The Bismarck Tribune Newspaper, July 31, 1919, Page 1

THE BISMARCK TRIBUNE ==! THIRTY-NINTH YEAR, NO. 173. BISMARCK, NORTH DAKOTA THURSDAY, JULY 31, 1919. PRICE FIVE CENTS TO CUT DOWN THE COST OF LIVING, LET POSTOFFICE SELL ARMY FOOD BY PARCEL POST TO THE PEOPLE Congressman Kelly’s Plan Up to Congress; Burleson Says It Is Feasible and His Department Is Willing. \ N. EB. A. Washington Bureau. ‘Mr. H. C. O'Living is due for two terrific Jack Dempseys from Con- gress. If they don’t knock him out# they'll at least send him against the ropes groggy. One swat is coming from the house committee which has been investigat- ing the war department’s conduct of the war. The Republican members of this committe are preparing a re- port urging that congress demand that the war department at once adopt a policy of immediate distribu- tion of its immense supplies of sur- plus féodstuffs, selling to the public at cost. The second swat is to be adminis- tered by Representative Clyde Kelly, of Pennsylvania, who is going to de- mand on the floor of the house that the war department be compelled to sell its surplus supplies to the public through the parcel post. BURLESON’S APPROVAL FOR KELLY’S PLAN, Kelly has already outlined his plan in the form of a dill, but to get quicker action he is working it over into a resolution, and will demand that the house pass it this week. He has just fortified himself by get- ting the approval of Postmaster Gen- eral Burleson for his plan, which will remove all protests that “it can’t be done.” Here's what Burleson told Kelly: “The postoffice department stands ready to serve the people in this emergency as it served them in other emergencies during the war, as soon as congress gives the necessary au- thorization.” By “emergencies” the postmaster- general meant the method by which the postoffices throughout the coun- try sold thrift stamps, recruited sol- diers and sailors, helped the Depart-| ment of Justice to round up enemy aliens, aided the labor department’s ebployment ‘bureaus, and performed similar services during the war. POSTOFFICE OFICIAL CALLS JOB “EASY” | Burleson is backed up by the decl- laration of Assistant. Postmaster General Blakeslee that \it will be perfectly easy for the postoffice de- partment to act. as salesman for tie war department's. surplus supplies— not only of food, but of clothes, har- ness, blankets, tools, and a thousand and one other...articles which . the army ‘no longér needs. The postoffice department has even gone so far as to promise that, if the army hasn't men enough to do the work of wrapping and mailing fonds, it will supply mailing clerks to lo it. Here is Congressman Kelly's sim- ple little plan: The war department furnishes the postoffice department with a com- plete list of the goods it has for sale, together with prices. The postoffice department calculates the amount of postage each articles will have to carry within the first parcel post zone—200 miles—and adds this to the price of the goods, This price list is then distributed to the 55,000 postoffices in the coun- try, and through the mail carriers to every home in the land. You look over the list, decide what you want to tbuy, figure up the total cost, and take the money to your postmaster. He gives you a receipt for it. ‘MAILMAN ‘BRINGS IT TO YOUR DOOR. The postmaster then forwards your order to the Quartermaster depart- ment of the army at Washington, which sends it to any one of the 13 zone supply offices and storage sta- tions which is nearest your home. This office pastes an address label on the goods you want, drops it in the mail, and your mail man brings it to you next day. You turn your receipt over to the mailman when he delivers your package. And remember that whatever you ‘buy iby this method, you are getting at one-half. to two-thirds the present market price of the goods. “I am confident that the war de partment’s entire stock of surplus supplies can be disposed of in this way within a month.” said Congress- man Kelly. “I am anxious to have congress authorize it at once so that the sale can be held before Sept. 1, when the army will be practically demobilized. “Assistant Postmaster General Blakeslee kgs told me that this busi- ness can be handled by the post- offices without adding more than one-ninth to their regular parcel post ‘business. Most of the sales will be ‘by the box or case—the experience of Washington, Baltimore and other cities where army food has been sold proves that. GOVERNMENT’S DUTY TO REDUCE PRICE. “The cost of living can never be ‘brought down ‘by any individuals or group of individuals. the government alone can do it, The government caused the prices of food to rise to an artificial level when it ‘bought large quantities of supplies; it is the gov- ernment’s duty to reduce to the level where they were before it bought. It can do it through this method. “at the same time it will show the way for a upermanent fight against the high cost of living by utilizing the parcel post.” There's a little row in the commit- tee which has been investigating the war department over the surplus food problem. The Republican members insist that the department has held its supplles in storage to help the canners and packers to keep up prices—in fact, testimony of army of- ficers showed that. These members want to find some way to force the (Continued on Page Two.) WILSON GIVING DEEP THOUGHT TO “H.C. OF L.” | Washington, July 31.