AMERICAN NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 16 January 1928, Page 2

AMERICAN NEWS

AMERICA'S NAVY. (Australian A-. N.Z. Cable Association.! WASHINGTON. Jan. 13. The House Naval Adairs Committee criticised Mr Coolidge's lailure to set a definite time limit for the completion of the building programme. Members of the Committee expressed a fear that such a failure would he liable to cause future conflict with the President. Meantime the AssistantSecretary of the Navy. Mr Robinson, appeared before the Committee and explained the discrepancy between Mr Wilbur's first estimate of 3.360 million dollars programme and the corrected figure of 2.280 millions, which Mr Wilbur later issuc.il. Robinson revealed that the Naval General Board had first drafted a programme calling for the first figure. This programme included battleships and additional destroyers hut was discarded because it was se-en to lx? imnooossary to start battleship and destroyer replacements at the present time.

DRY AGENTS TO BE ‘TIRED.” WELLINGTON. Jan. 11. Prohibition Commissioner Doran has announced that ot the* 2000 dry agents, only 500 were able to pass intelligence tests, and the other fifteen hundred are likely to those their jobs. Commissioner Doran has appealed to the Civil Service Commission for a reexamination of the men.

A sample question was: ‘‘lf you as a revenue agent, came upon a truck load of barrels of whiskey, which were deserted oil a lonely road, many miles from the nearest source of help, what would you do?” The majority of tlio men failed to answer this. COMMUNIST PROTEST. WASHINGTON. Jan. I t. Fifty members of the American Communist Party marched around the State Department building, carrying banners protesting against the United States policy in the Caribbean region, particularly in Nicaragua. The demonstration was composed of men and women, and was orderly. The police did not interfere.

A BRUTAL CRIME. NEW YOR K. dan. 13. A message from Flint. Michigan, says that one of the most brutal crimes in the history of the States, is inciting hundreds to search for the killer of a live year old girl who was kidnapped in an automobile when on her way home from school. The body was later found mutilated, and part scattered in the bed of a stream. 'The murderer is believed to he ail elderly man. ’The condition of the body causes the police to lielieve that the killer is skilled in surgery. Several suspects have been arrested and freed by the police. DYNAMITE EXPLOSION. NEW YORK, Jan. 13. One workman was killed and six were dangerously injured as a result of an explosion of dynamite in a shaft subway, which was under construction. The charges were left unexploded bran earlier scheduled blast, and went off, causing considerable damage.