Evening Star Newspaper, January 13, 1931, Page 17

@he Foening Star Featu;es and Classifie{ | WASHINGTON, DC JANUARY 13, ) SHARP OPPOSITION VOICED AT HEARING KING MAY SUCCEED RUDOLPH JOSE AS | | 1931. 0 PAGE B—1' GENERAL MEASURE ON STREET CLOSING 19181,000 FOR NEW RESERVOIR ASKED IN DISTRICT BILL ONTRAFFIC CHANGE - HEAD OF CHAMBER 15 GIVEN APPROVAL D. P. Evans Asserts Legisla- tion Would Create Confusion and Offers Amendments. PROPOSED JOINT BOARD CAUSE OF DISAGREEMENT Conference Arranged This After- noon in Stalker's Office to Reach Agreement. Sharp differences of opinion resulted foday at a hearing before the Stalker Bubcommittee on Streets and Traffic of ‘the House District Committee on a rewritten proposal from the Corpora- tion Counsel's Office to amend the traf- fic_act. Donald P. Evans of the Bureau of Efficiency protested that while th: avowed purpose of this legislation was | § void divided authority, it would i | ration make for further confusion, and he offered several amendments which were supported by spokesmen fo the Federation of Citizens' Associations and by Richmond B. Leech, the peo- ple's counsel, and which Gen. Crosby said would be acceptable to the District Commissioners, but which the Public Utilities Commissian cpposed. The disagreement is l:lrgelly ;egnrdmg the proposed joint board of five com- pumli" of the thyee District Commission- ers and the three Public Utilities Com- missioners, the Engineer Commissioner | being a member of each commission | and to be chairman of the joint board Agreement Is Sought. At the request of Corporation Coun- #el Bride a joint conference has been arranged for 3:30 o'clock this afternoon in the office of Chairman Stalker of the subcommittee in order to go over the ding bill, paragraph by paragraph, reach an agreement. The corporation counsel pointed out that Mr. Evans had offered an amend- .ment, that E. S. Hegge, representing the Pederation of Citizens’ Associations had offered another amendment, and that the two commissions, the Public Util- ities Commission and the Board of Dis- trict Commissioners, had each made concession for a compromise about which they were not particularly en- thusiastic. Stress Neew for Action. At the same time both Corporation Counsel Bride and Commissioner Crosby emphasized that a serious situation ex- ists which demands relief and that it is imperative that early action must be taken for amendment of the traffic laws. ‘William Roberts, assistant corporation [ . counsel on traffic matters, explained the provisions of the new bill. He pointed out that the theory is that the administration in drawing up reg- ulations and in determining what the regulations shall be is a duty distinct from the enforcement agency, which is the police. In this connection it was explained that the police know the prac- tical problems of traffic and can advise | the District Commissioners through the Superintendént of police who is an agent of the Commissioners. Mr. Roberts also pointed out that a new definition of reckless driving is ineluded to take advantage of the re- cent decision of the courts in the Colts | | | i | case. Howard P. Evans of the Bureau of Efficiency said that that Bureau had undertaken a traffic study at request of various agencies and that the prin- l purpose of the bill under con- ration is to centralize authority and that it gives the District Commission- ers full authority over certain trafi: matters, but that in effect it would re. sult in divided authority. Hartman Offers Objection. Harleigh H. Hartman, speaking for | the Public Utilities Commission, objected to this amendment and said the com- mission would rather sez no legislation than to have the bill passed including this amendment. Commissioner Crosby said that allowing the legislation to fail would not relieve a very difficult situation. Mr. Hegge described his services since he was appointed by the District Com- TS as a member of their Traffic Advisory Committee and assigned to the subcommitiee on laws and codes of which George W, Offutt was chair- man, Favor Items of Redraft. “We favor practically all items in the redraft of the bill now presented by the District Commissioners,” said Mr. Hegge, speaking for the Federation of | Citizens' Associations. “Assurance is given to us that the blanket authority therein proposed to be vested will be used to create regula- | tions substantially in accord with those | now or hereafter suggested by the Na tional Conference on. Street and High- | way Safety, the objective of which is to achieve uniformity in traffic matters | throughout the States. *“There 13 no more important item in this bill,” he stressed, “than the pro- posal to vest such blanket authority in the District Commissioners. The same | would be a step toward relieving Con- gress from the consideration of munic- ipal details affecting the District of Co- | lumbia and giving