Evening Star Newspaper, July 27, 1929, Page 12

12 POPULATION OF U. 3. 10 BE 187,000,000 BY YEAR OF 2000 Study in Growth of Cities Reveals Enormous Gains During Present Century. DECENTRALIZATION GIVEN | AS AVENUE FOR RELIEF Readjustments Will Forestall All| Possible Annoyances, Says Report. BY THOMAS R. HENRY. ‘The year 2000 will find the United States with a population of nearly 200,- 000,000, largely segregated in enormous cecentralized cities, while progressive efficiency in agriculture will keep the farm population practically stationary. This picture of the future is the re- sult of a study of the relation of land to population in the United States by e committee headed by Frederic A. De- lano, president of the American Civic Association, and Dr. John M. Gries, former head of the division of build- ing and housing of the Department of Commerce. The future relationships were calculated in the light of present trends of population. The report, in book form, is published by the Mount Pleasant Press of Harrisburg, Pa. It was prepared under the general direction of the joint committee on bases of sound land policy, organized by the Federated Societies on Planning and Parks, composed of the American Civic Association, American Institute of Park Executives, American Park So- ciety, National Conference on City Planning and the National Conference on State Parks. So far as land is concerned, the com- mittee found, there is little need to worry about overpopulation. The coun- try has 1,903,000,000 acres, of which | 973,000,000 offer possibilities for crops. Only 365,000,000 acres were in crop Jand in 1919 and there was a production surplus, 150,000,000 by 1950. “The population of the continental United States,” says thé report, “is ex- pected to reach 150,000,000 by 1950 and 187,000,000 around the year 2000. On the basis of these estimates, a station- ary population will not be reached until some time in the next century, perhaps at 225,000,000.” This population, the committee in- dicates, may be distributed even more unevenly than it is at present. In 1920 the density was only 35.5 per square| mile for the country as a whole, but there were five States with more than 200 to the square mile, headed by Rhode Island with 566, Massachusetts with 479, New Jersey with 420, Con- necticut with 286, New York with 217, and Pennsylvania with 194. The pres- ent trend is toward a still greater density in those areas which may be offset by factors now unknown. If the present trend to the cities was unchecked, the committee points out, | there would be no rural population at | all in the year 2000. This would be an impossibility and the committee provides a tentative estimate of an 11 per cent increase compared with a 154 per cent increase for the urban popula- tion. The population of cities of more than 2,500 and less than 50,000 in 1920 is expected to increase 220 per cent. Much of this will be due to an in crease in the number of such cities rather than an actual growth of those now in existence. New York Presents Problem. A striking glimpse into the future is afforded in the case of New York, pre- suming that it continues to grow at its present rate.. The metropolitan dis- trict of 5528 square miles, covering| more than 400 communities, was taken | as the basis. The heart of this area| is the five boroughs of New York City} and adjacent New Jersey, which in 1920 contained a population of 6,000,- 000 out of 9,000,000 for the entire dis- trict. 1n this inner area the popula- | tion density is 18,638 per square mile, | whereas the average density for the :g’:lre region is barely one-twelfth of ‘This population, it has been estimated conservatively, may reach 35,000,000 by the year 2100 and based on present trends this would mean for the inner area a population of 54,000 per square mile, This means that each person will have, as his share of dwelling space, streets, stores, parks, offices and public buildings, & space 10 by 50 feet, barely large enough to turn around in, while the actual density in some parts of the inner area will greatly exceed this. Ap- parently the only way of avoiding this condition is by a decentralization proc- ess so that the population will be dis- tributed more evenly through the 5,528 square mile metropolitan district. This, it is predicted, may result from the growth of citles within cities with neighborhood stores and theaters sup- ?lylng almost all possible needs and ifting the greater part of the burden from the central districts. The point will be reached when the population concentration is unendurable and this will operate, through mounting prop- erty values, to drive industries and many offices into the outskirts. The future population prospects must be kept in mind, it is pointed out, so that space can be left for sufficient parks, golf courses, etc. A Continuous City. ‘The report points to the possibility of 8 narrow strip of land along the Atlan- tic seaboard becoming by 2,000 A.D. an almost continuous city from Portland, Me., to Washington. “Our urban popuiations in the past,” the committee reports, “have grown without much direction and control. Like sheep, the excess rural population 2nd the small town youths have sought