a — i comers wa —_—-". a. . oo cr - an EE Ee ———— A ——— {SPAWLS FROM THE KEYSTONE. > = : : : 4 —Pittsburgh detectives are looking for a Prworiicipatdm 1 Le he who walked into Judge Sylvester J. ~~ 4 | Snee's private chambers, took the judge's SN TTT TTT | overcoat valued at $75 and departed, leav- INK SLINGS. "ing his own coat. n : —Mary Ellen, infant daughter of Mr. ——There were some ‘vacan chairs” at the Republican caucus in Harrishurg, the other evening. Some of those entitled to seats are in jail. —As for the new year we are hop- ing it holds nothing worse in store for us than the old one had and as for you we are wishing that it may have a million times more of the joy of living than we got out of it. And that —we should say—is some good wish for you. —Sir Geoffrey Butler, English law- yer and member of Parliament, says he is appalled at the amount of drunkenness he has seen since coming to the U. S. A. Sir Geoffrey has yet to learn, it seems, that sobriety in dry countries can’t be measured by wet country standards. —Probably few of you will be in- terested in the announcement that twenty-three thousand new million- aires have been created in the United States since 1914. We feel it our duty, however, to keep you exactly in- formed in such matters so we pause to inform you that we are not among the noveau rich. —In two months Calvin Coolidge will have his public fade out. Of course historians will quibble about his greatness as President of the United States and we shall not raise issue with any of them. We prefer to remember him as the President who fished for trout with worms and stalk. ed doe deer with a doubled barreled shot gun. —Many a time during the New Year you will probably have arguments as to the time certain important events happened during 1928. There- fore we suggest that you preserve page six of this issue of the Watch- man. All of the memorable happen- ings of the old year are reported there and it will be a very handy sheet to lay away for reference. —The loose manner in which we. of- ten express ourselves was splendidly illustrated by a very demure lady, on Tuesday, when she told us that a mu- tual friend, who happens to be a very reputable widower of the town, “is in bed with a nurse.” We just had to laugh and the good woman doubtless thinks us a very heartless person, be- cause we know she didn’t realize what she had said. —In the Norris case Judge Kirk- patrick has ruled that it is not unlaw- STATE RIGHTS AND FEDERAL UNION, BELLEFONTE, PA.. JANUARY 4. 1929. NO. 1. Hyprocrisy Wins by Narrow Margin | As predicted in our last issue Sena- | tor Bruce’s amendment to the post- office appropriation bill, allocating $300,000,000 for enforcement of the Volstead law was stricken out of the measure by the conference committee. The Anti-Saloon League and all other prohibitionists for revenue and poli- tics were bitterly opposed to so large an appropriation for that purpose. It might accomplish the result, which would not only put the high-salaried prohibitionists out of their jobs but would deprive the political prohibi- tionists of an effective smoke-screen to deceive the too credulous voters. But they saved themselves by a nar- row margin. The vote in the Senate on the motion to adopt the conference report was very close. In a signed statement giving his reasons for offering his amendment Senator Bruce said that when Mr. Doran, federal prohibition commis- sioner, stated to a Congressional com- mittee that it would require that amount of money to enforce the Vol- stead law, he determined to supply the money if possible. He was “ac- tuated by the wish to ascertain how far the Anti-Saloon League and sin- cere drys in Congress were willing to incur the political hazards of impos- ing upon the federal taxpayers the enormous pecuniary burden which Mr. Doran says is indispensible to the effective enforcement of prohibition, and how far the drys in Congress, who are wet in practice, were willing to junite in a generous appropriation which might make it more difficult to harmonize a dry tongue with a wet throat.” The proceeding that followed the adoption of the Bruce amendment by the Senate was unique in the history of legislation. The Republican Sen- ators allowed it to pass in full expec- tation that the House conferees would strike it out. But the House conferees were disposed to disappoint that hope. Then the Senate conferees, who were ful to buy booze from a boot-legger, | in honor bound to support the action but when you have him deliver it to | of the Senate, begged for adverse you you are guilty of conspiracy to !action on the part of the House, and transport the stuff. In other the law admits that it is impotent to prevent you from going to the source of supply, making your purchase and carrying it home yourself, unless it detects you in the act of transporting it. —Right at the start of the New Year we are beset with a lot of wor- ries that ought to be on