Evening Star Newspaper, April 16, 1926, Page 1

WEATHER. S. Weather Bureau Foreca Fair tonight and tomorrow; warmer cooler tomorrow. (o tonight: somewhat Temperatures—Highest, today; lowest, 35, at 2 Full report on Page 9. Closing N. Y. Stocks snd Bonds, Page 30 No. 29,935. post office, SWEEPING INQUIRY INTO' GOVERNMENT OF D. C. AND ACTS OF FENNING VOTED District Committee Adopts Resolution of Representa- tive Gibson Calling for Wa Probe of Local Affairs. | | | VETERANS’ LEGISLATION BODY UNABLE TO ACT| Lack of Quorum and Objection| Blocks Investigation Move.’ Commissioner's Reply Is Pre-l vented From Going Into Record | by Garrett's Objection. ! By a vote of 9 to 4 the House | District committee today, after consid- ering five resolutions looking to an investigation of Commissloner Fen. | ning’s administration of the guanflan.{ ships of insane war veterans and for | & sweeping investigation of the entire | Administration of District affairs, | adopted the resolution of Represent 1 ative Gibson. Republican, of Vermont, which calls for the broadest inquiry | toward reporting remedial measures | to correct any administrative abuses | which may be found in the District | government. I While the District committee was eonsidering these resolutions the | House committee on World War vet- terans’ legislation attempted to start an investigation of the veteran guard- | fanships here, in practically all of which cases Mr. Fenning ‘s the guardian. The veterans' committee was unable to act because of the ab- sence of a quorum and objections by Representative Luce, Republican, of | Massauchusetts. Immediately after the House met Representative Madden, Republican, of Illinois, asked unanimous consent to print in the Congressional Record a reply from Commissioner Fenning 10 charges against him made on the floor of the House by Representative Blanton of Texas and in various reso- lutions submitted for congressional in- vestigation and at meetings of the | House District and veterans’ com:- | mittees. Garrett Raises Objection. The matter was, temporarily at least, excluded from the record on the objection ©of Representative Garrett, Democrat, of Texas. Mr. Madden told his colléagues that he had a letter from Commissioner Fenning, asking permission to insert it in the Congressional Record as an answer to statements made in the House Sy Mr. Blanton. | Mr. Madden assured his colleagues that he knew nothing about the state- ments contained in Mr. Fenmng's re- ply, other than that a reading of them had shown that they were not unfit for insertion in the Record. He made this reply to questions asked by cer- | tain members of the House. H Representative Rankin of Missis- | sippi. a member of the veterans’ com- mittee, told the House that his com-| mittee s attempting to hold an in- | vestigation of Mr. Fenning's activi-| ties as guardian, and asked why he could not auppear before that com- mittee to make his reply. Mr. Mad- den answered that Mr. Fenning prob- ably would appear before that com- miitee if invited. Mr. Rankin then asked if the state- ment had heen submitted to the mi- nority leader, explaining that the veterans committee is experiencing s great deal of difficulty in this mat. ter, and commenting that it 1ooks as if the committee iz going to have more difficulty. He sald he thought Mr. Madden ought not to press his point until time had been allowed for it to be passed upon by the minority teader. Blanton Opposes Plea. ! Mr. Blanton told Mr. Madden and | the House: “You are permitting a man charged with high crime and misdemeanors to sit in his office and draft his own defgnse with no cross- examination.” Mr. Bianton asked that he be allowed time to reply to Mr. Fenning's | statement. Chairman Snell of the rules commit- tee asked If Mr. Blanton had not | already had time to lay charges | against Mr. Fenning before the House. | Mr. Blanton replied that he had not | had a full opportunity and no oppor- tunity to answer Mr. Fenning's state- men, but that he would not obpect to its being inserted in the Record with the understanding that he would be allowed time to answer it. i Representative McSwain, Democrat, of South Carolina, declared it was his experience in investigations that the more written statements you could get from those against whom charges are made, the greater advantage it Is in making a cross-examination. Mr. Rankin said that the veterans’ committee has not been able to get Mr. Fenning before it because it be- | Rins to look as if the committee will not be able to zet a quorum to con- duct an investigation. Thinks Action Demanded. Minority Leader Garrett made this statement: “I think that charges have been made here with regard to this Commissioner and evidence submitted in the form of affidavits and sworn testimony that is sufficient not only to justify, but to imperatively demand an investigation by some committee of the House, either special or by one of the standing committees which fs oaths and get complete records for persons and records, to administer onths and to get the complete record which will either condemn or excul- pate the accused.” Mr. Madden said: “I am not try- ing to cover up anything. 