5 " VOL.. L.IX NO. 18.572 Entered at Portland (Oregon) v' M-iX-. -.-VJ. AO,. poftofflce an Second-Clans Matter. PORTLAND, OREGON, THURSDAY, JUNK 3, 1920 PRICE FIVE CENTS ILK LINKS KNOX AMERICAN WRITERS . WIN PULITZER CASH ! SLEUTHS CLOSE (N '$250,000. BUILDING BABY IS KIDNAPED I 1,000,000 SEE DERBY WON BY 16 TO 1 SHOT FAVORITES IX RUCK; BOOKIES GARNER RICH WINDFALL. HIGH SUGAR HELD FAULT OF PALMER T TO RISE FOR STORE J. K. GILD TO TAKE STRUCTURE AT FIFTH AND STARK. AS PARENTS' SLEEP V NO TRACE FOUND OF XORRIS TOWX, PA., CHILD. PRIZES AWARDED AT COLUM BIA UNIVERSITY. MOTORISTS MU MR JOHNSON BOOM Suggested Candidacy Topic in Chicago Is MANAGERS SCOUT REPORTS Californian on Record as Re . fusing Second Place. CONTESTS ARE ENLIVENED Sonic Hotly Debated Cases Dis posed Of by Committee Cum mins and Mays Meet. CHICAGO, June S. re-convention atmosphere got its first real stir to day from developments in the re publican national committee anil movements among' forces gathering for the contest next week. Talk of a Knox-Johnson candidacy became the topic of the day. Some of the gossip connected John T. King, national committeeman from Con Reporter Gets $100 0, Editorial Writer $300, and Author of "War With Mexico" $2000. NEW YORK, June 2. Award of the Pulitzer prize of $1000 to John J. Leary Jr. of the New York World "for the best example of a reporter's work during the past year" was made today by tne school of journalism at Columbia university. The work which won the prize was a series of articles on the coal strikes last winter. The 500 Pulitzer prize for the best editorial written during the year was awarded to Harvey E. Newbranch of the . Evening World-Herald, Omaha, Neb. The $1000 prize for the best Campaign Is Believed "Government Owned.'1 SENATORS SEE NEW LIGHT Liberty Bond Drives Linked With Candidate. Long-Time Lease Obtained for Site for Eight-Story Home; llotel Reported Sold. Nobility Views Gay Event pud Thousands Camp All Night at Vantage Points. ' original American play written in 1919 I ICC ("IF MfWlF RFCALLED went to Eugene O'Neill, author of UoC. UT IVIUVICO nLVMLLuu "Beyond the Horizon." Justin H. Smith won the $2000 prize for his "War With Mexico," which was rated as "the best book on the Representative Sanders Declares history of the United States' printed o Raj,road Administration eridge of Indiana won the J1000 prize I Bulletins Called Waste. for his "Life of John Marshall," judged I the best American biography printed I during the year. OREGONI AN NEWS BLKMU, Washington, June 2. t&peciai.j Around the committee room where is I being- held the investigation of cam- Clianiberlain Asserts Independence nais-n expenditures of the presiden tial oanHlriatps of two parties, it is SENATOR NOT BRIDLED of Wilson Leadership. OREGON I AN NEWS BUREAU, Washington, June 2. Senator Cham berlain again asserted his complete net ticut and formerly General Wood's independence of the Woodrow Wilson to manager, with the Knox-Johnson movement, but Mr. King declined to say anything for publication. John son headquarters merely pointed out that the California senator has placed himself on record as refusing a sec ond place on any ticket. The national committee's hearing of contests was enlivened by some hotly debated cases and also by a visit from Homer S. Cummings, chairman of the democratic national committee. Mr. Cuinmings, availing himself of the open sessions, visited the hearing room, where he became the center of a good-natured reception which al most drowned out tlie proceedings. He was photographed with Republi can Chairman Hays and looked over me t.oiisciira for ideals to take Ean Francisco. Knn.inj City Men Oat. In its day's work on the contests the committee threw out both sets of delegates which asked coats for tho firth congressional district of Missouri, the Kansas City district. A heated controversy was aired in a long hearing. Deciding the first case affecting the strength of the Johnson forces in the convention, the committee voted to seat the delegates from the tenth Minnesota district who are unin ftructed but counted as favorable to the candidacy of the California sen- ueieaieu aeiegation was Pledged to the candicacy of General Wood. In the Mississippi contests the committee decided to seat the dele-gates-at-large headed by National Committeeman Mulvihill, but did not decide on the contests from the eighth congressional district because it was necessary to have & sub-corn mittee look over the proofs. In the .Louisiana contests the committee voted to seat the officially reported delegation, headed by National Com mitteeman Lmile Kuntz of New r-v uricans, which was uninstructed, but claimed for Wood forces and, in part, cy tne Lowden managers. One 1'ight Sensational. The contest from the fourth Mis sourl district was quickly disposed of by seating the regularly reported del cgation, uninstructed. but claimed by the Wood forces. One of the con testants, John Albus of St. Joseph who was mentioned in testimony be fore the senate committee as having been paid $2000 from the Lowden campaign fund, did not appear to press his case. " The sensational fight of the day came on the contest from the Kansas City district, which the committee finally solved by refusing to sea anybody. Charges of "strong-arm" iiumit-a, meeting oroKen up Dy ' mus tard-gas bombs," women intimidated by negroes and gag rule flew thick and fast. Committeemen denounced the situation in the district as "dis graceful and tainted with fraud," and after voting down by a close vote a. motion to seat the regularly reported oelegates, decided to seat none of the parties. This action reduced the total num ber of votes in the convention from 981 to 982 and furnished the first case in which a district will be left with out representation in its delibera tions. Thirty-two Contests Disposed Of. The net results of the day's work were to bring the number of contests disposed of up to 32 out of the 137 filed. v The Georgia and Florida cases con tinued to hang fire in sub-committee and there was a disposition evidenced in the full committee meeting today to check the practice of referring dis putes rather than having the national committee decide them first hand. Many of the committeemen ex pressed their satisfaction with the decisions today, although there were proposals to straddle some contests and split the votes of delegations be tween the contestants and contestees. Committeeman Howell of Nebraska led the sentiment that the committee would check the quadrennial flow of contests if It were to make definite decisions and send word back into the districts that no compromise could be tolerated. The committeemen who favored this course argued successfully that by - iC'iiacluded iw Paife Column ii.i. leadership yesterday by leading the democratic opposition to the presi dent's request for an American mandate. Senator Chamberlain not only voted confidently believed that the senate sleuths, headed by Senator Kenyon of Iowa, are slowly closing in on the mysterious McAdoo boom. It appears that the committee was thrown off the trail by a mistaken scent. The senators seem to have been looking for some sort or pri vately financed enterprise, but ae v.intntg of the last day or two to reject the president's request, but nave opened their eye he opposed every amendment but one offered by his democratic colleagues. He gave his support only to an un important amendment offered by Senator King, democrat, of Utah. On each roll call Senator Chamber lain was the first democrat to bolt the president and others of his party fell in line as the vote proceeded. Senator Nugent, democrat, of Idaho, being one of those who joined him. 1 It ha developed to the obvrous satisfaction of some members or tne nvestigating committee that the McAdoo boom is unlike otner sucn candidacies in either party. It is not a privately organized movement, but more correctly described as a gov ernment institution. Boom Cleverly Screened. As a boom, it was deveiopea at. itie senate inquiry today, it was Doom- long before other candidacies blossomed out, but was so cieveny screened that most folks mistook it 'Devildogs' " Attempt for an essentiol part of the govern ment's war activities. s When the committee met today some or Its memoera uu hunch" from a speech delivered in the house last night by Representa tive Sanders, of Indiana, a republican member of the house committee on and negroes Monday night. Accord-I ,,.., an(1. foreign commerce, and ing to the police, the marines had!.,... .iHr. rrore was started in a hreatened to burn the hotel. I j1,.inn. Mr. Sanders took the Patrolmen and provoBt guards from ranroaa administration under McAdoo Great Lakes naval training station ag js text. had surrounded the hotel earlier in Meanwhile the committee had the evening, fearing trouble. Accord- Kalned possession of information that MARINES ARE DRIVEN BACK 'olice Foil to Burn Negro llotel. CHICAGO, June 2. Two marines were wounded tonight in a clash with Waukegan police during an attempt by the marines to storm a negro hotel. the scene of a clash between sailors ing to the authorities several hundred marines aided by sailors led by a man carrying an American flag, attempted to storm the hotel but were forced back. Two of the attackers were arrested. RAILROADS GET WARNING Penal Law to Be Invoked Unless I Orders Complied With. WASHINGTON, June 2. Warning that the penal provisions of the in terstate commerce act would be in voked unless the railroads comply with orders designed to relieve! freight congestion was issued today by the interstate commerce commis sion. The commission in a telegram to Daniel Willard. chairman of the As sociation of Railway Executives car service committee, said that inspec tors' reports had shown that de liveries of equipments as ordered by the commission were not being made. The matter will be investigated, the commission added. Mrs. Antoinette Funk or Chicago in campaigning the country during the war In the interest of liberty bond Bales had featured the name of Mr. McAdoo, then secretary of the treas ury, quite as much as she had men tioned the liberty bonds. When Mrs. Funk appeared as a wit ness today. Chairman Kenyon at once (Concluded on Page 2. Column i.) Erection of a new eight-story home for the J. K. Gill Co.. to cost in the neighborhood of $250,000. was assured yesterday with the signing or a long term lease by the company for the King estate property at the southeast corner of Fifth and Stark' streets. The lease, which runs over a period of 20 years with an option for another 10 years, is one of the largest leases of the year and involves nearly $250,000 In total consideration. The consum mation of the lease involving the erec tion of the new building, together with the negotiations carried forward for the purchase of the Seward hotel. made the day one of the busy ones of the spring from the standpoint of real estate activities. The property obtained by lease by the stationery and book concern meas ures 100 by 100 feet at the southeast corner of Fifth and Stark. streets and the location was chosen by the com pany after over a year of investiga tion for a site best adapted to the needs of a business of that nature, The property belongs to th King Es tate company and the deal was con cluded yesterday afternoon when di rectors of the estate company rati fied the transaction which has been outlined between W. A. Montgomery. vice-president of J. K. Gill Co.. and Alex C. Rae, secretary of the property owners. Clark D. Simonds, a local real estate dealer, represented both parties in the deal. Erection of an eight-story buildin upon the property will start about the first of 1921, Mr. Montgomery stated, and it is the hope of the company to have the new home ready within eight or ten months. The building will be of concrete construction, particular attention being paid to strength and light. It will occupy the entire prop erty and will be used exclusively by the Gill company. While the actual floor space which the company will have in the new building will not be a great deal larger than that now occupied, the arrangements will be much better, it is said, the entire structure being planned and built to serve a business of the wholesale and retail nature of the Gill company. The structure at the corner of Third and Alder streets, now occupied by the Gill company, was purchased last week by I. Holsman from the Masonic Build ing association, but arrangements have been concluded by the Gill com pany with the new owner to occupy the present quarters until the new home is ready for occupancy. A three-story brick building occu pied by the Sealey-Dresser Co. store and small shops occupies the King estate property at the present time. The new structure will be built by the renting company, the structure to re vert to the property owners at the ex piration of the 20-year lease, or of the 30-ycar period in case the Gill company exercises its option for 10-year extension. Negotiations for the purchase of the Seward hotel, located at the southwest corner of Tenth and' Alder streets, are being carried on by W. C. Culbertson, proprietor of the Cor (Concluded on Page 2. Column 2. LONDON, June 2. The derby, the blue-ribbon event of the English turf. was run at Epsom Downs today in the presence of a crowd estimated at nearly 1,000,000. Spion Kop, owned by Major G. Loder, won the race, with Lord Derby's Archaic second and Sir H. Cunliffe-Owen's Orpheus third. The favorites, Allenby and Tetratema, finished in the ruck. j In the betting Spion Kop was 16 to 1 and Archaic 10 to 1, while almost anywhere among the layers of odds as high as 60 to 1 could be obtained on Orpheus. Nineteen ' horses faced the starter. The attendance of King George and Queen Mary and numerous titled persons gave today's events the name "the silk hat derby." It was declared to have been the most splendid scene on the historic race course in the memory of those present today. Field Marshal Haig, former Premier As quith and Lords Derby, Chaplain, Durham and Lonsdale were among the many notables present. Thousands of persons camped all night on the course and at daybreak numerous coaches of fours were to be seen along Hhe roadways carrying their gaily-dressed racing enthusiasts to the track. The result proved a windfall for the bookmakers, for enormous sums had been wagered on the badly de feated favorites. Women thronged about the bookmakers laying heavy bets. Condemnation Made in Report of Probe Body. AUTHORITY HELD EXCEEDED Tactics in Louisiana Said to Be Misuse of Power. RESIGNATION IS ADVISED Representative Tinkham in Public Statement Says Attorney-General Should Quit Office. Home of George H. Coughlin En tered by Removal of Screen, of Second Floor Window. NORRISTOWN. Fa.. June 2. Kid napers last night entered the home of George H. Coughlin of this city and stole his 13-months-old eon Blakely from his crip. No trace of them had been obtained tonight. The child wits asleep in a room on the second floor adjoining that of its parents. Shortly before 2 A. M. the mother was aroused by a noise. The absence of the child was immediately discovered, but it was supposed a maid had taken it from its crib. Later it was found a screen bad been re moved from a window. A ladder against the side of the house fur nished a clew to the kidnaping. Po lice were at once put on the case. The child is described . as having light hair, and blue eyes and is chubby faced. FOREGO JOYRIOES Gasoline Ration Order. Is Expected Soon. . SUPPLY PERILOUSLY SHORT (Rigid Economy Imperative, Say Oil Dealers. EASTERN C1TIES GAIN Worcester, Mass., Increases 33,7 55 or 2 3.1 Per Cent. WASHINGTON, June 2. Census fig ures announced yesterday follow: Worcester, Mass., 179,741; increase, 33,755, or 23.1 per cent. Pawtucket, R. I.. 64,245; increase, 12.626. or 24.5 per cent. Woonsocket, R. I., 43,496; increase, 5371, or 14.1 per cent. Central Falls. R. I., 24,174; increase, 1420, or 6.2 per cent Cranston, R. I.. 29,407; Increase, 8300, or 39.3 per cent. East Providence, R. I., 21,793; in crease. 5985. or 37.9 per cent. Bayonne, N. J., 76.754; increase, 21, 209, or 38.2 per cent. Winchester, Mass., 10',391; increase, 1082, or 11. S per cent. ENTRY TO RUSSIA BARRED FORMAL NOTICE IS GIVEN H. B. Alnsworth Told by San Fran cisco Bank of His Preferment. SAN FRANCISCO. June 2. An nouncement that he had been elected first vice-president of the Wells Fargo Nevada National bank of this city was cent today to Harry B. Alnsworth. director of the United States National bank of Portland. He succeeds F. W. Lippman, re cently elected president of the bank. The fact that Mr. Ainsworth had been called to the vice-presidency of the Wells Fargo-Nevada National bank of San FranciscA was announced a week ago In The Oregonian. ACCOUNTS 0FJJEAD SHORT $20,000 Taken From Unidentified Persons Reported Missing. NEW TORK, June 2. A shortage of $20,000, representing money taken from the pockets of unidentified dead at the city's morgue, was discovered today by Commissioner of Accounts Hirschfield and Public Administrator Hoes. They reported their discovery to the district attorney's office for presentation to the grand jury. 2639 DEGREES CONFERRED Columbia University Mlakes Awards at 16 6th Commencement. NEW YORK. June 2. Columbia university at i8s 166th commencement exercises today conferred 2639 de grees in