Evening Star Newspaper, July 17, 1929, Page 13

he Foening Star. 'WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION NERGHANTS BRAND LEF-TURN RULING CONFUSIG, COSTLY Only Abolition of Practice Will ; Save Capital’s Traffic Rep- utation, Is Plea. UNIFORMITY IS CALLED SOLUTION TO NIGHTMARE Kansas Policeman Scoffs at D. C. Motorist's Story of Rotary Turn. Traffic regulations governing the left- hand turn which are called obstacles for tourists, should be changed at once in the opinion of Washington business men, represented by the Board of Trade end the Merchants and Manufacturers’ Association, according to statements made today by George W. Offutt, vice president of the former and Edward D. Shaw, secretary of the latter organiza- tion. It is likewise generally agreed by them that uniformity in regulations is essential. both from the standpoint of visitors and of local drivers, and they expressed the opinion that steps should be taken at once to do away with the present situation where one rule Js in force at one corner while a block away another method of turning left Is preseribed. “I notice,” said Mr. Offutt, who is also chairman of the traffic committee of the Board of Trade, “that Mr. Smith, executive vice president of the Ameri- can Automobile Association, estiraates 10,000 tourists annually avoid Washing- ton because of anticipated traffic diffi- culties He is certainly in the best po- sition of any one I know to make a worthwhile approximation, but 1f he were 50 per cent in error, it is stil) far too high a price to pay in order to cc- cupy the exclusive privilege of being different from the rest of the country. | ation here | 1 have no doubt that the s is very confusing to visitors--it is bad enough for those who drive here daily. Too Many Exceptions. “1 have always favored the left-hand turn from the left lane of traffic, and since the promulgation of the Hoover code we have believed Washington should adopt it in the interests of uniformity. As it stands now, we differ from prac- tically all other cities and also have at least five classes of exceptions here. At Sixteenth and I streets busses are permitted to make the Hoover turn, and at Wisconsin avenue and M street the Hoover turn is used for traffic going into M street. It is also used on all one-way streets and at all uncontrolled intersections the Uniform Code left turn is the rule. Also drivers of cars bear- ing foreign tags are merely admonished when they try to make the uniform left turn instead of the Washington rotary one. . 1 believe that it is time for us to ehange the left-turn regulations, nor only in the interests of uniformity, but because. in my opinion, the Washington rotary turn retards the flow of traffic,” eoncluded Mr. Offutt. “Tt seems thoroughly ridiculous,” said Mr. Shaw, “that a city which ranks fourth in the United States in hotel accommodations should do anything in- inrlnus to the tourist trade unless abso- utely necessary, and certainly the rotary left-hand turn is not essential. I do not think it is any safer than the left lane turn of the Hoover code, and 1 know it is confusing to strangers here. We have had reports to that effect, and I have seen many, many visitors be- wildered in their efforts to travel around and through Washingion. We have been trying to get the Hoover left turn adopted here because we be- lieve in uniform traffic_rules, and bc- cause we consider it to be the soundest method. I am a strong believer in a system which will be the same all ver the country, and I likewise am con- vinced that we should have a set of uniform rules throughout the city. A Confusing Situation. “At the present time it is hard, and st times actually impossible, to drive here with any feeling of certainty be- canse of the lack of uniformity in our Jocal traffic rules. Many times in ap- proaching an intersection, supposedly police controlled, I have, because of the | fraffic, been unable to see the policeman until practically at the corner. Count- ing on the presence of the traffic officer, I have worked my car into the right lang preparatory to executing the Wash- ington rotary turn only to find him ab- sent for some reason. The fact that he was not there of course changed the rule in effect so that the Hoover turn was the one required and it was then impossible to cross the traffic to get to the left lane. Consequently I could not make the turn I wanted, but was forced to drive on—all because of the lack of uniformity in our own traffic rules for all intersections and at all times. “I am told that in Massachusetts a bill has been introduced in the Legis- lature which will require uniformity throughout. the_State in the municipal traffic codes. Possibly we will be able to get some congressional help here be- fore long.” ‘That Washington's aloof position in regard to the left tdrn creates