Evening Star Newspaper, January 20, 1931, Page 1

i WEATHER. (U. S. Weather Bureau Forecast.) Fair tonight and tomorrow; somewhat colder tonight; lowest temperature about 32 degrees. Temperatures—Highest, 44, at 2:30 p.m. yesterday; lowest, 36, at 8:30 p.m, vesterday, Fuil report on page Closing N.Y. Markets, Pages13,14 & 15 e 6. The only evening paper in Washington with the Associated Press news ‘WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION ¢ Foening Star. service. Yesterday’s Circulation, 118,324 § NG 31675, < Hntered as Entered as second class matter Washington, b« WASHINGTON, D. C, TUESDAY, JAN UARY 20, 1931—THIR Y-EIGHT PAGES. #*» () Means Associated Press. TWO WICKERSHAM BODY LEANS TO DRY LAW’S REVISION HOOVER SUPPORTS ATTITUDE OF THE REPORT IN OPPOSING REPEAL OF 18TH AMENDMENT Change Offere Gives Option to Congress. OWN REPORTS | FILED BY TWO d nt| FourMembers Further Trial for Existing Acts. ] i BY G. GOULD LINCOLN. The report of the Wickersham | Commission on the enforcement of the prohibition laws in the United States was submitted to| the Congress today by President} Hoover. | ‘The report shows a majority of; the commission favoring some| change in the existing system of | national prohibition. The com-i’ | missioners favoring a change were unable, however, to agree on a| .plan of revision. ‘ Although the report places the | commission on record as opposed to repeal of the eighteenth amend- | ment, opposed to a return of thef saloon, opposed to having the Government go into the liquor| business, State or Federal, and op- posed to modification of the pro-| hibition act so as to permit light | wines and beer, it also presents| the draft of a revision of the eighteenth amendment. The drsnl follows:'» == “Section 1. The Congress shall | have power to regulate.or to pro- hibit the manufacture, traffic in or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation | | DRY LAW STUDY CONCLUSIONS The conclusions of the National Commission on Law Observance and Enforcement of its study of prohibition as contained in the report Jollow: : The commission is opposed to repeal of the eighteenth amendment. The commission is opposed to the restoration in any manner of the legalized saloon. 3. The commission is opposed to the Federal or State Governments, as such, going into the liquor business 4. The commission is opposed to the proposal to modify the national prohibition act so as to permit manufacture and sale of light wines or beer. 5. The commission is of opinion that the co-operation of the States is an essential element in the enforcement of the eighteenth amendment and the national prohibition act throughout the territory of the United States; that the support of public opinion in the several States is necessary in order to insure such co-operation. 6. The commission is of opinion that prior to the enactment of the Bureau of Prohibition act, 1927, the agencies for enforcement were badly organized <d inadequate; that subsequent to that enactment there has been contipued improvement in organization and effort for enforcement. 7. The commission is of opinion that there is yet no adequate ob- servance or enforcement. 8. The commission is of opinion that the present organization for enforcement is still inadequate. 9. The commission is of opinion that the Federal appropriations for enforcement of the eighteenth amendment should be substantially increased and that the vigorous and better organized efforts which have gone on since the Bureau of Prohibition act, 1927, should be furthered by certain improve- ments in the statutes and in the organization, personnel and equipment of enforcement, 50 as to give to enforcement the greatest practicable efficiency. 10. Some of the commission are not convinced that prohibition under the eighteenth amendment is unenforceable and believe that a further trial should bs made with the help of the recommended improvements, and that if after such trial effective enforcement is not secured there should be a revision of the amendment. Others of the commission are convinced that it has been demonstrated that prohibition under the eighteenth amend- ment is unenforceabl> and that the amendment should be immediately revised, but recognizing that the process of amendment will require some time, they unite in the recommendations of conclusion No. 9 for the im- provement of the enforcement agencies. 