The Washington herald. [volume], February 18, 1922, Image 1

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0. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18. 1922.<-SIXTEEN PAGES.
WASHINGTON
k8X03i ^
V ' * ? H
The Weather
Fair and wanner to
day; cloudy tomor
row. Details on p. 8.
NO. 5584. /
ONE CENT.
FARMER BLOC
LINES UP FOES
OF SALES TAX
??
Seventeen Republicans
Said to Oppose Presi
dent's Plan.
MAY DEMAND LEVY
ON EXCESS PROFITS
Chairman Fordney Says
Bonus Bill Will Be
Enacted.
The Senate agricultural bloc la
organizing" against a sales tax for
bonus payment.
Repu bllcan members of the bloc
will meet next week. Then they
expect totrecord formal opposition
to the tax.
Leaders believe, an effort will be
made to re-enact the excess profits
tax and high surtax rates, as a sub
stitute for the sales tax. If this
fails It will be suggested that tne
Treasury issue short-time certifi
cates. to be absorbed by interest
payments which foreign govern
ments are expected to make on their
debts to the United States.
The president declines to state !n
advance whether he would veto a
bill raising funds In this way.
OppMltiea Lines up 17.
An informal canvass, made by one
of the block leaders yesterday
showed at least seventeen Repub
licans will support the program of
opposition. And the canvass was
conducted only among Senators
from the Western States. The meet
ing is made to include only Repub
licans. because the suppoi* frf . the
T>emocrats, with the possible ex
ception of two or three votes, is
considered assure^.
On the surface, the canvass indi
cated that It is impossible
sales tax to pass the Senate. The
seventeen Republican- votes, united
with thirty-five Democratic votes,
would give fifty-two. or three more
than a majority in opposition.
The bloc program, if carried out,
contemplates regulation of u tax
measure which the President said
was the only one available. It In
volves also the revival of taxes
agalngst the President's wishes, or
further borrowings, to which he is
Just as strongly opposed.
Okjeet t* Consumption Tax.
The objection of bide Senators'to
?he sales tax. broadly, is based on
their belief that however applied
It Is a tax on consumption.
T. C. Atkeson. Washington repre
sentative of the National Grange,
has declared that farmers are
strongly opposed to the sales tax,
or any form of direct consumption
tax. for the soldier bonus, or for
any other purposes. The sales tax
Is a deliberate effort to shift tax
burdens from those best able to pay
to those least able to pay.** he said.
"The Grange has suggested an
excess profits tax for the bonus.
Should that be inexpedient, a tax
should be levied which will not add
ftr> the lost of living of millions wrth
limited incomes."
Says Bonn* Bill Will Pass.
Chairman Fordney. during the
course of debate yesterday, de-1
clared that a bonus bill will be re- !
ported out by the House Wavs and I
Means Committee within ten days, I
and that It will be enacted. This :
declaration brought applause from
Republicans, and cries of "no. no." j
from the minority.
"We are using every honorable j
effort to prepare the bill to which
House Republicans will agree.*" ho
said. "If they do not. we want
the Republican members to direct
us how to prepare the bill and how
to bring it in hefre for final action.**
Representative Frear. of Wiscon
sin. leadipg opponent of che sales
tax, has suggested four substitutes
*or tho committee s consideration.
They are: Payment by^ecvnomies; |
re-enactmcnt of the t^^^eatur??s J
of the original bonus blW which
rre similar to the eight-point plan;
? c-enactment of the excess profits
tax; issuance of temporary Treas
ury : certificates.
Leave* Details to Congress.
President Harding's position Is j
that it is not up to him to indicate J
what kind of a sales tax should
be imposed, or how it should b?r
imposed. He believes a "produc
tive sales tax** ~'Ould be the least
burdensome, most productive, and
easiest to administer, leaders have
calculated it would* bring in $300.
00^.000 under a 1 per ceht levy.
The committee is considering the
^possibility of limiting the amount
of cash payments immediately pay
able under the bill, and stlpulat-.
Ing that these should go only to
those in actual need. Certificates
would be issued where cash was^
not Paid- . _ . ,
The committee questioned John
Thomas Taylor, representative of j
the American Legion, and Richard:
Seeyle Jones, representative of the
Veterans of Foreign Wars, on this
question yesterday. Veterans' or
ganizations. they said, would en
deavor to persuade members to
adopt other plans than cash pay
"^Taylor and Jones said the vet
erans would oppose abandonment
of cash payments. *slnce their con
ventions were on record In support
of the five-fold bill as now pre
^Organixed labor has added its
pretest against the sales tax.
U. S. LABOR PARTY
CONFERENCE AIM
. !
CHICAGO. Feb- 17.?The confer
enc. of dnion labor and liberal forces
to b. held here Monday will be a
preliminary step from which aoroeof
?ts sponsors hope will jrow an Ameri
can Labor par'r patterned after the
British political organisation, a coord.
,ng to Otto Branstetter. e*ecutire
secretary of the Soclallat party.
The conference was called by lead
ers of rfll labor. It Is an outgrowth
of m. nation-wide surrey of feelinc
among all the branches of liberal
political th*u?ht conducted by the
Socialists.
Negroes Smash Window,
Take $10,000Gems and Flee
Hundreds of Pursuers Held at Bay When
Bandit Brandishes Gun, and Both
Escape Over Fence.
Two negroes smashed the show
window of the Jewelry shop of
Harry 8. Fischer. 438 Ninth street
northwest, last night. stole jewelry
valued at $10,000. and escaped.
Hundreds of persons, who chased
the robbers, were held at bay when
one of the negroes brandished a
-evolver. As the pursuers halted,
the negroes leaped over a fence and
vanished.
Several shots were exchyiged
during the chase. Mo Levy, a clerk
in the store,--fired Into the air
twice as the negroes fled. As the
negro who was brandishing a re
volver turned the corner at Ninth
and E streets northwest, he fired
three shots. None of the shots took
effect.
The robbery decurred when one
of the negroes, using a half brick,
wrapped in a newspaper, broke the
window, which separated him from
scores of glittering jewels. He
seized several valuable rings and
POLICE TIGHTEN
GRIP ON DISTRICT
LAW BREAKERS
Alleged Bookmaker and
Many Witnesses Taken
In Big Raid.
Relentless, the Metropolitan po
lice yesterday continued their an
nounced clean-up offensive.
'Thwe will be nc let-up in our
vice crusade until every criminal is
in our power," said i>aniel Sullivan,
chief of the police department. He
stated that he intends to hold ev
ery precinct responsible for its sec
tion of the city.
The ntfost dramatic arrest of the
day was that of Norman S. Bowles.
33 years old who. police allege,
has been-engaged in making books
on horse races in a room opposite
the District Building. Bowles' pa*
tions are said to have been daawn
from the numerous racing fans who
natronize the scoreboards, and, po
lice say. he had flaunted his skill
in evading arrest.
Mmmj Witness** Takes.
Bowles was a member of the
"Nicky" Arnstein gang who gained
fame through ? clever bond thefts.
He was sentenced for three years
on charges of having smuggled
bonds into the District and Is now
out on bail pending appeal. A
large number of witnesses and
much evidence were taken in mak
ing the arrest. The policemen
making the raid were Capt. K W
Brown. Lieut. W. E. Holmes. Sergt.
Burks and Private* Mansfield, Wil
son and Lowry, all of the First
precinct.
Chief Sullivan yesterday Instruct
ed his drug traffic squad to locate
all drug vendors and the source of
supply. Detective Sergts. Robert
Saunders and Harry Evans have
been assigned to this duty.
The danoe hall problem is giving
considerable difficulty. Recently
Lieut. Mina C. Van Winkle, head
of the woman's bureau, stated that
she knew of but one clean public
dance hall in the city. The police
i department intends tcK seek power
from the Commissioners making it
possible to enforce more rigid regu
lations.
Chief Sullivan was the honor
cuest of the public order committee
of the Board of Trade at noon yes
terday. The speakers praised him
highly. Commissioners Oyster and
Keller said the board had spent
months watching the new chief in
acting capacity and could And ;
no fault.
Hysrlese Board Will Aid.
The Interdepartmental Hygiene
Board yesterday notified Chief Sul
livan that it will co-operate with
him in, every way to suppress social
evils. This board has evidence to
convict a large number of criminals
and to uncover much Illicit traffic,
which they will turn over- to the
police department, they say.
The members of the board in
clude Secretaries Dcnby. Mellon and
Weeks, Maj. Oen. M. W. Ireland,
Reai* Admiral E. R. Stltt and Dr.
Hugh S. Cummin?. Surgeon Ucueral,
U. S. Public Health Service.
MARINES KILLED
, BY_NICARAGUANS
*SAN DIEGO. Cal.. Feb. 17?Sev
eral United States Marines and a
score of Nicaragua!!* were killed In
recent fighting In Nicaragua, the
naval transport Nitro reported here.
The last clashes occurrcd last
'month and were <lue to III feeling
between the natives and United
States troops. It Is said.
then dashed north on Ninth street.
Leaving: a customer to guard the
store and the exposed show win
dow's treasures. Mo Levy, optician;
Sam Ugel, watchmaker, and D. M.
Deutsoh, clerk, rushed from the es
tablishment p.nd led In the pursuit
of the thieves.
As the pursuers rounded the cor
ner of Ninth and E streets one of
the negroes drew a revolver, fired
thrice, and held the crowd at bay.
Then the fugitives leaped over a fence
adjoining vthe bowling alleys on E
street and disappeared.
Louis Levy. 809 E street north
west. who was standing beside the
negro who smashed the plate glass
window, described the bandits as
shabbily dressed, one of thom 5 feet
10H lncheB tall and weighing about
165 pounds, the other about 5 feet
5 inches tall, weighing about 140*
pounds, and aged about 21 and It,
respectively.
Ilofcbery Was Planned.
One of the stolen rings contained
twenty-one diamonds, three of them
X eleven carats, while another was
a solitaire of seven carats. The
jewels were set In platinum.
The negroes also snatched a dia
mond solitaire ring of carats,
valued at $975, and a platinum scarf
pin. containing i marquis-shaped dia
mond. worth $425.
Thirty other pieces of Jewelry wer?
taken. Fischer discovered when he
checked his stock. The total value
of the loot was estimated Anally at
more than $10,000.
When police and Headquarters
Tfetectives Darnall. Sprlngman and
Alllgood arrived the fence over
which the thieves had escaped, was
scaled and a pit thirty feet deep
was found on the opposite side.
Evidence ox^the braces of the bar
rier indicated that the negroes had
not fallen into the excavation but
id down the supports of the fence.
his fact, together with the thieves'
selection of the choicest gems, In
dicated the robbery had been
planned for some time, police say.
ALL U S SHIPPING
BOARD VESSELS
ARE TO BE SOLD
Varied Craft Costing
Three Billions Expected
To Bring $200,000.
The entire Shipping Board fleet,
1,470 vessels, will be offered for
sale, according to Joseph W. Powell,
president of the Emergency Fleet
Corporation.
The list of ships includes steel
passenger and cargo vessels, tank
ers. refrigerators, former German
"argo vessels, former German sail
ers, concrete cargo and tankers,
and steel and wood ocean-going and
harbor tugs.
They range in size from 20.000
tons downward, and the tonnage to
be offered for sale totals about 10,
000.000 deadweight tons.
At present world market prices,
shipping experts estimate, the price
received should average approxi
mately $20 a fon, a total of $200,
000 for the entire fleet. Ship
ping Board officials believe, how
even that passage by Congress of a
ship subsidy would serve to etihance
greatly, possibly to double, tl
present value of these vessels.
Cost About *3,000.000,000.
The original cost of all the ships
is estimated at about $3.000 000,000.
They were built during the war to
offset the destruction of tonnage
by German submarines.
Sale of the fleet is in line with
the administration's declared deter*
mination to get tlie government out
of the Shipping business. The his
tory of the Shipping Board has been
a succession of difficulties from the
beginning. Prodigal waste of
money, inefficiency, graft and mal
administration have been repeatedly
charged.
The affairs of the board, and its
subsidiary organisation, the Emer
gency Fleet Corporation, have been
in a constant state of confusion.
Congress has been constantly criti
cal. Previous attempts to dispose
of the vessels failed, because there
was no market for them.
Plan to Be Ssbmltfed.
The President next week is to
recommend his ship subsidy plan to
Congress. Enactment of it, accord
ing to Chairman Lasker, of the
Shipping Board, Is necessary if the
American merchant marine is to
continue In existence.
The ships offered for sale will be
sold "as is, where is/' and certified
checks for 2% per cent of the
s mount bid must accompany the
offers.
1
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At Your News Dealer
Dr. Ballou Tells Senate
Committee 444 Classes
Are Oversized.
NEEDS $500,1)00
FOR HIGH SCHOOL
Superintendent Outlines
Plan to Improve
Conditions.
KightfCn more school rooms are
needed to give each District pupil
a seat, Superintendent Frank W.
Ballou claims.
Dr. Ballou testified yesterday
before the subcommittee of the
Senate Diatrlct Committee.
There arc 444 oversized classes
In the schools of the District the
superintendent tol3 the commit
tee and explained that an over
sized class was where there were
more than forty pupils to a grade.
Favor,i Two-story Stroetarea.
In the matter of buildings Dr.
Ballou said that he favored the two
story structures and advocated as
sembly halls and gymnasiums in
every school buildins.
At the present time Washington
Is nearly at the foot of the list of
forty-eight cities in the matter of
educational facilities, he told the
committee.
When asked by Senator King if
it were true that a school building
in Alexandria, Va.. cost about one
half the price of a similar building
in the District, Dr. Ballou explancd
that in the Alexandria schools the
floors were not fireproof and In
other ways the cost f Virginia
schools were cheaper to build be
cause of the building regulations.
Weeds KMM.OOO for High KeheeL
The Junior High School, he said,
would cost about $500,000 but that
Congress had apropriated but
9300,000 and this would mean a
piecemeal construction. It would
not be economy, he Insisted, to
start the building unless it was
possible to finish it.
Dr. Ballou emphasized the need
of a larger administrative staff, and
advocated the appointment of a
business manager that could relieve
the superintendent so that he could
"'????? more tlate to the educational
features.
The program of the Board of Edu
cation was said by Dr. I!aW?a to
overcome objectionable features 'as
follows: I, Part-time classes; 2,
rented buildings: 3. portable build
ings; 4, oversized classes; 5, unde
sirable buildings.
Regrets Cat la Estimates.
The Titan was not extravagant,
he said, and would be found to be
economical.
It was a matter of regret, the
superintendent said, that the esti
mates had been cut .from $10,000,
000 to $6,000,000.
Susie Root Rhodes spoke In favor
of the playgrounds, and George
F. Bowerman spoke in favor of co
operation between the Public Li
brary and the public schools.
Representative John Ketcham, of
Michigan, appeared, in behalf of the
McKinley Manual Training School.
v--hich. he said, was badly in need
, of more room.
William F. Husted. of the Board
ot Education, representing the col
I ored schools of the Diatrlct, asked
j for the same facilities for the col
ored pupils that were available for
the while children.
Would Rearalate flanking,
j Following the hearings. Chairman
[ Capper, of the subcommittee, ex
j pi eased the opinion that it would
take about thirty days before a bill
| could be prepared to include the
| various features advocated by those
who have appeared before the com
mittee.
Senator Ball, chairman of the
Senate District Committee Intro
duced a bill in the Senate yesterday
to regulate the banking business In
the District.
The bill, provides that no corpo
ration now engaged in the business
of banking in the District of Co
lumbia shall be permitted to enter
upon such business until after it
shall have secured the approval or
consent of the'Comptroller of Cur
rency.
Poincare Voted *
Enthusiastic O.K.
Chamber Favors Policy of
Protection for French
Troops in Silesia.
M118, ,7-?Tly tho enthu
siastic vote of the 506 member, of
the trench chamber, Premier Poln
ccrc s square-fistc-d determination
to protect the French soldier from
attacks in Upper Sile?ia" and to
?,!"!"111 h. the risks to which, those
troops have been subjected, haa
been Indorsed.
The premier's announcement of
his policy, under wlMch he "will
demand from Germany whatever
penalties may be judged neces
j?ry * attacks on French sol
diers, was received with one of
the Wildest outbursts of cheering
ever seen In the chamber, and the
on''ltsfh<^infldenCe fol,owed rapidly
,~"It '? ne?rly established that at
Petefsdorf the attack was directed
i powerful German organisa
tion, Poincare declared, "and that
it moreover took place with the
complicity of German function
aries."
It was Poincare's first opportun
ity to test the temper of the depu.
ties on his German policy, and he
made the most of It, with an ora
torical triumph in his peroration
when he declared:
"The heroism of our little chas
seurs will not yield to that of
those who fell defending our soil.
France will know how to show h*r
eternal gratitude to them."
Lord Lee Denies
Cast ex Articles
WereMisquoted
Declares Wiekham Steed's
Attacks Were Made Be
hind His Back.
LONDON. Feb. .17. ? ?'Wlckham
Steed's attacks against my honor
were made behind my toa^k when I
had no opportunity to reply."
Thus Lord Lee. first lord of the
British admiralty, hits back at
charges of misquoting naval arti
cles by. Capt. Castes, cf the French
uavy.
A war of words has started. The
London Times, of which Steed Is
editor, refuses to print Lee's an
swer.
The first lord reiterates that Capt.
Castex's views constitute approval
of German submarine warfare. He
is willing to submit the articles to
an impartial judge, offering ?100 to
any charity If he is proved In the
wrong. He wants Steed to accept
the same terms.
Lord Lee. furthermore, declares
that his calling the attention of the
Washington conference to the Cas-|
tex articles was not malicious.
YANKS TO ACT
IF EL PASO CITY
IS IMPERILLED
Crisis Impends, and Clash |
At Jnarez Appears
Near.
? President Harding let It be I
known yesterday that there is no |
immediate prospect of resumed of- |
ficlal relations with Mexico.
Rebel outbreaks at Juares are I
imminent. American army officials |
are ready to Interfere should El j
Paso be endangered.
War Department officials admit
tedly are apprehensive of the men
acing situation at Juarez and
keenly interested in the following j
letter, dated February 13. received
from an American "official In close
touch with the border situation ";
"Just a line to keep you informed.
The mass of Mexicans believe tha?
the break here against Obregon Is
to be real In a very few days and
are very much worked up as is our
department of Justice.
Calls General Coward.
"Mendez, the local general, ts
scared almost sick. /He is in no
way a brave man. In fact, he is
showing himself quite a coward, it
is believed. He has sent his family
away and it seems that he has not
slept in Juares for the last two
weeks, never at night over there.
He does his sleeping on this side.
"It Is accepted id civil clrclcs on j
both sides that in case there Is ,
any kind of a fight In Juarez there
would be deliberate firing Into El j
Paso?it has always been so."
War Department officers con
fidently expect that the American
military forces will be compelled to
intervene In the event of fighting
between soldiers of the Mexican
government and rebels In Juares.
There is less ground for optimism
relating to the Mexican situation
now than there was a few months
ago, it is declared in official quar
ters. Disclosures have been made
of interference In the matter by
persons inf*rested for both gov
ernments, who were not authorized
to speak for either one
Persons who have been assuming
t#, speak for the Amerlgfrn govern
ment In Mexico without authority
it was revealed, are regarded by
the President as "the greatest
fakirs and cheaters in the world."
OSeial Authority Lacking.
Some weeks ago the President be
lieved a way had been found to
bring about a restoration of nor
mal, official relations between the
two countries. But when the "pro
posals" whlcIT had come to the
^American administration, presum
ably from the Mexican government,
in an informal manner, were ex
amined, it was found that there was
no official authority for statements
which had been made and assur
ances which had been given.
Many people, the President dis
covered in his experience of the
Mexican question, professed to
!q*eak for the Mexican government,
and others claimed to be repre
sentatives of the American govern
ment. President Harding and Sec
retary Hughes never have had a
personal representative in Mexico.
The only authorised agents have
been those In the regular diplomatic
establishment, all of whom have
been known.
Mexico Says Uprisings
Arc of Little Importance
MEXICO CITY. Feb. 17.?Officials
of the Mexican government declare
recent uprisings are of minor im
portance. They assert that discontent
at local conditions is at the bpttom
of the unrest.
No leader of national prestige is
heading the movement, nor has any
definite political or military plan been
formulated officials point out.
The government is adopting a con
ciliatory attitude. President Obregon
has warned army officers -to stop
playing politics. Secretary of War
3errano has invited the malcontents
to express their grievances.
The fact that Obregon has left
for Vera Cruz to celebrate his birth
day with his cabinet, is taken as ail
indication that he does not consider
the situation serious.
Reports are that Gov. Sanchez o?
Puebla is preparing for a radical up
rising. using former Zapatistas as A
nucleus. Observers declare such a
movement would be seconded by
Yucatan. \
Foreign observers here fear that
a revolution might develop into an
archy, with the possibility-*! forcing
American i^ervention.
Wallace Fills "New Position.
. Secretary Wallace hu appointed
L. II. Goddard, of Fayette County.
Ohio, head cf the new division of ?re
ject* and programs of the Depart
ment of Acrieulturc
Foreign Relations Com
mittee Members at Odds
With President.
DEMOCRATS NOT
HOT FOR FIGHT
Wilson's Reported Ap
proval Means Only Fee
ble Opposition Likely.
Senate l-'oretrn Relations Com
mittee members may hitch rdberva
tlons on the Pacific treaties despite
President Harding.
The President reiterated his be
lief yesterday that reservations
neither were required nor Justified
Committee members at the same
time developed sentiment for such
measures. )
Word reached Democrats of the i
J orelgn Relations Committee that
former President Wilson, after a
careful examination of the results
of the armament conference had
ceme to the conclusion that It would
be a grave mistake to oppose the
treaties.
The Information was accepted as
authentic by Democratic Senators,
although there was no formal state- I
ment from the Wilson residence.
Sspfurt Reservation*.
Without Mr. Wilson's assistance)
it was generally conceded that
Democratic resistance to ratifica
tion would be extremely feeble The
Democrats probably will cont#U
themselves with supporting renerva^1
tions which Republican Irreconcll
n&?are ?P?ted ^o offer.
?Mervations were discussed at
yesterday s meeting of the For
eign Re'ations Committee. Senator
Hrandegee. of Connecticut. Repub
ican irreconcilable, suggested three
reservations which he probably will
One of these re?
ervatlons would make it clear that
nothing in ,he four-power ?Lt
binds the United States, either mor
* ?r '?**">? employ its armed
Annfh. Congress assents.
Another would make It clear that
tered ?r adiu?tments en
tered Into under the four-bower
t*ct In the future shall be .subject
? ui.j0r>n *>y the Senate A
fj'td would make It plain that
violation of the terms of the pact
le?i ,?ry pow*r- would re
obUgations' from their
areunnecesaary Nevertheless, hav
r'*?rVaMon st him.M It tn
that he wobih **???"* believed
, ne *ould not encage In anv
Senators over
n!*r th / 7 would not Im
-r ;'n:k COU"e ?n- Woodrow
controversy. Testy
Criticism by Johnson.
Senator Johnson, of California
thenUfortC|fl" lrreconcl,?b??. criticised
the fortifications agreement. in the
foreign Relations Committee He
pointed out that the British were
whlTeVbV?- f?rtlfy Singapore]
while the T niteR .States yielded th*?
nine' I?1 r"r'ify r-uam or the Philip.
Islands. The result of this
agreement he contended, would
hoM ,h? I,Ht'"h a "Tonrer foot
i hold than ever In the Far East
while the United States would have
t". 118 fron,ler to the
Hawaiian Islands. He urged that
the commttee ask for the reports
of the naval experts concerning
Pacific fortifications. Senator Lodg"
<-hairman of the committee, agreed
that this was a proper request a!
though he reminded the committee
that Singapore was not in the Pa
cific. It is pr bable that the com
mittee will obtain the naval ex
perts' reports next week.
Senator Lodge reported to the
committee that he had conferred
with President Harding concerning
the Hitchcock resolution, adopted
by the Senate, calling for all rec
ords of the conversations in the
negotiation of the four-power pact.
The President, he said, had assured
him of his willingness to furnish
the Senate with every particle of
Information and data that would
aid It in thoroughly understanding
the treaties.
Calls Conference
On Textile Strike
Rhode Island Conciliation
Board Takes Steps to
Solve Problem.
liOSTON, Feb. IT.?Efforts to end
the cotton mill strike In Rhode Is
land will be made through confer
ences.
The newly appointed conciliation
boai-d tomorrow will summon rep
resentatives of the thirty-two
closed mills and the 16,000 striking
operative* to meet In Providence.
Although any results that this
body may obtain will affect only
the Rhode Island operatives, there
's little do-.rtit that they would In
fluence the situations in New
Hampshire and In Lowell. Mass.
Officials of the textile unions say
they are willing to meet any board
of conciliation seeking to settle
the strike, but will not be subject
to any decision rendered by such''
a body. Little disposition la shown
to compromise on the .0 . er ccnt
wage reduction, and the abolition
of the 48-hour weeky*
The provisional executive com
mittee of the Federated Textile
Uniona of America will meet to
morrow in New York to consider
plans to push the airki.
With the merctry 1? below aero at
Manchester this morning. >".en anu
women ptcaceta were at the mtli
gates as usual.
Mine Convention
Beats Deposed
Kansas Leader
John L. Lewis Sustained
By Close Vote in Fight
On Alexander Howat.
INDIANAPOLIS. Feb. 14?John L.
Lewis, president of the United Mine
Worker*, was sustained by the con
vention here yesterday In his light
to keep Alexander Howat. deposed
president of the Kansas miners, otft
of the union.
Lewis* victory, however, was by
a narrow martin, the Onal vote be
iag l.tii to 1.84J. unofficially.
Howat'i display of ?trangth was
a surprise and It appeared at some
stages of the voting that be would
win.
The voting proceeded with sev
eral spectacular Interruptions, dur
ing which delegates were hissed or
wildly cheered for their stand. It
is rumored that Howat will attempt
to start a rump convention.
With this interunion dispute out
of the way. the convention now wilt
pass on the report of the vife scale
committee, calling for continuation
of the present contract, with the
bituminous operators, or a strike
referendum to be completed by
March ?1; a 20 per cent increase In
wages for anthracite miners; the
eight-hour day underground; and
straightening out of district wage
differentials.
It Is expected that the report will
be adopted, but not without consid
erable debate on the floor
DENBY DEFENDS
DISMISSALS OF
NAVY YARD MEN
Secretary Says Order
Stopped Expense of
Useless Work.
"It was a necessary act which
we had to do In a cruel way."
Secretary of Navy Denby yester
[ day thus explained the release
without warnlnc of 1C.OOO men
from navy yards throughout the
country.
"Gradual release of employes
possibly would have been more hu
manitarian." the Secretary con
tinued. "hot it would have involved
: ?f frnm to
i ?.?<?,ot?e a day cm useless nrfirt." t
Merely Itwalnr?a PrupwidM.
Defending the furlough twg or_
der, Mr. Denby aaid, to avoid un
warranted extravagance, work on
ships and material scrapped by the
five-power treaty had to be stopped
as soon ss that pact was signed.
*,OOUld b0 t*ken ^fore
that time, Mr. Denby said, and any
delay afterward would have been
unfair to the American people. The
mert"' * bu"?? p~p
Secretary Denby. office Is ex
isted to reply to Mr. Oompers*
plan early next week. Navy De
? fhe Pf,nt "perts are working on
i^K 7 Proposals submitted by
the labor leader. It was stated
Officials Intimated that any plan
?LBentrai rellef will have to come
through Congressional action. The
nax> ? constructive program was
largely eliminated by the flve-power
Xct- ?? PO'nt- ou,. and work on
any stopped equ,pment automatic
al. ??,, An.. fr,? An.r.
thf'? V* deposed Plan oI
the machinists union to have small
arms manufactured In navy plants
Mr. Denby said he did not regard
this as economically sound, as thr
navy now gets Its small arms from
army plants. It is not thought ad
m l? take mway work from
my plants In order to give navy
vards employment. Moreover. It wai
v!r; ?on1'!derable change In nav,
* 1 .hi 7V would ** ??ce?itat
this plan.
Thirty-one additional employe)
wene released at the local yard yes
er<*ay. Others will follow between
now and the Utter part of the month
according to Capt. J. H Dayton
commandant of the yard. It Is ex.
"ected that approximated 1IV4 npl
cent of the office force win receive
furloughs'* before March 1.
Work Reported Slack.
Union representatives who have
slack*"in th f,;rlo"Kh" report work
? ,'n. th? local yard. Further
. ?kl"'d workmen
by "nlon officials unless
[ additional work Is received.
kfTorts of the executive commit
tee of Local 174 to find employment
; .r.unemPloyed members have met
, Practi,"ally no results. Union
officials report that a number ol
cit* unmarrled mtn are leaving the
President Johnston, of the In
ternational Association of ' Ma
chinists advises furlough ed men
not to dissipate their funds ti*vel
ling In search of work. There U
not an Industrial center, he says,
that is not burdened with uncm.'
ployed.
WHITES DRIVEN
FROMHABAROVSK
VLADIVOSTOK. Feb. 17.?It Is
officially report-d that the Far East
ern Republic forces, numbering 1<..
?00. re occupied Habarovsk Monday.
There were two days of hard light
ing. The Whites ^ere forced to re*
treat to the south. There Is no In
dication that toe Reds are pursuing.
The Vladivostok government is
alarmed and Is discussing measures
?to cope with the situation.
The Japan-** command notified the
Whites that It will be compelled t*
disarm the defeated army in th# event
that it enter, the Japanese wmsl?
SS5?r,lan^.w,th the agreement with
Chita. This notification is adding
greatly to the anti-Japanese sentl
ment here.
The approach of spring means a
m? and death struggle for the last
antl-Tommun'sU left on Ruulan soli
and It also brings the question of
Jspanese occupation to a showdowa.
