CIRCULATION;
,
FOUNDED A. D. 1867—VOL. CXI—No. 85.
WILMI|g|pN, N. C., MONDAY MQRNJNG, MAY 28, 1923
' - -i— —-- --—
OLDEST DAILY IN THE STATE.
Rtim Runners Along Coast 01
Virginia Sh ift Field When
Qecoy Signals Fail To Work
btar Queen of the Fleet Trans
fers Cargo to Other
Ships
POLISHED GENTLEMEN
make up her crew
One Deck Hand Said to Be a
Former Member of
Parliament
v* ■
SOUFOLK, Va., May 27.—Cod# mes
sage5 'ff°m aaents of the Atlantic
..ast rum fleet Intercepted hear® Sat
• by federal prolUMtton agents
decovs sent purposely to deceive*
ll authorities as to the’ movements
(“me liquor ships. General Agent T.
J jlaxey announced today... He did
not" explain how this Information had
Men obtained. ' . '
instead of the Ietar and her sister
t|rpe of the whisky squadron fleeing,
o, Bermuda, Maxey said, they simply
„nvc,l up the coast a short distance
beyond the three mile limit. The lstar,
• he prohibition general agent said he
Ld ascertained positively, is running
'hurt of fuel, and it is doubtful If she
' ll(i ,-each Bermuda or any other
foreign port without having her;
bunkers replenished. *
Transfer* Largo
The istar, it is reported, ha* trans
Jre,l all the cargo that ikt WM un
ahi,. tr, land to the Strand, Hill and
Marv Beatrice, other members of
liquor fleet. A ship that has not
' t t.een mentioned in connection with
t rum running activities >ut which
it «,jd to he involved In -the, traffic, Is
/ciu'tluled to join the fleet'noon. It is
itniirted. This ship, the naffle of which
is withheld by federal offers. Is said
to he of greater cargo ca**c'\y
any of the rum fleet yet'^Khted off
the coast. ’ -V
Arrest Only Start | ... s
Federal agents admit that^wlth,the
arrest of Hex D. HheldoB*
Burwell, alias Willtftm B. Balter, and
lire-latter's wife, only the surface of
the Atlantic coast rum running activi
ties has been scraped. But in effect
i„- the arrests they have gathered In
formation, the authorities assert, that
will either lead to the capture of the
leaders of the gang or keep agents of
the syndicate so constantly alert and
fearful that the flow of imported
liquors into the country through At
lanta- ports will be diminished greatly.
When the rum fleet fligt anchored in
■ "rum row" off the New Jersey coast, it
was believed to be made up of a nonde
script collection of tramp steamers and
obsolete sailing ships, with an occa
sional pleasure craft converted Into a
rum runner. And when the fleet was
sighted off tlie Virginia coast, the gen
ern 1 impression still prevailed that it
was a mongrel outfit, renegades from
the far corners of the earth for plying
■ the illicit trade.
But when the three alleged members
of thp organization wsre accosted here
and dealings of other members of the
gang became known it became ap
parent to government officials and to
other persons who had direct or indl-|
red contact with the fleet that the
vessel* wore not derelicts by any
means, but members of a powerfully
organized combine with practically un
limited financial backing and with sf
well defined plan of action.
Norfolk people who have visited the
fioot. some of whom have been ques
tioned by federal authorities, have ex
pressed astonishment at what they
s.i" One such visitor has declared
that at least one man aboard the Istar
had hold a seat in the British parlia
ment, and that all with whom he came
in contact on board bore evidendb of
excellent breeding and of wealth.
Sheldon, after his arrest, told federal
officers that he had been' directed by
Americans members of the syndicate to
> certain Norfolk resident who had the
Power to arrange for supplies to be
transported from Norfolk to the rum
fleet. This man has been questioned
hy the authorities, as has, another
Norfolk man. who Is said to have triad.