confu- sion well beyond the city confines is the claim of C. P. Clark, general man- ager of the American Automobile As- sociatlon. “A short time ago,” said Mr. Clark, “I was in Topeka, Kans., where Mr. H. W. Tallman, a former Washingtonian, is manager of the Sun- flower Auto Club. He told me that recently a visitor there with a D. C. tag was arrested for obstructing traffic when he tried to make a left turn in the ‘Washington rotary manner. The driver explained to the policeman that he was following the rule in his home city, but the traffic officer was loath to be- lieve that there was any such regula- tion. However, after some argument, he recalled that Mr. Tallmann was a former Washingtonian and offered to release the visitor if the Auto Club manager said such a left turn was actually authorized in the District of Columbia. They went together to the club office where the officer presented his case somewhat as follows: “I pinched this bird for obstructing traffic, but he claims in Washington they have some sort of a crazy left-hand turn where you pull over in front of. the trafic on the other street before you turn left. How about it? If they have, Tl let him go this time, but I don't believe him.” “Mr. Tallmann says he finally con- vinced the policeman—at least enough 0 the driver was released—but that fears the officer is still somewhat skep- tical and inclined to the belief that it was a case of one Washingtonian mnd,-' ing by a fellow townsman in distress. Breaks Bone in Foot. John P. Tompkins, 59 years old, of 3625 O street, sustained a broken bone in his left foot last evening when he fell from a ladder while he was engaged in painting St. John's Church. He was sseated at Gegrgetown Hospital. Robert Riley examining one of the to determine the spread of this pest. JAPANESE BEETLE | Pest Is More Prevalent This Year, Agricultural Ex- I pert Declares. | = | The Japanese beetle traps scattered 8. A. Rohwer, assistant chief of ,the | plant quarantine control administration, Department of Agriculture, are demon- strating that the beetle is much more prevalent here this year than it was last year. As yet, however, Mr. Rohwer ex- plained, the pest has not reached the stage where it is economically injurious to the District of Columbia. The campaign against the beetle is { believed to be nearing.its peak in | Washington, and from now on it is ex- | pected by officials the number of the | catch may fall off. Several have been trapped in the White House grounds. Each trap is inspected at least twice a week, or if it is located in a place where it is catching beetles frequently, it is inspected daily. There are 14 trappers making the rounds in the Dis- trict of Columbia and nearby Virginia. where there are located about 2,500 traps. Another type of the Japanese beetle control work of the Department of Agri- culture is done by two crews of four men each, who act as scouts. They range around this section of the coun- try looking for new areas of infesta- tion, especially near greenhouses or nurseries. When they find beetles, they report, and traps are then set in the new areas. The traps are con- stantly being shifted to different sections. POLICEMAN'S HEARING FOR PARKING PUT OFF Judge Asks Briefs Following Skir- mishes Between Opposing Counsel. Charges of parking on the lawn and | failing to change the address on an operator’s permit, preferred against Po- liceman Robert L. Jones of No. 10 pre- cinct by United States Park Policeman H. W. Brown, who says Jones drove his car onto the grass near Hains Point while witnessing the fireworks display July 4, were continued by Jadge Gus A. Schuldt in Traffic Court yesterday to August 19. . Following a skirmish between defense and prosecution, Judge Schuldt sug- gested that Attorney E. Russell Kelly and_Prosecutors Chester A. Gray and W. M. Shea submit briefs in the case. He overruled a motion to dismiss the charge of failing to change address, of- fered by Attorney Kelly, on the ground to show that Policeman Jones was op- erating on the permit at the time he was aotosted by Policeman Brown, al- though the former admitted ownership of the sutomobile, MRS SPEICH DIES. D. C. Resident for 48 Years Suc- cumbs at Home. Mrs, Cordelia Speich, widow of Emanuel Speich and a resident of this city for the past 48 years, died at her residence in the La Salle Apartments yesterday after an iliness of five weeks. Mrs. Speich was born in Madison, ‘Wis., October 21, 1857. She is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Ralph L. Sabin, and a grandson, Hilbert Speich. Mrs. Speich was an active member of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church here. Funeral services will be conducted at the residence of Mrs. Sabin, 3401 Ma- comb street, Priday morning at 11 o'clock. Rev. Dr. George Fiske Dudley, rector of St. Stephen’s, will officiate. Interment