SectionOne
Pages 1 to 24
108 Pages
Eight Sections
VOL. XXXIX NO. 18
Kntered at Portland (Oregon)
Pontoffice an Second-Class Matter.
PORTLAND, OREGON, SUNDAY MORNING, MAY 2, 1920
riiicr: ten cents
SLACKER IN SWAMP
ENVELOPED BY POSSE
JIN
POST DECLARED TOO HUNDREDS JOIN IN
BLUEBEARD DENIES
DECEPTIVE INTENT
SUGAR JUMPS AGAIN;
REASON KEPT SECRET
IDAHO CONCERN RAISES PRICE
FROM 13 CENTS TO 22.75.
BUFFETED BUDGET :
FRIENDLY TO REDS
CHICAGO RENT STRIKE
BY SMALL MARGIN
BLOODHOUNDS AID IX SEARCH
Ol' DRAFT EVADER.
EFFORTS TO OUST A LI EX RAD
ICALS HELD FOILED.
TENANTS REFUSE TO " VACATE
APARTMENTS.
MAY
mi
WOES OF U. S. LAID
TO TOO MUCH LAW
Cabinet Officers Join in
Non-Partisan. Dinner.
Old-Time California Ma
jority Impossible.'
TUESDAY IS PRIMARY DATE
Hoover Now Real Contender
in Home State.
SITUATION MUDDLED ONE
Formidable Showing Made in Cam
paign by Former Administra
tor Xow Is Clear.
SAN FRANCISCO, May 1. (Spe
cial.) Senator Hiram Johnson will
carry the California presidential pref
erence primary over Herbert Hoover
Tuesday, but by the smallest ma
jority he has polled since his entry
into the political arena 10 years ago.
This was the impartial estimate to
day of San Francisco politicians, who
are convinced that the claims of
Hoover's managers of a 30,000 victory
at the polls and those of Johnson's
electioneers that he will get a ma
jority of between 60.000 and 70,000
are equally over-optimistic.
This Is not to be interpreted as an
indication that Johnson will nose
under the wire with a paltry few
thousand votes. Some of his rivals
here concede him the state by prob
ably 23,000. But such a vote for the
California senator would be little
short of a defeat, a repudiation of
the policy he has pursued in the
United States senate.'
JohitMiin TrIuniphM llec.illetl.
To understand this situation it is
necessary to examine briefly the past
electoral triumphs of Johnson. When
he started his political career in this
state it was as the successful prose
cutor in the San Francisco graft cases
following the Are of 1906. His cam
paign of 1910, built around his prom
ise to "kick the Southern Pacific out
of politics," swept him into the gov
ernorship by a majority of approxi
mately 90,000.
Four years later he met his rivals
at the polls and doubled that majority,
which had now climbed to 180,000.
When, two years later, he sought the
senatorship, he won by almost 300.000
votes. The senator is accustomed to
big majorities, and when he gets the
returns Tuesday night. say impartial
observers here, he will not be pleased,
liven 40,000 or 50,000 majority to a
campaigner accustomed to six-figure
leads in his home state would prove
a poor solace.
tampnipn Bewildering: One.
Bear in mind that 300,000 senatorial
majority. It represents the showing
Senator Johnson expected to make un
til two months ago. With the entry
of Herbert Hoover, hopes for that vote
went glimmering. The former food
administrator's friends and supporters
made a formidable showing in Uje
campaign which ends tomorrow. They
started out with that huge majority
staring them in the face. They were
confronted with Johnson's guberna
torial record a showing of real
achievements.
They offered as against a dynamic,
beloved personality, who had personal
contact with at least ,5Q0, 000 voters,
their candidate, known except for his
works by but a few hundred. That
they have succeeded in enrolling a
following that challenges seriously
Hiram Johnson's claims to California
is one of the most remarkable fea
tures of a bewildering campaign.
