Evening Star Newspaper, May 18, 1926, Page 1

WEATHER. (T. S. Weather Bureau Forac: Thundershowers tonigh row; not much change in gentle to moderate shi Highest, 85, at 4:15 p.m t and tom temperat fting winds. n. yesterday; lowest, 58, at 6 a.m. today. Full report on page 9. Closing N. Y. Stocks and Bonds, Page 30 No. 29,967. office, P . ARMAMENTS BASED ONPOPULATION AND AREAURGEDBY LS. American Plan to Be Offered| at Conference Opposes That of France. LIMITATION OF TONNAGE SOUGHT FOR ALL VESSELS Formula, Far Simpler Than League's, Being Held Up—Asks Cuts in All Branches at Once. RBY JUNIUS B. WOOD. jeagn Daily New The Amer: isarmament, which the United Stat tion was pre- pared to present when it ‘entered the conference of 20 natfons here today. is extremely simple and direct as com pared with the complicated League of Natlons questionnaire which is the [ of the present discussion Br Cahla to The Star and Ch; GENEVA, May The actual date when the American | depends pssions. dditional proposals will be upon development with the possibility questions may be delegates before & solution start Each delegate s expected to avail himseif of the opportunity his country’s position. The opening vemarks on America’s position will be made Wednesday or Thursday by Hugh Gibson, American Minister to Switzerland. who is chairman of the Tnited States delegation. f the di that tual discussions of Points of American Formula. The salient features of the Ameri ean formula upon which the ultimate con should pro. follows: Limitation of battleship tonnage, shington confer- to all classes the rded maintaining v vessels, ratio of 5:5-3. Limitation of 1 be based on area of the home countr of colonies, and in direct t inverse ratlo as poses. 3 of compuls now the conntries. 4—Making peace time service stan- dard in character and specified in term. In this connection, the United 8tates Is opposed to voluntary en- listments for a longer period than three vears. Any limitation based on the wealth of an individual nation is im- practical, on account of the imposs bility of agreeins as to the extent of that wealth. | land population armament | and rather nce pro- at] Fr Adoption of voluntary ry military servic case in most Opposes Limiting Budgets. 6. Any mum mil mations is u limitation fixing the maxi- | ary budgets for individual acceptable. As far as the | Tnited States is concerned, the War Department bhudget includes appro- priations for river and harbor work, | the Panama ( and_many other | non-war like activities. Moreover, the | United States should be affected be- | eause of the fact that its pay for | officers and_soldlers Is higher per | eapita than European scales. The American formula, worked out by experts of the State, War and | Navy Departments before the delega- | tlon left Washington, includes con- | slderable more than the above out- | line. The American experts consider | futila anv attempts to equalize the | possible war strength of nations as long as nations differ with respect | to natural resources, man power and social conditions. | On motion of Lord Cecil of Great | Rritain, seconded by Gen. Marinis of | Italy, the committee decided to ap- | point its own commission of special- | ists on land, aerial and naval arma- ments, thus agreeing with America's wishes without the latter participat- ing in the discussion.s Americans Sitting Tight. The decision was made in executive session following the opening hours, when, after the declination of M. Paul Boncour of France 1o accept the chatrmanship, Dr. Loudon of Holland was selected ur nously Senor | Cobain of Spain and Senor Buero of | Uruquay—the latter on motion of Minister Gibson— were selected as ice presidents of the committee. | The committee decided on the general | principle of open sessions. The American delegation expects to | sit tight until the discussions and sug- gestions of other countries reach the stage where acceptance of the Amer- ican formula seems possible. Should another country, however, propose immediate discussion of naval armaments which are consider- ably easier to limit than land arma- | ments, the American delegation instructed to express Amerlca's de- sire to continue the limitations pro- vided in the Washingion conference. While the American policy simultaneous limitation of land, n and aerfal armament, Ame; willing to discuss them separately, helieving there are too many complica- tions involved to make possible a single