Evening Star Newspaper, February 24, 1927, Page 1

W (U, 8. Weather Tartly cloudy ATHER. Bureau Forecast.) tonight; tomorrow fair; not much thange in temperature. Temperature—Highest, 56, at noon vesterday: lowest, Full report on 37, at 7 a.m. today. page 9. #Closing N.Y. Stocks No. 30,249, [T omee, Wa Entered as second c and Bonds, Page 14 ass matter shington, D. C. 103 PERSONS SAVED AS STEAMER SINKS INCHESAPEAKE BAY City of Richmond Rams An- napolis, Sister Ship, in Fog Off Virginia. SETTLES IN 60 FEET WITHIN 25 MINUTES Passengers Climb to Safer Craft While Two Are Wedged Tightly Together. IORE, Md., February 24.— amer City tichmond to Baltimore today with 1 s and erew in all, napolis, rammed Chesapeake nger of the = which nd s Bay about the in a dense fog in | am., a mile off Smiths Point, Va Wire mes- | to the Chesapeake Steamship Co., owner of both vessels ated that none of the ued suffered danger- ous injuries. The City of Richmond, | with her bow we in, passed Cove Yoint, Md., at 630 aum., and was ex- pected at Balt about noon There were passengers, men, women and children, board the An- napolis, about half of whom were said to be Baltimoreans. The City of An- napolis sailed from West Point, Va., last evening; the City of Richmond w bound from Baltimore to the ne port, with about 50 passengers hoard. ik nor Reports Heavy Fog. Capt. Charles O. Brooks of the City of Baltimore, telephoned from Old Point to the Maritime Exchange here this forenoon that his ship arrived off Siiths P just as the I urvivor was being taken aboard the Rich- | mond. . i It one of those dripping thick kinds that shut out everything. | 1 can easily see how a collision might | have occurred. When I saw there| was nothing to do I kept on down the | | | { | The City of Annapolis lies in aboui| 60 fect of water, with her two smoke- | stacks protruding above the surface. The Chesapeake Steamship Co. has sent a tug to convoy the City of Rich- mond to por H Navy Sent Aid, The City of Annapolis and the City | of Richmwnd arve-wister ships of the 1$60,500 Item for 37 More he Eoening Star. WASHINGTON, D. C, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY NG EDITION 24, 1927—FI |FRANCE TO REFUSE SPAIN’S TANGIER PLEA | = rh ) Paris Reply, to Be Delivered This Evening, Will Insist on Inter- national Status. By the Associated 1 PARIS, February 24.—France's re- ply to Spain’s demand for the right to govern ‘Tangier, which will be de- livered this evening, is understood to be in the nature of a rejection. It will Suggest no alternative, leaving it to the Spaniards to take the next step. The reply will say that it is impos- sible, both for Jegal and political rea- sons. to change the present interna- tional status of Tangi CONFEREES AGREE ON DISTRICT BILL, PARK FUND RAISED Teachers Cut Out When House Group Balks. With the proposed increase in the teaching force for the public schools eliminated, but carrying $900,000 in- stead of the customary $600,000 for purchase of parks, the Senate and House conferees today completed agreement on the District appropria- tion bill for the fiscal yeac beginning July 1. The House conferees refused to vield to the Senate on the Harris jamendment, which would have allow- ed the public schools an increase of $60,500 for the employment of 37 additional teachers to meet in part the request of the Board of Education which i asked for 74 additional teachers. The conferees also struck out the specific Senate provisfon which would have m e $600,000 available to buy the Patterson tract for park purposes at Fifth street and Florida avenue northeast, but they increased the lump sum for the National Capital Park and Planning Commission from $600,000 to $900,000 as a compromise. While the bill as agreed to in confer- ence makes no direct provision for i the Patterson tract, it was pointed out that the park commission can use i the lump sum to acquire any park area it deems desirable. This leaves the purpose of the Patterson tract up 1o the park commission to negotiate for if it sees fif out of the lump sum. Will Be About $36,000,000. The conferees had not revised their final totals early this afternoon, but indications were that the measure in its present form will appropriate close to $36,000,000, which would be the Chesapeake Steamship Co, . ply~ ing between Baltimore and West| Point. i The first report of the accident was | re¢eived by the Naval Academy wire-| less station at Annapolis from the steamship St. Anthony. The St. Anthony eequested medical | aid and a sub-chaser was started from | Annapolis with doctors and nurses by | Rear Admiral Louis M. Nulton, acad- | emy superintendent, but the rescue| ship was turned back by further word | from the St. Anthony that all passen- gers had been taken off and that she! was proceeding to Norfolk, WASHINGTON SHIP NEAR. B Steamer District of Columbia Reports Rescue Made Without Disorder. NEWPORT N 24 (P).—Pussengers reaching here this | morning on the steamer District of Columbla from Washington reporte that the City of Annajolis went down | about 2 o'clock. Whether there was | loss of life they did not know. The| Washington steamer hove to on reach- | ing the scene of the aceident, hut there | was little or nothing she could do, the passengers having been trans. | ferred to the City of Richmond. As the District of Columbia hove to rany of the passengers aboard her| wwakened with a start, and with news that another ship was’ sinking rushed to the deck. The City of Richmond wits playing searchlight on the | City of Annapolis, and two other boats, both of them small, were stand- | tng by. There was a4 gaping hole in the side of the sinking ship. und the City of Richmond's bow badly stove in| @< a restilt of the collision. Eve w ured by a heavy fog, ar the col- | lision v ult of this. The Dis- trict of a felt her way out of the Poton: d down the bay, her | horn sounding frequent in(er—; | February | thoug viLls Women and children left the ship| . and the transfer was made with- out disorder, this despite the difficult; : the passengers under and NOT NEEDE! i | Vessels Wedged Together, Passengers Climb to Safety. NORFOLK. Vi, Febr .- . steamships City ¥ of Annapolis | in their bow-on Vs Point early today s aboard the to climb a) . B. Broc 3 declared on al| of “his st here. Only one life boat was launched and that was sent out with a la 10 mar down. was folloy 1 down the his _ mornir whistles ah inutes Paltimore came ed bow to rs were clir nupolis over City of Rick ife Both ve and lifeh SWU hy off Smi pass alby g wre t the napolis were ster eraft City of d its of the | nk, k where sh it Capt mor n spot w « 1 the City of ti- the City of bay and at 1 he heard of him in the fog. he declared, the ng from the City the stovedn bows nond of A to th s Swung Out. sels were budly d ts of the City of £ out. Capt. Hr stood for minutes while the ransfer of sengers was being 1ade, and when the City of Annapolis that the passepgers ap. 2 sotten over toLthe City the latter vessel began ¢ ship to the shallow The City of alongside to assist in and in doing so her on the port quarter, a olumn 3) ama Itimg were ks’ ship eported all parently of Richmond hoving its sist vater of the west shore. Baltimore drew this maneuver superstructure \Cuntir | n-| I ter the Annapolis | | going class has largest sum ever made available for the District in the annual supply bill “I belleve this is the best District appropriation bill T have had anything to do with)” said Senator Phipps of Colorado, chairman of the Senate con- ferees. “We tried to follow the wishes of the people of the District as far as we felt 4ve could.” The conference report provides a compromise figure of $100,000 for im- proving, the appearance of Meridian Hill Park, which lies between Fifteenth and Sixteenth streets north of W street and which has been in an un- | finished condition for a number of yvears, The House had alowed $23- 1000 in addition to an unexpended bal- ance from last year, and the Senate had raised the item to $165,000. The conferees took a middle course on this project. Counsel Measure Favored. The House conferees accepted the enate provision designed to bring about a reorganization in the corpora- tion counsel’s office by increasing the salary of the corgoration counsel from $6,000 to $7,500, but reducing the total amount for salaries in that office. The House conferees also agreed to the Senate amendment, for a new method of advertising property before it 18 s0ld for non-payment of taxes, the purpose being to give property owners a better chance to learn that their real estate is about to be sold. The provision agreed to abolishes the tax sale pamphlets which property owners !in the past could only see by going to the District Building and directs the “ommissioners to publish in the news- papers a complete list of all properties to_be sold for taxes. The Senate conferees also convinced the House managers that they should retain the $42,800 for a water main to | the District line in Alabama avenue southeast, which will serve the com- " (Continued on Page 2, Column 7.) ALBANIA MOBILIZING, JUGOSLAVIA HEARS Two Conscript Classes Are Re- ported Under Arms; Troops Near Border. By the Assoviated' Press. BELGRADE, Jugoslavia, February 24.Considerable _apprehension