Evening Star Newspaper, March 27, 1929, Page 17

General J WASHINGTON, D. €, WEDNESDAY, PAGE 17 SHFTSINPOLIE -/ DFFICERS DELAYED - UNTILNEXT WEEK Successor to Hesse Will Be Named Friday by District Commissioners. MANY CHANGES HINGE ON PRATT'S SELECTION Six Promotions Resulting From | Burlingame's Retirement Ap- proved by Board. The delay of the District Commi: sioners in appointing a successor to Po- lice Supt. Edwin B. Hesse, who goes on a retirement status Sunday, threatens to postpone the impending reorganiza- tion of the administrative staff of the. police department. The Commissioners plan to name the new police superintendent Friday, and as they do not meet again in regular board meeting until Tuesday, it was} pointed out, the changes contemplated, will necessarily have to be postponed, unless a special session Is called in the meantime for the purpose of approv- ing them. Many Changes Loom. ‘The promotion of Inspector Henry G. Pratt to the superintendcy, which is regarded as likely, will necessitate many more personnel changes than would be | required if Maj. Hesse’s successor was picked from outside the police ranks. In addition to the inspectorship, Pratt also hoids the rank of assistant superin- tendent, and both of these positions would have to be filled if he is advanced, besides a half a dozen or more other vacancies which would be created all along the line as the result of promo- tions. Inspector William S. Shelby, an as- .sistant superintendent and personnel officer, is slated for Pratt’s position as chief of the Detective Bureau if he is promoted to the superintendency, but this change would leave a vacancy in the rank of assistant superintendent. Indications are that either Inspector E. W. Brown, in charge of the Traffic Bu- reau, or Inspector Louis J. Stoll would be promoted to the vacant assistant su- perintendency, which carries with it an increase in compensation of $250 a year. Six Shifts Approved. The six changes in personnel recom- mended by Maj. Hesse as a result of the retirement of Capt. Guy E. Burlingame of the second precinct were approved vesterday afternoon by the Commis- sioners. Outsanding among them was the promotion of Lieut. Frank S. W. Burke, who will take over Burlingame's command Monday morning at 8 o'clock. The other promotions and shifts ap- proved were the transfer of Lieut. Ogden T. Davis from the fifth precinct to| headquarters, to fill the vacancy created | by the elevation of Lieut. Burke; the} promotion of Detective Sergt. Richard Mansfield to lieutenant, and his assign- ment to the fifth precinct’ to_succeed | Lieut. Davis; the promotion of Detective James E. Kane of the first precinct to succeed Mansfield at headquarters: the promotion of Pvt. James J. Tolson of | politan Police Department will pay their | Lieut. Richard Mansfleld. : Sergi. J. E. Kane. Lieut. Mansfield is stepping up from assignment as a headquarters detective under the police reorganization, and| Detective Kane goes to headquarters from the first precinct. 42 Ranking Police Officers to Give Testimonial for Retiring Chief. The 42 ranking officers of the Metro- parting sribute to Maj. Edwin B. Hesse, retiring superintendent, at a testimonial dinner in the Chinese room of the Mayflower Hotcl Saturday evening at 7 o'clock. The District Commissioners, leaders of trade organizations and former Com- missioner Frederick A. Fenning, who was_responsible for Maj. Hesse's pro- motion to the superintendency, will be among the guests. Inspector William | S. Shelby, assistant superintendent and the second precinct to precinct detective, and his assignment to the first precinct to succeed Kane, and the promotion of Pvt. Louis Redman of the seventh precinct to the rank of sergeant to fill 2 vacancy which has existed in this rank for some time. “LIBERTY” TO TRY FOR ALTITUDE MAR Twin-Motored Sikorsky Amphibian | o Plane Goes to New York After Test Flight. The twin-motored Stkorsky amphibian | plane Liberty. in which J. M. Pa terson and Floyd Gibbons, the war correspondent. recently completed a tour of the West Indies, left the Ana-| costia Naval Air Station today for New York, where it will be used in an attempt to break the world sltitude; record with a pay load of 1,000 kilo- grams. A test flight with this load was made here vesterday and the plane reached | 7.500 feet, but was forced down by lack | of ofl pressure in one motor. Henry| White was the pilot. The 1,000-kilogram altitude record now is held by Germany. Franz Kneer, German pilot, flying a Junkers plane with a 420-hprsepower Bristol Jupiter motor, at Dessau last November, car- ried 1,000 kilograms, or 2,204 pounds, to an’ allitude of 20961 feet. The American record with this load is held by Lieut. Arthur Gavin, U. S. N., who reached 19,593 feet in a twin-motored Navy PN-12 patrol fiying boat on June | 28. 