Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937, December 21, 1921, Image 1

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    VOL. LX NO. li),0."!)
Entered at Portland Or".ron
Pnntnfflr. am Pronf1-rlnfp Mntter
rOKTLAXI), OHEGON. WEDNESDAY, DECE3IIJEU SI, 1921
TKICE FIVE CENTS
IFAIR SEEMSTO BE
HARDING AND ENVOYS
DIFFER ABOUT JAPAN
GOVERNMENT CURBS
RAILWAY DIRECTORS
s
ANTI-PURSE SEINING
SENATE HEARING ENDS
ON CUBA SUGAR DUTY
LAW CONSTITUTIONAL
BAIN, DUE TODAY!
INTERSTATE COMMERCE BODY
RESTRICTS ACTIVITIES.
DEC . MADE BY JtDGE
PRESIDENT SAYS ISSVE WILL
LOUISIANA PRODUCERS ASK
2.3 CENTS LEVY.
.E OF MARSH FIELD
NOT HLRT COXFEREXCE.
FRANCE ABANDONS
BIG NAVY DEMAND
NOW
POSSIBLY
DA1L IS EXPECTED
FIMALLY TO AGREE
Treaty Approval Unlikely
Before Tomorow.
UP TO CAR OWNERS
i
i
i
U.S. Proposal of 175,000
Tons Accepted.
BRIANO REPLIES TO HUGHES
Submarine Next Issue to Go
Before Parley.
ITALY ALREADY IN LINE
Some Trunk Talking Done by Amer
ican Secretary In Dealing
With French Premier.
WASHINGTON, D. C, Dec. 20. (By
tho Associated Tress.) Acceptance
by France with reservations of the
American proposal of 1 75,000 tons In
cpital ships each for France and
Italy swept the arms conference for
ward tonight to Its next major prob
lem the submarine issue. Italy al
ready lias accepted the 175, 000-ton
figure, conditioned only on its accep
tance by France.
Formal announcement of French
acceptance and details of French res
ervations apparently were reserved
by the sub-committee of 15 for the
full naval committee, called to meet
Thursday. The sub-committee, how
ever, published messages exchanged
by Secretary Hughes and Premier
Brland which led up the action of
the French delegation. The messages
were read and dlscusstd by the sub
committee, but the official com
munique disclosed no more than the
u-xts of the cablegrams.
HeNervntlons Maile Known.
The premier's message showed that
reservations attached to acceptance
of the 175.000 capital ship tonnage
had to do with "light cruisers, tor
pedo boats and submarines." This
has served to bring the conference to
' a standstill until the submarine issue
can te solved, when the five-power
capital ship agreement will be com
pleted automatically.
it is assumed that the full naval
committee was called to lay out a
programme for the discussion of sub:
marines and anti-siibrrurlne craft, as
the two are interwoven in French and
British opinion.
This Implies that the auxiliarj
raft elements of the American plan
must bo shaped into agreement be
'( re the conference committees can
teturn to ratify tha capital ship
agreement.
Submarine rx la.ur.
A direct step toward bringing up
the submarine issue in its first phase
the British proposal to abolish sub
mersible warcraft was taken today.
The British delegation asked that a
p'enary session be called to permit
presentation of their case
At such an open sejs'on Lord Lee
tcr the British group will set out
reasons why the Rritish believe sub
marines should be banned. He will
read, a prepared statement, it is un-
terstood. But there aie Indications
ihat even in that statement the Brit
ish will show lack of conviction that
he conference will shire the British
view on submarines. It will, it was
understood, set out also the secondary
British proposal that if submarines
. are to be retained the tonnage al
.otments be cut far beiew the exist
ing strength principle of the Amer
ican proposals.
Mr. Hughes Deals Frankly.
There is also a suggestion n Brit
ish quarters that, should neither
view prevail, the British would deem
It necessary to seek radical increase
in their allotments of anti-submarine
ciaft as a measure, of self-defense.
That means more light cruisers and
destroyers and possibly airplane car
f lers.
The correspondence between Mr.
Mugheg and Premier Brland shows
that as conference chairman Mr.
