-s
The Omaha ' Daily Bee
VOL. 50 NO. 209.
Eaton a MM.d-.iut Mtttr w U. INK. tt
Oitki . 0. ft art at Nana 3. U7
OMAHA, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1920
By Mull (I mar). Dally. MOO: , li.SO:
Dally ana San., $7.00: aulilda Nak. Mitua txtra.
TWO CENTS.
HI.f
. ,
mm
ALLIES WONT
INSIST UPON
EXTRADITION
Berlin's, Proposal to Bring
Those Accused of War
v Crimes Before Leipsic Tri
bunal Accepted by Entente.
PENAL PROCEEDINGS
; WILL BEGIN AT ONCE
Text of Note to Holland Ask;
ing Internment of Ex-Kaiser
Is Presented and Made Pub-
lie to the World.
London, Feb. 16. The allied reply
to the German note of January 2,
proposing as an alternative to extra
dition that persons accused by the
allies be tried at Leipsic, states that
Germany's proposal for such trial at
Leipsic is compatible with article 223
of the peace treaty. The allies, the
note says, will abstain from interven
tion in the procedure of that court
After stating that the allies have
carefully considered the German
note of January 25, the reply says:
"The power observe, in the- first
place, that Germany declares it
self unable to carry out the obliga
tion imposed on it by article 228
to 230, which she signed. They re
serve to themselves the power to
employ in such measure and form as
they may judge suitable, the rights
accorded to them in this event by
the treaty."
"The allies' note, however, the Ger
man government's declaration that
they are prepared to open before
the court of Leipsic penal proceed
ings without delay, surrounded by
the most complete guarantees an!
not affected by the application of all
judgments, procedure or. previous
decisions of German civil or military
tribunals before "the supreme court
at Leipsic, against all Germans
whose extradition the allies and as
sociated powers have the intention
to demand. .
Compatible to Treaty.
"The prosecution which the Ger
man government itself proposes, im
mediately to institute in this mannei
is compatible with article 228 of the
peace treaty and is expressly pro
i,irpA for At- the end of its first oara-
graph. ,
"Faithful to the letter and spirit
of the treaty, the allies will abstain
from intervention in any way in the
procedure of the prosecution and
verdict in order to" leave the Ger-
..man government complete and en
tire responsibility. They reserve to
themselves the right to decide by
the results as- tb the good faith of
Germany, the recognition by it of
the crimes it has committed and
its sincere desire to associate it
self with ttreir punishment. '
"They will see whether the Ger
man government, which has de-
clared itself unable to arrest the
accused named on the list
to de-liver them for trial to the al
lies, is actually determined to judge
them itself. .
Provide Details of Charges.
"At the same time the allies, in
pursuance of truth and justice, have
decided to entrust to a mixed in
terallied commission the task of col
lecting, publishing and communi
cating to Germany details of the
charges brought against each pf
these whose guilt shall have been
established by their investigations.
Finally, the allies would formally
emphasise, that procedure before a
jundiction such as is proposed can
in no way annul the provisions of
articles 228 to 230 of the treaty.
"The powers reserve to them
selves the right to decide whether
"the proposed procedure by Ger
many which, according to it,
would , assure to the accused all
euarantees of justice, does not, in
effect, bring about their escape from,
the just punishment of their crimes.
In this event the allies would exer
cise their rights to their full extent
by submitting the cases to their own
tribunal. .
Internment of Ex-Kaiser
On Island Is Asked for
t The Hague, Feb. 16. The latest
allied note to Holland with regard
' to extradition of the former German
vmperor reverses the original de
maud for his surrender, and only
asks his- internment,, with the sug
gestion that the former monarch be'
lent." oerhaos. to one of the Dutch
, slands in the East Indies, it" be
came known today.'
Following is the text of the note
lent (by the allied powers to Hol
'and regarding the extradition of the
Unnaf fwrman emneror:
"The immense sacrifices made in
he general interest by the powers
luring th,e war entitle them to ask
The Netherlands to reconsider its
refusal, based on the weighty, but
intiTely personal considerations of
i state which held aloof from the
war and cannot perhaps appreciate
' suite accurately all the duties and
dangers of the present hour.
