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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (April 13, 1920)
VOL. LIX XO. 18,528 Entered at Portland (Oregon) PostofTfce as Second-Class Matter. PORTLAND OREGON, TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 1920 PRICE FIVE CENTS CREEL DEMANDS RIGHT OF PRESS TO en cm mcuo it nun n IT IN EAST PORTED TRAFFIC TOO MANY FOG HORNS ABOUT WOODS HOLE GUATEMALA REVOLTS AGAINST PRESIDENT WALKO FRENCH PROMISE TRIAL OF WASTERS SOUGHT IN HOUSE Huge Profits Charged to Army Camp Builders. V -O NEAR NORMAL ,1, RAILWAY OPERATION IX 2 4 HOURS PREDICTED. OL.LL.Vj I IHLiVO urnLLU LETE INQUIRY TO LEAVE RUHR - PAPERS MAY OMIT OR PRINT AXV ITEMS, COURT RtUES. V WILSOX CHAXGES PLAXS SUMMER CAPITAL. FOR ABRERA FORCES BOMBARD CITY SIXCE THURSDAY. i COMP raud Charges Are De clared to Be Absurd. ALL RECORDS ARE OFFERED Official Press Agent Says Long Distance Lying Tires. GRAFT PROBES BELITTLED Transfer of Official Bulletin Is IX-nicd and Deal Said to In volve Only Mailing List. NEW YORK, April 12. George Creel, who hearted the committee on public information, tonight made pub lic a letter he has sent to Attorney- General Palmer insisting: that Mr. Palmer investigate at once charges by the joint congressional committee on printing that the Creel committee had wrongfully transferred the offi cial bulletin to Roger W. Babson of Wellesley, Mass. Mr. Creel also made public a let ter to Senator Smoot, chairman of the committee, declaring the senator knew there was no transfer of the official bulletin to Babson, but that the joint committee "sneakingly worked in. secret to frame the indict ment that my testimony would have made absurd." He added that the senator "as much as anyone else" was responsible for wiping out the Creel committee June 30, 1919, "in the mid dle of its orderly liquidation." Iaqnlry la Demanded. The joint committee charged that the transfer had been made without cost to Babson and suggested insti- j tution of legal proceedings against Creel, Babson, C. T. Clayton and Ed ward S. Rochester, to see if the gov ernment could not recover money. In his letter to Mr. Palmer, Mr. Creel said: "I insist that your office commence an instant investigation and put my self and every record at your dis posal. I want, to know from you also what protection one has against the deliberate slanders of a member of congress. Not only are Senator Smoot's charges false, but he knew them to be lies when he uttered them. "The official bulletin was not transferred to Roger Babson or any one else. It was discontinued by the order of the attorney-general on the ground that I had no right to sell the property at public auction. The one asset waa a mailing list and this was publicly placed at the disposal of any .citizen caring to copy it, an action also taken under orders of the attorney-general. "Any private citizen was at liberty to start a publication of similar char acter, and this is what Mr. Babson did. Ha received nothing from the gov ernment except the right to copy the mailing list." Short Word Is laed. To Senator Smoot, Mr. Creel said that after he had been' "dispossessed' on July SO, 1919, his records had twice been moved and had been jumbled into army trucks. He declared a "private memorandum, stating this confusion, was sent to Senator War ren, but eome one sneaked it out to the press, and the conditions precipi tatcd by congress were credited to my 'desertion.'" "I am sick and tired of this long distance lying," he said. 'Tour rec ommendation to the attorney-general to bring action against me is bun combe and you kiow it. A better and quicker way is to have me appear be fore your committee, or any other senate committee, and make full an swer to this official bulletin charge. "Ever since the armistice it has been jour steadfast attempt to shame the American war record and besmirch ..'I ord. To date, these congressional in vestigations have cost $2,000,000, but failure to develop a single instance of graft still forces your group to rely upon the activities of individual liars." CITY POPULATION GROWS General Increase Xoted in Census Bureau Report. WASHINGTON, April 12. Popula tion statistics announced today by the census bureau included: Flint, Mich., 91,599, Increaee 53,048 or 137.6 per cent over 1910. Adrian, Mich., 11,878, increase 1115 or 10.4 per cent. Wabash, Ind., 9872, increase 1185 or 13.6 per cent. Emporia, Kan., 11,273, increase 2215 or 24.5 per cent. Freeport, 111., 19,669, increase 2102 or 12 per cent. GIRLS WILL NOT TEACH Yassar Graduates Xot to Go Into Poorly Paid Profession. NEW YORK, April 12. Vassar col le?e will not graduate a "school marm" this year, according to results of a survey of the senior class, made public here tnnisht. Low salaries, it was raid, had caused students to turn to business, social acrvlC3 and other professions. $100,00 0 Damage Suit for Drop pins Xame From Facsimile ' Ballot Is Dismissed. CHICAGO, April 12. Right of a newspaper to publish what it con siders news and to disregard what ever it believes does not come within that category