Evening Star Newspaper, April 28, 1926, Page 1

. e WEATITER. Weather Burean Forecast.) ( ir and cooler tonight; tomorrow nd continued ool High: 64, lowest, 51, at Full report on Page 9. 0 p.m. ve warmer p.m. Closing N. Y. Stocks and Bonds, Page 24 Entered as vost office, 100 ARE ARRESTED 29,947, o. AFTER PROSECUTOR " ISKILLEDBY GANG Chicago Assistant State’s Attorney and Two Aides Slain in Auto. - MACHINE GUN BULLETS SPRAY FLEEING VICTIMS Blood-staired Car Found in Suburb. Search Made for Fourth Man, Who Escaped Fire. April 28 vouthful assis orney, known the ssecutor” hecause of his 7 cting criminal trials. ht fn a blast of machine gun f poured hy gangsters into an automo- bile in which he and three other men were ridin Two, Killed. reputed ‘icero, a su vwner of a The hail « tomobile whic car in which pinions were driving a4 at Fifty-sixth dary~Jine between ) William Tl in, of also Th leade! yurb, 1 runners and lead came from an au- drew up beside the in and his com- Roosevelt h eSwi on avenue, Chic: on o and 100 Arrests Made. hundred or more arrests were in raids upon saloons and road- in the search for the machine n crew. A s made h E one of the O'Don- ney and cero liquor Steve O'Donnell, nell brothers—>Myles, Steve in the nes which Do! s In n Police kv suspec Murphy Tather vigzin tes O Anth repor 1y both owned and terms Doherty siloon O Donne ind nd were on blood-stained was found in ) of companions were 1 Park. a suburb ne Marked for Ireath. While auil maze possible motive: shooting. John’ Stege. vete of detectives, said that the secutor was marked for e of his prosecution John Scalisi and Albert Anselmi, Genna gangsters, under sentence of 14 years in prison for the slaying of two polic men. “The word was passed along that he was on his way to C plans were quickly made and rities were delving i for the ptain | istant h be e of e line slayers, with their machine gun, were | po,.o moon on the scene,” asserted. In connection with this theory, the Chicago Tribune said that only two days ago MeSwigzin had told a re porter for that paper that he had been offered $30,000 to neglect duty and aid the two gunmen in & fng their freedom. S h for the mediately under ~®tate's Attorney who declared he temerity of the killers, of State, county died to lay Capt. Stege slayers the 2obe hegan direction t B punded a t A confere nd city officers w plans undin, sanzsters who 1 furni Jeadin to the identity of the machine- 1 crew. Deserted € Three men who foun mortally wounded near the shooting were h - questionin in and his companions were 3 when the car owing ihem drew alongside to place the machine gun in After the first volley the oc- nts of the attacked erted their machine, and th an away were spraved with bullets. Duffy fell and died several hot in a hos. 1. The three othe red back utomobile = ed away, mile and a half »in the scene the hodies of MeSwiggin and Doherty wer The police believe that , the car was overtaken, but ether the victims were given their th wounds in their own car or in t of the attackers was a matter speculatic Indications were that ad put up ~ to escape or overpower his up ot t at Volley. Duffy lyin the scene which had been it “The fate of the fourth member of the MeSwiggin party is a mystery. Left Home With Duff; with Duffy, telling relatives that he planned to =o to Berwyn, another western suburb, for 2 game of cards. The two ente an automobile and drove away. attorney’s office expr that the trip to Cicer nected with two cases on was working. One v v Durkin. police slayer, 1 months ssed the also was con- which he that of who hid in Cicero belief wiggin was a man who wor 4 hours a day when on a big ca . Crowe said. Three geneval theories for the s were advanced by investigators. nay have been the vietim ackers not know was W have th Doherty been s n for several recent ned five hang ar, or it v have be- disputes. and on aving verdicts in come involv n Duffy was a preeinct cap! factiopn with which the prosecutor w aligned. Doherty and a have been in Cicero, and invi pointed out McSwiggin may have been with the former in connection with investi- ation of this affair. Fued Over Beer Case. Doherty also had bitter enemies on @ beer-running gang, several members of ‘which were arrested in a police woup last week. It was recalled that one of the men under arrest iven word to a confederate to friend were known to v group herty and Duffy | of the State’s| supposedly | i | Calendar Cleared of War Ob- were | Doherty, | of | homas Duffy, | the | | { | i