other should- ers. Here we have the Post Office De- partment asking for bids for rooms to house the local postoffice for a period of five years when, some four or five years ago, a bill went through Con- gress authorizing the erection of a federal building in Bellefonte for that purpose. We've always been worrying for somebody else and this time it hap- pens to be “Mitch” Chase, our dapper Congressman. He's the fellow who ought to be working out this problem, but it'll probably not come into his mind until early in the fall of 1930 and then the new five year lease will have been signed and Bellefonte will be out of a chance for a public building until 1935. —To those of you who helped us make a real Christmas for Wesley we want to say that our only regret is that you could not have been here when we made the presentation of your gifts. Accustomed to nothing more than the crumbs from the rich man’s table he was so overwhelmed at the thought that so many of you thought of him that tears trickled down his cheeks, his voice faltered and he bowed his head until he could recover his composure enough to say: “I never knew I had so many friends. Wouldn't it be wonderful if Christ- mas came once a month.” In all there was twenty-two dollars and seventy- five cents and a.big fat hen in the stocking you filled for Wesley and next week we shall publish the names of his friends, together with several of the letters that came. —A wierd play in the University of California-Georgia Tech foot-bail game at Pasadena, on New Year's day, is being talked off as the most notable bone-head ever pulled on a grid-iron. Captain-elect Reigels of the California team gathered up a loose ball and ran seventy yards to- wards his own goal line before he was aware that he was going the wrong way. The blunder really resulted in the defeat of his team, but it was mot the first notorious foot-ball faux pas. Some years ago a Penn State player got through the Yale line up at New Haven and was galloping over a clear field to the Yale goal with what would have been the winning count for State. Be- cause there was no other player near him he suddenly became obsessed with the idea that he was going the wrong way, so he turned around and ran right back into the arms of the pur- suing opponents. words, upon the plea that it was necessary to ”» “save the party” finally prevailed. The House eomnmittee moved to strike out and the Senate representatives concurred. Then the House adopted the report which, after a spirited de- bate and a roll-call, was ‘concurred in by a majority of three in the Senate. ——Somebody over in England has invented a motor vehicle that can be folded up and kept in a house closet. This is a step in the direction of solv- ing the parking problem. - The Power Trust Wins. The Senate committee to which the nomination of Roy O. West to be Secretary of the Interior was com- mitted has voted to report in favor of confirmation, three Democratic Sena- tors, Ashurst, of Arizona; Pitman, of Nevada, and Kendrick, of Wyoming, having joined with the Republicans in producing that result, This is the more surprising because Mr. West's record as a corporation lawyer and his long continued affiliation with the Power trust and utility corporations had been laid open before the com- mittee. Senator Norris, of Nebras- ka, had presented every detail of Mr. West’s relations with Samuel Insull, both as counsel and partner and ‘fo make him a member of the Federal Power Commission is inexplicable. One would think there had been enough scandals in the Department of the Interior within the last ten years to make the Senators careful in se- lecting a Secretary. Albert B. Fall conveyed to corporaions controlled by Doheny and Sinclair oil properties of the government of the vaiue uv. sun- dreds of millions of dollars and after the courts had denounced these trans- actions as fraudulent and therefore void, his successor in office, Hurbert Work, now chairman of the Republi- can National Committee, renewed one of the leases with Sinclair at a cost to the government of at least $1000 a day. Curiously enough this last outrage concerns a property in Wy- oming, Senator Kendrick’s home. During the consideration of his nomination Mr. West voluteered a pledge that in the event of his con- firmation he would take no part in the deliberations of the Federal Pow- er Commission when questions in- volving claims of Samuel Insull were under consideration, That was a poor plea for approval. With the commis- sion packed in the interest of the Power trust it wouldn’t be necessary for the Secretary of the Interior to favor the trust. But it is the duty of the Secretary to act in the interest of the government against the schemes of the trust and Mr. West has not promised that and would be incapable of fulfilling such a promise if it had heen made. His allegiance is to In- sull. General Assembly of 1929. The organization of the General Assembly of