Evening Star Newspaper, February 15, 1930, Page 14

A—I4 URGES U. . BUY * THE EVENING STAR., WASHIRGTON, 1930. D. . HEADS REPORT D. C. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15, UTILITES T0 GET | |Visitors Attending Colored Lodge Are Accuser LEHLBACH STRIKES “*of the country deterred from visiting M1 VERNON HOME FOR CELEBRATION Representative Plans Bill to Take Over Washington’s Former Estate. BIRTHDAY OBSERVANCE WILL BE PRETENTIOUS | Treadway Declares Beloved Ameri- can Shrine Should Be Thrown Open to Public. ) ! BY WILL P. KENNEDY. A proposal that the United States Gov- ernment take over Mount Vernon, the home and burial place of George Wash- | ington, as one of the features of the celebration in 1932 of the bicentennial of Washington's birth, and throw open | the gates so that all school chidren and | others from every State in the Union) may be admitted free to this greatest of | American shrines, has been made by Representative Allen T. Treadway of | Massachusetts. i ‘The National House of Representa-| tives has by formal vote decided to make the Washington birthday celebration | this year more pretentious than usual; in order to focus attention on the plans | being made by a commission appointed | by former President Coolidge to arrange for a Nation-wide and epochal celebr: tion of Washington's bicentenary ob- servance. On_Washington's birthday, February 22, Representative Treadway | intends to introduce his bill for the Government to take over the Mount| Vernon property. ‘This legislation is proposed at tlfl51 time because of the several important Capital development projects linking Mount Verncn with Washington City, which Washington founded, and the Great Falls, on the Potomac, near which | are his earliest engineering feats. When legislation was under discussion in the House for the restoration of Wakefield, the birthplace of Washington, and again | when the George Washingtbn Memorial Parkway project to connect Mount Ver- | non with the Great Falls by a parkway, with palisade drives on both sides of the river, and when Congress appro- priated $4,500,000 last year to lay out the most beautiful stretch of boulevard in the world, between Washington City | and Mount Vernon, to be known as the | Mount Vernon Boulevard, Representa- | tive Treadway on each occasion pro- tested that the gates of Mount Vernon | should not be closed against visitors! unless they naid an admission fee. He declared that this shrine should be most carefully preserved by the Government | itself and should be open at all times| to all the people. Face Opposition by Women. ‘This proposal faces strong opposition | because an association of patriotic women, representing every State in the Union, has been for many years restor- ing and caring for Mount Vernon as a labor of love, after both the Federal! Government and the State of Virginia had refused to rescue it from a state of delapidation and decay. This work of restoration was carried on with funds| contributed by the patriotic women of the country, and with Edward Everett, | the great Massachusetts stateman, as a | principal contributor. | One of the principal objections raised | in the past against having the Federal Goyernment take over this property was thé object lesson shown at Wakefield, the birthplace of Washington, and Arl- ington House, the former home of Gen. Robert E. Lee, both owned by the Gov- ernment, which had not been properly preserved. This latter objection is now | being removed by the fact that the! work of restoration of the Arlington House is now nearing completion, and Cngress has authorized an appropria- | tion for the restoration of Wakefield. Representative Treadway, in declar- ing his intentian to introduce this bill on Washington’s birthday, said that he appreciates the excellent condition in which the Mount Vernon property has been kept by the regents of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association of the Union, incorporated under the laws of Virginia, who hold the legal title to the property. “I am informed that the property had become very much run down and these women from patriotic and unsel- fish motives purchased it,” said Repre- sentative Treadway. “The reason why 1 advocate and expect to present a bill for ownership by the Federal Govern- ment is that as years elapse, more and more the name of Washington and all that is connected with it becomes hal- | lowed in the minds of the Amcflcanl people and particularly the rising gen- | eration. H Loved Mount Vernon. “Congress has by very recent action shown that even ~the birthplace of | ‘Washington is regarded as a national shrine, and should be owned by the Federal Government. I submit that unless a scholar in civics happened to study the life of Washington very few of cur citizens would connect Wake- field with the name of Washington. He | lived, died and was buried at Mount | Vernon. It is well known how he loved that spot and both its delightful loca- tion and the associations that he! brought to it. It was here that he en- tertained his distinguished friends. “The last Congress appropriated 84,500,000 to build a memorial boule- vard to Mount Vernon. We have re- cently voted in the House to establish the Washington Memorial Parkway up and down the Potomac River to Great Falls and beyond. All of these actions reflect the interest and pride of the American people in the name of Wash- ington and his life. To have his home and fmb privately owned is an anom- oly. To have this highway, built by the | Government, extend to private property | where admission is charged for entrance | 1s an absurdity. | “What a splendid conclusion of a fine work it