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WEATHER. Fair tonight and tomorrow. colder tonight: lowest temperature about 10 degrees; continued cold tomorrow. Temperature for twenty-four hours ended at 2 p.m. today: HI cheat. St, at t a.m. today; lowest. II. kt 9 a.m. today. Full report on Page '. V. OQ 4.17 Er.Urid a* second-class matter ? ? post olPco Washington. D. C TWO CENTS. tlM credited It l( ir set Vtper sad site the local All rights at poMteaCM dispatches herela are all Yesterday's Net Gradation, 93,136 WASHINGTON, D. C., THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1922-THIRTY-SIX PAGES. Cksiiif New York Stocks, Page 27. C - ?' *4 ... fv. ^ GENERAL SALES TAX FOR SOLDIER BONUS, PLAN OF PRESIDENT Suggests in Letter to Fordney That Legislation Be Delayed if Proposal Is Not Feasible. CONSIDERS LEVY WILL NOT WORK A HARDSHIP TO READJUSTMENT Fully Realizes Great Difficulty Faced by Congress in Problem?Opposed to Piecemeal Payment. * President Harding informed Congress today he considered a general sales tax the only feasible method of raising funds for a soldier bonus. The executive, in a letter addressed to Chairman Fordney of the f House ways and means committee, suggested that unless Congress saw fit to enact a sales tax passage of bohus legislation should be temporarily nostnnn^r! "I believe.". the President wrote, "the American people will accept the levy of a. general sales tax to meet the proposed bonus payments, and we should contribute thereby no added difficulties to the problems of read justment. If Congress will not adopt such a plan it would be wise to let the legislation go over until there '.s a situation which will justify the large outlay." Postponement Might Be Wise. Declaring that the government had under consideration the disposition of surplus war properties and other transactions, whtch should bring "great relief" to the Treasury, the President said it would be wise to let the legislation go over if Congress did not deem it advisable to adopt the sales tax. "It is' fully realized how great is the difficulty which confronts the Congress in solving this difficult prob lem." . the letter said. "I am aware of the strong sentiment in Congress in favor of this adjusted compensa tion. I have spoken approvingly my self, always with the reservation that the bestowal shall be made when It may be done without such' injury to the country as will nullify the bene fits to the ex-service men themselves which this expression of gratitude Is designed to bestow." Tex* of Letter. The letter follows: In accouUqce with the promise made to yourself and your associates on the Senate and House committees, charged with the responsibility t* formulating the proposed hbnus legis lation, I have carefully lo?ked into the program of taxation which has been suggested. In addition thereto I have made inquiry Into the feasibil ity of issuing either short-time Treas ury notes or long-tlms bonds to meet the financial obligations which the proposed legislation will impose. It Is not possible to commend to you either of the plans suggested. It continues to be my beat judgment that any compensation legislation en acted at this time ought to carry with it the provision* for raising tne needed revenues, and I find myself unable to suggest any cominendoble plan other than that of a general sales tax. Such a tax will distribute the cost of rewarding the ex-service men In such a manner tnat it will bo borne by all the people whom they served, and does not commit the gov ernment to class imposition of taxes or the resumption of the burdens re cently repealed, the maintenance of | which can be Justified only by a great | war emergency. Difficulty Is Realise*. It is fully realised how great is the difficulty which confronts the Con gress In solving this difficult problem. I am aware of the Strang sentiment in Congress in favor of this adjusted compensation. I have spoken ap provingly myself, always with the reservation that the bestowal shall be made when It may t>4 done without such injury to the 'country as will nullify the benefits to the ex-service men themselves which this expression of gratitude is designed to bestow. It Is not an agreeable thing to suggest that action be postponed again, but, frankly. I do' not find myself favorable to the piecemeal payment plan, which is manifestly designed to avoid embarrassment to the Treasury. The long-drawn-out payments will not afford an effective helpfulness