''ain to raise $70,000 with which to
huy 2.000 cases of the rum fleet's
liquor,
Sheldon and Baker made every effort,
to mpress upon them, authorities said,
'fiat no liquor hod been put ashore at
Norfolk. Officials, however, are not
inclined to believe all that the prison
trs have said In this connection.
While Baker, or Burwell, and his
wife have been realeased on Joint bond
nf *5,000-, Sheldon is still in Jail in de
fault »f $10,000 bond. Burwell and his
wife are said to have gone to New
York. - c- -
weather forecast
Washington, May 27.—Virginia:
Generally fair Monday and Tuesday;
slightly cooler In northeast 'Monday.
North Carolina: Generally lair Mon
lay and Tuesday; little 'change An
temperature. Gentle to moderate east
ami southeast winds.
South Carolina: Mostly cloudy Mon
day and Tuesday, probably local rains
,n west and south. Gentle to moderate
easterly winds.
Ceorpla: Local thundershower*
‘"onday and Tuesday, moderate easter
■>’ winds. -~
Florida. Alabama, and Mississippi:
j artly cloudy with local thunder
^o"ers Monday and Tuesday. Gentle
10 moderate variable winds.- ' * /
- . f,V
F t M AMA, May 27.—The Panama
rnnnl tolls today were IlM^XHK
Tills wag the first time they had ...
rieeeded 9100,000 for a single day.
Twenty-five ships passed through
the eanal, including the Cunard
Jlner Samaria, which la cemplet
,n* a round the WOlld fatP.
BRUIN RECEIVES
| Buster Bear doesn’t know Just what
to make of his first surprise party*.
Seems to be enjoying ft though. Buster,
three months old, is the first bear the
Rochester, N. Y., ;xoo has ever had;
He’s rather mischievous and keeps his
keeper stepping lively.
OFFICIALS ATTEMPT
NEW LIQUOR RULINGS
Government Desires to Temper
* Law’s Rigidity in Interest
of Comity
WASHINGTON, May 27. — Efforts
will be inaugurated tomorrow by
treasury officials to reconcile the pro
posed prohibition regulations with the
position taken by the five foreign pow
ers which have expressed their views
to the state department in connection
with the recent supreme court deci
sions barring liquor from American
territorial waters.
Every evidence was given today of a
desire on the part of this government
to temper the rigidity of. the dry law’s
new construction in the interest of
the comity of nations and that there
may be no unwarranted interference
with International intercourse. Treas
ury spokesmen declared they were
willing to construe the court decision
as liberally as may be legally and
safely done in meeting the stand of
‘ England, Spain, France and the Nether
lands. ’
It was stated clearly that there is
;no intentlon to rush a decision through
'concerning this government’s policy.
There tvill be informal discussions be
tween officials of the state and treas
ury departments and-the diplomatic
representatives here of the powers
which have taken exception to the
court’s decision in so far as it applies
to foreign ships. These conversations
may lead to some sort of an interna
tional understanding resulting from
the height of international law on the
'points at issue.
J.B. POWELL, PAROLED, RETURNS TO HILLS
WHERE 100 OTHERS HELD CAPTIVE AWAIT
FATE AT DISPOSAL OF SUCHOW BRIGANDS
TIENTSIN, May '21.—(By the Asso
ciated PrsBS.)—J. B. Powell, American
newspaper man and one of the captives
of the Suohow bandits who recently
was paroled to carry terms of the ban
dits for the release of their prisoners
to the forelgrhn consuls at Tsaochang,
has returned to the Paotzuku hills
where the brigands are holding their
captives, aooordlng to a telegram from
Tsaoohwang. . _. |||M.,
The local gentry who °on*®rT*d
representatives of the ^
returned Saturday and state that the
bandits chiefs offered the samei terms
they previously laid down tor the re
lease of the foreigners. The gentry
said however, they believedthe cl*iefs
were Inclined to be more reasonable.
