Evening Star Newspaper, December 29, 1921, Page 1

FEn _rules should be passed upon without Fair and/much colder tomorrow; lowest tempera about 20 degrees. ended at 2 p.m. today: 2 pm. today: lowest, 35, last night. Full report on WEATHER. ‘Temperature for twenty-four hours Highest, 41, at tonight and ture tonight at midnight page 7. Closing New York Stocks, Page 24. Entered as seco No. 28,368. nd-class matter post office. Washington, D. C. he Zh WASHINGTON, D. C., THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1921-THIRTY PAGES. WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION ening Sfar. Yesterday’s Net Circulation, 87,548 TWO CENTS. PROPOSAL 10 CU UBMARINE BRINGS CONFERENCE CLASH Americans and British Hold Out for Immediate Action on Rules. THREE OTHER NATIONS WANT EXPERTS’ ADVICE One Delegate Holds World Should Know if Warfare Is to Be Frightful. BY G. GOULD LINCOLN. The American proposal that sub-l marines must observe the usual rules of warfare applying to surface ves- sels in dealing with merchant ves- sels caused a controversy to arise in the meeting of the committee on limitation of armament today. i The American delegation and the British took the positions that these further delay. The delegations of France, Italy and Japan, it was said, took the position that they should ‘e referred to legal experts. Reot Defends Proposals. If it is the intention to permit war- fare in the future on the lines that it was conducted by Germany. through the use of submarines, the world should know it, was the comment of one of the delegates after he left the committee meeting. The committes wiil resume its ses- sions at 3:30 this afternoon. Speeches were made in support of the American proposals regarding the use of submarines by former Senator Root, who proposed them yesterday; by Secretary Hughes, Senator Lodge and Senator Underwood. Mr. Balfour and Sir Robert Borden spoke for the British. The discussion at today's session had to do with the application of the proposed humanitarian rules to other nations not now attending the con- ference. Also, the method of putting the proposed rules into use required grea care in preparation, it was held. Questions relating to naval arma- ment still before the conference com- mittee are: The propoesal of the United States that & 10,000-ton limit be placed upon the size of all naval vessels except capital ships and aircraft carrlers, and that no gun with a caliber larger than eight inches be carried on them.} The proposal of the United States | that the tonnage of aircraft carriers | be ltmitéd as follows: The United States, 80,000 tons; Great Britain,! 80,000 tons; Japan, 48.000 tons; France. | in wartime, are understood to be em-| 28,000 tons, and Italy, 28,000 tons. The | Tnited States also has proposed that | the size of aircraft carriers be lim- ited to 27,000 tons, and that they carry gtns no_larger than those of eight- inch caliber. The French proposal that they be- gin construction of capital ships for replacement in 1927. When these matters have been con- cluded it is expected that an open plenary session of the conference will be cdlled to ratify in open session the agreements negotiated in commit- 1eé. This open session may come the | end of the present week or the first of next week, it was said today. So far, it was said today, no con- sideration has been given in the con- ference committee to the suggestion that another conference of the nations | be called in the near future to at- tempt to settle the limitation of sub- marines and other auxiliary vessels. One of the delegates today called attention to the fact that the calling of a new conference to discuss sub marines and other craft was executive function, and one would properly sbe exercised President Harding, if he saw fit. was stated at the White House sev- eral days ago, however. that President Harding had expressed the hope such a conference would bs called in the event that no decision as to auxiliary tonnage was arrived at during the present conference. Auxiliary Craft Important. The limitation of the size of auxil- fary craft is considered of great im- portance. Unless such a limitation can be had. it was pointed out, cruis- ers and other craft may be built of such a size as to make them prac- tically capital ships, thereby render- ing less effcotive the limitation on capital ships now agreed to. The matter of aircraft carriers also is considered of great importance. As the possibilitics of aircraft, as offensive as well as defensive wea- pons, are developed, the aircraft car- Tier may become an offensive naval Vessel on a par or even of greater menace than the battleship. There- fore, it is considered of much impor- tance to deal with this kind of craft. | A British spokesman has pointed out that the airplane is one of the e fective