Evening Star Newspaper, January 17, 1929, Page 1

WEA (U. S. Weather Cloudy and warmer, THER. Burean Forecast) probably oc- casioual rain tonight and- tomorrow; lowest temperature tonight about 40 degrees. Temperature—Highest, 37, at 3:30 p.m. yesterday, lowest, 33, at 5 am. today. Full report on page 16. Closing N. Y. Markets, Pages 14 and 15 Entered as seco: post office, Wa: No. 30,942. nd class matter shington, D. C. he WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION “From Press to Home Within the Hour” The Star’s carrier system covers every city block and the regular edi- tion is delivered to Washington homes as fast as the papers are printed. Yesterday’s Circulation, 109,200 WASHINGTON, D. C, THURSDAY, JANUARY 17, 1929 —FIFTY (#) Means Associated Press. TWO CENTS. FULLU.S. APPROVAL IS GIVEN TO PACT AS COOLIDGE SIGNS)| Entire Cabinet and Large Group From Senate Present at Ceremonies. USES PEN HAVRE, FRANCE, PRESENTED TO KELLOGG Author of Treaty Also Affixes Sig- nature—Blaine, Who Voted Against It, Is Absent. ‘With ceremony appropriate to what he considers one of the principal| achievements of his administration, President Coolidge today affixed his sig- | nature to the instrument of ratification | of the Keliogg anti-war treaty, pro-| claiming to the world that the Unhed‘ States had approved it in full. | The entire cabinet and a large rep- resentation from the Senate were pres- | ent as Mr. Coolidge signed the docu- | ment. He used the gold pen which was | presented to Secretary Kellogg by the | City of Havre, France, when the Sec- retary went abroad last Summer to sign the treaty at Paris. Two copies of the instrument received the President's signature, and then each was signed by Secretary Kellogg, who sat beside the President at the historic old desk which served as a| cabinet table from the time of Presi- dent John Adams to the administration of re Roosevelt. Pomp and Splendor Absent. ‘There was an absence of pomp and splendor. The only uniforms in evidence were those worn by the President's military and naval aides. The big east room, which has been the scene of many notable gatherings in the past, was brilliantly lighted for the occasion. Photographs and motion pictures re- oorded the historic event. There were no floral decorations. An oil painting of the Hall of the Clocks of the ministry of foreign affairs in Paris, where the treaty was ed by the 15 signatory nations I August, had been hung on the wall-of the room for this special occasion; later to be hung in another part of the White House. No representatives of the foreign gov- ernments were present. Mrs. Coolidge ‘was an onlooker during the ceremony. She stood in the doorway, some little distance away from the signing, wi , the wife of the Secretary the newspaper correspondents, fringed the semi-circle of Senators and State Department officials, formed im- mediately behind the President. Entire Senate Body Invited. ‘The Vice President and the entire Senate body had been invited, as well as the cabinet and the Undersecreta: and the Assistant Secretaries of State. Every member of the cabinet was pres- ent and occupied seats in a line on either side of the President, the Secretary of State sitting to the Presi- dent’s immediate left and Vice Presi- dent Dawes on the immediate right. The 28 Senators present included Borah and Swanson, the principal champions of the pact during the fight for ratification in the Senate, and Moses and Bingham, who were active in obtaining an interpretation of the treaty in advance of its ratification. Senator Blaine of Wisconsin, the only Senator to vote against the treaty, was absent. The other Senators present were Vice President-elect Curtis, Oddie, Edge, Fess, Ransdall, Overman, Sackett, Sheppard, Shortridge, Schall, Walsh, Smoot, Greene, McMaster, Gould, Jones, Robinson, Phipps, Gillett, Hale, Stevens, Deneen, Fletcher, Steiwer and Smith. Those who had gathered to witness the signing were on hand in advance of the arrival of the President. The latter entered the room accompanied by his cabinet and Everett Sanders, his secretary, with Tiny Tim, the red chow dog, bringing up the rear. This presi- dential pet did not remain long in the rear, however. He worked his way through the crowd to the President’s side. but the crowd soon drove him out and he trotted over and took a position beside Mrs. Coolidge in the doorway. Receives Pen From Kellogg. There were no formalities preceding | the signing. The President entered upon this business immediately upon taking his seat. Prom Secretary Kel- logg he received the pen to be used in affixing the signatures. Mr. Kellogg said after the ceremony, which added to the historic value of this pen, that it was his intention to treasure it with other mementos of his public life. The