Evening Star Newspaper, July 3, 1923, Page 1

WEATHER. Partly cloudy tonight and tomor- row; slightly warmer tonight. Temperature for twenty-four hours ended at 2 p.m. today: Highest, 77, 2 p.m. yesterday; lowest, 64, at 6 today. “From Press to Home Within the Hour” The Star’s carrier system covers every city block and the regular edi- tion is delivered to Washington homer. Full report on page 7. Closing N. Y. Stocks and Bonds, Page 14 No. 28,917, FRENCH TAKE TOW IN NEW REPRISAL FORRUHR OUTRAGE Continue Reprisals for Bomb- ing of Belgian Soldiers. City Hall Is Held. BELGIUM FEARS ARMED _RESISTANCE MAY COME - Britain Prepares Decisive Step to Collect Debt if France Ignores Memorandum. post_office By the Associated Press. LONDON, July 3—Oral explana- tions of the French nnd Belgian attitudes toward German on the reparations question were given to Marquils Curzom, the Britixh for- elgn seeretary, today by the am- bassndors of the two countries, who called on him at the forelgn office. Their nction was in re- aponne to the recent British ques- tionnaire scnt to Pariy and Brus- melx. Lord Curzon received, first, the Belgian ambassador, Baron Mou- cher, who remaincd with him for shont an hour. It ix underxtood that no new points in the Belgian sttitude were disclosed. In return Lord Curzon outlined the British nttitude. At the conclusion of thix conversation, Count de Saint-. Inire, the French ambassador, was reeelved. By the Associated Press. DUESSELDORF, July 3.—French troops yesterday occupied the town of Westhofen, northeast of Hagen, accord- ing to German sources, arresting the burgomaster, stationmaster, postmaster and other city officials. | A detachment of 250 troops, the Ger- | mans report, occupied the city hall and | ook charge of the railroad station. | ‘Westhofen is the easternmost point in JAPANESE MAY ASK Entered as second-class matter hington, D. C. “Don’t Rock the President May Boat,” Slogan Adopt for 1924 |America Better Off Than Any Other Nation and Still Gaining, Is Keynote of His Weste BY DAVID LAWRENCE. “Hold steady, don’t rock the boat.” This may be the slogan of the re- publican party and the appeal President Harding for re-election in 1924, It epitomizes all of his speeches on the western trip. It is the theme which he persistently pro- clalms—namely, that compared to the rest of the world, America has made substantlal progress. Just three years ago this summer the country was tired of war-time restrictioin and cried out “We want a change.” If the American people will be patient, the much-sought- after normaley will come sooner by a continuation of the present ad-, ministration than by a change In leadership or party—this is Mr. Harding’s whole platform. Points to Accomplishments. Nearly every speech the President made on his western trip gave an inkling of his campaign plan. Cau- FRANCE B IRNORED Reported in Favor of Ratify- ing Naval Treaty Without Further Delay. By the Associated Press. TOKIO, July 3.—Japan has decided | to approach America and Great Brit- | ain with a view of reaching a tri- this region under French occupation. The | move into that town is understood to | be a reprisal for the persistent sniping | that had been going on from the unoc- | cupied territory against French troops on the outer fringe. Bank In Occupled. \ BERLIN, July 3—French troops have occupied the Wiesbaden branch of the reichsbank and confiscated a consider- able amount of cash, says the Vossische | Zeltung today. { FEAR RUHR UPRISING. | the Belgian Leaders See Plot for Arm- ed Resistance. By the Associated Press. BRUSSELS, July 3.—In Belgian military circles the bombing of the Ielgian troop train at Duisburk last Saturday is regarded as an extreme- ly grave symptom of conditions in the Ruhr. Gen. Jacques and other Tommanders who have seen active service express the opinion that Ger- many s seeking to provoke serious incidents which the German na- tionalists would make the pretext for inaugurating military action, preparations for which, the Belgian military men assert, have long been completed. The Berlin government, they suggest, would avoid assuming responsibility, but would count upon Britain passivity to allow guerrilla war to be waged with impunity against the allled troops. Belgian public opinion, to indications in political quarters and in the press, s rapidly crystailiz- ing in favor of 'a more vigorous at- titude toward Germany. _— according BELGIUM MAKES REPLY. Curzon Expects Debt Questions to Be Answered Today. By the Associated Press. i BRU S, July 3.—The Belgian answer to the British questionnaire on the Franco-Belgian reparation policy has been sent to the Belglan ambassador in London, who is ex- pected to deliver it to Lord Curzon, the British foreign secretary, later in the day. BEITAIN TO ACT. Decisive Step in Reparations Ques- tion Exvected Soon. By Wireless to The Star and Chicago Daily ‘ News. Copyright. 1023 BERLIN, July 3.