Pennsylvania for the session of 1929 presented the politi- cal machine to public view in per- fect form. Caucusses were held as a matter of form. But they simply ratified the actions previously taken at a conference, in the executive man- sion, in which W. A. Mellon, Joe Grundy and Governor Fisher partici- pated. Senator Schantz, of Lehigh county, was named as President Pro Tem. of the Senate and Representa- tive Hess, of Lancaster, as Speaker of the House. There was no opposi- tion to either or to anything else. All motions were made by persons desig- nated for the purpose by the big bosses and the vote in every instance was unanimous. The session began at noon, on Tuesday, and was as “cut and dried” as the proceedings of the caucusses. The twenty-six newly elected Sena- tors were sworn in by Judge Fox, of Harrisburg, who had previously serv- ed in the Senate and the Representa- tives were qualified by Judge Wicker- sham, of Harrisburg, who had seen service in that chamber. The cus- tomary and somewhat perfunctory in- vocations were offered by local clergy- men and a joint session was held to count the votes of the recent election. This purpose completed separate ses- sions were resumed, a resolution agreed upon by the boss conference to adjourn finally on April 18th was adopted, Governor. Fisher read his message and the body adjourned to meet on January 14th, when the standing committees will be announc- ed. The machine methods of the organ- ization afford little inspiration for hope of beneficent legislation during the session. The treasury surplus, which State Treasurer Lewis now es- timates at $35,000,000, appeals to the Vanishing Landmarks. With the passing of W.L. Foster, at State College, another of the few re- maining links that connect the great institution of today with the strug- gling little college of half a century ago, is broken. Our first memory of him runs back into the early eighties when, as a boy, we saw him in a shooting match on the old Centre county fair grounds at Coleville. We marveled at the accuracy of his marksmanship and the ease with which he handled a gun, though hav- ing but one arm. It seemed no handi- cap to him, however, and he got much out of sports of all kinds. In those days the Fosters, the Mitchells, the Stuarts, the Hunters, the elder Dr. Glenns, the Gibsons, the Baileys, the Krumrines and the Neidighs repre- sented about all there was to the vil- lage of State College proper, because what borough was and there was not much contact be- tween the settlements. Mr. Foster was a young business man of State College then and was continuously identified with the growth of the town up to the moment that ill health fore- ed his retirement only a short time ago. Often we wonder why communities change without giving thought to the answer that is right before us to end the wonderment. Just look at the register of deaths on page four of this issue of the Watchman. Name after name of your friends and ours, who have slipped away is there. Many of them just as conspicuous in their communities as Mr. Foster wag in his. "And in many cases those who will cupidity of Senators and Representa- tives alike and the grabbing opera- tions may create some excitement. It is practically certain that enabling legislation to make the voting ma- chine constitutional amendment effec- tive will be enacted but beyond that there is not likely to be any substan- tial reforms. The bosses are well satisfied with present conditions. They are in absolute control. Quay never had such “easy pickirg” and Penrose was a “piker.” ae Mr. Vare’s last word to his legislative servants was that it should be “held intact as a group.” Mr. Hoover’s Changed Programme. The break in President-elect Hoov- er’s plans for the period of time until the date of his inauguration has created a great deal of mental spec- ulation among the politicians take up their torches will be compara- tive strangers. At least persons with whom it is too late for we of the is now the east end of that known as Sauerstown ' Pennsylvania and the Summer White House. From the Seranton Times. When President Coolidge asked the support of the newspapers of the country in gaining the in- fluence of public opinion for the es- ! White tablishment of a Summer House for his successors, he started something. It will be remembered that he pointed out the desirability of | such a White House close enough to : Washington that it might serve not only as a summer residence, but a place to which the President and the First Lady might run away occasion- ally. The subject has been taken up by the press, by Congress, and by many localities with suitable sites to sug- gest. Now the grand old Keystone State comes forward with its offer, and at a place most suitable. It is at Buena Vista, on the heights overlook- ing Waynesboro, just north of the Maryland Line. A high escarpment, wooded by giant trees of primeval growth, sur- mounted by a