or sororities. “I think it is a student’s privilege to join such or- ganizations,’ he sald. "“The present penalty is unjust.” Rebellion Has Not Spread. Fears of school officials that the rebellion against the fraternity rul- ing at McKinley would spread to the other high schools failed to develop today. Alvin W. Miller, principal of Central, said that only one student has confessed his membership in a unrecognized organization. “Fra members in other high schools also are “sitting tight,”” watching closely the developments growing out of the MeKinley situation. Meantime, school officials, who are charged with the enforcement of the anti-fraternity ruling, have been holding a series of conferences, trying to devise some method of meeting the situation. The real solution of the problem now, as they view it, is to preach the gospel of honesty to the students. All students signed cards at the beginning of the school year that they were not members of secret societies and would not aflilikte with such or- ganizations dur'ng their high school career, it was pointed out. Those who jolned after signing sugh a pledge, the officials declare, have betrayed a trust placed in them by the school. 72 Now Admit Joining. A few additional McKinley stu- dents notified Principal Frank C. Danfel today. that they are affiliated (Continued on Page 2, Column 7.) N The Communist press admits that 730,000 children are starving in Southern Russia and the government is helpless. FREE-FOR-ALL FIST FIGHTS HALT PARIS CHAMBER CHURCH DEBATE Rioting Breaks Out W hen Herriot Attacks “Chrisgian- ity of Bankers’>—Room Resembles Cock- The Star’s every city bl Yesterday’s “From Press to Home Within the Hour” carrier systém covers lock and the regular edi- tion is delivered to Washington homes as fast as the papers are printed. Circulation, 105,361 * TWO “CENTS. Gold Production ] In Siberia Brings | 0ld-Time Rush! By the Associated Press. YAKUTSK, Siberia, March 20.— Gold is being found in such large | quantities in the Alden region of | the Yakutsk district of Siberia | that the new area is described as | a second Klondike. Nearly 200,- 000 ounces of the metal have been | obtained by primitive methods, and | are | | | | thousands of flocking here The district is isalated and in- accessible, and much difficulty is experienced in organizing food supplies for the miners. It is ex- pected that the government will take over the mines soon to in- crease the state gold reserve. HUGE C. & P. FUND * MAY BE DEDUCTED prospectors | Utilities Body Considers Cut- ting Depreciation Total in Rate Fixing. That the Public Utilities Commis- sion is seriously considering deduct- ing from the reproducton value of the Chesapeake and Potomac Tele- phone Company the amount the com- { pany has accrued for deprecation was i indicated at the valuation hearing to- | day | ColL | sion, asked | Dozier Devane, attorney for the com- | pany, if he contends accrued depre- | | ciatioh should not be deducted from | reproduction value of the property. | Bell, chairman of the commis- the direct question of | M-, Devane replied that to take the | amount accrued for depreciation as a measure of the depreciation exist- ing in the property would be an error| ! vision o | sult of ! necine { them for nearly | prestdent | Daughters of the Confederacy, w | federacy ALL DISTRIGT U.D. . BODIES SUSPENDED FOR 2-YEAR FIGHT National President General Serves Notice Upon 13 Washington Chapters. SPLIT OVER ELECTION BRINGS DRASTIC ORDER iSix Had Walked Out, Charging II- legalities in Balloting—Future Course of Members in Doubt. The entire District the Un of Columbia di- ted Daughters of the ¥ has been suspended from national organization as a the failure of the chapters to settle the bitter inter- that has raged among two ye Notice of this drastic action, taken by the executive board of the natlonal organization, was received here to- day in a terse communication from Mrs. Frank Harrold of Americus, Ga., general of the Confedera the row United set forth the final decision as follows “The District of Columbia division of the United Daughters of the Con- not having complled with the decision of the executive board of the general organization within 30 days from date of notification of said decision, is suspended from all rights and privileges granted by the United Daughters of the Confederacy in ac- cordance with the provisions of Article 6. section 3. of the by-laws of the general organization. Notice Comes Like Bomb. matters, | There was a | Clash in Center. members on both sides| rushed for the open space below the rostrum, which became like a cockpit | | belligerent around and slugging wildly, but sle- | dom landing squarely. | The sergeants-at-arms in a body | tried to form a wedge between the | majority and opposition members, but | they were brushed aside. Then Paul | Painleve, president of the chamber, put on his tophat and left the chair, as a signal that the sitting was sus-| pended. | Help came from the corridors, and| slowly the sergeants-at-arms began | clearing the hall, dragging apart the units of the opposing forces. POLES END DISPUTE WITH LITHUANIANS League Notified Frontier Is-| sue Is “Happily Closed.” Prisoners Released. | By the Associated Press. GENEVA, March 20.