Evening Star Newspaper, December 19, 1928, Page 1

WEATHER. (U. 8. Weather Partly cloudy with lowest tempera- ture about freezing tonight; tomorrow fair and somewhat colder. Temperatures: Highest, 42, at noon today; lowest, 28, at 4 am. today. Full report on page 9. Closing N. Y. Markets, Pages 14 and 15 Bureau Forecast.) ch ¢ Foening ‘WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION Star. service. The only evening paper in Washington with the Associated Press news Yesterday’s Circulation, 107,172 Entered as sect post office, W No. 30,913. ond class matter ashington, D. C. WASHINGTON, D. C., WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1928 —FORTY-EIGHT PAGES. * (#) Means Associated Press. TWO CENTS. NATONA DEFESE - STERSEONTNUED BY LAT NATIONS Paraguay Enlistments Go On Despite Acceptances of Mediation Offer. SPECIAL LEAGUE COUNCIL SESSION IS CALLED OFF Parley Conciliation Committee in Session—Bolivia Prepared- ness Fund Grows. By the Associated Press. ASUNCION, Paraguay, December 19. —Enrollment of troops continued to- day, although both Paraguay and Bolivia_have accepted the good offices of the Pan-American Conference in the settlement of their dispute. Economic defense measures were also considered by President Guggiari, who met with a commission of bankers and business leaders. A national supply council was formed under the leader- ship of former Foreign Minister Bor- denave, Five thousand volunteers were en- rolled at Concepcion for immediate service, a battalion of students was formed in Asuncion. Four - thousand Paraguayans who have been working in Argentina came forward for mili- tary service. SPECIAL SESSION IS OFF, Briand and Drummond Agree It Is Now Unnecessary. PARIS, December 19 (#)—Foreign Minister Briand of France, who is pres- ident of the League of Nations, and Sir Eric Drummond, secretary general of the League, reached an agreement to- day that peace measures in the West- ern Hemisphere had removed the neces- sity for calling a special session of the League Council. As soon as he receives, official word that Bolivia, like Paraguay, has accept- ed the mediation of the Pan-American Conference, M. Briand will telegraph all members of the conference that no extraordinary session will be held. He will probably cable the governments of Paraguay and Bolivia congratulating them on their decision and emphasiz- ing that it gives impetus to the in- ternational movement cor world peace. Later M. Briand contemplates writ- ing a circular letter to members of the sum, the Council's ef- to prevent an outbreak of war, indicating that the League has no wish ting | full program of entertainment is being Evolution History Claimed in Find Of Fossils in U. S. Represents Ages 75,000, 000 to 7,000,000 Years Ago, Scientists Say. By the Associated Press. BERKELEY, Calif., December 19.— Discovery of an era said to contain “a full history of ev~"i‘ion” in fossils and declared to b~ ¢~ v ‘uable to sciertists that they w...d not reveal its location other than to say it is in the wilds of New Mexico, was announced here last night by two University of California scientists. The men, who returned to Berkeley with about a ton of fossils for classifi- cation, said the earthbed contained specimens from every geologic age from 75,000,000 years ago down to 7,000,000 years ago. The discoverers are Prof. C. L. Camp, curator of amphibians and reptiles in | the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, and V. L. Vanderhoof, museum collector. | They said their find was made in a section of the State so remote that the natives thrash their grain wtih hand flails and grind their own flour. Schools are 75 miles apart, the residents seldom speak English, and are deeply religious. The people castigate themselves with whips and wear cactus in their sandals by way of penance for their sins. The university’s expedition found there a place where the Continental Divide had pushed up and exposed to " (Continued on Page 5, Column 4) BRAZIL PREPARES 0 FETE HOOVER President-Elect Praised Press and Senate as He - Nears Rio de Janeiro. in By the Associated Press. RIO DE JANEIRO, December '19.— Herbert Hoover was en route to Rio de Janeiro today aboard the U. S. S. Utah from Montevideo, Uruguay. He is due Friday. Preparations are being made to give him an impressive welcome. A planned for him before he departs on Christmas eve. The Avenida Rio Branco, the main LEAGUE TO RENEW ARMS TALK AFTER HOOVER INAUGURAL Plan for Continuation De- pends on U. S. Accept- ance of Outline. EXPERTS’ COMMITTEE TO MEET MARCH 11 Removal of Naval Difficulties May Cause Further Postponement of Action. By the Associated Press. PARIS, December 19.