Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-09-02
WASHINGTON
DAYBY DAY

(From Our Special Correspondent.)
Washington, Sept. 2.-President
Harding cast a bombshell into the ad-
vocates of disarmament and reduced
armies and navies when before the
students of the Army War College, he
declared:
mo matter where the best aspira-
tions of the world may lead us, there
may never be time without the ne
cessity for armed forces"
Coming on top Of the forthcoming
conference on disarmament and Far
Eastern questions scheduled to open
in Washington on Armistice Day,
November IL, the utterances of the
President caused somewhat of a sem
sation. While the President made it
very plain in the course of his re-
marks that he was hopeful that all
the nations of the world would make
an effort to reduce their armies and
navies, he declared that it is per-
fectly futile to think that there never
will be armed conflict in the world.
Despite the fact that the State De-
partment insists that no settlement
of the Yap controversy has been eff
fected, the Gazette correspondent is
assured positively from Japanese
sources that tentative basis for set
tlement has been reached that appar-
emily is satisfactory to both the
United States and Japan. 1t is ex-
planned that Secretary of State
Hughes and Baron Shidehara, Japan
ese Ambassador, have been able to
arrive at what seems to be a fair set
tlement of the controversy, and that
This plan of settlement has been cabled
to Japan for acceptance by that
government. Formal approval of the
settlement plan by Japan is all that
remains to be done.
On August 90, 1921, there were
491 ,399 freight cars idle on American
railroads owing to business condi-
tions, according to report made pub
lie today by the Car Service Division
of the American Railway Association.
This was decrease, however, of 8,-
1875 cars compared with the total on
August 15
The car shortage which has been
reported in certain localities princi-
pally because of increased demand
for grain cars is gradually disappear
ing, the total on August % being L.
376 of which 1875 were box cars
compared with total of 2,l25 on
August 10.
Minnesota farmers, for the year
1921, are earning only about fifteen
cents an hour for their labor, an
amount insufficient to pay operating
expenses, taxes and interest on their
Indebtedness, according to a report
made 20 the Interstate Commerce
Commission by NJ. 0. Lorenz, chief
statistician of that body.
This report was compiled in con-
nection with the application of west
arn farmers for reduction in IT,"
freight rates on grain, grain products
and hay. The Commission wanted a
computation as to what freight rat
would be necessary to enable farmers
20 earn as much per hour as. for in
stance, railroad. employees. The re-
narkable conclusion was arrived at
that for the farmers of Minnesota
to have earned as much as the aver
age railroad employee, not only
would it have been impossible for tn
farmer to have paid any freight at
all on his products TO the primary
market. but railroads would even
have had to pay the farmer a bountr
that would have been as high as 23
cents a busheI on his wheat.
Captain Holmes, in command of the
Presidential yacht Mayflower has
been entertaining the Washington
correspondents who cover the White
House at luncheon during the past
month or more. The correspondent o.
the Gazette was one Of those invited
yesterday and the affair proved to be
very enjoyable occasion. After a
very elaborate repast had been servcf
in the small dining room on the Ma
flower, Captain Holmes conducted his
guests through the ship, pointing out
where the President and Mrs. Harding
have their private quarters during
their cruises down the Potomac and to
other points. While the Mayflower is
seaworthy in every respect it is al
ways deemed wise to have a numb"
of destroyers act as escort whenever
the yacht passes outside the Capes.