means of opposing subma- rines, and that if submarines are to be unrestricted, then aircraft carriers i that | by It; may be built in considerable num- |of such capital ships as might be nec- ! essary to replace units in her fleet| bers. He suggested that there might | be some differentiation as to the air- craft carriers for defensive purposes slone and those carried with the battle fleet. Question of Capital Ships. It appears today that the only limi- tation of amount of total mnnazal which will be arrived at during the ‘Washington conference relates to capital ships. It is of interest, there- fore, to see just what the limitation of naval armaments agreed to will accomplish. For instance, under the capital ship agreement, the United States, Great Britain and Japan will scrap sixty- eight capital fighting ships of 2 total tonnage of 1.861,643 tons. This is, of course, a tremendous reduction. So far as capital ships are con- cerned, however, France and Italy, under the agreement, will have to in- crease their capital ship tonnage over what it Is today, to reach the 175,000 tons fixed for them. This means an increase in naval armament instead of a decrease. The failure to agree to any limita- tion on the total tonnage of subma- rines and other auxiliary craft, of cqurse, léaves the nations free to do at they desire in the way of build- BB | FRENCH OBSTRUCTION - IENATING AMERICA Mapped in Europe Tends to Cool Ardor Of Officials Here Toward Future Policy Conferences BY DAVID LAWRENC] France is riding toward a fall so far as she may be expecting the moral help or support of the United States government in the working out of economic problems. o The most far-reaching results are likely to ensue from the French poli- ey of obstruction at the Washington conference. The disappointment over France’s attitude on the limitation of submarines is so great that the strongest kind of talk is heard in of- ficial circles, the net effect of which is to draw Great Britain and the United States closer together as apa from France. Charge Anti-French 'Tacties. The feeling here is that France is unyielding in her attitude on the building of submarines largely be- cause of the Kranco-British friction, which has been geveloping ever since the end of the Kuropean war. The move of France in asking for more submarines is regarded as purely anti-British, and as a means of off- setting what the French claim to be anti-French tactlcs in Europe on the part of the British, especially in re- lation to near eastern questions and | a growing concord as between Eng- land and Germany. While France is making her ges- tures in the great game of European diplomacy, hoping to bring England to terms on continental matters, she is forgetting the effect upon the! United States Unfortunately for France, nobo French policy, which is being mapped out in Europe irrespective of effects upon America. Some observers have suggested (hat France is revenging herself for th failure of the United States tu rati cither the Versailles treaty o~ tha fensive treaty between Great Britain, United States and France. Otaers ure saying that France is playing for a British guarantee of French security, and that at the proper momen: she will yield her demand for :large armament. ARCRAFTRULE TOBE FROPOSED Rules for Their Use Will Be Recommended by Committee. By the Associated Press. Unlimited construction of aircraft, but sharp delimitation of their use bodied in the recommendations decided upon by the subcommittee on aviation of the armament conference. The re- port of the subcommittee was said to be ready for presentation to the| meeting of the land armaments com- mittee, called for 3 p.m. today. The report was expected to explain at length the difficulties foreseen by the committee to effective limitation of fighting aircraft, unless construc- tion of commercial and pleasure fly- ing machines also was curtalled, and to declare the committee’s opinion such an obstacle should not be placed in the way of progress in the field of aeronautics. The committee, however, was said to be of the emphatic opinion that the use of fighting aircraft should be sharply and humanely defined. The formulation of regulations for air fighting has been intrusted to an- other conference committee, that on rules of warfare, and probably will be the subject of a report by that com- mittee. EXPERTS TOTAKEUP SHIP REPLACEMENT By the Associated Press. Naval experts of the arms confer- ence are preparing to take up the capital ship replacement program ‘as soon as the naval committee reaches a point that will permit it to turn to the subject. A preliminary meeting of the experts was scheduled to be held late today after the naval com- mittee adjourned. French acceptance of the 175,000-ton limitation on capital ships still hinges, according to