Evening Star Newspaper, December 11, 1934, Page 17

NIGHT PARKINGBAN AGTION POSTPONED UNTIL JANUARY 1 Citizens’ Federation Report Hold$ Wide Restriction Is UseleswHardship. CLAIMS POLICE NOW HAVE AMPLE POWERS - City Not Equipped for Extensive Snow Removal, Protest Points Out—Cites Few Storms. Action on the proposal to ban night 7 parking on 58.miles of Washington . streets was postponed until January 1 " today by the District Commissioners after the Executive Committee of the " Federation of Citizens’ Associations submitted a report showing that there have been only 10 three-inch snowfalls in the past 10 years. Commissioner Hazen, in announcing the postponement, said also that he \, wished to afford more time for groups , and individuals to file arguments for wor against the proposal. No further public hearings are planned by the Commissioners, but they said they inions which may be filed with them, Already Modified. The Traffic Advisory Council pro- posed that parking be banned from December 15 to March 1 on 33 high- , Ways over a stretch of 58 miles. The plan’ was to make the ban effective from 2 a.m. to 9:30 a.m, but this al- ready has been modified by Traffic Director William A. Van Duzer, who suggests that the plan be effective from 2 am. to 8 a.m. Hazen explained that this would permit motorists from residential areas to continue to use their favorite downtown parking space, leaving their cars there before going to work at 9 a.m. Both Commissioners Hazen and Sul- tan have indicated they wish to elimi- nate some of the 33 streets from effect of the ban should they decide to in- voke it in a modified form. ‘The Commissioners also will listen to the advice of the Public Utilities Commission before they act on the matter. Hazen said the entire docu- ¢ ment would be sent to that commis- sion for comment. The PFederation committee pointed out the municipality is not equipped to remove snow from such an exten- . sive area between 2 and 8 a.m., the 7 hours in which parking would be banned under plan. Cite Snmow Statistics. ‘Weather Bureau statistics offered show that only on an average of L. once a year during the past 10 years ; fias It snowed more than 3 inches. The figures are:* January 2, 1925.. February 10, 1926 ‘ February 21, 1929 January 30, 1930 December 17, 1932 February 4, 1933 February 11, 1933 2 February 1, 1934 8.0 inches February 25, 1934........ 5.0 inches ‘The committee pointed out that the District depends principally on snow plows, which merely push the snow aside and do not actually remove it. There are 44 of these plows available. When the sun fails to melt the snow, the report said, manual labor is relied upon, inasmuch as the District is equipped with only seven mechan- ical loaders—two of the rotary type and five of the old-type “lift-loaders.” “It is significant that the supporters of this proposed new ban are largely the same groups that have been so active in the past in endeavors to ban all-night parking in every part I (zl dl:he Nation’s Capital,” the report & o inches inches inches inches inches inches inches inches Power Now Available. “Moreover, it is well known to ‘every one that the police authorities _now have, and exercise, full power to post and enforce emergency ‘no-park- ing’ signs to take care of any emer- ‘gency situation. This power can be readily availed of to clear any street Jfor snow-removal purposes. But, ob- viously, it should be invoked only when, and to the extent that, actual snow removal is going to take place.” If the proposed snow-removal ban is intended to relieve traffic conges- tion, “there can be no justification for limiting to the period between Decem- ber 15 and March 1, but it should be continued throughout the year,” the committee observed. Charges Lax Enforcement. “It is not suggested from any quar- ter how the municipal authorities seriously expect to enforce the pro- posed new ban, any more than the t less extensive ban which is being violated quite generally with impunity, and has been, right along. “It goes without saying that the promulgation of even a more far- reaching ban * * * will be worse than absurd, because, instead of relieving or removing traffic congestion, it will merely teach further disrespect for law by the public generally.” The committee, therefore, urged the Oommissioners to investigate imme- diately the present lack of enforce- < ment of the existing rush-hour park- ing ban and to also take steps to see 3 it that this alarming condition of affairs is remedied as speedily as pos- ";GOL. STARLING TO LEAVE FOR KENTUCKY VACATION “SWhite House Secret Service As- sistant Chief Will Hunt on His Blue Grass Farm. Col, E. W. Starling, assistant chief of the White House secret service and for two decades a familiar figure at White House functions, will