the metropolitan centers. But the in- creasing economic freedom which is giv- ing leisure to large mumbers’ of city dwellers is developing new wants and the desire for larger cultural opportu- nities. In the past many city dwellers have accepted the results of uncontrolled and unscientific distribution of popula- tion in commercial and residential d tricts as the inevitable price they must pay for enjoying certain metropolitan advantages. When they find that scien- tific planning can mitigate many of the discomforts of city living, they will de- mand better planning. ““Within urban regions we may expect to see a vast improvement in the dis- tribution of population. Unless the t urban regions take particular care & avoia the ovils of excessive conges- tion of population and traffic, they will find their populations slipping away to other urban regions which have not yet x"el:hed the acme of congestion discom- ort.” Farm Life to Change. ‘While the farm population may be expected to increase very little, the committee points out, the nature of rural life will undergo some striking changes. For some years both the number of farms and the area under cultivation has decreased, yet improved methods a continual increase in actual production, leaving a _surplus is one of the causes of financial distress. Great improvements are pos- sible by further utilization of the scien- tific knowledge at hand today—such as a 15 per cent increase in production of live stock by selecting better ani- mals. Changes in diet, allowing the increased use of canned goods and the saving of food by increased refrigera- tion alone could provide for,10,000,000 persons.. More productive crbps on the LIEUT. VENABLE, DEAD AS RESULT OF FA Retired Officer, 82, Succumbs to Brain Concussion Fol- lowing Accident. Well Known Native of District Will Be Buried in Arlington. An injury sustained aboard a Navy ship years ago is believed to have con- tributed to the death yesterday of Lieut. Charles H. Venable, 82 years old, U. S. N, retired. Lieut. Venable suc- cumbed to a brain concussion sustained Thursday when he fell backward down a flight of stairs. Lieut. Venable, who lived at 1833 California street, had gone with friends Thursday to inspect a new home on the Conduit road beyond the District line. As he was ascending the front steps he lost his balance and toppled backward, striking his head against the concrete walk. His leg was injured a number of years ago when a porthole cover was blown off. He was struck on the leg. He never entirely recovered from this injury and it has been difficult for him to_walk at times. Lieut. Venable was a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and served in the Navy for a number of years until retired for disability. He returned to active duty during the World War as an_enrollment officer. He enrolled most of the “yeomanettes” in this section, in addition to hundreds of men. ‘Widely known among Washingtonians, Lieut. Venable was a vice president of the Association of Oldest Inhabitants NAVY VETERAN, LL LIEUT. C. H. VENABLE. ADDED PERSONNEL RECOMMENDED FOR DETEGTIVE BUREAU Inspector Shelby Would De- tail 50 More Men to Cen- tral Organization. CRIME SITUATION HERE REVIEWED BY REPORT! District Is Found Unusually Free of Offense of Major Importance. of the District of Columbia, member of the Loyal Legion, the American Legion, District of Columbia Society of Natives, the National Press Club and the Masonic Fraternity. His Masonic affiliations in- cluded membership in Lebanon Lodge, No. 7, F. A. A. M, and Washingto: Commandery, No. 1, Knights Templar. He was a native of this city. He is survived by three daughters, Miss Edith Venable and Miss Lillian Venable, both of this city, and Mrs. James W. Colley of Huntington, W. Va.; a son, Alfred H. Venable of this city, and a sister, Miss Alice Venable. Funeral services will be conducted at the residence Monday afternoon at 1:30 | o'clock. Interment will be in Arlington ! Cemetery. UTILITIES EXPERT NOT 70 BE CHOSEN Hart’s Duties in Corporation Counsel’s Office to Be Absorbed. The vacancy to be caused in the cor- poration counsel’s office by the resigna- tion of Ringgold Hart as principal as- sistant _corporation counsel, effective September 1, will not be filled by an expert on public utilities matters. Com- missioner Sidney F. Taliaferro has made this clear following & visit yesterday by William McK. Clayton of the Federation of Citizens' Associations, who suggested that Mr. Hart's place be filled by an acknowledged expert in public utilities matters. Mr. Taliaferro said today that the| requirements cf the job called for a man versed in administrative and mu- nicipal law generally and not for a spe- clalist in public utilities matters. As- sistant Corporation Counsel Robert E. Lynch is already the specially desig- nated member of the District’s legal staff to take care of public_ utility questions, and in _addition People’s Counsel Ralph B. Fleharty represents the people as attorney on all matters before the commission. “Hearings before the Public Utilities Commission,” Mr. Taliaferro explained, “are in the nature of a trial in a law court, and the problem -there is mainly to get the record in such a