The Pensacola journal., April 15, 1920, Image 1

About The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985

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figot men ccst or living
I Your old furniture, office flx-
( tures or machinery can be quiek-
f ly turned Into casft through The
WEATHER FORECAST
Fair and warmer Thursday.
Friday partly cloudy, probably
local showers, moderate south
winds.
VOL. XXII, NO. 355
PENS ACOLA, FLORIDA, THURSDAY MORNING, APRIL 15, 1920
PRICE FIVE CENTS
AN RADICALS BEHIND RAILROAD
STRIKE
v
PALMER NAMES
RING LEADERS
Prosecutions Held in Abeyance
Pending Reaction Among Men
When Facts Are Known
WHOLE PROGRAM KNOWN
Destruction of Big Four Brotw
f erhoods and American Fed
eration Proven First Aims
Washington, April 14. Department
of justice investigates report that evi
dence In their possession proves Wil
liam 52. Foster, leader" of the recent
teel strike, Is a prime mover behind
the "outlaw" railroad strike.
The government let this be known
tonight, feeling that when the strikers
learn that Influences are behind the
movement they will align themselves
with their recognized organizations.
Government action towards prosecu
tion of strike leaders therefore is held
In abeyance pending expected reaction
among the strikers on receipt of in
formation showing the directing im
pulse of the strike agitation.
Attorney General Palmer said the
whole program was one phase of plans
of Russian radicals, designed at ulti
mate capture of Industry, overthrow
of government, and setting up of a
dictatorship like that in chaotic Rus
sia. Ho said Industrial Workers of the
World are being used to carry it out.
Washington, April 14. Woers are
being unwillingly led into a trap by I.
W. W.; Palmer said. The Communist
international, headed by Lenine and
Trotzky, is attacking America's life.
Federal agents intercepted , a courier
from Russia on March 1, he said,
bearing messages to American locals
of Communists, detailing methods of
organizing war.
Radicals were instructed to use their
utmost tf forts towards "drawing the
proletarian masses Into the pathway
of revolution." Their first goal was
.imed at wrecking the American .Fed
eration of Labor, the message said and
nought to establish close relations with
' one big union" of Canada and the I.
AN". W., Mr. Palmer said that on ac
count of prejudice against the I. W. W.
u was decided it should not appear
openly in agitation so the "one big un
ion" idea was decided upon. He said
uestruction of the four railroad broth
erhoods was one of the chief aims.
In addition to Foster, Palmer said
Carl Pierson, A. E. Reese, both of
whom the department of justice placed
in the s.inie category as Foster, are
engaged In thj work. He said all lead
ers are under close surveillance and
.source of their funds is watched.
.Mr. Palmer also made public a let
er from A. V. Hutgers, who presided
at the third Communist international,
to Ludwig and C. A. K. Martens,,
Soviet atrent here, instructing Martens
to omit attempts to establish trade
relations between Russia and the
United Htates and to devote his time
:o driving forward revolutionary plans.
The raid of a strikers' meeting in
New Orleans last night by department
f justice agent and resulting arrest
f six alleged strike movement lead
ers was taken in some quarters as
indicative of the course which may be
pursued. The New Orleans raid was
nade on warrants issued under the
'.ever act charging interference with
;he distribution of essential food sup
plies, and under federal statutes al
leging Interference with tre mails.
Government agents, who have been
watching developments at all strike
.-enters for the past week, are under
stood to have come to the definite
conclusion that 'the strike is being
itiven tin; moral and, in all probability
some financial support of the 1. v. W,
Kvidence has been obtained, reports to
the department of justice indicated to
;lay, that the radical organization
planned to use the strike as an open
ing wedfre for its long threatened in
dustrial revolution.
Decreasing supplies of food stocks
in several large cities led the war de
partment last night to throw open to
the public its large reserves of frozen
nd canned meats. Sales will be made
through municipal and state agencies
at prices far less than those prevailing
in the pen market. Officers have
been specially detailed to the work of
distribution.
SAN SALVADOR
ADOPTS LEAGUE
Kan Salvador, April 1. 14441a.
