Evening Star Newspaper, April 25, 1929, Page 17

CITY WILL CURTAIL STREET WIDENING PROGRAM FOR 1931 No Funds in Current Budget for Work and None Likely to Be Asked. VIEWS FOUND DIFFERING ON{VALUE OF PROJECTS Each Proposal to Be Scrutinized Before Decision Will Be Made, Official Says. Serious restriction in the amount of street widening to be done in the Dis- trict is in prospect, it appeared at the District Building today. The appropria- tion act for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1930, contains no money for street widening, and all signs now seem to in- dicate that no money will be carried in the 1931 bill either. Some time ago Capt. Herbert C. ‘Whitehurst, co-ordinator and chief en- gineer of the District, compiled a list of proposed street widenings to be done over a term of years. The items on the list had been suggested by various civic bodies, except for a few that originated in the Highway Department. earing Not Held. ‘The list was submitted to Engineer Commissioner William B. Ladue, with the recommendation that a public hearing be held on April 17 on the advisability of carrying out the projects. The matter was discussed briefly at a meeting of the Board of Commissioners later, it was learned today, but the at- titude taken, it is understood, was that the subject was not pressing, and could wait for later action. The date suggested for the public hearing is now more than a week past, and only five days remain before the various department heads must submit their estimates of expenditures for the next fiscal year. It now begins to look as if no figures will be submitted in time for inclusion in the District’s next budget, which must be in the hands of the Budget Bureau by July 17. Commissioner Ladue, in discussing the situation today, did not go so far as to say that no more street widenings would be undertaken, but gave a clear impression that the number of widen- ings would be held down to an absolute minimum. He sald with apparent reluctance: “We will, of course, have to do some. But I shall not recommend any until I have personally inspected all the streets on Capt. Whitehurst's list. There are some on the list which are obviously unnecessary.” Views on Widening Differ. Col. Ladue said there were many arguments for and against widening streets and that it was difficult to choose between them. Before streets are widened, he said, there is a demand for more space for movement of traffic and parking of cars. Widening is an expensive business and after the streets are widened there are complaints that there is little more room for the move- ment of traffic, owing to cars parking abreast. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1929, the District has widened Tenth Verne E. Treat Forced to Land in Mud in Light of Flares. Plane Wrecked, but Cargo Is Saved and Sent on Way South. Unable to get back to Bolling Field when three cylinders of his motor blew out and the engine began to go to pieces over the Potomac River last night Verne E. Treat, Pitcairn airmail pilot, made & forced landing by the light of parachute flares in & mud flat near the District Home for the Aged and In- firm, Blue Plains, in the southern tip of the District of Columbia. Just as he was coming down in the darkness for a three-point landing in the mud flats he noticed an iron fence directly ahead. . In an effort to prevent a headlong crash into the fence, Treat pulled up the nose of his plane sharply, intending to strike the ground tail first and so avoid turning over upon hitting the fence. His maneuver was successful and he escaped without a scratch and @ithout damage top his load of approximately 300 pounds of mail. The plane, how- ever, was almost completely destroyed. Striking tail first, the fuselage broke in two just behind the pilot's compartment, the Tear half crumpling into a shape- less mass. - Slide on Soft Ground. ‘The front half of the plane, contain- ing Treat and the mail, then slid along the soft ground and crashed nose first through the iron ferce, losing landing gear and wings in the process. When the wreakage settled, Treat calmly un- buckled his safety belt and climbed out. Treat'’s landing caused intense ex- citement in Alexandria, Va., where the clatter of his broken motor could be heard and the lights of his emergency flares were plainly visible. Reports were circulated that the plane had fallen in flames and another rumor that two men had jumped and landed with their parachutes in the Potomac led to the organization of several searching par- ties, which set out in boats to look for the flyers. ‘Treat notified Ferd Eble, Pitcairn operations manager at Bolloing