will be in Rock Creek Cem- etery. that no evidence had been introduced | traps placed in the White House grounds —Star Staff Photo. BUS DRIVER BAN INVASION SPREADS 15 URGED BY LYNN Regulation Will Be Asked | Barring Them From Loung- l ing in Capitol Rotunda. ‘ - An iron-clad police regulation, or, if throughout the city are catching about | NeCessary, legislation by Congress, will 100 beetles daily and, according to| D€ sought to prohibit bus drivers or | sight-seeing companies from congregat- | |ing in the Capitol rotunda, David A. | Lynn, architect of the Capitol, said to- | day in commenting on a Police Court | case in which it was held the Capitol | board of police is without authority to | impose such restrictions. | The trial of a driver on a charge of | disorderly conduct failed to determine | whether drivers must stop at the steps lof the Capitol after turning their pas- sengers over to Capitol guides. The Congressional _Sightseeing Co., Wwhose driver, Charles Andre, ~Wwas “arrested after taking a party to the rotunda,|noon and drivers had the | persons were slightly burt throughout contended that its privileges of other citizens as long as | yesterday they did not conduct tours through the | ported to Capitol. The Capitol police board con- tended it had the authority to prevent the drivers from congregating in the Bureau led rotunda. | The case against Andre was dismissed vesterday after Judge Isaac R. Hitt sus- tairred a defense motion that the Cap- itol police board was without authority to_pass such regulation. Mr. Lynn, who, with the sergeant-at- arms of the Senate and House, serves on the Capitol board of police, said there is no objection to drivers escort-/ ing their patrons to the steps of the capitol, but that the practice of drivers congregating in the rotunda and mak- ing the place a lounging room had led to numerous complaints. Joseph H. Hanlein, manager of the Congressional Sightseeing Co., said to- day that when drivers are denied en- trance to the rotunda contact with the guides is impaired and pasengers seri- | ously inconvenienced. 'WORK TO CONTINUE ON SEAWALL BASE | Additional $35,000 Available for Project Near Foot of New Hampshire Avenue. The foundations of the seawall near the foot of New Hampshire avenue, forming part of the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway, will be completed this fiscal year by the United States Engineer Office, Maj. Brehon Somervell, District engineer of the War Depart- ment for this area, announced today. Lieut. Col. U. S. Grant, 3d, director of the Office of Public Buildings and Pub- lic Parks, has just made available $35.- 000 for this work, and a contract has been made with the Smoot Sand & Gravel Corporation here to continue the work. Completion of the rip-rap stone foun- dation for the seawall will bring it up to mean low water and permit a seawall some_ 8 feet high, similar to the type found in Potomac and Anacostia Parks, to be constructed when funds become avallable for that purpose. ‘The contract just let calls for supply- ing some 11,000 tons of rip-rap stone, which the Government may increase or decrease up to 40 per cent, according as working conditions dictate, E. A. Schmitt, engineer of Maj. Somervell's office, ex- pl ined today. Owing to the swift current that swirls around the bend in the Potomac River, just opposite Analostan Island, where the seawall foundation is being built, heavy stones, weighing as much as five tons each, are put in position to keep back the river that comes down from the hills, particularly in time of freshets. This massive foundation, Mr. Schmitt said, is secured by the con- tractor from the Occoquan, Va., quar- ries and the stone is brought up the river from Occoquan Creek. The former presidential yacht, U. 8. 8. Mayflower, now being dismantled at the Philadelphia navy yard, is sought by six purchasers, mostly commercial con- cerns. Secretary Adams has not yet set a date for the sale of the famous vessel, officials at the Navy Depart- ment are of the opinion that several others ships up for sale will be disposed of around the same e. The ‘yacht of the Secretary of the Navy, the U. S. S. Sylph, that also graced the Washington Navy Yard until . recently, found only. one bidder,, when Six Prospective Purchasers Make Bids For Old Presidential Yacht Mayflower it sent to the Norfolk navy yard, nn:.a‘l it has not yet been sold, officials department consider- Adams, becat longer fit for nm U. 8. S. New Orleans and- Albany, sec- ond line cruisers; U. S. S. Salem, light cn;!:fl;“ the l‘l’ I:n Lively and n;lvoy and sul arine chaser . 