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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 17, 1922)
Section One 104 Pages Eight Sections ' Pages 1 to 24 PRICE FIVE CENTS VOL. XI,I NO. 51 Entered at Portland fOreRtin Fpstof fii'p us Second-rlapy Matter. PORTLAND, OREGON. SUNDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 17, 1923 T TAXES FLIGHT OVER POLE PLANNED FOR MAY ES GIANT COUGAR SLAIN IN VICIOUS BATTLE RELIEF FROM COLD NOT YET IN SIGHT 400 PERSONS SAVED FROM BURNING SHIP FRENCH HOSPITAL CRAFT TAKES FIRE; 15 MISSING. HIGHES n v Ell Mill A.RQLfSH BOARDS IS PIERCE PUN F CAPTAIX AMCXDSEX REACHES SOME BY DOG TEAM. SECOND SHOT FIRED JUST IN TIME TO SAVE HUNTER. MERCURY DROP TO I 6 OR EVEN 15 POSSIBLE. ISTEIOQ '. . on no AC Nation Is Forced to Return to Europe. , SITUATION IS DESPERATE England Held on Verge of Abandoning France and Joining Germany. THINGS GROWING. WORSE Hope to Heal Breach and Settle Reparations Put in U. S. Mediation. (Copyright, 1922, by The Oresronian.) WASHINGTON, D. C, Dec. 16. -(Special.) The new role of the United States, politically, in the affairs of Europe is to be that of mediator. The statement from the White House that President Harding feels the United States no longer can be "inactive" in the affairs of the world has completely changed the aspect of American foreign rela tions in the last few hours. The- country at large, even Washington itself, has been slow to grasp the full import of the very informal and vei incomplete in timations which have been allowed to percolate through the White House walls. Isolation Seems at End. To all intents and purposes American isolation is at an end. Not that there is to be a rush to tie this country up in foreign entan glements, but there is to be hence forth a recognition of the influence this country can play and is ex pected to play in helping to untan- gle the woeful' condition of affairs on the continent of Europe. President Harding was led to adopt the new policy of interest in Europe by confidential reports of the extremely serious condition of relations between France and Eng land. Succeeding conferences have failed to bring the two countries anywhere near an agreement. . In stead they have been drifting stead ily apart. Future Held Unpromising. With France and England at log gerheads, President Harding and members of his cabinet have come to the conclusion that conditions in Europe must go from bad to worse. There must be agreement be tween these two nations if Europe is to get back on her feet. There must be agreement if Germany is to be restored to the society of na tions and make proper restitutions for the damages of war. The United States will undertake to lend its friendly offices and act as umpire between France and Eng land, or, if the word umpire be too harsh a term for a delicate dip lomatic mission, then the United States will act as "best friend" and adviser to the two quarreling na tions. The United States also will en deavor to bring about some sort of Concluded on Page fl. Column 4.) Explorer, Pleased With Position of Maud, Thinks Drift Can Be Made in Four Years. NOME, Alaska. Dec. 16. (By the Associated Press.) Captain Roald Amundsen, head of an Arctic ex ploring expedition which left the states in June, who arrived hero Thursday by Dog team from Wain wright, said today tie expects to start in May in an attempt to fly over the North Pole. He explained that he ''had come here to. visit civilization and to communicate with persons in the United States and Europe. Captain Amundsen expressed cheerfulness over a message re ceived at the wireless station at Noorvik stating that the schooner Maud, in which he started on the expedition, is about 300 miles north west of Wrangell island. This, he declared, is an ideal place from which to begin a drift over the pole and he predicted that the Maud would make the drift in four years instead of the five planned. His plane. Captain Amundsen re ported, is almost entirely assembled and Is under cover at Wainwright. His aviator, Lieutenant Oskar Om dahl, inspects all parts daily to pre vent rust. The machine is to be equipped with hickory skiis. The plane is to take off the Ice in Wain wright inlet or from the snow. Captain Amundsen is greatly re duced in weight, but in perfect health. ' He left "Wainwright No vember. 