Evening Star Newspaper, September 24, 1927, Page 1

* PROBLEN N BERUN WEATHER. (U. 8. Weather Bureau Forecast.) Fair and slightly warmer tonight; tomorrow increasing cloudiness and warmer, Temperature—Highest, 69, at 2:30 p.m. yvesterday; lowest, 46, at 6:30 a.m. today. Full report on page 7. i Closing N.Y. Markets, Pages 26 and 27 Entered as secol post office, Wa: ' No. 30,461 nd class matter shington, D. C. DEATH OF MALTZAN RAISES DIPLOMATIC Foreign Service Realignment Held Necessary to Pick New Envoy to U. S. MEN OF AMBASSADOR'S ABILITY CALLED SCARCE in | unselor Kiep Temporarily Charge—Probe of Air Crash Is Begun. By the Asscciated Prees. BERLIN, September 24 -—The re- Pplacement of Baron Ago von Maitzan at Washington is feit here to ate a problem of extraordinary difficulty for the German foreign office. It is probable that it will necessi- tate the complete realignment of Ger- many's foreign diplomatic service, in which men of Baron von Maltzan's special abilities are scarce. At present, no one appears in sight for the Washington post and any ap- pointment from the foreign office staft is regarded as unlikely. Counselor Kiep will remain tharge of affairs for the time being. President Replies to Coolidge. President von Hindenburg today ®ment a message to President Coolidge thanking the American Executive for his sympathetic message on the death of Baron von Maltzan. “It is especlally gratifying to me,” President von Hindenburg said, with other things, “to see that the Presi- dent of the United States and the Government felt the same high regard for the deceased, all of whose efiorts have been directed to promote cioser relations between the United States and Germany, as he enjoved in his homeland. 1 have not failed to trans- mit the condolences of yourself and Mrs. Coolidge to Baroness von Malt- zan.” CRASH PROBE BEGUN. in Officials Believe Cause Is Likely to Remain Mystery. SCHLEIZ, Thuringia, Germany, Sep- tember 24 (A).—Government aviation experts were engaged today in" an en deavor to ascertaln the cause of yes- terday’s catastrophe, in which Baron Ago von Maltzan, German Ambassa- dor to the United States, and five other persons were killed by the crash of a plane on the Berlin-Munich Luft hansa Airline. It is believed doubtful, however, whether the mystery will ever be cleared up, as the plane is a heap of debris, only the wing, which broke lJoose, lying intact, 20 feet away. A fence has erected about the wreck to prevent its disturbance by morbid souvenir hunters. Craft Flew Low. The plane in which the Ambassador flew to his death was familiar to the inhabitants of the surrounding coun- try, who were accustomed to watch ing it zoom overhead every morning on its way to Munich from the capital. Yesterday they were struck by its Jow altitude. Some say they were beginning to fear it would collide with the tower on the castle Greiz when it took an upward spurt. As the plane approached Schleiz it was seen to be flying unsteadily, and when over the town of Heinrichsruhe, watchers were horrified to see the wings suddenly fold upward. The plane rolled over completely and fell with a crash. ‘Wagon Removes Bodies. The inhabitants, rushing to the scene from all sides, agree that not B cry came from the occupants and that there was no explosion. The bodies, badly mutilated, were taken in a farm wagon to the city morgue. The body of Baron Ago von Maltzan will be entombed in the family vault mt Gross Lucknow, in Mecklenburg. Dangerous for Flying. That the region around Schleiz is one of the most difficult stretches in all Germany for air navigation was frequently claimed by Lieut. Otto Koennecke, the German pilot who is now en route to the United States by way of the Orient. “It is one of the most difficult stretches that I know of,” Koennecke mwecently told an Associated Press cor- espondent. “At Leipzig I invariably :onferred with Lufthansa's weather expert there. If he reported ‘thick air’ in that quarter of Thuringia, I in- wvariably made a big detour to avoid Schleiz, where there are many air kets.” Koennecke probably knows that par- ticular stretch better than any pilot in Germany, as he flew over it more often than any one else. INSULTED BY KAISER. Maltzan Badly Treated Seeking Em- peror’s Abdication. BERLIN, September 24 (#).