Evening Star Newspaper, November 10, 1929, Page 4

4 DARLINGTONNAMED * GIVIL LEGION HEAD Gen. Hines Addresses Dele- gates on Question of Pen- sions to Veterans. The question of pensions for World ‘War veterans likely will come up in the . next four or five years, Director Frank T. Hines of the United States Veterans' Bureau declared at a banquet at the Mayflower Hotel last night closing the annual convention of the Civil Legion, ‘whose members, as cilivians, aided in the World wWar. ‘The business sessions of the conven- tion ended L rday afternoon with the election of Bishop James H. Darlington of Harrisburg, Pa.. as president, and the selecticn of Detroit for the next con- vention city. Qen. Hines, without expressing a per- | sonal opinion for or against a pension referred to the pensicns granted to both Civil War and Spanish-American War “ veterans, and surmised that in all prob- ability the matter of World War pen- sions would be brought before the Amer- ican people at least by 1933. Cost Would Run High. Based on the rate of pension now being paid the Spanish-American War veterans, however, and running over the length of time that the Civil War pen- sions already have run—70 years, Gen Hines estimated that such pensions for ‘World War veterans would cost th\" American people $223,500,000 a year, or | nearly $16,000,000.000 in 70 years. Gen. Hines reiterated his sugg!.'flol‘i that all agencies dealing with veterans relief should be consolidated in one lgenr\-. He praised members of the ivil Legion as giving great help during the war. Representative Will R. Wood of In- diana, in reviewing in detail the status of the United States Veterans' Bureau stated that the American people had spent for veterans through that bureau and its predecessor, the War Risk Bu- Teau, a grand total up to September 1 of $4.851.437.805. The total insurance in Representative Wood stated, $3.058.218,804.47 . During the year ended September 1, 1029, Mr. Wood stated that the bureau operated 48 hospitals, had patients in 50 other Government hospitals and 170 cilvil institutions. The patients hos- pitalized during the year, he said. totaled 436,178 and there were 75,206 new patients. ‘Wood Praises Civil Legion. ‘This Government, the Indiana Repre- sentative said, “has been more mindful . of the needs of the soldler than any + government on the face of the earth.” s In praise of members of the Civil Legion, Mr. Wood quoted the saying effect, was + that “it takes seven men behind the + line to support one in the line.” i Representative John Q. Tilson of 4 Connecticut, House leader, paying trib- » ute to Civil Legion members, sald: “We ¢ should not forget that in a at re- | public, it 8 not the soldier alone who + fights_the battles, but also those who ! back him up. My word of honor goes to those who served the country in its s, time of need though not in the armed 1 forces of the United States.” Dr. John Wesley Hill, chancellor of ! Lincoln Memorial University, delivered a patriotic address. 1, Wade H. Cooper, retiring presi- dent, was toastmaster. The invocation s by Rev. H. L. Bowlby of New York Y. Other Officers. Besides Bishop Darlington, other of- ficers elected yesterday were Arthur Stearnes of Salem, Va., and Dr. C. P. Hoffman of Danville, Ill, vice presi- dents, the last-named having been re- el ; John P. Tansey of Chicago, secretary, Te-elected;” Frank G. Hajicek of Chicago, treasurer, re-elected; Louis H. Rosenberg of Detroit, legal adviser; Rev. H. B, Altmeyer of Huntington, W. Va,, umi&uln. re-elected; Miss ibert of Prophetstown, ., historian, re-elected, and Dr. . James Whitney HMall of Chicago, medi- cal director. Al officers unanimously were elected. The officers were called upon for brief addresses, in which they stressed the work of the organization in aiding, in fostering and maintaining patriotism. Police Delegates Visit Cuba. By Cable to The Star. HAVANA, November 9.—Gen. Pedro P. Martinez, chief of police of Lima, Peru, and Dr. Eudoro Aguilar of Peru, delegates to_the International Police Congress in Paris, are here en route to GIRLS TO APPEAR IN THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, Left to right: MINSTREL SHOW Members of the Girls' Friendly Society of St. Stephen and the Incarnation Episcopal Church who will have parts in the presentation for the building fund of the church this menth, Lofgren, Alice Erwin, Lucille C. Milne and Beitey M. Shanks. C. Gerow, Helen M. Adams, Olga Lydia —Star Staff Photo. SENATE RECESSES WITH TARIFF BILL | STILL UNFINISHED| (Continued From First Page.) are two reasons. First, some of the Senators have been here steadily work- ing on the tariff bill for months, par- ticularly the members of the finance committee, and they are anxious to get away for a rest and to attend to per- sonal business before the grind of the long session begins in December. The other reason is that unless an adjourn- ment is taken the members of Congress will not draw the mileage money for a trip home and back to Washington. Now that the Republicans who are backing the finance committee bill have lost interest in the measure, since they see the coalition ripping apart the handiwork of the committee, many of them would be glad to see an adjourn- ment taken. However, the attitude of Chairman Smoot of the finance commit- tee has been that he must keep the Senate at work on the bill, holding ses- sions each day from 10 am. to 5 or 6 pm. To do less would be to play into the hands of the oppesition, which would chagge the regulars with having aban- doned the bill and thus seek to lay the blame for the failure of all tariff legisia- tion on them. There are plenty of Democrats, members of the coalition, who would also be glad to see an ad- journment taken, but they fear that if they initiate or support such a move the blame for obstructing the bill may be laid, in part, on them. The Repub- lican insurgents, howeyer, are entirely willing to go ahead with the bill, believ~ ing that it can be passed. After it has been sent to the House, they say, the blame will then lay with that body or the President if it is not finally enacted into law. Jones Favors No Delay. Senator Jones of Washington, assist~ ant Republican leader and acting leader in the absence of Senator Watson of Indias who has gone away for a rest beca of ill health, is one of those who believes that the Senate should stay | in continuous session and dispose of the tariff bill one way or another, The coalitionists felt that if they ac- | cepted Senator Smoot's proposal for recess in which the coalition was to re- ‘write the bill, they might get themselves into a snarl and also be accused of attempting to write a tariff bill without sufficient preparation. As matters are now going they have the situation pretty well in hand. Last night some of them expressed the opinion that the bill could | be passed before the opening of the regular session, although they did not regard it as a pmmbmfy, The next schedule to come up is wood and wood manufactures, It is not be- New York. The delegates will pass sev- eral days in New York before sailing for Paris, THE WEATHER District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia—Fair, with slowly rising tem- perature; tomorrow rain and warmer, West Virginia—Increasing cloudiness and warmer today, followed by rain to- n:g}}:z. and tomorrow; colder tomorrow xn Record for 24 Hours. Temperature—Midnight, 48; 2 am., 47; 4 am, 45; 6 am. 44: 8 am.. 44; : 12 noon. 48: 2 pm., 50: 4 pm., 48; 6 pm., 47; 8 pm. 44; p.m.. 39. Highest, 50; lowest, 39. Temperature same date last year— Highest, 48; lowest, 36. Tide Tables. (Purnished by United States Coast and Geodetic Survey.) Today—Low tide. 9:09 a.m. and 9:25 pm.; high tide, 2:11 a.m. and 2:52 pan. ! Tomorrow—Low tide, 10 am. and | 10:22 p.m.; high tide, 3:07 am. and! 3:46 pm. The Sun and Moon. ‘Today—8un rose 6:45 am.; sun sets 4:50 pm. - Tomorrow—Sun rises, 6:46 am.; sun | sets, 4:58 p.m. Moon rises, 2:03 pm. Automobile lamps to be lighted one- half hour after sunset. Weather in Varions Cities ~Temperature.— Precipi- | Max. Min. tation.8 Sate Pri. Sat.n.m.to urday.night 8p.m.8pm. | 8’ "ad Oh7 | 0.06 Atlants. O Atlantic Cit: Baltimore. Md. . .. ! Birmingham. Ala Bismarck. N. Dak . 8t uis, Mo. . P E wi intonio, S 1) iego. Callf K San_ Francisco. Calif. Mex..... 3 i Eorinefield. Til.. Ta Ty g ¢ .{!l“lh ‘:‘ eebure ' WASH NGTON, lieved that this schedule will take much time, for the proponents of a duty on shingles, inserted by the House and taken out by the Senate committee, have indicated they are willing to let the matter go to conference. Afer the wood sehedule has been disposed of the much- discussed sugar schedule will come be- fore the Senate. That is likely to lead to some debate. SEEK ARMISTICE TERMS. Senator Smoot. By the Associated Press Armistice terms in the tariff war were sought by Republican regulars in the Senate vesterday, but were turned down flatly by the coalition of Demo- crats and Republican independents, who hold command in a struggle that has not had a counterpart in Congress in years. To the complete surprise of the bill's opponents, Chairman Smoot of the finance committee arose in the midst of arguments