leave tonight for two weeks of hunting in Kentucky. He will make his headquarters on the large farm which he owns and operates near Hopkinsville. For many years Col. Starling has arranged his yacation so as tQ spend the Christmas #eason at his old home. +Besides having this opportunity to gnjoy himself with his gun anddogs, »Gol. Starling will be on hand for the hog-killing, and friends in Washing- ton soon will be receiving sample packages. w give consideration to any writ-| ten'opi APPEAL T0 COURT ON UTILITY RATES LIMITED BY BILL Measure to Uphold Rulings of Commission Drafted for Congress. WOULD ASSESS COST AGAINST PLAINTIFFS Proposal Imposes Restrictions on Efforts to Get Decision by Judges. Congress will be urged to enact early in the new session a measure to restrict appeal to the courts from decisions of the District Public Utili- ties Commission. The act is designed to end the practice under which courts frequently take new evidence and decide valuations and rates. The draft of the proposed amend- ment to the District utilities act was made public today by Corporation Counsel E. Barrett Prettyman. While the Utilities Commission has not yet acted on it, the measure bears the approval of the commission since it | was drafted following long confer- ences between Prettyman and com- mission members. A similar bill was presented to Con- gress last session, but it failed of final action. An important element of the new bill is that the entire expense of a court appeal, or additional investiga- tion or valuation proceedings caused by an appeal from a commission order, would be assessed against the public utility involved in the case. See Speedier Action. Officials believe the plan would speed up decisions . which frequently have been dragged for years through the courts. Under the proposed measure, a utility concern could not appeal to courts until it first had filed with the commission an appeal for a recon- sideration. * This would have to be done within 30 days after the decision. There could be an appeal to court within 60 days after final action of the commission on a petition for re- consideration, and the commission would be given 20 days to file its reply and the commission record. The measure states as to appeals: “Any such appeal shall ke heard upon the record before the commission and no new or additional evidence shall be received by the said court.” The court, however, may require the com- mission to receive additional evidence on any subject related to the issues on appeal where it finds that evidence was improperly excluded or upon which the record may contahr i substantial evidence.” > 2 " t vk Confined to Legal Phase. ‘The measure also states:” “In the determination of any appeal from an order or decision of the commission the review of the court shall be lim- ited to questions of law, and the find- ings of facts by the commission, if supported by substantial evidence, shall be conclusive unless it shall a] pear that such findings of the com- mission are arbitrary or capricious.” In cases where the concern claims | operation of an order would cause irreparable damage, the court may suspend the commission order, direct- ing that the commission hear further evidence, but the period of suspen- sion could not be for longer than 60 days without further hearing be- fore the court. Justices of the District Supreme Court wold be empowered to certify questions of law to the District Court of Appeals and the appelate court either may give binding instructions or require that the entire record be sent up for its consideration. The purpose of this clause is to speed action in_cases where the appelate court is willing to consider questions of appeal on matters of law at the instance of the lower court. REMODELING OF CAPITOL TO BE GIVEN CONGRESS The proposal to remodel the cen- tral portion of the Capitol building, on the east front, is expected to be considered again at the coming ses- sion of Congress. Senator Keyes, Republican, of New Hampshire, a member of the Public Buildings and Grounds Committee, said today he probably will reintro- duce the bill, which was being studied by a subcommittee when the last Con- gress ended. The plan, which was first proposed many years ago, calls for extension of the east front of the original section of the building to have it conform in appearance with the House and Sen- ate wings and to provide a broader base for the dome. R R Benefit Movie Slated. LAUREL, Md., December 11 (Spe- clal). — Thursday afternoon the Laurel Theater will give a matinee for school children for the benefit of the Laurel Welfare Association. Admission will be a can of food, the entire amount of which will be used to help pack baskets at Christmas Mysterious Suit Above: Map showing details of proposed