to the service men. Real Problem Is Cask. We have no serious problem In be ginning the allotments of public lands and the immediate issue of paid-up insurance. The real diffi culty lies in the payment of the cash bonus. Rather than provide that the maximum cash payments shall ex tend over a period of two and one half years, it would be vastly better bestowal if we could await the day when we may safely undertake to pay at once In full, so that the award may be turned to real advantage. Inasmuch as the Treasury Is to be called upon to meet more than $6, 000,090.000 of maturing obligations In the sixteen months immediately before use, It Is not possible to recom mend the issue of several hundred millions of additional short-time notes. Further excessive borrowing would likely undo all that has been accomplished in readjusting interest rates and stabilising the financial world, both vitally essential to tns resumption of industrial and commer cial activities. Believes People Will Asi?e. Granting that it Is not fair to op pose any proposed plan without of fering a substitute, let me repeat that Dog .Stops Runaway Hone by Taking Reins In Teeth-and Jumping By the Associated Press. GENEVA, 51. Y? February 10. ?A runaway hone was stopped on a business street today by a doc that seised the reins la Its mouth. The home belonged to James Cnppalo, a storekeeper. The animal became frightened at tke noise at mm approaehla* trolley ear aad bolted. The do? Jumped fnu the baek of the rig to the seat, seised the retaa im its mouth aad jumped backward, brlagtaf the horse to a staadstill. e.the A?wlain people will ac- I ?fi. evy of ? feneral sales tax to I meet tho proposed bonus payments. ?'e,,^ou,d contribute thereby no added difficulties to the problems of readjustment. If Congress will not . s?ch ,a plan- 11 would be wise J? 'et the legislation go over until xnere Is a situation which will Justify !*r?e ouUs,y- are driving for JnI?Li?onom. "? we are Pushing the ??*? 1 ?f ??rpln? war property, other transactions under consideration which ought to prove a f,r*.at r?"ef to the federal Treasury, tloi" i?0t. C?(5f'"te.nt t0 ?nact IsK'sla but i t ot ,be" things, await thl rfi . " Pru^ent plan lo f "?'* 'h? developments, and I can ??? h, *? p??tPonement no lack or ?r th,? "ervice men. In whom ulnely interested! Pe?P,e *" '? ' Is Rntsnttoa. th.?!*!" 11 t'la' t'le ex-servlce men Ithll if' ?re no less concerned than n?? 1 th.? restoration of bust n?nvm???? the return to abundant em ployment Those of their wounded kC- ,'u i c?mrades who- were impaired f/r ll hTv" service are being cared thl ? moV 1,beral generosity the nation can bestow. There are here and there exceptional cases of neglect and attending complaint, but we are seeking them out and cor recting with all possible speed. It has not been possible to meet all the hf.?! " toJ .ff.ecial hospitalisation, but we are building to that end. with out Counting the <Sost. We are ex pending 1400,000.090 a year In com V!}""?"- ho?pK,li,atlon and reha bilitation. These (hings are recited tOi.~a.sure you that suob delay as will enable Congress to act In pru dence for the common good will have suggestion of unmindfulness or ingratitude.*' LAW MBfllWlNT'S St AND. By tb? AmtliM Prm NEW YORK, February 14.?Presi dent Harding was landed by effloials of the national budget committee here for having put "squarely up to Congress the question of raising money to pay the soldier bonns." It was the first time a President of the United States had Insisted that Congress assume some responsibility, said John T. Pratt, chairman of the budget committee, at a luncheon meeting. He urged1 that making Congress raise the money it vted to spend would make that body "more circumspect." Henceforth, said members of the I committee, the question asked of' congressmen would not be "How' much money did you get for your 1 Constituents?" but, "How much money did you save the nation?" The committee, formed to aid in putting the government on a basis of efficiency and economy, will hold its first convention here April II and 1?. it was announced. Every . state will be represente4 by delegates from financial, professional and trade or ganizations, K was said. Fifty-one trades of this city already have joined the movement. Charles G. Dawes, budget director at Wash ington, will be a speaker. $67,000 IS ALLOTTED FOR LIBRARY BRANCH Carnegie Corporation Supplies Needed Amount for New Building in Southeast. The Carnegie