Newspaper Page Text
Ojc Atlanta v Wcdclj) SatirnM
VOL. XXII. NO. 20.
LAWRENCE REVEALS
PLAN OF PRESIDENT
TOENDCOALSTRIKE
Miners to Go Back to Work
While Commission Probes
Into All Angles of Contro
versy—Cabinet Blamed
BY. DAVID LAWP.ENCE
(Copyright, 1919, for The Atlanta Journal.)
WASHINGTON, Dec. B.—Out of a
succession of blunders in handling
the coal crisis, the Wilson admin
istration’finally has evolved a plan
which is designed to save the faces
of all concerned —a typical comprom
ise that might just as well have been
/ proposed two weeks ago, and spared
the country a period of unnecessary
suffering.
Briefly, the plan resembles the
method adopted by the late Colonel
Theodore Roosevelt, when as presi
dent of the United States, he per
suaded the miners to go back to
work while a commission “investi
gated”* the subject with the result
that the miners got a substantial in
crease in wages and the operators
increased the selling price to the
public.
The present situation is compli
cated by the fact that inside the
government, two rival authorities es
sayed to settle the strike —Secretary
Wilson, with his suggestion of a
31 'per cent increase in wages based
upon an increase in the selling price
of coal and* Dr. Harry A. Garfield,
fuel administrator, with his ultima
tum, that the selling price of coal
must not be increased and that the
miners should get along on a 14 per
cent increase in wages.
Cabinet Side-Steps Issue
The cabinet didn’t have the
audacity to adjust this difference,
but side-stepped the issue, failing
even to consult President Wilson.
Now, however, the cabinet’s error
has been corrected to the extent’ of
getting Mr. Wilson’s personal atten
tion to the whole controversy. He vir
tually has knocked sky-high both the
plans suggested, and undertaken by
a new scheme, to effect a settlement.
The president’s official family has
been uneasy about the coal situa
tion because it was discovered that
injunctions didn’t get coal and that'
the miners were in earnest in their
determination to fight to a finish for
wages that would enable them to
meet the cost of living.
Conferences have been going on
for practically a week with the heads
of the miners’ union in order to de
termine, what would persuade them
to get their men back to work. The
miners realized that the government
had publicly proclaimed that the op
erators could absorb a 14 per cent
increase so that M a commission did
finally discover that Xhe wages of
the miners should be increased, the
additional sum above the 14 per cent
would not depend upon the operators
for acceptance but the fuel admin
istration, which then would increase
the price of coal.
Operators Oppose Raise in Price
In other words, if the commission
decided that 25 per cent was a fair
increase in wages, the operators
would be required to absorb 14 per
cent and the public the other 9 per
Cent. By the appointment of a com
mission the whole question of wheth
er any settlement vindicates Secre
tary Wilson or Dr. Garfield or the
operators or miners is to be smoth
ered.
The miners are to go back to work.
The publife is to get its coal, and by
the time the commission reports the
,furor which the operators or eco
nomists may raise as to the com
mission’s decisions may be lost in
a i»aze of other controversies, much
more pressing at the time and much
more acutely in demand of public
attention.
But, the operators insist that any
plan which eventually is proposed
that contemplates an increase in the
selling price of coal will be vigor
ously opposed by them. "We dont
want more money for our coal” is
what the operators are saying, be
cause if we don’t look out we shall
be boosting the price so high that
industries will begin using the im
mense supplies of Mexican fuel oil
pn3 we shall be underbid.”
Work of Commission
The operators claim that this mat
trr of fuel o’l is something for the
miners to worry about, too. They
predict that by next spring as the
demand so- coal diminishes miners
will be out of work, and the new
competition with fuel oil will begin
to be effective so that operators and
miners must combine to keep down
the price oi coal to the public.
The other side of that argument,
i is that if the miners can’t get enough
' io live on while digging coal, they
mey decide to-go into factoYies. shops
and farms and get wages.as mechanics
or agricultural labofers, which might
"ive them enough to live on. The
miners themselves have been making
threats about accepting jobs in in
dustries, other than coal mining.
