VOLUME 48. ATHENA, UMATILLA COUNTY, OREGON, FRIDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 25. 1927 NUMBER 8 The Farm Relief Bill Is Passed By House Final Vote Is 214 to 178 and Measure Now Goes to the President. Washington, D. C The McNary Haugen farm relief bill was passed by the house in exactly the form ap proved by the senate. The vote was 214 to 178, a margin of 36 votes. Inclusion of tobacco and rice and the elimination of cattle as basic farm commodities was credited generally for the increase in strength mustered by the bill. The basic commodities in the measure as It goes to the presi dent are swine, wheat, corn, cotton, tobacco and rice. The measure, framed Jointly by Chairman Haugen of the house com mittee and Chairman McNary of the senate agricultural committee, Is de signed to promote orderly marketing of basic crops by the control and dis position of surpluses. It would set up a federal farm board of 12 members, to be selected by the president from a list of 36 names sup plied by farm organizations. Whenever it appeared a surplus existed in any of the basic crops, the board might declare an "operating period," buy in a crop until its surplus had disappear ed and feed the surplus into world markets. The mor;ure provides for a $250, OCO.OOO revolving fund for the board's operations. Any loss sustained in the board's activities would be assessed against the producers through imposi tion of an equalization fee. II. S. OCCUPATION OF NIGARA6UAC0MPLETE Washington, ft. C United States military occupation of Nicaragua was practically completed Monday. Marines are under orders to land at Corinto and take up positions, at Chin andega and Leon and along the Mana-gua-Corinto railway, the state, depart ment announced. The liberal revolu tionary army is reported menacing the railroad. Vigorous steps to block with Ameri can bluejackets and marines any at tack by Nicaraguan liberal forces on Managua synchronized with the re ceipt in Washington-of a preliminary of proposals of President Diaz for new treaty relations with the United States. Protection of Nicaragua from ex ternal attack or internal disorders due to outside interference through a treaty guarantee by the United States of Nicaraguan sovereignty was under stood to be the general purpose of the Diaz proposals. Worst Storm of Season In It's Tropical Fury Lashes Oregon Coast The heaviest rain storm of the sea son came in from the Pacific ocean Saturday and Sunday night, battered the Southern Oregon coast, swept in land over Central and Eastern Ore gon, and interrupted railway and highway transportation service in Southern and Western Oregon. At Athena a high wind drove be fore it a blinding rain storm Sunday night. It was by far the heaviest rainfall of the season. Snow pre vailed on the higher altitudes. Torrential rains resulting in slides and washouts in the southern Oregon district had totally demoralized traf fic on the Southern Pacific line Sun day night. Ihroughout all western Orecnn record-breaking rainfall was report ed. At Marshfield three inches of rain fell in 12 hours and the South ern Pacific annuled a night train to Portland. At Grants Pass there was five inches of rain in 48 hours. The Rogue river rose at the rate of n foot an hour and was at the highest point since 1902. Situation there declared worst in recent vears. Cottage Grove and Eutrene rennrteH heavy rains with rising streams. All ram records at Bend were shattered with a fall of 2.42 inches in 32 hours Portland's precipitation was .92 inches in 24 hours. The torrential rains were said to have been experienced through the entire southern Oregon district and a large number of streams were out of their banks. The Rogue river and its tributaries fed by torrential rains and melting snow, swept over banks, tore out railroad tracks, inundated and cut highways, and did damage to prop erty. , Farms in the vicinity of Roseburtr were flooded and residents forced to flee to higher ground. Near Eugene, 'homes were under water. and many persons took refuse in trees, waiting for boats to remove them to dry land. Baker, suffered from a fortv-mile gale. Many windows were broken by the wind and power lines were out of commission for a time. BRANCH DUJK BILL PASSED Glass Charges $100,0(30 Used by Lobby to Pass Amendments. Washington, D. C The last of the many legislative steps that have been necessary for the highly controverted McPadden branch banking bill to reach President Coolidge was taken by the senate. Scarcely had the conference report as amended by the house been ap proved, 71 to 17, before Senator Glass, democrat, Virginia, co-author of the re vised measure, proposed a senate In vestigation of report that a group of bankers favoring the discarded Hull amendments had spent more than $100,000 in maintaining a lobby in Washington. The resolution of the Virginia sen ator, who formerly was secretary of the treasury, was referred to a, com mittee, but its author will press for action soon with a view to having the senate banking committee conduct the inquiry and report by next January 1. Insull Refuses to Reveal Contributions . Washington, D. C Although threat ened with a possible jail sentence for alleged contempt, Samuel Insull, util ity magnate of the midwest, renewed his defiance of the Reed campaign fund committee by' refusing to reveal all his contributions in the Illinois senatorial campaign last summer. In sull, the gray-haired head of $500,000, 000 worth of