The Bismarck Tribune Newspaper, February 28, 1925, Page 1

WEATHER FORECAST For Bismarck and vicinity: Gen- erally fair tonight and Sunday. ESTABLISHED 1873 we ee SS | WERE NOT VERY NEIGHBORLY | HANDLING OF MATERIALS IS PROBE SUBJECT System of Disposing of War Surplus Materials Held Deficient HANDLING COST OF Highway Commission Lost Money in Handling the Materials The Highway Commission investi- gating committee today delved into accounts of the equipment depart- ment of the commission, particularly on the basis of an examination made recently by 0. B, Lund, auditor, as it moved toward a conclusion of the taking of testimony in the inquiry. A report is expected to be mgde next week by the committee on the basis THE BISMARCK TRIBUNE [naame N berger, left, and Mrs MORE COMPARISONS of its inquiry. Mr,/ Lund made an audit of the Highway Commission up to Novem- ber 20, 1923, and recently he was di- rected to investigate affairs sinc that time. He was questioned chi ly about records of the equipment department, which he brought up to January 1, 1925, The equipment department, which handles surplus war materials and looks after trucks and autos of the Highway Commission, carries a “pet- ty cash” or revolving fund, which he was first asked about. This fund, he said, was used to pay freight, ex- press, etc. on various articles and reimbursed when bills were put through the auditing board. The re- cords showed, he said, warrants on hand over $5,000 for sale of mater- ials, chiefly to counties; accounts re- ceivable of over $30,000; past due auto mileage from the government of $12,000; an unsettled factor in truck sales of over $2,000. Much Money Spent The records showed $357,000 had been spent in this department from the 10 percent fund of the Highway Commission, he said, and $240,075.51 received. There is still about $18,000 war material not sold, he said. He said $21,485.43 of Highway Commis- sion funds“also ‘were used." Asked if this meant a loss {n oper- ation of $83,000, he said yes. Among the items charged off since he made his last audit, he said,.was $8,500 on shops which burned cast of Bismarck. He said the loss had been about $13,000 and’ was partly insur- ed by the state. A policy had been taken out with the Farmers Insur- ance Company of Dickinson, which later failed, but it had not been com- pleted and it was decided nothing could be collected and the amount charged off, he said. . “Do you mean to say that this was not all insured with the state?” he was asked by Rep. Vogel, committee member, and he replied in the af- firmative. Lund listed the value of cars on hand in excess of $13,000, and §2,300 government autos. The total los: the equipment department, he sai was brought up to $53,283.06. Gasoline Used Asked concerning an item of $ 119.84 for oil, gasoline, and grease used since November 20, Dec. 31, 1924, Lund said that it ap- peared from the records that this much was used on cars of the High- way Commission office and the shops at Bismarck. The oil, gas and grease used by men in the field, he under- stood, was charged to a different fund. There had been auto equipment sold during the period of $18,148.67, he said. The total amount of sales of government equipment he figur- ed at $48,654.20 during the period. This left a gross profit of $19,087.07 before taking out expenses, ‘otal rentals and earnings brought the amount to $43,160.98. The expense exceeded the income by $19,605.14, however, he said. Cars Not Sold He was asked concerning three an- tos which were in the hands of T. R. Atkinson of Bismarck and which he was informed Mr. Black said had been sold to him. Mr. Lund gaid that he found no memorandum of gale and it was his understanding that the cars were as- signed to Mr. Atkinson the same as cars to any other employes. He was asked about a Liberty B (Continued on page 6) TRIES GAS ON BEDBUGS NEAR KILLING SELF Minneapolis, Feb. 28.—An attempt to kill bedbugs with illuminating gas so he could sleep, nearly proved fa- tal to Jewel Christopherson, lodger it a rooming house last night. Chris- topherson’s landlady lephoned pol- ice that the man’s door was locked and a strong odor of gas was coming from the room. When detectives arrived with a doctor and a pulmotor they found Christopherson seated in hair almost overcome.. When re- vived he explained that he had hoped to kill off the bedbugs with the gas. The consequences to himself,had not occurred to him. aus 5 ieee 1923, to’ Editor's Note: This is another | article dealing with Bismarck’s tax debt for the enlightenment of the voters of this city. All facts have been carefully com- piled from statistics. Based on statistics supplied Unele Sam, Bismarck's city govern- ment must be rated as above the average in the cost per-capita for cities in its elas: In fact, most of |the gities many times larger have a much lower per capita rate. This will be clearly demonstrated later on. | In previous articles it was shown that according to the method employed by census bureau, Bismarck in 1924 had a population of 7,794 inhabitants. It was also stated that the larger \the city the heavier should be its governmental cost, and in Bismarck’s case, it is important to keep this constantly in mind. On Sept. 29th, 1924, the city com- mission appropriated the sum of 300 INJURED by Many. Lives Also Lost in Bra- \ zilian Tragedy ; persons: were’ killed and 300 in- jured in the explosion of forty tons of powder and other eom- bustibles on Caju Island near Niteheroy yesterday, according to advices today. The property loss was placed at $1,000,000. Rio de Jangiro, F it. was impossible y to esti- mate the casualties, believed that more than 300 persons were'in- jured and several lives lost in the Jexplosion yesterday afternoon on ;Caju Island near theroy. Forty tons of powder imported from United States, and quantities of gasoline and kerosene were stored on the island and the explosion i believed to have been eaused by ig- nition from ‘two lighte: i caught fire yesterday morning while anchored near the storage house. Although REMOVAL CASE IS POSTPONED Minet, N. D., Feb, 28—Hearing of edings brought in the State of nsin to remove’ Jourgen Olson of Minot, former president of the American State bank of Burlington, N. D., to that state to face criminal charges in federal court, has been postponed from. Feb. 26 to March 7. Olson is charged in indictments by ‘a Wisconsin federal grand jury in connection with business:transactions covering a period of years with the Sauk bank at Prairie du Sac, Wis. The defendant now is out under $20,000 bond: pr ee | Weather Report | ——________-____- For 24 hours ending at noon: Temperature at 7 a. m. .. Highest yesterday 37 Lowest yesterday . 1 Lowest last night Precipitation . 0} Highest wind velocity ..........-26 After searching for each other for nearly 20 years, Mrs. Menno Huns John Schumacher, sister: ‘they had lived for years in the same block Their husbancs have ‘been friends a long time. oe eee | DEBT OF BISMARCK WITH OTHER CITIES, WEATHER FORECAST For Bismarck and vicinity: Gen- erly fair tonight and Sunday. Colder | tonight, Not so cold Sunday. For North Dakota: Generally fai | Colder tonight Not so tonight and Sunday. feast and north portions. cold Sunday west portions. WEATHER CONDITIONS The (pressure is high over the northern Rocky Mountain region and north Pacific coast states and it is low over the Plains States. Precipi- tation occured in Minnesota, the Dakota and over the northern Rocky Mountain region while elsewhere the ‘weather is generally fair. Tempera- tures rose considerably in the upper Mississippi Valley and in the Red River Valley while slightly colder, ‘weather prevails over the extreme northern Rocky Mountain region. ORRIS W. ROBERTS, BISMARCK, NORTH DAKOTA, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1925 | \ | were reunited to find} Grand Rapids, Mich. | MADE BETWEEN TAX. $108,653.00 to defray the costs of the | y government for the ensuing fis- ca! (not calendar) year. Dividing | the latter sum ‘by the population, | this would make the per capita cost of the city government for 1924 amount to $43.94 for every man, w man and child, including charges for | interest and bonded debt and for! sinking fund requirements. Not Absolutely Clear | It is not absolutely clear from a careful examination of the figures of the census bureau whether it in- | cludes these charges for sinking fund and interest on debt in its computa- tions. Therefore, to remove any question of doubt and to place Bis marck in the most favorable light, we are inclined to exclude them from our statement of the per capita cost, for this city. Among the appropri- ations made by the city commission were various items for interest und sinking fund purposes totaling $24,- 875.00. This deducted from the total (Continued on page three) DIVIDEND TO BE PAID FROM BANK’S FUNDS Beach, N. D., Feb. 28—Receiver J. ©. Ridgway, of the First National bank of Beaeh, announces that the comptroller of the eurrency thorized the payment of a dividend of ten percent to all depositors and) creditors, who have filed proof of; claim with the -receiver. ‘The office force of the receiver has been busily engaged for several weeks in calculating the dividend and making up a dividend ledger of all proved claims. Claimants who have| not yet proved their claims will not be included in the first distribution to be made. FARM HAND I$ ACCUSED Alleged to Have Stolen About $2,000 Dickinson, N. D., Feb. 2&—Fred Alendinger, farm hand near Marshall, Dunn county, arrested on a charge of grand larceny in connection with the theft of $2,000 in cash from the John Flink home north of Richard- ton admitted his guilt after a severe grilling was given him by Sheriff C. C, Turner and Deputy Sheriff George J. Brown at the court house Tues- day. Alendinger with his wife spent the night of February 1 at the home of Mr. Flink, who is a distant relative, according to the story told the au- thorities. Two weeks later Mr, Flink discovered that $2,000 in $20 bills, kept in a bed tick in the room occu- pied by the Alendingers, was missing. He began to investigate and when it was learned that Alendinger had been paying a large number of bills and had plenty of spending money, suspicion, wag centered upon him. He was then arrested and brought’ to Dickinson. The confession followed. Alendinger told the officials where he had cached the cash and ‘went with them to get it. Up until Thurs- day $1,263 had been restored to Flink, Deputy Sheriff Brown stated. Alendinger will face trial or sent- ence at the coming term of Stark county district court which opens next Tuesday, James P. Cain, state’s attorney said. LUMBERMEN NAME HEADS) Fargo, Feb. 28—Albert Thompson of Beach, N. D., was yesterday elect- ed president of the North Dakota Lumbermen’s association to succeed Geo. Sweetland of Fargo. Other offi- cers elected are:’ Joe Dahl, Fargo, i MAY | final BRIDGE BATTLE WAXED HOT IN STATE SENATE Williston and Sani Appro- priations Pass; Fargo Effort Fails BE RESUMED | Notice of Reconsideration Is Served by Senator Whitman POSTPONE BILLS The State Senate this after- n reconsidered and indefin- itely postponed, 25 to 24 on a strict party vote, the appropria- tion bill for Williston and Sanish bridges. It is possible that the bills may be reconsidered again next week. The session of the state senate yesterday afternoon should go. down in history the battle of ‘the bridges. It may be resumed today. When the dust cleared away after as warm a fight as has occurred in the dignified upper house of the ate legislature as has been seen during the present assembly appro- priations for two bridges from the state highway fund had passed, and two more had been defeated. The House passed appropriations of 200,000 for a bridge over the Missouri river near Williston and $100,000 for a bridge over the same stream at Sanish. Bills appropria- ting $75,000 for a bridge over the Red River at Fargo, and $25,000 for a bridge over Des Lacs Lake be- tween Burke and Ward Counties were defeated. Four Bills Up All four of the bills which were passed by the house several weeks ago are on the senate calendar for action, having been reported out of the committee on appropria- tions for passage Thursday. When the first of the bills, which happened to be that for the Fargo as 'bridge was reached, Senator W. S. Whitman of Grand Forks, moved that action on all four of them should be postponed. until next Tues- day. “I object to that postponement” said Senator McCoy of Richland county. “The only reason for hold- au-{ing these bills up is on account of|in the coastal region between Por- |the fair bills which are over in the house now, ‘It is simply a proposi- tion on holding the bridge bills up so that some of these men can trade votes on the fair bills and I object to it. I expect to vote against these bridge bills and) 1 want to get a chance to do it.” “Who told you there was a trade on the fair bills?” demanded Senator J. E, Eastgate of Grand Forks. “If it isn’t the fair bills it’s some- thing else” declared Senator D. H. Hamilton of McHenry. “These bridge bills have been reported for passage twice now and its time they were acted on instead of being used for trading stock.” “If as you say we're trading on the fair bills we can’t be very good traders, because we’re only getting about $30,000 in appropriations in return for about $400,000 said Sen- ator Walter Schlosser of Grand Forks. Roll Call Had On a roll call vote Senator Whit- man’s motion for delay was defeated 21 to 18. He then moved that the vote be delayed until Monday. This was also voted down. Motions for delay until Saturday, and to put the bills at the bottom of the calendar which were ther’ made in succession by the Grayd Forks senator were dis- posed of in the same way. “T don’t want to see these bridge bills defeated, and I think that is what may happen to some of them if you force a vote this afternoon,” de- clared Senator Whitman. “How long since the senators from Grand Forks have been running this senate?” one of the Nonparti- sans shouted. “We aren't running the senate, The last four votes show that,” replied Senator Schlosser. The first of the bridge bills voted on was that for the structure at Fargo. It was defeated 31 to 18, the roll call’ vote being as follows: Ayes—Atkins, Baird, Bakken, Bond, Frederickson, Hamilton, Lynch, Mar- shall, McLachlin, Murphy, Olson of Burleigh, Patten, Patterson, Peck, Steel, Rusch, Storstad, Van Camp. —18. Noes—Babeock, Benson, Eastgate, Ettestad,-Fleckten, Hart, Hjelmstad, Ingerson, Kaldor, Kret- sehmar, McCoy, McCrory, Miklethun, (Continued on page three) Carey, |GEN. MITCHELL DISOBEYED IN WRITING ARTICLE Washington, Feb. 28.—Secretary Weeks today told the jhouse aircraft committee, that Brigadier General Mitchell, assistant army air. chief, had directly disobeyed President vice president; H. L, Sherwood, Far- go, re-elected, secretary; and J. A. Peterso1 Fargo, {reasurer, Otto Bauer, Mandan, H. H. France, Gackle, d F. C, Potter, Fargo, were named the executive committee, Coolidge’s order in writing magazine articles without obtaining the ap- proval of the war department. The general, Mr. Weeks said, had the articles published without war depprtme: approval, despite the fact that President Coolidge hed ANTI-LEAGUE CAMPAIGN TO ~ BE DISCUSSED, Method of Organization of | Independents up for | (By The A Coolidge and Dawes will ibe one of the simplest inaugural « There will be a much-ahbr a small reviewing s Discussion MEET, Gathering of Central Com- mittees to be Foliowed by | General Meeting | The “Real” Republican and Democratic state committees held meetings here this afternoon to i plano for the next two and possible methods of their campaign in the state in 1926. A general meeting of Independ- ents is scheduled to ibe hel! to- night at the Rialto theater. ! The Republican central commit- tee wag expected to ibe presented with a resolution indorsing the ac- | ‘tion of Republicans in Congres in, barring Senators Ladd and Frazier and Congressman Sinclair from sparticipating in the warty cauc- | uses. he trend of affairs in the legis- lature, as it affects tie Independ-| ents in their plans for organizing ‘tisans in the next a to be discussed at} both the central committee meet- ‘ings and the general meeting to- night. TEN KILLED IN PANAMA FRACAS) Washington, Feb. 28.—The State | Department received a report today from Minister South at Panama, da- | ted yesterday, saying that the In-/ dian uprising on the north coast of | Panama appeared to be general and that it was estimated that from ten to thirty police officers and others had been killed. A force of 200 police was dispatch- | led from Colon February 26 to — re- Sivre order. . The Indian population in the disturbed region was estima- ted at 30,000. The advices said several villages | were reported to have been burned venir and Obaldia, the casualties having occurred in these places. COOLIDGE FOR HAUGEN BILL Renews Demand For Legisla- tion at This Session + Washington, Feb. 28:-—With co i operative marketing legislation te-| commended by the agricultural con-! ference enmeshed in a jam of con-| flicting proposals before congress, President Coolidge renewed his in- sistence that the conference program | should be enacted into law at this session. He regards as necessary and sound the proposals, which were drafted by the representatives of all branches of agriculture with expert assistance. The Dickinson co-operative mar- keting bill, lacking the regulatory; provisions carried in the Capper-| Haugen measure for which it was substituted by the house, is befor the senate agriculture committee,} and Chairman Carey of the agricul- tural conference has asked a hearing before it tomorrow in opposition to the change. Against Dickinson Bill Members of the conference are said to hold the view that the Dickinson measure would not accomplish the results they believe can be obtained through passage of the Capper-Hau- gen bill. Members of the senate farm bloc expect to call up this measure in the senate tomorrow. The McNary bill, providing for a farmers export corporation to handle surplus farm products, has been re- ported favorably by the senate agri- culture committee and placed on the calendar, but with little hope of final action at this session. SEDITION LAW TO BE KEPT| St. Paul, Feb. 28.—Minnesota’s se- dition law, a war time measure, will | remain on the statute books for at} least two years longer, the house; ruled today in defeating a motion by Representative S, A. Stockwell that a minority report of the crime pre- vention committee, recommending re- peal of the bill, be adopted. The minority report was submitted following = recommendation of the crime’ prevention ‘committee that the repeal bill be definitely postponed. BAKER ADDRESSES BUREAU Grand Forks, N. D., Feb, 28.—The benefits derived from education along agricultural lines were outlined Thursday by Dr. James C. Beker, director of the Wesley Foundation at the University of Illinois, in ad- Army cavalry horses are said to, written him cautioning him against] dressing the ennual meeting of the ae in charge. have an average of 16.1-2 years, . it. Grand Forks County farm bureau. A House, no stands for spec a sociated Press) p inaugurated on Wi reremonies in Amer reviated inaugural inesday in ‘an history. rade, only nd for the President in front of the White ators along Pennsy! ania Avenue except those built by private enterprise, no evening fireworks display, and no inaugural (ball. ‘The quadrennial ceremonies will begin with the departure of Presicent Coolidge from th shortly before noon. In the President's room ju Coolidge will receive aud sign the bills Sixty-Bighth Congress in the ment sine die at noon. fe White House for the Capitol st off the senate chamber Mr. assed by the dying final hours before its adjourn- After twelve o'clock the new senate, meeting in special n, will assemble for the aw es President Coolidge Court and the cabinet will ‘be dais when the Vice-President inaugural address. About one o'clock the President, of the highest court and of Congress will a] stand ereeted on the C Sper ence of a vast crowd the oat Coolidge by ‘Chief Justice Taft. his inaugural audre: The ceremony concluded, the President and Vice-P1 will take their places at the and inauguration of Vice-President members of the Supreme seated in the chamber near the takes the oath ana makes his Vice-President, members emble on the ‘apital Plaza where in the pres h will be administered to Mr. Mr. Coolidge then will deliver sidont head of an inaugural parade back to ‘the White House, composed exclusively of units of the army, navy and marine corps, numbering aibout 7,000, and the governors of states and ‘their official staffs. About Rovernors are expected to be present. At the White House Mr. Coo olidge and Mr. Dawes will leave the head of the column to review the parade from a stand facing LaFayette Square. Then President Coolidge wi ill go ‘back to his desk at the White House and Vice-President Dawes will take up his duties the Capitol. LONGWORTH IS NEW LEADER IN LOWER HOUSE amed For Speakership By The Republicans in Congress WINS HOT FIGHT Washington, Feb. 28,—Nicholas Longworth, of Ohio, will preside as speaker of the house in the sixty- ninth Congress and John Tilson of Connecticut will be the Republican floor leader. The present majority leader was selected by Republican members-elect of the house, in a caucus last night, s their candidate for speaker on the first ballot by a vote of 140 to 85. As the caucus decision binds the majority members to vote for the candidates when the house or- ganizes and the Republ have a clear-cut majority, his election to the speakership is certain. The choice of Mr. Tilson was made by acclammation. Although a move, quickly squelch- ed by opposition, was made to per- mit participation in two of the dozen followers of Sen- ator LaFollette who were excluded, none of the group attempted to ttend over the exclusion edict of epublican leaders. Representative Lampert of Wiscon- sin, and Keller of Minnesota, were the two members for whom a move was made to restore them to good , standing in party councils. Democrats elected to the new house will, caucus tonight to select their candidate for speaker with Represen- | tative Garrett of ‘Tennessee, the arty leader, as the second choice. Upon his defeat when the house or- ganizes, he will automatically con- tinue ‘as the minority leader. WILL PRINT TESTIMONY Testimony of the House Highway Commission investigating committee will be printed in the -House Jour- nal, and a voluminous volume is ex- pected to result. The House approv- ed the request of Chairman Roy Yeater and other members of the investigating committee to this ef- fect. SEEK FAIR LEGISLATION Grand Forks, N. D., Feb. 28.--Sev- eral, local men are in Bismarck work- ing in the interests of legislation af- fecting the North Dakota State fair to be held here next summer. The men are J. C. Bacon, Charles Garvin, T. Carter Griffith and Clarence Shep- pard. the caucus of | FRIEDERICH EBERT 4 CHILDREN ARE BURNED Meet Death in Home Fire in Texas Houston, Tex., Feb. 28.—Four chil- dren of Mr. and Mrs. Merl Corson, living near Pearland, ,Tex. were burned to death early today when their home was destroyed by fire. Their parents were injured in jump- ing from a second story porch. Four other children escaped without in- jury. The family was asleep when the fire broke out. The entire house was ablaze before they woke up, ac- cording to Mr. Corson. The parents had only sufficient time to awaken four of the children when they were forced to jump to save their own lives. GIVE HONORARY DEGREE AT “U” Grand Forks, N. D., Feb. 28.—Con- ferring the honorary degree of Doc- tor of Laws upon Dr. E. P. Robertson, president of Wesley college, by the {University of North Dakota, came as a climax recently to the five day program in commemoration of the 42nd anniversary of the founding of the university and the 20th anni- versary of the affiliation of Wesley college with it. The degree was conferred upon Dr. Robertson because of his “broad scholarship, his demonstrated ability as an administrator, and his vision and leadership not only in education and religion, but in all things that pertain to the higher life of the state and nation.” FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TAX ON BANK OF NORTH DAKOTA OPPOSED Whether or not tlie Bank of North Daketa is a private institution and subject to federal taxation or a pub- lic institution and exempt, is expect- ed to be settled by the United States Internal Revenue Department in Washington, following a hearing set for March 3, 1 George F. Shafer, Attorney-Gener- al, will appear ‘before the Bureau and present an application for rebate of $6,000 taxes levied on the Bank of North Dakota last year by the fed- eral internal revenue bureau under the federal capital stock law. The government held the bank was sub- ject to tax, and Mr, Shafer, taking | ies. the position that although the bank is an industry it is in reality the state, and therefore it should be ex- empt from taxation, and taxes al ready assessed refunded. Mr. Shafer also will appear before the United States Supreme Court on Monday, March 2, with Seth Rich- ardson of Fargo, special assistant, to argue the state grain grading case. Reargument in the case, in which the validity of ¢he initiated grain grad- ing act is attacked, was set for Feb- ruary 24 but postponed until March 2 ‘by the supreme court. Mr. ler expects to remain in Washington March 4 for the inaugural ceremen- PRICE FIVE CENTS PRESIDENT OF GERMANY DIES (INAUGURAL CEREMONIES OF COOLIDGE AND DAWES TO BE SIMPLEST IN HISTORY GUIDED NATION IN HARD TIMES AFTER THE WAR Former Saddle Maker and Labor Organizer First Republic Head SURVIVED ALL ATTACKS Kept at the Helm in Germany in Spite of Many Attacks Berlin, Feb. 28—(By the A. P.)