Hughes dealt frankly with the situa
tion created by the French proposal
o build ten new capital ships.
"I regret to say," he said, "that
aVer canvassing the matter and tak
ing the best information I can ob
tain, I am compelled to conclude that
It wbuld not be possible on this basis
to carry through the agreement."
Mr. Hughes added, after pointing
ofl that the retained fleet agreement
between Great Britain, the United
Spates and Japan was contingent otr
aji appropriate agreement with
France and Italy," that ''there will
not be the slightest difficulty in mak
ing an agreement with Italy, if we
ran reach a suitable understanding
with France. Then you will observe
the attitude of France will determine
the success or failure of these efforts
to reduce ths heavy burden of naval
armaments."
Brland'a Words Interpreted.
He also stressed his view that the
vernier's statemer." indicating to the
conference "the pa. .icular situation
of France with respect to land arma
ment" seemed to point to "the very
treat importance of reduction in naval
armament."
"At this time," he added, "when we
are anxious to aid France ln full re
covery of her economic life. It would
be disappointing to be advised that
she contemplated putting hundreds of
millions Into battleships."
That portion of Premier Briand's
reply taken as acceptance of the
iCoooluded. oa Page 4. Column l-
William Rockefeller, Harold S.
Vanderbilt and (i. V. Baker
Affected by Order.
WASHINGTON', D. C. Dec. 20
William Rockefeller. Harold S. Van
derbilt and George F. Baker will have
to give up by December 31 certain
places they hold now on boards of
directors of railroad corporations,
under a ruling today by the interstate
commerce commission.
Mr. Rockefeller, the commission
said, in passing upon his application
to retain a number of the places, may
be an officer of the Chicago. Mil
waukee & St. Paul railroad but must
drop out of either he New York Cen
tral board or the Delaware, Lacka-'
wanna & Western board.
Mr. Vanderbilt may hold positions
as officer of two western railroads,
the Chicago. St. Paul. Minneapolis &
Omaha, and the Chicago & North
western, but must retire either from
the New York Central or the Dela
ware, Lackawanna & Western.
The orders arc issued under sec
tions of the interstate commerce act
which require the commission to de
termine whether or not it is com
patible with public interest for one
official to be a director In several In
terstate railroad corporations.
ARMS COIN TO BE ISSUED
New Dollar Will Reflect Spirit or
Limitation Conference.
WASHINGTON. D. C Doc. 20 The
arms conference will be reflected in
a new series of silver dollars minting
of which will be started Immediately.
The design of the new dollars was
approved by President Harding to
day on its submission by Raymond
T. Baker, director of the mint, fol
lowing approval by the fine arts
commission. Director Baker said that
about 700,000 of the new dollars would
be coined before January 1.
The new dollar will have the usual
head of Liberty on the obverse side.
while the reverse will have a large
figure of an eagle perched on a bro
ken sword and clutching an olive
branch bearing the word "Peace." The
background will show rays of a rising
sun. The usual "K Pluribus Unum"
and "In God Wo Trust" also will be
on the coin.
This is the first time since 1878 that
a new design has been adopted for
the ollver dollar.
TRAGEDY OF NORTH AIRED
Weird Slory of Eskimo Love and
Murder Is Told.
EDMONTON. Alberta, Dec. 20. A
weird story of liskimo love and
ruthless murder was brought in by
messenger today from the icy region
of Wagers bay, 30 miles east of the
Hudson Bay trading post, nearly Ave
months after the quintuple tragedy
oci'urred.
The story was that Otto Binder, a
trader, became enamored of a woman
whose husband and father agreed to
find him a wife. They went to a hut
and found a woman and killed her
husband. The slain man's cousin
killed the other woman's husband and
father. The cousin then slew the
other woman, whose husband and
father had sought to save her, leav
ing an orphan girl. The orphan then
was strangled to death by one of the
"head men" of the district.
UTAH TOWN AGAIN JOLTED
14 Distinct Eurth Shocks Fell.
Little Damage Done.
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Dec. 20.
Klsinore, a town in southern Utah,
which was rocked by an earthquake
in October, again suffered from the
earth's movement today when 14
shocks between 3 A. M. and 9 A. M.
were recorded. Little damage was
done.
