Evening Star Newspaper, January 7, 1927, Page 2

2 * BIPARTISAN FARM + BILLIS ATTACKED Aswell Holds His Measure Was Not “Written in Office of Cabinet Member.” today of the House Beginning consideration the Aswell farm relief bill agricultural committee wae told by Representative Aswell. Democrat Louisiana, that his measure was not “written in the office of a* cabinet member, labelad and handed over as ® bipartisan proposal.” At this thrust Representative Criep Democrat, Georgia. who with Senator Curtis of Kansas. Republican leader, vesterdav introduced a joint measure for agricultural relief, smiled but made no comment The “farm surplus act of 1927 a twoparty measure appropriating $250.000.000, and sponsored hy Senator Curtis, Republican flnor leader. and JRepresentative Crisp, Democrat. Geor. Bia, is declared by the authors to be a composition of aill the bills thus far offered. What status the new bill will he given in the committees remains to be seen. House Has Aswell B The House committee. which voted yesterday to sidetrack the McNar: Haugen measure until next Tuesdav, today began consideration of the As. well bill. which omits the provision contained in the former for an equali zation fee on farm products for use in digposing of the surplus. The Senate committee has had un der consideration the modified Me. Nary-Haugen bill. and some Repub jiean Senators who have supported the McNary principles and who claim they were not invited to participate in the conferences which developed the Curtis-Crisp measure, indicate that the latter bill might attain the status in committee of a counter proposal to the one now being considered. Senator Curtis, however, takes the position that his measure closely fol-! Jows the McNary-Haugen bill in many fmportant respects. particularly in ve. gard to surplus disposition. Tt would provide for a Federal farm board and & revolving fund of $250,000,000, Would Insure Reasonable Profit. The duty of the board. which would have $500,000 for operating expenses until July 1, 1928, would be to insure “reasonable profit over cost of produc- tion” on farm commodities by declar ing an emergency for any crop, when one existed, and permitting co-opera- tives to buy up the surplus and hold it. The bill, an sutgrowth of informal conferences with various Senators, says Senator Curtis, “offers its relief to all agriculture and not merely to a limited list of commodities “The bill plans no subsidy,” he de clares. adding it would not put the Government in business; offe en rouragement to the organization of ag riculture; and without price fixing in any form, assures the producer that neither excessive speculation nor too | plentious crops on an intelligently | planned acreage can force him to pro- | duce at a-lose.” | the Today in Congress SENATE. Senate’ adopted Copeland resolu- tion calling upon Secretary Mellon for a report as to what plans the Federal Reserve Board has made for carrying out the law authoriz- ing banks to make loans to war veterans on their compensation eertificates, Senator Walsh, Democrat, of Massachusetts introduced a bill authorizing the Veterans' Bureau to make loans to ex-service men. Senator Bruce, Democrat, of Maryland delivered a speech urging action on the long-pending French spoliations claims bill. Senate due to resume considera- tion of the Lausanne treaty with Turkey, in executive session, after 2 o'clock. Military affairs committee heard Col. Grant of the Park Commission on the wisdom of preserving Forts Hunt and Washington, on the Potomac River, for park purposes. Interstate commerce committee went on with hearings on the nomination of Cyrus E. Woods for membership on the Interstate Commerce Commission. Agriculture committee continued hearings on a bill relating to stock- yards in the West. Conferees on radio legislation held another conference today. HOUSE. House continues co Navy appropriation hill House Leader Tilson intimates he will allow time tomorrow for con- sideration of uncontroversial Dis- trict measures. Chairman Zihlman of the House District committee submits report on bill autherizing acquisition for 8 site for Farmers' Market. This measure probably will come up for coneideration in the House tomor: row Chairman Elliott of public build. ings ccmmittee lays hefore the House unanimous report of his committee eupporting the Smoot Underhill bill for acquiring triangle eouth of Pennsylvania avenue to B etreet House public buildings commit- tee also favorably reports Reed bill for increasing the authorization for public buildings all over the country by another $100.000.000, with an_additional $10,000.000 a year made availahle. District subcommittee of Houge appropriations committee makes inepection of school building proj- ects. Subcommittes of committee in executive = State, Justice. Commerce Labor appropriation biil Ways and means committee in executive session en loans on sol diers’ honus certificates; also con siders other measures. Veterans' committes conducts hearings for additional hospitals Committee on agriculture con- ducts hearinz of Representative Aswell on hig farm board bill Banking and currency commit tee conducts hearing on farm loan bill. Census committee conducts hear ing on reapportionment Military affairc _committee con ducts heering of Gen. Fox Connor on Army appropriations. Interstate commerce in executive session eonsolidation sideration of appropriations icn on and committee on railroad —_— Plumber Fights for License. Justice Siddons of the District Su- preme Court has issued a rule on the District Commissioners to show cause January 12 why they should not he vompelied to set aside the revocation of the master plumber license of Robert Buchholz, 642 B street south- east. The plumber, through Attorney Foster Wood, filed a_petition in man famus, in which he charges the action of the District Commissioners was arbitrary and illegal. % e A velour hat, light on the inside and dark on the outside, that may be worn turned inside or out, according to th weather, has appeared in London. - -~ | tion that ever happened. The facts | Rose” and “Just a-Wearyin’ ! composer, who had died*only a short THE EVENING STAR. WASHINGTON, i @, FRIDAY, JANUARY 7. 1927. \t, WASH AT 2N, . e A, e H. Noted British Writer Plans; Wide Range of Topics in | His Articles. 1 Cordial Reception in Lon- don and U. S. H. . Wells has returned to jour nalism. The noted Engligh novelist and historian has contracted with the New Tork Times to write an e every twn weeks during the coming | vear on some phase of contemporary | Under the general head n(i “The Wayv the World Is Going™ the | author of “The Outline of History™ | will disenes the outstanding -\nmnl and tendencies of 1927 : Ry special arrangements with the New York Times these articles will be published in Washington exclu-| gively in The Star The articles will constitute Mr. Well's only newspaper writings dur ing the vear. His range of topice will | be as oxtended as the news itself, for his contributions will deal with mat- ters of current interest. Many of the articles will he sent by cable, for they will be based on the news. Wells Describes His Plans. In deseribing his plans, Mr writes: ““The general title of these articles will he, “The Way the World Is Go. ing. They will deal with any sub ject treatable under that heading. from the characteristics of modern | art or the increase of false teeth to affairs. immediate | | | Wells | | | “the récent development of Soviet Rus. | in | Kuomintung _successes ssible changes of cli mate in Africa. They will not be pa- | rochially Rritish nor deal in party | terms with sither British or American politics—that is, they will he equally understandable by an intelligent ar tisan in Kansas City or Mancheater. In the first articie, which will ap- pear next Sunday in the Fditorial Section of The Sunday Star, Mr. Wells eets the background for those that follow and outiines his conception of the changing world. He denies the “unchangeableness of human life,” and adds: “There is a biological revolution in progress—of far profounder moment | than any French or, Russian revolu sia. the China or the j come dripping in to us, here a para graph in a newspaper, there a hook. now a chance remark: we are hus about our personal affairs and rarely find time to =it back and consider the G. WELLS TO GIVE READERS OF THE STAR VIEWS | continuing process. | other | ences | dren’s ON WORLD { with [ was made to UNDERWOUT N6 w immense significance of the whole These papers. of which this is the . will all consider some aspect or of this great change that is going on. In them we will release our imaginations to the truth that we are things that pass and do not leave ou: like, and that the ways and experi of our children and our chil children promise to he pro- foundly different from the life we lead at the present time. We will give a rest to our practical working belief in the security of things as they are. ! We will take the rest and refreshment of a few glances at the longer | vealitios. The New York Times today pub-| lishes the following copyrighted cable. | gram from London regarding the re- | turn of Mr. Wells to journalism: Lord Beaverbrook, in a front page article i the Daily Express, wel comes the return to journalism of H G. Wells. Mr. Wells has contracted to write a series of articles for the New York Times on world affairs for mdayv publication and which the Sunday Express will also print by ar angement with the New York Times “One may gree with him mildly | or violently," writes Tord Beaver- brook of Wells, “hut except for those who contend for the supremacy of Bernard Shaw one must admit him to | be the greatest and most provocative thinker of his age. “He has found ideas always new and often trune. I know this by per- | sonal experience. 1 have always sought him out and secured as much of his company as I conld get. I have done =0 hecause he fascinates me by the enormous output of his brain. 1 feel in listening to him much as a manufacturer would feel who saw at work some amazing new machine en. gaged in mass production.” FRANK L. STANTON, GEORGIA POET, DIES Author of “Mighty Lak a for You,” Was 70. Br the Associated Press. ATLANTA, Ga.. January 7.— Frank L. Stanton, 70, poet laurate of Geor. gia and a_member of the staff of the Atlanta Constitution for 40 vears, died at his home here today. Among Mr. Stanton's hest known poems are “Mighty Lak a Rose’ “L'll Feller" and “Just a Wearyin' for You. The note of cheer that graced his “Just From Georgia” column of the Constitution for 40 vears was evident in his last work. On Christmas day the column appeared for the last time. On the next day he was indis- posed and meveral days later was gravely {ll. Among the verses and paragraphs in the last column was a “New Year Text.” It emhraced the spirit which had endeared him to an unnumbered host of friends: “Tain't no use to sit and sigh For the things you let slip by; Whilst the light is in the sk Ketch the next one on the fiy. Sighin' when the ship is tossed Don’t bring back the haven loat; Rest to keep vour self-command, Hope for land, hope for land. Had Host of Friends, Friends were with the poet almost every day, In his office and home, and many visitors alwaye found his latch-string out. Of late years he had not heen active physically thers were few mornings that some bit of bright verse did not appear In his place on the editorial page of his paper. Most of the post's verses were pub. lished in hook form. but the money received from their sale always seemed to get away. He often remarked that he had littla husineas ability: once he cited an experience with “Mighty Lak’ a Rose” as an outstanding illustration The poem was published in copyright form. ““The first T knew that It had heen to music,” Stanton explained. ‘was when 1 heard a friend singing it to himself one dav. 1 investigated and found that an eminent American time hefore. had published the song I communicated with the widow and learned that the music for ‘Mighty Lak' a Rose' had heen found in his manuscripts and had been published soon after his death Offered $150 for Words. “The. next thing I knew a sentative of the widow, a might voung fellow, called on me, apologized for the mistake and offered me $150 for use of the words. “Well, the long and short of it was that right at the moment I happened to he a little short of cash, so I took the $150. And. hesides, he was a mighty nice young man, remember that.” Frank Lebby Stanton was a news paper man with the soul of a poet. The poet-laureate of Georgia hecame A mastar of the art at an early age. hy reading the world's hest verse. As ult, he hecame one of the South's sweetest singers and hest loved writers of heart songs of any age. Asking nothing of life hut to give expression to the kindly love and true poetry of his foul, Mr. Stanton re ceived mere pittances for some of his most popular works. and kept sub- limely aloof from the jazz of the times. He sang “Sweet Little Woman" through an age that reveled in “Red Hot Mamma.” Mr. Stanton continued in the voca- tion of a newspaper writer throughout his life. A number of collections of his poems have been’ published in hook form, the fi the title: “Song of the Sofl.” In 1899 another collection. ““Comes One With a Song." appeared,and in 1900 he pub- lished “Songs From Dixie.” “Up From Georgia” appeared In 1902 and his last published volume, "Little Folks | | The body ( appearing In 1892 under | MARKET BILL 0K, DUE TOMORROW Tilson Indicates $600,000 Measure May Be Advanced” in House. i The Farmer's Market bill may be | passed hy the House tomorrow. The bill authorizes the District Commis- sioners to acquire a new site for the Farmers' Produce Market with anap- propriation of $600.000 for this pur- pose, payable in the same way as all other expenditures for the Disteict. | House Leader Tilsom today inti- mated that any urgent District legis- latlon might be given a chance in the House tomorrow instead of Mon- | day, which is regular District day. No highly controversial legislation, however, would be allowed to come up. Wants Quick Action. Mr. Tilson jg responsible for not al- lowing other legislation to impede the progress on the hig appropria- tion measures. He is willing, how- | ever, to give several District bills which can be acted upon quickly an opportunity to be considered. Chairman Zihlman of the House District committee is today prepar- ing a list of some half dozen District measures which he will submit to Mr. Tilson late this afternoon. This list will not include smuch contro- versial measures a8 workmen's com- pensation, the Gasque elective school board bill and others of that class, which have been delaying District legislation for a vear or more Mr. Zihiman sald today that the farmers’ market bill would be in-| cluded on his list. He hopes also to get action on the two bills for Colum- hia Hospital, one of which authorizes a refund from the Federal Treasury of $25000. The other authorizes the new nurses’ home. Other Bills Included. Several minor hills introduced by Chairman Gib=on of the suhcommittee which is investigating the administra tion of the District municipality will also be included on Mr. Zihiman's list. Chairman Zihlman today filed in the House a favorable report from the committee on the hill authorizing the Commissioners to acquire a new site for the farmers’ market. W, J. BARRETT DEAD. Body to Be Taken to Binghamton, N. Y., for Burial. William J. Barrett, 40 vears old service manager of the Southern ter- ritory for the Hoover Vacuum Clean- ing Co., with headquarters in this city, died of pneumonia at his resi dence, 1631 Irving street, yvesterday. Funeral ices will be conducted the Sacred Heart Catholic Church rrow morning at 10 o'clock, with services preceding the church at the home at 9:30 am. will he taken to Bingham- tomorrow for burial on brief ceremony is survived by his widow, Mre. Bertha Hogan Barrett, and two sons, William J. Barrett, jr. and Rohert Francis Barrett. tt Wood Confirms U. 8. Visit. MANILA, January 7 (P).—Gov. Gen. Wood said yesterday that he hoped to visit the United States for a short time this year on a leave of absence. He was unable to state the date of his departure from Manila. were Valentine and Rehecca Stanton. Young Stanton lived in Charleston until he was 12 years old, when he {went to Savannah, Ga., and entered | newspaper work as a copy hoy. | The Civil War and the subgequent | perfod of reconstruction prevented {him from obtaining the school and [ college training he desired, so an apprenticeship over a type case in a printing office provided his education. Down South,” came from the press in 1904, Mr. Stanton was in Charleston. . C., February 22, » ¢ n bli!h-fll parents- was 11 years old. His first poem, “To Lizzie,” was written to his sweetheart whw, he /: jas | properly { Olymple I'® place | Pittsburgh { cities in western Penn OLYMPIC GAMES PROPOSED FORD. . W. A. Du Puy Urges Washing- ton Be Chosen Site for Athletic World Fair. Snegestion launched to Capital the Olvmpic games which would he held in an athletic World's most fitting bi.centennial f the hirth of George \\ 1y by William Atherton D Puy, newspaper man and author in a leiter to Senator Simeon D. Fess chairman of the Washington Bi centannial Celehration Mr. Du Puy reminds Senator Fess that the Amarican public nowadays is that a win for gn he National in 1932 metion air as ehration shington campa the { not Interested in the old type of faire which have provem go successful in the past hut that an athletic world’s fair could not fail to appeal strongly to cltizens in every quarter of the globe. He pointa out that los Angeles has tentatively been selected the scene for the 1932 Olvmpic which ave acheduled for the United States hut that they doubt lese could he switched to Washing ton if the proper support can be ob- tained from the American contingent. Better for Entire U. S, As an argument for changing the scene of the Olympic games from los Angeles to Washington, Mr. Du Puy ates, the journey of most of the par pants would he made some 8.000 miles shorter, while the bulk of the population of the United States would have a better chance to view the games “My idea would he,” Du Puy In his letter, “that the Olympic games should he made the central fea ture of the celebration. Around them, however, could be built a much more elahorate series of events than is a part of the usual program. An athletic program that would last three or four months could easily he developed “Our own national sports of base ball and foot ball could be made to upplement the central idea. An idea of state con teats—a program that was nationa rather than internatonal —would have The armies and navies of the ¥ gAmes, continues Mr. { world conld be invited to enter vari-|avepue northeast. 1201 ous competitions. One thinks of alrplane races. naturally There are | many elements of drill, infantry and cavalry, that could be made com- petitive. Polo is among the popular games of armies. The Potomac pre- sorts of aquatic sports, including hoat racing. There 1s no end to the pos- sibilities of extending the program. Sees Great Athletic Even| ion of this sort would the greatest athletic event that has ever heen staged in the history of the world. ‘The interest that the press in athletice would warrant it unparalleled publicity and public ity is the fundamental basis for sticcess of an undertaking of this sort. The battle would be half won by the very nature of the program. And from the standpoint of Wash ington the advantages would b many. In the first place, the city would be filled for months with the sport fans of the Nation and the world. The advantages of the pres- ence of throngs of people would be reaped. Because of these eventa the Washington da‘e line would dominate the news of the world. In the sec- ond place staging such an event would of necessity call for the development of & magnificent stadium. for suitable athletic flelds, which would be paid for out of gate receipts and become “A celel | permanent improvements to the city.” | advice and assistance. PITTSBURGH BANK ORDERED CLOSED Company With $1,231,898 Assets Has Insufficient Re- serve, Examiners Find. By the Associated Press. PITTSBURGH, January 7.—The Deposit and Title Co., with 8,000 depositors and total assets of $1,231,898, was closed today by the Pennsvivania State Dapartment of Banking when it was discovered that the institution’s reserve was short of the legal requirement. Special Bank- ing Department Deputy Frank W. Jackson was placed in charge. Jackson, In a statement, reported that his examiners found the reserve shortage. He added that because of the non-liquid character of the as- sets—mortgages for the most part- the bank had heen unable to main- tain the required legal reserve. He said it appeared that there was a con- siderable shrinkage in the mortgagi investment account, ariging out of cent loans on building operation; which huilders were unable to com- plete owing to lack of capital. “It also appears,” he added, “that during recent monthe many second mortgages have heen taken, it devel- aping that the properties securing the same are of insufficient value to cover both firet and second lines.” Jackson was placed in charge of the bank, it was explained, to assist | v of banking in con-| the State secreta tinuing of liquidating the business of the company. The bank, operating under Penn- sylvania laws, is located in the center of Pittsburgh’s financial district. Its officers, headed by A. H. Leslle, presi- dent, of Pittshurgh, are from various vania. According to the last statement of the bank. the capital stock was $125,- 000; surplus and undivided profits, $16.672; deposits, §1,067,759; assets, $1,231,898. JUDGE SENTENCES MAN FOR EMBEZZLEMENT Homer W. Hawkins Gets Two Years and Six Months—S8erved for Like Charge in 1820. Homer W. Hawkins, who served time on a similar charge in 1920, was sentenced today by Justice Hoehling in Criminal Division 1 to serve two years and six months in the peniten- | tiary for embezzlement. He was em- ployed by the Minton Scobel Co. and October 23 appropriated a check of the firm for $1,86. George De Celle, 19 years old, was sent to the penitentiary for one year and one day. The boy was at the National Training School aml struck John M. Stockman, the watchman there, over th® head with a clock and escaped from_the institution. Robert J. Paul, colored, will spend three years in the penitentiary foy housebreaking, and William Allen, colored, will serve 15 months for a similar offense. Probation was extended by Justice Hoehling to Louis E. Bell, Harry J. Graham and James C. Boyd. the | CAPITAL BEHIND N CHILD HEALTH | Means of Reducing Infant l Death Rate Inadequate. | Education Is Needed. | Note: This is the fourth of a series of articles on the infant mortalit vate in the Distriet of Columbia. The Afth will appear tomorrowr, Facilities granted the Distriet of Co- Inmbia o reduce infant mortality and fmprove the health standards of chil- dren are not only far from adequate, hut are below the standards maintain ed by larger cities bigger problem by virtue of greater area and populaifon Rallying under the slogan adopted | by child health experts throughout {the Nation that “child health can be purchased with dollars and cents, Washington's welfare are endeavoring to buv a reduction in the high infant mortality rate here (£7.3 per thousand birthe fn 1925, the latest statistical period), as New York. | Chicago. Philadeiphia, Cleveland, De-| {trolt. St. Louis, Los Angeles, San | Francisco and Seattle have done and lare continuing to do. These and other communities which have regarded the health and life of | their new citizens as resting almost wholly on the word “education” have of information regarding care of a baby before and after birth among "mothers who are or are not in a posi- tion to obtain it voluntarily. With nine ehild hyglena stations augmented by two privately supported centers and a private organization At work in Washington. the field is not ! and cannot be covered as it shauld be, I{n the opinion of the District health |office and welfare workers. Stations Need Larger Staffs. The nine stdtione appropriated for I by Congress, it 1s freely conceded. not ionly have justified their eetablish- I ment. hut have repeatedly emphasized the need for larger staffs with longer working hours, as well as more clinice. “Fhe existing clinica sre located at Georgetown Hospital, 330 ¢ street. 1480 B street southwest, 900 Marviand Talbert street | coutheast, Freedmen's Hospital. 5327 ! Georgia Avenue, 925 Twenty-second {erreat and 1205 Pennsylvania avenue | aoutheast. Two of these—the fieorkia {avenue and Talbert street stations - | Wore opened since July 1 of last vear | sents an admirable setting for all|{, meet the needs of those commu- | nitiea. In addition to the fore tare under the direct super Distriot Health Department, there i& a child byglene clinic at Children's Tloapital and a pre-natal clinic At Co lumbia Hospital. These are open to the public on a free status and are maintained by public contributions The final means of assisting mecher unable to consult a physician ither before or after her child is horn in through the Instructive Visit Ing Nurse Society. This organization | reaponds to calls from persons Who | cam “afford the full-pay service, who the fyll cost but can pay the care they receive and ho are unable to pay &t going, which 'or those W all. | Nine Physicians Available. Only nine physiclans, each giving ! part-time service. can be the District Health hygiene stations under thority and appropriations. physicians_are able to give but i Pours a week each to the mothers o fexpectant mothers in need of present Au- ine nurses, one o ench atation. who in addition to their Quties at clinic hours, are responsible for all persons in need in their dis tricts. Each nurse also receives (wo atreet car tokens a day for transpor tation. “The hours for the cli | speaking. one day There are but n nics, generally od on another week day for is spent by t | homes, instructing prospective mothers as to their own care, and serutiniz- possible, the manner « far as Lo orn child 18 looked |in which the new after, To these clinics, mothers also bring their new babies at regular in- should not wait for the haby to show signe of fliness before me.ical assist- ance is sought. Standards have reached such a degree of perfection that within a reasonable figure, the new baby's weight and hedith condi- tion can be forecast from month to month. Clinies Too Busy. In addition only one of the infant hygiene statfons maintained by the | District_government is equipped for prenatal wol | Freedmen’s Hospital, While other eclinics include prenatal work in thelr programs, vet their du- tlex make it impossible for them to de. { vote as much time to this important { question as should he. The clinic at Children's Hospital, however, 18 much better off from tha standpoint of a staff, Seven physi- “lans, one supérvitor and two ‘“fol- Jow-up™ workers comprite it. In ad Adition to these, the clinic at will may leall upon volunteers from the Ju- nior League and the Red Cross Health League for work in the homes inci- dent to the care of the child. Pre- natal advice, information and atten- tion also are available here, but to white and colored. At Columbia Hospital the only pre- natal clinic in Washington is con ducted. This clinic has a staff of 13 doctors on the visiting list, two phyai- ciane on the “house staff” and one nurse for “follow-up” work. Both White and colored women and chil- dren are received here. Incidentally the annual report of Dr. W. P. Mor- rill, superintendent of the hospital, ‘was made public today and it shows, for the fiscal vear ending June 30, 1926, a reduction in the infant mor tality rate of .29 for births at hospital under the classification of Scharity.” The total rate in 1925 was > for white and for_col (2.67 for Should Have 75 Nurses, The American Public Health Asso- ciation's standard for nurses in in- fant hyvgiene service is 15 nurtee per 100,000 population. At this rate Washington would require a minimum of 75 nurses, hut it is doubtful if this entire number will be sought im- mediately. The States, through the provisions of the Sheppard-Towner maternity act, obtain Federal assistance in the form of appropriations for the pro- motion of the welfare and hygiene of maternity and infancy, but the Dis- trict of Columbia does not receive any benefits from this congressional act. At the close of the flscal veAr 1925 all the States except Connecticut, TI- linois, Kansas, Maine and Massachu- setts were co-operating under the act, and by action of the Sixty-eighth Con- gress its henefits had been made available to and accepted by the Ter- ritory of Hawaii. The act during the last three years made $1,190,000 available to the States from the Federal Treasury for the education of mothers. Here- with {8 the sumi of the three years’ setivities lnm%tu as pre- which have a| viston of the | the | provided for | pepartment’s | And these | are from 10 a.m. to 12 noon | for white, and the same 2. The remainder of the time | he nurses in entering the | torvale for welghing and inspaction. | 'he modern mother does not and rk, and that is located at | tor colored only. | the | EXCESS PROFIT Admitting resentment that the Sen ate District committes should have lesued a condemnatory statement r flecting on their husiness honesty “without even permitting them to sec the report,” members of the Retail Merchants' Roard of Trade, compris ing most of tha coal dealers of Wash ington and nearby snburbs in Mary {1and and Virginia. prepared to tak { steps to defend themselves foday. Jesse . Suter, general manager of | the hoard, was in touch with Roger L. Whitaffrd, who was appointed spe. the Senate committes first | sought to open their hooks for inves tigation. early thie morning. Mr | when | chairman of the committes, a full copy {of the report | Report Called Unfair. “Untfl we either have that copy or Senator Capper's refusal to surrender | it, we can scarcely say anything.”” Mr. Suter said, in the presence fl, other members of the board. ““The only in- formation we have i what we have #een In the newspapers. _If thome re- | whole thing as grosaly unfair and | pointedly outrageous. “We have appealed to the auditors {from Mr. McCarl's office, who made the investigation. for copies of the re port. The only message we have had in return was that Senator Capper | had not anthorized the coal men to he given transcripts, and that the de- mand elsewhera had heen sn heavy that they had distributed all extra coples, anyhow. Apparently we, the most interested people in the affair, have no standing.” Ar moon as Mr. Whiteford has ob- tained a reply from Renator Capper on the requeat for a copy of the papers, a full meeting of the hoard is expected to be called. Definite action will be deferred until that time. Probe Started Year Ago. vesterday by Senator (‘apper, was the result of an investigation undertaken A yvear ago. It charged, in substance, that Washington coal dealers advanced prices more than their costs increased during the anthracite strike. Members of the committée ex- pressed the opinion individually that (the report Indicated there were undue price increases here, but when the { reading of the document had been completed the committes camasto the conclusion that there is no way in which Congress could regulate coal prices. It was then decided to author- ize Senator Capper to submit the re {port to the Senate with the request that it be printed either in the Rec- ord or as a separate document. Senator Capper's report was based {on the figures obtained by H. A. A. [ &mith, accountant in Controller Gen- jeral McCarl's office, from a representa- tive group of local dealers. who agreed to open their books with the under- standing names would not be used in the report. Table Shows Variations. Referring to the several companies information ae A, B, C. { etc., the report set forth the net profit per ton of each dealér on each kind of fuel. This tabulation showed the following variations: On run of mine soft coal—A maxi- | mum net profit of 82 cents per ton by one dealer and a loss of 3% centa per ton by another dealer. Briquettes—From a maximum net profit of $3.07 per ton by one dealer Ito 35 cents net by another. High volatile soft coals—From a maximum of $1.83 net to 29 cents net in another case. Low volatile soft coala—From a maximum of $1.59 net for one dealer to & loss of 9 cents by another dealer. Coke—From $2.91 per ton nét to 48 | cents net; with none showing a net lor | furnishing nthracite—From 70 cents to 21 cents net. These figurex were followed by this comment in the report: “It will be noted that all losses. with one exception involving a 9 cents loas per ton. were on miné riin coal. which inclnded the degradation or wlack from the high-priced pre- pared domestic sizes. Even on this degraded coal, it will be noticed that the losses per ton weré comparatively i pared by the Children's Bureau of the Department of Labor: Health conferencea held, 63,725, Child health conferences, 48,225, Prenatal conferences, 12,558, Combined prenatal and child health conferences, 1.945. Visita to conferences by infants and | 20,160, sschool children, 820, DT lsits to conterences by prospactive mothers, 102,685 Parmanent healt a. 2.126. 3 “IAffendance at mothara’ classes, 149,304, C Atténdance 49.990, Home v h centers establish- at midwivea' classes, ieite by nurses, 1.035.773. Prenatal and Infant hegiens ltera- ture distributed, 8.557.574. Total number of counties in 43 co- operating States and Haw 11, 2,826. Total number of countiss ched hy maternity and Infancy \program, 2.313. 179,464 Mothers Reached. During 1926 nearly 1,000 habies and preschool children and 178464 ex. pectant mothers were reached through one or more of the State activities made possible by the Sheppard-Towner act. In reviewing the working of the act in the States for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1926, the bureau sald: “One of the difculties incurred in the successful conducting of prenatal centers has been the reluctance of women to attend meetings at all public in nature and their reticence in asking questions after they had conquered their unwillingness to ap- pear at the meetings. This in grad- hally heing overcome, but the prenatal program in many Ktates must atill he fundamentally educational for the general popuiation as well as for the individual women who reached through conferences, visits from nurses or through the medium of correspondence. Many women not only have no medical supervision dur- ing pregnancy, hut have little or no medicalecare during confinement. “Women need more inatruction in the importance of placing themselves under the care and observation of a competent physiclan early in the DISTRICT COAL DEALERS BRAND Charges Made by Senate Committee Out- rageous, Retail Merchants Say, as They Lay Plans for Defense. | cla) counsel to represent the coal men | Whiteford waa authorized formally to | o oamime | damand of Senator Arthur L. Capper. | ports are true exerpts from the entire | e e heoper dlssemination | T4DOrt, then we can only condemn the | REPORT UNFAIR amall, pense after allowing for svery on & very liheral basis Results of Entire Year. “In atudying the tahle and the one from which it was compiled. it should | he horne In mind that it represents the results of the entire vear and not simply the strike period. The | charts or graphs to which reference | will be made in detall later show | much higher gross profits during | the strike perfod. hut the inclusion of a full 12-month period reduced the net profit figures g From this point report sought to show that for the period | of the anthracite strike the gross| profits of the dealers examined in- creased considerably. For example. the report sets forth the following increases in gros prof- | It auring the perind of the strike for one company, referred to as “A" “The chart shows that during the strike period. this company's gross profits on briquettes increased from $3.72 in the middle of September to $6.70 in November, through Decem- ber and to the middle of January Thiz was an advance in gross profite of $2.98 per ton. On high volatile coal (Fairmont, etc.) ita gross prof- ite during the atrike period in- creased from $2.70 to $4.60. On Pocahontar egg and other low volatile coal, 1tk gross profite in th atrike period increased from $2.15 to| $5.90 3 ine and from $3.60 ta $5.80 ($2.20 increase). profite on coke Aduring period increased from $2.20 per fon to $5.30, or an increase of $3.10 per ton. On run of mine its gross profita declined from $2.80 to $2. or 2 cents per ton." Other Increases Shown. The report alsa told of increases in gross profits per ton during the atrike period by several other companies that had furnished data to the ac countants, In some of these other ex for the strike period did not show as great an increase as in the firat il- Tustration. Chairman Capper concluded the re port with the following observation: “A study of the charts and the statements reveals clearly that dur- ing the strike period the coal dealers advanced their sale prices more than their costs increased, with the result that during such period their gross } conditions Ite grosa| the atrike | illustrations the gross profits set forth | TRUCKMEN SHO IMPROVED DRIVING Plan to Get Pledges of Better Service Meets With Wide Approval. BY W AM ULLMAN. At the close of the fourth day of The Star's campaign to curh eareless epeeding and reckiess driving on the part of light commercial vehiele operators, trafic officials report A notahle improvement in condition particularly in the congested districts where the rights of pedestrians and other motorists were violated te an extent that drew ecity.wide attention to the need for Arastic actio Along with the improvement in 18 the increasingly wide favor accorded the idea of ohtaining tha personal pledge of every com mercial vehicle driver in the city to abide hyv the traffic regulations and to pect the rights of other citizens, whether awheel or afoot While more husiness houses were ! assenting to the plan to eirculate the | pledges among their drivers, the American Automobiie A ation i throngh Ern Smith, its general | manager, off its services in dis tributing the eards to every firm | which operates a commercial vehicle. Other Help 1s Offered. | In addition to placing ita distribu tion facilities at the disposal of those behind the campaign, the A. A. A offered to aid in any other way that might serve to create respect among the drivers assalled hy citizens and officials as the “worst in the city.” An offer to print the pledge cards has heen made by a Iarge business concern, whose officials point ont that ca sesk no advertising in con. tributing this small servies to a cam- paign fraught with so much impor- tance. The offer covers the printing coat of any number of cards that may he necessary to put one in the hands | of every delivery car driver in tha | National Capital. In its offer to distribute the pledges the A. A. A. expreased ite willingness [to call into service the achoolhoy and Boy Scont patrois, which hav helpful In similar situatio past. “We can distribute these cards to | every employer in the city,” save Mr, | Emith. “Their unanimity on the {value of these pledges ix one of the most significant features of the cam- ! paign to end recklessneas on the part of their employ Our expérience with business firms has heen that they are vitally concerned with safety profits greatly increased. It is also apparent that their profits on suh- stitutes for hard coal were greater than on anthracite, so that the retail dealers undoubtedly benefited by strike conditions while the consumer suffered. “It = equally clear that the gross margins obtained by Washington deal- tained by dealers generally in other parts of the country. It was testified (hearings, p. 130) that the United States Coal Commission, after inves. | tigation, found that the average gross | margin per ton for 273 companies, in net ton, or $2.67 per gross ton, such #s i sold in Washington. The Phila- delphla gross margin, average, was but this probably applied large- Iv to anthracite, though some soft coal was alfo handled by the dealers in that city. Finds No Explanation. “It appears from the testimony on p. 37 of the hearings that one of the hig coal operators of the country stated. with reference to retail sales that ‘if 1 were to add $2.50 & ton to the cost of freight. plus mine price, for the delivery of thia coal within a reasonable radius, T would be selling it at a very good profit to myseif.’ No explanation appears in the rec. ord as to why costs of handling coal in Washington should be higher than el«ewhere. Practically the only d fense of the dealers 1o their higher gross profits in the strike period was that the strike might end suddeniy and leave them with a large quantity of unsalable soft coal on hand.” The report aiso stated -that ‘not only do the dealers pay what they consider high freight rates on coal from the bituminous fields but that they pay large rentals to the rail- roads entering Washington or its vicinity for the use of coal dumps or tipples. 1t a sufficient use of the facilitige is not made, from the rafl- roads’ point of view, the leases can be cancaled on comparatively short mo- tice.” It i stated, further, that while some coal dealers couple other lines of husiness with fuel, for the most part the sale of coal ia their principal business. which means that their plant and equipment stand practically idle a large part of the year. The report uggests that overhead would be re- duced if the dealers were more exten. | sively engaged in the ice business, for example. Congress Action Unlikely. In the discussion which followed the presentation of the Capper re- port, Senator Copeland, Democrat, New York, declared the document seema “to confirm the suspicion of the American people” as to the effect a strike has on coal prices. He added, | however, that “I da not think we | should particularly blame dealera in ! the District of Columbia. 1 think ft applies generally to the country.” Another member of the committee callad attention to the statement in the report that groas margina in Washington were higher than those | obtained generally throughont the country. To this, however, another committee member pointed ont that the accountants who made the in- vestigation did not have the same ac- | cess to figures for the reat of the country that they had for the Dis- | trict. Practically every member present agreed that there was probably no action Congress could take to re late the price of coal here, and it was | decided to file, in the ‘committee’s | archives, the data collected hy the accountants for future reference and authorize Senator Capper to submit hia report hased on this data to the Senate to be printed. CHARLES SAUNDERS DIES. Son of Late Senator Was Living in Omaha—S8erved in Legi. Word was received in Washington of the death of Charles M. Saunders in Omaha today. Mr. Saunders was the son of Mra. Alvin Saunders and the late Senator Saunders of Nehras- ka and a brother of Mrs. Russell B. Harrison. He was for many vears a periad of pregnancy. This instruction is being given through prenatal let- ters, pamphlets and leafleta dis- tributed from State bureaus and the United States Children's Bureau, vis- ual education, group teaching and talks which the nurses have with individual mothers. “That proper prenatal care reduces the number of stilibirths, lessens the danger of gaternal mortality and the danger of death of the child in early {nfancy, and promotes the health of both mother and child, are facts as yet but dimly comprehended by the general pgblie. It (& generally con- ceded t the greater part of the member of the State Legislature of Nebraska and served as presiding of ficer of that body for several terms. He has visited in Washington in re- cent years as the guest of his siste Mra. Harrison, and niece, Mrs. Mar- thena Harrison Willlams, and while his father was Senator made his home here. Mr. Saunders made his home with his mother and Mre. Harrison in Omaha. Hig niece. Mrs. Williams, and ers were much in excess of those ob- | | large and small_cities, was $2.39 per | | in its every phase and thelr celerity in | rallying fo this campalgn has co- ' incided with the experience of the | A. A. A everywhere. - | Reckleasness Is Personal. | “Recklessness and carelesaness in {driving are personal. It is the indi- | vidual who ia at faunit. This ie true througheut motordom. The reckless | passenger car driver certainly doss not have the sympathv of the driver | who is careful. The reckless truck or | commercial vehicle driver. it ia squaily { certain, does not have the support of his employer.” | That citizens have caught the spirit | of the campaign s reported hy gev. | eral business firms who declare the: ‘llreafl_\' have received congratula- tions upon their definite stand for | courtesy and care in driving. | In the brief t that has elapsed since the campaign startsd the con- | carted attack by police, trade hodi | amployera and citizens has served to put the commercial vehicle driver | more within the law than he ha¢ been in months, observers in all parts of the city declare. Would Hold Ground Won. | “The driver finally realizes that his | depredations In the agrregate amount- led to considerably more than he thought,” one large employer de- ed today. “He must not he ai- lowed to lose sight of that fact again. The pledge card idea will go far | toward achieving this end. “Fvery one of my men has given me his personal pledge to make safety his primary consideration while he is on the strests and all have assured me of their willingneas to sign any pledge card presented to | them. | 7“1 bélteve this ia the general atti- |tude, and that it will go far toward | remedying & deplorable situation.” | . PRESIDENT ASKS ARMS PARLEY FUND (Continued from First Page.) the possibility of practical accomplish- ment. “I believe that we should continue to give our full co-opération to the work of the preparatory commission with a view to bringing about, as quickly as possible, a final conference, at which further steps will he raken to reduce and limit armamenta. Policy Firmly Established. “The policy of this Government tn favor measures which hold out prac tical hope for the limitation of Arma- ments ix Armly establishad. Ry con tinuing our hearty co-operation in tha preparatory work, we shall be able 1o do our share in formulating agenda for the final conference which will give promise of Actusl agreemen for arme limitation. “The appropriation of $50.000 al ready made for this work has heen exhausted. 1. therefore, racommend that there he authorized the further appropriation of $75.000 to cover the expenses of American partieipation in the forthcoming activities of the preparatory commission. “I recommend this sum because. when the commission undertakes ac- | tual drafting of an agenda, it may b» necessary to send a considerable num- ber of American representatives to in sure adequate representation in all phases of the work. Since the axact requirements cannot be foreseen, and will depend on developments, 1t ap- pears wise to provide sufficlent appro priation to meet contingencies that may arise. “In relation to the form of the ap propriation, the prices prevailing at Geneva, and the nature of ‘h: re spondBilities devolving wupon the membeére of the delegation make it important that their expenditures for subsistence he exempted from the re strictions imposed by existing la« and be made discretionary with the Secretary of State. “CALVIN COOLIDGE."” HOLD-UP BEING PROBED. Four Arrests in Connection With Shooting and Robbery. Four men gre under arrest in the investigation of a $60 hold.up and shooting in the home &t Gertrude Jackson, colored. 614 K street, about noon yesterday. They are Terrili Bailie, 25 vears old, Clarendon. Va.: Stanley Harris, allas Maxwell, 21, of 1216 New York avenue: George 1. Comstock, 43, of Cordova Apartments, and Charles her three childréen have haen In Omaha this Winter. His nephew, Willlam Henry Harrison. 3d. now makes his home in Indlanapolis and was elected to the State Legislature infant he oceirring in the first month of life are dus to natal and prenatal uses. ‘}’!‘u .l‘nglum in No\':mher. his father, son, ~serving as State s-‘&or‘ Marion muy'uy. Jackson, residing in the house where the shooting occurred. While definite charges have not been preferred against the trio, it i# the elaim of the police that Baiile did® the shooting and that Harrie teek the money. Comstock and Jackson deny implication.