19, going with a mail team to Deering. At Peering he pur chased five dogs, with which he mushed to Nome. He expects to re main here throughout the cold, dark period of the winter. The position of the Maud was eriven in the wireless as 75 degrees 25 minutes north latitude and 173 degrees 8 minutes west longitude. This is in an uncharted part of th Aretlc ocean. DYNAMITE T0C0ST LESS New Process Will Make Blasting of Slumps Cheaper. SEATTLE, Wash., Dec. 16. Dis covery of a process to make for 6 cents a pound of dynamite that will do the work in stump blasting for which an explosive coating 15 cents a pound has been required, is an nounced' bv "Villiam M. Dehn, pro fessor of the chemical department of the University of Washington. Sawdust Instead of T. N. T. is used in hiB process. He is going to ask the legislature to have the new dynamite m. nufac tured by the state and sold to , Min ers at cost. WOMAN KILLED BY SHARK Teacher in Episcopal Mission School, Porto Rico, Victim. NEW YORK, Dee. 16. Miss Kath- erine W. Bourne of Tarboro, N. C, a missionary teacher at St. John's school, San Juan, Porto Rico, was killed by a shark while bathing on the beach at Borlinquen park, near San Juan, December-14. This is according to a cable mes sage received, today at the Episco pal church missions house. BONUS GIVEN FOR BABIES S. W. Straus & Co. Encouraging Marriage and Child-Bearing. CHICAGO, Dec. 16. Bonuses of $100 for every baby born in the family of an employe and cash gifts for employes who marry were an nounced here today by S. W. 'Strauss & Co., mortgage bankers. ' These gifts are part of an em ployes' welfare appropriation for this year. RAINS ARE PREDICTED Normal Temperature and Cloudy Skies Forecast for Week. WASHINGTON, D. C, Dec. 16. The weather outlook for the week beginning Monday follows; Pacific states: Considerable cloud iness with occasional rains; tem perature near normal. ' ' ' ' . ' ' " " TftajFOCV-OW v' '"" 11 1 Say! vsttY t0KV Ycu rtBsoR& Oregpdvant Develops Staging Process. EXPERIMENTS ARE SUCCESS High Quality Charcoal and Distillates Produced. ENGINEERS BACK TESTS Professor Stafford of University Chemical Department Reveals ' Great Industrial Feat. UNIVERSITY OF OREGON, Eu gene, Dec. 16. (Special.) One of the most outstanding contributions to science yet made by a University of Oregon man that admits of prac tical use in the Pacific northwest and elsewhere became public today in the announcement that O. F. Stafford, head of the university chemistry department, has perfected a process for utilizing waste wood to obtain a superior grade of char coal and wood distillation products used in a- number of basic indus tries. Because of the great quantity of cheap waste wood material avail able in the northwest, it is believed that the lumber industry and other enterprises will be keenly interested in Professor Stafford's success. Heretofore it has not been com mercially practicable to utilize mill waste in the carbonization and wood distillation industries. Proem Stiuida Tents. Professor Stafford first demon strated his process scientifically. The university campus was the scene of the early experiments. He and the firm of engineers behind him have now succeeded, after sev eral years' labor, in demonstrating it as a practical commercial pro cess. Two wood distillation plants on the Atlantic coast, one of them controlled by a big corporation, placed every resource at Professor Stafford's disposal, and the success of the ' process was completely demonstrated. - By the Stafford process a fine grade of charcoal can be obtained as well as the usual by-products of carbonization, acetic acid, a'cetone and wood alcohol, basic in the man ufacture of such articles as dye, paints, varnishes, celluloid, smoke less powder and artificial leather. A considerable quantity of charcoal is used in the chemical industry; for example, in case hardening steel. Bagged charcoal is con sumed extensively in many large cities. Charcoal briquets are in de mand as fuel. : The Pennsylvania railroad recently began making use of briquets made by the Stafford process. Waste Wood Utilized. Cord and slab wood have been the accepted material used in mak ing charcoal and its by-products. As small waste wood Is materially cheaper, than either slab or cord wood, the desirability of utilizing it in carbonization operations has long been recognized. Eight hun dred applications have, been made at various times at the patent of fice by those who thought they had hit upon a process of carbonizing small waste wood on a commercial scale. The failure of these efforts, up until the Stafford process was proved successful, have been due, in general, to heavy costs of- in stalling and maintaining the com plicated mechanical appliances re quired. Following his preliminary ex perimental work, Professor Staf ford set up a semi-commercial scale apparatus near the campus in the summer of 1917 and got results from his operations. The follow ing fall he took up with the na tional research council the matter of getting aid for further work, but (Concluded on rase 8. Column 1.) D1PRESSI0NS Huge Animal Is Treed on Out' skirts of Sheridan; Hound Injured in Fray. SHERIDAN. Or., Dec. 16. (Spe cial.) A giant male cougar, driven out of the mountains by the 'sudden severe cold and snow, was brought to bay at the T?ery edge of town and slain by Neely Smith, Gopher Valley huntsman, after a vicious battle. The animal measured 7 feet 3 inches and weighed 130 pounds. Treed after a three-hour chase by htunds, the 'cougar snarled defiance at Smith. As he approached to got a good shot it made a sudden leap across the creek of Wily canyon. Alert for just such a move, Smith fired as the animal hit the ground, the bullet shearing the backbone. Unable to run. it attacked the two Kentucky hounds that had pounced upon it. With a