LIMA, Peru, Dec. 20. (By the As
sociated Press.) The seismograph of
the Lima Geographic society at 1:30
A. M. Sunday registered a violent
earthquake at a point estimated to be
about 530 kilometers from Lima,
possibly In Cajamarca, a northern de
partment of Peru. The agitation
lasted 45 minutes.
$1505 SAVED ON FLOUR
Washington Department Gulnsj by
Delaying Purchase.
OLYMPIA, Wash., Dec. 20. The
state department of business control
today awarded contracts for 3345 bar-'
rels of flour to be used In the state j
penal institutions and asylums at an
average price of $5.53 a barrel.
While supplies are bought for six
months, only one-half of the 6000
barrel order was purchased In Sep
tember. By holding out until prices
dropped the remaining half was pur
chased at a saving of $1505, it is
claimed. The price paid today Is the
lowest since 1917.
EX-DRY AGENT SENTENCED
Seven Years In Federal Prison und
$16,000 Fine Imposed.
MILWAUKIE. Dec. 20. Bert P.
Herzog. former federal prohibition
enforcement officer, recently convict
ed for accepting bribes aggregating
$l.5O0 from an alleged whisky ring,
today was denied a new trial.
ne was sentenced to serve seven i
years In federal prison and was fined '
1 416,000. j
No Real Promise of Rei; ,
Yet Made. ?
SCHOOLS AGAIN ARE CLOSED
Raw East Wind Continues to
Rake Portland.
POWER IS INTERRUPTED
Linemen Arc 1" liable to Truce
Trouble and Service. Re
sumes By Itself.
llorni.V TF.MPF.RATl HK.S AT
POUT LA II VKSTKHU.tV.
Time Dee. 'Time Deg. a
1 A. M 22 I P. M 24 .
2 A. M 22:2 P. M 24
3 A. M 2;f 3 P. M 25 4
5 A. M, .2114 P. M 24 4
7 A. M 22 5 P. M 26 4
9 A. M .
.23 6 P. M 26 1
.24 7 P. M 26 I
11 A. M..
12 M
.241
:
Portland Is due for a little precipi
tation today, which will start In the
form of snow. The weather may
varm up enough to turn this snow to
rain, but this development was ques
tionable. This was the prediction made in
carefully guarded language last night
by Edward L. Wells, district fore
caster, after piecing together all the
weather reports received from out
lying regions. An erroneous report
of a coming break In the weather, cir
culated yesterday, like ie first report
of the armistice, caused Portlanders
to look heavenward in expectancy,
out nothing happened except that the
raw east wind, sliding down the
slopes of Mount Hood, continued to
chill their flesh and spirits and the
thermometer remained a safe distance
below the freezing point.
Cauae of ( old la Trured. '
"There, is no definite break in
sight." Mr. Wells declared. "Much as
1 would like to predict warmer weath
er, I cannot conscientiously do so. The
pile of briquettes in my basement is
melting away like a snow drift in a
Chinook."
It seems that all of the present un
pleasantness is due to a high pres
sure area which has become land
locked in southern Canada and re
fuses to move on. There is a low
pressure area out In the Pacific ocean
the center of a storm which is
harassing shipping but doing no par
ticular good, and In accordance with
(Concluded on Page 17. Column l-
CKEDCHir AN
a tot OK StAftVLt
.nt to Control Fishing Is lie
3 dared to Belong to State to
I'ne as Seems Best.
ASTORIA. Or ! Dec. 20. (Special )
The Norblad anti-purse seine law.
enacted by the Oregon legislature at
its 1921 session, is constitutional. .That
was the decision of Circuit Judge
Coke of Marshfield. filed in the circuit
court here this afternoon, sustaining
the defendant's demurrer to the
amended complaint in the case of
D. S. Tarabochia and Carl D. Shoe
maker, state fish warden, and John
Larsen, .deputy warden.
The action was brought to have the
act declared unconstitutional on the
ground that it was an Inhibition of
the federal and state constitutions,
t'ection 1 of the law provides that
it shall be unlawful to fi.sh for salmon
by means of purse seines in the wa
ters of the state after January 1, 1922.