— Frederick Ebert, the first president of the German Republican, died at 10:15 o'clock this morning from per- itonitis which followed an operation for appendicitis five days ago. The former saddle maker, whose skill in guiding the infant republic through the first turbulent years of its existence is acknowledged even by his bitter enemies, made a gallant fight for life. But his system had been undermined by an attack of in- fluenza before the operation and his heart was not equal to the burden imposed by the poison which had spread throughout his system. The political attacks upon the president, putsches and threats of putsches, and the jibes of the Mon- archists who could not bear the idea of a working man succeeding the Hohenzollerns, had helped to un- dermine his once rugged constitution. But the firmness with which he man- aged the political crisis arising from the tangled party system and the simple dignity with which Frau Ebert met her duties as first lady of Germany, disarmed many of their sharpest critics. Was Leader There was probably not another leader in Germany, his enemies ad- mitted, who could have succeeded where he did, and his death four months before the presidential elec- tion produces more confusion in a political situation already badly mud- dled. President Ebert was the first of all the patriotic Germans to forget party lines when it became neces- sary to check the extremists either in the radical or conservative camps. He frequently brought curses up- on his head by the one side or the other by approving measures which they, according to their viewpoints, deemed either reactionary er zd radical. His attitude won the confidence of the ambassadors and ministers ac. credited to Berlin and he was a pow. erful factor in bringing abent ac- ceptance of the Dawes plan. Was Saddle Maker Herr Ebert started life as a saddle maker, but years of experience as a fabor organizer and official of un- ions, together with his wide train- ing in practical politics developed him even as, his admirers pointed out, the late Samuel Gompers was developed in America. His lack of early opportunities was compensated for by the train- ing he won in the worid of affairs. He was described as no dreamy the- orist but a hard headed, tactful lead- er who made a gallant fight in be- half of the German Republic and the German masses under heartbreaking conditions. Death came to the President in the West Sanitarium. The public receiv- ed its announcement through the half masting of flags on the Foreign Of- fice, the American and British Em- bassies and the government build- ings along the Wilhelmstrasse. The news came as a shock to the Berliners, as the morning newspapers Published bulletins indicating a marked improvement Herr Ebert's condition and the crisis was supposed by many to have been past. Call Cabinet A meeting of the cabinet was call- ed for today and the Reichstag will be convened Monday, when it will probably arrange a new election date in advance of the one scheduled for June. The choice of a regular suc- cessor to Herr Ebert will relieve Chancellor Luther of the responsi- bility of carrying on the presiden- tial duties in addition to his own office. The president's death comes on the eve of the national day of mourning set aside to commemor- ate Germany's losses in the World War. There will be memorial ser- vices in all the churches of Berlin and all the church bells will be toll- ed. President Ebert lost two sons in the war. Subjected To Ridicule — Subjected to much ridicule, chiefly by monarchists when he headed the republic that succeeded the downfall of the -Hohengollern reign in Ger- many, Friedrich Ebert was regarded (Continued on page 6) DEMOCRATS TO SUPPORT RIVERS, HARBORS BILL Washington, Feb. 28.—Democratic senators at a conference today agreed to throw their united support. be- hind the rivers and harbors dilt in the effort to enact it before adjeura.