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About The Omaha morning bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 31, 1922)
Budget System Speeds Money Bills in House Elet cn Appropriation Meas ures Already Passed by Con gress in Present Session; Three More Reported Out. Washington, Dec. JO.—Has the leg islative "pork barrel" been relegated to the museum of antiques and "log rolling" ceased to be the favorite in door sport of congress" Well, It surely does look like it. Since tlm budget system became firfu ly established In the last session of congress the pork barrel has been missing and log rolling has become so difficult as to bo scarcely worth the effort. Ill the palmy days of the pork barrel an appropriation bill was made up so as to allow every senator and con gressman a public building, a river and harbor improvement, or other government perquisite. Now he gets no pork unless he gets it from the budget bureau and up-to-date that has admitted no pork at all. Highly Developed Art. Time was when a congressmen could get this and that little appro priation for his district by voting for this and that little appropriation for the other fellow's district. That w as log rolling and a highly developed and flourishing art it was. Now. your congressman doesn't get the appro priation unless he gets it In the bud get before the budget goes to con gress and he Is mighty lucky if he gets it past the budget bureau. The pork barrel and logrolling brigades have found themselves up against a stone wall In efforls to get additional appropriations voted hy the appropriations committee and the re spective chambers after the budget comes in: whereat there has been much moaning about the halls of congress of late. New System. Under the new budget system the departments submit theirtestiniates to the director of the budget, who scales them down. TVith the president ap proving the budget ns it is transmitted to congress the department heads are obliged to be satisfied with the amounts recommended and no longer appeal to the congressional commit tees for further Increases. While there is nothing In the law to prevent congress from increasing budget es timates the house appropriations com mittee has adopted a policy of regu larly trimming the estimates and rare ly Increasing them. Formerly the house usually In creased the amount reported by the committee. Now such increases are Vxtremely rare. bihocks Old-Timers. Aa a result of the establishment of the budget system and the elimination of pork barrel practices and log rolling (appropriation bills are being passed with a dispatch that amazed the cyn ical old-timers. Never before has the passage of the supply bills been so ad vanced by New Year's day as in this session. Although little more than three week have elapsed since the annual budget was officially transmitted by President Harding, both houses have passed and agreed to conference re ports on three of the 11 regular bills. Three other bill* have been report ed from the house appropriations com mittee. Df these, one has been passed by the house and Is pending before the senate. Another has been under discussion In the house and is about ready to pass. The other is awaiting an opportunity for consideration. A seventh bill will be reported from the bouse committee this week and the other four will be reported dur ing the first two weeks of January. Hy January 25 It Is expected that the house will have passed all of the 11 hills and will have completed its ap propriation program with the excep tion of two deficiency bills which will be rushed through In short order to ward the end of the session. Even Senate ITiinies. Even the senate, which seldom hur ries over anything, has shot the ap propriation bills through In such a manner as to break all speed limits. In years past the house leaders regu larly resolved at the beginning of the December session to turn over a new leaf and get the appropriations out of the way at a reasonably early date. •Whenever the-house got a fairly good ■tart the senate upset the program by allowing the bills to remain In com mittee or on the senate calendar. This time the senate passed the first three appropriation bills In a single week and In no case was more than a couple of hours required to do the Job. It took the senate appropriations committee less than 2 hours to report back the bills after receiving them from the house. The other two were passed the day after being received. Tgist year, the first of the operation »f the budget system, the subcommit tees of the house appropriations com mittee sought to reduce budget esti mates in the case of several of the Important hills by approximately 25 per cent. This year it has not been possible to make so large a cut be cause the estimates were considerably reduced as a result of measures taken at the Instance of President Harding to wipe out the threatened deficit. House Makes Cut. Figures relative to the six bills thus far reported from the house commit tee on appropriations give a line on the manner in which the