Judgf Coke holds that this provision
is within the police powers of the
state which has the right to regulate
the fisheries as seems best.
Section 2 of the law makes it un
lawful for any person to possess, pur
chase or sell in the state of Oregon
any fish caught by purse seines.
Tlie court decision regarding it says
that: "Until congress acts under the
interstate commerce laws, the state
may properly regulate or prohibit the
importation of salmon Into the state,
which have been caught beyond its
boundaries in the Pacific ocean by
means of purse seines. Congress has
no law abridging this power. There
fore the demurrer to the amended
complaint should be sustained."
BRIDGE PROJECT FAVORED
Report for Cons) ruction Over Co
lumbia River Authorized.
THE OltKdONIA.N NEWS BUREAU,
Washington, D. C, Dec. 20. Repre
sentative Webster of Washington was
authorized by the nouse Interstate
and foreign commerce committee today
to report favorably the bill authoriz
ing construction of a bridge across
the Columbia river about five miles
above The Dalles.
Kepi esentat ive Sinnott of Oregon
appeared before the committee today
and asked that the McNary bridge
bill already passed by the senate be
substituted for his bill now pending
in the house.
HARDING HAS WORK AHEAD
President Has No Time for Out
side Trips or Speeches.
WASHINGTON. D. C, Dec. 20.
Tresident Harding is disposed to re
main closely in Washington for the
next three months and is canceling
tentative engagements for speeches
or trips to various parts of the coun
try. Pressure of business in connection
with the arms conference and the
regular session of congress Is the
reason assigned.
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Question Regards Including Prin
cipal Islands of Empire in
41 -Power Pacific Pact.
WASHINGTON. D. C. Dec. 20 (By
the Associated Press.) A difference
in view as to the application of the
new four-power Pacific treaty has
arisen between President Harding and
the American arms delegates, but the
president announced in a statement
tonight that it would not be permit
ted to embarrass the work of the
conference.
In the president's personal opinion,
as outlined today to newspaper men,
the principal Islands of the Japanese
empire are not to be regarded as in
cluded among insular territories to
which the treaty applies.
The American delegation, on the
other hand, agreed with the repre
sentatives of the other powers be
fore the treaty was signed that the
principal Japanese group were to be
covered under the agreement along
with all the other Pacific islands
under the sovereignty of the United
States, Great Britain, France and
Japan.
In his statement, issued after a
two-hour conference with Senator
Lodge and Underwood of the Amer
ican delegation," the president said
he had "no objection" to the interpre
tation agreed to by this government's
plenipotentiaries, but assumed that
the spirit of the conference contem
plated respect for territory In every
way that would promote peace.
The president's original announce
ment of his views created a stir
among all delegates, and although
none was willing openly to take issue
with him. there were intimations that
such an interpretation of the treaty
was certain to be challenged eventu
ally from several quarters. His later
statement generally was accepted by
the foreign representatives as having
determined the attitude of the Amer
ican government. It follows:
"When the president was respond
ing to press inquiries at the after
noon Interview today, he expressed
the opinion that the home land of
Japan did not come within the words
'insular possessions and insular do
minions.' under the four-power agree
ment except as to territory proper
of any other nation which is a party
to the agreement. ,
''This expression." the 'statement
continued, "has been emphasized as a
division between tbe president and the
delegates o the conference in con
struing the four-power agreement.
"The president announced tonight
that the difference in view In no
wise will be permitted to embarrass
the conference or the ratification of
tho agreement. He had assumed all
along that the spirit of the confer
ence contemplates a confidence whioh
pledges respect of territory in every
way which tends to promote lasting
peace.
"He has learned from the United
States delegates that they have
agreed to 'he construction which in
cludes the home land oi Japan in the
term 'Insular possessions and insular
(Concluded on Page 2. Column 1.)
YOUR OWN?
GRIFFITH AND VALERA CLASH
Pact Foes Promise to Submit
Issue to Election.
DEBATE IS HOT ONE
All Ireland Is on Kdsc While Wait
ing for Verdict Keeping Peo
ple In Suspense Opposed.
DUBLIN. Dec. 20. (By the Asso
ciated Press.) After today's session
of the Dall Elreann, it was clear that
a decision on the treaty would not be
taken before Thursday afternoon at
'he earliest; some members, among
them Michael Collins, were even of
the opinion that adjournment over
the holidays might be necessary.
Arthur Griffith, bead of the pleni
potentiaries, and Eamon de Valera,
who is strongly opposing the treaty,
are agreed, however, that a suspense
would be bad for the country. As a
matter of fact. Judging by the atti
tude In Dublin, the whole country is
fairly sick with uncertainty and
anxiety.
It was made evident today that the
Dail Eireann will tolerate no form
of cloture. Twenty additional mem
bers, the speaker announced, have
sent in their names to be heard.
Itatlrteation More Likely.
Observers were of the opinion that
the prospects of ratification have im
proved. One speaker sharply criti
cized the attitude of some of the
members, suggesting that though
they would vote against the treaty
they really hoped it would be ap
proved. This tended to confirm re
ports that several deputies, though
unwilling to expose the country to
the consequences of rejection, wl(r
to maintain their personal position A
true republicans. -
Tbe main force of the attack on
them was based on the argument that
"vcp De Valera lias abandoned (he
idea of a republic and framed an oath
recognizing the king as head of the
community of nations with which
Ireland is to be associated.
Speeeh la Kxrltlna: One.
The most exciting speech today was
that of Dr. Patrick McCartau. wh
condemned everybody impartially and
declared emphatically that the re
public had been abanaoned In Dublin
before the delegates crossed to Lon
don. He evoked applause by express
ing preference for Griffith and Col
lins, who, he said, did their best, over
the "quibblers" among whom he in
cluded De Valera.
Dr. McCartan denounced- the whole
Dail cabinet, saying they all went
Into the boat of British imperialism.
He was an uncompromising repub
lican, recognizing kings as out of
date and he objected to any associa
tion with the British empire.
In conclusion ho saw no way out,
for there was a divided cabinet, a
divided Dail, a divided army and a
divided country. He would abstain
from voting.
sue la Narrowed.
The narrowing of the Issue between
the opposing sections in the Dall
cabinet was the feature of the debate.
Several members endeavored to elicit
the terms submitted at the private
session last week by Mr. de Valera
with the object of proving that his
disagreement with Mr. Griffith was
not worth fighting for.
John Milroy insisted on reading
what he said was the text of the oath
..... ,.v. - .
tlmt thrn whh no fsf.tit!Hl difference !
between It and the oath contained ln
the treaty. Every time this was re
ferred to Mr. de Valera protested and
each time Mr. Griffith fnsisted on full
publication.
No speaker challenged' the state
ment that the majority of the country
now favors the treaty but De Valera
said that the country would change
its mind after his campaign of ex
planation. War Held Alternative.
War as an alt&rnatlve to the treaty
was generally recognized by all
speakers and it was understood that
the retirement of the members into
private session for an hour was to
examine the position of the Irish re
publican army In case the treaty was
rejected.
Mr. de Valera told the assembly
that he thougiht If the treaty was re
jected his alternative proposals for
an agreement might be accepted.
The members appeared deeply
moved by the speech of Mrs. O'Calla
ghan. widow of the late mayor of
Cork. She condemns the- treaty like
nearly all other women members, and
today asserted that active canvassing
was being employed to induce them
to change their minds.
A few women among tho spectators
found difficulty in refraining from
open expression of sympathy with the
speakers for rejection. One woman
interrupted Finan Lynch When he
said that all the members of his
county. Kerry, favored the treaty ex
cept one, an Englishman. Mr. Lynch
complained to the speaker and the
woman was ejected. She was the
iCouduUed oa Fax 2, Coluoia
American Interests Declare Thut
Industries at Home Are Threat
ened With Ruin.
WASHINGTON. I. I". Dec.
American beet and Porto Kican cane
supar interests asked the senate fi
nance committee today for a duty of
two cents a pound on Cuban raw
sugar, while Louisiana cane pro
ducers and manufacturers urged that
the duty be made 2.5 cents a pound.
