Evening Star Newspaper, February 19, 1931, Page 17

WASHINGTON, D. C, The Foening Star HURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1931. PETITION 1S DENIED FOR RAIL TERMINAL ATTITHANDESTS. Commission Declares Inter- section at Pennsylvania and 14th Too Crowded. ALEXANDRIA LINE MUST VACATE PRESENT SITE Decision Virtually Sounds Death Knell Over Street Car Service to Virginia Town. The Public Utilities Commission to- day denied the petition of the Mount | Vernon, Alexandria & Washington Railway Co. for permission to set up & terminal at Eleventh and E streets for its trolley cars, bringing the cars across Pennsylvania avenue at Fourteenth strect. The present terminal is at Twelfth and D strects, and the tom- pany muz vacate this trminal by April 1 to make way for a new building to be put up by the Federal Government. The company must also tear up all of its tracks east of Fourteenth street by that date In acting upon the p:tition, the com- mission had before it evidence put there by its engineers that to grant the peti- tion would place a traffic load at Four- teenth street and Pennsylvania avenue beyond the capacity of the intersection. Intersection Heavily Loaded. ‘The report showed that 175 cars cross this intersection in the half hour be- tween 8:30 and 9 in the morning and 131 between 4:30 and 5 in the after- noon. Some of these are cars of the Washington Railway & Electric Co., erving the Bureau of Engraving and ;nnzmg. which make turns out cf and Into E street, which intersects Four: leenth street at Pennsylvania avenue. Had the petition been granted 68 extra turns per day, of heavy interurban cars, would have been added to the load, and the commission refused to sanction such an addition. The action had been freely predicted before the petition had even come to tne com- mission. it The Public Utilities Commission like- wise denied a petition by the Blue Ridge Transportation Co., operating motor buses between Washington and Hagerstown, Cumberland and Pitts- burgh, to move its terminal from 408 Twelfth street to 1336 New York ave- nue. The Federal building program was not involved in the latter petition. as this terminal is north of Pennsylvania avenue. Against Reimbursement. The action of the commission in the Alexandria car line case practically sounds a death knell over street car service between Washington and Alex- andria, since officials of the company say it would not be practicable to them to use any terminal south of Pennsyl- vania avenue. A bill is in preparation o compensate the company for its en- forced exodus from its terminal and for jts probable cessation of ~operation, which calls upon the District of Colum- bia to contribute $98,000 to the com- pany in exchange for the company’s agreement to tear up its tracks in Washington south of Water street to Highway Bridge. This has already stir- red unfavorable comment among civic bodies here, and an attack o theh prop- osition is expected to be launched al the meeting of the Federation of Cit- izens' Associations Saturday night. James G. Yaden of Petworth, whose as- Sociation 15 on record as opposed to the contribution, is expected to lead the fight. MISS MINNIE MICKLEY DIES AFTER STROKE Charter Member of Genealogical Society—Was First Regent of Philadelphia D. A. R. Chapter. The many {riends in Washington of Miss Minnie F. Mickley will Jearn with Tegret of her death recently at the home of her brother-in-law and sister, Dr. and Mrs. H. M. Chance, 224 South Forty-third street, Philadelphia, within a nalf hour after being stricken with apoplexy. A descendant of John Jacob Mickley, arly settler in Pennsylvania, and ghter of the late Edwin Mickley and wife, Matilda Fogel Mickley, she actively interested in the history country and genealogical re- regarding the descendants of its Philadelphia Chap- the American Revo- she was the first 2 nized numerous chap- ters of the D. A. R.. and as registrar general was one of the earlier national officers of that organization. Later she was editor and general manager of the American, the original name of the official D. A. R. publication She was a charter member of the Naticnal Genealogical Society. In various capac- acti interested in pro- welfare of Daughters tion and of the e founded and ut death _was regent of the Michelet pter, D. A R., its membership comprising descendants of John Jacob Mickley. COURT WILL DECIDE ON TAXI BAN LEGALITY Right to Cruise on F and G Streets at Issue in Case in Traf- fic Court. the time The first case in which li= agality of the ordinance forbidding taxicabs from cruising along F and G streets in the shopping district between certain hours was heard before Judge Ralph Given in Traffic Court late yesterday Judge Given will give a decision shortly. Several of guilty of without disputing its legality. have been given suspended sentences. D. Baker, came 