Field, of his forced landing and a mail truck was sent from the Washington City post office to bring the mail back to Bolling PField. The mail was loaded aboard the truck, which then became mired and street from F street to New York ave- nue and Connecticut avenue from Florida avenue to Columbia road and from M street to Dupont Circle. Other streets widened are: Seventeenth from K to H streets; H street from Seventeenth to Pennsylvania avenue; Seventh street from Massachu- setts to New York avenue, and Water s?ir%en. from Thirty-second to Thirty- t This work was done at a cost’of $285,000. For the coming fiscal year the appropriation for street work is only $147,000 less than in the present year, and the difference will all go into new paving work, instead of street widening. JURY IN THIRD DAY . OF LIQUOR LAW TRIAL Evidence in Case of James W. Hunter and Son Under Review in J\;dge Hitt's Court. A Police Court jury reviewing the evidence in the trial of James Walter Hunter, 57, and his son. Bromley, 30 years old, charged with violating the liquor law, entered its third day of'| %ell;){elrt:flon today before Judge Isaac Charges were lodged against the de- fendants following a raid on an estab- lishment in the 900 block of D street by Sergt. George Little and the liquor squad on March 28, 1928. According to police, the defendants operated a speak- easy on the “hip pocket” plan. Cus- tomers, it is said, would enter the shop owned by Hunter and his son and make their orders. The defendants would then go to a second establishment nearby, which served as a storehouse, and return with the amount requested, according to testimony. In the “double” raid on shop and storehouse, a small quantity of alleged liquor is said to have been seized. Judge Hitt/ruled yesterday that the entry in the storehouse was illegal and without “probable cause.” He ordered a direct- ed verdict returned finding the defend- ants not guilty on the possession charge. Assistant United States Attorney James A. Kirkland is attempting to se- cure convictions on three charges of zale, as it is alleged the Hunters made sales to police informers on several occaslons. Attorneys James A. O'Shea and John H. Burnett appear as counsel for the defense, CORONER ASKS FACTS IN DEATH OF WOMAN Certificate Withheld in Case of Mrs. John Putska, Found With i Throat Slashed. Coroner J. Ramsay Nevitt will with- hold a certificate in_ the death last night at Providence Hospital of Mrs. John Pustka, 50 years old, of St. Mary's City, Md., because of what he termed the peculiar circumstances surrounding the case. , Mrs. Pustka was' brought to the hos- pital Tuesday night by & neighbor. Her threqt had been slashed. Her hus- band, who found her lyl.rfi in the woods Wehind their home, did not ac- company her to Washington. had to be dug out. Mail Is Sent Forward. ‘The mail finally was returned to Boll- ing Field shortly before 3 o'clock this morning and was loaded aboard a re- serve mail plane and flown South by Richard H. Merrill. - ‘Treat left New ‘York at 9:40 o'clock WASHINGTON, D. C, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 1929, MAIL PILOT ESCAPES IN CRASH WHEN ENGINE GOES TO PIECES i Wreckage of air mail plane which made a forced landing near Blue Plains early this morning when the engine flew to pleces. Below: Verne E. Treat, the pilot. —Star Staff Photos. last night on the regular run to At- lanta and landed at Bolling Field at 12:02° o'clock this morning. He un- loaded the Washington mail and took on mail posted here for delivery in the | i, South and took off egain at 12:07. He was over the Potomac River east of Al- exandria when three cylinders of his radial motor let go and the thrashing piston rods began to tear the engine to pieces. The pilot shut off the ignition and, deciding he could not reach the Mount Vernon airways field south of Alex- andria, decided to turn back to the Maryland shore of the river, which afforded more open landing places than the Virginia side. Flares Are Released. Nearing the shore in a long glide, he let go his two parachute flares and turned on the big landing light with which the mail planes are equipped. ‘The combined lights revealed the flats as the only available landing place, but failed to show the fence until too late for him to avold it. Had it not been for this fence Treat is convinced he could have set down the plane without much ‘damage. Treat has been a pilot on the Pitcairn line through this city from New York to Atlanta since it was inaugurat- ed on May 1 of last year. He was a military pilot during the World War and has been flying since the armistice. He has made an exceptionally good record on the local mail run, which is regarded as one of the most difficuit in the country because of the prevalling fogs. About a month ago Treat was forced down in a thick fog when his motor failed near Glenburnie, Md. Finding a small hole in the fog, he came down to a perfect landing in a meadow, the dry grass catching fire from his parachute ares. 1. 