1928. at Philadelphia. | The Liberty visited most of the countries in the West Indies last Fall| and Winter. On her hull have been painted the flags of more than haif a| dozen countries which were visited, in several of which the Liberty was the first plane ever scen. CLARK WILL RETURN TO PRIVATE LAW FIRM | Undersecretary of State Plans Trip to Mexico Soon, but Not as TU. S. Official. Explaining his action was designed to set at rest various published reports plans for the future, J. Reuben ndersecretary of State, said to day that as incoming Secretary, finds it entirely convenient to relieve me of my work in the Department of State, T shall re- turn to the private practice of law with my present firm in Salt Lake City, Utah.” He said that he did plan to make a trip to Mexico in the near future, but that he would do so “in a purely pri- vate work. PLANS HONOR DINNER. {were flatly denied today by Assi oon as Col. Stimson, the | pacity in connection with Ix‘gul‘ personnel officer, will be the toastmas- ter. Maj. Hesse's successor, who will be named by the Commissioners Friday, also will attend the farewell dinner. The invited guests follow: Commissioners Dougherty, Taliaferro and Ladue; Assistant Engineer Com- missioners, 'Davison and Atkins, Capt. H. C. Whitehurst, the secretary to the Board of Commissioners, Daniel E. Garges, and George Watson, chief en- | gineer of the Fire Department. Senator Capper and Representative | Zihiman, chairmen of the Senate and | House District commitiees, respectively arles W. Darr, president of the Chamber of Commerce; Willlam W. Everett, president of the Board of Trade; Maj. Gen. Anton Stephan, pres- ident of the Merchants and Manufac- turers’ Association; Odell S. Smith and Edward F. Colladay, both prominent in local civic affairs, Leo A. Rover, United States attorney; Mr. Fenning, Ernest H. Van Fossan of the Board of Tax Appeals, Fred East, Rev. ‘William S: Abernethy, pastor of Calvary Baptist Church; Rev. James Shera nlaonmmomery. chaplain of _the louse of presentatives, e es, and Robert DENIES REPORTS HALL TO BE OUSTED Assistant Secretary of Treasury Declares Rumor “Absolutely Without Foundation.” | [ ! | Widespread rumors that Alvin W.| Hall, director of the Bureau of Engray- ing and Printing, was to be replaced, Secretary of the Treasury Henry Her- "“‘, Bond, in charge of the bureau. “There ‘is absoluetly no foundation {ur such a rumor,” declared Mr. Bond. | “We are gratified over the work of | Mr. Hall and there is*no reason what- ever for making any change.” The rumor had gained general cir- culation through the bureau. | Named on Pay Revision Board. ! Brig. Gen. George S, of the War Plans Division; Col. Fred- | erick Coleman, Finance Department, | {and Lieut. Col. William Brydon, Field | | Artillery, have been designaied by Sec- retary Good as the representat) of the War Department on the joint Army | ar commission which is to con- i s ision of pay schedules of of- | ficers of the Army, Navy and’ Marine Corps. Simonds, chief | Burglars Loot Shops Of Easter Bonnets And Ladies’ Clothes Easter bonnets valued at $72 and an assortment of women's wearing apparel, said to be worth $900, were taken by burglars, who last night forced entry to a bulid- ing at 1224 G street by breaking Fire Engine Company to Entertain Transferred Officers, 22 Engine Company Georgia averue and Shepherd road, wil stage a dinner and entertainment Fri night at the firehouse in honor of three of the company officers, who ar being transferrec _trom No. 1 platoor to No, 2. Wives of the firemen will by s at the enteilseunent, o be tran en, Lieut. . Harrisan, Firemen 1 ) sand.Sexgt, H. H | - Rice | | | the boits from a basement door. | The Maison Maurice Co. lost | ats reported by the il | 1 e} i - | 410 Twentieth strect. The oth ts were the property of the Norma Hosiery Shop. Gene Sand- ler, manager, of I street. discovered the opening shop this morning jlast administration for the rotation of { Gen. Amos E. irespective arms, but will be eligible for PARTING TRBUTE. | PLANNED FORHESSE | forces on the Cambria front. VACANCIES FILLED BY PRESIDENT Col. Gilchrist and Col. Fugua Appointed Chemical War- fare and Infantry Chiefs. POLICY OF ROTATION BY COOLIDGE FOLLOWED| Officers Whese Terms Expire to Revert to Regular Rank of Colonel. Followivg the policy adopted by the officers in bureau offices, the President today appointed Col. Henry L. Gilchrist, Medical Corps, to be chief of the Chem- ical Warfare Service, replacing Maj.