Evening Star Newspaper, November 20, 1922, Page 1

WEATHER. Fair tonight and tomorrow; colder to- night. Temperature for twenty-four hours Jed at 2 p.u. today: Highest, 68, at “From Press to Home Within the Hour” The Star’s carrier system covers ev: city block and the regular edition is delivered to Washington homes as fast } . end 2 p.m. a.m. l lowest, 44, at § Closing N. Y. Stocks and Bonds, Page 20 i3ntered as post office CONGRESS OPENS SPECIAL SESSION - FOR SH SUBSIDY Qutcome of Measure Uncer- tain Because of Opposi- tion in Both Houses. No. 98,693. PRESIDENT TO DELIVER | HIS ADDRESS TOMORROW ‘Will Make Personal Appeal in In- terests of American Mer- chant Marine. The Sixty-seventh Congress recon- vened at noon today, called here by President Harding partieularly to give consideration to the administra- tion's merchant marine bill. The republican party has large ma- Jorities in both houses, but the fate of the shipping bill is uncertain. be- cause of determined opposition on the vart of many House and Senate mem- i subsidy, as contem- measure. nt special session of Con pected to merge with the n which opens Decem al government has in four sessions, met although t have been a number Wwhich have sat three ssions. President Harding is address a joint mecting of both houses of Con- gress tomorrow, deliv g to them a personal appeal in t interests of an American merchant mari Dend Members Honored. Tn both Senate and House the gavel beginning the new s on dropped a few minutes after 12 o'clock, and then in both chambers there followed the usual formalities which attend over of a new page in congressional history. The. program on both sides was arranged as to permit adjournment after these cere- | monies until tomorrow as a mark of | respect for the late Senator Watson | of Georgia and the late Representa- | tive Nolan of ‘California. In conferences between Senate and | House leaders and White House officials it was arranged definiitely | for President Harding to take his message to the Capitol tomorrow in person, appearing before a joint ses- sion in the hall of the House at 12:30 | p.m. | QUESTION OF SEATING " MRS. FELTON CROWDS GALLERIES OF SENATE The presence of Mrs. W. H. Felton of Georgla, first woman ever appoint- ed to the Senate of the United State dominated the atmosphere of th opening session of the Senate today. Interest in the question of whether Mrs. Felton was to be seated as a enator filled the galleries to their| scity with throngs of woman ad- | mirers.” Many of them were unable to obtain admission and stood in the corridors. The decislon in the case of Mrs. | Felton, however, was postponed until | tomorrow, the Senate adjourning im mediately following the announce- | ment of the death of the late Senator Tom Watson of Georgia by Senator Harris. Bayard's Seating Delayed. The swearing in of Senator Bayard of Delaware, elected to succeed Sen- ator_du Pont, and also the swearing in of the two Pennsylvania senator: Pepper and Reed, who were servin under appointments until the recent election, also were postponed. The Senate was in session just long enough to_ hear the prayer of the chaplain, develop a quorum—sixty- e senators answering to their mes—and to adopt resolutions of- jered by the republican leader, Sena- tor Lodge, to notify the House that the Senate was in session and to notify the President. Senators Lodge and Simmons of | Korth Carolina were appointed a com- | mittee to wait upon the President, | along with a_ similar committee of the House, and inform him that Con- gress was in session and ready to receive any communications he may desire to submit. The President’s proclamation call- | ing Congress into special session was yead by the secretary of the Senate immediately after the opening prayer. There was applause when Senator- elect Bayard, democrat, Delaware, entered the chamber. There also was a salvo for Senator Lodge of Massa- chusetts, veteran republican leader, who was re-elected, and another for Senator La Follette, republican, Wis- consin. Vice President Coolidge was compeiled to order the applause stop- the turning | i i ed. Senator Harris, democrat, Georgia, ‘was recognized to announce the death of Senator Watson, and after a brief eulogy, the Senate, upon the motion of Senator Harris, adjourned until tomorrow. The early adjournment of the Sen- ate precluded the reading of the let- ter of Senator Newberry of Michigan, resigning his seat in the Senate which_he had asked the Vice Presi- “(Continued on Page 2, Column 5.) REACHED NEARLY EVERYBODY Yesterday’s Circulation of The Sunday Star was 95,931 This is by far the high- water mark for Sunday newspaper circulation in Washington and its imme- diate vicinity for this sea- son of the year, only being exceeded by The Star it- self on one or two occa- sions. Because of the change in the Sunday newspaper sit- uation The Star was placed on a returnable basis yes- terday only to newsdeal- ers, and a tew hundred re- turns have not yet been received. According to the latest A, B, C reports, The Sun- day Star has a total city. and suburban circulation more than 20,000 greater than its nearest competitor, B s2cond-class matter Washington, D. C. MRS. FELTON Arrives Before Mrs. W. H. Felton of Georgia waited in vain for an hour and a half in the Senate chamber today to learn whether Senate leaders would permit her to take her seat as the first wom- an senator in view of the recent elec- tion of Walter F. George as her suc- cessor. After much scratching of heads over the problem the Senate managers decided to let a decision go over uitil tomorrow. Mrs. Felton entered the Senate chamber at 10:30 o'clock, accompanied former Senator Hoke Smith of orgia. She was dressed in black, and dignified mien she presented a unique picture in the Senate chamber. Mrs. Felton carried her credentials RIVALRY 1 KEEN - FOR LEADERS..P OF PROGRESSIVES 'Contest May Develop Heart- burnings and Jealousies in Bloc. BY N. 0. MESSENGER. As Congress resumes its session with a specific program designated by the President of the United States, senators and representatives find theraselves deeply interested in polit- ical developments expected to grow out of legislative action and in the {formation of political alignments for | the future. Everybody seems intent at present upon being a “progressive,” and there is spirited rivalry for the leadership of the progressives, with a keen pride of authorship in the definition of a progressive and of what consti- tutes progressivism. ‘There are many brands of progressivism. They run all the way from the broad, gen- eral advocacy of “a forward looking policy,” which can mean anything or nothing, to demand for the recogni- tion of the soviet government and the release of the political prisoners. While this rivalry will not reach its climax until the next Congress as- sembles, it is beginning now at a lively pace, with prospect of many heartburnings and jealousies as it progresses. In the first place, there is a contest between the {wo parties, democratic and republican, for the privilege of being accepted as the ex- ponent of the simon-pure brand o progressivism. Then there is the movement within the republican party to eliminate all trace of reactionary- m and to denominate the G. O. P. as a 100 per cent progressive organ- ization. There also are the personal rivalries among individuals in both parties in each house for leadership and prestige. Hull S Call. Judge Hull, chairman of the demo- cratic national committee, during all the recent campaign consistently and persistently claimed that the demo- crats were the real progressives, and he sounded the cry of “come, ail ye faithful” to progressives of whatever political affiliation to rally to the democratic banner. Republican leaders, such as Mr. Pin- chot in Pennsylvahia, Mr. Beveridge in Indiana, Senator Johnson in Cal- ifornia_and Senator Borah in Idaho, besought the republican progressives to stay in the party and purify it of reactionary elements, so as to make the republican party the true progres- sive political organization that “could do things” at once, being in posses- sion of complete power in govern- ment. 3 One phase of the expected develop- ments which is being watched is the suggestion of a combination, on measures of legislation classed as progressive, of all the progressive elements now making up the checker- board of politics in the country, the formation of what, in the last an- alysis, would be a progressive bloc in" Congress, including men of all parties. See Conflict in Alms. Old timers at the Capitol, viewing the drift of affairs, say that the greatest weakness in a movement of that character would be the in- congruous elements which would of necessity compose it. The strongest practical bloc now existing is the farmer group. When a railroad group should come into the combina- tion, interests and aims might con- flict and the next thing the whole amalgamation would begin to crum- ble around the edges and crack in the middle. Another danger, they point out, is the impracticability of princi- ples upon which all could unite, since there are more different kinds of things advocated by the component elements than there were colors in Joseph’s coat. Some of the thoughtful men at the Capitol believe that this flare-up of progressivism is temporary and that, as legislation proceeds, political ele- ments in Congress will continue to adhere pretty closely to old party standard lines and that by 1924 there will be a sharp alignment of the two old parties against each other on ac- cepted and traditional doctrines. ch . WASHINGTON, D. WAITS IN VAIN FOR OATH Decision Goes Over Until Tomorrow After Much Scratching of Heads. with a fichu of white lace, and wear- | ing white gloves. With her white hair | '3 IN SENATE; Session Opens. ,in a long roll. She remained In the { Senate chamber until shortly before noon, when she was escorted by | tormer Senator Smith to the recep- tion room outside the Senate cham- ber and there was presented with a basket of eighty-one American beau- ty roses, by admiring democratic women of the District. | As she walked down the center {aisle on the arm of Senator Smith, the galleries burst into applause, men {and women alike. In the galleries ! were women wearing the purple, gold and white saches of the days of the | woman suffrage campaign. On her. return to the Senate cham- ber, this time escorted by Senator Harris of Georgia, Mrs, Felton was glven another ovation. Sitting in a seat on the center aisle (Continued on Page 2, Column 4.) Report Childers Executed; Rumor Is Denied Later | By the Associated Press. LONDON, November 20.—The Even- ing News today printed a dispatch ifrom Dublin saying it was rumored Erskine Childers and eight other un- named men had been executud. Short- 1y afterward, however, it received an- other dispatch from the Irish capital saying that the rumor regarding Childers had been officially denied. By the Agsociated Press. DUBLIN, November 20.—The Irish Times today says a writ has been is- sued from the chancery oftice on be- half of Erskine Childers, leading lieutenant of Eamonn de Valera, with a view to quashing the proceedings of the military court, which tried him on the charge of illegally possessing arms. i Childers was tried by a military court last Friday, but the finding was not announced. A Dublin dispatch Saturday night said his conviction was regarded as a certainty, but that the death sen- tence probably would be commuted to penal servitude. NO BOX-NO MAL ORDER AMENDED Dr. Work Extends Time Limit to March 1, “That All Have Reasonable Time.” Postmaster General Work today is- sued a supplemental order postpon- ing the final enforcement of the “No box—no mail” order to March 1, 1923, in order that patrons who were un- able to obtain boxes for their front doors would be done no injustice. “This notice is in no wise to be con- strued as a walver of the require- ments for door slots and mail recep- tacles, nor as a relaxation of a de- termination to enforce the same, but is 1ssued wholly to make certain that all have a reasonable time within which to comply with the require- ments,” Dr. Work declared. Prefers Door Slot. Although the Post Office Depart- ment prefers the door slot, house- holders of the nation, in attempting to equip their homes with boxes by January 1 next, when mail delivery to homes without boxes was to be cut off, have shown a great preference for the mail boxes. The demand for boxes has become so tremendous, the department states, that manufacturers have informed ft that they are unable to fiil their orders by January 1. It was in view of this unusual condition that the supplemental order was issued today. No Local Shortage. Postmaster Chance of the Wash- ington city post office will send out tomorrow warnings to more than 30,000 local residents who, to date, have failed to comply with the *“No box—ho malil order.” It is not understood that there is any particular shortage of mail boxes for the local supply, and officials at the city post office were unable to state today what steps would be taken in regard to the new order, ex- tending the time of grace until March 1. It is likely that Postmaster Chance, however, upon receipt of the new order, will extend the time for local householders. In the notices to be sent ‘out tomorrow he urges that boxes be provided at once, so that local letter carriers may have the benefit of the boxes during the Christmas rush. Earthquake and Tidal Wave . Lost Somewhere in Pacific By the Assoclated Press. SAN FRANCISCO, November 20.— Lost, strayed or stolen somewhere in the Pacific ocean one earthquake and one tidal wave. Over the high seas and through the ether, phantom messages tell- ing of an earthquake and tidal wave at Hilo, Island of Hawail, were sent about the world for an hour or more last night, causing excitement in newspaper and radio offices and caus- ing reporters to scurry in search of seismographs and their keepers. The rumor struck Callao, Peru, and trickled up the cables to New York. The San Dlego navy raido station picked it up. A newspaper wireless set in San Francisco caught the mes- sage st the same time. In fact, within a few minutes, everybody knew . about the earthquake except Hawail. Honolulu expressed surprise. Urgent clbluflrlml and radio flew. between Hawalli and the mainland. Radio operators tried vainly to.reach Hilo. ‘That station, with which there is no regular communication on Sunday. remained silent. Then, n midnight. & station here overheard a commercial wireless op- erator in Honolulu telling & ship in those waters about the report, and lflfllnf the information that he had been in communication with Hilo an hour and twenty minutes after th report had been picked up on the mainland and that Hilo had said that everything there was all right. 8o, somewhere in space roam the uncaptured vibrations of a purported &eological phenomenon. ¢ Foen WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION c, HUMES ON STAND IN3500.000 SUIT Appearance Causes Sur- prise—Tells of Mrs. Gra- ham’s Seeking Advice. NURSE ACCUSES GRAHAM Declares Lieutenant Begrudged Wife Food Doctor Ordered for Her Diet. Augustus L. Humes, wealthy lawyer of New York, today took the witness stand in defense of the $500.000 heart balm suit brought against him by Lieut. Lerimer C. Graham, United States Navy. The calling of the de- fendant to_the stand was a surprise, as-Mr. Humes had not testified at the former trial, which resulted in a dis- agreement of the jury last December. Lieut. Graham was not present at the trial today to hear the evidence of Mr. Humes. The hearing was re- sumed today before Justice Hitz and a jury in Circuit Division No. 1. Atforney Lambert conducted the examination of the defendant, and took him back to his first meeting with Elsa Portner, over whose affec- tions the litigation is being waged. Humes said he met Miss Portner in 1910, a year before her marriage to Graham, at White Sulphur Springs, Va. He did not see her again until 1913, when he chanced to meet her at New York. In the spring of 1914 Mr. Humes came to Washington l.'o attend a wedding of Mrs. Graham’s sister to the late Hal D. Flood, repre- sentative from Virginia. After the wedding ceremony he did not see Mrs. Graham again, he assert- ed, until the summer of 1918, when she and the childreh had taken a cottage at Spring Lake, N. J. Their meeting at the resort, he declared, was accidental, as he was going along the boardwalk. Five days later, Mr. . Humes asserted. Mrs. Graham came to his home and consulted him about securing a divorce from Graham. She said, according to the witness, that she could no longer stand the cruelty of Graham, and had heard of his im- proper relations with other women. Mrs, Louis A. Grandjean of Yonk- ers, N. Y., a witness called for the Jefense, testified that she had been a trained nurse and in December, 1913, attended the then Mrs Graham, now Mrs. Humes, through an illness Tesulting from an operation. ~She declared Lieut Graham never in- quired as to the state of his wife’s Reaith although her ocondition was at times critical. He nagged the wife and complained that she was not as fll as she made out, but was “lazy,’ the nurse stated “Too Expensive Eating.” itness declared Graham refused to by squabs for his wife, declar- ing them “tco expensive eating.” He also asserted that the fresh eggs and oranges directed by the doctor as diet for the wife were being eaten too fast. He couldn't afford to keep buying fresh eggs, witness declared the lieutenant had said Graham paid _little attention to his daughter Valerie, Mrs. Grandjean averred, and was not at home on Christmas day, 1913. Graham Not in Court. The naval officer was not in court today, Former Justice Wright, his counsel, advised the court that Gra- ham was busy on his ship today, but expected to attend court tomorrow. There was no objection to proceeding in his absence, Judge Wright said. Mrs. Grandjean was_examined by Attorney Rudolph H. Yeatman, who is assoclated with Attorneys Wilton J. Lambert and William E. Leahy in the defense of Humes. The cross- examination was conducted by Judge Wright, who has with him Attorncy Philip Ershler, representing the naval officer. Several depositions of absent wit- nesses were offered during the day. ORDER U. S. DESTROYERS TO GET KEMALIST VISA Turks Also to Ask Admiral Bristol to Report All'Movements_ of Warships. By the Associated Press. CONSTANTINOPLE, November 20.— The Angora government, ' it was learned today, will present to Rear Admiral Bristol,\ the American_ high commissioney, a note stating’ that American destroyers desiring to enter or leave Turkish ports must hereafter possess a Kemalist visa. ‘The nationalist government also will ask that when one destroyer re- lieves another the nationalist - thorities be informed of the reason for the change, the date when it is to be made, the tonnage of the vessel, the number of the crew and other particulara. Chinese Buccaneers By the Associated Fress. & HONGKONG, November 20.—Sixty- five Chinese buccaneers, who might; have stepped from some ancient log | of the Spanish malin, traveled as pas- | sengers aboard the British steamer | Sui-an when she left Macao for Hong- ! kong yesterday afternoon. Seizing | | the ship a few miles out, the pirates held her for thirteen hours, and the crew and passengers made Hong- kong today, with their captors driven | away in sampans, only after a flerce | battle in which two were Killed and | several wounded, ineluding the cap- tain of the Sul-an, a French priest and another European passenger. Disgulsed as Passengers. The British steamer was carrying a large number of European and| Chinese passengers. The pirates, ! heavily armed, were disguised as first or second class passengers. CUNO 15 BALKED IN GABINET PLANS Unable to Fill Posts as Ger-. man Ministerial Crisis Continues. | | By the Associated Press. BERLIN, November 20.—Nearly a week has passed since the cabinet of Chancellor Wirth resigned, and the ministerial crisis is considered to be still far from settled. When Herr Cuno accepted the task of constitut- ing a new cabinet of work, as he described it, it was hoped he would have all the portfolios, or at least the most of them, filled by .today, but such difficulties have developed that it is belleved likely he may even abandon the effort altogether. Opposed by Soclalists. The chancellor-designate finds him- self balked in his plans to secure a cabinet made up of the middle and socialist parties, as the socialists, opposed to what they term Herr Cuno's *“free hand” policy, have voted through the united sociallsts’ executive party board to abstain from taking any ministerial” portfolios. They, base their attitude to some ex- tent on the party's opposition to the industrialist party, feeling that should the socialists accept cabinet posts they would be forced to have dealings with the industialists. May Select Non-Partisans. As an alternative to giving up his efforts Herr Cuno may form a cabi- net having a non-partisan com- plexion, thereby hoping to gain some support from the middle parties, and possibly from the nationalists. Even this, however, would cause him trouble, as he would still have to con- tend with the antagonism of almost 200 socialistic and communistic deputies. —_— AUTOIST GETS 11 YEARS. ——— Florida Man Convicted of Killing Baby Girl. JACKSONVILLE, Fla, November 20.—Louis P. Cannon, convicted of kil ing Hasel Austin, twenty-one months old, In an automobile accident July 22, and who pleaded gullty to manslaugh- ter in connection with the death of Mitchell Weeks in the same accident, was seéntenced today to serve eleven years in the state penitentiary by Judge Peeler in the criminal court, The charge of manslaughter in con- nection with the death of Charles Aus- tin was nolle prossed. This is the hedviest semtence ever impcsed here as the aftermath of an automobile accident, ———— MONDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1922—TWENTY-EIGHT PAGES. 65 PIRATES SEIZE SHIP; ROUTED AFTER SEA FIGHT Boarded Vessel as Passengers—Chief Is Shot—Flee After Being in Command 13 Hours. ence, the pirates threatened to beach and burn the vessel. In the fighting that followed two Indian watchmen were killed and two others of the crew were wounded. The captain’s wound is serious. ‘Woman Orders Retreat. The invaders then got the upper- hand and locked up passengers and crew. The pirates passed Hongkong, out at sea, and began to steam in the direction of Swatow. Finally, thirteen hours later, a Eu- ropean shot and wounded the pirate chief. The chiefs wife then directed that the incursion be abandoned. Mid- way between Hongkong and Swatcw the outlaws escaped in sampans. ‘The Sui-an reached Hongkong at | noon’ today. The Sui-an is listed as a ship of 1,200 tons, owned by the Hongkong, Canton and Macao Steamboat Com. any, Limited. Macao is across the mouth of the Canton river from Kong- kong and about fifty miles distant MORE THAN 60 DROWN AS BOAT SINKS IN GULF Steamer With Mexican Cotton Pickers Is Reported Lost by Courier. MEXICALI, Lower California, No- vember 20.—More than sixty persons were drowned when a boat capsized while attempting a landing at La Bomba, sixty miles south of Mexicali on the Gulf of California, according to word received here. According to meager reports of the disaster received through a Yaqui Indian courier, who came overland through the desert, the drowned in- cluded men, women and childrén. The Mexicali "agency of a steamer line operating between La Bomba and Guayamas reported that the steamer ‘Topolobampo was due at La Bomba early today and officlals expressed the belief that the disaster was to possengers of this vessel. ‘The Topolobampo sailed from Guay- amas last Friday laden with Mexi- cans on the way to the cotton flelds of Lower California, where they ex- Ppected to obtain employment as pick- ers. They were the first of a large number of workers being collected in the Mexican states of Sonora and Sinaloa to gather the cotton crop of this territory. Upon receipt of word of the dis- aster, Gen. Jesus Ferrerio, comman- dant of the northern district of Low- er California, immediately dispatched from Mexicali couriers to obtain ac- curate details and started cavalry with first-aid equipment to La Bomba to perform whatever relief work might be possible. Few persons reside permanently at La Bomba and the country between that point and Mexicali is an unin- habited waste. as the papers are printed. | | iSultan Reaches Malta; Effendi Succeeds Today By the Associated Press. MALTA, November 20.—The British dreadnaught Malaya, with Suitan i Mohammed VI on board, arrived here | this morning. Since the sultan is traveling in- | cognito the customary honors and salutes were dispensed with. It is ex- pected that Gov. Plumer will board the vessel to extend an official wel- come. Mohammed, who is accompanied by his ten-year-old son and three offi- clals, will stay at Fort Tigne, which has been specially prepared for his reception, By the Associated Press. CONSTANTINOPLE, November 20.— Crown Prince Abdul Medjid_Effendl, who was elected caliph by the great national assembly of Turkey on Sat- urday, will be inducted into office to- day at the Topcapou Palace. HALL-MILLS CASE JURY PROBE OPENS; SCHNEIDER CALLED Man Who Found Slain Couple Testifies—Pearl Bahmer Also Present. By the Associated Press. SOMERVILLE, N. J., November 20. —The Somerset county grand jury. with the aid of Special State Prosecutor Wil- bur A. Mott, today began "an investi- gation of the| murder of the! Rev. Edward W. Hall and Mrs. Eleanor R. Mills, | now a mystery of | nine weeks' dura- | tion. | A Somervile a! 4 town of only 1.080 persons, is not en- | thusiastic about its position in the | limelight. Its cit- i izens believe that Middlesex county should foot the bill | because it was Middlesex county cit-| zens who were murdered. A detachment of state troopers pa- | trolled the streets about the court- | i When the Europeans showed resist- ! i RAY SCHNEIDER. house and others werce detailed to guard witnesses. Raymond Schnelder, who notified | the police that he had found the bod- ies of- Hall and Mrs. Mills under an old crab apple treet on the Phil- lips farm September 14, was the first witness called. Schneider, who accused a compan- fon of having committed the double murder and later retracted, has been in jail on perjury charges. It was | understood that he would be asked to describe the finding of the bodies | and to identify certain pictures of | | the scene of the murder. Pearl Eahmer, sixteen, who was| with Schneider ‘when he found the | bodies, arrived this morning from | Newark, where she had been lodged | in the House of the Good Shepherd | after charges of incorrigibility had | been preferred against her. She was la)l(len to the jail here to await her call. i Deadline Is Established. | Schenider left the juryroom after testifying nearly an hour, and then' reporters, gazing through the great windows into the room where the| jury was meeting, could see Mr. Mott engage Foreman Gibb in a conference. Newspaper men could see what was going on, but could hear nothing. Later a deadline was established around the structure. A state trooper roke a twig from a tree, placed it ion the ground twenty-five feet from | the building and ordered none to cross without permission. About 100 women, however, had gained access to the courthouse. They mounted to a second floor balcony ! which commands a view of nearly ail j the interior of the courthouse. Leaning over the railing they gazed | |at witnesses seated outside the jury- yroom and, apparently ignorant of the fact that grand jury proceedings are | secret, asked repeatedly if they could | not get into the “trial.” iFLYING BOAT MAY TAKE HUNTERS ON ARCTIC TRIP Flight From Detroit to Hudson Bay Next Summer Expected to Be Made in Three Days. By the Associated Press. NEW YORK, November 20.—Using {a huge fiying boat, now under con- structlon, six Detroit sportsmen plan to fly to the arctic circle next sum- mer for a brief hunting trip. The party will comprise L M. Uppercu, Howard E. Coffin, Harold H. Emmons, Dr. James W. Inches, William E. Metzger and Charles F. Redden. They expect to follow the Hudson river and Canadian lakes and streams to Hudson bay, where they will es- tablish headquarters and try for polar bears and walrus. They ex- pect to make the trip in three days: Over land the trip would require sev- eral weeks. | Food Taken From Americans By Reds in Berlin Restaurant BY GEORGE WITTE. e BERLIN, November 20.—Several Americans, including women, had the strange experience Sunday night of having their food snatched from them while dining in a fashionable Berlin downtown restaurant. Rag: ged, unkempt and unshaven com: munists invaded these places, grab: bed everything in sight and then di: appeared. No warning had been r ceived and when the dangerous ool ing gangsters rushed into the rei taurants everybody was dining quiet- 1y and the bands were playing. Mob Desperate. Suddenly the musicians stopped and when the diners looked up in surprise they saw themselves confronted by roughnecks, who, with mumbled threats, took away from their plates the s, chops, fish and vegetables and then furiously smashed bottles of wine and champagne on the floor. In some cases they even snatched away the food which the diners had on_their forks. Several of the women became hys- terical, but as the unbidden guests looked desperate, the waliters were fraid to interfere and so the gangs succeeded in escaping before the police arrived. Knives, fork oons and ash trays galore were missing when the damage was checked up. Special Police Guard. For & long time some of the un- employed have threatened to break the restaurants frequented by foreigners and profiteers and Sunday night’s outrages were the result. The police now have a special “plunder- ers’ sqad” on duty day and night, as more trouble is expected. i Saturday’s Net Circulation, Sunday's Circulation, | foreign secretary. 87,153 95,931 * TWO CENTS. LAUSANNE PARLEY MEETS 10 SETTLE TURKISH PROBLEW Freedom of Straits and Near East Peace to Be Discussed. U. S. ENVGYS WILL TAKE PART IN DECIBERATIONS Greece in Delicate Position—Turks Boastful as Conference Convenes. By the Assoclated Press. LAUSANNE, November 20.—The near east peace conference here was formally opened at 3:45 o'clock this afternoon. President Haab of Switzer- 1and, the presiding officer of the open- ing session, entered the hall at that hour and read his welcoming address, to which Lord Curzon, the British foreign secretary, replied. First of the leading delegates to arrive was former Premier Venizelos of Greece. He was followed shortly by Premier Mussolini of Italy, wear- ing the fascisti tricolor in his button- hole. Premier Poincare of France, followed immediately by Lord Curzon and Emile Barrere of the French dele- gation, entered at 3:40 o'clock. Switzerland, at whose capital and larger cities many international con- ferences have been staged, again host for a gathering of diplomats who come to discuss one of the most im- portant problems before the world at the present time—the problem of Turkey and the near east. _ Since the armistice conventlon end- ing hostilities between the Greeks and Turks was signed at Mudania, more than a month ago, the near east peace conference, the plenary session of which is 'set for today, has been eagerly awaited, as many complex questions, among them the negoti- ating of a final treaty of peace be- tween Turkey and Greece, the free- dom of the straits and fixing of the future status of Turkey, are to be discussed over the conference tabie. Allies Have Plan. Much satisfaction was evinced on all sides when it became known that the United States had designated iis ambassador to Italy, its minister 1o Switzerland and Rear Admiral Bristol to watch the proceedings; even greater becamc the interest in the conference when a few hours before the session Wwas to open It was intimated that the United States representatives would raise their voices at the meet- ing whenever it was in the interest of the United States and Americans to_do so Premier Poincare will attend for France, while Great Britain's Jeading delegate will be Marquis Curzon, the Prof. Mussolin Italy's new fascisti premier, may also be present. The French, British and Italian statesmen, after a lengthy discussion under unusual circumstances, werc reported to be in agreement on their attitude toward the main problems to come before the conferees. Upon thei® arrival at Lausanne by special train last night M. Poincare and Marquis Curzon requested Prof. Mus- solini, who was at Territet, a few miles from Lausanne, to meet them, tut he declined and they journeyed to the suburb so that they might talk with the Italian representative relative to his opinion on the near east problem. Mussolini agreed to come to Lausanne before the opening of the conference to continue their conversations. ‘The Municipal Caslno, which over- looks Lake Leman, with snow- crowned mountains on the opposite shore, has been selected for the open- ing session of the conference. Greece at Disadvantage. Out of deference to the request of the entente countries, that a member of the Swiss federal councll pre- side at the inaugural of the plenary session, Robert Haab, president of the Swiss confederation, has been designated officially to open the con- terence. The dally business sessions will be held in ~the historic Hotel du Chateau, on the lake side of Ouchy. The hotel has been specially reno- vated and decorated for the occasion. Lausanne's hotels, abandoned dur- ing and since’the war on account of unfavorable exchange, again are humming with life and activity. All Swiss soclety “seems to have as- sembled here. Geece presents a sad spectacle at the Lausanne conference. The ad- vance representatives of the Greek delegation are fiying their blue and White flag from the hotel where they are staving. Eliptherios Venizelos, former pre- mier of Greece, is expected to plead Greece's case before the peace con- frence. The plea will be chiefly for charity—for bread and shelter neces- (Continued on Page 2, Column 1.) lemenceau The Tiger of France —while in America will write exciusively for The Star and associated papers outside of Wash- ngton. His first article will appear next Thursday in @he Foening St —and will be the begin- ning of a history-mak- ing series. DON’T MISS IT!