PORTLAND, OREGON, WEDNESDAY, XOVE3II5KK 1919. PRICE FIVE CENTS VOL. LVIII NO. 18,409 Entered at Portland (Oregon) Potoffice a S?eind-C!a5? Matter. TURKEY PRICE SOARS TO SIXTY-CENT MARK 5300,000 IS ADDED TO SOLDIERS' AID MRS. THOMAS THUMB, FAMOUS DWARF, DIES LILLIPUTIAN" OF 29 POUNDS OUTLIVES ASSOCIATES. BLACK HAND BANDITS CONFESS 12 MURDERS CHICAGO POLICE BREAK UP UNDERWORLD GANG. RAIL STRIKE TOPIC IN SEGRET SESSION WEDDING ATTENDANTS CHARGED WITH THEFT CABINET FAILS TO DECIDE COMJUCE Wilson's Aides Seem Hopelessly Deadlocked. UNCLE SUM READY FOR ACTION SOUTH Mexican Difficulty Now Up to Carranza. SUPPLY OX PORTLAND MAR RET BELOW AVERAGE. SEATTLE BRIDECi ROOM LOSES $560 A FT Ell CKKEMONY. CAPITAL IS MUCH CONCERNED Relations Between Countries Admittedly Strained. klWOY MAY BE RELEASED Covernmcnt, Afler Investigation, Declares Jenkins' Public and Private Record Good. F.t, PASO, T., IVov. So. Fifty 150- niillimrter, or Snyder howitien, Mid to be the blesrat sons ever brought to the border, have been added to the ordnance atorea nf Fort Blisa, It ml aflTlelallT- annonnced here today. The snna coat $45,000 each. MEXICO CITT, Nov. 25. There was a rumor in newspaper circles this evening that the Mexican govern ment's answer to the American note demanding the release of Consular Agent Jenkins would be given Wednes day. The American embassy announces that it has received no information to this -effect. At the embassy it was stated to night that no word has been received indicating that Mr. Jenkins had been set free. Lower Quotations Regarded Im probable Unless Large Supply of Birds Comes in Today. Turkeys climbed to 60 cents a pVund in most of the retail stores yesterday. only a few dealers asking 60c to 55c for good birds. The supply was iar horp of what was expected, and it is not likely the stocks will be material- y increased today. On Front street wholesale prices advanced 3c to 5c during the day and the Diras were sold as fast as they could be unpacked. Dealers were somewhat at a loss to account for the scarcity of turkeys. The Oregon crop this year was as large as usual, but it is known that many of the flocks were not fattened up to the customary Thanksgiving standard, and these will be held back for the Christmas trade. Retailers reported a good business in spite of the high prices and unless any late shiprnents come in today they do not expect the market to be cheaper. There was the customary proportion of second grade turkeys offered, and these could be had at 45 cents. Other kinds of dressed poultry were plentiful. rucks sold at 45 cents, geese at 40 cents and fat hens at the same price. Emergency Board Makes Study Fund $500,000. WASHINGTON, Nov. 25. The new flareup over the Mexican problem growing out of the Jenkins case was given serious consideration today at a meeting of the president's cabinet. There was no intimation as to what this government might do In the event President Carranza re fused to answer the note from the state department demanding immedi ate release of William O. Jenkins, consular agent at Puebla, held on a charge of conniving with bandits who kidnaped and held him for 1150,000 ransom. No attempt was made to conceal the feeling that the situation wa serious and that relations between the United States and Mexico were strained. Officials said the three de partments, state, war and navy, were ready to meet any eventuality and deal with any situation arising out of a more defiant attitude by the Carranza administration toward the United States. Jenklna' Record Held Good. In the absence of advices from the embassy at Mexico City, officials were not inclined to put much faith in' reports coming by way of La redo, Texas, that the release of Jenkins "was momentarily expected There was no word to the department from the Mexican embassy here, and while nobodv seemed to know what the next day might bring forth, of ficials said they would not bo sur prised to hear that Jenkins had been released. Meanwhile, the government h checked up on the official and privat record of Jenkins and has given him a high-class rating. Officials declared there was no foundation for the charge that he had conspired with the bandits, and that information from every available source showed that his statement