"The obligations of the powers
towards other nations, the gavity of
the question concerned, as well as
the very grave political effects to
1 t f: : V. . ... . C .Via 1 -i i t-n e
-which relinquisnment or tne ciaimsj
of justice against the ex-emperor
would give rise all constrain them
; to uphold and, renew their demand.
"The powers do not ask t the
(CmOmwJ m fan To. Caluu laar.)
Women's League Urges
Single Moral Standard .
and Harsher Vice Laws
Condemns Senator James W. Wadsworth, Jr., oi New
York, for Working Against Suffrage--Recom-mends
That Women Be Put On Governing Board
of Penal and Charitable Institutions.
Chicago, Feb. 16. The League of
Women Voters today condemned
Senator James W. Wadsworth, jr.,
of New York for "misrepresenting
his state and party" in working
against suffrage. Appreciation was
extended to the women of New York
in their determination to send to
the United States senate "a mod
ern minded senator capable of com
prehending the great American prin
ciples of freedom and democracy,"
to replace Mr. Wadsworth.
-The league also took a stand for
a single standard of morals when
it accepted the report of its social
hygiene committee of which Dr.
Valerie Parker of Hartford, Conn.,
is president
Among recommendations for
commercial vice were:
Punishment of frequenters of dis
orderly houses. -
Abolition of segregated, protected
vice districts.
Heavy penalties for pandering.
Would Prevent Solicitation.
prevention of solicitation wheth
er by man or woman.
Control of venereal diseases with
recommendations, for proper laws
was urged. v
Passag of laws to protect minors,
defectives and delinquents, was
urged. Among these was a law
WILSON'S NOTE-
IS BOMBSHELL
TO BRITISHERS
Viewpoint on Adriatic Ques
tion Considered Ultimatum,
Though Washington
Says It Is Not.
London, Feb. 16. President Wil
son's note to the peace cenference
on the Adriatic question has fur
nished London political and news
paper circles with a surprise anfi in
terest surpassing that evoked by the
Wilson - Lansing correspondence.
The Lansing incident was regarded
as an American family affair toward
which foreigners should be merely
disinterested spectators. The presi
dent's reappearance as a determined
party in the peace negotiations was
construed as almost as threatening
as his order for the George Wash
ington to be prepared to take him
home from France.
The first versions of the event
gave it the aspect of an ultimatum,
which meant that the council of the
allies must stand' by the terms
which President Wilson accepted in
December or America would shake
the dust of European affairs off her
feet altogether, .and also that the
council had framed a stiffly-worded
reply adhering to its January offer
to the Jugo-Slavs. . ,
Later information appeared to
soften the stiff-necked positions
credited to both parties. This con-
(Continned on Pare Two, Column One.)
"No Licenses Today"
Sign Brings Grief
to Denver Couples
Denver, Feb. 16. A big sign bear
ing the inscription, "No licenses to
day," hanging above the desk of the
marriage license clerk at the cgunty
court house, caused 'consternation
and no little disappointment to IS
couples, who during the day sought
the necessary document as a pre
liminary to embarking on the sea of
matrimony. -
The clerk explained that the sup
ply of blanks had been exhausted
and that the printer who held the
contract had been unable to keep the
office supplied. '
"Can't do it," the good-natured
clerk said when pressed for a li
cense by the first couple that ap
peared 10 minutes after the office
was opened. "It's like this," he con
tinued. "We are ojit of license
blanks. We have no authority un
der the law to use any but the pre
scribed form. The printer who has
the contract also has the .'flu.' So
there's nothing to do' but wait."
Some of the couples, not to be
outdone, went at once to Littleton
and Golcteu, county seats of adjoin
ing counties, to secure licenses. .
Massacre'7,000 Armenians.
Washington, Feb. 16. Seven
thousand Armenians have been
massacred in Cilicia in a new at
tack by Turkish and Kurdish troops,
which is still in progress, accord
ing to advices received by the Ar
menian National Union through of
ficial channels. The report signed
bv the acting Armenian archbishoo
of Smvrna. and the nresident of the.
- Armenian colony of Greece, states
that the foes of the Armenians num
ber 50,000 men who have advanced
to Bahtche and threaten to spread a
reign of terror throughout the dis
trict, ,
providing for mental examinations
of all children and to care for de
fective ones. I
A law was urged to make the legal
age of consent at least 18 years and
to provide protection for the boy
as well as the girl.
It was recommended that women
be. put on the governing boards of
all charitable and penal instituti&ns
as well as in other public positions
which deals with problems of de
linquency or health.
Adopt Food Supply Report.
The report of the committee on
food supply and demand was adopt
ed -With its endorsement of the
Kenyon-Kendrick-Anderson bill for
the control of packers, despite a
talk from the packers' point of view
by L. D. Wells of Swift & Co.
Mrs. Helen Gardener of Wash
ington, announced the installation
of an exhibit connected with the
history of the suffrage movement in
the United States in the Smithsonian
institution.
Among the exhibits are pictures
of Susan B. Anthony, Anna Howard
Shaw and Carrie Chapman Catt
the, first women to be so honored
because of their achievements. The
round mahogany table is there on
which woman's bill of rights was
(Continued on Page Two, Column Three.)
"GET TOGETHER"
LUNCHEON HELD
BY NEBRASKANS
Unchaperoned Suffrage Work
ers Mingle With Cigaret
Smoking Young Women
in Russian Tea Room.
By MYRTLE MASON.
Staff Correspondent Omaha Bee.
Chicago, Feb. 16. (Special Tele
gram.) Unchaperoned and un
ashamed, the Nebraska delegation
attending the conventions of suf
fragists and the League of Women
Voters sipped an amber-colored
fluid from tall glass mugs Monday
noon, in an atmosphere of burning
incense, mixed with cigarette smoke,
blown from the rosebud lips of
pretty young women. But the am
ber fluid was nothing more than
real Russian tea and the Nebraska
women smoked no cigarettes them
selves nor did they approve of the
young women who were so doing in
the Russian tea room on Michigan
boulevard.
Twenty-five Nebraska women at
tended the luncheon, which was a
general "get together" as well as a
function in honor of Miss Ellen
Harn, of Keneshavv, a Nebraska suf
frage pioneer.
Former Omahan Leader.
Mrs. Frances Ford was delegated
to the tea room and presented to
the Nebraska party. Mrs. Ford is
said to be America's foremost writer
of children's stories. She conducts
the children's page on the Chicago
Daily News, giving particular at
tention to the "Martha and Mary"
letters. Mrs. Ford is the mother of
the Omaha Woman's club. She
called the meeting which resulted in
its formation 27 years ago. She left
Omaha in 1900.
Organization of the League of
Women Voters continued Monday.
A report of the committee charged
with dividing the United States into
(Contlnned on Pare Two, Colnmn Five.)
General Pershing
Opens Mardi Gras
in New Orleans
New Orleans, Feb. 16. With the
arrival Monday of General Persh
ing the 1920 Madri Gras carnival,
the first since 1917, was formally
opened.
General Pershing was given a re
ception at the city hall, addressed
gatherings qf school children and
war veterans and inspected-the Jack
son barracks. He will be the guest
of honor at a banquet of the Asso
ciation of Commerce.
The titlo "Duke of Victory" will
ben conferred upon General Persh
ing Tuesday during the carnival of
the "King of Misrule and Joy."
Cash Register Salesmen
Ad Selling League Guests
Paul' Findlay, representative of
the California Fruit Growers' ex
change, who is to ' address retail
merchants at the Chamber dt Com
merce tonight, spoke last evening
at the Ad-selling league. '
Mr. Findlay discussed methods
of calculating profits in a retail
business, covering briefly the sub
ject which he will detail fully to
night '
Twenty-seven salesmen of Tne
National Cash Register Co.,- who
were attending a convention here,
were among those present 1
BID MILLIONS
FOR PRIZES AT
SHIP AUCTION
Spirited Offers Made at Pub
lic Sale Held by U. S. Ship
ping Board of German Ves
sels Captured During War.
CANNOT BUY CRAFT
TILL SENATE APPROVES
Controversy, Over Sale Occu
pies Agencies of White
House, the Senate and Dis
trict Supreme Court.
r .
Washington, Feb. 16. (By The
Associated Press.) While contro
versy ovep the proposed sale of 30
former German liners occupied to
day three government agencies, the
White House, the senate and the dis
trict supreme court presidents of
great shipping companies were bid
ding in tens of millions against each
other or the craft at the shipping
board's auction.
For one group of six vessels the
bidders fought with $250,000 boosts
in price, until Major General George
W. Goethals, retired, now head of
the American Ship & Commerce Co.,
dropped out at $13,000,000, which
he said was his limit, a"hd P. A. S.
Franklin, president of the Interna
tional Mercantile Marine, raised the
price to $13,100,000.
It had been announced in opening
by Commissioner Scott that the auc
tion was only for the purpose of re
ceiving bids, final action to await ap
proral of the senate commerce com
mittee and the house merchant ma
rine committee and the outcome of
William Randolph Hearst's appli
cation for an injunction to prevent
the sale. While the bidding was
in progress the senate further com
plicated the situation, adopting a
resolution requesting that the sale
be postponed, but at the conclusion
of the bidding today, it was an
nounced that the auction would con
tinue at 10 o'clock tomorrow.
Judge Deciding Question.
In tlie district supreme court As
sociate Justice Bailey took under ad
visement Mr. Hearst's application,
after hearing contention of counsel
that the shipping board lacked
legal power to dispose of the vessels.
He will render his decision Friday.
At the White House it was said
that the president would answer
promptly with a decided negative
the resolution adopted by the senate
Saturday, asking if there existed a
secret understanding with Great
Britain as to the ultimate disposi
tion of former German craft.
Bidding at the auction was slow
at the morning session, when groups
of ships were being offered, but be
came spirited in the afternoon, when
(Continued on Pace Two, Colnmn Six.)
Award Contract for
33 Fire Escapes for
, 1 7 Omaha Schools
The Board of Education last night
awarded to F. E. Potter & Son,
Sioux City, a contract to. furnish 33
spiral fire escapes, on a bid of $355
each, for the following schools:
Beals, Field Club, Florence, Gar
field, Hawthorne, Highland, Kellom,
Long, Long Annex, Mason, Madi
son, Saunders, South Franklin,
South Lineoln, Walnut Hill, Web
ster and West Side.
The board approved the expendi
ture of $2,900 for the erection of an
addition to the automobile mechan
ics department of the High School
of Commerce. Explanation was
made by the buildings and grounds
coirfmittee that -there are, now 160
students on the waiting list and
that they will be denied this instruc
tion unless the department is en
larged.. It also was stated that the
new Commercial and Technical high
school will not be ready for two to
three years, which the members be
lieved justified this expense for a
temporary arrangement. "
The resignation of Kathryn
Walsh, teacher, was accepted. "An
appropriation of $1,768 was made for
the installation of a lighting system
at Lothrop school.
Fail to Locate Steamer
Afire in Indian Ocean;
Many Are Aboard
Paris, Feb. 16. Search for the
steamer Ville D'Alger, which on
February 6 was reported afire 100
miles off Reunion in the , Indian
ocean, has been fruitless, according
to a statement issued by the min
istry of the navy. The Ville D'Alger,
a vessel of 4,857 tons, had on board
91 passengers and a crew of 50.
m
Spinal Meningitis Again
' Breaks Out in Crete, Neb.
Lincoln, Neb., Feb. 16. Spinal
meningitis has again broken out at
the town of Crete, 20 miles west of
Lincoln, and following a visit there
of the head of the state' health de
partment public schools, . churches
and other meetings have been or
dered closed'. Doarie college, lo
cated .near the town, continues open.
, -
1 Determined Upon a Mesalliance MONEY SPEN1
"She
RUMOR PERSISTS
WAR SECRETARY
ABOUT TO RESIGN
Although White House Insists
No Foundation for Reports,
f x Many Think BalTer
Will Quit. - '
Washington, Feb. 16. (Special.1)
Still shaken-by the sensational de
velopments of the Wilson-Lansing
break, Washington today was filled
with persistent rumors to the effect
that Newton D. Baker, secretary of
war and one of the men mentioned
as possible successor to the former
secretary of state, had tendered his
resignation to President Wilson or
was about to do so.
Although the White House in
sisted that there was no foundation
for these reports, Mr. Baker himselt
refused positively to affirm Or deny
them, px to discuss the matter in
any way. .
It is known, hdwever, that the sec
retary of war feels keenly the cir
cumstances surrounding the en
forced resignation of Mr. Lansing
from the cabinet and considers him
self equally responsible with the lat
ter fqr the action of the cabinet in
holding meetings during the presi
dent's illness. ' r
. Baker Approved Meetings.
Friends of Mr. Lansing have stat
ed that the former secretary of
state consulted with practically all
of the members of the cabinet be
fore deciding to hold these meet
ings and that from Mr. Baker he re
ceived a written approval . of the
plan.
The president's apparent 'disincli
nation to rebuke any of the other
members of the cabinet for the cabi
net meetings is regarded as fur
ther emphasizing the belief that the
president's objections to thee meet
ings were in part, at least, merely
used as a pretext for ridding him
self of a secretary of state who did
not subscribe to his policies on for
eign questions.
May Preside in Person.
To illustrate further thfe fact that
he is now firmly back in the saddle,
the president is said to be deter
mined to preside over the next meet
ing of the cabinet on Friday.
Whether he will do so will probably
depend on hi's physicians, it being
stated that he is already, in the opin
ion of some of them, inclined to
overtax; himself.
Each morning at a stated hour
the president, after enjoying an air
ing lri a south portion of the White
House, is accustomed to wheel him
self or walk into the East room,
where he enjoys an hour's display or
more of 'a moving picture drama.
At other times heengages himself
closely to public affairs.
Hoover's Name for President
On Indiana G. 0. P. Ballot
j
Indianapolis, Feb! 16. The name
of Herbert Hoover will be placed
on the republican presidential pref
erence ballot in Indiana, it is an
nounced by Dr. Harry E. Barnard,
former state food administrator. Dr.
Barnardrwho has just returned from
New York, where he conferred with
friends of Mr. Hoover, stated that
petitions now are prepared , which
will be distributed over the state
within the next few days.
shall either marry you or not at
alll"
McCUMBER FLAYS
BOTH PARTIES IN
DEBATE ON PACT
Calls 'Failure to Compromise On
Treaty "Child's Play
Obstinacy."
Washington, Feb. 16. Laying
aside its legislative business the sen
ate, by unanimous consent, took up
the Treaty of Versailles again to
day and resumed ,in all its vigor
the ratification debate interrupted
last November.
The opening" gun in the new phase
of the fight was fired by the treaty's
irreconcilable foes, Senator Mc
Cormick of Illinois reopening the
discussion with a speech bitterly
assailing many provisions of the
document and counselling the re
publican leaders not to consent to
further compromise.
He was followed by Senator Mc
Cumber, republican, North Dakota,
who flayed the heads of both parties
for their failure to compromise and
declared that "child's play obsti
nacy" alone stop.d in the way of
ratification.
Hitchcock Defends Democrats.
"Drawn into the debate by thfc
charges of the North Dakota sen
ator. Senator Hitchcock, demo
cratic leader, asserted"that the dem
ocrats already had "abandoned"
their previous stand and had offered
compromise, but' that the republi
cans were demanding nothing short
of complete democratic surrender.
Once it got under way, the debate
speedily revived thcwhole scale of
issues which the senate had debated
from May to November of last year.
(Continued on Page Two, Column Thr.)
Will Ask $50 for
Each Month Served
With U. S. Forces
Washington, Feb". 16. The Amer
ican Legion will proceed "actively
and agressively" with action to se
cure legislation for adjustment of
war service compensation on the
basis of $50 for each month served,
Franklin .-D'Olier, national com
mander of the legion announced.
The national legislative committee'
was instructed to take up with mem
bers 6f congress legislation' already
proposed for this purpose.
"The legislative committee was
instructed that the American Legion
regards the fulfillment of the obli
gation on the part of the govern
ment, as permanent," Mr. D'Olier's
statement continued, "with the ex
ception of any legislation still un
completed affecting the rights of
widows and orphans and of the dis
abled." Temperatures
1 Forecast:
s
Iowa Fair and warmer Tuesday:
Wednesday, partly cloudy, colder.
Nebraska Fair with mild Tem
perature Tuesday; Wednesday fair
and colder. ,
Hourly Temperatures:
B a. m. .
6 a. m . .
1 a. m . .
a. m . .
A a. m. .
1ft a. m. ,
Ha. in..
1 p. m . .
t a. m . .
S p. m . .
4 p. m . .
5 p. m,.
p. m . .
7 p. m . ,
p. m. .
. ,.4'i
. ..45
...48
. . .SO
...id
...43
..
...S
..II
..14
..19
..24
..
..38
IS
annual banquet
of real estate
men-big Event
Secretary of National Asso
ciation Says Omaha Leads
in Industrial Building
Activities.
The annual banquet of the Omaha
Real Estate board last night in the
Hotel Fontenelle with 206 members
present, proved"to" be an event of
combined merriment and serious
ness, with merriment somewhat in
the foreground.
An elaborate entertainment which
included music by a large orchestra,
cabaret features and satirical songs
and sketches emphasizing the char
acteristics of several well-known
Omaha realtors, giVen by younger
members of the board, kept the
other members in a continual state
of laughter.
National Secretary Speaks.
Thomas Ingersoll, secretary of
the National Association of Real
Estate Boards, was the principal
speaker of the evening. In fact, it
was in his honor that the banquet
was really given, according to E. A.
Bpnson, veteran real estate man and
toastmaster of the evening.
- " You have more industrial build
ing in Omaha than in any other
city Hn the country," said Mr In
gersoll. ""I find that real estate men
here iand in other cities ire co
operating to solve the housing prob
lems of their cities.
Expects to Decline.
"There is sure to be a continued
increase in real fstate values and
there should be lio decline in values
within at least 10 years. B,uild now.
Commenting on the proposeM 1
cent federal land tax, Mr. Ingersoll
declared that it was unnecessary and
that real estate men should take
steps to se that-it was not made a
law.
"You men should take up the mat
ter with your representatives in con
gress. I understand you have a
senator from Omaha. If you can
get him away from the League of
Nations1, long enough he can help
you."
Rev. Frank G. Smith addressed
the realtors on "Our Task and Our
Opportunity in the Present Day."
It is the duty of this country to
help starving Europe, he saidr
0. L. D. Highway Official
To Test State License Law
Hastings, Neb., Feb. 16. (Spe
cial.) Arrested for not having the
1920 seal and certificate attached to
his automobile,' J. U. Riffc, jeweler
and official of the Old Highway as
sociation, announces his intentions
of fighting the case to the supr.eme
court if necessary. "The law says
that screws are to be furnished with
plafe and certificate," said Mr. Riffe.
"I have paid the fee and have the
seal and certificate but was given
no screws. I helped" make "the law
and it is a good one. Screws would
cost about l20 cents for each car.
With 210.000 cars in the state that
means that Nebraska car owners
would pay between $20000 and $22,
OOff more than the law reqiuer1!."
Mr. Riffe left the seal off his car
purposely. Hearing of the case is
1 set for February 24.
EXCESSIVELY
REPORT SAYS
Finding of Long-Continued In
vestigation of Aerial Con
struction During War Pre-
sented in House.
DIRECTOR UNDER FIRE
OVER RAILROAD BUILT
Charge John D. Ryan Laid
Government Line That Ben
efited Carrier of. Which He
Was Director.
Washington, Feb.' 16. Reports of
the long continued investigation of
aircraft production were presented
Monday in the house from the spe
cial .committee inquiring into war
expenditures.
Representatives Frear and McGee,
republicaus on the subcommittee
which conducted the investigation,
characterized the aviation program
in their report as a "riot of wasted
and Representative Lea, democrat,
declared in' his report that the re
publican members had sacrificed
facts for sensationalism jn an ef
fort to discredit the government. '
Reports Differ in Record.
Both reports contain thousands
of wordsr"" They differ entirely in
the record of achievement in ship
ping American airplanes abroad and
in the performance of the aircraft
production generally.
A prominent part of both reports ,
is gwen to the controversy over
the connection of John D. Ryan,
former director of aircraft produc
tion, with the construction of a
government built railroad, which, it
has been charged, rebounded to the
benefit of the Chicago', Milwaukee '
& St. Paul road of which Mr. Ryan
is a directqr.
Disclaiming any attempts to de
termine motives, the majority . re
port on that point says:
Mr. Ryan "Unfortunate."
"If Mr. Ryan's statement of. dis
interestedness is true he has been
most unfortunate in handling a pub
lic matter that, in the judgment of
your committee covered a flimsy
effort to promote large private busi
ness interests and was accompanied
by blundering explanations from be
ginning to end."
In contrast, tjie minority report
by Representative Le,a says:
"The evidence shows that Mr.
Ryan practically abandoned his own
business affairs and devoted himself
unremittingly to his official duties.
Without directlv charging it, the re-
port of the majority insinuates that
Ryan used his power as head of air
craft, to cause 'selection of the Lake
Crescent route for the benefit of
the Milwaukee road. The purpose
to construct a railroad from Lake
Pleasant connecting with. the Mil-,
waukee was determined before Mr.
Ryan was connected with the air
craft service.
"The Lake Crescent route was se
lected over the resolution of the
Milwaukee road up to the moment
the decision was made. The Mil
waukee contended for the surveyed
extension of its own route which
served its interests for better than
the present route. The Lake Cres
cent ws distinctively the best route
the government could hav selected
to serve its purposes."
Remarakable Circumstances.
The majority, report, however,
characterizes thvtransaction as "a
remarkable chain of circumstances,"
and adds that "under the surface.,
the stake being, played for in the
abortive attempt to produce spruce
lumber in Washington and Oregon
was for control of the lumber in
terests in the northwest after the
war." The majority report pays a
tribute t6 the Providence Journal
and "patriotic loggers and lumber
men," who, it says, "rendered a
great public service", in bringing the
matter, to light.
Besides Mr. Ryan the -majority
report attacks his assistant, Wil
liam C. Potter, Col. Edward A.
Deeds, who preceded Ryan in .air
craft production, and Secretary,
Baker as responsible head of the
aircraft production program. It de-'
scribes the program as "an appal
ling record of orders and counter
orders, ignorance- and dickering,
waste and extravagance, evidence of
self-inteVest and improper practices." '
' Explain America's Failure.
"It is not the province of the
committee." says the majority re
port, "to declare the measure of re
sponsibility of any official, but we
would be derlect in bur duty if
we failed to prevent what we be
lieved to be. the causes for Ameri
ca's failure in aviation and the re
sulting lack ofconfidence in any
present War department aviation
plan."
In detail the majority report takes
ui-ihe allejed waste and extravagance-in
the early aircraft appro
priations, the alleged failure of the
De Haviland planes, the alleged fail
ure to get sufficient American planesj
to the battle front, the spruce pro-j
duction project in the northwest,
millions of alleged wastes on cost
plus contracts and many specific
charges of inefficiency ajid squand
ering of millions of dollars.
In turn, Representative Lea's'
(Continued P Twa, CoIubm Tw
Vs-
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