Evening Star Newspaper, January 30, 1930, Page 2

A2 ww¥ FIVE FEARED DEAD INOIL PLANT BLAST One Is Killed Outright, With Four Believed Trapped in Flaming Ruins. By the Associsted Press. FRESNO, Calif, January 30.—An explosion today wrecked the new $500,000 absorption plant of the Petro- Jeum Becurities Co. in Kettleman Hills oil fleld, south of here, killing one man and apparently trapping four others in the flaming ruins. At least two other men were injured. An explosion in a tank within the works started the fire. The flames spread as burning oll from the tank splattered through the plant. Second Blast Blocks Rescuers. Rescuers started into the ruins after the first blast, but the explosion of a second tank drove them back, prevent- ing them from recovering the body of Charles L. Phillips, foreman of the plant crew, who was killed outright. Pire fighters sald bodies of the four missing men apparently were in the ruins. Intense heat prevented fire fighfers from operating. Three other tanke in the plant were abandoned to the flames because it was impossible to approaca PField workers asserted that friction eou the explosion. The new plant v completed only recently. Development a few days ago of a new gusher raised a new question in plans for eurbing the output of the big ofl field, and Secretary of the Interior Ray Lyman Wilbur made a trip from Wash- i to look after Government inter~ affected by its operation. Gravel Spark Is Blamed. ‘Workmen said gas and oil from the well had been coming with terrific |b pressure through the pipes to the plant and that even the pipe lines became hot, Tt was believed that gravel thrown up by the well had struck sparks against the side of a pipe, thus causing-the explosion. The well is about a quarter of a mile from the plant. Field workers believed the well was in no danger of igniting. | Supply pipes from the gusher were shut off immediately after the explosion. BISHOP ANDERSON DIES IN CHICAGO OF HEART ATTACK (Continued From Pirst Page.) science and religion and that modern scientific definitions of matter were closer to the religious view today than ever., He advocated omission of the word “obey” from the marriage cere- mony, saying it may have typified the marriage vows of one period, but was obsolete in this age. Born at Kemptville, Outario, Sep- tember 8, 1864, Duho? Anderson gained his edication at Trinity College School, Port Hope, and at the University of Trinity College at Toronto. He com- pleted his divinity course in 1887 and Was ordained a deacon the same year at Ottawa. The next year he was HOOVER 'COMMISSION IDEA COMES TO FORE (Continued From First Page.) six times as high here as it is among advanced peoples; why William | other Howard Taft’s statement of 21 years 2go, that the administration of criminal law in this country was a disgrace to our civilization, still stands unchal- lenged. h the Haytian Commis- sion he wiskes to learn by a competent partisan investigation what the facts are about the Haytian situation; the Marines are butchers, a: THE EVENING ITRAPPED DIVER'S AS POLITICAL ISSUE| BODY IS RECOVERED | Officials of Paper Company Notified of Rescue by Telegram Today. one side alleges, or torch bearers of | B7 the Associated Pross. civilization, as their champions con- tend, and how the situation is to be cleaned up with a vi self-government in Hayti, Regards Facts as Raw Material. “Giving information to Congress” has usually meant stating the administra- tion’s point of view or policy to Con- gress; the information has consisted of facts digested into argumentative form. President Hoover regards “information” s raw material; objective truth; facts divorcetl from emotion, rhetoric or per- sonal interpretation. It is true that some of the Hoover commissions are charged with the duty of drawing con- clusions from their facts and making | recommendations; other Hoover com- missions are asked to find the facts and let it go at that. Hoover commissions are not all cut from one pattern. In one case the President seeks facts as an immediate basis for legislation. In another case | he seeks the facts with a view to more remote consequences. The child wel- fare survey is expected to produce re- sults, both in the near and distant future, ranging from legislation by Con- gress. State Legislatures and local au- thorities to grad self-reform by cer- tain industries and a steady raising of standards for years to come. In one case the facts sought may be few and simple, in another vast and voluminous. The Commission on Social Trends, for example, with 25 great social problems | to study, will work for three years and make its report in several feet of fat volumes. Some of the President's infor- mation-getting campaigns are supported y Congress, others by great private or- ganizations like the Rockefeller Foun- dation. The President holds himself free to commandeer specially trained brains for Government service, the sub- Ject of pay not being mentioned, even the expenses being left to the victim to defray. Attract Increasing