Evening Star Newspaper, March 3, 1931, Page 2

GIRL FRIEN FACES SCHROEDER QUI Defense Fights Evidence on| Stabbing or Shooting in Torch Death Case. By the Assoclated Press. INDIANAPOLIS, March 3.—A num- ber of Alabama witnesses, including . bolice and insurance officials, were ready to testify today in the trial of Harold Herbert Schroeder, 35, Mobile, Ala,, .for the torch slaying of an un- identified man near here last May 31. In addition, Prosecutor Herbert E. Wilson announced Miss Gertrude Kittrell of Mobile, whom he said was a close friend of Schroeder, had sured him she would come lndl- = apolis today to testify. p?)eunu efforts yuunhy were cen- tered principally on_refuting State testimony offered by Dr. Lawrence A. Lewis, col , former deputy coroner, that the man found Bchroeder’s burned automobile had bean stabbed or shot before the body was set afire. Dr. Lewis, who conducted an autopsy on the body, said he found evidence of a wound in the right lung. Ira M. Holmes, defense counsel, produced & book on_toxicology which he said con- tradicted certain of Lewis' findings. George “Jack” Allen, student in a local law school, related seeing the burning automobile, wriving past it and then picking up near the scene a hitch- hiker who resembled Schroeder. ATTEMPT TO ENTER CHURCH’S SAFE FAILS Novices Suspected in Futile Effort . to Rob Full Gospel Assem- bly Office. Breaking into the office of the Full Gospel Assembly, at North Capitol and K streets, early today, unldanufled in- truders failed in an attempt to batter open a large safe containing several hundred dollars. Sergt. Carlton Talley, a headquarters detective, learned burglars had gained entrance to the church through an unlocked basemen! t window. He ex- rused the opinion they wers novlees, Because the they been unable to ham: ‘ mer off the combination dial. They left no tools behind them. ' ‘The robbers broke into several desks and cabinets, but were believed to have found nothing of value. SHERIFFS WILL DIG FOR LOOT ON RANCH Landowner Is Held as Banker Says $44,300 Check Paid at Pistol Point. he | Many physicians, . | everything MUSCLE SHOALS ACTION IS AWAITED BY SENATE, UPSET WITH PROB'—EMSIZZ INJURED AS BLAST H. S. W0OD |NDORSED — | DAMAGES BUILDINGS FOR CARUSI VACANCY (Continued From First Page.) ‘were resorted t> for maintaining a ma- | Jority in attendance, but this narrowed | at last to a bare 49 and the Senate | gave up. Reed’s -tumpt on behalf of the im- passed only yesterday by mvalved gttfinfl the Senate | the Vi esident, who had 1 bill wuld not be again today. He was confident, hcw-; :uv;r: that a good majority was with | | House Fresher for Work. i ‘The House, meanwhile, had adjourned at 10 o'clock last night, and its mexn- bers returned to work far fresher than the Senators. ‘There was more time there for specu- | lation over yesterday's progressive call for a non-partisan counference of lib- eral-minded tendencies. Despite stanch disclaimers by the leading progressives themselves, there was talk about the possible third-party significance. Spon- sors of the meeting, called for March 11, maintained it was for formulation of a constructive legislative program, with emphasis on economic policies. The form‘dable potentialities of the movement rested in the power a united progressive force may wield in the next Congress. CAPT. W. S. KILMER RITES TO BE HELD TOMORROW Army Engineer, Native of Penn-| sylvania, to Be Buried in Ar- lington Cemetery. Puneral services will be held at the Arl m National Cemetery tomorrow ll 10 o clouk for Capt. Willlam Kilmer, Corps of Engineers, in charge ol Federal engineering works at Pitts- and vicinity, who died in that Sunday. His widow, Mrs. Esther er, accompanied the funeral party to this city. Capt. Kilmer was born at Great Bend, Pa., July 3, 1883, and began his military a5 & firg: leutenant in the En-| section of the Officers’ Reserve | in September, 1917, during the' WII He was lvwlnkd captain, | Corps of Ni Amyfi A‘l"lll-‘n‘:;.ll w the same cow Has Tfiyleu !damage was estimated at more than Leaving the Emergency Hospital after treatment, Harry Slavin, jewelry store proprietor, went back to work at his store, 843 Seventeenth street, today a fe bove with Mrs. Slavin on the hospital 'w hours after he had been beaten and robbed by a young man. He is shown steps. —Star Staff Photo. WASHINGTON LETTER OF 1782 IS FOUND AMONG OLD PAPERS prstle Regrets General’s Ill Health Im- peded Union With Col. Burwell Bassett's Daughter—West In UXBRIDGE, Mass, March 3 (#).—A letter signed “George Washingion” and written to Col. Burwell Bassett of Rich- mond, Va., has been made public here by Mrs. Milton F. Fish, whose father acquired it during the Civil War. missive, w discussed the writer's effort to regain his health, was inscribed “Mount Vernon, May 20, '82.” ‘Whether the last two numerals were in- tended to represent *“1782” was not clear, but historians scouted the 8‘:— sibility that it was written by n. George Washington at that time. It was pointed out that Washington made his trip to the West Indies, which was mentioned in the letter as being | conumplma some 30 years pefore that | date, or in 1’ The lebter nddmned to Col. Burwell Bassett, at Richmond, Va., was given to Mrs. PFish’s father, James H. D. Earle, while he was serving with the Union Army in Virginia during me Civil War. The letter has been in his possession since then, but trace of it became lost. Mrs. , who remembered seeing the | letter when she was a small girl, re- discovered it a short t'me ago, when she was going through letters and pers shertly after her mother's Attached to Daughter. The letter reads: “Mount Vernon, May 20th, '82. “The situation of my health, my dear sir, yet in such a state as renders father efforts absolutely necessary to re-establish it, have by the advice of and the strenuous interposition of those of my {riends who have my future happiness at heart, concluded to leave this part cf the world, and try the effects of the sea awr and climates of the West Indies, and expect to imbark from this tomor- ToW, in & vessel from Alexandria. “The attachment which formed for Your amiable Daughter has been the cnly insurmounteble difficulty why I have not before made the experiment, that impedes so desirable a union cannot but be lamented and as the situation of my health is I hope the only interuption to it nothing in my power shall be left unesiayed to effect it and on a relyance thet kind providence will crown my efforts with success, shall be induce to persevere with a dafly hope of seeing or hearing |letter written from Mount Vernon dies Trip Planned. from You declined untill the last mo- ment, writing. Sends Greetings. “I beg You to offer my most affec- tionately to Your amiable sons who will pardon my not writing the familt of studly, Mrs. and Miss Steth and all | friends and I beg to be kindly remem- bered to with the sincerest good wishes for your health and happiness I sub- | scribe myself "Ver&' Slncmly ‘GEOI’R! ‘Washington.” Mr. Earle expressed a wish before his death that the letter be given to the War Relic Soclety of Amhert College if it was found. AUTHENTICITY DENIED. 1 Virginia Soclety Says Claim of Finder | Is Impossible. RICHMOND, Va., March 3 (#).— 1782 to Col. Burwell Bassett of Ric! mond and signed “George Washingtol could not have been written by Gen. Washington, the Virginia Historical Soclety said today when informed that such a letter had been found among family papers by Mrs. Milton Fish of Uxbridge, Mass. The letter found in ‘Massachusetts spoke of affection for -Col. Bassett's daughter, and this, the Virginia His- torical Society said, indicatcs that it may have besn written oy one of the younger Washingtons. “It is impossible that the letter dis- covered in Massachusetts could have been written by Gen. Washington,” said W. G. Stanard, secretary of the Virginia Bociety. “Washington and Col. Bassett were brothers-in-law and Washington | (rem:;ntly stopped with him in Rich- mo; “Gen. Washington married the widow Custis, in 1759, and Col. Bassett married her sister, a Miss Dandridge. Gen. Washington's wife was living at the time the letter was written. “From its tone, speaking in terms of effection for Col. Bassett’s daughter, it | apparently was written by one of the | younger Washingtons.’ Bomb Clue Followed by Philadel- phia Police in Apartment Houses’ Explosion. | | | | | By the Associated Press. o PHILADELPHIA, March 3.—Investi- gation today of an explosion which badly damaged two West thdelphiu apartment houses and a hotel late last ! night has strengthened the bellef cf | police that the blast was caused by a | bomb. ‘Twenty-two persons in the bufldings were slightly injured and the district was thrown in a state of excitement when the explosion occurred in an area- way between two bulldings of the Weightman Apartments in Chestnut street. Interiors of apartments were dam- aged and window panes and parts of the ceilings fell on occupants. The Harrison Apartment, adjoining, we: less seriously damaged. Windows in the rear of the Beville Hotel at Thirty- seventh and Chestnut streets were shattered and 50 rooms made unten- able. Two women in the hotel were injured. | The damaged structures are all four- story stone-front building, originaily | built as private residents. More than 200 persons were in_the apartments | when the blast occurred. Guests at the Hotel Pennsylvania were aroured und» University of Pennsylvania students in | nearby dormitories and fraternity | houses ran to the scene and assisted in | caring for the injured. Total property $50,000. SRS S5 DELAY PROTESTED Merchants Ask Speeding of Track Replacement. A group of merchants doing buslneu‘ on Eleventh street between L and N | streets yesterday petitioned the Public Utilitles Commission to do whetever ll‘ in the eommission’s power to speed up | the Regular Army in February, | some track replacement work belng | undertaken by the Washington Railwa; & Electric Co., in the blocks named. The merchants point out that the work has been under way now more than a block of track and Havenner's Speech Features Meet- | ing of Forest Hills Citizens’ Group. Herbert S. Wood, president of the Public School Association, was indorsed | by the Forest Hills Citizens' Assoclation | lzst night to fill the vacancy existing on | the Board of Educaticn of the D'#tfl!‘!; { of Columb'a. caused by the recent d-ath | of Charles F: Carusi, chairman of the board. The res~Inticn o the civie group wns adonted at a meeting in the B-n W. Murch School, Thirty-s'xth and Elli- cott streets. A discussion cn the public bullding proeram in the C-nit~1 by Dr. George C. Havenner, pres'dent of the Pedera- tion of Citizens’ A<sociatione, featured the meeting. Dr. ‘Havenner was the guest of honor and principal speaker. A resolution favoring 3-cent cash fares for school children, as well.as the | authorized 3-cent ticket fares. was | adopted by the association. ~District Commissioner John C. Gotwals was lauded by the group for his work in connection with bringing about im- | provement of school vroperties in the ! Forest Hills community, The meeting wes precided over by Edward Potter, president of the organization. INCOME TAX FACTS. No. 30. Various penalties are imposed by the statute for failure to file & return and pay the tax on time and for making a fraudulent re- turn. Distinction s made between failure and “willful faflure” to file a return. For failure to file a return on time the penalty is 25 cent of the amount of the , unless a return is later filed and it is satisfactorily shown to the commissioner of internal rev- enue that luch failure was due to a reasonable cause and not to willful neglect. If a taxpayer ex- ercised ordinary business care and prudence, and nevertheless was unable to file a return within the prescribed time, the delay is due to a “reasonable cause.” For willtul faflure to make a return the penslty is not more | | than $10,000 or imprisonment for | | not more than one year, or both, and in addition 25 per cent of the amount of the tax. For willfully | 8 false or fraudulent re- Senator Offers to Barter Seat for Chairmanship of Power Plant Body. (Prom the 5:30 Edition of Yesterday's Star.) Senator George W. Norris of Nebraska, Progressive. Republican leader, has of- fered to resign from the Senate on the following conditions: First, that President Hoover will sign the Muscle Shoals bill. Second, that President Hoover will persuade the Republican leadership ot the House to accept the “lame-Guck” constitytional amendment as put through the Senate. Third, that President Hoover will appoint Senator Norris chairman of the board to operate Muscle Shoals, and permit Senawr Norris to pass upon the nominations of the two other members of that board. Senator Norris said this afjernoon, with a laugh: “The offer is stifl open.” ‘The Nebraska Senator has been & thorn in the side of the Hoover admin- istration ever since th: President was inaugurated. He opposed the election of President Hoover in 1928. The report goes that S:-nator Norris made his offer to resign and take him- self out of the Sen: and out of the | ‘way of the administration to a mutual friend of himself and President Hoover. | S:nator Norris said that since so many | of the Recpublicans were anxious to get him out of the party and out of the Senate, he would be willing to eliminate | himself, provided the President would go through with the conditions he laid down. Senator Norris was reported to be anxious to show the country that the Government could operate successfully the Muscle Shoals power and fertilizer projects. Up to date it is not on record that | Senator Norris’ offer will be accepted. CONGRESS ADOPTS NATIONALITY BILL! Cable's Measure, Ending Last Dis- criminations Against Women, Sent to Hoover. By the Associated Press. The -Cable bill to wipe the last re- maining discriminations against women | from the nationality laws of the United | States was sent to President Hoover to- | day by Congress. The measure would permit American women who marry aliens ineligible for citizenship to retain their own national- ity. Final congressional approval came with the adoption of a conference re- port by the House. Members of women's organizations who have sought such legislation for years watched from the galleries and exulted in the House's action. Miss Maude Younger of the National ‘Woman's Party forecast presidential ap- proval and voiced assurance the enact ment would bear importantly on inter national law codifications. “This merely strikes out the last dis- criminations between the American man and the American woman, so far as citizenship is concerned,” Repre- sentative Cable, Republican, Ohio, au thor of the bill, told the House. Representative Johnson, Republican, ‘Washington, quick action, and so did Representative | ¢! La Guardia, Democret, of New York. HALF-HOLIDAY BILL BECOMES LAW WITH HOOVER SIGNATURE (Continued Prom First Page.) of the usual Summer half holidays from June through September _throughout the full year. During the Summer de- partment heads were authorized to hold employes overtime on Saturdays where it was decided their services could not be spared from their work because of Government pressure of business. The same conditions would employ under the year-round schedule. ‘This was seldom put to practice, how- ever, as it was found in the usual course of events that the clerks simply ab- sorbed the work left over from the half holiday during other working days. It was_felt, furthermore, that the clerks would be so cheerful under the new law that they would be glad fo “pep uj their work a bit to take care of any matters that were sacrificed because of the half holiday. The Treasury Department is the larg est part of the Government in Wash- ington, with about 13,000 employes, all of whom will be affected by the new law. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing is operllln¥ on a per diem day basis, but as the law_applies to this class of workers, the Bureau employes will be given a half holiday just the same, At the Government Printing Office, officials said they were so harassed and overworked by the rush of business loaded upon them during the final days of Congress they have not decided what they will do. When Congress quits to- morrow, they will begin arranging some sort of a schedule. In all events the Government Prlnt-‘ ing Office will close down at 1 o'clock on Saturdays the same as other agencies | of the Government, rather than re-ar- | ranging schedules of workers so that the great print shop could be kept open. In the normal course of business no trouble was anticipated on this score. | It is only when Congress Kkeeps the printing office operating 24 hours a day that the new conditions probably will have to be met by a carefully revised Jolned in the demand for | 2F S Metropolitan Team Will Shoot Friday and Compare With Other Cities. Arrangements for a series of pllbl matches between teams representing the Metropolitan Police force of this city and four other teams representing police elsewhere were announced today. ‘The teams form the Interstate Police League and matches are to be under auspices of the National Rifle Assocl- ation. In addition to the local team con- testants in the league are those rep- resenting the Dayton and Cleveland, Ohlo, police forces, the Boston police the Massachusetts State mh team is to shoot on its own range, with a comparison of scores to be made nater to determine e winner. In the 1 the series oi shoots, get- ting under w-y this week, the lm team will be paired -mnnt Cleveland and the Boston team against Dayton. The local force is to shoot on the Georgetown University range Friday. The members of the team of the Washington Metropolitan Police are as Iollows E. J. La ‘Force, No. 7 precirct, team cupmln G M. Stewart, Lieul. L. E. Kelly and H G. McCormick, al! of No. 7; Sergt. J E. Fondahl, M. I. Bridges and A. Rlchln Traffic Bureau, and De- gctlve Sergt. H. E. Brodie of hcadquar- TS, NYE CLEARS DAVIS, BUT SAYS TICKET SPENT T0O MUCH (Continued From First Page.) dicf ol vhlch is: “Loud, GOULD SAYS HE By the Associated Press. Upon the adjournment of Congress tomorrow half a dozen business men- Senators will retire to private life with reactions ranging all the way from uhn:ut:h"n body is oratory. “I'm going back to my business wlura I should have been four years ago stead of wasting my time here,” wd Senator Gould. He was elected in 1026. “No sane business man should go into the United States Senate as long as that confounded clack is going on,” he added, with a wave of his hand in the direction of the Senate chamber. “It's terrible. I'm not afraid to go on the floor myself and tell them so0.” Defines “Clack.” For a further description of the Sen- ate u he sees it, B!nlwr Gould referred to the ition of "u.llek o f\.ued or foolish talk or chatter; prattle.” whlt chance has a hlnd!ul of busi- en got to accomplish anything in there?" he added, as, nulllnl on an old slouch hat, he went out for a walk. Preparing to return to his ofl, gas, glass and banking interests in Okla- homa, Senator W. B. Pine, Republican, wl;ng was defeated in the last election, “It will be quite a relief to get back into private business where I have con- trol. Here no one appears to have con- trol, not even the President of the United States.” Senator Ben Willlamson, wholesale hardware merchant from Ashland, Ky., who was elected last November to fill a vacancy, believes that one thing this country needs is more business men in Congress. R-A'l'm for Business Men. “I recommend it to other business men,” sald the Kentuckian, who has , Leaves Senate in Dis gust 'WASTED TIME. SENATOR GOULD. said little but observed much during his short term. “There's a place in the hllh of the National Congress for busi- ness men. Lawyers have their place there, but a good leaven is a few capable business men. Some of the big fellows in the country ought to stop making money and try it.” Lawrence Cowle Phipps of Colorado, one-time treasurer of the Carnegie Steel Co.. says the busines man may not make much noise on the Senate floor, but is invaluable in the committee ;oomu where most of the real work is one. Willlaxfl.l:memn Brock of Tennessee, like Willlamson, never held public of- fice before he came to the Senate. “There is no public office on earth I would rather hold than that of a United States Senator,” he said, but had to confess he wanted to return to his first love, the candy manufacturing business mponulhle nor has anything been re- * * reflecting upon the honor lnd integrity of &emwr Davis or any other senatorial candidate.” Besides Chairman Nye, who is a Re- publican from North Dakota, Senators | Dale, Republican, Vermont, and Dill, Wlshlnxmn and Wagner, New York, Democrats, signed the report. A minority report submitted by Sen- ator Patterson, Republica:, Missouri, cleared Davis without qualification and objected to the concluriing paragraph of the majority report. He saic this was inserted after the first draft kad been agreed upon. Regarding the contention that Davis | was chnrrnble with only a small per- | centage of the total spent for tke seven- | candidate ticket, the majority report | said the committee felt itsclf not called upon to “attempt the impossible task of determining the amonnt of =xpenditures '&o &e allocated to each individual candi- Newberry Fund Recalled. But it called to attention that the|S' Senate had condemned the $195,000 ex- penditure in behalf of former Senator | Newberry, Republican, Michig:n, and the $785,000 for the Varc-Beidelman Republican primary ticket in Pennsyl- vania in 1926. Listing the expenditures for the gen- eral election slate headed by Davis as $494,720 and the total for both Repub- lican primary and election as $1,117,648, the report added: “Your committee is impressed by the size of these aggregate expenditures even when due regard is given to the area and population of Pennsylvania. It regards the expenditure of $622,000 as excessive and lnlmlcnl to the public interest, whether such sum is expended on behalf of one candidate or a group ndidates in any primary el Such a_condition . cannot ‘be ted to continue unchallenged without the :‘:poet serious consequences to the Na- 4 Move to Unseat Sidetracked. As in the case of Nebraska, the com- mittee reserved for a later date the submission of legislative recommenda- tions to curb “such undesirable features as have been disclosed in the course of its investigation.” Chairmen Nye, who had intended offering a resolution to unseat Davis on account of the expenditures, has announced he would not make this move, at this session at least. ADMR. RODGERS RITES HELD AT ARLINGTON Retired Naval Officer Commanded Division of Atlantic Fleet During World War. Funeral services for Rear Admiral Thomas Siidell Rodgers, who died in a New York hospital Saturday, were con- ducted in Arlington Cemetery today at 11 o'clock. Rev. Dr. Edward S. Dunlap, canon of the Washington Cathedral, of- ficlated. Interment was with full mili- tary honors. Honorary pallbzarers were: Rear Ad- irals Charles Badger, William L. s, Reginald F. Nicholson, Harry P. Huse, Herbert O. Dunn and George C. Day, Brig. Gen. Charles L. McCaw- ley, United States Marine Corps, and Anthony Addison. Admiral Rodgers, who was 72 years old, held many important com- nd assignments during many years in the service. He was widely known in this city. Graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1878, he was pro- moted through the various grades. reaching the rlnk of rear admiral June 13, 1916. He was named commander of Division 7, Battleship Force, Atlantic Fleet, on June 19, 1916. He was re- tired in July, 1919. Admiral Rodgers was a member of the Metropolitan and Alibi Clubs of this city, the Knickerbocker and University Clubs of New York and the New York mi schedule. Yacht Club. Surrenders An unusual story of how an iceman, arrested after a liquor raid on a house where he was delivering ice, saved him- self by inducing the occupant of the house to surrender to police Was re- lated today. The_tale was unfolded by George Ed- ward Watson, 31 years old, 1516 Isher- wood place northeast. He said, he was delivering 1ce at the home of Clarence Alsop, 225 Twelfth street southeast, last January 31, when Sergt. N. O. Holmes and Detective H. G. Wanamaker raided a garage in the rear of the residence. e raiders found 120 half-gallon jars of alleged whisky in the rage, Watson said, and when they failed to find the owner of the place they took the iceman’s name and address. Arrested Week Later. On February 9, Watson continued, he was arrested omha warrant charg- RUM RAID NETS ICE MAN; HE MAKES CLIENT APPEAR | Innocent, on Scene, He Is Held, but Later Absent Suspect to Police. R. Hitz in United States Branch of Police Court. Pleading not guilty and requesting a jury trial, Watson’s bond was renewed and he again was re- by | (ot husy the moment I left the court room,” he went on. “I foun Alsop and told him he'd either hlve to give himsel! up or I'd \Lrnhlm over to the police. Case Nolle Prossed. “He finally consented to mrrenfltr. and his lawyer, Russell xally him to Police Court, where he pleaded not gullty ard was fined $200. That was tum.x but the charge against me already been nolle prossed, having been taken care of soon after Alsop revenlcd his connection with the case.” At the time of his arrest, Watson lived at 1218 A. street southeast, but later moved to the Isherwood place him_with {llegal possession of He was men (.h:‘ fifth “’ec‘m m““ station, wheu was Teleased on $50 bond. ‘The following day, Watson related, he was arraigned before Judge Isasc address. “Believe me,” he said, “I'm not to jaill it I can help it. want my customers to think rnu'n either, Ice is the only thing -~ DEMOCRATS URGE ‘BETTER TIMES’ AS SLOGAN FOR 1932 (Continued From First Page.y the Thursday meeting had no authority to place the party on record on national issues, such as prohibition, as termin: ing the controversy on this point. Sees End of Dispute. Senator Morrison of North Carolina, | who will attend the meeting as national committeeman from his State and who | has been warning against injecting the | prohibition question into the meeting, said Mr. Smith’s statement “ended” me dispute. Smiths expression in Carolina yester- day went perhaps longest of all In as- ng the unease which had been manifest chiefly the Southerners in Congress. To thi telegram to Raskob from Willlam G. McAdoo in Los Angeles urging against tying of the party to a wet poucy The two topped a crop of tel letters, resolutions and expressions of the consensus of this Democratic m which piled high objections to T~ mining any sort of policy at the im- pending gathering. Opponents of such action in Congress ‘were not overlooking any moves, how- ever, nor relaxing their vigilance, al- though a number privately said they be- lleved the rumored proposal would not now be ‘The whole quesunn got an airing in | the late hours of last night's Senate | session as Senator Heflin of Alabama, | “Jeffersonian Democrat,” delivered his | parting oration before ending, till next :cxem anyway, his congressional serv- Offers No Apology. Heflin sald Smith’s Raleigh speech before a joint session of the State Legis- lature was the opening of the New York- er's fourth race for the nomination for President. He had no lpolo‘y to mnke. said the Alabaman, for his 1! i tion to Smith, and he would op hm 1l Raskob, he added, \vonld not be ;lomcomnmuqumnutpln- form. 'You are going to sever relations with | that fellow,” he went on, “or see greatest upheaval in the history of the Democratic party.” ‘Then he became involved in a sharp exchange with Senator Morrison over i politics in the latter’s State. MecAdoo Against Wets. By the Assoctated Press. LOS ANGELES, March 3.—William Gibbs McAdoo, Secretary ot the Treas- ury under President Wilson, in a tele- gram' to John J. Raskob, chairman of the Democratie National Committee, last night urged against commitment of the party to a wet policy. “Every Democrat who is interested In the success of the party should op- pose any attempt to commit the party to a wet position at the forthcoming | meeting of the Democratic Nltlnnnl Committee in Washington,” Mr. Mc- Adoo informed Mr. Raskob. “Oniy the Democratic national conventions can declare policles. “The National Committee should not usurp any function or authority exclu- sively within the province of the na- tional convention. Such a course violate traditional practice and destroy party harmony and party prospects. “At the present time there are more important issues than the prohibition question. economic failure of the Republican party, which has already caused irreparable disaster, is of far greater consequence. “I hope that the National Committee will work within its clearly defined sphere and leave the determination of issues to the 1932 national convention.” LOOKS TO CONVENTION. BY the Assoclated Press. RALEIGH, N. C.. March 3.—Former Gov. Alfred E. Smith of New York yes- terday expressed the opinion that the meeting of the National Democratic Executive Committee, to be held in Washington Thursday, “has no power to do anything about a political issue; that 1s the right of the convention.” Otherwise the titular head of the party refused to discuss the meeting called by Chairman John J. Raskob and which has resulted in a widespread op- position, especially from Southern quar- ters, to any proposal that *he commit- tee take a stand on the prohibition 1ssue, He reiterated his opinion, expressed previously, that “no living man can tell” whether prohibition will be an issue of the 1932 campaign. Smith said talk that Mb, n-flonfl Democratic chairman, would resign i the next national Democratic phunrm did not include & wet plank was “news- paper g Promotion of the public welfare was described by the former Governor as “the main function of the Democratic a joint sessicn of the North Carolina wlgflfl’:tmn held in a theater, “we cease His address dealt principally with advocacy of simplification in State gov- ernment and the welfare of women and children in industry. The pr!lldentill clndlglte in 1928 sald talk about issues and candidates for 1932 elec- Bk o no doubt that it needs leadership.” m mention the name of rn-mm in Chattanooga. Congress Votes Law To Let U. S. Return $5,000 Left in Will Think of needing an act of Conj to let you refuse money! That is the Treasury’s fix, however, ‘because no law permits the Government to refuse gifts. 8. A. Long of Shinnston, W. Va., willed $5,000 to the Government, wlhlle his granddaughter only got Secretary Mellon thought the heir should be better pmvlded S0 Congress gave him re- lief” and today sent the Pl'flkhnt a bill authorizing Mellon to give the money back. DISTRICT PAVNG WORK TO BEGIN|%: {Dates Announced for Start of Highway Projects in Washington. Capt. Herbert C. Whitehurst, District highway engineer, today announced the | o following list of highways with lheet asphalt Plvtmznu on which the pav ment will be replaced during the pres- <nt working season. Contract for all of the work has been let to the Union Paving Co. The various jobs will be started on the days named: Massachusetts avenue, Sheridan Circle to California street, March 16: New Hempshire avenue, L street to Dupont Circle, March 28; North Capitol street (west side), M street to New York avenue. April 21; L street, North Capi- tol to Fourth street, April 23; M street, Connecticut avenue to New Hampshire avenue, May 7; North Capitol street (east side), M street to New York ave- nue, May 19; Anacostis ap: proaches (upstream sides) y 21; H street (north flde)y Nur- temth to Fifteenth streets, street (north side), Vermont Beventeemh street, Mly 30; Anacostia Bridge npprmhes (downstream sides) southeast, June 8. F street (south side), Seventeenth to Nineteenth streets, June 10; Twenty- s=cond street, Q street to Massachusetts avenue, June 13; H street (south side), Fourteenth to Fifteenth streets, June | 16; H street (south side), Vermont ave- nue to Seventeenth street, June 18; F street (north side), Seventeenth to Nineteenth streets, June 22. BAND CONCERT. By the United States Soldiers' Home Band, this evening at Stanley Hall at 5:30 o'clock; John 8. M. Zimmermann, bandmaster; Anton Pointner, assistant. March, “Laurentian March.” Laurendeau Overture, “Midsummer Night's Dream,” Mendelssoh: Finale, “All America” ‘The Star Spangled Blnnz:!' D. A. R. Leader DISTRICT CONVENTION OPENS TOMORROW. MRS. DAVID D. CALDW‘I.I. Vice president general, will be one of the leading figures in the ennual two- day convention of the District Daugh- ters of the rican Revolution, to il .'f‘“'i:'eu Feports ven and chairmen. TALY'S LOAN NEED HELD TREATYSPUR Repercussnons on Economic Situation in U. S. and Europe Seen in Agreement. (Continued From First of great importance, the economic eon sequences are believed here to be lfill greater and likely to have an almost immediate repercussion on the eco- nomic situation in Europe and the United States. On account of the political tension in Europe, neither French nor American bankers cculd entertain_any for extending credits to coun~ tries which might have s them for armament purposes. countries which suffered most on uemnt of this ;fixlluon were Germany and especially y. Loan Seen as Influence. ‘The Italians endeavored to obtain a loan in New York last Fall, but Signor Mussolini’s emissary, Count Volpi; had to return empty-handed because New York bankers were afrald political trouble in Europe. French bankers, ly the Lyonnaise, were willing to enter into negotiations with the Italian govern- ment with a view of granting lfim substantial loan, but they were b by the French foreign office. ~Perma- nent Undersecretary of State Philippe Berthelot warned the Credit Lyonmaise that as long as the relations between Italy and France were strained he, as the executive head of the foreign office, would block any attempt of Frenca bankers to lend money to Italy. Now that the polmml lh’dn is likely to disappear as the result of the naval agreement, it is believed in authoritative quarters in Washington that there will be a freer flow of gold from the United States and France to Italy, thus en- abling that country to get on its feet again economically, It is believed here that one cof the main reasons why Signor Mussolini showed a more con- cillatory spirit toward FPrance than heretofore is that he expects to obtain much-needed loans in the international money market. (Copyright, 1981) TREATY FACTS DISCLOSED. Total Margin of French Forces Over Italy Will Be 150,000 Tons. By Cable to The Star. PARIS, France, March 3—Offcial publication of the terms of the Franco- British-Italian naval agreement will probabiy be delayed until Frigay owing to the necessity to obtain the formal ap- proval of the United States, Jepan and the British dominions but the following facts and figures have been disclosed: ‘The Paris agreement deais not only with the categories limited by the Lon- don naval treaty, bus also with flbflll m France maintains its right to before IDSG 70,000 tons of upltll Bri demands Ag‘rwhu to ll.mn the size of the uplnl to 23,000 tons and the caliber of ‘hes instead Italy maintains the right to bul{d also 170,000 tons of capital ships, but agrees to lay down only the same to: nage 2 France and adopt for its ships the sar specifications as the French Reach Private Agreement. Great Britein, France and Italy ag: to propose at the naval conferen for 1935 the limitation of th- size of capital ships w:s.m tons. This ment ;outside the United ion 000 tons, wiflkeebl!fmnihthe 1935 conference. cruisers, both PFrance and to build no mare, being content with their present seven bullt or building. In the light cruiser and destroyer category, France will hep over !tfiy tfl?nel important superiority of conmlnl submarines, celves a tonnage o{ about nooo tons. taly ‘same tonnage as the t Britain and Japan, don treaty—that is, 52,000 tons. French Tonnage 150,000 Greater. The total margin of French forces over Italy’s will be about 150,000 hn!» represented by 92,000 tons of light cruis. ers and destroyers, 30,000 tons of sul marines and 26,000 tons of aireraft car- riers. Practically, Italy obtains parity with France in 10,000-ton cruisers and France keeps a lflrleul;lm‘ periority over Italy cruisers and destrovers and = fair mar- gi. over Gre Britain, the United States, Japan and Italy concerning sub- marines, although France ctnsent to a reduction as regards its claims at London in this category. As soon as the terms ut the umment have been officially D\lb u:e French building program f¢ the financial year will be submlmd to Par- liament. It will consist of one 23,000- ton capital 'hr& and two light cruisers. but no subm: (Copyrisnt, 1931) PRAISES AMERICA. Premier Mussolink Say= Italy Appreciates U. S. Influenge. “The unmdm:hm s gredited with Bence and ‘aiso_resards Tialy &8 havine done fully her duty to the world in this at a considerable sacrifice. BY BENITO MUSSOLINT, Premier of Italy. ROME, March 3.—The agreement reached on the naval questions. which were left unsolved at the con- ference is a great international event. have large and beneficial great naval powers, which thus see con- solidated the results so ardently desired by their peoples as a means of avciding & ruinous armament competition. Tt is reasonable to hope for favorable influence on the world economic erisis that so greatly harasses pecples with painful manifestaticns, of which the most evident is unemployment. For these and for other reasons the happy results of this agreement may be felt by all the peoples of the world, and 50 s made a fortunate beginning cf th year of preparation for the General Dln- lrmlment Conference. Ttaly has not hesitated for the sake of thll high ideal to take the initiative of considerable sacrifices. I can affirm with a clear conscience uuc Italy in this matter hu done her duty toward vum m oA Enln Ig the nductlu{: u?y! nnrmmmts also the pi , & hope firmly that I and t\n United Bhlu in the realization of (Copyright, 1931.) Germany plans One steel company %o Teduce Wages by nun&