Evening Star Newspaper, March 16, 1929, Page 2

2 FEDERALS NEARING GATES OF TORREON Strength of Advancing Force| Put at 30,000—Escobar Said to Have 5,000. STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C., SATURDAY, MARCH 16, 1929. S500AT CENEVA HORRORSOF FLOOD LEE O SIFETY BAREDBYRESIER Water Stands 20 Feet Deep| in Main Streets of Small Alabama Town. _(Continued Prom First Page.) THE EVENING FLOOD WATERS HALT BUSINESS IN GEORGIA TOWN IVAN C. WELD DIES; C. OF C. PRESIDENT Prominent Civic Worker Suc- cumbs to Short lliness From Influenza. C. of C. Head Dead Reporter, With Mercy Units, Describes Suffering, Fear and Peril at Elba. By the Ascoclated Press. | - | MONTGOMERY, Ala.. March 16— 1Troy was made aft P .| A graphic description of the flood in! 1mn’; S T '"“”,.”r condi-| o & about Elba was given by telephone e camp. Authorlties stated | thic morning by Kenneth A. Miller, As- that its capacity probably would become | sociated Press correspondent, on, assign- overtaxed as additional scores of home- ment within the stricken area. | A & Miller's personal experiences in “cov- less persons n¥e brought to high ground. ering his story” were fraught with per- Adequate facilities for handling 3,000 ' <onal danger. The correspondent was refugees are available at Troy. | thrown from a boat and hung in a tree| The . State Highway Department | top until rescued. He waded 4 miles in gAway | water waist deep and aided in the res- Ivan C. Weld. president of the Wash« ington Chamber of Commerce and for nently identified with civie ‘:\nd business activities here, died yes- | terday afternoon at the Montgomery County Hospital after an fllness of slightly less than four days. He was the victim of a sudden attack of in- fluenza, followed by a rapid spread of infection which made desperate at- (Continued From Pirst Page) o Possession of the city and that perhaps | the only big encounter of the rebellion | would be fought here. Retreat to Chi- huahua, it was pointed out, could mean | little less than eventual dispersal of the | rebel leaders into the United States. | The battle promised to bring into use cavalry, infantry, artillery and aero- | | | | | planes by the federals. Tae rebels | possessed smaller similar units, although not so well equipped. | Occupies Durango City. 1 Gen. Calles himself was expected to | enter the battle later than Gens. Al-| mazan, Saturino Gedillo and Lazaro | Cardena, who were to begin it Irnml the east. Gen. Calles yesterday estab- lished his headquarters at Durango City, which he occupied earlier in the day in another “bloodless battle.” Although sections of the 150 miles of railroad be- | tween Durango and Torreon were mmi up by the rebels, it was said, the high- | ways had not been destroyed and prompt moving into the encounter was expected. | The rebel force occupying Durango | left that city in full retreat over the | spur northward out of the city to, Tepehuanes, the line to Torreon having | been cut by the federals. This appar-| ently removed them from the action at Torreon, since to reach that city they would have to cross 100 miles of moun- tains and desert to reach another rail- road spur which could take them by way of Parral, Chihuahua, back into Coahuila. A report of Gen. Calles to President Emilio Portes Gil said there was still a small army remaining in Durango, under Gen. Eulalio Gutierrez (former provisicnal President), but that he hoped to vanquish it in a brief en- counter. Gen. Calles said he believed victory of Gen. Cedillo over a rebel band at Derramadero, between Saltillo and ‘Torreon, day before yesterday, in which 50 rebels were killed and 105 captured, had {rightened the garrison at Torreon so they might retreat. He said his airplanes flving over the city had seen signs that the way was being kept open for such evacuation. . Rebels Withdraw to San Blas. On tne west coast the rebels with- drew to San Blas and the federal forces reoccupied Cuiliacan, capital of Inaloa. The drive against Mazatlan apparently has failed, possibly because of with- drawal of forces to meet defection of Gen. Olachea from the rebel camp in the north. Meanwhile reports of the first bomb outrage since the outbreak of the re- bellion were received here. The train which left here Thursday night for Laredo was near Obregon, a small station in Guanajuato, 250 miles north of here. No damage was done, and proceeded after some delay. Arthur Schoenfleld, counselor of the United States embassy here, who is TORREON, CALM, WAITS FIGHT. Rebels, Proceed With Plans for Drive on Federal Army. 5 JAUREZ, Mexico, March 16 (®.— ‘With food prices, increased and all banks closed, but otherwise fairly normal con: ditions existing, the railroad “boom town of Torreon, strategic center of the revolution in the north, awaits with an attitude of calm fatalism the particular “manana” when the battle which may decide the outcome of the revolt will oceur on its doorstep. “Manana”—tomorrow—is the unoffi- citizens of that section undoubtedly will hear the uncomfortable sound of bul- lets whizzing overhead, but until it does, they refuse to be greatly disturbed. Go Ahiead With Plans. TRebel headquarters here, little con- cerned over the reported capture of , near Torreon, by the feaerg;. For hours after capture of Durango 'was reported rebel officials here denied that it had fallen. Later, however, & few officers said they had heard the town had been lost to the rebels, but had not received official confirmation. Canitas, the important railroad cen- ter which federals claim, is occupled by revolutionists, their headquarters here asserted last night. The rebels said Gen. Urbalejo, with several thousand troops, occupied the town yesterday.