Evening Star Newspaper, July 5, 1923, Page 1

WEATHER, Generally fair tonight fow: mo ‘winds, ended at 2 derate warm; light varlable and tomor- Temperature for ;flwtnty-fflur hou.rl at 5 p.m. yes a.m. today. Full Highest, west, 67, Closing N. Y. Stocks and Bonds, Page 28 No. 28919, Enerst s sec Entered as second-class matter hington, D C. 51310300 SURPLS IN GV TREASURY MARKS BEST YEAR INHSTORY 0F D. Auditor Donavan’s Report Reveals Balance Responsi- ble for Reduction in Wash- ington Tax Rate to $1.20. URGES NEW CAMPAIGN | FOR OLD 4-MILLION FUND; Characterizes »s “Unjust” Action | of Congress in Requiring Tax- payers to Raise $3,000,000. Says $7,500,000 Accumulated Will Be in Excess of Needs. After paying all of its expenses, the District government closed the fiscal year with a surplus of $1.310.- 344.35, making it the most successful year in the history of the city, Dan- iel 1. Donovan, auditor, told the Commissioners today in his annual report. This balance will not be added to the District’s old surp'us of $4,438,- 154.92, which has been in the Treas- | ury for a number of years. { Tentative Figures of D. C. Opera- {made during the past two years in SCHOOL ESTIMATES FOR NEXT YEAR ARE - NEARLY 3,000,000 Include Recommendations for Extensions of System, as Well as Maintenance. FATE OF REQUEST RESTS WITH BUDGET BUREAU tion Costs to Be Ready for Di- rector Lord August 1. Estimates of the board of education for the fiscal year 1925 reached the District bullding today and are sald to aggregate close to $9,000,000. The total figure is not all for maintenance of the system during the twelve months beginning July 1, 1924, but includes a request for the purchase of more ground and the erection of additional bulldings to carry forward the development pro- gram started several years ago. Although much progress has been relleving congestion in the class- rooms of the public- school system, | there are still a number of projects needed to catch up with the growth of the city in area and population. Rests with Dudget Head. To what extent the Commissioners will find it necessary to cut the school estimates will depend upon what limit Director of the Budget Lord places upon a!l municipal expenses. Factor in Reduction. Under the flexible tax rate system adopted a few years ago, Maj. Don- ovan carries forward as a credit for the new fiscal year any balance left | from the preceding twelve months. | This balance was one of the fac-| tors which enabled the Commission- | ers to order-a reduction in the tax| rate two days ago from $1.30 to $l.20; per $100 of assessed value. i The outstanding recommendation | in Maj. Donovan's report is that the | Commissioners endeavor to obtain the | use of the old surplus, the existence ! of which was admitted by the joint | select committee of Congress “that | investigated the fiscal affalrs of the| Distriet last yea: i Wanted for Working Basis. The auditor recommends that the city heads try to have this fund of more than four millions appropriated | for urgent municipal needs or lhati they ask Congress to let the District use it as a cash working fund and thus relieve the city of raising a new surplus of $3,000,000 by 1927 in order to get on a cash basis. The auditor characterizes as “un- Just” the action of Congress in re- Quiring Washington taxpayers to| raise $3,000.000 between now and | 1927 in order to pay its bills month by month, when the city already has a’ surplus in the Treasury that is| more than sufficient to put the mu-! nicipality on a cash basis. | Sces Surplus In Excess of Needs. Mr. Donovan points out that if the | city raises $3,000,000 by 1927 for a cash working fund it will then have | & surplus in the Treasury of $7,500,- 000, a sum “far In excess of the cash needs” of Washington. The report shows also that revenue from practically every source in- creased last year beyond all expecta- | tions. He believes that the large collections on real estate and per- sonal property taxes was brought about by the new requirement that| these bills be paid twice a year—in} November and May—instead of once a year, as heretofore. Calls Ground Rent Unjust. The auditor also declares that the new legislation requiring the District to pay a ground rent of 3 per cent of the value of all property owned by the United States and used by the | District works an Injustice upon local | taxpayers. His report explains' in detail his objections to this enact- ment. The report follows: “The fiscal year 1923 was remark- able for most significarit changes in municipal fiscal administration and exceptionally large increases in cur- rent revenue collections. In propor- tion to the several levies mote taxes were paid within that year . than in| any previous year. This, I believe, | ‘was due principally to the legislative ! requirement for the payment of .taxes semi-annually, effective in 1923, for the first time since 1900. { ‘The real estate tax levy for 1922 ‘was $8,607,613, and the taxes remain- ing unpaid of that levy at the close of the year amounted to $1,338,535 while the levy for 1923 was $9,101, 530, nearly $800.000 greater than 19 with but $1,148,528 unpaid at the clos: ©of the year. Increase of $500,000. *The Intangible personal tax levy for 1922 was $1,007,249, of which there | remained uncollected at the end of | the year $91,679; while the levy for| 1923 was $1,825,395, an increase of ! more than $800,000 over 1922, yet the | unpald balance at the close of the year amounted to only $101,952, not- withstanding the fact the rate was ralsed by Congress, beginning with that year, from three-tenths to five- tenths of 1 per centum. “The . large surplus In 1923 was| due in large part also to the un- ‘usually large collections in practi- cally all of the sixty-five items of niscellaneous revenue. Principally among these appear Police Court fines with an increase of $125,094 over the amount derived from this source in 1922; the proceeds from sales of by- products of garbage and sales of mis cellaneous trash' produced $223,806 more than in 1922; and the tax on snn;or vehicles, $84,601 more than in i | Urge Great Care. “The tax rate is fixed on or ut ®ach July 1 for the fiscal. year. then Veginning. The only definitely known element at that time is the smount of the regular District ap- propriation act. . The-'amounts that may be required during the year for deficienci in _appropriations and ‘under, permanent indefinite appropri- atfons are _estimated. The assessed value of real and personal property, ihe taxes on gross receipts and earn- inued on Page 3, Column 1.) | act | Craig Arnold, Lumpkin county. | centennlal jubilee exposition in Goth- | for by the royal carriages and driven | changed tou¢hing the historlc cordial | body 1ying on the floor. When Commissioner Rudolph re- turns to the city Monday he will go into session with Commissioners Ovster and Bell for a preliminary tudy of the estimates as submitted v department heads. On August 1 the Commissioners will lay before Gen. Lord a tentative budget, after which he will let them know whether the tentative figures will have to be cut. Last year the ity fathers submitted a preliminary budget of more than $31,000,000, which the budget bureau ordered reduced to $24,500.000. 5 May Ask New High School. With the Eastern High School com- pleted and in use, the new budget may contain a request for funds to start the new McKinley High School, for which a site is now being purchased at 2d and T streets northeast. : An {ncreased appropriation for Americanization work in the public schools algo is said to be included in the new catimates. MEASURE INTRODUCED FOR GEORGIA DRY REPEAL Bill Brought Before Legislature Would Put Enforcement of Law on U. S. Officers. By the Assoclated Press. ATLANTA, July 5.—A bill to repeal the Georgla prohibition law, which would leave the full responsibility for the enforcement of the Volstead in this state upon the federal government, was introduced in the house of representatives today by Dr. AMERICANS MEET KING. Minnesota Delegation Congratu- lates Gustave. STOCKHOLM, July 6.—King Gus- tave of Sweden today received at luncheon the special delegation which | has been sent here by the state of Minnesota with official greetings to' Sweden on the occasion of the fer- enburg. P, The delegation, which is lieaded by Edgar Mattson, president, 6f the Mid- land Bank of Minneapolls, was called in state from their hotel across the famous North bridge to the royal castle. Addresses were then ex- relations between the United States and Sweden. Tonight the Minnesota visitors will be entertained at a dinner glven in their honor by the Swedish premier, Ernst Trygger. MURDER IN STORE. Window Shoppers Discover Mer- chant’s Body. GARY, Ind, July 5.—Window shop- pers peering into the store of Samuel Friedman yesterday saw the merchant's A police In- vestigation developed that he had been beaten to death with @ hammer, which was found beside his body, wrapped in a bloody paper. Mr. Friedman was a pioneer merchant of this city. BANK.TELLER SUICIDE. Shoots Self While at Work in Philadelphia. PHILADELPHIA, July 5.—John P, Davin, a junlor teller In the Phila- delphia Savings Fund Soclety, one of the largest financial- institutions in m:" city, d’hot‘ -:u: killed himself while standing in the teller's lhAe '(M“kdwdly' (et ‘ew depositors were In the at the time. A statement x-cua%l‘:; Davin had been suffering from melancholia due to {11 health, the result of worry over the %e:;h‘aog. l:ll e{‘l’l‘ldhllxk months ago. n the bank tw and had a first-class record.d'. byl ANARCHIST JAILED. Slayer. of Prague Minister Gets 4 Eighteen Years. By the Asnoclated Press. PRAGUE, July "6.—A sentence of elghteen years at severo penal ser- vitude was imposed today on Joseph Soupa, & young anarchist convicted of shooting Dr. Alols Rasin, minister of finance, with intent to kill. The shooting occurred on January 6 last and the 'ministér died from his wounds on February 18. The sentence also calls for a period of fasting four times a vyear, and grders that Soupa be confined’in a dark cell on each anniversary of the shooting. 5 h WASHINGTON, D. C, ‘News Note : Oreg., Yesterd: DEADLOCK ON RUHR INSERIOUS STAGE Franco-British Impasse Re-! garded as Exceedingly Grave in London. By the Associated Press. LONDON, July 5. cal writers In the morning newspapers treat the Franco-British impasse rather espairingly and do not profess to see a rift in the clouds. The one exception is the lobby correspondent of the Daily Express, who says: “It was stated in ministerial circles overnight that the negotiations had been taking a new and more hopeful turn. He admits that he is unable tg dis- close_the nature of the reported change. Sitintion St Grave. The well informed: diplomatic corre- spondent of the Dally Telegraph says the government still regards the situa- tion “as one of exceeding gravity well as dellcacy.” He adds that the conversations can hardly be resumed except upon a new basis such as might be afforded by a clear and complete French reply to Great Britain's funda- mental querles. The correspondent understands that in his recent discussion with the French and Belgian ambaesa- dors Lord Curzon strongly Impressed | upon them that the patlence of the British parllament and natlon was| nearly exhausted, even hinting that Great Britlan might be driven to in- pendent. action. Marquis Della Torretta, the Itallan ambassddor, visited the foreign secc- retary yesgerday. The diplomatic correspondént of the Westminster Gasette understands the Itallan emis- sary had an Important mission ‘to convey the views of Premier Musso- Itnf, who inclines more and more to the British view of the Ruhr ques- tion and to the British plan for a sottlement of the reparations prob- lem. PENALTIES ARE INCREASED. Wounding of Sentry at Duisburg Brings New Orders. By the Associated Press. DUISBURG, July 5.—The wounding of a Belglan sentry near the bridge where last Saturday's disastrous ex- plosion occurred has increased the penalties imposed upon this city. With . the exception of horsedrawn vehicles, carrying merchandise and food, only pedestrians are allowed on the streets. The curfew hour has been brought forward to 6 o'clock in the evening. One German was killed and three wounded by Belgian sen- tries yesterday for refusing to halt after curfew. KRUPPS SIGN PACT. First Agreement Believed Indicat- ing Weaker Resistance. By the Assoclated Press. ESSEN, July 5.—Announcement that the management of the Krupp works had signed an agreement with en- gineers of the commission of occupa- tion for the use of a branch raflroad line connecting two branches of the Krupp plants was made yesterday by the French authorities. This s sald to be the first agreement of any kind signed by representatives of the Ger- man Industrialists with representa- tives of the forces of occupation and 1s looked upon by the French as an indication of the weakening of pas- sive resistance by the Germans. The agreement is the outcome Of the occupation by the French, on Monday, of the foundries and coal yards of the Krupp locomotive branch at Segeroth, a little station near Es- sen. When they took over the plant the French found 70,000 tons of coal and coke, twelve locomotives and sev- eral hundred tons of tires fbr loco- motives and railway cars Segeroth is connected with what is known as the Martens steel worl also part of the Krupp plant, by a narrow-gauge raliroad, which engi- neers of the commission say the Krupp management has been usi to ship out surreptitiously produc from Segeroth, contrary to the decree ot Gen. De Goutte. The agreement provides, according to the French, that in the future all goods shipped on this lino will be open to French inspection, and in return the Krupp works will be allowed to send unfin- ished material to the Martens works over ‘the liue simultanegusly. | Henrl Joseph Eugene Gouraud, the | he had a good right arm to give for | :France after he had been badly | | wounded in the Gallipoll campaign, | l‘lep( unashamed at the bier of Amer- ilca’s unknown soldier in Arlington i national cemetery today. | For a full minute the French strateglst who stemmed the German | advance at Champagne stood at salute before the shining tomb of the hallowed dead. Then,; xumxuj‘, soleinn}y upon the veterans ot thé| Rainbow Division who had served | | under him in France and who had | jescorted him to Arlington, Gouraud | sald: t “My boys, we think too much of the jl1iving these days. Here, beneath this | great slab of polished 'stone, sleeps | PROSECUTION ENDS | INTHE MORSE TRIAL {Jury Excused While Counsel Debate on Points of Law. The prosecution rested at 11:15 a.m. today in the Morse conspiracy trial before Justice Stafford and a jury In Criminal Division 1. The jury was ex- cused and counsel for the defense en- tered Into an argument before the court on the law points involved in the three contracts between the Ship- ping Board and the various Morse corporations. Counsel did not make the expected motion for an instructed jury, but may do so after the argument now in progress. The scope of the three contracts, their relation to each other, and the weight to ‘be given certain testimony presented by the govern- ment as to certaln of the eight de- fendants and not to others charged was the subject matter of the legal argument. # Attorney Nash Rockwood for the defense. prefaced his argument with the statement that the defense thinks not even a prima facle case has been established by the evidence which has taken the government nearly eleven weeks to present. He proceeded to out- line the view which the lawyers for | the defense take of the three con- tracts and thelr interrelation. The ar- gument ic expscted to occupy the en- | tire day. g 4 © BSees No Fraud. In the course of his argument At- torney Rockwood declared there had been no conspiracy shown and no in- tent to defraud. At best the govern- ment's case, he said, showed the need of a civil accounting, such as 1s now progressing in Virginia, in a sult brought by the Fleet Corporation and in Connecticat in a suit brought by the Shipplag Board in relation to the Groton plant. Of these suits he sald the court should take judicial notice. The testimony disclosed that not all the defendants were connected with all the companies mentioned, and even though having a common purpose all cm.u(r not be charged with a common conspiracy if different groups were shown to have conspired. Unless all were engaged in the he claimd an acquittal mu under the very latest rulings of the courts. - If some of the defendints were shown to have conspired as to the work of one. corporation, another group formed for the purpose of de- frauding In reference to another com- any, and a third group had conspired n reference to & thi matter, the defendants must be /acquitted.” The lawyer pointed out that a common conspiracy is charged ‘in the Indict- ments and the evidence submitted by the Eovnmmenp has not shown such I g Siga v i i ¢ Foenin WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION . =" A British Naval Force Marched in an Independence Day Parade at Portland, Gen. Gouraud, French Hero, Weeps for Unknown Soldier Man Who Smilingly Gave Arm for i France Unashamed of Tears at Tomb of “the Greatest Hero of Us All.” the greatest hero of us all, for he Most of the Politi- | general who smilingly thanked God | Symbolizes those immortals who gave their all. Ho in comparison? Places Wreath on Tomb. Gen. Gouraud placed three wreaths upon the tomb of the unknown. One of them had been presented to him by the Washington chapter of the Rain- bow Division Veterans, whose guest he will _be while in ' thiy country. When soneral's atlention wi called to the fact that he had Freath of gu own n;’d one from the -enc! assador, smiled spdl; afa satar” A,"'!fl‘*:-a:i*yfi{g‘- 4200 “Who am 1 to hold & wreith In the presence of the boy who 1lés in his grave. If you please, 1 consider it honor to glve him my wreath, too.’ Gen. Gouraud insisted upon visit. ing the tomb of the unknown sol- little have we given dier before anything else, declaring | he considered -the dead hero deserved (Continued on Page 2, Column 5.) U. 5. TROOP GUARD ATTUSKEGEE ASKED President of Institute and Ne- gro Doctors Are Declared Threatened. By the Associated Press. . NEW YORK, July 5.—Declaring the lives of R. R. Moton, president of Tuskeges Institute, and of negro sur- geons at the United States Veterans' Hospital at Tuskeges, Ala., had been threatened by masked mobs, the Na- tional Assoclation for the Advance- ment of Colored People today wired President Harding, urging that he send federal troops to protect them. The telegram read: “Natfonal Assoclation for Advance- ment, of Colored People, representing 100,000 American citizens, asks that federal troops be sent to Tuskegee, Ala., to protect colored doctors sent to United States Veteran Hospital to care for negro world war veterans. Lives of these United States doctors and security of Tuskegee Institute have been threatened by masked mobs, “Tuskegee Institute, an internation- ally known agency, making for inter- racial good will, should have protec~ tion against lawless deflance of gov- ernment. We urge especlally fed- eral protection for R. R. Moton, suc- cessor to Booker T. Washington, whose life has been threatened.” FEDERAL ACTION UNLIKELY, Employment of federal troops in connection with the Veterans' Hos- pital controversy at Tuskegee, Ala., was sald by officials here today to be very unlikely. ‘The federal government does not send troops into a state for police purposes except on the request of the governor and upon evidence that the state forces are themselves unable to preserve order. Thus far no such re- quest and no such evidence have reached Washington. Should the Alabama governor actu- ally appeal for help, it is probable that the request would be referred to the commanding general of that Army corps area for his consideration after he had made an Investigation of his own into the ciroumstances. Under the present policy of the War De- partment, corps commanders are given wide authority to employ their troops as they see best in case a state asks for aid. PARADE BRINGS BCARE. By the Assoclated Press. TUSKEGEE, Ala, July 5.—Action of the National Assaciation for the Advancement of Colored People in requesting _military protéction for Dr. R R._Moton, hesd of Tuskegee s . (Pqntjnued on Page, 3, Gojuma, T, 2 THURSDAY, JULY 5, 1923—-FORTY-FOUR PAGES. 20 Killed, Scores Are Injured, By Fireworks Blasts in U. S. ‘“From Press-to -Home Within ' the ' Hour” The Star’s: carfier system covers every cit: block and-the regulir edi- “ tion is delivered to Washington homer, as fast as the papers are printed. Yesterday’s Net Circulation, 72,676 Children Maimed for Life, Many Vic- tims of Revolver Shots—Freak Accidents Take Heavy Toll Among Celebrants. By the Associated Press. CHICAGO, July 5—A score of deaths and more than a hundred in- juries resulted from fireworks ex- plosions and. other accidents inci- dental to the nation’s observance of Independence day. Although efforts to prevent the usual casualties were virtually univeral, fatalities occurred In all the principal citles of the country. Most of those killeq were children. Pittsburgh led in the number of deaths, fetanus, resulting from pre- holiday celebrations, causing four deaths of children. Anton Beilts was hot and killed there bv his wife, who claimed it was an accldent. St. Louls, with ixty-one reported injured, had a greater number hurt than any other city, although Chi- ISSUES INMEXICO NEAR SETTLEMENT Two-Thirds of Questions De- cided in Conference With Americans. By the Associated Press. MEXICO CITY, July 5—Coincident with a meeting last evening at Chapultepec Castle of the United States and Mexican recognition com- missioners, together with President Obregon and Secretary of the Treas- ury de la Huerta, it was stated authoritatively that “very gratifying | progress” had been made recently in concillating the views of the two | 8overnments on Mexlco's petroleum ;and agrarian policies. Agreement has been reached on more than two-thirds of the ques- tions at issue, although the re- mainder contains some of the most important point onfidence was ex- pressed that it would be possible to determine within a few days whether the two delegates can reach a settle- added that in any case the confer- ence would not continue bevond July 14 unless it was for the purpose of cleani: alls. - el Ry A ueration 1s al- ready being glven to the two claims conventlons which will follow slgnatyre of agreement. These conventions will provide for a settle- ment under a neutral umpire of American claims against Mexico, and vice versa. One problem still awaiting solution, it is understood. involves Mexico's !unwillingness 1o concede ~ subsoil rights to land owners who acquired | their property prior to the promulga- |tion of the constitution of 1917, but {who did not exercise thelr right to | explore for petroleum. The United States delegation is insisting upon !an equitable valuation of American- yowned agrarian lands taken over by | the government: and this is another | point still at issue. ETWO YOUTHS DROWNED TRYING TO RESCUE GIRL All Three Sink in Strong Under- tow of River After Canoe Capsizee. | By the Associated Press. LOUISVILLE, Ky., July 5.—Herole gave their young girl companion from {the clutches of a strong undertow after their canoe capsized while they were riding the waves from a river tug fafled and the three were drown- ed In the Ohio river near the out- skirte. of the city last night. The dead are Miss Audréy Adams, twenty- one; Embry Quinn, seventee: Erwin Juckenbrod, twenty-one, all of Louls: ville. The two young men, both reputed to be expert swimmers, disregarded their own safety in their efforts to save Miss Adams. They were carried under after struggling for several minutes to reach the Kentucky shore. Eyewitnesses say the boys went down with the girl in their clutches. The three were members of a party of about twenty ‘young people who had driven to & camp near the Tiver for a holiday plenic. Many of the other picnickers were in the river at the time of the accident, but were unable to reach the {ll-fated three. | Coast guards were called to the scene, but afler a search of two hours failed to locate the bodies. e e MAUGHAN DELAYS FLIGHT TO COAST TO SATURDAY Mechanic Sent to Utah Fueling pta- tion Unable to Reach There Before Tomorrow. MINEOLA, N Y., July 5—Lleut. Russell L. Maughan, Army aviator, today postponed until Saturday his dawn-to-dusk flight to the Pacific coast, because a mechanic sent to Salduro, Utah, a fueling station, would not arrive there before tomor- row night. GERMANS DELIVER GIANT AIRPLANE TO RUSSIANS First of Series Carrying Four'Pas- sengers to Be Used in Ukrain- ian Bervice. By the Associated Press, July 6.—hTe first of a series of giant airplanes ordered by the Russian soviet government from thé German works at Friedrichshafen, stance, was delivered In Moscow yesterday. The planes, of a new type of the Dormier comet, bulilt almost exclusively of aluminum, carry four’ passengers besides the pilot and mechanician. They have engines of 200 horsepowet, Wwith an average speed of lflflg les an hour. The Russian government announces its intention of using the planes in ) FRESIDIAN WAVION, inss b ment of the vital issues; but it was| the | efforts on the part of two boys to| cago, with three dead and twenty- eight injured, was a olose second. Fatalities and injuries, by states, complled from avallable reports, are ax follows: State. Now York .. | Pennsylvania | Nlinots . ! Minnesota ;Ohio ... i Alabama TLoulsiana Towa | Wisconsin New Jerrey Missourl Injured. 12 Denad. | | | Totals.. 120 Exploding firecrackers caused In- ! juries resulting in death of Joseph | Javarone, Gloversville, N. Y. A flying | pieco of steel from an exploding bar- irol instantly killed Mike Auritch of {Continued on Page 2, Column 3. (OPPOSE APAN'S THREE-POWER PLAN | Armament Pact Viewed With Disfavor in Naval Cir- cles Here. Japan's suggestion for a three- \power armament agreement with {Great Britain and the United States las a substitute for the five-power { treaty signed at the Washington con- |terence and still awaiting ratifica- tion by France has met with small { favor In high naval circles here. Not jonly would such a pact defeat its ‘own purpose, according to the opin- fon of some naval experts, but in order to be of even moral value it i would have to involve at least a {tacit offensive and defensive alliance {between the three signatories, viewed ‘as Impossible of congressional ap- i proval. France Coul Build Fleet. Elimination of France from the { subscribing powers, it is pointed out, | might be accepted as giving that | country an unanswerable argument for embarking upon a comprehen- sive naval ruction program em- bracing, the s which she has ai- |reaay ally sponsored-=thd &rulser jand submarine. Entalling compara- | tively small cost and a short con- | struction period, France is seen here in possessing both the facilities and financlal ability to embarrss at jleast one of the other powers by any oxtensive development along these | 1ines. In view of this situation, the Amer- ican naval authorities whu helped frame the five-power Washington treaty are expected to advise agains {any reduction of the agreement to a | three-power basis, At the same time, however, it is emphasized that the declsion to the national policy does not rest with the Navy. but with the State Department as' the agency intrusted with the negotiation of treaties and the conduct of forelgn relations generally. Thus far State Department officlals have maintained absolute sllence resarding the Jap- anese -suggestion, pointing out, in reply to all questions, that no offictal information of the “move has. yet reached the department. New Conference Likely. The view of the American naval experts reflects in its entirety the position recommended by them to conference—that naval Ilmitation should affect all principal nations. So clearly was this principle recog- nized during the conference that Navy Department officials belleve the Japanese “feeler” may not be de- signed serlously as preliminary to a new conference. Instead, it is sald, it may well be a diplomatic gesture in the campaingn of mild moral sua- sion, designed to impreas on France the necessity for ending the long pe- riod of suspense as to the final dis- position of the Washington treaty. Impatience has been exhibited more than once in the London and Toklo admiralties over the continued ex- pense and- inconvenience of carrying naval elements which would be sorapped under the agreement, and of keeping alive naval policies which would pass out of existence the mo- ment the treaty became effective. PACT TO BE TAKEN UP. French Assembly Asked to Discuss Naval Treaties. By the Associated Press. PARIS, July 6.—At a conference of the eads of the various parliamen- tary groups and committees today it was decided to ask the national as- sembly to discuss the Washington na- val treaties beginning either on Bat- urday of this week or next Monday morning. The decislon has the support of the government, Former Premler Aristide Briand, who/was France's chief defé. gate to the Washington conference, was active In lobbles in favor of the earliest possible discussion, point- ing out that great expense was being incurred by the United States and other countries for the upkeep of the vessels condemned under the limita- tion agreement. —— REPORT ON SHIP LIQUOR DEBATE NOT FOR PUBLIC Baldwin Says Commens Commit- tee Report Not Apt to Be Released. By the Assoclated Press. ‘LONDON, July 5.—Asked In the house of commons todav whether the government would publish ‘the report lof ‘the Interdepartmental committee considering the ship liquor® contro- versy, Prime Minister Baldwin said that this would not be in rdance with custom. - The committee, he sald, Was l!‘Hl sitting, the American delegation at the arms| TWO CENTS." PRESDENTLEAVE FORALASKA TODAY: T0 REST N ROUTE Concludes Two-Week Tour Across Country, Tired From Heavy Program. SPENDS FORENOON IN TACOMA; SEES VETERANS Asks U. §. Entry Into World Court in Speech Yesterday at Portland. By the Astociated Pres o ESIDENT HARD- ING'S SPECIAL TRAIN, July 65— President Harding approached the end of his transcontinental trip to- day, and before night will set out definitely toward his principal goal— the territory of Alaska. The Presi- dent planned to spend about five hours in Tacoma before sailing on the Navy transport Henderson from that port. The program mapped out for the chief executive and his party in Tacoma provided for a public ra- ception at a hotel and 2 visit to the United States Veterans' Hospital. An hour before the time set for safl- Ing he and Mrs. Harding will receive wishes for a bon voyage from Gov. Hart of Washington at ceremonies held in the stadium. Appropriate acknowledgments have been pre- pared by the President, and one of his last acts before sailing will be to greet the school children of Ta- coma, massed for the occasion in the stadium. The Henderson is scheduled to sail at 2 o'clock, with the first stop ex- pected at Ketchikan, where the transport is due to arrive Sunday. The President has let it be known to members of his immediate party that the vovage will be devoted as far as possible to rest and enjoyment of life at sea, giving him a pleasant di- version from the somewhat strenu- ous two weeks' coast. ASKS FOR WORLD PEACE. trip from coast to President Sees Court as Tribunal to Prevent War. By the Associated Press. PORTLAND, Ore., July 5.—Presi. dent Harding was the “erator of the day” of Portland's Independence day celebration, and in his address, Geliversd yéstérday at Multnomsh Athletic Fleld, he made a plea fof re- consecration to American ideals and purposes and urged that the United States move to avold war by doing “one thing mor dhering to the Permanent Court of International Justice. “Every man wearing the habiliments of an American citizen must be an American in his heart and soul, chief executive declared. “I would like to proclaim the day when there is no room in America anywhere for those who defy the law, and those who seek our hospitality for the pur- pose of destroying our institutions should be deported or held securely behind prison walls."” here is one thing more we can do,” he asserted, after concluding his Americanization appeal. “We want no more of war. To that end I have asked the Senate to give its assent to American participation in the Permanent Court of International Justice. 1 wanc America to give of its influence to bring about universal peace.” Prestdent Is Set. The celebration was a typical Fourth of July observance. There was speaking and there were fire- works and a parade. The last-named ovent made history, not alone for Portland, but for America, as in the line of march were sallors and marines from H. M. 8. cruiser Curlew, which lles In the harbor here. Never before had a British naval foroe marched in an American Independ- once day parade. Furthermore, six staff officers of the British navy sat in the spectators’ stand and heard the reading of the Dec! ion of In- dependence and heard the President’s address. “I am glad our British fricnds have shown us that distinction,” the President paused in his address to say. “For it symbolizes the prog- ress of the last 147 years and shows us the whole English-speaking world is kin. I hope that in the future the forces of the British and American navies may ever march toward ever- lasting peace.” In addition to participating in the parade, the British forces, through their commander, Capt. Holbrook, aid teir respects to the President By caillng at nis hotel. The parade followed the arrival of the presidential party here early in the day and was through streets crowded with cheering and flag-wav- ing citizens. Members of the party regarded it as one of the most en- thusiastic receptions Mr. and M Harding have received on their west- ern trip. In his speech the President traced the half century of growth and de- velopment after the civil war and @eclared that the nation, however. been gullty of one gross neg- “We were 80 eager to explore our boundless national wealth,” he as- serted, “we were so keen for that de- velopment which makes communities and in their aggregate makes the greater nation, that we called to the manpower of the world to come and participate. “And the men of the worfd came. They came from the lands of the op- to drink and drink frecly of t ers of our political life. They came from the lands of caste and classes, to stand erect in the invigo- rating alr of American fresdom. They came from the realms of hop less struggle to embrace the frea- dom of our beckoning opportunity. Dutles Forgotten. “They came, not by hundreds or by thousands, but by unnumbered mil- 1ions, in the flood-tide of human 1maf- ration to 2 new home of hope in the 1and of the free. They jolned in ths developmént, and we wrought the imiracle of accomplishment; but we omitted the consecration at the ab tars of our fresdom. The gates .at the port of entry swung Inward, and no_conditions_were prescribed. We (Continued l)? Page 2, Wl\lflll 2,