North Carolina Newspapers

E V W UN" M IN A El 5 ! AND EVENING CHRONICLE EDITION ED ITION JLwl LARGEST CIRCULATION IN CHARLOTTE PUBLISHED AFTERNOONS AND SUNDAY. N'CT'i5 Establlshe a Dally, 1SS8; Sunday, 1910. I Consolidated I CHARLOTTE, N. C FRIDAY AFTERNOON, DECEMBER 22, 1922. CHHOXICLE EacabiiJ hed. 1 903. May 8. 1914 TWENTY-FOUR PAGES 1 PRICE FIVE CENTS rVTV CI O A J . . . I r ill & 4 '.- Li" Blast Brings Decayed gies to Surface. " 4 -w-k A TT f,-erv Surrounds Visit o? strangers in in Water :i . jvc. 22. It was swrning that the .- men believed ::rs of hooded men, V-ce:i brought to . ;ljs-niio:i in La ir.i'.es from here. irnt in aatomo : -: . ; y dispatched to Tip. i NO? TWO ro THE SURFACE E01 ivc 22. m 'ligh .cvtd to -The bod state of be Dan : victims . A u trust, v-onancr near the I..K-- LaFourche, Morehouse and ..".u-conlingr to the y-ro. of The Shreve--- iimbs of the dead i,;:!: wire. They i. tho result of a -natr.ite. exploded ": ontied persons. ,. nude except for -v. of the trousers, was gone. It is i;e who used the i-o'U knowing- the t.- the surface. i correspondent ar rv this morning- en across the lake. :.:vl broken from its '"Jxc-i a considerable Vtr.-ani. The bank -p' was accustomed Many 1.1 c L ti:e surface of the where soldiers r.td is said to the piaee of .-condition of the vfd it will be. difft-;v-:k: also that iden : difficult unless on the belts. 10 SCENE OF SEARCH ,-,rrrs La. , Dec. 22. Lieutenant -rs'iivaV this morning r-o-eiv- t: :.;r Rosige, to mobilize a iesZ&nt vi forty men ana rusa s2 w Morehouse parisn to re -en u;s:-ibe:-s of Company G. ''ir.a National Guard, new on fr.:- deVivhmer.t will probably a?-.- t:ii av on iii.uh.-i Ler.aar.1 Harden said he was e&5K inf"rrr;.i::on as to the prob- :'.e use the troops. He declared t ti rnr kn'-w whether the men Tcii t? usrf to increase the mili 17 i':r:-s now Jcinz euard duty :i ajjiiur.; in the d ragging of i:es:c::r:-? rou;:o- or two mifsing 22 cr to rc-I:eve members cf the aratv now or duty. the arrival of 'he new tie-jfce-.t a. frr -Poih. the inili- -? "ror.r.'i in Mcrehous parish P AX OUTBREAK. yuSfhstandins: the reassurances r'Cjpia:n Cooper, the impression is ' that a serious outbreak In 2"'u?e is regarded as probable. M-scr.s in a position to know, say heaw.- stocks of rifles, shot ?fs.,ar-a other weapons and am "&jp. stored in residences and and that it would take but' a to kindle into bloodshed the -'f-r.? said to exist between -t;t;! tactions in the commim "ff:h durinz the last few days 5ta-ismntcd by the presence tree".?. fJ mihtarj men were 'l"C-fV.'iIor Rou? today, only t -'-hronts being placed o-s tir" r's -'"'"rid within several yy.:' .'r;'' i;v-i':r operations at ; ;r; w-::', hf. forf-od to srive .v". , r r-"ir pr;sonce before --'---I toiiitary. AT,0-V.L KRI ( OAH'ANY :J-UK i r.iSM the LAKE. vie--r".:f; :c- 22- The v,-.."; ' ; C'i:rc;yiy rushe.l to V;;v"""r tr': -' '-'t'i"'? tf inves v': ;rt" - the presence : the water that Grt:, f,n Pair.- Two) u,beR RAILROAD ABANDONED - - Permission f i the ICe-m-tai'.way today by i'c- Commis hno or railr-iad o o parish, Louis--oon found that Pl-roximau-ly 17 n built for th5 lo?a;ing opr--Irvelopment of y following the timber was in t the road's op- i ' -on;;. :0C'-' f.f HARVEY TO MADEIRA -'T:(' Irs K ; 'i"n-r.v t J-icar, Am- -i,t'Vr v.-- - (ja;. ' accompanied H-.y- JiY.- -' -07,0 , -'"uinampton. h-'i,- :br. . while he is in in o. dior c-i.'c i. Us .;,. on " tomorrow fonr K, 'a- l'ompanied by ot,,;". -Ir,- ' Maj- Oscar N. U-t'1 tlV2: is '"'insr ac " Wei'p,..",' her daugh- -i,WU, Burned Bodies of Aviators Found LIEUT. CHARLES WEBBER. San Francisco. Dec. 22 The char red bodies of the missing avia tors, Col. Frances X. Marshall and Lieutenant Charles Webber, have been found on Panalo In dian reservation about 75 miles west of Tucson, Arizona, the Southern Pacific Railroad offices here were advised in despatches from Tucson. A cowboy, the advices stated, came upon the bodies near what is known as Indian Oasis. The bod ies lay in the wreckage of the fliers' airplane. Followers Of Gov. Small Convicted Convicted of Conspiracy To Defraud Chicago Election Board. Chicago, Dec. 22. Convicted of conspiracy to defraud the Chicago Board of Education, William Bither. a follower of Governor Len Small and Mayor Thompson in politics, and Henry W. Kaup, a realty deal er, today prepared, to obtain a new trial, a motion for it being docketed for hearing December 26. Both men were round guilty by a jury last night which sentenced Bither to prison for from one to five years and added a fine of $2,000. Kaup was sentenced to nine months in the county jail and fined $2,000. These two convictions marked the first sice Robert E. Crowe, State's Attorney, and Attorney General Brundage underook an investiga tion of alleged irregularities in the school board's business transactions. Several other board members have been indicted and a special Grand Jury is making a further investiga tion of the board's affairs. Bither was a former attorney for the board and it was because of his advice to board members to dis regard a court order preventing the removal of Superintendent of Schools Chadesey that he and six others were convicted and sentenced to jail and fined for contempt of court. Bither and four men went to jail and two women paid fines. The State presented evidence al leging to show that Bither and Kaup fraudulently gained control of buildings and land purchased by the school board and collected and held rent fees amounting to $45,000. UT NEW VIGOR IN BANDIT HUNT Officers Believe Trail is at Last Found. Denver, Colo., Dec. 22. Peace of ficers of Denver and northern Colo rado were prepared to push vigor ously today their hunt for Denver's bank truck bandits, whose trail they believed had been picked up yester day at an abandoned ranch house twenty miles east of Greely, Colo. The four men suspected of being those who Monday shot and killed Charles T. Linton, Federal reserve bank truck guard, and escaped with $200,000 in currency after a spectacular gun fight with guards of the United States Mint here, had left the farm house before officers arrived. Police believed the band divided when chased after the discovery of their alleged hiding place at the abandoned ranch house and that one motor car containing two men was headed east and another . automobile with two or more men in it, was speeding west. Scores of armed men, searched northern Colorado all last night without catching the quartet. EXEClS AT S. C. ftSffl Pays Ey e Penalty For y . ir of His Bul ?'.& Partner. ONE SHOCK KILLS Harrison is Reprieved by Harvey Pending High Court Action. Columbia, S. C, Dec. 22. Frank M. Jeffords was electrocuted at the South Carolina state prison here to day for the murder last May of J. C. Arnette, his business partner. The current was applied only once, being turned on at 10:20 o'clock. He was pronounced dead at 10:24. Jeffords apparently was the calm est person in the place as he went to his death. When Captain Roberts of the prison guard read the death warrant to him, Jeffordsi stood with his hands behind him, his only re quest being that his personal belong ings be "sent on." Entering the death chamber wnth a firm step he greeted the witnesses with a calm "good morning, gentle men." He then sat down in the chair without assistance and was strapped, in. Seated in the chair he said: "The only thing I want to say it, may all in here and outside see an example in this. I have made my peace with God. and I am ready ta go. I want to say a little prayer, too." He then recited the twenty-third Psalm beginning "The Lord is My Shepherd," adding to the last word "Amen." As he uttered the last word, the current was applied. HARRISON IS REPRIEVED. Jeffords made no statement about the crime. As Jeffords marched to the death house, Ira Harrison, confessed slay er of Arnette lay in the prison hos pital here, reprieved by Governor Harvey and his sentence stayed by the courts. The Governor late yes terday on the eve of the date origi nally set for the death o both Har-! rison and Jeffords, granted a re prieve until February 16 in order that the Supreme Court might have tinas to pass on questiosn brought before it by Harrison's attorneys and still not have to send him back to the circuit court here for re sentencing. Harrison has proved one of the most interesting prisoners in many years in South Carolina. When the Supreme Court affirmed his convic tion and sentence by the Richland circuit court he . lapsed into an ap parent state of semi-consciousness. Then his attorneys appealed again on questions of law and he recov-, ered. - .When this ' appeal was dis missed and he was told he would be taken into court to be resentenced, Harrison lapsed into a state of ap parent stupor. In this condition he was taken into the Richland circuit court on a stretcher and after three doctors had testified that they be lieved he was shamming, Judge Mauldin sentenced him to die in the electric chair on December 22. He has been in the same condition in tte prison hospital ever since. . Harrison's attorneys claim he is insane and that he should be com mitted to a hospital instead of being electrocuted. PLOT OVER BUSINESS. Jeffords plotted the murder oi Arnette, for which he was sentenc ed to die in the electric chair, to gain control of the gasoline filling station that they operated as part ners, and to realize on a joint busi ness life insurance policy, according to the testimony of Ira Harrison and Glenn Treece, who were tried and convicted at the same time, of par ticipation in the crime. Harrison was sentenced to be electrocuted while Treece escaped with a life sentence in the State penitentiary on the jury's recommendation of mercy in his case. The plot against Arnette was con- ( Continued on Pagro Ttto) GERMANY FACES GREAT SHORTAGE Berlin, Dec. 22. A total deficit for 1923 of 721,000,000,000 marks is shown in the provisional budget for 1923 adopted yesterday by the fed eral council. ' The ordinary budget balances at 732,000,000,000 marks. The estimat ed receipts include 270,000,000,000 as the revenue from the income tax and 30,000,000,000 as the revenue from exports. The extraordinary budget shows an estimated expenditure of 84,501), 000,000 marks, with revenue at 18, 700,000,000 marks. This leaves a de ficit of 65,800,000,000 marks to which must be added for general adminis tration purposes 449,000,000,000 for the execution of the peace treaty and 206,500,000,000 for various other items. To offset the total deficit 99,000, 000,000 marks are expected to be available from a compulsory loan. PRESIDENT WILL PARDON ONLY TWO Washington, Dec. 22. "Christmas pardons." it is understood will be given to only two Federal prisoners by President Harding. The pardons are said to be signed by the Freai dent and announcement as to the recipients is expected prior to Christ mas Day. The President has been urged to extend clemency at this time to persons still imprisoned fcr violation o? wartime laws but it is understood that none of these pris oners will receive a Christmas par don. RESIGNATION IS ONLY VOCATION Raleigh, Dec. 22.- R. - A. Dough ton, Representative-elect of Alle gheny county, who, yesterday re signed from the State Highway Com mission, will be re-appointed at the expiration of his services in the Gen pral Assembly, according to a state ment by Governor Cameron Morris on, published today. ' Urges avis Progress Secretary Says Opportun ities Are Offered Only to Earnest Men. Pittsburgh, Pa., Dec. 22. Declar ing that America opens wide the door of advancement to those who approach it with an earnest deter mination to labor for progress. Sec retary of Labor James J. Davis to day gave a holiday greeting to the eight million aliens who are under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Naturalization in his Department. Mr. Davis v. as on his way to Shar on, Pa., to spend Christmas with his aged parents. "Those who come to America from older lands," he said, "seeking the opportunities for life, liberty and happiness which are offered und-?r our free governmental institutions, have ample cause for rejoicing at this Christmas reason. They face a great future. America opens wide the door of advancement to those who approach it with an earnest determination to labor for progress. "The alien in America today has advantages which were unknown to those of us who came to this coun try as immigrants 40 years ago. On every side he finds hands extended to help him on his way to import ance and prosperity. He finds here opportunities for educating himself and his children which were un known when I came to the United States. It rests with him to take advantage of these fortunate cir cumstances. For work is happiness. It is his duty to acquaint himself with the government institutions the customs and the ideals of America, and to give himself wholeheartedly to their support. He owes himself the duty of learning to know Amer ica. He owes America the duty of supporting her free institutions. He must shun the propagandist who would preach the downfall of the re public. "If he looks about him he will find thousands of the successful men of America who came here aliens like himself. They have forged to the front in every walk of life, in science, in commerce, in industry and in politics. The alien who comes to America faces conditions vastly improved over those under which thee leaders began their fight for recognition in this new country. The way is open before him. "The spirit that should be in every alien who comes to as, the deep seat ed conviction "I want to be an American' is the vital thing. Un less he has that spirit he will fail to get that profound satisfaction which conies to those who having sought progress in America are able to say, with heartfelt gratitude: 'Thank God,-we are here.' " FIRE FOURTEEN SHOTS INTO BODY Cleveland, Dec, 22. -The bullet riddled body of Anthony Joffee, 26, of Willoughby, was found this morn ing not far from his home in Wil lough, 15 miles east of here. Mar shall James Maloney, summoned by a man who discovered the body, de clared that in his opinion the slay ing was the outgrowth ' of a blac k hand plot. Maloney, examining the body with1 Dr. X. C. Ice, Lake coun ty coroner-elect, found 14 bullet hc-lesi in it, six in the back. There was no sign of a scuffle near the spot where the body was found and there was no indication cf robery Maloney! said. MORE FOREST FIRES IN PENNSYLVANIA Philadelphia, Pa., Dec. 22. Two more fires today were attributed to pyromaniacs who have burned more than 35 barns in Southeastern Penn sylvania, Delaware anil New Jersey A cooperation feed mill at Dublin, near Doylestovm, Pa., was destroyed with feod from many of the farms in the region. State troopers said the blaze had every appearance of incendiarism. A barn at Radnor on the grounds of Aruthr J. Fox was damaged, early, today but. was saved by prompt work of firemen. Oil soaked rags were reported to have been found; in the hay loft. CAPPER BBLLi REPORTED. Washington. Dec. 22.- Favorable report was ordered by the Senats interstate commerce committee to day on the Capper "truth in fab ric" bill to require manufacturers of woolen cloth or garments to mark the percentage of wool and other materials contained in their porduct. Lafe Bud is goin' t' launch a big advertisin' campaign jest t see if ther really is any Avoman that wants t' do general housework, an' no laundry. Who recalls th ole time kid that used t' double up his fists an' say, "You're twice what you vailed met tens To Reports of American Plan to Extend Aid An noy State Secretary. WILLING TO TALK Will Accept Invitation to Allied Conference If It Is Extended. BY DAVID LAWRENCE. Special Correspondent of The Xews. CopyriKM, 1922. Sews Publishing Co Washington, Dec. 22. Wnen the Allied Premiers meet in Paris on January 2, they will in all proba bility invite the United States Gov ernment to help solve the eco nomic situation Europe. Possibly an American diplomatic represen tative may be summoned to at tend the meeting. But it is becoming more and more apparent that the initiative must come from European Govern ments as the United States doesn't want to be placed in the position of assuming responsibility for the execution of its suggestions ror does it want to be forced into the position of having tried to dictate to Europe. This explains to some extent the vehemence of Secretary Hughes in denying the story that a commis sion of American business men were to act with the unofficial sanc tion of the American Government in trying to fix the amount of Ger man indemnity. Mr. Hughes was perturbed today because some of the press reports took his state ment as the usual "diplomatic de nial." The plan to have a com mission of American business men co-operate in fixing the sum that Germany can pay has many spon sors here and business men of prominence are trying to get this Government and European Govern ments to assent to it, but the De partment of State is not connected wit hthe proposal either officially or unofficially any more than ft was with J. P. Morgan's vibit to Paris last June and the meetings of the international bankers' com mittee. It is an interested onlooker but not a promoter of these plans. The truth is the United States Government, is feeling its way. Tnus far it has not done any more than make plain informally to the European Governments that it stands ready to help them with Its influence and advice whenever it shall be sought. This in itself Is a step Jorward because Europe has been clamoring for three years f..r American help and" hag presented a number f invitations which have ?one' unaccepted. WILL JOIN CONFERENCE. What America wants Europe to understand now is that the United States will sit in the counsels of Europe and discuss these matters. The thought of an international economic conference still is in the minds of many Governments but It may be said at this stage of the proceedings that the United States will not call it. There are cer tain obligations imposed on the host to lay down a program and to set forth what can be done by the nation calling the conference. An ilustration of this was the naval (Continued on Pagre Two) DELAY SETTLING STRAITS PROBLEM Lausanne Parley Seems to Have Hit Snag. Lausanne, Dec. 22. (By the Asso ciated Press.) The impression that settlement of the problem of the Turkish straits was not progress ing as rapidly as had been antici pated became general today as the result of a statement issued by the Turkish delegation. This made it clear that Turkey's acceptance of the proposal to ap point an international commission of control depended upon acceptance by the Allies of certain conditions demanded by the Turks. The modifications of the original project for control of the straits asked by the Turks include an un derstanding that the international commission shall have no jurisdic tion whatsoever over the so-called zones of demilitarization in the re gion of the straits. The Turks furthermore have de manded a pact by which the Allies, individually and collectively, guaran tee that the-safety and neutrality of Turkey will not be jeopardized and that there be no aggression against Constantinople. ARREST GANG OF ROBBER SUSPECTS Chicago, Dec. 22. Ten men,' al leged members of a gang of rob bers, police said, wrho have obtained $500,000 in operations throughout the Mississipi valley, wrere under arrest today. Associates of the men were being sought. More than $70,000 in Liberty bonds, stocks, warehouse receipts for wThiskey and bonds were recov ered. One man, police said, had a complete plan of the state peniten tiary at Joliet, Ills. Chief of Detectives Hughes assert ed information given by the men in custody implicated seven others. Some of them were identified in po litical circles. Charlotte and vicinity: Fair to night and Saturday. Gentle north west and west winds. North Cariina: Fair tonight and Saturday; colder on the northeast roast tonight. South Carolina: Fair tonight and Saturday; not much change in tem perature, probably frost to the coast tonight. r President Seeks Advice of Envoy mmmmmmmimm AMBASSADOR GEORGE HARVEY Ambassador George Harvey, United States envoy to England, leaves tomorrow for the United States at the request cf President Hard ing. It is believed that Harding is seeking first-hand information on conditions in Europe, to guide him in his probable intervention In the fight over German repara tions. Cutter Plans Structure Handsome Office Build ing Soon to be Erected on West Trade Street J. H. Cutter, cotton merchant and realty developer of Charlotte, will erect in the near future a handsome modern office building on one of the lots he owns on WTest Trade street. While no definite announcement can be made as to details of the building, because the plans have not been drawn and the details worked out. Mr. Cutter authorized the state ment that he is planning a building and that it will be one in keeping with that section of the possible de velopment of the main thoroughfare between Independence Square and the Southern passenger station. The plans will be drawn in the near fu ture. Mr. Cutter owns a frontage of 360 feet in fourth block of West Trade street, or between the intersection of Mint and Trade street and the in tersection of Trade and Graham. At the intersection of Trade and Gra ham he owns the former Wittkow sky lot, which faces 105 feet on Trade street. He also owns the for mer W. S. Lee property, the home of the Dail Overland Company and Coddington's, Inc., which fronts 9S feet on Trade street. He does not own the next lot, coming toward Mint strtet, but owns the next one, formerly belonging to Dr. J. P. Math eson, C. B. Bryant ,and others, which fronts 99 feet on Trade street. He also owns the site of the former Alexander home, which fronts 60 feet on Trade street. The block of property facing as it does on a prin cipal boulevard and within a short distance of Independence Square, the heart of the city, is considered perhaps the most valuable realty in one body in .the city, with perhaps one exception. In planning for the construction of the proposed office building, Mr. Cutter will keep in mind the fact his property faces the United States Post office building and the old Mint Building on the south side of the street, that it is only a short step away from the future new million-dollar hotel, now undergoing construction; is close to the South ern Manufacturers Club, and is otherwise surrounded by property of the highest type of development in the city. By reason of these facts and be cause he is desirous of erecting a building that will reflect credit on the city for years to come, the new building will be both from-an archi tectural standpoint one of the fine office buildings of the city. Mr. Cutter has been approached by interesttd parties with a view to constructing the building so as to include a theatre of modern design. This suggestion has not been defi nitely incorporated in the plans, in sofar as they exist in the mind of Mr. Cutter and are still to be con sidered. The' cost of the new proposed building may run into several hun dred thousand dollars and it will be several stories high. The site to be used for the building "will be ope of those "just across the street from the post-office building. MORRISON GIVES . TRINITY APPROVAL Raleigh, Dec. 22. By the Asso ciated Press.) Forma1- approval of Trinity College's offei to aid the state in establishing medical col lege, operating under a state char ter and a board created by the gen eral assembly with the Governor as chairman, was given by Governor Cameron Morrison this afternoon, in address before a civic organization. "This talk of the Methodists, the plain outspoken Methodists, trying to establish a State church, is ri diculous on its face. With a gen erosity and bigness wprthy of this great day of tolerance and progress Trinity came forward with a propo sition that if the University could not establish a medical school there might be some way for the two to build one," said the Governor, Up Exiles Crowd 16 Ships At Shanghai American Red Cross is Asked to Take Care of Russian Orphans. Shanghai Dec. 22. (By the Asso ciated Press.) While sixteen ship loads of anti-Soviet refugees from Vladivostok remain here, their fate uncertain, word from American Red Cross headquarters in Washington is awaited? on the proposal that orphans among the exiles be taken under the wing of the Red Cross to be cared for temporarily in Shanghai and later sent to America to be reared. A similar scheme to send the or phans to Australia was rejected by the Australian trade commissioner. Persons here then urged the Amer ican Red Cross to assume the guardianship. An order addressed to Admiral Stark, the White leader, now com mander of the fleet of homeless, of fers, in the name of the Central Executive Soviet, amnesty to the refugees provided they return to Vladivostok by January 1 and sur render their ships which the Soviet claims. If the decline, the order states, the Soviet will declare them out law's. Expression of refugees officers In dicate this offer will be rejected. Two additional ships with refu gees arrived recently. One or them had been thought lost in a storm. Considerable unorganized charity is being provided the destitute Rus sians. Chinese organizations have donated $20,000 and lesser gifts of fuel and supplies have been be stowed. The fleet is expected to sail southward toward Hong Kong Christmas wreek. The refugees have not been allowed to land in Shang hai, but have remained aboard their ships in the harbor. DAWES PUBLISHES BALANCE SHEET Charges Bureau Heads With Suppressing It. Chicago, Dec. 22 General Charles G. Dawes, former director of the national budget, today made public what he termed the "submerged" balance sheet of the postofflce de partment. It showed a deficit of $16,198,000 for the first three months operation of the postal service this year. The Chicago Tribune printed what it t,aid was a reproduction of the balance sheet, accompanied by a let ter from ' J. C. Knapp, viSe presi dent of the Otis Elevator Company, who assisted in making out the re port. Liabilities of the postofflce depart ment, according to the reproduced report, were $140,846,590 for the first three months of the year and as sets were $124,648 590. "I have endeavored to produce a true picture of the postofflce opera tions by taking the regular post office accounts alone (which alone do not give the true picture) and adding to them what they lack," Mr. Knapp's reproduced letter read: "I believe that each government department can be successfully placed on this basis. When accom lished a consolidation of them will produce a balance sheet and operat ing statement of the United States," it concluded. "Bureaucrats" - were charged with attempting to throttle the Govern ment in a statement made last night by General Dawes regarding the postofflce balance sheet. Although the balance sheet had been approv ed by Will Hays, former postmaster general, General Dawes said he had heard nothing of the postonice bal ance sheet and declared, the Govern ment's accounting today to be "a graceful and archaic system." He said the disappearance of the balance sheet could not be dismissed as "a great fuss about nothing." STORM VANISHES, SOUTH THAWS OUT Warm Weather Comes to Meal Sleet Coating. Atlanta, Ga., Dec. 22. (By the Associated Press.) The South's first wintry blast this year was of short duration with indications early to day in practically all sections of fair and wanner. South Carolina, waa busy today repairing damages inflicted by its heavy ice coating of early yesterday. Fair and warmer weather is expected today. Writh a light frost reported in the northern and central sections, Geor gia will have fair and wrarmer weath er today, according to weather fore casts. Due to a slight rainfall at Miami and other points on the Florida peninsula the temperature in the Southern section of the state drop ped to a minimum of 68 degrees yesterday. Forecast today calls for clear and warmer weather through out Florida. Clear and cool is Tennessee's weather program after yesterday saw the mercury drop to two de grees below the freezing mark. Louisiana is reported to be clear with rising temperature. Fifty-five degrees were reported at New Or leans at 7 o'clock last night. Ala bama's forecast is for warmer weather today after Birmingham missed the freezing point by one degree. The mean temperature for the state was 44 degrees. The Virginia coast is slated for continued cold and rain. The south ern section of the Old Dominion State will be cloudy, according to the forecast, while the northern, central and western sections will be clear and somewhat warmer. TO RELEASE IRISHMEN. Dublin, Dec. 22. (By the Associat ed Press.) A large number of th Irish Republicans held prisoner in Mount Joy prison will, it is under stood, be released at Christmas, hav ing signed a declaration of allegi ance to the Free State. For th remainder no holiday parole will be granted. GIVE HARDING APPROVAL OF PLAN TO HELP Washington Understands Germany and Britain Favor Probe. POINCARE IS SILENT T. S. Only Has Hinted at Plan to Aid in Solving Damages Question. Berlin, Dec. 22. 'By the Asso ciated Press) It was officially de nied here today that ChanceUor Cuno or any other Government 01II cial had suggested the appointment of an American commission to in vestigate Germany'3 economic condition. FORMAL SUGGESTION IS YET TO BE MADE BY ILVRDING. Washington, Dec. 22. The ques tion of American extending aid to ward the solution of the economic u-oubles of Europe has been brought sharply to the front with the emerging of a plan under which an American commission would tie termine what Germany should pay the Allies in reparations. The proposal so far has been liscussed outside the formal chan nels of diplomacy but an under standing in authoritative circles haa been developed through an exchange of views that the United ' States, Great Britain and Germany aro willing- to assent to the creation of such a commission. Premier Poin care, of France, now has the plan before him and is expected to make a decision when he has conclud:d a series of conferences with industrial leaders of France and Germany. From the beginning of the pres ent discussions officials of the Washington Government have been unwilling to do more than hint that a way was being sount to render aid toward a European set tlement and so far have refused to discuss the plan for an Ameri can commission. Secretary laughos last night, however, issued a brlaf statement which avoided any men tion of details and said that "the Government" had presented no "proposals" on the subject. The method of sounding out all those directly interested before any definite "proposals" is suomitted with the full force of Government authority is a familiar one in ne gotiations of great delicacy. The Secretary's statement' recalled an assertion several days ago by a White House spokesman who in discussing .the American attitude , , toward Europe said It would nol? be ' proper to display on the stag.- all . that was taking place behind the scenes. t ALLIED AGREEMENT BEFORE JANUARY 15 IS URGED. London, Dec. 22. Considerable oaution, amounting sometimes of frank skepticism, is manifested by this morning's newspapers in their discussion of the proposal for an American cpmmission to visit Ger many. Some of the papers bring forward semi-official denials that Great Britain has received, much less accepted, the proposal, and warn against putting faith in these "American canards." In quarters where it is admU'.ed as probable that Germany initiated such a proposal the idea is received with a strong suspicion of Teu tonic motive. "It wrould be most unwise." writes the financial editor of The Post, "to allow these constant ru mors of American intervention to divert attention from the one un doubted fact of the situation, name ly, that the next cash installment of the reparations is due January 15 and that it behooves the Allies to come to a definite conclusion in the meantime regarding the course to be adopted unless Ger many previously presents satisfac tory proposals." The. diplomatic correspondents of The Telegraph and The Daily News refer skeptically and unfavorably to the latest proposal. They point to the desirability of reconvenir.? the international bankers' commit tee, requesting it to resume its la bors where they were dropped in June. There are renewed declarations that American help in settling ihe 'rouble would be entirely welcome. The Westminster Gazette contends that the United States will "at th right stage realize that assistant is imperative in her own interes'.T Discussing- editorially prospective American aid, both The Westmixv ster Gazette and The Mornir.g Chronicle make the point L:at merican financiers and busins men already recognize that the uation deeply involves America's in terests and that they are acu'.ely anxious in that direction. Tne Ga zette believes that "the opinion 'f American banking circles 13 well ahead of that of politicians. Go-Getters THE MODERN MILK MAID. "Where are you going, my pretty maid?" 'To write out a want ad, sir," she said. "Milk by the quart we're intending to sell, And want ads will help us, I know very well," v