Evening Star Newspaper, March 17, 1927, Page 1

L » \ . WEATHER. (17, 8. Weather Increasing clou tonight; probably or tomorrow; col noon or night. Ten 73, at 4:30 p.m. ye 7:30 a.m. today Full report on page 9. Bureau Forecast.) diness and warmer showers late tonight der tomorrow after- mperature—Highest, terday; lowest, 45, at #Closing N.Y. Stocks and Bonds, Page 14 No. 30,270. office. post Wa ntered as second s5 m shington, D, b WASHINGTON, ‘WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION n. HURSDAY, MARCH ¢ Foening “From Press to Home ’e With The Star's carrie every city block and in the Hour” r system covers d the regular edi- tion is delivered to Washington homes as fast as the papers are printed * Yesterday’s Circulation, 104,937 17, 1927—FIF1 Y-TWO () Means Associated Press TWO CENTS. U.S, RETERATES OPPOSITION TOALL ARMS SUPERVISION America Refuses to Accept Idea of League Group for Industrial Control. GRAVE LEGAL FACTORS INVOLVED ON THIS SIDE Banning of Chemical Warfare Training Is Declared to Be Impracticable. By the Associated Press. X GENEVA, March 17.—American op- | position to any form of inter national supervision of armaments, once an prmament limitation agreement is reached, was vigorously reiter ted in a document received by the Leagu> of Nations today from the Washing: ton Government. ¥ The United States likewise declined to accept the idea, advocated by the} League's commission for study of the economic aspects of disarmament, that certain essential national industries should be regulated. Legal Questions Involved. Concerning the recommendation for international agreements among na- tional semi-war industries for divul- gence of information and rationing of manufactures, the Washington Gov- ernment pointed out that this might encounter grave legal and constitu- tional objections in the United States. It also characterized as impracti-j cable the proposal to condemn as a crime any exercising of training by militaries or civillans in the use of poisons or bacteria, especially by air squadrons, declaring that in its judg- ment training in chemical matters was essential to meet possible chemi- cal warfare attacks. RUSSIA WILLING TO CONFER. Boviet May Meet With France, Ger- many and Poland. MOSCOW, March 17 (#).—Comment- ing on a report that France, Germany and Poland intend to ask the Soviet government to take part in an inter-| national disarmament conference next | Fall, the Izvestia says Russia is will-* ing in principle to participate. The newspaper adds, however, that if the inviting powers really wish the Soviet government to join in the conference it must be convened outside Switzer- land. GENEVA NOT SURPRISED, . S. Stand Is Merely Reiteration of Previous Expressions. Cable Chicaxo Daily By Cable g e g, ;035; . ENEVA, March 17.—America’s 2 ry observations on the report of the joint commission on disarma- ment of the League of Nations sub-{ mitted a week ago, but only released | for publication today, contain no sur-| prises for League officials and neither | further nor hinder armament limita- tion work here. The statement is a reiteration of for- mer statements on the undesirabiiity of international armament control. Jts defense of poison gas research as mecessary to defense and to industrial and its skepticism as to_the | usefulness of comparative military either as estimates or as a means of limiting aggressive military preparation already are known here and discounted. America’s observations merely con- | stitute another step toward blocking | the efforts of extreme disarmament | theorists, while reinforcing the Ameri- | «can view that the only effective dis-| srmament efforts are to loyal agree- ments between individual nations on | the model of the Washington confer ence. NEW CRUISER LAUNCHED. Australia, First of Two Built Under Treaty, Takes to Water. GLASGOW, Scotland, March 17 (). | Australia, first of two modern | eruisérs built here for the Australian | navy and embodying the latest designs | of post-war construction, was launch- d today from the John Brown works | on the Clyde. The Canberra, a sister | ship, will be launched later from the same yards. i Two airplanes circled overhead as | the cruiser took the water. Lady | Cook, wife of the Australian high | commissioner, performed the launch- | ‘| be made several attempts to Fise for ?( ‘hang Corners All Dog Biscuitsin City To Feed His Troops| By the Associated Pr LONDON, March 17.