NEWS REVIEW OF CURRENT EVENTS Senate Approves Tax Reduc- tion and French War By EDWARD W. PICKARD Wu the tax cut bill passed by both house and senate and the Mellon-Berenger agreement for the funding of the French debt ratified by the upper house, congress quit work on Saturday and went home to cele- brute Christmas and New Year's. Fourteen senators, most of them classed as radicals, voted against the tax reduction measure but 63 were recorded in Its favor, and it was promptly signed by President Hoover. The act, whose terms are already quite generally knowh, remains in ef- fect only one year; but it is presumed that congress a year hence will pro- vide for another reduction if tax rev- enues continue at the present high level, The vote on the ratification of the French debt settlement was 52 to 21. Senator Howell of Nebraska, Repub lican, led the opposition on behalf of the radical group, which consistently fights about everything the adminis- tration seeks to accomplish. Howell contended that the effect of the settle. ment was to cancel the entire prin- cipal of the debt. His theory was that the payments over a period of 62 years represent merely interest at a rate of 2.17 per cent. The French indebtedness, which was funded at a total of $4,025,000,000, not only was one of the largest of any of the debts but is the last to be dis posed of except those of Russia and Armenia, which are at present listed in the hopeless class. The principal and acerued interest at the time of the funding of the debts totaled ap- proximately £11,500,000.000, Unless the entire debt question is reopened at some future time the controversy is now officially closed, There is an impression that if the American public debt continues to be retired at its present rate and is en- tirely wiped out within the next 17 or 18 years an agitation will imme- diately develop for a cancellation of all foreign debts which remain out- standing at that time, vealed that their program differs sharply from that of the United States in the matters of cruisers and submarines. The Japanese are still asking a 10-7 ratio for all ausiliary craft, including the big gun cruisers, though it is hoped they will modify their demands slightly in order to gain their point concerning subma- rines, They wish to retain 78,000 tons of underwater craft now in their fleet or under construction. As the United States Is anxious to sharply reduce her submarine tonnage and there are some indications the cruiser demands by Japan may be modified, the Jap- anese submarine proposal now fur. nishes the chief obstacle to an accord between the two powers, American naval officials, especially, are opposed to permitting Japan such a large submarine force. One big rea- son for the pavy's opposition lies in the fact that possession of a big sub. marine navy, together with numerous naval bases, would give Japan control of the Asiatic trade routes over which the United States must transport its supplies of tin and rubber, raw ma- terials not produced In sufficient quan. tities in this country, but absolutely essential to the prosecution of a suc cessful war, Over in Paris the chamber of depu- ties’ commission on foreign affairs and naval matters, sitting Jointly, ap- proved the government's viewpoint that all results of the London confer. ence must be considered tentative and must be submitted to the League of Nations’ disarmament commission for consideration of thelr possible locor. poration into a general disarmament program. Foreign Minister Briand explained to the commissions that France had accepted the theory of limitation on the basis of global ton- nage instead of categories; that she demanded the right to devote as high a percentage of her global allotment as she wishes to submarines, and that she insists that each power tell the others just what types of vessels it Is using in its tonnage. Premier Tardieu and his delegation, it Is belleved, will demand a full 800,000 tons for the French fleet, which figure Is thought too high by both Great Britain and Italy, There is reason to believe, however, that France and Italy have made progress In reconciling their viewpoints, A correspondent of the London Daily Telegraph says the American delegates have prepared a series of charts, graphs and data that actually demonstrate that the British navy not only is not superior in strength to the American, but is really greatly In. ferior. The correspondent under- stands that these revelations have “deeply impressed the members of President Hoover's cabinet and other American statesmen who previously had accepted the view, carefully fos. tered by propaganda, that the Amer. ican navy is below the treaty strength and badly outclassed by the British navy. It is an ironical circumstance that this disclosure should have emerged the work of American naval officers who were, of course, anxious to make out the for a larger ship building program.” rom chase APAN is deeply concerned over the new situation in Manchuria, and statesmen the world over see In it the possibilities