Evening Star Newspaper, February 1, 1933, Page 17

ROBERTN. HARPER T0"HEAD FOURTH PARADE DIVISION Appointment Completes List of Marshals Under Gen. Pershing. STRIKE EFFORTS FAIL TO STOP STANDS WORK Bixteen Governors Now Pledged to Attend Roosevelt Ceremonies. Ball Plans Discussed. Robert N. Harper, long active in Democratic politics here, today was named marshal of the fourth division of the inaugural parade by Rear Ad- miral Cary T. Grayson, chairman of the Roosevelt Inaugural Committee. Mr. Harper's selection completes the roster of parade marshals who, under leadership of Gen. John J. Pershing, grand marshal, wili have charge of the different sections of the parade. Mr, Harper's parade groups probably will be the most colerful in the entire parade, being made up cf the political marching clubs and State delegations. 1t i§ also likely to be the largest divi- sion of the parade, for from applications already received, it appears probable that all 48 States will be represented, ‘with delegations from the 42 States carried last November by Mr. Roosevelt practically certain to attend. Mr. Harper has served the Democratic party officially for more than 30 years. He was 2 delegate to the Democratic convention of 1900 in Kansas City and in San Francisco in 1920. He once served as assistant treasurer of the Democratic National Committee and is new treasurer of the Democratic Con- gressional Committee. Experience in Planning. He has had much experience in plan- ning inaugurals, serving as chairman of the civic section of the Inaugural Com- mittee for the first Wilson inauguration and serving as chairman of the In- augural Committee for the second Wil- son inauguration, Although labor leaders have been try- ing to call out the carpenters who are working on the inaugural stands on Pennsylvania avenue, at the White House and at the Capitol, work on those projects was proceeding at normal pace today on the White House side of Pennsylvania avenue. where the court of honor, from which Mr. Roose- velt will review the parade; on the Lafayette Park side and on the East Pront of the Capitol. Contractors on all three jobs reported all their men are union men and are working for $1 an hour without protest. Officials of the Carpenters’ Union continued to insist. however, that the wage being paid by the contractors does not meet the level set by the union, or meet the provisions of the Bacon- Davis prevailing wage law. Contractors on all three jobs, however, reported that all men now working have union cards and there are hundreds more than there are jobs for, applying for ‘work. The union claims the carpenters should be paid $11 a dav. Conferences with officials of the De- partment of Labor were being held todav by representatives of the Carpenters’ Union in an effort to straighten out the situation. Admiral Grayson announced late yes- terday that four more Governors, mak- ing a total of 16 so far. have signified their intention of attending the Roose- velt inaugural ceremony. Those whos: acceptances were received yesterday were Gov. Herbert H. Lehman, who succeeded Mr. Roosevelt 2s Governor of New York: Gov. J. C. B. Ehringhaus of North Carolina, Gov. A. C. Schmedeman of Wisconsin and Gov. John Garland Pollard of Virginia. About one-half of the Governors still have not keen heard from. Arrangements for advancing the suc- cess of the inaugural ball were discussed at a meeting of the State. Senate and Congressional Women's Committee of the Inaugural Ball Committee, which was held at inaugural ball headquarters, Hill Building. The committee, of which Mrs. Ruth Bryan Owen is chairman, decided to get in touch with delegations coming to the inaugural ceremonies from their respective States and make certain that their respective sections would be well represented at this social function on the night of March 4. The fact that the President-elect and officials of the Philadelohia Mint have a friendly difference of opinion as to Gov. Roosevelt's numeriral standing in the line of American Presicents was revealed last night by Robert W. Wool- ley. chairman of the Inaugural Com- mittee on Medals. Presidential Number Question. In a speech which Mr. Woolley made s the guest of Joseph D. Kaufman over WMAL he said: ; “I will tell you an interesting story about this medal. President-elect Roosevelt granted the sculptor two sit- tings. Mr. Manship asked him what his number would be in the Presidency. Mr. Roosevelt replied that he would be the thirty-second President of the United States. If Mr. Cleveland. who served four years, then was defeated by Benjamin Harrison in 1888 and again elected in 1892, were to be counted as two Presidents—this is the only instance of the kind in our his- tory—then Mr. Roosevelt would be correct. Purthermcre, he is supperted in this vlew by many historians and for all I know by some Governmental Tecords. “But the Inaugural Medal, which has never before stated the numerical status of a President, must correspond with the medal which the law requires the Director of the Mint to make of each President. I find that the Mint counts persons and not terms. Conse- quently, the Hoover medal records the present President as No 30. Therefore, Mr. Roosevelt will be. medalicall speaking at least, the thirty-first Presi- dent of the United States. $10,000 ASKED IN FALL H. Ralph Burton Sues D. C. for Injuries to His Wife. Alleging his wife was seriously injured on December 21, 1931, when she fell into a hole in the sidewalk on U street between Fourteenth and Fifteenth streets, H. Ralph Burton, 2631 Garfleld street, brought suit in District Supreme Court' yesterday, asking $10,000 damages against the District of Columbia. Through Attorney Alvin L. Newmyer, the plaintiff says he incurred heavy medical expenses 2s a result of the in- juries suffered by his wife, Mrs. Ellen D. Burton. “Y" Secretary to Speak. Leonard W. DeGast, secretary of the Y. M. C. A, will be guest speaker at a meetin; u"celock umu;:‘; in '.l';e Esther emorial - Bpisco- Ohurch, Esther street and Nichols avenue, Congress Heights, he Fp SHINGTON, D. C., WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1933. WA Defend “$250,000 Potato” Agriculture Department Scientists Declare Sum Was Spent on Entire Research Project Rather Than on One Variety. BY THOMAS R. HENRY. A “$250,000 potato” has Agriculture Department scientists up in arms in its defense. It was chosen last week by Repre- sentative Blanton of Texas as a striking example of waste. Blanton is quoted in the Congressional Record of January 25 as saying: “After I had made him (Dr. William A. Taylor, chief of the Burcau of Plant Industry) admit that ‘a little more than $250,000 had been expended since 1910 in potato breeding,’ I then asked him questions that made him admit that he had so far nam:d and developed but one variety, the Katahdin. He said they expected to put out another variety at an early date, but that this was the only one put out so far.” Blanton then cited reports that de. spite its high cost to the Government, the Katahdin was an indifferent po- tato, suitable to cnly limited areas and surpassed in yleld and size by varieties on the market. ‘The 'Katahdin, first announced in February, 1932, was described by the department as a variety resistant to a destructive strain of mosaic disease, cne of the greatest sources of loss to potato growers in_the United States. which sometimes has threatened to eliminate the crop entirely. Actually, Dr. Taylor explained, $250,- 000 is the entire cost for intensive potato breeding experiments, which have been in progress for more than 20 years and have resulted in the production of | more than 100 new varieties of promise which now are being finally tested by State experiment staticns and growers. The Katahdin happened to be the first of these upon which the extremely i severe tests under all sorts of natural condifions were completed and which proved sufficiently valuable to release to the public. Any one of the hundred | others may or may not prove of value, 1 and none will be released unless it has | qualities not possessed by varieties now on_the market. Even if no new variety had com i from breeding experiments, th= Agri- cultural Department sgientists say, work would have been well worth while for the advances made in understand- ing of one of the world's chief food | crops which is threatened with even- { tual extinction because of its suscep- | tibility to disease. { Plant breeding is & slow process, and it has been the practice of the Horti- cultural Division of the Bureau of Plant Industry, it was explained, to “lean over backward” in making sure l that a new production has all the qual- ities claimed fcr it before introducing it to the public. The record of any one year may not be truly significant. The value of a new potato can be de- termined only after years of planting and replanting. It is too long and ex- pensive a process to be undertaken by a private business house. Ncw, it was explained, the Agricul- ture Department’s object is mot pri- marily to increase the Nation's potato crop, which already more than fills the demand of the market. It seeks rather to reduce to & minimum the risk of the potato farmer by providing varie- ties from which he can be assured of a constant yield from year to year. For many years past, it was explained, he has been in danger of losing his whole crop through the sudden inroads of disease, and consequently has been in no position to regulate his own pro- duction. Tests showed the Katahdin did ex- cellently in Michigan, Oregon and Cali- fornia, nearly as well in Colorado, Iowa and Minnesota, and fairly well in Maine, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Washington and Minne- sota, but did not work out well in Louisiana, Maryland and Rhode Island. However, it was not introduced as the perfect potato, but as only one com- pleted step in a long program. It is an entirely false idea, the bureau horticu’turalists say, that they concen- trated for 20 years at a cost of $250,000 on the production of this one variety. It was one of the incidental products of a major research undertaking. Mean- while, explorers have been sent into Mexico and South America in a search for the wild ancestor of the potato in the hope that from it cculd ba obtained some voriginal disease resistant quali- ties which have been lost in its count- less generations of domesticated de- | scendants. But while Dr. Taylor and his asso- clates deny the Katahdin potato ac- {tually cost even a small fraction of | $250,000, they point with pride to the testimonial of Prof. C. L. Fitch, secre- tary of the Iowa Vegetable Growers' | Association, that this single new po- tato “should pay the Nation 1,000 times $250,000 in larger yield to farmers and |less expense to dealers and other handlers.” | That the head of one of | the largest grours of potato growers in the country considers the Katahdin po- tato, an incidental side product of their scientific werk, as worth more than a quarter of a billion dollars. Some of the other varicties are nearly ready to | be presented to the Natlon's farmers |and may be of even greater value than the Katahdin. EIGHT SURVIVORS HOLDGAR. REUNION Commander in Chief Wright of Chicago One of Two Honor Guests. Eight survivors of the once mighty Grand Army. of the Republic are con- | ducting the annual encampment of the Department of the Potomac today at 808 I street. ‘Two of the eight are guests of honor. They are Commander in Chief William lPA Wright, Chicago, and Past Com- | mander in Chief John R. King of the| ; Department of Maryland. Department jCommander Willlam F. Dorsey was| !stricken i1l yesterday and was not able !to attend. The mceting was presided !over by the senior vice commande:, | Judge J. H. Sh:pherd. |~ This morning’s session was confined | largely to repcets and submission of | resoiutions to be voted on later in the | day. New officers were to be elected at this afternoon’s meeting. Other veterans attending the encamp- ment include E. D. Godfrey, department quartermaster general; Dr. H. E. John- son, chaplain; Franklin Young, patriotic instructor; Convis Parker and John Kline. New officers were elected last night by the Departinent of the Potomac, Women’s Relief Corps, women's aux- iliary to the G. A. R. They are Anna Horn, president; Mary Howarth, senior vice president; E. Helen Temple, junior vice president; Julia West Hamilton, treasurer; Margaret Marsh, chaplain | and Catherine Hood, chairman of the executive board. Guests of honor at the annual meet- ing, held at the Soldiers, Sailors and Marines’ Club, included Marie Basham, national counsellor, Des Moines, Iow: Charlotte M. Cary, national junior vice president, of the Department of the Po- tomac; Izetta Cody, chairman of the National Child Welfare Committee, De- partment of Michigan; Ida Allen, presi- dent of the Department of Michigan, and Mary Finnico, president of the De- partment of New Jersey. e PRISONER TRIES TO DIE Charles Pfligher, 28, a prisoner at No. 3 police station, was revived today by the Fire Rescue Squad after he had been found unconscjous hanging by an undershirt in his cell. Pfligher was discovered by Policeman C. F. er, police say, E . ‘The prison: had tied the shirt tightly around his neck and fastened it to one of the iron bars in the cell. He was taken to Gal- linger Hospital efter being revived by the squad. Pfligter, who lives in the 1800 block of Calvert street, was ar- rested early today on a charge of drunkenness. | Commissioners and_is pending in t CAPITALR.F.C. LOAN PLEA T0 BE MADE Group Familiar With Needs to Ask Senate Subcommittee Same Rights as States. When a subcommittee of the Senate Banking and Currency Committee holds hearings tomorrow morning on the ‘Wagner bill to broaden the powers of the Reconstruction Finance Corporation in lending money to the States for re- lief purposes, a number of persons fi miliar with the problem of caring for the needy in Washington will appear in connection with a proposal to give the District government the same right | enjoyed by the States to borrow from the R. F. C. for refief purposes. A separate bill to give the District this authority has been introduced by Representative Norton and Senator Capper at the request of the District House and Senate District Committees. At the same time, Senator Wagner has expressed his willingness to consider the advisability of amending his national Dill to include the District of Columbia. As originally written, one section of the Wagner bill already covers the District of Columbia in regard to loans to take care of needy transients. The question to be considered tomorrow is the broadening of the other sections of the bill, so that the District could borrow for all relief requirements. Among those who are expected to at- tend the hearing are George S. Wilson, director of public welfare; Leroy A. Halbert, supervisor of emergency relief work for the District; Miss Hettle An- derson of the Y. W. C. A.; Miss Louise McGuire of Washington Chapter, American Ccuncil of Social Workers; Gen, Pelham D. Glassford, Rev. John A. Ryan, and Leifur Magnusson, presi- dent of the Monday Evening Club. —_— JOHN H. WILSON DIES; WAS D. C. ACCOUNTANT Funeral Services for Father of A sistant U. S. Attorney to Be Held Friday. John H. Wilson, 60, father of John J. Wilson, assistant United States attor- ney, died last night at his home, 2901 Sixteenth street. He was an accountant Wwith the firm of Councilor & Buchanan, with offices in the Tower Bullding. He xls Mu member of Lebanon Lodge, F. A. Funeral services will be held at 2:30 pm. Friday at S. H. Hines funeral :lome, with burial in Rock Creek Ceme- ery. Besides his son he is survived his widow, Mrs: Mattle ©. Wikon, - = bufi Wilson was born in Philadelphia, Was 12 years old. Inaugural ball officials, who feared they might be haled into Police Court and fined if the ball continued into th: wez sma’ hours of Sunday morning, that score. It was discovered at the District Suilding today that all that is necessary is for the ball officials or the owners of the Washington Auditorium to apply to the police for a special permit to continue the entertainment past the the tos inf Auditoxjum Oow-finu in query received mwm Mazch 5, need have no more worries on | by the POLICE NOT TO HALT INAUGURAL BALL AFTER MIDNIGHT MARCH 5 the ina 1 ball could going after midnight March 4. b mx Assistant Corporation Counsel Edward H. Thomas found that, under an amend- ment to the Sunday closing law, adopted Col ers in 1931, all that is needed to continue the party is :‘h!.ln tperml.mm of the Police Depart- At police headquarters it was stated there is no inclination on the part of the Special pesmlt il he seanted when Wi the application is made. . + | desks ad lived in Washington since he | WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION Capital Traction Firm Ap- points Four to Negotiate. Hanna Is Head. SERIES OF CONFERENCES TO BE INSTITUTED SOON Document Must Be Prepared With- in Six Monthe—Two Years Given for Ratification. First definite steps toward consum- mating the transit merger authorized in the joint Congressional resolution re- cently signed by President Hoover were taken today by the Capital Traction Co., which appointed a committee to draw up a unification agreement in conjunc- tion with representatives of the Wash- ington Railway & Electric Co. The committee is headed by John H. Hanna, president of the traction com- pany. Other members are three di- | rectors—George E. Hamilton, G. Thomas Dunlop and John M. Perry of New York. The other company has not yet re- vealed the personnel of its committee. Negotiations to Start. ‘The merger negotiations are expected to be undertaken soon at a seriss of conferences between the committees representing the two companies. Under provisions of the merger resolution, the unification agreement must be framed within six months, although the stock- holders of the companies have two years in which to ratify the document. The Public Utilitles Commission is hopeful that the unification agreement will be drawn up without undue delay and has offered its co-operation to the companies. There is little the commis- sion can do. however, until the merger {agreement is approved. The agreement will contain articles | of ircorporation. the proposed capital i structure of the new company. stock division arrangements and other im- portant financial details. ‘The commission has indicated it will be vitally interested in two phases of the financial set-up of the new com- pany—bonded indebtedness and the to- tal amount of additional stock to be issued. These must meet the commis- sion’s approval under provisions of the merger resolution. Commission Must 0. K. The commission also must approve the plan of merger before the consoli- dation can finally become effective. The benefits expected to grow out of the merger, such as new equipment, track relocations and improved operat- ing schedules, are questions the com- mission does not propcse to act upon until the financial details have been compieted. = In the meantime, however, the com- mission will give serious eonsideration to plans for improving service. In this study it will use reports of the various transportation surveys made in Charles Hansel, McClelland & Junkersfeld and other engineering firms when agitation for a merger of the car lines became intense some years ago. DESKS TO BE STATIONED FOR BALL TICKET SALES Young Democrats Club Members to Serve in Hotels and De- partment Stores. Mrs. John Alln Dougherty of the Roosevelt-Garner Inaugural Committee has arranged with the Young Demo- crats’ Club of Washington to maintain for the sale of tickets to the charity inaugural ball in all the larger hotels and department stores. Members of the Young Democrats’ Club will be assigned to the varigus desks by a committee consisting of Miss Eleanor Branson, Miss Carolyn Huston ‘Thompson, Homer Tatum and Bon Geaslin: The sale will be conducted g:lflgf‘ ]the ‘week preceding the inaugu- Senator Russell, Democrat, of Georgia will be a guest at & meeting of the Young Democrats’ Club, ‘beginning at 8:15 o'clock tonight at the National Women's Democratic Club, 1526 New Hampshire avenue. Kenneth ey, sergeant at arms of the House, will be the principal speaker. President Charles Jackson of the club will make a report on the activities of the mem- bers in connection with the coming inaugursl ceremoniee. . HURLEY HOPS OFF FOR BARKSDALE FIELD ‘Will Speak Friday at Dedication of New Army Air Center Near Shreveport, La. By the Associated Press. Secretary of War Hurley left this morning by airplane for Shreveport, La., to attend the dedication FPriday of Barksdale Fleld, near that city. F. Trubee Davison, Assistant Secre- tary of War in charge of aviation, and Maj. Gen. Benjamin D. Foulois, chief of the Army Air Corps, left Louisiana city yesterday. for the Gen. Foulois, accompanied by E. J. House in & separate plane, went by way of Wright Fleld, Dayton, Ohio, and will pnlnceed southward today. Da- retary _ Hurley, g! booked as the Ex:’nfl\chl one for him as head of the War Department, k at the opening exercises of the my' hewest aviation center. Deaths Reported. William McWilliams, 85, St. Elizabeth’s g Marg: Kate William n, 84, 819 Decatur st. S 8°" " southerland, 80, 923 Special Permission to Be Granted to Continue Festivities | ‘Eva 3. Tusper,-79, 2002 South Dakota Early Sunday. ave. n. man. ‘Hospital. A PRt 208 . 53, 300 C st. joors - ‘Sehoeheld, B0, Providence Hos- pital. tred . 45, re Hotel. Alired Toeraom S, T8V IT Rnivivanta Stae L. Diver, 47, Gallinger Hospital. River. ital. se. HoP i rre 6“’;W"‘llln H. 2 av Joseph A. rd. 36, is, 26. Providence Hospl e Wate,. 75, T0Z1 Wade Bt Anna_Cat 75 _Ple: st. Joseph Brooks, 65, 117 D st. s.w. ‘Amanda Anderson, 63. 2109 D st. fiifo'. Coipert. 40" 1107 & st ichard D. Lewis; 53, St. Elizabeth's Hos- pital. Josephine Brooks, 48, Home for Ased and jer V, Smith, 38, Walter Reed Hos- 37, 1460 Plorida ave. 5 i e | : m l ening S¥ Gives Assurance to Patriotic Conference on National Defense. REDUCTION OF DEBTS OPPOSED BY WOMEN Strengthening of Chemical Warfare Service and Support of Mer- chant Marine Advocated. Predictions that the Army and Navy appropriation bills would come through the Senate Appropriations Committee “in a condition satisfactory to all of us” were made by Brig. Gen. Milton | A. Reckord, adjutant general of Mary- | land, in a speech befare the eighth Women's Patriotic Conference on Na- tional Defense this morning at the final convention session at the Mayflower Hotel. Gen. Reckord is to appear soon be- fore the Senate committee. He told the 600 women of the defense con- ference that “when I go up on Capitol Hill and say ‘Mr. Congressman, I rep- resent 190,000 National Guardsmen. I am president of the National Rifle As- sociation of 300,000 members and chair- man of the American lon Defense Committec, backed by a membership of 1,000,000 men,” those Congressmen sit up and take notice.” After his aadress, the organization voted to main- tain » continuous pressure on Congress in behalf of stronger United States military protection. Resolutions edopted by the meeting today expressed ‘“unalterable opposi- tion” to the cancellation or reduction of foreign debts due the United States to the recognition of Soviet Russia by the United States and to Soviet dump- ing as a menace to American capital and labor. The delegates also went on record as favoring strengthening of the chemical warfare zervice of the United States “which those interested in the i overthrow of the American Govern- ment want to abolish,” continuation of congressicnal aid to the merchant marine and strict observation of all regulations providing for proper respect to the American flag. Other Proposals. & Other proposals favorably receive asked Congress to adopt a code for the care and use of the American flag, and to make it a crime to advocate over- throw of Government by force and violerce. The convention also indorsed the po- sition tken by officials of the Univer- sity of Maryland in suspending stu- dents who refused to take military training. Restriction of immigration as pro- vided by present laws and no alteration in the statutes except & possible down- ward revision of quotas likewise was approved by the session. An amend- ment adopted with the resolution fa- vored the deportation of alien-born Communists. oath the The convention also urged that all States pass laws requiring teachers in schools and colleges to take the of allegiance to the Constitution. Describing the Regular Army, National Guard and the R. O. T. C. as the skeleton on which American de- fensive forces would be built in time of emergency, Gen. Reckord urged maintenance of the present strength of these units. The strength of the Na- tional Guard depends not only on the appropriation allowed for its upkeep, he said, but on the number of young men who are interésted in and want to volunteer for such work. At pres- ent, most of the National Guard offi- cers have had war experience, he point- ed out, but as these men relinquish command young officers must be fed into the organization h _ the R. O. T. C. About 5,000 such officers should be turned out of American col- leges every year, he said. QGen. Reckord suggested to the dele- gates that they write personal letters to their representatives in Congress whenever defense measures were about to come up for consideration. He warned it the use of stereotype or Following . speech the conference took action to appoint three Washington women to keep in touch with legislation on Capitol Hill and contact the 39 organizations repre- sented in the Women’s Patriotic Con- ference in order that they may tell their members when to write letters. Comdr. John F. Shafroth, N. 8. N., also spoke before this morning's gath- ering on “What Navy Shall We Have.” He attacked the theory that competi- tion of the war systems of nations is the one cause of war, saying, this theory would make doctors the cause of disease and police the cause of crime. Such a conclusion was reached, he said, by the recent Conference on the Cause and Cure of War in Washington stands “as an indictment of the intelli- gence of the representatives of many well - intentioned women scattered throughout the country.” “It is not preparedness war, it is unpreparedness, Shafroth said. “Unless our Navy is maintained, it is but a poor defense that we can offer and we will find that our policles cannot be supported, that our trade cannot be protected, that our c{vel;:;s possessions cannot be de- fen A visit to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is the final item on the con- vention schedule. Under direction of Norman B. Landreau, the delegates will go to the tomb at 3:30 pm. D. A. R. Members Honored. Dissenting members of the D. A. R., who are attending the defense conven- tion this year despite the fact their organization officially has withdrawn from its session, were guests of honor at'a tea sponsored by the Princess Cantacuzene yesterday aftrenoon, u;d that causes ” _Comdr. P No ‘Monument to Depression’ BELMONT MANSION, INSTEAD, ATHER than let the Perry Bel- mont mansion stand idle as “a monument to the depression,” its owner today asked permis- sion of the Zoning Commission to make apartments of rooms where visiting royalty and the Nation's great oncp were entertained. Mr. Belmont, famous financier, diplo- mat and scion of the country's great families, appeared personally before the commission to seek a re-zoning for the residence, which occupies a com- manding place at Eighteenth street and New Hampehire avenue, in the heart of an exclusive residential district. “I would rather see it rented to de- irable tenants,” Mr. Belmont said, ‘than see it stand there, a monument to the depression.” Looks Young for Years, ‘The distinguished lawyer and states- man stood before the commission look- ing at least 25 years younger than his 81 years. He spoke only briefly after | his agents had made a presentation of his_case.* The house, which wes built in 1909, was the headquarters of the Prince of Wales when the British heir visited ‘Washington in 1919. Mr. Belmont's agents said the house had been for sale for years, but that it was impossibl> to find a buyer. They propcse to split it up into six de luxe apartments, re- stricted to high-class tenants. The ex- terior of the building will remain un- changed. An agreement has been entered into with neighbors to preserve the highest standards of residence requirements for a period of 20 years. This agreement, however, must be ratified by the court before the trustees of the building will be bound by it. A representative of the Dupont Circle Citizens’ Associa- tion said that group favored Mr. Bel- mont's hfil:n but ed the commission to withhold approval until the agree- ment is formally ratified. A Winter Residence. Mr. Belmont, who uses the mansion as a Winter residence while practicing , MAY BE APARTMENT HOUSE Above is the stately Perry Belmont mansion in New Hampshire avenue. | Below is Mr. Belmont, who wants the home turned into an apartment house | instead of standing idle as a “monument to the depression. —Star Staff and Harris-Ewing Photos. law in New York, is a prominent club- | man here and in New York City. He |is past president of the United States | Hunt Association and the Turf and | Field Club. He was elected to the House from States Minister to Spain. World War he obtained a commission as a captain and the French govern- ment named hi an officer in the Legion d'Honneur. Mr. Belmont is the son of the late August Belmont and a grandson of Commodore Matthew C. Perry, who in 1854 opened up this country's trade with Japan. CONFUSION DELAYS ZONING DECISION [N FILLING STATION Neither Side Able to Tell What Is Planned for Connecti- cut Avenue Area. Because of conflicting building plans presented at a hearing before the Zon- ing Commission today on a petition of the Chevy Chase Land Co. to change the residential zone of an area located between Albemarle and Davenport streets, west of Connecticut avenue, so that apartment buildings could be erected, the Commissioners ordered’ the case held up indefinitely. Neither the opponents nor proponents to the petition could inform the com- mission just- what was going to be erected in the area, resulting in con- fusion, the commission ruled. Harold E. Doyle, representing the land company, said his firm planned to erect several community houses, while opponents to the petition said the com- pany had informed them that it in- tended to put up apartment houses. ‘Those opposing the petition, includ- ing S. W. Patch, John H. Leyme, Maj. C. M. Exley, A. M. Roch and Chester A. Style, contended that such buildings would decrease the value of their prop- erty, which they had acquired from the land company with the understanding the area would be always a high-grade Testricted zone. ¢ Hearings on 17 petitions were held by the board during an all-day session. No protests were recorded in eight peti- tions for rezoning from residential to business areas in several sections of the city. The commission was not expected to reach a decision in any of the cases before tomorrow. e g COLORED BOYS GET YEAR IN 27 HOUSEBREAKINGS Youths, After Arrest, Point Out to Police Places They Had Robbed. ‘Two colored boys, 10 and 12 years old, tively, whom police ~hold responsible for 27 housebreakings, mostly within the downtown section, in the last year, were sentenced to a year each in Blue Plains foll dge Kathryn Ju today. The boys were arrested, according to police, while allegedly breaking into a place owned by the grandmother of one of them in Southeast Washington. It was the only case in which they were involved that was not in the downtowr. their arrest, Detectives H. G. er.P.EAml:ro-emd.L!( a police car, gave -them oranges a] lowing a hearing before Sellers in Juvenile Court MAN FOUND DEAD Body Discovered on Pallet Near Gas Radiator—Money Believed Missing. | | his head against a gas radiator, Which | was turned on but unlighted, John, Hessick, 24, was found dead this morn- }mg in a filling station at Twenty-sec- | ond and M streets. The discovery was made by F. G. Leake, 2032 P street, and C. J. Lentz, Chain Bridge Heights, Va., who stop- ped at the station to purchase gasoline. When Hessick did not appear they en- tered the office and found him lying on the floor, with his overcoat thrown across his body. Rescue Squad Called. ‘They summoned the rescue squad, but the firemen were unable to revive Hes- sick, although they worked over him for more than half an hour. Acting Coroner A. Magruder Mac- Donald ordered the body removed to the morgue for an autepsy. He said an in- quest probably would be neccssary. Hessick, who lived with relatives at 1725 Irving street, had been employed at the staticn about two years, accord- ing to the owner, LeRoy Livingston. His home was in Herndon, Va, Money Is Missing. Hessick was to have worked until 9 o'clock last night. Livingston said, however, that he drove past the sta- tion about 8:40 and it was closed. Livingston estimated Hessick should have had about $70. The cash register was empty, however, and Hessick had only a small amount of money in his pockets. An investigation was begun by Detective Sergt. John Wise. MESSENGER IS RETIRED AFTER SERVING 40 YEARS Benjamin F. Turner, Colored, Car- ried Vital Papers for Military Intelligence Division. For 40 years Benjamin F. Turner, 170-year-old colored messenger, has made himself useful and accommodating to officials and visitors at the War De- partment. Today he is enjoying the fruits of retirement at his home, 1004 Fairmont street. Col. Alfred T. Smith, assistant chief of staff, Military Intelligence Division, yesterday presented Turner with a purse on behalf of the officers and per- sonnel of the Military Intelligence Divi- sion. Turner had been assigned as messenger for that division since 1918. In his boyhood days Turner worked #s a cowboy and farmer out West, ‘and when he was 30 years old came to ‘Washington and obtained employment in the War Department. For many years he operated an elevator, but later became a Dus 8s messenger in the office of the War Council. BUY FIRE EQUIPMENT New York in 1881, serving there until | 1888, when he was appointed United | During the | Lying on a carefully-made pallet with | PAGE B—1 TWO MEN INDICTED ON MURDER CHARGE INHOLD-UP SLAYING Grand Jury Acts in Death of Watchman at Dickey Bros. Feed Store. MESSENGER FOR BANK ACCUSED OF $5,215 THEFT Southern Maryland Man Reported He Was Gassed and Robbed Here. First-degree murder indictments were returned by the District grand jury today against Joe Goodman and George ‘| M. Pitmond, both colored, charged with slaying a colored watchman during the robbery of Dickey ‘Bros. Feed Store, Kenilworth avenue and Benning road, on January 22, Pitmond was arrested for investiga- tlon by a railroad detective before the murder was discovered. Goodman has not been apprehended. The two men took $45 from the store safe after fa- telly injuring William Simms, the watchman, with a hammer. A messenger “or the Southern Mary- land Trust Co. and three alleged accom- plices were indicted for grand larceny and embezzlement following what po- iice said was an attempt to steal $5,215 the messenger was carrying from the Maryland institution to deposit in a Washington bank. Said He Was Gassed. Those indicted are Ellsworth A. Wil- liams, the messenger, and Rodney R. Rice, James Butler and Chauncey A. Rice, all colored. The messenger first said he had been gassed and robbed as he stepped from a street car at Fourteenth street and New York ave- nue. Later, however, he admitted he had turned the money over to his ac- complices before boarding the street car. Indictments were rcturned against four men, recently arrested in New York. charging them with the hold-up and robbery of the Washington Me- chanics’ Savings Bank, 3608 Georgia avenue, last year. They are Barney Neufield, James Foley, Joseph Flynn and Samuel Rubin. The four men were sentenced to 10 years in Sing Sing after pleading guilty to a robbery charge in New York. They will be tried on the indictment here after completing the sentence in New York. Thomas P. Hankins, clerk at the Palais Royal warehouse, was indicted with two colored men for housebreak- ing and larceny. Hankins is said to i have admitted leaving a door unlocked so the colored men, Grant Brunson and Daniel Adams, could loot the ware= house. Two Policemen Cleared. ‘The grand jury refused to indlet Policemen Jeremiah J. Cullinane and Luther C. Wise, accused by Dr. George ‘W. Beasley, 241 Virginia avenue south- €ast, of threatening him with a pistol. The grand jury also exonerzted Harry F. Barner, colored, in connection with the auto death of Robert R. Doleman, Potomac Electric Power Co. worker, who was struck while working in a manhole at Lincoln road and R street nertheast. Homer B. Shropshire was indicted for violation of the white slave traffic act after the jury had heard testimony from Dorothy Pollard, who told police Shropshire had induced her to come here from Roanoke, Va., and then forced her to engage in immoral acts. ’ Other True Bills Found. Others indicted, with the charges against them, are Julius M! Schwab, non-support of wife and minor child; Norman D. Massey, non-support of children: Oscar Schleichert, non-sup- port of wife: Joseph W. Brown, Martin | Gleason, Ellsworth Chase, Thomas L. | Costello, Claude M. Sims, Carmello Borzi, Thomas H. Green, James M. Pendleton and Lancaster Washington, joyriding; James Graury, George Mc- Donough, Liuky Thomas and Henry Cummings, grand Jarceny; James Quander, Sylvester L. Brown and George Tinker, housebreaking: Willlam Ward, Carl Linberry and George Tinker, housebreaking and larceny: Mary Preston, assault with a dangerous weapon; James T. Navarre, larceny from the United States; Kelly W. Holmes, - robbery, and James Williams, depredation on private property. Others exonerated _were James Ball, Richard Creamer, Frank Jones and Carl R. Longerbeam, housebreaking and larceny: Reese Gardner, Joseph D. Weitzman and Charles McDowell, as- sault with & dangerous weapon; Palmer B. Rousey, Albert F. Heimes, Herbert R. Athey and Clarence Chandler, rob= bery: Frank R. Richardson, violation of the national prohibition act; Robert Clark, larceny after trust; George K. Rawlings, embezzlement, and Mary Alice Conter, Thomas Wright and Bertha Robinson, homicide \ TREE REPLACEMENTS ASKED BY CITIZENS Logan-Thomas Circle Association Appoints Committee to Con- sult With Officials. A special committee was appointed last night by the Logan-Thomas Circle Citizens' Association to consult with Clifford I. Lanham, District superine tendent of trees, regarding the replaces ment of destroyed trees in their terrie tory. ‘Members of the association sald thers had been no tree replacements in the section for 30 or 40 years. They par- ticularly pointed out the condition of M, N, O and P streets, between Tenth and Thirteenth streets. A resolution forwarded from other citizens’ associations, asking the asso- clation’s approval of an amendment to * the District’s bird sanctuary laws to rmit action to rid the city of starl- , failed to reach the approval of the association. ‘The members, a a brief business session, turned the ting into a sociak gathering and were entertained by singe~ ing, dancing and musical selections. ‘The meeting was held at the home of the association’s president, Ella M. Thompson, 1120 Rhode Island avenue, who, with Edna A. Clark, G officlated at the meeting. Walter Johnson to Speak. MONTROSE, Md., February1 (Special). ‘—kum J the