Evening Star Newspaper, March 14, 1926, Page 1

WEATHER. (U. 8. Weather Bureau Forecast.) “alr and continued cold today; to- morrow falr, not porthwest and west winds. 80 cold; moderate Tempera- tures: Highest, 34, at 5 p.m. yesterday; L. yes| 1 report on page 7. terday. 1,095— No. 29,902, tered as second cluss matter el post office, Washington, D. he WASHINGTON, D. C, ASSEVBLY WILL T CHANCE T0 SETTLE CRSS N LEAELE Situation Still Critical, But Distinct Trend Toward Compromise Is Noted. ALLIES BLAME LUTHER FOR COUNCIL RUPTURE Whole Issue Will Get Thorough Airing Tuesday—Germans Crit- icize Allied Tactics. A=s i Pres NEVA, March 13.—The s Councll crisis in the assembly. definite plan of the allled the ministers of several of nounced tonight that it had to convoke the assembly to give the delegates of all opportunity to air their will be an \lidle, wimne themselves, after a three-hour struggle the council mem Vers were telling newspaper men that 1o eolution of the crisis had been found, Chancellor Luther and Dr. #iresemann were holding forth at their hotel to representatives of the vorld press explaining anew the Ger- 1an side of the controversy. They declared that the situation had be- come entirely grotesque, as Giermany had been waiting a week because the aliled powers Insisted on knowing tvhat the Germans would do after they had been elected to the league. TEmerging from the council meet- fng, Signor Scialola of Italy said: “We are safling in a limitless sea Avith mo port In sight.” Assembly Must Be Heard. M. Vandervelde of Belglum declared: "We have made, and will make ugain tomorrow afternoon, supreme at- tempt fo save everything that Lo rarno signifies. At all events we have nereed to A meeting of the assembly Tuesday, whatever happens, because the assembly has a voice in this prob- Jem which must be hear for 2 pe Asked in the assembly session would Ve held even if Germany withdrew her application for league membership between now and Tuesday, M. Vander velde replied: “Certainly. Do you think for a mo. ment that the representatives of the countries who have gone to the very Umit of concession to Germany woul leave Geneva without mounting the yostrum to explain their position be- fore the world? No. The forum 1 there, and we who have taken a very anoderate stand toward Germany wil peize the opportunity to justify tha stand.” In an endeavor to extricate the touncil from its difficulties, Sweden, Belgium and Czechoslovakia all came forward today and told the members that they stood ready to sacrifice their jlon-permanent seats in the council so that Poland could have a temporary place. These offers, however, were found not to be a reasonable solution wnd for the moment have not been ac- vepted. manent seat. Germans Deny Charge. 1 circles came the report rman statesmen had made it clear that such a solution was unas de o them. But later the Ger- aans denied th With the allies generally bringing pressure on the G ns by conjuring up the spectacle of a debate in the as- | it be unfavorable to the Briand tonight told the ich journalists that it would be -ecdingly difficult for France to sup- vt the German candidacy for a per- anent seat in the council unless she s defini e in writing that vt Poland on the oune r'he Poland vaunted nch leader sald that not in the council the ocarno spirit would be en- ked that If Poland France would have to ise, thus being wulder extra dificulties. t it was un- weden alone unanimity, Polar, phliged to st A prevent ‘n vesterday had accept- | liies' comp sal con- P omise prog ish candidacy, pro- accepted it. As Ger- many cted the compromise, the situation had become complicated. Optimism Increasing. Despita the violence of tonight's polemics many of the delegates found that the crisis hud become less acute, und acquired this impression partic. ularly from personal statements made by Chancellor Luther and Dr. Strese- mann. The Reich’s foreign minister placed some emphasis on the declara- tion that Germany would naturally he bound by the will of the majority in connection with the reorganization of the council, and would pot oppose any power. Nome German circles in- terpreted this phase 4 tacit promise to support Poland. Dr. Stresemann, however, lald al- most equal emphasis son the state- snent that Germany could not take up the council problem before an inves- tigation by a special commission com- posed of members of both the council and the assembly, because it would be unreasonable to consiguct the couneil piecemeal and it must always be kept in mind the necessity of maintaining the proper relation be- tween the permanent and non-perma- nent seats. “We must continue the work for general peace begun at