Evening Star Newspaper, August 22, 1926, Page 4

NINE BATHING P00 | SITES ARE CHOSEN Park Commission Also Au- thorizes Land Purchase at Two Forts. After selecting nine sites for bath- ing pools in various parts of the city, authorizing land purchases at two of the old Civil War forts and map- ping out a program of city planning problems to be studied during the rext 12 months, the National Capital Park and Planning Commission last night concluded one of the most im portant meetings held since its crea- tion. At the close of the final session of the two-day meeting Maj. U. S Grant, 3d, director of public buildings and public parks, made the following announcements Decision to acquire by condemna tion a small piece of ground adjoining Fort Stevens, near Brightwood. to complete that fort park. & Decision to acquire the square which Fort Slocum is Jocated, another of the Civil War defences at Third | and Nicholson streets. This fort torms the next link east of Fort Stevens in the chain which protected Washington during the Civil War. Funds for Playground. Announcement that a part of the current appropriation will be set aside for a playground deveiopment in northeast, location of which has not been determined. In this cor Maj. Carey H. Brown was instructed to study the possibilities of the T'at terson tract, Fifth street and Florida svenue northeast. partly for play ground and partly or other vecre tional facilities. A committee of three member of the commission—Frederick Olm Frederic Delano and Milton D Medary—was named to study the Federal Government's new building program from the standpoint of city carried on during the ensuing year looking toward the gradual formation of & comprehensive city plan includes studies of a prima tem of major traffic thoroughfares, parkw neigh- borhood centers, railroads. terminals and markets and the question of mass transportation. Technical Staff at Work. The technical staff of the commis wlon will work on these various stud- fes continuously from now on and the commussion itself wili devote ¢ tain monthly meetings durins the year; to analyzing the specific tobic~. Maj. Grant cxplained that the establishment of an airport wouid be gone into under the heading of termt- nals and the plan of Dr. George 1 i re Bowerman, lil ian of Public Library, for a svsten velopment of more branch will be carefully considered und topic of neighborhood centers Another nnportant decision veached yesterday was the fixing of 120 feet as a uniform width from butiding line to building line for the ruture development of Conduit road. The commission did not determine at this time such details as the width of the roadway or whether there should be a center parking with two road ways. Two Pools Planned At Fivst. The first two bathing pools to be Built under the plan agreed to by the commission vesterday are: For the white population at the new McKin- ley High School now being erected on a large tract of land at Second und T streets northeust: f lored. in ti area of the Rock Creck - Potomac Parkway, adiacent to the new col- ored junior high school being erected at Twenty-fourth and N streets The other bathing pool sites agreed to vesterday follow: Toor white people—In East Potomac Park, at & spot to be selected later: | side Flvania at the in Anacostia Park. on the e; of the river between the P’enn: avenue and Anacostia brid; Macfarland Junior High Schoul, o1 near the reservoir in Rock Park. or at both these places, accord ing to the needs of that par the city: at the John Burroughs School in Brookland. For colored Park, below the at the Cardoza Sc nection the commi: acostia tia bridge. and In this con people 0ol ion also called at tention to the need for development of & neighborhood center for colored people in the vicinity of the iloward playground. and to the possibility of including additional bathing facilities as part of such a center Appropriation Lacking. There is no apprepriation ing pools available, but Congr the last session authorized un ment of $343.000 for twe pools. one for white and one for the colored population, and it is expected this appropriation _will he wranted by Congress in_December. that the first pools can be consiructed in time for next Summer. It was explained yesterday that if $345.000 is appropriated. it may be possibla to build pools next vear at more than two of the sites decided on vesterday. Maj. C. H. Brown announced last night that he would call the com mission together Tuesday to resume study of the problem of where the farmers’ market and the wholesale market should be relocated. The commission on Friday decided to postpone its decision on the 1e. location of the farmers’ market afte: concluding that the wholesale, or commission row, should be moved to whatever point is selgcted for the tarmers’ stand. While the commis. | did not consider the relocation of the Center Market as an immediate | problem. Maj. Grant expres: conviction that eventually t market center would have some other point. in view quirement in the public bu that the new (overnm be placed in the triansu tween Pennsylvania and avenues. May Extend Fort. In addition to the twa Civil War | fort purchases agreed upon. the com mission at the final session vesterda: coneidered the desirabiiity of extend- ing Fort Dupont, which occupies the helghts beyond Pennsylvania ave- nue southeast, down the valley tfo- ard Anacostia Park. No decision reached. however The commission also gave prelim- fnary study to a plan for a roadway in the Soapstone Valley. In connection with the deciston to acquire Fort Slocum and a small ad- dition to Fort Stevens. Maj. Grant explained that the possibility of forming a connection beiween these two has been rendered difficult b: building operations. but that con- sideration is being given to the fea sibllity of developing a 120-foot road way from Fort Stevens to Fort Slo- cum and thence on to North Capi- tol street Will Write to President. Announcement also was made after the first session yesterday that the commission had appointed a com- mittee to draft a letter to President Coolidge, outlining the proposal to eave Forts Hunt and Washington. alorg the lower Potomac River, for rk porposes ”flo”"ir Department had legisla- tion pending in the last Congress aell these forts and a bill also was ine wi ihe | ction | | for the commission OIL FIELD WORKER SLAIN AND WOUNDED WIFE DIES Son-in-Law of Arkansas Couple Hunted by Posse on Charge of Shooting Pair. By the Associated Press. ELDORADO, Ark., August 21.—J. H. Williams, oil field worker, and his wife are dead, three persons are un- der arrest and a posse tonight is in pursuit of Walter Ballard. son-in-law of Wiiliams and alleged slayer, as a result of a shooting at Williams' home at Calion, near here, today. Ballard, a resident of Arkadelphia, is sald to have gone to the Williams home in search of his wife. Entering the room in which Willlams and Mrs. Willlams were sleeping Ballard is al- leged to have opened fire with a rifle, killing Williams and fatally wounding Mrs. Williams, who died at noon to- day. Before leaving the dwelling Ballard is reported to have attempted to shoot his wife. but was overpow- | ered. He escaped to a wood. | S e PRETENDERS MAY RETURN TO FRANGE i inficiaIs Deny Making Over- | tures to Exiles Now Forced | to Live Abroad. By Cable to The Star-and New Yok World. PARIS. August 21.—There was ermain and among the whole French aristocracy a few days ago when a repoit became curreat that definite nepotiations had been s ted for the | withdrawal of the ban of exile against lall members of families who are |claimants to the French throne. i. aid the French government ! discreetly sounded out intimate friends of the Duc de Guise, who be- came the Orleanist Pretender to the throne on the death of the Duc de Orleans, and Princess Clementine, }\‘|dow of Prince Victor Napoleon. | They were said to have been asked ‘\\hgxhsx- they would consent to give |their word they would make no at- tempt to disturb the peace or conspire against the republican regime i al- {lowed to return to France. i Officials Deny Reports. It emissaries really did go to Bel | glum on such a delicate errand. they have returned with unsatisfac nswers, for emphatic official de- | vernment never dreamed of putting tender’s sentiments to a test. people believe. nevertheless, unofficial conversations have ce on the subject between ting for the government is of the princes. the Duke of Orleans When there was a strong movement for a re- | veal of the law condemning represent- died. ives of former relgning ho in rance to exile. Fven staunch Re- publicans advocated generosity, point- ing out that the present regime was €0 strong that it had nothing to fear from Royalists. and even if danger ex. isted. it was easier to keep control of the plotters when the latter were in France than if they were abroad. Pride Stands in Way. The government itself would seem to have nothing against the return of the exiles if the latter took the initiative in giving some assurance of good behavior. There is no doubt they would be allowed to become rench citizens. But at the present | time the pride of dynasty stands in the way 1t is difficult for the pretender to the throne—called and recognized as king by partisans—to declare he re- s nounces hereditary rights. For if he does. he is no longer either a pre- tender or chief of the royal house. Despite the personal inclinations of the Duc de Guise, who would like nothing better than to return to France to live as private gentleman on his estate. as he has done for the past 20 years without any thought of conspiring or even asserting his right to the crown. he is a prisofer E a vletim of the Royalist party, and condemned his life In exile. (Copsright HURLS SELF UNDER AUTO. With a sul to pass the rest of 19261 de note pinned on the front of his coat. David Paterson. olored. 48 ve old. flung himself in of an automobile on the west of Washington Circle last night, ording to police report The car, driven by Charles J. Haw- kins, 2068 Wisconsin avenue. ran over Paterson, crushing his chest and he is in a critical condition at Gallinger ifospital after having been treated at Lmergency Hospital. ‘The note read: “Kate: You have caused all this. Good-by."” ced authorizing the park com- 1 to acquire them for the park et around the National Capital. wission concluded this was a seobier: that should he brought to e attention of the President iaj. Grant announced last night that thus far approximately $323.000, the commission’s current appro- viation has been wobligated for projects already authorized, and that after allowing for personnel and rou- tine expenses. there remains about 100 for further land purchases a . 3 meeting—Parks, nd nelghborhood centers lete as to the District of Apri terminals and markets. to the broad question of a future mar. ket system_aside from the immediate 1927, meeting — Railroads. (This refers problem of relocating the markets that are being affected by the public building program.) June, 1927. meeting—(Comprehen sive system of major traffic thorough- fares. (Complete as to the District of Columbia.) * October. 1927, meeting—Mass trans o n. Harland Bartholomew of St. Louis. city planning expert who assisted in mapping out this schedule of work will be called in from time to time to aid in the de tailed studies. these various topics will be gone into with a view to anticipating and plan ning ahead for the needs of the city as they will exist many years hence. As an illustration, it was pointed out that such developments as the $50.000.000 public bulldings program the consequent relocation of the et center would be important entering into the study eof thore excitement in the Faubourg St.| 1s are now being published that the | during the fiscal vear. A portion of | th A e exact amount tn be determined later, will he devoted 1o playground development for the rtheast, Le said Program for Year. d_programn of compre- planning studies to he during the next 12 was made public, as fol he December. 1926, meeting— Primary systen major traffic ghfares, paris, parkways and borhood ' ce: (preliminary). Officials explained that | SWISS FEAR MOVE 10 SEIZE TESSIN Influx of Germans Into Can-; ton May Neutralize Itsfly’sI Power and Create Friction. i ! Correspondence of The Star and New York | World. LOCARNO, August 14.—Repercus. sions from the recent disputes be- tween Switzerland and Italy over anti-Facist disorders in Geneva, Basle, Zurich and other places are becoming more pronounced in the Canton of Tessin, where a strong (talian population dominates. Where the {1l feeling will lead nobody in this section of the confederation dares hazard, but already apprehen- sion is strong that at the psychologi- cal moment the Italian Irredent. ists may strike to reunite the Tes- sin with Italy. Shortly after the World War ended, when Italian Irre- dentism was running high, fears for the Tessin were well grounded. Two- thirds of Switzerland had been pro- German during the war and numer- ous border incidents occurred while Lugano and Locarno were centers through which the German intelli- gence system operated. - | So strong became the fears of an| | Itallan coup, especially after d'An-| nunzio's occupation of Fiume, that| the Swiss took special precautions for | defense of the canton. Laler, to quiet apprehensions, Mussolini, in the precarious stage of his dictatorship, negotiated an ‘“arbitration treaty’ with Berne which was calculated to allay all anxietfes. In effect, it pledges Rome to submit any and all disputes to The Hague or to a board of concillation. Treaty Faith Doubted. While the Swiss federal govern- ment points to this treaty as ample protection, when the inhabitants of the Tessin become nervous, it s ad- mitted the Italians would find a way around should “annexation” become desirable. In the past six months a | series of cumulative incidents have taken place, all of which have been carefully noted by the Palazzo Chigl. | After the; anti-Fascist riots in Geneva Mussolini instructed Ambas- sudor Garbazzo to protest officialls to Bern and to inform the Swiss for- elgn office that if the disorders re- occurred, Italy. “much to her regret,” would be unable to send further deles gations to the league or International conferences in Geneva. In fact, ! Rome would adopt the same attitude |that Soviet Russia did following the in ssination of Vorowsky at the Lausanne conference, namely, that it would be unable to send state officials v\"hel'e they were not assured protec- tion. Now comes the disquieting news from the Tessin that there is in prog- ress an excessive influx of German Swiss, Since the Tyrol incidents, which brought the “mailed fist” of Mussolini down on German propa- ganda against the administration of the newly acquired Tyrol provinces by the Italians, there has been bad blood between Germany and Ttaly. At this writing there are persistend rumors that Rome will veto Ger- many’'s admission into the league in September. Mussolini has already an- nounced he will veto the transter of any “mandated territories” to Ger- many, which was one of the sub- rosa agreements reached at Locarno. That is, he will veto any “presents’ to Germany unless Italy first gets her share. And there is nothing that Ttaly desires more at the moment than colonial possessions. MUSSOLINT. H i Antagonism Lies Deep. But the antagonism against Ger- many goes even deeper. Much as Mussolini hates the League of Na- tions, he is not willing to lose any advantages he may gain through its membership. Hence Italy’s continued affliation, after the Corfu incident. With Germany's enseatment on the council the league may take on an entirely different complexion. And especially if Spain withdraws, and Brazil remains away, will the Latin bloc be impaired. The Fascist Press. edited at the Palazzo Chigi. 1s well aware of tie dangers. And any growth in German influence is looked upon with sus- picion. Hence the reason for the fin- golstic comments upon the so-called “iGermanization” of the Tessin, Swit- zerland’s southernmost canton, which hitherto has had a predominant Ttallan_population. The Tessinese, while pure Itallan, have always been loyal Swiss. They have preserved the balance of the French-German-Italian character of the confederation and guaranteed its neutrality. With Ttaly, France and Germany as its neighbors, it would Ihave been suicldal for the republic to |enter into the World War. The fn. ternal strife would have ended in civil war and the disruption of the confederation. oLD STEREOSCOPE NOW HELPS AERIAL MAPPERS Principle of Former Parlor Thriller Enables Plane Photographers to Note Elevations. Br the Associated Press i DAYTON, Ohio. August 21.—The tereoscope. that parior thriller of the | nineties, has come back strong, and in {a field where it may save lives. The | stereoscope has joined the United States Army Air Corps. There are times in war when the topography of a tract of land is as im- portant to an army as the layout of fields and buildings, and ordinary photographs do not show topography well. Now the aerial photographer takes one shot and then a second a hundred feet or so farther on. When he lands. the two photographs are placed m a powerful and speciaily built stereoscope that makes littie hills stand up until they almost poke the gazer in the e Gullies and in an ordinary ominously when | stereoscope. ines, indistinguishable pbotograph. yawn viewed under the Up-to-Date Car. From the Life Magazine. Customer—What Is this device? Auto Demonstrator—That shuts off the spark. | “Customer—and what is this thing for? Auto Demonstrator—That shuts off the gas. And this other little device is the best feature of all. Customer—What does it do? Auto Demonstrator—It shut the conversation on the back seat. off His Weakness. | From the Buern Humor, Madrid A’ man was charged with having stolen a ton of lead. “Have you anything to say in your defense?” asked the judge. “Yes. 1 did it in & mement of weskness.' | THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C AUGUST 22, 1926—PART 1. ASIATIC UNREST IS BREWING AS RESULT OF FAR EAST PARLEY Definite Alliance of Radical Leaders of Darker Races Seen in Messages of Sympathy to Filipinos and Other Nations. BY WILLIAM RUFUS SCOTT. Observers of Far East affairs have followed closely the so-qalled ‘Pan- Asfatic Conferéence” recently in Nag- asaki, Japan, not so much for what it is now as for what it may become as a movement designed to bring the aces in that section of the world into a definite alliance. The direct interest the United States has in the conference is in the presence of Filipino delegates. Of |the seven directors elected for the new organization, which will be known as the ‘‘League of Asiatic Peoples,” one is a Filipino. While no resolutions were adopted, messages of sympathy were ordered sent, among others, to Manuel Quezon, leader of the aBsolute independence movement in_the Philippine Islands. Under the strict diplomatic super- vision of the conference exercised by the Japanese government, no radical speeches or attacks on Western na- tions were permitted; nevertheless, the league is now in existence, and even if considered mainly the work of unimportant elements of the na- tions involved, it may become, in the opinion of competent critics, the vé- hicle for significant propaganda. Next €ongress in Peking. The next congress will be held in Peking. A clear indication of the drift of ideas in the conference just held may be seen not only in the message to Quezon, which may be expected further to influence radical groups in the Philippines, but in sim- flar messages to Gandhi, the revolu- tionary Hindu, thus giving_some cause for concern to Great Britain in India. Moreover, messages were sent to Kemal Pasha in Turkey, to the relatives of Dr. Sun Yat-Sen, in Canton, China; to Mitsuru Toyama, Japanese revolutionary leader, and to Raja Pratap, in Afghanistan. Whether Soviet Russia has had a hand in instigating the conference is not outwardly established with cer- tainty, but the undisputed encourage- ment glven by Russia to Chinese rad- icals makes the question open to sur- mises. Leaving Russla out, the con- ference, as purely an Asjatic move- ment, has enough potentialities to keep several governments alert, be- cause of the singling out by the con- ference of every radical movement in the Far East for approval. Beginning with apparently mild ob- jectives, the movement, lacking all of- ficlal governmental recognition at this stage, might develop in future years into a power that would be, officially or unofficially, a weighty factor in the peace of the Far East, and that is why this cloud on the interna- tional horizon, now ‘no larger than a man’'s hand,” is belleved by some to have possibilities of expanding into a tornado. May Include Social Angle. President Coolidge has a personal representative in the Philippine Is- lands at present, Col. Carmi A. Thompson of Ohio, investigating con- ditions. While Col. Thompson is con- cerned largely with the material re- sources of the islands, such as the possibility of rubber production, it may be assumed that his report to the President will include some com- ments upon the social and political conditions, including the independ- ence movement. Col. Thompson al- ready has seen in the Manila Legis- lature a determination, under Que- Zon's leadership, to force a plebiscite on independence over Gov. Gen. Wood's veto. The rubber issue furnishes an index to the Philippine situation, inasmuch as the group working for autonomy of the islands is blocking the repeal of the laws which limit land holdings } to 2,500 acres for corporations or com- panies. Unless the rubber interests may acquire much larger land hold- ings than 2,500 acres, the effort to produce rubber for America in the Philippines will be enormously handi capped, if not thwarted. Some bar- galning over this law already has ‘been reported, with the independence leaders asking concessions Dbefore modifying the law. Stiffer Movement Seen. Now that a League of Asiatic Peo- ples has been formed, and with the construction that will be placed upon this movement by radical leaders, a stiffening of the independence move- ment is among the eventualities. Soap-box orators in the Philippines will not lose the opportunity of tell- ing their followers that their ‘“‘com- rades” in Japan, China and India are allfed in support of “Asia for the Asi- atics.” The fact that no Asiatic gov- ernment is countenancing the move- ment will not, naturally, be stressed by such orators. Canada, Australid and other na- tions bordering the Pacific Ocean will be concerned equally with the United States. For Asiatics are finding bar- rlers to entering those nations equal to, or nearly so, the exclusion acts of the United States. The develop- ment of the movement of a pan-Asi- atic league, those who have followed the movement understand, has been stimulated in no small degree by the argument among Asiatic radicals that Western nations are leagued agalinst them. At present Asla and the Far East are officially co-operating with the ‘Western nations, since Japan, China and India are members of the League of Nations. This new League of Asiatic Peoples, though unofficial, sets up a competitive, or regional league. If it should grow sufficiently powerful, it might force the separation of the Aslatic governments from the League of Nations, or at least create an Aslatic “bloc” within the League of Nations. Here again are possibili- ties not overlooked by diplomats and other students of world affairs. Line Growing Sharper. Varfous writers of late years have been pointing out the growing line of demarcation between the white and darker races. In Morocco and Syria France has had to meet rebellions somewhat akin to a broad racial re- volt. England has had anxious hours in Indla and Egypt. The United States so far has had no armed out- break in the Philippines, the an- nounced pian of the independence leaders being to achieve their obec- tives by peaceful and legal means, but that Gov. Gen. Wood has been fac- ing ever since he reached Manila a grave situation no one in informed circles will dispute. Alarmists do nothing but harm, yet a calm appraisal of the conference in Japan cannot fail to give it an impor- tance far beyond the actual discus- sions of the delegates and their con- crete actions, both of which were sub- dued by a plain warning from the Japanese government. The new League of Asfatic Peoples has, besides the one Filipino, six other directors, two each from Japan, China and Indi The interval before the next congress in Peking no doubt will see aggressive proselyting work. Peking may be a hospitable meeting place, in view of the determined efforts China has been making to arrange new relations with the Western powers. A dispatch from Nagasakl closed with the statement, “The meeting was generally considered unimportant and unrepresentative of the various Asiatic nations.” But, as the saying goes, “'we shall sce what we shall see.” BUFFALOES RAPIDLY |REPAIRING HALF DONE DYING OUT IN WEST| ON K STREET BRIDGE Once Great Herd on Phillips Ranch Now Reduced to Few Hundreds. By the Associated Press. FORT PIERRE, S. Dak., August In a gulley on the Missour! River's western bank a few hundred buffalo nestle lazily where once roamed thousands of their kin. They represent the remainder of the old Scotty Phillips herd. once the largest buffalo herd in captivity, and the source of almost all the buffalo to be seen in American parks and pre serves, Phillips, an Tndian trader and a rancher of a generation ago, was the first to take practical recognition of the fact that the buffalo was dying out. He established a herd of the shaggy beasts on his ranch here, and with his half-breed wife cared for the animals until the herd numbered many thousand, and was virtually the only buffalo herd, wild or tame, in the United States. Since the death of Phillips some years ago the herd has been largely dispersed, and parks and reserves in & dozen States have established herds of their own by acquiring animals from the ranch here. Circuses and carnivals also have been good cus- tomers. The Phillips herd now numbers less than 2,000, but each Fall the ranch is the scene of a big buffalo hunt, In which sportsmen from throughout the country participate. Pioneers of western South Dakota recall many interesting tales about buffalo hunts of bygone days. The most famous was at Buffalo p. 8. Dak., socalled because there, at a pass through a mountain chain, the buffalo would congregate at the mi grating season. sometimes to the number of 300,000. The buffalo hunter’'s greatest peril laid in the danger of being unhorsed in the path of a buffalo stampede. The animals, running forward. would never swerve from a straight line. Occasionally the buffalo would charge a mounted hunter, but the anlmal; o 21 are easily outridden if a path escape is clear. Likelihood that the buffalo ever will become extinct has virtually passed. A hardy animal, the buffalo will live and flourish in captivity. He is diffi- cult to transport by train, however, and most of the shipments of buffalo from the Phillips ranch have been made on passenger train schedule, longer trips proving fatal to many of the beasts, e s s Has Seversl Brgods. There is no native bird which at- tempts to equal the mourning dove in domestic accomplishments, says the Nature Magazine. Its breeding sea- son extends from early May until late September, and. if fate is lenient with the frail establishment of the bird, three or four broods may be raised to maturity with scarcely a pause be- tween each family. Mark Birds Coming. Taken altogether the trilliums com- pri a group among the most inter: ing of Summer flowers, says the Nature Magazine. The triple arrange- ment of their parts renders them ea: {ly recognizable. One writer says their appearance marks the arrival of all the birds, ! [ 1,100,000 square miles—is slowly de- Only Steel Treadway in City Crosses Center of Span—One Side Has Been Fixed. With the completion of repairs to the K Street Bridge, between Twenty- seventh and Twenty-elghth streets, Georgetown will have the only steel treadway bridge in the District, ac- gordlng to the District engineer's of- ce. The bridge, which is divided in the center of jts roadway by one of its supporting steel girders, has veen re- paired on the south side. the iepairs including the replacement of cobble- stones with concrete and the placing of a steel treadway across the bridge in the center of the roadway. A sim- ilar repair to the north side of the span is planned. ‘The structure is an 80-foot through- plate girder bridge of one span and fs built to carry 20 tons. It has two 13 foot roadways and two 6-foot side- walks and is built about 11 feet above the Rock Creek bed. The bridge was built in 1907 and has been used mostly for heavy hauling from the vicinity of the Georgetown river front. GUARD FOR FRENCH HERO. Tomb of Unknown Soldier to Be Protected After Three Years. PARIS, August 21 (8).—For three years, Gen. Gouraud, president of the Committee of the Flame, and the members of the commiftee, have been trying to have a guardian ap- pointed to watch over the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. A former factory foreman, Gaudin, permanent- Iy disabled by the war, finally was appointed to the duty 1 He has not taken up his work of- ficially, however, as the question of what uniform he should wear has proved a difficulty. s BIRTH RATE DROPS. . | Vital Statistics Show Gradual De- crease in Argentina. BUENOS ATRES, August 21 (#).