Evening Star Newspaper, January 30, 1929, Page 17

The Zoening Sfap [ soor | WASHINGTON, D @, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30, 1929. % UTILITIES DEPOSIT ' PRAGTICE UPHELD - INFORMAL ORDER Certain Rules to Be Followed by Corporations Set Up by Commission. ACTED ON COMPLAINT OF CONSUMERS’ GUILD Fleharty Discloses He Declined to Represent Group, Holding Custom to Be 0. K. The Public Utilities Commission in # formal order handed down today de- cided that the practice of public utility companies in the District of requiring deposits of certain consumers before service is connected is reasonable and in accord with public interest. At the same time the commission set up cer- tain rules to be followed by the cor- porations in requiring these deposits. “The rules become effective February 1. ‘The order follows a public hearing theld on December 19 by the commis- | «ion at the instance of the Washington | Consumers’ Guild, whose director, E. C. Riegal, declared that the practice was illegal and had never been sanctioned by the commission. The commission admitted at the time: that it had never issued any orders authorizing the practice. The orders issued today, therefore, are the first on the subject. although the practice has been in ex- istence for years. Riegal yesterday asked for a writ of mandamus to compel a ruling. Recites Authorities. After reciting authorities from cases In court and before the Interstate Com- merce Commission, the preamble in the order goes on to say: “Losses due to uncollectable bills are treated as a deduction in determining the amount available {o pay a return on | the value of the property of the util- ities; consequently, those who pay their bills in effect, also pay the bills of those ‘who fail to pay. 1t is, therefore, in the public interest that losses on bad ac- counts by utilities be held to a mini- mum. Guarantee against any such losses is only provided by full prepayment, but | in the case of metered or measured service such prepayment is difficult to carry into effect and would be more of an inconvenience than the payment of a deposit as a condition to giving service. “The action of the Potomac Electric Power Co. and the Washington Gas Light Co. in disconnecting service fur- nished to E. C. Riegal upon his refusal to answer questions designed to es- tablish his credit or to pay a deposit, and the action of the Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Co. in refusing to | give service to the Consumers Guild because that organizatipn refused io answer any question or pay a deposit, ‘was not unreasonable. “The commission, is of the opinion, | | WAR VETERAN.FATHER OF THREE, WOULD SELL SERVICES FOR YEAR Baltimore Man, Jobless 10 Months, Wants to Pay Off Obligations. Asks Advance of $250 to $500 to Enable Him to Care for Family. A proposal savoring of feudal times was made today by Murray S. Hinton, | 33-year-old World War veteran and college graduate, who offers to sell him- self for one year to any person willing | to advance from $250 to $500 that he | may settle urgent obligations. | Hinton's home is at 618 North | Streeper street, Baltimore. He has a | wife and thre¢ small daughters living there | He is a graduate of the University of Maryland's School of Pharmacy in Bal- | timore. Later he took a post-graduate | course in chemistry at the same school, and alsq is a graduate male nurse. Enlisting at MURRAY S. HINTON. for by men connected with the Veter- | ans’ Burcaugwho have known him for the outbraak of the | many years, He says that each of his INAUGURAL TICKET ~ ALLEN DEFENDED RUSH IS HEADED BY WOMEN CF NATION Lead Men Four to One in Re- quests for Reserved Seats. ENTERTAINMENT PLANS AWAIT COMMITTEES Best of Offerings Sought for Thea-| ters During Week of Ceremony. A heavy demand for reservations in the choice sections of the stands in World War, he served overseas for its duration. Hinton received an honorable discharge from the service, but his nervous system was so bagdly upset by his war experiences that he experienced great_difficulty in adjusting himself to civil life. Jobless for 10 Months. He underwent treatment in a Govern- ment hospital after returning to this country, and was subsequently given a | Government position at Battle Creek, | Mich., where he worked for a year. Resigning, he returned to Baltimore and secured employment there. His last position was at a pharmacy, he say where he worked as assistant druggist until a relative of the owner complcted a training course in pharmacy and suc- ceeded to his position. . Since that time, 10 months ago, he | former employers is willing to give him a good recommendation. He came to Washington and com- municated with officials of St. Eliza- | beth’s Hospital. He was told