Locarno. said, and he was convinced that all the powers were desirous of settling the situation. It would be utterly shameful if the entire peace edifice should crumble over the mere ques. tion of procedure at the very moment of placing the final stor This was also construed by Ger- nans here as a bid for conctlintion. Natlonalist representatives who ure held watching the attitude of the Garman statesmen oven said “Strese- goann is weakening.” lf! Engraving Bureau {Workers Must Buy Own Wooden Shoes By the Associated Press. Although new processes used in the Bureau of Engraving require acids that quickly eat the soles off the leatber shoes of workers, Con | troller General McCarl has ruled the employes must huy their own | wooden shoes to protect their feet. | Payment for 37 pairs of wooden shoes at a cost of $1.95 a pair by the bureau was disallowed vester- day by Mr. MeCarl on the ground that h articles are proposed to ba furnished employes to protect and save personal effects and per- sonal expense at public cost.” The shoes are worn in the macerating com, where machines filled with caustic acid and soda ash are op- erated. AMr. McCarl also refused to allow the bureau to buy knee rubber boots for employes who work in the laundry or the purchase of leather-palm gloves for men who handle rough steel plates. MACREADY FLIGHT << RESILTIN DO First Test Shows No Record Set, But Others May Change Figures. By the Associated Press. DAYTON, Ohio, March 13— Lieut. John A. Macready of Me- Cook Fleld, today made another at- tempt to make a world's altitude rec- ord, but whether he was successful will not be definitely established un- til official recording {nstruments have been callbrated by the United States Bureau of Standards at Washlngton. The unofficial reading made by officials here showed the veteran Army pilot had reached 39,025 feet—which is 561 feet short of the record held by Lieut. Callizo, French aviator. This readlng Mc- Cook Fleld officials say might be ex- ceeded 'y some of the other instru- ments =8 the one callbrated today had worked Imperfectly at a high altitude, the mechanism apparently having stopped for a time. The other McCook barograph will not be calibrated until next week. Lieut. Macready shcwed no {ll- effects of the flight and asserted it was “Not quite so cold” as the flight he made last month in an attempt to set an altitude record. The tem- perature according to the instru- ments was 74 degrees below zero, Fahrenhelt. For several thousand feet, Lieut. Macready sald, the same plane he used last month did not function properly, a fouled spark plug forcing him to land 10 minutes after his first take off and although a new set of spark plugs was installed . before he made the second take off he still experienced slight ignition trouble. Officlals at the fleld and the flyer said that in case the officlal calibra- tion failed to show that the altitude record had been broken, Macready probably would try again. When he attempted to break the record late in January and was forced down by mechanical defects, the of- flcial calibration made by officials at Washington showed that he had gone several thousand feet higher than the unofficial calibration showed. Officlals are hopeful that the officlal callbration on today's flight might show that Macready broke the record. Lieut. Macready said, however, that he had pushed his plane to the limit today. At 87,000 feet he said his liquid oxygen supply on which he depends in rarefled air, gave out and he was forced to use the emer- gency tank of oxygen. PLANS T0 BUY SIX NEW 2-DECK BUSSES Company Would Improve Sixteenth Street Service Despite Protests. The Washington Rapid Transit Company answered the protests | against its double-deck busses and | especially the “rubbernecks” who ride | on top of them vesterday by applying to the Public Utilities Commission for permission to purchase six new busses of the two-deck type. The total cost, the company in- formed the commision, will be $78,900. Tho company pians to use some to augment its service on Sixteenth street, while others will be added to the Petworth line. | It is apparent that officials of the i company do not take the recent at- tacks on the double-deckers serfously, as the application was closed with the following: “‘We belleve that pleasure riding resulting from the use of these busses is a very wholesome form of recreation and that the public demand for that sort of transportation should e met.” bThe chief criticism of the two-deck | busses is that the “peepers” who ride on the sun deck remove all vestige of | privacy from the homes along the | route. Those connected with the commis- sion who show some disposition to dis- cuss