signing required three signatures on the part of the President and Sec- retary Kellogg. The first signature was President Coolidge and Secretary signatures to the pact to outlaw war at the pact. left stands Senator Borah, who led the fight in the Senmate for ratification of { of State Kellogg as they affixed thriri the White House this morning. At the ~-Associated Press Photo. HOOVER T0 LEAVE | CAPITAL MONDAY Will Take Part in Welcoming | Celebration at Miami Tuesday. BY G. GOULD LINCOLN. President-elect Herbert Hoover pians| to leave Washington Monday morning at 10:30 o'clock for Florida. He will reach Miami at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday in time to take part in a welcoming cele- bration, which will' be a State-wide demonstration. Mr. Hoover is expected to return to ‘Washington about two weeks before March 4, to continue the conferences he has been holding with Republican party leaders and with members of Congress during his present two-week stay in the Capital. If there remains at that th | time any final determination to be made with regard to cabinet appointments, he will be in the Capital to make them. Announcement of the cabinet selections are not expected until after his return to Washingron. Will be Penny’s Guest. Other Presidents-elect have sought rest and a vacation period in the South in the interim between their election and inauguration, but Mr. Hoover is the first President-elect of the Republican party who has had the opportunity of going to Republican territory in the South. Florida was one of the four States of the South which have been traditionally Democratic that went for Mr. Hoover in the presidential election. Mr. Hoover will be the guest of J. C. Penny during his stay in Florida, at the Penny estate on Belle Isle. He will be accompanied by Mrs. Hoover and his personal staff, representatives of the press and news photographers. He will spend the first part of his Florida trip fishing, his favorite sport. During part of his stay in Florida, Mr. Hoover is expected to prepare his inaugural addresses, which, according to time honored custom, he will deliver when he takes the oath of office on the East front of the Capitol. This address will deal with his policies of government. Mr. Hoover eliminated today his usual list of engagements with members of Congress and others seeking interviews with hinrin order to catch up with his correspondence and other work de- manding his attention. Secretary Jar- dine of the Department of Agriculture was his guest at breakfast this morning. Senator Shortridge of California, a neighbor of Mr. Hoover at home and long a close friend, called upon the President-elect today and strongly urged that Mr. Hoover call the proposed spe- cial session of Congress April 1 instead of waiting until April 15, the date ! generally accepted as the opening of the special session to deal relief and tariff revision. Senator Shortridge sa (Continued on Page 4, Colum with farm i 1) MINISTER CHARGES ACTRESS JILTED HIM Clergyman Sues Betty Randolph for Breach of upon’ the original of the document of | ratification, the second was upon an | official copy and the third was upon, the warrant for the use of the great seal of the United States. Now that the United States has for- | mally ratified this treaty, the 14 other | signatories will be notified and will| duly sign. | The 44 nations which have signified Promise. By the Associated Press. NEW YORK, January 17.—Miss Betty Randolph, former actress and thrice divorced, has been served with a summons in a breach of promise suit adherence to this pact, but which are | filed by Rev. Bartholomew J. Chu- not signatories, will formally deposit articles of adherence with the proper officers of all the nations involved. Al- ready Russia, Austria, Ethiopia and Af- ghanistan and the Dominican Republic, have deposited articles of adherence. The actual signing today on the part of the President and Mr. Kellogg would not have required more than a few minutes, but the ceremony was pro- longed for nearly 15 minutes in order that nearly half a hundred of motion picture and news photographers could make “close-ups.” After the signing the President arose and, before leaving the table, shook hands with Vice President Dawes and Mr. Kellogg and Senators Borah, Curtis, Robinson, Swanson, Walsh and Oddie. CHICAGO FIREMEN HURT. Incendiarism Is Seen in Downtown Blaze. CHICAGO, January 17 (#).—Three firemen were injured and $150,000 dam- age caused by two fires here today in the downtown district. Fire officials said they found evidences of incendiarism at the Pancoe Build- Annex, where the firemen were injured. Thousands of pounds of pe- per smoidered in a six-story building *I\MIM $50,000 damages., dacek of Philadelphia. The engagement of Miss Randolph, reputedly wealthy, to the minister was announced last June. Three dates were | Removal of Brain Abscess set for the marriage but it failed to materialize. Cerebral Operation| Expected to Change “Bad Boy’s” Ethics| May Bring Mental Metamorphosis. By Consolidated Press. CLEVELAND, Ohio, January 17.