would be for this patriotic group of women to generously offer to the Government the Mount Vernon es- tate, on the two-hundredth anniversary of Washington’s birth, when it is hoped the highway will be completed. “‘Desir! to act in entire harmony with the present owners, I shall hope to secure their consent to the introduc- tion of a sultable hill to carry out this purpose for appropriate introduction into the House on the anniversary of ‘Washington's birth, February 22. “The frame of mind of Congress and | of the American people as reflected by Congress was illustrated the moment something was said recently on the floor of the House about a toll bridge at Great Falls. That was promptly pro- hibited. Congress then showed its real « feelings regarding such charges on tour- “ists who visit the National Capital. .Hundreds of thousands of school chil- ¢ dren are attracted to Mount Vernon, {afrom all parts of the country. It would % be a crime to have the school children + this shrine on account of the charge made for admission. I will be quite will- ing to propose that the Mount Vernon ' Ladies’ Association of the Union should always have an active interest in the Mount Vernon property and should con- tinue its management under govern- ,mental ownership and direction.” MISS JACQUE! Model Complains Salesman Asked That She Disrobe Arrest Follows Investiga-| tion by Police Woman of Heiress’ Charge George Arone, 55 years old, shoe pol- | ish salesman, will ‘got a hearing in| Police Court Monday on a charge of as- | sault, with Miss Jacqueline Swift, 19- year-old Atlanta heiress and model, as complaining witness. The case was continued when called today. Miss Swift. who came to Washington several months ago to work, charges that Arone asked her to disrobe when she appeared at his office in the Inter- national Building in answer to his ad- vertisement for a model. She declined and told her story to police. She told ! authorities that Arone represented him- self as representative of a Pennsyl- vanid silk factory, specializing in lin- gerie. Yesterday a policewoman, accom- panied by Detective Charles Weber, called at Arone’s office as an applicant for the model’s position. She sald she recefved the same treatment as Miss Swift reported. Weber was called in and Arone arrested. He was later re- leased on $500 bond. Police say that approximatelv eight other young local girl models applied | in answer to the shoe polish salesman's | advertisement, but no other complaints | have been received. | Miss Swift lives at 1628 Columbia road. planner of this commission, is his pref- ace to a recent authoritative work on the family life of George Washington, says: “A very great deal remains for the American people still to do in order to realize the visions of Washington for the Capital City. Much also should be done to put his birthplace in order and to give proper sepulture to the bones of his ancestors. These plous duties should be made an integral part ot the approaching Washington bicen- tennial, provided for on a large scale by Congress. Only so can George Wash- ington be made a vital force for the generations to come.” ‘The Mount Vernon property had 10 owners in six generations of the fam- ily. covering a period of exactly two centuries of ownership following the coming of John, the immigrant. In 1846 a memorial was submitted to Congress asking the Government to purchase Mount Vernon. _This was signed by Vice President Dallas, the Speaker of the House, many members of both branches of Congress, the Sec- retaries of State, War, Navy and the Treasury: the mayors of Washington and Georgetown. ' It was urged at that time that for nearly half a century the kin of Washington had guarded and watched over his remains and had gra- tuitously entertained all who visited the tomb of the Father of His Country, ac- cording to the research made by Mr. Moore. Attention was called that the property then comprised 150 acres of poor land, with a group of ancient and dilapidated buildings and an old and untenanted tomb, rapidly going to ruin, and a new tomb. ‘The memorial protested that unless the Government purcahsed it, the es- tate might fall into the hands of “the agent of some Turk or other foreigner, who would then have the power to ex- act tribute or levy a tax in the shape of admission fees to all persons visit- ing those consecrated grounds.” Association Formed. ‘The preservation of Mount Vefmon is due to the tireless efforts of Miss Ann Pamela Cunningham of South Caro- lina, herself a helpless invalid. Start- ing in 1853, she organized the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, hiding her identity under the pseudonym of “The Southern Matron.” 1In spite of many | rebuffs, she continued for seven years | her labors to arouse the women of America to own and preserve Mount Vernon. In 1858 she interested in her work | the great Massachusetts orator, Edward Everett, and as a result he contributed | to the Mount Vernon fund the proceeds from his eulogy of Washington, amount- ing to $69,064, out of the $200,000 needed for the purchase. Miss Cun- ningham finally persuaded John Augus- tine Washington, the then owner. who cbjected to the charter granted by the State of Virginia, believing that the| ladies’ association and the State had conspired to put an indignity upon him, | that he must let the association buy the property, and must not feel that his State or himself were degraded by this act. | the Virginia Legislature, but on March purchase was completed on February 22, Cunningham perfected the organiza- tion of the board of control, consisting senting all the States of the Union. During the Civil War Mount