—Baron Ago von Maltzan in 1918 wa: igned the task of persuading Willlam II to pign his abdication, being badly insult- ed before the Emperor yielded to th request, it was revealed for the first time today by an intimate friend of 1he late Ambassador, who made a de- tailed entry in his diary immediately after the baron had told him of the -episode. The incident, as told to the Asso- clated Press by this friend, was as follows: Baron von Maltzan in November, 1918, was first secretary at the Ger- man legation at The Hague, and as such Wwas dispatched by Mini; Rosen to Amerongen Castle to s personally the signed formal renun tion of the Kaiser to the throne. He Encounters Kaiser. For three days Baron von M was a guest of Count Bentinc the Emperor declined to receive him. On November 28 the baron, tired of waiting, declared that he would pack ‘Jiis grip and return to The Hague to report to the Berlin government that the Emperor had declined to sign the otticial renunciation to the throne, an nouncement of which had been mad: on November 9. bout to bid adieu + to Count Bentinck. he encountered the v field uni ex-Kaiser, who w 4 form, in the hall of t Ihe castle. The exiled monarch halted vou Maltizan bowed, and, arply at him, said in an in- “You, too, belong to the of the foreign effice who {aued on Page 5, Column 1) introduced the resolution, N Nine Navy and Marine Corps para- chute jumpers today gave a graphic demonstration of the ease with which 2 passenger-laden transport plane n be emptied shonld an emergency ise in flight, by leaping into space over Bolling Field. one after another, in the elapsed time of 18 seconds. The nine sailors and Marines went throuch the open door of the Navy's all-metal Ford three-engine trans- port at 2-second intervals, each drop- ping about 50 feet before their silk parachutes unfolded against a deep blue gky. 3 Aside from showing the possibifity of escape from a plane in flight by a number of persons and presenting a very striking picture in the sky, the nine men established a world’s record for the greatest number of drops from a single plane in fiight. Wait for Camera FPlanes. Taking-off with his temporary pas- sengers lined up in the cabin of the plane, the door of which had been re- moved, leaving a large hole in the @b WASHINGTON NE PARACHUTE JUMPERS LEAVE PLANE IN 18 SECONDS Give Graphic Demonstration Over Bolling Field of Ease With Which Passenger Plane Can Be Emptied. camera conld get in position to record the experiment from the air. Approaching the field from tha south, the plane cruised up the center of the airdrome until between the last hangar of the line at Bolling Ficld and the airstation. He throttled h engines and Aviation Chief Machiug Mate W. . Scott of the Naval Air Station. the first in a pre- i order of departure, leaped out. The pilot of his parachute flung into the sky and pulled the main ’chute out of the pack. Just as it opened Corpl. R. F. Ryder of Quantico, went cut. Then followed, in the order named: Aviation Machinists Mate T. Dworzynski of Lakehurst, N J.; Pvt. First Class Joseph Fisher, Pvt. Wil- liam Cooper, Corpl. G. T. Hayes and Sergt. T. E. D. Hickle, all of Quantico: Aviation Chief Machinists Mate James T. Clark of the Naval Air Sta- tion and lastly, Chief Boatswain's Mate Alvin Starr of Lakehurst, N. J. As Starr cleared the ship, stopwatches on the ground checked his exit as being 18 seconds after the first jump. Parachutes Hang in Sky. For a moment the nine parachutes side of the ship, Lieut. Harvey R. Bowes, assistant operations officer of the Naval Aair Station, Anacostia, climbed to 1,500 feet and cruised about until three photographic planes, one “still,” one slow-motion picture camera and one standard motion picture hung in the sky in perfect column, and separated by what appeared a few feet. Then some began descend- ing more rapidly than others, a trick up to the jumper, and Clark, al- (Continued on Page 2, Column 6.) ASSEMBLY BANS AGGRESSIVE WARS Polish Resolution Outlawing Conflicts Unanimously Adopted at Geneva. By the Associated Press. GENEVA, September 24.—The League of Nations Assembly today adopted by a unanimous roll-call vote the recently introduced Polish resolu- tion outlawing wars of aggression. The resolution solemnly declares that “all wars of aggression are and always shall be prohibited and that every pacific means must be employed to settle disputes of every description which may arise between states.” It binds states which are members of the League to conform to the princi- ples thus enunciated. Arms Report Adopted. M. Sokal, the Polish delegate who not as a diplomatic instrument, but as a strong recommendation by the as- sembly. The next item adopted was the re- port made by Senor Guerrero of Sal- vador on the private manufacture of arms and the publicity of manufac- turing figures. A resolution attached to the reoprt asked the League Coun- cil and the special committe studying private manufacture to