—Great Britain will take some decisive step in the! reparations question this week, ac- cording to information brought to| Berlin by Americans and observers | from neutral countries. It is belleved | here that Prime Minister Baldwin will demand from France a declara- tion of her aims and policy in the Ruhr occupation. It is belleved that he may even go So far as to suggest some form of compromise between Great Britain and France on the oc- cupation question. May Scek Allied Aid. 1f Premier Poincare remains im- | movable In his present position the | British may try to control the rep-| arations commission by winning to their point of view the Italian and | Belglan representatives in opposition | to the French. 1If Great Britain should succeed in this plan the pres- nt leolation of France would become | ven more pronounced, and she might have a difficult time carrying out her policy in the Ruhr. | The blowing up of a Belgian troop train, by which ten Beigian soldiers were killed and many were wounded, has complicated the Ruhr situation. The Belgians, who were willing to listen to Baldwin's plans a few days 4go, may now be disposed 1o accept the relentless policy of the French. DEMAND FRENCH REPLY. British to Insist Paris Answer Re- cent Memorandum. By Cable to The Star and Chicago Daily News. Copyright, 1923, LONDON, July 3.—Even conserva- tive English politiclans who believe that France and Great Britain will get together on some plan of settle- ment of the Ruhr and reparations questions are now openly speculating as to what the Bi'tish will do as an alternative to a cov-operative settle- ment including all the allles. Inde- pendent action by, Great Britain, if it comes, must follow elaborate efforts to bring about a general agreement. If all efforts at settlement fail rance can hardly question Great ritain’s right to separate action, for the French have acted independently on_many occasions in_the past. in < (Continued on Page 2, Column 7.) l'to thi { from delay .RUM RUNNING SHIP rty agreement to enforce the pro- visions of the Washington naval, treaty, without awaiting ratification ! by France, it was asserted confident- | today in Japanese newspapers | which print statements believed to be reliable. U. S. UNINFORMED. | Has No Official Advices That lenni Proposes Action. By the Associated Press. Reports that Japan is preparing to | propose an agreement making the Washington naval treaty effective without further delay revives a dis- cussion of the same project which took place in the Japanese press five or six months ago. Consideration of the question at that time was not re- flected in any official conversations, 8o far as can be learned, and there Is othing available in government cir- cles in Washington to indicate that the suggestion in its revived form has taken any more definite shape up time. | Japanese anxlety for ratification of | the Washington pact is regarded as | quite natural, inasmuch as Japan shares with the United States a pe- cullar _economic _condition arising in French ratification. Both in Japan and in the United States extensive naval building pro- grams were in progress when the treaty was negotiated and ships in varfous stages of construction still are on the ways in both countries, with work suspended. but with the contracts still in existence. Until the treaty is in force it ix doubtful | that either counry will go to the extent of ordering contracts can- celed or of actually scrapping the ships which will not be completed under treaty. The delay involves for the two governments a continuing burden of expense and the impossibility of clearing up the accounts with the contractors, which probably will be | an intricate matter and ltself take considerable time. In view of recent advices from Paris as to progress being made toward | ratification of the treaty, some doubt is entertained here that Japan will make any move toward a separate three-power understanding at this; time. The exact status of the naval treaty in the French parliament sys- tem is not entirely clear to officials in Washington, however, since no official advice has arrived here. Although it was said in Japanese circles that dissatisfaction with the present situation as to the Washing- iton treaty had been apparent for some time in Japan, it was indicated today that no definite step had been taken here in the matter of reaching ia special three-power agreement. FRANCE MAY RATIFY. Session of Deputies to Be Held for Action, Reports Say. PARIS, July 3.—In order to make certain that the Washington naval treaties will be ratified by the cham- iber of deputies before the close of the present session, Premier Polncare | has decided to keep parilament sitting | until July 13, according to Echo de Paris. IS UP IN COMMONS Prosecution Promised in Case of Strandhill if British Law Was Violated. By the Associated Press, LONDON, July 3.—The_ activities of the British steamship Strandhill fn the rum-running trade off the American coast came up for consid. eration in the house of commons to- day. Questions as to whether the vessel had disposed of a cargo of spirits from the Clyde brought the declaration from Viscount Wolmer, parliamentary secretary to the board of trade, that the case was being investigated, and that if the British law had been violated the govern- ment would prosecute. He declined to give the names of the owners of the cargo, which, he said, were re- quired for revenue purposes. The Strandhill was formerly owned by the United States Shippin, wane of Cartona. rn Speeches. tioned to the extreme about making too many promises, the President felt tempted, again and again, to em- of | phasize what had been accomplished | by way of reducing the public debt, absorbing the unemployed, intain- ing fairly high wage levels and the general prosperity of the country— all this being evidence to Mr. Hard- Ing’s mind that at least America has gone forward and not backward in the last three years. The statement of Cordell Hull, chairman of the democratic national committee, criticizing Mr. Harding for giving the impression in his Salt Lake City speech that the reduction of the public debt had been accom- plished entirely under the republican administration” drew promptly from Mr. Harding a reply that he was not trying to clalm credit for all that had been done and that he was mere- ly pointing out that ever since the war the record of America was un- paralleled throughout the world. The President is a shrewd enough politician to know that he will gain more votes by generously bestowing praise upon the preceding adminis- tration for such progress as it made than by denying | it what (Continued on Page 2 DEMPSEY-GIBBONS FIGHT “ON" AGAIN Kearns Agrees to Gamble on Final $100,000 Due for Bout Tomorrow. By the Associated Press GREAT FALLS, Mont., July 3.—The Jack Dempsey-Tom Gibbons heavy- weight championship fight, suddenly called off at midnight last night, was put back on its feet again today and Wwill be decided in the big pine bowl at Shelby tomorrow as scheduled. Jack Kearns, manager of the world heavywelsht champion, at a confer- ence which broke up at 2:45 am. to- day, agreed to send Dempsey Into the ring against the St. Paul chal- lenger tomorrow and gamble for the final $100,000 instaliment due Demp- sey on his $300,000 guarantee. The | promoter guaranteed the preliminary expenses of the show, which include the payment of the boxers of the pre- liminary bouts, $5,000 to Jimmy Dougherty, the referee, and other in- cidental expenses, which probably will amount to $30,000. Maz). J. E. Lane of Lewistown, Mont., who resigned as trustee for the pro- moters yesterday after failing to ralse Dempsey's $100,000, decided to continue as trustee and assist the promoters in untangling the muddled finances. tion over all gate receipts until champlon's $106,000 I obtained. The gate receipts then will revert to the promoters. Molumby in Contrel. Loy J. Molumby of Great Falls, who signed the articles assuring the championship bout for Shelby, today is back In control as promoter, as- sisted by his associates, who origi- nally concelved the idea of having Dempsey risk his title in the boom town of the plains. Mayor Jim John- son of Shelby, who personally sapk $150,000 in the venture, also is back. Johnson, who came to Great Falls last night from Shelby, making the 100-mile trip in an automobile, was reported to be in such a nervous con- | dition that he was unable to partici- pate In_any of the conferences. remained in the banking He institution of George H. Stanton, president of the | Stanton Trust and Savings Bank, while frantic efforts were being made to save the fight for Shelby. The fight was actually called off at 12:30 o'clock this morning after an angry argument between Kearns, the champion’s manager, and Stanton in a room crowded with newspaper correspondents. Stanton appeared to tell Kearns that the $100,- 000, which the champion’'s manager had demanded, was not avallable and he saw no prospect of raising it. “l feel that Dempsey ought to fight,” Stanton said. “He already has received $210,000. It is cruel to Gib- bons that such a condition has arisen, and in justice to the sport it is my opinion ~ that Dempsey should go ahead and figh Offers to Take $50,000. Kearns declared he would accept $560,000 in cash at once and get the remaining $50,000 from the first money that went through the gates. Stanton advised that it was too late Kearns will have jurisdic-| Jack | ferting WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION OREGON PIONEERS WON EMPIRE FOR U.S., SAYS HARDING President Lauds Initiative of Men Who Blazed Trail Eighty Years Ago. DEDICATE MONUMENT { TO FIRST WAGON TRAIN Pipe of Peace Smoked With In- dians at Powwow—Pitches Horseshoes for Title. By the Assoclated Press. MEACHAM, Ore, July 3.—Presi- dent Harding stopped here today on his western trip to pay homage to the memory of the sturdy pioneers who founded Oregon and saved to the nation the great northwest. The President faced the most strenuous day's program of his west- ern trip in the smallest town he has yet visited. The program had to do With the Oregon trall celebration. Meacham is ten miles from a rail- road and has a population of fifty- one persons. The population of the little town, Rowever, was augmented greatly by | visitors from all parts of the state| and from adjoining states, who| { joined In celebration of the eightieth anniversary of the arrival of the first wagon train in the Willamette valley. By the time the chief ex- coutive arrived the population had increased just about one thousand times. Owe Debt to Ploneers. Speaking at exercises commemorat- ing the blazing of the Oregon trail, the exccutive declared the Ameri- can people owe to those ploneers a | debt of gratitude which they never can repay. Their victory, he asserted, proclaimed the strength of resolute purpose to do for themselves, not ask- ing the government to do, but for | government only to sanction or per- mit “We may reasonably do more to- day,” he sald, “than rejoice In pos- session of the imperial domain which | they revealed, and the life they made | possible to the virile, aspiring and {confident northwest. 1§ find new ss- | surances in recalling the herolsm, the {resolution, the will to conquer of { these pioneers. | wish I .might more effectively visualize them. Not very long ago I saw the covered wagon in the moving picture. I sat entranced. There was more than the picturesque, more than sorrow and discouragement, more than appedlin, characters and en- thralling herolsm. There was more than tha pevelation of the irresolute, who falled in fitness to survive, more than tragedy and comedy in their in- separable blend. Had lterable Purpose. “Thére was more than the scouts who s#irpassed our fancies, more than | nature’s relentless barrfers revealed. Everywhere aflame was the soul of unalterable purpose and the com- maygding Sturdiness of ~ elemental greatness. Still more, there was de- tepmination to do themselves, not fking the government to do, but for government only to sanction or per- mit. “Much the same spirit was re- vealed in the making of the central west, where the determined pioneers bullded in_the confidence which they had in themselves. They battled with nature and every obstacle which they encountered. Heroes perished without fame's acclaim. and they conquered and wrote big their part in_the making of the greater re- public. Thelr victory prociaimed the strength of resolate purpose, and the human genius. confidence in itself and eager to achleve on its own ac- count. ““The lesson cannot fail to impress itself. In this test of self-reliant citizenship there came the rugged, militant, wholesome west. Greater things were wrought, larger accom- plishment was recorded, greater vic- tory was won in this wholesome, in- spiring individualism than will ever attend paternalism or government assumption of the taaks which are the natural inheritance of the build- ers who may better serve for them- selves. Government may well pro- vide opportunity, but the worth- while accomplishment is the privilege and the duty of men.” ‘Welcomed by Governor. The program for the day follows: Arrive Meacham 9 a.m. Presidential salute twenty-one guna. The President welcomed to Oregon by reception committee, headed by Gov. Plerce. Escorted on Concord coaches to re- viewing stand, on which will be seated the President's party, gov- ernors and congressional representa- tives of the northwest and ploneers (Continued on Page 2, Column 3.) | m if Dempsey-Gibbons Fight Round by Round Will be megaphoned tomorrow from the Eleventh street side of X The Star Lol 8.2.0.0.2.0.0 2.0 ¢ No 5:30 edition of The Star will be issued tomorrow, but fight fans can get the news by calling Main 5000. The Big Bout Is Scheduled to Start About 5 0°Clock, Washington Time. (Continued on Page 2, Column 4.) * i Building ! an explosion endangering life, experts | satd, Y NN & Bosrh I 0 0 220 T gl Ay [T % k3 ,’//L/[ 25y T [ K\ il & 4 S\ T P WHY, 1 REMEMBER WHEN THAT FLJURY Was A JMPANELED! ‘[ i | . N Wartime Tale That Germans Crippled Leviathan Denied 1Engineers Who Recondiiioned Giant Liner Say Damage Caused by Accident in Docking Vessel Here in 1914. Dy the Associated Press. NEW YORK, July 3.—Announce-| ment today by engineers who recondi- | tioned the Leviathan that war-time | tales of German attempts to cripple the | liner were false has left the Shipping | Board In a quandry as to what to do| with $15,000 worth of elaborate souvenir | booklets, containing a detailed account | of the alleged sabotage, which were to | have been distributed tomorrow on the | ship's first voyage as an Alnel‘l&’l.n‘y liner. 1 NEW YORK, July 3.—F. H. Gibbs | of Gibbs Bros., engineers, who pre- pared the glant liner for service a: | an American passenger vessel, sald | that damage to the vessel, originally supposed to have been the resuit of German sabot: had been found to ! TWODIEINAUTO AS TANK EXPLODES Three Others Badly Burned in Accident Near Fred- erick, Md. By the Associated Press. FREDERICK, Md., June 3.—Two members of an automobile’ touring party from Watertown, N. Y., were burned to death and three others were injured near here early today when the gasoline tank exploded while being refilled. The dead: Mrs. Andrew Miller, aged twenty-six, and her daughter Viola, aged five. The Injured: Andrew Miller, the woeman's husband, probably fatally burned; Gladys Jessman, aged five, and Wil- | llam Jessman, aged six, slightly. The accident occurred at 3:30 o'clock | this morning near Erbana, five miles | south of Frederick, while Mr. Miller was fllling the tank from an emer- gency container. The explosion spray- ed the occupants of the machine with | gasoline and quickly enveloped the | Miller family in flames. Farmers hearing the crles for help rushed to their ascistance, but could offer little ald. An ambulance and doctors from Frederick brought the victims to this eity. EXPERTS EX2LAIN BLAST. e Static Electricity Made by Flow of Gasoline Causes Explosion. BRIDGEPORT, Conn, July 3.— Static electricity produced by the flow of gasoline from a pump into a tank in an automobile may cause | Connor, | trict authorities in a short time, as have told Coroner John J. Phelan, who today made a finding in an automoblle explosion fatality which ine investigated. Mrs. Anna Gray of Norwalk, sitting in a closed car which took fire while nk was being filled, was burned e ek Tecently. Coroner Phelan's, fnding summarizes the view of ex- perts on static electrical discharges. P& Was one such that ignited the car in which Mrs. Gray sat. H Experts recommend, the finding that oocupants of closed type atomobiles having gasoline tanks faside of the bodies should leave the; cars while the tanks are being filled S50 that tanks should have attached 25 them a chain to be dropped to the pavement to serve as a “ground” for DAy statio electrical current created By the flow of the fluid through the hose. Two of the experts called agreed that if the hossier of the hose on the gas pump was placed close to the mouth of the tank mno gap would be Jefc for the spark of the static dis-! charge. But should there be dirt, paint or varnish on the lip of the noszle or the mouth of the tank it might be possible for a spark to produce an explosion. At Westport today an apparently unexplained explosion occurred while an automobile tank was being filled stroet cuih and the occupant,’ #, was s:riously burned. ! best protection possible to the busi- AW, QuIt .‘/,/ N SOME YEARS HENCE. have been the result of an accident in docking the vessel on her last trip to this country under the German flag in 1914 An accident in getting the vessel into her Hoboken pier, Mr. Gibbs said. left her with several broken turbine blades and other damaged parts. Efforts of German engineers to repair the damages made matters worse. | When the broken varts were dis- covered. he asserted, credence was given to the story that the Germans had attempted to scuttle the ship on February 3, 1917, just before the American government had taken possession of her. The booklets were written by a journalist on the assumption that the war-time story was accurate. No pains had boen spared to make the alleged scuttling _attempt a vivid (Continued on Page 2, Column 1.) FGHTONFORHEH WATER PRESSUE Campaign Begun for Better Fire-Fighting System in Business District. Efforts will be made within the next few weeks to impress upon the District authorities the urgent need of convincing Congress at the next session that Washington should have a high-pressure water system in the | business district for fighting fires. Facts and figures on the systems used in thirty-two other cities are be- ing collected by the Washington Board of Trade, and these will be used to focus public opinion on the great value of the protection provided by a downtown high pressure fire- fighting system. Questionnaires prepared by Richard assistant secretary of the; Board of Trade, have been sent to| thirty-two citles in all parts of the country having a population of 200,- 000 or over. When the answers to these are received they will be tabu- lated and submitted to the two com- mittees of the board having jurisdic- tion, the committe on Insurance and fire protection and the committee on water supply. Aftér examination of data reports will be prepared for the considera tion by the full board, and it is e; pected the matter will go to the Dis- there seems to be a great demand among the business interests for a high pressure system downtown for fire fighting only. In connection with the work of col- lecting and preparing the data, it was pointed out today that in the event | of fire the regular water mains of the | city would be relieved and would uot take any water from the regular fil- tered supply. The high pressure fire fighting system would draw its water direct from the Potomac river in this vicinity. At the present time, when there is a large fire, the filtered