Evening Star Newspaper, February 18, 1927, Page 2

otNATORS TO0.K VOTE FOR DISTRICT District Committee Will Re- port Favorably on Consti- tutional Amendment. Voteless residents of the District of Columbia were given encourage- ment in their efforts to obtain na- tional _representation when the Sen- ate District committee yesterday afternoon decided to make a favor- able report on the resolution pro- posing a constitutional amendment which would empower Congress to ex- tend national suffrage to the District. Senator Wesley Jones of W ton, who has sponsored the n representation resolution for a num: ber of vears, explained that he was authorized by the District committee to report the measure to the Senate with the understanding that it wi then be referred to the judiciary committee for consideration. In Line With Agreement. o sending of the resohrion to the,| committee, with the in- dorsem of the District committee, is in accordance With an agreement entered into when the resolution was introduced In the early days of the present Congress. There was some discussion at that time in the Senate as to which committee had Jjurisdic- tion over such a measure, and Sen- ator Jones announced that he would agree to have it passed on by the Judiciary group after the District com mittee had acted on it. The resolution provides for a con- gtitutional amendment under which Congress would be given authority to allow the District one or two Senators, 28 Congress may determine, and repre: gentation in the House on the basis of the census. It also would give the District presidential electors equal in number to the aggregate representa- tion of the District in the Senate and House. The amendment would further empower Congress to give residents of the District the status of citizens of a State for the purpose of suing and being sued in Federal courts. Efforts to obtain a new location for the Farmers' Market as speedily as possible were given a setback by the Senate District committee when it voted yesterday afternoon to amend the House bill by requiring the Com- missioners to report to Congress in December which site they intend to acquire before closing the deal. Lack Authority to Get Site. ‘The bill as amended will enable the city heads to carry on negotiations during the Summer, but they would not have authority actually to acquire a site. As the bill came from the House it authorized $600.000 and empowered the Commissioners to pick the site. ‘The Senate committee amendment is the result of a feeling among certain members of the Senate that Congress should pass on the site to be bought. Establishment of the new Farmer's Market as promptly as possible is essen- tial because the farmers must move from 12th and B streets soon to make way for the Internal Revenue bullding. The committe ordered a favorable report on th House bill to permit wom- en to serve on juries in the District, with certain eremptions to those who cannot leave their household duties. ‘The committee also reported out a measure to provide for the settlement of certain Distriet government claims growing out of the settlement that oc- curred in First street northeast follow. ing the comstruction of the. railroad tunnel. Th Judiciary ——s. COMMISSION HEARS PARK AREA PLANS AS SESSION OPENS (Continued from First Page.) 160 acres. It has been figured th: such a unit will embrace approxim! 1y 5,000 people in one-family houses. It further said that the population of ‘Washington is nearly the ideal unit for efficient school administration. Figures for the District of Colum- bia, the report said, show that the normal development within the Dis- trict {s 123 families per acrs, or epproximately 8,400 people per 160. acre unit. The report adds, however, that in apartment house districts popu- lation runs as high as 140 families per ecre. 10 Per Cent Urged for Parks. Within such a district, the report ‘went on, there should be small parks and open spaces suited to neighbor- hood use, and generally 10 per cent of the 180 acres laid down as a unit £hould be given over to recreation pur- poses. The report said that the neighbor-. hood center suggested as the heart of the unit 1nust be equipped with vari. ous facilities for the service of the community. These elements were laid down as fcllows: First the school, with @ schoolyard or playground for small children. In this connection there should aso be an ass-.nbly hall, gym- nasium, librery facilities, swimming pool and similar service, not leaving ©ut & service unit for police and fire protection Mr. Eliot pointed to the growing tendency of increasing the size of plots for school facilities and indicated that the best information now is that eiementury schouls should have five acres of ground with ten acres for high schools. Citing figures as to the Tequirement of space, per child, he £aid that the Bureau of Recreation had set 100 square feet, per child, in the school as the desirable size, with 50 feet as a minimum for children up 10 the seventh grade. As a general ll?ln‘ he said smaller playgrounds, Which do mot provide this amount of New Board Member S BAIS NANED T0 SCADOL B0ARD Former Head of Chamber of Commerce to Succeed Ed- win C. Graham. S. Isaac Gans, former