good shape | that when the case is taken into the courts by an aggrieved party the com- mission will have a substantial record on which to fight its case. On the mem- bership of the commission is Mr. Har- leigh H. Hartman a recognized expert in public utilities law. I feel that Mr. Hartman, Mr. Fleharty and Mr. Lynch will take such good care of the commis- sion’s side of public utilities cases at this ‘ime that there is no need for the addition to the corporation counsel's staff of a public utilities expert. It would prob- ably not be possible in any event to secure a real public utilities expert to take a place as assistant corporation counsel. “On the cases that have gone to court from the commission since Mr. Lynch has been presenting them, an excellent record has been made and I am quite satisfied with the situation.” Mr. Taliaferro said that he had not made up his mind as to who should be Mr. Hart's successor although several names had ‘been mentioned to him by friends of certain aspirants. Mr. Hart is spending his last day in the District Building to day as he leaves on a month's vacation Monday and his resignation takes effect September 1. KLOTZ MADE ADVISOR TO MOTOR BUS LINE Former Utilities Commission Engi- neer Was Ousted Over Fare- Raise Stand. Capt. R. G. Klotz, former engineer to the Public Utilities Commission whose resignation recently was request- ed, has been employed by L. L. Alt- man, president of the Washington, Marlboro and Annapolis Motor Lines, Inc, as a technical adviser. Capt. Kotz will present the case for the company when its valuation is estab- lished at public hearings in September. ‘The line now is operating on a 15-cent cash fare with a sale of 10 tokens for $1. Mr. Altman petitioned that the token rate be increased to four for 50 cents and the Bradbury Heights Citizens Association petitioned that the token sale be abolished altogether and a flat éoi;téent fare instituted within the Dis- rict, ‘With these conflicting petitions be- fore it, theé commission elected to con- duct a valuation of the bus line and establish a rate of fare designed to give the line a fair return. Capt. Klotz left the commission the day after he wrote a letter to the people's counsel indorsing the Capital Traction Co.’s request for an increase in fare to 10 cents and suggested that tokens be sold three for 25 cents instead of four for 30 cents, as had been asked by the company. present fields could provide for another 19,000,000. ‘Then there are approxi- mately 608,000,000 acres of potential crop land still uncultivated. The drift to the cities, it is predicted, will not be checked until the demand for food products equals the production. A population of 200,000,000, it is pointed out, means no lowering of the standard of living. Japan supports one person on a quarter of an acre. By 209 ARE ARRESTED INTRAFFIC CRUSADE F. H. Stephens and Wife Are Among Six Injured in Auto Accidents. ‘Two hundred and nine traffic arrests were reported here for the 24 hours ending at 8 o'clock this morning. ‘The arrests consisted of 144 for mis- cellaneous offenses, 58 for speeding, four for driving with dazzling lights, two for reckless driving and one for hit and run. Six persons were hurt in traffic accidents in the last 24 hours. ‘Among these were Francis H. Stephens, assistant corporation counsel, and his wife, Mrs. Grace R. Stephens, of 1714 Summit place, who were painfully in- jured last night about 7:15 o'clock when struck at Sixteenth street and Park road by an automobile operated by Roberta Elliott of 7105 Wisconsin avenue, Bethesda, Md. The Elliott car struck the couple while making a turn into Park road. Roy Heck of Falls Church, Va, took the infured persons to their home where they were attended by Dr. Elliott M. Campbell. Neither Is Hurt Seriously. Neither was seriously hurt. Mr. Ste- phens suffered a laceration over the right eye and contusions to both knees and his wife was treated for burns on the right side. Five other persons were injured in traffic accidents reported to the police. Eugene Ella, 29, of 4305 Iowa avenue, was run down by the automobile of James O. Knowles, 628 Allen place, in front of 2004 Georgia avenue at about 5 o'clock. He was treated at Casualty Hospital by Dr. J. Rogers Young for an injured right arm. Mrs. Genevieve Doushone, 23, of 5187 Conduit road, wrenched her left knee and ankle when she fell from a street car on the Cabin John Bridge line. The heel of her shoe caught on the step. She was taken to Georgetown Hospital by her husband. ‘Two other pedestrians, both colored, were knocked down by automobiles. A man who gave his name as “Doc” Oliver, and his residence as the 1700 block of T street, was injured severely by the automobile of Clyde T. Twyman, colored, while crossing U street between Twelfth and Thirteenth at about 2 o'clock this morning. Child Also Is Injured. A passing motorist took James Salt- ers, colored, to Georgetown Hospital early last night from M street near First, where the man had been knocked down by an automobile. Salters, 20 years old, of 1416 Thirty-sixth street, suffered cuts about the head and was kept at the hospital for observation. ive-year-old Ligellia Mahoney, col- ored, whose parents