New Britain Herald Newspaper, December 17, 1918, Page 1

12 \"l ABL leED 1876. EW BRITAIN CONNECTICUT TUE [)A\ HERALD “ADS” MEAN BETTER BUSINESS TAFT BELIEVES ENGLAND IS ENTETLED TO BIG NAVY; FAVORS INTERNATIONAL POLICE FORCE TO OMPEL COUNTRIES TO LIVE UP TO AGREEMENT FXPLOSION CAUSES |OFFICER WATCHES SUSPECT 320,000 LOSS AT GAS MAKING PLANT Mysterious Blast at 1:20 a. m. Destroys Part ol Purilying System—Firemen Do Good Work FLAMES CONFINED IN S[NGLE BUILDING Structurc Suddenly Wrapped in Flames, Night Foreman Declares— Sulphur Laden Gas Promisced For | A Few Days—Welding Rooms in Fac- torics Forced (o Suspend Opera- tions. l of which is at bllowing an explosion, the origin A mystery, a large purify- the New Meadow ing tank the plant Bri street , earl of ain Gas Light Co. on was hour destroyed by fire at an| threatening | without a gas y. The com- 000 this morning, leave New Britain least for the d tes it must expend $ to supply at pany estim for repair Fire a James Cherry, the night foreman, “was standing in the gas plant yard and turned to erreneRWRSIIRG [t 1:2 heargd a blast and in which the de- tar was located in telephcned to police nd later ran fire 213 at the can short dist away wrm. Jlor more than the fire department combat- injes, their valor, no doubt, responsible preventing the the fire to other buildings. was the that the iron girders supportin brick building in which the tank located were bent in and the tar coating on i large gas r fifty feet away was melted. Fierce Ouc, o’clock he the vhen buildir purity He arters box No. Co., a a saw ng tlanie: headc m to Amer] ance alar Hosier and ¥ rang in a W hou 1 being spre So intense the fl for to heat the was 1d of servoir Cause Still H. T unablc With and a Mystery. Sloper of to acccunt the the gas for the exception of a yoden slats on the building in- no fire Manager yompany explosion wooden 1s second is or flammable material. . There .are eleciric wirc or (ther souvrces of in the siructure. In fact there is no illumination and when it is neces ary to enter the building after dark an extension electric light is used. customary to operate the pur- tween m. and last night the process at 11 o’clock, later far as known, there in the apparatus and s the concern are | puz- the explosion. s em 1 7 a. m., and discontinued than u was the rled was wl. So no defect officials of by To Make Immediate Repairs, foon after the started, Mana- oper arrived at the yards and before the smoke had drifted away he had made arrangements for re- pairs, having telephoned to the Tsbell- Po 0., of Newark, N. J.,, manu- ct making appliance: were communicated to use gas sparingly when it was feared supply might be below ger of gas heads sked = irers anc ng, the \tiremer Lfte the fire alarm was serics of light explosions residents living within The sound re- a machine gun, explosions is un- who were present they did not hear v were distinct to the southwest out- Soon sound was heard R sembled tat of mile of Phe cause of thesc wn and many t fire doclare them, although th people living on skirts of the city In a statement published elsewhere, the gas company announces that it had the alternative after the fire of utting off the public supply entire- ly untll repairs had been made sfurnishing gas containing an of sulphur, not injurious to of dia odor. The also annotnced it be necessary discontinue the supply for evenings while irs are he plant Engineer Ruud ties Commission. or amount life but company greeable may gas rey to a few m spected the Public today by Utilr- was Are Affected. pressare could morning to run the ctories Sufficient not produced thi being | ABOUT WORLD !WHILE EX-PRESIDENT TELLS PEACE PLANS Strange Man From Bristol Writes Note to Taft Seeking Appointment—Famous Statesman Not in Favor of Immediate Disarmament. Although ex-President Taft was n Michael Broph, last night, a Bristol man, tended to harm the sp man intended to commit no ed the theater with that intention. Previous #b the opening of the ex the ticket taker at the door an W. H. Taft” and asked that it he the theater. His peculiar manners aro who informed Mr. McDonald that he this account the envelope was opened lowing note: “Dear Si across me of a knowledge that dent Taft is in New seated in th kno on wish to let order -1 religious there Britain vou and tonight. If him." Canvinced that the man ticket taker identify him in his stand about six feet away dent was speaking. see was insa the CLUB PRESIDENT INTRODUCES TAFT The first lectures and meeting of the series of entertainments planned by the New RBritain Teachers’ club for the season of 1918-19 was Theld las tnight when ex lent William Howard Taft addre large audi- ence at Fox’s the: His subject wa the resulta of great World war and in it he dealt mostly with the ne of league of un- der whose leadership the terms of the peace would be enforced and which would act as @ commission to help in giving independence to the many small republics which have sprung up since the end of the war The people of this thanks to the Teacher curing the services of speaker and one who is daily in con- tact with the subject on which he spoke. Mr. Taft was at his best last night. When he arrived in this city about 15 p. m,, he was taken to the Elks’ club where a banquet was ten- dered in his honor. He gave a short talk at the banquet. It is also fitting that a word should be said about.the stage and its fittings. They were ex- cellent. A combination of green and brown background with the simple emall table in the center of the stage draped with an American flag probably just the setting which event should have had. Mr. Taft pleased his audience. He did not launch forth into a gieat oratorical and forceful speech but with decided calmness he talked in the plain and simple worded American language and for this reason he w under- stood by everyone in the audience and his spe:ch was really appreciated. He clearly showed that he has not forgotten geography and the man small countries in the eastern hem- isphere by the ease with which hej discussed each one separately, their position, population, and the meth- ods to be used in securing their inde- pendence. His subject plainly dealt with the necessity of a league of na- tions. He also said that the world | must have a court of arbitration and 2 commission of conciliation which will be the leading powers of this league of nations. The work of the court can easily be seen while the work of the commission of cencilia- tion will be to take charge of republi- canizing the newly formed republi remaining with them during their critical period, and staying with them until they have established be- yond a doubt that they are able to govern themselves. In no unstirred terms did he denounce the Germans and the Bolsheviki terming them in the proper term of “‘murderers.” The meecting was opened by Joseph M. Wiseltier, professor of art at the Vocational High school, who is also president of the Teachers' club. His introduction follows: “You have been looking with expectation to this day when | the Teachers' club offers you the first of a series of lectures and entertain- ments which it has prepared for the season of 1918 and 1919. It is with genuine pleasure that I welcome so many tonight. This is what theatrical men cull a capacity house and we hope that the Teachers' club in the future will be favored with capacity houses only. “President W. F. Brooks of chapter of the ited Cross asked to remind vou that Christmas roll eall is now in full swing. His aim is essity a nations, city owe their club for se- uch an able was the { a | { | forward | a the lo- cal me (Continued on Fifteenth Page) every man, woman and child enrolled | for 1919, Of course such an ajm can- had under surveillance during (ker of theevening. overt act or changed envelope given is considerable money everything all right or if he would speake to me tomorrow I will audience and watched the suspect while the ex-presi- Policeman the Fox theater assembly who, it was feared, in- As developments proved, the his mind if he enter- ot aware of the fact, o galler; ses, the Bristol maa tendered to addressed to “Former President to Manager Charles McDonald used the suspicion of the ticket taker believed the man was demeated. On and it was found to contaia the fol- erc there was something strange came that account to the best of my coming to me. Former Presi- could aproach him we could fix call and W the up Manager McDonald had and Policeman Brophy took ne, not : be realizedl—there are the hopelessly poor, the insane, the criminals and infanis—but every man, woman, and child not in tiose quali- fications is confidently expected to put down his or her name and a dollar which entitles them to membership. “We have with us tonight one of the most prominent living men in America. Tt is hardly necessary for me to tell you who he is. Many of vou will remember him as the man who so successfully handled the situa- tion in the hilippines, at Cwha, the Panama Canal and as president of the United States. I now have the pleasure to present to you the Honor- able William Howard Taft,” As the last ‘words of the speaker were heard, from the right of tie stage Mr. Taft came on to the center where he stood silently for several moments during the playving the “Star Spangled Banner’ and while the audience grected him with steady applause. After the applause had ceased and the people were again seat- cd, he bezan one of the most learned, dignified, and yet simple speches ever heard here. on in of world part: the second relations, Mr words of the speaker preceding me in reference to the Red Cross I most heartily agree and 1 do this as chief executive that great body. (The Red All ex-presidents have some They are at least used as figure heads and that is the position which I hold in relation to the chief executive of the Red Cross. I am a mere figure head, the real work being done by the War Council. prohable that there will he no more contributions asked from the people. It is certain, however, that the usefulness of the organi: renewal calling of Cross.) use. Tt is of your subscriptions and the roll at this Christmas season. There are great things vet to be done by the Red Cross and the greatest is aiding our Allies. It must therefore be ready to go on with its work and to do this it must have a fund with which to go on. Let it feel that the American people is behind it. The members will work with more determination and it is now our duty to rally to the standard of the Red Cross, { LEAGUE OF NATIONS NEEDED FOR PEACE ow let me come to Ject. I shall talk on clinching the purpose which we have fought I feel it is thouroughly necessary that we must have a league of nations, not necessarily all nations, but at least those nations who will dictate and be responsible for the terms of (Mr. Taft by his particularly tive chuckle throughout the evening showed before he spoke the humor of his words and at frequent intervals he was forced to stop and chuckle himself while the audience applauded some particularly well aimed remark.) “I now wish to take you away back. Away back it is to many of you and 1 can harely remember it. It was in the administration before the present one, of Mr. Wilson, that there were negotiated two treaties be- tween the U. S. and Great Britain and the U. S. and France. These werc general arbitration treaties. Accord- ing to their ferms wo were to submit all differences to u hoard of arbitr tlon and were to abide by the award We thought at that time that we had the real the means of of the war to victory sub- a peace. attrac- ontinued on Page Fourteen) (« ition will be added ‘to from the | Places of Those Being Demobilized This Number Needed to Take Naval and Shipping Board \csscls Will Need Over Quarter of a Milhon Sailors After July 1 Next—69 Per Cent. of War Recruits Ask Rel ase. Washington, dred thousand men mu re-re cruited for the Navy next vear to take the places of the men enlisted for the war who will mobilized Capt. H. Laning, chief of the hurean of nav- igation, made this estimate today in asking the house naval affairs commit tee for an appropriation of $12,000- 000 to cover transportation and r cruiting expenses. 60 Per Cent. Want Discharges, After July 1, next, 350,000 men will be needed in the regular naval to man the naval and shipping board vessels, Captain Laning told the com- mittee. The regular navy at has 215,000 men and 165,000 of thesc enlisted since the war began for four years and 45,000 for ation of the war. More than 60 per cent. of the war recruits have asked to be discharged, he said, and the navy is in honor bound to release them. Four-Year Mcn Affected. “The navy has made no promises release the men who enlisted vears,” he added, “hut they would not be held after the war ended. Unless they are released. the navy will be made up of discontented men and its efficiency will be lowered.” In addition, it xplained. soon as ce terms are signed | naval force, numbering 0,000 must he placed on inactive dut | wptain Laning announced that ten 1 cent. of the of the regular naval forcoe will be discharged at once ‘.n\d that by July 1 next 150,000 men released. None will be discharged | from certain branches like the radio | and hosmtal which must | maintained at present strength I( LKS TO USHER ]V 1919 WITH DANCE of the present foree will have Christmas Program Two be Dec. 17 hun- force present the dur- to for four all understood was as the men, per men corps their | This Year Cur- tailed Becanse of High Cost The New Britain lodge of made no elaboiate plans for mas program As in the will donate to charity and dinners to a certain number families. No attempt will made, | however, to carry on charity work to | as great an extent in the past principally because of the al- prohibit cost of certain ar- and because of the fact that need of aid is not so great this as in the past New Year's eve dance will be held in The cbmmittee has whether the dance not. This has been several years past. The “forty-five” tournament being held at the club will the evening of December 26. Elks a Christ- th give past will of be most ticles, the vear On dinner and Blks' club. vet decded be public or custorn for a the not will the now, end on SPAIN CONDEMNS GERMANY Investigators Report That Shooting of Prisoners of War Was Un- Aet. Dec investigators inquiry into 17, who (H s, ) have conducted the shooting of French prisoners of war at the German prison camp at Langensalza have for- warded their report to the I‘rench governmental authorities, according to the Petit Journal. The newspape says the report declaves that the atti- tude of the prisoners did not justify the ruthless methods of the Germans. While at Aangensalza, the prisoners erected a theater. Before leaving the prison they attempted to tear it down and while they were thus engaged were fired upon German sentries. ¥ = WEATHER. Tarttord, cast for New einity : Dac. 17.—Fore- Britain and vi- Tair tonight and Wed- 30,000 IS NEW PERSONNEL‘ 120,000 | been | poor | | this morning and learned that [ | i Counsel For Samuel Un- termyer, whose has been the investiga tion of German propaganda, appeared today the senate investigating | committee to a what he de- seribed as innuendoes and implications r that previous to Washington, Dec. 17. of New Yor mentioned in before wer which made it apj March, 1916, his German. Mr. Untermyer declared he had de- clined, after being solicited, to act as for the German embass; of course, always solicitous, all of us,” he said, “that a milict be avoided and tried to do my humble part in my infrequent meet- ings with member of the German CLERKIN BACK N U. 5. counsel o as were wa Y. M. C. A. Man Gassed at Front, Was in Battle of Argonne Forest. Fugene J. Clerkin, former the New Britain Herald, who the Y. M. k States soil. Mrs. Clerkin, of received a message from editor of been with AL, mother, France United Ellen has . His Union street, in back on i | | her son this morning stating that he was in New York and would come home tomor Mr. Clerkin left France six months ago to- ow. New Britain en | route for His letters have revealed a true day, | | t of Amer sm and a willing- suffer any sacrifices with his duties. He has fire of German guns and a short time signed he spi ness line o) in been under before the armistice was was “gassed.” Herald telephone he had Argonne for ociate on the Clerkin A former talked with Mr. by been in the battle of the est, of winning the bitterest of the war, of breaking of the German backbone. one the which resulted in the the armistice that the was in Paris on the day was signed and reports nes there were beyond description Mr. Clerkin arrived at New York ate yesterday on the steamship Santa Ana. He savs the weather was mild during the vovage and’ today the first day t an overcoat nce he left Hundred he has worn Europe of friends will welcome Ar. Clerkin back to the home firesy New Yorker, Mentioned in Brewery clares That He Even Declined to Act As name | vmpathies were pro- | AFTER WORK OVERSEAS sporting | He | Investigation, De- German Embassy. embassy toward preserving the peace by making them feel that our hands were not turned against them, though I always insisted with them and they knew that I felt deeply that they were in the wrong “There is not hred of ba these vague implications. Being German parentage, although it most a century since my people set- tled in Virginia, it would not have heen unnatural under ordinary con- ditions, or in any sense improper if my sympathics had at that time been pro-German. Hentiment was quite evenly divided for a time, due partly on Fifteenth Page) PETER LONG RETIRES; | for of a (Continued | Veteran Shoe Merchant Be- comes Vice President of Main Street Firm. After 37 vears of active participa- tion in the business life of New Brit- ain, Peter Long, veteran shoe mer- chant, has retired and on Saturday his establishment at 275 Main street will be taken over by the Long Shoe Co., inc. The concern has a capital | stock af $12,000, all paid in. Although he will not take an active part in the conduct of the business, Mr. Long will be vice president of the concern. Clarence L. Plerce is president of the new corporation. A G. Kuhnle is secretary and treasurer and will become manager of the store, which will be remodeled and will include glove and hasiery de- partments. Thirty-seven year with his brother, Mr, J. Loag, Loug, ago, William R. eston hased & Son store in which was on the naw oceupied by buildi Zht cern to has vears. brothers the store ephen old site the years the Lawrence block, oceupied Barnes the | now L. M later the the Central block maintained the location for Fifteen Yyears aga the dissolved tnership was continued | Long, who has been highly by other business men and general public, The deal for the sale the 1o the corporation was made by O'Connor. con- and 29 Long and pected by the | moved by 3 or of st T. W. BOMBARD BOLSHEVIKI English Squadron Fires Positions at Held By on Inemy Southern Coast of Gulf of Finland. Stockholm, squadron positions Dee. 16 An IEnglish bombarded Bolshevist along the southern st ot it Gulf of Finland, according to an | official statement issued from the F has al- | is al-! IN BUSINESS 37 YEARS NAVY MUST RECRUIT 'HUN PROPAGANDA HEARINGS) FREED PRISONERS 200,000 NEXT YEAR CONTINUE; UNTERMYER SAYS| §TART DISORDERS, HE NEVER WAS PRO- GERMANJ COMMISSION FINDS } | { 1 Anti-Jewish Pogroms in Poland/ Being Investigated—Both Factions May Be Found to Be at Fault 'JEWS BLAME POLES FOR ILL TREATMENT! | Tolerance Is Shown By Giving Jews( | Right to Vote—Ukrainians In Tem-( Opened the Jails, Released| Convicts and Trouble Began aft( Once, Is General Pilsudski’s Erphq( berg nation, Warsaw, Dec. 15.—Gen. Jaseph{ Pilsudski, the military head of the Polish government and the popular | idol of Poland, spoke freely today! with the correspondent relative to thel Jewish situation in this countr “The Jewish question is most diffi- cult far Poland,” he said, “and it will need great effort and sacrifices on the part of both Poles and Jews to reach a solution, One of the best proofs of our tolerance toward the Jews may be found in the fact that they were permitted ta participate in the re- cent election. A special commission is investigating the alleged pogroms at Lemberg. It has been wblished that the first act of the Ukrainians after occupying the city was to re- lease prisoners from the jails. These prisoners began to pillage the city and disorders naturally arose. Polish Patrols Attacked. “When Polish patrols entered Lemberg ghetto they were fired on from windows and hot water was powred on them. At the beginning of the trouble, the forces of Polish reg- ular troops in Lemberg were unable to cope with the situation, but, whem | reinforced restored order and placed, |in Jail 1,600 persons, many of whomy were Ukrainian soldiers.” & Noah Prilucki, a leader of the Jewish national party, sald to the eor-i respondent: Jews Blame Polish People. “The trouble between the Poles andi the Jews is the outgrowth of the in- disposition of the Poles to meet oury demands in the light of Presidents Wilsan’s declarations. The national~ istic idea has been growing for 50 vears, but has developed among Jews | only recently. We have aspirations { similar to the Czechs and Serblans, | but lack territary. Anti-Semetis agi- [ tation began 40 vears ago when Poles. urged to take up land, open, 1l stores and overcame Jewlshy competition Deny Being Pro-German, “Jewish nationalistic aspirationsy took form nine years ago, belng stim-| | ulated by the Russian revolution. Afe | ter the preseat war broke out, the | the | Jews began again. When German oe- cupation came, the Poles accused the| Jews of co-operating with the Ger-| mans. “It is not true that Jews acted as, spies for the Germans. It might be remarked that Austrians hanged Jews before the war ended. It is true that jails were opened at Lemberg, but Poish soldiers began the disor- ders by setting fire to the homes of the Jews and then thieves came.” HUNS KILL PRISONERS Six Russian Prisoners at Cracow Shog While They Refused to Work— Seven More Wounded. Zurich, Dec. 17, (Havas.)—Ger- man soldiers at Cracow are reported to have fired upon Russian prisoners who refused to work, killing six and wounding seven, according to the Stuttgart Tageblatt. It is stated that the incident occurred since the sign- ing of the armistice between the Allics and Germany. BELGIAN PEACE ENVOYS SELECTED Brussels, Dec. 17.—The Belglan | government announces that its dele- | gation to the peace congress will be composed of Paul Hymans, ministen| for foreiga affairs and former minise| ter in London: Hmile Vandervelde, minister of justice and socialist lead- | thonia. army headquarters. Bolshe I‘i, . forces have been repulsed, ac- cording to the rgporty er, and aron vaa den Heuvel, Bel« glan minister at the Vatican aad ff. mer minister of justice,