Entered at the Post Office at Athena, Oregon, as Second-Class Mail Matter
VOLUME 47.
ATHENA, UMATILLA COUNTY, OREGON, FRIDAY MORNING, MARCH 12. 1926
NUMBER 11
warn wiu. head .
HEW FRENCH CABINET
Veteran Statesman Accepts
Task of Forming Another
. Government
Tarls. Avistide Briand, veterai
French statesman, accepted a mandate
from President Doumergue to form
his ninth cabinet to succeed the one
which fell last Saturday. .
Once more M. Briand proved to be
the only French leader willing to at
tempt to lead the country out of the
financial bog In which it has been
floundering.
. As ho left Elysce palace, after noti
fying tho president of his acceptance,
ho said:
In view of tho present situation of
my country I have told the president
thai I o id not feel I had the right to
refuse' to attempt his task he did me
tlio great honor to offer me. I will
do ray best to form a cabinet and hope
to give President Doumergue a defin
ite answer this evening."
Like five other ministries in less
than two years, the Briand cabinet
was wrecked Saturday on the shoals
cf the government's plan to bring
about the financial rehabilitation of
France.
In the chamber of deputies the gov
ernment made the sales tax provision
of its financial bill a question of con
fidence. It was defeated by a vote of
274 to 221 and immediately afterwards
M. Briand tendered the cabinet's resignation.
GATHGART DECISION
WILLJEAPPEALED
Washington, D. C. The labor de
partment will appeal the decision of
the federal court in New York sustain
ing the writ of habeas corpus permit
ting Vera, Countess Cathcart, to re
main In the United States.
Ar;3istant Secretary of Labor Hus
band declared that the recent court
decision admitting tho countess to this
country after the department of labor
bad denied her entry, made it appear
t.'iat for 1!) years the immigration au
thorities had "misconstrued that pro
vision of the law providing for the
exclusion of aliens who admitted hav
ing committed a felony or other act
involving moral turpitude."
The countess was ordered burred by
tlio immigration authorities on the
grounds of moral turpitude because of
ha;- elopement to' South Africa with
the Earl of Craven. The New York
court held that Ihe-.eountess act was
Dot a crime in South Africa and sus
tained the writ.
j-.cugnton Slated for Kellogg's Post
Washington, D. C. Announcement
of the immediate return from London
of American Ambassador Houghton
revived reports here that he is being
groomed to succeed Frank B. Kellogg
as secretary of state. The primary
object of Houghton's ..visit is to con-f-r
with President Coolidge on im
portant recent European develop
ment.?, including postponement of the
League cf Nations' preliminary arms
conference.
Rural Pool Halls to Be Taxed
South Bend, Wash. The county
commissioners issued an. order requir
ing every pool hull in the county out
Bide i f the incorporated towns to ob
tain a eouaty license at a cost of $10,
end to pay a county tax of $5 on each
jicol or billiard table in operation.
STEIWER ANNOUNCES HIS j
STAND ON POLITICAUSSOES
. In a formal announcement declar
ing himself a candidate for United
States senator, Frederick Steiwer
says in part:
If elected my course will be de
termined in accordance with the
ritatements hereinafter set-forth and
according to the accepted principles
of the Republican party. I have no
private interest to serve but will en
deavor to the best of my. ability to
serve the nation and all the people
lit fes?i
l . J, ;
it '
Frederick Steiwer
Cooiidao Renames Seattle Prosecutor
Washington, D. C. President Cool
idge ser.t to the senate the following
nominations: To be United States at
torney: Thomas B. Revelle of Wash
ington, western district of Washing
ton, reappointment; Roy C. Fox of
Washington, western district of Wash
ington, vice Kizer. To be United
States marshal: E. B. Benn of Wash
ington, T.-rstem district of Washing
ton, reappointment.
League Holds Special Session.
.Geneva. Switzerland The special
tic;::i' Ti of the Leagu-3 of Nations as-
:bly was opened with Viscount Ishii
in the1 chair. ' Viscount Lshii said the
Codal session, the first in the history
of the league, was of the highest sig-riticaae-j
to the people of the whole
world. "The great nations of Germany
E.k to be admitted to the league."
lir. Alfonso Da Costa, former premier
of Pv.kus1, was elected president of
'fciio assembly by a majority of SS votes.
and every part of the State. It will
be my purpose and ambition to sup
port those things which Oregon ap
proves and which are in accord with
the Nation's best interest. During
the campaign I shall supplement this
statement by such discussion of the
points referred to herein as may
seem necessary.