legislators more time for the important matters involving the welfare of the Nation.” NATURE OF CONTEST ON JUDGES UNKNOWN Opposition to Groner and Hitz Ap- pointment Likely to Show in Subcommittee Session. The nature of the opposition to Judge | D. Laurence Gronmer and Justice Wil- liam Hitz for appointment to the Dis- trict Court of Appeals, which was re- ported yesterday as having come to the attention of the Senate Judiciary Com- mittee, is not expected to become known until the subcommittee handling the | mominations has a meeting. The sub- Eommittee also has before it a list of indorsements in support of both ap- pointments. With regard to Judge Groner, who has served for a number of years as a judge in the Federal Court for the East- ern District of Virginia, it was reported today that some members of the Senate are making a study of a decision he rendered in a case growing out of the sale of surplus war material - In reference to Justice Hitz, who is on the bench of the District Supreme Court at the present time, it has been indicated that the protest which came %o the committee was known to the Department of Justice before the ap- tment was made and may not lead {Committee to Be Appointed Upper: Rudolph Jose, president of | | the Washington Chamber of Commerce, | | who last night submitted his resignation | | from that post. Lower: Harry King, first vice presi- | dent, who will automatically become president if directors accept the resig- | mation. TRADE BODY BACKS * SKATING CARMIVAL to Co-operate With Plan- ning Commission. Pians for providing annually a five- month Winter ice-skating carnival on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Basin, by installation of permanent watet- freezing apparatus in the pool, moved | a step forward today when the Board | { Trade announced plans to sponsor the project. - Members of the Board of Directors | and the Executive Committee of the | trade body have voted to back the plan | and a special committee will be named | to co-operate with the National Capital | Park and Planning Commission in the matter, it is reported by Robert J. Cot- trell, executive secretary of the board. The plan, first proposed to Frederic A. Delano, chairman of the Planning Commission and forwarded by him to| the trade body, would provide, when ! carried to completion, a new national attraction in Washington that would bring a half million followers of out- door sports to the Lincoln pool each Winter, it is estimated. Grant Gives Unofficial 0. K. Col. U. 8. Grant, 3d, director of Pub- | lic Buildings and Parks, has given his personal but unofficial approval to the | general plan, it is announced Mr. Delano, inlaying the matter be- fore the Board of Trade stated “The plan would provide Washington with the largest artificial icp-skating rink in the world. It is known to you that the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting | Pool measures 160 feet in breadth by 2,000 feet in length. Our proposal is to install ammonia pipes throughout the pool and to oonstruct a refrigerating plant nearby. The pipes would extend the lenguh. of. the entire body of water and would create a constant freezing temperature sufficiently cold to main- tain a sturdy ice surface during at least five of the Winter months. “Although neither Col. Grant nor myself are at present in a position to estimate accurately the probable cost of this- project, I believe it would entail a sum between $50,000 and $100,000. | { “carry on,” and extended his wistes | | tire stock and business of the local | | for other purposes. President Resigns, but Direc- tors Name Committee to Ask Reconsideration. TRIBUTE PAID RETIRING LEADER FOR CIVIC WORK Capper Bill to Aid Casualty Hos- pital Opposed as Contrary to “Wise Public Policy.” | | | Harry King, 'first vice president of | the Washington Chamber of Commerce. will automatically become president of the organization if the directors are compelled to accept the resignation of Rudolph Jose, submitted to the board in letter form last night. Mr. Jose, | who was elected to the presidency qf | the chamber at its October meeting, Is president of the Washingion Cagillac | Co., which yesterday filed a petition in ‘bankruptcy with® the District Su- preme Court. A special committee of the chamber | will call on Mr. Jose tomorrow to at-| tempt to prevail upon him to reconsider his resignation from the post to which he was_elected at the October meeting of the body. Following the visit of the committee, action on the matter will be deferred until the next board meet- ing. Jose Held Resolute. It is understood that the chamber president stands resolute in his inten- tion to resign. In submitting his resig- | nation Mr. Jose stated that “circum- | tances at this time make it necessary | or me to take this action.” He ex- nability to | s f pressed his regrets at his for a prosperous future for the