course. Honorary degrees of doctor of laws were conferred upon Henry P. Davi son, Herbert C. Hoover, Bishop Charles H. Brent, Rear-Admiral Will. lam S. Sims and General John J. Pershing. SUGAR MAY BE HELD BACK 40 0,000 Sacks for Cuban Consump tion Petitioned at Havana. HAVANA, June 2. The Havana chamber of commerce today peti tioned the Cuban government to take necessary steps to see that 400,000 sacks of sugar of the present crop be retained on the island and with held from export. The chamber explained that unless this measure is taken the shortage of sugar in Cuba will be very, acute. THAT WEAK BRANCH! ' WASHINGTON. June 2. The sugar nvestigating committee in a majority report presented to the' house today I declared that Attorney-General Pal mer had used his power as chief prosecuting, officer of the govern ment "for the purpose of fixing max imum selling prices of sugar in Louisiana and in so doing acted wholly without authority of law and in violation of his own construction of his official duty." - The report, prepared by Represen tative Husted, republican. New York, as chairman, charged that the legal istic method adopted by the attorney general was '.'wholly ineffective as a -means of price control" and that "it gave apparent governmental sanction to extremely high sugar prices, which excited the cupidity of Cuban pro ducers and caused an advance in the Cuban market." V.lest Finding;) Is Report. There were eight findings In the majority report, the resolution Intro duced by Representative Tinkham, re publican, Massachusetts, calling for an investigation, confining the com mittee inquiry to Louisiana transac tions. The majority findings follow: "The attorney-general on November 8, 1919, gave his official approval to a tentative arrangement made by. United States Attorney Mooney, with a committee representing the sugar planters of Louisiana, by which was established a maximum price. of 17 cents per pound for prime yellow clarified sugar and 18 cents per pound for clear granulated sugar, net on plantation. " . "The above stated prices were fixed by said arrangement for the entire Louisiana 1919-1920 sugar wop. "The attorney-general fixed said prices at a time when he considered them 'rather high," had Just been ad vised by his representative in Louisi ana. United States Attorney Henry Mooney, that such prices were in ex cess of the fair average price for the crop, and when he had reason to be lieve that the entire crop could be purchased at 14 or 15 cents per pound. Crop Conditions Vary. "Crop conditions in Louisiana dur ing the year 1919 varied greatly In different parts of the state and on different plantations. In some cases the loss of crops was very heavy, in others it was comparatively light, so that a fixed price for sugar which would yield only a fair and reasonable profit to the producer whose cost of production did not exceed the general average for the state would permit a certain class of producers to make excessive profits and would deprive another class of the fair and reason able profit to which it was entitled under the law. "Under the arrangement effected by the attorney-general with the com mittee representing the sugar plant ers of Louisiana immunity from prosecution for profiteering was con ferred upon any and all persons who might sell at or under the prices fixed by the attorney-general whether such prices were in violation of the Lever act or not. Authority Held Lacking;. "The attorney-general used his power as chief prosecuting officer of the United States for the purpose of fixing maximum selling prices of sugar in the state of Louisiana and, in so doing, acted wholly without au thority of law and in violation of his own construction of his own duty. which precluded him from placing any interpretation upon United States criminal statutes under which possi ble violators might escape prosecu tion. "On November 8, 1919, the attorney- general had no power to fix prices and his authority in the premises was lim ited to the prosecution of violators jDf the provisions of the fortieth section of the Lever act. "The legalistic" method adopted by the attorney-general was wholly in effective as a means of price control; it gave apparent governmental sanc tion to extremely high sugar prices which excited the cupidity of Cuban producers and caused an advance in the Cuban market." The attorney-general was advised in October, 1919, the majority held, that excessive prices were being charged by Louisiana producers, and he directed United States Attorney Mooney to make every effort to reach an agreement with producers and re finers to establish a fair price for the new crop. After conferences with committee representing producers, the report added, Mr. Mooney obtained an agreement with them, not to" sell over 17 and 18 cents. At that time, the re 1 port set forth, sugar was selling in State Department Refuses to Grant Commission Passports. WASHINGTON. June 2. (By the RELIEF MONTHS DISTANT Associated Press. Informal request of the chamber of commerce of the United States for passports for a com mission to enter Russia to study problems concerning the resumption of trade with that country has been refused by the state department. Officials explained today that the j consistent attitude of the government has been to refuse all requests f,rom travelers and commercial agents seek ing to enter bolshevik territory. At the same time it was announced that the attitude of the American govern ment had not changed regarding re sumption of commercial relations with Russia, despite the progress of nlegotiations to this end in London between the bolshevik minister of trade and commerce, KVassin. and Premier Lloyd George and represen tatives of other governments. BRITISH FLAG IS BURNED "Another Boston Tea Parly," Shouts Irish Sympathizer. WASHINGTON, June 2. Women sympathizers of freedom for Ireland today burned a large -British flag in front of the treasury building. As the flag vanished in flames Miss Mary Kcana of New York, leader of the band, kicked the smoldering ashes and shouted: "Just another little Boston tea party to remind the assassins not to go too far." No arrests were made. PUMPING STATION BURNS Property . Destroyed Valued at More Than $1,000,000. GREELEY, Kan., June 2. The Standard Oil company's pumping sta tion here, valued at more than $1. 000,000, was destroyed by fire late today. The fire was still burning tonight and efforts were being directed to ward keeping the flames from reach ing two 50,000-barrel storage tanks, both practically full. INDEX OF TODAY'S NEWS Caucluded aa fane i. Column 3 The Wrather. YESTERDAY'S Maximum temperature. bo degrues; minimum, degrees. - TODAY'S fair; winds mostly westerly. National. Sleuths close in on McAdoo boom. Page 1. Republicans clone work on tentative draft of plattorm. rase Palmer charged with exceeding his au thority, rase 1. Palmer bitterly attacks accuser. Page 4. Merchant marine legislation agreed upon by senate and house coniere&s. rage to. Domestic. Pulitzer cash prizes awiruc4 to various writers by Columbia university, rage . Mr. Lowden denies Illegal expenditures. Fase Talk of Knox and Johnson as possible teammates heard In Chicago. 'age 1. Baby kidnaped while parents sleep. Page 1. Woman shot, then married by slayer. Page 3. Nonpartisan league speakers refused hearing in Kansas towns, rage 4. Red plans blocked In orth Dakota. Page Pacific Northwest. Seattle construction work not in least de layed by strike. Pago C. E. Spence re-elected master of State grange. Pago 1. Speaker at Federated clubs urges educa tion of girls. Page 3. Sport c . One million people see 16-to-l shot win English derby. Page 1. Pacific Coast league results: Portland 3, Salt Lake 7: Los Angeles 11, San Fran cisco 8; Oakland 4, Vernon 6; Seattle 12. Sacramento 1. Page 14. Benjamin 'and Shannon both need victory to Increase drawing power in east. Page 14. Cub owner airs alleged Megee confession in damage suit. Page 14. Commercial and Marine. Oregon wheat harvest will be two weeks late. Page 21. Corn higher at Chicago with limited re ceipts. Page 21. Stock market rallies when money rates decline. Page 21. Flan evolved for making channel abso lutely safe.. Page 15. M. H. Houser rejects re-election as port commission chairman. Page 15. Portland and Vicinity. Eight-story. $250,000 building to rise for J. K. Gill store. Page 1. Gasoline-rationing order to be issued In Portland shortly. Pago 1. S23.000 a year for three years donated to Keea coiieso uy ivutweucr luunuauou. Page 4. ISO miles added to state highway work. Page 9. Two brothers drown In Willamette at Al- bina ferry Blip. Page 12. Episcopal board accused of attempting