Evening Star Newspaper, December 22, 1926, Page 1

. \ » WEATHER. (U. S. Weather Bureau Forecast.) Cloudy and slightly colder tonight; minimum temperature about 32 de- grees; tomorrow partly cloudy. Temperature—Highest, 46, at 2 p.m, yesterday: lowest, 36, at 6 a.m. today. Full report on page 9. ®(losing N.Y. Stocks “Wa and Bonds, Page 14 ond cla hington, D. C. ch WASHINGTON, ¢ Foeni WITH SUNDAY MORNI D. ‘C, WEDNESDAY, NG EDITION 929 Ly DECEMBER i—FIFTY g Star. “From Press to Home Within the Hour” The Star's carrier system covers every city block and the regular edi- tion is delivered to Washington homes as fast as the paper: s are printed. PAGF (#) Means Associated Press. Yesterday’s Circulation, 102,410 TWO CENTS. DELAYING FILIPNG FREEDOM URGEDIN THOMPSON REPORT Further Autonomy in Internal Affairs Recommended to President, However. DEPARTMENT TO GOVERN ISLANDS IS FAVORED| Coolidge Praises Investigation in Message Transmitting Find- ings to Congress. i Postponement of absolute independ- ence for the Philippines, but the grant of further autonomy in internal af- fairs as the situation may warrant ‘was recommended to President Cool- ddge in the report of Carmi Thomp- son, made public today. Establishment of an independent Rovernment department to administer the islands and other overseas terri- tory was urged in the report, which said also thft Mindanao and Sulu should not be separated from the re- mainder of the islands, as has been suggested in Congress. Strengthen- ing of American control in the Moro country was recommended. In transmitting the report to Con- gress today the President comment- ed upon the candid and intimate man- ner in which Col. Thompson has re- ported his findings, and compliment- ed the latter upon the fearless ex- pression he gave his views on the Philippine situation. President Gives Praise. The President said.in the brief mes- sage accompanying his report: “While I do not agree entirely with all his views and recommendations, I believe that the report is an excellent one and merits your careful considera- tion. He went to the Philippine Islands as a volunteer. He gave his time. He paid a large sum for his expenses. For all this he is entitled to sincere thanks.” The President said also that the general line of Col. Thompson's con- clusions is in close agreement with ‘what the administration already has recommended. Col. Thompson's report also repom- mends: That steps be taken to re-establish co-operation between the legislative and executive branches of the Philip- pine government. ‘That American control be strength- ened in the Moro country; That the Federal Reserve systera should be extended to the Philippine 1slands; ‘That one or more Federal Jand banks. should be established in the Philippines to provide loans at rea- sonable interest rates for the farmers, who ‘iow pay from 12 to 30 per cent Experiment Stations Urged. CONGRESS READY FOR HOLIDAYS TO CONTINUE UNTIL JANUARY 3 Wtk <o Be Crowded] Into Nine Weeks of Session After Christmas Recess. Heavy Program By the Associated Press When Congress adjourns tonight it will go on a holiday extending beyond New Year. A resolution to recess from tonight until January 3 was approved at the beginning of today's session by the Senate. Tt already had the approval of the House. Members of the Touse, whose Christmas shopping has been inter- fered with for two and a half weeks by the business of State, went home last night with nothing to do today except to go through the formality of voting to do nothing further until January 3. In the Senate, where the Interior Department supply bill threatened to cause a little s us consideration, the situation was a bit more complex, but nobody had much doubt that Santa Claus and not Vice President Dawes was the real presiding officer, regardless of what eye-witnesses might testify if placed under oath. Since the session began, one of the FLOODS TAKE FIVE LIVES IN 4 STATES Sixty Hours of Rain' Swells Rivers and Causes Huge Damage—Five Missing. By the Associated Press. LOUISVILE, Ky., December 22.— Steady rain in Kentucky, Arkansas, Tennessee and West Virginja today threatened to raise swollen rivers and streams to more dangerous flood pro- portions. / Rising waters in these States yesterday took a toll of five lives and caused.unestimated property Sixty hours of rain broke many precipitation records. From four to seven inches were reported by scores of cities. Hot Springs, Ark., recorded almost 7.5 inches since midnight Sun- day. %hru sisters lost their lives in rag- ing waters in Arkansas yesterday while going to school. Just as the wagon driven by their father rolled upon a bridge over a creek, 18 miles from Little Rock, the bridge, weak- ened by. pounding waters, gave way and plunged them into the stream. Swept Over Dam. A swift torrent prevented the father, ‘Winfleld Crowson, from aiding his daughters, and he barely escaped when he was swept over a dam. In_Kentucky's blue grass region That the United States Department | two Valley View men last their lives of Agriculture establish a sufficient | when a they were rowing across number of experiment stations in the | the Kentucky River with two com- Philippines properly to develop the | panions was overturned by driftwood. agriculture resources of the islands; Those drowned were A. B. Howard, That the fundamental law govern- [ merchant, and Halgerings, farmer. ing the Philippines, known as the| Many homes were flooded and nu- Jones act, be not amended or changed { merous houses washed into overflow- at this time; ing streams in eastern Kentucky. That the Philippine Legislature | Rural mail deliveries were stopped should amend the Philippine land |and prospects. are that many Ken- i ten annual supply bills for departments has been passed by both houses and the measure providing | salary increases for Federal judges has been signed by President Cool idge. The supply bill which has gone through the two stages of legislative procedure makes appropriations for the Treasury and Post Office depart- ments for the next fiscal vear and is now in the hands of a joint confer- ence committee for adjustment of differences in various provisions. In addition, the House has dispos of two more of the supply bills, for | the Interior Department’ and the! Agriculture Department, and the Sen- | ate is expected to act on the former | after the holid The House also, has passed the alien property Dill.| which executive | s expected to arouse consider- | able argument when it is brought up | in the Senate, where another measure ! that has produced volumes of contro- versy, the rivers and harbors bill, was passed last night. The rivers and har- bors bill was passed by the House at the last session, but the Senate has made many amendments and adjust- (Continued on Page 4, Column o CLUBS GLOSED IN'NEW YORK RAIDS Padlocks and Personal In- junctions Used Against Many Noted Places. NEW YORK, December 22.—Hav- ing fallen for a “big butter and egg man,” Broadway was a bit drier to- day. A string of padlocks s to be extended from the roaring forties to Greenwich Village, _decorating _the front doors of 58 of New York's most popular night clubs and restaurants. Bills of gomplaint and temporary injunctions "were served on the club owners early today by seven raiding parties from the office of Federal At- torney Emory R. Buckner. Noted Clubs Closed. Among the places closed were some of the most glittering centers of New York night life, including Texas Gui- nan's Three Hundred Club, Helen Morgan's Fifty-fourth Street Club, the Cafe de Paris, Dinty Moore’s, Club Anatole, Club Richman and others. Federal authorities said the raids were designed to forestall plans of the club owners for wet parties during the holidays. Bvidence against the establishments was obtained by agents who “lived the life of Broadway for the past fortnight.” Jail Sentences Possible. “So thoroughly did these polished prohibition, agents work their way into the hearts of Broadway,” sald Buckner, “that on their second visit to the Three Hundred Club, Texas| Guinan, the hostess, threw them a kiss.” The plan followed by the Federal authorities in serving personal injunc- tions in addition to padlock proceed- ings was a new departure. If the padlock proceedings alone had been laws, with proper safeguards, so as to bring about such conditions as will attract capital and business ex- g:hm:e for the development of rub- coffee and other tropical products, some of which now are controlled by monopolies; it no amendments be made at this time to the Philippine land laws .by the American Congress; ‘That the Philippine government withdraw from private business at the earliest possible date. Would Delay Freedom. In advising against granting inde- pendence to the isands for any time in the near future Col. Thompson re- ported that this matter be consid- ered at a future date when the islands are developed to maintain an inde- pendent government, and that in the meantime there be granted such further autonomy in the management of internal affairs as conditions from time to time may warrant. He said that the Philippines lacked the finan- clal resources to maintain an inde- pendent government, that they lack & common language and that there exists bitter religious and other dif- ferences between the natives, “Abandonment of the Philippines at this time might complicate interna- tional relations in the Orient,” Col. Thompson reported. “The granting of complete and immediate independ- ence would end the free trade with the United States. This and other re- sulting conditions would bring about economic disaster for the islands. The independence propaganda might give one unfamiliar with political methods the idea that the Filipinos would not be satisfled with anything less than | complete independence, ‘which would mean an entirely independent nation. I believe that no leader, either in pol- itics or business, expects independence for a long time to come. 1 learned that all Filipinos, with the exception of a small radical minority, really hope for an ultimate settlement of their relations with the United States on a basis which would eventually give them complete automomy in in- ternal affairs, but with the United States directing all foreign affairs.” Political Peace Needed. Col. Thompson looked upon the so- lution of the political problem of the islands as one of the fundamental needs of this possession. He pointed out that this political problem has two principal phases: First, a widespread and insistent agitation for immediate, absolute and complete independence: second, a deadlock between the :ov- ernor general and the Legislature. Regarding this breach between the governor general and the legislature, Col. Thompson reported that it had reached the stage where the legisla- ture has, or claims that it has, lost faith in the executive branch and the executive branch appears to have no confidence in the leaders of the legisla- ture. Consequently, no constructive legislation is possible, in the opinion of the investigator. Col. Thompson stated that this fack of co-operation, which dates back to 1923, has resulted in considerable of tucky residents will spend a marooned brought, Federal authorities eyglain, Christmas in the flooded area instead e the defendant clubs would hav® had of a white one. Leeves overran their banks in Ten- nessee, scores of motorists were stalled by five feet of water on high- ways, telephone communication was suspended and hundreds of acres of lowlands were washed by water and debris. Bridge Is Removed. ‘Water was four feet deep iIn Millington, Tenn. Dyersburg engi- neers removed a bridge to prevent ac- cumulated driftwood from backing water into homes. Mobile and Ohio 20 days to flle answers. The personal Injunction, however, stops the sale of liquor as soon as the paper has been served, and a jail term for contempt is the penalty for violation. Mr. Buckner apologized to radio audiences for interfering with con- certs broadcast from the Club Mimic. 36 ARRESTED IN ILLINOIS. Federal Squads Open Campaign in| East St. Louis. { EAST ST. LOUIS, December 22 (#).| (Continued on Page 4, Column 2.) PROBE OF BAKING MERGERS UNDERWAY Otis B. Johnson, Secretary of the Federal Trade Commission, First to Testify. By the Associated Press. The Senate’s investigation of the baking mergers of last year, de- manded from the floor repeatedly. finally was begun today by a com- mittee under chairmanship of Senator Thomas J. Walsh of Montana. Pursuant to the resolution direct- ing the inquiry, Senator Walsh began with an examination of Otis B. John- son, sec. tary of the Federal Trade Commission, as to the part the com- mission took in approving or pre- venting the merger of the Ward, Con- tinental and General Baking Com- pasies. “Sponsors of the resolution contended that the merger constituted monopolistic practices in restraint of trade. Johnson festified as to’ the general practice of the commission conduct- ing inquiries directed by the Sen- ate, explaining that in many cases where the directions were not accom- panied by special appropriations the work was necessarily limited in scope. Armed with 48 search warrants 40| prohibition agents gathered from St.| Louis, Springfleld, Kansas City and | Chicago, conducted a holiday raid| here yesterday, found liquor in 30| places and arrested 36 persons, 7 of them women. The dry agents were under the| supervision of Deputy Administrator | Madden of the southern Ilinois dis-| trict, and Deputy Administrator | Jamie of Chicago. i WED NEARLY 50 YEARS, ROW IN DIVORCE COURT “Other Women” Charges Unjust,| Says Pennsylvanian, 71, Alleg- | ing Desertion by Wife. By the Associated Press, FRANKLIN, Pa., December 22 On the threshold of their fiftieth wed. | ding anniversary, Grove Guild, 71| years old, and his wife, Mrs. Della ! Guild, 67, were living apart today while Guild's action for divorce was | pending in the Venango County Court. Guild charged his wife deserted him | atter quarrels in which she accused him unjustly of improper conduct with other women. Mrs. Guild countered | with a charge that her aged helpmate | wants a_divorce to marry another woman and with failure to provide her suitable clothes “It seems a shame that they can't | stay together long enough to have | their golden wedding anniversary,” Judge Parker remarked in reserving decision. By the Associated Press. WINFIELD, Kans., December 22— Kansas taxpayers will have reason to suspect that Christmas comes on December 20 if the State's first ofl well, which was brought in yesterday in the riverbed of the Arkansas River near here, keeps up its initial produc- tion. The well, State No. 1, is on land leased by the State to the Roxana Petroleum Corporation, and the tax- payers receive one-eighth royalty. Be- delay in legislative and executive mat- ters and that apparently the deadlock will exist as long as present conditions ““(Continued on Page 2, Column 4.) fore being shot with nitroglyceryn yesterday the well swabbed 1,117 bar- rels of ofl in a 24-hour test and W. E. Davis,” State auditor, “estimated at Kansas' First Oil Well Is Cutting Taxes For People of State at Rate of $400 Daily Topeka today that at that rate the taxpayers would pay $400 a day less taxes. 4 Two more 'tests will be drilled at once in the river bed, one directly upstream and the other below the new well. Davis estimated that if the well keeps up its production the State's yearly income from it would be suf- ficient to pay the salaries of the gov- ernor, the elght other elective State offices, the seven Supreme Court jus- tices and all District judges. The State already has $130,000 from the petroleum for a lease, received company | Neither REPORT ON VARE'S EXPENSES IS GIVEN T0 SENATE BY REED | Attention Called to Evidence,‘ Which Is Seen as Indicating Primary Corruption. COMMITTEE WITHHOLDS ITS RECOMMENDATIONS Charges of Wrongdoing in Oregcn,; Washington and Missouri Are Denied. BY G. GOULD LINCOLN. A partial report setting forth ex penditures made for the candidates in the Republican senatorfal primary in Pennsylvania last Spring, upon | which the right of William 8. Vare to bé seated as Senator will be at- tacked, was submitted to the Senate today by Senator Reed of Missouri, chairman of the committee. The committee, while calling at- tention to the large sums expended in the Pennsylvania primary and to evidence which has been interpreted as indicating corruption of the elec- torate, withheld its recommendations regarding Mr. Vare, who won the nomination and was subsequently elected to the Senate: It may sub- mit its recommendations later. For the committee Senator Reed also reported on investigations of senatorfal elections in Oregon, Wash- ington and Missouri. In all three States, the committee reported, no evi dence had been found warranting the charges of excessive expenditures. Holds Charge Unsupported. In Oregon, the charge was made that the Portland Electric Power Co. had paid the Portland Oregonian $35,000 for opposing the primary election of | The | Senator Robert N. Stanfield. committee reported that the alleged transaction did not occur and the charges were unsupported by any tes- timony. The committee reported that charges had been made that excessive sums of money, amounting to $100,000, had been expended by A. Scott Bullitt, Dem- ocratic candidate for United States Senator, and that wealthy relatives of the candidate had declared they would expend $300,000 if necessary to win the election. The committee said that it believed the charges were un- founded, The Missouri investigation, con- dl(lcted by Senator Reed at Kansas City, was madg after the submissj of “charges "Hfifl" T Walmsleéy that the Kansas City Railway Co., gave to the Democratic campaign fund from $150,000 to §750,000 in re- turn for a twelve-year extension of a franchise and that money was used gn election day to corrupt the electo- rate. Senator Reed took no part in the report submitted in the Missouri case. The report was signed by Senaiors King of Utah, McNary of Oregon, and Goff of West Virginla. It held that the charges Lad not heen proved and that no further investigation was necessary or justified in the Missouri case. The election resulted in a vic- tory for Senator Harry Hawes, lDemo- crat. Expenditures Set Forth. The committee report on Pennsyl- vania, which was signed by Senators Reed, McNary, Goff- and King, set forth the expenditures of the three | Republican factions seeking the sen- atorfal nomination as follows: For Gov. Pinchot, $187,029; for the Pepper-Fisher ticket, $1,804,979; for the VareBeidleman ticket, $785,934. A note is made by the committee that expenditures made exclusivly for the candidacy of John 8. Fisher and Ed- ward F. Beidleman, candidates for the gubernatorial nomination, had been { omitted from the totals given. In con- cluding its report on Pennsylvania, the committee said it was necessarily incomplete, adding: “Your committee was obliged to discontinue its hearings before all of the returns of campaign expenditures which the law required had in fact been filed. Tndeed, your committee is informed that many of these reports have not been filed up to this date.” The committee said there remained also the question of expenditures actually made in the general election campaign. “This subject.” said the report, “has not been investigated by vour | committe because of the lack of time. has the committee under- taken to investigate any question of the conduct of the general elections.” Woods Is Mentioned. In presenting the report to the Sen- ate, Senator Reed of Missouri ex- plained that it was a partial report | as in the case of the report recently submitted on the Tllinois primary. He said that from the evidence taken by he committee it appeared that Gov. Pinchot stood alone in his candidacy for the senatorial nomination, but that Senator Pepper had been al. ligned with John S. Fisher, candidate for governor,and Mr. Vare with Ed- ward S. Beidelman, also a_candidate for governor. Senator Reed expressed he opinion that the senatorial candi- dates had dominated the situation and that as a general thing the expendi- tures _made for Pepper-Fisher and Vare-Beidleman tickets should be charged up paign. He pointed out, however,: that the expenditures, except for Gov. Pin- chot’s, were made for the tickets named. The report of tiic committee men- tions_the name of Cyrus E. Woods, who has just been nominated by the President to be a member of the In. terstate Commerce Commission. M Woods' appointment already has heen attacked and Senator Reed of Penn- sylvania,, who is supporting Mr. Woods, arose at the end of Chairman Reed's statement to defend Mr. Woods. Mr. Woods acted in a diplo- matic capacity during ‘the Peunsyl- vanin primary to consolidate a Pep. per and Fisher campaign. Holds Editorial Unfair. Senator Reed of Pennsylvaria said he did not believe in discussing nomi- nations in the open Senate, but that he was moved to say a word because | of the reference to Mr. Woods in the committee report and by “highly un- ""(Continued on Page 7, Column 2.) Radio Pn;ggrangs_—,l?age 44! to the senatorial cam.| BEN RUDNER DENIES PAYING MDERMOTT ‘Did Not Know Defendant and i Never Talked to Him, Witness Declares. By the Associated Press. COURTHOUSE, CANTON, Ohio, De- cember 22—Ben Rudner, indicted with Patrick Eugene McDermott and Louis Mazer for the murder of Don R. Mellett, took the witness stand in the McDermott trial today. Rudner testified that he did mnot know McDermott, the defendant, and that he had never talked to him in the Rudner hardware store in Massillon. The State contended McDermott got in touch with Rudner in Massillon, July 8 and 9, and again on July 26, the alleged “pay-off” day. Under direct examination he testi- fied as to his activities on July 8 and 9. He accounted for practically all of his time on both dates, and corroborat- ed the testimony of previous witness- es concerning his whereabouts and ac- tivities. Rudner testified concerning his activities on the evening of July 26, named by the State as the day MecDermott went to Massillon to be “paid off” for killing Mellett. The State contended that McDermott call- {ed Rudner from Akron before going to Massillon. Offers an Alibi. He said the only call he received from Akron that day was from a brother-inlaw, and that at the time McDermott was supposed to have vis- ited him he was on an automobile trip to Brewster, Ohlo, with neighbors. He told of visits to police headquar- ters. Here once, he testified, he went to complain to Chief Lengel about boys throwing stones through win- dows of his father's house. Another | time, he said, he went with a man with whom he became involved in a traffic tangle. The witness testified that July 15, | the “murder night.” he was with a i party of friends from 10:30 p.m. until {3 am. July 16. Mellett was siain at | 12:15 a.m. July 16. He corroborated { previous witnes: testimony. i_ In an effort to i of Steve Kascholk, | fense counsel called { Her husband had previously he had been vonvicted of non of his wife and their child, and that he was the Tather of the two illegiti- mate children of Mary Clierinske | Examination of Mrs. Kascholk vealed principally that her husband {had worked and supported her spas- modically. i vidence Battle Goes On. | The battle of opfosing counsel over admissibility of evidence and exhibits { continued, consuminiz more time than |the questioning. F. J. Hartman, Nanty Glo, Pa., attorney, whispered !into the record his testimony ccn- cerning conferences with Prosecutor McClintock of Stark County previous to the surrender of McDermott. Marry Potit, prisoner at the Stark | county Workhouse, testified vester- | day Kascholk told him, “I'm whipped. | I played for the big money and lost.” | ‘Tom McDermott's testimony was put in the record as a basis for pos- sible appeal on error. It concerned negotiations prcceding the surrender of his brother. Defense counsel in- { timated Prosecutor C. B. McClintock | promised immunity to the defendaat, jbut McClintock said he only prom- |ised “a square deal.” | 2 JAPANESE CONDITION IS WORSE Apprehension Grows as Monarch Fails to Hold Gains Which Were Made Yesterday. By the Associated Press. TOKIO, December 22.—Apprehen- sion of the nation over the condition of Emperor Yoshihito was increased today by word from Hayama that the royal patient has seemingly failed to hold previously noted improvement. The Prince Regent, eldsest son of the monarch, entered the sick room at 9:15 this morning plainly anxious. In many quarters gloom is felt where yesterday optimism reigned. At noon today the household de- partment bulletin gave the Emperor’s temperature as slightly above 100, his pulse was 126 and respiration 33. North Carolina Bank Closes. CHARLOTTE; N. C., December 22 (#).—The Charlotte Bank and Trust Co. closed its doors te . ‘The insti- tution had a capital of $§0,000 and de- posits of approximately. $100,000, Ice Cream Sells Fast as Mercury Marks 40 Below By the Associated Press. CIRCLE, Alaska, December 2 Ice cream sold like hot cakes at $1.75 a quart while the thermome- ter stood at 40 below zero here vesterday. The ice cream was received from Seattle as a Christmas delicacy and is said to be the first ever to be received in the Arctic 3 DHNSON PLANNING DIAMOND CLEAN-UP Cobb and Speaker Resigned to Forestall Expose, President Says. By the Associated Press. CHICAGO, December 22 year-old skeleton jerked out of base ball's secret closet today gripped the rulers of America’s outstanding sport as they prepared to cleanse the game even more thoroughly than during the famous housecleaning of 1920, which followed the 1919 world series seandal. Ban Johnson, president of the American League, declared today that both Ty Cobb and Tris Speaker re- signed from the managerships of the Detroit and Cleveland clubs to fore- stall the expose that rocked base ball yesterday. Furtherrhore, President Johnson de- clared betting among American League players would not be tolerated ¢ that they would be driven out of base “Cobb and Speaker evidently saw the ‘grash’ was impending and stepped out before the scandal became a public by-word,” the American League presi- we've got most of that typé of | out of the majors, and we countenince any wage we know about it. T know owners are with me in this.” the club BORAH SEES THEFT I ALIEN PROPERTY Millions Stolen, He Thinks, But Recovery Is Doubtful. Both Parties Blamed. By the Associated Press. “Theft, graft and extravagance” in the administration of the alien prop- erty custodian’s office r a period of eight y " were charged in the Senate today by Senator Borah, Re publican, Idaho. Answering ifquiries whether he in- tended to proceed with the investiga- tion previously authorized by the Sen- ate, he said he was ready to do so if the Senate would appropriate for nec- essary expenses. “I have no doubt,” he said, “that millions of dollars were purloined or illegally taken by those charged with the responsibility of protecting private property. Borah said that to his amazement he found that all the victims have been forced to give receipts in full when their property was returried, re- lieving the ~administration of ‘any malfeasance of office or maladminis- tration. 4 “I am afrald these receipts are valid,” he continued. “It has put these people in a position where they cannot_benefit if we dil uncover any wrong."” 1f it was found that the property could not be returned or thé wrongs righted, Senator Borah said, he was not enthusiastic about proceeding with the inquiry. Replying to Senator Reed, Repub- lican, Pennsylvania, the Idaho Sen- ator said the “wrongdoing has con- tinued from the outset. Ner does it beléng to any one political party Meantime, Controller General Me- Carl’s report on the alien property situation sent to the Capitol by Presider oolidge, but its actual presentafion was delayed and its con- | ten confidential. . |as heretofore. 1 SEARCH BY POLICE FORMRS. HOUCK IS FOUNDLESS AGTIVE Friends Expect Doctor’s Wife to Reappear, But Profess Ignorance of Status. | {METHODS OFFICERS USE | ORDINARILY NEGLECTED =Husband, Apparently Well Again at Hospital, Asks Chance to Assist in Work. One week after Mrs. Gladys W. Houck disappeared from her Congress Heights home, mystery in the case switched today from questions con- cerning the young wife's fate to the reason for an apparent cessation of effort on the part of any one to con- { tinue the search for her. The known limit of the police de- partment's activity this morning was VITE OUSE GET THRE YULEREE Mrs. Coolidge and Son Will Trim Them, With President as Main Spectator. The Yuletide decorations at the White House this year will include three large Christmas trees instead of one, as has been the custom. These trees, of the tall, straight, symmetrical Norway spruce variety, arrived at the White House yesterday and will be put in position some time today. The matter of their arrange- ment, has not been determined. It has been left to Mrs. Coolidge, whose idea it was to have three trees instead of one, to decide whether to erect the trees in one room or in different rooms, i Although Mrs. Coolidge has not House instead of on the second floor, Her first choice is the famous blue room, which is the formal reception chamber of the White House and Wwhich is generally conceded to be the handsomest room in the old man- sion. If she decides to not place all the trees in this room she will have one placed in the green room and one in the red room, which rooms are on either side of the blue room. Will Be Decorated Friday. The trees will be put in position to- day, but the work of decorating them before Christmas. The decorating of made up her mind yet as to this detail, she has determined to have the trees erected on the first floor of the White will not be entered on until the day | confined to dragging a small area of |4 the Potomac River in the neighbor- {hood of Glesboro Point, while Asso- ! ciated Press dispatches from Canton ;nm.,, quoted Mrs. Houck's family | declaring that no one could do more | than guess what had happened to the | woman and that they had formed no | opinions whatever on the subject, | In the meantime, Dr. JKnutt H. | Houck, her husband. and Staff phy- ! sician at St. Elizabeth's Hospital, who wandered to a city in New York State, suffering from a mental break- down, a few hours after she haddis- appeared from their home at 3127 Nichols avenue southeast, apparently had regained full possession of his faculties this morning. He expressed confidence that Mrs. Houck Is alive and well. Dr. Houck Asks Work. Dr. Houck slept soundly last night. Upon arising he seemied cheerful and asked physicians at Gallinger Hos- i pital, where he is still under guard, to permit him to help clean up the ward. The young psychiatrist's knowledge of mental disorders con- vinced him that nothing would help him maintain his nervous equilibrium more than having some work to do. To complete the singular chain of coincidences surrounding the manner in which the case seems to have virtually been dropped, psychiatrists at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, who were close acquaintances both of Dr. and Mrs. Houck have openly expressed the belief that no serious harm befell Mrs. Houek and that in due tinic she {will' return to her husband. Further than that they will not go, nor will |they give definite reasons for their | belief. | When Dr. Houck dropped from sight following the disappearance of his wife, circumstances and evidence {left behind indicated the possibility {of a crime. Nince that time nothing | has been heard of Mrs. Houck, so far as the police have disclosed. She |is still listed as “missing” and, except |for the veiled insinuations of St. | Elizabeth's physicians that they have | knowledge of the affair, the police jare understood not to have any in- | formation which would help them find her. No Description Broadeast. In the week that has elapsed, how- the trees will fall to Mrs. Coolidge and |, ever, no description of Mrs. Houck John Coolidge, who is home from Am-| had been broadcast by the detective herst to spend the Christmas holidays | bureau, gther than a single sentence with his parents. Frank W been visiting at the White House fo: the past month, decide to remain for Christmas they will assist in the tree trimming. Mrs. Coolidge has been trimming trees for her litle family for a good cefrs and she prides herself ¢ nething of ¢ d to turn over this work * servants or other v hushand became Presi She aiways has said she gets too much fun out of it, to let anybody eise do this for her. The White House trees not only will be trimmed with tinsel and il s of ant ornaments, but will illed cones and will Iy lighted. At the base of each tree will be placed little colored images of Santa President has little to do with the ac tual tree trimming, he likes to be on hand to enjoy the proceeding and to give suggestions. During the former tree-trimmime oc: came President, tator for at leasta part of the time. Many Gifts Arrive. Presents for Coolidge are arriving in such numbers as to indicate that all previous records for Christmas gifts will be broken this year. These remembrances are being sent not only by personal friends and relatives, but by unknown admir from all sections of the country. Besides these there are the many greeting cards arriving. At the rate these latter are being received it is estimated that they will run into the thousands. Among the gifts are three large turkeys. These have arrived within the past two or three days, and were killed_and dressed this morning and placed on ice until needed. The one t0 grace the Christmas dinner at the White House was a gobbler tipping the scales at more than 30 pounds. Two came from an admirer in Cleve- ‘Worth, Tex. Each day since John Coolidge's re. turn home he and his mother have gone shopping downtown. Yesterday | afternoon John, accompanied by Lieut. Comdr. Joel T. Boone, medical officer | of the Mayflower, the presidential | vacht, went for a long horseback ride | along the bridle paths in Potomac Park. John looked well in his riding | togs, but attracted more than ordinary | attention because he wore no hat. B lgd cadis 21 STILL ARE MISSING. Death Toll From Capsizing of Launch Placed at 51. NEW YORK, December 22 (F).— The probable death toll due to the cap- sizing of the launch Linseed King in the Hudson River was set at 51 yes- terday, when police announced that 21 It Mr. and Mrs. | e | laus. Although !h(‘| Presidents and Mrs. | land, Ohio, and the other from Fort | | mental rehabilitation. the police bulletin, listing ssing” along with her hus- | band and a number of other persons. iThis bulietin is mailed to police bu- reaus other cities, but without | photozraphs and detailed information | the description might fit any normal, { dark-haired woman in the United tes. | » bulletin asking that a special “lookout” be maintained ha | quirie neglected, been learned. Furthermore, no serious effort has ever been made to determine | what caused the brown stains on Mrs. Houck's torn clothing found | concealed in a box of trash. No chemi- cal analysis has been made, as is cus- | tomary 'in such cases | The most definite tement that ha caped the lips of Capt. Wil- | son, cummander of the eleventh pre- | cinet, where Mrs. Houek lived, was | a confession that he was unable to ¢ permanent conclusions. De- . Kuehling, assigned to from headquarters, said the mily had returned suddenly to Ohio on Monday because of press- | ing b . The nuture of this busi- not explained, howev River Dragged Briefly. The decision to drag the Potomac River was reached several days ago, but could not be carried out until to- day on account of the ice. The grap- pling hooks were pulled around one small hole off the pier of the old steel plant at Giesboro PPoint. The drag- | ged to the surface some tangled wire and after it' had been submerged again | the search in the river was discon- | tinued. | No systematic search of the woods which are easy of access from the | Houck home on all sides has ever | been made. On Sunday soldiers from Bolling Field were employed in a search over a comparatively small area. Many more acres of woodland nearby have received little attention. Neither has the entite shore-line of the Potomac River been combed. It has been intimated by psy- chiatrists that Dr. Houck may have received private information from some source, reassuring him as to his wife’s safety. Otherwise they profess themselves at a loss to under- stand the carefree manner in which he has undertaken his physical and The doctors felt that with his mind clear once more &e would worry severely over Mrs. Houck's continued absence. Home Here Is Closed. Apparently, relatives of Mrs. Houck hold no further hope that she will return to her old home on Nichols avenue. They have relinquished pos- session of the apartment where she and her husband and little son Hugh lived and have sent the furniture to a local storage house. Dr. Houck's mother took charge of this task. She will return to her home in Wisconsin within a few days, it was said. Efforts to find any basis for the statement issued by relatives 8¢ Dr. passengers were still unaccounted for. Thirty bodies were recovered and 29 persons were saved from . the shoked river, | 3 and Mrs. Houck yesterday, showing them to be tlioroughly optimistiqover