Affairs political in California are
in a curiously muddled condition. Two
years ago the so-called "old guard"
were fighting Johnson tooth and nail,
fighting unsuccessfully, but none the
less earnestly. This year, the "old
(Concluded on Page 4. Column 1.)
Escape Made Amid Fusilade of
Bullets at Home of Mother by
Leap From Window.
WITHEE, Wis., May 1. A large
posse, aided by bloodhounds, today en
veloped a swamp near here in' search
of Louis Krueger, for 18 months a
fugitive from justice on a charge of
military draft evasion.
When brought to bay last night at
the home of his mother, Mrs. Louise
Kreuger, the man escaped by leap
ing through a window amid a fusilade
of bullets from possemen and took
refuge in the swamp near by.
Today's activity recalls the "battle
of Kreuger farm," In September, 1918.
when Harry Jensen, station agent at
Owen, Wis.) was killed and four other
possemen wounded, and which brought
life sentences for Frank and Leslie
Krueger, brothers of Louis. The two
brothers are now serving their sen
tences in Waupun 'prison.
The fight at the Krueger farm in
1918 was precipitated when United
Slates deputy marshals sought to ar
rest the four Kreuger boys as draft
evaders.
GRIEF ACCOMPANIES JOY
Duke of Connaught on 70th Birth
day Hears of Daughter's Death.
STOCKHOLM, May 1. Crown Prin
cess Gustave Adolph of Sweden, who,
before her marriage was Princess
Margaret of Connaught, died here this
afternoon.
Crown Princess Gustave Adolph
was the daughter of Prince Arthur,
duke of Connaught. She was married
to the crown prince June 15, 1905.
They had four boys and a girl.
LONDON, May 1. The duke of Con
naught received news here of the
death in Stockholm of his daughter.
Crown Princess Gustave Adolph of
Sweden, amidst hundreds of congratu
latory messages sent him on his sev
entieth birthday.
BIG SAVING IS PROMISED
Drastic Cuts Made by House Ap
propriations Committee.
WASHINGTON, May 1. Approxi
mately $1,500,000,000 has been saved
for 1921, Chairman Good of the ap
propriations committee today told the
house.
The reductions will not prevent the
"healthful and vigorous functioning
of every needed governmenfactivlty,'
he said, adding, however, that they
did mean retrenchment.
"It will mean the cutting of cer
tain war activities that ought to have
been eliminated long ago," said the
chairman.
COURT ORDERS RECOUNT
Xow Jersey Primary Results Will
.bo Re-examined May 10.
NEWARK. N. J., May 1. Chief
Justice William S. Gummere of the
supreme court today signed an order
for a recount of the vote cast in last
Tuesday's presidential preferential
primaries for Senator Johnson and
Major-General Wood.
The recount will be' for the entire
state and will begin May 10 in Essex,
Morris, Camden, Gloucester and Cape
May counties, where the supporters-of
Senator Johnson allege that mistakes
were made in voto tabulations.
COBBLER, 126, IS DEAD
Nebraska. Man Plies Trade for 100
Years but Xever Marries.
GRAND ISLAND, Neb., May L
Thomas Morris, aged 126 years, died
this morning at the home of Charles
Mitten, ranchman, eight miles north
east of Ansley, Neb. He was born
in Berrea, North Wales, January 15,
1794.
The aged man never married and
was a cobbler for 100 years. He came
to this country in 1871.
RIVAL CANDIDATES ATTEND
Attack on Wilson Failure,
Says Secretary Colby.
HOOVER WINS OVATION
Senator Owen Traces Weakness to
Too Many Laws, Too Little En
forcement, Too Many Officials.
NEW YORK, May 1. Cabinet offi
cers, presidential aspirants of the re
publican and democratic parties, and
men prominent in the affairs of the
nation, state and city tonight attend
ed the 48th annual diner of the New
York Press club.
Secretary of State Colby, Secretary
of the Navy Daiels, Senator Robert L.