live in the 200 block of R street, also ran afoul of an automobilé and after being knocked down near her home by a machine driven by Edward Caldwell, 5111 Sher- rier place, was taken to Freedmen’s Hospital and treated for shock and possible internal injuries. Good Records Ald Three. Records that disclosed long years of operating automobiles, without hlvlng been arrested, led Judge Gus A. Schuldt to impose minimum fines on three men who were arrested yesterday on speed charges and appeared before him in Traffic Court today. David Wolhaupter, 3500 block of Macomb street, arrested by Policemen K. P. Greenlow and R. V. Sinclair after his automobile, which he was operatin, on the wrong side of the street, collide with another machine, informed Judge Schuldt he had been driving 20 years and had not been arrested before. As no damage was done to the car which he struck he was only charged with speeding and was ordered to pay $15. Arrested by Sinclair and Greenlow for ing g:nlle ohn ing to "v% this morning, est, R. Ruppert, block of Ordway street, was fined $10. He declared he had been driving 17 ears. 7 Bruce E. Haines of Gaithersburg, Md., grrested by the same policemen when on his way to work, was fined $10, after he said he had been driving since 1908. illiam Jones, colored, 1000 biock of Thirty-third street, charged with driv- ing without a t was ordered to pay $50 or serve days in jail. He was arrested by Policeman R. S. Mont- against recently when a ked machine on Wi she was returning from a issed allowing four times that amount to|Engine take care of unproductive land, the United States could produce food for approximately a billion individuals, Which is.a far greater population than ever will be reached, according to all present indications. = Although _food production for the 200,000,000 estimated population probably could be carried on with no increase at all in the farm population ‘ this probably will increase day. htly, the report points out, because ;‘2‘ higher standards of living and ‘The present problem, the report says, may be tahn:n:l removl“n: !nnz::er; from lanc preventing unt poor m from being brought into use. No more “back-to-the-land movements,” it mts out, are desirable for a long to come. - Aircraft Salesman Killed. BINGHAMPTON, N. Y., July 27 (A).—Joseph Bogert, 35, salesman of the Monocoupe Aircraft ~Corporation Moline, Ill, was kifled as crashed at the local airport late yester- Virginia Youth Disappears. ‘Washington police have been asked to look for Andrew Beavers, 16 old, who has been missing from home at Fort Hunt, Va., since July 16. News communicated of his disa by his , Chaungey Beavers, ! Reorganization of the central de- tective bureau and an increase in per- sonnel of 50 privates to serve as pro- bationary detectives is recommended by Inspector Willlam 8. Shelby, assist- ant superintendent of police and chief of detectives, in his annual report made public today by Maj. Henry G. Pratt, superintendent of police. This bears out previous announcement that such recommendation would be forthcoming. ‘While a dispassionate survey shows that Washington has been singurlarly free of major crimes, Inspector Shelby pointed out that the work of the de- tective bureau is steadily increasing, and that a larger personnel, coupled with a plan of organization providing for the centralization of responsibility is urgent in the interest of greater ef- ficiency. A major portion of the report is de- voted to a review of the crime situation and Inspector Shelby places particular stress on the fact that of the 57 homi- cides during the year, only in one case did the Detective Bureau fail to estab- “llbll’ the identity of the person respon- sible. Unsolved Mystery. That was the case of Joseph Wood- son, colored, who was found dead in an ante-room on_the second floor of 514 Tenth street, December 20 last. Al- though a number of persons were ar- rested and a thorough investigation conducted, Shelby said the bureau has been unable to establish any motive for this crime or to fix the responsibility. Two gaming charges were filed as the result of the probe of the establishment, he recorded. Referring to the Chinese tong war of last October in which two Chinese were killed and two others wounded, Inspec- tor Shelby directed a shaft of criticism at the grand jury for ignoring the case despite the “positive character” of the evidence submitted by the Police De- partment. Aside from the addition of 50 proba- tionary detectives to the detective bureau, Inspector Shelby recommended that all members of the force, assigned exclu- sively to duty as precinct detectives and especially assigned to the duty of enforcing the liquor laws, be given an increase in compensation of $240 a year, and that all officers assigned to plain clothes duty, either as detective sergeants or precinct detectives, be under the immediate supervision and command of the chief of detectives. Advantages Apparent. “T must be apparent,” he said, “that such centralization of responsibility and fixity of direction and control, with the consequent centralization of im- portant records, will tend greatly to in- crease the efficiency of this branch of service.” u‘fnspecwr Shelby proposes that the 50 additional detectives recommended for his bureau serve as understudies for the detective sergeants, and when vacancies occur in the ranks of the detective ser- geants they may be filled by the promo- tion of the probationary detectives. Ad- ditional compensation of $300 a vear is urged for these probationary detectives. The additional detective personnel, Inspector Shelby explained, will permit the establishment of special squads and the increasing of squads already in existence, and thereby provide for a more effective patrol of the aight clubs. billlard rooms, hotels, restauants and other places “which may or should be under police surveillance.” Other Recommendations. Among Inspector Shelby’s other rec- ommendations are more suitable quar- ters for the detective bureau, which is now cram on the basement floor of the District Building, the enactment of a more adequate vagrancy law, a more stringent law providing severe penalties for persons carrying concealed deadly welm)m. and the enactment of & law making drug addiction a felony and providing that any person addicted to narcotic drugs shall, upon convic- tion, be sentencad to a term at the Dis- trict reformatory at Lorton, Va. and that it be a conditioa of the sertence that the defendant shall during the term of his imprisonment be given proper and necessary treatment in an e fast fseal year the report sh The al year report shows the detective bureau handled 12850 cases, including the assignments to pre- cinct’ detectives, and that its personnel made 4,205 arrests. Of these convic- tions were secured in 2,435 cases, 275 were molle prossed, 935 were dismissed and 650 had not been disposed of on June 30 last, the end of the fiscal year. Property valued at $2,042,831.50, | which includes 3,614 motor vehicles, was reported stolen during the 12- month period, according to the report, and the detective bureau recovered $435,390.60 worth of it, including 985 motor vehicles. Completed 946 Cases. The homicide squad in charge of Lieut. Edward J. Kelly, the report showed, investigated and established complete records in 946 cases. These included 101 safe burglaries and house- breaking, 89 suicides, 57 homicides and 616 miscellaneous cases. 2 Although the automobile squad made 489 arrests for automobile thefts, 100 of the cases were hddlndnilg w:;er nolle prossed. This lue, pec Shelby explained, to the fact that in numerous cases the owners declined to prosecute, or the arrest as a result of the removal from jurisdiction of an automobile which had been pur- chased on & conditional bill of sale, and when the vehicle is recovered and the defendant returned to this jurisdiction, an adjustment is made with the finance which results in discontinu- criminal proceedings. Notwithstanding the gradnual disuse of the bicycle, the showed tha the problem of bicycle thefts is suffi- ciently serious to warrant the exclu- sive attention of one detective sergeant, T. A. Fitzgerald. During the year 435 bicycles were reported stolen and of these 298 were recovered. Check Writers Active. uad, Inspector Shel Tepor Lox to the detective | company ance of | Members and attaches of the National Capital Park and Planning Commission winding up a session today which will mark the withdrawal of the present chairman, Maj. Gen. Edgar Jadwin. Sitting (left to right), A. B. Cammerer, E. A. Sherman, F. W. B. Ladue, Engineer Commissioner. Standing Charles W. Eliot, 2d, city planner; C. R. Nolte: L. Wirth, park planner; Mrs. Commission; tive offices A. Root, engineer of the Ma Delibridge, and Licut. CoLr‘J. In the group are: Delano, Milton B. Medary, Gen. Jadwin and Col. (left to right): Capt. E. N. Chisholm, engineer; F. G. Coldren, secretary and administrative assistant; nd-National Capital Park and Planning S. Grant, 34, vice chairman and execu- - —Star Staff Photo. NAVAL RESERVES START ON CRUSE Maneuvers to Take Men on Two-Week Trip Among Eastern Ports. With its four stacks belching clouds of black smoke, the Destroyer Upshur safled down the Potomac from the Navy Yard today at 11 o'clock with the 2d Fleet Division of the 1st Battalion, United States Naval Reserves, for a two- week cruise and maneuvers, which will take them to ports along the Middle Atlantic and New England Coast. ‘The outfit sa'ling today, consisting of about 60 officers and men from the Dis- trict and approximately 40 from Balti- more, is the second contingent of Naval Reserves to go on a cruise from the lo- cal port this year. ‘The Upshur was e ted to reach the Virginia capes early this evening and to arrive at Newport, R. I, tomo) row evening. After that, its itiner: will take in Menemsha Bight, on Mon- day and Tuesday, Newport again Wed- nesday night, Menemsha Bight again Thursday and Friday, Vineyard Haven late Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and back by Newport and other ports the latter part of week after next. They wi'l arrive back in Washington at the navy yard Saturday morning, August 10. Lieut. John F. Moore is in command of the men from Washington, while Lieut. E. H. Cole commands those from Baltimore. Lieut. Comdr. Richard 8. Field, U. S. N, is in general command of the cruise. Other officers on the trip are