Evening Star Newspaper, March 15, 1929, Page 1

WEATHER. (U. 8. Weather Bureau Forecast.) Rain tonight, probably clearing to- morrow morning; colder tomorrow from early morning. ‘Temper: yesterda: ures: Highest, 73, at 4 p.m. ; Jowest, 59, at 7:15 a.m. tod: Full report on page 9. Closing N. Y. Markets, Pages 12 and 13 ch ¢ Foenin ‘WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION 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, 110,833 No. 30,999, post _office, —— Entered as second class matter Washington, 2 DiC D. C, FRIDAY, M/ ARCH 9_SIXTY-FOUR PAGES. (#) Means Associated Press. TWO CENT “WASHINGTON, HOPE GROWS FOR 4,000 TRAPPED BY FLOOD AT ELBA AS WATER DROPS | At Least Five Alabama Towns Inundated—No Check Number De TOTAL OF 92 ARE RESCUED BY NATIONAL Guardsmen in Motor Boats Push On to| Stricken Area—Planes Forced Back to Base by Fog. By the Assoclated Press. MONTGOMERY, Ala., marooned since yesterday. By the Associated Press. Many towns in Southern Alabama were under water today, with the fate of the residents in doubt, which traverse that section of the Regular channels of communication were cut off and reports of conditions were received mamly fr¢ the National Guard, which was in of the number of dead or injured w. At Elba, Ala., where 4,000 persons were marooned by the high water, an observer, who communicated with the National Guard base {rom a tree a mile away, reported ings could be seen above the water. 3 the marooned citizens. n, Ala, was under water and communication was cut off when the telephone exchange on the second floor of a building was flooded. Other towns flooded included Flomaton, Castleberry and Big Creek. ‘Thirty-five At Windham's Mills the soldiers on| their way to Elba found between 25| and 30 in a flooded store and rescued 8 women and 4 children, the others refusing to be taken out. They told the soldiers that the residents of Elba were in sore need. ‘The soldiers tied their motor boat outside the store and rowed to effect Tescue. Among those taken out T ¥ i Other Sections Suffer. was hardest hit, many country were suf- floods. unities in Iowa no i i i i and Illinois felt the Spring freshets, but unless set in trouble was expected. ‘I&pl fl:n Tising np;“)?.{. m /er 'was more flood level. It was indi- the crest of the swollen d be reached there by the mh:r :he Copnecticut and rs were rising. The Mohawk York State was above flood z?g' il 4 3 i VICTIMS CRY FOR AID. ‘Water Laps Roofs of Higher Buildings in Elba. TIONAL GUARD BASE, BIG mI(A oAll"ulrch 15 (#)—National Guardsmen have established telephone ications with an outpost onc- haif mile from Elba, where a telephone lineman is perched in a tree top. He that the water was lap- at the roof tops of the higher ldings, Wwhile the smaller buildings ‘were completely submerged. The man, George Borum, Teported that he could barely see the housetops, and that the screams of the people atop the buildings could be heard plainly. 35 SAVED AT BIG CREEK. Many of Those Rescued Are Women and Children. TROY, Ala, March 15 (#).—Thirty- five persons were rescued this morning from tree tops and roofs in the Big Creek settlement on the banks of Big Creek, & courier reported upon arrival here. Many of the persons rescucd ‘were women and children. 37 RESCUED NEAR ELBA. Report Current Refugees Are Being | Removed by Scores. MONTGOMERY, Ala., March 15 (). —Alabama National Guardsmen had succeeded in rescuing 37 persons, a majority of them women and children | from the inundated regions around Elba, Gov. Bibb Graves was advised at 8:30'a.m. today. The rescue party was composed of the vanguard of guards- men sent from here early yesterday. ‘The message was the first direct word had from the Guardsmen since they Jeft their headquarters here. It made the terse announcement that the re- March 15.—National Kelsoe, in charge of a rescue detachment, reported to Gov. Graves today that the tide has turned and that the water is beginning to fall in the vicinity of Elba, Ala. rsons were rescued at Big Creek and 37 were taken to safety from the vicinity of Elba4y National Guardsmen. | entirely under water. The water reach- of ad Possible. GUARD TROOPS| Guard Lieut.’ , Where 4,000 residgnts have been as the numerous creeks and rivers State continued to rise. om refugees and from outposts of charge of rescue work. No check as possible. that only the tops of taller build- He could hear the screams of nounced the completion of a single telephone line from the flooded area to the rescue base. The operator said they were attempting to confirm reports that a Guard unit from Enterprise had suc- ceeded in entering the City of Elba. He said a report was current at the base that refugees were being removed from the fi city by the score. A plane piloted by Lieut. McGregor took off from the field shortly after 9 o'clock to assist in the rescue work. Officials at the field were attempting to establish communication with the plane piloted by Lieut. Persons, which was reported flying in the fog in the vicinity of Troy. GALE SWEEPS GULF COAST. —_— Excessive Rain Accompanies 60-Mile © Mississippi Wind: GULFPORT, Miss,, March 15 (®).— Winds of gale force from the south reaching a velocity of 60 miles an hour last might swept the Gulf coast, ac- companied by a violent thunderstorm | and excessive rainfall. The rain added | to the volume of water in swollen streams throughout Southern Missis- sippi, where flood levels already had been reached. No damage was reported. Heavy rains were reported today at points north of here as far as Menden- hall. . In the watersheds of: the Pearl, Biloxi, Wolf and Pascagoula Rivers, where streams were overflowing, sections of highways were under water and rail- road tracks were threatened. ALL STREETS UNDER WATER. } Food Situation Regarded Acute in Flomaton, Ala. FLOMATON, Ala, March 15 (®).— ‘With nine trains of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad tied up here, four of them passenger trains, and communi- cation by railroad cut off in all direc- tions by flood, this little town was sorely pressed last night to care for its usual population. ‘The food situation was regarded as acute. Sufficient foodstuffs was on hand to Jast possibly through Friday, but relief will be needed by Saturday, it was indicated last night. All streets are under water. No trains have been operated out of Flomaton since Wednesday night. OPERATORS ARE RESCUED. Last Telephone Connection With Brew- ton, Ala, Goes Out. MOBILE, Ala, March 15 (#).—The last telephone connection with Brew- ton, Ala., went out at 1:30 this morn- | ing. At that time several houses were ed the second floor of the telephone ex- | change and the operators were res- | cued by boats. CAROLINA STREAMS RECEDE. ASHEVILLE, N. C.. March 15 (#).— Western North Carolina’s flood_thre fugees had been removed to safety from a point 6 miles from the city of Elba, adding that they were pushing on toward the flooded city in motor boats. No_casualties were reported. The high water is up to the eaves of houses at Castleberry. Alabama’s strawberry center, according to a mes sage received by the American Tele- phone & Telegraph Co., and residents there were perched on roofs and in attics. Swimmer Rescues Lineman. Flomaton reported 12 feet of water in low parts of the city. Bill Jackson, a noted long-distance swimmer, rescued a lineman from drowning, according Lo the report here. A Government plane dispatched from Maxwell Field for observation in the flooded area and to maintain the radio communications with the National Guard rescue base returned to Mont- gomery at 8:45 am, after running into a dense fog bank at Troy. The plane, plloted by Lieut. Charles S. Gravatt, with Sergt. R. F. L. Choate as observer, will return to the area if visibility clears. A second plane dispatched to the flooded area was believed by Gravatt to atill be fiying blindly in the fog. It is piloted by Lieut. John W. Persons, with Lieut. Byron A. Glover as observer. Gnnummd l|1¢ nmld Dot e the ground from a low altitude. €. 10,GOV.. GIaVEs Al ~(Continued on Page 2, Column 5.) | Scenes of Horror In Elba Described By Woman Refugee|, Hundreds Are Mafoonfll on Roofs of Houses as Water Rises. By the Assoclated Press. BIRMINGHAM, -Ala, March 15.— Scenes of horror’ were related in a telephone interview with the Birming- ham Age Herald by Miss Allle Hughes, Coffee .County home demonstration agent, one of five known refugees who have escaped from flood-stricken Elba, Ala. “Water submerging the tops of Auto- mobiles flowed through the courthouse square,” Miss Hughes said. “Hundreds of familles had sought refuge in the courthouse when the muddy waters first began to lick at their homes, and at 5 p.m. hundreds of other familles were marooned on the T00fs of their houses or had sought safety in the more substantially-built business houses. “We are used to floods in Elba and when this one struck we paid little attention at first. Teachers Dismiss Pupils. “The water started rising early TRursday morning and by 9:30 a.m. had risen to a height to cause school authorities to dismiss their pupils. “By 12:30 p.m. the water was well into the residential district and families were moving to higher ground. In an- other hour the water poured down the business streets and continued rising rapidly, soon submerging the automo- biles left parked at the curb. “Our rescue was effected by two men who passed our home in a canoe. “The water was so swift we thought several times we would be capsized in the brief half mile we were forced to ride through the whirling currents. “I have walked the distance that’ they took us in- the canoe dozens of times. It is a brief five minutes walk. “Last night it took us more than an hour to negotiate the distance and every second was tense with the thought that one misstep and we would all be hurled into the raging stream. Reaches Higher Sections. “The colored section of the city was first hit. Within a_short time, how- ever, the rising flood had reached the higher sections. “Within view of our home we could not see whether any homes had been washed away, but the water, ever rising, and ever flowing more swiftly, must urely have swept away many houses. “At first residents of the town drifted about in canoes in the shallow waters, soToekwmt inclined to take the flood as a joke. “In an hour or two conditions changed, and what at first appeared to be an expensive lark grew to be a grim, serious situation, in which strong men battled to save lives and homes.” At 5 pm., when Miss Hughes was brought to safety, rescue workers an- nounced that currents had become so swift that further attempts at rescue with the small craft available would be foolhardy. ‘The other four women brought to safety were Mrs. H. C. Johnson, Mrs. C. B. Johnson, Christine and Louise John- son, the latter two high school girls. CHILDREN FI&D MILLIONS OF RUBLES IN TREASURE Sarovsk Desert Colony Yields Dia- mond-Studded Icons and Gold Coins. By the Assoclated Press. SAMARA, Russia, March 15.—Treas- ure, the value of which was estimated at several million rubles, has been ex- cavated by children from a colony bor- dering on the Sarovsk Desert. The valuables consisted of old diamond- studded icons, gold coins and other precious objects. It is supposed that the treasures were buried by monks from a local monas- tery at the beginning of the revolution. MONCADA’S SON SUICIDE. Kin of Nicaraguan President Takes Dose of Poison. TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, March 15 (#)—Medardo Moncada, 23-year- old son of the President of Nicaragua, committed suicide today, taking a strong dose of poison. JAPAN BUDGET PASSED. |$788,400,000 Provided in Annual| Appropriation Measure. TOKIO, March 15 (#).—The Japa- | nese budget, totaling 1,752,000,000 yen | (approximately $788,400,000), was passed by both houses of Parliament today. It provides 268,000,000 yen for the navy and 231,000,000 for the army. Supplementary estimates will be pre- sented shortly. First Cherry Blossoms Here April 5 If Weather { The single bloom cherry trees will be in blossom about April 5 if the weather continues favorable, Lieut. Col, U. 8. Grant, 3d, director of Public Bulldings and Public Parks, announced today. The double bloom cherry trees will blos- | som about April 20, dependent, 100, upon auspicious weather. Should the weather .favor Washing- tonians and the probable date for the | blooming of the cherry trees prove cor- | rect, it will mean that the blooms will | lunfold a few days earlier than last year, This will be too late for Easter, however, which comes earlier than usual this year, with Easter Sunday falling on March 31. | Easter Sunday, which fell on April | 8 last year, witnessed the single blooms | in blossom, while the double blooms | came into thelr own April 26, The last few days with benignant weather have brought atout “a wonder- ful change” in the cherry trees, Charles | Hen'ock, chief of the horticultural divi- Continues Favorable public parks, said today. The buds are beginning o open and swell, giving promise to full bloom in three weeks, If the weather should turn cold, Col. Grant and Mr, Henlock made plain, this would {“fetard the blooming, setting back the date to the middle of April. Park officlals will watch this year for dead trees, as the result of the flood of last year. Some 50 trees were found to be dead and were taken up. At the present, there are between 700 and 800 single bloom cherry trees and about the same number of double bloom trees. A survey of the blooming dates of the trees for the past few years shows this tabulation: 1924 —single bloom, April 13; double bloom, April 26. 1925— single, March 27. and double, April 15, 1926-single, April 11, and double, April 24. 1927, in which year the blooms ap- peared exceptionally early owing to warm weather, the single blooms blos- somed March 20, but a cold spell inter- vened to delay the double bloom until April 20. 1928 — single, April 8, and L sion of the office of pyblic buildings and double, April 2§, NEWTON IS NAMED 'HOOVER SECRETARY Minnesota Representative | Will Act as Administrative Assistan.t to President. President Hoover today |ppolntedt Walter H. Newton, for 10 years a mem- | ber of the House from Minnesota, to be | his third secretary, thus completing the | selection of the three secretaries pro- | vided by Congress. In making public today Reprzs:nlm‘. tive Newton’s appointment. it was ex- | plained that he will act in the capacity | of administrative assistant to the Pres- | ident in respect to the various inde- | pendent establishments of the Govern- | | ment over which the President has di- rect responsibility. He also will gen- erally assist in the customary work in co-ordination of the various administra- tive activities of all the departments and_independent establishments of the . e Mr. Newton also will undertake spe- cial tasks for the President, the first of which will be to co-operate with ‘members of the cabinet in the study and development of a plan for reorganiz- ing the executive branch of the Federal Government. Mr. Hoover is known to be extremely anxious to bring about the practical reorganization of the depart- ments and has given considerable study 10 the subject throughout the nearly eight years he served in the cabinet. Will Be Contact Man. In addition Mr. Newton will maintain contact for the President with the various administrative agencies not in- cluded as independent bureaus. Aside | from the quasi-judicial commissions | whose many personnel questions come directly to the President, the following administrative, or partly administrative, agencies in some degree report to the President: American Battle Monument Commis- sion, Commission of Fine Arts, director of public buildings and pubiic parks of the National Capital, Employes’ Compensation ~ Commission, Federal Narcotics Control Board, General Ac- | counting Office, Geographic Board, Na- tional Advisory Committee for Aero- nautics, National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, Personnel Classifi- cation Board, Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway Commission, United States | Shipping Board, Emergency Fleet Cor- poration, Smithsonian Institution, As- trophysical Observatory, —Bureau of | American Ethnology, = International | Catalogue of Scientific Literature, I ternational Bxchange Service, N: tional Gallery of Art, National Museu National Zoological Park and the Vet- erans’ Bureau. Mr. Newton's appointment as one of the President’s three secretarles came as a surprise. It is thought at the White House today that he will be ready to assume his duties within the next few days. Mr. Newton's salary as secretary will be $10,000, the same as he received as a member of the House. During the last national campaign Mr. Newton was director of the speak- ers’ bureau, with headquarters in Chi- cago, and has been credited generally as_having given valuable service. His name was frequently mentioned |in connection with the cabinet during the period Mr. Hoover was in the process of selecting his officlal family, | Elected to House in 1918, | Mr. Newton was born in Minneapolis in 1880. After being educated in the public schools of that city he was grad- | uated from the Law School of the Uni- | versity of Minnesota. He was first as- | | sistant_county attorney of Minueapolis from 1914 to 1918 and in 1918 was elected to the House of Representatives, where he has served continuously ever since. He is a member of the commit- tee on interstate and foreign commerce. | Mr. Newton has been identifiedgwith | the Republican national committee dur- ing the last four campaigns. He was; assistant_director of the speakers’ bu- reau in 1924, of which bureau he was | made the head in 1928. 1 In addition to Mr. Newton, Presidenfl‘ Hoover's secretaries are George Akerson, former Minneapolls newspaper corre- spondent and for two years personal secretary to Mr. Hoover while he was Secretary of Commerce, and Lawrence Mr, Hoover since the days when he was United States food administrator. In appointing three secretaries Mr. Hoover has made it plain that they will be of equal rank ‘as well as receiving equal pay. Their special duties have been clearly defined. Mr. Akerson serves as " (Continued Maryland and Virginia News Pages 10 and 11. Richey, who has been associated with | STOCK RALY EALS N PROGTTANING Wild Demonstration on Ex-| change Follows Discount Rate Retention. By the Associated Press. NEW YORK, March 15.—Heavy profit-taking checked a wild bullish demonstration on the New York Stock Exchange today, which lifted nearly a score of issues to new high levels in a turhover of about 2,600,000 shares in the first two hours of trading. ‘The “bull” movement was in response to the retention of a 5 per cent redis- count rate by the New York Federal Reserve Bank, and a drop of $20,000,- 000 in brokers’ loans, but as traders decided the market was by no means yet out of the woods so far as the credit situation was concerned, they were quick to take profits at the higher levels, Call money again renewed at 7 per cent, but time money was con- spicuously scarcer, with little available under 8 per cent. . The radio shares were again spec- tacular performers. ‘The old radio stock rose to a new peak at $513, and the new stock at $103. Heavy profit-taking in the new stock, however, depressed it | to near $100, before it again started upward. Copper shares were strong in response to another advance in the red melalx prices. PRINCESS IS STRICKEN. Danish Visitor ‘Is Operated Upon in Los Angeles. PASADENA, Calif, March 15 (#).— Princess Erik of Denmark was stricken with appendicitis last night and operat- ed upon at a hospital in Los Angeles. She came here recently with her par- ents, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Booth of Canada, and her year-old daughter. Princess Erik was reported as getting along nicely today. She became ill following & round of golf yesterday afternoon. Prince Erik, who formerly lived on an estate at Arcadia, Calif., | near here, was called to Denmark by his father several months ago.. The proicess returned to America to visit her parents in Canada. They came to fiufi]enl because of the princess’ ealth. GOLF OPENING DEFERRED. | East Potomac Course Not in Shape Because of Rains. East Potomac Park golf course will { ot be opened tomorrow, as intended. the inaugural of the 1929 season hav- ing been postponed until Sunday on ac- count of the continued rain, which would not permit the greens to be put in shape for play. Rock Creek Park will open tomorrow 28 scheduled. ey Eaker Hops for Brownsville. SAN ANTONIO, Tex., March 15 (®). | —Capt. Ira C. Eaker hopped off from | Kelly Field here this morning for Brownsville, Tex,, from which place he plans to start tomorrow on a dawn-to- dusk flight to France Field, Panama . Zone, « suspended. SENATORS T0 RADID ~ FARMAID VIEWS {McNary and Smith on Star Forum Hook-up Tomor- row Night. The farm problem, regarded as one of the most important and pressing sub- ! jects with which the Hoover adminis- | | tration must deal, is to be discussed in The Star's National Radio Forum to- morrow night by Senator Charles L. McNary of Oregon and Senator Ellison D. Smith of South Carolina. The en- tire Nation will hear the debate over a | hook-up arranged by the Columbia Broadcasting Company. Senator McNal Republican, s chairman of the Senate committee on | agriculture and Senator Smith is the ranking Democratic member of that committee. They will be the leaders of their parties in the Senate when it comes to dealing with farm legislation and are qualified to qpflk authoritative- ly on the subject. Senator McNary was one of the au- thors of the old McNary-Haugen relief bill, which was twice passed by Con- gress and twice vetoed by President Coolidge, largely because of the equali- zation fee principle carried in that measure. 5 New Bill Introduced. During the last session of Congress, | Senator McNary prepared and intro- | duced a new bill, eliminatimg that fea- ture of the old bill and conforming in other ways with the views of former President Coolidge and his Secretary of Agriculture, Mr. Jardine. It was be- lieved that in its major provisions it conformed also with the ideas of Presi- dent Hoover, although Mr. Hoover at that time declined to discuss in any | way legislative matters then before the Congress. ‘The Oregon Senator has been in con- ference with President Hoover several times with regard to farm legislation. Already he is working on & revised bill for introduction at the coming special sesslon of Congress, and within a short time he will call his committee together to consider it. The Oregon Senator has been a stu- dent of farm conditions for many years. He has at his finger tips the facts with regard to the farm problem and the arguments for and against various pro- posals advanced as panaceas for the American farmer. Recognized Able Debater. He is recognized as one of the ablest debaters in the Senate, although he does not address the Senate frequently. But when he does take the floor it is to discuss matters with which he is familiar and_competent to deal. Sen- " (Continued on Page 2, Column 7.) RANCHER IS HELD FOR SLAYING WOMAN | Butcher Knife and Ax Used in California Tragedy and Suspect, Police Say, Attempted Suicide By the Assoclated P DELANO, Call March 15.—Levi Fletcher, & rancher, was held here to- day for the murder of Miss Susie Tab- | von, 30, who was hacked to death with a butcher knife and an ax some time early yesterday. County officers said Fletcher had confessed the slaking, but had refused to reveal the motive. Miss Tabron’s body was found in her home last night by Fletcher’s sister, Miss Georgia Embry, and Frank Burke, both of Bakersfleld. Fletcher attempted to commit suicide by cutting his throat and wrists when confronted by officers. They declared Fletcher and Miss Tabron had visited Arizona together some time ago and 1Confessed Witness to Double| Hoover Will Send His First Message For Clerks to Read By the Assoclated Press. Unlike the three Chief Execu- tives who preceded him, President Hoover will send his first message to Congress by messenger for reading by the clerks at separate sessions of the House and Senate. The custom of addressing Con- gress in person, initiated by George Washington, was revived after more than a century by ‘Woodrow Wilson, who delivered all of his messages in person un- til illness made it necessary for him to keep to the White House. President Harding followed the example of his predecessor and President Coolidge went to Capi- tol Hill to read his first annual message at a joint session of the House and Senate December 6, 1923. He soon discontinued the practice, however, reverting to the time-honored custom of using a messenger to convey copies of his addresses to Congress. SAYS GOMPANION KILLED INFORMERS Murder Tells Police Where | to Find Gun. One of three colored men held on sus- picion in Annapolis early today was named by a companion as the slayer of two colored police informers here Wed- nesday night. The gun with which the pair were sald to have been slain was recovered on the story of the same man, who said | he witnessed the killing. The trio were’ returned to Washington this after- noon by headquarters detectives. ‘The man accused of the actual shoot- ing, Peter Brown, alias Leon Thomas Taylorr, 25, refuses to talk. His ac- cuser is Lawrence Bias, allas Richard | Willlams, 28, Both live here. | Third Man Has Police Record. The third man, Theodore Smith,| whose home is in Annapolis, has a po- | lice record there. He also refuses tu: talk. i The gun, & .45-caliber revolver, with five empty chambers, was recovered from under a bed in the home of Ver-| non Newton, colored, where the lhr!e] were arrested. Bias said it would be| found there. Newton is reported to; have sald that Smith gave him the weapon last night and asked him to hide it. ‘The arrest of the three was accom- plished by Sergt. Willlam Curry and other members of the Annapolis force whom he, summoned when he saw the car parked in front of Newton's home early this morning. The Annapolis police had a lookout for the informers’ slayer, and, antici- pating trouble, went into Newton's home with guns drawn.- The three men, how- ever, were asleep in the same bed- and offered no resistance. When they were questioned by the | Annapolis police, they said that they | did not know each other and ln.!lsled{ that none had been in Washington for the last three days. Further investi- gation developed, however, that they went to Annapolis last night, having| been towed for the last 5 miles when an axle on their car was broken. Later Admit: Right Names. The men were at first booked as Brown, Bias and Smith, the names car- responding to those furnished local po- lice after the round-up of local sus- pects, four of whom are being held. Later, however, “Brown” said his right name was Taylor, and “Bias” sald his name was Williams. No information was gained from questioning the three until early this morning with the arrival of four Wash- | ington detectives, Sergts. Sweeney, | Waldron and Darnall of headquarters, and Barrett of the fourth precinct, whose life was said to have been sought by the slayers of the two informers. ‘Then, Bias, or Williams, began to talk, | ex;lrlllmlnl that “he figured he might as| well.” | ‘The other two, however, refused to say they knew anything about the case. | Four Still Held Here. | The four men held here are Willlam Bradley, Cornelius Lyons, Merle Taylor and John Williams. Capt. Fred Corn- well of the fourth precinct, where they | are held, does not believe tlie latter two were connected with the shooting, but | is holding them because of the informa- tion they may be able to give when con- | fronted with the Annapolis prisoners. | ‘Taylor gave the information that the party of colored men who killed the in- formers were out searching for Detec- tive Barrett to shoot him. At the time Barrett was at Providence Hospital with (Continued on Page 2, Column 1) SPANISH CABINET PLANS MEETING ON DISORDERS Measures Contemplated to Pre-! serve Tranquillity of Nation. | Students’ Riots Continue. | By the Associated Press. MADRID, March 15.— Official an- | nouncement was made early today that | the cabinet would meet later and adopt fresh measures for the maintenance of order throughout the country. The announcement followed renewal of stu- dents rioting in the center of Madrid last night. The announcement referred to “the agitators persisting in their unpatriotic attitude and forgetting all considera- tions of national interest.” It adds that while the government d not consider that they had quarreled recently. the situation grave, it regards it as one both unpleasant and intole le. Jess Harper, colored, obtained gaso- !line on false pretenses, police say. He almost. escaped paying the penalty by resorting to the same tactics in Police Court today. Seated in the dock awaiting arraign- ment beside James S. Lindsey, colored, charged with larceny of a pint of milk, Harper answered when the name of his companion was called and stepped before Judge Isaac R. Hitt. “This man has a good record,” said Assistant United States District Attor- | ney Irvine Goldstein. “He plcads gullty to the theft of the milk and I recom- | mend that execution of sentence be 1 J {Court Frees Wrong Man, Recalls Him { And Imposes Sentence of 120 Days| Harper endeavored to appear modest, and raised his right hand as the clerk informed him that a sentence of 180 days would be suspended. He then walked from the courtroom. Lindsey stepped forward and denied being guilty of a charge of false pre- tenses. He sald the court had been lenient with the wrong man. Discovering the mistake, court at- taches rushed from the room and re- | turned with Harper. A sentence of 120 days was imposed, while Lindsey was released from the suspended sentence. | Radio ‘l;rograms-—l;agc 55! DURANGO OCCUPIED BY ADVANCE GUARD OF CALLES' ARMIES AS REBELS DESERT Key to Revolutionists’ Post at Torreon, Strategic City, Falls to Federals Without Opposition. RAILROADS HARD HIT BY REBEL DESTRUCTION Americans Leave Beleaguered Town as Fight for Control Draws Near—Many Others Unable to Flee Danger Zone Because of Shortage of Funds, By the Associated Press. MEXICO CITY, March 15.