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VOLUME XLIII.
PROGRESSIVES PLAN
REFORM LEGISLATION
Borah Is Made Chairman of
Executive Committee of
New Bloc.
ATHENA. UMATILLA COUNTY. OREGON, FRIDAY. DECEMBER 8, 1922.
NUMBER 48
County Agent-
Makes Report
Washington, D. C Plans for promo
. tion of progressive sentiment and poli
cies throughout the nation were made
at concluding meetings of the two
days' conclave of progressives called
by Senator La Follette,' republican of
Wisconsin, and Representative Hud
dleston, democrat of Alabama, under
the auspices of the people's legislative
service. .
Resolutions declaring for continua
tion of the new progressive move
ment, whiok Is to be actively 'trans
lated into legislation through tho bi
partisan progressive bloc ot congress,
were adopted
Resolutions adopted unanimously by
the convention declared that the
movement was "non-partisan" and de
signed primarily to promote progres
sive legislation. . Other resolutions
called for extension of direct primary,
including abolishment of the electoral
college and direct popular election of
president and vice-president. Another
resolution called upon President Hard
ing to release all "free-speech" pris
oners. The conference declared, how
ever, that it was impossible in ; a
single meeting to' formulate a complete
legislative and economic programme.
Senator William E. Borah of Idaho
was elected as chairman of the exec
utive committee -of the progressive
national group composed ot both dem
ocratic and republican legislators. '
$8,826,000 SLATED
- FOR PACIFIC SLOPE
Washington, t. C. Appropriations
totaling 18,826,000 for reclamation
projects in Pacific slope states were
recommended ' to ' congress by Presi
dent Harding in presenting the budget
for the next fiscal year.
These appropriations were divided
by states as follows :'
Idaho, $2,000,000; Oregon, $1,400,
000 ;" Washington, 11,357,000 ; : Arizona,
1430,000; California, $549,000; Nevada,
$735,000; Utah, $45,000; Oregon and
California Jointly, $700,000; Nebraska
and Wyoming, jointly, $1,420,000.
The budget for the fiscal year be
ginning July 1, 1923, provided for ap
propriations aggregating $3,078,940,331
for the operation of the federal gov
ernment by President Harding. '
The total estimate is $195,298,359
less than the appropriations already
made for the current fiscal year. This
, reduction was made possible, the pres
ident said In a message accompanying
the budget, by pursuing a policy em
phasizing the "need of more rigid eco
nomy in the expenditure of public
' funds." '
He took occasion at the same time,
however, to warn congress that fur
ther slashes would not be approved
by the administration.
, .jA. a. . . - - .. -
Clemenceau at White House.
Washington, D. C Georges Clemen
ceau paid his respects Tuesday to
President Harding. Arriving at the
White House three minutes before 10
o'clock, the hour at which the presi
dent was to receive him, he was ush
ered Immediately Into the executive
offices, where the president greeted
him. Late Wednesday afternoon the
war premier called on former Presi
dent Wilson, with whom , he sat In
the council of the big five at Ver
eailles. - .
'" Vale Has $30,000 Fire.
Vale, Ore. Fire of unknown origin
dfistroved one of Vale's business
blocks, doing over $30,000 damage.
Central America' Peace Meet Opens.
Washington, D. C Under the firm
and friendly guidance of the United
States government, the five small pow
ers that comprise Central America,
gathered around a conference table in
the historic hall ot the Americas here
to work out a program for permanent
Beace and tranquillity in the area that
has been the cockpit of so many little
wars in the last century. . .
Mary MacSweney Arrested at Dublin
Dublin. Mary MacSweney, sister ot
tha late Lord Mayor MacSweney, who
died on a hunger strike, was arrested
TAXPAYERS LEAGUE WILL
CONVENE DECEMBER NINTH
Fred Bennion", county agent sum
marizes the extension work done by
him during the past season, in the
Athena-Weston district, as follows:
Athena Project Leaders: M. W.
Hansell, H. A. Barrett, George Gerk-
ing, A. R. Coppock. '
Crops Continued five grain variety
demonstrations. . . Distributed 150
pounds Grimm alfalfa seed.
Continued two copper carbonate
demonstrations and treated 130 bush
els for, growers for fall planting.
" ! . ; Marketing
Grain Grades and Discounts worked
up delegation of eleven farmers to
attend Department of Agriculture
hearing at Portland helping to secure
discontinuance of Portland Type Sam
ple method of exportation.