Lieut. Comdr. E. A. Harrington, Lieut. Shen- fer and Chief Radio Electrician F. B. Monar of this city; Lieut. Warren Viessman, Lieut. B. C. Tucker and Lieut. F. W. Beckman of Baltimore. Lieut. B, J. Dayton, U. S. N,, is execu- tive officer. This evening at 6:30 o'clock about 200 men of the 1st Battalion, 260th Coast Artillery Corps, National Guard of the District of Columbia, will leave by boat for Fort Monroe, Va., where they will have two weeks’ in- tensive training with anti-aircraft guns. PURSE IS SNATCHED FROM WOMAN’S ARM Second Case in Two Days Reported to Police—Thieves Make Escape. The second case of purse snatching to occur in the northwest section in two days was reported to police last night by Miss Sallie P, Fair, 25, of the | Chastleton Apartments, Sixteenth and | R streets, who said her purse, contain- ing $32, was torn from her arm by a youth who darted from an alley in the vicinity of the 1500 block of Sixteenth street. ‘The previous night, Mrs. C. M. Me- Greal of the Wyoming Apartments reported that she suffered a similar loss in the 1900 block of Columbia road. Mrs. McGreal described her as- saflant as a colored youth and said he escaped through an alley. Miss Fair could not furnish a posi- tive description of her assailant, but told police she thought he was a col- ored man. Inspector Willlam S. Shelby, chief of detectives, said today that reports of purse snatching in the vicinity being the work of a colored man known as the lack Cat” were mythical. the year in additlon to its other varied activities, while the clothing squad in- vestigated 928 cases. The pharmacy squad made 967 arrests for violation of various laws and made 3,796 inspections. The sanitary officer took charge of the commitment of 444 patients to Gal- linger Hospital and 5 to St. Elizabeth’s Hospital. Serious Crimes Few. “While a dispassionate survey of con- ditions offers convincing proof of the fact that the city has been singularly free from crime of a serious nature, except as regards homicides,” said In- spector Shelby, “it is likewise a fact t with increased personnel and im- proved facilities, this bureau would be able to accomplish greater results in the suppression of crime in general than is at present possible. “The number of local assignments is increasing, and will naturally continue to increase as the population increases, and it, therefore, must be “:pnenz that it is a physical impossibility for the small group of officers detailed as de- tective sergeants, even though they work long hours and put forth the most diligent effort of which they are ca- pable, to give to each case assigned that intelligent, careful and painstak- ing effort which work of this highly specialized character demands. The inevitable result has been that cases of seemingly great importance receive continued attention, whereas those of eral | seemingly minor importance from the police viewpoint, but nevertheless of paramount importance to the complain- Left-Handed Sleuths Puzzle Shelby as He Replaces Old Desks ‘The left-handed | detective has become a perplexing problem at police headquarters. Inspector William 8. Shelby. chief of detectives, has decreed that the score or more of long tables, which have been in use for years in the Detective Bureau squadroom and used by detec- tives at roll call for writing tables must go. They are to be supplant- ed by individual chairs with a right-handed arm rest and equip- ped with deep drawers for papers, etc, and each detective will be asigned a chair. Fortunately most of the sleuths are orthodox penmen, but there are a few who sling ink from the port side. This fact has caused In- spector Shelby no little concern, and after wrangling with the problem for days, his most con- structive suggestion is that the detectives who write from the ‘wrong side either develop ambi- dextrous tendencies or take notes on their laps. §2,000 HAUL MADE INTWO ROBBERIES |Gems Taken From Apartment and Clothes From Store on H Street. | ., Jewelry and clothing valued at nearly $2,000 was stolen in two robberies last night, police reported today. Mrs. Mary K. Turner reported to po- lice that her apartment at Cathedral Mansions, 3100 Connecticut avenue, was entered sometime yesterday and two diamond rings and a platinum dia- mond brooch valued at $1,000 stolen. Mrs. Turner said the catch lock on the screen door leading to the reception hall of the apartment was opened. The heavy front door had been left ajar, Mrs. Turner said, when she went downtown in the afternoon, and the pocketbook from which the jewels were stolen was lying on a table in the living room. Ladies’ dresses and men's and boys’ suits valued at about $800 were stolen from the New York Cash & Credit Store at 1109 H street northeast last night, Entrance was forced to the | place by sawing the iron bars from a window in the rear of the store. The robbery was discovered this morning by Samuel Applebaum of 620 Princeton place, manager of the store. Ladies'’ Winter coats and dry goods were included in the loot. 