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The Weather
Prediction Rain
Maximum yesterday 37
Minimum today 32
Precipitation Traits
FORD
UNE
Weather Year Ago
Muxlmum .49
Minimum ; 38
Precipitation o
Dally Eighteenth Tear.
MEDFORD, OREGON, FRIDAY DECEMBER 28, 1923
NO. : 238
Weekly FU
Fifty-Third Teu.
uUPEBN
TAX IAW IS
RULED OUT
State Supreme Court Holds
Tax Supervision Law Void
Because of Defects in Title
Co. Courts Free to Tax
As Desire Decision Is
Unanimous.
SALEM, Ore., Dec. 28. The supreme
court today decided that the tax su
pervision commission law passed by
the 1923 session of the legislature is
void because of defects In the title of
the measure as enacted. The court
did not pass upon the constitutionality
of the act.
The justices . were unanimous in
their decision. ....
Multnomah county is not affected by
today's opinion, as the act providing
for Its commission was passed in 19.il.
. "The county courts," a statement Is
sued by the supreme court states, "of
the various counties are now free to
make levies in accordance with their
own judgment without reference to
the recommendations of the tax con
servation commission but subject to
the provisions and limitations of the
constitution and the statutes."
The defect in the 1923 1ict, it was
said, was that the legislators neglect
ed to Include the entire state when
they amended the 1921 act, which ap
plies only to Multnomah county.
"In the first place," the statement
says, "this matter has come up at a
very late date and this Is the last day
oh which an opinion can be rendered."
. The counties which attacked the con
stitutionality of the.act thereby bring;
lh it hofnmi Mm minromn court, were
Yamhill, Umatilla, Klamath, Polk and
Tillnmnolr ' -' ' ' - ,
llllumwJK. .
U. S. PACT OK'ED
MEXICO CITY, Dec. 27. (By the
Associated Press) Tho Mexican sen
ate todav ratified the Blieilnl United
fctates-MexIran claims convention by.
a vote of 42 to 6. The general claims
convention was npprovod us a whole,
38 against one. The sennte then ad-1
journed, leaving tho discussions,
article by article of the general con
vention until another session. I
TKA tfrnDlMl AnnnHif I, in niriiinRt the
1" O " ' - - - . I I - I
onnventlons has
been against article
nine of the general convention which
opponents claim discriminates In favor
of citizens of the United States.
WASHINGTON. Dec. 28. (By the
Associated PressThe two claims
to the senate by President Coolldge
early in December and they nre pend-
Ing before the foreign relations com
hiittee. Action is expected soon after
the holiday recess ends in January.
Death Toll of
the Automobile
OYLMPIA, Wash., Dec. 28. Seattle
I
BY IX. SENATE
l
leads the fatality list in the number of dead. He was 91 years old. Tne Dixmude, a Zeppelin rigid nlr-
automobile accidents In the state of j The Eiffel tower, the world's high- Bnip built in Germany during the war
Washington during November, with est structure, was built in the Champs and turned over to France on repara
elght killed according to a report de Mars, Paris, for the exposition of tion account, was considered to repre
compiled by the department of ef f 1- 1889. It is now used not only a, a itleyln r'fhe
Cency today. A total of 27 wa, run' point of , vantage for sightseers, buf-JJ nXTyrsW in t world6
up for the entire state, an increase of for meteorological and scientific ob- the Bnenandoan the American dlrig
almost one hundred per cent over servations, and as a radio station. Uble, coming next. The Dixmude held
November of last year. So far this1 Eiffel was widely known as a build- the world's record for distance and
year 204 persons have died as a result er of great metal bridges. He also de- endurance, made last September with
of accidents in which automobiles signed the . sluices for the Panama an "n'nterrupted
piayeu a part, an uuinaineu wuu auu
for the entire year 1922.
SENATOR SPEEDS TO
PREVENT SON
SPOKANE., Dec. 28. State Senator
Charles F. Meyers of Davenport, re
publican candidate In a special elec
tion last fall for congressman from
the fifth Washington district, Is en
route for San Diego today In an ef
fort to dissuade his son, Phillip E.
