The Bismarck Tribune Newspaper, January 3, 1925, Page 1

WEATHER FORECAST Generally fair tonight and Sun- day, Not much change in temp. ae ESTABLISHED 1873 SORLIETOBE | NAUGURATED N WEDNESDAY ill Deliver His — To ; The Legislature Day Fol- lowing Its Assembly ARRI j/onpartisans Are Expected to Hold Their First Caucus Here Sunday ; Inauguration ceremonies for Ar- thur G. Sorlie, who will become four- teenth Governor of North Dakota, to- day were set for Wednesday, January 7, following a conference | between the Governor-elect and others, The legislature will meet Tuesday and organize, and according to custom the formal inauguration will take place the following day. Both Governor Nest ind Mr. Sor- lie will deliver messages to the joint session of the Senate and House. Following the address of the retir- ing + Governor, A..M. Christianson, Pe justice of the supreme court, ill administer the cath of office to jovernor-elect Sorlie and he will deliver his message. It is expected that formal plans for the ceremony will be developed by House and Sen- ate leaders, although the Governor- elect indicated that he was satisfied to take his job without any unusual geremony. A number of members of the legis- | lature drifted night and today, into Bismarck last! and the Nonpartisan members probably will hold their first caucus on Sunday afternoon. But few on the Independent side had reached the city, but trains tonight are expected to bring many of them to the city. W. F. Cushing of Beach, * chief clerk in the House in the last ses- sion, and W. E, Parsons, of Killdeer, secretary of the senate in the 1923 session, are scheduled to call both houses ¢o order promptiy at noon Tuesday. Walter Maddock of Plaza, Lieutenant-Governor elect, will take the post of presiding officer in the Senate, and the House is expected to proceed to the election of a speaker, and ‘the-principal officers. Candidates for various legislative jobs began to appear today. Among those mentioned for the chief clerk- ship of the House are Howard Thom- as of Driscoll, Stephen Terhorst of Donnybrook, Beecher Stair of Bis- marek and J. C. Miller of Bottineau. W. E. Parsons, it is understood may seek the position of Secretary of the Senate again. The question of who shall be speaker of the House may be settled Sunday in caucus, with F. A. Vogel ‘of Coleharbor, Mrs. Minnie Craig of Esmond and B, C. Larkin of Brant- ford as the leading possibilities. NEW WEATHER SERVICE GIVEN “Seven- Day Forecast System ’. Established in Bismarck ? ‘A seven-day weather service has A. been established in Bismarck, ef- fective January-1, it was announced today by 0. W. Roberts, weather observer. 5 Spnday forecasts will be made. The’ first Sunday forecast will be issued tomorrow during the morn- ing, and will be posted in the post- office and hotels, for the especial benefit of traveling men who leave on their weekly trips Monday morn- ing. This service is not generally given by the weather bureau, but the en- larged service was obtained for Bis- marck because of the large number of persons who will be benefitted. Ni ———__—_____—-_-» - | | Weather Report | | ; For 24 hours ending seman noon. ¥ Temperature at 7 a, m. . A Highest yesterday ... Lowest yesterday . Lowest last night . Precipitation .... Highest wind velocity ... WEATHER FORECAST For Bismarcj: and vicinity: erally fair tonight and Sunday. much change in temperature. For North Dakota: Generally fair | tonight and Sunday. Not much change in temperature. WEATHER CONDITIONS A well defined low pressure area covers the upper Mississippi Valley . and surrounding territory while a high pressure area is centered over the Southwest. jitation \ occurred at scattered places in the . Great Lakes region, upper Mississip- pi Valley and in the extreme North- west, ‘but elsewhere the weather is generally fairy, Temperatures are yp near freezing over the Rocky Moun- tain region and no zero temperatures were reported anywhere in the Unit- ed States. t ORRIS W. ROBERTS, Meteorolagist A fish’s age can be told by look- ing into its ear, according to a Tor- onto scientiat, Gen- Not SHEPHERD AFTER “TRADUCERS” W. D. Shepherd, N. McClintock, whom he sa} purposes. Th Albuquerque, father of the legal vin foster will i picture was taken N. M., where he WOMAN SLAIN, HOLD HUSBAND DURING PROBE Wife of Wealthy Omaha Con- | tractor Is Discovered in Basement of Home SAYS HE IS INNOCE Omaha, Neb. Jan, 3.