, 1920-03-11

Lieut.. John e. Greer, % years old,
tonic, was instantly killed at Watkins,
Texas, when a terrific windstorm sent
his machine crashing to earth.
Douglas Fairbanks, well known
screen actor, broke the forefinger of
his right hand and sustained painful
cuts While roping a horse for n film
play in the painted desert, twenty-five
miles north Of Holbrook, Ariz.
Mary Pickford, motion picture star,
was granted a divorce from Owen
Moore, at Minden, a small town near
Carson City, New, on grounds of de
sertion. She was accompanied to the
courtroom by her mother, Mrs. Smith.
Owen Moore was not in court.
Five competing telephone companies
Of Nevada have been bought by the
Bell Telephone Company and applica-
ton was made to the public service
commission for permission to merge.
Five million dollars is given as the
value of the property involved.
Roy Dickerson, alias George Lynch,
former vaudeville ~"handcuff" king,
charged with robbing the Phoenix Cir
ard bank of Phoenix, Ariz, escaped
from the city jail at Los Angeles after
picking the "burglar-proof lock" on his
cell door and climbing to the roof of
the building through the ventilator
shaft.
The high cost of flying has gone up
a notch at San Francisco. Companies
engaged in commercial aviation pub
lished a tariff increasing the price of
ten-minute sightseeing flights % per
cent to $3.50 and fixing the price of
the same period of ''stunt" flying at
$40. Increased cost of aeroplane
parts, operation and upkeep was given
as the reason.
Mayor Lomen of Nome, Alaska, ad-
dressing the annual conference of the
American Protective Association, ad-
vocated repeal of state laws prohibit
ing the sale of venison, asserting that
the supply of venison thrown on the
market would go far to relieve the food
situation. Reindeer, OF which there are
about 100000 in Alaska, with prospects
of their increasing to millions in twen-
ty years, would furnish enough meat
resembling beef 'for everybody" if a
third of the animals were slaughtered
annually, he said.
WASHINGTON
Five million barrels of federal grain
corporation soft wheat flour will be
sold on credit in Europe soon unless
Congress authorizes $50,000,O00 loans
to finance the sales, Julius Barnes,
head of the corporation, told the House
rules committee. He said he now had
authority to make the sales on credit,
but hoped the loans would be author
lied.
Urging naval construction which
would give the United States "the
largest navy in the world" Rear Ad-
miral Charles j. Badger recon-
mended to the House naval commit
tee that the next annual naval appro-
priation bill carry a new building pro-
gram, authorizing the building of two
dreadnoughts, one battle cruiser, ten
scout cruisers, four d~estroyers, six
submarines and other small craft.
The President has received the resig-
nation of Daniel C. Roper, commission
er of internal revenue. Mr.. Roper
asked to be relieved April 1, or as soon
thereafter as a successor could be
named.
Chances of successful pay check for
geries in the navy were reduced to a
minimum when the department or
dered tina the endorser of every such
check must place the impression of
the four fingers of his right hand on
the back thereof before it will be
cashed. AS n record of the finger
prints Of every nan in the service is
kept, 1t will be practically impossible
under the order for a forger to escape
Identification, officials said.
Net operating income of the railroads
under government control in January
fell to $11, 200, 1000, due to the unusual
ly severe weather and the coal strike.
This was a deficit of $64,000,000 com-
pared with the average monthly rental
paid by the government for the proper
ties, but an unexpected $53,O00,000 ac-
cruing from back mail pay, under a de-
cision of the Interstate Commerce
Commission, reduced the actual loss to
$11,OO0,O00.
Senator Reed, Democrat of Missouri,
has introduced a resolution calling up
on the Senate manufactures committee
to investigate the alleged dealings
operations and Speculation" of the
United States Grain Corporation and
the alleged wheat pool.
Enactment Of legislation authorizing
the secretary of war to turn over sur
plus motor vehicles to the agriculture,
postoffice and other government de-
partments has been completed with the
adoption by the Senate of the confer