Evening Star Newspaper, December 3, 1926, Page 1

. WEATHER. (U. 8. Weather Bureau Forecast.) Partly cloudy and not so cold to- night; temperature about 32 degrees; tomorrow cloudy, warmer, followed by rain. Temperature—Highest, 35, at 7:30 p.m. vesterday: lowest, 26, at 1 a.m. today. Full report on page 9. *Closing N.Y. Stocks and Bonds, Page 10 No. 30,166. “From Press to Home Within the Hour” The Star’s carrier system covers every city block and the reguiar edi- tion is delivered to Washington homes as fast as the papers are printed. Yesterday’s Circulation, 102,892 o Star. » WASHINGTON, D. C, Entered as second class matter post office, Washington, D. (. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1926—SIXTY-FOUR PAGES. TWO CENTS. FATEOF MRS. HALL AND BROTHERS PUT INHANDS OF JURY, Famous Murder Trial Com- pleted, With Brief Instruc- tions to Jury. SIMPSON IS BITTER IN SUMMING UP CASE Scouts Theory Widow Did Not Know of Husband’s Love for Mrs. Mills. By the Associated Press. COURTHOUSE, SOMER VILLE, December 3.—The Hall-Mills as given to a Somerset County afternoon. one month . Frances Stevens 1fall and her brothers, Henry and William Stevens, were charged with 1he murder of Mrs. Eleanor R. Mills. Mrs. Mills was sla.n with the Rev. Jdward Wheeler Hall September 24, Although the trial has @ month fundamental are simple,” said Justice Parker, in his charge to the jury. *“As all the de- fendants have denled the acts, your principal inquiry will relate to that issue. The State must prove beyond rea- sonable doubt that Mrs. Mills was murdered; that the murder was in Somerset Count that the defendants bad a part in it.” No Question of Murder. Tie said that one or more could be found guilty. There is no question, Justice Park- er said, “that Mrs. Mills was dead and that she had been murdered. Nor was there much doubt that the crims had been committed in this iy, Ithough we shall instruct yvou on that he it both said. “The direct we think, is umstantial.” motive is not suf- went on, “if you vou will tauch of the ci \Where proof of ficlent, the justice unable to find a_motive, . The defend ctually and should be ants ar must all have been present. Lists Degrees of Murder. e described degrees of murder as follows: “Rirst one present crime. “Second degree, present and acting degree, principal would be! and committing - the | ' X cipal present, but not approvii aiding or watch- | ing to prevent surprise or ready to aid companions. “If the ate the defendants were cipitating, such person: qQuitted iled to prove any of there and parti- hould be ac- . must be proved bevond a doubt, he_ said, reviewing the claims of es of not heing in De Russe There is more or less testimony in port and denlal, he said, but the Yemains under the burden of proving them at the crime. The duty of the | jury is to consider the evidence, he said. Very often circumstantial evi- dence is persuasive evidence of guilt, hut it must exclude every doubt of in: nhocence Discussing the calling card, he re- ferred to Detective Totten identifyins it as the one found at the scen~ and outlined the State's contention of the | history of the card. Refers to Pig Woman. “If the Willlam Stevens’ and If the ¢ enuine, it is a fair inference t Willilam Stevens han- dled it at the scene of the crime, although not conclusive,” he said. “You are confronted with a denial on the card,” he said, “and if you are not convinced bey s doubt, then the value of the card is P The justice referred to Mrs. Jane Gibson's testimony as the chief direct evidence. If her story was true, he charged, it would appear conclusive ut the defendants were there, and orroboration the State refers to s resembling those owned by the print rd Basis for Acquittal Verdict. “If, after consideration, you find that the State has not proved that any one of the defendants on trial fired the fatal shot or shots, all should be acquitted,” said the justice. “But if, on the contrary. you find that one of them did fire them, that one should be found guilty of some degree of homicide within the scope of the indictment, murder in the first degree or second degree or perhaps | aghter. It will then remain ain the guilt or innocence of that you find to have participating in_the described would be ee or the oth and “All those been there and manner already principals in ene deg probably the second guilty of the same @s the actual killer He then defined the different de- grees of murder, emphasizing that all murder which in effect was not