—Efforts toward a reduction of world armaments, in- cluding naval forces, will be vigorously renewed by the League of Nations im- mediately after the inauguration of Herbert Hoover, provided the United States approves provisional plans which were fonmulated today. The plans were formulated at a meeting between Dr. J. Loudon, Minister of the Netherlands to France, who is president of the prepar- atory commission of the League and Eric Colban, director of the League's disarmament section. It was decided to convoke a com- mittee of experts at Geneva on March 11 to discuss control of the manufac- ture of armaments. A tentative agree- ment was concluded to summon the Preparatory Disarmament Commission after Easter during the first fortnight in April. The date of this meeting will be announced when the American Gov- ernment approves. Since the opinion exists in some cir- cles that the commission should not risk a flasco similar to the last session and that the League should wait for the removal of some naval difficulties, it is conceivable that a further postpone- END OF EARLY HOPING HE'LL ACCEPT AND ENERGETIC ) \\ 4 T , il SHOPPING. BOWIE MAN HELD INFRIEND'S DEATH Killing of Melvin Ryon, Bla- densburg Engineer, Was Accident, Kreitzer Says. ment may be decided upon. Some observers hope that the dele- gates of the naval powers can reach an agreement concerning the types of cruisers and submarines to be limited during private conversations in the course of the general negotiations at Geneva, The officia] agenda of the commis- sion will be the Russian project for partial disarmament and the German proposal concerning publicity in regard to armament. Henry Kreitzer of Bowie, Md., is being held without charge at the Marlboro jail in connection with the shooting to death last night of his iriend, Melvin Ryeon, 30, civil engineer of the Bladens- burg Suburb and Sanitary Commission and brother of J. Wilson Ryon, former State's attorney for Prince Georges County, Md. The shooting, which oc- curred at his home, where Ryon was visiting, was aceidental, Kreitzer de- artery of the city, along which the to insist upon employment of the League' et o to_the inftiative and give Pan-American Group Will Report From Time to Time. By the Associated Press. After a lengthy session, in which rep- resentatives of both Paraguay and Bo- livia participated, the Pan-American conference's special committee on the ‘Bolivian-Paraguayan dispute determined today to gather more information on the controversy and report from time to time to the conference before de- termining upon a concrete plan of re- conciliation. Delegates said after the meeting that the spirit of greatest cordiality pre- vailed throughout, and that all seemed animated by an earnest desire to com- pose the trouble. The committee de- cided to recommend to the conference that it be retained in its present func- tions for the time being. Information on various phases of the dispute between Bolivia and Paraguay will be obtained by the committee through inquiries which it will make of the two disputing countries. Such information will be periodically trans- mitted to the whole conference with a view to drafting eventually a more con- crete program for the settlement of the dispute. For the time being no plenary ses- sion has been requested by the com- mittee. DEFENSE STEPS CONTINUED. LA PAZ, Bolivia, December 19 (P).— Despite the prospect of a peaceful set- " (Continued on Page 3, Column 2.) HEAVY QUAKE RECORDED. Georgetown U. Seismograph Notes Disturbance 9,000 Miles Away. A “very heavy” earthquake was recorded, . beginning at 6:56 o’clock this morning, on the seismograph at Georgetown University. Director Ton- dorf estimated the disturbance was 9,000 miles from Washington, but he did not calculate the direction. The quake reached its maximum in- tensity at 7:57 o'clock, ang when the recording sheet of the instfument was removed at 8:15 it was. still of heavy character. Panama Plans Airport. PANAMA, December 19 (#).—The national Congress has given first read- government buildings, municipal thea- ters, school of art and supreme court INSEULLY SLAYING 2. b [Chicago Combats' Violence large delegation to Rio de Janeiro to greet the President-elect. Eulogized by Senator. / The life and achievements of Presi- ient-elect Hoover were published promi- nently in this morning’s press. A speech by Senator Gilberto Amado, eulogizing Mr. Hoover as a humanitarian, was printed in full by the leading papers, some of which carried a picture of the Towa house where he was born. ‘Twenty-one members of the Senate will form a committee which will meet Mr. Hoover at the quay on Friday, to- gether with a committee from the Chamber of Deputies, all the members of the cabinet and prominent army and navy officials. On Sunday the jockey club is giving a horse racing program of 10 races, seven of the races being named for cities and States in the United States as follows: Philadelphia, St. Louis, Ohio, Chicago, San Prancisco, New York and Washington. The main event of the day is named for the President-elect. INTERVENTION DISCUSSED. Argentine Paper Says Hoover Declares U. S. Will “Respect Sovereignty.” BUENOS AIRES, December 19 (#).