agreement on all three. (Capyright, 1926, by Chicago Daily News Co.) GERMANY MAY ASK MORE M Expected to Seek Lifting of Military Restrictions. itzerland. May 18 (P). -~ The Preparatory Commission on Disarmament, called to arrange the | agenda for an eventual international disarmament conference, held its first meeting today. It is asserted in some quarters that during the conference Count von Bern- storff, German representative, will re- quest that Germanv be permitted to waive the military restrictions of the | treaty of Versailles and allowed strength of armament such as her po- sition warrants, providing her neigh- bors, particularly France, refuse to de- crease their armaments so that they will be reasonably proportionate to those of Germany. Delegates from 20 countries are represented on the commission. Rus- sia refused to attend because Switzer- land declined to give ample apology for the assassination of her repre- eentative at Lausanne, M. Vorovsky. The attitude of Ruseia, it is thought, GENEVA, ¥ntered as second class matter Washington, g 'BOY-ED DENIED RIGHT TO VISIT AFTER PRE-WAR CONDU( an | propounded by other | to outline | exclusive | - MARCH ON WARSAW | all the regiments at Posen, which | recently began a movement toward | today D, U. Former German Attache | Would Be Received Coldly by Society. | | | | Wife Once a Prominent Member of Capital’s Younger Set. By the Associated Press BERLIN, May 18—Capt. Karl Boy- Ed is sald to have been refused a visa to enter the United States. The Passport Bureau of the State Department is declared to regard the time too short since his war | activities as naval attache of the German Embassy at Washington to permit him to re-enter the country. [ He was recalled by Germany at the | request of the State Department in 1915, | BoyE; girl, M | daughter The Boy | kirchen, sds are living at Bavaria. Mrs. Boy-Ed has visited her relatives in the United States. The captain would like to [1ive in America. | Through a queer chance, Boy-Ed and Miss Mackay-Smith were not married until after the war. Just before he left the United States Boy- | Ea cabled Admiral Von Tirpitz, then ! minister of the German navy, for per- *mission to marry the young lady and bring her to Germany. The reply was sent: “You may marry. Tirpitz.” It was learned long afterwards that the American Secret Service held up the dispatch, belleving it to be code. Boy- | sailed without receiving it. | Atter the war Miss Mackay-Smith | came to Europe with her mother and | the wedding took place on this side. FORMAL PLEA NOT MADE. | State Department Says Embassy Has | Taken No Action, The Berlin embassy did not consult the State Department as to whether it should Ka Boy-Ed. Should the visa question be ferred by the embass (Continued on Page re- visa the passport for Capt. ¢ Foening Sfar. WASHINGTON, D. C, g 4 i KARL BOY] POLISH TROOPS END Return to Barracks at Posen After Beginning Move Against Pilsudski. By the Associated P WARSAW, May 18.—The Polish Telegraphic Agency today says that to Marshal to their opposition have returned Warsaw Pilsudski, barracks. M. Mlodzianowski, new minister of the interior, has announced that all the members of the Witos govern- ment have been liberated, and have been given complete freedom of move- ment. The local press reported yes: terday that the former premier had left for his native village of Wierzchoslawice, which is not far in UNION ORGANIZER SLAIN. Labor Feud Blamed for Second Sim- ilar Killing in Ne wYork. NEW YORK, May 18 (#).—The body of William J. Mack, an organ- izer for the United S '00d Workers' Union, was found on a sidewalk in Front street on the lower East Side early today with two bullet wounds in the head. The police believe he was shot during a labor feud and r called that seven months ago ‘“Whi Britt, an organizer for the same union, was murdered just a few feet'from the place where Mack’s body was found. GEN.J. A BUCHANAN DES AT AGE OF 82 Widely Known Horse Breeder Succumbs to Heart Trouble Here. 1 | | | | | | from Cracow. The mail, telegraph and telephone services are reported as functioning normally, under the control of the military forces in Warsaw, and it is expected that the censorship will be lifted today, restoring unrestricted communication. Gen. Sosnkowski Better. Gen. Sosnkowski, commandant of the army corps at Posen, who at- tempted to commit suicide when his. troops declined to go into the service of Marshal Pilsudski at the beginning of the coup d'etat, was improving 1 Services were held vesterday at the expense of the state for the victims of the fighting of the past few days. Representatives of the new government and members of the Diet and Senate attended the services. Newspaper reports have been receiv- ed here saying thoat extensive demon- strations in honor of Marshal Pilsud- ski took place at Lublin and Lwow. Forecasts Pilsudski’s Election. M. Zaleski, forelgn minister in the provisional cabinet, forecasting the brobable course of events to the As- Soclated Press correspondent today sald that after the election of Marshal Pllsudski as president by the National Assembly, he believed that the Diet would vote to dissolve so that there might be new parliamentary elections. Marshal Pilsudski was, in principle, strongly opposed to a dictatorship, M Zaleski added, and would act as di tator only under extreme necessity. The foreign policy of Poland remained that of Count Skrzynski, foreign min- ister in the resigned Witos cabinet. It rested upon the principle of the Lo- carno agreement for the pacification of Europe and good will toward Rus- ola. The internal policy would be economies, a balanced budget and no inflation. Count Skrzynski, admittedly one of Poland’s strongest men in public af- fairs, refuses to resume the post . Gen. James A. Buchanan, A., retired. who in recent years | had wen a wide reputation as & breeder of race horses, died at his | residence, 2210 Massachusetts avenue, at noon today, following an illness of two months of heart trouble. Gen. Buchanan was in his 83rd year. He was retired in 1906 follow- ing an army career of nearly 40 years, during which he served at many Western posts and in Porto Rico and the Philippine Islands. With him at the time of his death were the thre surviving members of his immediate family, Mr: ‘Walter McK. Jones of Fairmont, Porto Rlco; | Francis James Buchanan of this city and John R. Buchanan of Warren ton, Va. Mrs. Buchanan died many yvears ago. Also surviving are three grandchildren. Funeral ser’ pleted. Entered Army In 1867. Born in Washington ‘County, Md., December 11, 1843. Gen. Buchanan was the son of the late Dr. James A. and Mrs. Eleanora Elder Buchanan. Early in life he decided to have an Army “career and was appointed a | second leutenant in the 14th U. S. Infantry, March 7, 1867, the appoint- | ment having been made from his native Stafe. He was promoted to the grade of first lieutenant Decem- bed 10, 1873, and reached the grade of captain in 1890. He was trans- ferred to the 1ith Infantry three years later and was made a major Illgglfihe 15th Infantry in the Spring of Brig. ces have not been com- In February, 1900, he was made a lieutenant colonel of the Porto Rico Regiment of Volunteer Infantry, and served until transferred to the 12th United States Infantry a year later.: Following, he was honorably mustered out of the volunteer service, but in the Summer of the same year, 1901, was made a lleutenant colonel in the 0 Provisional Regime ““(Continued on Page 2, Column 2 Flirts in Flapping Girls, But Not Traffi Trafic Director M. O. Eldridge re- vealed today that he is searching for an effective plan to rid F street of its flirtatious collegiate trousered youths who cruise around in second- hand “flivvers,” making eyes and casting “come on” smiles at the pret- ty girls on shopping expeditions. Mr. Eldridge said he is not con- cerned so much over how often the boys wink or smile at the girls, but he declares that their cheap cars are clogging F street and intensifying the traffic congestion on the heavily traveled thoroughfare. Very often, too, he said, the boys park their cars at the curb, and occupy the much sought parking spaces, forcing will cause some of her neighbors, par- tieularly Poland, to disarm. Marshal Piludskl, who recently carried out & " (Continued om Page 2, Column 8.) the business man to drive far away from the congested section to leave his machine. Flivvers Can Stop ¢, Eldridge Warns that the boys congregated on the street corners and interfered with pe- destrian traffie, but Mr. Eldridge point- ed out that the police and the advent of the cheap, second-hand “fivver” have combined to break up this prac- tice. As the problem now stands, ac- cording to the trafic director, it h: been shifted from the Police ‘Depart- ment to the Traffic Bureau. If there is any possible solution to it, Mr. Eld- ridge said, he will leave no existing traffic regulation unscanned to find it. Col. 1. C. Moller, assistant traffic director, has advised Mr. Eldridge that some interested person the other day counted 63 machines occupled by the beardless youths, parked on F. street between Ninth and Fourteenth streets. At one time the compjaint was made Radio Programs—Page 37. { sentative William WITH SUNDAY MORNI TUESDAY, M KEYSTONE VOTERS GOTOPOLLS TODAY INBITTER PRIMARY Victory in Senate Race Be- lieved to Carry State Re- publican Control. PEPPER, VARE, PINCHOT RACE KEENEST IN YEARS Four Republicans in Lists for Gov- ernorship Nomination—W. B. Wilson Unopposed. By the Assaciated Press PHILADELPHIA, May 18.-One of the greatest political battles in the history of Pennsylvania is being fought at the polls today. Upon the decision of the voters at the State.wide primary election rested not only their selection of candidates for United States Senator, governor, Congress and other offices, but some politicians thought that with victory in the three-cornered Republican sena torial race would go the leadership of the party in the State. Not since - the death of Senator Boies Penrose flve years ago brought his leadership to an end has the Re- publican party been so rent by fac- tional differences. Opponents in the Republican sena torial race were Senator George Wharton Pepper, in whose interest two members of President Coolidge's cabinet, Secretaries Mellon and Dav | spoke during the campaign; Repre S. Vare, leader of the Philadelphfa Republican organiza tion, who conducted his campaign on a “wet” platform, and Gov. Gifford Pinchot, bone-dry candidate. Asks Wets Show Strength. Asserting that modification of the Volstead law was the principal issue of the campaign, Representative Vare maintained that If he was victorious a Republican Congress in 1928 would follow Pennsylvania’s lead in ‘“voting down Volsteadism and demanding beer and wine.” Should Pennsylvania, with its 11,000,000 people, “‘make that gesture,” he declared, the Republican party would have to listen. Senator Pepper said Vare was using the Jiquor issue as a smoke screen in an effort to obtain control of the State organization. The Senator announced that he was for law enforcement and no change in the Federal law. Gov. Pinchot told the voters there were only two great issues at stake in the fight. “One,” he said, “is the wet and dry issue, the other is the gang and anti-gang issue. “‘On the fi we have a wet candi- date, Vare. You have a dry candidate, Pinchot. Then you have a third candi- date who is neither wet nor dry, but ust damp, and that is Pepper.” Seven for Governorship. For the gubernatorial nomination | the Pepper-Mellon forces supported ! John S. Fisher, former State banking commissioner, while Vare followers backed Edward E. Beldelman, former lieutapant governor. Former Gov. John K. Tener and Representative Thomas W. Phillips were also candi dates for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, both having made the race independently. There was a lively contest for the Democratic nomination for governor, the candidates being Judge Samuel E. Shull, Monroe County: Judge Eugene C. Donniwell, Philadelphia, and For- mer Judge Willlam E. Porter. Law- rence County. William B. Wiison, former Secretary of Labor, was unop- posed for the senatorial nomination. The polls close at 7 p.m., standard time. BISHOP BAST PLEADS ILL, ASKS STAY OF JAIL TERM Friends Also Petition Against Three-Month Sentence for Misapplying Funds. Br the Associated Press COPENHAGEN, Denmark, May 18. _Right Rev. Dr. Anton Bast, Metho- gist Episcopal Bishop for Scandina- via, who was recently convicted of misapplying charity funds, informed the police vesterday that he was il and asked permission to walt until today to begin his sentence of three months. Meanwhile he appeared in Supreme Court to consider lhe_ Su- perior Court’s refusal to grant him a new trial. Some of the bishop's friends have petitioned the minister of justice, de- claring he is too {ll to serve his sen- tence. This is denied by medical au- thorities. CAROL’S SON DENIED. French Courts Refuse to Recognize Paternity of Child. PARIS, May 18 (#).—The courts today ruled against Mme. Zizi Lam- brino, former morganatic wife of ex- Crown Prince Carol of Rumania, in her attempt to have Carol's paternity of her son Mircea. recognized. Mme. Lambrino applied to the courts to have Mircea registered at the Miche- let High School, under the name Hohenzollern, of which family Carol is 8 member. The judge said that Mme. Lambri- no's demand was'in reality an attempt to establish Mircea's paternity, and he ‘declared himself incompetent to pronounce upon that question. FOUND DEAD IN BATHTUB. Woman Pianist Believed to Have Been Heart Attack Victim. NEW_YORK, May 18 (®).—Mrs. George Victor Sammet, 42, a pianist, formerly Miss Harriet May Fair- brother of Waterville, Me., was found dead in a bathtub at the McAlpin Hotel today. The house physician said she probably was drowned after a heart attack. Mrs. Sammet was forced to give up her musical career two vears ago because of an accident. Mrs. May Burrough, a cousin, said Mrs. Sammet ‘was separated from her husband, head of a chemical corporation here. er son, George Victor Sammet, ir., 19, 18 attending a r,fllllr)' school. {lation got loose in the House it would NG EDITION {AY 18, 1926—FORTY-F OUR PAGES. * The Star’ (#) Means Associated Pr LT Hil “From Press to Home Within the Hour” s carrier system covers every city block and the regular edi- tion is delivered to Washington homes as fast as the papers are printed. Yesterday's Circulation, 100,843 TWO CENTS. PASSENGERS TELL OF DRINKING CREW ON LEAKING LINE Donned Life Preserveq Ahead of Them, Say 17 Rescued From Seneca. WOMEN IN SMALL BOATS; MEN PUT ON LARGE TUG Statement Declares Boys and Girls Were Intoxicated—Impossible to Stop, Say Officials. ETRENENT BILL PASSED BY HOUSE | Democrats Protest “Parsi-| mony,” But Lehlbach Says | “It Is This or Nothing.” | | | Under suspension of the rules which requires a two-thirds vote, the House passed the Lehlbach civil serv- ice retirement bill, embodying the Budget Bureau economy provisions, with practically unanimous accord last night just before adjournment. There was only 40 minutes debate, which was interrupted with frequent | bursts’ of applause and almost con- | stant demand for a vote. Democratic | members attacked the parsimony of the biil and the scant justice done to veteran employes by administration leaders. Chairman Lehlbach of the civil service committee, in a final ap peal to his colleagues, gave them his word that “frankly, it is this or nothing."” There had been doubt all day as to whether the bill would be allowed | to come up at all, the Republican leaders being fearful that if this legis- be liberalized far beyond the strict limits set by the administration. Senate Allows More Time. Senate leaders agreed today to let civil service legislation go over until tomorrow to allow time for the print- | ing of the measure as it passed the House. There still appears to be some doubt today whether the Senate would pass the House. bill, which is the adminis- tration measure, or the more liberal Stanfield bill. Senator Stanfleld is considering asking the civil service committee of the Senate to meet tomorrow morning | to decide whether it wants to stand by the more ltberal $1,200 bill which it reported favorably, or whether it is willing to accept the $1,000 annuity plan approved by the House. Regard- less of which biil the Senate passes, it is generally considered that the bill as passed by the House is the only one which has a chance of becoming a law at this session. In explaining to the House the amendments to existing law made by this bill, Mr. Lehlbach sald: “It increases the maximum an- | nuities payable to retired employes | coming within the provisions of the act from $720 to $1,000. It changes the method of computing the an- nuities so that increase in proportion to the increase of the maximum ob- tains with respect to the annuities less than the maximum. “It somewhat regroups the em- ployes in different age retirement groups, including service postmasters —that is, postmasters who have been promoted from the civil service ranks and who have spent their time in the civil service in the postal service. It increases the deductions from salary which employes contribute toward the annuities which they enjoy from 213 to 31 per cent of the salary. The increase in annuities amounts to something a little less than $7,500,000. “In other words, the increased an- nuitles will not cost the Treasury over and above the existing system & cent, but, as a matter of fact, the increased contributions by the em- ployes will exceed the increased beriefits of the act by $29,882.” Allows Increase, But Not Retroactive. In reply to a question from Repre- sentative Hudspeth, Republican, of Texas, as to whether this bill extends the larger annuity to those who re- tired previously and whether it is retroactive, Mr. Lehlbach said: “It allows their annuities to be computed in the same manner as the annuities of those who will retire in the future are computed, but it is not retroactive in the sense that it makes up any difference for annuities paid in the past. As I was saying, the contribution by the employes will be a little in excess of the increased benefits under the bill."” Representative Celler, Democrat, of New York made the first speech for the Democratic side, bitterly attack- ink the meagerness of the measure. Representative Johnson, Democrat, of Texas continued this censure of the majority and the administration for such parsimonious provisions. Representative Hudson, Republican, of Michigan, a member of the civil service committee, emphasized that this measure does not solve the prob- lem of superannuated retirement. He advised that a commission should be set up to study the questions of the Government’'s lability and that the tlovernment should meet its just share { thrown AMUNDSEN PARTY in the interests of efficiency. Mg. Hudson said, in part: ile this bill is a great improve- ment over the present retirement law (Continued on Page 4, Column 5.) >S EMEDIUM DENIES SHE REPORTED AT WHITE HOUSE House Caucus Room in Turmeil as Houdini and Spiritual Re-enact Earlier Battle Over Bill to Curb “Profession’ Here. The House caucus room today was into turmoil for more than an hour while Harry Houdini, “ps: chic investigator,” and scores of spirtitualists, mediums and clairvoy- | ants had verbal and ammost physical | battles over his determination to push through legislation in the District pro- | hibiting fortune-telling in any form. The climax of the meeting. which | was held before the judicary sub-| committee of the House District com mittee, came when Houdini placed on the stand Miss Rose Mackenberg, one of his investizators, who testified that Jane Coates, a spiritualist, told sterday afternoon that “I know for a fact that table tipping seances are held at the White House with President Coolidge and his famil Shouting dentals at this testimony, Mrs. Coates at the top of her voice | sought to get a hearing at that time, while Mme. Marcia, an astrologist, was challenging the story told by Miss Mackenberg of her visit to the latter's studio vesterday morning. Houdini also was yelling at the top of his voice against the ‘‘crooks and criminals,” as he characterized mystic folk present, while the com- mittee vainly and unsuccessfully tried to maintain order. taken as the only recourse of escape from the battle, and this enabled only the committee to withdraw. The mysterious people continued their arguing and shouting in little groups. After Houdini had denounced in the strongest of terms the clairvoyants, mediums and fortune tellers in the District and urged favorable action on the bill spomsored by Representative Bloom of New York to abolish such practices here, he brought Miss Mack- enberg to the stand to testify as to fees charged by Mrs. Coates and Marcia. The two women rose from their places in the audience immediately, waving aloft the money they received, respectively, and demanding to be heard. Miss Mackenberg took the stand flanked on either side by Mrs. Coates and Mme. Marcla, both of whom had met and battled Houdini before at previous hearings. __Miss Mackenberg first related her (Continued on Page 2, Column 2.) WATSSHPTOLS Settles Down at Nome to Re- main Until First Boat Sails on June 15. By the Aseociated Press NOME, May 18.—Four Arctic ex- plorers settled down today to routine life in a cabin here and continued to exchange reminiscences of their ex- perience in flying over the top of the world. Awaiting the arrival of a steamer, the party. headed by Roald Amund- sen, discoverer of the South Pole and the third to reach the North Pole, are content to rest. There were in- dications of a long stay, as the next boat out of Nome will be on June 15. The dirigible Norge, the huge gas bag in which the explorers made their way through clouds, fog banks and Arctic temperatures from Spitzber- gen to Teller, 75 miles from here, is being carefully packed for shipment out of Alaska by steamer, when the ice-locked harbor thaws out. Capt. Amundsen, Lincoln Ellsworth of New York, Capt. Oscar Wisting and Lieut. Oskar Omdahl, all mem- bers of the exploration party, are occupying a cabin which they have christened the “Explorers’ Club.” Here they plan to hold forth until a steamer is sighted. An undersized fox terrier dog, Titna, the pet of Col. Umberto Nobile, inventor. and constructor of the Norge, was one passenger apparently happy to be on earth once more after its trip over the uncharted airways of the polar regions. Ellsworth, the only American of the 18 to make the trip, said consid- erable open water was sighted in the vicinity of the Pole. There also were several rocky {slands, he said, but these were not of sufficient size to be considered important. NOBILE PRAISES SHIP. Never Had Any Doubts That Norge ‘Would Make Good. BY FREDEIK RAMM. Speclal Correspondent of The Star Aboard the Norge. ‘WITH THE NORGE, AT TELLER. Alaska, via Nome, May 17.—Teller, Alaska, is a quiet place on the Alaskan coast. Its inhabitants are a few white men and some natives, living on the shore of a big lagoon between high, snow-capped mountains. ~(Continued on Page 3, Column 3.) —_— Young Champ Clark Injured. KANSAS CITY, May 18 (P)— Champ Clark, 3-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Bennett Clark of St. Louls, suffered concussion of the brain when he fell from a bed in his par- ents' apartment in a hotel here yes- terday. Physiclans said the child was recovering rapidly. The child is the grandson of the HOUSEAPPROVES UARDIANGHIP BILL Measure to Control Irregu- larities and Amend 1924 Act * Gets Unanimous Vote. Carrying provisions designed to break up “wholesale guardianships" of mentally incompetent war veterans: to prevent the collection of fees or commissions that are ‘“inequitable,” and to give the director of the Vet- erans’ Bureau authority to fight for the veterans' estates in court, as well as take over the entire management in the event of irregularities, the bill to amend the World War veterans’ act of 1924 was unanimously passed by the House yesterday afternoon. The legislation is a direct outgrowth of the investigations during the past month into the activities of Com- missioner Frederick A. Fenning. as committee for mentally incompetent veterans, apd under its wording the number of wards maintained by Mr. Fenning could be curtailed appre- ciably. Director Hines of the bureau has stated officially he would limit the number to five. Brought up under suspension of the rules, under which procedure no amendment could be offered, and only 20 minutes’ debate on each side was allowed, the entire bill was assailed by several Democrats as being in- adequate for the needs of the soldiers, and “unfair to both ex-service men and to members of the House.” Minority members of the veterans' committee in a statement of their views declared that since the Re- publican party came into power ‘“all legislation affecting ex-service men has been brought before the House in this manner.” Minority Assails Fenning. The views of the minority members regarding the guardianship feature of the bill declared: “These amend- ments were made necessary on ac- count of the abuses and the whole- sale guardianships in the District of Columbia. It was brought to the attention of the committee that in the District of Columbia one ¥Kred- erick A. Fenning was guardian for 90 and some odd mentally incom petent ex-service men; that he is commercializing the mental incom- petency of these men; that the fees and commissions- charged for his services as ‘committee’ of such wards were inequitable and excessive in all cases, and in many cases illegal.” ‘The statement was signed by Repr sentatives Hayden, ~ Arizona; Bul- winkle, North Carolina; Jeffers, Ala- bama; Milligan, Missouri; Connery, Massachusetts, and Mary T. Norton, New Jersey. Mrs. Norton, in an address to the House, declared she is voting for the bill “merely on the presumption that a little is better than none. The attitude of certain members of the Veterans' committee throughout the entire dizat==ion of this bill has been to glve the veterans something to keep them quiet, but not to give them h thef d as a late Champ Clark, former Speaker of the House of Representatives. < the | Adjournment was | | Br the Associated Pre | NEW YORK, May 18.