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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 13, 1921)
THE SUNDAY OREGOXIAX, PORTLAND, FEBRUARY 13, 1921 S IERIC1 PAYROLLS CUT SIX BILLIONS Labor's Contribution to De nation Is Gigantic. REVIVAL IS EXPECTED All Signs Declared to Point to Continuation of Readjustment. Vneniployment on Wane. BY HARDEN' COLFAX. (Copyright, bv The Oregonian.) WASHINGTON'. Feb. II. (Special.) American payrolls have been cut JS.O'JO.OOO.OOO during the period of the last six months. Such is labor's quick and gigantic contribution to tue post-war deflation of values. .Forty per cent of the country's 40. ftOn.OOO workers apparently have been affected directly by wage cuts, sal ary cuts, short tune or unemploy tnent. The other 60 per cent, with important exceptions, seems destined to be affected soru time within the next year or la months, but tne re adjustment will be less violent and the deflation process' slower. All signs point to a continuation, with increasing momentum, of the business revival which first became perceptible a month or six weeks ago. I nemployinent is reported to be on tile wane; business is picking up; here and there it still lags; and 1921 bids fair to be as healthy, industrially and commercially, as 1920. Kqnations lard in Study, Such are the high lights of a care ful survey of our present business situation conducted by a canvass of governmental agencies, trade organi zations, financial institutions and in dividual industries. The survey is l.Hsed on a study of all equations en tering into our commercial life, but ts hampered by a lack of concrete facts, almost amazing, upon which final summing up can be made. It is given as the result of days of re search, with the knowledge and ap proval of government officials con cerned, for what it is worth. Six billion dollars of inflation has 4ecn squeezed out of the values of commodities during the last few months by the calloused hands of la bor alone. The wage earner has joined the producer, the middleman and the retailer in bringing down the tost of living. A commercial agency of national reputation was quoted the other day as saying that values had dropped 40 per cent from their peak of May and June, 1920. To obtain an idea of the cut in American payrolls it was necessary to go back to the census figures of 1910. Nobody in the United States knows today how many workers there are in the country. The 1910 census totaled them at 38,000.000. The gov ernment in 1918 estimated that it re quired seven workers at home to sup port a man in kahki. There were 5.000,000 men in the army; the wage earners' army, by estimate, must have been 35.000.000. Nobody knows exactly how much wages have advanced, on the average, since the pre-war days. A govern ment survey, however, never pub lished or referred to before, was made last year in 30 states among 680 in dustrial, commercial and other estab lishments, thoroughly representative of American business life. The gist of the reports was that wages bad advanced 144.9 per cent in June last the peak of high wages over 1914. Avrrace in 1914 fOOO. In 1914 the average estimated an nual wage of 38,000.000 workers was J600. Applying the 144.9 per cent in crease to that figure and. inciden tally, that percentage is conservative, as certain states, notably Delaware, have reported wage increases up to 22t per ceift, covering their entire population of workers the average worker's annual wage in June last was J 1500. A fair, normal rate of growth, mak ing due allowance for the rush of women into Industry during the war period, would bring the country's to tal workers up to 43.000,000. We thus have 45.000.0uO workers at an aver age of $1500 a year each, or a total payroll of more than $60,000,000,000. Coming to the wage cuts, it was found by reports at the labor depart ment that almost 12.000.000 workers engaged in manufacture have suffered reductions, have be-yn put" on part time or have undergone a period of unemployment. In some lines, such as automobile manufacturing and tex tiles, the cuts were drastic, throwing tens of thousands out of work. In the basic industries of oil-producing, lumber and metal mining many workers have been cut. Many others, notably 723.000 men employed in coal mining, are still working at the same rates of pay, though on re duced time. The 2.000.000 railroad employes have not been cut, but have had their numbers reduced and in many cases their working time cut down. The quarter of a million street car em ployes have not been cut, nor hav the 1.000,000 telephone and telegraph employes so far as can be learned. And professional men. with rare ex ceptions, are obtaining war-time com pensation. Summing up, the government offi cials interested believe that more than 40 per cent of the wage earners have contributed by income sacrifice to deflation, and 10 per cent of the total earnings is a conservative esti mate of the payroll cut. As to the future, .11 authorities agree that business Is looking up. that the worst is over and that. the outlines of the good old times are in sight now, even if they are not within hailing distance. not renounce