Evening star. [volume], August 13, 1923, Image 1

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
WEATHER.
Fair tonight and Tuesday; cooler
tonight.
Temperature for twenty-four hours
ended at 2 p.m. today—‘■Highest, St, at
3:30 p.m. yesterday; lowest, 69, at
8.45 p.m. yesterday.
Full report on page 7.
1 -- ■
Closing N. Y. Stocks and Bonds, Page 18
V"- »)C Entetrd as- sn“niu)-ol«s» mallei
O,VOO, pQsf o (fl ce Washington. D C.
FRENCH ACCUSE CURZON
OF SUPPORTING GERMANY
AND DISAVOWING ALLIES
Situation Tense as Britain in
Note Declares Ruhr Inva
sion Illegal Under Treaty.
PARIS EMBITTERED BY DEMAND
SHE PAY WAR DEBT TO ENGLAND
High Official Flays Baldwin Policy—Sees
Effort to Influence U. S.—French
Will Not Yield.
Bj Associated Press.
PARIS, August 13.—The British note, is regarded in French
official circles as a positive disavowal of Great Britain’s war
allies and a frank espousal of the German cause. It is thought
Premier Poincare will reply in due time, although at the Quai
d’Orsay it is held the document smacks so much of propaganda
it might properly be ignored.
“This amazing document proposes to haul France and Bel
gium before a tribunal to answer for their efforts to make Ger
many carry out her treaty obligations,” said an official of the
foreign office today. “France and Belgium are not ready to
answer such a summons, even from Great Britain.”
The same official, whose statements, while unofficial in a strict sense,
reflect the tense feeling aroused in the higher French circles, said the
note obviously was intended to influence American opinion. He was
curious to know, however, how the Americans would receive a document
which made all settlements of the reparation question depend upon the
payment of the debts to the United States, which he remarked amounted
to throwing the responsibility for the European chaos on the United
States.
!)<• ny Invasion Illegal.
The most surprising feature of the
note to the French government of
ficials. it was said, was the contention
that the occupation of the Kuhr was
illegal.
"The legality of the occupation of
the Kuhr or any other German terri
tory the allies might choose was rec
ognized in a document signed at Spa
in July, ISiO, by the British as well as
the other allies, and by representa
tives of the German an
official said.
He referred to the protocol in which
were set forth the decisions of the
fcjpa conference regarding coal deliv
eries on reparation account, in which
a clause read:
"If by November 15, 1920, It appears
that the coal deliveries for August,
September and October have not
reached a total of six million tons the
allies will proceed to the occupation
ot new territory in Germany, in the
region of the Ruhr or elsewhere."
The official characterized as an “un
heard-of proceeding” the comparison
made by Lord Curzon between
France’s war debt and the reparation
due from Germany.
Will Pay War Debts.
"Our war debts.” he said, “enabled
us to win the war and helped us to
make a greater military effort to save
British and American lives, while the
German debt represents blood of the
allies that was shed. France does
not repudiate her debts. She has
wiped off the war debts owed her by
some of her allies, but she intends to
pay her own ”
The French reply—if a reply is sent
-—will but reaffirm the position of this
country as repeatedly set forth here
tofore, the official declared. France,
he said, would never consent to the
British demand tnat Germany may pay
less and France may pay more, which
is the official interpretation here
of the statement in the note
that Great Britain must collect 14,-
600,000.000 gold marks and that, if
site does not receive tl\at sum from
Germany, she must get it from the
allies.
BRITAIN FEARS CRISIS.
Nation Generally Supports Strong
Note to France.
By the Associated I*re»a.
LONDON. August 13.-—The British
note to France and Belgium, in which
the Baldwin government says it re
gards the Ruhr occupation as illegal
under the Versailles treaty, but is
willing to submit the point to arbi
tration, has made a very deep im
pression here. For the most part it
is regarded as creating a new situa
tion. which may have serious develop
ments.
Even where the government's ac
tion is approved the plain-spoken
phraseology of the note caused as
tonishment. although that astonish
ment was mingled with satisfaction
that the government used language
which the commentators Indorse.
Among those who oppose the line
the government has taken there is
excitement, anger, even alarm, and
the position is considered to be one
of grave crisis.