On the whole, both miners and
operators are expecting something
more than wage increases and selling
prices to come out of pie new plan
of settlement, proposed by President
Wilson. The commission will en
deavor to bring order out of chaos
in the mining industry. It will at
tempt to regularize employment and
correct those factors which have
hitherto prevented the miner from
getting eno <gh work or the opera
tors from getting out of the men
work enough AU of which was un
der consideration two weeks ago, and
could have been accomplished by the
Wilson administration, if the men sur
rounding President Wilson had been
'disposed to stick to t-heir respective
' views, and take the matter to the
president himself, for settlement.
Mrs. Angeles, Widow
Os Slain General, Dead
NEW YORK, Dec. B.—Mrs. Clara
Angeles, widow of Gen. Felipe An
geles, executed by a firing squad in
Chihuahua city recently, for alleged
complicity in a revolutionary plot
against the Carranza government,
died at her home here yesterday,
ignorant of her husband’s death.
Mrs. Angeles’ death was due to
nervous exhaustion, believed to have
■ been caused by the fact she had not
heard from Geri. Angeles in several
months. Her last words were a mes
sage to him to “carry on for Mexi
' can liberty.”
Mrs. Angeles was 43 years old.
She leaves three sons and a daugh-
'
GENERAL JOHN J. PERSHING, commander of America’s
great army sent to France in the world war, highest ranking of
ficer of the United States army since George Washington, who
will be Atlanta’s guest this week.
W||j|B
i
I ■
I
Rm ■
TRAIN CUTS MADE
BY SEABOARD AND
SOUTHERN ROADS
Curtailment of passenger train,
schedules in keeping with the coal
saving order issued by Regional Di
rector B. L. Winchell was announc
ed Monday by the Southern and Sea
board Air Line railways.
Discontinuance of trains 137 and
138, operating between Atlanta.
Washington and New York, is the
principal curtailment of Southern
railway passenger service
Announcement of the discontinu
ance of these trais was maae
by J C Beam, assistant general
passenger agent of the Southern, who
states there will be other changes
elsewhere on the system, but this
is the principal change affecting At
lanta and Georgia. .
The Atlanta-Richmond sleeper
formerly handled on train No. 138
will be handled on train No. 30, leav
ing Brookwood- station at 3:12 p. m.,
and arrivng in 'Richmond the fol
low day at 1:40 p. m.-
In adidtio’n to the discontinuance
of the above trains, Mr. Beam an
nounces that the Kansas City-Jack
sonville sleeper passing through At
lanta will be discontinued. This car
eastbound for Jacksonville arrives In
Atlanta at 11:05 p. m„ and west
bound for Kansas City arrives here
at 5:40 a. m.
The Louisville and Nashville mil
road announces that trains 1 and 4,
between Atlanta and Blue Ridge will
be discontinued on account of the
coal conservation order. Train 1 ar
rives in Atlanta from Blue Ridge at
4:55 p. m., and train 4 leaves Atlanta
for Blue Ridg| at 7:30 a.
stated, however, that these trains
will continue to be operated between
Blue Ridge and Knoxville.
On the lines east of Atlanta the
Seaboard has discontinued trains 5
and 6 between Atlanta, Washington
and Norfolk and trains 17 and 18
between Atlanta and Abbeville. The
Atlanta-Washington sleeper and din
ing car will be attached to trains
29 and 30, Norfolk passengers on
-these trains transferring at Hanttet
to the Hamlet-Norfolk sleeper.
Local stops into Atlanta will be
made by train 11, from New York,
arriving at 10:10 a. m., central time.
Local stops out of Atlanta will be
made by train 12, for New York,
leaving at 7:20 p. m., central time;
this train arriving in Norfolk, Rich
mond, Washington and New York on
•• te present schedule.
Trains 22 and 23, to
Ala., and trains 20 and 21, between
Piedmont. Jacksonville and Birming
ham are discontinued. Further
changes or lines west of Atlanta are
announced as follows, by Fred Geis
sler, assistant general passenger
agent:
Train No. 11 will leave Atlanta at
6:30 a. m„ arriving Birmingham at
112:30 p. m., making local stops, hand
l ling Pullman broiler parlor car, as at
I present in addition to regular coach
equipment.
Train No. 5 will leave Atlanta at
4:10 p. m., arriving in Birmingham
at 10:10 n. m., making local stops,
handling dining car, parlor car and
coaches and will make connection
I with the Frisco for Memphis, also
with the A. G. S., for New Orleans
and 'intermediate points.
Train No. 6 will leave Birmingham
at 7 a. m., arriving in Atlanta at
I p. m. making local stops. This
train will make connection with Fris
co from Memphis, also with the A. G.