Attention. ‘The development of the Hoover com- missions is being watched with keenest interest by the politicians of both parties. Comment is as yet mainly n the wise-cracking stage. The Hoover commissions have been coming in grad- ually, the subject is not generally un- derstood and "the criticism has been self-contradictory. Senator Pat Harri- son of Mississippi, for instance, accuses the President of using commissions as & means of shifting responsibility. Rep- resentative Willlam B. Bankhead of x;lbn‘mmlccw- the President of using missions as a means | authority, o Unless something checks the present tendency of the administration, Presi- dent Hoover’s commissions, conferences, surveys, studies and researches are going to become the most conspicuous development of his regime. The Hoover commissions may not become a para- mount political issue, but they will be & spectacular one. Tentacles of the commission octopus will be seen swarm- ing out from the White House ‘to the Caplitol, the liberties of the people will be in danger, the Constitution will be on its deathbed, our republican insti- tutions will be seen falling before an oligarchy of scientists, pm’euon, spe- cialists and technologists. Commissions in themselves are nothing new or revo- lutionary. They have besn created by Ok | All administrations since the Civil War. They are familiar in State government. A conspicuously successful administrator lv-fln; of his consecration, an ht ’Rc.v. .Yoh:uaml;r urray, presiding bishop, . James’ Church at Atlantic City was called to meet in Washing- next month to select his suc- . There was considerable specu- lation as to who would be the new pre- il bishop. Bithop. Anderson's name was _not among the candidates. As vice chair- man of the House of Bishops, an officc & which he had been elected the year fore, he was presiding over that body when the stampede which elected him oceurred. Elected on His First Vote. On the sixteenth ballot, although his smme W"lmu.lg had not been voted on, he received 70 of the 94 votes, two more than the necessary majority. The election occurred in Béthlehem Chapel of the Washington Cathedral on No- vember 13, 1921 Bishop Murray's term was to have expired In 1032. The new presiding Bishop named Dr. Hugh L. Burleson, Missionary Bishop of South Dakots, as ‘his assistant. Bishop Anderson said at that time he had no intention of resignl a8 Bishop of Chicago, but would conf %o fill both offices. The office of pre- ®iding bishop carries with it the presi- dency of the National Councll, execu- tive and sdministrative body of the church. Offices of the church head- quarters are in New York City. The outdoors always attracted Bishop Anderson and he was a great lover of nature, passing his Summers at his lodge in the Wisconsin woods, where he tramped, fished, read and studied in the open. Often he would conduct services in a little chapel he had built in the forest. On September 4, 1889, Bishop Ander~ #on married Miss Janet Glass of Belle. wille, Ontario. A son and threc daugh- Yers were born to them. The son was gfld while serving with the American rces overseas during the World War. ELECTION HAILED AS VICTORY. Bishop Anderson, elected nruKlnT bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church in America November 13 at the Cathedral here, had been put for- ‘ward as & compromise candidate on the sixteenth ballot, when the meeting scemed deadlocked. He was chosen over 15 others. ‘When his election became known, it ‘was halled as a victory by exponents of religious tolerance and separation of church and state. His election brought géneral rejoicing in Episcopalian circles , despite dis- appointment of mi that the office did ot go to Right Rev. James E. Freeman, ishop of Washington, who figured prominently in many of the ballots. Informed by The Star of Bishop An- derson’s death, officials at the Wash. ington Cathedral immediately tele. aphed Bishop Freeman, ew York on business. "« AWAIT CALL FOR MEETING. NEW YORK, January 30 (# —Offi- cials of the Protestant Episcopal Chureh today were awaiting word from Right Rev. Willlam A. Leonard, senior bishop, Who leaned heavily on commissions was former Gov. Alfred E. Smith. In the case of the Hoover administration the difference is one of degree. The Conservation Commission. ‘The recently appointed Commission on Conservation and Administration of the Public Domain is a choice specimen of the Hoover commission. It was called into being to deal with a vast evil which has been steadily progress- ing for 25 years, an evil which has de- fled remedy, because of violent differ- ences of opinion as to the facts. The evil 1s that of overgrazing on the public lands, which is causing an enormous destruction of natural re- sources in 11 Rocky Mountain and Pacific Coast States. With the grass eaten bare as fast as it grows, the soil loses it abllity to absorb and hold back ‘water. The rain runs off in freshets and the snow melts in Spring flood. The ground trampled and loosed by Joil s molst From SHAng OF Fall