Morning Oregonian., March 13, 1917, Image 1

VOL. LVII XO. 17,568.
PORTLAND, OREGON, TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 1917.
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
i '.
GENERAL
245 CONVICTS EARN
$12,757 IN MONTH
PAROLED MEX AVERAGE .$52.07
. EACH DURING FEBRUARY.
BRITAIN READY TO
MRS. STARCHER HAS
OWN VIEW OF STORY
NATION PREPARED
TO DEFEND RIGHTS
RELIEF REACHING
ifIT HELPS
TORNADO VICTIMS
STRIKE IMM
NENT
SHOULDER BURDEN
BILLINGS LEY TALE
HUSBAND'S PROWESS HELD IN
S3! Alili ESTEEM.
MILITIA RULES NEWCASTLE, IND.,
WITH FIRM HAND.
RAILROAD
AGGODNTH
i
5
- 1
1
.a.
A
Rumors of New Plans
Rife in Washington.
LEADERS HOLD CONFERENCE
Brotherhoods Are Said to Be
Weary of Awaiting Decision.
ALL MACHINERY IS READY
Government 'Watching Developments
Closely and President Wilson
Is Expected to Make Move
for Settlement.
WASHINGTON. March 12. Talk of a
fralroad strike was general among local
labor union officials from the South
east gathered here today, but National
officers of the four big- brotherhoods
declined to confirm or deny' that defi
nite strike plans actually were under
consideration.
The local leaders came for a confer
ence tomorrow preliminary to the meet
ing of brotherhood and railway of
ficials to be held in New York Thurs
day. Sectional conferences will be held
in other cities, and the brotherhood
heads insist that they cannot forecast
their course until the locals from all
parts of the country have reached the
result of their deliberations.
Speedy Walkout Indicated.
There were distinct indications, how
ever, . that there might be more truth
in strike reports than appeared . on
the surface. An impression prevalent
among some of the local officials was
that a general walkout probably would
follow quickly if the roads refused to
accede to the union demands at Thurs
day's conference. Saturday was the
day most persistently mentioned as
likely to see a climax of the long con
troversy between the roads and their
men. . .
To all Questions the brotherhood
heads' replied that there was nothing
to be said aa yet; that sentiment among
the men the country over would have
to be sounded out before a general
strike could be ordered: and that many
locals stHl were to be heard from.
Neither from them nor from any other
authoritative source could be gained
any confirmation of the stories that
definite strike plans had been made.
Strike Machinery Ready.
It was pointed out that little time
would be required to put a strike order
Into operation if a decision were
reached to take that course. All the
machinery used to prepare for the big
strike, narrowly averted last Fall,
could be put into service quickly now
If the need came.
The present controversy, like that of
which It 'is the outgrowth, though, re
volved around the eight-hour day and
more than one of the local leaders here
tonight declared the brotherhoods had
waited too long already, while the Su
preme Court deliberated on the consti
tutionality of the shorter basic day.
They argued that if the roads decline
at Thursday's . conference to put an
eight-hour day Into effect forthwith,
the unions would have full Justifica
tion for a strike.
Government Keening; Wntch.
The union men were unanimous In
declaring that In case of a strike care
would be exercised to embarrass the
Government as little as possible in the
International crisis. The Government
Is watching developments closely, how
ever, and probably would itself take
a hand should a deadlock seem assured.
If a strike appears to be actually
threatened President Wilson would
make some move for a settlement. Men
from the Southwestern roads will meet
In St. Louis tomorrow, those from East
ern roads in New York Wednesday, and
those from Western lines In St. Paul
also Wednesday.
W. G. Lee, head of the Trainmen's
Brotherhood, said tonight that the men
had made no important changes In
their demands presented to the rail
roads last Fall.
MEX ARE ORDERED TO REPORT
General Strike Orders to Be Given
. Out Thursday.
ALLIANCE. O.. March 13. Three
hundred engineers, firemen, conductors
and trainmen on the Alliance division
of the New York Central Railroad were
today ordered to report here "after
noon Thursday" for orders concerning
the strike situation.
