VOL. LIXNO. 18,567
Entered at Portland (Oregon)
Postofflce as eecond-CIass Matter.
PORTLAND, OREGON, FRIDAY, MAY 28, 1920
PRICE FIVE CENTS
REPUBLICANS BAR
COST OF SHOES LAID
TO TASTE OF PUBLIC
PORTLAND BUILDER
KILLS SELF WITH GAS
DESPONDENCY CAUSES DEATH
OF ALEXANDER McIXXIS.
BILL SEEKS BILLION
DUE ON BACK TAXES
PROBE IS FAILURE
US BLOW AT WOOD
OREGON CITY BLOCK
IS SWEPT BY.. FIRE
TAFT HAS NO HOPE
IN LEAGUE LINEUP,
LEATHER COMPANY HEAD DE
NIES UNFAIR PROFIT.
BACK TAX SETTLEMENT MEAS
CITX JAIL AND FOOR STORES
PRACTICALLY DESTROYED.
URE PASSES HOUSE.
GOVERNOR OUSTS
MR. SGHULDEHMAN
PROHIBITION ISSUE
(
V
Question of Drink Held
Settled One.
JOHNSON REPORT WELCOMED
Promise Not to Bolt if Beaten
Cheers Leaders.
BIG HALL WILL BE READY
Corrcspondcnts Get Shock Wlien
The j- Hear Western Union Will
Have Xo Wires in Building.
CHICAGO. May 27. Beer, light
wines and prohibition will not be
mentioned in the republican national
convention if present plans of party
leaders are carried out, it was learned
today.
Directors of the party's policies
have decided that the question has
been settled, and neither a "wet" nor
a "dry" plank, nor indorsement of
any modification of the present "bone
! dry" rule will be incorporated in the
platform, according- to Samuel A. Perv
itins, national committeeman from
Washington.
The prohibition question anil its
possible effect on the forthcoming
presidential campaign have been tin
der consideration by party leaders
for several months, it is known. The
matter was discussed at national
committee meetings here as far back
as last January.
One member of the national com
mittee who is here said today that
the committeemen believed the "wets'
were in the minority and that the
country as a whole wanted prohibi
tion.
J nh lino n Rpoi-t Welcomed.
.National committeemen who are
gathering here for the opening of
the hearing on contests Monday re
ceived with interest the reports of
Senator Hiram W. Johnson's speech
t Concord, N- C. in which -fce de
clared he would not "bolt"' 'the con
vention if not nominated. His prob
able attitude In the event of defeat
in the convention has been the source
: of speculation for weeks along "presl
dential rdw," and bis pronouncemen
on the subject was received with
visible relief.
"I am gi ld to hear that," said A. T.
Hart of Kentucky, chairman of the
convention committee on arrange
ments. "1 have thought all along that
-would be Mr. Johnson's position."
Senator Johnson will enter the con
vention with 109 instructed delegates
Major-Gcneral Leonard "Wood has 153
votes pledged to him. Governor F. O.
Lowdcn is third with 74 pledges.
Correspondents Get Shock.
"With approval today by the city
building inspector of the temporary
galleries installed .to add 1000 extra
eeata to the normal capacity of th
Coliseum, Charles It. Hall, superin
tendent, notified the convention com
mlttee that he would have the hall
ready to turn over to the republicans
late next week.'
Special correspondents of . many
metropolitan newspapers were throw
into consternation when it was an-
nounced by the Western Union Tele
graph company that it would have no
wires running into the convention
hall. -
Superintendent Hall notified the
company that the building trades
council had threatened to call out all
workmen employed at the Coliseum if
non-union telegraph companies at
tempted to place wires in the build
ing. The Postal Telegraph company
said it had not heard of the trouble
and expected to install an office.
" The union men have been trying to
organize the elevator boys in J.he
Western Union building here. The
elevator boys, according to the com
pany, already are unionized, as they
belong to the Western Union Em
ployes' association.
Hoodoo Gavel Discarded.
L. W. Henley, secretary of the con
vention committee, placed an order
for a new gavel today and the hsf
toric mallet used in 1912 and 1916
will be discarded. "It has gone
through two defeats," Mr. Henley
commented, "and because of the asso
ciations connected with it, I think
we would better lay it aside and buy
a less dangerous weapon."