Meyers, from his announced plan of
marrying on New Year's day Mrs.
Marguerite Gilchrist Overman, who
Sailstad & Sunshine
Girl Plead Guilty,'
Get 4 Years Each
SUPERIOR, Wis., Dec. 28.
Edward J. Sailstad and Dorothy
Anderson of Eau Claire today
pleaded guilty to a charge of
4 arson and were sentenced to four
years imprisonment by - Judge
Archibald McKay in superior
court here.
Sentence was pronounced after
a .- ten minute court session.
Sailstad must serve his sentence
at the Men's . Reformatory In
Clreen Bay, while his "sunshine
girl" Is to be confined at the
women's reformatory at Tay-
cheedah.
V The prisoners will not be elig-
ible for parole until they have 4
4 served half of their sentence, ac- 4
4 cording to the Wisconsin stat-
utes. 4
MELLON PUN OF
TAX REDUCTION
ADOPTED OtTIRE
wabhinutub, uec. za. never- French naval attache In Rome an
ing Its previous policy, the house ways nouncing that the body of Lieutenant
and means committee today made Orenaden, commander of the missing
. ,,, k. dirigible has been found in Sicilian
public the new revenue bill in the waterH muma n noI)ea for tne
form it was sent to the capital by of tno Dixmude to be abandonod.
Secretary Mellon. I These hopes hud flared up last even-
The text contains few changes from e " receipt of reports that the bnl-
.... . , . . ,. loon had been seon floating helplessly
the outline of the bill which has been oyor the g,,.
publicly announced at tne treasury. The Rome advices convlnood offic-
It follows Mr. Mellon's proposals for iaiB there could be no possible doubt
a sweeping revision of administrative tts to the identity of the body picked
provisions to prevent tax dodging, in- up as Lieutenant Grenaden had an
eludes a provision for a bonrd of 28 identification tag on his wrist,
tax appraisers to act as a court of Fishermen hauling In their nets
appeals In disputed cases and makes brought the body to the surface last
detailed provision for the tax reduc- night.
tions advocated by the secretary. It was rushed to Glrgent!, a small
A fight for publicity for the meas- cove near Sclacca, on the southwest-
ure wus conducted in a sub-committee em shore of Sicily. None of the
meeting yesterday by Representative flnhermen was able to read the identi-
Qnrner of Texas, rankinu democratic ficatlon tag and the identity of the
member.
Chairman Green and other
molarity member insisted then that
the text should be held in confidence
as a courtesy to Mr. Menon. imur-
..,
muen as tne iniiemi provision ui-
,nH t, , -nhii-hod hnwnvpr.
Mr n.o rteni.ieH tnrf,i that there
was no necessity for further wltlv
hnMtn l,1i..nrlnn
The sub-committee recessed after
today's session until after the first of
me ye-.. .-.. w.e
again will take up consideration of
the measure.
LET CONTRACT FOR
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 28. Con-
, . .. t , ,!.
. .
tne
ni. mi wiumnnjuiiu wuiiv uu
third unit of the Southern Pacific com-
pany's new main line In Oregon, be-
tween Klamath Falls and Eugene have
been lot to the Utah Construction com-
any of Ogden and San Francisco.
The provldes tor tne bnm.
f 32 mlles ot roadbed and boring a
3700 foot tunnel under the summit of
the Cascade range, according to the
Southern Pacific announcement yes-
ti.,ioi '
The Noted Dead
PARIS, Dec. 28. Alexandre Gustave make for France across the Medlter
Eitrel, the engineer who built the fa- ranean. however, as a gale was blow
motis tower that bears his name, b , ,nB on n' h ,
nw w w.D
dertook to dig the waterway.
SAN. DIEGO TO
MARRYING DIVORCEE
Is being sued by her husband here for
divorce.
