Evening Star Newspaper, February 20, 1922, Page 1

Partly cloudy Temperature ended at 2 p.m., 2 p.m. today;lowest, yesterday. Fy'l report No. 2842L THEATER DEFECS BEIVG KEPT FROM L BUT OHNERS Whether Facts Will Be Re- vealed Up to Proprietors, Says Keller. COMMISSIONERS MEETING WITH MANAGERS TODAY Regulation Requiring Steel Cur- tains Declared Neglected in All But One House. The reasons which prompted the Commissioners to close seven theatars Saturday night will not be made pub- lio until the wishes of the owners have been considered, Engineer Com- missioner. Keller announced at noon today. Col. Keller said the Commissioners would meet with the proprietors of those places of amusement at the District bullding this afternoon. ‘Whether the facts on which the city heads acted are to be given to the public after the conference will de- pend upon the feeling of the owners, he sald. “Protected the Public.” “We have protected the public by closing these theaters so that they cannot go there.” I do not believe that we should’ inflict unnecessary hardship upon the owners,” he stated. ‘The colonel said that if, after the conditions laid down by the Commis- sioners are complied with, these theaters are given an O. K. and per- mitted to reopen, the public will have been amply protected. Col. Keller was asked if fire risk was the only reason which led to the closing of Poli's and the New Na- tional theaters. Structural Changes Involved. He replied that there were struc- tural conditions involved in those places as well as fire hazard. The Cpmumissioner was asked about a report that the Metropolitan was closed because of uncertainty about the strength of the marquise in front of that movie house. He replied that the Metropolitan was closed because the committee which inspected all theaters for the Commissioners felt that the r of that structure should be examined. The colonel said. the committee was unwilling to say that the rooffof: the Metropolitan was unsafe. but .felt Xl"lll it should be-thoroughly exa: at once. < ‘The Engineer Commissioner. said that the inspection ‘committee founa minor defects at other théaters which would be called to’the"attention ‘of the owners. If these cosditions can be corrected without closing the theaters they will not be required to close, he said. s i ‘The colonel further stated that. it has been found that only one legiti- mate theater in the city, Keith's ‘Theater, is equipped with a steel fire curtain, as required by the regula- tions. “Does that mean that all other legitimate theaters will be required to_ install steel fire curtains?” the colonel was asked. He answered that all theaters in which the spoken drama is presented would be required to get such cur- tains. Forced to Act Quickly. Col. Keller sald the Commissioners would much have pruferred to call in the owners of the seven theaters in qQuestion for a conference before act- ing, but that time did not permit Sat- urday evening. “If we had received the report of our committee Saturday morning,” he continued, “we would have called in As it happened, the dom- not ready to report until ternoo: s The colonel pointed out that there was no_ time for conferences at 6 o'clock Saturday evening if the thea- ters were to be closed before the night crowds entered them. Feel Justified in Aection. The Commissioners feel that they ‘were fully justified in acting without a moment's delay in closing the seven theaters after they had decided that such actioh was, in their opinion, n ecessary. It was pointed out at the District ‘building today that the Commi ers would have felt responsibl anything had happened Saturday night in any of the theaters that they had decided. at 6 o'clock should be closed for reconditioning. The Commissioners received this morning a letter from Harry Crandall askin that he be informed as qulckfy as possible what- conditions resultéd’ in the closing of that the- ater “that we may promptly conform thereto and minimize both inconven- fence to the public and our already heavy financial loss. In another part of the letter Mr. Crandall said that “aside from any question of unfairness in the taking of the drastic course, we are primar- #ly concerned in that which will give the public the greatest protection.” Discussing the view voiced by some persons that the owners of the thea- ters should have .been told of the findings of the investigating commit- tee and given an o) unity to close voluntarily, Commissioner . Rudolph pointed out that only an hour re- mained in which to act before the night theater crowds would arrive.. Arranged to Meet Board. Alexander Wolf, attorney- for the Motion Picture Theater Owners’ As- sociation, and representing the Métro- politan, Columbia and Cosmos, had a _conference with Commissioner