system is operating. The six hills provide ap propriations for the Treasury depart ment. the State and Justice depart ments, the Commerce and Labor de partments, the Navy department, the Agricultural department and the In terior department. The budget esti mates for these departments totalled *836,623,692. Adding the totals for the first four bills as passed by the house and the remaining two, those for the Department of Agriculture and the Interior department, as re ported from committee, the aggregate is $831,179,853, which shows a reduc tion of $5,443,839 below the budget es timates. The senate appropriations Increased the totals carried by treasury, state and justice, commerce and labor and . navy bills by $2,795,396 over the amounts provided by the house. Some additional Increases may be made when the agriculture and interior bills reach the senate. By the time the six bills become law the greater part or the house {reduction of more than r. Imagination Lured Girl Into Jewel Theft, Belief CLARA MACKKASKT. Imagination ran away with Clara Mackrasky, 19, ami lured her Into stealing J3.000 worth of Jewelry from the home of her employers to pay off an Imaginary mortgage in a cinema dream, is the belief of Harry AVil lnsky, 1912 AVirt street, the victim. And so the "imagination girl" will be held in jail until Chief of Detec tives Van Deusen can verify her story of poor parents in Cleveland. If her story is true, and her father really is having a struggle as a lawn mower to snpport his family, she will not be prosecuted, AA’ilinsky and ATan Deusen agreed. Miss Mackrasky came to Omaha three weeks ago and went to work in a dime store, she told police, but kho "couldn’t stand the girls” there and quit. She secured work as a maid at the AVillnsky home, after an old man had called tho AVilinskys and said she was his daughter and. he needed her aid. She made daily trips, AVilinsky said, presumably to I visit her parents, but in reality to scurry off to a movie show and there delve into the plots of U»o screen. “She used to talk to my daughter i about the screen stars,” said Wilin sky. "She was refined. Her atten- , tion to Mrs. Wilinsky was beyond re proach and she exhibited peerless con sideration. 1 think she just let her I imagination run away with her,” Miss Mackrasky was arrested at Union station where she'intended to board strain for Sioux City, she said. "I was tempted,” she said Saturday morning, ‘‘and I just fell. The dia monds dazzled me. I picked them up and started out.” When sbe^wns arrested she had $5 in cash. “Have you the valuables on your person?” detectives asked her. “Yes,” she is said to have replied, "they are in the bosom of my dress.” And she gave them up. The loot included two diamond rings, two beaded bags and a platinum ring. $5,000,000 from the estimates may have been wiped out, but the final appro priations are expected to be somewhat below the estimates. Increases Few Items, The hoyse appropriations commit tee has increased a few items above the budget estimates, but the total carried in each of the six bills lias been less than recommended by the budget. The committee cut estimates for the treasury from $117,833,708 to $115,111,310; for the Departments of State and Justice from $33,704,993 to $33,1SS|051; for the Departments of Commerce and Igtbor from $25,919,091 to $25,807,101; for the navy from $294,803,975 to $293,806,538; for the Department of Agriculture from $69, 031,613 to $68,781,553, and for the In terior department from $295,358,252 to $294,215,300. Of the four bills which have been passed by the house the amount in one, that of the Departments of Com merce and Tabor, exceeded the esti mates. This was due to the action of the house in adding $300,000 for the immigration service above the amount recommended by the committee. The senate cut some of the items in this bill but as finally passed the total was still slightly above the estimates. The senate committee boosted the total for the Navy department above the estimates. The committee added $1,797,840 to the house bill which I makes the total $800,403 In excess of the bill. Hold l.arly Hearings. Centralization of the handling of appropriations in a single committee in each house, one of the changes which accompanied the aloption of budget system is a material factor in making it possible to speed up the handling of the bills. In the house the appropriations committee Is com posed of 35 members. Subcommittees of five members are designated to conduct bearings and prepare the dif ferent hills. The heatings commenced three weeks before the opening of the regular session and each subcommit tee had Instructions from the start as to the datq, on which its bill should be reported. The full committe holds only one meeting on ench bill after the subcommittee completes Its work. Before the budget system became ef fective the appropriation bills were scattered among seven or eight dif ferent committees. In the senate the system Is some what different. The appropriations are under control of the appropriations committee, but