An interlocutory decree was Issued
In superior court here Inst October
16 and under .the law of Washington
final decree may not issue before
next April 16. If Mrs. Overman should
marry before the final decree is
granted, it is explained by the prose
cuting attorney here, the parties to
the ceremony may be prosecuted for
bigamy if they return to this state.
FIND BODY
OF AIRSHIP
COMMANDER
Paris Officially Announces Di
rigible Dixmude Lost at Sea
When Body of Lieut. Grena
dan Is Hauled Ashore in
Fisherman's Net On Coast
of Sicily.
PARIS, Deo. 28. (By Associated
Prosa). An official announcement
today said that the dirigible Dixmude
hud been lost at sea.
PARIS, Dec. 28. (By Associated
Press). The body of Lieutenant Gre
nadan, commander of the --missing
dirigible Dixmude, has been found in
Sicilian waters, it was officially an
nounced this morning. The body was
found by fishermen six miles from
land off Sclncca, Sicily. Ita discovery
was reported by the Itulian maritime
authorities to the French naval at
tache at Rome.
The reeeint of a teleirram from the
neaa man was only maue a certainty
when the mayor and the school teach
er of the village viewed tho body,
- , .
r.t-ripi-a were lmmeil ntelv teleirrauh-
----
ed to the naval base at Toulon to
dispatch all available light speedy
craft to Sicilian waters to continue
the search for bodies from the 111-
tuted airship,
Scarch Continued
The fact that no vestige of wreck-
age from the airship or other bodies
? . , ., f. ,,, ,he
j ministry of marine to refrain from
giving oraers as yet to uibcoiiuiiu?
the search of the African desert for
traces of the dirigible. The combing
of the Mediterranean however, be
tween Sicily and the coast "of northern
Africa, will be . tho foremost branch
of tho search In the Immediate future
It is surmised that Lieutenant Ore
naden when he realized that the dirig
ible was lost, may have instructed his
men to Jump with their parachutes
and that he decided to remain on
board the ship, which might have
stayed aloft several hours, the com-
.1 ...Ill, ha,. n.Hlla
some 0( tne crew may have descended
n the wilds of northern Africa.,
SO Men on Board
The Dixmude had fifty officers and
men on hoard when she left the
Guers-Plerrefeu "Irdrome n'ar Mar-
uiaiiuvi fsu"ti " " ,ni ........
two nour8 crul)0 Bne f lew aBrom the
Mediterranean and over Alglera and
Tunis to the edge of the desert of
Sahara and then turned toward home.
She wbb last heard from directly on
I Friday, December 21, at 8 p. m., when
she was about ninety miles south of
Biskra, Alglera,
headed north toward
the Atlas mountains. Intending to pans
over Algiers on the Mediterranean.
She was instructed not to attempt to
much the same route that she
traveling when she disappeared.
The Daily
Bank Robbery
SPOKANE, Dec. 28. Four un
masked men held up Cashier Burr
Hughes of the First National bank at
Medical Lake this county, shortly be-
fore noon today, together with anoth
er employe and two' customers and
escaoed with about 11000
Tho roo
DerR outdistanced in their automobile
three cars which gavo chase.
The bank was robbed In 1917.
Die On 100th Birthday.
UNIONTOWN, Pa., Dec. 26 Taken
ill suddenly after celebrating her
100th birthday anniversary, Mrs. Har
riet Ross Reed died today.
Theda Bara Broke, Now
That Vamping's Passe?
Broadway Hears Denial
MISS BARA AND HER HUSBAND, TO WHOM SHE
CONFINES HER VAMPING ACTIVITIES NOW THAT THE
SIREN TYPE. OF MOV IES HAS PASSED OUT.
NEW YORKi Theda Bara "broke?" The famous original vamp
of the silver screen lifted expressive eyebrows this week when told
rumor was flitting up and down Broadway that she was out oi funds.
"Miss Bara 19 under contract at $4,000 a week," denied licr attor
ney. Her husband. Charles Brabin, is a director at $5,000 a week.