The delegates said they were fired
upon* when* they entered the ontpo.to
of the bandit camp. This .they at
trlbeted to Intoxication on the part of
the sentries. The gentry planned to
■visit the bandits today with official,
proposals as a basis for settlement of
the Controversy over the captives.
Letters from Tsaoohwang dated yes
terday explained the firing Thursday
nightyin the vicinity of Paotzuku as
due to soldiers frustratlng attempts of
independents bands of .
join the forces of the Patzuku bandits.
There was further firing Friday "l0™"
in* three mile# down the railroad to
ward Llnoheng, presumably also be-1
cause of clashes,between soldiers and
bandits.
As a means of Impressing: the bandits,
the captives are keeping: a minut book
of all that goes on. The terms of the
bandits are outlined at the start dur
ing a conference between the bandits
and the captives have been entered in
the book. When Mr. Powell was paroled
to carry the bandit’s terms tb Tsao
chwang they insisted that he take the
book with him.
Powell said the captives asked the
bandit chiefs to allow Major Rooland
W. Finger and Robert A. Allen and Lee
Solomon three of the Americans being
held, to come down from the top of
Paotsuku mountain whence they were
taken recently as a means of prevent-’
ing any possibility of their escape. The
captives also have asked ^he chiefs to
relekse W. Smith, a 60 year old English
man, whose condition Is causing
anxiety. Smith was touring the east
for'his health after a nervous break
down. The ahlefs said they would con-*
aider the appeal and told Powell they
would release Smith on his (Powell’s)
return from Tsaochwang.
The number of captives held at the
top of Paotzuku has been estimated
by Powell at 100. He said that when
ever they take a walk they are ac
companied by a guard. *•,
LONDON'S PP
STORM SUP
AUSTIN
Izrt'A
' ■ ■
ABOUT
Prominently Mentioned in Sun
day Papers as Ambassador
to Washington
LOI$DON, May 27.—(By Associated
Press.)—The political storm having
subsided there are still surging around J
the name of Austin Chamberlain,]
caused by his talk with the iprlme
minister, Baldwin, at exchequers court
yesterday. Some pi .'.he Sunday papers
assert that the prime minister offered
him the ambassadorship, at Washing
ton despite the fact that there rs no
evidence that the position 1b vacant
and the same papers assert that Mr.
Cmahberlain declined the honor.
It is not stated whether the alleged
ofTer was to be considered as a solace
for the supposed disappointment of Mr.
Chamberlain in not being included in
the cabinet list. According to an open
j letter which Mr. Chamberlain has writ
! ten to his constituents, he and his co
partners lq the wilderness were pre
pared for any personal sacrifice for
the sake of re-uniting the conservative
party apd by inference he accuses the
"die hards” of frustrating Mr. Bald
I win’s desire to achieve that unity.
This agrees with the current report
I that three prominent "die hard” min-,
j isters threatened to desert the new
prime minister of Mr. Chamberlain
j were inoluded in the cabinet and that
thereupon the plan to include Sir Rob
I ert S. Horne and Mr. Chamberlain ool
[ lapsed. There is no confirmation of
statements connecting Mr. Chamber
! Iain’s name with the Washington post.
WASHINGTON, May 27.—-if a Change
is to be made In Great Britain’s diplo
matic representation in Washington,
no intimation of it has been received
at the British embassy.
Sir Auckland Geddes, the British am
bassador, has been suffering from eye
trouble which, his physicians believe,
i can be remedied by a few weeks rest
! and treatment. It is considered pos
sible that on account of his health he
may feel obliged to give up his post,
although it is known that he desires
to remain here and has confidence that
his health will permit him to dp so.
Frtenda/br Sir .Auckland.have been
dr’the opinion that th'ev-rt‘eignatlon as
premier of Bonar Law and the selec
tion of Stanley Baldwin as his succes
sor would not affect the ambassador’s
tenure of office. It is believed here
that should a change be made it win
result from Sir Auckland's decision to
retire on account of his health, from
active diplomatic service, rather than
from a desire on the part of the new
London government to have some one
else as ambassador to the United
States.
