Evening Star Newspaper, July 25, 1929, Page 1

WEATHER. 4U. 8. Weather Bureau Forecast.) Partly cloudy and not so warm to- night and tomorrow, probably local thundershowers. Temperatures—Highest 93 at 3:30 p.m, yesterday; lowest 71 at 6 a.m, to- day. " Full report on page 9. The only evening paper in Washington with the Associated Press news service. e F L 4 W.lfl( SUNDAY MORNING EDITION g St WASHINGTON, D. C, THURSDAY, JULY 25 1929—FIFTY PAGES. CITY HEADS AGREE TONEW LEFT TURN IFOFFICIALS ASK T Dougherty and Taliaferro Are Ready to Approve Rec- ommendations. PRESENT RULE MADE Closing N. Y. Markets, Pages 14 and 15 Yesterday’s Circulation, 102,316 Entered as second class matter pest office, Washington. D. C. WL PG 93 CLO¥ syt o BR”A'N fl PI_EDGE'Pomm Imparts Benediction on First Departure From Vatican Since - Loss of State in 1870. Cordial Background of Hoo- ' e IR 2 By the Associated Press. \ ver-MacDonald Messages | VATICAN CITY, July 25.—Pope Pius XI, the first pontiff to emerge from Indicates New Spirit. No. 31,131, () Means Associated Pr TWO CENTS. COLLEAGUES HEAR WICKERSHAM NOTE - MEANT AS PRIVATE |Writer Says Letter to Roose- velt Made Public by Misunderstanding. LAW COMMISSION HEAD Wb I To SEE ONEY 1N BANK AVM-: SIlY”OLD FRIEWS ED WEIGHT. M WRITWG A LOT AND HOPE ITS BEING EMEN ROFESSIONALLY OF (0 -1UST PERSONALLY -V To MAKE A LONG SToRY SHORT | SiMpL CanT SAY ENOUGH ! | the Vatican since the fall of temporal power in 1870, came out of St. Peter's iBulllu this evening, bringing to an end the long voluntary imprisonment of | the head of the Roman Catholic Church. E The pontiff, bearing the sacred host, followed a religious procession along the Bernini Colonnades and St. Peter's Square, blessed a huge throng which 600D WILL HELD MAJOR RESULT OF DISCUSSIONS Most American Leaders Express Gratification—Britten Warns of “Falling for Deceit.” P the Associated Press. Pledges of curtailed naval building from both Great Britain and America were hailed in Washington today as indications of an approaching agree- ment upon the troublesome problem of disarmament. Even more significant perhaps was the new spirit of cordiality and co- operation that has entered the nego- tiatlons and has been interpreted by President Hoover as evidence that the two nations are no longer to be com- petitors in the construction of vessels of war, but are to work together as friends in reducing their number. With the promulgation of the Kel- logg treaty relegating wartare to a place bevond the pale of the laws of nations came important pronouncements from london and Washington upon which are pinned the hopes of both govern- men(s that an agreement is not far away. Britain Cancels Work. Addressing the House of Commons, Tremier MacDonald announced that Great Britain and America had agreed upon parity, qualified by a degree of elasticity to meet the needs of both nations, as the underlying principle of disarmament. discussions. He _ said, further, that work on two British cruisers was to be suspended, the con- struction of a submarine depot ship and two submarines canceled and dock- vard work retarded. In addition he announced his intention of visiting the United States in October. Quick to respond, President Hoover announced that the construction of three cruisers of this year's building program would be postponed until there is an opportunity to consider their ef- fect upon an agreement for parity, which, he added, he expected to be reached. He welcomed MacDonald’s proposed visit and spoke of the “real satisfaction” with which he had read press reports of the prime minister’s address. Through both statements ran a tone of cordiality and good will that brought many comments of pleasure from offi- cials here, and was regarded by many 5 one of the most important outcomes of the discussions that have gone for- ward in the last few weeks. Law Allows Delay. “The cruisers referred to by the Presi- dent are among those authorized by the 15 cruiser law, which specified that they should be laid down at stated in- tervals within a period of three years, and under the terms of this measure, construction could not be abandoned except in the event of an international agreement for reduction of naval arma- ments. The law provided that five of these cruisers should be contracted for in each of the years of fiscal years of 1929, 1930 and 1931, and their con- struction begun by the close of the re- | spectively following fiscal years. 