Owen of Oklahoma and Governor Ed
wards of New Jersey made addresses.
Herbert Hoover and James W. Ger
ard were among the guests.
The weakness of the American gov
ernment is too much statute law,
too little enforcement and too many
officials, declared Senator Owen of
Oklahoma, a candidate for the demo
cratic presidential nomination.
War Statute Repeal Irjfd.
After urging repeal of the war stat
utes, especially the espionage and se
dition acts and declaring for ratifi
cation of the peace treaty with "such
reasonable reservations as shall pre
vent its misinterpretation," the sen
ator continued:
"The one overwhelming domestic
problem is to abate the abuses of pri
vate monopoly and profiteering. The
cost of living must be lowered by in
creasing production and distribution
by stimulating both capital and labor
to honest efforts.' -
Secretary of the Navy Daniels,
speaking from the viewpoint of a
newspaper man, pointed out the dif
ference between what he termed good
and bad news.
Mr. Daniels Dlacnaaea Newa.
Mr. Daniels said "there is no news
when the 100,000 officers and men of
the navy are studying and training
and hitting the target in southern
waters in spite of reduced personnel
and delayed increased pay, but there
is a sensation if-one vain admiral lets
loose an unfounded assault upon the
navy."
Secretary of State Colby made a de
fense of President Wilson. - He de
dared that the great issues of the
war are still undetermined so far as
we are concerned and that "it Is
hardly an exaggeration to. say that
there is not an aspect of the post-war
situation that is not approached, dis
cussed and treated primarily In its
bearing upon somebody's candidacy.
Of one thing, evidence abounds on
every side, and that is the utter fail
ure of the envenomed and impassioned
attack upon the president."
Hoover Remark. Applauded.
Ex-Ambassador Gerard said:
"I had a candidate and his name
commences with H." Mr. Gerard was
looking directly at a table at which
sat Herbert Hoover. The remark was
greeted with applause and when it
had subsided, Mr. Gerard continued:
"I am glad you like him. He ran out
from us and went and herded himself
with the republicans. Before he is
through he will feel more comfortable
if he were seated up here between
Secretary Colby and Secretary Dan
iels and near myself."
An appeal to the press club, trans
mitted through Herbert Hoover, from
the destitute Journalists of Vienna,
(Concluded on Page 2, Column 1.)
PICTORIAL COMMENTS BY PERRY ON
uETS YNcWH. A AfVY trSV
Vl v T- L v I tl e- r
Charges Against Assistant Secre
tary Mado Openly Before
House Rules Committee.
WASHINGTON. May 1. When . the
house rules committee resumed hear-,
ings today on the resolution for in
vestigation of the official conduct of
Assistant Secretary Post of the de
partment of labor Representative Da
vey, republican, Ohio, charged that
efforts of the department, of justice
to rid the country of alien radicals
were being blocked by Post. He said
that within the last six months Post
has ordered the release outright and
canceled deportation -warrants of 1600
foreigners whose deportation had
been authorized by officials of the
Immigration bureau.
Several hundred other aliens ar
rested in raids by department of jus
tice agents, Davey said, also had been
released by Post and without bond.
Mr. Davey said Tom Miliouskas, ar
rested by agents of the department
f Justice as an alien member of the
communist party, was. released by
Post early this week, and three days
later he WAS distributing circulars in
Milwaukee urging a general May-day
strike, praising the soviet form of
government and demanding a revolu
tion In the United States
INDEX OF TODAY'S NEWS
The Weather.
YESTERDAY'S Maximum temperature,
55 degrees; minimum, 45 degrees
TODAY'S Fair; westerly winds.
Departments.
Kditoriat. Section 3, page 8.
Dramatic. Section 4. page 4.
Moving-picture news. Section 4. page 6.
Real estate and building news. Section 4,
page 12.
Music. Section 3, page 10.
Churches. Section 5, page 2.
Schools. Section 5, page 8.
Books. Section S, page 3.
Garden chat. Section 4, page 9.
AutomobiTe news. Section 6.
Women's Features.
Society. Section 3, page 2.
Women's activities. Section 4. page 8.
Fashions. Section 5, page 4.
Miss Tingle's'column. Section 5, page S.
Auction bridge. Section 5, page S.
Special Features.
State and nation combine to care for ex
soldiers. Magazine section, page 1.
The snake as a household pet. Magazine
section, page 2.
Sister of czar finds love on battlefield.
Magazine section, page 3.
World news by camera. Magazine sec
tion, page 4.
Admiral Sims" own story. Magazine- sec
.tion. page 5.
When love faces the scorn of society. Mag-azine-section,
page G.
Make your work your play, says famous
English author. Magazine section,
page 7.
Hill's cartoons, "Among Us Mortals." Mag
azine section, page 8.
Oreson insect jjest series, by Professor A.
L. Lovett. Section 4, page 0
Series on history of corporations, by W. C.
Benbow. Section 4, page 0.
Jefferson school pupils criticise city's san
itation. Section 5, page 1. .
Sermon by Reverend H. Cash. Section 5,
page 3.
Problems of the day, cartooned by Darling.
Section 3. page 9.
Foreign.
Three killed, many wounded In Paris May
day riots. Section 1, page 5.
Delegate to San Remo conference suggests
America loan Armenia J50.000.000. Sec
tion 1, page lo.
Hungary angry over allied proposal to give
territory to Austria, Section 1, page 6.
National.
Department of Justice blocked by Secre
tary Post, says Ohio lawmaker. Sec
tion I, page 1.
Buffeted budget passed by senate. Section
1, page 1.
Maryland to speak choice in primaries
Monday. Section 1 page 2.
Frank A. Munsey advocates cut in size
of newspapers. Section 1, page 2.
May day passes without violence. Section
1, page 20.
Diplomatic posts affected by high cost of
living. Section 4. page 2.
Tomestlc
Methodist Kpisc-opal eplsi-opaey committee
is organized. Section 1. page 21.
Refinery refuses to rtate reason for another
rise in sugar. Section I, page 1.
Bluebeard protests he told truth about
burial of murdered woman. Section 1,
page 1.
phnson victory in California predicted,
but by relatively small majority. Sec
tion 1, page 1.
Slacker'in swamp surrounded by posse and
hounds. Section 1. page 1.
Atlantic fleet returns to Hudson river after
three months' cruise south. Section 1,
page 21.
Socialists to hold convention May 8. Sec
tion 1. page 22.
Hundreds Join Chicago rent strike. Sec
tion 1. page 1.
1 i r. f-v . w
Others, Unable to Get Movin;
Vans, Remain In Quarters.
, Courts Prevent Eviction,
CHICAGO, May 1. Although there
were many eleventh hour agreements
reported betweei landlords and ten
ants and thousands of persons moved,
hundreds of persons went on a "rent
strike" today, refusing to vacate
apartments, according to leaders In
the movement against high rentals.
Other tenants who were unable to
find new apartments or obtain the
services 'of moving vans remained in
their present abodes.
Eviction of tenants refusing to va
cate ispartmenta due to the high rent
situation and the housing shortage
was prohibited several days ago by
Dennis Eagan, bailiff of the munici
pal court.
One van company today was found
guilty of charging higher rates than
those fixed by city ordinance.
Mrs. Elizabeth Vglione obtained per
mission from a judge to remain In her
flat. "What am I going to do, judge?"
she pleaded. "I work in a factory to
support my three children and when
I got home last night I found the door
of my flat had been locked by the
landlord. We had to break into the
house so that we could have a place
to sleep."
Pacific Northwest.
James -T. Jardine appointed director of
Oregon agricultural experiment station.
Section 1, page 7.
Grand Jury report on state treasury probe
to be submitted Wednesday. Section 1.
page 8.
Salm ,firUl unlon decides to sell cannery.