of another big war In the Far East. Mongols in the Barga dis- trict have seized control and declared Jarga independent of China, and the young Mongol party in Hallar is re- ported to have organized an inde- pendent government, installing as offi- ciais emissaries from Urga, the cap- ital of outer Mongolia. These move- ments are believed to be inspired and supported actively by the Soviet Rus. sian government, and if they are suc- cessful they will bring the Soviet zone several miles Inside the present Chinese-Russian frontier. Dispatches from Harbin sald Japan had lodged a verbal protest against the Soviet activities with the Russian ambassa- dor to Tokyo. RESIDENT HOOVER'S request for authority to send a commission to investigate affairs in Haiti was ap- proved by the house of representa. tives. The debate provided an oppor- tunity for Oscar De Priest, colored representative from Chicago, to make his maiden speech, In support of the proposition. He took occasion to give the Southern Democrats some shrewd digs that made the Republicans laugh. One opponent of the opposition was Representative Huddleston of Ala- bama, who recently declined to serve on a house committee because De Priest had been appointed one of its members, Seven Haitian political organiza- tions have asked the United States to supervise the island's presidential election In April, 1080. Their petition is considered the climax of a cam- paign of the anti-Borno factions which hope to effect the withdrawal of American marines before the expl- ration of the treaty in 1036, under which the United States took over the safeguarding of the republic. R JNDER the terms of a decree recom. mended to the Supreme Court of the United States by Charles Evans Hughes, special master, the Chicago sanitary district would be required to complete a $176,000,000 sewage treat- ment program within the next nine years, Meanwhile there would be sue- cessive reductions In the diversion of water from Lake Michigan at Chicago from 8500 cuble feet per second to 6,500, 5,000 and finally, on completion of the sewage treatment works, to 1,500 feet per second, which Mr. Hughes holds is all that is required for navi. gation purposes in the Chicago river. The figures given nre exclusive of pumpage for domestic purposes, The decree Is of interest to the entire Great Lakes region, and the Mississippl volley. In the light of the adverse decision of the Supreme court of last January, which held that there is no legal basis for diversion of water beyond the comparatively small amount necessary for navigation in the Chicago river, the Hughes report was regarded as being about as favorable to Chicago as could have been expected. Mr. Hughes made it clear that it is within the power of congress to pro- vide for a greater diversion for navi- gation purposes. It appeared evident that if congress approves the Illinois state waterway as a federal project the way will be opened for a sufficient diversion of water to maintain navi- gation In a nine foot channel from Chicago to the Mississippl. WO members of the British royal air force, Squadron Commander Jones Williams and Flight Lieutenant Jenkins, started on a 6,000 mile non- stop flight from England to Cape town, but crashed and were killed on a mountainside 30 miles southeast of Tunis, They had run into a severe storm and supposedly lost their way. More fortunate were Maj) Tadeo Larre-Borges of Uruguay and Lieut, Leon Challe of France, though they, too, falled in accomplishing what they set out to do. They took off from Seville, Spain, hoping to fly without stop to Montevideo, but, having crossed the ocean safely, they lost their bear. ings In the dark and made a forced landing in a Brazilian forest. Their piane was smashed and both men were injured slightly, NE of the worst mine disasters of the year occurred at McAlester, Okla. An explosion in the Old Town coal mine trapped 50 men, and not one of them escaped death, who were on upper levels got out alive. Rescue teams penetrated with were filled with gas, and there found the bodies of the victims, many of them charred by the blast. jority bad died swiftly of gas suffo- cation. ONSIDERABLE relief was assured C disabled veterans of the World the senate unanimously passed the veterans’ hospitalization bill which had previously been put through the house. The measure car- ries a total appropriation of $15, 950 000, war when of deceased veterans who have not sation are warned by officials’ of the veterans’ bureau that they must do so not later than January 2, seph B. Eastman of Boston, a Democrat, and Robert M. Jones of Knoxville, Tenn, a Republican, mem- ginning January 1. a member of the commission for more than ten years representing the New England section, cellor of the Eleventh judicial district in Tennessee, will succeed Richard V, Taylor of Mobile, Ala., appointed three years ago .by President Coolidge to fill out an unexpired term. WIGHT W. MORROW, ambassa- dor to Mexico and delegate to the naval conference, has formally an- nounced his acceptance of