11. All the commission agree that if the amendment is revised it thould be made to read substantially as follows Section 1. The Congress shall have power to regulate or to pro- hibit the manufacture, traffic in or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into and the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes. 12. The recommendations referrcd to in conclusion No. 9 are: ! Removal of the causes of irritation and resentment on the part of the medical profession by (a) Doing away with the statutory fixing of the amount which may b2 prescribed and the number of prescriptions; (b) Abolition of the requirement of specifying the ailment for which liquor is prescribed upon a blank to go into the public files; (c) Leaving as much as possible to regulations rather than fixing details by statute. 2. Removal of the anomalous provisions in section 29, naticnal Fights Altering Present Acts in Future. 'BETTER STATUS IS SEEN AHEAD . Improved Condition in Civil Service Pointed Out. In a message to Congress today, transmitting the Wickersham Commission prohibition President Hoover declared that he 1s in accord with the commission in its opposition to repeal of the eighteenth amendment and that | he is in unity with the spirit of |the report seeking constructive | steps to correct the social, eco- |nomic and political evils brought | about by prohibition and to elim- inate abuses which exist, but made }it plain that he is opposed to the | commission’s proposed revision of |the eighteenth amendment sug- | gested by them for possible con- sideration at some future time if the continued effort at enforce- !ment should not prove successful. | In his message the President made it |apparent that he personally is in favor | of letting the present law stand as it is. In this connection, he declared that it is his duty and that of all executive officials to enforce the law with all the means at their disposal without equivo- | cation or reservation. - Text of- Message. The President’s message follows: | “To_the Congress: | “The first deficiency appropriation act |of March 4, 1929, carricd an appro- priation for' a thorough investigation into the enforcement of the prohibition | report, | \ Wy il | | RED GROSS REBUFF ON §25,000,000 FUND ;Society Says It Will Accept} Government Money Unwillingly. persists in appropriating $25,000,000 to it for relief, the fund will be received unwillingly. . “While the worrfed” administration leaders of the House puzzled over how to defeat the provision which the Sen- ate attached to the Interior Depart- ment bill yesterday by a 56-to-27 vote, CONGRESS FAGING {laws together with the enforcement of | the Central Committee of the relief | other laws. agency last night adopted and made | | "“In pursuance of this provision I ap- | public a resolution, asserting: ness Depression Reduces Tonnage Of Fat Men’s Club By the Associated Press. BOSTON, January 20.—The business depression is far-reach- ing in its effects. President Carl Shaw of the United States Fat Men's Club announces it has reduced the tonnage of its membership by 3,- 650 pounds, leaving the gross avoirdupols of the 1,472 mem- bers at_the alarmingly low tota} of 332,672 pounds. To get back to parity the club wants new members, big, plump, hefty ones. | By the Assbeiated Press | Cengress came to work today placed | !'on notice by the Red Cross that if 1t Raids Last Saturday Bring Quick Action by Grand Jury - N CANING CSES WARDMAN FINANCE PLAN LAID BEFORE - BLAINE COMMITTEE Methods Introduced in Effort to Show Need for “Blue- Sky” Law. Details of the financing of 10 large Wardman-built properties in Washing- fton and the Mayflower Hotel were spread upon the records of the Blaine subcommittee of the Senate today as it continued its investigation of realty conditions in Washington. This was done for the announced | | purpose of showing the need of a| securities law for Washington of the| “blue sky” ccmmission type as spon- | sored by Senator Blaine of Wisconsin, | chairman of the investigating group, DONALDSON GIVEN JYEAR SUSPENSION FROMLAWPRACTIE Former Smith Co. Attorney Convicted of Professional Misconduct. 