Evening Star Newspaper, December 6, 1926, Page 1

WEATHER. (U, 8. Weather Fair, continued imum temperature 22 degrees; tomor- row increasing cloudiness, not so cold, probably followed Highest, 30, at 5, at 8 a.m. today. Closing N. Y. Stocks and Bonds, Page 14 No. D016, Suieed as e Bureau Forecast.) cold tonight: min- by rain at night. noon today; lowest, . Full report page 9. Entered as second class matter shington, D. C. CONGRESS OPENS; | WALSH LAUNCHES ATTACK ON GOULD Montanan Asks Investigation of Charges Maine Senator Bribed Canadian Official. LARGE CROWDS PRESENT AS NEW TERM BEGINS Galleries Packed With Visitors as The front-foot method of assess- ment for street improvement, as pro- vided by the Borland amendment, was condemned today by Court of Appeals in an opinion by Justice Josiah H. Van Orsdel, in which the decree of the District Su- preme Court was reversed and a &pe- cial essment of $6.112.25 was quashed. The appeal had been taken by William G. Johnson; Edward J. Stellwagen and Charles W. Richard- son, trustees, who held title to a tract 0ld Acquaintancts Are Re- | newed on Floors. | i i entered | The Sistyninth Congress its last lap at noon today. In the s the fireworks de- | weloped almost immediately, interrupt- inz what was expected to be a quiet | and routine opening session. An attack on the new Senator from Maine, Arthur R. Gould, Republican, was launched by Senator Walsh of Montana, Democrat. Senator Walsh presented a resolution, while Senator Gould stood at the desk waiting to be aworn in, requesting the committee | on privileges and elections to_investi-, gate charges made by a Canadian | judge that Semator Gould several Years ago had bribed with §100,000 a former premier of the province of | ate New Brunswick. | Senator Walsh pressed for action on his resolution immediately. Senator Moses of New Hampshire, Republican, promptly made the point that under the rules of the Senate the resolution must lie over until tomorrow. H Gould Is Sworn In. That ended the incident for today. Benator Gould was sworn in along ther newly elected Senators. Walsh resolution asking for an ation of Senator Gould will be adopted, it was predicted by Senator Moses after the Senate had adjourned today. “It will not be adopted without some debate, however,” commented Senator Moses. “As I understand it there will be no opposition to an investigation. Senator Gould, I am sure, will have none. The charges were made during the campaign in Maine, and Senator Gould replied to them at that time. Senator Walsh said that he would press for action on his resolution to- morrow. If the resolution be adopted as it is expected, the committee on privileges and elections will investi- gate the charges and determine what course shall be followed. Senator Walsh pointed out that under the terms of the Constitution, the Senate i= the judge of the qualifications of its members, but that there has been a difference of opinion among Sena- tors as to how far the Senate might go. Qualifications for Senator. The qualifications of the Senator ss specified in the Constitution are that he must be a citizen of the United States, must have resided in the United States for at least nine years, and must be 30 years of age. Some Senators have held that the Senate could not inquire into other qualifications than these. Other Sen- ators have insisted that the Senate could properly inquire into other qualifications of a new Senator pre- senting himself. i The committee, also, should it find sgainst Senator Gould, would have to | determine whethe: to | reject him on his L would seek to expel him. To reject fm as not being qualified, in the opinion of Nenator Walsh, would re- quire only a majority vote. To expel him, on the other hand, under the term of tne Constitution would re quire a two-thirds vote. j Senator Walsh's resolution took Republicans and Democrats alike by surprise. Only a few Senators been acquainted with the fact that | he proposed to offer the resolution. | Some of those who knew of it had derstood that it was to be offered tomorrow and not hefo Senator Gould took the oath of office. i In some quarters the introduction of the Walsh resolution was interpre- ted as a determination on the part of Democratic Senators to keep alive the slush fund and corruption issue which they hawe ralsed against a number of “Republican candidates for Senate. T both houses today newly eclected members took the oath of office, after quorums had been developed. Com-| | i a the | mittees were appointed to wait on the President to inform him that