—Presi- dent Wilson is giving “deep and very thoughtful consideration” to the high cost of living, it was announced today at the White House and all branches of the government which might aid in solving the problem are at work. The first step in the federal government’s attempt to reduce the high cost of living were tak- en today with the inauguration of a plan for the sale of $125,- 000,000, worth of army food stock direct to the people, with every postmaster and mail car- rier in the country acting as salesmen. Distribution of surplus food in this manner was requested by the house of representatives and the details worked out at a con- ference between Secretary Ba- ker, Postmaster General Burle- son and Representative Kelly of Pennsylvania, author of the house resolution. Profiteering Charged While this program was being put into effect, President Wilson had before him a statement from the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers which declared that “profiteering by the great inter- ests who have secured control of all necessities of life’ had brought about such conditions that the engineers felt they must demand an increase in wages unless living expenses were speedily reduced. At the department of justice, investigations into the cause of the increased cost of living were under way with particular atten- tion being given to the question whether producers and dealers had combined in violation of the In the meantime there is pend- ing in the house, a resolution pro- posing that the federal. trade commission investigate the ris- ing cost of sugar, coffee, shoes and clothing. Impressed by Statement The president is understood to have been deeply impressed by the statement presented to him yesterday by Warren S. Stone, chief of the Brotherhood of Lo- comotive Engineers, describing the unrest over the country be- cause of the decreased purchas- ing power of the dollar. In this connection it_became known today that the Brother- hood of Railroad Trainmen had presented to the railroad admin- istration a statement setting forth that they must have in- creased wages unless steps were taken to reduce living costs. HOPE FOR EARLY END OF STRIKE CHEERS CHICAGO Believed That by Saturday Morning Workers Will Be Riding Again ‘Chicago, Ill, July $1.—Toiling Chi- cago today found cheer in the pros- pect that the street car strike might end soon and that by Saturday morn- ing workers might ride on surface and elevated lines. The possibility of the near solu- tion of the strike came with the an- anouncement: that the 15,000 surface and elevated men on strike since Tuesday morning would ballot to- morrow on whether to accept the wage scale agreed upon last Monday by their representatives and those of the company and rejected the same night at a meeting of 6,000 carmen. AUSTRIAN CABINET HEADED BY KARL RENNER TO RESIGN Vienna, via Berne, July 31.—The Austrian cabinet, headed by Karl Renner, has decided ‘to resign. MANITOBA DAILY DEPORTS UNDESIRABLE FOREIGNERS Winnipeg, Man., July 31.—Although official figures are not made public, immigration officers have admitted that they are “daily deporting unde- sirable aliens” from the country, and prosecuting alleged offenses against the immigration act. Some of the per- sons already deported are said to have played minor roles in local industrial troubles. A new amendment to the dominion immigration laws, provides for a fine of $200 or three months imprisonment for supplying false information to {Canadian immigration officers, 10 PREDOMINATE law to raise prices of necessities. |; GOTHAM TO ATLANTIC CITY AIR SERVICE OPENS NEW YORK—New York to Atlantic City and return, $200! Sounds like a lot of money, but when you make the flight by air @|you get more thrills. First pas- sengers on the regular service of the’ Aero Limited were Mrs. John A. Hoagland, wife of the president of the Royal Baking Powder company, and Miss Ethel Hodges, Dallas, Tex., and $200 each is the price they paid. Here they are as the craft is about to hop off. ‘ LEAGUE MEN ON EDUCATION BODY Hollis, Rockne and Bell, Townley Representatives on New Commission HOTEL IS HEADQUARTERS Hagan and Miss Nielson Haled Down From Capital to Meet in Hostelry A. P. Hollis of the agricultural college; Willis J. Bell of the Dickin- son normal; L. N. Rochne, county superintendent of ‘Reneville, and P. ‘S. Berg, superintendent