5. WORKERS HIT RETIREMENT BILL Lack of Hope for Action Held Detrimental to Wishes of Employes. Byet! ‘The rank and file of Goyernment em- ployes are not satisfied with the retire- ment bill introduced in the Senate by Senator Dale and in the House by Chairman Lehlbach of the civil service committee, and feel that it was not helpful to their cause to have this bill introduced at a time when there is no hope for legislative action upon it. Chairman Lehlbach, in consenting to reintroduce this measure at the request of representatives of the employes, made it very plain that no action could pos- sibly be taken upon it at this session of Congress because there is no civil service committee appointed to consider it, and the program of the House lead- ers calls for the exclusion of all such general legislation outside of farm re- lief and tariff revision. 1t is pointed out by the employes that this bill represents a scaling down of their demands to an irreducible min- imum in the hope of getting even & small measure of partial relief in the closing days of the last Congress. No information is available regarding the attitude of the present administration with regard to liberalization of the re- tirement law, and yet this bill represents a measure that was drafted in the hope of satisfying’ the previous administra- tion which had been outspokenly an- tagonistic to liberalized legislation on retirement. With this bill now introduced as rep- resenting what the employes hope to get in the way of retirement relief, it was pointed out, it may be used against them as representing all that they feel they are entitled to, and thus close the doors -against them in a friendly ad- ministration for imore liberal provisions for which they hal contended up to the closing hours o1 the last Congress. An effort will be made to have a more liberal retirement bill presented :gg con’ull’:einlt!lo&‘ in_the December ses- n, W] first session of the present Congress. e MRS. C. P. BURT DIES. Composed National March Played at Wilson Inauguration. SPOKANE, Wash., April 25 (#).—Mrs. Clara Phillips Burt, 58, nationally known music composer, died of influ- enza here yesterday. # Mrs. Burt composed the national march played at the inauguration of President Wilson and still used in the Navy. She also wrote the State song of ~She leaves two sons, a sl Elinor Glyn Given Membership Rights By Citizens’ Group Elinor Glyn, the novelist, was one of six new members admitted to the Progressive Citizens' Asso~ ciation of Georgetown at a meet- ing in the Western High School Iast night. Other members were Mrs. May Griffin, Miss Sue Gard- ner, Miss Margaret Taylor, Mrs. Anne Chieves and Mrs, Thomas Kellher. BANKRUPTCY PETITION LISTS $197,650 IN DEBTS Earl Carson, 1507 M street, described as a hotel manager, today asked the District Supreme Court to adjudge him bankrupt. He lists his debts at $197,- 660.68 and estimates his assets at $803. He is represented by Attorneys Eugene R. West and J. A. Marshall, William W. Bowman, house officer at the Hotel Roosevelt, also wants to be adjudged bankrupt. In his petition, filed through Attorney John W. Wood, he tells the court he owes $1,558.08 and has no assets. . —_— TRINITY COLLEGE WINS IN AMERICAN U. DEBATE Team Upheld Affirmative of Ques- tion to Abolish Present Jury System. Trinity College debaters defeated American University last night by a 2-to-1 judges’ decision on the subject, “Resolved, that the jury system should be abolished.” Trinity College upheld the affirmative, while American Uni- versity took the negative. The girls awarded the victory were Miss Mary Fitzgerald of Washington, Miss Ruth t | Hopkins of Pittsburgh and Miss Mar- garet Halloran of New York. The team representing - American University con- sisted of Miss Jane Lydell, Miss Nola Livingston and Miss Charlotte Magee. ‘The judges were Pierce M. Rice, Gov- ernment attorney associated with the Department of the Interior; Raiph Kelly, nmt){ney. and Miss Kathleen Duggan, attorney. This marks Trinity’s second debate victory within two weeks, having won a unanimous decision over the Univer- sity of Buffalo last week. A debate with Bucknell University at Lewisburg, Pa., next; week is scheduled. 0DD'FELLOWS’ SERMON. Annual Event Will Be Held at Front Royal. FRONT ROYAL, Va., April 25 (Spe- cial).