Corporation has.al lotted the full $47,000 needed for the construction of the southeast branch of the Public Library, the District Commissioners haye been Informed. George F. Bowerman. librarian of th* Public Libary. today appeared be fore the Senate appropriations sub committee handling the District ap propriation bill" a'nd urged that the subcommittee make full provision In the pending bill for the maintenance of the new branch library and the books which are to go in it. The branch library probably will be ready for use by October 1. The site, for which an appropriation was made by Congress last year, has bssn purchased, and ihe plans for the library have been drawn. REPUBLICAN ARMY OFFICERS IN TOILS OF ULSTER GUARDS Local Commandant and Two Others Captured and Rush ed to Barracks. 34 DEAD IN BELFAST;, INJURED NUMBER 114 Effort to Burn Workfeoase Ii Fra? tratcd?Evacuation to Be Car ried Out at Once. Bj 111* A?socisted Press. BELFAST, February 18.?Seumas Monaghan, local commandant of the Irir.h republican army, and two other republican officers, Patrick and Mi chael Murnel, have been arrested at Newry by Ulster special constables. The officers were proceeding from Kilkeel, County Down, In the dlrec tion. of Killowen when captured They were taken to Llsnacree. where they were searched, and afterward were conveyed to the Newry military barracks, under heavy escort The Murneys are brothers of P. Mur ney. chairman of the Kilkeel board of guardians. It Is stated that an automatic pistol was found in the possessio'n of Mona ghan and seditious literature In the pockets of the two Murneys. % Subsequently, John McDowell and Richard Doran were arrested by other special constables near the Silent val ley reservoir, the source of Belfast's water supply. 34 Deads 114 Iajured. By (he Associated Press. BELFAST, February 16.?The day opened wlth-ihe death of a live-year | old child, who was struck by a bul let while playing In the street. A workman proceeding along Seaford street, in the Ballymacarsrett area, was shot dead. Youthful gunmen held up workers in the Low Market district, and wounded one of them. The authorities today commandeered Ulster Hall, the commodious struc ture on Bedford street ordinarily used for concerts and assemblages, for the use of the troops now en gaged in combating the disorders here. I'p to lu o'clock this morn ing the casualties had reached a total of 114. with, the deaths number ing 34. A bomj> was thrown In the dock district last night, wounding Father McQrath, Constable O'Rourke, Mary Hart and James Maxwell. Four men entered the home of Charles McMullen and shot him. He Is in a dying condition. Five young men. arrested at Hllltown, South Down, last Friday after the! funeral of * Sinn Fein commandant, will be tried at Rathfryland tomorrow, one of them charged with carrying a rifle and the others with unlawful aasem-.< blage. Attempt to lira Warkfeoase. An attempt was made this fort noon to bum the disused workhouse at Stra bane, Iforth Tyrone, which the military had signified their intention of occupy ing this week. A police patrol noticed flames coming from the structure and the entire force was mobilised and checked the Are. Examination showed that petrol had been strewn over the i stairs and bedding. The district hospital j adjoins the workhouse. It appears that a number of armed i men entered the Strabane workhouse, overawed the nurses and placed them I in a corner of the main room and cov- j ered them with revolvers. The band i then seized the bedding, which was used 1 In the attempt to set the building ablaze. The firearms act is now in force in northern Ireland, and the authorities an nounce that it will be strictly adhered to. The possession or sale of firearms -without police certificates is punishable by two years' hard labor. The period of grace for tne surrender of arms expires Saturday In Belfast and February 28 elsewhere. BLAME ULSTER OFFICERS. Friends Claim Republican Officers Were Abased. Bj the Associated Press. DUBLIN, February 16.?Although no charges "were preferred against Seumas Monaghan and Patrick and Michael Murney, the Irish republican officers who were arrested at Newry by Ulster special constables, one of the Murney brothers, it was alleged by their friends here today, was brutally assaulted after his arrest and is now under a doctor's ca*e. - Friends who saw him at the Newry barracks yesterday declared his nose and face bore evidence of severe in