level space of grassy sward and forest vistas, where a big “hotel and several residences have taken advantage of the elevation and a broad view almost without compare— such is Buena Vista. It was named by the widow of the Mexican hero, , Iturbide, who, after her husband’s un- other generation to form friendships like those that are so frequently be- ing broken now. It is but the natural sequence of years slip by the mortality rate ad- vances and we notice it the more be- cause all about us friends are falling who can never be replaced. d¥’s a sad vision to contemplate. Hagder still is the realization that it will steadily grow worse until our in. Washington and throughout the coun- try. In the first place his tour of the Southern Republies has been curtailed and his purpose to isolate himself on some remote island on the coast of Florida during the winter months practically abandoned. He is now heading under full steam for Wash- ington where he will spend ten days in personal touch with current events. There are reasons for this change in his programme, of course, but they have not been revealed and conjecture has been running wild concerning them. One usually well-informed Wash- ington correspondent ascribes it to the attitude of Senator Borah on the question of an extra session of Con- gress immediately after the inaugura- tion, as Mr. Hoover promised in one of his campaign speeches. The pledge was conditional upon the fail- ure of the present Congress to enact farm relief legislation satisfactory to the farmers. The bill which it is pro- posed to enact is not likely to be sat- isfactory, but the party leaders hold that any legislation in that direction will absolve Hoover from his obliga- tion in the matter. Borah, who in- duced Hoover to make the pledge, and he feels personally responsible for its fulfillment, insists on the extra ses- sion. There are other vexed questions disturbing the minds of the party managers which may have had some- thing to do with Mr. Hoover’s change of programme. The differences be- tween the supporters of the Kellogg peace pact and those who are backing the naval building enterprise have reached an acute stage and both are trying to inveigle Hoover into the controversy. It is also suspected that certain leaders were organizing trad- ing posts and making embarassing bargains in relation to the public patronage which Hoover might be compelled to ratify in the future, and it is probable that his unexpected re- turn to Washington is to put a stop to that sort of commercialism, ——The grab game to get that $35,000,000 surplus is now on. generation has gone and a new one takes up the burden of carrying on. Can we not then say that commun- ities are not changing. Its only the people. Will Bellefonte, State Coi- lege or any other place be changed more when the last of our generation is gone than they were when we fol- lowed the last of the one that preced- ed us to the cemetery? Our distinguished friend Al Smith has also enlisted in the army of the “unemployed.” - ——eeeee. Trickery That Ought to Fail. If it were not obvious that Mr. Vare is “sparring for delay” the letter of his physicians to the chairman of the Slush Fund committee of the Senate would put the chairman of that com- mittee up against a hard proposition. ‘They present the record of his in- timely death in 1824, came to the height above Waynesboro to spend the rest of her life. Since Pennsylvania has so suitable a place for the Summer White House the historic antecedents of this grand old Commonwealth, where the Deec- laration of the Independence was signed, where the Constitution was framed, where the Gettysburg ad- dress was delivered hardly more than a few “stone throws” from Waynes- boro, the claims of Pennsylvania to the Summer White House should car- ry much weight. eee presen. Uncle Sam Should Be Wary of Being Too Helpful. , From the Philadelphia Record. the march to journey’s end. As the “child dreads in concert with the other countries. | Once bitten, twice shy—the burnt the fire—such crude maxims perhaps have not occurred to the Adminstration at Washington, but the primitive logic they express seems to govern certain decisions, nevertheless. ' On the board which is to be created to mediate the boundary clash be- tween Bolivia and Paraguay those countries will name two members cach, and five will be selected from other American nations. It is expect- ed that the United States will be ask- ed to appoint one. But it is intimated strongly that while the Government “would not shirk its duty,” if the request were made, it will insist upon acting only Furthermore, it will do its utmost to prevent the elevation of the American representative to the chairmanship or any post imputing to him the func- firmity in persuasive language and 81 By ig would inevitably lead to criticism. convincing form. But there are inci- dents, omitted from the narrative, which suggest insincerity. For ex- ample, they