Evening Star Newspaper, December 18, 1929, Page 17

!_ Washington News HOUSE COMMITTEE FAVORS FREE TEXT BOOKS FOR DISTRICT Chairman Instructed to Con- ! fer With House Leader- ship on Subject. $243,000 IS ESTIMATED COST FOR NEW SUPPLIES Zihlman, Under Indictment, Pre- sides—Asks Groups’ Help for Capital Legislation. The free text book bill passed by the | Senate Monday was favorably reported by the House District committee at its | first meeting today and incorporated | in this motion was instructions for the chairman to confer with the House leadership to get action in the House if possible before the Christmas recess. Representative Zihiman of Maryland, | who is under indictment by the Federal grand jury, presided at the meeting, | and at its close said that “pecessarily a gieat deal of the work of this com- mittee will fall on Representative Me- Leod, the ranking Republican member, and upon other members of the com- mittee in my absence.” He asked the members of the committee “to co- operate for a constructive program of legislation for the benefit of the Na- | tional Capital.” The free text book bill was reported | on motion of Representative Lampert | of Wisconsin, seconded by Representa- | tive Reid of Illinois. It provides for supplying free of charge the use of all text books and all other necessary edu- cational books and supplies to pupils of the ninth grade of the junior high| schools and all pupils in the senior high | &chools. | Parents Now Buy Books, At the present time parents of these | pupils are required to purchase the text books and supplies. It broadens the free text book bill passed some years ago for pupils in the lower grades. It is estimated that the first cost for supplying these additional books and supplies next year would be $243,- 000, of which amount approximately| $55,000 would be expended for supplies. | ‘Thereafter, however, it is expected that | it will cost only approximately $100.000 | to maintain the system under this| legislation. The motion to call upon the House leadership for immediate action upon this measure was made by Representa- tive Hall, Republican, of Indiana. Chairman Zihlman designated Repre- sentative McLeod to prepare the report on the bill and to take charge of handling it in the House. ! Chairman Zihlman appointed as a subcommittee to prepare a slate of sub- committee assignments: Representatives McLeod, Michigan; Lampert, Wiscon- sin; Palmer, Missourl; Whitehead, Viz- | ginia, and Hall, Mississippi. Urges Legislative Map. Representative Bowman of West Vir- ginia urged that the committee in this Congress should map out a constructive legisiative program of measures of ma- jor importance on which it would con- centrate. He suggested that confer- ences be held with the Senate District committee so that .t-ere might be united action on the measures of prime importance for the District. pointing out that in the past many of the more important measures ‘had been side- tracked for minor measures. Representative Reid of Illinois dis- cussed the value of co-operation not only with the Senate committee, but with the subcommittee of the appro- priations committee in charge of the District appropriation bill. = Bowman insisted that it is the duty of the House legislative committee to put through its program of important legislation ir- respective of whether the appropriations committee is ready to appropriate funds for carrying out the provisions of the islative Reid called atten- n to the factthat in the past, for The need for a junior college in the | National Capital, the question of get- ting rid of the portable school buildings, and the poor toilet and lighting facilities in those structures were discussed in the House late yesterday when Chair- man Simmons of the House subcom- mittee on District appropriations was endeavoring to fix the blame for delays in_the school building program. Representative Arentz of Nevada, who is sponsoring the junior college bill, complained that the District school authorities put him off with the argu- ment that as long as portables are in usiea!.he Jjunior college should wait. He said: “I am interested in the establishment of a junior college in this city, and I have frequently asked the authorities questions in regard to the prospect of establishing it. The answer I get to | my questions as to whether they would | sanction a junior college is that so long as the temporary school buildings exist they see no reason for the erection of a junior college. We should remember that we are educating the sons and daughters of departmental workers, and I do not see how the temporary struc- tures in the District of Columbia have anything whatsoever to do with the beginning of a real school system, in- cluding a junior college, in the District of Columbia. Dubs “Propaganda Buildings.” In reply Mr. Simmons pointed out that the portables will probably be used for some time in certain sections, and to them, as “propaganda” schools have used portable buildings in Washington ever since I have had anything to do with the ‘Washington schools,” said Mr. Simmons. “They are what one member of thHe committee termed ‘propaganda build- ings’ They are held out as an exem- iification of the contention .that the District of Columbia is not fully equip- 16 MEN ARE TAKEN N RAD ON ELLB Secretary, Arrested on| Charge of Permitting Gam- ing, Is Freed on Bond. One man was arrested, 15 others were taken as materjal witnesses and a large amount of expensive gambling para- phernalia was reported seized last night when Sergt. O. J. Letterman and his vice squad raided a house at 2727 Adams M1l road, where police said the headquarters of a"social organization known as the Mercantile Club was es- tablished. Daniel B. Gusdorf, 70, of 1801 Cal- vert street, said to be secretary of the club, was charged at the sixth precinct with permitting gaming, and later re- leased in $500 bond. Complaint Made by Member. Sergt. Letterman said today the club's activities were under observation of the vice squad for weeks. The raid was said by police to have been the result of a complaining member of the club, who lost heavily. 7 Letterman, with Detectives G. C. Mc- Carron, Richard Cox and J. A. Mostyn, went to the house shortly before mid- night. Cox and McCarron climbed up a pole in the rear of the three-story brick structure, forced open a window, and entering an anteroom walked quiet- ly into the main hall. Men Intent on Game. Cox #aid reveral men standing around a table in an elaborately furnished example, regarding the need of addi- tional teachers, the testimony presented to the House legislative committee was different from that presented to the ! subcommittee on appropriations. Saving Cited by Bowman. Bowman also stressed that time and - expense could be sm'rdl through co-operation with mr,_senalr,; in avoiding duplication of hearings on the District measures Reid asked about the street railway merger legislation and was told by| Zihlman that Mason M. Patrick of the) Utilities Commission had submitted. a | proposal for consideration of Congress on which, if Congress acted favorably, it was hoped the street railway com-| panies would agree. i Hall brought up ‘the need for a muni- cipal airport as showing the possibili- | ties of expediting desirable legislation by getting co-operation and joint hear- ings with the Senate committees. R S ) v REDUCE FIRE LIEUTENANT | TO THIRD-CLASS PRIVATE| Commissioners Find Him Guilty of | Entertaining Women in En- gine House. Lieut. E. M. Luskey of No. 18 Engine i Company was reduced to the rank of a third-class private by the District Commissioners yesterday. The Com- | missioners, in taking their action, ap- proved Luskey’s conviction by a Fire Department trial board on charges of entertaining two women in the engine house. Pvt. J. C. Weaver of the same engine company was charged with the same offense and the trial board fined him $100. Weaver did not appeal. The Commissioners remitted one-half of the uppaid balance of the fines of 11 police . privates, imposed by the trial board for various offenses. The action was taken on recommen- dation of Maj. Henry G. Pratt, police superintendent, because of the approach of Christmas. The balances remitted range from $2.50 to $30. CONFERENCES PLANNED FOR COMMUNITY WORK A series of monthly confercnces will be held to plan for Washington's com- munity programs, it was decided yester- day at a meeting of community secre- tarfes. Miss Sibyl Baker, department director, presided. “Auditorium Programs” will be the subject of the January meeung. with 14rs. L. W. Hardy as leader in the dis- cussion, which will embrace community drama, music and interpretative danc- irg. % new community center has recently Ten esiablished, under the Commupity much room were so intent in their dice game that they failed to detect the officers’ presence. Letterman said from one table chips representing more than $3.000 were confiscated. Police said that some of the 15 wit- nesses taken to the tenth precinct sta- tion house were wealthy Washingto- nians and ‘prominent business - men. They were taken to the precinct in the patrol wagon and forced to leave their automobiles in front of the house. MRS. RUTH B. OSBORNE DIES AT AGE OF 86 Funeral Services to Be Held To- With Dr. Smith to Officiate. Funeral services for Mrs. Ruth Ball Osborne, 86 years old, who died at her home, 1884 Columbia road, yesterday, will be conducted in Gawler’s chapel, 1754 Pennsylvania avenue, tomorrow afternoon at 2 o'clock. Dr. Herbert Scott Smith, rector of St. Margaret's Episcopal Church, will officiate. Inter- ment will be in Arlington Cemetery. Mrs. Osborne was the widow of Gen. Edwin S. Osborne. She had been a resident of this city for many years. Her husband died here in 1900. She is survived by three sons, John Ball Os- borne, counsel general at Stockholm, Sweden: Russell Osborne of Scranton, Pa, and Clay Osborne of Portland, Oreg., and two daughters, Miss Frances Osborne, with whom she lived, and Mrs. W. H. Middleton of Germantown, Pa. DR. SIMON TO BE GUEST. The regular Friday night services at the Sixth Street Synagogue will be con- ducted this week by Rabbi Simon of the Eighth Street Temple. Dr. Simon will speak on “The Possibilities of the Jew in_America.” He is the sixth guest rabbi to address the Adas Israel congregation this Winter. A permanent rabbi will be selected by the congregation shortly after the first of the year. morrow, SIMMONS SAYS PORTABLES | ARE "PROPAGANDA BUILDINGS" |Tells House These Structures Are Held Out as Example of District Backwardness in School\ WASHINGTON, D. C, Program. ped with scheol buildings under the present system. But the authorities have failed to tell the people what num- ber of new school buildings have been established. In one area, where the | five-year program called for a new building, there are 15 students in one portable and 16 in another. The five- year program calls for an eight-room building at that point. We cannot build wmore school bulldings on that site with such an attendance. The portables will no doubt be necessary for some time in certain areas, “Of course, you understand, the school authorities can shift the bound- ary areas, and shift the population in portables in many instances, as they cheose. I anticipate that we shall have some light in these buildings before long.” Lighting Can Be Improved. In reply to questions by Representa- tive Burtness of Ohio regarding the poor heating and lighting facilities in these portables, Mr. Simmons said that he hoped the lighting can be improved and gave his opinion that “these port- ables would compare well with many of those in our Western country. They are heated with stoves,: but have no toilet facilities or fountains, or things of that kind. In extremely cold weather the heating system would. not be up to a system which is found in one of the modern-type buildings. They are not what you would call first-class school- rooms. “For some reason, which I can not| find out, they have not placed lights in these buildings. If the fault rests with Congress, I want them to tell me so that we may correct the situation; and if the fault rests with them, I want them to tell me so, and I want that they them- selves may correct it. There is no ex- cuse, in my opinion, for chillren going to a school in Washington in buildings without artificial light. That is a thing I hope we can correct. THREE ELIGIBLES LISTED FOR BENCH Bar Association Nominates Candidates for Judgeship Soon to Be Vacated. John E. Laskey, William M. Millan and Joseph W. Cox are the seleétion of the Bar Association as candidates for the vacancy on the bench of the Dis- trict Supreme Court due to the resig- nation of Chief Justice Walter I. Mc- Coy. The selection was made by ballet last night at a special meeting of the asso- ciation to receive the report of a com- mittee named to canvass the local bar for eligibles, and the three lawyers re- ceived the highest number of votes from a list of seven suggeste” by the com- mittee. Others named in the committee's re- port were W. . Bride, corporation counsel; George C. Gertman, -secretary of the Bar Association; Paul E. Sleman and Alexander Wolf. ‘The committee’s report, it is under- stood, also stated that at his own re- quest the name of John Lewis Smith, a former president of the association, was not considered by the committee. Smith had been twice the unanimous selection of the association for previous vacancies on the bench. Laskey is a former United States at- torney for the District of Columbia and was special prosecutor in the McPher- son case; Millan has been treasurer of the bar association for a number of years and was once before the unani- mous choice of the association for a Jjudgeship. Cox is a well known lawyer who is highly regarded by the bar gen- erally. The association reaffirmed its action in asking the promotion of Justice ‘Wendell Phillips Stafford to the position | of chief justice of the court. 'MERCHANTS APPEAL | TO CITY SHOPPERS “If You Order Delivery, Prepare lo! Receive It,” Is ‘[ Plea. | ] | & | “When you direct a store to deliver | merchandise to your home during this | Christmas shopping rush, please be sure to arrange for its reception when the delivery truck arrives.” This appeal was issued today by the Merchants and Manufacturers’ Associa- tion as a means of reducing unsuc- sessful attempts to deliver parcels, which results from failure of some purchasers to have some one at home at accept packages. Improvement in this condition has been made this year as compared with former years, but there still is confusion caused by the necessity in some cases to deliver packages two or three times before truck drivers have found some one at homes to accept packages, the association states. Because the delivery services of stores now are taxed to the limit, more satis- factory service can be rendered to the public as a whole, if all purchasers having parcels sent home will make sure there is some one there to receive | them, it is declared. School Trains for Germany. To teach the employes the theory and practice of rallroading, the German gov- ernment has inaugurated school trains on the federal lines. Passenger coaches, each in charge of an instructor, move | from station to station, where classes are held with little loss of time to the workers. Joseph William Wright, a minor, by his father, George M. Wright, 4574 Conduit road, today filed suit in the District Supreme Court to recover $50,- 000 damages from Winifred Pruitt, a teacher at the Reservoir public school, and residing at 4511 Carolina place, for alleged slander. The hoy says the teacher in the presence of all the chil- ¢ Department, at Takoma Park, Ine. Themas C. Jeffers as com- lccusefi him ?‘l’lfit:hgr:;'fly l-l’\fd wlrn‘:g the other pupl a ould pun! any one tfin associated fim him. Suit Filed for Boy Claiming $50.000 Damages, Alleging Slander by His Teacher, dren in his schoolroom, October 23, last, | injt “Joseph is a thief,” the teacher is alleged to have said. “I do not want any of you children to associate with him and if you do you will be punished.” ‘The boy, through his father, declared that he was not and had never been gullty of an act of dishonesty and that by reason of the alleged slanderous statement of the teacher he suf. fered great humiliation and has been jured in his good name, fame and reputation. He is represented by At- torneys Bernard G. tmann and Ed- ward H. Seal. COL. GRANT DENIES FRICTION WITH D.C. OVER SCHOOL SITE Labels Officials’ Criticisms as Nothing More Than “Human Nature.” SAYS LETTER ON RECORD | GIVES COMPLETE VIEW Issue of Delay on Junior }Iigh' Raised During Debate in House. Denials of friction between District government officers and the Park and Planning Commission were forthconiing today from the municipal architect's office and from Lieut. Col. U. 8. Grant, 3d, executive officer of the park body. Representative Simmons of Nebraska read a letter from Col. Grant on the floor of the House yesterday afternoon, in which the officer had complained that “many of the municipal employes under the District Commissioners feel considerable hostility toward the Nation- 1l Capital Park and Planning Commisston d are doubtless ready at any time to attribute shortcomings to it.” The let- ter was inspired by an earlier statement of Mr. Simmons to the effect that con- struction on the Alice Deal Junior High Schoeol in the Reno section was delay- ed because the Park and Planning Commission had not definitely estab- lished grades for the Fort drive in the vicinity of the school site. Today Col. Grent asserted: No Accusation to Make. “I have no accusation to make. There is nothing to add to my letter, which Representative .Simmons has placed in the Congressional Record.” There is no difference of opinion be- tween the District officials and himself, he explained, and the tendency of Dis- trict employes to -endeavor- -to shift blame for delay to the commission, of which he is the executive officer and vice chairman, is, after all, but human nature, he said. i Municipal Architect Albert L. Harris, when questioned about Col. Grant's let- ter lay, referred the reporter to As- sistant Engineer Commissioner ' Layton E. Atkins. The only comment he | would make related to the alleged hos- | tility between him and Col. Grant was: Relations “Most Cordial.” “Of course, there is no hostility be- tween us,” he said. “Relations between Col. Grant and myself are now and have always been most cordial.” ‘The papers in connection with the case are said to be in the possession of Maj. Atkins, who has supervisory control of the municipal architect's of- fice. Maj. Atkins was tied up at the Shelby-Kelly hearing. Roland M. Brennan, chief clerk of the Engineer Department, said that all of the site for the proposed junior high school has not yet been acquired. Part of it has been purchased ¢nd part of 1t is now undergoing condemnation pro- ceedings, he said. In connection with his discussion in the House of delays in the school build- ing program, Mr. Simmons quoted a notation from a statistical table fur- nished him by Municipal _Architect znrrls, as of November 4, 1929, as fol- ws: “Note—The proposed Fort drive has not been definitely determined by the Park and Planning Commission, and the street grades adjacent to the build- ing have not been definitely established. ‘Work is waiting furthter information. December 13 Letter Is Quoted. He also quoted an excerpt from a let- ter by Municipal Architect Harris, dated December 13, 1929, as follows: “The Park and Planning Commission is making a comprehensive study of the Fort drive, which will determine the grades of the various streets. This study has not been approved by the Dis- trict Commissioners up to the present time, but will receive consideration when completed.” “There, then, is the statement in writing, twice given by the municipal architect,” commented Mr. Simmons, “that the National Capital Park and Planning Commission had not complet- ed its study of streets and roads in that area and that therefore he could not proceed.” He then quoted from the letter he had just reeeived from Col. Grant, which he placed in the record, | as follows: “A recent copy of The Star reported your speech on the five-year school pro- gram as including a statement that de- lay in making the plans for the Deal | Junior High School at Fort Reno was due to the municipal architect’s having to wait for location and grade on the Fort drive. I know that you intend to be fair to everybody and that you do not wish to do injustice to any one. can, therefore, only assume that you have been misinformed about this mat- ter and that you will not take it amiss if 1 correct the information given to! you by others. Says Data Supplied in 1928, | “This commission gave to the mu- | nicipal architect’s office, through the ! Engineer Commissioner, a detailed plan, with the location and 1-foot contours for the Fort drive in the vicinity of | Fort Reno, in February, 1928. It seems hardly probable that the municipal architect had to wait for this at all, as it was given to him before any request or inquiry was made for it. “I 'would not bother you with so small a matter did I not realize that many of the municipal employes under the District Commissioners feel con- siderable hostility toward the National Capital Park and Planning Commis- sion, and are doubtless ready at any time to attribute shortcomings to it. While the commission makes no recom- mendations without careful study, and it may at times have to hold up a problem until it has been thoroughly studied, so far its recommendations usually have been far in advance of the municipal officials’ uirements. In fact, some of the hostility felt toward the commission, as well as toward the office of public buildings and parks, may doubtless be traced te the fact that we have pushed them in regard to many matters that have reached them. This is said not to criticize them, but to do justice to the work of a commission and its staff for which I am responsible. | SCHOOL TO GIVE PAGEANT.|° Johnson Students, Glee Club Com- bine on Program. Children of the Johnson School will present a Christmas pageant in the Powell Junior High School's auditorium Friday morning at 10 a'clock. The Johnson Glee Club, directed by Valaria Marshall, will serve as a ‘choir invisible” throughout the play and ren- der “Cantique Noel” and “First Noel.” Miss C. M. Stinzing will direct the Play, 16TH ST. ZONING GONTEST IS TAKEN 10 DISTRICT COURT {Owners Ask Commissioners i Be Compelled to Set Aside Classification Decision. HOUSE IN COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL AREAI Plaintiffs Claim Action Is Arbi- trary and in Effect Is Depriva- tion of Rights. The long-anticipated legal contest over the power of the Zoning Commis- ston to restrict lower Sixteenth street properties to residential use while assessments there remain more or less comparable with those on properties in surrounding areas zoned for commercial use has been carried to District Su- preme Court. Owners of two properties on K street, just west of Sixteenth street, late yes- | terday asked the court for a mandatory injunetion to compel the Zoning Com- mission to set aside its decision retain- ing the properties in residential classi- fication and seeking to have them re- zoned for first commercial use. Line Runs Through House. A part of these K street properties fall within the 100-foot raurlctm?: line back of Sixteenth street, set up to pro- tect the residential zoning on Sixteenth street. This line runs through one of the two houses on K street, thus leaving this parcel “alf in the residential classification and half in the commer- cial use area which extends west on K street from this line. Declaration that the suit would be filed, because of the conflict between assessments and zoning restrictions in this and other Sixteenth street property flml h w::] L:gn;lfi;ned_rl}:‘n lslerles of ar- cles pul e e Star earl; October. ? S The suit was filed by Henrietta B. Bugher, Frederick McLean Bugher and Alvin Untermyer, trustees under the will of Frederick H. Bugher: H. Rozier Dulany, jr.; Kate W. Dulany and F. Carrington Weems, owners of the two parcels of property. The claim is made that the recent action of the Zoning Commission in re- fusing the request of the owners to have the property declared first com- mercial when there was no opposition to the request at a public hearing i arbitrary and unreasonable and amounts, in effect, to a deprivation of the rights of the plaiatiffs, Unfit for Residences. It is not possible to use the lots of the plaintiffs, it is asserted, as resi- dences in such manner as to secure an adequate return based upon their value, and unless the-zoning be changed it will not be possible to use the lots for any other purpose. The zoning as residential, it is claimed, does not pro- mote the health, safety, convenience or comfort of the inhabitants of the Dis- trict and the change to first commer- cial classification would in no manner injure the adjoining property or affect adversely the public interest. The petition was filed for the plain- tiffs by Attorneys Peelle, Ogilby & & Brez. ‘The court is told that the assessment for taxation on the property has ad- vanced from $3.50 per square foot in 1919, until now on one parcel it is $18.50 and on the other $17.40 per square foot. Practically all the property south of M street to B street and from Wash- ington circle to the Capitol now is zoned first commercial, it is stated in the petition, and the plaintiffs declare that K street is & connecting link be- tween the old business section and the new section along Connecticut avenue. The houses on these two lots, the court is told, have remained vacant since last April, although continuously kept on the market by their owners. The Star articles, based on a techni- cal study of the conditions underlying the recurring conflicts over the zoning of Sixteenth street, showing a “head- on” collision between zoning restrictions and assessments, brought forth state- ments from both Commissioners Dough- erty and Taliaferro that they believed assessments should take into considera- tlon restrictions against uses of the fimperly contained in zoning regula- ons. Assessments Basis Cited. ‘Tax Assessor Richards, after consider- ation, declared that if property owners could show him that the values of their properties were lower than the assessed values placed on them by the District, due to zoning restrictions, he would see that the Board of Tax Appeals con- sidered the cases. Mr. Richards, how- ever, stressed the point that assessments must be made primarily on current sales | prices on nearby comparable properties to one under consideration. In this series of articles Mr. Richards declared that he and his assistant as- sessors gave but little consideration to zoning restrictions on properties in making up assessment values. ‘The Star's study revealed that as- sessments on dwelling properties on Sixteenth street ranged from $7 to $30 per square foot, whereas land assessments of residential sites in five of the city’s. most exclusive dwelling sections range from $1.75 to $11 per square foot. Further, The Star's study showed. for instance, that the assessment on the home of Mrs. Mildred McLean | Dewey, northwest corner of Sixteenth and K streets, in the residential sone, is $30 per square foot, whereas the assessment on the site of the huge 11- story Investment Building, at Fif- teenth and K streets, in first com- mercial zone, is $25 per square foot. MRS. A. E. POTTER, ARTIST DURING CIVIL WAR, DIES Mrs. Annie E. Potter, widely known as an artist here during the Civil War, noted for her paintings of a number of pictures of President Lincoln's cabinet, died at the home of her daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Edwin H. Etz, Bradley Hills, Bethesda, Md., yesterday. Mrs. Potter was the widow of Hen! G. Potter, a brevet captain in the Union Army, had resided in this city since before the Civil War. The family resi- dence was located at 1106 G street m;:xy years ago. She was a native of 0. Funeral services will be conducted at the residence of her daughter and son- in-law tomorrow afternoon at 1:30 o'clock. Interment will be in Arlington Cemetery. —— Three-Language Film Next. English, French and German will be used in a multi-language super talkie, which is to be produced in England by a German director, who also speaks French fluently. He will be aided by an English assistant director. An American director in England will also make an English and French talkie. S | connecting Washington with the Mis- - @he Foening Staf WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1929. I The party was arranged by the Lions Clul b of Washington. —Star Staff Photo. POTOMAC T0 0HI0 1 | | | | | | Waterway Connecting Capi- - tal With Mississippi Basin Is Being Studied. Plans for a great inland waterway | sissippl by way of the Potomac and | Ohio Rivers are being studied by the United States Engineer Office, Ma). Brehon Somervell, District engineer for the War Department for the Wasu~ ington area, told members of the rivers and harbors committee of the Wash- ington Board of Trade at a meeting yesterday afternoon. This study, he declared, was au- thorized by Congress more than six months ago and at that time was un- dertaken in the nature of an exper- ment. Since then he has become con- vinced that the project is practicable and will.so report to Congress. The idea is not new, he explainea, but originated in the mind of George Washington, who foresaw the grea. possibilities of such a development. He pointed out that the waterway woula connect Washington with the great coal fields of Pennsylvania and Wesy Virginia. Of equal importance, he saia, would be the fact that it would link the Potomac with a huge network or intercoastal waterways from New Eng- land to Florida, which is visioned by the chief of Army engineers, and ea- ists in part. The development would encourage in- land commerce, he said, and afford the Federal Government a quick and inex- pensive avenue of transportation in case of emergency. Maj. Somervell said the study of the project practically has been completed and recommendations will be forwarded to Congress, probably early next year. This entire development would be rendered impossible, however, the Army engineer declared, by any park beauti- ‘ fication of Great Falls, as proposed un- | der the Cramton bill. A low-level park at that point, he declared, would forever close the Potomac to navigation and make a canal between 1t and the Ohio River futile. Maj. Somervell told of the plans for the development of the Washington channel waterfront. This development, to include docks, a seawall and possibly a railway terminal at Buzzards’ Point, would cost $3,500,000, he said. Under this_plan would come the conversion of Water street southwest into two highways, one on the north side for street cars and commercial traffic and the south side for boulevard traffic. HOSPITAL TESTING NEW SIGNAL HORNS Director Blair Looking for Ambu- lance Whistle of More Har- monious Sound. * | | In an effort to meet complaints that the siren now used on the Emergency | Hospital ambulances is too piercing, de- spite the fact that the device meets with the approval of the police and traffic heads of the District, Emergency Hos- pital officials are conducting tests with all available automobile signaling de- vices to find one which will serve the purpose as well as the present and at the same time have a more harmonious sound. Announcement of the tests was made today by Woodbury Blair, president of the board of directors of the hospital, who said they were being made as ‘' service to the people of Washington.” Mr. Blair explained today that he was in conference with officials of the Traffic Bureau yesterday and was as- sured by them that they approve of the way the hospital ambulance service is conducted. “By order of the Commissioners and the Traffic Bureau,” Mr. Blair says, “ambulances have the right of way. To minimize danger hazard, the ambu- lance driver is instructed to keep sounding his siren until the point of in- tersection has been passed. The siren must also be sounded when pedestrians or vehicles are in the direct course of the ambulance, which means that when an ambulance is going at the rate of 25 or 30 miles an hour the siren seems to_be sounding almost incessantly.” Mr. Blair points out that it is neces- sary for an ambulance to hurry back from a call uoon which it is found not needed, for the reason that another emergency call may be awaiting it upon its return. “We sometimes hear complaints that AGTION DELAYED CANAL VISUALIZED ON BUILDING BILL Expect Committee Report to Be Made to Senate After Christmas. Senate action on the new public two days ago, authorizing $115,000,000 for the program in the National Capital and a similar amount for Federal con- struction work. throughout the United States, will have 1o wait until after the Christmas recess. 'his was indicated today when the Senate public buildings and grounds committee held a hearing on- the bill, but did not have a quorum present to order it reported to the Senate. It was also indicated that the Senate commit- tee may incorporate one or two amend- ments, which would necessitate sending the measure back to the House before final enactment. Keyes Asks Action. Shortly after the Senate met today Chairman Keyes of the Senate public buildings committee made an effort to obtain immediate passage of the separate bill to authorize the United States Supreme Court Building, the site for which already has been purchased, but Senator Norris, Republican of Nebraska, requested that it be laid aside until later. It is possible that there will be another otgommlty to consider gu bill before the Christmas recess tor Norris said that the bill may be alright and that he did not want to delay it, but he thought it should be explained. The Senate was considering a nomination in executive session at the time and Senator Norris sted that the Supreme Court bill de- ferred until the nomination was dis- posed of. Labor Editor is Heard. During the committee hearing on the general public buildings bill this morn- ing, Edward Keating, editor of Labor, requested an amendment to exempt from the public buildings area the head- quarters of the railroad labor organiza- tions, at Delaware avenue and B street, on the south side of the Capitol. Keat- ing explained that the organization, in erecting the labor building, endeav- ored to have it conform to the archi- tecture of the surrounding area and would like to be left undisturbed. Sen- tor Fess, Republican of Ohio, prepared an amendment to this exemption. It was explained that if, at any time in the future the Government needed this corner, it could, of course, acquire it. Treasury Department officials ex- plained that it was not the intention of the Government to buy all of the prop- erty within the new boundary defined in this bill, but that the primary rea- son in fixing these boundaries was to protect the large investment the Gov- ernment is making in new buildings. They explained that it was the inten- tion of the Government to co-operate with semi-public organizations that de- sired to place ornamental buildings in the vicinity of the new Federal sector. The original public buildings plan contemplated a development in the tri- angle between Pennsylvania avenue and , the Capitol and House. This bill extends the area as follows: To Pennsylvania avenue and New York avenue on the north, Vir- ginia avenue and Maryland avenue, pro- jected to the Tidal Basin on the south, and Delaware avenue southwest on the east. ‘The passage of this bill would bring the total for the public buildings pro- gram in Washington up to $190,000,000 and the total for post offices and other structures throughout the country to $363,000,000. Senator Trammell Disagrees. Senator Trammell, Democrat, of Flor- ida told the committee he was in favor of meeting the public buildings needs in the National Capital, but thought the amount authorized for the Dis- trist in this bill was out of proportion to the authorization for the country as a whole. Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Heath and Acting Ls:;mrvhm Archi- tect Wetmore expla. that these fig- ures were total authorizations to sgent over a number of years, and that the actual expenditures during. the next few years would be much larger throughout the country than in Wash- gton. ‘They pointed out to Senator Tram- mell that the annual expenditure throughout the country would be $35,- 000,000 more, and in the District of Columbia $15,000,000. e White | ¢ PAGE 17 STATON ENPLOYE BRAVES S T0 FOIL YOUNG THUES Reaches for Wrench When Bandits Order “Throw Up Your Hands.” ROBBERS GO TO ANOTHER SECTION AND GET $9.88 Safe-Breaking and Hold-up of Woman Also Reported to Police. The attempt of two armed young bandits to rob the Gulf Refining Co.’s filling station at 834 Bladensburg road northeast was foiled early today when Clyde Swafford, station attendant, of 1411 Thirty-third street ignored their ‘commlnd to “throw up your hands" iand reached for a wrench to defend | himself. | _However, the robbers went directly to | the same company's filling station at t | ;New Jersey and Massachusetts avenues, | forced Hugh A. Finch into a rest-room and stole $9.88 from the cash register. | They then escaped. after cutting the | telephone wire to delay Finch in report- ing the robbery to police. | .Swafford was sitting in the office of ‘ibhe Bladensburg road station when the | men drove an automobile into the drive- A busload of kiddies from the Children's Hospital yesterday were guests of | WAy shortly after 4 o'clock and pur- Kriss Kringle at Woodward & Lothrop's. Santa is shown greeting a group with their nurses: _Left to right: Misses Lee Harris, Charlotte Mason and Eunice Wallace. chased five gallons of gasoline. Ignores Two Revolvers. The filling station attendant soon was facing two revolvers, but Swafford ignored them and jumped for a large wrench nearby. The robbers ran from the office. Three other robberies were reported to police last night and earl’ today. A safe in the office of the Consoli~ dated Coal Co. at First and M streets northeast was opened with hatchets and rot,att:ed of $300 in cash, according to police. Woman Held Up. Mrs. Helen W. Fawks of 1204 Fifth streét northeast told police last night | she was struck on the head from behind | with the butt of a revolver and robbed | of a pocketbook containing $39 in cash. | Mrs. Fawks furnished police with & | detailed description of the robber. | Thieves also gained entrance to the | office of the Terminal Ice Co. at 301 K street, last night. but left without ob- taining anything of value. George Estes | bulldings bill, which passed the House ' of 1474 Chapin street, an employe of i ths company, discovered the burglary ' and notified police. DR. LOUISE M. BLAKE, 76, DIES AT HOSPITAL ! Deceased Practiced Medicine Here for Many Years—Native of Cape May. | | Dr. Louisa M. Blake, 76 years old, | wife of Dr. Levi C. Blake, both of whom had practiced medicine in this city for many years, after stu and being graduated in medicine from local uni- versities somatime after their mar- riage, died in Sibley Hospital yester- day after an illness of several years. Dr. Louisa M. Blake was a native of Cape May, N. J.,, and Dr. Levi C. Blake wl:’.l a fel ld!'y s;ude;nped MfimA friend- ship rapi levelo Tomance :mr the couple was married in 1876. Dr. Louisa M. Blake taught school for awhile at Coming_ to eighties, Dr. Levi in the Cape May. in the late 1 _C. Blake was em- ployed ‘Government service. ‘While there his wife studied medicine at the old Columbia College, now George Washington University, grad- uating in 1893. Later Dr. Levi C. Blake took up & course in medicine at Howard Univer- sity, from where he was graduated in 1898. Both continued practice here until a few years . Louisa M. Blake hefore begin- ning practice took post-graduate course at Philadelphia. She retired, due to failing health. She was a mem- ber of the Medical Society of the Dis- trict of Columbia and the Women's Medical Society. The family home is at_40 Rhode Island avenue. Funeral parlors Saturday at Hysong' afternoon at 2 o'clock. Interment will be in Cedar Hill Cemetery. $1,000,000 'DAMAGES ASKED IN TWO SUITS G. G. and Paunl L. Loehler of Con- struction Company Accuse New Jersey. Corporation of Libel. | i | Damages totaling $1,000,000 are ask- ed in two'suits flled today in the Dis- trict. Supreme Court against the New Jersey Fidelity & Plate Glass Insurance Mof Newark, N. J.. which has a local office at 815 Fifteenth street. Libel is alleged in the suits which are instituted by G. G. Loehler and his-son, Paul L. Loehler, as the result of statements made in a suit filed in the District Supreme Court asking a receiver for the G. G. Loehler Construction Co. in connection with a contract to erect the Langdon public school. Each of the plaintiffs fixes his damage at $500,000. Through Attorney Alfred Cerceo the plair /iffs say that the defendant in the papers filed wrongly and libelously charged that the two contractors have concealed assets of the corporation to defraud the company which was on the bond of the contracting corporation to erect the building. The suit was filed December 16 and each of the plaintiffs asserts that he has been brought into ublic scandal, injury and disgrace by he alleged false statement and has been injured in his good name, fame and reputation. ENGINEERS TO MEET. Annual Session to Be Held Tonight at Cosmos Club. The annual meeting of the Washing- ton Seciety of Engineers will be held tonight at 8 o'clock at the Cosmos Club. It is expected that if the committee is unable to hold another meeting this week it will meet as soon as returns after the recess and take action on the bill. 8ir James Barry, the the amblflance does not arrive soon enough. ol the West of Scotland Cricket Club. l\bumr. has jual' been made an honorary ‘wice president’ The election of officers for the coming year will be one of the outstanding events on the program. i ‘Two films will be shown, through the courtesy of the Du Pont de Nemours Co. Del. One will of Wilmington, portr: the driving of the Cascade tunnel while the other will show rnr development in the South. About 200 members are expected to be present. o "