juries. The. residence of Commandant Mrna ghan's father, at MUJtown, .was twioe raided by armed specials on Tuesday and again at midnight, according to information in Dublin today. WILL WITHDRAW TROOPS. British Expected to Carry Out Evacuation, at Once. By tbe Associated Press. LONDON. February IS.?Michael Collins' return to Dublin, after only . (Continued on Page 2. Column 2.) UNCANNY RAPPING, GHOSTLY SLAPS, CONVINCE TWO OF "SPOOK" HOUSE By the Associated Vim. HALIFAX. N. a, February 16.? The first person who can prove that supernatural causes are not responsible for " uncanny' happen ings at Alex Macdonald's (arm in Caledonia Mills will receive $100 if an offer made-by Detective Car roll of the provincial police and Harold Whidden, Halifax reporter, holds good. . After spending two days and three nights in the house with Whidden. Detective - Carroll re ported to his superiors his belief that lielther fires nor other strange happenings there were the work of human hands. While hunting for the spook alleged by Macdonaid to be haunting his farm. Whidden and Carroll were slapped mysteriously, they say. Whidden reported that he and the detective were lying on ? bed on one side of the living room and Macdonaid on a cot ton the oppo site side, when suddenly ghostly rapplngs were heard. Then the reporter felt a slap on his arm and asked the detective what he was doing. The detective declared he had not moved. Presently Carroll felt a slap,' and told ? the reporter to keep still. Whidden* declared he had not moved. The mysterious slaps were re peated and detective and scribe arose and stirred up Macdonaid, who declared he had been asleep. The spook hunters spent the rest of the night huddled In front of a roaring fire. Macdonaid left his home in mid winter because, he said, un seen hands played havoc with his cattle and started fire* in his home. Friends who spent a night with him corroborated his story. Carroll is credited with having solved many mysterious crimes in the last twenty-five years. PlEAHSWt Congress Will Be . Asked to Provide for Three Field Men and Four in Office. The Commissioners will forward to Congress immediately a supplemental estimate for seven additional em ployes for the building inspector's office, as the Ilrst direct step in im proving conditions In that office which were brought to light by the collapse of the Knickerbocker The ater. Engineer Commissioner Keller to day directed MaJ. Brown, assistant commissioner, to prepare an estimate far four additional technical men In the building office and three more field Inspectors. The cotonel also ad vised MaJ. Brown to prepare to- ex plain to Congress the importance of enlarging the personnel of that de partment of the olty gorejpment. ['/?' wm mutt stew . th* District Cbmhilssioners will j meet members of the Senate District ? eommltte# at the Cartel Saturday at 11 o'clock to disouss the building regulations of the District, particu larly in connection with the Knicker bocker Theater disaster. Arrange ments tor the conference have been made by Chairman Ball of the Dis trict committee. The committee de Sires to aid in framing such amend ments to the existing law regarding building regulations as may be neces sary to safeguard the public. Senator Calder of New York, for merly a member of the District com mittee. believes there should be a thorough overhauling of the building regulations in tho District. He believes also that experts from other cities should be employed to make a sur vey of the situation and to aid in framing a new code. Theaters Sot it Be Closed. As predicted in The Star yesterday, the Commissioners will not close all. theaters pending examination of their structural condition. j Col. Keller Raid today that aside) from the question of whether such a drastic step Is necessary, Corpora tion Counsel Stephens has advised the Commissioners that the are without authority to arbitrarily close all play houses without having evidence to ahow that they are unsafe. Col Keller said that if the inspec tion of all theaters now being made by a committee of experts discloses any of them to be unsafe prompt ac tion wjll he taken. "When a wreck occurs on a rail road you don't stop all train service until every engine and coach has been examined, the Commissioner said, by way of emphasising his belief that it is not necessary to close all theaters pending an Inspection when one has "discussing the work oI the investl ratlng committee. Col. Keller said the committee has not found any structural weaknesses of importance. A second Inspection Is now being made of one downtown theater as a result of the report as to its condi tion made by the committee of ex perts in its first visit. Conditions Not Revealed. Just what conditions the commit tee found in that case have not been divulged by the Commissioners, nor is It known at this time what action may be taken. Col. Keller has stated that when the committee he appointed completes its work, which will be in a few days, he will submit Its findings to the full hoard of Commissioners and ask them to decide whether the facts gathered by the committee are to i?e made public. ... Commissioner Oyster expressed It as his personal belief today that the Commissioners should take no chances If the condition of any the ater Is found to be doubtful. He added, however, that he Is not yet familiar with the findings of the in vestigating committee. I beveridge will"run. Announces Candidacy for XT. S. Sen ator' Before Delegations. INDIANAPOLIS, February 18.?Al bert J. Beveridge, formally announced his candidacy for the republican nomi nation for United States senator for Indiana today. The announcement was made at a party at Mr. Beveridge's home, at tended by visiting republican delega tions from all over Indiana. of course A Fellow cw Help it if ir jumbs hi6ht: into his Boat! U S. TROOPS MOBILIZE; HEAR OF MEXICO REVOLT % tli* twiclatm Press. ,EL PASO. Tex.. February 16.?Five thou??d troop, at Fort Bliss were being MM Yt.***** f?r any emergency Thiv wT ar"e a'?nS ,he bo"ler They were mobilised last night when rumors were scattered in Juarex and El In The hn, 3 000 men WeA ?b,,?J In the hill, south of Juarez, and that "rev^? ""r *arrlson was expected to nmnfti * Juare* military and civilian Chihuahua! <r>ln* *? recruit me" mander R?,m "?wze- division com rnovernin t^of tro^p. SXen'^ecelC! He decTi\ed"*To'"*1 ?n or San Antonio, thaf th. i co,mment on the report .nt . ' o?l Ing in of the troops had Mexico ?" Wlth ^nd'tions ln FIVE MEXICANS HELD. Charged With Setting Military Ex pedition on Foot in V. S. By the Anonated ? Jr*[*s'0ner 'lere today and held to the V*"'1 'ur* on charges of sVt on foot * military expedition to HI BE SOUGH! Supervisorof Street Cleaning Will Ask Motors of Congress. An appropriation for the purchase or six more motor trucks with snow Plow attachmont will be asked of Congress by the city government. Morris Hacker, supervisor of street cleaning: and city refuse, stated to day. As stated In The Star several days ago, the street cleaning depart ment is already arranging to pur chase out of the current appropria tion two tractors for snow work. In view of the fact that the storm of January 28 demonstrated the in adequacy of tho Street cleaning de partment's equipment, It Is believed Congress will be In a receptive mood to consider the request for more trucks and plows. In the big storm of last month the city moved 31,000 cubic yards of snow at a total coat of $29,328. Of this amount $5,323 was spent for clearing gutters and open ing crosswalks, leaving $24,000 which r" eJWed on Bctual removal of P?n,.' = t Wa? at 41,6 rate Of SO cents a cubic yard. a,|Te'/?.daVh! department directed nnrt.if . "i to clearing the lra v*n* o streets of the city to pre ot tI:afflc- Today men I. ,or,k removing the snow that was banked to the side of the streets yesterday by the plows. }he deP*rtment has only trurk? nrwf , i att?chr"ent to motor ?St twelve horse-drawn grad f*" '.f}1'8 equipment yesterday opened up driveways on 300 miles of street wa. accomplished by working: three of the four motor truck plows from midnight to 6 o clock this morning:. Mr. Hacker estimated the total cant $1 20y0e'teEX8 8n?W ope*a?lona at ?i,zoo. Extra men w?r? ployed, but all street sweepers, alley cleaners and suburban street ganira were put to work on snow. ? *?Ur motor. dIoWR WrnHrlmr from daybreak until yesterday even ly. cleared ninety miles of streets. Three of these trucks that went back SfaffiKISLV "?,,dnl?ht had cov^ed 120 additional miles at < o'clock thia morning. The twelve horse-draVn ?^0rklnfi in team? ot two. cov ered fifteen miles, per team, or ninatv m.i ' ,maklng a grand total of 100 miles for all equipment. *??? C?rt?U Eitnw. Although the atreet cleaning de partment will have to curtail to some extent its work this spring lfjt buy. two tractors, Mr. Hacker believes thia step ahould be taken. The tract ora, he explained, would not be idle between snow storms, because they are needed to haul ash wagons on and oCT tie Plow., 'which Th^ d^rt^n?"^ S3g 3UMR ??M3r I J?nd, eon?PlHn* to do so. He I .?hA, pI?c?<1 *t *10,000 AM ar. \f?Ci others at ?2.500 each. ? ^ Mexican citizen*. were .a1d Rodrigues cu*'o<Jy Sunday short hlrtv mll..?y cr""d from Mexico mirty miles southeast of El Pun whither they had fled after an ?n irs:"r,th Me*lcan federal troops at Samalayuca. Chihuahua. to the commissioner the ???fm was the leader of . nto Mexico, but ad mitted participation therein! BEPOBT GENEBAL8 BEVOET. Alvarado and Oreen Opposing Ob rejron, Bevolutionists Claim. th? AmchM Pim EL PASO, Tax.. February 16 The Mexican revolutionary iimt. ?_ S? PH?o last night announced ?hit It hfd received information th? G,n Ra, Carlos ,?' Tu?"n and ?& k ?2' ,ormer governor of Tabasco, had revolted aralnst the Obreton government. Alvarado was secretary of the treaa ffo&jgrara ** Aaents of th* revolt here claim to 33* flon of their inform" F081A1Y FACTS Pacific Pact Is . Discussed Generally on Floor of Senate. The resolution asking President Harding for full information regard ing the negotiations of the four power Paeiflc treaty was adopted by the Senate today after a debate in which the arms conference policies were discussed generally for the flrst time on the Senate floor. Although accepted by Senator Lodge, the republican leader, in the amended form suggested by Senator Hitchcock, the resolution became the vehicle for a general debate regard ing the negotiations that led up to the treaty. Both Senators Lodge and Under wood, democrat, Alabama, who were members of the American delegation to the conference, declared there was nothtng to conceal, but Senator John ,son. republican, California, and others 'replied that the American delegation I report as submitted to the Senate did not contain sufficient information to pilde action on so Important an in ternational agreement. Aaseataieat Snggested. Senator Hitohoock's suggested amendment changed' thie phraseology jof the resolution only In minor re spccts, and Senator Lodge announoed the revlaed version was satisfactory to him. "1 think it Is only fair to say," added Mr. Lodge, "that many things are asked for there. In the form of memoranda ? and minutes, which have n??exUtenc? aa written documents." '7. the senator Is mistaken." replied Senator Hitchcock. "It would be amazing that this treaty which Ts^he oiJt.t ? Hih* Pre*ldent himself! is tne outstanding compact for neace &**? P'rfflc. should have been*!"! ihn2?-S'""fut similar minutes to in t if. Wh,c|>. were deemed necessary f??^?.n*.derVlon of th? much less a??S fjS.fVTMi ss Hesclntloa 0?m<. Senator Keilogg, republican. Minne sota opposed the resolution, declar ing that If American plenipotentiaries couldn't conduct conversations "with* out a stenographer following tl>em i around" he didn't think their efforts ever would get .very far. ? Senator Williams, democrat. Missis sippi. also opposed It becauae he thought It was "bad policy." .^?Wng up the discussion In favor Pf **oPt<op.t|8enator Underwood said w'th Senator Williams that the policy was bad. but he was wlll 7?? the.re??lutlon because he wanted full pabliclty about what happened in the conference. MAN ATTENDS HIS OWN INQUEST AND JURY THEN DECIDES "HE'S ALIVE" Bj the Associated Press. MONTREAL, February 1?.?Jere mle Belllveau enjoys the distinc tion of having been the central figure at his own Inquest. The Jury decided he was alive. Six months ago a body found In the Lachin* canal was Identified as that of Belltveau, who had been missing from his home. A coro ner's Jury found a verdict of acci dental death, and In time Mme. Belllveau made plans to remarry. Then Belllveau made a. rearrange ment of plans necessary by coming back. The coroner was called upon once more, this time to state what was to be done about the living. Bel llveau explained that he hud been unavoidably detained In Jail for six months. !U. S. HOPESPARLEY WILL BEPOSTPONED i America in Awkward Position Over Genoa Conference, Spars for Delay. By the Associated Press. LO.