Tains, soil is me pring or Fall rains, has been washed off until milllons of acres of former grass land is now bar- ren. It has been asserted that, under roper regulation, the public graszing ands would sustain three times the cattle and sheep now grazing on them. There is at present no law by which grazing can be controlled. The subject was described as followed by Represent- ative French: “There are great areas of public do- main over which I have traveled and with which I am familiar in our West- ern States, great areas, that not so many years ago were blessed with splendid n cover, which today, on account ¢ | Of erosion, look like the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Danlel the prophet.” Irrigation Projects Suffer. ‘The stockmeii are not the only losers by this policy of destruction. The vast amount of soil carried away chokes the rivers and reservoir: Zuni Rese: 95 per cent of its capacity, and other great irrigation projects have suffered, though to a lesser extent. The Missis- sippl flood was partly due to the rapid run-off of water from soil which for- merly, because of its vegetation, stored it and released it slowly; it was aiso partly due to billions of tons of silt scoured off the overgrazed public lands. Years ago it was recognized that the balance established by nature had been upset by overgrazing: that rivers were running wild in the lowlands because of destruction of vegetation in the high- lands; and that farmers thousands of miles away were having difficulties about their water supply because of the meth- pursued by stockmen grazing sheep and cattle near the headwatel Members of Congress from the dis- tricts most immediately affected have sought, session after session, for legisla- to control grazing. They falled, however, to catch the attention of Con- gress or of the Nation, These Congress- men failed because they were few in number and in disagreement among themselves. The subject was compli- cated by conflicting regional interests nd conflicting private interests. Irri- gation and agricultural interests want drastie legisiation; stockmen fear that drastic regulation will regula them out of existence. There is propaganda and counter-propaganda outside of Congress: in Congress there is a techni- cal chaos, because the subject-matter is under ‘the jurisdiction of 9 or 10 committees—the committee on flood control, the committee on irrigation, the committee on agriculture and many others. President Turns on Spotlight. voir in New Mexico, built 22 yea: 0, § is filled up by mud so that it has lost | the commission; they are there to MONTREAL, Quebec, January 30.— A telegram received here today an- to Testoring | noynced that the body of Peter Trans, diver, who had been trapped 20 feet under water at the plant of the Ontario Paper Co. at Riviere aux Outardes since Monday morning, was brought to the surface at 7:30 o'clock this morning. The telegram received at the com- pany’s offices here said: “The body of | Peter Trans was brought to surface 7:30 this morning. Doctors now examin- ing body.” DIVERS ATTEMPT RESCUE. Arrive at Isolated Village by Airplane After Delay by Snow. By the Associated Press. QUEBEC, January 30.—A drama of low worker, enacted beneath ice-chilled waters of the Riviere aux Outardes in the dead of night, held public atten- tion today. Scorning the added risk of contend- ing with strong and treacherous cur- rents under darkness, two divers descended into a cofferdam at the vil- iage of Point Outardes last night, hop- ing to be in time to bring Peter Trans, another diver, to the surface in time to save his life. He has been im- prisoned under 20 feet of water since Monday morning at 10:30. The rescue divers, Quesnel Morency and Lewis Begin, arrived at the isolat- ed village last night in an airplane after being delayed in their flight from here by a heavy snowstorn. The cofferdam was constructed at the plant of the Ontario Paper Co. in the pro- cess of building a power dam. They ;mm!dlltely descended into the coffer- jam. Chances that Trans has survived more than three days submersion in the cold pressure of the ai° which has been constantly pumped into his diving hel- met are considered remote. . Diver Fails to Respond. previous diving experience, donned a where Trans is imprisoned, said that he had obtained no response when he seized the trapped diver's hand and shook it. Persons acquainted with ‘Trans pinned their hope of lL.is rescue alive on his strong physique and stamina. . Silyala said that the strong current ad freed Trans from the spike on which his diving suit caught, t had carried him into a_pocket in the sub- structure of the cofferdam, from where he could not be extricated without tear- ing out part of the structure. He sald his inexperience in under- water worl. and fear of parting the uir- line upon which any chance for Trans’ rescue hangs, prevented him from try- ing to drag the imprisoned diver clear. Engineers yesterday began construct- crib about the spot where Trans ght to relieve the pressure of the