A majority of the morning news
papers approve the British note to
France and Belgium.
"The note is strong, but not too
strong.” comment- The Times. "It
was high time such a clear statement
of the British case was made.” It
adds that the case regarding the al
lied debts was put with "gratifying
firmness.” and contends that the tak
ing of separate action by Great Brit
ain would "be the logical
such a frank expression of policy.
The Dally Telegraph describes the
note as “pro-British from start to
linlsh,” adding that on that account
alone it should gain the support of
a great majority of the British peo
ple.
See Changed Situation.
The newspaper adds that If the
phrases which underlie the Incompat
ibility of the French and British
standpoints, accurately represent the
facts, “the spirit of mutuality which
made the alliance a strong, living
thing, animates it no longer and we
shall have to deal with a sadly
changed situation.”
The liberal newspaper while recog
nising the seriousness of the situa
tion support the note. ■ The Daily
News says it was time .for the gov
eminent to speak out and that "its
frankness Is all the more Impressive
for the unparalleled forbearance it
has shown.”
"Englishmen," it adds, "would nev
er have dreamed of using this tone to
France If they had not been abso
lutely driven to doing so by France
herself."
The Westminster Gazette com
ments; “No other course was con
sistent with the dignity and interests
of this country. • • • we have
reached the point whereat there can
be no turning back on our part.”
Rap Belay In Reply,
The Dally Chronicle asks Indig
nantly why the British position was
not made clear long ago, before the
Ruhr was occupied, and says that
the failure of the government to
display the strength of the British
case to the world has been one of
Us worst faults. France, it adds,
has been far ahead in the arts of
publicity, with the result that "we
have nothing like the solid, wide
spread backing from neutral, espe
cially American, opinion, to which
the moral excellence of our case en
titled us."
The Independent Daily Express ap
proves of the position adopted re
garding the debts question.
The Morning Post, torn between
loyalty to the government and ad
vocacy of the French cause, is deeply
concerned with the profound differ
ences between the two governments
and "the dreadful catastrophe to
which those differences, if permitted
to develop, may some day lead.” It
is convinced that separate action by
Great Britain "will lead only to the
abyss.”
The Daily Mall finds the note bad
and stupid and says It will make the
situation much worse than before.
FRANCE SEES RUPTURE.
Extremely Bitter Against British
Plan to Collect War Debt.
By Cable to The Star and Chicago Daily News.
Copyright, 1023.
PARIS, August 13.—Great Britain’s
latest reparations note, challenging
the legality of the Ruhr occupation,
announcing the intention to call the
French debt presently, and threaten
ing a separate understanding with the
Germans, is regarded In inner circles
here as the first step on Great Brit
ain's part toward a rupture of the
entente.
The real aims of the note are con
sidered to be:
First, the bolstering of German
resistance at the moment of the fall
of the cabinet of Chancellor Cuno and
the accession of Gustav Stresemann
to the chancellorship.
Second, a preparation of a Juridical
basis for escaping from the bonds of
the Versailles treaty.
Third, a preparation of the British
and world opinion for changing sides
and openly helping Germany hence
forth against France and Belgium for
the purpose of restoring continental
counterpoise to French power and
preventing a direct Franco-German
agreement.
The French are particularly bitter
over the British declaration that
whatever happens, either the allies or
Germany or both together must pay
Great Britain’s war debt to the Unit
ed States, and that whether Germany
pays or not, France must pay.
There is not the slightest indica
tion that the French people or any
fraction thereof will ever consent to
the British proposal, which, in their
opinion, means simply that the coun
try which lost a million and a half
killed and had a hundred billion
francs of ■ material damage in the
war which was fought for common
ends, must deliver everything it col
lects from Germany for reparations,
to Great Britain and the United
States. These countries, say the
French, unprepared for war, were not
even giving gold, but merely lending
to help France bear the brunt of the
common struggle. ’ •
GLORIA SWANSON ILL.
Undergoes Operation for Intestinal
Trouble in Private Hospital.
NEW YORK, August 13. —Gloria
Swanson, moving picture actress, un
derwent an operation for intestinal
trobue at a private hospital here last
Monday, it became known today. It
was said she would be able to leave
the hospital in three weeks.
