New-York tribune. [volume], February 05, 1920, Image 1

About New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
ALL MERCHANDISE
ADVERTISED IN THE
TRIBUNE IS GUARANTEED
_ _ _ . '?
3Xfan$(rrl{
First to Last ? rh
Vol. XXXIX No. 26,744
I Copyright, leso,
>ow York Tribute Inc.J
>
^^tTruth:
rinusnw
News Editorials Advertisements
i s:UiUAin :K 1920
Srxbtmt
THE WEATHER
Snow to-day; to-morrow fair and
warmer; fresh northwest
winds
Fall Report on r.a?t Paxn
* * * *
T-?m7i? ...... , ; --? ????_..<? Now York uni] I
TWO tE?TH , within commuting distance |
) In Greater
TIIRF.F DEMfl
f.l?f?!liTf
Coal Famine
Threatens to
Darken City:
Possibility of Thousands
Forced to Walk Unless
Traction and Lighting
Systems Get Relief Soon
Fuel Conference
Called by Nixon
Slorm Retards Movement
to Replenish Supplies;
Car Shortage Is Acute
New York faces the possibility
rot only of walking to and from
business, but of walking in darkened
street?, unless an immediate solu?
tion of the city's fuel problem is
found.
An official canvass of the coal bins
of the transportation, gas and elec?
tric companies, made by Public Serv?
ice Commissioner Nixon during the
day, revealed the seriousness of the i
situation and resulted in the calling
of a conference this morning.
The figures on stocks of coal on
hand, according to the Commissioner,
indicate that at least a partial crip?
pling of transportation and lighting
facilities is highly probable, with
the complete tie-up of some avenues
of travel within the city being a
more remot" possibility.
Fuel Difficulties Increase
Along with Mr. Nixon's report
came a heavy snow storm which not
only enveloped the city, but retarded
the movement of fur! throughout the
coal fields and actually closed some
avenues from which coai has been
reaching the city. Because of
weather conditions it is expected
that car shortage, which has resulted
in the working of gangs at certain
'.nines but one hour a day, probably
would become more acute.
The Interborough Railroad last night
had loss than a three-day supply of
itiel in its bins. The Brooklyn Rapid
Transit lines had considerably loss
? han this amount, while some surface
lines face an even more serious threat
of a shutdown.
At this morning's conference repre?
sentatives of all of the public utility
corporations will discuss the furl sit?
uation with Mr. Nixon. It is hoped
'hat some means will bo found of get
'ing ships loaded with coal to the citj
t'rom Hampton Roads, such as has beer,
accomplished by the New York Edison
Company, thus making it possible to
escape from the conditions brought
about by the car shortage.
Tie-Vp of City Threatened
"The limited quantity of cent in the
? tocks of the interborough and the B,
R. T., as well as the shortage faced by
'he gas and electrical companies, might
cause no' only the shutdown of the
transit lmes. but would seriously af?
fect the lighting and heating com?
panies as well," said Mr. Nixon.
"To these obstacles must be added
the great difficulty of bringring coal
from the mines to New York on ac
count of car shortage and the obstacles
in the way o: handling coal barges
?hile the harbor is filled with ice
floes."
Th? report,- on file with the commis
ion show that the Interborough com?
pany has 7.'i"1 tons of coal on hand.
It consumes 2,-00 tons a day. At its
two power houses the company is com?
pelled to maintain a reserve of not
? ? than '.'.onn tons at all tiir.es. [f the
supply of coal should go below 2,000
ions a' each station it would bo impos?
sible to get coal out of the bunkers in
time to maintain a pressure which
Would h'1 powerful enough to generate
electricity for the movement of the
'fains.
The Brooklyn Rapid Transit Com?
pany has in its bunkers, according to
reports to the commission, 3,500 ton.-,
of coal. Daily consumption i- about
1,400 tons. The company, however, has
1,700 tons on the water, and if harbor
conditions are favorable, may be ablf
to replenish its supply before its bunk?
ers become empty.
The New York Edison Company,
which supplies the current not only for
lighting the city's streets and resi?
dences, but also furnishes power to
manufacturing plants, the Third Ave?
nue Railway, the New York. New
Haven & Hart 'ord and the high pres?
sure pumping station, which is used
for fire protection, has on hand to-day
55,000 tons. Its daily consumption is
about 4,000 tons. Thus the coal on
hand will last only two weeks.
Car Shortage Continues
With the obstacles offered by the
elements came reports of an even
preater car shortage, leaving mountains
of coal on the ground in the mine
fields awaiting delivery to the city
Many big mines reported no cars at all
for the day, while others showed bj
their mine records that they had been
obtaining from 10 to 20 per cent of
their normal quota of cars during tin
last week.
"When you remember this situatior
follows closely a period of six week?
during which about 25 per cent of the
normal coal supply was mined, it is
?'?sy to see the disastrous results of
?*ueh a situation," said one coal expert
yesterday. "Of course, it is impossible
vr any mine to produce 100 per cent
of its capacity for fifty-two weeks of
the year, but for that very reason a
shortage of 25 per cent of cars required
to haul the amount mined is far mon
serious than would at first appear."