Without pretending to cover all
issues I , declare myself in favor of
legislation relating to the following
propositions:- ,
I stand for justice to the farming
industry. . Unless the farmers can
produce and market their products
profitably all branches of society
will" suffer. I will work for legisla
tion to aid in the orderly marketing
of exportable surplus and' will give
every assistance to the constructive
efforts now being put forth to bal
ance and stabilize agricultural pro
duction and sale.
I favor reduction of tax burden by
reducing expense of government. In
this I arn in full accord with the ad
minstration of President Coolidge..
I favor fair working conditions
and wages and believe in labor's
right to organize and bargain col
lectively. I favor strengthening of
immigration laws so that undesir
able aliens may be absolutely barred
and more severe selective processes
may be employed with respect to
those who are permitted to enter the
United States. I am against unfair
competition with our own working
people by unassimilable aliens.
I believe in the principle of the
18th Amendment and the objects
sought to be obtained by, it. I stand
for its observance and its enforce
ment and for the enforcement of the
laws enacted pursuant to the 18th
Amendmenet. Congress must not
make ineffective the plain intent of
the Constitution but must provide
means for its preservation and to in
sure respect for its provisions. For
law enforcement positions I favor
men who are in sympathy with the
particular laws they are appointed
to enforce.
I will make unremitting effort to
gain for Oregon a just measure of
Federal aid. I stand for development
of all resource and for Federal aid
in irrigation and the colonization of
projects already built. I favor Fed
i eral aid for roads and increasing
Federal support toward the develop
tr.cent of Oregon rivers and the Col-
S urabia and all coastal harbors. I
I will work for restoration to Oregon
'of money with-held by removal of
lands from tax rolls. j
I stand for ships and shipping i
lines and the development of ship-1
ping facilities and service, and spec-1
j ifically declare for an American mer-'
' hant marine. Every department of j
1. du.-try including manufacturing!
..-.d agriculture is vitally concerned i
.' cheap and efficient transportation, j
i I believe, in first principals. I stand ;
i for righteousness in government and j
I justice to all men. In my offical j
j course I shall adhere to this idea j
: Faftty of American government de- j
j ends upon loyalty to the fundament- i
.i.1 principles of right and wrong
! Free government will endure on no j
THE TELEPHONE EXCHANGE
OPEN HOUSE WEDNESDAY
"Mr. Watson, come here, I want
you!"
These words uttered 50 years ago
Wednesday, by Alexander Graham
Bell, were the first ever transmitted
over the telephone, vand in honor of
the occasion, every telephone ex
change in the land held open house
to patrons and public.
A large number of visitors called
at the Athena exchange during the
day, where Miss Hilda Dickenson
chief operator, was pleased to show
them the system of operation of the
exchange equipment, and in many
instances detailed information was
given.
Athena patrons realize that they
are given efficent service by the
operators at the local exchange, and
92 called and registered 'during tho
day.
"DON Q' COMING NEXT
WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY
The big special picture at the
Standard Theatre for the mon'h of
March will be presented at the
Standard Theatre next Wednesday
and Thursday evenings, when Doug
las Fairbanks will be seen in "Don
Q, Son of Zorro." Those who have
seen the photoplay at other theatres,
pronounce it to be a splendid pict
ure, with the irrepressible Doug at
his best.
Two nights will be given over to
the presentation of "Don Q," so that
everyone in the community may have
the opportunity to see the picture.
Tomorrow night, "The Code of the
Wilderness," a fine Western melo
drama, featuring John Bowers, Alice
Calhoun, Alan Hale and Otis Har
lan, with a slashing two-reel com
edy and International News, will be
the program.
Sunday night, a splendid Para
mount Picture, "The Night Club,"
and a two-reel Mack Sennett com
edy, will be presented. s
STEVE'S TICKET PRIZES
For the next drawing at Steve's
Grocery, Saturday night, April 10,
the following prizes are offered:
First prize, 58 varieties of canned
goods; 2nd prize, a set of dishes;
"rd prize, 25 pound sack granulated
sugar and a sack of White Diamond
flour. The three prizes are now on
display in one of the show windows.