There will be plenty of room in
Chicago, at reasonable prices, to care
for the 40,000 convention visitors
according to the information bureau
of the association of commerce. First
class hotels in the loop have 13,000
rooms available and outlying hotels
21,000. Scores of apartments whose
owners have listed them at fancy
figures are going begging. One
owner of a nine-room house asked
112,000 tor six days, mere were no
takers. The average price of 250
apartments listed was $450 for the
week, but not more than a dozen have
been rented.
Rooms are available in hotels and
homes at an average price of 15 per
day.
- Women leaders are conferring with
committeemen in an effort to draft
a plan for participation of the newly
enfranchised voters in the direction
of the republican party. The plan
will be presented to the convention,
ir is understood, with the recommen-
(Concluded oa Fas 2, Column 2.1
Witness Says Production Reduced
Because of Marked Decline In
Factory Demand.
WASHINGTON', May 27. Fastidious
tastes of the public are in part re
sponsible for present high shoe prices,
William McAdoo Jr. of New York,
vice-president of th Central Leather
company, declared today before the
enate committee investigating shoe
prices. He denied that his company
was making exorbitant profits, but
said its profits in 1919 were 13,288.-
481 compared with 4,87S,923 in 1914.
Mr. McAdoo said that "because of
marked decline" in the demands of
hoe manufacturers for leather, his
company had reduced production 10 to
per cent during ' the past three
weeks, but added that no further re-
uctions were anticipated if transpor
tation and financial conditions became
more nearly normal. ,
The witness agreed with- Senator
McNary, republican, Oregon, that if
leather dealers and others connected
with the shoe trade had been content
accept smaller profits shoe prices
would be lower now.
CONVICT SEIZES TRAIN
Folsom
Prison Break Made
in
Hail of Bullets.
SACRAMENTO. Cal., May 27.
Holding up the engineer and fireman
of a switch engine in the yards of
Folsom prison this afternoon ' and
forcing them to dismount. Carl Otto,
convict, pulled the throttle to- its
capacity and the engine bounded
through the heavy gates at a high
rate 'of speed, carrying Otto to free
dom. As the locomotive speeded down the
track rand the enginer gave warning
of what had happened, the guards lo
cated, at pivotal points . opened fire,
discharging several hundred rounds
without effect. ' '
Otto brought the engine to a halt
1000 yards down the track and disap
peared in the brush under a fusillade
of bullets. .-"'.
Accompanying him in the first
stage of his dash were J. Quijada and
George Clifford, fellow, convicts, who
were captured outside the prison.
ELOPERS ON WAY HOME
"Couldn't Be Separated" Declares
Carroll ti. Wainwright
PHILADELPHIA, Pa.,',May 27. Mr.
and Mrs. Carroll L. Wainwright, new
ly-weds, motored through Philadel
phia today homeward hound..
"It was a question of getting mar
ried now or being separated all sum
mer long we couldn't do that, so we
eloped."
That is how Mr. Wainwright, aged
;z, wno is a student at Yale, ex
plains his elopement with Miss Edith
ivingaon uouid to EiKton, Mil., yes
terday. His bride echoed his sent!
ment. , - -
George J. Gould is surprised, but
quite satisfied with the romantic mar
riage of his sixth daughter.
Stuyvesant Wainwright, father of
the bridegroom is equally satisfied
and both said parental' forgiveness
would be forthcoming as soon as the
youthful elopers returned.
30 SALVATIONSTS LOST
Efforts to Locate Workers In Rus
sia Meet With Failure.
CHICAGO, May 27. Thirty Salva
tion Army officers have disappeared
in soviet Russia and have been given
up by their superiors as lost, accord
ing to a telegram received by the Chi
cago headquarters from New. York.
The telegram said:
"Repeated efforts have been made
by the international headquarters of
the Salvation 'Army in London to com
municate with its workers who re
mained to uphold the banner of prac
tical Christianity in' soviet Russia,
but all attempts have failed. As a
last resort ' a high . Salvation Army
officer is now traveling incognito in
Russia in an endeavor to learh the
fate of the 30 missing officers."
FARE HEARING JUNE 1
State Commission to Consider Ap
plication of Portland Firm.
SALEM, Or, May 27. (Special.)
The Oregon public service commission
has set Tuesday, June 1, as the date
lor hearing the application of the I
Portland Railway. Light & Power
company for an increase in rates. The
hearing will be confined to verifica
tion of allegations in the new - ap
plication and no testimony will be
taken dating back of the order issued
by the commission last March.
The hearing will be held in Port
lano with Commissioners Buchtel and
Corey in attendance.
BONUS RATE SHOOTING UP
Hawaiian Plantation Laborers Are
Drawing Higher Pay.
HONOLULU. T. H., May 27. (Spe
cial.) The bonus rate for the past
month ' on sugar plantations has
reached new figures. It is governed
by the price of raw sugar, and since
this Jumped recently the rate is now
466 per cent.
This is a tremendous advance over
the past month, and gives the 824-a-month
man a total of 884 on the
basis of iO days' work. This example
is that of a plantation laborer, who
gets his lodgings free.
Corporation Commission
er to Quit Immediately.
HANDLEY NAMED SUCCESSOR
Tillamook Man Slated to Fill
s State Vacancy.
OFFENSE GIVEN BY ACTS
Primary Campaign Utterances
ex-Official Said to Have
Caused Executive to Act.
of
SALEM,, Or., .May 27. (Special.).
Henry J. Schulderman, state corpor;
tion commissioner and candidate for
secretary of state on the republican
ticket at the primary election held
last Friday, today was requested to
resign from his office, in a letter
prepared by Governor Olcott. Mr.
Schulderman's resignation is to be
come effective at once, according to
the executive's letter. Concurrent
with the request for Mr. Schulder
man s resignation, tiovernor uicoix
announced the appointme.it- of T. B.
Handley of - Tillamook, ss successor
to the office.
"When I entered into the duties of
the governor's office, I made it plain
that there would be no change in the
appointees of .Governor witnycomoe
unless the good of the public service
demanded it," said Governor . Olcott,
in announcing that he had asked Mr.
Schulderman to resign.
, , Governor Actively Opposed.
"It plainly would be detrimental to
the public service to allow Mr. Schul
derman to. continue longer in the ca
pacity of corporation commissioner.
He has publicly expressed himself as
being opposed to the present admin
istration and its policies, and also
has sanctioned publication of state
merits In the press to the same ef
fect. "Inasmuch as the policies of this
administration are for the greatest ef
ficiency in public office that it Is pos
sible to attain, I am certain it will
be beneficial to the state as a whole
for Mr. Schulderman to seek employ
ment elsewhere."
Mr. Schulderman, according to the
executive's -friends, was active in -the
first campaign waged by Governor
Withycombe, and on May 1, 1915, soon
after the' latter's election, was ap
pointed corporation commissioner. .On
December 30, 1916. Mr. Schulderman
was reappointed for a four-year term,
which would have expired on January
1, 1921.
Again in the succeeding campaign.
(Concluded on Page 3, Column 2.)
NOT
, V ,VME0W73r'i2Jm VI 'Wh&jf'M Vi VT ----f- 'sZ W i . V. Ill
Body Found in Bathroom When
Wife Returns From Downtown.
Inquest Held Unnecessary.
Alexander Mclnnis, contractor' of
the firm of Mclnnis & Reed, com
mitted suicide by suffocating him
self with gas yesterday afternoon at
his home, 335 Grand avenue north.
Despondency brought on by Ill
ness and heavy financial losses was
believed to have been the cause.
The man's body was found in. the
bathroom at his home by his wife.
Mrs. Esther Mclnnis, when she -re
turned from a trip downtown yes
terday afternoon. The body was
turned over to Deputy Coroner
Goetsch who announced, that, there
would be no inquest as it was a -clear
case of suicide. Mr. Mclnnis left no
note or explanation of his.act.
About four years ago he was said
to have undergone an operation for
tumor. Since that time he had not
been in the best of health and had
been subject to fits of. despondency.
Business' conditions of the firm with
which he was connected were said to
have caused him to worry.
Mr. Mclnnis was 66 years old and
had been a resident of Portland for
40 years. The firm with which - h
was connected constructed the Mult
nomah club building and the Buchan
an building, as well as other struc
tures in Portland.
