The Abbeville press and banner. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, March 10, 1922, Image 1
and
Itablished 1844. $2.00 Y<*ar. Tri-Weekly
Abbeville, S. C., Friday March 10,1922
Single Copies, Five Cents. 78th Year,
JECTS Fi
IN
I
>RNEY GENERAL ADVISES
iCRETARY FALL OF IN
tlOR DEPARTMENT OF
FINDINGS?LE?AL OPIN
>N GIVEN
Taahington, March 9.?Appro xi
jly 20 per cent of the govern
lt employees in the classified
service are barred from pen
benefits of the retirement act
ler an opinion by Attorney Gen
Daugherty transmitted to Sec
w-n' DaL
LJT ran wuu auuuwr?.. n. .
jtary Fall estimated today that
)0 employees'7were affected and
out of 8,000 who had retired
the act, four-fifths, or 6,400
Joyees, have been drawing their
ion illegally under the opinion.
attorney general ruled, ac
ig to a review of the opinion
to Secretary Fall by tie
>r of the interior department
only those employees who held
positions as the result of com
ipetitrve examination )' were en
to the benefits of'the retire*
it act. Thus, Secretary .Fall Mid
[those employees who entered the
led service as the restiltn>f a
ive examinations were en
|W W ?m WUWN V* .?
it act. Thas, Secretary Fall said
those employees who entered the
ied , service as the result of
lential order without such ex
ition to the number of 89,
were excluded. The attorney
leral held fdrther that while the
it by executive order might
lode within the classified service
ticular positions and classes such
order would not embrace persons
hold particular positions except
)n competitive examinations.
In his review of the opinion the
kicitor of the interior department
pd that 56 per cent of the em
jyeea who. uanu^ uawu ?uv. ~ w
lent age; were retaind in ec
f'e service for*two year periods un
authority of the act because of
jcial value to the government, did
kt enter the service through com
ftition and would be excluded from
benefits. These, he declared, had
fth all other barred by the opinion j
m contributing 2 1-2 per cent of j
[eir monthly pay to the pension1
pd as required by th8 act.
Asserting that approximately
)0 employees who had retired have
receiving pensions illegally,
le solocitor said unless congress
iacted legislation for their relief
?re was no way for their pay to
mtinue.
Secretary Fall's attention was
illed by the solicitor to a ruling of
|ie comptroller general that if a de
trimental disbursing agent pays a
>n money contrary to his con
letion of the law the agent is
eld' personally responsible for re
ayment of the sum to be paid. The
iKcitor also said that the sum de
ed from the salaries of the em
loyees not benefiting must be re
inded.
Secretary Fall said today that
le interior department law officers
id drawn up-a bill which has been
ibmitted to the proper committees
congress looking to relief from
)e situation created by the opinion
as to include the 80,000 within
le meaning of the retirement act.
J. FULP SPEAKS
IN GREENWOOD
Major J. D. Fulp, Superintendent
>f the Abbeville Schools, was a
peaker at the organization of a
^rent-Teachers' Association can
Jreenwood yesterday. In his ad
Iress Maj. Fulp declared that a
^rent-Teachers' Association in
cco*?plish great good and was a
rreat factor in promoting better un
lerstanding between the teachers
md the parents.
\
HOUSE MEMBERS
WILL PASS BONUS
PREDICTIONS MADE PRIVATELY
BY BOTH SIDES?ACTION WILL
PROBABLY NOT BE SOUGHT
UNTIL LATER IN THE MONTH.
NO CONTEST SOON
Washington, March 9.?While the
fight against the compromise soldiers'
bonus bill continued today unabated,
house members on both sides of the
question predicted privately that the
measure would be passed by the
house.
Although a two-thirds vote would
be required to put the bill through
under such a procedure, Republican
leaders Were discussing the question
of calling up the measure under a
suspension of the rules. This would
preclude the possibility of amendment
and ordinarily would limit debate to
20 minutes on each side. The major
ity membership will be sounded out
on this proposition but a decision
probably will be withheld until af
ter the return here late in the week
of Chairman Fordkey of the ways
and means committee, who'will have
charge of the bill on the floor.
The next rules suspension day -in
the house will be Monday, March 20.
Leaders said the army appropriation
bill would be taken up next iucsou?
ahead of the bonus bill and even If
the latter measute were not called up
under a suspension of the rules, it
probably would not be considered
before the week beginning March 30.
There was some discussion during
the day as to President Harding's at
titude with regard to the compromise
bllL Representative Mondell of/Wyo
ming^ the majority leader, said he
did not think the statement made at
the fchite House yesterday that Mr.
Harding occupied the same position
that he did when he suggested a sales
tax or postponement of the legisla-^
tion was to be taken to mean that
the executive was prepared to veto
the measure.