0us S Abe ciiven o 'and he | of Robert Brent, first mayor of Wash- before Judge Given yesterday, took the man’s personal bond. 1 other test cases on the taxi- cab cruising situation have come up be- fore, but in former instance, it was pointed out, the drivers entered pleas ¢ violating the ordinance In each instance the defendants formerly tried Sell Blooms to Aid G. W. U. | | i 1 | MASONIC CLUBS OPEN ANNUAL CAMPAIGN. Each year at the Washington birthday season Masons throughout the coun- try sponsor a Nation-wide sale of cherry blossoms for the benefit of the Educa- ticnal Foundation of the National League of Masonic Clubs. foundation is the endowment of two chairs of Fcreign Service in the George Washington University School of Government as a memorial to the first Presi- dent. Left to right: Jane Hanna, President Cloyd Heck Marvin of George Wash- ington and Maude Hudson, president of the student council ‘The purpose of this CORONER PREFERS MORGUE AUTOPSIES Asks for Better Equipment and Additioral Help in Dis- charging Duties. Coroner J. Ramsay Nevitt agrees with most of the findings “of the Limerick grand jury on the work of the coroner’s office, according to a report he filed with Commissioner Herbert B. Crosby today. He believes, however, that autop- sies should continue to be made at the Morgue instead of at undertaking establishments, as recommended by the grand jury. | He would like better autopsy equip- ment, a clerk and stenographer, a greater force of deputy coroners’and generally better co-operation between the coroner's office, attending physi- clans, ambulance surgeons and the police. His report will be laid before the meeting of the Board of Commissioners tomorrow morning. It reads: “It has been my observation that am- bulance surgeons and private physicians have in the past promptly notified the police or the coroner’s office of sus- picious deaths coming under their ob- servations, Police officials have in all cases remained until the arrival of the | coroner or the deputy coroner. “I approve of the grand jury's recom- mendation that all ambulance surgeons and physicians immediately notify the police of any suspicious circumstances surrounding a death. I also approve of recommendation No. 2 (where deaths occur without medical practitioners in attendance, the coroner be promptly notified) | “I believe the autopsy room at the | Morgue is entirely suitable for perform- ing autopsies, especially those of a med- ico-legal aspect. The equipment at the Morgue for performing autopsies is anti- quated and does not meet the demands for the scientific investigation necessary in medical-legal cases | “I believe that the force of employes lof the coroner’s office is not sufficient to adequately take care of the amount of work and to meet the increasing de- mands that this office is called upon to perform. As a coroner’s office is a court of record, it is essential that it have a clerk and stenographer. “It is also my opinion that in view of the fact that all coroner’s cases are police ca ambulance surgeons notify the Police Department directly, so that valuable time be saved in the invesiigation of these cases, particularly homicide cases, s0 that the Police Department can get into direct touch with the coroner's office | “I cannot urge too strongly that in | all “cases of suspicious circumstances, the first officer arriving at the scene promptly comply with the Police De- partment order to notify the homicide squad immediately.” James M. Burns Dead. MARTINSBURG, W. Va. February 19 (Special).—James M. Burns, father of L. W. Burns, superintendent of city schools, here, died at his home at Crawley, Greenbrier County, W. Va, aged 80, Monday. He had been in ill health for some months. Funeral serv- jces were held yesterday afternoon. ses first, that physicians and | COL. HODGES LAUDS RED CROSS WORK Reports to President Relief Program Is Being Efficient- ly Administered. Col. Campbell B. Hodges, military aide to President Hoover, who returned to Washington yesterday from the drought-stricken area in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas, report- ed to the President that a careful sur- vey of that section disclosed the Ameri- can Red Cross work was being admin- stered in an efficient manner. Col. Hodges made this survey with Oliver S. Wood and Capt. Louis A. Pick, U. S. A, who returned to Washington with him. According to Col. Hodges' report to President Hoover, substantial relief is being extended to those in need of food and clothing and due precau- tion is being taken to prevent imposi- tions by those not actually in want. Some Impose on Relief. He reported that unfortunately there are a number of persons applying for aid who are not really in need, which necessarily makes careful inquiry neces- sary. He reported also that relief is given first on an