He Is survived by his widow, a son
and daughter.
Mrs. Mclnnis said that when she
left the house at 11 o'clock her hus
band was working there and was ap
parently, in good spirits.
INTERCHURCH MOVE LOSES
Presbyterian Support Withdrawn
by Assembly.
PHILADELPHIA, May 27. Support
of the Presbyterian cfiurch in the
United States of America was with
drawn from the interchurch world
movement, but It was decided to con
tinue the new era movement and cut
the annual budget from 8900.000 to
8400,000 at today's session of the gen
eral assembly.
In its action on the - Interchurch
world movement the general assembly
adopted the new plan of the executive
commission providing for contribution
of 8109,000 for the ensuing year to
the movement, "when properly reor
ganized, to be used for the payment
of its current operating expenses as
a going concern for that period and
for no other purpose.
WOMEN'S BAND PREPARES
Organization to
. Republican
Attend National
Convention.
HERRINGTON, Kan., May 27. The
Herrington women's band is putting
the finishing touches on its reper
toire for its 'appearance at the ro
publcan national convention.
. The band h4s been organized three
years. It has a membership of 30,
of whom 13 are high school girls.
GOING TO GIVE THE LADY A
Legislation Asked by Treasury Of
ficials to Enable Them to Ad
just Pending Cases,
WASHINGTON. May 27. Authority
for the treasury to make final settle
ment . under whicn back taxes esti
mated at 1 1,000.000,000 will be paid
the government is provided in a bill
passed today by the house and sent
to the senate. - The measure amends
the-1918 tax law. .
The bill provides that treasury de
cisions accepted by the taxpayer shall
-not 'be reopened, modified or set aside
by any official or court except on a
showing of fraud materially affecting
the tax levy.
The legislation was asked by treas
ury officials to enable tbemto dis
pose promptly an finally of pending
tax cases.
The bill would create additional
liberty bond 'exemptions. Bonds to
the value of 8125,000 held by one in
dividual would be exempt IromWie
Income surtax, excess profits and war
profits levies for two years after the
proclamation of peace. The " same
exemptions oh 850,000 would be
granted, for three' years after that
proclamation-- '-
WOMAN INJURED BY FALL
Mrs. W. E. Waggoner of Lebanon
Goes Headlong Down Stairs.
LEBANON, Or., May 27. (Special.)
Mrs. Wilma E. Waggoner, widow
of the late G. A. Waggoner of this
city, was seriously injured yesterday
by falling down the stairway into
the basement at the country home f
J. P. Stearns, two miles' west of Leb
anon. The women of the First Fresbyte
rian church were holding an after
noon social at the Sterns home at the
time of the accident. Mrs. Waggoner,
who was assisting in serving lunch
eon, started to go from the dining
room to the 'kitchen. She mistook the
door to the basement for the kitchen
door .and fell headlong to the cement
floor. One arm was broken In two
places and she was severely cut and
bruised about the head.
- She was brought to the Lebanon
hospital. Her recovery is expected.
PRINCE MURAT INDICTED
New York Fur
Loss of $1500
Dealer " Chargi
In Check Deal.
NEW YORK, May 27. Prince Mi
chael .Murat, at whose home in Paris
President and Mrs. Wilson resided
during the peace conference,, today
"was indicted by the May grand jury
on a charge of grand larceny in the
fiist degree on complaint of a Man
hattan fur dealer, who alleged he .lost
81500 through a check transaction
during the prince's visit here last
June.
A bench warrant will be issued for
the prince and the New York police
department may send a detective to
Paris to serve it and ask for his ex
tradition to the United States.
SEAT.
- V -
. . .. . 5
Only Scandal Found Is in
Palmer's Campaign-
GENERAL'S EXPENSE NOT HIGH
Army Candidate Only One to
- Comb Whole Nation.
BORAH'S HOPES DASHED
Connection of Attorney-General
With Crucible Steel Officials
Carefully Probed.
OERGONIAN NEWS BUREAU,
Washington, May 27. (Special.) Up
to this time, the senate investigation
of expenditures of candidates for the
republican and democratic presiden
tial nominations has not proved fruit
ful of all the scandal foretold by
Senator Borah of Idaho, author of the
resolution by which the Inquiry was
ordered. The Borah resolution was
aimed, as is well known, specifical
ly at Leonard Wood and , the Idaho
senator cared nothing about reaching
any other candidates.
Nothing sensational has so far been
brought out in. connection with the
Wood campaign. It has been known
and admitted that large sums were
being spent in behalf of Wood.
Senator Borah's hope was to show
that much of the money for the Wood
campaign had been contributed bj
large oil and other interests that
might profit by having a friendly
president. The Idaho senator has
undoubtedly been disappointed in the
developments to date, because the
Wood managers have not so far had
to tpologize for any of their con
tributors. Not more than two of the
ten men mentioned by Senator Borah
in sensational charges made by him
in a senate speech sometime ago have
been shown to be identified in the
least with the Wood campaign.
King's Testimony Disappoints.
The testimony of John T. King of
Connecticut, ex-manager of the Wood
campaign, before the committee this
afternoon, was a dissappointment to
those who came expecting that there
were to be some dreadful exposures.
King, who was displaced In the
Wood management after several
weeks of activity, has shown deep
resentment at his removal and he
was understood to have given Senator
Borah the basis of the charges which
tne laano senator made against Gen
eral Wood. Many reports have been
going tne rounds about what King
would ten.
The fact was he appeared to have
nothing sensational or scandalous to
unfold. Up to the time that he
dropped out of the Wood campaign
he had disbursed only 8900U, 85000 of
which went to Dow Walker of Port
land, manager of the Wood campaign
In Oregon. The King testimony was
far short of being even interesting.
Inlraer Has Real Scandal.
The only real scandal uncovered so
far was turned up In an unexpected
poL It is in connection with the cam
paign of Attorney-General Palmer for
the democratic nomination, it being
shown that the Palmer campaign in
vestigation had been in the hands of
Bruce Sterling, counsel for the Cruci
ble Steel company, which was caught
in an attempt to defraud the govern
ment of 89.000,000 in income taxes
and was permitted to settle without
prosecution; also that C C. Carlin
faimer manager here, is counsel of
President Dupuy, of the Crucible, who
also has been called upon to pay taxes
on more than 81,000,000 of Income
which he is alleged to have withheld
from his returns.
, Theso disclosures are causing the
committee, to go carefully Into the
raiuicr cumnDutions, wnlch are
shown to have come in large part
from men who had high salaries un
der Mr. Palmer In the alien property
custodian s office, or who were re
talned In legal capacity, receiving fat
fees.
Wood- Expenses IVot liuraal.
The Wood expenditures; it has been
developed by comparison with those
of the other candidates, are not so
extraordinary because a campaign has
been made for -Wood in every state
but one California. No other candi
date has made a country-wide cam
paign, others picking out a state here
and there just as the public jitney
picks out 20 certain well-traveled
streets for its business.
For example, Hiram Johnson, her
alded as the poor man candidate, is
shown to have expended more than
810,0,000 In campaigning only a dozen
states. Warren Harding expended
8113.500 In one state, Ohio, and At
torney - General Palmer, democrat,
spent 860,000 in Georgia and Michigan.
The cleverest of all campaigns Is
that -of William G'.bbs McAdoo, -who
has had millions of pamphlets circu
lated in his behalf and yet no man
ager, campaign organization or po
litical fund has been located.
Temple.to Be Remodeled.
: ROSEBURG, Or., May .2. (Spe
cial.) The Oddfellow lodges of Rose
burg last night let contracts for the
remodeling and enlarging of the
temple, the improvement to cost ap
proximately $25,600. E. J. Runyan
was the successful bidder and stated
today that a force of men will be
put on the work next Monday.
Apparatus Sent , From Portland.
Wooden Structures Burn Rap-
Idly Flaiues Uncontrolled.
OREGON CITY, Or., May 28. (Spe
cial.) An entire city block, including
the city jail and four stores, was
practically destroyed early this morn
ing by a fire which started at 12:45
o'clock and was still in danger of
spreading to the rest of the business
section after the fire department had
fought the flames for an hour. An
emergency call was sent to Portland
for more apparatus, and two fire
companies arrived hero to assist the
local department.
The following stores were "believed
to be doomed: Therous music store,
Lageson shoe store. Falls Transfer
company and the Portland Feed house.