1 am in thorough accord with everything th: has been said about an investigation. Representative Lozier of Missourl told the House: “I am open-minded on this subject and think it is the view of the membership of this House | that this request should be granted.” Mr. Madden stated that he does not set himself for a defense in this case. Representative Bulwinkle, Democrat, % 60, at noon m. today. Entered as second class matter shington, D. Follou to Representa later by Representative Madden. The threat of the gentleman from lexas (Mr. Blanton) to impeach me was contained in his letter to me dated March 6, 1926. This letter is 2 part of the correspondence hetween the gentleman from Texas and my- | <elf with respect to a retired ser- zeant of the Metropolitan Poilce De- riment. The entire correspondence s follows: ongress of the United States, “House of Representatives. “Washington, D. “February 26, 1 “Hon. Frederick A. Fenning, “Police Commissioner, District of “Columbta, Washington. D. C. “My Dear Col. Fenning: As you doubtless know. I have made a_com- plete survey of the Police and Fire Departments here and I am per- sonally familiar with the good, bad and_inditferent officers. “To my great surprise. the press vesterday afternoon that Sergt. Robert E. Lee of the third precinct had been ordered retired. “I was interested from two differ- ent angles, for 1 have been spend- ins much time during the past year checking up the abuses in our re- tirement laws, where In the Army, Navy and other departments able- bodied men in the prime of life have been retired on pay for life, when they could still render good service. [ saw in ch FENNING’S LETTER TO MADDEN, REPLYING TO BLANTON CHARGES £ WASHINGTON, D. C, Commissioner Reveals Correspondence With Texas Representative in Detailed Answers to All Accusations in House. g is the text of a letter sent today by Commissioner Fenning ve Madden of Ilinois for insertion in the Congressional Record as a reply to charoes made against him by Representative Blanton of Tezas. On obiection the letter was excluded from the Record, but was made public “Over the telephone, therefore, 1 requested Sergt. Lee to come to my office today, because 1 knew that he was in fine physical condition, and I wanted to get the facts of his case. | Doctor's Spite Blamed. “He is only L is 6 feet 2 inches tall, welghs 225 pounds, has not missed a single day from duty for sickness in the past four years, is a_splendid officer and is now re- tred because a police doctor got mad at him. “Here is the key to the situation Sergt. Lee ordered Police Dr. Murphy out of his house for improper con- duct and Murphy threatened that he would put him out of his job. “I want you to note from the rec- ord that Asst. Supt. Charles A. Evans testified under oath that Sergt. Lee has been “An A No. 1 private and sergeant. *hat he has ood discipline and has the respect of his men, that he has noticed him conduct him- self on many public and other occa- sions and he was 100 per cent. “Unfortunately, Sergt. Lee is a Mason. and Dr. Kilroy is a Catholic, You will note that Dr. Kilroy would not swear that Lee has nephritis, but unfairly said, ‘There is a_report of chronic nephritis’ Yet Dr. Balley destined that he did not have ne- phritis, and that he had no hardening (Continued on Page 2, Column 2.) CONGRESS BLAMED FOR TAX SALE RING Richards Offers Remedy to Give Realty Owners Warn- ing of Delinquencies. Blame for the existence of the so- called “‘tax title ring,"” criticized in the Senate vesterday by Senator King of Utah in connection with consideration of the District appropriation bill, was placed squarely on Congress today by Tax Assessor Willlam P. Richards. The Senator urged that the tax asses sor take every possible precaution to see that property holders are fully cognizant of delinquencies before the {titles are sold. Mr. Richards described the present system under which property is sold as a disgrace. and explained that for some time he has been trying to cor- rect it by advocatnig to Congress a new plan that would afford more pro- tection to property owners, and at the same time benefit the District finan- clally instead of the “tax title grab- rs.” Delinquent taxpayers now are given no warning that their property has been listed for public sale. The tax bills are mailed to them and if pay- ment is overlooked, the property is listed for sale in a costly book. No notice is served