Richmond Palladium (Daily), Volume 44, Number 75, 6 February 1919 — Page 1

big: AIXAJD A SINGLE COPY 3 CENTS VOL. XLIV. NO. 75-SS-IS-i. d-. Ifc'T-to-RICHMOND, IND., THURSDAY EVENING, FEB. 6, 1919.

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WHY SOUTH SIDE BRIDGE WILL RAISE TAX RATES CONSTITUTION AMENDMENTS ARE PASSED IN SENATE Will Aid American Womep in France American to Head Russian Railroad Wichita Girl to Aid French Tot Z2K r wv:-:':-:-:-:v:.:-:.

SfJALLilATIOilS ARE GRANTED RECOGNITION BY CONGRESS Four Additional Seats at Sessions Granted Lesser Belligerent Countries After Long Session

COUNTY UNIT HIGHWAY DILL IS HELD BEST FOR USE HERE Centralization of Improvements Through Road Superintendent Would Save Money, He Believes. SYSTEM IS WASTEFUL

Passage of the county unit road bill would be the best thing that ever happened to Wayne county roada, la the opinion of V. O. ,Seaney. former county commissioner.

There are two bills now before the Btate legislature, both of which provide for the collection of all taxea in cash, but while by one the money would be spent through the county highway auperintendent'a office, by the other it would go to the township trustees the same as in the present system, says Seaney. Of the two the former is very much the best, according to the former commissioner. The latter keeps the township roads in the trustees' hands and while the township system was a good one, in the days when labor was cheaper than work, and men prefered to work out their road tax, its day has past Now, with the county more prosperous than ever before, it is simply an aggravation to farmers to have to atop farm work and work on the roads. They would far rather pay cash. . But under the county unit system, every bit of road work in the county would be centralized. Labor, material, expenditures, everything would be In the hands of experienced men whose only work would be the roads. The township system is an absolute waste of money, said Seaney. Besides the waste resulting from having seventeen distinct and often antagonistic road systems in the county, under the old system there is a big opportuity for carelessness and waste. Instances were related where township trustees would go down to the scene of operations for the day and count he number of teams and men at work. Then they would return to their own work on the arm and the laborers would be left absolutely free to wcrk or hot, as they pleased and to dump whatever they pleased on tho roads. Indiana Far Behind. Under the new system it would be possible for the county superintendent's office to work out a comprehensive plan of road bufldtn'ar VSS' Improvement, and with, all the money eotner to the best advantage, it would be only a few years before the farth est and ruttiest road on tne county could be made practically as good as the state highway. Indiana is far behind in this matter, said Mr. Seaney, as more than half the states already have a law somewhat like the one proposed for our state. The bill should pass, and In Seaney's opinion it. will pass. By a margin of two votes the Indi ana house of representatives yester rav aDDroved the provisions of. the highway commission bill as originally flrawn. placing all money derived Trom automobile license fees in the hands of the proposed commission. The test came after the submission of a majority and first and second minority reports of the road committee. The members of the committee, with one exception, were in agreement upon all other provisions and amendments to the measure. Knapp and Lafuze voted for the majority report, in favor of letting the counties have the automobile license funds. The first minority report, favoring retention of the proposition devoting all automobile license funds to the state highway commission, was adopted. No Senate Action. Action will not be taken on the administration highway bill in the senate roads committee in view of the fact that the house committee failed to change the measure materially in Its report today. Senator Dobyns, the chairman, said today his committee will wait until the house measure is passed by that body and amend It, rather than the senate bill. He said the committee members agree with the house committee on practically every change In the bill except reduction of salaries to the standard set by the house. Good road enthusiasts in the senate Continued on Page Eight.

Federal Tax Budget Providing $6,000,000,000

(By Associated Press) WASHINGTON, Feb. 6. With the submission to congress today of the conferees' agreement on the long delayed war revenue bill, the American people were presented with their prospective federal tax budgt for 1919 and ensuing years something over $6,000,000,000 this yoar, and $4,000,000,000 thereafter, subject to the revision of future rates expected to be undertaken by the next congress. The conference report, presented to the house by Majority Leader Kitchln was regarded assured of adoption by both house and senate and of apiroval by the president; it thus prom-

levy, which now is about $4,370,000,COO. Besides this year's tax levy of about $6,000,000,000. further treasury needs, to be raised by bonds and other means are estimated by the treasury at about $12,000,000,000. ' The principal rate Increases agreed

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Lady Weldon. Lady Weldon of England will act as one of the advisors to the committee of American women which Is on its way to help reconstruct the devastated parts of France and Belgium. U.S. RIGHTS TO BE GUARDED BY HEX GOVERNMENT American Ambassador Takes Optimistic View of Situation in Southern Republic. Bjr Associated Press) WASHINGTON, Feb. 6. American rights in Mexico will be amply safeguarded by the Mexican government, according to Ambassador Henry P. Fletcher, who is here from Mexico City for conferences with state department officials, with an optimistic view of the situation in the southern republic. The ambassador declared. today the feeling there toward this country had become more friendly since the recall of the German.jninJst.er.OhA-aotorioBtr von Bokhardt, and tne consequent cessation of anti-American propaganda. President Carranza In the last two years, he said, had accomplished a great -work- in preparing for development and reconstruction and in reorganizing the public service, and had made such headway in this respect that the various bandit leaders now were without real influence and were operating in small bands. He was emphatic in the statement that Carranza was the real power in Mexico. Of paramount importance, the ambassador said, was the possibility that the troubles of oil interests, including American, soon would be adjusted. He said up to this' time no decrees. had jbeen enforced and no taxes collected under the new constitution vesting direct ownership of all minerals, including petroleum, in the nation. The oil interests have objected vigorously to these decrees and the United States government has made certain representations. No Extension of Time for Income Tax Returns (By Associated Press) v WASHINGTON, Feb. 6. No extension of the time for filing - income and profit returns beyond March 15 will be made by the treasury. Secretary Glass said today. War Council to Decide Allied Army Strength (By Associated Press.) PARIS, Feb. 6. A meeting of the supreme inter-allied -war council will be held at the foreign office on Friday to decide the question as to the strength of the forces to be maintained in the service by the different entente . armies. Conditions for a renewal of the armistice with Germany will also be considered. to In conference were to raise the corporation income rate for 1920 from eight per cent, as proposed by the senate, to ten per cent, and an increase from 60 to 65 per cent, in the second "bracket," or sliding rate, on corporations' excess profits for this year. The eighty per cent, war profits tax for this year was adopted and upon insistence by house conferees, extended to 1920, but made applicable next year only upon such profits from government war contracts. The excess proflts "bracket" rates of 20 and 40 per cent for 1920 also were approved. Income Tax Provision. Virtually all the so-called relief provisions or "cushions" of the senate, designed to prevent hardships in imposition of the corporation taxes, were adopted. In the Important Income tax section, the bill retains all senate rates,-normal and surtaxes, including that of 12

Taxpayer to Stand Most of Expense for Proposed Improvement, Figures Show Total Cost $225,000.