—The frontier| dispute between Poland and Lithu- | ania has been settled. Lithuania’s foreign minister noti- fied the League of Nations that the | Poles had released the prisoners | taken in the recent clash on the border and that the incident had| been “happily closed.” The settlement is attributed to the | good offices of Austen Chamberlain, | as president of the league couneil, | and the pacific counsels given by Premier Herrfot to Foreign Minister Skryznski of Poland during the lat- | ter's recent visit to Paris. The Permanent Court of Interna- tional Justice at The Hague notified | the league today that in conformity | with the recent decision of the coun- | | cil a special session of the court had been convoked for April 14 to con- | sider the dispute between Poland and | Danzig over the question of the Polish mail boxes in the Danzig Free | State. FRICTION OVER RELIGION. | | One Cause of Discontent on Polish- | Lithuanian Border. BY A. R. DECKER. By Cable to The Star and Chicago Daily News, VIENNA, March 20.—Religion mixed with politics is causing discontent in Poland. The clericals claim too much of the church estates are taken by the state through forced sale. Anti. clericals claim the church retains too much land. Others object to school regulations. In debate on the Vatican concordat in the House foreign relations com- mittee, a Ukranian orthodox Greek | deputy was extremely bitter, claim- ing shat the concordat means the Poles intend Polarizing the Ukraine. Already 350 Greek orthodox churches have been closed. Only two churches remain in Warsaw, the enormous ca- thedral, with its priceless mosaics, having been destroyed in the war. The most dangerous discontent is on the Polish-Lithuanian border, where religious differences are lead- ing to armed conflicts, with machine guns in play. In Kovno, a Lithuanian mob called the papal nuncio to the balcony and threw eggs as a protest against the papal arrangement with Poland regarding Vilna. (Copyright, 1925, by Chicago Dally News Co.) s s et ey STEAMER THYRA SUNK. Crew Landed After Sugar Ship Is in Collision With Tanker. PHILADELPHIA, March 20.—The Swedish steamer Thyra, Caibarlen, Cuba, for New York, with sugar, was sunk Yyesterday in a collision with the American tank steamer Ardmore, New York for Tampico, 45 miles southeast of the Delaware Break- water, and her crew was landed here today by the Norwegian steamer Facco from Manzanillo. rograms— Page 36. Radio Progr: i of law. It might be, he said, that the | | amount in the reserve and the actual | | depreciation of the property would be the same at some time. $4,500,000 4 The testimony rued. presented in with a dozen pairs of deputies milling | present valuation proceeding shows! Like a bomb: unembellished by any planation, fell upon |leaders of the society alm | clear sky In the | Officers here, it completely he national organization the brief n. further Washing ex- ton ost from the opinion of m severs connection of the local chapters w and there | should be | mately $18,000,000 to $25,000.000, it has that the company has accrued depreci ation amounting to approximately $4,500,000. Of this ' sum, however about $956,000 was given the local company by the American Telephone | and Telegraph Co. as part compensa- tion for large expenditures the local company had to make to cope with war conditions in Washington. Deducting’ this gift, the local com- pany’s accrued ‘depreciation is, in round numbers, $3,500,000. In esti- mating the present value of the tele- phone property at $25,000.000 engi- neers of the company testified the actual physical depreciation of the property is only $1.800,000. “We admit," said Mr. Devane, “that we have accrued depreciation of $3,500,000 and that the depreciation represented by an inspection of the property is only about $2,000,000." The smaller figure, he explained, is the depreciation in the physical prop- erty. The other figure represents the efforts of the company to accumulate the value of the property that is to be retired. Sees Double Payment. Col. Bell explained that his point i that if the company sets aside money for depreciation and then reinvests that money in the property without deducting it from the valutaion that the rate pavers would be paying a return on it twice To this contention Mr. Devane re- plied by declaring that the company has failed to earn a fair return on its property by an amount larger than the sum which has been contributed to the deprecitaion reserve. In sub- stance, his argument was that in- stead of taking the return to which it felt entitled the company had built up the depreciation reserve. Plans No Increase Request. Mr. Devane took ogcasion again to- day- to declare that while the com- pany is contending its valuation increased from approxi- no intention of seeking an increase in telephone rates. He said the company would be willing to have rates declared effective for two more years and would not seek an increase in that time unless unforseen condi- tions should arise. Maj. Covell, assistant to Col. Bell, had the company submit evidence to- day as to the value of three pieces ot property owned by the company, but not yet built upon. This line of inquiry indicated the commission is considering disallowing the value of this vacant land in fixing the present valuation. Byers McK. Bachman, accountant for the commission, will testify later in the day as to certain valuation studies he has made. |SHEPHERD TO SEEK RELEASE ON BAIL Aftorney Claims Killing by Means of Germs Not Murder Under Tllinois Law. By the Associated Press. CHICAGO, March 20.