—The annual sermon to the Odd Mnnmuumdhym.w.o. Dearing n the Church at Riv- 1g. The mem- ITREATMIENT PLANS | FORNORTH SIDE OF AVENUE TAKEN UP Capital Commission Gives Study to Suggestions for Development. NO ABSOLUTE RULE OF DESIGN PROVIDED Recommendations to Serve as Guide to Private Builders Are Presented. With the proper architectural devel- opment of areas adjacent to the pro- posed municipal center, constituting one of the major problems dealing with the further development of Washington, the National Capital Park and Plan- ning Commission today gave first con- sideration to various suggestions for the treatment of the north side of Pennsylvania avenue, A set of plans designed to serve as guides to private builders in this lo- cality was presented to the comission by Alfred Granger of the Chicago Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. Various other chapters of the institute are co-operating with the Federal authorities in developing sec- tions of the city in connection with the public buildings program on both sides of Pennsylvania avenue. No Fixed Rule. Maj. Carey H. Brown, the Planning Commission’s engineer, explained that the plans with respect to the north side of the Avenue do not provide for any fixed or absolute rule of architectural design, but are rather intended as a set of suggestions for the height of buildings which the commission would like to see erected within the neighbor- hood of the municipal center, which is to b';nune of the beauty spots of Wash- gton. Lacking any absolute control over the character of buildings which may or may not conform with the general architectural desires of the Federal au- thorities, pressure is being brought to bear for the early enactment of the Shipstead bill under which the Com- mission of Fine Arts would be given this regulatory power. Enactment of this legislation is regarded by officials as a sure way to bring order out of the chaos which otherwise might follow if builders are permitted to go about their plans in a haphazard fashion. Plans Shown Tonight. Mr. Granger's plans will be shown at a meeting for the exhibition of the pub- lic building program and the develop- ing of the central area of Washington, to be given tonight by Secretary of the Treasury Mellon. Other plans of a de- velopment in co-operation with the American Institute of Architects deal with the approaches to Highway and Key Briges and the development of a municipal airport for Washington. At its session this afternoon Dr. M. W. Johnson, president of Howard University, was to appear before the Park and Planning Commission to explain the proposed development of the university grounds and building. A formidable and extensive program is under way and since the university grounds are adjacent to McMillan Park the commission was expected to have suggestions to make in view of street ex(tenslons that soon are to be carried out. Dr. George F. Bowerman, public librarfan, will appear before the com- mission tomorrow to explain his pro- gram for library extension in the Dis- trict of Columbia. PROIECT SOUGHT FOR GEORGETOWN Street and HighWay Improve- ment Program Recom- mended by Citizens. A comprehensive program of street and highway improvement for George- town and its immediate environs was recommended last night by the Pro- gressive Citizens Association of George- town, meeting in Western High School. The projects indorsed included widen- ing Wisconsin avenue within George- town, opening Prospect avenue to con- nect with Rock Creek-Potomac park- way, providing a Potomac driveway from Key Bridge to Great Falls, re- moval of the old Aqueduct Bridge with the exception of the firgt span, which should be used in constructing a municipal pier; paving Reservoir street from Thirty-second street to Wiscon- sin avenue and provision for a side-! walk on the north side of Reservoir street between Thirty-second and Thirty-fifth streets. Miss Etta Taggart was elected as a declegate to the Federation of Citizens Associations to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Mrs. John Butler, due to ill health. Dr. David Lumsden, horticulturist of the Department of Agriculture, ad- dressed the meeting on the “Artistic Use of Trees and Shrubs.” He was in- troduced by Mrs. Marie Moore Forrest, chairman of the entertainment co mittee, who advocated a plan for plant- ing State memorial trees along the proposed Mount Vernon boulevard. Miss Taggart, chairman of the com- mittee to mark. historic sites in George- town, reported that the birthplace of W. W. Corcoran, as well as several | other places of historic interest, had been located. FATHER DISCOVERS SON UNCONSCIOUS FROM GAS Awakened by the odor of gas early this , Frank Stewart of 2305 Eighteenth street, went to the kitchen of his apartment, where he found his son, Walter, 18, on_ the floor uncon- sclous. The /fire department rescue squad was summoned and revived him and he was taken to Emergency Hos- tal in the ambulance. His condition undetermined. 5 3 Stewart told police that his son g and went_ to_the Kiichen o % ing and_ wen en lunch, He wt discovered until These six young ladies were chosen yesterday as the prettiest at George Washington University. From their number will be selected the queen of beauty of the university. Yesterday selections were made by Eben F. Comins in his studio at 1611 Connecticut avenue from the 12 chosen by a popular vote of the student body. In the photograph, left to right: Mary Crowley, Helen Taylor, Eugenia Le Merle, Sally Ferguson, Marguerite Rees and Leona Veirs. MYSTERIOUS SKY FRONTIER PROVES PUZZLE TO SCIENCE Natural Phcnomena. Un](nown Elsewhere, in Region 50 to 100 Miles From Earth, Are Studied. Far beyond the sky frontier of the boldest, aviator lies a region of profound mystery. What is there was debated this morn- ing by the American Geophysical Union at its annual meeting and three theo- ries advanced for some of the strange things that are known to happen there. It is part of the planet Earth, but the conditions are such that natural phenomena take place which are un- known elsewhere. Science has no means of penetrating this region with auto- matic recording instruments and even if man possessed the mechanical means to get there he could not live. As Prof. W. J. Humphreys of the ‘Weather Bureau expressed it, any ex- planation is safe, since no one knows anything about it. This region lies from 50 to 100 miles above the surface of the earth. It is swept by magnetic storms, whose effect is felt on the earth below, particularly in radio transmission and in such phenomena as hte Northern lights, which used to be explained.sat- isfactorily in every high schogl geog- raphy, but about which science now is very doubtful. Satifactory Theory Is Sought. With the increasing importance of radio it shas become important to get some satisfactory theory. The atmos- phere there is very thin, compared with that at the earth's surface or even that met in the highest flights man ever has made, but it still is dense, compared with that of the outer fringes of this planet. Into this atmosphere at pro- digious speed comes the light of the sun, hits the atoms of the atmosphere, and the atoms fight back. They have to protect the earth for plant and animal life, and they are the first line of de- fense. The magnetic storms and northern lights, according to many of the sclen- tists, are the results of this eternal battle. Normally it goes on without at- tracting much attention. The ultra- violet rays of sunlight hit the atoms of oxygen and produce a protective blanket of ozone, which will not let them through. _Hence only a very small amount of this penetrating ultra-violet light ever gets down to earth. N. H. Heck of. the Carnegie Institu- tion presented a theory that the aurora is due to corpuscles shot out from the sun, which hit the atoms, -knock elec- trons out of them, and give rise to the peculiar electrical phenomena. Varying Theories Offered. E. O. Hulburt of the naval labora- tory advanced the theory that the sun sometimes shoots out flares of ultra- violet lights, which produce aproxi- mately the same results. He showed a PRECINGTS GIVEN COLLATERAL LIST New System for Traffic Vio- lations Will Go Into Ef- fect May 1. Orders to carry out the new system of depositing collateral at police pre- cincts for traffic offenses, to be ef- fective May 1, were sent out to all po- lice precincts today. Under the new system a driver ac- cused of a minor traffic violation may elect to deposit collateral at the pre- cinct, according to a schedule adopted by the Commissioners, and state his in- tention of not going to court. In such cases the officers will also be excused from going to court to testify. Names of those who deposit collateral will be entered on & collateral sheet, made out i quadruplicate, and the offender given & receipt. Precinct commanders are instructed that the amounts of collateral for the various offenses set out in the Commis- sioners’ order should be increased in case of persistent violators or in ag- avated or flagrant instances of vio- itions. In cases where a driver is arrested 1 for more than one offense, one or more of which is not listed in the Commis- sioners’ order, all collateral will be ed on the collateral form, t.h“nnm'm‘ have to go to court as WINEBRENNER HONORED. CUMBERLAND, Md., April 25 (Spe: cial).—David C. Winebrenner, 3d, Sec- retary. of State, was the gues! ‘"honor Iest night at the banquet in celebration of - forty-second anniversary of the in- stitution of Cumberland Lodge, No. 63, Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, held at the new Elks' Home. Taylor correspondence between severe mag- netic storms and the behavior of comets which might be caused by such out bursts of ultra-violet. . H. Gish presented the theory that the electrical and magnetic phe- nomena of the upper atmosphere are primarily due to conditions arising from the earth instead of from the sun. The atmosphere at 100 to 170 kilometers above the earth, he said, is a good electrical conductor. Electric currents, he held, are generated in this region of the atmosphere due to winds arising from tidal and other forces. He pre- sented mathematical charts showing how such winds would produce approxi- mately the observed results. “This idea of winds is all nonsense,” said Dr. Hulburt. He admitted the fig- ures were all right if there was any Treason to believe that there were winds. Dr. F. E. Fowle of the Smithsonian Institution told of two layers of ozone, ofi b?lgw gle o;’her, which have been observed. me, he said, propably w due to the ultra-violet llghcp!rox‘;l 'fi.l: sun, while the other fitted better into a theory of bombardment of the outer atmosphere by corpuscles shot into space by the sun from sunspot regions. Tells of Undersea Measurement, Precise measurements of gravity now can be used to determine locations of oil and ore under the surface of the earth, Dr. William Bowie of the Coast and Geodetic Survey said in another section. Such precise measurements, he pointed out, are essential to determine the shape and size of the earth, the distribution of density in the outer crust and structural features a few miles below the surface which may be of economic' importance. During the last year, he said, the Coast and Geo- detic Survey has determined the precise value of gravity on three uninhabited islands in the Hawaiian group, and even more valuable data have been furnished by the measurements of the Dutch scientist, Prof. F. A. V. Meinesz, work- ing with the submarine S-42, of 49| points in the Atlantic Ocean, the Carib- bean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. The method of undersea measure- ment of gravity by swinging pendulums was described by Dr. F. E. Wright of the Carnegie Institution, which col- Iaborated in the expedition. Recent . improvements in devices for measuring the depth of the sea by echo sounding were described before the oceanography section by W. E. Parker. Whereas the early machines used for this purpose required great skill in op- eration, the new devices are such that the depth can be read off a dial as easlly as the time, the returning sound waves operating a neon tube. WITNESSES CALLED INNEWSPAPER SALE Trade Commission Hearing Into Boston Transaction Due April 30. By the Associated Press. The Federal Trade Commission made public today the names of four wit- nesses subpoenaed to testify at a hear- ing April 30 in" connection with the purchase of two Boston papers. The Hearald and the Traveler by the Inter- national Paper Co. & The witnesses subpoenaed are: Robert Lincoln O'Brien, former president of the Boston Publishing Cp., which publishes the two newspapers, and former editor of the Boston Herald. s ‘W. N. Hurlburt, vice president of the g;t:tznltlnnfl Paper & Power Co. of n, John R. Macomber, director of the International Paper and Power Co. James Garfleld, secretary of the Boston Publishing Co. The proposed investigation into the purchase of the two newspapers by the paper company was instituted after Senator Norris, Republican, Nebraska, had requested such an inquiry. Senator Norris recently sent a letter to the commission asking for the in- vestigation and after considering his e est the commission today decided 1d the inquiry. Chairman McCulloch of the com- mission sald the commission also had received a letter from Senator Norris asking for an investigation into the al- leged purchase of the control of several newspapers in Alabama by public power utility interests. The chairman added the commission had taken the Nebraska Senator’s re- quest in regard to the Alabama situa- tion under consideration, but declined to say whether an inquiry would be instituted. —Star Staff Photo. UNVEIL MEMORIAL 10 LA FOLLETTE Relatives, Friends and For- mer Colleagues Are Pres- ent at Ceremonies. iy A statue -cf the late Senator Robert M. La Follette, whose death four years | ago ended a long and vigorous career in American politics, was unveiled in Statuary Hall at the Capitol this after- noon in the presence of a large gather- ing of relatives, friends and former col- leagues. A 4-year-old grandson, Robert La Follette Sucher, and Marion Montana Wheeler, young daughter of Senator Wheeler of Montana, pulled the ropes which drew aside an American flag, re- vealing the strong features of the for- mer Progressive leader. The grandson, who took part in the unveiling, is a son of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph G. Sucher. Mrs. Sucher is a daughter of the late Senator La Follette. ‘The statue, done in marble by Jo Davidson, is a seated pose, but shows the veteran legislator alert and poised to rise for debate. The exercises began at 2 o'clock, the Senate having recessed a few minutes earlier to enable its members to be pres- ent. Following an opening address by Dr. A. Eustace Haydon, the statue was presented for the State of Wisconsin by Senator Blaine. The unveiling was fol- lowed by an address by one of the late Senator's sons, Philip F. La Follette. The senatorial seat so long occupied by the elder La Follette has been occupied since his death by his other son, the present Senator Robert M. La Follette. Among those who delivered eulogies at the unveiling ceremonies were Charles H. Crownhart, Gilbert E. Roe, Victor A. Glander, Mabel Corey Costi- gan, Clgude G. Bowers and Edward Keating. The elder La Follette was born in Wisconsin in 1855 and died in Wash- ington in 1925. His career in national politics began with his election to the House in the Forty-ninth, Fiftieth and Fifty-first Congresses. His next service was as Governor of Wisconsin for a number of years, but he returned to ‘Washington as a Senator in 1906 and served continuously until his death. The climax of his career come in 1924, when he was a thirdparty candidate for Presi- dent against Jobn W. Davis, Democrat, and Caivin Coolidge, Republican, the latter being elected. GIRL SCOUTS’ HOUSE BEING OPENED TODAY Better Homes' Week Observed. Prominent Local Women Wit~ ness Demonstrations. Better Homes week is being observed in Washington with the opening today of activities of the Girl Scouts’ Little House, Eighteenth and New York ave- nue. Mrs. Edward Everett Gann, sister of Vice President Curtis, will be a guest at the Little House this afternoon when many other prominent women of Wash- ington will gather to witness the dem- onstrations which the girls will give of home-making activities and Scout work. ‘The program being conducted at the Little House under direction of Mrs. Stanley Collamore Sears, chairman of the National Girl Scouts’ Iittle House committee, assisted by Mrs. George Akerson, is one of 5560 similar pro- grams being gonducted in as many com- munities throughout the country during this week. These programs include lec~ tures, demonstrations, debates, con- tests and in hundreds of communities the showing - of completely furnished and equipped homes for the family of modest income. ‘This program is carried on on a Na- uon-wl& basis under‘the dircction of Better Homes in America, the national organization which Mr. Hoover has headed since 1922. Mr. Hoover con- tinues to serve in an honorary capaci- ty with the organization, while Dr. Ray Lyman Wilbur, Secretary of Interior, is now its president. Headquarters activities are carried on and the campaign directed nationally by Dr. James Ford, as executive direc~ tor. Better Homes in America main- tains headquarters at 1653 Pennsylvania avenue. PAGE 17 DOUGHERTY LAUDS MUNICIPAL GENTER . PLAN OF SIMMONS Chairman of D. C. Commis- sioners Indorses Proposal to Expedite Development. PROJECT IS OUTLINED TO SECRETARY MELLON Construction of Administrative . Building Is Urged to Replace District Structure, The plan of Chairman Simmons of the House subcommittee on appropria- tions to expedite development of the municipal center in the four-square triangular area north of Pennsylvania avenue between Third and Sixth streets was indorsed today by Proctor L. Dougherty, chairman of the Board of District Commissioners. Representative Simmons outlined the plan at a conference yesterday with Secretary of Treasury Mellon, who, as general director of the Federal Gov- ernment’s gigantic public building pro- gram, has taken a deep interest in the municipal project. The cardinal feature of Mr. Sim- mons’ scheme which most pleases Com- missioner Dougherty is the one for starting construction on the adminis- trative building to replace the present District Building. Mr. Simmons urged that by some method the present value of the Dis- trict Building be determined and this amount placed to the credit of the Dis- trict