Evening Star Newspaper, March 13, 1922, Page 1

~ HOPE TO AVERT [T 3 WEATHER. Increasing cloudiness and warmer tonight, probably followed by rain tomorrow. ‘Temperature for twenty-four hours ended at 2 p. today: Highest, 57, at 3 p.m. yesterday; lowest, 32, at 6 a.m. today. Full report on page 11. ) Clieg New COAL STRIKE NEAR AS OFFICIALS LOSE Government Overtures for Conference Between Oper- ators and Miners Fail. AMPLE SUPPLY ON HAND, ACCORDING TO SURVEY U. S. Not Expected to Intervene Unless Welfare of Public Is Menaced. Government officials were represent- ed today as being without hope that the threatened coal strike can be averted or that the proposed con- ference between the operators and miners would be arranged. It was in- dicated that government intervention, at least in the preliminaries of the situation, was practically at an end. Holding that a strike the first of April is almost inevitable, government | officials, according to the view pre- sented today on high authority, now are chiefly interested in seeing that a sufficient supply of coal is main- tained for the country as a whole. Ten Weeka' Supply. The situation with respect to a suf- ficient supply of coal, it was stated on the same authority, is not acute, be- cause there now is at the surface of | York Stocks, Page 18 Entered as second-class matter . post office Washington, D. C. Banker Takes Abused, Penniless Girl To Fill Dead Daughter’s Place. By the Associated Press. CHICAGO, Mareh 13.—Victoria ‘Klenxy, nixteen years old, i modern Cinderella today, be- cnuse she resembles the dead dnughter of a Chicago banker. found ery- Vietoria, e of home by her work, stepped into and woon found h ing fine of the de: whowe father saw Victoria at a detention home. PRICE OF GAS CUT | FROMS 10708105 Similar Five-Cent Cut Or- dered for Consumers on Wholesale Rates. The price of gas to all private households in the District was cut from $1.10 to $1.05 per thousand cubic feet by the Public Utilities Commis- sion today. A similar cut of 5 cents per thou- sand cubic feet was made In the sev- eral steps of wholesale rates a} fol- lows: For users of between 50,000 and 200,000 cubic feet a month, $1 per thousand; between 200,000 and 500,- 000, 95 conts a month; between 500,000 and 800,000, 90 cents, and all over coal mines and in stocks at consuming centers enough coal to last the coun- try for ten weeks, with the prospects, it ‘was added, that this supply will be augmented by production from non- union mines and from operations in union territory, which, Department of Labor reports show, are covered by district settlements between the min- 800,000 feet, 55 cents. Cites Government’s Rates. The commission calls attention in its order to the low rates allowed the federal and District governments for &as and states that had the two gov- ernments pald the regular wholesale rate for the gas they used during 1921 the rate to private consumers a high official today declared, in ex- plaining the policy agreed upon, “must be determined by the extent of the public inconvenlence and suffering which is caused-by the strike.” Not to Ferce Conferemce. It was Intimated that the govern- ment did not propose to enter upon any attempt to force a conference between the operators and the miners, by legal or other means. Secretary vof Labor Davis has gone as far he intends to go in that direction, it was said, by repeatedly and publicly pointing out that the #overnment considers the mine oper- ators of the central competitive fleld to be bound by provisions of the ex- isting national wage contract to enter negotiations for making a substitute national coptract ready to apply by April 1, when the old one expires. If operators will not accept this viewpoint the goverhment considers that it cannot intorfere until the strike develops, and then only in the event that its progress seriously men- aces public welfare. Many operators in the semi-confi- dential exchanges with the Labor De- partment were sald to have taken the position that the wage contract provisions with respect te its re- newal no longer bind them, because of local or district actions by the miners' union which they claim t6 have been in violation of contracts. Government officlals In correspond- ence and conference have challenged this argument on the ground that ‘while the facts may have been as represented by the operators, the co tract generally s been allowed to stay in effect. If the violations complained of have not been sufficiently serious, of- ' ficlals declared, to induce the mine operators during the last year to di clare the entire provisions of the con- tract invalid and to refuse to abide by them, they should now continue to respect it. - Comment was withheld today upon the possibility that railroad labor unions might be drawn into the| struggle after April 1, but there were indications that the department’s agents did not consider this as an imminent factor in the situation. Government Well Supplied. In case the strike shuts oft supplies of fuel, Washington will be in condi- tion to weather it out until warm weather, in the opinion of leading ccal men of the city. The government fuel yards and all government buildings and power plants have an oversized stock of coal in bin for this time of year, G. 8, Pope, chief engineer of the, govern- ment fuel yards, sald today. “We are in excellent shape,” imilar to t in 1919, when that coal strike threa ened. There is a six-week to two- month supply of coal on hand, he said, which is much larger than the go ernment would have here during an ordinary year. “We have prepared for eventualities, in case strike.” Mr. Pope declared. Usually heating plants are cut off with the advent of warm weather, somewhere between, May /1 and May 15, Mr. Pope sald, adding that If there ould be. some earlier spells of! warmer temperature it would be pos- sible to'conserve on the supply al- ready in bin, and that if summer should come 'early, there would be further possibility of letting the fires go cut sooner than usual. But in case the chill continued into late spring, he asserted. no government depart- ment, heating or power plant or school would suffer. ‘While the public was not found to be stocked to quite the comfortable ! margin disopyered in government| ‘buildings, it was believed that many ! householders had a larger supply on hand, in preparation for the strike, a8 they were being urged by the deal- ers to be ready. Fuel for Three Weeks. Otto G. Raymond, president of the Coal Merchants’ Board of e, esti- mated that beginning with April 1, the date set for -the strike, Wash- ington would have approximately enough fuel to. last -two or _three could have been reduced by 3.21 cents per thousand cubic feet. The commission points out that the question of these preferential rates to the local and national govern- ments has been called to the atten- tion of Congress, but that thus far no action has been taken. The price of gas for street lighting is approximately 30 cents per thou- sand cubic feet and for gas in gov- ernment buildings 70 cents Der thou- sand. The commission has no power to change these rates. Order of Commission. . The commission’s order reads in part as follows: “The companies submitted at this hearing a combined statement of actual operations for 1931 and estimated opera- tions for 1923 at the present rates. This statement shows that for the year 1921 the companies earned a rate of return of 9.43 per cent on the average fair val- Ue as found by the comimiasion, while for 1922, at present rates for gas, the return is estimated at 6.33. “In making this estimate for 1922 the companies have assumed the following incresses in the sales of gas over 1921: (Continued on Page 2, Column 3.) —_— WILL STAND FIRM ON SOLDIER BONUS Hoyse G. 0. P. Committeemen +to Report Compromise Bill Despite Protests. Republican members of the House ‘ways and means committee decided at a conference today to stand pat on their determination to report the compromise soldiers’ bonus bill, de- spite objections to its provisions by Secretary Mellon and Controller of the Currency Crissingen. The full ways and means committee was to have met today to take final action on the bill, but this meeting was postponed until tomorrow. Re- publican members, however, met and discussed the letter of Secretary Mel- lon to Chairman Fordney, in which the Treasury head denounced the bill on the ground that it would involve “a dangerous abuse of government credit.” After the conference the republicans sald the ‘bill would be reported to- njorrow to the House with only slight modifications. 'Expects Vote Next Monday. Representative Mondell, republican leader, satd today there had been no change in the plan, which calls for a vote by the House on the bonus bill under suspension of rules next Monday. : One of the amendments agreed to today by republican members of the ways and means committee reduces from 40°to 25 per cent the added benefit war veterans would receive in taking advantage of the home ald op- ti fon. This change, it was explaihed, would place this option on a parity: ‘with the certificate provision. Representative 2wy “democrat, Missouri, in a formal statement at- tacked the bonus bill as a “gold! brick” scheme by which members of | Congresa hope to obtain the votes of | former service men. Declaring that| the measure “proposes to soothe the: alarm of, the overburdened taxpayer and control his vot. Mr. Hawes as- serted that it was a “get rich quick” program which if presented by a pri- vate‘citizen would be outlawed by the “blue sky” law prohibition of every state in the Unfon. weeks. Merchants had purchased more heavily than usual for this sea- son, he sald, in anticipation of the emergency. The drop in prices which is ordinarily expected to take place « on April 1. causes coal merchants, as a rule, to begin emptying-their yards, in order ot to be too heavily stock- « +3 ghénh the drop comes. - This year they have more coal than they would have were it not for the impending wtrike, he said. 4 Coal merchants have been circular- izing their customers urging pur- chase of, not a lar, gup y, but of & ton or two, in order ‘to be ready in case the strike succeeds. They have . appealed to the public to help carry the burden of the risk, pnlntrnt out that If the merchants should " (Continued on Page 2, Column 4.)._ S Calls Bill ‘Unfortunate Child.”" Asserting that as a member of the American Leglon he was not bound to support any kind of bill that nine members of Congress may write. Mr. Hawes further characterized the bill an “‘unfortunate child.’ is ‘bunk’,” the Missouri member contended. Representative Oldfield, Arkansa: one of the democratic members of th committee, announced today that at n tomorrow he would offe: ments, one to reinsert in the the cash payment feature elim- inated by republican members, and the other to levy an excess profits tax 85 a means of financing the 0y project. ame! bill IS FOR HOME USERS| ot 3 ¢ 41001118 WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION —_— e WASHINGTON, D. C., MONDAY, MARCH 13, 1922—TWENTY-SIX PAGES. ~ BRTISH SEIZE 20 IN AFRGAN REVOL: SIUTS NEAR DEATH Bullet Strikes Automobile Carrying Premier—Rebels -Briven Back. CHARGE FOREIGN FUNDS FINANCED REVOLUTION Capture of Spies and Documents Bares Red Plot With Strike , as Cloak. Ry the Associated Press. PRETORIA, Union South Africa, March 13.—Government forces are proceeding with great success against the revolutionists, according to an official communique issued today. ‘The statement says: “The total number of prisoners taken in the operations In the central area is 2,200, Our forces occupied with but slight casualties the high ground around Westcliffe. “In the eastern area Maj. Gen. Van Deventer's troops forced the revo- lutionaries to retire into Benoni. In the western area our forces reached Krugersdorp (twenty-two miles north- west of Johannesburg), and are now pushing eastward. We have occupled Rietfontein (in British Bechuana- land.)" Money From Abrond.- LONDON, March 13.—An agency dis- patch from Johannesburg this after- noon sgys: “Through the capture of sples and documents it was learned that the/ money for the ‘red revolution,’ came from abroad. “It {8 expected that peace will soon be restored.” It is belleved in officiaP circles, the message states, that there will con- tinue to be small setbacks, such as the loss of isolated posts, but as re- gards the general result little doubt Is felt. Heavy casualties have been inflicted upon the revolutionarley, in addition to the capture of muu.\hzn 2,200 of Strike Only Cloak. Premier Smuty Issued a $tatement today, Reuter's Johannesburg corre- spondent says, declaring that the present revolutionary movement is the work of extremists who are using the strike at the mines as a cloak for the dissemination of syndicalist views, The premier declares the mil- itary posjtion iz well in hand, and with the co-operation of the loyal citisens who are actively supporting the government it should not take Iong to re-establish peaceful condi- ons. - Premier Smuts in his statement adds that while a general sttike in South Africa has been deciared, the mass of workers and trade unionists out- side of the Rand have refused to be ampeded into it. The outstanding feature of the situation has been the exemplary behavior of the natives. Smuts Escapes Assassin. JOHANNESBURG, Union of South| Africa, March 12.—A shot was fired at the automobile containing Gen. Jan Christian Smuts, the premler, to- day, as he was being driven toward the Rand, near Potchefstroom. The premier was not hurt, although a bullet struck the car. Gen. Smuts has issued a reassuring statement predicting an early resto- ration of peace. This prediction seems justifiable in view of the easing of the situation in some direc- tions and the rapid concentration of the goverhment forces, The troops have captured 1,500 ! revolutionists at Sophiatown and Erixton ridge, besides clearing the neighboring ridges, an important achievement, as the positions were rong and the rebel occupation pre- sented grave menace. Alirplanes dropped thirty-two bombs on revolu- tionists surroundingla party of police in the Brixton area, cpusing numer- ous casualties and scattering the others, many of whom surrendered. ‘he government Issued a long com- munication this afternoon, declaring that the operations were proceeding very satisfuctorily and that strong forces were rapldly converging. MONCURE ISSUES GRAND JURY CAL ‘| heard an Divorce Charges and Many Criminal Cases to Be Investigated. Special Dispatch to The Star. / ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 13.—A special grand jury today was ordered summoned by Judge Robinson Mon- cure of the corporation court to meet at 10 o'clock Friday morning in the corporation court to probe into the alleged divorce evil In this city and also 'to consider a large number of criminal cases now pending. This jury will be composed of the following: Mayor James M. Duncan, Kenneth W. Ogden, Willlam Désmond, Frank T. King, George K. Brawner, Elliott F. Hoffman, Samuel W. Pitts, Walter C. Drury and Benjamin Ab- ramson. It is within the province of. this jury to summon any persdns within the jurisdiction of Virginia. ' It, is expected that the jury after first' disposing of the criminal cases on the docket will probe into the .alleged divorce aqvil. It is expected that a number of per- sons who know about the alleged di 'vorce ""lohr:nv.he'm :; fi;-}mm to P his ?neu Be. the firat time that the POLICE PUSH WAR ON BOOTLEGGERS| Oyster Summons Captains to Map Out Campaign Against Rum-Runners. Determinéd to break up bootleg- ging in the National Capital if possi- ble, Commissioner Oyster, in charge of police affairs, has summoned the precinct captains to meet with him | at the District building tomorrow to, map out a more Intensive campaign | against rum-runners. This conference will be followed by a simifar talk with precinct detec- tives and plain clothes men signed to enforce the eightcenth amendment. While the Commissioner helleve-l the police department as a whole "X making every effort to capture booze | peddlers, it 'Is understood he féels that one or two precincts are mot. might. The Commissioner still has a flying | lt“udron organized to make war on! whisky sellers, and whenever th preci are unable 1o get evidence D the ldentl to the violators, other methods will be adopted for those localities “We want to get the ‘big fellows,” ™ sald Capt. Oyster today, discuseing the bootlegging situation. “The little oncs, who deal in small quantities, must be getting it from some larger source. and those are the places to be | wiped out.” Commissioner Oyster indicated plain- ly today that he has confidence in the ability of the men who make yp the police department to enforce the law, and intends to support them in their efforts. ! Approves Star's Crusade. { Belief that The Star's crusade against poisonous and injurious boot- leg liquor will be the means of sav- ing human lile was expressed today by Maj. Sullivan, superintendent of police. *1t certainly will cause some drink- ers of liquor to be more careful,” he | 'satd, “and is so much 1n the cause of humanity that it should appeal to everybody. I have no doubt It will be the means of saving human life. It will make some drinkers fearful of what they are buying from bootleg- gers and drinking without urst ex- amining the stuff purchased. “l am greatly pleased with The Star's campaign against the sale and drinking of poisonous liquor. If the publicity does not save human life it will be the fault of the victims. They | certainly have had ample warning.” Inspector Grant, chief of detectives, who has come in contact with many victims’ of the poisonous flulds mas- | querading as whisky and gin, told a Star reporter he thought the report of the health department chemist should be enough to make everybody shun bootleg whisky. Lures Some in High Places. It is not only the poor drunkards who are likely to be affected by the poisonous liquids, the inspector stated. Many persons of wealth and influence interested In the country's affairs, he declared, like to hea “Wouldn't you like me to get a couple of quarts?” The Star's campaign, he safd. has turned the people from drinking to thinking. Only a couple ot duys ago, he said, while in a barber shop he interesting discussion of The Star’s campaign against the poisaned liquor. Inspector Grant sald he had seen persons accused of crime deny hav- ing the slightest recollection of their acts, all on account of having imbibed some of the stuff peddled by boot- legmers. Two or three drinkg simply robbed them of their reasonihg pow- ers, and while in such condition they did things they would not think of doing when not under the influence of the poisonous mixtures. Contained . “Kiek” “Kicker.” “I recall one instance of a man who told of having taken two or three drinks and being absolutely robbed of his power tq, think or act,” the in- spector said, “and when he recovered he sald he was certain what he had! imbibed contained not only the prove bial kick, but, also the mule that does the kicking.” Inspector Grant said he thotght there was very little real whisky| being offered for sale at any price. He doubted if there was any real whisky being handled by bootleggers. | Such persons are offering - liquids | murked “Bgttled In bond.” the Inspec- | tor said, arfl some of the bottles con- tain what purports to be the govern- ment guarantee. “But a stamp or label means noth: | ing,” he =aid. “Bootleggers have learned to forge labels, stamps and other paper calculated to deceive the ‘public, and my advice is to seek the | rvices of a chemist before sampling e contents-of bottles.” 2 The inspector said he -thought it any good whisky is being offered for | sale it is only in small quantities and ury and it is regarded as ]-h?-’ that the jury will. be in-session for_several lh‘zi in its investigation. 5 special committee of the Alexandria H will hear fi inal argume uwm-au"-un len e is expected port shortly that it will submit its re- thereafter. ' & in 80 secretive a manner that it is not obtainable by the average person who is willing to patronize bootleggers. "Persons.who have the genuine ar- ticle, he waid, procured it before the ‘country went dry, and if they are| willing to dispose of it they are sure to demand all kinds of prices for it.. making as good a showing as lheylm “ARMY FUND BILL 1000 for chemical warfare service, de- {for & “minimum amount of develo] *% (Conlinned on Pags 2, o W ' Antigonish Ghost Radio Waves, Braided Cow’s Tail Girl’s Prank By the Associated Press. BOSTON, March 13.—Edward J.| O'Brien, sclentist and author, de- clared today that the ghost of Anti- gonish was In reality the product of electrical senergy. After a month's investigation in the Nova Scotia country, where he was lecturing at St. Francis Xavier Unl- versity when the ghost stories first came from Antigonish, O'Brien said he found that strong wireless cur- rents between the two great radio stations at Wellfleet, Mass, and Glacebay, N. S., ran through the val- ley at Caledonia Mills, where stands the home of Alex. Macdonald, scene of the eerie events. House in Danger of Buraing. “The Macdonalds,” sald O'Brien, | “will have to move their house out of fange of these powerful radio cur- rents if they wish to avoid the ghost- | like incidents. If not, the house may | be burned down when the atmos- pheric conditions are just right, as. ey apparently were when the fires were set around the barn.” The braiding of the tails of the Macdonald cows, which bR <o has bee: LT CONSTENTLY Appropriation Reported to House $116,000,000 Less Than Last Year. With provisions which would ne- cessitate reduction of the size of the Regular Army to 115,000 enlisted men | and 11,000 officers, the Army appro- | priation bill, carrying $270,353.030.67, was reported today by the House ap- propriations committee. The 'amount recommended for the military and non-military gactivities of the War Department during the coming fiscal year Is a reduction of $116,000,000 from the total appropri- ated for the current year and $87,- 996,086.80 less than budget estimates. As drafted by a subcommittee head- ed by Representative Anthony, repub- | lican, Kansas, the bill would require | the return to the United States by July 1 of all troens stationed in China, 6,500 men from Hawalil, about 2.000‘ men: from the Panama Canal Zone; and all but 500 officers and men in! the army of occupation on the Rhine. No. limitation 1s proposed on the number of men to be maintained in the Philippines, the committee’s re- port stating, however, that Secretary Weeks believes that under present, conditicns “some reduction” can be made in the force there. The contem- plated withdrawals, it was sald, would leave 5,000 men in the Hawalian Is- lands and a like number in the Canal Zone. The present actual strength of the Army was given by the commit- | tee as about 1 0 officers and 132,000 men, exclusive of 7,000 Philippine scouts. $13,431,000 for Afr Service. An appropriation of $27,635,260 Is recommended’ for continuance of work on varfous river and harbor im- provements, for which the chief of engineers requested $43,000,000; $13,- 431,000 for the air service, against $15,000,000 reqoested; and $21,130,200 for the National Guard. about $9,000,- 000 less than budget eltl’mllel. The committee recommended $500,- clafing that sum sufficient to provide ment work and training aleng ling compatible with pregent conditio; and for maintaining Edgewood senal In stand-by condition. An ap- propriation. of $2.7560,000 is. recom- mended for supplies and equipment’ of the Reserve Officers llnlnf Corps and $1,800,000 for civilian mili- tary tralning camps. The bill carries $7.74 ordnance department t dition tq other expenses, the cost of mllnul&n‘ a skeleton force at ar- senals, “to keep alive the knowledge of the method of manufacture.” The amount carried In the bill for seacoast fortifications, the committee reported, would not provide for any new projects, but would go entirely for maintenance of -existing fortifi- cations and for continuing the con- atruction of a limited number of sea- coast guns. 'l'm‘tonl recommended for Triver and harbor improvements, about $15,- 000,000 less than the amount. sought by _the chief of engineers, i3 carried b “lumn $.) i {guess,” he continued, discussing his sidered another of the manifesta- tions of the unseen Iinfluence, was done by Mary Ellen, the Antigonish farmer’s foster daughter, because It was good fun, in the opinion of O’'Brien. Harold Whidden, the reporter who had experiences of his own when he went to investigate those of the Mac- donald family, continued O'Brien, was “completely carried away by his e thusiasm, and really believed that a ghost slapped him. Reporter Slapped Self. “Whidden slapped his own face when he suddenly waked in a tem- peraturc of 25 below zero, and his numbed arm become suddenly suf- fused with good warm blood,” O'Brien said. “Take the map, trace the line, ap- ply your sclentific knewledge of wireless operation, study the curious effects of electrical currents in fir on ships and on land and you havc the solution of the fires charged against the ghost of Antigonish.” O’Brien predicted that Dr. Walter Franklin Prince, New York, director of the American Society for Scien- tific Research, who has spent the past week in the “haunted house,” would' fail to find any other causes of the phenomena. PRESIDENT EXPECTS TO RETURN FRIDAY Executive and Party Inter- rupt Houseboat Cruise for Golf Today. Dy the Associated Press. FORT PIERCE, Fla, March 13— President Harding expects to con- clude his vacation and leave St. Au- gustine Friday for Washington, hel intlmated today to newspaper men here. The President expects to go as far south as Palm Beach on the McLean houseboat. and return from there to- morrow afternoon by rail to St. Au- gustine. “I will be In St. Augustine ‘Wednesday morning, rain or shine,” he said to the newspaper men as he came ashore this morning from the houseboat. “If I were making a plans for the remainder of the trip, “I would make a guess that the party will leave St. Augustine for Washing- ton after the golf game Friday.” The President said he would return aboard the boat here and proceed to Palm Beach, about sixty miles to the south. On the way, he said, the party might stop at Hope sound. - No Speeches on Trip. “No speeches on tiis trip,” Mr. Harding replied when asked if hei would speak befors the state conven- tion of the American Legion, which will be held this week at West Palm Beach. 1 The party spent the night aboard the nouseboat and docked here short- | 1y before 11 o'clock. Another day of sunshine greeted the President, and (Continued on Page 2, Column 4.) Today’s News In Brief Four-power treaty called surrender by Johnson. Page Commissioner Oyster to meet police captains tomorrow in drive against bootleggers. Page Judge Moncure issues call for” grand ry. Page 1 committeemen to disre- ry offici: bonus bill. compromise Nations fix date for framing Genoa program: Page 2 Third trial of Roscoe Arbuckle for manslaughter opens in San_Fran- cisco. Page 3 Bartlett sworn in as first assistant postmaster general. Page. 3 Ulster parHament plans drastic steps to end terrorism. Page 3 Trotsky charges U. S. capitalists plo't ge Blame Georgia ,wreck on ‘Wheel. - Commissioner Oyster proposes clean- up campaign in city, Page 13 Belleve madman bombed U. §. lega- tion at Sofia. Page 13 Grand jury commends added police- m.:‘n A.‘l guto has provided. Page 13 l Rall labor organisations protest wage conferences. '"Pale l‘l‘l Sel r Ball predicts committee wi r:::::mna ;?nwnd tax plan to ex- pedite street railway merger. . % Page 13 will preside at ban- ,:l::: A&l‘-’;“;{onnl Association of , Manufacturers ew York. Page 1. Member of the Associated Press The Assoclated Press is exclusively entitied to the use for repuBlication of all news dispatches credited 1o it or mot otherwise credited in this paper and also the local mews published berein. Al rights of publication of speeial dlapatches herein are aiso reserved. Saturday’s Net Circulation, 90,068 Star. {regarded as the chief purpose of the Sunday's GOES IN WITHOUT CHANGE. | House to Get Senate’s Amendment to Retirement Bill Tomorrow. The Sterling bill which passed the Benate Saturday designed to specifi- cally write into the law the rights to retirement annuity for 80,000 govern- ment employes who would be denied retirement pensfon under a rullng of the Attorney General will be reported to the House tomorrow by Chairman Lehlbach of the House committee on reform in the clvil service just as \LI passed the Senate. Immediate action s required to pro- tect the 6,400 superannuated employes already on the pension list, whose right to receive annuities has been challenged by the declsion of the At-! torney General. Chairman Lehibach said today he has received assurances from the republican leaders that action will be taken on this measure by the House within a week. BORAH QUESTIONS HUGHES WRITING OF FOUR-POWER PACT Despite Secretary’s Letter, Senator Doubtful of Authorship. The query “Who wrote the four- power Pacific treaty and its supple- mental agreements?” persisted in Senate debate on the pact today de- spite Secretary Hughes' letter tak- ing the responsibility upon himself. In the course of the argument Sen- ator Borah, republican, Idaho, de- clared that circumstances surround- ing the reservation attached to the treaty by Mr. Hughes when it was signed presented, in his opinion, “the most conclusive proof that some- body else wrote the treaty.” The I1daho senator's assertion, com« ing in the midst of a broadside against the treaty by Senator John- son, republican, California, led to a sharp passage between the two frre- concilable leaders'and Senator Lodge of Massachusetts, republican floor leader, and a member of the arms delegazion. Both Mr. Borah and Mr. Johnson later insisted they had not meant to reflect on the veracity of Mr. Hughes. The authorship of the pact came to the front when Senator Johnson serted that “before the ink was dry on the treaty itself, Mr. Hughes pre- pared and had the delegates sign a reservation relating to the mandated islands of the Pacific. Senator Lodge interrupted to say that the reserv: tion was really signed before the treaty. “So Much the Worse” Says Johuson. “So much the worse,” responded Senator Johnson. “We sign first a correction of a treaty and then the troaty itself. The American delega- tion wi S0 uncertain about the meaning of tRe ll’alt{ that they first executed an explanation. “The delegation was not doubtful, retorted Senator Lodge. “But yn,lg deemed this reservation nece! “Certainly we thought it proper. We thought 1t undesirable to leave @ doubt on that point.” . *i¥ho wrote the treaty with a doubt in §t7° “There wasn't any doubt minds, might be some one would find fauit Senator Borah interjected a que tion as to why the point was no settled In the treaty itself. “Mr. Hughes has stated” sald Mr. t he wrote this treaty. the idea come into Mr. Hughes' mind, then, when he was writing the treaty, to include the rovision about the mandated {s- fands? 'To me it's the most con clusive proof that somebody else wrote the treaty. Lodge Protests Quickly. This statement brought Senator Lodge immediately to his feet protest- ing against “an impeachment of Mr. Hughes' veracity.” “I'm not greatly concerned about the veracity of Mr. Hughes or anybody else,” replied Senator Borah. ¥Hut he said he wrote this treaty and I don't understand why, if Mr. Hughes wrote it, it was necessary for him to rewrite it at the same time.” Senator Johnson insisted that al- though Mr. Hughes' explanation should be accepted, “there must have come a | time when in his mind there was suffi- cient doubt about the meaning of the treaty to impel him to write an ex- planation.” Earlier, assailing the four-power treaty as a “‘quadruple alliance,” Sen- ator Johnson said that its ratification would mean ot only a recession from American tradition but a national surrender under threat of foreign wers. If the statements of the treaty's! friends are to be accepted, Senator | Johnson declared, and abrogation of the Anglo-Japanese alliance Is to_be in our Borah, Why dldn’t four-power arrangement, then the | only oconclusion is that ‘the United, States must enter the “new alliance" to escape a threat of danger because of the old. Resents Word “Must.” “The argument for this present sur- render of our ancient policy of lnde-' pendent national action,” continued the California senator, “Is nothing in the end but that one word: Danger. The Anglo-Japanese alliance, the gentlemen on the other side say, exposes us to danger. Therefore, we have no choice. We must accept this treaty. [ shall vote against this treaty be-. cause if any foreign alllance can ever speak to this country with the word ‘must,’ then the spirit which made this country safe when it was feeble but we thought that there|p, will have departed from it and our record in history will be that, striv- ing to barter our heritage for safety, | we lost_safety itself.” i Mr. Johnson quoted many utter-! ances of Japanese and British states- iving assurance that the Anglo- ese alliance never was directed st the United States and as-| rted if these solemn declarations | ent was following a foolis! policy by establ with powe! which had deliberately deceived tI American people. The present conflict in the Senate, asserted Senator Johnson, is not un- like that which was precipitated by the league of nationa. “For the second time, Senate is asked to change the for- gn policy which, hi tion. ring out again be forced today to accept what yes terday we rejected. Believes in Conference. “From. the, beginning of the con- test concerning the league of ma- tians some of us have' endeavored to | gunpowder flash followed. make plain that our position was|pPandits took to their heels as not_one. of aloofness or isolation for {Continues o-] j e ey t to be belleved, then this| shing a Plrlnel‘lhlp! " he said, “the |“Dare l Net Circulation, 93,399 TWO CENTS. U.S.TOSTAND FIRM, DEMANDING SHARE OF BILLION MARKS overnment Not to Let Allies Take Al Germany Can Pay for Occupation. IGNORING OF AMERICA NOT T0 BE COUNTENANCED Charges That U. S. Is Exerting Un- due Pressure for Money Called Malicious. It was stated on highest authority today that the American government does not intend to allow the allies to take all that Germany can pay in Teparations and leave nothing fer the United States as recompense for expenditures incurred in the occupa- tion of the Rhineland. This pronouncement of American Egovernmental policy was occasioned by a press dispatch from Paris to the effect that allied governments con- templated deferring payments to the United States for the Rhineland oc- cupation on the ground that the American government had not rati- fied the treaty of Versailles. Such a position on the part of the allies, it was stated, would be inde- fensible, as it could not be maintain- ed for a moment either morally or legally. The further statement was made that under the terms of the armistice the American forces re- mained in the Rhineland at the ex- pressed request of the allied govern- ments and there was an explicit agreement that this country should be reimbursed for the cost of keep- ing its trcops on the Rhine.” Should Share Equally. Under the Versailles treaty, it wa explained, the cost of occupation of the various allied armies in Germany was made a first charge against wa: costs assessed upon Germany. It was agreed by the allles, it was said, that the United States should share equally with the allles in those pay- ments, and no technicalities, it was added, can obscure the plain issu The United States has been “ex- tremely indulgent” in the matter of payment for its army in Germany, it was said, and intimations in press dispatches from Europe that the United States was applylng undue pressure in seeking payment of money rightfully accruing to it were characterized as malicious. The American government has been trying to deal in a moet sympathetic Wway in this matter, it was asserted, and its request for ) t, which was transmitted to the allied finance ministers last week, was made only because reports from Europe had in- dicated the allies would partition the payments from Germany without con- sidering the right of the United States. It was said that while the United States does not want to create a situ- ation which will be inimical to the interests of all, it will stand on 1 rights under the terms of the armistice. DISMAY IN FRANCE. Disastrous Consequences Seen Fol- lowing U. 8. Demands. By Cable to The & 7 Cable to The Star and Chicago Daily News. American army of occupation on the Rhine, presented by Roland W. Boy- den to the meeting of the finance ministers of the allied natlons in Paris, 1s groeted with a veritable cry of dismay in France. As clearly as can be discerned at present, settle- ment of this demand would develop the following consequences: The disappearance of all the serves in cash or in kind stored w by the reparations commission after the settlemént of the accounts of the French, British and Belgian armies in Germany. This would mean that no money paid by Germany up to this time can be used for the real pug- pose of reparations. n The remission of Belgium’s priority. rights to end in 1922 or later. The indefinite French hopes . for reparations funds. 3 The probable rise of a demand Ix France and Belgium for the with- drawal of ‘the American troops =t Coblens, because politically those forces can no longer be of use o France and Belgium, and because eco- nomically thelr presence Is disass trous. S The American claim amounts to about $241,000.000, or about 1,020,000,- 000 gold marks. The total cash re- ceipts of the allles from Germany u to December 31 were 1,041,000 m: The receipts during 1922 are (Continued on Page 2, Column 1.) SAVED FROM NIAGARA. Two Boys ilufln: on Cake of Xce Toward Falls Rescued. NIAGARA FALLS, N. Y., March l?: —John and Edward Baii, brothers, aged sixteen and thirteen years, spectively, were rescued by boatmen yesterday from a cake of ice in the Ni- agara river about a mile above the falls, as they were being borne down stream toward the cataract The boys had been playing on the: ice along the American shore of thi river when the ice broke away and floated out Into the river. i Rufus Robinson and his’ brother- Charles finally reached the boys in & rowboat and a few minutes gfter they had been taken into the boat, the ics. cake broke into many pieces, which were swept ‘over the falls. WOMAN DEFIES THUGS. -~ You to Shoot,” She Says’ Gun Wasn’t Loaded. e g ORANGE, N. J.,, March 13.—Ams-: zonian deflance called the bluff of two hold-up men here last night 1 dare yo“oalzeahwil 1 &on.r"t believe: r_gun is | L Miss L fm:-uf‘{lour, told the two thugs when one pointed & revolver at her head and postponement of the receipt af the other demanded her money. NO. e lm. in the distance up the street’ l--‘ had faints when the it 12 g T