com- mitted by poison, lving in wait or other willful, deliberate or premedi- tated killing, was murder in the sec- ond degre d that the indictment was oad enough to admit_of convic- tion of manslaughter, but that he did not think that appertained to this case, although “the court does not undertake to exclude it At the close he called the attention of the jurors to the law which, in the event of a verdict of murder in the first degree, requires them to de- cide whether the punishment shall be death or imprisonment at hard labor. Alexander Simpson, special prose- cutor, completed his argument to the jury at 12:06 and court recessed for an hour. Francis Bergen, prosecutor of Somerset County, preceded Simpson in summing up the case for the State, Simpson, in_beginning his sum- mation of the State’s case, termed it the “most trying of all trials” and ~ (Continued on Page 4, Column 4) srade of homicide | May Succeed Rudolph (Harris-Ewing Photo) . TALIAFERRO MAY BE COMMISSIONER Lawyer Is Under Considera- tion for Rudolph’s Post. Sidney F. Taliaferro. local lawyer and educator, of 1801 Sixteenth street, may be appointed District Commis- sioner to succeed Cuno H. Rudolph, it was learned this afternoon from au- thoritative sources. President Coolidge, it is said, has Mr. Taliaferro’s name under serious consideration and it was indicated at the White House late today that some announcement in this connection might be forthcoming this afternoon. Mr. Taliaferro has legal offices in the Union Trust Building. He has served on the faculty of Georgetown University Law School, from which institution he was graduated with rees of LL. B. and M. P. L. He a member of the Board of Trade, Washington Golf and Country Club, + Arts Club, District Bar Associ: Delta Chi Fraternity and the Ma orde He a native of Virgini and is 41 years of age. The President hus several times ad- mitted that it has been extremely difficult to obtain the services of the type of man he is looking for, not only because of the law requiring that ny one appointed as Commissioner should have lived three yvears in the District of Columbia, but due to a sacrifice their personal interests with the prospects of being subject to at- tack by members of Congi It was not known this afternoon whether or not Mr. Taliaferro had def- initely been offered the post, or whether he had indicated his attitude on accepting it. CANADIAN RAIL WAGE DISPUTE IS SETTLED Trainmen Accept Smaller Raise Than Asked to Avoid Tur- moil of Strike. By the Associated Press. MONTREAL, December 3.—The wage dispute in which 15,000 Canadian trainmen had voted to strike unless tled today. S. N. Berr, senior vice president of the Order of Railway Conductors, and W. J. Babe, vice president of the Brotherhood of Trainmen, announced the settlement was peaceful and that the men had been granted varying increases. They had been in con- ference for several days with railw: officials in an effort to prevent a walk- out. A strike had already been voted. The men had demanded a 6 per cent increase to lift their wages to a level with those of American trainmen and_conductors. Although the men Aid not get all they wanted, Berry said, they had considered the offers of tha railwa: preferable to throwing the country into turmoil by a railway strike. | UNDERGROUND SHOOTING RANGE FOUND IN CHICAGG By the Associated Press. CHICAGO, December 3.—Few of Chicago’s perpetually warring gang- sters ever are taken to hospitals. When gangland's revolvers, pistols, rifles, shotguns and machine guns bark unerring aim they generally send some foe, or foes, to the morgue, Perhaps the source of such deadly accuracy has been fourfd by the po- {lice in ‘an underground, steel-lined | pistol and rifle range. chased three alleged burg 'S an apparently deserted saloon uncovered in the basement a target range with the shoot positions marked by. hundreds of exploded shotgun and pistol shells. The room, 20 by 30 feet, was lined with three layers of sheet steel. All four walls wereé marked by ihousands of hullets. The saloon building formerly was pied by Joseph Brooks, whose with that of Edward Harmen- a county hizhway policeman, was found in a park ridlled witiy bullets a year ago, two of the more than 100 unsclved gangster murders in the last three vears. The three men traced to the target range with burglary. R T T S Ludendorff Improving. MUNICH, Bavaria, December 3 (®).—Gen. Ludendorff has shown steady improvement since his opera- tion for removal of a goiter a week ago. Dr. Sauerbruch, who performed the operation, said today nothing had developed to give cause for concern. 4 into disinclination on the part of some to | they were given an.increase was set-| Detectives touring the South Side | and | were arrested and charged | WLBIR S CALLED INOILEASE HOGAN HTS INTERFERENE Doheny Counsel to Ask Why Documents Are Refused by Naval Secretary. WILL ASK IF OFFICERS ARE TOLD WHAT TO SAY Bain Letter to Fall Expressed Hope of Making It “Easy” for Californian. Frank J. Hogan, chief defense coun- sel for Edward L. Doheny in the Fall-Doheny conspiracy trial. an- nounced this afternoon that a supoe- na had been issued for Secretary of he Navy Wilbur for his appearance in court. The defense, Mr. Hogan said, would ask him to explain why he had refused certain documents asked for by the defense and also if he had interfered with naval officers who are soon to testify for the de- fendants. Mr. Hogan is considerably vexed over what he termed the lack of co- operation, and in particular_ he wishes to know if Rear Admiral J. K. Robison, star defense witness, was in- structed as to his testimony or lack of testimony to be given on the stand. Mr. Hogan said he had been reliably informed that Robison, after he had been subpoenaed, was called into Secretary Wilbur's office and given written instructions by the Secretary not to answer certain ques- tions that would be asked him. Wilbur, Hogan said, was due to appear today, but was excused owing to the cabinet meeting. Mr. Hogan said, however, that he probabl take the stand early next week. Bain Ends Testimony. Owen J. Roberts, chief counsel for the prosecution, closed his cross-exam- ination today of Dr. H. Foster Bain, former director of the United States Bureau of Mines and one of the star witnesses for the defense. Roberts produced and had identified by Dr. Bain a letter written by the witness from Los Angeles, Calif., May 12, 1922, arql addressed to Three Rivers. The prosecutor then read the letter to the jury. Baln, ac- cording to the letter, had notified Fall that representatives of the Standard, (General Petroleum and Union Oil com- panies doubted the legality of the executive order of President Harding transferring the naval oil reserves to tke Interior Department ani in con- sequence the situation was compli- cated. “None of us wants Mr. Doheny to get into trouble and I take it we will i want to do angthing we can to make it easy for him,” he wrote. Bain's letter suggested that the At- torney General be asked to put into writing the opinion said to have been expressed informally by him on the legality of the oil reserve transfer by the Harding order and that the In- terior Department join with some small oil company in a friendly suit in ! a) Federal Court to bring out a court decision on the legality of the propo- sition. The cross-examination by Mr. Rob- érts developed a number of high points considered favorable to the prosecution, among which were that Bain told Fall early in 1922, upon his return from the coast, that but one bid could be expected and that was from the Pan-American Petroleum & Transport Co., as the other bids were only up’” of ofl and engineering companies. Other facts developed were: That Bain' told Fall prior to his departure for New Mexico April 1, 1922, just before the bids on the con- tract were opened, that because of the legal complications involved it would be difficult to get satisfactory bids. % Told to Avoid Decisions. That Fall, before he left Washing- ton, instructed Bain and Assistant Secretary Finney not to close any contract without advising Fall and not to exercise any independent action without referring it to him. That the opinion of Oscar Sutro, counsel for the Standard Oil Co., hold- ing the contract would be illegal was given to Fall and Finney, but no so- licitor of the Interior Department was called upon for an opinion. That representatives of the Pan- American Co. and the J. G. White En- gineering Co. conferred on royalties to be charged in the contract before the bids were opened. Dr. Bain was followed on the wit: ness stand by Admiral Luther. E¥ Gregory, United States Navy, “Chief of the Bureau of Yards and Docks. He described in detail the plans of the bureau'in connection with the con- struction of tanks at 4Pearl Harbor for the storage of oil ~ Renews Cross-Examination. Mr. Roberts pitched into the cross- examination of Bain, which had been halted by adjournment yesterday, as soon as today's session started. The special Government prosecutor covered many of the questlons Mr. Hogan had asked and the answers shed no more additional light on the subject than when first given under direct examination. Mr. Roberts soon began touching on questions, however, replies to which had not been given on direct examination. One of these dealt with the fact that after Bain had ' had a conference with Doheny on the West coast in January, 1922, he wrote a letter to the J. G. White Engineering Corporation = suggesting that this corporation “team up” with Doheny's company in handling the Pearl Har- bor project. Mr. Roberts then demanded of the witness if on his return to Washing- ton he had suggested to Assistant Sec- iretary Finney that an informal opinion on the legality of the contract be obtained from the Interior Depart- ment solicitor. But Dr. Bain replied he had not. Mr. Roberts turned to the matter project, which was mailed out Febru- (Continued on Page 6, Column 1) Savannah News Deal Made. SAVANNAH, Ga., December 3 (#). —Hershel V. Jenkins of Savannah vesterday bought the stock in the Sa- vannah Morning News, owned by the estate of the late Frank G. Bell, pres- ident and manager, and will succeed to the presidency of the the next fow gaya, i Fall at| partial, due to “teaming | of proposals for the Pearl Harbor | News Note: Siam is rejoicing over birth of a white elephant—believing it to be a good omen. CANTONESE ARMIES | CAPTURE FOOCHOW Chang Organizing Alliance to Halt Victorious March Toward Peking. By the Associated Press. SAN FRANCISCO, December 3.— While Marshal Chang Tso-lin is or- ganizing the “ankuonsiun,” or alliance of northern war lerds, to attempt a co-operative movement against the Cantonese, the revolutionary army of the south is continuing its victorious march, Within the last 24 hours two im- portant cities, Foochow and Yen- pingfu, both on the line of the rail- road running from the coast to Nan- chang, have fallen into the hands of the Canton government. Possessing these cities, the way is opened for the southerners to move forwand into northern Fukien province and Cheki- ang, the province adjoining on the north, for there is no railroad line on which the northerners can make a stand to bar further progress. In so far as foreigners are con- | cerned, the situation seems to be quiescent both at Foochow, now in- vested by the Cantonese, and Hankow, which has been in southern hands sev- eral months. The American gunboat Hart, with Lieut. Comdr. Herbert W. Underwood on the bridge, cast anchor Friday night (Eastern time) alongside the | fighting ships of other foreign powers to protect the lives and property of Americans in Foochow. Hankow Under Protection. Still another flotilla of foreign ves- | sels is riding the placid ripples of the River Yantze, ready for any emer- {gency which may arise to endanger | safety of western nationals in Han- I kow. There anti-foreign demonstra- i tions have alarmed the foreign popu- llace for several days, but there has \been no_untoward incident disclosed, fears being based principally on the threat of & general anti-foreign strike, originally set for tomorrow. Intimations have been given, how- ever, that this may be canceled and already industrial strikes, one in par- ticular against Japanese manufactur- ing, have been settled. English language papers published in China have uniformly commended the attitude of the Cdntgnese armies toward civillan populations in cap- tured cities consequently it is probable the foreigners.m the newly occupied citles in Fukien province have less to feir mow than when less strictly disciplined troops of northern units were in charge. _-S'I.JN'S PLAN CARRIED OUT. Project to March on Peking Began With Leader. NEW YORK, December 3 (£).—The present internal conflict in China is the outgrowth of an effort on the part of followers of the late Dr. Sun Yat- Sen, known as the Kuomintang, or peoples’ party, with headquarters in Canton, to carry out a long-cherished profect of that pioneer of revolution in China to march upon Peking and drive out what Dr. Sun chose to re- gard as the traitors, who were deliver- ing the country over to foreign inter- ests. The presence of British, American and other foreign warships in_the Yangtze River is a direct result of the fighting between the northern and southern forces and the consequent necessity to protect their nationals from the hordes of Chinese with anti- foreign sentiments. 'As long ago as 1918, while himself a refugee from his political enemies in the French controlled territory in Shanghai, Dr. Sun boasted that he controlled an_organization capable of carrying out his project. But years of petty warfare, not only between northern generals but_between fac- (Continued on Page 2, Column 7.) Christmasg is coming SHOP EARLY This is the time to shop and save time MERRY CHRISTMAS FRANC HITS HIGH POINT IN NEARLY YEAR’S SPAN Exchange Rate Today Is 25.82 to One Dollar—Shops Make Price Reductions in Paris. he Associated Press. AR December 3.—Speculation in the tranc, together with the suc- cess with which the Poincare budget proposals are going through the Chamber of Deputies, brought the ex- change rate today to 25.82 francs to the dollar and 124.90 the pound sterling, the highest point in nearly ear. Shops of almost every description making price reductions, but hard in proport, By it touched the lowest point in history. EMERGENCY RADID National Co-ordinating Com- mittee Lays Plan Before Con- gress to End Confusion. By the Associated Press. Enactment of an emergency radio control measure prohibiting issuance of broadcasting licenses after Decem- ber 6 and control of the industry by two bodies, a Federal Radio Com- mission and the Commerce Depart- ment, are the recommendations of the national radio co-ordinating com- mittee to the Congres: These recommendations, adopted here in the first meeting represent- ing the industry, were presented to- day to Senate and House conferees in charge of radio legislation by Wal- ter A. Strong of Chicago, chairman of the yadio section of the American Newspaper Publishers’ Association and- chairman of the co-ordinating committee, Both houses have passed radio con- trol bills, the Senate preferring a commission and the House favoring control under the Commerce Depart- ment. The functions of the controlling body, as set out in letters from the co: inating committee to the con- ferees, “should be so adjusted in the administrative powers as to clearly determine the standards used in cases for decision as hereinafter recom- mended, and to define and clarify large discretionary powers and con- trol in the commission.” Jeopardy Seen in Delay. Delay in settling the radio problem will jeopardize a national industry of $600,000,000 a year and involve dis- appointment of 20,000,000 listeners-in, the letter asserted. The emergency control message is suggested as one anticipating enact- ment of a permanent control law, to prevent further complication and con- fusion in the air. Unless immediate steps are taken, the letter said, the flow of agricultural and market infor- mation, on which farmers depend, also will be affected. The investment of the_ “listening public” was estimated at $1,500,000,000. Broadcasting stations are increasing at the rate of one a day, the co-ordi- nating committee declared, and greater confusion on the air will be caused unless the emergency control is enacted. A resolution providing emergency control has been drafted by Represent- ative White of Maine, author of the House bill, providing for issuance of no more broadcasting licenses until after permanent legislation. Representative Scott of Michigan, chairman of the House conferees, said that in view of an indicated settlement of differences between the House and Senate it would be better to delay in- troduction of the resolution. Personnel of Commission. In dealing with qualifications for appointment on the radio commission the co-ordinating committee suggested that no limitation be placed, except that no member ‘should be financially interested in radio, Recognition of the right of priority of operation of radio stations is urged, and the allocation and use of wave |lengths should be determined on length of time the stations have operated, character of service and the requirements of their zones and com- |munities for radio service. These | principles should be written into the {law, the letter asks, so that there will be no limitation of the effect thereof. “A broadcaster has no vested rights as against the United States Govern- ment; but he has certain clearly de- fined rights as against other broad- (Continued on Page 4, Column 3.) MEASURE WANTED PHLIPPIESGOAL OF REDVARPLANS Internationale Leader Seés War Between U. S. and Japan as Culmination. JUNIUS B. WOOD. r and Chicago Daily Tight, 1926. MOSCOW. December 3.—A revolt in the Philippines, preparatory to war between America and Japan, with Great Britain involved on one side, is being fomented by the third interna- tionale, according to Dmitri Manuil- sky, one of three Russian members of the executive committee, who hails ltrom the Ukraine, which America { helped during the famine. “As soon as the Chinese revolution is started, we will be more attentive to the forces developing in the Pacific Ocean,” he sald. “The Chinese con- flict has accelerated the coming war between the big powers in the Pacific by spreading revolutionary influence all over Asia. This is proved by the recent revolt in Java and the increas- ing disturbances in the Philippine Islands. “America, whose imperialifm is the most dangerous of any country, will play an aggressive role in the Pacific. Its line of campaign has been long prepared. Occupation of Cuba, the Philippine Islands and Hawaii and the digging of the Pana- ma Canal were merely the prologue of the imperialistic advance of America across the Pacific. “If the workers of America and Europe do not overthrow the capi- talists, if the victorious Chinese revolution does not change the aspect of international Pacific relations, we will witness a_war exceeding in dev- astation the Great War.- It is al- ready discussed quite openly in Japan. It is better veiled in Amer- ica, with the Washington conference masking America’s plan to enter the Pacific.” 72 LOSE AUTO PERMITS. Thirty-Nine Revoked, Others Sus- pended, Traffic Director Reports. Seventytwo motorists lost their privilege to drive an automobile in the District during the last two weeks of November, according to the semi- monthly report of Traffic Director M. O. Fldridge, submitted today to Maj. Edwin B. Hesse, superintendent of police. Thirty-nine permits were re- voked and the remainder suspended temporarily. Thirty-eight of the revocations and suspensions were for driving while drunk. Other offenses for which the permits were called in included leav- ing after colliding, obtaining a_per- mit by fraud, second and third of- fense speeding. Two of the permits recalled were in possession of inmates of St. Elizabeth’s Hospital. Ten permits previously canceled or suspended were restored during the two-weelc period. Nicaragua Names American. MANAGUA, Nicaragua, December 3 (P).—Roscoe R. Hill of Albuquerque, . M., American high commissioner in Nicaragua, has been appointed chalrman of the Nicaraguan mixed claims commission, which is to settle claims arising out of the recent revo- lution, estimated to total $3,000,000. George Washington may have been a toper, as some writers have en- deavored to have us belleve, but if he had a llquor cache at Mount Vernon all evidence of it has been completely removed, according to Fire Chief George S. Watson, who, with August Emerich, chief of the Baltimore Fire Department, made a thorough inspec- tion of the Washington home yester- day afternoon in search of potential fire hazards. Every nook and cranny in the Wash- ington home was examined by these Fire Department officials. Even the cellars were peered into closely. Chief Watson explained carefully, however, that the cellars were inspected not for tho purpose of determining where the first President kept the wine, small beer and other intoxicants that the writers insist he consumed in goodly quantites. “If George Washington had a wine £ Use of 1927 Auto Tags Before First Of Year Is Banned Although arrangements have been made to start the issuance of the 1927 automobile identification tags next week, motorists will not be permitted to use these tags be- fore January 1, the Commission- ers declded today. The question whether the 1927 tags would be recognized before the new year was raised by the commissioner of motor vehicles of Maryland. The prohibition against their earlier use was recommended by Maj. Edwin B. Hesse, superin- tendent of police. DISTRICT JUDGES WILL KEEP POSTS President Expected to Reap- point Aukum and Meehan for Another Term Each. BY J. RUSSELL YOUNG. 1t was learned authoritatively today that President Coclidge will reappoint George C. Aukum and Charles V. Meehan as judges of the Municipal Court of the District of Columbia. The President was Yepresented as having reached this decision within the past few days. It is expected that thelr nominations will be sent to the Senate Monday or Tuesday. Accord- ing to advices received at the White House there is every reason to feel that they will be readily confirmed. The terms of these two members of the Municipal Court expired last Sep- tember, but when this matter was brought to the President’s attention at the time he sald he preferred to wait until the Senate reconvened rather than make recess appointments in these cases. However the Presi- dent at the time gave no indication that it was his intention to reap- point these two judges. Although there have been a number of aspirants to succeed each of these jurists, the feeling is general in local political and court circles that when the time came the President would give Judges Aukum and Meehan an- other term. Reports received by the President in response to inquirles from the White House regarding the records of these two judges are known to have been very satisfying. Also leading members of the local bar and local Republican leaders are known to have added their indorsements of the two judges and urged their reappointment. Judge Aukum is the dean of the Municipal Court, having served con- tinuously since 1907, when he was ap. pointed by President Roosevelt. Judge Meehan has just completed his €rst term on this bench. He was ap- pointed by President Harding in 1922. SOCIALIST CABINET OF DENMARK RESIGNS Loss of Two Seats in Election De- prives Party of Control—Op- ponents Get Four Places. By the Associated Press. COPENHAGEN, Denmark, Decem- ber 3.—The Socialist premier, T. A. M. Stauning, presented his cabinet's res- ignation to the King today in conse- quence of the Liberal and Conserv: tive victory in yesterday’s parliament. ary elections. In the elections to the Folketing, the lower house of Parliament, yeserday the Conservatives won 30 seats, a gain of 2 over the 1924 elections, and the Liberals 46, also a gain of 2, while the Socialists took 53, a loss of 2, and the Radicals 16, also a loss of 2. The Slesvig (German minority party) ob- tained 1 seat, the same as they had In the old Folketing. The Justice party, which had no candidate in the 1924 elections, obtained 2 seats in the pres. ent balloting. MILLS SEES PRESIDENT. Expresses His Thanks for Ap- pointment to Treasury Post. By the Assoclated Press. Representative Ogden Mills, Repub- lican, of New York, thanked President Coolidge today for the Treasury As- sistant Secretaryship appointment. Mr. Mills explained that it was his intention to remain in the House until the legislative program reached the stage where he could resign his seat there. He believed that would be prior to March 4. e McKINLEY IS DECLINING. Senator Continues to Lose Strength, His Doctors Announce. MARTINSVILLE, Ind., December 8 (#).—Senator William B. McKinley | of Illinois, a patient at a sanatorium | here since August 18, was reported by his physiclans today to be “grad. ually losing ground.” There is no cause for immediate alarm, say the doctors, in their report. He continues to lose strength, as has been the case the past month, the re- port continued. Fire Chiefs Inspecting Mount Vernon Discover No Trace of Liquor Cellars cellar,” Chief Watson declared, “I certainly did not see any evidence of it. And I am certain that there is not a spot anywhere in the building that Chief Emerich and I missed.” Chiefs Watson and Emerich will prepare a joint report on the fire fighting facilities at Mount Vernon for consideration of the International As- sociation of Fire Chlefs. These two officials and Chief Murphy of the San Francisco Fire Department constitute & committee appointed by the associa- tion at its last annual convention to investigate the fire-protection system at the National shrine. The associa- tion suggested that a fully manned and equipped fire company be sta- tioned permanently at Mount Vernon under_the supervision of the District Fire rtment. Radio Programs—Page 54 IMODEL MUNICIPAL BUILDINGS PLANNED ATTTHAND AVENUE Commissions Consider Group on Site Now Occupied by Center Market. MAY BE INCORPORATED IN PLEA TO CONGRESS Charles Moore, Fine Arts Commis- sion Head, Explains Idea to Gib- son Subcommittee Today. BY WILL P. KENNEDY. Erection of a new model municipal group of buildings, to house District of Columbia husiness, on the site be- tween Seventh and Ninth streets, Pennsylvania avenue and B street, now occupled by the Center Retail Market, fs being seriously considered by the Public Building, F.ne Arts and National Capital Parks and Planning Commissions. It may be made a part of the recommendations to Congress next week for an appropriation of ,000,000 to complete the purchase of all privately-owned land in the triangle south of Pennsylvania ave- nue to B street, between Third and Fifteenth stree A bill has already been drafted for early removal of the Center M from this area which is desired new Federal