that the property will be sold. Would Give Annual Notices. Tax Assessor Richards’ plan gro- poses a complete system of pétices that would be sent to all taxpayers as soon as the tax becomes in arrears. The present penalty of imposing 1 per cent increase in tax each month for the first vear would be continued. The second year the pemalty would be in- creased to 2 per cent a month. At the end of the second year the prop- erty would b’ offered for public sale and sold under the direction of the court, sothat a falr title could be given td the purchaser. Notices of delinguencies would be sent out each year, nder the present system the tax- title “grabbers” get the benefit of the /1 per cent penalty, which gives them a return of 12 per cent a year on the money they invest in tax certificates, Mr. Richards said that if his plan is adopted the District would hold the tax certificates and collect the penalty. Mr. Richards sald that Congress has the power to remedy the present situation. Instead of helping the delinquent tax payers, he pointed out, Congress has made it more diffi- cult for them by ordering that the book listing the tax sales should sell for fts cost plus 10 per cent, which makes the price range between $12 and $15. and almost prohibitive to the small home owner. Discredits “Ring” Charge. While discrediting the existence of the so-called “tax title ring,” Com- missioner Cuno H. Rudolph pointed out that there are men who make it a business to buy up property listed for sale. Thirty-six men, he said, purchased $492,846.07 worth of of property in the last tax sale in March. “If the tax titles to this property had not beén purchased by these men,” he declared, “the Di: trict would have been almost $50 000 short in its taxes.” Commissioner Rudolph takes the position that any person who owns property knows that taxes must be paid on it and should take the trouble to learn whether the taxes are in arrears or not. ‘“Otherwise,” he sald, “the property owner is not competent to hold property. He is not a good citizen.” The Commissioner, however, be- lisves that the cost of the book listing the delinquent property should be re- duced in price, 80 that small property owners could afford to purchase it. Bill to Be Sent July 1. The criticism voiced by Senator King served to bring out today the fact that testimony was given before the Senate subcommittee on appro- priations recently to the effect that after July 1 the authorities would be- gin mailing out all tax bills. At the hearings before the subcom- mittee on the District bill, it was learned today, Maj. Donovan testified that during the last year the assessor has been compiling a complete list of addresses of real estate owners and that beginning with the new fiscal year “all the tax bills will be mailed out—the real estate as well as the other bills.” The District has for a number of years mailed out bills for the personal property tax. aj. Donovan told the Senators the absence of a complete of North Carolina explained to the House the action of the veterang com (Continued on Page 2, Column 4) record of addresses of real estate own- ers had prevented the mailing of real estate bills in the past. 3 RUETHER OPPOSES SHM CRAY ON L “Ladies’ Day” Brings Large Turnout for Final of Opening Series. E-UP. PHILADELPHIA. _ WASHINGTON. Bishop, Zh. T 3 . 4. Hartin, f. dudge, 1 Riuege, 3b. Myer. an. Nallis BY DENMAN THOMPSON. GRIFFITH STADIUM, April 16.— Connfe Mack nominated Sam Gray, the sensation of the league last season until he fractured the thumb un.}nl throwing hand, to obtain an efen break by taking the final bf the Series with the Griffmen. He was opposed by 'v}uér (Dutch) Ruether, veteran lefthander of the champions, also making his first start of the champlonship campaign. A sizable turnodt of fans was in evidence, several thousand of them be- ing women, p ient as gus s of the club on “ladis’ " da: FIRST INNING. PHIL‘fiELPHIA—BInhop walked. Lamar sacrificed, Bluege to Judge. French popped to Stan Harris. Sim- mons fouled to Ruel. No runs. WASHINGTON — Rice tripled to left center. Gray tossed out Stan Harris, Rice holding third. Goslin died the same way. Joe Harris was hit on the left hand by a pitched ball. On an attempted double steal, Perkins picked Rice off third with a throw to Dykes. No runs. Polish Premier Visits Vienna. VIENNA, Austria, April 16 (#).— Count Skrzynski, the Polish premier, arrived here to return former Chancellor Seipel's visit to Warsaw. During his stay he will sign a po- m&l and juridical treaty with Aus- Tariff Di'op Hits cnnad; Industry. TORONTO, Ontario April 16 (#).