The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, January 04, 1922, Image 1
* THE STTMTER WATC11MAX, EstJ
CONSOLIDATED AUG. 2,1
. DISARMAMENT
CONFERENCE
DEADLOCKED
Entire Day Spent in
\ Discussion of Sub
marine Question
Without Reaching
a Decision
Washington, Pec. 29 (By the As
sociated Press).?Thearnis confer
ence naval committee spent all of
today debating proposals to restrict
submarine warfare against mer
chant craft, but got no further
than a general understanding to
* reaffirm existing principles of in
ternational law and declare strict
application of these principles in fu
ture to submarine operations. ?
i dispute over phraseology blocked
formal adoption of an affirma
tory resolution and the subject
was laid aside for consideration by
a special subcommittee of drafting.
The naval committee itself then be
. gan what promises to be a pro
A longed debate over the American
proposal to prohibit use of subma
rines against merchant vessels al
together.
0 In the meantime the subcom
mittee on aircraft decided to aban
don any effort to limit airplane
strength of the powers and to rec
ommend instead that an attempt
be made to agree on restrictions
that would make air warfare con
form wjth considerations of hu
manity. Even such regulations,
however, were said to be consider
ed by subcommittee members as
difficult of formulation.
All the other naval and Far, East
ern discussions before the confer
ence remained at a standstill dur
ing the day except for an intima^
tion by the Japanese that only
mediation by the United States and
Great Britain could save the Shan
tung negotiations from final dead
lock. It was declared both for
the Japanese and Chinese that the^ir
governments had gone as far as
possible towards compromise and
hope of a settlement was seen only
in the possibility that some new
element could be injected into the
conversations.
* There were indications that the
naval experts of the various pow
ers were far from an agreement
0:1 the proposal-that airplane c?r
riers be limited" and all the for
eign delegations were waiting, on
further instructions as to the Amer
ican: proposal to establish 10,000
tons as the maximum size for any
auxiliary warship. There also was
a h^t ok the remaining details of
the capital ship agreement itself,
a proposed meeting of experts to
work out a replacement chart being
postponed until later in the week.
So far as the capital ship question
is concerned all the delegations
appear to regard it as good as set
tled, althongh several details re
main to be discussed and no draft
of a treaty embodying the agree
ment has been prepared. France
has accepted it, subject to a res
ervation which she has not yet ful
ly explained, so that considerable
discussion may take place before
even that part of the work of the
conference is ready for final ap
proval.
w m 9
Interlocking Direc
torates Authorized
Interstate Commerce Commis
sion Issues Permissory
Order
Washington, Dec. 31.?AH per
sons holding two or more places
as officers ana directors of inter
state railroad corporations have
been given legal permission by the
interstate commerce commission
to hold their various positions in
definitely. The commission had
until today under the transportation
act to determine whether public or
private interests would ao ndver
Kely affected by inte?locking direc
torates.
m> + w -
... *
Business Prospects
Are More Hopeful
New York. Decs. 21.?The busi
ness prospects for the New Year
are in genera! hopeful, according
to statements by prominen* bank
ers, issued by the American Bank
ers' Association.
- e ? 1
Agree to Inter-,
national Law
Paris. Dec. 51.?French delega
tion at Washington, it is under
stood in official quarters, has giv
en hearty assent to the applica
tion of international law to the op
eration of submarines.
Canadian Indians
1 Are Starving
Edmonton. Alta.. Dec. 31.? A
lone Royal Canadian mounted po
liceman with an Indian guide and
two dog team drivers has left for
Fort Fitzgerald for the barren
lands north of Bake Athabasca to
investigate reports that the In
dians are starving and have resort
ed to cannibalism.
Nearly everybody is laying for
the farmer except his hens.
iblished April, 1850.
.881.
FRENCH ?ND
BRITISH VIEWS
ON SUBMARINES
iHead of French Del
egation Explicitly
Disavows State-,
ments Appearing in
French Revue Mar
itime
i Washington, Dor. 30 (By the As
j sociated Press). ? Agreements
reached today by the naval com
mittee of the arms conference in
cluded size and aggregate tonnage
limitations on airplane carriers and,"
j subject only to the French govern
! ment's confirmation, on size and
j armament of auxiliary craft.
I That cleared the committee's
! decks, pending replies from the
j French and Japanese governments
on the Root resolution to initiate
j the abandoning entirely of subma
| rine warfare against commercial
j craft. Adjournment was taken in
j definitely but probably only until
next week when these communica
; tions are expected to have been
received and completion of the na
val limitation agreement in com
mittee made possible.