| Those familiar with the situation here | inted out that the federal army might ; m\'e moved from Canitas to Dunnsc’ before the arrival of Urbalejo. | Scoffs at Flight Reports. { Gen. J. Gonzalo Escobar, commander | in chief of the revolutionists, scoffed at reports yesterday that he would aban- don Torreon when the federal army ar- rived there. He asserted that the city would be defended and that he was ad-: The his army to open the attack on erals before they reached Tor- vancing the f reon. ! Other advices received here yesterday | from Torreon asserted that the federal | army had not been able to get nearer | ‘Torreon than Irapuato, 150 miles from | the city. Escobar last night issued a statement ordering border points under rebel con- trol to admit all civil or military exiles into the country should they desire to enter Mexico. MACHINE GUNS MOUNTED. Olachea Guards Against Surprise Night Attack at “"aco. NACO, Bonora, M>xiro, March Axu (P).—Gen. Augustino Olachea fortified here with 1,200 federal troops, announc- ed today that he had mounted 12 ma- chine guns in strategic positions. and was preparing to erect three spotlights to guard against any night surprise attack from rebel troops. Rumors that a large rebel force was | approaching Naco were declared by American authorities to have been with- out foundation. Persistent reports of the approach of rebel troops under Gen. Fausto Topete had been prevalent. Travelers arriving from Cananea said positively there were no rebel troops in the vicinity. Americans who have watched at the border for the past four days in the hope of witnessing a clash between rebel and federal Mexican forces, were promised some action today. The mil- itary maneuvers, however, were to be conducted by American troops at Bis- bee, Ariz. where Maj. O. G. Hazeltine, commanding, announced American troops would take a “position,” but that the maneuvers would bear no mil- itary aspect other than acquainting American soldiers of action to be fol- lowed out in case of a border battle between Mexican troops. PREPARE FOR NACO ATTACK. Federal Troops Await Rebels—Mazat- lan Fight Seon Unlikely. NOGALES, Ariz., March 16 (#.—De- spite a lull in the border situation to- day, Mexican federal troops at Naco, Sonora, continued preparations against & possible attack by rebel forces. Re- ports of the progress of the revolution- forces heading toward Mazatlan, WARORDERS TOU.S, | entered into a treaty with Great Britain | the business section of West Point, Ga. Telephoto of the Alabama, Georgla floods which caused loss of life and property damage. | | | This aerial view shows -—-Assoclated Press Photo. RUSHED BY MEXICO Government Indicates Plan of Quickly Suppressing Re- | voit With U. S. Aid. Rush orders for large quantities of | war materials are being placed in the| United States by Mexican omtlals.“ further indicating the intention of the! Portes Gil government, which has the support of the Hoover administration, to quickly suppress the revolution. Arms and ammunition and kindred war materials were ordered out of the surplus stocks of the War Department, and orders were placed with a private manufacturing concern for tear gas bombs. Ambassador Tellez, who ordered the bombs on behalf of the Mexican government, explained that the federals did not desire to use poisonous gas, be- cause they wished to conserve human life as much as possible in the w fare against the rebels. State Department officials, following custom, flatly declined to disclose whether licenses for the shipment of the mfluu ordered by Ambassador Tellez_have been issued. In view of | the administration's attitude, however, | which ha8 been stated’ to be“that the Mexican federals should be accorded privileges in their desire for supplies from American concerns, little delay is expected in getting the war materials | to the Portes Gil troops. Policy of U. 8. Formulated. Coincident with the announcement that large amounts of war materials | had been ordered, it was made known at. the State Department that the administration had formulated a policy with respect to the treatment of any rebels crossing the border line into the United States. The details of this policy were not formally announced but they are expected to be made known shortly. | | | policy will consist of a set of rigid regulations which will tend to give full support to the Mexican federal govern- ment. These regulations will be strictly enforced by the immigration author- ities and such military commanders as may be on the border, and will deal effectively with the entrance into the United States of any rebels. Developments Closely Watched. While the trend of the revolution has been interpreted by American officials as indicating the rebels were losing ground, the administration here is watching all developments closely. Such information as has reached President Hoover through the State Department has led him to believe that the tendency is for many of the rebel forces to lay down their arms and return to Fed- eral allegiance. Among the dispatches recetved at the State Department today was one from Ambassador Morrow, which denied a Teport published in San Antonio news- apers that American aviators were dropping poison gas bombs in Sonora. Ambassador informed the State Department that the aviators flying over were Mexicans and that he had been advised by Mexican officials that only newspapers and other propaganda had been dropped. The use of Kouunnus gas has been denounced by the United States, which and Japan, expressing disapproval of | this practice. This treaty, while rati- fled by the Senate, has not been put into force, but the attitude of .the | United States in this respect is con- sidered to be unchanged. FLOODS THREATEN IN MIDDLE WEST Menaced | Wisconsin Swollen Streams Go on Rampage. Towns as| By the Associated Press. | CHICAGO, March 16.—Floods ha-| | rassed new sections of the Middle West | today as others were recovering from | the ravages of swollen, ice-choked | streams. | Rivers in Nebraska, Iowa and Illinois | were clearing themselves of ice and slowly returning to their banks, while their Northern cousins, who had tak longer to awaken from Winter's inac~ tivity, started on rampages of their own. | Large areas were uncer water in Wis- consin and several smail towns in the | Northwestern part of the State were in danger. Barron and Birchwood were flooded today, while inhabitants of the Indian village of Odanah, 75 miles from | | | homes. Ice jams in the Bad River were described as worse than those of two years ago when the entire village was under water. Mason City, Iowa, was undergoing | new hardships today after an ice jam |in Lime Creck had released another rush of water on the city. The Missouri River at Omaha was rising fast last night and bridges were being shattered | constantly by large cakes of ice. | Meanwhile the Mississippi River was | | rising and its levees were receiving con | stant_attention. Although it was be- lieved that the river could carry the | Efixyxuo‘. strategic West Coast city, held by loyal troops, indicated that there ‘was no prospect for a major engage- ’mfi there for several days. additional water being poured into it 1 by its tributaries, Red Cross headquar- There appears little doubt that the | 5 |cease to alienate its oil lands if we Superior, were preparing to leave their | Floodlights Turned On Dome of Capitol To Protect Goddess By the Associated Press. The Goddess of Freedom atop the Capitol dome is not going to be toppled from her lofty post by a wandering airplane if lights will protect her, Four 1,000-watt floodlights, two on the House side and two on the Senate side of the Cap- itol, were turned on for the first time last night to light up Miss Freedom's figure. Recently an air mail flyer, blinded by fog, nearly crashed into the dome, and David Lynn, Capitol architect, decided it was time to do something about it. OIL LEASE SURVEY GROUP NAMED BY SECRETARY WILBUR| (Continued From First Page)) | | | remaining period covered by the permit, | but the holder of the permit will be | called upon when it has expired to| show cause why the permit should not be canceled. Holders of permits for prospecting for oil and gas on the public domain who have complied with the law need have | no anxiety as to retrospective action, President Hoover said yesterday in reply to questions from newspapes cor- respondents as to further detalls of lhe’ administration's oil conservation policy. Some 20,000 permits under the gen-| eral leasing act now are outstanding, and the President sald it was obvious that no large proportion of 20,000 ofl wells are being drilled on public lands | under these permits. Since drilling must proceed in definite stages, under | time limits under the terms of the| permits, many persons have not com- ! plied with the law and in effect have abandoned their rights. Me, Hoover disagreed with suggestions that the people of the West object to conservation of oil resources. Coming from the West, the President said the people of that section knew there was| imit to oil supplies and that the time would come when they and the Nation would need this ofl much more than it was needed now. “There are no half measures in con- servation of oil,” he asserted. “The Government must cease to allenate its olll lands if we are to have conserva- tion.” The President’s statement was as| follows: “Not only do we propose to stop the issue of development permits over public domajn and other lands in control of the Government, which permits consti- tute the first step in the leasing of oil resources, but Secretary Wilbur proposes to review all outstanding permits to de- termine their status. Time Element Explained. “Where holders are complying with the law they need have no anxiety as to retrospective action, but some 34,000 | permits for ofl exploration by drilling | have been jssued since the leasing law | was passed in President Wilson's ministration. Of these some 20,000 are outstanding at the present time. Under these permits drilling must proceed in definite stages under time limits, It is obvious that no large proportion of 20,000 ofl wells are being drilled on | lands under these permits. Thus, many | persons have not complied with the re- | quirements of the law and in effect | have' abandoned their rights, “I have approved the recommenda- tion of Secretary Wilbur to appoint a departmental* board representing the different bureaus interested, which will review the whole situation. “Being fairly familiar with the senti- ment of our Western States, I can at once refute the statement that the people of the ‘West object to conserva- tion of oll resources. They know that there is a limit to oil supplies and that the time will come when they and the Nation will need this oil much more than it is needed now. “There are no half measures in con- servation of ofl. The Government must | are to have conservation.” HIT HOOVER OIL ORDER. Californians Protest Withdrawal Public Lands From Use. BAKERSFIELD, Calif,, March 16 (#). | Glen Aldrich, attorney representing | independent oil interests here, an- nounced yesterday that protests would be sent to Washington against the re- cent action of President Hoover in with- drawing some 15,000,000 acres of Cali- fornia publie lands from use by private prospectors for gas and oil. Aldrich said he must withhold his clients’ names from publication until he obtained their permission. He added, however, that most of them expected to file suits in Federal court to contest tl\PmPrcsiderAt's right to make such a uling. of BAND CONCERT. By the United States Soldiers’ Home | Band Orchestra, at Stanley Hall, at 5:30 o'clock this evening. March, “On the Afr"......... Goldman | Overture, “L'Exuitante Tendresse," Gabriel-Marie | Morceau. “Night and Love" (Ludus pro | Patria) Augusta Holmes | Grand selection, “Les Huguenots,” Fox trot, “That's My Mammy” Waltz intermezzo, “Ballroom W! (Ballgefluster) Meyer-Helmund ters were preparing to administer relief in some sectio§s. J Finale, “Up in the uds” . .Ruby “Ine Star Spangled Bl i &. Kt | ports not effectually blockaded. | possibility that some coalition including NATIONAL RADIO FORUM TO FEATURE ADDRESSES BY CABINET MEMBERS (Cor | | ture to improve the entire economic condition of the country. Secretary Lamont of the Commerce Department, one of the great engineers of the country, the key man for indus- try in the Cabinet whom President Hoover kept as a surprise until the last day before inauguration, also will speak on April 27. He is expected to tell how he proposes to carry out the Hoover policies' that have been so eminently successful in keeping America prosperous, preserving home markets, maintaining good wages and living standards—principally through ‘“effi- ciency,” which is to be the keynote of the present administration and the elimination of waste in industrial methods. | Secretary James J. Davis, the immi- | grant boy who literally fought his way from puddler in a foundry to the post of Secretary of Labor in the cabinet of three Presidents as champion for the laboring classes and to see that their interests are given every proper gov- ernmental safeguard and aid, is to give the American people a heart-to-heart talk about labor problems over the Na- tion-wide radio hook-up also on April 27. Mr. Davis is also chairman of the Federal Board for Vocational Educa- tion, a_member of the Council of Na- tional Defense and a member of the Smithsonian Institution. He is one of the country's greatest fraternalists, with membership in more than a score of the leading fraternal orders. He will give his brother members throughout the country a new view of the labor prob- lems and of the work that lies ahead of the Federal :0f- Eabor. Feature to Be Resumed May 4. ‘The cabinet forum feature will be re- sumed on May 4, with Postmaster Gen- eral Walter F. Brown as the principal | speaker. Some seven years ago Mr. Brown was selected by President Hard- ing as chairman of a jolnt committee which made a comprehensive study of the problem of xwr;anlflng the admin- istrative branch of the Government. | President Hoover is making this reor- | ganization program one of the chief | works of his administration. More re- | cently Mr. Brown has been Assistant | Secretary of Commerce, so few men in the Nation have a more direct view of the business life of the Government and of the entire country. The Post Office Department is the biggest single business in the world. It is the agency through which their Gov- ernment comes into most direct touch with and benefit to all the people throughout the United States. On Sat- | urday night, May 4, Mr. Brown will speak directly to the more than 130,- 000,000 patrons whom he serves, telling them how Uncle Sam is planning to given them constantly improving service and about some of the multifarious and intricate problems involved. ‘The National Radio Forum sponsored by The Washington Star, and trans- mitted through to Columbia broadcast- ng chain, will be continued every Sat- urday night at 10 o'clock Washington | time, with the most prominent public | men_discussing the vital issues with | which they are most intimately ac- quainted. The National Broadcasting Co. has ! also announced that they will present three members of the cabinet—Secre- tary Davis on Friday night, March 22; Secretary Wilbur on March 29, and At- torney General Mitchell on April 19, as | “guest speakers” in connection with their “half hours with the Senate.” Reaess NEW NAVAL PARLEY BEFORE 1931 NOW | NATIONS’ PROBLEM| (Continued From First Page.) | tion that the United States has any new proposals to make. 8o for the present there exists some- thing in the nature of a deadlock, and | it only remains to see if the forth- i two companies of National Guard in| rushed road-bullding equipment from Troy toward Big Creck to repair the | highway to Elba. The road was practi- | cally washed away by the torrential rainfall that has caused Pea River, Big Creek and two others to leave their | banks and spread over the countryside, | Engineers were confident they could | complete Tepairs in time to start the| movement of refugees by tomorrow. High Toll Expected. Health Department authorities said | they had definitely cstablished the | deaths of two persons from the floods, although reports continued to come in | that the casualty list would run_ high. | Confirmation of these reports could not | be obtained from any quarter. Col. J. C. Persons of Montgomery has been designated the official represent tive of the 4th Corps Area, United States Army, here. The boat in which Col. | S enger in rescue work | He- spent two hours ree until a relief boat arrived. CREST NOT YET IN SIGHT. Geneva Residents Say Present High! Water Shatters All Records. DOTHAN, Ala, March 16 (#).—The Dothan Eagle was adviscd today that flood waters are standing at a depth of 20 feet in the business district of Gen- eva, a city of 3,500 population approxi- mately 20 miles southwest, of here. The information reached the Eagle by courler, all means of wire communi- cation with Geneva being down. The flood water is coming from Chocta- whatchee River and Tight Eye and Corners Creeks, which converge a short distance north of here. No casualties were reported, as residents of the city had ample warning to remove to higher ground. Three trainloads of refugees were taken from Geneva to Samson late yesterday by a crew of volunteer train- men, Geneca's one-story post office, located in a comparatively low section of the city, was entirely submerged. Some residents were paddling over the top of the bullding in canoes. Former residents of the town said the present high water is from 8 to 15 feet higher than previous records. The crest of the flood is not yet in sight, according to unofficial informa- tion reaching here. Still higher water is in prospect as the Choctawhatchee shares practically the same watershed as streams that have overflowed and | inundated Elba, ALABAMA RIVER 6 MILES WIDE. Montgomery Suburb Reports Stream 19.2 Feet Above Flood Stage. solid expanse lof water extending over a territory six miles wide here today. The stream was reported at a depth of 54.2 feet, 19.2 feet above flood stage. The water was said to be higher by several Inches than in the 1019 flood, which caused serious property loss in this section. Madison Park is a suburb about six miles north of Montgomery. AIR SURVEY IS MADE. West Point Business Section Covered by Raging Streams. ATLANTA, Ga. March 16 (#).—An | airplane survey of flooded sections of Southwest Georgia by an Associated Press correspondent late yesterday dis- closed several towns inundated by high waters of the Chattahoochee River, way out of its bank from the torrential rains. ‘The crest of the river apparently was | at West Point, where water covered the | entire business section. In some places | it reached to the second stories of | houses. Automobiles were margoned in the streets, while men with horses | pulled cars out of the deep water and ferried pedestrians across the streets. The major portion of the residence sec- tion is located on hills and above overflow. Railroad lines running into West | Point and LaGrange were covered with water for several hundred feet at many points, where the roadbed dipped into | the Jowlands. Farm lands lying along | the Chattahoochee were inundated and timberland was covered, the water | extending in some places almost to the | tops of the trees. Stock Climbs to Highlands. It was not known whether there was ' any loss of life at West Point, where, in addition to the business section, the entire eastern half of the city was under water. Along one section of farm lands south of West Point water was up to many farm house doors, and cattle and horses held to small hillocks in their pastures, | marooned by the high waters. | Civilians Join Guardsmen, | Scores of civilian volunteers joined | their rescue work at Elba and had evacuated more than one hundred pe sons from the town, where many others still were perched on house tops and in trees. Refugees brought stories of horror of a night spent in waiting with the water rising steadily as it flowed | sturdy craft sank like a rock. cue of many. Miller said authorities were at wide | variance as to the death toll. State and county officers report no casualties in Coffee County, while refugees contend the death list may reach 100. Thus| far, Miller said, no bodies had been re- covered. The correspondent accompanied a de- tachment of Alabama National Guards- men into the flooded area. “I shal never forget my experience of the past three days,” Miller said. “The assignment was one of adventure, fraught with danger, yet the tasks had | to be accomplished. People were erying | for food and water from the house top: and the urge to reach them cost many of the members of rescue parties a wet- | ting from boats capsizing. Serlous Task Confronts Workers. “We left Montgomery Wednesday | night about midnight and drove steadily in big Army motor trucks for eight| hours before we reached Troy, 52 miles to the south. “Arriving in Troy, we were joined by | other Guard units. We proceeded on to the south and it soon became apparent that we were in for a more serious task than we had prepared for. “We lost four boats in attempting to | cross Big Creek after abandoning our | trucks. Our first rescue work was among our own number, although we were suc- cessful in each instance. ¢ “We reached Elba at noon Friday after rescuing approximately a score of marooned persons along the way. Ar-| riving in the city proper. we found from | 15 to 20 feet of water coursing through the principal streets. “During the four hours ending at 4 p.m. approximately 250 persons were picked from house and tree tops or were |removed from attics and upper floors In many places we found from 50 to 60 rarsons huddled in quarters that ordi- narily would have served 10. “Our first attempt at rescue brought disaster upon us. Our party was com- posed of four National Guard officers and two civilians, including myself. We had taken five Negroes from a tree and were just about to land them when our motor failed. At the mercy of the cur- rent, the overloaded craft spun around in the current like a top, and we were steadily swept down stream. We crashed into a submerged tree trunk and our boat sank. My companions swam to safety, including the Negroes, while I grabbed.a branch of the tree and hung on for an hour and a half until a passing boat picked me up. “As we cruised about the flooded streets in search of the most precarious- ly situated of the refugees we saw hun- dreds of men, women and children seated on housetops. In almost every |instance where we found a family on with them. Children Born in Attie. “As ég every other catastrophe, the Elba fitod saw many children born into the world. Several were born in one attie, where approximately two dozen families huddled. “One pitiful scene was at the resi- dence of an aged Confederate veteran. We made several attempts to rescue him, but the current always swept us back. I later learned that he had perished. although this report, as well as all others of casualties, could not be verified. “The Elba Consolidated School, whose second floor has housed the 350 school students since water first inundated the town Wednesday, had its occupants swelled by the scores as families poured in, seeking shelter on the second floor. | Many of the children were screaming to be taken out or for food and water. We gave them the latter in such quan- titles as possible, but made no atempt tn remove them from the stanch struc- | ture, Airplanes Welcome. 1 “Sight of the airplanes soaring over | the stricken community, dropping pro- visions, medical supplies and clothing, was a welcome sight to the refugees. Many of them had gone 48 hours with- out nourishment and their predicament was appalling. As the planes soared overhead volleys of shots could be heard in all sections of the city as persons tempted to attract the attention of avi- ators in their direction by firing pistols and shotguns. “On the return trip I experienced my second boat ‘cracking up’ under me. We struck a submerged log and our hitherto Fortu- nately it was one of the creeks instead {of the river into which we found our- selves plunged.” swiftly through the town. In addition to the towns listed above as inundated, a score or more other: while not flooded, were isolated due to paralyzed rail and highway communica- coming conversations at Geneva can break it. All the powers, except Germany Russia, seem to be pretty well ag that there is no use proceeding with the | ditcussion of land armaments until | naval limitation is a fact. The tendency of the experts is to belittle the results of the Washington conference because they applied only to capital ships. The British annual “return of fleets,” just issued, shows that capital ships ‘are diminishing throughout the world. it is in cruisers that interest now centers, United States, Great Britain, France, Italy, Japan, Spain and Germany arc all building stronger and faster cruisers, apparently with the idea that this is the type of the future. It is preeisely regarding crulsers that the United States and Great Britain have been unable to reach an accord. ‘The United States believes in the right of neutrals to trade freely in war- time in non-contraband goods to all The United States went to war on this issue in 1812 and in 1017, but violated its own principles as belligerents in 1861 and 1918, U. 8. Interest Quickened. President Wilson only dropped the freedom of the seas as one of his 14 points when he thought that the uni- | and | reed | versality of the League of Nations was | N. gong to abolish neutrality altogether. The interest of the United States in the subject has been greatly quickened by the fact that the United States is not a member of the League; and by the Britaip might some day succeed in carrying out the Leagle's sanctions against the pact breaker and interfere with the trade of the United States, | morgue tion. , In some of the towns flooded. food supplies were short and no drinking water available, causing grave fears of | pestilence. SALESMAN FOUND DEAD. | Webster L. Spencer, 63, Was Em- ploye of Printing Supply Firm. | Webster Linsey Spencer, 63 years old, | of Sykesville, Md., who was employed | as salesman for a printers’ supply firm at 1224 H street, was found dead in | bed in his room in Annapolis Hotel late | yesterday afternoon. { It is thought he had been dead 24 hours. An autopsy performed at the st night showed death to have rom natural causes. resulted | Spencer was a member of the Mystic Shr?ne in Atlanta, Ga. He is survived by his wife and several children. —_————— RITES IN PENNSYLVANIA. Funeral setvices for Dr. Ella D. Mitchell, 75 years old, of 1205 K street, who died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Mary Fromm, Monmouth Beach, J.. Monday, were conducted at Ta- maqua, Pa., Wednesday. In addition to having a Ph. D. degree, Dr. Mitchell studied law at the Law College at Lebanon, Tenn. and at George Washington University. She was known here for her work in or- Tlnlnnx the Huguenot Society of Wash- ngton. She was for many years active in politics in Burks County, Pa., where she resided before coming to this city, a housetop they had chickens and pigs‘ IVAN C. WELD. ELBA WOMAN GIVES DESCRIPTION OF HIGH-WATER HORROR (Continued From First Page.) mine how many lives have been lost and what the property damage will be. After being brought down from our housetop we were carried a distance of vised camp of the State militia and there quartered very comfortably for the time being. Scenes enacted by rescue parties make one thank God for the brave men, who, at the risk of their own lives, paddled boats and rafts up to our homes and carried us to safety. Some of these men, particularly the members of the National Guard, had been on duty for many long hours, and their bravery and fortitude was such as to command the highest commendation. Relief Work Praised. The Red Cross is also doing a won- derful work in providing for refugees. Other organizations are also co-operat- ing so far as I can leamn. There is one more thing I have learn- ed by this harrowing experience and that is that people can undergo such trying circumstances and still maintain their good senses. Mothers with babies in arms, clinging to what personal be- longings they could carry; whole fami- lies marooned on house tops and in upper stories of buildings—and, with few exceptions, not a cry was heard from any except children. ‘The weather, being moderately warm, caused less suffering than would have ordinarily occurred. While we our- selves were marooned we witnessed many rescues. Boats of all types were being used in this work. While the water was at its peak and about the time we were rescued two large motorboats sent to rescue some children were overturned. Fortunately the boats were righted and no one was lost in that mishap. Service Men Risk Lives. ‘This is just another illustration of the fortitude of the splendid boys wearing the colors of our Government, risking | their own lives for the sake of hu- | manity. Examples of this sort should make one proud of our boys. We do not know just how long we will have to remain in this temporary camp, and it matters not. Now that we are above the water level, we stand her2 and rejoice every time another |boat comes .over bearing some other greteful family, and at present they are coming in rapidly. But no one knows how long it will take to bring all of the 4,000 residents from their perches. The | water is very swift, thus handicapping approximately five miles to an impro- | tempts to save his life futile. While arrangements were not finally { completed this morning, funeral services were planned to be held at his late residence, at Sandy Spring. Md.. which has been the home of the Weld family for several years. Mr. Weld is survived by his widow, Mrs. Lena Rowley Weld; a son, John, 14 years old; a daughter, Ruth, 18 yi old, and a brother, Charles Weld, al Sandy Soring. Mr. Weld, who was 55 years old, was striken with influenza Tuesday evening, ! but as the fliness did not seem serious he remained at his home until Thurs- day morning. With the appearance of evidence of serious illness he was taken to the hospital, where a consultation of specialists was called. They agreed his i only hope seemed to be in blood trans- ! fusion, his condition being regarded as | too serious to attempt an operation. Soldier Gives Blood. A soldier from Walter Reed Hospital gave his blood in a transfusion yester- day morning, but the illness was too serious. Henry C. Cole, Col. William O. Tufts and Rev. Moses R. Lovell, pastor of the Mount Pleasant Congregational Church, friends of Mr. Weld, had vol- unteered to give their blood in trans- fusions and were awaiting a call to the hospital when word came of the death of tha chamber executive. | Mr. Weld in his work as an executive | of the Chamber of Commerce had for a number of years been active in civic movements, including that for the granting of national representation to ‘Washington in both houses of Congress and the petition of Washington for the | establishment of a permanent equitable | fiscal relation as between the Federal iand local governments. In January Mr. Weld was elected by unanimous vote to his second term as i president of the Washington Chamber | of Commerce. He previously had served as vice president, as chairman of its committees on national representation |and on municipal finance and taxation and was for some time chairman of the chamber membership committee. He was a representative of the chamber on the citizens’ joint committee on na- tional representation and the citizens’ joint committee on fiscal relations. He devoted much time to the work of the business organization and mad- studies with other chamber members of local tax and budget problems. He also was formerly a member of the Co- lumbia Heights Citizens’ Association, the | Kiwanis Club and was a member cf | the Masonic fraternity of this juris- ; diction, | ! | Active in Dairy Work. Mr. Weld was one of the founders of the Chamber of Commerce, which this year celebrated its twenty-second anniversary =~ He was an executive of the Chestnut Farms Dairy. with whi he had been associated for about I years, and was regarded as an authority on_municipal dairy and milk problems. For a time Mr. Weld served as a milk distribution expert of the Depart- ment of Agricuiture. A native of Cornish, N. H, Mr. Weld first came into prominence as a profes- the work of rescue. We ask the prayers of all. We are doing our best to bear our misfortune without complaint, but the ordeal is almost unbearable. (Copyright, 1920, by North American News- paper Alliance.) GEN. APPLETON, RETIRED PUBLISHER, DIES AT 77 By the Assoclated Press. NEW YORK, March 16.—Maj. Gen. Daniel Appleton, 77 years old, retired publisher and soldier, died last night at a private sanitarium at White Plains. Born in New York City, Gen. Apple- fon at the age of 19 became a clerk in the publishing firm of D. Appleton & Co., which was founded by his grand- father and of which his father was a member. In the same year he joined the New York National Guard, con- tinuing with both organizations for more than 40 years and attaining posi- tions of responsibility in each. He became a‘ partner in the publish- | ing firm in 1879 and later was made vice president and general manager. He retired in 1913 after an association of | 42 years. He was given the rank of brevet major general by the State of New York for 45 years’' service in the th Regiment. \He was a bachelor. i . Here are the photos that Charles T sacrificed his life to get, as Lee Bible’s ring directly at him, sped at three miles & minute to destruction on the sand at Daytona Beach, Fla., on March 13. These photos were taken just a few moments before the tragic death of Charles Traub and Lee Bible. Photo at top shows the Triplex approaching the distance marke: close to surf and starts to turn back onto beach; in the lower panel is the car’s sudden swerve as it heads in direction of Charles Traub, | k;fib. daring Pathe News cameraman, | monster racing car, the Triplex, whir- sor at New Hampshire State College, | where he demonstrated abllity as a dis- | tributor_of milk supplies, It was be- cause of his familiarity with this sub- | ject that he was named an expert of | the Department of Commerce. | A special meeting of the board of | directors of the Charaber of Commerce | was called for noon today by Charles | W. Darr, first vice president, when plans were laid for attendance of a delegation of his friends in the organi- zation at the funeral Monday. The monthly meeting of the chamber, sched- uled to be held at the Willard Hotel next Tuesday, was indefinitely post- poned. Mr. Darr, as acting president of the chamber, today issued the follow= ing statement in connection with the death of Mr. Weld: “The tragically sudden death of Ivan C. Weld after only three days of iliness is a shock to his countless friends and to the business men of Washingten whom he served so faithfully and effec- tively as president of the Washington Chamber of Commerce. “Ivan Weld wag a man of highest character, who enlleared himself to all those with whom he came in contact. Although he had achieved international renown as an expert on public milk supplies and had been honored by his coworkers in this country and called into consultation by foreign govern- ments, his real love was the City of Washington, whose best interests he furthered in every way within his power, His death comes as a great blow to his friends and in his passing Washington has lost a great heart and a good citi- Board of Trade Statement. The following expression of regret came this morning from the Board of Trade: “It is with del:P regret that the offi- cers of the Washington Board of Trade have learned of the death of Ivan C. Weld. president of the Washi n Chamber of Commerce. They feel that the city has lost a valuable worker in its behalf and one who has devoted much of his time and ‘energy to the cf welfare of his fellow citizens. ‘The constant expressions of good- will evidenced by Mr. Weld, who was at all times ready to cc-operate with this organization, were keenly ap- preciated. “He proved himself to be one of our outstanding civic leaders, whose un- timely loss will be a severe blow to the community. “The officers of the Washington Board of Trade express their deep re- gret to the Washington Chamber of Commerce and their sympathy to Mr. Weld's family in their bereavement.” In a letter of sympathy this morning, Gen. Anton Stephan, president of the Merchants and Manufacturers’ Associa= tion, wrote the chamber: “The officers and members of the Merchants and Manufacturers’ Associa- tion have been greatly shocked and deeply grieved to learn this morning of the sudden and untimely death of Ivan T, Weld, president of the Wash- ington Chamber of Commerce. We de- sire to express to the board of directors of the Chamber of Commerce our sincere sympathy on the great loss which you and the city of Washington at large have sustained. “Mr. Weld has been an outstan leader in civic and business affairs o! ‘Washington and a man recognized as an authority in matters pertaining to the dairy business, not only in country but throughout the world. “He was & man possessed with a charming personality, who was greatly admired by all who came in contact with him and endeared himself to those who were privileged to be assoclated with him. “Under his administration of the Chamber of Commerce there has been a fine spirit of co-operation with this association and other trade bodies in all matters in which these organizations were jointly interested. “In his death we feel that this asso« ewer pe (e clguon !lull mod lju; a real fmnld. 'athe News cameraman. | whose opinion and jus ent we t] 4 ~P. & A. Photo, respected.” s gy in center, Bible realizes he is too