'MRS. WITTMAN RITES ARE CONDUCTED HERE Funeral Services Are Private, With Interment in Oak Hill Cemetery. Funeral services fon Mrs. Augusta Wittman, 65 years old, patient at St. Elizabeth's Hospital, who died there Thursday from injuries sustained when attacked by another patient, are being conducted in the Nevius Funeral Par- lors, 924 New York avenue, this after- noon, with interment in Oak Hill Cemetery. The services are private, being attended only by relatives and a few close personal friends. Mrs. Wittman, who had been in St. Elizabeth’s Hospital since last May, lived with relatives at 2854 Connecticut ave- nue until that time. It was incorrectly reported at the time of her death that there was no record of any relatives. 107 COMMUNISTS SEIZED. PRAGUE, Czechoslovakia, July 27 (#). —The police yesterday arrssted 107 Communists in addition to tite 40 lead- ers of the party taken Thursday. They announced they had discovered thou- sands of manifestos calling for general demonstrations on August 1, the anni- il:&::ry of the Russian Bolshevist revo- jution, 1n Brunn, all available forces of the gendarmerie were concentrated in the raids. The total of arrests in the clean-up is now 187. An alle Ger- man Communist, Wilhelm Pick, whom the police were seeking, was said to have escaped from the country. POST OFFICE SHIFT T0 BE MADE SOON pected to Be Occupied by End of August. Preparations for moving the Ana- costia Post Office station from its pres- ent site at 2018 Nichols avenue to the new quarters at 1320 Good Hope road, upon the expirement of a 10-year lease, are nearly complete, post office offictals announced today. The exact date is uncertain, but moving is expected to commence with- in the next few days, when the in- spectors have formally passed on the fitness of the new building. Trucks from the Post Office Department will transport most of the equipment and other material of the station to the new quarters Monday, it is belleved, although this date is still uncertain as it depends upon the approval of the inspectors and the winding up of busi- ness in the old office. It was originally planned to vacate the present station before July 1, but due to a delay in the equipping of the new building evacuation had to be post- partment are ccnfident, however, that the Anacostia station will be located in its new quarters before the end of August, at the latest. 96 QUARTS OF LIQUOR SEIZED AFTER CHASE Five Charges Made Against De- fendant When Car Crashes Into Tree. | | | other “dont’s and mustn’ts,” Policeman | T. O. Montgomery considered the case of Carl D. Powell, 23, of the 100 block lof New York avenue, this morning about 6 o'clock, and wrote down the following charges: Illegal possession and transporting intoxicants, failure to display registra- tion card, reckless driving, failure to change address on driver's permit. It all came about in this manner: “We were just cruising around in the vicinity of First and L streets,” said Sergt. George M. Little, head of the road liquor squad, “when we sighted the suspected rum car. “We stepped on the gas and so did Powell. Finally Powell and a companion jumped from car, leaving the en- gine running, and the machine crashed hm:i a tree, but was not badly dam- aged.” T. 0. Montgomery, sprinting member of the liquor squad, in the absence of George C. Deyoe, who is sick, overtook Powell, but was unable to get his com- panion. There were 96 quarts of corn whisky in the car, police reported, and car and liquor were seized. CITY NEWS IN BRIEF. ‘TODAY. A meeting of the District of Columbia al Corps Veterans' Club, preceded by dinner, will be held this evening at the Colonial Cance Club camp on the Virginia shore of the Potomac. Dinner at 6:30. FUTURE. Mrs. Lulu Jett will be hostess to ‘members of the Willlam F. Hunt Chap- ter, Order of the Eastern Star, at her home on the West River tomorrow. Willlam Carter is chairman of arrange- ments. An open-air card party and lawn fete will be given by the Hiawatha Council, No. 9, Degree of Pocahontas, Monday evening at the home of Mrs. Marie Kolquist, 4610 Georgia avenue. Lawn fete starts at 7 o'clock. Cards at 8:30. In case of rain, the affair will be postponed until Tuesday. Sloux Tribe, No. 18, will celebrate its twenty-eighth anniversary by holding an old-fashioned crab feast in the as- sembly hall at 713 D street Thursday evening, August 1. Great Sachem Baker and his board of great chiefs will be present. Past Sachem Ralph Pimes is chairman of the committee. The Nativity congregaticn will hold its annual picnic on Tuesday, July 30, at Glen Echo, leaving by special cars from Fourteenth and East Capitol streets car barn at 1:30 pm. Mem- bers of the Resurrection and Annuncia- tion Chapels will accompany. Rev. Enoch M. 'X'homg;l‘oln and C. K. P. Cop- well will have charge of arrangements. A collection of crosses in memory of her deceased husband, J-mu.