dolph this morning. ‘When he emerged, he said: “I had a very satisfactory confer- ence vit(h the Ctomllmh":: er. - We ar- ranged to meet witl e full boar Tater in the day.” . Owners and managers of the seven theaters closed Saturday evening on order of the District Commissioners today are anxiously awaiting an of- ficial report from . the authorities carrying the specific reasons for the closing of their houses, together with the recommendations deemed neces- sary to make them safe. Officials of: - all the closed theaters have indlicated a willingness to do anything possible to safeguard the public and co-oper- ate with the Commissioners, but are Al loss to understand why th .l the owners of the moving have been Several of picture theaters whic) darkened have receiv ‘official channels, intimatio: ‘‘'why their houses were closed: ~ of them is now maki make the ad WEATHER, nd colder tonight, lowest temperatyre slightly above freezing: tomorrgw unsettled. for’ twenty-four hours /today: Highest, 61, at 45, af on page 7. . Closing New York Stocks, Page 19. 10 pan. Entered as second-class matter post office Washington, D. C. @he T enin WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION . WASHINGTON, D. C, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1922 -TWENTY-FOUR PAGES. 400 BARRED ALIENS SAIL TO SLIP PAST U. S. PORTALS Leave Rotterdam fo: r Cuba and Mexico, With Expectation of Being Smug- ‘gled by BY PAUL SCOTT MOWRER. By Cable to The Star and Chf D N . (‘WY;‘SM. lbfli"a o ROTTERDAM, February 20.—Four hundred European undesirables, who have been denfed admission to the! United States’ by the immigration authorities, have left Rotterdam for Cuba or Mexico ‘within the last few | months with the expectation of being smuggled into the states, it was dis- closed here today. Some are afflicted with chronic diseases, while others of the number are suspected of bolshevism. Many of those in the latter category have been barred from the United States ostensibly because they were in excess of the fixed quota. Little Difficulty Met. These emigrants can hardly fail to reach the United States eventually, it is pointed out here. There is said to be no difficulty whatever in ob- taining . paseports to Cuba and Mexico, and those wHo do not reach the states immediately can proceed thither freely after a years residence in one of those two countries, owing to a loophole in the, American immi- gration law. Several steamship companfes, Dutch, German and even the British, are de- clared to be inoveasing the facilities of their West Indian lines to meet this demand. Transporting immi- grants has always been regarded as i ports within Guard. pl"‘ofl!nble business by these compa- nies. Both the Holland-America and Dutch Lloyd companies have in- creased their services to the Caribbean the last few months. The German lines from Hamburg and Bremen are now preparing to do like- wise. British lines also have been catering to this traffic, responsible authorities here assert. _ The organization on a large scale of this new form of smuggling enables every element which the American people are the most desirous of ex- cluding to force the portals of the United States despite all restrictions. ‘The immigrants who are being sent from Rotterdam to Cuba and Mexico are probably being urged by repre- sentatives of #teamship companies to embark for those countries with the hope that they may either be sur- reptitiously smuggled into the United States or may await the opening of the new fiscal year July 1 for mission, when new quotas will be as. signed for the various countries of the world, under which each country will be given a definite quota, immi- gration officials said today. Embarkation of immigrants for these countries, presumably to_seek admission into the United States, is an_ “old story,” Commis- sioner General of Immigration Hus- band said today. In this connection it was recalled that Secretary Davis said he was without men or money to completely patrol’ the entire gulf coast to prevent entry of undesirable immigrants. PRIVIARIES T0 FIND BIG ISSUES IN AR Representatives Must Seek Return to Office Before Pledges Are Kept. .BY 0. MESSENGER. Primaries for the selection of party | candidates for election 'to .the House | of Representatives will' begin early in the spring—in one great common- ‘wealth, Illivojs, in April. They will be held during the spring and sum- mer months, up to withip one mnnlh? of the November elections. From this time. on, therefore, “to be or not to be”. becomes a question of prime im- portarice-to the members of the low- er house of Corgress and to several hundred ambitious politicians and| ‘would-be statesmen hovering in the! offing. 