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IffiRALTAX BILL REVISED ? Financial Committee Finally Re ports Estimates to Senate. TWO BILLIONS CUT IN --.^ PROPOSED MEASURE |'ipi*T?-1 liOwer Body Did Figuring While j \ - Struggle Was Still Going on. -Simmons Explains Necessity. j* H .."Washington, Dec. 9.?Effects of the nation's transition from a war basis ?and of prohibition legislation on the present and future problems of taxa tion are outlined in the senate finance committee's report on the revised war revenue bill, filed today by Chairman S^nmons. The report explains the steps taker to revise the house bill so as to raise by taxation net year $5,978,466,00C instead of $7,500,000,000, as planned hy the house before the signing of the armistice and the enactment of pro hibition legislation. Proposed taxe? in 1920 of $4,000,000,000 is the reasor for fixing them .it this time and th< manner in which they will be raised also are explained. The most distinct changes made To the senate in the house draft of th( bill are noted by the committee's re port as follows: Elimination of the 6 per cent, cor poration tax on undistributed corpor ate earnings, fixing a 20 per cent maximum on bona fide sales of mine; and oil and gas wells, elimination o: $he tax on new State and munic.pa bonds; substitution of a single wai excess profits tax for the alternative Senate debate on the measure wil begin tomorrow with a statement b] Senator Simmons. A dissenting repor on the plan to fix 1920 taxes in th< pending bill will be filed by Senatoi Penrose of Pennsylvania for the Re publican finance committee. Separat! ?views also will be presented by Sen ators Smoot of Utah and La Follett? of Wisconsin. Republicans. ._A considerable part of Senator Sim mons' report is devoted to the plar for reducing taxes in 1920 to $4,000, W0,009. "The country has a right to knoT* Jk>w soon and in what degree the bur den of the war taxes can prudently be reduced," the report says. *' "During this period of reconstruc tion business, particularly new busi ness, is entitled to go forward with -*>ht the burden of an 80 per cent, tax on-.war; profits. In time of peace the existence of an 80 per cent, profits tax ? would be an absolute evil, for the per petuation or continuance of which no sufficient reason has or could be giv-. For 1920 the report estimates a re duction o* $1,40,0,000,000 by elimi nating the '0 per cent, wjir profits tax, reduction of the excess profits rates and reduction from 12 to 8 per cent, in the normal rate on individual in comes and of the corporation tax. A further reduction of about $500,000; $00, it was estimated, will occur from miscellaneous sources and shrinkage in;beverage revenues. /'The main outline of the program proposed by the committee thus be comes'clear," the report states. "For the fiscal year 1919, it is planned to raise nearly $4,600,000,000 from in come and profits taxes and something over $1,400,000,000 from other Sources; for the fiscal year 1920 it is planned to raise somewhat less than $5,000,000,00 from income and profits taxes, and about $1,000,000,000 from other sources. About the general wis dom of such a program we entertain no serious doubt. It is imperative that profits and income for the year 1918 be heavily taxed. This is not only necessary, but it is equitable in accordance with sound public policy. The profits realized during the year 1918 are in large part war profits; they are now in the pocket of the taxpayer; they should contribute heavily before they have been dis sipated or reinvested toward the pay ment of the expenses of the war to which in large measure they are at tributable. . "But it is equally important th'it these special taxes should be reduced as the occasion which inspired and justified them recedes into the past. To fail adequately to tax the war profits of 191? would constitute a manifest miscariage of fiscal justice. Not to provide now for the reduction Of the war profits tax would be equal ly inexcusable." In addition to the tax reductions due to the fact that the government now copes with peace instead of war conditions, prohibition is expected to reduce revenue returns greatly. Beverage taxes under the house bill were estimated to raise $1.137, 80,000 during their first 12 months of operation and $850,000,000 for the lj> 19 fiscal year. 4'At the present time under chang ed conditions," the report states, "it is possible to count only upon $500, 000,^00 for 1918-1919 and $93,000, 000 for 1919-1920 from this source." Analyzing in detail the committee's radical changes. Senator Simmons' re port explained that the revised indi vidual sur tax rates graduated up ward 1 per cent, on each $1.000 over $5,000 are more equitable than the ar bitrary graduations of the house bill. The bill retains the house provisions