was upheld today in an opinion of the appelate court, dispos ing of a $100,000 damage suit brought by William Reeda, an attorney, against the Chicago Tribune com pany. Mr. Reeda, a candidate for superior court judge in the November, 1917, election on an independent ticket, charged the Tribune with publishing a fac simile of a portion of a speci men ballott, giving names of the democratic, republican and socialist candidates for the judgeship, but omitting the names of the independ ent candidates. It was contended by Mr. Reeda that this omission was "wilful and malicious and done with intent to injure his candidacy." "The defendant owed no duty to either the plaintiff or the public to publish anything which, for any rea son, it did not see fit to publish," the opinion read. "The defendant is the sole Judge of the value of news as such. A news paper must remain free to publish such matters as it regards as possess ing news value and to refrain from publishing such matters as it may determine do not possess news value." POLICEMAN HELD SLAYER Charge Follows Recent Conviction of Others in Butte. BUTTE, Mont., April 12. Andrew Brady, a member of the Butte police force, was charged with murder in connection with the death of Sylves ter J. Prenatt in an information filed in court this afternoon by County Attorney Rotering. Three men have been convicted of murder in connection with Prenatt's death and two of them have been sentenced to death and the other to life imprisonment. A fourth is sched uled to be tried shortly. During their trials testimony was offered to show that Brady had taken some of the accused men to the Prenatt home on the night preceding tne killing, and told them $8000 worth of whisky was stored there. NOTE REPORTS SINKING Message Found In Bottle at Van couver, B. C, Tells of Mary B. VANCOUVER, B. C, April 12. Tot boys today turned over to the light house service a note which they said they found in a bottle on a Stanley park beach bere yesterday. The note read: "Adrift in a small boat off Flattery. Mary B. sinking. Merlin. captain. March 27." No boat named Mary B. belongs to this port. Two fishing vessels bear ing the name are registered from Seattle. Owners of two Seattle fishing schooners named the Mary B. today telegraphed to their captains to de termine if they were safe. Neither of the boats has reported trouble. It was said. TEN IRISH PICKETS HELD Women Who Harried British Em bassy to Face Grand Jury. WASHINGTON, April 12. Ten Irish pickets arrested last week at the British embassy were held for a fed eral grand jury today by United States Commissioner Richardson on charge of violating a federal statute making it a felony to "assault" a diplomatic representative of a foreign govern ment. The women gave bond in the sum of $12,000 each. They were Misses Elaine Barrie, Kathleen O'Brien Katherine McKeon, Mary Walsh. Mrs. Thomas Currin and Mrs. Honor Walsh. all of Philadelphia; Miss Helen O'Brien, St. Louis; Miss Maura Quinn, Boston, and Mrs. Katherine Columbine and Mrs. James Walsh, New York. LIBERTY BONDS FALLING Low Price Attributed to Treasury Announcement Last Week. NEW YORK, April 12. The price of liberty bonds fell below 88 for the first time today, when new low rec ords were made in four issues under heavy selling. The second 4 Vis closed 87.88, second 4s at 88, third 4 Vis at 91.60, fourth iAa at 88.06. Weakness of these bonds was at tributed to the announcement made last week by the secretary of the treasury that new issues of certifi cates of indebtedness would carry interest rates of 5"4 per cent. GUARD STRENGTH IS LOW Enlistments 32 7 9 in March; Force 2 4 Per Cent of Maximum. WASHINGTON, April 12. The Na tional Guard during March made a net gain of 3279 in enlistment, it was officially announced today. The guard numbers 42,600, or about 24 per cent of the maximum of 179,000. PLANE FALLS; ONE DEAD Passenger Killed and Pilot Hurt When Machine Tail-Spins. SIOUX FALLS. Si D . April 12. B. F. Ramsey is dead and W. T. Cook, a civilian pilot, tonight was in a hos pital in a serious condition.' Their plane fell Into a tail spin and crashed to earth west of here. HALTS INDUSTRIES Switchmen's Strike Takes More Serious Aspect. SITUATION IN WEST RELAXES Middle Section Also Reports Conditions Better. SOME EMBARGOES LIFTED Brotherhood Leaders Confident That Break in Chicago Will Be , Followed by General Return. CHICAGO, April 12. While the un authorized strike of railroad em ployes which started here two weeks ago with the walkout of 700 switch men on the Chicago, Milwaukee &. St. Paul railroad today appeared gradu ally to be waning In the middle west and the far west, the eituation east of Cleveland took on a more serious as pect. The center of development in the walkout of insurgents had shifted to the east, where additions to the ranks of the rebel railroad workers had caused a serious stoppage of freight and passenger traffic and the closing of several industries. The situation in the Chicago yards showed a marked Improvement and reports from other large railroad cen ters in the middle west indicated