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TBE SUMTER WATCHMAN, Est?' CONSOLIDATED AUG. 2,1 PACIFIC CENTER OF JISCORD Armament Confer ence at Standstill as Result of Japan's Attitude Toward China Washington, Nov. 17.?(By the * Associated Press).?The Far East ern nations await the reply of Ja pan to China's declaration of rights, ^nd the American move for limita tion of naval armaments is slowing up because of objections raised both by Japan and Great Britain. Discussion of the Far Eastern problems, which for the moment are in the foreground of the arms conference, was advanced by the big nine today to the point of an agreement that a general exchange of views on China's program should precede any consideration of speci fic points. Such a general presen tation of views Japan,was unpre pared to make, and the big nine ad ?P^SAmed until Saturday. Meantime Japan made known formally; her desire to modify the American, plan of naval limitation so as to give her a "slightly greater" relative strength and the opposition of the British to the submarine quota suggested by the United States gave evidence of such deter mination as to attract the attention of the whole body of delegates. The day's work seemed to indi cate that the first impetus of the conference was giving way to a pe ri >d of more deliberate discussion which might preclude the possibil 1 ity of outstanding developments for the immediate future. Plans were made, however, to tackle the third big job of the conference, the lim itation of land armament, early hext week at an open session at ? which Premier Brian d will make a far reaching declaration of the views of France. The big nine's session on Far Eastern questions today was large ly given over to a discussion of the method of procedure. t The decision to-permit each of the powers to present a general statement ? on the subject before attempting 4o settle spe^gj-^roblems ~is:Understood to _&arvP'Had tKe indorsement of ail the ^heads of delegations, although Jas pan made it plain she accepted the Chinese plan only "as a basis of discussion." It was decided also that when specific points are reach ed the Chinese "ten points" are to- be interlaced with the items of the, American agenda in determin ing details of procedure. A contributing factor to the two days' delay was said to be the ill ness of Baron Shfdehara, the Japa nese ambassador who is in charge of Far Eastern problem* for his government. It was understood, however, that the time required to communicate. with Tokyo and the determination of the Japanese to give most careful examination to the'Chinese proposals, have com bined tto make an immediate state ment of Japan's views impossible. It is expected that when this pre sentation is ready, it will be griven to the public as an evidence of Ja pan's willingness to proceed with the discussion in the open. The American government, which has been understood to be in gen eral accord with the Chinese po sition, continued its silence on the subject but evidence of general ap proval came from the headquarters of the French delegation with in at Italy would follow irdit.NvThe French declared their wilhngkess to give up their extra territorial privileges and their lease to Kauang Toheou provided their government's title to French Indo China was unquestioned. For Chi na's aspirations they expressed sympathy but they also indicated that Japan's need of expansion in some quarter could not be mini mized. Formal announcement by Admir al Baron Kato that Japan would ask for a greater proportion of strength than had been proposed for her in the American plan be came tonight the center of atten tion in the naval armament nego tiations. Making the first explana tion of the reservations with which Japan accepted the plan Baron Kato also announced that his gov ernment desired the right to pos sess at least one ship of the most formidable defensive type included in the armaments of Great Britain and the UniteVI States. He explain ed that he did not refer to subma rines but would not indicate what class of vessel was in his mind. The view behind the British ob jections is that the quota of 90.000 -tons in submarines suggested by the American plan for both Great Britain and the United States is .far too large. The British, in fact, would like to see the submarine abandoned entirely but there are Considerations of national defense which impel the American dele gates fo hold determinedly to the figure they first proposed. Late to day the question was discussed by She Americans with Theodore Boosevelt, the American delegate. on the conference committee but there was no indication of a reces sion by either the United States or Great Britain. 2 The improbability of a decision in-the near future was. indicated by the announcement today that three or four days more would be required to complete the British case tot presentation to the naval ibiished April, 1850. .SSL (HOUSE ACCEPTS AMENDMENT Republicans Join the Democrats in Put ting Through High er Surtax Rate Washington, Nov. 17. ? Disre garding the expressed wish of President Harding, the house voted today, 201 to 173, to accept the sen ate amendment to the tax revision bill fixing- the maximum income surtax rate at 50 per cent, on im| comes of $200,000 or more. Ninety-four Republicans, most of them fron, the Middle West and Far We.~t. joined with the practi cally solid Democratic minority in supporting the amendment. An nouncement of the result brought applause from both sides of the chamber with some of the Demo crats breaking into cheers. -Three hours before the vote was taken, the house . listened to the reading of a letter from President Harding to Chairman Fordney of the house ways and means commit tee suggesting that the house and senate compromise. The executive said he still believed the original house rate of 32 per cent, was "nearer to a just levy and the more promising one in returns to the public treasury," but that in view of the legislative situation he thought it "wholly desirable" that there be a compromise at 40 per cent. Immediately after it became known that the president had writ ten Mr. Fordney, spokesman for the "insurgent" Republicans said the letter woiftd not affect the re sult. They had claimed a total of 93 Republican votes or one less than was cast for the amendment. Among the majority members sup porting the amendment were Chair mna Campbell of the rules commit tee, Representative Green (Iowa), ranking Republican on the ways and means committee, and Chair man Haughen of the agricultural committee. This vote settled the biggest is sue between the house and senate on the tax revision bill and the managers from the two houses.will resume their sessions^ tomorrow with the hope of reaching an agree ment on the bill by Saturday night. If this hope is realized, the meas ure probably will be sent jto the president before the end of next week. The intervention of the president in the tax revision fight?the sec ond since the ways and means com mittee began drafting the measure early today of Representative Mon dell of Wyoming, the Republican leader in the house. The presi three and a half months ago?fol lowed a visit to the -White House dent then summoned Chairman Fordney and Representative Long worth of Ohio of the ways and means committee, and expressed his view on the surtax. These were supplemented by ? letter to i?r. Fordney. During the three hours' debate in the house, which was conduct ed under a special rule, the presi dent was attacked for writing Mr. Fordney. Representative Fear (Republican) of Wisconsin,said tho president's intervention "at the last minute" was "unfair and unjust" and that he should have made known his views to the seriate when the 50 per cent, was under , discussion there. Representative Garner (Demo j erat) of Texas declared that if the I president had views to submit he ? should have done so in person or in J a message to the house rather than I in a letter to a member of the I body. Representative Sinnot'(Re I publican) of Oregon declared that he "grieved because the president had been given bad advice on this subject." Supporting the president's stand. Representative Mondell and other Republican spokesmen said the Re publican party had promised to re duce taxes and that the 50 per I cent, rate should not be approved by the house. Look For Lower Rates j - Fifteen Per Cent Decrease on j Farm Products Washington, Nov. 18.?Experts here estimate that after the first of January the freight expenses on farm products will be about 15 per j cent less than at present. Railroad j executives have just announced a cut of 10 per eent, effective in ten I days in these rates, and the pend ing tax revision bill, effective Jan uary l, repeals transportation taxes, which would account for 5 per cent more. CHARLES AND ZITA IN EXILE Funchal. Maderia. Nov. 19.? Former Charles of Austria-Hun gary and his wife arrived today to begin their exile. committee. In the interim the question is receiving the lively in terest of all the delegates and when the committee meets to take the detailed views of the five powers it may find before it a mass of data and argument that it will take weeks to assess. "Be Just and Fear JAPS PLAYING FOR_POSITION Although Accepting Proposals In Princi ple They Will De mand Something Quite Different Washington, Nov. 17 (By the As sociated Press).?Admiral Baron Kato, head of the Japanese delega tion to the armament conference, announced today that Japan would ask modification of the American naval limitation program which ?would permit Japan to maintain ^general tonnage slightly greater Sia\i 60 per cent.2' of that of each dfethe other two powers, j" Japan also would ask, Baron K?to said, for the right to maintain a type of vessel of strictly defen sive character, the tonnage approx imating ?iat maintained by the other twe powers. A statement issued* by Baron Kato said: "Because of her geographical po sition, Japan 'deems it only fair at the present time that the other in terested countries agree that she should maintain a proportion in general tonnage slightly greater than 60 per cent., and, in a type of vessel pt a strictly defensive character, she might desire to even approximate that of the greater navies." ^ i Baron Kato's statement was is sued at a conference with newspa per correspondents, but he would not give details as to the modifica tions his delegation would submit, saying this was for the conference to discuss. It was assumed gener ally, however, that the "slightly greater" general tonnage the Japa nese desired would include the bat tleship iMutsu, probably just com missioned, and that the type of de fensive vessel referred to was a light ert?ser suitable for policing the waters of the Orient against pi rates and the like. The Mutsu is a ship of some 33, 000 tons armed with eight 16-inch rifles. She is comparable to the American Maryland class, and, ac cording to Secretary Hughes' pro gtwir, 'jtefcfr' n'fttlon ^Vjtt^'rgt&m but one ship of this class. Great Britain has no battleship of this type. If the Mutsu is later added to the ships Japan is to re tain she will make the second 1G inch gun ship for Japan and it was assumed that if this was granted, the American delegation would de sire to retain the West Virginia of similar characteristics, to be launched next Saturday. Admiral Baron Kato made his statement in the presence of M. Hanihara, the vice minister of for eign affai.s. and several other members of the Japanese -delega tion. He was then asked to de fine more clearly what he meant in stating that "in a type of vessel of strictly defensive character she might desire to approximate that of the great navies," and in reply said he wanted to make it per fectly clear that the above reser vation did not apply to capital ships, but to other ships of a de fensive character. In reply to another question he added that the reservation did not refer to submarines. "Has Japan any views," he was asked, "as to the tonnage of sub marines?" "I have no views to express," he answered, "until I have a chance to read and study the proposals of Great Britain." "There is some idea of abolishing submarines, poison gas and other like instruments of warfare," said another questioner. "Has the Jap anese delegation ever considered this?" "I hope to take this matter up in the conference itself," the admir al replied, "so I am not in a po sition to answer at this time." The auxiliary committee was di vided under the American propos als into three classes: Auxiliary surface committee on bantamcraft, submarines and airplane carriers, and aircraft. The first group was announced to include cruisers, ex clusive of battle cruisers, and flo tilla leaders and destroyers. The total tonnage of these ships were lixed as 450,000 for the United States and Great Britain and 270, 000 tons for Japan! Admiral Ka to's declaration is interpreted to mean that in some types, presumab ly the swift light cruiser, or in gun boats capable of steaming up the rivers of China or Siberia, Japan would like to haw- as much tonnage as the other two naval*powers. With Japan's occupation of the littoral of Siberia, her presence in the northern part .of Sakhalin is land as a consequence of the Xiko laievsk massacre, and her patrol of the extensive coast of the Kamachatka peninsula, not to men tion the activities on the coast of China. it was regarded by some that Japan feels that what she calls her "defensive" craft should be in creased over the tonnage specified. At all events Ulis is held to add a I new feature to the Japanese res? r I vation to the American proposals. Washington, Nov. 17 (By the As sociated Press).?Japanese accept ance of the proposals of the Chi nese delegation as the "basis of dis cussion in committee" by the Pa cific and Far Eastern conference was announced today by Baron Kato, heading the Japanese group. Not?Let all the ends Thou Aims't a Sumter, S. C Wednesday, ENGLAND ! STOPS SHIP JJUILDINGj Admiralty Orders Ces sation of Work on Great Warships Pending Outcome of Conference _ i London. Nov. 18.?The British admiralty announced today that it had ordered cessation of all work on the four battie ships of the su- ! perhood type. Shipbuildmg firms were notified not to incur further liabilities on new naval construction until further notice by the admiral ty. Admiralty officials explained that the ship work stoppage order would , have the practical effect of abso lute cessation of all warship \ buiMing pending the outcome of) the' Vashington conference. Watchman Kills Robb? Montpelier. Ind.. Nov. 19.?Al though wounded, Jerry Engle, the night watchman shot and killed a member of a gang that "was at-j tempting to rob the postoffice. CHINA HAS FRIEND IN JNGLAND Has Come to Confer ence To Aid Thft Country to Assunle Proper Place j if-..' ? ? Washington. Nov. 18. ? Gr&t Bri'ain has come to the arms cq? Terence for the purpose of doi^g everything possible to enable Chi na to assume her proper place in [ the commercial world, the British authorities emphasized in state ments for the public. ? ? ? Cann Dies From Blood Poisoning Abbeville, Nov. IS.?T. L. Cann, deputy sheriff, who was shot in a pistol fight in which Policeman Cawford was wounded, died at 10 o'clock this morning, at his home here. The shooting took place Thursday night last week in the opera house. Death was due to blood poisoning. Judge Mclver is sued an order Tuesd*ay admitting Cam to bail in sum of $5,000 for killing Cannon. He had not been in jail. Cann is survived by his widow and two sons, one a student at Clemson, four brothers and three sisters. Berlin, Nov. 19.?Hugo Stinnes, j German industrial magnate, has j gone to London on the invitation . of Premier Lloyd George, according ! to an announcement by the Lokal Anzeiger. Presumably his visit is in connection "with German repar ations. The Baron said he had no objection to accepting the Chinese proposals j in principle for that purpose. ] It is understood that an import- i ant reason why Japan has asked for j more time to study the Chinese ' document is that the plenipoten tiaries at Washington are actively engaged in communicating with the home government at Tokyo. It is almost certain, in the opinion of Japanese here, that the vital matters raised in the Chinese pro- ] posals will be subject to serious de- J liberation by such Japanese in stitutions as the Genero. or Elder | Statesmen, and the privy council, asi well as the cabinet. On such a program also it is believed probable i that the leaders of the naval and army groups would desire an op port unity to express their views. Japanese newspaper correspond ents, of whom there is now a small army in Washington, had a plan for a mass meeting tonight which was to have resulted in a round robin to Admiral Baron Kato, head of the Japanese delegation, express ing their opinion that Japan should subscribe to the American propos als for naval limitation without the reservations which have been fore cast. .All proceeded serenely until Ad miral Kato heard about it. Then the Japanese correspondents receiv ed a summons to appear at the ba ron's headquarters. So American reporters having been invited, and inasmuch as Ad miral Kato spoke in Japanese any how, the version of what he said is necessarily a second-hand one. It is known, however, that the ad miral told the journalists with some fluency and emphasis that the Jap anese government would rather i that the newspapers would not de-! term ine the course to be pursued and he outlined with lucidity char acteristically Oriental how he would regard any such action as the correspondents proposed. There v. as no mass meeting and the robin failed to round out. t be thy Country's. Thy God's and November 23, 1921 WILEY JAPS I HAVE THEM GUESSING _ Attitude of Asiatics on! Far Eastern Ques tion is Puzzle of! Arms Conference "Washington, Nov. 19.?The pre cise attitude of Japan is becoming more and more the big interroga tion point of the arms conference. "When the delegates of the nine na- i ;tions assembled again to talk about '?? h.he Par Eastern question it was Ja- ] vpan to whom they looked for the hint that would reveal just what trend is to be taken by the nego- i tiations as they affect China. Statement from Japan j _ I Explanation of Attitude To-j ward Far Eastern Question j Washington, Nov. 19.?A state-! j ment in behalf of Japan on several J I questions relating to the Far East ! ! was made at the session of the j j .committee on the Pacific and Far J f Eastern affairs. It has been ar- ! i jranged for a complete public state- j j-ment be issued later through state; ^department. Committee will meet (again Monday. BRIDLE OF ELECTION 600DLERS -, Axttorney General Daughtrey Rules That Candidates For 1 Senate Need File No Expense Statements Washington, Nov. IS.?The su preme court decision in the New berry case makes it unnecessary for candidates for the United States senate to file statements of receipts j and expenditures in connection I with their primaries or the gener- j al election. Attorney General! Daugherty informed the house com mittee. ? o ? Inheritance Tax Not Increased Washington, Nov. IS.?The sen ate amendment proposing to in crease the maximum inheritance tax rate from the present 25 per cent, on estates valued at $10.000, 00 0 or more to 50 per cent, on those of $100,000 or more was knocked out of the tax revision bill today by house and senate conferees. This amendment formed a part of the compromise revision ? program brought forward by the senate agri cultural bloc and agreed to by Re publican leaders. This was the only one of the remaining "high" spots in the bill on which the conferees came to an agreement today, but j the house managers, in conform-; ity with instructions voted yester day by the house, accepted the senate income surtax maximum rate of 50 per cent. The house managers accepted to day the senate plan taxing insur ance companies. This plan pro vides that life insurance compa ; nies shall pay an income tax on its investment income at the rate yet | to be fixed for corporations. Mu- I tual insurance companies other than, life will be taxed, at- the- sa-m-e frate on their net income as com puted under existing law, while all other insurance companies will pay the corporation tax rate on their net income. Other agreements reached Irj t2y conferees include these.' Struck out the La F o 11 et t e amendment requiring taxpayers in making their returns to list the tax free securities held by them. Adjaptad a - rnmprorMf?e amfjrrT; : merit exemption fro'm taxation the first $300 of income received by in dividuals from investments in building and loan associations,* the exemption to run for five years from next January 1. Accepted the senate amendment j striking out an original house pro- j vision allowing corporations to de- | duct from their income gifts to j charitable organizations, provided the total did not exceed f> per cent. J of tin- net incom< of tin- contribut- j ing corporation. Accepted senate amendments! providing that where hanks and' corporations pay taxes for their I stockholders they may deduct the amount so paid in making their in- 1 come tax returns. The stockhold ers for whom taxes were so paid would not be permitted, however to make a similar deduction in making their returns. Accepted a senate amendment exempting from jaxation the rental value of dwellings furnished to a minister of the gospel as part of his compensation. Accepted a senate amendment ! exempting receipts received hy in dividuals from ship owners' mutual ! protection and indemnity associa- j tions not organized for profit. Truth's." CONFERENCE ! DISCUSSES LAND ARMY: i Premier Briand of! France Holds Atten tion of Armament Conference by Great Address By the Associated Press. Washington. Nov. 21. ? The Washington conference turned their attention to land armaments at the i third plenary session. At a large executive session of all delegates the Far Eastern Question will be taken up for detailed discussion. ! Opinion growing out of these ques ! tions will have to be dealt with the ! general line because they are com plicated and less tangible in nature when compared with the concrete i naval armaments proposals. Germany, whiie apparently dis armed could with its present ma chinery raise an army of six or seven millions, said Briand. adding that 250,000 Germans were daily i receiving military instructions. : Although a part of Germany wants I peace, he said, another ssction is continuing to preach the old Prussian doctrines. Declaring that France wants peace. Premier asked how any one could ask a na tion to disarm under such condi tions. Briand said France propos ed further reductions in her army to half her former strength. Speak ing for Great Britain, and in reply to Premier Briand, Author James Balfour, heading the British del egation, practically pledged the support of Great Britain to France in the face of the lust for domina tion. Aristide Briand, seven times Premier of France, held the con ference spellbound for an hour af ter it convened at eleven o'clock, while he told of the need of France for a large army, introducing the subject of land armament. Secre tary Hughes said it presented no problem for of the United States, whose traditional policy was a small army. He said the considera tion of naval armaments was pro gressing favorably. ? ?> ??-. Laurens Fight ' ing Weevil Farmers Planting Large Acre age in Small Grain and ? Clover i Clemson College. Nov. 19.?Lau rens county farmers under the lead ership of J. E. Trevathan, county ag>r.t, have been conducting a campaign, against the boll weevil during the pt^t several weeks, which will result effectively in 1922. Meetings have been held in school houses all over, the county at which there were discussions coneerning the necessity of plowing under stalks and sowing winter cover crops as effective steps in lighting the boll weevil. A number j of articles to the same effect were published in the newspapers of the ! county to aid in the campaign. In addition to the campaign led by Mr. Trevathan, good results have come from the assistance of Mayor Franks of Laurens, who has been soiling wheat at cost and has offered a prize of $125.00 for the highest yield of wheat in the coun- | ,ty, his purpose being to encourage the growing of wheat for home \ consumption. ; j The farfhers have responded to I the campaign in a most satisfactory j way, according to reports from the county agent. More cotton stalks are being plowed under than has been the custom, and the amount of rye. oats, clover, and vetch seed sold in the county for sowing is -fully dotrbh? the normal sales- in past seasons. In the matter of planting wheat the result has been very striking. Over 5,000 bushels of wheat will be planted in the county this fall, which is an increase of 1,000 per cent over the usual amount of wheat planted. These figures show that the Laurens farmers are preparing to attack the boll weevil in a very vi tal spot and at an opportune time. Various other" rmmries itrv car- ; rying on campaigns in the same big tight. ? e? - Washington, Nov. 21.?The inter-j State Commerce Commission issued positive orders requiring railroads ! t<> reduce the hay and grain rates approximately sixteen percent by December twenty-seventh. Washington, Nov. 21.?Cotton! ginnings to November 14th total led seven million two hundred sev enty-!ive bales, which is an addition ?25.000 in two weeks prior that date, the census bureau an-I nounced. Ginnings recorded by the ' bureau exceed by T3.",37f> bales the quantity forecast in the prelimi- I nary estimate by the department! agriculture early in October. Chicago. Nov. 19.?Federal offi-j ciais announced today that a liquor, plot has been uncovered which they! said, involved a proposed bribe of forty thousand dollars to public of-1 ficials for a suitcase full of liquor permits tor eighty-seven thousand gallons of whiskey. The evidence, it is .said, linked the names of sev eral New York and Chicago men with the bootlegging trade. THE TRUE SOU1 JAPAN DEMANDS BIGGER NAVY Proposal To Amend Hughes' Plan For. Limitation of Naval Strength Starts De bate Washington, Nov. 18 (By the As sociated Press).?Japan's request j for an increase in the proportional j strength of her navy may lead j speedily to some plain talk across the council table of the arms con ference. The American delegation stands ready to dispute stubbornly any material change from the ratio set j fo-th in the American plan. That ! ratio it was emphazied by highest j authorities today reflects existing j proportional strength and so can I not be altered without upsetting : a fundamental principle of the ! whole plan. In effect, the American figures would give Japan six fighting ship's to every ten owned by the United States and every ten owned by j Great Britain. The Japanese have 1 hinted but never formally announ ! ced, that they want seven to ten. j The naval experts of the United States really believe that fi-e to i-ten is nearer the proper allotment. Great Eratain has accepted the six to fen in principle, but her spokes men have been silent ah out the new Japanese proposals. If it turns out that the "slightly greater" naval force suggested for Japan by Admiral Baron Kato only amounts to the addition of one bat tle cruiser to the Japanese figures then emphatic objections of the American delegates may not be deemed necessary. But if the sug gestion comprehends a real change in proportion it is declared on au thority that a determined diplo matic struggle will, result. . j The clear delineation of the I America n position on this subject j served to turn attention again to i naval armaments today while the Far Eastern negotiations were av a standstill to permit the powers to work out details of their policy. Neither the conference nor any of its committee met during tlSfe day t but the nine delegations will assem I ble tomorrow in executive sessions to resume their discussions of the i Far East. Coincident with the disclosure of the American view point on naval reduction it was revealed today that the administration does not propose to limit the armament agreement, if there is one, to the nations represented in the Wash ington conference. Whether a treaty or simply an understanding j would come out of the negotiations administration officials would not predict, but it was said that what ever the form of agreement the other interested nations would be asked to participate. Should nq, treaty requiring sen ate confirmation result, it .vas said I to be the belief of the adiministra tion that the whole armament re duction program could be put through, without congressional ac tion. International "understand ing" of policy does not require the approval of congress and officials say the proposed scrapping of war ships could be accomplished under general authority already possessed by the executive. There was every indication to night that all the powers would go into tomorrow's Far Eastern conference fully prepared to ex press their view on the plan pre sented as a basis of discussion by i China. During the two day recess the foreign delgations have been i in touch with their governments ? and although not all may desire to j^make detailed statements of their views at this stage of the negotia tions there is a general expectation that some progress will be possi ble. The Japanese, in particular, indi cated that they preferred to have their policies developed step by ! step as the negotiations continued. I They were prepared to ask for an : interpretation of some of the j Chinese "ten points." and seemed j especially interested in the propos als for the reexamination of all ! compacts affecting China. Should j China desire to reopen what Ja ! pan regards as "closed incidents," I the step will be opposed determin : edly. [ General support of China's aspi rations for national