the ranking members of the committee which handles legis lation affecting a particular depart ment sits with the appropriation com mittee in the consideration of the bill affecting that department. This sys tem represent a compromise between the old system and that employed by ths house. Jocko Runs Amuck. Cincinnati, O., Dec. 30—The police of Dayton, O., are convinced that there is "monkey business" going op. in Cincinnati. They telegraphed to the local authorities recently to be on the lookout for a monkey tvho should recognize himself by the name of "Jocko’ 'and who had been stolen i from his owner in the Gem City. Traiii Derailed; No One Injured Wabash Passenger Jumps Trark Near Malvern, But Cars Remain Upright. No one was even bruised, according to railroad officials, when Wabash pas senger train No. 11 jumped the track two miles west of Malvern, la., at 10 Saturday morning. The train was bound for Omaha from St. Louis. Cause of the wreck has not yet j been determined. The tender left the track first, taking with it the baggage and mail cars. All three remained j upright. A special train was dispatched from Council Bluffs to pick up the passen gers and bring them on to Omaha. Railroad officials estimated it would take seven hours to repair the dam age done to the track and roadbed. No. 11 was running two hours late when the mishap occurred. Road Conditions ■ i ■ '■■■'— ■ ■ ■ ( Furnished by Omaha Auto Club.) Lincoln Highway, East—Roada good to Marsh&lltow'n. No report eaat. Lincoln Highway, West—Roads report ed In excellent shape to Grand island. Fair to good to Cheyenne. Road report ed closed west of Cheyenne. 0. L. D. High way—Roads good to Hast ings In leaving Omaha Center street may be used. Highland Cutoff—Roada good. Cornhusker Highway—Roada fine to Beatrice and Sioux City. Meridian Highway—Roada good clear through Nebraska. George Washington Highway—Roada fine to Sioux City. Black Hills Trail—Road under construe, tlon west of Benson, follow Maple street road to one mile west of construction, then north to Irvington. Roada good to Norfolk. Omaha-Topeka Highway—Roada good to state line. ' Omaha-Tulsa Highway—Roads good clear throuhg to Tulsa. King of Trails, North—Roads good to Sioux City. King of Trails, South—Roada fine to Hiawatha. Fair to good to Kansas City. River to River Road—Good. White Way Seven Highway—Roada good clear through to Iowa City. A lit tle rough In atretches. Detoura at Wil ton Junction and Durant. 1. O. A. Short Line—Roada good. Blue Grass Road—Roads good. Weather cloudy every point except east with prediction for fair and coldsr today and tomorrow. __ Buying of Bonds Sets Record in ! Last 12 Months Stock and Bond Prices Close Year at Materially Higher Levels, Showing Busi ness Improvement. New York, Dec. 30.—(By A. P.)— Stock and bond prices generally close the year at materially higher levels, which is not only a reflection of the marked improvement that has taken place in business and industry during the last 12 months, but also con strued by conservative New York banking interests as an indication of still further progress in the coming year. The year closes with conditions fa vorable for a further appreciation of commodity and Security prices in the opinion of the financial community. Unfavorable and unexpected develop ments in the political and economic situation abroad are generally'consid- | ored as the only probable obstacles j to arrest the improvement in the bust- j ness and* financial world, which be gan in the summer of 1921, and has continued with few temporary inter- ■ luptions, until the present time. Money Market Easy. The prediction of further business prosperity is based on successful well ' known facts. Foremost among these ! is the easiness of the money market and the huge sums available for com mercial credit. In addition, most stocks of merchandise are low. rail road traffic is close to record levels, exports are increasing, the principal European exchanges are heading back to par and the European economic situation shows signs of improvement, exports are increasing and unfilled or ders for railroad equipment are the largest in years. Other favorable signs are seen in the fact that no big strikes are threatened or pending, a great amount of construction work is still in arrears, despite a record breaking year of activity in the build ing industry, automobile production reached a new peak, which probably will be exceeded next year, while gasoline consumption has been the highest in history, and electric com panies are doing a record business. Stock SaJes Increase. Sales of stocks during the year totalled approximately 260,000,000 shares, as compared with 171,000,000 last year, 223,000,000 in 1920 and 307. 