— The birth rate in Argentina—with 9,500,000 inhabitants in an area of creasing, but on the other hand the mortality rate is steadily diminishing. Though falling, the birth rate is considerably in excess of many coun- tries and in Europe only Poland gives a higher percentage. The birth rate during the 1920-24 period is given-as 3.3 per cent. - The First Gas At';;:k, The skunk is an example of the axiom that it pays to specialize. He cannot swim like the otter, nor climb like the marten. nor run like the fisher, says the Nature Magazine. He has neither the strength of the wol- | verene nor the fierceness of the wea sel. Yet he has outlived ail these members of his family by developing a little speclalty of his own which bids fair to save him from the attacks of clvilization for many years to come. He discovered the gas-attack long @ fore man. His weapon is a movavle duct through which he can throw a stream of liqguid musk with deadly accuracy from 5 to.30.feet. WATER FRONT STE. URGED FOR MARKET City Club Committees Refer to Facilities—Eckington Location Hit. Opposition te relocating the farm- er's market on the Patterson tract in northeast Washington developed from two sources yesterday. From the City Club came a state- ment by H. J. Odenthal,'executive secretary, that it is the unanimous opinion of committees which have discussed the proposal that this would be the firs ep toward es. tablishing an undesirable belt line around the Capital, while the Ben- ning Citizens’ Association has called a special meeting in Benning school, Tuesday night to formulate a protest against the northeast site on the ground it would halt the movement to develop a park there. “The general opinion is,” said Mr. Odenthal, “that the most logical place for a large marketing organization would be the water front, situated as close to the Municipal Fish Market and wharves as possible, where Con- gress originally intended it to go when they passed the bill ot 1901. No loca- tion is more ideally situated than this one, for the nucleus of a marketing organization is already there; second- ly, all railroads entering Washing- ton from all directions and upon which the entire city is dependent have their terminals within a stone’s throw of the water front. “It would seem senseless in view of this to place it eleswhere, and by the same token, it would certainly serve the interests of economy better to have a consolidation of market, water «nd railroad facilities in one location. Residential Factor Cited. “Another factor of import, that is generally lost sight of, is that the northeast section around Patterson tract is largely a residential section. In point of fact, no matter how order- ly such institutions are conducted, they are bound to be more “or less messy, and so would affect this sec- tion very materially in growth, where- as the water front section is not a residential section, nor would the dis- order of a busy day affect it in the slightest, but under no circumstances should the market be located where there is the slightest possibility of jeopardizing the future growth of the city.” The Benning meeting was called by members of the executive committee, including A. D. Loeffler, president of the association; Warner Stutler, O. C. Spitzer and George James, after a considerable study had been made of the various proposals for the loca- tion of the new market. See Park Plan Menaced. The Eckington residents point out that the Patterson tract often has been urged before Congress as an {deal site for a park, to which they declare the eastern section of the eity is entitled. Construction of a market center there would definitely end all park plans, they say. The association is expected to rec- ommend locating the market in the vieinity of Fifth and K streets. That location, it is argued, is nearer to the center of the city's population and is closer to street car and express facilities. The special committee of the Wash- ington Chamber of Commerce ap- pointed by the directors to study the question of a new location for the market will meet tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. for a hearing, at which views will be presented by representatives of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, the Mid- City Citizens’ Assoclation, the South- west Business Men's Assoclation, street car companies, merchants, trucking concerns and other inter- ested parties. Personnel of Committee. ‘This committee consists of Ivan C. Weld, chairman; George H. Brown, Henry D. Crampton, Jerome Fan- culll, Isaac Gans, W. Charles Heit muller and A. Leftwich Sinclair. The committee will make a thorough study of the question and has invited the various organizations interested to present their views with the idea of collecting all available data. The committee will meet at the headquarters of the chamber on the third floor of the Homer Building, Thirteenth and F streets, at 2:30 p.m. Heavy Loss in Two Fires. PARKERSBURG, W. Va., August 21 (#).—Loss of $250,000 was caused by two fires starting simultaneously today in this city and In Marletta, Ohio, across the river. The Citizens' Lumber Mill here was destroyed. Two structures housing bullders” and ofl- well supply concerns were gutted at Marietta. FLAG IN TEXT BOOKS. 1,000,000 Prints of Old Glory Or- dered for Kansas Schools. TOPEKA, August 21 (®).—Every pupil in the public schools of Kansas will see Old Glory daily next Win- ter, even if the schoel may be too poor to buy a flag. The first page of each of the one million volumes published at the State printing plant this year will be devoted to a picture of the American flag. The picture appeared in sev- ditions of State texts last year, ebll-.l.E‘ rl will be found in every book this vear. Insertion of a full.page reproduc- tion of the flag in colors was sug- gested to the State printer by the Americanization committee of the Kansas American Legion. —_— BOY, 9, GIVES CLUE Jury to Name Figure in Chicago Feud Death. CHICAGO, August 21.—The testi- 2 " t} Testimony Enables Coroner’s By the Associated Press. ony of the 9-vear-old son of an ;'t‘allzn barber today enabled a coro- ner's jury to name Tony Alello in connection with the slaying by gang- sters, yesterday of Antonio Spano. Both Spano and Aiello a: reported to have come here as gunmen for ‘the six Genna brothers, three of whom have lost their lives in dootleg feuds since 1924. ‘Nunzio Scardino, before whose father's barber shop Spano was shql dead yesterday, told the coroner's u i “Tony shot four times and ran to the next street where his automobile was."” Police sought in vain for Alello, but placed a guard around his home. The jury also charged an unidentified man with a part in the Killing, and recom- mended the holding, as an accessory after the fact, of Patsy Amada, barber in the Scardino shop, although Amada denied statements of other witnesses that he was In the shop when Spano was shot. Sam Genna, whose brother Peter, arrested yesterday, denled knowing Spano, was found by police today and arrested. He admitted that he knew Spano, they said. WOMAN IS STRANGLED. Semi-Invalid Found Dead Near Home in Virginia. PORTSMOUTH. Va.. August ®).—Mrs. Ella Heath, a semi-invalid, was found dead in her home in the Olive Branch section of the Western Branch district this afternoon. That death was caused by strangulation ted by a coll of plow line wrapped thrice around her The body was within 100 feet was in which throat. of her home. Cables Flowers to Africa. Flowers for a wedding anniversary were cabled recently by a Wichita, Kans., floral company to Johann burg, South Africa. The cablegram was sent at the request of A. A. Smulion, whose parents live in a small town near Johannesburg. This is the greatest distance that the floral com- pany has ever sent a meesage for flowers. 1t is 10,000 miles by air line from Wichita to Johannesburg. or more than onethird of the distance around the world. RS W O, New Automobile Folds Up. Closed or open—which shall the new car be? For most of us with one care incomes it's a vexing question. But now, says the Popular Science Magazine, John K. Mohr of Bay City, Mich., has designed a car which should satisfy both sides. From a coupe with rigid top it can be con- verted into_an open roadster in two minutes. The top folds back into the rear end of the body. Closed or open, the car is strictly conven- tional in désign. Bear Likes to Play. The polar bear is the undisputed monarch of his fcy realm, says the Nature Magazine, forgets his royal dignity and behaves ike a playful puppy dog. EVERY PRAIRIE DOG’S “BARK” HAS A MEANING ALL ITS OWN They’re Curiously H»ma Thompson Seton, Who Interprets ‘“Language” as Animals Fight and Romp and Woo at Local Zoo. Pralrie dogs are curiously human “eritters.” It is likely, even, that they have the rudiments of a language with which they can transmit to each other their simpler emotions. This is the con- clusion of Ernest Thompson Seton, celebrated natural- ist and author, after an intensive study last Fall of the prairie dog village installed at the National Zoo- logical Park here by Dr. Willlam M. Mann. Mr. Seton, who will report his ob- servations in a coming fissue of the Journal of Mammology. spent several weeks at the Zoo as a guest of Dr. Mann and devoted his chi®f attention to these little animals. Conditions were ideal for the study since the same animals could be kept under close observation from day to day, while the conditions of confinement were so natural that their conduct was practically the same as in their native habitat. “Bark” Much In Evidence. Upon becoming alarmed the tail jerks once or twice as a warning to their fellows. Then follows the or- dinary “quek” or bark. for which the prairie dog is named. When one made a sharp note which sounded “squit-tuck” all ran to cover. The word “skr-skirr-r-r,” uttered by a prairie dog. probably has an equiva- lent translated in a reputable newspaper. It means a fight, and frequently was uttered when the animals were fight- ing among themselves. They had in addition & number of definite squeaks and chatters used in “common conve sation,” and they are perpetual gos- sips and chatterers. The most singular vocal exercise of all was the spng. This was uttered by the older'animals of either sex at any time and without obvious cause. Tike | in English which could not be | n “Critters,” Says Ernest Suddenly, Mr. Seton sa one would rear up and, with snou the skies, utter a soft “wee-00,” then drop again onto all four feet. In eating, says the author, the ani- mals sat up on their hindquarters and held the food in one paw. At first ail seemed to be righthanded, but later one was seen to eat with the left paw. When friends meet they salute by kissing. That is. with both snouts near the ground, each animal rubs its lips first on one side and then on the other of the friend's muzzle. Many of them had the trick of nibbling at each other's tail. Sometimes a per- sistent one would pursue the other around the cage until he turned to fight. One or two of the Zoo colony had lost parts of their tails. Like to Run Wild. The prairie dogs are among the most difficult animals in the Zoo to keep confined. To prepare the vil- lage a large excavation was made, the bottom n walls lined with concrete and then filled iIn with dirt. This gives the animals plenty of room to dig the deep, long tunnels which are their homes. Their village is honey- combed with sul terranean pas- sageways. The prairie dog s never quite so | bappy. Zoo at- | tendants say, as i when he is ex- ploring with his snout in the cav erns he has made. _ These animals are among the most intelligent and active of mammals, al- | most as curious and restiess as mon- ! keys. On the great plains a village sometimes will cover from 10 to go acres and will contain thousands of individuals. They are a great nuis- ance to farmers because of their un- dermining activities and are being ex- terminated as rapidly-as possible. IN GANG SLAYING BRITISH PRINGES SEEK YOUNG AIDES Many Courtiers Who Served Under Victoria Still Hold Royal Positions. By Cable to The Star and New York World LONDON, August 21.—Around the announcement in the official London Gazette of the “retirement” of an aged court officlal are being woven piquant stories of the determination of the younger members of the royal family to make a clean sweep of the elics” of the two previous reigns and to people the Court of St. James with courtiers and servitors more in touch with and of an age with the 1926 generation. Naturally no authoritative or per- sonal statement can be obtained but it is fr whispered that the Prince of Wales, the Duke of York and Prince Henry have for a long time been very “fed up’ with the serious old grey-beard courtiers their father “inherited” from King Edward and Queen Victoria and are desirous of picking their attendants and counsel- lors from the ranks of the younger generation. “It is perfectly—'horrible’ will do. only that wasn't the word used—-" one of the royal princes said to his father, “the way we are hedged about by these (adjectival) dodos.” King Defends Courtiers. King George was (according 1o ! story) quite sympathetic but point- ed out to his exasperated son that faithful servitors and courtiers could not be thrown out like ordi- nary politicians on a change of gov- ernment every time there was a “de- mise of the crown” and that it was the duty of successive monarchs to retain all such faithful and exvpe: enced officials—and to profit by their knowledge. However, ‘reorganization” of the royal household was undertaken and in the sacred name of “economy” varfous ornamental posts held by what the protesting prince described, as “dodos,” were abolished, and an age limit was placed on all ceremonial and utilitarian posts. King Georg: himself, was probably not too w pleased at having to continue in offios retainers and counselors enlisted by his grandmother, Queen Victoria, and selected for their knowledge of Vio» torfan and pre-Victorian customs, Still, it had always been the undem stood rule that once anybody was appointed to the royal household he oe she could continue until they shuffled off this mortal coil, short of abselute misconduct, of course. Things came to a point when the London Gazette announced the &p- pointment of a younger official to suc- ceed Sir Walter Gibson in the post of sergeant-at-arms-in-ordinary. The Gazette stated that Gibson had re signed, but Sir Waiter was some what astonished to read the announce t, fhd in the first unguarded mo« ment when questioned about it promptly said that he had not re- signed and that he knew nothing about losing his job. Post 1s Minor One. Naturally, a court official 40 years standing, would not say a more beyond that he would inqu into the matter. However, his suc cessor is in office, and there is nothing more to be said about it. The post of sergeant-atarms to the King is a very minor, ornamental afiair, carrying no special uniform or pay. but it carries a silver collar as budge of office, and the wearers thereof —there are eight attend all drawing rooms, courts, levees, state balls, etc. But the seemingly compulsory “re- tirement” of Sir Waiter Gibson, is un- derstood to be the result of a decision of the special Reorganization Com- mittee appointed by King George, that all State officials must retire on reaching the age of 0. And Sir Wal ter has just turned 70. Further it rumored that the age lmit will shor ly be reduced to t5 and eventuallv 60. Hence the commotion among tha of over elder retafners at the Court of St. James. The unusually lengthy reign of Queen Victoria was largely respons ble for the present conglomeration of aged officials still to be found around the British Court. Transferred Old Servitors. ‘There are officials still serving wha were appointed 20 or more years befora Queen Victoria died (like Sir Walter Gibson) and court etiquette has de« creed that they should never be dis. missed. Each monarch, naturallyy picks his own Immediate attendants, but he—as was the case of King Edé ward and King George—felt it de!‘a able to transfer their predecesso superfluous attendants to their own children. Consequently the preseng younger scions of the House of Winds sor are surrounded by attendants and counselors who were very much perm sona grata to Queen Victoria, or Ki Edward, but for whom the presen monarch has no particular use, an who are correspondingly further out of date as regards the desires, plang and habits of 1026 princes and prine cesses. The marriages of Princess Mary and the Duke of York outside the ranks of royalty will simplify matters considerably, and while the Prince of Wales remains unmarried, gome of the older servitors and courtiers can be allowed to die out without being replaced “Pension off the dodos” i3 understood to be the cry of the Princes of the House of Windsor, and as many posts are purely honorary and unpaid no great cost to the Siate i@ threatened. SKPLL 20,000 French Woman Student Makes Discovery at Gibraltar. GIBRALTAR, August 21 (#).—Miss D. A. E. Garod, a student of the In. stitute de Paleontologie Humaine, Paris, who has been excavating here, has made an Important discovery of portions of a human skull belonging to a young person. The skull is of the same age with typical Mousterian implements The squll is one of the same age and type as the celebrated “Gibraltar skull” discovered at Forbes Quarry in the 1840s and now at the College of Surgeons Museum, and according to a conservative estimate it is probably not less than 20,000 years old. EARS OLD. Polly’s Specialty. FProm the Boston Transcript. ‘m not very well satisfled with that parrot you sold me,” gald the customer. ., “What's the trouble, lady?" “You said it was a good talker and it never utters a word unless I give it half a dozen cracker: ““That's it, lady. I forgot to men. tion that that parrot is strictly an after-dinner speaker.” Wasn't Ambitious. m the London Tidbits. ““How high are we now?" asked the timid aeroplane passenger. ““About 4,000 feet,” said the pilot. “I haven't started to climb vet." “I don't know whether I mentioned, it before we started,” quavered the ‘But I'm not at all am-y itioun™