| Fries, whose term of office | and Col. Stephen O. Fuqua, to be chief of Infan- try, replacing Maj. Gen. Robert H. Al- len, whose four-year term also_expired today. = As a result of these sppointments Gen. Fries and Gen. Allen will revert to their regular rank of colonel in their expired _to | retirement &s major generals on their own applications or because of age limit. The appointments of Col. Gilchrist 2ud Fuqua carry in each case the rank of major general. Col. Gilchrist is from Waterloo, Towa. { s graduated from the Western | ¢ in Ohlo in 1896, and entered the Army as a contract surgeon in August, 1898. He has held the rank of colonel in the Medical Corps since October 4, 1926. Prior to the World War he performed the usual duties of a medical officer as well as such unusual dutles as health officer of Manila. He also voluntered or research work in the treatment of leprosy by use of the Rcentgen rays, and spent one year in that work on Tybee Island, Ga. Later he volunteered for similar research work in connection with the prevention of typhoid fever. and during his experiments contracted the disease. Service in World War. On the entry of the United States into the World War, Col. Gilchrist sail- ed overseas in command of Base Hos- pital No. 4, which is said to have been the first United States organization to participate actively in that war. Later Col. Gilehrist commanded the British General Hospital No. 9, and in Decem- ver, 1917, was made director of the Chemical Warfare Service in the Amer- fcan. Expeditionary Forces, and con- tinued in that position until the close of the war. During that time, as med- ical adviser to the Chemical Warfare Service, he supervised all activities per- taining to gas casualties, devised mobile degassing paraphernalia, a mobile col- lapsible terminal apparatus for the pre- vention of gas casualties and methods for neutralizing mustard gas in both liquid and vapor forms, and other valu- able measures against gas attacks. Since the World War Col. -Gilchrist commanded the American typhus fever expedition to Poland and on his return to the United States in January, 1921, he was detailed to duty as chief of the medical division of the Chemical War- fare Service in this city and has con- tinued on that duty to date. Among numerous decorations received by Col. Gilchrist are the Distinguished Service Cross, the World War Badge with nine clasps, the General Service Medal from Great Britain, the Cross of Honor from Poland and a citation from Sir Douglas Haig of the British Army for gallantry in action with the British Fuqua Louisiana Native. Gen. Fuqua was born in Louisiana, December 25, 1874, and saw active sel vice in the Spanish American War, the Philippine insurrection. and in the World War. During the latter conflict he was essistant chief of staff of the 37th and 38th Divisions and afterward chief of staff of the 1st Division. He served in that capacity in Germany and also after his return to the United States. Then he was detailed to similar stafl duty in the Hawailan department and in the Second Corps Area at New York. For the past two years he has been stationed at_Fort Jay, Governors Is- land, New York, and has held the rank of colonel since January 14, 1928. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his services in France and especial ments incident to thke concentration of troops for the St. Mihiel and Meuse Argonne offensives. He was commissioned second lieuten- ant of infantry in the Regular Army in 1901 and is a distinguished graduate of the Infantry and Cavalry School of 1907 and a graduate of the Staff Col- lege at Fort Leavenworth, 1908. Secretary Good today said that by ro- tation of details there will be available in each branch of the service men who have had the benefit of increased au- thority as chiefs and assistant chiefs of branches. ‘Encouragement will be given,” Mr. Good said, “to the younger officers, who will have opportunity as assistant chiefs to demonstrate their capabilities to be- come the chief of their branch. Fur- thermore, application of such a principle will prevent the possible evils of bu- reaucracy for which there might be some apprehension 1f the personnel in each branch remained in control for long periods, such as 10 or 15 years.” EDWARDS AND COOPER | WILL BE RETAINED Wilbur Will Keep Both-in Per- sonnel of Interior Department. By the Associnted Press. | Secretary Wilbur said today that the | resignation of Second Assistant Secre- {tary Edwards of the Interior Depart- {ment_and ssioner Cooper of the | Burea ion have been re- turned. | The retention of Edwards and Cooper | completes the official family in the In j terior Department with_the exception {of Commissioner of Indian Affairs { and oner of Pensions, | Ass Secretary Edwards has { general supervision of the Education. { Pension and Indian Bureaus and na- WILL AID AIRPORT, VANDERBERG SAYS ileeds of Capital to Be Met in Better Way as Result, He Believes. HEARINGS SCHEDULED TO OPEN DURING APRIL | Federal Agencies and District Pre- paring Reports to Show Their Requirements. The airport needs of the Capital will be met in a bigger and better way as a resuit of the decision of Congress to have a joint commission go thor- oughly into the question before action is taken, it was predicted today by Senator Vandenberg, Republican, of Michigan, “I believe Washington will be happy over the final result of the method airport problem,” the Senator said. The airport commission is composed of members of the Senate and House and_ was created in the closing days of the last Congress instead of taking immediate action on the pending bill for establishment of a municipal air- port at Gravelly Point, N The commission will start hehrings early in April following the return of Senator Bingham, Republican, of Con- necticut, and chairman of the commis- sion. In the meantime the War, Navy, Commerce and Post Office Departments are preparing separate reports to ad- vise the commission as to what the air- port requirements of the Federal Gov- ernment will be in Washington in the future. ‘The local needs will be presented by the District Commissioners, and the air- as a whole, considering both the Fed- eral and District situations. The commission is not expected to decide upon the location it will recom- mend until near the end of its inquiry. Senator Vandenberg, who is a mem- ber of the Senate District committee, agreed today with the view recently ex- pressed by Chairman Capper that the general program of District legislation is not likely to be considered during the special session of Congress. READYTODEFND SPEED KNG L Segrave, Presented Trophy Here, Says He Would Re- turn if Necessary. “I'm_looking forward with a great deal of pleasure to coming back here and lifting the record again if one of your countrymen betters my record,” Maj. H. O. D. Segrave, holder of the world automobile speed record of 231 miles an hour, told Vice President Charles Curtis on the steps of the Cap- itol today, when he was awarded by the Vice President the Daytona Beach cup. The presentation was made before a crowd largely made up of girls anxious for a glimpse of the tall, blonde Briton who has gained international fame through his successful superspeed tests on the hard-packed sands of the Florida beach Tesort. Congratulated by Curtis. In awarding the cup, which is the gift of the city of Daytona, Fla, to the British race driver, aviator and former diplomat, Vice President Curtis warmly congratulated him on his lifting the record and characterized speed as the “ruling passion of the age.” With Maj. Segrave at the presenta- tion of the cup were Mrs, Segrave, Sir Esme Howard, British Ambassador; Capt. J. 8. Irving, designer and builder of the Golden Arrow car, in which Maj. Segrave made his record; Mayor E. H. Armstrong of Daytona, Charles P. Clark, general manager of the American Automobile Association, un- der whose auspices the speed record was made, and other officials of the motor body. Following the cup presentation Maj. Segrave, Mrs, Segrave, Capt. TIrving and Sir Esme Howard went to the White House, where they were pre- sented to President Hoover. Goes to New York. Maj. Segrave leaves the Capital to- day for New York, where he will make preparations to sall back to Englanc April 6. ing during the presentation of the cup to express his gratitude for the operation given him by the various ol cials with whom he has come in contact during his stay in the United States. He said the help given him everywhere, by the officials of the A. A. A, by the officials of Daytona and by the general public, has contrasted favorably with receptions he has received in foreign countries. “It gives me great joy to express my appreciation of your universal co-opera- tion in this country with my under- takings,” he declared. TUBERCULOSIS CLINIC IN EDUCATION DRIVE | Tmproved Facilities Needed for! Campaign to Diagnose Disease and Plan Treatment. The urgent need of improved facili- |ties for the tuberculosis clinic of the | Health Department is to be one of the objectives of the April educational cam- paign for the early diagnosis of tubercu- 1osis sponsored by the local Tuberculosi Assoctation, 1t was indicated at yester- day’s meeting of the campaign commit- tee at the association headquarters, 1022 Eleventh street. Dr. J. Winthrop Pea- body, chairman of this committee, named a subcommittee to bring this | matter to public attention. He also | named: another subcommittee to con- sider the needs of the District as to bet- ter_reporting of tuberculosis cases. tional parks and the governments of Hawail and Alaska. The principal banking quarter of London, Lombard street, takes its name Headquarters Detcctive Arthur T. Fihelly was assigned to the case. from the Lombards, Italian goldsmiths and money lenders, who settled there in the twelfth cemtury. Plans were completed for the dis- tribution_of posters and other printed leaflets all carrying the campaign slogan of “Early Discovery—Early Recovery” and for the sending of speakers to ad- dress various meetings of the medical societies, medical schools, public scheol: and patent-teacher asscciations, OINT COMMISSION | Congress adopted in approaching the | port commission will study the problem | Maj. Segrave took occasion this morn- | CHERRY BLOSSOMS - ATTRACT THRONGS Panorama of Pink and White Is Gradually Un- folding. The Tidal Basin, edged with pictur- esque cherry blossoms, was the magnet that drew hundreds of visitors today to view the unfolding panorama of pink and white that has come to be one of the sights of the Capital around Easter time. Charles Henlock, chief of the horti- cultural division of the Office of Pub- lic Buildings and Public Parks, announc- ed today that the cherry blossoms are now in fine condition and will be in full bloom on Easter Sunday. There are now myriad buds and the full- open blooms are Increasing in number daily. By foot and by automobile, the count- less visitors came, to be among the first to witne: the Oriental splendor of the blossoms. The U, S. Park Police force is arranging special traffic regu- lations Lo direct the thousands of sight- scers who are expected to ride around the Tidal Basin during the week end to see the 10-day wonder of Washing- ton. The transportation companies are planning to run special busses to en- able patrons to see the cherry blos- soms. F. W. Hover, general manager of the Welfare and Recreational Associ: tion of Public Buildings and Grounds, Inc, anounced today that the Hah Point Tea House will gpen tomorrow, if the weather is favorable. Should the weather prevent, the opening will be gfls:poned until Friday or the first clear ay. ‘The following tabulation shows the full-flowering dates of the chel tre as compiled by the ho:ticultural divi sion of the Office of Public Buildings and Public Parks, under Mr. Henlock: Single blooms. Double blooms April 13 April 26 March 27 April 15 April 11 April 24 March 20 April 20 April 26 GIFT TO VENEZUELA. Edmond T. Quinn, New York sculptor, has been selected by the Secretary of State, with the approval of the Fine Arts Commission, to fabricate a bron: statue of Henry Clay for presentation to the government of Venezuela, in ac- cordance with an act of the Sixty-ninth Congress appropriating $41,000 for that purpose. The statue fs to be erected in a pub- lic park in the city of