The operation, it was stated, was
made necessary by a breakdown, re
sulting from overwork.
W\i Mimtm Mas.
J V / WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION L/
WASHINGTON, D. C., MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 1923-TWENTY-FOUR PAGES.
BERLIN MAY HALT
ALL REPARATIONS
TO AID REFORMS
| Coalition Ministry Favors
' Drastic Step—Rioting Goes
On—Strike Called.
i
NEW CABINET FORMED
BY DR. STRESEMANN
|
I Three of Cuno's Aides Retained by
Premier—Communists Clash With
Police at Many Points.
By tlie Associated Press.
LONDON, August 13.—The German
government has announced, says a
Central News dispatch from Berlin,
that the stoppage of reparation con
tributions to France and Belgium will
be extended to all the allies, as other
wise the financial reform of Germany
is impossible.
The new German cabinet was offi
cially announced today, according to
a Central News dispatch from Berlin,
as follows:
Premier and foreign minister, Dr.
Gustav Stresemann.
Minister of finance. Herr Hllferdlng,
radical.
Minister of economy, Hans von
Raumer, German people’s party.
| Minister of railways, Herr Heinrich,
director of the Deutschwerke.
Minister of justice. Herr Radbruch,
( socialist.
Minister of home affairs, Herr
| Fuchs, center party.
The ministries of defense. posts and
[ telegraphs and labor remaiu un-
I changed, being headed, respectively,
jby Dr Gessler. Herr Stlngl and Dr.
Heinrich Braun.
Sanguinary fighting between com
munists and the militia occurred to
day in Seitz. Saxony, according to a
Central News dispatch from Berlin.
A large body of communists stormed
the town hall, occupied by the soldiers
and there was considerable fighting in
the streets. The bodies of nine com
munists were recovered Thirty were
injured and many of the troop's were
wounded, the message adds.
COMMUNISTS hold citt.
Force Senate to Retire In Luebeck.
Beichswehr Troops Arrive.
By the Associated Press.
LUEBECK, Germany, August 13.
Communists are holding this city,
after having forced the senate to re
tire. Relchswehr troops have arrived
to attempt to restore order.
Luebeck Is one of the three city
states of the German empire and Is
governed by its own senate, presided
over by the burgomaster and a house
of burgesses. The city proper was
founded about the middle of the
twelfth century and soon rose to
commercial importance, taking u
leading part in the founding of the
Hanseatic league, of which It became
the head. It declined rapidly In im
portance, however, after the Refor
mation. Its population Is about 80,000.
STRIKERS SLAIN IN CRASH.
Violence at Hamburg Shipyards
Brings Big Casualty List.
By the Associated Press.
BERLIN, August 13. Several
strikers were killed and many wound
ed at the Hamburg shipyards today
in a clash with the police, according
to a dispatch received here. The
strikers are alleged to have pre
vented those willing to work from
entering the shipyards, whereupon
the police intervened and were at
tacked by the strikers.
Just what attitude Dr. Gustav
Stresemann, the new chancellor, will
take toward "big business." now that
he Is installed as head of a socialistic
bourgeois cabinet, is a question
which Is already actively agitating
the minds of the politicians. They re
call that Chancellor Stresemann was
wholly indebted to the Influence and
support of industrialists tor his
political advancement.
Stmcman Once Rebuffed.
When the old political lines were
forced to dissolve after the revolution
of November. 1918, Stresemann, then
a relchstag leader of the old national
liberty party, suddenly found himself
marooned as the newly created denio
(Contlnued on Page 3, Column 4.)
CHINESE STUDENT
KILLS 27 IN SCHOOL
Must Die for Putting Arsenic in
Food to Cover Up
Shortage.
By the Associated Press.
SHANGHAI, August 13.—Yu Er
heng,' former head of the Students’
Self-Government Association of the
Hangohow Normal School, and two
cooks. Chlen Ah-Ll and Pi Ho-Song,
were sentenced to death yesterday by
the Hangohow district court for par
ticipation In a plot to poison the en
tire student body at the school.
The plot resulted In the‘deaths of
twenty-seven persons and the Illness
of scores of other teachers and stu
dents last February.