Myles| the funding of thi Cicero. | . TOWN 1S TERRORIZED i | 4 early today | By the Associated Press. | Delaw a_desperate | rounding woods, while armed patrols before | mitt | repr ed | by the Preparato in for the ' | public | connection with the fires, was safely | the third with trade and markets. | appointed second class matter Washington, D, Three Will Split $25,000 on Guess Timing Ice Break c By the Associated Press. . FATRBANKS, Alaska, April 2 Thrée men plan to divide a $25, (00 purse here today when they turn in tickets in the annual Tenana River ice “derby.” Ivery Spring hundreds of Alas- kans guess when the ice will move in the Tanana River at Nenana, 50 miles north of here. At 4:03 o'clock Monday it shift- ed enough to ring & bell attached to a stake. Jack Martin, Fairbanks; Simons, Anchorage, and Alex Haggbloom, Chatanika, each set the break one mingte from the tim Frank Clark, Fairbanks, filed a similar claim, but could not find his ticket. The pool is the largest in North country history. (ECH DEBT PACT 0.K'D BY SENATE John | | ligation Settlements—Vote Is 53 to 17. | By the Associated Press. { The Senate cleared its calendar of war debt setlements today by approv- }mg the agreement with Czecho- { slo¥akia for the funding of its $185, 000,000 obligation to the United States. The vote was 53 to 17. This com- pleted congre: action on the | ! settlement, which will come into force| when signed by President Coolidge. The vote came after only 15 min-| utes' discussion, Chairman Smoot of the finance committee explaining the settlement and Senator Howell, Re- | n, Nebraska, opposing it on the ground that it represented a can- cellation. With the approval of this agree- @h WASHINGTON, D. C, FERNIG EXPLANS CUARDIANS DUTES * INVETERAN EASES {Johnson Committee Hears At- torngy, Who Spends Hour on Stand. HOLDS LAW DOES NOT LIMIT FEE IN DISTRICT Declares Any Commissions in Ex- cess of 10 Per Cent Were for Extra Services. Completing three days of t and cros x¥nination before House strict subcommittee last night, Commissioner Frederick A. Fenning today submitted himself to the House World War veterans’ legis lation committee for examination. The veterans' committee is meeting until late this afternoon wish the Commis sioner on the stand and the subcom mittee will pursne its investigation of district institutions as authorized un- der its resolution at 7:30 o'clock to- night, Mr. Fenning spent 1 hour and 15 minutes on the stand before the vet- erans committee today answering questions from Chairman Johnson, Repub_llvan, South Dakota, and Repre: Sentative Luce, Republican, Massa: chusetts, on the duties and procedure of a4 committee of m ntally incom- petent World War veterans, Chairman Johnson made it plain at the outset of the session that only that portion of AMr. Fenning's activities as committee referring to World War veterans would be accepted. The small com-| m_!ltee room was comfortably pflt‘kfld’ }\'llh about 50 spectators. Others seek: ing admittance were turned a owing to the lack of accommodations for them. timony the ment the Senate within a week gave ssent to settlements totaling $3,- | 0,000,060, Chief among these were he’ Italian and Belgian agreement: With a swift pace established b; e Senate in approving war debt set- on of | tlements already arranged, the nego- | 3 . last | tiators working on the French prob- | the time for this subcommittee’s re- lem were hopetul today that an agree- ment would be worked out soon for | s $4,000,000,000 obli- | wtion Having disposed of the more vig- ously controverted Italian and Bel- | \n agreements, the Senate en-| untered little difficuity when it took | the others yesterday. ! The Lotvian, Esthonian and Ru- n agreements went through so smoothly that one of the opposition | caders, Senator Leed, Democrat, Mis- | ovri, remarked that on one occasion when a quorum call was ordered two enators, who thought a roll call was | heing taken on one of the settlements, came into the chamber and voted These agreements provided for pay ment of amounts totaling $64,1 u 62 annual installments, The American Debt Commi anwhile, suspended its sessions, ting word from Ambassador nger, who asked the French gov- ernment for new instructions with re- | spect to elements of its revised fund- | ing proposal, which had been found | unacceptable. These differences have | to do largely with the amounts and methods of payment suggested. AW BY FIRE MYSTERIES Hartly, Del, Church Burned De- spite Armed Guards—Eight Blazes in Three Weeks. | ARTLY, Del., April 28.