KEEP YOUR CHICKENS UP
The time of year has arrived when
Athena chicken owners are required
by city ordinance to keep their fowls
from running at large. Mayor Watts
and 'Marshal Taylor give notice that
the ordinance will be rigidly enforc
ed, so you had better keep your
chickens in your own back yard.
FARMERS ARE TO FIGHT
PROPOSED SHIPPING RATE
At a mass meeting comprising a
representative group of farmers,
bankers and business men held at the
Farmers Union headquarters at Wal
la Walla Tuesday afternoon a resolu
tion was unanimously adopted pro
testing against the granting of spec
ial reduced railroad rates on ship
ments of some 15 millions of bushels
of slightly damaged wheat from
warehouses in mid-western states to
the Pacific Northwest.
This grain, stored in elevators in
Chicago, Minneapolis and other cit
ies, is said to be partly damaged ow
ing to storage in warehouses too
high in moisture. Application has
been made to the Interstate Com
merce Commission for special rates
on railroad lines into this territory.
The resolution adopted Tuesday
declares that this action would prac
tically destroy the market for West
em Red wheat in this locality, "not
only for the present but for a long
time to come." It is stated shat
dumping 15 millions of bushels of
wheat into this section would de
moralize for western market and
would work a great hardship on the
farmers.
Under present conditions freight
rates between the mid-western states
and the Pacific Coast have served io
keep out this low grade wheat, but
the owners of this wheat ure now
seeking a special rate of about one
half of the normal rate, in order that
they may be able to throw this dam
aged grain on the western market.
Special rates on feed and seed
grain have been granted in the past
at the request of parties wishing to
purchase, but in this case the rate
cut is asked by people who wish to
sell the grain. Should the special
rate be granted it is felt that it
would be a severe blow to the agri
cultural interests of the Pacific coast
territory.
Copies of the resolution . will be
sent to members of congress from
this section, the '" Interstate Com
merce Commission, the U. S. depart
ment of agriculture and' to the rail
road companies serving the northwest.
SCHOOLBOARDS MEET AND
ELECT ATHENA TEACHERS
The schoolboard of Union High
School "District No. 7 at a recent
meeting reelected Prof. 0. C. Hadley
to the position of principal for the
coming school year. Mr. Hadley will
also hold the office of superintendent
of the grade schools of District No.
29. .
The school board of District No.
29, at a meeting held February 22,
reelected the present corps of grade
teachers. They are:
Miss Merle Best, grades JL and 2.
Miss Loraine Terry, grades 3 and 4.
Miss Dorothy Rodman, grades 5
and 6.
Milton I "T-- grades 7 and 8.
Mr. Fred' Pinke ion, who has held
the position of janitor for the past
eleven years, was eelected.
Mr. Hadley has been at the head
of the Athena schools for seven
years past.
Miss Best, primary teacher, will
not teach in Athena next year, hav
ing notified the board to that effect.
Mr. Logan, who has taught and
coached in the high school for the
past 'two years will not be a candi
date for reelection as he expects to
continue his studies in the East next
year.
The high school board does not ex
pect to consider the election of teach
ers for a few weeks yet.
FOR EASTER CANTATA
Rehearsals are being regularly
held for the Easter cantata, which
will be given at high school audi
torium, on Easter Sunday evening.
Leading singers of the community
and a large chorus are taking part.
THE RADIO CONCERT
The second concert by Athena tal
ent, sponsored by the Commercial
Association, was . broadcast from. K
OWW station at Walla Walla, Mon
day evening. The program, partici
pated in by members of the Etude
club, the Jolly Joy-Maker's dance
orchestra, and others, was greatly
enjoyed by radio parties in Athena
homes, Thompson and Hoffivan's
garages, and at the Standard The
atre. R. B. McEwen' officiated ns
announcer at the station in a most
creditable manner. Vocal numbers
on the program were especially
well received out of the air.
PLOWING UNDER WAY
Farmers were interrupted in plow
ing operations during the week on
account of rain. However, consider
able progress has been made in plow
ing in the Athena wheat district.
THREE, WEEKS EARLY
Growing conditions are three
weeks in advance of last spring.
Grain is growing fast and in a num
ber of gardens lettuce and onions
are up.