— The plant of the General Motors Cor- poration at Oshawa, Ontario, sus- pended operations today as a result of Canadian tariff reductions on import- ed automobiles. Three thousand em- ployes are temporarily out of work. WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION RETIREMENT PLANS MADE REGARDLESS OF COOLIDGE VIEWS Stanfield, After Conference | With President, Reports Liberalizing Bill. iESTIMATE TO BE FINISHED | IN FEW DAYS, LORD SAYS | Executive, in Conference With Sen- ator, Urges Delay to Prevent Drain on Treasury. Varying only slightly from the meas- ure reported to the House, the liberal- | ized retirement Dbill for civil service | employes was favorably reported to | the Senate today by Senator Stanfield, Republican, of Oregon, chairman of a special subcommittee of the civil service committee. Senator Stanfleld reported out the | bill in accordance with a statement he made this morning, announcing at | that time that retirement legislation would be pushed irrespective of what President Coolidge may think of the ultimate cost to the Government. Senator Stanfleld voiced the opinion that there had been enough delay on retirement legislation. | After the bill had been reported | Senator Stanfield expressed the hope | that he would be able to obtain ac- | ton In the Senate within two weeks | and predicted the plan would be ap- | proved | Annuity TIs Increased. | Like the House bill the Senate | measure increases the maximum an- | nuity from $720 to $1.200 and raises | the contribution of the employes to | the retirement fund from 2'; to 4| per cent of their salaries. The method of computing the max- | imum annuity is the same as the | House bill. namely, the average sal ary of the emplove for the last 10| years service, not to exceed | $1.600, multiplied by the mumber of | years of service, and the result to be divided by 40. | The Senate bill permits 30.vear op-| tional retirement at 65 for those em- | ployes who would be automatically re- tired at 70 vears. Tt permits optional retirement at 62 vears of age forl those who woyld automatically retire | at_65. 7 The only dfportant difference in the Senate 29(“ compared to the House bill is chat it allows no optional re- tirement for those emploves who are retjréd automatically at 62 yvears of Two-Year Extensions Permitted. The liberalized plan continues the present law permitting twe-vear ex- tensions of time beyond the retire- ment age for employes whose services are of special value, but the language is changed to provide a method of de- termining efficiency in order that| these extensions will be handled ac- cording to a uniform plan, The Senate committee added a pro- | vision to the House bill under which employes who were involuntarily sep arated from the service at the age of | 45 after 15 years of service may be brought under the retirement law when they reach the age of 55 years This would afford relief to Navy Yard workers who had to be let out of the service at the conclusion of the war. The Senate committee also included in the benefits of the retirement law | employes of the offices of solicitors of the several Government departments, the Recorder of Deeds’ office of the District, the Register of Wills of the District, the Panama Canal service and postmasters of the first, second and third class who have been promoted “(Continued on Page 6, Column 1.) ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT. Shell and Revolver Bullets Meant for Belgian Minister. GHENT, Belgium, April 16 (#).—An unknown person today fired three re- volver shots at the door of the home of Minister of Railways Edouard Anseele, who is at present in Italy, and then threw the head of a cannon shell into one of the windows. The shell failed to explode. No one was hurt. The police helieve the shooter was mentally unbalanced. LETTERS LACK PRACTICAL IDEAS FOR TRAFFIC LAW IMPROVEMENT Eldridge’s Appeal for Public Suggestions Brought Only Flood of Impossible Methods and Near-Humor, Col. Moller Says. Scores of letters offering auggestions for improving Washington's traffic situation were received today at the office of Trafic Director Eldridge, in response to his public appeal for as- sistance in carrying out the order of the Commissioners for a reduction in the number of traffic regulations. Mr. Eldridge is in Harrisburg, Pa., studying its drivers’ permit system, but his assistant, Col. I. C. Moller, carefully read the varied suggestions and announced that not one of them, in his opinion, offered a practical solu- tion to the problem. The idea of the Commissioners, he explained, is to eliminate unnecessary regulations, with a view to cutting down arrests for trafc violations. The majority of Mr. Eldridge’s cor- respondents, however, dealt in gen- eralities, he said, and others attempt- ed humor. For instance, one writer suggested that pédestrians not be al- lowed to wear dark clothes at night. Another recomngended that the Traf- fic Bureau di#fharge all of its “tem- peramental officers who seem to think the proper way to control traffic is to keep motorists scared to death.” ‘The writers who apparently compre- hended more thoroughly the intentipn of the Commissioners to reduce ar- rests urged the abolition of the regu- lation requiring tall lights on auto- mobiles parked at night, or a reduc. tion in the size of the present con- gested area to provide more parking space near the business district for all-day parkers. Others recommended the reduction of the speed limit to 15 miles and the discontinuance of the use of the auto- matic traffic lights on Sixteenth street and Massachusetts avenue during non-rush hours. One correspondent advocated the revokation of permits of all overtime parkers. ‘While it is true that the majority of trafic arrests in the last three months have been for violations of the tail light and overtime parking regulations, Col. Moller expressed the belief that neither could be abol- ished. If tail lights are not required, he said, the District would open it. self to damage suits for every acci- dent due to vehicles colliding with parked machines. An automobile, he contends, is just as much an obstruc- tion as a pile of gravel, sand or sther building materials, on which lights are required at night when left in the street. The continued up- eration of the traffic lights is as nec- essary, he declared, as the operation of a block system on a railroad. Mr. Eldridge will return to Wash- ington tomorrow and will confer with Maj, Hesse. The Commission- ers have asked these officials to sub- mit their recommendations for re- ducing trafic arrests at the semi- weekly board meeting ‘Tuesiay morning. Culbertson Sails for U. 8. BUCHAREST, Rumania, April 16 UP).—~William 8. Culbertson, American Minister to Rumania, who has been summoned to appear before the United States Senate committee investigating the activities of the Tariff Commission, left Bucharest for Washington today. FRIDAY, APRIL 16, | crisis that the | Washington has caused no excitement {among them. 1926 - FIFTY- Foening Sfar. * SIX PAGES. in Was| service. Yesterday’s | ERET LIRS FRANG PLUNGE WITH DEBY Convinced Stabilization Can Come Only After War Loan Issue Is Solved. By the Associated Press. PARIS, April 16.—The speed with which the Senate is disposing of the budget bill makes it seem likely that M. Peret, minister of finance, can be- gin preliminary debt conversations Winston Spencer Churchill, chancellor of the British exchequer, in London, by next Monday. Ahpr\\ardr; he can, if he desires, utilize the parlia- mentary vacation for a fving trip to the United States, probably in June on a similar mission. M. Peret s convinced there can be no real stabilization of the franc which today dropped to the lowest | lovel ever known—until the war debts question Is in a fair way to solution. He is anxious to supplement his sue- cess of finally foreing the chamber, after various other finance ministers had failed, to vote a balanced budget. Peret Tactics Differ. Word from Washington leads the finance ministry officials to believe that Henry Berenger, the French Am- | bassador at Washington, already has | made appreciable progress in his in- | formal talks on the debt situatio with Secretary of the Treasury Mellon and that M. Peret, when he goes to Washington, will find the ground well | prepared for a more profound discus- The new finance minister will | be found a negotiator of a Kind en- tirely different from Joseph Caillaux. It is said in official quarters that he il not consider debt settlement as a_poker party Peret is an earnest, nervous, wiry, littie man. He lacks M. Cail- jaux’ spectacular qualities and also his predecessor's knowledge of Eng- lish. 3 The newspapers today are so occu- pied with the rapid fall in the value of the franc and so lost in fulmina- tions against those responsible for the announcement of M. Peret’'s projected visits to London and For the second day in succession the franc went to a new low level. The official Bourse closing quota- tion was 26.73 tot he dollar and 144.50 to the pound sterling. Goes Below Closing. The franc was extremely sensitive during the day, fluctuating 10 cen- times on the dollar in relatively unim- portant transactions. It opened sev- eral points better than yesterday's closing of 29.61 to the dollar and 143.80 to the pound. Then it weakened, only to strengthen again toward noon. Upon the official opening of the Bourse, however, demands for pounds and dollars sent it back below yester- day's closing. There are as many different ex- planations for the weakness of the franc as there are authorities com- petent to judge. The sale of francs by London and Brussels to protect the pound and Belgian franc and by Milan to protect the lire was given in some quarters. Banking author- ities consider the delayed buying