Vernon had a caretaker. Both Union and Con- federate forces respected the tomb of Washington. Mr. Moore in his work calls attention that “the regents of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association of the Union, incor- porated under the laws of Virginia, hold the legal title to this property. In case of the dissolution of the associa- ticn.” he writes, “the property goes to the State of Virginia. Congress has no authority in the premises, and can have none, excepting with the consent of Virginia. Therefore, the movements jects to paying the 25 cents admission that the grounds should be open on Sunday) to have the Government pur- chase Mount Vernon and reduce it to the level of the Arlington House and Wakefield (bot! owned by the Govern- ment) must prove abortive.” Miss Cunningham was regent from 1853 to 1873, when she resigned. The present regent, the fifth, Charles Moore, chairman of the Com- ¥ mission of Fine Arts, which has for 4 many years taken leadership for a beantiful development of the National Capital and which is working in most carnest co-operation with the National Capital Park and Planning Commission tod with Charles W. zflm. 2d, city H. Richards of Maine, Miss Cunningh: and was buried at Columbia, 'S. Since her retirement there have been two superintendents—Col. J. M. Holl- A 5wcnh, who served from 1872 to Dodge, the *unt superintendent. She aiso had considerable trouble with | 19, 1858, the act was passed, and the | p, 1859. During the next two years Miss| &l of the regents and vice regents repre- | (that start when some organization ob- | ¢ fee, or when some one has the theory | and since 1885 Harrison H. § UNFAVORABLY ON GRAND JURY BILL Hold Custem of Locking Up Jurors Is Inconvenient | to Busy Men. {INTELLIGENT BECOMING UNWILLING TO SERVE! Believe Presiding Judges Should Be | Intrusted to Make Decisions in Matter. The District Commissioners_yester- day reported unfavorably to Congress | on the Brand bill calling for locking up Jurles in capital cases in the District, and also for locking up juries in other felonies, except where the prosecuting attorney and counsel for defendants can agree not to have the jury locked up. H “The custom of Jocking up jurors| has become extremely inconvenient to busy men, and, at times, harsh,” the Commissioners wrote. “Intelligent members of the community are becom- ing more unwilling as time goes on to surrender their liberties and be shut off | from communication with their friends, | business associates and family for the | periods of long drawn out trials, whlch. are becoming more numerous and more | protracted. The result is a reluctance on the part of intelligent and desirable jurors to serve on such cases. It is belicved the matter would be better handled by intrusting the presiding justice with the entire discretion as to when, and under what circumstances, separation should be permitted. “The Commissioners therefore recom- mend that in lieu of the two new sec- tions proposed, there be inserted one new section to read as follows: “‘The jury empaneled and sworn to try any case where a felony is charged may be locked up or may separate, in the discretion of the presiding judge and under such conditions as he may prescribe; when such jurors are locked up he may permit liberty of communi- cation with such person or persons and under such restrictions and conditions as_he may direct.’” The Commissioners awarded contracts {or the construction of sewers as fol- ows: To Warren F. Brenizer, Otis street sanitary sewer, between Thirteenth and Fifteenth streets northeast, $1,906.44. ‘To W. A. Pate, jr., Q street combined system sewer, between Sixteenth and Seventeenth streets, $4,025.64; Broad Branch road storm-water sewer, be- tween Rittenhouse street and Stephen- son place, $4,756.94; Q street replace- ment sewer, between Fourteenth and Sixteenth streets, $6,273.20. TWO D. C. POLICEMEN SLATED FOR DISMISSAL ‘The Police Trial Board recommended the dismissal of two policemen to the District Commissioners yesterday. The men were trled Wednesday. They are | G. L. Earl, eleventh precinct, and C. A. Waterman, first precinct. Earl was found gullty of failure to pay a just debt, and Waterman of improper association with a woman, whose husband named him as co-re- spondent in a divorce action, THE WEATHER District of Columbia—Cloudy, fol- lowed by srow or rain tonight and probably tomorrow morning; colder | tonight, with minimum temperature about 26 degrees; much colder tomor- row; moderate northeast A Maryland—Cloudy, with light snow tonight and possibly tomorrow morning; colder tonight and tomorrow; fresh north winds. Virginia—Cloudy, with snow or rain tonight and probably in east portion tomorrow morning; ~colder tomorrow and in west and north portions tonight; moderate to fresh northeast and north Winds. West, Virginla—Light snow and much colder tonight, with cold wave in west pclrdtlon; tomorrow partly cloudy and colder. Record for 24 Hours. Thermometer—4 pm., 49; 8 p.m, 41; 12 midnight, 38; 4 a.m., 35; 8 am., 35; noon, 36. Barometer—4 pm., 30.12; 8 pm., 30.22; 12 midnight, 30.26; 4 a.m., 30.27; 8 a.m, 30.29; noon, 30.27. Highest temperature, 49, occurred at 4:15 p.m. yesterday. Lowest tempera- ture, 33, occurred at 5 a.m. today. ‘Temperature same date last year— Highest, 47; lowest, 22. Tide Tables. (Furnished by United States Coast and etic Survey.) Today—Low tide, 4:05 a.m. and 4:25 | p.m.; high tide, 9:46 a.m. and 10:11 p.m. Tomorrow—Low tide, 4:52 am. and | 5:16 p.m.; high tide, 10:35 am. and | 11:01 p.m. The Sun and Moon, Today—Sun rose 7 a.m.; sun sets 5:45 p.m. Tomorrow—Sun rises 6:59 am.; sun sets 5:46 p.m. Moon rises 8:43 p.m.; sets 8:34 am. ‘Weather in Various Cities. UE Statlons. &wpaazsas Abilene, Tex 3030 ;tlhnny‘ N. Y. hicago, Lo. 30, Cincinnati, Ohio 30.30 Cleveland, 'Ohio. 30.28 3 olumbta, S . Tex... 30.16 Galveston. Tex. 2004 Mont... 3024 8. Dak.. 30.48 Indianapolis.Ind 30.32 Jacksonville,Fla. 30.02 | w York, N.