public utilities, stood by his personal attorney, Daniel F. Schuy ler, in refusing to reveal the names of the persons to whom he gave $40,000 last summer in the midst of the sen atorial primary. Off the Reservation The shooting of George Nelson, white, by James Strong an Indian, over trapping privileges has caused Agent Estep of the Yakima agency to issue orders against white men trapping on Indian owned lands on the Yakima reservation. This is merely the enforcement of a federal statute prohibiting white men from trapping, hunting and fishing on In dian reservations. The statute pro vides a penalty of $500 fine for any white man caught trapping, hunting or fishing on Indian lands. Senate Defeats the Patterson Tithing Bill Kay Advances New Propos al To Bring State Out 4 of Hole. The Portland Telegram says: In spite of some strong personal feel ing that has developed in the house against th senate because the latter defeated the tithing bill, the joint assessment and taxation committee of the two houses at a session de cided to introduce two new measures for relief from the state deficit. One of these is a plan advanced bv State f Treasurer Kay for diversion of the market road fund amounting to $1,100,000 a year, and the other is a license tax on tobacco and tobac co products, to which the emercenev clause can be attached for the rea son that it is to be called a license tax instead of a tax for revenue. This, Chairman Miller of the senate committee admitted, was "beating the devil around the bush." The emer gency clause would forestall the re ferendum. State Treasurer Kay pointed out at the committee meeting that his plan, while an advance over both, was first suggested but not advocat ed by Governor Patterson in his special message, and later embodied by Representative Gordon in house bill 505. - The new bill will either be a new measure entirely or an amend ment of the Gordon bill. The Kay plan differs from the Gordon bill in that it provides for reimbursing the highway fund. Under this plan the one-mill mar ket road tax would be diverted to the general fund for 1927 and 1928. In lieu of the market road fund so taken the highway commission would take care of market road activities to the same extent that the state now does under the one mill act, and pay for these activities from the sale of bonds under the provisions of the highway bonding act, with a provis ion that these bonds be general obli gations against the state and be paid by a tax levy rather than from the funds derived from gasoline and au tomobile license money. The plan contemplates that a half-mill tax will pay the interest and retire the principal of $2,000,000 worth of bonds in about 4V4 years, and it is held that this can be legally levied in ad dition to the regular millage tax under the six per cent limitation. In asmuch as that act exempts a levy for the payment of interest or prin cipal on state bonds. THELMA jvl'MILLAN Miss Thelma McMillan, who was elected "Miss New Zealand" for 1927, n Auckland, and so Is considered the most beautiful girl in. those far-away Islands. Initiation of Woodmen One of the largest initiations of Woodmen ever held in Umatilla coun ty, took place at Pendleton, Monday night, when 150 candidates were scheduled for initiation. A parade was held prior to the initiation cere monies. District Organizer Willis was present. Of the 150 candidates mustered for initiation, 111 were ob tained in a period of five days solicitation. The Misses Scott Die Miss Elizabeth Scott and Miss Fan ny Scott, formerly residents of Athe na neighborhood died in Long Beach, California, February 12 and 15. They were aunts of Joseph N. Scott and Mrs. James Potts of this city and had for several years made their home in Long Beach. Board Elects Meyer The school board met Monday evening and elected Prof. Lee Meyer, at present principal of the Marsh- field high school, to the superintend- ency of the Athena schools for the coming year. One other application for the position, that of M. E. Mil ler, superintendent and athletic coach of the St. John, Washington, schools, was considered by the board. Carries Folk to Chucrh "Ride free to church" is a new idea of the Pendleton Christian church. which plans a free bus service' in co operation with the Columbia Gorge Motor Coaches system. The bus will make a circuitous route through one section of the town and then proceed to the church for the meeting of the Bible schooL New Tire Tread A new Goodyear balloon tire, bear ing the scientifically designed All Weather tread, announced after two years of intensive experimental work has been placed on the market, ac cording to Forrest Zerba tire deal er at the Athena Garage. The latest offering of the Akron company is now on exhibition here. Program At Athena Baptist Church, Eubank the Principal Speaker An important event will take place Sunday at the Baptist church in Athena, when a missionary education conference will be held by the work ers of Umatilla county. The program of the conference will be from 4:00 to 9:00 p. m. Principal speakers for the occasion will be Rev. Floyd L. Carr, field secretary of the Department of Missionary Education and Dr. M. D. Eubank, representa tive of the board of Missionary Co operation. ... -;.--i.t A large attendance of county dele gates is expected and at 6:UU p. m., dinner will be served in the dining room of the church. The program follows : 4:00 P. M. Convocation period. Address: "Some of My Experiences in China," Dr. M. D. Eubank. - 5:00 P. M. Conference period. Leader of Adult Group, Floyd L. Carr. Topic: "Developing a Mission ary Church." (a) Tools for Kingdom Building, (b) World Friendship in the Sunday School. 