Evening Star Newspaper, December 18, 1923, Page 1

WEATHER. Fair tonight, lowest slightly ahove freezing ton creasing cloudiness und warmer. Temperature for tw ended at 2 p.m. tod 0 pm. yester a.m. today. a nty- ay’: wil ‘report Late N. Y. Stocks and Boi = temperature v: Highest, morrow in- four hours 47, at st, 32, at on page 4. nds, Page 28 Entered as secon post office Was No. 29,085. nd-class matter hington, D. C. | U. 5. SPURNS SOVIET OVERTURE INBLUNT NOTE FROM HUGHES . Tells Tchitcherin He Sees Noi Reason for Negotiations | for Agreement. ‘ REFUSES TO “BARTER | NATION’S PRINCIPLES”! Declares if Moscow Wishes to Re- store Property, It May Do So. es informed Russian in a statement retary Hu scvict officials today transmitted through the American at Reval that “the would scem to be at this time no r stiations” with the soviet govern ment. such as suggested in the me from the soviet foreign minister Jeveived yesterday at the White House The Secretary’s statement said l'mIl‘ s American government “is not pro- yosing to barter away its principles.” Following is the text of Secretary Highes' communication: Text of Hughes' Note. ‘There would seem to “time no reason for negotiations. American government, as the went said in his message to the Con- ®ress, Is not proposing to barter away | its principles. i “If the soviet authorities are ready | 1o restore the confiscated property of | American citizens or ke effective compensation, they can do so. 1f the <oviet authorities are ready to rep their degree repudiating Russia’s ligations to this country and appro- priately recognize them, they can do s0. It requires mo conference ¢ gotiations to accomplish these re- sults, which can and should be achieved at Moscow as evidence of good faith. “The American government has not incurred liabilities to Russia or| repudiated obligations. Most serious 1s the continued propaganda to over- throw the institutions of this coun- try. This governmont can enter into | no negotiations until these efforts di- rected from Moscow are abandoned.” The announcement is described as & “statement” by the Seccretary of State. “with respeect to th telegram | to President Coolidge from Tchit- cherin of December 16, in the com—f inunication made to the press by the te Department. .At the conclusion the quoted statement, the an-! nouncement says: ! “The United States consul at Reval will deliver this statement to the soviet representative at that place for communication.to Tehitcherin.” Action No Surprise. The action of the administration | came as no surprise to those who have watched the policy of the Wash- iugton government toward the Rus- sian soviet authorities not only dur- ing President Coolidge’s incumbency, but also during the Wilson and Hard- ing administrations. The impression sained by the soviet officials from atements contained in the recent age of President Coolidge was 1ot believed generally in Washing- to be well founded, even before retary Hughes reached his deci- #ion to reply promptly and vigorously 10 the Russian suggestions. In today’'s statement Secretar Hughes made it plain that the Wash- ington administration stands squarely aguinst any intercourse of an official | character with the soviet regime while soviet propaganda against | American institutions is conducted in_the United States. The Tehitcherin proposal was based on an impression that ¥ ident Coolidge stood ready to negotiate reciprocal claims agreement with the Russian soviet authoritles which would consider only the debts of the Russian regime that overthrew the czar's government and not any obli- gation entered inte by the former royal government of Russia. That| impression was disposed of by Sec- retary Hughes in blunt fashion. Follows Former Action. The same thought was expressed by Alr. Hughes in March of this year, in | his response to a delegation sent to him by the women's committee for recogni- | tion of Russia. Recognition of the| soviet go\'rrnnfnt would be “a mis- | taken policy,” the Secretary then said and would “give encouragement to re- pudiation and conflscation.” ‘But it is also fmportant to remem- | ber,” Mr. Hughes added, “that there should be no encouragement of those | fforts of the soviet authoritics to visit upon other peoples the disasters that nave overwhelmed the Russian people. I wish that T could believe that such efforts had been abandoned. — e 5-CENT CAR FARE BILL IN SENATE TOMORROW | Senator McKellar to Offer l(usnre: as Amendment to Gasoline Tax Legislation. comsul this The Presi- be at | { Action on- his bill fixing street car fares in the District of Columbia at 5 cents will be requested of the Sen- e District—vommittee tomorrow by Senator McKellar of Tennessce. The District committee has been called to meet to corsider the gaso- line tax bill, designed to bring about reciprocity hetween Maryland and the District of Columbia in automobile 1i- censes. Senator McKellar said today he would offer the street car fare bill as an amendment to the gasoline tax bl wien the latter came upon the floor. If, however, the Senate District com- smittee should report out his street car fare bill and place it on the Senate calendar, he might be willing to let thut bill come before the Senate as an independent megsure. However, on_this point, he said, he was unde- cided. That Senator McKellar's bill for the reduction of street car fares will have considerable support.in the commit- “tee and in the Sepate was. generally wdmitted todays @h WASHINGTON, YOUNG RULERS FORCED TO QUIT THRONE FAVORABLE REPORT BY HOUSE D C. BODY, LEAVE ATHENS FOR ONGASTAXHELDUP, RUMANIA TONIGHT Provision to Apply Half on|Exile Decided Upon to Allow Personal Property Tax Proves to Be Snag. The House District committee failed today to make a favorable report on the gasoline tax measure prerequisite to auto tag reciprocity with the state of Maryland An amendment offered Repre- sentative Underhill of 2 husetts Wwas approved by a vote of 13 to 4 in the committee, striking out that sec- t the bill which would apply e-half of the gasoline tax in lieu of the personal property tax on motor vehicles. This amendment means that the committee favors compelling owners of cars in the District to pay by the personal property tax in addition | to the 2 cents a gallon gasoline tax. Another amendment offered by Rep- | resentative Blanton, democrat, Texas, which included compelling District residents to pay the personal property tax and which provided for putting 40 per cent of the gasoline tax into the Federal Treasury and 60 per cent into the District treasury, was voted down fourteen to three. Those who voted with Mr. Blanton on- this proposition were Representa- o of f Missouri, both democrats. On motion of Representative Lam- pert of Wisconsin, republican, the Dis- trict committee will meet again tomo: row morning to finish conslderation of the measure. There were only three absentees from the District committee meeting today—Representatives Stalker of ew York, Sullivan of New York and ’Brien of New Jersey Reed Compliments Personnel. o Chairman Reed opened the meeting by expressing his belief that the Dis- rict is fortunate in having “such a splendid committee” to consider its legislative proposa He said that many members of Congress, unfor- tunately, knew that an assignment to the District committee as a hardship, Lecause they believed that it does not help them in thelr own districts. Waushington is the capital of the greatest nation in the universe. It is governed the highest representa- body i any nation. government of al i5 unique ame Chalrman Reed. He assured the new members that the citizens of their pmie would applaud them for what ¥ do for the Capital city What you bulld here you build for the capital of vour nation. It is not ke building battleships which soon are scrapped. Your cltizens coming here see the institutions which you helped to erect, which stand hence- forth for culture and education.” He aid that work on the District com- mittee would be an education for those who devote themselves to it. He warned that there are many propagandists and faddists who will urge their notions on legislative ac- tion. “You must listen patiently, but remember that you are legislating for a city which is to be a model for the entire world and proceed caution,” Chairman Reed advised, Wednesday Merting Day. motion of Representative Zihl- man, the regular meeting time of the committee was set for Wednesdays at 10 am., but that special meetings would be called by the chairman or on motion of a majority of the mem- bers, Representative Blanton of Texas spoke for the minority membership, congratulating the committee on its chairman and the distinguished hold- over members and for the able new men who have been placed on the committee. Referring to Chairman Reed's thought that many members of Con- gress” seek District committee, Representative Blauton sald: “We are only fulfilling cur oath under the Constitution when we serve on this committee. Con- gress exercises exclusive jurisdiction over the Capital City. Hepresentattive Blanton said that acting on the suggestion of a number of members of Congress, he brought before the committee the proposal to National ties,” sald th th on ask the District authorities to issue | a special identification card to be dis- played on automobiles of members of Congress, with the idea that this would expedite their attendance on nublic business. Representatives Un- derhill and Keller objected to any special permit being granted to mem~ bers of (‘ongresmfl A motion was offered by Represent- ative Underhill that a subcommittes consisting_of Chairman Reed, Repre- sentative Zihlman and the ranking re- publican and the ranking democrat be authorized to pass upon bills affecting the District so that they might be brought up in the order of importance. He said_that time was continually lost by “bickering” in the committee on what bills should come up first. On motion of Representative Lampert this proposal was laid on the table. Stecring Body Adoveated. Representative Glibert, democrat, of Kentucky advised the committee that some such method of preventing members of Congress from blocking much-needed legislation for the Dis- trict should be devised and advocated AContinued on, Page 2, Column &) b 4 ives Gilbert of Kentucky and Jost| with | to avoid service on the | . marriage, GREEK ROYAL PAIR | Assembly to Pick Best Regime for Country. By tie Associated Press. | ATHENS, December King George and Queen Elizabeth will {leave Athens tonight for Rumania. it nneunced by the newspapers here {is i today | The government night formed King George in writi it considered it advisable leave e until the sembly had’ declded on best befitting the country The official after the cabinet meeting sald Want. Free Hand. “As the constituted on the elec bout to meet to discuss the regime best suited to the country, the hea f the revolu | tionary government considered that with a view to assuring calm in tl debate on this very important ques tion, it was their duty to conves to his majesty the king the opinion that he should leave the country until such time as a final decision been reached regarding the regime. “This opinion has been communi- cated to the ing, who will known his reply tomorrow | day).” Greek advocates of a republ busily employed in Athens Monday in laying the groundwork for the move to oust the royal house. An anti- dynasti meeting was held in th fternoon, the demonstrators members of and navy -Admiral Had, addressed » gathering. His ech evoked of “Down with the king!" Cry “Down With King." demonstrators inally outside ters and then mier's office last in- that for him nal to Greece nat t communique issued assembly hased ons is The gathere republican headquar- marched to the where they submitted a resolution passed at the meeting fa voring the dethronement of King George. This done, they marched back to the starting point to await a_reply. During the march the ery “Down with the king repeated. After i conference between the po litical and military leaders the dem onstrators were notified that their resolution would he discussed at the cabinet council then in session. King George II of Greece, eldest son of the late King Constantine, ascended to the thgone on September 18, 1922, after his father had been (Continued on Page 4, orig- was constantly Colamn 2.) RELEASE OF STATE WAR CONVICTS NOW SOUGHT Governors to Follow Coolidge Precedent. By the Associated Press. CHICAGO, December 18.—Appeal for the release of 119 prisoners serv- Idaho and Oklahoma penitentiaries after conviction under anti- ism laws was made to governors of those states today by the Industrial Workers of the World, Harry Fein- | berg, secretary of the general de- fense committee of that organization, announced. Telegrams sent to the state chief executives pointed to President Cool- idge's release of federal prisonrs, and urged Christmas pardons for men in state prisons. | _California has 101 prisoner: as {of whom' 15 asked by the T W | Washington has 13, including eight serving terms for second degree miir- | der ETowing out of the Centrala dis- t ; Idaho has t - {furbance; : ree, and Okla | JAPAN’S PRINCE REGENT WILL WED JANUARY 29 Rigid Economy Will Follow Couple’s Return From Honeymoon. BY E. R. EGGER. By Cable to The Sta d Chis News. " Copyright. 1055, D TOKIO, December 18.—The wedding of the prince regent and the Princess Nagako Kuni will be solemnized Jan- uary 29 with simple ceremonies in tthe sanctuary of the imperial palace |at Tokio. Owing to the disaster the young couple will proceed to Namazu {Jenuary 21 to pay their respects to the emperor and empress. A honeymoon tour of western Japan early in March will include a visit to the Tse Shrine and the imperial mau- soleum at Fushimi. As an example to the nation in its hour of need the young rulers plan to institute a rigid policy of economy following their regime | has | includ- | pre- | 1. W. W. Counsel Makes Appeal to ing terms in California, Washington, | yndical- | WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION D. C, TUESDAY, ¢ Foening HILL TO LOSE POST AS ENGRAVING HEAD ' CAPITOL INFORMED I Assistant Director Perry Also to Go—All Dismissed to Return. [MELLON WILL TENDER WILMETH OLD OFFICE | Ousted Director Not Expected to Accept Reinstatement—Cara- way Is Satisfied. | Director Hill and Assistant Director | | Perry of the burcau of engraving and | printing are to their offices at and all of the employes who | were discharged in March, 1922, by | executive order are to be given back their old jobs or places equally re- munerative, it was reported at the Capitol today. Secretary Mellon, it is understood, has been assured that Former Direc- tor Wilmeth, one of those removed ecutive order of 1922, has a | position ay which he desires to retain, and therefore will not accept the tender of the directorship of the | burea | However, lose once this afternoon it was re- ported, Secretary Mellon was seek- ing to get in communication with Mr. Wilmeth by long-distance tele- { phone, 80 as to make sure of his posi- tion | New Director in Mind. | 1f Mr. Wilmeth does not appointed appointment 1 go outside t reau, ted. It was re ix probable ap- care to be | director, the R to some one of was repo that t has already A statement also is to i the Treasury Department exonerating t mple discharged in March, I ted als, yes disn of Mar assistant jv it { ported pointee been selected. issued by completely who i execntive Le appointed bureau. will o T dir Won't Press Inquiry. ator Caraway who has be ading the the reinstatement of the discharged employes ever since 1922, | today that he would be sa with such wjustment as is | oposed. and that he would | not press further his resolution call- | ing upon the President for a complete | yeport regarding _the discharge o the employes in 19 However, he will 10 \iscuss ‘the Arkansus mocrat fight for | saia an i H rve the right matter as he sees fit HOUSED.C. BUDGET NEMBERS NANED + non Subcommittee of House Ap- propriations Body Slated for Appointment. The su propriation committee are being pre pared today by Chairman Madden, who intends to announce them tomor- row morning i | The subcom tiee that probably | | will be anmounced to handle the Dis- | trict budget is as follows: Chairman, | { Representative Charles R. Davis, | Minnesota: Representative George Holden Tinkham of Massachusetts; Representative Frank H. Funk, Ili- nois—all republicans; Representative Willlam A. Ayres of Kansas and Rep. resentative John J. Eagan, New Jer- hoth democrats. This means that Representative | Funk is ed to replace Represen- tative Robert E. Evans, who wae on the Distriet subcommittee last year, but who is mot in tne nresent Con- | gress. The District appropriation. bill last year was framed with Representa- | tive Lewis C. Crampton of Michigan, as chairman of the subcommittee owing to the iliness of Representa- | tive Davis. This vear, however, Rep- | resentative Davis is considered able to take charge of this work and Rep- resentative Crampton has been r lieved of the extra work. The committee slate also means that Representative Ben Johnson of | Kentucky, for a long time chairman | of the legislative committee on Dis- | trict nieasures, and later a member of the subcommittee and one of the | conferees on the District appropria- | tion bill, has been given other sub- committee assignments which re- move him from the subcommittee on | | the District budget The slate also shows that Repre- sentative James P. Buchanan of Texas who was on the District budget last year. will also be given other subcommittee assignments this year. Y Representative Funk is a graduate of Yale University. He served in the Tllinois state senate for five years and was a candidate of the progres- sive party for Governor of Illinois in 1912, He was commissioner on the Iliinois railroad and warehouse com- mission. This s his second term in Congress. TRepresentative Ayres, democrat, of Kansas, during previous terms in'the House was a_member of the ‘appro- priation committee, and on the post | office and naval appropriation bills. Representative Eagan, democrat, of | New Jersey, is the founder and presi- {dent of a business school in a number | of cities. He is first vice president of 2 trust company in Unfon Hill, N. J., and previously served eight years in Congress, part of that time on the ap- propriation committee. PERSONNEL OF COMMITTEES. Leommittees of the House ap- | | sey. Appropriations and D. C. Body " Members Named. By vote of the House of Repre- sentatives yesterday, the committees were organized for the Sixty-eighth Congress. The membership of those two committees most lmporlnnl‘ 1o I be | mander in | puato is OBREGON CAPTURES RAILROAD JUNCTION INTGHOURBATIE Much Rebel Ordnance Taken in Fall of San Marcos, East of Mexico City. PASO, Federal Marcos, the between I ccem t n strategic point Mexico City, and are wdvaneing steadily toward the rt stronghold of the rebels. rding to advices rec d today foxican Consul General Enrique Ruiz Fightiug for possession. of San larcos had been under way for more han sixtcen hours before the rebels were forced to retrcat. Mr. Ruiz was dvised. The federals captured immense amount of ammun @ number of cannon geveral trains used by the forces for transportation, Mr informed troops have en important Vera ¢ % and sea- an tia and rebel ¥ arme, e Associated Press MEXICO C1 revolutionarie I the Y. December 18 —The evacuated Puebla last ntght. war department an- ‘ed. Federal forves picd a and Lucas Gonzalez BATTLE STILL RAGES. Insurgent Reinforcements Sent to Apizaco. Atma Assaciated Press CRUZ, December 18.—Rebel rters at _an early hour this g were still without information the progress of the battle of Apizaco, important railway town about ceventy-five miles east of Mexico City Reinforcements sent from Vern Cruz vesterday to the aid of the rebel ge eral were not expected to some time because of the fact thic fhe railway lines have been torn up. Rages Two Dayw. The insurgent troops in ihe Apizac battle, which raged all day vesterda Te in command of Gens. Maycotte Villareal. The federals are und:r Bugenio Martinez. "A dispatch received by the Mexican consulate at Nogales, Ariz.. last night said that Gen. Maycotte had rebelled with part of his cemmand and that had issued a_proelamation pro- testing against the acts of the co- operatista party.) Report Guadalupe Fall. A ¢ommunique issued by the Hues- tistas reports that Guadalupe, in the state of Chihuahua, has fallen into rebel hands. It is stated that Gen. Rosalio Her- nandez gone into revolt in Bo- quilla del Carmen. Coahuila, and is beginning to organize forces. Advices received at the rebel head- headqu mornir quarters here, by way of Laredo, Tex., { state that President Obregon with- drew some troops from Irapuato, con sidering that his forces were mnot Strong enough to resist those of Gen. Enrique Estrada, the rebel com- the western zone. Ira. 150 miles northwest of Mex. jco City, in the state of Guanajuato. From the same Source comes the statement that all the federal forces | in the states of San Luis Potosl and Tamaulipas have also been retired. CUTTING OFF RETREAT. Obregon Launches Eastward Of- fensive Drive. NOGALES, Ariz., December 18. Federal forces from the Tepic gar- rison, headed by Gen. Moya, have launched an eastward offensive against the revolutionist stronghold at Guadalajara and a battle on that site appears near with the advance of Obregon’s federal army from the east toward the stronghold, accord- ing to official dispatches received here today. The offensive of the army from the west, which numbers 3,000 troopers, who last week pursued several hun- dred rebels toward the Jallisco capi- tal, will prevent the retreat of the revolutionists westward into Naya- rit, the dispatches said. Advices re- cefved by Col. Alfredo Chanez Busta- {mente, personal representative here of Gov. Flores of Sinaloa, told of the two movements. Battle Due Soom. Indications that preparations were under way for a sanguinary struggle “or supremacy of the stronghold i D.| come up for | volunteer | Star DECEMBER 18, 1923 —_FORTY-FOUR PAGES. The Star' every cit. Yesterday’s “From Pres block and th tion is delivered to Washington homes as fast as the papers are printed. to Home Within the Hour” 's carrier system covers regular edi- Net Circulation, 95,582 | HAVE A DRY AND 0GRESSIVE CANDIDATE s \) France and Russia Plotted | American unders possible methods ide of ding and good of used is international will mplishment until by European offices re im- the reign thor- are oughly unt stood world cted, wen b and Sen democ th pared addr which he pre cd n mass ords of F diplom: during _and thee world war preme tional Frna- impor Owen said, “that th derstand the struc offices and ing on the subsidized SENATOR OWEN. ' Senator | world should ture of t what they world war. u e foreign did_in brin How they of Any Intent to Meet Obligations. s BY DAVID LAWREN( the French foreign {told American newspaper 1 day jeral days { the H ofice ago that a proposal to pay United States the war debt of | approximately three and u half bil- |lion dollars by payments extending {over 140 vears at 2 per cent interest was being considered. no such offer has been made to the United States government While the offer on its face flicts with the provisions of isting law. whereby Congress powered the world wa mission to make arrangements for payments extending not over twenty- five years, the French suggestion h attracted considerable interest here largely because it the first time the French have presented anything concrete. There is some doubt expressed here in well informed quarters that France will ever make the pProposal officially i to the United States government. The con- the ex- m- i French policy closely is to believe that the French offer was made for news- paper consumption and in recognition only of the rising tide of sentiment in the United States with respect to the { French attitude toward the American debt. Have Made No Pledges. | The French have been criticized for i declining to discuss their indebtedness to America. The fact of the matter {is that the French have never acknowl- ledged their obligation to pay the TUnited States in explicit negotiations with the American government. Some newspaper statements have appeared stating that the French, of course, would some day pay their debts and had no {idea of repudiating them, but the truth !is there is nothing official on record to show that the French government means to pay the debt. ) No provision has been made in any French budget. since the war for in- terest or sinking fund on the Amer- ican debt. Meanwhile the French have loaned money to some of the smaller countries in Eurcpe and have insisted that Germany pay to the full amount of her reparations. Congress is going to discuss the French attitude extensively. The oxocutive branch of the government and the world war funding commis- sion is not pressing France. On the contrary, no move Is being made in that direction, though Senators Smoot and Borah have indicated that the United States should make it clear to France that American public opin- ion does not favor cancellation or repudiation of the debt. People Must Be Pal The funding commission has in- dicated to the French a willing- ness to forego the interest accumu- lated to date on the French debt and make a new deal, but even this ¢id not meet with any response from e French. The money loaned to France during the war was raised from the American people, who havo to be repaid either by the French or by the America: overnment. At AContinued vv‘v 2, Column 7.} (Continusd.an_Bags 2, Column 3., ~ | (Céntinued on Page 2, Column 6.), men sev- r funding com- | disposition of those who have followed | World War, Says Senator Owen how they | through such taught the people to fear each other and build up mies to the limit of their taxing ty controlled the public opinion fand fo press, Specch Result of Tour. ‘ Europe | ‘has secret | who toured declared there 1t of hiding. out of the great mass of evidence pre- wuknown, viously unsus-! to which we shall be compell- give attention and which dis- | that the German leaders, bad | they were, were not exclusively jonsible for the world war.” ords to which I have called ntion of the senate,” he said, monstrate that the Ger- rulers did not will void the war, and war use of that the sistent Russia anc iination intended Ower summer, last come « n peeted wl to appear o d militaristic war, tried to into iction hili s of it a deter | were secretly went the con it ir on war s a declara- wued on Page 2, Column 4.) - FRENCH WITHHOLD - COUZENS FORGES DEBTOFFERTOU.S. FIRMINDEADLOCK Have Given No Assurances |Interstate Committee Chair-| manship Fight May Con- tinue Over Holidays. Senator uzens of Michigu publican, gained two new votes when the hegan balloting this aft- ern on the chairmanship of the interstate commerca commit- wnn ter X o Capper Kansas and iinson of California switch- ator Cummins of Iowa supported hitherto, ed whom they ult of the first ballot show- ed no election. Senator Cummins re- ceived votes: Senator Smith of South democrat, 39, and voted. making 46 ir an election Borah Votes for Fess. The line-up on the second and third | ballots was precisely the same as on i the first | _On the fourth ballot Senator Fess of { Ohio, vepublican, for the fivst time re- { ceived a vote for the chairmanship of the interstate commerce committee. Sen- ator Borah of Idaho .cast the ballot for him. The other senators voted just as on the three previous ballots toda: result_ was, Senator Cummins, mith, Senator Couzens, Fess, 1. On the fifth ballot 34 senators voted for Cummins, 40 for Smith, 13 for Couzens, 2 for Willis and 1 for Mc- Lean of Connecticut. The two sena- tors voting for Senator Fess were Borah and Willis. Senator Edge voted for Senator McLean. - The deadlock over the election of a chairman of the Senate interstatecom- merce committee promises tocontinue throughout the day. The Senate pro- gressives, who yesterday supported | Senator Couzens of Michigan for the chairmanship, indicated today that they would continue to support Mr. i wwould not shift their votes to Senator Smith of South Carelina, democrat. Balloting in the Senate for the chairmanship was delayed today until after Senator Owen of Oklahoma had addressed the Senate on the subject he began his address the Senate adopted a joi for a_Christmas recess of Congress from December 20 to January 4. Senators Watson of Indiana, and Moses of New Hampshire, both prom- inent in the republican leadership in the Senate, gave President Coolldge opposite views today regarding the possible outcome of the deadlock. Predicts Smith's Election. Senator Watsommawho has been fre- quently mentioned as a possible can- didate for the 1924 republican presi- dential nomination, following a long conference with the Executive, during which the organization in the Senate and matters political were discussed, said he told the President that Sena- tor Smith would be chosen. | “The Indiana senator stated that he ibas information, that Senators Norris and Howell of Nebraska, who have heen_voting the Senate' to block the election of Cummins, will shortly switch to #Smith. These two votes will elect the latter and thereby end the long struggle. Senator Moses, who was in confer- ence with the President, declared with much emphasis that Senator 1Smith will not be elected. He said {that Senators Norris and Howell will not switch to Smith. In his opinion the deadlock will last for some time, and when it_is broken it will be found that Senator, Cummins has been victorious, and | Couzens and, for the time at least, | of secret diplomacy in Europe. Before | t resolution providing | with the insurgents of | TWO CENTS. HOUSE HITS SNAG ON PRECEDENCE OF TAX ORBONUS BILL (New Difficulties in Ways and Means Committee Impede Legislative Start. RAINEY AND FREAR URGE SOLDIER COMPENSATION Issue Is Not Pressed for Fear Ma- Jority Might Vote to Upset Administration Plan. Republican who perfected ganization yesterday, |of t&o weeks, encountered fres] setback toda; when they mad: their first attempt to begin the legis lative business of the session. A meeting of the ways and mean committee, at which the administra= tion managers had planned to take up the Mellon tax program ahead of, the soldler bonus question, was sud- denly canceled. No date was fixed for another meeting, but Chairmar Green "gaid he hoped to be in a pe sition to call the members togethe tomorrow. Demand for priority for & bonus bill have been made both by Repre sentative Rainey of Illinois, a demo cratic member of the committee, and by Representative Frear of Wiscon sin, a republican member belonging to those followers of Robert M. L. Follette who delayed organization of the House and still are holding the Senate in deadlock over the election airman of the interstate com- e committee, T there was any democrat leaders of . the Housg, their committee or- after a delam real pros insurgent_com bination against the administratior tax plans was not revealed, but Wwas apparent the republican leaders wére moving cautiously the ligh of thelr experiences of the first twe weeks of the new Congress. Despite the previous expectations o Houee leaders, no progress was mads in determining whether the ways and means committee would take up bonus bill ahead of tax legislation. Chairman Green made no explana tion of the delay, but other mem- bers declarcd the postponement migh have resulted from a fear that a ma Jority of the committee would vote to overturn the administration pro gram of giving priority to the ques tion of taxatlon T sudden cancellation by the ways and means committee meeting was followed by hurried conferences between various republicans on the commi and majority leaders in the house and it was determined that Chairman Green should propose, at u mecting to be held probably tomor- row, that the committes proceed wit! a study of the purely administrative changes in the tax law recommended by Secertary Mellon. This, it was conténded, would en able the committee to ascertain how much could Le saved to the govern ment by amending provisions of the law which now afford logpholes fo: rich taxpayers es. sessments. Such a study probably would he completed shortly after the Christmas recess and the House then would be in a better position to_ de- termine w should be dene abou | changing the schedule and about ! bonus. DOUBTS MELLON TAX PLAN. Representative Garner Sees Rela- tively Few Benefited by Proposal. Only a relatively few individuals throughout the United States—526,000 T —would be afforded surtax relief under Secretary Mellon's plan tepresentative John (arner of Texas i minority leader on the ways and means committee, said in a statement |last night He urged, however. that most of th administrative features proposed as amendments in the Mel {lon plan and several others whicl were not included should have early and favorable consideration. uld repeal the entir: the 6,136,000 with in tepresentu . ‘This would i | a loss of only §92,790,000, there by leaving the 625,000 large incom: surtax pas s the chief beneficiar ies of the plan, Says Statements Mixlead. “1 am astonished," said Mr. Garne “at the amount of false or misleadln information that is being so syste- matically fed out to the American people to the effect that great and Wholesals tax reduction would result !to the people, generally, under "the Mellon plan. Such propaganda is « fraud on the country. “There is no prolable opposition to the removal of such taxes as those o: telograms and ndmissions to theates I am willing even to magnify the Mel- lon proposals to any ordinary extent and anxious to aid in securing the full- est measurs of equitable income tax re- @uction, but 1 cannot justify a policy that would limit rellef to the America: eople measurably to Mr. Mellon's 525.- Bd large income surtax payers, thereb: ignorfhg, if not by implication exclud- ing, each and all of the other method~ | of wholesale relief which I have pointed out rsons Democratie View Suggested. “It is my individual judgment tli most democrats in Congress will favor | going further than the Mellon plan, |it relates to the smaller income tax ers up to incomes of $15,000 to ,000, and that they will be disposed | to make thorough and impartial inves | tigation to ascertain and adopt a scier fic and equitable scale of higher sur- tax rates based on the doctrine of abil ity to pay. Democrats are equally in- terested in speedily improving the ad ministrative side of our indome tax it uation o as to permanently remove th | present great inconvenience, complicy fions, delay, expense and 'conseque irritation to the taxpayers.' EX-JUDGE AND DANCER FOUND DEAD FROM GAS Believed to Have Died Twelve Hours Before Discovery of Their Bodies. December 18 The bodies of Eugene A. Childe. prominent local attorney, former state legislator and one time police judge, and Mrs. Clara Lien, a dancer and musician of Vancouver, B. C.. were found yesterday in a gas-filled house. = According to the King county cor- oner's office, they were believed to have died twelve hours before the discovery of the bodies. SEATTLE,