It Is learned from an authoritative
source that the orders will be to quit
work Saturday night at 6 o'clock un
less the conference in New York be
tween the brotherhood officers and the
railroads succeeds or unless the Su
preme Court upholds the Adamson
elga-hour law. Passenger trains are
to run five days after Saturday, but in
no case are Government troops or mu
nitloa trains to be delayed, it is said.
' Shackleton to Fight.
LONDON, March 13. Sir Ernest
backleton, the explorer, who now is
at Sydney, Australia, says he is going
Into active war service, according to a
Reuter dispatch from that place. He
declares that this is the only course
for any. man who la free and able to
Report "to Governor Shows That
Since May, 1911, Out of 846 Men
Paroled, 167 Are Violators.
SALEM. Or., March 12. (Special.)
Convicts on parole from the State Peni
tentiary during February earned an
average of $52.07 each at their respec
tive employments, according to the re
port of Parole Officer Keller to Gov
ernor Wlthycombe. The report prob
ably Is the best showing yet made by
the convicts sines the law went Into
effect. Tha total amount of earnings
for 245 men for the month was $12,
757.68. The report also shows a decrease In
the number of parole violations. Since
May 26. 1911. when the law went Into
effect, the percentage of violations was
.3229. while between May 26. 1911. and
March 1, 1915, the percentage was .3611.
But between March 1, 1915, and March
1, 1916, the percentage had dropped to
.2690. the lowest of any period since
the law was passed.
Out of 846 men paroled since the law
went Into effect there have been 167
violations. .
During the last month only two men
out on parole were out of employment,
and 121 men were released from reporting-
FOREIGN RULERS' BARRED
Duchies of Coburg and Gotha Pass
Rule on Succession.
AMSTERDAM. March 12. The Ber
lin Lokal Anzieger says that a govern
ment bill was adopted at a Joint sit-4
ting of the diets of the Duchies of
Coburg and Gotha excluding from the
succession to the ducal throne mem
bers of foreign princely houses who
now or In the future war against Ger
many. The bill is understood to be
aimed at the English relatives of the
present Duke.
The present ruler of Saxe-Coburg
Gotha, Prince Leopold, is a grandson
of Queen Victoria, of England, tnd has
the British title of Duke of Albany. He
is the father of four small children,
two of whom are boys, so that the di
rect line to the throne is not at pres
ent in question.
COLONEL WALLACE COMING
Army Quartermaster "Will , Handle
Supply Pnrchases Here.
OREGONIAN NEWS BUREAU. Wash
ington. March 12. In accordance with
its announced purpose hereafter to
give Portland an opportunity to bid on
Army supply contracts, the War De
partment today ordered Colonel Ham
ilton S. Wallace, now quartermaster
at San Francisco, to Portland, to as
sume charge of the Portland office of
the quartermaster corps, relieving Lieu
tenant-Colonel Samuel R. Jones, re
tired.
Colonel Jones will become assistant
to the quartermaster after the arrival
of Colonel W allace.
U-BOATS SINK 42,000 TONS
Berlin Report Says Total for March
Now Exceeds 114,600 Tons.
BERLIN, March 12. (By wireless to
Sayville, N. Y.) The following state
ment on submarine operations was is
sued today by the Overseas News
Agency, the official German news bu
reau. "" .
"The cfficial report for March 11
says that 42.000 tons of shipping were
sunk. Together with the reports of
March 7 and 8 this gives a total of
more than 114,000 tons."
IRISH MEMBERS ARE BACK
Early Debate on Home Rule
In
' Parliament Assured.
LONDON. March 12 The Irish Na
tionalists made their reappearance in
the House of Commons today and as
sured themselves of another early de
bate on the subject of home rule for
Ireland by obtaining from the govern
ment a promise that the Irish esti
mates would be introduced some day
next week.
The estimates will provide an oc
casion for a debate on the whole Irish
administration.
CONSUL-GENERAL SUICIDE
Brazilian Official Stationed
Vienna Takes Own Life.
at
LONDON, March 12. Carlos Jaeger,
Brazilian Consul-General in Vienna,
has committed suicide, following an
abortive attempt at self-destruction by
his wife, according to an Amsterdam
dispatch to the Central News.
Senora Jaeger's act was prompted by
grief over the death of her children,
and Senor Jaeger took his life in th
belief that his wife 'was dead.