savage thrust it cuffed over one, ripping up its flank. As Smith reached to rescue the dog the cougar turned on him. Smith grasped the dog by a leg, kicked the cougar In the head and jumped back. The cougar lunged at him, but Smith fired from the hip, the bullet tak ing instantaneous effect and sav ing him from the descending paw. Tracks of the cougar's mate were found in the vicinity of where the cougar was killed. Smith has slain seven bears and two coyotes in the last two months. PREMIER HUGHES VICTOR Re-election to Parliament Is by , Majority of 5000. LONDON, Dec. 16. The majority vhereby Premier Hughes was re elected to parliament in the federal flections today was placed at 50-00 in a Reuter dispatch from, Melbourne. A Central News report from Syd i ey said that Assistant Minister Lamond was defeated. Other ministers whose seats are considered insecure are Walter M. Greene, minister of navy and for defense; Alexander Poynton, postmaster-general, and Seiutker John son. Most of the other Hughes col leagues were defeated. The dispatch gives the national ists approximately 36 seats, labor "5, the country party'iiS, and the in dependent natlnalis two, but says that the outstanding results from doubtful constituencies may alter tho position. "DIRT FARMER" SLATED Harding Held Sure to Name J. R. Howard on Reserve Board. THE OREGONIANNEWSBUREAU. Washington, D. C, Dec. 16. J. R. Howard of demons', la., ex-prest dent of the American farm bureau federation, is slated for appointment within the next few days as the "dirt farmer" on the federal reserve board, according to information reaching some of the representa tives of agricultural associations in attendance here at the first annual convention of the national council of farmers' co-operative marketing associations which adjourned today It was asserted that President Harding had made up his mind to appoint Mr. Howard and that the nomination might be expected to reach the senate during the coming week. WOMAN AIDS DYING DOG Killing of Big Collie by Autoist Placarded as "Heartless." CHICAGO, Dec. 16. Pclng horri fied when she witnessed the death of a large collie dog as it was struck by a negligent motorist in Wood lawn avenue today, a fashionably attired woman ran into the street and carried the dog in her arms to the curbstone, where she laid him down.' Evidently going home, the woman returned 15 minutes later carrying under her fur coated arm a big cardboard sign, which she propped up conspicuously against the body of tne dead animal so that passing automobilists might read. Neatly hand-lettered, the sign read: "Killed by heartless autoist." OF WEEK'S EVENTS AS Warn Rain Misses Portland and One Chance for Warmer Weather Is Lost. STORM, COLD CONTINUE THROUGHOUT NORTH- WEST. Sweet Home Two inches of snow; temperature 36 above. Brownevllle Snow falls. Centralia, Wash Barns crash under snow. r Astoria. Sky clear; - frost expected. i Vancouver, Wash. Eleven above; Columbia frozen over. Hood River Minimum tem perature 1 below zero. Olympia, Wash. Seven above; streets icy. Chehalls, Wash. Nine above zero. In disappointment, the official eyes of the weath6r bureau turned away last night from hopeful con templation of a small-sized and very exclusive Btorm formation, carrying rain and warmth in its bosom, which made its way down the coast and jealously kept its contents until Portland was left well behind. Thus it was that the forecast for today is "fair and continued cold." Marshfield and the northern Cali fornia coast were the recipients of the only rain and warmth cruising about in the North Pacific atmos phere. Down to 16 degrees, even 15. the mercury might go in the early hours of Sunday, E. L. Wells, United Statse weatherman predicted, and i added that no relief was in sight i when the bureau covered up its in-! struments last night. Some snow will probably :all In western Oregon during the day. Marshfield, even Astoria, may see a i '.Re in the temperature and the fall of white flakes. Lower valley regions may likewise have snow but Portland will struggle on with Its titter cold, the remaining snow the near-blizzard of Thursday night, and a cutting east wind to whirl It about. So said the weather man and even the canniest of amateurs saw '.itfie to make them think other wise last night. - - - At 7 P. M. the thermometer read 20 degrees, whioh was as cold as It went all Saturday flight. Every in dication pointed to a continued drop which might send the mercury to the lowest point for the year. A clear blue sky and sunshine featured the day here Maximum temperature yesterday was 27 degrees, five degrees below freezing. Ice in Laurelhurst park, on Guild's lake and in many private skating rendezvous outside the city took on extra thickness. Indications were that skating would hold for a week unless the warm Chinook bears down to spoil the sport, but to bring relief to frost bitten ears and noses. Roof of Barn Collapses. CENTRALIA, Wash., Dec 16. (Special) Ole Hanson, living north west of WInlock, narrowly escaped injury when the roof of his barn collapsed under the weight of snow. Hanson was en'gaged in milking when the crash came. The barn roof of Christ Peterson, a neighbor of Hanson, also collapsed, killing a horse. No snow has fallen in this vicinity in the past 48 hours, but the thermometer continues below the freezing mark. Plumbers have been kept busy thawing frozen pipes. Astoria Expects irost. ASTORIA, O., Dec. 16. (Special.) While the east wind still contin ues it has not been as strong as during the previous few days and the temperature 1 wanner tonight. The sky is clear and a freezing temperature is looked for before morning. 