Caracas. Its presentation is in recognition of the presentation by Venczuela to the United States of a statue of Bolivar several years ago, which statue now stands In New York City. SEGRAVE GETS The British speedster | President Curtis this mornis the cup, flanked on the left by the Vice President and, Scene in Potomac Park this morning as the Japanese cherry trees began to spread their blossoms, the angle from which the photograph was taken forming a perfect framework for the Lincoln Memorial. ‘SMOOT'S REZONING —Star Staff Photo. iKillip to Head Smithsonian Party in Unknown Area. Andes Expected to Supply Extensive Additions to Botanical Collection. BY THOMAS R. HENRY. Bound for the decp jungles of the upper Amazon and the practically 1 explored Oriente territory of nor stern Feru, a Smithsonian Institu at-hunting expedition left Washi this merning for Lima. g The expedition, which will be gone ap- | | | | | | | pi to | of Ellsworth P. Killip, assistant curator | of the National Herbarium. He is ac- | companied by Albert C. Smith of the New York Botanical Gardens, and Wil liam J. Dennis. a Smithsonian collab- orator. After crossing the Andes from Lima, | the expedition expects to plunge into | territory which is practically unknown |to the botanist. It is a country of dense jungles, of legendary narcotic and medicinal plants, and of primitive In- dian tribes from whom the explorers hope to gain much information. The cxpedition, Mr. Killip said, is not specifically in_search of any of the plants to which strange properties have been attributed, but desires to obtain as complete & collection as posible of all the flora of the region for scientific | identification. Previous American ex- plorers have been inierested primarily in plants with economic possibilities, and the specimens they have brought back have been often worthless as laboratory standards. To Proceed From Lima. The expedition will | Lima over the mountains to Huancayo, | tarry them down the Eastern Slope to Puerto Yessup, on the Pichies River. They then will proceed by boat down { the Uacayli River to Icuitos, a village in | the extreme northeast of Peru, which is the headquarters of navigation for large boats on the Amazon. On the way across the mountains ex- tensive . botanical collections will be made. This region is interesting as the source of many of the plants utilized in the Inca agriculture. Some of these have not been botanically identified, al- known. Killip and his associates then wijll secure a launch for explorations up the Maranon, tributaries of the Amazon which reach into the almost mythical Oriente, a closed land for white men until within the last few years and the reputed home of strange beasts and vanished civiliza- tions. Part of the country to be visited was explored by early European botan- ists, but has been untouched since they left. So far as possible three specimens AUTO TROPHY Mrs, Segrave holds and on the right by her PLANT-HUNTING EXPEDITION TO START FOR PERU JUNGLES | proximately eight months, is in charge | proceed from | | wnere mule caravans will be outfitted to | though their general classification is | Huallaya and Tigre rivers, | he received the Daytona Beach cup from Vice | ers supply the national necd. n a cercmony at the Capitol. | ELLSWORTH P. KILLIP. H |the Smithsonian collection, one for the | Field Museum of Natural History of barium at Harvard. There recently has been a great revival of interest in some |of the plants of this region because of | their potency as drugs. but before any | extensive use can be made of them it | is necessary to secure an absolute bo-| | tanical identification. This is a land of potent vegetable poisons. There is one plant poison | which for centuries has been used by Indians to poison fish. A small quan- tity placed in a stream is reputed to] paralyze the fish and result “in big catches. Recently it has been found that this poison has great value as an insecticide and the Department of Agriculture is anxious to get & scien-| ific description of the piant as it ac-| fually grows, A Here also is the deadly curare, with which the jungle Indians Up their| arrowheads and the slightest trace of | | which, getting into the blood stream, is supposed to cause death. This s a1 popular poison for writers of detective stories, but, according to Killip, very little is really known about it. He will keep his eyes open for the plant from which curare is derived. Another almost legendary plant re- puted in this region is known variously s dead man’s vine, caapi, aya-huasca and elixir of courage. It is perhaps the most mystical of all the jungle growths. It is supposedly derived from the blos- som stems of a jungle vine and re- cently has been the subject of some studies at Columbia University. Effect of Small Quantity. An early Spanish explorer, who ex- perimented with it, reported that as | soon as he had swallowed a small quan- | tity his head began to swim and he | elt deathly sick for a_moment. Then I his head seemed to clear up and he | had the blissful hallucination of sailing | through the air over a pleasant coun- | iryside with farms, churches, villages and great cities spread in a_beautiful | pancrama_below him. This hallucina- | tion ended suddenly and he supposedly ! d himself in the midst of & forest by jungle beasts. “He fought des: cly to save himself—and then came to his senses, deathly sick. The dead man's vine is used by the Indians as an elixir of courage, end is administered to warriors before battle. Used in the proper quantities its effect § sald to be to remove entirely the fear death, to endow the fighter with a reckless_bravery, and to leave no bad after effects. seemingly having the ef- feet of splitting the personality. It has been used extensively in the incanta- tions of the savage medicine men. Another Indian plant drug from the same region recently was reported from Berlin as a potent remedy for influenza, but scientists in Ygashington, largely | because of the paucily of the collection, have been unable to identify it. The jungle Indians, wmong whom Killip and his companions are going. | have lived their own lives, cut off from the rest of the world for many genera- tions, and, while quite primitive, have learned much about the use of the indi- genous vegetation — particularly _the medicinal value of various plants. Their stories of such values are expected to furnish clues for researches undertaken in this counrty. The country also is supposed to abound in food plants and ornamentals. It may be the home of the original an- cestor of the cultivated potato, which never has been identified. The potato already had spread far from its place of origin and become a domestic plant long before the coming of the white man. A great variety of wild rela- tives are reported in this territory, RS Italy Puts Duty on Whnt. ROME, Italy (#).—The Italian gov- ernment has placed an import tariff equal to 20 cents a bushel on durum wheat in an effort to help Italian farm- Iialy has been one of the principal foreign mar- kets for dwum wheat from the United | ! i ~Assoclated Press Photo. States. | will be obtained of each plant—one for | | Chicago and one for the Gray Her- | PLEAEETS WTH GAL OF PROTEST | Residents of Neighborhood Who Oppose Change Hurl Sarcastic Terms. SENATOR CLAIMS TRAFFIC MAKES HOME UNTENABLE Utahan Backs Move to Place Area in Dispute Ifto Commer- cial Class. Senator Smoot of Utah, appearing be- fore the Zoning Commission today at the second consecutive monthly meet- ing to endeavor to obtain the rezoning of his property at Connecticut avenue and Calvert street, created a storm of opposition and was referred to in sar- castic terms by residents of the neigh- borhood who opposed the change. ‘The proposition supported by Senator Smoot was to change from residential B, B restricted and C areas, to first commercial C area, both sides of Con= necticut avenue from Connecticut Ave= nue Bridge to Cathedral avenue, which includes the Senator’s home, but ex- cluding the ground of the Wardman Park Annex and including also the north side of Calvert street from Wood«~ ley place to Connecticut avenue. In supporting the petition for the change Senator Smoot said that he built his home there 20 years ago, and that since then conditions have changed considerably and traffic increased so enormously that the attendant noises and noxious fumes made it impossible for him to continue to live there. Traffic Signal Is Cited. He said that a traffic stop light placed on the corner close to his home had the | effect of making a large number of au- tomobiles start up simultaneously when the light turned green. He was in dan- ger of