¥.30 Oklahoma’ Ciy. 3 Omaha, ' Nebr. . 30. Philadeiphia,Pa. Bhoenix, Ariz .. 30. Pittsburgh, Pa. Portland, M Portland, alelgh, it Lo t. Louls, Mo.. St. Paul. Minn. eattle, Was Slear loudy 30.58 Pt.cloud: 30.20 Rain Fog Cloudy Cloudy FOREIGN. m., Greenwich time, today.» ‘Temperature. Weather . 38 Rain Victims of Thieves Hats Are Stolen From 2 as 2 Others Lose Overcoats. The fraternal equanimity of the col- ored Masonic Temple at Tenth and U streets was rudely disturbed last night when each of four colored brethren from Baltimore was forced to give the d15~[ tress signal, in rapid succession. It appears that some one, unmindful of the traditional spirit of trustful camaraderie distinguishing such tem- ples of mystic fraternalism, made away with two overcoats and a couple of hats belonging to the visitors from Maryland. Considerately, the perpetrators of the outrage left the thse of their over- coat victims and the overcoats of their hat victims as modicums of consolation and comfort. The victims were not mollified, however, and they reported theflthcfl.s to police of the eighth pre- cinct. The visitors whose Valentine evening thus was_chilled for them gave their names as Frederick Pinder, Charles Wil- liams, William Miller and J. Thomas. BRIGHTWOOD BODY OPPOSES CROSBY Citizens Also Against Jones Bill Broadening Commis- sioners’ Qualifications. Oppositon to the appointment of Maj. Gen. Herbert B. Crosby as a Dis- trict Commissioner” and to the Jones bill broadening the qualifications of District Commissioners was expressed last night at a meeting of the Bright- wood Citizens’ Association in the new Brightwood School. Elmer Johnson, in gresenung the resolution, pointed out that the organic act of 1878 provided for two “civilian” Commissioners, and that from legal opinions rendered the appointee after his retirement next month from the Army would not come under this pro- vision. ' John Claggett Proctor, in his resolu- tion, protested against enlarging the powers of the President in the appoint- ment of District Commissioners, as provided in the proposed Jones act. This resolution also was unanimously adopted. Avenue Improvement. Immediate improvement of New Hampshire avenue to the District line, to connect with the proposed short cut to Baltimore via Takoma Park, White Oak and Ellicott City, was urged by H. E. King in a resolution adopted by the association. The necessity of fire pro- tection for the Masonic and Eastern Star Home, with its more than 100 oc- cupants, in addition to a number of small children, was stressed. Extension of this thoroughfare was ordered in 1915, and assessments amounting to thousands of dollars have been paid. A. W. Foster reported that the new Brightwood Post Office location would in all probability be on Georgia avenue near the present site. Action on Dr. Tindall. ‘The association unanimously adopted a resolution presented by Mr. Proctor, requesting retention of Dr. Willlam Tindall, for more than 50 years con- nected with the District Building, with- out regard to provisions of the retire- ment act. He said that he will shortly be retired unless Congress authorizes his retention. He spoke of his long and faithful service to the District in his capacity for mahy years as secretary of the Board of District Commissioners and later in charge of the bureau of in- formation, and his personal knowledge of precedents and his familiarity with all public matters made him a most val- uable official. Joseph H. Wilson, the newly elected president of the Sixteenth Street Heights Citizens' Association, was welcomed by President Charles W. Ray and ' spoke briefly on matters in his territory and particularly the recent order transfer- ring pupils of the lower grade to the Takoma Park School. CHILD WELFARE HEAD’S DISMISSAL REQUESTED The National Society for the Hu- mane Regulation of Vivisection, in ses- sion last night at the Playhouse, 1814 N street, called upon President Hoover to dismiss Dr. H. E. Barnard, director of child welfare, and opposed the ap- pointment of Dr. Samuel McC. Hamill of Philadelphia to the White House Conference on Child Health and Pro- tection. Speakers were John S. Codman of Boston of the International Conference for Investigation of Vivisection, and Robert Logan of the Anti-Vivisection Society of Philadelphia. Protests were made because of ex- periments ascribed to Dr. Hamill and because Dr. Barnard, it was said, fa- vored Dr. Hamill's appointment to the White House Conference post. The American Medical Association was crit- icized. The organization also indorsed the dog exemption bill. Rev. Dr. C. Ernest Smith, president of the National So- clety for the Humane Regulation of Vivisection, presided. Other organiza- tions also_sponsoring the meeting in- cluded: The Washington Humane So- ciety, League Against Cruel Sports and Practices and the Humane Educational Society. The meeting here was de- scribed as one of a series. CITY NEWS IN BRIEF. TODAY. Justice Lodge, No. 6, O. S. of B, will give a card party at the home of Mrs. C. E, Horne, Apartment No. 5, 3620 Con- necticut avenue, tonight, 8:30 o'clock. Annual bridge party for the benefit of De Molay Commandery, No. 4, Knights Templar, Ladies’ Auxiliary will be held tonight, 8 o'clock, Chestnut Farms Au- ditorium. Mrs. Dorothea Morse Struck will talk on “How to Be Happily Married,” to- night, 8 