NAVY IS GROWING RAPIDLY
Total of 102,205 Men Needed, How
ever, for Mobilization Purposes,
WASHINGTON, March 12. Navy re
cruiting continues to show a great in
crease. . For the first eight days In
March the net gain was 716 men. On
March 1 there were 59,037 enlisted men
In the Navy, and on March 8 59.753.
There are still needed for mobiliza
tion, including regulars and reserves
102,296.
'recedent Smashed to
Defeat Germany.
ZAR COUNCIL IS MOMENTOUS
ranee and Russia Nearly Ex
hausted) Says Lloyd George.
NEW ERA IS PROMISED
Post-War Questions to Be Consid
ered, Such as Settlement of Sol
diers on Empire's Land, and
Commerce and Industry.
BY PREMIER DAVID LLOYD QEORGEj
A war council of the Empire la about
to assemble In London.
Its deliberations will extend over the
greater part of March and April.. It
Is understood In England that France
and Russia have nearly reached the
ummit of their resources and that
hereafter Great Britain must bear the
burden. I
I regard this council as marking the
beginning of a new epoch in the his
tory of the Empire. There will, of
course, be domestic questions which
each part of the Empire must settle
for Itself questions such as recruiting
in the United Kingdom! or home legis-
ation. Such domestic matters will be
our only reservation, but we propose
that everything else shall be, so to
speak, on the table.
War Policy to Be Declared.
The fate of the German colonies is
one obvious question, but there are
many questions of equal moment, all
difficult problems, connected with the
making of peace, to be threshed out.
The war policy of the empire will be
clearly defined and of great im
portance In what I may call the prep
aration f or ' peace. That will Involve
not only demobilization, but such post
war questions as the migration of our
people to other parts of the empire,
the settlement of soldiers on the land.
commerce and industry.
In these days we cannot hesitate he-
cause we are breaking precedents. The
empire has thrown itself, heart and
soul, into the war, and we should be
falling in our duty if we did not take
every possible step to see that Its lead
ers get together from time to time.
Dominions Will Be Consulted.
It seems to us an impossible and un
democratic position to think that the
overseas nations should '.also and place
in the field armies containing an enor
mous proportion of their best manhood
and not want to have a say, a real say.
In determining the use to which they
are to be put. That is why one of the
first acts of .he new government was
to ask Premiers of the overseas do
minions to come over, not to a formal
imperial conference, but to sit in the
(Concluded on Page 2, Column 1.)
THE
liW sfT 3$ x, i
Mayoress Says She or Any Umatilla
Council Woman "Would Have
Captured Robbers.
SACRAMENTO, Cal.. March 12. (Spe
cial.) "Superior strategy? Pooh! Any
woman would have done better. So
declared Mrs. E. E- Starcher, Mayoress
of Umatilla, who Is visiting here. A
dispatch telling how her husband was
responsible for thecapture of two safe
blowers during her absence was shown
to her.
Not only does Mrs. Starcher hold her
husband's prowess In small esteem, but
there Is one thing she wants to know.
"What was hubby doing out at 3 o'clock
In the morning?" Is a question that
hubby will be hauled on the carpet to
explain when wifey'gets home.
Mrs. Starcher declares that she fails
to see the strategy of running in the
opposite direction and calling on a
brace of officers.
"It was not a case of strategy. Direct
action is what was needed," she says.
"What would you have done under
the circumstances?" Mrs. Starcher was
asked.
"Why. what any woman would have
done, of course." she replied. "I'd have
got a gun and had those safecrackers
marched down the street toward the
City Jail in short order. At least I am
certain that any of the lady members
of my Qouncil would have done that."
Mrs. Starcher Is visiting with her
husband's parents, Mr. and Mrs. James
L. Starcher, .at 2107 L street. She has
received, considerabfe attention by the
women of California since coming here.
She was Introduced to Governor
Johnson and enjoyed a pleasant chat
with him today. The Gvverncr ex
pressed a keen interest in' the Uma
tilla woman's coup.
BLACK CAT SURVIVES GALE
Puss Found Riding Empty Keg Five
Miles Out at Sea.
REDONDO, BEACH, Cal.. March 12.
(Special.) Carl Hansen and George
Fitch returned from a fishing trip . to
day, bringing with them a large black
cat they found riding an empty keg
five miles out at sea.