—(By the A..P.)—& coroner's jury investi- gating the death of Mrs. Mae Hahne, whose badly gashed body was found at the foot of the stairway in the basement of her home yesterday afternoon, re- commended that her husband, John W. Hahne, contractor and real estate man, be held) on a charge of first degree murder, Omaha, Neb., Jan The body of Mrs. Mary Hahne, 46, the skull crush-| ed, was found in the basement of her home here late yesterday, and her husband, John Hahne, wealthy con-| tractor, is being held in jail pending | an inquest scheduled for today. { Twelve deep gashes had been in- flicted on the woman's head. The knuckles of her right hand had been! cut and broken. Nearby hatchet and a hammer, each with strands of hair and small clots of blood on it, were found near Haynes’ work bench,|! police report, Hahne declared that he nothing of the affair until rived home with Thomas Ronder, plumber, yesterday afternoon. | hatchet and the hammer were found | hanging over Hahne’s work bench a the basement, detectives declared. suit of work clothes, with blood on the suspenders, was also found, ac- cording to police. That robbery might have been a motive is being investigated. Police pointed to the fact that two dia- mond rings valued at $1,000 each knew he ar-} were missing. However, two valu- able, diamond eur rings had been left untouched, { According to Hahne and Ronder the two came to the house yesterday afternon. When they came to the! basement door they found the body; huddled in a heap. A doctor was} called and he in turn called police. Mrs. Hahne is said to have been highly éducated. Hahne was not ar- rested until after he had gone to a mortuary and selected a casket for his wife and made plans for trans- portation’ of her body to Colorado Springs. 9,500 SELL THEIR BONDS| Receive Money From State Industrial Commission Two thousand five hunflred ex- service men in North Dakota have thus far availed themselves of the opportunity to secure their state soldier’s bonus in cash, through the purchase arrangement made by the Industrial Commission, it was an- nounced today. Purchases of sol- dier’s bonus applications are con- tinuing at the rate of about $10,000 per day, according to members of the Industrial Commission, who. be- lieve that the number of ex-service men offering their! certificates to the commission has justified the arrangement it made. The Industrial Commission, act- ing under a law of the last legisla- ture, borrowed money from an east- ern financial concern to purchase the soldier's bonus certificates, at a rate of interest calculated to equal that between the present time and the time the bonus would ordinarily be paid by. taxation, and expenses of the method. The basic rate o! interest was figured at about six percent per year. cast suspicion over the death of his ward for mercenary has been since McClintock's death. ‘normal most of the week except for ‘corded the final quotations, the long- BISMARCK, NORTH DAKOTA, SATURDAY, JANUARY 3 3, 1925 Willia “his traducer: late “millionaire orphan,” dication against upon his arrival in Chicago from! | Forecast For Coming Week Washington, Jan. 3—Weather out- look for the week beginning Monday: Upper Mississippi Valley—Brief ell of rains during first half and rain or snow during the latter half. ‘Temperatures near or above a brief cold spell about the middle of the week. SPECULATION RUNS HIGH IN STOCK TRADES, Electric Shares Are Carried To New High Levels In the Trading New York, Jan. -Speculation —(By the A. P.) today’s stock market with violent bullish de- and allied of which ran riot in onstrations in the radio | electrical shares, several recorded extreme gaing of four to nine points, as the outstanding fea- ture. So furious was the pace of trading that it was not until 42 minutes after the market elosed that the ticket re- est day iprosiataa 1 - TRIBUNE NOW THE OFFICIAL COUNTY PAPER Prints Legal Notices of City, County and State—Of- ficial Change Effective The Bismarck Tribune is now offi- cial city, county and state paper. By virtue of the election in Novem- ber, when The Tribune received a majority of almost 1,000 votes in the county for official paper, the print- ing of official notices of the city, county and state in The Tribune be- came obligatory yesterday. Because Bismarck is the