Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937, August 14, 1915, Image 1

Morning Oregonian., August 14, 1915, Image 1

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Newspaper Page TextT K7r--n - , . iaitt ivn rT?i?nnv. ciTTTPnAY. A iTf?lTST 1lT.t. PRICE FIVE CENTS. VOL. LIV. NO. 17.Q74. T ; : t I A COMMISSION HEARS OF BUSINESS ILLS Federal Board Asked to Give Suggestions LUMBER TRADE HURT MOST Witnesses Blame Speculation and Over-Productfon. FRUIT MEN WANT COMBINE Importance of Timber Industry to Other or raclfle Northwest re lated, but Representative of Earn Explain Depression. Business In the Pacific Northwest Is tad that was freely and frankly and almost unanimously admitted before the Federal Trad Commissioners yes terday. Bat what caused It to be bad. and row to Improve It. were elements tn the situation that broua-ht forth many Conflicting theories. All witnesses were agreed, however, that the commlssloa can be and shoold of material asslstanea In bringing boat tho Improvement. There was universal agreement, too. en tha proposition that the lumber In eotry Is the backbone of business In tha Pacific Northwest, and that the lumber Industry, more than any other. Ss experiencing distressing demorallsa . tlon. Laaaber Maafla Haa taaa Center. Most attention waa given to the lumber situation In tha bearing that occupied the attention of tha commis sion for foor hours yesterday morning, but tha grain situation, the fruit situa tion and rarlous other industries that represent the Pacific Northwest re ceived ample attention. Tha commissions hearings were In formal, although all the testimony was transcribed for future reference pr the commlssloa. The session was opened by Joseph C Davlea. the chair man, who subsequently asked C C Cott, president of tha Portland Cham ber of Commerce, to preside. The full commission, consisting ot Mr. I'aTles. Edward X. Hurley, vice-chairman; Will H. Parry. William J. Har ris and George Rubles, waa present. War Blasee far Ceadltlea. The various elements that hava con tributed to the present stagnation of tha lumber Industry were presented for the commission's review. Foremost In the list of causes was placed the diminishing demand due to the European war. but next In order and closely behind It were placed care less financing and speculstlon. Diffi culty In obtaining charters also waa xtamed as a contributing factor, and this condition. It waa pointed out, waa clue rittirrly to tha war. Khlagle Mrs Deplore Tariff. The Commission also received some written testimony In addition to the oral evidence, and some of these doc uments emphasised the tariff as the probable cause of depression in soma branches of tha lumber Industry, par ticularly tha shingle industry. Re moval of the shingle tsriff. It waa presented, has permitted shingles man ufactured In British Columbia to enter Into unnatural competition with the shingle manufacturers of Oregon and Washington. High charter rates, due to the war. were held partially responsible for threatened demoralization of the fruit Industry, bat It was explained to tl.e Commission that earnest effort on tha part of the growers and assistance on the part of the Federal Government will be required to extend the North Western markets Into foreign flsHs. rrwlt Mrs Also Ask t'asablae. The fruit men. aa well aa the lumber men. appealed to the Federal officials for permission to combine, under the Commission's direction, for tha purpose ef exploiting their wares In foreign trade centers. A. U Mills, president of the First National Bank, opened the discussion 1 testifying to the general business situation. Whatever other financial and eom- meeta! Ills are present In the Taclflc Northwest, be said, are due largely to the depression In the lumber market. "The lumber Industry provides em ploymeat for about ii per cent of our laboring men. ha explained, and then referred briefly to the graat economic les to the community sbtu the lum ber trade Is not prosperous. Farsaera liwpery Mealloaed. Mr. Mills expressed confidence In the stability ef tha various other Industries peculiar to the Pacifle Northwest. He pointed out that the farmers are reap ing a bigger harvest this year than aver and that their condition, gener ally speaking. Is prosperous. To emphasise his theory that stagna tion in the local commercial world la due to the lumber situation. Mr. Mills prssented a map. recently prepsrea by the National Chamber of Commerce. In which the business situation In each community was reflected by the degrees of shading. The color varied from pure white where business Is reported to be good to deep black where it la baa. Washington and Oregon are the only glatea shown In black. The fact that these two states are da pendent so largely upon the lumber easiness. Mr. Mills pointed out. Is the dot so face a. Cotuaut X-t GERMAN CONFIRMS ATTACK ON ORDUNA VESSEL MISSED BY TORPEDO BECArSE OP 31ISC.U.CCLATIOX. Submarine Commander Says In Re port When Warning- Waa Disre garded Vessel Waa Shelled. BT KARL H. VON WIEQAND. Spcial correspondent of the New Tora World. Coprrlsnt. 