The Bulah mines, owned by the Bulah
Mining Company, with offices at 120
Broadway, are believed to be peculiarly
well situated for delivery, because they
?re located on branches of both the
New York Central and Pennsylvania
railroads. In spite of this fact neither
*oad supplied tne mines with any cars
yesterday. For the preceding week the
Continued on page three
?OOD MORNING)
If you <1)<ln't K?t Just the right help for
th? poRltion why not eall th<> flood Morn
?"it Cilrl, Bcekman 3000, and ln*e? . an ad
vertl??tn?nt in to-morroWs Tribune 7?Advt
He Would Ride
Rocket to Mars
Philadelphia Flyer Asks
That Trial Projectile Be
Landed on Planet First
-1_
Special Correspondence
? PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 4.?Captain
Claude R. Collins, president of the
? Aviators' Club of Pennsylvania, an?
nounced to-night that he is willing to
?go to Mars by the rocket route under
; certain conditions, which, he thinks,
jean be met without difficulty.
? He declared his faith in the project
i of sending a gigantic rocket beyond the
; bounds of theearth's atmosphere, and
while the plan of the originator of the
idea was merely to attach instruments
to the projectile which would record
, atmospheric conditions, Captain Collins
! believes that the rocket can be sent
entirely beyond the earth's influence
and so directed as to land on any
planet desired.
in.-tead of attaching instruments to
; the rocket he would attach himself.
First, however, he wants his expenses
I paid on a tour of the United States to
arouse interest in aviation. He in?
sists also on participation in the con?
struction of t|ie rocket on which he
is to be a passenger.
Captain Collins will be ready to start,
he says, as <oun as communication with
: Mars has been established and after
a rocket similar to the one on which
he would take passage, has been sent to
, Mars. He wants his life insured also
for $10,000. What Captain Collins con?
siders hip most difficult condition
follows:
"A board of ten prominent scientists
shall agree to the practicability of the
completed rocket and possible success
of the same in reaching the planet with
me safely."
Shakeup of Irish
Officials Predicted
Clean Sweep in Dublin
Castle Seen as Result of
the Division of Counsels
LONDON, Feb. 4. The Dublin corre?
spondent of "The Daily Mail," tele?
graphing reports of impending change:
in the Irish government, says there is
firm belief in a coming reconstitution
r.i Dublin Castle, based on the convic?
tion that there is n serious division in
counsels there.
It is known, the correspondent says,
that Viscount French, Lord Lieutenant
: o;' Ireland, and Under Secretary James
; MacMahon, who is the deputy of Jam?a
? Ian Macpherson, Chief Secretary for
! Dcland, do not see eve to eye many
important administrative matters, and
it is now suggested that Sir James
Campbell, Irish Lord Chancellor, is de?
veloping doubts. A clean sweep of the
Castle, according to the correspondent,
is constantly being urged as the only
i escape from the bog of confusion sur?
rounding the seat of government.
DUNDALK, Ireland. Feb. 4. Ten ar?
rests were made to-day in a round-up
of persons) supposed to be connected
with the Sinn Fein movement. Among
those arrested were three members of
one family and Michael Carolan, who
was recently elected to the Urban Dis?
trict Council from the Shankill Divi?
sion of Belfast. The latter was held on
a charge of "unlawful assembly."
Hindenburg to Publish
His Memoirs of War
Book is Expected Jo Appear
Late in March; Pre-War.
History Revived
New York Tribune
Sj>erial Cable Service,
Copyrlcht. 1920, Now Vork Tribune Inc.)
BERLIN, Feb. 4. General von Hin
denburg will follow General Ludendorff,
Von Tirpitz and others who have pub?
lished their memoirs of the war with
his reminiscences, which are expected
to come off the press about the end of
next month.
The former Germany military idol
has been engaged recently in writing
a sort of autobiography for his own
family and not intended for publica?
tion. His forthcoming volume gives
much space to the period antedating the
war. The book closes with words ad?
dressed to the German youth designed
to "inspire with unshaken faith in
German power," as one Pan-German
puts it.
The book will appear, besides the
preneral edition, in two other forms
one a special de luxe edition of 100
copies, which already have been taken,
and the other a serialed preferred
edition.
"Dry" Law Compelled
Sale of German Liners
Board Held It Useless to Com?
pete With Private-Owned Ships
That Sold Liquors
WASHINGTON, Feb. 4.?Sale of the
former German passenger liners seized
at the outbreak of the war was forced
on the Shipping Board by the operation
of ihr national prohibition law, Chair?
man Payne is understood to have told
President Wilson.
Mr. Pavne was said to have written
the President that the government
could not operate the liners on which
intoxicants were not sold in competi?
tion with privately owned ships on
which wine and other liquors were
served.
He was understood to have said that
after the board announced that in?
toxicants would not be carried on its
liners plying to South America and
elsewhere' practically all bookings for
those ships had been cancelled.
?
American Flyers Released
By Mexico, Message Says
Carranza Asks Report on Land?
ing, Threatening to Protest
Against "'Invasion"
ATTICA, Ohio, Feb. 4.? Lieutenant L.
M. Wolfe, who, with Lieutenant G. L.
U?her. was taken intocustody by Mexi?
can offlcinls Monday, after their air?
plane made a forced landing in Mexico,
ha? been released, according to a mes?
sage received late to-day by Mrs. Adelia
E. Wolfe, mother of Lieutenant Wolfe.
MEXICO CITY, Feb. 4.?Details con?
cerning the landing at Naeozari, Sonora,
of Lieutenants Usher and v, olfe, Amer?
ican aviators, have been requested by
the Foreign Office for the purpose of
an energetic protest to the United
States government. Data already have
been collected regarding previous land?
ings in Guerrero, and it will be con?
tended that they have been, in effect
invasions of Mexican territory by armed
Americ?* i*HW*
City Gripped
By Ice, Then
Snow Bound
Worst Storm of Winter
Ties Up Traffic for
Hours on Surface, 'L,'
Subway; Trains Late
Trucks Useless on
Ice-Coated Streets
400 Men and 150 Plows
Fight Vainly in Wind
and Sleet to Clear Way
New York City was first sheathed in
ice and then burled in snow yesterday
i by the heaviest storm of the winter.
Four hundred men were at work last
night trying to clear the streets, ac?
cording to Street Cleaning Commis?
sioner Arnold B. MacStay.
That was the entire force put to
work to fight against one of the worst
storms that has enveloped the city
this year. The handful of men op?
erated for the most part the 150 snow
plowa and strove to keep the main
arteries of traffic open.
Trucks Useless on Ice
Commissioner MacStay said that he
had pressed into service 300 trucks to
aid in the work of snow removal, but
i that the streets were too slippery for
i them to be used.
The storm that was still rushing
' through the city late last night de
j seen'ded upon it early yesterday niorn
! ing. It began as rain, which made
sloppy streets and sidewalks even more
slushy, but after a half hour changed
, to hail. A drop in the temperature
: encased the entire city in ice, and by
i dawn this glassy surface was buried
beneath a covering of snow.
Driven in from the sea by a forty
mile gale, snow continued to fall in
blinding clouds all day long. Ry nine
o'clock last night, the "Weather Bureau
said that three inches had fallen. To
j day, it. was predicted, the weather will
be clearing and colder.
All day long, surface and elevated
lines operated under difficulties, but
the worst tie-ups occurred earlj in the
morning. Conditions were most serious
in Queens. For some time during the
rush hour yesterday morning, the
Queensboro Bridge was barred to trol?
ley traffic.
No trains ran over the Brighton
. Beach division from 5:30 until 7 a. m.
? The Canarsie and Fulton Street ele
, vated lines were also delayed.
1 The Hudson Tubes service was
! blocked during the rush hour. Con?
gestion in the Jersey City stations of
< the system became so heavy that police
! reserves were called out to handle the
; crowds.
Hundreds Walk
Staten Island's rapid transit system
; was almost paralyzed by the storm
last night. Not a trolley car was able
! to run, and the 20,000 commuters from
: Mi nhattan were forced to wait for a
! rare municipal bus, a rarer steam
train or else walk home.
Municipal ferries were running from
twenty minutes to a half hour behind
; schedule. Trains of the Staten Island
? steam railway were able throughout
i the day to operate on twenty-minute
i headway. Last night the snow was -o
I deep that trains were run at. only at
?ninety-minute intervals. The tnunici
Cal bus lines were disrupted. Pew
usses ran, and these were over?
whelmed with passengers.
The full moon and the high wind
piled up a high tide along the south
! shore of the island last night. It was
i feared that many of the bungalow
I colonies would be swept away before
j morning.
In Manhattan, after nightfall, the
storm began to thwart the efforts of
the street railway companies to keep
their lines clear. First the First Ave?
nue and then the Second Avenue sur?
face lines were snowed under. The
Third Avenue, made attempts to con
! tinue service, but. these were far from
I effective.
Sixth and Eighth Avenue surface
? iines were blocked for more than ai
? hour last evening, but later r?sumer
! service. A short circuit that occurred
! in front of the Postoffice Building, on
? Park Row, crippled the Fourth aiv.
! Madison Avenue line for some time,
i The Broadway surface line was kenl
i onen, but cars only crept along. Tin
] storm also delayed trains from the
; West from one to six hours.
Tube? Are Thronged
At 11 o'clock last night surface ca?
I traffic across Queensboro Bridge was
' tied up again, and it was nearly an
! hour before the cars resumed. At about
the same time the Lexington Avenue
: surface line withdrew its cars and al
' lowed the snow that it. had been light
, ing all day to drift unhindered over ?t?