state cap- ital, many important notices, such 9s the reports of the state canvassing board, will. be printed in The Tri- bune. The official city and county proposals for bids, contract awards, minutes of official bodies, also will be given to readers of the county only through the, columns of The Tribune. The official papers elected in No- vember take their “office” on January 1, under the law. Other newly elect- ed county officials, excepting the treasurer, take office on Monday, January 6. There will be few changes in Burleigh county. F, E. McCurdy will become states attorney on Mon- day. ‘The posts of sheriff, county judge, clerk, superintendent of schools, register of deeds and audi- “tor. will remain the same. G, L. Spear, elected county treasurer, will succeed J, A. Flow on May 1. STABBING CASE on record, ‘Total sales ap- 500,000 shares. BANK RECEIVER LAW IS FOUND TO BE VALID Supreme Court, in Decision, Declares it was Within Legislature’s Power r BAIRD APPOINTMENT O.K. Court Also Holds That Re- ceiver was Entitled to Accept Position The legislative act of 1923, solidating receiverships of banks under the Burleigh, coun district court, was declared cons fetional by the supreme court, an opinion announced late yester- day. The validity of the act was contested by W. H. McIntosh, who had been appointed receiver of the Mohall State Bank by a district court judge. Several receivers who had been named by district courts de- clined to recognize the appointment of a general receiver to succeed them, The sole question involved in the case, the opinion, written by Jus- tice A. M. Christianson said, was whether or not chapter 137, laws of 1923, is unconstitutional. This act provided that the supreme court should assume original jurisdiction in all receivership cases or trans- mit all. receivership mutters to the Burleigh county district court. In pursuance of th the court lodged rec sion in the Burleigh count; court and appointed District Judge C. M. Cooley of Grand Forks to. sit n such con- closed in supreme cases. Power of Legislature The court, in its opinion held that “the legislature in the exercise of its constitutional powers as the lawmaking body of the state may prescribe the conditions under which a banking corporation organized un- der the laws of this state shall be deemed insolvent; authorize the At- torney-General of the state to” com- mence an action for the liquidation of such bank, or banks; vest the district court of Burleigh county with jurisdiction of such actions, and require the supreme court, in the exercise of its supervisory jur- isdiction over inferior courts, to designate a district judge to hear and determine such actions and! appoint ar The court, jection raised thut the legislative act fixed the venue of all actions by or against the receiver of a closed bank, said that legislation | dealt only with acts involving insol- vency of banking corporations a “there was no intention to make any in in changes the existing laws as regards the venue of suits by or against the receivers of insolvent banking corporations.” Affirm Lefor Case The court, in deciding the appeal of Adam A. Lefor, former receiver of the Farmers State Bank of Bel- field, in the suit instituted against him by L. R. Baird, general receiver of closed banks, for an accounting, held that the appointment of Baird as receiver was legal. Lefor contended in the law suit that since Mr. Baird was a member of the state senate of 1923, which enacted the law providing for con- solidation, of receiverships of closed banks, Baird’s appointment was in violation of section 39 of the Con- stitutien which provides that no member of the legislative assembly shall, during the term for which he was elected, be appointed or elected to any: civil office, which shall have been created during the term for which he was elected, nor shall any mem- ber receive any civil appointment from the governor during the term for which he was elected. Mr, Baird -was appointed general receiver of closed banks after the 1923 session by District Judge C. M. Cooley, named by the supreme court to preside in receivership actions in the Burleigh district court. The supreme court, holding Mr. Baird’s appointment was valid, said that “power of appointment of receivers is inherent in courts of equity,” and that, therefore, the legislature created no new office. The legis- lative intent, the court found, was to li rather than confer, power of receivership appointments, since it limited the number of general re- ceivers to two. The compensation was left by the legislature to the court making the appointment, the opinion, written by Justice Nuessle, recites, 5 Lefor, in appealing from Judge IS DISMISSED The case against Ben Schueler, charged with stabbing Sig. Nickleby last Sunday night, was dismissed by Justice of the Peace Anton Beer this morning, at the request of both prosecution and defense, when the matter came before him. States At- torney Allen said that there were several people so close together at the time that it was impossible to tell who did the stabbing, that the complaining witness did not know and Nickleby did not know. Nickleby is out of the hospital, An attempt The total amount of money paid to ex-service men under the pur- chase arrangement is $848,225. The Industrial Commission will ‘continue purchasing the bonus certifici vas made to lay blame on the com- plaining witness, J. Hohlinegner the States Attorney said, but Nickleby didn’t want to prosecute.and the whole matter was dropped. Cooley’s decision, had alleged the 1923 act of the legislature was un- constitutional. The supreme court held in the Mohall bank cast that the act is valid. Zuger and Tillotson of Bismarck represented Mr. Baird. Board Gathers Expense Facts The state board of administration, has gathered all travel expense statements of the various state in- stitutions for the last two years, obtaining the information for the state budget board and for the pur-, pose of examination, to determine whether economies can be effected along this line, according to mem- bers of the board, 8 CHILDREN IN MONTREAL ARE FIRE VICTIMS Perish in Two Fires Which Swept Dwelling Houses In The City HAD NO TIME TO FLEE Baby Burned in Louisville, Kentucky—Faithful Dog Refuses to Flee Montreal, Jan. 3.—Nine eight of them small children, their liyes early today when swept through three dwellings in two different sections of the city. In each case flames spread so ‘rapidly that victims were trapped in their beds or overcome as they attempted to flee, Six of the dead, including five children, perished in two houses in Steagathe Lane, Three other per- sons were rescued with difficulty and removed to a hospital seriously burn- ed A score of others, members of sev- eral families, escaped from the flames into the bitter cold and were cared for by neighbors. The fire’s origin is not determined. It spread with such rapidity and in- tensity that the victims were found lying on floors or collapsed on tables and chairs, All the families in the dwellings wer® asleep when the flames broke out. econd fire occurred in Mon- th, where two girls and a hed in their beds when s swept a small dwelling. The children were alone in the ho their parents were visiting f Two children were guests in home. persons, lost fire nd the BABY DIES suisville, Ky,, Jan. 3.—When Mrs, Henry Zenor went to a neighbor's to borrow coal oil to revive a dying fire in the kitchen stove yesterday, Details of Rescue of 208 Pz Lewes, Delaware, Jan. 3 Mohawk, who: Thu New J vy coast ainst jseutde the ip after the 2 40-teet of water in the 14 fathom water, Capt. J. ©. Stiples, master open che Mohawk’s coc! fire. He id the blaze s combustion. he vessel, which left ville, probably will be a totaleloss. Christiansoix | Chief Justice | Of High Court) A.M. Christianson is now chief | justice of the supreme court, and will hold the position during the neva of his term of two years. Under the rule of seniority, Justice Christi son would have succeeded to the posi tion on January 5, but the resigna- tion of Chief Justice Bronson has} hastened his designation a few da CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT LOOMS AHEAD i | First Crystallization of Move- | ment Is Seen in Expres- sions on Subject | BORAH’S VIEW N she left Mary Alva, her five-months- oly daughter’ in charge of a dog, the ly pet. . Zenor returned to find her home in flames. Efforts to reach Mary Elva were futile and the dog, refusing to quit his post, perished with the baby girl in the fire that leveled the home. ‘BONUS FINANCE PLAN IS GIVEN Initial Deposit of $100,000,- 000 Is Made Washington, Jan. 3—The treasury has mapped out its financial pro- gram for meeting the requirements of the soldiers bonus and yesterday made its first deposit—$100,000,000 —in a special amount from which the adjusted service certificates will be paid. It is the plan to add each year a similar amount under the law to this special account and this sum, with its interest compounded annually at 4 percent, is calculated to be suf- ficient to meet all payments on the service certificates when they ma- ture some 20 years hence. Provi- sion is made whereby the fund is equipped from this date to meet maturing certificates as may be due as a result of deaths of the bene- ficiaries and the additions to the fund are expected to be able to care for the gradually increasing maturities of the future years, The first step taken by the treas- ury was the issue and sale to itself of $50,000,000 in 5 years, 4 percent treasury notes and a like amount of special treasury certificates of in- debtedness, the latter being redeem- able at the option of the treasury, so that funds instantly will be available when required. By issuing the special securities for the bonus fund and selling them back to the treasury, all disturbing influences of open market operations are elimin- ated. The securities are handled al- ways, at par value of 100 cents on the dollar and the amount of in- come therefore never will fluctuate. 4-YEAR TERMS’ GIVEN THIEVES Minot, N. D,, Jan, 3,—Declaring that society must be protected against the menace of automobile stealing, Judge George H. Moellring in district court sentenced J. B. Wilson and J. C. Kelley, whose homes are near Chicago, to serve four years in the state penitentiary at Bismarck, following the entry of pleas of guilty late Tuesday to charges of larceny of an automobile. Tears came into the eyes of both Wilson and Kelley, both of whom are { | Chairman of Foreign Rela- | tions Committee Would In- | clude Economic Questions | i Washington, Jan, 3. -—The first | crystallization of a movement for an- | other international conference on dis- \ armament was seen here today in the ; most recent expressions on the ques- | tion by President Coolidge and Chair- H | man Borah of the Senate foreign re- | lations committee, i After the President had let it be known’ yesterday that he Senator Borah’s proposal to link up{ economic questions with disarmament | in an international conference as im-! practical, the Senator announced that | he would warmly support a confer- ence to deal only with disarmanent | if that were deemed wisest. The President, has not discussed | with Senator Borah his view that in-} clusion of economic questions in such a conference would mean a too broad | and indefinite scope to yield prac-} tical results, j but believes that a con-j} ference resolution satisfactory to both could readily be framed. While stating that a conference} for further progress in disarmanent | would be “a great gain in itself” and he would heartily support it, the for- eign relations committee chairman; said he was still of the belief that “substantial disarmanent” or sub- stantial progress toward permanent peace cannot be without settling two or three prior economic problems which are disturbing. the world. i Bank Statement | Call Is Issued | Washington, Jan. 3—The comp- troller of currency today issued a call for the condition of all national banks at the close of business Wed- nesday, Dee. 31. STATE CALL ALSO State Examiner Semingson issued a call for statements of state banks as of December 31, today. WIFE SELECTS TIES London, Jan. 3.—When a Bond Street haberdasher overheard John Richards say that his wife was “the only woman in the world who could select a good-looking necktie for a man,” the shopkeeper obtained per- mission to seat the woman in his show-case as a “curiosity.” The haberdasher conceived this a novel -(By the A. night in her of the vessel, and let her rted in the after-hola | Mis j life preservers over | ator sent out calls for help, i} advertising stunt. Although December, 1924, was un- usually cold, it was by no means the coldest of record, that distinction being held by December, 1879. There married and have families, following the pronouncement of sentence. Harry Johnson of St. Paul, aged 19 last October, was ordered: by Judge Moellring to be confined in the state traing school at Mandan until he becomes 21 years of age after he had detailed a story of how he came into possession of an auto- mobile stolen from Minot which Drought a charge of larceny of an automobile. have been six colder Decembers than the month just past during the fifty years record of the local sta- tion of the Weather Bureau. The mean temperature was 5.6 degrees, or 9.1 degrees lower than the normal. The temperature for the year, how- ever, was above the normal, due to unusually warm weather during February and October. The highest temperature during December, 1924, was 56 degrees on the 12th; the THE BISMARCK TRIBUNE [ane | FRENCH DEBT PLAN REMAINS SECRET PASSENGERS SING HYMNS AS SHIP IS BURNED DURING FIERCE STORM OFF ATLANTIC COAST; ALL SAVED ssegers Are Received After Night of Peril Spent During Worst Storm of the Year—Ships Stand by For R ue Work P.)—The Clyde ‘ine steamer fought a losing ‘battle off the hold, finally being forced to ngers had been taken off. lies in banks near the Delaware break- aid it was necessary to n order to extinguish the from spontaneous Thursday for Jackson- sink New York who had The survivors, spent & night of peril with life preservers strapped about them while the burn- ng ship was tossed about for 14 ours in the worst storm of the win- ter on the Atlantic coast, were sent to their southern destinations or re- turned to New York and other east- ern cities in special trains, Save Only Hand Luggage ) ed only their hand lug- we. Sixty-eight automobiles were n the hold, being sent to owners at ni, Palm Beach and other Flor- ida recorts, All the passengers were aken off the fire-swept vessel with- out mishap by the coast guard cutter Kickapoo while the liner Persian and two tugs stdod by. Hymns Are Sung Prayers we id in the crowded social hall of the ship and hymns re sung in quivering voices as the fierce gale mingled its terrors with the thick, choking smoke from the hold, Many were sea sick, Intense at drove some of the hardier pass- out into the storm, ring their overcoats. Rockets imploring aid flashed across the black sky while the wireless oper- w ‘SOLUTION OF JEWELS THEFT I$ HELD NEAR Reported Confession Is Ob- tained in $200,000 Hotel Robbery in Chicago Chicago, Jan, Solution of ‘the looting of the exclusive Pi Wa; {hotel on Christmas Eve when jews: Iry valued at $200,000 was taken by | three men has resulted in ar conf gangland chieftain. h was made here for Irving Schlieg, cabaret waiter, who pl ned the robbery, the alleged conf | sion said, and for a pretty blonde Chicago cabaret New York to d lave valued at $ Harry Hart, wife of the Hart, Schaffner and Marx. itue who went to pose of a pearl neck- 000, owned by M head 0 FLOOD CONTROL I$ SOUGHT Red River Commission Bill To Be Introduced Representations will be made be- fore committees of the forthcoming session of the legislature for the passage of an act providing for a Red River Commi. n, with a view | of obtaining a joint survey of the problems created by the river with similar commissions _ representing Minnesota and South Dakota, it has become known here, Prof. E. F. Chandler of the University of North Dakota is active in the advocacy of such a commission. The commissions of the three states would be authorized to nego- tiate a compact or agreement be- tween the three states and the Unit- ed States respecting the further con- trol, utilization and disposition of the waters of the Red River of the North and streams tributary to it, and determining the rights of the United States to regulate the stream. Two years ago the legislature created a Missouri River Commis- sion, the purpose of which action was to secure joint action by Mon- tana, South and North Dakota re- garding utilization and control of __[the Missouri. WEATHER FOR YEAR 1924 IN BISMARCK WARMER THAN USUAL lowest was 29 degrees below zero on the 27th. On 18 days the temper- ature went to zero or below, being 7 days more than the average. On 8 days the temperature did not the lowest - max- inmum below 17 degrees below zero rise above zero; on the 17th. There were 9 clear days, 7 partly cloudy days. velocity was 36 miles per hour from the north on The total ‘precipitation was 0.23 inch, or 0.39 ‘inch below making a total deficien- cloudy days, and 15 The highest wind the 24th. the normal, cy for the year of 0.99 inch, PRICE FIVE CENTS 90-YEAR PLAN FOR PAYING IS REPORTEDHERE Ambassador Herrick, How- ever, Remains Silent on the Unofficial Proposals NOTE IS AWAITED Washington Puzzled Over Flood of Contradictory Reports From Paris mt Paris, Jan. 8.—(By the A. P.)— Pressed from all sides for further in- formation as to the step taken by Finance Minister Clementel to open up informal exchanges of views on the funding of the French debt Am- bassador Herrick said that he had not yet forwarded) to Washington the memorandum which the French min- ister had handed him. He said he had engaged in the most informal and personal discussions with vari- ous officials of the government con- cerning the content of the memoran- dum, The content of the document which M. Clementel handed the ambassador was led “an unofficial memoran- dum regarding French publie opinion on France's payment of the debt to the United States.” Ambassador Herrick said he could make no further statement regarding the memorandum than that it con- tained an official suggestion regard- ing the method of payment. The am- bassader stated he had desired to give out this further information be- cause he felt there was likely to a great deal of misunderstand- ing if nothing at all were said. He would not, however, discuss certain details which were supposed y treports and] sion last night of George Con- | arded | nell, intimate of Dion O'Banion, slain, | meeting, * settlement. they had all the facts before them, to be among M. Clementel’s sugges- tions, such as small, nominal inter- est for the moratorium period, to be increased as the payment began. It is understood Mr. Herrick had Promised to keep the matter secret and his reasons for making a state- ment concerning it was that leaks from French sources seemed likely to cause a misunderstanding. . PUZZLED Washington, Jan. 3.—Manifestly jpuzzled by the flood of contradictory which have emanated from Paris during the past 24 hours, ad- ministration officials concerned in the war debt discussions with France today decided to form no opinion regarding latest developments inthe French capital. condensed message sent | by 3 From previously considered the ambassador and | yesterday’s cabinet officials understood that Mr. Herrick had received a note from Finance Commissioner Clemen- tel outlining a proposal for a debts The ambassador's mes- sage, however, did not give details of the plan, and he was asked for further information. Today’s press dispatches from Paris indicated that M. Clementel had presented to the embassy only an “unofficial memorandum” instead of a “formal note,” somewhat damp- ened the optimism with which first reports of the development were re- ceived. The chasm between these two classes of documents in diplomatic usages is so wide that officials de- cided neither to discuss the situa- tion nor to form any opinion until Washington, Jan. 3.—Hopeful that it offers a satisfactory b: for ne- gotiating a settlement of the per- plexing French debt question, admin- istration officials today awaited more complete dispatches from Amba: ador Herrick on the settlement plan proposed by France. Keen interest in the ambassador’ report outlining M. Clementel's pro- posal—the first formal suggestion ftom French official sources—wa: anifest in the state department’ immediate request that he expedite communication of the full text. Pend- ing its study, Washington official: although not disguising their grati- fication at the development, explain- ed that no statement as to the ace ceptability of the plan could be ex- pected, Submission of the French sugges- tions to the American debt funding commission as the competent author- ity in the matter will mean an early meeting of the commission. Treasury officials generally accepted reports! that France would seek a 90-year period for liquidation of her debt,| the period to include a 10-year moras torium with interest payments. War Claims Discussion The way toward settlement of th war Claims tangle also was said to b viewed by the state department ai having been measureably cleared by] the British reply to the Ame: note. With the Washington respont to be dispatched before the m of allied finance ministers in Paris Wednesday, Secretary Hughes wat id to have. indicated the p: series of note exchanges would isfactorilly dispose of the qi CULTURE AND COMMER TO: Berlin, Jan. 3.—The ish Gina has decided i. extend: functions te include orton te commercial relations rd countries. Hitherto the society, wad concerned only with cultural tee,