Held two joint meetings between the
Umatilla and Walla Walla County
Farm Bureaus to make plans for en
forcing grain discount laws and secur
ing favorable changes in Federal
Grades. Secured an' opening of the
grain grade question from the Sec
retary of Agriculture. Attended pub
lic Service Commission .hearing at
Portland, ' Pendleton and Spokane.
Secured unanimous action from Pen
dleton, Walla Walla and Spokane far
mers for recommendations to Sec-
retary of Agriculture on changes in
federal grades.
- Secured removal of penalty for
mixtures not objectionable. :
Attended meeting of Portland Mer
chants Exchange at Portland and
meeting of Northwest Millers and
Grain Dealers Association at Spokane.
Fought against increased discounts
and strongly advocated removing dis
count for one-half of one per cent
smut . . '".
induced Oregon Public Service Com
mission and Washington Department
of Agriculture to investigate actual
cost of scouring for the purpose of
determining proper "charges for 1923
crop. ''''. ' J
Livestock Four farmers bred, four
mares to government stallion handled
through County Agent's office.
Dairying With government testor
tested for tuberculosis 51 cows in 22
herds. No reactors, no suspects.
Poultry Furnished plans for one
poultry house and answered four
poultry inquiries.
Boys and Girls' Club Work Assis
ted Athena boy in pig feeding con
test winning first prize and $60.00
prize money at the Pacific Inter
national Livestock Exposition.
Miscellaneous Advised Woman s
Club regarding park planting. Adopt
ed wage scale to stableize. Adopt
harvest wages.
Weston
v Weston Mountain (including Reed
& Hawley, Wild Horse, Reservation
& Basket Mountains) Project Leaders
Will Hall, E. E. Tucker, W. L. Ray
born, J. Y- Smith, Will McCorkell.
Held four grain variety demonstra
tions: conducted thirteen iana piaster
treatment; demonstrations, six dem
onstration with corrosive sub
limate: fifteen potato seed piece dem
onstrations: made observations on
depth of planting and type of planter.
Inspected 543 acres for 44 growers.
Five hundred thirty-three acres
passed the first inspection and 234
acres the second. Held five meetings
with the growers, discussing potato
improvement work. Distributed two
tons of Earliest of All among 12
growers. Assisted them in rogueing
out diseased plants to get a start on
certified seed with this variety.
Induced one grower to erect potato
store house and one .to purchase po
tato grader.
Induced growers to grade and sort
potatoes before 'pitting and sorting.
Conducted successful potato show.
Identified potato bugs on three dif
ferent farms and assisted growers in
completly eradicating the same,
Distributed five tons of land plaster
for seed treatment.
... Conducted bin inspection of 1921
crop.
Assisted in marketing 1921 certified
seed. AH of 1921 certified Netted
Gems used for seed on Weston Moun
tain during 1921 except 80 tons which
were sold for $20 per ton above table
stock or $1600.00 total premium.
Conducted three crop 'rotation
demonstrations: made two trials with
Ladino Clover. " .
Marketing Held two general meet
ings end one committee meeting,
wrote constitution and by-laws and
assisted in organization of Weston
Mountain Seed Potato Growers
Association." v
The Umatilla County Taxpayers
League held a meeting at the court
house Saturday afternoon reports the
East Oregonian, and after naming
committees to investigate state and
county taxes agreed to meet again
at 1:30 next Saturday to hear the re
ports of the committees and t take
action.
Judge James A. Fee, president of
the league, presided and outlined the
need of action to curtail taxes. The
judge spoke of the value in the tax
supervising board that operates in
Multnomah county and suggested the
same plan might work in favorably
in. all counties. He believes the lid
on taxation should be applied by a
board composed not of office holders
who have the spending of money but
of disinterested taxpayers who repre
sent the public.
Talks during the meeting were made
by Dr." F. W. Vincent, Senator H. J.
Taylor and others. Senator Taylor
indicated that he proposes to work for
tax reform at the legislature and to
be back of the tax reducing program
advocated by Governor-elct Pierce.
Two committees were named with
instructions to report ne"xt Saturday.
The committee on county taxation is
composed of Dr.' F. W. ; Vincent, A.
M. Isaacs and P. W. Dayton. The
committee on 'state taxation is com
posed of E. B. Aldrich, James Johns
Jr .and Joergen Mumm.
Oregon Favors
Union Pacific
yMi
AND MRS. HOPPER LEAVE
M rA Mm T?ov Hnnner left
till . CM14 AIAiW. - I
Athena this week to reside in Grasf
Valley, where Mr. Hopper will be
the manager of the Standard Oil dis-
tributing station
elk,
uring tneir res-
Mr. and Mrs.
Hopper have endeared themselves to
a large circle of friends who wish
them well -in their new home. Mrs.
Hopper who came to Athena and
taught in the schools before her
marriage to Mr. Hopper, has since
been indentured with the social and
civic activities of the community, and
Mr. Hopper will be missed in business
circles.
EVANGELISTIC MEETINGS
A series of interesting evangel
istic meetings are being held at the
Baptist church, conducted by Frank
lin G. Huling of Los Angeles. Sub
jects as announced are: Tonight, "An
Earthquake and Salvation;" Sunday
night, "What Man May Be and Still
Be Lost." These services will be held
all next week. The usual progress
ive service will be held at 11 a. m.
Sunday. The Evangelistic services
begin at 7:30 p. m. each evening.
SUCCESSFUL DUCK HUNTERS
M. L. and H. I. Watts, accompanied
by M. W. Hansell and F. S. LeGrow,
spent Tuesday on a wild duck pre
serve in the vicinity of Umapine, and
bagged a nice lot of ducks. The
party also brought to town a real Can
adian honker, the largest wild goose
ever seen here. The Southern flight
of migratory water fowl has just com
menced, and hunters are looking for
ward with anticipation of good sport.
As construction:! of , new railroad
lines in Oregon, including the pro
posed Omaha-Seatt)e cutoff through
Athena, depends largely on the di
vorcement proceedings now before the
Interstate Commerce Commission rel
ative to segregating the Central Pa
cific from the Southern Pacific, sys
tem, it is interesting to note that the
Connecticut, .Massachusetts, New
Oregon : public service commission
favors the contentions of the Uuion
Pacific for common usage of the Cen
tral Pacific system. .
; As reported from Washington,
where the hearing is being held, com-;
mon user advocates are now holding
the stage and are urging that what
ever may be done ,with regard to un
merger of the Southern and Central
Pacific systems, the future of rail
road construction in Oregon aid the
arrangement for common use of
trackage; as suggested in the inter
vening r petition of Commissioner
Corey of the Oregon public service
commission. '
Corey-was first called and explained
the purpose of the petition. He de
clared that building of lines with com
mon user north and south and east
and west, joining existing lines, will
give competition and solve, problems
of traffic movements which are other
wise almost unsolvable.
He pictured an empire over one
third the state larger in area than
Hampshire and New Jersey combined
without railroads but ready with im
mense tonnage oi trniDer ana agri
cultural products. It would require
274 years for the Southern Pacflc un-
!. aided, to haul out the timber of West-
lern Oregon, he said. : .
(Southern Pacific attorney, Corey said
he would Be satisfied if the connec
tions are made for Eugene and Klam
ath Falls. Asked which line he would
suggest being built first, he said that
would be left to the interstate com
mefjpe commission in -accordance with
the jpetition 'the Oregon commission
has filed.
Wood sought to show that the
Southern Pacific, in its application re
questing permission to lease the Cen
tral Pacific, has given reasonable as
surance for construction of the Mat
ron cutoff, but Corey said the only
thing significant he has discovered to
date is 1984, the date of expiration of
leasehold interest, the Southern Pa
cific having made all promises in con
nection with Natron construction con
tingent upon holding clear title to the
Central Property.
RESIGNATIONS IN STATE
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT
When Walter M. Pierce, governor-
elect entes upon his duties as chief
executive of Oregon early next month,
he will find his desk piled high with
many matters of some official im
portance. This has been the ex
perience of every incoming governor
in Oregon for a long time, according
to persons who have been in the em
ploy of the state for many years,
says a Salem special to the Ore
gonian. Among the first matters that will
confront Governor-elect Pierce prob
ably will be v--!3ideration of the res
ignations o' ilio ;vr:o members of the
state highway department W. B.
Barratt, eastern Oregon member of
the commission, already has sent his
resignation to the governor. R. A.
Booth and John B. Yeon, other mem
bers of the commission, have said
that they will have their resignations
on file before January 1.
Reports received in Salem through
friends of Governornelect Pierce in
dicate that the new members of the
commission will be William Pollman,
Baker banker; C. E. (Pop) Gates,
Medford, and C. E. Spence,, Oregon
City. Reports that Charles Hall of
Marshfield is being considered for a
place on the commission are given
little credence.
