Evening Star Newspaper, December 22, 1927, Page 1

~ 551 when he had charge of salvaging | Three hours after he was arrested £ of Rescue Work. (U. 8. Weather perature about Increasing in temperature. at 5 a.m. today. WEATHER. Partly cloudy tonight; minimum tem- degrees. Tomorrow cloudiness; not much change ®est, 40, at 2 p.m. yesterday; lowest(, Bureau Forecast.) ‘Temperature—High- report on page Closing N. Y. Markets, Pages 14 and 15 No. 30,550. post office, ADMIRAL ABANDONS §4 VICTIMS - ALIVE Brumby Awaits Word From Washington on Conduct TRAPPED MEN’S SIGNALS TO FALCON ARE STOPPED Entered as gecon ‘Washington, Divers Descend to Wreck Again as Air Is Pumped " Into Hold. Py the Associated Press. PROVINCETOWN, Mass., Decem- ber 22.—Rear Admiral Frank H. Brumby, in charge of salvage opera- tions at the sunken submarine S-4, admitted at 11 o'clock today that there was no longer hope that life existed on board the submarine. “I have not the slightest doubt that there is no life on the S-4,” Admiral Brumby said today. Others Support Admiral. The admiral said he was unable to snnounce when rescue operations ‘ment in Washingto have been keeping Washington in- formed and action on n::llp:gflon" of operal must come from there. Alluz:: officers directing salvage work here agreed with the admiral ghat there was no longer room for hape of the six men imprisoned in torpedo room of the submarine. dp Brumby's statement was made 115 hours after the S-4 was sent ) in collision with the G destroyer Paulding last hours had passed of the of the salvage fleet, has st 16-minute intervals to the S-. "There has been no sound from the sunken Sounds From S-4 Cease. morn- tely 118 ‘Wickwire, who was first to be lowered yester ‘was instructed by Comdr. , in charge of diving to land on the bow disentangle an air line line which had be- e was then to drop side of the ves- was to make his way the S-4 to estimate Xeel resting. was warned to avoid the diving rudders of the submarine, which are opened because she was submerged when struck by the Coast Guard destroyer Paulding on Satur- y. He also was told to give the hole in her hull on the starboard side forward of the conning tower a wide A second diver was to go down When Wflh had t(nx‘fled out l;’ls ssignmel e was to carry out the same orders on the port side of the vessel, Comdr. Ellsberg, who made meveral trips down to the submarine that vessel off Block Island two years Rgo, planned to put on a diver's suit Jater in the day and make a personal in of the S-4. Comdr. Ellsberg said this morning that divers had reached much wreck- kge trom the Paulding on the forward sleck of the submarine. This included several frames, two ribs, plating and rn of the keel. The bottom of the paulding's hull cut & hole in the deck pf the submarine from a point just Rt of the forw: gun to a point back Pt the conning tower. Discounts Mud Handicap. The commander said that the mud here the S-4 lies was ho more serious run';.l‘up than he had encountered in =1 The other salvaging operations with he has been connected. Falcon is keeping about 10 d class matter D. C. & he Zpening Star Associated service. (®) Means Associated Press. Thu;nlyonnhum in Washington with the Press Yesterday’s Circulation, 101,762 TWO CENTS. WASHINGTON, D. C, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1927 —FIFTY PAGES. o DIVER DESCRIBES FIRST DESCENT TO ILL-FATED SUBMARINE IN BAY HOPE. OF RESCUINGeese s s s s Lead Shoes Struck on Deck. Signals Over Other Parts of Craft Unanswered, Under- sea Hero Says. The following article is written by Thomas Eadie, ~heroic diver, describing his_perilous descent to the sunken sub- marine S-4 and his communication by ith the Eadie, tr me more than 40 years old holds the Nav; croes for heroism in the $-51 disaster. an Adniral Brumby says he “will recom- mend him for the highest honors the Navy can ofer” for his bravery at Provincetown this week. BY THOMAS EADIE. Chiet Gunner's Mate. U. 8. N. (Written exclusively for The Star and North American Newspaper Alliance.) ON BOARD U. 8. 8. FALCON, FLAGEHIP RESCUE FLEET, PROV. INCETOWN, Mass.,, December 22. When word was flashed that the sub- marine S-4 had sunk I was at my home in Newport on week end leave. The officer of the deck at the station telephoned me the news and said all divers were to report at once. After we were assembled, 11 of us, we started in three fast automobiles. The Rhode Island State police cleared traffic to Fall River. From there the Massachusetts State troopers gave us clear roads to Fair Haven. We arrived in Provincetown at 12:30 o'clock Sun- day morning. I boarded the Falcon. The vessel, at anchor, had picked up a line attached to a yellow buoy. The buoy was anchored to a grapnel, which KING GEORGE SEES NO NAVAL RIVALRY Regre‘ts Failure of Geneva Parley in Closing Parlia- ment—Backs League. By the Associated Press. LONDON, December 22.