emergency basis and the inquiry made afterward The fact that some people are loath to ask for help and in some cases accept aid only after the Red Cross has called on them and insisted they do so has been one of the difficulties of the relief work, Col. Hodges found. Chapters Held Thorough. “Cash grants for relief have been made in every county where distress exists,” Col. Hodges reported. “These grants are ample to supply adequate relief, and the local Red Cross chapters are attending to their part of the job in a very thorough and conscientious manner with a very few exceptions, and those exceptions are on the side of lack of care to prevent abuse. “Quite a number of people who are habitually improvident and always lived very poorly are better off with the Red Cross relief than they are ac- customed to be. With the opening up of farm work and the re-establish- ment of farm credit, the task of the Red Cross should be materially re- duced within the next month.” BIDS ASKED BY GRANT One of the first signs of Spring is- sued today from the office of Lieut. Col. U. S. Grant, 3d, director of Public Build- ings and Public Parks, who called for bids for the operation of the speedboat concession at Hains Point in East Po- tomac Park. The bids will be opened Pebruary 21. : Under the terms of the prospective contract, the successful bidder is re- quired to take out insurance in a com- pany having a capltal stock of not less than $500,000 to cover legal llability to the public. Col. Grant explained that the con- cession will cover the exclusive privi- lege of operating speedboats from Hains The widow and two other sons survive. Point. From their recently discovered resting place on a wooded knoll near the new dormitory building at Georgetown Uni- versity, the bones of a score or more of the early residents of Washington will be removed to a permanent location in a burial plot in Cedar Hill Cemetery, if the offer of the cemetery is accepted by officers of Georgetown University. Among the graves recently discovered while workmen were excavating for the new building at Georgetown University were those of Susan Decatur, widow of Commodore Stephen Decatur of early naval fame, and Jane Brent, daughter ington. Many other graves, almost all hich the legality of the |overgrown with weeds and nearly ob- bl:h‘l:o’uu ll‘l"lvl‘(v)hled James L. Brum-|literated with the passage of time, were baugh, a member of the Independen! Taxi Owners' Association, resented by A. D. ‘ who was rep- t | found in the forgotten graveyard high on the hills above the Potomac River. Some of the gravestones were decipher- REBURIAL OF SUSAN DECATUR’S BODY, RECENTLY FOUND, OFFERED Others Also Discovered Near New G. U. Dormitory May Have Resting Places in Cedar Hill. able, but on most of them the inscrip- tions were so weather-beaten they were not _readable. The grave of Susan Decatur was re- stored in 1904 by Decatur Parsons of New York, a grandnephew of Com: modore Decatur. The naval officer died March 22, 1820, & few hours after he nad fought a duel on the historic dueling ground at_Bladensburg with Commodore James Barron. Cedar Hill Cemetery, where it is pro- posed to reinter the bones of these old Washington residents without charge to Georgetown University, or to any individual, is located in Maryland, near the District line, lIn l?.n with ":u :’):- tension_of Pennsylvania avenue - ast. p W, Calfie, one of the offictals of the cemetery, has written a letter to Georgetown University, offering to re- move the bodies DELAY COMPETITION IFOR SCHOOL POSTS UNTL 10 1, 198 Board ,of Education Adopts “Compromise” on Plan to YEARS VORK SEEN | N COMPLNG NEW BORLAND FIERES Assessor Holds Additional Force Will Be Needed to Re- Employ Non-Residents. BALLOU HOLDS DISTRICT NEEDS OTHER EDUCATORS Reports Partial Free Meal Survey Indicates Situation Is Being “Pretty Well Cared for.” ‘Washington teachers and teaching principals will have to compete with out-of-town educators for ~appoint- ments to administrative principalships in _the public schools after July 1, 1933. This action was taken by the Board of Education late yesterday as a ‘“‘com- promise” between Supt. Frank W. Ballou’s proposal to admit out-of-town persons to the examinations imme- | diately and Henry L. Gilligan's con- | tention that the "tests be open only to members of the local school system personnel. | At the same meeting Dr. Ballou ad- vised the board that incomplete re- turns on the survey to determine the extent of need of free meals for needy | public school children indicate “the | situation is pretty well being taken care of” at present. Reports had been made by 7 out of 9 supervising princi- pals of elementary school divisions, 10 out of 12 junior high schools, 5 out of 8 senior high schools and 1 of the 4 vocational schools. Holds Supply Exhausted. ‘The proposal to admit