1 It is inevitable that a number of aspirants for renomination will have to go before their constituencies, in| the face of the early primaries, with an . uncompleted rendition of their| stewardship in the House, lacking final enactment of proposed legisla- tion into law.” They will be fortunate if they have a record vote on some! questions in time to establish lhelrl record and may have to fall back on! “leave to print” their viéws in the| Congressional Record. Many Drawbacks Seen. To be sure, House Leader Mondell as forecast a whirlwind finish of the legislation In hand with an ldjourn-| ‘ment of Congress by Jun: But, alas, the solons say, his roseate estimate, repregenting a consummation devout- 1y to be desired by them, is, to them, ‘shot full of drawbacks. There are three subjects of legisla- | tion classed as of major importance | deemed possible of profound effect ! upon political public opinion, reflected ! in'yotes :in the primaries—the tariff, the bonus and ship subsidy. All these | Qquestions_are highly susceptible of | ' BONUS IS REFERRED 10 SUBCOMMITTEE Problem of Financing to Be Discussed—Sales Tax Will Be Considered. Majority “members of the House ways and means committee referred buck today to the special tax sub- committee” the whole problem of how the soldfers’ bonus is to be financed. It was announced the subcommittee would meet tomorrow srd would go into tke question of & sales tax among other things. - Opponents of the sales tax began to Jay their plans today for a fight against this proposition. Represent- ative Dickinson, republican, Iowa, a jeader of the agricuiturat bloc, called a meeting of republican opponents | for late today. i t was said that aside from re- ferring the finance question to .the subcommittee the majority members discussed the Fordney bill as origi- nally introduced and approyed some slight changes. It is indicated that further action by the majority would awatt a report from the tax subcom- mittee. Coincident with the meeting of the committee the statement was made by a White House official th2 many letters and telegrams had reached President Harding opposing enact- ment at this time of bonus legisla- tion, while the legislative committee of the American Legion made public ia telegram to the President from the legion's national commander, Han- ford MhcNider, asking that the legis- lation be mo longer delayed. The letters reaching the President opposing enactment at this time of bonus legislation greatly outnum- bered those favoring immediate legis- lation, it was said at the White House. Some of the opposition let- ters, it was added, showed, however, a similarity in for. Commander MacNider in his tele- gram declared “the negligible mi- political by-play and malleable 10| nority in opposition can be traced in bending to political ‘crimination, re-nearly every case to certain selfish crimination and distortion—with vital | interests intrenched in great finan- effect. {cial centers who have the most to copdition the ap- In ;:aw of th| Cosareen X roaching campaign for Congress is l'zs‘lrded as' promising to be one of the most partisan struggles for con- trol of the House the country has wit- nessed in many years. It will be not politics “pure” and’ simple, but politics for blood and no quarter need be asked for none will be given. Ship Subsidy Issue Looms. This week is expected to precipi- tate the ship subsidy question in Congress by presentation of the ad- ministration’s plan for rehabilitation of the American merchant marine and a solution of.the Shipping Board's problems in the disposition of the great fleet produced in war time an” now consuming vast sums in upkeep, partial and necessiry, while suffering unavoidable deterioration as well. The ship subsidy question is as old as the republic and in the times of its periodical exigency in Congress has created as sharply defined di- visions as the questions of tarift for protection and tariff for revenue only. Differences of sentiment have been found to follow not only party lines, but geographical as well, and, in such cases, party lines have often merged—or, rather, it should be saud, have been obliterated by opinion in- ducéd by geographical location. There are preliminary evidences that the democrats are putting their house' in order to oppose the admin- istration’s ship subsidy plan, what- ever it may provide, as a party ques- tion affiliated with taxation. Benus Bill Pussling. Talks with senators and xepre- sentatives induce to the bellef that there is a majority sentiment in House and Senate in faver of, the bomus bill, based upon the belief of the dtatesmen that it ix desirea by their constituents. Many of them, however, are now wondering how far that impression may have been cre-|securea by robbers, who broke into !y ated by the campaign of the service men for. the bill, #nd whether it does represent & majgrity opinion of the country; The. , counter waged extent of /the sentiment they may represent. £ T & popular referendum upon this reat TReE o may atixious minda m; ous m| " the l'll'nlm!l. 'I:. asit s o the| the lose by defeat and’ who would profit the most by victory.” The commander said the American Legion did not understand “first commitment and then'retraction” on the bonus qu tion. Finance Question Delayed. The Houde ways and means com- mittee members were not expected when they met to take up the prob- lem of finances for several days. Much of the time today was given over to consideration of the original Fordney bill as amended by a special subcommittee. No changes in the five options con- tained in the measure were made by the subcommittee, but ‘the question of making more attractive the in-| surance, land settlement, home aid and vocational training options, so as to reduce the cash payments to a minimum, was before the entire com- mittee majority. . gestions that “the cash pay- ments be deferred for a year or long- er apparently have not been favor- ably received by \leading republicans 6n the committee and this matter was ted to come up for discussion. Chairmhan Fordney has said that, in his judgment, the b!llflahoull provide for beginning the cash payments Oc- r 1. Mr. MacNider declared in his tele- (Continued on Page 2, Column 2.) POST OFFICE ROBBED AT SILVER spmue,'un.l $200 in Stamps and Cash Stolen. Inspectors llupect_' Boys of Robbery. > ‘About $200n stamps and cash was the, Sfiver :Spring, Md., post office early yesterday morning. The rob- bery was discovered by Postmaster Paign { Donald Clark, ‘who called ‘postal in- ‘spectors to the scene from this city. Entrange was effected by the rob- : 1t.is thought, between midnight Sat and 1 ‘o'clock Sunday moraing. rs are working on the ‘be- | Inspectol BUSINESS REVIVAL BELIEVED NEARING Reserve Board Reports Up- ward Swing of Pendulum Is Impending. Business throughout the country, progressing through well-defined cycles, is nearing the point of the upward swing of the economic pen- dulum, according to the annual report of the Federal Reserve Board trans- mitted today to Congress. “There are those,” the report said, “who belisve that the beginning of revival is not far distant. When it lowéd in due course by a new era of ity.” Business, in one of its “long swings” from prosperity, #he report sald, has followed its usual rotation, which it creasing production; excessive ex- pansjon _and - specuiation, followed hitherto by panic and forced liquida- tion; & long period of slow-liquidatien, business depression and stagnation: and then, revival. “In the light of recent experience,” the report warned, “we should remember, when we again enter into a period of full prosperity, that a reaction will follow' sooner or later; and if the flow of the incoming tide can be controlled so that the crest rise too high the subsequent reaction will be less severe and the next period of industrial and commercial activity and general prosperity will be marked by saner methods, greater achieve- ment along constructive lines, and by a longer duration than any which we have had before.” Earnings Cut Half. The board confined its report to an account of the operations of the or- ganization for the year 1921, without offering any suggestions for legislation affecting the board or the Federal Re- serve System. The earning assets of all federal reserve banks, the report said, amounted on December 28, 1921, to $1,635,851,000, compared with $3,- 263,027,000 on December 30, 1920, a re- duction of $1,727,176,000, or 53 per cent, and a reduction of $1,886,125,000, or 53 per cent, from the high point reached on October 15, 1920. % This reduction in loans, ihe report explained, was accompanied by a steady increase in gold reserves and an |almost continuous reduction in federal {reserye note circulation, the loan reduc- tion continuing despite substantial de- - | cline in discount rates. Gross earnings of the federal reserve banks for 1921, the report continued, amounted to $122,865,000, compared | with $181,297,000 in 1920, the falling off in earnings being due to decline in the volume of rediscounts and reduc- tions in rediscount rates. Member ]hnk borrowings, according to the re- | port, showed a continuous decline from | $2,687,000,000 at the.end of 1920 to about $1,144,000,000 at the end'of 1921, ! due to a reduction of over $500,000,000 in the volume of fedéral reserve notes in circulation, caused “by lower' price levels and by mnet imports of. gold amounting to $667,000,000, practically all of which found its way into federal I reserve banks. = Pay 359974000 in Taxes. As o franchise tax the federal re- serve banke paid into the Treasury $59,974,000 for the year 1921, On December 28, the report ‘contin- e, the federal Tedervs banhe. riid a gold reserve of $2,870,000,000 and a .combined reserve “against. member banks’ deposits - and note iszues of slightly more than 71.per cent. If the legal minimum-reserve of 38 per cent could be set up against deposits, the report added, \there would remain a gold reserve of more than 97, per cent against federal reserve nof in. cir- culation. . “For some months past.” the:report said, “there has been a marked easing in domestic rates of_interest. . Nof | withstanding some unfavorable fe tures in the revenue laws, the inve ment market i8 now absorbing securi- ties at reasonable rates which could | o asieo-| daes definitely_ast jozis will be m.l described as business activity and in-| may not be reached too rapidly nor | l BIG SHOES 71O FILL. | | | Big Rats Kill Calvess Work in Bands, Chasing Prey Until Exhausted PENDLETON, Oreg., February 20~—R. T. Jackson of the United States blologieal survey, has verified a report oi rats killing Rasmussen of thet INEW DIVORCE CODE ADOPTION UNLIELY Little Chance of Enactment of Law at Present Session of Virginia Legislature. From a Staff Correspondent. ALEXANDRIA, Va.,, February There is little, if any, chance of le; lation being enacted ‘at this~session | of the Virginla legislature providing (& more stringent divorce law for the |state. At least that is the view of; Charles Henry Smith, & local attor-! Insy. who represents: Alexandria in |the Virginta ‘house of delegates at {Richmond. He is forced to come to this onclusion, he’ explained, because of the recent trend of events in the legislature. Mr. Smitn ‘13 thé autnor of a bill which provides what is gen- erally considered = stringent divoroce | that the rats n, chasing the ey were ex- then gnawing the hoofs and ¢ 2 denth. LS CONDUETOR TRSTEALNG iPaul Barry Shoots , T. B. C law to take the place of the present Lawler: onfesses After one, and, although he has presented it | with much vigor, he is not optimistic/ Arrest. Tegarding its future outcome. Besides Mr. Smith's biH there are several others - dealing with the divorce law which\will be introduced during the present s one . of which was drafted by mitte€ of lawyers investigating the alleged divorce evil” here. All but Mr. Smith's bill have been thrown into the.discard by the com- mittee on courts of justice of the house of delegates. Delegate Smith is endeavering now to have his bill | brought to the floor of the House for a record vote about the formality of | consideration and report by the com- mittee in question. | He is convinced that the positions jof his bill are such that it would literally solve the present divorce problem. He is convinced that the present law is primarly at fault in the matter of the increase in divorces in ‘this city. . Few Words Would Sufice. Amending the Virginia code by the; addition of only a few words would | sufficiently strengthen it so as to make “easy divorces” not only difi- cult, but probably impossible, accord- {ing to James R. Caton, one of the older members of the local bar and acting president of the Alexandria | Bar Association. Mr. Caton has practiced law for more_than forty-three years, and is prominent throughout the state. In his opinion the present code needs only to be made more definite regard- ing the domicile and resident.require- ments. “The law would be entirely ade- quate,” Mr. Caton explained, “if it specified clearly that the residence of a divorce applicant must be actual, physical and continuous. The addi- Paul de Verral Barry, twenty-eight years old, of 1227 Irving street north- | west, held up, then shot and killed Tyler B. Lawler, twenty-three-year- {0ld conductor employed by the Wash- | ington Railway and Elecrtic Com- pany, about 2:30 o'clock this morning at the Michigan avenue terminal of the North Capitol street car line. He confessed to the police a few hours after his arrest, early today. Barry, who was on_probation in connection with a recent six-year sentence for grand larceny, gave him- self up to B. V: Moran, an employe of the Trinity College for Girls, located a few blocks from the scene of the killing. Police Officer D. W. Coombs of the tenth precinct arrested the self-confessed murderer. Four dol- {lars and some smail change was found lon the prisoner, $2 of which the hold- up man said the robbery had netted him. More than $50 in bills was found {in an inside pocket of the dead con- ductor. f Hunted for a Victim, According to his confession to the police and his written statement, ob- tained by Sergt. Hood, Barry set out from 9th and F streets northwest early this morning with the intertion of holding up and robbing the first man he met who