— Col. Ricardo Tapia, chief of the presidential staff, announced at noon today that calvary con- stituting the advance guard of Gen. Calles’ army, occupied Durango this morning. The forces of the rebel Gen. Juan Getalberto Amaya were stated to have fled from Du- rango on the approach of the federals, presumably going north. Gen. Calles himself was ex- pected to reach the city by mid-day to establish headquar- ters in preparation for a march on Torreon, the rebel strong- hold, upon which five federal columns are now converging. By the Associsted Press. Battle lines between federals and revolutionists around the strategic city of Torreon grew closer today as powerful - rival armies were reported advancing jon one another in an effort to { come to grips. The wide encircling movement | of Gen. Calles, federal command- er-in-chief, to close in on Torreon and cut off the rebel retreat northward, continued to develop steadily. Four other federal armies were also advancing on Torreon, three from the east and one from the south. ‘The government has expressed fear that the insurgent army will not stand and fight, but will flee northward in an effort to escape. Advices from Juarez, on the contrary, said the rebels were reported on the march south from Torreon to meet the federal forces outside of the city. At Naco, on the border, another bat- tle was imminent between 1,200 federals and 1,000 insurgents. Ever since the return of Naco to the government fold it has been a thorn in the side of rebels, for whom it was an important point both for sending reinforcements southward and as an avenue of escape to the American border in case of re- verses. While the rebels have been inactive for the lastafew days on the west coast, Gen. Manzo was again reported en Toute to take command of the insurgent forces near Mazatlan. Many Americans are stranded in Tor- reon, unable to obtain traveling funds because of the closing of banks. Others are arriving at Juarez, having succeed- ed in leaving the beleaguered city. Five high ranking rebel officers have been ‘:Teculed in Vera Cruz after court- martial. ARMIES APPROACH TORREON. Only Weak Resistance Is Offered Almazan Soldiers. LAREDO, Tex., March 14 (#)—En- countering only weak resistance with . skirmishes, the nearest approach to actual fighting, Gen. Juan Almazan, in co-operating with two other federal armies in an atiempt to take Torreon from the rebel forces now entrenched there, advanced today to Viesca, Coa- mulia, 30 miles east of Torreon, and San Pedro, 30 miles northeast, Rafael de la Colina, Mexican consul here, told newspaper men. Colina said his information came from Col. R. Garcia de Alba, chief of artillery for Almazan at Monterey. Gol. de Alba said that a censorship of mili- tary news had been established at Monterey and that nothing concerning troonp movements would be transmitted from the newspaper men with Almazan. ‘The advance brings Gen. Almazan's forces near the rim of the great saucer in which_Torreon sits, surrounded by (Continued on Page 4, Column 2.) FIRST BRITISH ROYALTY VISIT BERLIN SINCE WAR Duke and Duchess of York Stop ‘While En Route to Prince Olaf’s Wedding. By the Associated Press. BERLIN, March 15—A member of the British royal house set foot today in the German capital for the first time since the World War when the Duke and Duchess of York passed through incognito on their way to the marriage of Prince Olaf and Princess Martha at lo. ‘The duke and duchess arrived in the morning and visited the former Kaiser's palace. They did further sightseeing in the afternoon, and planned to leave for Scandinavia by the Swedish ferry route, l Bank Statements l Wi clearing house, $5,404,- 016.74. ‘Treasury balance, $13,738,817. New York clearing house exchange, $1,640,000,000. New York clearing house balance, $181,000,080,