The rate proposed In the Kordncy bill
is 1.6 cents a pound, an increase of
six-tenths of one cent over the Un
derwood law duty and the same rate
In force under the emergency tariff
act .
Spokesmen for the American beet
and cane interests. In concluding
presentation of their cuse, declared
that their Industries were threatened
with destruction and would be forced
to suspend if the present duty were
continued. This would leave the
American field open to the Cuban
enne industry, they said, adding that
events last year when raw sugar
went to 22'i cents a pound indicated
what would happen to American con
sumers under such a condition. The
witnesses said the issue before con
tress was whether the American sugar
industry, which now supplies half the
nation's needs, was to be sacrificed
to aid Cuba. They said there was no
disposition to Injure Cuba and that if
production in that country w;as re
duced to somewhere near the pre
war total of 2.000.000 tons, or half of
the amount consumed annually ln the
United States, the Cuban Industry
could be put back on Its feet.
Louisiana producers charged that
the American producers In Cuba were
the American refiners who always
had fought asrainst a duty on Cuban
sugar. They and the beet sugar In
dustry spokesmen also declared that
the Cuban producers had 1.250.000
tons of sugar from last year's crop
which they were threatening to
throw on the American market at
one cent a pound.
Representatives of the heet sugar
Industry said the two-cent duty was
necessary because of the difference
In costs in the United States and
Cuba.
In a brief filed with the committee.
Gray Silver. Washington representa
tive of the American farm Bureau
Federation, suggested that the maxi
mum rate on sugar be made 1.6 cents
pound with authority given the
Vftpi esldetit lo Increase this rate "If It
should become evident that American
producers were losing ground to the
detriment of the rountrv."
NEW CONFERENCE DESIRED
I.lo.fd ticorge Hum Pl.ms for Retter
Ing Europe's Condition.
LONDON. Per. 20. (By the Associ
ated Press.) Prime Minister Lloyd
George and Premier Brland of France
resumed today their conference on
the German reparations and kindred
questions. They waited some time for
the reportR of experts which had
been In preparation last night and
this morning.
It Is expected the conference will
be concluded before Friday, when Mr.
Lloyd George plans to go to Wales
for the holidays.
It was stated u nofficia lly that Mr.
Lloyd George made a suggestion that
a flve-power conference, to which
representatives of Russia and tier
many should be invited, be summoned
early in January. Meanwhile the
allied financial experts would examine
definite proposals which would have
tho backing of Kngland and France
for stabilizing exchange and for gen
eral Improvement of the economic po
sition of Europe.
INDEX OF TODAY'S NEWS
The Weather.
YESTERDAY'S Maximum fmperature. 20
decrees: minimum, decrees.
TOIAVS Snow, possibly turning to rain;
easterly winds. ,
Foreign.
Dall expected finally to accept treaty.
Page 1.
Nat lonal.
Harding; and' envoys differ about Jupa.0.
I' 1.
Wltnens snys ho saw 12 soldiers hanged.
PaK 4.
France abandons big navy demand.
Page 1.
Shantung parley split wlda open. Pago 2.
Wilson, sick and harried by foes, starts
on memorable western trip. Paga 5.
Coneress little disponed to let Immigration
bars down, says Sullivan. Page 10.
Sennte hearing on Cuban sugar duty ends.
Pago 1.
Antt-Amerlcan propaganda In Japan seout
el by conference delegates. Page 3.
Onmentir.
Federal government curbs activities of
railway directors. Page 1.
Pacific Northwest.
Audit of state's finances proposed. Pas 8.
Seattle councilman raps Union League
club. Pago 7.
Financing of 1025 fair seem" to hang on
increase ln gasoline tax. Pags 1.
Antl-purae-seinlng law held constitutional.
Page 1.
Bport.
Golf exhibition 1 due tomorrow. Page 14.
Breast stroke for swimmers decried by
Norman Koss. Pago 14.
Klepper lines up threo more players for
Beavers. Page 15.
Commercial and Marine.
Stocks of wheat In England small. Page 2S.
Profit-taking sales lead to lower wheat
close at Chicago. Page 23.
Stocks and bonds react when money rates
advance. Page 211.
Grain congestion at municipal dock to be
relieved. Page 22.
