Evening Star Newspaper, December 15, 1926, Page 1

WEATHER. (U. S. Weather Snow or rain thi: night and probably tomorrow. Colder tomorrow. Temperature—H yesterday; lowest, Full report on page 9. Closing N. Y. Stocks and Bonds, Page 14 Entered as seco: No. 30,178. post office, Was Bureau Forecast.) s afternoon and to- ighest, 49, at 2 p.m. 29, at 5 a.m. today. nd class matter shington, D. C. b WASHINGTON, D. ¢ Foenin WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION C., WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9 15, 1926— + FALL-DOHENY FATE IN HANDS OF JURY: HOEHLING'S CHARGE . IS FINISHED AT 247 If Verdict Is Not Returned by | 10 0’Clock Tonight, Court Will Direct Deliberations Go Over Until Tomorrow. BITING WORDS FEATURE LAST DAY OF ORATORY T. S. and Defense Counsel Invoke Harding’s Memory From Differ- ent Angles—$100,000 Loan and | War Scare Figure in Final Fervid Appeals for Favorable Decision. The fate of Edward L. Doheny and Albert B. Fall, charged jointly with conspiracy to defraud the United States in connection with the ! lease of Government oil lands, rested jn the hands of the jury this after- noon. The case was turned over to the jury at 2:47 o'clock, following Jus- tice Adolph A. Hoehling's instruc- tions. The first hour of Justice Hoeh- ling's charge was given over to a discussion of the indictment which charges Albert B. Fall, former Sec- retary of the Interior, and Edward L. Doheny, 70-year-old oil magnate, with conspiracy to defratid the Gov- ernment in _connection with the California oil reserves. The indictment was then read, fol- lowing which the prayers granted to the defense and the Government also were presented to the jury. Justice Hoehling emphasized to the jurors that the indictment is merely a formal statement of a criminal charge and upon which defendants are tried. It is not to be used, he cau- tioned them, as proof of matters stated. Law Presumes Innocency. While the defendants stand before a jury .chas -“with @ crime,. .the court declared, the 1aw v them to be innocent and they remain as such unul-the jurors have been convinced as to their guilt beyond all | sonable doubt. F¥At the beginning of his charge Jus- tice Hoehling told them it was bis duty to place the law before them and it was the duty of the jury to ap- ply the law 1o the facts as it found them. He expressed appreciation to coun-| sel on both sides for the ('x»edmlrus‘ way in which they handled the vo- luminous testimony and emphasized the = commendable co-operation in agreeing to certal facts without | burdening the court and jury with | detailed proof. The court added, however, that no expression of ap- preciation concerning the conduct of the trial ‘would be complete if hej omitted cognizance of the close at- tention given by the jurors. He ad- mitted that parts of the testimony and evidence did not appeal quite as strongly to the human interest, but so far as the court observed the jurors never lagged in their duty. History of Naval Reserves. i Part of the evidence in the case,! Justice Hoehling said, concerns the| history of the naval reserves of Cali- fornia, and this is made up in the: main -of legislation by Congress and| Executive orders. He explained th meaning of the words “feloniously and “conspiracy,” as the law viewed it, and pointed out that only one overt act would be necessary to prove that | a_ conspiracy had been carried out. The indictment, he said, was divided | into four parts, as foliow: t, the | inducement of introduc parts; | second, the charge of the conspirac: third, the manner and means used by dants, and fourth, the sev- acts alleged to have been Throughout the reading of the| judge's charge Mr. Doheny sat with | his right hand cupped to his ear, while | Mr. Fall slouched down in his chair | gazing intently at the table before ! him the greater part of the time. From Taft to Harding. 