—A dispatch to the Dally Mail from Shanghai demands by Gen. as had a disas- trous effect on European-owned dogs. These have heen compelled to go on short rations in con: quence of the Shantung comm: at buying all able supplies dog biscuits in Shanghal to feed ¢ of comfort in the sing situation, the dds, is that, despite which is the The only ra somewhat depre correspondent the loss of Hang center of the industry, Chang's general succeeded in placing an order for 40,000 umbrellas for his troops. WAL BERES FLES | ACROSS ATLANTIG Portuguese Airman Lands on Island Off Brazil—Took Off in Africa. e Associated Press. AMBUCO, Brazil, March 17.— . Sarmento Beires, Portuguese | avaitor, arrived at the island of Fer- nando Do Noronha, off the Brazilian coast, at 10:15 o'clock this morning, having flown across the Atlantic from Portuguese Guinea. Maj. Beires’ flight from the Bis: % agos Islands to Fernando Do Nor- onha covers a slightly longer route than that taken by Comdr. Francesco | De Pinedo, Italian avaitor, in his re- | cent crossing of the South Atlantic. Comdr. De Pinedo hopped off from the Cape Verde Islands, reaching Fer- nando Do Noronha before lack of fuel compelled him to descend. The feat of flying across the South | Atlantic without stopping remains un- | accomplished, both De Pinedo and Beires having failed in attempts to fly from Bolama, Portuguese Guinea, to Brazil without landing. Each found it impracticable to take off from Bo- lama with the great load of fuel neces- sary for the estimated flight of from 18 to 20 hours to Brazil. Maj. Beires' projected flight around the world in 90 days, which started from Lisbon March 2, touches South America, the Southern Pacific Islands, ! Australia and India. Is on World Trip. LISBON, Portugal, March 17 (#).— Maj. Sarmento Beires, Portuguese avi- ator, started at 6:11 o'clock last night from a point on the Bissagos Islands, near Bolama, Portuguese Guinea, for a flight across the Atlantic Ocean to Port Natal, Brazil. He left Lishon March 2 on a 90-day flight around the world. At Bolama the cross-ocean flight, but each time found his fuel load too heavy. Americans Postpone Hop. 1 RIO DE JANEIRO, March 17 »).— | The pan-American good will fliers of | the United States Army today | postponed their departure. They will | continue their flight northward along' the Brazilian coast tomorrow. TELLS OF FINDING BLOODY CLOTHING Storekeeper Witness as La Plata Murder Trial Opens in Frederick. By a Staft Correspondent of The Star. FREDERICK, Md., March 17.— Testimony that he found blood-stained clothing and a revolver at the home of Ottie Simmons’ brother early on the morning that J. Edward Carpenter | was found dying from bullet wounds | near La Plata was given by Thomas | Taylor, colored storekeeper of La Plata, in the trial of Simmons on a | charge of first degree murder in Cir- | cuit Court here today. Taylor, star witness for the State in the trial of | Simmons and Arthur Swann, colored youths jointly accused of the Killing, also testified that he saw Simmons display a revolver in his store a few hours before the crime is alleged to have been committed. ing ceremony. e i The Australia and Canberra were | eonstructed under the terms of the | Washington treaty, which limits auxiliary surface combatant craft to, 10,000 tons displacement and arma- ment of 8-inch guns, The Australia | carried elght such rifles, twin mount. | ed, and in addition will have a num- | ber of 4-inch antiaircraft guns. The | Sinch weapons are of a mew model, med (o hard hitting as some of the heavier battleship ordnance of | pre-war dave The displacement of the Australia | and Canberra is 10.000 tons, without | fuel, advantage being taken of the fact that the Washington treaty does | not stipulate that the 10,000-ton limit | shall include that item. They will | e a speed of 34 knot | RUMANIANS PROPOSE MUSSOLINI MONUMENT | - Ratification of Bessarabian Treaty Leads to Plan to Rename 1 Street “Roman.” By the Associated Press BUCHAREST, Rumania, 17.—~Overjoved by Italy's of the Paris treaty recognizing t annexation of March to Rumania, the government's supporters now seek , 4o honor Premier Mussolini, They have introduced a bill in Par- Ylament pProviding for erection of a monument to Mussolini in Kishinev, 3 tmla:;;::‘:h ],\p and also ask o R:mmn’;(n:)-’y'_" ughfare be r Suwet crowds handle pration of the trealy ratitigeion, i B, I ratification | the former Russian | Simmons and Swann are being tried separately. They were brought here from Bagmore last night and were arraigne® this morning before Judge Hammond Urner and Judges nn . Worthington, and Robert Peter. Both entered pleas of not | guilty. Killed on Way From Work. Carpenter, an employe of the Gov- | ernment powder works, at Indian Head, was found in