1t was pointed out, however, that Mr. Hoover could postpone their ‘construc- tion until the close of those fiscal years, and that thus, the three mentioned by the President need not be begun for nearly 11 months. Within this time, the President is hopeful that an agree- ment,_with Great Britain on parity can be affected. At the Navy Department it was said that these three vessels had been as- signed for construction to the navy yards at New York, Philadelphia and Bremerton, Wash. The two others of the first five ships under the 15-cruiser Jaw have been contracted for with private builders. Originally it was planned to initiate the work in the Fall. On Capitol Hill there was much fa- vorable comment, from members of both parties on the day’s develol (Continued on Page 3, DR. WILLIAM MAYO LAUDS | TEMPERANCE PROGRESS Noted Fhysician Believes Only “Tops and Dregs’ in This Country Are Still Drinking. By the Associated Press. 1 MANCHESTER, England, July 25. ~—Dr. William Mayo of the Mayo Clinic of Rochester, Minn., thinks the temper- ance_movement is doing very well in the United States. Speaking today at the annual break- fast of the National Temperance League he declared: “The great middle class in America is no longer drinking. The class at the top and the dregs at the bottom are still at it. ““The saloon is gone and no one wants it back. Liquor is scarce and what there is is not safe.” The Pope came out through the First came a small detachment of the Swiss Guard in the brilliant costumes designed for them by Michelangelo nearly four centuries ago. Dignitaries in Line. ‘Then came a ceremonial officer of the papal court and a procession of various representatives of the religious orders, chaplains of various churches, | various officials of the Holy See, arch- | bishops and bishops. including & num- ! ber of American prelates. Then in a blaze of purple came the | cardinals while just ahead of the Pope came incense-bearers and members of | the ceremonial department. Enters Basilica. Pope Pius, preparatory to his historic | emergence, left his apartments in the | Vatican late today and descended into St. Peter's Basilica. The Pontiff. accompanied by the gentlemen of his noble ante-chamber, the sacrament he was to carry in the | evening’s procession _was exposed.‘ Greeted by Cardinal Merry Del Val, on vestments of white and, after re- maining a few moments in adoration of the sacrament intoned the first line | packed the historic place with unnumbered thousands. at the end of a long procession which had been formed inside. repaired to the Giulian Chapel, where | archpriest of St. Peter’s, the Pope put | central bronzed door of the Basilica of the Eucharistic hymn. The anthem was then taken up by the Sistine Choir. Outside in solemn silence a greal throng packed St. Peter's square and surrounding streets waiting for the his- toric moment when the Pope should emerge from the great basilica—the first pontiff to leave the Vatican in the 60 years that have elapsed since the fall of temporal power in 1870. Among | them it was estimated there were sev- eral thousand Americans. | Picturesque Assembly. | _'The occasion was the convention in Rome of representatives of Catholic seminaries and universities the world lover. In their multi-colored robes, the members of the facuities and student | bodies, together with members of the various monastic and preaching orders | filled the famous square with one of the | most. picturesque assemblages it has | contained since the age of the renais- sance. St. Peter's portico was overhung with a series of magnificent tapestries as were the two wings of the colonnade for their entire length. These were the famous pleces given to Plus VII by the Emperor Napoleon after his coronation in Notre Dame of is and are the work of the " (Continued on Page 2, Column 5.) CHINESE ATTAY * ST ARPLANES i |Manchuli Also ! Hearing Sound of Guns | for Short Time. i | By the Associated Press. | LONDON, July 25.—Reuter's dis- | patches from Tokio this afternoon | quoted a telegram from Manchuli, Man- churia, saying Chinese troops had fired on five Soviet airplanes which appeared over the border town about 7 am. Later in the morning distant sounds of firing were heard, but they died down shortly afterward. The. shooting was believed to have been caused merely by the excitability and nervousness of the Chinese troops. The newspaper Nichi in a special dis- patch from Manchuli said Russian and Chinese troops hod opened fire on each other when 16 Russian airplanes agp- | peared over the city. Direct Negotiations Seen. | Official quarters today awaited defi- | nite word of opening of direct negotia- tions for solution of the controversy. They felt all but certain hostilities between the two nations have been | averted. It was believed possible the direct ne- | gotiations. following preliminary meet- ings, of which first notice was received yesterday, had already begun either at Harbin or Mukden, seat of the Man- churian capital. Accusations Continue. ‘The Russian plenipotentiary, it was believed, would be either L. B. Sere- briakov, a member of the railroad com- missariot, who was said to have pro- ceeded to Harbin. Gen. Chang Tso- Hslang, governor of Kirin Province, Manchuria, was the only Chinese men- goned in connection with the negotia- ions. ‘While this hopeful prospsct domi- nated interest in the situaidon, Russian and Chinese news sources continued ac- cusations of offenses against the terri- tory of each nation. The Chinese most recently charged seizure of automobiles and the Russians alleged Chinese em- ployment of white Russian emigres for destructive work over the Russian frontier. Moscow official reports said 16 of these white emigres had been executed Tuesday in the political department of Khabarovsk, adjoining Manchuria, SINO-RUSSIAN PARLEY HELD. Representatives of Soviet and China Confer at Changchun. TOKIO, July 25 (7).—The day of the Kellogg renunciation of war pact cere- monies in Washington brought Man- churia new hopes of peace in a definite effort of Russians and Chinese alike to dissipate the war clouds hanging over the Far East for the past fortnight. Despite the diplomatic_rupture be- tween Russia and China, Soviet Consul General Melnikov of Harbin met Chang Tso-Hslang, chief lieutenant of Gov. (Continued on Page 2, Column 6.) BOGIE CLIPS NEARLY THREE HOURS OFF ROBERT E. L Dr. Le Roy Succeeds in Breaking 59-Year-Old River Speed Mark of By the Associated Press. ST. LOUIS, July .25.—Dr. Louis Le- roy's speedboat, The Bogle, docked at St. Louls at 6:35 am. today, clipping 2 hours and 43 minutes off the 59-year- old record of the Robert E. Lee for a boat trip from New Orleans to St. Louis. The record 1,154-mfle trip over the Mississippl River was completed in 37 hours 31 minutes, while the record of the packet Robert E. Lee, made in 1870, was 90 hours 14 minutes. Tgnires Refueling Stop. Dr. Leroy ignored one scheduled re- fueling stop at Chester, Ill,, in his dash over final 50 miles of the stretch to reach the city wharf to set a new mark. ‘The Robert E. Lee’s record, which had stood despite many attempts to betier it. was made in a race with the Natchez, which ended July 4, 1870. . ‘The Bogie left New Orleans at 3:04 .m. Sunday in a race for St. Louis with he yacht Martha Jane, a cabin cruiser, t the latter cralt was forced to qult EE’S RECORD RUN Famous Packet. at Natchez, Miss, because of motor trouble. Dr. Leroy's boat was piloted by him with Harvey Brown and Robert ‘Hunter built of mahogany. Delayed by Hitting Log. Dr. Leroy lost considerable time on the trip, being forced to a 7-hour de- 1ss. ice & shat- because al about, Was Ark., yesterday in an effort the craft's speed. Dr, Leroy estimated he had lost about 20 hours on the tri) ‘The average speed for the entire ice was less tK’An 12.8 miles an hour. The Bogie left New Orleans at 3:04 p.m. Sunday, racing with the yacht Martha Jane for a 5-cont bet. The Reports:St. Louis Flyers Want to board, The Bogie is & small open run- | “ROBIN” ISNEARLY 2DAYS PAST ARK Know How Houston Chal- lengers Are Doing. How They Stand | { Endurance flights at a glance 12_m, Central standard time: T. _LOUIS.—Monoplane St. Louis Robin, Pilots Dale (Red) Jackson and Forest O'Brine, record holders, 202 hours and 43 minutes. HOUSTON. — Monoplane Bil- Jion Dollar City, Pilots Glen L. Loomis and Joseph Glass, 190 hours and 11 minutes. MINNEAPOLIS. — Monoplane The Minnesota, Pilots* Owen i Haughland and Capt. P. L. C;fchwn, 65 hours and 20 min- utes, By the Associated Press. ST. LOUIS, July 25.