—Attorneys for Willlam D. Shepherd, held on an in- dietment charging him with the killing of his foster son, Willlam Nelson Mc- Clintock, orphan millfonaire, with typhold germs. fight to obtain his release on bail at his preliminary hearing tomorrow. ‘William Scott Stewart, chief of the defense counsel, outlining his argu- ments, sald he would endeavor to show that killing a man by giving him typhoid germs is not murder urider Iilinois law, which, he said, designates only = certain specific methods of killing and does not in- clude administration of disease germs. State's attorneys said they would oppose the defense line of reasoning on the ground that if it were allow- ed to stand it would permit murder by any means not mentioned in the law. Meanwhile prosecutors continued searching for a girl who several days ago called on the widow of Dr. Oscar Olson, brother of Harry Olson, Mu- nicipal Court chief justice and insti- gator of the inquiry into McClintock's death. The girl warned Mrs. Olson to leave here, saying “it woulén't be healthy" if she remained. present | prepared today for a | s a question in the mind of some whether even those bodies can con- tinue to function as units of the United Daughters of the Confederacy while the suspension is in force. | The foundati for the ruling, | which was formally approved by Mrs | Harrold, the president general, and most of the national officers, was laid in November, 1923, when delegates to the District of Columbia convention split over the choice of a president general for this division and cut the | society into two factions that have bitterly opposed every movement i made by each other ever since Puzzled by Aection. | A copy of the order was sent by | registered mail to Mrs. Albion Wil- | kins Tuck, who was elected president | general of the local chapters by one | of the factions in an uproarious cen- | vention here last December; Mrs. i Drury Conway Ludlow, leader of the | other factior, and Mrs. W. S Hut- {ton, who was drawn into the fracas | when she was ordered to preside over | the December meeting. Mrs. Tuck, who has been carrying {out the duties of president general here since her hotly contested elec- tion in December, is frankly at a loss |to know what to do. She indicated | that she would first seek some fur- | ther explanation of the statement | that the division had not “complied with the decision of the executive board” and then probably call a meet- ing of present officers, with the hope | of finding some solution to the di- | 1lemma. Mrs. Ludlow declared that she and her followers regarded the decision as vindication of their stand and | would do nothing, accusing the otkrer side of having done most of the a guing, anyhow On the other hLand Mrs. Tuck asserted that it w | Ludlow's faction that had doa |of the talk: " and caused the sus- |pension. Mrs. Hutton remained dip- {lomatically uncommunicative, addlug nothing to deprecation of the situa- | tion. i Stx Chapters Walked Oat. When the District of Columbia | chapters met in annual convention at | the Confederate Soldiers’ Home, on Vermont avenue, in November, 19 | Mrs.. Hutton was the presiding pr ident general, and both Mrs. Ludlow and Mrs. Tuck were candidates to succeed her. It proved to be the armest meeting ever held Ly the so. | ciety here, eclipsed only by the spe- |cial convention that was convencd |later, last December. After a bitter fight six chapters— | Stonewall ckson, headed by Mrs. | Benjamin Soule Gantz; Southern Cross, {by Mrs. Harvey Ball; Dixie, by M Frank Eliot; Alexander R. Lawton, by ! Mrs. Georgia Lawton Morgan: Jef- ferson Davis, by Miss F. Hunter | Weeks, and Hillary Herbert, by Mrs. Rose Mulcare—walked out en masse, | charging the other delegates of ille- { galities in the balloting and nomina- { tions. | Hold Own Election. These chapters met elsewhere and proceeded to formally elect Mrs. Lud- low and an entire ticket for the Dis- trict of Columbia division. In the meantime the other chapters that had remained in the convention selected Mrs. Tuck. That made the breech complete and the fight was carried before the next convention of the na- tlonal organization. The decision was regarded by some as a partial | victory for Mrs. Tuck's ticket The executive board temporarily recognized the “de facto” officers, led | by Mrs. Tuck, but ordered another convention to be convened here with- {in 30 days, with the officers of 1322 | presiding in their entirety, and the difficulties ironed out to the mutual satisfaction of the District chapters and the national organization. The convention was convened, with Mrs. Hutton presiding. Even before the Lord's Prayer and the opening hymn had been started the battle opened. Under pleas from Mrs. Hutton much of the business was finally transacted, but before the special convention had ended a po- licewoman was summoned to main- tain order and some official made what was termed a blunder in dis- patching a colored officer to the Con- i federate Soldiers’ Home. i Charges Fly Thickly. Contestsd every step of the way by the same chapters that had walk ed out before, the other delegatcs proceeded to nominate and elect Mri |Tuck and her ticket all over again. Continued on Page 2, Column 7.)