— The “bad boy” who stole more than 50 letters from the post office lock box of the Ohio Cities Telephone Co., at New Philadelphia, Ohio, has become one of America’s most interesting medical mysteries. An operation to remove a three- ounce abscess from the brain of the boy, Arthur Emery, 15, has been a suc- cess, physicians say, and will not only save his life but cure his complex for crime and endow him with a complete new personality. As to what that per- sonality will be, none of them will hazard a guess. Arthur, propped up in s little white (Continued on Page 4, Column 2.) COOLIDGE 0.K'S BUDGET PROJECTS Supplemental Estimates of $1,674,000 Are Included in Measure Given House. Supplemental estimates for District projects amounting to $1,674,000 were submitted to the House today by Presi- dent Coolidge, transmitting Budget Bu- reau recommendations. These will be included in the District appropriation bill, which is expected to be reported to the House next Monday. Chairman Simmons of the subcom- mittee drafting this appropriation bill said today that all of these supple- mental items will be paid out of 1930 revenues, and that there still will be left approximately $1,000,000 to take care of deficiencies and other emer- gencies that may result from subsequent legislation. Inclusion of this additional budget has resulted through the initiative of the subcommittee on District appro- priations, which, during the hearings, developed the fact that appropriations were not being made to the full amount of District revenues, and then started an investigation to find out what a ditional District. projects could be un. dertaken with this surplus. Conferences with the Budget Bureau have resulted in submission of the list sent to Congress today. In the course of this investigation it was brought .out that the District Commissioners, in submitting their es- timates to the Budget Bureau, had presented a supplemental list, which | was rejected by the Budget Bureau be- | <'use it provided for more jobs, sal- a.des and general maintenance ex- penses. The Budget Bureau intimated that if the District Commissioners would submit a supplemental list of new projects for Capital developments that they probably would receive fa- vorable consideration. $35,000 for Library. The list includes the following items: For the Free Public Library, $35,000 for a branch library in the northeastern section of the city as the most urgently needed item in the library's extension program. This branch library, whea completed, will serve almost 100,000 ~(Continued on Page 5, Column 1.) By the Associated Press. Senator Charles Curtis of Kansas has leased the vice presidential suite at the Mayflower Hotel as his home after his inauguration as Vice President on March 4. ‘The suite, consisting of 10 rooms fac- ing on Connecticut avenue, is the larg- est in this fashionable downtown hotel, and has been completely refinished and redecorated for the incoming Vice Pres- ident. The Senator's sister, Mrs. Edward E. Gann, and her husband will make their home with the Vice President, and Mrs. Gann will be hostess at all social func- tions given by Mr. Curtis, who is a widower. In the suite, which is on the tenth floor of the hotel and quite apart from the main building, are three bedrooms, Curtis Leases Vice Presidential Suite At Mayflower for Home After March 4 a large dining room and a kitchen and connecting pantries. In addition there is a large library connecting, which will be the Vice President’s private office, where he may conduct business outside of regular office hours. There also will be a private telephone switchboard with direct lines to the Capitol and the White House. ‘While the apartment is furnished by the hotel company, the Senator and Mr. and Mrs. Gann already have start- | ed transferring to it a number of per- sonal belongings from the Cleveland Park home of the Ganns, where the Senator has lived for years, and which g fiz be closed while he is Vice Presi- en '» macsive living roam, several parlors, 1 Radio Programs—Page 38 { ful short trips yesterday and was in the (hour and 20 minutes over unknown | propeller. BYRD IN AIRPLANE VIEWS BROAD AREA INT-HOUR FLIGHT Explores 1,200 Square Miles in Antarctic Southwest of Base. AVIATORS ARE HAPPY AT SUCCESSFUL TRIPS Craft, Functioning Perfectly, Is in| Air Three and One-Half Hours on Seven Hops. BY RUSSELL OWEN. By Wireless to The Star and New York Times. BAY OF WHALES, Antarctica, Janu- ary 17.—There are a lot of happy aviators down here today, thousands of miles from home and on the edge of a continent where an airplane has never | before flown. ! ‘The Stars and Stripes, Comdr. Byrd’s first plane ashore, made seven success- air nearly 312 hours. What that means to men who have spent years in the cockpit of a plane and have not flown in nearly four months can only be imagined. Comdr. Byrd made his flight of an country to the west and south and ex- plored a deep inlet in the barrier which was hitherto unknown. Altogether he explored 1,200 square miles of territory, which would have taken weeks by the old methods. . The plane functioned perfectly, the ski and landing gear stood up under rough treatment, and last night the plane was safely and snugly put away at the base on the barrier where there | is no danger of its being carried out by the ice. Flights to Continue. It was a day of achievement, of care- lfull{ planned work carried out fault- essly. “Boy,” said Capt. Alton Parker when he came down from the first test, “I feel the way I did when I made my first solo. I could look down there and see the snow dropping away and it sure felt good.” The day was the more nearly perfect because it came after a night of worry. The plane was no sooner ready for flight Tuesday night than a heavy snowstorm came up and ended ail thoughts of activity for the moment. There are more and more indications every day that the bay ice is about to go out, and if it had broken up before the plane was moved, there might have been all sorts of trouble. ‘The visibility became poor, the high cliffs of the barrier faded away and the plane and the ship were left in a small circle of dim half light. Fortunately there was no wind, otherwise anything might have happened. It mignt have been possible for a piolt to take off and landed some- where on the barrier if the ice broke, yet it would have been a desperate venture; and men watched the sky silently and with apprehension for hours. But yesterday morning the snow clouds pussed; the sun shone with a clear brilliancy only attained in this pure air until every white clifflike out- line of the bay stood out sharply. It ;ma.u a perfect day, a day made for fly- | ng. Balchen Climbs Into the Plane The motor was heated by a torch placed under a fireproofed covering, warm oil was put in the tank and Bernt Balchen climbed into the pilot's seat, while Dean Smith and then Ken- rard Bubler turned over the inertia starter. With everything clear, Bernt snapped on the ignition, and the big motor sparked and settled down to a smcoth and even roar. A smile of satisfaction came over | Balchen’s face. He looked out at the others grouped around in the snow and grinned, and then reached in his hip pocket ‘for a bit of tobacco, from which he took a large and healthy bite. She was hitting on every cylinder and all was well in the world. Balchen nursed the motor for some time until it was weli warmed and could be opened wide, and the plane, with its orange wings and black fusealage, trembled and shook under the thrust of the It was cold out on the ice waiting, the wind bit deeply and the vivid light hurt unprotected eyes, but nobody thought of the cold. Icicles on the Ailerons. When all was ready, Balchen turned the controls over to Parker, who had been as eager as a kid to get the ship into the air. { A few icicles had gathered on the | wide slot of the freis-balanced ailerons a suggestion of what may menace fly- ing in this country of ice. As Parker wagged the control, they broke off and tinkled down the hard-packed surface. He opened up the motor wide and shook the tail to help free the skis, which were frozen to the surface, where they had rested so long. A few blows with a sledge by a mechanic and they broke loose almost immediately. | A mechanic had the honor of shar- ing the first Antarctic fight with Park- er, for Conidr. Byrd, always thoughtful of his men, had decided that the me- chanics, who work the hardest and get " (Continued on Page 4, Column 4.) A Gun by Any Other Name Would Kill ’Em Just As Dead By the Associated Press. Chicago bootleggers do not use machine guns in their feuds, but a weapon combining the machine gun and automatic pistol, requir- ing a 45-caliber bullet. This testimony was given the House ways and means committee yesterday by S. M. Stone of Hart- ford, Conn., who presented on behalf of small arms manufac- turers of Massachusetts and Con- necticut a plea for an increase in the tariff on low-priced pistols and revolvers to $2 each and 60 per cent ad valorem. The present duty is $1.25 and 55 per cent. = T 'PELLAGRA CONQUEROR DIES, VICTIM OF STRANGE DISEASE1 Dr. Joseph Goldberger’s Ashes Will Be Thrown to Winds. Researches Called Greatest Aid to Medicine in Past 25 Years. Dr. Joseph Goldberger, Public Health Service surgeon, whose researches are believed by his associates to have con- stituted the most important contribu- tions to medicine in the United States in the past 25 years, died at the Naval Hospital this morning, a martyr to the cause of human welfare. At his own request, the body of the conqueror of pellagra will be cremated " (Continued on Page 2, Column 5.) i 1 | | | | | | | | | i . 