San Salvador. April 14. The repub
lic of Salvador will adhere without
reservation to the League of Nations
it was announced here today. Re
ports that the national congress of
Salvador had decreed that the Latin
American court of arbitration with the
United States excluded it was declared
to be absolutely false. The Salvadorean
jrovernment's policy toward the United
St. i res is declared - m cordial and
friendly. .
SOLDIER RELIEF
BILL IS FRAMED
Ways and Means Committee
Will Report Measure Provid
ing for a Dollar a Day.
SENATE WILL AGREE
Commissioned Officers and Men
Who Served Less Than Sixty
Days Are Counted Out.
Washington, April 14. A composite
soldier relief bill grantirig adjusted
compensation at $1 for each day's ser
vice to approximately 3,000,000 former
service men will be reported to the
house within a week, Chairman Ford
ney of the Ways and Means Commit
tee announced today. Passage of the
i measure by the house "3 planned be
i fore May 1, senate leaders having an
nounced the bill would be approved
by the senate before the conventions
in July should it be passed by the
house this month.
With the elimination of all com
missioned officers, along with those
who served less than sixty days or
who were employed in ship yards or
received from their employers the dif
ference between their civilian incomes
and army pay, the number of those
eligible has been narrowed to ap
proximately 3,000,000. Experts have
informed the committe that the aver
age service is ten months making the
average payment $300 to each man.
Those who were commissioned after
serving as enlisted men would be paid
on a basis of time served in the ranks.
No definite plan for raising neces
sary revenues has been decided upon,
the plan most being favored being a
flat tax of not more than 1 per cent,
on all sales. Such a tax the commit
tee has learned from treasury, depart
ment officials would net , approxi-
mately $1,500,000,000 or more than 1
needed. It Is expected that .the other
provisions of the original bill pre
sented by the American Legion, grant
ing priority in land settlements, home
building and aid extension of voca
tional training also will be recom
mended by the committee.
Although the Ways and Means Com
mittee is expected, to report the meas
ure promptly, some members of the
house believe it will not be passed by
the senate before the conventions. The
attitude of both parties, they claim
will be announced at the respective
conventions and final action vvil lle
deferred until after congress recon
venes late in the summer.
SEN. FLETCHER
HAS QUALIFIED
Tallahassee,. April, 14. (Special).
The following are the latest that
have qualified with the secretary of
state as candidates before the Demo
cratic primary to be held June 8th for
the respective offices shown after
their names:
Thomas P. West of Milton, Justice
of the supreme court, William II. Ellis
of Quincy, justice of the supreme
court, Duncan U. Fletcher of Jackson
ville, United States senator, II. Clay
Crawford, secretary of state, Kelsey
Blanton, delegate to national Demo
cratic convention from the first con
gressional district.
TAMPA CIGAR
MAKERS STRIKE
General Lockout of Unions by
All Factories Threatened by
Managers Due to Strike.
Tampa, April 14. Approximately 6.
500 union workmen were called out on
strike today in twenty-seven of the
largest cigar factories here because
manufacturers have declined to permit
collectors of union dues or union of
ficials to enter the factories. A union
official said no wage demands are in
volved. Tt is expected heer tfiere way
be a lockout of all factories as a re
sult of the strike.
The joint advisory board of the local
cigar makers union decided on a gen
eral strike order this morning and
gave out word that it was to be read
in thirty of the largest factories. The
managers association declared that all
factories will close whether affected
by the strike order or not.
There are over 7.000 union cigar
makers, the union heads claim, with
about 800 non-union men. About 13.
000 men of all trades will be affected if
the shut down is complete. The men
are asking for recognition of their
union and there is no wage demand.
The manufacturers stand for an open
shop
NEW MINISTER IS TEXAN
- J- J
Hampson Gary of Texas, who was
diplomatic agent and consul general at
Cairo. Egypt, lias been nominated. by
President Wilson to succeed Pleasant
A. Stovall of Savannah, resigned, as
minister to Switzerland. -
CLEVELAND TO
BUILD HOUSES
Real Estate Board Will Con
struct 200 Homes in 30 Days
to Relieve Shortage.