CONGRE9MAH BROOBECK
SPEAKER HICKORT SYNOD
HICKORY, May 27.—Speaking today
on the question of the Reformed church,
which is holding its synod here, as
suming oontrol and guaranteeing sup
port of, Catawba college, former Con
| greesman A. R. Brokbeck, Hanover,
Pa., stated that he was In favor of the
synod helping the institution on a 50
per cent basis of its needs and sug
gested 24,000,000 be the first appropria
tion for this purpose.
The question of raising the scholastic
standing of the college and its adoption
by the church will come before the
synod this week. Catawba college is
the only Reformed church school in
the North Carolina classic.
Ministers in attendance at the synod
occupied most of the city'pulpits here
today.
HEW ATTITUDE RECORD
LOS ANGELES, May 27.—A new alti
tude record f&r women flyers was set
here today when Mile. Andres Peyre,
French avlatrix, reached a height of
15,000 feet above Rogers’ air port, ac
cording to officials of the Aero dug
of Southern California, j
» ’ • ,:r : -■*. --i
Marthon Dancers Claim
182 Hours Record Now
YOUNGSTOWN, O., May 27.—The
world’s endurance dancing; record
was claimed tonishit by Iffiaa Fran
ce* Mercer and Marry Wagner, of
thla city, who ended a continuous
performance started more than a
week ago, daily today. Mias Mer
cer and Wagner left the floor after
dnadng in afn Fast Youngrstowh
pavilion for 182 hours and 8 min
utes. They rested three minutes
every eigrht hours.
The couple ended their feat with
an exhibition of fancy steps, which
was followed by a errand march of
the crowd which had srnthered for
the close of the performance.
The previous record Is said to be
168 hours, held In Texas.
L _j
FIRE IN LAUNDRY AT
FAYETTEVILLE CAUSE
OF $15,000 DAMAGE
For a Time Threatens Entire
Business District; Insurance
Insurance Coverage Slight
(SpcMal to The Star)
FAYETTEVILLE, May 27.—FJre of
origin not yet determined practical
ly gutted the building of the Claren
don Laundry here this morning and
threatened one of the city’s principal
business blocks. The serious aspect
which'the blaze assumed at one time
caused Are chief Ross Jones to call
for assistance from Fort Bragg fire
men who reached the city 14 minutes
later to find the'flames under control.
The total damage to the building and
contents estimated at $18,000. Insurance
will- cover only a minor part of the
loss.
The business Is owned by C. G. Car
ter, .who was unable to save the
laundry In the building but lost a
large quantity of supplies and suf
fered considerable loss on his machin
ery. The building is owned by Colonel
Terry A. Lyon, of Washington, D. C.,
and Robert E. Irvin, of (9tsensboro.
Colonel Lyon arrived; hers' tills morn
lrig Jtfst W time to See TfflSi-property
burn. ' A small financial loss was su
stained by the Walker Chevrolet com
pany who were compelled to remove
jail their oars from their building.ad
joining the laundry.
The stables of the W. B. Johnson
Transfer company, on the other ' side
of the burning building, was the scene
of much excitement when owners and
attendants worked like beavers to re
move 19 frightened horses to safety.
Further down the street C. W. Sajd*
rock and his friends were busy get
ting 15 cars out of the Durant Motor
company’s building.
ANOTHER REPARATIONS
NOTE IN PREPARATION
BY CHANCELLOR CUN0
Confers With Reichstag Lead
ers to. Form Basis of
Coming Offer
BERLIN; -May 27.—(By Associated
Press.)—Chancellor Cuno's delibera
tions with the relchstag leaders and
representatives of finance and indus
try are gradually assuming concrete
form and in all probability •will be
sufficiently crystallzed to enable the
government Informally to indicate, the
character of the forthcoming repara
tions proposals in the course of the
next few days.
Much consolation was had from the
offer of the federation of German in
dustrialists to give the requisite guar
antees for International loans for rep
aration purposes.
TJhe deliberations are expected to
take up the greater part of the week,
as the program drafted by the Indus
trialists and their allied flnanolal in
terests provides for far flung hypothe
cation of all productive properties and
other economic assets and also con
tains a demand that the federal rail-,
way system be turned over to a pri
vate operating' company which would
guarantee the government a specific
return in gold warnings.
1 >;'sAgar Scarce
Sugar has becotne euoh a precious
commodity.in Berlin that it Is again
being rationed out in a manner rem
lnlsoent of the "sweetest days” of the
war. No person is to be allowed more
than two pounds this month, while the
speolal priee cards for the poor are
good for only one pound. The price is
being kept comparatively low, stand
ing at 1100 marks or slightly mors
than three cents a pound. Bread and
milk also are on Berlin’s present ra
tion list
SECRETARY WEEKS EDS TRIP
SAN FRANCISCO, May 27.—Tls was
the last of Secretary of war John W;
Week’s visit to the Pacific coast. To
morrow the secretary starts back to
Washington while the party of sena
tors and congressmen who accoom
panled him here will divide and one
group Will go to Alaska on the army
transport Cambria, while the other goes
to Hawaii on the transport Grant
Secretary Week's final address here
was an appeal to Americans to give
mope attention to their governmental
affairs and a disojission of the defen^
sive value of Hawaii.
ALLAHABAD, British India, May..
37—A dispatch to the Pioneer from
- Meshed, Persia, reports a sever* -
with loss of Mfe and damage to
earthquake at Turhot-l-Hahfarl -
property.
•"•,v,,.. .,v- • j VWlls -'v.-.'' '
. '> , .t'* , p... .1...
v-aife;
GENERAL BUSINESS CONDITIONS ARE FAR
BETTER NOW THAN YEAR AGO, ACCORDING
TO REPORTS OF FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD
I 'WASHINGTON, May 27—Government
j officials whose departments are con
cerned with the economic situation
throughout the country, are giving
more than cursory attention, It was
made knoVn today, to the trend of
general business as indicated by con
ditions which developed late In April
and have continued into May.
While trade and production con
tinued in large volume, report's to the
Federal Reserve board show that' there
was slackening of business activity,
although in the comparison with the
situation prevailing a year ago. Gen
eral conditions are regarded as far
better. The reserve board in a sum
mary made public today attributed parr
of the slowing in business to “sea
sonal influences.” But these. It was
declared, In other quarters, could not
be wholly responsible. The reserve
board noted decreases in the produc
tion of lumber, anthracite and cotton.
On the other hand, there were increases
reported in such basic lines as the out
put of pig iron ahd petroleum.
While par loadings were much larger
for the period covered than for cor
responding weeks 'in 1922, the short
age of freight cars evident a few
months ago has almost entirely dis
appeared. This was construed by the
Reserve board to mean more than a
seasonal decrease in shipping. The
I heavy volume of traffic appeared to bo
constituted mainly of manufactured
goods. The weather was charged by
the reserve board with responsibility
for some of the reduction reported. In.
department and retail store sales, Eas
•ter purchases, made in March, aug
mented that “month’s total sales, but
"unseasonable” weather held down
April purchases. ,
Accompanying the decline in Bales, I
which although not substantial in all
lines was evident everywhere, were
increases in prices of certain basio
commodities, such as -fuel and farm
prptducts. Clothing, metals and "bund
ling materials, however, were slightly
higher In price at the beginning of
May than a month previously.
Continuation at practically the same
level for several weeks of the volume
of bank credit gave some hope, ac
cording to the board, that there was
nothing of serious tendency in the sit
uation. The commercial banks, how
ever, continued to care for the loan
requirements of their respective local
ities without seeking additional ac
commodation from the reserve banks,
the board reporting that somewhat
easier money conditions are indicated
throughout the country, It called at
tention to slightly lower rates on com
mercial paper, together with the heavy
over subscription Of the recent treas
ury note issue which now is quoted
above par in the open market.
The Course ol the Star -
News Contest Is"Run;
Winners Are Announced.
Canvassing of Votes Finished
; Early Sunday Morning By
Judges
CANDIDATES ARE
- HIGHLYMJ^ED
Was a Success ,From Start to
Finish For All Who
Ran
The sealed "ballot box in the Star
News gift prize campaign was,opened
promptly at 10 o’clock Saturday night
when the Judges locked the doors and
deolared the election closed.
The judges were: W. A. McGIrt,
Cyrus D. Hogue and J. W. H. Futches.
Purlng the week scores of envel
opes Were placed in the ballot box.
Eager workers continued canvassing
until the last ‘moment and just before
the campaign was , formally declared
closed all envelopes from the post
office were placed in the ballot box.
Results Early Sunday j
The judges began their work at 10 i
o'clock and finished only after a long
peroid of strenuous work. They
found hundreds of subscriptions and
! thousands of coupons collected by
candidates. Every receipt, cheek,
I money order, bill or coin was care
fully checked and results Were tabu
lated. It was not until early Sunday
morning that the count was com
pleted and winners determined.
It was a smlling,x cheerful, but hard
fought : battle, this StartNews cam
paign. All honor to the hustling con
testants who worked hard-to obtain
the rich prizes.
It was a _ truly wonderful race. The
number of 'votes cast for the various
candidates ran into the millions and
It was only after the judges worked
strenously into Sunday morning that
the grand totals were made and the
results announced. The utmost ac- ,
'curacy was observed' by the Judges in ■
tallying each contestant’s vouchers and
votes and to say -it was a difficult and |
most tedious task is putting it but |
mildly. Very fortunately the gentle
men who served as judges ' were all
aocustomed to the handling of figures
and to accounting With great exact
ness and this fact, made it possible
to complete the count much quicker
than might have resulted had inex
perienced judges been chosen.
The Star and The News wishes to
take this means of expressing Its
thanks and its slnoerest gratitude to
every contestant in the list for their |
part in making the big campaign the
rousing success it has been* Starting:
out very slowly, indeed, for a time it
•looked like a dismal failure, the big
campaign beoame faster and faster
and more interesting until it became
the most talked of subject, not alone
in Wilmington, but in thiB entire state.
It 1b doubted if there Was a home
in the entire territory round about than
was not vitally interested in the sue- .
cess of-.some of the candidates towards
the home stretch. Votes literally
poured into the ballot box in the last
few days and every individual, candi
date, regardless of his or her stand
ing in the list, should feel 'mighty
proud otday of the hundreds and hun
dreds of friends who valiantly support
ed him or her through the election. |
The support that was given the dif
ferent workers proved beyond question
that each neighborhood and each com
munity was represented in the election
by oim of its most popular persons.
Final Votes Tubulated
Cars were won by Miss Lucile Horne,
Mr. A. G. Holmes; Mr*. T. L. Cromar
tie, Mr. John Hazlefhurst and Mr, E. H.
Allred.
Judges’ Statement
We, the undersigned members of the
executive committee appointed to have
supervision of the free gift distribu
tion campaign of the Star and News,
concluned this date,: and who have
been selected to act as counting judges
: (Continued on > Page Two) . j
Clara Phillips on
Her Way From Mexico
HamiAer Murderess, is Finally
* -
sWtfeiSSfSel
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, May 37:—
(By Associated Press.)—’■Notwithstand
ing a decree issued 'by the supreme
i court ordering Clara Phillips be set
free, she was turned over the Ameri
can deputy sheriffs from California
and embarked last night at Puerto Cor
tez for New Orleans, where the steamer
is expected to arrive on Monday.
The petition for 'the release of Mrs.
Phillips was placed before the su
preme court by tier attorney, Salvador
Zelaya. It contended that Mts. Phil
lips, who was being held for extradi
tion to Los Angeles, where she is un
der sentence for murder, and her, sis
ter, Mrs. Etta May Jackson, were 1116
gally detained because legal procedure
had not been followed in accordance
with the treaty by Franklin E-Morales,
the American minister, when' the two
Women were taken, into custody. The
court coincided with the view of Senor
Zelaya and ordered the release of Mrs.
Phillips. Extradition papers were de
livered to the foreign office yesterday
by Mr. Morales, and Mrs. Phillips was
held in the Peurot Cortex Jail op the
Atlantic seaboard, notwithstanding the
decision of the court.* Apparently no
one here opposed the extradition of
the woman, but the newspapers and
the public expressed Opinion that legal
procedure had not been correotly fol
lowed In the case. „ f'
WARSAW, May 27—The Polish
diet haa adopted a -vote of'.want of
.confidence In General .Slkorskl’s
ministry, 270 to li7. Tkts means
the collapse of the Slkoraki cabl-'
. net* • -, ; V ' ’.;V'' v" <*Ps
BUENOS AIRES, Brasil, May 27.
, _A dispatch to La Ration from. A
suns Ion, Paraguay, reports a re
newal of lighting between Para
guay and revolutionists and gov
ernment forces In different parts
of Paraguay. The dispatch adds
that It la understood the Para- ..
guhyan government Is entering
upon an energetic campaign to
ronnd up all the rebel groups open- i
atlng In the interior*. The gov
ernment recently purchased from ,
the Chilean government a quan
tity of war material whlchls now
on the tray to Paraguay. ■ Vrf
--a ■(-.
KANSAS CITY, *Mo., ;May 20—
The T-2 monoplane, ■ Rioted by
Lieutenants Oakley Kell? -> and;
James A. MacReady, arrived here
at 10i24 o’clock this morning from
Lawton, Okla- They will leave to- ‘
'morrow for Scott field In Illinois... *•
Lieutenants Kelly and Mac
‘Ready, who piloted the machine In ^
(the first non-»tpp, flight across the •
continent, are returning cant. In '
’•rthe airplane. ...
, WARSAW, May 27—(By Asso
ciated Press.)—President Wojcle
lowskt today accepted the* resig
nation of Premier Slkorskl, who /•
was given’a vote of lacjt of confi
dence In the diet yesterday when*.,
members refused to approve the se
cret service funds proposed In 'the'
‘government's provisional budge),
i The president, however, has re- f
f quested General Slkorskl and, Us
ministers to continue in office until
the cabinet which he has requested ,'
M. Witos to form.ls ready'to •as
sume office.
• -v
SETTLEMENT OF ARMY’S
RHUR EXPENSE ENDS
DIPLOMATIC DISCORD
: Situation Was at One Time E<*
tremely Delicate* Threaten* .’
' ing Open Rupture ’ f i
AMERICA SO WEALTHY
COULD BEAR ALL COST ,►
.• . .
Democrats See That Republi
cans Are Not in Accord on *
the Matter , V
By DAVID. lAWBREHCB " '
(Copyright; 1028 by Wilmington Sin*
• Company.)
WASHINGTON, May 27.—Settlement
of th« controversy over America’s claim
for the expenses of the army of Occu
pation on the Rhine ends one of the
most disagreeble chapters In American
diplomacy. It threatened not only to :
cause a real breach between the United
States and the allied powers, but It
probably has done already more harm i
toward the cause of international co
operation than anything since the war.
No doubt of the legality of the Amer
ican claim for reimbursement has ever .
existed. The - armistice agreements .
spciflclally providen hat expenses for
the occupying, armies should be paid
by Germany and should constitute a
prior- claim against Germany. The
allies collected a. certain sum .but didn’t
reimburse, America. The withdrawal
of the American forces,, from the Rhine
was i-S much due to the handling of the
expense account as it was due 'to the'
complications in the Hu.hr.
America So Wealthy . ,
Just- why the United States should
had to battle for months with the di
plomats of the European powers on a
olalrn that was plainly established has
not been clear and probably never will
be. The impression that America was
so wealthy that iit ’could afford to
ignore a relatively small sum like
$250,000,000 especially at a time when
many bllliouC of repartlons were not
being collected by the. allies dominated '
to waive the matter.4 As k Is America
doesn’t get her share of the cash'
already collected by the allies'*’ for
Rhine army expenses but had simply
a promise of future payments.
There' almost developed Incidentally
a serious\poHticat embarrassment for
President Harding out of this earns :
controversy. The Republican nation
al committee’s publicity headquarters
hearing of the. exasperation, of some of t
the American, officials over the. attl
tude of the allies issued some caustic,
comments about • the allies in
which refrences' to ‘‘crooked’ nations
abroad : and their attempts to “bilge’’
the American people w^fe conspicuous.
The department'of state heard about it :
and so did the president and the na
tional' oommittee headquarters wSs '
asked to withdraw the statement which
it did with' the public announcement
that-the department of state "wanted It
withdrawn.
Democrats Take Jab
The Democratic, national oommittee
has. had some partisan fun. out of the
episode, pointing out that discord.’
reigns in the Republican, ranks and;
that the left hand doesn’t know what
jthe right -was doing and eo on. Chair
man John F. Adams, of the Republi
can national oommittee, is away from
Washington. ’ The publicity men w$o
Issued the ill-fated statement have had.
a free hand'anyhow and have in recent
weeks “issued other statements which
theadministration itself might have
■wished >to modify. > ,
The president at his regular meeting)
with the r correspondents on Friday
brushed aside the mixup at the Repub-, \
llcan publicity headquarters and
pointed to the satisfactory settlement )
o fthe main controversy qver'Rhine .
Army expenses. ®te. would like, natur- ■
ally, to forget all. about the outgivings
of the national oommittee on the sub
ject for it- was an embarrassing epi- k
sode. Out of it may come the,' fixing
of more definite responsibility -for the
Issuance of publicity statements under",
the auspices of the Republican-national' j
committee.
Other Phases ...
Apart from the domestic phnaea/of
the controversy
end, the
certain ■ nee
which opponents oi co-operatton with,
Europe are hound'to make of thealliedi
attitude over. a valid claim for ex-;
penses, there is"another disappointment;
in connection 'with the diplomacy man
ifested In this case. Il ls the tenden
cy of the allies to fight tooth and nail
against the payment to America/of any
sums which might otherwise go to
their reparation fund., This means a
delay In the settlement of the dalms
of American -clti?ei|s against Germany,
it may*yet force the retentibn by con
gress of alien property, or, some plan
Whereby the Income from these prop
erties is made to pay American claims.
Certainly. Uis allies have shown that
they consider all sums available front:
Germany to belong more logically to
them for restoration of devastated ter
ritory and other ,war claims than top
any American pocketbooks. The legal:
battles over war: claims will be with,
the allies and. hot , Germany. And the
time gild trouble taken In settling the
Expenses of the American army for oc
cupying the -Rhine After the armistice
_a work undertaken at the request ofl
[ the allies and for moral effect and
1 not military- purposes—does not augttr
for an easy collection off American war
claims. . •. > ‘ '
'll. ■ . i;...
BRYAN GOES TO EUROPE
WASHINGTON, May 27.—William
JennJngs Bryan Will preside at the in
ternational economic conference at
GothCnburg July '18 and 13, It was an
nounced tonight by the Southern Com
mercial Congress, which is organizing)
tho meeting. •
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