THE UNITED STATES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3519, 23 August 1921, Page 18

THE UNITED STATES.

ITALIAN MURDER MYSTERIES. NEW YORK, August 19. The New York police attribute a total of more than 125 of the unsolved Italian murder mysteries in eNw York, Chicago, Detroit, Pittsburg, and other large American cities to a Sicilian murder syndicate named the Bona Ventre, the workings of which were revealed in a confession by Bartolo Fontano, who sought police protection after admitting the assassination of his best friend. The police in various cities have begun to co operate, with the result that clues and traces of the syndicate's activities are becoming more evident. SMUGGLING OF LIQUOR. NEW YORK, August 18. The Washington correspondent of the New. York Times reports that Britain filed a protest against thsj American seizure of a British schooner outside the three-mile limit, on the ground that she was smuggling liquor into the United States. Mr Mellon (Secretary of the Treasury) announced a ruling that the prohibition of the transhipment to the United States of alcoholic beverages is lifted as a result of the Anchor Line suit. The courts granted the line an injunction restraining the Collector of Customs at New York from interferim? with a shipment of liuuov, which originated at Glasgow, and was consigned to a. foreign port. The Supreme Court will now probably decide the issue. THE SETTLEMENT OF DEBTS. WASHINGTON, 'August- 20. The Finance Committee of the Senate has favourably reported on the Administration Bill providing for the refunding of the Allied debts within five years. The measure gives the Secretary of the Treasury sweeping authority to refund or extend the time for the payment of principal or interest. MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS. The United States Secretary of Labour lias announced that there are 5,730,000’ unemployed in the United States. China has notified the State Department that she will send 100 delegates to the Disarmament Conference. Senator King (United States) has introduced a resolution authorising President Harding to call a conference of the leading mercantile nations to consider the means of stabilising the international exchange. A joint Army and Navv Board report states that the results of the recent tests bv which four former German warships were sunk by aircraft-, have failed to displace the battleship from its pre-eminent position as the nation’s chief defence at sea, though development of air services are vital adjuncts.