' ' y': '.:
SectionOne
92 Pages
A Sections
2 to 20
PRICE FIVE CENTS
VOL. XL XO. 11
Entered at Portland (Oregon)
Postof fife mr Bond-ClaB Mntter
PORTLAND, OREGON, SUNDAY MORNING, MARCH 13, 1921
EX-KAISER CUDGELS
EX-
E.
CIGARETTES MAILED
MILLIONS OF WOMEN
MANUFACTURER SATS HOMES
. HIDE FEMIXIAE SMOKERS.
PANTAGES INTERESTS
ACQUIRE HIPPODROME
$100,000 IS PAID DOWN ON
THEATER BUILDING.
INDIAN BURIED ALIVE
BY TRIBE MEMBERS
BRITISH IN BOOK
CALLED FRAME-UP
OF FEDERA
L POST
SMALLPOX SUFFERER KICKS
IX COFFIX WHILE OX WAY.
EXGLAXD held responsible
FOR WORLD WAR.
GOOD IMPRESSION
MADEBY HARDING
SENATOR
10
HI
STRIKE MEDIATIDf
I
A
- t
.
-
v. J
i
People Pleased With Ad
ministration's Start.
CANDOR AND FAIRNESS WIN
Appointment of Worthy Dem-
ocrats Applauded.
ONE BAD BLUNDER NOTED
Split Infinitive Ascribed to Chief,
but Senator Lodge Refuses
, to Consider "Lapse." .
THE OREGONIAN NEWS BUREAU,
Washing-ton. D. C. March. 12. After
"eight days of the Harding administra
tion all visible reactions Indicate that
thj country at large likes the sample.
The candor which has marked the
new president's movements so far has
made a favorable impression. His dis
position to consult all whose advice
might be worth while, a policy es
tablished Immediately after his elec
tion when the pilgrimages of fbest
minds" to his home at Marion, O., be
came a feature of the news, is uni
versally praised.
By way of being frank he has brok
en some precedents. An example of
this came last Saturday night when
Dumber of senators were his guests at
a dinner. The dinner, of course, was
recognized as something more than a
social affair and the newspaper men
bung around expecting to extract
their information in the usual way
from a senator who was willing to
whisper something to them.
Chief Gratifies Scribes.
Much to their surprise, the senators
hardly had their hats when the presi
dent himself came out. and, calling ,
th newspaper men around him. told
the story of what went on in a man-
ner which several of the guests say
was very complete as to details. He
repeated the performance after the
cabinet meeting Tuesday.
It has been such a simple matter
to obtain Information from the White
House in the last few days that some
of the news-gatherers are becoming
conscience-stricken. It is said, fear
ing that they are not earning their
money.
And all of the praise Is not coming
from the president's own party. Demo
crats admit frankly that they are
surprised at some of Mr. Harding's
appointments. He is not so much of
a partisan as they had been lea to
believe. He has, miach to their aston
ishment, been sorting out some of the
best of Mr. Wilson's appointees and
reappointing them or transferring
them to positions in which they will
have opportunities to perform better
eervice. y
Good Democrats Retained.
Mark W. Potter of New Tork, re
appointed to the interstate commerce
commission, is a democrat named by
Mr. Wilson but never confirmed. E.
Lester Jones of Virginia, reappointed
as chief of the coast and geodetic
survey, is a democrat elevated by
President Wilson. Mr. Jones has
made good, although his appointment
by the former resident was at one
time widely criticised.
Joshua W. Alexander, former, sec
retary of commerce and a Democrat
of the old school. Is to be a member
of the shipping board because he is
cne of the most thoroughly equipped
men in the United States for the job
by reason of his long legislative ex
perience. Mr. Harding also has made
himself popular by rewarding merit
in ome of the executive departments.
An example of this came today in the
tppointment of W. W. Husband of
Vermont as commissioner general of
Immigration.
Many political strings had been
pulled to have men outside the de-
(Concluded on Page 4. Column 1.)
IE K EXT DIG
V
Former Emperor, in Volume Jusl
Published, Recalls Manila Bay
and Other Incidents.
AMSTERDAM. March 12. Former
Emperor William of Germany has
written for private distribution
book by which he attempts to show
that England was responsible for the
world war. In the volume he has
collated historical facts and data rel
atlve to International agreements be
tween all countries Involved In th
war from 1884 to 1914, and these fact;
have been marshaled In parallel col
umns by Count Hohenzollern, say
the newspaper Het Volk.
He declares England's responsibil
!ty for the war centered la her "plot
to Isolate Germany," and refers to
the mobilization of English banks In
April, 1914, preparations for war by
the British fleet In June, the same
year, and the Russian mobilization
of forces July IS.
"Thus," says the newspaper, "the
former emperor tries to find adher
ents for the theory that allied mob
ilization made It Impossible for Ger
many to prevent the war."
The former monarch worked on the
book many months, getting up a table
of dates, intending to show that the
world's history during the JO years
leading up to the war showed better
than comment a world plot against
Germany. Among other things, the
book Is said to cite the American-
German-British incident in Manila bay
dufing the Spanish-American war. In
which Admiral Dewey's action In
forcing the Germans to observe neu
trality was backed up by the British
fleet, as showing an alliance be
tween the British and Americans.
French, British and Russian treat'
les, together with incidents, are cited.
Seventy copies were printed and
distributed for private reading.
TURKS FREE BEND WOMAN
Mrs. P. C. Bart Is Reported Safe In
City of Constantinople.
BEND, Ore., March 12. (Special).
Mrs. P. C. Burt, wife of a Deschutes
cq rancner, captured earlier In
Turkis natlonallsts
and held for ransom. Is now safe in
Constantinople with her sister. Miss
A. G. Anthony, according to word re
ceived by the husband. Mrs. Burt
and Miss Anthony are both Armenian
relief workers, being among the first
American women to sail for the near
east following the close of the world
war.
Details of the capture are lacking,
but Mr. Burt has no reason to be
lieve that his wife was offered any
indlgn'ties after her capture at Sam
sou n. Mrs. Burt and Miss Anthony
are expected to leave for the United
States in April.
DANCERS STEP TO RADIO
Music for Ball In Glencoe School
Is Sent by Wireless.
Three hundred members of the
Northwestern Radio club last night
danced in the Glencoe school to the
music of a phonograph in the home
of J. L. Taylor, 1556 East Taylor
street, some half a mile from the
scene of the dance.
The music was transmitted by radio
and was received in the ballroom by
an amplifier which magnified the
Bound 20 times. It was said that the
experiment was not an absolute suc
cess, although the music sufficed for
the dancing, and the unique mode of
orchestration contributed to the en
joyment of the dancers. '
EX-EMPRESS IS WORSE
Strictest Silence Imposed About
Augusta Victoria.
DOORN, March 12. Because of the
Increasing seriousness of the heart
attack suffered by Ex-Empress Au
gusta Victoria of Germany, her phy
sicians have Imposed the strictest si
lence about the premises.
All crowing fowls have been re
moved. tNE-UT
Shipping Board Job De-
dared Certainty.
POSITION RESPONSIBLE ONE
Board Controls Property Val
ued at Four Billions.
R. E. WILLIAMS RETURNS
Republican National Committee
man Gives Result of Interview
With New President.
Senator George E. Chamberlain will
be appointed on the United States
shipping board. President Harding
has given positive. assurance of this
to Ralph E. Williams, republican na
tional committeeman for Oregon, who
returned to Portland last night.
"No matter what rumors may be
circulated regarding the personnel of
the shipping board," said Mr. N 111
lams, "the people of Oregon can rest
assured that Senator Chamberlain
will be a member. He will not be
the chairman, but he will be on the
board. The shipping board is the Big
gest Job the government has to fill.
It has $4,000,000,000 under its control.
The members will receive 112,000 a
ear; they can travel anywhere In
the world to investigate conditions,
nd they have an unlimited expense
account.
During the few days that I was In
Washington I knew of three men who
were tentativelly placed on the board
and later removed. There will be
many . more changes before the com
plexion of the board is formed, but
n the end Senator Chamberlain will
be on It.
Forbes Strongly Supported.
