- Jfcnttttgr j Iteptim- VOL. LVIII. '0. 18.205. PORTLAND, OREGON, SATURDAY, MARCH 29, 1919. PRICE FIVE CENTS. rMTPRMrrrnniuTRIJAPAN wants league REPLY OF ANSELL -TO BE WITHHELD PRELIMINARY PACT MORE CARE TAKEN OF WILSON AND PREMIERS PEOPLE OF PARIS TOO WEU INFORMED OF MOVEMENTS. E 50,000 MEN WANTED FOR SERVICE ABROAD li.iiiiu.ul iuiiiiL.il GIVING RACE EQUALITY TO RESIST ALLIES DEFENDED BY PILOT TOKIO RESIDENTS OPPOSED TO CALL FOR SEW CONTINGENT TO .COVENANT AS DRAWN. BE ISSUED SOON. . GERMANS P ABSORBS BIG FOUR Snag Struck in Consider ing Polish Question. MONROE DOCTRINE PUZZLES Allies Not Decided Where to Meet Hun Financial Body. FOOD QUESTION SCANNED Blockade of German-Austria Will Be Lifted When it Is Certain Foe Will Not Get Imports. PARIS. March ?8. rHavas.) The condition of a preliminary peace with Germany Is still being- considered by President Wilson and the premiers of Great Britain, France and Italy. The four government heads today deliberated on the question of the Pol ish frontier, according to the newspa pers, who believe that there will be come difficulty In reaching an agree ment on the principle of the annexa tlon to Toland of territory containing J.000.000 to 1,000.000 Germans. The pa pers believe that the council will reach a decision sooner on the question of reparations than on the Polish ques tion. The meeting today was held at Pres ident Wilson's Paris residence. Mrrtlmm Place ladcddrd. No decision has been reached, it ap pears, regarding- the place where the German financial mission, which is to hold consultations with allied repre sentatives, shall be received. It la said, however, that the report that the Ger mans would arrive at Versailles on Sunday is Incorrect. It la considered more probable that they will be direct ed to proceed to Brussels- or to Spa. where the place for the holding of the conferences will be made known to them. Thit place. It is declared, will probably not be Versailles. The Australian peace delegates have pointed out that the proposed amend ment to the league of nations covenant regarding the ilonroe doctrine, provid ing for recognition of the bii.dlng force of the policies heretofore applied, would validate and confirm claims to prepon derance in China and the. orient. Pear Is expressed in some quarters that the opposition which has developed on this account may Jeopardise the amendment. Experts are trying to find a formula that will overcome this ob jection, and meanwhile the amendment has been withheld from Insertion in the covenant. The blockade of German-Austria will be lifted as soon as measures can be perfected for preventing imports Into that territory being exported to Ger many, it was decided at a council of the foreign ministers of the powers held here this morning. laaalry to Be Made. The council named a commission to Inquire Into the Moroccan question and then took up the question of the Irontiers of Schleswig. These announcements were made in an official communique given out to day as follows: "A meeting at which Mr. Lansing, Mr. Balfour. Mr. Pichon, Karon Son nino and Baron Maklno were present took place March 28 at 11 A. M. "In regard to the blockade of German Austria, it was agreed that all restric tions on commerce should be raised in that region as soon as the necessary machinery had been established in order to prevent re-export to Germany. "A commission was appointed to study the removal of servitude of Mo rocco as established by the act of Algc cir as. "The council then considered the question of the frontiers of Schleswig. BERLIN. March 27. (By the Asso ciated Press.) The German financial commission will leave Weimar for Ver- j sallies tomorrow at noon equipped with the fullest Instructions and powers. It hopes to arrive at noon Saturday. Bocae Preaa pecalafem. Versailles Is believed to have been chosen for the place of meeting with the allied financial experts, because the members there will escape any unpleasantness they might be sub jected to In Paris. Part of the Ger man press, however, considers the choice of Versailles as an Indication that the delegates will not be allowed to participate as equal negotiators. Some of the papers maintain, on the other hand, that the entente has no uch intention, since such a move would tipset things from the start. These journals point out that the economic council repeatedly has met at Versail les. The press, in part, is convinced by the tone of the entente Invitation that the German financial commfcsion will Ire given questions of considerable im portance to work upon and that it will be regarded as a regular and perma nent financial and political connecting link between the economic council and the Oerman peace delegation. Aastrlaa "1 lews GItea. It is anticipated that important fi nancial and .economic questions which will start Immediately on the arrival of the commission will lead directly to genuinely political negotiations with which the peace commission will deal. PARIS. March 28. (Haras.) A sym- iCvmludtU. uu 1'ajCo Cviuuui No Chances to Be Taken of Some One Attacking 'Big Four and Secrecy Veils Actions. PARIS, March 28. (By the Asso elated Press.) Increased precautions have been taken to safeguard Presiden Wilson and the premiers with whom he is in daily conference. So care fully have the plans been made that not even the chief of the American secret service squad is informed as to when the meetings will take place. Up to the present some of the news papers have carried In their morning editions a schedule of the movements of President Wilson with the resul that crowds invariably have gathered to witness the arrival of the president and his conferees. The time of the meeting today at the "White House" was not announced and the premiers arrived seemingly in a casual manner. There has been no special incident to bring about this extraordinary care, but it is obvious that the people of Parts are becoming too well-acquainted with the time and place of the meet ings and that this caused a determina tion to adopt a course that would re duce to a minimum any chance of dan ger. President Wilson himself appears to be entirely unworr'.ed. The enormous amount of work Presi dent Wilson has undertaken has forced him to reduce the time prescribed by Rear-Admiral Grayson, his personal physician, as necessary for relaxation, but in every 24 hours he takes a short walk either with Mrs. .Wilson or Rear- Admiral Grayson. Social affaire are entirely lacking in the president's daily routine CUBE SHOWS WAR'S COST Eight Feet Eight Inches of Gold Represents Nations Loss. 8A.V FRANCISCO, March 18. The actual price .of the war to ail nations estimated in bulk of gold bullion is a solid cube of gold eight feet eight Inches In each dimension, and weigh Ing 326,690 tons, plus 692 pounds. These figures were read to a meeting of thr'ft stamp directors today by Samuel Hubbard, federal reserve direc tor of savings of the 12th district. They are based on the recent state ment of Secretary of War Baker here that the cost of the war waa $197,000.- 000,000, exclusive of damages in France and Belgium. RENCH GIRLS NOT WANTED Americans Protest at Plan to Import Brides From Abroad. ABERDEEN, Wash., March 28. (Spe cial.) There will be no Importation of French girls to the harbor this year to satisfy the matrimonial needs of Aber deen bachelors. The chamber of commerce, since pub lication a short time ago of a rumor that such a project is being considered, has been deluged with letters from homeseeking American women, who protest the injustice of foreign competi tion and catalogue charms which lay in the shade the claims of French beau ties to consideration. PRICES CHECK BUILDING Chicago Architects Slake Reports to Legislative Commission. CHICAGO. March 28. Chairman John Dailey, of the legislative commission investigating the high cost of building material, announced today when the body resumed its inquiry that reports received from 14 leading architects showed building operations aggregating $93, 000.000 were being held up in Chi cago because of existing exorbitant cost of construction. This estimate covers office buildings, factories, flat buildings and dwellings and is exclusive of public buildings. COREAN RIOTS CONTINUE Forty Reported Killed in Disturb ances in Last Few Days.' SEOUL. Corea. March 28. (By the Associated Press.) Riots continue the provinces and It is estimated that 40 Coreans have been killed In the last few days. New demonstrations by the Corean nationalists have occurred in 'Seoul and many Coreans were arrested by'Japa nese. Business houses here remain closed. The general situation here. is causing anxiety among foreign residents 10,000 PERISH EVERY WEEK Relief Agent Tells of Urgent Need of Food in Armenia. PARIS. March 28. (Havas.) The need for food in Armenia is urgent and thousands are threatened with starva tion, according to a telegram from Mr. Helms, an American relief worker in Tiflis, sent to the Armenian delegation here. The relief agent estimates that 10.000 persons will die weekly until sufficient food is received. RAILROAD TROOPS ARRIVE First Detachment of Americans Re ported on Murnian Coast. ARCHANGEL March 28. (By the Associated Press.) The first detach ment of American railroad troops des tined for work on the Murnian railway, have arrived on the Murman coast. Other detachments are expected to follow soon, Increase in Garrison 'at Danzig Ordered. LANDING OF POLES ISOPPP Allied Demand for Usp . - Displeases Wei . ort i LATEST ACTS.S.J.IFICANT Refusal by Germany of Peace Con ference Requirement Considered Breach of Armistice. - . PARIS, March 28. (By the Associ ated Press.) News was received here today that the Germans are increasing the garrisons at Danzig. This is taken indicating an Intention to resist whatever disposition the peace confer ence may make of the port. COPENHAGEN, March 28. The Ger man government at Weimar has re ceived from the allied high command demand for permission for Polish troops to land at Danzig and to march through German territory to Poland, according to & dispatch received here from