Newspaper Page Text
®he Atlanta Saumal
VOL. XXII. NO. 24.
HITCHCOCK INVITES UmWDOO MOVES
SENATORS TO CONFER FOR COMMITTEE DIV
lIfUOT TREAD AGREEMENT
Both Parties Are Included.
Meanwhile Paris Council
Expedites Work, Planning
Peace by Christmas
WASHINGTON, Dec. 22.—Senator
Hitchcock, administration leader, to
day invited a number of senators,
both Democrats and Republicans, to I
a conference on the peace treaty. In ,
*. inviting the senators, Senator Hitch- I
cock said the conference is for the
purpose of framing a compromise,
if possible, which would insure the
support of two-thirds of the sen
ate. -
The conference will be held dur- ;
v ing the recess although a definite j
date has not yet been fixed.
COUNCIL PLANS FOR
PEACE BY CHRISTMAS
FARIS, Dec. 22. —The supreme <
council, it became known today, is |
making every effort to .each an :
agreement with Germany on the i
question of reparation for the sinking |
of the German fleet at Seapa Flow I
so that the protocol may be signed
’• and ratifications of the treaty of Ver
sailles exchanged before Christmas.
The terms of the note replying
to the last communication of the
German representatives were con
sidered by the council this morning.
No decision being reached, it. was
planned to hold another’ session this
evening.
It was belie ved the note, if then com
pleted, would be handed during the
evening to Baron vonLersner, head of
the German mission, in the hope of
expediting whatever consideration the
German delegation found necessary
to give it.
Few details now remain to be dis
» posed of by the council to clean up
-the work of the . peace conference,
with the exception of the Hungarian
and Turkish treaties and the Rus
sian situation. It was thought to
day uill else might be disposed of
in time t<i permit the celebration of i
Christmas, in a state of effective .
peace witii; Germany unless that na- .
tion maintained certain of her objec- !
lions to the final terms, after re- I
c.-ivii’g the council's note.
Sc bin's demand tor priority to the .
amount ofi 2,500,000,000 francs in i
i 'pa.aiiom;, on the same footing as :
that aceoSdcd Belgium, was dis- 1
• cussed by the supreme council today
Jfe ', but no decision was reached. It ap
peared to ‘be tljc feeling that this
v as a question for Ihe reparations
commission to dispose qf after the
_ of Versailles and st. Ger
tifeln had been put into effect.
All the powers interested except ;
Rumania having concurred in the j
• allotment of the distribution of the j
rolling stock of the railways of the
■ old Austro-Hungarian empire, the |
council decided to send a note to I
Rumania asking her to signify her .
r*. cptaqce.
D’ANNUNZIO TO MAKE
DECISION FOR HIMSELF
TRIESTE!, Dec. 22.—Notwithstand
ing the efforts to delay or cancel the
proposed plebiscite in Fiume on the
question of accepting the proposals
of General Daroglio, the Italian
• . chief of staff, providing for the sub-
stitution of Italian regulars for the
d'Annunzio forces of occupation, the
vote after all was taker, and is re
ported to have gone strongly in fav
or of accepting the proposals. Ga
briele d’Annunzio. however, declined
, to accept the result and declared he
would reserve the decision to him
self. According to officials who
had charge of the polling the vote
■>, was 85 per cent in favor of occupa
tion by regular Italian forces.
NC-4 Reaches Mobile
After Seeking Safety
From Fog on Gulf Isle
MOBILE, Ala.. Dec. 22.—The
.* trans-Atlantic naval seaplane NC-4,
. missing for several hours after leav
ing Galveston, Texas, on a non-stop
flight to Mobile, arrived here at 2
o’clock Sunday afternoon, having
spent the night at Grand Isle, fifty
miles fropi New Orleans, the sea
plane having been forced to descend
on (account of the heavy fog.
/ Commander A. C. Read and his
crew selected Grand Isle because
'heir maps showed, a town there.
| The place was completely destroyed
by a tidal wave in 1893 which drown
ed 300 persons, nothing remaining
now but a small fishing camp.
The commander of the trans-Atlan
tic craft Stated he had experienced
z much trouble in battling the fog
on his trip from Galveston Satur
day afternoon, the seaplane having
to seek the surface of the water
four times because of the heavy mist
V. which covered the gulf. The radio
' apparatus is capable of sending but
twenty miles when the craft is on
the water and no point was commu
nicated with and of the many
messages sent out from w’ireless
: stations on the- coast reached the
fog-marooned ship.
. The officers of the craft were not
lost but feared to attempt to make
Mobile in the fog. According to
their statements on arrival here,
1 they did not think that persons
ashore would feai* for their safety
because of- prevailing weather condi
' tidns making it impossible to fly
their craft with safety.