appeared to have money. Carrying with him a .38-call- ber revolver, he walked through the streets . out North Capitol street to Michigan avenue. At Michigan -avenue. Conductor Lawler was changing the car lights when Barry slipped up unnoticed, poked his gun in Lawler's ribs and demanded money. ~Motorman L. A. Dajis, 345 1 street southwest, who [tion of these few words would make war changing controllers, at this{a world of difference and would ui juncture heard Lawler cry out, “Take ‘ questionably teet what is now a dif- it; you can have it.” -Almost simultaneously a shot rang out, followed by two others. Dawvis, Herman S. Schmitt, a resident of 2817 North Capitol street, and several other persons saw the hold-up man run toward the Trinity College, far- ther up the street. Thought He Was Recognised, “I thought that -the conductor rec- ognized me, 8o I kad to shoot him, nervously. explained Barry to the po- Moe. It is mot believed that Lawler knew Barry other than a frequent (pn-annr on bis car, ich passed iIrving street several times a day on its trip to 1ith-and- Monroe streets norflfl:lea(. Bfi'rlr{hu‘l: he' went to the college Wi e idea of confess. ing to some of the Catholic officials WAS touched - upon by Rev. Wiiliam J. there and%o telephone the police. Norfon, pastor™of Christ Church,/in Tre conductor was ‘picked up by |.his sermon here yesterday. After call- Motorman Davis and several -resi-|ing attention to what is considered dents ‘awakened by the " shots and;an evil In connection with the divorce taken to- the Sibley - Hospital, * at | practice, he explained that while not North Capitol. and "Pierce. streets, | wishing fo offer any defense.he did where he-was pronounced dead. One | think it ‘best for the community to .g‘_‘o"'("“.“ on Tade 3 Column 75 withhold its condemnation and judg- ment until the ?mmlnee appointed b; e ficult situation.” Mr. ton is convinced that because of its indefiniteness ‘regarding the domicile requirements the present law has made it possible for some pre- sumably unscrupulous persons to ob- tain divorce decrees upon what might be. considered -as rather flimsy evi dence and without having legally es- tablished ‘genuine residence herean At present thé law specifies that one year’s residence within the state i sufficient, and that the expressed- i tention of an-individual to make h or her home within the tate const! tutes a domicile. The highest cour! in the state has upheld this. '’ should Witkhold Opinton. The divorce-situation In Alexandria t then, he said, not have beer considered Yew | E l S o sert itselr mon! . lons - 2 e an months S6% nave 4 Kar ol & S P O T N until they are now appro: ng par. GO railroad and industrial -bomds havd also appreciated; and there have been ®ome noticeable advances ' in standard stocks. - High' commodity rices and great business activity sually mean lower prices for bonds ang other securities ylelding a fixed income, ~while red commodity and lower money. rates bring market prices for bonds.” prices higher - BANDIT GETS $22,000. NEW YORK, February 20.—William A. Russell, messenger for the-Green- wich: Bank, was robbed of $32,000- turrency today by an' -automob congregation, “but it should be used carefully and intelligently. The public must first get the real facts .|and carefully weight them before' forming positive opinion. and before | i | Wednesday ! The s2n ng upon them.: I for one am e edition of |J iz - The Star will .be issued at I”ffi“fio{?;}?fn'&'fiu o i _ 1 o'clock on Washington's | Fam not femiar with-soacite. do: _birthday--Wednesday, |talls and,-frankly speaking,"l am o Star. {22 'm SEMATEGVESD.C. Member of The Associated - ' an the Associsted Press Press is exclusively entitied to ition of all news dispatches otherwise eredited iz this berein are also reserved.. dispatcies Saturday’s $200,000 THEFTS LAID TO GIRL BANDIT LEADER Chicago Police Hunt Pretty Blonde, Dressed in Imported Gowns, Carrying Automatic. CHICAGO, February 20.—The girl 1€ader of a bandit gang, described as a beautiful blonde, dressed in im- ported gowns, carrying an automatic pisto! and wearing a winsome smile, was being sought by the police. In the past five months this girl and her accomplices have pillaged homes and shops of more than $200,- 000 worth of loot, according to Michael Hughes, chief of detectives. The latest-activity of the band was reported Saturday night, when the woman and two of her man followers boldly walked into a home on the North Side, held up the occupants and stripped the house of furs, jewels and cash. They then walked out and | disappeared as completely as they | have after scores of similar robberies recently. FRENCH DELEGATES, HOME, DISSATISFIED Arms-Envoys, Back in Paris, Uneasy Over Parley Results. By the Associated Press. , . PARIS, February 20.