— La Epoca; a hewspaper, which is gen- erally regarded as a spokesman for President Yrigoyen, sald today that Herbert Hoover in conversing with the Argentine President told him that in the future the United States Gov- ernment would never intervene in the internal affairs of other countries, that it would respect their sovereignty and would recognize their right to manage their own problems. President Yrigoyen was quoted as saying that he believed that Mr. Hoover was not in accord with the ideas of President Coolidge. The newspaper sald that the subject of intervention by the United States n the affairs of other American nations was brought up by Senor Yrigoyen. Mr. Hoover explained that intervention by the United States had not been under- taken with the design of protecting for safeguarding the lives of American citizens, President Yrigoyen was understood then to have referred to views of in- tervention expressed by President Cool- idge in his speeches and Mr. Hoover was said to have replied that Mr. Cool~ idge had been obliged to proceed as he had done in view of the circumstances of the individual cases. ing to a bill which authorizes the government to undertake the construc- tion of an airport in the suburbs of Panama City. The bill carries out rec- ommendations of a recently appointed national aviation committee. The paper sid that President Yrigo- | yen next declared that he believed that | Mr. Hoover was not in accord with the | ideas of President Coolidge. Yrigoyen | added that Mr. Hoover had answered (Continued on Page 2, Column 6.) Beggar With Valet-S : Investments IS Exdecl From NEW YOl‘k By the Associated Press. NEW YORK, December 19-—A pan- handler who empioyed a valet-secretary and took in $500 & week selling pen- | knives in the subway was an exile from the city today. Samuel Ansel, 23, of Revere, Mass., had boasted that he planned to reti as soon as he got enough “out of the: New York suckers.” He was given his choice- in Harlem Court of serving six months in the workhouse or posting & 1,000 bond to leave the city. He posted the bond. During the last three months Ansel has been a familiar figure in subway trains as he made his way through the s and twitching as with ecretary and $40,000 palsy, while he offered for sale at 10 cents each penknives for which he paid | $2.25 a gross. A probation officer reported that Ansel in addition to having a savings bank account of $1,446, possessed $40,000 in first mortgages, and owned several newsstands in Boston. His landlord in the Eighth avenue rooming house, where he paid $10 a week, said that until recently Ansel haa enjoyed the services of a combination valet-secretary to whom he paid $10 a week. He recently discharged the valet- secretary for being drunk. The land- American economic interests, but Wwas | giate already have given evidence link- Trailing Kidnaping of Billy Ranieri. By the Associated Press. CHICAGO, December 19.—All the agencies of the law had combined today to defeat the lawlessness that has trailed in the wake of the kidnaping last Sep- tember of little Billy Ranieri, while the second day of the trial of three de- fendants accused of the actual kid- naping got under way. The police last night and today rounded up more than 150 suspects in the slaying of Ole Scully, cousin of the kidnaped boy's father and expected to have been & principal witness for the State. Scully was shot and killed Mon- day night on the eve of the day he was to have taken the stand against the defendants. Most of the suspects.were released, but among those held were Salvatore Mastrolani, alias Calabrese, godfather of Billy, and Pasquale Capitosta, both indicted recently for extortion, and Fred Petitti, brother of one of the de- fendants, arrested yesterday as he loitered outside the courtroom. Defense attorneys at the opening of the second day of the trial made a motion before Judge Robert E. Gentzel that Fred Petitti be freed from custody, maintaining the authorities had uncov- ered no evidence on which to hold him. Scully’s Death. A jury composed of prominent busi- ness men summoned to -investigate Scully’s death by Coroner Herman N. | Bundesen has continued its inquiry to | give the police time to produce more evidence. Yesterday it heard from wit- nesses how Scully’s assailants rushed into an Italian clubroom, shot Scully to death and beat his companions with base ball bats so seriously that at least one of them is expected to die. The three principal witnesses for the ing with the kidnaping all three de- fendants, Angelo Petitti, Andrew Cap- pellano and his son Tony, 16 years old. These witnesses were Billy, his father, Frank Ranierl, and an uncle. Billy, in a closely guarded courtroom, yesterday told of being kidnaped while on his way home from school, of being held captive for 13 days at the Cap- pellano home, and finally of being re- leased near Joliet by the frightened kidnapers. His father and uncle told of negotiations for his release with clares. One shot was fired. Ryon fell dead, the bullet in his he said, then put th : r was arrésted utes later by County Policeman Vinton for whom Kreltzer said he malmkhf 50 as to surrender himself. Nichols . sald Kreitzer freely admitted the sl , claiming it was accidental. He is held in Marlboro jail without bond to await an inquest at 8 p.m. be- fore Judge H. B. Kelbaugh at Bowie a week from tomorrow. £ jury was sworn in over the body this morning. Kreitzer, the policeman said, told him he found the pistol in a cupboard and that it was accidently discharged. Four young men who witnessed the shooting ?l’l‘t: with Kreitzer on the material acts. Immediately before he was killed, Ryon is said to have remarked to Kreil zer, who was flourishing the gun: “Let's see how much nerve you have.” Kreit- zer pointed the pistol at him across a dining room table, and the explosion followed. Ryon left his home in Bowie, where he lived with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Ryon, about 8 o'clock last night. He met Kreitzer at a garage in Bowie and drove him to Kreitzer's home in-his machine. Herbert Jones, 21, of Bowie came to the house a few min- utes later and shortly thereafter three young men from Mitchellville, Md., who had sold Kreitzer an automobile, came to make a collection on the car. All four witnesses and Kreitzer say " (Continued on Page 2, Column 3.) COOLIDGE PLANNING T0 LEAVE TUESDAY Date of His Return From Sapelo Island Vacation Is Undecided. L, President Coolidge virtually has de- cided to leave late in the afternoon of Christmas day for Sapelo Island, off the coast of Georgla, where he and Mrs, Coolidge will spend a brief vacation, but he has not yet determined when he will return to the White House. % To those with whom he has disc his plans he has given the impression that he is in doubt about returning to Washington in_time to participate in the customary New Year day reception. He will decide a day or so after he arrives at Sapalo Island. ' Mrs. Coolidge left Washington toda: for Northampton, Mass., to visit her mother, Mrs. Lemira Goodhue, who has been seriously ill for a number of months at a hospital in that city. She is expected back at the White House Sunday. The President is known to be looking forward . to_considerable gunning and fishing while on this vacation. ~John Oliver La Gorce, vice president of the National Geographic Society, who has Petitti. The father at first seemed reluctant to testify, but as question after question was hurled at him he appeared to be- come a very willing witness. When a defense attorney asked him why some of his testimony had not been given in previous court hearings, Ranieri shouted: “T'll tell you why. Petitti told me I should be quiet or I would be killed just like they killed one of our wit- nesses yesterday.” His remark caused a furore in the courtroom, where efforts had been made to keep the story of Scully’s slaying from the jury, LEGISLATOR DIES AT 84. ENID, Okla, December 10.—W. A. Calderhead, 84, for 14 years a member just returned from a visit with Howard E. Coffin, owner of the island, and whose guest President and Mrs. Cool- idge will be, called on the President at the White House today and gave him an account of the fishing in the waters of that section, as well as the shooting. NORTHAMPTON, Mass., December 19 (#).—Mrs. Lemira Goodhue, mother of Mrs. Calvin Coolidge, was said today to be somewhat weaker than she was when her daughter visited her last month. Attaches of the Dickinson Hos- pital, where Mrs. Goodhue has been a atient for more than a year, said, owever, that there had been no sudden change in her condition. Mrs, Coolidge is expected to arrive here tonight «nd to visit the hospital tomorrow moining. of Congress from the fifth Kansas dis- trict, died at his home here last night following a long illness. Mr. Calderhead, who was elected to lord also said Ansel had offered him $75 a week to operate a newsstand which he Dplanned 10 purchase, s o * his first congressional term in 1894, was- for. nine years. chairman of the House ways and BIcaRs commilies Congress Recesses December 22. Arrangmnts for the Christmas re- cess of Congress were completed today when the Senate agreed to the House resolution .providing for the adjourn-{ December 22 ment .of Congress from Japuary S, { Toothache Believed To Have Driven Man To Commit Suicide By the Assoclated Press. PORTCHESTER, N. Y., De- cember 19.—A toothache is be- lieved to have driven Max Stem- pian of Greenwich, Conn., to commit sulcide. He visited a dentist’s office here for treatment early last evening, and finding the doctor out, leaped from a window in the office and disap- pearec. Early this morning his body was found hanging by a belt from a rafter in a coal yard. He leaves a wife and seven chil- dren. REPORTS VESTRIS PERSONNEL FAILED Ciew Was Disorganized and No Orders Issued. By the Assoclated Press. NEW YORK, December 19.—United States Commissioner Francis A. O'Neill, who presided at the Federal inquiry into the sinking of the steamer Vestris with loss of more than 100 lives, sald in fis official report today that there was an almost total absence of organ- ization on the ship. “The organization and assignments which were supposed to be in force,” the report read, “were almost wholly abandoned and no new organization was created.” ‘The report stated that there was no general order to prepare the lifeboats and get passengers and crew into them, that no order to abandon ship was issued, and that the officers did not in most instances go to their assigned positions or make any attempt to dis- tribute passengers in their proper boats. “This failure on the part of the per- sonnel,” Commissioner O'Neill wrote, “and the unwise methods pursued are the more extraordinary inasmuch as the approach of danger was gradual and apparent, and it left ample time to conduct an effective and properly or- ganized operation.” The commissioner made 14 recom- ntendauona the better to safeguard life at sea. Regulations Held Faulty. ‘The O'Neill report said that the storm the Vestris encountered and dur- ing which it filled with water and keeled over was severe, but that such a vessel ought to have passed through it read- ily if well found and seaworthy. Considerable space was given in the | report to consideration of inspection of |- lifeboats. Edward Keener, who inspect- ed the Vestris before she sailed, as an inspector of the steamboat inspection service of the Department of Commerce, wrote in his official report that he had lowered lifeboats in accordance with regulations, but admitted at the Ves- tris inquiry that this report was false. In this ‘connection O'Neill quoted a communication from-the Department of Commerce dated May 1, 1913, in which it was said that regualtions-about low- ering lifeboats are applicable only to American ships. He also quoted John L. Crone, a supervising inspector of the inspection service, as saying that the requirements of the British Board of Trade as to testing lifeboats were' only applicable to British ships touching a home port. The Vestris, a British ship, plied be- tween New York and South America. Holds S. 0. S. Delayed. “We have therefore,” Commissioner O'Nelll continued, ‘the astonishing and disquieting fact that there is no legal requirements for the periodical testing of lifeboats on -foreign vessels leaving American ports for ports other than a home p&:t of the foreign country and that any testing which may take place is, in consequence, purely voluntary and not adequate basis for holding the in- spector to any definite accountability.” As with lifeboats so the same con- dition exists as to testing of life pre- servers, the commissioner continued, and “with great deference” he recorded his disagreement with the opinion that American requirements are not appli- cable to all vessels sailing from Ameri- can ports. The commissioner stated that condi- tions at 4 o'clock of the day the ship sank should have prompted a prudent master to send out a distress call at that time. Capt. Willlam Carey dis- patched the first 8 O S at 10 o’clock. “The delay for six hours caused. the great loss of life,” Commissioner O'Neill asserted. “If the SOS had been sent out at 4 o'clock vessels have been_standing by in ~8¢a before e -Vestils sank.” 3 NAVY RAISES $4 AFTER TWO DAYS Workers Overcome Obstacle of Flooded Motor Room by Entering Sunken Craft. By the Associated Press. ABOARD THE U. 8. S. FALCON, OFF BLOCK ISLAND, R. I {(by way of the Block Island Coast Guard radio station), December = 19.—The sub- marine S-4, which remained down by the stern in 55 feet of water when an attempt. to- raise her with new lifting hooks was made last night, was brought to the surface at 9:47 a.m. today. The craft had been deliberately sunk with~ PROPOSED AIRPORT NEAR ALEXANDRIA DRAWS CRITICISM Weuld Retard Gravelly Point Project, Is Board of Trade’s View. 600 ACRES ARE OFFERED FOR TEMPORARY FIELD Tendered to Government for Sum of $100,000—Hearing Is Held by House Committee. A proposal made today to the House District committee that the Govern- ment establish a municipal airport for Washington on 600 acres of a tract acquired for a commercial air junetion two miles south of Alexandria met with sharp, opposition from the Washington Board of Trade. The position of the Board of Trade, as stated to the committee through Robert J. Cottrell, its executive secre- tary, is that even the temporary estab- lishment of an airport on the proposed site pending the development of Gravelly Point would serve to retard the ultimate filling-in of the Potomac River site, which all Federal and District aviation experts have agreed unani- mously is the logical site for a munici- pal fiying field. Special Meeting Held. Although the bill authorizing a $1,500,000 appropriation to develop a District airport at the Gravelly Point site is awaiting action in the House, the District committee held a special meet- ing this morning to hear a proposition from Henry Woodhouse, president of the Aerial League of America, who, with others, has acquired for commer- cial purposes 2,000 acres of land once comprising parts of the estates of George Washington and George Mason. This proposition, as cutlined to the committee, proposed the acquisition by TREATY. REPORTED BY BORAH WITHOUT MOSES RESOLUTION Reservations Sent to Senate Without Recommendation by Committee. MAY DEFER ACTION UNTIL AFTER HOLIDAYS Ratification Held Assured, Despite Possibility of Lengthy Debate. The Kellogg multilateral treaty re- nouncing war was reported formally to the Senate today by Senator Borah, chairman of the foreign relations com= mittee, with the recommendation that it be ratified. No reservations or amendments were attached to the treaty. At the same time Senator Borah re ported to the Senate “without recome mendation” the revised Moses resolu~ tion, seeking to interpret the Kellogg treaty. The Moses resolution as re- ported is as follows: “That the Senate of the United States declares that in advising and consent- ing to the multilateral treaty it does so with the understanding: “l. That the treaty does not impair or abridge the right of the United States to defend its territory or other vital interests in accordance with the traditional American policies. May Defer Action. “2. That the treaty imposes no obli- gation to resort to coercion on punitive measures against any offending nation. “3. That the treaty does not obliga the United States to the conditions of l’a;xy treaty to which the United States the Government, at cost, of about 600 | 3 acres for the development of an air- port that would be suitable for “future requiremerts” or the use to the Federal or District governments of such land as would be needed until Gravelly Pomt should be properly developed. Mr. ‘Woodhouse estima $100,000 would cover the cost of the land, which he Senator Borah did not state on the floor of the Senate just when he proposed to call up the treaty for con- sideration, it is On_behalf of the Board of ) Mr. Cottrell expressed the opinion float the 331-foot h break they entered the for loading hatch, which was high out of the water, and pa th other ‘compartments to the motor: 4 This_compartment was found flooded, but from the control room, which dry, the water in the motor compart- ment was blown out. The vessel came up and straightened out in 10 minutes. | Two Theories Advanced. ‘The submarine was sunk by flooding the ballast tank in the engine room, only and how the motor room took water was not immediately determined. Two possible causes for the accident were st sted: A leak in a wall of the ‘compartment or a leaking gasket on the door sepa- rating the engine room from the motor room in the stern. Lieut. Comdr. Palmer H. Dunbar, who directed the test, said the S-4 could have been raised with the help of a mess and a strong the wind the comple- tion of the raising was deferred. Comdr. Dunbar, Lieut. Norman Ives, Lieut. Charles B. Momsen, representing the Bureau of Construction and Repair, and Chief Gunner Clarence B. Tibbals entered the vessel while it was still at an angle of 30 degrees. Making their way through the ship, they found elec- tric lights and the heater still burning, although 49 hours had elapsed since the ship was let down to the bottom. The bridge, though damaged in the raising, was found intact. Lieut. Comdr. Dunbar said the S-4 would be towed by the rescue ship Fal- con, from which operations were di- rected, to the New London submarine base, where further experiments with the hulk would be decided upon. May Be Sunk Again. The testing of the accessibility to divers of the lifting hooks or “pad eyes” was completed when the S-4 was brought up, although it may be sunk ;gn}n for further experiments with this vice. The vessel was deliberately sunk Mon- day morning. After two days of ef- forts by divers the order to blow empty (Continued on Page 2, Column 5.) WHALEN REMOVES POLICE VETERANS Chief Inspector and Head of De- diver last night,"but because of dark- | out & crew at.8:21 o'clock Monday | his It was pointed out to the furthermore, that the proposed of Alexandria was six miles from the Po- i tomac and nine miles from Washing- ton. All aerial experts, Cottrell said, are agreed that the needs of the future is an airport on a water site which would be accessible for seaplanes as well as land craft. From another viewpoint, he said am quite sure, as far as Mr. Wood- house’s