a dying condition | on the morning of January 7. He | wis W id and robbed of $37 at a spot about 100 feet from the road leading from Indian Head to La Plata, while on his way home from work. | He died the next day. 1 The courtroom was crowded long be- | fore the opening of the trial today. | ‘peefal precautions have been taken | to prevent any demonstration. Mrs. | | Carpenter, widow of the slain man, re- | ained in court during the morning session. avlor, who said he had known Simmons for six or seven years, tes- tified that the defendant came to his | store about 9 o'clock on the night of January 6 and remained until 10: 4id” he saw Simmons pull a re | volver out of his pocket while he was in the store. | Identifies Stained Clothing. { About 3 o'clock the mext morning, |he said, he went with Simmons' | brother to the latter's home and found in a closet blood-stained: clothing and {a revolver. He identitie:d ihe clothing as that which Ottie Simmons had worn the previous evening, but said the revolver was not the one he had seen in his store. Joseph C. ntry, attorney for Sim- mons, obtained the admission from i | { victed of murder in Massachusetts. | | zines—Authors Retaliate. | U... WARSHIP SENT TOKIANGNAN ASP! CAPTURES DOCKS Shantungese Leader Seizes| Plant Where American Vessels Are Building. PEACEFUL OCCUPATION OF SHANGHAI SOUGHT Industrial Unrest Increases as Op-| posing Army Commanders Con- tinue Parley for Settlement. By the Associated Pres: SHANGHAI, March 17.—A ing feature in the general Chine uation today was the seizure of the Kiangnan docks, where a number of American vessels are building. Gen Pl Shuchen, who made the ire, claims he needs the docks for the re- pair of warships of the Northern forces. The move of Pi necessitated the Dispatch of an American warship to Kiangnan. | There still is no definite news of | the outcome of the fighting reported | to be proceeding on various parts of the battlefront. There was a heavy engagement yesterday at Linyang, midway between Taihu and the small lake east of -Faiping, between Can- tonese troops and Gen. Chang's North- ern army., Pi and Chang In Parley. The Northern staff is concentrating | more troops at Soochow and Cheng- chow in fear of another Cantonese at- tack, and Chang has sent to the front two airplanes loaded with bombs. It is reported that a parley is pro- ceeding between Gen. Pi, who is com- mander of the Shantung troops here, and Gen. Chang Kai-Shek, the South- ern commander-in-chief, with a view to reaching an amicable settlement by which the Nationalists could peace- fully occupy the city. A representa- tive of Chang Kai-Shek recently had | a long interview with Gen. Pi, after which he returned to Nanchang, head- quarters of Chang Kai-Shek, accom- panied by a trusted agent of Gen. Pi. | Industrial Unrest Spreads. | The industrial unrest is gradually | spreading. Twenty, thousand mill | hands are now affected. The latest victim of the labor ter-| rorists was the wife of the Chinese | chief inspector of tramways, who was shot dead in her home. The murder- ers escaped. ! The position of the salt gabelle, | which is the security for several for- elgn loans, is becoming serious. Ow-| ing to the rapacity of the Northern ! and southern war lords, the only | revenue the gabelle is able to retain, | apart from that required to cover expenses, is from Chihli Provineg, and even that is becoming precarious, U. 8. SHIPS REPORTED RETAKEN. disturb- e sit- i | | Marines Recapture Two Standard Oil | Steamers, Dispatch Says. LONDON, March 17 (P).—Advices ' from the Far East indicate that the | United States Navy again has been active in looking out for American | interests in China. A dispatch to the Westminster Gazette says American Marines at | Shanghai recaptured two Standard Ol steamers which the Chinese had | seized. The Daily Express Shanghai cor- respondent in reporting the taking | over by Northern forces of the | Kiangnan dock yards, where several American vessels are being built, says Rear Admiral Williams of the Ameri- can fleet imediately dispatched a war- | ship there. Gen. Pi Shu-Chen, the local commander of the Northern 20 JAPANESE PROTEST SACCO-VANZETTI CASE Visit American Embassy as Dele- gation From Black League. Two Arrested Later. By the Associated Press. TOKIO, March 17.—A committee | of 20 members of the Black League | today paid a visit to the American embassy and Interviewed Eugene H. ! Dorman, the second secretary, with regard to a protest against the exe- cution of Hacco and Vanzetti, con- Charles MacVeagh, the Ambassador, | was not present, The interview was carried out In orderly fashion. Mr. Dorman in-| formed the committee that the proper course for any protest to come was | through the foreign office, whereupon the Black Leaguers departed. The police subsequently arrested two leaders of the committee Special police were placed about | the embassy last Sunday, following a visit of the committee.to make the protest. Only a Japanese clerk was present, however, and the committee announced that it would return later and see Mr. MacVeagh. PRIEST FINED 44 CENTS FOR CLEAN-PAPER DRIVE Paris Court Assesses Penalty for Destroying Maga- { Maximum Associated Press. PARIS, March 17.—His personally conducted purity campaign against snappy magazines on the boulevard news stands has cost Abbe Bethleem, a militant priest, just 11 francs, or 44 cents. The abbe was fined that amount, the maximum penalty, by the Police Court, to which he was haled on com- plaint of news vendors. They asserted that the priest for more than two| months had utilized every opportunity to tear up magazines, the covers of By the Taylor that he could not tell the color of the clothes he saw. The cros: examination was featured by a sharp exchange of witticisms between San- try and the witness. Judge Urner had 1o rap for order several \rncs. which he considered immoral. Two young authors who, in protest against the abbe’s campaign against he freedom of the press,’ smashed religious images in a shop, were f counsel for Henry Ford in the $1,000,- 000 libel suit brought by Aaron Sapiro, told the jury today that he expected to show that everything printed about was truth. “The law puts no bridle | o after conclided his opening statement for the plaintiff. said, that Sapiro sent out organizers through t! | cen for the lls of the farmers, prom- lege education for their children and piro’s selection, Senator Reed declared, | the products of the farmers who sign- j ed contracts operative organizations 1 'Henry Ford,” he declared. think evidence will show it is no libel libelous articles shown the jury were k | ! words appear | were offered on the open marke Senator Reed. {and ' then sell could have received earlier. warehouses, the millions more than they were worth. stances M was MARCH 17, 1927. ORD SUIT CHARGES TRUE, SAYS REED Tells Jury Case Will Sub- stantiate Everything Print- ed About Sapiro. By the Associated Press. FEDERAL COURT, 17.—Senator James Detroit, March A. Reed, chief Sapiro and his marketing associa- tion in the Dearborn Independent n the truth,” he said. Senator Reed took up his opening statement this morning immediately Willlam Henry Gallagher had Evidence would show, Senator Reed country, painting a pan: ising them fine homes, riches, col- large automobiles. Business managers chosen at Sa- were given wide powers in controlling of five to seven years with them. Calls It Sapiro vs. Ford. “The farmers had no right to say when or where their products were to be marketed,” he said. “And the managers were at liberty to give them vy advance of their products they fit, To make these advances, the as- sociations, evidence will show, had to make loans on the farmers’ products, and when they settled with them they took out the interest they had paid on the loans. Neither the Jewish race nor the co. as_concerned or Reed said. in the libel suit, Sena Sapiro against “It is a_case of Aaron Referring to the articles published in the Dearborn Independent, Senator Reed said: ‘““There is, we claim, a privilege that is absolute; that is, the right to print the truth, whatever it may be. “And, as the case develops, we to say of a man, ‘He is a Jew. Context Broken, He Says. Declaring excerpts from the alleged ubmitted in such form as to bre their context and jmpart harsh me: ings, Senator Reed added: “When in their proper plac it will be for vou to judge whether there was any libel.” “In the great majority of instances, the farmers ved not the great profits promised the Sapiro 3 or- ganizers, but much less than they said “One of the reasons for this was that the managers, dominated by Mr. Sapiro, would hold back the products at lower than they “One day they dumped 22,000,000 pounds of tobacco on the market at a 30 per cent loss. In buying for the mers' organizations, equipment Sapiro Managers “We will show that in n in- Sapiro, as legal adviser, appealed to to recover these losses, but failed to respond.” Terms Called Binding. “The terms of the contracts were unbelievably binding. They permitted the managers to mingle the products of one farmer with another, and after peying all expenses give the farmer what was left. He had nothing to v as to where his