there had | been a position open, but that it had ill with jnfiuenza. If the other man should be unable to take over the work, it has been promised to Hinton. Shies at Charity. | His friends at the Veterans' Bureau | nave offered help in any way possible, but, he said, this would be snothing more than charity and he much pre- | been promised to another man, who is | | the vieinity of the presidentiai revie | | ng stand at the White House is report- | ticket subcommittee today. | | over the country, with a goodly sprin- | Kling from the Southwest and Far West, | |are being handled as quickly as they | | come in, it was reported. Contracts for |the erection of the stands have not {been let, and only the flat plans have {been drawn, but the ticket committee | is making reservations with the general |plans of the stands committee heing | {taken into consideration. The ticket | committee reports that so far the re- | | quests have largely come from women, | fers to work. He will sell his services for one year to any one willing to advance all or part of the_amount he needs to pay his debts. During the period of his has been unable to find work, except for | voluntary scrfdom, he will do any infrequent odd jobs. His living expenses | honorable werk that his employer sees proved greater than the amount of his | fit to ask of him. As evidence of good Government compensation, and he_has | faith, he said, he is willing to sign any been unable to avoid contracting debts | contract necessary to insure his em- amounting to about $500. ployer of the benefit of his services for with the ratio now running about four requests from women to each of the ‘equests from men. Plans for the stands between Thir- teenth street and the Capitol have not been completed. The original idea for His character and ability are vouched the stipulated period. PARKWAY TENANTS LOSE COURT FIGHT Appeals Denied in Effort to Retain Apartments in De- funct Enterprise. Tenants who purchased residences in the Parkway Apartments, Connecticut avenue and Macomb street, which failed last Spring as a co-operative ownership project and subsequently was sold at auction, finally lost the legal battle session of their apartment homes, it was learned today. ‘The District Court of Appeals has de- nied petitions to allow writs of error on a decision in Municipal Court by Judge waged for seven months to retain pos- | | | DAVIS JOINS FIGHT ON ABATTOIR SITE |Secretary of War Declares | Arlington Location Is Too Near Cemetery. Taking the position that the pro- ‘pased location of an abattoir in Ar- lington County by the N. Auth Provision Co. is too near the Tomb of the Un- |known Soldier and the final resting place of other American heroes, Secre- |tary of War Davis today joined the letter to the board of supervisors of Arlington County. The location of the abattoir on Co- however, that the rules of the Wash- | George C. Aukam, who ruled in favor of | Jumbia pike, near Relee Station, is so ington Gas Light Co., the Georgetown |the present owner of the property, |close to the cemetery, Secretary Davis Gas Light Co. and the Potomac Elec- tric Power Co. in force should provide Azreal Furr. Ouster proceedings against a number of tenaits of the building some measure of the deposit to be re- | were filed in November by Mr. Furr, quired. It appears from the evidence | who claimed they had failed to carry that the practice of thes¢ companies is { out a contract signed last July agreeing to require a deposit estimated to be | to vacate the apartments at the expira- equivalent to two months’ bills for the tion of four months, for which the reason that a_consumer will have had | owner waived rem®. that length of service before the com- Gerald M. Johnson, who applied for pany can disconnect his meter. It is | writs of error in the case of nine tenants therefore ordered. Stlu{hlzl :’:ei:&l‘fldhxlgihwaanl{:rnx\e: !odali . ‘| o cision of the Court of Appeal Amended Rules Ordered. declining to review the cases, which “That the Washington Gas Light C0.,| leaves the tenants subject to eviction. the Georgetown Gas Light Co. and the | He stated this morning, however, that Potomac Electric Power Co., file with | this commission amended rules, which will contain provisions designed to put | into effect the following principles: “*Applicants for -service shall be Te- | quired to make a deposit unless Lhey} while the tenants now face eviction, he | planned to take action to recover sums |, lost by purchasers of apartments in the | transaction, which recently was investi- | gated by membgrs of the Gibson sub- p committee of the House. | | he Cemetery? pointed out, that persons attending ceremonies there might be pffended by the odors emanating from'a slaughter house. | 'He also