NEWS BY MAIL.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 January 1928, Page 4

NEWS BY MAIL.

MURDER CONDONED. PARIS, Oct. 2C. The condonation of political murder has been raised to a fine art recently by French Radicals and Communists, and a fresh example of this will he given this week when a young man, Sehwnrspard. is to be tried for the murder of Petloura, the cx-Ukranian chief. Scliwarspard has declared that he shot Petloura because be considered biiii the author of the many massacres of Jews which occurred after the Bolshevik revolution in the Ukraine. After shdowing him for weeks he fired seven bullets into his body outside a small restaurant in the Russian quarter in May last year. The responsibility of Petloura for the crimes committed in the Ukraine is denied by many competent persons. Nevertheless many witnesses havebeen asked by the defence to record (heir views before a jury that this was a case of “killing no murder.” Owing to the nature of the French law of evidence, witnesses of this kind are able to make use of the Assize Court as a platform from which to- expound revolutionary views.

GANG LEADER MURDERED. NEAY YORK, Oct, 2(5. “Little Angie,” one of the most picturesque figures of New York’s underworld, was killed last night by members of a rival gang. Jack Diamond, who acted as his bodyguard, was shot through the stomach and is not expected to recover The death of “Little Angie.” whose real name is Jacob Orgen, was duo to a feud between his gang and the “Kid Dropper” gang which has lasted for more than four years. The feud has taken a large toll of lives. Warfare began when “Little Augie” tried to break the monopoly held by “Kid Dropper” for supplying armed hooligans as strike-breakers. Four years ago, “Kid Dropper,” otherwise Nathan Kaplan, was .shot dead in front of a. crowded courthouse At the time lie was accompanied by two policemen as guards, but Louis Ku.shcr, a- member of the “Little Angie” gang, slipped through the crowd, placed a pistol against “Kid Dropper’s head, and killed him instantly. A CHARMED LIFE. Since that time fighting lias been intermittent, and each gangster who has aspired to fill “Kid Dropper’s” place has fallen victim to- “Little Angie’s” gunmen.. Several of the latter’s band have also been killed, but the leader appeared to have a charmed life. Three weeks ago the latest leader of the “Kid Dropper” gang was killed and the police again sought “Little Augie.” who had apparently disappeared. Last night a volley of shots sounded in a crowded Fest-sidc street. Bystanders ran in a panic to tbc shelter of doorways. Two men were seen fleeing from four youths in a motor-ear. Finally both men fell. A gangster, approaching one of them, placed a pistol to the luck of his head and fired, afterwards speeding away in the car. The police, arriving shortly afterwards. found “Little Angle” dead. "I hey could find no one who would reveal the identity of the murderer.

BRITAIN’S NEW CURSE. “MUMMY’S B()Y’> .MONSTROSITY. LONDON, Dee. 30. When a young mail remains unmarried been use he does not want to leave hi - mot her. people say. ‘How beaut iful!' The plain truth is that lie istdill a baby, afraid to break the maternal t io.” Ibis is the startling opinion that Dr. Alice Hutchison gave about the only ■sins who remain single. Dr. Hutchisnn was lecturing on the psychology of patenthnod. In the course of her lecture site blamed birth-control for the large numbers of single-child families in England. ‘•'i lit* only child is a terrible monstrosity, she declared. “He may re-i-‘;|ce drink as Britian's greatest “urse.”

“Birth-eoiitrol. said Dr, Hutchison had wrecked many marriages. Young people marrying at 20 may not he aide t ' continue having children until they are 10. tint it. on the other hand, the maternal instinct remained unsatisfied, the wife was inclined to harbour animosity against the husband .

leathers and sisters quarrelled at games, said Dr. Hutchison in discussing Die most- complained of “discomforts” of large families, but that was because tht> superficial discord of the parents worked havoc with the family. Rof ailed' excellent ra ronthr-od methods often made the child selfish and prevented the development of the best citizen?. TERRIBLE AFTERMATH OF CHINA’S WAR. GRASS AND BARK EATEN. PEKING, December 90. Four million Chinese are verging on starvation in the Chili and Shangtung > provinces through a famine due to ravages in incessant civil war. Already many are eating grass, the hark of trees, and even their cotton garments. Immediate relief is necessary to save thousands of lives, but the International Famine Relief Commission is finding the greatest difficulty in raising the £2OO, 000 needed to feed the ost urgent cases. SELLING THEIR. DAFGHTERR.

Ail appeal lin.s been made by the American Bed Cross, whose investigations show that 65 out of 107 districts arc stricken, while So districts have harvested only 10 per cent of the normal crops. Chinese assert that famine was caused hv n plague of locusts, hut foreiglin observers consider that civil war, banditry, and the exorbitant taxation levied by the military tuehuns are the real reasons. All who can are fleeing from the famine area, the poorest offering to sell their daughters for a few shillings each. Many homes have been destroyed, the owners exchanging the timber for small quantities of food.