chamber. | Mr. King, who precided last night. | appointed the Special Committee, which will also pay tribute on behalf of the board and the chamber to the valuable civic work performed by Mr. Jose in connection with the organization in the | past. The committee includes Martin A. Leese, chairman; Cherles J. Stockman, John_ A. Eckert, Gen. Anton Stephan and Charles T. Claggett. In the event that Mr. Jose refuses to reconsider his move and the board is forced to accept the resignation, Mr. King, who is first vice president, will automatfeally become president, while George A. G. Wood, second vice presi- dent, will move up to the rank of first vice president. The board will then be | called upon to elect a member to fill the vacancy of the post of second vice president. Long Active in Affaiss. Mr. Jose has long been active in civic affairs in the Capital and has been a member of the Washington Chamber of | Commerce for many years. He is also a member of the Washington Board of Trade and ,of the Washington Auto- motive Trade Association. He is also &' member of many prominent local clubs. Early this month the Cadillac Motor CTar Co. sent notice to creditors of the Washington Cadillac Co. advising them of its intention of purchasing the en- | [ firm. Th: board of directors of the cham- ber last night voted unfavorably on the proposed bill introduced in the Senate by Senator Capper Vhich would provide $50,000 for the maintenance of Casualty Hospital. The board unani- mously adopted a report of its Health Committee which opposed the measure on the ground that it was “not in ac- cordance with wise public policy to appropriate public funds for the regu- | Iation or repair of buildings or for pay ment of dsbts for private institutions.” Adopts Stephan Report. ‘The board also adopted a report of the Committee on the National Guard, submitted by Gen. Stephan, which recommended that the chamber re- iterate its stand in support of the pro- posal of the Interdepartment Pay Board to increase the pay of Army, Navy, Ma- | rine Corps, Coast Guard and Coast and Geodetic Survey personnel. The com- mittee also included in its report a re- iteration of the stand of the body in favor of an adequate National Guard armory for the District. George C. Keneipp, chairman of the Transportation Committee, submitted a report, subsequently adopted by the board, indorsing the legislation pending in Congress to abolish the office of di- rector of traffic, to vest in the District | Commissioners power to control traffic | affairs and to empower judges in the | courts to impose sentences at their dis- | cretion for third-offense speeders and ‘The undertaking presents no engineer- ing problem of very great importance | and could be commenced as soon as the ‘money is raised. Preliminary plans | are now in the making and will be submitted to you with an accurate es- timate of cost in the very near future. Would Be Attraction. “Assuming that it would be practical | to provide skating on the reflecting | pool from the first of November to the | last of March, there is no reason why | the Capital of the United States should | not promote a Winter Ice Carnival of | such vast pfoportions that people would be drawn to this city for the spectacle from all over the Atlantic Scaboard. “The possibilities of such a carnival on a body of ice so large as the re- flecting pool are almost unlimited. Un- der arc lights at night, parades, pa- geants and masquerades might be held. There would be room on the pool for a race course and perhaps 10 hock rinks. Hockey games and skating tour- naments could be held throughout the Winter. A band might play in the afternoon and evening. It is not un- Teasonable to suppose that the number of skaters using the rink during the five Winter months would reach & half million.” Aside from offering a city benefit by providing outdoor recreation to_thou- sands over a long period, Mr. Delano cited the advantage of such an ex- tended carnival to the business inter- ests of the city by attracting additional trade to local business establishments drawing additional thousands to the capital during Winter 5. | | BOYD IS IMPROVED 'Shot Self to Avoid Capture After Alleged Store Theft. Jonhn Boyd, who shot himself through the head in an effort to avoid capture robbed a chain g C streets southeast, was rcported in an improved condition today at Casualty Hoepital. Mrs, Frances Walker, 1800 block New Hampshire avenue, yesterday fafled to identify Boyd's companion in the hold- any serious opposition. “The sub- ttee has not yet called another up, Theodore Roosevelt Brewer, as the man who entered her apartment last Thursday. of | Saturday after he is alleged to have | cery at Tenth. and | The committee reported it also is investigating the safety zone situation, | having been in receipt of complaints of the unsatisfactory “button” system adopted on Connecticut avenue and Fourteenth street A progress report on fiscal relations by Col. Edward Goring Bliss and a| report by Mr. King on public utilities | also were approved. Fourteen new | memberships to the chamber were ap- proved. BROKER BROUGHT BACK FOR EMBEZZLING QUIZ { Arthur Judson Young Alleged to Received $5,500 to Invest for Woman. Arthur Judson Young, alias J. A.