Evening Star Newspaper, March 21, 1922, Page 1

WEATHER. Fair tonight and tomorrow; colder - tonight. lowest temperature slightly below freesing. Temperature for twenty-four hours ended at 2 p.m. today: Highest, 52, at 2 p.m. yesterday; lowest, 38, at 6 today. Full report on page o Coing New York Stok, Page 22 - am. FA. No. 28; EMPHATIC DENIAL OF SEGRET PACT | MADE BY HUGHES Secretary . Characterizes Suggestions of Agreement { as “Absolutely False.” RESENTS ASPERSIONS ON DELEGATES’ HONOR Paul D. Cravath Declares Borah In- accurately Quoted Him or Mis- g construed Meaning. } The American government en- tered into no understandings or agreements during the arms comy ference that were not embodied in treaty form and made ‘was stated today at House connection with charges in the Senate that a indersta: ing had been reached between the United States and Great Britain relative to action in the Pacifie. Presentation in the Senate today ©f a letter from Secretary Hughes denying flatly that any secret agree- aient exists for future British-Ameri- «an co-operation led today to another! effort by opponents of the four-power treaty to send it back to committee. The effort brought on a warm de- Dbate. The Secretary's letter, characteriz- Ing suggestions of such an agree- ment as “absolutely false,” was laid before the Senate by Senator Lodge, the republican leader and a member ©f the arms delegation, who, at the #ame time put into the record a tele- gram from Paul D. Cravath, the New York attorney, denying the accuracy ©f a statement on the same subject attributed to t‘im by Senator Borah, yepublican, ldaho. Reiterating a denial made in a for- $ier communication that any secret asreements existed with other pow- ers in connection with the arms con- ference, Mr. Hughes wrote in today's lotier that he hoped to see no “fur- ther aspersions upon the veracity and honor” of the American delegates. The text of Secretary Hughes' let- ter, which was addressed to Senator Lodge, follows: Statement Absolutely False, My Dear Senator: I.notice that the latest charge in the course of the dehate over the four-power treaty is that there is a secret agreement or un- derstanding between this govern- ment and Great Britain with re- spect to Paclfic matters. Any such statement is absolutely false. ‘We have no secret understandings or agreements with Great Britain In relation to the four-power treaty or any other matter. In my letter to Senator Under- Wwood on March 11th, in relation to the four-power treaty, I said: “There are no secret motes or understandings.” I’ermit me to express the hope that the American delegates will be saved further aspersions upon their veracity and honor. Faithtully "yours, CHARLES E. HUGHMS. Mr. Cravath's. telegram embodied the statement issued by him night in New York, in which he de- clared that the words attributed to him in the statement read by Sena- tor Borah in the Senate yesterday ‘were' either inaccurately quoted or did not correctly convey his mean- ing. Referring to a passage in which Mr. Borah quoted him as saying he had been told of the “understanding” by every member of the American| ~ delegation, Mr. Cravath said he had, in fact, never talked with any dele- ®ate on any subject “remotely re- &embling” the alleged international agreement. Confers With President. Before the Senate met, Senator Lodge of Massachusetts, republican Jcader. again conferred with Presi- ent Harding at the White House, and hough the details of their confer- was not revealed, it was assumed they dixcussed all the possibilities of the Senate situation in view of latest developments. The republican lead- s Insisted they had a safe majority @gainst any motion to recommit. In the conference discussion of the eaty itself, Senator Edge, republi- n, New Jersey, was given right of 3 cd address urging fication. ~ Several other senators, anxious to get their opinions into the Record before the one-hour limit on debate goes in effect tomorrow, were Feady to speak. eclaring that if the four-power treaty failed all thought of limiting armament must be “indefinitely post- foned." Senator Edge told the Senate hat no reservations were necessary and that he would vote for none ex- cept as a means of insuring ratifica- tion. , He said he saw a “great differ- ence” between the four-power ar- rangement and the league of nations, since the former affected only the region in which the United States was most interested and contained no moral or legal responsibility “which would involve us unless we felt that ghe cause was justified.” Rorah Answers Cravath. After the Cravath telegram had been read, Senator Borah reread it 1o the Senate and declared that “if that kind of a plea had been made in court the court, of course, would Thave assessed a judgment of ‘guilty” against the man that made it” He laid particular stress upon a state- ment in the telegram saying that Mr. Cravath had “revised” his remarks and that the printed, corrected ver- sion circulated later presented his real views. Then, reading from a printed pam- phict {ssued by the Council of For- eign Relations in New York, embody- ing a discussion among its members taking place on Febrtiary 17, Senator ™ Borah put into the record once more i1he exact quotation from Mr: Cravath ihat he had presented yesterday. “This, it must be remembered, is Mr. Cravath's revised, corrected version.” continued the Idaho Senator. “And 1 didn’t get thig document by stealing 1t. It was given to me by a gentle- aman who is a member of this cor- poration, who was present when the discussion took place, and who says his is what was said. . “Mr. Cravath refers in his telegram #o a ‘charge’ of a British-American understanding made by me. I don’t know what he means by & ‘charge.’ made no charge at all. " I only read i§ own statement.” - ; Senator Borah continued _reading Entered as second-class mat post office Washington, D. t(e{ JACK FROST NEARLY .NIPS GENTLE SPRING AS SHE VENTURES FGRTH TODAY Gentle spring almost got frost- bitten today. | Arriving in Washington very | early in the morning, according to the official “dope,” she made a brave attempt to smile about 10 o'clock, but gave it up. 1t was too cold. A biting wind made spring feel like fall. % i Spring is going to have a hard time tomorrow, too. Below-freezing temperature will greet gweet spring tomorrow morning, the weather man said, perhaps as early as that theoreti- cal 4:49 a.m. she was supposed -to arrive this morning. The little buds are going to be in for it. But there won’t be any rain. “That is one thing for which to be thankful. | DRYSINTRENCHING FOR SUPREME TEST Greatest of Battles Between Prohibitionists and Wets | Impending at Polls. BY DAVID LAWRENCE. The greatest of battles between the wet and dry forces in America is im- pending. Twenty or more national organizations will be in the fight for a modification of the Volstead law and at least twenty assoclations com- prising the allied temperance forces of America, will resist that effort. News of the intensity of the fight to be waged for control of the mext Congress comes from both camps. They admit the contest has begun and will grow in violence as the primary | campaigns start in the spring and summer months. Iasue Is Not Partisan. The issue is not partisan. The pro- | hibition foresee intend to support re- publicans or democrats as the case may be who have stood by them in Congress, and they similarly will do all in their power to prevent the re- nomination or re-election of demo- crats and republicans Who have leaned to the wet side. “The temperance forces” said Samu- el W. Small, assoclate secretary of the National Reform Association today, | “have a pledged financial income of over two million dollars annually from volunfliry contributors, averaging $3 per person. We have carefully ana- Iyzed in the light of past election re- turns the condition of prohibition sen- timent in every one of the 435 con- gressional districts. We know all the Senators and Representatives who can be trusted to maintain, strengthen and vote to_ increase enforcement legisla- tion. We will support them without regard to party or creed and try to re- elect every one who has been faithful and undodging. 1,000 Special Addresses. “We know which members to op- nose, how they were elected, where their majorities came from, and how to organize opposition that promises to replace ‘wets' with ‘drys’ We are making over 1,000 special addresses! in all states every Sunday, and in the congressional campaign we will be able to put 1,200 special prohibi- tion speakers. aside from volunteers, into the various congressional dis- tricts throughout the Union. “We intend especially to maintain a safe, strong majority in the United States' Senate to guarantee that no anti-prohibitjon 'legisiation can be passed up flom the House to the President. Thirty-two states had voluntarily adopted .prohibition be- fore the eighteenth amendment was put upon the Constitution, o that we feel sure of keeping dry majorities in both houses of Congress. Drys Gained Forty in Last Test. “In 1920 the wets made the strongest effort they could to elect a wet Congress, and we put the question to the people in every district, and the result was the election of forty more drys in the Sixty-seventh than were in the Sixty- sixth Congress. That disposes of the idea that the people would repeal pro- hibition if the question could be sent to a national referendum.” The temperance forces are much more fciently organized than their oppon- Shte Thirty five Protestant Evangelical Jenominations, with a membership of 24,000,000, two-thirds of which are Voters, and two Roman Catholic ofgan- Jzations, with about 1.000.000 voters, are claimed by Mr. Small as the back- bone of the temperance movement. He estimates that there are 120,000 enrolled pulpits, from which pastors are actively 2nd_continuously supporting the pro- hibition cause. Added to these are fra- ternal organizations and the famous Anti-Saloon League and Women's Chris- tian Temperance Union, with member- ships_contributing monthly to promote prohibition work. Active Among Labor Uniens. The prohibition leaders have been stirred to greater activity among tHie labor unions ever since Samuel Gompers issued a statement on be- half of the American Federation of Labor urging a modification of the Volstead law. The claim is made by the “drys” that thousands of local labor unions have indorsed prohibi- tion and will not stand for “light wines and beer.” - The “wets,” on the other hand, have " (Continued on Page 2, Column 1.) ! |Agree to Take Up Measure‘ The Associated Press is exclusively entitied to the use for republication of all news dispatches eredited to it or mot otherwise credited in this paper aud also the local news publisheZ herein. Al rights dispatches of publication of special Berein are also reserved. Yesterday’s Net Circulation, 93,075 : . WASHINGTON, D. HOUSE WILLVOTE ON SOLDIER BONUS BILL ON THURSDAY Under Suspension of _ the Rules. . EXPECT TO GET NEEDED TWO-THIRD MAJORITY Debate Limited to Four Hours. | No Recommittal Nor Amend- | ments to Be Permitted. The soldiers’ bonus bill will be taken up by the House Thursday un- der suspension of the rules under a plan agreed upon today at a confer- ence between Speaker Gillett and Chairman Campbell of the rules com- mittee. : The Speaker, it was said, hasagreed to entertain a motion to suspend the rufes. Mr. Campbell said he would call a meeting of his committee to- morrow morning at which he willask committee members to report a rule designating Thursday as suspension dey, with a proviso that four hours’ debate on the bill shall be provided. Two-Thirds Majérity Necessary. Under this procedure a two-thirds majority would be necessary to pass the bill. No amendments would be permitted nor would it be possible to make a motion to recommit the measure to the ways and means com- mittee. Those in chazge of the legislation were confident, that it would receive more than the two-thirds majority. They expected the, vote to come be- fore adjournment Thursday, after two hours of discussion on each side. The rule will haye to be agreed to by a majority of 'the rules commit- tee and then will have to obtain a majority vote in the House. Pro- ponents, of the bonus legislation were confident that both majoritiés could be obtained. Speaker Explains Position. Speaker Gillett said the proposition | had narrowed down to whether the bill should be put on its passage without opportunity for amendment or with opportunity for one motion from the democratic side, and that he was inclined to think it would be better not to permit the democrats to offer the one motion. In this con- | nection he called attention to the minority report on the bill prepared Representative Kitchin North | Carolina, and some other members restored. - Mr. Gillett explained that the pro- cedure would be to recognize Chair- man Campbell to present the rule to make Thursday suspension day, and upon adoption of that rule Chairman Fordney would be recognized for a motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill. Democratic leaders and opponents of the bonus measure were expected to make a fight against adoption of the rule, and as there would be four hours' debate on the bill itself the final vote would be delayed until late Thursday. The Speaker said, how- ever, that it was the plan to “clean the whole thing up” in one day. —_— MAIL SERVICE HEAD MAY GET HIGHER POSITION Walter H. Riddell, general superin- tendent of the rallway mail service, has been mentioned to fill the position of second assistant postmaster gen- eral, left vacant through the death of Col. W. H. Shaughnessy, victim of the Knickerbocker Theater disaster. 1t is understood that Mr. Riddell and four or flve other persons are being considered for the position, nothing positive having been decided by the administration as yet. Mr. Riddell has been in the postal service for about thirty years, most of the time in the raillway mail serv- fce. He has served as chief clerk of the railway mail service® and before his appointment as general superin- tendent was superintendent of the Pittsburgh division, with offices in that city. He is a republican, and a native of Chicago. Through his long acquain- tance with the railway mall service, friends hold, he <would be an ideaj second assistant postmaster general, whose duties are largely confined to the control of that service. —_— JAPAN SCRAPS SHIPS. Beg_inu to Carry Out Provisions of Arms Conference. By Cable to n?::’:;;p;{:‘, f."fi"’ Daily News. TOKIO, March 21.