THE WEATHER
North Carolina: Shower Wednet
day; Thuraday fair; not much chang
In tamperatura.
Expense Of Scrapping
Warships Under Pact
, Put At $75,000,000
SHIPS NOW BEING VIGOROUS PRDBE
BUILT WOULD BEOF WAR FRAUDS
SOLD ON STOCKS BEING PflFPARED
Those Completed and to
Be Scrapped Under
Treaty May. Be Sold.
QUICK ACTION MAY
SAVE IMMENSE SUM
With Money Available
flin'nlr Qottlomflnt Witt.
J Contracts Possible.
WASHINGTON". May 2.Rec-
nmmendations that capital ships to
be scrapped under the naval limi
tation treaty be disposed of by sale
on the stocks in the case of those
under construction, and' by sale
for junk or sinking by gunfire In
the. case of completed ships, re
contained in the report of the
board of naval officers appointed
io consider ways and means of car.
vying out treaty provisions. A pre.
Hininufy estimate of $70,000,000
as to the cost of the operation is
included in the report, .
The board recommends that the
battle cruisers Lexington, tinder
construction at Fore River. Mass.,
ind Saratoga, building by the Mew
'York Shipbuilding at Camden. N.
.1., lie converted into airplane car-ri'M'S-under
the treiity terms, the
nl her tour battle cruisers to be
)'jld in the stocks to the nearest
lidders. .
The board in its request made
public today, urged that the
DOO.OOO be made immenidiately
mailable., slating that a consider
able savin? on ships building un
ilT eontnet anil to be scrapped
. could bo made !f the terms of set
tlement were worked out promptly
it It the cor.t'-aetors. It was point- ,
id mit in the navy department.
hmveev, thai the figure of 70,
ono.ooo was purely tentative. Kx.
i;ing liiittK-ihii-s which the board
i commends fur sale or for de
firuelluti by gunfire are the Vlr
Kinii. Xw Jersey, llli'idc Island,
!orla' NebraKka, Connecticut,
Louisiana. Vermont, Minnesota,
Kansas, Now Hampshire, Mlchl-g.-in.
South I'aro'ina. ami the Dela
ware or North Dakota. One of the
l:m two ships,, to bp designated
'later, is to be u,--ed as u target ship
order the treaty.
Ships ' .'ihder construct. on and
i I'commeutK'd 'for sale as junk on
iho stocks or to be cut up under
contract with the builders Include
the battle cruisers Constellation,
mid Hanger at Newport News and
Constitution and United Status,
both at the Philadelphia navy
yard.
The Lexington recommended for
conversion as an airplane carrier
is 83.8 per cent complete and the
Saratoga, selected for similar eon
version 35.4 per cent, complete,
'hlle the remaining battle cruis
rs range from 4 per cent to 22.7 j
er cent complete. - - i
i Battleships under construction
I include the "Washington, 75.9 per
cent complete at Camden, N. J..
South Dakota 38.5 per cent, New
Tork Navy yard; Indana 34.7.
.New York Navy Yard: Montana
17.6. Mare Island Yard: North
Carolina J6.T. Norfolk yard, 31.8.
Newport News.
As to the battle cruisers the
board says none of the four to be
scrapped Is near enough finished
to be completed and launched and
that all four must bo "disastem-
bled or out uo." The board con.
sld.rs It possible, however.
that
V...V,. h. oM oniedto meet tomorrow at na.
4h
the stocks.
The ships building at navy yaras
are recommended for sale as they
stand to private firms for disposi
tion as required by th? treaty but
the board urges that "usable ma
terial" from if! ships such as guns,
machinery, and
"be reserved for use
ise in me prop
aaccounts.'
Xf
:ll made chairman
TRAINING CAMl' uuux
ttai cra.are... ciKwu i
.,.rr m.,.r fhes. I
ter D. Snell, head of the univers-
iiv rtninn division, has Been
snnnintKrt ufate chairman for
North Carolina, of the United
States military training camps as-
i aociatlon. , ,
The war department, with
which the association co-operates
1 Is preparing to hold a series oi
! citizens military encampments this
! summer. Enrollment Is In prog
i ress now. The camp for tne
i fourth corps area, within which
s North Carolina lies, is at Fort
McClelland, Alabama.
1 Three courses of military traln-
ing are offered by the- war de-
partment: the red, elementary, the
i wh'ite, advanced, and the blue,
I atlll more, advanced. The educa
tlonal requirement for admission
to the white course Is graduation
from grammar school and lor ad
I mission to the blut, graduation
Tipm high school,
UEPO
RT ON BECK IB
TURNED BACK TO BOARD
WASHINGTON, May 2. The
report of the military board at
Fort Sill, Okla., which investigat
ed the death of Lieutenant Colo
nel Paul W. Beck was found ."in
complete in some respecta" by the
Judge advocate general and has
been returned to the post com
mander, Brigadier General Ernest
Hinds, for each action aa he may
Seem proper. Secretary Weeks
announced today. ,-,
Mr. Weeks declined to discuss
the findings of the board or to say
whether they might be submitted
to1 the civil authorities of Okla
homa wth a view to reopening
the case. He indicated that the
Jepartmeht wftulfl tk no aatton
!n the matter Until the renort of
the board had een compfetedr,gcrohPllwt i ,
ESTABLISHED 1868.
Executive and Legislative
Branches of Govern
ment Both Act.
DAUGHERTY NAMES
SPECIALASSISTANT
Special Status .for Johnson-Woodruf
Resolution
Comes up Today.
WASHINGTON, May 2. Steps
were taken by the executive and
legislative branches of the govern-
inient today for Investigation and
prosecution with vigor of war-time
fraud cases.
President Harding sent to the
house a request for a special ap
propriation of 1300,000, to be used
by the department of Justice to in-
I vestigate and prosecute all cases.
civil or criminil, growing out of
the war.
Simultaneously Attorney-General
Daughorty announced the appoint
ment of formar Representative C.
McCullouch of Ohio, as a special
assistant attorney-general to take
charge of the government's Inves
tigation and possible criminal
prosecution of cases Involving war
'camp contracts and expenditures.
The house rules commute also
prepared to take up tomorrow the
question of giving privileged status
to the Johnson-Woodruff resolu
tion calling for appointment of a
special committee to Investigate all
j contracts and expenditures by the
70.-.warand navy departments and the
alien property custodian during
and since the war and the settle
ment of government claims aris
ing out ot sucn contracts.
The nttorney-general in announc
imr the appointment -of . Mr. Me
Culloch said he had written the
chairman of Ibe house ruies com
mittee that the department of
Justice had no objection to its In
vestigation and "to go along with
it." ' ..
"I want to say this, however,'
-he added, "investigations by the
department of ' war time trans
actions, has been going on as rap-
ns nnswihle with the funds con
eress has provided, and the use of
other funds where they could le
gUimately be used for the pur
pose.
.Mr. McCullouch was a member
of the house committee in the last
congress which, investigated the
conduct of the war and devoted
most of his attention to camp con
tractf.i SENATE HAS FIRST
VOTE ON NEW TARIFF
WASHINGTON. May l.--The
senate had Iks first .votes today on
the administration tariff till, ap
proving the committee rate of five
cents a pound on acetic anhydride
after reiecting 21 to 37, an
amendment by Senator King, dem
ocrat, Utah, td cut the duty to the
2 1-8 cents in the Underwood bill.
The rate In the house bill waa
eight cents.
Two democrats. Broussard, Lou
isiana, and Kendriok. Wyoming,
roted against the King amend
ment, while one republican, La
Follette, Wisconsin, voted for It.
Thi vote to sustain the committee
rate was 47 to 2. King and Wil
liams, democrat. Mississippi,
casting the negative votes
After disposing of this, the first
committee amendment, the senate
by an overwhelming majority, vot-,
ed to meet tomorrow at 11 a. m
hnnr earlier than usual, and
republican leaders plan for the
present, at last to extend the
dally sessions by thi. extra hour In
an effort to speed up consideration
of the tariff measure.
Early In the day Senator Smoot
sesBiong lf thedem-
..nnttnueH what he charac
terlzed as "tactics of delaying the
bill." Senator Harrison, demo
crat, Mississippi, replied that the
republican leaders would
t a "nrn bar and ft 1SSSO IO
keep their own members present
so as to hold a quorum.
Debate on the tariff measure was
enlivened today by a charge or
Senator King that representatives
of what he called the "predatory
Interests" had crowded for dam
weeks and months the ante-chambers
of the room where finance
committee republicans were draft
ing the tariff measure. He said he
..u i..v. tn senators and the
Lcountry to draw their own conclu
sions as .to tn purpose "r -...v.-the
representatives were there.
nicjtf AGREEMENT SIGNED
WITH SOVIET . RKGIMEJ
GENOA, May I. (By the As
sociated Press.) The Genoa cor
respondent for th. London Even
ing News, In a dispatch to his
paper this afternoon Quotes Colo
nel Boyle, representing th. Shell
group of British oil companies
and the Royal Dutch interests
here as denying that an industrial
agreement was signed hare yes
terday between his interests and
the Russian soviet government aa
has been reported.
Reuter'S correspondent here
says the Russian delegation to the
economic conference alsD flatly
denied having made any conces
sion to the Shell interests, .
; 2
HOUSE VOTES TO EXTEND
THE IMMIGRATION LIMIT
WASHINGTON, May 2. The
house adopted today til to it. the
oorference report on th. immi
gration bill extending the S per
cent Immigration limitation to
June 10, 1925. Th. senate having
acted on the report, the bill now
THE ASHEVILLE
RECONSTRUCTIOrJ
PLANS AR
Mill
RUSSIANS' HANDS
French Withhold Formal
Approval of a Single
. Clause- at Present.
NATIONALIZATION
IS STORM CENTER
Belgium and France Stub
bornly Held Out for
More Restoration.-
GKXtJA.. May 2. (By the As
sociated l'reas.) The draft of the
allied proi osals to Russia for the
itfconstuc.ion of that country was
sent to the Russian delegation to
night, with an amendment offered
by the Trench to the clause relat
'Ing to restitution of or compen
sation fur private property nation
alized by Russia, and with a
Kronen itservation declaring that
tne French delegation withholds
Kb final approval until further in
structions are received from Paris.
The Belgians' did not attend the
meeting of the sub-committee on
Russian affairs this afternoon, and
t'ie French delegates came late.
The memorandum was dispatched
without the signature of the Bel
gians. It was rumored that the French
did not understand that the meet
ing was fixed for 4 o'clock but
when tl.ty arrived at 4:30 It was
clear they had remained away for
further consideration as to
wnether they would stand by the
' Belgians M. Barrere astounded
the sub-cemmiss'lon by announcing
mat in? trench delegation could
not approve the memorandum
w.thout . further discussions at
Pnrie. r:tmier Lloyd George ex
pressed rreat amazement at this,
saying that M. Barthou had told
him th.s morning that the matter
hod been settled. M. Barrere ex
plained that his action was based
on messages received from Paris
after M. Barthou left to confer
with Fnmler Poincare and the
French cabinet.
Finally, at Mr. Lloyd George's
request, M. Barrere consented to
propose an amendment to the na
tionalized property clause and al
low the tmended draft to be sent
o the Russian delegation with the
'trench reservation setting forth
mat tne French were unable to
give formal approval until further
wora t.aa been received from
Puris. i,fter M. Barthou had seen
Premier Poincare.
This leaves the entire draft In
what Is described as a verv un
satisfactory condition and affords
nbundrnt opportunity for the Rus
sians t offer objections.
The French amendment makes
the article more drastic and pro.-.
v.uoB mm nusaia, snail gHvo dis
tinct nssurano.es regarding the na
ture of the tenure which foreign,
eis are to enjoy when their prop.
eny is ruiurned to them. Natlon-
unzea property nag been the basis
ci practically all the differences
or opinion in the sub-committee.
Belgium has stubbornly held out
for more doflnite restoration and
htance has taken virtually the
s.ime position throughout the ne
gotiations. Bnglund, on the other
hand, bus led the other powers In
supporting a policy more nearly jn
line with the bolshevik offer to
it'etore merely the use of nation
aimed iroporty, instead of free
hold. SPECIAL TERM OF CX)UIT
IS HOFC.HT FOR RALEIGH
(HH1 OrrMSMrfenw, TH Alhfrtlll Clil
RALEIGH, May 2. --The Wake
county commissioners today peti
tioned Governor Morrison to call a
special session of superior court
for the week beginning June 26
for the trial of criminal cases, es
pecially the charges against R. G.
Alleij, J. H. Hightower and H. II.
Masey, officials of- the defunct
banking concern here.
Allen. Hightower and Massev
were bound Over under heavy
bonds from the magistrates court
some weeks ago. The charges
against them grew out of the fail
ure of the bank and Its Inability
to pay depositors.
PROSECUTOR HALTS FOR
SMALL TO 8IGV, BONDS
WAUKEGAN, 111., May 2. (By
The Associated Press) Governor
Len Small's trial on charges of
conspiring with Lieutenant-Governor
Frad E. Sterling and Vernon
Curtis, Graflt Parle banker, to em
bezzle state funds, halted today
While the governor signed two $1,
000 road bonds. The Jury played
baseball and went fishing and
Judge and lawyers played golf.
At a short morning seeslon the
defense completed a tentative
panel to fill the Jury box, but the
state challenged three of the four
prospective, and at adjournment
had seated two to replace them
and was still trying to get the
fourth,
NOTED COMEDIENNE NEAR
DEATH IN ROCK.Y MOCNT
ROCKY MOUNT. N. C. May 2.
Ada Jones, noted comedienne,
whose songa and character sketch
es have been carried to all cor
ners of the globe by talking ma
chine records, is not expected to
survive the night, according to at
tendants at St. Mary's hospital
here, where she was rushed fol
lowing a collapse in her hotel
room here yesterday morning.
Ada Jones In private life is Mrs.
Hugh Flaherty, of New York. Her
husband and relatives have been
notified of her serious condition
and are on the way to the bed
side. JUDGE FRANK NELSON, OF
VIRGINIA, PASSEB AWAIT
' LYNCHBURG, May 2 Judge
Frank Nelson, of Campbell county,
first cousin of Thomas Nelson Pago,
author and former ambassador to
Italy, Ui. "Frank" of Dr. Page's
"Two Llttl. Confederates," died to
day at his horn, in Rustburg, aged
12 years. Judge Nelson ws. form
er Judge of the Campbell county
court and for several years repre
sented hi. county in th. state gen
eral assembly. His wife, who was
Ida D. Withers, and several chil
dren eurvlv. htm. Dr. William
Page, the other "Little Confed
rat." of Dr. Page's book, died sev-
graijfsarg, Jii.na.rmLlo
DCATED TO THE UNBUILDING , OF WESTERN NORTH
ASHEVILLE, N. C, WEDNESDAY MORNING. MAY 3, 1 922.
More Flood Waters From
Ferriday Crevasse Now
Endangering Thousands
6,000 Are Homeless in Lands Which May Be Involved
yi New Levee Break Where Banks Are Now
Just Holding Under Strain.
NKW ORLKAXS. May 2. Dis
quieting reports from flooded areas
of the Atchafalaya river basin,
especiully from St. Martin parish,
In southern loulsiana. were re
ceived by Red Cross officials here
today. A committee was' dispatched
at om-o to investigate conditions
there.
The Atchafalaya river flood,
which already covers large areas
of rich farming land, threatening
to break through the levees at a
number f places, especially at
Melville. Is being augmented by
flood waters coming fronCthe Fer
ritin y. 1.. i revasee, -What will de
velop when this added volume of
water reaches the lower river basin
where unconfirmed reports today
placed the number of homeless at
six thousand, is only a matter or
conjecture.
The food situation at the Louis
iana refugee camps, which had
become critical through the prac
tical depletion of all food supplies,
was relieved today with the ar
rival at Rhinehart. La., of provis
ions sufficient to provide for 1,000
persons, for 10 days.
In addition, two carloads of food
were today dispatched from Alex
andria, Ia., to LaSallo parish,
where several hundred refugees
were reported in need.
Torrential rains which have
been falling intermittently in the
lower reaches of the river for the
past 24 hours have handicapped
the more than 20,000 workers on
the lcvees.a The rains have weak
ened a number of places, reports
state, necessitating closer Inspec
tion to prevent dangerous develop
ments. The Red Cross, state flood relief
FIRE
STATION TUESDAY
Dedicated for Service,
Several Hundred Inspect
Currier Hall.
BLACK MOUNTAIN, May 2.-
Dedicated for service to the
pnople o BlacTt. Mountain. ,th
magniflvenf new fire station and
Currier Hall was formally opened
tonight with several hundred from
this vicinity and around 40 from
Ashevillc participating In ' t h e !
event which means much to this i
city and which will serve as a
perpetual monument to the civic I
nnlopnrlh. an A nnmmtinitv Hfltrlt (if '
the citizenship of Black Mountain
..uu ww...... ...-.- .- -
R. E. Currier, for whom the
spacious hall Is named, acted as
master of the ceremonies in which
a large number took part. The
event tonight had been well ad
vertised end the progressive citi
sens of the township were present
almost en masse, thereby doing
honor to those who have taken
great Interest in the new building
and without whom the city would
still have not even a fire depart
ment. Various undertakings enabled
those promoting the idea for the
new structure dedicated to the
public tonight to raise funds with
wnich the building was started.
The demand for a central fire sta
tion, however, would never had
existed, had it not been for the
volunteer fire department at Black
Mountain, which was organized a
few years ago. Some of the
sturdy end strong young men of the
city banded together for the pur
pose of protecting the ' property
from the dread of lire and the
townsmen, realizing the young men
meanb business, gave their sup
port to entertainments and events
of various sorts staged through the
cc-operation of the good women
or the c.ty for the purpose of rais
ing funds with which to purchase
some fl e lighting equipment. First
came the 'human drawn" vehicles
CmHiitiff tn rpe Tw9
BLACK
MOUNT
OPENS
If . ,
PAGING MR. EBBS!
By BILLY BORNE
MJJ II mm. . i ,
9&
rommiSMlons, national giianl. the
American Leg ion ami civilan relief
oi'gunii-.alion were today continu
ing their efforts to rescue families
marooned in their flooded hiunes.
in both Mississippi and Louixiana.
In many, cases those niarnone'd
preferred to remain tn their homes
and did so. -despite the pleadings
of iheir would-Aie rescuers. With
the depletion of the scanty stores
tbpse peopled have on hand, tile
rescue workers will faie another
task in providing them with food
and clothing. .
Because the J'oydwts previse,
12 miles below New Orleans. Is
serving as a spill-way, upending the
exit of waters In the lower river.
New Orleans will probably noi
have a return of the river to the
level that existed prior to the cre
vasse, 22.7 feel, according to !tn
announcement by Dr. I. M. ('line,
weather bureau forecaster, late to
day. Dr. ( line had previously fore,
(listed a stage of 23.4 here. "If
the levees held."
FLOOD CONDITIONS ARM ,
NOW BEING -INTENSIFIED
NATCHEZ, Miss., May 2. Flood
conditions In the Black riter sec
tion of Concordia and Catahoula
parishes, La., are being intensified
by the water from the Weevama
crevaase in the Mississippi leveo
above Ferriday. Since the break
In the levee line tho overflow
water from the Black river and its
tributaries, the Little, Ouachita
and Trnsas rivers, has risen stead
ily at the rate of four inches a day.
Jonesville, La., reported today
that the levee protecting tho town
has almost been topped by water
rcimiinfd tn fttl Tv)
T
RAILROAD READS
TO MOVE TRACKS
Resolutions Passed Citing
Part of Public in Fi
nancing Road.
Declaring that the public spir
ited men of Ashevllle and patrons
nlpm the Ashevillo and. East Ten
fensae ralmad-';-lilifl"'Bptlnud
operation of th line possiDie Dy
subscribing to the stock, the di
rectors of the Aaheville Merch
ants' association last night went
on record urging the company to
allow the tracks to be changed in
order that work on the proposed
Beaver lake may be rushed to
AMlnllnn thl. tiMmai
uuiiiicuiMi nun BUtllHIBI.
The following resolution was of-J
fered at the meeting of directors
and passed: "Whereas, the Mer
chants' association is vitally In
terested in the early development
of a large lake for the city of
Ashevllle and to furnish entertain
ment for the large number of
summer visitors to this section,
and,
"Whereas, we read with alarm
the newspaper notices that the
Lakeview, Inc., plan to abandon
the lake development for the rea-j
son mat permission couia not oa
obtained to move the tracks of
the Ashevllle and East Tennessee
railroad, and,
"Whereas,, the public spirited
men of our city and patrons along
the line, have made continued op
eration of the line possible by
subscribing to the stock of the
road,
"Therefore, be it resolved that
this association regret any delay
in building the proposed lake and
urge the Ashevllle and East Ten
nessee railroad to make all rea
sonable concessions possible, in
order that the lake may be Crush
ed to completion for the entertain
ment of visitors during tho sum
mer. "Be it further resolved that the
Merchants association offers its
good Offices in any ' way possible
ICMtllnned on rant Ttcol )
AIN MERCHANTS
URGE
- I 'vIhmiL' V ,
CITIZEN
CAROLINA;
'
Number of Dead and
Wounded Following
Battle Put at 2,000.
NORTH ANDS0UTH
FORCES CENTRALIZE
Many Foreigners Go Out
to Witness Trench War
fare Near Peking.
I'KKINO. May 2.-.JlSv the As
sociated Press.) Uiln-y cannon
ailing was In prngress today at ra
tions, points aluher tjie front ex
l ending fitun Machnngr smith of
Tien-Tsln. across the country- to
the vicinity of Peking. Severe
tiK-hting occurred- at a point along
the llun Ho river. 30 miles south
of this city, where 40.01)0 troops
of General Wn Pel Fn. th central
Chinese leader.- endeavored to
force a crossing in order to gain
control of the I'ektng-l'ien.TsIn
railroad.
General cluing Tso-I.in, governor
of Mapchurl i. and head of the op
posing forces, fortu his headquar
ters near Tien-Tsln, ordered trains
tn convey the -mttttoody of his
inn unit ...Irli.,., ... .1.- r-.. . -....t.
I luv.vvu ouiuh-io n, Llie iitim. ;ull!
or tne great wan. two .viancmi
rlan aliplanca flew over Ticn
Tsln and proceeded westward.
Later tilrplai es dmpped bombs
near the station at Hwangtaun only
a hhoit disianco frrm here. '
Advices received bv military at-
( taches here said vvu Pel Fu was
i sending troops nc.rtnward at the
greatest possible speed.
Fifty thousand of his troops, con
centrated at l'aotingfu. are being
reinforced from the Y.mgtse prov
inces. Twenty thousand others,
lecrulted ftxim Shantung, are
marching against Chang Tso-Lin's
southeastern strong-hold at Ma
ohang. Two thousand dead and wounded
were found on the field after the
battle of Changstlntlen, outside of
Peking. The booming of cannon
was heard In Peking all last night,
but the canonadlng ceased this)
morning, uespite tne continuation
of trench warfare many foreign
ers, Including legation guards, went
outside Ihe city to view the hostili
ties. " Corporal Mason, an American
marine from Colorado, was shot in
me arm out waa not seriously
wounded.
French employes at the locomo
tive works at Changslntlen nar-
rowly escaped when a bomb, dron-
ped from.n alrp.ane, destroyed th.
works.
Oen. Wu Pel Fu is continuing ts
send troops west of Peking In an
Vttdeavor to envelope Gen, Chang's
nortnwestern- Wing. This vrncipi-
( mieu iignung wnicn lasted all
nignt at tengtal, tan miles from
Poklrg.
Rear Admiral Joseph Strauss,
Commander of the United States
Asiatlo fleet, was due to arrive Mn
Peking tonight to confer with
Jacob Bchurman, the American
minister, regarding
measures for
the protection of foreigners. P.
King Is considered thoroughly pro
tected, since the city's gates are
closed at night and the streets are
patrolled by Chinese troops.
JAPANESE MAINTAIN
NEt'TRALlTY IN CONTEST
TOKIO, May 2. (By The Asso
ciated Press) Japan, according to
the foreign ofllce, is adhering to
ner policy or non-interference in
China, and will take no action in
connection with the present dis
turbed conditions in that country
without consultation with the pow
ers, especially Great Britain and
the United States, If action seems
necessary, and will observe the
Rgreement not to supply either fac
tion with arms and ammunition.
Yukurhl Obata, Japanese minister
to China, who has broken off his
visit to Tokio to return to his post,
carries instructions to this effect, it
Was stated.
Japan has been advised that thus
far no antt foreign feeling prevails
In China, but she Is taking precau
tions, in common with the other
powers, for the protection of her
rationale. It is considered here
that Bun Yat Son, of the southern
government. Is without practical
Influence In the present strife ow
ing to differences -in his cabinet
with regird to the agreement with
11 nlini m rut Ty1
HARD Fill IN
CHINACONTINUES:
MANY CASUALTIES
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
Overman Wins Fight
For Adequate Funds
For Forestry Work
DIG MANS
VICTIMS OF PLOT
TO FLEECE THEM
Designing W o m e n At
tempt to Rob Relatives
f of Insurance Money.
INVESTIGATION OF
REPORTS MADE HERE
Government After Those
Who Prey on Disabled
Veterans of War.
T.vinr helpless on their backs,
minds brclouilod and bodies en
feebled by the nearness to death's
door, some of the boys who fough
for their country and now are dy
ing "as ft result, at Oteen and
kenllwowh h ospitals, nre the prey
of designing women who fleece
tf.em and their relatives ot the
benefit nfforded i by government
insurance and what little prop
t-rty they may possess, Investiga
tion has revealed. .
I Tho condition has become gen-
! oral in '.lie government hospllRl
oer the. country, and for several
days Chief M. P. Mclnerney, of
the special Investigating section of
the United States Veterans' bu
reau, 1 aa been conducting nnlet
tnveatlca.lons at the two hospitals
nere
Tho investigator has found that
tneae schemers, playing on the
weakened mental and physical
conditions of men who were ence
the countrys beat and bravest,
have stripped them of all their
worldly goods, when in practically
every Initance there Is a widow
mid a baby, a mother tor some
cioso rotation, ift to wonder why
such things, caa b.
One of the thlnrs und er snfcclal
Investigation waj the reported acts
! 0f
some who throuah various
schemea had induced Ynen with
only a spark of life llnaerlnar In
their bodies to sign over their In
surance and mailt wills fflvlnv th
J TeWViVt. of 'whS
, Bcnemor tne. money and property
would rlghtfully.be theira.
Director Forbes to
Take Action Soon
Mr. Mnlnerney would "not 'dls-
' close the names of those under In
vestigatlon in Ashevillo or those
arotit whom evidence has been
gathered, stating that he would
make his report direct to Colonel
C fl. Forbes, director of th. Vet
erans bureau, and that action
would then b. taken by Director
Forbes. Jn vl.w of thi. faot no
warrants will be requested of the
district attorney, at present.
' In oonduotlng th. investigation
Mr. Miulnerney tated he found
large number, of good women
regularly visit th. big government
institutions nere and through their
visits encourage the boy. who ar
still fighting th world war, and he
made it plain that those working
through the established organisa
tions ar. recognised as the great
est asset Is restoring the hjsalth of
the veterans. Mr. Mclnerney said
the persona whom the department
are after have no connection what
ever with those who ar. standing
by the veterans, but are those
whom good women are assisting Jn
prosecuting. . -. ..... . -,. .
The methods employed by the de
signing persons are often discovered
by welfare and social workers and
the department at Washington haa
been aasiated in this way.
It la claimed that partlea, in per
suading a dying soldier to change
th name ot his wife or mother aa
beneficiary and designate them.
make promises they never Intend to
keep and skilfully deceive the soldier
regarding their purported friendship.
Landls (oorna the
Perpetrators
Judge Kenneaaw Mountain Landls,
the eminent ex-Jurist, on a recent
trip here wss taken through the hos
pitals and whlla on the trio learned
of the conditions as reported.
"In my years of experience on the
bench." Judge Laiutls unlit, "I
thought I had encountered the moat
depraved and degenerate characters
there could be. Hotora the court
there have Come the most desperate
of the rienlsens of a metropolitan un
derworld. "Mut siloh women as these are
lower than the lowest. Thar Is nn
Hitting term in the Kngllsh language
lth whloh to describe auch vam
pires, who cling like leeches to their
prey and suck their plttfully few pos
sessions, a. disease sups their life
blood." While hare Mr. Molnnrney also took
Occasion to ascertain the present oo
ciipHtion of some former soldiers who
suffered disability but have suffi
ciently recovered to be discharged
from hospltal8. Tt Is said there are
a few In Ashevllle who have return
ed to civil pursuits and have not re
ported doing mo lo I tie bureau. Com
pensation Is not permitted after any
veteran is able to return to civil life
and lake up his regular work and
the American Ltglun has been active
in weeding on
well aa rlrtdln,
ut the "gold bricks" aa
g the Hovernment res-
ervalion of
liose attempting to have
Insurance assigned
io in
hem,
and learn the great val
who MV6 the?
Do not trade or tell
Redeem them at Premium Sta
Write for free Illustrated
United Profit-Sha
Redemption Agent 41
SOUTHERN TRADE HODV
SAIIJXGIH POSTPONED
WASHINGTON! May - 2. Can
cellation of the sailing or the
steamship Frederick Vllf. sched
uled for today caused a postpone
ment ir the departure for Europe
of the Southern Commercial con
gress foreign trade commission.'
The commission, which Is headed i
by Thomas R. Preston, of Chatta
nooga, will anil June . (
1 PAG
I 0 TOD
PAGES
AY
CI
MONEY ILL B U
NEW LANDS OVE
$450,000 Appropriation Is
Rescued by Senator Over
man '8 Efforts.
NUMBER OF TRACTS
AROUND ASHEVILLE
Local Forestry Men Are)
Gratified with Result;
of Conference.
vusivim) straws
tss tusamis citiii
lY H S C. BHHST)
WASHINGTON, May 8. enator
Overman won his fight for th. Apj
plachian forest reservation fundi
The final amount allowed by the)
conference committee was 1450.4
APPAAC
ANftREf
000, while his amendment to thu
senate bill called for 1575,00
The house bill provided th. paltfM
sum of 175,00. Th. .urn tgree
upon is small enough, but Mrl
Overman's Influence and energy!
saved the project. Th. senate andUi
house will accept th. ohang. mad.
by the cunfereno.,, 1
FOREST OFFICIALS ARB , !
GRATIFIED OVER PCNP
When informed last night by a
representative of The Citizen that
th conference committee had al
lowed $460,000 for th. Appalach-f
lan forest reservation fund, fores
officials wer. pleased and stated
that the fund would b. spent In
acquiring new lands in th. South-'
em Appalachians. It was stated
that Senator Overman ha been un
tiring in hi. effort. In behalf of
th. southern forests, especially in
the vicinity of Ashevllle and those
interested wer. confident h. would
"put over" the larger part, ot his
proposed program. , , i
It Was declared that lands- are
now under option whloh will take
up practically1 the entire amount
and add at least 100,000 acres to
l lie present 2,000.000 acres of i&mie
in th. Southern Appalachian.-
A nunvber of tract, are in the
vicinity - of the forect lands nenr
Asbevllle and many ar. excellent
timber producing lands. A price of
from $3 to 14 per acre la paid by
the government for the .lands, it ia
stated. it
On a recent visit to Ashevllle
Senator Overman expessed himself,
a. being deeply Interested in the
Appalachian forests and declared
he will do all In his power to up-!
build them as a playground and '
also for their Umber supply val
ues, . - I
KING MAKES CHARGES
AGAINST TUB ECTEKESTS ,
WASHINGTON, Mar ii Charges
that representatives of "the pre-!
datory lnteresta," day after day,!
week after week and month after
month haunted the senate finance!
committee room where republican
committeemen were framing th.I
administration tariff bin wer. ma
today In the senate by oanatoi
King, democrat, Utah,
-- I, , , , in , ,:
AGREE! ON ENLISTED
FORCE OP M.000 MCE
.WASHINGTON, ' M y J.e- An
agreement upon a naval enlisted
personne'. for next year of 10,000
men, tho number voted by th.
house, wss said to bav been
reached unanimously at an execu
tive meeting today of th. aerate
appropriations aub-commltte. con
sidering the house measure.
WINSTON-SALEM WOMAN
DIES AT AGS) OF 104
WIN8TON-8ALEM, N. O- May !-
2. Mrs. Charity Adeline HI ok a, I
aged on. hundred and four years,
died her. tonight at th. horn, of
hor daughter. Vo to her last
brief illness she waa wonderfully m.
active in mind ana boay, Bhe
had been a member of th. Meth
odist church i9 years.
JAPANESE OABrNRT TO
UNDERGO REORGANIZATION
LONDON. May 1 (By th. As-
soeiated Press.) The Japanese
cabinet, headed by Premier Taka
hashl has resigned for the pur
pose of permitting at partial reor
ganization of the industry, savs
an KTchsnge Telegraph - dispatch
from Tokio. today,
NOTED KXPERT TN RATS
DIES FROM THEIR BURNS
B'EIJJVrTX.E. Ills.. May ;. Dr.
Herbert Roberts, internationally
known x-ray and radium special
ist, is dead at his home here. Ills
death indirectly was due to burns
while experimenting with roentgen
ray. before present day precau-
tIonftry measures were known.
FIRE IN TREAStTRY
BUILDING CONTROLLED
WASHINGTON, May 2.
Flames which burst from the
roof of the treasury department
shortly after 1:30 a. m. today,
eating their way through a
superstructure and spreading to
the central portions of the roof,
were brought under control af
ter threatening heavy damage to
the building. -
lisping 30 feet or rj6rB In
tl.e air. the flames lit up a large
parr of the downtown section
nnd sparks were wafted across
the street-to the White House
lawns. , Awakened by White
House attendants. President and
Mrs. . Harding dressed and
watched the- progress of the
flames at a window.