Newspaper Page Text
TUESDAY
EDITION
'WEATHER—CIoudy tonght; Wed
mesday, Showers and Cooler. :
et eßy T TR TONCTIER ev g
ALLIES ACCOMPLISH GERMAN INVASION
EBERT SAYSHE
Urges Germans to Remain Calm
As Allied Troops Come
SNIPING IS REPORTED
Vet e ;
Du.sseldgrf Is Occupied But Has
“Business As Usual” :
(By International News Service)
LONDON, March B—A mixed force
of French, British and Belgians occu
pied the important industrial German
city of Dusseldorf this morning with
out incident. The Allied military ad
vance into 'the Ruhr district began at
dawn, The American Army of Oc
cupation "did 'not participate. The
occupation, of Dusseldorf was com
‘pleted at 9:50 o’clock this morning.
“The Ij‘regeh moved on Duisburg and
Ruhrort at 6 o’clock this morning “and
expected to occupy both towns, which
are importarnt industrial and coal cen
ters, during the day. 84
There ‘afe - about 120,000 Allied
troops on the Rhine, not counting the
small ‘American Army. The French
furnished most of the troops that ad
vanced from the Rhine. Reports that
France will mobilize an y of her mil
itary classes were denied today.
The advancing French were sup
ported by light artillery, rapid fire
guns and two squadrons of airmen,
No real opposition was encountered
although some sniping is reported.
The Belgians were first to move
into Dussulldorf. Great crowds gath
ered in the streets- watching the ‘sol
diers planting batteries to sweep all
important squares. K The bridges are
heavily guarded.
!‘%RT APPEALS
#6R caLM
BERLIN, March 8-—Pres. Ebert
has appealed to the German nation to
remain calm in the face of the Allied
advance from the Rhine. The Ger
man Cabinet remained in session un
til after midnight to receive the re
port of the course of foreign minister
Simons at London.
GERMANY WILL NOT -
YIELD, DECLARES EBERT
BERLIN, March B.—Following the
proclamation, signed by President and
Chancellor Ebert was addressed to
the people of Dusselldorf today. “Our
opponents are occupying German soil.
This is a breach of the Treaty of Ver
sailles. Violence may trample down
justice but the German Government
will not rest until the foreign invader
succumbs to our just position.”
PEOPLE OF DUSSELDORF
TAKE PLIGHT CALMLY
DUSSELDORF, March B—Three
thousand French, British and Belgian
troops hold this city this afternoon.
More troops are coming. The people
are calm and no signs of hostility
are in evidence.
An Allied Flotilla entered Duisburg
at noon. The occupation of Duisburg
and Ruhrort by infantry and calvalry
was completed at 11 o’clock with no
hostile manifestations. Tanks were
brought up during the day, entering
Dusseldorf this afternoon. Business
went on as usual.
GERMANS GO HOME .
LONDON, March B.—Germa/n
conferees, headed by Dr. Simons, left
for Berlin this afternoon.
STOCK GAMBLERS DO
NOT FEAR DEVELOPMENT
NEW YORK, March B—Action on
the stock market today was interpret—;
ed as indicating that those on the
inside are not in the least apprehen
sive over the final outcome of the
German Indemnity situation. i
GERMANY TO MAKE |
PASSIVE OPPOSITION g
BERLIN, March B—lt was an
nounced today that the Gerinan gov
ernment will remain firm in opposi
tion to the Paris indemnity decisions
of the Allies. For the time being Ger
many- will play a passive role await
ing the next move of the Allies. The
cabinet was informed that A Belgian
and French troops were moving ahead
hours before the Simons message was
received annmouncing that the Allies
Lwere putting the penalties into effect.
THE FIIZ6ERALD LEADER
COOLIDGE SITS AT FIRST
HARDING CABINET MEET
%.Intemahmal‘ ~Newsfliervice
ASHINGTON, March B—.
President Warren G. Harding
met with his Cabinet for the first:
time at 11 o'clock this morning.
An innovation was ‘the ‘presence’
of Vice President Calvin Cool
idge, who ‘was givén the seat at:
the egd of __thg_ gabinet table fac-!
ing the President. 3
A
COUNCIL APPROVES
|“' AUDITORIUM PLAN
} T ] ¥ .
Ladies Take Council by Storm at
| ‘Meeting Last 'l\géht
COMMITTEE AAPPOINTEP
Will :Show Cost at Next Meet
ing; To Call Bond Vote
.. s i v e
Fitzgerald will have a bond election
for a ‘high school auditorium, ‘proba
bly in May, it became certan last
night after a committee from the
Woman’s Club had appeared before
‘city ‘council to advocate the auditor
ium cause. Council unanimously ap
proved the project.
The committee was accompanied
by all the members of the board of
education and President U. J. Ben
nett launched the drive on council
in favor of the project, briefly outlin
ing the need for additional class
rooms and an assembly room of ample
size. : r
Mesdames R. E. Lee, Georgé
Brown, EEC.\Persons, E. J. Dormi
ney, C. F. Shewmake, S. L. Smith and
W. E. Yeatman appeared for the
Woman’s Club, and most of them
spoke effectively for the auditorium.
The committee had been appointed by
Mrs. Lon Dickey, president of the
club, at the meeting last Wednesday
when the club endorsed the agitation
for the auditorium. !
Opposition Is Withdrawn
Practically all opposition that pre
viously had been expressed against
the auditorium projegt was removed
when it was stated by City Clerk D,
L. Paulk that the city had a bonding
capacity of $131,461 in addition to the
$244,000 of bonds already outstanding
Last year, when the 1919 tax réports
showed the city valued at $3,891,000
the outstanding bonds pressed close
to the limit. The 1920 valuation of
$5,363,733 however, leaves ample
room for further civic expansion.
A joint committee representing the
city council, the -board of education
and the women of the city was au
thorized to prepare definite plans and
specifications for the new auditorium.
The committee will meet some time
next week. It is composed of Mayor
J. L. Pittman, Aldermen G. L. Kil
crease, J. C. Glover, Lewis and Miller;
Mesdames George W. Brown, R, E.
Lee, E. K. Farmer, E. J. Dorminey,
C. C. Persons for the Woman’s Club;
U. J. Bennett, G. A. Jolley, Lon
Dickey, Scott Walker, Dr. W, D. Dor
miney for the Board of Education.
Would Add Fire Bonds
W. C. Wilkerson, chief of the Fitz
gerald Fire Department, suggested
this morning to a’ Leader-Enterprise
reporter that about $5,000 be added on
the bond issue to the amount needed
for the school auditorium and the
money be used to make such needed
extension of water mains. A large
section of the city is practically un
protected against fire because no*fire
plugs have been installed and ‘the
city has not enough money from its
current income to make’ the improve-‘
ments. ¢
Chief Wilkerson declared himself
heartily in favor of the auditor.ium‘
project and said that he believed its.
chances for carrying the election
would be largely increased by adding
a few thousand dollars for better fire
protection.
CIVIC LEAGUE SPEAKER
AT MT. OLIVE SUNDAY
~ Mr. Geo. P. Morris, chairman of the
rural committee of the Ben Hill Civic
League will speak at Mt. Olive church
Sunday afternoon, March 13th. His
‘subject is “Good Citizenship.”
VOL. I, NO. 2
Employzes And Operators Present
Their Coritentions About Strike
A.B. & A Wil '#‘é’gg;pfifiggfing
Trains Soon é\; lew Men
Can Be Recruited
Operators . Assert Unions Are
Wfli}pg To Break Road
o Sate Avarice ’
ATLANTA, March 8. (By Téle
graph)—B, L. Bugg, Receiver, sfated
today while"as yet no trains had been
started out of their terminals since the
strike order took effect on Saturday
at noon, arrangements are being made
in an orderly manner to resume ser
vice. 4 ;
. The same proceedure will be fol
‘lowed in emiploying fien “for ‘service
on the rdad ‘as is done ‘inder normal
‘condition’s when ‘additional 'eiii'?joyeb
@ i £ BN s T eTNTREY
are reduired. Some of the require-
Jments _are that references shall be
RBN $ Kt A W BOK X
furnished showing previous . employ
.ment,. character of service, etc. 'An
other is that all ‘applicants for engine
and train service shall pass 'satisfac
tory examinations on train rifles, ‘phy
sical, ‘colors test. Erginmén ‘in ad
dition are required to give satisfactory
‘evidénce of ‘a knowledge of the care
and operation of a locomotive.
Just as fast as employes can be re<
cruited to meet the conditions as des
cribed above train service will be re
sumed, beginning with passenger,
mail and express, it being the purpose
to provide for this necessary service
just as quickly as possible}
_Tried to Conform Law
The /Receiver appreciates the facts
that the greatest burden of the strike
is -falling upon the public. The Re
ceiver, both in his present capacity
and formerly as president of the rail
way, has endeavored to conform in
every way to orderly and lawful pro
cecedure and met the employes and
their National Union leaders in six
different conferences. He also met
their contentions in their three differ-
Labor Board, which was the tribunal
of their own choice, and continued to
meet them there until that Board in
its decision of Febuary 21st declared
itself without jurisdiction on the is
sues as presented. |
This declaration followed the posi
tion taken by the Union representa
tives before the board that the board
was without jurisdiction and asked it
to dismiss the case. i
At no time either in conference or
the hearings before the Labor Board
have the employes or their union'rep
resentatives ever met the issue square
ly or suggested the possibility of ne
gotiation of a more acceptable reduc
tion than that proposed, notwithstand
ing the fact they have never question
ed but have admitted freely the con
tentions of the railroad of its inability
to meet its operating expenses hw one
million dollars a year,
Seventeen Points of Difference
The public cannot be deceived as
to these essential facts: First, that the
labor unions are demanding an impos
sibility, Second, that the strike has
been called to compell the road to pay
more than it can by any possbility
pay. 3 ;
Third, that the labor uniong I =
admitted the inability of the road deccide
earn operating expenses by one ?o have
lion dollars a year under the viz Hi in
scale they are demanding. %e was
Fourth, that this wage scale | DArrin
cost of living bronght about by ot this
conditions. est de-
Fifth, that this wage scale jsior this,
highest ever known in the histor®Ch can
the world. ireer,
Sixth, that the war-time cost ofig - V¢
‘ing has been materially reducedi; Mal
. Seventh, that other wage earners N ¢ga
\gether with farmers, merchants, ?"DO"‘
~manufacturers have already met? Ralph
new conditions. ,iglar vey.
Eighth, that ‘the strike vote |
taken a month before the happe WeEr
of the event, because of which; city:
strike is said to have been calle¢ Mann
Ninth, Men who have met in .
lanta who have no connection 'omf)h
the A. B. and A. Jpiation
Tenth, that the high rates, #° Bad
passenger and freight, now preva® CPar
do not help the railroals or the p/5° °"¢
but benefit the emplayes alone, U 0 the
Eleventh, that the labor unions™” .t'he
tend to want a hearing before "‘;;:"
’ (Continued on Page 2) fitved
« #le and
Mo Ay
FITZGERALD, GEORGIA, TUESDAY, MARCH Bth, 1021.
Says Receiver and U. S. Courts
Disregards Laws in Wage
- Reduction :
Employes Charge A. B. & A. Is
in Conspiracy To Smash
‘ ‘ ‘Labor Unions
1 The financial interests which con
trol the A. B. and A. have disregarded
‘the taws of the land in the present
wage controversy because they are in
a conspiracy to smash the unions and
force down the ‘workers’ wages, ac
cording to an editorial in the current
issue of Labor. The editorial is pub
‘lished below at the request of the
press committee of the Joint Federa
tion Committee representing the ‘thir
teen crafts now on strike. The ed
itorial sums up the 'position ‘of the
men. . e ‘
FACTS IN THE j
A. B. AND A. CASE
The railroad managers contempt
for any faw which does not profit
them to respect, is well illustrated by
‘the case of the Atlanta, Birmingham
and Atlantic, ;
This road undertook to reduce the
wages of its employes without at
tempting to comply with the pl‘ain let
ter of the transportation act.
The United States Railway Labor
Board compelled the A. B. and A.
to withdraw its illegal notice and,
after a hearing, directed the officials
of the road to confer with the employ
es—as the law directed—an§ if an
agreement could not be, reached to
submit the points in controversy to
the board.
Instead of complying with these in
structi%g,s,_the A. B. and A. entered
into a “friendly” suit with an obliging
creditor, and the road was placed in
the hands of a receiver by a Federal
Judge who acted without waiting to
hear from any one who could fairly
be considered as representing ‘the oth-‘
er side of the case. |
The President of the A. B. and A,
was named as receiver, and the first
order issued to him by the court san
tioned the reduction of wages which
has been forbidden by the Labor
Board. ; |
This order was without warrant of
law, because the Newlands act specifi
cally deprives Federal Judges of the
power to reduce the compensation of
employes of roads which may be
played in receiver’s hands, except af
ter thirty days notice and a hearing of
all parties in interest.
It is to be presumed that the Judge
did not know of the existance of the
‘Newlands act when he signed the
order, because it is iniconceivable that
he would have flouted the law if it
had been called to his attention.
The ' railroad attorneys who were
directing the proceedings did not en
lighten the court concerning matters
which were adverse to their claims,
and the workers were afforded no op
portunity. to be hasmhchlg, O,
Amongethe s Ny
the senior class. play, “Assis s
Sadie”, which i§ to be given &g,
Grand Opera House, on Th rt
March.lo. Humor, mystery, rd ot
and adventure are mixed up i
the right proportions to mak ;
snappy comedy which will delighe
theatre goers on next Thursday .
Mrs. Shewmake, who is directinfe
play, promises us one of the §e
‘plays ever presented to the po
of Fitzgerald; and as it is bein
on by the senior class of their
high school the people will
appreciate this lively comedy,
o V., ELDER AT
CHAPEL EXERCISE
Tuesday morning, Rev, Jas.
der of the First Methodist churcl
sided at the chapel exercises.
Elder made an excellent addr
the students, and urged that ‘
student in the schoo! should }
great effort for success in life. |
TRACK WORK ‘
STARTS THIS WEEK
Mr. Carter announced ¢t |
}would like to meet all of th ‘
}interestcd in track work in hi g
‘at recess. He wishes to beginfl_
‘practice as soon as possible, t
we may also be well represe |
the coming meet which will be -
Asrburn, on April 22 and 23 ;
The students wiil attend in re
ROME HOTEL BURNS
By International News Service
ROME, Ga., March B.—Fire
today destroyed the Armstrong
five story hotel. The loss was
$50,000, fully insured. No casual
ties resulted.
Will Cut Campaign Short and
, Settle Race Quickly :
4 . R e e e
TWELVE PLACES OPEN
No Announcements ;. Matde Yet
for Board of Education
The city primary elecgim was called
today by the cify Democratic Execu
tive Committee to be held April 18th,
which is said to ‘be the earliest the
primary has ever been held. Regis
‘tration books ‘open Thursday, March
10th, and will close April Bth. A
heavy registration of women is ex
pected. ;
In the field are Drew W. Paulk for
mayor, without opposition; G. P.
Mingledorff for city treasurer, with
out opposition; G. E, Ricker, incumb
ent, and Hubert Roush for the one
place on the Water, Light and Bond
Commission; A. H. Thurmond, Clay
ton Jay, E. J. Dorminey, J. E. Tur
ner, I. A. Cardwell, George L. Kil
crease, W. R. Paulk for five places
on the city council,
No announcements nave been made
today for the board of education for
which a president and Tour members
must be named. No contest is antic
ipated for any of these places.
- The official notice of the prmary,
issued today by the executive com
mittee, follows: .
| Notice of Primary Election
By the authority vested in the exec
utive committee for the city of Fitz~
gerald, a primary election is hareby
called to' be held at the City Hall on
April, 18th, 1921, for the purpose of
nominating a Mayor, five Aldermen
at-large, a city Treasurer, a president
and four members of the Board of
Education, and a member of the
Water, Light and Bond Commission.
The registration books will open in
the office of the City Clerk March
10th, at 8:30 A. M. and will remain
open until 6 P. M. April Bth, 1921.
The election will be held under the
Australion Ballot system. ;
The Polls will open at 8 a. m. and
close at 7 p. m,
The candidates are required to reg
ister ‘with the secretary of the execu
tivé committee on or before 6 p. m.,
April Bth, and pay the following as
sessments: |
Boy Whyor Soldslililol 81000
For [Beeastrer, (Lol 00l 10.00'
For Alderthen Lol 00l Lliis7.so
For President and members of
Board of Education.___.___.__ 200
For Member Water Light and
Bond Commission ._..._____ 10.00
By order of the executive commit
tee, {
N, N. LITTLEFIELD, Chair.
S. G. PRYOR, JR., Secretary.
Fitzgerald Ga., March Bth, 1921,
i |
Loans To Foreign |
. o
Powers Discontinued
- (By International News Service)
WASHINGTON, March B—Fur
ther loans to European governments |
upon credits established by former|
president Woodrow Wilson were.
stopped by the Treasury Department
today. Secretary Mellen directed that
action upon claims for additional ad
vances be postponed pending a fur-1
ther study of committments and otheri
documents. ]
NEW HAVANA-MIAMI |
‘CABLE PASSES TEST
S e ’
(By International News Service)
~ MlAMl,aMarch B.—Final test was
made today on the new Havana-Mi
ami cable of the Commercial Cable
Company lowered last week,shows
it was successfully connected. Sgr
lvice will begin shortly, ~F
SHORT AND SNAPPY
NEWS OF THE WORLD
BY TELEGRAPH ¢
COTTON-~Good Middling-....101/c
No Sales, No Receipts
CUT WAGES 12 PCT.
Er;xfiloyes May Wilk O.ut‘ls Re
port from Chicago Today -
NO CHANGE IN A. B. & A.
Sigtion REmae Uncisoged
'As U. 8. Mediators Enter
(By: International News Service)
CHICAGO, March B—The wages
of employees of the Armour ‘and
Swit p'ack'ing companies = were re
duced twelve and one half per _ fent
to.day_ A great strike is threatened.
'NO CHANGED IN .
A. B, & A. SITUATION
ATLANTA, March B—No change
is reported in the Atlanta Birmingham
‘and Atlantic situation today.
U.'s. MEDI, T%s‘f'AND ,
Ififl%fil ‘MEN CONFER
Mediation Board Offers Services
T unér Newidnds Act
MEETING IN ATLANTA
Grand Officers of ‘Seven Crafts
"Are in Conference
Following the report in the Leader
yesterday that the United States
Boax of Meditation, created under
the Newlands Act of 1913, had arrived
in-Atlanta, W. M. Martin, chairman of
the Joint Federation Committee,
stated that the mediators would be
met by the grand officers of seven
crafts who are now in Atlanta.
The union conferees are Val Fitz
patrick, of the trainmen, chairman, J.
P. Hogsed, of the clerks, secretary,
H. S. Huff, of the engineers, Lariscy
of the conductors, C. J. Goff of the
firemen, Denham of the maintenance
of way department, who compose the
committee representing the Brother
hoods. )
Following is the telegram dis
patched to. one of the general chair
men of the A, B. & A. crafts when it
became known that walkout had be
come effective at noon Saturday.
“Learning through the press of the
serious situation threatening a strike
of all empfoyees and cessation of train
movement to the serious detriment of
the public interest, the services of the
United States Board of Meditation are
hereby tendered in accorda ice with
the act of Congress July 17, 1913,
“Commissioner Chambers and As
sistant Commissioner Klutz, will be
at the Piedmont Hotel, Atlanta, Mon
day morning, and all parties are ear
nestly advised and urged to maintain
operating status until they have had
opportunity for conference. Please
present to Chairmen Cargile, Martin
and Hunter, -
“(Signed) Martin A. Knapp, :
“Chairman.”
o 3 . S
Pittman Says City
Favors Employees
Local Minister Invited By Union
Chiefs to Talk at Mass Meets
Majority of public sentiment in
Fitzgerald is heartily in favor of the
striking employes of the Atlanta, Bir
mingham & Atlantic Railway, Mayor
J. L. Pittman told the strikers at
their regular morning mass meeting
today. The mayor stated that he had
canvassed many of -the merchants
and . business people of the city. and
had found the majority opinion to be
that the strikers were entirely justi
fied in the course and that Fitzgerald
as a whole wants them to win.
Mayor Pittman’s statement was
made after ‘news had been received
here of the resolutions reported to
have been passed in Tifton, Moultrie
and other towns in favor of the re
ceiver. The men declare that such
iresolutions could have been passed
only through a misunderstanding of
the facts in the :ase.
. . Preachers Adaress Meetings
Fitzgerald ministers are being in
vited in turn to address the daily mass
meetings of the stfiking employes of
the Atlanta Birmingham and Atlantic
railway here. C. A. Ginn of the Ken
nedy Memorial Baptist spoke Sunday,
|tJ. F. Singleton of the First DBaptist,
'Monday, S. A. Strawn of the Christ
ian is speaking today, I. P. Tyson of
the Central Methodist will speak
)Nfdnesday. ¥ Gl