Changes Favored
In Soldier Bonus
POST OFFICERS
New officers for Athena-Weston
American Legion Post were elected
at a recent meeting, as follows:
Commander, C. L. McFadden; vice
Commander, Allen Bell; Adjutant,
Grant Prestbye; Finance, James Ha
worth. Executive Committee, Sher
man Adkins, Penn Harris, L. E. Stiff,
Arnold Koepke and Sidney Barnes.
COMMERCIAL CLUBS ASKED
TO LEND CO-OPERATION
Letters . asking co-operation in
urging favorable action by congress
upon the Smith-McNary and Col
umbia river basin irrigation bills
have .been mailed to 175 chambers of
commerce and commericial clubs in
the state of Washington by Congress
man John W. Summers,
The letters ask each commercial
organization in the various com
munities to write all merchants in
their districts, each of these mer
chants is in turn asked to send letters
to five or more eastern concerns from
whom the v buy goods cr whose mer
chandise' they handle.
These letters are to explain the
benefits to be gained t the irrigation
bills are passed Eastern merchants
are to be asked to write their con
gressmen and senators explaining
their interest and the interest of their
states in such legislation.
Seven changes in administration of
the Oregon state bonus law have been
recommended by George A. White,
adjutant-general and a member of the
World War Veterans' State Aid com
mission, as a result of experience to
date in carrying out the laws pro
visions. " .
He favors:
Abolition of the state aid com
mission and creation of a state bureau
of soldier Joans administered by a
salaried commissioner.
Formation of an advisory board of
three members to determine questions
of policy, with power to appoint and
remove appraisers and attorneys.
Provision for refunding cash bonus
and obtaining loan.
Extension of application ' dated to
December 31, 1923. ,
Extension of loans privilege or max
imum cash bonus to kin of war dead.
Discontinuance of appropriations by
legislature and payment of ad
ministrative expense from sinking
fund.
Provision for more appraisers and
attorneys where neceasary.
Adjutant-General White gives a de
tailed description of administration of
the bonus law in an article in the
December issue of the Pacific Legion,
official publication of the American
Legion in Oregon and Washington,
LUSITANIA CARRIED
NO ARMSjRTROOPS
None of Liner's Load Consid
ered Explosive, According
to Official Report.
SNOWSTORM WAS GENERAL
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY
FARM COURSE TO OPEN
A shert course in farm mechanics
and tractor operation, dealing with
the technical as well as the practical
side of farm power, will be given at
O. A. C. January 2 to March 17. The
work will include tractor operation
and much overhauling of farm equip
ment, especially motors and tractors.
A fee of-$20.will be charged.
KU KLUX LECTURE
Rev.E. L. Burger of Walla Walla,
will deliver a lecture at the Christian
church in Athena, on next Frday
evening, December 15th, on "The Ku
Klux Klan; Who is It and Why."
Admission to the lecture is free, and
ladies are especially invited.
ith several inches of snow on the
ground and the condition of the soil
just right to receive all the moisture
it will give, the wheat raiser is view
ing next season's crop prospect from
a brighter angle. Lack of moisture
necessitated the seeding of grain in
the fall under conditions which prac
tically put the crop result in jeopardy,
but later rain came in' sufficient
quantity to sprout the seed.s-L
With the present snowfallwhich is
reported to be general throughout the
?"intyf sufficient moisture is assured
for the growing crop. ' ' .
" The snow will also protect tbe plant
from freezing, and growth continues
under the white covering. There is
less snow -in the mountain region
now than has been noted at this time
of the year, for several seasons past.
" As summer range depends on the
snowfall in the mountains and foot
hills, stockmen have been anxiously
concerned over prospective forage
conditions for next summer and fall.
Picking the Geese
U
OREGON'S CLAIM FIRST
FOR HER OLD BATTLESHIP
Congress will be asked by the navy
department to declare the battleship
Oregon an historic relic to be turned
over to the state of Oregon on con
dition that sufficinet funds will be pro
vided by the state for its care and
upkeep, it became known today.