—Terror of 1spected incendiary in this little re town reached its climax | early today when the Methodist Epis- | copal Church was burned 15 minutes after guards had patrolled the build- ing. It was thq second attempt on (hfl‘ hurch and the elghth unexplained | fire in three weeks. State police and | firemen were on patrol duty all lastd hight. 1 A suspect, previously arrested in in the Hartly jail when the church} was burned toda ! Lights in Hartly homes rarely are extinguished, and -.on recent nights | lanterns have been hung in trees sur- have sought to solve the fire mystery. IR AMERICANS GET POSTS ON LEAGUE COMMITTEES | Will Aid in Preparations for World Economic Parley, Which Opens Soon. By the Associated April 28.—Three subcom- each having an American were appointed today Commission of the International Economic Conference. The first will deal with questions relating to agriculture, finance and | certain other special problems, The second committee will deal with problems of industrial production, and ntative, W. Gilbert of Boston was to the first committee; David F. Huston, former Secretary of Agriculture to the second, and Prof. Allyn Young of Harvard University the third. EARTHQUAKE RECORDED. Shocks 4,300 Miles Distant Reg- istered at Georgetown U. Avthur An earthquake of pronounced in- tensity was registered on the George- town University seismograph today, beginning at 4 a.m. and lasting un- til after 8 o'clock. Director Tondorf charted its maxi- mum severity at 6:53 a.m. and placed its location as 4,300 miles from Wash- ington in a direction not determined. its } man | reserved the right to renew his re- | committee | the committee or guardian under a | ! never | and | beth’: | 60 days, should bring before the court and allow fair trial for each patient in St. Elizabeth’s who has not pre- | viousiy | commitment. {iting More Time Asked. When the District committee held regular meeting today Chai Gibson of the subcommit- investigating District matters | ed the full committee to extend tee port. After some haggling in committee as tq the length of ex tension, it was decided to set May | instead of May 1. Mr. Gibson the quest later for a further extension. If that is done, it will be for the purpose of giving the House judi- clary committee‘a chance to act on the impeachment charges against | Mr. Fenning without any blas from whatever report might be made by the subcommittee of the legislative committee. Mr. Gibson announced that the sub- committee intends promptly to make some recommendations to the full| regarding what he de: scribed as remedial legislation. This | ould include making habeas corpus | a matter of right; recommendation for creation of a public guardian; putting | limit of fee, probably 5 per cent; cut- | which | after deliberating 29 hours, { ber: WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION WEDNESDAY, ¢ Zoening Star. APRIL 28, 1926—FORTY PAGES. CONGRESS IONA L DENTA | WOR.K BALTIHORE SHS FORWHTTENRE New York Expected to Waive Trying “Candy Kid” After Jury Disagrees. i\ | By the Associated Press. BUFFALO, N. Y., April 28.—A jury tried him for the murder of | two bank guards having disagreed, Richard Reese Whittemore, the andy Kid” of the underworld, today seemed likely to.be sent to Baltimore to be tried for killing a penitentiary guard. The fury was discharged last night In Balti- more State’s Attorney Herbert R. O'Connor said he would ask an imme- diate waiver of charges by New York nd Buffalo to permit Whittemore's removal. “Maryland has an open-and- shut case against him,” Mr. O'Connor said. Indications were that O'Connor’s re- auest would be granted. Whittemore, with his wife and mem of the gang he led, was arrested | in New York a month ago as the re- sult of almost accidental police ob- ting down the fee that doctors have a right to cha in lunacy case: which is now reported to the commis tee to be $50; making some provis in regard to commitment, Mr. explaining that information now fore the subcommittee shows been committed b; s recommendation for a complete revision of the District code. It was in responce to insistence of Representative Blanton that the time for the subcommittee report was put at May 10. e notified the committee that he is now drafting a remedial bill which he will probably introduc tomorrow. This will provide for writ of habeas corpus: would require court commitment affer a jury ve dict to place any person in St. Eliza- require that Dr. White, within been before the court for 1t contains a provision that no com. | TWO DIE IN RIOTS IN MEXICAN TOWN People Stab Army Officer When | He Commands Crowd to Disperse. By the Associated Press. MEXICO CITY, April28.