Evening Star Newspaper, November 28, 1929, Page 13

Washington News ATTORNEY GENERAL MAY OPEN RECOROS T0 POLIE PROGERS Investigators in Shelby-Kelly Case Ask to See Transcript in McPherson Case. EXPECT NO COMMENT FROM DEPARTMENT Agents Did Not Inquire Into Con- duwit of Police in Han- @ling Murder. In view of the claim that the public interest and the proper administration of justice in a grave police problem of national concern are involved, it ap- peared today that Attorney General Mitchell might act favorably tomorrow on the request of District officials for permission to examine records of the Department of Justice in the McPher- son case, in connection with the Shelby- Kelly probe. If the request is granted, it will be with the understanding that in so doing the Government is taking no. sides with regard to grand jury charges of ineffi- ciency against Inspector William S. Shelby and Lieut. Edward J. Kelly, and that any information in the depart- Chance t;) Make Goo Complet_ion of Se House at Occoquan, Va., awaiting train having served sentences ranging from 1 of them by name. “Why can’t-you keep away from he “You know how it is, Cap'n,” he said. Seventh street for me to get in. This and home.” Four days later Capt. Francis made his daily ca]l at the District Jail for the group of short-term prisoners assigned to the workhouse. First among the day's toll of 16 men was “One-arm Bill.” ' “You didn't go to Virginia, did you, Bill?” Capt. Francis remarked. Bill was discouraged. “No, Cap'n; I wanted to, but didn’t have the fare. I got 30 days this time, Then I'll go.” Bill and others among the group of from 15 to 45 men who are brought in to the Seventh street station from Oc- coquan every day and released - there after having served sentences at the workhouse will have a chance to make good their high resolves when the asso- ciation of public-spirited citizens headed by Judge Mary O'Toole of the Municipal Court begins to function soon. Sponsored by the Council of Social Agencies and the Community Chest, Judge O'Toole and others are planning the formation of a non-sectarian organ- ment’s files of interest in the contro- versy was obtained only incidental to the attempt to solve the mystery of Mrs. Vi ia McPherson’s death. is known the Department of Justice is reluctant to be drawn into the local police tangle growing out of the McPherson case. The Attorney General, in agreeing to take over the investigation of the Park Lane death, warged the Bureau of Investigation to avoid all collateral controversies and to devote its. efforts solely toward solution of the strangling mystery. \ No Comment Expected. Tt is doubtful that Federal officials | will express an opinion as to whethr | their records contain data pertinent to | the Shelby-Kelly inquiry. In the event it is decided to permit Maj. Donald A. Davison and W. W. Bride, conducting the police inquiry, to examine the files, it is likely the bureau authorities mere- 1y will make thet ranscript of testimony available for inspection, without com- ment. Officials have pointed out that in investigating the McPherson tragedy the admonition of the Attorney General with respect to “collateral controversies” 'was obeyed strictly, and that the record of the investigation therefore has to do only with circumstances attending the death of the nurse. District officiaic are said to believe, however, that the record may throw light on the charges of the July grand jury that valuable evidence was destroyed. In its scathing attack on the dis- trict attorney’s office and the police the grand jury charged that a guard placed at the door of the McPherson apart- ment to prevent the death scene from being disturbed was removed by order of the district attorney’s office and that permission was given by Lieut. Kelly, then in charge of the homicide squad, “for the removal or destruction of cer- tain evidence before it was possible to h":ve _completed & thorough investiga- o : ? May Show Distribution. The commissioners are understood to feel that if any evidence was desiroy- ed, the records of the Department of Justice may disclose it. ‘The request for Federal -assistance was made to Attorney General Mitchell in a letter from the Dictrict commis- sioners, dispatched at the suggestion of the Bride-Davison committee. Pre- viously members of the committee had failed in an informal effort to cbtain inforthation from the department. The preliminary move was a conference with J. Edgar Hoover, director of the Bureau of Investigation, and Thomas F. Cullen, inspector in charge of the McPherson probe. These officials are understood to have advised the local authorities of the attorney general's instructions against going into ex- traneous phases of the McPherson case, and that any such request would have to be taken up direct with Mitchell. The attorney general had the ictter of the commissioners on his desk yes- terday, but did not have time