AMERICAN AFFAIRS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3672, 29 July 1924, Page 20

AMERICAN AFFAIRS.

A HUGE POPULATION. WASHINGTON, July 19. Official estimates of the population of Hie United States fix the total at 112,000,000. THE CHICAGO MURDER. WASHINGTON, July 19. Reports from Chicago state that, according to alienists in the employ of the millionaire fathers of Leopold and Loeb, the two youthful criminals are suffering from compound insanity. It is understood that they will testify at the forthcoming trial that both youths are reasonably sane individually, but when they were together they possessed an interlocking personality which impelled them to commit crimes that neither would have thought of committing apart. The indications are that the trial will create sensational interest. One paper suggested broadcasting a verbatim report of the court proceedings in order to enable listeners-in all over the country to hear everything as it goes on in court. Judge Caverley, however, announced his strong objection to such a proposal, as he expects evidence which cannot be published. Evidence will be given such as young people should not be allowed to hear. NEW YORK, July 21. Mr Clarence Darrow, counsel for Loeb Leopold, absolutely astounded the prosecution this morning when he entered a plea of guilty on behalf of his youthful

clients. He said he did not propose to waste time fighting over the testimony whether the boys killed young Franks. “Our stand,” declared counsel, “is that my clients did the kidnapping and killing, but that they are morally irresponsible. I do not suggest that they should be free ; in fact, I want them to be placed under confinement, where they will not harm the community again.’’ The case was adjourned to allow the calling of medical evidence. Loeb’s father is seriously ill with heart disease. A message from Chicago states that the case is still commanding attention throughout the country. A sensational scene followed the entering of the plea of guilty. The defence requested the court and the jury to hear evidence pertaining to the youths’ so-called degree of responsibility. Upon this the State Attorney (Mr Crower) interrupted, shouting angrily : “If the defence is trying to show that the accused are insane lvow can they plead guilty?” Counsel for the defence replied that the plea was a formal one. Mr Crower: If it held with the jury the case would have the air of a circus or a music hall performance, Let the court sentence the youths as it sees fit. We are a competent court and may sentence them to death. Mr Crower announced that he would summon every State witness to testify. The court will re-open on Wednesday to hear the evidence which will probably consume several weeks.

EXCLUSION OF CANADIANS. OTTAWA, July 21. A message from Toronto says that the United States immigration regulations, which became effective on July 1, bring residents of Canada, except those born in Canada, under the British quota. Already there have accumulated here 5000 persons desirous of entering the United States. The Consul tells the applicants: "You will have to wait another 12 months at least unless we get another quota, which seems unlikely.” OUTBREAK OF SMALLPOX. WASHINGTON, July 20. The United States Surgeon-General (Dr Cummings) has issued a statement expressing apprehension at the growing number of smallpox cases in the country. He says that the presence of this disease in 35 States is threatening serious consequences, unless the State health officials exercise the greatest vigilance in regard to vaccination and re-vaccination, especially during the coming winter, when smallpox is usually more prevalent. Eight hundred and ninety-five cases were reported in a recent week, compared with 371 in the corresponding week of 1923. The disease is most prevalent in the Middle West, Detroit being the worst sufferer, with 56 cases, and Indianapolis next with 45. The urban centres this year report three times the number of cases that were notified in 1923. A high mortality is being indicated at Pittsburg, the death rate being 20 per cent, of those stricken.

AMERICA AND JAPAN. VANCOUVER July 21. “While we hope that the last war has put an end to the possibility of all others, it is quite on the cards that one may break out between Japan and the bnited States. None can tell how far it might spread, and to what extent we might become involved. While certain people, for their own ends, would like to see the Empire disarm, we should be careful, ll wo do, that other people disarm more than we do,” said the Earl of Cassilis, in addressing the Navy League of Canada. Lord Cassilis has been touring tire Empire privately, investigating means of defence in the case of war. PRICES OF STEEL. WASHINGTON, July 22. The Federal Trade Commission has ordered the United States Steel Corporation to abandon the “Pittsburg plus” system of determining the price of steel. The Commission held to be unfair competition the system of the corporation and its subsidiary companies in quoting prices for products to be shipped from plants outsido Pittsburg, at Pittsburg base prices, plus the equivalent of the freight charge from Pittsburg. The Commission held the system to be contrary to the public interest, and to be a price-fixing system, succeeding the old steel pools and “gary dinners,” and made possible by the alleged domination of the steel industry by the corporation, tt held that the system lessened and eliminated competition and retarded business at an the steel centres except Pittsburg. The Commission declared that the system added 30,000,000 dollars a year to the cost of steel to the farmers in 11 of the Western States. A MURDER A DAY. NEW YORK, July 22. Chicago has had a murder daily in June, and there have been 177 since the first of the year. The report of the Chicago Crime Commission shows that the trend of murders is upward. About halt ot those indicted at Chicago resulted in convictions, and only a small proportion ot those convicted were executed. Of nine persons sentenced last year only one was executed. NEW YORK, July 23. Commenting on the Crime Commission’s statistics, the Chicago Tribune says: “Criminal justice in America has become a Roman holiday, and the courts are the Colosseum. The British law is infinitely superior for conducting trials.” The paper adds: “An mjury to justice is in publicity before a trial. Newspaper trials before a case is called have become an abomination. Journalistic lynch law is the rule. The prosecuting attorneys now hasten to the newspapers with their theories and confessions, and the defence attorneys do the same. They do not dare to do otherwise. Half-witted juries or prejudiced juries are inevitable.” The Tribune admits that it shaves the blame, and insists that no newspaper can escape it. There is, it says, one remedy, and that is that drastic restriction of publicity before a trial must be imposed by law. PANIC IN THEATRE. MEXICO CITY, July 23. At Vera Cruz 20 children were trampled to death and 17 persons were injured in the Eslava Theatre. A kinema film caught fire, and this created a panic. There was a mad rush from the galleries, which were filled with little children. AMERICAN PROHIBITION. NEW YORK, July 23. The Federal Prohibition Commissioner, Mr Haynes, addressed the conference of the World League against alcoholism at Winona Lake, Indiana. He said that the sobriety which had characterised the recent Masonic convention, the Democratic and Republican conventions, and practically every great gathering in the past two or three years, eloquently proclaimed the decreased use of beverage liquor. The time was not far distant when the same gaol which confined the bootlegger would also confine his accomplice—namely, the wealthy buyer of illicit liquor. The well-organised opposition to the Prohibition laws would serve the purpose of arousing from their apathy both the friends of Prohibition and the friends of law enforcement, concluded the speaker. FIRPO IN AMERICA. NEW YORK, July 24. The deportation of Luis Firpo is demanded of the United States Attorney by Canon William Chase, head of the New York Civic League, “in the interests of clean sport.” Canon Chase said that Firpo came to the United States with Blanca Lourdes, who was held at Ellis Island and finally allowed to go to Cuba. Canon Chase said he was unable to understand why she was refused permission to land and Fii-po was allowed to enter. THE WHEAT CROP. NEW YORK, July 24. According to a message from Chicago wheat prices which during the past week have been sharply in the ascendant, suddenly dropped overnight because of conflicting Canadian reports regarding the extent of the damage by drought and black rust. These conditions had caused July wheat to reach 133-j cents, September cents, and December cents, representing an average gain of five cents a bushel over the figures a week ago. The strength, however, has ebbed respectively to 131 cents for July wheat, 128 cents for September wheat, and 131 cents for December wheat. The downward drift of prices became a rout when Mr Hoadley, Minister of Agriculture in Alberta, announced that the estimates of the damage were quite unfounded. Mr Hoadley, while admitting certain crop failures, added that the situa-

tion had been redeemed by fortunate rains. Nevertheless, it is estimated that the United States will sell abroad 33 per cent, of its crop in 1924, compared with 17 per cent, in 1923. This increase is being already reflected in better conditions in the Middle West, notably in Kansas, where the huge crop within a short time has raised many agriculturists from the verge of bankruptcy to the dawn of vast, riches. GIRL TARRED AND FEATHERED NEW YORK, July 25. At Frederick, Maryland, 50 men and several women waylaid Miss Dorothy Grandon, aged 20, while she was walking on the public highway at night time'and stripped, tarred, and feathered her. They left her unconscious, and a passing farmer found her and carried her home, where his wife applied home remedies. The girl is at the point of death. Her body is terribly burned and scarred. A tale of jealous and outraged moral sensibilities lies behind the occurrence, which has aroused and shocked publio feeling. Miss Grandon came to Frederick on a visit, and while a guest at various parties given in her honour attracted attention. She received anonymous letters asking her to leave the town, but she declined to do so. Several townswomen made a charge that their homes were being broken up and their men neglected them due to social gaieties. Miss Grandon has identified nine of her attackers. especially two women who applied tar. All of these have been arrested.