—Parliament was prorogued today by King George. In his speech of prorogation the King declared that Great Britain would con- operation with the League of Nations. The King in his speech of prorogation “I have followed with constant in- THOMAS EADIE. had been dragged by the Coast Guard and which had hooked something. We all hoped it was the submarine. Donned Heavy Woolens. ‘While the Falcon was maneuvering into better position I put on three suits of heavy woolen underwear and three pairs of woolen socks. A ther- mometer sent overside to the bottom the temperature there was 34, pretty cold. I wore woolen gloves, which ftted inside waterproof mittens of can- vas, lined with rubber, and, in turn, were cemented at the wrists to the diving suit. This combination was a special device developed through our experience in the S-51 disaster. It was a little after 1 o'clock in the (Continued on Page 4, Column 2.) JUSTICE HOEHLING RESIGNS HIS POST Appointed to District Su- preme Court by President Harding in 1921. Adolph A. Hoehling, jr., associate justice of the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia, has tendered his resignation as a member of the court, He was appointed June 13, 1921, fol- lowing the death of Justice Ashley M. Gould, at the unanimous request of the bar association, which for the first time in its history agreed on a recommendation to the President for an appointment to the local bench. Justice Hoehling will resume the practice of law. He won an inter- national reputation by the fairness with which he presided over the trial of Edward L. Doheny and Albert B. Fall, charged with conspiracy in the Elk Hills ofl reserve case, which re- sulted in the acquittal of the accused. ‘The justice also is moted for the patience displayed in the trial of cases, for which he won the approval of the members of Resigned Last Monday. Justice Hoehling stated today that he had submitted his resignation to Attorney General Sargent Monday, with the request that he be relieved from his official duties December 31. Justice Hoehling commented favor- the |ably on the assistance and co-opera- my people a welcome opportunity for demonstrating their affection for France in the persons of these two King George expressed gratification over the visit of the King of Egypt and the exchange of “frank and friend- ly conversations between the Egyptian of | premier and the British foreign secre- tary, which is a good augury for the future. It is my hope their outcome may prove of lasting benefit to both co“!n tfl"‘hed th profq “I watched with profound sympathy and satisfaction the steady growth in influence of the League of Nations and the increasing part which it plays in composing international differences The recen! ress. My government will continue to base its policy on loyal co-operation with the League. “A conference with representatives of the United States of America and Japan was held at Geneva, at which (Continued on Page 4, Column 8 — ROBBER, JAILED IN FIRST THEFT, SUICIDE IN CELL By the Associated Press. LOS ANGELES, December 22.— on suspicion of robbery when he was caught fleeing from a men's fur- nishing store, Ralph McCoy, 20, tied a slip knot in his silk scarf and hung himself from a beam in his cell in the city jail here last night in view of more than 40 prisoners. In the chase of McCoy several civilians had joined in the belief that the suspect being pursued might be Willlam Edward Hickman, accused slayer of Marian Parker. Because of this, it first was re- ported that prisoners might have seen some resemblance to Hickman and killed him in the belief that he might be the suspect, Jall officials said Mec- Coy apparently had taken his life in remorse. as he had no police record to EC tube, or listening device, which the purpose of ears for an un- '4’:.;: boat. She tube is a T-shaped pontrivance of brass projecting from the deck, and made of pipe with bber fixtures at either side of the T, hich performs the service of sound flers. These rubber pleces were by ‘:\:ed the divers and the air lines ::c"r'o attached to the brass tube. Rescuers Work Desperately. ccess or failure of the last de: InE:u plan to tellori to conscious- Tess the six entombed men in the taspedo room of the sunken S-4 was in al ecrl‘y hmdnyxn the ru:“; fleet ed with anxious ears an hm.“;:rr“ 2 sign that the fresh air Mne which divers -ucceetlie:l in con- Decting had not been too late, s after Navy experts had be- lieved the men could survive, divers at 10 pm. last night made fast a hose 20 the listening. tube of the_torpedo (Continued on Page 4, Column 7 and the store robbery was his first offense. By the Associated Press. BALTIMORE, December 22.—The tion given him by the representatives of the press ned to the court- house. General regret was expressed by his associates on the bench and by mem- bers of the bar at the decision of Jus- tice Hoehling to retire. He was born in Philadelphia, November 3, 1868, the son of A. A. Hoehling, medical direc- tor United States Navy, and moved to Washington in early boyhood. He attended local schools, both public and private, and Rensellaer Polytechnic Institute at Troy, N. Y., and Lehigh University. Appointed by Harding. He took his law degrees at Colum- bian (now George Washington) Uni- :Iel"‘i'i};llnd was admitted to the bar n - of both members of that firm, when he formed the firm of Hoehling, Peelle & Ogilby, with which he remained until appointed justice by President Hard- ing in 1921. In addition to the Fall-Doheny trial, which ended last December, Justice Hoehling presided at the third trial of Ziang Sing Wan, the Shields brib- ery case and the Jackson assault case in the criminal division of the court. Justice Hoehling is known for his knowledge of the equity law, and dis- posed of many important cases in that branch and also presided in both branches of the circuit courts, WOR Will Attempt Picture Broadcast Early in New Year By the Associated Press. NEW YORK, December 22.—An attempt to broadcast pictures to radio set owners will be made Ly station WOR, Kearney, N. J., early next year. John Poppele, chief engineer of the station, announced today that permission had been granted to Austin G. Cooley, inventor of radio- picture transmitting and receiving equipment, to make public tests. The pictures will be radiated dur- ing morning hours up to 11 a.m., on a wave of 423 meters or 710 kilo- cycles. -|\Widow of S-4 Commander Asks Navy How and Why Husband Met His Death ment have pontoons at hand?” “4. Why was Provincetown with its Baltimore News today publishes a series of questions which it says were directed to the Navy Department through that paper by Mrs. Roy K. Jones, widow of the commander of the ill-fated submarine S-4, ing the Department to tell her how and why her husband went to his death. The replies also are given. The article says four questions were asked by telephone, as follows: “1. Why was the destroyer Paulding allowed to operate in an area set aside for submarine maneuvers?"” “2, Why was the S-4 allowed to make a deep sea dive with no salvage vessels at hand?" 3. Why didn't the NavygDepart- cold stormy waters selected as the scene of the maneuvers?” Lieut. Comdr. quirer to the chief of the bureau. a submarine submerges. To the third question Denebrink re- plied that the Navy Department was unable to forecast when or where these accidents would oceur, / £ becoming assoclated with t | Shellabarter & Wilson until the death | **% F. C. Denebrink, spokesman for the Bureau of Opera- tions, the News says, could not answer the first question, referring the 3;1 ‘o the second question the lieutenant commander was quoted as saying the 8-4 was not making a deep-sea test, but was merely conducting standardi- zation tests while running submerged. It was not deemed practicable that salvage vessels be present every time HICKMAN REPORTED IN SEATTLE, TRYING 10 REACH CANADA Youth Passes $20-Bill, Part of Ransom Paid by Parker. POLICE REACH STORE AS SUSPECT FLEES Merchant Identifies Purchaser From Photograph—Customs 0f- ficials Guard Border. By the Associated Press. SEATTLE, Wash., December 22.— Belief that Willlam Edward Hickman, accused abductor and slayer of little Marian Parker in Los Angeles, had eluded the hastily drawn police net set for him here and had headed for Can- ada, was admitted by officers today, after a night of search for the youth- ful fugitive. Twelve hours after a man identified as Hickman appeared in a haberdash- ery here and passed one of the $20 bills which the abductor collected from Perry M. Parker, father of the girl, the combined police forces of a dozen cities of the Pacific Northwest had been unable to lay their hands on the suspect. Border Is Watched. His apparent escape from the city despite the fact that police were put on his trail a few minutes after he purchased some clothing at the store and slipped out into the night, left the searchers with but one especially im- portant place to watch—the Canadian border. Immigration and customs officials Legion Also Deni along the border were given instruc- tions to leave nothing undone in their patrol of the international lire. George V. Willoughby positively identified pictures of Hickman as those of the customer. who passed the $20 bill Jast night. Downtown card rooms, apartment, hotels and rooming houses were searched without avail, while deputy sheriffs and State patrolmen guarded the highways leading from the city. This morning the search admittedly had been futile, and officials directing it believed that Hickman was headed for the North. Chief Herman Cline of the Los An- geles police detectives was positive, he told Beattle officers by phone, that the Seattle suspect was Hickman. Best Clue As Yet. The clue here is regarded as the hottest that has been uncovered since the search began. Police