Evening Star Newspaper, February 1, 1921, Page 1

WEATHER. Cloudy and unsettled tonight: prob- ably rain or snow tomorrow much change in temper: ended at 2 p.m. today at 4 pm. vyesterday 8 am. today. Temperatura for twenty-four hours lowest, Full report on page 12. not ature. Highest, 36, at Closing New York Stocks, Page 27. No. 28,037. post office Wa Entered as second-class matter shington, D. C. - @he bening Star. WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION The Associated paper and also Member of the the use for republication of all news dispatches credited to it or mo*. otherwise credited fa this All rights of puldication of speclal dispatches herein are also reserved. Associated Press ! Press In exciusively entitled to the local news publixcrd kes Yesterday's Net Circulation, 92,821 WASHINGTON, D. C., TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1921— THIRTY-TWO PAGES. TWO CENTS. GERMANY CANNOT ACCEPT WAR LEVY, _ REICHSTAG TO HEAR Impossible of Fulfillment, Foreign Minister to Say To- day, Paper Hears. WOULD MAKE BANKRUPT OF ALL CENTRAL EUROPE Banker Hopes England and Amer- ica Will Stay Execution of Su- preme Council Plan. By the Associated Press. BERLIN, February 1.—Dr. Walter Simons, the German foreign min ter, will tell the reichstag at its session this afternoon., the Boersen eitung states, that Germany can- not the allies, repara- tions demands the ground that they are not po: The foreign* minister, paper adds, will declare that the in- subscribe to on Vitation to Germany to attend the conference in London can only rve a useful purpose and give promise of success if the negotia- tions are to deal with the possible and not with the impossible. Tt is rumored negotiations are pro- ceeding with, the majority socialists and German nationalists for the pur- pose of inducing them to enter the government in the hope of creating a united front from right to left. In any event, it appears certain the ma- jority socialists will stand firm be- hind the government in its oppo: tion to the entente demands even if they cannot bring themselves actual- Iy to enter the government. Germany regards the terms de- cided upon by the supreme allied council in Paris last week as fantas- tic and impossible of execution. The cabinet, which received the text of the allied note yesterday, was in executive session until late last night, and the note was not re- leased for publication until too late for editorial comment. Is “Madness,” Say Leaders. | Loses One Heifer; Offers One Drink; 12 Soon Returned GALVA, 1L, February The following want ad. appear- ed in a local newspaper last week: “Strayed — Holstein about ten months old. forma ery will be rewarded by a good 1 drink of whisky. A. F. Deem, supervisor.” | Next day Supervisor Deem wax looking over =a dgzen heiters brought in by farmers. all claiming to have found the lost animal. Al were willing to swap a heifer for a drink. Deem finally located his heifer in the midst. It had been found by H. C. Sweat, who lives a short distance east of Galva. Sweat's wife objected to hix collecting the reward. SENATORS JOCKEY ONTARIFF MEASURE Parties Seek Political Ad- vantage in Pending Emerg- ency Legislation. Jockeying for political advantage out of the emergency tariff bill con- tinues in the Senate, and both repub- licans and democrats are maneuver- ing for position which will give them | the best of it in the home stretch. | That somebody may come a cropper {in the final dash is pointed out in de- bate as a possibility It is generally assumed that the re- publican’ motive is to pass the bill | through Congress for the President to veto, and then go before the country with the claim that the democratic administration foiled effort to help the vheat growers, the wool raisers, the cattlemen and the cotton planters. Or, if they cannot pass it, to put the ! failure on the democrats of the Sen- ate. Senator Borah pointed out that if {the proponents of the bill secure the two-thirds vote for cloture, then when ithe bill should come back with the | | | | | “Madness” is the term leaders of the| President’s veto they would be bound reichstag used in discussing the rep-,in sincerity to apply the same two- mrations conditions. thirds to pass it over his veto, assum- Foreign Minister Simons declared the execution of the terms would “produce chaos, not only in Germany, but throughout central Europe, as the bankruptcy of Germany would also bankrupt part of Germany's war éred- itors, among whom is France.” “It is greatly to be deplgréd,” he continued, “that the great American nation was only a bystander during y the negotiations concerning repara- ! tions at Paris. The settlement of this world’s economics and of world cul- ture.” ' Herbert Guttmann of the Dresdener ! Bank said: | oThe reparations figures are absurd (and tax levy.on.exports jg al ‘lutely beyond undersianding. lat ter would kill Germany’s export busi ness. ling the House had done the same. “acing such a contingency, it is de- {clared elsewhere, might embarrass ‘;qxrlne who now outwardly support the ! bill. | Senator Underwood, leader of the H ocrats, is losing no opportunity | to_pillor: | cotintry as intent upon increasing the { cost to the consumer for the benefit | jof the special in which are { losing money now. crests, out of the occasion. New England Wants High Tariff. He called attention to the