for income taxation of salaries, in-1 eluding those possibly of the presi dent and federal judges, legality of which, the report stated, is left to the courts if the question is raised. The report, however, says that the house clause for federal taxation of new State and municipal bonds was strick en out as "it seemed unwise for con gress to attempt to impose this tax up on the obligations of States and mu nicipalities as long as the States are not free to tax in a similar manner obligations of the United States. The plan of requiring affilated corpora tions to make consolidated income tax returns; the report states, will do WILSON DECLINES HUN INVITATION Only Strictly Official Business Would Force Him to Visit Germany. QUICK AND DECISIVE . REJECTION OF REQUEST Only Long Years of Repentance Can Germany Atone For Crimes Against Humanity. Paris, Dec. 10.?According to a j wireless message from the transport George Washington, says the Echo de iParis, President Wilson has been in formed that efforts will be made to [ get him to visit Germany. The president is quoted as having made reply: "Only by long years of repentance can Germany atone for her crimes j and show her sincerity. No true ? American could think of visiting Ger many, unless forced to do so by strictly official obligation. This is to " say, I decline in advance to consider * any suggestion of that kind." ! Cologne Quiet Again [ Arrival of British Troops Re lieves Keen Anxiety of Bur gomaster. Cologne, Saturday, Dec. T.^Order * has been reestablished here as the * result of the arrival of the advance j guard of British troops. There have been several days of keenest anxiety in the city, caused by extensive riots j and pillaging on the part of mobs of the lower classes, with attendant I bloodshed, according to the burgo master. The rioting was due to the 5 inability of the poor to obtain food r and clothing, also in part to freshly [ inculcated Bolsheviki ideas. I Marching Into Germany " General Pershing Reports Con-, tinued Advance of Amer ican Army. k. - Washington, Dec. 10.?The Ameri can army of occupation, marching in to Germany, has reached the'Rhine. Gen. Pershing, under date of last night, reported: "American Third Army, continuing the advance into Germany, today reached the Rhine from Rolandsek to Brohl, and at nightfall was on the general line Rolandseck-Brohl-Was senach - Mumstermaifeld - Rheinbol ' len." Meets in Rock Hill Sovereign Camp, W. 0. W., to Assemble as Usual. Laurens, Dec. 9.?C. A. Powers, past head consul commander of South Carolina, now a member of the Sov ereign Camp, Woodmen* of the World, has been advised by W. A. Frazier. sovereign corrfmander, that the regu lar meeting of the head camp for this State will be held, at the stated time,, the third Tuesdav in March, in Rock Hill. This statement is important from the fact that it had been decided not to hold the regular meeting while the war was going on, but now that peace negotiations are beginning and there will be plenty of work along recon struction lines, the necessity of hold ing the regular head" camp meeting is emphasized. It is said there will be before the meeting of the head camp many important questions for consideration and it is urged that all subordinate camps select delegates the ! first meeting night in February. much to prevent tax evasion and the new tax on life insurance companies "true income" from investments in lieu of war excess, income capital stock and other taxes is more equi table. The war excess profits section, the report states, has been simplified and reduced. The house alternative plan of levying war and excess profits at which ever rate would yield the most, revenue the committee found objec tionable because its constitutionality] is questioned and its administration I troublesome to tax payers. Explaning exclusion of individuals j and partnerships from war excess I profits taxation, applicable only to corporations, ih" report stated: "Individual and partnerships pay the heavy surtaxes upon all net in come, while corporations are relieved from surtaxes upon the portion cf their earnings which is not distribut ed. This inequality is more than com pensated for by the fact that the cor poration is subject to the war excess i profits tax. Tlie situation as between j different forms of business organiza- j tions having thus been brought into approximately balance, it was deemed proper to relieve the corporation from the c> per cent, differential income tax provided by the house bill." Regarding the tax on beverages, the report says no sound reason was j found for the house proposal for doubling the present rate of $2.20 per gallon on non beverage alcohol largely used for medicines and house-! hold necessities. j Exemption from bond and other j costs on distilled liquors remaining