—Seventeen | of the passengers of the Clyde liner | Seneca, who were among those taken |from the steamer when it went laground at Mfami, Fla., last Sunday | morning, upon their arrival here to- | day, signed a statement charging | that some of the crew were under | the influence of lquor. The signed statement also { that members of the crew life preservers ahead of the passen- gers, thereby causing much concern to the women on board. Although { the statement criticized members of | the crew, the Seneca’s commander, |Capt. B. W. Leek, was highly praised. A special train of Pullman cars | brought 193 of the Seneca’s paseen | gers to the Pennsylvania terminal. | Statement Given the Press. | F. A. Edwards of Brookline, Mass., gave newspaper men the statement, | which read, in part: “We, the undersigned, being pas- | sengers aboard the S. S. Seneca. bound from Miami to New York, | leaving May 15, at 4 p.m., hereby cer- tify that the following statements are true in the affair of the Seneca | being in a sinking condition the night of May 15 and 16 and passenggrs be- ing removed in lifeboats, to wit: | “No. 1. Liquor sold openly on the | seneca. charged donned H 0. 2. A portion of the ship's | erew under influence of liquor. “No. 3. Men were taken ashore on large tug while many ladies were forced to use small lifeboats. “No. 4. Many members of crew in lie preservers ahead of passengers, causing much concern to ladles.” Boys and Girls Drunk. After reading the statement, Mr. Edwards was asked: “What do you mear when you say ‘portion of ship's crew under influ- ence of liquor'? “Waiters and bellhops,” he replied He also said a group of boys and girls boarded the liner intoxicated. Elbert B. Kip, traveling passenger agent of the Clyde Line, who returned with the party, when informed of the charges, said it was impossible to stop drinking among the passengers. He said that the Seneca never was in danger; that she went aground in only 7 feet of water and that there were any number of passengers he had spoken to who had praised the captain and crew of the liner. Some Take Exceptions. While Mr. Edwards was voicing his and other passengers’ complaints, oth- ers on the train took exception, but when asked for their names declined to reveal their identities. Those who signed the statement were: F. A. Edwards, temporary address. Hotel Commodore, New York; W. H. Orme, Atlantic City, N. J.; Mrs. W. H. Orme, Atlantic_City, J; € B Gregory, New Bedford, Mass.; Laura M. Newell, Lyndonville, Edwin G. Reynolds, New Brunswick, N. J.; Mrs. B. 8. Watson, Somerville, Mass.; Vera Betts, 1457 East Sixty-seventh street, Chicago; Mrs. O'Connor, York City; John Allan, Troy, N. Y.: E. F. Doble, South Portland, Me.: J. A. Lawrence, Colts Neck, J.; Thel- ma Arter, Lisbon, Ohio; E. Schauble, Paterson, N. J.; Gladys M. Ward, 302 Garfield avenue, Salem, Ohio; Voncent Van Duyer, Warwick, N. Y. Doran, Tompkinsville, N. Y. OFFICIALS DENY CHARGES. | | Crew Was Sober and Stayed on Boat After Passengers Left, They Say. MIAMI, Fla., May 18 (#).—Denial of charges by 17 passen:ers of the Clyde steamer Seneca today that members of the crew were under the influence of liquor while the vessel was in distress were made today by President H. H. Raymond of the Clyde line and Capt. Byron W. Leek of the Seneca. “The charge that liquor was sold openly on the Seneca is preposterous,” President Raymond declared. “No boat under my command will ever put to sea with a crew whose efficiency is impaired by liquor,” said Capt. Leek. Both said the women and children aboard the Seneca were the first to leave the ship, all occupying the life boats which were sent to Miami in the tow of a tug, the first craft to reach the distressed ship. Officials denied that members of the crew donned life preservers ahead of pas- sengers and sald that the crew re- mained aboard the ship. JAIL WING BILL PASSED AND GOES TO PRESIDENT House Adopts Conference Report, Completing Congressional Ap- proval of Addition. Congress completed its approval of 2 new $300,000 wing to be used as a dormitory at the District jail when the House today adopted the confer- ence report on this measure. This legislation resulted from an ex- se of overcrowded and insanitary conditions at the District jail made by an Evening Star investigator who had himself arrested and committed to jafl under the name of “Pete Martin,” 80 as to get first-hand information of conditions there that should be cor- rected. The action by the House today sends this measure to the White House for the President’s approval. Appropriation for this building is expected to be included in the second def appropriation bill now being drafted by the House appropriations 1 Page 3, Column 2) I committee.