' A, fs to.
King county democrats spilt: police called
in to quiet convention. Section 1, page 8.
iyeer, found sullty for second time,
section 1, page 8.
Sports.
Coast League results: Portland 4. Sun
Francisco S; Seattle 4. Los Angeles 8:
Vernon 2. Salt Lake 6: Oakland 19,
Sacramento 0. Section 2, Page 1
v.u.,onase runners set world mark
ii maj race. Section 2. page 1.
, "in g ion -u - beats Pullman. 77 to 54
in .dual field meet. Section 2. n
Two hundred tennis meets listed in sched
ule oecuon -, page 2.
City bush teams open 1920 season. Sec
tion 2, page 2.
ana, uoogers battle to 24-ihning
'' s ovcuon zt page 3.
H n I , , n H . ... I . . .
------ueucr patronage, section
, ingc o.
Union of ball players may be organized.
inn page it.
Good contests expected this week in inter,
scholastic, baseball league. Section 4
page 11.
Waverley golfers have medal play: Sec
tion 2, page 2.
Commercial and Marine.
Livestock and range conditions improved
by higher temperatures. Section 1
page 23.
Corn averages lower at Chicago with better
weather conditions. Section 1. page 23
Stock values reduced with further contrac
tion of credits. Section 1, page 23.
Vancouver Maru booked to load phosphate
here. Section 1, page 22.
I . Portland and Vicinity.
Hoover leads among republican candidates
according to Oregonlan poll. Section 1
page II.
Jury finds Sorllic guilty. Section 1
page 22.
Polndexter withdraws from presidential
contest In Oregon. Section 1, page 9.
Fire needed under "melting pot" declares
George A. White in discussing Ameri
canism. Section 1, page 1.
Chamber of Commerce president sees 'city
as great port. Section 1. page 17.
Crisis In education reached In Oregon. Sec
tion 1, page 16.
Salvation Army asks for 142.00O and
drives n, Portland will start Tuesday.
Section 1, -page 10.
E. E. Smith opposed to Plumb rail plan.
Section 1. page 18.
Hamaker denounces friends of Chamber
lain. Section 1. page 13.
Dr. C. J. Smith elected state chairman by
democrats. Section 1. page 13.
Hundreds of children parade pets of
every kind. Section 1. page 14.
Twenty-six women's organizations indorse
2-mlll elementary school levy. Section
t. page 14.
Annual Champocg day pilgrimage is made.
Section 1. page 18.
More than lOO delegates going from hero
to trade convention at S-n Francisco.
. Section I, page 3.
Bakers strike, but city seems' certain of
bread supply. Section 1, page 20.
Ideals must live, declares Dr. Pence at
May day Americanization rally. Sec
tion 1, page 20.
Plans are drawn for making Portland
cleaner city. Section 4, page 12.
Commission s fixed by property value,
says W. B. Shlvely. Section 4. page 12.
Concrete Is down on west side highway.
Section fl, page 1.
SOME TOPICS IN THE RECENT NEWS
1 1
Authorities Are Unable to
Find Woman's Grave.
TRUTH' OF BURIAL AFFIRMED
Murder Scene Could be Found
if Blind, Says Bigamist.
DETAILS OF CRIME TOLD
Woman's Body Stripped, Buried,
Clothing Burned and All Signs
Obliterated.
LOS ANGELES, May 1. Protesta
tions that he had told the truth about
the burial spot of the body of Nina
Lee Deloney were made today by
Walter Andrew Watson. alleged
"bluebeard," when officials who had
been unable to find the lonely grave
Watson had rather vaguely described
to them intimated he might have de
ceived them.
"I hope you will believe me," he
protested, on a cot in the county
hospital, "becausa I am sincere in
telling you the trtith. If I were
stronger I could go to the place with
my eyes shut."
Watson then gave details of cer
tain parts of a confession he was
alleged to have made Thursday night,
telling of the trips he made to the
grave.
