Evening Star Newspaper, June 26, 1928, Page 1

WEATHER. (U, 8. Weather Somewhat overcast tonight and to- morrow; slightly cooler tonight. ‘Temperature—Highest, p.am. yesterday; lowest, 67, at 5:45 am. today. Full report on page 9. Closing N.Y. Markets, Pages 10 and 11 Bureau Forecast.) 86, at 5:15 @h WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION ¢ Fpening Slar. “From Press t Withi The Star's carrier 3 every city block and the regular edi- tion is delivered to Washington homes as fast as the papers are printed. Yesterday’s Circulation, 104,?96 o Home n the Hour” system covers - Entered as sec ol vost office, W 30, ond class matter ashington, D. C. FOES NOW EXPECT SMITH VICTORY WASHINGTON, D. (. ' L']-‘IS]).\Y. JUNE 26, 1928 —THIRTY-SIX PAGES. ON EARLY VOTE AS CONVENTION ASSEMBLES FOR FIRST SESSION Coalition Move Unavailing So Far. VICE PRESIDENT CONTEST LOOM 5 Robinson .Leading Field—Ritchie Of- fers Wet Plank. June 26.—Al Smith’s the ascendency when banner was in the Demdkratic national convention met for its first session at noon today. The only question on the lips of every one in the vast throng gathered in Sam Houston Hall was, “How soon will the presidential nomination be made? Even the die-hard opponents of the New York governor had little hope of HOUSTON. stopping him. His victory was expected H on the first, second or third ballot The first session of the convention was brief. The keynote speech of Claude G. Bowers, temporary chairman, was postponed until a meeting at 7:30 oclock tonight, In order to obtain a ‘wider radio audience. The effect of this delay may be to Toid up the convention for a day longer. “The standing committees on resolu- tiors, credentials, permanent organiza- tion and rules were not appointed and -l not be so appointed until tonight. ot a few of the delegates were disap- pointed when Chairman Clem Shaver declared the convention adjourned at 12:41 nm., following an address of wel- some by Mayor Holcombe of Houston. Efforts of the anti-Smith leaders to form a real coalition which might Tp the convention until a candidate becomes necessary have so other forward shove when six of the irginia delegation anounced they would vote for Gov. Smith on the first ballot. WNothing. they say, can bold them. More of the will go to the New Yorker later, if there is more than cne Reed's attewcpt to rally the Smith has Lt < 10 FORGET 134 d | is concerned, shine by | Assembling 16,000 BY BEN McKELWAY. Staft Correspondent of The Star. HOUSTON, June 26—The opening n of the Democratic national con- 1on today did little but give the delegates an eyeful of Sam Houston | Hall, an earful of music and an appe- e for lJunch. But it proved definitel the Democrats have come to Hous- n to make things lively and are great whoopers. There s almost as much color and enthusiasm shown this morn- ing while the Jelegates were crowding into Sam Houston Hall as the Republi- cans were able to muster during their | whole convention at Kansas City. | A merry tune, a picture of Al Smith | or the flag of Texas this afternoon was | enough to send the delegates into wild {cheers and whoops. One hesitates to | ponder over what they will co when | they get around to nominating speeches. | And being Democrats they were ate in | everything they did. Sweltering with heat, hope and har- mony, the delegates and their alter- | {nates, friends, countrymen and critics | assembled some 16,000 strong beneath the six-acre roof of the house that Houston built to tell the world that | | Tammany and Texas are brothers un- | der the skin. It was high noon by the prqgram, but | | Seeks to Show That Tammany and Texas Are “Brothers Under the Skin.” HEAT, HOPE AND HARMONY HOLD () SWAY AS CONVENTION STARTS 1 | Strong, Democracy I | | | 12 minutes after 12 by the convention clock, when, with the great hall a seething mass of Democratic humanity | the aisles filled and the galleries fast filling, Clem Shaver decided that there | had been enough delay to give the nec- | essary southern touch to things and ame out on the speakers' platform be- rgeant at arms, pounding with up for several minutes the noise gradually subsiding as the delegates took their seats. { The Old Gray Mare Band was lined up in front of the speakers' stand on | the convention floor. A bugle sounded out. That did more than Mr. Shaver's gavel to quiet things. But Mr. Shaver, deciding it was no , raised and announced that the convention would come to order. But were still full. The delegates evidently couldn't find their seats. It was 12:27 )éeg(;‘n tge im;oc;mon was delivered by op Hay of the Methodist C!%\;Ix::h. South. s t over and Mr. Shaver began raps | ping again. He announced the nlngll;; of the “Star Spangled Banner.” The delegates howled when it was over and they sang—really sang—when the Old Gray Mare Band broke into “My Coun- try "Tis of Thee.” But when the band (Continued on Page 7, Column 2.) DEMOCRATS HOPE. 1 | Plan Decorous Convention tof | Remove Stigma of Madison | Square Melee. [ st | BY FREDERIC WILLIAM WILE. Special Dispatch to The Star. HOUSTON, June 26.—The presi- dential campaign of 1928 opened today | when the Democratic party in conven- tion assembled voted to postpone its keynote speech until tonight. There was method in its decision. It had to do with events in Madison Square Garden at New York four years ago, | rather than with anything at Houston | 50 far this week. Radio, latest arrival | |in the family of communications. | dictated the determination not to let | | Temporary Chairman Claude G. Bow- | ers unlimber his oratorical guns until | | after sundown. That was only one of the controlling factors—the wish to secure the largest | possible number of listeners-in for the Jacksonian historian's speech. The un- derlying reason is the Democrats plan | to make the Houston convention, as far as the great national radio -ud.len:s; ‘com;j the mad melee which went out to the June and Julv, 1924, Madison Square Garden has always | been conceded by Democratic leaders to have been one of the contributing the disastrous defeat of | atial ticket the last time. | reasons for their country over the air from New York in | | two Democratic national conventions OFFER MRS, WILSON SEAT S DELEGATE D. C. Leaders Would Have! Her Cast Capital Votes for Smith. By 8taff Correspondent. HOUSTON, June 26.—Mrs, W v Wilson, widow of the war-time dent, has been offered a seat with the District of Columbia delegation, and if che accepts she will be accorded the honor of casting the six votes from the National Capital for Al Smith. She has also been invited to second the nom- ination of Smith. Friends close to Mrs. Wilson say that she is an ardent Smith supporter and will probably accept both invitations to further his candidacy. Mrs. Wilson Ias_been offered the | & proxy for Watson B. Miller, a District delegate, now in Mount Aito Hospital, who was unable to accompany the dele- sation to_ Houston. In a letter dated | June 21 Mr. Miller offered the proxy to the former “first lady of the land,” | as follows: ik at e egeneprimary election rict, af ar i election May 28, elecrfi“llm a delegate to the Houston convention. As the day and hour draws near for the fall of the gavel I find myself on a sick bed. The octors advise me that it would not be wise to attempt the exertion involved in a trip so long and arduous as the one to Texas. “I have heretofore attended one or as a delegate or alternate with the his vojce | g The bickering and back-biting between the Smith and McAdoo forces, the end- less balloting, the incessant racket and {din which the deiegates and the gal- leries created, the general atmosphere of bungling and in which pre- vailed—all these ti faithfylly re- produced to millions of radio listene: Alabama delegation will not at any of the game vote for Al Smith. first ballot the understanding split many ways, 8 of iis votes to George. 6 to Hull, 4 to Dona- ht.vw ghwv : ;o(‘!.!ona ul-r"rl:w :{:‘d bz €0 Woollen of Indiana. Te W from coast 10 coast—were ackonwledged o “24 votes for Oscar Underwood.” as | afterward to have played a big part in Madison Square Garden four years the election. Democrats convinced | themselves that the people received the Has Two-Fold Purpose. impression that a party which could » not govern itself in its own convention . of Donshey's name | could not be relied upon to give a purpose. P a5 ton. ons the delegation in line proper account of itself in Washington Jor an Obio maa as long as one is be. Temple of Decorum. At Houston, therefore, the national ing voted for in the convention. The | convention on its