Mr. Kennedy, a member, of the
firm of Baker & Baker company of
Walla Walla transacted business
here Wednesday.
"Name to Conjure With"
' Once Had Real Fdecnwg
"A name to conjure with".. la
a plira.se more used than understood,
us conjuring was not always the term
for stage or parlor tricks of the pres
ent day. Originally conjuring stood
for the art of the magician the con
jurer of the Dark ages being really
tlio same personage as the wizard. Ills
conjuring really meant u very solemn
compact or agreement, the word It
self being taken from the Latin for
an oath. Part of his ritual consisted
in the then popular belief that he
could summon up Satan or some other
spirit by the saying of some "word of
power," such a word being generally
mysterious-sounding like "abracada
bra." Occasionally the name of gome
departed great one, such as Solomon,
was used. This name would then be
known as siillioiently mighty to "con
jure with," spirits hearing It being
hound to obpy. Today, we no lohgor
boliovein magic, ami the magician of
mj story and dread has turned into the
harmless gentleman who produces
' rabbit from his hat at. children's par
I ties; but the old phnm? still remains,
! anil wo refer to this ami that great
i -man as having "a name to conjure
I Willi."
REPORTS OF SURVEY SAY
AGRICULTURE 13 SQUEZZED
Radical tendencies among farmers
once the backbone of American
conservatism reflect a serious eco
nomic maladjustment, which, unless
checked, must eventually adversely
affect the national business struc
ture, says the National Industrial
Conference board in a report issued
from New York. The report, based
on a year's ' investigation, declared
the contrast between the agrarian
swing toward the left to be "one of
the most significant reversals in the
political life of the United States''
and "curiously contrasts with the in
creasing conservative trend of our
urban population."
The board, which is supported by
manufacturing, mining, transporta
tion and public utility industries, as
serted that its sponsors must study
and understand the problem of the
f aimer, because farm production is
closely woven in the national eco
nomic structure.
Diffusion of corporate ownership
among city dwellers has increased
materially the interest in and under
standing of industrial problems, the
board said, while the average farm
represents a capital of about $12,000,
usually individually owned, and the
farmers, to a large degree unorgan
ized and isolated, "naturally have
tended more and more to resort to
political pressure to obtain relief."
"But the agricultural problem,"
tho report says, "is to no greater
extent a question of what will be tho
consequences for our entire economic
and business life if American agri
culture continues to lag behind in
comparison with the general eco
nomic developments of the country."
Reviewing the decline of farm
production as compared with urban
population growth, the report said
this trend had been steady since 1880
the reduction since 1900 being esti
mated at 20 per cent. All the facts
indicate, tho board found that since
the beginning of the present century,
"Tho cost of agricultural production
prices and markets have not been
such as to make it pay to maintain
the same rate of increase of farm
ing production as existed before that
time."
The farmers weakened position in
meeting foreign competition was at
tributed to rise more rapidly than
the prices of his produce. Over
head, capital costs, labor and operat
ing costs rose :00 per cent in the last
quarter century, the report said,
while wholesale prices of farm pro
ducts Increased only 120 per cent.
Actual earnings of the average
farmer in 1924 were computed at
$7"0 as against average earnings
of $1572 in transportations, $2111 in
clerical lines and S1.G50 by govern
ment employes. The per capita in
come of tho farming population in
1921 was given as $180, against $701
for ui ban dwellers,
Cutting Some Fancy Figures
other.
(Commit,
j---Ti- 1 . 1- I r"
Only One Wood for Spools
In almost I lie entire world, wllh ll
great variety of wood to solect from,
(here Is only one kind that is used fur
spools the ordinary spools on which
sewing thread Is wound, writes Charles
N. Lurle in St, Nicholas. By fur the
greatest part of the world's spools are
turned from the wood of the white
birch tree. It grows in many section!)
of the United States, but especially
well In Maine. Virtually the whole
world's supply comes from the great
north woods. Home of the spools are
inadi; u Maine, but u very large part
of tho wood U uhlppod elsewhere for
Hpool-mnkliig, alter being seasoned
where It grows.
Where Cod la
I'lddle, age four, Is a veritable ques
tion niai'U,
After attending Sunday school he
win at home, seated on the lloor play-
I.,.. ...Ill, lilu ilutm. V'llM-lniM
lie looked up suddenly and asked:
i "Miiiiiiiui, whoe Is tiodV"
"God is everywhere," I answered.
j IvHlle hehl out his hand about
j twelve Inches above the Moor.