over the metals schedule and proposed that the Senate Tecess until November 20 to permit the coali- tion to agree upon its own rate re- vision. Much time would be saved by this procedure, 8moot explained, as the forthwith and sent to conference with | the House. One by one, however, the coalition leaders tore into the proposal and | warned that it was to be a “fight to the finish.” At the end of their re- plies. the Senate proceeded with its usual speed and regularity of voting down tariff increases proposed by the | House and Senate finance committee. More than a dozen minor rates were disposed of prior to taking & recess until Monday. Simmons Voices Objections. | Senator Simmons of North Carolina, veteran tariff spokesman for the Demo- crats, was the. first to voice his ob- | Jections “We owe it to the country to dis-| cuss this bill publicly,” he said. “If| the Senators who proposed this legis- lation are not willing to enter upon that discussion, then we will enter upon it ourselves for the enlightenment of the public.” Senator Borah of Idaho, a leader of the Republican independents, followed with & declaration that the coalition members assumed responsibility for the bill and felt it was incumbent upon them to pass it as speedily as WEI):. Two objections to the proposal were raised by Senator Walsh of Montana, acting Democratic leader. In the first place, he said, Senators on his side would not agree to bind themselves to | support a revision assented to in secret conference by a committee of coali- | tionists. Secondly, he added, the coali- tlon would not consent to sending a bill | to conference with no l\fl)wm.nc argu- ments for its rates, as floor discussion | would develop. / Smoot Desires Speed. Smoot sat silent in his seat as the opposition leaders uu!llcd his proposi- NS b Conlitionists Turn Down Proposal by | E bill thus agreed upon could be passed | ° had not been forthcoming to date. Simmons later attempted to get unanimous consent to limit each Sen- ator to 10 minutes in debating commit- tee amendments to the remainin schedules of the bill, but so many Sen- ators desired that exceptions be made such as in the case of shingles and sugar, that the North Carolinian with- drew his request. He said he hoped the Senate could pass the tariff bill before the end of the special session, even with free and open iscussion of major controversies. He and Senator Borah saw no reason for delay, since, they said, the coalition members largely had made up their minds and had the votes to smother all industrial rate increases they believed unreasonable. Pointing to important provisions in- serted in the administrative sections of the measure by the coalition, Simmons held up the substitute for the adminis- tration flexible clause as being of ines- timable value in future tariff revisions. Under it, he said, Congress could re- adjust rates as quickly as the President under the existing flexible provisions. Will Insist Upon Debenture. He also renewed a warning that the coalition would insist upon retention of the export debenture plan in the bill. Asserting he did not wish to see the bill fail, Senator Borah said some of lis administrative provisions were of “vital moment to the American people.” He added that if the coalition was to “meas- ure up” to its faith in the flexible sub- stitute returning to Congress the power now enjoyed by the President to raise or lower duties, it would seek to pre- serve that substitute in the bill in con- ference. “We can only do that by speedily passing the bill on to those who will be responsible for destroying it, if it is destroyed,” he sald. amendments to the metals schedule, Senator Norris, Republican independent, of Nebraska, offered a rider for inser- tion at the end of the rate schedules designed to prevent excess profits on cheaply produced foreign goods sold in this country. The proposal, which under ordinary rocedure would not be considered until all rate schedules are acted upon, pro- vides tax of 99 per cent of the amount by which the retail price of any im- ported article exceeds the imported price plus duty, freight, insurance and a profit of 25 per cent. Violation of the provision would sub- ject a person to a fine of not less than $500 or more than $5.000, or by impris- onment of not less than three months and not more than two years, or both. ‘The Nebraskan said it was quite ap- parent that imported articles such as those on exhibit in the Senate chamber were sold in this country at “enormous, conscionable profit” as a result of a entlemen’s agreement” between im- porters and producers of similar articles in the United States. He contended his proposal would prevent profiteering of this kind. Approve Amendment on Guns. Among amendments approved today was one by the finance committee to set aside its original proposal for higher duties on shotguns and rifles valued at over $17.50 each. and restoring existing rates. Rates approved, compared with those of the House bill and existing levies fol- ow: Shotguns,_rifes, worth —Senate, 16 el i t, d rks, hoes, rakes—Senate, fr 307,: present. free. Bronse powder not of aluminum—Senate, 14 cents pound; House, 14 ecents; present. 14 cents. Aluminum powder in leaf—8enate. 8 cents per hundred; House, 6 cents and 257 ; prea- ent. 6 cents Stamping _materials mounted on paper— Senate, 3 cent per 100 square inches; House, Yg_cent: presen itininating fxtires—Senate, 40%: House, s 1 1d—Senate, 65%: free; House, 1 cent ., 45 each and 72%: ol s—Senate, 30%: House, screw e, 90%; Senate. 1'% House, 113 cents: present,’ free. Articles not specially provided for of iron. steel, lead. copper. rinc. brass, nickel. ipum—8enate, 40%; House, 80%(; Pr use, 857 Dregent, 60 Nickel oxide—8Sen peund: prese Print ol CONGRESS A GRAND JURY, SAYS BUTLER TO LEGION Urges Veterans in Politics to Save “Things for Which They Fought.” Not Seeking Governorship. BY the Associated Press. DOYLESTOWN, Pa., November 9. — Maj. Gen. Smedley D. Butler told Amer- ican Legionnaires here tonight to enter in Washington take away from its members fought.” Incidentally, States Senate “the national grand jury,” saying that when the Senate had nothing else to do it started investi- gations. 80 long as he was able “to_stick around with the Marines,” Gen. Butler be_Governor of Pennsylvania. Philadelphia politics came in for com- ment by the general, who was at one city. “1 was a cop in Philadelphia,” he sald, “and got licked; but I cam still spit in their eye.” American Minister Arrives, THE HAGUE, Netherlands, Novem- ber 9 () —G. J. Dickema, newly-ap- inted T Minister to the ‘Women of Great Britain h: in the last 12 months tion. The only rebuttal he made was that he desiged speed and that this o Al Netherlands, arrived here today. oo et 000 in beauty and hair politics, “lest a lot of politicians down | the | American Legion the things for which | he termed the Unlud‘ sald, he would have no ambition to | time director of public safety in that | CHURCH SOGETES HOLD EHEARSALS Plans for Minstrel Show and Dance Under Direction of S. Percy Oliver. Rehearsals for the minstrel show and dance to be given by the Men's Club, Young People’'s Soclety and Girls' Priendly Society of St. Stephen and the Incarnation Episcopal Church in the parish hall at Sixteenth and Newton streets, November 14, 15 and 16, are going forward under the direction of 8. Percey Oliver. Personnel for the show has been chosen. Special features will be pre- sented by Miss Elizabeth Drew, George G. Stonebraker, Mme. Bazarova, Mrs. Blizabeth Seidenspinner, Bernice Stevents, the Men's Club quartet and a tap dancing sextet of Girls' Friendly Society members, End men will be James W. Taylor and Thomas S. Scrivener. Chorus men will be Charlton M. Clark, Mr. Stone- braker, A. Guy Reber, Murray Maddox, R. J. Belt, H. U. Milne and J. H. Hart. End girls will be Miss Steven: d Ruth Manning. The girl chorus will include Elizabeth Ward, Louise Jaquette, Mary Louise Cockerill, Dorothy Shaffer. Bar- bara Tyler, Annabelle McCullough and Ruth G. Rush. The Girls' Friendly sextet will be comj of Olga C. Lofgren, Helen M. Adams, Bettye M. Shanks, Lucille ©. Milne, Lydia C. Gerow and Alice G. Erwin, The Men's Club quartet is composed |of Messrs. Taylor, Stonebraker, Reber and Scrivener. Walter S. Stutz will lead the church orchestrra. |JAMES J. RIORDAN KILLS SELF OVER LOSSES, POLICE SAY (Continued From First Page.) He was present at Houston last Sum- mer when Mr. Smith was nominated for President by the Democratic party, and his old friend's failure to win the election last Fall affected him deeply. He was a member of the governor's famed “golf cabinet,” which also in- cluded John J. Raskob and William F. Kenny. During the campaign last Fall he w almost constantly at Mr. Smith's side. He had been a banker for many years, His first affliation was with the ghl':hlkmdlnd ':lfilmx B&;\k. h(\ wh:ch e worked up e position of paying teller. Then he jolned with nv};nl friends to form ‘the United States Trucking Co., made up of 27 independ- ent concerns. He made Gov. Smith chairman of the board of directors of the company when the latter was de- feated for governor in 1920, a position Mr. Smith held until