: tracks.
The tie-up of most of the surface
i lines in Manhattan resulted in abnor
| mal crowds flocking to subway ant
I elevated stations, chiefly the former
> All evening long both East and Wesi
I side tubes were packed as though stil
| in the midst of the rush hour.
! The telephone service wherever wire!
! are carried overhead was almost com
i pletely broken down by the storm. Ica
! clung to the wires and gradually in
; creased until the copper strand;
' snapped.
i ?_??
Stolen Truck Is Found;
$75,000 in Silks Gone
Empty Vehicle Left in Wesi
125th Street; No Clew to
Identity of Thieves
Abandoned and emptied of its orig
inal load of $75,000 worth of finishet
i silks an automobile truck of tin
? Thomas Penshall Silk Finishing Com
' pany, of 44 Railroad Avenue, Paterson
, N. J., was found standing in Wes
1 125th Street late yesterday afternoon
! No clew has been discovered whicl
j would lead to the identity of tht
? thieves.
The truck, with 22,000 yards of sill
on board, was left standing at tin
corner of Twenty-third Street am
Fourth Avenue Monday morning b;
Herman Vanderveld, the driver. Van
derveld left his son Cornelius on th(
driver's ?eat while he went into tin
building to deliver some goods. /
taxi chauffeur had some trouble witl
his car a short distance, from th<
> truck and young Vanderveld went t?
his assistance. When they had fixei
> the "trouble" with the taxi the bo;
1 returned to find the truck had disap
peared. Qj
Geddes Suggests
Exile for Kaiser
LONDON, Feb. 4.?Sir Auck?
land Geddes, Minister of National
Service and Reconstruction, speak?
ing at Andover to-day, said the
government intended to put the
former German Emperor on trial
and carry out whatever penalty
was provided.
But, he added, if Holland defi?
nitely declared her intention, on
the basis of* international law, to
provide asylum for him within
Dutch territory, then he must say
the former ruler could not. reside
on Dutch territory in Europe and
Holland must put him on some
island belonging to her outside of
Europe.
Conferees
Agree on Rail
Return Bill
Measure Calls for Com?
petitive Private Opera?
tion With Guaranteed
Earnings of 5 1-2 P. C.
New York Tribune
Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON. Feb. 1. Legislation
i for the return of the railroads to prl
; vnte ownership nnd operation on Marci
I 1, when the period of Federal opera?
tion will end, was agreed upon to-day
The conferrees of the Senate am
House who have been meeting dailj
for a month in an effort to compos!
the differences between the Esch bill
passed by the House and the Cummin;
bill, passed by the Semite, conclude!
their work, and will report the confer
encc committee's bill to the two house:
of Congress within four or five days.
The measure will be given the righ
of way in both houses, the conferred
declared.
Present Hates to Stand
Briefly, the conference committee*:
bill provides for competitive privai
operation of the roads, under contro
of the Interstate Commerce Commis
- ion. with a guaranteed earning 01
actual property values of ?'-_. por een
nnd with present rates standing for i
definite period, after which the com
mission is given power to revise Lheni
Voluntary instead of compulsory eon
solidation of the roads into comp'eUtivi
systems is provided for.
A revolving fund of ?SOO.OOO.OOO i
appropriated to aid the roads durin?
the period of transition. The conferee
also provided for the refunding of .h
toads' indebtedness to the Federal ro'
ernment during a period of ten year:
The drastic anti-strike provision
of the Cummins bill were eliminate?
and in theii place a clause vas adopte
creating regional wage and laboi ad
justment boards, with a central boni
te he named by the President and ap
proved by the Senate having the ^.in?
decision. N'o penalty is provided fo
failure to abide by the decisions o
the labor hoards.
The Sena'te was forced to yield o
many important points in the Cummin
liil! and to consent to nui erous mod
lications of its originifl program. Set
ator Cummins, however, did not vie!
ori the much disputed Section (i, whic
provides for a fixed guaranteed op< i
ating income to the railroads rlurin
the transition period following Feder:
op?r?t ion.
Readjustment Period Fixed
Section ti remains virtually as adop
ed by the Senate. Provision is mad
for readjustment of freight and pa:
senger rates by groups on such a has
as will guarantee to the roads in eac
rate-making group an annual guarai
teed net operating income of 5V? pi
cent on the value of the actual pro]
erty used or held for the transport:
tion service. The period during whic
the existing compensation paiil ? !'
carriers by the Federal government :
rental shall continue was changed fro
one year to si.\ months.
The first rate revision nccessan
?maintain the 5 V? per cent return is'
take place either one year after tl
expiration o\' the guaranteed compe
sation now being paid or two years a
ter the passage of the bill. The co
ferees have yet to aeree on this poii
. While the anti-strike provision w
erased, the conferees did not clin
nate all labor clauses, as hail bei
forecast in some quarters. The !
sets up a series of regional adjustme
hoards and a central tribunal to whii
all appeals will go. Whenever the r
gional hoards are deadlocked the di
p?tes will go to the appeal board ?i
tomatically and when there is ;
agreement the decisions as to wage i
creases will have to he approved by t
central tribunal. The regional boar
will be composed of repr?sent?t i\
of the employers and the classifi
workers. The appeal hoard will be
official Federal commision s< lected
the President and approved by t
Senate, (t. probably will be compos
of five members. This detail has n
been worked out
No Enforcement Provision Made
The boards will have power to rnvi
tigate and to render decisions on cq
troversies relating to wages and woi
ing conditions, but the bill will car
in penal provisions for enforcement
the decisions.
The transportation board, an a
miiiistrative body, erected by the Se
ate bill, was knocked out. and
House plan to have the Interstate Coi
merce Commission permit consolid
tions of rai'roads was approved. The
changes were^jinnounced several da
ago.
A pro^ sioii of importance to the ra
road executives, especially in view
the controversy between Judge Kobi
S. Lovett, of the Union Pacific, a
Daniel Willard, of the Baltimore
Ohio, relates to the disposition of t
surplus earnings of carriers under ;
5M? per cent guaranteed operating
come. The Senate bill provided or
innlly for a shifting ratio'"of divisi
of the excess earnings between the c
rier and the government, the latte
portion to be held as a trust fund
aiding weaker roads not earning ?
per cent under the rate adjustmen
As agreed upon by the conferees th'
is to be a straight-out half-and-half
vision between the earning carrier ?i
the government. '*
The conferees agreed upon $300,0(1
OO?i as the amount of the revolvi
fund with which the government w
aid the carriers durin?? the transit!
period. The Senate bill provided
SFOO.000,000 and the House bill
52"?0,0O0,000.
Berlin Gets
List of 896
War Guiltv
_ ?/
Names Sent Directly to
German Government
When von Lersner Re?
signs Rallier Than Act
Paris Would Waive
Revenge for Coal
Allies Explain Firmness
Is Necessary to Hold the
Teutons to Peace Pact
BERLIN, Feb. ?) (By The Associated
Press). Despite the refusal of Baron
Kurt von Lersner, Cern?an representa?
tive at Paris, to transmit to Berlin the
list of Germans whoso extradition is
demanded by the Allies, the list began
to arrive hero over the official wire
from the French capital at 11 o'clock
this morning The first name tickec
off was that of Duke Albrecht o1
Wurtemberg who is charged wit!
massacres at Namur.
A mooting of the Cabinet was calle?
for early this afternoon. Meanwhib
no official declarations on the subjec
i of the extraditions will be made. Thi
' list will not be published in the pr?s
1 efore to-morrow, but the governmen
will make public at once the text o
its last note to the Allies on the ex
i radii ion issue.
Baron von Lersner, it is staled, hai
received explicit orders to transmi
the expected Allied note on extraditio
demands to his government. He wa
relieved of his office to-day at his ow
request. ?
\ Returned List to Millerand
I he finiente note was handed vo
Lersner yesterday, and the Gerinn
representative, although he had n
ceived on Saturday last formal in
struct ions simply to transmit it to t'n
Minister for Foreign Affairs, relurne
ii to Premier Millerand. declaring hi
conscience would not permit him t
be a participant in the surrender (
Germans (o the Allies. Von Lersner
lorn mef that he be relieved of his oflic
.': - ! ! iweel.
, PA PIS, Feb. 1 : |{y The Associate
Press). Km i von Lersner, head of :l
Crinan peace delegation here, has r
turned to Premier Millerand the li
containing th.- name.- of Germans who;
extradition is demanded b\ the Allie
which was handed lo him last night, at
informed the Premier to-day thai I
ha? resigned. He departed for Bcrl
lo-n ighl.
Immediately after receiving the li
von Lersner addressed the followit
letter io Premier Millerand:
"Your excellency has transmitted t<
me a note containing the names o
Germans 'lioso extradition is demand
id by the Allied powers. In th
course of the last three months I hav
most sariously laid before representa
lives of if" Allied and associate'
governments, ten times in writing am
thirteen turns orally, the reasons i
was impossible lo comply with sue
a request, no matter what the socia
rank of the accused persons might be
"i remind your excellency of m
constantly r peated declarations tha
no Gorman functionary would be dis
posed to be in any way whateve
: ? umeiital in t he real iza I ?on of th
demand for their extradition,
should be instrumental in it if
were to forward to the German go\
err.m i ! the note of your excellencj
1 therefore send it back herewith.
"1 have made it known to my gov
rnment that I cannot remain in of
fice, and that ! shall leave Paris h
i '? ;? noxl train.
"FREIHERR VON LERSNER."
\ mi Lersner Explains Attitude
Baron \ on la rsner told the con
sponelent his decision was in line wi
the attitude he had maintain
throughout regarding the question
extradition, lie declared he had h<
?'"ai no German official could be
strui lental in carrying out the extra
tion clauses of the treaty, and con
qucnlly the matter having come up
a definite, final form there was nothi
left for him to do but to resign a
go home.
The Allied Council of Ambassaeb
was called into extraordinary sessi
this morning to discuss the situati
created by the resignation of Kurt \
Lersner, and the following statemi
later was issued;
?'The list of war criminals havii
been presented to Baron von Lersm
for transmission by him to his go
eminent, the president of the Germt
delegation returned the list with ;
intimation to the president of tl
conference that he had submitted h
resignation to his government ai
was leaving Paris. The decision
the Allies will be communicated c
rect to the government at Berlin."
Wallace Present in Council
Hugh C. Wallace, the Amero
Ambassador, attended the coui
meeting, but he declined to make
statement after adjournment.
In connection with the persistent
termination of the Allies to require
surrender of the Germans on the
tradition list, it was explained
official circles that the feeling ?
that despite the general indiff?re
on the extradition question manifes
by the public there was an import
reason why the Allies should in
upon the execution of the clause
the treaty relating to the accused C
mans. The impression is strong
official French quarters, it was
clared, that the Germans are dispe
to make use of every possible prel
to avoid the execution not only of
but of other clauses of the treaty,
if the Allies gave way on this pi
it would be considered in Berlin a
precedent on which to found dema
for further modifications.
Premier Millerand declared to
to the Foreign Affairs Commission
the Chamber of Deputies that the ^
sailles treaty gave the authority
compel the Germans to fulfill
treaty requirements and that all m
ures would be taken to insure
execution of the demands.
Extradition of 890 Germans acc\
of violations of the laws of war is
manded in the list handed Von L
ner. England demands 97 for t
France and Belgium 334 each, Italy
Poland 57, Rumania 41 and Serbi
Continued on next page
Wilson Considers Protest
To British Foreign Office
Against the Grey Letter
"Allies Are Abandoning Wilsons
Says Paris Press of Treaty Fight
PARIS, Feb. 4.?Commenting- upon the letter of Viscount Grey,
British Ambassador to the United States, to "The Times" with regard
to the American position on the peace treaty, the "Echo de Paris,"
under a heavy headline, says: "The Allies are abandoning President
Wilson."
The newspaper adds that Viscount Grey succeeded in persuading
Premier Lloyd George of Great Britain and former Premier Clemen?
ceau to adopt his viewpoint when in Paris some weeks ago, and the
letter to "The Times" will, it asserts, probably be followed by an official
note along the same lines from the French and British cabinets.
"Our friends beyond the Atlantic cannot fail to understand the
significance of the language they have just heard," the "Echo de Paris"
continues. "It simply means that the Allies are abandoning President
Wilson and are trying to come to terms with the majority in the
? American Congress."
Britain to Call
World Parley
On Exchange
! International Financial Con?
ference Will Be Held
Within a Month, a Lon?
don Dispatch Asserts
New York Tribuna
European Bureau
(Copyright, lf'2'1, New York Tribune Inc.)
LONDON, Feb. 4. An international
'conference to discuss the question of
; foreign exchange will be held here
I probably within a month, it was
learned to-day. No artificial means
i will be used to increase the value of
i the pound sterling in American mar
j kets, although an improvement is not
j expected for some time. In fact, a
j further decline is anticipated here.
That the treasury will take steps to
improve the financial situation seemed
probable, however. Rumors persisted
I to-day that a reduction in paper cur?
rency flotation by ?20,000,000 had been
.decided on. This would have the ef
: r'ect of compelling both public and
, private economy.
An embargo curtailing all except
absolutely essential imports from
: America may be expected at any time.
Instead of supplying American mar
, kets, far-sighted British merchants
! have sent goods to Russia, Greece and
' China, in the hope of controlling
! future trade in those sections, contend
; ing that the American exchange is only
i temporarily unfavorable.
, The press generally has dropped
i criticism of the United States on the
i ground that it is the duty of all to
j assist England.
Hankers Refuse Advances
LONDON, Feb. 1 (By The Associated
, Press i. At yesterday's conference
! with Chancellor of the Exchequer
i Chamberlain some of the leading bank?
ers intimated they hail agreed to de?
cline further advances, either national
', or international, until the situation had
; improed. It had already been decided
| that the Bank of England would limit
: its issue of paper money during the
! present year to the amount issued
i in 1919.
Much satisfaction is felt that the
? revelation of the British government's
intimation to the Washington govern?
ment that it is not proposed to seek
; further loans in the United States was
| made before the statement of Secre
: tary of the Treasury Glass.
One effect of the adverse American
exchange is that it will be used tu
stimulate trade with France, Germany
and other European countries, where
exchange favors England, and this
course already has been recommended
by the Board of Trade. The difficulty,
however, is that these countries lack
raw materials, being hardly able to
fsupply their own home demands.
