Evening Star Newspaper, April 9, 1921, Page 1

Member of the Assoclated WEATHER. Pross | The Assoriated Press 1o eueiusively entitied o The use for tepublication of all sews dlepaiches credited to It or not otherwise ciediled In \hie Talr and much colder tonight and tomorrow. Tempernture for twenty-four hours ended at 2 p.m. today: Hig am 58, at Full report on page 9. hest, T4, at 11 5 am. today. " Closing New York Stocks P2ty 4 fhe beni WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION g Sfaf. also paper & All_right dispatches hereln are aiso reserved. the loeal news published hereis. s of publication of special Yesterd;y'l Net Circulation, 95,727 Entered as secol No. 28,104 nd-class matter post office_Washington, D. C. WAS HINGTON, D. C, URDAY, APRIL TWO CENTS. 1S, DETERMINATION' TOTURN ONLEAGUE. ‘ Speed, With Which Problems Are Tackled Gains Through Having One Party ENBITTERS EUROPE American Diplomatic Moves‘ Cause Flurry—France Re- fuses to Make Plea. LEADERS STILL AT SEA OVER FOREIGN POLICY Question of Yap Promises to Be | Particularly Thorny — Secret f Treaty May Be Issue. BY PAUL SCOTT MOWRER. By Cable to The Star -:-[l :‘hi;—-:o Daily News. Copsrizht. 1921. PARIS, France, April 9.—The latest manifestations of American diplomacy have caused a considerable flurry and | ne little bitterness in Europe. No sconer was Rene Viviani’s report that . the United States is determined to turn its back on both the league and treaty received in Geneva than'Li:n eois, the French delegate to the 1‘;‘1‘:.‘9 council, rushed to. Paris and Wesought the Frensh government 19 make a last appeal to the United States to save the league. The Frenc! nment refused. 2 ‘?:e;earg that in the present circum- stances to put forward the league would serve only to widen the breach between the United States and the allies. It has therefore on the one hand sent a special agent to Gem\\a to try to keep the league quiet and on the other has instructed M. Viviani| 10 accept the American situation as it is and merely try to get the best con- ditions he can for France. ~What France wants now particularly is the assurance of the moral support of the Tnited States, or at least moral neu- trality. in case France is obliged to deal with Germany by force of arms within the next few months. Leaders Believed at Sea. So far France has received no real satisfaction. Professions of friend- ship for France by republican leaders are naturally appreciated. but only at their face value. Contrary to what the newspapers have said, the Ameri- can reply to the German reparations was not an unmixed delight to France. The last paragraph in particular is generally considered _unnecessarily friendly to Germany. Moreover, Sec- retary Hughes' recent note on the mandates is considered unnecessarily " karsh and sweeping. European lead- ers fail to understand what the new administration is driving at. - France in particular was disposed to help the United States to find an easy way out of the difficulties by a compromise which, without arousing the ill-feeling of the rest of the world. would enable the United States to obtain the advantages it desires, while at the same time escaping Jiuropean responsibil It_seems to uropeans that the U ed States, in- stead of choosing the easy wav, is choosing the hard one. For example, the possibility of war between Japan . and ‘the United States is being dis- cussed here with anxiety. Arguments Bring Irony. The American arguments regarding the peace settlements are received with irony. The Paris Midi para- phrases the situation thus: “] learn with astonishment. says | Tnecle Sam, ‘that the allies pretend to | have signed within the last two years | acertain_number of treaties which they consider binding on the United | States. 1 do not recogmize these | treaties, and at the same time I in- tend to profit by them because I took part in the war.’ ‘But ism't it| true.” timidly ask the allies. ‘that you were represented at the peace con- ference by your own President, which, | Indeed. assured vou such an advan- tage over us who were represented only by premiers that to please the «foresaid President we even had to | praise solemnly the Monroe doctrine, | of which we understood nothing? “‘You are wrong’' replies Incle Fam. My President was by no means authorized to represent me. Whatever | he did and said does not count. Do/ not oblize me to tell you s£o again and. meanwhile. do me tha kindness | to change whatever happens to an noy me in your different treaties.’” Yap Question Thorny. The question of the island of Yap | promises to become particularly | thorny. Prior to the entry of the T'nited States into the war the allies, | under British auspices. in order to | speed up Japan's collaboration made a secret treaty with the Jatter in which they promised to all_of Germany's former islands he Pa- ic north of the equato his ob- viously includes Yap. Arthur Balfour declared before the peace conference, | and his words are on reford, that he | acquainted President Wilson with these secret treaties at the time of | his