—The French delegation to the Washington arma- ments conference reached Paris today ; on its return from the United States, | its members giving the impression | that they were dissatisfled with the results of their mission, apparently feeling that their visit to Washington had _caused regrettable misunder- standings concerning France in some circles in America. The delegation, headed by Albert Sarraut, minister of the colonies, had planned to return on board the liner Paris. sailing from New York this week, but -being under orders from their government to hasten their de- parture, S0 #8 to make their report | as soon'as possible, made the passage | on La Savoie, reaching Havrg this morning. While the members of the mission | declined to be quoted regarding the | conference, it is learned that they felt disappointed because of the al-+further discuss it on the floor. legation in some American circles that France failed to enter the con- ference in the true spirit of modern lomacy, that she was not ready to | ke sacrifices for the common good | in" lessening the burdens of world | armaments and that she is adhering | to_militarism. ‘ The contention of the French is that nothing could be further from the | truth than these assertions. Their belief, it is indicated, is that France made her great error in not insisting, as a great power, in joining at the outset in the deliberations at Wash- ington over capital ships, from which she was excluded unti Great flll?d ¥y Japan and the United States. Britain, the ratio had ; Net Circulation, 90,584 Sundsy's Net Circulation, 93,023 . TWO CENTS. PRESIDENT UNABLE 10 SUPPLY SENATE WITH PACT DETAILS Mr. Harding Declares It Is Improper to Disclose Con- fidential Negotiations. {“NO SECRET EXCHANGES,” AND NO RECORD, HE SAYS iReply to Hitchcock Referred to Committee—Yap Treaty Is Favorably Reported. President Harding. replying today to the Senate on the Hitchcock resolution asking for information relative to the negotiation of the four-power Pacific treaty, stated it was impossible to fur- nish the requested information because most of the negotiations were conducted without the maintaining of a record. The President said it would not be compatible with public interests to dis- close the confidential negotiations of the treaty negotiators, but he declared that “that there were no concealed undertak- ings and no secret exchanges of notes.” Without discussion the President's letter was referred to the foreign re- lations committee, when it was read in the Senate, the motion being made by Senator Hitchcock. Treaty Favorably Reported. Almost coincident with the arrival of the President’s letter at the Senate the foreign relations committee of that body by a vote of ten to oné ordered favorably reported the treaty between the United States and Japan regarding the Island of Yap. The action followed a two-hour debate in the committee, and was taken after several republican and democratic senators had indicated they would favor reporting the treaty to the Senate, but reserved the right to The single negative vote was cast by Senator Pittman, democrat, Nevada. The President’s reply to the Hitch- cock resolution. which was adopted by the Senate last week, follo Text of President's Reply. “Responsive to Senate resolution, . 237, asking for records, minutes, arguments, debates, conversa.lons, etc., relating to the so-called four- power treaty. I have to advise that |it is smpossible to comply with the | Senate’s request. Many of the things asked for im the resoiution it is Jiterally impos- The anti-French opinion concern- ing France's stand on the question of submarines was attrituted by mem- | Dbers of the delegation to the psycho- | logical fact that France failed to pre- pare public opinion for her subma-| rine desires, as they claimed the Japa- nese did on the question of the| “status quo” in Pacific fortifications. In other word§, the impression was | given that- France neglected to map out -a systematic program for the| ‘confererce, while the early return to| France of former Premier Briand and | Former Premier Viviani tended 8| weaken France's position. One) Frenchman on the way home said: | “Somehow or other we were| jockeyed into the position which | many thought Japan would occupy at ! Washington and which the Japanese themselves feared they would occupy, | namely, the position of defendant.” THREE NEW PARKS, Bill Passed Authorizing Pur~i sible to furnish, because there were many conversations and discussions quite outside the conference, yet vital to its success. Naturally these are without record. “I do not believe it to be compatible with public interests or consistent with the amenities of international negotiations to attempt to reveal informal and confidential conversa- tions or discussions of which no record was kept, or to submit ten- tative suggestions or informal pro- posals, without which the arrival at desirable international understand- ings would be rendered unlikely if not impossible. “While 1 am unable to transmit the information requested, I do, however, take this opportunity to say most em- phatically that there were no con- cealed understandings and no secret exchanges of notes, and there are no commitments whatever, except as ap- pear in the four-power treaty itself and the supplementary agreement, which are now in the hands of the Senate.” Reply Held Unsatisfactory. Indications that the President’s re- ply to the Hitchcock resolution was not satisfactory to the senators who have looked askance at the four power Pacific treaty were forthcom- ing immediately after the reading of the letter. chase of Tracts for Improvements. Senator Hitchdock, the ranking democratic member of the foreign re- lations committee and author of the to Rat guns halt strike rush at text ant. Page €| Rotirement law changes up |;..‘m. Three new public parks for the District of Columbia are authorized under a bill passed by the Senate to- day, They are: The Klingle Ford Valley tract, one of the branches of the Rock. Creek valley, coming in from the west, at the northern boundary of the Zoological Park; the Piney Branch tract, consisting of about seventeen acres, lying east and northeast of the Tiger Bridge on 16th street; the Patterson tract, con- sisting of eighty-one acres in north-| east Washington on the north side of Florida avenue and just west of Gallaudet College. The bill authorizes the purchai of these tracts at the following sum Klingle Ford Valley tract, 6,600 the Piney Branch Valley Park, $237,- 700,, and the Patterson tract, $600,000. It is expected that an effort will be made now to have items for the purchase of this land placed in the District_appropriation bill, before the Senate committee. . The Senate having passed the bill will mal introduction such amendments to the appropriation biil in order. Senator Jones of Washington, Sena- tor Ball: of Delaware and Senator King of Utah stromgly urged the pas- sage of the bill, declaring that the additions to the park system in the District were needed, and that the land could be purchased now far more cheaply than in the future. S ° Today’s News In Brief Attack on Ford Muscle Shoals offer made by air nitrate corporation of- fice : Page 3 tish accept French proposal to let B:‘omnflnl:: deal with German repa- ration reply. Page 3 Francé ‘willlng to let league of na- tions organize Genoa conference. One bundred horses burn in barn at _Indianapolis fairgrounds. Page 4 Representative Kelley would scrap all ‘warships unfit for national dpeleme. ile 10 Taxable incomes for 1919 $4,000,000,- 000 more than in previous year. Page 12 Split in Sinn Fein at Dublin conven- tion now held certain. Page 13 e 13 resolution asking the President for information regarding the four power pact, expressed the opinion that the have to try some other means. of ob- taining information regarding : this treaty. - He said that while he could mot | speak for the committee, he should {imagine it would request Secretary | Hughes to appear before it, as he was the only member of the Ameri- can delegation, apparently, who took part in the negotiations, with Mr. i Balfour, Baron Kato and M. Viviani. Senator Hitchcock said that he was leaving town for a week. Senator Borah of ldaho, republican irreconcilable. who is leading the fizht against the four-power treity said that the President's reply was just what he had expected it to be. He Indicated that it was entirely un- satisfactory. 1t looked this afternoon as though the four-power treaty would be held before the foreign relations comrmit- tee for some time or at least until Secretary Hughes has had an oppor- tunity to testify. SEEK SEATS IN CONGRESS. Two Sisters, Office Holders, Would Be Representatives. ASHLAND, Neb., February 20.— Probably for the first time in the history of American suffrage, two sisters are candidates for Congress year. They are Mrs. Irene; C. Buell, city prosecutor of Ashland, and Mrs. A. K. Gauit, mayor of St T, Minn. S . —_— £ FIGHTERS FALL T0 DEATH, | ! 3 |Plunge Four Stories While Locked in Struggle for Pistol. CHICAGO, February 20.—An fn- { quest into the deaths of Joseph Horan, sixty-five, and Joseph Hussey, forty- two, who, locked in a struggle for possession of a pistol, crashell | through a window and plunged. four i stories last night, will be held today. So heavy was the impact when th bodies struck that a first-floor. plage ‘window 'wkel. neither body tou it. Thi it bqnn‘l in the flat of a foreign relations committee would .