o'clock, at the League for the Larger Life, 1628 K street. Admisison free. Public welcome. Federation of “Citizens' Associations will meet tonight in the board room of the District Building, 8 o'clock. FUTURE. Ladics'_Aid Society of the German | Orphan Home is giving a card party Monday, 1:30 o'clock p.m., at the Thomas Circle Club, 1326 Massachusetts avenue. A card party for the benefit of St. Aloysius Church will be given under the auspices of Blessed Virgin Sodalities Monday night at the Notre Dame Audi- torium, North Capitol and K streets, Red Triangle Outing Club will meet at Rosslyn at 2:45 tomorrow to take the Arlington-Green Valley line car at 3 o'clock to Fort Berry, Va. Hike will be 5% miles to Lloyd, via Forts Richard- son and Scott, and will allow several died May 1, 1875, | BiSekn reen ores urrent obser Bermuda Part cloudy ar cuts to car line for those wishing to shorten walk. No campfire. Waldburg Hewitt, leader. Mrs. Ellen Spencer Mussey Tent, Daughters of Union Veterans, will give a patriotic program followed by a Colo- nial darice, Monday evening at 1502 M: Fourteenth street. FURTHER HEARING ON COURT MEASURE Capper Calls Meeting of Dis- trict Committee for Tues- day Afternoon. PROTESTS IN MERGER FIGHT TO BE FULLER/ Form in Which Amendments Were Drafted by Commission Stren- uously Opposed. ‘The Senate District committee was called today by Chairman Capper to meet at 3 o'clock Tuesday afternoon to give further consideration to the ob- jections of the local utility companies to the bill establishing a new plan of court procedure in local utility cases. The committee several days ago ap- proved this new method of court pro- cedure as recommended by the Public Utilities Commission, when it decided | to take the court amendments out of the street railway merger resolution and present them to the Senate as a sep- arate legislation. It also was decided at that time to press for congressional action on the court amendments be- fore passing the merger resolution, Objections Are Made. The several public service companies made strenuous objection to the form in which the court amendments were drafted by the Public Utilities Com- mission when the Senate committee held its first public hearing several weeks ago. The committee has been called to take up the question again next week, following receipt of requests from the companies for an opportunity to state their opposition more fully. At the former hearing it was indi- cated that while the companies would not object to some changes in the pres- ent law relating to court procedure in utility cases, they were unable to agree to the provisions favored by the com- mission. The commission has explained that the amendments are intended to prevent the court from acting as an ad- ditional utilities commission. The amendments would confine the court to passing on questions of law, except in cases involving constitutional questions. An important clause in the commis- sion’s plan, around which much of the discussion has revolved, sets forth that when an appeal is taken from an order of the commission “the findings of the commission as to the facts upon which such order or decision is based shall be conclusive, if such findings are sup- ported by evidence and if such order or decision is not confiscatory.” Keech Nomination. ‘When the committee meets Tuesday it also will take up the nomination of Richmond B. Keech, an assistant cor- poration counsel, who was named by President Hoover to be People’s Coun- sel for the Utilities Commission, to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Ralph B. Fleharty. DINNER TO HONOR BISHOP FREEMAN Plans Made for Large Attendance at Fellowship Gathering Tuesday. The fourth annual fellowship dinner in honor of Right Rev. James E. Free- man, Bishop of Washington, will be held at the Hamilton Hotel Tuesday night, TFebruary 25, and Maj. F. G. Munson, chairman of the committee in charge. announced today he expected several hundred men to attend. Plans are be- ing made for the largest gathering of its kind yei given. ‘The purpose of the dinner, Maj. Mun- son explained, “is to promote the cause of Christian fellowship throughout the diocese of Washington by renewing pledges of loyalty to the bishop.” The speakers will be Bishop Freeman and Rt. Rev. Charles Fiske, Bishop of Central New York. Tickets are being handled by Hugh ‘T. Nelson, 927 Fifteenth street,and are not confined to members of the church, but are available to all. Members of the interparochial dinner committee include: Maj. F. G. Munson, chairman; Charles M. Potter, secretar: N. W. Dorsey, treasurer; H. D. Amis arrangements; Hugh T. Nelson, tickef J. W. Chambers, decorations; Admiral 8. 8. Wood, guests; J. Harris Franklin, music; Arthur Anderton, publicity; R. C. Henry, printing; Busey Howard, par- ish representation; W. F. Bowen, W. H. Goldsmith, Edward A. Harriman, H. Lawrence Choate, Donald Gerow, H. Bryan, J. W. Degrange, W. P. Fole! Daniel Graham, Frederick E. Hodg Col. Willlam McKelvey, W. M. Harr) Ralph R. Molster, Henry P. ‘W. Sinclair Bowen, Robert E. Peyton E. Fletoher, Elwood W. J. Moore, Houghton, A. C. Ryerson, J. B. William R. Ellis, J. H. Davidson, A thur M. Lind, Thomas G. Spence, Ogle R. Singleton, Charles F. Wilson, 8. D. Turner, A. P. Hart, Fulton Lewis, Ar- thur Bromley, H. L. Poynton, Royal E. Burnham, H. W. Burnside, T. N. Hil Clark Brown, Raymond K. Jon Charles H. Miller, Dr. William Ea Clark, H. C. C. Stiles, J. Ruppert Moh- ler, Frank Hagan, S. Fillius, James Larsen, Willlam J. Erskine, Bruce Baird, Jesse C. Watts, David Davidson, R. Hanson Weightman, F. Elllott Middle- ton, G. Hodges Carr, S. M. Clarke, Dr. Charles Diedel, Otway B. Zantzinger and Lewis T. Miller. BIBLE CLASS ELECTS PERRY PRESIDENT Bethany Church Organization Hears Address by Representa- tive Hogg. Election of officers and an_ address by Representative David A. Hogg of Indiana, featured the annual banquet of the Stevenson Bible class of the Bethany Baptist Church, which was held at the church Wednesday evening. . M. Perry was elected president. Other officers chosen were: A. C. Saunders, first vice president; C. E. Newman, second vice president; R. E. Luce, third vice president; H. A. Little, secretary; W. Earl Dent, assist~ ant secretary, and C. P. Boss, treasurer. At the banquet Charles Shackleford, former president, presided as toast- master. The newly elected officers were installed by the pastor of the church, Rev. Hugh T. Stevenson. A music {:mgrnm was rendered by the Ransdell “Harmony” Sisters, ac- companied by Miss Edith Reed; plano duet by Miss Louise Shepherd and Mrs. P. A. Taylor, selections by Nordica Hawailan Guitar Quartet, reading by Miss Mirteen Sesson and selections by the Bethany Male Quartet. ‘The Aid Soclety of the church served the banquet. The committee having charge consisted of Mrs. W. R. Allen,. Mrs. H. H. Scott, Mrs. W. Earl Dent, Mrs. T. Cecil Scott, Mrs. John Rollow, F. M. Newkirk and Mrs. John 6, :{W. C. T. U. TO REMEMBER v This apparatus will be tested next of mail by airplanes in flight, DEVICE T0 PICK UP MAL TOBE SHOWN |Demonstration Flights to Be| Held at Hoover Field Next Thursday. Flight tests of an automatic airmail | pick-up device, which may be mounted on the roof of a post office or office | building, and which will permit the | unloading and picking up of airmail pouches by mail planes in flight, will be made before members of Congress and officials of the Post Office and Com- | merce Departments next Thursday at Hoover Field. The pick-up device, which comprises a huge funnel-shaped guide, 33 feet across the mouth, 30 feet long and 15 feet high, now is under construction at the north end of Hoover Field, oppo- site the Lincoln Memorial. The struc- tural steel framework has been erected, and the lining of the interior with sheet metal will begin probably on Monday. Models Here Last Year. Models of the pick-up were shown here last year by the inventor, Dr. L. S. Adams of New York. This will be the first official demonstration of the pick- up to Federal officials, though prelimi- nary tests have been made successfully at_Youngstown, Ohio. In using the pick-up a weighted cable 125 feet long is trailed below the air- plane. This cable is dragged into the funnel opening, which may be revolved on a circular track and kept into the wind. The funnel guides the cable into a slot, where it catches the bag. As the cable passed through the slot it op~ erates a trigger, and two powerful springs shoot the bag out of the open- ing of the funnel just as the attach- ment is made, to take up the shock of the pick-up. Another mechanism is provided to release bags trailed into the funnel on the cable. | reckless driving. Changes Bags. In practice both unloading and pick- | up operations are made at the same time, one bag being released and the | other picked up as the plane flies over | at 100 miles per hour. In addition to | the spring firing mechanism, which pre- vents pick-up shock, there are shock absorbing devices on the cable reel in the plane. \ The demonstration flights next week will be made by pilots of Clifford Ball, | Inc., operators of the Washington- Pittsburgh transport line. {MRS. HARRISON BURIED " | IN CALIFORNIA MONDAY [ | Deceased Was Mother of Widow of ! Late Admiral Eberle, and Long- time D. C. Resident. Funeral services were conducted in San Francisco Monday for Mrs. Ran- dolph Harrison, mother of Mrs, Edward W. Eberle of this city, widow of Ad- miral Eberle. She died at the home of her son, Thomas Randolph Harrison, deputy collector of the port of Oakland, Feb- ruary 7. Mrs. Harrison'’s husband, the late Randolph Harrison, was ‘a _de- scendant of the family of President Wil- liam Henry Harrison and a cousin of President Benjamin Harrison. Mrs. Harrison had resided in this city for 30 years before going to California with her daughter, Mrs. John J. Knapp, two years ago. She_is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Eberle and Mrs. Knapp, and by three sons, Thomas Randolph Harrison, Randolph Hammond Harrison and Mc- Pherson Harrison, all of California, LEADER IN SERVICES! The W. C. T. U. will hold a Frances E. Willard memorial service in Statuary Hall, United States Capitol, tomorrow at 3 o'clock, at which Senator Robsion of Kentucky will deliver the principal address. Dr. F. B. Harris, pastor of Foundry Methodist Episcopal Church; Mrs. An- drew MacCampbell, Mrs. Sinnot and the Vermont Avenue Christian Church quartet, composed of Mrs. B. D. Shaw, Mrs. Helen Tenley, W. E. Braithwaite and W. G. Swindell will contribute to the program. The committee in charge is composed of Mrs. F. C. Brinley, Mrs. Reed and Mrs. Peters. AIRMAIL PICK-UP TO BE TESTED HERE week at Hoover Field for the pick-up —Star Staff Photo. GIRL, 15, INJURED IN TRAFFIG CRASH Al}ce Bendall Treated for Fractured Skull After Auto and Trolley Hit. | A 15-year-old girl was seriously in- jured last evening in a collision be-| tween a street car and the automobile in which she was riding at Fourth and F streets northeast. Three other per- sons sustained lesser hurts in other ac- cidents and a motorist who figured in one of the crashes was arrested for The girl, Alice Bendall of 54 M street, was treated at Sibley Hospital for a fractured skull and shock. Makin L. Moyer of the same address, driver of the automobile, esczped