offer is concerned, that we would be opj to any money- being spent in ja for a District of Columbia airport. As this is the Fed- eral city, such an airport should by all means be located within the limits of the National Capital. We ‘don't be- lieve the Federal Government would want to have an airport terminal out- side of Washington. “The Board of Trade would like this committee to go very thoroughly into this proposal and determine it solely upon its merits,” he added. “But we feel sure a District municipal airport should be located at Gravelly Poinf not expect to call up the treaty Senate until after the Christmas recess, which ends January 3. A poll of the Senate shows, it was today, that not more than 8 or 10 o, s and wait on the Navy bill. It is expected that Senator Borah will use his judg Representative Underhill of Massa- | shall be chusetts, acting chairman of the com- mittee, expressed the opinion that per- haps the $100,000 expenditure required at the commercial site would offset the disadvantages of distance, especially when a larger area could be acquired for that sum than for' the expenditure of $1,500,000 at the Gravelly Point site. He asked Cottrell what the Board of Trade thought about such a proposi- tion. “Off-hand,” the trade board repre- sentative said, “I would say that ihe establishment of an airport for the Na- tional Capital at $100,000 would be ex- tremely cheap—so cheap that it would be bewildering.” Aviation Chairman Called. Lawrence Williams, chairman of the aviation committee of the Board of Trade was called to give infor- mation, as an aviator, about fog con- ditions and the possible dangers in- volved in an airport so near Washing- ton as Gravelly Point. He testified that fog conditions such as found at Boll- ing Field and Gravelly Point are being rapidly overcome through Gevernment research work and minimized the dan- ger of accident on account of new motor tectives Retired on His First Full Day in Office. By the Associated Press. NEW YORK, December 19.—Grover Whalen’s first full day as police com- missioner was marked by the retire~ ment of two veteran department heads who have held high police posts for many years. The retired officials are Chief In- spector William J. Lahey and John D. Coughlin, chief of the detective division. ‘Whalen was sworn in yesterday to succeed Jox:rh A. Warren, who resign- ! ed after criticism of his department for its' handling of the Arnold Rothstein case. Almost his first official act today was the retirement of Lahey and Coughlin. The latter’s retirement takes effect im- mediately and Lahey's on December 31, although he was removed from active duty today. Whalen appointed Deputy Chief In- spector John O'Brien the Bronx to | succeed Lahey and Inspector Edward ™ eyt Fatrek “Fissiobon, who , W reduced from the rank of lieutenant in chay of the Police Glee Club and as Warren's last official act, was reinstated by Whalen. Radio Programs—Page 44 was | The organization's right to call development. Mr. Woodhouse made it clear to the committee that he has favored Gravel- ly Point as a site for a District air- e | Fourteenth area for which the appropriation of $1,500,000 is sought involves only 216 acres, “That will not be sufficient for large air liners, but it will be sufficient to (Continued on Page 2, Column 4.) left with a free hand to cruiser program or to curtailment in the event ination of armaments can be upon with other maritime powers. Some of the Senators are in favor of reducing the number of the cruisers to be_constructed from 15 to 10. Sen< ator Borah is one of these. The idea :a that lfllmw cr:lun would beh"n;uxv_- ly a replacement program, Wi 3 would be a real increase in the Navy. COLORED WOMAN FINED $10 FOR PAPER THEFT Bond Is Forfeited in Police Court by Another for Same Offense. Jennie Lewis, colored, 1700 block of Thirteenth street, was fined $10 for the theft of newspapers from a rack at and R_streets, by Ju Ralph Given in Police Court t! morning. Police say she dreumuted only two $10 for the same offense. Mrs. Sophie Peirce, Oldest Clubwoman In United States, Expires'at Age of 104 Special Dispatch to The Star. Decembg 19.— . Sophie Kummer Peirce, 104 years old, at Brighton, Md., 12 miles from here, late yesterday. She was reputed to be the oldest clubwoman in the United States. The Mutual Im- provement Association of Sandy Spring, organized in 1856, claimed her as a charter member. Until recently she at- tended every meéting, and the club has never missed a session in its history. itself the oldest woman's club in the United States, was challenged by another some years ago, but the proofs are said to have favored the Sandy Spring body, and no attempt was ever made to dume Mrs. Peirce’s claim to, being the ol club-| ‘woman, ez ¢ hmroe. ‘who ome. 3 Funeral services will be held at ll a.m. tomorrow, at St. Luke’s Brightone e Church,