the ap- pointment as senator from New Jere sey upon the resignation of Senator Baird. He will assume his new duties nas soon as his work In connection with the London parley is completed. Baird was given the place when Edge resigned to be ambassador to France, with the understanding that he would step aside for Morrow, P. MeNAUGHT, who has been * engaged in prohibition work in Town, was elected superintendent of the Indiana Anti-8aloon league to suc ceed the late E. 8, Shumaker. He was the cholee of F. Scott McBride, the national superintendent of the league, 80 other candidates retired from com- petition, In the process of drying up the Na- tional Capital George L. Cassidy, known ns “the man with the green hat” and ed to be the bootlegger to United senators, has been Indicted une Jones “0 1030, Wastesn Newspaper Union.) Citizens Should Check Up on Town’s Problems can the average citizen do the highway problem? What about there is traflic congestion, a need for wider roads, for more pavements, for highway safety devices; yet the high way, like golf under 72, is somewhat of a mystery to John Per Capita, ac tional writer, projecting and financing improvements, and probably they will continue to do 80, John Per Capita may see that mis takes are being made, yet, that his volce if aroused In nothing about it, that the citizen to be a good order there learn in that must citizen, is him that in the Interest of better gov ernment certain procedures should be taken or eliminated, as the may be. To illustrate: Recently in Chicage in one district where the pavements were so bad that a The street surfaces were so shattered that obviously they wouldn't even serve as a practicable base, inasmuch 's flexible topping would he ruined, One owner saw the folly of this resurfac ing project and busied himself, througt his community business aasociation, in plan. An injunction against resurfacing was granted now in ail likelihood the be repaved solidly, munity s0o0n defeating the ana streets will saving the money over a There are many ways com considerable and also his own pockethook, by di reciing his attention to improvements wherever shoddy or uastable construe for Modernizing Home Modernizing is a year round poss! bility. The season of the year has little Influence on modernizing for of winter or the is possible to im During the dead heat of summer It prove the appearance and accessories of the home, Modernizi starts hom when the ed improvements about house, I starts w stead is the ith the idea that the old home behind the when the man of the house beging f« plan for a new heating plant or a re modeled when the lady of purchases varied ries to beautify the home, Any effort to improve the appear ance, convenience and beauty of the home Is modernization. times. It starts exterior. the house ACCeE80 tep with the movement. Buy in the Home Town Social economists commonly agre country Is located In great cities, ané that conditions would be better if the drift to those cities should stop, and It more people would stay in medium towns. One cause for this drift intc the could theh supplies in these great centers. That transfer business to such and took it away from the idea that they places, least can do their share to counteract this undesirable drift, by buying thel: Newark Advocate. Making Best Use of Land values are to be secured from resi dential real estate sites, says the Na tional Association of Real Boards in a series of articles on what ma.es urban land values, The home builder would do well to look over the other homes in the neighborhood in which he is contemplating con struction and see that his home con forms to the general cost level of the other structures If he wishes to make th best use of his land, When Home Grows Old The average home bulit ten, twenty or more years ago needs only slight exterior changes to give it modern lines. Stained shingles laid right over the wood or stucco walls; perhaps an old porch changed into a sun room ot replaced with an inviting entrance, some “gingerbread” removed, are easy wnys to improve the looks of a home growing old. Avoid Low.Grude Materials The use of low-grade materiale, ne matter what kind of workmanship Is employed with them, Is sure, in the end, to show heavy expense for re placements and repairs, placing an un. duly heavy load and an entirely un- necessary one, on the ownership of homes. TRAVEL HIGH ON POOR HIGHWAYS | Motorists Pay One-Third More Over Bad Roads. (By E. BE. bufty) The motorist who pays out a dollar | In ear operating expenses in traveling | over high type roads. must pay $1.18 [ In traveling the sam« distance on in termediate type roads, The travel cost of the same distance on low type roads is 31.38, Cost of Gravel. These costs, determined by Prof. T. R. Agg and H. 8 Carter of lowa | State college for the “imaginary” | average car, clearly indieate the high | cost of raveling over so-called | type roads, - According to thelr the cost of driving low cnl over | than driving over smooth concrete. For the sake of convenience, let