1 ' River at Vancouver Frozen. VANCOUVER, Wash., Dec. 16. (Special.) The Columbia river is frozen solidly from bank to bank east of the interstate bridge, for the first time since JJecember, 1919. West of the bridge the river is al- fCcnc'.u.led on Page 23, Column 3.) SKETCHED BY CARTOONIST PERRY. All Commissions Also Slated. to Go. CENTRALIZED POWER SOUGHT Governor Would Be Able to Dictate Patronage. LOWER TAXES, IS EXCUSE Big Idea Is Declared Really to Gain Almost Absolute Con trol of Machinery. Abolition of all commissions and boards and the creation of a com mission of five, to be appointed by the governor, to perform the func tions of the commissions and boards wiped out. Such, briefly, is said to be a plan to be offered at the 1923 session of the legislature. If it materializes, and there are members of the legislature who insist that such a programme is in the mak ing, there will be a merry time at Salem. Ostensibly the concentration of authority and responsibility is to bring about a reduction in operation osts to the end that there Will be lower taxes. Actually, however, according to legislative informants, the big idea is to place in the hands of the incoming governor almost absolute control of the machinery of the state; This means dictation of the patronage, and patronage means building a powerful political machine. Feelers Are Sent Out. Democrats close to Walter M. Pierce, governor-elect, have dis cussed the prospect of this proposed legislation, and they have under taken to "feel out" certain legisla tive members to ascertain whether enough support can be obtained from republican sources to put the deal through. And some of those approached, have listened and been non-committal. Possibly, the Sl will be offered as a "cabinet" form of stat gov ernment, as that might sound lees offensive and more progressive than to designate it as a super-commission. Mr. Pierce has Informed po litical friends that he does not con template making changes or ap pointments while the legislature is in session, for he wants to wait until after the session In order to see what developments may come. Among the possible developments, of course, is the super-commission, in which event, if it was enacted, the entire policy of the governor's of fice In making' appointments would be altered. Highway Body Slated to Go. Legislators who nave had the plan outlined to them have declared that the commission is to consist of I five members and to give it an air of fairness, not more than three ; shall be members of the democratic party. Three would be a majority i and, anyway, two nominal repub licans can be found for the remain ig places, so that the governor would have at his command a nice air-tight organization through which to peddle patronage and work up a powerful democratic machine. Incorporated in the scope of the programme is the displacement of the state highway commission, the public service commission, the dairy and food department, labor commis sion, workmen's compensation com mission, corporation commissioner, insurance commissioner, weights and measures department, superin tendent of banks, fish commission, game commission and the rest of them. A few of these positions are elective and present a trifle more difficulty in merging than those commissions which are merely ap pointive. Aside from the main responsibili ties of the secretary of state and (Concluded on Page 18, Column 5. ) NCOtAE.VrVk Five Believed Killed by Explo sions on Vessel When Near , Constantinople. CONSTANTINOPLE, Dec. 16. (By the Associated Press.) The Ameri can destroyer Bainbridge today res cued 400 persons from the burning French hospital ship Vinh-Long, in the Sea of Marmora. The vessel took fire 6pposite San Stefano, on the western outskirts of Constan tinople. . Fifteen of those who were aboard the Vinh-Long are missing. Five of the missing were believed to have been killed by explosions. The hospital ship was proceeding to Constantinople from Bizert when the fire was discovered in the mag azine. Several explosions followed rapidly, enveloping the ship . in flames. S. O. S. calls were answered im mediately by the Bainbridge. Lieutenant-Commander W. A. Edwards bringing his vessel alongside and taking off the passengers, the ma jority of them French soldiers and their families returning from leave. United States submarine chaser 96, in command of Lieutenant A. H. Addoms, also assisted in rescuing those who jumped overboard. FIRE SCORCHES TEACHER Pupil Defies Church Fire to Save