THE UNITED STATES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3590, 2 January 1923, Page 16

THE UNITED STATES.

HERRIN MASSACRE. NEW YORK, December 22. At Marion the judge. overruled 18 out of 20 motions submitted by the attorneys for five of the miners on trial in the Herrin massacre ca-sg to throw out the testimony introduced by the State. The two motions upheld asked that the testimony introduced by the prosecution’s witnesses be limited to the specific five defendants and not held as evidence against the others. December 23. The Herrin trial at Marion has been adjourned till January 2. The jurry will be kept in the custody of bailiffs. The defence announced that it will have nearly 400 witnesses. ECONOMIC CONFERENCE. WASHINGTON, December 23. - Senator Borah has become the subject of a hatter attack, as the result of his resolution, by members of the former group of irreconoilables, who declare that he is placing himself alongside ex-l’resident Wilson concerning, the League of Nations. Senator Watson, following a conference with President Harding, declared that the latter also opposes Senator Borah’s resolution, and desired its defeat in its present form. ■ Former senators of the so-called farmers’ bloc however, announced that they favoured the resolution.[Senator Borah proposed an amendment to the Naval Appropriations Bill, wh:chis now before the Senate, providing that the President shall call a world economic conference in addition to the proposed disarmament conference.] SENATOR BORAH’S EXPLANATION. WASHINGTON, December 25. Senator Borah, in a statement explaining the reasons for his resolution suggesting an economic conference and showing how radically he had changed since 1919, . when he declared that under no circumstances must America enter European entangling alliances, says: “We are interested in the reparations question, because we are interested in the payment of what Europe, owes us, and because we want the European markets open for our farm products. Millions are hungering and dying in Europe for products which are rotting on our farms. Shall we say that these matters do not concern us?’ The statement concludes with this warning: “If we do not go to Europe now we perhaps may be compelled to go to Europe later, but in the manner of OPPOSITION BY SENATORS. NEW YORK, December 25. The New York .Times’s Washington correspondent states that other senators, including Senators Smoot and M’Cormick, haive come out against the Borah resolutions. The. correspondent understands that there will be a conference of ..Republican. senators, including Senator Borah, with ..President Harding, this week, at which the situation will be discussed and Senator Borah urged to modify his resolution to a point where it will merely suggest to the Administration that this Country should aid Europe,, but that the specific policy be left to the President. There is every reason to believe.' that unless Senator Borah accedes to this request the* resolution will be defeated, since under the Senate rules it will require a two-thirds majority to ensure its passage. Senator Smoot said : “We know in advance what the European nations want, and if we called a conference and then turned down the requests the situation would not be improved, and the United Stqt.es would be placed in a false position.” . Senator M’Cormick said that more important to the rehabilitation of Europe than any conference was the exorcism of the spirit of hate which animated the Governments and peoples. There could be no real peace for Europe unless the peoples were moved by the Christian will to peace and Christian comity. AMERICAN “BOOTLEGGERS.” . WASHINGTON, December 23. . Taking cognisance of the charges that illicit sellers of liquor are openly plying their trade in the Senate and in the Homes of Representatives office buildings, Senator Curtis (chairman of the Rules Committee) has ordered the Capitol police to arrest all “bootleggers,” no matter who is backing them or to whom they are selling liquor. He declared that no amount of political influence would save the men who were caught violating the prohibition law in the Capitol. ARBUCKLE’S REINSTATEMENT. NEW YORK, December 20. A message from Los Angeles states that Mr Will Hays (head of the Motion Picture Producers’ Association) has announced the reinstatement of “Fatty ’ 'Arbuckle, who was barred from the films following the death of Virginia Rappe as a result of a party given by the comedian a year ago.December 22. The mayors of several large American cities, including Detroit, Boston, New York, and Chicago, have protested against the proposed reinstatement of Arbuckle. They declared that they would prevent the exhibition of pictures in which Arbuckle acted. Women’s organisations and religious bodies all over the United States have issued protests against his reinstatement. The National Catholic Women’s Society severely condemned Mr Will Hays (pic

ture director). They said it was a move ment which aimed exclusively at protecting the millions which the producers had invested in pictures already made. Various’ religious societies expressed their intention of securing the co-operation of similar bodies in foreign countries, especially in English-speaking lands. M. CLEMENCEAU’S GIFT. NEW YORK, December 22. It is announced in a Washington telegram that M. Clemenceau contributed 20,000d01, being the proceeds of his American tour and articles written for the American newspapers, to the American Field Service Fund Organisation, which sent ambulance workers to France before the United States entered the war. BIG CONSPIRACY UNEARTHED. NEW YORK, December 20. Twenty-two civil employees in , the J Brooklyn naval yards have been arrested I in connection with wholesale thefts of Government supplies valued at 1,000,000 dollars. 1 Federal agents declare that they have unearthed a gigantic conspiracy involving 100 employees and various contractors, who have been egaged in Systematic pilfering. • i A REVOLUTIONARY PROGRAMME. NEW YORK, December 26. The new Workers’ Party of America, claiming a membership of 300,000, and claiming to ,be the successor of the j I.W.W. here, at a convention adopted a programme calling for the dictatorship of the proletariat in the United States, and the replacing of the present Government by a Soviet programme. Both in text aiid in spirit the programme is the most | revolutionary of , any organisation in this | country for many years. One provision | calls for the support of the Internationale of Moscow, and favours operating from within the labour unions in order to bring them within the folds of communism. ESCAPE FROM GAOL. NEW YORK, December 25. According to a Detroit telegram, seven prisoners effected their escape from gaol in an unusual manner. By using broomsticks they succeeded in overthrowing four j guards and getting away. One guard, i who attempted to use his revolver, found 1 that the cartridges refused to discharge. The police declare that the prisoners are ! all desperate characters. BIG PACKING MERGER: WASHINGTON, December 26. A Chicago message reports that the attorneys for the Armour Packing Company have commenced legal steps to ! finance the purchase of the Morris C-om- | panv. A subsidiary company will be ; formed, with authority to issue 160,000,000 j dollars worth of stock. The merger .will ! create the biggest packing concern in the United SI::! Previous to negotiations, the Govern merit Was asked for its opinion on the merger irithe light of the mono- . poly laws. The’ Government, 'however, declined to give an opinion, stating that its action (if anv) could not be decided upon until the companies had taken actual steps. EXPORTATION OF GOLD. WASHINGTON, December 26. A statement has been ksued from White House that the United States may soon begin the exportation of gold. THE LIQUOR LAW. NEW YORK, December 26. There were eight deaths on Christmas ; Day, due to wood alcohol poisoning; otherwise the Prohibition. enforcement ! was stricter than on any previous holiday. I This resulted in a record low number of intoxication cases in the local courts.