11&. by f" Ushlac Company. Published by arrangement.) BERLIN. Aug. 7. Tha Mlnstry of Marina Informes me that an official re port has been received from the com mander of the eubmanne that recently attacked the Cunard liner Orduna. In Its main features tha report confirms the statement made by tha captain of the Orduna upon his arrival in New Tork. Tha commander of tha submarine says that he saw the Orduna through his periscope and took tha liner for an English steamship of about 000 tons. He fired a torpedo but miscalculated the stxe and speed of the Orduna, and tha ohot failed to strike. The sub marine then came to the surface and signalled for the ship to halt. This warning was not heeded, so the eub- I., nrrl.rad SSVSrai DUIOI tuuiu . shots fired from a gun on deck. But u was soon obvious that tha German U boat could not overhaul tha British ship and tha commanoer -r - chase. The Minister of Marine talis me that . . . . renort about na nas no the sinking ot the Iberian, on which . - i. hir Uvea. The two Btriiii -- general assumption in Berlin, bow- ....... to heed a signal to stop. 234,771 PLAY IN PARKS Popularity of Ground and Tank. for Children Shown by Flgnre. Tne popularity . - - . i i tank i ta anown grounds ana s "' In a report prepared by the park bureau, giving 234.771 as the total at- , .i..miiHi during June tenaance - and July of thla year. In June the total attendance was 7M. -.' July it Jumped to nearly double that "'J?' . ti i. .lawrrannd was by remnsuia. - far tha busiest. In June tha "tend ance was 1.SM. In July it waa 6J.42L In July eight playgrounde registered mora than 10.000. and three of them mora than JO.000. Swimming also waa popular, tha Bg . . ........ v..n a 100 ner ores snowina ; , - cent Increase in swimmers in the public . -, Jul. avar June. swimmma p.-. - - - . , t. a.nw ihtra were 4244 swimmers in June and U.S. in July. In Sellwood there were 165 in June and U.S44 in July. In July there were 1S73 swimmers in - me swimming tank. WEED BILL LAWS PASSED Catting Assessments Made) Against Property aa Lien. n-.n xirolnr against prop erty owners a total of litis for weed cutting done a year ago were w .H.. rit Council yesterday by unanimous vole. The ordinances make the amounta spent by tne city ior w cutting a lien on the property upon which the work was dona. The IX penalties imposed on each lot at first were remitted. The assessments have been hanging fire for more than a year. Many com .i.i.i. h.va been Investigated and a few corrections made. The action of the Council yesterday probably win end the trouble experienced ever since the assessments were proposed origin ally. NAVY SWINDLE CHARGED Clerk Act-used of Taking Pay for Transfer of EnlUled Men. wacuivctov. Aue. 11. George D. Wilt a clerk in the bureau of nav igation of the Navy Department, was arrested today on a warrant charging conspiracy in that ne waa cirarii in a scheme to obtain aums oi money from enlisted men of tha Navy for transfers. Government Investigators aay tney ., .iri.i.nra of a conspiracy to collect payments ranging from 2S to $50 from enlisted men for transfers and promotions to which they were rightfully entitled. YOUNG TURKS SCORN CHIEF Decision on War Mlnlster'a Pica for - Break With Italy Postponed. ROME, via Paris. Aug. 11. Reports have been received from Constantino ple that the Young Turks held a meet ing at which Enver Pasha, the Turk ish Minister of War. argued the neces .11. for bresklnc relations with Italy and thus freeing Turkey from the "leading spy. namely, tne Italian Jim h....Hnr and simultaneously adopting vcre measures against the Italians. After a long discussion. It Is reported, the meeting decided to postpone a def inite decision. BRITAIN AROUSES SWEDEN Embargo on Coal Purchased for Navy Causes Public Feeling. STOCKHOLM, via London. Aug. It. The British government has refused to permit two shiploads of coal purchased by a