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eljc Mania Souvnal VOL. XXIII. NO. 32. GIANT CORPORATION INSURES FUTURE OF IU. S. EXPORT TRADE $100)000)000 Organization Formed to Extend Long : Time Credits to Foreign ’ Nations CHICAGO, 111., Dec. 12.—The fu ture of American export trade is assured. This view was shared tonight by Six hundred of the financiers, in dustrial chieftains and agricultural leaders of the United States who brought into being a $100,000,000 corporation which will extend long t time credits to foreign countries a staggering under the burden of paralyzed industrialism and help less to buy needed raw materials in America, because of unfavorable ex change rates. The formation of this corpora- I tion, the Foreign Trade Financing corporation, authorized under the Edge act, was accomplished when leading bankers, meeting here, de cided that unless some such action was taken, not only Europe would face possible bankruptcy, but that American domestic trade would suf ’ fer and a period of severe indus trial depression would be seen in the immediate future. To Offer Stock Resolutions calling for the imme diate formation of this corporation were unanimously adopted. A committee of thirty banking, business and farm leaders was named as a permanent committee on organization. This committee went Lio work at once to float the cor poration. A SIOO,OOO subscription to meet expenses of organization was ■napped up by bankers and business v jnen in five minutes. Within a few weeks at the out side, stock of this corporation will be offered to the public, it was stated. The entire sum could be underwritten by great financial in terests they believed. The confer | ence took the stand that Industry, labor and the public should be asked to purchase the stock to.make the corporation an all-American project. To Extend I>ong Credits • The corporation will extend long time credits, not only to allied pow ers, but to al] countries of stable government and to Germany as soon as peace is declared, it was asserted by the leading speakers. As the Edge act provides that this. corporation can commence as soon as 25 per cent of the capital » is paid in, the business of getting • under way can commerce as soon as $25,000,000 Is subscribed. With the privilege of doing a bil lion-dollar business, ten times the capital stock, as permitted by the Edge act, this will be the greatest financial corporation in the country if worked out as planned. Formed in “the Open’’ . Its creators point to the fact f that it was formed “in the open,” without any "inside group.” with out founders, stock or bonus shares. They declare that it is the first time in American history that a great corporation was formed at a public conference and that its under writing is to be done without any discount commissions or private profits. x John McHugh, New York \?ity, ac cepted the chairmanship of the board of directors only on the st ; > illation that no compensation be ’ attached to the position. Representatives of great middle western manufacturers pledged to underwrite and to buy great blocks. Edward N. Hurley, on behalf of the Illinois Manufacturers’ association, pledged $500,000. Founders Jubilant Union labor will be asked to sub scribe largely, as the founders feel that the warking man will share in th» benefits. > *ll parties to formation of the corporation were jubilant in ,ex- • pressing their gratification over the . rapid manner in which the project Was brought about. "This is the most momentous and most progressive step ever taken by American business men to insure the future of our industrial life,” said Charles H. Sabin, president of the Guaranty Trust Company of New T-r.rk. “We are going to be depend ent in the future on our foreign mar kets and the organization of this cor poration should place us in a posi , tion to take our proper position in world trade.” “Excellent 8 tart” ••It is an excellent start,” said John H. Fahey, Boston, chairman of the committee that formed the permanent organization. “With a powerful com mittee in charge, success is now pos sible. It is no cure-all, but this corporation is a wonderful instru mentality and should have nation wide support.” “It is a remarkable achievement, T Mr. John McHugh, who is to be chairman of the board of directors, said. “It is the first time that fi nance, business and the farmers have I ' pulled together for a common end in ! Vie interests of the country’s wel- I fare. It is the indorsement of a , \ project to stabilize American foreign ; ’ trade and at the same assist | the markets of the world urgently in nwd of goods.” ••It is the greatest etep ever tak en to put America where she be longs—in the van