President Will Eat
Turkey Christmas Day
WASHINGTON, Dec. 22.—Children
living along the road between Wash
i - ington and the Country Club of Vir
ginia, where President Wilson plays
golf, will receive Christmas presents
from the White House this year as
usual, despite the president’s illness.
The presents have been purchased
and will be delivered Christmas
morning probably by Mrs. Wilson.
Another usual custom* that of giv
. ing turkeys to all employes in the
' White House executive offices, also
will be observed.
The president will be permitted to
eat turkey Christmas day, Rear Ad
miral Grayson, his physician, said
*oday. He will be served by Mrs.
i Wilson in his room.
Foreign Relations Committee
I
Reports Favorably on ■
Knox Resolution to Effect
Peace With Germany
WASHINGTON.—The peace treaty
controversy was revived in its full
vigor Saturday just before the sen
ate went home for Christmas.
The new moves for the formal es
tablishment of peace, one by ratifi
cation of the treaty and the other
without, were the agencies which re
opened the many-sided fight among ‘
the divergent elements of senate ■
members. Neither proposal got any- j
where, but it generally was conced- I
ed that the day’s work would help j
bring to a focus early in January the I
trend of senate opinion toward some
sort of settlement.
The suggestion which caused the
greatest stir carpe late in the day
from Senator Underwood, Democrat,
Alabama, who proposed a resolution
for appointment of a .committee of i
ten senators to work out.a compro
mise ratification of the treaty. He
asked for immediate action but Sen
ator Lodge, of Massachusetts, t.he
Republican leader, forced the resolu
tion over until after the holidays.
The other move for peace came
from Senator Knox, of Pennsylvania,
a former Republican secretary of
state, who secured approval of the
foreign relations committee for a res
olution to repeal the declaration of
war and to demand of Germany, on
pain of an economic boycott, all the
material benefits provided for under
the unratified treaty. The mild res
ervation group of Republicans
promptly served notice they would j
not support such • measure, however. |
and it went into a waiting stage from j
which the democrats predicted i: !
never would emerge.
Privately, the mild group expressed ,
much dissatisfaction with the day':.'
developments and made plans to go
ahead determinedly with their effort;
for a bi-partisan agreement on res
ervations. They made a sharp pro
test to their party leaders agains’
the Knox resolution and' indicated ;
they had not blocked a vote on it.
Underwood's Appeal
Senator Underwood, in presenting
liis resolution, made a plea for active
work toward a compromise during
the Christmas declaring the
country demanded peace and that It
had been demonstrated little progress
in that direction could be made in
the open senate. He suggested that
the vice president in naming the ten
conferees should act on the advice of |
Senator Lodge and Senator Hitch- !
Cock. of Nebraska, the acting Demo
cratic leader.
Many senators aipong the Demo- ,
e.rats and the mild 'reservation Re- I
publicans declared the Underwood
proposal was in line with their con
ciliation negotiations and should be
adopted. Unanimous consent will
not be required when the next at
tempt is made to get consideration.
In approving the Knox resolution
the foreign relations committee di
vided 7 to 3 along strict party lines,
the only representative of the mild
reseavationists on the committee,
Senator McCumbmer, Republican.
North Dakota, being absent. r
Before taking final action the Re
publican majority substituted the
Knox proposal, which would require
passage by both senate and house
and signature by the president, for
one by Senator Lodge, which was
designed to secure action by congress
only. The move w r as taken to mean
abandonment of any effort to declare
a state of peace without the concur
rence of President Wilson.
It was said by the Republican
leaders that the Knox resolution
would be brought forw’ard after the
holidays as a compromise plan, but
when Senator Knox reported it for
the committee he had it put on the
calendar so that a majority vote
will be required to get it before the
senate.
In a formal statement Senator
Knox declared the w’hole purpose of
his resolution was to break the trea
ty deadlock and return the nation
to a peace-time basis while the con
troversy over ratification proceeds.
Adoption of the measure, he said,
would not interfere with future rat
ification 4f the senate found away
to accomplish it.
Denounced by Hitchcock
By Senator Hitchcock the measure
was denounced as a "preposterous”
resolution designed to defeat the
League of Nations. He predicted it
never would be passed by the sen
ate, approved by the president or
accepted by Germany. Speaking for
the wild reservation Republican,
Senator Kellog, of Minnesota, issued
a statement saying that group had
not been consulted about the resolu
tion and would not support It until
it was demonstrated that ratifica
tion with reservations was impos
sible.