pre. ails in Jugoslavia over reports from Albania deseribing military activitles in thay country. rana dispatchs to Politika s banlan tribes are mobilizing the country and that re. cruits of the class of 1985 have been led to the colors while the out- not been dismissed. battalions, it is re. the Al throughout everal infantr | ported, are being organized near Scu- nd the northern frontier. other source it was report- construction in Al begin soon, with Ttalian hattalions overseeins the will BORAH GIVEN J0LT MEXICO TOUR PLAN Move in Committee to Block Inquiry Trip After Kel- { logg Opposes It. CRUISER IS BEING SENT Will Be Place of Refuge for Its Nationals—Senate Asks More 0il Data. By the Associated Press, Senator Borah and his colleagues on the foreign relatior ommittee were told plainly by the administra- tion today that if they want to in- vestigate the American policy to- { ward Mexico and Nicaragua they should begin at home. As a vesult, action again was post- poned on Mr. Borah's proposal for a committee tour of the two South- committee members indicated that they would redouble their efforts to kill the project entirely. The committee’s meeting synchro- nized with Senate option of an- other resolution asking information about American «il holdings in Mexico, and_with a formal notifica- tion to the State Department by the British Ambassador that a British warship had been ordered to Nica- raguan waters. Move for “Moral Effect.” In announcing the British move the Ambassador declared the vessel was being sent for the “moral effect” and that there was no intention of landing British troops on Central American soil. Department officials Monroe doctrine. The Mexican resolution adopted by the Senate was offered by Senator Norris, Republican, Nebrusha, and went through without debate. It asked Secretary Kellogg specifically about the holdings of the Mellon in- terests, Edward L. Doheny and Harry F. Sincl in Mexican oil and whether those three groups had acyuiesced in the new restrictions imposed by Presi- dent Calles. Secretary Kellogg’'s advice to the foreign relations committee apparent- ly went a long way toward check- mating the resolution of Chairman Borah for a committee trip into Mex- ico and Nicaragua. While not reply- ing directly to the committee’s re- quest for information whether the State Department would approve of such a visit,. Mr. Kellogg informed Senator Borah in a letter that after resources they would “be in a better position to decide whether it is proper for the Senate to send an independ- ent committee of investigation into foreign countries with which the Ex- ecutive is conducting difficult and deli- cate negotiations.” Sends Two Officials. The Secretary accordingly sent two mittee room for questioning, and one of them, Stokley Morgan, chief of the department’s Latin American division, remained on the witness stand throughout today’s session. Some Senators said afterward he had given the committee much more complete information about Nicaragua than it had obtained heretofore. The State Department was formally notified by the British Ambassador to: day that the British warship Colomho would arrive at Corinto, Nicaragua February for the “moral effect its presence might have, but under no circumstances would Br naval forces be landed. This notific tion followed earlier press dispatches from London containing similar in- formation. . Had Stated Position. The embassy communication crossed a memorandum sent from the State Departmént to the .embassy assuring the British government that American naval forces in Nicaragua would ex- tend all proper protection and a sistance to British and other foreign nationals in that country. At the State Department it was said that the explanation of the send. ing of a Britith warship to Nicaragua appeared ‘‘satisfacto ReféTence was made to the fact that British and other foreign war craft were sent to Vera Cruz in 1914 at the time of American naval occupation of that city. While officials declined to discuss the relation of the Monroe doctrine to the sending of a British warship to caragua, it was cigarly indicated that the movement was not regarded as in violation of that doctrine or as establishing a precedent. First Protest Recalled. The British Ambassador’s note dis- closed that the first overture toward | sending a British warship to Nicara- gua was made on February 19, and doubtless was a factor in the determi- nation of the administration at that time to dispatch a large additional force of Marines southward. The February 19 notification from the Ambassador drew attention to “the menace to British lives and prop- er inNicaragua, particularly at Corinto, Leon, Managua, Granada and Metagaipa. It was added that Great Britain looked to the United States to give British subjects in Nicaragua the same protection as provided American citizens. To this Seeveta that the United (Continued on Page Kellogg ates replied would _give Column 8) ' One Killed. Three Wounded When Police | Off Duty Think Each Other Gangsters | By the Associated Press CHICAGO, February 24.