goods were to go or how much they were to draw. e o stipulated that ad delivered his though he had received no money, absolute title passed to-the organization. On it the manager: could borrow money as they saw fit. “The effect of all these stipulations was that the farmer for a long time had to deliver his goods, for which he received little or no money at the moment."” “The only provision by which a farmer could be released was a clause that provided flor his discontinuing wing a certain crop. grEA farmer was privileged to mort- e his growing crop, but was forced to turn the mortgage into the asso- clation, which then sold the crop, paid the mortgage and the expense The farmer received what was left. “When associations were formed, it was stipulated they should acquire the warehouses and equipment. The owners of these were brought into the product 500 CAPITAL CHILDREN TO JOIN IN CHERRY BLOSSOM PAGEANT Gorgeous Festival of Flowers Some Time in April Will Portray Poetry and Tradition of Old Japan. Washington's loveliest season— those fleeting days when the pink and white old lace of cherry blossoms is an exotic nursery hood over the curls of infant Spring—this year will be made the background of exquisite pageantr: - More than 500 children are totake part in a festival of flowers, presumably on the afternoon of April 19. They will portray in pantomime and dance the tradition and poetry of cherry blossom time, which entends far back into the legendry of medieval Japan. This pageantry will be staged un- der the of the National Memorial g It will rep- resent the first fruition of an idea which for several years has been in the minds of prominent Washington social and etvic leaders. Season after season has seen these cherry blogsom days become more se- curely enshrined in the heart of the community—like tulip time in Hol- land, apple blossom time Nor- mandy, peach blossom time in ieorgia and mountain laurel days in New England. They have become days of romance and of dreams. They have represented the dividing line of the year—on one side the fog and chill of Winter and on the other the months of sunshine, roses and green grass. But hitherto there has bheen no special observince. The haunting hours of cherry blossom time have floated away like pink-tinted clouds across an- evening sky. Thousands have awaited their coming. They have been symbolic throughout the Nation of the beauty of Washington, but there has been no community effort to take advantage of the occasfon, Thos the pageant is -planned to. Inaugurate a new tradition. It will be conducted at 3 p.m. on the chil- dren’s playground at Haines Point, (Continued on Page 4, Column 6.) in “AUTO FINANCING” INQUIRIES ORDERED Commissioners and Gordon Direct Investigations With View to Prosecution. Two investigations w being pushed today into the activities of questionable utomobile financing” companies here following the an- nouncement in The Star yesterday that certain such establishments are openly lending money under terms which are considered exoritant. The first of these investigations Is being conducted by the corporation counsel’s office, acting under specitic jnstructions from: the District Com- missioners to bring prosecutions wherever evidence is found to show that the laws regulating interest rates in the District of Columbia are being transgressed. At the same time Maj. Peyton Gordon, United States district’ at- torney, ordered an investigation by agents of his office to determine whether the business transactions of these companies conflict with Federal statutes. Commissioners Order Inquiry. The District Commissioners issued a public statement today announcing their readiness to put a prompt end to illegal enterprises wherever they are found. The statement follows: “The article in The Evening Star vesterday, referring to ‘auto financ- ing,’ and suggesting that there are flagrant violations of the loan shark law, is of interest and concern to the Commissioners. The corporation coun- sel has been directed to investigate vigorously any complaints of such dealings, and if evidence is obtained that the law is being violated to in- stitute prosecutions.” Corporation Counsel Francis H. Stephens was closeted with Commis- sloner Sidney Taliaferro, under whose office the legal departments of the District government fall, for Some time vesterday afternoon, discussing the methods by which Mr. Stephens will initiate his investigation. Both expected some announcement along this line to be made within the next several days. Taliaferro Consults Dougherty. The situation was brought first to the attention