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? / * * Abbeville Press and Banner t * . Established 1844. $2.00 the Year. Tri-Weekly. PUNS FOR ARMY : AROUSE CONFLICT CONGRESS AND WAR DEPART MENT CLASH AT FIRST MEETING OF HOUSE SUB COMMITTEE TO DRAFT AP PROPRIATION BILL. CHAIR MAN PREDICTS THAT BIG CUT WILL BE MADE. Washington, Dec. 14.?Sharp con kafnwoTi rwncrrv?PJ flnH the War department over the amount of money to be appropriated this year for the militaiy establishment de veloped today at the initial meeting of the house subcommittee to draft the 1922 army appropriaton bill. .Representative Anthony of Kan sas, chairman of the subcommittee, predicted that the army appropria tion for the coming fiscal year irouM be cut approximately to $300,000,000. He advocated re striction of the size of the army to, i 175,000 enlisted men, abandonment of half of the camps maintained by the war department, and immediate sale of the army's surplus supplies. Secretary Baker and Major Gen eral March, chief of staff, appear ing before the committee urged the appropriation this year of approxi mately $700,000,000 for army ex penses. The war department was al lowed $392,000,000 for the present <" -? Li l.J I yeax. secretary ^ oaKer estuiitneu i that the war department would in-1 cur a deficit of $60,000,000 during the present year. Of this amount, he r said, $38,000,000 will be needed for the pay of enlisted men. Chair man Anthony, however, said mem bers of the committee were con vinced the war department's defi ciency would total at least $100, 000,000. The war department secretary was asked to submit a report show ing what camps were being manned and for what purpose they were be ing used. "We must close at least some of our camps. Those located in more central districts, which can not be kepi up as cheaply as those closer to supplies," saw xvir. Antivony. 11 has been shown that it costs much more to maintain troops on the Mexican border than at centralized posts. The committee for the sake of economy intends to provide for the withdrawal of many of the troops now on the border." Another policy of the committee Mr. Anthony indicated, would be to provide for the full strength main tenance of only two divisions in stead of nine, as the war depart ment favor. The remaining divisions would be maintained in skeletonized form and would be increased to full strength only in emergencies under Mr. Anthony's plan. Immediate sale of between_ 30, .. >000 and 40,000 mojtor trucks now held in reserve was said by Repre sentative Anthony to be favored\by the committee. Secretary Baker was questioned particularly as to the present size of the army and in reply said it con sisted of approximately 216,000 en listed men and 14,000 officers. Membera of the house military committee have charged the war de partment with breaking faith with congress in recruiting more than the 180,000 men for which pro vision was made in the army appro priation bill. "This year," said Representative Anthony, "we will appropriate for an army of not more than 175,000 men and in addition will put a man datory provision in the appropria tion bHl that the war department is not to exceed that number." PLOT TO ASSASSINATE KING CONSTANTINE ? Paris. Dec. 14.?Two Greeks car rying passports for Lucerne and in (. possession of bombs have been ar rested at Milan, says a dispatch to the Matin. It is believed in the Italian city, the dispatch says, the men had plotted to attempt to assassinate for mer King Constantine of Greece. 7 TON OF SUGAR FOUND AT STILL Coatly Equipment Captured Near Camden?Two UnSer Arre*t Camden, Dec. 14.?One of tfie largest whiskey raids ever pulled off in this county concurred during the early morning at a point about 18 miles southwest of Camden in the Betty Neck sectin of West Wateree. In the raiding party were Sheriff G. C. Welsh, Deputy Henry McLeod and Policeman Hollis Hilton, and L. E. Barnes all of Camden. ?ii ininy OT <?u gumma vi YViiiaacjr was found, about 20 barrels of mash and 20 sacks of granulated sugar, weighing 100 pounds each. The still was of immense capacity and was well located iq a dense sec tion of the Wateree swamp. Signs pointed to it having been in opera tion for a long while. It was sub stantially built with a brick founda tion and it is thought many are im plicated in its operation, though, on ly two white men were captured in the raid. They have been placed in jail and refuse to divulge their names and are said to be men who have been long at the business. They .were captured witnout a ngm, as Tfficers Barnes and McLeod got the drop on them as they were near ing the stall. Most of the output is thought to have been disopsed of around Columbia in recent months. The officers say it must have cost several thousand dollars to erect a plant such as this. DEATH OF F. M. CROWTHER - I Mr. Fleetwood M. Crowther, one of older citizens of the county, died at the home of his son-in-law, Mr. George E. Mann, near the city, Monday evening, December 13th., after a long illness. Mr. Crowther was about 67 years of age. Funeral services were conducted | at Shitah Church, near Antreville, | of which Mr. Crowther had long, beeri a faithful and consistent mem-! ber, Wednesday at 11 o'clock and the body of the deceased rests in the cemetery of that church. Mr. Crowthr