The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1922-02-17

to the papal throne in St. Peters ha-
silica and assumption of the triple
crown was accompanied by all the
stately ceremony that has grown up
about the browning of a pope through
the centuries of the Catholic church's
history.
Since the new pope is an acknowl-
edged liberal and one of the group
that supported the policies of Benedict
XIV looking toward reconciliation be-
tween the church and the Italian gov
eminent, 1T may he that resumption OF
relations will come during his reign.
This, though not especially desired by
other European governments. IS
strongly favored by many prominent
Italian Catholics. They believe the
church would greatly benefit, because
the pope would be free to visit other
countries. Americans in Rome hope
that Plus XII may even come to this
country, the first pope ever to visit the
new world.
Cardinal O'Cmnell was decidedly
vexed because the choice of a pope
was made by the sacred college before
he and the other American cardinals
could reach Rome, and there is talk
Of changing the papal constitution so
that this cannot happen In the future.
The incident may also be responsible
for the report that two more American
cardinals are to be created soon. The
arehbishops mentioned in this eonnec-
ton are Mundelein of Chicago and
Hayes of New York.
HENRY FORD'S offer for the TAX
nitrate plant at Muscle Shoals was re-
ferred to the agricultural committee
of the senate. Acceptance of the offer
was urged by Senator Underwood of
Alabama, Democratic leader, and it
was predicted the committee would
recommend it. But in the house mill
tary affairs committee the Ford prop
osition was having hard shedding. Sec
rotary of War Weeks was called there
as a witness and his testimony must
have been rather saddening to the au-
tomobile magnate. 1t was thus sum
married. by a Washington correspond
ent:
That Ford will pay $5,O00000 for
that portion of the Muscle Shoals
project which has already cost the
government $106,OOO,O00.
That the government, to complete
the project, must spend $40,O00000 to
$5O,OOO,O0O additional, which Ford will
repay under exceedingly liberal terms.
That the government can realize be-
tween $8.0O0,00O and $16,000,OO0 salv-
age on the project which Ford wants
to buy for $5,000,000.
That the government can realize
more for the Warrior river plant and
neighboring property than Ford is
willing to pay for the entire Muscle
Shoals undertaking.
In reply to a direct question as to
what he would do with the offer if he
were member of congress, the Sec
rotary said he would vote to accept it
if he thought certainly it would pro-
duce cheaper fertilizer for the farm
ers, but that he was greatly in doubt
as to this, and he believed Ford and
his engineers also were uncertain of it.
He added that he would soon submit
to congress two other offers for Muscle
Shoals.
TENTATIVE' estimates of the cost
Il of the proposed soldiers bonus
place it at $3.50, OOO,O 600 year. and the
Republican members of the house ways
and means committee spent lot of
time last week discussing how this
was to be obtained. President Har-
ding made it clear to the leaders that
the bill must include provision for
the raising of the necessary revenue,
and that it must not be too oppressive
on the public; he agreed with Secre-
tary Mellon that a bonus based ON for
eign bonds is out of the question. Like
wise, the plan Of raising money by any
form of general sales tax is going into
the discard, for majority Of the Re-
publicans evidently are opposed to it.
Consequently the majority members of
the committee have agreed that vari-
GUS miscellaneous taxes shall be i'm
posed, but have not yet decided just
what these shall be. Chairman Ford
ney favors an increased tax on tObac-
co and cigarettes, tax on real es-
tate transactions and light tax on
stock and bond transfers. Other men,
bers urged taxes on gasoline and bank
checks, federal automobile license
tax based on horsepower, and an in
crease in first and second class post
age rates.