Swedish firm for the oweaisn navy to leave England. Tha incident has brought forth much bitter comment from the Swedish press snd ta absorbing the attention of the public . t L APPEAL TO MEXICO ON VVAYTD LEADERS Document Sent in Eng lish to Capital FRIENDLY EFFORTS CONTINUE Washington Hopes to, Win Over Carranza Generals. SCOTT STAYS ON BORDER Chief of Staff of Army Expected to Do Important Missionary Work. Misgivings of Argentine Am bassador Are) Allayed. WASHINGTON. Aug. 13 The Pan American appeal to all elementa in Mexico to cease fighting and join in a movement to restore constitutional government began to go forward from the State Department tonight. First, the document was dispatched In English to Mexico City, directed to the various Latin-American legations, whose attaches will translate It Into Spanish and deliver It to tha military leaders in that vicinity. The appeal In original Spanish will be forwarded tomorrow directly to Generals Villa and Carranxa, governors of states, and many other chiefs in different parts of the country. The text will be made public here within a few days. Carraaaa'a Deaaaee Expected. With the appeal dispatched, the United States Government will institute a friendly and persistent effort to in duce Mexican leadera who thus far have shown a disposition to oppose the movement to sacrifice their per sonal views In the common Mexican interest. It Is expected that General Carranxa will maintain the defiance ha bad Indicated In recent communica tions to his agency here, but It is re garded as probable that many of his generals and other adherents can be Induced to Join in a peace convention. It Is believed here that if a few Carranxa generals partclipate in a con vention of the factions it will not be long before organised opposition to a" new government could be checked ef fectively. Seatt'a laflaeace Powerful. In this connection. It has been re ported that General Hugh L. Scott, chief of staff of the Army, who is remaining at the border at the request of the State Department, is expected to perform important missionary work. General Scott knows, many of the Mexican military leaders personally, and it is believed he may exert a pow erful Influence. Absolutely no resistance to the plan la expected from any source other than from General Carranxa, and in soma quarters here the feeling Is growing that even Carranxa himself my respond favorably to the appeal after he has studied its friendly tone carefully. General Villa and his ad herents made it clear today in a state ment Issued by Dlas Lombardo. For- Concluded on Pafe Z. Column 1.) il LT FATin WOI 1 INDEX OF TODAY'S NEWS YESTERDAY'S Maximum temperature, Tl degrees; minimum. 66 degreea. TODAY'S Saturday fair; northwesterly winds. War. Bulgarian Minister denies his country Is try ing to drive bargain. Page 2. Return to ancient methods of m-arfare fea ture of European struggle. Page 3. German sobmsrlne commsnder confirms st tack on Orduna. Page 1. Mexlro. San Domingo scandal raues Latin-Americana to distrust United States la Mexico negotiation. Page 3. Appeal to Mexican leaders dispatched from Washington. Page 1. Domestic Thousands Invited to Benson day at Expo sition. Page . Wheat slnmp due to move by Italy. Pase 1. Pacifle Mall sells five big liners. Page 1. Sports. Willamette River Marathon to take place this afternoon with nearly loo en trie. Page a. Pacific Coast Leagne results: Portland 4, Vernon S; Ssn Prsncisco 8. Salt Lake 8; Los Angeles 0. Oakland 3. Page & Yankees beat Athletics 3 to 2 In exciting 12- Inning game. Page a. Portland tennis players out of running in Seattle tourney. Page 8. y Commercial and Marine. British tramp. Lady Carrington. chartered for September grain loading. Page 12. More wheat offered with decline In bids. Page IS. Chicago market affected by cancellation of export sales. Page 15. Interstate Commerce decision causes selling pressure In stock market. Page IS. Pacific Northwest. Copperfield Is left In ruins by fire. Psge 7. S. H. Friendly. University of Oregon Regent for 34 years, dies at Eugene. Page 7. Governor Withycombe annonnces speakers for wster power conference. Page 4. Portland and Vicinity. Federal Trade Commission hears business Ills related, psge 1. Pesce offers refused sa Dodge timber suit goes to Judge, psge 13. City kindergartens will be put to vote Sep tember 1. Page 12. Expert to handle problem of Idle Is urged. Page IS. Testimony la cashier trial completed. Page 12. Judge Gatens frees Emma Goldman and manager. Page 0. Weather report, data and forecast. Page 15. Fight over recall election of Wheeler County District Attorney Is aired. Pags 11. GIRL LOSES LIFE IN CREEK Sapling Thrown by Companion Saves One In Swimming. ESTACADA. Or, Aug. 13. (Special.) Presumably in an attempt to rescue one of her two companions from drown ing. Miss Ruth Glthens, It. a popular student of the Estacada High School, lost her life in Eagle Creek near here late today. , A sapling thrown by Miss Gladys Carpenter was clutched in a death grip by Miss Nina Taylor, who first ventured beyond her depth Into about eight feet of water. With aid summoned by Miss Carpenter.