out-of-town educators to compete for the admin- istrative principal positions was made by Dr. Ballou at the board's meeting two weeks ago. At the request of Mr. Gilligan action on the proposal was delayed the two intervening weeks be- tween board meetings. Dr. Ballou's contention is that the supply of teachers and teaching princi- pals possessing the nccessary qaulifica- tions—which have included, since June, 1929, a_bachelor of arts degree—has been exhausted. He pointed out that an inadequate number of candidates came out for the positions during the past year making it necesary to seek outside candidates to establish an ade- quate list of eligible prospective ap- pointees. He contended further that competition with out-of-town candidates would inspire local teachers to greater efforts and higher degrees of preparation and added that, qualifications being equal, the women already in the system would be given preference over strang- ers in the final appointments. By way o illustration, Dr. Ballou cited the fact that of the six colored candidates for admjnistrative positions during the past year, only one qualified, despite the fact that all six had the bachelor of arts degree. ' Sees Increase in Candidates. Mr. Gilligan, chief opponent of the superintendent’s proposal, contended that the reason an inadequat: number of applicants for the administrative principalships were found last year was. the fact that the bachelor of arts degree was made a requirement too recently for an appreciable number of teachers lacking that degree to qualify for it. He said he believed a larger number of candidates would come forward this year if the outside competition were delayed. Dr. Ballou, speaking earnestly, told the board that he “would be grgatly disappointed if this board takes an ac- tion which would reserve for District of Columbia_teachers something they are in a position to earn.” Mrs. Mary McNeill, board member, suggested that, instead of admitting outside candidates immediat:ly, the bar be held up until July, 1933, by which time the local Teachers' Colieges would be graduating only persons possessing the minimum requirements and at which time advanced requirements in other positions would go into_effect. Dr. Ballow’s reply to this was the ex- planation that he believes an_insuffi- clent number of qualified local candi- dates remain to fill the needs of the next two years. Would Get Teacher's Opinions. Mr. Gilligan supported Mrs. McNeill's suggestion and in the course of his ar- guments in favor of it asserted that, in his opinion, the bachelor of arts degree should not have been made a require- ment for administrative principals until after the Teachers’ Colleges were gradu- ating persons with that degree. He con- tended further that the opinions of the teachers themselves should be gotten by the School Board before proposed changes of the sort recommended by Dr. Ballou should be made. Dr. Abram Simon announced he would vote “unqualifiedly for Dr. Bal- lou's proposal in this matter,” conte ing that the District school system “is a victim of too much in-breeding” and that the need of system was contact with progressive educators of the coun- try at large. . Dr. H. Barrett Learned, acting presi- dent of the board, agreed with Dr. Simon with respect to the “in-breed- ing.” He pointed out that during the past five or six years, or since he be- came sufficlently acquainted with the needs of the local schools, Dr. Ballou has worked toward steady improvement of the District's schools. The change which the superintendent proposed at this time, Dr. Leonard declared, is in line with that improvement policy and, he contended, involved no great danger to local teachers. He admitted that no doubt certain organizations and some individuals objected to the changes, as they had objected to most of the changes which already had been made for the ultimate good of the local school and school children. Dr. Simon added that “scarcely & single progressive measure had been posed by Dr. Ballou which had not Peen “opposed by unprogressive indi- viduals and organizations.” Vote 4 to 3 for Delay. The vote as finally cast was 4 to 3 in Javor of the delay of the outside competition. Those voting for the de- lay were Mrs. Henry Grattan Doyle, Mrs. McNeill, Dr. J. Hayden Johnson and Mr, Gilligan, while those voting against it were Dr. Simon, Dr. Learned and Rev. F. I A. Bennett. On the recommendation of its Com- mittee on Buildings, Grounds and quipment_the board voted to transfer upils of the Crippled Children School ck to their old schools in cases where they lived in isolated communities. This action was necessary, it was ex- plained, because of the near exhaustion of the bus transportation funds for the current year. A study of the situation revealed the fact that it would cost nearly $1,000 a year per pupil to