was one of the best famers who ever lived in the coun ty. He was a man who attended strictly to his own business, and by hard work and strict integrity in his business dealings, he accumulated a comfortable fortune for his old age. In early life, Mr. Crowther was married to a Miss Harkness, of the Antreville section. They had two j children. One of these and Mrs. j Crowther preceded the deceased to j the grave, leaving Mrs. Mann.as his I only surviving child. A good man goes to his rewards. CAPT. SHAW HERE Capt. W. C. Shaw, of Lowndes ville, one of the men who told you so, was here today. He found out how much taxes amounted to, which did not surprise him. He tells us, though, that some of his neighbors who voted for good roads' bonds, are complaining about high taxes. Had they listened to a neighbor who knew what he was talking about they might not now find themselves bombarded with such steep require ments on the part of the county and state. The Captain wrote some letters last year and the early part of this year in which he gave the people i tamely notice of what was coming. They paid no attention to him, but I elected to follow those who thought taxes could not get too high. He promises to write us again shortly and give the people some more good advice. We hope they will give it more attention this time. THE COTTON MARKET The cotton market advanced about 35 points yesterday over Monday's closing figures. The fu ture market today was at one time up about 25 points, but the close was the same as yesterday. New York spots remained at 15.80. The prices in this market re mained at about the same figures, 17 cents being offered for fancy cotton and 16 cents for good cot ton. FARMERS RELIEF PLAN ADOPTED BY SENATE; BILL GOES TO HOUSE Directs Secretary of Treasury and Others to Revive War Finance Corporation?-Liberal Credits Plan is Favored Washington, Dec. 14.?The Senate late yesterday passed the agriculture resolution directing the revival of the War Finance Corporation as a meas ure of affording relief to farmers. The second section of the resolution which as introduced would have di rected the extension of liberal credits i- * I i.L_ ? 1 -1 to larniers oy tne leuerai re&erve ays tem, was amended to make the desira bility of such a course only an ex pression of opinion of the Congress The amendment making the change in tiie section of the resolution relat ing to the federal reserve system was proposed by Senator Norris, Republi can, Nebraska, and was accepted by a vote of 47 to 16. Duties Are Broadened Another chapge made in the reso lution on suggestion o? Senator Smith Democrat, Georgia, broadene'd the status of the finance corporation to include the financing of exportation of products other than those produced on the farm. Amendments submitted by Senator Harris, Democrat, Georgia to make the rate of discount on loans to farmers 5 per cent, and by Senator McKellar, Democrat, Tennessee, to make cotton factors' paper eligible for discount, were rejected by over whelming votes. A substitute for the resolution presented by Senator Spen cer, Republican, Missouri met a sim ilar fate. Final action on the resolution was without a record vote. The measure now goes to the House, where a num ber of similar farmer relief measures^ are pending. ' 1 The section of the resolution di-j recting revival of the War Finance Corporation, as adopted, reads: "The Secretary of the Treasury and, the members of the War Finance Cor poration are hereby directed to re-j vive the activities of the War Finance Jorporation, and that said corpora tion be at once rehabilitated with the view of assisting in the financing of the exportation of agricultural and other products to foreign markets." The resolution as adopted refers co the extension-of credits as fol lows: *'It is Ihe opinion of Congress that the Federal Reserve Board should! cake such action as may be necessary' -o permit the member banks of the federal reserve system to grant liber al extensions of credit to the farmers of the country upon the security of the agricultural products now held by them, by permitting the rediscounting of such notes of extension at a fair and reasonable rate of interest." The Senate agriculture committee during the day continued its hearings with a view to framing other meas ures looking to the relief of the far mere . from.; the conditions brought about by falling prices. The House received an addition to its collection of relief measures in a bill offered by Representative Young, Republican, of North Dakota, propos ing an embargo on imports of grain j and grain products, livestock and their products for one year. INJURED IMPROVE. Ernpat nnH the others who were injured in the collision between the McKee automobile and a Pied I mont & Northern car at a crossing near Greenvale church Sunday con tinue to improve. Ernest was taken to his home from the Greenwood Hos pital yesterday, and while suffering considerably from his injuries, he i3 on the road to recovery. No serious complications are now feared, and it ?s hoped that time and patience will restore him to his accustomed good i nealth. Young Pet Brissey who was also in the car and who was so badly in jured that he too was taken to the Greenwood Hospital is also out of danger though painfully and serious ly hurt. He is still in the hospital but hopes to be discharged in a few days. MORE THAN BILLION IS OUTSTANDING IN UNPAID TAXES Because of Complex Nature of Inter* nal Revenue Laws Bureau Has Not Checked Up Tax Re turns for 1917. Washington, Dec. 14.?The Treas ury Department estimates that "more than a billion dollars" is outstanding in unpaid taxes because of the gov ernment's inability to audit the re turns, Dr. Thomas S. Adams, of the Treasury staff, testified today at a hearing on taxation before the House ways and means committee. Because of the complex nature of present revenue laws, he added, the internal revenue bureau has been un able to complete the checking up of tax returns for 1919. Ife saw no im mediate hope of making the audit current with the tax returns filed. Auditing a Stupendous Task. The task of auditing the tax re turns and of tracing evasion and oth er causes of failure to pay all taxes due, Dr. Adams said, has become so stupendous that the internal revenue bureau sees no way out at present. He declared he would 'thank God if the revenue machinery does not break down in two years,under the burden of any addition to its job of tax collection." TVip frpn?nrv r^nrespntative'a state , ? ment was made in connection with an ^ explanation of his attitude in opposi- ( tion to a general sales tax. He be lieved that a general sales tax would t yield great returns, but that the ad- ] ministrative burden entailed would be i too great to carry. t Dr. Adams urged the committee to t simplify the tax laws so as to insure z a greater and more thorough collec tion, and make the administrative I ,wprk easier and more efficient. He also said the tax collection work could be more effectively performed 1 if congress would enact into laws the regulations which the Treasury De partment has made for enforcement of the present revenue act. HOUSE RECEIVES BILL FROM SENATE Measure to Revive War Finance Cor> poration Referred to Banking Committee. Washington, Dec. 14.?The bill of the senate agriculture committee di recting revival of the war finance corporation and favoring the exten sion of more liberal credits by the federal reserve system as a measure of relvf for the fanners was referred to the banking and currency commit tee upon its arrival in the house to day after its passage yesterday by the senate. The committee immediately began hearings, at which representatives of wool growers appeared in support ( of the bill. At least $200,000,000, the J committee was told, should be made available for the relief of farmers, ( live stock growers and business in- . terests. ? The senate also continued its con sideration of the farmer relief prob- . lem in a discussion of the Capper- J Herrman bill, which was passed by j the house last May, to authorize co operative marketing by agricultural . associations under regulation of the ^ federal trade commission. ' Senator King, Utah, attacked the i bill on the ground that it would ex- ^ empt farmers' organizations from the t Sherman law. The bill was supported by Senator McCumber, Republican, ( North Dakota. + BOILERS AND TANKS } REDUCED IN PRICE k I 1 Kewanee, 111., Dec. 14.?The Kew anee Boiler company, one of the largest steel boiler producers in the t country, today announced reductions j of 10 per cent on all firebox heating i g boilers and 20 per cent on steel tanks j x used for pneumatic water supply pur- ^ poses. Tlus announcement 13 w r be the first in these lines. s A statement from the company s said production cost's had advanced, c but that cuts were made, neverthe- ] less, in an effort to bring down build- t ings costs. t WAGES IN COTTON MILLS TO BE CUT Reduction of 22 1-2 Per Cent. Will Become Effective Monday. Boston, Dec. 14.?A reduction of xbout 22 1-2 per cent in the wages of ipproximately one-third of the 300, )00 textile workers in New England vas announced today. The notices tfnvn nAof a/4 in T nnri*anrtA T y\Ttfn11 Itit puoiftu ill liO VY X CllCCj i^vncil) tfew Bedford, and other centers of ;he industry in Maine and Rhode Is and. For the most part they applied ;o mills making cotton goods, but in i few instances operatives on wors ;eds were involved. Other cotton manufacturers have ndicated that they will enter into line jut whether the woolen , and worsted nills will take similar action at this :ime is uncertain. William Wood president of the American Woolen Company, said he had no word to add ;o his statement of several days ago ;hat the directors of that company which operates fifty mills, had not fet considered the matter. The reduction which is made effec ?l*C 111 iiivow piavco nvAw mawuumj iffect cancels two increases made iuring the last year and restores trices approximately to the figure :at obtained before a 12 1-2 per :ent increase last December. The nanufacturers of Lowell announced ;hat the average wage of the mill vorker there under the new schedule >uld be at $21 a week. ' The question of reducing wages in ;he extensive cotton mills at Fall liver is under negotiation by manu facturers and labor leaders. Most of he other centers of the industry in ;his section were represented in the innouncements of today. WARDING GETS IMPORTANT DATA information .and __Advice --Well Worth While?Seeks Common Baais. First Comment on Con ferences Now Under Way Marion, Ohio, Dec. 14.?With his inferences here on an association >f nations only fairly begun, Presi lent-elect Harding let it be known | hat he already had gathered infor nation and advice which greatly sncouraged him. Making his first comment on the >rogress of the consultations, he ;aid tbey had been "very interest ng and gratifying." "It apparently will not be so dif ficult as some people had sup josed," he added, "to find a com non ground for agreement." The president-elect would not dis :uss specific conferences or detail-] id suggestions of association plans. I ie indicated that he had given con liderable thought to the proposal j :or a world agreement not to de-j :lare offensive war except in re-J iponse to a popular referendum, j >ut he said he could express no | >pinion en the subject. "It is understood that Mr. Hard-! ng has felt particularly pleased vith the information regarding con iitions and opinion abroad as de scribed to him by Herbert Hoover, EKhu Root and others who have >een seen by him here. Still more letailed surveys are to be given him n conference yet to come, it being ;aken for granted that among oth ers Senator McCormicR of Illinois, ivho now is in Europe, will see him vithin a few weeks. Mr. Harding -o night denied director, however, xiKiiahpH rsnorts that Senator Mc I Uormick was acting as a representa sive in conference with European statesmen. The president-elect said le had "no agents in Europe, in the Jniited States or in any other part >f the world." Today Mr. Harding saw few call ers and held no conferences on the issociation plan. How long the pres dent-elect will remain in Marion till is undetermined, and published eports of a definite plan to move .0 some Southern resort in the iear future,- all were denied today it Harding headquarters. Officials aid many invitations h^d been re-| :eived, but no definite actioft taken. The general understanding has been hat a Southern trip probably will >e take some time in January. IS OPINION OF ASSEMBLY OF LEAGUE N AT IONS?GEORGE NICHOLL BARNES, BRITISH LABOR LEADER, DECLARES THEREV IS "TOO MUCH QUIB BLE AND NOT ENOUGH PLUCK' ?SHARP CRITICISMS' Geneva, Dec. 14.?The limitation of armaments by the powers for the next two years by agreement among them was acted upon favorably today by the assembly of the league of na tions. The matter came upr in the form of the report of the disarma ment committee, the limitations clause in which was amended to mere ly a recommendation before the re port was adopted. With respect to the limitations clause, Leon Bourgeois made the res ervation that France wa3 obliged to restore her armaments that had been worn out by the war. The Belgian and Spanish delegations at the afternoon session made similar reservations re garding the limitation of their arma ments during the next two years, notwithstanding the reservations France together with Brazil, Chile, Greece, Poland, Rumania and Uru guay, voted against the limitations clause. Hlamar Branting, Sweden, pointed out that the reservations did not change the situation since a resolu tion on that subject was only and could only be, a recommendation by the delegates voting therefore, who are hot understood as committing their governments. Geneva, Dec. 14.?The first step lor disarmament 01 tne nations must be cautious and deliberate, the as sembly of the League of Natidss de clared today notwithstanding sharp criticisms by George Nicoll Barnes, the British labor leader and Christian Lange of Norway. Mr. Barnes said there was "too much quibble and not enough pluck" in the decision to go slowly. The policy of the United tates on this question was, by more or less veiled allusions, invoked as one rea son why general disarmament can not be boldly grappled with at this time, Mr. Barnes said. H. A. L. Fish er of the British delegation referred to nationals with powerful arms and munitions making facilities that still are outside the leaerue. The absence from the league of former enemy countries also as referred to by Mr. Wisher. This brought from Mr. Barnes the retort: "They now are practically disarmed and can not con stitute a menace for years to come." A curious manifestation of the ses sion was the general applause of the delegates for the pleas made by Messrs Barnes and Lange for an im mediate minimum effort, while at the i&me time accepting the conclusion of the disarmament committee. These are, briefly, an effort to prevent the future increase of armaments and propaganda in favor of a decrease as a steady means of bringing about eventual but remote, general dis France and Belgium accepted the committee's conclusions until limita tion of armament during the next two years on the base of appropriations for lasttyear. They added, however, that they could not consider the re storation of armaments destroyed during the war as increase expendi tures but pointed out that measures were being taken to reduce the period of military service. M. Poulet (Belgium), "Belgium has received no reparations. She can not spike her guns while the league of ie in nr. vr? ooa fnr. uawiuua ovm to in wnc v* mation." EVERY CLOUD HAS A SILVER LINING The only thing that sustains our drooping spirits when we think of the pretty teachers leaving us Friday for the Christmas holidays is the fact that the lovely college girls will be gin to come in on Saturday.