The first, he said, was to bury the
body, which he declared he stripped
of all clothing.
The second, he stated, was to burn
the clothing, an act of precaution
he said he had forgotten on the first
trip, so eager was he then to leave
the spot.
All Slsma Obliterated.
The third, he added, was to make
certain he had obliterated all signs
of a grave and of the ashes of the
clothing.
When this additional data had
been obtained, officials arranged . to
take Watson to the eastern part of
San Diego county the latter part of
next week, so that he could locale
the grave.
Intimation that some or the wives
of Walter Andrew Watson, alleged
bigamist, had been .sold into slavery
below.the Mexican line was given
the police and sheriff's office here
several days ago, shortly after, the
man's arrest. An investigation was
made, with the aid of American of
ficers at border towns, and nothing
was found to substantiate such sug
gestions, which had come from pri
vately employed detectives working
on the case.
It was said here today that, while
all possible angles of the case were
being followed out, there was noth
ing definite at. present to bear out
such rumors.
Sincerity la Believed.
Watson's attorney, J. Morgan Mar
maduke, was quoted tonight as say
ing he was convinced Watson was
sincere In his efforts to locate the
body as the promise of a request to
the court that he be given a life sen
tence instead of the death penalty,
caused him to desire to aid in estab
lishing here "the body of the crime"
rather than face extradition to
Washington, where a body has been
found and where it is said he has no
hope of avoiding hanging.
District Attorney Thomas Lee Wool
wine and Under-sheriff Al Manning
returned to Los Angeles early today
from the search for the unmarked
grave after having toiled many hours
under a hot sun, among rocks and
sand. In their vain effort to locate it.
They at first planned to work on
a new theory that Watson had mis
led them by false statements in the
(Concluded on Page 3, Column 1.)
Federal Agents at Omaha Seize
80,000 Pounds Sent Out From
Bay City March 22.
SALT LAKE CITY. May 1. The
TJtah-Idaho Sugar company, largest
producers in the inter - mountain
region, today announced an increase
in their price of refined sugar from
a 13-cent basis to 22.73 cents a pound.
This has caused a jump in retail
prices of beet sugar here from IS
cents to 28 cents a pound to the con
sumer.
The company has declined to state
the reason for the advance.
OMAJIA, Neb., May 1. Federal
agents last night seized a car of
sugar containing SO, 000 pounds as
it was about to be sent to Des Moines
They said the sugar was sent from
San Francisco on March 22 to a Chi
cago firm and diverted at Savannah,
111., to Omaha. The sugar belonged
to a sugar brokerage concern.
Seizures here now total 250,000
pounds.
WASHINGTON. May 1. A bill de
signed to prevent speculation in sugar
was introduced today by Representa
tive Howard, democrat, Oklahoma.
It would prohibit re-sale of sugar by
dealers without "reasonable justifi
cation."
The department of justice, Mr.
Howard told the house, has been un
able to meet the present emergency
because of inadequate legislation.
ALAMEDA, CAL., IS LARGER
Population Increase of 23.2 Per
Cent Over 1910, Announced.
WASHINGTON. May 1. Census fig
ures announced today follow:
Alameda. Cal., 28,806, increase 6423
or 23.2 per cent.
Connellsville, Pa., 13.S04; increase
959 or 7.3 per cent.
Wilson. N. C, 10,633; increase 3936
or 58.6 per cent.
North Platte, Neb.. 10,466; increase
o673 or 118.4 per cent.
Clifton. N. J., 26,470; increase 14,
601 or 123 per cent.
Hoquiam, Wash., 9SS3; increase 1714
or 21.0 per cent.
Pittsburg, Pa.. 588.193; increase 54,
288 or 10.2 per cent.
Terre Haute, Ind., 6.-..914; increase
7737 or 13.3 per cent.
Joplin, Mo., 29.855; decrease 221S or
6.9 per cent.