The city jail also was believed
doomed, as the flames were raging
throughout the structure.
Al? she buildings were of wood
construction ana -ourned like tinder.
The Portland - Feed House was the
largest of the structures, covering
about half of the block. All the
buildings, except the jail, which is
two-story building, were only one
story in height.
The cause of the fire had not been
determined at an early hour this
morning. The burning block is at
Seventh and Main streets, in the heart
of the business section. Fireman
feared that the flames would get be
yond control and spread to .adjacent
blocks.
BILL HART FOR SHERIFF
Hood River , Admirers Write "' in
Name on Ballot.
SALEM, Or.. May 27. (Special.)
Bill Hart, well-known moving-picture
actor, probably has received the
democratic nomination for sheriff of
Hood River county, according tb the
official returns which are now being
canvassed by the secretary of state.
Mr. Hart received five votes at the
hands of his friends in Hood River
county. Inasmuch as Mr. Hart is et
present at Hollywood, Cal. where he
is playing the leads in a number of
western dramas, it is hardly possible
that he would change his residence
and oppose the successful republican
nominee for the Hood River office.
FILER FARMER CONVICTED
H. F. Ramseyer to Be Sentenced
for Murder ot Neighbor.
TWIN FALLS. , Idaho, May 27.
(Special.) H. F. Ramseyer, prominent
Filer rancher, was convicted this
morning of the second degree mur
der of John Abel, also of Filer, in a
quarrel over irrigation water. He
will be sentenced tomorrow morning
by Judge Babcock of the district
court.
Contrary to popular belief the trial
lasted only two days, the defense
sending no witnesses to the stand.
It is thought Ramseyer will appeal,
but his attorneys, Wolfe & Martin
of thie city, have intimated no action
of that kind. .
CHESS PHEN0M AGED 8
Child Expert Plays 20' Games at
Once, Winning 18.
PARIS, May 27. The youthful chess
phenomenon, 8-year-old Samuel Rze-
schewski of Poland, taught 20 picked
players from the Paris Chess club
yesterday how the ancient game
should be played.
Samuel, who is a mere infant in
size as well as in age, played 20
simultaneous games, winning 18,
tying another and losing only one.
The games lasted four hours.
INDEX OF TODAY'S NEWS
The Weather.
TESTERDATS Maximum temperature,
66 degrees; minimum, 48 degrees.
TODAY'S Fair; southwesterly winds.
National. x
Campaign probe as blow at Wood ia fail
ure. Pa so 1
House and senate conferees agree on army
reorganization bill. Page 16. -
Armenian mandate rejected by senate com
mittee by vote of 11 to 4, Page L
Republican peace resolution vetoed by
President Wilson. Page 3.
Naval fund of 9436,0OO,tK agreed upon.
Page S.
Funds for McAdoo campaign declared
lacking. Pace
Advocates of soldier bonus serve notice
on opponents. Page 4.
Fastidious taste of public blamed for bigh
cost of shoes. Page 1. '
Seizure of two Americans in Mexico de
nied by stater department. Page 3.
Domestic.
Prohibition will not figure as Issue In re
publican national convention. Page 1.
Pacific Northwest.
Sam Kozer appointed secretary of state.
Page 5. ,
278,388 acres of land in Oregon now under
irrigation. rage .
Schulderman is ousted by Olcott. Face 1.
Sport.
Coast leagrue results: Portland S. Sacra
mento 8: Seattle 3, Salt Lake 1: Los
Angeles 8. Vernon 1; San Francisco 4.
Oakland 8. Page 14.
Wees, end marked by solf activity. Page
1.
Four fast preliminary bouts oa Shannon
Benjamin card. Pane 15.
j Commercial and Marine.
Wool price set-back largely due to can
cellations at mills. . Pace 23.
Chicago corn bullishly affetited by news
. of Australian crop failure. Page S3.
Gold Imports are strengthening factor in
stock market. Page S3.
Bids on $1,000,000 harbor bonds to be
opened June 24. Page 22.
Portland and Vicinity.
Chamber campaign purposect forth. Page
12. -
Restaqrant strike danger is averted. Page
13.
Johnson plurality In state is 2158. Page 8.
Alexander Mclnnis, Portland contractor, is
suicide. Page 1.
Testimony, in Pittock will contest is con
cluded. Page 4.
Allsky building leased by Rosenberg Suit
& Cloak company. Pace 16.
Taft sees no hope tn senate-Wilson im
passe on ieagus. Pass i. . .
Chances of Success Held
Small Under Wilson.
NEW PRESIDENT IS AWAITED
Impasse at Present Is De
clared Insurmountable.
2000 APPLAUD VISITOR
'Without Us Ineffective With Va
a Power for Righteousness,
Is ex-President's Version.
If the steady and insistent applause
that greeted William Howard Taft
last night at the auditorium and that
was continued time and again when
he made points in his address on "The
League of -Nations Up-to-Date" be ,
any criterion, 2000 propagandists in -
Portland were lined up for th league,
preferaoly with reservations.
It was a coldly judicial sizing tin
of the league that Mr. Taft made.
weighed the arguments pro and con.
He sketched the causes leading up to
the proposal for the league, outlined
the provisions and then discussed im- '
partially the attitude of the president
and the different senate factions.
League Ckaaces Held Poor Xow.
Mr. Taft took the large' audience
behind the scenes at the White House
and into the capital. Then he car
ried them with him as a judge and.
jury, to weigh on and pass judgment
on the obstructionists to the theory.
And so thoroughly was the audience
with him that on one occasion there
was vociferous applause for 37 sec
onds and on another occasion for 32
seconds.
In his final analysis, he outlined .
the chances for the league as virtually
hopeless until a new president is In
the White House. He pointed out that
the resolution of congress will be
again vetoed by the president and
that his veto will be sustained by ths -democrats
Ira congress;,.that then the
president will send the treaty again
to the senate, domanding, as he has
done in the past, that it be passed
"without the dotting of an 'i' or the :
crossing of a f " and that there the
matter will rest.
Appeal Made for Lragse.
"The only hope is that the president
will change his mind or that on March '
4 a new president will be in ths
White House," said Mr. Taft.
It was a dramatic appeal for the
league the only living ex-president
made as a finale.
"Without us the league will be in
effective. With us it becomes a '
power for righteousness. Without us
it is simply an offensive and defensive ".
alliance. t
"Is our great power, vested in us
by God, to be used solely for our
selves? If we stay out of the league,
we may permit the nations of 'the
world to lapse into bolshevism. when
we can step in and save tfcvem. If
bolshevism sweeps' over Europe, then,
and not till then, will it become a real
menace to us.
Right of Senate Recojciaized.
Are we going to fall to clinch tho
benefits of the war? Our men fought
side by side with the men of Europe;
will .we not join them side by side
forever to prevent war?"
Mr. Taft said he recognized the
right of the senate to make reserva
tions qualifying the participation of'
the United States in the league. In
the November vote on the league, he
said the alignment was: 16 against
the league, 40 for the league. 40 for
the league with the 14 reservations.
Then when it came to the senata
factions, he pointed out that with but
two exceptions the reservations wers
the same save only in the languaga
employed by the different factions.
For example, as to the Monroe doc
trine reservation, Mr. Taft said:
"The republicans say we wish to
say the same thing three times over.
The democrats say we only want to
say th same thing twice. Now what
difference does it make whether they
say it three times or five times, and
when the difference is as minute as
that we have a right to demand our
representatives shall get together.
Reservation. Put in Classes
There were three classes of reser
vations in the 14, Mr. Taft explained.
The first six were interpretative, ex
plaining and definitive of words and
terms; two were declaratory, stating
constitutional law, and the last- six
qualified the provisions of the league
as regards the United States.
"There are none of sufficient Im
portance to justify killing the
league," said Mr. Taft.
As to President Wilson's tactics, h
declared: "
"I differ with President Wilson
absolutely and utterly. I think the
treaty contains so much of good that
its value remains even though some
of its provisions as regards ths
United States are cut out. Those pro
visions remain with regard to other
nations."
He insisted that the league did not
provide for a super-government, that
the council acted merely in an ad
visory capacity and that the enforce
ment of the provisions rested en
tirely with the members of the league
acting In a co-operative capacity.
"Unless there be a spirit of co
operation - for the purpose of ths
(Concluded, sa Fast t, Co.umn 1.)