Poriland and Vicinity.
Banker to help financing of farmers.
Page 22.
United States' aid asked In fighting blister
ruat. Page 0.
Golden West hotel geta another chance to
save license. Page 13.
Pnow, postobly rain, due today. Pago 1.
Peelslon affects lumbermen here. Page 12.
T I. - V.nd.rlln .f ICau. V . . .-1. . '
meriua lur .VianacM rlou. Pag 2.X '
I
Gasoline Tax Apparently
Is Only Hope.
OTHER PROPOSALS COMBATED
Property and Income Levy
Plans About Given Up.
UPSTATE MEMBERS FIRM
Duy hi Stalcliouse Spent Largely in
Conferences Anent l air, but
Little Is Accomplished.
STATU HiU'SK, Salem Or.. Dec 20.
(Special.) "This is the last propo
sition there Is to submit for consid-
i crat'on. Consider it as an emergency.
Will we yield or have no fair?"
This question was shot at the mem
bers of the Joint roads and highways
committee late this afternoon. Tha
committee has not yet given an an
swer. The "last proposition" Is to hava
the gasoline consumers of Oregon
contribute $3,000,000 for financing the
1925 exposition. The plan. In brief. Is
to incr. use the tax on gasoline fronl
2 to 3 cents a gallon and from the
revenues so produced set aside Jl.OOfl,.
000 a year for three years.
While the state highway commit
tee did not have this programme sug
gested to It until after 4 o'clock and
had no time for discussion. H. A.
Ilooth, chairman, expressing his indi
vidual opinion, said he did not con
sider the proposition economically
so u i d.
I'.ventunl ;ln Promised.
This contemplated gasoline tax waa
taid to Involve robbing the highway
fund for a year or two, but that
with the 3-cent tax a permanent
rh;irge. the highway department in
he long run would be greatly bene
fited. From early morning until late to
night tho 1925 exposition finance
1 rogramme had been the subject of
continuous conferences The gasoline
tax proposal was not sponsored by
the fair committee formally until
misi afternoon. The fair committed
from Portland repeatelly changed l'
programme and finally abandoned the,
joint hearing of house and S nata
Ahlch had been arranged.
While the fair committee was t ry
ng to whip its Ideas Into shape Hi
ligislators wero re.stlsv. markirg
time, doing almost nothing The
press of the Btato prin'er broke down
and there were no printd bills avail
able. This add.-d to the Irritation
;.f the members milling around wait
u.g for something to no. Murmurs
were heard and Speaker Bean was
Informed by several representatives
that unless the fair programme, was
lushed they would molt for sine di
adjournment and not come back.
Fair Finance Problem.
As the situation appeared tonight,
the bloc of .16 house members against
a property tax has killed anything of
that nature; the proposed state In
come tax has as much opposition hs
tho property tax; a poll tax would
not carry by the people, It Is be
lieved. Thus tho financing problem
simmers down to gasoline or, pos
sibly, getting odds and ends of vari
ous appropriations.
Secretary of State Kozer has been
browsing around and has found soma
places where money can bo secured,
such as the appropriation for the
Northwest Tourist association, a bit
of the educational mlllage tax. pos
tlbly. and a few things like that.
No member of the legislature Is yet
committed to the increased gasoline
tax. There Is still the state high
way commission to be considered, for
the legislature Is not likely to over
U'niiciurted on Patte H.olunin 4 )
PORTLAND AS RAILROAD
CENTER DESCRIBED IN
OREGONIAN ANNUAL.
While the country over great
railroad systems have been re
trenching in efforts to cut
expenses to meet payrolls, in
Portland the Union Pacific,
Southern Pacific, Northern Pa
cific and Great Northern are
preparing to expend very large
sums in the construction of &
great freight terminal.
This means that these rail
roads are managed by officials
who realize Portland's unique
position as a water level port
and its future to be fraught
with wonderful opportunities.
They are preparing to take
advantage of this.
Complete details of this big
development, 'with a pictorial
map of the great terminal
project, will be carried in the
annual edition of The Orego
nian, to be issued January 2,
along with other large indus
trial features, all adequately
illustrated.
I