V'O T T.TV (1 "I8.r."0 Entered at Portland (Oreson) VU1. JjaUV iW. AO,JJiJ ostoffict Second-Class Muter. PORTLAND, OREGON, WEDNESDAY, MAY 19, 1920 26 PAGES Pit ICE FIVE CENTS DEMOCRATS' PLEA IS RATIFY TREATY u.s. oil depletion ' unvc C HFTKI Ffl IS FEARED BY SENATE 11 H,J IJ "LURLLU FRENCH GOVERNMENT HONORS OREGON MAN PATROL SERVICE MAY BE STARTED JUNE 10 GAS KILLSTWO BOYS GENERAL W00D1EADS IN VERMONT PRIMARY PRICES DECLINE BY PEEVED WOMEN SO-YEAR RESERVE SEEN WITH CONTROL BEIXG LOST. COL. GEORGE A. WHITE GETS RARE DECORATION.' STATE ASKED TO SIGN CON. ' TRACT BY COMMANDER. PARTIAL RETURNS SHOW W IDE MARGIN OVER WEBSTER. AND GRANDMOTHER THROUGHOUT U.S. ) Is SPOKANE CONVENTION ENDS Prohibition and Woman Suf frage Indorsed. DELEGATES ARE ELECTED A. 11. JiLlow oi Tacoma Again Xanicd as National Com mi l tec ma n; Electors Also Chosen. SPOKANE, Wash., May IS. With the state party organization victori ous in every show of strength throughout the two days' sessions. the democratic state convention ad journed late this afternoon after hav ins re-elected A. n. Titlow of Tacoma national committeeman, elected Mrs. Elizabeth D. Christian of Spokane na tional committee-woman, and chosen eight delegates-at-large and four from each of the five congressional districts in the state to the national convention at San Francisco. Dclegates-at-Iarge to the democrat ic national convention were chosen at the afternoon session of the state convention today as follows: Mrs. Krnest Lister. Tacoma; Rich ard Seeley Jones, Seattle; Martin Ma- loney. Colfax; Edward M. Connor, South Bend; Edward W. Robertson, Spokane; Mrs. Emma Hausman, Se attle; Mrs. J. M. Simpson, Spokane; Maurice Lunghorne, Tacoma. District Delfsntes Chosen. District delegates were chosen ' by the delegates from the various con gresstonal districts and ratified by the convention as follow-s: First district Miss Edna Crangle Seattle; George E. Ryan, Seattle Robert L. Proctor, Seattle; P. S. Tut ner, Bellingham. Second district J. L. Keeier. Se quim; Dr. C. C. llarbaugh, Sedro Woolley;.L'd Harrison, Lake Stevens; TC.'kL Davis. Mount Vernon. Third district R. D. "VViswall, Van couver; J. H. Roberts, Chehalis; J. M. Tadlock, Olympia; D. W. Fleet, Mon tesano. . Fourth district Dr. W. A. Mosier, Tekoa; N. W. Washington, Ephrata; H. C. Davis, Yakima George M. Lloyd, Waitsburg. ' Fifth district J. C. Harrigan, Col- ville; J. D. McCallum, Davenport; C. D. Martin, Cheney; C. C. Dill, Spokane. Pmidratlal Electors Named. Presidential electors were chosen as follows: G. N. Adams, Union City; Mrs. M. B. Harker, Seattle; B. A. Reed, Kalama; Charles McCarthy, Sprague; George Roup, Asotin county; W. A. Lucy, Newport; N. C. Davenport, Bellingham. Each of the delegates to the na tional convention will have half "a vote, with no alternates chosen. Seven presidential electors were se lected by the convention and the ap pointment of Mrs. Hugh Todd of Seat tle as state chairwoman by State Chairman Chrlstensen was ratified by the convention. The success of the first day of the convention yesterday, when the action of the state central commit tee in seating the "regular" King county delegation and giving both contesting Pierce county delegations a seat -with half a vote each was upheld by the convention credentials committee, were repeated in the final session today. Titlow Vote Real Test. The majority report of the creden tials committee was adopted by the convention after it had voted down two minority reports, one providing for the seating of the Williams dele gat!on from Pierce county and the other providing for the unseating of both. King county delegations. What was regarded as the real test of strength of the Titlow forces came later In the day when, by a vote of S'iSVi to S19li. Mr. Titlow was re elected over William Piggott of Seat tie. Mr. Titlow s nomination, made by State Chairman Christensen, was seconded by the King county delega lion, and the vote of King county. enough to have given Mr. Piggott the election, was cast in Mr. Titlow's favor. Hugh C. Todd of Seattle pro tested ; that the nomination . of Mr. Piggott. a member of the "regular King county delegation, in his ab sence and presumably without his knowledge, was improper, and asked that his name be withdrawn. He de clared lie believed Mr. Piggott would not have permitted bis nomination had he been In attendance at the conven tion. Delegate Alleges Insult. An opportunity extended to Lewis Sthwellenbacb. of Seattle, who held a Enomohislt county proxy in the con vention, to present the ex-service men's attitude toward the King county situation was hotly rejected late In the session by Mr. Schwellen bach, who had been denied the floor earlier In the convention. A. E. Judd of Lewis county, who as temporary chairman refused this fore noon to recognize Mr. tjchwellenbach when he sought to. present a resolu tion setting forth claims of the for mer soldiers, offored the motion, ex plaining that Mr. Schwcllcnbach had not presented his proxy and could not havo hecn reootrnised. Attain this aft- Party in Washington Solidly for League. lCoutt.uutu oa 1 o.o i. Column a.) Mcxico Held "Balance of Power" and French Demands More Than 10 Times Supply. WASHINGTON", May 18. Interest of the United States in the race for the oil supply of the world as embod ied in the report of the state depart ment submitted by President Wilson to the senate yesterday has arisen from the alarming depletion of oil re serves in the United States. . While this country contributed 69 per cent of the oil supply of the world, 40 per cent of its producing fields have been exhausted and, ac cording to" official estimates, oil re serves remaining in the United States are not expected to last 20 years. Of the reserve in this country for eign interests control but 4 per eent, despite the fact that the United States is the only oil producing country In which citizens and foreigners are per mitted to participate in oil produc tion on even terms. N'otwithstanding this "open door" policy, officials said American inter ests are excluded in Australia, Barba does, British East Africa, British Guiana, Burmah, Dutch East Indies. Egypt, France. Algeria, India. Japan, Mesopotamia. Palestine. Persia, Trini dad and the United Kingdom. In Mexico, which ranks second in oil production in the world, and thereby controls the "balance of power" according to official estif mates, American concerns hold con trolling Interests in 60 per cent of the producing fields. Potential interests of British, how ever, have shown a steady increase throughout the world since 1914. At the beginning of the war British con trol was estimated at only 2 per cent, while today the British admiralty is said to reckon it at 66 per cenc. CONFEREES IN DEADLOCK Reorganization Plan of National Guard Causes Disagreement. WASHINGTON, May 18. Inability to agree on the reorganization plan of the national guard today . caused a deadlock between senate and house conferees that led to an appeal to the house for instructions. A wrangle in the house, however, delayed' action until tomorrow. Chairman Kahn, reporting the dis agreement te the house, moved that the house approve a compromise plan by which eafch state would decide whether its guard would be federal ized as proposed by the senate, or or ganised on tile pre-war basis of state control as proposed by the house bilL Representative Mondell told the house that passage of the army re organization bill hinged on an agree ment on the guard plan. W. D. FENTON IS VERY ILL Prominent Attorney Attacked by , Pneumonia 1 Allowing Operation. William D. Fenton, prominent Port land lawyer, is seriously ill of pneu monia, which he contracted Monday His condition has been considered grave, but last night it was reported at his home, where he is confined, that he was considerably improved. Mr. Fenton, who formerly was chief counsel for the Southern Pacific in Oregon, was operated on three weeks ago for appendicitis. Complications were feared but his condition pro gressed) favorably until pneumonia de veloped Monday. His improvement was announced last night, following consultatioin of attending physi cians. PAY FOR MULES ORDERED ? Railroad Company Is Held Liable as Terminal Carrier. SAN FRANCISCO. May ,18. The United States district court for east ern Washington was reversed by the United States circuit court of appeals today in the suit of J. B. McGinn against the Oregon-Washington Rail road & Navigation company in which tho lower court had set aside a jury verdict in McGinn's favor for J1S70 for the death of 11 mules in transit. The district court's action was on ac count of a stipulation by both sides that the court might determine th sufficiency of the evidence notwith standing a possible verdict in Mo Giun's favor. FIVE MORE CITIES GROW Framingbam, Mass., With 29.6 Per Cent Has Largest Increase. .Washington, May 18 Census re ports made public today were: Framingham, Mass, 16.785; increase 3837. or 29.6 per cent Woburn, Mass.. 16.565; increase of 1257, or 8.2 per cent. Newbury, Mass, 15,609; increase 660, or 4.4 per cent. Scranton, Pa,' 137,783; increase 7961, or 6.1 per cent. , Norwich town. Conn, 29,685; increase 1466, or 6.2 per cent Norwich City. Conn, 22,304; increase 1937, or 9.5 per cent. TAFT REACHES HELENA Sergeant Reports to ex-Prcsidcnt for Duty as Orderly. HELENA. Mont, May 18. Professor William H. Taft is here in the course of his tour of the northwest, in which he is speaking on the league of na tions. He arrived here this morning. A sergeant from the local recruit ing office immediately reported to him as his orderly, so assigned by the war department. Suffragists Disgruntled by Delaware Legislature. CHAIRMAN ASKED TO EXPLAIN Party Has Done All It Can Do Honorably Is Retort. HISSES DROWN QUESTIONS Interrocators Greeted With Veils ot "Sit Down" as Audience Dis approves Interruption. WASHINGTON, May 18. A bevy of woman suffrage workers, fresh from their unavailing labors to obtain rati fication of the suffrage amendment by the Delaware legislature, persist ently heckled Will H. Hays, republi can national chairman, when he made a speech today at a meeting of re nnhllran women of the District Of Columbia. The interruptions, designed to make the chairman explain why the republi can majority of the Delaware capital could not force adoption of the amend ment, kept the assemblage of several undred women in an intermittent proar until he had concluded. As soon as you have had more xperience in practical politics," Mr. Hays told the first questioner, "you will understand that party officials do not carry 'legislatures in the pockets. Vote Bavins fiot Done. "The republican organization has one everything it honorably could to Induce the Delaware legislature to act. The only thing left would be for us to go down and try to buy some votes, and that isn't done any more in the republican party." A little later when he made a plea for republican support because publican officials could be counted upon to. insure good government, an other woman arose and asked "How can you make such a 'promise when ou can't count on the republican leg lslature you now have In power in Delaware." -- Mr. Hays recounted that of the 3 states which already had ratified. were republican and asked his ques loners why they did not call on some of the democratic states. He pre dieted that if Delaware did not ratify some other state would in time to make the amendment effective by the November election. Jnterrosrators Hissed Down. Why do you say that?" interrupted one of the women, "when you admit you have no influence with even re publican legislatures?" "I say I feel certain' of it," replied the speaker, "because I believe tha some one of the remaining states I going to be Intelligent enough to act between now and election time." Hisses and "catcalls" drowned ou some of the interrogators and as th heckling continued, women over the hall greeted new interruptions with yells of "sit down" and "throw them out," but the suffrage workers per sisted and after declaring that "thi kind of conduct on the part of worn en makes it hard to get republican legislatures to ratify the amend ment," Mr. Hays ended his speech while two women were on their feet (Concluded on Page 2, Column 3.) : ' r - fl il I If Wi U0r.Ot i . ! ' ii I.J l, LlJIIH ! J QETVttSVJOOOrNQ; fpZPiH f COVENftNT TO ( tlH' JPsI ' 1 r I I Cross of the Black Star Is Con- ferred "for Distinguished Serv ice In Allied Cause.". The cross of the black star, one of the highest decorations of the French government, was received yesterday by Colonel George A. White, adjutant- eneral of Oregon. With the decora tion came a communication from the French government notifying him that the cross had been conferred by the president of the French republic on recommendation of the grand chancellor of the national order of the Legion of Honor. The' package containing the medal came to The Oregonian with the re- uest that it be delivered to Colonel White, who did not give his home ad- dresE on his return to the United States. It apparently had seen hard travel, having been sent from French general headquarters to Cfcaumont, thence to Brest, thence to Camp Dlx. N. J., and finally to Portland. Tho citation reached Colonel White . in New YorK three months ago. In ad ition to the award of the decoration nd citation he receives the grade of chevalier in the Order of the Black Star, a branch of the Legion of Honor. For distinguished service in the ai led cause," the parchment reads- Colonel Whits went overseas with the first American contingent. He was held in the state until the fall 1917 by his duties as a state offi cial, when he built Oregon's war ma chine, organized the draft and put Oregon first in every military and naval demand made. Upon resigning as adjutant-general he entered the army as a major and was assigned to the 41st infantry division, which sailed for France In December, 1917. On its arrival overseas the 41st division made up mainly of Oregon and Wash ington men, was, broken up 4,or re placements. . Major White later was assiKned to General Pershing's staff and promoted to be a lieutenant colonel. After his teturn to the United States he recelvid a colonelcy in the reserve corps. He participated In the Marne-Aisne and Argonne campaigns. MORE GASOLINE DUE SOON Allowance for Pleasure Cars, How ever, Is Restricted. SALEM, Or, May 18. (Special.) In a letter received at the executive offices, today, J. E. Balsley, district sales manager for the Standard Oil companjv with headqvarters in Port land inl'orcnuu Governor Olcott that, based on the present supply and de mand, his company would soon be able to furnish gasoline for the in dustrial trade, but that owners of pleasure automobiles would have to be content with approximately 80 per cent of their former consumption. Mr. Balsley said a cargo of gasoline was due to arrive in Portland May 25, and that soon thereafter the product would be distributed' among dealers in all sections of the state. MAN FLIES TO SICK WIFE Thomas- Fargher Jr. Charters Plane to Reach Dnfur. THE DALLES. Or.. May 18. (Spe cial.) Upon receipt of news of his wife's illness, Thomas Fargher Jr. of Dufur section hurriedly boarded airplane this morning in Portland, and with Walter Lees as pilot made the fastest time ever flown from Portland to The Dalles, covering the distance in 70 minutes. The plane then flew on to Mr. Fargher's farm at Dufur. The birdmen left the Guilds' lake aviation field this morning at 10:15 o'clock and reached) this city at 11;25 o'clock. YOU'RE RIGHT ABOUT THAT, HERB! Letter Indicates Bases Would Be Established at Eugene, Mcd ford and Portland. SALEM, Or, May IS. (Special.) That airplane forest fire patrol serv ice will be resumed In western Oregon as early as June 10 of this year is in dicated in a letter received today by F. A. Elliott,' state forester, from H. H. Arnold, commander of the western Department of army air service with headquarters at San Francisco. Pre vious information received in Salem was to the effect that this year s airplane patrot would be confined to California. Included in the letter received by Mr. Elliott was a blank contract pre pared by the government, which, if signed by the Oregon forestry offi cials,, will bind the state to furnish proper landing fields, guards to care for the planes when they are not in use, radio operators to accompany the pilots on their flights, auto Service at the bases and free telephone and tele graph privileges. If the contract Is signed, it was indicated In Mr. Arnold's letter that bases would be established at Eugene, Medford and-Portland and that the service would be conducted along the same lines as last year. Mr. Elliott stated today that the forestry department of Oregon some time -ago requested a congressional appropriation of $60,000 with which to conduct an airplane patrol during the summer of 1920, but that this amount later was reduced to $50,000. The latter appropriation has now been approved, according to Mr. Elliott, but has not. yet come up for vote in either branch of congress. Should the appropriation be defeat ed, Mr. Elliott believes he will be able to raise sufficient money from the timber owners of the rtate. It is believed the contract will be signed. WILSON APPOINTS PAYNE Secretary of Interior Is Named Di rector for Railroads. WASHINGTON. May 18. President Wilson today appointed John Barton Payne, secretary of the interior, as director-general of the railroad ad ministration to succeed Walker D. nines, whose resignation became ef fective May 15. Secretary Payne's appointment was made in a proclamation stating that the president by virtue of the powers vested in him under the transports tion act and the provisions of the federal control act transferred to Secretary Payne the duties of direc tor-general of the railroad admlnls tration. Mr. Hines will sail for Europe early next month, having been selected by President Wilson as arbitrator of questions of navigation on central European rivers. The selection wa made by the president at the request of the allied governments. HOLD CATTLE BACK, PLEA Stockmen Are Advised to Go Slow in Marketing. . SAN FRANCISCO, May 18. As th result of a reported depression in the price paid the producer for beef cat tie, members of the California Cattle men's association were advised by their officers in a special meeting here today to keep their cattle out o the state markets as long as possible, and to ship them to Montana in the event of a feed shortage here. It was pointed out that while th producer had been compelled to ac- cept a reduction, the price of -meat re mained the same to the consumer. There had been little change in th e demand, which remained at about 36. 000 head a month, It was announced, Mrs. S.J. Posner, 61, De spondent, Dies. BOYS' FATHER FINDS BODIES Death of Daughter Stated as Cause in Note. SEPARATION IS FEARED Edward B. Kramer Returns Home to Discover Doors Locked. Grief Causes Prostration. Mrs. Sarah J. Posner,-61, ended her own life and the lives of her two grandchildren, Sam and' Fred Kramer, by asphyxiation with gas yesterday at the family home, 49? East Sev enteenth street North. She left a note saying that she loved the children. whose mother was dead, so much that she could not allow them to be brought up by servants. The deaths are supposed to have taken place early yesterday, but the bodies were not found until the chil dren's father, Edward B. Kramer, went home last night. He found the doors locked and noticed a smell of F,as around the house, so he climbed second-story window and discov ered the bodies. Doctors from the emergency hospital, after reading the note left by Mrs. Hosner, said there was no doubt ' that the woman was insane. It was said that she had been despondent since the death of the children's mother. Mrs. Ruth Kramer, last February, and had several times expressed a belief that the children would be better off with their mother. Mr. Kramer was preparing to move to another house, and friends and rel atives of the family had been trying to persuade her to go on a trip east. The effort to separate her from the children is believed to have precipi tated her act. ote Addressed to Daughter. The note was addressed tr .Mrs Sara Gellert, "another daughter of Mrs, Posner, and was as follows: "I loved the precious boys too much to leavo them to servants to bring up. Ruth's babies were too dear to me. . I eould not leave my angel babies, and could not stand it any longer. Grief stricken heart and other troubles with my pnysicai nerves were too mucn All I want is my ' engagement ring alone. God bless you and your, chil dren. You were very good! to Jne when I needed you." '. V The note was found in Mrs. Pos tier's handbag in the room where th deaths took place... The windows o the room had been carefully closed, a skirt had been folded along th floor by the door into the hallway and the gas heater, nnlighted, wa turned on full blast when the father found the bodies. Mr. Kramer left home yesterday at 7:10 A. M. and went to his store fish market at 354 Morrison street which he ran in partnership with hi mother-in-law. He did not go hom until about 7:30 P. M. Doers Found Locked. He found all the doors locked. No ticing a smell of gas. he gr.ew suspi cious and tried to climb in the win dows. . All the windows on the firs (Concluded on Pag-e 4. Column 1.) Regular Republican Candidates for Delegates - at - Large Running. Ahead in Pennsylvania. MONTPELIER, Vt, May 18. Re turns from approximately one-third of the state in today's presidential pref erence primary tonight showed that Major-General Leonard Wood ' had polled about 70 per cent of an ex- j tremely light republican vote, which m aa aunLkctca HIIIUII a IlttlL QUZCU nidi who have been mentioned as presi- ential possibilities. Senator Hiram Johnson of Califor a and Herbert Hoover were running close race for second- place, and 1 Governor Coolidge of Massachusetts nd William Grant Webster of New York were in a close race for third. The republican vote for 90 cities and towns out of 246 was: Wood. 1789; Hoover, 301; Johnson, 260; Webster, 50; Coolidge. 129; Lowden, "76. PHILADELPHIA, May 18. Re turns from 119 districts out of the 118 in the state tonight show that the regular republican slated candi dates for delegates-at-large in today's primary election throughout Pennsyl vania were leading by from 400 to 600 votes. These figures did not include any. from Philadelphia. Charles L. Biddle, who is not on the slate, was running close to the regular slate. Returns from 195 scattered dis tricts for democratic national com mittee gave Joseph F. Guffey of Pittsburg,, a lead of more than 1300 over Eugene C. Bonniweil of Phila delphia. Guffey was supported by Attorney-General Palmer. LIEUTENANT NOBLE CITED Dead Portland Officer Is Awarded i Distinguished Service Cross. OREGONIAN NEWS BUREAU. Washington, May 18 (Spccia.) First Lieutenant Elmer J. Noble of Port land. Or, who was killed in action near Bois de Cheppy, France, Septem ber 26, 1918. has been cited for extra ordinary heroism and awarded a dis tinguished service cross. The citation ys: "Lieutenant Noble gallantly led his men under heavy fire in an attack through barbed wire entanglements on the enemy positions before Bois de Cheppy. His conduct had a marked moral effect upon his men and he continued leading the attack unti killed by enemy fire." His nearest of kin is Mrs. Doris Smith Noble." ' widow, . 727 Thompson street, Portland. PLAN FOR COUNT IS MADE Republican Ballots First Except in . Precincts 10, 20, 30, Etc., County Clerk Beveridge yesterday announced a plan by which the public will be able at the earliest possible moment to get an Indication of the results in next Friday's election. The Republican nominating ballots will be counted first in all precincts except tng those ending in naught, in pre cincts 10, 20, 30 and so forth the statfe measures and the democratic ballots will be counted before the republican ballots.. Mr. Beveridge is explaining this system to members of the election boards and requesting all of them to comply with it as an accommodation to the public. INDEX OF TODAY'S NEWS The Weather. YESTERDAY'S Maximum temperature, 67 degrees; minimum, 48 degrees. TODAY'S Fair and warmer; westerly winds. National. Danfets declares Penrose is behind Sims' attack on navy department. Page 6. Nitrate programme is attacked in house. Page o. Senator' Gronna to fight Non-Partisan league. Page 4. Oil depletion in United States alarms sen ate. Page 1. Hays is heckled by suffragists. Page 1. Cars being moved by priority list. Page Vancouver harbor project hearing to be set. Page 10. Domerttic. Prices' on staples decline throughout . the United States. Page 1. Nine new bishops elected by MctboUist conference and three more to be chosen. Page 15. -Georgia democrats "unalterably opposed" .to Wilson's league. Page General Wood Icas in Vermont primary. Page' 1. Pacific Northwest. Patrol service may be started June 10. Page 1. , Washington democrats demand treaty rat ification with league covenant. Page 1. Supreme court upholds Lee Roy Kocleya disbarment. Page 7. Friday's election will be eighth primary conducted -under present law. Page 19. Ad club caravan receives warm welcome at Eugene on way to Stockton. Page 3. - Sports. . Young Brown's manarer 9aya Gorman is due for defeat. Page lti. Coast League results: San Francisco 2. Portland 1: Sacramento 2. Oakland :t; Salt Lake 7: Vernon 2; Los Angeica 0, Seattle 2. .Page 16. Seals fool coast seers on standing. Page 16. Veteran Portland tennis player wins de spite handicap. Page 17. Commercial and Marinr. Grain dealers look for general declino In cereal prices. Page 20. Corn slumps at Chicago with heavy aull . ing. Page 25. Stocks ctose steady, but war bonds de cline. Page 25". Steamer Kayseeka chartered to load flour here for export. Page 17. Portland and Vicinity. Oregon Voter lists preferential "ticket." Page 10. Trolley company stops street work. Page 2. - General clean-up captures Irvington. Page 8. "Stand by Wilson" is slogan of new Demo cratic club. Page 14. Colonel George A. White gets rare decora tion from French government. Page 1. Rate hearing will . not ' -be postponed. Page 11 - Two grandchildren and "self kilU-d by woman. Page 1. Simon Benton resents newspaper attacks on Senator 1. N. Day. Pass 4. Food, Clothing and Shoes . Quoted Lower. AUTOS AND DIAMONDS DROP Decrease on Staples Ranges Up to One-Third. ACIFIC COAST AFFECTED Cities From Washington, D. C, to Fresno, Cal., Publish Reduc tions to Consumers. r CHICAGO. May 18. A wave of priee- utting in retail clothing costs reacti ng from the Mississippi valley to the Pacific coast was reported today. Dis patches from 24 cities told of prom- Ked reductions in certain necessities ranging from 15 per cent to minus profit. Financial authorities here said that the indications were that the price de- line would be limited to ready-to- wear clothing, principally women's garments and silks. Shoes were in the ist affected. Tight money and inadequate trans portation facilities were cited among the prime reasons. Delays in delivery of goods in vhich much money had been tied up. together with inability of farmers to' get grain and livestock to market were said in many instances to have worked a hardship on mer chants. Reduction May Be Temporary. An officer of one of the leading department stores of Chicago declared that the price reduction now being reported meant also that merchants were trying to satisfy what he called a hysterical demand from the public for lower prices." These current re-, ductions, he said, might be only tem- porary. A financial authority here 6aid that if reports of price cutting were de pendable, they indicated a tendency toward--a. -reduction inventories. Though this mignt be temporary, said, it was undoubtedly good, in that it suggested that merchants were go- ahead more cautiously. Sales are being held under various names. Coast Cities Affected. In Topeka, Kan., a men's clothing firm announced a "no profit" sale. Department stores in St. Louis ad vertised "under-selling campaigns." Twenty per cent cuts were the most popular. On the Pacific coast, Tacoma ' dealers announced cuts from 20 per cent flat to "profitless sales." Three Seattle retailers cut clothing 20 per cent. In San Francisco one retailer announced a 20 per cent cut in all . lines, another 20 to 50 per cent in certain commodities. , Several Omaha stores said their silk cuts were 50 per cent. In Wichita, Kan, silk shirts had been reduced. Coffeyville, Kan, reported many cut-price sales. Whole Country Joins. In Minneapolis a large department store has announced a cut of 20 per cent. At Knoxville, Tenn, one of the city's largest department stores to day made a discount of 20 per cent on its entire stock, except a few contract priced articles. Shoe reductions also were announced. At Oklahoma City sales Offers of 20 to 30 per cent reductions were re ported. ' - At San Antonio, Tex, two depart ment stores and one at Waco an nounced sales with reductions of 20 per cent; another a 25 per cent re--' ductiojn sale. - " ..' At ?ort Smith, Ark,- special salea said reduction was 20 per cent.. At Pine Bluff one men's store and one women's store arc making the- same out. Slight reductions in shoes and wearing apparel were noted at Texar- kana, Springfield, and at Little Rock ' retailers last week made cuts from a fifth to a quarter. Atchison, Kan., announced 20 per cent reductions. . AUTOMOBILE PRICES DOWN Omaha Stores Cut Everything Front Ice Cream to Diamonds. OMAHA, May 18. Eight smaller stores today i joined the five large establishments which have announced reduction of from r) to 30 per cent. A large automobile dealer made reductions of 1250 on open and 1400 on closed car models. A store which made a 30 per cent reduction announced the cut would extend to its restaurants also. One of the concerns which started with a 20 per cent cut, anoounced an addi tional reduction of 10 per cent. Stores which are excepting from reduction articles like men's collars and others upon which the manufacturer fixes the price have protested to the factories that two largo concerns are cutting these 30 per cent along with the others. Chocolate sundaes at 12 cents in cluding war tax, peanuts at 4 cents a bag. golf balls at 70 cents, diamonds at $120 a carat and candy at 81 a pound were among th items offered at one store today. t stores renorted record-breaking; business.. People stood in line, at some places, two hours before the doors opened. 'Prices on various, essentials after a 30 per cent reduction were as fol (Conciuded on Page 2, Column L) )