—Dispatches from Zitacuraro say that Capt. Ben- jamin Ruiz of the Mexican army and one civilian were Killed, and several civilians wounded, during a clash be- tween the people of the town and ! the troops over the religious situation, Crowds had gathered iri the Munic- ipal Building, where the authorities were considering 4 petition of the Catholic Young Men’s Association re. questing an annulment of the law lim- religlous freedom. Capt. Ruiz | ordered the crowd to disperse, where- upon the crowd attacked him. He was stabbed to death. Military Comdr, Perez Bahesa then ordered the troops to fire in the air. The women in the crowd began taunt- ing the troops, while men fired with revolvers upon the soldiers. A sharp combat lasting several minutes. en- sued before the soldiers dispersed the crowd. BRITAIN WATCHES MEXICO Chamberlain Tells Commons He : Has Taken Steps to Protect Citizens LONDON, April 28 (#).—Sir Austen Chamberlain, foreign secretary, today told the House of Commons that the British government has been in com- munication with the Mexican govern- ment concerning the interests of Brit- ish citizens affected by recent Mexican legislation. The secretary’s statement was made in response to a question as to what steps the government has taken to protect British interests. Sir Austen said that communications | of the gang and participation in rob- | the | fully with the State’s attorney and servance of a night club where they made their headquarters. Admitted Leading Gang. Whittemore admitted his leadership beries of loot aggregating $800,000. v had devised, he sald, a per-| me system, and had set them- selves ‘a_goal of a billion dollars, New York released Whittemore to Erie County to be tried on the more serious charges of murdering - two bank guards in a $93,000 hold-up last Octobe His wife, called the “Tiger Girl,” re- leased in New York, was present when iry reported, and so was her father-inaw, Rawlings Whittemore of Baltimore. Four witnesses testified they saw the daylight robbery of an armored car and that Whittemore carried away the black satchel filled withy spoils. The driver of the car and a patrol- man who_saw the shooting failed to identify Whittemore. Defense wit- nesses” declared Whittemore was in Philadelphia the night before the shooting and in New York that after- noon. The Maryland indictment charges Whittemore with killing Robert W. Holtman with a plece of lead pipe while escaping from the penitentiary February 20, 1925. MARYLAND SURE OF VERDICT. State's Attorney 0'Connor Declares He Has Clear Murder Case. BALTIMORE, April 28 (#).—Im- mediate waiver of all charges against Richard Reese Whittemore, andy Kid" gunman of New York and Bai- timore, will be asked of New York authorities to permit his removal here for trial on charges of killing a prison guard, State's Attorney Herbert R. O'Connor announced last night. A Jui trying Whittemore in Buffalo, N. Y., for murder in connection with a $93,000 robbery, failed last night to reach an agreement. Mr. O'Connor said that Maryland has an “open and shut” case, and is certain of returning a verdict of zullty of first degree murder against the bandit who has admitted killing Robert W. Holtman, a guard at the Maryland Penitentiary, with a piece of lead pipe while escaping from the institution on February 20, 1925. Whittemore was serving a _15-year sentence for a hold-up when he made his spectacular break. Formal application for the walver will be made to District Attorneys Guy C. Moore of Erie County and Joab H. Benton of New York County, Mr, O'Connor said. Gov. Ritchle also announced that he would co-operate would himself petition Gov. Smith of New York that the fugitive be re- turned to Baltimore at once. SHIP LOCKED IN ICE. By-the Associated Press. SAULT STE. MARIE, Michigan, April 28.