S.. from New Orleans and inter
mediate points. Consist same as
train No. 5.
Train No. 12 will leave Birming
ham at 4 p. m„ arriving in Atlanta
at 10, p. m., making local stops. ‘
Following are the branch line
changes:
Between Catawba and Great Falls
trains 112 and 129 oply, will he op
erated.
The Lawrenceville and Logansville
branch will operate trains 230 and
217 only, holding 217 at Lawrence
ville for connection with No. 11.
On the Cartersville branch: Train
’ 311 lyill leave Cartersville at 6:50
a. m. arriving at Rockmart at B‘a.
m.., connecting with trains 6 and 11,
for Atlanta and Birmingham. Train
322 will leave Rockmart and arrive
at Cartersville same as at present.
All other trains discontinued.
All trains on the Jacksonville
(Ala.) branch are discontinued.
Details were announced in The
Journal Sunday of changes on the
Atlanta and West Point, the Central
of Georgia and the Georgia railroads.
The Atlanta Birmingham and Atlan
tic will make no reductions, since its
service already had been reduced to
a minimum. No changes are to be
made in the service of
Chattanooga and St. Louis or the
Western and Atlantic railroads. 1
LAST FISCAL YEAR
RECORD BREAKER
IN PENSION COSTS
WASHINGTON, Dec. B.—A rec
ci’d-breaking sum in pensions was
paid by the federal government dur
ing the last fiscal year, despite the
fact that the number of pensioners
was the smallest of any year since
1890.
This was revealed b)y the annual
report today of the commissioner of
pensions, who said $222,129,292 was
paid to 624,427 persons during the
year, as compared with $179,835,328
to 646,895 pensioners the year be
fore. The largest number of per
sons ever on the pension roll was
999,446, in 1902, and they received
a total of $137,502,267.
Total pensions paid today on ac
count of the Civil war, the commis
sioner said, was $5,299,859,502, and
the total on aceount of all wars
$5,617,520,402, including $65,211,665
on account of the Spanish-American
war.
Last year 3,747 pensioners were
scattered through sixty-three for
eign countries, including one on the
island of St. Helena. They received
a total of $1,188,188.
The net reduction in the pension
roll during the year was $26,268,
the number of names being removed
'< 32,149, and the number added
1,681.
■ ,;.o led the states with the larg
est roll, there being 60,902 pension
ers drawing $21,582,330. Pennsyl
vania was second with 59,072 pen
sioners, (flawing $20,630,813. New
York was third with*53,736, receiv
ing $19,631,090: lillinois fourth,
with 43,976, receiving $15,956,335,
and Indiana fifth, with 37,647, re
ceiving $13703,084.
‘Master Mind’ Suspect
In $1,500,000 Thefts
Os Securities Caught
NEW YORK, Dec. 6.—Frank
Storey, described by Assistant Dis
trict Attorney Talley as the “Master
Mind” in. the theft and disposal of
$1,500,030 \worth of securities from
local financial houses during the
last year, was arrested today on a
short affidavit alleging suspicion of
theft of four Pennsylvania Railroad
bonds, valued at ?4,000. He was
held in SIO,OOO bail for examination
Monday.
The police say the stolen bonds
were found in Storey’s possession
November 15, but he denies the al
legation, and says he has no con
nection with the securities thefts.
Storey expressed the opinion Dis
trict Attorney Talley had been
“hoaxed” into believing him to be
the leader of securities thieves. He
said too much credence apparently
had been placed in the story of
Richard H. Lane, serving a term of
four to seven years in Sing Sing
prison, for grand larceny, but now
in this city, in custody of a warden
as a witness in a civil action. *
Big Moonshine Still
Is Found in Basement
Os Academy for Blind
MACON, Ga., Dee. 6.—A blgjnoon
shine still in full operation was found
teday in the basement of the Acad
emy for the Blind, a state institu
tion, here. Sylvester Middlebrooks,
negro fireman, and John Middle
brooks, negro janitor, assumed re
sponsibility for the whisky-making
apparatus. They said no one else
connected with the institution knew
of it. They were placed in jail
where state and federal warrants
were served on them. G. F. Oliphant.
suY>erintendent of the academy, re
ceived his first information of the
still, which was Connected with the
heating plant, when deputy sheriffs
in.vited him to go in the basement.
