Evening Star Newspaper, February 26, 1932, Page 17

Washington News Che WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION Foening far WAS 49,30 GAS CUT, AFFECTING 86674 USERS, ORDERED Utilities Commission Action Lightens Domestic, House- Heating Bills March 1. COMMERCE, INDUSTRY REDUCTIONS APRIL 1 Savings Approximately $38,000 Greater Than Those Voluntarily Offered by Companies. New gas rates in all schedules of the ‘Washington and Georgetown Gas Light Cos., providing reductions totaling $249,341 per annum and affecting 88,- 674 consumers, were ordered today by the Public, Utilities Commission. They are effective on bills rendered on or after March 1 on the domestic and house-heating schedules and April 1 on the commercial and industrial schedules. Although these new rates offer sav- ings of approximately $38,000 mofe than the $211,000 voluntarily offered by the { companies, the reflection on the bills of the average domestic consumer will represent a saving estimated at only 7 cents per monthly bill, cr 2% per cent It is estimated the average domestic consumer uses 3,400 cubic feet of gas per month. His monthly bill, under the old rates, averaged $3.21. Under the new schedules the monthly 'bill should average $3.14 for domestic usage. Domestic Use Affected. The new rates of the commission af- | fect chiefly the domestic consumer. The new domestic schedule A, deter- mined upon by the commission, will effect a saving of $134,484 to 83,313 con- sumers, as follows: The first 1,000 cubic feet at $1 per 1,000; no reduction for monthly con- sumption. The next 2,000 cubic feet will be| charged at the rate of 90 cents per 1,000, a saving of $22,487 to 41,795 con- sumers and a reduction in the average monthly bill of these consumers of 2.34 per cent. ° All gas consumed in excess of 3.000 cubic feet in any one month will be charged at the rate of 85 cents per 1,000, a saving of $107,139 to 38,827 consumers and a reduction in the average monthly bill of 3.85 per cent. ‘The existing rates for domestic serv- {ice under which old bills have been paid are $1 for the first 1500 cubic feet per month and 90 cents in excess of 1,500 cubic feet. A separate schedule applies to general housekeeping service with the rate of $2 per 100 cubic feet Of the maximum "hourly rate, payable only during seven heating months, October to April, inclusive, plus a consumption charge of 60 cents per 1,000 cubic feet. The commission eliminated in the house-heating scheduled B the $4 minimum bill during the five months of May to September inclusive. The new commercial and industrial rate is changed only slightly in one or two schedules as presented by the companies. As announced by the com- mission, they will yleld a further sav- ing to 5,377 consumers of $103357, a| reduction of 7.75 per cent, according to | the commission’s own estimates. Schedules C and D. ‘The new commercial and industrial | schgdules are as follows Schedule C, providing a minimum | bill of 75 cents per month. For the first 25,000 cubic feet of gas consumed | the rate wiil be 90 cents per 1,000 cubic feet; for the next 75,000 cubic| feet, 85 cents per 1,000, with 80 cents per 1,000 for all gas used in excess of 100,000 cubic feet in any one month. Schedule D. Only two brackets are| changed in the new schedule. For the first 50 cubic feet used in any month per foot of maximum hourly rate of use at 92 cents per 1,000. The companies had proposed 921 cents. For gas in ex- cess of the above to complete the total | monthly consumption or to make a total of 400,000 cubic feet in any one month at 77 cents per 1,000. The company had proposed 77% cents. For gas in ex- cess of both of the above blocks, either | to complete the total monthly consump- | tion or to make a total of 1,000,000 cubic feet in any one month, at 65 cents per 1,000. For the next 1,000,000 cubic | feet in any month at 50 cents per 1,000 and 40 cents per 1,000 for the excess over 2,000,000 cubic feet. Minimum Monthly Bill The commission explained that the minimum monthly bill per meter shal' be the above rate applied to 25 cubic feet of gas per foot of the maximum heurly rate of use, but not less than $5 net or $5.50 gr The ebove rates are net, the commis. sion explained, and are increased by | 10 cents per 1,000, except in the last three blocks of schedule D for failure to pay the bill within the 15-day prompt payment discount period Through the elimination of the $1.50 fee which the company now is charg- ing for terminating service when the consumer discontinues use within the one-year contract period, a further re- duction of $10,000 will be made. This was a proposal by the gas companies. o BUDAPEST GREETS D. C. Capital on Mayor Washington Bicentennial. Proclziming the United States “the| friend of liberty,” the mayor of Buda- pest today sent a congratulatory radi gram to the “Mayor of Washington, conveying greetings on the occasion of the George Washington Bicentennial Celebration. The message read: “Budapest, the Hungarian metropolis, in its council’s general assembly