1 | | i DR. JOSEPH GOLDBERGER. ROCKEFELLER OIL VTORY 5 SEEN Magnate Believed to Have Proposed Prohibition Law Third of Proxies Now. Trading Negligible. Special Dispatch to The Star. NEW YORK, January 17.—John D. Rockefeller, jr., has won the fight for control of the Standard Oil Co. of In- diana from its administration, accord- ing to one of New York’s outstanding petroleum authorities, who is close to the affairs of the industry. “At. present, it is understood, Mr.|dicated today by Democratic leaders. feller is assured of proxies for from 35 to 40 per cent of the outstand- ing 9,231,540 shares of $25 par value stock, held by estates, trust funds and panks which were part of the old Stand- ard Oil group, as well as by foundations. It was asserted yesterday as quite likely that Mr. Rockefeller would an- nounce that he had more than 51 per cent of the voting proxies some time before the meeting of the company on March 7. As usual, Wall Street yesterday was full of rumors about the Indiana strug- gle. One was that Mr. Rockefeller had cabled from Naples orders to buy Stand- ard of Indiana “at the market.” This was denied by Rockefeller interests, who had nothing further to say. The Rockefeller buying report was set forth as explaining the run-up of Standard Oil of Indiana on the Curb, but as any stock acquired in the open market can have little or no effect on the outcome of March 7, it became ap- arent that professional traders and vestors were doing the bidding. In the Rockefeller-Stewart fight, many holders who do not own as much as 1 per cent of the company’s stock are prepared to throw their strength Continued on Page 5, Column 2) REBEL WATER BOY GETS AFGHAN THRONE Ruler of Few Days Surrenders in Kabul to Superior Force of “Bacha Sakao.” By the Associated Press. KABUL, Afghanistan, January 17. King Inayatullah, in whose favor Ama- nullah abdicted a few days ago, sur- rendered at 10 o'clock this morning the Kabul Citadel to a superior force of the rebel “Bacha Sakao,” who was proclaimed Habibullah Khan and thus became Afghanistan’s third monarch this week. LONDON, January 17 (#).—The per- sonality and history of Habibullah Kahn, known as Bacha Sakao, leader of the Afghan rebels, who has assumed su- preme power in Afghanistan, are little known to the outside world, but the meager facts that are known indicate that he is no ordinary man. Habibullah does not appear to have started the recent troubles in the coun- try, but jumped in after the Shinwari tribes In Southern Afghanistan revolt- ed. Amanullah succeeded in placating the Southerners, but other malcontents, opposing the King's western reforms, rallied around Habibullah, known as Stone made the reference to Chicago gangsters to correct, he said, reports that they used real machine guns. The higher tariff on lower-priced pistols, he argued, would keep out “cheap and dan- gerous” importations from Spain. Bacha Sakao, or the “water boy.” He led his motley army of sharpshooters and bushwhackers to the gates of Ka- bul and by strategy and sheer audacity finally forced Amanullah to gather to- gether his array of gorgeous western uniforms and beat a retreat to Kanda- MARYLAN: DEFEAT OF DRYS FORESEEN Has Small Chance at Present Session. By a Staff Cocrespondent of The Star. ANNAPOLIS, Md.. January 17— That there is little hope of the pas- sage by the Maryland General Assembly at this session of the so-called State- wide prohibition law, fostered by the Maryland Anti-Saloon League, was in- ‘They point out that the measure as in- troduced is nothing more than an en- forcement law for Baltimore City and for the few counties which do not now have local option. They say they will oppose such a measure until it is in- troduced by the delegations from Balti- more City and the counties which do not have such a law. While the Democrats believe that they will have sufficient votes to kill the measure in the House, they never- | theless are quite confident that such a measure will have the support of the Senate. At any rate, it is certain that Gov. Ritchle will veto the bill, if en- acted. Although here may be enough votes to pass the bill the first time in the House, it is believed that party lines will prevent the mobilization of votes sufficient to override the veto. The governor is opposed to the Anti-Saloon ‘measure. Majority Statement Issued. Speaker Lee today issued a state- | ment on the measure, which is to be taken as the stand of the majority, and it was only issued after long con- ferences with majority legislators and State officials. “The enforcement law offered the Legislature by George W. Crabbe, su- perintendent of the Maryland Anti- Saloon League,” sald Speaker Lee, “is in effect not a State enforcement law | at all, but merely an enforcement law for Baltimore City and the counties ‘1“1“ do not have local enforcement aws. “Twenty of the 23 counties of Maryland have enforcement laws ac- ceptable to their people and which have (Continued on Page 2, Column 7.) 