of his capture, and the methods employed by the bandits. was correct in all details. Conaular Agent Is III. The latest report from the Ameri can embassy showed that Jenkins was still in the penitentiary and ill and that bail had been refused him. In looking into the various features of the consular agent's predicament officials pointed out today that under the Mexican constitution state courts had no Jurisdiction over cases involv lr.g diplomatic or consular officers, such jurisdiction being lodged specif ically in the federal courts. It was contended that the federal court of Mexico could settle the question with one stroke of the pen simply by as suming Jurisdiction as its right. LAREDO, Tex., Nov. 25 Release of William O. Jenkins, American con sular agent at Puebla. Mexico, "was expected momentarily," according to a dispatch from Puebla to Excelsior, a Mexican City newspaper, under date of Sunday, November 23. neleaae of Conaael Ordered. , Jenkins has been in prison on charges of collusion with the bandits who held him for J150.000 ransom. The Puebla dispatch said the dis trict judge had ordered the immedi ate release of Licud Mestre. counsel for Jenkins, as he held Mestre was not implicated in any way as a go between in obtaining Jenkins' release from the bandits. The court investigating Jenkins" case now is examining employes of the Chavarria, Chihuahua, electric plant, where Jenkins was set free by the bandits. BALTIC ALLIANCE FACT LitTinoff to Discuss Peace on Be' bait of Bolsheviki. REVAL, Nov. 24. (By the Associat ed Press.) The Baltic states alliance is a fact and will be publicly declared when the governments which partici pated in the negotiations at Dorpal have ratified the preliminary agree ment. Peace discussions will begin when Maxim Litvinoff, bolshevik represent ative, returns from Copenhagen. Lit vinoff has full power to negotiate peace with the Baltic states on behalf of soviet Russia. The bolsheviki are continuing to attack in the Tamburg district with strong forces in an endeavor to crush the Russian northwest army. CRIMINAL HUNT GETS 510,000 World Several Times Traversed Under Management of P. T. Bar num; Large Fortune Amassed. Confession Says Dozen Killings . Were Result of Resistance Of fered by Victims of Outlaws. Appropriation Is Put at Dis posal of Governor. GRAIN INSPECTION AIDED $10,000 Authorized to Carry on Work University's Petition for $5600 Is Granted. EMERGENCY BOARD APPRO PRIATIONS. Emergency appropriations to taling $323,600 granted at spe cial session of state board. The allotments were as fol lows: $30,000 increase in ex-service men's educational fund, raising total to $500,000. jl 0,000 to carry on operations of state grain inspection de partment. $10,000 to be used by the of fice of governor in apprehen sion and prosecution of crim inals. $5600 for use by the medical department of the University of Oregon. MOST PUPILS DEFECTIVE Doctor Says 16,000,000 in United States HaTe Health Defects. NEW YORK, Nov. 25. Approxi mately 75 per ceriJwor 16,000,000, of the school children in the United States have health defects, and where health work with attention to vision has not been inaugurated, 25 to 35 per cent have eye defects, according to Dr. Thomas D. Wood of Columbia university, principal speaker at the armial meeting today, of the national committee for the prevention of blind nets. Dr. Wood declared that only a small proportion of the 5,000,000 to 7,000.000 children with defective vision have had these defects recognized. PATTI MAKES BEQUESTS SALEM. Or.. Nov. 25. (Special.) The secretary of state today was au thorized to issue certificates of in- ebtedness in a sum not to exceed 300,000 as of date of January 1, 1920, to care for the claims of ex- service men attending tne various educational Institutions of the state nder what is known as the soldiers'. sailors' and marines' financial aid law, passed at the last session of the leg islature. This authorization was the outstanding feature of the special ession of the state emergency board ere today. The board also pledged itself to grant a deficiency of $i600 follow- ng the exhausting of present funds pf the medical department of the Uni versity of Oregon to meet an increase in salaries and cost of maintenance. It