—One police- man was killed and another officer {and two of his friends wounded, pos- | sibly fatally, last night when the two patrolmen in plain clothes each mis- took the other for gangster and opened fire when they met in an alley Jast night. Policeman William Nash was killed and Officers Frank Runowski and two friends were wounded. Beth police- + a men were off duty. sh was driv- ing home in his automobile and Runowski and his two friends in Runowski's car gave chase when they saw Nash's car was without a license. Unaware that he had aroused sus- picion *Nash turned into an alley to drive to his garage. As he clambered from his car, Runowski ran forward pistol in hand. simultaneously. men before he fell fatally wounded. State Department officials to the com-! ONNICARAGUAAND ern republics this Summer and some | vegarded the explanation as satistac- | v and saw in it no violation of the | the committeemen had exhausted the | State Department's own informational | | h, thinking he had | Sungkiang to reinforce Marshal Sun's to deal with a criminal, opened fire|broken war machine, were pouring Nash shot all three | @cross the Yangtze River from Nan- EXECUTONSHALTED | trated the French concession wnd kid- | Kuomintang |the other proclamation in h { officials {steps with view to ending the strike FTY-FOUR PAGES. The Star' * () Means Associated Press. “From Press to Home Within the Hour”’ carrier every city block and the regular edi- tion is delivered to Washington homes as fast as the papers are printed. | system covers i | | Yesterday’s Circulation, 105,710 - TWO CEN'TS. & ITS HARD To FooL. UNCLE News Note: Great Britain threatens to sever all relations with the Russian Soviet government TRUCE ENDS STRIKE Scores of Thousands Return| to Work in Shanghai “for Time Being.” By the Associated Pres HANGHAI, February 24.—A truce declared in the conflict between Nationalist labor in Shanghai and the tottering regime of Marshal Sun Chuan-Fang tonight. Simultaneous . proclamations sent scores of thousands of workers back to their jobs and called off the exe- cutioners of Gen. Li Pao-Chang, Shanghai defense commissioner, who beheaded 30 or more agitators during the five-day walkout, which involved more than 100,000 Chinese. The strike began to peter out at once. Strikers thronged back to their work, partly because of lack of funds and partly because of the atmosphere | of terrorism which has hung over the native city and even penetrated the foreign settlements since the strike started. Agitators Are Kidnaped. Although nothing official was ob- tainable to verify the report, it was learned that Gen. Li's agents pene- naped at least 30 members of the (Cantonese party) agi- tators, who were holding a meeting there this evening. A few kidnapings also were reported from the interna- tional settlements, but this likewise could not be confirmed. Those kid- naped were taken to Gen. Li's quar- ters, and their fate is unknown. One of the proclamations fssued by Gen. Li, in which he revoked orders for the execution of strike agitators new being held, admits the shootings and beheadings carried out by his decree during the lnst five days have totaled 100, half of which were in public. Forelgn officials believe at least 100 more were executed in the milit; inclosures of defense authori- ties, The General issued chits taken Labor Union innounced they had for the time being.’ pect to Strike Again. The laborites pointed out, however, that the present action was only a truce and that they expected to strike again when the time is ripe. This was taken to mean that they would act when- the military situation becomes more definitely favorable toward the Nationalis Foreigners who had been living out- side the foreign settlement districts of Shanghai were brought within its borders today because of the arrival in the city of large numbers of de- feated and demoralized soldiers of Marshal Sun Chuan-Chang, deposed r lord. The retreating troops arrived by train from the front between Sung- kiang and Sangchow, where the vic- torious Cantonese invading army i preparing its advance toward Shang- hai. Americans on March. American, Portuguese and Japanese military companies of volunteer resi- dents of the forelgn settlements of Shanghai stood by to check any at- tempts by the demoralized troops to enter the foreign sections of the city. Three thousand Shantung Province troops arrived from Nanking, and it is understood that 5,000 are to come daily for the next few days for the defense of Shanghai against the Cantonese. Marshal Sun Chuan-Fang, a few months ago mill ruler of five provinces of eastern China, with a population of 113,000,000, appeared to have retired to private life, Chang Tsung-Chang, governor of hantu Province, has assumed complete mil tary control of Kiangsu Province, of | which Shanghai is chief city. Chang, member. of the alllance of northern war loards, had been paid $600,000 monthly by Sun to aid him with troops if the need arose. Sun’s Troops Demoralized. Meanwhile, disquieting Feports reached here from Sungkiang, where | the broken army of Marshal Sun has taken a position for a last stand against the approaching Cantonese. The reports said Marshal Sun’s forces were looting the rice and silk shops there and that many of the soldiers had been executed by their own lead- ers in an effort to maintain discipline and face the southern advance. Chang troops, who yesterda. over Nanking, the provincial capital, preparatory to sending troops to (Continued on P;ge 10, Column 2.) Shoe Shining Fad Rages in India to England’s Profit By the Associated Press, CALCUTTA, India, February 24. oe polish by the ton is coming here from England to meet the de- sire of Indiapfnatives in cities and towns to ‘“outshine” their neigh- bors in the matter of footwear. Until a few years ago compal tively few Indians wore shoe: Kuropean footwear became popular first in Calcutta, Bombay and the other cities. gradually “spreading throughout the continent. At first the natives never thought of shin- ing their s| . but now it has be- come a h, and every native takes the greatest pride in keeping his shoes glistening to the highest degree. The more perfect the shoe shine, the native believes, the greater the envy of all his fellow beings. PO ENVOY TEMPERS ROME ARMS NOTE Ambassador’s State Depart- ment Talk Is Believed to Have Eased Reply. By the Associated Press Verbal explanation of Italy’s attitude on the American proposal for a five- power naval limitation conference at Geneva, made by the Italian Ambassa- dor at the State Department at the time of the delivery of the formal Ital- ian refusal to participate, are believed to have softened considerably the gen- eral effect of the Italian note. Whether these conversations have been sufficient to warrant a belief that Italy ultimately can be induced to ac- cept the American plan with slight modifications has not been disclosed. The State Department refused to ind cate the nature of the Ambassador explanations. France Is Factor. Despite the official reticence there is reason to believe that Italy’s inability to join in the proposed conference un- der the original suggestion arose from the fact that the American proposal left the question of Italian and French ratios entirely open for settlement at Geneva, although it indicated the desire to maintain the tios in auxiliary ships as be- ited States, Great Britain can tween the U and Japan. Italy has always regarded the achievement of her delegation at the Washington Arms Conference in adding an agreement for naval equal- ity in capital ships and air carriers between France and Italy as most vitally important. Naval Parity Question. 4 a mnew treaty applying to smaller craft did not in sure this naval ‘parity for France and Italy, the question having been left open by President Coolidge. In some quarters it is believed that Italy’s attitude on the new proposal might have been more acquiescent if the Rome government had been able to read into the American memoran- dum some assurance for continued naval parity for Italy with France. JAPAN HOPES FOR SUCCESS. Shidehara Tells Diet of § ' Tokio in Pl TOKIO, February 24 (P).—Replying to interpellations in the Diet, Shidehara, foreign minister, today de- ed that Japan was sincerely hop- ing for the success of the proposed naval arms limitation conference as advocated by President Coolidge, and that in so stating he was not merely making empty compliments. Japan has not vet received any of- ficial proposal for a three-power con- ference, as the recent American move contemplated a five-power parley only, Baron Shidehara said, and for that reason could not give his views on the alternative suggestion. iy QUAKE IN BULGARIA. VIENNA, Austria, February 24 (®). —Several buildings, including the city hall, collapsed at stitschan yesterday, when an earthquake shook the: Shoomla region of Bulgaria. So far as _known, there was no loss of The quake was followed by a E—nuc gale, with much damage to hip) . ncerity of in ping in the Black Sea. Baron | VOTE ON CRUISERS DUE INHOUSE SOON Debate on Senate Amend- ment Opens With Plea to Back President. A plea that the House uphold the President in his efforts for naval limi- tation and reject the Senate amend- ment to the Navy appropriation bill for the construction of three new scout cruisers was made this after- noon by Representative French of Idaho, in charge of the bill. The cruiser proposal came before the House after that body had agreed to the conference report on the Navy Dbill as presented by Mr. French. The fate of the cruiser building pro- gram, so far as the House is con- cerned, will be determined before ad- journment today. Predictions are made freely that the vote will be close. Supporters of the ecruiser program predicted that they wquld win. An Alternative Proposal. An alternative proposal for the ex- tension of the authorization for the three cruisers, which under the exist- ing law expires next July, will b_e pro- posed by the opponents of an imme- diate appropriation, it was said. The debate on the cruiser proposi- tion was opened by Mr. French. “Are you going to embarrass the President, who 1is seeking further naval limitation, by agreeing to thie appropriation for cruisers?” demanded Mr. French. He called attention to the fact that the House has passed a bill author- izing an- appropriation of $75.000 to enable this country to continue par- tieipation in the disarmament con- ference at Geneva. That conference, he said, will meet within 30 days. Would Aveid “Futile” Act. “The President called on this Con- gress not to appropriate the money for the cruisers. because this Gov. ernment is engaged in negotlations for naval limitation. This House ought not now to do a foolish and futile thing. Furthermore, the pass- ing and adoption of this amendment would not advance the construction of these cruisers one day. French pointed out that Great Britain and Japan are favorable to the recent proposal of the President for the immediate negotiation at Geneva of a further naval limitation agreement. He discounted the re- fusals of France and Italy to enter into such an agreement, declaring that when the peoples of those coun- tries understood the matter there would be a change in the attitude of their governments. The Republican members of the House conference committee all sup- ported the President in his stand on the cruisers, Mr. French sald. Two Democratic members also, he said. “have placed the interests of the country above partisanship,” and have stood back of the President in this matter. The Democratic members were Ayres of Kansas and Oliver of Ala- bama. Democrats for Cruisers. “This hour marks a crisis in world peace,” declared Mr. French, in clos- ing his appeal. Representative Vincent of Georgia ranking Democratic member of the i naval affairs committee, took up the cudgels for the cruiser appropriation. “1 am not seeking to embarrass the President,” he said. “Rather am 1 seeking to enable the President the more effectually to bring the nations together.” Mr. Vincent said that when the President sent his budget message to Congress he proposed that the authorization of the three cruisers be extended for a year. He said that a bill for this purpose had been prepared by Chairman Butler of the | naval affairs committee and that another bill authorizing the construc- tion of 10 new cruisers had also been introduced by Mr. Butler. Both these bills, he said, were referred to the (Continued on Page 2, Column 6) MOLLER IS Commissioners Disclosure of and Donovan ° Colll€. today by the Board further investigation a committee. mittee. The order of the Commissioners suspending Col. Moller rea “Based on evidence submitted to the subcommittee of the House commit- tee of the District of Columbia Inves. tigating District affairs on the evening of February 23, 1927, at which the Commissioners heard 1. C. Moller, traffic engineer of the District of Co- lumbia, make admissions of practices by him contrary to public interest. it is hereby ordered that said I. C. Moiler be suspended forthwith, without pay, pending further action by the Com- missioners.” Deny Moller Charge. Although Col. Moiler told the Gibson subcommittee that both Maj. Donovan and Director Eldridge had knowledge of his false certification of the electric traffic equipment purchased from the Crouse Hinds Co. of Syracuse, N. Y. both of these officials, it Is under- stood, emphatically denied this to the Commissioners in the presence of .Col. Moller today. In view of these denials the Com- missioners took no action in the case of Mr. Eldridge and Maj. Donovan. ‘The Commissioners went into special session at 9:30 o'clock this morning to consider what action they should take in regard to the disclosures which they frankly admit are of a serious nature. Mr, Eldridge was the first one called to appear before them. Later, Maj. Donovan was summoned. Moller Before Board. After the Commissioners had dis- cussed the case with these two officials for more than an hour, they sent for Col. Moller and advised him of the action they planned to take. Col Moller was only before the Commis- sioners for about 15 minutes, and when asked him what he proposed to do that he intended to go to the bank to cash a che«‘}(. veither Maj. Donovan Eldridge would make any regarding their connection with the case. The auditor, however, said that he proposed to remain silent until he is called to testify before the Gibson subcommittee out of courtesy to the committee and others concerned. Admissions at Hearing. The admissions referred to by the Commissioners in their suspension order occurred during the hearing last night, when Col. Moller testified, un- der oath, that he favored the Crouse Hinds Co., the successful bidder for installation of traffic lighting signals on Sixteenth and other streets; that he had falsely certified the receipt of items called for in a contract with that company when in reality those items had not been received; that he gave advance information to that company concerning the number of lights probably needed here when other bidders did not have such in- formation, and that he knew he had done wrong and would have been in a “terrible hole” if the Crouse Hinds Co. of Byracuse, N. Y. had not re- celved a second contract from the District so that he might “cover’ in that shipment articles missing in the first shipment. The Commissioners and members of the subcommittee were in a protracted conference before the hearing last night. At this conference, held in the office of Representative Zihlman of Maryland, chairman of the District committee, the subcommittee laid the whole fabric of charges before the District Commissioners and told them to take the action they deemed best fitted in the situation. Their action in the suspension of Col. Moller followed today. nor Mr. comment U. S. “Operator” Loaned. ‘While it had been rumored that the Department of Justice had taken an active part in this investigati it was learned today that the dey as such has not been connected in any way with it, although an operative of | the department was “loaned” to the Bureau of Efficiency, which in the lat- ter part of last year was making a survey of the traffic director's office. This “‘operator” came from the West By the Associated Press, CHAMPAIGN, Ill, February 24.— Careless automobile drivers are des- troying the nerve of locomotive en- gineers, H. W. Howard, Champaign, an engineer for 40 years, today told those attending the highway short course of thé University of Illinols. ‘The sen of sitting in a cab and h an Locomotive Engineers Are Losing Nerves Because of Auto Crashes at Crossings ‘Sunday Is the engineer's day of dread. Many of our engineers lay off Sundays, fearful of these horrible grade crossing accidents. There is always the possibility of a bad wreck of the train itself with more than a chance that the engineer, as well as in Purchase he left he told newspaper men who! | that SUSPENDED WITHOUT PAY PENDING SIGNAL SCANDAL PROBE Aet F ollowing Irregularities of Material. CITY HEADS SILENT, BUT INDICATE SWEEPING INQUIRY IS TO FOLLOW Will Be Carried on Independent of Gibson lnvestigation—Eldridgo ’ Are Quizzed. Moller, assistant director of traffic, was ~u’~pen-]ml of Commissioners without pay pending inves s a sequel to sensational disclosures of ir- regularities in the purchase of automatic traffic signals he made last night before the Gibson subcommittee of the House District Action followed a special meeting of the Board of Commis- sioners which lasted two and one-half hours and at which Col Moller, Traffic Director M. O. Eldridge and Daniel J. D(mm'an. District auditor, who yere also involved by Col. Moller in the dis- closures, were questioned at length. ) While the Commissioners declined to make any statement in amplification of their action, it was indicated that a sweeping in- vestigation would be made by them into the activities of the Trai- fic Bureau independent entirely of the inquiry of the Gibson com- Commissioner Sidney F. Taliaferro, the legal member of the Board of