-Miss Taylor soon was re vived, -but 'Mfse Glthehs body-was not recovered for some time. Mlsa Glthens waa the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Githens, of this city. EASTLAND. NEARLY RAISED Federal Engineers to Examine Ves sel's Interior at Dawn Today. CHICAGO. Aug.' 13. When the work of raising the steamer Eastland, which capsized in the Chicago River July 24 and drowned nearly 1000 persons, was stopped by darkness tonight. United States District Attorney Cllne announced that the vessel had been raised 73 per cent of the distance neces- aarv to ris;ht her. Mr. Cllne's an nouncement was based on calculations made by Government engineers. At dawn tomorrow a porps of engi neers selected by the Federal authori ties will begin the examination of the Eastland's Interior. They will be sum moned subsequently before the Federal grand jury to report their findings. TOO HEALTHY. PACIFIC MAIL SELLS FIVE BIG VESSELS Steamers to Go to At t i PA,.5 C IdliHC lu5j coott vr V- FUG NOT YET DETERMINED Manchuria, Mongolia, Siberia, Korea, China Transferred. SEAMEN'S LAW IS CAUSE Chief Objection Is to Clause Re quiring Crew to Speak Language of OtZlc-.s But Others Con tribute to Result. NEW TORK. Aug. 13. The Pacific Mail Steamship Company, in pursuance of its plan announced some time ago of disposing ot Its fleet and other prop erty, has sold five of its steamers to the Atlantic Transport Company of West Virginia. The steamers so dis posed of are the Manchuria Mongolia, Korea, Siberia and China. ' No terms were mentioned in the an nouncement today, and the officiate de clined to . discuss the subject at this time. The last sailing from San Fran cisco by any of these vessels to Ori ental ports under the Pacific Mail flag will be on August 2S by the Mon golia. Official Announcement Blade. The official announcement of the sale was: "The Pacific Mall Steamship Com pany announces the sale of five ships of its Trans-Paclfio fleet namely, Manchuria. Mongolia, Korea, Siberia and China to the Atlantic Transport Company of West Virginia. The last sailing from San Francisco by any of these vessels to Oriental ports on ac count of the Pacific Mall Steamship Company will be the steamship Mon golia, on August 25. 1915." Some months ago the Pacific Mall Steamship Company Indicated that . It would withdraw Its steamers from the Trans-Paclflc service and possibly dis pose of them because of the new sea men's law, passed by the last session of Congress, the terms of which, it is asserted, made it impossible for the Pacific Mall to compete with the Jap anese lines. Oaerooa Clauses Force Decision. Many of the members of the crews, chiefly in the fire-rooms, consisted of Chinese and Japanese coolie labor, and under the new law the Pacific Mail would have to replace them with men speaking the same language as the of ficers of the ship. This, it was as serted, was one of the most onerous clauses of the new law, but there were others which contributed to the de cision of the steamship company to dispose of its property. The vessels sold are the largest and best In the Pacific Mall service. Philip A. S. Franklin, receiver of the International Mercantile Marine Com pany, of which the Atlantic Transport Company of West Virginia Is a sub- (Concluded on Pane 3, Column 2.) Friday's War Moves FIELD Marshal von Hlndenburg personally has taken command of the German army attacking Kovno, and, according to the German official report, has made further progress in the fighting against the Russians in that region. The selection of Germany's national hprn. th rlutv rf canturinK the -.Tftl .V"t5 f Kovno, which stands be- Germans and Vilna and the w-Petrograd Railway, is taken as an indication of the Importance which the German staff attaches to this operation. News that the civilians had begun to evacuate Kovno as well as Vilna led to the belief in many quarters that the Russians may have decided to give up the position, but in the latest re port from Petrograd it Is asserted the Russians have repulsed the German at tacks except at' one point, where a desperate artillery engagement is in progress. Farther north, between Poniewesch and Dvinsk, where General von Buelow a week ago was advancing rapidly to ward the railway, the Germans appar ently have suffered a setback, for the Russians now speak of pressing them and declare they have reoccupied the town of Tovlny, which Is considerably west of the point to which the Ger mans had penetrated. South of Riga also the Germans are said to be doing little more than hold ing" their own, so tha,t the talked-of ad vance toward Petrograd seems , to be developing slowly, if at all. On the other hand, the Germans con tinue to drive in the Russians to the northeast and east of Warsaw, and with the capture of Siedlce are within a short distance of the Bug River, one of the main supports of the Brest-Lit-ovsk line. It was believed the Rus sians originally Intended to hold this line. Marshal von Mavkensen. who commands the Germans in the south east, between the Vieprz and the Bug, again is reported to have been held up by a Russian counter-attack. Military critics disagree as to the probable line on which Grand Duke Nicholas will elect to make his stand, but a majority of them consider, it hardly likely that he will try to bold the Brest-Litovsk front. The German Crown Prince continues his attempts to pierce the French line in the forest of the Argonne. He has had a few local successes, but the losses he has sustained in the series of attacks are declared to haVe been ex ceedingly heavy. The Germans also have attacked in Artols, but Without success, according to the French ac count. Two Zeppelins last night visited the east coast, of England., dropping bombs. Six persons were killed and 23 injured, and 14 houses were damaged. This is the 16th air raid on England since the beginning of the war, and in all 76 persons have been killed and 175 in jured. The negotiations between the Balkan states are proceeding, but thus far there Is no sign of any settlement of the question at issue. FOUR WED 1000 FEET UP Divorced Pair Marries Others in Same Ceremony on Mountain. ENTERPRISE, Or., Aug. 13. (Spe cial.) Setting up their wedding altar on the summit of a bluff high above the Grand Rondo River at Rondowa, two couples who live In the timbered highlands of Western Wallowa County, were married Tuesday afternoon. The spot they chose for their wedding is 1000 feet above the river and is reached by a trail. It commands a great view of the timbered heights on both sides of the Grand Ronde. The couples married were George Moore and Sarah Miller, and Osiah Mil ler and Nellie Moore. Nellie Moore Is a sister of George. Sarah Miller for merly was the wife of Osiah Miller. The ceremony was performed by Rev. A. J. Adams, of the Federated Church in Enterprise. With his wife he went by train to Rondowa, where the two bridegrooms met them, with saddle horses. The climb was steep and Mrs. Adams concluded not to at tempt it. but from the valley, she watched the marriage party assembled on the hilltop above. TWO BIG FIRES IN WOODS Blaze Docs $20,000 Damage at Mind and Burns 300 Acres. COEUR D'ALEN'E, Idaho. Aug. 13. Timber on 300 acres of land has been destroyed in a forest fire that is raging along Twin Creek, which empties into Pend d'Oreille Lake in the northern part of the state. C. L. Billings, forest supervisor, reported today from Sand Point that he has 35 men working to extinguish , the flames. The Are was started by a homesteader who waa burning slashings. The fire got beyond the control of the homesteader. A forest five on Nine Mile Creek, near Wallace, caused $20,000 loss yesterday when the Rex mine was burned. FRANCE MAKES PAYMENT Intimation Given That Dacia May Be Released Conditionally. WASHINGTON. Aug. 13,. The second payment on the American-owned cot ton on the steamship Dacia was made today to the State Department by the French Ambassador. The amount was not made public. Intimations have reached the State Department that the French govern ment may release the ship under cer tain conditions that will limit her ac tivities to neutral trade and will not involve a general recognition of the right to change registry in time of war. WHEAT SLUMP DUE TO MOVE . BY . ITALY Speculators Find Prof its Cut Off. GOVERNMENT SELLS AT COST Future Purchases in United States