of foreign exchanges to cover payments for importation is the chief element in the situation. Importers Waited Long. A great many importers waited for the balancing of the budget to cover their requirements. hoping for im- provement in the franc. The result was far less marked than had been expected, and when it became neces- sary for belated covering to be done quickly the situation of the Belgian franc complicated the market, as the Belgians began selling French francs. Since then London and Milan also have shown a bearish tendency to the French franc, although New York was relatively favorable. Re- ports of speculation against the French exchange are regarded in Bourse circles as unfounded in the main. The real factors in the fall of the franc are considered the un- certain political situation and the fact that sufficient French francs were held in London and Brussels to welgh on the market at a time when French importers needed dollars and pounds. Davis Boosts Mothers’ Day. St Davis of the War Depart- ment has sent a letter to Army com- manders advising “that each officer and enlisted man write a letter to his home on Mothers' day (May 19) as an expression of love and reverence we owe the mothers of our country.” Radio Progrjax'xlxsTnge" 38 0Oil to Be Burned From Pacific to Save Sea Birds By the Associated Press SANTA BARBARA. Calif.. April 16.—Thousands of sea birds are dving and extinction threatens the pismo clam as a result of the 210,000,000 oil fire at San Louis Obispo. Capt. Robert Ord, arriving from Avila vesterday, declared that in the effort to control the fire oil reached the ocean and spread for 14 miles down the coast. The sea birds, he said, would alight in the oil, become helpless and reach the beach only to die. The Union Ofl Co., Capt. Ord said, is preparing to clean up the beach line by spraying the surface water with gasoline and setting it afive. WILKING AT BASE, COMRADES BELIEVE Arctic Party Confident of Safety, Though Word From Plane Is Lacking. - BY FREDERICK LEWIS EARP. Spectal Correspondent of The Star and North American Newspaper Alliance 5 FAIRBANKS, ' Alaska, April 16.— Members of the Detroit Arctic expedi- tion, based at Fairbanks, are confi- dent that their commander, Capt. George Hubert Wilkins, and pilot, Ben Eielson, have successfully landed at Point Barrow on their third 560- mile flight, although no word had been received from the monoplane Alas- kan's radio early this morning. Sighted Last at Wiseman. The flvers hopped off here at $:04 yesterday morning with supplies for the advance base. at Barrow, includ- ing 160 gallons of gasoline. The Gov- ernment radio station at Wiseman, a little more than 200 miles to the north. reported the plane high over there at 10:20, indicating that the Fokker ship was making her customary hundred miles an hour, at which she would ar- rive at her destination by 1 o'clock. There is a possibility that the plane encountered fog, as on the second trip, in_which case navigation would be difficult. The captain’'s right hand. which he injured at Barrow last Sunday, is next to useless and it is believed he found it impossible to operate the plane’s radio set while in the air, and determined to rig up an outboard boat motor at Barrow to generate power for his wireless before attempt- ing to send back word. It was at first thought that Wilkins' wrist was merely sprained. but he will have an examination made on his return here, to determine whether any bones are broken. Urged to Abandon Trip. Maj. Thomas G. Lanphir, Army aviator, who is an observer with the expedition, tried to dissuade the .cap- tain from undertaking the present trip while his hand was disabled, but the explorer is anxious to get the main base established on the Arctic coast. “I'm really leit-handed.” said Capt. Wilkins, when I asked him wheth’:r he didn’t think he would have diffi- culty in using his rifle if forced to make his afoot and live off the country. “T can write about as well with my left hand as with my right, and 1 shoot left-handed better than right-handed. My greatest difficulty with my right arm disabled is in starting the plane, but if we are forced to land en route Ben can start the propeller and T can handle the throttle and the switches.” (Copyright. 