fact that the New Bagland mills are for the rst time voicing a sentiment on the floor offthe Senate for & rohibltive New Eng- Germany to pay if she cannot export}in the past, with a duty on the manu- ‘her products? It is inconceivable that America and England will permit Germany, their best customer. to be ruined by the enforcement of such terms.” The German mark showed a sharp decline toward the close of yester- day's session of the bourse when the terms became generally known. “Eyewash,” Says British Leader. LONDON, February impossible” for Germany to pay the amounts fixed for her reparation debt to the allies by the supreme allied council at Paris last week, says Prof. John Maynard Kevnes, principal rep- i resentative of the British treasury at | the Versaiiles peace conference. He { argues that Germany. to have surplus exports worth £200,000,000 must have total exports worth at least £700,000, ; 000. Twelve per cent of this amount { would be £84,000.000, and, therefore, i he says that, with £100,000.000 of ex- { ports” yearly against £500,000,000 in { imports, she could just pay a mixed : total of £200,000,000. “That is to say,” he continues, “trade 1on this vast scale would be require “to pay the minimum annuity plus the . export percentage. If the Paris pro- posals are more than wind, they mean ‘a complete reorganization of the channels of international trade. If anything remotely like them should really be intended to happen, the re- action on British trade and industry would be incalculable. It is an out- rage that the allied leaders should have dealt with each other by using the methods of a poker party.” Norman Angell, author. lecturer and peace advocate, is quoted by the Daily Herald, organ of labor, as hav- ing characterized the reparation de- mands on Germany as “eyewash, pure bunkum and fantastic rubbis “Of course,” the interview continues, | “there will be a hitch the first year, and the second, and the third, until the map of Europe is entirely altered and alliances are rearranged.” Paris Thinks Berlin Willt PARIS. February 1—The fact that| the German delegates to the Brussels conference of financial and economic experts are remaining in Paris and continuing their consultations is taken in political quarters here to mean that Germany is willing to ac- cept the decisions of the allies re. rdinis reparations as a basis for dis- cussion, notwithstanding the com- | ment which is coming from Berlin, giving the idea that the disposition there is te reject the plan. It is pointed out,in official circles that the conferencé of experts will be able to accomplish a great deal in paving the way to the establishment of economic relations beneficial both 1o the allies and their former enemies, | although it is considered that the reparations pian, for the study of which the expert conferces were originally called together. has been definitely decided upon by the Paris| conference. For one thing, the experts have yet 1o consider the demand of Germany that she be allowed to retain 300.000 tons of shipping, while the reduction of the expenses of the allied militar occupation of the Rhineland remains also to be definitely p: d upon. The GGerman demand for reduction in the amount of coal deliveries to the allies is regarded as one of the possible points which the allies will be willing | to discuss, although the Paris con- ference canceled the concessions made at the Spa conference. | France Is Determined. One of the most important question: 10 Be settled- relates to the sorts of 1.—It will be! od| factured product. “Trace the snake to its hole.” said Senator Underwood, “and we find the bill putting the increased price of sugar into the pockets of the great sugar manufacturers of America,” and asserted that likewise the profit on wool would not go to the western ranchman, but to the New England mills. Other senators have declared that the wool of the sheep growers is largely in the hands of the mills | now. |~ Senator Underwood asserted that the ibill was not to raise customs taxes, but to increase profits of producers { and cited the item of beans, which, he said, are a prime necessity of those i who cannot afford meat. He said the | proposed tax is $1.20 a bushel .on ibeans, a rate five times the tariff im- | posed by the present law. That would mean that no beans' would come in, | but that the holders of that commod- lity, intrenched behind the tariff, would . reap that much profit at the cost of | the consumer. At present the impor- | tation of beans is only.1 per cent of {the home production, so that imports cannot be said to menace the home grower. Would Raise Sugar to 11 Cents. As to sugar, he said that the new tariff would raise the price perma- {nently to 11 cents, whereas it ought to go down to at least 4 or 5 cents and is rapidly going there. The fed- eral government will only derive a revenue from one-half the sugar con- sumed, as only that proportion comes througn the custom house. If the bill should pass the Senate under cloture, come out of conference committee and be finally sent to the President, Senator Underwood thinks the President will veto it. Some sena- tors have suggested the possibility of the President allowing it to become a law under the ten-day limit, putting the blame for the resultant increased costs to the consumer, if there be any, upon the republican’ Congress. The