in the Federal Treasury to be used in beginning work on the administra- tive building. Estimated Value Ts $5,500,000. Records in the office of Tax Assessor William P. Richards show that the District Building and the land is as- sessed at $4,700,000, but that a recent estimate places the value at $5,500,000. The building and land cost approxi- mately $2,550,000. The land was purchased in 1907 for $550,000, and the latest estimate of value, made by\Mr. Richards in the 1928 fiscal year, was placed at $1,000.000. The biulding, erected during a period of low prices, cost nearly $2,000,000, and the tax assessor’s estimate shows it to be worth $3.700,000. Commissioner Dougherty pointed out that the plan of Mr. Simmons to ad- vance the present value of the District Building to_the municipal government would greatly facilitate development of the center. Under the original plan, he said, the administrative building would be the third unit in the area. but its construction probably could be start- ed simultaneously with the courts build- ing, the first unit, if arrangements can be made to carry out Mr, Simmons’ suggestion. Good Start Is Assured. The Administration Building. # is estimated, will cost approximately $10.- 000,000. Considerable progress could be made on the building, it was said. with the $5,000,000 or more that would likely be deposited to the credit in the Treasury for financing this structure. By the time that money was expended. it is believed, Congress would have ap- propriated sufficient funds to complet: the building. Just how Mr. Simmons’ plan can bz carried out is one of the problems Secretary Mellon is giving serious con- sideration, according to word from the Treasury. The Secretary, it was an- nounced, is having an investigation® made of the possibilities of the proposal. Mr. Mellon believes it probably will be some time before the final results of his inquiry into the various questions involved are determined. He is in- clined to think, however, that legisla- tion may be necessary to carry out the lan. “It would be very generous of the Federal Government to take over the District Building and deposit the money from such a transfer in the Treasury for ‘use in beginning construction of the administrative building in the municipal center,” said Commissioner Dougherty. “X slight change in the original plans probably would be necessary, but the development of the center would be ex- pedited.” $783,681 ESTATES LEFT BY WIMSATT COUPLE Petitions for Probate Are Filed for Deceased Lumber Merchant and Wife. William A. Wimsatt, lumber mer- chant, 215 B street southwest, who died February 7, left an estate valued in ex- cess of $500,000 and his wife, Florence J. Wimsatt, who died April 17, owned property worth $283,681, according to petitions for the probate of their wills filed through Attorney George E. Sulli- van. The petition in the husband’s es- tate is filed by William Furtz Wimsatt and Herman M. Grimes, the executors, and in the wife's estate by Frank A. Johnson, executor. The husband’s estate comprised real- ty assessed at $67,000; stocks, $290,000; real estate notes, $87,000; bonds, $55- 000, in addition to cash and household effects. The property of the wife is de- scribed as real estate assessed af $15,431 and personal property of $268,250. ‘The heirs include William Kurtz Wimsatt, Genevieve B. Wimsatt, E. Margery Fox, Florence J. Lohr, Dorothy M. Wimsatt, Robert C. Wimsatt and the three children of a deceased son, Wil- liam Church Wimsatt. Adele Abbott Is Exonerated. BATIMORE, April 25 (Special). — The grand jury yesterday dismissed a charge against Miss Adele Abbott, alias Helen Landis, 18-year-old Leonardtown, St. Marys County, girl. She had been accused of trying to pass worthless checks. L] Boy 5 Years Old Becomes Bald-Headed During Night From Fear Caused by Dog Little Henry Mates is determined not to go back to school until he gets some hair on his head. Henry, who is just 5 years old and lives at 832 Otis street, lost every lock snapped at his nose. Of course the dog was only playing, Mrs. Mates said, but Henry could not see it that way. He t.h-hm-a of his golden crop while he slept one | sympa xlxhull:‘t about six months ago. Hopkins'* leading scalp and hair au- thorities, have diagnosed Henry's case ';:“the Tesult of a sevéfe shock and ht. ‘The boy’s mother, Mrs. Alexander Mates, told doctors that one day, wi Henry was playing in the back yard of and more 200 physicians, including Johns | bathe ‘That night, while Henry was bein; d, his mother noticed chunks of hair falling oul as she washed his head. She became frightened, but put the boy to bed. The child slept soundly ten