'yl'.he M“M was stricken from the Navy list Monday. N | | | | t | Emergency Hospital, SHARPLY AS JUDGE ATTACKS SPEEDERS Mattingly Sets High Price on Haste, With $25 for First Offense. PERMITLESS DRIVERS FACE LONG SENTENCES Hospital Waiter Is Assessed $250 or 180 Days—Another Must Pay $500 or Serve Year. ‘The tariff for traffic offenses ad- vanced sharply today when Judge Rob- ert E. Mattingly of Muncipal Court, transferred temporarily to the traffic bench, announced at the start that speeding must stop, and began assess- ing fines that were rarely less than $25 for first offense violations and $50 for the second, and making other offenses correspondingly costly. ‘The Traffic Court was held for the first time in its new temporary quar- ters, the courtroom of the District of Columbia branch of Police Court, and about 140 cases were handled. $250 or 180 days. James P. Williams, 21 years old, 1700 block First street, head waiter at Emergency Hospital, arrested last night at Fourteenth and U streets for having bad lights, and who was found to be driving without a permit, for the second time within the year, was given $250 or 180 days on the latter charge and $10 or 10 days on the former by Judge Mattingly. Frank J. Blackwell of Ballston, Va. who said he was an ex-service man of the Army and had recently undergone treatment at Walter Reed Hospital, was fined $25 for speeding on Rhode | 1200 block of found_guilty of Island avenue. Joseph J. Croghan, Massachusetts avenue, second offense speeding on Rhode Is- land avenue last night, was fined $50 for this and $10 for not changing the address on his permit after he moved a month ago. $500 Fine or 260 Davs. John Hodge, alias Johnnie Henry Hardges, 400 block of Franklin street, arrested yesterday by Policeman L. E. Johnson, while driving on a permit is- sued to him when using the latter name, after his own permit had been revoked on July 9, 1928, was ordered to pay fines of $500, or 180 days on each of two charges of driving after revoca- tion of permit and for securing a permit by_misrepresentation. Police booked 64 motorists on speed- ing charges during the 24 hours end- ing at 8 o'clock this morning and ar- rested 236 others on various charges involving the traffic regulations as the third week of their safety crusade drew to a close. Two children were slightly injured in | trafic accidents late yesterday after- last night, while four other in the eight accidents re- police during the day. In the war against speeders. the thirteenth precinct and the the force yesterday with nine arrests each. Of the 236 miscellaneous charges, two were for drunk while driving, one ach for reckless driving and driving with dazzling headlamps and 232 for lesser infringements. Only three traffic accidents were re- ported to police from 2 o'clock yester- day afternoon to 7 o'clock this morning. In the mishaps two.children and a woman were slightly injured. Richard Loveless, 9 years old, of 2613 North Capitol street, was knocked down by an automobile as he was riding his bicycle in the first block of Evarts street northeast about 2:30 o'clock yes- terday afternoon. driven by Dorothy C. McCregor of 2700 Connecticut avenue. The boy was taken to Sibley Hos- pital in a passing automobile and there treated by Dr. Millard Ottman for bruises to his head. Five-year-old Wayne Andrews of 118 Fifteenth street mnortheast sustained minor lacerations to his head last eve- ning when he ran into the side of a moving automobile operated by Olive Beall of Beltsville, Md. He was treated at, Casualty Hospital. 5 Knocked down by an automobile driven by Caldwell Fuell of 2009 Flagler place as it backed into the curb in front of 1411 U street early last night, Mrs. Edith T. Papson, 50 years old, of 1424 W street, was slightly hurt. She was taken to Garfield Hospital, where she was treated for bruises to her legs. WHITE HOUSE OFFICE T0 GET NEW CHANGES Additional Contract Is Let for Further Alterations in Building. ‘The lobby of the White House execu- tive office will be enlaged under another contract for reconstruction work just let, it was announced today by Lieut. Col. U. 8. Grant, 3d, officer in charge of public buildings and public parks. The N. P. Severin Co. of Chicago, which has been engaged in previous work in the executive offices, also has the new contract, which will carry out additional changes in a under way for some time. A new pressroom will be arranged under the contract which entails ex- penditures for - alterations on the first floor of the offices, reac] about $16,000. A partition is to be placed in the old clerks’ room, now that the clerical force has been moved down- stairs in the altered lower portion of the offices. The old clerks’ room will be made into a secretary’s room, under the alterations J)rognm. lobby will better ac- ‘The enl commodate the large numbers of visitors that come t6 the White House officers with a view to seei the Chief Ex- ecutive and shaking his hand as the noon hour in the past has witnessed a crowded condition of the entrance to the President’s workshop. Skull Believed