Evening Star Newspaper, March 5, 1931, Page 1

WEATHER. ‘Weather Bureau Forecast.) ith lowest temperature tonight about 30 degrees; tomorrow cloudy, with Fair, yesterday; lowest, 33, Full report on page 9. Closing N.Y. Markets, Pages13,14 & 15 at 7 am. @h ¢ Foenin WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION n Sfar, Entered as seco: post office. Wa 31,719. 0. nd class matter shington, D. Associated service. The only evening !gnper in Washington with the Press news Yesterday’s Circulation, 118,599 WASHINGTON, D. €., THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 1931 —FIFTY-FOUR PAGES. #%% CONTROL OF LIQUOR BY STATES URGED BY RASKOB BEFORE DEMOCRAT SESSION Asks New Constitutional Amendment to Supplement| Eighteenth With Referen-| dum to Govern System. HOLDS PROHIBITION LAW WILL BE MAJOR ISSUE, i Chairman Says He Will Suggest; \ Committee Adopt Policy for Na-: |} tional Convention Next Year at Meeting to Be Called at a Later Date. BY G. GOULD LINCOLN. Chairman John J. Raskob of the Democratic National Commit- tee declared today for State con- trel of the liquor traffic, in an ad- | dress before the National Comm! tee at the Mayflower Hotel. He said that he did not advo- cate the repeal of the eighteenth amendment. “But I propose a new constitu- tional amendment,” said Mr. Raskob. Referendum Plan Urged. He said that this new amend- ment would declare that nothing in the eighteenth amendment shall prevent a State from con- trolling the manufacture and sale of alcoholic liquor for beverage purposes, provided first the State adopted a liquor control plan, and the plan was approved in a refer- endum to the people of the State. Mr. Raskob said that he proposed that the Democratic National Commit- tee advise the next Democratic Na- tional Convention to write a plank em- bodying this new constitutional amend- ment in its party platform. Earlier in the day Mr. Raskob told | the committee that he would not ask the committee to take action on any party policy at this time, but that he would suggest that the committee act on his proposals ai a later meeting, probably next year. HeE “Major TIssue. The Democratic chairman expressed the opinion that prohibition would un- doubtedly be a major issue in the com- ing national campaign. Under the plan which he suggested, he said, New York State would be able to work out a liquor | control plan, and if it were adopted by the people, it. would become effective. ‘Massachusetts, he said, might adopt a | different plan from that of New York. The Southern States, Mr. Raskob said he understood, wished to remain dry. Under his plan they could do so and have the help of the Federal Gov- | ernment to maintain prohibition within their borders. His plan, Mr. Raskob said, squared | with the Jeffersonian plan for State’s rights. He insisted that under this plan the saloon could not return. It would be impossible, he said, to per- suade a majority of the people in any State to vote for a plan of liquor con- trol which made the old saloon possible. Favors State Conventions. “It is impossible to call ourselvs Democrats and not give the people an opportunity to adopt such a constitu- tional amendment if they desire,” said | Mr. Raskob. e pointed out that it would require 36 out of the 48 States to ratify the proposed constitutional amendment. H n contemplates having the 1so- am acted upon by State | conventions called for that purpose, and not by State Legislatur:s. Drys Fail to Applaud. When Mr. Raskob concluded the reading of his address, a great majority of the committee members rose and applauded. There were, however, dry Democrats who remained seated and applaud, among them Cor- nator-elect from Tennessee, ov. Harry Byrd of Virginia end at that time that the ention should write into | a plan “to take the tariff and to provide for the a bipartisan tariff ers of which will be appointed for He also submitted Tecommendations | ng the national party for a leadership which | not attack business, for social | and for n revisions of Sherman anti-trust law Referring to his proposal for State Mr. Raskob said er this plan if the State of New worked out a liquor control plan similar to the Swedish.system and that submitted to, and approved cferendum_of the people of the aued on Page 2, Column 1.) ATTEMPTS TO WRECK for EXPRESS TRAINS FAIL| TROOPER WRECKS GARAGE, WALL Dynamite Used on Trestle and Rocks Put on Tracks of Pennsy Line. NEW YORK, March 5 (#).—Officials of the Pennsylvania Rallroad said two attempts had been made to wreck trains of their lines at a point near Stockton, N. J., last night. tt Shouse, chairman of t Naticnal C:ommittce, whicl OHN J. RASKOB, chairman of the Democratic National Committee (left), he Executive Committee, at the meeting h opened here today at the Mayflower —Associated Press Photo. LETTERS THREATEN BISCHOFF S LIFE Lorton Deputy’s Home Is Guarded; ‘Female Al Capone’ Sought in Vice Probe. By the Assoclated Press. AUDUBON, N. J., March 5.—A police guard was stationed today at the home of John E. C. Bischoff, where on Tues- day his 16-year-old daughter, Benita, killed herself after brooding over the murder of her mother, Vivian Gordon, in New York. The guard was placed after Bischoff revealed he had received letters threatening his life. “I believe most of the letters are from cranks,” Bischofl said. “A man in my position has many enemies.” Bischoff is a deputy marshal at the jail at Lorton, Va. Benita was found on the kitchen floor unconscious from gas by her step- mother, Mrs. Eunice Bischoff, Bischofl’s second wife. He and Vivian Gordon were divorced in Philadelphia in 1924. “FEMALE CAPONE” SOUGHT. New York Hears She Can Help Solve Gorden Slaying. NEW YORK, March 5 (#)—The World-Telegram says today that the polite are looking for a “female Al Capone,” who knows so much about the city’s night life that she could give material assistance in solving the murder of Vivian Gordon, tlackmailer and vice inquiry witness. “Were this woman to appear and tell all she knows,” the newspaper says, “she would wreck the homes and lives of numberless men in the judicial, political and business world of this and other cities. She knows them all in- timately.” The best of male nocturnal revelers have been entertained in the Upper West Side establishment of the woman, the World-Telegram says, and an in- fallible system was worked out to keep her identity secret. She is reported now to be out of town “until everything blows over.” the woman_specialized on Page 2, Column 6 SOVIET LUMBER CARGO Newspaper Reports $100,000 Ship- ment Will Be Brought to Provi- dence, R. L, Port Within Month. By the Associated Press. PROVIDENCE, R. I, March 5.—The Providence Journal says 4,000,000 feet of Soviet timber, valued at approxi- mately $100,000, will be brought into Providence Harbor within a month to provide the first test of the United States Treasury Department’s embargo laid down February 10. oeen the sole distributor of Russian lum- ber to New England points from this port. {pany, said yesterday from Poughkeepsie, doubtedly will furnish an international test case. The Treasury Department bhas announced that lumber from North- ican ports unless shippers could show it was not a product of convict labor. District of Columbia reformatory and | Varjously known as “Molly A” and | TO TEST U. S. EMBARC:‘[OE The lumber is being imported to the | A. C. Dutton Lumber Co., which has | A C. Dutton, president of the com- | N. Y., that efforts to land the cargo un- | ern Russia would be barred from Amer- | NEW PERY REGIVE YELDS T0 EAPD blnsurgent Leader to Name; | President, Marking Third | Change in 7 Months. | By the Associated Press. LIMA, Peru, March 5.—The provi-| | stonal government of Dr. Ricardo Leon- mands for leadership in organizing a |new government. Dr. Elias, who this week succeeded Lieut. Col. Luis M. Sanchez Cerro as | | provisional head of the government, | wired David Samanez Ocampo, leader | of the insurgent Arequipa junta, of the | willingness of the Lima junta that he ! name the President of the new pro- | visionzl government and four- portfolios | |in the new ministry. Third Change in Seven Months. | This development, which virtually | | marks the third change in the govern- | | ment within the last seven months, fol- lowed the arrival by airplane yesterday afternoon of emissaries of the Arequipa | leader. The action of the Lima junta| | marked one more instance where, in | | the long struggle between the Lima, the | metropolis, and Arequipa, representing | | the * provinces, Arequips imposed its | | will upon the capital. The revolution which last August un- | seated Augusto B. Leguia, began at | Arequipa and when Leguia was deposed | |and a group of Lima military leaders | |took charge the Arequipa leaders re- ! | fused to accept them, insisting upon | | designation of their own leader, Lieut. | | Col.” Sanchez Cerro, as head of the | government. | Cerro Loses Hold. | But Sanchez Cerro, in Lima, lost his | hold in Arequipa_and was accused of | | not living up to his pronouncement of | policy. Friday, February 20, coinci- | dent with an outbreak at Callao, which | | Sanchez Cerro put down, the garri-| son at Arequipa revolted against the | | provisional government and set up | their own junta. | sanchez Cerro r gned last Sunday. | ITALY MAY SEEK U. S. " LOAN OF 3 BILLIONS :Paris Report Says American Finnn-i | ciers Probably Will Be i Consulted. S, March 5.—The Paris edition | Chicago Tribune today said that | American financiers probably would be | called upon to shoulder almost in its | | entirety a projected three-billion-dollar loan to Italy, negotiations for which have been under way simultancously with the naval conversations. The Morgan interests were said to be taking a lead in plans for floating the loan in America, probably by‘ popular bond issue, - ST YANGTSE PATROL WIDER China Adds 10 Warships to 25 For- eign Gunboats on River. NANKING, March 5 (#),—With 25 foreign gunboats already patroling the Yangtse River to protect shipping, the Chinese government has placed 10 of its warships on the stream to escort Chinese merchant steamers. For many | months bandit Reds have fired from | shore upon vessels. AND 3 CARS, B | By the Assoclated Press. HINTON, W. Va, March 5.—For Dynamite was used on a trestle in one attempt, which resulted u smashing | suspicious about the car R. 8. Sapb Was | ther wall and tumbled down an em- part of the pilot and a journal on a | driving, 5o he followed in his own ma-| bankment. Ppassenger car. Unidentified persons placed 1ocks on the tracks in an unsuccessful rort to derail another express. Both trains were fast jassenger x- presses, Nos. 375 and 378, betweea Phil- adclphia and Stroudsburg, Pa. some reason State Trooper Posten felt chine. " Mr. Sapp stepped on the gas. So_did Trooper Posten. I They were roaring along at 60 miles an_hour, when Posten’s bumper be- came entangled with Sapp's. The cars swerved from the . There was a terrific crash as they plunged through a * Sniff After Crash Reveals 100 Gallons of Liquor After Wild West Virginia Chase. UT GETS HIS MAN clo Elias today accepted insurgent de- ! | garage. ‘There was another crash as they tangled with a third machine park- | ed there, and there was still another crash as’ three cars went through the | “Ah, ha!” exclaimed Trooper Posten, | emerging from the wreckage, sniffing. INDIA GETS PEAE AS CANDH ORDERS TRUGEINTOEFFECT Nationalists Now Preparing to Take Part in Constitu- tional Convention. TERMS OF AGREEMENT SHOW EACH SIDE YIELDS British Win Abolition of Boycott, but Concede Much—Independ- ence Still an Issue. By the Associated Press. | NEW DELHI, India, March 5.—Ma- | hatma Gandhi and the all-India Con- gress party today terminated the civil disobedience campaign, bringing a tem- porary halt, at least, to India's political turmol. ‘The action was in accordance with the terms of an agreement reached yesterday by Gandhi and Lord Irwin, the viceroy. Preparations were already being made today by the Nationalists and their Moderate friends for participation in a forthcoming Round-Table Conference to work out details of the projected Indian constitution. Some look to London as | the site of the meeting, but the Na- tionalists hope that it will be held in India. Still Serks independence. Gandhi has not relinquicned his Lope for eventual indin incepen-nce, he indicated today in a. add“ess 0 news- paper correspon.ients He said tre Con- gress party wo 1ld carticipate in‘.he pro- Jected second round-table conference for the purpos: of achieving i%s goa. of independence. The help of otae- parties ' Irncia is needed as w~eli as that of Indlen princes and Englishmen, he -2id, ae- claring that_the round-table conference at London hat not carried indis and /| Grelu'. Britain even half way o their goal. A fedcration brtween an undiluied | autocracy and an ..adiluted democracy would lead to un explosion, he rald. aad at the forthcoming ronference tne Cor- gress party wi'l rapresent th . of all India in any me of fed=ration. The Mahatma appealed to the coun- try to suppor; the ;ettlemenr petween imself and Lord Irwin, urging an- archists to suspend their activities and give him a ~hance to attain his gual without violence. Still Opposes Imports. The Bombay Chronicle, Nationalist newspaper, today described the Delhi agreement between Lord Irwin and Gandhl as an honorable truce repre- senting an achievement by non-violent methods unparalleled in history. But truce, or no truce, the paper said, the boycott on foreign cloth must continue until the last package of the cloth and yarn have been eliminated from the country in favor of Khaddar or home- spun. The terms of the truce were published here today. The principal provisions are: 1. Abandonment of the civil dis- obedience campaign. 2. Abandonment of the boycott as a political weapon. | 3. Release of prisoners held for non- violent offenses. 4. Recognition of right of salt area residents to make their own salt. 5. Picketing of non-aggressive nature to be permitted. 6. Repressive ordinances issued dur- ing civil disobedience campaign to be withdrawn. 7. Where property confiscated for taxes has been sold to a third party the transaction is to be regarded as final so far as the government is concerned. 8. Sale and purchase of British goods 1s not to be interfered with. Abandonment of Nationalist de- mands for an inquiry into alleged police excesses. 10. Return of property. 11. Participation of the Nationalists in a second Round-Table Conference on the principles of federation, central re- sponsibility and financial and military safeguards. unscld confiscated | Moslems May Disagree. The agreement achieved by Mahatma Gandhi and Lord Irwin, while its im- mediate effect was the ending of Gand- hi's disobedience campaign, cannot be said to have solved all of India’s politi- cal_difficulties. Gandhi’s nationalists form a large part of India’s 320,000,000 population, but the Moslems also are an important community, and the new. settlement is not satisfactory to them. There is a possibility that they may boycott the projected second _round-table confer- ence on Indian affairs, just as Gandhi boycotted the first conference at Lon- don. The Moslem problem must be settled if political and domestic peace are to be restored. The Moslem party, under the presidency of the Aga Khan, is to meet at New Delhi at the end of this month, and it is reported that the dele- gates will consider a resolution declar- ing their conviction that the Hindus are determined to establish Hindu rule in India and that the British gover- ment joined hands with the Hindus to ignore’ Moslem demands. The resolution, it is sald, states also that_establishment of dominion status in India, with responsibility vested in a_legislature, is unacceptable to the Moslems. Second Battle of the Marne PERSHING Describes Tomorrow Great Offensive in Which 300,000 American Troops Participated. Exclusively in | “1 was right!” And then he went over to where Mr. Sapp sat in the debris and arrested | him on a charge of transporting 100 | gallons of mwgaunz liquor, ¢ The Evening Star () Means Associated Press. TWO CENTS. JIM DAVIS 1S ALL RIGHT '$12.000 WILLED TO FIRST LADY AS ANNUAL “PIN MONEY" FUND Henty G. Freeman, Philadelphia Million-| aire, Leaves Perpetual Gift for Wives of Future U. S. Presidents. By the Associated Press. PHILADELPHIA, March 5—An an- nuity of $12,000 to supply “pin money” for the “First Lady of the Land” was provided in the will of Henry G. Free- | man, jr, owner of a large parcel of Philadelphia real estate, who died in October, 1917. This was revealed today when the Fidelity-Philadelphia Trust Co., execu- tors and trustees, began an accounting because of the death of a son, Willlam McLain Freeman, survivor of two chil-| dren, who were life tenants of the resi- due of Henry Freeman's estate. ‘Whether Mrs. Herbert Hoover would receive the annuity, should it be ac- ceptable, and, whether disposition of the residue to three institutions would be made in accordance with the will of | the son, depend upon several questions | must deeide. that the Orphans’ Court ¢ The annuity to the “PFirst Lady” is to be known as the “Henry Freeman, jr., pin money fund” and “shall con-| $2,000,000 | | tinue in force so Tong as this glorious | Government lasts,” the will provides. | . Some legal experts believe the annuity ‘(0 the “First Lady” is volded by the | rule against perpetuities, because it was ordered to’ be kept in force forever. Others are of the opinion that it is pay- able now and until such time as a | trust would cease under the law, and still others believe that under a correct interpretation it should not operate until the death of the last annuitant, of which there are many. MRS. HOOVER SILENT, | White House Reports No Legal Obstacles Would Bar Acceptances, ‘Whether or not Mrs. Hoover will ac- cept the “pin money” legacy will not be determined until she has been offi- | cially informed of the Freeman annuity | for the First Lady. | . It was said at the White House that | there 15 no legal obstacles in the way of Mrs. Hoover or any succeeding First accepting annuity. It was even suggested tHat the annuity gfiald be turned over to a charitable se. FSCAPED PRISONER IS GAPTURED HERE Henry F. Sweeney Fled Oc- coquan Tuesday—Com- panions Still Free. Henry F. Sweeney, 28 years old, one of the three trusted prisoners to escape from Occoquan Work House Tuesday inight, was captured this afternoon by police at Thirteenth and Euclid streets. ‘The man was recognized and arrested by Policeman C. W. Pitts of the eighth precinct after a telephone call informed police that a “suspicious-looking char- acter” was in the neighborhood. Sweeney, under sentence at Occoquan for housebreaking, tld police that Howard L. Carson, who escaped with him after being jailed for threatening a Sibley Hospital nurse, had continued to Baltimore after tarrying a few hours here. Raymond Ball, 33, the third escaped prisoner, was last seen at Third street and Pennsylvania avenue. Sweeney reported that the three of them had become intoxicated shortly after their escape in an automobile stolen from a guard. They returned to Washington by using back roads, leaving the prison farm by using a little-frequented gate. The men were on special duty and were given much freedom on the farm. MAN, STRUCK BY AUTO, DIES AT SIBLEY HOSPITAL Thomas Carey, 74, Sustains Frac- tured Skull When Car Jumps Curb—Driver Is Held. ‘Thomas Carey, 74 years old, of 200 | H street northeast, died today at Sibley Hospital from a fractured skull suffered yesterday when an automobile jumped the curbing beneath the viaduct at Second and H streets northeast and struck him. The driver of the car, Harry L. Friscel, 36, of 1901 C street, was ar- rested by police of No. 6 precinct at | the time of the accident and is being held for an inquest, which probably will be set by Coroner J. Ramsay Nevitt for 11 o'clock tomorrow morning. James Ruck, colored, 21, of 4441 Hstreet, wno was hurled from his bicycle when the automobile hit him in the same accident, escaped with shock and bruises, for which he was treated at Casualty Hospital MARYLAND DELEGATES FAVOR RITCHIE FOR 1932 House Recesses to Permit Rules Committee Action as G. 0. P. Members Agree. By the Associated Press. ANNAPOLIE, Md., March 5—The House of Delegates recessed today long enough to permit the Rules Committee to meet and adopt a favorable report on a resolution urging Gov. Albert C. Ritchie for the Democratic nomination for President. ‘The Republican minority has agreed to its unanimous passage, it was an- nounced, BILLBOARD CAITICS MASS AT HEARING. | Maryland and District Lead- ers Urge Bill’s Passage at Annapolis. | By & Staff Correspondent of The Star. | ANNAPOLIS, Md, March 5—The | rising tide of public sentiment against | further desecration of Maryland's scenic | board construction was evidenced in the | House of Delegates this afternoon. The public attitude on the question of sign regulation was scheduled to be | revealed in remarks of representatives of scores of civic organizations, and | individual men and women prominent in political and official circles in both Maryland and the District of Columbia, who are supporting measures now for the General Assembly to supervise road- side advertising. Their views were expressed at a joint | public hearing before the Finance Com- mittee of the Senate and the Ways and Means Committee of the House. Two Bills Studied. ‘Two identical billboard regulatory measures will be before the committees, one introduced only yesterday in the upper branch by Senator Robert G. Hilton of Montgomery County, and the other presented two weeks ago in the House by Delegates Lavinia Engle. Montgomery County; Kent R. Mullikin, and Oliver Metzerott, Montgomery. and Lawrence P. Willlams, St. Marys County. County. Lieut. Col. U. S. Grant, 3d, executive officer of the National Capital Park and Planning Commission, is among those scheduled to speak at the hearing, as are Miss Harlene James of the Ameri- can Civic Association, Mrs. Edward H. McKeon, State chajrman for billboard restriction of the Garden Clubs of Maryland, and Mrs. L. E. Holt, chair- man of the General Committee. Capt. Joseph C. Cissel, attorney for | the Montgomery County Commissioners; | Spenc: Howard, president of the South- Maryland Society, and John Stan- ntinued on Page 2, olumn 6.) | highways, through unrestricted bill- | RATE COMPROMISE REFUSED BY PEPCD i |Power Officials Turn Down Proposal to Work Out New Scale. The Potomac Electric Power Co. to- day definitely refused to enter into negotiations with the Public Utilities Commission to compromise differences between the commission and the com- pany relating to electric rates. ‘The company officials, in a long con- ference with the commission today, based their refusal on the position taken by People's Counsel Richmond B. Keech, who urges scrapping of the con- sent decree now regulating rates and substitution of a two-party contract be- tween the commission and the com- pany embodying a sliding scale of rates. ‘The question of com ising the Equity Court to modify the decree raised at the public hearing on rates Jast December, where it was shown that the present decree nad resulted in a return to the company of upward of 10 per cent on its valuation. Mr. Keect!;;. at t‘fihe conference g)di:]y‘. suggested it e company offici take his proposition and submit it to another board of directors’ meeting, since it was not discussed at the last. This the officials agreed to do and they said they would report back to the com- mission at a date to be announced later. - CHARGES NEGLECT IN BANK FAILURE Steuer Declares New York Official Faces Possibility of Grand Jury Action. By the Associated Press. NEW YORK, March 5.—Accused of negligence in connection with the sus- pended Bank of United States, Joseph A. Broderick, State superintendent of banks, faced the possibility of grand jury action today on the authority of Max D. Steuer, deputy attorney general. In probing the reason why the bank’s slow and doubtful loans were not col- lected, Mr. Steuer was told by a wit- ness yesterday that Mr. Broderick should have ordered the officers to call in the indebtedness. “I'm not here to pass on what he should have said,” Mr. Steuer replied, “that is something Mr. Broderick may have to answer for to another trial” Mr. Steuer declined to amplify his statement later. He has charged that the banking superintendent violated the law in two respects: By omitting the regular semi-annual examination of the bank on January 1, 1930, and by failing to send to directors the department’s unfavorable report for 1930. After his interrogation by Mr. Steuer, Mr. Broderick went to Albany, where he conferred with Gov. Rooseveit, who ap- pointed him to his post. The banking superintendent has denied any inten- tion of resigning. NEW YORK, March 5 (#)—The Coast Guard today reported the cap- tain of the Italian tanker Alabama, crippled by a broken steering gear, had communicated with her owners and was instructed to put in at Philadelphia. The Alabama’s mishap became known yesterday when she was 400 miles from Chesapeake Bay. The tanker left Hous- ton, Tex., February 24. By the Assoclated Press. Pree from parliamentary worrles for nine long months, most members of but an_ unusually large number were detained in Washington. The meeting of the Democratic Na- gressive conference and investigation: | delayed most of these. Others remain- ed by choice, because they find it easier 4 Congress were homeward bound wda)'v’ tional Committee, the approaching pro- | DUTIES HOLD MANY MEMBERS OF BOTH HOUSES IN WASHINGTON Others Scattering to Homes, Resorts or for Tours of Foreign Countries. to rest away from their constituencies. The recess is signally marked by absence of the usual congressional “junkets.” On these members of Con- | o S, Covemment expenes. investigating subjeagg, for future legis- lationt Vice President Curtis wis one of the rst to leave the Capital. departed | for. a_10-day vacation at Re- 5.) } (Continued on'Page 2, Colt commission’s prospective application to which now governs electric rates was GAS ADJUSTMENTS HELD 700 COSTLY- BY COMPANY HEAD Wood Tells Utilities Commis- sion General Check-up Is of Doubtful Value. CHANGES BEING MADE ON USERS’ COMPLAINTS President Declares New Work ‘Would Be Required Later Because of Changing Conditions, George A. G. Wood, president of the Washington Gas Light Co., reported to the Public Utilities Commission today that the readjustment of the appliances of 126,000 gas consumers would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and expressed the belief that the need for & general readjustment cannot be de- termined at the present time because of unstable pressure conditions. Mr. Wood's report was sent to the commission in answer to its demand for specific information showing action taken by the company on the commis- sion’s order of January 22 to take steps at once to make such adjustments in all consumer’s equipment as may necessary to meet pressure conditions. Minimum Cost 50 Cents. Mr. Wood said the commission’s order was construed as offering some “lati- tude” for ju ent in order to avoid a situation which would be “burden- some to all parties concerned.” The minimum cost per adjustment, Mr, Wood pointed out, is 50 cents. The company, in an effort to comiply with the spirit of the commission’s orders directing that steps be taken at once to make such adjustments as may be necessary, he said, is care- ful adjustment of appliances in all new cases of new installations and upon specific complaints for consumers. The company, he declared, feels confident that its customers will report cases of a serious character. Coincidently with the receipt of Mr. ‘Wood’s report, the commission received a letter from Manton M. Wyvell, prominent Washington lawyer, showing that as a result of a complaint he made to the gas company over a high bill, the flow of gas in a combination gas storage heater in his home has been reduced from 144 to 81 cubic feet an hour, Pressure Cut Down, An engineer from the gas company, sent to investigate the complaint, Mr. Wyvell said, reported that the pressure going into his gas appliances was “ter- rifically high and was causing & tremendous use of gas.” The engineer, in his report, said he had réduced the flow from 144 to 81 cubic feet an hour on the combination storage heater, and has also cut down the pressure regulated the burners of the range and laundry stove. “You will see therefore,” said Mr. ‘Wyvell, “that the complaint produced good resuits and that evidently other householders are suffering from the ;"en:l high pressure from which I suf- ered.” ’ Pressure conditions, Mr. Wood said, are not permanent and stable, dye to the changes being made in the distribn- tion system to comply with the commis- sion’s recent orders, and also because of the introduction in a portion of the gas system of the mixture of natural and carburetted water gas. As a result, he explained, an accurate and permanent adjustment of appliances is impossible. The mixture of natural and artificial gas in its passage through the system, Mr. Wood explained, picks up certain accumulated oil deposited over past years, which, until stabilized, gives some variation to the gas actually being re- ceived by customers, tending in general mlmake this gas of a high heating value. “It has seemed best to us, in an effort to comply with the spirit of your orders,” he told the commission, “to meet this situation by the careful ad- Jjustment of appliances in all new cases of new installations and upon specific customers’ complaints. This is u&m the assumption that such complaints naturally represent the most serious conditions and should therefore receive first_attention. “To do otherwise would be to at- tempt to adjust all appliances in a given area which would take an ex- tended time- with the certainty that before one adjustment was completed conditions would have altered, and probably several readjustments would be necessary. “This would be disturbing to our customers and to our organization and we believe productive of ill will. This is entirely aside from the cost involved, which would amount to a minimum per adjustment of 50 cents, and in the 3glgl;egnte to hundreds of thousands of ollars. Sees Latitude In Order. “We wish also to advance the opinion that the need for such a general re- adjustment and the territories in which it should be made cannot be deter- mined at the present time. “Having the whole situation in mind, we construed your order to ‘make such adjustments as may be necessary’ as offering some latitude for judgment in order to avoid a situation which would be burdensome to all parties con- cerned. “We feel confident that our cus- tomers will notify us of cases of a serious character which we are most anxious to care for. In furtherance of this idea we advertised our desire com- pletely to satisfy all* complaints and asked for calls to make adjustments when necessary.” Mr. Wood also told the commission that pressure readings at various gov- ernor stations indicate very clearly a marked improvement in the general distribution situation. THAW MUST PAY $16,000 Girl Gets Damages for Alleged Bit- ing; First Trial Thrown Out. NEW YORK, March 5 (#).—Marcia Estaddus yesterday was awarded $16,- 000 damages from Harry K. Thaw in her suit for $100,000. She charged that in January, 1927, while she was vis- iting Thaw in his apartment he struck her with a hair brush and bit her, | The jury deliberated two hours. In a previous trial Miss Estaddus was awarded $75,000, but this was re- duced to $25,000 by Justice Aaron Levy, who heard the case. The appellate di- vision ordered a new trial, however. Thaw., who attended only the last hour of the first trial, did not miss any of the one which closed today. Radio Programs on Page D.