1926, by North Aj - aber Alljance) o News 3 1 i Classified Ads i i for Saturday’s Star ) Must be at The Star Office by 11 P.M. Friday For Sunday’s Star by 5:30 P.M. Saturday Death Notices and Lost and || Found accepted up to 10:20 AM. Saturday for Satur- day’s issue, and 10 P.M. Sat- urday for Sunday’'s issue. D.C. FINANCE BILL ‘ Paving Fund Increased, Water Rate and School Site Clauses Struck Out. The District appropriation bill is on the road to conference between the two branches of Congress today, hav- ing been passed hy the Senate late vesterday, with little debate and only a few minor changes from the form in which it was reported by Senator Phipps of the appropriations com- mittee. Traffic problems and the condition of the streets with regard to paving came in for brief discussion when the ftems relating to these two subjects were reached. The Senate struck from the bill the House proposal for an increase in water rates and the House provision which would have prevented the au- thorities from paying more than 25 per cent in excess of assessed value for_school and park sites. The Senate leaders still have before them. however, the task of convincing the House managers that these two far-reaching sections of the bill should be eliminated. Paving Fund Increased. The next most important problem to be settled in conference is the |amount that should be appropriated | for street paving and how it should be divided between new work and re- surfacing. The Senate added more than $400,000 to the House figure for repairs to streets, most of. which would be for resurfacing. In order to raise the highway allot- the Senate pruned the school building program by about $370,000. These school items also will be the subject of discussion in conference. As reported to the Senate, the bill carried $33.697.771, a net decrease of $61,520 from the House. The only changes made by the Senate other | than those recommended by the com- the allotments for the Washington Relief Society. In each case the al- lowance was made $10.000, the same as approved by the House. Traffic Clauses Opposed. Senator King, Demoecrat, of Utah opposed the regular appropriation of $100.000 for the expenses of the traffic director’s office and the provisions au- thorizing him to use fees derived from automobile operators’ permits up to a limit of $350.000 for installation of more automatic traffic lights. Senator King said he was dissatis- fied with the results of the traffic law passed last vear, and declared Con- gress should have given the superin- tendent of police increased power in. stead of creating a separate traffic de- partment. Although expressing _his opposition to the items, Senator King said he would not attempt to strike out or reduce the appropriations for traffic, and they were approved. of specific traffic problems in which A number of Senators took part. Senator Smoot. Republican, of Utah wanted to know if the authorities had considered the effect of glar- ing headlights on the accident rec- ord. He sald he could not under- stand why such bright lights are re- quired. Swanson Criticizes Streets. Criticism of the condition of the streets was launched by Senator Swanson, Democrat, of Virginia, who asserted they are in “wretched con- dition” and reminded him of condi- tions usually found in a community of 5000 inhabitants. He suggested that automobile taxes might be in- creased to make larger funds avail- able for street work. Senator Phipps, in charge of the bill, reminded Senator Swanson that the subcommittee regarded the con- dition of the streets as a foremost problem in drafting the bill, and called attention to the increases recommended to make possible more resurfacing. He told Senator Swan- son the city has fallen four years behind in its resurfacing program. To take care merely of those asphalt streets that are more than 30 years old would require $2,345,000, Senator Phipps said. The additional $400,- 000 approved by the Senate for re- surfacing will be a step toward utchin{ up on this arrearage resur- facing, but will not bring the resur- facing program up to date. Senator Phipps sald he hoped to convince the House that a drive should be made during the next few years to catch up on this phase of highway work. ‘The Senate approved without dis- cussion the recommendation of the PASSED BY SENATE ments without increasing the tax rate, | mittee were additions of $5.000 each to | ‘Home for Incurables and the Southern | Then followed a brief discussion | The only evening paper hington with the Associated Press news Circulation, 103,038 TWO CENTS. DRYS LAUNCH FIGHT FORSTRICTERLAWS; ANDREWS ASSAILED F | 'No Modification, But Better j Enforcement, Urged at ? Senate Hearing. jDEMAND CHIEF EXPLAIN STATEMENTS OR RESIGN | Anti-Saloon League Heads Attack | Officials for Making Jobs Harder. i Deny Beer Claim. BY G. GOULD LINCOLN. With “no modification. but rather better enforcement,” as their battle | ery. “drys” took up the burden of the fight over prohibition legislation be- fore the Senate judiciary subcommit- tee at today's hearing on bills both for modification and stricter enforce- ment laws, A great array of churchmen and laymen engaged in church and social work, of physicians, college profes- sors and leaders of the Anti-Saloon League, the W. C. T. U. and other temperance organizations was on hand | to take