Evening Star Newspaper, March 21, 1925, Page 1

WEATHER. (U. 8. Weathor Bureau Forecast.) tomorrow fair Unsettled tonight; and coldér; minimum tem; night above freezing. Temperatures—Highest, today; lowest, 37, at 6 a.m. today. Full report on page 7. perature to- 60, at noon Closing N. Y. Stocks and Bonds, Page 12 N Entered as secol 0. 9,544. nd class matter post office, Washington, D, C. DISEASE QUTBREAK BALKED AS STORM AREA BURIES DEAD Anti-Tetanus Serum Rushed by Plane to Be Used in Emergency. FATALITIES PUT AT 808; LIST OF MAIMED, 2,916 Parrish and De Soto Not Likely to Rebuild—All Homeless Are Sheltered. CHICAGO, /March swept terrfory of the Ohio Valley today corfinued the tragic duty of | burying fts dead, while relief workers complesed the task of bringing order out of/chaos, and plans for rehabila- tion were advanced. Funeral services for some of the victims of Wednesday’'s storm were held yesterday, but most of the bur- fals were arranged for today and Sun- day, with memorial services to be held later. In towns where the loss of life was heaviest, community funerals were planned, with burial in one long grave. Reports from the destroyed d tricts said that relief work was well organized. A flood of material ald continued to pour in for sufferers in the greatest tornado in America’s history which snuffed out more than 800 lives, injured 3,000 persons and left entire communities homeless. No Epidemic Threatens. While some cases of pneumonia were reported in southern Illinois, there was little other illness to add to the storm horror, and no threat of tetanus. Seven hundred units of anti- tetanus serum, sent by airplane from Indianapolis, were available for em gency use A few isolated cases of looting came to light, but generally there wa dis order. At Frankfort, a man s caught taking a ring from a woman's finger, and was slain by a police officer. Business generally was at a stand- still, but, with the work of clearing | debris in the demolished districts pro- ceeding rapidly, commercial activities | in some communities were expected to be resumed next week. The main strest of Murphysboro was clcared Festerday. ~—The storm- Deaths at S09. Recheck of casualty lists early to- day indicated that the death count was slightly’ more than $00. Adds- tions to the lists in some towns and | subtractions of duplications left the figures at 809 dead and 2,916 maimed The toll at Murphysboro rose to 201 | with the finding of 11 additional| bodies, while belated reports from | rural districts made further addit 8. In other districks, however, final| checks reduced original estimates. No radical change was anticipated, as checked lists of identified dead con-| tained 750 names. The Red Cross at St an appeal for all sightse: aw from the storm area, stating that every available building already was taxed to capacity in caring for the injured and homeless. Rebuilding Not Likely. Two towns in Iilinois, Parrish and De Soto, and Griffin, in Indiana, were virtually annihilated. The preseyt cutlook is that no effort will be made to rebuild th Illino towns, but State Senator Sneed refuses to give up De Soto. “My father buried there,” he said iriffin, where 54 per; eral have been repor will be rebuilt, it announced today. One old man, aithough not a house was left standing, announced | he would return and buil “I don't want to die anywhere else,” he said. The helpers yesterday spcceeded in placing every hearthless shelter, with plenty of food Some familigs are going graves with altmost no close reiatives| to mourn them, while in other cases all variations of household separa tions are portrayed at the funerals Modern inventions have helped make the rescue work in this disaster more speedy than such work has ever been before. Airplanes have carried helpers and supplies for emergency use, while radio has sent forth need | of help to the four winds which brought on the catastrophe. | DOCTORS ARE NEEDED. Call Sent Out for Help in Storm i Louis issued rs to remain is hed and sev- as missing, was person in| wholesome to their| Region. By the Associated Press SPRINGFIELD, I, March 21.— Immediate need of surgeons who will donate their time until the wounded in the tornado zone all receive atten- tion today prompted Dr. I. D. Ra lings to appeal to county medical so- cieties In Tllinois for help. At the same time he addressed urgent tele- | grams to the Army, Navy and pub- lio health laboratories at Washing- ton asking for supplies of antitoxin for gas gangrene, which has ap- peared among the wounded. ST. LOUIS IS AIDING. $57,237 Raised for Victims—Chil- dren Are Helping. ST. LOUIS, Mo. March 21.—With| $57,237 already in the hands of the | Red Cross for the relief of storm | sufferers St. Louis pa: d the half- way mark in its $100,000 subscription campaign to aid the sufferers. The campaign was functioning smoothly with committees of the St. Louis chapter of the Red Cross, bankers committees, the chamber of com- merce, the newspapers and other or- ganizations combining in the work. St. Louis churches announced a hearty desire to aid, especially to assist the neighboring tornado stricken cities and towns in Missouri and Tllinois The St. Louls Fruit and Produce Ex- change donated five carloads of fruit| and produce. Three automobile trucks, loaded with clothing and supplies collected by the school children of Belleville, 1il, departed today for Murphysboro. | Le | the subject of a probe at the Veterans' Bureau following the discovery that he‘. was driving an automobile, despite the | asked BY FREDERIC WILLIAM WILE. Right of the President to remove John C. McCarl, controller general of the United States, is involved in pro- ceedings to be’ held before the Su- preme Court on April 13. The case directly at issde concerns the former postmaster of Portland, Oreg., Frank Scott Myers, who was removed by President Wilson in 1920, in alleged violation of an act of Congres: If the Supreme Court decides that the Executive was within his author- ity in canceling the | Myers appoint- ment, constitutional lawyers - hold that Controller General McCarl's stoutly maintained contention of in- dependence of presldential control will collapse. All Washington—for Mr. McCarl since 1921 has been at unceasing war with nearly every ex- ecutive department—is watching the Portland postmaster case eagerl: A battle royal of legal wits will be enacted in the case of Myers vs. United States. The President, who fs the real defendant in the action, will be represented by Solicitor General James M. Beck. Congress will be represented by Senator George Whar- ton Pepper of Pennsylvania, who will appear in the technical guise of “amlcus curiae” (friend of the court). It is understood that Mr. Pepper, who is one of the eminent lawyers POLIGE JOIN PROBE OF “BLIND' AUTOIST Records Indicate Veteran, Supposedly Sightless, Passed Test for Permit. The Traffic Bureau of the Police De- partment today took a hand in the in- vestigation of the case of Howard T. is, whose “blind” total dieability is was obtaining some $200 “double fact that he per month compensation as a permanent disability case. Ingpector A. J. Headley, chief of the Traffic Burcau, announced today that his-investigation thus far had disclosed that Lewis applied for a permit I August. Policeman Groves, according to the records at the Traffic Bureau, ac- companied him during the test of his operation of an automobile, and dis- covered that he steered a machine well enough to-be given a permit. The “route of the test, according to - Tnspector Headley, was Fourteenth and E streets, out E to East Executive avenue, up to Penn- sylvania avenue, back to Pennsylvania avenue again, and to Fourceenth street, return- ing to Fourteenth and E. e Inspector Headley said today that Lewis would be in this afternoon at the Traffic Bureau for a thorough test as to his evesight. “As far as we are concerned, our records show that he satisfactorily passed the test last August,” Inspector Headley said, “but we want to go more thoroughly into the case of his eyesight at the present time.” Thorough Probe Planned. Today was a day of questions at the Veterans' Bureau, in 5o far as the Lewis case was concerned. Maj. Arnold, chief of control, in charge of the case, outlined the two issues along which the investigation of the Veterans’ Bureau is proceeding as follows “First—Is this man getting com- pensatlen when he is’ not entitled ito it? “Second—If so, why?” A number of questions will in the medical division as to how Lewls came to be certified hope- lessly blind, or totally disabled. Did the examination and tests which he passed constitute the orthodox tésts? Did he stumble over chairs, not quiver when a finger was punch- ed toward his orbs, give every evi- dence that he could not see? Or was there a different sort of procedure? Nothing will be given out officially until the invetigators have c om- pleted their task and submitted a re- port to Director Hines for his inspec- tion and approval. Director Hines is out of town, expected to return next week. The case brought up memories at the bureau of cases in which veter- ans had been drawing compensation under strange conditions. One of these cases, pulled down out of mem- ory's files by one of the clerks hap- hazardly, was that of a student at a California university who had been voted the honor of being physically a paragon of masculinity. = It was found that, as far as the Veterans' Bureau was concerned, he was per- manently disabled. The aim of the investigation, it was pointed out by one official, is to be abso- lutely fair to the veteran. If a mistake was made in awarding him coinpensa- tion full consideration will be given to his interests and innocence under such & continger.cy, it was said. On the other hand, if it i found that the Govern- ment is paying compensation to the vet- eran under conditions when no com- pensation should be paid, the interests of the Government demand that full ex- planation of the manner and methods pursued in the compensation award be given. 20 Miles as S " By the Associated Press. SAN JUAN, Caplstrano, Calif., March 21.—Ten men won a race with death last night when the battle fleet bombing plane 2-S-3, in which they were flying from Sap Pedro to San Diego, threw a propeller and was forced down 20 miles offshore west of here, leav- ing them far from land on a Radio Pro‘rams-—l’n‘ge 14. sinking craft. Alighting in a fog, the plane’s impact with the water sprang several bad leaks in tbe nontoons, and the three officers ) from | Fifteenth | street at the side of the Trenuury, | to | then WASHINGTON, Independence of McCarl Faces Test in Supreme- Court Case Controller General’s Claim of Immunity From Removal by President Declared at Issuein Hearing on Oregon Postmaster. of Congress, was designated at the instigation of the Senate judiciary commlttee, Beck Urged Change. Solicitor General Beck's interest in the higher constitutional aspects of the Oregon postmaster case, in rela- tion to its bearing on presidential power, was manifested in a brief he prepared in May, 1924. At that time the House judiclary committee was holding hearings on_ Controller Gen- eral McCarl's bitterly criticized ac- tivities. The committee sought an |opinion from Beck on McCarl's prerogatives under the law. The Solicitor General informed the com- mittee in categorical terms that he held to be unconstitutional the pro- visions of the budget act under which the controller general's office was created. Beck held that Congress “should make the same concession” it made when, as its first act under the Grant administration, it repealed the tenure of office act, for alleged violation of which President Andrew Johnson was impeached and tried. ““Congress,”” said the Sollcitor Gen- eral, “should no longer suffer a situa- tion to exist which may some time place upon the President the unhappy choice of disregarding an act of Con- gress of doubtful constitutienality, by exercising his power of removal or of allowing his constitutional powers to be fritte his dutles to be |Fear New E pidemic Of Diphtheria in Northern Alaska By the Associated Press NOME, March —Dr. Curtis Welch, sole ph an of Nome, who worked night and day during the height of the diphtheria epi- demic, has received word from Candle, 250 miles northeast of here, that an epldemic of sore throats, with symptoms of diphtheria, was spreading among the residents of Buckland River. —_— RED COUP IN NORWAY CRUSHED BY ARRESTS Conversation Overheard Leads in | Snaring of Three Communist Leaders in Oslo. BY BJORN BUNKHOLDT. By Cable to The Star and Chicago Dally News. OSLO, March 21.—"“Three obstinate men have been arrested” are the offi- cial words behind which lie the story of a bolshevist conspiracy which was unveiled only a day before the in- tended revolutionary coup. A man at Kongsvinger overheard two well known Communist leaders discussing plans for March 18 and 19, and informed the policc. Tre latter shadowed the leaders. During the next night, March i6, several Communists gathered in a small house at Aasnes. The police broke in and arrested all. A search of the house revealed plans for a coup which included destruction of the railways and exe- cution of well known men, whose names were listed (Copyright, 1925, by Chicago Daily News Co.) WOULD APPLY PADLOCK TO SEVEN INDIVIDUALS Federal Attorneys Ask Injunctions in Cases Alleging Sales of Liquor in Each. United States Attorney Gordon and Assistant United States Attorney Rover today asked the District Su- preme Court for a “padlock” injunc- tion against Frank P. Hall, owner of a near-beer saloon at 1000 Seventh street southwest. Padlock injunctions are also asked against John Mehling and Morris Ho- ran, 411 Four-and-a-Half street south- west, and against Victor B. Wheatle Sam Shaffer, John Slingland and An- tonio Genera, at 807 North Capitol streets. Agents of the prohibition unit claim they have purchased intoxicants at these several places. FORMER EMPRESS, ILL,\ Charlotte, Suffering With Grip, Also Declines Medicine and Food. By the Associated Press. BRUSSELS, March 21.—The condi- tion of former Empress Chariotte, widow of Maximilian of Mexico, who at the age of 85 is undergoing a se- vere attack of grip, continued seri- ous today, although she became no | worse overnight. She is alarming her | physiclans by a refusal to take medi- cine or much nourishment, and like- wise by declining to stay in bed. She insists upon dressing and walking around the chateau, not seeming to realize the gravity of her illness. King Albert and Queen Elizabeth have visited the patient several times since the beginning of her fllness. They found her mind no less clear than usual, the ex-empress recogniz- ing every ‘one readily. Plane, Pontoons Leaking, Is Taxied ailors Bail for Life and seven enlisted men aboard the craft bailed frantically to keep it afloat until it could be taxied to shore under power of the second motor. Lieut. H. E. Halland, commander, brought his plane to a landing oa the rocks of San Juan Point with- out injuty to any one aboard. The big bomber was so badly pound- ed by the waves that it was given up as a total wreck, save possibly for the engines, which may be | palvaged. REFUSES TO STAY ABED | WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION D. C, HOPE ABANDONED 'FOR BURIED MINERS Men Entombed by Blast Near Fairmont Certainly Dead, Says Expert. By the Associated Pre: FAIRMONT, W. Va, March 21.—A faint hope that some of the entombed workmen in the wrecked mine of the Bethlehem Mines Corporation may be reached alive virtually disappeared with the statement by R. M. Lambie, chief of the West irginia Mie in- spectors, that there had been no in- dication to support such @ belief. Any report that any of the miners are alive is “nllppolnllm," Chief Lam- bie declared, Hala.lnln‘ that res- cuers “are working op the assump- tion that all of the men in the unex- plored section of the mine are alive.” The hope that some of the men may have survived the blast Tuesday night was raised when one of the rescuers penetrated a short distance into the unexplored right heading and reported that the explosion had not reached that section of the mine Twenty-two of the 33 imprisoned miners were working in that section at the time of the blast. Seven bodies have been brought to the surface and two others are ex- pected to be hoisted to the top of the shaft during the day. Rescuers are still searching for the bodles of two other miners in the left 'heading, where exploration has thus far been confined. STORM AND PROSPERITY BRING FAMINE IN COAL Failure of Ship to Arrive and Sud- den Wealth of Fox Trappers Causes Shortage in Nome. By the Associated Press. NOME, Alaska, March 21.—Failure of the coal-laden steamer Appolo to arrive last Fall, because of being damaged in severe storms, and the sudden prosperity of native fox trap- pers have created a serious coal shortage here, it was revealed today. The trappers earned large sums this vear with their heavy catches, and purchased coal instead of comb- ing the beach for wood The coal famine was reliev: ! some- what by the city council's purchase of 50 tons from the United States Signal Corps radio station. This was apportioned by a city coal committee in one to six sack allotments. The next coal ship is due in June. ! "The situation is regarded as serious. DAWES AT WHITE HOUSE. 'Vice President Calls at Executive Office Before Leaving City. Before leaving Washington this aft- ernoon Vice President Dawes called at the White House to take up some routine matters with Secretary Sand- ers. The Vice Prasident hurried through his business and left for the Capitol without stepping into the President’s office. Gen. Dawes sald he had no business with the Executive and, therefore, did not care to take up his time. Besides he had a long chat with President | Coolidge last night, when the Vice President and Mrs. Dawes were din- ner gueqs at the Whn.e House. FUMIGATION IS FATAL Passenger of Steamer Reported z Overcome by Gas. PORT ORNE, Ont, March 21.— Clark Spaulding of Buffalo is under arrest here charged with criminal negligence in connection with. the recent death of Allan Scott, a Hamil- ton salesman. Spalding was in charge of fumigation operations on the steamer Berrington of the Matthews fleet, and Scott is sgid to have been overcome by the fumes of the fumi- gation gas. Spaulding declared he had taken every precaution to protect the crew, but did not realize any passengers were aboard the ship. He is out on 152,000 bail. EDUCATOR KALLS HIMSELF BOSTON, March 21.—Stephen F. Sears, an instructor in the English department at the Massachusetts In- stitute of Technology, committed sui- cide today by leaping in front of a subway train. SATURDAY, MARCH 21, HELLO, & EVERYBODY 5“/ e Fpening Star. 925 —THIRTY-TWO PAGES. every city bl tion is delive: as fast as th Yesterda: Mutiny Is Staged By Chinese Seamen For Pay and Leave By the Associated Press. SAN FRANCISCO, March 21— Thirty Chinese, the crew of the steamship Isonomid, were found in possession of the decks of the vessel vesterday afternoon by a launchload of police from San Francisco and constables from Sausalito. Capt. Adolph Nielsen, First Mate Danfel O'Neill and the purser were barricaded in the cabin, armed with pistols. The police had difficulty getting aboard the steamer because of the eagerness of the mutineers to get aboard tfe patrol boats. The Chi- nese asserted they had been de- nied shore leave and that wages were due them. The ship’s officers sald they were on their way, to Angel Island, the United States immigration statfon, to permit the crew to go ashore when the mu- tiny started. Three policemen were left aboard 7. / MARCH 21, 1925, Fearing to Harm Burglar, Chinese Allows $6 Theft A burglar entered the laundry of Moy Hong Loy, 517 Seventh street, early today. Moy, sleeping up- stairs, heard him, crept to the top of the stairs, and with oriental calm and stoicism sat patiently with pistol in hand and watched the ransacking process. He ex- plained to the police afterward ~that had he intérfered some unin-— tended harm might have befallen the intruder. The robber found only $6 in the cash register. Apparen with avaricious intent he started up the stairs in search of more loot. This was too much, even for the com- placent oriental graciousness of the launderer, and he strolled to the window and let loose a roaring Chinese equivalent for “help”* The thief left at once. MAY CALL LANGDON T0 CTYPLAN POST Commission to Select Expert. Has Boston Man Under Consideration. The name of James G. Langdon of Boston, Mass., has been prominently mentioned as a candidate for appoint- ment as city planner under the Na- tional Capital Park Commission. The commission at its first session, sev- eral days ago, authorized Lieut. Col. C. 0. Sherrfll, director of public buildings and public parks and execu- tive officer of the commission, to em- ploy an expert city planner in con- nection with the work of the com- mission in making the National pi- tal one of the most beautiful cities in the world. So far as known, the name of Mr. Langdon is the only one that has been given consideration, but mno de- cision has been made on the appoint- ment, and it is probable that this name and any others which are sug- gested may be considered by the com- mission at its next meeting, the lat- ter part of April. Mapped McMillan Plan. Mr. Langdon is peculiarly fitted for the position, it-was said. In fact, he had much to do with the mapping out of the so-called McMillan plan of 1902 on which the city has been de- veloped to some extent, and which plan the new commission will follow largely in its work of carrying out the law for developing the parks, playgrounds, highways, etc., of the District. Mr. Langdon also was a member of the Rock Creek and Potomac Park- way Commission and, in fact, pre- pared the first estimates ever sub- mitted for that development. So it will be seen that he is well versed on the entire project and much of the material on which the commission will work was largely planned by him. The commission has $600,000 to ex- pend this year in the purchase of plots of grounds In various parts of the District, and has been glving con- sideration to their purchase. How- ever, it is not believed that any actual purchases will be made until the appointment of the city planner and the formation of the advisory committee, which was authorized &y the commission also at its last meet- ing. New Commander in India LONDON, March 2i.—~Gen. Sir Wil- liam Birdwood, who has just been promoted to be a field marshal, yes- terday was appointed’ commander-in- chief of the' British troops in Indi succeed Gen. Lord Rawlinson, whose term expires in November. e Sargent of Vermont ° A remarkable character sketch of the new Attor- ney General. Tomorrow, in the Editorial Section of The Sunday Star PHONE VALUATION PLEAS O ONDAY Final Argument to Utilities Commission Will Precede Decision on Rates. Final arguments on the valuation of the Chesapeake and Potomac Tele- phone Company property will be heard at 10 o'clock Monday morning, after which the Utilities Commission will set itself to the task of finding a fair value from the mass of testi- mony that has been submitted. It was indicated at the District Building today that the commission is not likely to allow the company's clalm to a valuation of $25,000,000. The commission's present value-of the property is approximately $19,000,000. How much above or below this figure the new value will be cannot be de- termined until the commission has gone over all of the evidence. At yesterday's session Byers McK. Bachman, accountant for the com- mission, submitted an exhibit in which he arrived at a value of $18,236,750. It was explained, however, that this was not a valuation estimate of the commission, but an element of testi- mony to be considered along with other exhibits submitted. Depends on Finding. The amount of value finally found by the commission will depend large- ly on what the commission decides should be done as a matter of policy with regard to subtracting the ac- crued depreciation from the repro- duction value of the property and also what allowance is to be made for the company’s going concern value. The company’s accrued _deprecia- tion account is about $4,500,000, of which $986.000 was a gift from the American Telephone and Telegraph Co., leaving approximately $3.500.000. If this should be deducted from the value' of the property it would make a material difference in the finding. The company’s claim for going con- cern value is $2,800,000 Chairman Bell of the commission indicated by questions he propounded at yesterday's hearing that the com- mission is considering deducting ac- crued depreciation. The company contended there is a difference be-| tween the amount credited as accrued depreciation and the actual physical depreciation existing in the property. In arriving at their estimate of va uation the company figured the a tual depreciation existing in the property as $1,800,000. May Require Weeks. Officials of the commission said to- day that a finding of fair value is hardly to be expected for two or three weeks following Monday's hear- ing. It was pointed out that the commission will face a big task in going over all of the evidence that has been offered. The question of whether a reduc- tion in telephone rates is to be con- sidered will depend upon what the commission finds is the value of the property. ~The law provides that rates shall be fixed to yield a fair re- turn on the valuation. Until the valuation is settled the commission will not know whether a change in rates is possible. SHARP QUAKE IN CANADA. QUEBEC, March 21.—An intense earthquake shock was felt here this morning. Houses were shaken but no serious damages or fatalities were re- ported. The shock occurred between 10:24 and_10:26 o'clock. Following the earthquake tremors of February 28 there were recurrent disturbances for several days in this district. Today's shock lasted only § to 10 seconds, de- pending upon the localit: the ship a3 guards and the crew was told Ity complaints as to wages would be settled and it would be returned to China. The Isonomia s owned in San Francisco and files the Panama flag. HOOVER WINNING: INEFFICIENCY DRIVE Transfer of Patent Office Im- portant Step in Effort to Cut Red Tape. BY DAVID LAWRENCE. Herbert Hoover has gradually de- veloped a role in the Coolidge admin- fstration which began with the Hard- ing administration and means even greater latitude than before in recom- mending and suggesting changes in governmental machinery that make for eficiency. The transfer of the Patent Office from the Department of Interior to the Department of Commerce was under authority of a law already on the statute books, but it was no in- cidental transfer. It was the culmi- nation of a series of developments principal among which is that Ameri- can business has begun to co-op- erate with Secretary Hoover, and the latter, in turn, has left no stone un- turned to satisfy American busine: that, so far as he is concerned, red tape will be severed and a short cut to getting things dome quickly will always be sought. The Patent Office has been under a department which has relatively lit- tle contact with the business men of the Nation. The Department of Com- merce, however, is in close touch with the business men. It works in harmony with the United States Chamber of Commerce. In fact, if Herbert Hoover were to serve in a cabinet office another few years he would have all bureaus which direct- Iy or indirectly affect the expansion of American business here and abroad co-ordinated. Gets Things Done. Mr. Hoover is a sort of right-hand man to Presidents. Mr. Harding leaned on him heavily. So does Mr. Coolidge. ~ For Secretary Hoover, without beating the tom-toms, simply goes ahead and plans and plans and then gets things done. It's the mind of the engineer applied to govern- ment. It is whispered that Secretary Hoover had a great deal to do with the appointment of the new Secretary of Agriculture, Mr. Jardine. That means co-operation between the De- partment of Agriculture and the De- partment of Commerce, which has not obtained heretofore. Mr. Hoover feels that the biggest problem in agriculture is marketing at home and abroad. Mr. Jardine thinks along the same lines as Mr. Hoover. They will work together, Another point—American business men have not in the past been able to organize themselves so as to co- operate with the Department of Com- merce. Under the presidency of Julius H. Barnes, an intimate friend of Mr. Hoover, a large policy of co- operation was begun by the United States Chamber of Commerce, which has been continued ever since, and is being carried forward by Richard ¥. Grant, the present head of the chamber. In the Navy Department is a Cali- fornian, Secretary Wilbur, another man close to Secretary Hoover. The heads of the other departments have begun to understand Secretary Hoover. For a time his ways were a puzzle. It looked to some of them as if he wanted to take over all sorts of activities including the United States Shipping Board. Now they know that if Mr. Hoover suggests some- thing to the President it is not be- cause he wants more work to do in supervjsion but because he thinks efficiency demands consolidation of bureaus and a co-operation of all es- tablishments that may help American business. Under Mr. Hoover, the Department of Commerce has become the largest department of its kind anywhere In the world and beside it the Food Administration, Belgian Relief and some of the other things Mr. Hoover has done are relatively insignificant in size and intensjty of organization. (Copyright, 1925.) Navy Board to Convene. A naval selection board to recom- mend officers 6f the line for promo- tion as vacancles occur to the grades of rear admiral, captain and com- mander will be convened about June 15 to begin its work. Boards for medical and other staff officers will meet in June also. Electric Trains, With Radio Taking Place of Crews, Declared Feastble By the Associated Press. NEW YORK, March 21—It is now- possible - to' operate electric trains by radio from a central control office, G. Y. Allen of the Westinghouse. Electric and Manu- facturing Co. told the New York Rallroad Club last night. “It is entrely feasible,” Mp. ‘Allen said, “to start a train with- out a crew, run It at full speed over clear tracks, slow it down or _stop it, start it up, again dnd open its doors, by signals of an auto- matic block systen The radio features of this sys- tem, he added,.are of the “carrier current” type, waves which travel along the power lines of the ral road Instfad of spreading oqut through the ether as in ordinary broadcasting. The system is now being used by electric power and street rail- ‘way companies to control distant switches and for conversation be- tween points on the system. “From Press to Home Within the Hour” The Star’s carrier system covers lock and the regular edi- red to Washington homes e papers are printed. Circulation, 103,573 TWO CENTS. ELDRIDGE ACCEPTS DIFFICULT POST AS TRAFFIC DIRECTOR Will Assume Office Monday. Pleads for Co-Operation in First Statement. TAKES UP DUTIES AT COST OF BIG LOSS IN SALARY Plans Thorough Study of New law Before Attempting to Lay Down Any Policies. Maurice O. Eldridge, an official of the American Automobile Associatio formally accepted appolntment as Washington's first director of traffi at a conference with the Commission ers today. Mr. Eldridge will report for duty Monday morning on one of the most important tasks ever intrusted to a executive in the District governmen namely, the supervision of all traff problems. The first message of the director to the people of Washington was a plea for co-operation from every citi- zen, and he coupled the appeal with an expression of confidence that such support would be forthcoming. In announcing the acceptance Com- missioners Rudolph and Bell said “Mr. Eldridge has taken the posi- tion at a reduction