—The steamer Harvester was locked in ice at the West end of the Straits of Mackinac today after buck- ing the ice since Monday night. Freez- ing temperatures were strengthening the grip of the ice on the steamer. Although no call for help had come from the Harvester, the wrecking tug Favorite was under steam at ‘St. Ignace, a few miles away, ready to go to_its assistance. ‘ on the mater had been courteously re- -eived by the Mexican government and the British ministry would not fail to take any further diplomatie action that might be required. Four freighters bound for Lake Michigan ports rode at anchor off the Straits of St. Helena Shoals, awaiting the outcome of the Harvester's struggle. Indian “Gobbled,” Rancher Who Shot| Him Tells Court By the Associated Press OKMULG. Oklahoma, April Imitation of a turkey gobbler’s all, Indian signal of intent to kill, forms the basis of the defense in a murder trial here. Jim Crowell, wealthy rancher, charged with shooting Willie Brunner, Indian, testified he shot Brunner after the Indian had “‘gobbled" three times and then attempzed to snoot him. The defense recalled a_decision by Judge Parker, Indian Territory jurist, who regarded as justifiable homicide the act of a man in shooting an Indian who “gobbled” at him. NEW FIGH OOMS INLEAUESPATH Persia to Demand Council Seat If Germany Gets in With Another. BY CONSTANTINE BROWN. By Cable to The Star and Chicago Daily News. LONDON, April 28—Five months remain before the next plenary meet- ing of the League of Nations to dis- cuss Germany's admittance to the league council and serious difficulties already are looming. a has addressed a note to the secretary general of the league which concludes by stating in striking terms that in case any other country be- sides Germany obtains a permanent seat in the league council, Persia as the only representative of four hun- dred million Mussulmans in all parts of the globe, must insist upon a council seat as well. The Persian delegate at Geneva has further pointed out that in the opinion of the smaller nations their desire to obtain council seats is due to the fact that the powers are un- equally divided between the assembly and the council. “The council,” he writes, “frequent- Iy neglects the assembly, keeping it in ignorance of its discussions. Dur- ing the recent meeting whole days passed without our knowing what was going on in the council, and we were unable to keep our governments posted.” The note ends with a veiled threat that if other nations ontside of Ger- many are glven council seats, Persia will insist upon the same privilege, and if refused, wilk withdraw from the league. London diplomatic circles believe that while Persia’s move has caused a sensation in France and other Latin states, it is favorably regarded by the British. Others see in this drastically couched note the first fruits of the Russo-German treaty, while diplomats belonging to what is now frequently termed the “Latin bloc” see in it the result of combined British and Rus- sian diplomacy. (Copyright. 1926. by Chicaro Daily News Co.) GRAVE OF S-51 FOUND | AFTER LONG SEARCH Salvage Ships to Start Actual Op- erations of Raising Vessel at Once. { By the Associated Pres: NEW LONDON, Conn., April 28.- The submarine S-51, which fent down with the loss of 33 lives last Septem- ber after being rammed by the steamer City of Rome, was located Jate last night after an all-day search by the salvage ship Falcon, according to radio advices received at the sub- marine base today. The wreck was located with trawling apparatus after heavy winds had forced suspension of diving operations from the Falcon. ‘When the fleet of salvage ships ar- rived off Block Island yesterday, it was found that the gas buoy which had marked the grave of the S-51 had been torn from its moorings and had drifted a considerable distance. The Falcon was moored today over the wreck and other vessels of the fleet moved into position around the Falcon and prepared to resume actual salvage operations. Radio Programs—Page 18 HUTCHINS ESTATE SELLS BIG CORNER 14th and G Streets Site, One of Best in City, Bought by Rust Co. The largest real estate transaction in downtown Washington since the sale of the site of the new National Press Club, more than a year ago, has been consummated by the sale of the noted Hutchins estate at the south- west corner of Fourteenth and G streets this week. This property, which stretches from the Wyatt Build- ing, at the northwest corner of Four- teenth and F streets, to the District National Bank Building, on the south side of G street, was purchased by the H, $1,500,000. This site is considered one of the three outstanding downtown business locations that has remained unsold for a considerable length of time. It was held by trustees for the estate of Stilson Hutchins, former owner and ! publisher of the Washington Post, who left an estate valued at from $3,000,- 990 to $4,000,000, most of which was | Washington real estate. The Hutch- ins estate became well known to local people by reason