800,000 in the record breaking year of 1919, when post-war inflation was at its height. Bond sales this year reached the unprecedented total of approximately $4,155,000,000 as against $3,505,000,000 in 1921, $3,945,000,000 in 1920 and $3,775,000,000 In 1919. The peak of bond prices for the year was reached in the middle of September nnd the lowest level early in January. ! One of the features of the bond mar- 1 Uet was the return of United States government war bonds to par, to re funding of the Victory notes, and, bar ring war loans, not yet refunded, the record breaking volume of foreign government, corporate and municipal floatings, which reached a total of $683,160,000 fdr the first 10 months of 1922, as compared with $403,100,000 during the same period in 1921. Wide Fluctuation. The widest fluctuation In the stock market tnoiy place in shares of the | Atlantic Refining company, seldom dealt In, which ranged from a low of $900 to a high of $1,575, or $675 dif ference. Among the active Industrial issues, Mexican Petroleum provided the chief feature, getting as low as 106 3-4 and as high as 322, or a range of 2151-4 points. Approximately 95 per cent of this stock has been ac quired through conversion by the Pan American Petroleum and Transport company, thus virtually removing it as a market factor. Among the rail road shares, Michigan Central fluc tuated the most, selling between 156 nnd 330 or 174 points. The smallest fluctuation took place in Alaska gold mines, which sold between 7-8 and 1-4 to $1.00. Another Interesting development in the stock market was the declaration i of stock dividends totalling more than i $2,000,000,000. Substantial Recovery. While most industries showed sub stantial recovery from post-war In flation. the number of failures during the year was the largest on record and the volumes of liabilities next to the largest ever recorded. Severe la bor troubles, particularly the miners’ and shopmens’ strikes, also had dis astrous effects, costing each of the principal railway systems, millions of dollars and even more to business gen erally. For the first time on record, there was a marked shortage of manu al labor, due in part to the restriction of immigration, where ih 1921 the number of unemployed was estimated as high as 4,000,000 or 5,000,000. Crops with few exceptions, were of record size rfind the higher prices ( brought vastly greater purchasing J power to the agricultural regions, par ticularly the south. The foreign de mand for foodstuffs was not very heavy until the close of the year. Ex ports as a whole were the smallest since 1915, although In November they were 589,000,000 over those of No vember, 1921, and the highest since March, 1921. Mellon Urgeg Passage of Capper Farm Credits Bill Washington, Dec. 30.—(By A. P.)— : Enactment of the Capper rural cred its bill, together with legislation ex tending the power of the War Finance corporation for nine months, rather than the I,enroot bill, which hereto fore has borne the administration stamp, was urged by Secretary Mellon before the senate banking commis sion. We wish all our customers and friends the best there is tn life. A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR Advance Coal Co. COAL OF THE BETTER SORT 413 South 15th Street Phone* AT-lantic 1813-1597 Nebraskans View Roman Ruins in Southern France Travelers See Best Preserved Arena, Famous Maison Carree Temple and Pont du Gard, Magnifi j Xi cent Aqueduct, at N imes. By C. W. M'CARKy.l, I’sslor of tho Methodist church *t flast irga, Neb.. urn! former pmtor of the llansrotn Part Vlrtliodist church In Oma lia, who Is touring Kurope with his wife. This is one of a series of his articles. "Omnls Gallia in partos tres divisa est.” What school boy does not remem ber these first lines of Caesar's com mentaries? How vividly they came to us today. Wo are actually here in ancient Gallia. AVe are treading on the very ground where Julius Caesar and his soldiers trod. These streams are the very ones over which he constructed the bridges that we labored so hard to reconstruct in miniature in our early days of Latin study. These very stones are the ones which wore placed In these ancient walls by the hands of the early Romans. Two thousand years ago the Ro mans quarried these huge stones and budded the massive buildings that have stood the ravages of time, of rain, storm, cold and heat, of war, and even the demolishing hand of man, and are yet monuments of beauty and grandeur. I had not realized that southern France is so filled with monuments of early Roman civilization. Hardly- a city or town of any size but has the ruins of some theater, some arena, some aqueduct, some other ancient Roman building. Probably no city, however, outside of Rome it self, has more or -better preserved ruins than lias the city of Mimes. Old Roman Arena. In the heart of the city, the center of tho business district, is the old Roman arena. Though it Is not so large as the arena in Rome or in Verona, or even in Arles, it is in the best state of preservation of any of them. It is an ellipse of 145 by 175 yards, 70 feet high, Us masonry over 100 feet thick, and its seating capacity over 20,000. Is it built of limestone blocks, 6 to by 10 feet, perfectly ad justed without mortar, and the ex terior walls seem almost' as perfect today when they were first construct ed, only beautified by age. And this is in spite