'HITZ, BACKING FINDINGS, DISSENTS FROM PENALTY [ ey Justice Holds It Inadequate for Charge Involving Pay for Obtaining Contracts, R. Golden Donaldson, former bank president and member of the bar, for more than 20 years, was adjudged guilty of professional misconduct and suspend=- ed from the practice of the law for three years by the District Supreme Court, sitting in general term today. Justice Willlam Hitz concurred with the other two justices in the findings, but dissented from the penalty, which he termed “inappropriate and’ inade- quate in the circumstances.” When the grand jury reported the | indictments in the F. H. Smith Co. | mail fraud case against a number of | individuals, it made a recommendation that the Grievance Committee of the bar take up the matter of the charge that Donaldson, while acting as attor- ney for the Smith Co. had cxacted from the Boyle-Robertson Construction Co. payment of $100,000 for obtaining | for the contracting firm contracts to erect buildings for the Smith Co. No Decision Last June. A hearing was held last June before Chief Justice Wheat and Associate Jus= tices Siddons, Bailey, Hitz and Gordon, | but no decision was reached. A re- | hearing in the shape of an argument by counsel was given last Fall, and the |court has had the matter under ad- visement. The opinion of the court reads: “Upon consideration of the evidence we hold that the money received by the respondent from the Boyle-Robertson Co., for influencing the officers of the F. H. Smith Co. to award to the Boyle- Robertson Co., the building. contracts, | while the confidential relationship of attorney and client existed between him and both ccmpanies, was not & fee for legitimate services, but, on the contrary, | was an enrichment of himself at the expense of one cli | arising out of ths confidential relation- ship. It was professional misconduct. It tended to bring the lawyers' calling into disrepute and was prejudicial to the administration of justice. “Instead of disbarment, however, we think that the ends of justice will be | satisfiec by suspending the respondent | from" practice for three years. Judg- thereof into and the exportstion“ L, b ool Rl at Rover Reques“ rather than one of the “fraud law” type | ment will be entered accordingly.” thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the| jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes.” The report says in this connec- | tion: “All the commission agree | that if the amendment is revised | it should be made to read sub- stantially as the above.” Senator Blaine, Republican, Wiscon- | introduced in the Senate im- diately after receipt of the report a n for a substitute prohibition smendment in line with the one con- ditionally suggested in the report. e amendment was sent along to Committee together with m I rt. Would Allow Option. Continuing, the report said if the eightesntn amendment were re\'bcd‘ as here suggested, it would be op- tional with Congress either to permit the manufacture and traffic in intoxi- liquors for beverage purposes or rohibit. As the amendment now stands no such leeway is given. Manu- facture of and traffic in intoxicating beverages are prohibited Each of the 11 members of the com- mission has attached to the general re- port a statement of his or her per- sonal views, Five of the members. of the commis- sion are for immediate revision of the amendment. They are: Henry W. An- derson of Richmond, Va.; Ada L. Com- | stock of Cambridge, Mass.; Frank Loesch of Chicago. Ill.; Judge Kcnnc'.h‘ the Wick Mackintosh of Seattle, Wash., and Dean Roscoe Pound of the Harvard Law School. | Two members of the commission are | for repeal of the eighteenth amendment | —Newton D. Baker of Cleveland, Ohio, and Monte M. Lemann of New Orleans, La. Mr. Lemann did not sign the gen- eral report of the commission, but sub- mitted a separate report of his own. Four members of the commission are | for further trial of national prohibition | as it is now practiced. They are: | orge W. Wickersham of New York, | chairman; Judge Willlam 1. Grubb of Birmingham, Ala.; Judge Wiliam S.| Kenyon of Fort Dodge, Iowa, and Judge Panl J. McCormick of Los Angeles, Caiif. Several Favor Referendum. prohibition act, as to cider and fruit juices by making some uniform provision for a fixed alcoholic content. 3. Increase of the number of agents, storekeeper-gaugers, prohi- bition investigators and special agents; increase in the personnel of the Customs Bureau and in the equipment of all enforcement organizations. 