6:00 P. M. Dinner. Address Dr. O. C. Wright and others. 7:00 P. M. Conference period. Topic for Adult Workers: "The Man of Tomorrow." (a) Hero Programs for Boys, (b) The Royal Ambassa dor's Plan, (c) Building Men's Bible Classes. ' : 8:00 P. M. Assembly period. Ad dress: "The Church Facing a World in Action," Dr. M. D. Eubank. Protests Are Made Against Rent Boost General Objection Made to Proposal of Raise In Indian Land. Frank Jackson was in town Wed nesday from Weston. The Pendleton East Oregonian says active opposition has been taken against the proposed raise in rentals of lands on the Umatilla Indian re servation. The Pendleton paper says protests are - b?ing made generally against the pita, stating that Jim Hill, president of the Umatilla coun ty farm bureau pointed out conditions on the reservation which make any attempt to raise rentals on the reser vation to a point equal to rentals outside the reservation impractical. The Indians, he declared are evempt from taxes which land owners outside the reservation are forced to pay. Wheat farmers renting Indian lands are also required to make such improvements as are necessary on the land at their own expense while on private lands they are made at the expense of the land owner. A big factor also in the necessity for' lower rentals on the reservation was declared to be the numerous services the renter is required to make for the Indian owner to keep in good grace and as a result obtain the same land again after the lease has expired. These renters are re quested to buy and haul wood for the Indians, pay medicine bills and other items which on an average probably amounts to in the neighborhood of $150 a year, it was asserted. Many requests are made by the Indian of their white renters which the owner of wheat lands would not think of requiring from his tenant. Major Babcock declared that the proposed increases were on but. part of the lands to be leased this year which would probably be in the neighborhood of 10,000 acres and were only in line with increases on lands leased last year. He declared that he realized that only so long as the wheat and renters on reservation lands prospered so would the Indian owners and it was not the intention of his office to work a hardship up on the renter. He asserted that no protests had been voiced to him against the proposed increases. It was also pointed out that most rentals on wheat lands outside the reservation were made 6n a crop bas is where the owner obtained a third of the crop grown. On Indian 'land the tenant is required to pay a cash rent and this rent in advance. Where there is a crop failure the tenant not only loses the crop but is also out the amount paid in rent. On lands where a crop rent is paid if the crop is light the the owner .rets but a proportionate amount of tho crop grown still leaving the renter some of his wheat to meet his obligations. - J. W. Maloney of Pendleton, was in Athena Tuesday. Lion or Lamb? CwW.W.W.P. J Athena Has Hermiston As Her Ooooncnt In Annual Tournament Ten high school teams of Umatil la county are entered for participa tion in the annual basket ball tourna ment, which opened at Pendleton yes terday morning and will continue un til tommorrow night, when the finals will be played. The winning team of the tournament will represent the district in the state tournament. , Athena drew Pendleton as her op ponent in the tournament prelimin aries. The game is scheduled for this evening at 9 o'clock. The tour nament schedule is as follows: Weston and Helix meeting at f o clock and Umatilla and Adams at 9 o'clock Thursday. The two win ners will meet at 7 oclock Friday night. Stanfield and Milton meet Friday at 8 o'clock, Pilot Rock and Echo at 6 o'clock nd Pendleton and Athena at 9 o'clock. The two win ners of these two latter games' meet at 10 Saturday and the winner of the Stanfield-Milton clash meets the win ner of the Wesson, Helix, Umatilla, Adams fray at 9 o'clock Satur day morning and the winners of the two semi-final clashes will meet Sat urday night for the championship. Tickets for the events will cost 50 cents for each session. lone, Condon and Hermiston were admitted into the basket ball tourna ment after the above schedule had been arranged. As a result of this Athena's first game was with Her miston instead of Pendleton. O. A. C. Forest Nursery Has Trees for Farmers Under authority of Section four of the Clark-McNary law, forest tree stock is being produced at the Ore gon Forest Nursery at O. A. C, for distribution among ranchers of the state. This planting stock may be used for woodlot. shelter belt, and roadside planting. It cannot be used for ornamental, purposes. The following stock is now avail able for distribution: Green Ash, Box Elder, Russian Olive, Black Locust, Russian Mulberry, Black Walnut and Honey Locust. With the exception of the Black Lo cust, the stock is two-year old stuff, averaging three feet in height. The Black Locust is one-year old stock about eighteen inches high. Except the Black Walnut this material is es pecially suited to planting in Eastern Oregon. All species will do well in Western Oregon. This planting stock may be had at the cost of transportation from Cor vallis. Since the material is limited in amount, individual application should not exceed 1,500 trees. The stock should be planted as soon as the ground can be worked. The trees should be spaced about five feet apart and thinned when they begin to crowd each other. Application for stock should be di rected to Georsre W. Peavy, School of Forestry, Corvallis, Oregon. Dance Will Be Novel The dance schedule for tomorrow night at Legion Hall by the local Legion Post, promises to be novel in character. Through an arrangement with "Steve" and the Burbee Candy company of Walla Walla, two big boxes of candy will be put up as prizes. Candy packages will be is sued to those attending the dance, and in the packages will be numbers, which corresponding will designate dancing partners for the Candy dance. Of course this will be the novelty feature of the dance, and in terest will center in the winning of the prize boxes of candy. The Japanese Accept Coolidge's Proposal Endorsement Given Plan to Limit Construction on All War Vessels. Washington D. C Japan has ac cepted the' Coolidge proposal for a supplementary Geneva conference to negotiate a five-power-treaty "limiting cruisers, destroyers and submarines. The note, made public by the state department, asked that the conference approach the subject of ratios with an open mind. The president had sug gested as a basis of negotiation a 5-5-2 ratio between the United States, Great Britain and Japan, similar to the capital ship ratio of the Washing ton treaty. Japan's acceptance Increased the hope in official quarters here that subsequent Informal negotiations may lead to a three-power pact between this country, Britain and Japan. Rejection by France of the original Coolidge plan has destroyed any im mediate possibility of a five-power treaty, officials believe. Italy is ex-' pected to reject the five-power plan or accept with major reservations, while Great Britain is expected to approve. In its note the Japanese government said "it fully shared with the Ameri can government the views expressed in the (Coolidge) memorandum" and "cordially welcome the initiative tak en by the American government." Juno 1 was suggested as the opening date of the proposed conference to permit additional Japanese delegates to arrive at Geneva from Tokio. FATE OF SHANGHAI HANGS IN BALANCE Shanghai. The defeated troops of Marshal Sun Chu-an-Fung, ruler of Ki- angsu province, and the nationalist army that forced them to retreat from the rich city of Hangchow were re organizing to continue the struggle that will determine the possession ot Shanghai, the "Paris of the orient." Forty thousand of Sun's soldiers, thrust from their master's province of Cheklang, were seeking a place along the Hangehow-Shanghal railway to make a stand against 50,000 Can toneso preparing to drive aeainst them. Sungklang, 28 miles from Shanghai, was believed to be the place selected by Shanghai's defenders bo cause of its strategic location on the Whnngpoo river. Beheading of at least 12 Chinese strike fomenters; minor disorders; stonings, and spread of the demonstra tion to take in between 8S.000 nml loo.ooo natives marked the second day of Shanghai's internal disturbance. The strike started recently, a poll- tical movement fostered by Cantoneso propagandists and aiming at the col lapse of power of Marshal Sun Chuan Fang, ruler of Klangsu province, whose troops are fighting to halt the advance of Cantonese (Nationalist) armies on Shanghai. Freak of the Wind During the wind and rain storm Sunday night, a 000-bushel grain tank was lifted from Alex Mclntyre's farm at Waterman, and with the ex ception of the top, was blown into unknown territory. The freakish wind picked this particular tank from among others left standing, lifted it across the road where the top fell off, and then kited the tank away into the unknown. A heavy rain fell in that section during the wind storm. Hill Mitchell The wedding of Mrs. Mattie Mit chell of this city and Harvey C. Hill of Redmond, Oregon, took place in Pendleton on February 17. The I couple, accompanied by the bride's father, L. J. Foss, left for Redmond, and will move soon to Nampa, Idaho, to reside on a dairy farm. Mrs. Hill has many friends In Athena who while offering congratulations, regret her departure from among them. CHINESE PACT IS MADE British Right In Territory Controlled by Canton Defined. Hankow. An agreement defining the rights of Great Britain in Chinese territory now controlled by the Can ton nationalist forces was reached here by Kugnne Chen, Cantonese Chi nese foreign minister, and Charge d'Affalres O'Maiiey, representing Eng land. TIip contents of the agreement were not divulged. Announcement also was made that Great Britain would begin conversa tions with leaders in northern China, looking to a similar concord with tha northern administration. Messages from Pekin said that Dr. V. K. Wellington Koo, foreign minis ter for the I'ekln government, and Miles W. I.ampnon, British minister to China, would begin conversations there for the purpose of reaching an agreement in the north. Idaho Solone Kill Bank Guaranty Bill Boise, Idaho. -The bank guaranty fund bill offered by the democrats and progressives was killed without print ing by the lower house of the Idaho legislature. The oleomargarine bill, progressive platform plank and pro posed protection for Idaho dairy farm ers were killed. The senate killed a bill passed by the house requiring 10 days' posting of marriage intention be fore the issuance of a license.