BOND ISSUE REQUIRED No matter how the expense for the proposed south side bridge is technically divided, the humble tax-payer is going to have to pay ten cents more taxes on the hundred to pay for it, persons familiar with the bridge situation declared Thursday. While it is true that from the south side bridge fund was taken $80,000 to build the Main street bridge, all this money has been used, and it is not in the county treasury. In the south side bridge fund there is only about $15,000 at the present time. As the new bridge will cost at least $225,000 with the original plans, there must be a. bond issue of $200,000 or more to pay for the proposed bridge. 8maller Bridge Considered. While part of this money will be used technically to pay for the Main street bridge, and the $80,000 of the South G street bridge fund, borrowed for the Main street bridge, will be paid back,. the bond issue will be absolutely required before the south side bridge can be built. The tax payer will have to pay ten cents more taxes before the construction of the bridge, no matter to what the issue will be technically charged. Shifting of accounts back and forth on the county's books will not change this fact. It was also learned Thursday that advocates of the bridge are planning. in case they cannot secure an appropriation sufficient to build a bridge to accommodate two street car tracks and a large volume of other traffic, to ask for appropriations to build a smaller, single-track structure. This would cost the county about $40,000 less, but the proposed" smaller bridge would inevitably have to be replaced or improved comparatively soon, and when tne south side bridge is built it should be a structure for all time. 15,000 SOLDIERS iuJBE4BI4VMfJI0HE (By Associated Press) WASHINGTON, "Feb. 6. Departure from France of five transports with more than 650 officers and 15,000 men was announced today by the war de partment. Among the units aboard are the 371st and 372nd infantry com plete, parts of several other infantry regiments and the 68th coast artillery regiment complete. The transports are due to arrive at New York, Bos ton and Newport News between Feb 12 and 18. THE WEATHER For Indiana by the United States Weather Bureau Generally cloudy tonight and Friday. Probably local snows. Warmer tonight in extreme south portion. Colder Friday in north and. central portions. Today's Temperatures. Noon -.. 32 Yesterday. Maximum . 30 Minimum 16 Fop Wayne County by W. E. Moore Partly cloudy , tonight and Friday. Local snow. Colder Friday. General Conditions Temperatures have risen over the central states and will rise still further on the Ohio river tonight. An extensive area of high barometric pressure over Saskatchewan is causing very cold weather along the Canadian border and 32 below zero at Qu'Appelle. The area of low barometric pressure is crossing the Rocky mountains and has developed into a storm of considerable size. There is snow in the west and zero weather over Arizona, Another storm covers the Gulf of Mexico causing heavy rains in Florida and the gulf states. Temperature is due to fall over this district some time Friday. per cent, double existing law, on corporations' income of last year in excess of credits previously alowed, but fixes the rate for subsequent years at ten per cent. The 12 per cent, normal rate on individual incomes earned last year and the eight per cent, rate payable in 1920 are retained with individual exemptions of $1,000 for single and $2,00 for married persons, and-an additional exemption of $200 for each dependent minor. Also adopted are provisions that Individuals shall pay only six per cent, this year and four per cent, thereafter on the first $4,000 subject to tax above exemptions. The senate individual surtaxes, ranging from one percent on Income between $5,00 and $6,000 to 65 per cent, on more than $1,000,000 also ' were approved. - v "' " - - -' Child Labor Tax. Of the Unportant general legislation and "riders", the conferees

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John F. Steven. John F. Stevens, noted American railroad man, recently accepted the managership of the Trans-Siberian railroad. He will work together with General Horvath, the former manager of the road. EBERT CONVENES ENEMY CONGRESS AT WEIMAR TODAY Constitution of New German Republic is to be Decided at Meeting of Delegates. ' (By Associated Press) AMSTERDAM, Feb. 6 Frederich Ebert, the German chancellor, will open the first session of the recently elected German national assembly at Weimar at three o'clock this afternoon. Dispatches from " Berlin state that after the meeting of the body is thus opened the chair will be taken by the oldest member of the assembly probabJy Herr Pfannguch. The advices report that many members for Alsace-Lorraine have presented themselves for the first sitting of the assembly. - The name of Herr Eichhorn, the former chief of the Berlin police department, who was ousted during the trouble with the Spartacans, will be stricken from the roll of .membership of theaBSelmtly'asf his" whereabouts is not known. He will be succeeded by the candidate in his district who received the next largest vote. . Thousand Years Old. Weimar, capital of the grand-duchy of the Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, 50 miles southwest of Leipzig and 141 miles southwest of Berlin, known as "the poets' city" and "the German Athens", was chosen for the gathering of the first German national assembly, it is said, because it is a non-Prussian town. It is situated in a fertile valey of the river Ilm, a small tributary of the Saale and has a population of less than 50,000. VIENNA, Wednesday, Feb. 5 President Dinghofer, of the German-Austrian national assembly, in opening yesterday's session, greeted the Ger man national assembly which will meet at Weimar on Thursday. He said: "Conditions which will accord us our wish to participate in that assembly have not yet arrived,' but we must not, in the meantime, let pass unnoticed such an Important event. The great German ideal is not extinguished for Germans in this country. Let us salute our brothers in Germany with enthusiasm. Let ua rejoice with them that the German people are united and are not divided by the jealousy of rulers." Chicago Tribune Is Given Change of Venue (By Associated Press) DETROIT, Mich., Feb. 6. A change of venue from Wayne county (Detroit) to some other county in Michigan was granted in circuit court this morning to the Chicago Tribune in the million dollar libel suit brought against it by Henry Ford. Selection of a place for the trial is left to counsel for both sides, but in event of their inability to agree it will be fixed by Judge Henry A. Mendell who heard the motion for a change of venue. ' adopted the following provisions: I Levying a prohibitory tax on products of child labor: ; - Restoring a pre-war postage rate on letters and postcards, July 1. Providing a pay bonus of $60 for all persons in tho military establishment, officers and men alike. Extend "Dry" Amendment. Extending the Reed "bone dry" prohibition law to the District of Columbia; ' Increasing from $25 to $1,000 the tax on those dealing in Intoxicants, including "stills" in prohibition territory: , ' . ., For taxation of salaries of federal officials, Including the president and judiciary but not of state officials; For submission of all government contracts, , by. contractors on .demand of the internal revenue commissioner. For exemptions of 20 per cent to oil prospectors; Establishing an advisory tax board

Governor Given Power to Veto Appropiiat ion Bill by Administration M e a s u r e . Passed Today.

STRICT PARTY VOTE , (By Associated Press) . INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 6 Two of the proposed administration amendments to the constitution passed the senate today; the vote on each being passed strictly along party lines. The amendments provided that the governor may veto items of appropriation bill and that the legislature shall create the office of clerk of the supreme court, Americanization was the principal subject for consideration by the lower House. The Lowe bill, which Repre sentative Kotnrock proposes to amend to provide that no language except me ngusn, snail be used for instruc tional purposes or be taught in any of tne nrsi six years of public, parochial ana private schools of the state, was on passage. Representative Vesey, of Fort Wayne, who is fighting the mea sure, declared he hopes to defeat it. If the bill is not amended -but passed as it originally was Introduced, members declare there is a question whether parochial and private schools would be affected. . An unspirlted , political fight to smother the veto power amendment, was started when Senator Cravens, Democrat, moved that further slderation of the joint resolution pro-i posing tne amendment be indefinitely postponed. The vote on this question was along party lines, 30 Republicans favoring laying the motion to postpone on the table and 12 Democrats opposing. The seven Republicans who broke from the political fold on preliminary consideration of the supreme court clerk amendment voted with other members of the majority side today because the feature providing for appointment of the clerk was stricken out to make it conform with the Re publican platform. . Another registration bill was proposed in the senate. It proposed to register Indiana voters under the army registration system. Registration books of 1918 would be used as a basis for handling those already registered In the precinct In which they stilLlive. - - ' " Senator "VanAuken's joint resolution for amending the constitution tortrovide that voters show a poll tax receipt and pass a literacy test before voting was expected to meet some opposition when it came before the senate as a special order of business this afternoon. The administration constitutional amendment providing for executive appointment of the superintendent of public instruction was to come out of the committee today. The majority will recommend redrafting to provide only for creation of the office by legislation and the minority will favor indefinite postponement, Democrats signing the minority. The house also was expected to consider on passage the measure, passed by the senate, which provides for making a separate judicial circuits of Bartholomew and Decatur counties, and the house bills providing for commitment of feeble-minded persons to the School for Feeble Minded at Fort Wayne, for employment of inspectors whose duty it would be to see that buildings of three stories or more are constructed as present laws provide, and for allowing the mayor of Mishawaka $500 annually for managing a municipally owned public utility plant in addition to his salary as mayor. Members expected the session to be as important as was yesterday afternoon's when the bill increasing the minimum wage of teachers was passed and the report of five members of the committee on roads, favoring all receipts from the automobile license tax being placed at the disposal of the proposed state highway commission for construction of hard surfaced roads, was substituted for the majority report of the committee, which recommended the present method of distribution ol these receipts among tho counties. The other amendments proposed by the committee, which would fix the salary of the engineer at $4,000 and of the director at $3,600 annually, and provide for the southwest, southeast, northeast and northwest portions of the state each being represented on the commission were adopted. Continued On Page Eleven. For 1919 of six members in the treasury; and Restricting sale and use of narcotics by strengthening the Harrison drug act. In agreeing upon war excess profits taxes (confined to corporations), the conferees struck out the house alternative plan to levy on war or excess proflts according to the highest yield, adopting the senate composite plan. The pre-war period standard of calendar years of 1911, 1912 and 1913 was retained, as was the system credits. Corporations with Income less than $3,000 are exempted. Other limitations are for a maximum excess profits tax of thirty per cent this year and twenty per cent in 1920 on income under $20,000, plus eighty per cent In 1919 and forty per cent thereafter on Income over $20,000.--Estate taxes, substituted for the senate Inheritance levies, and following the original house plan are Imposed at rates lower than existing