of‘world trade,”! said William C. Redfield, former sec- ; retary of commerce. “I wish it had I *■ been done fifty years ago.” For America “The fact that this corporation ■ was formed in the open, without any Inside group, founders stock or any of the other corporation methods ' gives the new corporation a moral start of the highest kind,” said Wil- , lis H. Booth, New York, chairman ! of the conference. "It is as unusual as it is insmr ing It is formed for America and i America will get the profits.” I ’ When the stock is placed on the ■ ■ market it probably will be issued at $lO5 a share, it was declared, as the committee on organization took up it« work. Os this SIOO will be capi tal and $5 surplus. • Horses, Cows and Bulls Are Accounted for, but Who Gets the Liquor? NEWPORT NEWS, Va., Dec. 11. — The British steamship Potosi, Liver pool to South America and carrying 200,000 quarts of Scotch whisky, four race horses, five prize bulls and four thoroughbred heifers, sought refuge in this port late last night. She had battled with storm and mechanical difficulties for twenty-five days. The tfirses and heifers were consigned to tne president of Peru and the bulls are to be used tor breeding and show , purposes 4 in that country. WAR FINANCE BOARD REVIVAL BEING FOUGHT WASHINGTON! Dec. 13.—Opposi tion to revival of the war finance cor poration was voiced today by Sena tor Edge, New Jersey, when the sen ate resumed debate on the resolution to make the corporation operative as an aid to farmers. He said revival of the corporation would be merely a temporary and artificial relief, “which would only put off a little longer the undodge able settlement.” Private capital will gradually take care of the situation, he asserted, instancing the formation last week of a $100,000,000 corporation at Chicago as proof that private enterprise' is taking hold of the problem of ex port. A vote on the resolution is ex pected late today. ' WILSON ADOPTS 20 CHILDREN IN STARVING EUROPE WASHINGTON, Dec. 13.—Presi dent Wilson today called upon his “fellow countrymen’’ to contribute funds to save 3,500,000 children, who “are facing starvation in central Europe.” The president announced that he would adopt twenty of these children as his temporary wards, and said that SIOO contributed through the European relfef council would save the life of a child. Coal Price Reduced $3 a Ton on Monday By Atlanta Company A reduction of $3 per ton from $15.75 to $12.75 in the bets Jellico lump coal, effective immediate ly, was announced Monday morn ing by W. L. Randall, of the Randall Brothers Coal company, op erators of five coal yards in Atlanta. Mr. Randall said that the reduction was made as the price named at the mines had bsen reduced proportion ately. z A reduction of $1 a ton, from sls to sl4, was announced bv one other Atlanta company, the Meinert Coal company, effective Monday. The other large dealers said that they had not made any reduction Monday, nor were they contemplating one. R. R. Johnson, manager of the coal department of the R. O. Camp bell company, said that the price of sl4 per ton charged by the Camp bell company, was in keeping with the prices charged at the, mine. He said that any reduction would de pend entirely upon the price at the mines, and the manner in which the railroad companies moved the coal from the mines to the v company’s yards. ' Counterfeit Money Laid Away by Man For Funeral Expenses ELKHART, Ind., Dec. 11.—Money laid away by Walter Moody for his funeral expenses was found by bank ers to be counterfeit today after it had been spent to meet burial costs for the man who died a week ago. The money, in new S2O bills had been kept inviolate in ‘the Moody home for sixteen years. Moody’s widow, who became hist second, wife years after he set the money aside, will have to make good the loss. Ponzi Begins Service Os Five-Year Term PLYMOUTH, Mass., Dec. 12. — Charles Ponzi Saturday entered upon service of his sentence of five years at the Plymouth county jail that was imposed by the federal court as pun ishment for the fraud by which he obtained millions of dollars from thousands of persons. Accompanied by his wife and ied eral officers he was brought here from the East Cambridge jail where he has been confined since his ar rest in August. Ponzi today put on prison garb for the third time in his career of attempts to make easy money, hav ing previously served time at Mon treal and Atlanta. Then he rejoined his youthful wife for a temporary farewell. She intends to leave the mansion- home which he bought iff Lexington to come here and work in order to be near him. A Personal Message About Our Astonishing 25c Offer Here are some remarkable facts. They surprised and impressed us far more forcibly than they will surprise and impress you. Just three weeks ago we decided we could afford to make our great sacri fice offer. And we announced on this page that we would send The Tri-Weekly Journal for three months to any reader who sent us Twen ty-five cents. Almost before the paper was off the press, so it seemed, the orders began to pour in. It was totally unexpected. They kept pouring in all week. So we repeated the offer in the next week’s edi tions. The rush of orders swelled to the size of a flood. •We were surprised again. But we felt, somehow, that there might still be some readers who had neglected the chance. So we repeated* the of- BARGAIN NO. 1! By SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT, and for a SHORT TIME ONLY, this big MONEY SAVING chance is open to you. Read it! and then ACT! Send us TWENTY-FIVE CENTS (25c only), in pennies, stamps, silver, money order or check. We will send you The Tri-Weekly Journal from NOW until March \ 15. That’s practically THREE MONTHS! And for the trifling sum of “TWO BITS!” CLIP THE COUPON! The Atlanta Tri-Weekly Journal, Atlanta, Ga.; Enclosed find 25c, send Me Tri-Weekly Journal until March 15. Name ............................................................................. P. O State \ R. F. D. No 50BUILDINGSBURN. 515,000.000 DMGE TO CITV OF CORK Two Thousand Out of Work as Result of Incendiarism. England Starts Investiga tion of Blaze CORK, Dec. 13.—Cork continued to burn today. Spread over a quarter mile of the main business section of the city incendiary fires started Sat urday night, swallowed up more property last night. Losses, it was estimated, will approach $15,000,000. At least 2,000 persons were out of work today with banking houses, drapers and other shops and the city hall destroyed. Fifty buildings were burned. It was believed there must have been casualties’in the conflagration, but the smoking ruins permitted no search for bodies today. There was disagreement today as to whether the fire was started by British police in reprisal for an am bush. Smoke Over City A pall of smoke still floated over the ruined business section of Ire land’s second city. Sinn Fein leaders charged the de struction to black and tan police. At dusk Saturday two lorries of soldiers entering this territory for the enforcement of martial law were bombed at Dillon Cross, nearby. Two hours later disturbances be gan on the streets. Trams were stopped and passengers searche. Fi nally one car was fired. Almost simultaneously flames broke out in the Carnegie library, the city hall and a number of shops on St. Patrick’s street. The fires burned all through the night. The two and three-story limsetone houses were burned out. The boom of falling walls filled the night. At daylight the flames had died down but still smouldered. City Hall Goes The city hall, a famous two-story structure of limestone, was one of the first to go. Its clock tower top pled a seething mass of flames early in the night and the walls began to sag shortly after midnight. The fact that fires burst out si multaneously showed the incendiar ism was well organized. This fact led some to believe it was not at tempted as a reprisal for the evening ambush. It was claimed there was not sufficient time to organize a re prisal of that magnitude. Some observers declared they saw armed men in nondescript clothing scurrying about the streets beofre the fires started. They were not in uniform. Troops were! assigned to the bus iness section at once and a cordon was still tightly drawn early today. The men were under orders to shoot at sight. Machine guns were stationed at commanding points. Sork’s citizens were in a panic. Thousands fled Saturday night and those who remained were sleepless. Thousands more took bedding and valuables with them to the country today. Refugee cities sprang up in the surrounding districts, shelters oeing made of any material that fell handy. Bel clothing was thrwn over branches to tents. Men, wom en and children slept in the open. Suiday services were conducted in the Cork cathedral, but with only a fraction of the usual crowds attend ing. Bishop Cohalan bitterly de nounced ambushes in the course of his sermon, threatening to excom municate anyone aiding in such at tacks. The sermon was taken as a hopeful sign, anti-Sinn Feiners be ing cdnvinced that the threat would restrain many of the extremists. A military patrol was ambushed at Cloyne, seven miles east of Queenstown yesterday. The attack ers threw bombs from two houses, but ’were defeated. Two of the at tackers were killed, several wounded and two captured. One soldier was wounded. The houses from which thojsombs were thrown were burned. ATLANTA, GA., TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1920. Damper on Gambling Is Expected After Probe Held by Fulton Grand Jury I The probe of gambling, wire-tap- I ping, swindling and similar vio.la j tions of the law, which was begun I by the grand jury over a week ago, will be resumed Tuesday and when | completed it is expected by court officials that a perpetual damper will have been placed on all further op erations of the kind in the city and a general clean-up will have been made of present conditions. The greater part of the work will be completed by the present grand jury before its retirement for the term, but it is likely the probe will have to be continued by the January term of the grand jury, according to Solicitor General John A. Boykin. “There is a lot yet to be done,” Mr. Boykin says, "and it will take time to do it.” Already a large number of indict ments have been returned charging vagrancy, and during the coming week those indicted will be tried in the two divisions of the superior criminal court. Every effort is be ing made to break up gamming in all forms and to bring the members of an alleged gambling syndicate to justice. The action of the solicitor general and his aids in conducting raids of four places in the center of the city and the finding of fully-equipped “gambling dens” in operation, has caused a sensation throughout the city and the south. It is believed by the solicitor that the alleged syn dicate has fleeced hundreds of vic tims out of thousands of dollars, and it is further believed by the court officials that the leader of the syn dicate was Floyd Woodward, who, it is said, disappeared from the city under indictment. Many developments have resulted from the probe. A number of ar rests have been made. Mr. Boykin states that he intends to sift the matter to a finish and no one against whom proof can be obtained will es cape in the wind-up. Owners of buildings where gambling has been carried on will be called to account, he says, and it is likely that indict ments will he found in a number of instances of this kind. Begin Tuesday Beginning Tuesday morning, ses sions of the grand jury will be held during the remainder of the week and will be personally attended by the solicitor general. Each day, Mr. Boykin says, new evidence is being discovered" through the receipt of letters, some of which are signed by the writers and some anonymous. Saturday morning a letter was re ceived by the solicitor general from a man. whose name and address Mr. Bovkin declines to reveal for the present, in which the writer claims he was victimized out of $3,600 by a "gambling syndicate” in Atlanta. This man has signified his intentions of coming to Atlanta and giving in formation before the grand juky. In order to allow Mr. Boykin time to be with the grand jury the two sessions of the superior criminal court will be conducted by Assistant Solicitor E. A. Stephens and Attor ney Frank Carter. Judge John D. Humphries will preside in the regu lar division of the court and Judge W. E. Thomas, of Valdosta, Ga., will preside in the emergency division. It is planned to place all the vagrancy cases in which indictments have al ready been returned, on trial, dispos ing of them as rapidly as possible. No trace of Floyd Woodward has been found by the solicitor general since an indictment was returned against him, though a general de scription of the man has been sent broadcast and it is believed that his capture is only a question of time. Mr. Boykin says he is confident he can convict the man as the "hrains” of the gambling syndicate. At the Friday session of the grand jury testimony was given relative to the slaying of Ed Mills in a local hotel by Woodward, in which it was said the killing was the result of a disagreement over the -division of money secured in one of the alleged gambling swindles. It was said that a Pennsylvania man was induced to participate in a game in the Flatiron building, where he had been "steered” by Woodward and Mills, and the vic tim lost $25,000. Woodward and Mills were said to have gone to a local hotel with the money and a dispute arose over the distribution of the money, which resulted in Mills being shot and killed by Woodward. One of the men who participated in the alleged swindle is reported to have been a nationally known confi dence man, who died a week ago fol lowing an operation in a Savannah hospital. It is also believed that this man was in Atlanta recently when the expose of the gambling ring was made by two men from Aiken, S. C., who claim to have lost SII,OOO. Not Brought to Trial Woodward was never brought to trial for the killing of Mills. He made a statement before the coro ner’s jury and was exonerated on a self-defense plea. The case against him in the recorder’s court was dropped. Solicitor Boykin began an investigation of the gambling ring which was said to be operating in the city at that time, but the hotel tragedy is said to have caused a disruption in the ranks and the men fled from the city. The first intimations that the “ring” has returned was received when Wade Lamar, a well-known farmer of Aiken, S. C., reported the loss of SII,OOO in a fake race horse game. Abe Powers was arrested as one of the men operating the game, and was sentenced to five years on the chaingang following a conviction by a jury of larceny after trust. So licitor Boykin conducted a raid on apartments at 25 West Peachtree street, where Lamar said the fleec ing took place, and this was quickly followed by three more at 49 1-2 Central avenue, 35 1-2 South Broad street and 59 1-2 Cone street. Mr. Boykin says he has absolute proof that all four places were linked together, and were operated under one head. The place at -2 South Broad street, he says, was the as sembly room for the confidence men and the other places were used for gambling operations. At 49 1-2 Cen tral avenue the raiding party found the place guarded by three barred doors, wickets and guard and senti nel. At this place, it is believed by the solicitor, that the “small fry” were entertained with crap shooting and poker, while the "big game" was carried on at 25 West Peachtree street. ' “Sure Thing” The system employed at this place was, it is charged, to have the vic tim wager his money on a "sure thing.” Upon entering the room the victim was confronted with click ing of telegraph instruments. Office attaches were rushing here and there and marking the races on the black board. Mn were engaged in plac ing large sums on the horses and stocks of money were display open ly. The victim was told that the wires had been tapped. The opera tors, it was explained, were able to get the news of the finished race be fore the bookmakers and. therefore, there was no chance to lose. The vic tim at once became interested. He was requested to wager by check. He won and then was requested to show his check was good by producing the amount of the same in cash. He left to get the money. He returned and was told to wait until his winnings coulfi be brought from the bank. In •he meantime another horse had won .and he again became interested. His check for his earnings was accepted and again he won. He had to snow the amount of the second check in cash and he left again to get it. In the meantime his other bona fide coin was gone. The game was worked according to the habitat of the victim. If he came from the north he was induced to play the stock market. If he was a horse lover, he was given the races and if he came from the west he was induced to play on oil stoks. It is the belief of the solicitor general that hundreds of thousands of dollars have been taken from vic tims in the city and it is the pur pose of the grand jury to thoroughly probe the situation. While ” a great deal of the jury’s ■leiiberations have been done secret ly it is expected that some startling developments will be made public during the coming week. Already hundreds of witnesses have been questioned by the inquisitorial body and it is expected that a large num ber more will be subpoehaed for this week. IMMIGRATION BILL IS PASSED ' BY THE HOUSE WASHINGTON. Dec. 13. —The Johnson immigration bill, as amend ed to prohibit all immigration for a period of one year, was passed to day by the house. It now goes to the senate where its defeat is pre dicted by senate leaders. The vote was 293 for the bill and 41 against it. Six members voted “present.” Olive Thomas’ Death Declared Accidental PARIS, Dec. 11.—The authorities, in closing the quest in the case of Olive Thomas, American film star who died from poisoning here sev eral months ago, announced today that accidental death had been proven. fer again last week. And listen to this! In one day last week more orders came in than we received during the entire first week! The total for last week fairly Swamped us! Here Is the Double Offer Such an amazing response can mean only one thing. It means that this special sacrifice bargain exactly suits the needs of our readers when money is scarce! We feel it is our duty to give everybody a chance. The offer still stands. Read the conditions. Tell your friends about the opportunity. Act Today! BARGAIN NO. 2! Here’s the SECOND tremendous, opportunity to SAVE! Tell the GOOD NEWS of The Tri-Weekly Journal’s GREAT TWENTY-FIVE CENT offer to FOUR of your neighbors. Take their orders at 25c each. Send us ONE DOLLAR ($1) only. We will fill their subscriptions. And as payment for your trouble, we will extend YOUR OWN subscription up to March 15 without cost. CLIP THE COUPON! The Atlanta Tri-Weekly Journal, Atlanta, Ga.: Enclose find sl. Send The Tri-Weekly Journal until February 15 to the following four addresses. Also extend my subscription to March 15, as per your offer. Names Postoffice R. F. D. * t Put your own name and address here. ALLEGED LAKEWOOD BLACKMAIL CASES PROBEDATHEARING Rev. J. W. Ham Defends Police Department Li quor Seizures Again Are Aired Testimony in regard to alleged blackmailing of couples by the po lice at Lake wood: statements by Dr. John W. Ham, pastor of the Bap tist Tabernacle in regard, to his ideas of the police probe: and addi tional charges of illegal liquor con fiscations against Detectives Lon Terry and O. M. Howell, were fea tures of city council’s investigation of the police and detective depart ments when the special investigating committee resumed its sessions at the city hall Monday morning. Among the witnesses at the morn ing session were Policemen C. I E. Ford and T. R. Sewell, who made a complete denial of the charge that they had blackmailed people at Lakewood and declared that the charges were inspired by 111 feeing and jealousy on the part of W. C. .Pucqett, the park manager last spring. Several months ago, the of ficers said, Mr. Puckett threatened to “get” their jobs. A dozen or more witnesses were on hand to testify when the session opened and the room was crowded with interested spectators! Several times the atmosphere became charged with tension, as when Chair man Harvey Hatcher cautioned At torney Aldine Chambers against "ragging” certain witnesses, and again, when Attorney Thomas H. Goodwin, who represents Clarence Hart, a bootlegger, accused Mr. Chambers of threatening the wit nesses. The latter altercation occurred when the committee was discussing summoning jail prisoners to testify. "'VYe’d better get an order from the court,” said Mr. Chambers, “we may need some men who are in Jail now and some who will be in jail.” Mr. Chambers explained, after Mr. Goodwin had called this remark a “threat,” that he merely meant he did not know what outcome the in vestigation might have and that it might result in some arrests and in dictments. Testimony Conflicts The first evidence at the Monday morning session was in regard to alleged blackmailing of couples at Lakewood park. At the session last week W. C. Puckett, manager of the park last spring, said he had two of his employes watch Policemen Ford and Sewell and that one of these em ployes had made an affidavit accus ing the officers of blackmail and that the other employe would testify to the sanUf thing. Mr. Puckett’s testimony was de nied vigorously by C. H. Camp, for mer electrician at Lakewood, and the first witness Monday morning. He denied that he ever watched Ford and Sewell. He said Mr. Puckett tried to get him to sign an affidavit, but that he refused to sign and that if such an affidavit exists, it is a forgery. Mr. Cajnp was required by the committee to sign his name on a piece of paper before he was ex cused. His testimony conflicted with that of Maurice Lynch, night watchman at Lakewood, who testified tn regard to the same incident. Mr. Lynch said that under instructions from Mr. Puckett, K he watched Officers Ford and Sewell, when they accosted cou ples in remote, dark , corners of the park. He said he saw the officers let these couples go, but never saw any money pass. "It was too dark to have seen it, if it happened,” he declared. j Lynch said that he and Camp told Mr. Puckett about this occurrence and Camp read Mr. Puckett an affi davit. In his testimony Camp de nied this. Lynch did not know wheth- <Contlnu«d on Page 7, Column 7) ALL READY FOR BAIL ARGUMENT IN SHEPARD CASE MACON, Ga., Dec. 11. —Hearing for bail Tuesday in the cases of Miss lone Henry, Ernest Hopson and Mrs. F. Eugene Elmer, three of the four defendants held on the charge of murder in connection with the death of Fred D. Shepard, wealthy peach grower of Fort Valley, who is al leged to have died from poisoning, probably will last for several days, it became known Saturday. This will result, It is said, because in all prob ability the hearings will be held separately. The announcement Saturday by So licitor General Charles H. Garrett, who is at the head of the investiga tion into Shepard’s death, which be gan several months ago, that the hearings would be held In when the public will practically be excluded from the trial, probably will cause considerable disappointment, for it was expected that the court room would be crowded by specta tors. Petition for the unconditional re lease of Mrs. Annie Cutts, the fourth person arrested in connection with Mr. Shepard’s death, was filed here late Saturday afternoon and a hearing was set for Tuesday, when the other three cases will be taken up. No move has been made by the prosecution or the attorneys for the defense since an amendment was made to the original petition filed by Judge John P. Ross several weeks ago asking for the release of Mrs. lone Henry and Ernest Hopson on bail. As amended the petition ask ed for the unconditional release on the grounds that the state has fail ed to show evidence to warrant the holding of the prisoners. General Walter A. Harris, attorney for Mrs. Elmer, declared Saturday that he was ready for the preliminary hearing and was confident that the prosecution would not be able to show cause why his client should be held. He declared that the state would have to take the initiative at the pre liminary hearing but declined to dis luss the tactics he will introduce at the time. The petition filed by General Har ris in the interest of his client asks that she be released on bail. He de clared later, however, that he would request her absolute release. It is not yet known how many witnesses will be introduced at the preliminary hearing, which will be held privately, with no persons present except those who will receive permission from Judge Mathews. Solicitor General Charles Garrett declared Saturday that a large part of the evidence to be presented at the hearing Tuesday will be in the form of affidavits. He is unable to state how many wit nesses he will introduce nor how many affidavits, as he has not yet finished his arrangements for the hearing. Attorneys for the prisoners are also unable to say how many witnesses they will bring into the case. They declare that the amount of evidence they will present entirely depends upon the action that will be taken by Solicitor General Garrett. Mr. Gar rett returned from Atlanta Saturday morning, where he spent Friday col lecting various affidavits. Although Judge Ross declined to state how tie would handle the defense of his clients Tuesday, it is understood that all of the defendant? will be given separate hearings. If this proves to be the case, it is likely that the hear ing will last for several days. The fact that the hearing will be one of the chamber variety comes as a sur prise to the many people who expect ed to attend it. The reason for the chamber hear ing, according, to Solicitor General Ggjrrett, is that the matter is not for open trial. Attorney R. L. Berner, who is representing Mrs. Eldridge Cutts, who is also being held in the county jail/ has as yet made no move for a preliminary hearing for his client. It is probably too late for her case to be included ip the hear ing which starts Tuesdiy, even if Mr. Berner should make such a pe tition. Both Mrs. Cutts and Mrs. Elmer are spending their days quietly in jail, mostly in reading magazines and papers. They are eating heartily of the fare that is given them, ano except for occasional remarks about their loneliness they have nothing to say. During the past week several rela tives of the prisoners have visited them in their cells; Both refuse to see outsiders. It is the purpose of the state, ac cording to the present plans, to ar range the trials of the four persons accused of the murder of Shepard for the second week in April, to be held in the Houston county superior court. 5 CENTS A COPT. $1.50 A IRAK. UNCLE SAM WARNS ■ FERTILIZER MAKERS ■ ABOUTJGH PRICES 1 I Department of Agriculture - Issues Notice of Prosecu tions Unless 1921 Prices i ; Are Reduced _ The Atlanta Journal News Bureau/ \ 623 Higgs Building. BY THEODOBE TXZ.BBS WASHINGTON, Dec. 12.—Insis t ing that at this time the farmer is ' entitled to the benefit of every price concession, and protesting against ' the proposed 1921 prices of fertiliz ers, the federal department of agri ’ culture has made public a state ment it is sending to all fertilizer manufacturers. This statement asserts that the prices for 1921 as announced by the ' larger ■fertilizer manufacturers are j too high and do not properly take into account the lower prices of raw i materials. Manufacturers are in es -1 feet warned that they are subject to 1 prosecution for profiteering if the farmer is gouged by these manufac ' turers. Prices quoted, they say, •will discourage rather than encourage production, and the ’average farmer can/ill afford to pay them. "The Lever food control act,” the department, “does not authorize 7. 1 the fixing of prices of fertilizers, but manufacturers who exact an unjust 1 or unreasonable profit will be subject ’ to prosecution.” The department of agriculture says information has reached it that not r only Is the cost of raw materials r lower but also that the cost of manu ' facturlng fertilizer is decreasing. 2 It is revealed that more than a 3 month ago the department sent a 3 letter to various large manufacturers protesting against the proposed 1921 price scale. Yet the statement today indicates there has been as yet no 1 revision of the scale, so the depart ment now is sending out a compre ’ hensive statement of its policy and a . review of the entire fertilizer situ -1 ation. Subject to Prosecution r After warning that makers of un- > reasonable profits are subject to ' prosecution, the virtual ultimatum 1 to the manufacturers continues: r “Notwithstanding the fact that 3 some of the raw materials used in ; the manufacture of fertilizer were • purchased at prices higher than those T now prevailing, the department feels j that, in view of existing market con ditions, the prices of mixed fertil- » izers quoted by manufacturers for the ’ spring trade of 1921 are too high > The consuming public is vitally con i cerned in this matter for the reason ' that the maintenance of high prices , for fertilizers, -at a time when the ■ prices of farm products have greatly 1 declined, may result in a curtail- • ment of the use~of fertilizers and a ■ reduction in acreage and in yield 1 per acre of crops planted. The op ' portunity is presented for a greater s range in fertilizer prices for the : spring of 1921 than is usual under normal conditions. If th© prices th© manufacturers : are now putting forth, which are based upon the unit costs of Sep ' tember 25, prevail during the entire ! season, it will be necessary for the ' individual farmer who uses fertlliz i ers to exercise unusual care in shap ' ing his operations so as to avoid - undue risk of financial loss in his effort to maintain normal produc tion of essential crops. In its analysis of its fertilizer sit uation, the department observers, in 1 a nut shell, that prices of raw ma terials entering fertilizer manufact uring, while not entirely stabilized, have come down and the manufac turer should take this into account. That the department has insisted that this downward trend of prices be recognized in making up the 1921 scale of the finished product. That the farmer should have ev- / ery price reduction possible at this time. That although the department complains in October about the price scale proposed for 1921, there has been no later action taking into ac count reduced costs of prodttetion. Better Addressed In part, the communication of ‘he department to the fertilizer manu facturers says: “In executing its duties under the Lever food control law and the presi dent’s proclamation regarding fertil izers, a letter was addressed to all fertilizer manufacturers under li censes requesting them to submit in formation regarding their prices for mixed fertilizers for the spring sea son of 1921." This was shortly after the prices of raw fertilizer materials had begun to decline. At that time, the esti mated average purchase price of ammonia was around $5.00 per unit of 20 pounds which was a dollar a unit less than for the fall of 1920; acid phosphate $1 a unit, which was the same as for the fall; and potash $2.25 per unit which was 50 cents a unit below the fall price. The prices of raw materials, to gether with manufacturing costs, al lowances for shrinkage, and for profits, form the basis upon which the fertilizer manufacturers estab lish selling prices. The prices quoted by the larger manufacturers for the spring of 1921, according to statements submitted by him, were based upon a unit cost' of ammonia of $5.25, phosphoric acid. 80 cents and potash $2.50. When these prices were received' early in October, the following com munication was sent to some of the principal manufacturers: "With the break in general com modity prices there has haea re. cent break in the prices of many oi the fertilizer materials. This price adjustment has not yet been accom plished. "The indications now are that we are on a continually falling market with certain of the materials. There fore the department is strongly of the opinion that prices fixed for the entire spring trade to July 1, 1921, on the basis of present values are not justified. Lower Prices Urged "Your prices for spring delivery should be lowered now to the fullest extent having in mind the reductions, which recently have taken place in many of. the fertilizer materials and also, th© probable future prices of these materials, and they should be still further lowered later if condi tions in the fertilizer material mar ket justify. “In your letter, you propose a price of $5.25 per unit for ammonia. (Continued on Page 7, Column 5)