TIMES MIXED IN CANADA
Daylight Saving Adopted in borne
Places but Not in Others.
TORONTO, Ontario. May 1. -The
average Canadian citizen will find
himself in a maze of daylight saving,
railroad and standard times beginning
at 2 A. M. tomorrow morning.
The cities of Montreal and Quebec
and virtually all municipalities in
Quebec province will adopt the day
light saving to conform to the time
of New" York state. The maritime
provinces as a whole will adhere to
standard time, as will Ontario, except
the cities of Ottawa. Toronto,
Kitchener. Sarnia and Niagara Kalis.
Train schedules In eastern Canada
are a maze of double clock puzzles
because of local time changes.
Western Canada, except where west
meets east in commercial dealings,
will not feel much inconvenience, as
the greater part of the western prov
inces will not set their clocks ahead.
PERSHING KISSES SCORE
Oscolation of Balboa -Maidens Takes
Place During Inspection.
PANAMA. April 30. General Per
shing today kissed more than a score
of pretty young Balboa girls in the
course of his inspection of Panama
canal activities, afterward presenting
them with a cup as a reward for war
work.
The general this afternoon reviewed
the parade of the Mystic Shriners,
which was the most gorgeous event
in the history of the Isthmian tem
ples. WE-
mooooyJ
wxhz n
PASSED BY SENATE
What Democrats Didn't
Do Republicans Do.':
PROMISE TO NATION KEPT
Legislation Long Used in
Campaign of Both Parties.
RETIREMENT BILL WINS
Measure Assuring Civil Service
Kfficiency Makes Another Vic
tory for Majority Solons.
OREGON'IAX SEWS BCREAli
Washington, May 1. The adoption of
the McCormick budget bill by the
senate this afternoon assures the en
actmcnt of all but two measure
promised in the programme-. of th
present republican congress when it
met in conference just previous to tha
call for the extra session last May.
A bill somewhat different already
has been passed by the house, and the
two measures will be used as the basis
of an early agreement on definite
budget legislation by a conference
committee of the two houses. Budget
legislation has been promised by both
major political parties over a long
period of years, but was slow In get
ting into party p'atforms.
During the eight years that the
democrats had control of the house,
covering the period from March 4.
1911, to March 4, 1919, the budget plan
was often a subject of discussion in .
debates, but it never was possible to
get the indorsement of a committee.
Promise Made Good.
Another measure of long promise
was brought down to the point of
final enactment yesterday when tha '
house passed the Sterling-Lehlbach
civil service retirement bill. This,
like the budget system, is another
measure in the interest of greater
efficiency. It provides for the retire
ment of civil service employes at the
ajreti of 60, 62 and 65. which will re
move the spectacle of aged and de
crepit men and women, long past the
years of usefulness, showing up al
government departments each day
merely to draw their salary at the
semi-monthly pay day. ,
This bill was promised first in the '
republican platform adopted in the
national convention at Chicago in
1912, but no opportunity was offered
to carry out the pledge until the
present republican congress was
elected. The bill passed the senate
some time ago. The present week
has been momentous in the history
of this congress. It has been a week
of big tilings. The water power bill,
over which congress has wrestled for
12 years, is to the point of becoming
a law, an agreement having been
reached yesterday between the con
ferees from the select committee of
the two houses.
Water Policy Definite. . ...
This bill gives the country a def
inite water-power policy that is es
pecially advantageous to the west,
where extensive development has Ions
been awaiting the word that invest
ment would be safe. Former Secre
tary of Interior Franklin K Lane,
who labored long in behalf of water
power legislation, is happy over the
final definite action on this measure,
but asserts that this nation lost mil
lions by failure of the government
and congress to act sooner.
He points specifically to an appli
cation for a permit for power devel
opment on the Pend d'Oreille river
in eastern Washington made to him
almost eight years ago. It was pro
posed to expend $10,000,000 for a ni
trate plant, but the government, in
(Concluded on Page
Column 2.
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