of Mr, Taliaferro, who soon afterward conferred with Com- missioner Bell. Commissioner Dough- erty had left his office for the day, but Commissioner Taliaferro consulted him on the situation last night. Corporation Counsel Stephens ex- pected to have another conference with Commissioner Taliaferro some time early this aftexnoon, when he may suggest a method by which the legality of automobile financing trans- actions could be quickly determined. ‘“There are some laws in the Dis- trict of Columbia. which I belleve are absolutely evasion-proof,” said Mr. Stephens. “I believe the ‘loan shark law’ is one of them and it is under this_statute that fllegal automoblle (Continued on 5‘" 4, Column '2) } PRESIDENT HURTS WRIST. Does Not Know When or How the Injury Occurred. President Coolidge appeared” today with his right wrist bandaged be- cause of a slight sprain, In response to inquiries regarding the accident the President said that he had no rec- ollection of what could have caused the injury, although the wrist had been paining him for two day The bandage was placed about the wrist this morning by Dr. James F. Coupal, the President’s private phy- sician, Mr. Coolidge recent! abandoned the custom of shaking nds daily with those who call at the White House for this purpose. POLES ARE REPORTED NEARING LITHUANIA Seizure of Republic Said to Be Timed to Take Place Saturday. By Cable to S Chicag ) MOSCOW, March 17.—Poland's long threatened occupation of Lithuania is about to materlalize, according to re- ports emanating from all the other Baltic capitals, disclosing troop move- ments from Vilna toward the frontier. Though the Lithuanian revolutionary government is under Polish influence, a meeting at Kovno was reported to have determined to r destruction of the republic. According to Wa land’s latest aggression is being timed to memorialize Marshal Pilsudski’ birthday on Saturday and to divert attention from the serious industrial ufrest, more than half of the textile and metal workers of Lodz and other cities being on strike. As, Lithuania is not contiguous to Russia the latter is not expected to take any military action beyond a dip- lomatic protest. Germany, however, is vitally interested in the passing of Memel to Polish rule. Soviet re- ports say that Great Britain, confer- ring with Poland at Geneva, approved the proposed absorbing of Lithuania. (Copyright. 1027.) rsaw reports Po. Snowhound Town Prefers Movies To Fresh Meats By the Associatea Press. VER, Colo., March arry a greater appe to 1,200 residents of Silver- San Juan Basin ing town, virtually isolated for a month by snow slides. hen all transportation facilities were wiped out mushers tried to keep the town supplied with staple food. While fresh meat was ac- | ceptable, the miners demande v “reels” each day, agreeing t rifice other thi if nece N films were provided almost da A’ mile of snow still blocks the line to Silverton. MELLON REVEALS NEW DEBT VIEWS 1 than Treasury Head, for First:‘ Time, Says Reparations Are Funding Bases. | BY DAVID LAWRENCE. \ Secretary Mellon's letter to the| Princeton faculty marks a turning point in the discussion of war debts. Up to the time the settlements were made, the United States refused abso- lutely to admit that the payments made by Germany to the allies had anything to do with the latter’s obli- gations to the United States. This point was maintained stoutly in every | negotiation between the United States | and Europe carried on by the Depart- | ment of State. The Secretary of the Treasury, however, in answer to the criticism that America was forcing the Euro pean people to heavier burdens of taxation, has switched the argument back to the point where the European statesmen originally tried to carry it. Dawes Plan Now Effective. Whether this is due to the fact that the United States before the settle- ments were made did not care to be- come involved in a discussion of what rmany should pay or whether it is due to a realization now that the financing of Germany is the corner- stone of the whole debt controversy will probably never be known. For the change of front comes at a time when the Germans are beginning to | get on their feet and when it is ad- mitted that the Dawes plan is effec- tive, Some observers see another reason for the Secretary's new tactics. It is that the people of the United States have never been educated up to the point of believing that the interallied debt problem is affected by what Ger- many is likely to do, and if some plan of pooling all war debts is some day to be appreved the groundwork will have to be laid with American