4. Enactment of a statute authorizing regulations permitting ac- cess to the premises and records of wholesale and retail dealers so as to make it possible to trace products of specially denatured alcohol to the ultimate consumer. 5. Enactment of plants. 6. The commission is opposed to legislation allowing more latitude for Federal searches ana seizures. 7. The commission renews the recommendation contained in its previous reports for codification of the national prohibition act and the acts supplemental to and in emendment thereof. 8. The commission renews its recommendation of legislation for making procedure in the so-called padlock injunction cases more ef- fective. 9. The commission recommends legislation providing a mode of prosecuting petty offenses in the Federal courts and modifying the in- creased penalties act of 1929, as set forth in the chairman’s letter to the Attorney General dated May 23, 1930, H. R. Rep. 1699, There are differences of view among the members of the commission as to certain of the conclusions stated and as to some matters included in or omitted from this report. The report is signed subject to individual reservation of the right to express these individual views in separate or supplemental reports to be annexed hereto BOTH WETS AND DRYS PLEASED AND DISPLEASED WITH REPORT islation to prohibit independent denaturing Sheppard. Dry, Approves: Brookhart, Dry, | Takes Issue; La Guardia Sees Political "Sops": La Follette, Wet, "Encouraged.“ By the Assoclated Press Comment on the report of the Law | Enforcement Commission started pour- | i ling from wet and dry leaders in the | Capital almost as soon as it was re- ceived by Congress. | with other parts of the report. He ad- vocated open hearings by a congres- 1 committee on the question. Representative La Guardia, Republi- can, New York, an anti-prohibitionist, asked, “Wky didn't the commission make |a recommendation in keeping with its findings?" former Attorney General George W. Wickersham, chairman; former Secre- tary of War Newton D. Baker, Federal Judges William S. Kenyon, Paul J. Mc- | | Cormick and Willlam I. Grubb, former | | Chief Justice Kenneth Mackintosh of | Supreme Court of Washington, Dean | Roscoe Pound of Harvard Law Schoo! | President Ada L. Comstock of Radcliff | College, Henry W. Anderson of Virginia, Monte M. Lemann of New Orleans and | 1 e | | Frank J. Leesch of Chicago. | “The commission thus comprises an able group of distinguished citizens of character and independence of thought, | representative of different sections of |the country. For 18 months they have | (Continued on Page 5, Column 2.) 'BRIAND PLAN GROUP [ o Study Economic Features of Federation Idea. | By the Assoctated Press. GENEVA, Switzerland, January 20.— ;D\'Icuatci to the commission examining | Aristide Briand's plan for a European | federation of states today agreed to ask Russia, Turkey and Iceland to partici pate in the study of economic issues involved. The delegates, without debate, voted to adopt a resolution to that effect drawn up yesterday by a subcommittee of the commission. Reservations to the decision, how- ever, were entered by representatives of Spain, Belgium, Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Jugoslavia. The commission met publicly on the motion of Arthur Henderson, British foreign minister. After adoption of the bers to participate, it resumed discus- filcm of the European economic situa- on. “We consider ourselves charged with | the responsibility in the drcught area; | Seven men were indicted today by we are meeting the needs and will con- the grand pury as the result of last tinue to do so.” | saturday’s raid by police on two al- Backs Hoover Rebuff. | leged gambling establishments after en- The statement declared the Red Cross | trance had been secured by means of wished to remain a volunteer organiza- | Federal search warrants executed by tion. and to stick to the fundamental'deputy United States marshals John J. as introduced by Senator Capper of | Kansas, chairman of the Senate District | Committee. Senator Blaine announced at noon | | that the hearing was closed. Despite | | efforts, F. G. Addison, representing the | District Bankers' Association, to make TINKHAM TO PRESS CANNON CHARGES |a statement, the committee chairman | Will Submit Accusations to Nye INVITES 3 NATIONS, resolution inviting the non-league mem- | principle of popular contributions on | which it has operated since organi- | zation. This new rebuff