commitments to Ire land and Mesopotamia without leav ing anarchy behind. Furthermore, there is no prospect of the German in demnity in a long time. The moral prestige of the Lloyd George government has been badly shaken through lack of provisions for the employment of ex-soldiers and fi'tile negotiations with the building trades unions which, notwithstand ing the dearth of houses, bar the entry of nonunion men into these trades. Tax Chance la Held Son. Announcement of abandonment of the excess profits tax is regarded by some as a sop to Cerebus, indicating that a general election is coming. Personally I do not think the govern ment will appeal to the country until it has carried out Its promise to re construct the house of lords. Mean time, Lloyd George is not in an ap pealing mood. On the contrary he is cut for scalps and Is getting them. His personal ascendancy was never more marked than now, nor in my opinion can it be sensibly diminished until a new star appears in the po litical firmament to attract and focus into effective combination the dis cordant and mutually antagonistic eiements in opposing camps. The British mandate over Palestine. while safeguarding interests and rights of other inhabitants, permits immigration of Jews Into the country and gives the Zionists organization an advisory status. It is, however, a disappointing docur.ent to. American Jews, who dreamed of a Jewish state In Palestine. None the less It Is strictly in accordance with the decla ration of allied policy enunciated in November, 1917. FRANC E AT ROPE'S EMI, SAYS III Better Reparations Terms Fortnight Are Hcpe. in CONCESSIONS TO CEASE MHED BY 3 AUTOS 3 PEDESTRIANS STRUCK AND' KIGJIT LEGS BROKEN". French Chamber Demands History's Greatest Crime Expiated by Authors. " That Be Victims In Hospital, 3 Drivers, All Reported Going Carefully, Released by Police. Three automobiles struck three pe destrians last night at different points In the city, putting three vic tims in St. Vincent's hospital, each with a fracture of the right leg. The three drivers were released by the police. F. Casciato. 33 years of age. 6112 Fifty-fifth street Southeast, was run down on the Cornell road a few mo ments after he had left St. Vincent s hospital, where he was visiting a friend who had been injured in an accident. The driver, Henry Wick, an employe of the Palace garage, took Casciato back to the hospital. Mrs. Mildred Short, 25 years old. 306 Dekum street, was knocked, down t Beacon street and Milwaukle ave nue by the automobile of E. C. Tapfer. At St. Vincent's hospital her condi tion was not held to be serious. She is said to have stepped out from behind a telephone pole so quickly that the driver was unable to avoid hen Philip LeRoy, 38 years old. a log ger, was walking north on the east side of Sixth street when the auto mobile of W. K. McLane, 312 East Leavitt street, St. Johns, struck him. In all cases it was said the drivers were driving carefully and rendered assistance following the accidents. DIAL THREATENS LAND IS (Continued Kmm Firyt Page.) uproars of hilarity by his thrusts at Senator Dial. "Senator Dial says." stated Judge Landis, "that he has written to find out if what is reported I have said is a truthful report that is to say, that the banks were really respon sible for the theft, because they paid Carey only $90 a month. I want to jtell you what the case was. This fellow won't have to Inquire any further. I want to save him his time for hla cotton mills and his banks." Judge Landis then went Into de tails of the case in which Francis J. Carey, a clerk in the National City bank of Ottawa, 111., was charged with the embezzlement of $96,000 Carey, he asserted, was only 19 years old, and was paid but a little more than $3 a day for handling approxi mately $1,000,000 a month. Judge Landis declared that his investiga tions showed him that young Carey was the support of his mother and four younger brothers and a sister. The judge said his study of the situ ation had disclosed the fact that the bank which employed Carey as receiv ing teller at $90 a month paid "20 per cent of profit on the investment to their shareholders on their stock per annum." "Then it was," Judge Landis de clared, "that I made the statement that a board of bank directors that were guilty of creating the condition I have outlined would naturally and reasonably invite embezzlement. I repeat that here, and I send that to Senator Dial with my compliments." Judge Landis read from "Who's Who" of Senator Dial's interest in South Carolina banks and cotton mills. He said that if In all his 16 years of service on the bench he had not accomplished anything else. "I have performed the herculean task of dragging" Senator Dial "from what appeared to be an airtight obscurlvy." Judge Landis. declared that he had of course to send Carey some place, but that he did not intend to send him to the penitentiary. BT RENE VIVIAXI, Former Premier of France. (Copyright. 