\DO>, Fehraary 10.?The probability of a delay sf three weeks la the Ofralss of the Gtssa economic eaafereaoe was conceded ia British ??rial circles today. This was the Int Intimation la narh Hrelea that the French were lately to wla their contention that It was Impossible to start t .e con ference sa the date originally ehosea, March 8. BY DAVID UWHEXCE. America would be Immensely oblig- 1 ed If Italy, France. England or some- [ body would postpone the. Genoa eco- | ! nomic conference Indefinitely, or, at' j least, until the Senate of the United i States acts upon the several treaties ! negotiated at the arma conference. | The United States government | doesn't want to be In the position of | i asking for a postponement and would I prefer to have the Initiative taken from the other side of the Atlantic, but there are a half dozen reasons why the United States hopes it will j be done. Slyatery of Missing Xete. The mystery of the missing note an nounced in the cable news dispatch** from Paris as having been gi+en to th* press by Premier Polncare 1* ln l tertwlned. in the American reluctance j to a*k a postponement. Although the Pari* correspondents cabled the sub stance of the note nearly a week ago, the Department of State officially hasn't received a copy. N'or are the department officials making any vlg i orous efforts to locate the note. The i general impression prevails here that ' Ambassador Herrlck received unoffi cial word from the government hare a* to its attitude Just about the time U W lUi Ailltuuv jHot that the French premier Was calling in' the correspondents and telling them about his note. The note has probably never been dMlvervd to th* American embassy at Pari*. Another Incident In connection with the missing note wa* the announce ment from the White House a week ago that the reply of the American government to the Invitation of the power* to attend the economic con ference at Genoa would be given out on Friday, February 10, but that day has come and gone and the only word from the White Houae was that American could not respond to the in vitation until more information wa* available a* to the scope and program of the conference. Treaties First Consideration. Reduced to Its simplest form, the (ltuatlon here is one of anxiety about the various treaties signed at the arms conference, and until they are out of the way the administration does not want toenter another Inter national conference. Evidence of this I* to be found In the tendency of ad ministration officials to argue that unless the pending treaties art rati fied economic reconstruction will be delayed. The Wilson administration slso employed the leverage of eco nomic necessity to compel action Dy the Senate on the Versailles treaty, and the probabilities are that the same will hi the case with the arms conference pacts. Entirely apart from the domestic reasons which would make a post ponement of the Genoa conference fit In with the administration plans, there are serious doubts as to what can be accomplished In any economic conference until the European coun tries themselves give evidence of a better spirit toward the all-Important problem of German payments on war reparations. If the United 8tates were required to answer the Invita tion to Genoa it would base its note on tlys vagueness of the Genoa pro gram. the necessity for some actual manifestation of self-help by Europe and the separation of economic from political questions. Against Foreign Entanglements. Such topics as the "peace of Eu rope" may be vital to the settlement of economic questions, but the Hard ing administration stands committed against the discussion of European political questions Just as murtv to day as when the league of nations controversy was at Its height. Any economic conference In which the Harding administration does par ticipate will have to be strictly eco nomic, financial and commercial, and divorced from any of th* enforcement provisions of previous treaties gov erning the peace of Europe. The be lief prevails here that the Genoa con ference will ultimately be changed In character and that the United State* will In the end be a participant, though the negotiation* for the fund ing of the allied debt may be carried on aeparately either in Washington or in London during the summer months. (Copyright, 1922.) Merchants and Manufactur ers' Association Declares D. C. Prosperity Imperiled. 