Five Killed, Another
Badly Hurt m Crossing
Smash Near Jacksonville
■ JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Dee. 22.
Wh'en a south-bound train on the
j Atlantic Coast Line railroad cut an
I automobile in two at a grade cross
: ing four and a half miles southwest
lof this city Sunday afternoon, five
I persons were killed and one so badly
injured that recovery is extremely
doubtful.
The dead . are Mrs. W. B. Talley,
wife of a prominent architect of
this city: Herbert Simmons, aged
fourteen, who was driving the car;
Ralph McMillan, aged thirteen, and
James Selby, aged twelve.
Roberta Cravy, aged twelve, step
daughter of H. W. Purvis, superin
tendent of the Seaboard Air Line
j railroad, died soon after being re
moved to the hospital.
Sarah Talley, aged twelve, daugh
i ter of Mrs. Talley, is in the hospital
and not expected to live.
The party of young people, chap
eroned by Mrs. Talley, were going
to the woods for Christmas holly
and evergreen when the accident oc
curred.
And Eggs So High |
IFSII
The aerial service is experi- ;
menting with the delivery of mail
by parachute, so as to avoid mak
ing landing- Their first trial was
the dropping of a parcel post
package, for Postmaster Merret O.
Chance of Washington, D. C., con
taining a dozen eggs. Chance is
shown opening the package, none
of the eggs being broken.
SMSORSSEEK
Ittffl suits
FORTS® CENSUS
Following a conference with W. C.
Hunt, chief statistician for pojula-j
Hou, bureau of the census, held at
the Chamber of Commerce Mon
day morning, the census supervisors
of the state of Georgia, Florida and ;
North and South Carolina held a '
meeting aiid adopted resolutions]
seeking additional conipehsation for
the work of taking the census \
next year.
The resolutions ask for a salary
of $2,500 for taking the census, with
the additional compensation al
ready allowed of.. $1 per thousand
for names enrolled. The compen
sation as now fixed is $1,500 with
the additional $1 per thousand
names.
The resolutions call attention to
the fact that the. enumerators have
by an act of congress had their
compensation increased., that the
work of taking the census at this
time is much more difficult than
in the past, and that the increased
cost of living and added expense
create a condition that warrants
more, pay for responsible
for the work.
The resolutions adopted are to be
sent to every census supervisor in
the United States with the request
that each address a letter to the
senators and. congressmen from his
state, urging that the needed legis
lation be adopted by congress.
The conference with Mr. Hunt,
which began Monday morning, was
continued Monday afternoon. It is
expected he will have individual
meetings with such supervisors as
are In need of special Instructions.
Mr. Hunt is to leave for Wash
ington Monday night. He has been
holding meetings similar to that of
Monday with supervisors in all sec
tions of the country east of the
Rocky mountains. He says he finds,
as a, rule, the entire country is
ready for the counting of noses for
Uncle Sam oh January 2, when the
work is to begin.
Thirty-two supervisors were pres
ent. only three congressional dis
tricts two in North Carolina and one
in Georgia, were without representa
tion. While several of the super
visors stated that they still neaded
more enumerators, the concensus of
opinion was that everything was in
readiness to start the machinery on
January 2, the day set for the be
ginning of the work.
Mr. Hunt did not deliver any spe
cial charges to the supervisors, but
talked over* plans and discussed prob
lems that would arise during the
work, pointing out how many knotty
problems might be easily disposed
of. He also stressed the necessity
of each supervisor having an ample
number of eniimerators.
Government Must
Show Cause on Liquor
Suits of Two States
WASHINGTON, De» 22.—The su
preme court today delayed until Jan
uary 5 its decision on whether the
state of Rhode Island and the New
Jersey Retail Liquor Dealers’ as
sociation may bring suits testing the
validity of the constitutional pro
hibition amendment and the Volstead
law enforcing it.
The government on January 5. must
file briefs showing cause why the
New Jersey and Rhode Island suits
should not be considered, Chief Jus
tice White stated. This is an un
usual procedure.
Applications for permission to con
test the amendment’s validity and
seek injunctions against its enforce
ment, in those states were presented
last week. In both instances the
amendment was alleged to conflict
with the state police powers and
with the federal constitution.
In ordering the government to
show cause the court, according to
government attorneys, followed an
unusual procedure as ordinarily in
such instances, permission to bring
such proceedings is given and a date
fixed when they are returnable. The
court, however, was generally be
lieved to have been prompted by the
fact that as the amendment becomes
Infective on January 16 next, the
procedure followed -would expedite
matters.
ATLANTA, GA., TUESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1919.
DANIELS ASKS AID
FOR 2 BLUEJKKHSI
IN JAIL IN MEXICO
Men’s Commander Reports
They Have Been Held Six
Weeks Without Trial With
i
Little to Eat or Wear
I
WASHINGTON, Dec. 20.—Secre
tary Daniels today wrote Secretary
Lansing urging that the stat depart
ment "take appropriate action” to
secure the release or permit tela,
of the two American blue- jackets
who have been held in jail at Ma
zatlan, Mexico, since their arrest
there November 12 for alleged par
ticipation in a street fight.
A report from tue commander of
the scout patrol boat Pocomoke, o
which the two men were attacked,
also was transmitted to Secretary
Lansing claiming that the men had
been held nearly six weeks without
trial, enduring hardships, includ ng
insufficient food, despite efforts of
their commander and the American
consul to persuade the Mexican au
thorities to release them. /
The navy department’s announce
ment follows:
"The navy department is in re
ceipt of a letter from the command
ing officer, U. S. S. Pocomoke, S.
P. No. 265, through the commander
U. S. Submarine base, San Pedro,
Cal., which reports the arrest and
detention by the civil authorities at •
Mazatlan Sinaloa. Mexico, of Harry
V. Leonard, machinist mate, second
class, and Harry O. Martin, fireman,
first class.
"This letter, which was forwarded
from San Pedro under date of De
cember 8, is signed by George E.
Hanning, boatswain, U. S. N., and
gives details of the arrest and Im
prisonment of the two members of
the crew.
"The secretary of the navy:; has
sent a copy of the letter to the sec
retary of state with the request
that ‘appropriate action be taken by
your department to the end 'that
these men may avail themselves of
the good offices of the consul or
other accredited representative of
this government during their tfial
and that their release after prompt
and legal action may be assured and
their return to naval jurisdiction ef
fected as soon as possible.’”
GOVERNMENT OF
MEXICO TOLD W-
STOP ‘OUTRAGES’
WASHINGTON, Dec. 22.—The
state department instructed the
American embassy at Mexico City
today to insist to the Mexican gov
ernment that “outrages” against
American citizens in Mexico be
stopped.
At the same time the department
ordered the embassy to renew its re
quest that “every possible step be
taken” to arrest the bandits vho kid
naped Frederick Hugo, manager of a
ranch near Musquiz, in Coahuila, re
cently.
Hugo was captured by Villistas
and later was reported released with
out ransom. With later reports,
however, the department announced
today that Hugo was released upon
agreement that within twelve days
he would pay a ransom of $1,500.
The department also was informed
that the Villistas took from Ameri
can-owned ranches approximately
$50,000, 148 horses and a large sup
ply of food, during theirsrecent op
erations in Coahuila.
“The department has been ad
vised,” said* an announcement today,
“that while there were only 400 of
the bandits engaged in the attack on
Musquiz, the Mexican federal forces
have about 750 men and six machine
guns located within less than forty
miles distance, took no steps to re
lieve Musquiz.'
The Mexican federal forces were
under command of Generals Ricaut
and Peraldi. and according to the de
partment’s information, these forces
did not attempt to go into Musquiz
until after the Villistas evacuated
the town.”
At the same time that it an
nounce instructions to make urgent
representations to the Mexican gov
ernment had been sent to the Ameri
can embassy, the state department
received information that five trains
on the railroad between San Luis Po
tosi and Tampico had been attacked
and crews and passengers molested
by bandits during the pas* five
weeks.
A train was blown up near Car
denas, in San Luis Potosi state, on
December 17, the department was ad
vised, and ten passengers and sol
diers were killed in a similar acci
dent on that line on December 6.
The department had no information
; that Americans were involved in
i these affairs.
War between President Carranza
and General Alvero Obregon is
i threatened, according to unofficial
| advices from Mexico, received today
by government officials.
Obregon is the strongest contend
er for the presidency. Carranza,
these dispatches said, is determined
to retain control even if he has to
indefinitely postpone the national
election, scheduled for July.
Obregon apparently is ready to
i take the field and start hostilities as
j soon as Carranza shows his hand.
Just now, the advices said, the two
I leaders are playing a waiting game,
I each ready to strike after the other
i has made the first move.
Stomach Trouble or Tape
worm Banished
i Many persons who suffer from
i stomach trouble really have a tape
: worm and don’t know it. A guar
•an teed remedy which has proven
to be remarkably effective in ex
pelling tapeworms and giving quick
relief in all forms of stomach trou
ble is being sent on free trial by
the Schoenherr Co., Dept. 55, Mil
j waukee, Wis. They guarantee it to
remove, in less than one hour, any
tapeworm with its head. No pain,
no dieting, no danger; also, to re
lieve any form of stomach trouble or
it costs nothing. Take advantage
of their free trial offer. Write them
today.—(Advt.)
NOT CONSULTED ON ,
SETTLEMENT TERAi
MINE OWNERS SAY
Operators’ Failure to Accept'
Plan Would Be “Amazing;
! Repudiation of Their Own ;
Statements,’’ Says Palmer,.
WASHINGTON, Dee. 22.—Coinci
dent with President Wilson’s appoint
ment Saturday of the commission of
thfifee to carry out the government’s
plan for settlement of the soft coal
strike, the executive committee of
the bituminous coal operators’ asso
ciation issued a terse statement flat
ly denying that the operators had
agreed to or been consulted in re- I
gard to the settlement terms.
The operators’ denial was aimed I
specifically at a statement contained |
in Mr. Wilson’s identical letters to
the three Commissioners he has se
lected, Henry M. Robinson, Pasadena,
Cal., representing the public; John P.
White, representing the miners, and |
Rembrandt Peale, of Pennsylvania, I
representing the operators, that the i
operators as well as the miners had ;
“agreed to an dadopted", the govern- j
ment’s proposal. It was met im
mediately by a Statement from At
torney Genefity Palmar declaring it
would, be an “amazing repudiation
of their own statements” if the op
erators now failed to accept the set
tlement plan.
The president’s announcement and j
the statements from the operators I
and the attorney general which came I
on its heels followed a day of con- !
ferences between Mr. Palmer and I
representative of the min eowners ;
and also a meeting of the operators’ I
executive committee.
No official word came from either ,
side as to.the nature of these discus- :
sions, however, although it was ap- j
parent that the president's announce- I
ment was expected at the White
House and no reason for the delay
was disclosed. Later developments
were said in some quarters to
show that Mr. Palmer had been en
deavoring to induce the operators to
join fully in the government’s plans. |
President’s
I In his letter to Mr. Robinson, the ■
president reviewed the coal strike
I situation and the various fruitless I
efforts made to arrive at' a settle
ment before his own plan was pro
posed and adopted by the miners. Mr.
Wilson said he had been informed
that the operators have “generally
agreed” to the plan and told the
commissioners that if, in their I
judgment after a full examination of ‘
the facts, “a readjustment of the ,
prioe of coal shall be. found neces- I
he would clothe them with I
t-W powers now vested in the fuel j
administration to carry out that
judgment. This grant of power will
be given, howevet, the president add
ed. only in the event of unanimous
decision by the commission as to
its findings.
Production has now been resumed |
at the mines, Mr. Wilson said, on I
a sufficient’ scale to warrant ap- ;
pointment of the commission to I
make effective the terms of the i
government’s proposals. He warned I
I the commissioners, however, that I
i while their decision as to a new !
wage scale for the coal miners !
would, he was quite sure, be ac
cepted as a basis for an agreement
in the coal fields whichjrpuld pro
mote public welfare, no lasting
benefit could come of a settlement
that did not guard at every point
the public interest. It was for this
reason, Mr. Wilson said, that the
requirement of unanimous decisions
was imposed.
The president informed the com
missioners that on their acceptance,
he would call a meeting of the
commission in Washington to lay
out plans for its work.
Operators Deny Statement
After President Wilson’s letter to
the members of the coal committee
was made public, the executive com
mittee of the bituminous coal opera
tors’ association issued a formal
statement saying the operators had i
“not agreed to any memorandum such t
as that mentioned in the president’s
letter . . . Involving a basis of ad
justment of the coal strike.” The
statement said the operators had not
been consulted in the strike settle
ment negotiations.
RAILSHOPMEN
PRESS DEMANDS
FOR WAGE RAISE
WASHINGTON, Dec. 22.—Having
withstood the steel and coal strike
crises without being thrown into a
condition of industrial chaos or
warfare, as was freely predicted, the
country today stood on the threshold
of a railroad strike crisis.
Led by representatives of 600,009
t'ailway shopmen, heads of the rail
way unions planned to press their
wage demands this week. They are
determined to get’ a decision before
the lines go back to private owner
ship, which may occur any time aft
er January 1.
Rail Director Hines has armed
himself with a detailed report from
the department of justice, which
aims to demonstrate that the price
trend is downward and that living
costs have decreased since the gov
i ernment started its campaign to re
i tiuce them. (The shopmen’s leaders
gave the government 90 days in
which to show a substantial de
crease in living costs—or else face
the menace of a strike if no higher
wages were forthcoming.)
Leaders of the railroad brother
hoods and unions declare the 2,-
000,000 members of their organiza
tions are very restive. It has been
difficult to hold them in check, ac
cording to their chiefs, and there
is the constant menace of a great un
authorized strike whih might give
the reds a chance to seize ctfntro’
I and use the railroad walkout for
I their own revolutionary purposes.
When they meet Mr. Hines, these
' men declare they will also have de
tailed figures ready on the cost of
. living, and intimate that their re
ports won’t agree with those pre
pared by the government.
Cripple From Birth,
Boy Now Can Walk
1 WASHINGTON.—Peter Medrofus-
eie. 5 years old, was brought to the
Children’s hospital for treatment by
a visiting nurse who found him in
1 his mountain home in West Virginia
; last spring/, Peter had never walked.
After months of surgical
the lad now runs about the hospital.
DUE. TO CARELESSNESS
'A.... Cincinnati, o. —Due to care-
lessness o£ a motorist, this boy
h as to rema i n in this position
every minute of the day and night
wrowMErel lfor A ve weeks - Both legs were
ibroken above the knees when the
s child was hit. Physicians and
nurses in a Cincinnati hospital,
where tiie boy is enduring this
' I torture, say this is the only way
'*■ I for the bones * n bis DtUe legs to
heal P r °l ,er D z so that he will not
.. -
(■KHUIBCair
Text of President's Letter
Appointing Coal Commission
WASHINGTON, De*:. 20.—The
text of President Wilson’s letter
to Henry M. Robinson, identical
with those sent John P. White
and Rembrandt Peale, the other
two members of the coal com
mission appointed today, fol
lows:
My Dear Mr. Robinson:
On October 6, 1917, with the
official approval and sanction of
the United States Fuel Adminis
tration, an agreement (since
known as the ‘Washington Wage
Agreement) was entered into be
tween the operators and the
union miners and mine workers
of the. so-'called “Central com
petit!ve bitun.iinous coal fields ”
composed of Western Pennsylva
nia, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois,
which provided for an increase
in the production of bituminous
coal and an increase in wages to
the miners an:l mine workers
Zi-om the the j existing scale of
compensation. *~Tlfe agreement
contained' the following clause;
"Subject to the next biennial
convention ‘of the United M:ne
Workers of AmS*.ca, the mine
workers’ representatives .agree
that the present contract be ex
tended during the ctn/luuation
of the war and not to exceed
two years from April 1 1918.”
Subsequently, on January 19,
1918, this agreement was ap
proved by the convention of the
International pnion United Mine
Workers of America.
60 Per Cent False Asked
At the fourth biennial con
vention of the International Un
ion United Mine Workers of
America, he>d in Cleveland, Ohio,
from September 9 to September
23, 1919, the so-called scale com
mittee submitted a report rec
ommending among other things,
that the convention demand a
sixty per cent increase appli
cable to all classifications of day
labor and to all tonnage, yardage
and dead -work rates throughout
the central competitive field: that
all new wage agreements replac
ing existing agreeriients should
be based on a six-hour work
day from bank to bank, five days
per week; the abolition of all
automatic penalty clauses: that
all contracts in the bituminous
field should be declared to ex
pire on November 1, 1.919; an.l
that “in the event a satisfac
tory wage agreement is not se
cured for the central competi
tive field before November 1,
1919, to replace the one now in
effect, the international officers
be authorized to and are here
by instructed to call a general
strike of all bituminous miners
and mine workers throughout
the United States, the same to
become effective November 1,
1919.”
Conferences Foil
Subsequently conferences were
held between representatives of
the operators and of the miners,
at which the miners’ demands
were submitted and declined on
the part of the operators. The
officers of the international un
ion, United Mine Workers of
America, then issued so-called
strike orders to all of their lo
cal unions and members, requir
' ing them to cease work in the
mining of bituminous coal at
midnight on Friday. October 31.
On October 15, 1919, the sec
retary of labor called a confer
ence between the operators and
miners of the bituminous mines
in the central competitive field,
which conferences also resulted
in failure to reach an agreement.
In a letter to Secretary Wilson
which was submitted io the con
ference, I said:
Arbitration Suggested
"If for any reason the miners
and operators fail to come to a
mutual understanding, the inter
ests of the public are of such
vital importance in connection
with the production of coal that
it is incumbent upon them to re
fer the matters in dispute to a
board of arbitration for deter
mination and to continue the op
eration of the mines pending the
decision of the board.”
Subsequently, on October 25,
1919, I issued a statement in
which I said that a strike in the
circumstances therein described
“is not only unjustifiable, it is
unlawful,” and added:
"I express no opinion on the
merits of the controversy. I
have already suggested a plan by
which a settlement may be
reached and I hold in
readiness, at the request of ei
ther or both sides, to appoint at
once a tribunal to investigate all
the facts with a view to aiding
in the earliest possible time or-
derly settlement of the ques
tions at issue between the coal
operators and the coal miners, to
the end that the just rights, not
only of those interested, but also
of the general public may be
fully protected.”
Injunction Asked
Despite my earnest appeal
that the men remain at work,
the officers of th© United Mine
Workers of America rejected all
the proposals for a peaceful and
orderly adjustment and declared
that’ the strike would go on. Ac
cordingly, at my direction, the
attorney general filed a bill in
equity in the United States dis
trict court at Indianapolis, pray
ing for an injunction to restrain
the officers of the United Mine
Workers of America from doing
any act in furtherance of the
strike. A restraining order was
issued by tlr* court, followed by
a writ cf temporary injunction
on -November 8, 191-9, tn whielr
the defendants were commanded
to cancel and revoke the strike
orders theretofore issued. These
strike orders were accordingly
ievoke< in a form approved by
the court, but the men did not
return to work in sufficiently
large number to bring about a
production of coal anywhere ap
proaching normal.
Miners Accept Plan
On December 6, 1919, I issued
a statemnt in which I restated
the government's position, ap
pealed to the miners to return
to work and renewed my sug
gestion that upon the general
resumption of mining operations
a suitable tribunal would be
erected for the purpose of in
vestigating and adjusting the
matters in controversy between
the operators and the miners.
This statement was submitted to
a meeting of the officers of the
International Union, United
Mine Workers of America, hav
ing authority to take action,
which meeting adopted as its
act a memorandum prepared by
the attorney general and ap
proved by me, embodying the
suggestions contained in my
statement of December 6th. I
am informed also that the op
erators ha?ve generally agreed
to the plan therein outlined. I
enclose for your information a
copy of my statement of De
cember 6, 1919, and the memo
landum just' referred to.
Promises Ample Powers
There has now been a general
resumption of operation in all
parts of the bituminous coal
fields sufficient to warrant the
appointment of a commission
such as is referred to in the
memorandum of the attorney
general, and I have according
ly appointed you: Mr. Rembrandt
Reale, a“ mine owner and opera
tor if) active business; and Mr.
John P. White, a practical miner,
as a commission with the pow
ers and duties as set forth in
the memorandum agreed to and
adopted by the miners and op
erators. who conducted all the
prior negotiations. If a re
adjustment of the prices of coal
shall be found necessary, I shall
be pleased to transfer to the
commission, subject to its unan
imous action, the owers here
tofore vested in the fuel ad
ministrator for that purpose.
Unanimous Action Advised
I am sure it is not necessary
for me to call your attention-to
the tremendous importance of
the work of this commission or
the great opportunity which it
presents for lasting service, to
the coal industry and to the
country. If the facts covering all
the phases of the coal industry
necessary to a proper adjust
ment of the matters subn»itted
to you shall be investigated and
reported to the public, I am
sure that your report, in addi
tion to being reefipted as the
basis for a new wage -agreement,
for the bituminous coal miners,
will promote trie public wel
fare and make for a settled con
dition in the industry. No set
tlement can be had in this mat
ter, permanent epd lasting in
its benefits, as affecting either
the miners, the coal operators
or the general public, unless the
findings of this body are com
prehensive in their character
and embrace and guard at every
point th" public interest. To this
end, I deem it Important that
your conclusion should be
reached 'by unanimous action.
Upon your neci otance of this ap
pointment, I shall be pleased to
call an early meeting of the
commission in Washington so
that you may promptly lay out
plans ([or your work.
SinceYely yours,
(Signed) WOODROW WILSON.
Scents a copy.
$1.25 A YEAR.
OPERATORS DUE TO f
MAKE NEXT MOVE IN
CDAL CONTROVERSY
Operators to Abide by Com
misison’s Decision —Con-
tempt of Court for Kansas
Chief Is Imminent
Operators to Accede
To President’s Plan
WASHINGTON, Dec. 22.—C0al
operators will co-operate fully
with President Wilson’s three-man
commission, named to investigate
the mining situation, it was
learned today at headquarters of
the executive committee of the
Bituminus Coal Operators’ asso
ciation. The meeting scheduled,
for tomorrow in Cleveland at
which the proposition of standing
aloof from President Wilson’s plan
of settlement was .to be discussed, ’
has been called off, it was an
nounced.
BY DAVXD LAWRENCE
tCop.vt'iglil, 1919, for Th'? Atlnuta .lournal..)
' WASHINGTON, Dec.-22._The gov-,
ernment is having its first critical
experience in trying to put into con
crete settlement some of the many j
vague phrases bandied about in con- I
gressional speeches and presidential j
messages so often about “harmonla- ;
ing the relations between capital and j
labor.”
For a while the coal miners Tvere I
the object of bitter criticism and the I
operators seemed to be the reason- |
able folks willing to do anything to ;
get coal for the country. Even the !
delicate power of injunction was used
in an effdrt to bend the will of the I
miners—and they finally agreed to j
negotiate. Out \of the series of ne- j
gotiations has come another plan !
sponsored by the government. The j
miners like it—the operators do not. I
So in executive quarters one finds 1
opinion veering. Now it is the op- •
erators who are blocking a settle- I
ment. . j
The laymen may be puzzled but ;
the observer close at hand is no bet- I
ter off. For both sides are making
contradictory stands and intimating '
that the other isn’t telling the truth.
For instance, the operators cliaint
they weren't consulted in the latest
memorandum for a settlement of the
strike. The officials at the depart- '
ment of justice say the opposite, •
It appears that P. M. Bogart re- i
ceived, for the operators, a copy ’
of the Palmer memorandum just be
fore the miners’ convention rece.lv- (
ed it at Indianapolis. The operstr J
tors on the other hand admit that, '
but say they called attention to the
fact that the plan was a charge from
the Garfield scheine of settlement.
They deny that anybody approved it
for them.
Game of Barter and Bargain
The many ups and downs of the
controversy filled with technical de
tails and charges, counter-charges
simply give one the impression that
the whole thing is merely the old
fashioned same old game of barter
and bargain. First the miners cry
out that they must have a 40 per
cent incr. <.se in wages or starve.
The operators offer 20 per cent. Sec
retary Wilson things 31 per cent is
right. Along comes Dr. Garfield and >
insists upon 14 per cent.
The operators being ti'ainad to the ,
art of bargaining squirm and make it '
appear that they are hard hit by .
that 14 per cent, but that to be good
sports and .to stand by their gov
ernmen hey will absorb the 14 per
cent. But no big Increase in coal
production ’ comes. The state gov
ernments become restive and begin 1
negotiating separately with the
miners.
The situation becomes serious
and the government tries its hand
again, this time with President Wil
son himself appealing to both sideir
to accept a commission, to settle the
dispute. The miners repeat that
they are and accept.,
They, too, make it appear that the
settlement is altogether satisfactory.
Their convention remains in session
long, and the radicals are represent
ed as terribly stubborn. Finally the
miners are on record as accepting.
Then it is the operators’ turn
again. The viewpoint of the opera
tors is that a commission of three
is too small and that they are un- ;
willing to bestow upon it sweeping
I powers over the coal industry, espe-,
; cially when at. any time within the'
' near future the Lever act. underl
i which the comission would have!
j the same powers as the fuel'admin-1
I istration had, may come off thel
j statute books. They are consider-;
I ing seriously whether to agree to I
the plan as a commission of “inves-i
tigation,” and not as a body whose'
; results are binding upon them.
Pastor Is Charged
With Rent Gouging
IVILMINGTON, De].—Tenants of j
; the Rev. George Henry Dore, or O',e l
i Church of the New Jerusalem, ap-'i
peared before the anti-rent-gouging
i committee and complained that Rev.
I Mr. Dole had increased the rental ’
i of his dwellings 100 per cent and re- ■
fused to make repairs.
Bsats Sas or Eiectricity
Kew Damp Has Ko Wick Wo Cl>?.u- I
ney, Wo Otlcr, Most Bril-
liant Light Known.
A new lamp which experts agree]
■gives the most powerful home light'
in the world, is the latest achieve- |
ment of W. H. Hoffstot, 913 Factory ]
Bldg., Kansas City, Mo. This re
markable new lamp beats gas or
electricity—gives more light than
three hundred candles, eighteen ordi
nary lamps or ten brilliant electric
lights, and costs only one cent a
night, a blessing to every home or]
farm or in small town. It is abso-/
lutely safe and gives universal satis- .
faction. A child can carry it. It is
the ambition of Mr. Hoffstot to have ’
every home, store, hail or church en- !
joy the increased comfort of this’
! powerful, pleasing, brilliant, white 1
light, and he will send one of his
new lamps on free trial to any reader
of The Journal who writes him. He
wants thins person i neach locality
to whom he can refer new cuatorn
| ers. Take advantage of his frfce of
j fer. Agents wanted. Write fliwi to-
I day -r-(Advt.)