Less Probable. EXCHANGE RATE TOO HIGH Argentine Money Conditions Said to Be More Favorable American Prices Also Said to Be Re garded as Excessive. CHICAGO. Aug. 13. Authoritative explanation was obtained tonight for the sensational action of exporters in suddenly canceling during the last 48 hours contracts for large amounts of wheat purchased in the United States, roundly estimated at 2,000,000 bushels. The announcement of the cancella tions caused wheat prices to break wildly, the downward plunge at one time amounting to as much as four cents a bushel, smashing the market to $1.07 for the September delivery. Italy Blocks Speculators. Most of the contracts canceled were on wheat that had been intended for Italy. The buyers, however, accord ing to one of the largest exporters here, found all prospective profits cut off by a plan of the Italian govern ment to fix maximum prices or other wise circumvent speculation. A careful statement of the situation resulting was made tonight by tha exporter referred to. He did so after consulting with a prominent Italian here who Is in a position to know the facts. "It has been said the Italian gov ernment had authorized repudiation of onerous outstanding purchases of wheat." the statement said. "While there seems no doubt cancellations were effected, the occasion thereof should no doubt be laid io a different cause. Prohibitive Order Probable. "In the first place, the Italian gov ernment ccild not lawfully authorize such a procedure and, even if such authority were vested In the "officials at Rome to exercise it would be the beginning of the destruction of her credit in the United States. What has happened is probably this: "There has been a large amount of wheat bought in the last few weeks by Italian firms or private individuals and to such persons the Italian govern ment may have issued an order .pro hibiting or regulating speculation by the Italian grain dealers with millers and consumers throughout the king dom. On 'this account, the Italian im porter may have figured greater ad vantage in sacrificing his profit on purchases from the United States than In letting the contracts be shipped, showing good paper profits, but on which more might b4 lost by ef forts of the Italian government to give the consumer as cheap wheat as possible. Price Regarded as Too High. "Much of the wheat bought by Italy last Winter was resold to the con sumer at cost. "Just now, the government of Italy is not likely to buy wheat in the United States, not only because they think our prices are too high, but also on account of high exchange. The exchange basis between the United States and Italy is about 22 per cent over normal. The basis between Ar gentina and Italy is approximately normal. Some well-known Italians predict there will be no buying of wheat by their government until next January. If there is no substantial decline in North America before next Winter, the Italian demand probably then will fall on Argentina." BUyrXG SYSTEM IS CHANGED Allies to Discontinue Practice of Bidding Against Each Other. mi.'.w vnRK. Aur. 13 (Special.) i-.i,i tviat j. P. Mora-an & Co.. as pur chasing agents for the allies, had can celed any of the contracts placed with Chicago houses for grain for export was adhered to today. Wall-street houses having Board of Trade mem berships have anotner theory for the extreme weakness in grain at today's opening, which was increased by re ports from Baltimore that several con tracts for execution there had likewise been canceled. C. C. Taylor, grain expert for Rens korf, Lyon & Co., said that his advices from Chicago confirmed the fact that several grain orders had been canceled. Mr. Taylor suggested that the canceled contracts were of a semi-speculative nature which had been undertaken by individuals for the supplying ot grain to various European countries. "There has been a great change in the belligerents' purchasing methods this year." said Mr. Taylor. "When the war broke out all of the nations con cerned scrambled for grain, with the result that their competitive bids pushed prices up rapidly. Now the buying for government account for the allies is all done through J. P. Morgan & Co.'a export department. That means that one buyer will deal with a larg number of sellers. There will be n stray orders. ....... "Furthermore, France has prohibits the Importation of wheat to prevenl her Importers from aiding the advance by competitive bids. All of the wheat (Concluded on Pase 2, Column 2.) f tCeaci