Cleveland, April 14. (Special) This
city's housing problem is to be solved
by efficient, common-sense cooperation
of all classes.
Headed by the Cleveland Real Es
tate Board, a joint committee repre
senting commercial, civic, technical and
labor organizations together with pub
lic officials divided the problem into
three parts.
It was -deckled, first, .lo "curb rent
profiteering; second, to provide tcm
p rary homes to1 evicted tennants;
third, to launch a building campaign
to put an end to house shortage.
The city government carried the
fight to the profiteers. It has made
eviction suits difficult, collected data
on landlords, listed building sites and
homes and resurrected an old law re
quiring, a tenement tax to enforce
where profiteering exists.
The city has asked the war depart
ment for' 50.000 tents for the use of
homeless citizens. These tents will be
set up in the parks this summer under
the supervision of the city health au
thorities. But the greatest part of the work
will be done in the building campaign.
Manufacturers are asked to pledge
themselves to loan money to workers
to build homes and to restrict plant
expansion until homes are provided for
workers. Architects are designing
standard homes and plumbers and car
penters devising cheap systems of
building.
Material dealers are to supply ma
terial at quantity rates. A non-profit
company will obtain funds from citi
zens for loan to small home builders
and in much the same way that war
drives were conducted.
The campaign is just getting under
way here, but it is expected that within
30 days more than 200 new homes will
be under construction.
CARRANZA TROOPS
MOVE TO SONORA
First Battle With Soldiers of
New Republic Has Already
Occurred.
Aguaprieta, Sonora, April 14.
Troops of the new republic of Sonora
have had their first battle with Car
ranza troops on the Sonora Sinoloa
boundary, according to a report here
this afternoon, apparently verifying
an earlier report from Nogales.
Military authorities said the battle
meant war between the Carranza gov
ernment and the seceding state.
El Paso. Tex., April 14. Eight hun
dred Mexican federal troops in com
mand of Colonel Fox left Juarez today
over the Mexican northwestern rail
road for Casts Grandes. Chihuahua.
The Carranza troops arrived in Juarez
Tuesday from Chihuahua City. More
federal troops are enroute to Juarez,
according to information received here
today.
It was stated that the troops which
left today for Casis Grandes and which
are cavalrymen will march overland
from Casis Grandes into Sonora and
on to Agua Prieta. opposite Douglas.
Arizona-
NURSES TO MEET
NEXT IN SEATTLE
Atlanta. April 14. Seattle, Wash
ington was chosen for the next bien
nial convention of the National Nurs
ing Associations in convention here to
night. It will be approved by the di
rectors who choose the exact dates.
IRISH. HUNGER
STRIKERS OUT
Are Released, Apparently Un
conditionally, and Strike Is
Considered Called Off.
SOLDIERS QUELL RIOT
Two Companies Are Called to
Disperse Crowds at London
derry Station in Belfast.
Dublin, April 14. Sixty-eight hunger
striking prisoners have been released
apparently unconditionally and as re
sult the strike is considered off.
Release of the prisoners is regarded
as a complete triumph for the hunger
strike and Its ally the general strike.
The prisoners refused to accept a con
ditional release.
It was officially stated that It is not
intended to release all hunger strikers
in the Mount Joy prison uncondition
ally but that the order was issued that
those requiring medical treatment out-
jside the prison be released on parole
for periods specified in the case of
each individual by prison doctors.
The day was marked early by a
'fatality. Constable Krebs, being shot
dead while on plain clothes duty in
Camden street this morning. The
shooting added to the general excite
ment. Thousands of people are pa
rading the streets and collisions be
tween the populace and the military
are feared.
Belfast, April 14. Soldiers fired ball
Cartridges over the heads of crowds
gathered at the Londonderry station
today and two civilians were wounded
by ricocheting bullets.
The crowds had assembled with the
expectation of greeting the arrival of
Sinn Fein prisoners. Armed police
were summoned but the gathering be
came so threatening that two com
panies of soldiers accompanied by an
armored car were called and ordered
to .make a bayonet chaj-ge. They were
subjected' toV! a fiertre fussilade of
stones and' fired volley of blank cart
ridges over the heads of the people.
This proving ineffective several
rounds of ball cartridges were fired
over the heads.
Washington, April 14. A resolution
requesting secretary of state with the
approval of the - president to cause
representations to be made to Great
Britain for immediate trial of citizens
Ireland arrested and locked up be
cause of this fight on "behalf freedom
and independence" was introduced to
day by Representative Tague, Demo
crat of .Massachusetts.
MARKET DEAY
RAISES PRICES
Federal Trade Board Urges the
Adoption of Better System
Distributing Produce.
Washington, April 14. Declaring
that the costs of food distribution are
too great, the federal trade commis
sion today recommended improved
marketing facilities and processes at
the great consuming centers as a long
step towards lowering the high cost
of living.
"The- movement of food should be
made most direct from field to fac
tory" the commission declared In a re
port on wholesale, marketing of food,
one of the series In the food price
investigation ordered by the president.
Elimination of unnecessary costs
and losses in food distribution the re
port added, would not only "act as a
counter agent In checking disparity
in food prices and money incomes,
but would strengthen the nation's po
sition in its competition for world
trade."
The report asserts that the rapid
rise in food prices in recent years
is not so significant as "that the money
incomes of large numbers have fallen
far short of a proportional increase."
"The weekly wage of union organ-
I ized labor in 1918 bought but 77 per
cent, (according to tne aepartment or
labor) as much food as in 1913. The
lareer number of service incomes do
not fall within this organized group
and are much slower to respond to
the pressure of a higher cost of liv
ing. Moreover these incomes are for
the same reason usually less in
amount. It follows that for very large
numbers of people receiving relatively
small incomes, a week's wage in 1918
was purchasing much less than 77 per
cent, of the food it bought in 1913.
Food absorbs 3S.2 per cent, of the
average American's household income.
PERSHING WOULD
RUN IF CALLED
Washington, April, 14. While not
seeking the presidential nomination.
General Pushing said 'tonight no pat
riotic American could refuse to serve
if he was called by the people.
Outlaw Rail Strikers Make
First Overtures of Peace
WILLYS-OVERLAND
PLANT IS CLOSED
Toledo. O., April 14. Ten
thousand men were thrown out
of work tonight when the Willys
Overland Automobile Company
closed its plant tecrve of coal
shortage due to the strike.
URGES BETTER
BALING METHOD
Senator Ransdell Tells Cotton
Association American Bales
Are Disgracefu1
Montgomery, Ala., April 14. Speak
ing to delegates at the American Cot
ton convention at the second day of
the convention here today, Joseph E.
Ransdell, United States senator from
Louisiana, explained the old and new
system of baling and handling cotton,
explaining how American cotton bales
reach Liverpool and other foreign
ports in bad condition.
"If ever there was a slovenly, dirty,
damaged, disreputable, water-soaked,
wasteful and inflammable package it
is a bale of American cotton when it
reaches the spinner on the European
continent; and not only in that case,
but before it reaches the spinner of
New England it is subjected to sub
stantially the same evil treatment ac
corded to the exported bale and Is in
nearly as bad condition said the
Louisiana senator.
Stressing the importariee of the hew
system of baling and marketing which
he explained in detail Senator Rans
dell said such a method would save
more than a hundred million dollars
and dispense with the use of more
than three hundred thousand railroad
cars annually.
Explaining the new system 'the sen
ator said that approximately twenty
millions are invested in gins, and that
this would be about a total loss if
his idea were carried out.
Bradford Knapp of the University
of Arkansas, pleaded with the cotton
association delegates to diversify their
crops, eliminating as much of the cot
ton acreage as possible. He presented
figures to show that 1920 does not
promise anything in the way of a pro
fitable cotton crop. "Above all things"
said Dr. Knapp, "I plead for a liberal
production of food and feed, and live
stock for the sake of the women and
children of the south.
"The figures show that the greatest
per centage of women and children
toil in the fields in the cotton states
than in any other section of the United
States.
Mrs. Giles H. Mathis known as
"Alabama's woman farmer" spoke on
"Women as Cotton Producers and
Sellers." She said cotton farmers had
depended largely upon women and chil
dren to work and harvest it.
EDUCATORS ARE
CALLED TO MEET
Pressing Problems of Education
of Nation to Be Con
sidered. Washington, April 14. Representa
tive citizens from every state were
called today by Commissioner of Edu
cation Claxton to meet in Washing
ton, May 19, 20 and 21 "to consider j
the pressing problem or education irom
the standpoint of statesmanship and
the public welfare."
Special invitations were sent to the
various governors to head their state
delegations, Commissioner Claxton de
claring "the emergency in education
in the United States arising out of the
present and prospective shortage of
teachers, the necessity for immediate
increases in funds for the support of
schools of all grades and the need for
better adjustment of educational pro
grams to the requirements of the new
era are, I believe, of so great impor
tance to justify the calling of a na
tional conference of representative
citizens to consider these pressing
problems of education from the stand
point of statesmanship and the public
welfare.".
Business men. farmers, labor leaders,
members of boards of education an,
editors are among those invited.
BEEFSTEAK KILLED
DIVORCE SUIT
Denver, April 14. When Raymond
Hamilton took a savory beefsteak
home to bis wife she cooked It for him
and tne next day withdrew her suit for
divorce and serious charges of infi
delity she had made.
MARINE POLICY
BILL IS READY
Measure Provides for Sale of
Government Vessels to Pri
vate American Capital.
TEN YEARS IS LIMIT
Buyers to Be Encouraged by Be
ing Granted Exemption from
Excess Profits Tax.
Washington, April 14. Provision for
a 10 year period during which government-owned
craft are to be placed un
der private ownership is contained in
the merchant marine policy bill which
was virtually completed today by the
senate sub-committee to which the
task was left. Among other induce
ments the act would exempt American
ship owners for 10 years from excess
profits tax on profits made in foreign
trade provided an equivalent sum is
spent by such owners in building ships
in American yards.
Admiral Benson, chairman of the
Shipping Board, and William Green,
chairman of the committee, were re
cently appealed to by the Chamber of
Commerce and other local commercial
organizations not to sell the ships.
In his reply Admiral Benson said
that he did not believe sale of th
ships to American owners would result
in discrimination against southern
ports (the rgason advanced for nrt
stlitnlr), and that the board would ta-e
all possible steps to see that southern
ports were given adequate carrying
space.
Under the plan as outlined by the
senate sub-committee, the government
vessels will be sold to American cap
ital only and the ships will be re
quired to retain American registry in
order to take advantage of the excess
profits exemption.
PLANS ARE MADE
TO SIGNAL MARS
Omaha, Neb.. April 14. The attempt
by Prof. David Todd, of Amherst col
lege to signal Mars from a balloon will
be made April 23, according to an
announcement by A. Leo Stevens, bal
loon expert at Fort Omaha whose gas
bag will be used in the effort. The
professor suggested next week be
cause Mars then will be nearest the
earth.
In a telegram to Lieut. Col. Jacob
Wuest, commander of Fort Omaha,
Professor Todd referred to the appa
ratus he will use to ascertain whether
sound waves or other disturbances are
coming from the far away planet and
whether they are electrical or other
wise. PARKING CARS
IS PROHIBITED
Section of Palafox Being Repair
ed Ordered Kept Cleared
For Through Traffic.
To allow traffic to move and pre
vent the blocking of Palafox street,
under repairs in the business section,
parking of cars along the section now
being repaired has been prohibited un
til the work has been completed and
the street reopened. The order was
put out yesterday following the prac
tically blocking of the street by parked
cars. The order will be withdrawn
as soon as the paving has been com
pleted. The police department has been in
structed to enforce the order and keep
the east portion of the street that
has not been torn up free for traffic.
The order originated from Commis
sioner Hinrichs of the street depart
ment. Work of repairing Palafox street
was begun yesterday morniag, the
wood block paving being torn .up from
Garden street south. All the, wood
blocks in bad condition will be taken
out. The Pensacola Electric Co. is
re paving th street between Its rails
first and the street on the west and
then the east side will be repaired.
The work of repaving the street Is
under 'the direction of City Engineer
Jarrett. When the work Is completed
it is said that the wood blocks will
have been treated so they will not
swell and bulge after . heavy rains.
Work will be pushed so that the street
may b opened full width for traffic
as soon as possible.
Big Four Brotherhoods Are Ex
erting Every Effort to Break
Unauthorized Strike; Vol
unteers Operate Trains.
New York, April 14. The first over
tures of peace on part of striking rail
road workers who have disorganized
railroad transportation facilities In
New York and Northern New Jersey,
came tonight when Edward McIIugh.
chairman of the strikers committee,
gave out the statement that "now that
the railroad labor board has been ap
pointed, we desire to avail ourselves of
the opportunitj- provided by it for con
sideration of our grievances.
Chicago. April 14. The first impor
tant break in the ranks of insurgent
railroad, employe! in the Chicago ter-
.minal district came today when rail
road officers announced groups of
strikers on the Pennsylvania, the Soo
Line and Chicago. Rock Island and
Pacific had decided to return to work.
New York, April 14. Officials of the
'"big four'' railroad brotherhoods re-
newed their efforts today to bring to
an end the unauthorized rail strikes
in this district, while thousands of vol
unteer railroaders poured in offers of
their services to break the traffic tie
up, which has paralyzed most of the
lines entering New York.
Although initial peace overtures
were unanimously rejected by th
strikers in Jersey City last night the
brotherhood leaders expected to renew
their proposal that the strikers return
to work and submit their grievances
to the new railroad labor board, ap
pointed yesterday by President Wilson.
In accepting the offer of college
students, former soldiers and citizens
to operate trains, railroad officials
declared that the attitude of the pub
lic would bring the strike to a speedy
closed " . " "
Twenty-two trains on the Lacka
wana and Erie systems were manned
today by volunteer crews, and officials
asserted that enough men had offered
to run every train on the lines, but
that the schedules would not be ex
tended in the interest of public safety,
until the volunteer plan had been
tested.
The freight situation, however, re
mained chaotic, except for the move
ment of food and milk trains. The
city's supply of coal was said to b
50 per cent of normal. Health officers
said the food and milk situation was
serious, but not yet critical. Food
prices continued to soar and federal
authorities issued a warning that ar
rests would follow the inflation of
prices.
Strikers were said to be returning at
several points in the central went and
improvement was indicated In general
traffic conditions there, but in Ohio
and Michigan a crisis was reported as
a stoppage of fuel supplies made It
self felt on industry. Sporadic walk
outs also were reported in that section.
New York strove valiantly to run its
food and fuel supplies through the
blockade and to get its commuting
workers into the city. Roads report
ed some improvement in suburban
service, where more than a ncore of
trains were operated by volunteer
crews, but there was no indication yet
of any decided break in the strike.
New Orleans, April 14. J. M. Egan,
general superintendent of the Illinois
Central lines in the south, announced
that complete crews for twelve of the
fourteen regular switch engines ap
peared for work this morning and the
others were eaartly of the brotherhood
volunteers.
Fifty members of the Brotherhood
of Railway Trainmen arrived here '
early today, their leader announcing
100 more were available if needed.
"So far as New Orleans operations
are concerned, we don't know thre is
a strike, Mr. Egan declared. "The
brotherhood members are loyal to the
Illinois Central and there is no need
to worry about the southern extremity
of the system. No embargoes hav
been declared nor will be, according
to the present outlook.
Chicago, April 14. Improvement of
freight traffic, conditions in the cen
tral west today with insurgent rail
road men returning to work at several
places were reported today, but the in
dustrial situation !n Ohio and Michi
gan reached a crisis on account of the
stoppage of fuel supplies and in the
far west where a dozen passenger
trains were reported stalled in south
ern California the situation became in
creasingly serious. ,
Both insurgent leaders and brother
hood officials said the fight had en
volved into av "lingering affair but
the brotherhood men said the Insur
gents gradually were losing strength.
Railroads in the Chicago area con
centrated every effort on moving
freight and officials said 50 per cent of
the switch engines, in the district were
operating. The roads announced a.
further influx of "loyal" switchmen
(No. 1 Continued on Pago Two.)
4
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