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Miss Claire Lois Butler Lee. - Miss Claire Lois Butler Lee, a public school teacher of Wichita, Kansas, will leave shortly for France. She will work in the devastated parts of the French republic, assisting In the re establishing of the schools which are being made ready again for the children robbed of their education by the war. 65,000 WORKERS READY TO STRIKE IN WESTERN CITY Seattle Labor Council Ratifies Decision to Walk OutMetal Workers Affected. (By Associated Press) . SEATTLE, Wash., Feb. 6. Strike of approximately 65,000 union workers in nearly every trade and industry was set for ten o'clock today, the -decfeilon of the Central Labdr Council late last night ratifying the time selected previously by a conference of a majority of 130 unions affected. The general strike was called in sympathy with between 25,000 and 30,000 metal trades workers who left ship yards and contract shops January 21 to enforce demands for $8, $7, and $6 a day for basic trades, helpers and laborers respectively. At Tacoma, where the labor council voted for a general strike today, it was reported problematically as to whether the walkout would involve a majority of the unions. Betwen 20,000 and 25,000 men, it was believed, would be affected. Will Paralyze Industry. Seattle's industrial and commercial life practically will be paralyzed by the strike. The city's general affairs will be "as usual" according to Mayor Ole Hanson. All but some Ifteen small restaurants taken over by Union labor as "soup kitchens" for the strikers and needy public, were to close. City owned street car lines will run, if city officials carry out their de termination, but the main lines of the city, owned by private interests probably will stop. Favorable Action for Irish Liberty Urged by Senate Committee WASHINGTON, Feb. 6. The house foreign affairs committee today ordered favorably reported a resolution expressing the hope that the peace conference "would favorably consider the claims of Irelanl to the right of self determination." Whitewater I. 0. 0. F. to Confer Degrees on Three A surprise is in store for the mem bers of the Whitewater Lodge I. O. O F., who will meet Friday night. All members are urged to be present. There will be first degree work for three candidates. Expenses is law. With a general exemption of $50,000 the new rates range from one to 25 per cent the minimum on net taxable estates exceeding by $25,000 the $50,000 ' exemption and the maximum of 25 per cent on estates of $10,000,000 and over. The existing graduated rates range from two per cent on estates under $50,000 to 25 per cent on those exceeding $10,000,000, while . the house proposed rates from three to forty per cent. The provision for taxes on . transportation, and other public facilities, effective April 1, largely follows the existing law, but reduces from ten to eight per cent the . levy on seats, berths and state room accommodations in sleeping or parlor cars or on vessels, fixes the rate on. telegraph, telephone, cable and radio messages at five cents on those costing fifteen to fifty cents and ten cents on those above fifty cents Instead of the present five cent flat charge on messages

