Evening Star Newspaper, December 19, 1921, Page 1

WEATHER. Generally cloudy tonight and to- morrow, probably becom! ing unset- tled; little change in temperature. Temperature for twenty- ended at 2 p.m. today: Highest, 63. at 3:30 p.m. yesterday; lowest, 38, at 7 a.m. today. Full report on page 7. | four hours Closing New York Stocks, Page 25. 28,358. Entered as second-class matter post office Washington, D. C. he WASHINGTON, D. C., MONDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1921—-TWENTY-EIGHT PAGES. henit WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION o Star. Member of the Associated Press ‘The Associated Press is exclusively entitled to the use for republication of all news dispatches credited to 1t or not utherwise credited in “his papcr and also the local news published herela. All rights of publication «f -peeial Qispatchos hereln are also reserved. Saturday’s Net Circulation, 86,748 ,~ Sunday’s Net Circulation, 91,190 b TWO CENTS. FRANCE YIELDS ON NAVY DEMAND:; BRIAND ACCEPTS U. S. PROPOSAL; 5-POWER ARMS TREATY EXPECTED Premier Authorizes MESSAGE FROM LONDON |Delegations Recess Harvey to Inform Government. PARIS LIKELY TO SAY | MORE ON QUESTION Interprets Action of Briand As Accepting Plan in Principle. B the Associnted Press. LONDON December 19.—France will accept the original naval ratio laid down by Secretary Hughes at the Washington conference, Premier Bri- and informed George Harvey, the American ambassador. at their meet- inz last night. He authorized the am- bassador to notify the American gov- ernment to that effect. Although Premler Briand's’authori- ion, which has already been con- 4 to the French delegation in nington and the American State tment, makes no mention ol'| ines. there is reason to believe ! e French proposals regarding « craft were discussed by M. «t and Ambassador Harvey. It is «d that the French may have > to say on this subject. ACCEPT “IN PRINCIPLE.” { French Declare No Ratio Is Fixed | in Agreement. P December 19.—A dispatch frem London to the semi-official Heovas agency today s»id that Premier B had informed Ambassador Horvey, in London. that France ac- cepted Secretary Hughes' proposals wcerning capital ship tonnage as llows: United States, 5; England, 5; Japan, 3; France, 1.70; Italy, 1.68. The interpretation put upon Pre- mier Briand's interview with Ambas- sador Harvey in official circles here this forenoon was that France's ac- ceptance of the American point of view as to naval tonnage was an ac- ceptance “in principie” only so far as capital ships were concerned and that it did not alter the French insistence upon adequate allowances of sub- marines and cruisers. 1t was also declared that so far the official_advices received here showed no definite ratio had yet been ac- cepted by France. Retains Submarine Stand. Minister of Marine Guisthau was quoted as saying that Premier Briand, since reaching Londo @xpreki a desire that France adopt the Ameri- can views concerning the limitation of capital ship tonnage, but that no figure was laid down. “Any informa- tion on this question,” M. Guisthau was quoted as saying, “would be pre- mature and inexact.” In official quarters today it was said that France maintains she is entitled to a substantial submarine tonnage by virtue of the fact that she is weak | in other branches of naval equipment. | s also indicated that France will upon a reasonable number of rs for her coast defense. France es to do everything she can to sten naval accord at Washington and to contribute her share in the sacrifices being made. She must, however, it was sald, do all in her power to make America understand | her vital necessity for submarines and cruisers. i SENATOR KING RAPS 1.5 PENSION PLAN Dr. 0. H. Tittmann Is Granted $150 a Month for Life After Lively Debate. A scathing attack on the civil serv- ice generally and the pension system iand | TO SECRETARY HUGHES SAYS PARIS WILL YIELD By the Associated Press. Secretary Hughes was under- stood to have received a cablegram today from London stating that, as a result of conferences between Premier Briand of France and George Harvey, American ambas- sador, France was expected to ac- cept the American proposal for limitation of capital ships. N The advices to Secretary Hughes were said to bear out unofficial re- ports from London that Premier Briand had advised the French delegation here to the Américan proposal of 175,000 tons of capital ships for France and Italy. The French acceptance, it was reported, was on a tonnage, and not a ratio, basis. FRENCH MYSTIFIED ATLONDON EPORT Delegates Here Unable to Understand Reported At- titude of Briand. By the Associated Press. An atmosphere of complete mys- tification enveloped headquarters of the Frénch delegation today as the plenipotentiaries waited for their ex- perts to decipher a long cablegram from Premier Briand. Having asked for a 