AMERICAN AFFAIRS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3755, 2 March 1926, Page 35

AMERICAN AFFAIRS.

PROHIBITION MODIFICATION. WASHINGTON, February 22. The apparent beginning of a great public movement against prohibition is heralded by a so-called “Face the Facts'* Conference against the Prohibition Amendment at which more than 1000 delegates from all parts of the country are demanding legislation permitting light wines and beers. Senator Edward Hew (New Jersey) said that a deoeived nation’s eyes had been opened. Fair-minded, honest and just Americans had since the beginning of prohibition tolerated intolerance and the auto* cratic exercise of super power by an inconceivable small minority seeking ta overthrow a tolerant but unaseertiv* majority. Mr Wayne Wheeler, who headed the Anti-Saloon League division, denied that prohibition had been a failure except to the brewers, distillers, saloon-keepers, bartenders, and brothel-keepers. It had been a suoces to the masses and had made America the richest nation in the world, COUNTESS OF CATHCART ADMITTED NEW YORK, February 23. The mystery surrounding the Countess of Cathcart’s admission to the United States bn 10 days’ leave is believed to indicate that she will be able to remain as long as she likes. The hearing of the habeas corpus proceedings, which was set down for to-day, will be postponed for a week. Her friends believe that the countess will be granted a rehearing, and thatl the exclusion order will be rescinded. Some of the mystery in connection with! the Government’s sudden decision to permit the Countess of Cat-heart to enter tha United States has been cleared away, bul no official information aided in the clari* fication. It came rather through the observation of a series of developments thaH in the opinion of observers revealed the intention to open the way for that will enable the Government to extricate itself more or less gracefully from a! situation too embarrassing to be longer endured. New proceedings, it is predicted, will eventuate at another hearing before a Board of Inquiry which will exonerate her by possible unrestricted admittance into the country. It is stated that the Countess of Cathcart has signed contracts for the production of her play “Ashes,” with herself as the leading lady at a salary estimated at 3000 dollars a week. The contract also provides for an advance royalty on the play of 5000 dollars. WASHINGTON, February 24. The Labour Department to-day denied j that a new hearing would be granted ia the case of the Countess of Cat-heart THEFT OF FILMS. NEW YORK, February 24. Forty-three films estimated at an exhibiting value of 1,000,000 dollars were stolen on Wednesday from the Motion Picture Exchange, the thieves carrying them away in a truck while thousands of persons were passing. As the pictures are registered the owners state that they cannot be shown without leading to the de« tection of the thieves. SCHOONER DAMAGED. WASHINGTON, February 24. Following the receipt of despatches from London stating that the British Ambassador (Sir Esme Howard) would be instructed to conduct an inquiry into the alleged bombardment of the Canadian schooner Eastwood, 21 miles off Long Island on February 15 by the coastguard cutter Seneca. Treasury officials said on Wednesday that the facts would be probed if such an inquiry were held. The Eastwood limped into Lunenburg (Nova Scotia) badly damaged by shot. PROHIBITION INVESTIGATION WASHINGTON, February 24. The Alcoholic Liquor Traffic Committee of the House of Representatives, voted unanimously to-day to undertake an inquiry into the conditions obtaining in the country under prohibition. THE BURDEN OF TAXATION. A Bill providing for a reduction of 387,000,000 dollars in the amount of taxes paid by the people of the United States this year became law on Friday when it was formally approved by President Coolidge.