Miss Bara hai-two big automobiles and two chauffeurs, and her
h'tsband has two of Lis own. She owns a New York house, a
California bungalow and supports her mother and sisters in an apart
ment on-Riverside Drive. Now,.' is she broke?''
The rumor arose from the fact that the famous vamp's collection'
of rugs, furniture and autiuue silks is on public auction here.
PHILIPPINOS
OUTRAGED BY
WASHINGTON, Doc. 2. Be
lieving that American coastwise
shipping laws should bo extended
to tho Philippines If American
tonnugo Is arittiuatc for that
trade. President Coolldge had tlo
tcrmtnod to ask. tho war depart
ment to make u Nurvty to soo If
Amciicmi shliw can furnish suf
ficient 'service
WASHINGTON, Dec. 28. Exten
sion of the eonstwiHe shipping laws
to the Philippines, separation of the
emergency fleet corporation from the
shipping board, compulsory co-operation
between American railroads
and shipping and a survey of the
needs for a permanent merchant ma
rine were recommended to President
Coolldge today by Chairman Jones of
the senate commerce committee.
Senator Jones submitted his recom-
menatlons in response to a request
from the president who nsked him for
memorandums of his views on va
rious shipping nnd nlliod problems.
Extension of the coastwise laws
may be accomplished by presidential
proclamation whenever the chief
executive is satisfied that there are
adequate shipping facilities under the
American flair for tho Philippines
United States trade. Such extension
has been advocated for nearly two
years 'by Senator Jones and . by the
shipping board, but heretofore has
been blocked by advice from tho state
department thut it would contravone
several trade treaties to which the
United states is a party.
Manuel Roxan, speaker of the Phil
ippine house of representatives nnd
head of tho special Philippine inde
pendence mission, Issued a stutcmcnt
today declaring "tho undying opposi
tion of our people to this measure."
"The application of tho coastwise
laws to tho Philippines," Speaker
Roxns said, "would create an absolute
monopoly of the carrying trade be
tween the Islands and tho United
States In favor of American bottoms,
with all tho evils consequent upon
special privileges of this kind. This
arrangement is bound to Increase
freight charges at the expense of the
Filipino people, both producers and
consumers. Such being' the cose, the
attempt to enforce this plnn without
the consent of the Philippine people
Is tantamount to taxation without
representation, which the American
(Continued on Page Eight)
SHIP PROGRAM
i
GOVERNMENf IN
JAPAN RESIGNS,
CRISIS LOOMS
TOKIO,Dcc. 28. (By Associated
Press). In viow of developments
growing out of tho atlompted assas
sination of Prince Regent Htrohlto
yesterday, the latter has requested the
members of tho cabinet to continue
In offlco for the present, but they are
expected to retire before the meeting
of tho diet on January 20.
The diet was In session all day to
day considering the situation precipi
tated by the attack on the prince
regent, which has Increased greatly
tile difficulties confronting tho minis
ters. Home Minister Goto is snld to be
Insistent upon tho acceptance of his
resignation, presented yesterday Inas
much as he Is compelled by custom to
hold himself officially responsible for
such untoward Incident as the at
tempt to slay the heir to the throne.
Many officials still are being care
fully guarded, even the approaches to
their residences being putrollod.
The resignations of various police
officials, following In tho wako of the
attempted uHHassinutlon is merely a
formality.
TOKIO, Dec. 27. (By Associated
Press). The critical situation pre
vailing here as a result of the at
tempted assassination of Prince Re
gent lilrohito curlier today, resulted
In an attempt, by a crowd of ruffians,
to obtain entrance to the quarters of
Premier Vamamoto and Baron Goto,
both of whom resigned. i
Huron Goto has been accused of
having socialistic tendencies since he
extended a private Invitation when he
was mayor ot Toklo, to A. A.; Joffe,
straclal envoy from tho Moscow soviet,
to tho Far east, to visit Toklo. ;
Investigation of tho attempted as
sassination which occurred vhllo the
prince regent was on his way; td con
vene the diet In ordinary session this
morning has indicated that Daisuke
Numba, his assailant, attended Wase
da university where a large radical
element Is said to exist.
