The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-12-28
THE NEWS NV BRIEF
By Assoaiatsd Prsss

here today. About 90 English, German, Swiss. Jugo-Slav Austrian and American delegates were in attendance. The French representatives have not yet arrived The congress will sit several days.
 Madrid. December 27.-spain is likely to make a nice profit through the increased price of silver by the sale of, 4000o kilo- grams CSS,l60 pounds) of that metal which the government secured when it called in "Sevillanos" dollars ten years ago. These dollars. which were minted by a private individual, were current in Spain for number of years. and up to the time the government declared them to be legal tender they were used freely in trade. The government finally called them in and now is reaping the benefit Irkutsk. Thursday December A-(Rus- sian Telegraph Agency. .)-General Seme- neff, the -Cossack leader, has been ap- pointed commander in chief of the lrkutsk, trans-Baikel and Amur military districts by Admiral, ,kolchak, head of the all Russian government, it was an- nounced today.
 London. December 27.-Hundreds of per sons assembled in St. Paurs cathedral here today for memorial services held in tribute to Capt Sir John AIcock, whose funeral was held in Manchester today.
 New York, December g7.-The United States shipping board steamer Cape Ro- maine, which left New York Christmas day for St. Nazaire, reported by wireless today she had lost her propeller about POO miles out. She will be lowed to New York by the nearest shipping board vessel.
 Washington, December 27.-Dr. c. II. Garwood, associate superintendent of the Pittsburg city schools, has been appoint ed European director for the Junior Red Cross, succeeding Mai Royal S. Haynes. and will sail early next year for Paris headquarters. The after-war programme of the children's organization includes re- lief and rehabilitation work.
 Washington, December 27-Extreme measures are being taken in Petrograd to meet the fuel famine. Advices to the state department today said wooden houses in the city were being razed for fuel and that barges on the river were being cut up. According to the pravda. published at Petrograd, the number of schools in the city is to be reduced by two-thirds, the curriculum, curtailed and school operations generally concentrated
 Buenos Aires, December 27--The police are actlve in many parts of the country. especially in the agricultural districts, in an effort to apprehend anarchists and other agitators and confscate commun-
 stic literature, which appears to have been widely distributed among the har- vest hands The first instance of wheat burning. following threats recently made by q group of revolutionaries, occurred last night at Leones. in the provinee of Cordoaa, where three stacks were set on fire and a loss of 400O pesos resulted.
 Panama, December T.-A party of B American congressman with r7emhers of their families. their secretaries and friends arrived here this morning. They will make the trip through the canal on a submarine chaser.
 Brussels. December 27.-Heavy floods are reported in all parts of Belgium. The Seheldt river has risen over six feet anu the Sanibre more than seven. The lower parts of. Charleroi and Mons are inun- dated. Rain continues.
 New York December 2T.-Prof Leo poido Rodriguez Galderon, director ot the professors Normal School of Mexico Ctty, has arrived here at the head Of com mission to study American institutions TOT instruction of the feeble minded V vas announced today. After a three months visit in this country the commission Win return to Mexico to establish there government school for mental deficients, Professor Ca1dsron said.
 London. December 27-sir Charles Solo mon Henry. member of parliament for the Wrelxin division of Shropshire. died today He was a coalition liberal Sir Charies ar, Miss Julia Lewisohn. daughter or the la'e Leonard Lewisohn of New York.
 Lille. France, Friday, December B.- The members of the Association or War Sufferers of<the department of the north at a meeting here today, adopted reso- lution declaring that while they recog- nize it is the duty of every Frencnman to fulfill his legal obligations, the mem bers of the association consider the ad- ministration has no right to demand any declaration of incomes except one con- .cerning income for 19l9 and in the case of 1919 incomes it is only right that there should be a delay until the financial sit- uation of each taxpayer becomes clear.
 Paris. December -(Havas. IA bill pro- viding for new taxes which Louis Klotz, the finance minister. will submit Monday to the chamber of deputies will impose tax of 20 per cent on the receipts of mu- sic and dancing halls Theatres and sym phony concerts will be assessed 10 to b per ceint moving picture theatres, 10 per cent and special spectacles. such as horse races and boxing matches, will be taxed the same amount
 New York, December 27.--Physical train- ing afforded the youth of New York state by compulsory military training is made uuate. according to pr. Felix Adler, of the state reconstruction commission, who announced today that body would reco- ommend establishment by the state ot summer camps at which boys between b and IS may spend two weeks, with a programme of sport for the rest of the year, supervised by the department of ed ucation.
 New York, December T.-Plans for sending an engineering commission to Palestine to survey the country with the ultimate purpose of establishing a mer- chant marine. constructing harbors, rail- roads and highways and reclaiming swamp lands is the chief topic to be dis cussed during the next three days at the second annual convention of the Zionist society of engineers and agricuturists. which opened here tonight.
 Boston. December 27.-The republican state committe adopted resolutions today congratulating the country upon the opportunity that will be presented at the republican national convention to call to it's service chief executive the man who can be counted to to do for the na- tion what he has done for Massachusetts Calvin Coolidge"