Weimar. AMSTERDAM. March 28. The allied note to Germany demanding that Polish troops be allowed to land at Dansig declared that refusal by Germany would be regarded as' a breach of the armiBtice, a Berlin dispatch said. The German government replied that it could not take the responsibility for permitting the Poles to land at Danzig, but was prepared to facilitate a land ing at Stettin, Koenigsberg, Memel or Libau. For several weeks negotiations have been in progress to send the three Polish divisions In France under Gen eral Haller to Poland. ' It w& pro posed to land them at Danzig and then send them into Poland, but Ger many objected to this plan and offered other ports as substitutes. These Pol ish divisions' saw fighting In France and are fully armed and equipped. The German attitude against their landing at Danzig has been .that the Poles might remain there and hold that port, which the Poles claim as their outlet to the Baltic. BERLIN. March 28. (By the Asso ciated Press.) The Lokal Anzeiger thinks that a serious situation has arisen through the exchange of notes between General Nudant and the Ger man government. While It does not abandon hope that General Nudant will accept the German reply as a concession. (Concluded on Page 3, Column 1.) THEY DONT KNOW t o vyssKjfe; irfi vtr x ii. w rev. msmwxr-f&s . mwn r i x 1 C.lWMIVV it - ' J) "iv.. j&zas&mjg? ssr, ?mssf vac a"a. x Purpose Is to Replace Men Now Serving on Other Side' Who ' Wish to Return Home. . WASHINGTON. March 28. An im mediate call for 50,000 volunteers for service in Europe has been prepared by the war department and probably will be published tomorrow. As an in centive to enlistment the men will be offered early duty in' France as a relief for men in the expeditionary forces who wish to return-home. Enlistment In this special force will be for three years. The men will be concentrated at Camp Meade, Md., and probably will be sent overseas in corf tingents 1000 strong. . -War department officials expressed confidence that no trouble would be ex perienced' in raising the 50,000 men or an even greater number if it should Ve found that additional increments were necessary.. The bulk of the men are ex pected to come from recently discharged troops who, after a short "vacation" as civilians, desire to return to army life. ; Another incentive expected to have a decided effect on the recruiting cam paign,. is looked for among , the men who, after having been drafted and trained. were prevented from going overseas by the armistice. Opportunity to see service in Germany, it is thought, will lead many of these to enlist. A number of officers, probably ten or 12, will be sent overseas with each increment of 1000 men leaving Camp Meade. ' These will be needed at the concen tration camp to give the preliminary training necessary to whip the men into casual' organizations and to make the required examinations. On arrival in Europe they will take the places of officers who are eligible for discharge. 15 INJURED. BY EXPLOSION 2 40 Milimeter Bombs .Fired ' at Proving Grounds. WASHINGTON, March 28. Fifteen men, including a number of enlisted men of the army, were injured by an explosion today at the ordnance prov ing grounds at Aberdeen, Md. Reports to the war department said the original explosion waa started by fire of undetermined origin In a shed In which 240 milimeter bombs were being loaded and the concusson was transmitted to other sheds with re sulting property losses estimated' at 850,000., None of the men was seriously in jured. REDS DRIVEN FROM UFA Admiral Kolchak's Army Threatens to Envelop Bolshcviki. LONDON, March 28. (By the Asso- announces tnat Aamirai iioicnaas elated Press.) A dispatch from Omsk army, as a result of a brilliant attack and much hard fighting, has recaptured the town of Tjfa, which recently was occupied by the bolshevlki. The dispatch aods that the red army is now threatened with envelopment. WHERE THEY'RE GOING, BUT THEY'RE ON THEIR WAY. TWONDER. "WHERET I I'JvT G01N.& TO WhU . t Columbia Held Safer Than Other Coast Harbors. OFFICIAL RECORDS PRODUCED Naval Committee Hears Proof of Astoria's' Claims. PLANT LUNCHEON PLEASES Proposed Base at Tongue Point In spected From Lighthouse Tender. Support Is Pledged. BT BEN HUR LAMPMAN. ASTORIA, Or., March 28. (Special.) "I -hold a license to San Francisco bay and entrance. This is what I wish to say: I consider the Columbia en trance to be safer to navigate than I do the San Francisco bay or any other Pacific coast harbor entrance." Thrusting forward this outright com parison of the' great Columbia river portal with one of the ports that are famed over the seven eeas. Captain M. Nolan, bar pilot of the port of Astoria, presented an array of facts and figures of the most convincing character, in a talk before the house naval affairs committee this afternoon. Falsehoods Are Bared. His brogue a delight, and his deliv ery an equalized prescription of earn estness and strong logic. Captain No lan drove home hlsargument with spe cific answers to all objections, and with the direct declaration that fearsome stories about the Columbia river en trance are falsehoods framed by for. eign skippers. ' He talked as a seafar ing man talks and the congressional committeemen sat up totake notice. The official party, comprising Rep resentatives Hicks, Britten, Oliver, Browning and McArthur, accompanied by the members of the special commit te of the, Portland Chamber of Com merce, returned to Portland tonighf after a two-day tour of inspection of the Columbia harbor, of local facilt ties, and of the proposed naval base site at Tongue Point. Visitors Pledaje Support. AH four of the naval affairs commit teemen, through the convincing repre sentations made by the combined As toria and Portland committees, have tacitly pledged themselves to support the proposal to establish a naval base at the entrance to the Columbia, though the extent of the project was not defi nitely discussed by them. Astoria wants a major base. Representative Browning said: "I am very favorably impressed with the ad- (Concluded on Page 2, Column 1.) m . ' It Large Numbers of Japanese Xens papers Suspect U. S. Motives in Respect to Far East. TOKIO, March 28. (By the Associ ated Press.) At a mass meeting of prominent residents of Toklo a reso lutlon was adopted opposing any league of nations covenant which does not con tain a clause abolishing racial discrim ination. The resolution also urged op position to the abolition of conscription, the acquisition by Japan of the Ger man rights on the Shan Tung peninsula and opposition to the international la bor agreement, which, it was declared, is not adapted to the constitution of Japan and to Japan's internal con dition. A large number of Japanese news papers recently have printed editorials looking with suspicion on the motives of the United States and Americans in world politics, especially concerning China, Siberia and Corea. The editorial campaign is attributed in some quarters to displeasure over the league of nations covenant. MEMBERSHIP ROSTER OPEN 450 Persons Join Chamber of Com merce in Drive. Although the membership drive of fhe Portland Chamber of Commerce has closed. Max S. Hirsch, chairman of the campaign, announced last night that a permanent membership organ ization has been adopted andsthat new members will be sought and taken in as In the past. "Our slogan of 1000 in three days,' said Mr. Hirsch, "was just a little more than we could do f.ir the reason that we cou;dn't see that many In thp.t length of time. As it was we secured almost 4 50 new members to the Port land Chamber of Commerce and so cn- couicgii.g was the wotk, we have de cided to keep our roster open." We wl! soncit members just the sxme even though the time for the regular drive 13 ever. OLD CHAIR HIGHLY VALUED Ancient Piece Is Said to Conceal Bonds Worth $4 000. SAN FRANCISC. March 28. An old mohair chair concealing bonds worth 84000 is part of the estate of Mrs. Helen Saunders which was sought today by C. E. Ward of this city. The will left the estate to a daughter, Georgiana Saunders, who disappeared 25 years ago, and Ward claims the estate through Ms wife, her sister. More than 150 women have presented themselves as the lost Georgiana. HERBERT MEYER RESIGNS Assistant Secretary of Interior Ac cepts Oil Firm Position. WASHINGTON, March 28. Herbert A. Meyer, assistant secretary of interior, today announced his resignation to ac cept a position with a Texas oil com pany. Mr. Meyer formerly was in charge of Alaskan railroad work, in which he will be succeeded by Assistant Secretary Hallewel. RED TROOPS FALL BACK Bolshevik Evacuation of Vilna Ex pected by Leaders. STOCKHOLM, March 28. (French Wireless.) The bolshevikl continue to fall back along their entire western front north of the Pripet marshes, ac cording to a report from Kovno. It is expected that Vilna, the capital of Lithuania, will soon be evacuated by the bolshevlki. INDEX OF. TODAY'S NEWS The Weather. YESTERDAY'S Maximum temperature, $6 degrees: minimum, Vi degrees. TODAY'S Probably rain; moderate south erly winds. Foreign. Japanese oppose league if denied racial equality. Page 1. French press asks just consideration. Page 8. Germans apparently preparing to resist al lies. Page ! Guard on Wilson and premiers increased. Page 1. Big' Four" studies question of preliminary peace. Page 1. Communist party dissolution voted. Page 2. Black flag voices protest of Jugo-Slavs. page . National. Colonel Ansell's reply to Major-General Crowder withheld. Page 1. Unci Sam wants 50,000 volunteers for service abroad. Page 1. Gale prevents air trips by Mr. McNary. Page 3. Civil war under league of nations forecast. Page 5. New shipyard working agreement not yet effected. Page 20. DomeHtic. More women needed In legislatures, says Arizona member. Page 4. Old score against explorer Stefansson re moved. Page 6. Redress grievances and avert revolution, say suffragists. Page 3. Pacific Xorthwest. Entrance to Columbia defended by pilot. Page 1. Commercial and Marine. Congressmen'swives see launching of ship. Page -0. Potato prices are advancing at all points. Page 21.. Chicago corn weakened by news of ship ments from Argentina, i-iige zj. Stock market strong with only rail issues lagging. Page 21. Sports. ' Boldt, Morton, Dorman released at Camp Crockett. Page it. Seattle's baseball prospects improving. Page 14. Portland and Vicinity. Work to be rushed on Mount Hood loop. Page lo. Portland rallies to livestock call. Page 12. Woman gives sharp answer to court, but re ceives decree. Page 1. Eleven shipyard workers Injured. Page 7. Oregon victory loan plans made. Page C. Northwest- expects record tourist season. Phs 22. i Weather poi rt, data aait forecast. Cage 20. Secretary of War Baker Is Opposed to Publicity. SUGGESTIONS ARE DESIRED Letter on Coiirt-Martial Sys tem Returned to Writer. OREGON SENATOR HAS COPY Colonel Says He Has No Statement to Make Senator Chamberlain Desires Publication. WASHINGTON, March 28. Lieutenant-Colonel Ansell's reply to statements by Major-General Crowder, Judge aij-vocate-general, on the subject of mili tary justice, will not be made public by the war department. Secretary of War Baker announced today that he had returned the letter to Colonel Ansell with the suggestion that Its publication would not be help ful, and that If the officer had any sug gestion or recommendation as to the changes in the courtmartial sy ttem, he could make it either to his superior of ficers or to the secretary of war. Colonel Ansell Reticent. Senator Chamberlain of Oregon, chair man of the military committee, had ob tained a copy of Colonel Ansell's reply to the charges and telegraphad Secre tary Baker urging him to make public the statement. Colonel Ansell said he had no state ment to make. His friends asserted it was improbable that he would take any steps to war making public the reply himself, as such action would be con strued as insubordination and would render the officer liable to courtmartial proceedings on tfiat charge, but the proceedings would not necessarily in volve either the controversy over the legal system in the army or the per sonal relations between Colonel Ansell and General Crowder. ' . The reply of Colonel Ansell was forr warded to Secretary Baker while the secretary was absent from "Washington on an inspection tour of army camps. Acting Secretary Crowell was also in structed by Mr. Baker to withold the the reply from publication until the !at ter's return. Oregon Senator Has Copy. Senator Chamberlain of Oregon, chair man of the military committee cf the last senate, obtained a copy of the re ply in confidence from Secretary Crow ell and later telegraphed Mr. Baker urgently requesting that the communi cation be made public, declaring it was a document of public interest and fair treatment for' Colonel Ansell demanded it be placed before the country as hail General Crowder's statements. Officers at the war department have said that so far as known the only copy of the reply leaving the tlepart ment was that given to Senator Cham berlain, but from a statement, nmdu public simultaneously with the sena tor's telegram, some officers received the impression that Colonel Ansell challenged tho action of the depart ment in submitting to Inspector-General Chamberlain the investigation of the controversy on the ground that General Ch: nberlain was prejudiced by long association with military life. CROWDER HEtiD REACTIONARY Senator Chamberlain Scores Present System of Army. NATQHEZ, Miss., March 28. Senator Chamberlain of Oregon, chairman of the senate military affairs committee, upon learning of Secretary Baker's announce ment that Lieutenant-Colonel Ansell's reply to Major-General Crowder's state ment In regard to courts-martial would not be made public, tonight declared General Crowder represents the "reac tionary element" of the army and that Colonel Ansell is an exponent of the 'progressive element." Senator Cham berlain said he had nothing further to say In regard to the Ansell-Crowder matter, other than what he wrote Sec retary Baker March 18, requesting that the Ansell letter be made public. He stated, however, that he still held to the view that "infamous injustices" had been worked by the court-martial sys tem in the United States army. "It is .an infamous system," he said, "that will purmit a commanding of ficer who has no knowledge of law to send back the case of an enlisted man for retrial fallowing an acquittal, and then a new verdict of guilty be found." Senator Chamberlain added that a copy of the letter written by Colonel Ansell to Secretary Baker was in his possession. "This letter, however," he said, '.'wan received in confidence by me as chair man of the military affairs committee." Carmen Win Higher Wage, SPOKANE, Wash., March 28. Wage increases of 6 cents an hour, retroactive to August 8 last, have been awarded street railway employes of the Spokane & Inland Empire railway here by the federal war labor board, according to information received from the board, which recommends that the company be given permission to increase street ca.r Jars- .