also authorized outright deficien cies of $10,000 to the Oregon public service commission to carry on the operations of the grain department. and $10,000 to the executive offices to employ special agents for the appre- Fortune of 116,000 Pounds . Left by Prima JJonna. LONDON, Nov. 25. Adelina Patti, famous prima donna, who died faep tember 27 at her castle in Wales, left a fortune valued at 116,000. She bequeathed her entire property to Baron Rolf Cederstrom, her hus band, with the exception of special bequests of jewelry to Alfred de Rothchild, Marienne Eisslner, Clara Elsslner and Mabel Woodford, and a PoDe Leo XIII ' stole 'to' Herbert Vaughan. a nephew of Father Ber nard Vaughan. , 3000 QUIT MEAT PLANTS Emoloves of Six Milwaukee Con cerns Go Out on Strite. MILWAUKEE, Wis., Nov. 25. Meat cutters, packers, butchers, drivers an laborers numbering approximately 3000, according to an estimate of a: official of one of six affected plants, went on strike here today. Recognition of the union, an crease of '25 cents an hour and an eight-hour day are the men's d mandB. . BERKMAN TO BE DEPORTED Emma Goldman's Case Now Under Consideration in Washington WASHINGTON. Nov. 25. The Immi gration bureau's recommendation that Alexander Berkman, by his own ad mission an anarchist, be deported, wa: approved tonight fcy the departmen of labor. The record in the case of Emm; Goldman, it was stated, has reache the bureau "and is proceeding rapidly to a decision." SIX HELD FOR CONTEMPT Miners Declared to Have Disobeyed Strike Injunction. SHERIDAN. Wyo.. Nov. 25. Six miners were arrested here today charged with violating the strike in junction of Federal Judge Anderson of Indianapolis. V PRESIDIO, Tex.. Nov. 25. Jesus Renteria, the bandit who obtained 915,000 ransom for the return of the L'nited States army aviators. Lieuten ants Davis and Peterson, was killed by another bandit at Carrisos Springs, Mexico, in a fight over division of the ransom money, according to ap- ( Concluded on Pa.se 6, Column MIDDLEBORO, Mass.. Nov. 25. Countess Primo Magri, known to the general public as Mrs. Thomas Thumb, and on of the best-known lilliputians in the world, died at her home today after a long illness. She was 77 years of age and had traveled around the world several times under manage ment of the late P. . T. Barnum. Countess Magri was the daughter of James S. and Hulda Bump. Count Magri, her husband, survives. One of the world's most famous dwarfs. Mrs. Thumb measured only inches in height. She weighed only 29 pounds. Born in Middleboro. Mass about 1844, she outlived all the pro fessional associates of her generation. Her first husband. General Tom Thumb, has been dead for 30 years. Her sister, also a dwarf, still smaller, died 35 years ago. The, parents were of large' stature and numerous children born to them. with two exceptions, were of normal size. At birth Lavina Warren, for such was Mrs. Thumb's maiden name. weighed six pounds and at the age of 1 year she was of normal size. Mrs. Thumbs first public appear ance was at the age of 17,- under the management of a cousin who operated a "floating palace of curiosities" on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers before the civil war. She met P. T. Barnum in 1862. Then began her great career under his man agement. It was a tour of triumph through the camps of the civil war and in foreign capitals. Mrs. Thumb's public career occupied 56 eventful years. During this time she traveled over the civilized world and had been introduced to nearly every crowned head and eminent per son in every country she visited. "It has been asserted," said this remarkable little woman, "that Gen eral Tom Thumb had kissed more women than any living man. I can with equal assurance assert that I have shaken hands with more human beings in all stations of life than any bther woman in existence. My trav els have embraced Europe, Asia. Aus tralia, Africa and America." Accumulating a large fortune, Mrs. Thumb made her farewell tour in 1912. Her second husband. Count Magri of Italy, is also a dwarf. He became a naturalized citizen of the United States shortly after his mar rlage to Mrs. Thumb. CHICAGO. Nov. 25. Eight more murders, bringing the total to 1 were confessed today by the