Evening Star Newspaper, February 4, 1923, Page 1

WEATHE Cloudy row fair, continued \persture for ended at 10, p.m. : Jowest, 10. - T*ull roport on page 3. st ni and much colder today; to- twenty-two hours R. cold, ght: Highest, | 32. No. 28,769. FRENCHPLUG LEAK * N RUBR BLOGKADE Y NEW ADVANEES Troops Occupy Four Railrogd Stations in Move Toward Cologne Bridgehead. 932.—No. VALLEY DRIFTING BACK TO REGULAR ROUTINE' Possibility of General Uprising Against Yoke of Invaders - More Remote. ted Press ELDORF. February 3.—The French have enlarged their area of occupation toward the Cologne bridgehead. occupying railway sta- tions at Vohwinkel, Lennep, Berg and Boun, virtually surrounding El- berfcld. These places were leaks in the French ring around the Ruhr through which trains might pass to the south. The troops used in the new occupation zone were taken from Dortmund, which is virtually evacu- ated. Nine carloads of coal. aned to Italy French a{ Vohwinkel until arrival of a representative of Italian high commissioner at Coblenz determine whether the bills of lading were bona fide. ostensibly Pcople Becoming Reconciled. e situation in the Ruhr is drift- back to the regular routine. The workers and tradesmen, dually becom outwardly popu are fon, reconciled to the presence of the oc- | cupying forces, while the resistance of the functionaries appears to be faltering. The opposition of the in- dustrial magnates, however, shows no sign of abating. The possibility of a general rising against the French seems very remote. Incidents of violence may continue, such as the killing of u German civilian by a French sentry at Brechten last night. but conditions appear to be settling down until one of the warring parties abandons the | ceonomic battle. It is reported the echten civilian who was killed fail- ¢ to halt when challenged. Some of 1lie sentries are rather mervous. One of them pointed his bavonet in busi- nesslik t strolled . althoug Lown his outpost last ) addressed in French pass past Barges Start Down Rhine. ty- burges loaded with coal. to the official figures. have tched to Strassbourg, and -three more which contis- along the Rhine them up the rges average about 1,000 Ten tugs with French working up and down <ix Xty B were cuted awaitin river iving to tow each crews are the Ri The now ne. forwarded by into bout half the amount floated » total coal the French have got out of the Ruhr since the occupation i little 0.000 tons, whereas der the stem they in th explains that hampered by the nece: placing the strikers, plie ud for similar reasons. but he expects to move very much larger quan tities of coal daily to France the bé ginning of next week, Abandon Coal Trains. The Germans are not attempting to approach the French control posts, and run the coal trains to within a few mil, of the upation eastern and outhern frontier. where they aban- Uiem. causing much congestion. he o are completely under French control both the and canals. The French also control high roads T unoccupied Germany. The sured workers coul » thus is m period. services of re. same the . en. Payot in Lippe ) the the man officials and who have disregarded Ber- orders that their salaries paid if they continue to dis- their duties. Many of the Germans have elected to remain, Trying to Avert Famine. Should famine oceur in the which the French are trving their utmost to prevent, there might per- naps be localized bread riots, but the French have the military enforcement of law and order well in hand. Two questions have been upper- most before and since the occupa- tion: IMirst, Can France occupy and hold the Ruhr with military forces without bloodshed? And, second, will prove an and financial success? The first quer the lin's s will be cha occupation in aflirmative. weeks or months question ean It may require before the second be decisively settled. KEEP TROOPS ON RHINE IS LORD GEORGE PLEA By tho Associated Press, LONDON, February 3.—Former Pre- mier Lloyd George, interviewed upon his arrival in London today after his return from Spain, said he was anx- fous to visit America, but that it would be late in the year, if it were possible for him to go at all. He expressed himself as lutely dead against” the proposed withdrawal of the British troops from the Rhine in the present situa- tion, and sald he was sorry the Americans had been withdrawn. GEN. KUROKI DEAD. By the Associated Press. TOKIO, February 4.—Gen.. Tame- moto Kuroki, one of the famous war- riors of Japan, died today of penu- monfa.