CZECHS PRESENT CLAIM

(By Associated Press) PARIS, Jan. 6. Nineteen small belligerent nations won definite recognition from the supreme council of the peace conference today, which granted four additional seats on the commission to the society of nations to lesser countries. This gives to the small powers nine seats on the commission which will frame the plan for the society and ten seats to the five neat powers. ' . According to the decision, the smaller powers of Poland, Rumania, Czechoslovak and Greece will hold addit'onal seats. This concession to lesser nations became known tonight after a long sesion of the comission on the society of nations, which President Wilson attended. It was apparently received with satisfaction by the smaller powers, which felt their representation to be Inadequate. Tonight's session of the commission lasted from 8:30 until after 11 o'clock, the chief point discussed being the constitution of the executive body of the society of nations. Wishing to meet the opposition of small countries which have resented their having been excluded from the executive body, England proposed to give five representatives for smaller countries, mak ing the membership seven in all. May Get Further Power Premier Orlando of Italy approved the British suggestion, saying that be considered It would give fair representation to all countries, but Leon Bourgeois, speaking for France, opposed the plan, pointing out that the nineteen small belligerents were entitled to larger representation. He found support for his assertion. England also suggested a formula which would permit her dominions to be represented on the body. Positive steps for reconciling differences between the greater and lesser nations at the peace conference, which were begun yesterday, are continuing today. In addition to winning four additional places on ' the commission on the' society of nations, it seems probable that the lesser powers also will be granted adequate representation in the executive body of society, as well as the legislative sections. The smaller powers are insisting on being given a greater voice in the society and plans under consideration are being revised to meet the situation. Wilson at Conferences. When the commission on the so-' ciety of nations meets tonight, representatives of Poland, Roumanla. Greece and Czechoslovakia will be present, together with those of China, Brazil, Belgium, Portugal and Serbia, and the five great powers. President Wilson expects to be present every night this week, as the work of framing the plan for the society of nations is regarded by him as of extreme Importance. Ask U. S. Protection. The American delegation to the peace conference has numerous petitions from committees, municipalities, and representatives of territories under Ottoman rule, asking to be put under the protection of the United States or at least that America shall be the mandatory country entrusted with government. More significant still is the pressure brought to bear to bring about a decision by which America should be entrusted with the duty of loking after Constantinople, the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles, which, it is believed, will be internationalized by the peace conference. Even the great European powers are urging America to accept that responsibility, as she is the only country which, having no direct interest in the Near East, cannot arouse any jealousy, and enjoys the complete confidence of all the peoples of the sections invilved without distinction of race or religion. To objections that American public opinion is opposed to any interference in the government of other countries, especially outside the American continent, it is observed, as a member of the Italian delegation has said, that "by participating in the war and by taking a leading part in the peace con(Continued on Page Three) Completed costing fifteen cents and more, and imposes a new tax on private or leased telephone or telegraph wires, except press wires, of ten per cent of rentals. In fixing the passenger transportation taxes, the conferees adopted a senate amendment to exempt commutation trips of less than thirty miles or " fare paid under 42 cents. ' .?-,: V'- :-...-': Insurance taxes, effective April 1 at virtually existing rates, based on policies written, were adopted, as proposed by the house In lieu of the senate plan to tax insurance company' incomes. ' V ? -;.: Adopt Beverage Taxes. : ' Beverage taxes, contingent on prohibition, as adopted are distilled spirits for non-beverage purposes, 52.20 per proof . gallon, the present rate; distilled spirits manufactured, Import ed or withdrawn for beverage pu (Continued on Page Seven)