building: ~ ernment departments and other im- portant agencies of the seneral Gov- ernment. Legislation also has been drafted to be introduced next Monday in both House and Senate avhich w vide for the cutting of through the Mall, in confor plans of these three commissions. Art Gallery Change. This wili the part of the s previously been set & ll for an art gallery B street north on a line with the new National Museum and between Seventh street and the museum. It is now proposed to locate the art gallery on the Mall site between Twelfth and Fourteenth streets, where it was at first planned to erect the new $10,000,000 building for the Department of Commerce. Plans are also being considered by this conference of the th i sions, working in co-oper for Capital development, for the biggest natural science and park de ment in the world, comprising sev- eral thousand acres at one of the most important entrances to the Capital. This is to he achieved by purchase of the Mount Hamilton tract for a national arboretum, with aquatic piant museum and bird sanctuary, which would link in with the Anacostia Park development, and adjacent to which would also be the new experi- mental farm for the Department of Agriculture, which must surrender its present location on the Virginia side of the Potomac for enlargement of the Arlington National Cemetery, Moore Discusses Plan. Proposal is also made that Massae chusetts avenue, the one great avenue cutting straight across the District of Columbia for 10 miles, should he extended on hoth ends to give en- trances from Maryland, and the east. ern entrance would be part of this great natural science and park pre- serve. ¢ Part of this program was discussed before the Gibson subcommittee of the House District committee today when Charles Moore, chairman of the Com- mission of Fine Arts, was before it as a witness. The proposal to erect a mu al group of buildings with the Center i Market site as a nucleus aas been a “dream” of the Fine Arts Commis- ston and city planners for more than 20 years, Mr. Moore stated. Chairman Gibson of the subcommittee and Rep- resentative Houston were particularly interested in this suggestion, as they have been wrestling with the Distri~t jgovernment housing problems. They have invited Dr. Moore to appear again before the committee, so that this matter can be thoroughly dis- cussed. In connection with the Federal building program, for which Congress has already authorized an expenditure of $50,000,000, the area south of the District Building has been charted off for new Federal buildings, just at the time that District ol phasizing before the ( mittee the need for pansion of District government hous- ing. The Gibson subcommittee promptly indorsed a plan for erection of a municipal group to meet this need, which it will support at the com- ing session of Congress. Problem Has Developed. In connection with the Federal building program a very serious prob- lem has developed as to where the work of the income tax unit, now oc- cupying temporary war buildings be- tween Fourteenth and Fifteenth | streets, at B, can be housed while the new Internal Revenue Building, which will eventually house them and the new Commerce Building to go up on the site they now occupy are being erected. For expansion of the District Gov- ernment activities, the acquisition of the Southern Railway Headquarters bullding has been recommended. This is just east of the present District Building and is a modern office buil ing. It 1s not, however, sufficient large to accommodate the District nc- tivities that would have to find a new home when the Federal program gets underway. The meet this double situation it fs now proposed that the present District Building be turned over to indepen- dent offices, or some other small unit of the Federal service—possibly the Labor Department. It is proposed also that the Southern Railway Building could be used for Federal activities that need a temporary home during the building process. It is proposed that since the Far- mers’ Market and the Wholesale M ket have to move anyhow, now is tha logical time for the retail mar also to be moved, especlally these commissions’ are agreed that eventually the market site must be surrendered, as a retail market is not in harmony with the planned develop- ment of beautiful Federal buildings. Mr. Moore pointed out today to the | Gibson subcommittee that the District government should be dignified with " (Continued on Page 7, Column 3.) necessitate