1921. .by The Oregonian.) PARIS, Feb. 12. (Special cable.) France bflpes that the conference between the allies and Germany in London within the next fortnight will improve upon the Paris agree ment with respect to reparations. . ranee is at t.ie end of the rope so far as concessions are concerned and the cabinet will refuse to yield any more. That is why the entente will oppose the reopening of the discussion which the Germans will seek 'at London by offering counter proposals. We shall soon see whether history's greates. crime is to be ex piated by Us authors. This is what the French chamber demands and th's is why the Briand ministry re ceived a. vote of confidence this week in anticipation of the London con ference. The Paris conference tightened the bonds of Anglo-French friendship. This fact underlies the general satis faction in France over the meeting, but we must admit that the reception by the chamber of deputies was not as enthusiastic as the attitude of the press led us to expect. Praises Held Excessive. The praises showered on the docu ment which, despite its good quali ties, represents further sacrifices of French credits, are regarded by the chamber as somewhat excessive. The means of compulsion provided are satisfactory in appearance, but we doubt whether they are workable. Further, the German attitude and the apparently concerted protests make Frenchmen wonder what the morrow will bring forth. Public opinion finds too many sac rifices and insufficient guarantees In the new agreement. Despite the ruins with which France is covered, her men are moderate enough to accept in the Interests of world peace even a mediocre arrangement curtailing credits and spreading the payment of reparation over many years. They will even accept the 12 per cent ex port tax, because Germany's future exports cannot be calculated. Guarantees Are Viewed. They would even accept all that if they were sure of getting it. But it is pointed out that the agreement no longer accords with the treaty. Ger many pays during 42 years, but if we gradually abandon the left bank of the Rhine within 15 years, in accord ance with the treaty, what guaran tee will we have after 15 years have passed if Germany suddenly ceases her payments? . Nothing. Moreover. that the first payments are calculated naturally so as not to crush Ger many and that later on the annual amounts are increased, we have this paradox: We must abandon our legi timate means of pressure our army on the left bank of the Rhine at a time when our largest payments are due and also when Germany is re strengthened and will, after exhaust ing trickery, try by force to dodge her obligations. Also be it noted that the first three annual payments are 520,000.000 francs. 1.500.000.000 francs, and 2,200. 000,000 francs, respectively. But what is the use of that when we must pay 4.000,000,000 of francs annually in- pensions and 10.000,000.000 if we desire to restore devastated areas. sionaJ activity and with our ten richest districts Still In ruins. This situation Is the harder on France because, looking on the other side of the Rhine, we perceive this demoralizing spectacle: Germany has imposed no taxes and is contracting a railroad deficit by charging every thing to running expenses. She has placed all the sub-officers of her army, numbering . 380,000, as super numeraries on the railroads and while she votes taxes, she does not collect. ALLIES EXPECTED TO PAY (Continued From First Page.) JAPANESE PERIL FACED (Continued From Flrat Pa (re. ci relief through retrenchment in ex penditures, for the irovernment can- ! The Ampico j "The Eventual Piano" There is no piano so distin guished that can successfully challenge the GREAT AM PICO. Trade your piano in on one of these marvelous instru ments. Yesterday we accepted as part payment a Chickering Grand. What is yours? CONVENIENT PAYMENTS ARRANGED How Ralne Moneyt In Query A budget deficit can easily be cal culated, but how can the money be raised? We cannot resort to a for eign loan, for our foreign debt is 83.000.000,000 francs, and it is im possible to increase it. From the purely natural view, interior loans can be raised if we rely upon our power of production and savings and the labor and patriotism of our coun try. We can also rely on formidable taxes, with which we already are burdened and which amount to 20. 000.000,000 annually 20,000,000,000 francs paid by a nation with a million and a half dead, a million cripples deprived of all physical and profes- we should cancel our loans and then Great Britain should cancel hers. Notice Served on Allies. But there need be no doubt about the net of It. So far as cash is con cerned, Great Britain would stand to win little or nothing by our cancel lation of tiedebt she owes us, if she in turn should cancel all that is owed her. Undoubtedly, a mutual cancel lation of these debts all around would have certain complex results affect ing foreign trade and exchange. Since Great Britain is so much more expert in this line than we are, it can be taken for granted that she foresees labese results and would manage to profit by them. But Austen Chamberlain, when he made that speech, was not voicing irritation because we have refused to cancel the loans. Neither -was he bringing pressure to bear on us to cancel them now. Undoubtedly, what he was doing was to serve