M. Sarraut’s formal statement to the naval committee, on agreement as to details in regard to Ilhe ten-year naval holiday and also on determination of the period of years for which the tonnage limita- tion agreement is to run. He indi- cated that France desired to begir in 1927, four years Lefore the end of the ten-year naval holiday, construction which will have passed the twenty- year mark by 1931 ‘Would Cut Holiday. If this suggestion is accepted, the actual period of the holiday would be cut to six years, as under the origina} American proposal no building was to be started until the full ten years th] elapsed. Naval officials have realized, how- ever, that many things might happen which would make a further, confer- ence desirable before the tén years ere up, and there has beey informal scussion among the delegates of the desirability of calling for another m;;,tlng of the conferenoe in 1926 or 1927. Might Serap Adl Ships. It was pointed ouf today that alr- craft developments or such an advance- ment in the air navigation as produc- tion of a successful helicopter—a self- lifting airship not dependent upon gas for its lifting,‘power and yet capable of hovering in air far above its target and out of yange of guns—might make it advisable to scrap all capital ships and to deal with these new agencies in a new/naval limitition agreement, . 5 in the delegation here | seems to be strong enough to shape ! of Nations. | The most important phase of the | whole matter, at least so far as Eu- |ropean economic reconstruction is | concerned, hinges upon a friendly at- | titude on the part of the Harding- Hughes administration toward Ba- rope. The tendency toward isolation | has been slowly overcome by various moves made by the Harding adminis- !tration, particularly in being willing to attend meetings of the supreme council and in the calling of the ar- |mament conference itself. But the impression created by French tactics here is to cool the ardor of the ad- ministration toward more conferences | with European powers. particularly France. ! Another thing—the supreme coun- | is meeting at Cannes to discuss the | econom, reconstruction of Iurope and there are plans for the bringing | Lof both Germany snd Russia into the !conference. The United States gov- ernment hus been asked to attend. i i | The drift here has been toward par- ticipation, but the extent of Americ interest_in these coming conferences is a matter for the American execu- tive to determine. If the French plan to spend their money for the building of submarines, aircraft and cruisers and Intend to maintain a large stand- ing army. they can hardly hope for the support of the American repre- sentative at the supreme council meetings or in the larger conferences in which Russia and Germany are to i participate. Reealls Paris Events. i In a nutshell. the attitude of the French at the Washington conference | must be interpreted in the light of ibroader events in world diplomac The effect of their obstructive tacti will long be felt in the Washingto dministration in the years immedi- | ately ahead. France has given an| mpression of erratic tactics and dis- jcord which so nearly squares with the jdifficulties President Wilson had at Paris that there is good ground for ‘believing that the Washington ad- s ministration may tend to draw. far- | ther and farther away from European {auestions of an economic as well as political character, until the BEuro- veans themselves, particuarly France, give evidence of & better spirit toward | the maintenance of peace on the con- | tinent. (Copsright, 1021.) {FRANCE AND JAPAN | HOLD KEYS TO MAIN CONFERENCE ISSUES | The fact that the chief milit power in Lurope, France, has heid the key to the whole disarmament phase of the conference, finally ac- cepting the capital ship ratio con- | diiionally today, and that Jgpat, the chief military power of the.Pa- cifice, siill holds the key to the so- lution of all far eastern questions, is slowly dawning on conference observers here. Japan stood behind France in opposition to the original plan of the United States and Brit- ain for reduction in submarines and auxiliaries, but the presenta- tion of the French demand alone | was’ sufficient to close that case before Japan made her whole case. With the question of armament now dispored of, With the exception of various minor limitations fo which there is no great objection anywhere, all eyes here are turned | to seec whether France and Japan will again be found together on far | castern questions and whether | Great Britain and the United States will also find themselves in the same cordial accord which has characterized their joint efforts in behalf of real limitation of arma- ment on land and sea. i | R S e, | CONFERENCE TOAIR SUBMARINE ISSUE World to Know Why Agree- ment Failed at