drawback to this suggestion is that {the bill would have been passed with the concurrence of democratic votes {in both houses. | | 'Today’s News in Paragraphs Mrs. Harding buys two tea gowns in «w York, looks at hats and poses for i pictures. Page 1 Germany cannot accept allied repara- tion ferms, foreign minister to tell reichstag. Page 1 | i i Senators jockeying for position on tariff | question. Page 1 { Harding asks President Wilson to call | extra session of ngress. Page 1 | Baker supports water power develop- ment at Great Falls and all other available sites. Page 1 Senate and House conferees on Jones- Mapes bill declare chances of settling 50-50 controversy are much brighter. Page 1 Controller Tweedale of the Shipping Board testifies that system has dis- placed the chaotic condition of the accounts and that costs and payments an be checked up. Page Pershing urges Congress to bury body of an unknown soldier in Arling- ton cemetery as national tribute to all. Page 2 Fear falling cost of living may deter Congress on reclassification bili articles and products the al les will be | Page 14 willing to take for German repara- reported in House today, tions payments in kind. 203,293,476, which includes ‘The French viewpoint of the com-| . schools, courts and ing conference with the Germans in prisons. Page 17 London, decided upon by the supreme council, is that the allies will listen| at this conference to any objections | made by the Germans to the repa tions provisions as they did at Spa,| and then take such objections under ! consideration among themselves and | Commissioner Boardman sees no pros- pect of community chest for charities during present year. Page 17 Decline in the price of junk may force District revenue deficit. Page 17 Former Senator Clark gives Corcoran decide whether any can be tuken into] Art Gallery $100,000. Page 17 account. The ¥rench delegation, it|“Starving Germany” spent million forecast, will resist any further iarks (about $250,000 at ngiwnal ex- auges in the plan of puyments. change) on one gorgevus bak Lage 20 the republicans before the! 1 That is the ad- | ! question determines the fate of the: vantage the democrats expect to get | [ _| tariff on raw material. How does the entente expect:land has demanded free raw material 1! AN ACCOUNT FOR COST OF SHIPPING, TWEEDALE SAYS | placed Chaos With Accuracy, Board’s Controller Says. DENIES ANY ATTEMPT TO DISPLACE ABADIE Declares There Was No Evidence of Intrigue to Get His Predecessor . Out of Office. Every dollar expended by the Emergency Flect Corporation for con- struction of a merchant fleet' eventual- Iy will be accounted for, Alonzo Tweedale, general controller of the Shipping Board, teday informed the House committee Investigating the board's operations. An accounting system has been established, Mr. | Tweedale said, by which it will be possible to check up on all advances and payments to ship construction companies. Rapid progress, he add ed, is being made in this direction. The witness testified that when he assumed charge of the Shipping Board's financial department he found accounts in a chaotic con- dition, due chiefly, he declared, to lack of centralization and failure to define the duties and responsi- bilities of various officials. _Immedi- ate steps were taken, Mr. Tweedale said, to centralize the board’s a. counting system, and conditions today are in satisfactory shape. Shifting of funds to various ac- counts has made it almost impossible, the committee was told, to trace money received from the Treasury or from the board's operations division. Questioned by Chairman Walsh as to whether there was any evidence of misappropriation of funds, Mr. Twee- dale said he was satisfied no money had been misappropriated. “Every cent due the Emergency Fleet Corporation from operations either has been actually paid in or is properly charged up on our books against ship operators who have not made settlements,” the controller as- serted. “Of course, a great many mil- lion dollars are still due the fleet cor- poration, but these amounts are offset by charter hire.” Displacement of Col. Abadie. Chairman Walsh asked Mr. Twee- dale whether he had made an effort to displace Col. E. H. Abadie as general controller. “None whatever,” replied Mr. Twee- dale. “On the contrary, I tried not to_become general controller.” Mr. Tweedale denied that he had held conferences with members of the Shipping Board which led to his ap- pointment as general controller. At the:time of his selection as con- troller, the witness said, he was treas- urer of the Shipping Board at a sal- ary of $10,000. As general controller, he added, he has been paid $15,000 a year. Mr. Tweedale spoke highly of Col. Abadie's ability, but declared that various associates of the colonel had | complained that they could not get {along with him. Several members of | the Shipping Board, Mr. Tweedale {said, were _ displeased with Col. Abadie’s methods and were anxious to displace him. Judge Payne's Criticism. Judge Payne, as chairman of the Shipping Board, the witness testified, had_taken the position that salaries in Col. Abadic's department were too high. Commenting on the charge made by Col. Abadie before the investigat- ing committee that he had been “railroaded” out of his position as | general controller by Martin J. Gillen, executive assistant to the chairman of the