mission to the United States in | the course of the war. It is true { { | | i Control Al BY DAVID LAWRENCE. The first month of the administra- tion of President Harding has passed so rapidly that to most of the cabi- net officers it has seemed like a week. Viewing the work of the new regime dispassionately and with a recogni- tion of the fact that Rome wasn't built in a day, even the most ardent partisan will admit that a start has been mde on more problems in the last four weeks than was possible in the last year of the preceding admin- istration. This does not necessarily imply crit cism of the officials who tried hard to make progress in the face of inevi table friction betiveen a republican Congress and a democratic executive. But it proves that when all branches of the government are of one polit cal complexion decisions can be made and things accomplished. President Harding was looked upon before his election as a man of more or less leisurely ways. He hasn't proved so in office. He has worked night and day. He has gone at his job with a serious and earnest mind, knowing full well that he must satisfy an impatient electorate. Mr. Harding himself feels that he has made headway on many important mat- ters, but if he were fo speak what is in his heart ne would tell the American public that the individual who invented patronage and the distribution of public offices for political activity was really more of a serpent than the evil genius of ancient Eden. Hungry Constituents. Mr. Harding is pestered day and night by the obligations of politics. It isn't that he owes anybody anything, but members of the Senate and House must be kept happy and they are in turn bothered by hungry constituents. Some idea of Mr. Harding’s feeling was given John Kendrick Bangs the other day when he dropped in at the MISSING BALLOON FOUND BY FISH BOAT IN GULF; NO TRACE OF CREW By the Associated Press. T'ANAMA CITY, Fla, April 9.— The naval balloon which has been missing with five men since it started from the Pensacola naval station for an all-night flight March 22 was picked up in the gulf late yesterday by a fishing boat and brought here today. No trace of the crew was found. | ADMINISTRATION MAKES BRITAIN RECRUTING. OPENING MONTH COUVT% | > | | \ | | Branches. | White House to pay his respects. Long | lines of people had just passed through the executive offices, shaking hands. Mr. Bangs said to the President afterward “It must be tiresome to shake hands Wwith so many people. “Not at all.” replied “It is a relief and relaxation. All day long most of my visitors come to me asking for something—either offices action on public matters. Everybody asking for something. But these people for_anything. They come only with a| smile or a blessing. cheerful faces and good wishes. it's a relief to get their smiles.” 1 And so has been the experience also of cabinet officors. Some of them haven't been able to get very far because of the amount of time they must give to con- | ferences on patronage. One or two of | the cabinet officers who haven't been in | ‘Washington before are amazed at the | | demands of members of Congress. They have been told it is not wise to ignore | Congress, so they yield their time with | good-natured tolerance. 1f the entire membership of Con-. gress were guilty of office-seeking. the government wouldn’'t get anything done. But it is true of a relatively small group, who manage to keep the heads of the departments and their subordinates worried all the time. It used to be the same way under the Wilson administration, and one could almost hear the sigh of relief that went up out of the White House when Congress adjourned and mem- bers went home to mend political| fences. Some Things Accomplished. There can be no catalogue of achievements as yet, nor can any list be more than a cursory one. Yet here are some of the things that have been done since the Harding administration | took office : President Harding has tackled the railroad problem and means to put the full influence of the executive behind (Continued on Page 2, Column CHARITY VAGANGIES BEFORE PRESIDENT Mrs. Cross, Father Kerby, Mr. Nesbit and Mr. Galliher Mentioned as Directors. President Harding has under con- No, | DIRECT PARLEYS - ON YAP ARE URGE French Government’s Note to United States Sent Some Time Ago. known here today, sent a note to the United States some time ago, in of Yap might be settled by direct negotiation between the United States and Japan. note will be replied to the Yap issue merely as a part of the general subject which this gov- ernment elected to discuss as a whole. sideration the names of four per- sons for appointment to the three vacancies existing on the board of charities of the District of Colum- bia. It is not expected that he will make known his selections for at least ten days or two weeks. The four being seriously considered are Mrs. Whitman Cross, one of the leading figures in local welfare and charity work; Father Kerby of the Catholic University; Charles F. Nes. bitt, former superintendent of insur- ance