in { warehouses a.V-r "bone dry" prohibi-1 tion becomes effective next July, the j report states, is to prevent hardship! upon owners. "To prevent the total loss, owing to prohibition of vineyards developed j through many years," the report add- ' ed. regarding wine, "it was provided j that under proper regulations wines i may be produced and existing stocks of wine may be utilized fo'- the male- : ing of non beverage and non alcoholic ; wines. ' ] BEAST OF BERLIN William Hohenzollern Seeks to Escape From His Sea of Troutues. I MEMBER OF RETINUE WOUNDED BY WILLIAM jLiepsic Newspaper r/rints Re port oi His Attempt to Kill Himself in Fit of Depression. London, Dec. 10.?William Hohen zollern has a tempted suicide, follow ing mental depression, according to the Leipsic Tageblatt, which is quot ed in a Copenhagen dispatch to the Exchange Telegraph Co. A member of his retinue, who >rc vcnted William from carrying out his intentions, received a wound, it is said. Council of Defense Jhairman fhelps Calls For An Important Meeting to Be Held Saturday. Probably the most important meet ing that the Sumter County Council of Defense has ever held will be call j ed to order at 11 o'clock sharp, at Sumter Chamber of Commerce, next Saturday morning, December 14th. Chairman A. C. Phelps has sent out an urgent appeal to all of the township chairmen and members of the council, the executive committee included, to be present, and urges ; .that every township chairman will call on his township committee mem bers to respond to this call. The council will at next Saturday's meeting decide whether this import j ant bo ly which has accomplished so much for the nation. State and coun ty during the war about to end will continue its usefulness another year or disband. County council! arc deemed by many as very important during the reconstruction of indus - trial and social conditions following i declaration of peace, and in organiz ing for the boll weevil. . Treasurer G. A. Lemmon, and Sec retary E. I. Reardon will render a financial report for the finance com mittee, of the receipts and expend i ( tures of every dollar appropriated for ! the support of this council since its organization. The affairs of the council for the year 1918 will be wound up in as bus t iness-like manner as possible and re port submitted to the proper author ities, State and county from whom public funds were obtained. The Sumter County Council of De fense at its last meeting ? jnanimous ly went on record as favoring a sys tematic campaign of education against illiteracy and in favor of education of the masses along the lines of prevent ative medicine, sanitation, and health which mean contentment, happiness, and prosperity. The Sumter Council instructed Chairman Phelps to noti fy the State Board of Health, and the International Board of Health that the Sumter County Council would guarantee the $2,500 needed for th' county health survey and twelve months health campaign of education beginning January 1st, 1919. Chair man Phelps placed this guarantee in the possession of these two health boards, and now he feels that this consituted a gentlemen's agreement and a pledge which must be fulfilled to the letter by every member of this council, as honorable men. U-Boats Turned Over I First Contribution Made to France. i _ Paris. Dec. 9.?Five trawlers are expected to arrive at Cherbourg to morrow, each towing a German sub marine. This is the first group oC u focats to be handed over to France. It includes one of the newest vessels of the submersible cruiser type. The Japanese armored cruiser Nie hin, with two torpedo boats, has ar rived at Constantinople. Will Join President War Cabinet to Act as Advisers at Peace Conference. Washington. Dec. 10.?The- indus ! trial member of the president's war cabinet, which met at the White House every Wednesday during the country's participation in the war, will join the president as a unit in Paris, to act as advisors at the peace confei-er.ee on economic, industrial and reconstruction problems in Eu rope affecting the future peace of the world. Better Railroad Service Washington, Dee. 10.?The restora tion of the normal passenger servic has now been undertaken by the .railroad administration, says Director General McAdoo in a statement issur-ti today addressed to "the American people," withdrawing the plea made last January for the curtailment of passenger travel as a war emergency. A number of trains will be added to existing schedules within the next few weeks. IX WILSON S SEAT. Vice President .Marshall Presides at Cabinet Meetings. Washington, Dec. 10.? Vice Presi- \ dent Marshall was asked by Presi-j dent Wilson in a wireless message to I < presidet at the tisual Tuesday cabinet | meeting at the White house. .?Tom- t munication between the White House ;> and the president is still limited to s routine executive business. a [Freedom of New York Is Ten ! dered to the Great Marshal of France. I HE SENDS MESSAGE TO MAYOR HYLAN i Mighty General Tells Mayor That He Accepts Invitation j With Appreciation of Honor. - j New York. Dec. 9.?That Marshal j Foch will visit the United States when I his duties permit was indicated by a cablegram received here today Bj Mayor Hylan from the marshal in re sponse to a recent message in whicr. the mayor invited him to visit New York and offered him "the freedom ol the city." The mayor's invitation read: "May the people of the city of Xov York have the privilege and pleasur? of expressing to you in person hou highly they esteem you, and will yot not accept an invitation to be theii guest, so that they may pay yot tribute for the marvelous results at tained by you as commander in ehie j of the allied forces? ! "We owe you a debt for your par j in the triumph of democracy over an 1 tocracy. On behalf of the municipal ity I offer you the freedom of th? city, which is but feeble manifesta tion of our deep regard and adinira tion." j Marshal Foch's reply fallows: "I am profoundly touched by th j sentiment which lias inspired you message and I thank you for you j invitation. I appreciate highly th I honor of the 'freedom of the city J which the people of the city of Xe\ ! York offer me. Please transmit t< I them, with my acceptance, expressioi I of my warmest gratitude." Will Use Charleston Goethals Said to Have Selecte* Port. Charleston, Dec. 10.?Unofficial ad vices are that New York. Baltimcr and Charleston will be used by Quar ! termaster General Goethals for ex j porting army supplies bound acros I the water to the soldiers in France The port terminals under constructioi here will be completed about April J They will have a warehouse capaeit: equal to the total Charleston water front storage facilities, and a massiv dock a half mile long, on deep water will take care of several ships at on time. Eight great warehouses are be in.? built, four being about finished .'and two others well on the way. I_, Uncle Sam's Navy 'Chief of Operations Lays Plan: I of Navy Department Be fore Congress Washington, Dec. 10.?Twenty bat tleships, manned by 4 0,000 men wi! be maintained in active service afte March 1, according to the plans of th navy department as disclosed toda by Rear Admiral R. E. Coontz. actin chief of operations in testimony be fore the house riaval committee i: connection with the 1920' naval ap propriaticn bill. Eight other battle ships will be held in reserve, he said and will be manned by a two-third j complement. . J Other units of the navy to be ir I commission after March 1 were giv j en. Seventeen cruisers for active ser vice, with two*or live in reserve, 2 vessels in the patrol force. 165 de stroyers, 99 submarines. 11 suppl: boats, 4 2 transports, 27 mine sweeper: and is submarine and destroyer tend ers. An aviation force of G.OGo men in cluding aviators, ground officers am1 mechanics is also planned after March 1, the admiral said, while the force oj miscellaneous employers. including radio men. would number 20.000. Thirty thousand apprentice seamen will be in training under the navy's plans. Discharges are being made at a rapid rate. Admiral Coontz said, and it will soon be necessary to reopen recruiting in order to keep the per sonnel of the navy at 350,000 at which it is planned to be held during the L920 fiscal year. America's merchant fleet, he said, is fast growing and by July 3, ne>:t. will number 729 ships under the op eration of the navy. Thirteen hun dred other merchant craft, he said, will be added during the 1920 fiscal year. Ludendorf to Blame He Was the Head Devil of the Prussian Military Machine, Says Czernin. Vienna Monday. Dec. 9.?Count Czernin. former Austro-Hungarian Foreign Minister, discussing the prob lems to be scti led before pea.ee can be made secure, declared that the Brest Litovsk treaty was the work of the German military leaders. Tie painted Gen. Ludendorff as the man who stood between the central powers and peace on numerous occasions. Checks by Christmas Treasury Will Send Out Allow ance Checks to Soldiers' and Sailors* Families. Washington, Dee. 11.?The ma chinery of the treasury's war risk jureau has been speeded up to has :en the distribution of the allotment tnd allowance checks to soldiers' and ;ailors* families by Christmas, it is mnounced. W, J. BRYAN Outlines Basis of Good Govern ment for Benefit of The Peo ple of America. SELFISH MONOPOLISTS AND PROFITEERS OXfi His Advocacy of Government Ownership of Public Utilities Will Not be Popular With the Directors of Big Business. Columbia, Deo. n.?William Jen nings Bryan, in an able address deliv ered last night in the house of repre sentatives before delegates to the goo< reads