The position in Lancashire, owing to
i the stoppage of cotton imports, is like?
ly to be serious if the stoppage is long
continued. Estimates vary as to the
amount of cotton stocks, but the high?
est is put at nine or ten weeks' supply
There also is a considerable quantity
estimated at more than 500,000 bales
at sea. Cessation in imports is e.\
pected to result in sensational ad
, vanees in prices.
The difficulty may be met tempo
! rarily by resorting to short time worl
in the mills. The situation, it is be
lieved. will assist in the agitatiot
favorable to the promotion of a fun<
for the fostering of cotton growinj
, within the empire in order to rende:
I Lancashire more independent of Amer
ican cotton.
Nitti States Italy's Position
MANCHESTER. Feb. 4. "The Man
i ehester Guardian's" Liverpool marke
i report says the fall in American ex
; change "is putting an effective an'
! very definite stop o nany ideas of im
porting cotton under the ruling condi
i tions."
"The extreme seriousness of th
j situation," the article continues, "ca
i more readily be understood when it i
i realized that experime- ts now are be
, ing made to ship cotton back fror
i Liverpool to the United States. In fac
! this operation is now considered prac
| tical owing to the exchange questior
| It emphasizes the extent of the diffi
; culties under which merchants ar
j working on this side."
ROME, Feb. 4 (By The Associate
I Press).?Premier Nitti, in a length
| statement to the correspondent to-da
! on the economic situation, said:
"I agree with many points in the let
i ter of Secretary of the Treasury Gla3:
' addressed to the American chambers c
commerce. Europe must be animate
! by the spirit of peace. The preser
! state of mind cannot continue long, bu
Continued on next page
\_._
I PR1NT1NG--Qua!ity Plus Kept Proml??
1 Give Best fWult?. The Arco Pre?a, 32
West 39th. Bryant 33S2-in?S.?A.dvt.
GirPs Attack
?n Socialist
Stays in Record
Blocli Tries in Vain to
Have Miss Chivers's Tes?
timony About Alleged
Flag Insult Ruled Out
Staff Correspondence
ALBANY, Feb. 4. A motion on the
part of Assemblyman Maurice Bloch,
Democrat, of New York City, a member
of the Judiciary Committee, to strike
the entire testimony of Miss Ellen B.
( hivers, the seventeen-year-old Brook?
lyn stenographer, from the record as
utterly absurd was one of the numer?
ous exciting incidents in to-day's trial
of the five ousted Socialist Assembly?
men.
Miss Chivers testified yesterday that
two and a half years ago, when she
was fifteen \ears old, she saw Assem?
blyman Charles Solomon, one of the
men on trial, spit on the American flag
in the presence of three uniformed
members of the New York police force
and a large crowd of American citizens,
and also that Solomon had insulted
fifteen American soldiers who were re?
cruiting. She further testified that
neither the .soldiers nor the police re?
sented Solomon's alleged conduct.
Bloch, addressing Chairman Louis M.
Martin, said:
"I fully realize that under the rules
of evidence the testimony of any wit?
ness, unless a party to the crime, is
admissible without corroboration.
Story Called Impossible
"However, the story related under
oath yesterday by the girl Chivers was
obviously impossible.
"It is incredible that a man before
an American audience, during war
times and in the presence of three
members of the uniformed police force
of the City of New York, would dare
spit on the American flag. It is mirac?
ulous that he lives to-day. It is so
utterly absurd that it needs no fur?
ther characterization.
"Her statements under oath that fif?
teen United States soldiers meekly and j
humbly accepted insults to their flag, j
their uniform or to themselves stagger
belief. It does not seem credible. It I
shows that the witness romanced. I I
therefore move that the testimony of ;
the girl Chivers be stricken from the
record." * . j
Rowe Makes Protest
Chairman Martin denied the motion.
This was just as the committee was
adjourning for luncheon. When the
investigation was resumed in the after?
noon Assemblvman George Rowe, Re?
publican, of Buffalo, moved that As?
semblyman Bloch's references to the
testimony of Miss^Chivers be expunged
from the record.
"I wish, Mr. Chairman," said Mr.
Rowe, "that the record indicate my
protest against the unwarranted state?
ments made by Assemblyman Bloch at
this morning's session in reference to
Miss Chivers's testimony.
"His arrogance in attempting to
formulate the opinion of that part of
the evidence for the members of the.
committee is what I object to.
"Mr. Chairman. I for one feel that
this committee and its individual mem?
bers are as capable of determining the
probability of evidence and the credi?
bility of witnesses as is Mr. Bloch.
"I protest against his characteriza?
tion at this time of the evidence as
absurd, or of a romancing nature.
"I also wish to state that Mr.
Bloch's statements preliminary to his
motion are a reflection on the commit?
tee and the innumerable members of
the Assembly who are sitting in this
chamber.
"I therefore move that the state?
ments made by Mr. Bloch in connec?
tion with Miss Chivers's testimony be
expunged from the record."