—Japan began the work of scrapping a portion of her navy today in accordance with the naval treaty adopted at the Washing- ton conference. The doomed vessels are the destroy- ers Asagiri, Murasame, Asashio and Skirakumo, veterans of dhe fighting at Port Arthur, They will be used targets by the Kure and Sasebo navy defense corps. B e L PASTOR TELLS WHY CHRIST'S NAME WAS NOT IN PRAYER AT CONFERENCE There was dbsolutely no censorship of the opening prayer at the Wash- ington conference on the limitation of armament—the prayer, which falled to mention the name of Jesus Christ. No one of the high officials connected with the conference attempted to dic- tate such a policy. : This positive statement todaygwas made by Rev. Dr. W. S. Abernethy, pastor of Calvary Baptist, President Harding's church. 0 ~ The unequivocal declaration may been opened and closed with a prayer for divine guidance. Other intarna tional gatherings, because of the diverse faiths and creeds, have.been ‘withqut spiritual supplication. When the Washington conference was announced, President Harding, Secretary Hughes and other officials of - the administration were deluged with letters. “War has_continued téndencies have increased because man alone has tried to work his will unaided by divine * guldance,” they said. “This conference must, and shall,” be conducted- under. spiritual leadership.” oo 3 At first there was a disposition to dis- . and warlike MR. BALL REPORTS MERGER MEASURE Bill Placed on Senate Calen- der—Legislation Is Discussed. The street railway merger bill, in- cluding the proposed tax on operat- ing income designed to make the net earnings of the companfes approx- imately the same, was reported to the Senate today by Senator Ball and placed [ on the Senate calendar. The new tax feature calls for a 50 per cent tax on all operating income in excess of 6 per cent on the fair valuation of the roads. The bill as reported carries an amendment provid- | Ing for a tax of 7§ per cent on that part ©of the income in excess of 7 per cent. The committee had ordered such a re- port several days ago. " (ppesed By Traction Oficials. Vigorous opposition to the pro- posed tax on operating income was voiced at-a meeting of the Senate cpmmittee yesterday by President George E. Hamilton and Vice Presi- dent J. H, Hanna of the Capital Trac- tion Company. They were not opposed, they said, to the other provisions of the merger bill, wiich authorize the merger of the Potomac Electric Power Company and the Washington 'Railway and Electric Company, and the merger of the Washington Rallway and Elec- | tric Company and tbe Capital Trac- tion Company and several other com- panies entering the District. The officials of the Capital Traction Company insisted that the proposed merger of the street railway com- panies, however, would not be the panacea for the street car situation in the District which it is popularly supposed it would be. Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Hanna predicted that a mer- ger would not result in a_reduction of the street car fares, and Mr. Hanna sald that the reduction in fares would come only when the cost of opera- tion was reduced. Hear W. R. & E. Head. ‘W. F. Ham, president of the Wash- ington Railway and Electric Com- pany, urged the passage of the bill permitting. the merger of the power company with the Washington Rail- way and Electric Company, and the merger of ‘the Street car companies. He, too, said that he did not believe the merger would result in a re- duction of fares at present. He added, however, that he belicved in the long run a merger would result in a bene- t to the public. o Hanliton and Mr. Hanna criti- cised the proposed tax on operating fncome as a “punitive measure.” di- rected D icularly at the Capital Traction Company, which, under its terms, would be compelled to pay a ~—{Continued on Page 3, Column 3.) Today’s News In Brief roposes plan to scrap de- B ated Torelgn currency, Page 1 House to vote on soldier bonus bill Thursday. - Page 1 Merger measure to go to calendar to-. day or tgmorrow. Page 1 28| Government faces millions’ loss by re- fusal of Congress to buy war-build- ing. sites. Page 1 sfl;r:- lel llfu several flenhl; .o‘neeré Pl:lt.!:e aid in drive for vmewrypl::x:wi ',firnuon_fl“g:: o‘\tf“ l:::v ;fugcuim 5 age 3 Three associations oppose site for health school. Page 3 d awaits new leader to spring Bl ake up Ghandl's place, > % age More men shot dead by Belfast gun- m Page 7 Alll:;, hope to arrange Graeco-Turk armistice. i Page 9 Claims of support for Focht loan, bill are denied. Page 10 French regret \order for departure of U. S. troops from Rhine. Page 13 Firat day of spring brings floods and- blizsards. B Page13 Hoover scores foes of four-power still the whisperings® which have g treaty. ¥ . ¢ Pageld stirred church circles and set all "‘“dm?:u'fm w e | New election bill proposes vete in officlal Washington a-gossip ever|demand. It w.l' m ,| Congress for District rgpr;un:;; since the conference met and .a.lg-‘hwigd Japanese, e and East B:‘::I;flfl = A com: 5 Journed. be limited. in its scope mn’r.fi-‘dl'.m ‘Commission halted by court, Page 18 It was the first conference of .ts in the world's his" \ 0 tr upon some of the. falths- rép- i § ~ Barn [~ 2 farmers will gain quickly Fageld s My, Sge DOING DOUBLE DUTY. U. S. MAY STILL ACT. TO AVERT COAL STRIKE, OFFICIALS INTIMATE The government was stated at the White House today’ as not having entirely abandoned its attempts to bring bituminous operators and miners together in a conference designed to avert a strike in such fields April 1. The added statement was made that no steps had been taken or results attained which would justify a public announcement. TRAPPED BY FIRE, WOMAN, 70, BURNS Trapped by a sheet of flames across the doorway of her room, Miss Frances Root, seventy years of age, a roomer at 1418 Q street northwest, today was burned to death in a fire on the third floor of the house. It was impossible to penetrate the flames about the doorway of the hall- room, from which Miss Root was cry- ing for assistance, upon the arrival of No. 9 engine company, which re- sponded first to a local alarm at that address. Dragmed Out of Flames. As soon as possible, however, Lieut. T. S. Jones and Private J. M. Jamie- €2 > 7D (<Y | oal i :of a strike of their employes April 1,! C, TUESDAY, MARCH 21, 1922—THIRTY PAGES. s | ' / i. | | MINE OPERATORS FIGHT “DISORDER" Wholesale Coal Official De- clares Battle Is Not One of “Madness.” By the Associated Press. NEW YORK, March 21.—The order for a suspension of work in the anthracite and bituminous coal mines throughout the eoun- try, affecting about 600,000 miners, will be issued late this afternoon, according to Philip Murray, inter- national vice president of the United Mine Workers of America. operators who face the prospect but who shall refuse to enter national conference With the coal miners’ union, | are not controlled by “mere madness, | but a determipation to curs a deep- seated disorder,” George H. Cushing, | managing director of the American Wholesale Coal Association, declared to- day in an address before the Washing- ton City Club, Federal court indictments which charged operators of union mines with conspiring with the miners’ union in endeavors to fix coal prices and damage non-union coal mines were held by Mr. | CHICAGO NEAR CHAOS, * TWO CENTS. CRIME AND COURTS IN LEAGUE, SAY CRITICS By the Associated Press. CHICAGO, March. 21.—Enforce- ment in Chicago is on the edge of chaos, Charles C. Fitzmorris, gen- eral superintendent of police, told more than 100 persons, represent- ing thirty-four civic and indus- trial organizations, last night. Kickham Scanlan, chief justice of the criminal court; Robert E. Crowe, state’s attorney, and James A. Patten, board of trade mem- ber and civic leader, in addresses agreed with the police head. “We are on the edge of chaos,” Mr. Fitzmorris saild. “The work of the police department is being un- done as fast as we can do it.” ““There is an organized band of criminals in Chicago, well in- trenched, a mafia, which considers itself above and beyond the law, which not only laughs in the face of justice, but spits in the face of Jjustice,” Mr. Crowe said. Judge Scanlan attacked crooked lawyers, whom he called greatly responsible for crime conditions, and scored business men for evad- ing jury service. “The are judges on the criminal bench of Cook county (Chicago who should be removed,” Mr. P: ten said. Earlier, Chief Fitzmol ris had asserted, “there is an or- ganization of criminals here; they have their judges and lawyers. BRITAINTOPAY U.S. WITHNO PROVISOS Exchequer Says No Condi- | tions Will Be Attached to ; Meeting Obligations. By the Associated Press. LONDON, March 21.—Sir Robert, Horne, chancellor of the exchequer,‘ discussing the British debt in the| house of commons today, said: “I do not propose to make any con- ditions to the American government as to the payment of our due obliga- tions.” et answer to a question Sir Rober saih o demand had Dbeen received from America for the payment of in- terest on British debt during the| coming_financial year, nor had the other European debtor nations re- ceived a similar demand. 2 The chancellor's declaration against making any conditions to the Ameri- can government was made in reply to @ question whether, in view of the fact that payment couid only be made mainly by exporting goods from Great Britain_to America, he would inform_the Washington government that the most convenient way to make payment was to reduce import Guties”on British goods. PROPOSE 70 SCRAP LOW RATE MONEY Genoa Conference to Get| Plan to Replace Depreci- ated Currency. son fought their way to the impris- | Cushing as largely responsible for the oned woman and dragged her out of [unwillingness of the coal operators to the flames. In @ private automobile she was rushed to George\Washing- ton University Hospital, but was pro- nounced dead on arrival. So far as is known Miss Root had no relatives here. She was taken in by Mr. and Mrs. Malton Boyce, occu- pants of the house, last fall when she appealed to them because she was unable to find rooms. Since then she had been doing odd jobs of mending and sewing about the house in re- turn for the privilege of the room. Gas Stove Believed Cause. 1t is believed that a small gas stove, used for cooking in her room on the top floor, caused the fire. The fire swept the third floor of the house, but was checked before it could spread to adjoining property. Unof- ficial estimates of damage to the property, to furniture and from fire and water placed the figure at be- tween $2,000 and $3,000. Mrs. Boyce was in the house at the time_the fire started and notified the fire department. The house is the property of the Preston Williamson estate, Stone & Fairfax, agents. The damage to property is believed to have been covered by insurance. = SHOTS MISS MINISTER. PARIS, March 21.—An attempt was made today to assassinate Mr. Chen: 1u, Chinese minister to France. Four shots were fired at him by a Chinese youth, none of which, however, took effect. Mr. Tsan-gow, a Chinese en- gineer, who was accompanying the minister, was wounded in the head. The minister's assailant, who sur- rendered_shortly after the shootng, is a student, who gave his name as Lee-ho-ling.. He was disgruntled with the attitude of the minister toward the Chinese in Paris, which ho complained of as unkind. attack took place as Mr. Chen-lu was ariving in his automobile. COLORED WOMAN ASKS PROMPT SENTENCE AND IS GIVEN 14-YEAR TERM Agnes P. King, colored, .about . thirty years old, was sentenced to- day by Chief Justice McCoy in Criminal Divigion No. 1 to serve. fourteen years in the penitentiary. The woman was convicted today by a jury of housebreaking and larceny, it being charged that she entered the.home of Lewis Pelham, April 9, 1921; and stole a grafoe nola, worth $25. - When the jury announced its ver- dict of guilty the woman said: “Judge, can'1 get my sentence now! L Eve been -in jail ten month: The chief justice replied: . “You certainly can. From this iong record of your criminal de- predations both in this District and in Virginia, dating back to 1906, I am convinced you are a habitual criminal, and a menace to society. In some states you would get a lite sentence, but IAWHI_, ake your term: fourteen years. ‘The woman, uum:;d .bzdt.h‘:::n. tenoce,'made no m- pan°1:’¢ the denut;.zme'k to the cell~ Foom. below.the:cOuUTte X | l confer. Mr. Cushing’s declaration that, wages must come down in the mines Tas illustrated by, “the aMasing- fact | that under the present scale a practical miner can earn fully $5,000 a year, though the miners know that they dare not earn all the scale allows.” “They know_ that if the public should realize how much a practical miner may earn.” Mr. Cushing added, the people would refuse to pay the price for coal which such a wage scale fixes. They know, therefore, that quickly their rate would be cut. Labor is not striking against the coal operators, the rallroad mana- gers or manufacturers, it is striking against the public. not know to what extent the mine pay roll has been padded. It does know that it is compelled to pay a price for coal against which it re- bels. The céal operator stands at a point where he must see the cause on one side and the effect on the other. He has to turn about and fight. He has decided to strike at the real cause and he is going into_this wage battle to clean the mines of the shirkers and the pay roll padders.” Mr. Cushing asked his audience to “let it be a fair fight to a finish,” and to refrain from “prodding the gov- ernment until it steps in.” MURRAY TO REPLACE LEWIS. NEW YORK, March 20.—John L. Lewis, international president of the United Mine Workers, today called a (Continued on Page 2, Column 7.) LISBON CALLS OFF REVOLUTION TO GARNERU.S. TOURISTS’ DOLLARS 5 BY WILLIAM E. NASH. e o Breans, S D e LISBON, March 21.—How a ship- load of American tourists stopped a revolution in Portugal forms the basis of many diplomatic reports now being written in the legation chan- celleries here. Things looked grim in Lisbon. The government had fled to” Cascades and reports of trouble filled the air. The republican guards, masters of the capital, snarled at troops from other parts of the coun- try, which had remained loyal to the cabinet, and swore on ‘the hilts of their swords that they never would djsband at the command of any min- ister. The people every moment ex- Dected to see barricades appear in the streets. e . Just then the Canadian Pacific liner Empress of France steamed into port with 800 . American_ globetrotters aboard and landed officials to make arrangements for a three days’ visit. termined to It was 'too good an “opportunity to belost. dollars to bolster up the falling ex- change and she might reap a bount! ful hagvest of them from such a|“The average Porti large party of tourists. Leaders of every shade of politics gathered to discuss_the situation and they finally decided to suspend the dispute until the Yankees had sailed awa; tourists came ashore and strolfed up to the Rocio and gased curiously ~at the pink and n visitors su ing was wrong.: The authorities had even ‘The public does'] i | ] By the Associated Press. | ROME, March 21.—As the date for ! the opening of the Genoa conference approaches greater interest is being | shown by the Italian public and hope is expressed that the meeting will ! serve to bring about the economic re- i construction_of Europe and lead to a much needed era of prosperity. Public opinion here is in accord | | with_that in England on nearly every i problem to be discussed, but the Ital- jan financial commission does not share the British point of view on one of the most important questions hav- ing to do with finance. Plan to Scrap Money. England is represented as favoring a scheme for the definite stabiliza- tion of European currencies, equiva- lent in countries where exchange is much depreciated to a virtual scrap- Ding of the present currency, which would be replaced by currency hav- | ing a gold basis. It is remarked that this would only be acceptable tg ‘countries whose cur- rency has defifitely depreciated, and ‘not by others, like Italy, who firmly | believe in the eventual recovery of | their finances. ! | The latfer countries in accepting | the British scheme would be exposed, it is contended, to a general crisls, due to the sudden change in the pur- chasing power of their money. In addition they would have to. face huge expense to put the scheme in effect, this in Itay’s case being com- puted at four billion gold lire. Zone to the_trouble of sifting the country for English-speaking police- men to station along the sightseeing route and help make matters pleasant for the visitors. The Empress of France did not leave until a.few days ago. No_revolution broke out and the guard, grown tired of waiting for the rest of the country, ex- pressed its desire for order. It was agreed everywhere that tie American-| tourists had unconsclously performed a valuable service for the republic of ugal. g Unfortunately, however, it cannot be sald that the horizon has up Politics still look threaten- completely. ing and loyal troops surround the city, threatening to march in at the least sign of trouble. The government inti- e Sanisarios "of . Conmtantinapie in o o in olden times, have outlived thier useful- ness and must be dissolved. The guards déclare that this is not time to throw more men out of work and refuse point blank to disband. Seeing that the guards constitute the corps d'elite of the army, which pos- sesses an indeterminate amount of power, the government is evidently de- go slow in the matter, discretion is the hetter “Do _not judge the wiole of Portugal by. Lisbon,” said .an allied - diplomat. uguese dustrious and peacable, and the men of his kind are the ones who make it pos- sible for the country to keep a re- commerce ‘with the United States and Great Britain. The peasants have taken littlp called revolut! ‘which have diverted the capital 'llhl‘nwfl‘li last year, 'l'l;-l:‘y tivating vineyards and ‘that Portugal needed American | part of valor. Virginia avenue; .part in the nine so- S U.S.FACES BIGLOSS BY REFUSAL TOBLY WAR BUILDING SITES House Failure to Approve $1,500,000 Item May Cost Government Millions. HOPE NOT ENTIRELY LOST FOR FAVORABLE ACTION Total Loss of $2,500,000 Potomac Park Structures, Plus Cost of Razing, Pointed Out. A problem of an immediate saving of $1,500,000 by refusal to appro- priate that sum for the purchase of land on which seven temporary gov- ernment buildings are erected, north of Potomac Park between 18th and 2Ist streets, and the ultimate loss of several times that amount by the necessary scrapping of these build- ings and the deprivation of the gov- ernment of their $00,000-odd feet of floor space will face the House of Representatives this ‘week when the report of conferees on the independ- ent offices appropriations bill is con- sidered on the floor of the House. The purchase of the seven plots of land is going to be urged upon the House by the conferees on the ap- propriation bill for the independent establishments. In Interest of Ecomomy. Representative Will R. Wood of Indiana, republican, chairman of the House conferees, said today that while the House has previously voted, 180 to 130, against this appropriation, it is the unanimous opinion of the conferees that in the interests of business economy the House should change its decision. “It is our opinion that Congress will make a very grave mistake if it does not authorize the purchase of these sites,” said Representatiye Wood. “The bulldings erécted upon this land for war work cost $2,500,000. The leascs on the land are expiring now and will all expire within a few months, so that unless Congress acts favorably upon this proposition these buildings will have to be scrapped— which in itself is a great economic loss. All Space Occupied. “Every foot of floor space in these buildings is now occupied,” Repre- sentative Wood points out, “by gov- ernment activities. 1f these people have to be moved out the expense of moving alone will be considerable, and it will cost at least $500,000 to house them in rented buildings. So that in saving of rentals alone the government can pay for this entire property in three vears. We had ex- pert builders examine these tempo- rary structures and are assured that with ordinary repairs they can be used for government workshops for fifteen years. “As a purely business proposition |it is real economy to buy this land,” declared Representative Wood. To Be Argued Before House. This matter will be argued before the House in a few days. This is one of the three important matters which the conferees on the independent of- fices appropriation bill are now con- sidering. As soon as a decision reached on the two others a confe: ence report will be made to both House and Senate. This decision may is | be reached at a conference today. The two other items are regarding the Shipping Board and regarding the appropriation for the general ac- counting office. The House pretiously voted that all employes in_ the gen- eral accounting office should be un- der statutory salaries, rather than from a lump sum appropriation. Legislative Situation. The legislative situation witn re- gard to the item of $1,500.000 Zor pur- chase of these seven plots of ‘and is this: It was first proposed in_the Senate in a separate reso'ution. When the independent offices appiropriation bill was passed by the House aad sent to the Senate the Senate inserted this $1,500,000 land-purchase item as an amendment. When the bill came back ' to the House this item. subject to an inde- . pendent vote, was rejected, 180 to 130. The bill was sent back to con- ference, where the Senate conferees have insisted upon retaining the $1,- 500,000 item. The House having voted against it, the House conferees, al- thdugh they favor accepting the item, as Representative Wood emphasizes, have no option in the matter, and 0 when the conference report comes ack to the House this will be des- ignated as an item on which no agree- ment could be reached, although the House conferees will argue with their colleagues in the House that it should be .accepted. Representative Wood hopes to get the conference report carrying this item, considered by the House within a couple of days. Lease to Expire June 30. The lease on the ground upon which these buildings are erected will ex- pire June 30. The floor space repre- sented by the buildings is urgently needed by government offices and will be an item of still greater importance in the near future when the leases of large government offices on private buildings expire. The buildings, their location and the offices located in them are as follows: Temporary building, No. 1; bounded by 18th and 19th streets, C_and D streets; housing the Grain Corpora- tion, Shipping Board and units of the Department of Commerce. ‘Temporary building, No. 2; bounded. by 19th and 20th streets, D street and lew York avenue; housing the fleld offices of the Interstate Commerce Commission. ‘Temporary building, No. 3: bounded by 19th and 20th streets, D street &nd Virginia avenue; housing the findnc: office of the Army. % Temporary building, No. 4; bounégd by 20th and 2ist streets. C and streets; housing Department of Lab« units and the Federal Trade Commi i ‘ by 20th streets; b 5 tion of the State Depurtment, um of the War Department and of tig ipping building, No. 6; bounded 19th streets, B street and housing the files of the nt-of Justice. -, ‘Temporary building. No, 7; bounded Eynu!h street, Virginia avenue and reet; a triangular structure, hous- ‘Tem] by 18th mmwmm A7 4Continued on'Page 2 Column & . . g %