his re-election to the governorship. Recently he and Mr. Smithe again Jjoined forces when the defeated presi- dential candidate was made a director of the County Tru: He also was sald to have joined with Mr. Smith and Mr. Raskob in several other financial enter- prises. Raskob Succeeds Him. New of his death spread quickly through the city and extra police wers needed to handle the large crowds which gathered in front of the bank and in the street near his home. Mr, Riordan was 47 ye old, a na- tive New Yorker. He was a widower four children, who survive him. he board of directors of the County Trust Co. met tod English acting | ~Mr. Raskob and Mr. En| issued the following statement regard- ing the condition of the bank: “The sudden death of our former president, James J. Riordan, occurirng 50 soon after our country has success- fully weathered one of the worst finan- cial panics In the history of the New York Stock Exchange, might cause a nervous public to doubt the stability of the County Trust Co. of New York. “Recognizing the danger, we immedi- ately called in the well known public firm of bank auditors, Messrs. McArdle & McArdle, who had completed an audit as of October 31, requesting them to bring the audit of the bank up to the close of business today, Saturday, No- vember 9, 1929. This has been done and the affairs of the bank found to be in perfect condition. Mr. Riordan per- sonally is not indebted to the bank di- rectly or indirectly 1.n any way what- ever.” SUPERIOR GARAGES IN ALL MATERIALS TIN ROOFS PORCHES BUILT S R 52 £ TONEBRAKER CONSTRUCTION VICE i FIGURES BECOLD 0. WATEREQUITY Some Funds Dropped, Others Included, to Prove Large Return. (Continued_From First Page.) vestment” in its system. If the street car company tried to include as “in- vestment” in plant the money that it spends in maintaining that plant, the effort would undoubtedly throw the Public Utllities Commission and other such agencies into a fit of hysterics from which jt would require months to recuperate. But the District water department, accepting the kindly advice of Maj. Somervell, says that the “District of Columbia’ return upon its ‘“net in- vestment” amounts to 7.73 per cent, and it is highly enlightening to ex- amine the methods by which that con- clusion is arrived at. Sums Represented. First there is taken the sum of $9,- 082,346.53, representing the amount a Broprlnud from the general fund of the istrict to build the collecting, purifi- cation and distribution systems of the ter plant. The general fund of the District represents the money raised from general taxation, plus the annual contribution from the Federal Govern- ment. Next there is taken the sum of $932,~ 086.61, representing the amount ap- propriated from the general fund of the District to maintain the water plant through the years since the District began to share in the maintenance. Next there is taken the sum of $14.- 457,977.26, representing the amount received by the District Water Department from water rents and from main assessments, interest on the as- sessments and such miscellaneous items as sale of old equipment, and spent on new construction. Next there is taken the sum of $14,- 925,767.97, which represents the money received by the water department in water rents, etc., and spent on main- taining the wal lant. The sum of all these items is down as the “total” District of lumbia investment in the water plant. | The figure comes to $39,398,178.37. It |will be noted, of course, that this “total” investment includes $15857,- 854.58 spent on maintenance, and main- tenance is not considered as an invest- ment in plant—at least not so consid- ered by accounting experts. ‘Where Deduction Is Made. But instead of deducting the amount spent on maintenance from th.a “total’ investment figure, the water® depart- ment and Maj. Somervell, deduct from the total the sum of $27,684,393.05, this figure representing “receipts from sale of water.” Now what are “receipts from sale of water?” They are water rents; in other words, water taxes collected in the main from taxpayers on real estate, about half of which has been used actually to construct the District’s water plant. This half has gone into capital expendi- tures, and capital expenditures are al- ways taken into account, except by the water department, as representing investment. But our water department, with one grand sweep of the malled fist, wipes out “receipts from sale of water” as not to be considered part of the Dis- trict's investment in plant, although the receipts from sale of water represent water rents or water taxes that