president of the Washington Chamber of Com- merce and one of the city's lead- ing merchants, today was appointed a member of the Board of Education to succeed Edwin C. Graham, re- signed. Announcement of the selection of Mr. Gans to fill the unexpired term of the former board member was made by the justices of the District Supreme Court, who are empowered to make such appointments. Mr. Gans will serve under this appointment until July 1 next, when Mr. Graham's term would have ended. Mr. Graham's resignation, tendered some months ago because of pressure of personal business, was accepted recently by the justices. Is Interested in Work. The new board member announced today that he had accepted the ap- pointment as a civic duty after sev- eral days of hesitation. “I have always been intensely in- terested in the education ¢f our boys nd girls, who are to be the men and omen of tomorrow,” Mr. Gans said. have managed to find time to take an active part in any effort designed to improve educational facilities for the children of Washington, and when I was requested to serve on the Board of Education 1 gave the matter my most careful consideration. Con- vinced that I should continue to do anything I could as a public duty, I have consented to the appointment, and I feel highly honored that I should have been thought of in this connec- tion. Mr. Gans said that while he had not been notified as to the exact time set for beginning his service, ke as- sumed he would attend the next meet- ing of the board in his official capacity. Active in Civic Work. A resident of the District of Colum- bia since 1882, Mr. Gans has been in the forefront of the city's civic work for many vears. He has been espe. cially active in the Capital's trade bodies and has attained prominence as a lecturer on business topics before leading educational institutions. He was born in Raltimore, Febru- ary 1, 1262, and came when 20 years old to aceept & position with Saks & Co. He is now treas- urer of the firm and head of the ‘Washington store. Mr. Gans was edncated at the Balti- more City College. He has lectured before business classes of Catholic Univergisy, Si. John's College and local high schools and business schools. He is the author of numer- ous commercial articles published in various magazines. An unusual honor was conferred on him when the Army Band dedicated to him a military mareh which bears his name. Director of Bank. In addition to being a past presi- dent and active member of the Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Gans is a former vice president of the Mer- chants and Manufacturers’ Associa- tion. a member of the W lative committes of the National Re- tail Clothiers’ Association, an execu- tive committeeman of the American Automobile Association, a member of the board of directors of the Laee Highway Association, chairman of the retail trade committee and a member of the Congressional Country Club, tional Press Club, the District Boy Scout Counell and Lodge, No. 11. F. A. A. M, 1= a_director of the Federal- American National Bank and of the Yellow Taxicab Co. Mr. Gans was chairman of the com- mittee which made arrangementa for Washington's celebration of Defense day several years ago. He resides at the lowa apartments with his wife, Mrs. Wilhelmina Edith Epace, are being discontinued. Outlines Facilities Needed. Mr. Elliot pointed out that in the Bouth Park system of Chicago Z'O‘ul is considerea as the best size for a small park, and t b efcient the following faailities should be provide Field house, with adequate assembly hall; club organization, with library ng room, indoor gymnasium for men and women, shower baths, locker rooms for men and women, swimming pool and dressing rooms, outdoor gym. nasium for men and women, children's layground, wading pool, sand pit, ath- stic fleld, tennis courts, and so forth. Mr. Elllot pointed out to the eom- roission that there are obvious advan. tages and savings to be gained 'by &rouping all these facilities on a single site, as by such grouping problems of supervision are simplified and dupli- cation of facilities is avoided. Blackmailers imt Die. MOSCOW, February 18 (#).—Four members of the stats criminal police were sentenced to death here today for extorung $2,500 from a wealthy merchant. The money was paid by the victim to save him from trial on charges which the conspirators are ;.I‘lesed to have trumped up against m. Czarists Sentenced to Death. HABAROVSK, Siberia, February 18 P).—Two former officers of the crarist regime were sentenced to death here today as organizers of out. law bands. They were charged with reeponsibility for many murders com. mltug recently in the.Amur region. Barton Gans. R P FOREST AS MEMORIAL. 10,000 Acres Set Aside a Yorker's Monument. ALBANY, N. Y., February 18 (®).— —A forest will b> the memorial “erected” to Clifford R. Pettls, for mas forests. The nounces the project will 10,000 acres. New to this eity| years State superintendent of conservation department an- comprise THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, 1. C., FRIDAY, MERCURY AT 24 TONIGHT FORECAST Frigid Spell to Follow Spring- like Days—Unusual Thunderstorm. Given a rousing send-off early today | hy a rare Winter display of heavenly | pyrotechnics, the breath of Spring was giving a few last gasps thisaftér. | noon before expiring in the face of another frigid spell. A shower or twe this afternoon, accompanied by some more may interrupt the ministra tions of Old Sol, but elearing skies | will follow and bring a period of cold, FEBRUARY 18, 1927. FLOODED LOS A crisp weather, Forecaster Weightman announced. Tonight the thermometer is expected to sink to about 24 degrees, providirg | a temperature drop of 40-odd degrecs | since vesterd afternoon. The warm surfa 3 3 when the mercury topped | degree mark, last night struck cplder | lavers higher up, and the unusual| thunder and lightning storm just | after midnight was the result, accord. | ing to the weather experts. During the storm, which was characterized as of “sporadic nature,’ a heavy down pour of rain greeted many rts of the ecity The forecaster w sur- prised on lodking st the official rain- fall gauge this morning to find a total | depth of enly .13 of an inch regis- | tered. He expressed the opinion that | half an inch or so of rain fell in| other sections, however. Thunderstorms in February rare occurrence, he said, but they not unheard of. | Fair and colder weather is predicted | for temorrow, with probably rising | temperature Sunday. “ COLD WAVE IN MIDDLE WEST. | | | Snow and Sleet Algo in Southwest. | | Nips Buds. { KANSAS CITY, February 18 (#).— | Fed by subzero temperatures in the | northern Rocky Mountain States, a cold wave today engulfed the South- west and Middle West. Thermom- eters dropped from the upper 60s to | well below freezing at many points | within 24 hours. As a cold wind brought sleet and snow to this territory to nip budding | trees and flowers, snow slides contin- |ued to menace Colorado and Utah | eommunities, while Arizona and New | Mexico transportation facilities were | | erippled by floods. Kansas today reported tempera- | | tures of from 8 to 20 above with two | inches of snow in the western part of | the State drifting into railroad cuts | befors a strong north wind. Similar | conditions prevailed in Oklahoma and | northern Texas, where snow or t was general. The mercury was fall- ing rapidly south Texas points after several days of balmy weather. With snow in many Missouri points, indications were that the storm would extend well into the Upper Mississippi Valley today and tomorrow, where low temperatures were predicted. Forecasts for relief for the mountain States found Arizona with several points isolated following a week's rain. Four persons were reported marooned on an island near Phoenix, while res. cuers made unsuccessful attempts to remove them. Rotary plows were working to extri- cate two Denver & Rio Orande West- ern passenger trains stalled in deep drifts on the Continental Divide, be- tween Chama and Cumbres, Colo. The death toll in the mountain re- glon was increased tc four yester- day, when John Stevens was crushed to death in a slide near Price, Utah. Stevens was with a crew of 40 men sent to clear highways blocked by snow slides which ki'ied thres men Wednesday. Two men working near Stevens were injurad severely Havre, Mont., held the week's rec- ord for cold, with a mark of 24 below zero. Trains were restored to a regu- lar schedule in Western Montana fol- lowing a blizzard and five slides which delayed Great Northern service in the Glacier Park territory for 17 hours. | are o v are | BARGES CUT ADRIFT IN FOG RECOVERED By the Associated Press. CAPE MAY, N. J,, February 18— Two of three bharges reported adrift 25 miles off here have been Ilocated and are at anchor near the 5-fathom lightship, according to Capt. Addison of the Coast Guard base. The remain- ing barge is believed to be in tow of the tug Ballenas. The tug and the three barges ran too close to the lightship in the dense fog yesterday evening. Two of the barges were cut loose hy the tug, which reported their predicament to the Cape May Coast Guard hase and then is helieved to have proceeded on its way. : Two patrol boats sent to the rescue found the drifting barges and anchored them. Their crews are said to be safe. BEACH HAVEN, N. J., February 18 (). e men were rescued from the four-masted schooner Cecil P. Stewart, bound from Savannah, Ga., to New York with a load of railroad ties, after the craft stranded on the shoals near the Harvey Cedars Coast Guard station last night. The rescues were effected by Coast Guardsmen. “300 CLUB” PADLOCKED. Texas Guinan, Hostess, Set Free on $1,000 Bail. NEW YORK, February 18 (#).— The “300 Club,” bright-light night club, where Texas Guinan is hostess and from which she was taken to a police station cell early yesterday morning after the place was raided, ‘was ordered padlocked for six months today. | The infunction was consented to in | Padlock Court by counsel for the club and a personal injunction was issued against Hyman Edson, the club's manager, After being detained for several hours at the police station yesterday, | Texas Guinan was released in $1,000 bail, charged with eontempt of court for violating a personal injunction previously issued against her. holders. “Henry Ford is the trial genius of our tim ‘On the other hand, greatest risk in the Ford Motor C He his sucgess is established, we mui admit that As partner in the firm of B3 Ford Might Be “Eumnn Porcupine” As Employe, New York Banker Says Henry Ford might have turned out to be a human porcupine ‘“as man- 8 said ltoday in testifying in the case in- volving additional tax assessments against former Ford minority stock- fll‘ st indus- he is alse the steadily gone against the Judgment of other men, but new that man, Sachs & Co., New York, Catch- ings, testifying for the Government, placed a value of $5,000 on Ford stock as of March 1018. Sidney Weinberg of the same firm, testi- fying for the Government recently, placed the figure at $4,250. Answering a question by Joseph E. Davies of counsel for the former stockholders as to what value he placed on the plant in case he hought it and retained Ford as manager, Catchings answere: ‘] fear I would have got a percu- | Proposed Change in Traffic Twenfy-two persons are known to as reached bed, became a roarin; automobiles flounder flooded 1.os Angeles residential district. millions, as the result of terrific storms which fornia for four days. The Los Angeles River, usually a trickle over a dry water- torrent and the city streets bacame lakes in which to accident. Photo shows automobile half submerged in NGELES SUBURB sy e i have lost their lives, property damage ave swept Cali- 3 PASSING TO RIGHT Law Indorsed by Mer- chants’ Official. Merchants well as Washington motorists would reap a considerable benefit from the removal of the re- striction which forbids the passing of an overtaken vehicle at the right, Gen. Anton Stephan, president of the Merchants and Manufacturers’ Asso- ciation, points out in a letter today to Commissioner Proctor L. Dougherty urging the Commissioners to approve the pronosed change in the traffic regulations which would permit either right or left side passing. The text of Gen. Stephan's letter follow Indeswes Proposed Change. “Through the columns of The Eve- ning Star it has come to my attention that the director of traffic is planning to recommend a new regulation per- mitting passing of vehicles on the right &ide as well as on the left, as required hy present traffic regulations. “As president of the Merchants and Manufacturers’ Association T want to indorse this proposal and state that such a regulation would help greatiy in overcoming trafic congestion, par- ticeularly on arterial highways, where the slow.moving. center-of-the-road driver delays traffic and makes it im- possible for automobiles following to maintain a speed as prescribed by law. Works in Other Cities. “Philadelphia, New York and other cities some vears ago lifted the ban on passing on the right and have found that instead of causing acci- dents, it tended to reduce them. It also relieved trafic congestion by per- mitting faster movement of traffic and a greater number of cars to use the road as the result of increasing the number of traffic lanes. “’One of the big problems which con- fronts merchants in the delivery of goods is the delay incident to traffic tie-ups. As such a change proposed would, in our estimation, aid greatly in solving this problem. we trust that the racommendation of the director of trafc will be adopted by the Commi sioners of the District of Columbia. MINISTER MASSEY TO SEE PRESIDENT TOMORROW Will Present Credentials as Ac- credited Representative of Can- ada in United States. Vincent Massey, the newly appoint- ed Minister from the Dominion of Canada, will present his credentials to President Coolldge at the White House this afternoon. The usual diplomatic ceremony at- tendant upon the reception of a new Minister from a foreign nation will be carried out. President Coolidge, attended by naval and military aides in full-dress uniform, will receive Mr. Massey in the Executive Mansion, and the two will exchange formal greet- ings. After that it is probable that will spend a few minutes in pri- te conversation. Mr. Massey will be accompanied to the White House by the members of his legation staff, high officials from the State Department and probably by Rir Esme Howard, Ambasador from Great Britain. The ceremony probably will occupy no more than 15 minutea. NAMED’MINIS.TER TO U. 8. Jugoslav Envoy at Madrid Selected for This Post. BELGR;}DE, Jugoslavia, February 18 (#).—\Veislav Antonievich, Jugo- slav Minister at Madrid, has been ap. pointed Minister to the United States. A decree making the appointment was eigned by the King ted: Gerrymander Plan Defeated. The proposal for reapportionment ot House membership on the basis of the 1930 census was rejected today by the House census committee. The re- apportionment would have taken place after the next presidential elec- Armadillo as Pal At Hotel Spurned By Rudyard Kipling By the Associated Pre RIO JANEIRO, February 18.— Rudyard Kipling likes to write about fantastic tropical beasts, but he does not enjoy living with them. That is the discovery just made by a Brazillan admirer, who sent an armadille to the hotel where the famous British author is stopping. Kipling kept the animal for one v and then returned it with a er explaining that hotel life pine if I bought the plant and or- dered Ford to manage it for me, be- use I couldn't see Ford tak s Ago as & gu Brazilian government. H companied by his wife and to spend about a month in # America, pect South URCEDBY STEPHAN TORNADOES KILL 31 AND SPREAD RUIN IN TWO DIXIE STATES _(Continued from First Page) Jured. heavy. Nachitoches, on a direct line be. tween the two points, reported only a slight storm. Wires were down at many points along the supposed path and a complete check could not be made. Another storm was reported at Leaf, Miss., where several houses were demolished. Doctors were sent from Collins, county seat of Covington ¥, in which Leaf is located. At Pleasant Hill it was reported that 50 houses had been leveled. One -yearold boy was killed when the wind lifted him from the ground, then hurled him hack, crushing him. Three plantations were hit at Lake Bruin. One of the negroes was killed y\'l;en her house was blown into the iake, The property damage was Boy Swept Into Afr. E. A. Davis, manager of the Lelia- Mack plantation in Tensas Parish, said that his amall son was lifted four feet in the air by the wind and that it was with great difficulty that he prevented the boy from being blown away. Nearly all sections of Louisiana and Mississippi reported torrential rains: Baton Rouge reported that the Amite River was rising and that it was probable that all roads would be cov- ered with water. Vicksburg reported a heavy wind and rain storm, which resulted in several washoutd along the Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Railroad and left the city in darkness when the power plant was struck by lightning. EIGHT DEAD IN MISSISSIPPL Physicians From Meridian Are Called to Rose Hill. MERIDIAN, Miss., February 18 (#), —Eight persons were killed a half mile east of Rose Hill abaut 9:30 p.m. vesterday by a tornado, according to Dr. Dudley Stennis of Newton over long distance to the Meridian Star this morning. Rose Hill is about 35 miles southwest of Meridian, Dr. Stennis and three other doctors were called to Rose Hill. IMPERIAL VALLEY PERILED. More Men and Horses Thrown Into Fight Against Flood. LOS ANGELES, February 18 (#).— Southern California today was prac- tically eliminated from the theater of danger as the five-day storm abated, leaving 22 dead and property loss un. officially estimated at $2,500,000, hut Imperial Valley points along the Col- orado River were threatened with flood conditions and Northern Califor- nia coast cities awaited an approach- ing storm center from the Pacific. Men and horses were thrown into the fight against high water along the Colorado River near Calexico to pro- tect that district from a flood report- ed coming down the stream as the re- sult of the recent unprecedented rains. A discharge of 55,000 second feet of water was expeeted at Imperial and an additional flood was roaring down the Gila River from Arizona. Tanker Goes on Reef. The Gila River rise will pour into the Colorado River ahove Yuma, and, added to the already swollen volume, was expected to make a flow of 75,000 second feet, 3,000 feet over the peak of the flood which broke through the Imperial Valley lavees last June, Dense fog added a new peril last night, when the Standard Oil tanker F. H. Hillman, with 42 men aboard and bound for San Francisco from London, went on the reef at San Nicholas Islands, 70 miles southwest of San Pedro. After radioing frantic SOS calls and being aground for more than an hour, the distressed ves- sel succeede.l in pulling off under her own power. Farmers and citr growers pre- dict that the benei to crops by the snaking rains will overshadow the property damage in their area. Although rail communication with few exceptions had been restored, highway trafic continued in a snarl as crews of workmen set out te repair roads, rebuild bridges and remove landslides. Trains Are Rerouted. Transcontinental trains of the Southern Pacific were still being re- routed over the Santa Fe tracl Other roads were operating on al- most regular schedules. San chxo. which has been {solated since Wednesday, remained cut off from rail and highway communica- tion. Passenger and freight traffic L' belng carried to the border city v coastwide steamers loaded to their capacity. Hemet and San Jacinto, in the San Jacinto Valley, last night were iso- lated by a stretch of flood water which inundated bottom lands. Hemet Lake Dam, on the south fork of the n Jacinto River, was still standing last night, although holding the heaviest load of water in its history. The dam was believed for a time to have gone out. The San Jacinto River has overflowed its hanks for many miles, inundating farm lands east of Riverside. Reports of the floods situation re- celved last night state the entire San Pasquale Valley east of Escon- dide was flooded and many ranches washed out. Many Towns Isolated. Delmare, Solano Beach, Cardiff anq Encineitas were virtually isol. following a record-breaking rainfall which flooded the BSan Dieguito Valley. Palm Springs suffered heavy flood damage. Bridges pn both sides of ELBRIDGE T. GERRY | Father of Senator Was Noted | as Financier and Yachts- man; Was 89. By the Associated Preas | { NEW YORK, February 18.—Fl| jbridge T. Gerry, lawyer, vachtsman. | | financier and active for many vears las the guiding spirit In the Society | for the Prevention of Cruelty to Chil- |dren, died at his home here today in {his_ninetieth yvear. His son, Robert L. death occurred in his sleep at 4:50] a.m. He was able to sit up in a chair for several hours vesterday morning, but in the afternoon his jheart action began te fail and his |death was not unexpected. His four | children were at his badside. Mr. Gerry, who was perhaps best known by his title of “commodore,” |as former head of the New York Yacht Club, had been invalided at his home since last month by a fall, in which he suffered a broken hip. His physiciang pronounced him out of danger. but faid he would mever be able to walk again. Worked for Children. The grandsen of a signer of the Declaration of Independence and the father of a United States Senator. Elbridge Thomas Gerry. sstablished his own fame along lines outside na- tional politics. Much of his long life. however, was devoted to public serv- ice. Besides becoming widely known as lawyer, banker and yachtsman, he served on many important commis. sions in the State of New York and worked energetically to improve the r‘r';ndlllnn of the children of New York ty. Mr. Gerry, born in New York City on Christmas day, 1837, was a grand- son of FElbridge Gerry of Massa- chusetts, who was a signer of the Declaration of Independence and t fifth Vice President of the United States. He was graduated from Co- lumbia University in 1367 and was admitted to‘the New York bar in 1360. He held his first public position in 1867 when he was a member of the New York constitutional convention. He was chairman of the New York commission on capital punishment which in 1886 substituted the electric chair for hanging as the penalty for murderers in that State. Noted as Yachtsman. Ever since 1886 he had been known to his friends as Commodore Gerry. He had been interested in yachting for some time and in that vear he was elected commodore of the New York Yacht Club, a position which he held for seven vears. His flagship, the steam yacht Flectra, became familiar to residents of the leading ports of this country and Europe. Farly in lifs Mr. Gerry became in- terested in the welfare of the children in New York. He worked, wrote and gave in thelr behalf and from 1876 to 1901 he was vice president of the New York Society for the Prevemtion of “ruelty to Children. For many years he served as vice president of the American Soclety for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. He had served as a director of the Fifth Avenue Trust Co. of New York, the Newport Trust Co. of Newport, R. I, and the Industrial Trust Co. of Providence. He accumulated a law library containing 80.000 volumes. In the later years of his life he made his home in Newport. He was a mem- ber of the Reading Room of New- port, the Hope Club of Providence, the Somerset Club of Boston, the Met- ropolitan and Knickerbocker Clubs of New York, the Fort Orange Club of | Albany and the Metropolitan Club of Washington. He was married 'in 1867 to Loulsa M. Livingston, who died some vears ago. They had two sons, United States Senator Peter Goelet Gerry of Rhode Island and Robert Livingston Gerry, and two daughters. Miss Angelica Gerry and Mrs. Francis Saxham Elwes Drury. FRANGE PUTS ASIDE WARDEBT TOU. Domestic Issues to Absorb Parliament’s Time Until Next October. Gerry. said that By the Agsociated Press. PARIS, February 18.—The Cham- ber of Deputies will be too busy with internal problems to give attention to ratification of the Washington debt accord for several months, with the prospect that it will be Octeber before the subject can be reached. The parliamentary program as pro- posed by the government, in virtual accord with party leaders, provid first of all for action on a bill re ducing obligatory military service to one year. cemier Poincare informed the Chamber last evening that the gov- ernment proposed the following order of discussion: (1) Reorganization of the army; (2) the budget for 1928, and (3) electoral reform. This morning the Socialists decided to oppose this program by fighting for the immediate cot leration of the new electoral system. en th question came up in the Chamber the discussion turned on the order of precadence hatween the military ques- tion, electoral raform and the budget, but Premier Poincare maintained the hold he has held on the Chamber since last August and easily got the best of the BSocialists’ scheme to change the order of business. ‘The ratification resolution was totally ignored. The program as now outlined will occupy the amber until the Summer vacation. Wood Orders Armed Campaign Halted to Try Persuasion. MANILA, February 18 (®.—Gov. Gen. Wood today ordered a suspen- aion of the proposed armad campaign against the 2,000 rebellious Alangkat tribesmen In Zamboanga pending at- tempts 10 settle the trouble peace. tully. The tribesmen recently arose against Datu Plang, prominent chleftain, be- cause of his activities in bringing the Moros under Government control. the town were washed out, leaving -the community completely isolated. ew Port Beach was temporarily cut off when the Santa Ana River charged through a new channel be- tween thepe and Huntington Beach, carrying with it about 1,500 feet of highway 1,000 feet of Pacific Electrie Thermal of wal en“a{i un DIES WHILE ASLEEP | ELBRIDGE T. GERRY. 3 AND FREIGHTER ARE LOST AT SEA Agents Abandon Hope for Storm-swept United States Vessel Elkton. By the Associated Press MANILA, February 18.—All hope for the Admiral Line freighter Elkton and {ts crew of 36 was given up here today. The vessel apparently sank with all hands and & cargo of sugar near Guam after becgming helpless in a gale-swept sea. Attempts of Ad- miral Line agents here to get informa- tion from her from Guam failed last night. The Elkton left Palupandan, Negros Island, destined for At- lantic ports by way of the Pansma Canal. She planned to stop at Hono- lulu for fuel. She was commanded by Capt. E. C. Schnellhardt. Names of the members of her crew were not available here. The Liberator, a Shipping Board vessel, as was the Elkton, responded to 8OR calls sent out by the dis- tressed ship, but upon arriving at the location given by the disabled eraft found neither it nor lifeboats to which the erew might have taken. The Elkton's distress calls placed it | about midway between the Philippines and Guam, but communication was broken before the cause of the trouble conld be learned. The ship was a 6.818-ton craft and was constructed in Seattle in 1919, Four destroyers left Cavite this eve- ning for Guam in search of traces of the Elkton. CONSIDER NOMINATIONS FOR DISTRICT OFFICES Senate Subcommittee to Hear Boosts and Protests Next Wednesday. After considering the three pending nominations for the new -Public Utili- ties Commission in executive session this morning the special subcommittee of the Senate District committes an- nounced that it would hold another meeting at 10 o'clock Wednesday morning to hear any one who has any- thing to present concerning the quali- fications of the nominees, Although the subcommittee be- fore it a number of letters containing general protests, no delegations or in- dividuals appeared in person to oppose confirmation. Some of the letters on file, it is understood, are mare in the nature of indorsemerts of Willlam McK. Clayton than of protests against the nominees. The subcommitiee |s considering jointly the names of Benjamin F. Adams and John W. Childress to be members of the new commission and Ralph B. Fleharty to be people’s coun- sel. The subcommittes is composed of Senators Jones, Republican, of Wash- ington; Sackett, Republican, of Ken- tucky, and King, Democrat, of Utah. ELECTION PAPERS SOUGHT Senate Officers Ask Court Order in Allegheny County, Pa. PITTSBURGH, Pa., February 18 (). — Refused election tabulation books and other official records want by the United States Senate for l.lz campaign funds committee investig: tion of the last Pennsylvania sena torial contest. representatives of the Senate today went into court and ob- tained an order directing Allegheny County Prothonotary John Vogt to hand over the papers. Today in Congress SENATE. Conference report on the radio control bill is before the with Benator Pittman of Neveda speaking in opposition to its ap- proval. Subcommittee of Senate Distriet committee considered nominations for the new Public Utilities Com- mission of the District, but pest- poned action until Wednesday to give an opportunity to any ene who may wish to appear in oppo- sition, Military affairs committes held executive session on routine bills. ITALY INDICATES FIRM REJECTION Definite, But Polite, Refusal of Naval Reductions Fore- oast by Press. BY HIRAM K. MODERWEL) Br Radio o The Star apd chicaso- Daily ROME. February 15.-Ttaly's reply to the American disarmament memo- randum, following France's rejection, will be a definite, but polite, refusal if !'flr.l"l'l of the informed Italian press are to bhe belleved. Mussolini will not piay with President Coolidge ‘The reply was scheduled for release Wednead, night, but was held up at the last moment for a final pelish- ing and now is awaited momentarily. Gist of Reply Forecast. According to available information, the gist of the reply is as follows Italy ix as eager and anxious as any power for general disarmament on a grand scale. both on sea and on land, and would take part in any such con ference if called by all the powers. But as far as any limited five.power pact is concerned Italy's hands are tied. Italy is not an oceanic power, but a Mediterranean power. The problems confronting Italy are alto gether different from such problems in the affairs of Japan, Great Britain or America. Italy feels the urgent necessity of maintaining the elements of her na tional defense in the Mediterranean— that is, light eruisers and submarines —to the level held by adjacent powers On account of economic conditions Italy cannot compete with France in the building of eapital shipe. So far as lesger armaments are concerned Ttaly must do her best to keep step— of couree, in all friendship—and if France will not limit small ships. then Ttaly must refuse to participate in such & cenference. Belleve Rejection Expected. ‘This resume of the Itallan reply fol- lows closely the unofficial comment ready expressed. Itallans feel th President Coolidge's first offer was sent 4n full knowledge by the Amer- {lcan Government that France and Ttaly would reject it and was merely & preparatory feeler toward inviting | Japan and Great Britain to join in |an exelusive three-power pact. Italians feel their interests in such oapital ship limitation are too remote | for any need to join in such action. | The Britieh, apparently, while aceept- | Ing themseives, encouraged the Ital- ians to refuse. British naval policy, it { 1t felt here, is happy at the thought of two rival fleets in an equal buflding competition—France and Italy—in the Mediterranean. AUSTRALIA 0. K.'S PLAN. Premier Declines Comment—To Study Proposal Further, MELBOURNE, Australi 18 (#).—Premier Bru favorable to the principle of ional disarma- ment, but that it was impossible at this stage to discuss the details of President Coolidge's naval proposal, which must be analyzed by experts. On the general policy, however, there could be no doubt regarding Aus- tralia’s position, he said. JAPAN STUDIES PROJECT. Coolidge Plan Discussed by Upper House of Diet. TOKIO, February 18 (#). American proposal for the naval limitation conference was the subject of diseussion in the Upper House of the Diet again today. Premier Wakatsuki, answering an interpellation, declared the American proposal was in perfect accordance with the apirit of the Washington agreement of 1922 and, no doubt, was intended to accelerate disarmament parallel with the League of Nations' preparatory conference, but he di: liked to criticize whether the proposa! would affect the dignity of the je. Foreign Minister Skidehara rep! that the League ought not to monepo- lize the disarmament discussion. FRENCH REJECTION STRENGTHENS BATTLE LINES OVER 3 CRUISERS (Continued from First Page.) ognition of this fact. Alen th lisve that an agreement between Great Britain, the United States and Japan to limit sers and other auxiliary craft on 6—8-—3 ratio might still be worked out, even if France and Italy did not partioipate. The President, it was said at the Capitol today, has not changed his attitude at all'in regard to the cruiser appropriation. He is against it. The reply of the French has not eaused him to abandon his position, taken in his message to Congress on the budget and in a letter to Representa tive French of Idahe, chairman of the subcommittee of the House ap propriation committes, which framed the Navy bill. House opponents of the cruiser ap propriation take the view that the building program is a matter of policy and matter of foreign relations. ‘They do not belleve that the country should have two leaders in its han- dling of foreign relations—the Presi- dent and the Congress—but that the President ghould handle such matters. The eruiser appropriation they regard as a matter of polioy entirely Two other items in th: vy bill will lead to some debate in conferance, the Senate amendment increasing the HOUSE. Hout today recelves from Budget Bureau recommendations for appropriations in the second deficieney bill for public bullding project. House disposed of conference reports on War Department, Stat: Justice, Commerce and Labor De- partments appropriation bills. - Hér takes up under speclal rule Luce Bill to establish national arboretum in ington under supervision of the Department of Agrieulture and the Tinkham bill providing for participation by th United States in the Third gue Conference on limitation of arma- ment. Subcommittee of appropriations committee in executive session on second deficiency bill. Naval affairs committee eon- tinues hearing on claims against the United Stat Banking and rency commit- tee continues hearing on Federal reserve pension. ' Census committee in executiv session on reapportionment. Committee on labor continues hearing on bill relating to labor used by contractors on State and United States works. Ways and means committes in executive session on bills on com- mittee calendar. Veteran: committee * conducts hearing to amend veteran: specific personnel by some 1,600 and increa ing the appropriation for airplanes. Both of these items, however, may be straightened out without diffeulty, it was said, ‘The Butler bill authorizing the con- struction of 10 additional cruisers, re ported from the House naval affairs committee, 18 now on the House calen- dar. It was indicated today that oppo- nents of the cruiser appropriation in the House would not be #o adamant in their oppesition to this bill; that they would look upon a mere authorization as a different proposition from the ap- propriatien for beginning the construo- tion of oruisers at this time, while the President was still trying teo work out an agreement for further naval limita- tlon. This bill may be taken up under a speial rule and put through the House .T' it was sald. The President, it wi id, will net oppose the measure. The supporters of immediate cruiser bullding take little stock in the Butler bill, however, peinting out that it merely creates a ‘‘paper’’ Navy. What the Navy needs, they insist, are ships and not autherizations for the: "Quits Sarre Valley Post. GENEVA, February 18 (#).—George Washington Stephens of Montreal has resigned the presidency of the Sarre Valley Governing Commission, to which post he was appointed lastf Mareh. No'reason was given for th resignatio rded