notice on the other allies that, inasmuch as America will not cancel the loans she made. Great Britain will be unable to cancel the loans she made, and, therefore, France and Italy and the others must pay. Mr. Chamberlain's speech was merely a diplomatic way of calling the attention of France and the other European allies to an over due account. Also. Great Britain gets credit for willingness to cancel, while we get the odium of preventing it. Approach Not Surprising. Of course. It is true that while Great Britain's financial interest in our canceling of the loans is com paratively small, there are other rea sons, and good reasons from her point of view, why she should want us to do it. It would save her the incon venience of compelling the other al lies to pay and. In other respects. especially as regards her foreign trade, would be desirable from the British point of view. Mr. Chamberlains revelation that Great Britain already has approached us on this subject ought to be no surprise. In the Informal ways of friendly conversation many British statesmen, British- editors and Brit ish leaders of thought have made this suggestion to American public men and journalists. It has been made to the writer of this article on more than one occasion. One suggestion.; once made in my hearing was that J Great Britain, might. take the hikla- tive by first canceling all the loans owed to her, and thus "put it up to us to cancel. But Mr. Chamber lain's action wculd seem to indicate that Great Britain does not now place any such high estimate on our wil ingness to enter a competition in al truism. Little Chance of Cancellation. Any one familiar with congress. and familiar with American public sentiment, knows hjj-w little is the likelihood of our cancelling the debts owed to us by our late allies. Al most any American public man in responsible position would be de terred from making such a suggest'on by the fear of being laughfcd at. Any proposal to cancel these loans would be regarded as facilitating Great Britain in her present maintenance of troops in Ireland, and as facilitat ing France in what America gener allyTegards as a deplorable policy of maintaining a large standing army. The daily dispatches which picture the acts of the British army in Ire land make impossible any act on America's part in the direction of making it easier for Great Britain to keep up the expense of that army. As I said in the beginning, the whole thing makes little difference finally to Great Britain, but American pub lic opinion, in its present state, would take the form of disapproval never theless. Great Britain little knows what a strong sentiment adverse to her is being built up by the daily cables that describe what is going on in Ireland. France Also In Poor Light. In the same way, American public opinion would take the form of disap proval of the continued size of France's military establishment. Especially would American public opinion tak the form of disapproval of certain aspects attending France's maintenance; of black troops from Africa In German territory. Some of the aspects of this French occupation of Germany, rumors of which have trickled back to America, are deeply shocking to our American way of looking at things. ... ; .V . ' Woodarcl, Clarke &. Co, W00DLARK BUILDING ALDER AT WEST PARK Leather Department All "LIKLY" Bags, Suitcases, -Fitted or Unfitted ONE-FOURTH OFF Genuine Ivory Py-Ra-Lin Sale The biggest selling Toiletware on the market, because every article .has value, the quality guaranteed. ' THREE PROVEN BEST SELLERS! Du Barry La Belle Plain Pattern SPECIALS "LIKLY" Genuine Cowhide Traveling Bag $27.50 $18.50 $24.00 $14.75 f jluN ' Fine Large Assortment Manicure Sets OFF All Ladies' Handbags and Purses OFF Music Rolls - - - y4 OFF Portfolios - - - - y4 OFF Boston Bags - - - J3 OFF Oriental Cream . 65c and $1.35 " All Separate Pieces, Any Pattern y3 OFF DOWNSTAIRS $12.50 Electric Pad $ S.G5 $ 7.50 Electric Iron $ 5.45 $ 9.00 Electric Toaster $ 7.35 $15.00 Electric Stove $10.G5 ALARM CLOCKS Regular $3.75 Special $2.69 $ 4.50 Immersion Heater 3.35 $ 9.00 Boudoir Lamp. $ 5.39 THERMOS, UNIVERSAL HOT-A-KOLD, ICY-HOT VACUUM BOTTLES AND LUNCH KITS REDUCED 1-Pt. VACUUM FILLER 98 Wallace Lamp Stands Clamps Hangs Special $3.49 Doors Open for Business fc A. Af. Doors Close 6:30 P. M We Give S. & H. GREEN TRADING STAMPS to the police yesterday. She said that a man had attempted to break into her cellar last Monday nisht, but had been frierhtened away by her dog. Friday night the same nocturnal visi tor returned and had another en counter with the dog. In the melee the faithful animal was badly bruised. Mrs. King- was alone with her baby both times. Logger Struck by Auto. Philip Lerioy, 38 years of age, log ger, received a leg iraciure lasi eve ning when he was struck by an auto driven by W. E. McLane, 312 Leavitt street. LeRoy was sent to St. Vin cent's hospital. Police did not hold McLane, as he stopped within six feet after striking his victim, and there was other evidence of careful driving. Chamber to Help Jobless, fn an effort to assist ex-service men to find employment, the Portland Chamber of Commerce will name a large committee, consisting of one of its members from every industry in the city. This work will be under taken under the supervision of the chamber's regular committee, of which J. C. English is chairman and E. C Sammons, T. H. Edwards and J. Watzek. Man Returns, Home Destroyed. BEND. Or.. Feb. 12. (Special.) F B. Jackson of this city returned to Bend this morning from a business trip to Kedmond to find his home had been- destroyed by fire. He had been away 24 hours and the fire which destroyed his house shortly after midnight this morning is believed to have been of Incendiary origin. The loss, not covered by insurance, is set at $600. . Phone your want ads to the Ore gonian. Main 7070, Automatic 660-95. Dog Chases Off Prowler. Mrs. M. E. King. 1407 East Lincoln street, reported a persistent prowler! TEST BARES PARENTAGE tContlnned From Fir?t Page.) the child's support as soon as the re port of Ir. Abrams was brought be fore him in open court. "I consider this one of the biggest things established by medical science in years," he said, and added that the case constituted an important legal precedent. German is taught in the officers' train4ng schools in France, where army officers are urged to learn the laneruage. .TlaKltandiM TCS Plant Ui DANCING GUARANTEED at De Honey's beautiful academy. Twenty-third and Washington. To all securing tickets this week 1 will sell a full term of eight three-hour les sons for, ladies, $3; gentlemen, $5, and will positively guarantee to teach you all popular dances and new steps. There is no other school where the lessons are three hour3 long and the teachers are real professional dancers and where they guarantee to make a dancer of you. This guaran tee term is worth $15. Be sure to secure tickets this week. Beginners' class starts Monday and Thu-sday evenings. Advanced class Tuesday evening. Intermediate class Friday evening. 8 to 11:30. Plenty of desir able partners no embarrassment. You can never learn dancing in pri vate lessons from inferior teac'.ters you must have practice. LEARN IN A REAL SCHOOL. Classes are large and selejct the social feature alone Is worth double the price the onlv teacher In Portland capable of ap pearing before the public in stage and exhibition dancing. We teach more people to dance than all other schools combined-. One lesson from us is worth six In the average school. Phone Mala T8Cf. Private Lraaona All Honra. i I rrm V r t r' T? ii rro o va nn-f f V a lace IVUgO Cbl Is tllV charming because they are lower in price. Any merchant' without our buying facilities and low overhead couldn't meet expenses at these,' prices. We sell artistic rugs not as works of art but as practical merchandise. Our regular prices are as low as sales and auc- ' ' tion prices of others. See for yourself. " Make Size ' Price ANTIQUE KHIVA 1 q 0 x 7 10 fn BOKHARA JSoO CHINESE. J. 1.9 x 9.0 $325 f Lffi,ue ---l2.0 x9.0 ' S375 I ARAK. 11.7 x 8.9 $360 f ARAK .....13.10x10.6 $550 1 ROYAL KERMANSHAH. 13.0 x 9.0 $500 I OPEN EVENINGS ' Bros;1? ' esTA Busmen 9o The Last Week! On Saturday Night Rosenthal's Closes Its Doors IN order to give our, lady customers one more opportunity to choose footwear at a bargain price, we shall offer, Beginning Tomorrow, A 11 Women's High Shoes and Smart Pumps Regularly Priced $14 and Upwards 111 Perfect Vision Is Essential ill I' 4 liW'-V:' .Ojjl K. . ... . I 'J I 1 1 I I I 1 IlilUI M '1. Only the Pair The high shoes are in narrow widths, in sizes 5 to 8. All are of high quality and in good style. SPECIAL Women's High Shoes in small sizes, 22,to 5; your choice, jJ2 C)Gy The following store fixtures are offered for im mediate sale : All our oak and mahogany settees, -upholstered in genuine leather; all our beveled French plate mirrors; all our window display fix tures; all our shelving.- All are in first-class con dition. Inspection by dealers invited. 129 Tenth Street, Between Washington and Alder J You want perfect eyeglass service and the one way you can always be sure of getting it is to entrust your eyes to a firm whose goods and 'methods have been proven per fect by a long and reliable record. . Perfection in designing and grinding Kryp tok glasses, the invisible bifocals, -has been attained by us as the result of just such a record. tj Every pair of Kryptok glasses worn by one of our customers, fitted as we fit them, is certain to give unqualified satisfaction. CJ We design and grind these glasses on the premises to meet your individual require ments for near and far vision. 3 Everything optically your needs and your desires in the eyeglass line are properly served here. SAVE YOUR EYES Thompson Optical Institute Chas. A. Rusco. President and General M onager 1 Eyesight Specialists Portland's Largest, Most Modern, Best Equipped, Exclusive Optical Establishment 209-10-11 Corbett BIdg., Fifth and Morrison 1908 II Ml - 1908 We Are Now Showing at Our Store an Important Display of Upholstered Davenports completely fashioned in our own shops. The coverings are of Colony cloth in tans and grays. Your inspection is invited. Prices are very moderate. J. G. MACK & CO. 150 Park Street, Between Alder and Morrison