—Announcing in ! notes dropped this morning that “every- | thing is fine” and that the motor was “showing no signs of giving in.” Dale (Red) Jackson and Forest O'Brine, iloted their St. Louis Robin on into the thirteenth day of their endurance flight above Lambert-St. Louis Field to- di ay. | ‘At 12:17 p.m. (Central standard time) the flyers completed 293 hours in the air and had exceeded the former | world’s endurance mark by 46 hours, or | nearly two days. Asks About Texans. O'Brine inquired in a message as to the progress being made by the Houston, Tex., endurance plane, Billion Dollar City, now well up toward the 200-hour mark, and added, “You know we can’t land with them up; they might pass us, and that will never do.” “Our motor sure is feeling good this morning,” wrote Jackson in a note ad- dressed to P. V. (Shorty) Chaffee and C. Ray Wassal, the refueling crew for the endurance plane. “Just like a race horse,” he added. “It wants to run away every chance it ets; can hardly hold it down. O'Brine ; s singing his usual morning song. Gee! I thought the motor was knocking, but O'Brine just hit a knot. I'm sure in a fine place, between the motor and O'Brine. Can’t tell who makes the most noise. But you can tell them apart, as O’'Brine_has more vibration at high speed. I know now why the tail sur- face shakes.” ‘Waves to Two Wives. Jackson gave a demonstration of his skill as a pilot while sending down the morning order for gasoline, oil and breakfast. The plane swooped low over the fleld and then climbed a bit in a double bank as the cylinder bearing the order fell a short distance from the flight headquarters tent. Seeing his wife and Mrs. O’Brine in front of the tent, “Red” turned the plane sharply, clearing the wind vane of a hangar by about 50 feet, and then waved a Cheery greeting for himself and his companion, who was asleep, as the plane again passed low over the tent. Motor Alone to Stop Flight. Only the final wearing out of the mo- tor will cause Jackson and O'Brine to descend from the atmosphere which has been their home for a ximately more than 12 days and which has brought them at least temporary fame after they eclipsed the old mark of more than 246 hours set by the Angeleno. While Jackson had been confident before the flight started that if they set A new record they would g on and double the old mark, Maj. William B. Robertson of the Curtiss-Robertson Co., sponsors of the flight, was not so opti- mistic. Yesterday he remarked on the increased life of an aiplane motor com- rll’ed with 10 years ago and sald “it looks now as if the motor will function longer. I ure.” That the men_would lose weight on (Continued on Page 2, Column 4.) | Washington clearing house, $4,048,- | whase department is | {orcement, of the trafic Commissioner Says Other Changes May Be Necessary if Modifi- cations Are Made. The movement for a change in Wash- ington's uniqus and bitterly assailed left-turn traffic Tule was given added impetus ‘cday when the District Com- missioners It it become known that they would not stand in the way of & modification. Although Commissioner Proctor L. Dougherty, who has administrative supervision over the police and traffic departments is & stanch supporter of the existing left-turn method, he said he would approve a change if it is rec- | ommended by trafic authorities, Com- missioner Sidney F. Taliaferro also is understood to be in favor of a different turn, | The Commissioners, however, show | no disposition tc take the initiative in bringing about a change in the rule, but | indicated that they expected the traffic | officials to do something to eliminate | the apparent ever increasing opposi- | tion to the present turn. Traffic Di- | rector William H. Harland already has | announced he would acquiesce to a | change and recommend a compromise | left-turn plan if it is demanded by the | public. | Dougherty Not Dictatorial, | While firmly convinced in his own | mind that the present turn is more | satisfactory for Washington traffic than other methods suggested, Commissioner | Dougherty explained that he was not | “dictatorial” and did not desire to be | placed in such a position by opposing a | change if the traffic officials think 1t desllrllhle. | “If 8_recommendation comes from the traffic authorities for a change, I will approve it,” said the Commissioner. T am sure they will not act until they | are satisfied that the public wants a different turn.” Dougherty said he Commissioner wanted not only the recommendation | of Director Hariand, but that of Maj. Henry G. Pratt, superintendent of police, charged with en- regulations, as | well as the Traffic Coun Traffic Advisory Council. T he The existing left turn rule, while not in conformity with the method pre- scribed in the standardized traffic code of the National Conference on Street and Highway Safety, Commissioner Dougherty pointed out, was designed to meet modern trafic conditions in Wash- ington. “Perhaps our left turn is a step in advance of the standardized turn adopted by most cities,” he said. “The cities which adopted the uniform turn, in most instances, have narrow | streets where the Washington turn is not adaptable.” Whatever modification the Washington _turn, is made in Commissioner (Continued on Page 4, Column 1.) TACOMA-JAPAN PLANE Bromley Making Final Tests of | Machine for 4,700-Mile Non- Stop Flight. By the Associated Press. ‘TACOMA, Wash,, July 25.—A test flight today was expected to make Lieut. Harold Bromley ready for his projected non-stop flight from Tacomo to Tokio, 4,700 miles. If the test flight satisfies the aviator, and if the weather permits, he probably will start the long | hop at dawn tomorrow. ‘The work of checking the instruments of Bromley's plane, the City of Tacoma, continued until late yesterday and ended with the enthusiastic “O. K."” of C. W. Paxson, the Pratt & Whitney | motor expert, and mechanics from the | Lockheed aircraft plant, where the ship | was built. ‘While the plane was being examined workmen were busy constructing a ramp at the end of the 5,400-foot run- way down which the plane will roar on the take off. tarting down this in- cline, which is 20 feet high, it is fig- ured the plane will gain an initial mo- mentum equal to that which an addi- tional 1,000 feet of runway would per- mit. A further development last night was Lieut. Bromley's decision to abandon his radio receiving equipment. He found that earmuffs designed to make the signals audible despite the roar of the motor were ineffectual. He will re- tamn his radio sending apparatus and | seek to get weather reports from ships he may fly over by requesting them to write the information on their decks in letters sufficiently large to be read from the air. B oys of Columbia are doing so’ The Star is going to lessons of everything. It will kee, the m¢ airplane glmop 3. Treasury balance, $155,852,743.80. ! New York clearing house exchange, $1 654,000,000. S | New York clearing house balance, 1$219,000,000. Martha Jane was to drop out at Natchez, Miss., bacause of motor trouble, (Continued on Page 2, tflm 8) FOR D. C. CONDITIONS | SEVENINAUTODIE let you have a d instruction, news of what OF DESERT THIRST Radiator Drained by Mem- bers of Family Whose Bodies Are Found. By the Associated Pres: BLYTHE, Calif., July 25.—How a family of seven perished of thirst on the scorching desert south of here after having drunk the water from the radi- ator of their disabled motor car was revealed to the police of Blythe yester- day by six Mexican youths. The boys reported that the bodies of the victims, believed to be Mr. and Mrs. Enrique Armenta and their five chil- dren, were found scattered in the vi- cinity of a disabled automobile near a of Blythe. ” ‘The youths said the radiator of the car, a small sedan, was empty. A pair of pliers lay on the ground beneath and the tap was open—mute evidence that the last drop of water apparently had been drained from the machine by the family to quench their thirst. C. L. Gillett, sheriff of Imperial County, sent deputies to the scene of tragedy. They returned early today to substantiate the story. The father was found near the automobile, which he apparently had attempted to repair. Tracks into the wasteland led the searchers to the others. The mother together. A short distance away the bodies of two small boys were found. An inquest was expected to be held some time today. Nine heat deaths in four days were reported _from the Imperial Valley yes- terday. Residents said the temperatures had not been unusual for the valley re- EASTERNERS ARE FIRST T0 SCALE TETON PEAK Alpine Club Member and Com- panion Make 13,747-foot Ascent in 10 Hours. By the Associated Press. new Teton National Park, has been scaled from the east face for the first time. L. R. M. Underhill of West Newton, Mass., and an unnamed companion made the 13,747-foot ascent. Underhill is a member of the American Alpine Club. His successful climb was reported by Samuel T. Woodring, superintendent of Teton Park. Underhill and his com- panion made the ascent in 10 hours, PLANE’S 7DIVE KILLS TWO. Flying Student Believed to Have “Frozen" to Controls. By the Assoclated Press. LOS ANGELES, Calif., July 25.— Student and instructor died here yes- terday as the result of a 3,500-foot dive in an open model biplane which repre- sented W. Grady Paschall’s initial at- tempt at 8. Authorities expressed the belief that the 26-year-old fiyer had “frozen” to the controls, causing the craft to plunge to earth as Lieut. Ralph A. Benson, 34, Army Reserve officer, sat in the in- nrun;lwr'.; seat, unable to prevent the crash. ‘The nose of the plane buried itself six feet into the ground near the Roy ‘Wilson airport at North Hollywood, where the pair had taken off. T R T AR AW ST Do you build model airplanes? Would you like to know how? Do vou know hundreds of sturdy youngsters in the District 2 artment of your own— ]you are doing and up with all developments in Turn to the Aviation Seetion of The Sunday Star BE SURE AND GET A COPY EACH WEEK. seldom-used desert road 33 miles south | x Eagerness to Shake Hands With Curtis Bring’s Man’s Death By the Associated Prese LEAVENWORTH, Kans.. July 25.—Injuries received recently when he fell into the orchestra pit at Memorial Hall, Atchison, Kans., in his eagerness to shake hands with Vice President Curtis, resulted in the death yesterday of Capt, Lewis Young, 68, of the local Police Department In attempting to reach the Vice President Capt. Young tripped over a stage light. LIFE SAVER KILLED INDEMONSTRATION Shot Showing Way to Escape | From Man Holding Pis- 1 tol to Back. :: By the Associated Press. | ALLENTOWN. Pa.. July 25—Capt. MERGERINVITATION REJECTEDBYW.R.E. Reply Is Made to Suggestion of Plan by Public Util- ities Group. The Washington Railway & Electric Co. in a letter to the Public Utflities | Commission today joined the Capital Traction Co. in declining to submit any new street railway merger plans at this time, Although the Washington Railway & Electric did not go as far as the traction company. which said flatly | that any revival of merger negotiations | would be “futile,” the rallway wrote “we are not clear as to the utility of now reviving those efforts (to accomplish a | merger) unless there is some tribunal or | body -which is in & position to act | promptly and with final authority on ! any uniiication agreement that may be arrived at.” The letter also stated that the merger plan drawn up by the companies at the Willlam Kieb, widely known life-saving | instance of Harley P. Wilson, which | instructor and field representative of |failed of enactment in Congress last | the American Red Cress, was fatally | March, would have resulted in financial and three children were found huddled | gion, but that the humidity had been high. YELLOWSTONE PARK, Wyo., July‘ 25.—Grand Teton Peak, located in the | wounded here today while demonstrat- ing to local police the method of getting away from a man holding a pistol to one’s back. The revolver being used in the demonstration, thought to have been unloaded, contained a bullet. the revolver. Kieb told him to pull the | trigger as he executed the maneuver he was demonstrating and the bullet penetrated Kieb's spine at the small of the back. Kieb fell to the floor, but did not lose consclousness and directed the am- bulance men who took him to a hos- Dlt‘ where he died an hour after his arr Capt. Kieb was in this city to give a life-saving demonstration before the Jocal Kiwanis Club. Kieb gave live- saving demonstrations throughout the | Eastern section of the United States. HELD IN HIGH REGARD. James T. Nicholson, assistant man- ager of the American Red Cross’ East- ern area, planned to leave Washing- ton today for Allentown, Pa., to repre- sent the national organization at the funeral of William G. Kieb, who was killed accidentally there this morning. Officers and workers in the Red Cross here were saddened by news of Kieb's death. He had been a field representa- tive for the naflonal organization since 1920, and was highly regarded as a was 29 years old. 'LONDON JUDGE HALTS TRIAL OF REYNOLDS Juror's Conversation With Two Defense Witnesses Brings Manslaughter Case to End. By the Associated Press. LONDON, July 25.—The manslaugh- ter trial of Richard Joshua Reynolds, wealthy 23-year-old American, came to an abrupt and sensational end today. The judge discharged the jury and ad- journed the case for retrial, when it was reported to him the jury foreman had been seen in conversation last night with two witnesses for the defense. Jus- tice Humphrey, exonerated the Ameri- can defendant from any blame in con- nection with the incident causing the mistrial. Justice Humphreys, on taking his seat at the opening of today's session addressed the jury, saying that he had asked the members on the first day of the trial to be very careful not to speak to any person connected with the case ge;‘lhwmymmpemwmnkw The foreman of the jury said, “I did see one witness last night, Mr. Atwood, who is & friend of mine. I didn’t dis- cuss the case beyond his evidence.” He added that he had known Atwood some time and that Atwood had spoken to him first. The foreman said that an- other witness named Taylor, who had been 'wlt.h Atwood at the time, also E o him “I only joked about the way Mr. At- ‘wood spoke, said the foreman, reiterat- ing that the case was not di B I am very sorry if I have done anything ‘wrong.’ Justice hreys, the trial A iy Bt e Skl gy trial could proceed. Patrolman Warren Ander was holding | teacher of first ald and life saving. He sacrifice to the company in its original form, and that in its form as revised by | the commission and by Congress the | merger would have resulted in still | greater financial sacrifices. The letter | revealed that a quorum was not present | 2t a meeting of the board of directors held vesterday and that, therefore, no formal action could be taken. Answer to Request. ‘The letter, like that of the Capital | Traction Co. was in answer fo one sent out by the commission on the 29th of June asking the companies to submit new merger plans looking toward the | possible accomplishment of a street car | merger in the near future. | The text of the company's letter, | which was signed by Willlam H. Ham, | president, follows: “Referring to your letter of the 29th ultimo, in regard to the possible merger | of the separate street railway com- panies. Owing to the absence from | the city of several members of our board held on the 24th instant and for that reason no formal action has been taken in relation to the matter. “In your letter above referred to you expressed the opinion ‘that a merger of the separate street raillway com- panies is desirable for the best interests of the people and that it should be welcomed by the companies themselves.,’ and you asked to be informed ‘whether or not our company is willing to be a party to such merger agreement and 1o present it to the commission for its action at an early date.’ Refers to Record. “We would assume that our course of conduct throughout the past few years would constitute much more striking testimony than anything we can now say as to our belief that there should be a unification of the trans- portation facilities, ‘street railway and bus,’ within the District of Columbia. Reference to the desirability of merger was made as far back as in the annual report to stockholders for the year 19i9. The company has repeatedly at- tempted to point out the advantages to the public of such a merger and par- ticularly since the plans of the Govern- ment for an extensive building prcgram have taken definite shape has stressed the need of a unification of transporta- tion facilities, both street railway and bus, in order that Washington might have a transportation system adequate and suitable for its needs. 1“However‘ it wlAe‘l’ID;‘unlrI.l :hel’l;;t of Congress approve arch 4, 5 that merger \v?s authorized. 'On_November 3, 1926, during the " (Continued on Page 2, Column 1) WROTE IT AS PERSONAL Explanation of Circumstances of ‘Writing Is Given to Board Members. BY DAVID LAWRENCE. George W. Wickersham, chairman of | President Hoover's commission on law enforcement, wrote what he felt was & | personal letter to Gov. Roosevelt, but | the New York Governor regarded it as official and formal. | This tn a nutshen is_the true story | of the famous Wickersham letter read | at the governor's conference last week. | Mr. Wickersham wrote the letter in long hand. Not all of it was made public. The first few sentences were personal. And the last part of it stated that the suggestions were for the gov- ernor’s use. It is not contended here that the New York Governor broke faith. It is asserted. however, that he misunderstcod the purpose of Mr. Wick- |ersham, which was to give him sug- gestions which he couid embody in his own speech or furnish on his (Mr. Roosevelt’s) account as a topic for dis- cussion by the governors. - Mr. Wickersham had no idea of fore- shadowing an$ recommendations or findings of the commission or of starte ing A debate on modification of existing machinery of law