assume that his partici- pation in the Kansas City convention tions of a referee. This cautious attitude by common sense and experience. The Latin-American Governments | most earnest de- | might profess the sire to have this nation assume the leadership in promoting a settlement; but it is notorious that they do not! relish a “big brother” attitude on the part of the United States, and no matter what the decision might be it! History furnishes a warning even more weighty than the fiasco of Pres- ident Coolidge’s arbitration of the , quarrel between Chile and Peru over in June was responsible for his afflic- : tion in August. That may or may not be true but in any event it is hardly sufficient reason for further delay in the determination of a matter already too long drawn out by evasiveness. When Senator Dave Reed, of Pitts- burgh, organized a filibuster in the Senate a year ago his purpose was to { Tacna-Arica. Fifty years ago Presi- dent Hayes was induced to arbitrate the claims of Bolivia and Peru to the very territory now in dispute, and his i award is one of the things over which ! they are still wrangling. Many Road Bills in Offing. ‘From the Harrisburg Telegraph. postpone the determination of the! question of Mr. Vare’s title to seat in that body. When the powers of the courts were invoked to retard the in- vestigation the same purpose was ex- pressed. When Mr. Vare was invited vious to the assembling of the Na- tional convention he failed to acknowl- edge the courtesy for the same rea- son. These facts prove that physical infirmities have not been directly or indirectly responsible for Mr. Vare’s failure to present his case to the com- mittee. He has had ample opportu- nity but wilfully failed to do so. Mr. Vare atempted to acquire a seat in the United States Senate by purchase of votes in violation of law and by frauds equally obnoxious to political morals. The exposure of his methods defeated his expectations for a time. Ever since he has been try- ing to break in by one unlawful ex- pedient or another without success. Now he hopes that through an in- creased Republican majority in the Senate and a tightening of party lines he will be able to realize his ambition if he can delay final action until the assembling of the next Congress, whether it be in extra or regular ses- sion. The purpose of the letter of his physicians to chairman Reed is to further this scheme. It ought to fail. The number of bills to be present- ed at the session of the Legislature which convened today will be larger than ever before in the estimation of officials of House and Senate who have some advance knowledge of what y legislators have in mind. to appear before the committee pre- ! Nothing would please the Admin- istration more than to be relieved of adding further to the road sys- tem of the State. But by far the larger number of bills now ready for presentation are for just such addi- tions. Even those who present road bills for the most part would be glad if some all-powerful influence would turn thumbs down on all of them, { for a majority come with from two to a half-dozen to be presented on re- quest, knowing full well that they cannot get all of them through and may get none. In either case they will have to answer to the folks back home who will compare their results with those of neighboring legislators, to the embarrassment of all concerned. This condition arose last session and for a time an effort was made to stem the tide. Finally an agreement was reluctantly reach- ed to add 600 miles in an omnibus bill. But when it came to the Gov- ernor it included twice that mileage, and at that nobody was satisfied. Twice as many road bills are in the making, it is estimatea, as were sub- mitted two years ago. —>Subscribe for the Watchman. recently ' is dictated ‘and Mrs. Gordon P. Barth, of Hazleton, | can claim quite a record in the coal re- { gions, having five grandmothers. The mothers of both her parents, their grand- mothers and the great-grand-mother of her mother are living and reside near the Barth home. —After ninety years continuous opera- tion the Thompson Brothers Knitting : Mills, of Milroy and Lewistown closed j their doors Tuesday. Three generations of the Thompsons played an important part in this industry. Hosiery was their chief product, although at one time they did in- finde blankets and other woolen goods. 