Con was veady for business and awaited any communications he had to make. After transacting this business the | Senate adjourned out of respect to the memory of the late Senators Cum- mins of lowa and Fernald of Maine. The galleries of both Senate and House were crowded with visitors, anxious to see the opening of the session. President Coolidge’s annual me sage to Congress, including his rec- ommendations for legislation, will be transmitted tomorrow, and on Wed- nesday Le will send to the Capitol his hudget < and the accompany- | ing budzct the fiscal vear 1928. ! The messages will be read to Senate | and House by their clerks. | The House is prepared to go ahead t week with the first of the annu.l appropriation bills to come irom committea on appropriations, the Post | Office and Treasury bill. The Senate may get to work on Muscle Shoals, beginning tomorrow. If this measure s not taken up. then a bill to estab- Jish a new bureau. a Bureau of Pro- hibition Enforcement, may be called s had | L accora: i the | parently | that of 46 acres on the south side of Rhode Island avenue between Brent- wood road and Fifteenth street nmorth- east and who sued the District Com- missioners to quash the special as- sessment against the property. The appellate court distinguishes between assessments by front foot for the laying of water mains, sewers and like improvements, which was upheld by that court in the Parsons case, and the special assessment by that metlod the District | | tion of the burden of a general im- | £ WITH SUNDAY MORNING Enmoug Star. WASHINGTON, D. C., MONDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1926—FORTY-FOUR PAGES. FRONT-FOOT LEVY FOR PAVING QUASHED BY APPEALS COURT :Improvemcnts Benefit All and All Should‘ Pay Equally, Judge Holds in Rhode Islancl Avenue Case. | i | under a“general statute such as the Borland amendment. “The front-foot method of assess- ment,” says Justice Van Orsdel, “for street improvement, under a general statute, is condemned specially on the theory that it taxes the individual property fronting on the improvement for all or a fixed portion of the ex- pense, to the exemption of all other proeprty in the municipality. It is not a local improvement beneficial chiefly to the immediate property affected, but a public improvement, the expense of which should bes: borne by all the property of the com- ! munity on an equal proportionate basis, “To this tax all or an unequal por- | provement' against the property of a ! gle person or a group of persons, | to the exemption of tho public gener | falls ‘within the constitutional | tion_forbidding the _taking of i (Continued on Page 2, Column 5. GERMANY TO INSIST ALLIED CHECK END | Wants Military Control Ter- minated—League of Nations Council Opens Sessions. By the Associated Press. GENEVA, December 6-Germany will make a determined effort before her delegates leave Geneva to secure a definite agreement upon an early date for cessation of the interallied control. declaration was made to the Associated Press today by a membgr of the German delegation at the end of the first meeting of the for 1 session of the League of Natlons Counell. Bitterness among the German peo- ple over the interallied control is steadily growing, the spokesman con- tinued, and the question must be reckoned with as even moré impor- tant that that of reducing the army of occupation in the Rhineland. Moreover, Germany will insist upon modification of the project to invest the League with the right to inves. tigate German armaments, which it is expected will be substituted for the interallied control. Session Is Short. The council convened at 11:45 am., under the chairmanship of Foreign Minister Vandervelde of Belgium, and, after disposing of routine matters, ad- journed until afternoon. It was deemed significant that Ior- eign Minister Stresemann of Germany did not insist, as was expectad, upon immediate discussion of the plan for investigation of German armaments by the League. He thus created the impression that he hopes to secure concessions in the private conversations which will be pursued outside the council. Iailing to get what he wants there, he un- doubtedly will push the mattes pub- liely in the council Dr. Stresemann’s particular com- plaint is that there still are 80,000 allied troops in the Rhineland and that the allies continue to insist on interallied control of German arma- ment: Germany's potential Dbased on her great popuiation and the : of German manhood s ‘alleged military lines, still is v to the allies, particu- The French deem the t issue is her se- fble future German Stresemann 15 ap- larly France. supreme question uinst pos a Dr. r is abandoned. the Reich government may lose the backing which has been unreservedly given it by the various political groups in the Reichstag. For the foment, elaboration of the “ranco-German ecopomic and financial which their inception at ent Thoiry discussions, ap- has been relegated to the background, pending an agreement on the problems of security, evacuation and military control. Seven Foreign Ministers. The question whether there is to be reconciliation between the European powers is believed to depend on the outcome of the present session of the League Council. Seven foreign min- isters are in Geneva for the sessi and it is possible that secret confer- ences between them may be held out- side the council chamber in an en- deavor to ameliorate the present situa- tion. In addition to Dr. Stresemann, the ministers are M. Briand, France; Sir Austen Chamberlain, Great Britain; M. Vandervelde, Belgium; M. Zaleski, Poland; Dr. Eduard Benes, Czecho- slovakia, and Jonkheer van Karne- beek, Holland. It is doubtful if Premler Mussolini of Italy comes to Geneva, but it is thought possible Dr. Stresemann may make a trip to Italy after the council session has ended. = Fall-Sinclair Piea In Oil Case Refused up for consideration, or the Geneva gas protocol, in cxecutive session of | e Senate. The American Legion is | fizhting this protocol actively, and its | ncceptance by the United State: | The Senate v was practically | ed when \ esident Dawes | ught down his gavel promptly at | The hum of whispered conver- which had been going on came ued on Page 7, Column 4.) ROBBERS GET $50,000, BLOWING THREE SAFES| ol Press { December | was obtained who blew (hree & Man Assou s PAUL More than three men Sehuenemann by De- hers worked for fou two watchmen and them to make his rounds to “pull bells. LY By Supreme Court The Government’s oil counsel won another point in their long legal battle today when the Su- preme Court refused to grant H: F. Sinclair and Albert B. Fall any relfef from the criminal proceedings pending against them. These proceedings are somewhat similar to the case against Fall and Edward L. Doheny, now on trial here, except that in the Sin- clair case the lease involvad that by which the Sinclair inter- sts took over Teapot Dome. When Owen J. Roberts, Govern. nt prosecutor. was adv war strength, | hensive that unless allled control | i OIL TRIAL EVIDENCE STARTLES JAPAN May Seriously Injure Wash- ington Relations—Leaders to Probe 1921 Situation. BY J. RUSSELL KENNEDY. By Cable to The Star and Chicago Daily News. Copyright. 1026, TOKIO, December 6. vears has the public here, both Jap- anese and foreign, been so startled as by the reports. cabled here from Washington giving details of the dis-| closures during the Doheny trial. ‘The Japanese nation has been pro- foundly shocked, Secretar: the witnesses against disclosur: official admissions of the existence ¢f a “war seaic” in Washington as the result of a report by the admiral of the United States Asiatic Fleet, stat- ing that Japan had ordered mobiliza- tion, are now taken here as proof either that the Japanese army and naval authorities actually secretly planned war, or that official Wash- ington was duped by vicious propa- ganda. nse Deepest Concern. When the outline of the Doheny de- tense plea was first cabled it was dis- missed as an absurdity or as evidence | of the desperation of the accused ofl | magnate. But the latest disclosures, published throughout Japan this morning, have been received with deepest concern as calculated more seriously to injure relations between the United States and Japan than even the exclusion act. Leaders of all ranks are considering | | 1 i i { | concerted action with a view to dis. covery and exposure of the exact situ- ation existing in 1921. Act of Vandal One of the most prominent persons in Japun said to this correspondent this morning: “I am convinced that| the evidence actually developed by | witnesses or resulting from interpre- tation of officfal silence is based upon wicked fabrications. “It is the duty of the American and Japanese governments to lay before the public the exact situation in 1921, together with the original source of the report that Japan ordered mobili- zation for war with Ameri The | whole thing is an act of vandalism against the structure of good under- standing carefully erected in recent SUBMARINE RAISE URGED. Wilbur Asks Increase of Maxi- mum Additional Pay. Legislation