injury, though the machine was badly dam- aged. The street car was operated by Motorman P. Dyer of 1405 Harvard » | street. A collision of two automobiles at Third street and Pennsylvania avenue about 8 o'clock last night resulted in minor injuries to two women pas- sengers in one of the cars. They are Mrs. Alice Fowler, 46, and Miss Ruby Fowler, 25, both of 746 Third street. Medical assistance was rendered at Sibley Hospital. Thomas F. Martin of Romney, W. Va.,, who was operating the car which struck the women's machine, was ar- rested by sixth precinct police and charged with reckless driving. The car in which the women were riding was driven by Derma P. Showard of 746 Third street. While crossing Pennsylvania avenue at C street about 7:30 o'clock last night, George Cleveland, 51, of 522 G street southeast, was struck by an auto- mobile operated by Herbert E. French of 2227 Nichols avenue southeast. He was treated at Emergency Hospital. PUMPHREY DEFENSE WILL BE INSANITY Man Indicted for Slaying His Two | tio Children Enters Plea of Not Guilty. Albert T. Pumphrey, 37, employe of a | oaking concern, pleaded not gullty to- | | day when arraigned before Justice Wil- liam Hitz in Criminal Division 2 on | two indictments for murder in the first degree in connection with the deaths of his two children, Doris and James, 7 and 5 years old, respectively, Decem- ber 3 last, at the home of his mother, Mrs. Thomas Watts, in the 1200 block of B street southeast. The accused announced his plea in a firm voice and exhibited no emotion while the clerk read the two lengthy indictments to him. Attorney James Reilly announced that a plea of in- sanity would be intes when the case is called for trial Pumphrey and his wife were estranged and the wife had the custody of the little girl. Pumphrey was told, stated, that the court was about to render a decree giving custody of both children to the wife. This rumor preyed on his mind, it is stated, and getting the children together at his mother's home he shot them both. —_— HELD UNDER SUSPICION. Alleged Hindu, Who Advertised as| Pl “Magician,” Arrested. Oscar Jenal Dobson, 32, who says he is a Hindu magician, was arrested yes- terday after he had advertised for | young women to take part in a show he was organizing. He was taken into custody in an apartment in the 2000 block of R street, where detectives say he is a janitor. According to Lieut. Edward J. Kelly and Headquarters Detective Joseph Waldron, who arrested him, they found the man’s quarters elaborately fitted up with Indian draperies and all the ac- coutrements of the professional ma- gician. One hundred and twenty trunks, con- taining a thousand costumes, handsome- | ly embroidered curtains for back-drops, and a replica of the stage of the Im-| perial Theater in Pieping, were brought | from China to this country by Mel Lan- Fang and his company of 22 actors, who arrived in Washington yesterday afternoon uppn a f visit to this city. Mei Lan-Fang, who'is China's foremost | dramatic actor, cagse from New York upon the finvitation of Minister and Mme Wu to present a short Chinese drama at the Wardman Park Theater for the entertainment of the Minister and a party of distinguished guests. ‘The visit to America of the Chinese company is being made under the au-, spices of the China Institute of America, | whose director, P. W. Kuao, accom- panied the actors to Washington yester- day. Chang Kia-Ngau, governor of the Bank of China, who is greatly interested in the visit of his countrymen to this so came to Washington yes- with Mr. Mel was the guest of Minister and Mme. Wu at dinner last night preceding the performance at Wardman Park. Mr. Mei attended his first American performance Thursday night in New York, choosing for the occasion a popu-~ lar musical revue. Asked what he thought of the “glori- IMPERIAL CHINESE DRAMATISTS PLAY FOR MINISTER AND MME. WU Distinguished Washingtonians See China’s Foremost Actor in Special Performance Here. fled” American girls, he smiled. think they are very beautiful,” he said. “They are prettier than Chinese girls, and I think the revue was a gorgeous | spectacle.” Musical revues are un- known in China, where drama is a serious art and not an entertainment which “perceptibly pleases and gives a momentary satisfaction,” as Mr, Mei expressed his view of the musical play through his interpreter. ‘The American “talkie” holds great interest for the Chinese actor, who said, “I feel that the talking pictures hnvel great potentialities for the Chinese people.” Although Mr. Mei's wife is an actrass, the two have never performed together, this being strictly against the ethics of the Chinese stage. Modern tendencies have been felt in China as keenly as in this country. BACK AT CRITICS OF REVISED BILL Certain Groups Urge Retire ment Proposals Be Con- sidered Later. SEEK TO HAVE DALE MEASURE ACTED UPON Author of Changes Disappointed at Lack of Understanding of Spokesmen Chairman Lehlbach of the Hou:e civil service committee today hit back at the leaders of certain large groups of Government employes who have ex- pressed criticism of his new bill to re- vise the retirement law, and who have urged that the Dale bill, already passed by the Senate, should be lrut through, first as stopgap remedis legislation and then the entire system be revamped or changed as may seem desirable. These groups have been urging Con- gress for 20 years to establish a retire- ment system and then to correct in- <quities and to do larger measure of justice to the lower-paid employes. They have frequently seen their efforts blocked by committee delays and by re- fusal of party leaders to allow the proposed legislation