current. e B The progress of rescue work has been - cabled frequently to Denmark, ‘Trans’ native coun ‘where he has a underwater work on the coffer dam. Attempt Failed. an intimate friend of Trans and who came to Canaga with him in 1928, donned a diving suit and without any previous experience made three attempts to aid him, but could do nothing. Morency and Begin, divers of long experience, were sent’- by their em- fl‘oyen, the Davie Shipbuilding Co. of uzon, Monday. They were iged to land at Rimouski and again a ticote on_their flight to Point Outarde: Point Outardes is & village 200 miles north of Quebec, near where the Riviere Lawrence. At this time of the year it is difficult to reach except by air- plane, because of ice in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, —_— changed overnight from a remote, un- intelligible local controversy to a na- tional affair, A quarter of a century ago the coun- try was aroused with even greater sud- denness over another previously obscure issue involving the waste of natfonal abruptly projected the problem of forest conservation into the national con- man was to put himself at the hoad of a good cause and ride down the opposition. It was probably the correct method in that case; at any rate it was highly successful.” In this case the Hoover commission is to follow, if pos- sible, the opposite course; that of bringing all sides her and seeking an agreement as to the facts and as to the remedies, This commission has more complex dutles and aims than those of the usual Hoover commission; it is asked to find the facts, to con- ciliate the opposing private interests, to recommend legisiation and to edu- cate public_opinion in order to mccel- erate the passage of the legislation. The representatives of the opposing in- terests—call- them lobbyists—are on confront one another, to lay their views on the table, to try to understand all sides of the problem and the Nation's interest. Solution Probable Outcome. It is possible that the commission will fail to reach an agreement; it is possible that, even if the commission does agree, Congress will reject its rec- | ommendations. The probabilities, how- ever, are that the problem is on the d to_solution. | , The Constitution in no way limits the President in performing his duty of | glving information to Congress. He 1 it in the White House.and hurl he is so disposed. Congiess has an absolute right to ignore it. Con- gress has the power also to refuse to appropriate money to aid the President in getting information, although this might be regarded as an encroachment of the legislative on the executive, in view of the fact-getting duty imposed by the Constitution on the President. Even in the possible case of a refusal of Congress to support the President’s fact-getting mctivities the President would probably not be greatly embar- rassed. The prestige of the office gives the President a right of eminent domain over the intellectual and scientific re- sources of the country. He can sum- mon whom he will to advise him; he can conscript scientists, business men, authorities of every kind; he can dra- goon academies, universities, labora- torles, foundations. The only limitations on presidential fact-hunting are those of c¢ommon sense. If carried beyond reasonable limits, satire and ridicule become effec- tive checks. So far, however, President Hoover has appointed s modest number personal courage and devotion to a fel- | water without food or drink and under | [€1f€ And pay n Aux Outardes empties into the St.| resources, when President Roosevelt | sciousness, The method of that great | 22 STAR, WASHINGTON, WOMEN APPLAUD NAVY CUT ATTACK | Tydings Urges Land and Air Forces Be Considered in -Arms Reduction. A statement of Senator Tydings, Democrat, of Maryland, that the Lon- don Naval Conference, in accomplishing material curtailment of naval strength, | would do so at greater loss of security to the United States than any other nation, was applauded by representa- tives of 43 women's patriotic organiza- tions here today. Speaking before the women's patriotic conference on national defense, Senator Tydings expressed disappointment that the London Conference is concerned ing that naval, land and air armaments are related in any consideration of de- fense, he #aid that simply to curtail one arm and build up the other two, a cir- cumstance which, he said, would cer- | tainly follow any accomplishment at { London, would be of no value as a solu- tion of the disarmament problem. “It is safe to assume,” he sald, “that delegates to the London Conference from European nations will think of supplementing their navies by additions to military strength.” Pointing out that the United States Army ranks twelfth among the nations, he said that *“our Navy permits our Army to be compara- tively small.” Should the London Conference result in material curtailment of Naval strength, a campaign for a much larger Army and ailr force in this country would neither be unlikely nor unrea- sonable, he said. Questionable