1 The court called to the jury’s atten- tion the various legislative and execu- tive steps taken in connection with the res Vi from Jun 5, 1910, when President Taft issued his order per- mitting withdrawal of public lands for | government use down to May 31, 1921 when President Harding issued an ex- ecutive order placing the administra- | tion and conservation of oil in the reset\es in the Interior Department subject to ‘supervision by the Presi- dent Thereupon, Justice Hoehling said, in referri the terms in the indiet- ment, I assumed and undertook’ the administration and ion of the properties. The ned the period from July 1, cember 11, 1422, that the indictment The court as covered in informed the jdry it would be permitted to carry into the jury room a copy of the indictment but he explained sary to make the ument for the jur The last day of oratory the jurors experfenced was fraught with biting eriticism and sarcasm by both Gov ernment and defense counsel. Sand- wiched between Hogan and Pomerene | were Thompson and Lambert. The former declared that aiy ~med- blooded man in New Mexico was proud that Fall lied about transaction” and the latter took «a parting shot at Owen J. Roberts, Pomerene's col- league by asserting as long “Owen Roberts lives, the beloved Houdini_will never die.” Then Mr. Pomerene made a few ob- “{Continued on Page 4, Column 3.) Full report of Justice Hoeh- ling’s charge to the jury will be found on Poge 7. PRESIDENT SIGNS | as people’s counsel who has not been 1921, to De- | i as Special Dispatch to The Star. NEW YORK, December 15.—A cheap, simple and apparently abso- lute cure for drug addiction—that is America’s Christmas gift to humanity this year. Today new hope exists for 200,000 drug addicts in the United States alone through the genius of a Hungarian immigrant named A. S. Horovitz, A man of scaipels and test tubes, a miracle worker of the great white necromacy of biochemistry, in New York. A calm and professional report in the New York Medical Journal and Record, published today, carries the careful, scientific facts of the great- est curative device in humanity’s be half since Salvarsan. It says that 400 addicts in New York’s ho of mercy have been treated with *a so- lution of lipoids combined with non- specific proteins and water soluble vitamins” and that after administra- tions varying from 72 hours to three weeks they have gone about their businesses. Three of these 400 and of 200 more whose cases have not been formulated for the report have re- turned. One was a negress whose body was cured, but whose mind still believed that drugs furnished “a harmless way of getting a pleasant kick.” There was one other failure NEW CURE FOR DRUG HABIT PROMISES MUCH MEDICALLY Only 3 of 400 Who Have Comp]eted Treat- ment in New York Have Been Found to Revert to Old Weakness. in a desperate case, which may or may not have been the fault of the treatment, Fonr hundred addicts who began the treatments as nerve-wracked, tor- tured slaves, have left Welfare Island after a week or two their own men and women. After a day they achieved peaceful sleep; after two days or three days they ate heartily and the tension on drug-taunted nerves was released; after three day: or four days the craving for ‘“snow” or liquor or chloral had left them. At this time it has returned to only three of them—to none of these through a re , ignorant whim. T Lambert. former Amel s and Dr. ¥ dent of the Ameri rologic; sociation, men cable and authoritative reputation, stand behind the cautious announce- ment in the journal. During the past year they have observed the treatment of the 400 cases mentioned in the report in the New York Correctional Hos- pital on Welfare Island. In every respect the new treat- ment is so vastly superior to all pre- viously known methods. The cure called narcosan, is effective for evers type of addiction upon which it has been tested. Alcohol a vields , morphine, hyo: 2, Column 1.) ation, ney, pre of impec- UTILITIES MEASURE No Indications Given, How- ever, as to Who May Be Named to Fill Posts. The bill to create a new Public Utilities Commission for the District of Columbia became a law shortly be- fore noon today when President Cool- idge officially signed it. In affixing his signature to this act the President did so without making any comments. Neither did he give any indication that he has in mind those whom he will appoint to the commission. Since receiving this bill a week ago the President has been repre- sented as being displeased with cer- tain features of it, principally the lity - requ nt pf.those who af® to 4erve ofi the cornmission, but there has been little thought in the minds of those assoclated with the President that he would decline tc sign it. The President. however, be- fore reaching a decision, referred the: bill to the Attorney General for ex- ‘amination and it was immediately upon receipt of a report from the lat- ter today that the President signed the bill. Three On Commission. Under the provisions of this act the Public Utilities Commission will be made up of three commissioners, one of .whom will be the Engineer Com< missioner of the District of Columbia, and the other two to be elected from civil life. The salaries of the civilian members of this board will be $7,500. These salaries correspond to the one now received by the Engineer Com- missioner. The President will be called upon to appoint a people’s counsel, who shall represent and appear for the people of the District at all hearings of the commission and in all judicial proceedings involving the interests of users of public utilities products and services. This officer is to receive a salary of $6,000. According to the utilities act one of the two civilian members of the com- missions shall be appointed for a term of two years and the other for a term of three years. Their successors shall be appointed for three years each. A further stipulation is made in the act that no person shall be ap- pointed who has interests “\'olqnlarll\' or involuntarily, directly or indirectly in any public utility in the District and that “no person shall be appointed a bonafide resident of the District continuously for a period of four rs smmediately proceeding the ef- fective date of his appointment or who has not been engaged in the actuat practice of law before the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia for at least five years. Must Be Three-Year Residents. It is also specified in the bill that those appointed to the commission must have been residents of the Dis- trict at least three years prior to the appointment. It was this latter resi- ence requirement, and the stipulation regarding direct or indirect interest in public utilities that caused the President to express displeasure at the bill in its entirety. Lixcept the Engineer Commissioner, none of the members shall have out- side employment, thereby being re quired to give their full time to the functions of their office. of the commissioners shall constitute a quorum, and the commission itself man. a ot impair the right of th commissioners to exercise all the powers of the commission. It ig further stipulated that any investiga- tion, inquiry or hearing within the jurisdiction of the commission ma be held or made by any commissioner whose acts or orders, when approved by the commission, shall be deemed |45 be the order of the main bod 1t is provided in the bill that . sion shall remaining to adopt and publish rules and regu- {1ations for the administration of t}!e provisions under the law. TWO SHOT IN HOLD-UP. MODALE, Towa, December 15 (P). __Robert Sasserman, cashier of the Module Savings Bank, and Tony Juckson, who was passing the bank, Were shot and wounded during a hold- up of the bank by two or more men shortly after 9 a.m. today. A majority Will, by a majority vote, elect a chafr- | | The commission shall have the power | SNOW BEGINSHER TOLASTALLNEHT Thermometer Expected to Go as Low as 26, With Clear Tomorrow. Snow or rain is in the balance this afternoon and tonight, it was said at the Weather Bureau. ' It started snowing just before noon and bad weather is likely to continue all night, clearing up tomorrow morning. The thermometer is expected to go as low as 26. Last night it only went to 29, not quite so low as had been expected. A very bad snowstorm is not in sight in the vicinity of Washington. WARMER IN CHICAGO. Farther Rise in 'hmperltmv’h— pected Tomorrow. CHICAGO, December 15 (P).—A slight modification today from the widespread cold wave and a further rise in temperature Thursday have been promised by weather forecast- ers, but with the unheartening post- seript that even with moderation the mercury will be considerably below normal for the season. The front of the cold wave, which swirled down from Alaska and moved rapidly across the country, has reached the north Atlantic States and the South, but in a modified form, although temperature drops of 20 to 30 degrees were not unusual in those areas. Severe in Wide Area. The cold has continued, however, with marked severity in the Nortl west, where temperatures last mid- night ranged from 10 to 20 degrees below zero over a wide area. West- ern Canada likewise continued in the grip of one of the most sustained cold spells in many years, with the mercury sinking to 35 degrees below in some place: A 60-mile gale, which blew snow and mist from the freezing regions of Thunder Bay, held 15 to 20 grain- laden steamers at anchor within seven miles ‘of Port Arthur, Ontario. The Lake Shippers' Clearance Agm)clnfln‘n Town Get Reprieve From Butcher’s Ax By the Associated Press. BUCHAREST, December 15.—For saving the village of Crajowa from destruction by fire, a flock of geese condemned to slaughter for Christ- mas is to live until New Year at least. At night the owner was awak- ened by frantic cackling. He hur- rled to the poultry yard. The birds refused to be quieted. Looking in the direction in which the geese were craning their necks, the own- er discovered a bright glow over a distant farmhouse. Soon flames burst forth. The alarm was sounded and the building was saved. The peasants are certain that because of the prevailing gale all of Crajowa might have been destroyed but for the warning of the geese. £. 0. P. SENATORS WARN SMITH NOT 10 AGCEPT SEAT Appointment by Governor Would Force Extra Ses- sion, Leaders Fear. LONG “SLUSH” DEBATE WOULD DELAY PROGRAM Senator-Elect and Gov. Small Both Are Silent on Plans After Watson's Call. By the Associated Press. Senate Republican leaders today warned Frank L. Smith, Senator-elect from Illinols, not to accept the ap- pointment to fill the seat left vacant by the late Semator McKinley of Illinots, if it were tendered him. A resolution, introduced by Senator Dill, Democrat, Washington, already is pending in the Senate which would disavow Smith as a Senator-elect. Other Democrats have declared they would resist his assumption of off because of disclosures brought out by the Senate campaign funds investigat- ing committee which inquired into the Tllinols primaries. Long Fight Feared. Republican leaders have expressed the hope that nothing should be done in appointing a_successor to Senator McKinley which would plunge the Senate into a long fight over the cam- palgn funds issue while important leg- islation is waiting. Senator Watson, Republican, of In- diana, a personal friend of Smith, urged him today by long-distance tele- phone, not to accept the grounds that such action might forc a special session of the Senate. The action was prompted by re- ports that Smith is determined to accept the appointment if offered in order to present his side of the story of campaign expenditures. Republican leaders are prepared, however, to move for an immediate vote on the seating of Smith if he is appointed in an effort to forestall a long fight on the question. They are not hopeful that he would be seated if a vote should be taken immediately. . Verifies Watson Call. DWIGHT, 11, December 15 (#).— Senator-elect Frank L. Smith today verified information from Washing- ton that Senator James E. Watson of | | Indiana, Republican Senate leader, had urged him in a telephone con: | versation- not to accept -appointment to the seat made vacant by the death m-B: njey, Re: publican, but he’ declined to say whether 1t would weigh in his declsion in_the matter, It is conceded by friends of Smith | and Gov. Len Small that Smith may have the appointment it he desires it, and Smith’s frequent conversations with the governor have indicated his inclination to accept it. The outcome of the deliberations, Smith said, could hardly result an- nouncement of McKinley's successor “today or tomorrow.” Delay in mak- ing the appointment was regarded as an indigation that the governor and the Senator-elect are considering every angle of the situation, but there was no intimation that Smith has con- cluded to decline the seat, and he re- fused specifically today to say that he had taken such a course, or that he would take it. Governor Is Silent. SPRINGFIELD, IIl, December 15 P).—Gov. Len Small today declared he was ‘“not talking about the ap- pointment of a United States Sen- ator.” Informed of the warning sent Frank L. Smith, Senator-elect, by Republi- can leaders in the Senate, the gover- nor repeated: “Please say I'm not talking about it.” . CONSPIRACY TO KILL ALFONSO DISCLOSED| Madrid Reports Anarchists in Plot to Assassinate King and Premier Are in Custody. By the Associated Pres. LONDON, December 15.—A new conspiracy to assassinate King Al fonso of Spain and the Spanish pre- mier, Gen. Primo de Rivera, 'says a Barcelona dispatch to the Daily Ex- press, was discovered last week in Madrid. rested in a suburb of the capital and numerous other arrests followed throughout the country. One of those arrested was shot while trying to es- cape The conspirators, according to the newspaper’s information, planned to sheot Premier de Rivera from a closed motor car placed in front of his office. If this was successful, it was intend- ed to Kkill the King with grenades as he was attending the premier's fu- neral, By the Assoclated Press. NEW YORK, December 15.—A bhurglar with a penchant for discus: ing are with his victims, if they happen to meet him, robbed Mrs. Adelaide O’'Donohue of Brooklyn of $15,000 in jewels last Saturday. Mrs. O'Donohue, police said in revealing Just Who ed by a flashlight on her fac before daybreak, and called out, are you? “I'm a burglar,” was the reply. “I | want your money and your jewelry. She told him they were in the bu- reau, but he paused to remark: “That's a corking fine painting you have there. Is it genuine?” Mrs. O'Donohue assured him it was, and that it was called “Out of Chaos Comes the Dawn.” The thief, glanc- ing out of the window, remarked that A posse began a pursuit of the robbers, who took $8,000. Jackson's wounds are belleved to serious, sure enough it was dawning. He then went to the bureau and selected gems, conversing the while, . | | the burglary last night, was awaken-| | Burglar Discusses Art With Vict;m Before Making Getaway With $15,000 “Is this emerald paste?” he inquired, and Mrs. O'Donohue assured him it was as real as the picture, so he took it, but he left the engagement ring given Mrs. O'Donohue by her hus. band, who died 10 years ago. Mrs. O'Donohue is 59. The burglar remarked upon vol- umes of Byron, Shelley and Keats on a_table, answered that he was 28 when Mrs. O'Donohue asked his age, and _explained that he was robbing the house because of the approach of Christmas. “It's been - years since I've read this,” he said, picking up a Bible, “but it's just the thing. I'm going to make you swear on that Bible that you won't scream until I leave the house.” Mrs. *O'Donohue waited five min- utes, then screamed. R . Radio Programs—Page 55 seat, on the! Thirteen anarchists were ar- | SEVEN “From Press to Home Within the Hour” The Star’s evel carrier r city block and the regular edi- system covers tion is delivered to Washington homes as fast as the paper; s are printed. Yesterday’s Circulation, 103,694 (#) Means Associated Pre: TWO CENTS. YOUNG GIVES UP - FORFUNDINQUIRY Former War Department Em- ploye Placed Under $7,500 Bond. Damon Young, former War Depart- ment employe charged with disap- pearing last week without making formal accounting of a $10,000 Christ- mas fund of fellow workers, of which { he was custodian, voluntarily sur- rendered to the police today. In company with his attorney, Rich- ard J. Quigley and Detective Jim Springman, who has been assigned to the se, Young appeared - before Judge George H. Macdonald in D Court and pleaded “not guilty” | to a charge of conversion after trust. He waived a preliminary hearing and bond, at the suggestion of District .Attorney Peyton Gordon, was set at $7,500. e it e Depositor Gets Warrant. The warrant used against Young today was sworn out by anley F. Burrows, one of the depositors in the Christmas fund and involved less than $300. Immediately after appearance in Police Court the trio went over to the District Supreme Court, where Mil- ton Kronheim furnished the required bond. After this detail had been ac- complished Young and his attorney went gver to the Columbian Building for a conference. Advising his cHent not to make a statement at the present time to news- paper men, Attorney Quigley declared: “Mr. Young came back to Wash- | ington voluntarily for the purpose of straightening out the Christmas fund.” Air of Confidence. Dapper appearing, and smoking cigarettes incessantly, Young pre- sented an air of confidence that he would be able to fix his financial af- | fairs to the satisfaction of all. | While refusing to tell where he | stayed during the past seven or eight | days, he did not deny he had been in | New' York part of the time. He said that he had written to Arthur B. Moreland, a clerk in the Munitions | Building, from that point, concernirtg | an athletic fund he had something to do with at the department. | “I do want to say, however,” Mr. Youmg declared, “that some of the | newspaners have grossly exaggerated the amount of the fund.” | While retusing to place an estimate on it at this time, he said that $10,000 was the most accurate flgure men- tioned. —— EDGE CALLS MEETING | OF WETS IN SENATE Invitations Sent to 20 in Attempt | to Organize Bloc on Pend- ! ing Bills. By the Associated Pre<s 4 Organization of Senate “wets” for ! the first time since 4he passage of | the prohibition act was undertaken !toduy by Senator Edge, Republican, | of New Jersey, with an invitation to 20 members to attend a conferenc Senator Edge called the conference in the hope of Urgfluizm_}: the views of the wets along definite lines on bending prohibition bills, _including that appropriating $12,000,000 for the prohibition nit next year. The date for the meeting will be decided later. The names of the 20 Senators to whom invitations were sent are l_n'« ing carefully guarded. There are in- dications that the group will not in- terpose serious objection to Gen. Lin- coln G. Andrews' bill for reorganiza- tion of the prohibition service by the creation of separate bureaus of pro- i hibition and customs outside the | jurisdiction of the Internal Revenue Burcau, but the wets believe this measure s the most he can hope for in this session. 17, ALL ON SHIP, LOST. LONDON, December 15 (). Lioyds reports the wreck of the Nor- wegian steamer Balholm in Faxa Bay, Iceland, with the loss of all hands. ‘Advices from Oslo, the Norwegian capital, say the Balholm's crew num- bered 17, including 2 Englishmen, the others Norwegians. It is believed that a few Icelanders were passengers aboard. The Balholm was bound from Ak- reyl, north coast of Iceland, for Haf- -uarfjord. Do Your STME HOPTING 14 OPPORTUNITIES LIST IS OPEN NOW BY ASSOCIATED CHARITIES Adults Are in Dire Circumstances and $15,652 Fourteen homes where the hand of circumstance has fallen with crushing effect are waiting today for Washing- ton's response to an appeal. They are the selected opportunities the As- sociated Charities offers this Christ- mas to those with whom Fate has dealt more kindly, and who would like to share their rich rewards with less fortunate fellow citizens. Relief—substantial and immediate —is to them nothing less than the difference between hope and hope- lessness. They are not _permanent mendicants, but families suddenly plunged from positions of moderate comfort to the pit of despair by death, sickness or just one of those ill- winds of chance that may sweep bare any home—good soldiers calling from lite’s “no man’s land.” Mingled with this appeal are the hungry eries of 61 children who cer- Is Needed. tainly can be charged with no respon- sibility for their plight, and _the prayers of 23 adults asking nothing for themselves but a fighting chance to give their dependents the oppor- tunity they have now been denied. If they are tided over a single year, the chances are more than even that they can win; otherwise a bright future is closed to them permanently. Tuberculosis, blinduess, crippling infections, overwork and death are some of the agents circumstance has employed to bring these families so low. In a few cases misplaced trusts ha been the factors, a faithless husband or father leaving wife and children penniless. Unless they are helped, the children must be torn from their mothers, too, and sent to charita- ble_institutions. To insure bare living necessities to these 84 people, the Associated Chari- les needs a total of $15,652 during (Continued on Page 2, Column 4. DISTRICT LEADING INRELIGIOUS POLL Well Ahead of Average of Na- tion in Tabulation of Be- lief in God. Returns from the first 1,300 ques- tionnaires counted in The Star's poli on religious sentiment show probahly that Washington is more uniformly religious than the average American city, with the comparison lased on returns in the nationzl poll of which the local one is an intergral part. Washingtonians ~ answering the questionnaires, for instance, show a 92.8 per cent belief in God, whereas the country as a whole has thus far shown an 89 per cent belief. Seventy-six per cent of those an- swering local ballots also professed that they were regular church mem- bers, whereas the national poll showed only 70 per cent of those answering to be in this classification. Belief in Christ Extensive. Belief in the divinity of Christ here is also higher than the national belief recorded through ballots of 50,000 read- ers of 150 papers in 40 States, from which the national figures are com- plled. Local returns show that $4.1 per cent of those answering hold to such belief, as compared with 77 per cent over the country. More than 88 per cent of the voters in the local count profess belief in immortality as against 85 per cent in the natio count. i These figures become more striking when judged in comparison with recent poll in England, in which more than 13,000 voted and which show:d 73 per cent believing in God, 78 per cont in immortality, 77 _per cent in the divinity of Christ and 70 ver cent regular in church_duties, Questionnaires in The Star's poll | are arriving in batches of several | hundred a day and before the close of the poll next Friday are expected to {be sufficient in number to provide a substantial means of indicating Wash ington's religious sentiment. Totals on 12 Questions. The totals are as follows: 1. Do you believe in God. 1,207; no, 85; not voting, 9. 2. Do you believe in immortality? Yes, 1,151; no, 131; not voting, 18. 3. Do you belleve in prayer as a " (Continued on Page 2, Column 6) | Yeos, Only 10 More Days Christmas Will Be Here Avoid the Late Rush of Stores and Mails PRESIDENT T0 HEAR CONDITION OF NAVY House Group Directs Chair- man Butler to Report to Chief Executive. By the Associated Press. By unanimous vote, the House naval committee, in secret session, instruct- ed Chairman Butler today to present to the President tho views of the committee on the condition of the Proposals for a naval building pro- gram have been practically completed by the committee, which began con- sideration of the question when it be- came known that the budget had made no recommendations for an appropria- tion to start construction on three light cruisers authorized by Congress. $500,000,000 Is Estimate. Just how far the committee pro- poses to go is a matter of conjecture, but Chairman Butler recently esti- mated it would take at least $500,000,- 000 to provide a sufficient number of light cruisers and_other craft, per- mitted under the Washington Arms Conference treaty, to put the Navy on a parity with other nations. Representatives Andrew of Massa- chusetts, and Coyle of Pennsylvani both Republicans, have drafted tentative program designed to embody the views of committee members and this draft is before the committee for approval. A confidential letter to the President was drafted tod and Mr. Butler was ordered to deliver it at the White House, Follows Recent Hearings. ommittee's action follows re- which high naval cluding Secretary Wilbur, testified that the American Navy was, dropping behind those of other nations n the construction of light cruisers and other craft permitted under the Washington Arms Conference treaty. Mr. Butler said the text of the letter would not be made public by the com- mittee because it represented an of- flefal communication from a commit- BILL T0 PURCHASE LAND IN TRIANGLE PASSED BY SENATE King and Norris Believe Move Is Unwise, But Plan Car- ries on First Vote. COMMITTEE IN ;I—OUSE CONSIDERING MEASURE Mellon Testifies at Hearing—Pro- posal Merely Authorizes Negotiations. The Senate this afternoon passed without a record'vote the bill offered by Senator Smoot authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury to purchase all of the remaining private land in the triangle between Pennsylvania avenue and B street, the Treasury and the Capitol, for the grouping of new public buildings. The bill still'awaits action by the House and is being considered now by the House committee on public buildings and grounds. This measure does not actually make the appropria- tion but gives the legislative author- ity to begin negotiations for acquiring the triangle. During the hour of debate that pre- ceded its passage in the Senate Sen- ators King of Utah and Norris of Nebraska expressed the doubt as to the wisdom or necessity of buying the whole triangle at this time, but Chair- man Smoot told the Senate that the Government can acquire the re- mainder of this needed area more cheaply now than after the first two or three public buildings have been started, Just before the measure came to a vote Senator King repeated that he ‘was against the bill at this time be- cause he thought it was unwise to fix the limit of cost at $25,000,000 def- initely in the bill. When the ayes and nays were called, the bill was carried. Hearings in House. Passage of the bill followed debate on the measure which resulted when the Senate took it up under unani- mous consent. While this debate was in progress the House public buildings commit- tee heard proponents of the Underhill measure, which is identical with the Smoot bill, among whom was Secre- tary of the.Treasury Mellon. The committee is expected to report the bill favorably. At the same time the House Dis- trict committee unanimously to=back the Underh#ll bill. - When the Smoot bill camié up in the Senate Senaior Smoot told his colleagues that he was secking its prompt consideration because “if this is going to be passed, it ought to be done at once so we can get to work on the public buildings,” that he said are so urgently needed. Senator King, Democrat of Utah, whiie not objecting to the considera: tion of the bill, called upon Senator Smoot for further explanation of the necessity for putting it through at this time and as to the reasonableness of the amount to ‘be authorized, $25,- 000,000. Senator Norris, Republican of Ne- braska, argued that Congress should go slow in acquiring all of the remaining private land in the triangle, declar- ing that he did not agree with the view of Senator Smoot that since the Government plans to take the tri- angle at some time, it will cost more to delay or to buy the Iand piece by plece. Answering the query of Senators King and Norris, Chairman Smoot told the Senate that, since some of the new public buildings are to be erected at once, after the first struc- ture goes up it will have the effect of }n(’;easmg the value of the remaining and. Uses Economy Plea. Senator Norris made it plain that he is not opposed to the comprehen- sive plan for improving the area south of Pennsylvania avenue, but that he doubts the wisdom of buying all the land at a time when the question of economy is being stressed in the coun- try. Senator Smoot cited to Senator Nor- ris a recent illustration of the neces- sity in the interest of economy of buying the land at the earliest possi- ble moment. He said information had reached the Government that a 12- story office building was being planned for land the Government con- templated acquiring, and the owners were induced to delay their plans to see what Congress would do. Senator Smoot declared that if such a build- ing had gone up it would have meant the Government would have to pay for it in order to c: out its pro- gram for public buildings. Senator Jones, Republican, of Washington declared he was glad this bill was being pushed, pointing out that a number of years ago he advocated taking over the area south of Pennsylvania avenue. He said he may have urged the project prematurely at that time, but that he was pleased that it was nearing ac- complishment now. Couzens Opposes Losing Taxes. Senabr King, in asking for further light on the measure, said: 'of course we are all interested in mak- ing Washington a_beautiful Capital, and in erecting suitable public build- tee of Cong: to the President as commander-in-chief of the Nation's military forces. OBREGON HITS HUERTA. Says Yaquis Were Induced to At- tempt His Capture. MEXICO CITY, December . Former President Obregon, in a state- ment published by the newspapers to- day, charges Adoifo de la Huerta, fors mer provisional President, with induc. ing the Yaqui Indions to revolt and attack Obregon’s train at Vicam, State of Sonora, In an attempt to capture i [ him when the Yaqui uprising started in September. Gen. Obregon bases his charges on letters from San Antonio, which he | also made public. The letters, pur- | portedly signed by de la Huerta,,were | addressed to the Yaqui general, Luis Matus. They are said to have been ~discovered in Matus' valise, | which was seized by federal troops after the defeat of the Yaquis at Vicam, ings. Sometimes we become hysteri- cal in a good cause. I don't say that we are hysterical in the plan that has been prepared for the public building program in Washington, but I have sometimes felt that the real estate owners of Washington were more powerful than the Government and that sometimes we have been more solicitous for their interests than we should be.” Senator Couzens of Michigan sug- gested that it would be unwise for the Government to take over a large block of property and hold it idle for a number of years. The result would be to remove this property as a fleld of taxation. Senator Norris agreed with Senator Couzens. He said that he had heard that already a movement had’ beén started among residents of the Dis- trict to change the proportion of con- tributions for the upkeep of the Dis- trict by the Federal Government by the taxpayers of the District be- cause it was proposed to have the Government take over this large block of property. “I am accord with this plan for /e{Continued on Page 2, Column 1)