pro- vide bus transportation for these few isolated children. The board agreed to notify the Kiwanis Club of its enforced action so that that organization, a benefactor of crippled children, might offer some other remedial suggestions. Dr. Ballou asked the board to requ additional police protection for est the’ the local boar vise Property Figures. WHOLE STAFF IS BUSY ON MAPES’ REQUEST Revised Paving Cost Law Makes Complicated Task—Attorney Expects Court’s 0. K. It will take a year at least, with an increased staff of clerks, to make the reassessment of property required under the revised Borland law passed by Con-| gress and before the President for sig- nature. Tax Assessor Willlam P. Rich- ards made this estimate today after talking with some of the workers in| the office now handling the clerical end of Borland law assessments and other assessments against property for curbs, | gutters, alleys and the like. Section 11 of the revised law pro- | vides that: “The Commissioners of the District of Columbia are hereby direct- ed to cancel all assessments for im-| provements completed within three | years prior to the date of approval of | this act (under the Borland law) and| the Commissioners are further directed to reassess the cost of such improve- | ments against the abutting property in accordance with the provisions of this act, which assessments shall become a lien against the abutting property and :e collected in the manner provided erein.” Task More Complicated. ‘This task involves getting out all the “job sheets” on street improvement projects executed under the Borland law for the past three years, entering the assessments as canceled and then proceeding to a new assessment on each individual lot. In the former as- sessments the amount was calculated directly from the frontage of the lot being assessed. Under the new law, the proceeding is much more complicated. The assessment is primarily calculated on the front foot basis, but there are many governing factgss introduced to meet the objections made by court de- cisions. The assessment, for instance, must not exceed $3.50 per front foot, or the number of square feet in the prop- erty multiplied by 1 per cent of the front-foot assessment; it shall not ex- ceed 20 per cent of the assessed value of the land; no land lying more than 100 feet back of the improved road- way shall be computed in the area (section 4). When any property abuts | two or more streets, all assessments | against the property under this law shall not aggregate more than 3!5 cents per square foot (section 8), or 20 per cent of the assessed value of the and. There are nine clerks in the section of the assessor's office now handling the Borland law and other similar work. Mr. Richards said they were now busy with current work and he did not see how this additional labor could be per- formed without extra help. Mapes Request Big Job. “Besides,” sald Mr. Richards, “all thy office is busy. We just have a request {from the Mapes committee to give them the value of all land bought by the Federal Government in the District of Columbia for the past 10 years. We are supposed to be assessors of revenue- producing property and a job such as this takes a tremendous lot of labor. Most of my force is usy on this one request now.” Vernon L. West, principal assistant corporation counsel, who handles_the District’s Borland law cases in court, said that he thought the legislation would stand a court test. Mr. West, then in private practice, was the first lawyer to brfak into the old Borland law by securing a decision of the Court of Appeals against its validity in cer- tain circumstances. G. Bowdoin Craighill, the attorney who won the case of the McLean estate against the District, in which the Court of Appeals ordered a Borland law as- sessment canceled and the Supreme Court of the United States refused to grant a writ of certiorari against the decision, said today that he had not had time to study the text of the substitute measure. He is engaged in a will con- test in court, which is expected to take all of his time for the next week. Later he expects to study the new legislation with a view to further protest against assessments on his clients’ properties if he feels they would be justified. He de- clined to advance an opinion on the new measure, however, before an opportunity for careful study of its terms. | SUSPENDED DETECTIVE MADE FOOT PATROLMAN Pvt. Chmylko Succeeds Miles, Who Is Expected to Face Trial Board Saturday. Detective Sidney H. Miles, sixth pre- cinct officer, suspended last week after he is alleged to have attempted to tear a dress off a woman while in an intoxi- cated condition, has been ‘broke,” in the parlance of the Police Department. An order transferring Miles to the eleventh precinct as a foot patrolman, has been issued by Major Henry