Fractured. Found unconscious in an alley in rear of the first block of F street south- west last evening, where he had been struck down by an iron bar in the hands of another colored man, Dock Record, colored, 36 years old, &f 212 Ruppert court southeast is thought at where he was taken, to have a fractured jaw and skull. Police are holding William ‘Walker Lewis, colored, 40 years old, of 119 D street southwest for inyestigation. ? Traffic | The automobile ‘was | WASHINGTON, D. C, WEDNESDAY, JULY 17, 1929. TRAFFIC FINES RISE TRACTION MERGER ESTIMATES VARY, RECORDS REVEAL Bibbins Figures Closest to Needs of Capital Company, Peti}ion Discloses. PLAN $1,011,000 LOWER THAN OTHER PROPOSALS Holds $400,000 of Savings Would Be Direct Result of Cor- porate Merger. Search of the record of the merger hearings before the Public Utilities Commission_shows that the estimates of savings to be accomplished by the | street car companies by rerouting and | rearrangement of tracks in the event of a merger varied from “a few hun- dred thousand dollars” by Presidents William F. Ham and John H. Hanna of the Washington Railway & Electric | and Capital Traction Companief, re- spectively, to $2,500,000 by the Charles Hansel Consulting Specialists. The car company presidents were very doubtful about . the optimistic prophecies of Mr. Hansel. In between these estimates came an estimate by J. Rowland Bibbins, an engineer employed by Harley P. Wilson, the “father” of the merger plan, of a saving of $1,011,000. Bibbins Estimate Closest. ‘The Bibbins estimate comes closest to the needs of the Capital Traction Co. as disclosed in their petition for a 10-cent fare, and there is some specula- tion at the District Building as to whether the main ideas of the Bibbins plan will not receive favored considera- tion in the commission's present in- vestigation into the possible savings to | the companies from rerouting, should | the companies make out their case that | | they are in need of greater revenue to | { allow them to make a fair return on | their valuations. Mr. Bibbins said that about $400,000 | of the savings would be the direct re- | sult, of A corporate merger. Without | this merzing of the companies, savings | of $611,000 per annum could be made | by re-routing and changes of track ar- | rangement, it was said. Of this the | Capital Traction Co.'s share would be | | $300,000. Plan Not in Record. In its petition the company said that | last year it had made $934,000 applic- able to a return on its fair value, and that the 10-cent fare would raise this to $1,258,000. The $300,000 that could be saved according to the Bibbins plan and estimates would bring the com- pany's earnings, without increase of fare, up fo $1234,000, or within $24,000 of receipts under the 10-cent fare. The cost of making the changes does| not appear in the testimony. The cost | would have to be borne by the com- pany. but the cost of the new work, | less the cost of retirements of abandon- | ed trackage, etc., would be added into the company’s valuation, and, there- fore, enlarge the amount on which they | would be allowed to earn a fair return. ‘The plan itself does not appear in the record, but a “sample” was given, Which called for hooking up the Columbia line | of the Washington Railway & Electric | Co., which runs along New York ave- nue, with the Rosslyn line of the Capi- tal Traction Co. at Fifteenth street and New York avenue and taking up the stub end tracks of the former company between Fourteenth and Fifteenth streets on New York avenue. This, Mr. Bibbins said, would allow more frequent service with the use of less rolling stock. WALTON BODY PRESENTS HOOVER WITH ROD, REEL Equipment Represented Just Right for the Kind of Pish President Pursues. President Hoover today was present- ed with a fishing rod and reel which was represented by the donors as being just the thing to use for the kind of fish the President. pursues in the head- waters of the Rapidan in the Blue Ridge Mountains. ‘The rod and reel was a gift from the | Orange County, Va., Chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America, and | the presentation was made at the White House today by a delegation represent- ing that organization, R. Walton Moore, Tepresentative of Virginia, introduced the delegation to the President, and George L. Browning made the presentation. The President appeared very grateful, and told his callers that he had enjoyed his outings in the Blue Ridge Mountains, and that he hoped to be able to use the rod and reel soon, and hoped that he would be able to do them justice. In a brief presentation speech Mr. Browning, president of the league, told the President that the rod and reel was being given to him as a slight token of esteem and gratitude for the impetus given outdoor sports, particularly fish- ing, which the President by his example