The Root subcommittee will take
up tomorrow the drafting of the
Root proposal to reaffirm existing
rules of naval warfare > against
merchant craft and declare their
application to submarines and in
vite adherence Of all powers. Sim
ultaneously the committee of na
val experts will work out a replace
ment chart for capital ships to com
plete that section of the limitation
agreement.
The American proposal to limit
auxiliary craft other than aircraft
carriers to 10,000 tons and their
armament to guns of not more
than eight inch bore was approv
ed formally by all delegations but
the French, who deferred formal;
answer pending advice from Paris, j
The American proposal to limit I
aircraft carriers to a maximum of
27,000 tons displacement was
unanimously accepted, the basis
of relative aggregate tonnage ar- j
ranged being: Great Britain and
the United States. 235.000 tons; j
Japan, SI.000 tons; France and
Italy; 60,000 tons each, or a little!
?more than would be required for j
two maximum sizes hips. The j
j French tonnage resulted from the j
statement of French experts that
on examination of the question
France might prefer to have three j
20,000 ton carriers to two 27,000
ton craft.
When the naval committee met
today. Senator Schanzer said the]
Root proposal to ban submarine j
warfare against merchant ships en- j
tirely as amended by Mr. Balfour
for the British to T>e immediately j
effective as between the five sig- j
natory powers pending its ratitica- j
lion as a new statement of in
ternational law had been commu
nicated to the Rome government
which prevented further debate by
the Italians. M. Sarraut made a
similar statement for the French
group and Chairman Hughes agreed
that discussion In the circum
stances would he of limited value
but invited comment by any dele
gate.
Lord Lee for the British group
said he felt there was a "misun
derstanding" in the French group
; s to the British attitude on the
j submarine questions.^
j "i can not help feeling," he
j said, "that here we Tiave a unique
j opportunity for the French delega
tion and government to reassure
the British admiralty and public
j opinion in regard to this matter,
of which I hope they will avail
themselves.
"I want to explain to our French
frien is, if I may, why i? is we have
these special associations which
have been expressed so forcibly in
connection with Prance.
"We are not clear what; are the
vi ws of the French naval staff on
this matter of the utilization of
submarines in time of war. It is
[true the views of experts do not
j always by any means determine.
I the action of governments,Hi they
did no doubt we should some day
be placed in a position in which
[the late Lord Salisbury once de
scribed when he said: 'If we lis
tened tov the experts we should
have to put a garrison on the moon |
to protect it against Invasion from
I Mars.'
"But the views of naval staffs.
I of the experts, are of importance
J unless and until they are disavow- j
led by the governments they serve." j
I Lord Lee then referred to recent \
[articles on submarine warfare inj
[the French Revue Maritime signed j
j by Capitanie de Frigate Castex. j
f"at that rime chief of one of im-;
I porant bureaus of the French na-j
Jval staff," which also directed j
publication of The Revue, he said, j
These articles. Lord Lee added, j
were designed "to throw ridicule!
on those who criticised the Ger
man methods in th?- late war."
He read numerous extracts from
these articles claiming that "tor
pedo" warfare was a French in
vention "appropriated" by the;
Germans. j
"To sum u;>." said one extract I
read by Lord Lee, "one can see j
nothing in tin- altitude of the Ger- j
n'lanstvhich. militarily speaking, is.'
nor absolutely correct. The failure j
to give notice before torpedoing j
has raised a storm of protest, but |
it is not as inadmissible as at first
sight it might appear.
".Now this officer," Lord Lee j
"Be Just and Fear 3
Sees More Hope
For Agriculture
New Year Message From Sec- j
retary Wallace?There Arc !
Signs Which Point to Bet
ter Times, Says Federal
Official
?
Washington. Jan. 1.?The farm
er can enter the new year "in a
spirit of hopefulness and good
cheer," Secretary of Agriculture
Wallace stated today in a New
Year's message to farmers.
"I see nothing which indicates
boom times for the farmers in the
near future," he continued, "but
there does seem to be promise of
better times, both for the farmer
and for those whose business is
largely dependent upon him."
While unwilling to make "any
hard prophecies," the secretary said
that there are signs which indicate
"that the coming year should be a
better one for the farmer and for
those who. deal with him than was
1921."
Among hopeful signs enumer
ated by the secretary were the im
provement in credit conditions
through regular channels and by
special agencies created to meet the
farmer's needs, bringing a lowering
of interest rates; reduction already
made in freight rates on farm pro
ducts: reduction in the cost of 1022
of producing farm crops, and a
probable increase in the price fol
lowing what seems likely to be a
decrease in acreage planted to such
crops.
"The parlayzing effect of the sud
den drop in prices last year is
wearing off,*' the secretary declar
ed, "and farmers will enter the
new year more hopefully, believing
that the worst is over.
"Farmers are coming to see
more clearly that the task of put
ing farming on a sound business
basis is really up to them, and that
through organization they can re
duce marketing costs," the state
ment continued. "In this they will
hzve increasing help from the De
partment of Agriculture and the
various state agricultural colleges,
which now see better than before
that they must give the farmers
the same sort of help in the mar
keting of his crops that they have
been giving him in the production.
"With prices of farm products
falling and the future very uncer
tain, even those farmers who had
money laid by?and there are a
large number of such?have been
restricting their buying to what
they have had to have. Now, with
the growing belief that prices have
hit bottom, buying will be resumed,
and should increase in volume, and
manufacturers and retailers who
make or sell things that farmers
need or want should have better
business this coming year."
- ? ?> ?
New York, Jan. 1?Wall street
views the passing of 1021 with row
regrets, but .looks honefully to the
future, although realizing lhat the
now year will put the country -. >
even greater test of its resources
and stability.
m m> m
Washington. Jan. 1?Many let
ters from all parts of tho coun
try are reaching the treasury de
partment here asking for informa
tion on the ultimate disposition of
the ten billion dollar debt owed
the United States by European al
lies.
continued, "who is appointed prin
cipal lecturer lo the senior officers
course will, no doubt, unless a
change of policy takes place, be
pouring what we regard as this in
famy and this posion into the ears
of the serving olhcers of the French
navy. This is the justification for
what I can only describe as the
apprehensions and even the bitter
ness that we must feel in t.ie
thought that under any conceival-1
circumstances our present allies,
our late comrades in arms in the
greatest war the world has ever
known, should contemplate the
possibility of warfare of that
kind."
Lord Lee urged that a way of
disavowal for the French officers'
intentions lay in the Boot resolu
tion No. 2 banning submarine war
fare against merchant ships.
Admiral de Bon replied for the
French naval staff that he stated
openly "and declared it most em
phatically, then: is nothing more
foreign to our minds than the idea
of attacking a friend.'
"It is not even conceivable to
us." he said. "Our only regret is
that this misunderstanding lasted
so long and that we did not know
that it was based on an article like
that written by Captain Castex."
Captain Castex Admiral de Bon
said, was "above all a man of let
ters." and attached to the literary
section of tin* French staff. He
pointed cut. also, that the Revue
Maritime on its title page, specifi
cally expressed lack of responsibil
ity ?>n tin- part of the French ad
miralty and general staff foi any
thing appearing in 'Olnnins.
Blame lor Author.
"The charge should be laid ai I'm |
door of the man n Im . wrot** that i
in:cb; and to him nnlv." ''.<? ad
miral exclaimed. "The art:"le in
no way represents, thank heaven,
the views of the French navy.
??Tin- author of that article lias
written what we consider to l-? a
monstrosity. 1 beg Lord Leo to
believe that th<- French navy has
never hnrb rted any idea of urt:jg
methods ti< <\apraetic ' l by t!w-i
' Jerman submarines.
"1 maintain that the honor of the
French general stafi and ,oi the
French navy can not he sufiied by
the article in question.
"I formally repudiate it in the
tat?Let all the ends Thou Aims'! :
Sumter, S. C, Wednesdj
Increase in
Property Tax
More Than $2,000,000 in Real
Estate Value Placed on
Books During Year
Columbia, Dee. 31.?Abstracts
from all the county auditors of the
state, received and compiled hero
today by the Comptroller General's
office, show an increase of $4,207,
|S14 for 1021 over 1920 on taxable
I property in South Carolina. The
[abstracts show the total taxable
property for 1921 was $452.490,000.
I while, that for 10::0 was $448.222,
I tsi;. A slight increase in taxes
j for nil purposes was shown. The
aggregate for ll)2u was $18,552,
576.31. compared with the 1921 ag
gregate amounting to 118.028,676,
79. For the year 1021 total state,
county and school taxes reached
$18.257,051.59. Taxes assessed for
the support of the railroad com
mission aggregated $20.141.20 and
the read tax $369.775. while polls
wen- taxed $272,SSf
Tin- value of real estate in
cities, towns and villages went to
$7S,576.G6S. as compared with $76,
052.14$ last year, and the total val
ue of all real estate increased to
J215.803.7S2, as against $212,520.
421 in 2 020. The value of build
ings throughout South Carolina
showed an increase over 1928. the
figures as shown in today's com
pilation showing the valuation for
this year at $27.267,075, compar
ed with $26.541.367 for 1920.
There was little change in the
value of railroad property this
year, the total vatue for last year
being $40.220,027. as against $46,
631,630 for 1921. Personal prop
erty is valued at $190,055,188, com
pared with $189,482,338 last year.
A slight gain in land acreage re
turned for taxation in 1921 was
shown. In 1920 a total of IS,637,
983 acres, as compared with 18,
71S.S56 for this year were shown in
today's report.
". ill- year the value of lands is
given at $109.959,139. a slight In
crease over the figures of $109,
876,906 for 1921. Taxes for school
purposes were higher than for any
other purpose, with a total of $6,
491,695.55, while the amount in
taxes for county purposes came
second, with $6,35S,43S.S3, and the
state taxes was third, with $5,429,
887.20.
Special county taxes reached'
$1,095,SGLS5 and those for ordi
nary purposes of counties amount
ed to $3.675,69C.S4. For public
roads the amount was $1,354,780.70
and for tax levies in portions of
counties the amount was $209,299.
42. The three-mill School tax.
which is constitutional, amounted
to $1,257,471.80 and the local and
special school taxes to $5,134.223,
Retail Merchants'
Association
Columbia. Jan. 2.?J. W. Kirk
patrick. of Greenville, president of
the South Carolina Retail Mer
chants' Association, has called a
meeting of the officers and direc
tors of the organization, for Jan
uary 12, in Columbia, to discuss
the legislative program before the
association. Meeting with the of
ficers also will be the legislative
committee, composed of Sol Kohn.
Columbia: M. A. Condon. Charles
ton: Sidney Friedheim, Rock HP1:
E. W. Du Vail, Cheraw; Neill
O'Donnell, Snrater. Jamea Mac
Donald. Columbia, and J. P. Fish
er, Spartanburg. are vice presi
dents, and J. J. Hope. Columbia,
is treasurer. The directors are: W.
S. Allen. Charleston: J. L. Mim
n.augh, Columbia: Robert Frazer,
Chester: J. Cohen, Spartanburg;
W. E. Gallant, Anderson-; A. B.
Meyers. Greenville; L. II. Miller,
Florence; W. L. Moseley, Orange
burg, D. D. Witcover, i)arllngton:
T. Roy Summer, Newl>erry; E.
Leugnich. Reaufort; M. S. Me
Kinnon. HaTtaville; Jos. M. Chan
dler, Sumter, and S. I. Flaum.
Georgetown. L. II. Wannamaker,
secretary of the association will l?e
in Greenville Thursday of thi.;
week, to present the work of the
suite association to the Greenville
.merchants.
name of the French navy."
M. Sarraut said that as head of
the French delegation he would
"solemnly confirm" what Admiral
de Bon had said, "or offer the
French government's formal re
pudiation of those methods of
warfare which have just been
mentioned."
The French delegate thanked
Lord Lee for giving the opportuni
ty to make these explanations."
adding that they should dispel the
?'misunderstanding which, to my
profound regret, was arising be
tween us, a misunderstanding of
which I do not comprehend the
reason nor the nature."
He hoped. M. Sarraut added, that
all would draw a lesson "of mutual
confidence from this incident." as
the misunderstanding might easily
have been avoided by "a frank and
friendly conversai ion."
Lord Lee had spoken of the
ground France had lest during the
deliberation. M. Sarraut contin
uing, added:
"I am well aware that every day
in press we witness a campaign
of bitter criticism launched againsi
ns. against the motives of France
to the end thai our country may
he made t-> appear under tin* ag
gressive guise of imperialism and
militarism. We have remained
silent in spite of tin- violent preju- j
diet- which this campaign v.;is
arousing against us. There are j
times when we must sutler for our'
it hr thy Country's, Thy God's and
iy, January 4, 1922
Claimed by Death
As Old Year Ends
Body of Senator Boies Penrose'
I
Taken to Bachelor Home I
bv Brother
I Philadelphia, Jan. 1.?The body
j of ?nlted States Senator Boies Pen- j
: rose. Vho died in Washington in the i
j final hour of the old year, v/aa
I brought to his bachelor home in !
[Spruce street here today, in keep-;
I ing with the oft-expressed wish of
j the late political leader. The family !
! is planning to hold the funeral as I
j privately as circumstances will per- \
'? mit. Tonight no time had been J
[ fixed for the interment. Dr. Charles !
j B. Penrose, one of the senator's!
: brothers, is awaiting definite word
from Spencer Penrose of Colorado,
I another brother, before making
j final arrangements. It was said that
jsome members of the family de- i
'sire the funeral held without any]
i previous announcement.
, The body of Senator Penrose was !
! accompanied by Leighton C. Tay-!
1 lor. his principal secretary, and the i
'two nurses who had attended :he'
: s.-natc-r at Washington. It va.3 re- j
1 moved from the train at the We.st j
'Philadelphia station. Tonight the
i body of Senator Penrose rested in !
j his big old-fashioned house under
conditions somewhat similar to the J
life he led while there?virtually !
alone. The only occupant was a j
faithful old housekeeper. No
j crepe was displayed on the front 1
door.
Finds Body in River
Woman Had Evidently Been
Murdered
! Bishopville. Jan. 1. ? Namon
Mickell, colored, while fishing in!
Lynch's river at Du B?ses* Bridge
j Friday afternoon found the body of
j a negro woman against some tim
I her under the bridge. The woman
: who appeared to be about twenty
i five ro thirty years old had evi- J
i dently been murdered and thrown
J into the river. Her head showed
J that she had been hit by some j
: blunt instrument, and had been'
I wrapped up with a scarf and shirt,
j She had no dout: been dead for
j several days as her body was
! somewhat decomposed. No one
\ has yet identified the body.
Taxpayers Conference
i w_
i
People of Sumter County
Called to Meet Saturday
iTo the Editor of The Daily Item:
In accordance with the action
! of the executive committee of
I Taxpayers' Conference I am re
i<uresting that meetings be held in
! each county of the Seventh con
] gressional district Saturday. Janu
j ary 7th In the respective Court
i Houses at 12 o'clock noon of all
j taxpayers who are interested in se
{ curing such reform of the tax laws
j as will give relief.
I I have reouesterl the following
'well known citizens to arrange for
I these meetings:
Lexington, Dr. D. M. Crossen,
j Orangeburg, Col. J. H. Claaey.
Calhoun. Mr. A. K. Kmoko.
Richland, Mr. F. L. Munsell.
Lee, Hon. T. O. McLe.nl.
j Sumter, the undersigned,
j It is the purpose of the execu
tive committee to have the pro
igram of the committee explained.
? ami with such other recommenda
j tions as each meeting may adopt,
j endorsed and signed by all taxpay
I ers present, and by the proper com
| mittees presented to each county
j delegation, and sent to the slate
! executive committee.
! B. W. DABBS.
i Member Executive Committee for
I
i Seventh District.
i Newport News. Va., Jan. 2.?A
wireless controlled airplane will be
[taken south by the Atlantic fleet
j for the winter maneuvers at
Icuantanamo Bay, according to na
, val circles reports here.
New York, Jan. 2.?Three deaths
I by violence here were, recorded on
? the police New Year's blottc \
j Portsmouth. N. 11.. Jan. 1?The
i transport Henderson has arrived
'here with eighty three naval pris
j oners from the Pacific fleet. The
j officers reported that seventeen
j have made their escape since the
; vessel left San Francisco, ten
? jumping overboard when the ship
j was passing through the Panama
Canal and the remainder escaped
[at points on the Pacific coast where
j the vessel stopped.
? ? ?
j Washington. Jan. 1 ? Despite the
holiday the na\al experts of the
arms conference delegations kept
at work on lh<#t.i?< oi ironing out!
the details of the r.a\al 'nnbanon j
plan, which it is hoped will be pur
in tina* treaty for . s..?tY>tv itv? v .?.<'
of ihr: week.
Bristol; Va.-Tenn.. Jan. I. -Bas
cotn C. Akers. cashier of the Bank i
of Cllnchburg at Clinchburg. Ya .. i
who uas arrested early this morn-j
\wa on a charge ot' having appro-j
printed $2S,400 of the bank's funds, j
was released this afternoon on!
{-?n.Omi bond furnished by relatives.
.?\k?-rs was held a few hours in the
jail at Abingdon before his ridea.se
was secured.
-?-.
Omaha., Dec. 30. ? President
Harding expressed the belief that
the business situation would im
prove in 10JJ in letter published by
the Omaha Chamber ot Commerce, I
Truth's."
Delegates To
Arms Meeting
Ready to Quit;
Tendency to Press the Nego-,
tiations to Conclusion is
Evident Now in Many
Quarters
_ i
Washington, Jan. 1.?The arms;
conference begins the new year I
with most ot' its members looking!
toward a final adjournment two:
weeks hence, despite the prospect
of having yet to clear away sev- i
eral troub^somo issues.
One of the American delegates!
predicted today that the five-power;
naval limitation treaty would be j
put into final form during the com- !
Ing week, and that in the week I
following a settlement would be ef-.
fected covering the Far Eastern :
field. The same expectation was i
echoed in the foreign delegations. j
most of whose members already!
have made definite plans to leave;
Washington about mid-January. j
A tendency to press the negotia.
tions to a conclusion, even if som>
of the original hcres for aceorn-!
plishment have to go by the boani.;
is evident now in many quarters.
I The delegates are said to feel that,
I seven weeks of discussion have.
I quite fully developed the national,
viewpoints of all the powers, and [
that little is to be gained now by
prolonging debate on points that'
have brought ro light serious divi-j
sions of opinions. !
In pursuance of this policy, the. '
naval experts who are. ironing out
I details of the naval limitation plan,
i will disregard the New Year hoi';-:
! day tomorrow ami spend the day at
work. Non \ of them expect to lind j
j serious difficulty in the technical j
'adjustments remaining to be for-]
j initiated to cover such questions as j
! methods of replacement and scrap-1
! ping and there i< a general feeling
! that the end of ihe week may see j
I another plenary session of the con- !
I ference for announcement of a lor- ;
j mal live-power treaty covering the j
! naval limitation scheme. ?
j At the same time announcement i
! may be made of the new six-power ;
I treaty partitioning the former Oer- j
j man cable properties in the Pa- j
; chic: This instrument has not yet j
; received the formal approval of allj
; the interested nations, but the dele-?j
j gates seem confident that unani-i
j moils assent will not be long de- i
i layed.
j The Far Eastern problems, i
j which will enter their period of in- i
j tensive discussion next week,
I promise to develop some difficult'
j issues. The Shantung negotia
i tions are deadlocked, the Chinese:
! request of conference discussion of j
I tiie twenty-one demands is meeting;
j with determined opposition from i
? the Japanese, and the Siberian sit
j nation has come suddenly into;
; prominence through publication to- ?
I night of alleged .secret understand-!
j lugs between the Japanese and the
j French concerning a Japanese pol- I
! icy toward Sineria. I
An unofficial commission sent to i
the conference by the Far Eastern
Republic of China, Siberia, made
public the alleged secret agree
j ments of the French and Japa
! nose governments. They w e r e j
I promptly denied by the ^French
I and Japanese plenipotentiaries,!
J who denounced the documentary:
evidence presented by the Far
! Eastern commission, as constituting*!
ja "forgery" und ?"malicious false-'
j hood."
j Whether the accusation w ill come i
i formally before the arms confer-;
ence is uncertain, since the Far!
j Eastern representatives not only j
'are not members of the confer-;
j ence hut are speaking for an tin- !
? recognized government. The Si- \
Iberian stiuation, however, is on the!
i agenda for the Far Eastern discus-,
I sions. and when it is taken up for!
j consideration the Chinese or some j
j other delegation may inject the!
j Far Eastern charges into the form-]
j al negotiations.
I If a plenary session is held thisi
I week it is not impossible that its:
i program may include ratification ;
J of some clarifying instrument to1
? definite the scope of tin- four-pow- i
er Pacific treaty with reference to i
I the prmc/pal Japanese islands. Ne
[gotiations for such a clarification,
j are proceeding, the Americans j
having given assurances that they |
will not oppose a Japanese plan to j
'declare that the treaty does not j
j cover the Japanese "homeland."
J The present discussions are said |
to be tending toward accomplish
ment of that end through a reser-'
vation signed by all the four pow
ers.
While this exchange is in prog- :
tress the opponents of the treaty in j
I the senate are busy organizing to
I prevent its rafIdeation, and are.
i losing no opportunity to carry their!
I tight to the country. Senator]
! Borah. Republican, of Idaho, de
livered from the pulpit in Washing-'
\ ton today ana rgunn-nt against un
j reserved ratification, and his speech
was dissimulated from tin- capital j
by wireless. More discussion of!
the subject in the senate itself is
expected when it reconvenes this
week after the holiday recess.
-? ? o
Washington, Tai.. Pres.ctew
and Mrs. Harding received official
callers and tin- :..??>. ? :1 public at
the Unite House i ?? -nil.-a ;\.
The morning hours wen1 aJb.*ie?t
;.? the e.'riiei.tl group u hi!.- to-}
general public ram - .! ivur.; tha a ?
tt'rnoon.
Xew York. I>< c Tin- police
and prohibition ollicials have re
doubled their efforts to find the
source oi the poisonous liquor
which has killed nine and hp mi
ed many within the past week.
the trie SOU'
NEW SOURCES
OF REVENUE
FROMMES
State Tax Payers As
sociation Formu
lates Plan to Raise
Three Million Dol
lars by Special
Taxes
Columbia, Dee. 30.?Meetings of
tax payers are to be held in all
counties oi* the state for the pur
pose of discussing the tax reform
problems facing the common
wealth, according to a decision
reached last night by the state tax
payers' association executive com
mittee, in session here.
In adopting the new tax program
the committee endorsed the idea of
a gasoline, tax which will produce,
it was estimated, six hundred
thousand dollars: an occupation
tax to produce three hundred and
fifty thousand: inheritance tax to
produce a quarter of a million; in
crease in corporation license tax to
produce a quarter of a million: in
crease in public service corpora
tion franchise tax tt> produce three
hundred thousand; income tax to
produce a million; and a luxury
tax to produce, a hundred and fifty
thousand, a total income of approx
imately three million. These ad
ditional revenues are proposed in
order to reduce the state tax levy
one-half.
It was also voted to urge econo
my in the matter of county taxes
throughout the state.
Street Car Strike
in Columbia
State Board of Conciliation
Called by Governor to
Avert Strike
Columbia, Dec. 30.?Special to
The Daliy Item.?B. e. Geer, of
Greenville and II. e. Thompson, of
Batesburg, members of the State
Board of Conciliation, are meeting
in Columbia today, at the call of
the governor, to make an effort to
bring about an understanding be
tween the Columbia Railway, Gas
and Electric Company and its em
ployees, over the new labor agree
ment submitted for 1022. A strike
of the street car men is threatened,
though it is thought likley that the
differences can be settled. The
company is losing money and a
strike, it is believed, would simply
mean a cessation of operations.
The car men have agreed to a pro
posed wage reduction, but they are
balking at the company's efforts to
control the employment of men. It
is understood the company is mak
ing an effort to bring about an open
shop.
Law Suit Over
Public Funds
Bank Attempts to Restrain
Withdrawal of County
Funds
Columbia, Dec. 29.?Attorneys
representing the First National
Bank of Lancaster, appeared be
fore Judge W. H. Townsend this
afternoon in an effort to restrain
Treasurer Hilton of Lancaster from
withdrawing county funds from
the banking institution.
It was contended by the bank
that under the act passed in li>14
the treasurer was required to de
posit with the banks of Lancaster
jcoutny funds in proportion of the
capital stock of the banks. He has
on deposit with the First National
Bank, it is claimed, approximately
533,000, which he is attempting to
withdraw and deposit with the
Lancaster bank.
It was likewise held by the bank
that the treasurer is not allowed,
under the act specified, to withdraw
'at one time an amount larger than
j that required to meet his current
bills for county purposes.
Treasurer Hilton took the posi
tion that he could use his discre
tion in the matter of depositing,
withdrawing and transferring the
funds of the county.
Some days ago Judge Townsend
[granted :i temporary injunction re
straining the treasurer from with
drawing the funds, and the hearing
today was for the purpose of re
quiring him t<> hold the money in
tin- First National Bank until the
facts could 1)0 aired in the Circuit
Court of Lancaster County. Judge
Townsend stated tonight that he
had reserved his decision but would
render it some time tomorrow!
The First National Bank was rep
resented by Ira P>. Jones, of lein
enster, former Chief Justice: John
T. Green, of Lancaster, and Claude
X. Srijq . of Columbia, and Treas
urer Hilton, by R. S. Stewart, of
Lancaster, and Mendell M. Smith
o! Camden, a former circuit judge.
ROBBERS CAUGHT
AFTER HALF YEAR
Xew Vork. Dec. 31.?The mail
theft of :?. million and a half in
cancelled bonds July LSth became
known with tin- arrest of Mrs. Abe
Attell. divorced wife of the form
er pugilist. Sam Gold and Harry
Cohen. The bonds wer-? stolen 'be
tween the Xew Vork Federal Re
rve I'.?:.k .irni the treasury depart
ment.
THRON, Established June 1, 186?.
_VOL. LH. NO. 41
GERMAN
POTASH
MONOPOLY
American Fertilizer
Manufacturers Are
j Tied Hand and Foot
by German Kali
Trust
Washington, Doc. 29.?A copy of
a contract entered into by 34
American manufacturers of fer
tilizers with the potash syndicate
of Germany by which the form or.
bind themselves to purchase 75 per
cent of their potash requirements
from the latter was read today in
the record of the tariff hearings
of the senate finance committee.
The contracts were produced by
S. D. Crenshaw, vice president of
the Virginia-Carolina Chemical Co..
of Richmond, Va... and in ordering
it placed in the record Senator
Smoo: (Republican) of Utah said
he wanted to show to senators that
it not only evaded all anti-dump
ing laws passed by congress but also
all American anti-trust laws.
"If that contract car. stand," Sen
ator Smoot declare-d. "Germany will
see that the potash industry in the
United States will never be develop
ed."
Mr. Orr-nshaw, whose company is
a member of the party to the con
tract, said the instrument is so
drawn that the American manu
facturers could buy 25 per cent, of
their supply from French-or do
mestic sources. It developed, how
ever, that the American firm would
get a lower rate per ton if they
bought their entire supply from
the German syndicate than if they
bought only 75 per cent, from .hat
source.
Arguments against a tariff on pot
ash were presented also by Repre
sentative Benham (Republican) of
Indiana, spokesman for New Jer
sey farmers, and S. A. Houston of
New York city, representing the
Germna potash syndicate. Repre
sentatives of the industry will be
heard tomorrow.
Mr. Eenham, who said that be
fore he was elected to congress his
principal vocation was "the doc
toring of sick farms," told the
committee that he was a high pro
tectionist for any promising Amer-_
icon industry but that he bad-beerf
unable to find any official or other
evidence that the American potash
producing industry was "a promis
ing one."
Spokesmen for the Kciv Jersey
farmers and Mr. Houston empha
sised what they said would be the
cost to the American farmers and
finally to the consumers of a duty
on potash. The New Jers.-y men
estimated that the duty would add
a cost of $4 an acre to the pro
duction of potatoes in :heir state
and they argued that in the pre??
ent condition of agricul: .ire no ad
ditional burdens should be placed
on the farmers.
Mr. Huston told the committee
that the German law prohibiting
the sale of German pot .sh abroad
at a price lower than obtaining In
Germany effectually prevented the
dumping of potash into the United.
States or any other country.
.
Chile Breaks
Off Relations
Santiago, Chile, Dec. 30.?Chile
tas broken off negotiations with
Peru over the provinces of Tacna
and Arica.
French Will Dis
cuss Submarines
Paris. Dec. 30.?The French gov
ernment will be glad to discuss the
status submarines with reference
to merchant shipping and human
itarian issues, it is said in official
circles.
Paris. Dec. 30.?The official re
sult of the general H?21 census
gives France, Including Alsace
Lorraine, a population of thirty
nine million, four hundred thou*
sand.
? ? m
Mineola, N. Y.. Dec. 3 ft.?A new
world's record for continuous fly
ing was established by Edward
Stinson, pilot of an all metal mon
oplane and Lloyd Rerta, mechani
cian, who surpassed the mark of
twenty-four hours, nineteen min
utes and seven seconds.
Monoplane, was in the air twen
ty-six hours, nineteen minutes and
thirty-live seconds.
? ? 4?
Winthrop Daughters Banquet.
The local chapter Winthrop
Daughters arc planning a delgiht
ful banquet to be held at the
Claremont Hotel next Saturday
evening at half past eight o'clock.
"Deoe," in other words President
Johnson, will be the honored guest
of the occasion, and to meet him
the chapter has invited Dr. S. H.
Fdmunds, Senator Davis D. Moise,
Messrs. R. R. Reiser. J. B. Britton
and C. J. Jackson. Of course all
members are expected to attend, as
well as all graduates or former
students who are not members. Au
interesting program has "been ar
ranged and a very tempting menu
will be served. A good time is
promised to all who come and
rveryom- is asked to secure tickets
as early as possible. Tickets may
be had by communicating wit
.Miss Anna Bryan, 4 44 N. Main