G. Pratt, superintendent, with Private Mathew Chmylko of No. 11 station going to the sixth precinct to replace the suspended officer. Miles, who was assigned to plain- clothes duty at the Union Station, prob- ably will go before the Police Trial Board Saturday to face charges growing out of the incident which caused his suspension. Chmylko has already taken up his new duties as detective at Union Station. In two other changes ordered by Major Pratt, Private Karl O. Spiess of the Traffic Bureau has been transferred to foot patrol duty in the harbor pre- cinct, and Private F. J. Adams of the first _precinct has been shifted to the Traffic Bureau. school buildings and grounds. He ex- plained that in the face of heavy ex- penditures for the landscaping of school grounds and equipment of school play- grounds more adequate protection for the properties is needed after school ‘The board agreed to seek the suggested guardianship. At the suggestion of Dr. Ballou, the board agreed to invite the department of superintendence of the National Education Association to hold its an- nual convention in the National Capi- tal in 1932, The department is meet] next week in Detroit and local school officers will attend its sessions. Dr. Learned and Harry O. Hine, secretary of the board, was authorized to frame formal invitation, PAGE B-1 Plays Role in Festival ONE OF PRINCIPALS IN GIRL SCOUTS’ PAGEANT. ARAIL ACTVITY AT BOLLING FIELD TOBE TERMINATED Removal of Civil Business ¢ Washington-Hoover Air- port Planned. TRANSFER THIS SPRING IS NOW C\ONTEMPLATED Army Has Permitted Use of Its Field Pending Development of #. C. Facilities. Removal of all airmail activity from Bolling Pield to Washington-Hoover Afrport, from which 25 per cent of the Capital's airmail now is being flown, may be effected in the Spring. | Plans which had been made for | abandoning the Army field on March 1, ]however. have been held up because of i® fear that prevailing Winter mists and jnight fogs, combined with the hazard of electric power lines and other ob- structions adjoining the commercial fleld, would make the operation of heav- | ily loaded mail planes from the smaller fl:}s &mpmcurablo. regarded as likely the change will be made during the next two or three months, and the Army field, which has been used as the night airmail base for nearly three years under a temporary permit from the War Department wiil be restored to the Army for purely military purposes. May Enlarge Area. Before the change is made, however, Miss Mary Martha Wren as Glorious, the part she will play in the “Festi- | vigorous efforts will be made to bring val of Nations,” being presented in Washington under the auspices of the Girl |about the closing of the portion of Mili- Scouts of the District of Columbia, April 27-May 2. —Harris-Ewing Photo. SPEED T0 BE ASKED ON FREE FOOD BL McLeod to Seek Emergency Action to Aid Undernour- ished Children. Acting Chairman McLeod of the House District Committee intends to ask emergency action at a special meet- ing of the House District Committee to- morrow, on the bill he introduced late yesterday to furnish undernourished school children in Washington with free food. This legislation has been, urged by John J. Noonan, who originated the reduced street car fare measure for Dis- trict school children. Urges Prompt Action. Representative McLeod said that due to Mr. Noonan's presentation of facts regarding the number of District school children who are undernourished, that Both members of the House and Senate already have sufficient information on this subject to warrant them in ex- pediting the passage of his bill as an emergency measure. He emphasized that prompt action must be taken in order to get the $30,000 authorized to carty out this important welfare work, included in the second deficiency appro- priation bill now under consideration. Although the money would not be avail- able until after the schools closed for the Summer, there will be no other ap- propriation bill in which it could be in- cluded. Representative McLeod explained that under his bill distribution of food would not be limited to public school children, but would include pupils-attending pri- vate and parochial schools which are charging no tuition or not in excess of $25 a year. This would put the free food for undernourished children on the same basis of distribution as re- duced carfares. Administration of the distribution of free soup, milk and other food would be lodged in the District health officer, under supervision of the District Commissioners. Provides New Inspectors. ‘The legislation provides for regular and systematic physical examination of school children to determine which ones are undernourished so that the health officer would be guided in the proper distribution of free food. Representative McLeod pointed out that his bill authorizes the health offi- cer to purchase, prepare and distribute such food as may be necessary in such manner as his professional judgment determines is most desirable, whether under contract or otherwise. This measure directs the District Commissioners to appoint “such addi- tional medical inspectors as may be necessary to perform the duties im- posed” by this legislation. The salaries of such extra employes, as well as the cost of food, would come out of the $30,000 authorized to be appropriated. BARNETT STATUE SOUGHT Resolution Asks $125,000 Shaft for Former Marine Chief. A statue of the late Maj. Gen. George Barnett, former commandant of the Marine Corps, would be erected in Washington under a resolution in- troduced in fhe Senate by Senator Blaine, Republican, of Wisconsin. The resolution was referred to committee for report. The resolution authorizes $125,000 for the statue, the site to be selected later. The preamble declares the statue would be in recognition of Gen. Barnett's out- standing character and courage. End of Drought Due to Moving of Long-Stagnant Air Science Still Unable to Explain Lack of Motion in Upper Strata. By the Associated Press. ‘The long-stagnant atmospheres which brought drought to the country have stirrred. That apparently is why it is raining once more. Science has found no cause for the almost complete lack of motion of the upper air, to which it attributed the drought that had devastated wide Stretches of farming land. Further- more, there is no way of knowing, J. B. Kincer, agricultural meteorologist of the Weather Bureau, said today, whether the resumption of currents is permanent or will again lapse. A readjustment of air pressure con- ditions in early February permitted the air to flow from high to low pressure areas in normal fashion. The low pres- sure areas swung across the country and in recent days have been attended by substantial and sometimes heavy rains over much of the hitherto per- sistently dry areas. High Pressure Area. Before that time a high pressure area, hovering intolerably long over the Rocky Mountain area, blocked the rains which should have come to the inte- rior of the continent out of the west. Since the first of February rainfall has totaled an inch or more in nearly all of the Southern States and over a wide belt extended from extreme South- ern New York, Pennsylvania and West Virginia southwest and west to Okla- homa and Eastern Kansas. In general, the totals have come near normal or somewhat above in_Ohio, Indiana, the Southern half of Illinois and in Tennessee. Rains have been above normal generally in West Vir- ginia, Kentucky, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas and much of Missouri. In all there was a great deficiency, however, to be made up. Rain in States Nearby. In Maryland, Virginia and the Caro- linas, rain has remained moderate and generally below normal. In the plains States north of Kansas and also in the Upper Mississippi Valley from North- ern Missouri northward there has been little rain or snow as yet. The heaviest rainfall has occurred in Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Southern Missouri, the Northern parts of Mississippt and Louisiana and East- ern_Texas. ‘These were the States of the most severe drought areas. In West Vir- ginia, Ohio, Indiana and the Southern half of Tllinois, also hard hit, rains have been mostly from 1 to 2 inches. PRISONERS DONATE $51 TO RED CROSS RELIEF By the Associated Press. The American Red Cross today re- ceived $51 from the warden of the Tcnngssee State Penitentiary, contrib- uted by 63 prisoners. m’l';llesamounts given varied from 5 cents One of the prisoners, when making his contribution, showed a letter from his father, which said: “Son, don't try to get parole at this time, for if it wasn’t for the Red Cross we wouldn’t have anything to eat, and I advise you to remain where you are, so they won't have to care for you also.” MAN ACCUSED BY JUSTICE STONE WINS CASE IN D. C. POLICE COURT Colored Defendant Is Acquitted on Charge of Reckless Driving Before Judge Hitt. Associate Justice Harland F. Stone of the United States Supreme Court lost a case in Police Court today when a jury acquitted Alvin Jackson, 20 years old, colored, against whom the justice had appeared as the principal witness on a charge of reckless driving. ‘When the case was first called up several weeks ago with Justice Stone as a witness, Jackson took advantage of a recent decision of the Supreme Court which gave the right of jury trial to persons charged with reckless driv- ing. Justice Stone, whose identity was not known atiaches, was curtly ordered to “find a seat” when he was seen standing up in court. The jury returned the verdict of not guilty ‘in " Ji 's case today after brief deliberation. fended by P. P. Richard: attorney, and the case was uted by Assistant Corporation Counsel Ray- mond T. Sparks. The case wa trled before Judge Isaac R. Hitt. Jackson was charged with the offgns after his automobile and Justice Sto car had collided on S street near Ci mecticut avenue some time around January, tary road between the two halves of Washington-Hoover Airport so as to en- large the available landing area and to force the removal to underground con- duits of the scores of electrical wires strung along the Washington-Alexandria road, which forms the east boundary of the airport. In clear weather operations, it was pointed out, the obstructions can be avoided. The night airmail, however, must operate during periods of the night when ground mists and darkness ob- scure the obstructions and make opera- tions difficult. Air transport lines now using Washington-Hoover Airport con- fine their operations to daylight and early hours of night when the mists and fogs are not prevalent and so are able to operate safely, it was said. ‘The hazard created by obstructions around the field in the dark of a misty night was forcibly demonstrated by a near-tragedy recently when F. V. “Tom- my” Tompkins clipped the wing off a landing through a light fog at 3 o'clock in the morning with a heavy load of New York newspapers aboard. Had Narrow Escape. Tompkins escaped by the narrowest margin imaginable. With one wing tip gone, the plane dropped so low the entire landing gear was torn off by the river bank. The fuselage slid across the ground through the field boundary fence and then went up on its nose. When field attendants reached the plane, they found Tompkins hanging from his safety belt writing his flight repor(" As they came up to him Tomp- kins Was writing on the line reserved for noting the condition of the plane the single word, “Terrible.” The National Capital now receives direct airmail service only op the coastal run from New York to Miami. This line, operated by Eastern ~Air Transport, has been flown for thr years and now is one of the most hea ily traveled mail routes in the world, with nearly 20 plane arrivals and de- partures every 24 hours, Seventy-five per cent of the mail on this line now is flown between 6:30 pm. and 7 am. in airmail planes which carry no passengers. _All these planes operate from Bolling PField. The remaining 25 per cent is carried during the daytime aboard passenger planes, three round trips being flown daily be- tween this city and New York and one between Washington and Atlanta. The passenger planes operate from Wash- ington-Hoover Airport. New Service Planned. The second deficiency appropriation bill, reported to the House yesterday, contains $33,000 to pay for operation of airmail service between the National Capital and Pittsburgh from March 1 to July 1, when this service will be extended to Norfolk, Va., and will be- come permanent. ‘The Pittsburgh line, Washington's second airmail service, probably will operate from Washington-Hoover Afr- port. The contract is expected to go to Pennsylvania Airlines, now operat- ing daylight passenger service from ‘Washington-Hoover Field to Pittsburgh and Cleveland. Maj. Howard C. Davidson, comman- dant of Bolling Field, said today that he had been notified by Eastern Air Transport officials of their intention to move away from Bolling Field. “Personally, I shall be sorry to see them go,” Maj. Davigson said. “They have been very conSiderate in their operations and have never caused us any trouble.” D. C. Expected to Act. It is contrary to War Department policy, however, to mix military and civil operations and the wse of Bolling Field was granted three years ago only because retusal to grant the use of the Army field would have cost the Na- tional Capital its place on the country’s airmail network. The company was is- sued a revokable permit for temporary operation from the Army fleld, with the understanding that the District of Columbia would undertake at the earliest possible opportunity to provide a permanent municipal airport from which the mail line could operate. No actual move has been made toward creation of the proposed governmental airport beyond the recommendation by a joint congressional commission that the Washington-Hoover Airport site be taken over for immediate development, with the Gravelly Point area to be held for future development. PITTS DENIED BOND 70 LEAVE D. C. JAIL The final effort of G. Bryan Pitts to leave the District Jail under bond failed yesterday when the United States Su- preme Court ruled adversely on his pe- tition for bail. Pitts, through his counsel, had made application to Chief Justice Hughes. ‘The latter's ruling denied the petition without comment. Pitts was convicted of a conspiracy to embezzle funds and destroy records of the F. H. Smith Co. while serving as chairman of 1its board of directors. He aj Lp.::lego Q.’hcu conviction and was jail pending de X esue, -