first vote affecting ns wish to prevent the dele- tion shifting to Smith on an “”yiwnvznuon gre was inspised i 1 ¥ {mainly by al B Bn) nesminations . that | e ton Hall, during the Benaior George of Georgia ls 10 be wi- |next three days and mights will ‘be 8 m s s nomi- | temple of decorum and ity No ol ) " | restraint, of course. will be placed upon Asizona, next on the list, wil yield 10| demonstrations. Vet even_ these ‘are ¥ew York 1o nominate Al Bmith. |, srikingly more subdued than the Arkansas would o the same If neces: | -yough house” which marked Madison . but Arizona comes just ahead o $7a *he Hst of States | Square Garden proceedings every time Smith’s name vas mentioned. 1t begins o look strongly as though » = B e T e of "oy | The Houston Pire and Palios Depart fijfl e oaon ot Adtaases The | menta. for instance. will not be on duty mocTatic i i Jeads inside and outside convention hall with ler of the Senate 15 al- | gron” whistles and other noise-making | equipment. | not thrust “The Sidewalks of New York™ | and *The Bowery” upon the convention at fixed intervals. This time the Man- hattanites are under orders, morc or less, to be seen rather than heard. When heard. they are (o he “refined.” not bolsterous they may let themseives go 1f anything resembling an earth- {quake is sent detonating along the wave length from this corner of Texas between now and Priday, it will be a seismological disturbance originating in slated for permancnt chairman of the convention. His delegation is kely to crack the situation wide open ©on the first ballot for President by vot- ing 17 votes for Smith and 1 against Vice presidentisl candidates are lentiful, from the South and from the ‘/-s\ ‘The Democrats must decide 1o | which section they Gesire o turm for a Becond-place man. if Al Smith s 10 be the presidential nominee Senator Jo- | b T. Robinson of Arkansas. Demo- Bratic leader of the Benate, slated 1o picld the gavel as permanent chairman of the convention, Is leading In the talk |, jpihition. The liquor question is the Gor e siomination for Vice President. | OMRRE | DU VL it ety ying 8t is early to make final predictions. | . ung iy Houston. It may be Senator r, Hull of Tennessee has many |y~ Reed of Missouri who will light Wmn:l‘zn of l;nlsfi.dn‘..x_fimnc Pl iney of Tiinois, Thomp- ¢ e pon of Tlinols and half & dosen Moy | Reed plans to address the convention $nciuding Senstor Reed of Missouri, are | gentioned as possibilities i The chances seem to be ovill go 0 a dry in any event But when Mr. Bowers, the tem- | ary chairmsn of the convention, | ets under way, the Republican party | g,., expect to be unmercifully casti-| ted snd the Democrats to be urged | 14 get back t the principles of Jeffer-| won and Jackson in the coming cam- | paign. The purpose of holding the ora- | or back until night is twofold First %o give opportunity for the transmis- | pion of the keynote speech over the| wadio 1o milllons of listeners, who may Jiave more time 1o hear it &t night than ¥n the middle of the day. The other to Mliow the delegates Lo hear the speech | Rinder the cooler conditions existing in | Bousion (L1 the sun goes down “The credentials committee has but one TS, of Wyoming, (Continued on Page 7. Column 7.) BASE BALL RADIO OFF the cholce | Plag-by-play accounts of washinglon's out-of-town games this week will be brosdcast by The Star only when the Demo- cratic national convention &t Houston 15 not n session The Nationals are scheduled for double-headers in Boston for the next three days, each of the twin bills starting at 12:45 o'clock, Washington time. In the event adjournment of the convention s taken on these afternoons the activities of the Griffmen against the Red Box Aot o will be put on the ¥ sontinued on Page 6, Column 4. proced ir considerations. Unless | The convention band will | Onee Smith is nominated, | before nominations are made and advo- | particular end in view of helping to | secure platform resolutions which would | rebound to the benefit of my comrades, who are still paying the price for their participation in the great war. This | has been my major interest, outside of {the fact that I have been a lifelong | Democrat. While my {llness will pre- | | vent me from being present this time, | | the question of the interests of the dis- ‘ahled veterans will be taken care of | by other ex-service men who will be| delegates to the convention. | “It has been suggested to me by | some of my assoclates on the delega- | tion that you would be an ideal person | to exercise the functions of a delegate to the Houston convention, in my stead, and with that idea I am in accord. You are the wife of our great and revered commander-in-chief. Am I wo‘) bold in asking 1f you will not accept my proxy and take my place in this convention? “If you find that you can do this great favor for us, it will only be nec- |rmry for you to send a word to Mr, | Costello, our national committeeman |or to Mrs. Harriman, our national com- mitteewoman " NEW WARNER PLANE ARRIVES 'N CANADA | Assistant “lavy Secretary Ad- dresses Engineers in Quebec | Aftev Visit in Montreal. Ly the Associated Pross | MONTREAL, June 26,—Flying from| | New York in three hours, Edward P. Warner, Assistant Secretary of the United States Navy in Charge of Aero- nautics, arrived at the Canadian Vick- ers alr harbor this morning In a two. passenger plane speclally designed for his use. With Comdr. W. K. Harrill, pliot, the Assistant Becretary proceeded to Quebec, where he addressed the annual conven- tion of the Boclety of Automotive Engl- neers, which for the first time is meet- ing outside the United States. FLORIDA -FOR EEERGE. | Lolegation Will Give 12 Votes to Benator on First Ballot. | HOUSTON, Tex, June 26 (#)~The Florida delegation decided at & caucus today to cast its 12 votes for Senator Walter P. George of Georgla on the first ballot. pening Meet- ing Lasts 30 Minutes. KEY ADDRESS | DUE TONIGHT) Southerners Prac-| tically Concede Defeat. By the Associated Press | HOUSTON, June 26.—A Democratic | national convention whose major de-; cisions were all but made before it ever convend began here today in an open- session so brief that it was over before the delegates got settled in their seats, Leaving the keynote speech, thej usual magnet of opening-day interest, for an evening session, the conven- tion merely went through the motions of getting itself legally afoot and then, after a session of one minute less than a half hour, recessed at 12:41 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. The only convention hall thrill was not a part of the session itself. It was a short demonstration for Al Smith. put on impromptu by Democrats from Herbert Hoover's home State of Cali- fornia. The solid Smith California dele- gation raised a big picture of their man high above their place in the conven- tion floor, and a cheer went up to th? rafters from the legion of linen-suited Smith men on the sweltering conven- tion floor and their summery-clad wom- | an companions and Smith’ delegations. | Greeted by “Noes.” Shouts of “no” came from all over the great hall as the chairman an- nounced with the parliamentary rapid- ity of a machine gun that the organ- ization-sponsored motion for a recess had carried. Now that they were at it after many days of travel southward and hotel room waiting, the delegates seemed to like it and wanted to go on with it, }xen or muhe;tl..“ i A newly appoin form commit- B o o getting & finc 24 of gef s fin- ished produet, including & tion hat may avold a tomorrow or the cohvention the nwtk;n.‘- convention ttee, its already have been designated by the various State delegations and they are ready to go to work informally. The keynote will be virtually the only business of the evening session. Voting for a ential candidate probably will not begin before Thursday or Fri-| | But few of the delegates had their minds on the present phases of the big Democratic v-wow., They were occu- pied instead, as they had been for days past, with candidates and issues—par- ticularly one candidate, the Governor of New York, and one issue, prohibi- tion. Southerners About Cenvinced. Even those protesting Southern States who have stood against Smith from the first appeared about convinced as the delegations came together that it was all over. An unexpected boost had been given the Smith boom just as the convention was assembling when George R. Van Namee, the Smith manager, reversed his former predictions and announced the likelihood of a first bal- lot nomination. Several of the favorite sons’ States had decided to stay away from the Smith column on this initial roll call on the assurance that the Smith leaders would not permit a nomi- { nation until they could get under the wire. Today's announcement left these delegations thinking seriously. e troublesome prohibition issue, | which has been interwoven with Smith's candidacy, was to be tackled later in the day by the new platform commit- tee, and many on both sides of the | fence were hopeful that a spirit of | conciliation would keep that, too, from bringing on a serious battle. As the convention came together Sam Houston Hall lay simmering under a merciless south Texas sun, like a at square platter of humanity. A w-arched roof lidded it, but there was some consolation and comfort in the fact that the lid did not fit down tight- ly. Between the u&per edges of the scooped-up sides of the platter and the roof edge a 15-foot open space ran all around the hall, permitting circulation of air that was at least fresh and un- confined, even if it could not by any stretch of the imagination be saild to be cooling. Spectators Line Sides. The scooped-up sides which sloped from the convention hall on east and north and south were lined with spec- tators' seats, like the bleachers of a ball park. But most of the 16,000 seats were on a dead ground level in a vast square in he center of the platter. The alternates and many hundreds of spec- tators likewise were on this lower level. There were no galleries. The west side of the square was (he convention platform, arranged in the now famillar style, with long rows of seats for important personages and a small speakers' stand projecting like a tiny pler In & sea of humanity, exactly from the center of the platform proper. In place at the front of the pler was the silver-plated microphone stand, the only one of its kind In the world, used first at the Republican convention at Kansas Olty two weeks ago. State flags draped along under the rafters of the central section of the hall above the delegates provided a pleasing varfation from the usual stiff manner of convention intevior decorating. But the real centerplece of the many thousands of yards of vari- colored flags and bunting was a 30-1oot reproduction of the great seal of the United Btates, placed amid a cluster of American flags, to form a background for the convention platform ltself. One other feature distinguished the newly bullt hall, with its woode benches, beams and rafters still pleas- antly scented with the odor of the Mis- sissippl pine woods. Along under the roof, In two rows down from the sides of the delegate sections, the architect had placed 10 special platforms for W night. gh to the new | | 1t was the sentiment of the delegation 1t should not be hound by the unit rule Lon any ballot. A poll of the delegation | showed that it was unanimous for George on the first baliol, | | 4 photographers, They were perohed like crows’ nests atop & ble row of lender supporting columns and had a look strangely ke ‘ ttieship fghting (Continued on 4, Columa 4.) AS THE STON CONVENTION () Means Associated OPENED. STEWART ENTERS NOT-GUILTY PLEA 0il Man’s Trial on Perjury Charge Set for October 8. Gives $5,000 Bond. Col. Robert W. Stewart, chairman of the board of directors of the Standard Oil Co. of Indiana, was arraigned today before Justice Frederick L. Siddons in| Criminal Division 2 and pleaded not| guilty to the indictment for perjury re- turned against him yesterday. counsel, Frank J. Hogan, asked for an immediate trial, saying that he would be ready tomorrow, but the trial was set for October 8. Unlud':.mu Atzor;le.y‘ Leo Awl‘}:o!.;x:; ap?uefl uest of Hogan, out that herl'guw no reason why the court -no\u% depu&;rom its usual cus- tom not to tfy contested criminal cases in the Summer recess term and declared he would be ready to proceed at any time in October. Justice Siddons then set the frial date and Stewart gave $5.000 His | bail. Robert V. Fleming, president of the Riggs National Bank, qualified as| surety on the bond. 1 “Came at Once.” Hogan quoted to the justice a remark | of the court during the recent Stewart case that an innocent man should be insistent and demand a trial and should not interpose technical objections. The lawyer pointed out that as soon as Col. Stewart in New York heard of the filing of the indictment, he came immediately | to Washington and requested his -oun. | sel to ask for an immediate trial. | Justice Siddons remarking o Stewart called it and said that while and the recess term was close at hand, it was impossible for him to hear the case, but he would give an early date in October. Justice Jennings Bailey, who denied Stewart’s application for release on habeas corpus, when he was arrested by the sergeant-at-arms ofthe Senaie, will probably preside at the trial in October. After leaving the courtroom, Col. Stewart gave out a statement in which he declared that the charge had been “plainly inspired by the political inves- tigators of the Senate committee, who have so long been of the opinion that in a presidential campalgn year private rights and personal reputations are of no moment.” “Star Chamber Charge.” “1 am sure the public will under- stand,” the statement continued, “that this indictment was returned as a re- sult of a star chamber proceedlnf. where I was not heard either personally or by counsel. Only one witness was heard and he was Senator Nye, more prosecu~ tor than witness, Not one word of evi- dence was recelved on my side in this matter. I came to Washington at once to meet this new charge and instructed my counsel to seek an immediate trial. I am disappointed that we must wait unitil chger. 1 am confident of ac- quittal.” Mr. Hogan said after his nmx‘nrnnce n the courtroom that he considered the case & “made” one and “the most far- fetched in my 25 yeéars' experience.” He added that he had no doubt as to what the outcome would be. Col. Stewart was to leave for Chicago this afternoon. POLICE CH PRIMARY CRIME QuUIZ Chicago Official to Be Questioned| on Alleged Intimidation Tacties. By the Assoclated Press. | CHICAGO, June 26.—Michael Hughes, | commissloner of police, was to be called | before the special grand jury today to | give his side of the charges that Chi- cago police have employed obstruction- 1st tactics in the investigation of elec« tlon erime and intimidation, Prank J, Loesch, president of the Chicago Crime Col on, who is di- roctlx the citizen-financed, State- guided mquiry, has charged that police purposely have failed to arrest men in- dicted and falled to sup) that tha‘\; otherwise have rt the investigation. Loesch declded to summon Hughes as a witness after Hughes last night or- dered five policemen who had been on duty with the special prosecutor's staff returned to regular duty. The commis- sioner sald he would the five officers, but Loesch rel acoept new men. mnulda:. lqmlundnl’nl the mmxvg 0 spec nd jury wi return indictments :"fim twp."hl'h- ups” today, Loesch 5 Radio Programs—Page 23 ON SEHOOL BOARD Wife of University Professor Succeeds Mrs. Hodgkins, Who Has Retired. Mrs. Marion Wade Doyle, wife of Henry Grattan Doyle, a professor at George Washington University, was to- day appointed by the justices of the District Supreme Court as a member of the Board of Education to succeed Mrs. Marie W. Hodgkins, who has completed two full terms as a member of the board. Mrs. Doyle resides at 5500 ‘Thirty-third street. The justices also reappointed for an additional term of three years, Dr. H. Barrett Learned, 2123 Bancroft place, and Hayden Johnson, colored, 1842 Vermont avenue. Mrs. Doyle was born at Cambridge, Mass., October 30, 1894, and was edu- cated ap the public schools, Cambridge Latin School and was graduated from Radcliffe College in June, 1914, celving the degree of A. B. with tinction. She taught in the public schools of Massachusetts and at Cam- bridge High School and Rindge Tech= nical School, at Cambridge. She married Dr. Doyle in_September, 1917, and has resided in Washington ever since. She is the mother of three children, Henry, jr, 9; Marion, 7. and Robert, 6; all pupils in the E. B. Brown 1 School. Mrs. Doyle was formerly president of the Radcliffe Club of Washington. and former president of Columbian Women of George Washington University and is regional chairman for Maryland, Vir- inia, West Virginia and the District of gfllumbl‘ and chalrman of the schools committee of the Radcliffe Club. She was formerly secretary of the Chevy Chase Woman's Club and former secre- tary of the District of Columbia League of Women Voters. Hodgkins, wife of Dr. L. Hodgkins, who also is a ber of the faculty at George Wash- ington, is retiring from the board on account of the pressure of other affairs. Mrs. Hodgkins was first appointed a member of the Board of Education in April, 1921, She was elected vice presi- dent of the board in December of that year and in January, 1922, she was the | made acting president, following the signation of Daniel A Ed- ving as head of the board reorganization in June of the sudden Keen-Nosed Policeman Locates Still ing Chimneys on Ninth Street By Smell A new type of po]li:‘a llq':l;:v snifter his rance here cstablishment cl over ;v:n(- in the block and smelling down the chimneys. The odor of fermenting mash had permeated the 1400 block on Ninth street for some time, but the source of it eould not be traced. Policeman E. L Baker of the second precinct was sent on survey of the roofs. His nose led him to the chimney of 1418 Ninth .| ingame determined to Quy clnet, and real 61 barr 12 o yushed Into the house from front They found one man and of mash, & 300-gallon still, the falshed product, 12 re- | v h dis- | FLERARTY REPLIES T0 CAPPER LETTER Advises Senator He Intends to Oppose Capital Traction Plea for Fare Hike. | | | I Replying to a letter from Senator Capper, chairman of the Senate Dis- trict committee, which he said had been | interpreted by the newspapers as “warn- ing or advice from you as to how I should fulfill the duties of my official position,” Ralph B. Fleharty, people's counsel before the Public Utilities Com- intended to cation of the higher fare, and asked the mittee for ihe co-operation of Dr. Milo R. Maltbie, New York valuation expert, who is coming here the latter part this week to make a study of the val- uation of the transit properties to be | merged mnto the proposed consolidated transportation company. | Text of Letter. Mr. Fleharty’s reply follows: | “Your letter of June 18, which has al- ready been given wide publicity in the local papers and variously described by them as ‘warning’ or ‘advice’ from you as to_how I should fulfill the duties of my official position, was not received by me until the afternoon of June 23. “I would say that substantially your interpretation of the act of Congress creating the office of people's counsel coincides with my conception of the duties of that position. “However, the divergent positions taken most recently by the organized civic associations of the District of Co- lumbia when the Public Utilities Com- mission and Congress had for considera- tion the proposed merger or unification agreement of the local transportation companies only go to show that there may exist a very wide difference of opinion as to what may be the ‘public’s Interests,’ which you state in your letter {should be considered by me not from a judicial standpoint but as an ‘active ad- vocate of the public’s interests." “While there does not exist as full co- operation between this office and some of the civic organizations as I should like, I believe that I am 4n a pesition | to ascertain and judge as well as any |{one of the general trend of public senti- {ment toward issues raised by applica- tions concerning the service furnished by public utilities In any event, I am in a position where I must of necessity, be- cause of the divergence of public opin ion before referred to, exercise to some extent my own judgment and discretion as to the proper position to be taken in | such matters. | “Let me assure you that so far as the | pending application by the Capital Traction Co. for increase of fare is con- cerned I conceive the public's interests to uire that I oppose same to the best >: my ability. Might 1 suggest that if not beyond the scope of his employ- ment, the co-operation of Mr. Maltby, recently employed by your committee to make an investigation and report on the roposed unification agreement of the local transportation nles, might be of substantial assistance in my oppo- TWO CENTS. MEMBER OF TALIA CREW IS REPORTED KILLED INACCIDENT One of Seven Men Carried Off in Dirigible Believed Dead in Fail. PILOTS OF SEAPLANES DISCUSS SEARCH PLANS Press. Fog Delays Relief Work—Airmen Await Favorable Weather to Continue Rescues. | By the Associated Press KINGS BAY, Spitzbergen, June 26.— | At least one of the seven men who | were in the bag of the dirigible Italia | and were carried off on May 25 with- out trace, is believed to have been killed in falling from a forward com- partment. ‘This was Vincenzo Pomella, motor at- tendant. Latest advices indicate tha he was undoubtedly killed in the fall The fate of his six companions in the bag, which was swept away from th: | Nobile group on the ice, is unknown. (Hitherto there have been no reports stating definitely that any of the crew of the Italia were killed. The seven men who were carried away in the gas bag have not been heard from and confirmation as to Pomella’s death i unobtainable.) Flyer Wants Spare Parts. Efforts will be made as soon as pc sible to drop spare parts to Lieut. E. Lundborg, Swedish flyer now stranded with five men of the Nobile party off Northeast Land. ‘The lieutenant particularly wants skils to replace those which were smashed when his plane landed the second time at the Nobile camp on Sunday. He hopes to be able to refit the plane for a return hop. Meanwhile there is hesitation about attempting more landings near the radio party and the task of saving them 1 ly difficult. flights today. of the Italia rescued from tten! 3 Alrmen were waiting for favorable weather to continue rescue work for four survivors of the Italia adrift on the ice near Foyn Island and Lieut Lundborg. airplanes be sent from Englan in the work, as the small t. has twice proved its rescuing stranded men from These will be used to supplement the Swedish planes. A small hydro-airplane aboard the whaling ship Roy. at the mouth of Hinlopen Strait. was made ready to search for three men who left the Nobile party afoot on May 30 to make their way to land. Four dog trains, four Norwegian guides and tiree Alpine ice experts were making their way over the fce in search of the trio. but have found no trace of them. Ice blocked the attempts of ather vers to search for Roald Amundsen. Lief Dietrichsen and four others missing since they started northward from Tromsoe, Norway. on June 18 in a French plane. Two Norwegian planes piloted by Capt. Riiser-Larsen and Lieut. Leutzow Holm were under orders to search for the Amundsen Tty Drift ice however, held them aboard their base ship. the Braganza, at North Cape. FOG BLOCKS RESCUE PARTIES. Flyers Wait Further Opportunity to Reach Italia Crew. VIRGO BAY. Spitzbergen, June 326, by way of Kings Bay (#).—Baffied by heavy fog. the rescue parties at Virgo Bay today were waiting further oppor- tunity to take off the remaining mem- bers of the Nobile party stranded off | sition to said application.” Bomb Found in Bakers' Union. | BUENOS AIRES. June 28 (#.—A| | bomb with fuse ignited was found to-| day by the police at the headquarters| or t Bakers' Union. The explosion would have occurred within several minutes | bags of malt sugar and one case of "t};:nn 7 1d. y z“fi years old, arrested and held for \nm«’:uon, will be charged under the ol ntes revenue laws with operating an untices still. While the police were In the house atel call pame in for lquor The officer on duty was about to ask lor the arder when a voice shouted over lqy ited the wire, “Don't floor: was He Id The officers sa that & plant was mhhbnrh"o:d. Last nl He set out with a Ol er, H. Wilson, O. D. Poole and Baker was detailed U roofs, smelling as he Northeast Land, and Lieut. E. Lundbors. l\u-mm fiver, now marconed with hem. ‘The huge Italian S-55. under com- mand of Maj. Maddalena, and the Ma- rina II meanwhile will start toward the East as soon as possible in search for the missing men of the balloon party. Hope of saving the three men, headed by Dr. Finn Malmgren, Swedish meteor- ologist, who started for land on foot Imost & month ago, is considered very small. Gen. Nobile, worn out by the tions of the past month and suffering from a broken h:h is rest! in bed aboard the base ship Citta Milano ;u-:lv,- ur‘\:;r ug‘!luul ;l"l?uen for his in- juties s as A pos- sible from worries of Mmt groups over their difficulties. orts to obtain an interview with the general Rom of the Citta today nudlia vain, Capt witting no one to see the patient. i Fog Holds Rescue Planes. While the rescue planes, of which there are a half dosen here. are bel held down by , fear for the safety the stranded party is not acute, inasmuch as the now has plent: of food, m veral pola Dbears vlth“&‘ b X week by