Commission to Call on
Congress for Power to
Close "Traps."
SEVERAL LACK
FIREPROOF WORK
Senate Committee to Re
ceive Views Before
Adoption of a Policy.
Condition of seventy-flve Wash,
ingrton theaters wtll be reported by
? committee of Ave engineer* and
builders of the Commlsaionert to
day.
"Unusual structural designs
Which ought to be repaired and
lack of flrepnood equipment" la
several theatera will be reported
This afternoon the Commissioners
will arm themselves with an amend
ment to the building refutations,
drawn yesterday by Corporation
Counsel Stephen*, giving the Com
missioners power to revoke the li
censes of a theater owner and close
the building If condiUons warrant
A special meeting of the Board
or Commissioners has been called
for this afternoon, when the report
or the special investigation com
mittee will be considered.
From a preliminary report of the
investigation committee, in charge
of Maj. John Gottwalls. C. 8. A.
Engineer Corps, received early in
the week. the Commissioners
deemed It wise to seek foil power
tc close any theater.
All Theaters Inspected.
gatlon committee covers every the
bl^me?tht D,"trlct '"Peet.-d from
5? r_fo'- with special at
t^lon >o bearings of the steel arch .
roof members on the walla
wtrr nook of the
roofs. lighting oar way with search
lights and scratching through the
concrete and digging a way bricks in
some Places to determine accurate!v
condition of the structures" a
If the Commissioners adopt the
amendment to the buildl^T^.u!
Counsel f?.nh"*0*** br Cor*>"ra?ioi.
trict Will have JHT^ad^
*22^ V ,h"r '""'truction pT
bJndlM'cSd""00' r**u,,lt'<?" <n the
????? Bot ?<?oPted until
?^ereaf ter."Cl' ?"
.t
with
tection pending repairs ? xpected
to be ordered will be decid^ri .7
their board meetings.
Seek Stronger laspeetlea.
^".^'"?oo'mm^one^
s2Ms.tttS-rta-for ??53??
! tne building in*pertor> offlr.
to prevent a repetition of the di*
?'7 *nd Policies to be put
-w- Protecting the public
?e dre anxious t? learn m
?'?"* of Commissioners." Sena
tor L H. Ball, chairman of IK*
District Committee, said in
3? V ih? "V."
? i ? . morning at II
oclock between the District Com
missioners and his committer
Senator Ball said an incrc.se I,.
of ?h? building (?
Sr^:, was apparent.
M Prepared a supple,
mental appropriation bill aakinc
for seven additional men. This will
be considered by the District Con
the meeting this morn.
Hlf.l .K*t0r ?*" Mi<l 11 ??? ?"t
likel> that the committee would
attempt to dictate the policy of the
Commissioners to b. pursued in
closing of theaters a* recom
mended by the coroner's jury
Senator Ball said he would t*Ve
up with the Commissioners consid
eration of the advisabilitv of em?
ploying a special architect a ad
builder to supervise revision of ths
building code of the District.
Policies to He Adopted.
Policies to be pursued bv the
Senate Dlatrlct Committee In its in.
vesttgatton of the Knickerbocker
Theater disaster will be adopted
following the conference with the
District Commlaaloners this mora
injr.
Members of the special <<>mmlt
tee summoned by Engineer Com.
miss! oner Keller to investigate
theater buildinga of the District
and who have completed a survev
following two weeks of work In.
eludes Maj. John Gottwalls. Engi
neer Corps. IT. & A., chairman: Ed
ward W. Ronn. Jr.. architect: I^ester
Wilson. engineer; Charles M.
Thompson, builder and Arthur L
Smith, builder. The aommittee ha -
worked without compensation, de
voting practically every day of the
laat two weeks to Investigation of
the theater buildings. n
CHARLES RAWSON
SUCCEEDS KENYON
? DES MOINES. Iowa. Feb. IT.?,
Charles A. Raw son. Des Moines, Is
ths successor to Senstoi " i'?^? g_-"
Kenyon. who resign e,l to accept a
federal Judgeship In the Eighth
circuit.
Rawaon'a appointment for the un
expired term was announced bv q,,,
Kendall.
Rawsen is dhairman of the
I lean Sfete Central Comit
Is. identified with several
manufacturing companion
was Senator Kenyon's
In 1?U.
Italian Cabinet
ROME. Feb IT.?The
headed by former Tremln
Was defeated In Its first u _
Italian chamber today iv
bar refused s >ote of
t* in.