Testimony at the triaLdisclosed that
Yu waa facing exposure.of a shortage
of S2OO .in his accounts as chairman
of the student organization, and that
he undertook? to kill every one at the
school to cover up his shortage. He
was alleged to have bribed the cooks
to steal, arsenic from the laboratory
of the school and to put it in rice
served at the opening supper of the
school term. The cooks shortly aftsr
their, arrest declared they had been
paid ?30 by Tu for their share in the
prot. i
DOG DAYS IN GERMANY.
KEPNER. ON STAND.
BARES LIFE STORY
Choked With Emotion, He
Unfolds Tale of Clandes
tine Trysts.
By a SUIT Correspondent.
FREDERICK. Md., August 13.
B. Evard Kepner, on trial in the cir
cuit county court here, charged with
the murder of his wealthy wife. Mrs.
Grace Simmons Kepner. took the
stand in his own defense this morn
ing ami bared the story of his life.
In a voice so choked with emotion
as to compel him to halt at intervals
that grew more frequent as his testi
mony proceeded, the quiet looking
man who once helped control the re
ligious, business and social life of
Frederick explained his home life the
last few months preceding his wife’s
death.
With head hung low, his face deep
ly flushed, he unfolded his clandes
tine trysts with Lulu Ricketts, the
pretty ww.ltress-bookkeeper upon
whom he had lavished gifts of lin
gerie, silk hose, jewelry and money.
Recalled All Details.
The accuracy with which Kepner
remembered the details of the con
dition of the death chamber in which
he found his wife’s body last June IS,
a pistol in her lap and a bullet hole
through her brain, astonished the
hearers.
A sensation was sensed in the
crowded courtroom when. a few
minutes after the judges had taken
their seats amid the usual cere
monies, Leo Weinberg, chief of coun
sel for the defense, rose from his
chair, turned to the clerk of the court
and said in a firm voice. "Call Mr. B.
Evard Kepner."
Kepner was sitting beside his at
torney at the time, dressed in a neat
gray suit, black He. white shirt and
black shoes and stockings. Behind
him the room was crowded with the
usual throng of bobbed-haired girls
in their teens and bejeweled matrons.
In a voice that was remarkably
firm and anxiously aggressive, Kep
ner answered the first few questions,
but later he grew weaker and experi
enced alternate spells of paleness.
More than once his voice shook so
much that he was obliged to hang
his head and halt. However, he
pulled himself together and con
tinued.
Visit to Dentist.
The defendant started out by ex
plaining how, on the morning of last
June 18. he went to Baltimore and
visited a prominent dentist to be
treated for an aching tooth. The
operation necessitated the bone be
(Continued on i’age 2, Column 5.)
SEVEIENILED
IN COLORADO CRASH
Passenger Trains on Santa
Fe Tracks Smash —Train-
men Victims.
By the Associated Press.
PUEBLO, Col., August 13.—Seven
railroad trainmen were killed In a
head-on collision between Colorado
and Southern passenger train No. 609,
from Pueblo, and Santa Fe No. 6,
through train from the east, at the
west switch in Fowler, Col., early to
day. Number 609 was detouring over
Santa Fe tracks via La Junta, because
of washouts at Walsenburg on the
Colorado and Southern tracks.
The following is a partial list of
those killed, all trainmen;
A. Henson, engineer. La Junta.
J. T. Pearson, engineer. La Junta.
T. Schmanke, engineer, Pueblo.
G. H. Gray, engineer, Denver.
G. L. Chewning, fireman. Denver.
A baggageman, named King, and a
Colorado and Southern train mes
senger, whose name and address are
as yet unknown, also were killed.
Two trainmen, one named Burlejgh
and another named Hlrch, were in
jured. One woman passenger received
* slight injury. So far as.knbwn she
was the'only passenger hurt. Relief
trains were sent to the scene from
Pueblo and La Junta. Fowler doctors
were called and the Injured were
taken-to hospitals in La Junta. Three
locomotives and one baggage car
were destroyed, and one baggage cab
derailed. No passenger coaches .were
derailed. Fowler ,1a about' twenty
miles east of Pueblo.
Coolidge in 9 24
To Be Slogan
Os New England
CONCORD. N. H.. August 13.
