Springfield weekly Republican. [volume], May 15, 1913, Page 4, Image 4

About Springfield weekly Republican. [volume] (Springfield, Mass.) 1851-1946

Image provided by: Boston Public Library

                
4
WORLD WIDE CELEBRATION
ALL NATIONS ASKED TO JOIN
PLAN OF THE PEACE DELEGATES
British-American Conferees on Cen
tennial Observance Announce
New Plans for 1914.
The nations of the world are urged to
join the United States. Great Britain.
Canada. Newfoundland and Australia end
the municipality of Ghent in making the
celebration of 100 years of peace among
English-speaking peoples signalize a new
era of international good will. The invita
tion was issued Sunday by the interna
tional conferees now in this country ar
ranging this celebration for December,
1914. The American secretary of ttate and
the British secretary of state for foreign
affairs are asked to transmit the invita
tion to other governments. Following is the
manifesto adopted by the conferees: —
“Representatives of Great Britain, of
Newfoundland, of the United States, ot
the dominion of Canada, of the common
wealth of Australia and of the municipali
ty of Ghent, having been m conference
concerning an appropriate celebration ot
the centenary of the signing of the treaty
of Ghent, which marked the end of the
last international war between the Britisn
and American peoples, unite in offering
to the governments and the peoples ot
the civilized world an earnest invitation
to take part in making this celebration
in every wav worthy of the 100 years
of peace that it commemorates Ae
invite such co-operation to the end ttiat
it may be made clear and unmistakable
to public opinion everywhere that _ the
time has come when international rival
ries and difficulties, though numerous and
severe, may be settled without the carnage
and horrors of war. Although it be un
reasonable to disregard the possibility of
conflict arising in the future out of mutual
or partial misunderstanding, yet we grate
fully recognize that the chances of mis
understanding have been largely eliminat
ed bv the degree in which modern science
has ‘facilitated intercourse and accelerat
ed communication. Weare, therefore, en
couraged to hope that the development ot
letters, science and the arts, of commerce,
industry and finance, of mutual knowledge,
trust and good feeling on the part of
those who owe different allegiances and
who speak different tongues, may profit
ably absorb the energy of mankind, as
well as offer opportunity for the display
of the noblest and finest traits of mind
and of character. . .
“Great Britain has been a colonizing
nation and the United States has drawn
to its population various and powerful ele
ments from different countries and from
different flags. Therefore, a century- of
peace between Great Britain and her do
minions beyond the seas on the one hand
and the United States on the other hand,
touches directly both the interests and the
Imagination of every land to which Great
Britain’s sons have gone, as well as those
of every nation from which the present
day population of the United States has
been drawn. Such a celebration will not
only close a century of exceptional sig
nificance and importance, but it will call
attention to an example and an ideal that
we earnestly hope may be followed and
pursued in years to come. What nations
nave done nations can do. We respectfully
request that his majesty’s secretary of
state for foreign affairs, and the secretary
of state of the United States transmit
this invitation, through the proper chan
nels, to the governments of the world, in
order that both by participation of gov
ernments and by the co-operation of men
of good-will in every land, this celebration
may be so carried out as to mark not
merely the close of 100 years of peace
between the English-speaking peoples, but
the opening of what we sincerely trust
will be a fresh era of peace and good
will between all nations of the world.”
BBYAN LAUDS WILSON PLAN.
Talk Before Peace Delegates—Muen
aterherg's German Views.
William Jennings Bryan, speaking at
a dinner given in New York Friday night in
honor of the foreign members of the inter
national conference that is arranging the
celebration of 100 years of peace among
English-speaking peoples, declared that
"the new peace plan offered by President
Wilson to all nations is the largest and
longest step toward peace.” “It contem
plates time for investigation and delibera
tion.” he said, "and this makes the pos
sibility of war remote.” Mr Bryan’s sub
ject was "Progress toward peace.” He
said that the part of the United States in
the cause must of necessity be large be
cause “more than any other nation it
had a population which is attached by
blood to nearly all other nations.”
Peace for all time between the United
States and Great Britain was the key
note of other addresses of the evening de
livered by Lord Weardale, chairman of the
English delegation; Sir Edmund Walker of
Canada. Sir George Houston Reid of
Australia and Judge George Gray of
Delaware. Friday night's function marked
the last of many that had engaged the
delegates in New York during the past
week, for Saturday *hey started for Bostos.
More than 500 men and women, most of
them of countrywide distinction, were in
attendance and unstinted applause greeted
all remarks that emphasized the cordial
relations between the two nations and
the cause of universal peace in general.
Prof Hugo Muenster berg of Harvard, a
German citizen, said that there were many
"non-English people” who regarded the
movement as a forerunner of an alliance
between England and the United States,
antagonistic to Germany. While he re
garded such a view as absurd. Pref Mnen
sterberg added, he warned the committee
to proceed carefully. “We should en
deavor,” the professor said, “to avoid
every appearance of this movement being
pointed at uon-Eoglish descendants in this
country. There are a number of foreign
newspapers published here, and there is
not the slightest doubt but that there is a
certain distrust and a foreign fear that
this movement would bring about friction
in the direction of those who are not of
, English descent. They fear that they
would be brought into a 'second line’ as if
they were citizens of the second class. I
feel sure this is far from your view; but
the crowd misunderstands.
“The crowd thinks more intimate deal
ings between English descendants, be
tween this country and England, would
crowd out the non-English. In fact there
are many who believe that the purpose of
the whole movement is to bring America
, to the service of England in order to fight
Germany. That is certainly a most absurd
understanding, and it would be most un
fortunate if such a viey should gain more
strength. After all there has been a
century - of peace with England, but peace
with Germany and this country has never
been broken. I hope that those who are
responsible for the details of the move
ment will not overlook .he possibility of
dangers. I hope, therefore, that you will
avoid anything that may bring quarrels be
tween the elements that make up this
country."
Mr Carnegie, presiding, was quick to
reply to Dr Muensterberg. “We are »o iu
nocent of the charge,” he said, "that we
cannot imagine that anybody would sus
pect us. The American has no preference,
I might say. We happen to speak English
and the Germans rapidly acquire that
habit. I take notice. I suggest that the
proposed monuments whies are to com
memorate the 100 years of peace of the
past should also say this: ‘With abiding
faith in unbroken peace with all nations
for centuries to come? That will relieve
you. professor. I love my native land as
my mother's land, and I have loved this
republic as my wife-land. We have no
more patriotic Americans than the Ger
man people, I am sure. and I think that
wo will be exceedingly carefill in the
future to guard the point which the pro
fessor has raised.”
George Foster Peabody- also replied to
Prof Muensterberg. "I am sure we are
all under obligations to Prof Mucnster
berg,” he said. ‘‘The whole world has been
indebted to the professor again and again
because of his keenness in criticizing and
bringing ont points that had hardly the
shadow of suspicion behind them. Never
theless the shadow of suspicion is ti c chief
cause of war. as we know. Does it not
bring before our minds, then, the instant
service this great body can do by spread
ing the peace sentiment in connection with
the undercurrent which a few people are
now trying to spread abroad as regards
the relations of this country and Japan?”
Address hy Secretary Bryan.
Mr Bryan was introduced after the ban
queters had drunk a toast to the king
of England and the president of the United
States. The secretary of state said in
part: "We have three great forces at work
throughout the world, forces that work
constantly and irresistibly and every one
of these forces make for peace. I bring
them before you: A growing intelligence
and increasing understanding of the
doctrine of brotherhood and a growing
power of the people to control their
destinies through the control of their gov
ernment. This nation must be willing to
extend its hand to all those who come
from any direction in the interest of peace.
No nation shall outstrip us in its advocacy
of peace.
“No other nation is better situated or
better prepared to set an example in the
interest of peace than this, and I am glad
on this occasion to make reference to the
action of our president that embodies this
thought in language. Two weeks ago yes
terday, at his direction. I summoned the
representatives of 36 nations represented
at Washington, that I might for him
simultaneously present through them to
their governments a proposition in which
the president expresses not only his will
ingness, but his desire, to enter into agree
ment with every other nation, great or
small, that so far as our nation and that
contracting nation is concerned, there
will be no war, no declaration, no com
mencement of hostilities, until the ques
tion in dispute has been investigated by
an international tribunal and its report
made known.
“Now. I believe, my friends, that this
proposition is as long a step in the direc
tion of peace as has ever been proposed.
It is not intended to take the place of ar
bitration treaties—make all you can, sub
mit to arbitration every question which
you can agree to submit, but when you are
through you will find, at least we have
found thus far, that there are certain ques
tions that are excepted. And they are so
important that they themselves become
the cause of war.
“It is the purpose of this plan to close
the gap and leave no question to become
a cause of war. It is the belief of the ■
president, it is his earnest hope, that when
the treaties have been made or agree
ments, if you wish, between this nation
and all other nations severally by which
there will be investigations before hostili
ties begin, that war will become practical
ly impossible. The time that will be al
lowed gives a chance for the separation
of questions of fact from questions of hon
or and it gives a chance also for the op
eration of public opinion which is increas
ingly for peace. When men are mad they
talk about what they can do, when they
are calm they talk about what they ought
to do.
“It is the hope of those who believe in
the plan that when it is adopted between
this nation and other nations ft will then
be adopted by other nations between them
selves until the nations of the earth will
be knit together by these agreements and
people will learn war no more.”
Cardinal Gibbons in a letter expressing
his regret that he was unable to be pres
ent said: “Let Britannia and Columbia
join hands across the Atlantic and their
outstretched arms will form a sacred arch
of peace which will excite the admiration
of the nations and will proclaim to the
world the hope that with God's help the
earth shall never more be deluged with
bloodshed in fratricidal war.”
COLONEL FOR ARBITRATION,
At Lea*t With Great Britain—Dele
gate* Vl»lt Oy*ter Bay.
Theodore Roosevelt would have the
United States and Great Britain “agree
in advance” to arbitrate any question
which might arise between them. So he
told the international conferees who
are arranging the centenary celebration of
peace among English-speaking peoples in
addressing them as their host at Oyster
Bay, N. Y., Thursday at luncheon in his
home on Sagamore Hill. Newspaper men
were not admitted to the function, but a
summary of his remarks, "approved by
Mr Roosevelt,” was made public. Al
though it was said that be did not spe
cifically mention the Panama canal dis
pute, members of the foreign delegation
said he unmistakably referred to that
question as one which should be settled
by arbitration if settlement could not be
reached by negotiation.
“I am not myself one who readily makes
a promise, but once made I think it should
be kept,” he was quoted by H. F. Fer
ris. secretary of the British delegation, as
saying in apparent reference to the Hay-
Pauncefote treaty which was signed dur
ing Mr Roosevelt’s administration. ‘Speak
ing of the extent to which he would ac
cept arbitration methods in international
disputes” read the summary, “Mr Roose
velt said that he was perhaps somewhat
of a heretic in the eyes of hik friend, Mr
Carnegie (who sat on his right), as there
were certainly some subjects which under
certain conditions he would never con
sent to submit to arbitration: but he would
assure him of this—that so far as the
British empire and the American republic
were concerned, he was prepared to agree
in advance to the settlement of any ques
tion that might arise, either by mutual
agreement by arbitration or any other
method that would not produce friction.
“War between these two countries was,
and must be, inconceivable. He welcomed
the presence of the Canadian and Aus
tralian representatives and speaking of
South Africa, he might claim from his
Dutch descent a special interest and be
expressed bis hope that the Dutch and
British in that country might blend to
gether in as complete and friendly a man
ner as they had done in the American
republic.
“Mr Roosevelt gave first the toast to
the king and emperor of the British em
pire and then the toast of ‘Peace, with
justice and righteousness between the na
tions and within the borders of each na
tion’—a toast most heartily drunk by all
present.”
About 25 members of the conference
were present, motoring from New York,
where they returned in the late afternoon.
Lord Weardale and Andrew Carnegie sat
at the host's right and on his left were
Sir Edmund Walker of Canada and Sir
George Houston Reed of Australia. Mr
Roosevelt entertained his guests in a kha
ki riding suit and spurred boots.
PEACE SOCIETY MEETINGS.
Anneal Dinner of Ma**achu*ett* So
ciety Will Be Held the 22d.
The annual dinner of the Massachusetts
peace society will be held at Filene's hall,
Boston, on Thursday evening, the 22d, at
6 o'clock. It is expected that Norman
Angell, author of “The Great Illusion,”
will speak; Alfred Noyes will read a few
of his poems, and short addresses will be
THE SPRINGFIELD WEEKLY REPUBLICAN: THURSDAY, MAY 15, 1913.
given by other distinguished speakers.
Prof Bliss Perry will preside. The an
nual meeting of the society, for the pur
pose of electing officers and six directors,
and of transacting any other business
that may arise, will be held at 31 Beacon
street. Boston, at 3 o’clock the same day.
PEACE MEMORIALS PROPOSED.
Dclejrate* Confer a* to Advisability of
Erecting Arches. Monuments and
Niagara River Bridge.
Memorial arches at the points where the
proposed international highways will cross
the border between the United States and
Canada, a memorial bridge across the
Niagara river, and historical monuments
on both sides of the border, were among
the plans formulated in New York Wed
nesday by the Canadian and American del
egates to the conference to arrange for
the celebration by English-speaking peo
ples of the centenary of peace iu 1915..
The Canadian and American representa
tives agreed to urge that their respective
governments erect the arches where the
proposed international highway—the Que
bec and Miami in the East and Los An
geles and Vancouver in the West —cross
the boundary.
A plan to erect monuments at historical
points upon each side of the boundary may
include watergates on opposite sides of
the Detroit river, near the city of De
troit.
These monuments, the two memorial
arches and the Niagara river bridge, it
was suggested, should be made the cen
tral figures for the celebration when cor
nerstones for them, or if they should be
finished in time, dedication services should
he held which would enable large num
bers of the citizens of the two countries
to take part.
WAGES AND TUBERCULOSIS.
Convention at Washington—Statistics
Show That Great Progress Has
Been Made.
Good wages and short hours of work
have a marked favorable effect on the
death rate from tuberculosis, said Dr B.
S. Warren in a paper read Thursday at
the ninth annual meeting of the national
association for the study and prevention of
tuberculosis at Washington. Dr Warren
is a surgeon in the federal public health
service at Washington. The problem of
prevention, he said, is an economic one,
dependent npon the adjustment of the in
dustrial relations between the laborer and
the employer. He quoted from the re
ports of the census bureau to show that
in those industries where the condition of
the employes is the least satisfactory the
death rate is highest. Statistics appear
to prove the statement, he added, that
while some occupations are of themselves
causes of high death rates, tuberculosis
is not in this sense an occupational dis
ease, but rather one due to inadequate
compensation, with all that that means in
the standards of living.
While many government employes are
working under unsanitary conditions, at
the same time the death rate among these
men is reported to be very low. as shown
by official reports for the year during
which the investigations were made. Over
crowding. poor ventilation, poor light, piece
work, speeding-up. etc., all the bad condi
tions, except long hours, were noted among
4900 employes, with only four deaths from
tuberculosis during the year. On the oth
er hand, all wages in this group of gov
ernment employes were $9 l>er week or
more and the general average was -much
above that. All legal holiday's, '.Certain
balf-holidavs, the benefits of the employ
er’s liability act, sick leave and 30 days
annual leave, were allowed in most cases.
If standards as high as those. prevailing
for government employes prevailed in the
various private industries, the deftth rate
from tuberculosis among workingmen
would be lower.
Actual Decrease In Deaths.
Nearly 200.000 lives have been saved in
the United States during the decade end
ing 1910 by the systematic campaign
against tuberculosis, said Frederick L.
Hoffman in a pai»er. The author is a
prominent life insurance statistician, re
siding in Newark, N. J. The death rate
from tuberculosis during this period, he
declared, has diminished from 174.5 to
139.7 per 100.090 of population. Mortality
from this disease has decreased, actually
as well as relatively, during the last 30
years.
Where so much has been achieved, said
Mr Hoffman, the hope is justified that at
least equally satisfactory results will be
secured in the future. The nation wide
campaign against tuberculosis would have
been well worth while even if it had suc
ceeded only in preventing a rise in the
death rate, which, in all probability, would
have taken place but for this movement.
A study of the combined mortality front
tuberculosis of the cities of New Turk,
Philadelphia and Boston for 10<l years,
beginning with 1812, shows that the death
rate from this disease, has persistently
diminished from 418.(5 per 100.090 popu
lation in the first decade of this period,
to 213.9 in the last decade. Furthermore,
this tabulation, which seems to be the
first of its kind that has ever been made
for any group of large, cities in the world,
shows that there has been a much more
decided tendency toward a reduction of the
death rate since 1882. The death rate
from tuberculosis, which was 389.1 in
1881. had declined to 180.1 in 1912.
Another study of 50 large American
cities for the 40-year period beginning
1871, shows that the deatli rate in this
group of American cities has declined from
335 per 100,000 in 1881 to 166 in 1911.
The decline in northern and western cities
was from 325 to 160 per 109.000, or 50.8
per cent. In the white population of south
ern cities the rate declined from 301 to
150 or 50.2, while the colored population
of southern cities showed a reduction from
668 to 423, or 3(17 per cent. Another
study of the mortality from tul.orculosis
of the lungs in the states of Massachu
setts, Rhode Island and Connecticut gives
further evidence that the decline in the
death rate from this disease has been a
real one. The male death rate from tuber
culosis of the lunas in these titre- states
has decreased from 276 per 109,000 popu
lation in 1881 to 14(J in 1911. nr 47.1: and
the female death rate from 308 to 111. or
64 per cent. All the evidence obtainable
from trustworthy sources confirms the
conclusion that the reduction in the tuber
culosis death rate in the Uniteq States
during the last 40 yours lias not been less,
but in many cases more than in other
civilized countries throughout the world.
CIVIL WAR SUIT SETTLED.
New York City Pay* 87900 for Dam
asres Daring Riot 50 Year* Ago.
The longest-lived suit in the history of
New York jurisprudence was settled Thurs
day—an action brought 50 years ago
against the city of New York by Cbarl-s
L. Appleby for -lam-ges done io his prop
erty at Eleventh avenue and Forty-first
street by a mob during the civil war. Mr
Appleby sued for $7300 and demnoued in
terest on the principal, which would have
brought bis claim up to $42,000. Through
a compromise the city confessed judgment
yesterday and Mr Appleby dropped the de
mand for Interest. He was paid $7300,
When the plaintiff brought the suit be
was a young man. He is now 88 years old.
Since the suit wn* filed he has seen many
vicissitudes of fortune and nearly all the
lawyers connected with the case and most
of the judges before whom it passed have
died. Nevertheless, he had 12 Witnesses,
all over 70 years old, who saw t«o mob
wreck the house.
COMMENT AT WASHINGTON
UNDERWOODS RISE TO FAVOR
SPEAKER CT. ARK IN BACKGROUND
Formidable Debater to Oppose Tariff
Bill in the Senate —Quest for
Saturday Holiday.
From Our Special Correspondent.
Washington, D. C., Sunday, May 11.
President Wilson's political shrewdness
impresses democrats in Congress much.
This lias been emphasized within recent
days, while preparations for urging a cur
rency reform bill become somewhat in
tense. The thoroughness with which the
president searches out every avenue of
tactical advantage for such a legislative
battle, as must be ahead, is quite remark
able. Democrats of the ways and means
committee do not meet until the 22d to
take up the selection of committees for the
House. There is no plan to an
nounce at all in advance the names
of the House banking and currency
committee which will have jurisdic
tion over this very important currency
reform bill. It is known only to a few
in Washington, however, that the ways
and means majority tentatively selected
the democrats of the banking and cur
rency committee and that these names are
now known to President Wilson.
It will be remembered that Chairman
Underwood visited the White House of
fices the other day aud. departing, an
nounced the president's intention to have
currency legislation at this session, if pos
sible. Chairman Underwood is understood
to have communicate-! to the president the
names of democrats in mind for that com
mittee. Since then the president has been
improving opportunities for discussing
with these prospective members their
views about currency legislation. He is
going over, important aspects of the situa
tion with them and laying his plans of
campaign. In Chairman Underwood's co
operation with the president in this mat
ter one can get some inkling of the close
relations between the two men. They
arc working together in perfect harmony,
and Mr Underwood is in the same admin
istration category with Representative A.
Mitchell Palmer of Pennsylvania, upon
whom the president has been relying more
and more of late. Those two men stand
out conspicuously as the administration
leaders in the national House.
By way of contrast it is noticeable how
Speaker Clark's friends are taking an op
posite tack. They are hardly sulking in
their tents, but their attitude of quiet
hostility is indicated in little things. For
example, it was the Clark democrats of
the congressional committee who sought
to proceed to the election of a chairman
and to organize for the campaign next
year without regard to what the president,
wished. Some of the men. like Senator
Stone of Missouri, who were active for
the speaker’s nomination at Baltimore,
were head and front of the anti-Wilson
movement in the congressional committee.
There is no serious schism yet. but the
Sneaker is not in the intimate councils of
the president and there is quiet resentment
in consequence.
Tariff BUJ. in the Senate.
The individual representative thinks
when he has registered his opinion about
revision there; Is hot king more to say. He
has business or-editer interests away from
Washington. Ordinarily, as now, the
House vote comes on the edge of summer,
a time of year when mankind, sojourning
by the - Potomac, becomes restive for the
mountains and the shore. It is irksome
to stay in Washington, twirling one’s
thumbs, while the Senate deliberates. But I
the rights of the rase are altogether with I
the Senate. Tariff bills have been spoiled
there, to he sure. The Wilson tariff bill
was supposed to bare fallen into the hands
of party wreckers in the Senate. The
Payne tariff bill is reputed to have been
rewritten so inadvisedly by republican high
chieftains that the country expressed its
disapproval of the party.
But the Senate has undoubted oppor
tunity for improving a tariff bill. The
Underwood revision presumably can be
improved. And the Senate, just coming
under democratic control, will enhance its
reputation if it rises to the occasion. By
adjusting rates here and there, the edge
of popular criticism will he dulled and
confidence in the new Senate will be
strengthened. There is great demand that
the tariff bil] be out of the way quickly,
but an extra mouth of delay will not mat
ter if the Senate disposes of its task well.
The rules for change are not so hard and
fast, in the Senate. Amendments are not
impracticable on the floor. The House is
so numerous a body and so difficult to
keep under control that the committee on
ways and means and the caucus must de
cide. The House itself, under necessary
organization, can be little but a rubber
stamp. The Senate is sufficiently small
to permit of real deliberation.
For a fortnight the administration will
be substantially Congresslcss. Although
constructively in session, Congress will do
little hut mark time. A great exodus of
law-makers is in progress. Everybody, who
can get a Way is doing so for rest or at
tention to affairs in anticipation of busy
legislation ahead. I.ate May and, per
haps early June, will be vacation days for
the law-making branch, saving only those
who are immediately engaged in the prep
aration tasks. Responsibility has been
widening in the House <>f recent years and
it has been so during the present session.
It is not so true ns it used to be that a
little group of men do the work and others
simply record approval or disapproval. The
tariff work in the Senate will probably be
in the hands of quite a group of men. bnt
it is not vet plain what democrats will do
the heavy share. Neither is it altogether
developed who will become the reliable au
thorities there in shaping language and de
termining what, shall he.
Live Wires on Semite Finance Com
mittee.
Senator Hoke Smith of Georgia will be
one of the workers in the finance commit
tee. Senator Johnson of Maine, while not
so aggressive a« Senator Smith, has l»een
a diligent student and may be heard from
much before the tariff hill is finished. Sen
ator Stone of Missouri is much to the fore,
in tariff activities and will, be a factor in
committee deliberations. Senator Williams
of Mississippi has had more experience
with tariff bills than any other democratic
member of the committee.
Tariff debate in the Senate will call out
much talent. It may not be an over
interesting debate to the country, but
should bo of some concern to students of
public affairs. There are formidable de
baters on the republican side. Ex-Chair
man Penrose of the finance committee is
counted upon to furnish important com
ment. Since becoming a minority sena
tor, he has shown a disposition to partic
ipate in floor proceedings. Of his ability
there has been no question and, as a de
bater, he will hare an attentive Senate
audience. Some years ago Senator Lodge
was put upon the finance committee, in
no small part, because republican leaders
wanted to strengthen themselves in tariff
debate. Mr Lodge will have contributions
in behalf of the high protection cause and
will harass and nnnoy the democrats ma
terially. He and Senator Smoot, who is
exceptionaly well informed on tariff de
tails, will probably be the two leading
I speakers on the republican side and will
■ figure most jn the running discussions.
! Then there is Senator La Follette of Wis
consin, who Is n member of the finance
I ommittee and a tariff student. Hereto
। fore he has confined himself largely tn set
speeches. It is uncertain yet .how vigor
ously he wiM oppose the Underwood bill.
The Saturday Holiday.
Saturday has become almost a dies non
in the new administration's calendar. The
president, as a rule, does no work on
that day. The departments do not adhere
to that practice, although for many years
a Saturday half-holiday has been giyeu
during the hot months of summer. Now
with the president taking Saturday off, a
great agitation has started among the
government clerks for a Saturday half
holiday the year round. It has long been
the custom of the supreme court not to
sit on Saturday. Its niembers sometimes
work that day preparing opinions, but the
fact remains that the justices take much
of the week-end in leisure. Four or five
of them are golfers, and Saturday is a
favorite day for them on the links. Satur
day is not generally a congressional day.
The Semite has compunctions against sit
ting on Saturday. It rarely does meet
Saturday, except when time is. brief and
business pressing. The House is more in
dustrious.' Quite invariably the flag is
flying from its staff on top of the south
wing of the capitol, beginning Saturday
at noon. But Ine industry of the House
is explainable by the fact that it has
to do so ranch work in advance of the
Semite. In the latter part of a session it
often happens that the House does not
assemble on Saturday.
The trend in the city by the Potomac
is distinctly toward two rest days a week.
The building trades work inly a half-day
Saturday in Washington. The banks
close Saturday noou, and many other busi
ness enterprises cease at that hour. The
president's practice, however, of taking
Saturday off, learned during the many
years he served us an educator, has Bijen
a great impetus to the Saturday holiday
at Washington. With such an eminent
example, the many thousands of govern
ment employes naturally want to quit their
tasks also.
Of course government employes do not
work as long or as exhaustively as the
president. The departments open at 9
o'clock in the morning and close at 4.30
o'clock in the afternoon, with a half-hour
interim for lunch. That is a short work
ing dav for clerks. Members of the cab
inet, in charge of these thousands and
tens of thousands of clerks, arc divided
as to whether they should be allowed a
Saturday half-holiday, on top ot their 30-
dnys’ annual leave and sick leave to boot.
Secretary of the Interior Lane has pro
posed that the clerks work n half-hour
longer the first five days of the week and
then have their Saturday afternoons.
The president does not altogether keep
away from his office Saturdays, bvt lie gets
away from there early and he makes
Saturday a holiday. He is yet exploring
the District of Columbia and its environs.
His trip the other day to Mount Vernon,
the home and tomb-of Washington, was
an example.
WEDNESDAY’S TARIFF DEBATE.
Bay State to the Fore—More Offices
Fed Ont—Wilson Apparently to
Stand by Burleson.
From Our Special Correspondent
Washington, D. C., Wednesday, May 7.
Bay state men in Congress have, had a
high old day. Nearly all of them have been
in, at times during the afternoon and even
ing on an eventful tariff debate, where the
fighting was heaviest, giving and taking
blows. This is particularly true of the
two westernmost members. Representative
Gillett started fierce controversy by an.
amendment to the Underwood
wbuid'restore the limitation; of 150.000,000
free Philippines cigars. It was defeated,
of course, but not until there bad been
much plain speaking and congressmen up
and down the tobacco-growing portion of
the Connecticut river valley had engaged
in recriminations.
The Springfield representative told how
democratic candidates for Congress in the
valley had attacked republican congress- '
men last year for allowing 150,000.000
cigars to come in free of duty. Ths brought
Americans into competition with coolie ,
labor of the Orient. He told of opposition .
by the cigarmakers in his district to the
provision in the Underwood bill, and ulti
mately. after there had been much debate,
forced a division. This stood 103 for the
amendment to 177 against it. It was the
largest vote for a republican amendment
during consideration of the Underwood
bill. Representatives Murray of Boston,
Jeremiah Donovan of Connecticut aud Dif
enderfer of Jenkintown. Pa., were three
democrats who voted with Mr Gillett.
Representative Donovan thought Mr Gil
lett was looking hard at him and look up
the challenge. He said he had made that
kind of statement in the campaign, promis
ing to withdraw as a candidate if it were
not true that bis opponent had professed to
be a friend of American labor at home nnd
voted the other way at Washington, r.x-
Representative Hill, to whom Mr Donovan
referred, was sitting in the House ne the
South Norwalk democrat spoke. He criti
cized Mr Hill in vigorous language, si Inch
Minority Leader Mann, resented bv speak
ing about Mr Hill in glowing terms. Rep
resentative Gardner then rushed in with a
quotation from Representative A. Mitchell
Palmer, democrat, made in the House, as to
Mr Hill's excellent qualities, but Repre
sentative Donovan returned to the attack,
reiterated .what he bad said, and dramatic
ally promised to resign his seat in the
House if what he had said was n >t true.
"I have no stock in trade,” he snouted,
“but the truth.”
Rcprosentative Treadway, in the same
connection, read certain letters from cigar
makers in his district, protesting against
free cigars from the Philippines. These
contained a statement that free cigars
had put 5000 American workingmen out
of business. The House was in turmoil,
incident to the feverish debating and tuere
was a lively scene when Representative
Keating of Colorado demanded that Mr
Treadwav prove it. The latter said his
idea was that the Underwood provision
would put 5000 men out of employment.
Representatives Mitchell and Roberts
had a lively controversy about the
significance, of the recent election in the
13th Massachusetts district. When Mr
Mitchel! said eloquently that “Massachu
setts and the South were joining hands”
in support of the tariff bill. Mr Roberts
took vigorous exception. He proclaimed
Mr Mitchell as a minority congressman.
They quoted figures back nnd forth, con
tradicted each other emphatically and
kept partisans applauding.
But there were numerous other features
of an exceptionally interesting day at
Washington. The president came again to
the capitol nnd saw a dozen senators,
whom he asked about nominations he was
soon to forward the Senate. Following
his departure the longest list of nomina
tions for postmasters during the adminis
tration were sent in, much to the satis
faction of democratic representatives. Few
of these were for New England. Two
were for Connecticut. John L. Eliot of
Clinton and George F. Hammill for
Georgetown. There was but 6bc nomina
tion for Massachusetts--Henry E. Mad
den at West Medway. The more important
nominations made to-dav attracted much
attention, particularly that of John Fur
roy Mitchell to be collector of customs
at New York, nnd Gaylord M. Saltzgober
of Ohio to commissioner of pensions. The
Ohio democrats In Senate and House bad
supported another candidate, G. M.
Gentach of New Philadelphia, who was
indorsed by about 120 democratic repre
sentatives. Saltzgeber is an original Wil-
son man, a friend of Bryan, and of orig
inal Wilson men in Ohio. ■>
The Senate, after one of the best de
bates heard there iu many years, to-night
passed the sundry civil appropriation bill.
It carries the much-discussed amendment
exempting labyr unions and farmers’ as
sociations from prosecution under the
Sherman law.
President Wilson has written a letter
to Representative Calloway of Texas, who
protested because two of his recommenda
tions for postmasters were ignored by
Postmaster-General Burleson, which the
democratic politicians are studying intent
lv. It indicates his purpose to stand by
Sir Burleson. “I went over the matter
very fully with the postmaster-general,
writes the president, "and thought at the
time of our conference that his conclu
sions were right.” After assuring Mr
Calloway that his recommendations are
not only welcome but desired, the presi
dent adds: “I feel it my constitutional
duty, of course, to make independent in
quiry wherever possible, and to Satisfy
myself independently of the qualifications
of the men recommended.”
POSTMASTERSHIP REFORM-
Incumbents of' Fourth Class Must
Meet All Comers In Competitive Ex
amination.
All fourth-class postmasterships, except
those paying less than SIBO a year, v.tre
thrown open to competitive examinations
by an executive order issued by
Presidept Wilson last week Wednes
day. These positions are retained
in the. classified service, but about
50,000 incumbents who were “covered”
into the classified service by executive -or
ders of previous administrations will have
to meet all comers in competitive exami
nation in order to hold their positions with
civil-service protection.
In a statement making this order pub
lic, Postmaster-General Burleson an
nounced that it was the purpose "t Presi
dent Wilson and himself to extend the clas
sified service to include presidential post
masters of the second and third class,
probably within a year. This may require
legislation by Congress, he said. His plan,
which will be laid before the president
soon, would provide for a qualification test
for incumbents and applicants "in keep
ing with the importance of the offices.”
Under President Taft's order of Octo
ber 15, 1912, fourth-class postmasters
were divided into two classes, class A,
those drawing more than SSOO, and-clasps
B. those drawing less than SSOO. Com
petitive examinations were prescribed for
future applications for class A appoint
ments. while the class B positions were
to be filled upon recommendation of post
office inspectors. Last week’s order leaves
only the offices paying SIBO or less to be
filled upon inspectors reports. Rules and
regulations to govern the administration
of the new order will be worked out and
announced by the civil-service commission
as soon as possible.
In his statement the postmast4r-general
said: “I feel that President Taft’s order
of October 15 last did not go far enough
in that it failed to apply a merit system
to the entire service it was aimed to
cover. It had the effect of placing withTu
the classified service a large number of
postmasters who had not been required to
demonstrate their fitness, for such appoint
ments. Fundamentally a reform movte
ment has for its purpose the righting of
an existing wrong. Therefore if the ap
plication of the merit system to the postal
service was needed in order to correct an
existing evil, then the scope of the order
effecting the change should have been
broad enough to have corrected as far as
possible the condition then existing as a
result of the former system as well as to
accomplish the desired results in tbp fu
ture.
“Pdlitical considerations have in the past
very largely controled the selection of
fourth-class" postmasters and under this
order democrats must be held responsible
for the wise and safe administration of
these offices. Under the circumstances,
the Taft order violated at least the fun
damental purpose of the civil-service law
because it placed permanently in office
without examination or other test as to
merit or efficiency a great horde of per
sons. If left in this condition and per
mitted to operate without proper exami
nation into its working, the order would
make honest civil service a farce and
prove a setback to its proper adminis
tration and future progress. My effort is
to correct the evil and save the merit of
the order and duly safeguard civil serv
ice and efficiency.”
CIVIL-SERVICE POSTMASTERS.
General Qualifications for Fourth-
Class Applicants.
Fourth-class postmasters must be able
to read, to count accurately the money
they receive, to measure the oilcloth on the
floors of their offices and to write at least
a decipherable letter once in a while, ac
cording to regulations issued by the post
office department. A person to take the
civil-service examination must be a citizen
of the United States over 21 and must
live in the community served by the office
he aspires to fill. No one will be eligible
who is crazy, an ex-convict, who has been
dishonorably discharged from the army,
or navy, or who is disposed, even occa
sionally. to reduce the visible supply of
strong drink. All examinations will be
conducted by the civil-service commission
aud will be'not for appointment generally
but for n particular office. The eligibility
for appointment after examination will
be for one year only, except in special, in
stances. The examination will not be se
vere, but will be sufficient to test the bus
iness capacity of the applicants.
IMPORTANT PURE FLOUR FIGHT.
Department of Justice Appeals to Su
preme Court for Decision Regard
ing Poison Ingredient*.
The fight for “pure” flour has been
carried to the supreme court by the depart
ment of justice. Attornvy-Gemral. Mc-
Reynolds and Assistant Attorney-General
Adkins have filed with the court an appli
cation for a review of the decision of the
eighth United States circuit court of ap
peals which denied the right of the gO’-
ernment to conde.mii flour blenched by
electricity by the Alsop process.
The controversy turns upon the interpre
tation of that section of the pure food and
drugs act, which declares that an article
shall be deemed adulterated if it contain
any added poisonous ingredient which may
render such article injurious to health.
The government claims that tile law for
bade Hie addlti "1 Of Illi.' poUqitblig iu
gradient to an article, even though, the
quantity be minute mid the resulting in
jury to health from the particular article
incapable of measurement, Thr circuit
court of appeals held that the poisonous
ingredient must be added in such quantity
that there is a possibility of injury to
health. The construction put npon the
law by the circuit court of appeals will
render the statute difficult if not impos
sible of enforcement according to the at
torney-general.
“If minute quantities of nitrates may
be added to flour,” it was declared in a
government brief presented to thb court,
!‘of boric acid to eggs, of chromate of lead
to the cotfee bean, of sulphate of copper
to pens, of arsenic or lead to baking
powder, of Martin's yellow to macaroni,
of wood nlcohol to flnvorhig extracts, so
long as it is not probable that rpdtlgh In
each case has been added to possibly in
jure the health of someone, then the stat
ute is incapable of enforcement. “If actual
injury must be shown, what standard of.
resistance is to be adopted"? Will it be
that of the sickly infant or that of the
strong man?”
THE NEW HAVEN HEARING
ARGUMENTS AT WASHINGTON
BRANDEIS MAKES BIG CHARGES
C. F. Choate, Jr., Defends the Boad—
Public Demands Expensive
Improvements.
Charges of maladministration, reckless
extravagance and undue expansion, induced
by a spirit of monopolization' and aggran
dizement. were made .at Washington
last week Wednesday lefore the in
terstate commerce commission by Louis
D. Brandeis of Boston against the
officials of the New York. New Ha
ven and Hartford and the Boston and
Maine railroads. The charges were made
in the course of oral arguments submitted
to the commission upon the testimony ad
duced at the commission’s investigation
of the operations of the New England
railroads recently taken in Boston.
The criticism of Mr Brandeis was met
by statements pf Charles F. .Choate, Jr.,
personal counsel of President Charles S.
Mellen of the New Haven, who, while ad
mitting that large prices had been "aid
for some of the properties constituting the
New Haven system, declared that the ac
tion of the directors already had been jus
tified fully in some instances and he was
certain would he justified in all by time.
Expensive improvements, he said, had been
made by the roads to meet the demands of
the public.
Referring to Mr Brandeis as “a minority
of one,” Mr Choate said that criticism of
the New Haven was rapidly waning in
New England as its operations had become
better understood, and he brought smiles
from the commissioners and from Mr Bran
deis, as well, by saying of him : “He has
superb destructive talents, but a single
constructive idea never has emanated from
him to the benefit of our New England
public.”
Mr Choate said, as to the merger of the
Boston and Maine and the New Haven,
that it was certain that they would come
together eventually because they were
“natural complements of each other.” Add
ing that complaints of the merger came
largely from the state of Massachusetts,
be said that this was not the first time
that the superabundant energies of the peo
ple of Massachusetts have been devoted
to criticism of this sort. Mr Choate de
clared that the period between 1903 and
1912, which had been referred to by _Mr
Brandeis as the “darkest period of New
England transportation,” has shown im
mense progress, both in equipment and
character of service of the New Haven
properties.
“In the constant harping,” said he,
“upon the extravagance of new outlays
the demands of the public that will not
he denied are lost sight of. The manage
ment of the New Haven for the last 10
years has been progressive and liberal in
its expenditures for the convenience of
the public. The extension and connections,
the splendid five-hours’ service between
Boston and New York, with all-steel
equipment and similar improvements
throughout the system, are accepted with
out comment, yet the public insists upon
having them and is ever insisting upon
more. When the demands ot the public
are under consideration the cost to the
company receives; small note.
Flatly Contradict* Brandel*.
“Within the New Haven system there
are 16 operating companies which work
independently toward a common end. Much
of the comment and criticism that has
been excited ns to the management of
these properties due unquestionaHy to
misunderstanding. Despite "hat
deis has said* here, it is a fact that sur
plus of income over dr^VKn svs’
has been shown by the New Ha^en bys
tem in every vear by the firm of qualified
accountants which prepares „the general
balance sheet of the system.
General Solicitor Rich of the Boston
I and Maine, who discussed particularly rates
/ and service, ufaintainei that the arrange-
I ment between the New Haven and the
Boston aud Maine should be permitted to
stand. He declared that there was no
freight service in the world equal to that
between Boston and New lofk- and in
sisted that it was perfectly satisfactory to
the shipping public. He asserted that the
financial difficulties of the Boston and
Maine referred to by Mr Branaeis had
been caused almost wholly by the efforta
of the management to meet the demands
of the. shipping public that during the
last vear the number of its employes had
been* increased 35 per cent, while m the
same period the traffic had increased only
5 per cent.
In concluding the arguments. Mr Bran
deis said: “Very much of this trouble has
arisen out of the fact that the humble
task of operating a railroad had. not con
fined the abilities of. the. New Haven man
agement. Mr Rich suggests that the
remedy for the present difficulty is an in
crease of freight rates. To increase the
rates of railroads that have been managed
as these have been managed would be like
increasing the income ofn spendthrift to
meet the deficiencies he is up against at
the end of. each year. The answer to the
problem presented —the real remedy—is
to operate these roads not only honestly
but efficientlj-. AU the increases in rates
this commission might allow would not till
the hole which the management of these
roads has dug. An increase of the rates
would not iiicre.ise the income ot the
property but would merely stifle many in
dustries in our community and choke in
dustrial- progress.”
NEW INQUIRY FOR MELLEN.
Department of Justice Plan* Broader
In vestigia (ion From Viewpoint ot
Antitrust Law.
Attorney-General Mcßeynolds will soon
begin a broad investigation of the New
England railroad and steamship situation
with particular reference to the New
Yoi'k. New Haven and Hartford system.
Within a few days lie expects to an
nounce the appointment of a -qiecial as
sistant to take immediate charge of the
inquiry, whjch will deal with conditions
from the viewpoint of the Sherman anti
trust' law.
President Mellen eff the New Haven
and President Chamberlain and Chairman
Smithers of the Grand Trunk railroad of
Canada are already under indictment in
New York on charges of conspiracy to
restrain trade by alleged relations of the
two roads. The broader inquiry of the
department of justice will reach beyond
those charges with the purpose of
ascertaining whether a monopoly has been
attempted or accomplished in New En
gland through the suppression of competi
tion. ,
Mellen Trial Set for 27fh.
State Attorney Stiles Judson, in a state
ment made public at Bridgeport. Ct.,
Thursday, says that the trial of President
Charles S. Mellen and Vice-President E.
H. McHenry of the New York, New Ha
ven apd Hartford railroad, for manslaugh
ter in connection with the Westport wreck
last October, will begin on the 27th. He
expects that it will be finished in less
than three weeks.