has brought to the attention of the whole country. He said that all Vir- ginians appreciate the President’s vaca- tioning in their Commonwealth. The delegation from Virginia was a large one, and was not confined entirely to members of the Orange County Chap- ter of the Izaak Walton League, but some from Albemarle County as well as from Richmond and Alexandria and other parts of the State. Irish Free State army authorities have decided to rename the Curragh Barracks after the leaders of the 1916 rebellion, Pearse, Plunkett, Connolly, Cu'r;tt. McDonagh Clarke and McDer- mott. \ Zoo Expert Studies Snakehouses With Architect Harris ‘When better snakehouses are built, there seems little doubt that Washington will build them. Municipal Architect Albert L. | messages” ! nique, which is required to put a mes- Rags' fate in Police Court Saturday. Eddie, Jean and Mark Orler of 1877 Newton street and Rags, their play- fellow, who faces possible exaction of the extreme penalty on a charge of biting Mrs. Gilbert E. Hyatt of 2318 Nineteenth street. Judge Ralph Given will decide tar Staff Photo. Agriculture Radio Speakers Refused Controller General Rules| Procure Equipment. If the bureau chiefs, scientists and | experts of the Department of Agricul- | ture need coaching “as fo the modula- tion of the voice and delivery of their intended for radio broad- casting, the instruments for such prac- tice will have to be purchased at their own and not Government expense. Con- troller General McCarl ruled today in a decision to the Secretary of Agricul- | ture. Secretary Hyde told MeCarl that radio had been used increasingly by the department in carrying out the law | imposing upon the depasument the duty | to “acquire and diffuse among the peo- | ple of the United States useful infor- mation on the subjects connected with | agriculture in the most general nnd; comprehensive sense of the word,” and that for several years the radio has been recognized as one of the most eflective and popular means of disseminating agricultural information.. It will be| readily appreciated that unless the | speakers are familiar with radio tcch-‘ sage across, much of the effectiveness | of this important means of reaching the | people will be lost., Secretary Hyde said, adding: “It is contemplated to purchase and install microphone, repeater, and loud speaker, in order that the chiefs { of bureaus, scientists and others who are scheduled to speak on the radio may practice their addresses and be coached as to the modulation of the voice and delivery of their message." In his reply. McCarl said the 1930 ap- propriation act did not. intend such ex- penditures, and “any expense necessary to fit the officers and employes of your department for the duties to be imposed upon them, in connection with the | broadcasting work or otherwise, should | borne by them personally. | At the department, it was explained that speakers had found it necessary to go to local broadcasting studios at a time convenient to the studio and | practice over equipment there, occas- | sloning a loss of valuable time, which | officials thought could be obviated by msmtuntkm of a small set at the depart- ment. CHILD LABOR RULINGS | AVAILABLE FOR POSTINGI Copies of District Law Are Re-| quired to Be Displayed by Employers. Copies of provisions of the District of Columbia's new child labor law, which | the law itself specifies shall be posted conspicuously in every establishment where minors are employed, are avail- able for distribution tollay at the school attendance and work permits office in the Franklin Administration Building, Thirteenth and K streets. The printed “notice” sets forth the age regulations, hour standards and cer- tificate requirements governing the em- ployment of minors and the penalties provided under the law for the viola- tion of any of the provisions. Although the law became effective July 1, 1928, the notices which the attendance office began distributing today were the first available. Employers are asked by the attend- ance office to call for the notices at the Franklin Building. That office, how- ever, will undertake to deliver the no- | tices to the larger department stores | and establishments where many copies would be required. MEMORIAL SERVICE—HELD FOR MAJ. IDZIKOWSKI Memorial services for Maj. Ludwik Idzikowski, noted Polish flyer who crashed to his death in the Azores Sat- urday in his attempt to fly the Atlantic, were held at 10 o'clock this morning at the Shrine of the Sacred Heart, Six- teenth street and Park road. President Hoover and Secretary of State Stimson were represented at the services by Robert F. Kelley, chief of the division of Eastern European af- fairs of the State Department. At- taches, both naval and military, of | as District Commi many of the embassies and legations also were present. Harris and