350,000-ton capi- tal ship fleet for France, the French! delegates could not understand news- paper dispatches from abroad saying that their premier, without their knowledge, had agreed to a strength of something like half as much as French naval experts have recom- mended. See Conditions Imposed. Members of the French delegation apparently believe that if the ratio 1.75 has been accepted it wjll be found that some conditions of first importance are attached. The French place great importance upon the submarine question, and would not be greatly surprised if this was attached to their govetnment's approval of the ratio question. Some surprise is felt at French headquarters over what is regarded as the unusual course taken by Chair- man Hughes in bringing to the atten- tion of the French government the situation which had arisen, through delegation in Washington. there is some astonishment that. whatever may have taken place in Lendon between Premier Briand and Ambassador Harvey, the results of the conversation should not have been an- nounced there before the delegation here had been advised officially of that decision. The feeling still ex- isted among members of the delega- tion that there is a_misconception in Faris and London of the exact status in the naval situation, and that as a result the delegation has been placed for the moment in an unfortunate po- sition. Influence of Sarraut. To understand thoroughly the pos- sible results of such diverging con- ceptions, it is necessary to take into consideration the relation that Albert Sarraut bears to the present French government. Besides being colonial minister, he is one of the proprietors to be the most powerful provincial of La depeche de Toulouse, reputed to be the most powerful provincial newspaper in France, influencing, it is said, the election of some forty mem- bers of the chamber of deputies from constituencies in southwestern France. M. Sarraut’s elder brother, Maurice Sarraut, is a member of the senate and editor of La depeche. An assist- ant_editor and also a part owner is M. Marraud, the present minister of the interior, which has more to do with elections in France than any other branch of the government. Minor members of the delegation have some misgivings as to what might be the consequences in the other channels than the head of thel Likewise, ! ]rm- the civil and military in particu- 1R Ecn "artiament It & misunder: ar was delivered in the Senate this!standing should really arise between afternoon by Senator King of Utah.|M. Sarraut and Premier Briand. The Senate was considering a bill, | which was finally passed, to pay Dr.! EXPRESS WAR TAX ENDS. O. H. Tittmann, former head of the coast and geodetic survey here, a! ion of $150 th a Pemainder of nis mataral life. ¢ ‘"{After January 1 Shippers Will Save $1,500,000 a Month. When the bill was called on the calendar Senator King objected to its consideration, but Senator Spencer; NEW YORK, December 19.—Elimi- appealed to the Senate and Senator nation of the war tax on express EDigaob e A Sionecrled: .| shipments, effective January 1, will Scores Pension System. result in o saving of $1800.000 a “We hav i1i. Imonth for users of this service, G. C. bt ’I“" now for the mili- | povior “president of the American ary and civil pensions,” said Sen-Railway Express Company, declared, ator King. “I am opposed to @ civil (in 4 statement here. Ao s et g St “During the first ten months of the el I don't believe in a . ron"Sear,” he sald, “the tax on civil service system. It's a fraud and jexpress shipments amounted to about a sham. It doesn’t result in effi- |$13,000,000. Xheiaxsrage (express ciency or im; ~ |charge was $1.50 and the average war > provement In the EOV-ii,x'8 cents. Elimination of the tax” ernment service. If we pass this bill | he pointed out, “will virtually amount pretty soon every one in the country |to a decrease in rates of a little over will be going around with a pension |5 per cent, which should tend to on_his back. stimulate business and accelerate the “The pension system is an adjunct |rapidly improving conditions through- of the imperialistic form of govern- |out the entire country.” ment. It has no part in the demo- Today’s News In Brief cratic system of government.” Senators Willis of Ohio, Fletcher Submarine looms as next arms con. ference issue. Page 1 of Florida and Spencer of Missouri and Lodge of Massachusetts supported French delegates here mystifled at London report. Page 1 the measure. Senator Spencer ex- plained to the Senate that Dr. Titt Secretary Wallace emphasizes depres- sion in agriculture. Page 1 mann had a unique record in the gov- ernment service. He was for forty- Rejection and acceptance of Anglo- Irish treaty urged at dail public ses- seven years head of the coast and geo- detic survey and served as boundary commissioner between the United! States and Canada without