- He was seventy-eight years old. “abso- were stopped by | the | the | would have | insuring food sup- | leading into | occupying authorities have as- | Rubr, | has been answered | Entered as sacond-cla: vost_ofice Washington, ‘B, &, League Council | Declines to Act | OnRuhrInvasion! By the Associated Press. PARIS, February 3.—The council of the league of nations at a secret, informal session, just be- fore finally adjourning here today. declined to put the reparations or Ruhr occupation questions on its program. This means that for the present there is no possibility of the league taking any initiative toward medi- ation between France and Ger- many. After the meeting Premier Braiiting explained that at the last assembly of the league a resolution was passed setting forth that the league could assist use- fully in the solution of the prob- lems of reparations and inter- alliéd debts oniy if required by the governments concerned. “This,” continued M. Branting, ives a clear indication that the governments may any time feel it desirable to ask the league for such assistance. 1f this is so —and 1 believe it is—It would perhaps render move difficult that ultimate help which I personally believe will be found necessary, if these questions are pressed in the council before the governments concerned haye expressed a desire for the league's help. LEAGUE THREATENS FORCE FIRST IV {Answers Defiance of Lith- i uania With Proposal to Blockade Country. i i | i | | j ] i | |ARTICLE XVI IS CITED| | New Republic's Representative Re- ! i affirms His Stand Against Polish Decision in Vilna. | Br the Associated Press. | PARIS, February 3.—Threats of | forceful methods in resistance to de-| | cisions of the league of nations were | made today for the first time by a |league member, when M. Sidzikaus- | kas, representing Lithuania, declared | in a meeting of the council that ! Lithuania would use force to prevent |the neutral zone in the | Vilna. ! For the first time® too. the council | {of the league warned a member that | if it broke the covenant by the use | | of force in violation of the decisions ! | of the league, article XVI of the cove- | \nanl would be invoked and a block-| lade of the member's territory de-: | clared i region of | 1 Polex Accept Award. The counecil had just decided that; the neutral zone in the Vilna region. | | which has been practically without a | government since the Polish-Lithu- anian dispute started. must be ad-| ninistered by the authorities on the | |spot. It gave part of this district |in temporary charge to Poland 'anll‘] another part to Lithuania, i Prof. Askenazy. the Polish delegate. accepted this decision, but M. Sidzi- causkas rejected it on behalf of Lith- | uania. declaring that if Poland tried o occupy any portion of the neutral| | zone force would be employed to pre- | vent it ! Rene Viviani of France was pre- siding, and in an outburst of in- | dignation, he asked the Lithuanian delegate if he realized what his threat | meant. Then, reaching for the printed covenant of the league. he rcid“ farticle XVI and said: Warns of Penalty. | Rhine it ot ! (h's is the penalty ou attempt to resist i the league by force.” | i The Lithuanian delegate calmly | declared that Lithuania reserved all |ner rights. He then left the cmmcfll room. | The league decision hus no refer- lence to the Memel territory, which lstill is under the authority of the ! council of ambassadors, acting for the allies. The council decided to refer to |the international court of justice the | questions at issue between Poland and you incur decisions { their | considerable t TURKS 10 PRESENT COUNTER TREATY New Proposal Will Be Made by Angora Delegates at Lausanne. {ALLIES READY TO REFUSE |ciassi General Impression Is That Turks Will Sign Pact as Last ANNE, February $.—-The Turk- fashion when a correspond- | the occupation by Poland of a part of | ish gelegation informed the Associ- ated Press tonight that it will pre- {sent a counter treaty project to the allies. At midnight the entire Turkish dele- gation was still in close conference. drafting a reply to be submitted to the ailies tomorrow. The allied delegations 5 with some enxiety Turkish’ action, some of them believing that the Turks will ask for further delay. and perhaps time to refer back to Angora. Both the French and Italian delegates declared tonight that If the Turks did not sign the treaty tomorrow, and the British departed, they would follow suit. are awaiti allies state they have last concessions\ which are so that some of the dele- gates remarked shat if the Turks do not sign they must be mad. Ambassador Child again played a leading part in these closing hours— closing they are, morrow night with his delegation. Allies’ Last Compromise. Ismet Pasha spent two hours with the American ambassador, but is non- committal a& to whether he would place his signature on the treaty or | reject it. Nevertheless, Mr. Child said afterward, “1 am optimisfic. The French spokesmen referred to Ismet Pasha's “disconcerting attitude of reserve” in all of today's conversa- tions. The general impression was that the Turks, with habitual oriental j disinclination to come to a decision, would hold back until the last mo- ment, then sign. The - Associated Press obtained a copy of the allies’ last compromise on capitulations, which was handed to Ismet Pasha today and which is of especial interest to American resi- dents in Turkey. So as not to offend Turkeyish pride, this will not be in- corporated in the treaty of peace, but will stand as a declaration by the Turkish_delcgation. Turkey engages ; (Continued on Page umn 7.) | 173 ! | | BY WILLIAM BIRD. | By Cable to The Star. | PARIS, February 3.—So long as the French forces remain in the Ruhr, | Georges Clemenceau will abstain en- | tirely from participating in polities. So far does he carry his self-imposed policy of silence that he positively has refused to write articles in newpapers, French or foreign, on political subjects. This statement was made to this cor- respondent today by a close friend of the Tiger to whom it was suggested Clemenceau might assist in clearing up the doubt in the United States concern- ing the wisdom of the French policy by, returning to active political life. While in America two months ago the | Tiger let it be clearly understood tnat | he opposed the occupation of the Ruhr. en he returned to France he found a | that the French government already hs: { practically decided -on the advance. Clemenceau then issued a statement | contradicting certain phrases attributed | to him, but refused to deny that he con- sidered the occupation would be a mis~ take. His present policy of silence s believed to be due to the fact that, al- though he cannot approve the Anvasion, e nevertheless Is determjried to do (Continued on Page 2, Column 2.) Tiger” Shuns All Politics . While French Occupy Ruhr economic | nothing that would embarrass the French government in executing it. Friend of the English. The former premier always has been a great friend of the Englfsh and he is known to feel that an open breach might have been avoided, especially as the overthrow of Lloyd George gave op- | portunits for a new deal all around of which Poincare might have taken sharp advantage. The Tiger is only one of many French political leaders who now are in the same boat. The unanimous vote of aji‘ of the parties excepting the commuplits in signing a blank check of apfroval for the government to comflete its Ruhr policies simply meang that many who oppose this cours¢ 6f action felt that it would have been an act of doubt- ful patriotism to Mave done or said any- thing which ight complicate an already delicate sifuation. The-great objection to thi# attitude, as Mberal writers now are pointing out, ie that if a reversal of the Ruhr policy shall become necessary there is no party and no political leader who is free of responsibility and can undertake a re- verse policy with clean hands. £ made since Lord Curzon | | insists he is returning to London to- ! The Su I'HE ! TODAY’S STAR | H PART ONE—24 Pages. | General News—Local, National, Foreign. Radio News—Page 17. | Schools and Colleges—Page 21. | Financiai News—Pages 22 and 23. { PART TWO0—24 Pages. ! Editorials and Editorial Feature: | Washington and Other Society. | D. A. R. Activities—Page 15. | Arts and Artists—Page 16. | Community Centers—Page 16. | Girls and Thelr Affairs—Page 17. | Serial, “The Scarlet Tanager"—P: | Officers’ Reserve Corps—Page 17. | Spanish War Veterans—Page 17. fied Advertising—Pages 18 to 23. i PART THREE—12 Pages. ,Am'unmomi—nnuu and the Photo- i play. | Musical Mention. { Motors and Motoring. | Around the City—Page 6. | World War Veterans—Page 7. | Fraternities—Page 11. | Book Reviews—Page 11. H PART FOUR—1 Pages. Pink Sports Section. PART FIVE—S Pages. Magazine Section—Features and Fiction. ROTOGRAVURE—S Pages. World Events in Pictures. COMIC SECTION—4 Pages. | Mutt and Jeff; Reg'lar Fellers; Betty Mr. and Mrs. SEVEN TIDAL WAVES CAUSEDBY QUAKES !Water Reaches Maximum Height of Fifteen Feet in Hawaiian Bay. INSATIABLLE TURK. | By the Associated Press. HONOLULT, T. H.. Febru —The damage at Hilo and Kahului as the result of tidal waves this afternoon is estimated at £1,500.000, according to wireless messages received this evening. HONOLULU. T. H. February 3.— Seven tidal waves this afternoon swept Hilo bay, Island of Hawail. The waves reached a Mmaximum height of fifteen feet. The waves, apparently the result of intense earth shocks, brought death to a number of per- sons. One Japanese was killed when the Matson Navigation Company's lighter Waliloa struck the rallroad bridge across the Wailuku river. The victim fell from the bridge and perished in fisherman has been recovered. Four others are missing. How many, if any, other persons met death was not known tonight. On the Island of Oahu four waves struck Haleiwa, with secondary ef- fects visible in Honolulu ‘Bay where the water rose and receded a maxi- mum of six feet. Railroad Wasked Out. A section of the Oahu railroad tracks, skirting the ocean at Moku- lela, about four miles west of Halelwa was washed out, as wefe several bridges. Persons whd “ob- served the waves said t “the whole sea seemed to ! At Hilo the tidal wéve swept out the railroad bridgeeVer the Wailuku River. The storsp’on the Hilo water- front were gifown into the streets, their foumflations being swept out by the-rishing waters. Maty drivers of automobiles aban- ddned their cars when they saw the ‘huge waves sweeping toward them. The Standard Oil tanker Doane was D. in evident distress in the bay here| tonight. She was believed to-be on a sandbar, whistling for-assistance. On the Island of Maui a tidal wave brought serious injury to Dr. L. C. Smith, whose automobile was hurled by the wave over a fence and over- turned. Waters Flood Streets. Thes high waters washed over the streets of the water front at Kahului, wrecking the wharf and destroying the freight in the pler, Buildings. The wharf shed virtually on , Columm 1., the wreck. The body of oune Japanese | PANAMA INSISTS ON TARIFF RIGHTS! | {Would Curb U. S. in Canal Zone in New Pact to Sup- plant Taft Agreement. {IRRITATED AT DRY LAW i ! Declares Roosevelt Promised Area Never Would Be Ameri- can Colony. | | By the Associsted Pr { e Btate Department has bee fn- ! formed by the Panamanian govern- ment that in forthcoming negotia- I tions for a new treaty to supplant jthe Taft agreement covering Canal Zove relationships, the right of the Panamanlan government under the | original treaty over foreign com- i merca in the Canal Zome will be re- | assertea. i The point has been made Ly the { Panamanian authorities that assur- ances were given by President Roose- velt that the United States had no in- tention of making the zome an in- dependent colony in the middie of the republic of Panama. The representa- tions to the State Department are understood to declare plainly that the government of Panama would be un- able to accept any new agreement which might bring about such a re- sult T. S. Attitade Not Discloned. So far as known the terms of the | dratt treaty prepared in recent con- ! terences between State and War De- { partment oflicials, including G Morrow of the Canal Zone, has not yet {been communicated to the Panama authorities. Nor will officials here discuss what notice will be taken in these negotitions of varlous matters in which the people of Panama are held by their government to have been adversely affected through | American activities in the zone. Among these points is the ques- tion of acquisition of further lands for the canal or its fortification. The Panama authorities have put forth the view that the canal should be pronounced’ by treaty a completed project, and the existing authority for taking over additional lands should be nullified. A new method is urged for appraising lands which it might become necessary to take jat & later date. i | Railroad Gives Comcers. The status of the Panama Rail- {road Company, with reterence -fo rents it collects in the city of Tolon and with reference to taxes Collect- able upon railroad propefty also is a matter of canoern‘{fi the Panama government, as 18.¢he right of canaj authorities to »fht canal structures to the generdl public, to establish bonded wafehouses or to monopolize the bugifiess of supplying ships using the ginal. e Panama government desires also to establish its own customs service at canal terminals to deal with passengers or commodities bound for the adjacent cities of Pan- ama and Colon, and to have an un- derstanding as to enforcement of the Volstead act in the. zone to the end that this American prohibition meas- ure shall mot interfere with free trafic In liquors between Panama and foreign nations or -between dif- ferent parts of the republic where passage through the -Canal Zone is necessary. . 3 Another Question Raiged. A varlety of other questions. has been raised by Panama 'for settl ment in the treaty negotiations. The assurance is given that the Panama government has no purpose of pre- senting any attifude antogonistic to the interests of the United States, but it has been pointed/ out that while the canal was not designed by the: United States as a purely com- mercial enterprise, some administra- tors had followed a course tending to make the Zone a competing entity against the economic life of Pangz- manian cities, PRESIDENT CERTAIN BRITISH DEBT PLAN WILL BE APPROVED Administration Officials Cog- nizant, However, of Rocks Ahead in Congress. STEP TOWARD RESTORING ECONOMIC BALANCE SEEN Settlement Considered First Great Step in Breaking Down Vicious Cycle of World Obligations. The plun for funding Great Britain's | way-time debt to the United States Was turned over to President Hard- ing last night by the debt-funding) commission. Accompanying the plan was a statement by the commission suggesting methods of congresstonal action translating the results of the commission’s negotiations into law. The statement was not made public. While the commission in a protract- cd conference was formulating its views for transmission to the Presi- dent new rumblings of opposition to | the plan were heard in both the; House and the Se At the same time Senator Lodge of Massachusetts, the republican leader in the Senate, visited the White| House tc discuss the situation with | President Harding, and Representa- tive Mondell of Wyoming, the House | republican leader. conferred with | Representative Burton of Ohio, a; member of the funding commission. as to ways and mcans of handling the settlement legislation in the| T y Present indications are for the President to send the settlement plan, together with a brief message con- jcerning it. to Congress early uus; veek, but this has not been definitely | determined The administration appears econfi- dent that can muster &ll the strength necessary to bring action on the legislztion before the end of the| present session, March 4, but Mr.| Harding is represented as desiring to| have everything done In advance that| wiil speed a final settlement. 1 Interest Rates Oppoved. i Increasing evidence developed yes- terday that Iouse democrats planned | to oppose the Interest rates contatned | in the settlement plan on the grounds | that they constituted a discrimina-| tion. Several of them declared that the rates proposed to be applied on ! the British debt were materially| lower than the United States pays on| its own obligatlons. i Members of the funding commi | sion were said to have talked frank- | | at men. They have many duties. it is not surprising, therefore, that they cannot devote their entire time to the National Capital. They have its interests at heart, though, and if any citizen of Washington goes to one of them with a concrete sug- gestion, he will receive sympathy and conslderation. and. if the sugges- tion merits it, support.” The speaker touched briefly on the foreign policy cf the United States. “It looks sometimes as if it were Iy among themselves as to the ob- stacles to be overcome in pushing the | necessary legislation through Con- | gress. It was generally agreed, it| was said, that complicated legigla- | tion should be avolded, and it appears | that the recommendations to the| Presidént urged that a complete | change of the law be avoided at this| time, Acceptance Predicted. i Administrative officlals, although | admitting that rocks lay in the path | of the debt legislation, argued in-| sistently that the plan agreed upon and accepted by just and right and predicted that it Great Britain was| t fwould be accepted. They pointed out | also that a settlement with Great| Britain would be the first move to- | ward breaking down what the Brit- ish delegation to the funding confer- ence had deecribed as a viclous cycle of world debt, and that in fixing the | methods of payment on one war debt | a distinct contribution would be made i toward restoring the world economic | balance. President would touch on this phase of the settlement in his message to Congress. g Dr. Clarence J. Owens, firesident of the Southern Commggfial Congress, has sent ‘an appeal’ to members of Congress from .6 southern states urging suppgft of the plan of the Americay #debt-funding * commission for sestfement of the British debt. THe terms indorsed by the commis- stbn, Dr. Owens said, were in lin with recommendations of the inter national trade commission of the Southern Commercial Congress, which made an extensive survey last year of economic conditions in Europe. The trade commission’s report was adopted by the Southern Commercial Congress at the convention in Chi. | cago last November. ———— REPORT OND.C. SURPLUS REVENUES IS PREPARED Committee Has Long Session gid ‘Will Probably Have Another Meeting Tomorrow. i 1 The joint congressional committee on - the surplus revenues of tlhe Dis- trict of Columbia, after sitting throughout yesterday, it is under- stood, practically completed its report which is to be submitted to the Sen- ate and House tomorrow in accord- ance with the provisions of the act creating the committee. All details| of the report are withheld from publication unti}. €he report shall have been submitted. Coples of the report will be scru- tinized by individual members of the committes today, it is understood, and, a meeting of the committes will 'be held tomorrow. prier It was Intimated that thett “From Press to Home Within the Hour” The Star’s carrier system covers every and the regular edition is ‘Washington homes 2s fast as the papers are printed. Friendly Spirit Of U.S.on Debts Lauded by Briton By the Associated Press. “BIRMINGHAM, February Stanley Baldwin, chancellor of the exchequer, speaking at the jewel- ers’ annual dinner tonight, sald that although the question of the British debt to the United States was to a certain extent sub judice, if satistactorily settled it left the way clear for closer co-operation between the two peoples than was possible before. This settlement wi a necessary prelude to the settlement of Furopean questions. If the debt was not funded, ar- rears would roll up for Great Britain for years to come and the country might have drifted to pos- sible default, but all that was over now, continued the chancellor, and they would feel with pride that they had carried through the greatest financlal transaction in the history of the world. The chancellor paid tribute to the friendly spirit in which he had been met by the American statesmen, saying: “When we had once acknowledged the debt, they did all they could to secure a fair bargain and stand by us. 1 was struck by the splendid fair-mind- edness of their ministers and agents.” CONGRESS CALLED DISTRICT'S FRIEND Senator Lenroot Speaker at Midwinter Dinner of Board of Trade. TALKS ON FOREIGN POLICY “Looks Sometimes as If Money of | America, Not Voice, Is Wanted in Europe,” He Says. Six hundred members of the Wush- ington Board of Trade and their guests forgot business cares and frolicked at the fifth annual mid- winter dinner of the Hotel. With only one speaker. Irvine L. Lenroot of Wisconsin, the evening was given over to entertain- ment. Seventeen acts were on the program. Senator Lenroot, in a brief address. denied that Congress or congress. men were hostile to the District of | Columbia and its interests. He said that Congress could be accused of being indifferent, but not hostile. “Members of the House and Sen- |not the voice of America that they are asking for in Europe, money of Amercia,” he said, Could Obtain Melp, -« He said that Europe, if"she would forget her hates and passions and settle down to constryctive upbuilding, could be sure.of not,only the voice and money §f Amerfca, but the help of this coynfry.-# Publje-“opinion, according to the speak@r. is the soverelgn power of the world. Even without a “vote,” Tesidents of this city ean assist in molding public opinion so that the (Continued on Page 3, Column 5.) SENATE APPROVES ARMY BILL FOR 125,000 MEN No Action Taken on House Pro- vision Denying Pay to Harbord. but the Many of the most important pro- visions of the annual Army bill, in- cluding the provision for a personnel of 125,000 men and 12,000 officers, were approved yesterday by the Sen- ate within a few hours after con- sideration of the measure was be- sun. No move to reduce the personnel figures, which will keep the Army at It present strength, was made from any quarter. Committee amend- ments increasing appropriations for the ‘Army's organized reserves and civilian training camp activities also were approved, but no action was taken on the Muscle Shoals and rivers and harbors sections. ‘The House provision withholding re- tired pay to Maj. Gen. Harbord, former deputy chief of staff, who has accept- ed a position with a radio concern, also went over until this week after Senator Glass, democrat, Virginia, and Chairman Wadsworth of the military committee had made speeches attack- ing it. Senator Wadsworth said that Gen. Harbord's radio company had just $60 worth of business with the government last month. ‘“We are asked by this provision to distrust all retired Army officers,’ added the New York senator, “and deny them the right to pick up some modest employment to eke out their wvery small retired pay.in middle and old age. membership | committee last night at the Willard | Senator | " said Senator Lenroot, “are busy | FIVE CENTS. D. C. FACES LONELY NINE MONTHS WITH CONGRESS AT REST Lawmakers Have Been in Almost Continuous Session for Past Eight Years. PRESIDENT WILL VISIT FLORIDA AND ALASKA- { Hughes to Get Chance at Foreign Policy Without Interference With Senate. BY ROBERT T. SMALL. Washington is about to try a new experiment—that of running the gov- ernment without Congress. Congress has been on the job al- most continuously for the last eight years. But the lawmakers are go- ing away from here four weeks from today, and it is safe to say that everybody, including the lawmakers, is breathing a sigh of rellef. President Harding has no intention of “spciling” the vacatlon promised the country on and after March 4 by calling a special session. If the ship sabsidy bill does not pass, Mr. Harding will let Congress take the responsibility. He called the legi lators into extra session last Nov ber to consider the shipping measure and since that time Congress, es- pecially the Senate, has been con- sidering everything but the shipping | mez sure. Nothing Will Force Session. Nor will President Harding call a ecial sessfon If some of the big ap jpropriation or supply bills get ".fl}mled in ihe jam of the closing burs. A simple resolution continuing existing appropriations for another vear can care for that situation, and probably will have to be resorted to. The Sixty-seventh Congress. now on its iast lege, has broken all rec- ords. Tt has twice been called &nto ctra session. making four sessions in all, snd this has never before happened in the history of the coun- try. Of course, there are persons who will say it has broken records in other directions, but the only thing proved and admitted is that the Sixthy-seventh Tias outdistanced all rivals in the matter of multiplicity of meetings. 1915 Was Bleak Year. is necessary to go back to the spring of 1915 to find a situation parallel to the one promised after March 4 next. There was a congres- sional vacation that year from March to December, but there has been virtually no vacation since. In 1815 { Congress went home and President Wilson went to Cornish, H, a pleasant time being had by 1L In 1923 Congress promises to go home. President Harding is going first to Florida and then to Alaska, hoping for a bit of golf in both places, so that once more a pleasant time for all in the offing. Fiom the reports reaching Wash- | ington it is quite evident that the country at.lurge is looking forward as keenly to the coming congres- slopaF moratorium as those most im- ntediately concerned. The business interests in particular are happy over the prospects of not being legislated for or against for a period of nine long months. Business wants a rest from national legislative activities and is going to get it. President Harding has been so advised, and the President is not given to stir- ring up unnecessary trouble. | | | | x Farmers Are Hopeful. The farmers of the country, who for so long have been viewing Wash- ington with alarm, are hopeful that at the end of the coming nine months of legislative rest and recuperation they may point to the capital with pride. Certainly this last session of the record-breaking Congress has been doing its best to write some- thing on the statute books of es- pecial benefit to the agricultural class. Whether the new: credits the Congress has authorized will solve the difficultics of the farmer remains to be seen. The corn belts and the cotton belts and the wheat belts all are trying to look on the optimistic side. Washington hopes their op- timism will be justified. Experiment to Be Dificult. Admittedly it is oing to be very difcult to try to run the govern- ment without Congress. Many habits can be formed over a period of eight years. During that time Congress— once again, particularly the Senate— has formed the habit of trying to run everything, sticking its fingers in the governmental fire, no matter how often they may have gotten burnt. Democratic senators are saying out loud that President Harding and Secretary Hughes view the forth- coming congressional absence in the same light as the old fellow who was going Into town on Saturday night. ‘What you going for, Henry?* he was asked. ‘Goln’ to git drunk,” ho replied, “and, gosh, how T dread it!” First Breathing Spell. As a matter of plain fact the ab- sence of Congress will give the Presi- dent and the State Department their first real breathing spell since the advent of the present administration The Senate has insisted on discussing the foreign relations of the country with a frankness which at times plainly has proved embarrassing to the executive branch of the govern- ment. The Senate took the bit in its teeth immediately after the peace lfwu““ on Page 2, Coma 2y