Representative Hawle of Oregon, a
Republican member of the ways and
means committee, said the president
had suggested a 90 day's delay in en
actment of the legislation as an al
ternative for the sales tax and that
in the view of the committee this sug
gestion had been met by making Oc
tober 1, 1922, the effective daxe of
the bill.
/
FREE SEED VICTORY
Winners in House Rejoice in Carni
val Style
Washington, March 9?The house
of representatives today replaced in
the agricultural appropriation bill
the $360,000 item* tor free seed
which was cut out by the commit
tee in framing the measure.
Friends' of free seed, satisfied
they would win again as they had
for 20 years, acted like a crowd at
a carnival during the brief battle,
which they won by a vote of 145v to
85. Offered by Bepresentative
Langley (Republican) of Kentucky,
as an amendment, Chairman Ander
son, in charge of the 'bill, promptly
mad? a point of order against it
Representative Hicks (Republi
can) of New York, who was presid
ing, held the amendment in order
while a great shout went up from
both sides of the chairtber.
Claiming that seed prices had
dropped from the old high mark,
Mr. Anderson sought to reduce the
Amount to $240,000, but his pro
posal was howled down. '
The 65 members voting against
the gift let loose such a bellow that
the chairman was in doubt.\ Repre
sentatives Mondeil and Garrett, the
party leaders, stood up to be count
ed with the winners.
AT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
The Rev. L. Ross Lynn, D. D.,
president of the Thornwell Or
phanage at Clinton, will preach in
the Presbyterian church here Sun
ir.y.
AMERICA DECLINES
ITALY'S INVITATION
SECRETARY OF STATE HUGHES
ADVISES AMBASSADOR RICCI
UNITED STATES WILL NOT
PARTICIPATE IN ECONOMIC
CONFERENCE IN GENOA.'
Washington, March 9.?The Am
erican government today declined the
invitation to participate in the in
ternational economic and financial
conference to be held at Genoa next
month, on the ground that the con
ference is not primarily an economic
one "but is rather a conference of-H
political character in which the gov
ernment of the United States could
not helpfully participate."
The refusal to enter the confer
ence was contained in a note from
Secretary Hughes to Ambassador Ric
ci 'of Italy who had presented the
invitation on behalf of his govern
ment which in turn was acting for the
allied ambassadors' council."
Ambassador Ricci immediately
communicated the text of the note
to his government.
"LThe note stated that while the
American people were desirous of
suitably assisting in the recovery of
the economic life of Europe, the
Uhiited States government could not
be unmindful of the "dear convic
tion" of tfye people "that they should
not unnecessarily become involved
in European political questions."
The (iohvictiori was expressed that
all considerations of economic re
vival Would' be futile without the es
tablishment in Russia of the essen
tial basis of production outlined in
the public declaration of the Ameri
can government on March 25, 1921,
and urged that "adequate action" to
that end be taken on tfie part; of
"those chiefly Responsible fpr Rus
sia's present economic disorder.".
In that connection it was also
pointed out in the note that the Am
erican government believes nothing
should be'done looking to the obtain
ing of economic advantages in Rus
sia which "would impair the just op
portunities of others," and warning
was issued that "fair and equal eco
nomic opportunity" in Russia was
expected by the United States in the
interest of Russia itself as well as
that of all other powers.
In conclusion the ^ote expressed
hope that progress would be made in
preparing the way for "the event
ual discussion and settlement of
fundamental, economic and financial
conditions relating to Europe which
press for solution."
8,000 U. S. EMPLOYEES,
- ' BARRED RETIREMENT
Washington, March 9.?A ruling
by Attorney General Daugherty
Wednesday deprived 8,000 civil ser
vice employees of their retirement
pqy, and 'also the money they have
paid to the government providing
for that pay. Those affected came
into the service by presidential or
der, and not by competitive exami
nation.
Legislation will be introduced in
Congress to remedy the defect in
thp present law under which the
ruling was made, aa officials said it
was ail obvious injustice. 1 -
MISS LEILA RUSSELL
Miss Leila Russell came "to Abbe
ville today from Winthrop College to
help with the organization of the
graduates of Winthrop College in
this county. While in Abbeville she
was the guest of Mrs. W. H. White
on Greenville street. Miss Russell is
making a tour of the state organizing
the Winthrop Daughters and will go
from Abbeville to Greenwood to hold
i meeting there.
COTTON MARKET
The cotton market in Abbeville
today was 18 1-4 cents.
RATES TOO HIGH
MUST COMEDOM
___
RAILROADS LOSE 23 PER CEN1
PASSENGER BUSINESS?FINA1
ARGUMENTS BEFORE I. C. C
INQUIRY INTO GENERAL RATI
LEVELS HEARD
Washington, Mar. 9.?Increase*
passenger fares have lost to the rail
roads 23 per cent of the passenge
business thepr had in 1920 and alsi
the good will of the public,'Fred W
Putnam, of the Minnesota railroai
commission, declared today in th
final arguments in' the interstate com
merce commission's' inquiry into g&i
eral rate levels.