United States Senator George H.
Moses in a statement Issued today
declared that President Calvin
Coolidge would be a candidate for
the republican presidential nomi
nation in 1924 and that he ought
to have a solid New England dele
gation. %
iMEXICJIEEMENT
| NEAR COMPLETION
Terms Expected to Be Con
cluded in Two or
Three Days.
Conclusion of the agreement under
negotiation In Mexico City between
Mexican and American commission
ers. designed to pave the way for
recognition of the Mexican govern
ment by the United States, is expect
ed within the next two or three days,
it was said today by a spokesman for
the government here.
When the commissioners have con
-1 eluded their work the conclusions
• reached will be submitted to the two
j governments for approval. In the
! meantime, officials here decline to
! discuss the subject in any way be
j yond expressing gratification at the
I progress made toward an agreement.
NATSIEADCfSOX
I IN 4TH INNING. 4-2
j
1 Blankenship and Zachary
Are Selected as Mound
i
Opponents.
—-
BY JOHN B. KELLER.
Jezebel Tecumseh Zachary, south
paw, opened for the Nationals against
the White Sox this afternoon In the
first game of the double-header. Ted
(Blankenship, right-hander, went to
the slab for the visitors.
Manager Donie Bush placed himself
at third base for the home crew, a
sore leg again putting Ossie Bluege.
regular hot-corner guardian, out of
action.
FIRST INNING.
i
CHICAGO —Hooper grounded to Har
ris. Mostil singled to center. Collins
walked. Sheely singled off Bush’s glove
and Mostil scored, while Collins took
third and Sheely second when Bush hit
Mostil with a throw to the plate. Col
lins scored after Leibold caught Falk's
fly. Elsh filed to Rice. Two runs.
WASHINGTON— CoIIins threw ’out
Leibold. A third strike was called on
’ Bush. Goslin filed to Falk. No runs.
SECOND INNING.
CHICAGO— Peck threw out McClel
lan. Schalk popped to Ruel. Blanken
ship lofted high to Peck. No runs.
WASHINGTON— Rice walked. Ruel
| walked also. Judge singled to center,
Rice scoring and Ruel stopping at sec
ond. Harris took a third strike. Peck
popped to McClellan. Zachary singled
to right, scoring Ruel. Judge, trying
j for third, was out. Hooper to Mostil.
Two runs. ’ -
THIRD INNING.
CHICAGO —Hooper filed to Rice. Peck
threw out Moetll. Peck threw out Col
lins. No runs.
WASHINGTON —Leibold walked. Bush,
sacrificed, Mostil to Sheely. Goslin filed
to Elsh. Leibold taking third a»er the
catch. Rice tripled to center, scoring
Leibold. Ruel tripled to left, scoring
> Rice. Judge fanned.. Two runs. ’
FOURTH INNING.
CHICAGO —Sheely lined a single to
right. Falk hit Into a double play.
Peck to Harris to Judge. Elsh walked.
Leibold ran in far for McClellan’s loft.
No runs.
WASHINGTON— Harris popped to
Mostil. Elsh got Peck’s fly. Zachary
fanned. No runs.
COOLIDGE WORKS
AT WHITE HOUSE
Takes Over Harding Desk/
But Will Not Occupy Man
sion at Present.
President Coolidge hung up his hat;
In the executive office today and went:
to work in the private office of the :
President in the executive office wing
of the White House.
This was the first time President
Coolidge has occupied this room since
hla succession to the presidency, and
although he will continue to use the
office, he and Mrs. Coolidge will not take
up their abode In the White House
proper until Mrs, Harding has com
pleted her packing.
Mr. Coolidge arose at his usual early
hour, but did not take hla customary
morning stroll. Accompanied by Charles
E. Hatfield of Newton. Mass., former
chairman of the republican state com- 1
milter of Massachusetts, and Edward!
T. Clarke, his secretary. President
Coolidge motored from the Willard
Hotel, where he is living temporarily,
to the WTilte House executive office,
arriving there at 8 :50.
The new executive was greeted at ■
the main doorway by Sergt. Clarence 1
Dalrymple of the White House police, 1
who has been detailed at the White
House for more than a quarter of a
century. The President shook hands
warmly with the veteran police officer
and after a moment’s conversation he
hurried along the corridor to the
large circular room in the rear of the
building which has served as the
office of Presidents Roosevelt, Taft,
Wilson and Harding.
Desk Cleared for Action.
The large, handsome mahogany desk
purchased during the Wilson adminis
tration and which was used by the
late President Harding up to the day
he left Washington on his ill-fated
Alaskan trip had been cleared of an
accumulation of papers and personal
belongings of the late President and
was in complete readiness for its new
occupant. The large leather chair
used by Mr. Harding has been given
to his widow to take with her Into
private life as an intimate association
of her husband’s office, and a new one
of a corresponding design was at the
desk today ready for Mr. Coolidge.
The framed portrait of President
Harding’s mother and the small oval
framed engraving of George Wash
ington. which were familiar objects
on his desk during his life in the
White House, had been removed and
turned over to Mrs. Harding for
preservation. The only picture in the
large office room was a steel engrav
ing of Abraham Lincoln which was
brought to the executive office by
President Roosevelt and which has
been kept in its position on the man
telpiece by each succeeding- President.
Stearns First Caller.
The first caller to be received by
President Coolidge in the executive
office was Frank W T . Stearns, promi
nent business man of Boston and inti
mate friend of the President. He re
mained closeted with the latter only
a few minutes and on his way out
said he expected to return to Boston
very shortly.
For more than half an hour the
President listened to George Otis
Smith, secretary of the Fact-finding
Coal - Commission, explain the coal
situation. It is believed by those who
are In a position to know that the
President proposes to give conslder
able attention to the coal situation
(Continued on Page 2, Column S.»
Harding Longed for Day When
He Could Write Editorials Again
When death overtook him in San
Francisco President Harding, al
though apparently, confident of his
re-election, already had begun to
formulate plana against the time
when he finally should retire from
the White House.
At a private luncheon in a west
ern city before he went to Alaska
he told some of his close friends
✓ the reasons which had Impelled
him to dispose of his control of the
Marlon Star, and discussed the
part he expected to take in other
fields of activity after his public
service was over.
'As the story was told here today
by those who took part in the con
versation, Mr. Harding said that
in all probability he would accept
an offer of 125,000 a year made by
“From Prefg to Home
Within the Hour 1 *
The Star’s carrier system covers
every city block and the regular edi
tion is delivered to Washington homes
as fast as the papers are printed.
' ;
* TWO CENTS
SECRETS OF BURIED
MAYA CIVILIZATION
WILL MEALED
Carnegie Institute to Wrest
Facts of Pre-Christian
Race From Jungle.
EXPEDITION WILL RIVAL
EXPLORATIONS IN EGYPT
Study of Mexican and Guatemalan
Ruins May Reverse Ancient
History Concepts.
BV HAROLD KAMES PHILIPS.
The buried secrets of the long lost
Maya civilization, an aboriginal race
that flourished on this continent cen
turies before the coming of Christ,
reached an amazingly high state of
Intellectual culture by that period.
I and then disappeared with a com
pleteness that has baffled science, are
to be wrested from the jungles of
Mexico and Guatemala by the Car
negie Institution of Washington.
Formal announcement was made
here this morning that that institu
tion has been' granted permission by
the governments concerned, through
agreements, setting forth definite ar
tangements, to begin immediately a
series of excavations and investiga
tions in the ruins of ancient Maya
cities that are expected to cover a
period of at least ten years, and per
haps longer.
Noted Scientists Going.
The expedition anticipated by the
Carnegie Institution will be the
largest and most important archeo
logical venture ever attempted on
this continent and perhaps equal to
any of the pretentious explorations
carried out in ancient Europe and
Egypt. Some of the best known
scientists of both America and Eu
rope will head the various depart
ments of the expedition and their
discoveries may literally turn pres
ent conceptions of primitive history
upside down.
Plai.s adopted by the Carnegie In
sltution include not only archeolog
ical studies of Maya engineering,
architecture, art, cultures, physical
anthropology and language, but they
i embrace also a thorough investiga
tion into the conditions under which
i the Maya people lived. Through a
I study of their geology, geography,
) climatology, meteorology. ethno
j botany and ethnozoology it is hoped
I to solve the mystery of their vir
j tua! disappearance from the face of
j the earth as a separate race.
Preliminary Jungle Study.
To accomplish this end the institu
j tlon expects to Invite the leading
| authorities on the various subjects
! under consideration to Join Its staff
i and go into the Uatln American jun-
I gles for a personal investigation .if
j conditions exactly as they exist.
| Each of these experts will spend
j periods of two or three months at
I a time with the expedition,
i Dr. Sylvanus G. Moreley, associate
i of the institution In middle Amerl
’• can archeology, who has been con-
L ducting explorations and archeo
[ logical studies in Middle America for
the past nine yeais. is now in Yu-
I catan to begin preliminary work
I clearing the bush from the group of
| structures which will form the first
i subjects for study. They are at
1 Chlchen Itza, the religious capital
of the Maya people,
j No venture of recent years has ex
-1 %ited so much Interest in scientific
) circles as the institution's announce
! ment that it Intended to excavate the
j ruined cities of what is generally
I accepted to have been the first hu-
I man race to Inhabit this continent.
I JUst what the explorers will find no
) man can predict, but suffice it to say
j that before going into the venture
i the Carnegie Institution conducted a
: preliminary investigation which sat
isfied it that the story which has
! laYn buried in the tropical Jungles of
| Mexico promises to become one of the
j most intriguing chapters in primitive
i history.
j . Were Master Architects.
j T;he dazzling veil of vanished cen
j turies has obscured the history of the
I Maya peoples up to the present gen
: eration. That they were master ar
i chltects, unsurpassed astronomers.
I great engineers and deeply religious,
j before the dawn of the Christian era,
; has been established beyond the
' shadow of a doubt. How long be
fore that period they emerged from
, primitive savagery can only be esti
i mated, but the most conservative
1 scientists have judged that time to
1 have been fully 100,000 years before
, Christ.
Their ancient priests left to pos
terity a perfect calendar, engraved
i upon a scries of stone monuments.
; which has enabled science to trace
j their culture definitely back to at
least ninety-one years before Christ.
By the same period they had mastered
a written language and there are
strange stories of a complete written
history that lies buried in the tomb
of a chief priest among the ruins of
Chlchen Itza. There are many royal
tombs in that half-burled city and
none pf them has yet been opened.
Some archeologists have declared
the Maya race antedated every other
race known to man, and one or two,
after jyears of study, have gone so far
as toi assert that the great Egyptian
empire was founded by Maya colonists.
Although most scientists dispute this
belief, strange similarities in the re
(Contlnued on Page 4, Column 3.)
one of the leading: newspapers of
tire country for editorial contribu
tions. This would give him a
much-desired opportunity of get
ting his views before the people
and assisting in solving national
and international problems.
He also had open, he added, an
offer of $750 for each speech he
might deliver after the expiration
of fils term as President.
These two offers had caused him
to fepl that he would be able after
leaving the White House to give
little personal attention to the edi
torial management of the Star. He
said that he had sold the Star "be
cause he could not afford to reject
the offer” made him, explaining, it
Is ijald, that he was to receive for
the property in the neighborhood
of-$500,000. While it had been
earning about $30,000 a year, Mr.
Hording said, it was not probable
th3t he would again receive such
arj advantageous offer.
Saturday’s Circulation, 83,402
Sunday's Circulation, 97,643
0. S. CALLS MINERS
AND OPERATORS TO
CONFERENCE HERE
Federal Officials Act to Pre
vent Anthracite Strike
on September 1.
COOLIDGE HEARS REPORT
OF COAL COMMISSION
Agreement to Be Sought to Keep
Mines Running Until Final
Settlement Made.
The federal government moved to
day to avert an anthracite strike by
inviting representatives of both the
operators and miners to confer with
the Coal Commission here immedia
tely. A telegram conveying the In
vitation to both sides went forward
shortly after noon. It was signed by
Coal Commission officials after they
had conferred with President Cool
idge.
For the present, at least, it was in
dicated that the President desired to
leave the situation entirely in the
hands of the Commission Whether
he would take any more direct step
later to insure an agreement has not
been revealed.
Coolidge Watches Developments.
There is no doubt, however, that Mr.
Coolidge is fully advised regarding
the break between the operators and
miners, which is threatening a sus
pension of work in the anthracite
mines on September 1, and will re
main In closest touch with all devel
opments, Recently he conferred with
John Hays Hammond, chairman of
the commission, and today he had a
long talk with George Otis Smith, an
other of its members.
The text of the conference invita
tion was withheld, but It is under
stood that the messages to operators
and miners were Identical in terms.
One went to John L. Dewis, president
of the United Mine Workers, at Atlan
tic City, and the other to S. D. War
ringer, chairman of the general pol
icy committee of the anthracite mine
operators.
Agreement Ends September 1.
The men addressed, are the official
heads of the groups which embarked
upon negotiations at Atlantic City
last month with the purpose of fix
ing terms, wage scales and conditions
to govern the continuance of anthra
cite operations aJter September 1,
when existing wage contracts expire.
The negotiations were suspended
upon the union's Insistence for In
stallation of the "check-off” system,
by which union dues would be col
lected from all miners by their em
ployers and paid directly to the union.
The coal commission had refrained
from taking any part in the discus
sion between the miners and their
employers until today.
It Is known that the government
now will seek to bring about a com
promise by which operations in the
anthracite field will continue, even
though final agreement upon the mat
ter under dispute cannot be im
mediately attained.
At the same time it has been dis
closed that a study of existing coal
stocks has led some officials to
believe sufficient quantities of an
thracite are above ground to protect
the public from danger even in case
of a suspension of production.
There is also before the Coal Com
mission a proposition from bitumi
nous mine operators made through the
National Coal Association, to provide,
under government control, large
quantities of bituminous coal as a
substitute for anthracite in case the
anthracite supply should be cut off.
The administration’s request, through
the United Stales Coal Commission,
to the operators and miners of the
anthracite industry to meet with the
commission roused hopes here to
day that such a conference may re
sult in an adjustment of differences
and in preventing a strike, September
1, in the anthracite mines.
In the anthracite strike of 1903.
President Roosevelt finally prevailed
upon the operators and the miners to
agree to an .arbitration of their dif
ferences by. the then anthracite coal
strike commission, appointed' by him.
Coolidge May Act.
The suggestion was made today
that if the miners ’ and operators
continue to be unable to reach an
agreement, following their confer
ence with the Coal Commission here.
President Coolidge may seek to have
both parties agixe to arbitration
and bring about a settlement as In
1903. It may be that the Coal Com
mission might be selected as tne
arbitral body. On the other hand,
an entirely new body might be de -
manded.
President Roosevelt, It is known,
had fully determined that if there was
no agreement to arbitrate, he would
take strenuous steps to bring about
resumption of work in the hard coal
mines. He had made complete plans
for tills end. as he confided to certaip
of his intimates. These plans were
never made public. He planned, how
ever, to give complete protection to
workers in the anthracite mines, us
ing the military for -that purpose.
He had gone so far as to select Gen.
Connor to handle the situation, it was
said today.
Mines Could Be Worked.
Given complete protection, - it v.’aii
the belief that the anthracite mines
would be worked—not to their full
capacity, perhaps, but to a very con
siderable extent. There had been
much violence during the anthracite
strike in 1903.
President Coolidge. it was pointed
out today, under the powers.vested in
him, could take such steps to protect
men working in the mines as were
planned by President Roosevelt, if no"
other way of settling the present con
troversy Is worked out.
No law giving the President author
ity to take over and operate the coal
mines is on the statute books, a search
revealed today. Recommendations
that ho bo given that authority to
meet emergencies like that now
threatening have been made to the
President by the coal commission.
But Congress would have to enact the
law. In neither the law providing
for the appointment of the coal com
mission nor the federal fuel director
is there any authority found for such
action, it was said today.
But under the plan proposed by
President Roosevelt, had his arbitra
tion plan not been put intq effect, the
President today could act. and act
effectively.
One subject of controversy may
make It difficult to obtain an agree
ment for arbitration today—the
check-off system. It Is this that
caused a breakup of negotiations re
cently. and it i» the biggest bone •(
contention.