"Is God here, liialiiiini ?" be ques
; t ioiied.
I replied In the acll'tliatlvt.
Then again li'om Kihlie, still holding
out his hand, "Co.ae here, Virginia,
i- iinl put your haiul on God."
FARM LEADERS GIVE
RELIEFSUGGESTIONS
Revised Program on Surplus
Problem Offered to House
Agriculture Committee.
Washington, D. C A revised pro
gram designed to solve the farm sur
plus problem was submitted to the
house agricultural committee by the
group of middle western agricultural
leaders who came to Washington to
advocate the principles of the Dickin
son bill.
The farm leaders' suggestions were
made at the request of the committee,
and were intended to meet strong ol
jections, which have been recommend
ed in executive and legislative quar
ters, to provisions In the Dickinson
bill assessing an equalization fee
against producers to provide a fund to
offset losses on crop surpluses sold
abroad. .
It was indicated that the bill being
written by experts o tho congression
al legislative drafting service proba
bly would retain these two central
features:
A national federal farm board, with
authority to solve crop problems
through the farmers' co-operative or
ganizations. An equalization feecollected from
the manufacturer, processor or export
er, but deducted by thorn from the
price paid tho farmer to provide a
fund to insure adequate prices for sur
plus crops.
Tho measure is being drafted by de
grees as the hearings proceed. Wheth
er It will contain a drastic tariff pro
vision, empowering the president to
declare an embargo on any crop, has
not been determined. Chairman Hau
gen of the agriculture committee has
declared a relief bill would be useless
without such a clause.
HOOVER ASKS SHIP
BOARDPOWERS CUT
Washington, D. C Asserting the
shipping board with divided responsi
bility had defied tho president, Secre
tary Hoover urged that it be stripped
of all powers except Its judicial and
regulatory functions and that the en
tiro government merchant fleet be ad
niinstered by the Fleet corporation.
The secretary, who testified before
the house committee, said such a pro
cedure would be in accordance with
the original conception of creating the
board. Differences between the execu
tive and tho board, he said, was "one
reason why we have made no more
progress with our merchant marine."
The committee, which took up the
Bacon bill to carry out the principle
of Secretary Hoover's proposal regard
ing the shipping board, recently ap
proved a bill providing for co-ordination
of all navigation f mictions now
supervised by the department.
"We will never havo a real or satis
factory merchant marine until it is
owned and maintained by private en
terprise," the secretary said, but he
advocated government aid "to keep
the flag flying on critical routes" until
this could bo achieved.
PERSHING RECOVERS HEALTH
Give3 Up Teeth in Fight on Toxlo
Poisoning.
Washington, lJ. (V Having surrend
ered all his teeth and himself unre
servedly to tho care of physicians,
Genera! John J. 1'orslilng Is back to
normal health and is feeling better
now than he has for years.
The general gave up his teeth In the
fight against toxic poisoning and his
blood pressure which ranged around
183 points when ho returned to Wash
ington has dropped to between 140 and
i 115 duriiif-' the two weeks of treatment.
: Tho quiet it his hospital quarters In
j contrast to tho continuous turmoil at-
lacliing to his duties in South America
also has dono much to improve Per
shing's condition.
Cliic;$o. - w..3iiiri'..'Mi' !-'."--'.v
i as oel-.'Uv.tf'ii in t;nicago uy uie open
ing of a national campaign agaiust the
S '.'orla ci iirt and "entangling alliances"
ai'aliiHt which the f.-st president warn-
' i;d ih:: misfMt. Senator William IJorah,
: 1,1.! I-,--, ui. Ill an. and Senator James
A. I'.' yd, Missouri, democrat, wero the
central figures In the program.
Luther Burbank 77 Years Old
Santu Itosa, Cal. The 77th birthday
of Luther Ilurbank, world-famed natur
alist and Santa Rosa's foremost citi
zen, celebrated Sunday, when citizens
from all sections o tho "Valley of the
Moon" gathered here to do him honor.
The sch mist's birthday Is Arbor day
in California, made bo by legislative
m t 11 years ago, and a portion of the
observance included tree planting la
keeping with the sentiment of the oc
casion. . , . , 1