The cat had weathered the fierce
storm of Saturday, when the wind blew
50 miles an hour, but had tenaciously
clug to the key through the gale.' On
a brass platea attached to a leather
collar around the animal's neck was
the word "Utanica," presumably the
name of a boat on "which the cat was a
mascot. .
WILSON STAYS IN ROOM
Cold Abating and Recovery Will Be
Complete In Few Days.
WASHINGTON, March 12. President
Wileon remained in his room today be
cause of the cold which had kept him
in his bed most of last week. It was
said he was steadily improving and
would be able to go out within a few
days.
The President as able to confer with
Secretary Lansing and Senator Martin,
the Democratic leader in the Senate,
but it appeared probable that the usual
Tuesday Cabinet meeting would be
cancelled. -
SUSPENSE IS SOMETHING AWFUL.
Formal Notice Given
to All Others.
CENTRAL : POWERS INCLUDED
Steps Taken to Cement Latin
, American Friendship.
SHIPS' STATUS DESCRIBED
Placing of Gun Crews From Navy on
Merchantmen Not Belligerent Act.
Contraband Subject to Seiz
ure and Destruction.
BY JOHN CALLAN O'LAUGHLIN.
WASHINGTON, March 12. (Special.)
Here are the striking developments
in the German situation today:
1. Secretary Lansing. In a circular
note, notified all foreign governments.
Including Germany and Austria-Hungary,
of the determination of the Gov
ernment to place an "armed guard"
on all American ships for their pro
tection. j
2. In observance of his policy to
assure Latin-American friendship in the
event of war with Germany, the Presi
dent confided to Senator Martin, Demo
cratic majority leader of the Senate,
the facts and reason behind his plea
for the ratification of the -treaty with
Colombia.
Argentine Rumor Disturbing.
3. Disturbing reports reached the
State Department that Argentina had
invited, all other Latin - American
states to enter into an alliance for the
maintenance of their neutrality, the
United States being excluded from the
movement.
4. Alarmed by reports that sailors
from German interned vessels would
raid the city and the Navy-yard, the
Mayor of Philadelphia formally re
quested the transfer of these men to
an inland Army post.
The status of armed merchant ships
is thus described:
1. Arming a merchant ship for de
fense is a right uiTaer International
law and is not a belligerent or un
friendly act.
Act Is Xot Belligerent.
2. The placing of gun crews from the
United States Navy on board American
merchant vessels to operate the defen
sive batteries is not a belligerent act
and is Justified by the circumstances.
3. American merchant vessels carry
ing arms for defensive purposes fur
nished by the. United States Govern
ment and having gun crews from the
United States Navy still preserve the
character of merchant vessels and are
not auxiliary cruisers or war vessels.
4. Such American merchant vessels
may carry usual cargoes which are
subject, if contraband, to confiscation
or destruction, provided the ordinary
(Concluded on Page 3. Column 1.)
DON r"
ALL LEAVE
Some1 eoR..
J"APAN
Two More Are Added to List of Dead,
Two More Are Missing, and
Score in Hospitals.
NEWCASTLE. Ind., March 12. Food
supplies and money began to reach
here tonight to alleviate -uffering fol
lowing In the wake of the tornado
which yesterday swept through the
city, causing the deaths of 19 persons
and property damage of more than
$1,000,000.
In addition to the 19" dead, two of
whom succumbed to Injuries today,
there are two persons missing and a
score In hospitals seriously Injured. It
Is not believed there are other bodies
in the wreckage caused by the tornado.
The food problem began to take on
serious aspect early In the day.
Crackers sold at 2 cents each and
bananas at 5 cents apiece. The caa
supply was shut off and many places
were without means of preparing food
that was at hand, and canned goads
were at a premium.
National Guardsmen are ruling the
city with a strong hand.
--HEALER" SENT TO PRISON
Schlatter Predicts All His Prosecu-
' tors Will Die In Two Years.
LOS ANGELES, March 12. A sen
tence of 18 months in the Federal pris
on on McNeil's Island. Wash., was im
posed today upon "King" Francis
Schlatter, self-styled divine healer.
found guilty last Saturday In the
United States- District Court here on a
charge of using the malls to defraud.
Schlatter called down the maledic
tlons of God upon all concerned in the
prosecution of his case and predicted
they would "die within two years"
when asked by Judge O. A. Trippet if
he had anything to say before sen
tence was pronounced.
ANDRASSY SEES EMPEROR
Vienna Considers Count to Be Com
ing Hungarian Premier.
LONDON. March 12. Great Impor
tance is attached in Vienna to an audi
ence given by Emperor Charles to
Count Andrassy. leader of the oppo
sition In the Hungarian Parliament, ac
cording to telegrams from Vienna
transmitted by the Exchange Telegraph
corporation at The Hague." Count An
drassy, the Vienna advices say, is con
sidered to be the coming Hungarian
Premier. -
Count Stephen Tisza is th present
Hungarian Premier.
INDEX OF TODAY'S NEWS
The Weather.
YESTERDAY'S Maximum temperature,
decrees; minimum. 36 degrees.
TODAY'S Rain, southerly winds.
Submarine.
Nation fully
Pace 1.
prepared
to defend rights.
Orders awaited to search interned raiders
cor explosives. Page 3.
New Yorkers asked to declare opinions on
upnomtng .Nation's rig tits. Page 3.
War.
British drive Turks 110 miles In 13 days
in capturing .ttagatrv. .rage 4.
foreign.
Lloyd George in signed statement says Brit
aln Is prepared to shoulder war burden.
Attire l.
Chinese House -rotes for break with Ger
many. Page 2.
National.
Senator Lane explains opposition to armed
neutrality Dill. Page b.
Navy to rush orders for 300 Coast Patrol
craft to repel submarines. Page 2.
Income tax yield greatly Increased. Page 16L
Fight over House organization put off.
age o.
Domestic
Governor Johnson, of California, to resign
Thursday. Page a.
Relief reaching tornado victims. Page 1,
Mrs. Starcher pooh-poohs husband's "strat
egy- Page 1.
General railroad strike Imminent. Page 2,
Representatives of 3,000,000 organized
workers pledge services to Nation's de
fense. Page 3.
Sport.
McLoughlln and Mary Browne beat East
erners in singles tennis matches. Page 14.
Twenty-eight trap shoots listed for Pacific
Cosat states this year. Page 14.
Joie. Ray out after world's distance running
records. Page 14.
Duffy meets Sanders, of New York. In box
ing event here tonight. Page 14.
Rain keeps Beavers from practicing. Page 15.
Pacific Northwest.
Clubbing of I. W. W. described by Deputy
Sheriff. Page .
Three break Jail at Lewlston, Idaho. Page 7,
245 paroled convicts earn 112,757 In Feb
ruary. Page 1.
One man killed, five hurt. In freight train
wreck near Med ford. Page e.
Bookkeeper corroborates BilUngsley's story
of graft. Page 1.
Idaho compensation act Is compulsory-
Page 7.
Attorney -General gives opinion on construe
tion or dry law points. Page o.
Slayer of E. W. Olson on trial at Olympla,
Page 7.
Commercial ana Marine.
Heavy demand from California for wheat
expected. Page 19.
Fear of railroad strike breaks Chicago mar
ket. Page 19.
Rails are strong features of Wall Street
stock list. Page 19.
Northwest shipyards hope for big Govern
ment orders. Page Its.
Portland and Vicinity.
Gypsy clan ordered to leave town within a
week Page zo.
Speakers at luncheon of membership coun
cil of Chamber of Commerce urge ap
proval of road Donas issue. Page 13.
Successor to School Director Lockwood may
, be named Thursday, page 13.
Louis Hodler, accused of blackmail, not
found. Page .11.
Antt-ptcket measure proposed for ballot at
city election. Page 9.
Petitions demanding Lane's resignation sent
to Senator. Page 8.
Weather report, data and forecast. Page 10.
Extension of time given road bond essayists.
Page 15.
C. M. Thomas. Med ford, announces for Con
gress. Page 15.
John Spargo defines Socialism. Page S.
Granville Barker criticises America. Page 16,
$4000 for "Old Man"
Seen on Table.
DATE ALSO IS CORROBORATED
0. W. R. & N. Foreman Says
Police Passed Liquor.
DR. MATTHEWS GETS $1000
Importer Says Fund GUcn Tastor
to Help Clean Tp Town and to
Investigate Ring Threat
Against Gill Denied.
SEATTLE. Wash, March 12. Arthur
R. Hatton. bookkeeper for Logan Bill-
fngsley in his Night and Day drugstore.
from March, 1916. until It was wrecked,
July 26. 1916, by the police, was the
principal witness today In the trial ot
the so-called whisky graft cases.
Mayor Hiram C. Gill. Chief of Police
Becklngham. ex-Sheriff Robert T.
Hodge and City Detectives Peyser,
Poolman. Doom and McLennan, charged
with conspiracy to violate the Federal
liquor laws, are defendants.
Money Seen la Blllingsley Boom.
Hatton testified that ho called on
Logan and Fred Blllingsley at their
rooms in a hotel on August 30, 1916.
The brothers had apparently been quar
reling over money matters when ho
came In.
There was some money on a table.
and Logan went out and got a large
quantity of money in bills. Four piles
of $1000 each were counted out on the
table. Logan made the four rolls into
one, placed it in his pocket and said:
"I'm going down to see the old man."
Two hours later Logan Billingsley
returned with a file of papers which
Hatton - had previously seen in the
drug store.
Bribe Declared Paid.
"How much did you give them?" ,
Hatton swore Fred Billingsley asked.
""The whole of it," replied Logan, ac
cording to Hatton, "and it was cheap
at that."
August 30 was the day on which
Logan Billingsley insists he gave, a
$4000 bribe to Mayor Gill.
On cross-examinatiotn he said Gill's
name Tas never mentioned, either be
fore ot after Logan went out with the
roll ot money.
Hatton said he had never seen mon
ey given to city detectives, but fre"
quently tabs for money paid out were
found in the drawer of the cash reg
ister by the bookkeeper, he said, and
the Billlngsleys said the money was
paid out to detectives.
Detective Seen Often.
Detectives Poolman and Peyser were
frequent visitors, and seemed on the
friendliest terms with the Billingsleys.
Hatton said. Cross-examination of Hat
ton had not been concluded when court
adjourned tonight.
Edward "Woldman. assistant freight
shed foreman for the Oregon-Washing
ton Railroad Sc. Navigation Company,
and who was Indicted with Gill and
the other defendants in the present
case, testified that he had been en
gaged by Logan Billingsley to notify
him promptly by telephone when any
liquor shipments came in.
Agent Warns of Police.
"Witness testified that Billingsley
asked him not to show Detectives Pool
man, Peyser, Doom and McLennan any
thing unnecessarily. On one occasion
he warned Billingsley that the four de
tectives were looking at some of his
liquor shipments, and Logan assured
him the detectives were all right. He
also testified that he had been re
quested by Detectives Peyser, Poolman,
Doom and McLennan to let liquor ship
ments from San Francisco to Logan
Blllingsley pass.
VIOOO Given Dr. Matthcm, He Says.
The sensation of the morning ses
sion was the statement of Billingsley
that laBt Summer while he being
pursued by the -police, ho gave $1000
to Dr. Mark A. Matthews, pastor of the
First Presbyterian Church, to be used
as part of a fund to "clean up the
town." This was before the alleged
agreement had been reached with GUI
by which the police were to be lenient
with Billingsley. "
A6ked If he knew how the money he
said he gave to Dr. Matthews had been
expended. Billingsley declared it had
been used to investigate . sociological
conditions, reports of gambling graft
In the lower end of the city, and the
whisky business. The witness freely
admitted that he "had it in for Mayor
Gill" before August 30, the date of the
alleged bribe.
Mayor's Price Declared Highest.
"I told Mayor Gill, before I laid the
money on the desk, that I was giving
him more money than I had ever paid
before for protection," said Blllingsley.
"He had previously Impressed on me
the great value of the service he could
render me.
"I did not tell Gill the exact amount
I was giving him when I laid the $4000
roll of bills on the desk. He thought
I was giving him $7500, as that amount
had been named In the negotiations
that led upto the interview in the of
fice of Chief Beckingham on August
30. 1916.
"Gill told me thai It would cost 3
six or seven 'mes as much as I pur
posed to give him to get out of the
. .(.Concluded on l'age 2, . Column
.
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