"The railroads eighteen month
ago had the good will of the public
and today they have lost it," Mr. Put
n^m asserted.'"It is the relationshi;
of the railroad users through the tick
et windows and on the passenge
trainB that forms public opinion, no
through the freight-department"
Asked by the commission what rat
of return he considered railroad
ought to earn, he said, that if th
commission held six per cent reason
able it should expect railroads t
IJL if-. -
earn more Mian mat in gwu uoie
and le88 than that in periods of dc
pression. )
John S. Burchmore, counsel fo
the National industrial Traffic leagu
urged' the' commission whatever it
action might be as to rates to issu
a decision in the case to shipper
would know the future.
; "Freight rates are a species of ta:
laid on every commodity and practic
ally every.form of activityMi
Murchmose said. "The whole body o
public opinion holds today that rate
are too high and must come down
the only question is whether the rail
roads are able to bear reduction. Oi
that point there is confusion an<
/ .
j doubt and ignorance on tne pair o
(all disinterested observers. We aske
I the commission on this record to giv
us a decision as to jnst what the si1
uation is, what it can do to reduc
rates and what it cannot do?some
thing that will remove the uncertain
ty surrounding business." #
Commissioner Mayer suggeste
th^t conditions were changing an
that any findings of that sort by th
commission would not hold for mor
thaiJ three or si? months.
"That will be helpful even fo
three months so that business1, me
may plan and estimate with an at
surance.of finding conditions to fi
their calculations," Mr. Burchmor
responded.
MRS. D. POLIAKOFF
HEARS FROM RUSSI;
Mrs. D. Poliakoff has just recen
ed a letter from her sister in th
Province of Minske Russia sayrn
that she had received a box sent t
her tby Mrs. Pcliakoff sometime ag<
and that it was in good shape an
intact. If there are others wh
would like to send things to reU
tives in Russia this information wi
be of interest Mrs. Poliakoff say
her sister tells her that the*y hav
enough vto eat; but that clothes ai
hard to get,, and that if she send
another box to be sure and enclos
a spool of thread and a hair comb.
AUGUSTA COTTON ROW
HAS A $2,000 FIR]
Augusta, Ga., March 9.?Fire tha
! at: nne time aDDeared to threaten
large section of Cotton Row was pu
under control this afternoon after
general alarm had been turned i
with a loss of only $2,000. The sam
pie room and office of the cotton firr
of Luke and Fleming was guttec
and the offices of Frank Calhoun con
siderably damaged. '
FERTILIZER ADVANCES
?s
Guano has advanced $1.50 a tor
and 16 per cent acid has advance
51.00 on the ton.
FEDERAL MONEY
I FOR GOOD ROADS
I
r FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS IN
? POSTOFFICE BILL.?ORDERED
REPORTED BY SENATE POST
I OFFICE COMMITTEE?TO IN
CREASE WITH YEARS.
j 1 Washington, March 9.?Appropri
- ations of $50,000,000 for federal
r road construction next year, $1,900,
0 000 for continuing the trans-conti
nental airplane mail service anc
1 $513,000 to repair the New York
e Brooklyn pneumatic mail tube ser
- vice are additions to t)ie annual post
- office appropriation bill carrying a
bout $624,000,000, which was order
ed reported today by the senate post
office committee.
In addition to the $50,000,000 foi
next year in carrying out. the federa
highway act, the committee declare
r for $65,000,000 for 1924 and $75,
t 000,000 for 1925. . :?!
Altogether the senate committe<
e added nearly $70,000,000 in the pos
s tal budget as passed by the house
e Among additions inserted were pro
i- -visions for continuing the joint post
o al commission next year and for .in
a vestigation of "star route" contract
for 1919vto 1921 to determine wheth
er -there should be readjustments t ol
r compensation.
e ? An increase of 100 in the numbei
8 of post office inspectors over the 42(
e authorized by the house also was rec
8 oamended by ' the committee/ Th<
preseht force is 485 and' Chief In
spector Simmons testified that th(
inspection force was "hopelessly be
hind" in its work. Depredations ol
' parcel post 'mail, Mr. Simmons said
4 have Increased the bureau's wori
greatly. ' N \ >
The $1,900,000 authorized foi
^ continuing the trans-continental mai
^ service^ which the house refused t<
^ provide for, is the minimum for eaf<
operation of the mail airplanes, of
ficialsHold the committee, althougl
$300,000 less than the estimates. Th<
committee was told that Americai
airplane development was "neglible'
compared with foreign airplane sys
, tems. n /
a f
(j Eventually officials said it is hope<
. that private companies will take ove:
C \
p the airplane mail transportation.
r EXPORT COTTON GOES
n \
Special Train T^ke* Shipment Frov
it Atlanta
e Atlanta, March 9.?WBat wa
said to be the largest single ship
ment of export cotton from Atlant
since the World war began left to
day on a special train of 40 cars fo
Europe via Savannah. There wer
approximately 3,500 compresse
bales and it was said the railroai
freight charges to Savannah woul<
be $16,000 and the steamer freigh
changes from there to Europe $7,
000. The price was not stated.
Ruth and Schaag Join Team.
New York, Mar. 9.?Babe Rutl
and Wally Schang, the last Yank*
players to be lined up for the com
,!ng baseball season, today left Ho
Springs, Ark,, for New Orleans, t<
join Manager Euggins and the re
mainder of his spring training squad
MRS. GILLELAND'S
E ; CONDITION UNCHANGED
The friends of Mrs. Roy <5ille
land will be sorry to know that he:
condition remains unchanged, bu
that she is considered as holding hei
own.
VISITING HER SON
Mrs. Thomas of Baltimore is ir
the city for a visit to her son, Mr
Arthur Thomas.. Mrs. Thomas is
at the Community House and i;
meeting with a warm welcome froir
i, the many friends of her son.
d Mrs. Thomas has been spending
the winter in Florida.
\
APPEAL BY DAVIS
0
GOVERNMENT HAS / NO DESIRE
TO INTERFERE UNDULY, BUT
HAS DUTY TO SAFEGUARD
INTERESTS OF PEOPLE WHO
WILL BE AFFECTED
Washington, March 9.?Secretary
of Labor Davis today broke the
silence he has maintained during
the ten days in which the govern
ment has 'actively sought intervene
tion in the impending coal strike, \o
llTWP minp nnflra+flrs And fha
- miners' union "in the name of com
mon ysense to get together and save ,
- the country from the costly results
- of a strike." The government has
"no desire to interfere unduly," he
: announced, but "has a doty to safe
1 guard the interests of the |>eople y
1 who will be seriously affected Cby the
. suspension of coal mining."
Although no immediate responses
> wer received at the ^secretary's of
. fie after the statement was issued, v
. press dispatches immediately reflect
. ed the interest taken In it by repre
. sentatives of unions and operators. ..x'
. Official reports to the department,
3 however, were concerned latgely '
. witfi. details concerning the dHssen
f sion in the miners' organization,
where Frank Partington, the- Uli
. nois leader, and some other district
) heads are said lo be begianinglecal ,
negotiations in defiance of the pOli-'
rv nf T>r?aMaft+ JrAhI, Jimtftti afirl
. the national executive board of the
, United Mine Workers. Reports also
. were received on th? attitude of in
f dividual mine operators who have in
t the past entered into national- wage
t agreements.
The department's agents have
. been assured that miners' locals in
j nearly all sections throughout onion
} fields are "overwhelmingly voting to
^ strike April 1," bat this informa
tion has been discounted to a de
1 gree, officials said, (because a strike
, vote is quite often taken so that the
j committee assigned to negotiate the(
, issues can act with fullest authority.
There Was no disposition in offi
cial circles today to reveal that Mr. /
^ Davis' statement wh&h explained
again the government's position on
r the result of the refusal Of Penn
sylvania And other mine operators
in the central competitive field to
enter negotiations looking to anoth
er national wage agreement. The
a union-, it was pointed out here, has
sought this course from the begin
s ning and the operators have been
K unyielding in opposition, though
* Ml? _
willing' in sonje cuscm w mane iwm
or district contracts with the union.
Luxury Tax Killed
Columbia, March 9.-?The senate
yesterday afternoon by a vote of $0
ijto 10 killed the luxury tax bill.
The house by a vote of 44 to 41
sustained the veto of Governor Coop
er on the bill to enlarge the board .of
trustees of the University from sev
en to twenty-one members. The act
is dead.
Seiie Steamer With Whiskey
New York, March 9.?The Ameri
can schooner Victor, loaded with
more than 3,000 cases of American
Scottish whiskeys, whose value was
estimated by prohibition agents at
nearly $400,000 was seized by cus
toms inspectors in the lower bay to
day and tied up at the Battery,
pending court action.
mayor's court
David Smith and Mamie Chase,
colored, were before the Mayor's
court this morning on a charge of
disorderly conduct and fined $20
and $5 respectively.
home On a visit
Prof. Robert Coleman Js spend
ing until Monday with his parents,
Tiff- 1 *JT^, */ T
itii , aiiu iu;-5i n. x. v/viuuioii. i ivx.
j Coleman is traveling in the inter
est of tfce College of Charleston.