'liam Green, president of the American !law to the Government. Cabinet mem- RETIREMENT BILL SUPPORT SOUGHT President Receives Labor, Leaders Backing Dale- Lehlbach Measure. A delegation of labor leaders in the Federal service after talking to Presi- dent Coolidge at the White House today | regarding the merits of the Dale-Lehl- bach bill proposing a further liberaliza- tion of the civil service retirement law, went away feeling that the President may be expected to withdraw his present opposition to this legislation. Accompanying the delegation was Wil- IWCARL USURPED RIGHTS OF BOARD, LEHLBACH CHARGES Chairman of House Commit- tee Defends His Salary Measure. CIVIL SERVICE GROUP RESUMES ITS HEARINGS No Bill Under Consideration Would Broaden Classification Body's Powers, Sponsor Says. Defending his bill to correct alleged | inequalities in the salaries of Govern- ment employes under the Welch act, Chairman Lehlbach of the House civil service committee today charged that Controller General McCarl had usurped the rights, dutles and functions invested in the Personnel Classification Board when the committee resumed its hear- ings. With growing sentiment in favor of the Brookhart-Celler bill because of the impression that his own measure would |broaden the powers of the Personnel Classification Board, Mr. Lehlbach de- clared that neither his bill nor any of the other legislation under consider- ation is intended to increase the board's authority. “My bill is designed to restore to the board the rights, duties and functions vested in it in 1923 and unlawfully usurped by the controller general,” said Mr. Lehlbach. “Neither my bill nor any other bill contemplates in the powers of the board. When the controller general says the board can i lunction in allocating positions he is simply nullifying existing law.” When a suggestion was made that possibly the Attorney General could correct the controller general's decision on the Welch act, Mr. Lehlbach replied: “It has been the experience of Con- | gress that when it becomes ne to curb unreasonable decisions of the controller general it must be done by legisuation. You can't get him to pay attention to anything else.” Workers' Group Appears. A large group of representatives of Federal workers appeared before the commitfee today to present their views on the several bills under consideration. Those heard up to luncheon recess were: William R. Vallance and Edwin A. Niess, both of the Federal Bar As- sociation, composed of lawyers in the Federation of Labor, who acted as spokesman for the group and who later said that the conference with the Presi- dent was highly satisfactory, and who plain, however, that the President, while indicating that he might modify his ol views when the time comes, not commit himself. Additional Cost Discussed. Besides Mr. Green, those of the dele- gation were Robert Alcorn of the joint | conference on retirement, Thomas F. Flaherty, secretary to the National Federation of Post Office Clerks; Ed- ward Gainor of the Letter Carriers’ Association, W. M. Collins of the Rail- way Mail Clerks’ Association, M. T. Finnan, secretary of the National As- sociation of Letter Carriers; M. P. Alifaf of the International Machinists Union, P. S. Walker, secretary of Co- lumbia, 101, Typographical Union, and George J Simmons, secretary of the Pressmen’s Union. The President was represented as in- dicating that he had been told by Gov- ernment actuaries that the cost of this proposed liberalized Civil Service Te- | tirement legislation would exceed $10.- 000,000. He was advised by these callers that they have reason to know that the cost would be considerably less than that amount. The following com- munication from the Joint Conference on Retirement was left with the Pres- ident: “Representing the joint conference on retirement, we respectively invite your attention to the pending Ilegislation known as the Dale-Lehlbach bill, which has for its purpose certain improve- ments in the existing civil service re- tirement law. Would Increase Annuities. “This legislation in substance pro- vides for an increase in annuities whereby the present average annuity will be raised from $733.90 to approxi- mately $800, and the maximum annuity from $1,000 to $2,000. It also permits employes who have rendered 30 years of service to retire at their option two years prior to the present retirement es. ““It is estimated that normal retire- ment costs amount now to 3.98 per cent of the Gavernment pay roll. of which amount the employes pay 3.50 per cent. The present amendment will increase the Government's cost seven-tenths of 1 per cent of the pay roll, according to the report made to the House of Repre- sentatives from the committee on civil | service May 10 last. “There is no dissent from any official source as to the value of the retirement bers, the Civil Service Commission and other Government agencies and officials have secretly testified to its beneficial operations in their reports to Congress. It is generally conceded that the mary purpose of the law in relies ing the Government service of supe: annuated employes will be more com- pletely fulfilled by increasing the an-| nuities as is now proposed.” | HERBERT trip SOUTH AMERICA HOOVER'’S to Government services; J. Ernest Down- ing of the Veterans' Bureau, Warren of the Solicitor 's gflee of the lnmtu'hr and s, orrell, presi- m ;( e League of m“' Civil Vallance told the committee that ployes in grades 1, 2 and 3 who get but ome step up under the act should be advanced another and pointed out that increases grani by this legislation already had had the effect of reducing the turnover in the professional groups in the o ment departments, although their sal- aries now are not as high as those of professional men outside the Govern- ment service. The section of the Lehlbach bill em- powering the Personal Classification Board to make allocations was opposed by Niess, who declared that some of the employes in the Government de- partments feel that they have not been Jjustly treated by the board. Niess also indorsed the Brookhart-Celler bill, as will as the Fish bill, which would make {$1.200 the minimum annual salary of all classified Government workers. Downing spoke in opposition to the Lehlbach bill and in favor of legislation which would give two step-ups in the various grades, while Warren urged islation which would give “equality of benefit” to all steps and advocated the transfer of the duties of the Personnel Classification Board to the Civil Service Commission. In reply to a question he expressed the belief that the majority of Federal workers would approve such a change. In the midst of Warren's testimony Representative Dallinger. Republican, of Massachusetts. declared that it was the intention of the committee in the Welch act to give every Government worker a living wage, but that the ap- parently had gone to the higher-paid A s th gress.” sald b it le fault of Cony " Representative Bachmann, Republican, of West Virginia. Mrs. Worrell opened her testimony with an attack on the present efficiency rating system in the Government de- partments, declaring it should be abolished and the old system restored. ‘The present rating system, she declared, is “merely a smoke screen.” She in- dorsed the provisions of both the Brookhart-Celler and the Cerrovich bills. The latter would give substantial increases to the employes allocated in the lower grades, which, she said, are greatly in need of a living wage. Dis- content is rife among the lower peid warkers, she said, because of the nig- gardly salaries. The committee resumed its hearing at two o'clock, following a luncheon recess. Those to be heard this after- noon are Loren H. Witner, chairman of the departmental classification pro- test committee, Edwin Evans, repre- senting “the Government and the public at large,” and Mrs. May Hen- naghan of the National State’s Rights Associatic F. Bowerman, librarian lon. Dr. George at the Public Library, who was repre- sented at the hearing yesterday as hav- ing obtained a $4,000 increase through « NAVAL OFFICER, HERO AT NANKING MARRIES By the Associated Press. OMAHA, Nebr, January 17.—The The Complete Story Told in an interesting fashion by Rex Collier The Star's special representative on the now historic diplomatic mission, starts in the next issue of The Sunday Star And will be continued in The Evening Star Begin it with the first installment. You will follow it to its conclusion. secret marriage of Lieut. Comdr. Benja- min F. Staud, who as gunnery officer aboard the American destroyer Noa dur- ing the siege of Nanking by Chinese Nationalists two years ago became known as “Let 'er go Benny” of the Navy, was revealed 3 Lieut. Comdr. Staud and his bride, the former Miss Janet Powell, daughter of the late Clarke G. Powell of Omaha, were married at Council Bluffs, Iowa, late yesterday. friends said. The position held by the naval officer in the Nanking siege has been compared to that of Capt. Gridley of Admiral