‘:l‘n. mv; Woman Leaves Collection of Crosses To Cathedral as Memorial to Husband Hospital, $1,000 to Dr. Stanley M. Ren- dall of Mentone, France, & mrhe\v, and $500 each to Philip S. Rendall, Olive C. Rendall and Yvonne Hunter-Tod. Rich- ard A. Rice, Maxwell W. Rice, Roger 1. Rice, nephews, also are to have $507 New Anacostia Building Ex-| poned. Officials of the Post Office De-|ed Thumbing his book on traffic and | PARK COMMISSION CONSIDERS PLANS FOR BIGGER AREAS Proposed New Tracts Are Not Announced in View of Public Policy. REPORT IS ALSG MADE ON RECREATION SYSTEM Development of Airport at Gravelly Point Weighed by Plan- ning Board. Proposed plans for purchases to ex- |tend Washington's growing.park and playground system were considered at today’s session of the National Capital | Park and Planning Commission, which ientered upon a second day of the monthly meeting. The commission withheld informa- tion on these tracts, however, on the ground of public policy. The commission considered the report on the recreational system of the city, submitted by its city planner, Charles W. Eliot, 2d, and likewise gave attention to the report of the organization of the Washington regional supply committee, participated in by Maryland and Vir- | ginia authorities, to investigate water | resource and uses for the metropolitan | area for the rext half century. Mr. Eliot laid before the commission a further proposed study of the de- velopment of the projected Washington alrport at Gravelly Point. This com- plete set of finished drawings was made by Eugene H. Callison, a Yale grad- uate student, as part of his post-grad- uate course. The commission gave at- tention to the drawings, but took no further action on them at this time. The commission already has suggested | that the Washington airport should. be constructed at Gravelly Point. Mr. Callison previously made a study of | the Washington airport situation and | the plans just submitted represent fur- | ther details of the project. The commission’s agenda included consideration of the proposed industrial development of the Washington water front between the Army War College and the navy yard, in the Buzzards Point area. A report on this project has been laid before the commission and was prepared under the direction of Capt. E. N. Chisholm, jr., the com- mission’s engineer. ! TWO MORE LOTS PURCHASED. |s104,649.60 Paia for Plot 1n Triangle, Fronting Pennsylvania Avenue. The Government has purchased two more lots, located at 1004 and 1006 Pennsylvania avenue, in its program of buying all ground in the triangle, bound- by Pennsylvania avenue, Fifteenth street and B street for Federal build- ings. The ground was purchased by the Treasury Department from Christian Heurich and his wife, for the sum of $104,649.60. The acquisition of this property now gives the Government title to most of the square in which it is situated. The Government now owns all of the Penn- sylvania avenue front, between Tenth and Eleventh streets, with the single exception of the lot at the corner of Tenth street and Pennsylvania avenue, on which is located & plumbing estab- lishment. | HANGS SELF BY BELT IN HOSPITAL ROOM E. A. Samperton, 41, Is Found Dead Suspended Upon Door at St. Elizabeth’s. Edward A. Samperton, 41 years old, who was committed to St. Elizabeth's Hospital last May from Gallinger Hos- pital, hanged himself shortly before 7 o'clock this morning in a private room of “B” building, at the former insti- tution, forming a noose by looping his belt over the door. The body was discovered by William Edward Moore, an attendant. The man had fastened the buckled end of the belt around his neck, knotted the other end and looped it over the top of the door and wedged it securely by closing the door while standing on a cot. He then kicked the cot from be- neath him. Moore summoned Dr. Leroy White of the hospital staff, who pronounced Samperton dead. Police were told that Samperton went into a vacant room from his sleeping quarters he shared with several other patients in & near- by section of the building. Acting Capt. S. J. Marks of No. 11 precinct and Acting Sergt. S. R. Mc- kee, who investigated, were informed that Samperton had made a previous attempt to take his own life. They notified his wife, who lives in the 500 block of Seventh street northeast, and District Coroner J. Ramsay Nevitt, who was to make an investigation later to- day. VETERAN DOORKEEPER OF SENATE SUCCUMBS gamuel R. Smith, 79, Native of In- diana, Victim of Sudden Attack of Heart. Samuel R. Smith, 79 years old, vet- eran doorkeeper of the United States Senate, died at the home of his son, Frank B. Smith, 1408 Twenty-fifth street, from sudden heart attack yes- terday. Mr. Smith came to this city from Petersburg, Ind., where he was born, and became a doorkeeper at the public gallery of the United States Senate in 1898. He held that post until recently made doorkeeper of the diplomatic gallery Another son, Soloman A. Smith, 2iso of Washington, survive. Funeral services will be held at Zur- horst’s funeral parlors, 301 East Capitol street, at 2:30 o'clock tomorrow. In- terment will be at Petersburg, Ind. BREMEN'3 3ULBOUS BOW DESIGNED IN WASHINGTON ‘The North German Lloyd steamship Bremen, now seeking to break the records on the eastward passage of the Atlantic, is equipped with a bow which American naval men say was developed largely through the efforts of Rear Ad- miral D. W. Taylor, U. S. N, retired, until recently chief constructor of the Navy. The bulbous bow, -I.l‘.l 1&,1: %l!ed. 1d_eftects are given 1o | the Hearion A Rice, during her lite and at her death is to be ibuted among her descendants. A e ocor;o Blagden e Sam P. Blagden of Willilamstown, Mass,, are to act as executors.