River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1921-07-28

will see the wisdom of signing such a
treaty without great delay.
Meanwhile a movement for the re-
call of the American troops in Ger
many has started in the senate. Mr..
Borah introduced resolution calling
on the secretary of war for all data
as to the size of the army of eccupa-
ton, the cost of maintaining 1T and the
payments of the German government
for its expenses. The senate promptly
adopted the resolution without roll
call or dissenting voice.
The tariff bill, having been passed
by the house, is now before the senate
but If present plans are followed that
body will not act on it finally until
legislation to revive taxes has been
enacted. This is in accord with the
understood wish of the administration.
The prospect for considerably lower
taxes, however, was dimmed some
what by the rather startling state
ments made by A. d. Lasker, new
chairman of the shipping board. He
asserted that his investigations have
revealed the fact that the board
operated last fiscal year at net loss
of 100000, and predicted that DUR
ing the present fiscal year the loss
from operations alone will be S15O,-
100000. Mr. Lasker said the records
of the board were In deplorable con-
| dition and that If it had been a private
| business concern the corporation
| would have been In receivers hands
| long ago. He indicated that appro-
priations of S300,0O0,000 would be
| needed for this year, but later he
| asked congress for only $125,00O,0OU
| for the next six months. The formal
request for this sum was made through
Director of Budget Dawes and with
the approval of President Harding.
Prodded to quick action by a pre-.
liminary report of the special commits
sion on soldiers relief, which scored
the government for neglect of disabled
veterans, the senate on Wednesday
passed the Sweet bill without dis
senting vote. An amendment was
adopted designed to transfer from the
ex-service men 10 the government the
burden of proof In establishing the
origin of disabilities. In some other
respects the bill as passed by the
house was altered. AS passed by the
senate the measure provides: For the
creation of a veterans bureau, respon-
sible directly to the President, consol-
idating all soldier relief agencies; for
the decentralization of the compensa-
ton and insurance machinery now OPP
Grated by the war risk bureau, and
for the liberalization of compensation
awards so as to relieve any former SOL
der suffering from ailments for which
the war service was responsible.
Director of the Budget Dawes has
informed President Harding that it
will be possible to save about $112,-
512,628 in the government expendi-
lures for the current year. This will
be done mainly through curtailing de-
partmental forces and equipment, and
the work toward this end already is
well under way. The largest estimat-
ed saving-$30,342 119-will be in the
Treasury department. In the Interior
department it will be 1882, 1O1; war
risk bureau, $16.534, 523; War depart.
ment. $15,0O0,0O0; Navy department,
$10,047 ,S91; postal service, $14,92O,.
421, and so on through the list.
Illinois provides a sensation of con.
siderable magnitude through the In.
dictment of her governor, Len Small,
and lieutenant governor, Fred e. Ster-
ling. These officials. together with
Verne Curtis, banker. are accused of
fraud, conspiracy and .mbezzlement of
state funds. the alleged crimes being
committed, according to the charges,
when Small and Sterling held the POI
sition Of state treasurer. Briefly, it is
charged that Small and Sterling made
loans of millions of dollars of state
funds to Curtis so-called bank. which
had not functioned as a bank since
1908; that Curtis purchased with the
money Short-time notes of the Chicago
packers which Melted him about s per
cent interest; that the state received
only 2 per cent on the loans made to
Curtis, and that the accused men
shared the rest OF the profits. OF
course, both Small and Sterling pro-
test their entire innocence. the COVER
nor laying the whole affair to thu
schemes of his political enemies, whose
fight on him, both before and since his
election, has been bitter.