enforcement, though it is contended that if the Government is to make the law more effective some amendments and changes will be nec- esSary. | Explanation Is Made. A full explanation of the letter and what fts purpose was has been com- municated to President Hoover and to members of the Law Enforcement Commission. and they thoroughly un- | derstand how it happened. Now that the suggestion of State co-operation has been made, there is no disposition on the part of Mr. Wickersham or the | members of the commission to give it any formal weight. but they thing it is just as well perhaps that the public get accustomed to Tecelving suggestions and ideas. in order that the commission | may have the benefit of crystallized | public opinion. At first both the wets and drys picked the letter to pieces to determine whether it was slanted one way or the other. Now. however, the subject has stirred up discussion in the States, and the ultimate responsibility for enforce- ment has become in many parts of the country a live issue. What the Wicker- | sham letter did not say but what it | implied_was that there are 26 States which have passed rigid enforcement acts almost identical with that of the Federal Government, but they have not bestirred themselves to secure enforce- ment. If anything. the Wickersham epistle was intended fo direct attention to ths need for enforcement and as such could hardly be construed as an argument for or against modification of the eighteenth amendment itself. This view has been informally com- municated hereabouts as a comment of surprise on the attitude of attack taken by some dry leaders toward the Wicker- sham letter. Scrawled in Long Hand. If Mr. Wickersham, who was an At- torney General under the Taft admin- istration, had desired to send a formal message to be read at the governors’ conference, long experience in such matters would have prompted him to submit it to his colleagues on the com- mission or at least to write it on sta~ tionery of the commission. Instead it was scrawled in long hand on some | hotel stationery at Bar Harbor. The | New York governor had asked for Mr. | Wickersham's ideas in advance and | naturally assumed that the letter he | received was in response to that request. | Mr. Wickersham did not intend it that y. | Now that the letter has been made { publie, the disposition here is to regard |it as an unfortunate misunderstanding between two men in public life who have known each other for many years. | No reply, it is said, has ever been re- | ceived by Mr. Wickersham from Gov. | Roosevelt nor has there been any public | expression on the subject by the head of the President's enfoocement com- " missicn. It is not deemed desirable to have any further comment on it at this time though it may prove the forerunner of | many suggestions from Mr. Wickersham and the commission in order to obtain | information for the final report and recommendations. (Copyright, 1929.) BANKER KILLS SELF. South Carolina Institution Is Closed, Pending Probe. LANCASTER, S. C., July 25 (#®).— The First Bank & Trust Co. here was closed today following the suicide of its president, Charles D. Jones, who shot | himself late yesterday. Albert S. Fant, State bank examiner, ordered the bank not to open for busi- ness today or until a member of his ‘sllfl had visited the bank. His order was given upon receipt of news of | Jones’ suicide. | Friends of the bank president ascribed | i1l health as the cause of his act. One of the largest judgments ever rendered by the District of Columbia Supreme Court, and probably the largest ever awarded in a civil action, growing out of an alleged fraud in the operation of a Government con- tract, exceeding $2,500,000 was granted today by Justice Jennings Balley against John L. Philips of Thomasville, Ga., former Republican State com- mitteeman, and others involved with him in the alleged defrauding of the 1 U. S. WINS $2,500,000 JUDGMENT IN SURPLUS ARMY LUMBER SALE Civil Suit Decided Against Georgian and Associates by District of Columbia Court. United States in connection with the sale of surplus lumber from Army cantonments following the World War. P’h.llll:z‘ and ;ome of his M‘ tes were icted for conspiracy in con- nection with the sale of the luml but were acquitted in the Court. The Government then brought its civil action for alleged fraud and from the voluminous testimony taken (Continued on Page 2, Column 7.) . | Radio Programs—Pages 34 & 35