“I never even suspected such a
thing,” he said. “I am dumfound
ed.” None of the other officials sus
pected the existence of the still.
They declared few persons except
the men employed in the basement
went there. A large quantity of beer
and other whisky ingredients were
destroyed with the still.
Denied New Trial
ATHENS, Ga.. Dec. B.—Dave
Thompson, alleged bank robber, who
was convicted in August for the rob
bery of the Franklin County bank,
at Carnesville, has been denied a new
trial. The motion was overruled by
Judge' Walter L. Hodges, of the
judicial circuit.
ATLANTA, GA., TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1919.
PERSHING PRAISES
SOUTH'S MEN MD
MHI W»l
A. E. F, Commander Star At
traction at Commercial
Congress "Flying Par-'
son” Present
BY RALPH SMITH
(The Jcurnal’s Staff Correspondent)
SAVANNAH, Ga., Dec. • TThe
southern men of our army quigkly
reached the high standard of our
finest troops,” declared General Per
shing in his address to the Southern
Commercial congress today. “They
carried the banners of the republic
to the battlefields of France and vic
toriously crossed swords with the
best troops the German empire could
furnish.
“The glory of our army goes to
Chateau-Thierry that stopped the
enemy’s advance to the counter-at
tack on the Marne salient that turn
ed the tide of war; to their brilliant
success at St. Mihiel; to the assault
at the Canal Du Nord, where south
ern men lost their lives, and to the
decisive drive from Verdun to Sedan
that ended the war, where as worthy
sons your men maintained the best
traditions of a martial people.
“But our young men at home and
abroad won other victories. Their
cheerful acceptance of the rigor of
military discipline, their patience in
training, their fortitude in combat,
were all taht you In your pride and
love of America could desire. No
body of troops taken to battle in a
foreign lands far from the guidance
and influence of their homes were
ever inspired by more lofty ideals.
Their abstinence and morality gain
ed for them the unstinted praise of
our allies and returned them home
to you in health.
“Your sons carried into the serv
ice the chivalrous spirit of the
south which is your noast and that
of your father before you.
“The women of your states brave
ly bore their share of the burden at
home. They waited/ watched and
prayed that i their sons might bring
back victory. Over there;' in the
hospitals, where there was need of
women’s tender care, at the can
teens and shelters, at the recreation
and amusement centers, and wher
ever woman could do her best work
• —there they labored with an ardor
worthy of their brothers. It is a
privilege to tell you of the services
of your sons ~nd daughters and to
claim full kinship as an American
with them and with you.”
Pershing Star Attraction
Pershing was boomed bed
this morning, and the booming, of
which there was enough to recall a
rolling barrage, set in motion the
most auspicious convention in the
history of the Southern Commercial
congress.
The A. E. F. commander is the
star attraction of the convention, but,
to paraphrase a vernacular saying
of the past, he m “not the only
pebble on the beach.” It has, in
deed, been a long time since such a
generally ' distinguished company as
sembled under a single roof in Geor
gia. There are senators, congress
men and governors galore, not to
mention representative business men
from all sections of the south.
But General Pershing is the con
quering hero, and his presence this
morning at the city auditorium serv
ed as an attraction that taxed the
capacity of the building. His remarks
which were dedicated to the’ south’s
pSrt in the world war were
with an eagerness that was surpass
ed only by the enthusiasm provoked
by his tribute to the southern sol
dier.
The general arrived in Savannah
about 3 o’clock this morning. He
remained aboard his private car until
9 o’clock, when the Chatham artillery,
to the accompaniment of a twenty
one-gun salute, capUired the union
station and escortea General Per
shing and the members of his staff
to the De Soto hotel.
The parade through the streets of
Savannah was not a pageant in the
usual sense, but it was never-the
less a triumph. The school children
of the city occupied the points of
vantage, and as the procession pass
ed they joined in the singing of pa
riotic songs. These children were
supported and strengthened by great
crowds of people, who jammed the
sidewalks and acclaimed the A. E. F.
commander
I In anticipation of the generals
presence at the Auditorium, the
building was overcrowded with an
assemblage that made a boisterous
tumult when the distinguished offi
cer appeared.
The formalities incident to the
meeting of the Commercial congress
got under way yesterday, with the
arrival of a naval fleet, a flock of
seaplanes, and the appearance out of
a clear sky of “The Flying Parson.”
In additioiW there came by train lots
of prominent people, among them
Senator Hoke Smith, Senator Dun
can U. Fletcher, of Florida; Con
gressman W. D. Upshaw, of the
Fifth; Charles S. Barrett, president
of the Farmers; union, and others.
Cummins Expects His
Rail Bill to Be Ready
For House This Week
WASHINGTON, Dec. 6.—Despite
slow progress this, week by the sen
ate on the Cummins railroad bill,
Senator Cummins tonight predicted
that by the end of next week, the
measure would be ready for the
house.
He was hopeful that the two
branches of congress could agree on
a compromise between the Cummins
bill and the Esch bill, passed by the
house, in time to make permanent
legislation effective January 1, when
it is expected the president will
restore the roads to their owners.
Should signs of a deadlock appear
President Wilson may send a special
message on the subject. It was not
expected he would make aliy move
while congress is making headway.
It was also regarded as a possibility
that President Wilson might delay
return of the roads for a month al
lowing time to prepare for the re
organization which the pending
measure will make necessary. Sena
tor Cummins, however, is counting
on the lines going back January 1,
and is urging speed accordingly.
MR. AND MRS. HARRY P. HERMANCE, public-spirited Atlantians, who have made a gift of
$50,000 for the construction of an athletic stadium at Oglethorpe university.
I / Il I ifcl
t I lISc \1
I \ I I
I J ** lEH
i I MBIWb
I / I
I I ’
■ J
b
x • ’ .1... JI
HLLIES TO MOOIR
PROTOCOL TERMS;
HUNSTOSLGNSOON
PARIS, Dec. B.—The allies have
consented to modify some of the
terms of the protocol putting the
peace treaty Into effect to which Ger
many has made objection.
The clause providing for the In
demnity for the destruction of the
German fleet at Scapa Flow has been
modified so as to refer to the Hague
tribunal /the question whether the
delivery of the tonnage demanded
will cripple Germany, it is under
stood.
The understanding also is that the
other features of the protocol most
objectionable to the Germans have
been eliminated. It is expected that
the German plenipotentiaries will
sign the protocol without much fur
ther delay. *
The final paragraph of the protocol
providing that even after the peace
treaty has gone into effect the allies
might use military measures of
coercion to ensure the execution of
the treaty’s terms, has been eliminat
ed entirely, as also has the clause
relating to the evacuation of the
Baltic provinces by German troops.
The imputation of responsibility
to Germany for the sinking of the
Scapa Flow fleet is left in the
protocol. It was expected a note
setting forth the allied position
would be handed today by Baron
von Lersner, head of the German
mission.
GERMANS PROTEST
TREATMENT OP 1 PRISONERS
BERLIN, Dec. 8. —The government
today handed to the inter-allied naval
mission a note of protest in connec
tion with alleged mistreatment of
German war prisoners.
The note grew out of incidents re
ported from Kiel. The British steam
er Santa Elena, it was semi-ofiicialiy
stated, was carrying 500 German
prisoners from England when one
man escaped at Kiel.
British sailors fired at the man.
The German commandant then oc
cupied the locks, went aboard the
Santa Elena and investigated, it wa»
stated. Prisoners complained to him,
according to the statement, they
feared they were being taken to Po
land, where they would be formed to
enlist in the Polish army. They de
clared 400 German prisoners pre
viously had been forced to do this.
The German commander ordered
the prisoners released, the statement
said, they were within territorial
waters. The British released them
under protest.
SATISFACTORY SETTLEMENT
EXPECTED BY BOXAR LAW
LONDON, Dec. B.—Andrew Bonai
Law. the government spokesman, de
clared in the house of commmons
today there wgs little reason to doubt
that the communications proceedings
between the allied and associated
powers and Germany with reference
to the immediate ratification of the
peace treaty would have a satisfac.-
tory issue.
Bill Gives North Dakota
Power to Take Over All
Utilities During Strike
BISMARCK, N. D., Dec. 6.—Power
to “take over and operate any coal
mine or other utility in any emer
gency when necessary for the pro
tection of life and property” is vest
ed in the governor of North Dakota
in a bill passed by the house at the
special session yesterday of the
North Dakota legislature. The meas
ure already had passed the senate.
It will be effective July 1 next.
In the event of any strike or lock '
out, or “any pending disaster or ca- j
lamity which threatens to destroy
life or property in this state,” the I
governor is authorized to call upon !
the military forces of the state or ;
take other necessary steps to avert j
such "disasters and calamities.”
Even Kaiser’s Picture
Is Cause of Trouble
BERLIN Protest meetings
and counter-protest meetings have
been held in several large schools
since the minister of public wor
ship ordered that portraits of the
kaiser must be removed from re
ligious educational institutions. At
Cassel 2,500 girls assembled to ex
press the|; indignation.
RADICAL DANGERS
ARE INDICATED IN
PALMER’S REPORT
WASHINGTON, Dec. B.—The de
partment of justice is confronted
with "increasingly dangerous radical
activities,” Attorney General Palmer
said in his annual report submitted
( today to congress.
Mr. Palmer did not go into details
as to “red” activities in general, but
said that of the total of 365,295 in
dex record cards, 71,000 Bertillon
records and 262,712 finger print rec
ords now in the department, some
60,000 represented data concerning
1 "reds” and their work. He mention
ed that the department had increas
ed steadily its contributory sources
, of Investigation, adding that this
meant better facilities for running
down persons whose lives bore marks
of crime.
Mr. Palmer Said, that while other
government agencies during the past
year were rounding out their labors
incident to the war, his department
found itself only half way through
its scores of investigations and liti
gated cjuestions. • Countless hundreds
of claims growing out ot the waY
have been made against the govern
ment, he said, and must be fought
1 through the courts. Cases in which
s the government seeks to recover
s funds paid out through error or
, fraud provide another source of sup
’ ply for litigation. Alleged infringe
ment of patent rights by the govern
■ ment in its manufacture of war ma
« terials as well as similar claims
, arising from private manufacture of
war supplies on the cost-plus ar
, rangement, also puts litigation on
, shoulders of the department's staff.
> The department policy of resuming
• prosecutions of trusts has restored
: to activity other investigations and
: crime-proving machinery, the attor
ney general added.
In addition to these, Mr. Palmer
said, the department will be burden- ;
led for months to come Xvith its j
; prosecution of violators of the sedi- !
| tion and selective service acts. Un- !
’ der the latter, the number of cases I
runs high, he said. Department '
, agents are engaged now in gather- |
ing all necessary data through rec- j
ords of local draft boards, which '
have been assembled in Washington, !
. and prosecutions of the cases will j
I proceed immediately upon completion !
, ■of that work.
Investigations and trial argu
ments during the year have shown
-Joopholes in many statutes, Mr. Pal
mer said. He called attention to the
fact, under existing law,, it is not !
a crime to send threatening letters I
through the mails unless in further- j
ance of a scheme to defraud or as a
means of extortion. Pointing out
that letters threatening personal in
jury or destruction of property may
be sent with impunity, he urged re
vision of the law to cover such cases.
Mr. Palmer said also there was
great need for a statute providing
punishment for an individual at
tempting to defraud the United
States. Present statutes, he said,
provide punishment only in the event
that two or more persons conspire to
defraud the government.
Recommendation also was made
that criminal procedure be changed
to make more simple the removal of
indicted persons to the districts
where the indictments were returned.
He described the present system as
“grievously defective,” and as mak
ing removal proceedings “infinitely
more cumbersome” than extradition.
The attorney general recornmend
ed creation of a pardon and \parrole
board of three, fully empowered to
handle all pardon and parole cases,
thus relieving the attorney general’s
j office of duties “which are becoming
! increasingly heavy and onerous.”
Gov. Dorsey May Run
For U. S. Senate
SAVANNAH, Ga., Dec. B.—Gov r
nor Hugh Dorsey was asked today by
newspaper representatives if they
could not announce his candidacy for
the UiAed States senate, while he,
was in Savannah.
I “I cannot go that far,” said the |
I governor, “but you can say that I i
j have not determined not to run. My [
friends througout the state are very
l insistent that I run and lam giving
I the matter the most serious consid-
I eration.” i
j Wet Mandamus Is
Filed Against Lansing ’
, WASHINGTON, Dec. 6.—A manda- i 1
mus suit to compel Secretary Lan- !
sing to show qause why the proc- 1
lamation declaring that a sufficient 1
number of states had ratified con- ’
stitutional prohibition schould not
be revoked, was filed in the dis- <
trict court today by attorneys for >
Robert A. Widenmann, of Stony 1
Point, N. Y, I
WILSON'S LETTER
KILLS ACTION ON
FALLJESOLUTION
WASHINGTON, Dec. B—President
Wilson today declared he would be
“gravely concerned” to see any reso
lution like Senator Fall’s, providing
severance of relations with Mexico,
adopted by congress.