. The purpose ot the department was
disclosed when a well-known Cali
fornian applied through Senator
Shortridge for the bell of the old
fighting man-of-war to be added to
his collection of historic curios. The
department said the state after which
the famous old ship was named had
the first claim on every part of it,
subject to the conditions mentioned
FIND THE WOMAN
A splendid Paramount . picture
"Find the Woman," is scheduled for
the entertament of Standard patrons
tomorrow evening. Dainty Alma
Reubens has the leading part, and the
plot of the story is intensely in
teresting. Sunday night Frank Mayo
will be seen in "Afraid to Fight," and
on both programs good clean comedies
will be offered. The date for "The
Prisoner of Zenda" has been changed
to Wednesday evening, January -17,
when the picture will be shown under
auspices of the Athena high school
. New York. The Cunard liner Lust
tanla, sunk by a German submarine In
1915 off the Irish coast, carried neith
er guns, troops nor explosives, but did
carry 5400 cases of ammunition, the
official report of the vessel's , cargo
made public by Dudley Field Malone,
collector of the port at the time, .
shows, according to a copyrighted
story In the New York World.
The Malone report, the newspaper
laid, was made to Secretary of the
Treasury McAdoo. .It was dated June
4, 1916, and was called for after the
German reply of May 28 to President
Wilson's first Lusltanla note of May
13 had set up the contention the
Lusltanla had been armed and that
her rapid sinking was due, not to the
torpedo, but to the explosion ot am
munition. '
Mr. Malone said he had determined -
to give out the text of the report be- '
cause of still Insistent appeals to him
for Information regarding its contents.
The report states that when the
Lusltanla sailed from 'New York, on
May 1, 1915. on hen last trip to Eng
land, she did not have any guns of -any
caliber or description on any
deck, mounted or unmounted, masked
or unmasked. , , "
If any individual reservists ot any ,. ,
nationality sailed on the Lusltanla on
this trip they did so as Individuals,
paying their own passage and receiv
ing their own individual tickets.
Referring to the question of the,,
presence, of explosives on the liner, '"
the report said that the ammunition
set forth as part ot the cargo did. not
contain explosives, within the .tote?:,,
pretatlon.ot the statutes and regula
tions as Interpreted by the depart,
ment of commerce in the ruling; pre- ,
vlouBly. quoted. ,, ,.. ; .;',..?
LANDING FIELD
; With the obtaining of an, option on
a level tract of ground near the fair
grounds, the Walla Walla Commercial
club has taken the first step towards
a permanent landing field for air
planes. Dr. O. J. Keating, president
of the club, has announced that the
new field is to be known as "Rankin
field" in honor of "Tex" Rankin, a
local flyer who has labored for the
last two years to get that city on the
"air map."
Mr. and Mrs Brice Baker and Mrs.
Sarah J. Gross are located for the
winter at 127 W. 62nd street,- Los
Angeles, California.
NEW CONGRESS" - --BEGINS
LABORS
Washington, D. C Congress closed
its two weeks' extra session and start-' ,
ed its regular session Monday with
an intervening period of only ten mln
utes. ' , . . , '.. ' .'
The routine sessions winding up the
special session and opening the new
developed little business and drew
small crowds. Formal surrender ot ;
the senate republican to the demo
cratic filibuster against the Dyer antl-'
lynching bill ended the .tie-up and al
lowed confirmation of about 1700 de
layed nominations before the'' final
gavel of the special session.' '
Members of the new progressive
bloc in congress won their first legis
lative victory Tuesday by obtaining ,
from the senate agriculture commit
tee a favorable report on a resolution
to amend the constitution to provide
for direct election ot the president and '
vice president. '.
The amendment also would change
presidential Inauguration day from
March 4 to tbe third Monday in Janu
ary, and members of the senate and
house would begin their terms of of
fice the first Monday In January after
the biennial elections. Congress
would meet in regular session annually
on the first Monday In January,
OLD STRUGGLE. IS ENDED
Irish Constitution It Approved By
House of Lords.
London. The centuries-old struggle
between England and Ireland ended
when the legislation giving the sanc
tion of law to the new settlement with
Ireland passed Its final stages In the
bouse ot lords, which for generations
has bitterly opposed any accommoda
tion with Ireland.
, There now only remains royal as
sent, a matter of formality, and every
thing will be ready for the new Irish
government to come into exlstenco
with excellent omens In the expressed
desire even of many of the "die hard"
statesmen in England to give It every
opportunity to succeed In Its work.
The appointment of Timothy Healy
as governor-general of the Irish free
state Is recognized as an auspicious
event. Mr. Healy throughout his po-
lltical career has been one of the
strongest opponents of British con-
nectlon and therefore cannot be sus
pected of tbe slightest sympathy with
flrUjtsh. view autagoulsilc. to Ireland-
J