1 —G. H., Qustin, of Lock Haven, State game protector, arrested Ira Bittner, of Beech Creek, R. D., after a search of his premises revealed a part of a deer head and some venison. He was charged with killing a deer out of season and with trans- porting as illegally killed deer, and paid total of $150 fines and costs in the two cases. —Suffering from a severe gash in her leg, painful body bruises and shock, Mrs. : Bdward Hunsicker, of Allentown, is under the care of her physisian, Dr. Warren Pet- ers, and the husband is under arrest ‘ charged with throwing his wife out of a | second-story window of their home. The woman landed on a sloping roof and roll- ed off. —Stabbed in the back by his 11-year-old playmate, Walter Hagen, the 14-year-old + son of W. I. Hagen, of Beech Creek, is in 'a critical condition in the Lock Haven i hospital. Hagen and his companion, Paul | Waite, son of Harry Waite, were on their [way home from school when they became engaged in a quarrel and the stabbing fol- i lowed, —Cook forest, containing approximately 8,000 acres in Forest, Clarion and Jeffer- | son counties, is now in possession of the Stare. Charles E. Dorworth, secretary of . forests and waters, announced last Friday ; the formal purchase of this tract of virgin "white pine and hemlock. The price paid f was $650,000, £250,000 of vhich was raised by private subseription. —James Walter Paugh, of Detroit, was killed and his parents and two other per- j sons were injureed on Friday when their i automobile was struck by a Philadelphia- | Pittsburgh bus on the Lincoln highway i mear Bedford. The Paugh machine had i been stopped and chains were being placed on the wheels when the bus crashed into it. Mrs. Louise Paugh and Mrs. Elmer Smith were taken to the Somersct Hospi- tal. They were burned when the wrecked machine caught fire. —Ralph L. Hampton, former sheriff of Chester county, in whose accounts a short- age of about $25,000 was shown by an audit and who was convicted on a charge of embezzlement, was sentenced to serve from two to four years in the Fastern penitentiary. Sentence was imposed by Judge Henry C. Niles, of York county. Defense counsel was allowed 10 days in | which to file an appeal and the former ; Sheriff was released under £5,000 bail pending such action. —When Robert Barger, 4 year old son of | Mrs. Andrew Barger, of Howard, fell at ! his home while pushing a kiddie car about, (he sas thought to have sustained a frac- i ture of the home of the leg as ke was un- {able to walk, but when he was taken to | the office of Dr. G. D. Mervine, at Lock | Haven, Thursday night, the X-ray photo- { graph disclosed that a4 large darning nee- idle Lad penetrated the kneecap and the | knee joint, and when it was removed the i boy was able to walk and was removed to i his home. —Newspaper photographers wad tele- i graph operators will no. Se permitted in | the York county court Louse next weock {| during the trial of three alleged witch- i craft murderers, John Blymyer, Wilbert G. Hess and John Curry. This announce- tment was made on Tuesday by Judge denry C. Niles when he appeared befove the County Commissioners, and asked that , additional tipstaves be cmployed to handle i the crowds expected at the trial of the men who are alleged to have killed Nel- son D. Rehmexer, 60 year old farmer, to get a lock of his hair to bury and break a spell. —TFinal preparations for putting the new blast furnace at the Steelton plant of the Jethlehem Steel company in operation were begun last week. A fire for the pur- pose of drying out the furnace has been started. The furnace will be dried for about a month before actual production will be started. The new furnace, which is the largest in the world, will put out 900 tons of pig iron a day. The two fur- naces now in operation at the plant have a capacity of 500 tons each. When these furnaces are pushed hard it is possible to get 700 tons of pig iron in twenty-four hours. —The attack on the life of Mrs. Dale Spaid, 24 years old, of Troxellvile, Mifflin county, remains an unsolved mystery, al- though the police placed the usual dragnet about the community. It is believed by local residents that the attack came from some unknown enemy either in Troxellville or near-by. An unknown man is alleged to have attacked her, beating her with fists tearing at her face with his nails and used a knife. Twenty-four lacerations and abrasions were found on her arms, neck and face. The wounds resemble more the marks of a small rake used by florist. The husband was in an upstairs room dressing when the attack was made, but running out he grasped a gun and fired into dark- ness in the direction the assailant ran. —The reflex action of the strong arm of ens. Nesbit is accused of being a member constable of Warrington township, York county, who has been arrested by detective Jesse Crabbs on a charge of stealing chick- ens, Nesbit is accused of being a memebr of a ring of chicken thieves that has op- erated in the upper end of York county over a period of weeks preceding the Christmas holidays. With him has been taken into custody Cleason Rife, of Wash- ington township; Clair Rife and William Moul. The prosecutor in the case agains the defendants are Jesse Sponseller and Russell Moody. On the farm of the elder Rife the officer recovered more than 100 of the alleged stolen chickens. The Rifes and Moul were able to furnish bail for a hearing before Justice of the Peace Lewis D. Sell.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers