Evening Star Newspaper, February 23, 1926, Page 2

WOULD LET LEAGUE FIX COUNCIL SIZE Briand Opposed to Outside Interference in Solving Problem. + the Associated Press. PARIS, February 23—The League Natlons iiself 1s the “sole and! o of the question of en- & the league council, Premic riand sald today after a meeting of foreign affairs committee ‘n( the of Deputies. lteferring to| dditional perma- b Chamber movem council ection to and said leaxue procedure. “I have full confldes for srpretation sonformity with nided to its nplete independ vithout taking into account at- tempts to influence its decision.” The premier dismissed as “out of e” polemles regarding the en- ment of the council The Locarno negotiators have no asion to take up that affair” he “The question was propounded Leveral times before Locarno. itions interested in_incr ng the yiumber of seats merely have profited Ly Germany's to present | | tol = 0. British . who remarked that i the same men who took part in the Locarno conference could meet cuss the council membership . they would be able to deal h it practically.) The foreign affairs committee ap- proved. with four dissenting nation- M. Paul-Boncour's report on the Locarno pact. Premier Briand sisted that nothing was discussed it that conference bevond the texts dreaxdy published and *hat the agree- ments left France's rights under the Versallles dreaty absolutely intact. The premier and the committee- ynen agreed to urge the chamber to ten its discussion of the Locarno ification so as toyconclude it be- e the opening of the league coun- cil on March 8. OFFICIAL CALL ISSUED. rission ue den his i ar: League Council Summoned to Meet in Geneva March 8. GENEVA, February 23 (®.—An of- fictal call for the council of the League Nations to meet March 8, when the 2] assembly summoned to act on Germany's applicauon for member- <hip in the league will open, was is- Sued vesterd Viscount Ishif. Jap- anese Ambassador to France, will pre- side. The officfal agenda includes 26 jteins, but the list omits the most im- nt question brought up by Ger- lon, that of whether ides Germany shall be £iven permanent seats in the council. Among the questions to be consid- ered is a report of the league's ex- rts on arbitration conventions and “reatles of mutual security registered with the league. It is understood that experts have found that existing documents show that the idea of set- +ling conflicts by conciliation and ar- bitration has been more widely adopt- ed than is generally supposed. This expected to_encourage the league’s armament discussions. The council will fix a new date for the meeting of the preparatory com- mission for the disarmament confer- ence. and also will decide whether this meeting shall be held outside of Switzerland, so as to assure the par- “icipation of Soviet Russfa. The council also will choose a date for the meeting of the preparatory commission for the international eco- nomic conference. Other matters to be considered include the report on the French mandate in Syria, which is being prepared by the permanent mandates commission in Rome, and | the selection of a site for a new as- embly hall. This latter toplic is ex- pected to bring up the discussion of whether, in view of the controversy between Switzerland and Russla over the Vorov: murder, the league £hould definitely tie itself to Geneva. U. S. MAGAZINE B;E-RED BY CANADA AS 0BSCENE Liberty Printed Untruthful and Libelous Matter About Prince, Official Declares. By the Assoclated Press OTTAWA, February 23.—Based on @ction of the customs act, which pro- nibits the importation of obscene matter, the American magazine Lib- erty has been permanently barred from Canada. George H. Boivine, minister of cus- t nd e announced last night that the publ had been ex- iuded on the ground that it published rticles about the Prince of Wales ind the late Queen Mother Alexandra hich was misrepresenting and li- elous It the publishers of the magazine wish to appeal the order they must ove that steps have been taken to > objectionable matter in fu- re issues, Boivine sald. WRS. KATE A. FLAGG DIES. Widow of Well Enown Writer Suc- cumbs at Age of 88. AMrs. Kate A. Flagg, 88 years old, widow of Edmund Flagg, well known writer and editor, died at her home, in Falls Church, Va., Saturday. She was formerly a resident of Washing- ton, but had lived in Falls Church Zor the last 57 years. Funeral services will be conducted her ence in Falls Church to- 1orTow afternoon at 2 o'clock. In terment will be in Oakwood Ceme- iery, near Falls Church. Mrs. Flagg was a decendant, on her mother de, of the Howard family of Baltimore. She leaves two sons, Edmund Howard Flagg and Sidney Webster Flagg, both residents of Falls Church. -— MESSENGER DIES. Veteran in U. 8. Supreme Court Service Succumbe. Lugene Brooks, colored, who serv- ed as a messenger in the United States Supreme Court for more than 40 years, died at his residence, 1842 Thirteenth street, Sunday night. Brooks, who was a member of the colored Masons and an Odd Fellow, was one of the founders of the Oldest Inhabitants’ Assocfation and the Clff Rock Association. He was a member of the United Aid, the Frederick Douglass and the Banneker Relief As- T PARK COMMISSION BILL IS O. K.’d BY SENATE HEARING WITNESSES Delano and Others Indorse Measure—Bell Urges GALLINGER PLANS | SNIPER CAPTURED, MAY GETAPPROVAL| ADMHS SLAYING 2 HE EVENING STAR. WASHINGTON, D. €., TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1926. SAYS WASHINGTON AS “DRY” CITY IS “MORE DRUNKEN” THAN LONDON! | William P. Eno Develops Plan for Regulation of U. 5. RAIDS LAND | ning i Potomac Valley are to be supplied Modification of Provisions—King Would Create Body of Expert City Planners. (Continued from First Page) planning commussion. v took the position” that the lecisions of the planning commission should be more than merely advisory and yet should | not be so iron-clad that the District Commissioners would b hound to carry them out regurdless of the' circumstances. To make his position clear. the wit- ness explained that if the planning | commission tavored the widening of | a certain thoroughfare and the Engi- | neer Commissioner should be opposed | to it, he Lelieved a_likelv procedure would be for the Engineer Commis- | oner to go before his colleagues on | the board of District Commissioners ' and explaln that while he personally was not in favor of the profect the planning commission had taken the opposite position and that the gen- eral plan of the city should be ad- hered to. Cites McMillan Plan. “Unless you give the planning com- mission that much standing, it will not succeed,” sald Mr. Delano, “That is what happened to the McMillan plan for parks.” r. Delano declared he would not vocate absolute power for the plan commuission, but that it would have to have more than mere ud- i status if its plans are to be hed. | When the question of whether the | Federal Government should bear a part of the expense of buying the re. maining land_between Rock Creek and Potomac Parks was taken up by the committee, Senator Phipps, who is in charge of District appropria- tions in the Senate, declared that fairn to people of the District required the Federal Government to contribute toward the completion of this project. The linking together of Rock Creek and Potomac Parks is more of. a Federal project than a local one, the Senator asserted, and at least 40 per cent of the cost should be borne by the Federal Government. Asks Committee Support. The bill already has passed the | House, and {8 now on the Senate| calendar in such form that all of the £600.000 needed will be takén from the surplus revenues of the District. Senator Phipps has offered an amend- ment which would take 60 per cent of the cost from the suprplus revenues of the District and 40 per cent from the Federal Treasury and he appeal- ed, today to the members of the Sen- ate District committee to support that amendment when the bill is taken up on the floor. Senator Phipps was chairman of the committee of Congress which found after long and careful investigation that the District had to its credit in the Treasury a surplus fund of $5 250,000, the existence of which was recognized by Congress for the spe- cific purposes of school building and park buying. Senator Phipps explained today that $2,625,000 of the surplus was appro- priated for school buildings during the current year “without any definite amount contributed by the Federal Government.” The citizens of the District, Sena- tor Phipps continued, wanted those BIG POTOMAC DAM REPORTED PLANNED Harnessing of River to Pro- vide Washington With Elec- tricity Under Study. as Spectal Dispatch to The Star. HAGERSTOWN, Md., February 23. —Washington and all cities near the with low-priced electric current man- ufuctured in a huge power plant that is to be built at Harper's Ferry, according to reports reaching Hagers town this morning. This information is to the effect that the National Power Supply Co. of Cleveland, is about to announce plans for harnessing the wasted power in the waters of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers by construet. ing a big dam at Harper's Ferry. The maln powerhouse would be erected there, but there would be amplifying impounding and storage plants at fre- quent intervals all the way down to Great Falls, it is said. The dam. it was reported, will raise the Potomac River two feet for a dis- tance of 10 miles. No Permit Sought. The Federal Power Commission has recelved neither an aplication for a permit to engage in such an un- dertaking, nor has it been formally appraised of the plans described above Although it is not obligatory for an engineering enterprise to seek a permit to dam waters excent those which affect navigation, engineers at the Federal Power Commission said today it is possible such a_project as the one described in the Hager: town dispatch might have an_effe on_navigation In the lower Potomac. The contractors could go ahead le- gally without fear of Interruption, it was sajd, but should it interfere with the flow of water sufficiently to disturb navigation, it would then face serfous litigation. Spain Supports Poland. MADRID, February 23 (#).—For- eign Minister Yanguas announced to- day, following a visit by the Polish minister, that the Spanish govern- ment had tacitly agreed to support Poland in her claim for a permanent sfiat on the League of Nations coun il NOON-DAY LENTEN SERVICES i Ito 5 cents straight cash fare. Thou- schools badly, and the forthcoming District bill provides for the spend- ing of another $2,000,000 of the sur- only $600,000 out of the entire surplus for park purposes. Asks for Fairness. t seems in all fairness,” Senator Phipps went on, “that this money, having accumulated under the 50-50 fiscal arrangement, should have been matched by the Federal Government, but the people needed these schools and had to use thelr surplus to get them or seek a bond issue.” Senator Phipps then emphasized again the point that by using a larger part of the surplus for the urgent school building program, tnere was left only $600,000 for the park pur- noses, and he expressed the belief hat the people of the District would much rather have used that small allotment for a park like the Patter- son tract, rather than see it used to complete linking of the Rock Creek and Potomac Parks, which Senator Phipps characterized as more of a Federal than g local park project. “The 60-40 division of this item s a fair proposal,” he concluded, “and it would leave the people of the District a balance of $240,000 in their surplus fund for the purpose of some other park land.” Others Are Heard. Others who testified in connection | with the National Capital planning | bill were Charles F. Consaul, repre. | senting a committee of the Board cf | Trade, and Mrs. John B. Henderson, | who made a strong appeal for the| systematic and attractive develop- | ment of the District from now on. | Mr. Consual said he wanted to in- dorse the general principle of the bill, and that while it mizht be im-| proved by amendment, he thought | the advantage of having obtained ac-| tion in the House should not be lost | by far-reaching changes in the Senate. After Senator King had expounded his theory of having a temporary | group of planners draw up a compre- hensive scheme for the approval of Congress, Senator Copeland of New York expressed the belief that the House bill practically provides for such procedure by enabling the pro- | posed commission to engage the nec- | essury experts to draw a definite plan | Bell Closely Questioned. Senator Copeland also questioned Col. Bell closely as to whether any of the power now held by the District Commissioners would be given to the Planning Commission if the pending bill should be modified as the Com- missioners request. Col. Bell replied that he thought the modification would give the Planning Commission more responsibility over develpoment of highways, parks and playgrounds, but admitted that it would not deprive the Commissioners of any definite au- thority. In addition to advocating that the powers of the Planning Commission be curtailed, Col. Bell also proposed to strike out that part of the bill which would add citizen members to the existing Park Commission. i He added the qualification that if Congress decides to re:ain citizen members on the proposed commission :ihfll they be District of Columbia resi- lents. HALF MILLION LEFT OF PEPCO SURPLUS Considerable Part Probably Never Will Be Claimed, Officials Believe. | | 1 ! Approximately $580.000 of the im- pounded fund of the Potomac Electr'c | Power Co. remains to be refunded to electricity consumers in the District, according to figures compiled today by the Public Utilities Commission. Since last July 1, when the company undertook to distribute the consum- ers’ share of the impounded fund, $2,370,000 of the $2,950,000 total has ! been refunded. Utility Commission of- | fictals believe that a considerable por- tion of the remaining $580,000 will never be claimed, due to the death or | removal from the city of consumers who cannot be located. Three years was the time fixed for the adjustment of all clalms. After that time the amount remaining in the impounded fund credited to the consumers will accrue to the com- pany. i | | | Some Blanks Returned. Officials of the commission explain that the company is making every possible effort to locate persons en- | | titled to a refund, but that a number of applications sent out by the com- pany have heen returned by the Post Office because of the failure to locate | the proper consumers. Whatever | amount which may accrue to the com- pany, it was said, probably will not meet the expenses of distributing the refund. The impounded fund amounted to $6,401,576, including the interest. Five thousand dollars was deducted for ac- crued taxes, leaving $5,901,676. This amount was divided equally, one-haif | going to the company and the other half set aside for consumers. It is not unusual for a utility com- pany to accumulate a surplus in such a manner as the power company un- doubtedly will through its acquisition of unclaimed consumers’ refunds, ac- cording to Utility Cbmmission officials. The Washington Railway and Electric Co. and the Capital Traction Co., it was pointed out, have made large profits through the failure of street car passengers to turn in old tickets for redemption at times when an in- creased rate of fare was put into ef- fect. % Left Big Surplus. Figures on the commission’s books show that the Washington Railway | and Electric Co. gained almost $50,000 in November, 1918, when the fare was increased from 6 tickets for 25 cents | tions committee which s now fram- {ing the District appropriation bill for jand installation of special apparatus {adherence by the United States to the | bitterly denounced it twice here yes- | {those “Senator Borah will not quote.” !sands of tickets held by passengers were not redeemed in this case, it was i said, leaving the company a sizeable Il | surplus. Again the following yean when the fare was raised the com- | pany added $10,000 to its surplus at- | counts for the same reason. The commission has been unable |to determine how much the Capital Traction Co. has increased its surplus accounts through the failure of pas- sengers to redeem old tickets due to the company’s system of bookkeeping. Statisticlans of the commission, how- ever, belleve that the figures are lower than those of the Washington Railway and Electric Co. B.F.KEITH'S THEATER 12:30 to 1 O’Clock Speaker Tomorrow Payson Smith Library Association to“l(eet. The annual meeting of the District of Columbia Library Association will Conducted by soclations. Funeral services will be held to- morrow afternoon at St. Luke's Epis- | copal Church, of which Mr. Brooks was for many years vestryman and, 1reasurer. Rev. E. Pinkney Wroth Every One Invited—No Collection be held tomorrow night at the Mount Pleasant Branch Library at 8 o'clock. A symposium of book reviews will be given by John B. Wolcott, H. H. B. Meyer, Frederick W. Ashley and Miss Emma Hance. House Subcommittee Expect- ed to-Favor Fund for 250- Bed Building. Erection of a new ward building, ac- commodating not less than 250 beds at Gallinger Municipal Hospital at a cost not to exceed $1,000,000 was dis- cussed sympathetically by the sub- committee of the House appropria- the next fiscal year, when the District budget for charities and corrections was under discussion at the hearing this morning The bill as reported will probably contaln a provision for the erection of this building, with an immediate appropriation of $300,000 and author- ity to the Dfstrict Commissioners to enter into contracts for completion of the bullding. This would include $75,000 for furniture and equipment. The bill will also provide for con- tinuing the construction of the do- mestic bullding and will carry an ap- propriation of $7,050 for the purchase and equipment for the hospital and laboratories. Other Funds Considered. For Columbla Hospital and Lying- Asylum, the subcommittee favora- ¢ considered today an increase of 500 for repairs. | For the District Training School, the subcommittee listened sympathet!- cally to the argument of District of- ficials for the expenditure of $25,000 for furniture and kitchen equipment for the new buildings; for $12,000 for the installation of laundry machinery: $6,000 for purchase of a dairy herd and other farm equipment and $4,500 | for repairs to buildings. Chairman Funk and his associates took particular interest in the items for the Home for Aged and Intirm and signified their acquiescence in the proposed appropriation of $14,000 to be made immediately available for re- pairs and improvement to the power plant; $5.000 for the rewiring of buiid- ings and installation of new lighting fixtures, immediateiy available; $2,000 for kitchen and dining room equip- ment, §3,000 for extension of the cow barn and $1,000 for fencing and mark- ing of Potter's Field. Consider Militia Measures. ! An increase of $300 in the salary of | the presiding judge of the Police ' Court is proposed in the pending bill | in bl i i 1 { 1 day. This afternoon the subcommittee will consider the militia items and the recomended appropriations for Ana- costia Flats with Maj. O'Connor, en- gineer oficer for the rivers and har-| bors district Including Washington, as | the principal witness. | { | | | Tomorrow Maj. U. S. Grant, 3d, will be the principal witness in justifica- tion of the proposed appropriations for | public buildings und parks. BATTLEONCOURT SENATORS PRESSED Borah and Reed Continue In- vasion of Territory of Protocol Backers. By the Assoclated Press. CHICAGO, February 23.—The Mid- west has become the temporary battle | ground in the fight on the {ssue of | World Court as primary time draws near in several Central States. Senator Willlam E. Borah, Republi- can, Idaho, foe of the court, who | terday, invades Wisconsin, home of ! Senator Irvine Lenroot, Republican | champion of adherence, today. The | Idaho Senator speaks tonight in Mil- ! waukee, tomorrow at Racine and re- | turns to Chicago tomorrow night en | route to Washington. t Senator Lenroot at Janesville, Wi last night, said he would rather ha his record of aiding in obtaining ' favorable Senate action for entering the court than re-election. Reed Asks Reprisals. In the territory of Senator William McKinley, Republican, Illinols, candi- date for re-election, who voted for the | court, Senator James A. Reed of Mis- | souri, Democrat, in East St. Louls, last night pleaded for voters’ re-| prisals against those who invoked | cloture on the issue in the Senate and who voted for the court, Senator Henrlk Shipstead, Farmer- Labor, Minnesota, will follow up the efforts of the anti-court Senators in an address in Chicago March 17. In their Washington's Birthday ad- dresses, Senators Borah and Lenroot | invoked the principles of Washington in support of their arguments. It devolves on the people to save the abandoned policies and princt- nes of the first President of the United States, Senator Borah declared ! in his two addresses, one in the Coli- | seum and the other at a banquet of | the Crowe-Barrett-Brundage-Thomp- | son faction of Illinois Republicans. Both speeches were radlocast. Stands by Washington. Senator Lenroot said the foreign ! policy of Washington embodies the | foreign policy of the Republican party today. He referred to sections of | Washington's farewell address as! “Washington sald if we desired to avold insult wé must be able to repel it. If Washington were allve today he would uphold the foreign policy of the United States.” “We are 1n the position that we; must come out of the court or in- evitahly become involved in the affairs of tife League of Nations,” sald Sena- tor Borah. “If the splirit of '76 still dwells in the heart of America, we | certainly can get out of this proposi- | tion that is neither court nor any- thing. There is just one supreme ruler in the United States from which there is no appeal—public opinion.” SEEKS PAY RAISE. Blanton Asks Increases for Guards in Public Buildings Here. Representative Blanton, Democrat, of Texas renewed yesterday his plea for an increase in pay for the guards under the administration of the engi- | neer officers in charge of public build- | ings. He argued that in many cases | they receive only $85 a month, which is too small for a mail with a family to live on. This plea came during considera- | tion of the independent offices appro- priation bill, which carries an item ot $2,100,000 for the office of director of public buildings and public parks, which includes $8,000,000 for installa- tion and operation of a lighting sys- tem for the Lincoln Memorial and $20,000 for installation of & public com- | fort station in that Lincoln Memorial. Omaha Renews Normal Life With Phantom Gunman in Cell, Facing Death. By the Associated Press, OMAHA, Nebr.,, February 23— Stark terror, which had gripped Omaha and Council Bluffs for more than -a week, gave way to rellef to- day with the knowledge that the “maniac gunman” who slew two per- sons and fired at many others was | behind bars. Frank Carter, 46, captured at Bart- lett, Iowa, yesterday and brought back to Omaha after confessing that he was the “sniper,” stolcally beguiled time in the county jall as Omaha re- | sumed normal actlvitles. The city caught up the thread of {its business and social life after it virtually had been severed through fear of the prowler whose .22-caiiber shells invariably were left as grim re- minders of hi# activities. Streets Deserted. Streets almost * were deserted at night, theaters and other places of amusement suffered a precipitious drop in patronage and some stores canceled newspaper advertising be- cause of a dearth of shoppers. When arrested Carter, who said he formerly was a farm laborer, possess- ed a .22-caliber pistol, equipped with a silencer, and a leather vest—ac- couterments which the popular imag- ination already had credited to the mysterious elayer. A speedy trial was promised by County Attorriey Beal, who said he would ask for the death penalty. “There is no insanity there,” sald Beal. is cunning and sharp.” After his capture by a four-man posse led by a rallroad section fore- | man, Carter confessed to the shoot- ings of last week. Victims Made Him Mad. Carter asserted he killed W. L. Mc- Devitt and Dr. A. D. Searles because “they made me mad by thinking they could resist.” He sald he shot Ross Johnston in Council Bluffs “for pro- tection when I thought he would spread an alarm.” “I held up McDevitt to rob him, Carter related. “He tried to grab my gun and I fired a shot over his shoul- der to make him behave. Then he started to run. That made me mad ‘and was discussed at the hearing to-jand I shot to kill. “I can’t say that I felt sorry for what I had done, but two or three girls came along and I felt sorry for them. I thought they might tumble onto the body, and get the shock of their ltves. But they didn't.” He said the girls scared him away before he could rob the body. Rob- bery was also his objective when he shot Dr. Searles, he said, but “I did have a slight grudge against him.” MINES IN INDIANA REOPENED QUIETLY Troops Called Out to Que! Anticipated Disorders. Only 25 at Work. By the Associated Prees. EVANSVILLE, Ind., February 23.— | With troops of the Indiana National Guard encamped here, five non-unfon bituminous coal mines in southern Indiana reopened today after several weeks of idleness. Only 25 men reported for work, how- ever, at the five mines, according to observers for Sheriff Earl Spradley of ‘Warrick County. employ several hundred men. An Indianapolis company of the Na- tional Guard arrived at Evansville to- day and three planes reached the scene from an observation unit at | Kokomo. A company of guardsmen from Greensburg. Ind., also has been ordered to Evansville. What little activity was possible at the reopened mines with the small force which reported was begun quietly, the sheriff was told, and with no signs of disturbance. Troop movements were ordered late yesterday by Adjt. Gen. H. Kershner following a conference with Gov. Ed Jackson. Sporadic fighting between union sympathizers and non-union miners during a unionization campaign which has been in progress several weeks has resulted in a tense situation, State officials have been advised. Adjt. Gen. Kershner said last night his latest reports from the mining district indicated that quiet prevailed. —— EXPLAINS TRAFFIC JAM. Due to Laxity of Policeman, Says Capt. Headley. Complaints of the congestion of traffic at the junction of the Highway Bridge approach road and the north roadway of East Potomac Park were received today, and when the matter was taken up with Capt. Albert Head- ley of the fourth precinct he pointed out that the fault was due recently | to individual laxity. A policeman {s assigned there regu- larly to regulate possible heavy traffic, but was found off his post during the Sunday afternoon congestion. This roadway was formerly patroled by the park police, but the jurisdic- tion is now in the Metropolitan Police Department. Capt. Headley said that there is standing order that a man shall be assigned to this post for traffic duty on Sundays, holidays and other days when traffic is expected to be heavy However, the precinct has no men avallable for a permanent assignment here and on days of heavy traffic it i geecfasary to take a man from another at. GRANT ELECTED MEMBER OF MONUMENT SOCIETY Succeeds Sherrill, Who Resigned After Retiring From Post—Of- ficers Re-elected. The Washington Natiohal Monu- ment Socjety, at its annual meeting yesterday afterncon, elected Maj. U. S. Grant, 3d, to its membership, suc- ceeding Lieut. Col. C. O. 8herrill, who resigned following his retirement from the office of Wirector of public build- ings and public parks, to which office Maj. Grant has succeeded. The society also unanimously re- elected its full list of officers for an- other term, as follows: 4 President Coolidge, president : ex- officio; the governors of the several States, vice presidents ex-officio; Willis Van Devanter, assoclate justice of the Final action was not reached Jast night on this bill. United States Supreme Court, first vice president; Charles C. Glover, sec- ond vice president; Theodore W. Noyes, treasurer; William R. Harr, secretary. *He has a low mentality but he | The mines normally | Liquor in U. S., Which Is Before “Wets”” Modifi- cation Committee for Consideration. Charging that statistics show that ““Washington, under Federal enforce- ment of prohibition, is elght times as drunken as London and five times as drunken as Paris under regulation, ‘Willtam P. Eno of this city has de- veloped a plan for regulation of liquor in the United States, which will be studied by the modification committee, of which he was appointed a member last night, by the Assoclation Against the Prohibition Amendment. . “‘On the basis of arrests for drunk- { enness per 100,000 of population,” Mr. Eno pointed out in a pamphlet dis tributed at the modification banquet last night at the Mayflower Hotel, the figures are: London, 380; Paris, 600; ‘Washington, 2,500. ““The enforcement of the Volstead act is under direct control of the United States Government in the City of Washington. Yet the statistics nrovs bevond controversy that the Capital of the United States under Federal enforcement of prohibition is eight times more drunken than the capital of England and five times more drunken than the capital of France | under regulation. ! The facts are beyond dispute that AIMSTO ABOLISH - D.C.FEESYSTEM | Madden Offers Bill ‘Affecting Offices of Deeds and Wills. ! The final step toward abolition of | the fee system in the District Govern- | ment was taken today by Chairman Madden of the House appropriations committee when he Introduced a- bill to do away with the use of fees for support of the office of Recorder of Deeds and Register of Wills in the Dis- trict of Columbia. This measure would ! place these offices upon an annual ap- propriation basis, turning whatever fees are received directly into the Fed- eral Treasury. A Mr. Madden explained that the pres- | ‘ent laws provide schedules of fees to| !be charged by the Recorder of Deeds | and the Register of Wills for work per- | formed by their offices for the public. | The law also permits the use of these [ fees to the extent they are necessary {for the payment of salaries of em- | ployes and defraying other expenses | for the conduct of those offices. What- | ever surplus fees remain after the ex- ! penses are paid are deposited in the | Treasury at the end of the fiscal vear | and credited to the District of Colum- Chairman Madden emphasized that | the tendency of Government in recent |vears has been toward the abolition | of the use of fees for the support of public offices. The purpose of the bill, he said, s to take away from these two offices the use of the fees, a practice of many years' standing, | and require them to be supported by direct appropriation in the sume manner as other activities of the Dis- trict government are supported. ¢ Thix bill will require the heads of both of the offices to prepare a budget annually setting forth their needs and to come before the proper admin- istrative authorities and the commit- tees of Congress to justify the tunds | which they ask. Mr. Madden insisted the bill ie in the interest of good legislative pro- cedure, good administrative practice and says that its passage will mark the passing of the last of the fee-sup- ported offices under the District, of { which there were at one time a great | many. | Eleven Die of Pneumonia. Eleven more deaths from pneu- monia were reported today to the D'strict Health Department, bringing the total since January 1 to 268.] Eighteen new cases of the disease also were reported. There have been | 761 cases under treatment since the new year. Today in Congress Senate. Senator Mayfleld of Texas ad- dressed the Senate on the powers of States to authorize new railroad construction. The proposal to further investi- gate the Aluminum Co. of America was debated today. The District committee heard Senator Phipps of Colorado in sup- port of his proposal that the Fed- eral Government contribute 40 per cent toward the parkway connect- ing Rock Creek and Potomac Parks. The committee also held a hear- ing on a bill to enlarge the powers of the National Park Commission. From the appropriations commit- tee the agricultural appropriation bill was reported to the Senate. ‘The public lands committee con- sidered legislation dealing with graz- ing on public lands. ‘The claims committee considered claims in executive session. 1 House. House today acted upon confer- ence report on tax reduction bill. House takes up railroad labor bill to be under consideration until completed, which is expected late tomorrow. Bill to legally establish Police ‘Women’s Bureau in the District of Columbia, subject of hearing be- fore Rathbone subcommittee of House District committee. District appropriation bill for fiscal year beginning July 1 next, subject of hearing in executive session by Funk subcommittee of appropriations committee. Legislation providing for equali- zation of rank, subject of hearing before naval affairs committee. Foreign affairs committee, in executive session, continues hear- ing on education of Persian stu- dents under the Imbrie indemnity fund. Admiral Moffett was _principal witness before military affairs com- mittee at hearing on proposed De- partment of National Defense. Agricultural committee considers migratory bird bill in executive session. Committee on flood control holds hearing on Missouri River projects. Committee bn immigration con- ducts .hearing, with Representa- tive McDuffie and Delegate Davilia as_principal witnesses. - Insular affairs committee con- ducts hearing on establishment of a permanent government for the Virgin Islands. Merchant marine committee con- tinues hearing on Scott bill for con- solidation of certain bureaus in the Department of Commerce. Putlic lands committee, in execu- tive gesslon, considers private bills on_the calendar. Subcommittee of judiciary com- mittee conducts hearing on motor thett legislation. | gallons at a time.” other nations are making great strides toward a maximum of temper- ance under wise regulation, while we are headed In the opposite direction under the elghteenth amendment and the Volstead enforcement act.” Mr. Eno's plan, which would entail a new constitutional amendment, pro- vides for licensing the sale of liquors under certain restrictions, a tax of 1 cent for each ounce of alcohol, “in whatever combination,” and an ad- ditional tax of 1 cent per ounce on imported alcohol. Nothing could be mported under Mr. Eno's plan without coming up to “Government test of purity of con- saloons or bars would be “sup- pressed” and any reputable eating place vouched for by reputable citi- club, would be able to procire a per- mit to sell alcoholic drink with meals between the hours of 4 and not less than one full bottle would be licensed to “reputable dealers” vouched for by reputable cltizens during cer- Saturday purchases after wages are paid.” WETS OPEN DRIVE AGAINST DRY LAW; 21 T0 CARRY ON FIGHT (Continued from First Page.) Jersey; Rev. Dr. James Empringham of New York, and many others. Pro- hibition was charged by various speakers with breaking down the morals of the youth, with Infringing upen the constitutional liberty of the people, with diverting revenue from Government, “underground” to the thief and bootlegger, with corrupting not only social, but political life in America and with violating both the true interpretation of Christianity. 500 Take Part in Banquet. Among the more than 500 diners at the banquet last night, of whom about half were women, there were four United States Senators—Edge, Ed wards, Bruce and Bayard—and se eral members of the House. Enthusiasm broke forth not only in loud applause but in hearty cheers at both sessions, and it was during the afternoon, with the meeting packed to the doors with men and women, that the spirit of the occasion at times burst into the fervor of a political cam- paign, with whole groups of the as- sembly leaping to their feet, shouting and waving flags. The Maryland dele- gation was responsive to Maryland speakers and at one time during a pause a big voice boomed out from the back of the court, “What's the matter with Ritchie?” Both sessions were colorful and lively affairs, with frequent caustic references to the Anti-Saloon League and its “politics,” always provoking laughter or jeers. Prohibition Uncle Sam's war bride. He married in haste. Now he is repenting at leisure.” This remark by the Rev. Dr. Em pringham, national secretary of the Church Temperance Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church, whose recent espousal of the cause of modi- fication created a sensation, proved one of the popular keynotes of the two sessions, several speakers refer- ring to the idea. Mr. Hill charged that during the war the “Anti-Saloon League was playing politics, while the rest of us were a-tiptoe to win the war.” Reads Beer Recipe. Announcing that both he and Mr. Stayton may be “facing the local jall” for violation of the Volstead act, Mr. Hill called attention to George Washington’s recipe for “‘small beer,” printed in the elaborate menu-pro- gram for the evening, and read the entire recipe in a clear voice. ‘Waving aloft twe pamphlets of the Department of Agriculture, Mr. Hill told his auditors that if they ‘“were in danger” in taking home the print- ed recipe, so was the Secretary of Ag- riculture for printing the directions for making ‘“unfermented juice.” The difference, however, Mr. Hill pointed out was that the Secre- tary said to keep the bung in the barrel, while George Washington said to “leave the bung open.” “Washington was no small-bottle man,” said Mr. “he made 30 Some of the recipe was reproduced facsimile in ‘Washington's handwriting. Hill; Urges Concerted Action. Senator Edge, protesting that it was “no violation of the law to attempt to perfect the law,” declared that the “Volstead act and the eighteenth amendment are the collossal failures of the age. Any act,” he added, “which has brought in its trail wide corruption {n public service, increased alcoholic drunkenness, insanity and deaths, homes transferred into bar- rooms, taught young boys and girls the use of ‘the flask, unknown before pmr;:ugutmn, :!\lnd incited a general gi: rd for all law, can: S - fully defendea. B AR Calling upon his hearers to arouse public sentiment and “present a con- crete proposition for amendment of law and amendment of the eighteenth amendment,” Senator Edge declared Congress was composed of & “small band of ‘wets,’ a small band of men sincerely dry and an army in between walting to hear some word from the States.” A nation-wide referendum, the speaker thought, would ‘result in an overwhelming verdict for common sense sanity and decency.” Congress will never act, he sald, “until the peo- :zht:yo{ut:}lg great Nation demand that Many persons who are talking about the eighteenth amendment not being enforced, according to Mrs. Norton ‘are denying the fourteenth and fi teenth amendments. They say,” she explained, “it is not the custom to enforce the fourteenth and fifteenth amendments in the South, and I would reply, then, If I reasoned on the same basis, that it would not be the custom to enforce the aighteenth amendment n the North! “‘The most serious question arising :x:om this contempt of law,” said Mrs. a\otzlr;o:l‘; ;‘lu g:a harm that is being ur boys and girls, and physically.” 5 e Approves Temptations. Dr. Empringham declared that “pro- hibition is wrong in principle, but so long as it is the law it must be obeyed. God breaks man’s prohibi- tion law every moment by fermenta- tion, because God wants us to live |In the midst of temptations, where | character can be developed by diffi- {culties. * * * Adam and Eve would | never have noticed that apple tree in the middle of the Garden of Eden if it hadn’t been prohibited.” Revenues formerly going to the Government, Dr. Empringham said, by virtue of prohibition were now iverted to cutthroats and instead of being used to re- lieve the tax burden on American peo- {ple. “This law,” sald Dr. Emprin ham, “insults our Lord Jesus Christ. zens, whether a_restzurant, hotel or | 10 p.m. | In the sale of alcoholic drink in bulk, | tain days, at the beginning or middle | of the week only, “so as to prevent spirit of Gecrge Washington and the | 120 GUNMENINNET Chicago “Bad Lands” Clean- Up May Bring Deportation | of Many Gangsters. By the Associated Press. CHICAGO, February 23.—More than 120 were under arrest today «- a result of police raids throughout the West Side “bad lands” for dr portable alien gangsters and gur men. The district has been te |rorized the last year by gang w fare. Twenty-one of the men taken ¢ the sudden police attack were desig nated as Government prisoners b; United States inspectors sent here jon instructions from Washington The suspects must stand trial fc their right to remain longer in t j country, inspectors said. Ninety-nine arrests were made cafes, poolrooms and homes and - men were taken from street corner {Don Peppino, u member of the “Quarto,” which, police say, is the Inner government of the district's gangsters, was taken in the round up. At the warehouse of Antonio Lom bardo officers found a sawed-off shot |8un recently fired and a quantity of ammunition. A card index securod in the rald contains the names of many alleged gangsters, police said. The political headquarters of Dia mond Joe Esposito was among the places visited. An exodus of allens from the ratded district was reported to polica by rallroad ticket agents and word wus forwarded to arrest all suspects cn east-bound trains. Commnienting on the drive, Jeremiah Hurley, supervising director of im- migration, sent here last week from ‘Washington, declared the crusade would be continued until the district NEW TRAFFIC LIGHTS WILL COST $126,000 Eldridge Estimates Expenditure Required for Extension of Street Control System. | 1 Approximately $126,000 {s needed to provide the desired extension of the automatic trafic control lights, according to estimates prepared by Traffic Director M. O. Eldridge for the House committee on appropria- | tions.” Mr. Eldridge was asked by the committee to determine the cost of the extensions he belleves should be made this year. There is no provision for the ex- |tension of the light system in the | District budget for 1927. Director | Eldridge requested additional funds | for this purpose, but the item was | reduced by $170,000 by the Commis {sloners and the Bureau of the | Budget. | The first deficiency appropriation bill carries an item for the extension | of existing traffic lights on Sixteenth | street and on Massachusetts avenue, { but Mr. Eldridge is anxlous to place | the signals on such thoroughfares |in the downtown section as F and G | streets, and Pennsylvanla avenue !from the Treasury to the Capitol. | The extension on Sixteenth street will be from Florida_avenue north- ward to Park road. The Massachu- | setts avenue lights will be extended { eastward from Tiwelfth to Seventh | street. NINE BODIES RECOVERED. Taken Fror: Ruins of Wooden Ho- tel at Hurleyville, N. Y. HURLEYVILLE, N. Y., February 23 (®).—Nine bodies have been re covered from the ruins of the Schind ler Prairfe House, wooden hotel here which was destroyed by fire early yesterday. Seven bodies were recov ered yesterday and two more were found last night. The bodies taken out of the rul: were so charred as to make ident!f tion impossible. Firemen discontinued work in the belief that the bodies of all those who perished had been recovered. pled by such laws as prohibition, which was the “true cause for chaotic conditions in our land.” Mr. Stayton, announcing his new committee to formulate a program {for modification, said that the Asso ciation Against the Prihibition Amend ment had filed expense accounts with Congress showing expenditure of $199, 000, and questioned serious! turn made by the Anti-Saloon League, which he said was $230. New York Democrats Attend. Attending in a body, the New York Democratic delegation in the House said in a statement that it did so be. cause it would aid in calling atten- tion to the “manly, vigorous virtue of temperance and selfcontrol of George Washington, which enabled { him to make proper use of beer ar | wine, and even strong spirits, and to | avoid the abuse thereof.” | senator Edwards, principal speaker {at_the afternoon conference, charged: {“The despicable mockery and hypoc- {risy of presentday prohibition en n cement has become such a stench !in the nostrils of rightliving and {right-thinking people that whether we will it or not, facts—cold, hard, indis putable facts—must be faced if Amer- ica is to maintain the respect and re | gard of her citizens.” Since the birth of prohibition aix years ago, Senator sEdwards said, | “fair-minded, honest and just Ameri- ! cans have tolerated the blandishments, innuendoes, intolerance and _auto. cratic exercise of superpower by an inconcefvably small minority seeking |to overthrow a_tolerant but unasser | tive majority * * ¢ | Charges False Statements. “The entire Nation has awakened to find jtself beset on every hand by fal | statistics, false hopes, false promises |and false enforcement measures and {regulations having to do with prohibi {tory restrictions.” | Representative Sosnowski of Michi- |gan, characterizing the eighteenth !amendment as “‘one of the causes of |the younger generations greatest so- ! cial evil today,” said he did not criti- |cize those citizens and Legislature {who had written the amendment into the Constitution, but declared that was six years ago and we have a new set_of facts to face todav. Rabbi Morris S. Lazaron of Baltl- more said he favored repeal of the eighteenth amendment and of the Volstead law and the passage of “such general legislation as can and will be enforced by the aid of the States. | He proposed wines and beer, purchase | of whisky by the Government, inves- | tigation of present conditions by a commission and a “national referen {dum’ at the next elections “to sense i the sentiment now. | Among others who spoke vesterday | afternoon were Mrs. Rufus Gibbs of Matthew Woll, vice president of the | Baltimore, Mrs. W. W. Montgomery American Federation of Labor, made | of Philadelphia, Mrs. Mortimer West an appeal for a return to considera- | of Baltimore, Admiral W. W. Kim- tion of the inherent rights of a “free|ball, U. S. N., retired; Gen. W. P. people” under the Constitution, de-| Richardson, U. S. A., retired, and elaring these rights were belng tram- Jullan Codman of Boston.