of city schools at Wickinson, this morning were named ‘by the state board of administration to serve with Miss Minnie J. Nielson, state superintend- ent of public instruction, as an edu- cational commission, as provided for ‘by Senate Bill 134. This commission is to have charge and supervision of the certification of teachers, standardization of schools, examinations for eighth grade and high school pupils; prepar- ation of courses of study for tile sev- eral classes of ypiblic schools and such other work as may be assigned by the board of administration. The commission was selected by secret (ballot, the vote being three to two in each case. The balloting was done at a special meeting held at a down-town hotel where the three appointive members of the board of administration—George A. Totten. P. M. Casey and Robert Muir—make their homes, and thither were sum- moned ‘Miss Nielson and Commission- er of Agriculture and La>or Hagan, ex-officio members of the board. The new educational commission will stand committed three to two to the league. Hollis and Bell are strong league sympathizers and sup- porters, while L. N. Rochne is so far as known the only county superin- tendent in North Dakota who is now an active advocate of Niel C. Mac- donald, Miss Nielson’s predecessor and her very ardent enemy. Miss (Continued on Page Three.) COPPER MINERS ENGAGE IN ILLICIT DISTILLING Calumet, Mich. July 31—Illicit manufacture of whiskey and other liquors has increased in the copper country since the advent of national prohibition, according to the state- ments of county officials. “Enforcement of the dry laws is en- tirely a matter of having enough men to ferret out the stills as they increase in number,” said County Attorney Anthony Lucas. Testimony offered at the trial of an alleged moonshiner here, indicated that the price of raisins has almost doubled since the nation went dry. Oxers a . view ee CHINESE TORTURE FOUR JAPANESE TO DEATH AT Tokio, By the A. P., July 81—A second official statement on the incident: at Kwang Chang Tau places Japanese losses at 16 offi. cers and men killed and 18 others wounded, (No previous report of the incl- dent referred to has heen receiv. ed. The place mentioned presum- ably is Kwang Chang Tau about KWANG CHANG TAU 100 miles west of Kirin in Man- churla.) The communique alleges that four Japanese including an officer were tortured before death. It is understood that the foreign office has instructed the Japanese minister at Pekin to investigate the circumstances and take steps to obtain satisfaction, STATE PRINTER NOT FURNISHED SALARY TICKET Auditor Karl Kositzky Asks At- torney General If Bet Was Not: Overlooked The last assembly - by failing to be more ‘specific about the manner in whieh the new state printer is to be paid may have cheated James Cur- ran of Grand Forks, newly appointed secretary of the state printing and publication commission, out of a sal- ary of $2,500 per annum, in the opin- ion of State Auditor Karl Kositzky. Mr. Kositzky, who has asked an opin- ign’ frgm: the -attorney general's of- fice on the subject, notes that while Senate Bill 157, creating the state printing and publication commission ‘board, who shall be puDlic printer, ibe paid $2,500 per annum, it does not specify the fund from which this sal- ary shall come nor the manner in which it shall be paid, which Mr. Kositzky holds it not according to Hoyle. A. G. Jacobson, who was pub-| lic printer, and who is succeeded iby Mr. Curran, retains his position as document clerk in Secretary of State Hall's office, a post for which a direct and specific appropriation is made. FRAZIER AGREES THERE WILL BE EXTRA SESSION Chief Executive Assures State and National Suffrage Leaders Today Governor Frazier this morning promised Mrs. Elizabeth Darrow O'- Neill of the North Dakota Votes for Women association and Mrs. South of Kentucky and Miss Schuler of New York, members of the national women’s suffrage committee, that there would be a special session of the North Dakota assembly at which the ratification of the national suf- frage amendment could be taken up. The governor would not commit him- self as to a date, but expressed con- fidence that a number of things would make a special session neces- IP Grocers insist that increased demand sary. was responsible. RAILWAY UNIONS ASK SHOPMEN TO DEFER STRIKING Representatives of Six Organiza- tions in Conference With Administration: TRAINMEN THREATENING Pres. William G. Lee Declares Brakemen Will Quit If Wages Are Not Raised Washington, D. C., July 31.