The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-03-05
bL-AN TON IS
CA|JSEOF
GROWS
AssaiIs Keller and Offers Bet
That Rouses Ire of
Harry Wardman.

Physical clashes between Con-
gresham Thomas L. Blanton, of
Texas, and Congressman Oscar
E. Keller, of Minnesota, and be-
tween Blanton and Harry Ward
man, Washington builder, were
narrowly averted at today's meet
ing Of the House District Com
mittee.
The trouble arose over con-.
sideration of a bill for the ex-
tension Of the. District park
system.
Question of Fairness.
Blanton had objected several times
to the method the committee was
adopting with reference to the bill,
and finally Congressman Keller
turned to him and said heatedly:
You haven't the slightest sense of
fairness; you object to everything"
Blanton jumped to his feet, leaned
across the table and shouted at
Keller: Don't you dare impute my
fairness. have never been any.
thing but fair to you and 1 don't
propose to take any such charge
from you"
Several members of the committee
succeeded in placating the irate
Texan and the hearing resumed.
A Few minutes later Harry Ward
man told the committee that If the
Dill was not acted upon he would
nQVn tn haOfn
and filling in ground in the Klingle
Valley tract, which is proposed as
unit in the park system.
Bets with Wardman.
Blanton jumped to his feet and
exclaimed: Il am not a betting
man but I'll bet you $500 right
now that Harry Wardman won't cut
tnat timber down in three years."
Wardman heatedly Shouted in re-
ply, I'll bet you $1,000 to 81 that
I'll cut it down tomorrow. If that's
your view, I'll wash my hands of
the whole matter"
Wardman then started to leave
the committee room, as Blanton
remarked, For $1,000 he could af.
ford to cut down the timber"
Wardman was called back nv
other members Of the corpnfttee
who smoothed the affair over.
At another point Blanton charged
that the committee had refu sod to
give him a hearing on the bill to
establish an insurance code Tor the
District and stated that he would
present proof on the floor which
would result in killing the measure.
THAT bill was reported Out
without reading" Blanton sai1,
land was refused an opporturity
to present testimony against It. /
nave some facts which I viii lay
before the House and am wiling
TO predict that when ! get thu ough
not a member will vote for the
measure"
Subcommittee Named.
A subcommittee was appointed
to conduct a hearing on the park
extension bill and to report back
at special meeting of the District
committee Saturday morning.
The subcommittee is composed of
congressman Ernest w. Gibson, Of
Vermont, chairman; Edward M.
Beer. Of Pennsylvania; Gale H,
Stalker, Of New York: Blanton and
Stanley H. Kunz, of Illinois.
The subcommittee will leave the
House Office Building at 9 o'clock
tomorrow morning to make an in.
spection of the park site.
The following subcommittee was
appointed to investigate the use
and sale of firearms and violation
of the prohibition law in the Dis
trict of Columbia, as a result of the
recent shooting Of Senator Frank
l.. Greene in a row between boot.
leggers and prohibition agents:
Congressman Henry r. Rathbone,
of Illinois. chairman; Ernest w.
Gibson. of Vermont: Edward M.
Beers, Of Pennsylvania Thomas L.
Blanton, of Texas, and Alard
Gasque, of South Carolina.
Teachers Pay Delayed.
The committee deferred action on
the teachers salary bill until the
special meeting Saturday morning.
Congressman Florian Lampert, OF
Wisconsin, chairman of the sub.
committee in charge Of the bill, an,
nounced that he was prepared to
submit unanimous report in favor
Of the Keller bill, which carries
the original estimates of the Board
of Education.
Bill Carries $762, 900.
The committee then took I'D the
park matter with Fred G. Coldren,
chairman Of the park committee of
the Washington Board of Trade, as
the chief witness.
The bill under consideration car
ries an appropriation of $762 900
for the purchase of four park
tracts, two in Piney Branch Valley.
one in the Klingle Road Valley.
and a portion Of the Patterson
tract.
Coldren testified that the purchase
Of these sites is absolutely neces.
sary and that further delay will
mean their loss. He declared that
the Piney branch purchases would
furnish a connecting link betweene
Arkansas avenue and the Potomac