"Elmer Forbes of Spokane Is one of
the strong contenders. He has the
backing of the shipping interests in
Seattle, San Francisco and New Tork.
was with Mr. Forbes and some of
his friends one night and telegrams
by the hundreds arrived while I was
with him, 'giving assurances of sup
port. I believe that Mr. Forbes will
ot be appointed, although if he
should be on the board his Interests
would be more Inclined toward Port
land than San Francisco or the At
lantic coast. It is difficult to con
ceive of pressure being made on the
president for the various applicants.
The terms of the present shipping
board virtually expire tonight, but
the president has requested the mem
bers to hold over until April.
Press dispatches from Washington
yesterday said that Will Hays, newly
appointed postmaster-general, wishes
Mr. Williams to be one of the three
assistants postmaster-general.
"I know nothing about this matter
beyond what I read in- the papers."
explained Mr. Williams. "J feel very
grateful to Mr. Hays for suggesting
my name for such a position, but
under no circumstance could I accept
the appointment if it were offered
to me.
, News Coasted Authentic.
"I have information that Mr. Hays
feels kindly toward me and there is
probably something authentic about
his desire for me to be one of his
assistants, for the news was carried
by the press services and presumably
was givet. out through the' office of
Mr. Hays. Pressure of private busi
ness, however. Is sufficient to pre
vent me from accepting the appoint
ment if one can decline an appoint
ment which has never been directly
offered. I have never discussed this
subject directly with Mr. Hays."
Mr. Hays has not yet resigned as
chairman of the republican national
committee, but bis resignation will
(Concluded on patte 17, column 2.
PICTORIAL COMMENTS
I
. r- 7 c I I I
Rapid Increase In Number Using
Tobacco Is Attributed to In
fluence of Europe
BT CLARA SAVAGE.
(Copyright, 5021, by The Oreronlan.)
NEW TORK, March 12. (Special.)
Millions of American women are
secret cigarette smokers.
This was the statement of one of
the best-known manufacturers of
women's cigarettes in the United
States, to whom the writer today
showed that portion of the annual
report of the Internal revenue bureau
which deals with cigarettes. Accord
ing to the report cigarette smoking
among women Is steadily increasing.
They are now smoking approximately
20,000,000,000 cigarettes a year, and
they are held responsible for an In
crease of 60 per cent In the sale and
manufacture of cigarettes in the
United States In the last 12 months.
"These figures look big to a person
on the outside." said the manufac
turer. "If a person lives in a town
or even a medium-sized city he prob
ably does not see many women smok
ing. They smoke in secret. He should
have a look at our books and see
what a tremendou: mail-order busi
ness we do with women. They don't
want to buy cigarettes right in their
own home towns. They don't want
their next-door neighbor to know
they smoke. When they send In their
(Concluded on pugc 17, column 1.)
INDEX OF TODAY'S NEWS
The Weather.
TESTER DAT"S Hifrhfest temperature, 46
degree; lowest, 38; cloudy.
TODAY'S Occasional rains; northeasterly
winds.
Departments.
Church Section 6, page 2.
Books. Section 5, page 3.
Schools. Section 5, page 6.
Automobiles. Section 6.
KditorlaL Section 3, page 8.
Dramatic Section 4, page 2.
Moving picture news. Section 4, page 4.
Real estate and building news. Section 4,
page 8.
Music. Section 4. page 5.
Wmufn'i lea-turefl.
Fashions. Section 5 page 4.
Mlea Tingle's column. Section 6, page 4.
Society. Section 3, page 2.
Women's activity. Section 3, page 10.
Child welfare column. Section 3, page 12.
Auction bridge. Section 5, page 7.
Madame - Klchet's column. Section 5.
page 6.
Special Feature.
Vancouver now' home of modern army.
Afagaaine ejection, pa go 1.
New legislation would ban high heels.
Magazine section, yag 2.
Latin-Americans prevent crimes with
pawnshops. Magazine section, page s.
George Ade fable. Magazine section,
page a.
Cat declared to have hypnttc powers.
Magazine section, page 3.
News of world as seen by camera. Maga
zine section, page 4.
Intimate diary of Marpot Asqulth. Maga
zine section, page
James J. Montague comedy drama. Maga
zine section, page o.