part in the hearings, which | are to run for 22 hours for the prohi- | bitionists. They already have used up 2 of the 24 allotted them. At the same time that the prohibi- tionists were presenting their case be- fore the Senate committee, individual drys were {ssuing statements demand- ing that Gen. Lincoln C. Andrews should retire as head of prohibition enforcement in this country because of his statement to the Senate com- mittee that the sale of non-intoxicat- ing beer might aid in law enforce- ment. Explanation Is Demanded. William M. Forgrave, State super- intendent of Anti-Saloon League in Massachusetts, and also a member of the executive committee of the na- tional organization. and Dr. A. G. Graham, superintendent of the Ken- tucky Anti-Saloon League, {ssued statements regarding Gen. Andre notwithstanding his assertion yester day that he was not advocating a | change in the prohibition law. | Mr. Forgrave said today: | “Gen. Lincoln C. Andrews should | resign or else more satisfactorily ex- | plain his statement to the Senate judiciary subcommittee, that the legal sale of beer would assist in prohibi- | tion_entorcement.” | _“Officials like Gen. Andrews and | District Attorney Buckner should do | more work and less talking, especial- |1y of the kind that encourages law. | leseness. It is not the duty of a Fed- {eral enforcgment official to amend the |law or to make rash statements that {make his job harder. It is his duty | to enforce the law as it is, leaving to the people to do the talking at | the ballot boxes, as they did two | days ago in Illinois, when every can- didate of the majority party indorsed | by the Association Against the Pro- | hibition Amendment met defeat. Beer Hurt Enforcement. “History tells us that in every | State where beer was legalized it did |{not aid, but rather hurt enforcement of State prohibition.” Dr. Graham announced his organ- |ization would demand that the Presi- dent remove Gen. Andrews from of- | fice. He also quoted Mrs. U. Gray Pickett, Kentucky State president of the W. C. T. U., as saying that her organization would take a similar course, When the Senate committee as- sembled today it was announced that Senator Harreld of Oklahoma had been appointed by Chairman Cummins of the judiciary committee as chair- man of the subcommittee on account of the illness of Senator Means of Colorado and that Senator Gillett of Massachusetts had been appointed to fill the vacancy caused by the retire- ment of Senator Means. Plans were | laid for four-hour hearings daily, the subcommittee stting from 10 to 12 in | the morning and from 2 until 4 in the afternoon each day The presentation of the dry cause E. A. Yost. Wayne Dinwiddie, Clar- ence True Wilson, Canon Wllliam S. Chase and Bishop James Cannon, Jr. w rst witness called today was { Dr. William I. Haven, general secre- | tary of the American Bible Society of | New York, who presented the report of the Federal Council of Churches, in | the absence of Dr. S. Parkes Cadman, | president of the council. Twenty-eight bodies composing the Federal Council of Churches have more than 45,000,000 members and adherents. it was pointed out. The prohibition committee of the council, which had charge of the re- i port submitted today. consisted of Dr. Cadman, Dr. Macfarland, Rev. Frank Mason North, New York, Methodist Episcopal Church: former Gov. Carl E. Milliken of Maine, Bishop James Cannon, jr.. Washington, Methodist Spiscopal Church South; Mrs. John Ferguson, New York, Council of Women on Home Missions; Rev. John Avenue Bap- Rev. Charles general secre- National Council of Congrega- tional Churches, and Dr. Robert E. Speer, New York, secretary, Board of Foreign Missions of the Presbyterian Church. As former Gov. Milliken of Maine is now collector of customs at Portland, he could not attend the hearing. Calls for Legal Support. “The call of the hour is for such a thorbughgoing work of moral per- suasion and legal support as will give the policy of prohibition an adequate opportunity to demonstrate its full value to the Nation and to the world,” is the conclusion of the statement, which declares that ‘“modification would make bootlegging more men- acing.” The statement said, in part: “Limitation upon individual free- dom in matters affecting society is the price that any people must pay for the progress of its civilization. Personal liberty cannot rightly be claimed for practices which militate against the welfare of others or the interest of the community as a whole. It is especially contrary to democratic ideals and to enlighten public policy to permit any citizen to make profit from a business which is detrimental to his neighbor. “This is readily recognized by all tary, (Continued on Page 2, Column 6.) as_sound policy in_regird to (Continued on Page 3, Column 1)