SAN FRANCISCO, Doc. 28. R. O.
Courtwrlght, football and basketball
coach at the University ot Nevada,
has made formal application for the
position of coach at the University of
Oregon, according to a letter received
from Courtwrlght todny by the San
Frnnclsco Call. In the letter Court
wrlght points to tho fact that Nevada
had won 24 ot the 22 gntnes that It
played In the last tlve years.
Chink Pirates Nab
British Ship; Make
Away With Money
HONG KONO, Dee. 28. (By
l Associated I'ress). The British
steamer Hydrangla wns attacked
by pirates last night while on
her way from Hong Kong to
Swatow.
Upon a given signal, the pl-
rates, who were distributed
about the vessel in the guise of
passengers, surprised tho guard
of Indian troops the ship carried
and rushed the saloon where the
captain and officers wore dining.
They soon controlled the
steamer and their own pilot navl-
gated her to Bias bay where she
grounded. There tho pirates
esenped.
They had ransacked tho pas-
sengers belongings and looted
the vesnel of valuable articles.
There were no casualties.
CHANGE OF SEX
SAYS SCIENTIST
CINCINNATI, Ohio, Doc. 28. (By
tho Associated Press) An extraordi
nary story ot cgg-mying
dove tnnt was completely cnongeu
Into a mnlo through a tuborculosls
infection, was told today to tho Amer-
lean Society of Zoologists 'by. 'Dr.
Oscar Uiddlo of the research staff of
thA Pmneirio station for exncrlinentnl
evolution at Cold Springs Hurbor,
. ,,,, M v
i.niiim i .i.. .,!..
.inu'niH n ,in ever..i .vears
have nroved that sex can be chnngod
In tho earliest or egg laying stage, of,
the pigeon, but that a reversal of sex
in a full grown bird or animal is an;
exceedingly rare occurrence.
no conciuneo, ' "'""
,i....i... i ..i. whu-t
probabte that nil horldliary -charac-
teristlcs of cvory human being nnd
of every organism are capable of ro - ,
versal and modification, and that the;
accomplishment of this merely awaits
tho definitely directed efforts of in-
vest gators In this branch of science.'
The bird concerned In the story told
NO! IMPOSSIBLE
by Dr. Rlddlo was a fomulo blond ring prmeeu-m ot wus anu . outer ant
dove, like thousands of others studied, mnls," Clarke said. . :. ..
She was laying eggs for a period and
then the laying ccasod. Later the
bird assumed sex bohuvlor of a male
dove, still later, tne speagor nam. tne
former female doveioped the crow ofi
t, .,i., r.,. .in .1,1- n.rimi1
the body weight Increased so that lt
came to be more nearly that of a male
pigeon. .
"Tho result clearly indicates," Dr.
Riddle doclared, "that the hereditary
basis or no bodily or mental cnarac -
terlstlo may be considered as Irrevo
cably fixed and uncontrollable."
TO OPEN 177
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 28. The Fa
mous Pluyers-Lusky studio In Holly
wood, recently closed because of what
compuny officials termed the exorbi
tant cost of motion picture production
today faced n year of activity aug
mented by Its temporary suspension
of film play making, according to an
announcement last night by Jesse L.
Lusky, first vice president of the company.-
Declaring that the shutdown had
accomplished its purpose tho crea
tion of a "sane business attitude
among producers nnd diroctors after
u n, ' recK. eoi M.ei.fon
resumed at the Hollywood studio Jan -
nnrv 7 uilth three l.rnli.elnr enm.
panlea and with tho number In -
creuslng until twolvo companies are
at work. Forty-five pictures will be
made nt tho Lasky studio here In
1020, the producer udded, constitut-
ing 76 per cent of the total Ldskyl
output for the year. '
MOONSHINE FATAL
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 28. Poison
ous liquor was held responsible for the
deaths of 875 persons herb this year,
In a statement published by Deputy
Coroner Frank Paul today,
"This city Is wide open," he con
tinued. "So called liquor Is being sold
openly on the corners. You can buy
all you want. But most of It is poison
ous. You cannot buy the pre-war
liquor for no one will sell it."
To euard against ao old fashioned
K. K. LETTER
MOTIVE IS
OUESTIONED
Spokesman for President Saysj
Klan Move By E. Y. Clarke t.
Indicates Mere Desire forlflH
Publicity Clarke Declares
Klan Is Now a Lawless? A
Organization. -
WASHINGTON. Dec. 28. Action of
B. Y. Clarke, former klan official. In
making public a letter to the president
prior to Its presentation at the' White
Mouse was criticized today; by al
sitokesman for President ' Coolldge,
who asserted that such a course tend-l
cd to indicate that the communication
was written more for publicity pur
poses than for consideration by the
executive. ' t'S
Washington. Dec. 28. Warfare,
which will make the mountain feudal
of Kentucky look like play will break
out between factions ot the Ku Kluxl
Klan unless present conditions are reJ
move(i Euwar(i v0ung Clarke, former-
iy imperial wizard of tho klan predlct-l
ed here vesterdav in a statement.
Aftor an open letter from Clarke had
been left at the White House offices
Clarke, in a sensational statement,
I declared he was through with the
klan; that a reign of lawlessness "al
0Bt beyond belief is attributable to
Wan strength in Texas, Louisiana, Ar
kansas and Oklahoma; that In Ohio,
Mlchignn and parts of Illinois the klan
1b becoming a mastor political ma'
ohme.
Clarke said the licensed carrying
ot guns by klansmen aboutd he pro
1 hlbited "as the Influence on the lndiv
filial who carrleB the gun .Injurious
ana serves to mane mm an unaesira
- ole Citizen. - . t- . ,i-
"in Pennsylvania and Indiana llcett
igfi8 to CBrrv gunB have Been ana ar))
being obtained by klansmen under an
; . . . . . M, .,.,. .
old unrepealed law with relation to the
"I am Informed Ciaf wrthln the laiit
few days about 150 such commissions
nave Been sgHed at one time in In-
dnna nnd oho .. he declared. , v
. Ut i - . 4
Hols making himself a target,
Clal" "'" 0,lt ot a feelln th " la
, hI" dlltv to "make war on a condition
and a process of development through
which tho klan is passing and which.
.unless checked, will mean either the
.destruction of the klan or the devel
opmont of an organization to a point
where it will be a real menace to the
nation. .; ,
Sets Great Animosity
"The klan today, on the Inslda. Is
a seething mass of animosity, Btrlfe
and hatred and unless something Is
done to change the situation there will
be practical feudal warefare. 1 The far-
famed mountain feuds of Kentucky are
but play In comparison to the bitter
ness and hatred now existing between
the two factions and bloodshed Is as
certain to come as night follows day.'
Good men in the klan are afraid to
speak out, he said. Legislators, sena
tors and congressmen "are being whip
ped into line," and for this reason, bo
Bald, "It has become necessary tor me
to declare myself or prove untrue to
the allegiance to my country."
Clarke Is head of the' faction which
opposeB control of the klan under the
, administration of Hiram Evans, pres-
j ent Imperial wizard,
The open letter presented by Fuller
wag a violent attack on the preseot
I conlr" ' K' K' K' ' ,
Call It Menace tO LW
1 A now operated, ' Clarke's letter
said, the klan is "a real menace to law
and order, Individual rights and demo-i
cratio political government."
He sad tliat ..tne thing which
, '
(Continued on Pago Three)
TO 875 PERSONS
IS
New Year celebration here with new
fashioned liquors. Coroner William R.
Knight will placard the city with post- ,
era showing photographs - of the
bodies ot victims ot poisonous bever-j
ages. ' ":i ' i
NEW YORK, Dec. 28. The toll of
deajths from holiday bootleg liquor
was Increased to nineteen today when;
three men and one woman fell ylz-i
tlms to alcoholic poisoning.