NEWS
18 PAGES
H
NIGHT
EDITION
TODAY
AND EVENING CHRONICLE
"GREATER CHARLOTTE'S HOME NEWSPAPER"
- rn inl.OTTn NKWS RstnltliMheri, Daily. 1SSS; Sunday, 1910.
1flFi rvKMSO CIIHOMCI.K Established, i;,03.
CHARLOTTE, N. C, THURSDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 8, 1921.
THE cnARLOTTE NEWS j Consolidated IPPTPT? PT?"TTCI
THE EVENING CHRONICLE (May 8, 1914. A icH-Il I; X V Hi .i-ilXO
t ACCEPT
All Decisions Of Conference
To Be Em hodiedlnAgreemen t
One General Pact Will Cover All Questions, the Japa
nese Forcing the General Agreement as Price of
Consenting to Naval Program of Hughes.
iSALS M
S
lEffi CLAIM JAPi!
NEW SYSTEM OF
OMATIONN
ELEVEN HANGED
AFTER TRIALI
MRIMmAiIeD PKUPfl
aSSIs
U.-
Wm
111 -
Fathers of Suspended Boys
Make Formal Complaint
o School Board.
ATTACK "PRINCIPAL.
'Contend That He Has Lost
Hold Upon Students by
' Reason of His Conduct.
, . rh
1.!''!
a!!
'. a
that the recent handling
res against their boys in
. . 1 T t r 1 . " 1 1 t
:. :uvii t' i;ranam iiiru ciiooi oy
y li. d.iringer "clearly demon
i the manner in which this
wii? handled by him us well
v'v ar:, that he is lacking in
fir..,;1jcjji Kinnni'ss. uipiuriuicy ,
i .-liberation and fairness,
' " .. c j ..... i r 3
m-'.v rr -sense ol jusuce, aim
'trc ability to maintain the re
,,; tiv students under his
t i-i.o fathers of the six boys,
. . w under suspension, P. II.
-t Mo. can H. Spoir, Robert J.
cytus W. Jones. Paul C.
nr-1 John M. Morehead, mail-jv-mat
complaint Thursday to
,:!. mi of the City P.oard of
iY:r.inissioners, Brent S. Drane.
to make it clear," the
.,;: ivaus, mat we, me parents
boys, do not condone infractions
; ';!;.' of misbehavior on the
f 'i:r boys. They are guilty of
a -: of discipline. The original
h.i been mitigated. The fac
s i.f opinion that the good of the
(i-MiiunJs the punishment final
r, out to them. Professor Hard-.-..ivos
such to be the case. We
'j. '.::;,.,,-.. In view of the statement in
rr-l x-'-vs o. Saturday, December 3, by
r-.' ir;-r.e. chairman of the school
i ni. that it was the purpose of the
i :ivl Y let the responsibility of run-
3.
t'
V.
iV' school rest with Dr. uarin
who.e calmness and fairness in
.irectinir the administration of the
fhoo'.' he vouches lor, we deem it un
.fip" to appeal.
risArruori: of sentences.
"We wish to say. however, that we
n.:iiar the sentences as finally im-
os' d nlti gether out of proportion to
jti-e eravity of the offense, especially
h;n considered in connection with
he humiliation heaped upon the boys
br. Garinger botii before the stu
hedv and in the public press. The
me takes from the boys three
schooling for which their par
have paid, which will hamper
i in their work, during the next
Tt v.iil profit no one anything,
ivn. form of punishment that
not have deprived them of this
lb-
f- !
V - i Y
v.-
?,r:n.
i would have been just as effective.
J-s pa'.nabie injustice will have the in-ivitabl-
. aect of lessening rather than
.ctva-ir,g their respect for the one re-fc-ons:We
for it. If the severity of the
f Tri-i-R-cs was for the purpose of es-
t Ybshing order in the school rather
I -n to p'-'nish the specific acts of
r-'hirh the boys were guilty, then we
fay that thai principle is not in accord
jdth right and justice as we under
Van! it. One of the objects of pun-l-hvren'
is to deter others, but, in ap-ib-irs;
that principle, courts of justice
r.:n:.i for the offense charged and
i r.e ether, and no court worthy of
I .e civilization of which we in Amer
i a boast, ever imposes a sentence
i nv- severe than the particular of
J ; warrants. That is a fundamen
bl bri.'ii i;,;.,- of justice. It has been
"k;,ti-"l ;n thks case, in our opinion.
V'e co::ider the offenses of compara
)''. sir.;i!l moment, meriting punish
J n l, sure, but punishment of
) -' -i -e rity than that imposed. With
-is '.-(.mnit-nt. we reiterate our ac
r.iu .--i-er.i-e in the sentences."
1 OSS (H KESPECT.
After a recitation of the facts in the
se. which the statement says can be
ihs" antiatt-d by affidavits, the parents
suspended boys feet out the con
rr;or, that these facts clearly demon-
"lack cf ability on the part of
I ! .a' ij.al to handle an ordinary sit-m-
i'i which is liable to arise in a
pnoo! ft any time. We have no doubt
'i'cipline of a sort can be main
? ;r,a by terrorism, but we submit
at the respect of the pupils, teach
i - and riaia-nts cannot be maintained
b y ueh way. The true, discipli-
!S dlK' wlio winu i Vi j cnnflflonnii
-iki (,f the students under
' his fairness and justice and
" ;s ''" s-ui'cr way to lose their re
."'' l-y a lack of these. When
'"I'-pis nave their respect for a
""ii'iui oy acts wnicn vio-
Capital Ship -3 Ratio
Has Not K v , Accepted
by Tokio Government.
HARDING "CONFIDENT.
Negotiations Promise to
Succeed Beyond Fondest
Dreams, He Declares.
Washington. Dec. 8. (By the Associ
ated Press). The Japanese Government
has accepted the proposal for a quad
ruple understanding in the Pacific, an
authorized British spokesman said to
day. The British spokesman said the 5-5-3
ratio proposition, with regard to capital
ships, was in some way related: to a
complete settlement and that this propo
sition had not yet been accepted by the
Japanese Government.
Calling attention to an Associated
Press dispatch from Honolulu quoting
a Japanese newspaper as to acceptance
by the Tokio Government of the quad
ruple plan, the British spokesman said
this was correct and that the Washing
ton conference knew it to be correct.
The proposal for a new four-power
treaty, as a substitute for the Anglo
Japanese alliance and providing for a
period of peaceful discussion befre re
sort to arms over any dispute involving
the Pacific islands, was generally viewed
today as a definite shaping of develop
ments along important lines of accom
plishment. While President Harding, in
declaring in a public address yester
day that the negotiations promised to
"succeed: beyond our fondest hopes",
made no direct reference to the pro
posed four-power agreement, his expres
sion was everywhere accepted as evi
dence of the optimism with which
the American delegates view the pres
ent trend of the negotiations.
The discussions among the delegates
are known to have reached a well-ad
vanced stage. Affecting in its proposed
terms neither Chinese problems or Pa
cific fortifications and the naval reduc
tion program, the project is regarded
by American delegates a sestablishing
neither a nalliance nor an entente, but
merely as applying to the Pacific islands
the principle of the numerous Bryan
treaties, to which this country already
is a party, in providing a "cooling off
period" of discussion before going to
war over international disputes.
May Divide the Country
Into Hostile Factions or
Groups, Says Weeks.
NOT PARTY CONTROL.
Tax Commissioner is Con
firmed Without Dissenting
Democratic Vote.
TAX EXEMPTION BILL.
Change Has Had Tendency
to Weaken Effective Gov
ernment, He Says.
New York, Dec. 8. The present sys
tem of organization in Congress, where
by control is divided between numerous
committees, may, "if carried to its logi
cal conclusion," divide the United
States "into hostile factions or groups"
or leave the country "powerless "to de
fend or maintain its interests, nation
al or international," Secretary of AVar
Weeks said today in an address before
the convention of the Association of
Life Insurance Presidents.
Contrasting the present situation
with a recent Administration character
ized by reference to "a big stick, Mr.
Weeks said:
"It was not many years ago that we
heard stories about a 'big stick' which
was supposed to be used in driving
Congress into a state of tracta'.ility
and force the enactment of laws desired
by the executive. The truth, however,
is that, while the executive was a mas
terly man nt ao r.matin--': personality
nd characteristics, he was a party men
and those in the legislative branch of
he Government were equally so. They
believed in government by party and
that the responsibility under such vov
ernment s-iould be ooserved even by
hose who might doubt the wisdom of
the proposed action. The result was
that the leaders in the Senate and in
the House consulted the Executive and
together they formulated the policies
to be followed. Quite frequently, no
doubt, the Executive, in some instances,
urged, and perhaps imposed, his views
on the Congressional leaders; but in
variably these men returned to the cap
itol to carry out the decision reamed
at the conference, and the members of
that party in the Senate and House, re
cognizing the necessity of responsible
action, supported them in their end'. av
ers.
"Then came a reform, or it was so
heralded, in the conduct of the House
of Representatives. The power of ac
tion, which had largely rested with the
peaker and through him with the com
mittee on rules, was taken away a".d
divided among committees. The result
I think it has been clearly .. demon
strated is that it is impossible to get
the type of legislative action which
comes from party regularity and re
sponsibility "
CZAUIST POWER NEEDED.
CABLE COMMUNICATION POOR.
Washington, Dec. 8. (By the Asso
ciated Press) Difficulties in cable com
munication with Tokio were said today
to nave delayed receipt of the Jap
anese Government's views on accept
ance of the American proposal for na
al limitation. Portions of a dispatch
from Tokio were understood to have
been received but some portions of it,
it was explained officially, had not yet
arrived.
The American delegates, who met
again today, were said to have been
advised of the extent of word received
from Tokio, but this was said not to
be conclusive in view of the fragmen
tary receipt of the Tokio answer.
Optimism among the American dele
gates was manifest, however, over the
naval phase of the conference. It was
probable, American officials said, that
a plenary session of the conference will
be held early next week for a public
statement on the naval program.
ih-ir
v r ..,
M-a.hi
a
'JUL
no,..
or
:i tiii
anaie sense of justice and
' K. his influence for good is
the same extent. The true
ri;in is one who not only ex-
'pi:ire deal from those under
who gives them a snuare deal
A principal with ordinary tact
1 '"!!ornnry, who commanded the
and confidence of his pupils,
V' ,1:Ve straightened out the af
I ' wen the admiration of his pupils
f '''' Saino limn "
!"h Tallc acls nf Dr- Garinger for
...'!, ,!"; Parents make formal com-
f ..' 'iVf- Xiv tn as follows:
' " aeuon ot Dr. Garinger in
i,s;iy the. extreme sentence on the
in the ih-st instance, of taking a
Y- being expelled from school
"..'-nse of popping 'Devil-caps.'
- i exhibition of temper on his
investigating the occur
' I he lack of calmness, fair-
tehbeiation in his investiga
II nassincr siintcnpo
'stringer's arraieriiins these
'"'e the entire high school and
'o them and about them in a
ealculatpfl tn li
in,,,. .' J'UUI1 or J-r. uaringer in
I'-, ', J; '-m" his willingness to receive
lie. '"'"in r Punishment from the
a! !,(, rlv snrj denying the request
. ""r tnat they be given time
- ' ! ,;"e on the ma.tter.
1,1 action of Dr. Garinger in re
, r,r. request of the president of
' ( lir";nt body that they be allowed
-, n"l'-r the matter in chapel
... -.;. morning
:"'Uon (jf Dr. Grainsrer in re
,;,' "How one of the boys who
n '"aKe explanation of his part
me rignt to cio so.
' giving of an interview to
ih,V,. ; 'Pers by Dr. Garinger, in
I'liuiisnea to the world the
. "T the boys involved and gave
A f.
"r detailed recitation of the in
.-Vs '"
:-kin
alii:,,'.
as set out in the in
(r
''"tinned
SENATE COMMITTEE
IS NOT YET AGREED
Washington. Dec. 8. The Senate
Committee failed again today to reach
an agreement with respect to provi
sions of the House bill for refunding
the war loans to the Allied powers. On
ly a brief session of the committee was
held and it was said afterward that
there had been little change in the line
up of committee members from the di
vision of opinion developed Tuesday.
Changes in the House rovisions creat
ing a supervisory commission to nego
tiate bases of payment of the debt pro
posed by Senator Simmons, North Ca
rolina, ranking Democrat of the com
mittee, were said to have gained some
support since the last meeting. Senator
Simmons was understood, however, not
to have been successful jret in getting
all Democratic members behind his sug
gestion. Two Republicans were said
to have informed the committee they
would agree to the Simmons' plan
which, substantially, would reserve to
Congress some of the power bestowed
on the commission In the irlouse oui.
Burgwin Measure Defeated
by Vote of 24 to 19; May
Come Up Again.
BY JtXE B. WARREN
Staff Correspondent of The ts,
Raleigh, Dec. 8. Without a singls
Democrat voting- against him Col. Al
ston D. Watts was confirmed by the
Senate as commissioner of revenue
yesterday. All of the .seven Repuubli
cans in the chamber during the execu
tive session voted against Colonel Watts
but that was not unexpected for the Re
publicans have small cause for loving
the Iredell county man.
This, undoubtedly, was the feature o"
the day's busy session" of th.1 Legisla
ture, but it by no means compasses the
whole story of the day, for the first
rumblings of the fight over the school
policy found its way to the floor of th.
house when Everett of Durham offer
ed a 'bill asking Dr. E. C. Brooks ta
furnish a list of the counties which
have levied the thirty cent school ta?:
and still do not have enough to run
the schools six months, and ashing Col.
A. D. Watts to furnish a list of the
counties which have made cuts in val
ues and the amount of the cuts made
bv the counties and sustained by the
board of equalization. Mr. Everett
wants something on which he can make
an intellegent study of the question,
he explains in asking these two depart
ments for this information.
These two matters, together with the
ntroduction of another large number
of local bills, the rejection by the Sen
ate of Burgwyn's effort to increase the
taxes on the man owning less than $300
worth of property through a reduction
of the exemption from $300 to $100, the
enewal of evidence in the lower house
of another big fight over the stock law.
and cattle tick in eastern Carolina, and
the effort of the Senate on December
16 as the date for sine die adjournment
constitute the tabloid history of the
lay's session.
THE SENATE SESSION
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Staff Correspondent of The Sewg,
Copyright, 1921, by News Publishing Co.
Washington, Dec. 8. All the ques
tions relating to battleship construc
tion, submarines, fortifications and Far
Eastern questions have been tied to
gether and will be embodied in a gen
eral agreement.
This is the latest development in the
armament conference and with it goes
an explanation of the talk of a four
Power "treaty" or "alliance" as well as
the various steps that will be taken in
the immediate future.
Instead of making a separate ar
rangement oh the ratio of strength in
battleships the Japanese are being in
structed to accept the American pro
posal on the understanding that there
wiii be an agreement forbidding any
increase in fortifications in the Pacific,
an agreement covering submarines and
auxiliary craft, and an agreement em
bodying the principles that shall apply
to Chinese and Pacific problems.
JAPANESE AUTHORITY.
The authority for the foregoing is
ICoUiro Moehizuki, head of the opposi
tion party in the Japanese parliament,
who by arrangement with the Japa
nese embassy, had a long conversation
with President Harding on Wednesday
at the White House. Since he is not
Investigation of Senator
Watson's Charges Begun
by Senate Committee.
Instances of Alleged Illegal
Hangings and Witnesses'
Names Given.
will be held in a few days to announce
that fact, but the decision reached will
not be effective until an agreement has
been made on other points.
The formula is for all the nations
to agree step by step to the battleship
ratio, submarines, the fortification
question and Far Eastern problems j JTMTIT fVXT YVTTTM'PQCIT'QI
and later to embodv all the senarate -lJ liTlWiH V 1 1 1 riOOriO.
memoranda into a single agreement
covering the whole business. This proj
ect was discussed by the principal dele
gates and has led to talk of a four
Power agreement. The fact is that
the fourPower idea arose quite na
turally out of the American mode of
precedure in proposing reduction of
navies of Great Britain, Japan and the
United States. Then it was determined
that since France had fortifications in
the Far East, she too, should be in
cluded in .any pledge to refrain from
increasing naval bases or armament in
the Pacific. The plan now is to have
these four Powers sign the memoran
dum with respect to naval matters and
then submit it for adhesion to the
other Powers especially concerned
with Far Eastern questions, because
one of the cardinal points in the linal
agreement will be the settlement of
Chinese affairs. In other words it will
start with a four-Power, or possibly a
I five-Power agreement on armament
an official delegate. Mr. Moehizuki talks i an(j win be extended to a nine-Power
AMERICAN DELEGATION MEETS
Washington. Dec. 8. (By the Asso
ciated Press) The American delega
tion to the arms conference held a
meeting early today in Secretary
Hughes' office at the State Department.
TO DO YOOP
SH0PP1MG
- .... ! -
''. 4
SALE . i
"I can recall," said Mr. Wooks, "in
the days of so-called Cannonism, when
Mr. Cannon was called a Czar, as would
have been any other man of strength
filling the Speaker's chair under those
conditions, that the Speaker found
ways, perfectly legitimate under the
rules, to prevent the enactment of a
vast, amount of personal and irrespon
sible legislation.- More than that, he
had the power, and he used it, to pre
vent appropriations intended for local
rurnoses which were not needed and
which were not for general good.
"To my mind the change has had a
tendency to weaken effective Govern
ment, has resulted in iresponsihle legis
lation, prevented both parties from car
rying out pledges made in their plat
forms, and, in time, will divide the leg
islative branch of the Government into
groups, each group championing a spe
cial cause, and we will see one group
combining with another to bring about
a control of legislative action in the in
terest of a particular faction."
The farmer "the backbone of the
country" was the first to feel the ef
fects of post-war deflation, the Secre
tary said, but added that "the tanner
could not be entirely absolved irom
blame" for his present situation, as he
should have foreseen the inevitable col
lapse of values.
HAS IT HELPED FARMER?
"I shall not take the time to criticise
the legislation Congress has enacted for
the benefit of the farmer. It was
brousrht about by a combination of
members of the two great political par
ties which had sufficient votes to ob
tain the result desired. Some of this
legislation may benefit those for whom
it as enacted. Much of it is unsound
however, from an economical stand
point, and I very much doubt if it will
be of any benefit even to the tarmer.
"One of the least excusable of the
laws passed, it seems to me, was that
increasing the interest rate on farm
loan bank bonds to 5 1-2 per cent and
leaving the rate to the farm borrower
the same as it had been. Under the
present law, as I see it, the Govern
ment is financing the farmer and is
producing a vast volume of non-taxable
securities, so that, in effect, the farmer
is borrowing his money at a much low
er rate than the current market war
rants. What would be said as an olt
set if the Government undertook to fi
nance all the manufacturing industries
of the United States by loaning them
money at a fixed rate and no taxe
were paid on this indebtedness, and
then extending that policy to every in
uustry? We should soon find ourselves
without taxsble roperty and complete
transferral of the investments of large
estates into non-tExable securities.'
WED TO GET OUT OF
SCHOOL ATTENDANCE
Portland. Me.. Dec. 8 Gladys M
Rhodes, seeking a divorce from Rolley
Rhodes, of Easley, S. C, . testmed yes
terdav that she married him when sh(
was 13 years old only as a means of
avoiding attendance at school. She
was a big girl and other pupils plagued
her, she said. The marriage took place
in Philadelphia in 1916. She charged
cruelty and non-support, adding that
she had left the home of her husband's
parents in South Carolina without
shoe. Decision was reserved by the
court.
CHARLOTTE BANK CLEARINGS
(Reported by Chamber of Commerce
For the week ended:
November 30, 1921
December 7, J21
December 8. 1920
$6,716,926.05
$6,354,084.2
$6,885,720.89
By a strictly party vote, 36 to 7 the
Senate on Wednesday morning con
firmed the nomination of Col. A. D
Watts as Commissioner of Revenue.
All of , the Democrats in the chamber
at the time the vote 'Careen' voted
f or,4he . cnrirm.tcik&.nd -ajj .a the
Republicans voted against it. The gen
eral understanding :s that all of the
Democrats absent would have voted for
confirmation had they been there.
The Republicans, through Leader
Bumgarner, asked for the record vote
roll call and the following voted
against Colonel Watts' confirmation:
Bumgarner, Byrd, Dewar, Jones of
Stokes. Reinhardt, Robinson and
Raynor.
The Governor sent up a special mes
sage announcing the appointment and
asking for confirmation. When the
Senate went into executive session Sen
ator Scott, of Iredell, made the motion
to confirm and it was seconded by
Senator Woodson, of Rowan. Senator
Benehan Cameron, of Durham, made
the only talk about the matter. He re
ferred to the tobacco cases, saying that
if any man had a right to vote against
confirmation he had, for the action of
Mr. Watts and other members of his
board in lowering values of tobacco
held by the big companies several mil
lion dollars increased the tax rate oh
property owners of Durham. But he
believed Watts did right in following
the report of the special committee
which investigated these values and
he was consequently going to vote for
him.
The suggested opposition to con
firmation which has been talked for
months absolutely failed to materialize.
Some of the Democrats who fought Col
onel Watts during the regular session
when the Senatorial districts bill Avas
up, raised no protest against him to
day. In fact the confirmation of this
appointment caused less talk than any
thing which came up during the day.
Sumner Burgwyn s bill lowering the
property tax exemption from $300 to
$50, finally amended to $100, thereby
putting a tax on the man who has no
more than $300 worth of property, was
defeatad by a vote of 19-24, the nega
tive side getting one additional vote by
the action of Burgwyn in changing his
vote in order to lodge a motion for
reconsideration. This he did when the
votew as announced and will bring the
matter up a?:ain at some opportune
time. The Senate last year passed
with less restraint. His conception of
what is ahead in the conference is
based, of course, upon intimate rela
tionship not only with the Japanese
delegation 1 ere but open
mation from Japan.
This correspondent has checked .ip on
some of the views expressed by Mr.
Moehizuki and finds from American
sources that the political situation in
Japan is as much responsible for the
turn which the program has taken as
anything else. Originally, it will be re
membered, the apparent unanimity of
opinion on the naval proposals led to
the belief that a separate agreement
would be signed on that phase of arma
ment, irrespective of what , happened
about the ether questions cn the agen
da. Both the Americans and the Japa
nese were ready. Some criticism was
heard about the policy of the American
delegation being ready "to sign away
the American navy" without knowing
what the rest of the program in the
Pacific would be. This correspondent
stated then that the United States Gov
ernment had confident assurances that
the Anglo-Japanese Aliance would not
be renewed.
PRESSURE IN JAPAN.
Coincidentally, however, the Ameri
can pressure for an acceptance of the
5-5-3 naval ratio developed a delicate
situation for the Japanese cabinet
which has hoped for an opportunity to
prevent anyappearance of conceding di
rectly to . the American view. . The
suggestion of an agreement covering
all the points being discussed in the
Washington conference was seized upon
as the way out. Hence the Japanese
are ready to accede to the naval ratio
cn battleships and a plenary session
agreement, covering all Pacific and
Far Eastern questions. There is a
chance that Italy will be included in
the first naval agreement, though it
cabled infor- would be nurelv a courtesy request for
tne Italians ao nor possess na.vui
strength in the Pacific.
NOT A TREATY.
The final agreement as at present
contemplated would not be a treaty in
the technical sense but a "conven
tion" and would not have to be ratified
by the Senate, since it is construed by
President Harding as an "understand
ing." On the other hand, if it should
finally be decided to include some pro
vision requiring the signatory Powers
to agree not to make war on each
other unless a period of nine months
shall elapse for investigation of the
dispute, then the document would in
volve 'obligations" and would have to
ba submitted to the Senate for ratifica
tion. The latter idea is still only a
general suggestion without any linal
authority back of it, though British,
Japanese and French delegates are
ready to accept it and have talked it
over. The United States nas such an
investigation treaty with Great Britain,
France, Italy and about 25 other na
tions, but not with Japan. When it
comes to a discussion of this point Mr
Moehizuki hints that the Japanese
deleeation may ask for a reffirmation
of the Root-Takahira agreement, the
Lansiug-Ishii -agreement and the .arbt
tration treaty originally negotiated be
tweenthe United States and Japan
tta believes the Anglo-Japanese Alli
ance will be automatically abrogated
by the convention agreed upon at the
Washington conference.
HENRY D. FLOOD
DIES SUDDENLY
NUMBER OF NEW
BILLS SENT IN
Congressman from Tenth j Legislature Early Finds
Virginia District Dies of
Heart Trouble.
Itself Swamped With
Mass of Business.
(Continued on Page IVine.)
t
I
Washington. Dec. 8. Representative
Henry D. Flood, Democrat, of the
tenth Virginia district, died at his
home here today.
Heart trouble was the cause of Mr.
Flood's death. He had been ill for
several weeks. His death occurred
shortly before noon.
Mr. Flood was serving his eleventh
term in Congress. As chairman of the
House Foreign Affairs Committee, he
introduced the resolution declaring the
existence of a state of war between the
United States and Germany and Austria-Hungary.
His home was in Appo
mattox, Va., and he was 56 years of
age.
On convening at noon, the House im
mediately adjourned out of respect to
Mr. Flood after adopting resolutions of
regret over his death.
Representative Flood was also chair
man of the State Democratic commit
tee of Virginia and managed his vic
torious campaign there this Fall. He
served in 1920 as chairman of the na
tional Democratic Congressional com
mittee. He was married in 1914 to Miss Anna
Portner, of Manasas, Va. He was edu
cated at Washington and Lee and the
University of Virginia and, prior to
coming to Congress, served in the Vir
ginia legislature.
AMERICAN SCHOONER
STILL IS BEING HELD
Washington. Dec. 8. The American
schooner Mabel, which was seized by
Mexican patrol vessels last Sunday, on
a charge of illegal fishing, still is being
held at Ensenada, Mexico, the State De
partment was advised to day in a des
patch from Consul Burdette. The des
patch made no reference to the three
members of the crew of the Mabel, who
were reported to have been held by
the Mexicans as hostages for payment
of fines.
The State Department has received
no advices from Mexico City today in
connection with its representations in
the seizures to President Obregon last
nitrht. Officials of the Department stated
today that they felt sure the Mabel j
BY JULE WARREN.
Staff Correspondej-.t of The News.
Ralish. Dec. S. Introductions fea
tured the day's session of the Legisla
ture, several matters of statewide im
portance finding 'heir way to the hop
jer. Representative Glover offered a
bill which gives the Governor authority
to fire members of the Stato executive
boards, excepting those confirmed by
the Senate. Glover claims this will en
able the Governor to keep men on these
boards who are in sympathy with the
Admirist'-ation and who will work with
the head of the executive department.
Senator &ms offered a bill wnich will
require the registration after March
rext year of all bond issues by any tax
ing district in the State, together with
statement of provisions made for pay
ment of these bonds. The auditor will
exercise no supervision over issues ilh
ir than to keep check on the bonded
debt, and notify the governing authori
ties when the bonds fall dae. Failure
to make provision for payment of bonds
and failure to have funds set aside for
retirement will be punishable.
The Senate finding an immense num
ber of new bills, killed the resolution
fixing- Friday of next week as the last
date on which new roll call bills may
be introduced.
It passed on second reading the Bur
gwyn bill which will put additional tax
on the poor man. through making the
exemption of personal property one
hundred instead of thre" hundred dol
lars. A parliamentary fight put the bill
cress for the second reading but Bur
gwyn was unable to muster two-thirds
of the Senate for suspension of rules
and putting bill through third reading.
WINSTON-SALEM MAN
KILLED IN OFFICE
Winston-Salem. Dec. 8. H. B. Ash-
burn. 40,- local life insurance agent.
was found dead in his office at an early
hour this morning. The discovery was
made bv his wife and the colored jan
itor, who said they found some small
change lving on a table and a deck
of cards strewn around the room. A
loaded pistol found in the dead man's
I -t - WUUKU L II CAVA HK X, K7-y- l iii-v.
WOUld De reieasea as soon a-a me a-ULiioi-; - nn 1,0 v HPAT1 mnrlo it
1 mes at
Ike Lark is shuckin fuel on th ole
Moots farm t'day. "I used f know Gen.
Hays, o' th' postal sruard, when he wuz
a bov at Sullivan, Indianny," said Mrs.
Tipton Bud, last evenin'.
Mexico City understood just
what had taken place. They added that
this government would take no further
action untn the Mexican autnorities
had an opportunity to investigate the
seizure.
NO OPPORTUNITY FOR
CHARACTER BUILDING
New York, Dec. 8. "Quantity produc
tion" of college students by American
institutions of lea-r ing was criticised to
day as an "unfortunate condition, givinK
little or no opportunty for character
building" by Professor A. G. Christie,
of Johns Hopkins University, in an ad
dress before the American Society of
Mechanical Engineers.
He said that the factory organization
idea, when applied to colleges, caused
a breakdown of educational standards
and resulted in instruction staffs being
overworked and underpaid.
was said by the local police department
officers were at work upon clues which
were in their possession.
I lliSIS5
Charlotte and Vicinity: Rain and colder
tonight; Friday rain, possibly turning
to snow, colder. Gentle ,to moderate
shifting winds.
North Carolina: Rain tonight, some
what colder in west portion; Friday
rain in east and rain or snow in
west portion; colder.
South Carolina: Rain tonight and
probably Friday morning; colder Fri
dav and in extreme northwest ' portion
Washington, Dec. 8. Eleven intent
bers of the American expeditionary for
ces were hanged in France after con
viction by a military courfmartial, Col
onel Walter E. Bethel, assistant Judge
Advocate General of the army, testified
today before the Senate committee in
vestigating charges by Senator Watson,
Democrat, Georgia, that American
soldiers were hanged without trial in
France.
Colonel Bethel, who was General
Pershing's chief legal adviser overseas,
appeared before the committee af t v
Senator Watson, in an opening state
ment, had presented a number of f.fii
davits and letters from former soldiers
to support his charges.
"Did you ever see a gallows at
Gievres?" Colenel Bethel was asked.
"Yes." he said, "one was erected there
for the execution of a convicted soldier."
It was at Gievres. according to Infor
mation given Senator Watson bv ior
mer service men, that soldiers were
aanged without trial.
"I cannot vouch for anything except
what these men have said to me." Sen
ator Watson said, as he concluded his
opening statement. "I assume r-ieii
would not tell me they were ready and
wining to come nere and testify regard
less of consequences unless the ficts
were true."
MANY ARE SUMMONED
A number of those mentioned bv the
Georgia Senator were summoned befor.-
the committee, including a man from
Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, penitenti
ary, convicted early in the war for
violation of the espionage act, who, Mr.
Watson said, could give names of im
portant witnesses, and evidence of lin
own.
Colenel Bethel informed the commit
tee that the American military author
ities had exclusive jurisdiction over the
American army and the French nev?r
attempted to exercise jurisdiction in
crimilal cases.
ENUMERATES EXECUTIONS
The f;'rst of the eleven executed, h.
said, was convicted of murder and rape,
and the second, a negro soldier, for.
. rape on -a French woman, sixty-eight
years old.
"In every case where we reconr it n 1
ed the death sentence," he said, "f
read the evidence carefully to see that
no mistake had been made."
The third and fourth executions, ti e
colonel said, also were for rape, both
soldiers, hanged after trial, being ne
goes. After testifying that the first six
cases were for assault, the witness tes
tified that the seventh case was that of
a negro soldier who murdered a Fren"h
professor as the latter attempted to save
a woman from a mob of rowdies. Oiso
Xo. 8 was the hanging of a white sol
dier for attempted assault on an eight-year-old
Belgian girl.
Next was the hanging of a white
soldier for murdering another white sol
dier, the crime being characterised by
Colonel Bethel as particularly atrocious.
The last case, the hanging of two ne
gro soldiers' together, was after con
viction for assaulting a French s;irl
and murdering her father as he attempt-'
ed to save her. Colonel Bethel sei:1
some of the convicted men admitted
their guilt on the scaffold.
In all, he told the committee, sixty-
two death sentences were imposed. Gen
eral Pershing ordering eleven execute:?
and disapproving the sentence in eleven
cases. The other cases, the witness
said, were reviewed at Washington add
changed.
Senator Watson appeared before the
committee immediately after the adop
tion of a resolution requesting him to
appear and testify in support of his
charges.
"I made no indiscriminate charges
in the Senate against officers and nurs
es," he said. "I said too many officers
were guilty of brutality toward soldiers."
Explaining the work of, the commit
tee, Senator Brandegee said it was "a
most disagreeable duty", adding that h
had received many letters "resenting"
the charges and that the purpose was
to find if they were true.
"I told Senator Watson," the chair
man said, "that I would summon wit
nesses from any part of the world that
he, on his honor as a Senator, believed
could present evidence to support ihe
charges."
WILL PROVE CHARGES
Senator Watson declared he was pre
pared to rove his charges that soldiers
were hanged without trial.
The Senator read a story from Wa? 1.
Texas, paper, which quoted John J.
Forbes, of Cleveland, Ohio, a former
service man, as saying the Watsm
charges were true and that "the ha'f
had not been told about cruelties in
flicted on soldiers by officers".
"Senator, do you believe any Ameri
can soldier was executed when he was
innocent?" Chairman Brandegee as'ced.
"I do." Senator Watson shot back.
"Well, will you let us have it?"
"I will," said the eorgia Senator,
"but you have asked me to read this
paper."
"Go ahead, then." the chairman bioke
in, and Senator Watson proceeded 1o
read Forbes statement that he flad seen
a man hanged.
"Do you want Forbes summoned?''
Chairman Brandegee asked, and Sena
tor Watson said he did.
The newspaper printed a pictuv of
what was purported to be the gallows
on which Forbes alleged he saw the
soldier put to death.
Discussing procedure as to calling
'( t IlIItTDC5CO DCiiavui TM.V- L?U,V ,. v
Iwprft some men who were injured in the
? n n rl n rttir 1"inHrlff frTY Y ill CI Q f 1 fYt
who were afraid their compensation
might be affected by their appearance
before the committee.
"They will be protected", Chairman
Brandegee declared. "This committee
gives you carte blanc to say what you
please and to call any witnesses you
please."
SAW .TWELVE HANGED
An affidavit signed by George H.
Taylor, setting forth that he saw twelve
ttnight.
Continued on rage Sf TgafrMfcfr V?
1
on I'age Thirteen.)