of the District government, and William T. Galliher, president of the American National Bank and one of The French government, it became | the republiean leaders in this city. The first three were nominated by President Wilson for the charity gov- erning board, but their nominations, which it expressed the hope that the |along with those of Commissioners controversy over the Pacific Island | Boardman and Hendricks and many others, failed of confirmation before the closing days of the last Congress Favoritism Cast Aside. i It has been pointed out to the ex- | It is not thought likely that the |ecutive that these persons have been | in_view of [singled out for this service because Secretary Hughes' decision to treat |of their knowledge of and sympathy in the work of the board of charities, and not because of any personal o | political preferment. | the President. : i who come to shake hands are not asking | They come With | i voiunteer workers and “safety units” |a general cessation of work by the The French note was received be-{ The Commissioners, it was learned | fore Secretary Hughes sent his four | today, will not fill ‘the position of | communications on the Yap question {assistant superintendent of the worke. | : testing against the Yap mandate. and the subject of mandates in gen- eral to Great Britain, France, Italy been in reply to the communication ary to the league of nations, pro- France was said to have expresse be settled without involving that gov- ernment as a principal in the dis- cussion. YAP PURELY JAPAN’S ISSUE. France Believes Those Involved Should Settle Cable Questions. By the Assotiated Press. PARIS, April $.—The French gov- ernment considers President Wilson's reservations in the supreme counci regarding the island of Yap to consti- that Mr. Wison made what {he Frengh call a vague verbal TEsefvation re- | garding Yap at the séssion of April | 20, 1919, but he Was present on May | 7 when the islands were given under ‘the Japanese mandate and there is no record apparently of /his ‘having pro- tested. This decisioh was published the same day in all the newspaper. People in Paris, therefore, have di ficulty in understanding Mr. Wilson statement that he wag not aware o any such decision. In' any case ¥rance and Britain are bound in the matter by the treaty with Japan and tcannot easily betray their signa .tures. & TALK WITH PRESIDENT. House Leaders at White House to ! Discuss Legislation. Legislative plans for the special session of Congress which convenes | next Monday were talked over by President Harding today with Rep- resentative Mondell of Wyoming, re publican House leader, and Repre- | sentative Good of lowa, chairman of | the House appropriations commit-§| tee. Budget legislation was understood to have been discussed by the execu- tive with Chairman Good and an agreement was reached for reintro- duction of the republican budget bill| vetoed by President Wilson. Some i expected in the President’s address to Congres It was indicated 1 islation” would b that the budget near the top on the program to be pressed when tarift and tax measures are underway. The immigration bill, which failed at the Jast session. would come next, it was said. then subjects like soldier relic and highway maintenance. ' GRIDIRON DINNER TONIGHT. £ tute a basis for negotiations between the United States and Japan, says the Temps today, in an article rela- tive to the recent American note maintaining that the United States could not be bound by decisions af- fecting Germany's overseas posses- sions made by the league of nations without its consent. (This note was sent by Secretary of State Hughes to anese governments, whose represen- tatives constitute the supreme coun- cil). France would be glad, declares the newspaper, if an agreement could be reached by such negotiations. The reservations of President Wil- son, made April 21 and 30 and May 1, 1919, were mentioned, declares the Temps, in a recent French note on the subject of Yap sent to the Unit- ed States. and this note was com- municated to Japan. The reservations in question, con- tinues the newspaper, were immedi- ately communicated to the Japanese representative on the supreme coun- cil. Therefore, it is held there is no reason for discussion between France and the United States on that ar as the German cabes are rned, it is taken for granted there can be no difficulty in reaching a settlement. France has agreed, as- serts the Temps, that the title and operation of the Brest-New York ca- bie shall be vested in the United States. So far the German cables s that the statement of the Temps. re- reference to the budget question is|garding the island of Yap accurate- | |1y represented the French ment’s point of view. The the American note has not been sent. |according to the foreign office, but it was stated it was understood the | note_would follow the line taken by | the Temps. | BREAD MERCHANT SLAIN. DETROIT, Mich, April 9.—Joseph Bosco, wealthy Side bread mer- chant, was shot and killed early to- day by three men who jumped from The annual spring dinner of the Gridiron Club will be held at 7:30 oclock tonight at the New Willard Hotel. The dinner bell will ring vromptly, it is announced. an automobile and fired fifteen shots at him as he stood behind his deliv- ery wagon. All the shots took effect. The assassins, said by tke police to be feudists, cscaped. R and Japan, and is understood to have | appointed. al the hope that the Yap question might | applicants for the position. the British, French, Italian and Jap-| ¢ 690. govern- | reply to! house at Occoquan, Va., until the new members of the board of charities are 1 ‘The resignation of W. E. Hall from sent by Secretary Colby last Febru- |the position of assistant superintend- | ent of the workhouse has been ac- cepted by the city heads, to take ef- fect April 30. There are a number of ~— TREASURY IS NOTIFIED DISTRICT NEEDS MONEY - T The District Commissioners will | send to the Treasury Department to- day, for transmission to Congress next week, a list of urgent deficiency i1| appropriations amounting to $493.- 827, to meet absolute necessities of the” District government from now until the new fiscal year begins, July 1. One of the largest items in the estimates is for the Municipal Court, which will take over Junme 1 1,200 suits now pending in the District Supreme Court. The change in juris- diction of these cases is the result | of legislation directing the lower tri- bunal to handle all claims up to Heretofore, the Municipal Court has been confined to suits for $500 or less. It is understood the health depart- ment also has several items in the bill that arc necessary to the prop- er operation of that office until the new appropriations become. available on July 1. TOMORROW In the Editorial Section of Tl‘le Sunday -Star MENTODOWORK OF 2,000,000 STRIKERS Rank and File of Workers | Challenge Right of Execu- tives to Issue Call. NEW LABOR PROPOSALS TO LLOYD GEORGE FAIL | Governmeft Calls Army and Navy Reserves for Service if Threat for Tie-Up Is Carried Out. By the Associated Press. LONDON, April 9.—Recruiting of was energetically begun by the gov- ernment today, and other plans were perfected to meet the threat of af widespread industrial tie-up next Tues- day, growing out of the miners’ strike, and involving directly approximately 2,000,000 workers. Meanwhile, however, reports from various parts of England, Scotland and Wales indicate that the triple al- liance executive board may have more to do than the mere issuance of its strike decree in order ¢o bring about railwaymen and the transport work- ers, who, with the miners, ‘make U, the membership of this big labor or-| ganization. Strike C lenged. From Glasgow, Liverpool, Cardiff, Edinburgh and several other im- portant locals of the National Union of Railwaymen comes word that the rank and file are challenging the right | of the railwaymen's national execu- tive body to call a strike without bal- loting by the men. Some of these local bodies of railway workers declare the miners' resistance to the cuts in their wages, which brought about the strike in the coal industry Justifi- able, but they do not consider that they have anything to thank the miners for, and therefore should not be stampeded into a sympathetic walkout. The general purport of these messages from important centers was that the railwaymen and transport workers do not present a solid front on the strike issue. This, it was commented by ob- servers, may account for the silence which the labor leaders maintained after the conference which they had this. morning with the prime minister. Meet Premier Again. After a two-hour conference the only statement for the press was that a deputation might return to Down- ing street later in the day. This sec- ond visit did occur during the after- noon, the labor men meeting the pre- mier and other members of the gov- ernment. It is understood the labor delegates submitted proposals grow- ing out of the meeting which the executive board of the triple alliance had held during the morning. Mr. Lloyd George remained firm, it was stated aftérward, on his insistence upon the pre-eminence of the ques- tion of resuming pumping in the mines. It was said after the afternoon con- ference that another interview be- tween the prime minister and the rail- way and transport delegates might be arranged. Government preparations for meet- ing the emergency created by the threatened walkout of hundreds of thousands of workers next Tuesday midnight were speeded up this morn- ing. Although there was little evi- dence of those activities noticeable, all reservists were under instructio to report at their “places of joining" without waiting for individual notice from the authorities. Defense Units Called. The government’s proclamation call- ing up army and navy reserves for service during the strike invited “loyal citizens, including those serv-| ing with territorial forces, capable of bearing arms and between the ages of eighteen and forty, 10 report at the nearest territorial drill hall for the purpose of heing commissioned or| attested for temporary mill serviee with regular army in new units called | ‘defense units.’ " | The reservists were asked to bring| uniforms, if possible; one day's food, blankets, mess kits and other service gear. The Daily Graphic says Americans in_ England are flooding steamship companies with applications for berths to the United States. “A revolutionary-tide is surging up and carrying us with it,” one of the leading figures of the “triple alliance of labor” told the Daily Mail's special labor correspondent last night. The newspaper declares this may be taken as an explanation of the miners'| point-blank refusal of Mr. Lloyd| George's proposal to first discuss the safety of mines affected by the strike, although many responsible labor chiefs personally profess anxiety to| | arrive at a peaceful solution of the situation. Press Is Pessimistic. Apprehension as to the effect of a nation-wide strike on the chances of the labor party at the next general election is expressed, and it is sug- gested that this fear may play a part in the conversations to be held be- tween government officials and lead- | Read “The Story the Week Has Told™ By Heary W. B Fifteen minutes devoted to reading this column will give you a comprehensive grasp of world developments, ‘A regular feature hereafter, putting The Sunday Star an- other step ahead as the lead- ing newspaper of the Na- tional Capital. | ynreasonable and - ers of the workingmen. “We see no hope to save the nation | from disaster,” declared the Daily Telegraph, in an editorial comment- ing on the fact that the “triple alli- ance” will call its men from their posts Tuesday midnight if the contro- versy is not settled by that time. Other newspapers, however, express the opinion that calm reflection and a respite of four days may reveal new | possibilities in the direction of penm.‘ It is stated in some quarters that the actual calling of the strike was de- ferred until Tuesday night, so that it might be possible to bring about a | resumption of negotiations. The Daily | Graphic suspects that the forces of | labor are “indulging in thein old tac- | tics of saber rattling, and asserts the | ction of the Liverpool branch of the National Union of Railway Men in| declaring against a strike unless a ! ballot of the men favored such action is regarded everywhere as the first | mutterings against the strike. | Water Pouring in Mines. Commenting on the crisis before the | ountry, the London Times say: The business has been mismanaged | throughout by all parties concerned. | The government has been too hasty, and the mine owners have demanded | sudden wage re- | ductions, causing the mass of neu- tral opinion to swing in revolutionary labor win, =1 The menace to the coal mines from ! the stoppage of pumping was ex-| plained by mining authorities today ! as being most serious, owing to the | volumes of water from seepage, whica | 1in some cases amount to thousands of gallons hourly, requiring the con- stant operation of powerful pumps. The greatest damage is threatened in South Wales, where the mines average a thousand feet in depth, and where the hilly topography of the (Continuéd on Pz Celumn ) ¥ v | 7th PROPOSE PARKWAY T0 CONNERT FORTS Commissioners to Ask for Plans of,Drive Connecting Historic Points. ‘The Commissioners will submit to Congress next week a bill calling for an appropriation of $5,000 with which to prepare plans for a connecting parkway between the old civil ‘war forts around Washington. The places of historic interest that would be connected up by the pro- posed parkway are: Forts Greble, Carroll, Stanton, Wagner, Baker, Da- vis, Dupont, Shaplin, Mahan, Bunker Hill, Totten, Slocum, Stevens, Derus- sey, Bayard and Batteries A, Ricketts, Kemble, Vermont and_ Parrott. It is peinted out that a driveway conmecting the forts wouid not only constitute a- valuable addition to the high! system of the National Cap- ital, but would open up a number of recreation centers. Beveral of the points mentioned are already owned by the United States, and, if the bill is enacted, the Com- missioners will take steps to ascer- tain what the others would cost. This will be but one of several pleces of legislation to be laid before the new Congress by the engineer de- partment of the city for extensions and improvements té streets in vari- ous parts of the National Capital. Other Street Improvements. The next most important request will be for authority to extend Mary- land avenue northeast from 15th and H streets to 24th and M streets, which would make that avenue a thorough- fare to the Hamilton tract. That tract is being considered as the site for the proposed new Botanic Garden. Another bill which will be sent to the House and Senate District com- mittees calls for the opening of a new street from 9th to Georgia ave- nue, at a point north of Florida ave- nue. The same bill would authorize the Washington Railway and Electric Company to lay tracks on the pro- posed new street. The object of this extension is to get the cars of that company off of the congested track on Forida avenue between Sth and streets. Under the proposed scheme 9th street cars of the Wash- ington Railway and Electric would reach Georgia avenue through the new thoroughfare, instead of via Florida avenue. The city heads also will seek author- ity to widen and extend Piney Branch road, icholson street, Mon- tague stregt and 14gh street through the Walter Reed re: tion. This is regarded by the Commissioners as an important development of the high- way plan. ‘Would Widen Georgia Avenue. The widening of Georgia avenue to ninety feet - between Fairmont street and Gresham place and the widening of 1st street northeast be- tween G and Myrtle streets is pro- vided for in other bills to be sub- mitted next week. A bill will be sent up with the others authorizing the city heads to sell certain lands at 20th and Jack- son streets northeast, which they do not believe the District needs. THIEVES CARRY OFF SAFE. MIAMI, Fla. April 9.—Burglars last railroad in the Florida East Coast It is said ight house in this city. f{ecgnui d $1,400 in cas| $5,000 in Thecks. |Today’s News . . in Paragraphs Rapid progress made in month by new ‘administration. Page 1 Car merger plan may give new life to Great Falls power project. Page 1 Guilty of murder, Georgia jury’s verdict in peonage case. Page 1 Britain recruiting volunteers to do work of 2,000,000 strikers. Page 1 istrict Commissioners propose parkway connecting historic forts in bill to Congress.. Page 1 B'rith Abraham invites President to at- tend convention. Page 2 Pennsylvania railway officials propose !\:l‘n‘e cut affecting 46,000 employes. Di Page 2 President advised against railroad wage cuts. 4 Page Dawes expected to head corllbhed diers’ relief bureau. Page 3 Secretary Mellon-and Senator Penrose discuss plars for tax revision. Page 3 Army now has no second licutenants. Page 3 $50,000 fund campaign of Visiting ‘Nurse Society indirsed by school asso- clation. Page 3 Tension between Finland and Russia becomes more acute. Page & Citizens to give banquet for John Joy Edson. Page 7 B. M. Baruch makes suggestions on German reparations and interallied indebtedness. Page School optimism urged by Dr. Ballou. Page 12 * h and about |dul 2 [®rs, 9 }understood HOW BEAUTIFYL EVERY THING LOOKS COLDER TOMORROW, FREEZING BY MONDAY, IS WEATHER MAN’S TIP Much colder weather here to- morrow,' with freezing Monday’ morning, was forecast fer the Dis- trict by the weather bureau to- day. Tomorrow. ought to be arf ideal day for walking, with bracing temperatures, satd the forecaster, - who did not expect anything but a light frost tomorrow morning. But Monday night the thermome- ters are scheduled to take a de- . cided drop to about freezing, dupli- cating the temperatures of several days ago. ‘The cold spell will be general throughout the eastern section of the country, extending as far south as Kentucky. CHICAGO, -April 9.—A cold wave following on mild spring weather gripped sections of the middle west today, with freezing temperatures forecast for tonight. The cold ‘weather, accompanied in places by freezing rain and snow, struck northern Illinols, central Missouri, southern Kansas and eastern Ne- braska ‘last night from the west. ‘Temperatures as low as 25 and 30 degrees were predicted for Illinois tonight. WILL STAY AT HEAD OF WAR RUSK WORK Col. R. G. Cholmeley-Jones Is Reappointed Director g of Bureau. COL. R. G. CHOLMELEY-JONES. Reappointment of Col. R. G. Chol- meley-Jones as director of the war risk insurance bureau was announced today by Secretary Mellon. Col. Cholmeley-Jones, who resigned night carried off the 2,000-pound safe | recently to return to private business in New York, is to enter upon the ties of his office at once, the Secre- tary said. He has returned to the de- partment, Mr. Mellon continued, at the request of the Secretary to assist in carrying out the recommendations of the special committee appointed by the President, of which Charles G. Dawes of Chicago was chairman. The committee advised that the task of providing medical and surgical treatment for disabled war veterans be taken over at once by the war risk bureau, under present law, pending action. by Congress upon the other recommendations of the committee, Mr. Mellon explained. CHINA HAS FOOD. Less Than 10 Per Cent Affected Face Hunger, Says U. S. Atta®he. China’s food prol “is one of transportation-and organization, and there-is plenty for the famine suffer- Commercial Attache Arnold re- ported today to the Department of Commerce. Spring crops promise un- usually well in famine districts, he £aid, and will be available in May or June. Mr. ‘Arnold estimated that 6,000.000 persons were affected by the food Bhortage, of whom less than 10 per eent were actually facing starvation. DETROIT SHIPS ALIENS. WETROIT, Mich.,, April 9.—Twenty aliens for whom deportation warrants have been issued left here today for. the east, en route to Russia. It is they will join approx hundred and fiity et mately one at. iy —— GUILTY OF MURDER - INPEONAGE CASE |Williams, Georgia Farmer, Convicted of. Slaying to | Halt U. S. Probe. By the Associated Press. COVINGTON, Ga., April 9.