it be conservatively considered that the five cents a mile, A dolla: will then The average motorist 3000 niles ¢stimated now yearly at, cost of S300. rather than concrete, the additional cost for this “privilege” would be $54. ut if the motorist were compelled to bump over low type reads the extra travel cost would be £114— which is $114 that could be better spent, Money on Improvements. A motorists’ association has just that 10 this year spent less money on hirbway improva- ment than they did last year, even in the face of mounting car tions. Obviously, this cannot be called for every mile of rend a 3 costs the taxpayer hard cash through extra car expenses which have to do with fuel and oil, ear depreciation, tire wear and allied lems, Cheaper motoring can through more extensive provements and through the expedient of avallable for struction, pointed out states registra- ceonomy, unim- proved comr ty tolerates only highway must come making more highway coa- come im these Motor Lubrication Is of Great Importance Motor lubrication, Important at all times, is #0 during warm weather when longer trips at higher speeds are made, according to C. W, research engineer, who doubly suitable for however, may summer driving, not be su when a lighter oil in most cases, Consult chart able for win- ter driving, should be used Bt your service station and change ofl If necessary. “Another important factor in main. ation Is attention device filters taining proper lubr to the oll filter. This the oil and keeps it clean. But after 10,000 miles the filtering unit becomes filled with dirt taken from the oll and needs to be serviced, “By having the oll filter serviced at 10,000 miles, by nsing the proper grade oll, and by following the car manufac turer's recommendation as to changing oll the motorist Is assured of troubde- free operation so far as the all-impor tant matter of lubrication is con cerned.” Bad Roads Have Fewest Automobile Accidents The most common excuses given for road accidents are bad roads, foggy weather, poor light and defective brakes, However, according to the statistical burean of the National Aun- tomobile club, these claims are not borne out by official report. Out of 1827 accidents during one single month, 1,151 took place on perfectly Out of 2773 vehicles Involved, In vestigators found that 2.650 were in good condition mechanically and only have defective cidents were reported to be careless ANTI-RATTLER FOR FRONT CAR FENDER Two Pieces of Strap Iron on Lamp Lug Stop Noise. You can prevent the front fenders of certain types of small cars from rat- tling by installing two small pieces of strap Iron as shown in the drawing The strap iron should be about 3-16 inches thick and the pieces about 3% inches long. They are bent at right STRAP MON TOP VIEW Anti-Rattler Attached to Car. ' angles, and a hole is drilled at the ont. er end, to fit on a lug of the lamp bracket. The installation shown was made on a Chevrolet of the 490-type. lefore drilling the holes, place the pleces beside the radiator shell so that they will spring tightly against it aft- er they have been attached to the lamp-bracket lug. —Guy E. Clark, Ever- ett, Wash, In Popular Mechanics Mag azine, THE MOTOR QUIZ Answer?) live stork (How Many Can You Q. How many head of did trucks in 1U28% Ans. Data from 17 markets show us that 12000000 head The average haul was 50 miles. Q. How many are per motor vehicle In the States? Ans, Four and nine-tenths, in China there are 17,000 persons to the vehicle haul were houled, there United persons motor Q. In what countr probably the y is the price of gasoline Ans. of around 65 cents a gallon ayeragze cost United States is lowest with about 183 cents olivia has ap Q. How many carloads of automo- tive freight were hauled in 10287 Ans, It is estimated that “=~ were 3,500,000 carloads. there Depend on Spark Plugs ist be In good condi- electrodes must be ad- justed correctly for not only satisfac Spark plug. mi the and iy to relieve strain on the battery which Is winter sea. : eARY siartingz. during the son. A surprisingly large percentage-of poor perfors ce may be traced and often eliminated by an examination of the park plugs. Hard starting; {uissing at low idling speeds ; sluggish. ness and power loss cn hills and hard pulls are often traceable to the spark plugs. This is why'car manufacturers recommend that spark plugs be re. newed every 10000 miles, and In- spected at least twice a year. FOODIE DO Rim lugs should be tightened a Iit- tle at a time, . * - Don't attempt to turn out of ruts while under speed. . * . The running gear of the car can be cleaned with gasoline, * - - When a 1.500-pound roadster meets a 50-ton locomotive at the crossing, that isn't what you call parity. * » » Recently a driver “stopped, looked and listened.” Saw the train coming and thought he had time to start ang cross. He made n bad guess. Always give the approaching train the benefit of the doubt. TO-AMPHIBIAN and put on top ol the rack, It was . —
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers