Newspaper Page Text
10
| America FIRST and
. all the time
VQL. XVI
MEXICAN PROBLEM IS TAKEN TO WILSON
Peons Coerced to Testify Against Jenkins, Says Fletcher
U. S. GRAND JURY TO PROBE COAL CONSPIRACIES
2 \
gl |
(By international News Service.) “
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Dec. 4.—
Sweeping prosecutions of all persnns‘
who have conspired to restrict the
pltoduction of coal throughout the
United States, “whether they be min
ers, mine officers, operators or ‘deal
ers,” loom~d here today with the call
ing of a special session of the fed
eral grand jury to meet next Mon
day to make a searching investiga
;uon of every phase of the coal situa
tion.
Announcement of the calling by
Federal Judge A. B. Anderson of the
grand jury was made shortly before
1 o'clock today. The call, the gov
einment announced, was a direct re
sult of the filing @f information for
contempt of court against leaders of
) the United Mine Workers.
The government intends not only
to bring relief from “the present in
tolerable situation,” but expects to
prosecute all violators of the law “to
the end.”
“From the facts now in our pos
session it appears that the coal op
erators are engaged in the conspir
acy with the miners to violate the
Lever act,” said District Attorney
Slack this afternoon.
Charges that the bituminous coal
operators of the United States are
##, in league with the union lcaders to
restrict production and that the op
erators themselves are leagued to
gether to violate the anti-trust acts
will be brought before the fedral
jurors, it was stated. i
The investigation to be launched
next Monday will be the most search- |
ing, most sweeping yet undertaken
by the government, it is indicated. :
CONSPIRACY CHARGED. }
The information filed with (he
court “sets forth facts which indi
cate that the conspiracy to violate
the Lever act extends far beyornd the
officers of the United Mine Workers
nd the mine workers themselves,”
.{he statement says. “From the facts
row in our possession it appears the
coal operators are also engaged in
a conspiracy to violate that law.”
The information shows also that
the injunction not only has been dis- |
obeyed but that the Lever act “has
{1 been and is now being grossly,
openly and defiantly violated.”
It was fully disclosed in the orig
inal complaint for Injunction filed
before Judge Anderson that the call
ing of the strike of coal miners was,
in itself, a violation of the Lever
act, and that it was an arrangement
#nd conspiracy to restrict the supply
of coal and “prevent, limit and lessen
its production,” the government
points out.
NECESSARY TO ACT.
“Under the circumstances,” says
the gevernment's statement, “it was
pecessary to either immediately bring
proceedings before the United States
commissioners with the view of later
j taving a full grand jury investigation
concerning these matters, or to im-.
nediately convene the grand jury to
make tl.e investigations. The latter
course has been pursued.”
“The time Las cowe, it Is here
now,” concludes the statement, “to
have it determined whether or not
the governmént of this country rules,
or whether lawless persons shall have
their way-—whether this is a govern
ment of law, or of a group of men.
7his will not in any way interfere
with present proceedings against de-
Continued on Page 2, Column 4.
Full X 1
24-Hour {Xu fotroatversa: Nows. | Service
French Opera House
In New Orleans, 60
Years old, Is Burned
NEW ORLEANS, Decc. 4.—The his
toric French Opera House, erected in
1859, was destroyed by fire early this
morning.
The origin has not been ascer
tained.
Several years ago the opera house
was purchased by W. R. Irby, rich
banker and tobacco manufacturer,
and presented to Tulane University.
The amount involved then was said
to be close to a guarter of a million
dollars.
The French Opera House was onhe
of the landmarks of the old downtown
section of New Orleans. It was three
stories - high, located on Bourben
street, five blocks from Canal street,
and in the heart of the French sec
tion. Across the street is the French
consulate, and within a stone’s throw
is the historic St. Louis Cathedral,
Jackson Square, Pontalba buildings
and Cabildo,
The Mardi Gras or Carnival balls,
with the exception of the Rex parade,
which was held in the day time, were
staged in the French Opera House.
Proteus, Momus, Comus and the
other. social Carnival organizations
crowned .their kings and queens there
and the celebrations of Mardi Gras
although 'in mime, rivalled in splen
dor and grandeur and cost the ‘old
court festivities of France. g
KNOXVILLE, Dec. 4—The trial of
Maude Moore, self-confessed slayer
of Leroy D. Harth, wealthy automo
bile dealer, in September near Bear
den, Tenn., five miles west of Knox
ville, was begun Thursday before
Judge T. A. R, Nelson, in the Knox!
County Criminal Court. A jury was|
selected in two hours. i
Miss Moore and her mother were in |
the prisoner’'s box with Mrs. Morti
mer Thompson, police matron., Mar
tin Hunter, charged with aidimg and
abetting the murder, who was arrest
ed at the time of the slaying, was in
the courtroom. Miss Moore told har
rowing tales of cruelty by Harth on
an automobile ride and showed marks
alleged to have been inflicted by
Harth,
After the killing Miss Moore hid in
Hunter's rocm here, later going to a
cave south of Knoxville, where both
were arrestod, ‘
Judge Nelson and Attorney General
Mynatt have received anonymous
threats in a letter written in purple
ink, which notified both to prepare to
die, It was signed “A friend.” At
the bottom of the page was a cartoon,
the likeness of a bleeding heart, with
a caption, "As You Love to See
Bloodshed.”
Two Atlantic Ships
Reported in Distress
(By International News Service.)
BOSTON, Dec. 4-—-Wireless mes
sages telling of two vessels in dis
tress, one on the rocks of St. Mary's
Island and the other off Cape Sable.
were picked up and relayed by the
navy yard radio station today. The
steamer Aramore was rflpori?d ashore
on Bt. Mary's Island in th 2 Gulf of
Bt. Lawrence, witl. the crew taking
to the boats.
The second message from the
steamer Prussia stated that the
British gchooner Bt. Clair Theriault
was in distress off Cape Sable with
the crew ill and two men suffering
from broken legs.
e ~ =l =
—TS e b 8 —F |
BB | g
N 1A s U
% LEADING =N T A
[LEADING NEWSPAPER [l P Ae S X _
(i SR EVSPAPER [O/ TARC < 14| OF THE SOUTHEAST &[ 7]
The feeble state of the city treas
ury was revealed Thursday in a
statement prepared for a special sub-
Icommittee of the Finance Committee
of council by Comptroller B. Graham
West, giving an estimate of the 1920
receipts and expenditures.
It fixes the probable income at’
$4,566,872.50, and the certain expendi
tures, without, regard to the proposed
increases for teachers, the Spring
street improvement cost and the re
pairs of the City Auditorium, at
$4,514,872.70,
This leaves unapportioned üboutl
$42,000, The teacthers’ raises alone
would require $238,000, the Spring
street improvement about $200,000,
and the Auditorium repairs $25,000,
All three projects are earnestly fav
ored by council.
The statement is for the sub-com
mittee’s consideration in taking up
the teachers’ plea for more money. A
meeting of the sub-committee was to
be held at 2 o'clock in advance of
the session of the aldermanic board.
AUTHORITATIVE STATEMENT.
Although purely tentative, the
statement is regarded as authorita
tive inasmuch as ' every possible
source of révenue was scrutinized by
the comptroller in preparing it. He
held a conference with the city tax
assessors and other officials.
“This amount apparently will al
low the city barely to ‘'maintain the
status quo,” said Mr. West. “For ex
ample, I have placed but the usual
$60,000 in the ‘streets ordinary’ fund
for paving. This is just the usual
sum for maintaining present condi
tions and does not anticipate any
large improvements.”
Altogether there will be about
$300,000 more revenue next year than
| this. Costs have risen far out of
}proportion to this increase, the offi
|cial pointed out. His estimate, pre
pared at the instance of the commit
tee, takes into account, however, all
salary raiseg thus far granted.
The increases come chiefly from
the general tax. The sum of $200,-
000 additional has been anticipated
from this source; $19,000 from Ili
censes issued by City Clerk Walter
Taylor; gross income of the telephone
and power companies, $12500, and
about $40,000 from water recelpts.
1t was with the knowledge that the
finances would be strained greatly
that council deferred for months pas
sage of ordinances increasing the pay
of firemen, policemen and water
works employees and that, ag yet, it
'has not recommended the teachers’
raises to the 1920 counci’,
BORDERING ON DISASTER,
Foreboding of a financia] state bor
dering on disaster has heen expressed
by many m mbers of council, and it
is declars here is no other solution
possible th.u an increase of revenue,
either through a higher tax rate or a
readjustment of total taxes now paid
so that the city will receive a larger
share,
l The latter method i 3 favored by
Imun)‘. It is pointed out that about
95 per cent of the county's revenues
'rume from the citp, and it is asserted
| that a proportionate amount is not
spent in Atlanta,
One result of the situation has been
the declaration of many members
|thnt they do not desire appointment
on the 1920 Finance Committee—
lpo-ts which ordinarily are greatly
coveted. ‘Mayor Key is giving much
consideration to the personnel of this
| committee in view of the problems
Iwhirh will be faced.
ATLANTA, GA., FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1919.
By NEWTON C. PARKE,
Staff Correspondent of the I. N. S.
PARIS, Dec. 4—The Supreme
Council today decided to send a sharp
note to Germany on the reported de
cision of the German government not
to sign the treaty ratification proto
col. The nots may go forward to-
INOTTOW.
At the same time the allies will
send their reply to the German note
protesting against further reparations
for the sinking of the German fleet
at Scapa Flow.
The Supreme Council was in ses
sion all morning discussing the new
gitvation which has been created by
Germany’s announcement that she
will not accept the protocol with new
terms.
} Assistant Secretary of State Frank
L. Polk made the wositive announces
ment that he and the other American
peace delegates will leave early next
week if they can possibly get away.
ATTITUDE NOT BLUFF.
Assistant Secretary of State
Frank L. Polk of the American dele
gation, and his colleagues Wwho,
forty-eight hours ago, were inclined
to believe that Germany was bluf
fing, are now seriously concerned
over the positive declaration of
Baron von Lersner that Germany
would not sign the ratification pro
tocol in its present shape, but would
prefer to revert, “not only to armis
tice conditions, but even to a state
of war”
The only ray of optimism is the
feeling that Von Lersner perhaps
does not represent correctly the at
titude of his government or may
possibly be engaging in a rmonu
mental bluff. One American diploma:
commenting upon the latest utter-
Mece and activities of Von Lersner,
declared he was acting “like a mad
man.”
PEACE ENVOYS CONFER.
Before Mr. Polk left to attend the
council meeting he discussed the
German situation at length with
Henry White and Gen, Tasker H.
Bliss.
A series of informal early morning
conferences were held before the su
preme council met. These were for
the purpose of discussing effective
steps that are to be taken for the
military and economic <¢oercion of
Germany in the event it develops that
Baron von Lersner is corractly con
struing the attitude of the ;Berlin
government,
| “Germany is resolved never to sign
'a protocol which contalng phrases
wherein the allies and assoclated
powers threaten to use any coercive
military measures they might deem
necessary,” declared Baron von Lers
lnf-r in an Interview with the Inter
national News Service,
Many Problems Before
New Labor Conference
(By International News Service.)
WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -—President
Wilson's second industrial conference
today is wrestling with the problem
of “adjustment and arbitration.”
The conference has adopted a pro
gram for its work, outlined by Her
bert Hoover and will bend its ef
forts first to the question of means
of peaceable settlement of industrial
disputes,
Collective bargaining, hours of
labor and wages are other subjects
upon the program, which are to be
dealt with,
Mrs. Frank Eastman,
Daughter of Civil
War Mayor, Is Dead
Mrs. Ellie Angier Eastman, one of
Atlanta’s best known and beloved
residents, died at the family resi
dence, 54 West Fifteenth street, at
1 o'clock Thursday morning. Death
was due to a stroke-of apoplexy suf
fered a few months ago.
The funeral servicés will be con
ducted at 11 o’clock Friday from St.
Philip’'s Cathedral.
The wife of Dr. Frank Eastman,
and daughter of the late Dr. N. L.
Angier, Mrs. BEastman was descend
ant and related by marriage to the
first families of the United States.
Her ancestors were French Colonials
and came to the United States be
fore the Revolution.
Her father, Doctor Angier, was
mayor of the city of Atlanta during
the Civil War period and also was
one of the first treasurers of the
State of Georgia.
Mrs. Eastman was born in Atlanta,
January 1858, and resided here.
most of life. She is survived,
besides her husband, by four sons,
Major N. A. Eastman, U. 8. M. C;
Frank J., Don R, and Gerry East
man and three grandchildren, and
lispeu and prothen are Hugh, Ed
gar, Clarence and,Wilmer Angier,
all of Atlanta. gor e Ly
(By International News Service.)
HOLBORN STADIUM, LONDON,
Dec. 4.—Georges Carpentier, | the
French heavyweight champion, won
the heavyweight championship of Eu
rope here Thursday by scoring an
unexpected knockout in the first
round of his fight with Joe Beckett,
the British champion.
The crowd of nearly 65,000 persons,
including many notables, sat stunned
with the suddenness of the end. The
spectators seemed unable to realize
what had happened. Wildest con
fusion prevailed at the ringside.
The battle had been scheduled for
twenty rounds, and Beckett entered
the ring a favorite in the betting.
The end of the fight came when lit
tle more than one minute ofthe first
round had expired.
The actual time required for Car
pentier to knock out Beckett was
one minute and ten seconds, accord
ing to timekeepers.
The knockout blow was :l.right
uppercut, whiech carried but a short
distance, but had terrific force.
Carpentier’s blow felled the Briton,
he lurching forward and falling on
his face in the ring. As the referee
tolled off the seconds the French
() ampion stood looking at Beckett
intently. As the fatal “ten” was
sounded, Carpentier sprang forward,
raised the fallen man in his arms and
lifted him into the arms of his sec
onds who bore him away.
Carpentier's sportsman-like action
brought him a cheer from the crowd
Carpentier landed the first blow of
the fight, a short jab, Beckett upper
cut swiftly but the French champion
dodged them with apparent ease and
they sparred in the center of the
ring.
. Then the French champlion stepped
in and caught Beckett with the right
uper cut which ended the fight. It
was over 80 quickly that the specta
tors had hardly had time to get set
tled in their seats.
Carpentier was carried from the
ring on the shoulders of hig admirers
1
Members of the Retail Merchants’
Asosciation will keep their stores
open, during the fuel crisis, from 9
o'clock until 4 o'clock daily and on
Saturdays will open at 9 o'clock and
close at 6:30 o'clock, it was an
nounced late Thursday.
Saturday’s late hours will be for
the sale of everything excepting jew
elry, it was announced by Lucien
York of the Retail Merchants’ fuel
emérgency committee,
Under the amended fuel regula
tions issued Wednesday, stores were
allowed to open and close when they
pleased, providing that aften 4
o'cloek in the afternoons they burned
candles or oil lamps and did not use
heat,
‘“We feel that this encourages vio
lations,” declared J. P. Allen. “For
that reason we are not going to
try to operate other departments, nor
are we going to open earlier week
| days than 9 o'clock or close later
|than 4. During those hours we are
permitted to use heat and electric
lights, and so we shall confine our
selves to these h_qurs—Q to 4 on
week days and on Saturday, as an
accommodation to the public 9 to
6:30." b
The rapidity with which an after
noon newspaper reaches its readers
was demonstrated Wednesday after
noon.
The fue} committee did not give out
its modifications of the rules until
after 1 o'clock. These appeared for
the first time in the home edition of
The Georgian, which was selling on
the streets at 2:30 o'clock. Within a
half hour nearly every merchant
whose light and power were ot to
be used after 4 o'clock had provided
his store with lamps or candles, and
instead of closing at 4 o'clock the
stores were kept open until the reg
ular closing nour—a boon to Christ
mas shoppers,
CONFERENCE CALLED.
W. Rawson Collier of the Georgia
Railway and Power Company, who is
the public utility representative on
’the fuel committee, has called a con
ference of public utiiity heads in At
lanta and the representatives of all
Southern region companies are ex
peeted to arrive by Thursday after
noon or Friday morning, to discuss
the situation on lights and power.
The ruling made Wednesday by the
committee permits the use without
curtailment of light or power pro
duced wholly by hydro-electric pow
er, but it is necessary for such utili
ties to show the committee that they
do not use any auxiliary power de
rived from fuel. It is sald that only
lu few companies have sufficient
| water power to make them entirely
iuulcpundum of coal during the heav
jest husiness periods.
| 8. L. Yerkes, of the committee,
‘nnnoum'e-d that ale individuals, cor
porations and organizations which
have 1,000 tons or more of coal in
stock must send immediately a re
port to the commitiee, giving the
supply on hand. It may be that this
information will be followed by a
confiscation of a part of such sup
| plies, but the situation so far does
not demand ‘“uch action, The com
mittee claims the power to make
such confiscation, under the Lever
act and the proclamations of the
{ President, o
| INTERPRETATIONS MADE,
| Definite interpretation of the com
| mitee’'s modification of the restric
| tions was made officlally Thursday.
| Persons or business houses affected
{may accept this publication as offi
cial, and will save time and trouble
by refraining from calling in person
on the committee, For eight hours
|on Wednesday fully fifty persons
| were in line before the door of the
| committee headquarters and most of
them were given exactly the same
information as that published in the
| newspapers of the afternoon before.
| Offers to sell carload lots of wood
lfnr fuel for any one who can supply
‘ Continued on Page 2, Column 3.
Issuod Dally, and Entered as Second Class Matter at
the PustoMce at Atlanta Under Act of March 3, 1879
Mother Dies; Girl,
) J
; ],Ba,by Twins and 5
‘ At an humble home at 177 Davis
{street, eight children are mourning
the death of their mother.
~ And now, upon the slender shoul
‘ders of 17-year-old Sallie Slaton, a
daughter, falls the burden of caring
for the little llome and the children,
and the responsibility of the twin
babies, Florence Elizabeth and Lu
ther Eugene, 2 months old.
“Grandmother is coming to live
‘with us. She is feehle and can't do
lanythlng. but she can.tell me what
to do when the twins get sick,”
‘sighed Sallie Thursday. “Luther's
been sick now for two or three days,
and we've had to have the doctor. Ha
feels a little. better this morning, I
‘think. Hes smaller than the other
\t-nby. but be's been sick a good deal,
\,you know, :
\ “We're iceding them on condensed
‘mllk. See, I tied a string around
Luther's bottle to tell it from Flor
‘ ence's. His milk has to be weaker.
“What do you do when they both
ery at once?” Sallie was asked, and
her grief-stricken face bore for a
moment a weary little smile. “I just
give them their bottles and make
them hush—if 1 can!”
~ “111 help,” said Billy, 9, as he slid
up beside the visitor. Billy had
scrubbed his face until it was shin
| ing, and slicked down his unruly hair.
~ “Look what I can do)” ventured 6-
year-old Ethel, as she wheeled a well
worn baby carriage about the room.
Therc are five boys and three girls
‘ln “the Siaton, famijly—Sanford, 22;
Sallle, 17; Ernest, 1§; Ivan, 12; Billy,
'9; Ethel, 6, and the twins, Florence
Elizabeth and Luther Eugene, 2
nionths old.
' The father, J. H. Slaton, is a car
penter, and will make every effort to
keep his little family together.
Funeral services for the mother,
Mrs. Florence Slaton, were held
‘Thursday afternoon from the home,
and interment was in Northview
Cemetery.
iriods
By VICTOR AUGAGNEUR,
Former Minister of Marine and Ex-
Governor of Madagascar.
(Written Expressly for Universal
Service.)
(Special Cable Dispatch.)
PARIS, Dec. 4—France views in a
most favorable light the prospect of
An:erican intervention in Mexico. We
have immense interests there which
Fave been sgffering under the reign
of anarchy and bribery that has pre
vailed since the Diaz regime.
The French people are confident
that American intervention would be
followed by ihe same generous and
humane treatment of Mexicans as
was accorded the Cubans after the
Sranish-American war.
The welfare of the whole world, as
well as of the Mexicans themselves,
wceuld be furthered by American
control of the disorganized nation
which is incapable of self-govern
ment, and by a sane utilization of
the resources which limpoverished
FEurope so sorely needs,
St. Louis Republic
Suspends Publication
(By Universal Service.)
ST, LOUIS, De¢. 4-—The St. Louis
Republic suspended publication to:
day. The paper, which, was founded
in 1808, has been bought by Globe
Publishing Company, the only other
morning paper here.
Despite its name, the Republic has
always been Democratic in polities,
Since 1915 David R. Fracis, Ameri
can ambassador to Russia, has been
its owner.
MORNING
_EDITION
(By Intrnational News Service.)
WASHINGTON, Dec. 4—The Sen
ate Foreign Relations Committee will
carry the Mexican problem to Presi
dent Wilson.
Senator Hitchcock and Senator Fall
Thursday were appointed a commit-.
tee of two to go to the White Housa
to see whether they may see the
Prsident.
This method was adopted by ths
committee as the only means of de
termining whether the President is
informed of the Mexican situation.
Senator Fall has maintained that the
President is not informed, and Sen
ator Hitchcock has declared that he
is,
The Foreign Relations Committes *
adjourned until Menday morning
without taking any action on the
Fall resolution, providing for break
ing diplcmatic relations with Mex
ico,
Ambassador Fletcher gave the Sene
ate committee a detailed account of
'the Mexican situation, as he regarded
it, and it wag reported he also pre=
sented to the committe & communicas
tion from Secretary Lansing.
Ambassador Fletcher is understood
to have told members of the commit~
tea that Mexican peons had been.
coerced to testify against Jenkins,*
the American consular agent, accord- -
ing to members of the committee,
Agents of the Mexican government
went intp a small village near Puebla
and found ten peons. They question- -
ed them concerning Jenkins, and they
said they kew nothig. Oe of thq' ¥
Mexicans was then taken out and a
shot was heard, it is understood, .
Fletcher testified. Z
The peons were again questioned
and they said they knew nothing of
Jenkins, and another peon was taken
out and a second shot wag heard. The
process was repeated a third time,
and the remainder of the peons are
understood to have then offered tes
timony which was used against Jen~
kins. !
The committee agreed to ask Sec«
retary Lansing to personally ens
lighten it as to the exact status of the
situation after differences of opinion
were aired as to whether the Presis«
dent should be advised as to the site
uation,
HITCHCOCK SUBSTITUTE.
Another cause of trouble between
the Republicans and administration
members of the committee was &
resolution offered by Senator Hitch=
cock ag a substitute for the Fall res=
olution, which provided that in the
event of the President breaking off
diplomatic relations with Mexico he
would be assured of complete sup=-
port by Congress.
Republican members opposed
Hitcheock’s substitute on the grounds
that itg adoption would commite Con=
gress to follow any course or policy
the President might decide to adopt
toward the Carranza government or
Mexico. !
The Hitchcock substitute resolution
was ag follows: 5
“Resolved by the Senate of the =
United States, (the House of Rep=
resentatives concurring) that the ac=
tion taken by the department of
state In reference to eh pendln’ ;
controversy betwen this government
and the government of Mexico should
be approved; and, further, that the
President of the United States be,
and, he is hereby assured of suppory 1
if in his judgment it becomes des
girable to sever all diplomatic relas
tions now existing between this and
the government of Carranza.’
Another objection raised to the
Hitcheock resolution was that nver-‘
ance of diplomatic relations was 10?!~
in it entirely to the President's
“judgment” as to whether such sevVs
erance was “desirable.” 1
Henry P, Fletcher, American ams< =
bassador to Mexico, was closeted
with the committee this afternoom =
when It met to consider the Fall res=
olution providing for a severance ol
Begins in Next
SUNDAY’S AMERICAN
NO. 109