davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1926-04-11
BILL TO CURB BANKRUPTCY FRAUD
PROTECTS HONEST BUSINESS
New Measure, Expected to Pass Soon, Is Designed
to Aid Unfortunate Men, While Decreasing
Spoils of Crooks

is honest, but 1t props wide open the
penitentiary doors for the dishonest.
Men who have studied the subject
for years-and the Walsh-Michener
bill is the result of hearings and con-
ferences extending over more than
four years-have testified that there
is some element of fraud in 80 to 80
per cent of all bankruptcy cases; q
rather startling statement. The fraud
may be minor, such as the effort OF
harassed man to save out OF the
wreck a can of beans for his family
when the can and it's contents right
fully belong to his creditors, but in
surprisingly large number of cases
it is major, such as the deliberate
concealment of most of the assets.
Human nature being what 1t is, there
is small hope of eliminating all minor
fraud.
Major fraud, however. exacts many
millions Of dollars annually from
legitimate business. Deliberate at
tempts, often successful, to impose
upon the credit system that Is the
basis of American business, burdens
honest trade and places the penalty
of higher costs upon every con-
sumer. Bankruptcy rings, alive to
every comma in the law and equipped
with wide experience, have sprung
up in every section of the country.
Trade associations are raising an
enormous fund to push prosecutions,
so serious has the situation become.
Two Acts Created.
The pending bill would create two
new acts of bankruptcy-one affect
ing liens which are not vacated
within 80 days. so as to prevent them
ripening into preferences in the
hands Of a friend; the other the ap-
pointment of a receiver or trustee
while insolvent Striking at collusive
petitions in involuntary bankruptcy,
the bill would place voluntary and
involuntary bankrupts on a parity
as to time required for filing sched.
'ules and also place the two classes
on an equality as to the number OF
discharges permissible, allowing one
in six years.
The six-year period now applies to
voluntary bankrupts. but this has
been evaded by having friends file an
involuntary petition, usually result
ing also in appointment Of receiver
of the bankrupt's own choosing In
reality. The penalty for false state
ments for use in credit Is extended
to include statements issued through
commercial agencies; the statute OF
limitation for prosecutions Is ex-
tended from one to three years; maxi
mum imprisonment for fraud Is in
creased to five years from two, and
the definitions of fraud are broadened
greatly in the pending amendments
in order to close loopholes.
(COpyright. 1920
Evening star., 1926-04-11
BY HARDEN COLFAX.

Legislation designed to knock
few links out of the chain which
holds the powerful bankruptcy ring
practically safe from the present law.
and which. If successfully admins
tered, should result also in lowering
the general cost of living q peg or
two, is in a position to be enacted
by Congress in the immediate future.
Competent authorities say an i'm
proved bankruptcy law will save
many millions of dollars now lost
each year.
The Senate already has passed the
Walsh bill to amend the bankruptcy
law. approving it without debate last
week during one of its periods Of fe-
verish activity when 40 measures
were passed in an hour and a half
after three days had been consumed
in oratory about a matter which has
not yet come to a vote-a habit or
work familiar in the upper chamber.
The Michener bill has been reported
to the House, and a special rule for
its consideration has been asked and
viii be granted next week or the
week following.
Inasmuch as the two bills differ
only in minor respects and these diff
LoTenC6S CdIl Dc lIOIIcO ouL cpCCuAiS
in conference, chances for final en-
actment during the present session
are decidedly bright. Both bills are
indorsed by the American Bar Asso-
citation, the Commercial Law League
of America, the National Association
Of Credit Men and other organiza-
tions.
Very Broad Amendment.
The Walsh -Michener bankruptcy
bill does not contemplate an entirely
new law and does not completely meet
the views of all students OF the sub
ject, but Is the most broad amend
ment that has been attempted since
the existing statute was enacted IN
1898. It is self-evident that the
amendments proposed in this measure
will close many loopholes through
which faud now escapes and will ex-
pedite administration and conserve
the assets of bankrupt estates for the
benefit Of the creditors.
Many unfortunates who are
brought or who come into bankruptcy
courts are honest. But many others
are not. Designed mainly for the re.
lief of the honest debtor, the feoeIai
bankruptcy act also has become the
tool of the cheat and the !rauu.
Equity between creditor and deptor
has been q difficult question ever since
the first recorded instance OF an eHort
to give the debtor a chance, IN tne
days of ancient Greece, about ooO
BIC. The pending bill does not TAKE
away any rights of the deotof VINO
Evening star., 1926-04-11
Nebuchadnezzar Built Temple on Ruins
OF Old Edifices, U. S. Scientists Find

levels, and there can be no doubt
that in them we have definite proof
Of the existence of another and a
more ancient Ziggurat, buried forever
under the vast mass of solid brick
work, Ur-Engur's tower"
Excavations of the temple of the
Moon-G Goddess, discovered last year,
have been completed, though Mr..
Woolley states that there was con-
siderable difficulty in unravelling the
tangle Of brickwork, as the temple,
originally built by the royal priest
Ennanatum in the twenty first CEN
utry BIC, on the foundations Of an
earlier building erected by Bur-Sin a
century and half before, was more
or less completely rebuilt several
times later.
But It well repaid the time and
labor spent on It. says Mr.. WocNsy.
for it has proven to be the most per-
feet example Of a fortified temple Of
early Sumerian times and "one whose
balanced proportions and spacious
dignity would do credit to any archi-
tect."
1.-THE building is a square measur-
ing some 80 yards each way with
towers at the south and east corners;
he says. ITO these leads a passage
which runs from the main gate
around three sides of the rectangle,
through the 25-foot-thick outer walls,
while another passage cuts across the
middle of the building and divides it
into two halves, in each of which is a
separate temple"
In addition to valuable finds made
in January, one more important relic
has been unearthed. Mr.. Woolley de-
scribes this as "a very charming head
carved in black diorite Of a goddess
with the full, soft features of the
Sumerian woman and with her hair
dressed in the sadly unbecoming
chignon affected by deities. 1t is GER
tainly ono of the best examples of
sculpture vet found here
Evening star., 1926-04-11
Cathedral, Restored,
Is Great Work of Art

In the farming town of Bitonto, on
the fiat, half-parched Apulian plain, is
tucked away the most perfect Lom-
bard Romanesque cathedral in Italy.
Probably not a dozen foreigners
come in a year to visit this master
piece Of the twelfth century. so sturdy
in its structure. so dignified in its pro-
portions, so rich and fantastic in its
sculptured decoration.
Most other Italian churches of its
period have been ruined by altera-
tions, while those of the later periods
rarely satisfy the eye because Of their
mixture of ill-assorted elements. The
Bitonto edifice, whose later accretions
were removed by the Italian govern
ment, has emerged from restoration"
more exquisite than any Of its sisters.
The animals and NEUROLOGICAL mon
sters that swarm about it's portals
and cling to its capitals make 1t worth
hours Of study.
Evening star., 1926-04-11
BY MALCOLM w. DAVIS.

Mussolini and the Fascists are turn.
ing Italy into a new kind Of state.
Recent reports show that what they
are doing is one Of the most signifi-
cant things happening III Europe.
But the more sensational news of
passing events, like the trial of the
men who killed the former Socialist
Deputy Matteotti, has obscured these
deeper changes and kept many Amer
leans from realizing their meaning.
Comparison is sometimes made be-
tween the Bclshevists and the
Fascists, and there are some parallels
between the methods of the two move
ments. But what has occurred In
Italy is the reverse of what occurred
in Russia. The Bolshevists seized
control in q Socialist revolution and
established a communistic syndicalist
state. The Fascists blocked a social
ist revolution and are engaged in
establishing q capitalistic syndicalist
state.
Different Regimes Formed.
The Bolshevists accomplished their
aim by imposing what they called a
dictatorship of the workers over in
dustry, but what they really did was
to form a QlSIaJOTSHlp VI Cle SOul-
munist party executives. The Fas-
cists are setting up what they call
Joint control by employers and work
ers, but what is none the less die
tatorship of the Fascists party execu-
rtfvcs.
There have been several steps in
the process. First, following the
organization Of the Fascist govern
ment. there were formed associations
and trade unions were only ones
recognized by the government. and 1t
was proposed that strikes and lock-
outs be prohibited and that all indus
trial disputes be arbitrated by special
labor courts. So 1t was provided that
there should be no interruption in
the economic life of the nation. Final
ly. Mussolini has announced a re-
organization of the Senate, to secure
representation of these national syn
dicalistic organizations of industry.
Senate Power Increased.
The Italian Senate has been entirely
appointed by the King. 1t is now to be
two-thirds elective, with equal dele
cations Of the Fascist associations of
employers and workers. The Senate
Is thus to become a sort of economic
parliament, with it's authority en-
hanced to make it the supreme legis-
lative power. The Chamber of Depu-
ties is to be reduced to the role Of a
Evening star., 1926-04-11

disarmed, and may stay as long as
they refrain from further plotting and
warfare Are they so shortsighted
that they want concessions to go?
The "Intelligensia."
We come now to the officials and
students, "the vast number or inteln-
gent people in China" which is not
so vast, comparatively speaking.
What do they want? Presumably,
they also want justice, peace and pros
perity. But they are in the grip of
political intrigue propaganda and
and slogans. They see the foreigner
in his tiny, protected section, enjoy
ing the justice of his laws, the peace
Of power, the prosperity Of initiative
and resource. Behold the stranger In
their midst enjoying the things they
crave. Take them away from him!
There is g. certain type of person
who believes everything he hears or
reads, never considering the source,
the possible antiquity of his informa-
ton or the possibility Of his misinter-
pretation. He is told that footbinding
was forbidden by the Manchus. There
fore, there Is no more footbinding in
China, as far as he is concerned. He
is told that the Chinese are honest
and just, and this lie will affirm to his
dying day. He reads that China has
a civilization 1000 years old, SO he
concludes that the Chinese must be a
thoroughly civilized people. Any one
who has been in China for any length
of time can tell him that he is wrong
in every instance.
Laws Crude, Penalties Cruel.
The Chinese laws are crude, the
punishments cruel, the courts an
empty form and the officials as prone
to squeeze" as any house boy. What
IL a. few smooth-tongued orators dress
up the facts and plead for the aboli"
ton of extraterritoriality on the
grounds of judicial reform? Can they
change the Chinese nature? We have
fair sample of what would happen
to us in the fate Of Russians-since
the Soviet renounced the right of
extraterritoriality as bribe for the
good will of the Chinese, and are now
most active in urging China to take
the privilege away from every one
else. A Russian was condemned to
death in Harbin under Chinese law.
He was not told he was to die, was
not given a priest, but was taken into
an open court, where he was Stran-
gled to death by two soldiers. This
was civil Justice. In military circles
it Is common practice to behead. Not
five blocks from where sit and write
a general was beheaded in the street
by order of Wu Pei.fu, and his head
was put in a wooden cage and hung
for three days just outside the for
eign concession, as a warning against
the anger of WI. This happened
about November %, in the year of our
Lord 1925. At Kalgan last November
4S9 looting soldiers were shot dom in
marching order in one afternoon! That
is all they think of human life!
OF those of you at home who truly
believe in the constitutional right of
the individual to 'life, liberty and the
pursuit of happiness" Americans in
China ask that you do not deprive
them of such privileges, but devote
your energies and prayers to the end
that these blessings may some time
come to the citizens of the Chinese
Republic.
Evening star., 1926-04-11
BY FRANK III. SIMONDS.

Y Y ERDUN: After two weeks
~ spent in the super-heated
" atmosphere of Paris and in
the midst Of political crisis
which led to the fall of yet
another French cabinet, nothing is
more useful and more Illuminating
than an excursion into the other
France, which lies outside of Paris.
shares it's life not at all, and in the
presence of all outward evidences OF
the decay of French character and the
breakdown of French political life,
continues to give new proof of the
real, indestructibility Of the nation
and the race.
Ten years ago, almost to the day.
when the German attack was thunder
ing about Verdun 1t was my good
luck to go to that city and witness q
small but memorable part in that
great conflict. Less than q year later
l revisited the town and the recap
tured Fort de VauX, while after the
armistice I spent a week at a farm-
house nearby and visited many II
not all the villages and places which
had become further memorable as the
scenes Of the greatest American bat
tie and victory in our military history
In recent days and through the
kindness of Col. -Varilla, the
man of Panama--who played a dis
tinguished part in the defense of the
town and lost a leg there, after the
victory-I have been motoring once
more over this whole region and, keep
ing In mind past Impressions, / am
going to try to give just a brief
Evening star., 1926-04-11
BY WILL r. KENNEDY.

w WIEN will the Senate con-
n duct the impeachment trial
wv Of Judge English?
Will it be at special ses-
Evening star., 1926-04-11

Continued on Third Page.)
Evening star., 1926-04-11

glimpse Of what has taken place II
the seven brief years since the arni
stice
Evening star., 1926-04-11

. WEEPING reorganization of the organic
relations between ths United States and
the Philippines Is expected to be the re-
- suit of Col. Carmi A. Thompsons impend-
the isla The I,aissiora,s
Evening star., 1926-04-11
Treaties Not Unequal"

The terms unequal treaties in
clude the granting of foregn conces-
sions, and eXtraterritoriality, which in
themselves need elucidation for the
uninitiated Concessions, or strips Of
Evening star., 1926-05-25
A Road School.
From the Ann Arbor Times News

rTOm the AEn ArDOr Times News.
Announcement that the University
of Michigan is to be offered an en-
dowment for the establishment of a
highway transport and highway traf-
fic engineering school comes, perhaps.
at an opportune time in the develop.
ment Of a national crisis.
Regulation of traffic has become an
important task for every community,
and particularly the metropolita n
communities. The loss of $4,000 lives
annually in traffic accidents proves
conclusiveiy that the situation is seri-
Gus. Trained men are needed to solve
the problem to the best advantage In
every city. and therefore something
comprehensive must be done to pro-
vide these men.
The endowment represents con.
tribution to human safety. because
only by efficient traffic regulations
and these oftentines involve high.
way engineering problems-can the
maximum Of safety be attained. 1t
would seem that d school Of traffic en-
gineering therefore would rank well
in Importance beside the school Of
business administration. Such school
would open an opportunity, not pro-
vided now by merely a department"
for many young men to find their
place in the sun, as well as helping to
find remedies for the evil represented
by the annual Wastage of human life.
Just what will be done with the
offer is not clear at present. There may
be some reason for rejecting it, but as
IA matter Of principle 1t would seem
to merit serious thought. if for no
other rea son that it would afford the
opportunity for the State which Is the
home Of the automobile industry to
take the lead i'm solving some Of the
serious problems connected with mo-
tor car operation.
Evening star., 1926-05-25

United States has no Intention OF tax.
ing its doll rags and departing from
Geneva merely because other nations
desire to make use Of the league 8
machinery pending that happy day
when there can be universal disarma-
ment without pledges of security or an
International policeman to keep the
peace.
If the nations of the Old World. by
any sort of device. can make war less
likely and tighten the burden of arma
ments, the nations Of the New World
will rejoice. and there need be no fear
that the New World nations will not
he able to adjust their own armame nj $
10 their all-around satisfaction. The
United States and Canada. with 5000
miles "f undefended border. have set
the pace for both Of the America "a nd
thera Is NO nation. either near or dis
tent. which feels that il needs to keep
ar additional man under al rms because
of the strength of the la nd forces which
he United States maintains. And this
country having pioneered the most i'm
pOrtant step ever taken toward the
limitation Of naval armaments. there
is not anywhere warrant for, nor does
there appear to be, apprehension be.
cause Of Americas naval strength.
Evening star., 1926-05-25