Cardin- ella A. Campioni gang. "Black Hand bandits of the south side underworld. Police say most of the victims were killed when they attempted to frus trate robberies. The capture of the gang is rated as one of the police department's greatest achievements. A flimsy plot on the part of the leaders led to the downfall of the gang. Victims of a poolroom holdup told police that a young Italian named Thomas Errico was unmo lested by the ' three bandits who robbed the place. Detectives arrested Errico and se cured a confession: He was a re cruit and acted as "advance agent." Members of the gang, police say, de clare that Santa Orlando, one time leader of the clique, whose body, with 14 bullet wounds was found floating in the drainage canal, was slain because he was "double-crossing" his "pals." Sixteen detectives armed with rifles covered every window of the home of Frank Campioni, former leader of the gang, and arrested him without a fight. The home was a regular arsenal. UNION CHARTER ATTACKED Court Asked to Outlaw Slovcnic Workers' Organization. HARRISBURG. Pa., Nov. 25. Attorney-General William I. Schaefer to day brought action in the Dauphin county court to forfeit the charter of the Slovenic Workingmen s Benefit union of Johnstown. The charter, it is said, contains a provision which permits the expul sion of any man who becomes a strikebreaker. Cleveland Conference Is Said to Favor Tieup. UNION LOCALS URGE ACTION Bc.-t Man and Bridesmaid Arc Placed Under Arrest $600 Turned Over to Officers. Kansas City Asks Permission to Go Out Today. HINES' OFFER CONSIDERED Brotherhood Chairmen Accept Part of Working Hours Proposal But light Overtime. (Concluded on Page 2, Column S.) CHEHAL1S CHIEF MARKED Letter From Cottage Grove Radical Contains Threat. CHEHALIS, Wash., Nov. 25. (Spe cial.) Joe Knizek, .chief of police of this city, an ex-service man. who has been active in rounding up the I. W. W-, has received a letter threatening his life. The note is postmarked at Cottage Grove, Or., and pointedly says: "If you value your skin, leave the I. W. W. alone." The chief, who saw service In France, says he is not worrying over the matter. FRENCH RETURN TO HOMES Majority of Population Sow Back in Devastated Regions. WASHINGTON. Nov. 25. Of the pre-war population of 5.230,000 in the devastated region of ranee, four- fifths have returned to their former homes, according to a report Issued by the American Red Cross in 'Paris. French authorities expect a re- turn of the majority of the remainder within the next few weeks. EGGS AGAIN SELL AT $1 i Apex Reached Twice In Two Months in ban Francisco Market. SAN FRANCISCO. Nov. 25. For the second time in two months the re tail price of eggs reached 1 a dozen in San Francisco. The wholesale price was 91 H cents, a 34 -cent jump over yesterday's figures. MOTHER'S WATCHFUL WAITING POLICY SEEMS TO BE A FAILURE, TOO. SAN FRANCISCO IS SHAKEN ., ,. Sharp Earthquake Shocks Felt in Early Morning Honrs. SAN FRANCISCO, Not. 25. A sharp earthquake shock was felt here and in this vicinity. The tremor occurred at 3:07 this mornuuc i : . . . j I " " fv,o s aT I Par, .mow ! ill I TttettlGmtia I 1 X WW I 1 ill' tlwHuufc-U-H&Jlr- t T I VVSDOVU f- 1 fi . ' H V H Q H I I 1 I I Lrl R L R X t mill mzjzzzzzj t i ; s - w.v n.- ' - i -x iM-r" m i i iii i r II i I T 1 ! S vsS, " Vk'h'ffT . t ' CHICAGO. Nov. 25. National lead ers of the four great railway broth erhoods held a, secret session today at which the insistence of many local unions that a general strike of all railway workers in the United States be called by December 1, to enforce demands for a general increase in pay, was given serious consideration, according to information obtained here tonight from union railway men. It was said by one union official that many of the delegates who are now in Cleveland went there with the specific purpose of forcing the ger.eral committee to call the nation wide strike. It became known tonight that the Kansas City local of the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen had tele graphed national officers of their or ganization asking permission to call a strike of trainmen and yardmen tomorrow. .It was reported that the national officers replied in such a way as to leave the question entirely open