the subject, express very can- didly the bellef that a sky-gazing pedestrian has a much greater chance of being shocked. ASHFORD CHARGES MISUSE OF SCHOOL FUNDS BY OFFICIAL Former D. C. Architect Says Repair Money Went to Com- plete New Buildings. TESTIMONY ENDS GASQUE BILL PUBLIC HEARINGS Subcommittee Indicates It Will Make Favorable Report on Measure Soon. ibly exercised over charges made by Snowden Ashford, for 11 vears mu- nicipal architect, that the District En- gineer Commissioner since Ashford re- signed in 1921 has flagrantly violated the law by using money appropriated | for school repairs in finishing con- struction of new school bulldings and that the five-year building program has been mangled at the hands of Dr. Frank W. Ballou to the detriment of Washington taxpayers, members of the House subcommittee considering the Gasque elective school board bill voted to close public hearings at the sixth session held in the House Office Building last night. The members of the committee made it plain to the audience which packed the committee room they will order a favorable report on the bill. Chairman Reld of Illinois announced he would call the executive session next week after the return of Repre- sentative Norton of New Jersey, who requested that she be given an op- portunity to voice her approval of the Gasque measure. Tells of Resignation. Mr. Ashford, the first witness to testify last night, informed the com- mittee that for the first time he in- tended to reveal that the real reason he resigned as municipal architect in 1921 was because he was ordered by Engineer Commissioner Kutz not to make any more repairs at the vari- ous schools unless they were ap- proved by Dr. Ballou. “'I resented these {nstructions, tinued Mr. Ashford. “They resulted in my repair force being idle for two months, August and September, in 1920, when most of the repairs are made, simply because Dr. Ballou was out of town and instead of being com- pelled to violate the law I resigned.” Mr. Ashford satd that Dr, Baliou for four years has directed the affairs of the public schools of Washington snd that his making public prematurely of 132 items of proposed school site purchases resulted in the prices belng “Jumped” 100 and 200 per cent, adding unwarranted expense to the five-year building program. Charges Law Was Defled. Citing statistics, Mr. Ashford said that $5,442.66 was used out of the school repair fund for completion of the new Eastern High School; that $5,872 for completion of the Bur- roughs School and $11,024 in the com- pletion of the Macfarland Junior High School, all of which money was “mis- appropriated in deflance of the law." He also said that $23,000 was used out of the repair’ fund for the re- modeling of the Franklin School at the expense of needed repairs in pupil-populated schools. The hearing last night was one of the most productive of germane testi- mony on the Gasque bill of any held. Ernest H. Pullman, president of the Manor Park Citizens' Assoclation, following Mr. Ashford on the stand, in setting forth facts designed to prove that the Board of Education is “vio- lently hostile to the desires of the pub- lice,” expressed the opinion that En- gineer Commissioner Bell and the members of the Board of Education “owe it to the public to resign to atone for their error: Dr. Bennett Grilled. A feature of the meeting was the grillilng of Dr. F. I. A. Bennett, col- ored member of the board of educa- tlon. Chairman Reid cross-examined Dr. Bennett at length and after he had obtained admissions from him that the board of education rarely falled to approve the recommendations of Dr. Ballou or of reports made by board committees he asked him if this didn’t sort of bear out the “rubber stamp” charge made against the board early in the hearings. Palpably irritated over Mr. Reld's pressing for statements by him of progressive board of education work he had accomplished, Dr. Benhett sald so far as he is concerned he did not secek membership on the board and he is ready to resign if requested. Mr. Reid required Dr. Bennett to go thoroughly into the ‘“real reason’ why the Board of Education demoted Capt. Arthur C. Newman as princi- pal of Armstrong Technical High School. ~Evidently not impressed by Dr. Bennett's exp! ion, Mr. Reld requested Representative Houston of Delaware to make a thorough investi- gation of the Newman case and re- port back to the committes, Audience Gets Laugh. During Dr. Bennett's explanation of the Newman case the members of the subcommittee and the audience were_convulsed with laughter when Mr. Houston asked Dr. Bennett if it took the Board of Education six years to find out that Capt. Newman should be demoted and if they then did not give him a position where he evidently should possess as much ad- (Continued on Page 2, Column 2.) lBudding Peach Trees in South Menaced By Icy Blasts and Snow in Wide Area By the Assoclated Press. Tralling closely the heels of the an- nual festival announcing the bursting of buds in the Southern peach belt, Winter touched the South again to- day with snowy fingers, leaving fcy temperatures and patches of snow. The backward glance marked the first time this season that Columiia, S. C., had experienced snow. North Alabama, northern Georgla and east- ern Tennessee and the mountinous sections of North Carolina, South Caroling and Virginln, however, ex- | perienced their second taste within a weel. Wilmington. N. €., experienced the first flury of snow this afternoon for !iwo years. The snow invaded the Shreveport training camp of the Chicago Ameri- cans, carrying with it a temperature of 40. Freezing temperatures were re- corded over a wide area, with Louls- ville touching 17 degrees with pros- pects that the mercury will take a Spring dive to 15 tomorrow. Richmond thermometers went to 25, Nashville to_26. Charlotte to 27 and Memphis and Fort Smith to 28. Lit- tle Rock, Knoxville and Chattanooga were below the freezing mark. While lower temperatures were recorded in the southern sections of Georgla, South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippl and Louisiana. the mercury was well above freezing. WITH DAILY EVENING EDITION PARTY LINES MARK RUBBER REPORTS Majority Urges Conservation, While Democrats Hit High Tariff Rates. By the Associated Press. Recommendations for meeting the situation created by foreign monopo- lles in rubber and other essential com- modities were divided into party chan- nels in reports given the House yes- terday by its commerce committee, which inquired into foreign control of crude products. ‘The majority report urged conser- vation and rubber plantation develop- ment under the American flag to com- bat restriction of rubber growing in British territory, with a consequent advance in prices to American con- sumers. Four Democratic members of the committee, Representatives Rayburn, Texas; Huddleston, Alabama; Shallen- berger, Nebraska, and Parks, Arkan- sas, attacked the majority report as “indefensible under our existing high tariffs.” “Boycott” Plan Assalled. Recommendations of the majority report, submitted by Representative Newton, Republican, Minnesota, also urged “renewed watchfulness” against foreign controls,” while independent sources of supply were being sought for America. The Philippines were pointed to as an excellent fleld for rubber growing. These views were assailed by the Democrats as pointing toward boycott and retaliation. A policy of fair trade methods and friendly relations must be developed through mutual agree- ments, the minority held. The maljority report recommended no remedial legislation, but sald “frank discussion should secure aban- donment of restricttve practices.” “If the public is not sufficiently pro- tected,” it declared, “the committee will have no hesitancy in reopening stion.” 'h;!e%‘::unutlve Newton described the report as “preliminary, made with the purpose of making further report to the House if the occaslon should demand it.” Retaliation Opposed. Development of the Muscle Shoals plant lorv:;oductlnn of nitrates and of other available means for sisal, pot- ash, coffee, and sllk were recom- mended. Retaliation in the way of restriction of American supply, co- operative buylng, and Government subsidies to private growers, as sug- gested during the hearings, were opposed as unwise economical prin- ciples. “Out side of American territory good possibilities for successful rub- ber culture appear to exist in the Isthmus of Darlen, Republic of Pan- ama, Brazil, Colombla, cther tropi- cal parts of South America and Liberia.” the report said. “Under the American flag, the southern Phillppines appear most suitable. Under the existing Philip- pine land laws the holdings of indi- viduals or corporations are limited to about 2,500 acres. This condition should be altered by the Philippine Legislature or by Congress, if it chose to change the basic law under which the islands are now edminis- tered.” The committee, according to the report, found that controls of either production or exportation, “which materlally affect prices,” were exer- cised by Great Britain over rubber: Brazil over coffee; Chile over nitrates and lodine; Germany and France over potash; Egypt over long staple cotton; Japan over camphor and silk, and Yucatan, Mexico, over sisal. Other Recommendations. Other committee findings and recommendations in brief are as fol- lows: The price of rubber was advanced to 800 per cent of the originally an- nounced “fair price” .under British colonial restriction. Brazil has curbed coffee produc- tion at an estimated cost to Amer- ican consumers of more than $100,- 000.000. France and Germany control the potash business of the world. posits in Texas and Utah are suf- ficient to break this monopoly. United States importers pald $11,- 000,000 export taxes to “hile in 1924 on nitrate, which Muscle £hoals de- velopment would make unnecessary. Mexico gets more than $6,000,000 excess profits from the American farmer annually for sisal. The United States takes 20 per cent of Japun's silk, while rayon, a new fiber, might 1eplace every pound of it z necessary. SUNDAY MORNING, MARCH 14, General National and Foreign chools and Colleges—Pages 26 and 27, ews of the Clubs—Pages 30 and 33. Veterans of the Great War—Page 381, Parent-Teacher Activitles—Page 34. At the Community Centers—Page 36. Around the Citv—Page 38. Civilian Army News— Page 39. Serial, “The Adopted Wife'—Page 42. Radic News and Programs—Pages 44 and 45. D. A. R. Actlvities—Page 46. Y. W. C. A. News—Page 46. Financlal News—Pages 47, 48 and 49. PART TWO0—20 PAGES. Editorials and Editorfal Features. Washington and Other Sociel Notes of Art and Artists— Reviews of New Books—Page 4. Tales of Well Known Folk—Page 14. Boy Scout News—Page 15. Spanish War Veterans—Page Current News Events—Page Girl Scout News—Page 18. PART THREE—11 PAGES. Amusements—Theaters and the Photo- play. Music in Washington—Page 5. Motors and Motoring—Pages 6, and 8. District National Guard Page 99. Fraternal News—Pages 11, 12 and 13. Army and Navy News—Page 13. PART FOUR—1 PAGES. Pink Sports Section. PART FIVE—8 PAGES. Magazine Section—Fiction and Fea- tures. The Rambler—Page 3. 7 PART Classitied Advertising. GRAPHIC SECTION—8 PAGE! World Events in Pictures. COMIC SECTION—4 PAGES. Betty; Reg'lar Fellers; Mr. and Mrs,; Mutt and Jeff. MOTHER CONVICTED OF KILLING CHILD Husband of Baltimore Wom- an Who Beat Son Alsq to Stand Trial. By the Assoclated Press. BALTIMORE, Md., March 13.—A verdict of manslaughter was returned late tonight against Mrs. Edna May Wright Coursey, charged with beat- ing to death her 5-year-old son, Eldridge, last February 6. The jury, in Baltimore County Cir- cuit Court at Towson, deliberated aix hours. . The foreman of the jury was visibly shaken in announcing the verdict, which carries a sentence of from 1 day to 10 years imprisonment. Judge Frank I. Duncan agreed to & request by that State that sentence be with- held for several days. Ralph T. Coursey, husband of the convicted woman, and jointly indicted with her on a blanket charge of mur- der In connection with the child's death, will be placed on trial Monday. e L STUDEfiT’S LEGS CRUSHED Train Accident Result of College Fraternity Initiation. Spectal Dispatch to The Star. CUMBERLAND, Md., March 13.— Herbert Bennett, 18 years old, a first- vear student at Potomac State Col- lege, Keyser, W. Va., and another freshman, named Fike of Oakland, were be&ngt g:!i&ted in the Pheta Sigma Chi today. They were ordered to walk from Keyser to Pledmont. Instead of walk- ing, Bennett leaped on the Baltimore and Ohlo freight train, and after rid- ing nearly half a mile, fell under the wheels, both legs being crushed. Am- putation was performed at Hoffman Hospital, Keyser. SHIP BECALMED 25 DAYS. SAN FRANCISCO, March 13 (@) —The marine department of the chamber of commerce received a message today that the four-masted lumber schooner Alvena, reported yesterday as long overdue, while on the way from Aberdeen, Wash., to Miami, Fla., had arrived at Balboa Canal Zone. The Alvena reported that she was be- calmed for 25 days during which time she made only 100 miles. Her sister ship, the Irene, which was participat- ing in a race to Miami with the Al- vena, was last heard from off Lower californla on January 16. She is be- lleved to be safe. Sunday Star, 1926.—-120 PAGES. BuLL g TES \SD}:)I[EJOI}LE' BUSSES OBJECT TO “PEEPING ToMS “From Press to Home Within the Hour” The Star is delivered every evening and Sunday morning to Washinoton homes at 60 cents per month. Telephone Main 5000 and service wil L P) Means Assoc ed Press. 11 start immediately. FIVE CENTS. Triplets Fulfilling Couple’s 1915 Vow | ToHave 3 Children By the Assoclated Press. SAN FEDRO, Calif., March 13.— When Mr. and Mrs. Grant Buehl marrled they agreed that three children, two boys and a girl, would be the right size for their family. For 11 years there was none, but yesterday tripiets arrived—two boys and 2 girl. The mother and children are doing well PADLOCK CAMPAIGN THREATENED IND.C. U. S. Attorney Orcut Will Try | COOLIDGE S FATHER GROWING WEAKER Physician’s Bulletin Says There Is No Immediate Cause for Alarm. By the Aseociated Press. PLYMOUTH, Vt., March 13.—Col. John C. Coolidge barely held his own today in his battle for life. The single bulletin issued during the day by his physician indicated that the father of the President, who has been ill at home here for several months, had weakened slightly since yesterday. The bulletin added that there was “no immediate cause for alarm.” Dr. Albert M. Cram of Bridgewater, the country doctor who has been Col. Coolidge's physician during his long sickness, held a ten-minute telephone conversation with the President. When the physictan had finished he gave the receiver to Col. Coolidge for a word | or two with the President, but a fit of hiccoughing prevented the sick man from speaking. Attacks Are Frequent. For some time, it was learned, Col. Coolidge has had difficulty in carrying on conversations because of similar attacks of hiccoughing. The rare visitors who have been admitted to his bedside since he lost the use of his legs as the aftermath of a heart affec- tion have remarked this weakness and also the failing of a once remarkable memory. The neighbors who assemble each day in the general store of Miss Flor- ence Cilley, across the road from the colonel's house, to hear news of the “squire’” were somewhat downcast today. When Dr. Cram and his wife came to Miss Cilley's for lunch after the physiclan nad spent an hour and a half with his patient, he was plied with questions. While he declined to enlarge on his short bulletin, Dr. Cram {ndicated that he had little hope for permanent improvement in Col. Coolidge’s condition. The statement, signed by the doctor, read: “Col. Coolidge’s condition remains unchanged except that he is slightly weaker. He is very comfortable. His heart action has improved slightly, not being so rapid, and s nearly normal as to rate. Temperature and respiru- tion are normal. No Cause for Alarm Now. “There seems to be no cause for immediate alarm as nothing has devel- oped during the past 24 hours.” The growing weakness of the 80 year-old invalid was taken by the neighbors and frlends as a_distinctly unfavorable indication, and Dr. Cram, although reticent of detail, made no effort to correct the impression. Sev- eral newspaper men who wished to re- turn to their homes sought the physi- cian's opinion as to whether serious developments might be expected soon. “I would not advise you to leave for a few days,” was Dr. Cram's an- swer. ‘When Dr. Cram left for his Bridge- water home he said he would not re- turn until tomorrow, “unless some unexpected development in Col. Cooi- idge's condition made it necesary.” 100 BEING DEPORTED. By the Associated Press. CHICAGO, March 13.—More than 100 undesirable aliens will tonight begin their journey back to home lands under deportation proceedings. Twenty-eight are from * Chicago. Those going tonight included per- sons who smuggled themselves into the country, convicts and insane in- dividuals. ‘When New York is reached about six cars full of aliens will have been gathered to awalt the first boat to their homelands. Coolidge Collie Balks at Gangplank, Delaying Start of Presidential Trip By the Associated Press. Departure of the Mayflower on a week end cruise down the Potomac, with President and Mrs. Coolidge aboard, was held up yesterday for 5 minutes until a dog that didn’t want to make the trip could be coaxed up the gangplank. Rob Roy, White House collie and veteran of many a yacht cruise, walt- ed until the last minute to develop a stubborn streak. He attempted to climb back in the limousine in which he had ridden majestically from the White House, whining as Mrs. Cool- idge hegged him to “come on." Finally, he turned and bolted up the gangplank to join his collle com- panion, Prudence I'rim, also of the to Obtain Injunction in Batch of Cases. | Padlock injunctions—little tried | weapons in Washington since the ad-| vent of prohibitfon—will be invoked with energy during the coming week in a fighting drive to close up local sources of lquor supply, it was learn- ed last night. The drive will be pressed by a specially assigned Assistant United States Attorney, it was learned, who has spent months in gathering evi dence for a carefully planned cam- palgn. Plans for the use of the padiock injunction—which has been invoked here only a few times since prohibi- | ton—were learned yvesterday in the course of an investigation of vague charges on the part of certain pro- hibition officlals to the effect that as many as 83 petitions for padlock in- junctions had Leen prepared for the District Attorney’s office during the last 12 months and that none has been acted upon. Gordon Makes Denial. United States Attorney Gordon, however, declared emphatically yes- terday that his office had never heard of any such petitions and that his office was willing to stand on {1s record for acting on petitions. He added that many of the prohibition cases presented (o the- District At- torney’s office were not In proper shape for prosecution. Seeking more confirmation of charges that padlock petitions had been prepared for the District At- torney and not acted upon. it was found thar no statistics are available at the prohibitlon unit concerning petitions for padlock injunctions be- cause, it was explained, the unit was decentrallzed some months ago With the result that many caees which had heen “made” could not be pushed because of the absence of agents who had been transferred to other parts of the country or who had been dropped from the rolls. It is known that there is some grumbling on the part of police of- ficers who claim that much of their work in securing evidence apparently goes for nothing, although they | state they have made purchases of | evidence as many as six, seven and | eight times at the same place with- out having application made for an injunction to close up the place. | On the other hand, the complajnt | was made at the United States At- | torney’s office that much of the evi- jdence brought there is insufficient to | obtain injunctions. While perma- ' nent padlock injunctions have been obtained by the score in some sec- tions of the country, only one case of a permanent injunction could be recalled here yesterday, that being the case of Joseph Graves' restaurant and hotel on G street opposite the jovernment Printing Office. Evi- dence was ohtained by the now de- funct ice squad,” and the injunc- tion was dissolved before it ran a full year. Expect Action This Week. During the last few months. how- ever, Assistant United States Attor- ney Orcutt, speclally assigned to pro- hibition work in the upper courts, has been drilling away at his first batch of cases on which he will attempt to obtain padlock injunctions during the coming week. From now on, it is stated by officials, prohibition enforcement in Washin, ton will be marked with padlock in- Junction proceedings wherever pos- sible. It is the opinion of the legal division of the prohibition unit that the injunction’ is one of the surest ways of obtaining quick and efficient results under the dry law. Tests in other parts of the country are be- lieved to have proved that. ‘While use of the injunction in Wash. ington has been confined to a few temporary restraining orders against violators of the prohibition act dur- ing the last six years the injunction has been galning rapid ground, ac- cording to \Wayne B. Wheeler of the | Anti-Saloon League, who gave figures from portions of the country showing | an increase of more than 100 per cept in padlock injunctions during 13%5 over 1924, MINE BLAST IS FATAL. One Worker Dead and Another in Critical Condition. PICHER, Okla., March 13 (#). Four miners were injured, one fatally, in a premature explosion in mine No. 11 of the Anna Beaver Mining Co., at Cardin, Okla., this afternoon. Jesse Helms, 23, of Cardin, died in a hospital an hour after the blast. The injured are: Jesse Brown, Commerce, Okla., condition critical; Harley Hedrick and Earnest Robins, Cardin, Okla. All three are in the hospitel here. ‘White House. Prudence had gone willingly aboard for her first trip down the river. The President went aboard the yacht after he had been assured by telephone from Plymouth, Vt., that his father’s condition was unchanged. The Mayflower will be in radio com- munication with the White House to keep the President posted as to de- velopments. President and Mrs. Coolidge were ac- | companied on the cruise by Secretary and Mrs. Hoover, Representative and Mrs. Purnell of Indiana, Representative PROHIBITION FIGHT STILL HAS CENTER OF GAPITAL STAGE Bitterness Indicates Clashes to Continue Unabated This Week. MELLON SERVES AS MARK FORDRY COUNTER-ATTACK Assailed by Senator McKellar as “More Interested in Liquor Than Any One Else in Republic.” BY G. GOULD LINCOLN. Wet” and “dry” forces, with ack and counter attack, continued 10 hold the limelight in the Natonal “apital yesterday. For the “drys” Senator McKellar of Tennessee delivered an address in the Senate fn which he challenged Secretary Mellon, whom he dubbed “the man more Interested in lquors than perhaps any other man in this republic,” and declared that the “so called better classes” wera the real violators of the prohibition law Senator Edwards of New Jersey who in his views } " as Senator McKallar is “d countered with a statement in which he charged that Congress Is “pussyfooting™ with the liguor question and enforcement of the prohibition laws. The New Jer sey Senator demanded “What one of the 531 members of Congress does not know that prohi bition as now enforced is an insult and a disgrace to America?" Renewal of Fight Likely. The wordy warfare which iIn recent weeks has developed in and outside of Congress over the prohibition question, in volume not hitherto reached since the Voistead act came into force, promises to continue un- abated this week. Senator Bruce of Maryland, 3 “wet,” gave notice formally the conciusion of Senator McKellar's speech that tomorrow he would make reply. In the House memoers on both stdes of the question are waiting 1o renew the debate. The Senate judiciary subcomumittee, headed by Senator Means of Colo rado, to which the haif dozen repeal and modification bills and resolutions have been reterred, probably wul hold its first meeting during the week Senator Means said iast night he would conswit with the other mem bers of the subcommittee tomorrow and determine when they should get together. “Drys” at White House. While the “wets” and “drys” iu Congress were assailing one another a subcommittee of the national exec utive committee of the Anti-Saloon League called on the President at the White House and discussed with him proposals for strengthening the en forcement of the prohibition law They urged upon the President that he pay no attention to the newspape: polls which are being conducted in varfous cities of the country on the prohibition questicn and which have shown a preponderance of sentiment in favor of repeal or modification of the dry laws. In the party were Dr Arthur G. Barton of Kansas, chair man of the committee, and Willlam M. Forgranve of Boston and Dr. A. H Briggs of San Francisco. If the bitterness and feeling which has been shown in the discussions in both chambers is any criterion, pro hibition is becoming more and more of an issue. On the other hand, there is no denying the fact that the “drys" are in tremendous majority in Senate and House, and the clamor of the “wets" is declared by their cppone to be out of all proportion to the of the anti-prohibition group. Never theless, the attacks of the antis con tinue to “get under the skin” of the prohibitionists. Quoting from the polis so far taken by the newspapers on prohibition, Sen- ator McKellar said that they repre sented so far “but one-two-hundreth part of the people of the United States.” Predicts “Dry” Congress. “There were many contests in the last congressional elections between wet and dry candidates,” continued Senator McKellar. “Is the Senate or the House any less dry now than it was in the last Congress? I predict that it will be found after the next elections that the Senate and House are just as dry as they are now. Pub lc sentiment is reflected in the mem bership of Congress. All this talk of prohibition repeal Is 1dle.”, The Tennessee Senator was heckled by Senators Boussard of Loulsiana and Bruce of Maryland, both “wets," but declined to admit that prohibition had failed to cut down drunkenness and crime despite the efforts of his opponents to corner him with “facts.” At one point Senator McKellar called attention to the fact that Maryland has no enforcement law. Senator Bruce was the reply of Senator McKellar, who added that he did not belleve that any State in which law abiding citizens lived would long defy the Constitution. Hits at Mellon. “Prohibition at a disadvantage.’ was a subtitle in Senator McKellar's address, and undér it the Tennessee Senator, said: “Tn 1920 the law went into effect “and in 1921, just as it was being pu: into effect, by a strange freak of for- tune—it it may be so called—the en forcement of these laws was put into the hands of a man more interested in liquors, more interested in beers, than perhaps any other man in the Repub- lic. It was put into the hands of a man who was the half-owner of one of the biggest distilleries in this land. It was put in the hands of & man whose many banks had money in- vested in or loans made to innumera- ble distflleries and brewerles, and the enforcement laws have been in the hands of that man ever since. That man is the Secretary of the Treas. L Senator McKellar insisted that Sec- retary Mellon was disqualified by his liquor _interests from holding office, notwithstanding the fact that upon being appointed Secretary he had and Mrs. Crumpacker of Oregon, George Horace Lorimer, editor of the Saturday Evening Post, and Mrs. Lorimer and Mr. and Mrs. Frank W. Stearns of Boston, | transferred his liquors to a trustee. “He still owned the liquors and as _the beneficiary of the t% = (Continued on Page 4, Column 6 Wi