| |Barnes and J. A. Morrison, 41 years {old. a broker, giving his address as 1621 | Donald street, Jacksonville, Fla., was returned here last night from Boston, Mass., by a deputy marshal and turned {over to the police to answer a charge ; { of embezzlement. | Miss Lillle Northern, 1445 Girard ! street, alleges that she gave the pris- |oner '$5500 to invest in stock of a | Massachusetts corporation and charges { him with failure to deliver the stock. | The prisoner denies having had any intention of defrauding Miss Northern. Have | ALCOHOL 10B IS OPEN for Position | Requirements as | U. §. Inspector Defined. Applications for the position of in- spector of alcohol in the Bureau of | Industrial Alcohol of th Treasury De- partment will be received by the United | States Civil Service Commission until | February 4. Requirements for the position, which pays $2,600 a y:er, include experience in'a chemical or physical plant or lab- cratory as a pharmacist, or as 8 Gov- ernment. inspector of chemical plants, distilleries, brewerles, wineries or phar- Co-ordinating Committee Fa- | School. | the construction of a 90-foot highway. | Gallinger Hospital from a skull frac- vors Law to Confer Power on D. C. Commissioners. PINEY BRANCH ROAD WIDENING IS BACKED| — | Immediate Action Is Urged to Al-| low Elimination of Chestnut Street Grade Crossing. Prompt enactment of the proposed general legislation that would author- ize the District Commissioners to close | certain streets, rather than accomplish | this in individual cases by separate bills, | was favored today by the Co-ordinat- | ing Committee, comprising interested Federal and District governmental | agencies. The committee expressed sympathy with the proposed closing of certain streets in Anacostia for the de- velopment of the Anacostia Junior High Owing to its urgency, to eliminate BT traffic_hazard, the committee went on record in favor of the proposed bill to | authorize the widening of Piney Branch | road from Butternut street to the Bal- | timore & Ohio Railroad tracks, so that | an underpass might be constructed and | the Chestnut street grade crossing elim- inated. The legislation would direct | | Favor Relocation of Streets. While a number of land purchases are involved in the program, the com- mittee disclosed that it favored the re- location of Aspen street and Thirty- fifth street northwest. The committee approved in principle the proposed dedication of Texas avenue from Twenty-eighth to Thirtieth street. At present this avenue is dedicated as far as Twenty-eighth street, and as park property is in the vicinity, designed to | form part of the Fort Drive, the Dis- trict officials brought the question to the attention of the co-ordinating com- mittee, which found no objection to the dedication. Underpass Is Preferred. The proposal to connect Michigan avenue with Harvard street as a meas- | ure of bettering traffic conditions, re- | ceived the indorsement of the com- mittee. Looking to the expansion in Anacostia | Park, the committee expressed a pref- erence for an underpsss at Benning | bridge rather than a “cloverleaf” ar- | rangement for distributing traffic to the | two levels. MAN WHO DIED OF SKULL FRACTURE IDENTIFIED Mystery Surrounds Cause of In- jury of 8. J. R. Long, Found Lying at Street Intersection. ‘The middle-aged man, who died at ture on Saturday, was yesterday identi- | fied as Samuel J. R. Long, 57 years old of 233 Pennsylvania avenue, a House Office Building employe. His identity was established by a sister, Miss Mattie Long of 325 First street southeast. Mystery surrounds the manner in which Long was injured. He was found lying unconscious in the street at Dela- ware avenue and C street southwest, on January 4. It is believed he had been hurt some six hours previous to his dicovery. Police are of the opinion h» was either struck by a hit-and-run motorist or else was hurt in a fall, MRS. TAYLOR HONORED Elected Head of Riverdale Heights Fire Auxiliary. Special Dispatch to The Star. RIVERDALE HEIGHTS, Md., Janu- ary 13—Mrs, C. O. Taylor was elected president of the Ladies’ Auxiliary of the Riverdale Heights Volunteer Fire Department at the annual meeting last night. Other officers chosen were: Mrs. R. L. Kohlmer, vice president, and Mrs. | Genevieve Stewart, secretary-treasurer. | Mrs, Stewart was also named chairman | of the Entertainment Committee, which | is arranging a card party for the benefit of the firemen, to be held in the home of Mr, and Mrs, Stanfield Saturday night. ; Dr. k M. Jones to Speak. Dr. Rufus