to Congress was in | { effect an expansion and restatement cf | what President Hoover already had said in his strenuous efforts to head off the { Democratic-sponsored relief outlay. The | adequacy of the organizaticn’s drought | | relief has repeatedly denied in | both branches of Congress during the | {long debate that preceded Senate action. That chamber in voting the $25- 000,000 turned a deaf ear to the pleas | of ‘administration supporters that ac- {tion be postponed until the Red Cross had time to wind up its own $10,000,- 000 drive for voluntary contributions. The latter fund was still under the three-quarter-million mark at the last report. How the latest action of the Red | Cross would afect the situation in the | House remained dubious. Before the uance of the statement the Republi- | can leaders were frankly doubtful of | being able to defeat it. They were seeking a compromise; one, mentioned by Speaker Longworth, wouid make tne appropriation equal in amount to any jfunds contributed to the Red Cross by | individuals. Extra Session Threatened. | The Republican leaders in the Sen- ate, however, believed that if the item went to the President and received his veto they would be able to muster enough votes to support the Executive. In that case they would encounter the threat of Democratic Leader Robinson to kill the entire Interior bill, carrying funds for next countless bureaus and projects. likely would force an extra session. The Red Cross was extended the aid of the Farm Board yesterday in an of- fer to have the Grain and Cotton Stabilization Corporations sell to it on easy terms and interest free commodi- ties acquired in price-steadying opera- tions. The wheat supplies, Chairman year's operation of | investigating slavery : . This | United States intends to wash its hands | €vidence produced by the committee Clarkson and “Gus” Ceremile at prem- ises 1219 E street and 506 Eleventh street. The search warrants had been issued by United States Commissioner Needham C. Turnage. United States Attorney Rover directed the presentation of the evidence to the grand jury yesterday and the indict- ments followad. Rufus Joyner and David Rones are | charged with setting up a gaming table |at 1219 E street for the acceptance of | bets or horse races and with parmitting the use of the premises under their control for the placing of wagers on the result of horse races. Similar charges are contained in the other indictment in reference to the third floor of premises 506 Eleventh street where, it is charged, a gaming | table was set up for recelving bets on the results of horse races by Benjamin | Levingston, Frank J. Claybourne, Sam- uel T Piper, Dean Johnson Kennedy and Samuel Fricter. The indictments are in four counts and charge that the alleged gaming es- tablishments have been maintained continuously from December 1, 1930, up | to the time of Saturday’s raid. , HEARSIIBEéIA IRKS U. S. |Geneva Understands Transfer of Protectorate Will Be Sought. LONDON, January 20 (#).—An Ex- change Telegraph dispatch from Geneva today sald it was understood there that, following the recently published report of the League of Nations committee in Liberia, the of the republic over which she has hitherto exercised a virtual pro- tectorate. | said he would be unable to hear him be- | | cause of another engagement. “The committee has full information on this matter now, and the taking of | additional testimony would be just a waste of time, Senator Blaine declarcd. Senator Blaine, through Oscar H. | Brinkman, committee counsel, intro- | duced testimony to show a wide differ- ence hetween the District government's | assessed values on these properties and the appraised values cited by interested concerns in the flotation of bond issues. | The "evidence also showed that bond |issue values were higher than the as- | sessed values. Tax Assessor Gives Data. | This evidence was given mostly by | william P. Richards, District tax as- | sessor, with data regarding bond issues | and appraisals being cited from circu- |1ars used in the sale of mortgage bonds. Mr. Brinkman brought out that in | the case of the Mayflower Hotel, one | of the largest hostelries in the District, | located at’ Connecticut avenue and De | Sales street, two years ago had an as- | sesed value ‘of $5,232,120, that the bond | issue on this property amounted to $9.900,000, and that