are paid by District consumers not only to main= taln but to build their water plant. That is one reason why water rents are h. Tl:lnl‘rtlult.ln‘ “net” investment of the “District of Columbia” is therefore put down as $11,713,785.32. In discussing the “District of Co- lumbia's” investment in water plant, one would have thought all al "fn"‘“ the water department was speaking of the investment of the peoflle of the “Dis- trict of Columbia” in their water plant. But, presto! We find that the table, all along, has been speaking of the “District of Columbia” investment as being the investment of the municipal government. That is, the “District of Columbia” is the municipal governing agency. It is conceived &s a separate and distinct entity that has gone into t1® water business for profit, that has i spent its own money in building the plant and has received so much in re- turn from selling its water. This District government receives and | uses, or wastes, water that has a mone- | tary value of $738,320 a year. Return 6.30 Per Cent. ‘Therefore the return on the “District | of Columbia” investment is $738,320, divided by the net investment of $1 713,785.32, or 6.30 per cent. In addition, there is a “return in ex- tension to property,” which means the percentage of annual increase in capi- tal investment in the water plant, amounting to 143 per cent—6.30 plus 1.43 equals 7.73 per cent—which is put down as the “District of Columbia’s re- turn” on its water plant. Now why is this round-about method adopted for arriving at the District's investment in its water plant? It is evidently adopted to prove that the District is getting more than ordi- narily would be expected from its in- ut vestment, that water rates here are not too high, and that as a matter of fact | the District should be condemned, not | | praised, for quibbling over such trifies ias water rents. . | ‘This is obvious, in the first place, be- cause the conception of the 'District | of Columbia” as being merely the mu- | nlc?ll government of this city is ab- surd. The District of Columbia, used in the sense that Maj. Somervell and the water department use it, means the people of the District whose money has gone into bullding the water plant, as differentiated from the United States, the other partner in the undertaking. ‘The government of the District has no money of its own to spend on a | water plant or anything else. The government of the District is merely the Federal Government's agent for | g:"!mlnl its Capital, collecting and dis- rsing the money used to mi ‘To speak of the District government’s | 24 board and firepreof roekboa 6 Lt. Glazed x28in, Many other sizes rd. § priced equally low.| of Shingles, ete. SIS S D. ¢, NOVEMBER 10, 1929—PART ONE. “investment” as the water department speaks of it is comparable to speaking of Secretary Mellon's “investment” in the United States Government. Be- cause Mr. Mellon's Treasury ment raises revenue and disburses it, is it possible to regard the United States Navy, for instance, as Mr. Mellon's in- vestment, upon which he receives a certaln intangible and personal ‘“re- turn"? Ot course not. Inclusion of Water Tax. If the “receipts from sale of water” were taken into account in computing the District's return as Maj. Somervell and the water department compute it, the return on the investment would be 1.87 per cent. And why should these receipts from sale of water not be taken into account as investment in the water plant? 1Is there any fundamental difference between the water taxes paid by citizens and the real estate and other taxes? Both have been collected and expended by the District on the water system—more from water taxes than from general taxes. for his water taxes the citizen receives water delivered in his home, plus the more intangible benefits of clean streets, green grass, fountains that spout erys- tal streams from the nose, éyes, ears and mouths of statues; gold fish ponds and the protection against fire that lies in a pfinum water supply. In re- turn for his real estate and other taxes, the citizen recelves police and fire protection, the benefits of his school and library systems, the use of paved streets, parks and the manifold advan- tages of community effort, including the pleasure of reading the annual re- ports of his civil servants. Arriving at Investment. The District’s investment in the water plant would properly be arrived at by taking into_consideration all the funds, contributed through tax-paying residents of the city, including water tax payers, and expended upon con- | strueting and improving the water plant. One would not include money spent on maintaining the plant or in replacing worn-out equipment. By this method it would be found that 1| the District's total investment is ap- proximately $23,540,323.79—a figure, by the way, that is used by the United States engineer as capital investment upon which to compute the “return in | extension to property.” To find the District’s return on this investment by the method used by the United States engineer, one would di- vide the monetary value of the water used by private consumers in the Dis- trict, computed as the engineers com- pute it, at $80 a million gallons, by the investment, and the result would be 4.99 per cent, not 6.30 per cent. Using still another method, the annual receipts from sale of water ($1,314,- '344.12) could be conceived as the Dis- trict’s income from its water plant, and this income, divided by the investment figure, would give a return of approxi- mately 5.58 per cent. But another fact must be taken into ' consideration: The income above cited is based on water rates that, in turn, are 50 fixed as to yield an income sur- ficient not only to maintain the supply and distribution systems, but to finance the greater part of the extensions ana improvements to the distribution sys- tem. The tendency is therefore to raise the water rates as the demand-for the water necessitates expansion of the wa- ter system. The water plant, in addi- tion, furnishes free water to the Fed- eral Government and its agent, the municipal government; a third of it gous to waste and ylelds no return. Only 53 per cent of the water that the residens of the District pay for purifying and pumping into the mains is sold. Forty- seven per cent ylelds no revenue. It 1 impossible, therefore, to compute the District’s “return” on its investment by considering the revenue from sale or water as income. That revenue 1s higher than it should be. The greatesc return that the District could recelve on {ts water plant would be cheap wa- ter, not high water rents. Another Interesting Fact. “Tfere is one other interesting fact in the table submitted to the Budget Bu- reau as part of the water department’s report ‘That lies in the items that i MORRIS PLAN BANK Under~ Supervision: U. S. Treasury §This Bank jhas made over 38 thousand loans aggregating nearly 8 9 millions of dollars to as- sist persons of character to_ accomplish _some worthy purpose.} §1n connection with the loan the borrower agrees to make monthly# or semi-monthly deposits in a savings - account with' which he may &:y the loan; thus the rrower forms the habit Jof tsaving : regu- darly,, . = ENCLOSE YOUR PORCH Repair Before Winter! 85¢; v, $1.05 Complete Stoek CAMP MEIGS—5th & Fla. Ave. N.E. IGHTWOOD—5021 Ga. Ave. N.W. | ngure. In return the | 13.78 per cent, no matter who owns it. the United States’ investment in the 2&:: plant. This total “investment” ot Uncle Sam includes an iem of $1.250,- 000.11, representing the Federal funas | that have gone into maintenance of the water plant since its beginning. There is another item for the “comstruction and maintenance, spnn: water mains, etc.,” amounting to $223,621.81. These “spring water mains, etc,” refer to the springs that existed long ago in Frank- lin Park, the water from which wus piped, along about 1850, to the White House and the Capitol. That was the early beginning of the water lugply sys- tem. Of course, it long since has been forgot, except on the yellowed sheets of ancient appropriation records dug up by the United States engineer’s office to bolster Uncle S8am's total investment ‘The old spring and mains have long since been replaced, in all probabil- ity, with new equipment paid for in taxes and water rents from District citizens. But the item is carried down to pos- terity as a part of the United States’ investment in the water . The idea seems to be to make Uncle Sam’s invest- ment in the water plant as large as pos- sible, and the District’s investment as small as ible. This is successfully done by the United States engineer and the District water department, which, under his guidance, submits a tabw showing the District’s “net” investment to be $11,713,785.32, compared to the ’l’]'l;hée’d States’ investment of $12,405,- Proper Figures Computed. Eliminating the maintenance cost from Uncle Sam’'s and the District’s total investment in the water plant, and merely for the sake of courtesy allow- ing Uncle S8am to include his ancient springs and conduits, the proper figures +..$11,155,545.78 23,540,323.79 Total ...........:.....