of the fact that the build ing has suffered by man's brutality, as well as by the hand of time. It has been used as fortress, it has been filled with earth, mean houses have been built inside of it, and even a church at one time was built in its upper gallery. Bull fights are held in this arena every summer and thou sands of persons gather to witness them. We changed to be here on Armistice day. Soldiers—infantry, cavalry and artillery—formed on the squrae in i front of and about the arena. Whnt | a picture they made with their colors , flying and with this magnificent old : ruin as a background. Maison Caree. Within two blocks of the arena Is ’ the Maison Caree, one of the finest ; Roman temples in the world. It Is said to be "the most brilliant of all the ruins In France, the little 'temple, of the fortunate princes of youth.' ” It Ptands in the midst of the few scattered remnants of an old Roman forum. About it are 30 Corinthian columns 29 feet high, 10 of them sup porting the roof of the portico. It was built ab6ut the year 1, A. D. Its columns and .the carvings about its cornice and pediment show little of the effects of time. One marvels at the perfection of the details, knowing that more than 2,000 years have pass ed since tills intricate and delicate carving was done. It would take too long to tell in de tail of all the other interesting Roman ruins of this wonderful city—the old Roman baths at the foot of Mont Cavalier, the temple of Diana just to the left with its marble walls, though in ruins, still covered with exquisite carvings; the Tower Magne on the top of Mont Cavalier and the Indescribably beautiful pathways leading tip to it; Porte d'Auguste, a four arched gate way with the name of Augustus and the date 15 B. C., still plainly visible, written upon it; and the Porte do France, the old Roman gateway from Spain into France. Pont du Gard. Howm'er, there is one other old ruin, if indeed you can call it a ruin, so perfect is its preservation, that ought not to be passed over with mere mention. It is the Pont du Gard. "the most magnificent Roman structure in existence.” It is an immense stone bridge, spanning the Gard river, 295 yards long and ISO feet high, consist ing of three tiers of arches, each tier being smaller and narrower than the one below It. Thf lowest tier has six immense arches, one or two of them 24 yards in span, the next 11, and the top one 35. The whole bridge is con structed of immense stones without mortar. It formed a part of an aque duct 25% miles long, conducting the water of the Eure arul Airon into the City .of Millies. Although lime from the water has formed encrustations a foot or more thick on the sides, yet is it easily possible to walk upright in the con duit on top the whole distance across the bridge. The stone slabs covering it are about 20 feet long by six wide, the length of the stone being placed crosswise. On th^ surface of the eighth arch of the second tier is carved the name "Veranius." He. at the command of Marcus V. Agrippa Augustus, began the aqueduct in 19 B. C. This Agrippa WSS the most fa mous aqueduct and waterworks build er of ancient Rome. Ancient legend. There is an ancient legend reaching back into the centuries concerning the bridge. So immense is it that the an cients thought it could not have been built by man, it must have been super naturaily constructed. The legend says that Satan made a proposition that he would construct this great aqueduct on condition that when com pleted he was to have the soul of the first living being crossing it. When it was completed the wife of the one making the bargain induced her hus band to take a hare and a dog to the end of the conduit, let the hare loose and have the dog chase it across. Sa tan was enraged that lie was so tricked, but was compelled to accept the soul of the hare for his pay. We spent nearly a half day trying to locate the reservoir, “castellum di visorium," whence the water from the ?5mile aqueduct and the Pont du Card entered Mimes. This outlet was not discovered until 1844, and few persons today even in Mimes know anything about its location or even its existence. When within one or two blocks of it we inquired of a num ber of persons, and not one ever had heard of it. We knew it was near an old piison. Wo finally located that and soon, in an out of the way place, fenced in by a high iron fence whose gate was securely padlocked, we found our long looker for treasure. We tried to gain access, but in vain. So 1 climbed up on the stone foundation of tlie fence, put my camera up close to the iron bars, and thus secured three or four pictures of it. Best Preserved Basin. Tt is a stone-walled basin about four feet deep and at least 30 feet in di ameter. One large opening at the rear, four by four feet, Wt the water into the basin. On the lower side were 10 circular openings each about one and one-half feet in diameter, to distribute the water to different parts of the city. Eight of these openings remain complete, the two in front have the top worn off. There was also), a large overflow! drain down from the front. The water was conducted from these openings by sluiceways. This is probably the most unique and best preserved Roman water basin in ex istence. In the city of Avignon, not far from Nimes, are the ruins of another bridge, St. Benezet. and while not a Roman structure it has, nevertheless, a most interesting history. It is prob ably the only great bridge known built by a mere lad. Good St. Benezet or "Petit Benoit” as lie was called, was a shepherd boy, horn at Avilar. Tradition says that he had a revela tion that lie was to build a bridge across the Rhone here at Avignon. When he entered the town and let his mission he known the townspeople mocked at the idea that a lad should undertake that which had baffled Julius Caesar. lie replied, "God will help me to succeed where pagans failed.” Completed in 1188. He asked one man for aid. The man mockingly said. "If your bridge is to be of stone, take that big one lying before my door." It was a stone 13 by T feet. The boy knelt up#n the stone, made the sign of the cross, then arose picked up the stone and carried it to the hank of the river. Tradition says this was the first stone used in building the bridge. After much discouragement the hoy finally got some persons to believe in him. They organized an order that for eight years went about all over that part of France collecting money, and under this boy’s inspiration and guidance the bridge finally was built. It waa begun in 1177 and completed in H88, and at the time wa# one of the largest bridges in France. On the side near Avignon was built a small chapel where St. Benezet presided during his lifetime, and where his body was buried until 1672 when it was transferred to the St. Celestine church. The little chapel and three spans of the original 18 of the bridge are all that remain. “Sage of Silver Creek” Dies. Hastings, Neb., Pec. 30.—(Special Telegram.)—Charles Wooster died at ills home at Silver Creek at 12:25 this morning. The time of the funeral will he lixed after relatives aro heard from. Mr. Wooster attended the meeting of the Taxpayers’ league here Wednesday and participated in the debate. Ho was found ill on the road returning to his home Thursday. Mr. Wooster was widely known as the “sage of Silver Creek.” Chiropractic Is the Golden Key to Health DR. F. F. BURHORN Chiropractic Specialist Suite 414-26 Securities Bldg., Corner 16th and Farnam Sts. — JA ckson 5347. Hours 9 A. M. to 8 P. M. Everyone in Nebraska should know just what Chiropractic means. Be cause, many hold, it may be some thing needed in an hour when every other remedy fails. The records show that Chiropractic hat restored thousands of abandoned and hope less eases to good health, recreating them physically and, as if by magic, giving them back that precious thing called health. Dr. Burhorn's Chiropractic offices in the Securities Building have often been said to be the largest and best equipped offices in the west. The unusually large reception rooms are handsomely appointed and com petent, courteous attendants care for each patient. Any one who consults Dr. Burhorn will find him remarkably kind and sympathetic, and so thorough in his analysis and adjust ing as to at once inspire confidence in his ability and professional knowledge. This eminent chiropractic specialist has adjusted thousands successfully from all over Nebras ka. including men and women in the bgihest official, social and business life of the state. If no one else can do you good, pay a visit to Dr. Burhorn. He will put you on the road to health. Good Times in I 1923 Predicted bv Chicagoans *_ c j Financial ami Industrial Lead ers See General Improved Conditions in Business. Chicago, Dec. 30-.—(By A. P.)— j Optimism for 1923 permeated sum j marizations from a business stand | point’ of the year now closing as j made public today by gome of Chi cago's leaders in finance and in dustry. They gave their reasons for | their satisfaction with the situation, chief of which were: Upward trend of trade; a tone of ! greater confidence; Improved condi tions of agriculture, increasing busi ness activity general; favorable condi tion of bank reserves; interest rates and credit structure; more normal relationship between prices of differ ent classes of commodities, better foreign exchange quotations. Increased prices of farm crops were generally given an important place in the statements which de clared that good crops had been har vested, prices to the farmer have risen and lie now is buying more free ly and paying his debts. George M. Reynolds, chairman of the board of the Continental and Commercial Na tional bank, said: Many Obstacles Overcome. “In the year now closing, business men and bankers have had to face many obstacles. Liquidation of frozen credits, particularly in the agri cultural sections was left over from 1921, the foreign situation acted as a deterrent and the coal and railroad strikes were retarding influences. “As the year progressed, credits continued to thaw out. The farmer harvested good crops and his prices have