M. Jones, professor of philosophy at Haverford College, and | one of the outstanding college speakers | of the country, will address a meeting at the Chevy Chase Presbyterian Church_tomorrow evening at 8 o'clock, | Religion for the Thinking Man of | Dr. Howard F. Smith Expccted to A chimpanzee that was willing to pick up some of the “intelligence” which humans in Liberia spurned dur- ing his stay of a year in the African country is being brought to this coun- try by Dr. Howard F. Smith, public health surgeon. Dr. Smith is returning to this coun- | try because, he writes a personal friend | here, the authorities of Liberia gave him little co-operation in sanitation work against yellow fever. N The chimpanzee, a female, was saved by Dr. Smith after a Liberian hunter had shot its mother and sent a bullet into the face of the baby an‘mal. He has named her “Fifi,” and, in his let- ter, speaks highly of the intelligence of his pct in contrast to human residents of Liberia. Expected to Sail Today. Dr. Smith was expected to sail from Liberia with “Fifi” today for England. thence to embark for the United States. He writes: macies. Additional Information and applica- tion blanks may be obtained from the United States Civil Service Commission. “At present she sits up to the table and drinks from a | Witnesses of the National Libra; s s In this room at Eighteenth and D streets, blind workers are daily turning out literature in braille for the blind users for the Blind. Left to right: Fred O. Lentz, Mrs. Bessie Ida Weitzel, Ammen Yeatman and Mary Cummings. JENNINGS HEADS CHARITES EROUP Re-Elected President at An-| nual Meeting—Pays Trib- ute to Community Chest. Coleman _Jennings was re-elected president of th: Associated Charities for the ensuing year at the forty-ninth annual meeting of the organization in Barker Hall, Y, W. C. A. Building, last night. Corcoran Thom was elected first vice president. Other officers elected were John B. Larner, treasur and Herbert A. Poole, assisiant treas- urer. The meeting last night was opened by Mr. Jennings with an appeal for volunteers, a plea for better distribu tion of responsibility for the relief and prevention of distress between private | and public welfare agencies and a high tribute to the work of the Community Chest. . Jennings cited the expected in- creased demands on the Community Chest incident to the depressing in- dustrial conditions through the past year. “We face the new year with ab- solute dependence on the good will of the people of Washington toward their | social agencies.” A Teport of the year's activities was submitted by Walter S. Ufford, general secretary. Talks were also made by Misses Helen Story and Louise O. Beall, members of the organization's staff, and by Linton B. Swift, executive secre- tary of the Family Welfare Association of America. Speaking on the subject “Present Trends in Family Welfare Work,” Mr. Swift declared that the eventual suc- cess of welfare work should be meas- ured by the extent of its benefit to the entire community and not by mere temporary assistance to individuals. “Any relief program,” he said, “ulti- mately defeats its cwn ends if it is not made a part of a larger remedial social program directed at these under- lying conditions. In other words, in large sense, relief must be used onl as a tool of community social action.’ To accomplish effective community | welfare work, however, Mr. Swift de- clared it is paramount that the indi- vidual family must be helped. as an individual problem. PEDESTRIAN DIES FROM CAR INJURIES Declare Victim Stag- gered and Fell in Front of Auto, Injuries received more than two months ago when a truck ran him down in front of his home proved fatal last night for August Raeder, 75 years old, of 1312 Twelfth street. He died of a fractured skull at Sibley Memorial Hos- ital. " Clarence Gross, colored, 52 years old, of 1327 V street, sald to have been driv- ing the van, was arrested by second precinct police following the man's death, but was released in custody of his attorney a short time later for ap- pearance at the coroner’s inquest. Raeder was crossing the street on No- | vember 5 when he staggered and fell in front of Gross’ truck, witnesses told police. He was treated at Emergency Hospital for alcoholism and a fracture of the skull, officers said, and later was removed to Sibley Hospital. Funeral services will be held at the W. W. Chambers Co. funeral home, 1402 Chapin _ street, tomorrow afternoon at 2:36 o'clock and burial will follow in Prospect Hill Cemetery. The inquest has ngt been definitely scheduled. HOLDS PET CHIMPANZEE MORE “INTELLIGENT" THAN LIBERIAN Says Animal Picked| Up Some of Teachings Humans Spurned. Sail Today. and does a number of other interesting | things. “I am trying to get her intelligence co-efficient ‘up_ to a mark where she can pess the Binet test. If I succeed, I shall, in all probability, get a Liberian passport for her and endeavor to get her into the United States under the Liberian quota. “Darned Valuable Animal.” “It should not be a difficult task as she already admits and recognizes in me some one who can teach her a bit, which is more than any Liberian will admit.” “She should be a darned valuable animal when one considers the amount of salary I'm drawing,” he said. “But it hardly seems fair to me to have me sit here at the expense of the service and twiddle my thumbs because they do not see fit to keep their agreement. Had I been able to carry on with the work along the lines of the memoran- dum agreement I would surely have enjoyed the year here.” Dr. Smith’s letiers also fmured po- litical and slavery conditions similar to thoe: desaribed by the State Depart- | the pal § CHARLES ASHLEY, Seventeen, of Birmingham, Ala., has | landed a steady job in the Capital and will be able to achieve his ambition of studying for the foreign service. The youth gamed the favor of Edward Frischknecht, 72-year-old Swiss watch specialist, established at 1730 G street, when he was in the latter’s employ temporarily during the Christmas holi- days. Ashley returned a found purse containing banknotes and valuable papers. The incident became so in- delibly stamped in the jeweler's mind that when Ashley left some three weeks ago, Frischknecht asked police to locate him. —A. P. Photo. INQUEST ORDERED INVETERAN'S DEATH Lifeless at Foot of Stair- way Early Today. A coroner’s inquest will be held either tomorrow or Thursday into the death of 50-year-old Arthur A. Prager, a resident of the Soldiers’ Home, who was found early today in a concrete areaway near the Sherman Building at a point which indicated he had fallen from the top of a flight of steps some seven feet above the floor of the areaway. Prager had been dead for some time when his body was discovered, about 7:30 o'clock, by another occupant of the home, Charles Van Allstine. Dr. E. J. Kallus, Soldiers’ Home physician, pronounced Prager dead of a fractured skull. Seen Last Night. | The veteran was last seen alive about 10:30 o'clock last night by Sergts Rob- bert H. Holt, a special officer attached to the home. was in the radio room and he pre- sumably left some time later to re- turn to his room, on the second floor of the Sherman Building. Prager was a veteran of the Philip- pine insurrection in which he lost the sight of one eye. His visjon in the other eye was impaired, officials at the home said. They believe he did not see the steps and toppled headfirst into the areaway. A watch found in the dead man's pocket had stopped at 2:30 o'clock. Of- ficers at the home said it was possible also that Prager had been unable to sleep and rose during the night to walk about the grounds. This would explain the hour at which a jolt stopped the watch. Came from Ithaca, N. Y. After the body was viewed by the coroner, it was removed to the Morgue for the inquest. Prager had been a resi. dent at the home for the past six years, coming here from his home, in Ithaca, Y. Prager was without a hat or coat when found. A broken bottle lay beside the body, but authorities were unable to learn what sort of liquid it had con- tained. CRUSADERS’ LEADER SCORES HOWELL BILL Col. Codman Declares District Vote Would Never Have Allowed Measure. Proponents of theé Howell hibition bill for the District were condemned to- day by Col. Julian Codman of the ‘Washington Crusaders. “The offering of such a bill for pas- sage by Congress,” he said, “shows the desperate state to which prohibition en- forcement has come. If the citizens of ‘Washington had the vote, no measure such as this would ever have been bro- posed. A “If passed, it would put the citizeas at the merey of lormers and s h‘i o would completely n\e.p‘:ml & premium on a‘;’uw the place Anacostfa Project on Water Arthur A. Prager, 50, Found| At that time Prager | Golihew, Miss Etta Giffin, the director; . —Star Staff Photo. BLIND STAFF BUSY INBRALLE LIBRARY Books Transcribed and Sent Free to 2,000 Afflicted Throughout Nation. BY GRETCHEN SMITH. Few who pass the temporary building at Eighteenth and D streets, used as the Food Conservation Building during the war, realize that from the dingy old rooms opening upon a creaking corridor on the second floor there daily go forth “shafts of light and brightness” to hundreds of blind per- sons throughout the United States. These “shafts of light” are books transcribed into Braille, which wrapped in canvas covers serving as mail fold- ers and readers circulation cards, are sent out free of charge by the National | Library for the Blind to approximately 2,000 readers in every section of the | country. | o Vith the exception of the director, | Miss Etta Giffin, every person employed in the library is blind. “One of the most important works of the National Library for the Blind,” ex | plained ‘Miss Giffin, “is to give work to the blind, as well as to give them | books to read. We supply the sightless | with activity for hands and brain by | the work involved in producing the | books and carrying on the work of the | library, and we give to many hundreds | of sightless what they so sorely need | and crave, up-to-date literature.” Forty Given Livelihood. At_present the National Library for | the Blind is giving a livelihood to over 40 blind people. A staff of five persons in addition to Miss Giffin does the work of printing, proofreading, binding mailing and addressing books which |are sent out to readers. In various | sections of the country are Scattered the 35 or more bling pérsons paid by the library to transcribe books into Braille. Relatives or friends volunteer to read to these sightless transcribers, who rapidly write into Braille the work which is being read to them. As many as 12 pages an hour can be transcribed b‘y a skiliful worker, Miss Giffin de- clares. To visit the National Library for the Blind—to watch these afflicted men and women move rapidly about the rooms, with the great stacks of books, some filing or charging outgoing books, others setting up type, binding newly | finished pages, or engaged in various | occupations requisite to the work—one | cannot realize that darkest tragedy has stalked at the side of each of these workers. In a small back room, silently alone, a frail, delicate. woman, glasses conceal- ing sightless eyes, dexterously passes light fingers over page after page of raised print. Mrs. Bessie Golihew, a trained proofreader, blind since early youth, by her earnings has helped to rear and support 10 children. Her hus- band, also blind, has needed assistance in bringing up the large family. Un- complaining, cheerfully accepting the affliction sent to them, this mother. and father have successfully brought up their large family until now but a few smaller ones remain at home, In Charge of Indexing. In another room of the library Miss Ida Weitzel, éhief assistant to Miss Giffin, takes charge of indexing and charging and discharging books. Miss Weitzel is able to distinguish light from dark. For many years dependent upon relatives, she has now gained new hap- piness, contentment and confidence in the work which she has found at the library. In fact, since her mind has| been at rest, Miss Weitzel claims that her vision has improved. Others who assist Miss Giffin, are Mr. Fred O. Lentz, who with Miss Weitzel helps with indexing, filing and charging the books; Ammen Yateman, in charge of mail division, and Miss Mary Collins, who does a little bit of everything, from setting the Braille type, to hlndln% books. The National Library for the Blind, which was founded "in 1911, with Thomas Nelson Page as its first presi- dent, is supported by a small appro- priation from the Government and a large lnemberxhlg of “sighted” people, anxious to give help to those living in darkness. The first home of the library was located at 1729 H street, rented through the generosity of a Philadel- ghll friend. After her death, the Ii- rary was forced to find a new home, and through the efforts of interested persons a temporary home was ob- tained at the old Food Conservation Building. Real Home Hoped For. “Some day,” laughed Miss Giffin, “we hope we may find some one anxious to give money to a worthy cause, who will build us & real home.” Explaining that many blind readers throughout the country are persons who have lost their sight as adults, and that unspeakable distress comes to this group, which has always lived in the sunlight, Miss Giffin said that reading is the one pastime wiich makes the “leaden hours” possible for such persons. “Our greatest * difficulty,” she said, “is to supply them with current litera. ture. They like to read the newest books. It is expensive to keep up with popular literature. It was once gested that successful authors could contribute much to the happiness of the blind if they would contribute to the National Library one of their best sellers in Braille. In this way, their books would g known and en- Joyed by hj ) ders whose only pleass books | pipe line from the pumpi language: Esperanto, Latin, ral books Improvement Program Call- ing for $2,396,380. $320,000 AND $250,000 ASKED FOR TWO MAINS Funds Requested of Congress to Continue Repairs and Elimi- nating of 0ld Meters, Th Note the seventn stortes analyzi 9L $urics of 10 the District’s budget for ine 1933 " iscal ‘vear. Which is. now. under consideration by the House Subcommit- tee on Appropriatio BY JAMES E. CHINN. Construction of a new water reser- voir in Anaccstia and a number of im- provements and extensions in the watet distribution system are provided in the District's 1932 appropriation bill, now under consideration by the House Sub- committee on Appropriations. b“?ne % the Imn)ur water items in the , calling for an