convention, mentioned 14 prob iems which the nation is called upo: to face in getting back upon a peac basis, and expressed his opinion as t> the solution of these problems. An abstract of the address, prepar ed by Mr. Bryan* himself,'is as fellow* ?'As prohibition will within a fei weeks become the settled policy of th country by the ratification of the na tional amendment, I shall not inelud it in the problems to lie considered .for we may take it for granted tha all parties will pledge their official to strict enforcement in letter and i spirit Of the amendment and law based upon it. "Woman's suffrage is also near a hand and need not be included in th list of problems to be solved. "1. The American soldiers and sail ors have proven themselves to be th best in the world. They arc. on re turn to civil life, entitled to the bes treatment that a grateful nation ca give. Demobilization should be com pleted at the earliest possible momer consistent with conditions and cur ol Hgations, and provisions should b made for the. employment of returnin soldiers on public works until they ar absorbed by the industries of th country. "2. The expenses of the governmer should be reduced to a peace basis a rapidly as possible, and in the reduc iion relief should be given first t those least able to hear the burden c taxation. "Z. In dealing with telegraphs, tek phones and railroads, the policy c the government should conform to th principle that a private monopoly , i indefensible and intolerable. When ever a monopoly is necessary th people and not a few individual should enjoy the benefits that flo* from the monopoly. "4. Telegraph linos should be government mcnoply under the pest office department. Cables should b owned and operated jointly by thi government and the governments c the countries to which they go. "5. Long distance telephone, th equivalent of the telegraph line: should be likewise operated by th government under the postOffice de partment. "6. All local telephene exchange should be owned and operated b such governmental units as the Stat deems best. "7. The federal government shoul cwn and operate a system of trun Ijno railways reaching into ever State with sufficient completeness t give to every State a governmer controlled outlet for its products an inlet for its importations. MS. The local network of railway; aside from the federal system, shoul be acquired by the State as rapid! as public sentiment will permit. Wliil they remain in private ownorshi they should be under control of th State, which should exercise power t make the regulations sufficient to pro tect the rights of both owners an< shippers. "9. A comprehensive system o highways should be planned and buil under the supervision of the fedora and State governments., furnishin; roads good the year around reachin: into all sections of the country an< constituting arteries of traffic easil; accessible to all. Such highway should be paid for by taxation fair!: proportioned according to benefits re ceived. ??in. Ownership by federal govern ment, and operation as far as neees sary. of a merchant marine for tin extention of commerce and the es tablishing of new trade routes'. "II. The federal government shouh retain and exercise such extraordin?r; powers as ii has employed during th war for the protection of the con suming public against profiteers. an< the State and municipalities should acquire and use similar powers fo: the protection of their people fron profiteering in business. "12. Tin- principle of the initiativ* and referendum should be adopted it State and nation, and provision mad' for its proper application, in orde that the voters may lie in absolute con trol of the government in nation. Statt and city. ??]::. There should be a permanent national bulletin controlled by ihre I men. one selected by majority am j one by minority of congress and on< by the president: bulletin to present important things done by congres I ;md important things done by the ad ministration; editorial space to be di vided among parties in congress ii proporton to vote in congress, eacr party to name its own editorial writer The bulletin should be publishec monthly between the campaigns' am" weekly during campaigns, and shouh he furnished at not more than cos to such voters as desire it. "1 I. Universal military training will not be necessary if the peace i buill according to the plan announc ed by the president and Lloyd George 'namely: upon a plan that initiate: noon earth the reign of the prince of peace. Lloyd George announced immediately after the armistice was signed, thai such a peace was hoped for. and the president cabled approv al of the sentiment. A peace that would compel greater military train ing than was thought necessary be- i Dur Ships Transported Almost as Many Troops to France As Did British Ships. ACTS PUBLISHED TO CON TRADICT EALSE REPORTS Admiral Gleaves Gives Out Of ficial Record so That Public May Not be Deceived by Reck . less Liars Like Roosevelt. I New York, Doc. 10.?With the navy lepartment's consent, the office of .'ice Admiral Gleaves, commander cf he cruiser and transport force, made . rubiic tonight, Jigures showing exact ';.' the proportionate share of troops onveyed to France in American v*es >;els. Of the entire army of 2.079.SSO: nen taken over, the statistics show, >0 1-4 per cent, were carried in lUicrican ships. 4$ 1-2 in British and he balance in French and Italian yes Of the total strength of the naval , scort guarding all these convoys the i rnited States furnished 82 3-4 "per rent., Great Britain 14 1-8 per cent., nd France 3 1--S per cent. , , It was felt that these official figures i. ;hould be made public, owing to this liscrepancies in the statements of i nany public speakers as to the rela , 1 ive share taken by the different na i :al forces enabling American troops 0 reach the battle line in sufficient , orce to turn the tide against Ger . , nany. . In actual numbers of men trans , >orted, 912,083 were carried in: , I Imerican naval transports, and 40,499 . ? n other American ships, 1,006,987 [ . vere carried in British bottoms and j ' S,246 in British leased Italian ships, : ' md 52,006 by French and Italian ., ; hips. From May, 1917, to November 11' I' ast, there were .391 sailings of ! Vmerican naval transports, 123 of ther American troop ships, 436 of ^ |. British ships and 82 of other ships. . " <ot a single soldier of those carried f i. n T'nited States naval transports was ost. Navy's War Loss Forty-four Naval Vessels Went Down Daring War. Washington, Dec. 10.?Only 44 ves , els of the navy, including army and ' ! -argo transports, manned by naval rrews, were lost from the declara tion of war April 6, 1917. until hos 1 iities ceased. November 11, and only, } 2 of these were destroyed by enemy ubmarines. This is revealed by an appendix to" F he annual report of Secretary Dan cds, made public today. Only three 5 >f the 12 ships torpedoed were war ?raft, the destroyer Jacob Jones, sunk December 6", 1917, with a loss of 62 ives, and the coast guard cutter, rampa, sunk September 6, 1918, with 1 loss of 112 lives, and the armored .-acht, Alcedo, which carried down ' .0 men. Three ships lost by mines include^ ?nly one war craft, the armored 1 miser San Diego, which went dowff ' <ff Fire Island. N. Y., last /uly 19, vith a less of 50 lives. This was the mly loss of life on ships destroyed by ' nines, but a total Of 67S men on tor ?edoed ships were drowned or killed ry explosions. These include 40 men ' n two ships, the transport Mount i .'cvr.on and cargo carrier Westhridge, .vhich were tewed to port and re paired. Fifteen ships, including the de .trovers Ghauncey and Shaw, the sub narine F-l, four submarine chasers ?nd the coast guard cutter Mohawk, he cruiser Schurz, the yacht Wakiva I and the patrol boat Tarantula were ost in collisions. The other vessels f the 13 were cargo carriers. The otal loss of life was 77. Fourteen vessels, including the col ier Cyclops, were given under the lead of miscellaneous sinkings, these ncluded three submarine chasers, wo trawlers, two patrols, two yachts nd two lugs, and the total loss of life ? vas :Mr?. The Cyciops was given in he list as "mysteriously disappear ed." One of the patrol boats was unk by German shore batteries, while me of the submarine chasers was 'shelled by mistake.' Two of the ships were destroyed by internal ex dosions. A total of 151 American merchant ossels were lost between August, 91-1. and November 11, 1918. Subma rines accounted for 139 of these, allies live and enemy raiders seven. Naval casualties, in the enlisted ?ersonnel, from April 6, 1917, to last November 1">, were 1,121, including >o men of the u. S. S. Scorpion, in erned at Constantinople.. The sum riary shows: Dead 893, injured 130/""missing 22, ??isoners s. unaccounted for 3, and a hospital, condition unknown, ten. There were 351 casualties among he commissioned personnel, 36 ofli ers were killed in actual combat with he enemy, si died of accidents, coi tions, etc., and 234 died of natural ?a uses. New York, Dec. 11.?The transport 'alamares, with fourteen hundred, nghty-six otlic<-rs and enlisted men, ill navy personnel, reached quaran ine early today. fore the war would be a step back ward instead of forward. Any phy dcal development thai might be need ?d in the event of war can be secured by compulsory exercise in our schools consistent with the spirit of peace ind without loss of time or material increase in expense. Such exercises nan he stimulated by a system of prized extending through the entire oeriod of development, and open to country wide competition."