Entered at the Post Office at -Athena,- Oregon, as Second-Class Mail Matter
VOLUME XLUI.
ATITENA. UMATILLA COUNTY. OREGON, FRIDAY: DECEMBER 1, 1922.
NUMBER 47
GOVERIIMEIIT TO FILE
WAR FRAUD SUITS
Recovery of $75,000,000 Al
leged Improperly Spent at
Camps Is Planned. .
' Washington, D. C Legal action to
recover more than $20,000,000 alleged
to have been obtained fraudulently
from the government In the construc
tion of four army cantonments during
the . war was Instituted by Attorney
General Daugberty as the first formal
step in a far -reaching prosecution of
those who held , contracts , for the
building of war camps.
The number of suits to be filed has
not been definitely decided, but it was
indicated that a doze or more sep
arate actions were in prospect
The initial cases are expected to
involve construction of Camp Upton,
Yaphank, N. T.; Camp JackBon, Co
. lumbia, S. C; Camp Sherman, Chilli
cothe, Ohio, and Camp Funston, Fort
Riley, Kans. .
Unofficial estimates place the total
turn that will be sought in all, of the
recovery suits contemplated at more
than $75,000,000. In one camp, costing
$13,000,000, auditors were said to have
found indications of an excess expend
iture of $5,000,000.
In the first group of four suits in
which action is to be instituted, the
government seeks to recover a total
of $21,500,000; the- Camp Upton suit
involving $6,004,000, the Camp Jack
son suit $6,500,000, the Camp Sher
man suit $5,000,000 and the Camp
Funston suit $4,000,000.
H. L Watts Files :
Suit For Damage
DECREASE NOTED III
TAX COLLECTIONS
Washington, f. C Federal tax col
lections during the fiscal year ended
June 30, 1922, fell, off almost $1,400,
4)00,000, or 30 per cent as compared
with the previous year. Income and
profits taxes collected ' showed a de
crease of $1,141,000,000, or 35 per cent.
Total tax collections tor the year
aggregated $3,197,451,083, compared
with $4,695,357,061 for 1921, while In
come and profit taxes for 1922 amount-
aA tn 9 nCI! 01 .ntni 1 090 .
137,673 the previous year.
.Miscellaneous collections arising
from taxation other than that on In-
3 1 A . A. 1 44A
532,618 for 1922, a decrease of $256,-686,770,-or
19 per cent. -Summary
of the income and profits
tax receipts during the year by states
showed New York far in the lead in
amount with Pennsylvania xecond and
Illinois third. Collections by states
include: "
Alaska $173,787.12, California $92,
251,113.85, Hawaii $14,632,590.97, Ida
ho $1,372,658.22, Montana $2,302,231.74,
Oregon $14,934,997.18, Washington
$18,733,630.39, Wyoming $1,54787.02.
IRRIGATION AID IS OPPOSED
Desire For Ecojiomy May Prevent
Any Legislation at This Session.
Washington, D. C Opposition to
further federal activities in reclaiming
arid lands at this time has manifested
itself among the members of congress
who represent the middle west sec
, lions.
- This became apparent when Presi
dent Harding conferred with a num
ber of the most active members' of
the committee on irrigation and pub
lic lands in the house.
In view of the desire for economy
in all departments on the part Of the
administration and of the middle
west opposition, those best informed
in reclamation matters believed there
would be no reclamation legislation
at this session.
3 Postal Clerk Involved In Thefts.
Washington, D. C. Detection of
thefts from the mails in the Council
Bluffs, Iowa, railway mail terminal
and the collection of evidence alleged
to Involve 40 postal employes, were an
nounced by the postofflce department
Confessions were said to have been ob
tained from more than 25 of the men
and warrants for their arrest, and
arrest of the others, have been order
ed, it was stated.
Venizelos Agree to Act at Envoy.
Paris. M. Venizeloa has telegraph
ed to Athens his acceptance of the
invitation extended by the revolution
ary committee to take vp the task of
defending Greece's interests in tn
The Pendleton Tribune gives the
following account of a . big damage
sutt filed in circuit court by Homer I,
Watts of this city:
Homer I. Watts, prominent attorney
of Athena, through his law partner,
K C. Prestbye, yesterday filed a suit
for $50,000 damages against George
Gerking, well known Athena farmer,
Alf Oftedahl and N. H. Desper both
former federal agents, District At
torney R. I. Keator and Mrs. Charles
Betts of Athena, in the circuit court
The suit is another chapter in the
renowned Watt's liquor case. Watts
is reported to have declared his in
tention of engaging the two best law
firms west of the Mississippi to plead
his case.
Defendants in the case are alleged
to be responsible for a search war
rant issued foti the .Watts .home in
1918, which resulted in developments
which have been in the public eye ever
since. '.
Plaintiff alleges that liquor valued
at $3,000, which he had stored in his
residence in Athena prior to January,
1916, was seized in a raid on his place
on December 4, 1918, and after two
court trials in which he was cleared
of the charge of unlawful possession
of liquor and despite court orders,
the liquor was never returned, and
that he and his family by the pro
ceedings instituted by the defendants
have suffered - personal indignities
and public shame and ridicule by the
willful conspiracy to defame his home
and character and that the alleged
false charges were brought on ac
count of personal malice and spite.
. There are many chapters to the
story of the liquor on record in the
courts in this city. ' The raid was
made by T, D. Taylor, now deceased
in company with other officers pur
suant to a search warrant issued at
the request of the defendants in the
present suit. Judge Joe H. Parks in
the justice court after ' a trial of
Watts on the charge of conducting a
common nuisance, dismissed the case
and ordered the liquor returned to its
owner. A few days later the district
attorney filed an appeal to the circuit
court.
- Following much court proceedure
and before a final decision was named
down by Circuit Judge G. W. Phelps
in favor of Watts and ordering the
liquor returned, the evidence in the
case mysteriously disappeared from
the locker of Judge Parkes at his
office. The circuit court judgment
was filed December 8, 1920.
Watts alleges that the liquor was
consumed or appropriated by the de
fendants in the present suit, or by
persons unknown to him, that it was
of the reasonable value of $3,000,
and can not be replaced. The plain
tiff does not ask for restitution of
the liquor or its value in this suit
filed.
In the seizure were 91 quarts' of
whiskey and brandy, five quarts of
Vermouth, 12 quarts of old Scotch
whiskey, three bottles of Virginia
Dare, one gallon of gin, five gallons
of whiskey in keg, two gallons of
Scotch whiskey in a jug, and part of
a bottle of Kimmel and one bottle of
beer.
That the suit does not Include a
prayer for the return of the liquor
seized, is interpreted in local circles
as indicative of still another suit
for its recovery. ,The mystery of the
disappearance on the eve of the
circuit court decision ordering the
return to its owner, is still unsolved,
and the probable value of the seiz
ure in the present bootlegging game
is another question on the street
WAYNE SWAGGART AGAIN
WINS AT STOCK SHOW
AMERICAN LEGION POST
HEADS RED CROSS DRIVE
Athena-Weston American Legion
Post has assumed management of the
local Red Cross Membership drive for
Athena and vicinity. Work of so
liciting for members began Tuesday.
The county's quota U $6,000, of
which $3,116 hag been subscribed to
date. Hermiston is the only town in
the county that ha gone ever the
top with its quota, $300.
The local Legion post will under
take to raise Athena's quota during
the coming week.
LEAGUE WILL MEET
A meeting of the Taxpayers' League
of Umatilla county has been called for
Saturday afternoon at 1:30 o'clock in
the circuit court room, at Pendleton,
according to a statement made by
Norborne Berkeley, vice-president and
acting secretary of the organization,
The following from the Montavilla
Times, will be of interest to Press
readers: .
"Wayne Swaggart, who with his
parents moved from eastern Oregon
to Rt. 1, box 654. Portland, Oregon,
last summer, entered the pig contest
at the International Live Stock Show
just held in north Portland. He was
given first prize in ' district -, three,
which includes everything east of the
Cascade mountains, he having start
ed to prepare his pigs in eastern
Oregon. He also got first prize for
a pen of one. Entering his pigs in the
open he was given third prize for fat
hogs.
"He received $40 published prize,
$10 from president Pierce .of the
stock yards (he giving all the boys
$10 additional) $10 for a pen of one,
$8 in fat hog contest and $136.20 for
sale, making $204.20 he realized out
of 5 pigs, about seven months, old.
"The pigs were pure bred Poland
China and weighed 1380 pounds.
"This is a very fine showing for a
young boy and it demonstrates what
can be done by work, study and per
severance. "Mr. A. L. Swaggart is justly proud
of the Buccess of his son. It is to be
hoped the young man may succeed in
many more like accomplishments."
Trees Set, Out In
Athena. City Park
As announced last week, the trees
purchased by the Civic Club were
received and planted Saturday in the
city park, under the plan and di
rection of County Agent Fred Ben
nion. v
. The' selection comprised forty-eight
Carolina poplars, twelve soft maples,
six black walnuts, six mountain ash,
six white horsechestnuts, six syca
mores, five catalpas aggregating 69
trees and 25 privet plants, which were
bought at a cost of $70. Added to
these were about thirty locust trees
which were dug up about town at no
cost save the labor of securing them.
' The Club is indebted to several men
who contributed labor in setting out
the trees, spending the entire day in
the task. To the following eight men
and to Mr. Bennion, the Club extends
heartiest thanks: E. C. Prestbye,
John Benson, A. H. Mclntyre, J. H.
Ridenour, Fred Beckner, Sam
Haworth, Geo. Richardson and E. A.
Merritt
ORGANIZATIONS DO NOT
COMPLY WITH REGULATIONS
GEORGE M. FROOME DEAD
BURIAL AT WAITSBURG
After eigth years of confinement to
bed and chair as the result of a para
lytic stroke, George M. Froome, a
pioneer resident of this city died
Wednesday, morning at St. Anthony's
hospital, Pendleton, where he had
been confined for a long time.
Funeral services were held yes
terday in St. Mary's church, at Pen
dleton, and interment took place at
Waitsburg, beside the grave of the
departed wife of the deceased.
Mr. Froome was born 70 years ago
at Ontario, Canada. In the early '80's
with his parents he came to -Athena,
and. for many years conducted a
livery stable.
Four children survive him. They are
Mrs. Roy Raley, Pendleton; Moscoe
G. Froome, Wrentham, Mass.; Mrs.
Mabel Wessel, Jamaica, West Indies;
and Miss Hattie E. Froome, San Fan-
cisco. Two brothers are also living.
They are John E. Froome of Athena,
and James I. Froome of Los Molinos,
California. .
. LEGION CONFERENCE
At Portland the, executive com
mittee of the - American Legion of
Oregon decided to hold conferences
in five districts to maintain interest
in the organization. Harry N. Nelson,
temporary adjutant, was made per
manent adjutant
U. OF O. ALUMNI
University of Oregon alumni from
all over Umatilla county will meet in
Pendleton December 20 for a reunion
and for the purpose of perfecting a
county organization of alumni. The
meeting will be addressed by Pres
ident P. L. Campbell, of the U. of O.
"Many organizations entitled to ex
emptions from tax on admissions are
not complying with an important pro
vision' of the revenue law by which
that exemption can be obtained." said
Clyde G. Huntley, collector of internal
revenue, today. "In order to secure
this tax exemption, it is necessary
for the organization desiring the same
to file with this office several days
in advance of the date of the en
tertainment, an affidavit claiming ex
emption and establishing the right oi
the beneficiary to be relieved from the
tax."
Failure to make formal application
of the admission tax in advance of the
entertainment makes j.he person or
authority giving ?r the entertainment
liable to a penalty of not more than
$1000. If this failure is willful, the
offender may be fined $10,000 or im
prisoned for not more than one year,
or both,
, Organizations entitled to this ex
emption upon , compliance with the
provision of the revenue law referred
to by Collector Huntley include re
ligious,, charitable and educational
societies or institutions, the Amer
ican Legion, societies for the pre
vention of cruelty to children and
animals, agricultural fair associa
tions, and community improvement
societies, and then only when all of
the proceeds of the enterainment in
ure to the benefit of any one or more
of the organizations enumerated.
ELLEN PAMBRUN BECOMES
BRIDE OF PERCY WILSON
At a very pretty home wedding
Sunday afternoon, Miss Eleln Pam-
brun, daughter - of Mr. and Mrs.
Samuel Pambrun, became the bride of
Mr. Percy Wilson. The ceremony was
performed at the home of the bride's
parents south of Athena, Rev. F. E.
Russell of the Athena Christain
church, was the officiating clergy
man. Miss Belle Pambrun, Bister of the
bride was the bridesmaid and Fay
Pambrun, brother, was the best man.
The bride to beautifully dressed in
white satin, a pearl headdress,
and carried a shower boquet of
Ophelia roses. The bridesmaid wore
pale blue taffeta and carried golden
brown chythsanthemums.
Previous to the ceremony Miss
Sadie Pambrun sang "O Promise Me."
Mrs. S. H. Forshaw of Pendleton,
played the wedding march. Members
of the families of the bride and groom
were present. The wedding dinner
was served by the bride's mother,
assisted by Evalyn Williams, Delta
Morse, Blanche Wilson and Sadie
Pambrun.
The bride, a former student of
Whitman college, is a member of
Sigma Gamma sorority. The groom
served in the World War overseas and
returned with honora for distinction
won in service. Mr .and Mrs. Wilson
will reside at Pilot Rock, where the
groom is- employed as an inspector in
the state highway service.
Athena-Helix Ask
For Market Road
GLASSY CUTWORM IS
DAMAGING WHEAT CROP
RITNER GOVERNOR, PROTEM
While Governor Olcott -spends a
month in West Virginia, where he will
attend a meeting of governors, ' Roy
Ritner, president of the state senate,
will be governor, pfotem. Among the
duties of Acting Governor Ritner will
be the consideration of the budget for
the next biennium.
That the "glassy cutworm," a pest
which cuts off young wheat plants a
short distance below the surface of
the ground, is at work in the Sunny
side district, ner Oregon City is
the recent discovery made by th
United States ' department of en
tomology. A farmer in that district
reported to the county agent that his
fall wheat was being destroyed, and
a survey of the land resulted.
The fact that it is unusual for the
worm to be active during this season
has given rise to considerable specu
lation. ; The experts state that the
rotation, as the worm will not thrive
best cure for the condition is crop
on plants other than grains such as
wheat and oats. Information con
cerning any other districts where the
same condition prevails is desired by
W. A. Holt county agent.
PLAN DEMONSTRATIONS
Extensive plans for a series of dem
onstrations in orchard meetings and
on orchard soil management, spray
equipment repairing, orchard disease
control, fertilizers, and thinning were
made at the third annual farm bureau
meeting of the Milton-Freewater dis
trict, held Tuesday. The latest de
velopments in the pruning season was
discussed by C. L. Long of the Oregon
Agricultural college at the morning
session and 1 Fred Bennion, county
agent, gave a summary of the year's
work, ,
A movement is under way to secure
for Athena her first market road
facilities. The program, as given be
fore the county court is to include the
Athena-Helix highway in the county's
market road - construction. . In an
nouncing the proposed road improve
ment, the East Oregonian states:
"A request that the county court in
clude a part of the Athena-Helix road
on its market road program for 1923
was made this morning by a delega
tion of prominent " farmers of the
Athena-Helix district who visited the
court
"The delegation would like for the
road construction work to start at
Athena and extend as far as possible
back toward Helix, some of the men
told the court this morning. As an
argument for their road being built,
the delegation called attention to the
fact that approximately 100,000 bush
els of wheat are hauled out over the
present road now.
"Members of the delegation who
were here this morning to press the
request were Georee Gerkinar. D. II.
San iers,: Dean Dudley, Clay Jackson,
Louis Keen,. Sheldon Taylor, D. B.
"Mike" Hunt, Joe Cannon and Ed
Potts."
Up until this time Athena has held
off from demanding market road con-
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TWRSPAV, THE THIRTIETH PAY
OF THIS NOvtMptfc. A5 A pAy
OF,THANK?sivllve
ditL'Ufi'fl i H ft 111
JT . WMK'ar J I i . I 1 LI I I
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POLICY OF S.
JOLT TO ALLIES
Statement of Opposition to All
Secret Treaties By Amer
ica Causes Stir.
Lausanne. America gave Great
Britain, France and Italy a hard jolt
when her spokesman, Richard Wash
burn Child, declared that the United
States government has the support of
the American people In its opposition
to all secret treaties and agreements,
particularly those designed to create
zones of economlo and commercial In
fluence such as the San Remo tri
partite agreement of 1920, which ap
portioned the Mesopotamian oil fields
among the three big powers.
Mr. Child's exposition was merely a
restatement of Secretary of State
Hughes' aide-memoire of October 30,
In which he defined for the benefit
of the British, French and Italian gov
ernments the functions of the Amer
ican observers to the Lausanne con
ference and broadly outlined Ameri
ca's open door policy for the near east
but it was a restatement under con
ditions that made it sensational.
' It came as the conference was about
to begin consideration of Turkey's
Asiatic boundaries and It was a clear
warning that America will not remain
tt if the three Inviting powers in-
upon preferential rights In oil, '
bral, railway and power develop-
t In present Turkish territory or
that which was lopped off by the
was not possible for the delegates
te Inviting powers to conceal their
Itience at America's Insistent ra
tion of her policy which they re
especially because of her refusal
iccept a vote in the conference, to
any report or to accept any re-
iisibility further than to act as an
lie American new attitude, how
, Is according great satisfaction
he neutral countries represented
no , worth paying freight to market
no:1 to pay storage on.
) TAX REFORM CLUBS
Pierce clubs are being organized
throughout the Grande Ronde valley
to lend a hand in support of the next
governor in his tax reduction pro
gram. Farmers' granges, unions and
societies are at work to insure relief,
shuuld the way prove difficult The
Pleasant Grove -Grange has made a
constructive program for lending as
sistance to its former leader, Walter
M. I ierce.
GEORGE PROEBSTEL DEAD
George Preobstel jr., a life long
resident of Weston, died in that city
Sunday evening of heart disease, after
a lingering illness, aged 62 years.
He was the son of the late George W.
Proebstel a pioneer miller and hard
ware merchant of Weston. He is sur
vived by his widow, two sons and two
daughters, four brothers and three
sisters.
SEASONS FIRST SNOW
The first snow of the winter greeted
Athena residents when they arcse
from their beds, Tuesday mornms;.
An inch of snow covered the ground,
which was not frozen.
RTHQUAKE SHAKES 1
IIDDLE WEST TOWNS
. Louis, Mo Earth tremors strong
gh to break windows, shake build
and homes and rattle dishes were
In St. Louis, southern Illinois,
rn Indiana and western Ken-
Sunday night, according to re
received here.
St. Louis university solsmo-
jilcal observatory, where the
lira were recorded, attendants de-
fid them of moderate Intensity,
said seismographlc indications
ed to the tremors occurring In a
erly direction. A shock which
ts said was "sudden" and of suf
t intensity to cause slight dam-
In homes was recorded. No ac
damage other than the breaking
ndows was reported up to a late
.dispatch from Eldorado, 111., satd
neys on several residences were
ed to the ground by the tremors
ugh no serious damage was re-
Id there.
CLEMENCEAU IS CRITICISED
Hitchcock Leads Off In Debate by
Attack on the Frenchman.
Washington, D. C The Tiger of
Fiance again came under fire in the
senate Monday, when his utterances
on his tour of the United States were
the subject of a conflicting debate.
Senator Hitchcock, democrat, Ne
braska, ex-chairman of the foreign re
lations committee, led off in the de
bate with an attack on M. Clemenceau
and on French policies, and was join
ed In the criticism by other senators,
while Senator Myers, democrat, Mon
tana, came to the defense of the aged
French statesman. Senator Owen,
democrat, Oklahoma, also expressed
sympathy with M. Clemenceau's mis
sion to America, but criticised French
policies.
New Army Command Created. '
Washington, D. C A new and sep
arate command, known as the Amer
ican forces in China, was announced
In army orders. Brigadier-General W.
D. Connor, former assistant chief of
stuff, will establish headquarters In
Pt-kln at an early date and, It is under
stood, will act as commanding officer
of the American forces In China.,