300 TO 400 PER CENT INCREASES REPORTED Failures Attributed to High Co?t? of Business Properties?Reme dial Laws Asked For. Declaring that business prosperity in Washington Is being Imperiled be cause rents on business properties have increased during the last five years as much as 300 and 400 per cent, local Industrial interests, through the Merchants and Manufacturers' Asso ciation, today petitioned Congress "to lake immediate steps to bring about legislation correcting this great abuse." The petition was in the form of a letter to Senator Bail, chairman of the Senate District committee, drawn UP by a special committee of th* as sociation appointed by President An [ ton Stephan, and was signed by R. P. Andrews. chairman: Louis Levy. George E. Hebbarcj, George P. Kil lian and F. W. Harper. This com mittee was appointed following the adoption of a resolution by the board of governors Tuesday ad vising Congress "of the necessity of immediately including business prop erty in the provisions of the Ball rent I act." Under an amendment to the act some time ago business property was excluded from the operation of the rent law. Corrective Lffblitlts Asked. The petition points out that while It is believed that the control and supervision of business and the per son "should be limited at all times." the business men are nevertheless "conscious that when an extraordi nary situation arises, the effect of which is to impair the common good. Congress should and must enact leg islation to exercise a correct!*# In fluence." The statement contains the opinion that "a substantial part" of business calamities for 1*21 were due to the "Inordin:"? rents that were assumed by retail merchants." The petition further ststes that "Information has reached this asso ciation that during the last Ave years business property rents have mounted to heights absolutely beyond reason, entirely out of keeping with th* ac tual value Involved. "It must be borne In mind that In practically every business property lease the lessee must bear the burden of all improvements and repairs, and. IndMd. seme of them carry provisions Involving taxes and assessments. "The value of the dollar decreased SO per cent In the most trying period that we have passed through. But that situation long ceased, due to the fact that practically everything ex cept property rentals has dropped. Therefore, those who are disposed to interfere with the common welfare through arbitrarily maintaining fic titious value should be made to per emptorily desist. The practice can only tend to operate to the disad vantage of the entire community. "One of the great mercantile agen cies has reported that the total busi ness failures, according to their records for 1921. were 1I.S02. an In crease of 155 per cent over the previ ous year, of wlilch 13.9SS. or 711-3 per cent, were among retailers. ? If business property owners are en titled to a greater return on holdings they should have it, but we submit that in an is make repairs and. Indeed. nave actually created entirely new bulid Ines with modern equipment such as no doubt wlll last for fifty years or more and did this upon the ruins of age-old buildings, abnormal snduri reasonabie Increases In rentals should not be permitted. War >*???*? ?Nrtige. "The present admitted shortage of buildings is in no sens* due to a lack of enterprise upon the part of the business community, but came about through the exigencies of war, when the necessities of the government and the nation demanded that there should be a cessation of building to con serve man power and materials for the then more necessary undertak "Fxcesslve and unreasonable rents have the" effect of Increasing prices. Increasing unemployment and of erally creating a situation wherein I discontent is nourished. -We believe that in the former amendment of the rent control act a grave mistake was made in exempting business property. "Since the absence of control, de mands have been made on lessees for increases, the undertaking of which can only spell disruption of established businesses and the increase of unem Pi"There Is no reason why any busi ness should be run solely for the ben efit of the landlord or any one lndl Vl"We trust that you and your con freres In the Senate and House will take immediate steps to bring about legislation correcting this great s.buse of excessive rents for business prop erty in the District of Columbia. H0TED BESTATTRATEUE DIES. a "Ris February 15.?Alexander Duval, proprietor of a w?u kp?T!j? chain of popular restaurants in Paris railed the "Bouillons Duval. 11 He was one of the roost representative Parisian figures. "The Silent Bullet" v The Second Story of the Week-End Fiction Series Begins in Today's Star Each ?tory is complete in three installments, the last appearing on Saturday of each week Thrilling Detective Yarns by Arthur B. Reeve, ? "The American Conan Doyle" T