Dr, William M. Mann, superintendent’ of the Washing- ton Zoo, are on a trip of snake- house inspection to St. Louis and Ohwu\;. in further plans for a snake local Zoo. It is said that two cities there are snake in construction which are the last word in the art. * * Mr. Harris and Dr. Mann re- cently returned from a 60-day trip to Europe, where thefdwem to see what the Old World had to_offer in snakehouse ideas. They expect to be back in Washington PFriday or Saturday. in these ehouses f the huge George Washington in lh:hmlos|::ld;.l :.ntheof Pg:nn!ylvlnll avenue at Sixth street. It will rgest auditoriums in Washington. it by the 200th anniversary of Washington’s birth, in 1932. tain one of the PLAN FOR WASHINGTON MEMORIAL [ Puan ror wassinGron mewowar. | WILD LIGUOR CAR Funds for Practce |DERY S AUTOISTS Money Not Available to | Police Seize Suspect After| Chasé and Prevent Traffic Crash. Motorists along Riggs Road threw their cars hastily into reverse early to- day when a liquor-laden car, aban- ®doned by its driver, on a steep hill, started coasting backward down grade. The car had been pursued by Countv Policeman Reese and Constable Ralph Brown for about three miles. As the officers drew abreast opposite the Chil- lum Manor Club the driver jumped from behind the wheel. The office:s stopped their own car and started in pursuit, but noticed that the liquor car was backing down the grade. Two cars behind it also were started backward by their alarmed drivers. Doing some rapid sprinting, Reese | succeeded in catching the abandoned | | car and twisted the steering gear, send- | ing it into a ditch. Meanwhile Brown had captured Ed- ward Widmoore, 22, 1100 block of Twelfth street. When'the officers found 140 gallons of liquor in the car, Wid- moore was held before Justice of the Peace Moffatt on charges of illegal transportation and possession. He was released under $1.000 bond for a hear- ing next Wednesday. CITIZENS’ SUPPORT | SOUGHT FOR STENGLE Federation Delegates Receive Let- ters Asking Them to Aid in Securing Commission Post. All delegates to the Federation of Citizens' Associations are receiving cir- cular letters from Andrew F. E. Scheer asking their support of Charles L Stengle of Petworth, himself a delegate for the post of District Commissioner. Mr. Stengle threw his hat into the ring last week, although _there are me vacancies until next February. The delegates are asked to consent to the use of their names as members of Mr. Stengle’s campaign committee. The letter says, in part: “At a meeting of citizens. held on Wednesday evening, July 10, it was de- cided that the interest and welfare of the people of the District of Columbia deserved that organized citizenry recom- mend to the President, for appointment foner, some_citizen of outstanding ability, wide public ex- perience and the capacity to render service of a character conducive to our form of government. “After carefully considering the situa- tion and those available for such service, we reached the conclusion that it would be in the interest of sound government to submit the name of Hon. Charles I. Stengle of 4531 Kansas avenue, to the President for such appointment.” The letter then outlines Stengle's qualification, and adds: “It is our de- sire to organize a committee of citizens to present our petition to the President, | and will welcome you to membership on that committee.” STATUE OF WASHINGTON MAY BE CLEANED FIRST Work of Brightening 42 Memorials ‘Will Be Started Tuesday by Contractor. Gen. George Washington in Wash- ington Circle, will most likely be the first of 42 statues to be cleaned and pointed, Torreyson Bros., the contractors for the job, said today. This work will be started about next Tuesday and will inaugurate a program of statue clean- ing that will make the famous person- ages in stone and metal look their best. Lieut. Col. U. 8. Grant, 3d, director of the Office of Public Buildings and Public Parks, recently awarded the con- tract for the job. The co-operation of the Bureau of Standards is being se- cured by Col. Grant in the testing of samples of cleaning materials the con- tractors will use, to insure that the masterpieces will not be injured in the renovating process. Memorial Building proj-rt con- 1t is planfied to complete —Underwood & Underwood Photo. | et ¢ PRGNS DISTRICT AIRPORT PLANS 0 BE AIDED BY MEETING HERE - Maj. Davison Heads Commit- tee to Conduct Conference i October 24-25. 300 TO 400 EXPECTED FROM OTHER CITIES Regnlations,'}{ouling and Drainage Among Road Builders’ Asso- ciation Topics. The plans for development of a mu- nicipal airport for the District are ex- pected to be aided materially at a two- day conference on municipal airports to be held in Washington October 24 and 25 under auspices of the city offi- cials’ division of the American Road | Builders’ Association. | As president of the city officials’ di- | vision of the road builders’ organiza- tion, Capt. H. C. Whitehurst. co-ordi- nator and chief engineer of the engi- neering department of the District gov- | ernment, announced today he had ap- pointed Maj. Donald A. Davison, As- sistant Enginecer Commissioner, chair~ man of the committee to conduct the conference. Maj. Davison's appoint- ment is regarded at the District Build~ ing as of utmost importance, since he has been in charge of all the prelim- inary surveys and studies toward the development of the District’s proposed municipal airport. The conference will attract to Wash- ington, according to Capt. Whitehurst, between 300 and 400 municipal govern- ment officials from all sections of the United States as well as some of the country's outstanding airport engineers and builders. The primary object of the conference, he said, is to develop specific knowledge of the present prac- | tices and future requirements of airport construction, which ave of vital im- portance to everv city planning an air- port development., Conference Timely Here. + “The conference will be particularly timely to Washington.” said Capt. | Whitehurst, “because plans are just be- | ginning to crystallize for an airport de- velopment. The feasibility of Gravelly | Point as a site for the airport as weil as all other sites that have been rec- ommended, undoubtedly will be dis~ cussed by municipal airport experts.” ‘The varied list of subjects selected for discussion covers airport construc- tion in all of its technical and ergi- neering ramifications. These are: Factors to be considered in the se- lection of airport sites. Transportation and traffic regulations adjacent to airports. Airport management, housing and building control. European practices. | The design of runways, landing areas | and field surfacing. Airport drainage. Relation of airports to public parks; | public attendance. | Airport finance. Specialists to Talk. The discussion of each of these eight, | subjects, Capt. Whitehurst, said, will be | led by qualified specialists. Of particu- | lar interest to Washington, he pointed iouv. will be the questions of drainage, | the design of runways, landing arcas | and field surfacing and factors to be gunsldered in the selection of airport ‘The information developed at the conference - Capt. Whitehurst believes will be invaluable, not alone to Wash- ington, but to all other municipalities planning airports. The advice and opin- ion of the experts, he explained, will be free of bias or sales propaganda, and of the type which has cost New York, Chi- cago and other large cities thousands of dollars to procure. Primarily the conference was ar- }rnnged for the benefit of cities with a population of 300.000 and under that want to build airports, but cannot afford 1o engage experts to advise them how to proceed. MAN, 62, IS BEATEN BY 6 COLORED MEN | Pedestrian, Walking With Nephew, Goes to Hospital With Serious Injuries. De Roy Holmes, 62 years old, of 820 | Sixth street, was badly beaten last midnight by five or six cblored men a few minutes after the elderly man and his nephew, James W. Holmes, 18 years old, had been in a disagreement with |two of their assailants as they were | walking on New York avenue between | Eighth_and Ninth streets. | At Emergency Hospital today Holmes | was under treatment for scalp lacera- | tions and a possible fracture of the | skull and jaw. Police of No. 6 precinet, who were given a good description of the colored men, have started a lookout for them. Police were told the #ouble started when one of two colored men passing Holmes and his nephew struck a lighted cigarette from the hand of the younger man. ‘Young Holmes said the pair disap- peared then, but returned with rein- forcements as the two white men came to Sixth and I streets. Here a general fight ensued, and young Holmes has- tened to the Sixth street address for assistance. He returned shortly after with Jack Downing of the same address and found his_uncle on the sidewalk, apparently badly injured. Almas Temple Band to Play for Shrine Bodies Saturday. A concert by the Almas Temple Band, under direction of Louis S. Yassell, will be a feature of the annual picnic of the uniformed bodies of the Shrine Sat- urday at Chesapeake Beach. Five thousand Shriners are expected to at- tend the outing. The program includes daneing, an exhibition of lariat throw= ing and other stunts, besides a rollin, pin contest for married women an other events. Hurt While at Play. ‘While playing yesterday morning on Otis place near Warder street, 10-year= old Catherine Simons of 519 Rock Creek Church road was accidently struck on the forehead by a stone hurled by a playmate, Eugene Marks, 12 years old, of 525 Quincy street. The Ilittle 1 was taken to Garfield Hospital, where first ald was administered.