of a contest over the { will which lasted for 12 years and, finally, in 1924, resulted in the ap- pointment of three trustees to repre- sent the four interested beneficiaries. These trustees were given instruc- tions to sell as soon as possible and to divide the proceeds in four equal parts. The sale of the Hutchins prop- erty at Fourteenth and G streets is the result of this decree. Among real estate authorities it| is generally conceded that the H. L. Rust Co. is purchasing for a client. Two rumors are current among those who have an intimate knowledge ‘of real estate transactions here. One is that the District National Bank desires a corner location and the purchase of this property will place it directly opposite the new Federal- American National Bank, and the other is that a prominent F street merchant desires to erect a large store at this corner. The Hutchins estate, which has been sold for what is said to be 1,500,000, has no extensive improve- ments in’ the way of modern build- Ings. Therefore the property as sold was considered a valuable one. ‘The United Cigar store and several smaller shéps are now located on the site. The trustees have offered this property for sale privately to a num- ber of prominent local and national real estate and financial men for the last year and a half. The trustees are Charles H. Merillat, represent- ing 25 per cent of the interests; Myer Cohen, representing 50 per cent, and Thomas Morton Gittings, represent- ing 25 per cent of the interests that are beneficiaries under the Stilson Hutchins will. 230 LOST AS SHIP GROUNDS IN JAPAN Vessel Forced Ashore in Storm Off Kurile Islands, South of Kamchatka. By the Associated Press. TOKIO, April 28.—It is reported that 230 persons are missing from the Chichibu Maru, which grounded in the Kurile Isiands o Horomushiro Tuesday during a storm. The Chichibu is a vessel of 833 tons. The Kurile Islands from an archipe- lago running from Kamchatka in the north Pacific Ocean to the Island of Yezo, Japan. PRESIDENT IS HOST. Gives Breakfast for Congressional Group—sStresses Economy. President Coolidge entertained an- other group of Senate and House members today at breakfast, and al- though it was indicated the gather- ing was more or less of a social na- ture, the President mentioned the necessity of Congress keeping within budget limits in any legislative pro- gram to be put through. Attending the breakfast were Sen- ators Jones of Washington, Phipps of Colorado, Gooding of Idaho, Norbeck of South Dakota and Deneen of Illi- nois, and Representatives Sinnott of Oregon, Ramseyer of Iowa, Snell of New York, Pincher of Kansas and Wood of Indiana, all Republicans. / L. Rust Co., for a sum said to be | service. () Means Associated Press. Blazing Airplane Landed Safely by U. S. Army Flyer By the Associated Press. PAMESBURG, N. J., April 5. Although Ris plane caught fire 3,000 feet in air, Lieut. Ponton de Arce, an Army flyer, landed safely and extinguished the flames and tod, needed only a new muffler for tinuance of his flight. He was flying from Washington to Mitchel Field, Long Island. SENATE COALBIL IS ALMOST READY Committee Agrees on Basis of Plan and Expects Re- port to Floor Soon. n The Senate committee on education | | and labor today virtually agreed upon | | bill to regulate the interstate com- | merce in coal and to give the Pre dent power to act in emergencies to i pfevent a coal famine The basis of the committee will be | the bill introduced by Senator Cope- | 1and of New York, which, with other | measures, has been before the com | mittee. for consideration. Senator Phipps of Colorado, chair- man of the committee; Senator Cope- | land, Senator Jones of New Mexico and Senator Borah of Idaho, all mem | bers of the committee, said they ex | pected an early report of the bill to The only evening paper in Washington with the Associated Press news Ygsterday’s Circulation, 102,834 TWO CENTS. PLEA FORARNUITY (F $1.200 NADE BY 11, ORKERS BODY | Representatives of 250,000 Employes Tell President Lord’s Plan Is Inadequate. HOLD AVERAGE OF $700 ONLY WOULD BE GIVEN Alcorn Heads Committee Making. Appeal to Coolidge for Lehlbach- Stanfield Bill. iing for legislation setting a maximum retirement annuity of $1,200 { 4 outlined in the Lehlbach-Stanfield bill, the executive committee of the Joint conference on retirement, claim ing to represent ,000 Government employes, called on President Coolidge at the White House today and regis tered the opposition of six national or nizations to the provisions ef the adminigtration’s retirement bill, which would set maximum annuity of $1,000. The committee of Robert H. Alcorn, Joint conference on retirement, in a statement presented dent that the Lord proposal a 10, headed by chairman of the aid the Presi. conference holds the for a maximum an ! the Senate. Senator Copeland said he would do all- in_nis power to bring| about action on the bill at the. pres session of Congress. In hi ! the recent anthracite strike has shown | conclusively the need for such legis-| lation. House Has Own Bill. The House interstate and foreig commerce committee is now conduct- ing hearings on similar coal legis tion, and that committee also is e pected to report a bill within a short} time. The Senate committee determin- | ed not to duplicate the work of the} House committee, and so has held no/ hearings. It is expected the House hearings will be available for the use jof the Senators before the Dbill is| actually taken up in the Senate. The | Senate committee has carefully studied | ithe proposed coal legislation, first| through a subcommittee, of which Senator Borah, Senator Metcalf of | Rhode Island and Senator Copeland were members. The bill, when it is reported to the| Senate, will provide for fact-finding in| relation to the coal industry and| publication of the data obtained. It| is probable that the Bureau of Mines| will have charge of this work. o, The| I bill also is expected to incluce the provisions of the act creatg a Federal fuel distributor as passed by Congress in September, 1922. There will_also be provisions dealing with the labor relations in the coal mines. The President will he authorfzed and empowered to proclaim an emergency | in the event of a coal strike, should it | {hecome apparent that the strike |threatens the health, safety and wel- fare of the people. Furthermore, he | would be given power to take over and operate, directly or by lease, such coal | mines as may be necessary to provide {for the production and distribution of coal at reasonable prices and”of a | quality adequate to supply the needs |of the people. In the event that the |coal mines are taken over, there is | provision for the payment of just com- pensation to the owners of the prop- |erty and also for fixing reasonable pay | for the performance of all services in the acquisition and operation of the | coal mines. Senator Copeland is to prepare nu- merous amendments to-the coal bill to { meet the views of the Senate commit- Itee as expressed at today’s meeting. As soon as the draft has been com- pleted and printed another meeting of the committee will be held. Final ac- tion by the committee will not be | taken until it has the completed draft | before it. SR, e REICHSTAG TACKLES " CONFISCATION BILL Whole Country Watches Debate on Measure Regarding Seizure of i Royal Property. ! A TN By the Associated Press. BERLIN, April 28.—A debate, car- rying with it the interest of the entire country, begins in the Reichstag to- day, when the bill initiated by 12,500,- 000 voters . providing for confiscation of the former German rulers’ property is discussed in its first and second readings. Neither the bill nor the democratic eleventh amendment making it op- tional for the states to hand the for- mer rulers lump sums as pensions has a chance of securing the required two-thirds majority, so it is probable the matter will go to a plebiscite. Parliamentary circles strongly criti- cize the cabinet for declaring that the ex-rulers’ property setlement is a question tantamount to a constitution- al amendment. necessitating a two- thirds vote in the Reichstag or an af- firmative majority vote of all the qual- ified voters in the event of a plebiscite. Either seems impossible to obtain. As the constitution provides for no judicial body to which a cabinet ruling can be appealed, there is a possibility of a deadlock between the cabinet and the Reichstag, the only solution of which would be the resignation of the cabinet or dissolution of the Reichstag. VENEZUELA HAS Sl:lfiPLUS. CARACAS, Venezuela, April 28 (#). —Theoutstanding feature of President Gomez's message at the opening of iCongress today was that the treasury had a surplus of $15.000,000, notwith- standing the unusually heavy expendi- tures for public works. The president made known that the internal debt was $7,000,000, and the foreign debt, $10,000,000. e Drys Lose in Reichstag. BERLIN, April 28 (#).