development, j free from restrictions that hither to have surrounded her, was ex pressed today among the British delegates, who declared their gov ) ernment was ready to give up the extra-territorial privilege as soon as Chinese courts were sufficiently developed to guarantee justice. A similar attitude already has been indicated by France and the Unit ed States. The Chinese delegates themselves will go into tomorrow's meeting with the attitude that having laid down their declaration of rights it is some one else's move. They are preparing for no further statement, but say they will be glad to ans wer questions and explain their in terpretation of their propositions. A formal call was issued today for the third public session of the conference which is to be held j Monday. Premier Briand of France is expected to speak to the delegates on land armaments in HROX, Esta Wished June 1, 1S6?. VOL. LIL NO. 29. FORD'S OFFER REJECT! Negotiations Came a Sudden Halt an< Ford Leaves Wash ington ? Interests Against Ford Washington, Nov. 19.?Negotia tions between Henry Ford and gov ernment officials over the Iatter*s offer for Muscle Shoals came to sudden halt today. The officia said the offer would be considered in conferences later. Mr. Ford ha gone to New York where he sai( important business awaits him. Henry For? Sticks To Original Offei Washington, Nov. 18.?A report to congress embodying the conclu sions of Secretaries Weeks and Hoover on the proposal of Hei Ford for the purchase and lease the nitrate plants and water power projects at Muscle Shoals, Alabama, may be made in a few days, it was announced tonight upon the ad journment of a conference between. Mr. Ford and government officials. Government officials participat ing in the conference said they saw no reason why the report could not be made within a day or so, Secre tary Hoover, who presided at the conference, however, declined to comment on the subjects discussed, as did Mr. Ford and his engineers. Secretary Hoover announced that the conferences would be continued tomorrow at the war department provided Mr. Weeks was able to at tend. Mr. Ford m wiil remain in Washington until the war secretary has recovered from a temporary in disposition. Revised estimates made by army engineers, it was said, place the cost of construction work on the; Wilson dam at figures ranging from $42,000,000 to $55,000,000, allow ing certain amounts for improve ments in navigation. Mr. Ford's original offer allowed $2S,000,000 for the construction work necessary ' to complete the dam and, it* was understood, he declined in the con ference today to alter that figure. The " difference between Mr. v Ford's estimations and those of army engineers was believed to be the principal point on which an agreement between him and the governmeht hinges. The statement that a report might be made to congress within a few days led some to believe that the conference had reached a compromise on the figures. ' It was explained that the report would not necessarily c: nrain rec ommendations either f >r the ac ceptance of the Ford offer or for its rejection, but would mer dy present the facts to congress for consider ation and final action. If recom mendations are embodied in the re port, it was said, they would be made personally by the secretary of war and not by the coiiimerce secretary. ? ? - British Action Causes No Surprise Washington, Nov. 18.?The ac tion of the British admiralty in or dering a suspensic. of work on capital ship building created no surprise here. In any case, deliber- - ations by the technical commission, headed by Assistant Secretary Roosevelt and including the high est naval officials of five big pow ers, appear to have reached a point which the capital ship ratio may be considered settled, as far as the British and American fleets are concerned. i British Delegates Busy at Work . . ? Washington, Nov. IS.?While the committee sessions stood at ad journment to give Japan's delegates ' an opportunity to. prepare for pre- ig sentation of their views on China's proposals for the settlement of the * Far Eastern questions, the British delegation pushed their work today formulating a detailed statement of their position on the American armament proposal and the Far Eastern program. Favors League of Nations5 Idea New York, Nov. IS.?The nego tiation of a treaty which would prevent future wars, in conjunc tion with an agreement to limit the size of navies, was urged by Elbert H. Gray, chairman of the board of directors of the United States Steel Corporation, in an address here be fore the American Iron and Steel Institute. He also belittled the suggestion that armament limita tion would reduce the manufac ture of steel. Chicago, Nov. 19.?Four men. one woman, and three boys were killed when the Santa Fe Flier struck a funeral car on a crossing near here. Three others were critically injured. which France is vitally interested, laying down a formula that will >eeome the basis of discussion la er.