on February 23 re- membered with piety the George Wash- “ington Bicentenary. The Hungarian nation sees in the United States the friend of liberty, the country which re- | ceived Louis Kossuth with enthusiasm | and comprehends also our present mis- | fortunes pointing to the peace treatics as the source thereof. On th> occa- Congratulates | i | sion of the George Washington cele-| > cordial | \* bration Budapest rends its greetings to the city of Weshington (Signed.) DR. RIPKA KHIEF, M: 5 SMITH CLUB MEETS The weekly meeting of the local Al Smith for President Club was held last gorilla’s chest with oil in the treatment the 6-year-old ape Below: Maurice Eckman and A. S. administer aid to N'gl. ITH a special apparatus rushed here from the New York Medical Center set up about the cage, a group of Washington physicians | awaited anxiously this afternoon to ob- | serve the effects of high concentra- | tions of oxygen on N'gi, the 6-year-old gorilla at the Zoo, who is seriously ill with bronchial pneumonia. | All tfe morning was required to ad- just the device whieh transformed the cage info an oxygen room that re- tains the oxygen while allowing the carbon dioxide to filter out | During the hours while the two technicians who brought the device here, assisted by Zoo attendants, were putting up the walls and sawing through the iron bars of the cage to| admit the oxygen tubes N'gi lay mo- tionless, covered with a burlap blanket on his bed of straw. He took no in- terest in the strange happenings, al- though they greatly excited Jo-Jo, the chimpanzee in the next cage, who kept up a continuous screaming. Treatment to Continue. If there are any effects from the oxygen the treatment will be kept up until the gorilla dies or is well on the | way to recovery. It is not intended, it | was explained, as a magical cure for pneumonia. but acts to keep up the patient’s general condition until nat- ural restorative forces can assert them- selves. Efforts to do this with adrenalin, strychnine and whisky, have had little effect because of the difficulty of ad-| ministering these drugs. Nobody knows how oxygen will work on a gorilla, al- | though there is no reason to believe | that the effects will be different than in the case of a human being | It was possible to get a small swallow of whisky down the gorilla's throat After that he refused to take any more and wiped his lips with straw to re- move the taste. This is strikingly dif- ferent from the reaction of the chim- panzee, who likes the taste of whisky and yells for more | The oxygen concentration will be kept | between 40 and 60 per cent. depending on the apparent effects. The normal amount of oxygen in the air is about 20 per cent. Dr. John H. Eckhardt, prominent Washington pediatrician, who has attended N'gi since he came to Washington, is keeping close watch on the effect of the gas, lest it make N'gi too frisky so that he will wreck the apparatus. Pulse Is Normal. The gorilla’s pulse and respiration rate were normal just before the oxygen was turned on. Throughout his illness special precautions have been taken aga‘nst allowmng him to get excited. A condition of cxcitement usually is fatal to a sick animal For the past two wecks, according to william H. Blackburn, headkeeper Negi has been at his lowest during the morning, but each day has revived somewhat late in the afternoon. Only after the lion house is closed does he voluntarily accept any food or move around in his cage. For the first time | today the lion house was closed to all | visitors, except for the physicians in- | vited by Dr. Mann to witness the treat- | ment. This nia d time, it was ex- pe of cpparatus, an r Alvin L. Barach of the Cenier, has been on end the firét time an uced for a sick animal. s the He Eats an Orange. Befere the oxygen was turned on N'gl's chest was greased with a mixture | of hog fat and quinine, which has had some good results in the past, and he | ate an orange. night at the Arlington Hotel. Speakers were Bert Wamsley, political writer; H. B. Foulkroup, Daniel A. Costigan constantly with inquiries after the con- dition of the gorilla, probably the best OXYGEN USED IN EFFORT TO SAVE GORILLA. Above: Keeper Paul Holdup of the National Zoological Gardens rubbing the | ality and Religion” tonight at 8 o'clock All last night and today, Dr. Mann | in the personality development course said, his telephone has been ringing | conducted weekly at the Central Y. M. for pneumonia, which threatens to kill Byers setting up oxygen apparatus to —Star Stafl Photos. the Zoo director said, all the sugges- tions which seem at all practicable al- | ready have been tried On the whole, N'gi seemed a little better today. but his illness has been a constant succession of temporary im- provements and relapses, while he has continually lost flesh and grown weaker until now his life seems to be a mat- ter of days unless the oxygen works. e . HOLD-UPS JAIL TRIC; MWOMAN 1S SOUGHT Victims Identify Two Sus- pects—Girl Aids Bandits in Store Robbery. | | | | | Three men were under arrest today in connection with several of the hold- ups which have kept police cn the jump during the last few days. Meanwhile, an intensive search was being made for a woman and two men who held up the proprietor of a haberdashery store at 2452 Eighteenth street late yesterday. Two of the those heli—Henry C. P. Fegan, 34, a former policeman, and Ed- ward Matthews, 42—have been charged with holding up Silvio Daneri, 18, in his father’s grocery, 114 Quincy street northeast and robbing him of $27. The other man, Bernard Downey, arrested last night, has been booked for investi- gation. Jewelry valued at $600, obtained Wednesd: night in a hold-up of the Plaza Hotel was in his possession at the time of his arrest, according to police. Get Tip by Phone. Downey was taken into custody after police received a telephoned tip that he was in a store at Third and M streets southeast. Detective Sergts, F. O. Brass and Van D. Hughes were sent to the establishment, but Downey had left in a taxicab The detectives cbtained the number of the cab, however, and traced Downey to a house on I street between Sixth and Seventh streets. They arrested him and recovered the jewelry, which subse- quent’y was identified Mrs. James Kearns of Paterscn, N. J, & guest at the Plaza. Both Fegan and Matthews were placed in line-up at headquarters last night and the former was identified by victims of five recent hold-ups, while one hold-up victim identified the other suspect. All the victims will view Downey tonight. Get $130 in Store. The woman and two men sought ob- tained $130 from Joseph Legun, owner of the Eighteenth street store. Legun told police the woman, described as young, attractive and fashionably dressed, end one of the men entered the haberdashery and asked to see some shirts While Legun was showing his stock, he said, the other man appeared and, drawing a gun, tock the money from his pockets. The trio then fled. PASTOR TO LECTURE Dr. Allen A Stockdale, pastor of the First Congregational Church. will give a lecture on “The Source of Person- 1 C. A, 1736 G street. HINGTON, D. C STREET CAR LINES ON MERGER PLAN Commissioners Refuse to Modify Stand on Paving Assessments. UTILITIES BOARD STANDS FIRM ON AMENDMENT Members Decline Companies’ Pro- posal for Possible Inclusion of Taxicabs. The Capital Traction Co. and the Washington Railway & Electric Co. met with two rebuffs yesterday in connec- tion with the pending street car merger ill. The first came from the District Commissioners, who refused to modify | their stand with regard to paving as- sessments provided in the bill, the com- panies having previously proposed an additional paving cost in exchange for their acceptance of the measure. The other was administered by the Public Utilities Commission in refusing to change its proposed amendment, sub- mitted Wednesday to the Senate Dis- trict Committee, in which the merged company would be held strictly to street car_and bus operation. The companies had wanted to take in all forms of transportation, which would include taxicabs. The whole thing hinged on the inclusion of the word “mass” when referring to the modes of transportation. Counter Offer Made. After a conference with the heads of the two traction companies late ves- terday, Maj. Gen. Mason M. Patrick, Public Utilities chairman, said the companies countered with a proposal to substitute a clause requiring ap- proval by the commission of any other form of transportation In the face of growing taxicab com- petition, the street car companies had strongly contended that the bill give them authority to operate cabs in the future if they so desired and the first draft of the merger bill contained that stipulation. The question of paving assessments arose again when the District Commis- sioners, in a letter to the two companies, informed them that they can not approve any assumption of paying costs in addition to those embraced in the re- cent report to the District committees of Congress. These were that the District Gov- ernment would assume the cost of all bridge paving and three-fourths of the cost of track paving on new streets, together with the payment of approxi- mately $115000 in salaries to the street crossing policemen. In exchange for accepting the merger bill, the companies said they would agree to do all the paving patchwork and repairs incidental to track re- habilitation, provided the District Gov- ernment would pay three-fourths the cost of all complete paving jobs. Small Saving Seen. The Commissioners, in their letter, pointed out that less than $100,000 a according to the companies’ statistics. They added: “If your companies have full confi- dence in the accuracy of these figures, it is difficult to see how such an amount could stand in the way of acceptance of the admittedly large benefits which would result to you from merged con- ditioms.” The Commissioners take the position “that the concessions already made by them and approved by the Bureau of the Budget as being in accord with the financial policy of the President are very substantial—over $150,000 a year— and are the maximum that can be ex- pected of the District of Columbia.” The letter stated in conclusion that the “additional contribution” requested is “considerably less than that hereto- fore approved by us” and that, there- fore, the Commissioners “have gone more than half way. Furthermore, no source of revenue is in sight from which the District could hope to recoup any such additional contribution. MRS. PITTS APPEALS TAX ASSESSMENT Contests Payment of $282,799, Claiming No Taxable Income for 1929. own Mrs. Gladys T. Pitts, whose husband, G. Bryan Pitts, is serving a sentence in the Disirict' Jail for conspiring to embezzle funds of the F. H. Smith C vesterday appealed to the Board of Tax Appeal from an income tax assessment of $282,799.50, including penalty, in 1929. Mrs. Pitts claimed she had no tax- able income during that year. Attorney Byron U. Graham is rep- tax matters. ALUMNI TO GATHER Missourl U. Meeting Is Scheduled Tonight. The University of Missouri Alumni Association will hold its midwinter meeting at the University Club, Fif- teenth and I streets, tonight at 8:15 o'clock. Dubbed a “Night at Monte Carlo,” | the mesting will consist of games and dances. followed by a puffet supper. | Arrangements are in charge of F. Hanley, F. F. Espenchied and Elton Marshall Police to Assist Charity Agencies By Emergency Cash ‘Washington police will co- operate with welfare agencies in aiding the distressed hereafter, under plans decided upon yester- day at a conference between Brig. Gen. Pelham D. Glassford, police chief, and charity leaders. Unaer this program, clerks at the various police precincts will advance $2 to the heads of fam- ilies reporting at night that they are in need of food or fuel. The money will be reimbursed the following day by some welfare agency after the Council of So- clal Agencies has been notified of the unfortunate’s identity by police. The lecture will be sponsored by the and James Slattery. Officers will be|known animal ever at the Zoo. Many |Phalanx Praternity, with the co-opera- elected at the next meeting of the|have called to tell how they treated |tion of the Social and Religious Work A organization. children in cas=s of- pneumonia, but, Department of the Y. M. C. All cases originating with police will be mventgntedgby welfare workers the following day. FRIDAY, year would be saved under this plan, | resenting both Mr. and Mrs. Pitts in| FEBRUARY 26, HOOVER PLEDGES REBUFFED TWICE |SCHOOL SUPPORT IN'e. . rosas. co-mentr o ECONOMY PROGRAM Protection From “Fiscal Ad- justments” Promised by Chief Executive. EDUCATORS CONCLUDE ANNUAL CONVENTION Dr. Broome, Retiring President of Department, Praises Capital’s Hospitality. A pledge of presidential support in the protection of schools during the enforcement of economy programs, and tribute to the National Capital for its! generous hospitality to and fair treat- ment of convention and George Wash- ington Bicentennial visitors marked the conclusion of the National Education Association’s Department of Superin- tendence Convention. President Hoover placed his emphatic support at the disposal of educational groups fighting disastrous curtaflment of school funds during the depression, in a brief letter to the Department of Superintendence at the conclusion of its sixty-second annual convention late yesterday. In his letter the President asserted that “the very first obligation” upon the Nation is the financial sup- port of its schools. The President’s Letter. Mr. Hoover's letter, addressed to Dr. Milton Chace Potter, newly elected president of the Department of Super- intendence, follows in full: “My dear Dr. Potter “I congratulate the Department of Superintendence of the National Edu- cation Association most cordially upon the success of its conference just clos- ing in Washington, and the Nation upon the inspiration in the high service of education that flows out to the people from its deliberation. These serve again to remind our people that however the national economy may vary or whatever fiscal adjustments may be made, the very first obligation upon the national resources is the undimin- ished financial support of the public schools. We cannot afford to lose any ground in education. That s neither economy or good government. “Yours faithfully, (Signed) “HERBERT HOOVER.” ‘Washington as a city host to visiting thousands was praised by Dr. Edwin C. Broome, superintendent of schools in Philadelphia and the retiring president of the department. It was Dr. Broome who steered the conventlon , sessions along their program. As he prepared to return home today Dr. Broome had praise for the national and District of Columbia officials and for Washington merchants. “We have been accorded the finest treatment in every quarter,” Dr. Broome said. “The officials of the Government —a cabinet officer, two United States Senators, the commissioner of educa- tion and, of course, the President of the United States himself, on three occa- slons—were splendid and fine to us. Praises City Authorities. “Washington's municipal authorities gave us the finest police protection and guidance we could have received. And ‘Washington's business men, certainly so far as my personal dealings with them went—and I heard nothing anywhere to the contrary—were eminently just to the visitors.” The convention was concluded with a session on “The Health of the School Child.” The discussions were followed by a business ression, in which the board of tellers, of which Dr. A. L. Day, superintendent of schools at Commerce. Tex., was chairman, announced the re- sults of the previous day’s election. The only contest was for the member of the Executive Committee to be named this vear. Dr. Carroll Reed, superintendent | of Minneapolis schools, was the victor. Dr. Potter, the only nominee for office of president, was officially proclaimed head of the department, Invitations were received from a group of cities for the holding of the next convention in a meeting of the Execu- tive Committee at the Hotel Washing- ton late yesterday. The merita of the cities will be studied and a selection made probably in April. Dr. Jay B. Nash, professor of educa- tion at New York University, called home study which deprived a child of from six to seven hours of play every day “legalized criminalit; He also condemned spectacular athletic events on health grounds. Persons who watch the excited action of others, he said, become victims of a disorder similar to “shell shock.” The futile desire to par- ticipate in the athletic event which they watch, Dr. Nash explained, sets up a release of poisonous body acids. CAB D7RIVER’.S'ASSAILANT CONVICTED IN 6 MINUTES Victim, Paralyzed by Shot, Breaks Down While Testifying at Trial. Thurston Hunt, colored, was con- victed in six minutes this morning by a jury in Criminal Division 1 before Justice James M. Proctor of shooting Vernon Renshaw, a former cab driver, last October and robbing him of $20. Renshaw is paralyzed as the result of the shot and was taken to court yes- terday in a wheel chair from Emer- gency Hospital, where he has been con- fined since the attack. “Renshaw broke down yesterday when giving his testimony and caused the Justice to suspend court for 10 minutes while the witness recovered his com- posure. Hunt was remanded for sentence. LAME DUCK CONFEREES HIT RATIFICATION SNAG Senators Resist Plan Proposed by' House Members Through Two-Hour Session. By the Assoclated Press, Conferees on the Norris constitutional amendment eliminating “lame duck” sessions of Congress today hit a snag over the House provision requiring rati- fication by the States within seven years. Senate conferees, including Senator Norris, Republican, Nebraska, held the | provision unconstitdtional and resisted it through a two-hour session, which brought an adjournment until tomorrow. The provision also would require that at least one branch of the State Legis~ latures be elected after submission of the amendment to the States. Senate conferees declared this would force un- due delay. The conferees are one on all other differences hetween the Senate and House, and an agreement by tomorrow vas precicted. | industry. 1932. FHF Society and General NAVY WILL LOSE DIVING EXPERT BECAUSE OF PROMOTION CURB “Lung,” Will Enter Civil Research. Hero of Submarine Rescues| Will Accept Greater Opportunity. BY REX COLLIER. Sluggish naval promotion routine is | about to deprive the Navy of its fore- most deep-sea diving expert, Chief Gunner Clarence L. Tibbals, veteran of many marine and submarine rescue and salvage exploits. Tibbals, internationally known as co- | inventor of the Navy's submarine escape | device, “the lung.,” and noted for his | supervision of heroic efforts of divers | to save the crews of the S-51 and S-4, | will forsake the Navy shortly for more lucrative pursuits in civil life. Blocked by naval procedure from gaining further promotion except by special act of Congress, which the Navy Department opposes as a ‘“precedent,’ the stocky adventurer of the deep will leave the naval service April 1 next to devote his time to private research and He will carry with him numerous honors, including the Dis- tinguished Service Medal and the Navy Cross, His application for retirement has been approved “with regret” by the Navy Department, to take effect on that date. He is at his home here on fur- lough pending formal retirement. Friends Ask Promotion. In the meantime a group of his friends, in Congress and out, is en- deavoring to obtain special legislation to promote Tibbals to lieutenant, the temporary rank he held during the World War, over the “reluctant opposi- tion” of Navy officials. Although high naval officers are objecting to the pro- posed act “as a matter of policy,” it is understood they personally would like to see Tibbals rewarded prior to his re- tirement. Under naval regulations Tibbals will | be retired with the rank of lieutenant, but without the retirement pay for that grade. He must be promoted prior to retirement it order to receive the addi- tional benefits. Tibbals has had an unusually colorful | record. His reckless disregard of his own safety in experimenting with de- compression tanks and oxy-helium in- halations for treatment of “bends,” | “squeeze” and other diving hazards brought repeated warnings from his su- periors. He made himself the subject of many dangerous experiments and thereby ~ contributed vastly to the knowledge of diving diseases and their cure. | At one time, in a test to determine | the efficiency of an oxygen helmet for aviators, he subjected himself to a vacuum approximating conditions a flyer would meet if he could ascend 47,000 feet in 17 minutes. He lost con- sciousness during the test and was saved by colleagues observing the ex- periment through portholes in the va- cuum tank. Faced Great Danger. In response to a report from Tibbals on some similar experiments conducted with co-operation of the Bureau s of Mines at Pittsburgh, the Navy Depart- ment advised him that “the danger in- volved in these experiments is fully realized,” and suggested that “the greatest care should be exercised in subjecting men to new and untried tests.” Tibbals collaborated with Frank M. Hobson, civilian engineer of the Bureau of Construction and Repair, Navy De- partment, in early studies which pre- ceded development of the “lung.” This pair, with Lieut. C. B. Momsen, finally invented the breathing-bag device, which is now standard escape equipment on all American and a number of foreign submarines. Tibbals and Momsen were awarded Distinguished Service Medals for their part in this work, and Hobson, not being eligible for a service decora- tion, was given a vear's extra pay. The citation which accompanied Tib- bals’ medal stated that “Chief Gunner Tibbals, one of the inventors, furnished much of the information needed in the design of the ‘lung’ from knowledge gained during his long years of experi- ence as an expert deep-sea diver, and later, during the first tests of the ap- paratus, he repeatedly courageously and | voluntarily performed feats at great personal risk in order to prove the cor- rectness of the theory and construction of the apparatus.” Courage Praised. “When the practicability of the ap- paratus was being testes the citation | said, “he made many escapes and as- | sisted others in making escapes from | the U. S. S. S-4, submerged to depths as much as 206 feet. It is in a large measure due to the knowledge, courage | and high sense of duty of Chief Gunner | Tibbals that the development of the ‘lung.” which has been pronounced the | greatest single contribution to sub- marine escape, has reached a success- ful conclusion, and the device has been | adopted as part of the regular equip- ment of all of our submarines.” He was awarded the Navy Cross in | 1928 “for distinguished service to the Government in a duty of responsibility as chief diving supervisor throughout the salvage operations of the U. S. S. S-4, sunk as a result of a collision off | Provincetown, Mass.,, December 7, 1927.” The citation pointed out that “his great experience in diving, his ex- | cellent judgment, zeal, energy and un- tiring devotion to duty was an impor- tant factor in the final success of the | operations.” Tibbals also was chief diving super- | visor during salvage operations on the S-51, which sank after collision with the steamship City of Rome. Salvaged Oil Tanker. The Navy Department commended Tibbals for his daring and efficient salvage of the U. S. S, Alameda, a Navy oil tanker, which caught fire at sea and was abandoned by her crew in 1921. Tibbals was in command of the salvage vessel, Falcon, and directed a grilling ' CHIEF GUNNER C. L. TIBBAL! | fight against the flames that had turned | the Alameda into a red-hot hulk amid- ships. He then towed her 70 miles, still | flaming, to the Virginia Capes, where the fire was completely extinguished. As commander of the Falcon he also raised the sunken German U-boat 111 | from the bottom of Lynnhaven Roads | in 1922, for which feat he was again | commended by the Secretary of the Navy. The bill for promotion of Tibbals to lieutenant is sponsored jointly by Rep- resentative Hogg of Indiana and Sen- ator Shortridge of California. In op- posing the bill Secretary of the Navy Adams wrote to the House Naval Com- mittee: “Although not wishing to deprecate the excellent work done by this officer, it is beiieved that it was merely another example of the varied, arduous and productive labors carried out by the officers of the Navy in the regular line of their duty, and it is considered that no further reward should properly be made to Chief Gunner Tibbals. Opposes Special Action. “Numerous cther instances occur an- nually wherein personnel of the Navy are engaged in as dificult and as dan- gerous work and do not receive any rec- ognition whatever. Any special legisla- tion for the benefit of this officer would react to the disadvantage of those who have shared in other dangerous and productive labors which have not re- ceived so much public notice.” PREFERENCE BARED FOR U. S. VETERANS Civil Service Commission Answers Shaw's Claim That Policy Is Not in Operation. | A defense of the administration of the “veterans’ preference” allowances under civil service was made today by the Civil Service Commission in answer to a letter which appeared in The Star Wednesday over the signature of John | Arthur Shaw, director, Veterans' Em- ployment Service. Mr. Shaw contended former service men were not getting preference in em- ployment either in civillan or govern- | mental fields. | . In its statement the commission said it “‘cannot speak for private employers, but can speak very definitely with re- | spect to the Federal civil service. | Continuing. it amplified: | , “Mr. Shaw says that veterans consti- | tute 10 per cent of the wage earners | of the country. The records show that of all appointments made to positions in the classified civil service of the | United States in the year ended June | 30, 1931, 26.16 per cent were appoint- | ments of those entitled to veteran pref- | erence_and that during the past 12 | years 24.73 per cent of all appointees | were veterans. Considering that one- tenth of the wage earners are veterans and that approximately one-fourth of all thosz who are appointed to positions | in the classified civil service are vet- erans, it will be seen that veterans are given a decided preference by the Gov- ernment on appointments to civilian Ppositions.” CENTRAL BUéINESS MEN EXPAND ASSOCIATION The Central Business Men’s Associa- tion yesterday voted to enlarge its ter- ritorial boundaries to include Seven- teenth street on the west, Florida ave- nue on the north, Ninth street on the east and Pennsylvania avenue on the | south, The motion was passed unanimously at a meeting in the Logan Hotel It was pointed out that a number of busi- ness men located in the added territory already have joined the association. Another motion was passed indorsing | the recent action of the Monarch Club | in censuring overzealousness of police- | men in enforcing the letter of the law. Martin W. Hysong was elected to the board of directors to succeed F. T. Wil- cox, resigned. CAPITAL GIRLS HONORED Miss Foos and Miss Ferry Elected to Phi Beta Kappa. Miss Marguerite Ruth Foos, daughter of Maj. and Mrs. John W. Foos, 4444 Greenwich parkway, and Miss Doris E. Ferry, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. Montague Ferry, 25 Kennedy drive,| Kenwood, Md., students at Vassar Col- lege, have been elected members of Phi ?cec!l é(ilppl,tschollnlfllc honor fraternity, ording to ‘orm: e ation reaching The names of the two girls were on honor lists announced by President Henry Noble McCracken of the school yesterday. Miss Ferry is a member of of the class of 1933; Miss Foos a senior. ANSWERING BURGLAk ALARM POLICE CHARGE el SLEEPY SQUIRREL Damp and Cold Intruder Had Merely Retired for a Nap in Warmth Instead of getting himself arrested, the intruder responsible for a burglar alarm at 3719 Military road this morn- ing got a couple of pecans for breakfast. | Moreover, he wes allowed to have his nap out in a comfortable hammock in the basement, what with it being a bit chilly out of doors. Occupants of the residence of James ‘W. Jones, who' had been reading in the papers of recent housebreakings. were elarmed when a woman of the house- hold, descending to the basement to have a look at the furnace, saw some- | thing moving under a hammock. ‘The woman telephoned police that s | was bhiding in the basement C.W. Peters and L. H. Gentry Q Laus b of Furnace. were dispatched to the scene in a radio patrol car from No. 8 precinct. e officers charged into the basement with drawn guns, surprising one very damp and sleepy squirrel in the act of catching 40 winks or so in the warmth of the furnace. By the looks of him, he had tumbled into a puddle out of doors and crept in through a window to dry his coat and drooping tail The residents, apprised of the iden- tity of the intruder, told tke officers that he was welcome as long as hc wished to remain. At any rate, they said, he could stax! until he got his coat dry, or until he began to enaw something in addition ‘o pecans. i —_——— PAGE B—-1 BRIDGE OPENING 10 DALY TRAFFIC IN MONTH SOUGHT Grant Says Contract Has Been Let for Gravel Road- way to Arlington Gate. BOULEVARD CLOSING PROTEST IS FILED Representative Treadway Asks Change in Order Permitting Use Only Two Days. Steps to insure the opening of the Arlington Memorial Bridge to daily traffic within a month were taken today by Lieut. Col. U. 8. Grant, 3d, while the question of opening the Mount Ver= non Memorial Boulevard was still hang- ing fire. Col. Grant, executive officer of the Arlington Memorial Bridge Commission, announced that a contract had been awarded a Virginia firm to lay a gravel roadway from the western terminus of | the bridge to the east gate of Arlington Cemetery, making possible the early opening of the bridge. Representative Allen T. Treadway of Massachusetts yesterday filed a protest with Col. Grant against the closing of the Mount Vernon Highway on all days except Saturday and Sunday until some time in May. Change in Decision Asked. Prompted by the publication in The Star of a statement by Col. Grant, owing to landscape work along the new boulevard, it has been decided not to open-this highway for traffic except on those two days each week, Representa- tive Treadway asked Col. Grant to change his decision on the following grounds: “First, for sentimental reasons this road should not be closed to traffic after Washington's birthday. The ap- propriation was urged on the floor of Congress in order to have this memo- rial boulevard ready for Washington's birthday in 1932. To have the road closed after that date in a sense could be regarded as not keeping faith with those responsible for the appropriation. “Second, from now on Washington will be crowded with visitors who are being urged to sponsor celebrations at home. 1If these people come here and find that the boulevard is not in use, it will detract both from their pleasure and their interest in arranging various agld.s of celebrations in their home sec~ Public Convenience Question. Referring to the reason given in the newspapers, that traffic will interfere with workmen, Representative Tread- way said: “While the use of the road- way before all details are completely finished naturally prevents the force from pushing the work as fast as it otherwise could, if the road is safe for traffic the public convenience should be given the first consideration. {In this case the boulevard is so wide that surely a portion of it could be used by traffic while work was pregress- ing on other portions oz it.” Representative Treadway also empha- sized that one of the two days the boulevard is to be kept open, Sunday, is a day when Mount Vernon, through its private ownership, is closed to public admission. Col. Grant signed a contract with the Northern Virginia Construction Co. of Clarendon, Va., for $3,947.50, to place | temporary gravel surfacing on the Memorial avenue, running from Bound- ary Channel on the Virginia thore, up to the east gate of Arlington National Cemetery, where the memorial entrance will be constructed, forming the west- ern terminus of the bridge develop- ment. The contractor is being given 20 days in which to complete the job, as the future highway has already been graded and the temporary surfacing of gravel can readily be placed upon it. Bridge Opening Prospect. ‘When this work is done, the public will be able to travel across the Arling= ton Memorial Bridge and connect with with the Virginia road system on the| Georgetown-Alexandria turnpike, just at the east wall of Arlington Natlonal Cemetery. This means that the Arlington Memorial Bridge can then be permanently opened to the public. Up to this time, the bridge has been closed, except on holidays and week ends. Heretofore, the newly graded right-of-way for the future Memorial avenue has been impassable. Later Memorial avenue will be permanently surfaced. Col. Grant took another step today in the fulfillment of the bridge program, by calling for bids, which will be opened at Room 1615, Navy Building, at 11 a.m., March 9, for furnishing labor and materials for the roadway in the vicinity of the Ericsson Memorial. This highway, now partly completed, will create a new circle with the Ericsson Memorial as its center, and permit use of the underpass highway on the Wash- ington shore of the Potomac. Maj. D. H. Gillette, assistant execu- tive officer of the Arlington Memorial Bridge Commission, and John L. Nagle, designing engineer of the bridge, were in New York City today, attending a meeting of the Fine Arts Commission there. They are conferring with the architects of the bridge, McKim, Meade & White. One of the big problems now confronting the architects is the treat- ment to be given the Columbia Island development. DIPLOMAT TO BE FETED Program Arranged for Ministen From the Netherlands. J. H. Van Royen, Netnerlands Minis- ter, and Mrs. Van Royen, will be the guests of the Bureau of Commercial Economics at a diplomatic evening salon toBe held in the ballroom of the Shore- bham Hotel Sunday evening, February 28. Fllms depicting conditions in the Netherlands will pe shown, and B. Kleijn Molekamp, commercial counselor of the legation is scheduled to :&enk‘ A brief concert of Dutch music be given by E. Simonds, cellist. Marionettes on Exhibition, A George Washington Bicentennial exhibit, featuring the portrayal of 10 scenes from the life of the first Presi- dent by Tony Sarg’s animated marion- ettes, will be opened on the main floor of the Hecht Co. department store at 11 o'clock tomorrow morning. Sol Bloom, associate director of the United States George Washington Bi- centennial Commission, and represen- tatives of the Daughters of the Ameri- can Revolution and local parent- teacher associations are expected to be present for the opening. Besides the marionettes, it includes displays of Colonial furniture, clothing and other articles. A W-pit! stag, weighirg 1,000 pounds, au »220 captured in Alrica. \ A