—The drys lost their first parliamentary fight to- day, when the Reichstag budget com- mittee voted down, 15 to 4, the local option clause of the liquor license bill. The committee recommended mere- Iy that there be stricter supervision of saloon license. { mediate the nuity of §1. . will_not bring im- “for the reason that average annuily under this plan would be only about $700, while un der the Lenlbach-Stanfield bill it would be about $813." Committee Personnel. The committee was composed of: Mr. Alcorn, Ed. J. Gainor, president of the National Association of Let- ter Carriers; Clarence F. Stinson, as. sistant secretary of the same organi zation; W Bollins, president, and H. W. S secretary, of the Railway Mail iation; Judd R. Austin, ‘national president of the Fed- eral Rural Letter Carriers’ Associa tion; Leo E. George, president, and Thomas E. Flaherty, secretary of the National Federation of Post Office Clerks; N. P. Alifas, president, Dis. trict No. 44, the International As sociation of Machinists, and George eibold, segretary of the Columbia Typographical’ Union. Alcorn’s Statement. The statement presented to the press by Mr. Alcorn, outlining the visit to the White House, follows: “The President’s approval of a maximum retirement annuity of $1,200, under the plan outlined in the Lehlbach-Stanfield bill now before Congress, was sought today. The committee called attention to exist- ing inadequate annuities, and that in order to provide annuities sufficlent for the retired to live on, the em- ploves had agreed to contribute 4 per cent of their salaries to the retire- ment fund. “Retirement under the present law means, in many instances, poverty and suffering. The average annuity received by those retired is only about $545. Obviously, an aged employe and his wife cannot live on that, even with the most rigid economy, and Government salaries are usually so low the employe is unable to save anything before retiring to supple- ment his annuity pittance. All we seek from Congress is enough to pro- vide the bare necessities of life for the superannuated employe, who has given a life of useful and loyal serv- ice, in the few remaining years of his _life. “Gen. Lord’s proposal of a maximum annuity of §1,000, with an average of only $700, will not procure the neces- sary relief. The maximum should not be less than $1,200. Even then, the average annuity to be received by the retired employes will be only about $813. Many industrial corporations and municipalities provide pensions more liberal than this; and if we are to have retirement at all, surely the Government can. well afford to be just.” Cites Economy Effect. Mr. Aicorn cited statements of Joseph S. McCoy, Government actuary, in- tended to show that retirement had brought about great economy in the Government service, because of in- creased efficiency of a younger per- sonnel. He contended that the cost of increased annuities would be lower than estimated by the board of actu- aries, due to the fact that a large per- ! centage of those reaching retirement age obtain extensions, thus reducing the amount of annuitles paid, and in- creasing the amount of the contribu- tions by the employes. In support of this claim, he cited the testimony of Dr. Alvan H. Thompson, chief of the board of review of the Pension Bu- reau, before a civil service committee of Congress. COMMUNIST ASSAILS U. S. LABOR MOVEMENT American Leaders Fascist, Zino- vieff Declares, at Moscow Conference. By the Associated Press. MOSCOW, April 28.—An attack on American labor featured an address by G. S. Zinovieff, chairman of the Communist Internationale, before the Moscow Communist conference here today. e “Unlike England,” he said, “the American labor school is not fabian nor religious. The leaders there are madly hostile against communism. They do not represent the philosophic intelligentsia, but are business lead- ers, resembllng“ Fascists, ready to t us with all means. flg‘!‘[n the German and French labor movements we already witness a poor imitation of the American decadence. “Our slogan of bolshevization, they ounter with Americanization. Our Leninism the{ c‘o‘unter v mericanism. That is why we :';lrr:- ?ur(‘erl at our last full meting to devote most of our attention to the labor movement in America, where menshevism blends with fascism. Fire Loss Is $300,000. KEGAN, I, April 28 (P).— The, Agrlncipul building of Johns- Manviile, Inc., manutacturers, a huge structure containing the plant offices was swept bys ?‘fl;go ot;dny with a los: estimated at $300,000 or more. The fire is believed to have €t nated in the laboratories. e