wa- ter used in the homes is pumped on the flames. Ten questions are contained in the paper which was sent out, and It is expected that the answers received will give the two committees work- ing jointly on the proposition a fund of convincing information to submit to the Commissioners and to Con- gress. It was made plain at the offices of the Board of Trade that every effort will be made at the next session of Congress to convince the legislators that Washington should have a high- pressure system downtown for fire fighting, in order to give the very ness district. The District authorities have not yet been approached on the matter as to whether they would recommend the high-pressure system at the next session, but it is understood that offi- clals of the board will confer with the head of the fire department, prob- ably this wéek, to determine the stand of that branch of the District government in the matter. DIRIGIBLE C-14 ENDS TRIP. BELLEVILLE, IIl, July 3.—The Army dirigible C-14, with 8 crew of Bix, arrived at Scott Fleld, near here, today, from Dayton, Ohio, completing. its trip from Langiey Field, Va. It will be used at the local fleld to re- place the ill-fated T-C-1. which was destioy ed at Dayton recently. as fast as t| he papers are printed. SHIP LIGUOR ROW END SEENBY U.S. Officials Think Vessels Will Make No Further Effort to Test Law Now. An end to the first round of the international ship-iiquor fight was in sight today, with the prospect that foreign vessels which have deliber- ately violated the national prohibi- tion act by bringing sealed liquors within the three-mile limit would not attempt to bring in liquor again on their return trip. ‘While no official notification has been tendered Treasury officials by foreign ‘shipping companies that they will cease their foreign lines which had made a test jof this government's intentions and had lost a valuable cargo of liquors by seizure would scarcely risk a sec- ond loss. Protests from the shipping lines against the ship liquor ban have been received in large numbers by the Treasury. They have been acknowledged, placed on flle and to date no specific reply has been made. What will be the answer of this gov- ernment to such protests was not clear today, but it appeared to be increasingly evident that the adminis- tration intended to stand on its posi- tion, ‘already taken, and enforce the aw. No Second Attempt. It is purely problematical whether the ships which have so far defied American law, and suffered the seiz- ure of their liquors under protest, will try again. But the supposition is, on behalf of some government of- ficlals here, that they will not be likely to make a second attempt. If this should result eventually in compliance for the time being of foreign shipping in the ban by Uncle Sam against beverage liquors inside the three-mile limit, the international controversy, in the opinion of close observers, would probably be eased a bit. but by no means settiad. The determination of Europeans, as voiced in the British parliament, to give up none of their previous rights upon the high seas, and thelr protest, through Forelgn Secretary Curzon, that the American ban was a breach of the comity of nations, although not violation of international law, has all been taken as indicative of ‘a long- drawn-out affair between Uncle Sam and his foreign neighbors over the liquor problem, The American government appeared no nearer today to a policy of selzing forelgn ships, apparently contenting itself with the confiscation of the liquors, What will be done with these liquors is a problem in itself which officials said had not been solved. At present they are stored in prohibition warehouses in New York. MACMILLAN TO SAIL TODAY FOR FAR NORTH Explorer Seeks to Discover if World Is Entering on New Age of Ice. By the Associated Pre SYDNEY, N. 8., July 3.—Capt. Don- ald B. MacMillan planned to cast off with the steamer Bowdoin today for another cruise to Arctic waters. Fin- !ishing touches to the Bowdoin's stores for a long stay In the frozen north were completed yesterday when Capt. MacMillan and his crew made a big catch of salmon and stored them away in the holl. The prime purposes of the cruise is to determine whether there is be- ginning another “ice age,” as the advance of glaclers in the last seventy years would seem to indicate. It also is planned to make a further study of terrestrial magnetism and atmospheric electricity, as well as of northern botany and ornithology. COL. HARVEY NOT TO SAIL ABOARD THE LEVIATHAN By the Assoclated Press. DEAL, N. J., July 3.—Col. George Harvey, United States ambassador to Great Britain, and Mrs. Harvey will not sail for Europe on the Leviathan tomorrow, as had been reported. It was__sald today that Col. Harvey would sail the latter part of July. The amabssador and Mrs. Harvey now have as their guests Zol. and Mrs. James Thomson of New Orleans and Miss Laura M. Harlan, executive secretary to Mrs. Warren G. Harding. 1. and Mrs. Thomson will sail to- moiruw on the Leviathan. ractices violating | American law, it was said today that | . C. TAX RATE CUT 10 §1.20 FOR YEAR; MAY BE OFFSET BY VALUATION CHANGE Higher Assessment in Many Cases Will Make Up for Re- duction in Levy by City Heads Today. INCREASE IN REVENUE DURING 1923 REPORTED Residents May Obtain Figures Placed on Property From Tax Office—Capital Concludes Most Successful Fiscal Year, Auditor Says, in Report. The Commissioners today fixed the tax rate for the new fiscal year at $1.20 per $100 of assessed value on real estate and tangible personal property. This is a reduction of 10 cents from the old rate of $1.30, and wiil mean a saving to the taxpayer of $1 on every $1,000 of assessment. The lowering of the rate, however, does not mean that all taxpayers will find an actual reduction in the amount of their tax bills when the first payment becomes due in No- vember. A new blennial assessment of real estate became effective July 1, under which some property was given a higher value for taxation purposes, other homes were left at the old valuations and still other parcels were reduced. Therefore, the question of whether an individual bill is going to be less this year under the reduced rate will depend upon what the assessor did with that particular property in valu- ing it for the next two years. Assessments Differ. If a home was assessed at $5,000 last year, and the assessor did not disturb that figure, the $1.20 rate will bring the bill down $5. If he raised the assessment the increase in valu- ation may offset the reduced rate. It the assessment also was reduced the taxpayer will save even more than $1 per $1,000 of assessment. In determining whether valuations should have been raised, lowered or left alone, the assessors were guided by the conditions in-each neighbor- hood. Prices recelved for property s0ld since the previous assessment is one of the principal factors used by the assessors in declding whether houses in a certain square should be increased or left alone. Any notice- able improvement in a locality also affects assessments. Prior to the board meeting today Daniel J. Donovan, auditor, notified Commissioner Rudolph that the un- precedented amount of revenue col- lected by all District agencies during the past twelve months made possible a reduction of 10 cents in the tax rate for the current year. The Commissioner outlined the sit- uation as presented by Mr. Donovan to Commissioners Oyster and Bell and they voted unanimously for the re- duction. Preparing Report. Mr. Donovan is preparing a lengthy report, to be made public later, in which he will unfold in detail 'the story of the most successful year in the history of the District government. All” sources of revenue increased beyond the fondest expectation of de- partment heads, including automobile licenses, fines, miscellaneous permits and fees. More property owners pald their real estate and personal tax bills within the required time than ever before. Last year the tax rate went down from $1.82 to $1.30, but that big drop was due to the fact that the Commis- sloners were directed by Congress to assess property at full value instead of on a two-thirds basis. By calling at the assessor's office, first floor of the District building, tax payers may find out what their prop- erty is assessed at for the coming year. Multiply that assessment by $1.20 and he will have the amount of his bill for the year. SAYS MACHINES CUT UP EXECUTED MEN’S BODIES By Cable to The Star and Chicago Daily News. Copyright, 1023 PETROGRAD, July 3.—A Russian commission is Investigating some as- pects of prison life In the Fortress of Peter and Paul during the days of czars. Various signs indicate the ex- istence of a tunnel under the river between the Winter palace and the fortress. The passage, which appar- ently has been bricked up at the fortress end, formerly terminated in the yard where political prisoners were executed. While inspecting the prison the writer noticed a row of outhouses that had been plastered over. The guide,.the warden of the prison, in- formed the correspondent that these houses formerly contained machines for cutting up the bodles of executed prisoners So that they could be washed down a drain into the River Neva. “It s true; It is true” he mut- tered. “I have seen the chopped-up bones of many a man on the beach when the tide was low.” |GRIFFS, 0; YANKEES, 0, IN THE SECOND INNING YANKEE STADIUM, NEW YORK, July 3.—Rain this morning threatened to prevent the Natlonals and the Yankees from meeting in the second game of their series of four. The downpour stopped at noon but left the stadium field quite soft. George Mogridge, victor in his last two starts, was ordered to serve his southpaw slants to the Yanks. Mana- ger Huggins started Bullet Joe Bush agalnst the Nationals. Threatening weather held down the attendance, not more than 3,000 fans being scattered about the vast stadium at the opening of hostilities.