brought out the fact that ;lhv proposed location is in a district which officials have planned to convert into one of the Capital’s beauty spots after completion of the ”Memorial Bridge and the Mount Vernon Me- morial Highway. Explaining that his attention has been called to a report of the filing ‘of the application, the Secretary, in his | letter, says: “Assuming that such an application as been filed, may I not suggest to you inappropriateness of locating’ a usiness of this nature in such close | roximity to the Arlington National As you are doubtless aware, protest against such a location in a| establish their credit to the satisfaction | Mr. Furr was represented in the cases of the company. The amount of the|py Roger J. Whiteford and Karl Kindle- deposit required shall not exceed the|perger. Mr. Furr purchased the prop- ceremonies at the Tomb of the Un- | known Soldier frequently cause an as- semblage of distinguished personages, concessions was for erection of the stands and the sale of tickets, both mittee, be let to private contractors. Members-of the entertainment com- mittee under the chairmanship of E. C. Graham will meet Monday noon at 2 o'clock in the committee’s | headquarters in the Second National | Bank Building with managers of local theaters and dramatic critics of news- papers to map out plans for having th best possible entertainment bills in the theaters during inaugural week. It was announced today at inaugural 1] all radio broadcasting during the in- augural celebration. He is on a vaca- connection ' with the cele- bration. inaugural gural committee will be held tomorrow lard, when reports of the progress of | this time also will hear suggestions on the betterment of the inaugural pio- gram. NAVY EXPERIMENTS FOR SUBSEA SAFETY Beuret Tells Committee Experts Hope to Make Submarines as Certain as Surface Craft. By the Assoclated Press. The Navy plans to make its four- score submarines safe. Extensive experiments are being car- | ried on with numerous devices which are expected to result in the avoidance of all accidents other than those which | might happen to ordinary surface vessels. This was told to the House appro- priations committee by Rear Admiral J. D. Beuret, chief of the Bureau of | BY MATTINGLY IN TRIAL BOARD CASE Police Court Judge Commends Officer for Aid Given in His Court. |GIBSON IS SPECTATOR THROUGHOUT HEARING Capt. Stott Testifies Policeman Vio- lated Rules by Not Report- ing Within Day. Police Court Judge Robert E. Mat- tingly today came to the defense of Policeman Robert J. Allen of the third precinct, when he went on trial before [ed from the office of the inaugural | a special police trial board on charges growing out of his testimony in Police Requests for reservations from all | Court in December, which resulted in the dismissal of a case against a deli- catessen store proprietor at Twenty-sec- {ond street and Pennsylvania avenue, e | Out and | of using glasses, testimony showed that | the defendant used papér cups. headquarters in the Willard Hotel that | dye Graham McNamee will have charge of | ¢ | tice was done. who had been charged with violating the District’s sanitary regulations by Gsing unsterilized drinking glasses. Judge Mattingly's support of Allen was in the form of a letter adressed to the Police Trial Board, which was in- troduced as evidence by Bolitha J. Laws, the policeman’s counsel. It paid a high tribute to Allen and declared the offi- cer’s assistance aided the court in reach- ing.a just decision. Commended for Aid. The text of the letter follows: “Respecting charges filed against Offi- cer R. J. Allen on January 11, 1929, would respectfully say I remember try- under supervision of the inaugural com- no''said case, that against one Ersilis Ghilardi, for violation of health regu- lations. ed of my own volition, I | isfied that no case whatever was made issed the same. Instead “There wus no manifestation of un- interest in the case by either Offi- Allen or Jacobs, other than a de- ire to tell the truth and see that jus- I believe every word tion now and will not be on the air|they said and I want to commend both again until he takes up his duties in |Of them for helping me to arrive at a just decision. They only testified when I asked if the defendant had any wit- The weekly meeting of all subcom- | nesses and personally told both officers mittee chairmen of the general inau- | mentioned to take the stand. “I can see nothing offensive or ob- afternoon at 4:30 o'clock at the Wil-| jectionable in their doing so, and in my humble opinion neither of them the ‘various committees will be heard | violated any police regulations, and I and plans for further work of the com- | Would make such statement uder oath mittees will be laid. The committee at | if necessary.” on Is Spectator. ‘The trial continued for more than two hours, when a luncheon recess was ordered. The unusual interest in the | case attracted a large group of specta- { tors, among whom was Representative Gibson of Vermont, chairman of the District subcommittee of the House, who has manifested considerable interest in | the Police Department and its activities. | Mr. Gibson said he attended the trial for the purpose of observing trial board | procedure, although it is known that he | has followed closely Allen's career on | the police force since the officer created a sensation last Fall by accusing some of his brother officers of inflicting corporal punishment on defenseless prisoners. Allen was charged with conduct preju- dicial to the good order, reputation and discipline of the Police Department, the | specifications alleging that he had in- terested himself unduly in the Ghilardi case and failed to make a report on its_disposition within 24 hours, as re- quired by Police Department regula- tions. estimated bill for two months’ ser\’lce‘ except that where such an amount is less than $5 the deposit shall he $5. erty in the Fall from Eugene A. Smith, Inc., which company had acquired the | property from holders of the second Construction and Repair, at hearings on the annual naval supply bill. At the same time, Secretary Wilbur both American and foreign. In addi- tion, fuperal _rites and other cere- ‘The testimony brought out that Allen | and Pvt. Jacobs, also of the third pre- cinct and partners on the same beat, went to the delicatessen store together and served a warrant on the proprietor. “It is further ordered that hereafter | trust on the apartments, who bought when service is discontinued the final | the building at the foreclosure sale. bill rendered by the ufility shall have| No reason was assigned for the re- credited thereon the consumer’'s de-|fusal of the Court of Appeals to allow posit, if any, including interest thereon | writs of error to come before the appel- and if a credit balance is thereby shown | late court. in favor of the consumer the utilities | Sodtioiou MRS. EMMA MILLER RITES. shall transmit with such final bills a | check made payable to the depositor Widow of Adolph Miller, 82, Was Lifelong Capital Resident. for such credit balance. “That order No. 657 dated December 21,1926, is hereby amended so as to Tequire interest to be paid on deposits monies in connection with the honor- ing of other iHustrious dead bring to- gether in Arlington large numbers of persons and organizations. It seems repugnant to every conception of duty to our hero dead that such occasions should be subjected to the risk of being | disturbed by offensive odors emanating | from a nearby slaughter house. | “It may be added that the location | of the proposed abattoir is near the| Military road, connecting the Highway Bridge with Fort Myer; is very close to | proposed extensions of roads and parks told the committee that the fact that the S-4 recently was raised in a com- paratively short time after being pur- posely sunk should not be taken by the public to mean that such a salvage operation could be repeated in an | emergency. Rear Admiral Beuret said that since the collision was the greatest danger to undersea craft because of their oper- ations, running lights and their small reserve of buoyancy, tests were being made toward correcting these defi- The warrant had been sworn to by Philip H. Cake, a Health Department inspector, and alleged that the pro- prietor of the store had violated the Health Department regulations by fail- ing to sterilize drinking glasses. In court Allen and Jacobs both testified that sanitary paper cups and not glasses were used in the establishment and Judge Mattingly dismissed the case. On complaint of the Health Depart- ment, Allen was cited to appear before the trial board for failing to co-operate with another unit of the District gov- Representative Gibson of Vermont, | this morning, and Capt. W. G. Stott of FIGURES IN POLICEMA chairman of the Gibson subcommittee of the flouse, who was a spectator at the trial of Policeman Robert J. Allem the third precinct, complaining witness, —Star Staff Photo. JUSTICEAGENTS | 0 SEEK PALMIST Blanton Last Person to See| Accuser of Burlingame, Collins Declares. | Department of Justice operatives will | be asked to launch a nation-wide search | for Mrs. Helen Blalock, missing palmist | and accuser of Police Capt. Guy E. Burlingame of the second precin United States Attorney William H. | Collins deciared today. | Collins, placed in charge of the in- | vestigation by United States Attorney | Leo A. Rover, said he advised the Gib- | | son committee vesterday that as far as | is known. Representative Blanton of | Texas was the last person who had seen the woman. Blanton, he said, reported | that he had not been advised of where Mrs. Blalock located after she left his | home in Texas. She told him, Blanton | said, she feared to return to Washing- | |ton.” Blanton presented an affdavit | | from her at the hearing yesterday. Probe at Standstill. Without the presence of the originator of the charges against the police cap- | tain, Collins said, his inquiry was at a standstill. 4 Maj. Edwin B. Hesse, superintendent of police, sald today his position with respect to Capt. Burlingame had not changed as a result of the hearing be- fore the Gibson subcommittee of the House District committee yesterday. Maj. Hesse referred to a statement he made shortly after news of the charges against Capt. Burlingame had been printed in the newspapers. At that time he said that he had not made any inquiry of Burlingame cnocerning the charges, and that he expected to make none; that Burlingame had not bee suspended and would not be. He also said the case was in the hands of the District Attorney’s office and that the Police Deparment would ake no steps in the matter unless and until | the District Attorney's office reported | | that the charges appeared well founded. | Blanton Denies Interview. “The situation is the same today,” Maj. Hesse said. | nautic A | lations of the National Aeronautic Asso- at not less than 5 per cent from the date the deposit is made until the date the service is discontinued.” People’s Counsel Ralph B. Fleharty told gchairman Capper of the Senate District committee today that he de- clined last month to represent the Guild in its plea to the Utilities Com- mission to abolish the system of de- posits, because he thought it contrary to the interest of consumers generally to require the companies to furnish service indiscriminately without some safeguard. Riegel has previously complained to Senator Capper that Mr. Fleharty had refused to represent the organization before the commission. Senator Capper sent the complaint to the people’s coun. sel, and received the answer of Mr. Fleharty today. Mr. Fleharty told the Senator he had advised Mr. Riegel that if the latter would amend the petition to provide for an inquiry into the reasonableness of the deposit, he would have supported the guild in seeking to find out if the amounts required as deposits should be changed. MORRIS CAFR.ITZ AGAIN HEADS JEWISH CENTER Re-elected President of Community Organization—Full Board of Officers Chosen, Morris Cafritz was re-elected presi- dent of the Jewish Community Center at a meeting last night in headquarters of the institution. Other officers were chosen as follows" E. 1. Kaufman, Morris Gewirz and Morris Garfinckle, vice presidents; Al- bert_Sheflerman, recording secretary; M. Offenburg, corresponding secretary; Charles A. Goldsmith, treasurer, and Harry Viner, assistant treasurer. Fred- eric William Wile was elected to the board, all other members of which were returned. An appeal for the Community Chest was voiced by Morris Bisgyer, execu- tive director of the center and a mem- ber of the Community Chest committee, Continued low wages and rising liv- ing costs in Italy are causing much distress among working people, Funeral services for Mrs. Emma Mil- ler, 82 years old, who died at her resi- dence, 75 K street, Saturday, were con- ducted in St. Mary's Catholic Church yesterday. Her grandsons acted as pallbearers. Mrs. Miller, who was the widow of Adolph Miller, was a lifelong resident of this city and . ong of the early mem- bers of St. Mary’s Church. She is survived by a son, John G. Miller; five daughters, Mrs. M. A. King, Mrs. John H. Borger, Mrs, J. Floyd Maley, Miss Edith Miller and Miss Mary J. Miller; two sisters, Miss Minnie Geler and Miss Lena Geier, and 13 grandchildren, Held Up H. H. SNARR, opening his store yesterday. in a taxicab, " | at the west approach of the Memorial | ciences as much as possible in addition Bridge; is not far from the Depart-|to devising means of raising sunken At a meeting of the House District | ernment. committee this morning, Blanton de- Manager of a Sanitary grocery store at 1524 M street, who was held up at the point of a pistol by two men as he was Snarr told the men he had left his key to the store at home and as he started back to his home the hold-up men fled ment of Agriculture Experimental Farm |and is near the proposed enlargement | of Arlington National Cemetery as well as the proposed Mount Vernon Memorial highway. The location of an abattoir unfortunate. “For these reasons I should be very much gratified if the board of super- visors could see its way clear to dis- approve the application for the con- struction of an abattoir in the proposed location. “In case hearings are to be held with reference to the application, I hope that I may be notified thereof in time to be present or to arrange for representatives of the War Department formally to present the department views to your honorable body.” 'KNITTERS ARE NEEDED. Knitters of skill are needed in the production department of the District Chapter of the American Red Cross to produce knitted garments for veterans in service hospitals. This announcement_was made yes- | terday, and woman knTtters desiring tc volunteer will be furnished wool by ap- { plication to the District Chapter head- quarters, 821 Sixteenth street, where Mrs. E. Roberts is in charge of the pro- ductfon department. Last year volun- teers made more than 1,000 knitted gar- ments. In addition to the knitted articles, the production unit of the District Chapter made 6,102 hospital and relief garments, and 134 volunteers gave 19,- 942 hours to this service, GRANGE TO GIVE PLAY. Potomac Grange No. 1, Order of the Patrons ‘of ' Husbandry, will present a condensed version of “Uncle Tom's Cabin” tonight at All Soul's Church, Sixteenth and Harvard streets. The play is the first of a series to be given by the Grange for the entertainment of its members. ‘The committee on arrangements in- cludes: Mrs. O. M. Kile, Miss Mildred Mahood, Miss Dorothy Paull, Mrs. Harris Baldwin, Mrs. H, C. Warner and Mrs, Pyke Johnson, among such surroundings’ wuold be | | vessels. | Six vessels, each with a set of subma- | rine lifting pontoons, are being con- verted into salvage ships to operate with | thled various submarine fleets, Beuret sald. MISS M. B. BEACH DIES. Funeral Services Will Be Held To- morrow Afternoon. Miss Melva B. Beach, 20-year-old | daughter of Mrs. Sarah E. Beach, 1353 | Wisconsin avenue, died in Georgetown University Hospital yesterday afternoon following an operation. Employed at the Potomac Savings { Bank and a member of an old George- town family, Miss Beach was widely known in West Washington. She is survived by her mother apg a brother, Thurman T. Beach. Mis¥ Beach was a member of the executive board of the Federation of Baptist Young Peoples’ Union. Funeral services will be held at 2 o'clock tomorrow afternoon in the West Washington Baptist Church, conducted by Rev. Charles B. Austin, pastor. In- terment will be in Cedar Hill Cemetery. | | Report Time Is Issue. It was alleged that Allen, showed undue interest in the case because he agreed to appear in Police Court in- stead of Jacobs, who had been ’given the warrant to serve. The testimony, however, showed that Allen relieved Jacobs of this detail in order that the officer would not be required to gb into court on his day off. Capt. William G. Stott of the third precinct, Allen's commanding officer testified that this was an unusual procedure in minor cases. Capt. Stott declared, however, that since Allen had agreed to represent Jacobs in court, he was responsible for making a report on the disposition of the case within 24 hours, but that he failed to do so within that period. Allen’s attorney explained that the officer was taken sick the day following the trial in Police Court, and did not return to duty for 15 days and was threfore unable to make the report. The special trial board created to hear the Allen case is composed of Capts. Bean, Reilly and Wilson. The witnesses heard before the luncheon recess, in addition to Capt Stott, were Inspector Harrison, Mr. Cake, the Health De- partment inspector; Policeman Jacobs, Mr. and Mrs, Ghilardi. By the Associated Press. The hours of safe flying by Na planes as compared to each fatal acci. dent have doubled since 1924, Edward P. Warner, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Aeronautics, testified before a House appropriations subcom- mittee in its preparation of the Navy supply bill that from 5000 hours of flight for each fatal crash in 1924 the number had arisen during this fiscal year to an average of 10,000 hours in | the air for each death. ‘The Navy now has 952 planes, he said, with the obsolete Liberty motors. A explained, however, that 25 new planes | Navy Sees Hours for Safe Plane Flying. Compared With Fatalities, Doubled have been ordered and will replace them, Admiral Willlam A. Moffett, chief of the Bureau of Aeronautics, said that the Navy was making “most satisfac- tory” progress toward the 1,000 plane goal planned under the five-year air- craft building program of 1926. The act, he said, had specifically ex- cluded airplane equipment for the eight cruisers now under construction and, he added, no provision was made for any additional cruisers which Congress might subsequently authorize. ‘Warner said that three cruisers prob- of which 859 would be useful in time | ably would be completed before the end | of war. Fourteen of the.planes are of | of this fiscal year and would require war-time design, he added, and equipped | 18 airplanes which could only be He | vided by taking them away from s ro- ips where they are needed, nied an interview attributed to him in | a morning newspaper. “What I did yesterday, I have done | and finished,” said Mr. Blanton. “I have shown the condition that gxists and it is now for the people of the District to determine what they want to do about it.” Mr. Blanton complained that Repre- sentative Bowman had been an obstacle when he was investigating former Com- | missioner Fenning. “Thank God, we have a park police force to protect Government property!"” he said. SENATORS ADD TO ARMY’S| SUPPLY BILL PLANE FUND| Nearly $3,000,000 in Increased Al- lotment Urged by Committee for Five-Year Air Program. By the Associated Press. Nearly $3,000.000 was added to the Army supply bill yesterday by the Sen- ate appropriations committee to in- crease the allotment provided by the House for new airplanes in carrying ,out the five-year Air Corps program. ‘The addition boosts the total for new planes for the Army during the ap- proaching year to $19,738,138, which is expected to produce more than 350 air machines, about 50 less than called for in the third increment of the five- year aviation program. Senator Bing- ham, Republican, of Connecticut, a warm friend of the Air Service, urged the increase. LABORATORY DAMAGED. An early morning fire in the hygienic laboratory of the United States Pub- lic Health Service, Twenty-fifth and E streets, burned through the fume- escape chamber, causing approximate $100 damage. The fire was discovered at 5 am. by Robert Lanham, night watchman. It is belleved to have started from a | In addition to the big Curtiss trophy, Assistant controller general, who will address a meeting of the Federal Bar Price of Pigs’ Feet Riles Colored Men; Two Shots Fired Angered when told that pigs’ feet were 15 cents a piece and would not be sold for 10 cents, three colored men retreated across the street and fired two shots through the show window ot a grocery store at 1523 Eleventh street last night. Mrs. Jaunita Lee, wife of the proprietor, Frank Lee, was in the store with two - customers when the three men walked in. After an argument over the price of the pigs' feet, Mrs. Lee threatened to call her husband unless the men left. ‘The bullets drilled two holes through the window, which was broken in later by the wind, but no traces of them could be found inside the store. CURTISS AIR RACES WILL BE HELD HERE Matine Trophy Contest to Be Conducted May 18 Over Potomac River. The Curtiss Marine Trophy races for | 1929, the premier annual American speed event for seaplanes and flying boats, will be held here May 18, it was announced today by the National Aero- iation. The _races were awarded to this city by the contest com- mittee of the association at a meeting yesterday afternoon. ‘The races will be held over the Poto- mac River, with the Anacostia Naval Air Station as_the starting point, and will be under the auspices of the Aero Club of Washington Chapter of the National Aeronautic Association. The contest will be flown under th= rules and regu- ciation and the Federation Aeronauti Internationale. Last year's race also was held in this city and was won by the late Maj. Charles A. Lutz, U. S. M. C., who flew a pontoon equipped Curtiss Hawk over five laps of the 20-mile course between the War College and Fort Hunt at an average speed of 157.60 miles per hour. ique Maj. Lutz won a gold wrist watch pre- sented by The Evening Star. Similar watches were awarded by The Star to winners in four separate events. Seventeen entries were filed for last year's race. The event is open to all types of Navy service planes. Waterproof Sawmill Burns. NATCHEZ, Miss., January 30 (#)— The sawmill of the Chicago Mill & Lumber Co. at Waterproof, La., was destroyed by fire yesterday with an estimated loss of $100,000. A short cir- cuit is believed to have caused the fire. LURTIN R. GINN, PAGE COMPTTEEGES FAVORALE REPOT T0D. . EASURES House Group 0. K.’s Bills for Sanitarium and Exempting Building From Tax. | PREFERRED BUSINESS STATUS GIVEN FORMER 17 | Representative Gilbert Assails | Move to Take S. A. R. Property Off Assessment Rolls. | The House District committee today | favorably reported two bills, one provid- v\lng for the construction of a children's tuberculosis sanitarium, which Chair- man Zihlman was instructed to make preferred business, and the other ex- empting the building of the Sons of the | American Revolution at 1227 Sixteenth street, with a valuation of about $100,~ 000, from taxation. Representative Gibson in_discussing his bill for revision of the license law pointed