to come to & vote in the House or Senate. They and the party leaders, it is pointed out, know that if these relief measures are al- lowed to come up for a vota they wiil be passed by an overwhelming vote. Employes Making Last Stand. The Dale bill has repeatedly made an uphill fight to the very verge of en- actment, in the Congress suffering a pocket veto by President Coolidge on the day he left the executive office. Now that it has passed the Senate and the House is ready to give it & prac- tically unanimous vote, these workers and friends of the employes are making & last stand to prevent it being cast aside or pigeonholed while the slowly grinding legislative machinery milis away on & new bill, In criticizing those who are insist- ing that the Dale bill should be scted upon itely and , leaving the new Lehlbach bill to take its lel:;llrely course, Representative Lehl- standing displayed by certain spokesmen of groups of Federal employes. “The providing of annuities is the business of insurance and the present and every other conceivable system of retirement annuities is based on prinei- ples developed by those whose business it is, or else the system goes on the rocks. Objections to annuities along ot e i of inal unders what it is all about. i “Instructions to me by outsiders as to what measures have the better op- portunity of enactment seems somewhat incongruous. I am in constant contact on this subject. with administrative and | legislative leaders and know their views. I know what they will gladly expedite and what they h: nfw.nd not any joint conference, re is not a benefit in the Dale Sbtlhao: tflc&l@fl:‘n’m proposed bill. ul icreages for the present an- nuitants and all who will retire here- after are contemplated. I suggest that people do not rush on record in opposi- on to a measure of which know nothing, either as to its prom% or its support in powerful quarters. “As to enactment, a comprehensive revision of the retirement system on a sound basis has a much better chance of speedy and s thetic than the Dale Iz’filll.el S Defends Lehlbach Bill. Defense of the new Lehlbach bill also was voiced last night by Luther C. Steward, president of the National Federation of Federal employes, and others speaking at a meeting of the board of representatives of Local No. 2, Meanwhile, notices are being sent out by a committee of employes of the Naval Gun Factory at the Navy Yard of a mass meeting to protest against the new bill to be held tomorrow morn- ing at 10:30 o'clock in the Avenue Grand Theater, Pennyslvania avenue, near Seventh street southeast. Arrangements also are being made by Mrs. Margaret Hopkins Worrell, presi- dent of the League of the Americam Civil Service, for another meeting opposition to the new bill to be hela it was | sometime next week. Mr. Steward spoke at length at last night's meeting, explaining the features of the new measure. Others Who spoke in favor of the bill were R. B. Posey of the Veterans' Bureau, president of Local No. 2, and U, J. Biller of the Pension Bureau, chairman of the union’s retirement committee. M. Biller presented a table campa the annuity rates under the new Lehlbach 1 and those under the Dale bill, al- ready passed by the Senate, No Formal Action Taken, While no formal action was taken at last night's meeting in favor of the new bill, all expressions of opinion by speak- ers were favorable. There are 10 local unions affiliated with the federation. Most of the locals are made up of em- ployes ‘of a single department. Local ‘))llo.yi! I.s‘l‘ lener;lt unxtoraomclunm; em- loyes of & number of Gov - r“n‘;! ng& in the others, emment! 8 r. Steward believes that the mew Lehlbach bill carries out the principles which were approved by the conve! of the National Federation of F Emlployes last Summer. While no ifor- mal action is expected to be taken b the local unions regarding the new measure, Mr. Steward expects to have the support of the locals when he speaks for the bill before the House civil erv- ice committee next Tuesday, ‘The opposition of the Navy Yard iem- ployes and other Federal workers affili- ated with the Joint Conference onRe- tirement is based, in part, upon a: lief that the new measure “dan- gerous” forfeiture features and thdt the best interests of the employes wil be served at this time by backing the Pale ady passed by the Senate. Mrs. W{'arrelln organization takes a similar view, The call for tomorrow morning's macs mecting of protest at the Avenu: Grand Theater is signed by the following mem= bers of the committee representing (he Naval Gun Factory employes: H. T: La Clair, William H. Smoot, R, B. Kelso, Charles H. Savage and C. C. Love. SUM OF SIYO.CREDITED TO “CONSCIENCE FUND” Chief of Finance, War Department, Turns Over Money Orders R¢- ceived to U. 8. Treasury. Maj. Gen. R. L. Carmichael, chief of ‘ The haste and the rush of the day nas | finance, War Department, has received greatly changed the old traditional | from an unknown source in New York Chinese play, said Mr. Mei. No longer | City two money orders—one for $100 will a Chinese audience be content to | and the other for $70—with the request attend a drama, the story of which |that the money be credited to the would sometimes be carried over a | ‘“conscience fund,” to go to the period of weeks, credit of the Ordnance rtment and Now,” he said, “my longest produc- | the balance of the contribution to the tion never takes more than 3 hours. | Quartermaster Corps. Only that and The modern tendency toward haste' nothing more. The money has been has done a great deal toward shorten- transferred to the conscience fund of ing the Chfi:« drama.” the United States Treasury. ’