compensa- | tion—a duty, Senator Spencer added,| sion. Page 1 Which saved the government tens of | Volcanoes spread vast clouds of dust. thousands of dollars. Page 3 He explained to the Senate that Dr. Tittman resigned his position on April 14, 1915, only shortly beford the civil retirement act went into effect. Had he stayed another year he would now be recelving & pension of $3,750 a year. Nevertheless, after this erplanation Senator King Insisted that this bill might be a wedge for hundreds of Rumored Wall street bomb plot fails to materialize. Page 4 Fire destroys four hangers at Lang- ley Field. Page 4 F. H. Smith Company to erect mil- lion-dollar office building at 815-817 16th street. Page 4 Labor Board to consider protest of employes against letting contracts others who left the United States service just before the retirement act became effective in order to get high- «r salaries on the outside. He sald e could see in it no end of a pen- ’sion system, and that even now i »s extending to the municipal gov- crnment. People get their -jobs in the government and keep them for tife. ~ The civil service system pre- vents rotations in office. for railroad work to outside shops. Page 10 $1,000,000 damage by gale at Buffalo. Page 13 Commissioner of pensions urges changes in operation of civil service retirement act. Page 13 Women plan New Year ball in aid of Children’s Country Home. Page 13 for Study of New Move by Paris. {SUBMARINE RISES UP AS LARGE OBSTACLE {Briand May Have Made | Agreement Contingent on Other New Ships. 8 the Associated Press. A five-power treaty to limit naval armament apparently has been ibrought much nearer by a new move on the part of France. Fresh instructions for the French delegation, said unofficially to include Premier Briand's acceptance of the American proposal for French naval strength, reached Washington today ask for a twenty-four hour recess in j the naval negotiations while they de- jcoded the message and pondered its contents. Note of Warning Sounded. Meantime. despite unofficial advices | | 1 1o Tom abroad saying there has been a positive acceptance by the French government, conference leaders are sounding a note of overoptimism. arning against Submarine New Ixsue. I some quarters it is regarded as probable that the message from M. Briand, which is of considerable length, makes the capital ship ar- { rangement contingent on a settlement | regarding auxiliary eraft, which will give France what she wants in sub- { marines and cruisers. Should it turn out, however, that an unconditional acceptance is contained in the premier5s cablegram, a five- Power agreement on ralio might be only a question of hours. With the United States, Great Britain and Ja- pan already agreed as to their own relative strength, and Italy indicat- ing an earnest desire to take her place in any reasonable arrangement, the French attitude s the key to the whole problem. Premier Briand's message reached the French delegation just before the hour set for today’s session of the naval committee of fifteen, and a twenty-four-hour postponement was announced to permit deciphering of the cablegram and its translation into concrete proposals which the dele- gates can lay before the committee. Creates a Sensation. Unoffictal advices from London and Parls saying France had accepted the naval ratio proposed for her by the American government created some- thing of a sensation in arms confer- ence circles today, because the de- velopment generally was interpreted as marking one of the longest steps yet taken toward a naval reduction agreement. Among those who have been di- of the ratio negotiations there has been a confident belief 2il along that the Paris government wculd accept. but even the most optimistic had not expected the agreement to come 8o soon. The request of the French naval experts here for a capital ship tonnage twice as great as that pro- vided in the American plan had brought the negotiations to a rather critical stage, and a long and per- haps stubborn debate had been fore- cast generally. Quick Decision Likely. Some further discussion may be necessary to bring Italy's views into accord with the five-power ratio pro- posal, but no prolonged negotiations on that point are expected. The com- plete American proposal for expan- sion of the three-cornered agreement into a five-power treaty is reported in the Paris unofficial dispatches as providing for a ratio of 1.7 for France and 1.68 for Italy as compared to the 5-5-3 already agreed on for the United States, Great Britain and Japan, respectively. The Italian dele- gation has insisted heretofore that their government should have as large a figure as France. 