Yester- day’s Meeting. BY PAUL SCOTT MOWRER. The submarine dfspute before the armament conference is not over, by any means. The question has been dropped, with considerable feeling, by the naval committee, but is to be re- vived in the full glare of publicity be- fore a plenary session, which Britain wants and France accepts. Both France and Britain can then rcpeat to all the world the things which they were led into saying to’ and about each other in ,\‘e!terday’s meeting of the naval committee. - Despite the | diplomatic polish of the phrases, these things were what non-diplomatic peo- ple might be justified in calling decid- edly plain speech. The bitterness be- tween these two powers, especially on the side of Brifain, is profound, and is undoubtedly destined to extend, in one form or another, into their future relations. | | | ot Ancurable Bitternens. i It is Mot an incurable bitterness, | Albert Sarraut. minister of colonies, head gt the French delegation, has istated clearly that “when certain iri- tatiAg European political questions fhage been solved” it may well prove | nossible to make agreements to limit hoth land and naval armaments in I'Europe. If France and Britain could, {by_a series of compromises, adjust their political differences a long step toward peace in Europe would have been taken. Until they do the plain- | (Speaking begun between them yester- day is likely to continue. Haunted by the experience of the | [1ast war, Britain wants the submarine abolished. The British argument is that this experience demonstrated that the submarine is of no use against warships and can only be used against enemy commerce in an illegal and atroclous way. With the submarine abolished the British fleet of capital ships, even limited to 500, 000 tons, would be supreme in Euro- pean waters. U. S. Showed Willingnens. The United States, although it has Do direct interest in this submarine issue, abandoned its original proposal ©of 90,000 tons of submarines for Brit- ain and the United States respec- tively, and 60,000 tons for Japan. It made what our delegates called a | | | quarters that the negotiations on re- HORIZON CLOUDED. CONFERENCE TAKES UP AERQ CARRIERS Delegates Tackle Task of| Limiting Something Be- sides Capital Ships. PROSPECT OF NEW CALL BY PRESIDENT GROWING Secretary Hughes Closeted With Mr. Harding Hour—Hope Na- tions’ Views May Alter. By the Associated Press, Its horizon beclouded with many wents of uncertainty. the arms confererce today entered a phase of its negotiations which will determine whether it is to be successful in im- posing limitations on any class of warcraft except capital ships. The immediate proposal before the naval committee when it resumed its session was a plan of the Ameri- can government to limit the tonnage of airplane carriers to be maintained in the future navies of the powers. It is on this proposition and on pro- posals to restrict the use of sub- marines and the size of individual warships of the auxiliary classes that | the American delegation now pins its hope of amplifying the capital ship ready reacned, but to yesterday attached 2! reservation as to replacements. i Root's Proposals Center. Much attention centered about the | proposals of Elihu Root of the Ameri- | can delegation for limiting submarine operations, although it was indicated that no agreement on that feature was in-sight. The delegations will have indicated that they desire further in- structions from their government, on | the point, especially in view of Mr. Rool's suggestion that use of under water craft against merchant vessels | be prohibited entirely. and that sub- marine commanders who violate hu- mane rules of warfare be liable to trial as pirates. It was orivately conceded in all maining issues of the conference had not been made eas:er by vesterday's| xchanges In the committee | ich hegrd France's final re- fusai to lay asidg her submarine pro- gram The open declarations of Ar- thur J. Balfour pf e British group and Albert Sarraut of the French re-{ garding future Anglo-French rela- tions, were talked of as forming an unusual chapter “of diplomatic his- tory and as bringing to the surface of the conference at last the em- barrassments that have complicated relations between London and Paris ever since the armistice. i arly Plenary Session Expected. The British desire to present fur-| ther their views to the publie, and it was indicated in British quarters to- day that a plenary session of the con- | ference might be held within the next three or four dayvs to go over again delicate ground covered yesterday in the committec. 1 The new anzle taken by the nego- iations was described to President Harding today by Sccretary Hughes, who went to the White House before the naval committee met and was closeted for nearly an hour with the chief executive. The trend of their discussion was not revealed, but there were indications that Mr. Harding was seeking some means of at least bringing the powers together at a later conference, when present strains on international relations may have been removed. Some the the dejegates are taking the position, on tie other hand. that no such meeting would be practicable until there appeared unmistakable evidence of a change of view among the disagreoing powers. It was in- dicated today that in the American Eroup there was a feeling that there would be nothing to discus in any naval conference in the near future unless tie Root resolutions regarding submarines are adopted and the ad- herence of the smaller nations to them is invited. Hold Proposals Importa The purpose of the suggested plen- ‘ary session would be primarily to afford an opportunity for a full state- ment of the British view in regard to submarines and auxiliary craft, but it is expected that the Root resolu- tions might also be considered. The American delegates attach a ~(Continued on Page 2, Column 8.) Today’s News In Brief Conference to air submarine dispute at plenary session. Page 1 Merchants' Bank to expand into $1,000,000 trust company. Page 1 French obstruction at conference alienating United States. Page 1 Naval experts to take up capital ship replacements. Page 1 Court upholds embezzlement indict- ment and nine other counts against Gov. Small. Page 1 AMaryland highway commissioner of- fers gasoline tax plan to end auto tag war. Page 1 More evidence dail will accept Irish peace treaty. Page 2 Debs to remain in seclusion at home for several days. Page 2 United States oil producer pleads for import duty on crude oil. Page 2 Gen. Chang says united China has been made possible. Page 3 Lord Lee sees no need for formal ‘Anglo-American alliance. ~ Page 3 French say stand on submarine is final word. Page 3 Siberia asks ald of conference for de- velopment of resources. Page 3 American ideals clash with European ‘militarism in conference. Page 3 Get-rich-quick men scored by speaker before Rotarians. Page 5| District of Columbia man, held in dry case, makes voluntary trip to Balti- more. Page 12 Stewart administrator accused of using position to gain control of companies. Page 14 Jldest Inhabitants advocate monu- ment to honor men who planned District of Columbia tree system. Page 17 Chairman Hull of democratic national committee raps G. O. P. administra- tion. Page 19 Rush pfeparations as German envoy arrives. . © Page 20 La Follette warns farmers of attempt to shackle them. Page 22 Archbishop Hayes makes appeal for . Near East Relief. Page 30 v FORMS $1,000.000 TRUST COMPANY Present Merchants = Bank RJans Great Expansion in Near Future. Application will be made to the Commissioners of the District of Columbia, after the publication of intent to do so, for a charter under the District code for a new trust company to be known as the Mer- chants Bank and Trust Company, capital, $1,000,000, and surplus, $250.000. The new institution will be founded on the present Merchants Bank, 1413 G street northwest, having a capital of $300,000 and surplus and undivided profits, according to the statement of September 6, the date of the latest call of the controller of the currency, of $91.4 with deposits of 32,301 .04, P. A. Drury t6 Be President. Peter A. Drury is the president of the Merchants’ Bank and will also be the head of the trust company. Other officials of the present bank are: Joseph A. Berberich and Ernest Her- rell, vice presidents; Frank Harman. jr., cashier, and Edwin W. Popkins, assistant. Michael J. Keane is coun- sel for the bank. The law requires certain prelimi- nary advertising of intent on the part of the incorporators to apply for a charter for a trust compzny. The first of this publicity will be made to- morrow. Following the reguisite num- ber of publications the Commissioners will be asked for the charter. Will Take Over Bamk. After obtaining the charter the new trust company will take over the Merchants' Bank in its entirety, al- though the practical increase in capi- tal required, $859.000, may be respon. sible for the addition of more share- holders and enlargement of the di- rectory of the big_trust company. The Merchants' Bank, the parent of the proposed new trust company, was founded on the Washington-Southern Bank, of which the late J. Salwin Tait was president. February 10, 1916, the Merchants' Bank was organized and assumed re- sponsibility for the liquidation of lhei Its { deposits of the former institution. record in the few short years has been decidedly prosperous. = It s now housed in its own home, 1415 G street northwest. Bank’s Present Directors. The present board of directors of the bank includes A. E. Beitzell, Joseph A. Berberich, Gustav Bucholz, Barry Bulkley, Harry R. Carrol; Peter M. Dorsch, Peter Drury, Joseph . L Kaveney, Ernest E. Herrell, Frank O'Hara, Roland S. Robbins, Joseph H. Keane, M. Frank Ruppert, Vincent L i | 1 i i QUESTIONS EXPECTED TO HELP PUPILS IN STAR ESSAY CONTEST| School Authorities Believe Queries Will Have Desired Result—Second Set Given Out Today. Belief that the series of five daily questions relating to the conference on the limitation of armament and its developments, the first of which were published in The Star yester- day, will have the desired result of alling contestants in this paper’s prize school essay contest on the sub- ject, “The Arms Conference and Its Significance,” was expressed today by school authorities. Students in the schools, who have been following the conference proceedings carefully, it is believed, had virtually no difficulty in answerfg the initial questions. The second set of questions follow: Why was the program for limiting naval armaments for all craft other than capital ships abandoned? What nation proposed the ten-year raval holiday What is Yap, and where is it? Who is chairman of the conference? ‘Why does France insist on a large No Answers to Be Submitted. Answers to these questions, it emphasized, should not be submitted to The Star. Contestants, however, are advised to secure all information which will enable them to answer the questions inteiligently before writing their essays. By the close of the Christmas holi- days the simple rules for the contest, together with the names of the per- s constituting the board of judges, will have been announced. Uniil that time no essays should be written. In the meantime the essayists are urged o read the conference proceedings as reported in the daily press in order to become more conversant with the problems before it. School ofilcials already have directed the attention of the teachers and children to the is i | | ably will be divided in order that all | [ ] 1 i : | { concise summary of the conference developments as printed datly in The | Star as valuable in studying the his- torical event. Eighty-Eight Cash Prizes. Eighty-eight cash prizes aggregat- ing $1,000 are in store for winners | of the contest. The prizes will be | distributed widely over two separate classes into which the contest prob- contestants submitting meritorious essays will receive one of the awards. | There will be forty-four prizes, | amounting in all to $500, for each of the two probable classes. The classes likely will be grouped as | foliows : : First class—Students in the senior | high schools and the ninth grade of the | Junior nigh schools; students in the pri- vate and parochial schools between the ages of fiftegn and eighteen, inclusive. Second class—Pupils of the seventh and eighth grades of the junior high and similar grades ‘of the ele- | schools: pupils in the private | and parochial schools between the ages of twelve and fourteen, inclusive. The first prize in each of the two classes will be $100, making a total of $200 in first prizes The second prize in each class will be | $30, making & total of $100 in second | s | There will be wo prizes of $25 each in each class for essavists whose work is adjudged third best ~Therefore, a total of $100 will be awarded as third prize: The fourth group will consist of five prizes of $15 each for each class, mak- ing a total of ten prizes, or $150. There will be twenty prizes of §10 each awarded as fifth prizes, or ten | lxmom in each class, making a total of 200 | Fifty prizes of $5 each will be awarded a | By the Ass OV. SMALL'S TRIAL SET AS INDIGTMENT ISUPHELDBY COURT Embezzlement of $500,000 and Nine .Other Counts Stand Against Executive. JUDGE ORDERS OPENING TRIAL ON JANUARY 9 Declares Extreme Importance of Case Demands Immediate Con- viction or Acquittal. trd Press. N, HL, December Judge Claire’C. Edwards of the ci cuit court of Lake county today up- held an indictment charging Gov. Len Small With embezzlement of $500,000 of state funds #nd nine of the thirteen counts on an indictment charging the governor, Lieut. Gov. Fred E. Sterling and Vernon Curtis, a banker of Grant Park, Ill, with conspiracy and oper- ating a confidence game involving $2,000,000 in state money. The court ordered the governor to trial January 9 at 9:30 o’clock on the $500.000 embezzlement charge. Judge Edwards sustained the ai- torneys for the governor and Mr. Curtis in part by quashing an indict- ment charging them, together with Mr. Sterling, with embezzlement of $700,000; and quashed three counts charging conspiracy and the one charging confidence game in the other joint indictment. As a result Mr. Curtis will face trial only on the nine remaining counts of the conspiracy charge. While Mr. Sterling is not a party 1o the proceedings here. he never having asked a change of venue from Spring- field, where the indictments were re- turned July 20, 1921, by the Sangamon county grand jury, Judge Ldwards® tion in quashing the joint embezzle- ment indictment against the governor. lieutenant governor and Mr. Curtis will automatically kill that charge 2gainst Mr, Sterling. Decision Read to Governor. The court’s decision—a 5.000-word document—which goes at length into the arguments of C. C. Leforgee and other attorneys for the defendants in support of their motions to quash— was read in court this aftertoon in the presence of Gov. Small and Mr. Curtis. The decision was marked cathing arraignment of Ch w. Byers, county eclerk of Sangamoi county, who admitted on the stand that the records of his office contain- ing the minutes of the county board which selected the grand jurors wiw subscquently indicted the governor nd feliow defendants, had becn tered. ° “He was a w ling witness" Jud, Edwards s; willing o do wi ever was n. ary to be done to sus- tain these indictments Regarding the changing of the min- ute book, the judge The court is of the opinion. however, that tiix effort w. s unnecessar. Case of Vital Importance. After disposing of the defense mo- tions and detailing his decision on each indictment, Judge Edwards said, in conclusiol “This three standpoints: “First, from the legal principles in- volved, which have been so ably pre- sented. is an important case from as sixth prizes. twenty-five prizes in| each class, making a total of 'SEEK GASOLINE TAX T0 END TAG WAR Maryland Highway Commis- sioner Will Outline Plan to Heads of District. Maryland would be willing to con- Toomey, Michael J. Kean, John R.|sider automobile reciprocity with the ‘Waller, John Walsh, Samuel A. Kim- berly, William Henry White, O. T. Wright, J. Ernest Mitchell and John Zander, all of whom will probably be on the directory of the Merchants® Bank and Trust Company. GREETING TO SECRETARY. Department of Agriculture Em- ployes to Meet Heads. In lieu of a half holiday Saturday afternoon, employes of the Department of Agricuiture will gather at 2:30 p.m. to greet Secretary Wallace in an in- v District if a gasolfne tax could be substituted for the present annual tag license, according to information STATEATTORNEYS Tables of Costs of Necessi- ties to Be Published by U. S. Attorney General. Aid of the attorneys general of the varjous states will be relied upon by the Justice Department in an cffort to readjust retail prices of the necessi- ties of life, Attorney General Daugh- which reached the District Commis-|erty said today. sioners today. It is understood that such a plan|of retail prices has been completed, | for settling the motor tag war be- When the department's investigation {Mr. Daugherty said. it was expected tween the two jurisdicuions will be, that the local authorities in the dif- outlined by J. M. Mackall, Maryland | ferent states would take the neces- state highway commissioner, at a con- gary steps to remedy local situations, ference with the Commissioners and|while the department would act in Capt. Headley of the local traffic bu- reau, at the District building at 11 o'clock tomorrow morning. Outlines New P M. O. Eldridge, director of roads for|} case there were violations of the fed- eral law. Will Publish Tables. Mr. Daugherty said that he expected formal reception to be held by the Sec-|the A. A. A., addressed a letter to En-!to publish a table of the cost of ne- retary and other officials of the depart- ment. Secretary Wallace and Mrs. Wallace, Assistant Secretary Pugsley and Mrs. Pugsley and Dr. E. D. Ball, director of sclentific research for tie department, will be in the recelving line. 3 This will be the first opportunity that many of the employes of the department have had to meet Secretary Wallace, and is in line with the policy begun by Postmaster General Hays, who person- ally shook hands with every employe of the Fost Office Department and tie Washington city post office. —_— LIQUOR SHIP SEIZED. Boston Cusioms Officers Take Over British Schooner. BOSTON, December 29.—The Brit- ish schooner Golden West, with a cargo of alcohol and case liquor aboard, was seized by the coast guard cutter Acushnet while at anchor out- side this port, it was announced to- day. She was towed here by the cut- ter this morning and turned over to customs officers. The latter said they had received word that the liquor-laden vessel, flying_the Union Jack, but said to be owned by a former Boston bartender, ‘was bound here from Halifax, N. 8. | ARV ARSI o P ST ol LT gineer Commissioner Keller on the|cessities—food, fuel, shoes and cloth- | possibilities of bringing about an agreement with Maryland, in which he referred briefly to the new propo- sition, as follows: “We understand that Mr. Mackall has a proposition to submit to you by which he is to suggest that the Dis- trict of Columbia join the