risen so that now he is paying his debts and buying more freely. Better quotations for the exehanges of some of the leading countries of Europe point to the efforts that have been made towards economic adjust ment Abroad. General Trend Upward. “The general trend of trade has teen upward and we do not hear of a large accummulation of merchan dise in any line or at any point. Un mistakably, there is a tone of greater confidence than has existed at any other time in IS months.” Louis F. Swift, president of Swift & Oo., said: “It has taken longer than usual to recover from the depression of 1920 21 i because we had a greater economic upheaval than during the former de pressions. But business has been on the mend during 1922, so that the country is now fairly prosperous.’’ Holdup Pair Gets $ 120 at El Beudor Two men, one of them armed, en tered the lobby of the El Beudor apartment hotel at Eighteenth and Dodge streets shortly after 2 Saturday morning and ordered W. E. Hall, j night clerk, ^nd George Cook, ole vator conductor, to put up their hands. Both Hall and Cook were then lock ed In a toilet while the holdup men rlfied the cash drawer of $120 In cash and several hundred dollars In checks. They overlooked a small amount of money in the safe, which was unlock ed. Cook and Hall finally broke some straps with which the door of their impromptu prison was fastened and called police. They furnished good descriptions of the bandits, neither of whom was masked. $1,000 Reward for Arrest of Slayer of Edwrard Stone One thousand dollars reward was posted Saturday by T. J. McCormick, Omaha manager for the Shafer Oil company, for the arrest and convic tion, or information leading thereto, of the slayer of Edward Stone, who died from bullet wounds received when he was said to bo defending the funds of the Shafer tilling station at Sixteenth and Pinkney streets from a lone highwayman the night of De cember 19. Polico authorities were notified of the reward. Men wear skirts trimmed with lace and ribbons at weddings and social functions In Czecho slovakia. Sugar Beet Growers Form Sales Agency Seottsbluff, Neb., Dec. 30. — (Spe cial.) — Organization was perfected here of a Cooperative Beet Growers' association, which wilf seek to enlist all the farmers who ralso sugar beets In the North Platte valley as mem bers. giving the organisation power to negotiate a contract for them the next threo years. At least 30.000 acres w ill bo pledged to the associa tion. In the opinion of the founders, that will give the organisation con trol over threetourths of the sugar beets and will force, it Is believed, the most favorable terms possible with the Great Western Sugar com pany. A penalty of 2.7 cents a ton was agreed upon for farmer mem bers who violate their contract in becoming members of the association and negotiato separate terms with the sugar Company. Bank Clearings Make Big Gain Figures of Omaha Clearing House Show Jnerease of $78,000,000 Over 1921. _„ Bank clearings gained $78,370,631 during 11*22 over the total cleurlngt for 1921, according to figures furnished hy the Omaha Clearing house Satur day. Total hank clearings for 1922 wer% $1,981,529,345, ns compared to $1,903,* 159.085 for 1921. While clearings for the past week did not measure up with tho clear ings the week before Christmas, they were must larger than last year. Mer chants say a big Christmas business is nu ,unfailing sign that there will be a big January business. The clearings for the week were $36,557,664, as compared to $10,434, 305 last week and $27,289,420 the cor responding week last year. A table showing the clearings for each month during 1922 and compara tive totals follows: January .1 C9.88S.8S4.76 February . 136,651,677.92 March . 1 #2,792,51 8.86 April . 150.1OP.469.49 May . 168,636,4 16.84 June . 171,579,498.20 July . 164.587.607.8.1 August . 164,8.55,452.12 September . 17.'!.1 56,366.68 it.tobor . 185.720.685.78 November .. 1 64,647,859 24 December . 178,928,346.32 Total for 1922.$1.9*1 Clearings, 1921. 1.902,158,686.91 Increase ....I 78,370,669.41 Head of County Hospital Says Doctors Seek Control Dan Westegard, present superin tendent of the county hospital. Satur day charged that Omaha medical men seek to take over control of that in stitution. Westegard, according to a canvass of several county commissioners, will lose his position. The rumor is that a physician is to take his place after January 4, at wdilch time the new county board reorganizes., "The first intimation of my ousting was when I read of It in The Omaha Bee.” said Westegard. “I know noth ing about it. But the medical frater nity which desires the change will no! last six months.” Year ■ "You Above All Must Be Satisfied" McKENNEY Dentists 1324 Farnam St., Cor. 14th Phone JA 2872 “THE FINEST STORE IN THE WORLD” for Men and Women _ How *| Open • In the World Theater Building featuring Ladies’ Furnishings and Nationally Known Standard Haberdashery for Men PhoXnix Gotham Gold Stripe and Realart Hosiery for Men and Women Futurist, Phoenix and Kayser Silk Ladies’ Underwear