that the crisis was past and that the strik ers were returning to work in con siderable numbers. Brotherhood Chlefa Confident. Officers of railroad brotherhoods, who have been fighting the strike, were confident that the breaking up of the walkout in Chicago would be followed by a general resumption of work in other areas. A pronouncement of the govern ment's course was expected at Wash ington tomorrow by Attorney-General Palmer. Investigators of the depart ment of justice were completing an inquiry Into the sltuatlon,"Mr. Pal mer said. More freight moved into the Chi cago yards today than on any day since the strike started, railroad of ficials announced. More than 9006 stockyard employes, forced out of work by the strike, returned. Packing-house receipts, including 4000 cattle, 2500 hogs and 4000 sheep, was a larger quantity than received any day last week. About 25,000 stockyard workers were still idle. The Illinois Central, the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul, the New York Central and other roads reported car. again moving in the switching yards (Concluded on Page 4. Column 1.) AS ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF LABOR POST HAS UNCLE CATCH r REOHT mi Service to Be Restored, Barring Unforeseen Events, Declares Southern Pacific Official. "Unless someone throws a monkey wrench into the machinery, I believe that within 24 hours trie situation will be practically normal," said A. T. Mercier, superintendent of the South ern Pacific company, regarding the strike of switchmen on the lines of that railroad. This mar be said to express briefly the general situation prevailing in Portland yesterday. The grip of the unauthorized walkout ap pears to have been broken, although there was still some trouble, and the Spokane, Portland & Seattle line waa experiencing a tie-up. While all railroad executives were optimistic yesterday ' afternoon and expressed the belief that the strike this vicinity was virtually over and that it would be but a short time before the crews would either be back at work or others would have taken their places, freight embargoes had not been ordered lifted. That they might be today or tomorrow, however, was felt fairly certain. Several meetings of the Brother hood of Railway Trainmen and of the switchmen's union have been held. one being in progress last night, but from all that could be learned there was no final decision as to returning to work. "We are beginning to see daylight," said Superitendent Mercier of the Southern Pacific. "We added two crews at the Brooklyn yards yester day morning and two more went on duty In the afternoon. The situation waa very much improved. We were able to make our perishable delivery to the east side and to take care -of our oil shipments. Our own improve ment over Sunday was about 20d per cent." Mr. Mercier said that 90 per cent of the men who took out engines were new men and added that "all of the strikers who return, return as such," losing all of the benefits of their former relationship with the company. "Conditions are growing gradually better," said M. J. Buckley, general superintendent of the O.-W. R. & N. lines "Our men are reporting back slowly and things in general are bet ter. The crews at Huntington and Umatilla went out, but returned again. We have one crew out of five on duty at The Dalles. In the Albina yards we have now seven crews .to against six on Sunday." The O.-wr R. & N. dispatched two freight trains and received three, it waa stated at the Albina yards office by Dan Quinn. There were some transfers between this road and the Southern Pacific. At the office of the Northern Pa cific Terminal company it was an nounced that there had been a de cided improvement. Three more crews were on duty yesterday afternoon and movement of 'freight waa being ar ranged. An early return to normal conditions appeared likely, it was re ported. The sole point where actual im provement was not reported was from the offices of Superintendent Vermil (Concluded on Page 4. Column 4.) BY TE.TQ1- H ULT YArA GO Tx Crane Estate Too Much Subject to V Disturbing Xoises and Also Too Small for Staff. jrllta. fBy WASHINGTON, April'12. fBy the Associated Press.) President Wilson will not establish the summer White House at Woods Hoie, Mass., as had been expected. Instead he probably will select some other place where more accom modations are available for the large staff of secretaries and attaches. It became known today that the announcement that the president had selected the estate of Charles R. Crane, minister to China, for his sum mer home was premature. The presi dent had accepted Mr. Crane's offer of a lease, but it had not been in spected by the secret service opera tives and White House attaches. When- White House advance agents Inspected the ground, it is said, they concluded that the Crane estate waa not large enough, and that the accom modations in the village were insuf ficient for the force from the execu tive offices. It also developed that the Crane mansion is close to a railroad track, that there are several