State of Maryland In levying a gasoline tax, this tax gradually to replace the present registration rate and to pro- duce the same amount of money. We understand that Mr. Mackall propuses that if the District of Columbia will levy a gasoline tax equivalent i ! to be levied in Maryland, he w¢ in favor of recommending cu reciprocity between the Distri.. Maryland.” ‘Although Mr. Eldridge’s letter does not- mention the amount of the gaso- line tax, the bill pending in the Maryland legislature provides for a tax of 1 cent per gallon. Congress Has Final Say. 1f an agreement should be reached between the Commissioners and the Maryland authorities on that basis, an act of Congress would be necessary to put into effect, Corporation Counsel Stephens stated today. Mr. Stephens pointed out that the Commissioners are without authority to levy such a e ~ad tax. ‘William Ullman, an official of the A A. A, announced today that in any ‘move made to bring about an agree- ~(Centinued on Page 2, Column :2.) 1 at | be | |ing—to the consumer in difterent lo- calities, as compared with the pre duction costs of these commodities, in order to bring to the attention of the public any wide margin between these icosts found to exist. Publication of retail prices as found by the department is expected by Mr. Daugherty to have a salutory ef- | fect upon profiteering prices, and al- iready, he said, announcement of thej | department’s investigation has had ! some effect. | Assoclations Protest. Protests have been received from | some retail trade associations against the investigation, Mr. Daugherty said, but the department’s attitude was that where there was no violation of the law no association had cause for uneasiness. Numerous cases of vio- lations of state laws have been re- ported, he eaid, but federal prosecu- tion would depend upon violation of anti-trust laws. The government. Mr. Daugherty said,’ wants merchants to make a fair profit, but was steadfastly opposed to enormous or unreasonable profits. Increase in the price of bread in the District of Columbia by 1 cent a loaf, when the price of flour was lower than it had been in years, was cited by the Attorney General as an instance of high prices which would be given at. tention in the department’s investiga- 0. i WILL BE RELIED ON =2z vceee “Second. Important to the defend- al to have an immediate trial. Third, All important to I ple of the = of 1llino | Bovernor be eithe con I3 of this offense, or if not that ! he bé acquitted and pérmitted to give | his attention to the duties of the high office which he now holds. “Anything now pending on t docket of this sinks into gniticance iis last point. ‘Accordingly. believing that speedy justice is as much to be desired as | exact Justice, and without consult- ling the wishes of counsel on either | side, the court of its own motion. hereby sets the first of these 1 on Monday, January 9, 18 cases ges against the governor {and lieutenant governor and Mr. Cur- { tis centered around alleged ilie | tices during the term of Gov. as state treasurer, 1917-1919, the term of Licut. Gov. ling as state treasurer, 1 The alleged illegal operations, cording to a “special report” return by the grand jury and made public | by Judge E. S. Smith of Sangamon { county, cons deposit <ted of the | the “Grant Park Bank" at G: a town of about 600 populstion in { Kankakee county, a few miles fron Gov. Small's liome, of _sums state money aggregating $10.000.000, which were then losned to Swift & iCo. and Armour & Co., Chicago | parkers, on notes paying 7 to s iper cent interest. ot more than {2 per cent of this interest was paid i to the state, the grand jury claimed, and the deféndanis are charge : retaining the remainder. State Only Depositor. The “Grant Park Bank,” the grand jury said. was a private institution Which ceased to function in 1908, and which had at the“time of the alleged conspiracy only one depositor, the state of Illinois. Judge Edwards denied the motion lof the defense that the charges be iquashed on the ground that the pub- {lication of the grand jury's “special ireport"—which the defense claims iwas an illegal document—had de- {prived the defendants of their chance lof a fair trial and due process of {law. He said of this report, however, that this court hesitates to give fur- |ther publicity to these findings, so {they will not be herein enumerated. {Suffice it to say that this repott nol {only makes findings of fact involving ithese defendants, but sets forth m {detail the manner and means in and iby which these alleged offenses wer committed. ~It charges that un in- Zenjous scheme was devised by the defendants apd closely adherred Lo !for circumventing the law. and re- . cites in @etail how suid scheme was operated, and was signed by the twenty-three_members of the grand Jury. with k