be- lieve that if the accused youth con- tinues to leave a trail of $20 bills, he cannot evade capture. The kidnaper had 76 of the bills, the numbers of wla!;h h‘nvo been broadcast. e “fox” entered a haberdashery heart of the downtown district at'8:30 last night, bought a pair of black gloves and a suit of underwear and gave one of the $20 bills in pay- ment. The .proprietor, alone in the store, said he immediately recognized the stranger as the Los Angeles fugitive from newspaper photographs. The suspect, who appeared tired and worn, put the gloves on while the underwear was wrapped. Then he pulled from a pocket a $20 gold cer- tificate, gave it to the proprietor, who placed it in the cash register and mléll change. The young man walked ouf Telephones Police. The haberdasher immediately took the bill and telephoned Capt. Willlam Kent chief of detectives. “What are the serial numbers,” he asked Capt. Kent, “on those $20 bills that were paid to the Los Angeles kidnaper by the father of the girl he murdered?" Kent gave the numbers. ment of silence ensued. " the haberdasher replied ex- A mo- geribe life 1 “inside.” as it is + BY BENNETT J. DOTY. Written exclusively for The Star and North American Newspaper Alliance. I am back in America, completing my most extraordinary adventures. I feel like an exile repatriated. And I repeat that famous remark made by a negro inbound from the A. E. F. “Old Lady Liberty, take a good look at this boy's back; you ain’t never gwine see it no more.” It is hard to believe I am really free. Often I think it is a dream, and that I will wake up in my cell at o it Pt BBt lbtas Wi Iz NINE ARE INDICTED IN DIPLOMA PROBE Diverted Funds Obtained From Incorporations, Jury Charges. Conspiracy to violate the embezzle- ment statute of the District of Col- umbia by diverting to their own use funds obtained from the incorpora- tion of “fake” institutions of learn- ing, was reported today by the Dis- trict of Columbia grand jury against three local residents and six alleged chiropractors of New York City. Instead of using funds in the le- gitimate ways laid down by the in- “Hickman has just left my The exact location of the haber- dashery store and the name of the proprietor were not made known. Possible revenge upon the proprietor was given as the reason for with- holding his name and that of the store, Several hundred copies of a news- paper containing photographs of the fugitive were obtained by police for distribution to hotels and lodging houses. Nearly a dozen persons were arrest- ed before midnight, but all were re- leased after questioning. Shortly after the search started, a man walk- ed into a downtown hotel and regis- tered: “M. E. Hickman.” The startled hotel clerk notified po- lice headquarters, and three minutes later two detectives arrived to inter- view the guest. In no manner, how- ever, did he resemble the Los Angeles fugitive. KSCAPES MANHUNT. LOS ANGELES, December 22 (#).— Southern California officers who have been following what now appear to to have been cold tralls in the hunt for Willlam Edward Hickman, accused “fox" in the kidnaping and slaying of little Marian Parker, settled back for brief rest today, while Seattle police took up the battle of wits with the wily youth who has eluded one of the greatest manhunting machines ever set in motion on the Pacific Coast. Chief of Detectives Herman Cline declared he was confident that the man who had paid a Seattle clothier with one of the 75 $20 gold certifi- cates given the schoolgirl's slayer for her dismembered body was the “fox.” “The search is near the end, clared the man who directed thou- eands of police officers in the southern California hunt, while the former Sun- day school boy mocked the best efforts of the city's trained detectors of criminals. Leaves Many Clues. Although the kidnaper apparently had made a geles, he left plenty of loose ends in the strange case for the detective force to follow. Hickman held up F. R. Peck in Hollywood Sunday night, taking his green sedan, which was seen yester day by two Portland, Oreg., youths, who identified Hickman as the driver. Sclence last night gave two impor- tant Dits of evidence to the facts which have been made known. Police Chemist Rex Walsh reported that his investigation had shown that (Continued on Page 2, Column 2.) Radio Programs—Page 36 clean exit from Los An- | i corporgtion laws, it is claimed, the accused appropriated them to their own use. Bighteen overt acts in furtherance of the alleged conspiracy are set out in the indictment. Three in D. C. Acucsed. Those accused are Gilbert Patton Brown, Ethel G. Wood and Edwin B. Henderson, all of this city and who were indicted a few weeks ago on a charge of conspiracy to use the mails to defraud in connection with a “di- ploma mill”; Frank L. Ankers, Frank E. Dean, Benedict Lust, Louis Lust, John Becker and Rexter L. Herron, all said to be chiropractors of New York. ‘The names of all the accused per- sons appear on the articles of incor- poration of one or more of the various institutions, which incorporatins were secured by the United States Incor- porating Co., which advertised through- out the country. Miss M. Pearl Mec- Call, assistant United States attorney, presented the evidence to the grand ury. Among the schools mentioned in the overt acts are the Columbia Institute of Chiropractor, the National ‘Health Institute, the Washington School of Massage and Physiotherapy, Southern Nature Cure Sanitorium, Universal Occult College, Central Chiropractic College, Columbia Health Institute, United tSates Naturopathic Institution, National University of Therapeutics, Universal Collége of Sclence and the Columblan Institute of Physiotherapy. Miss McCall says the accused or some of them are said to have sold these incorporations, which cost them a_small sum, for sums ranging from $75 to $226 and that this money was converted to the use of the accused or some of them. TP TETTOTI Christmas Carols To be sung by 20,000,000 people over the U. 8. Will be printed in The Evening Star Tomorrow Through a great radio hook-up these services con- ducted by Dr. S. Parkes Cadman will be broadcast. Join in the singing Get your carols tomorrow muu:;mmh S QX DOTY ANGRILY REFUTES CHARGE HE WAS SENTENCED TO BE SHOT American Free& From French Foreign es He Deserted in Face of Armed Enemy. Clairvaux prison or in my little bunk at Sidi Bel Abbes, the “depot” of the French Foreign Legion in Algeria. I suppose this is due to the nervous strain of the past three weeks. Events have followed each other so rapidly it is difficult to believe they were real. They began December 1, when I was suddenly notified I had been released from the Legion and would be sent back to France im- mediately, instead of accompanying my regiment to Morocco December 2 as had been scheduled. Then came a rapid railway journey from Sidi Bel Abbes to Oran on the northern coast of Algeria. Free Man December 5. December 5, after a disagreeable 48- hour crossing of the Mediterranean in (Continued on Page 5, Column 5.) ANNEXATION FIGHT JUDGE IN CLASH “Hammers” With Gavel and Calls Arlington Counsel Discourteous. By a Staft Correspondent of The Star. COURTHOUSE, Arlington County, Va., December 22.—The tension that has followed annexation proceedings from the beginning was broken today as open flare-ups occurred between op- posing counsel and finally between defense counsel and the court itself. The verbal fireworks reached a cli- max when Presiding Judge Samuel G. Brent, “hammered” with his gavel at Defense Attorney Crandall Mackay as tions to testimony and by treatment of the court. Just a few moments before Common- wealth Attorney William C. Gloth of Arlington County created a sensation by moving that a remark by Judge Brent yesterday afternoon to the ef- fect that “Arlingon County has all it can do now,” in connection with sewer work, be incorporated in the official record. Gloth declared that Judge Brent made the statement while listening to testimony yesterday to George E. Garrett, former engineer bf Arlington County, regarding sewerage disp systems in the disputed territory. Motion Is Overruled. Judge Brent overruled the mo- tion. Gloth then moved that the records show the full text of his mo- tion, and this motion was granted. In this indirect way Gloth succeeded in having the record refer to the incident. Counsel for Alexandria and Arling- ton Counties came to open hostilities during the morning session, one side accusing the other of various dis- courtesies. The court was forced to (Continued on Page 2, Column 6. IMPORTANT WORK FACING CONGRESS Return From Holiday to Bring Up Big Jobs for Both Houses. By the Associated Press. If the Seventieth Congress is swelled with pride over its legislative accom- plishmepts during the few days of its existence, it had better don a punc- tureproof vest. ‘The few bills launched down the ways that lead toward the President’s desk, most of them by the industrious House and now impounded in the theatrical Senate, are as nothing com- pared with those remaining and de- manding attention. ‘When its Christmas holidays are behind it, Congress must return to a bill of fare that includes the new morsels it has found in the Smith- CAPITAL VOTE PLAN WILL BE PUSHED AFTER' HOLIDAYS Head of National Council of State Legislatures to Tes- tify at Hearing. CONGRESS WILL HEAR RESOLUTION OF GROUP Proposed Amendment Would Em- power Congress to Grant Rights to District. Congress will be urged at the first opportunity after the Christmas holi- days by the National Council of State Legislatures, representing the govern- ing bodies of 43 States, to approve without further delay the pending proposal for representation in the House and Senate and in the electoral college for the voteless people of Washington. The executive committee of the council, which is empowered to for- mulate its policies between sessions of the full organization, has adopted a report, officially pledging active sup- port of the proposal in co-operation with the joint citizens’ committee on national representation. This report was made public today at the head- quarters of the council in this city. The report was submitted unani- mously by the council's special com- mittee on the Government of the Dis- trict of Columbia, of which J. Ronald Horsey of Baltimore, a member of the Maryland Legislature, is chairman. It is signed by Mr. Horsey, William Winthrup of Wilmington, speaker in the Delaware Legislature; Arthur A. Sherman of Portsmouth, speaker in the Rhode Island Legislature, and J. ‘Warren Topping of Cape Charles, member of the Virginia Legislature. Kirby May Testify. All four of these men met recently in Washington and conferred with members of the joint citizens’ com- mittee. They returned to their homes enthusiastically in favor of aiding the people of the District to obtain rights which are enjoyed by American citi- zens in all the States. John H. Kirby of Houston, Tex., president of the National Council of State Legislatures, expects to be in Washington in January. He will be prepared to appear personally before the judiciary committee of the House and Senate, at hearings soon to be ar- ranged, and join the citizens of 'Wash- ington in advocating the identical resolutions for District representation Vare election case, the Mexican slush fund inquiry, the Beck contest in the House and flood control, and such old the latter, unheading, shouted objec- time favorites as Boulder Canyon Dam, farm rellef and Muscle Shoals. Many Big Subjects. The opening days atter the New Year promise to be busy ones, with committees of both branches going at top speed. Here are some of the sub- jects, who's doing what about them and when: X Farm rellef—House agriculture committee hearings January 16. Flood control—Public hearings to be continued after recess by House committee. Muscle Shoals—House military com- mittee hearings soon after January 4. Boulder Canyon Dam—House irriga- tion committee January 8; Senate irrigation committee January 17. Ralflroad consolidation—House com- merce committee hearing continue when recess ends. Administration’s $725,000,000 naval construction program—No date set by House naval committee. Smith-Vare contests—Special Senate campaign fund committee to take up Smith case January 7. No date set for Vare case. Mexican slush fund—Special Senate committee to continue sitting either during or after recess. Beck election contest—House elee- tion committee, January 6. ‘Public Utilities inquiry—Senate in- tertate commerce committee, Janu- ary 16. Merchant Mzrine Included. Committees of both houses are ex- pected to consider ways and means of promoting a private American merchant marine, but no time for initiating the movement has been set. More important legislative accom- plishments during the brief period that Congress has been at work since December 5 1ntgud§; 53 Bills passed by botl Jouses: Awarg of the Congressional Medal of Honor to Charles A. Lindbergh, which has been signed by President Coolidge. The $200,000,000 deficiency appro- priation measure and a bill to permit M. T. Everhart, son-inlaw of Albert B. Fall, to testify in the Teapot Dome conspiracy trial without fear of self- incrimination, both of which are awaiting presidential approval. Bills passed by the House awaiting Senate action: The $290,000,000 tax-reduction and the alien property bills. The Senate has passed no important measures which await House action. Winter Officially Arrives in Capital With Snow Held Likely for_ Christmas At 3:18 o'clock this afternoon the sun enters the Sign of Capricornus. No unprecedented peculiarity of be- havior was observed about the sun to- days as it prepared to take this step; in fact, the sun was hardly observed at all, Neither was there any great climatic hubbub down near the earth in honor of the sun’s promotion. The plain truth of the matter is that the sun has been entering the Sign of Capricornus at about the same time every year for the past few million years, and each time he does it, it is the signal that inter is officially here, As the hour of Winter’s ascendency approached, the weather, with charac- | | teristic inconsjstency, continued to act as though the process were reversed. and today the temperatire was sev- eral degrees higher than it has been during the past two or three days, which were Fall. However, a few clouds have gathered themselves to- gether, and they are expected to be joined by more clouds tomorrow, while the temperature remains at a fairly cgmtum level just above the mark of 29, ¢ Toward the end of the week, Weath- er Forecaster Wightman today was represented as being of the opinion there might possibly be a bit of snow maybe. On the other hand, it may be rain. As a matter of fact, Mr. Wight- man found the meteorological future 80 uncertain that he was not at all sure there would be either rain or snow. Anyway, there is a chance of snow on Christmas day. Mr. Wightman further qualified his very qualified announcement by point- ing out that the popular belief that it usually . snows on Christmas is all wrong, fallaclous, erroneous and un- supported by the facts. For the last 42 Christmases, he sald, it has snowed only seven times, and there hasn't been enough snow on the ground to make a snowball with on Christmas since 1914. Still, Winter begins at 3:18 o'clock this afternoon just as it always did. Days, which have been getting shorter ever since the Summer solstice last June, will begin getting longer after today, Today was only 9 hours and 20 minutes long, because the sun didn’t rise until 7:18 a.m. and set at 4:38 p.m., but things will get better before long and everything will prob- ably come out all right, pending in both branches of Congress. Mr. Kirby will select two other members of the council to appear with him at the hearings. They will prob- ably be Mr. Horsey of land and Mr. Topping of Virginia, both of whom have taken a deep terest in the uphill fight of the citizens of the C: mcllytonlnnmu:mhnm the National Government, W] exer- cises exclusive jurisdiction over them. The pending resolutions propose to submit to the States for ratification an amendment to the Federal Constitu- tion, which would empower Congress, in its discretion, to grant to the people of the District representation in both branches of Congress, the right to vote for President and Vice President and the right to sue and be sued in the Federal courts. Representative Leonidas C. Dyer of Missourl fis sponsor for the House resolution. The Senate resolution has been introduced by !Senutor ‘Wesley L. Jones of Wash- ington. The demand of the citizens of Wash- ington for votes in the body whicl makes their laws, fixes their taxes an appropriates money for their needs, is in accord with the fundamental princi- ples upon which the National Council of State Legislatures was founded, they were explained by Mr. Kirby ai al 'rece&l mx:.l“:on' u‘;‘ the mmm:‘zu in this city. Mr. Kirby then spoke vigorously’ against taxation without representa- tion and in favor of representative government as embodied in the Con¢ stitution of the United States. Horsey’s Report Cited. The report of the special committee on the District of Columbia was pre- pared by Mr. Horsey, who is a lawyer, and adopted by the executive commit- tee of the council without change. It reads as follows: “Your committee, having carefully considered the proposal that Congress be empowered, by the adoption of an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, sto grant to the people of the District of Columbia, the right of representation in Col and the right to vote for President and Vice President of the United States, with access to the Federal courts, recom- mends_that the National Council of State Legislatures give its hearty in- dorsement to the proposal. Your com- mittee also recommends that the president of the National Council of State Legislatures be authorized to name a committee to appear, with members of the joint citizens’ com- mittee on national representation for the District of Columbia, at hearings before the proper committees of Con- zress for the purpose of urging prompt aproval of the proposed constitutional amendment, as embodied in House joint resolution 18 and Senate joint resolution 8, and that the council other- wise aid in obtaining favorable action apon the amendment, both in Congress and the several States. “The resolution now pending in Con- gress, to which reference is hereby made, are Identical in language. Amendment Is Proposed. “They propose an amendment of the Constitution of the United States by inserting at the end of section 3, arti- cle 4, the following words: “The Congress shall have power to admit to the status of citizens of a State the residents of the District con- stituting the seat of Government of the United States, created by article 1, section 8, for the purpose of repre- sentation in the Congress and among the election of President and Vice President, and for the purpose of suing and being sued in the courts of the United States under the provisions of article III, section 2. “When the Congress shall exercise this power the residents of such Dis- trict shall be entitled to elect one or two Senators, as determined by the Congress, Representatives in the House, according to their numbers as determined by the decennial enumera- tion, and presidential electors equal in number to their aggregate representa- tion in the House and Se: . “The Congress shall provide by law the qualification of voters and the time and manner of choosing the Sen- (Cuntinued on Page 5, Columa 4 |