in salary of 33's per cent because he feels that he can render a public service to the Cf Washington.” | Salary Set at $5,200. Under the classification salary of the director of been fixed at $5,2 missioners announce As he left the meeti heads Mr. Eldridge sal, not to discuss his personal views o existing traffic problems and how they should be solved until he has had an opportunity to study thor- oughly the new law under which hs will function. His statement to the public follows: “The Commissioners of the Distriet of Columbla have seen fit to tender me the offer of the post of trafic di- rector for this city, the positio: ated by the traffic act recently acted by Congress. “In accepting this offer, I am keen alive to the confidence that the civic heads of the city have placed At the same time I appreciate ¢ sponsibility that this post Will Study Policies. “It is too early to outline pol for these must be worked out and ap- plled only after a complete survey of the situation as it exists today and in a manner that will best assure the fullest measure of co-operation, un- der the direction of the Commission- ers themselves. Of course, the duties of the trafic director are daid down in the law creating the post, and it goes without saying that the director must guided by the spirit and the letter of heiaye sl all indis owieer b depends on the extent of publie co- operation in putting the new traffic code into effect. For this reason I am counting not only on the full sup- port of the Police Department, but also on the support of civic organiz tions, utility companies, motorists and all public-spirited citize: his sup- port, Tam confident, will be forthcom- ing. The question of fixing speed limits for vehicles in the downtown sect and on main traffic arteries is pro ably of.paramount interest to the public, and is one of the most im- portant problems to be solved by Mr. Eldridge as soon as he enters upon his duties. Corporation Counsel Francis H. Stephens is at work today on a writ- ten report for the Commissioners, ex plaining just when the various se tions of the new law become effective, and this report probably will gutde Mr. Eldridge in mapping out his plan of action during the next few weeks. Permit Renewal Questioned. Another outstanding question to be settled promptly is whether the new law contemplated that ail of the 000 operators’ permits now in use should be renewed now or remain good until March 31, 1826. The law states that permits shall be renewed annually on March 31, but there has been some doubt at the District Bullding as to whether renewal would be necessary this year. Mr. Stephens is expected to settle this matter in his forthcoming opin- ion, but Commissioner Rudolph ex- pressed the personal bellef today that renewals would not be made until March, 1926. For the past few years the Commis- sloners have had a traffic board com- posed of Assistant Engineer Commis. sioner Holcombe, Assistant Corpora- tion Counsel Madigan and Inspector Headley of the Traffic Bureau. Com- missioner Rudolph announced today that this board would no longer be necessary. It 1s more than likely, however, that one of the assistant corporation coun- sels will be designated to keep Mr. Eldridge advised on legal matters. ‘Will Make Regulations. Maj. Holcombe and Danicl Garges, secretary to the Commission- ers, today were designated to find of- fice space for the director of traffic lin the District Bullding. Temporary quiarters will be assigned to him Mon- day. | Before becoming assoclated with | the American Automobile Association Mr. Eldridge served for 25 years in the United States Bureau of Public Roads. As resderch specialist. of the A, A. A, which has a mexwership of 7,000, Mr. Eldridge has had an op- portunity to acquaint himself with trafic problems and _regulations throughout the United States. And while performing this service of a natlonal character Mr. Eldridge has been @ resident -of = Washington. thereby gaining personal knowledge of local traffic problems. The trafio law provides that, beginning 50 days after its enact- ment, the director is authorized to | make reasonable regulations with respect to brakes, horns; lights, muffiers and other equipment, the speed and parking of vehicles, ‘the registration of vehicles and the issu- ance of operators’ permits. In connection with the fixing of speed limits it will be necessary for the director to decide on the arterial highways. The second deficlency act carrled an appropriation_ of $60,000 for the ad- 7 (Continued on Page %, Column §.) & of the c he preferred cre- en-