to increase from $15 to 430 the maximum additional monthly pay for submarine enlisted crews was recommended to the House naval com- mittee today by Secretary Wilbur, Navy regulations which would ac- company enactment of the bill, Secre- tary Wilbur advised the committee, would permit greater pay distinctions between various classes of submarine personnel and differentiate between dockside and cruising duty in relation | to bonuses for hazardous duties. i “THE GIRL IN THE SECOND CABIN” By E. J. RATH Author of “The Nervous | Wreck,” etc. i Billy Trask was hired to be sick. | | And for a while he enjoyed the sea voyage he was taking in place of bis old college chum. But how could he stay in that silly wheelchair when The Girl in the Second Cabin was waiting for a dance? | You'll love the romance—and || the humorous situations in ou} { latest serial, which starts in Tomorrow’s Star | {then Mr. Roberts as ! fense ‘and the security of the P Ltnis idea before the jury 20 MILLION PROFIT FORU. S. IN DOHENY| DEAL, SAYSROBISON Would Have “Done Lots” Had| He Known Magnate Ex- pected $100,000,000. QUESTION ABOUT FALL $100,060 LOAN BLOCKED Government Charges Defendants Ignored Arms Parley to Push Own Project. Testifying that if he had known Edward L. Doheny had predicted a profit for himself of $100,000,000 out | of the lease of the naval oil réserves “there are a lot of things I would have done,” Capt. J. K. Robison, U. s, retired, principal_witness' for the defense in the Fall-Doheny con. spiracy trial, declared, however, | under cross-examination by Govern- ment counsel this afternoon that the Navy would realize more than $50,- 000,000 out of the contract with the Pan-American Petroleum and Trans- port Co. 7 TuRes In the closing minutes of his cros examination of the witness, which he- gan shortly after court convened this SR 1,'5.".\'522..15'(x.’i‘"'\‘\ii{.':mNG []l: R“MAN‘A GOES UNDER KNIFE ness if he had heard Doheny predict | that his concern would make $100,-| 000,000 out of the leass if obtained on naval oil reserve No. 1. Fall Loan Taken Up. 1 The witness replied he did not know wf that forecast, and when asked if he - had, what he would have done, Capt. Robison replied: “There are a lot of things I would have done.” Mr. Roberts, however, did not pur: sue the question further, but sought to find out what Capt. Robison, Secretary Denby's special representi- tive in the oil lease negotiations. d have donc if he had known Do- | had loaned Albert B. Fall, Sec. | By the Assoc | v of the Interior, $100,000. De-| BUCHAREST, Rumania, December | fense objected, and Justice Hoehling | ¢.—King Ferdiand today underwent :\ur-)n‘»‘x!dt|:):‘l.ulx)rfh:,‘:, the witness to an-!an operation shortly after the return | an opportunity to get back to the 100:000.000 profit shery ot Dahem | nounced that the operation was most | and he testified he would not have | suceessful. sold it unless “we got it, too." Mr | The operation was not a dangerous | Roberts told him this would be im- |{one. ~His physicians said the King bussible, but the witness declared, | would be able to leave his bed within | o w a iot yet. 1 think we Wiyt more tnan $30,000,000. The King for some time has heen ernment's profit from the transac. | suffering from what has been diag- tion, but his answer was lost in a Slli Hy oo by "RoBaEts . sMIeEne! fie || 0N Lt \was chisfy DeGiuse) ot Ly e R ntion ot DS ni's | fllness and the constant stream of re pointed Robison to ook after the oil | gusness of his condition that Queen matters for the Navy. Marie cut short her tour of the United | That quotation ws “The matter |! of lease is danger Oil'is fuil of anything to do_ with it Robison r called Denby haviug suid this and | | Operation, Performed Soon After Marie’s Return, Suc- | cessful, Doctors Say. Press a Meets Queen at Station. i King Ferdinand met her at the s tion W 1 aturd: His phy nece seemed then anything but r but he walked without difficulty, and certainly did not appear to be a man in immediate | danger of death. i Only yesterday a medical bulletin was issued over the signatures of six prominent doctors that the King was improving and indicated, in fact, that i he was convalescent. The correspondent who accom- panied Marie to Bucharest from the Jugoslavian frontier failed to note | any particular enthuslasm over her | eturn, but the failure of the train to | un on schedule and the several {inches of snow on the ground may | | huve heen responsible for this ! Circles close to the country’s leaders | { ridicule reports that there is any | threatening change in dynastic af- They say this is a remote ph: and even remoter possible, but the witness declared, a,few da He hegan to fizure out the Gov- nosed as rectosigmoidal affec- maze of argument, which was on October 18, 1921, when he ap-{ports coming from abroad of the seri- Denby’s Words Quoted. { States and hastened back to her capi- dynamite and 1 don't want to have ed: “But he did have something to do! with it later, didn't he?” The witness replied: ! “He did, and I am proud of it.” Among the advantages named by Capt. Robison in his unsuccessful attempt to show Mr. Roberts thal Navy would get more than $50,000,000 profit in return for the Doheny con- tract were: Storage of 3,500,000 bar rels of ofl in Hawaii; purchase Dy | the Government of oil from Doheny’s company a price 10 per cent cheaper than any one else could offe and storage of oil in New York that doebn't cost anything, and “where we cannot buy the land Meanwhile the court decided against holding a night session this evening. Roberts, when Robison returned to | the stand at the opening of court this morning, emphasized to the jury | that while the arms limltation confer- ence was being held here in 1921 and negotiations for the settlement of af; fairs in the Pacific had been or were in process of consummation, Secretary Country Called Content. | The country, they ave perfectly sonfent, and any attempt to over- i throw the regime would meet with the | immediate opposition of the nation. | Denby, Robison and Doheny ignored | = Mention of Carol's name in official the proceedings and sought to develop | cireles brings smiles. He does not their own plans for the national de- aken seriously by those | cific | close to powe | Coast. { Queen Marie thinks she left in the Mr. Roberts' opportunity to place | American people “something of the ame when | soul of Rumania.” In a statement tired® | through the newspaper Universul, she savs: “The enthusiasm with which I was {received during my denm-e Jgurnf‘) nd Wilton J. Lambert, attor- | throughout the United States by the ;{:fli o the defendants, had exam-|great American people proved _that ined him directly for a few minutes Rumania and my people enjoy whole- after court convened this morning. | hearted sympathy and complete con- Wi - deration in the New World. Attuck On “War Scare. T merely the symbol of Rumania, The cross-examination about the !g.q) ‘that the reception given was not arms conference was undertaken DY {for me personally, but for my country. Mr. Roberts with the view of dispel- | Feeling that I left'in the great, hos- ling the “war scare,” which has been pitable, free American people, some- ralsed at the trial. Defense counsel,!thing of the soul of Rumania, and in opening statements, had told thethat I sowed in the hearts of this jury that the fuel storage tank proj-great nation a generous thought for ect in Hawaii was the direct result|my own country and people, I am of confidential advices received from 'most thankful and proud.” Robison, now a captain on the rel list and a principal defense witness.; was turned over to the Government, for cross-examination after Frank J. Governor Operating Table to Keep Argentine Job By the As<oefated Press. BUENOS AIRES, December 6. -Learning as he lay on an oper- ing table, ready to undergo a surgical operation that he was to deposed as Governor of the Provinee of Jujuy, Gov. Villafane hurriedly left the table. went to the station and took a train for home. There i be a constitutionl provision in Argentina that a governor who ever; “From Press to Home Within the Hour” The Star's carrier system covers city block and the reguiar edi- tion is delivered to Washington homes as fast as the papers are printed. saturday’s Circulation, 99,679 unday’s Circulation, 110,981 WO CENTS. ILLECAL SPENDING BARED BY WCARL Report Urges Sweeping Reorganization. g that millions of = expended illegally under the present system, which “tends to dollars is without legal authorization remain away from post stated period auton loses his position. The Leg of Jujuy had granted Senor Villa- fane a short leave of to come to Buenos Alres for an opera tion. Just as he had placed himself in the hands of the surgeons, he received an urgent message from a friend at home, telling him that a majority of the members of the Legislature intended to apply the precept if he did not return on scheduled time. UTILITIES BOARD t over ically ature absence BILL ADVANGES Signed by House Speaker, Measure Is Ready to Go to President Tommorow. The new Publ Utilities Con sion bill, the first piece of District legislation to be enacted in the ses. sion of Congress that opened today, is scheduled to go to the President for his signature tomorrow it has been signed by the Vice President This measure, which was favol | acted upon by both House and in the closing hours of the last ses- sion in engrossed form, was signed to day Ly the Speaker of the House, but 100 late for the Vice President’s signa- ture, us the Senate had adjourned be- fore it could be delivered to that hody. This measure provides for a new public utilities commission distinct from the present Board of Commissioners, who have acted as Public Utilities Commission, but with the Engineer Commissioner spécified as a member of the new commission. The other two members are to be civilians, to be appointed by the Presi- dent, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The bill also carries a provision for a people’s counsel. Funds Not Available. As this commission is not vet in existence, no funds are available for the salaries of the two new Commis- sioners and the people’s counsel, nor are estimates for this commission for < e (Continued on Page 6, Column 4.) Admiral Gleaves of the Asiatic Fleet 10 the effect that Japan was mobiliz- ing for an attack on the Phillipines and Hawaii. Robison, under direct examination, had alluded to this fact, but omitted direct reference to any nation only as a compromise after he had been | ordered by Secretary Wilbur not to | reveal any confidential information in | 3 his festimony obtained while he was| strumentality like ‘an automobile in_the active naval service. | knowingly puts that instrumentality Mr. Roberts, without a word of |in the immediate control of a care- warning as to that he was about to|less and reckless driver, sits by his discuss, and after he had laid the|side and permits him, without pro- foundation by questioning the witness | test, so recklessly and negligently to at length on the negotiations late in | operate the car as to cause the degth 1921 and early in 1922 for construc.|of another, he is as much responsible tion of fuel storage tanks at Pearl|as the man at the wheel. Harbor, Hawaii, opened up a barrage| Justice Charles H. Robb made this of questions concerning the interna-|statement today in rendering the tional conference. He asked the wit- | gpinion of the District Court of Ap- nges If he knew such a conference | peals, sustaining the conviction of was sitting here: the date the treaty | Vernon S. Story, who was declared was signed by the delegates, the rati-' by a jury to be guilty with James fication of it, by the Senate and thei('Connor of involuntary manslaughter general facts surrounding the settle- in causing the death of Charles F. ment of affairs in the Pacific. To all|Jarvis by running him down with of thesé questions the witness replied | an automobile. The tragedy occurred that he did, but said nothing ruuhm-iin Keanes lane northeast early in “If the owner of a dangerous in- ok o > the morning of November 16, 1924. (Continued on Page 5. Column 2) [giory and O'Connor werc each sen- I tenced to serve five vears in the peni- | tentiary. Story sought to evade punishment by claiming that while the car be- longed to him he had surrendered , the wheel to O'Connor hefore Jarvis was run down. The evidence showed ! ARRESTS EX-SHERIFF. MARION, 1Il, December 6 (#).— | One of the first official acts of Oren Coleman, after he took office sieriff of Williamsen County tos was 1o arrest Geogge Galligan, rat ing sheriff, on a gharge of murder- heen drinking, when they saw Jarvis, ,that both Story and O'Connor had | Charles Wil a Ku Klux | under the influence of intexicants, Garage at Lier- : und invited him to ride. |Owner in Car as Responsible as Wild ‘ Driver, Says Court, Upholding Conviction lane and all alighted from the car, where Jarvis was robbed of a watch and a small amount of money. Jar- vis then started to walk up the-lane and the accused men entered the car. Story surrendered the wheel to O'Connor to operate the car along the narrow roadway, where Jarvis was staggering. The car was being operated at more ! than 20 miles an hour when it struck Jarvis, it was stated. Commenting {on this, Justice Robb says: “If a jury cannot find criminal care- lessness from such conduct it is diffi- cult to percelve what conduct would justify such a finding.” Story knew that O'Connor was drunk and that only the most care- ful driver could avoid hitting Jarvis, vet turned over the running”of the automobile to him, Justice Robb states: The appellate court finds there was no abuse of discretion by the trial court in refusing to grant a separate trial when requested by Story, as the joint character of the acts of O'Con- nor and Story rendered a joint trial peculiarly appropriate. and a sever- ance might have resulted in a mis- carriage of justice. The Government was represented by Assistant United States Attorneys and O'Leary, both &t the trial District | weaken control by law and to encour- sregard of limitations and dire by Congress, Controller G 'ral of the United States McCarl tod commended to Congress a sweeping tion of the whole Federal machine so as to take dis- officers entirely from under utluence of the “spending agen- arl pointed out that the stupen- é(lnn\‘ illegal payments which he has ught up result largely because the | spending agencies have control of the | dishursing clerks and are in a position { to dizobey the directions of Congress | as contained in the law for the expen- #1ede; P modify or r | tion of the remaining i!hr | Controller General’s Annual! 1 { the Tast | The me EQUITABLE FISCAL - RELATIONS ARE AIM OF COMMISSIONERS Traction Merger Legislation Also Urged in Annual Re- port to Congress. BORLAND LAW CHANGE IS ALSO RECOMMENDED Removal of Present Price Limit on Acquiring Land for City Is Advocated to Lawmakers. Enactment of legislation that wil! place the fiscal relations between the 1 and District Government on anent and equitable busis and » bring about a merger of the ailway systems is urged by the Commissioners in ther an nual port, transmitted to the pital today with the convening The Commmi peal for 1 street r District . ia_addition, ap that will eithe e Borland Low yeln costs of road pay author ving tive to ing. that w d will permit the reconstruetion of bridges now In poor condition or un suitable for modern traffic. Attention also was called to the “necessity” of repealing the preseut price limitation governing the i tion of land for school s playground purposes. Unless this re striction is removed, the Commission ers declared, efforts of those wi are endeavoring to plan and develon National Capital “will be I pered, if not nullitied Achi ients of Year. amon, chievements of vear ze of the bill new and sej Public pmmission. the Commi; ut recommended that this measure made a law as soon as possible sure passed both houses of zress on the final day of the 3 on, but was not engrossed o1 signed. he appropriations for the past sal year were in general more ade for any previous Inited States entered | : ar,” said the report of ithe Commissioners. “As a conse | quence, many public improvements Lis {nave been in progre “The five-year school building pro gram is well under way. The new water supply system is nearing com | pletion. ~ Material progress has heen ! made in the installation of new street lights in accordanco with a plan ap { proved for the whole District. Consid | erable improvement has been made in the condition of downtown streets an diture of appropriations. He recommends strongly that Con- gress establish a centralized disburs- ing system and separate the disbur: ing clerks from the spending agenci In support of this recommendation, he states that such a centralized di ng system would not only reduce the huge total of illegal payments con- tantly being made by more than 1,000 disbursing clerks scattered through- out the continental United States alone, but would result in a large sav- !ing in salaries by reducing the number of disbursing clerks to approximately 0. Huge Tllegal Payments. ! Enough illegal payments we; lected last vear by the genera counting ofiice, the Controller Gen- eral reported, almost to pay the com- bined les and expenses of his en- tire office force of 1,965 employes. He | sent to the Department of Justice for | suit illegal payments of more than | £8,000,000 made by these same spend- | ing agenciesx, and repurted that illegal | payments of nearly $300,000,000 r main in the general accounting office | to_Dbe collected or dismissed as un- - | collectable, | “The effectiveness of our pr | counting system:” he said, { impaired by the ine ng of spending agenc means their administrative ot over dis but sing of! %, to effect payments not authorized by law, relying upon the Congress to grant relief to the disburs- ing officer when credit for the illegal payments is disallowed in the settle- ment of his accounts. “Under existing law the accounting officy ‘e no equity jurisdiction. and if they should ever conceive it their duty or prerogative to ‘supply the deficlencies of legislation,” as is occasionally urged upon them, by arbi- trarily expanding the law so as to permit payments not authorized by law, the constitutional control of the Congress would be further weakened, Legislation is a function exclu- sively for the Congress. sent being tendency thinks wise, and it is the clear duty of the accounting officers to enforce the laws as enacted, so far as they re- late to receipts and expenditures of public, funds.” Strong System Needed. Congress is reminded by its chtef accounting officer that it cannot retais 3, Column 2) S A NAME FITS JAY WALKER. Cambridge, Mass., Boy, 4, Run Down by Automobile, CAMBRIDGE, Mass., December § P)—Jay Walker was nursing a scratched nose today as preof that his name was not in vain. Neither police warnings of the dangers that (Continued on Page prevented him from being struck by an_automobile. Jay is a 4-yearold North Cam- bridge youngster. N Christmag is coming the time to shop and save time - | trash It may make | the law as liberal or as illiberal as it | its_constitutional control over public | beset him nor his mother’s vigilance | scveral streets have been widencd, bu { we stfil have over 700,000 square vards of street paving over 30 vears old. The | construction of permanent building: | at the Distriet workhouse and reform atory is going ahead and the building construction at the new District tra {ing school is progressing satisfactori | Traffic conditions have been improved by the installation of traffic lights and the public is becoming accustomed I to the new regulations. Private build {ing construction in the District ex i ceeded all previous records, and as o | consequence appropriations for many | purposes. such as water and sewer !main extensions, suburban roads | street cleaning, garbage, ash and collection, playgrounds and street trees have sufficed to | maintain the standards of service here tofore furnished. Notable in the legislation beneficial ! to the District enacted at the first s | sion of the Sixtyninth Congress wer | the act creating the National Capital iP nd Planning Commission and the act creating the Board of Publi Welfare.” Record of Receipts. The veport pointed out that the casl receipts of the District for the I r. ended June 30, amounted made up as | Revenue of the District and miscellaneous sources, 8054 unount transferred to inues of the District by the United { States, $5,000.006. The collections ifrom taxes on real estate, the report ! showed, amounted to $14,352,605.44 collections from taxes on persona property, including taxes on gross arnings and receipts of public utili | ties, banks and building associations and on gross receipts of street railway | companies, $3,359,602.88, and collec tions from taxes on_intangible per | sonal property 4. Collec ions from neous , gources amounted to $2.765,253.82. b The cash expenditures for lhe fis | cal year from appropriations. the re port said, amounted to $29,869.450.16, classified as follows: General government, Protection of life 1$5.562.487.90. Health and sanitation, $3,078,930.70. Highways, $2.805,5 Charities ane $3,439,. 084.68. Education, $10.153,548.04. Recreation. $1,482,093.84. Miscellaneous, $123,776.94. Public service enterprises, 1008.40. Interest and debt, deduction on ac count of repayment in excess of ex penditure, $121,766.94. The assessed value of land, the Con missioners pointed out, was $402,84% 046, while the assessed value of im provements amounted to $497.901.796 or a total of $900,749,842. Againsi this assessment a rate of $1.70 w levied, making the tax $15,312,747. Comparing the value of the assess ments with the preceding year. the report showed that land and bullding= { were assessed for $819.625,572, which jat a rate of $1.40 gave a tax of $11,474,758. Insurance Laws Needed. Urging the need for new insurance | legislation, the report declared thut i the lack of up-to-date insurance laws | has caused a number of companies 1., |locate elsewhere. “‘Hartford, Conu.. | With a population of less than 150,000, {1t said, “has life insurance companics | alone domiciled there represeneing as sets of more than $760,000,000, not | mentioning the large fire, casualty and surety companfes also having their home offices in that city.” The Commissioners referred to the | amendment to the organic laws of the Public Library, which has removed | several obstacles that stood in the way | of speedy development of Washing ton’s Public Library service. Touchinx upon other beneficial library legisla- !lhon. the report said that {n the future the questi | $1,344.700.6% and property, $2,001