12 to 1 Against Bloch
The chairman put the motion to a
vote, which was carried 12 to 1, Bloch
alone voting in the negative.
The objections raised to Mr. Bloch's
remarks were that as a member of the
committee he should not, at this time,
give expression to his views on any
testimony adduced.
If the prosecution, which does not
Continued on page three
Platform Contest
The colleges of the country
are now coming to the front
in The Tribune's National Re?
publican Platform Contest.
Planks entered for prizes
now total 1,328.
The story of the progress
of the contest will be found
on Pago 11.
r
The Envoy's Statement Is
Seen as "Gratuitous At?
tempt" by English to
Meddle in the Senate
Llovd George Put
In Uneasy Position
Lodge Reported to Have
His Message Upholding
Ambassador's Attitude
fitvB Ycrlc Tribune
Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON', Feb. 4?Angered
by the publication of the letter of
Viscount Grey, British Ambassador
to the United States, announcing th?
willingness of Great Britain to ac?
cept the Lodge reservations to the
peace treaty, President Wilson, it
was reliably reported to-night, is
? considering informal representa?
tions of protest to the British For
| eign Office.
It is asserted in quarters close to
i the President that he regards the
publication of the Grey letter a
? gratuitous attempt on the part of
: the British authorities to inject
themselves into the political situa
I tion in the Senate growing out of
j the peace treaty fight.
I Secretary of State Lansing, when
; approached on the matter to-day, re?
fused to affirm or deny that the in
! cident had provoked the President or
I that the matter has been, or will be,
; taken up informally with the British
' government.
| Breach of Proprieties
If made, these representations, it
; is indicated, will leave the way open
! for Premier Lloyd George to an
| nounce publicly that the statements
i of Lord Grey were not authorized
by the British government and can
not be considered in the light of ai
I official statement of that, govern
j ment's position.
Admittedly such a suggestion migh
prove embarrassing to the British Pre
mier, if. ss reported in Senate circle!
| a personal telegram from Lloyd George
addressed to Senator Lodge and' con
veying virtually the same assurance;
as those contained in the publisher
1 letter of Lord Grey, has been shown
by Senator Lodge to colleagues on th?
i Senate Committee on Foreign Lela
? tions.
President Wilson is sad to feel thai
; Lord Grey committed a gross breach
i of the proprieties, and that the silence
I of the British government in face oi
I the publication of the Grey lettei
merely tended to confirm the inference
I that the British authorities deliberately
I adopted this method of approaching tin
Senate mid the people of the Unite<
States over the head of the Presiden!
It is everywhere apparent in Wash
ington that the publication of the
Grey letter has thrown the ranks ol
the Administration Senators into con
fusion by making known the fact that
the British government, in order to ge:
the United States into the league of na
tions, is willing to admit her on anj
terms which the American Senate maj
prescribe, thus contradicting the con
stant and emphatic assertions of the
President that, adoption of the Lodge
reservations would not be accepted bj
the other powers and would requite ?
reopening of the entire peace confer
ence.
Failed to See President
Contributing to the displeasure o'
Mr. Wilson, it is said, is the informa
tion conveyed to him that during hi
residence at Washington Lord Gre>
acting presumably under instruction
from his government, communicate
Great Britain's altitude to Senato
Lodge and other Republican member
of the committee. ?
In diplomatic circles it is asserte
that before seeing these Senators Lor
Grey tried repeatedly to get to th
President with this information, i
order that he might modify Mr. Wi
son's uncompromising attitude towar
the Lodge reservations, but that, his e
forts in this direction met with no sui
cess.
Mr. Wilson, it is stated, does not r
gard this excuse as a tenable on
pointing out that Lord Grey con
easily have communicated with hi
through the State Department, whi<
is the ordinary medium through whii
ambassadors and ministers commun
cate with the head of the governmer
Members of the diplomatic corj
however, have been impressed with t
evidence frequently displayed that A
Lansing himself no longer has acce
to the President and that it is almc
'? futile for them to attempt to reach A
' Wilson in this way.
Juaaerand in Same Boat
During the tame period that Lc
i Grey was seeking to obtain an au
i ence with Mr. Wilson similar efforts,
i i? known, were being made by M. J>
'. serand, the French Ambassador, w
! likewise had been instructed by
1 government to make known to Mr. \*
son the willingness of France to aco
'. the Lodge program.
Likewise, it is stated, the French A
I bassador, after finding the doors of
White House closed to him, underte
to make known the views of his g
ernment to members of the Senate F
i eign Relations Committee. I*, was
; cause he had been fortified by such
j surances from the two ambassadors
? is said, that Senator Lodge was able
I tell the Senat? repeatedly that ad
tion of nis reservations, the Presid
to the contrary notwithstanding, wo
not wreck the peace treat?.
At the same time it is underst
thnt Senator Lodge was making
plain to both Ambassador Grey
Ambassador Jusserond that the cc
dential assurances which, they v
giving him as to the attitude of t
governments would avail nothing