7 ‘Throughout the discussion, hoWw- ever, the Italians have shown a ten- dency to make every reasonable con- cession in the interest of harmony, if any serious hitch arose over the narrow margin that has been left be- tween the French and Italian stand- ings. Sharp Field of Difference. Once there is an agreement among the five-powers as to the capital ship ratio, the next big question will relate to submarines. In that field a sharp difference of opinion is developing, but there is a general feeling that it will not be permitied to in any way interfere with the underlying agree- ment on ratio. In some quarters it is expected that a plenary session of the conference will be held as soon as there is a ra- tio agreement, perhaps in a few days, at which the definite five-power plan will be formally announced and an opportunity will be given for a pub- lic expression of views as to subma- rines. Great Britain desires to pre- sent to the world her plea for an abolition of the submarine altogether, and France is expected to reply with a statement of the reasons that seem to her valid for retaining a large sub- marine fleet. May Stand With France. American naval experts are known to favor also a comparatively large submarine tonnage in the final tables of national strength, and in that connection must interest attached today to unofficial advices saying Ambassador Harvey had discussed that subject with Premier Briand. In some circles speculation centered about a possible understanding by which the United States and France would stand together against the British submarine position. There was no confirmation that the London agreement was in any way contin- gent on such an understanding, but France is knowa to feel that in the interests of national safety any con- cession she might make on capital ships should be in.some way offset by an assurance of a satisfactory submarine quota. Proposal Still Pussle, Until the inside story of the French attitude becomes known the startling proposal for a 350,000-ton capital ship fleet made to the arms conference last week by the French delegates remains somewhat of a puzzle. Such a tonnage would have given France a ratio of mere than three instead of the much smaller ratio reported, which she now is said to be willing to take. The French delegates contend that their proposal (Continued on Page 2, Column 3.) 4 and impelled the French delegates to| rectly concerned in the latest phase and it would surprise the conference | | lowed to | | | SUBMARIE NEXT CONFERENCE ISUE Settlement of Capital-Ship Problem Near, With Ex- pected Modifications. BY G. GOULD LINCOLN. With the indications today that! France will considerably modify her demands for capital ships under the| proposed plan for the limitation of naval armament. and that this phase of the Washington conference will be successfully passed within a few days at the most, the submarine looms: up as the coming center of attention. France, it Is believed, will ask that her submarine tonnage be ‘“ade- quate —in other words, that she be al- increase her present sub- marine tonnage. Great Britain Opposed. Great Britain, on the other hand, has several times given notice through; her spokesmen here that she is op- posed to the submarine, desires its abolition as a naval arm, and if such abolition is not obtainable she will insist that the submarine tonnage be considerably reduced. In this discussion of the submarine question, it appears that Great Britain will occupy a position in the confer- ence committee comparable to that of France, while the discussion of the capital ship question -is on. In other words, Great Britain will have opposed to her in the demand for the abolition of the submarine the United States, France, Japan .and Italy, just as France has opposed to her on the capital ship issue the| United States, Great Britain, Japan and Italy. Strong Plea to Be Made. The opinion was expressed here today in well-informed circles that France would certainly make a strong plea for her submarine tonnage, and will be in a position to say “We have yielded to the views of the conference on the capital ship tonnage, and now we expect that our demands regarding the submarine shall be given proper considerauion.” The views of Great Britain are that the submarine in the first place is a cowardly, underhand weapon; that it cannot be used as a weapon of war except to prey upon merchant ship- ping. and that wnen it is so used it is only with the violation of all hu- mane rules and iyternational laws relating to the conduct of warfare. The view of American - naval cles is that the submarine may very properly be used as a_weapon of war- rare, and that it can be used and still have the liws of war obeyed. Amer- ican naval officers insist that it is not necessary to use the submarine as it was used by the Germans, for instance, and yet make very efficient use of the undersea craft in naval warfare. * 3 This is the view taken by France, Italy and Japan. France and Italy regard the submarin» as the weap- on of the “weaker” nation. They can be constructed comparatively quickly and at a small relative cost. View- Supported Here, The British will have a measure of support for their contention that the submarine shall be abolished in this country, and, in fact, in all the other countries represented at the confer- ence. There is a considerable part of the public generally who.look with abhorrence upon the submarine, espe- cially since the last war. The British, it has been said, desire to have the submarine question fully discussed. They wish to present their views on the submarine to the whole world. An open session of the Washington con- ference may be called for them to set forth their views. That it is greatly to the interest of Great Britain to bring about the abolition of the submarine, or at least to provide for as small a tonnage as > (Continued on Page 2, Column 6.) i Contintet i PassiE Comm ) bR AT e HEARTLESS BANDITS IGNORE PLEA TO PASS UP XMAS FUND FOR POOR , By the Associated Press. CHICAGO, December 19.—Two Chicago bandite who don’t believe “in Santa Claus today have in their “possession $490 that had been raised to provide Christmas cheer for needy families of South Chi- cago. Patrick H. Moynihan, member of the ‘Illinois commerce commission, who for the last ten years has taken up a collection to buy coal HIS OPPORTUNITY RESIST RENT CHARGES. American Employes , Wili Seek to Have Collection Restrained. - PANAMA, December 1 .-\merican| employes of the nama canal and the Panama railroad have decided | to bring legal action in the Canal Zone district court in an attempt to restrain THO FATALLY SHOT N STRE CLASH |Deputy Sheriff and Sympa- leting rent charges which would be- | E 4 | come effective January 1 under an or- | thizer With Packers’ Em- ployes Die of Wounds. | der issued by President Harding last week. This decision was reached at a meeting of the Canal Metal Trades Council last night. As a result a mass meeting, planned as a protest | I¥ the Associated Press. upon the arrival here of a United | SIOUX CITY, Jowa, December 19, Slates congressional party, has been ; Deputy Sheriff Lewis R. Jones, twen- cancs g i ' cancele j ty-two, son of Sherifft W. H. Jones, jand Hessen Kaled, a strike sympa- { thizer, were fatally wounded in a gun Iflght early today. They died in a hospital. The fight followed an altercation | 1 | between Kaled and Ed. Batman, one 1 i ‘The governmert today won its suit to compel members of the American Hardwood Manufacturers’ Associa- | |tion to terminate co-operative sell-| WILL SEND BILL BACK. House Expected to Grant Senate'’s Plea on D. C. Measure. The House late this afternoon will take action to returm to the Senate the bill changing the fiscal relations between the District and federal gov- ernments. The Senate has asked that this bill be returned. To take such action in the House requires either unanimous consent or a special rule, but it is probable that the bill be sent back today. This measure, which destroys. any fixed proportion of participation by the federal government in paying the expenses of maintaining the National Capital, and which establishes a tax rate of $1.75 has been referred to the House District committee. This com- mittee has controi of the bill unless the House discharges the committec from any fugther consideration of the bill. FARM DEPRESSION DECLARED SERIOUS iSecretary Wallace States Agricultural Crisis Is Worst in U. S. History. TREATY DENOUNCED BY DEVALERA, WHO DRAWS NEW PACT Disclosures Show Leader Of- fered Own Terms at Dail Secret Session. EXCITEMENT IS INTENSE DURING PUBLIC DEBATE i"Every One With Scrap of Honor Is Going to Stand by Agree- ment,” Griffith Declares. : B ! the Associated Press. i DUBLIN, December 19.— Ire- Iand, under the statux granted her by the pending agreement, would have the same right an wend an ambassador to W ton, declared Michael Collins, Sinn Fein finance minister, In arguing for ratification of the Anglo-Irish treaty before the public sesxion of the dail eireann this afternoon. By the Associated Press. 5 | l By the Associated Press. DUBLIN, December 19.—The dail BOSTON, Mas: December 19.—The | eireann, which met shortly before United States is passing through the {noon today and began consideration | for and against ratifica- of motion: tion of t journed {most severe agricultural depression of lits history, Secretary Waliace of the Agricultural Department declared in an {address today before the Boston Cham- | ber of Commerce. Asserting that p or farm crops were lower than at cperience, Sec- | 2 Anglo-Irish treaty, ad- t 1 o'clock until 3:30 p.m. There was every indication that the ccchmaking would continue through omerrow. An inte ting feature of the first retary Wallace predicted that decreased | session was the disclosure that Ea- | production would result in prices “s0|mon De Valera, the republican presi- !high that city consumers will complain | gent, had submitted to last week's | bitterly, for the farmer rannot continue | 1 rivate meeting of the dail an alter- to produce at a loss.” e proposal to the agreement | This condition is undermining agricul- | gjgned in London. He explained he :“‘"P' the base of the “pyramid which |, qone this in an effort to secure ! represents our national ife.”” Mr. Wal-| v nimity in the dail. lace said, adding that the first task of | ithe country was to “bring agriculture {ihrough this critical period with the | {least possible damage."” 1 The industrial east, Secretary Wallac: { declared, may feel the ne Intenxe Excitement Prevails. The fight of Arthur Griffith for rat- of the treaty and that of Eamonn De Valera for rejection were pathetic and thoroughly efficient agricul- sttt ! ture sooner than is realized, since “tre |the outstanding fes of the morn | billions of dollars which we have loaned | ing debate, with Michael Collins yet to Europe must be paid not in gold bu: - i o | to be heard. in goods which compete with our own ! > 8 | mamafactures and which are produced! Intense excitement prevailed }at a cost far below our own, and to meet | throughout the on and the speak- {such competition our own people must| .. were deep with feeling. | have the cheapest possible food. | Outstanding requirements for the| Irelief of agriculture. the Secretary said, are better credit conditions for! 1t was difficult to judge the seati- ment of the dail toward the issue by the volume of applause given the va- i ious me » spoke. It ap- | the farmer, feduction of freight ratesrious members who spoke. 1 lon agriculiural products to the low-|pears to be fairly evenly divided as | est possible level and federal su between Grifith and De Valera. o Vision of such institutions as public| The dail eireann began at 11: lo'clock this morning its public ses on for consideration of the treaty. very seat in the hall was taken when the speaker, Prof. John Mac- Neill, called the meeting to order. i Adoption of the treaty was moved “passing through very much the i, " Apthur Grifith, foreizn minister «me experience that England had in the dail cabinet and signer of the | following the Napoleonic wars. Al-|London agrcement. | though the transition in England from | {an agricultural to a manufacturing | country had set in at the beginning of | those wars, the Secretary recalled, 1t was the severe depressi | tural products that followed and con ! tinved for many vears that finally | { wrought the change of an industiial { nation, he said. 5 ! "“we' are approaching that period wkich comes in the life of every n {tion,” Mr. Wallace said. “when i stockyards, market agencies and grain | exchange: ] Nation Must Decide. | This country now, Mr. Waliace said, | Not Shadows.™ Commandant McKeon of County | Longford, one of the best known of wls!the Irish republican army leaders, | seconded the Grifith motion, saving: “The Irish people want substance, not shadows Immediately after the meeting be- gan argument arose as to whether e document introduced by Eamonn must determine whether we shall|De Valera at the private meeting of strive for a well rounded, self-sustain- | the dail last week should be intro- {ing national lite, in’ whiéh there whall duced at the public sexsion. |be a fair balance between industry | y iand agriculture, or whether, as have | Grifith Urges Ratification. | so many nations in the past. we shall| Speaker MacNeill said Mr. De Valera | sucrifice our agriculture for the build- |, e {ing of cities and expect our food to had reauested ‘:d PR | be produced not by independent farm- | regarded as confidential u ers. but by men and women.of the.forward his own proposal in the pub- DeRsant Vs {lic session. Arthur Grifith and Michael Collins protested against a | course which they declared would re- “Want Substa n in agr w what such an alternative proposal | meant. | After some heated discussion the } | speaker said he could not allow de- | ldate on this point. and Mr. Griffith « Us |then moved the ratification of the treaty. Secretary Weeks in transmitting to| Did Not Demand Recognition. Congress today the first annual report| «Not once did we demand recogni- of the Federal Power Commission in-|tjon of the Irish republic, knowing it cluded a report on the investigation |would have been impossible to secure of the practicability and desirability he said. cir- | Adjourns at 1:30 0°Clock. The conference between Premier Briand and Mr. Lloyd George was adjourned at 1:30 o'clock this after- | noon, when a communique was issued | saying the conversations were on general economic questions. Matters munique, will be referred to British| treasury officials and French experts, | who were directed to confer this afternoon and submit a re) o'clock tomorrow morning. —_— WILL RATIFY U. S. TREATY. Colombian Congress Expected to Adopt Pact This Week. BOGOTA, Colombia, December 18.— The Colombian congress is expected to ratify the treaty between thej United States and Colombia during; the present week. Last week numer- ous addresses were made in the as- sembly in favor of the treaty, notably by Foreign Minister Herrera. The opponents of the measure number about twelve and are headed by for- mer President Conoha. It is esti- mated that the number of deputies favoring approval total fifty. The members of the liberal party, who previously had remained neutral in the campaign for the presidency of the republic, have put up as their candidate Gen. Herrera, chief of the liberal party. and food for the poor of that quar- ter of the city, attended a meeting last night at which $490 was port at 11p% _— [] of more than fifty deputy sheriffs sta- . tioned near packing plants at which employes are on strike, with orders to search pedestrians for firearms. l b b ‘When questioned by Batman, Kaled 1Premiers Meet in London to ! arew a blackiack and struck the dep- > i};[y‘ it was said, and then fled with H Yo i A { Batman in pursuit. The deputy over- Discuss Europe’s Financial | fox the man, wno rew a pisio; and ‘ d i i) j began firing. several bullets striking H ones, who had joined in the pursuit. | and Economic Situation. | 277, ioona atsempt to cacama: Ko e !led was shot by Sherift Jones. } LONDON, December 19.—Premier, Omaha Strike Disorder, Many Hurt. |Briand of France went into confer- | OMAHA, Neb., December 19.—Disor- jence with Prime Minister Lloyd|ders. in which a number of persons |George at the latter's official resi- | were hurt, marked the opening of the {dence in Downing street this morning. | third weelk of the strike in the pack- | It was‘expected that German repara- | ing industry here. {ticns would be the first question con- Police said that numerous clashes jsidered, but the newspapers declare | 0CCUTTed between strike sympathisers y £ and the men working in the packini | the conversations may develop a com- | plants. Extra police were called out i prehensive discussion of the Euro-| to restore order. pean financial and economic situa- —— ]Hon. Others Share Discussion. M. Briand was accompanied into th = conference by Louis P. Loucheur. minister of liberated regions; Phil- ippe Berthelot, general secretary of | the French foreign office, and Prof. Paul Mantoux, who was one of the interpreters at the Versailles peace conference. i They were greeted, besides, by Mr. Lloyd George, Ly Sir Robert Horne, chancellor_of the exchequer, and Sir | |Edward Grigg. A number of ex-|ing methods and agreements alleged jperts ll’]ll'l‘.v(lln| the B:'!ijlll!h‘ treasury werelito have been adopted for the pur- {assembled in an adjoining room, ready imi z i {to be called in for consultation ir|P°S¢ ©f eliminating: competition {necessary. Dr. Rathenau, former min-|among themselves and to maintain Ister of reconstruction, arrived in!and increase prices. ondon s morning, to continue hi: v i Vi negotiations concerning Germany's| L1¢ Eovernment, in carrying its reparations obligations. case to the United States Supreme (‘(lu!’_l‘ charged that the association, consisting of 603 persons and corpora- tions engaged in the production and sale of hardwood lumber, combined and conspired to eliminate competi- | tion among themselves and to en- hance their selling prices in restraint fof trade, and that they did this by | comparin, S and exchanging under an “open co mpetition plan”.the reports that were discussed, said the com-|and bulletins concerning prices, stocks | and production. Justice Clark held it was clear ‘om (he_ evidence that this was a mbination first of all to restrict oduction and a_combination to in- crease prices. The purpose of the rganization, he said, was to estab- lish frequent meetings so as to bring fr about concerted effort to raise prices | regardless of merit in conditions and was unlawful, and that the action of the membership contributed greatly to large price increase. The calling of the organization “an open competition plan” was mislead- ing and misnomer—an old evil in a new dress and a new name, he said. 1t is futile, he stated, to argue tho plan. —_— KAISER AROUSES 1RE. By the Associated Press. BERLIN, December 19.—Official quar- ters do not conceal their displeasure at the publication in the Natlonal Press | of letters exchanged by the former kaiser and Field Marshal von Hinden- burg last spring, in which William gave s views on the question of war guilt. The communications were displayed on the front pages of tl e reactionary news- papers, but none of the liberal or coali- tion organs refer to them. ‘The nationalists’ action in publishing the documents is declared in govern- ‘ment circles to have been “tactless and stupid,™ and calculated to give hostile elements among Germany's former_en- emies a fresh opportuntiy for agitation which possibly may have an inimical effect upon the pending negotiations with the reparations commission. —_—_— of developing water power at Great| Falls to supply the meeds of the Na- | tional Capital and to furnish the Na- tional Capital with an adequate water | supply. | The report has been substantially covered previously in the special re- port from the power commission to Congress under specific_direction in | | the organic act establishing the com- | mission. ! Commixsion’s Recommendationx. The commission recommended that; the supplementary water supply for | the District be considered “separately from power production, since im- mediate addition to the District's water supply was imperatively de- manded and the sepaiation of the two projects would involve no sub- stantial loss either in time or money |should Congress determine to carry | out both projects. | The commission recommended that | {additional water supply be secured | from the Potomac rather than from {the Patuxent and that the work be | immediately undertaken; that the de- velopment of hydro-electric power | from the Potomac is feasible and eco- i nomical; that the plan proposed by | Maj. M. C. Tyler, District engineer, | who had personai charge of the in | vestigation, has the advantages that }it can be developed progressively to meet the growing needs for power, contemplates no substantial loss to those having Investments in existing | steam power plants and will render {unnecessary in the future extensive and costly additions to such plants. MRS. KIRBY CONVICTED IN MANSLAUGHTER CASE ADRIAN, Mich., December 19.—Mrs. Matle Kirby, prominent state temper- ance worker, accused of manslaughter in connection with the disappearance of her nameless grandchild, was con- victed In circuit court here today. The jury reached its verdict early Satur- | Mr. Grifith then dilated on the ad- vantages the treaty would bring ': Ireland. He read a letter which hai been received from Prime Minister Lloyd Ge early in the negotia- tions the government pro- posed making Ireland coequal with the other British dominions and to secure for Ireland a place in the Jeague of nations. The letter also promised the withdrawal of the naval and m y forces from Ire- land when the agreement was ratified. M Griffith said the oath of al- legiance agreed upon was one “which any Irish n can take with honor.” Mr. Griffith said the point in dispute was with regard to the recognition of the king. Those on the other side were prepared to recognize the king as head of the British commonwealth. The al- ternative proposals to the treaty meant that Ireland would be half in and half out of the Pritish empire, whereas un- der the treaty the Irish would go in with heads up. This was the main dif- ference, and he would not sacrifice a single young Irishman for it. -Bound by Homor to Treaty. Mr. Griflith said this was the firSt treaty signed between England and Ire- land as equals dince the year 1172, and it recognized the Irish Free State, the Irish army and Irish control of the purse, He protested against any repre- sentation that the opponents of ‘the treaty were standing by her republic. Mr. Griffith said if the treaty were re- jected and Ireland went to war again she would be fighting against the world. He declared the Irish plenipotentiaries went to London to perform as difficuit a task as could be placed on the shoul- ders of man. (Cheers.) Other men were ked to go fo London, but they bad efused. “We went,” he continued, *“ind brought back a treaty which safeguards the interests of Ireland—by that treaty I'm going to stand, and Every one be- hind us with a scrap of honor is going to stand by it.” He concluded by urging the dail to ratify his resolution and the Irish people everywhere to confirm it. Hearty applause was given him as he CROKER CRITICALLY ILL. MUSKOGEE, Okla., December 19.— Richard Croker, former Tammany chief, is at the point of death at his ‘home, Glenncairn Castle, near Dub- lin, according to a cablegram re. ceived today-by the Muskogee Times:. Democrat, from Mrs. Croker, a for- . mer ’cluskozge ‘woman. L% raised. While en route home he demanded the money. “You don’t want thi argued Mr. Moynihan. lection for the poor kids out here who are hungry and cold. I'm South Chicago’s Santa Claus.” “We don’t believe in Santa Claus,” said the robbers. Moynihan hand- ed over the money. day evening, but upon instruction of Judge-Burton L. Hart the finding was sealed and withheld until court opened this morning. Counsel for Mrs. Kirby immediately moved for a new trial. Judge Hart announced he would hear the motion tomorrow, and the $5,000 bond under which Mrs. Kirby has been held since her preliminary examination was re- newed until that time. resumed his seat. De Valera Flays Treaty. B President De Valera then rose te move the rejection of the treaty. *“I am against this treaty because it will not end the conflict between Great_Britain_and_Ireland ~Continucd on s