Shipping Board, Mr. Tweedale said that while there had been dis- putes between Mr. Gillen and Col. Abadie, he knew of several occasions on which Mr. Gillen had defended Col. Abadie. Questioned by_committee members, Mr, Tweedale déclared there was no ecidence of intrigue to get Col. Aba- die out of office. Mr. Tweedale testified Chairman Payne took the position the Perley Morse & Co. audit should be stopped because of the expense. Summoning Col. Abadie, Judge Payne, according to the witness, declared a contract of such size should never be let without the approval of the members of the Shipping Board. Col. Abadie, readily agreed to cancellation of the contract, Mr. Tweedale added. “If Col. Abadie thought there was any justification for having an audit made by an outside concern you would think he would have objected stren- uously at the time to ¥alling off the Perley Morse audit,” remarked Rep- resentative Foster, a member of the ommittee. | Selection of Mr. Bolling. Discussing his elevation from treas- urer of the Shipping Board to general | controller, Mr. Tweedale said he was given complete leeway by the board members to recommend his successor as treasurer. He sclected his dssist- {ant, R. W. Bolling, a brother-in-law of President Wilson. Questioned by Chairman Walsh as to whether Mr. Bolling ever had in- terceded in behalf of contractors who ‘were constructing ships for the Emer- gency Fleet Corporation, or had at- tempted to use his influence in any way, Mr. Tweedale declared “He cer- tainly could not have done so offi- cially” and he was certain he never had done so unofticially. Morse Audit Deemed Too Expenaive. The investigating committee again went into the audit of the accounts of the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Cor- poration, by Perley Morse & Co., New | York. | Mr. Tweedale declared the audit had | been called off because It was found | | that It “probably would cost $750,000, | | perhaps a million dollars,” and it was | i thought there was no justification for | | such an expensive audit by an outside | concern, when the Shipping Board had | | a sufficient force to make a complete | { survey. | Mr. Tweedalo sald he was called | |into conference one morning | Chairman Payne, who told him he had { found out that an audit of the Bethle- {hem Corporation’s books would “cost ! a great deal of money.” The witness | said he looked Into the matter, and was informed by the board's depart- ment of investigation that the audit! {might cost $1,000,000. " He also was | | convinced, Mr. Tweedale said, there |“had been a lack of competition in authorizing the audit.” Pleased With Tweedale’s Work. Chairman Walsh and_other mem- bers of the committee showed plain- Iy their satisfaction at the improv mont brought about by Mr. Tweeda since his.employment August 19, 1919, by the Shipping Board as treasurer and since April as general controller. Mr. Tweedale was auditor for the I i System Now in Use Has Re- | by | twenty-four i | | | | | 7 m 7 SEEKS WORLD By the Associated PreSs. PARIS, February 1—Formal ap- plication is about to be made to the governments of Great Britain, France and the United States to recognmize the Russian constituent assembly as the present de jure or rightful exist- ing government of Russia. The Rus- sian constituent assembly has just been created at a meeting here of all the Russian elements opposed to bolshevism, for the purpose of sink- ing all differences of opinion and presenting a united front against bolshevism. President Avskentleff, a member of the former Kerensky cabinet of Russia, and presiding officer of the conferénce held here, will call in a fow days on M. Briand, president of the couneil of France, and present the application for recognition of the constituent assembly as ths Russian governmental representative. A. F. Kerensky, head of the former Russian government, who Tecently attended the constituent assembly here, has gone to London, where he will make a similar request of the British gov- ernment. Boris A. Bakhmeteff, Russian am- bassador at Washington, who recent- ly arrived here to take part in the formation of the new constituent i.s- sembly, is understood to have becn roquested to present a similar ap- plication to the United States gov- err.ment. WIII Cite a Precedent. The precedent invoked will be the recognition by the allies of the Serb- jan government set up on the Island, of Corfu during the war, while Serbia was completely occupied by the cen- tral powers. Thirty-three of the members of the Russian constituent assembly created here were elected in Russia in the lat- ter part of 1917 by popular vote. These elections were held under bol- shevik rule and the bolsheviki failed to obtain more than 40 per cent of the seats, Lenin, the soviet premier, dis- solved the assembly on January 18, 1918, when his followers were placed MRS, HARDING STIRS NEW YORK CURIOUS Crowds of Writers Flock About Her—Poses for 40 Pictures and Buys Gowns. By the Associated Press, NEW YORK, February 1.—An army of newspaper reporters augmented by Tepresentatives of fashion and other magazines today resumed their as- sault upon the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in hopes of obtaining a promised inter- View with Mrs. Warren G. Harding. Who is here to rest and shop for a part of her White House wardrobe. The next “first lady of the land” had been resting since her arrival here Sunday and had been “not at home" to all eallers. Today, how- ever, she promised to see them be- fore starting on a tour of the shops. A a result of a desire expressed by Mrs, Harding to see certaln gowns worn by models, some of the fash- jonable shops she will visit have made arrangements for a special showing. Fenrs Plcture Results. She was simply attired in a black satin frock, trimmed with stecl beads and black of newspaper folk, ‘artists and writers for fashion magazines descended upon her sun-flooded hotel apartment shortly before noon. With visible re- luctance she consented to pose for at least forty motion' plctures and “stills” before the newspaper corre- spondents were allowed to pour out their volleys of questions. “I can’t understand why anybody should place his face before a cam- era," she observed, after expressing concern that the pictures might not turn out well All_efforts to ascertain when she would go shopping along 5th avenue proved futile. She would only hint that arrangements had been made for showings by certain modistes in her apartment. Many Theater Tickets Bought. Her hosts, Mrs. Edward B. McLean and Mrs. Harry S. New, sald theater tickets had been purchased‘for every evening this week, but added that theatergoers will catch a glimpse of the future “first lady” only if she becomes rested sufficiently to venture out. \gvspapermen, wom- eramen, clustered The groups of n an writers and Will Ask Britain, France and America to Ac- cept It as Existing Government of Rus- sian Peoples—Kerensky a Leader. chenille, as the battalion! RUSS ANTI-RED ASSEMBLY RECOGNITION | | | yin the minority. A majority of the | members left Russia, but many were | put_in jail. Those succeeding in es- ping regrouped in Paris and formed he Russian_constituent assembly, | which adopted resolutions containing | these provisions: 1. A declaration of the principle of | the liberty of the Russian people in opposition to bolshevik rule. 2. Refusal to recognize any and all treaties, including commercial agree- ments entered upon with the bolshe- viki as one of the parties. (This | would entail repudiation of the agree- | ment between the bolsheviki and Washington B. Vanderlip by which {an American syndicate headed by | Vanderlip was granted large concesslons in Siberia.) Oppose Armed Intervention. 3. The assembly is against srmed intervention in Russian affairs. It favors ‘commercial relations between individuals in Russia and other coun- tries, but not with the bolshevik gov- ernment, and also favors lifting of the blockade. 4. The assembly is against dis- memberment of Russia and the seces- sion from Russia of any of its former provinces. In connection with the fourth clause, the constituent assembly inserted an expression of “profound graitude” to the United States for the; stand it has taken on the foregoing question, and referred especially to the note of Secretary of State Colby on August 10, 1920, in which he said the United States government was opposed to any dismemberment of Russia. A permanent executive committee composed of Mr. Avskentieff, A. F. Kerensky, Osip S. Minor, Vladimir Zenzinoff, Basil Maklakov, Paul N. Milukoff, M. M. Vinaver, Alexander I. Konovaloff and M. Maxudov was ap- pointed to draw up resolutions to pre- sent to the allied governments. This i committee includes members of the socialist, Cossack and free Russian parties who claim that not only were they elected by the vote of the Rus- sian people in Russia, but also that they represent from 1,500,000 to 2,- 000,000 Russians—exiles and refugee: HARDING ASKSGAL FOREXTRASESSON Would Have President Wilson Summon Senate to Meet on March 4. A request from President-elect | Harding that a special session of the new Senate be called for March 4 to confirm cabinet and other appoint. ments to be made by the incoming executive _was conveyed today to President Wilson. Such a session is customary when there is a change of administrations, and it usually lasts lonly a week at most. The President-elect's request was contained in a telegram received by Senator Lodge of Massachusetts, the republican leader, and was conveyed to the White House by Senator Under- wood of Alabama, the democratic leader. Hurry Call for New Senators. Nearly a score of new senators were elected last November and in order for them to be here by March 4 the call for the special session would have to g0 out ten days or more in advance of that date. After the present ses- sion end- the new Senate would meet und the new members would be sworn in. The Senate then would be ready {to act upon Mr. Harding’s nominations. | The call for the special session of the new Congress will be issued by Mr. Harding after his inauguration. 1t s expected that this session will begin either late in March or early in April. i in front of the hotel, attracted such a crowd of curious persons that two policemen were summoned to keep the sidewalk traffic moving. Later two modistes coming from Mrs. Harding's suite announced with triumph that she had purchased two chiffon tea gowns, one of blue and the other of an orchid shade, touched with nile green and gold, with a’ gir- dle of orchid brocade. Two nilliners were admitted to the apartment as the modistes departed. Falling of snow, mingled with a gloomy drizzle, provided a day of re- laxation for Mrs. Harding yesterday. Arising late and finding the weather inclement, she decided not to go shop- ping, nor to receive any visitors in her suite before evening. P DRPECTTOSETLE Sh30ISSUE SON Senate and House Conferees on Jones-Mapes Bill Take Up Various Proposals. ‘The conferees of the Senate and | MILK DROPS 4G A | SELLIN s AS LOW A4S 14 CENTS A QUART Dairytaen and stores today, an- nounced reductions in the retail price of milk. The prevailing price during Janu- ary, with few -exceptions, was 17 COMts a quart. Today milk was tlling at 14, and” 16 cents a Quart and 7, § and 9 cents a pint, > is L the second drop st Christmas, when the prevailing r tail prices were 1S cents a quarc and ¥ cents a pint. Since the holidays the Maryland and Vir- ginia producers, who supply prac- tically all of the city, have made two reductions in the whole- sale price to the dairymen. D.C. BAKERS' WAGE 15 CUT 15 PER CENT |Labor Department Mediator Grants Employers Biggest Slice Since War. Bakers and confectionery workers in the District of Columbia, of whom |there are more than 700, today re- ceived notice of a 15 per cent reduc- | tion in their wages, which was put into effect this morning. This reduction, which is the only one of any real proportion among the larger industries of this city since the war, was authorized by Rowland B. Mahany, as mediator of the De- partment of Labor, and notices of it were posted today ir. the shops of all members of the Employing Bakers' Association of the District, comprises practically all employing local bakers and confectioners using outside help. The reduction was authorized by Mr. Mahany in response 1o a request made in December by the employing bakers, who declared that some measure of relief was imperative from the con- tract entered into by their organiza- tion with Local Union No. 118, Bakery | | | | I | The employers explained that because | of the increased scale put into effect at that time, which was 90 cents an hour for day and $1.10 for night work, nd with the continued high cost of materials and operation, all of the em- which | and Confectionery Workers, last May. | BAKER GIVES HOPE 100.C. ADVOCATES - OF POWER PROJECT |Secretary Declares Water | Sources Are Needed to Save Nation’s Coal. {SUPPORTS UTILIZING OF EVERY AVAILABLE SITE Suggests Great Falls as Producer for Large Territory—Would Still Need Steam Plants. Secretary of War Baker, presiding today at a hearing before the federal power commission on the Tyler plan to develop Great Falls, brought hope to the advocates of the utilization of the Potomac river at this point for power purposes when he declared that the United States immediately shquld undertake to develop every available power site in the country to save coal. The Secretary of War also injected a new element ‘into the situation with the suggestion that power developed at Great Falls should not be for local purposes merely, but should be mar- . keted to territory surrounding Wash- ington, In which he declared there was a great dearth of electrical power dur- ing the war. He expressed the conviction that the demand for power is so large that there would be no likelihood of exist- ing steam plants beinz put out of business by reason of the development of hydro-electric powcr ut Great Falls, Water Supply Question. Next to the Secretary's suggestions !the outstanding development of the hearing was an urgent plea by En- gineer Commissioner Charles W. Kutz that steps be taken without de- lay to increase the District's water supply. Washington is confronted by a serious situation in the matter of its water supply, said Col. Kuts, who suggested that unless the Tyler or some other plan is early decided upon it may become necessary to pump | water from the river in order to safe- | HouSe on the Jones-Mapes bill relat- | ploving bakers were finding it difficult | 5uard the city againsta water famine. ing to the fiscal relations between the District of Columbia and the federal government, at their first meeting to- day discussed various proposals for | an adjustment of the controversy be- | tween the two houses. Following the meeting hope was ex- pressed by members of the conference that it would be possible to reach an agreement and bring about the en- ! actment of legislation which would settle the controversy over the half- and-half plan of appropriating for the District, which has continued for the last decade. WM Meet Agaiu Next Week. The conferees will meet again next week. At the conference today ‘were Senators Dillingham of Vermont, Jones of Washington and King of Utah, and: Representatives /Mapes of Michigan/ and Ben Johnson. of Ken- tucky. Representative Focht of Pennsylvania, the third House con- feree. was called out of town by ill- ness in his family, and the next meet- ing ‘will not be held until his return. The Jones-Mapes bill was sent to conference at the last session of Con- gress, but the meeting was the first held by the conferees. The bill as passed by the House does away with the half-and-half plan of appropri- ating for the District, and provides that the revenues of the District chall be used, and that the government shall add to these revenues whatever sum is needed to make up the ap- propriation determincd upon by Con- gress. The Senate substituted the Jones bill, which restores the half-and-half plan, authorizes the use of any sur- plus revenues that may ‘have accrued or may accrue in the future, and re- moves the limitation now imposed upon the District Commissioners not to submit estimates for the District in excess of twice the estimated rev- erues. Chances Reported Brighter. The same controversy over the fis- cal relations between the District and the federal govérnment is involved in the pending District appropriation bill, which also has been sent to con- ference. The conferees on the ap- propriation bill, however, have been inclined to walt and see if the con- ferees on the Jones-Mapes bill can reach an agreement. It was said today that there was more hope of an agreement being reached on the Jones-Mapes bill, ap- parently, than had been supposed. TO TAKE UP R. R. MERGER. House Committee to Draft Bill Consolidating D. C. Companies. Chairman Mapes of the House Dis- trict committee announced: today that he had called a meeting for to- morrow morning of the special sub- committee of five members to draft a bill designed to expedite the merger of the Capital Traction Company and the Washington Railway and Electric Company. The members of this subcommittee are Representatives Carl E. Mapes, Michigan; Anderson H. Walters, Penn- sylvania; Clark Burdick, Rhode Is- land; James P. Woods, Virginia, and Fritz G. Lanham of Texas. RAIL APPEAL RECEIVED. esident Has Under Advisement ‘Workers’ Demand for Inquiry. President Wilson received today and took under advisement the tele- gram sent him from Chicago last night by representatives of seven big labor unions asking that he investi- gate claims of railroad spokesmen before the raliroad labor board that} unless there s a readjustment of wages the rallroads face bankruptcy. s about the lobby and on the sidewalc| MILLION TOTS THANK U. S. {Hold Up Dozen Employes 1 Chi- Hungarian Children, Saved From Starving, to Hold Celebratton. PARIS, February 1.—Gratitude for American relief to the children of Hungary is being expressed in a mes- sage to the United States, to which the signatures of 1,000,000 children have been secured, says a Budapest dispatch to the Hungarian agency here today. Fetes are being planned to be held In schools in all parts of Hungary In celebration of the Ameri- can inauguration day, March 4. Sup- plies of clothing and shoes, together with cottgn yarn for knitting in schools afy homes, are being dis- tributed. - ! - to keep going. Some were declared to be operating a loss. Contract Gives Authority. Mr. Mahany’s authority to grant such relief is given by the contract { between the employing and journey- jmen bakers by the following clause: “It is mutually agreed that Mr. Rowland B. Mahany of the Depart- ment of Labor be requested to act as |at that may arise during the life of this contract.” However, relief in the form of this 15 per cent reduction is only tentative, Mr. Mahany states. Fe aiso specifies t this reduction must be subject to a ter on an early presentation of all the facts in the case by each side, either nection he stated in his order: “If, however, a less percentage of decrease be awarded either by myself or successor, such award shall be re- troactive to February 1, 1921. In case a percentage lower than 15 per cent is fixed, then the rebate of such differ- ence shall be immediately repaid to i the employe bakers. sions contained in said agreement, ex- cept as hereby modified, to remain in full force and effect.” Profits Greatly Reduced. Employing bakers pointed out today that there has been a great reduction in profits during the past six months, especially since the middle of Decem- ber, when a general reduction in the retail price of bread was put into ef- fect. In discussing the bakers’ pay cut it was explained that the bread salesmen and bakery wagon men, who work on a 10 per cent commis- sion basis, recelved a big cut in their commissions when the price of bread was reduced, and that the bakers, if anything, have been more fortunate. Of the more than 700 men who will receive this reduced wage beginning today, more than half of them are bakers. The remainder are either confectionery workers or those en- gaged in some auxiliary trade. A meeting of the bakers' union will take place next Saturday at Naval Lodge Hall. At this meeting the matter will be taken up and the stand of the union regarding the rul- ing will be decided upon. No definite action will be taken, according to union_officials, until the meeting on Saturday. — TO PASS ON DRIVING SKILL Traffic Bureau Is Revising Regula- tions—Would Safeguard Permits. Revised traffic regulations, throwing new safeguards around the issuance of operators’ permits and other needed reforms, probably will be ready to be put into effect by March 15, it was predicted at the District building today. Capt. Albert Headley and Lieut. Shelby of the traffic bureau of the police department are now engaged in going over the regulations as recommended to the Commissioners some time azo by a special committee. In connection with the preparation of the new rules, these officers also will assemble all traflic ordinances that are scattered throughout the book of police regulations and put them in one article, where they will be esaily found and memorized by motorists. The new -regulations, it is under- stood, will require applicants for operating permits to apply to the traffic_bureau, where the ability of the applicant to drive a machine will be passed upon. Provision probably will be made in the regulations for an appeal to the Commissioners from an adverse decision of the traffic bureau. The regulations are nearly com- pleted, but the law requires thirty days' notice before they are made effective. - BANDITS GET $30,000. cago Bank, Make Escape. i CHIGAGO, Iil, February 1.