to act on it. He is expected to refer it to- morrow morning to Disector Hoover for his recommendation. The latter is ready to act promptly and it s thought the commissioners will receive a reply sometime later in the day. NAVAL HOSPI'%AL TO GET ADDITIONAL FACILITIES Sick Officers’ Quarters Will Be Re- modeled by Alterations Costing $4,170. The sick officers’ quarters at the Naval Hospital are to be remodeled by alterations costing $4,170, providing ad- ditional facilities, the Navy Department made known yesterday in announcing recently awarded contracts totaling $182,852. The Martin Bros. Co. of Washington was awarded a contract which provides for new partitions, metal basins in the rooms and other alterations. No addi- tions to the quarters are contemplated. An item of $95817 for the purchase of Hammerhead cranes for the Mare 4sland, Calif., Navy Yard was the larg- ization for the reliet of prisoners. It is planned to have the association incor- rated before the first of the new year order that it may participate in the Chest. Judge O'Toole said yesterday the budget for the first year would be be- tween $15.000 and $25,000. The chief objects of the new asso- ciation will be to prevent crime, and especially juvenile delinquency, in the District and to protect society against crime. It is not the purvose of the group to to see to it that<former prisoners are put in the self-supporting class. “If we may realize that prisoners are hu- man beings and can profit by their mis- urge the pampering of delinquents, but | The Toening StaP WASHINGTON, D. C, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, RELIEF ORGANIZATION TO HELP FREED PRISONERS IS PLANNED d Will Be Offered on ntences by Them by Group Formed in Capital. A group of men sat in the administration building of the District Work time and a trip to Washington in com- pany with Capt. John A. Francis, guard. There they were to be released after 0 to 90 days. Capt. Francis knew most re, Bill?” he asked a tall man. ‘The prisoner, 8 man in his early fortles, who had only one arm, grinned. “If I stay overnight in Washington I get picked up in spite of all I can do. Sometimes I think the cops wait around time I'm going straight on to Virginia | takes, we shall be taking a forward | step in the direction of cutting down crimes,” Judge O'Toole said. One of the first activities of the as- sociation probably wili be in connec- tion with the men released from the District work house and it is expected that officers will confer with authorities g‘:m the jail and the Occoguan institu- Among the objects set forth in a ten- tative application for incorporation, drawn up by Judge O'Toole for sub- mission to a general committee, headed by Rudolph Jose, are the following: ‘To protect those unjustly accused; to obtain parole and probation when suite able; to improve prisons and prison dis- cipline; to get employment and other assistance for discharged prisoners; to get necessary aid for prisoners’ famiifes; to supervise those on probation and | parole; to secure needed legislation; to obtain publicity for needed reforms in prisons; to conduct research and give advice. Judge O'Toole said it was not ex- pected that the association would be able to engage in all activities plenned in the first year, but that a start would be made. Co-operation with existing so- cieu;st for the aid of prisoners will be sought. Serving on & subcommittee with Judge O'Toole are: Dwight Burnham, accountant; R. L. McKeever, real estate broker; Allen Pope and Rabbi William L. Rosenblum. Mrs. W. A. Roberts, ex- ecutive secretary of .the Washington Council of Social Agencies, is co-operat- | ing with them. A meeting will be held next week, at which contents of the papers of incorporation will be detcr- mined and a name for the association | chosen. GRAND VISITATION SERIES IS ENDED Official Calls of Ceremony Made on Harmony and Harding Lodges. ‘The series of grand visitations to the 44 constituent lodges of the jurisdiction by the grand master of Masons in the District of Columbia, accompanied by the officers of the Grand Lodge, ended last night when official calls of cere- mony were made on Harmony Lodge, No. 17, at 8:30 o'clock, and on Warren G. Harding Lodge, No. 39, at 8 o'clock. These two lodges hold their communi- cations in Masonic Temple, Thirteenth street and New York avenue. : The grand visitations of 1929 began October 9 and had been in progress almost nightly since that date. « Harmony Lodge is one of the largest Masonic bodies in the District of Co- Jumbia numerically, having a present membership of more than 1,200. Guy F. Allen is the master. The lodge was chartered May 5, 1863. Harding Lodge has been in existence only six years, having been chartered by the Grand Lodge at its annual meeting December 19; 1923. It has at present 154 members. Frank Jones is the master, After extending felicitations to the two lodges visited, based on their rec- ords for the Masonic year ended Sep- tember 30 last, as disclosed by reports submitted to the grand secretary and the grand treasurer, Grand Master Wis- dom D. Brown reviewed in detail sev- eral matters of special interest to the fraternity, including the subjects he has annofinced as his special program for his term of office. In accordance with a custom it has followed for many years, Harmony Lodge presented to the grand master a minature trowel of gold, suitably en- graved. The address of presentation was made by Past Grand Master Roe Fulkerson, who is a past master of Harmony Lodge. Grand Master Brown, in responding, expressed his gratitude, Announcement has been made of a special communication of the Grand Lodge tomorrow evening at 7:30 o’clock |at Masonic Temple, Thirteenth street and New York avenue, to consider and pass on an important Teport, with rec- ommendations, of the committee on the proposed new Masonic Temple on Tem- ple_Heights. The annual meeting of the Grand Lodge is slated for December 18, and the annual election December 27. 'BIG SALES INDICATE LARGE CIRCUS CROWDS | Federation of U. 8. Employes to Sponsor Three-Day Show. est among contracts awarded. The San Diego, Calif, Air Station, with dredg- ing % to be done at a cost of $36,000, nd the same station’s seaplane runway, whichi ¥s to be paved and extended at a cost of $23.411, also were listed among naval stations where work has been | provided for. DINNER GIVEN AT CHURCH FOR BAPTIST STUDENTS Addresses Are Made by Dr. George R. Baker and William Allen ‘Wilbur. Baptist college students of the Dis- trict and College Park, Md., were guests of the District College Council of Bap- tist Students at a dinner Tuesday night in the Sunday school hall of the Cal- ry Baptist Church, Eighth and H streets. Addresses were de'ivered by Dr. George R. Baker, president of the Board of Education of the Northern Baptist Convention, and Dr. Wilhlam Allen Wilbur, dean of George Washing- ton University. Nicholas Janetzke was toastmaster, Dramatic and musical entertain- ment was presented by two college dra- matic groups, the “Troubadours” of George Washington and the “Pilgrims” of Maryland University. Mrs. W. G. ‘Waldo, chairman of the District Col- lege Council of Baptist Students, had eharge af hanan-t arranzements. Advance ticket sales indicate large | crowds will attend the three-day ¢ircus- revue starting next Thursday in the Masonic Temple under the auspices of the District Federation of Federal Em- ployes’ Unions. The program will include such time- | honored events of the “big top” as | trained animal acts, acrobatic stunts, | slack and tight wire walking. A genuine iclrc\m tang will be added by a grou) | clowns. Special band music also w! | provided. NOVENA IS PLANNED of be Celebration at St. Aloysius Churc to Continue Until Day of Feast. at North Capitol and I streets ning Saturday night at 7:30 and maculate Conception, December 8. ence of 200 cardinals and bishops wil be a blessing with a relic of St. Ann, by Rev. John F. O'Hurley, 8. 3.‘3.’3.-.’:'. College, and k\'fl 1 prayers. AT DIAMOND JUBILEE! h | test to be held at the Mount Pleasant A public novena, commemorating the | diamond jubilee of the promulgation of | | the dogma of the Immaculate Concep- | | tion, will be held in St. Aloysius Church begin- d con- | | tinuing daily until the feast of the Im- Features of the program arranged in | observance of the binding article of | faith made by Pope Pius IX in the pres- mother of the Virgin Mary, at the con- clusion of services each evening; l.,ser; ., 0 GALLINGER UNIT T0BE DEDICATED Open House to Be Held at Hospital Wednesday—Cope- land to Make Address. The first of a group of five new buildings of Gallinger Municipal Hos- pital, designed to introduce new ideas in the handling of Washington's charity patients, will be dedicated next Wednes- day. Senator Royal S.-Copeland of New York will deliver the principal address at the dedicatory exercises, which will bé presided over by District Commis- sioner Sidney F. Taliaferro. Repre- sentative. Robert G. Simmons of Ne- braska will also 3 A formal reception will be held for the 200 or more invited guests from 4 to 6 o'clock in the afternoop, and Maj. Edgar A. Bocock, superintendent of the hospital, will be host to the general public when “open house” will be held from 4 until 9 o'clock in the evening. Members of the Senate and House Dis- trict_committees, as well as officials of the District government and the staffs of the various city hospitals, are ex- pected to attend. Maj. Bocock has ar- ranged to have his house or interne stafl co-operate with several members of the institution’s visiting stafl to be on hand during the afternoon and eve- ning to escort visitors through the hos- pital and explain the various types of equipment and-answer any other queries. Building in Use Since July. * Although the formal dedication is just now being held, the building has been in actual use since last July. At that time, because of the crowded con- dition in the old iframe bulldings then used for hospital purposes and the ever- increasing number of patients being cared for at the titution, Maj. Bo- cock said he sa reason for not admitting patients to the new building for care and treatment, even though the official opening and formal dedi- catory exercises had been scheduled for the Fall. ‘The building, seven stories in height and having a capacity of 300 beds for the care of patients requiring medical, surgical and maternity treatment, is of red brick and stone construction. It is simple in design, but is planned along modern lines, and offers every facility necessary to render the best treatment and provides for the maximum comfort of the patient. Equipment Cost $6! 0. Equipment in the hospital, the most modern and up-to-date science has so far been able to produce, was purchased at a total cost of $60,000, and is said by scientific experts who have inspected it to be equal to that used in any pri- vate or municipal institution through- out the country. e of the many features of the new ! building includes accommodations for single patients in private rooms on {every floor, in addition to wards con- itaining 15 beds, compartments suffi- lcl!nl in size for five patients and wards containing 2 ds. These various i types of accommodations are available for the use of patients whose physical | condition requires special care and | treatment. The new hospital accommo- dates only free ‘patients. OFFERS SPELLING LIST. Contest Chairman Will Give In- formation to Entrants. In answer to numerous ts being ques made for lists of the flmrelafl words to be used in the free-for-all spelling con- i 1 | Library December 4 at 7:30 o'clock E. | i Forum Speaker' BERTRAND. RUSSELL, Distinguished philosopher, who will be heard in the national forum of the Jewish Community Center Sunday evening at 8:15 o'clock. Mr. Russell delivers the Tarner lectures Trinity College, England. The public is in- vited to attend. FUND §2.000 HIGHER INRED CROSS DRIVE Contributions in Annual Roll Call Pass Mark Attained Here Last Year. ‘The annual roll call of the American Red Cross was concluded last night. Receipts for the campaign totaled more than $34,000, or $2,000 more than the the {otal returns made for the same period in last vear's drive, it was an- nounced at the headquarters of the Dis- trict of Columbia Chapter, 1342 G street, by Mrs. Harry C. Barnes, di- rector. However, although the campaign is over, the roll call headquarters will re- main open to contributions until after January 1, 1930. of the Government and several large business houses, which annually have yielded generous donations, have yet to be heard from, and when the refurns from these total for the drive is expected to reach a new high level. Little Girls Workers. Last amorig’ the active solicitors in the campaign were little Misses Peggy Dow and Constance Wirt of the Misses Eastman’s School, who vesterday jointly turned over to the Red Cross $119 as a result of their solicitations through the school. Twenty-three other pupils of the school also were made members. The Treasury Department, with 3,700 | members enroiled, continues to occupy first place among the departments of the vernment heard from to date. ‘The Government Printing Office is sec- ond with 1,527 enrolled and the War Department third with 1,353. These figures, however, do not represent the total expected from these departments. The_ contributions of other Govern- ment branches to date follo Department of Commerce Veterans’ Bureau . District Building - Naval Air Station. War Department . The Navy Department has not yet been heard from. Membership Drive. The drive for memberships this year also has met with the whole-hearted support of the business houses of Wash- ington. The city was canvassed for 16 days by 600 volunteer workers. Last minute contributions received yesterday were given out at head- quarters as follows: Pan American Union, $32.00. Sidwell Friends School, $101.35. Cburch of Our Father, $30.00 (addi- tional). Federal Trade Commission, $180.00. Calvary Baptist Church, $10.00 (addi- tional). Eastern Presbyterian Church, $29.00. Judd and Detweiler, Inc., $300.00. Columbia Typographical Union, No. 101, $100.00. Fifth division public schools, $160.25. National Headquarters, $636.75. Miss Maderia’s School, $217.27. National Cathedral School for Girls, $235.00. Garnet-Patterson Junior High School, 30.00. Mayflower Hotel, $16.00. Alien Property Custodian, $35.00. EDUCATION DEPARTMENT PROVIDED IN NEW BILL Measure Is Being Drafted by Chair- man Reed of House Committee. Chairman Reed of the House com- mittee on education is drafting a new bill providing for creation of a depart- ment of Education with a new cabinet officer at its head, to aid the States in educational matters. He emphasized that this new department will be set up primarily for research purposes, and that the bill he introduces will not au- thorize the proposed department to i terfere with the States, but to co-oper- ate with them and co-ordinate their efforts. ‘The educational activities of the In- terlor Department and the Federal Board for Vocational Education would be transferred to the new department under Reed’s proposal. A Federal con- ference of .education composed of rep- resentatives from different Government departments would be set up for ad- visory purposes as to means of improv- ing educational methods. “There a general sentiment throughout the country for a Depart- ment of Education,” Reed said. “The problems of education have grown to such extent research is needed to bring about improvement and economy in educational methods.” Many departmenis | ing. groups are made, the grand | Pr CARL APPROVES | CAFETERISINNEW BULDINES N MALL Has No Objection to Eating! Place in Commerce Struc- | ture During Construction. | | PROBLEM IS EXPLAINED BY SECRETARY MELLON! |Says Luncheon Service ‘Will Be' Increasingly Difficult as Pro- gram Goes Forwfrd. Cafeterias in the new public build- ing being constructed in the Pennsyl- vania avenue-Mall triangle have the approval of Controller General McCarl. McCarl told Secretary of the Treas- ury Mellon yesterday that he would not object to funds appropriated for con- struction purposes being used to build| |a cafeteria in the Department of Com- merce Building while the structure is; being erected. 3 It was also learned that a cafeteria has been provided in the Internal Reve- nue Building, which will be the first triangle building completed and ready for occupancy next July 1. ‘The cafeteria in the Department of Commerce Building is to be in the basement, while the one in the Internal Revenue Building is on the seventh floor, Real Problem Presented. A real problem was presented in the matter of providing eating places for the large number of employes to be housed in the triangle, Secretary Mellon | explained. | _“It has long been established,” the | Secretary said in his letter to McCarl, “that rest rooms, cafeterias, emergency medical attention, and so forth, are necessary adjuncts to the proper func- tioning of the various executive offices and bureaus where large numbers of employes are housed in a single build- ‘The question of the proper ac- commodation of ' the Government em- ployes who will be housed in the ‘tri- angle’ area for luncheon service will be increasingly difficult as the building ogram goes forward, with & conse- quent reaction on employes’ efficiency in the event that suitable provision is not made near or in the new buildings. Situation ‘Recognized. “This situation was recognized by the Secretary of the Treasury and the Sec- retary of Commerce in the develop- ment of the plans for the building of the Department of Commerce, which will eventually house between 8,000 and 9,000 employes, and provision was made in the drawings and specifications for the assignment of space for and the equipment of" a cafeteria of suitable size, it having been determined as an administrative question that the cafe- teria was a necessity.” It was explained that the contractor, the Consolidated Engineering Co., had placed its bid on the complete cafeteria and was planning to go ahead with the necessary work of “roughing in” for water, steam, gas and electric 460 | outlets. 3 'MILITARY BEARING OF POLICE PRAISED ! Davison in Letter to Pratt Lauds Type of Officers on Metro- politan Force. ‘The individual appearance and mili- tary bearing of the members of Wash- ington's police force were highly com- mended by Maj. D. A. Davison, Assist- ant Engineer Commissioner, in a letter addressed to Maj. Henry G. Pratt, su- perintendent of police, made public yes- terday. Maj. Davison participated with Maj. Pratt in the recent inspection of the personnel, equipment and station houses. “I was particularly impressed with the high type of police officers compris- ing the Metropolitan police force,” Maj. Davison stated. “The individual a pearance and military bearing of ti members of the force are excellent.” Maj. Pratt said he regarded the com- ments of Maj. Davison particularly sig- nificant, in view of the latter’s years of experience as an Army officer. EXPENSE FOF.( RECOVERING BODY REFUSED BY U. S. ! Father ,Denied Refund of Money t After Civilian Employe of Army Drowned. Expenses incurred by his father, Den- nis A. Sheedy, in recovering the body of Leo H. Sheedy, civilian employe of the Engineer Department of the Army, ac- cidentally drowned, were denied yester- day by Controller General McCarl. ‘The boy was drowned on April 18, 1928, while employed as a‘deck hand on the steamer Nauvoo at Keokuk, Towa, and it was some time later that the body was recovered. Among the expenses which were de- nied payment were services of five dif- ferent men for dragging the river; of a man for distributing handbills offer- ing rewards; of another for rowing the father around islands looking for the body; for the rental of a “trammel” net, and a $100 reward for recavery of the body. The claim of $221.90 sub- mitted by the father through the United States Employes’ Compensation Com- mission was denied by McCarl because, the controller general said, it could not be considered as a legal expenditure either for the payment of funeral or burial expenses. The Government did allow, however, the actual burial ex- mm and the cost of transporting the ly. ! | C. Helm, contest chairman, of 4311 Wells avenue, Brentwood, Md., has an- ,nounced that the lists may be obtained by writing . The contest is to be | neld to determine the District spelling champion, PROBUS CLUB MEETS. ‘Worker dresses Gathering. The Probus Club held 13 ‘weekly ;e«;}n‘ yesterday at the Arhbassador otel. Lewis ¥. Buckingham, president of he club, presided at the meeting and Harry Hites of the Communit; ety delivered an address on “Pul | community Chest Ad- Broadcaster Says Census Insults Housekeepers Listed “No Occupation” A call to the housewives of the country to rise from their mops and pails, pots and pans and protest against being classified as of ‘“no occupation” in the next census was broadcast last night by Mrs. Florence Bayard Hilles of Wilmington, Del. Speaking over a Nation-wide radio hook-up, the national vice chairman of the Woman'’s Party said that the ruling of the Census Bureau that women who were housekeepers should be listed as without occupation was an “In ity to which women who value the; and their work gh s ould not submit.” “The average working time of the farm woman is 63 hours a week, and the woman is the most important factor on the farm,” Mrs. Hilles said. “In the face of these facts, the classification given to these women in the census as being without occupation is an insult.” | "I call upon every housewife of this | counttry not to submit to being listed ‘without tion in the census soon | to be taken, but to write down without ! fear or hindrance her position as home- maker, one of the most important of | all occupations® 1929 Hine Junior High School students “Peggy and the Pirate,” in the school auditorium December 5 and 6. who will present the one-act operetta, The mem- of the cast shown above are, left to right: Lulu Tierney, Lois Loeffler, Mary Ellen Kettler, Elsie May, Sockrider, Zilda Weightman, Louise Abner, Marion and Elizabeth Fletcher. STUDENTS AT HINE T0 GIVE OPERETTA Be Offered at School December 5 and 6. Boys and girls and teachers of Hine Junior High School, Seventh and C streets southeast, are engaged in pre- paring for the presentation of a one-act operetta, “Peggy and the Pirate,” at the school auditorium at 8 o'clock on the evenings of December 5 and 6. The op= eretta will be given by the Boy&?nd Girls’ Glee Clubs of the school and”will be the most elaborate production of its kind ever given by the students of Hine. Rehearsals are progressing and cos- tumes have been made for the players who will add to the picturesqueness of the scenes.on the stage. Among the boz_& and girls who will take leading parts are: Harry Fonoroff, Melvin Eicher, Mary Ellen Ketler, Zelda Wrightman, Willlam Bell, Majery League, Mary Folmer, Willlam Martin, Charles Green and Danlel Gevinson. In addition to the principals in the operetta there will be a large chorus, in which many other boys and girls of the school will sing. The operetta is the work of Geoffrey F. Morgan, who wrote the libretto, and Geoffrey O'Hara, who composed the music. It will be given under the direc- tion of Miss Helen W. Merriam and Miss Marie Walcott, members of the Hine faculty. . NEW YORK-MIAMI AIR LINE PLAN RENEWED Route of Pitcairn Passenger Serv- ices to Include Stop at Washington. Renewal of plans for the inauguration :'! n .ltr passenger urv!&le. between ew York an mi, passing through this city, by Pitcairn Aviation, Inc., o'p- erators of the coastal air mail line, have been announced here by Col. Paul Hen- derson of the Curtiss-Wright Co., own- ers of the Pitcairn line. Plans for the service were announced by Pitcairn officlals nearly a year ago, €| but were abandoned temporarily prior to the purchase of the Pitcairn line by the Curtiss-Wright group earlier this year. Col. Henderson, who also is a vice president of Transcontinental Air Transport and of National Air Trans- mfl., said that no date has been set for e inauguration of the passenger service, S SENATE COMMERCE BODY WILL RESUME HEARINGS Couzens Discusses Legislative. Pro- gram Including Railroad Con- solidation With Hoover. The Senate interstate commerce com- mittee will resume its hearings on the Federal communications bill early next ‘month. Chairman Couzens of the committee, after a call upon President Hoover, said yesterday he had discussed with him the legislative program-before his com- mittee during the approaching session, including_the bill for railroad consoli- dation. However, he did not disclose the reactions of Mr. Hoover on this leg- islation. Hearings on the communications bill, relating principally to conditions in the radio world, probably will be undertaken during the second week of the session. A railroad consolidation bill was re- ported by the committee last session and probably will be taken up again by the committee early next month. Senator Fess, Republican, Ohio, is sponsor of that bill. FIRE ROUTS RESIDENTS OF CATHEDRAL MANSIONS Little Damage Is Done by Blaze in Hall Closet Put Out by Hand Extinguishers. Fire last night at Cathedral Mansions, 3000 Connecticut avenue, for the second time within three months brought hundreds of residents from their apart- ments and filled the long corridors with smoke. The blaze originated in a small hall storage closet, it is thought, from spontaneous combustion, and caused little damage. * For 15 minutes traffic on Connecticut avenue was blocked by the firemen, working under the direction of Fifth Battalion Chief H. B. Barker. Three engine and three truck companies re- sponded to the alarm. The fire was put out with hand extinguishers, Lee —=Star Staff Photo. STORES ARE READY FOR YULE SHOPPING | “Peggy and the Pirate” Will Christmas Buying Expectedf to Be in Full Swing by Saturday. ‘The Christmas shopping season will be in full swing by Saturday, if experi- ences of the past several years in Wash- ington are followed this year, it was stated today by Maj. Gen. Anton Stephan, president of the Merchants and Manufacturers’ Association. In anticipation of the increased throngs expected in the downtown sec- tion, local merchants have placed on display full stocks of Christmas offer- ings;* ordered months ago in kesping with the shop-early mail-early move- ment which is designed to minimize the last minute rush of shopping and mail- ing in the last few days before the Christmas holidays. ‘Thanksgiving day, in the modern system of merchandising, brought about by customer demands, Gen. Stephen said, marks the “kick-off” Christmas shopping season. most of the department stores and shops will be decked out in Christmas dress and many of the show windows will be gay with Christmas colors. Records of local street car companies show, Gen. Stephan points out, that there is a definite upward curve of pas- senger travel immediately following ‘Thanksgiving day, as a result of the trend of early shopping for the Yuletide holiday. WIFE DESERTION LAW TO BE UPHELD Supreme Court Decision in Favor of Seizure of Husband's Deposits Indicated. The Supreme Court is expected to uphold the New York law enabling de- serted wives to attach their husband’s bank deposits. Hearing arguments against the law on behalf of the Corn Exchange Bank, :.hed jusflfi;ls “l:lmostmlll ‘d‘(:lgreed yes- erday wi e position taken by Spot- tiswood D. Bowers, o5 Subsequently ~Chief Justice Taft halted argument by J. Joseph Lilly in support of the law, saying the court was with him. In the usual course, this meant that the court would soon af- firm the decision of the lower courts and uphold the law. Attack on the law was based on pro- ceedings to seize the deposit of Raf- faele de Stefano in the bank. In an affidavit, his wife maintained de Stefano had deserted her and Bird S. Coler, commissioner of public works, obtain- ed the requisite orders from two city magistrates to seize Stefano's deposits. Demand was made upon the bank for the money, but it refused to pay, contending the law was invaiid be- cause it did not provide notice to the depositor and give him opportunity to be heard. Suit was brought against the bank and the law was sustained by the lower courts, which required it to pay over the money. - POWER COMMISSION i AUDITS ARE SPEEDED Experts From Three Departments to Assist Account- ants, Expert accountants from the War, Interior and Agricultural Departments will aid the Federal Power Commission to establish principles to govern the audit of power company capitalizations running into billions of dollars. The chief accountant of the, commission was ,lven & free hand yesterday to select rom the accounting personnel of these departments men capable of aiding him in the completion of pending cases, and the departments have d to make the men available for 'fi:e pur- e. Due to the inadequacy of its own ac- muntlnf force, the commission found itself, nine years after its creation, with { about 1,000 unsettled applications await- {ing decision and without a guiding set |of principles by which to determine what items might be included legiti- mately in their capitalization by power eor_lx_:g:nl:s. " ew cases involving disputed capitalization which have been pgued upon by the accountants have been tied up by legal questions. ‘The gwer commission for years has asked ngress for an increase in its PAGE 13 CAPPER SEES TWO SCHOOL QUESTIONS PRESSING CONGRESS Forthcoming Session Should Act on Free Text Books and Portables, He Says. COMMITTEE MEETS AT EARLY DATE Building Question Likely to Come Up in New Appropriations Discussion. Chairman Capper of the Senate Dis- trict committee believes the session of Congress beginning next week should take action on two questions of vital in- terest to the local public school system, the free text-book bill and the problem of getting rid of portable school struc- tures more rapidly. The Senator expects the first meeting | of his committee to be held scon afrer the session gets under way, and has in- | dicated the text-book bill will be among the first presented to his associates for action. The question of speeding up the building program in order to do away with the need for portables 1s likely to come up in connection with the fixing of appropriations for the new fiscal year. In this connection there is pend- ing in both branches of Congregs a bill to authorize an expansion of the orig- inal school building program. FIVE MOTORISTS HURT IN AUTO ACCIDENTS ! Man and Wife Are Injured When _Car Skids on Rock- ville Pike. Five persons were injured, none serj ously, in three automobile accidents re- ported to police last night and this morning. Mr. and Mrs, William Cole of 1825 New Hampshire avenue, narrowly es- caped serlous injury last midnight when the machine in which they were riding with Dr. V. Pearson of 1514 Seventeenth street, skidded on the wet highway and partially overturned on the Rockville pike, near Bethesda, Md. They were treated at Emergency Hospital for lacerations .o the head and body bruises, and Dr. Pearson was taken to Georgetown University Hospi- tal and treated for lacerations to the forehead. Victor Bauman, 30, of 175 V street, was slightly injured yesterday when run down at North Capitol street and Rhode Island avenue northeast by an automobile operated by Lottie Houser, whose address police did not learn. The woman took the injured man to the nearby office of Dr. L. A. Cornett at 1927 North Capitol street for treatment, Richard J. Burlesque of Clarendon, Va.,, suffered painful injuries to the face and head last night when his machine was sideswiped by another car near Hughesville, Md. He was treated at Casualty Hospital and later went home. e I . FREDERICK A. HOLTON EXPIRES AT AGE OF 70 Was Formerly Scientific Expert With Washington Firm of Patent Attorneys. ! Frederick Arthur Holton, 70 years old, formerly associated as a scientific expert with the firm of Mauro, Cameron & Lewis, patent lawyers, and for many years. a resident of this city, died in Garfield Hospital today after a long illness. Mr. Holton's wife, by whom he is sur- vived, founded the Holton-Arms School, 2125 S street, in 1901. During the carly years of the school Mr. Holton contributed very largely to its success. - Memorial services, which will take .the place of funeral services, will be conducted in All Souls' Unitarian Church, Monday morning at 11 o'clock. ‘The services will be attended by the faculty and students of the Holton- Arms School. A native of Galesburg, Ill, Mr. Hol- ton came to this city at an early age. As a boy he attended Emerson Insti- tute and was graduated from Cornell University in 1883. Subsequently he was an instructor at Cornell, ¢ Later, returning to this city, he was employed in the United States Patent Office for a number of years and at the same time taught chemistry in the Washington College of Pharmacy. Fol- lowing this he becamre connected with the law firm of Mauro, Cameron and Lewis. He retired about 10 years ago. In 1891, he married Miss Jessie Moon of Newport, N. Y. STEAMSHIP EXECUTIVE DIES IN SAN FRANCISCO Clarence P. Stone, Widely Known Here, Stricken in Office Monday. Clarence P. Stone, 53 years old, sec~ retary of the W. R. Grace Co. Steam= | ship Line, formerly connected with the United States Shipping Board and wide~ 1y known in this city, died in San Fran- i cisco, Monday after being stricken in the offices of the steamship company, according to word received here. Funeral services were to be held in San Francisco. Mr. Stone was & mem-= ber of the Washington Golf and Coun= try Club in this city. He is survived by his widow, Mrs, E'lll’nbelh Stone, and a son, Gordon ne. PENNSYLVANIA SALESMAN ARRESTED AS FUGITIVE Walter Albert Clark, 45-year-old salesman from Allentown, Pa., was ars rested by Headquarters Detective L. M. ‘Wilson yesterday and held at the fifth ?reclnct police station as a fugitive rom justice pending arrival of authoris ties from Allentown, where he was said to be wanted in connection with a $3,500 embezzlement. Police said that a warrant sent here by the Pennsylvania authorities charges that Clark embezzled the money from accounting staff and last year received a small additional appropriation for mcl purpose, » the American Cemetery Association, in= corporated, of Allentown, while he was in k employ, % J t