an appraisal of the then value of the hotel property as computed by Harry Wardman, until re- cently the outstanding construction | leader of Washington, to be $12,600,000. | | Evidence taken today regarding the )10 large Wardman properties showed that whereas the total assessed value, as found by the District government, was $17,147,525, the appraised value, as | found by the firm of Ford, Bacon & | Davis, to be $31,040,833. | Equipment Value Set at $1,500,000. | “Another highlight of the session was | counsel showing that whereas Daniel J. | O'Brien. head of the Mayflower Hotel (Continued on Pagé 2, Column 5.) $1,000,000 CHURCH WITH ONLY 15 Group Barred From | Lobby Probe. By the Associated Pres Representative T; | Massachusetts, plans to submit to the | Senate Campaign Funds Commitiee charges against Bishop James M. Can- | non which the Senate Lobby Committee | found it did not have authority to in- | vestigate, | Tinkham said since the Senate had | authorized the Nye Campaign Commit- |tee to investigate all phases of the 1928 campaign, he would renew the charges he had made before the Lobby Cemmittee. | These involve alleged violations of | the corrupi practices act, alleged mis- | use of $36,000, and other offenses at- | tributed to tke bishop by Tinkham. 'HOOVER TO DEDICATE | MEMORIAL TO HARDING President ham, Republican, Accepts Invitation Take Part in Ceremony at Marion, Ohio. to By the Associated Press President Hoover today accepted an invitation to dedicate " the Harding Memorial at Marion, Ohio, some time after May. |, The invitation was formally extended by former Senator Frelinghuysen of New Jersey, chairman of the Harding Memo- rial Commission. He said Calvin Cool- idge also would be invited to attend the ceremonies. The exact date for the dedication has not been fixed, but it will be some time during the Summer. President Hoover recently indicated that he would participate in the dedi- Two of these commissioners—Judge | Senator Sheppard, Democrat, Texas, Kenyon and Judge McCormick—say | one of the leading Senate drys, express that if enforcement of the dry laws| . 2 h . does not improve materially, they will | ed approval of what he called “the sub- | favor revision of the eighteenth amend- | stantially dry” recommendations of the ment. commission. In the separate statements made by | the commissioners, recommendations | Brookhart Takes Issue. are made by several that public senti- | Senator Brookhart, Republican, Towa | another dry, took issue with several of Legge pointed out, could be traded for flour and bread. MEMBERS TO BE CONSECRATED| COMMITTEE GIVES HITZ |Richest and Most Costly Edifice in the World Began With REPORT OF APPROVAL | Single Room in Florida in 1889. } : [ cation ceremonies if formally invited. An official of the cammls:lon. how- ever, at that time, said invitations had previously been extended and doubted another would be issued. ANCIENT TABLET FOUND The report shows.” he said, “tne 1m-| CRAZED MAN KILLS WIFE sibility of enforc t and the noble | Cxperiment, which sl 3 a faire| AND SELF AND WOUNDS 2 Sons Hurt Grappling With Man after 10 years, won't be a& success after 20, * * ¢ Who Stabs Woman—One Boy Overcome by Gas. La Guardia Sees “Sops.” “The sections dealing with more :‘\gldi enforcement and a further trial are | ment on national prohibition be aurer—l tained through the submission a constitutional amendment either for re- peal or modification of the eighteenth amendment. it is proposed that this referendum be undertaken in an “off political year,” when there is no elec- tion of President or members of Con- gress, and that the question be sub- mitted to State constitutional conven- State Legl Col +« Two Dic—n Plane Hil; Eagle. LAHORE, India, January 20 (#).