AMERICAN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 April 1924, Page 1

AMERICAN ITEMS.

— lUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. JAPANESE EXCLUSION. WASHINGTON, April 18. While no evidence has been shown that either side at the Capitol will recode from iis stand cn Japanese exclusion, preliminary observers call attention to the possibilities offered for modification in conference. It is pointed out. also, that Japanese exclusion puts the President in a serious predicament. There is a very slight hope that the House and Senate conferees may, in equalising slight dissimilarities in the measure, decide to reject exclusion and the President will ho faced by the question of veto which, however, means the negation of the complete Immigration Bill which has taken months to formulate, and at the same time may mean the loss of popular support in . Pacific Coast States at the coining election. It is known that the President is very much opposed to exclusion, which Mr Hughes also has officially re pudiated. The President’s political counsellors urge him to take no action when tlio measure arrives for his signature, it thus becoming law within icn days without signature.

CAUSES OF SUICIDE. NEW YORK, April 18 The Savo-A-Life League, which studies means of preventing suicide, announces that suicides iis tho United States in 1923 numbered 12,948, of which 8632 were males and 4310 females. The oldest victim was 97 and 1 lie youngest six. Tlio announcement states that sickness, poverty, loneliness and remorse are the most frequent causes of suicides among adults. The statement further estimates that 20 per cent of the total suicides are duo to business failures. Probably a third of the yearly suicides are insane, another third being traceable to -sex troubles. The statement continues: So long ns people continue this high pace of living we must not be surprised if there is even a greater harvest of suicides.

Tiie triviality of tlie reasons given for suicide are quite remarkable. One man said in a note that if lie succeeded in committing suicide it would lie tho first success in bis life. A woman left a note stating that life was useless because of tho death of a canary. A girl victim of gas poisoning said she was not permitted to hob her hair or roll her stockings down and “be a regular flapper.” A spinster who drowned herself left a note saving “Damn men.” A man wrote that be was unable io endure the jolts and jibes during the subway rushes. BOMB OUTRAGE IN BUFFALO. NEW YORK, April 18. Tlio home of the Rev Littleton Smith, Presbyterian minister in Buffalo, New York, was destroyed by a bonib outrage ascribed io his prohibition activities. The mi'nistor, his wife, and children were absent at the time. The building was completely wrecked. Mr Smith was very .active as a “dry’ ’crusader, and gave effective aid to the Federal agents, helping them to conduct many raids resulting in a large number of arrests. He received a letter threatening his life, but continued at i\ork, taking the precaution to house his family with friends. Mr Smith gained a nationwide reputation for his activities, and recently engaged in a controversy with the local Mayor over the question of prohibition enforcement. The Federal authorities, who are dependent upon Mr Smith’s aid, began immediate investigations of the bombing, and the Department- of .Justice in Washington has been requested to send more agents lo .Buffalo to intensify enforcement work.

AMERICA AMD JAPAN. 'WASHINGTON, April ID. 31 r Hughes publishes n letter wherein Enron Harihnra disclaims any in ■ tention of employing offence or threat in a prior communication of lltli April wherein ho referred to the grave consequences which might follow the anticipation of the exclusion provision. The letter states: “It is my supreme c'luty to maintain and draw closer bonds of friendship so happily existing between our people. 1 honestly believe that ill-feeling and misgiving would reasonably follow such enactment. I had no thought of being disagreeable or discourteous, and still less of intending to convey a so-called veiled threat. On the contrary, it was ii the spirit cf sincorest respect and candour that I used the words, v.hi spirit I hope was manifest throughout.” Mr Hughes in a letter of .reassurances, says—“l have no doubt the words will he taken in the' sense you stated. I am quite sure it was far from your thought to express or imply a threat."' " AMERICAN BORDER TROUBLE. NEW YORK, April 19. A Los Angelos message says a semblance of peace has been effected on California and Arizona borders by the Arizona Governor’s temporarily lifting the quarantine to permit four hundred tourists to proceed eastwards. The tiovi somewhat relieved the heavy pressure which still continues, because at least 1200 motorists si ill remain awaiting their turn at the fumigating plant specially erected on the California side by tourists, to expedite the passage. Meantime the marooned travellers’ wrath is increasing in view of the statement of the secretary of Agriculture, Mr Wallace, declaring that existent Federal quarantine measures obviate the necessity of supplemental State rulings.' Tales of privation continue from the California Tourist camp where a baby is reported to have been born, and the general suffering is aggravated by the intense heat by day and severe cold by night. Citizens of A ri-

zona organised relief, sending food supplies across the lino.

AMERICA’S NAVY. WASHINGTON, April 19. Pursuant to tbe request of tile American consul at Canton cabled on March 21st., Chairman Butler of the House of Representatives Naval Committee reported a Bill authorising the expenditure of 110 million dollars. The Bill calls for the construction of six river gunboats, whoso cost, exclusive of armament aggregates 4,200,000 dollars. Air Butler points out these arc needed to protect American citizens’ interests in Chinese rivers in submitting tne letter to Air Hughes who states such, vessels constantly appearing at ports of central China will continue to se'.Tc iioti-e to Chinese people of the ability and purpose of foreign Governments to protect missionaries and trace in exercise of legitimate treaty rights. Tiie report recommends the appioprintion of eighty-eight million dollars t ecnsliuct eight scout cruisers and eighteen million dollars for six battleships. Mr Butler points out the programme accords with the Washington Treaty which limits neither the total number nor the total tonnage of cruisers of anv class.

ll OTOR TRAFFIC IMPEDED. IDS ANGELES, Aril IS. Eastbound motorists numbering 1(500 persons, in 600 motors, arc stranded at Needles (Arizona) as a result of two fresh outbreaks of fot-and-mouth disease, which started in Southern California. The Arizona authorities have accordingly barred vehicular traffic, alleging that motors carry germs of tire disease, thus imperilling stock which passes in their wake. Meantime the tourists are suffering hardship due to a shortage of food and water, while awaiting fumigation of their conveyances at the State boundary. All roads, including various bridgeheads at the Colorado River, have been barred, causing long congested queues of vehicles. A considerable number ol the marooned motorists are pressed by the scarcity ol food, and a shortage ol funds. They held a roadside mass meeting and warned the guards that they intended to pass, despite the ruling. The State authorities are accordingly preparing to summon the militia upon the first reported cTorL to make a forcible passage.