7 $'ATCU IAL
TUB WEATHER
aa ?m M. irnd nml f e
car Mere aralrailan nog avoid
M sael m
iNOrtn Carolina! Fair Sstaraa
Suii Suads-y., warmer xtrse
rthwea Bandar, f '
SIXtEEN PAGES TODA iTf " PRICE: FIVE CENTS
vVOL.CX1UNO. I78.
MUCH INTEREST IM
REDISTR1CTIHG OF
STATE MANIFESTED
plan To Redistrict State Ap-
, pears To Be Growing in ra
1 ' , vor ajL Capitol .
WOULD SAFEGUARD STATE
' FOR DEMOCRATIC CAUSE
- i
Advocates of Bedistrictinjp Plan
Outline Reasons Why Inter
' ests of Party In The State
"Would Be 'Better Served By
'jilts Adoption; Matter Under
'.Discussion
j&RlNfcOX PAIRED AGAINST BILL
j-Nw Bern, Dc 14 la a state-
mans Issued here today Represents. '
lira Briaaea says that he did not
vata far the emergency tariff Mil
M he wae repreaeated as doing
la tha waahlngton corressonaenee
f tha Newe aad Observers
Briaaaa'a statement follows
Mr,
- "Mr. Powell's Washington eorre.
epeadeace la today'a Newe aad Ob
server aajra I voted for tha emer
gency tariff bill. , I did nothing 1
af tha kind. Oa tha contrary,
wham I foaad tha debate would
centnae beyond tha tint for my
heat te leave, I left y
against tha bill." '
News aad Observer Bureau,
: 03 District National Bank Bldg.
By R. E. POWELL
(By Special Leased Wire)
Washington, Dec. 24. Tar Heels
here, , especially members of the Con
fiessional delegation from North Caro
lina, manifest mora intereit in the re
districting, plan for the state than any
thing else right now. It ii true that
aome have indicated that probably it
wonjd !e ssfer to allow the districts
(0 rcmr.ia ns they now exist and have
two Conj-rcssmen from the state at
largo, aa -would be the result if the
legislature should fail to act, but others
contend that it would be better for
reveral reasons to redistrict the atate.
Under the Siegel bill, which prob
'ibV arill become the law providing for
the representation in the House, North
Carolina will have two additional
Congressmen. One potent reason ss
tigned for' re-districting the State ii
that the present distrieta are emt of,
proportion ns to their population, torn
ef them J) OA-ins- nearly three tapes the
population af others. Boma of tha
delegation think. that thU aught to be
" adjusted and tha only way te do It la
In - ra-dUtrictinf.v If that plan, if
adopted, it is said; tha state eopld ba
s securely safeguarded for tne ajem
oerots, as it would be witk Congress-
men from the atate at large.,
Daaa-er af Compllestlone.
It is oointed out that with Con
gressmen, from the atate at large com-
ligations would likely arise over the
fact that two. distrieta would have two
lepreaentatWes. each ia Congress, -ana
there would be continual agitation as
to the section of the atate that might
be entitled to them, whereas if tne
stato were divided into twelve dis
tricts there would be no such trouble
but each district would then choose its
own member.
Senators Simmons and Overman and
Representative ' Doughton, Brinson,
Bobinson, Kitehln, Weaver and Hoey
are spending the holidays at their re
spective homes Vn North Carolina and
it is expected that they will confer
vith members of the atate legislature
pertaining to this matter, and attempt
to reach a decision aa to vne Deal coarse
f pursue and one that will be to the
best interest of the atate . and - the
Democrat! narty. The eom broad wis
dom of ' the . Democratic - leaders it -b
expected, will-prevail in the determl-
natioa of the policy to te saopiea.
PRESIDENT-ELECT SENDS
CHRISTMAS GREETINGS
. . MarioB, 0.,Dee. 24. President-eleet
Harding issued the following Christmas
t greeting tonight: .'
"Like every normal human being, I
vwlsh everybody very-merry Christ-
-mas. Jt geta aa out or a rut to join
- in it nathftal ehorue of cheer aad good
will. ' -
"There ia peace, there is confidence
In tha morrow. There is even ebeef
b tha belief that the distress of) today
is quickly to pass, and we may hope
as well as wish -for a prosperous' new
' ' 1'',,
"SACK Ot WHEAT CAjJpAIGnT
: FOB NEAR BAST BELIEF
" ffookane Wash' Dee.' 24.-A v-am-
naia-n among members of the Washing
ton Farmers' rTJnion,-. to -seeura a do
aatioa of 'a sack et wheat from, each
member or . European children's re
lief, wsa annooneed today by-A. .D.
Tross, aeeretary t the organisation.
He aald-the wheat "would be collected
by local unions and J' ahipped to the
eoaaVwhere HlwoaU be exchanged for
flour. He estimated that 10,000 bushels
f wheat would be donated. '' :'
Weekly Weather Ferecaat. ' v
' Wish ingtoa. Dee. 24Weathcf pra
. diction! for the "week beginning Moa-
dur are: t. I -'-
North aad Middle Atlantio . Btatoe:
Considerable- eloudihesst uecaaional
. rains aad sows.-Normal tempertaflre
until latter paifof the week, when the
Weather will torn much colder. f
- outh Atlantic and East Oulf States:
' Considerable eBBdtaieee-aad occasional
raina. Normal temperature Srat half
aad much eolder latter half of week,;
New Terk Ceatral Shapa laaa.' :.
Albany, N. T, Dee. 24--One thou
sand employes' of the New York Cen
tral ear department at- West , Albany
'were idle' today, notices having been
posted by the eompany that the shops
would remain closed indefinitely. Of
ficials at theyhop assigned o reason
for the shut down. . ''..'vl.:,;-.
MRS. HAMON DEQUES SHE '
SIGNED ANY STATEMENT
Declares Purported Interview
Was Highly Colored and
Exaggerated
Fort Worth, Texaa, Dee. 24. (By the
Associated Press). Denial that she had
Signed any statement whatever since
she left Ardmore exempt her lettera to
her attorneys, aad eharacteriiation ' of
purported interview by press aaaoela
tioa as "highly colored, exaggerated
and in man nlaeea iaaeeurato were
made by Mrs. Clara Cmith Hamon,
charged with thk murder of Jake Ia
Hamon. Oklahoma millionaire, in
signed statement given to the eorres
nondent of The Associated Press aboard
her train shortly before her arrival
here late today.
The atatement waa handed to the
correspondent, who had accompanied
her party from El Paso, by one of her
attorneys with the following comment:
This statement waa signed by Mrs.
Hamon in the presence of nine wit
esses, including her attorneys. I
guarantee the genuineness n the signa
ture.' 'Sheriff Garrett, of Ardmore, Okla
homa, where she ia to take Mrs. Hamon
to face trial, ' and his party left the
train at Benbrook, ten miles west of
here, shortly after 5 o'clock this after:
noon and proceeded on their way to
Fort Worth by automobile. They
drove immediatclf to the law office of
McLean, Scott and McLean, where a
conference with Mrs. Hamon waa held
behind closed-doors.
Mr. McLean said that Charles A.
Coakley, ef Ardmorevwno is associated
with him in the handling of the Hamon
case, would proceed to Ardmore imme
diately, but that their client would re
main in Fort Worth with friends until
she was "needed in Ardmore.'' -
TALK OVER LEAGUE
Former President Thinks Mr.
Harding Is Working Out
Practical Plan
Marion, Ohio, Dee. 24. President
elect Harding's last conference on the
proposed society of natiopa before east
ing aside political affairs to enter into
tha Tuletide tpirit and its activities was
held today with former President Wil
liam Howard Taft, whose- ideas aa to
the League of Nations have not always
toincH.-d with tboa 'of1 the new party
lesMer. .
Tte former Chief Executive of the
nation, arrived early thia moraine from
Chicago and had breakfast with Senator
and Mrs. Harding..- Then they begaa a
conference which rontuiaed , atU,savl
most Buoa. when Mr. Tafi left for Cin.
reinnati, where he will spend Christmas
with hi briber, Cnarles P. Taft, his
son Kobert and other relatives.
Neither the former President nor the
President-elect would -diseusa tha re
sult, of tha conference. Mr. Taft, how
ever, gavo out n format statement ia
which he discussed the Senator's views
on the Versailles league and the pro
posed society of nations advocated by
Senator Harding. No intimation was
given that cabinet positions were dis
cussed.
Mr. Taft'a Statement.
Mr. Taft's statement follows:
"I enjoyed very much my conference
with Senator Harding. I found that he
had been udng the conferences with
his visitors to foxniulate aad confirm
the general views he expressed in his
speech of . acceptance, and that . of
August 28,, and that he folt confident
that the desire of the American people,
as interpreted, by him in his campaign
experiences and in the results of the
election, wss to avoid the political and
military obligations of the treaty and
the. league, but that he, feels strongly
the ' necessity for reaching common
ground with the leading powers of the
world for aa agreement that ahall se
ct re gradually effective limitation of
armament, a court - with jufisdictioa
over justiciable questions and confer
ence of nations to negotiate and press
compromise of every noa-Jasticlabl
question threatening war aad which
shall give as the benefit of the adjust
ment of our "relations with Germany
secured. to the United 'States in the
treaty without objectionable features of
the provisions of tne treaty aa anewa
in the BeptiMiean reservations - eel
without participation in such commis
sions under the treaty as concern Euro
pean hat ions. . - , . i
Practical Solatlea.
am much encouraged to think that
the' Senator is working out a practical
solution which may not be wholly satis
factory, to the enthusiasts at either-extreme,
of wheat I may be considered
.m. tmt wUl satisfy those anxiens to
stake wKNrresa aad anxious to give the
United States the leaaersnip ana noui
hare in guiding all the nauona to per
mull neaca'-ao far aa that is practl-
h. s Of HiurM. tha Senator ia prop
erly, wary jor-n .oennne jwue. y
U must' denend on the-circum-
stances, which onfy, actual conferences
i.v .il .....Mil 'aav develoD. but
WM 'KIW"-. v - f
.!. . Va- ! iaat nn working out -in a
rery praetital -way -a -resi ami -uwnu.
nutu is moat aoMrent He 4a ia
.Anmmodiitiaff atate of mind as te
details and even important provisions.
if the' definite objections he aiwnya
pressed tohe method and aims and ob
ligations . polWeal and naiUUry
eharaetor eoaUined in the treaaad
the league are.."ipbvaWed. in; new
agreement.' 1'. : V '. i"''
BeaatoT Harding 'has -no conferences
nor engagemeau aeaeauion "r
row With Mre. Harding, he will eat
Christmas dinner with half-
-dosea
newspaper men, whom he has belted, to
be his tnests. Tsloet of . tha'snoening
wUl bo speat ny me 1 IBr"" -Mrs.
Harding opening the hundreds of
presents which have been received from
sU parte of the eowntty. "-
Cutheaaha In China- "V- .:'
TokiO. Dec 23. A -Shanghai dispatch
to ihe'Asahi Shlmbnn -raporta tef
rifie earthquake in.Kansn province on
Deeember lSy-witheasuaiaea estimeUd
WING Af 0 TAFT
CHIjlSIMAS SPIRIT I -:Mq -.
FINDS EASY WAY
Christmas Tree Celebration
Held In Chapel For All
Prisoners
MRS.tBlCKETT MAKES
. EFFfCTiyE LITTLE TALK
There Is Much; Huio With
Soulful Singing On Part of
. Negro Prisoners; Gifts Are
Distributed; Gorerner Bick.
ett Beceires - Ovation When
He Enters Boom
By NELL BATTLSTuEWIS
Stone walls are strong and cruel
things for the men behind them, but
they were not etrong or cruel enough
to keep) ouf the - spirit of Christmas
last night when the inmates ef the
State Prison, white and black, men
and Women, gathered in the chapel
there for a Christmas tree given bj the
prinon. authorities in conjunction with
the Raleigh Woman's Club.
A stolid audience waited the begin
ning of the celebration. Home ia the
place to spend Christmas Eve, and this
audience waa far removed from home
many had not been with the people
I who loved them lor years, and would
not be for as many more again. What
were they thinking of, thoae felons,
those thieves and murderers, ae they
sat and silently looked at the big
bright Christmas tree in front of them
or the colored motto framed and hong
on one of the walla that read.And
the blood of Jeeus Christ, His Boa
eleanmth ns from all sin." How elose
was the connection between the two in
their aaindst
dj n .
' In came Governor and Mrs. Bickett.
Revaluation, and his attitude on . the
Suffrage may have crowned the Gover
nor, but his six hundred odd pardons
are the special star in his gobernatorial
erown certainly from the stand-point
of his audience last night. Here was
the man who had shown himself again
and ngaia disponed "te let the oppress
ed go free, and the prisoners roused
Ind gave him a hearty band.
Mr. Jo H. Weathers, sup, of the
prison Sunday school, directed things.
The Ber. Dr. Weston Bruner opened
the program with a reading of the sec
ond chapter of Ht. lake, the Christmas
story. The words "For nnto - yon is
Jtill "F to tha city off Da vl a
oaviiiur wntca ia ' vnrm ne uora.
were fuller af promise in that bleak
chapel than they could ever be in the
most cheerful home. Then Mr. W. F.
Betta lead everybody ia tinging, "Oh,
Little Town of Bethlehem.'' Mrs. T.
P. Harrison spoke fer the Woman's
Club, aad there were other songs,
"Night of Nights by Miss Stitzel of
Meredith, and "Holy Night, ' Silent
Night." by a quartet composed of
Misses Mary Wiggs, Mildred Davis,
Margaret Highsmith and Ethe) Ferrell
Negroes Sing Hysana.
- Then ' somebody suggested thst the
negro women prisoners sing the same
selection. Before the beginning of the
regular program they had poured forth
their souls in "Who Will be the Lender
When the Bridegroom Comes," and
"Swing Low, Sweet Chariot." But
when ia their inimitable way they be
gan that , song; of Christmas Eve, the
shivers began to ran np and down the
spinee of some of their hearers. "Nig
gers" can sing, nobody else can singJ
that same way, and a "nigger" woman
ainging a hymn over the washtub or
the stove or in the prison, it's
all . the same. There is a plain
tivcly ectatie note in the song of
of a real negro. . What if some of theso
women, prisoners had murdered their
husbandsf It may have blackened their
immortal souls, bat it didn't hurt their
singing, rather, it added something to
H, n queer inconsistency. Their fe
vor., their saerodie duaverinr. their mel
ancholy waa enriched. JL.eroonj ft sort
or atrange whine, a a. the voices gather
ed, aad they 'swmrg into: that, melody.
A deep contralto, boomed almost like a
Mas; a high, clear soprano soared- over
the other voices, clinging to wlerd sain
ora. The white quartet, trained and
AngloSaxon, that had sang previously,
was backed right off the man.
A white Woman directed their ring
ing: ahe told thoae negro women when
to sing softly and when tarmac loudly.
That wasat Beeesaary, becsejse there Is
ho 4 white woman, ) however monies,),
above ground who a tell a negro how-
to sing. A negro slugs loul, he roeks
down-oa the molody" when' the apirit
. " . M tT ...
mvvw, svi won cimeiuo i wriisea
on the muiie sheet.' That spirit doesn't
err, aad it ahonld be, let alone."""""
Bat in came Santa Cllns. red and
furry, ia the person of Dr.,W. C. Hor
ton, and following him nkfykned. eight
unnstmss fairies, ume girls -in? red
and bine tarlatan dresses, very gey end
sprightly and eweet Dr. Hortoa said
few words about Santa Clans mesa
lag love.
Mm, Bickett Speaks. ' ' .
The Ooverno jdidnt speak. Mr.
Weathers said he was too foil for nt-
t era nee because he couldn't send all
the. prisoners home. Hot Mis. Bickett
did, aad she spoke with that asanner
which has made her ; beloved, ; Mrs.
Bickett. talkiagr to. those prisoners wst
deal mere ' than the- wife et a weed
governor with more than 600 pardons
to-bis credit.";, She waa a simple, genu
ine - Christian: womant with - a -- warm
heart. , The Govnraor ' ia. elhaneat butl
pardon your ExeeUeney, .Mrs. Bickett
surpassed him lastv night.' It waa the
spirit -form ef a kind heart that gar'
t er attsxsace, and that is the spirit
that n.ores B.oantalns ', and mes. .
Ntblrg eonM'gie ns 'such a hap
py i Chr.ljrwasr rhs aald, "as to open
tneae dtmrs aad ny te every man aad
woman here, - HJo. Home!', -We - are
tiMUnsjen un rag rrrej
NTO STATEPRISON
( : I. '' - j ; u
4t ..
Ssnjaasai
tVi
el .
1 1
ft
, . ' Copyright, TJnderwood k Underwood.
Photograph shows the famous Plymouth Rock being moved to a new foundation just before the celebration of the
tercentenary of the landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth, Mass., a few- days age. : The little boy beside the rock is Wil
liam 8. Brewster, descendant in the ninth generation of Elder Brewster, of Pilgrim fame. ,
PAINTER IS HELD
E
Twefve-YearOld Girl Returns
To Parents Near
Townsville
Aa the result of aa appeal addressed
to the News and Observer by the father
ef the twelve-year-old victim, C'larenee
E. Painter of near Townsville, has been
arrested for n violation of the white
slave law and the child ia now at the
home of her parents in Vance county
On December 4 the News and Ob
server printed a letter from Mr. C. H
Kobertxon stating that Painter, who is
33 years old, bad left his own wife and
had run away with Willie Lee, the
twelve- ear-old daughter of the writer,
The pair were reported as being en
route for Georgia.
Publication of the letter brought the
matter to the attention of F. C. Handy,
agent in charge of the Department of
Jnatlce .opsratioBs -in this l?tirte. "Mr
Handy immediately reported the "Inci
dent te Department of Justice agents
in other States and the hunt waa on,
Mr. Handy also requested J. C. Kittrell
of Henderson to keep In touch with the
Robertson family and advise the do
pertinent of any developments.
Tnuraaay Mr. nmreu imormeu jur.
Handy that the girl had returned home
and Stated Painter was at Milford, Vs.
The Department of Justice onfoe at
Bichtnond was notified by telephone
and Painter waa yesterday placed in
jail at Richmond, . pending a hearing
before a united Htates commissioner
Monday. The officers at, Richmond have
been furnished the necessary affidavits
and a warrant and District Attorney L.
P. Aydlett ban mado formal request
that the case be removed to this dis
trict.
On her return home the girl stated
fhe bad conducted important relations
with Painter since lust July, when he
first beran to persuade her to run away
lwth him According to her story, they
firat went to Jticnmona ana laier to
Uilford. where Painter secured employ
ment as a carpenter. In both places
the couple passed as man and wife,
using aa assumed name. Before leav
inn home, the child was attending I
publio school and was member of the
sixth grsde.
SELF-GOVERNMENT FOR
DOMINICAN REPUBLIU
President Takes Initial Steps
tfo Withdraw American Con-
, trol In Island
Washington, Dec 24. By direction
th. Prmident. initial steps were
taken today for withdrawal of Ameri
can control over affairs of the Domin
ican Republic. ....
A nroclamation enouncing thia pur
pose was issued at Sen . Domingo by
' .... i ;i!
Rear Admiral, Taeniae onowuen, mui
tan foMrnor. Its text wss maae pun
- .. . .. .
lie here. My its terms ins irwoui
nnmniies of American military- inter
ventlon in the islands fa 1916 are de
i.mi! ' to ba "substantially achieved'
a, .-'.'simple proeesses'Tnsugurated for
I A aitkMMl Cvnm. th reftTtonsi
bilities assumed in eqpnectioa with Do-
A Dominican commission. aiJed"by
an American adviser, will be named by
Admiral gnowde to formaiate amenu
menu, to , the Dominican, constitution
) draft election lawsl When ap
proved by the military i government!,
these will be submitted to a constitu
tional sonvention and the Jominicas
national congress as a preliminary to
the erection of a , Dominican gevern
ment to which the affairs ef the . Re
pnblie.wiU be turned over. . .'
Am necom nan vine - anoaneement by
the. State Department said tranquillity
prevfiled in the republic- - v;
TO. OPEN DINING ROOMS FOR -
A. TOBACCO COMPANT WOKMKS
Dnrhsm. Dee. '24. iThe Uirgett and
Myers Tobaeeo Company-will open a
dining room for their white employe
and one" for their colored V employes
about the 'first of February. The dining
rooms will serve three meals -per-day,
and will be adequate to take eare of
aa.:.th. employes of ' the plant. Te
dining rooms. will , be for the benefit t
the employee and the policy will be to
serve the meals at very neaneost. The
kitchen and dining room will have the
meet modern equipment. A. :j I.
ON SERIOUS OHARG
URGE 50 PCT. CUT
IN
State Tobacco Warehousemen
neage support 10 Acreage
Reduction Plan
ADOPT RESOLUTION AT
BIG MEETING AT WILSON
Warehousemen Declare Kedne.
tion of One-Third in Acreage
Not Sufficient; Call On
Farmers To Kaise More
Foodstuffs and Abandon
West As Smoke House
Wilson, Dee. 24. At a meeting of
the North Carolina Tobaeeo Warehouse
Association here yesterday, resolu
tion wss sdopted urging farmera to se
duce tobaeeo acreage in the eomiaf
vw ntrtfait fty percemt end pleat
ing the eo-operatlon of the wsrohouse
men with the Tobacco Growers' Asso
ciation in carrying out the campaign
for acreage reduction.
The resolution seta forth thst a re
duction of one-third ia acreage for the
coming season will not be sufficient, as
stocks of tobacco are on hands for nor
mal needs if not a pound of the weed
M raised in 1921. The warehousemen
call on the tillers of the soil to aban
don the West as their "emoke house
and corn crib and to msks sn honest
effort to live at home next year.
The association offers its co-opera
tion with the growers organization to
assist in personally visiting .every to
bacco farmer for the purpose of mak
ing the recommendations for acreage
reduction next year effertive.
The text of the resolution follows)
Text of Resolution.
Whereas, theornml supply of bright
tobacco is approximately three hund
red million pounds annually and
whereas it is evident that there will
be carried ever from tlie I'JM crop
fully 300,000,000 pounds enough to
supply the needs of the world if not
a single pound is raised in 1921, and
Whereas the interests of the Ware
housemen and the farmers are identi
cal in reffpert to the amount of tobacco
to be planted, and we feel it our duty
to give the growers the facts in our
possession that they may be saved from
bankruptcy, which niay folio
planting of even a normal crop in
1921,
Therefore, it is ' resolved by the
North Carolina Tobacco Warehouse
Association '
1. That' the proposed - reduction of
one-third in nereage as recommended
by the Tobacco Growers Association is
net in our opinion a sufficient reduction
th.it the reduction should be at least
fifty percent, and that any amount
planted in excess of one-half of the
normal crop will invite disaster.
Personal Campaign.
2. Thst we fool it is the duty of the
Tobaeeo Warehonvmen to reach the
tobacco growers In person and te urge
them.
1. .The sbsomte necessity of cutting
the'r tobaeeo- crops at least one-hnlf-
4-4hat.,lf they plant tnhaeeo at all
they '-should not , plant "Mnke All,"
Big Oem and Pinkttey Arthur, but
should, confine themselves to the staple
varieties; which have given Eastern
North, Carolina, its reputation In the
pastT-' , ..'.-'
S .That thev . abandon-- the west as
heir "flmnlte Hnnse iid Corn Crih"
and pledge themselves honestly to' make
an effort to live at home in 1921, . ,
S. That theTobacco Warehonsemea
St North Carolina pledge themselves In
eo-operstknjw)th the Tobaeeo Oo.werj'
Association o form committees . of
their strongest men who shall vWIt
every grower sad landlord in their re
spective territory and secure pledges to
carry oat the recommendations herein
submitted. And that the week' begin
ning January 3, 1921? shaH be set aside
forcible' purpose. ; ( lS !; ,
i x '"'Kti;9t BMf prices.. ', '.;.' (-,
. Whitasers, Dec. 24. The butchers of
this place hsve reduced the' price of
the best cuts -of beet to thirty cents.
This was done pursuant te orders from
Mavor-JnTTett . White,- who threatened
te revoks lice a see- It its, instructions
TOBACCO CROP
were) not Complied with.
I A
TV0 KILLED IB
AUTO STRIKES TREE
Party of- Young Men Mistake
Efforts of Man To Warn
Them of Danger
Asheville, Dee. 24. Mistaking H. C.
Sothern of Fletcher, for an officer,
and concluding that frantic efforts
made to prevent them from colliding
with a fallen tree on ths Asheville
Hendersonville rosd were efforts te
stop the ear snd srrcst the occupants,
caused the death early thia morning of
Wayland W. FiUgerald and Ceeil
BrewtoV and the painful injury of Uar
wood Johnson, driver of the car, and
Clifford MeCall, occupant of a rear scat
"Wayland W. Pitxgorald and Cecil
Brewton, of this city, came to their
death by reason of collision between
an automobile in which they were rid
lag, . driven by Hsrwoed Johnson, snd
a tree which had blown across ths
road," aeordtng te the report ef .
eoraner! jury at 10 o'clock.
Sheriff J. A. terly stated that he
arrests Would bs made Unless new evi
dence develops. He stated that a I
orosen Dot tie was found near the ear,
aad that tha fluid spilled on the ground
smelted of aleohol. He is firm in the
belief, however- thst the young men
were not 'guilty of transporting any
large amount of 'whiskey and that if
they had any 'at all, it was a small
quantity for their own personal nse.
Newspaper reports that a ear sent for
first aid had turned over on the Bllt
more Hill, and that two other persona
had struck the tree about 11 o'clock
in the night were verified, althongh the
names of the parties involved could
not be learned from the officers. It ia
said that the young men increased
their speed to forty miles an hour
when H. C Sothern attempted to
warn them of the danger they were ap
proaching. WOULD WITHDRAW TAX
EXEMPTION PRIVILEGE
'Houston Would Impose Tax On
Bonds Issued By Joint Stock
Land Banks
Waahington, Dec. 24. Withdrawal Of
the tax, exemption privilege from farm
loan bonds issued in the future by
joint stock land banks has been rec
ommended to Congress by Secretary
Houston, oa the ground that these
banks are organisations of private capi
tal for commercial purposes ia which
tne profits accrue to the benefit of in
venting stockholders.
Tax exemptions in the ease of Joint
stock land banks were declared by the
Heerctary to amount to a gift at the
expense of the government and tax
payers generally. The , privilege, he
said; should not be continued with re
spect to ths private mortgage com
panies organized for private profit.
Thia is emphasized, the (Secretary as
serted, in this period of high taxes.
when the e-overnment has established
the policy of subjecting its own se
curities-to partial taxation and when
the treasury cannot afford to dispense
with any of the receipts which other
wise would accrue oa account of taxes.
The withdrawal of the tax exemp
tion features from farm loan bonds.
however, the Secretary suggested, should
be accompanied by an increase in the
bowers .of, the federal la til, banks to
make any loans, now- authorized by
joint stock land 'ranks in 'order that
there be ne curtailment of the finan
cial benefits to. agriculture provided by
the farm loan act.
During the past fiscal year, the Sec
retary said, ' twenty-seven Joint stock
land banks - were ia active operation,
makine Joans, ia-tha aeerceuto of -29.-
462,470 to 1,148 -borrowers. .
SEC.: DANIELS-SENDS
, rrjr-r-Tiai m m DV
f WashingtoaDec' 84. Secretary Dan
iels seat' todny the following message
to -Secretary Colby who is ea an official
visit te South America? , , ' "
'Washington newspaper baneh sends
season a greetings to ths WCretary or
State.' Ae a cabinet colleague who will
soon join (he bunch I, Join with them
aad; rejoice: Jn Jhs .interpretation of
the sentiment of the United States yon
are making - to ear South' American
brothers. - . :
1
riff!
Wagss Show Reduction of Ten
Per Cent Under New Profit-
, Sharing Plan.. .-
DECLARES PLANT NOT
TURNED OVER TO MEN
Leaders Among; Employes Not
Entirely Pleased at Beduc
tion In Wares, But Con
vinced of, Getting Square
Deal In Receiving: Full Share
of Actual Profits Made
New Bern, Doe, 24. Employes of -the
New Bern Iron Works snd Supply
Company received today their first
week's pay on the profit-snaring basis -established
by the concern in sgr ce
ment with the workers. The psy con
tained in the envelopes hsnded out toJ
day represented a reduction of ten per
cent from the wages received n week
ago and the new scale of pay baaed
on profits above actual operating ex
penses, was said by company officials
to represently roughly the wage sched
ule put fnrwsrd by the concern Several
weeks before the profit-sharing plan
was agrecdn.
Leaders among the employes after
the pay-roll had been distributed, said
that while not pleased with a reduction
in wages, they were convinced that the
company was giving them a square deal
snd that they were getting their full
share of whatever actual profits were
made.
Ernest K Willis, president of ths .
company, in a statement . given out -,
after ,'ie men had been paid off, de
clared the officers of the concern had
not turned over the plant in any way
to the workers, bat had arranged a
eliding scale of pay which operates en
the volume of business done. He as
serted that the company desired. He ai
its employes that their interests were at
all times being looked after and that
it vis hoped that business condition
soon would improve to such sn extent '
that the men would be able to turn out
sufficient work to-enable them to make
even greater wages than before the
wage reduction put into effct under the
old system was made. : i
I want it distinctly understood that
I am president," said Mr. Willie, andi
that we have not turned our plant over',
to the workers. Oar eompaay atUl Is
operating it and will mbUbuo to do
so. We arc merely trying te satisfy
our employee ansLte make It possible
for them to eontinoe at their tasks and
. Ths profit-sharing basis for payment
of wages waa evolved after the com
pany had announced two reductions in
wages, each of ten per eent witfiin n
few weeks, due, it was said, to. the de
cline in prices received by the concern
for its products. The first reduction
was accepted by the employee after
they, had staged a one-day walkout.
The second reduction was received with
disfavor by the workers and after com
pany officials had explained the situa
tion they' agreed to payment on a
profit-sharing baais.
TRADE OPPORTUNITIES '
IN SPAIN FOR AMERICA
Trade Commissioner Arthur
Young; Outlines Spanish
Financial Conditions
Washington, Dee. 24 Opportunities
fnr trttAn with Rrfefn Bra mIIaiI 4a th
attention of American business men In
a report jut made to the Department
of Commerce by Trade Commissioner '
finance and trade conditions, opals,
Mr. Young said, ia the only European
nation with a balance of trade in its '
favor aa a result of the war-and has a
surplus sufficient to pay cash for Am-
arican goods.
Spnin's balance of trade st the close '
of the wsr, Mr. Toung said, waa 4772,
000,000 snd the condition of the entire
country is prosperous. This wsa large- '
ly due, he explained, to the", fact that -Spain,
the only large European neutral,
was able to export goods to the war- ,
ring nations and revel red cash for He
products while at the aame time wjth
standing any ill effect from curtail
ment of imi'orts. As a striking feature
of the Spanish financial situation dar
ing the wnr, the commissioner pointed
out that Fpain even extended a credit
of t1Q,f)00,6oO to the United States. By
curtailing loans just sfter the signing .
of the Armistice, he further said, Spain;
was sble to retain the large trade bal-' '
ance obtained during the wnr end ad
the same time protect Its big war losses.
Cotton is the most important p redoes)
entering into trade between the Unite
States and Spain it was stated, as about
one half of the entire exporfii, f rem the
United States to Spain consists of cot- ,
hut cotton to Spain the balance1 . of '
trade would still be in favor of the
United States, as Spanish imports. do:
not aggregate the amount of eotton
sold yearly. v ,
8TECHER SUFFERING MOM ', 1
Ouinhs, Neb Dee. 24.Joe Stecher,
who losf bis crown jis heavyweight .
wrestling champion to Ed (Strangler) .
Lewis in New, York last week, wss in a
hospital here tnay suffering with neu-
ritis. The specialist sttending him said,
the attack waa caused by straining his
left srm in the Lewis match. He prob
ably will be out of the game the rest
of the -.winter, it waa said. t
Try Fistaf Ha laalng.' ' ' , .
Einston, Dee. 24. The toy pistol had ."
ita inninsr here today. One negro 'boy
was shot and badly injured by another
boy ef his race, and a white youth. nar
1 J V . V..ll.
row 17 aKiptu a wium " . mm .
throngh his clothing. ; .V - i . w
1
if-
4 -.