—Half a dozen Fobbers entered the Kenwood Trust and Savings Bank, in a south- side business quarter today, and| | escaped in an automobile with more than $30,000 after holding up a dozen employes. CORN IN HIS EAR 32 YEARS. DAVENPORT, lowa, February 1.— A grain of corn which W. A. Santell ot Washington, Towa, placed in his mediator in any changed conditions nal adjudication of the whole mat- | to him or to his successor. In this con- | All other provi- ! Secretary Payne of the Interiog De- ipartment and Secretary Meredith of {the Department of Agriculture, the jother members of the federal power { commission, sat through the hearing | with Secretary Baker and repeatediy | asked questions of the witnesses. Levering Project Explained. J. H. Levering, a civil engineer, who has made a separate study of the | problem of harnessing Great Falls and | transmitted a report on his findings to | ‘he commission, took up a large part | of the session explaining his project, | which, he said, would cost about 000,000, &s against the $53,000, that of ‘Maj. Tyler, covering both ‘water supply.and power devel: features. o The members of the commission showed considerable interest in the | Levering recommendation. ~Secretary | Baker especially questioned him as.to the details of his plan, and stated | that he was impressed by Mr. Lever- {ing’s assertion that the dam which he has devised for Chain Bridge would be stronger thon the one esti- mated for by Maj. Tyler. Other important witnesses at the hearing were William F. Ham, presi- dent of the W. R. & E. Co. and Fran- cis R. Weller, who appeared for he | Washington Board of Trade. Local Company's Interest. Mr. Ham inquired of Secretary Baker if the Great Kalls project was a part of the super-water power de- velopment of the government. He was informed that the proposed de- velopment is not included in the larger program, but may become a part of it_later. Mr. Ham said it _was vital to the Potomac Electric Light and Power Company to know when the power proposed to be developed at Great Falls would become available for use, in order that it might plan wisely as to its expansion program. Secretary Baker agreed with Mr. Ham that this was an important phase of the situation, and stated that if Congress should indicate a willing- ness to develop the Great Falls plan, studies would have to be made to co- ordinate the development of the Po- tomac Electric Power Company with the eventual development of the Great Falls scheme, in order that there might not be unnecessary capi- tal expenditures made by the existing corporation. The hearing attracted a large at-* tendance of representatives of Wash- ington’s business and civic interests. Secretary Baker opened the proceed- ings with an explanation of the plan presented by Maj. Tyler. Turned to Power Hearing. Although Mr. Weller, the first speaker, put the Board of Trade on record as favoring consideration of the water supply phase of the proj- ject in advance of the power de- velopment recommendations, speak- crs who followed Mr. Weller rapidly turned the hearing into a discus- sion of the power development plans alone. It was ndt until near the end of the hearing that Commissioner Kutz rediverted the discussion to the | water supply problem and his re- marks were calculated to impress the seriousness of this situation as prob- ably no utterances by any District officials have at any time since the need of additional water supply be- came apparent. The Commtssioners are interested in both questions, Col. Kutz said, but consider that there is no real econ- omy in combining them. i “The interest of the Commission- ers,” he said, “is largely centered in, the recommendations for an increased water supply. The question of power is considered to be mainly a federal question. That of obtaining an ade- quate water supply 1s a local issue, and the community would expect to share the cost of it. Dangerous to Delay. “It is really dangerous to delay pro- viding Washington with more water,” continued the Commissioner. “We can’t afford to delay a single year in taking steps to increase our supply.” The Commissioner commended the Patuxent river plan for increasing the capital's supply of water. He said the Patuxent offers two advantages—. namely, softer water and a source of supply that is separate and distinct from the present source of supply. Secretary Baker's suggestion that water power sites all over the United States should be developed as a mat- ter of national conservation was warmly seconded by A. E. Seymour, secretary of the Chamber of Com- merce, who declared that if the Great Falls project is put through it would serve as a stimulus to the program for national development of water- power sites. . W. T. 8. Curtis, chairman of the Maryland suburban sanitary commis- | ear when a child, was removed by operation today. It had been lodged in the ear for thirty-two years and had caused Santell much suffering. sion, attended the hearing, as did a number of re] ntatives of the Dis- (Conunu'edonhnz.cfl\_:mu .