$34,695869.57 And with a revenue from the plant’s sale of water at $1,314,344.12 a year, the return on the water plant is about Distriet ... And in_addition to the return, the United States and its agent, the Dis- trict government, use or waste 47 per cent of the total water supply and use it free of charge. ‘The interesting point, however, lies in | the picture of what has happened through -the years in respect to the ownership of the water plant. Uncle Sam built the first rllnt all by himself. Then, as owner of the water plant, he began selling the mrEl‘lcu product to the residents of the District who needed it. Then he took into part- | nership the people of the District of Columbia by using the money that they contributed, in general taxes and in water taxes, to extending and improv- ing the water plant. In time the equity in the water plant, bought by the people | of the District, exceeded and has more than doubled the equity of the United States. But during this transfer of ownership something else has been taking place. ‘The United States, minority stock- holder, has gradually shifted to the shoulders of the majority stockholder the entire cost of maintaining and im- proving the plant, and at the same time has arranged matters to get his water free of charge. ‘The proposal is now being emphasized that instead of making all the water- tax ryor-. chief owners of the water lant, bear the cost of further improv- ing and extending the distribution sys- tem, the money for such extensions should be taken from the general fund of the District, to which the United MACAZINE WATER CALLEDBY ROVER Walter W. Liggett Accepts Invitation to Go Before Jury With Reservations. United States Attorney Leo 8. Rover yesterday invited Walter W. Liggett of Chevy Chase, Md., who recently wrote an article for “Plain Talk” magazine, &cmnnx alleged liquor conditions in ‘ashington, to appear before the grand jury Monday. . ett accepted the invitation with reservat “I'll tell Mr. Rover or the jury any- thing they want to know within rea- son,” Mr. Liggett said last night, “but I will not be & snooj or informer in any sense of the word. I believe these con- ditions are rubllc pro?eny but where I got the information is my own prop=- erty.” ‘The article in question, according to Mr Liggett. has been purchased but not yet published. Mr. Liggett said his article estimates that Wasnington res; dents consume 32,200 gallons of “har liquor weekly and that whisky bills u‘nm $21,000,000 annually for this city alone. Mr. Liggett marks the third man to be called within the week since Séenator Smith W. Brookhart, Republican, of Towa, who prompted the investigation with a speech on the Senate floor, him- self appeared before the jury. The in- terest of Mr. Rover and the jury has until now centered around a dinner for Sgpators. newly and re-elected, .at the W‘fi‘lnd Hotel, termed by Senator Brook- hart in his speech a “Wall Street Party” allegedly given by Walter J. Fahy, New York broker. One of the guests mentioned by Mr. Brookhart, E. E. Loomis, president of the Lehigh Valley Railroad, has been called by Mr. Rover, as well as Frank 8. Hight, manager of the Willard. Both have accepted, agreeing to appear Mon- day at the same time as Mr. Liggett. Mr. Liggett, in his article, dealt at length, he said, with case of men who are wet in private life and dry politically. He said that the bellef he would give “startling revelations” was true, the revelations being in connec- tion with social functions within the past several years attended by high Govedmment officials where liquor was served. Scouts Choose Indianapolis. NEW ORLEANS, November 9 (#).— Indianapolis was chosen for next year's national convention of the Girl Scouts to be held next November, and Fox- lease, England, was selected for the in- ternational Girl Scout meeting in June at the final session of the 1929 conven- lon here States is a contributor through the lump sum., ‘That is certainly a fair enough prope- sition, considering the relative amounts already invested in the water system by the District and the United States. But the water department figures that tend to show Uncle Sam as chief owner of the plant must be taken with a e grain of salt. e Why deposit coal in your cellar when a small de- posit will place a Silent Automatje in your fur- nace? The Silent Automatic does away with coal, ashed clinkers and the having to play a nurse maid to the furnace. troublesome bother of The Silent Automatic will heat your home comfortably and evenly without any attention all Winter long. Learn now all of the advantages of the . . . 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