Communion Service. MONTESANO, Wash., Dec. 16. (Special.) Miss Jessie Reid, a teacher, was singed in saving the records and other property of her school from a fire which, started by an explosion, gutted the Church of the Disciples of Christ here yester day. Jack Tuttle, one of the pupils, made his way through the burning building to the room where the com munion set of the church was kept and rescued it from the flames. The building, was used as a school room for the seventh grade. The church records and property were saved, but the school property was lost. There was $1000 insurance carried on the building. BANK R0BBERJS ROUTED Holdup at Charleston, Wash., Put to Flight by Alarm. BREMERTON. Wash.. Dec 16. Attempt of an unmasked robber to hold up the Bank of Charleston at .rleston, near here, at noon today was truntrted when ah employe of the bank sounded a burglar alarm, frightening the man away, accord ing to a report to Kitsap county officials. The man stepped up to a teller of the bank and demanded that he turn over $5000 "quick." The teller stepped into the vault, supposedly to get the money, but Instead sounded the alarm, and the robber fled. ROY WILMOT SENTENCED Ex-Prohibition Agent Goes, to Federal Penitentiary. SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 16. A sen tence of five years in the federal penitentiary at Leavenworth, Kan., and a fine of $200 were imposed today upon Roy Wilmot, former pro hibition agent here. Wilmot was convicted two weeks ago of bribery while in office. JUSTICE PITNEY RESIGNS Vacancy on Supreme Bench to Be Filled by Harding. WASHINGTON, D. C, Dec. 16. Associate Justice Pitney of the su preme court today sent his resigna tion to President Harding. The resignation will take effect January 1. BADGER GOVERNOR DEAD Wisconsin Former Chief Execu i i tive Passes at Madison. MADISON. Wis., Dec. 16. James O. Davtdsrn, governor Wisconsin from 1906 to 1911, died here this afternoon. He had been ill for several month Aggregate Levy in City May Be 45.6 Mills. STATE'S SHARE NOT KNOWN $636,670 Lopped by Super visory Commission. FOUR-MILL RISE LIKELY Total of $10,940,874.61 to Be Raised in Multnomah Is In crease of $1,000,000. Taxes In Portland next year win be the highest on record unless there Is a cut of some consequence in the Btate levy. County Assessor Welch is anxiously awaiting word from Salem announcing the state levy. Until that is received the exact mUlage of the local tax can not be finally fixed. The Increase of next year's taxes cannot put them much above those for 1920. Should the state levy re main at last year's figure of 9.8 mills the aggregate levy on Port land property will become 45.8 mills. Here is where Assessor Welch hopes the tax may not be made higher than for 1920, and col lected in 1921, which established the existing high record. The total in Portland for that year was 44.8 mills. Should the state lop off the extra ,8 of a mill from last year's figure the total levy in Portland for 1923 would then exactly equal the previous high record of 44-i mills. Four-Mill Rise Faced. Tho total of Portland levies last year was 41.6 mills. If the' state levy remains unchanged the in crease over the current year will be come i mills. The state levy, as cited, embraces both those for state purposes and the elementary school fund. Those having to do with the fix ing of tax levies are quick to offer the explanation- that the increased levy for school district No. 1, voted by the taxpayers themselves, ac counts for almost the entire ,rise promised for 1923. The Bchool dis trict levy jumps from 6.7 mills this year to 10.6 mills for next year. Here Is a net rise of 3.9 mills, or the trifling matter of .1 of a mill less than the aggregate rise which may confront the taxpayer. As a matter of record, there are slight rises in levies granted also to the city, Port of Portland, dock commis sion, for county school, cpunty li brary and market roads. These are offset in a measure by a decrease In the, levy for general county pur poses, Levies Are Compared. Here is the comparison of 1923 levies, as now fixed through ad justments of the tax supervision and conservation commission, with those for 1922: : 1922. 192.1. County 5.454 4.si) County school . ..1.9G5 2.07J County library .811 .853 Market roads .310 .314 Consolidated county levy ..8.540 8.100 Port ot Portland 2 000 2.100 Dock commission 2.000 2.400 City of Portland 12.500 12.H0O School district No. 1 6.700 10.000 Total county and city 31.7-40 35.800 ' In Multnomah county as a whole it is necessary next year to raise $10,940,874.61, exclusive of taxes for state purposes. This is an Increase of a little more than $1,000,000 over the current year. The aggregate for 1922 was $9,920,366.81. Big Sum Lopped Off. Budget requests called for $636, 670 more of-tax money from Port land property holders than was ap proved by the tax supervision and conservation commission. Stated another way, this amount represents the aggregate of what the commie- ' (Concluded on Page 10. Column 2.) 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