public opinion. Among many bankers the impres- sion prevalls, for example, that while cancellation is not likely, a plan for the taking of the war debt securities out of the hands of governments and floating them to the public may be possible some day. This would in- volve each country's selling for cash their present debt settlements on a basis of present values instead of 62 year values. Would Cut Interest. In other words, the United States would be asked to take a certain sum now which if compounded in interest over a period of vears would be many times that sum, but the advantage to present-day taxpayers would be a cut- ting down of interest charges on the public debt. There is another point, too, in Mr. Mellon’s first use of the argument that Germany really paying the war debts of the allies to the United States. It is that cancellation talk fails to take into account a relief for Germany and there are many persons in the United States who feel that if the idea of cancellation prevails it should be an all around cancellation in the interest | of peace and good feeling. Some Eu- ropean statesmen have gone so far as to indicate that they would be willing to forgive Germany as much of her | war debts as Europe owes to the United States, but this contemplates on the other hand a continuance of other parts of the reparation program which would leave the United States to bear most of the cost involved. The Secretary's letter is a sign that cancellation talk is not going to be allowed to gain headway without a re- tort from the Treasury and that the | movement, which started at Colum- bia University and spread to Prince- ton, is not going to be permitted to envelope all the universities of the country without a bit of plain speak- | ing from Secretary Mellon. (Coyright, 1927.) DEFENDS DEBT AGREEMENTS. | Mellon Holds Reconsideration Would Hamper Progress. By the Associated Press, Secretary Mellon feels that Amer- ica has acted with “fairness” toward its World War debtors and that a reopening of the funding agreements at the present would do more “to interrupt the steady progress achieved” ‘since the settlements were effected than could be gained from any ultimate minor adjustments in terms. Defending the basis on which the settlements wWere negotiated—the debtors’ capacity to pay—the Secre- opinion was set forth in aj (Continued on Page 2, Column 7.) | Autoists Rescue Woman From Tidal Basin In Her Third Attempt to Commit Suicide A third attempt to commit sulcide by Mrs. Annie C. Heath, 40 years old, of 3641 Kleventh street, was frus- trated early this morning by Joseph Lande, 3641 Newark street, and Isa- dore r, 4519 NintH street, who rescued her from drowning in the ‘Tidal basin. Lande and Posner were attracted by a woman’s cries as each mo- toris past the John Paul Jones Bhl?t They spied Mrs. Heath strug- gling in the water about 50 yards from the yall, jumped in after her and d her out. They rushed her to Emekgency Hospital, where Dr. E. juse successfully admin- The rescuers went home after they had been given warm drinks and dried their clothing from the plunge, while Mrs. Heath was transferred to Gal- linger Hospital for mental observa. tion by Dr. Percy Hickling. Authorities at Emergency Hospital recalled that Mrs. Heath already had attempted to commit suicide by swal- lowing polson on February 16 and again two days later, when they re- vived her, while Gallinger Hospital reported that she just had been dis- charged as a patient in the medical ward on Monday after having been admitted Sunday. | by the | | of the word questions, but mere state- SINCLAR, GULTY, PLANS BATTLE T0 DODGE JAIL TERM Motion for New Trial to Be Filed by 0il Magnate With- in Four Days. FOUND IN EIGHT HOURS Defendant Faces 30 Days to Year Imprisonment—Sentence to Be Pronounced in Month. Faced with a minimum sentence of one month or a maximum of one year in the District of Columbia jail, Harry F. Sinclair, New York ofl millionaire, convicted last night by a jury In Criminal Division 2 of the District Supreme Court, today was laying plans for an even greater fight to escape the charge of contempt of the Senate, on which he was found gutlty 12 men after deliberation of little more than eight hours. Through his attorneys, George V" Hoover of this city and Martin W Littleton of New Yc the oil magnate and lessee of Teapot Dome will file a motion for a new trial within four court days with Justice Willilam Hitz, who presided over the proceedings. Should the motion be de nied sentence will be pronounced in 30 days, and Si will appeal to the District 4o Appeals from the rt of | judgment of the court Sinclair’'s counsel today were of the opinion that before the case is dis posed of finally an entirely differen color and aspect will have been at tached to it. There are many points of law, as they view it, for the ap pellate courts to pass upon. They adopted the attitude of their client who, when the verdict was announced, said, ““This is only the first inning Sineclair Retires Late. Sinclar did not retire until early this morning and he slept until al most noon in the presidential suite at the Mayflower Hotel. He planned on leaving Washington later in the day for his New Jersey farm, where he will take a brief rest. His presence here will not be required until the court, should it overrule the motion for a new trial, pronounces sentence. Defense counsel today reiterated | their contention, made in open court, | that as a result of Justice Hitz's rul ing that the “pertinency” of the questions to the Senate inquiry is a matter of law and not of faect, it in effect denied their client the right of trial by jury and stripped them of everything upon which they could do battie. O 2 On the first ballot, the jury, ‘which received the case at 1:56 o'clock yes- terday afternoon, stood 11 to 1 for conviction, the “hold-out” taking the stand, it was reliably reported, that the questions propounded to Sinclair by the Senate committee on public lands and surveys and which he re- fused to answer, were in no sense ments or assertions. This point had been argued to the jury by defense | counsel. Juror Won Over. At 9:10 o'clock last night, however, the juror who stood alone finally | asreed with the others, but it was not until almost an hour later that the verdict was reported, The delay was occasioned by the summoning of Justice Hitz and other persons inter- ested in the case to the courtroom. Sinclair took the verdict calmly and refused to comment either personally or through his attorneys, who like- wise reserved comment. United States Attorney Peyton Gordon, who was | given the case by the Senate to pros. ecute, signified his approval of the verdict. Owen J. Roberts, who made the closing arguments, and Atlee Pomerene, who participated in the proceedings briefly, had departed for Philadelphia and Cleveland respec- tively shortly before nightfall. Gordon's case stood only on the points that Sinclair was summoned, appeared, was sworn, was questioned and refused to testify, and the Jury's sole task, under the court's charge, was to determine whether these facts were correct.. If the jurors found from the evidence that they were true, Justice Hitz charged them, “it is your duty under the law to find the defendant guilty.” Case Given to Jury. When the jury retired, taking with it only the indictment, which, since it was reported March 31, 1924, had been reduced from 10 to 4 counts, Justice Hitz went out into the park surrounding the courthouse, and sat =a a bench, while Sinclair, with his at-. torneys, walked about the portico. shortly after 4 o'clock the clerk, William §. Adkins, received word from the jury that additional instructions on one prayer of the defense were wanted and after locating the court and notifying the defendant, his counsel and the Government, the courtroom was called to order. The jury, through its foreman, Emory D. Erwin, 33 years old, a member of the firm of J. (. Harding & Co., 720 | Twelfth stret, wished to hear prayer No. 11, which defense, read again. This prayer in substance said that the jury alone is the sole judge of the facts in the case, the credibility of the witnesses, the evidence and the inferences that can be drawn from the evidence. After Justice Hitz read this he volunteered the informatjon that the facts to which such a prayer can be applied were the ones laid down in his own charge, to the effect that if it were found by the evidence that Sinclair was summoned, that he did appear, that he was sworn, was ques- tioned and refused to answer, “then it is your duty under the law to find the defendant guilty.” Hoover jumped to his feet and took exception to the court presenting to the jury something which he said it had not asked for. Justice Hitz al- lowed the defense counsel an excep- tion. A short time later Justice Hitz returned to the court minus his robes and announced he had received two messages from two jurors to be trans- mitted to persons on the outside. Delivers Two Messages. One of them read, he said, “Tell Josephine to expect me when she sees me,” and the other, “Tell Mr, Schultz, had been granted the Radio Programs—Page 45, or a name something like that, that ‘mnunucq on Page 5, Column 3 ¥