manner similar to friction matches.
except that the phosphorus is not
present on the head of the match.
In order 10 ignite the match it must
be rubbed over a surface coated with
phosphorus. which thus acts in
ma nner similar to the second dip Of
friction match.
O. How large is the Goodyear plant
at Akron?-T. r. y.
A. The Goodyear plant has floor
space of 1873 acres, employs more
| than 80, 900 workers. turns out 5000
tires daily and a great variety and
qua nifty Of by products in addition.
and i,s total sales last year we're
almost $1,000 900.
O. Where is Moutma rtre?-M. :. r.
A. Montmartre Is a quarter in the
northern part Of Paris which former
ly was a separate commune.
o. What Is klsfter?-T. A.
A. The klafter was a measure for
| merry used in Austria. 1t Is equal I"
| o.0740 yards.
| O. How are radio phot ogra phs
| made and developed?-A. +. r.
! A. Mr.. G. Francis Jenkins. inventor
| of radio telephony, gives the follow
| ing explanation: AT the London end
| radio signals are sent by means OF q
| photo electric cell which converts the
| light valves OF the photograph into
| electric current. This modulated cleo
| trio current is then put on radl"
| carrier wave which Is picked up In
the United States. The incoming RADIO
signals operate on an ink pen ~nlcn
| puts dots Of different sizes on white
4 ho these
dots. and the size of them, makes up
the picture somewhat similar to the
| half.tone dots of the illustrations in
the newspa per. which dots can easily
he seen under reading glass.
o. What size should woman'S WIS.,
| iting card ben. &. w.
A. A woman's visiting card is "N
| to 81. inches wide. and To 80 inches
high. There is, however. no hxe'i
! rule.
| O. How Is Hopi pronounced and
| what does it mean?-W. X. ;.
A. The Indian name HOpi is pro
| nounced with a. long o.-and sound
| ing like long e. 1t means peaceful
ones.
/ There is no other agency IN the
4corld that eau ans,rer as many le0iti-
mate questions as our Free InJormn-
ton Bureau IN Washington. ID. G.
This highly organized Institution has
been built up and is under the per
sonoI direction of Frederic j. Hdsktn.
By keeping in constant touch tcHh
| Federal bureaus and other educational
/ enterprises it is in q position to pass
on to yom authoritative thiormdt'on
/ of the highest order. Submit your
| queries to the staff Of experts Thosc
services are put at your free disposal.
There is no charge eJcept ? cents in
stamps for return postage. Address
/ Tbc ErcninD Star Information B"-
reau. Frederic j. HdskiH, director.
' Washington, n. e.
Evening star., 1926-05-25

they sought to play was for the benefit
of the people. Yet the politicians of
New York State, who are accounted
about as hard boiled as any of their
kind. have been eager to draft him as
the bearer of their standard and of
their hopes. This may not prove that
the politicians are any less hard boiled
than they are reputed, but it does dis
close knowledge on their part that the
everyday citizen still is clean and
sound and ready 20 follow the leader
ship of conspicuous ability and public
virtue. So long as the professional
politicians continue to feel under com
pulsion to seek candidates of the cali
ber of Mr.. Hughes there is no reason
az despair If the Republic.
Evening star., 1926-05-25
A Deplorahle Condition.

washington's traffic situation at
the present time is unique in the an.
mails Of progress since the actomo-
bile frs; made its appearance on
American streets. Due 10 series OF
decisions In the Traffic Cour'. nuiiify-
ing traffic regulations, and the mac.
tion of the District Commissioners
and of Congress. the National Capital
is faced with an extra ordinary num-
ber of Inconsistencies in the resula.
tions and with police force inn
potent to enforce the law because OF
the laws contradictions as ruled by
the court This has resulted In
the hopeless confusion of more
than I00,000 motorists. many OF
whom are now in contempt of all reg
uIations and others who are normally
Ia " a biding citizins. but who. in the
general chaos, violate the reguia tions
a nd add their Bit 10 the era Of reck-
lessness and carelessness which has
overwhelmed the city.
What else can be expected when
five.ton trucks are permitted to
era sh through the streets at the same
,peed as passenger automobiles:
when trucks and busses are allowed
by law to hog the middle Of the
highway: when pedestrians are al
lowed to gum up traffic on Six
teenth street and Massachusetts ave-
nue.. where a series of automatic sig
nails controls all movement; when
horse drawn vehicles are allowed to
roam at their own sweet will on these
streets and perhaps throughout the
city without regulation; when passen.
ger cars and trucks rumble over the
Districts s rickety bridges at speeds OF
80 miles an hour and when all danger
signs are waved aside and motorists
are permitted 10 push through mar
row streets and sections of roads be-
ing repaired. at the same speed"
Add to these little matters the fact
that every Washington motorist is
illegally operating his automobile:
that a great number Of drivers ar.
rested for serious offenses are cavcrt'
ing through the streets while their
trials are postponed time and time
again; that street cars are immune
from regulations designed for the
safety of the general public and that
the traffic Office is without enough
funds to carry out the boulevard sys-
TEN as ordered by Congress.
Is there any other city in the world
where these things are permitted? Is
there any other section of the coun.
try with a condition to match this?
Does it seem possible that the Ma
tional Capital is the one spot where
such a satire on civilization could be
enacted? 1t Is not only possible, but
it is fact.
The remedy? Quick action by the
Commissioners to restore the regula
tions which they themselves promul
gated and which have been over
turned by the court. and congressional
pa ssace of the amended ira ftic code
That is the answer