—John S. Williams, accused of the murder of eleven of his negro farmhands to halt a federal investigation of peon- age, was found guilty of murder by a jury in Newton county superior court here today and sentenced to life imprisonment. Motion for a new trial was imme- diately filed, and heasing on the mo- tion set for April §0, at Decatur, Ga., before Judge John B. Hutcheson, who presided at the trial. Daughters Hysterical. The verdict of murder with recom- mendation for mercy, which, under Georgia law, automatically carries a life sentence, was read exactly eight- een hours after the case went to the jury. and was calmly received by Wil- liams. A moment later, as his wife and children began to sob, almost in- audibly, he seemed to be struggling to restrain his own emotions. Mrs. Wil- liams sobbed on her husband’s shoul- der, his arm about her. Just after court adjourned the man’s two daugh- ters became hysterical and were led from the room by friends. _Williams appeared more affected by ‘his family’s suffering than he had been by the verdict. He was specifi- cally on trial charged with the mur- der” of one of the negroes found drowned in Newton county. Clyde Manning, negro farm boss for Wil- liams and jointly indicted with him, testified that on Williams' o; and another negro, afterward Kkilled, had done the killing. Williams had maintained a cheerful ttitude during the trial, and had rder he | ICAR MERGER PLAN MAY GIVE NEW LIFE . TOPOWER PROJECT Great Falls Development Scheme Likely to Be Tak- en Up at Conference. OFFICIALS BELIEVE TIME HAS ARRIVED FOR ACTION Congress Expected to Show Inter- est in Linking River Proposal to Traction Union. Revival of the Potomac river power development project as an important economical factor demanding consid- eration in conjunction with the street railway merger conferences which be- gin next Tuesday appeared probable today. Prominent government officials, it is known, regard the merger move- ment as having given new life to the power scheme, which was reported favorably to Congress by the Federal Power Commission at tne close of the last session. Members of the Public Utilities Com- mission, which wiil participate in the conferences, have not overiooked the connection which the power m: ter has with the case and are much i terested in economies that may be developed in this direction. s Wil Probe Iato Claims. commission. it is belie: will orobe deeply into statements ‘made that the harnessing of the Potomac in conjunction with the merging of local traction and electric light and power interests will do more to reduce street fares and electric light bills than a merger alone. Based on a study made by Col. M. C. Tyler of the Corps of Engineers of the Army, the power plans con- template a joint arrangement between the government and local utilities whereby, the government would buiid a dam ‘at Chain bridge and the util- ities receive the power developed an 1 dispose of it through their existing tributing systems. Col. Tyler estimated this would re- duce Washington’s annual light and power bill considerably. The board of engineer for rivers and haroors and the Federal Power Commission, after going over his estimates, reach- ed similar conclusions. Time for Recommendations. Now that there is probability of the Potomac Electric Power Com- pany, the Washington Railway and Electric Company and the Capital Traction Company being merged into a single corporation, War Department officials believe the-jogical time has arrived for comsidering the Tyler recommendations. < In his report, Col. Tyler said: “With coal costing $7 per ton f.0.b. car at steam stations in the District of Columbia, the power plant out- lined, if operated in conjunction with the central steam stations and di tributing systema of the public utlH ties of the District of Columbia, will deliver power st substations 2 mills per kilowatt hour cheaper than the production. cost steam station switchboard; will earn interest at 6 per cent on capital investment, pay depreciation. maintenance and opera- tion charges, return the capital in- vested in thirty years and conserve, annually, approximately 240,000 tons of coal In agreeing with Col. Tyler that his estimate of saving to the public would be substantially realized, the board of engineers for rivers and harbors also stressed the point that the water plant should be operated in conjunction with the present steam plants. The board said: ““There should be a definite, legally- enforceable contract between the pub- lic utility interests of the District and the licensee for the water power, bind- stoutly maintained his innocence, al-|ing the former to receive and the lat- though having admitted he might be| ter to deliver all available water power technically guilty of peonage, as he|that can be used said he had paid fines for negroes and let them work out the debt. Court Comfirms Verdict. Sentence was formally passed soon afear the verdict was read. Judge Hutcheson_restated the verdict as read by T. R Starr, a farmer and foreman of the jury, and added: ““And the verdict is the sentence of the court.” The verdict was not in exact form, but in open court both sides agreed that it was lekal by Supreme Court decisions and that no exception would be taken. The motion for a new trial was made on the grounds that the verdict was “contrary to the evidence; contrary to the law and without evidence to sup- port it The jury included seven farmers, the five others being merchants, clerks and a barber. Most of the jurors were young men, six of them serving on a jury for the first time. The case went to trial last Tuesday, one day being taken up with arguments for postponement and selection of a jury. The state took little more than a day to present its evidence while the defense relied solely on the unsworn statement of Willlams. REPORTS MORE EVIDENCE. Prosecutor Says Other Slayings of Williams Employes Suspected. MONTICELLO, Ga., April 9.—Evi- dence tending to show that more than eleven negro farm hands on the John S. Williams plantation in this county were slain will be placed be- | tore the Jasper county grand jury next Monday, Solicitor General Doyle Campbell announces here. The so- licitor said no more bodies had been found and would not disclose the exact nature of his evidence, but he seemed convinced he had proof that “several more” negroes would prove | to have met death in what has been jcharged as an attempt on the par of Williams to_halt a federal investi- gation into “affeged peonage on the ) farm.__ i. “The law-abiding people of this 4county intend to see that this thing iis thoroughly gone into,” Mr. Camp- | bell declared, and he added that the |grand jury also would take up its { investigation of the lynching, some itime ago, of Eugene Hamilton, a negro. JURY FREES CONNELL. Decides in Five Minutes at Trial of Peonage Charge in Atlanta. in place of steam power.” Dam Would Cost $13,000,000. Col. Tyler jestimates it would cost about $13,000,000 to build a dam at Chain bridge and meet interest charges during the five years required for construction. Under this plan the existing steam plants would be held in reserve for periods of low-water supply. “The operation of the Chain bridge hydroelectric development in con- junction with the piblic utilities,” he states, “will require no expensive and wasteful duplication of distribution facilities, and, therefore, would ac- complish the distribution of the hy- draulically generated power to the public and the government at mini- mum cost.” Congress has shown interest both in the proposed harnessing of the Po- tomac river for power purposes and the merging of Washington's traction lines. It bas made appropriations for power studies. Members of (.\u!Tre- | this week brought about a preilmi nary conference which led to a cision to institute active merger ne. gotiations. Congressional Inquiry Expected. In view of Col. Tyler's estimates of the saving that would be effected if a power plant were built at Chain bridge and operated in conjunction with existing steam plants, Congress is expected to inquire into the eco- nomic desirability of considering the . power scheme in connection with any merger legislation that may be pro- sed. It is not believed that the power matter will be brought up. however, until after it has n_determined whether the utilities companies can find a basis foz-a merger. The pre- liminary conferences will be directed toward bringing them together on & basis of valuation, relative earning power, outstanding securities or some ‘other foundation of justice and durability. Once the basis of a con- solidation is effected, the conferees will take up the requirements of the %t | superstruc ure, and, in this connec- tion, the Tyler plan undoubtedly will come in for consideration. MERGER BILL IN CONGRESS. A bill providing for the merger of the street raflway lines of the Dis- trict apd the Potomac Electric Pow: Company will be introduced by Sena. tor Jones of Washington, when Con- gress meets next week. Senator Jones will include in the merger bill a provision amending the laws relating to the taxation of street railways in the District, so that an excess profits tax will be levied. This tax is designed to equalize the earning power of the Washington Railway and Electric and the Capital ATLANTA, Ga., April 9.—Willard | Traction companies and to lead to Connell, & well known farmer of |an agreement to & merger. Pike county, was acquitted of the charge of peonage by a jury in the United States district court here. Connell was. charged with unlawfully holding_ & negro named Cornelius Alexander on his farm.. The case was submitted to the jury without argument and a verdict re- turned after five minutes® delfbera- tion. ¥ Sepator Jones is a member of the Senate District committee and has taken much interest in the traction situation in Washington. “If the street car companies in the District can bring about a merger,” said.Senator Jones today, “I believe that many of the conditions mow ex- isting can be remedied. Congress can {Continued on Page 2, Column 6.%