—Rep- resentatives of the six railroad shop unions who are in conference here with railroad administration officials, telegraphed to shop employees over the country today not to strike pend- ing final settlement of their demands. The workmen were informed that the railroad administration had consented te enter into a national agreement cov- ering rules for. working conditions. Trainmen Threaten to Quit William G. Lee, president of the B. R. T., announced today that unless the railroad administration had taken action by October first on the demands of the Brotherhood that wages of the railroad trainmen be increased or liv- ing costs reduced, steps would be tak- en looking toward the strike contem- plated. ° The resolution provided that in the absence of action by October first the committee would reconvene to con- sider “the necessity for using the protective features of the Brother- hood.” NORTH DAKOTA CITY FOUNDED IN 1769 TO CELEBRATE BIRTHDAY St. John, N. D., July 31—Residents of St. John will celebrate the one hun- dred and fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the chis city, this year. Previous to 1769, what is now the city of St. John consisted of an out- post held by the New England Fishing and Trading company, and its depen- dents. To this trading post the In- dians and. trappers came with their yearly packets of furs which were shipped to many parts of the world. In 1769, the government of Nova Scotia became interested in this post and sent a delegation here to investi- gate. A center of population resulted and St. John soon became a prosper- ous village. PLANE THAT'S SOON 10 DROP IN ON BISMARCK ma CLEVELAND—Here is the Martin bomber that’s flying States, in its home city. It is being plioted on its 8,000-mile flight by Lt.-Col. R. S. Hartz, who has a crew of four men, around the rim of the United Byerly Gets New Revenue Plum in Internal Scheme Washington, July 31— President Wilson today nominated as internal reve- nue collector William Byerly, Velva, N. D., of the North Dakota district. The office to which Wil- liam Byerly, chairman of the North Dakota democratic state central committee, was nominated today is presumed to be the new post of intefnal revenue collector created un- der a rearrangement in this department whereby each state becomes a separate in- ternal revenue district. The office for the North Dakota district probably will be es- tablished in Bismarck, inas- much as the state and federal revenue departments will have much work to do in common. >. o GIRL FIRE BUG AT GRAND FORKS ADMITS CRINES Miss Ruth Erickson, Former Asylum Inmate, Caused Tremendous Loss ALSO PLAYED THE GHOST Unbalanced Young Woman Paid Weird Visitations to Uni- versity City Grand Forks, N. D., July 31.—Miss Ruth Erickson, in jail since last Saturday, confesed today that she was the author of a long series of fires that have baffled officials of Grand Forks and East Grand Forks, and which caused losses aggregating several hun- dred dollars, including the destruction of the high school and the city hall in Fast Grand Forks. Persistent sending in of false fire alarms the most recent which Was turned in over the telephone from a& north side residence, led_to the girl’s wfest. ‘fhe * firing “of furniture in the Dr. F. F. Fletcher office in the First National bank building was an- other incident that led to her undoing. Three years ago Miss Erickson was committed to the asylum for the in- sane as the author of a series of startl- ing episodes in the district north of the city, adjacent to her home, where tele- phone poles were cut down, barns burn- ed and other depredations committed. Today the girl, who stoutly main- teined at the time of her previous arrest and during her period of de- tention at the asylum at Jamestown that she was innocent of wrong doing, confessed not only being responsible for the long series of fires that has orcured in the last few months but she admitted also that she had been responsible for the depredations pre- viously charged to her. “Just full of the dickens” is the only explanation the girl has given for her remarkable career of crime as laid here by her remarkable confession be- tore the county insanity commission, (Continued on Page Three) WILSON FLATLY INFORMED PACT MUST BE MILDER Keys of New Hampshire and New of Indiana Say “Reser- vations or Nothing” Washington, D. C., July 31—“My vack is stiffer than ever for ratifica- tion of the treaty with reservations,” Senator Keys of New Hampshire saic today after conference with President Wilson at the White House. Senator New of Indiana, republican, member of the foreign relations com- mittee, said after a visit to the White House today that he told the presi- dent it would be “utterly impossible to get the senate to accept the peace treaty as it stands” and that it either would “rntify ‘with reservations or fail.” ‘Senator ‘New said he told the presi- dent he would utterly oppose article 10 of the league of nations covenant. He added that in reply to the presi- dent’s statement that adoption of the reservations by the senate might set a precedent for other nations, he had said that the question of reservation is one for the United States to de- cide regardless of the effects on other countries. SHOSHONE RESERVATION LANDS TO BE AUCTIONED Cheyenne, Wyo., July 30.—Four- teen thousand acres of land on the Shoshone Indian reservation are to be offered for sale August 20, according to announcement by C. S. Hill, state immigration commissioner. The state immigration department is endeavor- ing to attract home sekers. Most of the land is included in the government irrigation system, Hill announced. The region has an average altitude of from 4,800 to 5,600 feet and is one of the routes to the Jackson Hole country and Yellowstone park, 6,000 SOLDIERS PATROL CHICAGO COLORED SRCTION Comparative Order Restored Following Riots Resulting in 30 Deaths TROOPS FIGHT NEGROES One Clash Reported Last Night —Rain Helps to Dampen Warlike Spirit Chicago, Ill, July 31—The main negro quarters of Chicago today were patrolled by 6,000 soldiers equipped as for war, after four nights of race rioting that caused 30 deaths, 17 negroes and 13 whites and the injury of nearly a thousand persons, 200 of whom were severely hurt and a dozen of whom may die of wounds. No deaths were reported during the night, but many injuries and fires were reported, : Governor Frank O. Lowden order- ed the troops out last night on the request of Mayor Thompson after darkness had brought renewed riot- ing and the city’s 3000 policemen found themselves exhausted. Soldiers Fight Negroes. Fighting kept up after the troops reached their stations shortly before midnight and one squad of soldiers had to fight a crowd of negroes to reach their station at Forty-first street and Wabash avenue while others were fired on from ambush on their way to duty. No soldier was killed or wounded and after the troopers had, taken their places dis- orders died down in the regions pa- trolled. Scores of idle negroes, who had not participated in the rioting and had ‘been hered within doors for three days for fear of attack, rushed out- doors as the tramp of the military echoed down the streets of the black Ibelt, but they had been too much overwhelmed. by fear apparently to offer any greeting, merely watching with lightened countenances, Rain Dampens Ardour. Rain which had threatened during the early hours of the morning be- gan falling shortly after 6 o’clock. It seemed to effectively dampen the spirits of even the stragglers remain- ing about the riot area for they dis- appeared without awaiting the ap- pearance of soldiers with bayonetted guns. Officers in command reported that from all appearances the dis- tricts were practically deserted and were of the opinton that this marksi the end of disorders that for five days has rifted Chicago. Another \Negro Dead Thomas Copeland, negro, 18, died today of bullet wounds recefved in yesterday's rioting. ‘Negroes early today wrecked win- dows of a shoe store in East 35 street owned by a white man and carried away a quantity of shoes. Steel Cables Across Street With the coming of daylight, it was discovered that the rioters in a number of streets on the south side had stretched steel cables across the pavement with the evident intention of preventing the fire department from answering the alarms and per- haps wrecking the department's ap- paratus. There were a number of fires in houses occupied by negroes (Continued on Page Three.) MOTHER KILLED WHEN CAR TIPS; CHILDREN SAVED Mrs. Ross Strawbridge of San- ger Meets Instant Death Under Automobile Sanger, N. D. July 31.—Mrs. Ross Strawbridge was: instantly killed here when a car she was driving went over a six foot embankment, and she was pinned under the car, Her two child- ren aged seven and eleyen who were in the car With her escaped injury. It is not known just how the ac- cident occured. She had been here making some purchases and about ten o'clock started back to the farm about four miles south of Sanger. The ac- cident occured just on the outskirts of the town, Mrs. Strawbridge was about 35 years of age, a woman highly respected and her tragiy. death has caused deep sor- row in the community. She leaves a husband and two children. BRITAIN TO SEND NAVY TO RUSSIA TO PROTECT EVACUATION OF TROOPS London, July, 31—The British gov- ernment is arranging to send a naval force to Russia to cover the evacua- tion of the Archangel district by the troops there, it was announced today. A contingent of regular army troops also i sbeing held in readiness to as- sist there if necessary. GAME OF MANY KINDS FLEES BEFORE FIRES Helena, Mont., July 31—Numerous survey crews, working under the Unit- ed States general land office in the districts where forest fires rage, re- port seeing game of every description, driven out of the hills by fire and smoke. From bear to rabbits, the animals were fleeing in droves, the surveyors declared. As is usual with the bear in time of panic, they think only of escape and the laws of the forest are suspended. The stag may trot beside the wolf, when fire rages, with absolute im- punity.