work upon a single text so that the Council will be able to call an international confer- el';:ce on the subject as speedily as pos- sible. . M. de Bruckere of Belgium then pre- sented a report on the work of the preparatory disarmament commision and on the resolution concerning ar- bitration, security and disarmament which is a compromise upon the ideas -of the French, German, Finnish Swed- ish and several other delegations. Sees Success of Parley. The resolution is regarded as one of the most important to come before the assembly. The Beligian delegate declared that adoption of the resolution and the fol- lowing out of its recommendations would give the nations such a feeling of security that the projected general disarmament conference would be as- sured of success. —_— KOENNECKE LEAVES ANGORA ON U. S. FLIGHT German Aviator Expects to Reach Basra, 1,050 Miles Distant, Tonight. By the Associated Press. CONSTANTINOPLE, September 24 —A dispatch from Angora states that Lieut. Otto Koennecke, long distance German aviator, hopped off at 6:30 o'clock this morning on. the second leg of his flight from Cologne to American via the Eastern route. He expects to arrive at Basra, Irak, to- night. (Basra, at the head of the Persian Gulf, is approximately 1,060 miles from Angora, the Turkish capital) o SOCIALISTS TO BE JAILED. BOGOTA, Colombla, September 24 (#).—Arrest of all the delegates to a Socialist_congress convened here has been ordered. Replying to an interpellation on the subject in the Chamber of Deputies, the premier said the action was taken because the Socialists intended to call a general strike. The Senate approved a bill authoriz- ing the government to expel foreign Communist agitators from the coun- LEGION KEPT BUSY BY FRENCH FETES Pershing and Veterans Talk Over Days of War at Cozy Reunion. By the Associated Press. PARIS, September 24—While the formal affairs of the American Legion convention are over those Legion- naires who have not left for the bat- tleflelds are kept occupied with recep- tions, luncheons and dinners of a pri- vate character. Gen. Pershing could not leave with- out receiving some of the officers and men who served under him. It was a cozy little reunion. The general re- called memories, pleasant and sad, and gave a brief, cheery speech. The little daughter of an American ex-officer who was unable to be pres- ent at the convention gave Pershing a beautiful basket of flowers in behalt 46 Y oF ‘hi Gen. Gouraud, one-armed French hero, had a half hour's chat with some of his American colored troops. Virginians Call at Palace. The Virginia delegation took the op- portunity to call at the Elysees Palace and deliver a flag sent to President Doumergue as a gift from the govern- ment and people of their State. Howard P. Savage, former com- mander of the Legion, was presented with a souvenir tablet by M. Scapini, president of the Association of French Veterans Blinded in the War. The organizations which have done s0 much for the comfort of the Legion- naires during their Paris visit now are busy clearing up their “huts.” The American Library Association, the Red Cross, the Knights of Columbus and the Salvation Army close today, but the information bureaus, tele- graph offices, photographic agencies and other services will keep open a few days longer for the convenience of the Legionnaires returning from the battlefields or from other trips. All concerned are delighted with the records . established. The Salvation Army workers during the week served 100,000 cups of coffee and 125,000 sandwiches, requiring a ton of ham and 500 pounds of butter. Forty thou- sand doughnuts were made by the night shift in two bakeries. The Knights of Columbus distribut- ed 1,000,000 cigarettes and 200,000 cakes of soap and stamped 750,000 post cards. A corps of 30 French and American Red Cross nurses, directed by Miss G. Hardwick of Washington, D. C., treat- ed 1,400 cases, ranging from broken arms to sore feet, infected eyes and sprains. There were only 10 hospital cases, none serious. The greatest success was in preventive treatment for colds. ¢ Foeni WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION REED 15 MISSOUR - DEMOGRATIC HOPE FOR PRESIDENCY | St. Louis Backers Say Sena- tor Would Have Better Chance Than Gov. Smith. SPECTACULAR ATTACKS OF PAST REMEMBERED Opposed League, Wilson, Hoover, Dawes, Heflin and Farm Relief Bill. BY G. GOULD LINCOLN, C ondent of The Star. ST. LOUIS, Mo, Septembe —S8en- ator James A. Reed of Missouri, anti- Wilson and anti-League of Nations Democrat. and such a few years ago anathema to the democracy of this State, is confidently expected to have the support of the Missouri delegation for the presidential nomi- nation at the Democratic national con- vention next year. Reed, who was thrown out of the Democratic national convention in 1920, although he had been elected a district delegate to that body, is now the apple of the eye of Missouri democracy. It is true he has old enemies in the State. But an anti- Reed fight at this juncture would cause a terrible uproar and weaken the party in its effort to elect a gov- ernor and the rest of the State ticket next year. Is Regarded as Probable. The fighting Missouri Senator is regarded in some quarters as not only a possible but a probable nominee of the Democrats for President. He may be the nominee, because as a wet he becomes the residuary legatee of the Al Smith strength after the New York Governor shall have been put through his paces at the national convention and failed to make the grade. He may be the nominee be- cause opponents of Al Smith's nomi- nation rally to Reed as the man to head off the New York Governor. There are two schools of thought in Missouri today as to the course which the Senator and his friends should pursue in order to bring him the nomination next year. The first holds that Senator Reed should—figuratively speaking—go to the convention with the Missourl delegation tucked away in his pocket and such other delegates from various parts of the country as may go to him, and play a waiting game. He should wait until Al Smith has had his day, perhaps even turning over some delegates to Smith to help the latter when he most needs help. Having pursued such a course, accord- ing to those who support it, if the New York governor is not nominated, then it is reasonable to expect that when the break comes from Smith, scores of Smith delegates from the East—and the West—will turn as naturally to Reed as the sunflower turns to the sun. Why not, they say? For Reed is a wet as well as Smith, and Reed is a picturesque, foiceful figure in the party, perhaps its most outstanding figure today mnext to Sm)lt(h, the four-time governor of New York. Aggressiveness Is Urged. ‘The second school of thought on the Reed candidacy holds to the opinion that Senator- Reed should enter the convention not merely as a favorite son candidate, walting for Smith and others to get out of the way and per- mit a compromise on Reed, but as a real contender for the nomination from the first sound of the gong. Ben- nett C. Clark, son of the late Speaker Clark, who, in 1912, received the vote for the presidential nomination of a majority of the votes of the Baltimore convention, but failed to get the neces. sary two-thirds, is one of those who would have Senator Reed make a vig- orous fight from the outset of the convention. Missouri, Mr. Clark holds, should have no second choice, but be for Reed, first, last and all the time. The wet sentiment, particularly in (Continued on Page 4, Column 1.) BLAST IN MUNITION PIT CAUSES PANIC Other Pilgrimages Proposed. By the Associated Press. Every member of the present pil- grimage wants the affair to be a de- cennial in the future, Gen. John J. Pershing told French and American newspaper men today at a reception in his honor, given at the Hotel Crillon by the American Club, at which Percy Piexoto, presided. “For mw part,” the general said, “I assure you that I will be here 10 years from now and I think every other member of the Legion who came to France has the same thought.” Gen. Pershing said that the plans formulated by the Battle Monument Commission for war memorials in France have been unofficially approved by the necessary French authority and that the work would get underway this Winter. It is believed that it will take two years to complete the work. try without a trial. Just an hour after he had skidded 150 feet down an embankment in an automobile, 2%;-year-old Courtney Oliphant was sleeping peacefully in, the apartment of his aunt, Miss O. L. Oliphant, at the Pershing Apart- ments, Sixteenth street and Spring road, with only a few scraiches to show for his hairbreadth escape. The chlid, son of Mr, and Mrs, J. E. Oliphant of Nashville, Tenn, who siting Mr. Oliphant's sister was playing in_the back of the ment house about 11 o'clock . Miss Oliphant’s road- rked in the drivewa sing the ravine, 75 feet deep, which runs beside the building. The boy's mother and Miss Oliphant were in the apartment. The women heard a scream from the rear of the building, and the boy's ) Child in Auto Skids Down 75-Foot Embankment; Escapes With Scratches mother ran to the window. The child was not in sight; neither was the car. Dashing