North Carolina Newspapers

;'i Rife RJTt THE tS'ZAtl'L'X North CiN' l''f Tuesday ad Wia, lltll ' change la tka teapsraur. . - -V7ATCU LAZZL en your paper. Send rnof Ave days before r, ., In order to avoid anlumg a single oepjr. . . jTV 1 vol. pan. NO. 95. GOVERNMENT HOLDS Paraphrases of Informal Ex changes Made Pgblic By The (v Vs State Department ; . INTERNATIONAL LOAN. . SOLUTION OF PROBLEM American-Beply To kfemoran ; dam of German Foreign Kin. later Deicribei German Com u I munication A '"Unequivocal . Impression V of Recognition of separations Obligation ' .WaehiagW April 4-Praphr of th iaiorinl--xehaagei between th 'German and America goiarflroont re garding reparations, ia wlilci the United fitate ho.ds Germsny "mwaijy bound ia make - reparation, so far na - may aw -ibie,'? wr ssada pallis today at the State Department. Describing the Germs eommunlea ' tioa a an uaqtiivocri expression" of the recognition of that obligation, the America reply xprse the hope that mewed negotiations, which Germany says it plana to initiate, "may lead to - a prompt settlement, which will at the ' snu time aatitfy the juit claim of the alliet and permit Germany hopefully to renew ita productive activities." Included ia the German communica tion la in" eroggestlon that the only aohtloa of the. reparatioaa problem ia inn international -lota: in fvr of which tti allied and auosiated powera would wmlYO the, general mortgage on Germaa assets created by the) treaty of Versailles. Ia this connection the German government says it "would pot f aawilling to aaanme the obligation of the interest and the amortisation cf the foreign debts of the allied and as sociated power, within the limit of her capacity. Invites Esamlaitioa. Germtny invites the examination, "by aabiased experts of iti own ability to mahf payment and save abc rtnnda ready tfc meet any, proposal which ap- - pears feasible. "for the solution of the economic end finsmcinl Ltr'MotnK-of - Unrope." " ' I The American reply make" no refer 5 ene either to the proposed eonsolida . tM of billed debts as a Oermnn obliga tion or t,he suggestion fer the determi nation by nabjased experts of the ability of Germany to pay, . - - Another consideration with regard to reparation!' presented by Germany ia that el the rehabilitation of devaatated region! Tn German government says .it ataada ready to pffer t francs good office and resonrecs la whsitever is acceptable. It asserts that for the im mediate rehabilitation of the devastat ed regions it has "repeatedly preferred l-!bor, technical advice and material - aistanee," but that these offers have) ot been accepted. ' (Vj ' As To BehaMUtatiea. ! Germnny declares that there exist a ia Prance "only a limited degree of concern for the rehnvtttion of the ' riotattated regions,'' becsus advance indemnities havs been given to former oreupaats of the aoil who have settled i ia other parts of France tad the' work of clearing the war aress "baa been ! , undertaken : by influential groups of ' promoters who are making no effort to expedite the performance of their , eontracts." Tha Corman eommunicaton ia In the form of a memorandum of Dr. 'Walter.' Aimons, minister for foreign Affnirs, doted March 23, and transmitted , through American Commissioner Dresel at Berlin, who kits had Informal eon veraationa with the German govern ment en the subject for sometime. The American reply ia officially termed a . Statement' . sent to .Commissioner 1 Presel ' Mr communication to ' Dr. Simons. It ia dated Msreh 20. TAR HEEL CONDUCTOR t MAY LOSE EYESIGHT Aaron W. Johnson JSerioualy In. Jnred In Explosioinif' Car. . load of Powder Kkhmoad, April 4- Aaron W. John skn, freight eondhctor oa the Bieh mond, f Fredericksburg aad Potomac Bailroad, who waa hurt in the explo sion of a carload of black powder at Fredericksburg Sunday, may lose hi eyesight as a remit of hit injuries. It was said today that he had not been able to see nines the accident, but phy aieiaaa are still hopeful of saving his alarht Be wsa burned about the face, GERMANY BOUND TO HAKE REPARATIONS ,"71 neck, arms and hands. i 'jshusoa is originally irora nonn Carolina, being a son of the lata Sev. Jordan Walker Johnson; Primitive, Bap tist preacher of near Boehy " 'ount. He baa a brother, Byron Johnson, farmer, ' who Uvea aear Tarboro, and a sinter, Mrs. E. D, Gordon, of Roeky Mount His wife, who was Miaa Eisie Bell, ot Whitakers, Is at his bedside in a Fred crieksbnrg hospital. .V ' " URGE VIRGINIAN FOR V PLACE ON THEI.CC. ' Washington,' April 4. A delegatloa of Virginians called ea President Harding today to orgs that he appoint Vasoa Uanghnm of Eiehmond, Va, as a member of the Interstate Commerce Commission. Those ia the group in cluded Senator 8wanson, CoL Henry - TV. -Anderson of Blehmond, ' Alexas der Forward of Blehmond, a member " of 1h Slate, Corporation Commiiwion ; MoneUns lank ford, Norfolk; B. H. Angell, Son soke, and; William M. Mj- r tin, Petersburg. They reported . that 'Ifr. Kaagbam, who is commerce -eona- 'id far the Virginia Corporstioa Com- : , )iisloa, W ths support of practically j all V4d bdce fa tbc 'n! for sp p:ft3tnf.r.l t the Intersta't Commerce Co w'!.:.'- ' ' - , . , . 'V. 1 ' Ansal Finehutst Horse Show Today. 1 Starting at 10:3ffi a. an.t 130 entries.- SIXTEENPACES TODAY. TO CARRY PROTEST THE WHITE HOUSE Nine; Tar Heel . Girls Protest ; Against Colored . Register : ' of Treasury CONGRESSMEN TAKING NOTICE OF SITUATION Representative TJpahw ' Pro ;poiea To Oarrj Appeal of 607 .White Girls and .Women Di rect To President Harding'; Protest . Not Based On So Called Southern Prejudice The News and Observer Bureau, 008 District National Bank Bldg By KDWABD B. BRITTON. , . (By Special Leased Wire.) ' Washlngtoa, April 4. The appeal of 507 white! girls and women jof the Treas ry Deparement not to be placed under direct control of a negro - ia going to reach Preaideat Harding. Copies of this appeal have reached Senators and Bep resentativea and a number of them havs been in conference on the matter. Bep. reseatative William S. U pshaw proposes to earry the matter direct to the Whits House, the announcement being made that he will add hia protest to that of women of all sections of ths country. It has been intimated for some time that the next Register of the Treas ury might be Henry Lincoln Johnson, the aegso Be publican National Commit teeman from. Georgia, and this has aroused the white women -of ths office that he would -control, bringing from them a vigorous protest and a call to Congress for help. Not alone have the yoifhg womnc. sent copies of their, pe tition to Congress, but the original -letter ia addressed to Mrs Virginia White 8peel, who is the chairman of the National Woman's Bepuhlican Commit tee. . Nine Tar Heel Girls. Of the 607 names signed, nine of these nre North Carolina girls: Misses Katherine A Erwin, of Brevard; Sarah K. Btancill, of Selma; Lottie Newman, of Low Gap Madiaoa eounty ; Mary G. Galloway, and Annie S. Galloway,-of Gastonia; Marion 8. Miller, of Chapel Hill; Pearl Suppea, of Wilmlngtoa; Nannie L Frixsell, of Webster; and Madge Pritchett, of Greensboro. Thirty-five Virginia girls signed, forty from Maryland, twenty-one from Ohio, twenty-two from New Vork, and various other , from Massachusetts, Indiana, Illinois, Tennessee, Georgia, Arkansas, Michigan, Vermont, Pennsylvania, Ken tucky.' Nebraska Alabama sad. District of Colombia. It is emphasised aad the addresses of ths Signers show it to be so that the appeal ia from all aeetions aad net a sectional one; that it is not a matter of Southern prejudice, it be ing stated that Republicans aad Demo crat alike have signed. And that the call for aid - from influential sources is urgent is shown by fhs capitalisation of "prompt action is imperative," at the close of the letter sent Congress men, ii which it is stated: Weald Be Intolerable. "In times of war it was thought in advisable to put negro officers in charge of white troops. Ia times of peace it would certainly be inexpedient to give negroes jurisdiction over white citi zens." And it i declared that in the letter to Mrs. Speel the signer act out that the personnel of the office of the Register of th Treasury consists of mors than 800 clerk, -mostly, ei-sertice mn and white women who are de pendent upon their ineomea her for support, and that "for a negro to have jurisdiction over these clerk would be intolerable." It is further stated that while in th past colored men have served a Begister of the Treasury, only four out 01 twenty-two neve oeen negroes, end at these times ths office fore consisted ot not more thnn, nine teen clerk and on messenger. Now there is a very large force and the office ha charge of Liberty bonds and all reeords bearing upon these. The ineum. bent I a whit man, William 8. Elliott, of Georgia, who cam in with the Wil son administration, th first Caucasian tq serve line 1807. 8ino that time f6ur negroes and two Indians held the position. There is ao word from Mrs. 8 pee I, chairman of the national woman's com mittee, who has had the letter nearly two weeka as to whether her commit tee will call the attention of President Harding and Secretary of the Treasury Melloa to the protest. But they will hear from it from Representative Up shew aad other members of Congress. All the North Carolina member hav been away from the city since th pre test was sent out and they will without doubt be heard from ia support of the white women. Banker Conference, i Th conference today between the War Finance Corporation and a num ber of Southern bankers in th matter of cotton and other agricultural pro ducts was barren of any definite re sult, son being expeeted th con ference waa not authorized to reach any. It was a meeting for discussion of what should be attempted to relieve th deplorable situation which has arisen. Ths conference lasted all day and went over th situation in all it detail. It was agreed that the use of th Webb-Pomeraa export corpora tion and th Edg law on corporations! and th possibilities of ths War Fi nance i Corporation ia co-operation might be extended oa a nf basis. k committee of Southern bankers, the being Robert F. Maddox, .of Atlanta, D. M. Armstrong, of Memphis; Nathan Adams, of Dallas; Charles Claiborne, of New Orleans, and ex-Governor Rich ard L Manning, -of Sooth Carolina, should keep the matter under prompt discusaioa with the War Finance Cor poration. 'There were ao North Carolina bank er in attendance, H. C. , McQueen, of Wilmington, who was Invited, not be ing present. ' At the morning session, which was not executive, Chsrles-L. Abernethy, of New Bera, and Mstth ' (Csatiaaed oa Pag Two.) ' v ' AGA1 RALEIGH, THE NORTH CAROLINA HIGHWAY COMMISSIONERS WHO ; ! ; C WIL IVIILES OF ROAD Beading, left to right, seated Frank Page, chairman; Governor Cameron District. Standing John gprunt Hill, ' Durham,' Fourth District! W. A. Hart, Tarboro, First District; J. El wood Cox, High Point, Fifth District;" Word H. Wood, Charlotte, Sixth District; W. A. McGirt, Wilmington, Third District; J. G. Stikeleather, Asheville, Ninth District:; District. Vivian Informed' U. S. Docs - Not Contemplate Entering The League rn diicu beeni iiTinti . W nugii iibtiubuiiwiiv - THROUGH CONGRESS Intention, of Kepnblioan Sena, tors In Regard To Interna. tional Hatters - Brought Out at Dinner at Home of He Oormick; Ho "Helpful" Ac i tionjIn Regard ,To Germany .; ; , v. Washington,' April 4. Th B"arding admiaiatration intends to terminate the war between ' the - United States and Germany by' Congressional T resolution, M. Viviani, th French envoy xtraordi nary to this country, la understood to hive been informed tonight at a dinner at' the home of Senator McCormick, at Illinois. ' The former premier was also inform ed, it waa said, by Senators present that the program of the adminiatration doea not . contemplate entrance cf the United Slates into the League of Ns tions. . Viviani "Reconciled.' The French, envoy, who was sceom panied by Ajnbassndor Jusserand, waa said to hav been informed that senti ment of . Bepublicsn leader waa virtu, ally unanimous for adoption of th Knox separate peace resolution,' subject only to possible amendment from its original form, early ia the special ses sion of Congress, - - Mi Vivianni was described a appear ing "reconciled'' to ths situation. Those at the dinner said that Viviani had been told frankly that it waa use loss to discuss the possibility of Ameri can membership in the League of Na tions. Most of the Republican members of th Senate foreign relation commit tee aad Col George Harvey, of New York, prospective ambassador at the court of St. James, wer Among those present No "Helpful Action." At the same time the Senators made it clear that the United States would tak no aetion which could be ia any way considered as "helpful" to Ger many, especially ia the matter of repa rations and fulfilling other 'obligations involved ia the peace settlement. Ia discussing ths proposed sepa rate peace resolution, the Senators, itlis uadersteod, asserted their intention to introduce it immediately upon ths con vening of Congress and urge its prompt adoption. However, they added, that if President Harding should request delay in the matter of a vote, this undoubted ly would be arranges. . - ARGUMENTS BEGIN IN GEORGIA EXPRESS CASE , Macon, Ga, April 4. For three hour and fifteen . minute Assistant District Attorney E. Clem Power addressed ths Jury in Federal court a th trial of 43 person accused of conspiracy to rob the American Bailway Express Company of ahipmenta valued at a mil lion , dollars.. He announced when court adjourned that he would conclude liiskrgnmnt tomorrow.. Mr. Powera took np oath defendant in alphabetic order, referring to th ease a "aa alphabet of crime,'' just as he did ia prerentlng the testimony to the Jtrfy. ' He declared ths government had proved conspiracy; 1 Of th 64 persons indicted in the ease, ths government wil stk convic tion ft' only 45. the lit hsvinir been Lredueed from time to time, J. R. Bad- aey being stricken from the list today by Judge Beverly 0. Evans at the re quest of th government. INVESTIGATOR OP AUTO ! THEFTS HAS CAR STOLEN. Chicago,, April 4. State Representa tive 8. E. Wejnscheneker,.' chairman of a' legislative committee which ' next week Will conduct an inquiry here into automobile ( thefts, today was the vic tim of the pdopla hit committee is to investigate. -While falling on friends he left kh is seven passenger csr stand ing by,, ib.urK Whoa h returned in oar wa gone. ; . .,;. .. WILL END VAR BY -PEACE RESOLUTION N. JG; TU Joha C. McBee, Bakersville, Seventh District; J. E. Cameron, Kinston, Second jrlighway Commission Through Process of Being '-'Broken In New. Members Take , Oath of Office and Get Down . To Business TENTATIVE PLAN OF PROCEDURE WORKED OUT Construction and Maintenance Engineers In Each of Nine Districts To Supervise Work; , Chairman Pap;e Submits Comprehensive Report' of Present Status of "Work; W. L. Cohoon Named Attorney To Commission; In Session ( Until Tomorrow Night Beyond th election of W. L. Cohoon, Elizabeth City, aa its sttoitney, the Stat Highway Commission, meeting for th first tim after nlx'new members had assumed the oath of office accomplished little ia the nature ot concrete results. Eight , hours of steady "breaking in" followed the adminiatration of the in ductive oath ia the executive offices at 11 o'eloek. With a working knowledge of the problem that lies before It, the commis sion, at ths' eontinuatioa of ita session today and tomorrow will work out the distribntion of construction and the big question- of maintaining the 6,500 miles of State road now in the process of beirf? taken over bp th State. Definite decision was reached not to consider nny of ths individual delegations that arc in ths city awaiting an opportunity to be heard, fteir matters willjfe left lurgely In the hands of the district commissioner. - - Work By Districts. Working on the basis of nine eon stractioa districts authorised under th Ooughton-Connor-Bowie road bill, the commission is definitely considering the proposal of. Chairman ' Prank Pnge to place a construction engineer and a maintenance engineer in each district, who, in conjunction with the resident commissioner, Will have direct charge and supervision of U work within the district, both .construction and main tenance. Centralized ia Raleigh, and working with the chairman, a Stat construction engineer and a Stat maintenance engi neer will exercise general supervision of the work of building road in North Carolina. General policies of construc tion will be determined at meeting of the commission la Baleigh: The full commission will direct th distribution of th construction funds among the several districts, Neither finance nor definite construc tion 'projects were discussed st yester day's session, and it is generally agreed that finances in so far as th matter applies to the obtaining of money, will not .be a part of the eomminion's dis cussions. Some decision will be reached a to tie extent of the commission's ability to build during the present year, and request will be made ypon th Governor and eouneil of State for the required finances. Chairman Pag Report.; . Exhaustive report waa made by Chair man Pag for th benefit of the new members as to the present statu of road Work in ths State, and ths diffi culties that are to be met in extending road building under the Poughtbn -Connor-Bowie road measure.', Report wss si so made of the preliminary anrveys that have been made toward mapping out and taking over the authorized State system of roads, approximately 5,500 mi lea In length. Digest of the information transmitted iby Mr. Psge, together with the sug gested plans of matntenaace will eon sums th remaining time of the commis sion at its present session. It , Is thought likely that adjournment may be possible by . tomorrow night, and a definite policy and programannounced. Session are being held in the offices of the commission, sad-arrattended only by Mi member. 1 ....... Clark Administers Oath. Th bath of office wa administered in th office of Governor Morrison yes terday morning by Chief Justice Wnlter Clark. Only the member ot the com mission, the Governor and -the Chief Justice weM. present.; New '"" members were W. A. Hsrt, Tarboro, First district-. W. A -McOirt,, Wilmington,. (Csatiaaed sa PagsTweJ ---itiirYT-r'-rT-r-Ti 4 7 Phot by XUmstoa. Morrison, Eufus A. Doughton, Seventh PEONAGE TRIAL TO BE CALLED TODAY - - y 1 - Georaia Plantation Owner Charged With Murder of One of Eleven Negroes ; . i Covington, Ga.i April 4. TUe first sworn testimony ot , alleged peonage conditions oa ths Jasper eounty farm of John 8. Williams, who th atat eon tend caused th murder of eleven ot hi aegr arm hand to hide peonage from Federal agent, will be made "pub lic her during th . trial bf William which' starts tomorrow. The plantation owner faces a charge of murder of one of the negroes, whom he is alleged to hsvs brought into Newton eounty and had drowned. Ths state has summoned a score of witnesses, by whom it expects to Sup port the story of Clyde Manning, negro farm boss, who declared, according to deputies, that he took part in the wholesale killing on order of Williams, but Manning himself was expected to b th chief reliance of the prosecu tion. Manning is dated to be tried aa soon a th first-trial, of Williams ia completed. Since hi first categorical denial of all the charges of peonage and mur der, William bas maintained silence, and hia attorney tonight continued to veil their plana in secrecy. Not even the number of witnesses summoned for the defense wa mad public and report that th defens hoped to spring a "surprls - during the trial brought no comment from the attorney. Array "of Legal Talewt. Solicitor General A. M. Brand will be aided during the trial by W. M. How ard, former Bepresentative from the Eighth Congressional district of Georgia and Graham Wright, Assistant State's Attorney General, who was cent here at th instance of Governor Dorsey. Williams will bs defended by Green P. Johnson, of Monticello; Ga, none of whose clients, according to lawyers here, has been banged in ths twenty odd years he haa practiced law. He bas defended more than a hundred persons charged with killing, including some fifty white men. W. H. Key, f Monticello, and Charles C. King, of (jnringtonv will assist Mr. Johnson. "" .Call 1 Veniremen. Th eourt haa summoned on hun dred veniremen for the trial and it waa expected the -greater part of the first day. would be taken up with th selection of the trial jury. Unusual preparations have been made to guard the court room during the trial, Sheriff H. L. Johnson having doubled his force of deputies on orders of Judge John B. Hutcheson, superior court judge', who will preside, giving the sheriff a force of sixteen men. Judge Hutcheson himself came into the eourt room late today to aupervise final arrangements for the trial and taking note of the report that . crowd of spectator would be on hand, ordered extra chair placed in the room. He took the position, it waa said, that all available space possible should be pro vided for spectators, but that after the room had been comfortably filled ao more should be admitted. Williams and Manning are to be brought from Atlanta on an early train, according to plan aa snnounced by Sheriff Johnson. DOUGHTON NOT TO RUN FOR GOVERNOR Statesville. April 4. The report from Raleigh to the effect Hint Congressman B. L, Doughton will be a candidate for. Governor in. 1924 was denied by Mr. Doughton here todny, just before leav ing for Lenoir, , where he ia conducting hia bearing., in Caldwell county this week on th content between himself ind Dr. Ike Campbell. Mr. Doughton stated he was not esnddate for (1 over nor and did not ex- poet to become a candidate, lie says n is giving his utir time now to the Pnnrreminnal ennteat and that he haa a further political plans. . SIXTEEN PAGES TODAY. discuss plans; TO - OPEN jVIARICET FOR COTTON INTERESTS STRIKE-SITUATION . BECOMES SERIOUS Events In Great Britain Drift ing Toward Grave Indus trial Crisis . RAILWAY WORKERS IN FAVOR OF A STRIKE Rumors Circulated That Got. ernment Has Decided Upon - Military Steps To Handle Situation Crowing Out of Strike of Miners ; Wednesday Will Be Critical Day London, April 4. (By Th Associated Press.) Ths signs tonight point to the dispute between the coal miners snd the government drifting in the direc tion of th most eriou Industrial crisis in recent years. There are rumor that th government haa de-4 eided upon certain military steps, which are likely still further to inflams the miners, whils further emergency regulations will bi issued in accordance with order ia eouneil giving th var ious governmental departments almost unlimited power to take possession of mines, lands, buildings, works, gas, electric and water supplies, horses, food and forags and to requisition all kinds of transport, including tramways and. light railways: to close port or bar bors, eont A shipping and cargo, fix price "of coal and prohibit r regulate the sal and supply of motor spirit. Mueh may depend apon the attitude of th government as revealed by- th debat in th Hons of Commons to morrow snd Wednesday will be the critical day, deciding whether th other Metion of th tripl. alliance, the railwaymea and transport workers, will strike in support of th miner. RaU Men Favor Strlk The railway men strongly fsvor strike, on th ground when railways arc takt- out of government control a similar situation may . aria and unless they (upport th nnn;rs now they- can not expect the miners' support should they need it at that time. Moderat opinion is concentrating ia favor of the suggestion offered Sata day by Alfred Biglaad, eoalition Union iat that ths so-called control bill should be rescinded and ths time limit for control fixed for May 30, instead of March II thereby giving time tor discussion snd arrangement of th wag question aad ths education of th miner to th real industrial poaition at Home and abroad. Joha Robert Clyne and Arthur Hen derson, ths most independent of the Liberal, intend to press this suggestion upon th governmmt tomorrow. It believed that the government will re fute to accept thi suggestion and that the Premier will base hia position upon th limpls proposition thst It Is" Im possible for ths country in the pre ent stats of its fins aces to besr any further burdea ia the shape of a sub sidy to ths miners. It is not impos sible that Important political develop ments may hang upon th triple decia ion Wednesday. CARDINAL'S WILL SHOWS AN ESTATE OF $100,000 Baltimore, April 4. The will of Cardinal Gibbons wss filed in the Orphans eourt today, disposing of I personal estate of about $100,000. To Bishop O. B. Corrigun, adminia trstor of the Baltimore Diocese, Bev. Louis B. Stickney, rector of the ea tltedral, aad Bev. Eugene J. Connelly, chancellor of the Diocese, 1 left tb bulk of the estate. Under a eodU A.m ta N...mk 1010 .11 th. erty owned by the cardinal in Virginia and West Virginia ia bequeathed to Bishop Denia J. O'Connell of Blob mond, Va, In a private memorandum left for the guidance of hia executors, he desig nates the disposition of certain funds for Catholic educational purposes in the archdiocese. Personal legacies ranging from $3,000 to Bishop Com gnn, down to $100 for th servants of his household, also were specified in the memorandum. WILSON AROUSED OVER NUMEROUS ROBBERIES Wilson, April 4. For the past few weeks burglsries snd store robberies have been of almost nightly oceurr ences. Sunday night four residences were entered end the jewelry store of Mrs. Hammerttein wa broken into and between fifteen hundred and two thou sands dollar worth of goods taken. So many complaints hsv been mde to Mayor Hill that he haa decided to call the Board of Aldermen together and urge that plalnelotheamen be ap pointed to run the marauder to earth. Som ar of th opinion, that the late Joseph Lsssiter, vice-president of the R. G, Lsssiter Construction Co., in stead of being accidentally killed n ight hav been foully murdered by a midnight 'prowler, who shot jlhc de eensed snd plsccd everything in posi tion to make It appear accidental. MINISTERS PROTEST ; AGAINST SUNDAY GOLF Greensboro, April 4. Discussion of Sunduy golf featured the meeting of the Greensboro Ministerial Associa tion this morning.''-' Ths ministers were unanimouitly against ' the proposition that ths directors of the Greensboro Country Club amend ths charter of the club so aa to permit golf aa th Bap bath, , -.. .. ' .... " ' 1, . PRICE. FIVE CENT3 Southern Bankers and Govern ment Officials Begin Formu lation of Program For v Financial Aid COMMITTEE' TO STUDY PLANS FOR CREATING BANKING .SYNDICATES Although No Formal Action ' Was Taken at Conference, Propositions .For Govern, ment Aid In Financing; Cot ton Exports Were Suggested and Tentatively Endorsed; Governor Harding Declares That Decrease In Buying Power of Foreign Countries and Not Overproduction Is Cause of Present Predica. ment of Cotton Interests Washington, April 4. formulation of a program designed to aid th cot ton interests in reviving iiport trad waa begun at a conference her today, between representative banker from -twelve Southern States and. Secretaries Hoover snd Mellon, as well a Goveraor Harding, of the Federal Re serve Board, and director of th War Finance Cor poration. ; t ' Although no formal action wa takra today, propositions for government aid in finsneiug Cotton export war sug-, geited and tentatively indorsed. The ' program initiated at thi time, specifi cally for giving relief to th cotton grower, it is expected, will eventually be broadened to apply to the other farm products. ; A committee wa named by the eon ference to pursue further studies of plan to crest local or sectional banking syndicates, which would Serve as-agen-eies to eombins ths financial strength ot interest in tb cotton crop. Around these, it was proposed, would be erected machinery for the extension of credit to stricken European states, whera long term credit is necessary and whera . there ia no market anloaa th exporter ia willing to await conversion of th raw product into finished merehan disc. - 1 Frank Dtacaaaia. : . , Th discussion waa frank, and Oo ernor Harding took ceastot t art that th cotton grower lacked confi dence and that any rlif that could coma must hav it origin among thee interested, aad aot ia th government. After th afternoos sessioa, Manag ing Director Meyer, ot th Pinnae Corporation, onder who auspice th conference wsa hld, declared gcauia, progress 'had been made ia ths direc tion of a plan which ultimately would restors life to th cotton busiaess.' Ha warned, however, that th lituatioa could not b remedied overnight and that only through combined action at those interested in connection with such flnanoial help th government would give in th shape of loan would better condition prevailing in the cot ton belt. General Plan at Action. While the conference today did aot go into detail of the program, it it understood in general to b th Durno ' io use the collective resources of bank in section wher cotton i tied p. Th bank aiding in the financing of th export, it wa pointed out could, with their own paper, obtain further funds from the War Finance Corpora tion ao that their aetivitiea would not be curtailed by lack of money. Organization of export corporation under th Webb-Pomerenrland Edg eta also was urged npon th bankers. Secretary Hoover especially indicated' that in his belief th cotton Interest should, under those two acta and with th assistance of the War finance Corporation,- b abla to establish a suc cessful si port trade. Na Over.predaetloa. Several bankers arced a reduction in eottoa acreage until th world consump tion ea telies up with production. This brought from Governor Harding the as sertion thst there wss no Aetusl over production, but a decrease Un ths buy ing power of the Europeanvtates. into which American commodities formerly went. The job of ths eotton exporter and hi financial backer Mr. Bardins added, wa to. recreate the buying powei ny supplying com eredit on onnd economic lines. The situation In Europe, s viewed by the Reserve Board, he said, aeeded stabilization and he added that on way to aid in this stabilization jwas by a- ' listing those countries in manufactur ing, x A committee waa appointed to atudv the local situation, and includes: Rob ert P. Mnddot, Atlanta, ehairmaa; D. -M. Armstrong, Memphis ; Nathan Adam, uaiias; manes uniDorne, fiew Or leans, and Richard I. Manning, Co lumbia, 8. C. Beaidesrtliose named on th committee. bankers attending th conference today were: Tom O. Smith. Birmingham: C. S. Fitzpatriek, Holsna; J. 8. Beese, Pen- sacola, r'la.; Joha K. Ottley, Atlanta; Archibald Kalns, New Orleans; P; H. Saunders, New Orleans; Oscar Newton, Jackson, Miss.; Festus J. Wad. St. Louis; H. C. McQueen, Wilmington, N. e. D. N. Fisk, Muskogee, Okla.j R. G. rioeti, marieston. e. - c.t J. Poo' Vatthews, Columbi, 6. -O.; T. R. Pres ton, Chattanooga, Tenn. ; John T. Scott, Houston, Tex., and B. . Harding, Fort Worth, Tex. - v . National Prebleasav Speaker at tb conference generally ' ' agreed that th problem of the South urn farmer wa national ia aeop and that any plan utliaed or approved by -thi conference necessarily would point the way for smilar action with respect ' to a eolation of like problem ia thr ection of the eonntryi , - Governor Hirding, told th banker there was a lack of confidence in ga (Coatlaped pa Pag Three) . '