and subject to the decision of local officials. Tle-Lp l Favored. The union officials' In Chicago from wnom the information was obtained stated that so far aa they were aware the secret conference"1!! Cleveland had not yet reached the point where resolutions' or motions. for the strike actually had been presented but that the discussion concerning it today, according to their information, was favorable-to the project and that the tie-up could be expected within threo days. A similar announcement was made late today at the convention of the newly organized labor party here. Buffalo. Detroit, Pittsburg and St. Louis were declared to- have -been among the cities whose locals were particularly Insistent that a strike be called in view of recent govern mental statements to the effect that general advances In the pay of rail way workers could not be considered at this time. The 14 locals of Chi cago railway men. it was said, had voted unanimously in favor of the strike, and that a resolution asking for a strike decision had been sent to W. G. Lee, president of the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen. Official. Fear Injunction. In some union quarters It was stat ed tonight that the real reason why the national officials now in Cleve land hesitate to make an announce ment of the strike or to be placed in SEATTLE. Wash., Nov. 25. (Sve cial.) While Captain and Mrs. Ben jamin Jacobson. v.-ho were married in Tacoma Monday night, were at j their wedding dinner with friends kn J a downtown hotel here last night. uuitit&is iiiMiuKPa ine nnaegrooin g trunk and obtained J .".CO and at an early hour this morning Mr. and Mrs. Harry Denny, who stood up .with the newly-married couy-le at the cere mony, were lodged in the city jail pending an investigation into their alleged connection with the theft. The party returned to Seattle in the evening and Captain Jacobson in vited the attending pair to have sup per with him at the Builer. They left the Jacobson apartments, the bridegroom said, and started to the Butler, where Denny excused himself, saying he had to attend to some personal matters. He joined them later. All went merrily until midnight, when Captain Jacobson and bride re turned home with their guests and decided to see if their money was intact. To their astonishment they discovered that the trunk had been broken into and inspection showed the $560 was gone. Then Captain Jacobson called Denny, who said among other things he had gone to see Mr. Bonner when he left the wed ding party on the way to the supper. The officers could not find Bonner. but being satisfied that Denny knew something he was not telling, they took him and his wife to the citv jail. The officers then sought Mr. Bon ner, hut were not successful until 4 o'clock this mornir g. when he walked into the police station. He said he had not seen Denny all night, but that Denny had left S00 In his place for safe keeping while he was out. The money was turned over to the police. CALCULATION BASIS AT ISSUE Division of Burden Between Owners and Public in Doubt. McADOO IS CRITICISED WOMEN BOYCOTT BREAD San Francisco Housewives Hefuse to Pay High Prices. SAN FRANCISCO. Nov. 25. The housewives league of San Francisco organized today at a meeting of sev eral hundred women, adopted resolu tions pledging the members to re fuse to buy 16-ounce loaves of bread t 12 cents and 24 ounce loaves at 17 cents. Ten and 15 cents were declared suf ficiently high prices to pay. OAKLAND, Cal., Nov. 25. The housewives' league of Oakland today adopted the slogan "omit the turkey" and decided to make a house-to-house canvass tomorrow to urge each house wife to do without turkey Thanks giving because of high prices. Plans to reduce the price of milk, bread and eggs by limiting consumption were made. INDEX OF TODAY'S NEWS Thf Weather. YESTERDAY'S Maximum temperature. A'.i degrees; minimum, degrees. TODAY'S Rain and colder; fresh north erly winds. Foreign. Execution of three Mexican bandits utayed by appeal to supreme court. Page . Russian army of General Yudenitch now practically disorganized. Page 2. Apprehension over general European sit uation is growing daily. Page 2. Germans will renew war as food as they are able, says Marshal roch. Page 16. the position of directing the proposed j MinB 8tl idie, while cry for coal grows strike call Is their fear of strike in- 1 daily louder. Page 9. junctions, and that it is their ouroose t u- s- may "tend time for payment by irom tne action or tne rank and f ile ( issue. Page 1. of railway union men. The main demand of the railway men, as reported by union men here. is that of a general increase, inde pendent of all overtime questions. In the rate of pay for firemen, engine men and trainmen. It was said that a quick strike would be justifiable i because of the situation produced by the mounting cost of living and the j length of time during which the rail way men's demands had been before the railroad administration, made un necessary the enforcement of the 30 day notice rule, which normally would precede a strike. It was said that the secret con ference would continue In Cleveland tomorrow, but that there was every assurance that nothing of a concrete nature would come from the discus sions for at least three days. CLEVELAND, Nov. 25. The BOO general chairmen of the four great brotherhoods called In conference here by the four chief executives to consider the offer of Director-General of Railroads Hines granting time and one-half for overtime in slow freight service and a uniform 16-hour rule for crews held away from home terminals, today voted to accept the away-from-horae rule," but did not reach a vote on the overtime proposition. Discussion of the overtime propo sition occupied most of today's two sessions, many delegates bitterly op posing the overtime proposition. From an authoritative source to night it was learned that in all prob ability the delegates will reject the offer of time and one-half for over time in slow freight service at to morrow's meeting. Wa;e Resoeit Bring; Offer. The director-general's offer Is in re sponse to the brotherhood's request for a general wage increase of ap proximately 60 per cent, and grants time and a half for overtime in slow freight service, provided arbitrary al lowances now given in rntny of the schedules in effect. which create iCou eluded, ya Page Column l.i U. S. ready for whatever may develop in Mexican situation. Page 1. Prohibition is put up to local officials. Page 1. Senator Jones exposes democratic smoke screen. Page 4. Domestic. Blark hand bandits confess 12 murders. Page 1. Shipping board to expend 7, 000. 000 in remodeling ex-German vessels. Page 22. Prohibition iFaue causes fight in meeting of labor party. Page 5. Ellis island reds on silence and hunger strike. Page. 7. Soviet ambassador admits cash payments for aid in New York City. Page 4. Governor urges Investigation of use of North Dakota funds. Page 4. International labor governing body formed under treaty. Page 9. Mr.. Tom Thumb, famous dwarf, dies. Page 1. , British soap king adopts six-hour day. Page 6. Kail strike topic In secret session of of ficials. Page 1. Psvclfic Northwesx. Geographical lines will cut little fijrure in coming Washington primaries. Page 3. Emergency board adds :i00,000 to soldiers' educational iunu. Jtage 1. George A. "White to resume Oregon Guard command within six months. Page 8. Seattle best man and bridesmaid charged with theft or oou irom newiyweds. Page 1. Sport. O. A. C. -Notre Dame football game re garded, highly prob&oie. page 14. Four big turkev day clashes billed for northwest. Page 14. Farmer-McCormick bout ends In draw. Page 13. Van Court, grand old man of ring, has two proteges here for fights tonight. Page 15. Commercial and Marine. Turkey receipts are not equal to whole aalers' orders. Page 22. Corn higher at Chicago on probability of large exports, rage ... Motor stocks advanced sharply by Wall street pools. Page Portland and Vicinity. Kr-hfwt board to investigate before acting in case of teacher who allowed boy with smallpox to attena classes. -age s. Seattle would give democratic convention to Portland, rage ij. Mayor finds city can't pay reward for mur derers. rage x. Woman still has hopes for voters league in Portland. Page 12. Retail price of turkeys soars to 60-cent mark. Page 1. Smith, Ogl and Banaster indicted for tavern murders. Page 17. M-U-r warn-, then tires la cal shot- Page . xx-Seorctarys Basis for 1 ijjurini: Taxes Held l-'alse Attempt to Fix Scale to Be Made Today. WASHINGTON, Nov. 25. Like the miners and operators whose troubles it was trying to adjust. President Wilson's cabinet tonight seemed hope lessly deadlocked on the question of a wage increase in the bituminous coal industry. After a six-hour session, the cabinet, which took up the wage scale agree ment where operators and miners left off last week, adjourned until tomor row when another attempt, with the aid of Kuel Administrator Garfield, win do made to agree upon a pay scale that will satisfy the minework ers and owners and the people in all sections of the country who are clamoring for normal production of coal. Calculation BhhI at Imuc The proper Da.sis of calculating the proposed wage advance and the ratio of dividing the consequent increase in-cost of production of coal between the operators and the public, are understood to have been the points of difference among the cabinet mem bers. Dr. Garfield, who took a lead ing part in the discussions, took issue with aecreiary of Labor Wilson as to the method of applying the figures accepted by both. No statement was forthcoming after the meeting except an announcement by Mr. Garfield that the cabinet would meet again '.omorrow and that he would not see either the miners or operators meanwhile. He declined to ay whether prog ress had been made, but one mem ber of the cabinet declared prospects of an agreement were "not hopeless." W ilscn'a Katlmate Accepted. Secretary Wilson's estimate that the cost of living had increased 79 per cent over 1914 was accepted, it was understood, but a difference of opin ion arose as to the application of this and other figures in computing an in crease in wages. Secretary Glass said tonight that he might have "some very interesting figures tomorrow," emphasizing that they had been compiled for the pub lic and not for the cabinet. He de clined to say whether they were the income tax returns received by the treasury department on excess profits from the coal industry. Significance was attached to this announcement in view of the fact that the amount of profit made by the coal companies during the last two years and the percentage of increase in any possible wage advance which the operators might be asked to bear have been the most bitterly disputed points. McAdoo Statement Topic The statements of Former Secretary of the Treasury McAdoo, charging that some of the coal concerns made enormous profits during his incum bency, came in for discussion at the cabinet meeting, it was learned, but no one would say what form the dis- cussion took. The Lever food control act was not mentioned at the meeting, it was said. Director-General Hines attended the session, but declined to say what took place. Before the meeting Attorney-Gen eral Palmer said that if the figures as to operators' profits given yesterday by Mr. McAdoo were correct, it was not likely Dr. Garfield would permit an increased price for coal. In a statement bearing on this issue the operators said "that con ditions in 1917 were abnormal," but that as Mr. McAdoo was "Ignorant" of conditions in 1918 and 1919, his mes sage "carries no weight and requires no answer." The operators said they welcomed an investigation of current tax returns and that they had been urging a board of arbitration or a tribunal of investigation, but that the miners refused to agree to it. Sub-Scale Committee Meets. The sub-scale committee held a per functory meeting today, at which Dr. Garfield's statement of principles was discussed. Pending word from the cabinet, adjournment was taken until tomorrow. Neither operators nor miners were hopeful tonight of a settlement before next week. While the sub-scale com mittee plans to remain In etttsion many operators have arranged to spend Thanksgiving day at their homes. Charging that former Secretary Ma Adoo had been "studiously malicious," George H. Cushing, managing direc tor of the American Wholesale Coal association in a statement tonight explained that the 2000 per cent of which the former secretary com plained was figured on either volume of business or capital stock. This, percentage, he said, was made In the case of abandoned mines worked on a co-operative basis, where the only capital consisted of tools and supplies.