downstairs and out to the back of the apartment, they looked down into the ravine and saw the car far below. Several occupants of the building, who had also hurried to the scene, followed the zig-zag path the skidding car had cut through the underbrush and found the child lying on the ground a few feet behind the car. His face was covered with blood. They carried him to the apartment, not hurt enough to prevent him from velling at the top of his voice, and fter washing off the blood found that he had suffered only slight scratches on his forehead and a cut lip. The car was slightly damaged. N Radio Program—Page 2 Curtis Bay Depot Saved as Soldiers and Baltimore Fire- men Quench Blaze. By the Associated Press. BALTIMORE, September 24.—Fire originating in ammunition pit at the Curtis Bay Army ordnance depot near here, exploded shells on a loading platform nearby _and spread panic among residents of the nezighhorhood, but was brought under control with- out serious damage to the reserva- tion last night. Ammunition magazines containing thousands of tons of explosives sev- eral thousand yards away were quickly sealed by soldiers on the res- ervation, which, with the assistance of local firemen and a fireboat ex- tinguished the flames in less than two hours. Explosions Give Warning. The presence of fire first became known outside the reservation when a series of sharp explosions shook nearby houses. About one hundred and fifty families loaded hastily- collected belongings into automobiles and fled toward Baltimore, but re- turned when it became clear that there was no danger of the fire spreading. Maj. Charles H. Traeger, command- ing officer of the depot, announced that no one was hurt. Fire of Unknown Cause. “A single building or platform at which the Delaware Steel and Ord- nance Corporation, salvage contrac- tors, had been working,” the major said, caught fire from an unknown cause and was practically destroyed. A few small shells were detonated. The damage was limited entirely to property of the salvage corporatin, with no danger to the remainder of the depot. 1 q Sfar. D. C, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1927-THIRTY-SIX PAGES. * The only evening paper in Washington with the Associated Press service. news (P) Means Associated Pr Yesterday’s Circulation, 100,914 'WO CENTS. News Note: Nine men jumped from a Navy plane today to test the availability of parachutes. SOVIET MANEUVER SEEN IN DEBT TALK Attempt to Avert French Break Held Reason for Publishing Proposals. By the Associated Press. PARIS, September 24.—A Soviet diplomatic maneuver is seen here in the announcement from Moscow of a “settlement” with the French govern- ment regarding the Russian debts, closely followed by delivery of the Soviet proposals in Paris and their simultaneous publication, contrary to international usage. The proposals were handed to Sena- tor de Monzie, head of the French economic delegation, by Ambassador Rakovsky and were at the same time given to the press. Semi-official cir- cles sensed in this an attempt to stave off the diplomatic rupture threatened in consequence of M. Rakovsky's re- lcent action in signing a nist mapifesto urging the soldlers of all nations to revolt and overthrow the capitalistic governments. Plan May Not Work. Semi-official circles also professed to see an endeavor by the Soviets, by immediate publication of the terms, to influence the French government toward ‘acceptance through pressure from the French bondholders and manufacturers. The former are anxlous to see some of their money after so many years and the latter are dazzled by the prospect of huge trans- actions with Soviet Russia. ‘That this maneuver, if that was its purpose, may not be altogether suc- cessful is indicated by such comment as is forthcoming in today’s news- papers, which tends to show that the terms offered by Moscow are inac- ceptable even to those sections of the left parties not favoring a diplomatic break with Russia. Ambassador Rakovsky's note in- cludes none of the assertions credited in Moscow to Maxim Litvinoff, chief of Soviet missions abroad,-that a full agreement with the French had been reached, but it indicates that the pro- posals should be acceptable to the Paris government. Want $6,000,000 Deposited. In brief, the Soviet proposals are that 30,000,000 gold francs, or about $6,000,000, be deposited in a French bank within six months as the first payment on 61 annual installments of 60,000,000 gold francs to care for pre- war Russian securities held by French citizens and quoted on the Paris Bourse. As a condition, the Soviet govern- ment asks that France grant commer- cial credits totaling $120,000,000 in six annual installments, each to be repay- able within six years. e Virtually all the editorial writers mention that there is not a word in the proposals about the indemnities due French citizens for losses in Rus- sia or the treasury debts and credits, all of which, M. Demonzie has pointed out, must be included in any general settlement. HELD PRECEDENT FOR U. 8. Moscow Says French “Settlement” Is More Difficult Than American. MOSCOW, September 24 (#).—The Franco-Russian_debt “settlement,” as it is termed in Moscow, may well fur- nish a precedent to a settlement with the United States, it is stated in So- viet quarters. A settlement with the United States, a spokesman for the foreign office de- clared, should prove simpler than that with France because of the smaller amounts involved and the closer eco- nomic interests of the two countries. . QUEEN OF HOLLAND PROMISES TAX SLASH Dutch Press Disappointed Because She Did Not Mention * Cabinet: Problem. Star Chicago Daily By Cable o e osrisht, 1057 AMSTERDAM, - September - 24.— Some disappointment is expressed in the. Dutch press in regard to Queen Wilhelmina's speech from the throne, opening the new session of the states general, because she did not mention the old problem of an ex-parliamentary cabinet. The most interesting feature of the ceremony was the presence of Crown Princess Juliana, who for the first time accompanied the Queen to the Hall of Knights. The Queen assured her audience that measures would be taken to pro- tect the Dutch people in the East In- dles from external subversive influ- ences, and that a bill to reduce the income tax will be submitted this year. Daylight Saving In Eastern Cities Ends Tomorrow By the Associated Press. NEW YORK, September 24— New York Clty and other cities and towns in the East which have been observing daylight saving time since last April will return to Eastern standard time tomor- row. The official time for changing clocks is 2 a.m. REVERSAL BARRED INTUNNEY BATILE Decision Stands, Says Chair- man of State Athletic Com- mission in Statement. By tho Associated Press. CHICAGO, September 24.—The de- cision giving Gene Tunney the victory over Jack Dempsey stands, and the State Athletic Commission “will . not consider a reversal,” John C. Rig- heimer, chairman of the commission, declared in a statement today. Mr. Righeimer’s statement appar- ently closed the door to any further possibility of action on a protest by Leo P. Flynn, Dempsey's manager. The commission made it clear that it would give either Flynn or Dempsey a hearing at any time on any score, but it was equally clear that the box- ing commissioners had no idea of re- versing the verdict given at Soldier Field Thursday night. g Mr, Righeimer's statement follows: “As far as this commission is con- cerned, the bout was conducted in accordance with the law and the rules as promuigated by the commission, together with instructions to the referee and timekeepers before the bout, and such instructions were given to the managers and contestants in the ring before the bout started by the referee. Therefore, the decision as rendered will stand and this com- mission will not consider a reversal of said decision.” It was said at the office of the com- mission that no further word had been received from Flynn relative to further protests. LEITER SUSTAINED IN COURT BATTLE Judge Denies Motion by Lady Marguerite Hyde to Oust Brother. By the Associated Press. CHICAGO, September 24.—Judge Denis E. Sullivan in Superior Court to- day denied a motion by Lady Mar- guerite Hyde, Countess of Suffolk and Berks, to oust her brother, Joseph Leiter, Chicago millionaire, as a trus- tee of the estate of their father, Levi Z. Leiter, late Chicago merchant. Mr. Leiter and his wife and the Baroness Ravensdale were the only principals in Chicago today. The Baroness Ravensdale, daughter of the late Marquese Curzon, who was Mary Leiter, joined with the Countess of Suffolk in bringing the suit. Others aligned against Leiter in- cluded Lady Cynthia Moseley and Lady Alexandra Metcalf, daughters of the Curzons. Arrayed with Leiter was his sister, Mrs. Nancy Carver Campbell, widow of Col. Colin C. Campbell of the British army. Willlam Warr, co- defendant with Leiter, died last July. Lady Suffolk charged her brother with gross mismanagement and in- competency in management of the estate. She asserted that Warr was a cat's-paw for Leiter, used only to vote with Leiter and Mrs. Campbell in_controlling the estate. Leiter defended himself by the claim that upon him had fallen the entire burden. of management, while his sisters, joint trustees with him, wene living abroad, far from the scene of his activities in their and his own behalf, and free from all respon- sibilities. A distingulshed array of counsel fought the suit for the countess, those who filed cross-bills and for Leiter. Tt was indicated by counsel that the case would be appealed. TEARS INGONE A MY EQAL 195' President Sees Failure of Arms Parley as Having Little Effect on U. S. By the Associated Press. Based on present conditions, income ax collections are expected by Presi- dent Coolidge to be as high as last year when a record $600,000,000 Treasury surplus was accumulated, but as yet is withholding his opinion on the total amount of prospective tax reduction possible. The President also believes that the 'failure of the Geneva naval limitation conference will have little effect on the prospective action in the drafting of a naval cruiser program by Con- gress. Furthermore, he feels that the American Legion’s proposal for a uni- fied department of national defense is unfeasible because of opposition to it in the Army and Navy and in Con- sress. Non-Recurrent Items Aid. Despite the large, income tax returns, Mr. Cooltdge has been stressing in his disoussions of tax revision to members of Congress that the collection of non- recurrent items by the Treasury has aided materially in producing a large surplus last year, but that these items cannot be counted upon in the future. Administration leaders previously have asserted they had made a preliminary estimate of a tax slash of $300,000,000. Even if the Geneva armament pact had been consummated, it was pointed out at the White House, the United States would still be faced with the necessity of building up a cruiser fleet and the President expects work to proceed on the cruiser program at the new session. Sees Little Real Difference. The President is said to feel that it would make little difference whether the present two-department system of administering the Army and Navy was continued or a unified department of national defense was established. It was shown that both the Army and Navy were unified in the case of war and if they were put together it would mean two Assistant Secre- taries to run each service, such as the present system. The White House made no mention of an independent air force proposal which was fostered by Col. William Mitchell, former assistant chief of Army Air Service, at the Paris convention of the Legion in connection with a unified national defense plan. The Mis: ppi River flood control program, Mr. Coolidge intends to leave in the hands of the river flood com- mission and committees of the devastated States. These agencies are preparing a report which is expected to be completed November 15 and the President will permit them to go straight to Congress with their views for legislation. — WESLEY OAK FALLS. Tree Under Which Methodist Founder Preached Blown Down. WINCHELSEA, Sussex, England, September 24 (#).—The famous oak tree under which John Wesley, Eng- lish divine, preached during the early days of his crusade out of which Meth- odism grew, has been blown down. A storm which raged along the channel yesterday, felled the tree, which stood near the chapel erected here to his memory. PROHIBITION As an issue in the 1928 Presidential Campaign Views of Democratic and Republican Leaders Set Forth in a Series of Interviews By Robert Barry To Be Published Daily in The Star The first interview, with Senator Robinson of Arkansas, will appear tomorrow in The Sunday Star MAGRUDER FACES DISCIPLINING FOR ATTACK ON NAVY Washington Circles ' Stirred miral Sims™ Dispute. SECRETARY WILBUR * WITHHOLDS COMMENT Second Article Said fo Have Been Published W' Lout Official Examination. Naval circles were seething with ru- mors today that Admiral Thomas F. Magruder Is to be called on the carpet before Secretary Wilbur for either censure or diseiplining in connection with his recently published broadside aimed at th ¥'s administration, which looms on the horizon as another Sims' episode. Until he has communicated with Admiral Magruder in Philadelphia, Secretary Wilbur withheld further comment today, his only previous statement being merely to the effect that no action kas yet been taken. Admiral Magruder is said to have violated a naval regulation whic stipulates that articles on military affairs by persons in the service shall be submitted to the Secretary before publication. Secretary Wilbur is said not to have seen the articles in question until publication in the current issue of the Saturday Evening Post. under the title “The Navy Economy.” At a press conference called later today, Secretary Wilbur admitted that another article written by Admiral Magruder on naval cruisers, written some time ago, had been published without having been submitted to the department for examination. While Mr. Wilbur declined to say what he would do in the case of Admiral Magruder, he let it be known for the first time today that a young officer is now under court-martial for having written a particularly offensive article under some one else’s name. The two cases, however, are not identical. The one involving the court- martial involves circumstances which the Navy does not wish to divulge. It was learned at the Navy De- partment today that other regula tions are involved in the publica- tion of Admiral Magruder's most re- cent article. An officer is held re- sponsible for what he publishes, it was explained, and if his statements are untruthful or misrepresent the facts disciplinary measures are war- ranged. r. Wilbur would not comment on the time limit in which an officer is expected to submit an article to the Sacretary through official channels, but he did say that it was the bet- ter practice of all officers who pre- pare matter for publication to sub- mit them to the Secretary so as to avoid any possible inaccuracies or misstatements, Naval Circles Stirred. Not since the famous controversy aroused by the vitrolic pen of Admiral Sims has the Navy been so stirred up as it is now by the possibilities that may arise out of this latest attack on naval policies. Some officers seem to think that Admiral Magruder will be allowed to “get away with it,”” pro- vided he does mnot offend a second time. Others were of the opinlon that the article, a sweeping cr i naval admi ration, wa the discipline which Secretary Wilbur has in his power to bring upon the head of the admiral. In a statement at Philadelphia, the declared that he was certain ciplinary action can be and that he had “no fea such step. He added that he “will be of some any hoped his article good to the Navy, and that was my purpose in_writing it.” Admiral Magruder’s condemnation of naval economy would not be so pro- vocative, it was stated today, were it not for the fact that it contains glaring inaccuracies which the depart- ment feels should not be permitted to go unanswered. Furthermore, it was reported that the article was inspired three years ago, when it was originally drafted by Admiral Magruder, and was not published on an impluse. Admiral Magruder had merely brought it up to date, it was said, before its publication this week. Embarrassing to Wilbur. There was a strong feeling today, on the other hand, that Secretary Wil- bur would prefer to close the incident with the least amount of publicity as possible. For him to subject Admiral Magruder to severe discipline at this time, it was said, would stir up a hornet’s nest similar to that which Gen. William A. Mitchell stirred in the Army. Secretary Wilbur is undoubtedly placed in an embarrassing position, and Admiral Magruder is not lacking friends both in and out of the seryice who would dare to take issue with the powers that - be. The admiral is a veteran of 36 years® service and winner of the Distin- guished Service Cross during the World War while second in command of the American naval forces in Euro- pean waters. He said that in his ar- ticle he had made “no effort to haug out the Navy's dirty laundry,” and the general character of his art.cle seems to bear out this statement. It is couched in dignified language and lacks the vitrol into which both Ad- miral Sims and Gen. Mitchell dipped their pens. Admiral Magruder declared most of his material was gleaned from testi- mony before a special commission in Washington several years ago study- ing the effects of economies in the Navy. “The principle trouble with the Navy today,” he asserted, that it never completely demobilized since the World War. 1 maintain there are too many officers on duty in Washing- ton and with the fleets and that there is too much money being spent on the maintenance of navy yards and naval stations along the 'Atlantic coast.” Calls Taxpayers Generous. The admiral said he was greatly impressed by the interest shown by the general public in the Navy. “The taxpayers have heen generous to the Navy,"” he added, *“‘and Con- gress has been generous, too, but T fear we have taken advantage of them,” Blame for the conditions in the navy yards cited by Admiral Magruder was placed today on Congress, which defeated serious attempts to close cer- tain navy yards on the Atlantic Coast. (Cantinued on Page 2, Column 4. 4 by Episode That Rivals Ad- *