automatic fog signals In Long Island sound close to shore and that the layout of the Crane grounds in relation to the pub lic streets and sidewalks of Woods Hole were such that the secret serv ice men advanced what they termed practical obstacles to their regular plans for guarding the president. When these considerations were laid before the president, it was said today, he reluctantly abandoned his plan to go to Woods Hole. It has not been decided where the president will go in view of the changed plan, but several offers are before him. The president did not go motoring today but spent some time on the White House portico on the south lawn and in his study. His drive about the capitol Sunday served to invite rumors that he had suffered a setback. Rear - Admiral ' Grayson reiterated that the president was In better condition than any time since he returned from his speaking trip last October.- GREETING GOES TO DEBS Fellow Socialists Remember Fed eral Prison Inmate. CHICAGO, April 12. "A message of love on the anniversary of your in carceration" was sent today to Eugene V. Debs, now In federal prison at Atlanta, Ga, by the national execu tive committee or the socialist party. The message said: "Dear Gene: In the name" of the millions whom you have touched with your love and Inspired hy your cour age, the socialist party sends you fraternal greetings and this message of love on the anniversary of your incarceration. "In your ceil you are a beacon light to tne suriering masses, and your words are winged messengers that are arousing the people from their slumbers. "The spirit o our movement is abroad in the land; the day of vic tory appears." SAM PLAY THE GAME, i Troops to Get Out When Quiet Is Restored. NOTE RESULTS IN HARMONY Acceptance of British View Expected in London. ' DETAILS NOT SETTLED Brltibii Ask for Explanation of Plans of French and Policy Is Outlined Immediately. PARIS. April 12. The Earl of Derby, British ambassador to France, delivered to Premier Millerand at 1 o'clock this afternoon the British re ply to the French premier's note of last evening. M. Millerand refused to discuss the contents of the note with the newspaper correspondents. During a conversation lasting more than a half hour between Premier Millerand and Lord Derby, after the conference of ambassadors, the Brit ish ambassador, after handing his government's reply to the French note to Premier' Millerand, asked M. Millerand for certain . explanations which would give more precise infor mation on the intentions of the French government. Such Informa tion was so simple and easy to give, says a semi-official note issued late this afternoon, that M. Millerand was able to supply It at once. "It is understood," the semi-official note says, That the French troops when they evacuate Frankfort and Darmstadt also will withdraw from Homburg and Hanau. Occupation May Be Limited. "The German delegation's demand for an extension of three months for the disarmament of Germany has cre ated a new situation, of which the allies, particularly France, must take account. This demand would appear necessarily to form the subject of the first discussions at San Remo. "Furthermore, It s probable that tha French government, anxious not to appear as wishing to bring pres sure upon Its allies in connection with this question, will strive to limit the occupation of the main towns and will show itself disposed to withdraw its troops as soon as the situation becomes normal in the Ruhr districts as regards the German effectives." LONDON. April 12. An aulhorlta tive statement Issued tonight indi cates the Franco-British situation is even more favorable than presented by Andrew Bonar Law, the govern ment spokesman in the house of com mons, today. French .Acceptance Kxnrcted. The statement intimates that French note is expected accepting the British view and agreeing to evacuate the occupied towns rapidly on with drawal of tJieGerman troops from the Ruhr, which has already commenced Both France and Great Britain are increasingly convinced of the neces sity of keeping in agreement for the settlement of the questions regarding Germany and those affecting other parties of the world, Mr. Law told the house. The approaching conference of the heads of the allied governments will no doubt serve to confirm and consol idate the complete understanding be tween the two governments," said Mr. Law. Mr. Bonar Law was bombarded with questions and several queries sug gested sympathy with the French viewpoint. The government leader, however, refused to be drawn into a discussion.' He declared any state ment made in the house by a mem ber of the government which would seem to justify the British attitude might have the .appearance of critl cising the attitude of Great Britain's allies, and on the other band, that any statement might have the effect of conveying to the German govern ment that there was not complete agreement among the allies regarding the importance of the treaty. MILLERAX'D MAY XOT ATTEXD Premier Does Xot Want Other ( Powers at Conference. PARIS. April 12. (By the Asso ciated Press.) It was declared today in a reliable source that if the su preme council meeting at San Remo was to discuss the misunderstanding between France and Great Britain. Premier Millerand would not attend. A personal talk on the subject with Premier Lloyd George would be wel comed by the French premier if Mr. Lloyd George could find it. convenient to come to Paris, but it is considered in official circles that as the point at issue Interests France and Great Britain only., it is needless to dis cuss it before the representatives of the other powers. , Crisis Believed to Be Over. LONDON, April 12. The solidarity of the entente is emphasized in the latest French communication. In British official circles the opinion was expressed today that all the dan gers with which the situation was fraught had definitely been dispelled. Up to noon-Sunday there had been undisguised nervousness here over last week's cross channel exchanges. Many Xon-Combatants Are Killed. American Marines Land to Protect Legation. GUATEMALA CITY. April 12. (By the Associated Press.) Many noncom batants have been killed in Guatemala City, which has been under shell fire of the forces of President Cabrera since Thursday night. The city is undefended except by volunteers armed with rifles. On one da. the bombardment was kept up from 10 A. M. until 8 P. M. SheHls fell in various parts of the city and casualties are believed to have been heavy. Cabrera is strongly entrenched in La Palma, outside the city. WASHINGTON, April 12. The long threatened revolution in Guatemala against President Estrada Cabrera finally has broken out. Reports to day to the state department said the opponents of the president had gained control of Guatemala City after some street fighting. A marine guard from the cruiser Tacomaand submarine tender Niagara has been landed to protect the Ameri can legation. MEXICO CITY, April 12. In Guate mala the revolutionists have formed a new government with Carlos Her rera as president. Advices from Tapa Chula, state of Chi a Fas, said that Cabrera was a prisoner, and another that he was besieged in his home. Great excitement prevails through out the republic. Numerous Guate malans began crossing from Mexico to participate in the revolution. PROFIT TAX IS PROPOSED Representative Johnson Has Plan to Provide Soldiers Bonus. WASHINGTON, April 12. A bill to re-enact the law Imposing a tax of 80 per cent on excess war profits was introduced today by Representative Johnson, republican. South Dakota, a means of raising revenue for a soldier bonus. There also would be a levy on the privilege of issuing stock dividends. The bill would be made applicable to profits of 1919, 1920 and 1921, and Mr. Johnson figured it would raise $1,000,000,000. GERMAN SHIPS ALL SOLD Board Reports 28 Vessels Disposed of Within Past Week. WASHINGTON, April 12. All Ger man cargo vessels taken over by the government have been disposed of to private interests, the weekly sales re. port of the shipping board, made pub lic today, shows. During the week ending April 10 the board sold 8 vessels for $21,751, 065. Included were 11 former-German merchant ships. .Xcrvy Briton Again Decorated. TORONTO, Out, April 12. Lieutenant-Colonel William O. Barker has been awarded a second silver medal by the king of Italy for heroism in October, 1918, when he attacked 60 German airplanes single-handed and shot down six before he was downed. Colonel Barker, it is said, holds more decorations for bravery than any other living' British airman. INDEX OF TODAY'S NEWS The Weather. lESTERDAT'S Maximum temperature, 62 decree: minimum, 49 degrees. TODAY'S Rain; southerly winds. Vnrlirn. Thirteen states leave Carranza govern ment. la repot. Pane 16. Azerbajans threaten to massacre 25.000 Armenians in Baku. Page 5. Guatemala revolts against President Ca brera. Page 1. France promises to leave Ruhr as soon as order is restored. Page 1. Nnilnnal. Republicans attempt to recover losses said to be du to extravagance in construc tion of army cantonments. Page 1. Federal action In switchmen's strike awaits further Investigations. Page Z. West's water-power bill agreed on In con ference and will be reported soon. Pa.ge Creel demands full Investigation and de clares fraud charges by committee are absurd. Page 1. Woods Hole too noisy and too small for summer White House. Page 1. Senate approves voluntary military train ing but appropriation cut over two thirds. Page 2. Mine chief, from .iail balcony, attacks governor. Page S. Domestic. Switchmen's strike in far east halts in dustries. Page 1. ' Chemists in convention declare discoveries wilt cut high cost of living. Page 1. Xew York faces grave situation as result of switchmen's strike. Page 4. Pacific Northwest. Taft boom in Oregon killed on own re quest. Page . Homestead entries at Roseburg open with rush. Page 8. 6 ports. Steve Dalton will take place of Harry Sehuman against Stanley Willis, Fri day night. Page 14. Beavers open well and are likely to come home in first division. Page 14. Commercial and Marine. Winter wheat crop In Oregon makes good progress. -Page 23. Chicago com weakena on belief strike is nearly over. Page 23. Strike news and money flurry unsettle stock market. Page 23. Two shipping board steamers listed to load here for orient. Page 22. Portland and Vicinitr. Normal railway traffic predicted Jn 24 hours. Pago 1. Forgery by veteran partly laid by jury to aurgeons in army who gave generous injections of drug. Page 11. Visitors accused of attempt to block meet ing of league ot women voters. Page 13. Kew estimate shows increase In annual deficit of street car company. Page i'4. Low general fund may force special city olectlon. rst J 'Bla.ckte'' Williford, ex-convict wanted in Seattle in connection with murder of Robert C. Scott. Puge 7. Printers' union raises issue on proposed school plant. Page S. RECOVERY SUITS DEMANDED Democrats Delay Effort to Begin Actions in Court. COST-PLUS IS CONDEMNED Committee Charges ' Cantonments Cost Government -10 Per Cent More Tlwn Tlicy Should. WASHINGTON. April 12. ftr n publican leaders had denounced i.nt democrats had upheld the govern -nt-nt system of building army camps durir.a; the war, the house pr. pared today for a fisnt tomorrow on two p'oaoa, to deal with persons alleged to have reaped rich profits from alleged ex travagance and waste. With the Investigating committee's report attacking construction meth ods, the republican majority presented a resolution directing that evidence obtained during the nine months' in vestigation be turned over to the attorney-general with the request that he institute criminal and civil pro ceedings. The democrats countered with a substitute resolution proposing to instruct the committee to name persons. firms and corporations "which should .be investigated," be fore directing the attorney-general to proceed. Huge Waate la Charsresl. When the house quit tonight, de bate was not ended. The principal speeches were made by Representa tive Doremus, democrat, Michigan, author of the minority statement, and Representative McCullough, repub lican. Ohio, signing the majority statement. Representative McCullough declared the cry "we won the war" had been made to cover many sins, while Rep resentative uoremus asserted that "if the supreme architect of the universe had built these campa the bleacher managers would have found fault with the Job." To the republican charge that the government lost $78, 531.521 on 16 na tional army cantonments through , waste and was entitled to recover damages, the democratic member said if his computation was correct, he figured he had squeezed $85,000,000 water out of "pretended claims to re covery." - Mr. McCullough said it was not within the province nor the duty ot the committee to prosecute crime or indict criminals. '"The report of the'majority contains facts and evidence," he declared, "and the record of the testimony 'taken in connection with the construction of Camp Sherman at Chillicothe, O., and Camp Grant at Rockford, 111., con tains evidence on which the depart ment of Justice should immediately predicate grand jury proceedings." Coat-Pins Is Condemned. No attempt was made to save pub lic money, he said, adding: "You are paying, your children and your chil dren's children ftr- generations to come will pay, fnd continue to pay for the cost-plus system. Let us hope , that never again will such a reprehensible system be put into ope ration." Representative Doremus said that the stress of war justified "abandon ing peace-time methods of construc tion." "Indeed," he declared, "if Secretary Baker had attempted to build the camps by the competitive system, he would have been guilty of the gross est incompetence and merited removal from office." After nine months' investigation, with access to ail records, be said, the majority of the committee was "unwilling to make specific recom mendations or a specific allegation of fraud against any person, firm or corporation." Besides the secretary, the majority report held Colonel W. A, Starrett, an' architect of New York, "primarily" responsible for adoption of the cost plus contract, and it was intimated that he used his position on the Emergency Construction company to obtain contracts for the George A. Fuller company, of which his broth er was president. Charges Are DealedL, The minority said this "charge rests wholly upon inferences," and pointed out that Starrett waa not examined by the committee. The majority charged the law creat ing the national council of defense and permitting establishment of su bordinate bodies waa "perverted from its clear intention and transcended, particularly in- matters relating to construction "work." The subordinate bodies, it was said, "became in fact actual dominant functioning organizations," and that the Emergency Construction com pany, headed by Colonel Starrett, procured separation of the canton ment division from the war depart ment and "usurped and dominated functions Of that division." The conclusions of the majority also declared that failure to classify carpenters correctly alone caused a loss of $400,000 for each cantonment; (.Concluded on Tagc 2, Column 1.) ( 95.8v