change ot iront in buu. rase ij. Removal of morgue urged by coroner. Page 8. Republican county committee Is formed. Pao 6 . ... . Emergency Meeting Called Today to Consider Means for Meeting Convention Situation. Gasoline will be rationed to pleas ure and passenger automobiles by every oil company operating in Ore gon immediately In order that the supply in the state may be conserved for commercial and agricultural uses and to provide for visitors who will bs m Portland to attend the Shrine, Kiwanis and Travelers' Protective association conventions. Stocks of gasoline in Portland are extremely low. according to repre sentatives of the oil companies, and extreme economy Is declared neces sary for the next 10 or 12 weeks be fore relief can be expected. At a meeting yesterday of the Automobile Dealers' association. a committee of three was appointed by O. M. Wilkins, president, to make an immediate investigation of the gasoline situation. Governor Olcott will send his private secretary. Don Upjohns. to represent him at a meet ing of this committee, scheduled for noon today at the Benson, and Mayor Baker has been Invited to represent the city. Economy Campaign Planned. This committee has also invited the Oregon State Motor association, the Garage Men's association, the state chamber of commerce, the Portland Chamber of Commerce, the general Shrine committee and other organiza tions Interested In the gasoline situ ation to send representatives to ths meeting today. A general campaign of publicity will be waged by this committee urg ing conservation of gasoline. Cur tailment of supplies to passenger cars during the next two weeks is ex pected to relieve the situation. Representatives or the Associated, Union and Shell oil companies at the meeting, yesterday admitted that their stocks of gasoline were dwin dling so as to make curtailment necessary. Six weeks ago these same representatives refused to Join the Standard Oil company in a re duction of allotments to passenger cars, believing they had sufficient gasoline on hand to eupply the needs. Plan .Not Yet' Decided. Just what methods will be adopted in rationing gasoline to passenger cars has not yet been determined, but a plan probably will be devised at the meeting today. Suggestion was made yesterday that each oil company estimate its present stock of gasoline, its ex pected supply during the next two weeks from California and then fig ure the amount that can be saved for the convention period without in terfering with industrial activity. It was further suggested that a certain supply be placed in the serv ive tanks and garages each day, that commercial vehicles and physicians' cars may be supplied first and pleas ure vehicles next until the supply is exhausted. Card System Impracticable. A card system, such as was used during the rationing of sugar dur ing the war, was said to involve too much time to relieve the situation which now faces Portland in provid ing for the handling of thousands ot visitors who will soon be in the city. According to an estimate made by J. E. Balsley, district sales man ager of the Standard Oil company, it will take at least 1,250,000 gallons of gasoline to care for the needs of visitors during convention week. The seriousness of the gasoline shortage was made clear to automo bile dealers attending the conference by statements by representatives of the oil companies, backed by statis tics showing that gasoline produc tion increased 12 per cent within the past year, while the use of motor vehicles increased 30 per cent. In response to a query as to how the present shortage might be over come, Mr. Balsley explained that the Standard Oil company now is devel oping a new process in Richmond. CaU' costing $10,000,000, by which more gasoline Is produced from crude oil. He also announced that fuel oil would be taken off the market completely September 1, 1920. Auto Dealers Hard Hit. The present gasoline shortage La Oregon Is playing havoo with auto mobile dealers throughout the state, as well as automobile accessory mer chants, many of whom, it is said, will have difficulty in avoiding bank ruptcy unless the gasoline situation is relieved soon. Effort is being made to supply gasoline throughout the state for in dustrial and agricultural purposes. This has been difficult because cub. iCoutluicd pfi Pag Column. LI 'I