Procedure. Urging the women's conference to agitate for the inclusion of land and air armaments in the agenda of in- ternational conferences, Senator Tyd- ings asserted that “too frequently dis- armament enthusiasts lose sight of the fact that to weaken one arm of de- tention to the others is a very serious and very questionable procedure.” “No country will sacrifice as much as the United States if naval strength is materially curtailed,” he Arvo Silyala, & laborer, who, without | Four other men now holding high office in public life or in the Army. all spare sult and made several descents to | Of Whom served in the World War, ad- dressed the confersnce this morning. Secretary of War Hurley advocated reasonable preparedness until the time “when the Golden Rule will be accepted as the fundamental principle of inter- national discourse.” Until that time. he sald, “as & prac- tical ‘peop'~ will be prepared to maintaie uational principles and institu.. .. which have brought about our unparalleled educational, social and material progress.” “Our measure of preparedness must be reasonable,” he said. “It must not assume such proportions as will give others occasion to consider it a menace to their freedom and national exist- { ance.” Other Speakers. Gen. Charles P. Summerall, Army chief of staff; Representative Royal 8. Johnson, chairman of the House com- mittee on veterans' affairs, and Maj. Gen. Amos A. Fries, retired, were the other speakers. Gen. Summerall told the conference that one of the prime. purposes of Fed- Aux Outardes two weeks ago to do the | era] revenues is to support armed forces rovided by Congress as contemplated the Constitution. He urged that the cost of national deferise not be confused with past wars or with t manifold clvllt:n activities of the War Depart- men “The cause of past wars is the price pald for acquiring and retaining our Government and territories,” Gen. Sum- merall said. “The present contribution toward the payment for past wars is the interest upon the investment on homes, our resources and our national existence. “The funds spent for fortification, armament, munitions and so forth, rep~ of the Army. The Army is the instru- ment of Government to preserve peace by giving it strength and it wins back peace by victory I - been lost.” Promises Preparedness. members of the House veterans com- mittee is to care for those who suffered as a result of the World War, Repre- sentative Jol told the conference, d to see to it that in the event of war again soldiers will be armed and know at least how to operate the locks on their rif The latter tement he made In alluding to the state of un. preparedness in 1916, and the dele. should be the pur of the Nation to guarantee that that condition might not be repeated. Gen. Fries discussed briefly the pro- gram and purposes of the Reserve Offi- o Training Corps, emphasizing that the dominant thought in ment of the movement is the defense of l.hethl,lan'l homes, £ to hear phases of national defense dis- c sentative Lewis W. Douglas of Arizon Hesekiah N. Duff, commander in chief of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and & member of the conference, and Mr: William S8herman Walker, chairman ol the National Defense Committee of the the American Revolution. Guarantees of Parity. Adequate defense of the United States with guarantees of parity with all tions were urged last evening by spe About 1,000 women, including the wives of members of Congress, attended and, following the meeting, participated with conference leaders in a reception 1 honor of the executives of the 43 patri- otic organizations represented in the conference. FEDERAL RETIREMENT T0 BE FORUM TOPIC Senator Dale to Discuss Pending Bill on Radio Hook-up Tonight. ‘The pending bill to modify the law ployes will be discussed tonight by Sen- ator Dale of Vermont, chairman of the Senate civil service committee, in the Nt Radio a Star d b} and sponsored by WAL only with naval disarmament. Assert- | each generation in our liberty, our| resent an insurance premium for future | security,” he asserted. “It must be| borne in mind that war is an act of the | people and of the Government, and not | battle when peace | Pe The dominant thought actuating | ™ gates cheered his declaration that it ! the develop- | fternoon the conference planned | National Defense Committee; Repre-| | tion enforcement bill. “The ple of | the visiting Pharisees.” National Society of the Daughters o!\ | City"). It 'is ultimate proof that taxa- | rs at the opening conference meeting. | governing the retirement of Federal em- | D. C. THURSDAY, JANUARY SCENES IN-HEAVIEST SNOW STORM IN 8 YEARS A view in Rock Creek Park. Some of the eatly morning crews clearing away the snow. Below: One of the street railway plows in acti —Star S Pl BLEASE TO BACK HOWELL DRY BILL; DENIES HE IS WET' | AR | | __(Continued From First Page) whatghe thinks best, but when a State | has expressed itself a representative of | the State should carry out that wish. “I shall vote for any bill that will help reduce vice and crime that is| rampant in Washington and that is| being winked at by higher officials,” Senator Blease declared. | ‘There were indications this afternoon that the Howell bill would be handled | by the entire District committee rather | than a subcommittee. It had been ex- | cted that the bill would be referred to the judiciary subcommittee of which | Senator Jones of Washington is cmlr-‘ . Senator Jones, who is also chajr- of the appropriation committee of | the Senate, said today he advised Sen- | ator Capper that he would not be able | to assume the chairmanship of a sub- | committee in view of his other dutles. | No decision has been reached yet to the procedure in considering the , | but it is likely that it will be taken up | by. the full committee, Chairman Capper of the District committee had indicated he would refer | it to the judiciary subcommittee, Al- though the membership of the Dis-| trict committee inclu men with | views on opposite sides of the gen- | question of prohibition, it is likely | t the consideration of the pending bill will hinge more on the provisions that should placed in it rather than ?‘n e general discussion of prohib! jon. “Reformers seek to make Washington & warren of guinea piy 8 Repre- sentative Loring Black, Democrat, and wet, of New York, today in voleing condemnation of the HoweM prohibi- the National Capital are to speci- mens for all the noble experiments of Representative Black characterized the Howell bill as “the most recent legislative atrocity to visit Washington, D. C. (D. C. hereafter to mean Dry | tion without representation is Lyranny. . noi put jail bars arouna the entire city,” continued Mr. Black, “If all Washingtonians are presumed to be felons? Why not let the animals out of the Zoo and herd the people in the cages? “How can Washington be made & whom 8t. Peter will turn down on sight? desert entirely surrounded by cases? “Small town standards should not be inflicted on a great city. loreover, camrlrltlva statistics show that the Oapital City is as law abiding as any of :‘ t“ stricts from which the reformers ail. Senator Robsion, Republican of Ken- tucky, newest member of the District committee, is slated to fill a vacancy on the subcommittee that will handle the Howell bill. Senator Robsion said to- day that he favors the eighteenth amendment and its honest and effective to discuss the provisions of the Howell bill, { “eaking of the City ‘of Washington | 8 ‘crally, and without reference to the pending bill, Senator Robsion said he Tegarded the District of Columbla as #bove the average and thought it had & law-abiding citizenship, BORAH DEMANDS ACTION BY DORAN Holds Herbert Should Be Ex- onerated or Removed as Dry Administrator. (Cont: From First Page.) trator in his State has a clean bill of health. Congressional wets are busy plannin, an intensive assault upon the citads of prohibition to be launched in natn hearings before the House judiciary committee on measures proposing that the eighteenth amendment be repealed. ‘The anti-prohibitionists are ly gratified at the prospect of a thorough Investigation of "conditions under the dry laws. They are preparing to take full advantage of this opportunity for which they have clamored for many months. A spectacular battle, reminiscent of the inquiry conducted a few years ago by a Senate committee under Reed of Missouri, is expected to result, as the drys, too, are making their preparations ;nd intend to present a vigorous de- ense. Favor Sabath Resolution. Wet strategy is expected to resolve into a concentration of effort upon the one or two measures thought more like~ ly to be approved by the committee, Representative Linthicum of Maryland, a Democrat, chairman of the unofficial House wet organization, is inclined to favor & resolution by Representative Sabath, Democrat, Illinois, as the one that should be vigorously pushed. This measure proposes an amendment to the eighteenth amendment, under which Congress would be empowered to govern the manufacture, transportation and sale of liquors under Government permits and In packages. Another proposal highly favored by the wets is that of Representative Mary ‘T. Norton, Democrat, New Jersey, for national referendum on the question of repealing the eighteenth amendment. ‘The hearings are to begin on Febru- ary 12, The full judiciary committee will look into proposals for the repeal of the eighteenth amendment. Measures modifying the existing law will be con- sidered by a subcommittee under the leadership of Representative Dyer, Re- publican, Missouri, himself a wet and the author of a measure to permit bev- erages with an aleoholic content of 2.75 per cent. Should some one or another of these measures be brought eventually to the floor of the House, the sponsors of pro- hibition are confident of their voting strength. The highest estimate of the number of ballots commanded by the wet bloc is a little more than 100, or ap- proximately one-fourth of the House membership. The drys scoff at this fig- ure and estimate it, rather, at about 60. HEARINGS WILL AIR ILLS. Strange Political Alignments on Wet- Dry Question Are Held Possible, BY DAVID LAWRENCE. ‘The decision of the House judiciary eomm!;ue io, open hearings _on Lir&; coln’s birt! on various rropmll repeal or mod{f the hibition laws is significant of the desire of to give full opportunity to debate wl has become the most perplexing issue in American politics. Measures ranging from proposals to obtain 2.75 per cent beer to a general referendum to determine public senti- ment have been pr and while it is hardly likely that any report would be acted on by this session of the committee hearings will do several things. 5 ‘Weaknesses Will Be Revealed. Pirst, they will afford an opportunity for some of the wet congressmen to demonstrate to their constituents in large wet areas that the subject i being agitated a ssively. Second, they will reveal weaknesses in the existing law particularly with reference to the conduct of raids and other legal difficulties in connection with the use of the injunction and the dlock. ”‘l‘hlrd. the hearing will take up what the Wickersham commission has an- nounced it will avoid, namely, & dis- cussion of the merits of prohibition apart from enforcement, The House committee’s determination to have hearings, which will be the first since the days when the eight- eenth amendment and the Volstead act were , i8 & direct result of the fact that President Hoover opened the subject with the appointment of the Wickersham commission and that the Iatter, with the Attorney General, has back to Congress responsibility { |for more effective enforcement ma- DEEPEST SNOWFALL HERE SINCE 1922 CRIPPLES TRAFFIC . (Continued From First Page) ings, safety zones, etc, and carted the Snow away to sewer: Every gang foreman was constituted an employment agent with authority to hire extra men and the District 15 taking on all the temporary labor it can get to shovel snow. is the amount of equipment available for the men to handle. more extra men had been hired by Heaven when politicians come nere | DOON. There remalns in the fund provided for all street cleaning work about ‘'Why should Washington be made & | $187,000. The last snow cost about $11,000 to remove and the indications are now that the present snow will cost about $20,000 to $30,000 more. Fund Net Enough. The $187,000 will not be enough to cover the *work of cleanin the balance of the fiscal ye cost of this work is normally i r month, which indicates that the District will need for the re- maining five months of the fiscal year nearly $250,000. ent. He was not ready today, | DoAl::ld A. Davi ‘The only limit Commissioner sald today that Congress would be asked to app: deficiency item in March or April, the danger of snow has passed, to allow the city to continue with the work of keeping streets clean. All work of street cleaning and snow removal must be done out of a_ lump sum_ appropriation of $500,000. during the day. Workers Out Early. ‘To facilitate return home through the snow tonight of the horde of Gov- ernment workers, most of the Federal departments and establishments planned to close early this afternoon. ‘The Department of the Interior, ac- cording to a survey at noon, was plan- ning the earliest dismissal on schedule, at 2:46 o'clock for all who could be spared. This was taken to mean all would be let out that time. Other departments which had de- cided to close early were State and War at 3 o'clock, Treasury at 3:30 and the Department of Commerce some time between 3 and 4. Several others were making plans for early closing. This staggered hour dismissal of | Government workers was interpreted | not only as helplt)‘nv.lu workers them- | selves, but as prov; g beneficial to the transportation - companies, STATEMENT CORRECTED. Warrant Charged Violation of Act of Congress. In a story printed yesterday The Star was in error in saying that a warrant had been issued for the arrest of W. W. Chambers, 1400 Chapin street, for violating the smoke law. A warrant was issued for Mr. Cham- bers charging violation of an act of Congress which states that all build- ings more than three stories in height which are to be used as apartments must be equipped with certain fire ap- ratus. The premises in question are isted at 1408 Chapin street. comply with about 700 such requests and payc! | chinery, There are indications that the House tion vigorously. Strange Political Line-ups. ‘The Democrats from the South are very critical of the Hoover administra. tion's_attitude toward the dry laws. Eastern Republicans who incline toward modification might find them- selves voting against administra- tion for reasons that have to do with the wet side of the debate. Some of 3 ’h ready to tackle the prohibition ques- |the Democrats from the South are be- ginning to see the political ties in the confusion resulting whole prohibition controversy. North ern Democrats particularly are usually on the anti-prohibition side of the ar- gument. The existence of groups which are likely to differ with the administra- tion has made it somewhat difficult for the drys to rate with the same iy bice-eld. topiner Ireserive ot oe _hel er ve of ::rluul consideration. The drys today have a safe majority on nni clear cut issue. Most of the wets, however, insist that they would not favor a return %o the saloon and it 1s doubtful whether a canvass of the wets would reveal any substantial num- ber at this time in favor of returning to & whisky basis. The drive at the moment on which wets are con- is first to bring about an admission that the present situation is satisfactory to nobody. And that temperance and & modification would develop a friendly public sentiment. Dry Leaders Are Cautious. The dry leaders on the other hand are cautious about making any conces- slon, fearing that any cl in the tions on nalcoholic eontent moral defeat and would lead to increases in alcoholic content of beverages. Meanwhile, the axd of which Represeniative of Mis- souri, & prominent wet, i§ chairman, will irlnhnvem prominent ielans atrists to testity that 2.78 per cent beer is not intoxicating. It will be recalled that the Supreme Court of the United States did not attempt by its committee decision to prescribe what are the limits to which Congress might go in defining an intoxicating beverage. The court merely said that Congress was within its rights in prescribing one-half & per cent as a safe limit. What the Supreme Court would g\. ol CHARGE WAS IGNORED. |¥s e, St op, Bt ure and while the wets are STy to to eall & meeting of the House of Bishops | Here President Hoover stepped in. Broadcast Bystem. o~ e lossis 1o Slest & suossesor io Most ev. ChATEES | T Sitatii o B g e o | o e e h s padoet DS b e I R L T French Salon Postponed. Congress falls 1o pass & denciency | Flo%le Virginia Cody Not Among Bescme iuictioaien ta Palmerston Anderson. presiding bishop | that cried aloud for & commission. He | tion. On paper it appears that he is|tor wi 1 go before the mpicrophone at The French Bal measure it would mean that during the Persons Indicted. of the church, who died today in Chi- | named one with 25 members—the gov-|not yet running ahead of Presidents |10:30 o'clock. * e French Salon of the District of | jast months of the fiscal year very lit- " ”",, ooty e it 1 ernors of 11 Staies, representatives of | Coolidge, Harding and Wilson in ap-| The Dale-Lehlbach retirem.nt bill|Columbia Branch of American Pen |tle OF 1o street cleaning could be done, S Es of violating 4he Jeda- | Peoyle could e Leonard sailed yesterday from | the various conflicting private Interests | polnting commissions; But he has |passed the Senate January 6 and now is | Women, scheduled for this evening, has | e shsihpimale e o Jredurad "agaiios- Fistule | Yeie WeuM aet New York on the liner Siatendam for & | and representatives of the Nation at|hinted that there are many more com- (awal action in the House. Senator | be:n postponed owing to the weather. Service Maintained. irgin! ly been ignored by the S . cruise o fthe West Indies. large. Dr. James R. Garfield, Secretary | ing. Further than that, the Hoover |Dale will discuss .ita provisions and i il oned With the exception of the line to|grand jury. Her name was printed last Bishop Hugh Latimer Burleson of | of the Inierior under President Roote- | Commistion w:!ellllum“ml‘l 8. qomc ] peoeple eftect ehuld it be dnasted ints Park Dedicated to Writer. Sy AR AL R , who was assistant to velt, is irman. Amoi t commis- | miss| v 3 o ac] lul p- < E2nkots, e = Senator, & Republican, has been | NEW YORK, January 30 (#).—Joyce preciable delay. lerson, sent A radio messuge | sioners are e Horace Lorimer, ed- | or more subjects, each of which would | :The i""i’mm" A"al;mum. notifying him :1 itor of the m” Evening Post, and | be sufficient to occupy an ordinary com- | in the Senate for seven years and pre- | Kilmer Park has been dedicated as a| American Automobile -Association the death of the presiding bishop and | Mrs. Mary Roberts Rinehart, novelist. | mission. There is no doubt that a new | viously served in the House fram the | memorial to the newspaper man and | headquarters was besieged by telephone that he name an asiistant By the spotlighting power the | chapter in the political history of the | Sixty-fourth to the Sixty-ninth Con- ! soldier poet who wrote: calls from motorists for assistance. The in calling the meeting ¢ presidency the wl b was sud- United States is beginning; we are in gresses. He is considered an authority s are made by fools like me great mlon%hol these calls were for d‘efly itted of ty. It was th. .- o e ons, on the retirement question, But only God.can make a tree. skid chains. » ropriation becomes ted and | prove that some. le would tar h in gress, list furnished to tion to allow it it will mates the ce of United States on AL | Fially” ald 'in oping. publio senti- flem Andl in Mfiuttn,n Public as to Alrlines between Bolivia and adjoin- | fiuisied® volved: 18 pro-. e pssociation expects to |ing countries 'm planned, " (Copyrixnt, 1930.)