airport in East Potomac Park. Below: Air view of the park, with dotted lines designating ap- proximate location of runways and buildings. (Story on Page A-1). NARGOTS DRVE NETSTEIND.C. More Than 800 Expected to Be Jailed as National Raids Continue. ‘While the total arrests in narcotic raids here rose today to 16, Treasury officials confidently predicted the catch in the Nation-wide drive would be “well over 800." ¥ The sixteenth arrest here was made last might, when Sergt. D. H. Jones, head of the police narcotic squad, d a_Federal agent raided the home of Mss. Belle Worthington, 38-year- old murse, at 1315 Belmont street at midnight,, She was booked for in- vestigation and detained at the Wom- ans Bureau. Commenting on the greatest round- up of dope peddlers and addicts in the history of crime, Secretary Mor- genthau called it a “swell job” last night. “I am very much pleased,” he said shortly after Narcotic Commissioner Harry J. Anslinger predicted .convic- tions would be obtained in 95 per cent of the cases. Anslinger said heroin was the chief narcotic seized in the drive. “We believe it comes mostly from 'Bulgaria,” he said. “European fac- tories have reduced their output, and in 1932 President Kemal Pasha kicked them out of Turkey at the request of the United States. “They moved across the line into the Macedonia section of Bulgaria. We know of 12 factories there which produced six tons of heroin last year. They fly it out of the country.” A number of prisoners caught in the net spread over Washington during the week end were arraigned yester- day before United States Commis- sioner Needham C. Turnage. One of them, Lillian Camardo, 600 block Fifth street, broke down when her bond was fixed at $7,500 so she could be com- mitted for treatment. “There isn't any such thing as a cure,” she cried. “You are going to put me where I'll suffer the tortures of hell.” She put her head in her arms and leaned over on the table, sobbing. Police said she had been taking from 8 to 10 grains of a powerful nar- cotic daily. Her medical treatment, recommended by Turnage, will con- sist of a gradual withdrawal of the drug, but during the withdrawal she will suffer severely, agents said. Miss Camardo pleaded not guilty to charges of violating the Harrison nar- cotic act and the Jones-Miller import- export act. Her ¢ase was continued until December 20. Two of the week-end prisoners made bond, while cases of three others were continued to December 17, 18 and 20 by the Commissioner, and they were remanded to jail. —— Post Patrons Elect. LAUREL, Md., December 11 (Spe- cial). —Mrs. M. E. Nusum has been elected president of the Past Worthy Matrons and Patrons organization of Laurel Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star. John Tatspaugh was elected vice president, and Harry W. Chaney, secretary and treasurer. Cases Bring Spirited Bids at Police Auction There was a big “knock down—drag out” affair in the barnlike building adjacent to police headquarters today, but nobody seemed to suffer much, unless it was Gus Eichberg, District auctioneer, who had considerable dif- ficulty in getting respectable bids in the annual sale of confiscated and un- claimed property. Gus didn’t have much trouble with the professional buyers, who pur- chased most of the odds and ends, stolen, taken in raids or recovered from the unidentified dead persons here in the past year. The conglomer- ation, valued by police at approxi- mately $10,000, included practically everything from battered boxes of greasy tools to satin-lined evening clothes. It was the “amateurs” who gave Gus 2 a few uneasy moments, and there were times when it looked as if his hammer would not be pounded on the auction table, but would fall on the heads of some of. those who bid “two bits” for something that was apparently worth much more. Suit cases, tied with rope and evi- dently containing -certain unrevealed goods, brought the most spirited bid- ding. Here again the “professionals™ were the big buyers, the lure of the “grab bag” appealing to them. Musical instruments, corsets, lino- leum, stoves.and other articles that had been stored at headquarters for a year went on sale, but burglars’ tools, in- cluding “jimmies” and “pinch bars,” were excluded. They will be mutilated and dumped into the river. Proceeds from the sale will go to the District government, Henin WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION WASHINGTON, D. C, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1934, Location of Proposed Potomae Park Airport IEAPLANE RAMP HOUSE UNT U * TOPASSBUDGET Chairman Says Committee Not Authorized to Change Federal Share. The House Subcommittee on Ap- propriations takes up the 1936 Dis- trict budget estimates tomorrow, with Chairman Cannon taking the view that his committee is not empowered to change the amount of the Federal share of the District’s expenses with- out instructions from the House. The amount appropriated for the current fiscal gear was $5,700,000, less a deduction for repayment of 70 per cent of P. W. A. allotments, which brought the figure under $5,000,000 for the first time in history. Cannon’s attention was called to the fiscal relations study ordered by Presi- dent Roosevelt and asked whether that would have any bearing on the committee’s action. Awaits Instructions. @ We will proceed as heretofore until we receive further instructions,” he answered. From Cannon's statement the con- clusion was drawn that the committee will leave final disposition of the troublesome fiscal relations question to the House when the appropriation bill is under consideration. ‘The hearings will start at 10 a.m. and probably will last for several weeks. Cannon said he did not ex- pect the work on the budget to take any longer than in past years because there are no major controversial mat- ters. District Commissioners Hazen, Allen and Sultan and Maj. Daniel J. Dono- van, auditor and budget officer, will be the first witnesses. Then will fol- low the various department heads. For the first time in years the sub- committee is starting work on the budget in advance of the convening of Congress. This is due to the fact that several members also serve on the subcommittee in charge of the Interior Department budget, which, under House procedure, has prece- dence. But the Interior budget is not yet ready, and rather than delay con- sideration of the District estimates until late in January it was decided to give the District estimates the right of way. e MAGNUSSON TO SPEAK Social Security Topic of Interna- tional Labor Director. Leifur Magnusson, director of the ‘Washington office of the Interna- tional Labor Organization, will speak on “Social Security as Seen From Geneva, Reykjavik and San Fran- clsco,” before the Women’s Alliance of All Souls’ Unitarian Church at 11 -— Lingont Area < 217 A. topprant Begins 35th Year VETERAN OFFICER STILL ON ‘DUTY. LIEUT. W. D. EMBRY, ‘Who today completed his thirty- fourth year on the Metropolitan police force. He is now serving as a lieutenant in the Detective Bu- reau, & post he has occupied since 1930. —Star Staff Photo. PROMINENT DRY LEADERS CONFER Representatives of 30 Organiza- tions Hold Executive Session. Nationally known prohibition lead- ers gathered this morning in the Con- tinental Hotel for the opening meet- ing of a three-day session of the Na- tional Temperance and Prohibition Council, representing more than 30 organizations. All sessions were to be executive. Howard Hyde Russellof Westerville, Ohio, founder of the Anti-Saloon League, before the meeting predicted that “ultimately there will be aboli- tion of liquor trafic in the United States” The people, he said, are being aroused by the number of deaths attributed to drinking. Among leaders at the meeting are: Prof. Milton Conoyer §f Yale Uni- versity, chairman of the National and Prohibition Council; Mrs. Ella A. Boole, president of, the World. Women's Tempe: ance Union; Mrs. Ida B. Wise Smith, president of the National W. C. T. U.; Dr. Clarence ~"OPOSED Roap ——— L )-) — DRIVE FOR CHEAPER MILK STILL ACTIVE Allen Says Move to Classify Dairies as Utilities Not Abandoned. Classification of the milk industry here as a public utility, to give the municipal government control over aretail prices, is still being given “se- rious consideration” by the Commis< sioners, it was said today. Commissioner Allen has not aban- doned this step as a means of pre- venting any increase in the retail price of milk to Washington consum- ers generally. The subject was given favorable consideration recently when Allen was fighting to obtain cheaper prices for the thousands of families on the relief list. Won 5-cent Reduction. At that time he won a reduction in the price of 13 to 8 cents a quart for relief families through agree- ments reached with the distributors and the milk producers. ‘While it was not one of his declared objectives, the possibility of reduction of the price of milk to all consumers was studied by Allen and other Dis- trict officials at the time of debate over the price to relief clients. No Bill Drafted Yet. ‘To date the corporation counsel’s office has not been given instructions to draft a bill for submission to Con- gress to give the Public Utilities Com- mission power to regulate the milk in- dustry here. There is reason to We- lieve, however, District officials wish to have necessary data in hand if the occasion should arise warranting & move in this direction. All that Commissioner Allen would say today was that the matter was being given “serious thought.” MOTHER TRIES IN VAIN TO SAVE 3 FROM FIRE Open lfivo Blamed for Tragedy at Butler, Pa.,, Where Cot- tage Is Destroyed. "PAGE B—1 BELL POISON TRIAL Kiss Snarls Traffic As Couple Part at Sixteenth and K Kensington Man Tells OPENS TSI e )| WRORS ACEFTED One little kiss led to a trafic jam Wife, Virninian Is Accused Deak of the rusn-hour congestion wis| 0f ‘Poisoning, Protest o o} estion E:mln(, and delayed scores of office- g' rotests und workers who were to beat H e e His Innocence. An inbound bus on the Chevy Chase line had nearly completed crossing Suivuth oot ¢ K vhem o oue DIFFICULTY IS FOUND ol IN SELECTION OF JURY n man, came to an abrupt halt just shead. The bus stopped quickly, too, and so did 40 or 50 cars behind. The lights on Sixteenth street changed, but trafc | Fredericksburg Civic Leader Is on that thoroughfare couldn’t move. Sirens shrieked. In & few moments| Represented by Array of there was a bedlam. But ‘despite the confusion and the Legal Talent. no{se‘. passengers on the bus looked Lol ,':n;’:;t :‘; :’;w'&’:mx,:n,’:r":w‘gfi By & Staft Correspondent of The Star. on the lips of the blond beside him | FREDERICKSBURG, Va. December in the front seat. Totally oblivious | !1.—Fellow-townsmen today turned of everything sbout her, the young | incredulous eyes upon Edward C. Bell woman jumped from the car and |85 the former Baptist deacon went headed toward her office. The Ken- |0 trial before Judge Frederick W. sington man stepped on the gas and | Coleman on charges of “poisoning, or got out of sight as quickly as pos- | 8ttempting to poison,” the wife who sible. And the traffic snarl untan- gled itself. Love is like that,” grumbled the philosophical bus driver. DEATH LIFTS TOLL | OFTRAFFICTO 12 List Only One Short of All- Time Record Set in 1932, Washington's trafic death reached 122—one short of the all-time record of 123 established in 1932— last night with the death in Emer- gency Hospital of a young colored woman, while scores of minor acci- dents caused by bad weather and slip- pery streets were reported to police. The dead woman, Theola Matthews, 25, of 3704 Quebec street, was struck by an automobile near the intersection of Wisconsin avenue and Porter street. She is believed to have stepped from behind a street car line pole on Wisconsin avenue, directly into the path of a car driven by Harry 8. Powler, 28, of 2232 Taylor street. The accident occurred about 6 p.m. and she was rushed to Emergency Hospital, where she died a few hours later. Fowler was released by offi- clals in the custody of his y, Paul B. Cromelin, to await action of Coroner A. Magruder MacDonald. Mrs. Rebecca Dawson, 70, 3208; Wis- censin avenue, fell onthe ice while Crossing that . avenue near Macomb street. She was taken {o Georgetown hwlp. for treatment of & fractured SISTERS PLAN RITES Day of Recollection to Be Ob- served at Retreat House. Nurses, social workers and friends of the Washington Retreat House, Franciscan Sisters of the Atonemen will observe a day of recollection Sun- day from 10:30 am. to 6:30 pm. in their meeting place at 4000 Hare- wood road northeast. Right Rev. Benedict Brosnahan will conduct the services. Accommodations will be made for nurses coming off night duty and reservations may be had by telephon- ing the Sisters of the Atonement. 'VICTIM OF AMNESIA RECOGNIZES MOTHER | Eyes Fill With New Light When She Enters Bed Room at Emergency Hospital. Rushing here by train last night from her home in Derry, N. H., Mrs. Helen M. Moody, widowed mother of John G. Moody, 20-year-old Dart- mouth College amnesia victim, went immediately to Emergency Hospital, where she was recognized by her son at first sight. ‘When his mother entered the room, John's eyes filled with & new light. “Mother,” he said, “of course.” Mrs. Moody fondly kissed her son zno: then began a long line of ques- 8. “John recognized pictures of his two_brothers I brought along with me,” she said. “The doctors say his condition has improved, but of course I'll stay in Washington until he'’s well. Just when that will be, I can't say. “He’s a bit confused yet as to names and places, but seems more alert now. Yesterday he had a chat with an old schoolmate, Jack Hight, and the con- versation was very intelligent.” Mrs. Moody is staying with a friend, Mrs. Harry C. Kimball, 4101 Illinois avenue. John wandered into a gasoline sta- tion here early Sunday morning, hav- ing no inkling of his identity. He was taken to Emergency Hospital and later identified by friends. He wandered away from college & week ago, & vic- tim of amnesia brought on, it was said, by injuries received in a foot ball game November 12. He was also | suffering from a kidney ailment. “Newspapers were given him to read yesterday,” his mother asserted, “and he was greatly amused at the stories printed about him.” HELD ON TWO CHARGES Liquor Hearing. George Woodin, 25, of the 1800 block .| of Calvert street, who is held under a counterfeiting chgrge, was arraigned in Police Court today on another charge 3 already P igésfi 2 4 i y i Iph Given. toll | | board with the defendant. | trial. lives to protest his innocence. The 60-year-old citizen of Fred- ericksburg, a leader in community affairs, followed the selection of the jury this morning with keen interest. Gray-haired, thin-faced 'and hand- some, he looked on through horne shelled glasses while prospective juror after prospective juror was turned down. Considerable difficulty was en- countered at the outset in finding jurymen who could describe them- selves as wholly impartial. At least a dozen told the court they had already formed an opinion as to the guilt or innocence of Bell. Another prospective juror confessed he .bee lieved “what he saw in the papers.” Judge Coleman ordered this man from the box immediately. Served on Church Board. One juror was tentatively accepted although admitting he had served many years on the Baptist Church This pro- spective juror added he was a “cousin of a cousin” of Bell's. Mrs. Bell was too ill to attend the Bell, a former Sunday school superintendent and a member of a prominent Virginia family, was ar- rested October 10 on information fur= nished by doctors and nurses who ate tended Mrs. Bell during a serious ill- ness. Astonished to learn that charges had been preferred against her h band, Mrs. Bell expressed her confi- dence in the defendant and predicted he would be cleared in open court. A mild sensation was created in the crowded court room t morning when an elderly spectator arose on a bench high against the wall and | shouted several words to Judge Cole- ! man. “I used to shave the defendant, your hongr,” declared the spectator, “and I want to tell you that I know ! he is»—" Whatever the man had in mind he was not allowed to express it. “Put than man in jail,” ordered the court. Two bailiffs translated this order into action before the elderly barber could say anything further. Up until early this afternoon only six jurors had been selected. Most of those on the prospective list had either worked for Bell in his furniture factory or had served with him as a Democratic leader, or were distantly | related to the defendant. All of the rospective jurors admitted they had read many newspaper accounts of the case and had discussed it freely among ! their neighbors and families. An informal prelude to the trial oc- curred Sunday night when a photog- rapher for a Washington morning newspaper was pounded over the head | with a bag of coins in the hands of | the defendant’s brother, W. A. Bell. The photographer, Lewis Brown, was attempting to “snap” Bell as he emerged from a church where he had taken up the collection. Brown was still confined to a hospital in Fred- | ericksburg today, suffering from pos- sible concussion of the brain. Bell explained he did not know | Whether Brown was attempting to 1*“rob” him or take his photograph. Twelve Counts in Indictment. Following his arrest in October, Ed- ward C. Bell was released under $5,000 bond provided by his brother, who is a former city councilman. On Octo- ber 21 the grand jury returned an indictment of 12 counts against Bell and his bond was raised to $10,000. The indictment charges Bell ad- ministered poison to his wife on six occasions, between August 1 and Oc- tober 8. He is alleged to have placed the poison in food, drink and medi- cine intended for Mrs. Bell. For a time following his arrest, Bell lived at home until a court order caused him to take up residence with his brother. Since that time he has taken his wife and their daughter, Irma, on automobile rides about Fredericksburg, accompanied by a nurse, Mrs. Bell's health improved since October, but yesterday she took a turn for the worse, and was reported Lnu a serious condition at her home ., At first Bell declared he would go before the court without the benefit of counsel. He reconsidered, how= ever, and this morning was sur- rounded by a formidable array of legal talent—Attorneys William W, Butzner, W. Marshall King, A. W, Emery, jr, and C. O'Conor Goolrich, president of the Virginia State Bar :;sodaflon and a former State Sena- The State’s case will be presented |by Albert V. Bryan, youthful Come monwealth's attorney of Alexandria. W. B. F. Cole, Commonwealth's at- torney of Predericksburg, was relieved from prosecuting the case when he pled “a personal interest.” Cole has The prosecution is expected to put 21 witnesses on the stand, while the 'YOUTH’S CAR KILLS MAN SEATTLE, December 11 (#).—A motor car driven by Robert P. Sieg, 16, son of Dr. Lee Paul Sleg, newly chosen president of the University of Wi struck and killed recognizance,