suffocating, he said, if he opened any of the windows of his home during the morning or evening rush hours. “Nobody is willing to do more than L” the Senator said, “for the beautifi- cation_of Washington. This is some= thing I have worked for for years. But conditions change and the conditions of this beautiful area have changed so that I can see no escape for those who have invested in homes there and no longer are able to dwell in them ex- cept to change the section to a com- mercial one and allow them to recover their investment by selling their prop= erty for business purposes.” Senator Watson of Indiana, who lives at 2651 Connecticut avenue, supported his colleague and urged the commis- sion to change the zoning. The opposition to the change, led by Guy H. Johnson, 2612 Woodley place, claimed that there was no need for i business in the community, that stores | established there before the zoning act was passed and therefore allowed to continue became vacant every two or three months. Proponents Called Selfish. The proponents of the change were { attacked as “selfish people who want to make a dollar at the expense of their neighbors.” Mr. Johnson asked George R. Linking a real estate dealer, if he had not sold Senator Smoot's house, a condition of the contract of sale being that it would not be consummated unless the zoning was changed to commercial. Mr. Lin- kins answer was that that was a fact. ‘When Mr. Johnson sougit to find out if the price involved was $75,000, Lin- kins refused to answer. Mr. Johnson said that (the traffic conditions of which Senator Smoot complained would not be cured by putting business zoning into effect, rather they would be made worse. He said that Senator Smoot & year ago had opposed a similar petition for a zoning change effecting his home and that there was no reason for him to change his mind now except that he saw a chance to “make a piece of money.” > He said that the Government is about to purchase land at the south- west corner of Connecticut avenue and Calvert street for a park approach to the Connecticut Avenue Bridge and that it should buy Senator Smoot's home from him rather than mar the entrance to the bridge “with a lot of cheap shops.” John J. Hamilton, 2611 Woodley place, also assailed the proposed change and accused Senator Smoot of “having an ax to grind” in asking the new zoning. Senator Smoot sat silent during his arraignment, but rose later and sald that the reason he had changed his mind about the zoning in the course of a year was that a traffic light had been put up in that time, and although conditions before the light was put in were bad they now were impossible. He sald that the money for which he would sell his house had nothing to do with the case. Numeroys other residents spoke against the change, all stating that it would ruin their property, already some- what damaged by the enormous increase of traffic. Among them were Assistant Corporation Counsel Richmond B, Keech, 2746 Woodley place, and Mrs, Annie Steerman, 2610 Woodley place. Among those who favored the change were P. A. Chamberlain, 2803 Connecti- cut avenue; W. C. Miller of the firm of W. C. and A. N. Miller, building con- tractors. The Connecticut Avenue Citie zens Association and the Washington Board of Trade were recorded as op- posed to the change. The petition took practically the en- tire morning session and 10 other pe~ titions remained to be heard at the afternoon session. THREE DAYS REMAIN FOR TAX RETURNS Assessor Richards Warns Publie That Only About 35,000 Out of 75,000 Listed Have Filed. But three days remain in which per- sonal tax returns may be filed, and the second half of the real estate taxes for the 1929 fiscal year may be paid, As= sessor William P. Richards warned to- day. Mr. Richards said that up to the present only about 35,000 returns had been filed and that there are more than 75,000 persons in the District subject to the personal tax. A penalty of 20 per cent of the amount of the tax is added for failure to make return on or before March 31, and a penalty of 1 per cent per month thereafter for tardy payments for either personal or real estate taxes. For the convenience of taxpayers the personal tax office will re open Sat- urday from 8:30 am. 10 5 paa. The real estate department of the assessor's ofe fice will be open from @ am. to § pm.