Commissioners, it is understood, has been instructed to go into the legal phase of the case. and is understood to have been great assistance to the bureau, Official correspondence which Moller admitted last night at the hearing having taken from the files in the Dis- trict Building after he had been ap- prised of the fact that he was acting illegally in making false certificates of the receipt of traflic signals which had not arrived, was delivered to the investigators of the House subcom- mittee today. This correspondence in- cluded original letters from the Crouse Hinds Co. to Moller, which Moller said last night he had removed because of a fear that — R at they would be More Important Data. - While members of the subcommittee said today that they have a great deal more material of an important nature to bring out at a future hear- ing, it is probable that no hearing will be held tonight. Mr. Gibson has made several appointments, but owing tov an attack of pleurisy this morning when he was attended by a physician and nurse in his office at the Capitol, he feels unable to conduct any hearing tonight. Repre- sentative Houston, Republican, of Delaware, who would take charge of the hearing in the absence of Mr. Gibson, said that he does not plan to call one for tonight because of the House being in session. It was ascertained today that when the subcommittee in executive session last night “put it up squarel to the Commissioners to act on the fr- regularities disclosed, the legislators were inclined to allow the administra tive officials of the District full sway in correcting whate rer undesirable features may exist. Action Left to District. gPhe “ubcommittee has no present intention of proceeding further against Col. Moller, it was disclosed today, nor agalnst any other official or individual as a result of the diclosures, provide:d the proper action is taken at the Dis- trict Building. E. C. Graham, president of the Na- tional Electric Supply Co., whose name was mentioned by Col. Moiler as hav- ing participated in conferences be- tween himself and representatives of the Crouse Hinds Co., was out of town toda. Previous to his appearance before the Board of Commissioners Col. Mol- ler went to the Bureau of Efficiency early today and was closeted there with officfals for some time. With him he is understood to’have taken papers and records which, in testi- fying before the subcommittee last night, he had said were at his home, placed in the drawer of a_ sideboard. He was closeted with officials of the bureau for some time. Later this afternoon Commissioner Bell, accompanied by Capt. White- hurst, an Assistant Engineer Commis- sioner, went fo the Bureau of Effi ency to discuss “the general situa- tion” with officials of the bureau. The Bureau of Efficiency, it was learned today, has supplied the Gib- son subcommittee with the informa- tion upon which it is basing its investigation. It was learned from sources close to the investigation that s0 far no other agencies of the Gov- ernment—other than the Bureau of Efficiency—has taken part in the in- vestigation of the Traffic Bureau's record. This information was divulged by persons who answered direct ques- tions as to whether the Department of Justice had been asked to Investi- gate the transactions. It was also learned at the Department of Justice no request has been received there for assistance in pursuing the investigation. of The meeting of the Gibson subcom- mittee of the House District compmit- tee did not open until almost an hour after scheduled time last night. Com- missioners Bell, Dougherty and Talia- ferro and District Auditor Donovan were present. For the first time, an oath was ad- ministered to a witness before the sub- committee, in accordance with power recently granted to swear witnesses. Col. Moller, after being sworn, testi- fied under examination by Represent- ative Gibson, chairman of the sub- committee, that he was appointed as- sistant traffic director April 1, 1925, and that his position was virtually that of traffic engineer. He had stud- ied architecture in Paris for five years, he said, and had practiced that pro- fession for five vears in New York and Boston, then going into highway construction work. He said he did not hold a degree as engineer, although he had taken a correspond- the , will meet with sudden deat If the automobile goes under the locomotive a derailment is almost certain. In 1926 27 derallments occur- red, killing 69 enginemen and injuring 138 passengers.” ence school course in engineering. He also _mentioned private concerns (Continued on Page 4, Column 3.) Radio Programs——Pnge 36 &