He further declared that the pas
sage of the Fall resolution would
“constitute a reversal of our con
stitutional practice which might lead
to very grave confusion in regard
to the guidance of our foreign af
fairs.” )
President’s Letter
The text of President Wilson’s let
ter to Senator Fall follows:
Thank you very much for your
kind promptness in complying
with my request that you send
me a copy of the memorandum
report of the sub-committee on
Mexican affairs of the committee
on foreign affairs. I shall ex
amine it with the greatest inter
est and care. What you told me
of the investigation, on Friday
last, prepares me to find in it
matter of the greatest import
ance.
You ask an indication of my
desire with regard to the pend
ing resolution to which you and
Senator Hitchcock called my at
tention on Friday and I am glad
to reply with Ehe utmost frank
ness that I should be gravely
concerned to see any such reso
lution pass the congress. It
wofild constitute a reversal of
our constitutional practice which
might lead to very grave con
fusion in regard to the guidance
of our foreign affairs. I am
I confident that I am supported by
every competent constitutional
authority in the statement that
i the initiative in directing the re
lations of our government with
foreign governments is assigned
by the constitution to the execu-
I tive, and to the executive only.
! Only one of the two houses of
congress is associated with the
president by the constitution in
an advisory capacity a*nd the ad
[ vice of the senate is provided for
! only when sought by the execu
‘ tive in regard to explicit agree
ments with foreign governments
and the appointment of the dip
lomatic representatives who are
| to speak for this government, at
foreign capitals. The only safe
I course, lam confident, is to ad
here to the prescribed nlethod
of the constitution. We might
go very far afield if we depart
ed from it.
I am very much obliged to you
for haX'ing given me the oppor
tunity To express this opinion.
Very truly yours.
WOODROW WILSON.
Lodge Passes Responsibility ’
When the president’s letter was
received, Senator Lodge, chairman of
the foreign relations committee,
called Senator Fall and Senator
Brandegee, Republican, Connecticut,
of the committee, into conference,
and in a few* minutes announced no
further action on the Mexican situa
tion would be taken by the commit
tee.
“We wanted to help,” Senator
Lodge said, “but now the entire
Mexican situation goes to the presi
dent. “The responsibility is upon
his shoulders. Let it rest there.”
It was expected Senator Fall
would make public during the day
the evidence upon which he based
his resolution requesting the sever
ance df diplomatic relations.
Senator Lodge said the committee
had wished to assure the president
of its support, but that even that
appeared undesirable.
“Very well,” he said, “he may deal
with it.”
“It was what I expected,” remark
ed Senator Hitchcock, after reading
the president’s letter.
Say Steel Union Heads
Will Vote December 13.
On Flan to End Strike
YOUNGSTOWN, 0., Dec. 6.—A
meeting of the national strike com- I
mittee of the steel workers is to be
held in Washington December 13. ;
when a vote is to be taken on a'
proposition to end the strike, accord- |
ing to information'given out here to- |
day by an organizer of one of the
steel unions. The presidents of the
twenty-four international unions in
volved in the strike, it was stated,
will vote directly on the proposition.
The organizer credited with the
announcement, it was said, was sent
into the field to check tip on reports
regarding the strike made by the na
tional committee.
Scents a copy,;
$1.25 A YEAR.
MINERS ACCEPT
PROPOSITION OF
PRESIDENT WILSON
Conference Saturday Con- .
siders His Definite Sug-. ;
gestion Which Is Accepted j
by Lewis and Green fori |
Miners
WASHINGTON, Dec. 6.—Heads ot
the United Mine Workers of Amer- ‘
ic| today accepted a proposal of j
President Wilson to end the nation
wide coal strike, according to a
statement of Attorney General
Palmer here after midnight.
All indications are that the ac- '
tion means a speedy ending of th<
coal strike. I
The decision was reached here to
day after a conference of President ’
Lewis and Secretary Green, of th» T
miners, with Attorney General
Palmer and Joseph P. Tumulty, sec- ■ ■
retary to the president, who pre- . *
sented the new proposal on behalf
of the president.
The acceptance of the new pro
posal will be urged upon the general’
scale committee of the miners ancl
operators in a conference at In
dianapolis next Tuesday, which wili
be attended by Attorney General
Palmer. <
At that time a statement| of
attorney general issued late tonight *
said President Lewis and Secretary ,
Green will urge the other representa
tives Os the miners to accept the new! * =
proposition.
Just what the new basis of settles
ment will be was not revealed, but
it is understood to follow closely),
the proposal of Fuel Administrator
Garfield, which the miners previously,
refused to accept.
The statement of the attorney gen«(
eral referred to it as a “definite, con
crete proposition from the president
looking toward a speedy termination
of the strike situation and an ad- •
justment of> the entire controversy.’* ' /
It was at the suggestion of the
president thkt th| Indianapolis con
ference was Called. The new and /■
unexpected action was the result ot ;
a conference of the attorney general
and the president this afternoon.
Mr. Palmer declined to comment
further on the turn of events or
the new proposition, other than the
text of his statement, which follows: . ‘I
A conference was held at the
department of justice, in Wash- ;
ington, on Saturday, at which
were present the attorney gen
eral, Mr. Tumulty, secretary to
the president; John L. Lewis, act
ing president, and William Green,
secretary-treasurer, of the United , j
Mine Workers of America, with a. \ ,
view to reaching an understand
ing'between the government and 1
the miners, which would result J
in a settlement of the coal strike
situation.
At this conference there was
submitted a definite, concrete
proposition from the president
looking to a speedy termination
of the strike situation and an
adjustment of the entire con
troversy. The officers of the
United Mine Workers, in response j
to the suggestion of the presi
dent, agreed to and have called I
a meeting of the general scale
committee, the representatives
of all the district organizations
and the international executive
board of the United Mine Work
ers, to be held in Indianapolis on
Tuesday, December 9, at 2 o’clock
p. m., at which time the presi
dent’s proposal will be consid
erad and its acceptance by the
miners urged by Mr. Lewis and
Mr. Green. The attorney gen
eral wUI be in Indianapolis on
Tuesday.
The announcement came as a com
plete surprise as government offi
cials had not made known the fact
that the union leaders had been
called into cvonference or that new
proposals were under consideration.
TRAIN SERVICE BADLY
CRIPPLED IN NATION
CHICAGO, Dec. 8. —Hundreds of
passengei trains were withdrawn
from service on the railroads of the
country today, mostly in the middle
west, south and southwest, in accord
ance with instructions Issued last
week by .he railroad administration,
and hundreds of other trains had
been ordered annulled on next Wed
nesday, chiefly in the east, as a re
sult of the coal miners’ strike.
In New England alone orders were
out cancelling nearly three hundred
trains dozens are to -
be discontinued in Pennsylvaniai an*
even Canadian railroads have felt
the coal shortage to such an extent
that thirty-five additional passenger
trains were taken off, including the
crack trans-continental limited of the
Canadian Pacific. The reduction of
passenger service in <b e United
States since the strike began No
vember 1, amounts to'approximately
one-third of the total, and in z Can
ada a saving of 24,000 train miles
per month has been effected.
Measues to conserve fuel supplies
went ahead today in nearly every
part of the country, despite the meet
ing at Indianapolis tomorrow of At
torney General Palmer and other of
ficials of the department of justice
with heads of the United Mine Work
ers of America, in an effort to bring «««
about a settlement of the strike. "
Many hundred thousand workers
were idle today on account of clos
ing of non-essential industries
which coal has been withheld by re
gional committees, and the curtail
ment of business hours in -many
cities.
Governor Cox, of Ohio, called off
the conference of operators and
miners today at Columbus, which has
attempted to settle the strike in that
state. In a statement Governor Cox •
said indications were the controversy
“would be settled Tuesday on a na
tjon-wide basis.”
Further shipments of coal mined
by volunteers in Kansas and Mis
souri under protection of troops,
were made today to points in those
states where the shortage was most
acute.
Digging of coal by volunteers also
was expected to begin today in Ok
lahoma. Arkansas and Montana. In
Oklahoma, where martial law pre
vails in the coal districts. Governor
Robertson has began a crusade
against agitators and several men
have been arrested, charged with at
tempting to prevent union miners
from returning to work. 4