appropriati of $181,000, will be \uedptpo mnmll- struction of the Anacpstia TVoir which is to be located Government- owned. property at Davis in the vicinity of Alabama and Pennsylvania avenues southeast. The new reservoir will have a ca- pacity of 3,000,000 gallons, although it will be designed uitimately to hold twice that amount. ‘Water Department officials declare the reservoir is neces- sary to increase the capacity of the first high Anacostia service, which is now served by two steel tanks having a com- bined capacity of 278,000 gallons. The capacity of these tanks, it was said, is inadequate for an area which has, dur- ing the days of heaviest use, an aj proximate consumption of 1,700 gallons. _ Basin and Main First. The program for increasing the Ana- costia water service contemplates the constryction in the coming year of one basin and a 30-inch trunk main in Pennsylvania avenue southeast from the new reservoir to Thirtieth street This construction will permit the use of the reservoir by June, 1932. ‘Water Department officials plan to recommend in the estimates for 1933 an appropriation for completion of the station at Eighteenth street and Minnesota ave- nue southeast. The second half of the reservoir, it is pointed out, need mnot be constructed until such time as the water consumption in the Anacostia area increases to & point where addi- tional reservoir capacity is The two steel tanks now servin the reservoir were erected in 1913, at that time they were able to vide at least a 24-hour reserve, Wm the increased = population in Anacostia, however, the tanks will not provide for more than three hours of emergency supply in case ofs & breakdo service. Aside from funds for the new reser- voir the Water Department is seeking appropriations for two other major projects—installation of a 48-inch main from Sixth® and Fairmont streets to Upshur street and a 36-inch main from ?aa:;s:chu;eictist avenue and Upton atreet o the vicinity of Thirty- and Woodley road. i . $320,000 for One Main, The cost of the 48-inch main in- stallation is estimated at $320,000. It will be designed ultimately to connect with the existing 48-inch main a$ Georgia avenue and Military _which is linked to the Reno Reservoir, Approximately 8,000 feet of 36-inch pipe will be required for the installa~ ton in Massachusetts avenue. This rmvlb or the as 'lnd project, costing $250,000, will an adequate supply of water | third high service area in the vicinity of Thirty-sixth street and Woodley read, which is not possible in periods of peak consumption with the use of the existing main, In addition to providing an ample supply of water for the weakened ter- ritory, the new 36-inch main also will permit the old 20-inch main in Wis~ consin avenue to be shifted to the fourth high service area, thus obviating the necessity of furnishing an increased supply for this service, which is at pres- ent_overtaxed. ‘The Water Department also has re« quested funds to continue its five-year program for repair and elimination of all defective water meters. The bill contains an item of $130,000 for this purpose. This sum represents an ine crease of $35,000 over the appropria= tion for the current fiscal year for in=- stalling and repairing meters. Program for Meters. The five-year program provides for expenditure of $90,000 in each of the years 1932 and 1933 for the installa- tion of water meters and $55,000 a year for the next three years, at which time, it is estimated, meters will have been installed in all private residences and all defective meters will have been removed from service. The total appropriation requested for the Water Department amounts to $2,396,380, an increase of $705,440 over the allowance for the current fiscal year. The increase is made possible as a result of the growth in the water revenues which followed the rise in water rates last year. DEATH HELD ACCIDENTAL Coroner's Verdict in Case of Child Killed by Automobile. An accidental death verdict was re- turned today by a coroner’s jury con= ducting an inquest into the “death of Betty Jane Bennett, 5 years old, who was killed Sunday afterncon when an automobile struck her in front of her home, 1910 Irving street northeast. Thomas Howard Bell, 19 years old, of 2809 Franklin street northeast, said to have be-n the driver of the car, was cleared of blame by the jury’s finding. HELEN KELLER, SPEAKER ‘An address will be delivered by Helen Keller, noted leader of women, night at 8 o'clock in the New Yi Avenug Presbyterian Church, She will speak Under the lusric!l of the Ameri~ can Foundation for the Blind. The speaker recently was rated by Prof. Walter B. Pitkin of Columbia Uni- versity, in a magazine article, as one of the four living Americans who have achieved the most. The others honored by the educator were Thomas A. Edi- son, Orville Wright and Edward . including French, German, Spanish and Swedish.