out that the original act drafted in 1902 does not cover all activities which should be covered under such a law, as changing conditions have elimi- nated some businesses. He pointed out | that it would add about $100,000 to the District revenues. The measure was re~ ferred to the subcommittee on fiscal affairs. As there is a drastic increase in license fees for clairvoyants, the com- mittee room was crowded today with people in this line of business who de- sired to protest. Representative Gibson discussed his bill covering a building and expansion program for the Public Library and urged that it should be passed at the present session. ‘When the bill authorizing construc- tlon of a children's tuberculosis sani- tarilum was under consideration Repre- sentative Norton said “nothing is needed more than such an institution.” Rep- resentative Blanton had the bill amend- ed so as to provide that the sum of $500,000 authorized in the bill should be payable in the same manner as other appropriations for the District. The bill to exempt the property of | the Sons of the American Revolution | from taxation was bitterly opposed by Representative Gilbert, Democrat, of Kentucky. Mrs. Norton pointed out that the D. A. R..is exempt from taxation. Frank B. Steele, national secretary of the Sons of the American Revolution, explained that they bought the building | on Sixteenth street about a year ago. The organization, he said, is not money-mak- ing but educational and working for better citizenship. It gives medals to beys and girls in school typifying the best ideals of citizenship, and has thus far distributed about 3,000 of these medals. It is also interested in seeing | that school books are authoritative and | rvm;lcn | _When the committee was voting to re- | port this bill Representative Gilbert | stated that the payment of taxes is a governmental and civic function and that nobody should be exempt from taxation simply because he is worthy. CHEST IS EXPLAINED AT CITIZENS’ MEETING Towa-Thomas Circle Association Hears Charity Fund Speaker Discuss Campaign. Members of the Towa-Thomas Circle Citizens® Association, mesting last night at Noerthminster Presbyterian Church, Eleventh street and Rhode Island av Due, turned their session over to a dis- | cussion of the aims and methods of t Community Chest. Sy A. Goldstein, a_speaker from chest headquarters, explained details of the canvass, and answered a number of questions concerning the manner in which_ subscriptions can be pledged. Mrs. Ella M. Thompson, president of the association, introduced the speaker. The association already has gone on {record in favor of the chest. SR L TRUANT BOYS ASK HELP. | | Two From Baltimore Appeal to Po- lice to Send Them Home. Hungry and penniless, two Baltimore school boys walked into the first pre- cinet station yesterday afternoon and announced that they were playing hookey from school and wanted to be sent back home. They had “hitch- hiked” from Baltimore, they said. They are Donald A. Delcher, 16 years old, and Carl R. Gratz, 14 years old. They were sent to the House of De- tention. Their fathers came to this city last night and took them home. Senate C]lapl;_in Denies His Story Was Dry-Law Rap A disclaimer that & story he told re- sently at a White House breakfast, where he in company with other attaches of the Senate and House were guests, was intended as an attack on prohibition, was made last night by Dr. Ze Barney Phillips, chaplain of the Senate and rector of the Church of the Epiphany, on addressing a banquet of the Baraca Class of the Metropolitan Baptist Church, at the church. Dr. Phillips, repeating the story, which had to do with an inebriated mouse calling loudly, “Now, bring on your cat!"” said versions of the incident ap- pearing in New York papers had made it appear that he was assailing the dray law, when, as a matter of fact, nothing of the sort was intended. He used the story in illustrating remarks relative to courage. Dr. Phillips also referred to recurrent disputes relative to science and re- ligion, and said that religionists do not know enough and scientists do not care enough about religion. ‘The banquet was the eighteenth an- nual affair of the class and was pre- sided over by Edward C. Steagall as toastmaster. It was opened by the singing of “America,” followed by in- vocation by Rev. Thomas Browne. Brief talks were given by Emmanuel B. Shaver, teacher of the class, and by Rev. John Compton Ball, pastor. Bene- diction was given by Rev. R. E. Whit~ of Berwyn Baptist Church. Musical sterilizer, in operation in the fume chamber. § Association | Interior Department auditorium. this evening at ‘Ml srleczmn‘:d ‘;e;eM glv-r;| by mad!::m. ac- compant r. Thomas, and by Prof. and Mrs. Theodore Robb. "