— Two military llt::ln';:xr: lkflud - Risal] today wi plane col- lldedp:{ a MYIM of 800 feet with an eagle with wings reaching 8 feet from tp .lgh up. c'me ur'x:u Jjumped, but bis ute failed open. Das"kilied n the crash at | not feel justified in recommending that only a sop to the drys for political ex- pediency. llhe suggestions by individual cominis- sfoners. | “I am delighted with the substan- “The recommendation that prescrip- I tially dry recommendation coming from | tions be unlimited is a sop to the wets, | the commission,” Sheppard said, “espe- | The Commission would give the drys the clally those against repeal of the|law and the wets a drink. It would eighteenth amendment and against| put a white apron on, and a cocktail changing the Volstead act to permit shaker in the hands of the physician wine and beer and in making & num-|and make a bartender out of him—if ber of necessary recommendations for | we are going to have bartenders let's strengthening the Volstead act. have real bartenders and let the doc- “The fact that a number of them in | tors cure the sick. their individual views are wet but did| “The only honest conclusion is that if the elghteenth amendment should be repes regulate. The rest could have been left out.” biookhart said the propcsal for a| Senator La Follette. Repubiican. Wis- revised amendment sounded to him like | consin, _an _opponent of prohibition, “repeal” and was apparently in conflict| ~ (Continued e Page 2, Column 1.) thelr own wet views be carried out is probably the best tribute to the cause | of prohibition yet’recorded.” aled Congress should be allowed to | v, | | By the Associated Press. BALTIMORE, January 20.—Closing all windows and turning on four gas jets in the kitchen of his home today, a crazed man stabbed and killed his | wite, seriously wounded two youthful | sons who tried to subdue him, and then ended his own life. The man, Andrew Thompson, 45, for several years had been receiving treatc ment here for recurrent fits of insanity, ascribed to an automobile accident. He came here three years ago from Norfolk, a. His wife was Mrs. Christine Thompson, 44. Wintie Thompson, 18, {ard Arnold, 19, were wounded by their fatic as they grappled with him, and \ ;nomer son, Leonard, 13, was overcome y g8s. Justice to D. C. Court of Appeals. A favorable report on the nomination of Justice William Hitz for elevation from the District Supreme Court to the District Court of Appeals was voted today by a Senat: subcommittee headed by Senator Borah, Republican, of Idaho. ‘The approval of the subcommittee will be reported to the Senate Judiciary Committee next Monday, and probably will go to the Ssnate for confirmation within a few days thereafter. ‘The same subcommittee is considering the nomination of Federal Judge D. Lawrence Groner of th: Eastern Dis- trict of Virginia, for thc other placs on the Dis.:izi Court ¢f Apooe's, but no decision has been reached yet on tils | Group Favorable to Elevation of| By the Associated Press. PALM BEACH, Fla, January 20—A church with property valued well over $1,000000 and with only 15 members is to be consecrated during the conven- tion of the South Florida Episcopal Diocese, beginning here today. Bethesda-by-the-Sea, considered the richest and most costly church in the world on the basis of the small mem- rship, has as its rector Right Rev. Nathaniel Seymour Thomas of Phila- del] , formerly blahuf of Wyoming. the height of the season the congregation eac! Sunday numbers nearly 1,000 persons. The edifice cost nearly $700,000 and is all paid for. It draws contributions from wealthy folk all over the Nation, | “Tho church is the cuigrc |!mu one-room builaing erected in 1889, before Palm, Beach came into the lime. light as a Winter resort. When Winter visitors augmented the congregation a new frame building was built. The present imposing edifice was erected in In the rear of the church are beauti- ful sunken gardeps, the gift of Miss Nellie Cluett of Troy, N. Y. The plot is artistically landscaped and planted with colorful flowers and tropical shrubbery. | A fountain throws its spray 15 feet an feeds a lily pool. Floodlights illuminate the garden at night. An cutstanding event in connection with the convention will be the pres- entation of a play, written by the late Mrs. §] pask of New York. Sid- has written a score and Homer will sing ‘e of the Virgin M be presented in the ister garth ITOW night. Th= play ' ISTANBUL, Turkey, January 20 (). | —Workmen digging the foundations of a private dwelling here today unearthed a marble tablet bearing an account of medl»sv.'laresfluk"el:hhy the Sultan Moham. me effect the conquest of - tinople in 1453. i i 2,000,000 Die of Famine. NANKING, January 20 (#).—A gov- ernment commission, recently sent into Shensi Province to ivestigate famine conditions, reported today that 2,000,- 900 persons had died of famine and drought in that province during the past few years. In the same perind 400,000 perscns have been sold into rlavery. Kadio Pro'nm; on Page C-3