When the whole family eloped. Magazine
section, page 6.
Unlucky at cards, fiction feature. Maga
zine section, page i.
Hill's cartoons. "Among; us Mortals.
Magazine section, page 5.
Home construction and arrangement.
Section 5, page 1.
Spring flowers. Section 5, page 7.
Darling's cartoons on topics of the day.
Section 5, page 8.
Central America hard hit by coffee and
sugar cut. section a, page i-.
'Camera Face" necessary for success in
movies. Section 4, page 6.
Forela-Bu
Force said
to rule policy
of allies.
Section 1, page .
Harding's . message-
relieves Germans.
Section 1, page 15,
German occupation
declared Justified.
Section 2, page 24.
Reichstag votes confidence in Germany's
stand on reparations, section i, page 2.
Ex-kalser in book Just published holds
England responsible for war. section x,
page 1.
Germany advance held trick to block
separate Deace by United State.
Section 1, page 4.
National.
Visitors ?eek out every White House nook.
Section 1. page 5.. .
Cigarettes mailed to millions of women
smokers. Section 1, page 1.
Puget sound cities file application for
rehearing of Columbia river rate case.
Section 1, page 3.
George Harvey held choice as British
ambassador. Section 1, page 2. j
Country appears to be pleased with start
made by Harding administration. Sec
tion 1, page 1. -
Rancher pursues swindler for year. Sec
tion 1. page 16.
Tax revision before tariff. Is MondelTf
advice to president. Section 1. oafte 1(V
BY CARTOONIST PERRY ON SOME RECENT
j3
I
Consideration Given for Structure
at Broadway and Yamhill Said
to Be 9500,000.
The deal which has been under way
Intermittently for several monUis
was closed at noon yesterday
whereby Alexander Pantages, head
of the Pantages circuit, purchased the
Hippodrome theater, Broadway and
Tamhill street, from the Houser In
vestment company, the price being
8500,000.
Of the purchase price $100,004 was
paid down yesterday and, according
to the terms of the deal, the re
mainder must be paid within SO days.
John A. Johnson, manager of the
local Pantages theater, who closed
the deal after obtaining authority by
telegraph from Mr. Pantages, said
that in taking over the building Mr.
Pantages planned on erecting a num
ber of additional stories on the struc
ture to be used as office space.
Elevators will be installed, and other
up-to-date equipment put In, he said,
with a view to making the structure
pay a substantial revenue. As it now
stands Mr. Johnson said. It had been
paying only about 5 per cent.
The Marcus Loew-Ackerman-Har-ris
syndicate at the present time has
a lease on the theater which has
nearly five more years to run. Con-
(Concluded on page 17, column & )
Domestic.
Shooting of Jake Hamon Is declares
frame-up. Section 1, page 1.
Indian buried alive by fellow tribesmen
Section 1, pace 1.
Packers and labor accept strike mediation.
Section 1, page 1.
Pacific Northwest.
Ex-head of school found not guilty. Sec
tion 1, page 7.
Highway improvement under new legut
. UUon is mapped out by oommUtfon.
Section 1, page 10.
Ben Collins, former cashier of Jackson -.ville
bank, found not guilty of fraud
charge. Section 1, page 10.
Hood River Apple Growers association
business for current year exceeded only
In 19JO. Section 1. page 8.
Professor of psychology studies Synes
thesia, by which certain sounds reUter
on brain as colors. Section 1, page 9.
Uniform standard in colleges drawn.
Section 1, page 16.
Sports.
All-Pacific coast and all-northwest basket
ball teams officially announced. Sec
tion 2, page 1.
Beavers again get rain at Santa Maria
camp. Section 2, page 1.
Feeling between Ty Cobb and Hughey
Jennings causes promised two-game
series to be cancelled Section 2, page 2.
State asks postponement of six months in
trial of indicted Whits Sox players.
Section 2, page-2. -
Dave Shade and Frankle Murphy promise
fat bout on St. Patrick's day card at
Milwaukie. Section 2, page 3.
Two Stanford men can vault 12 feet
Section 2, page 4.
Golf tourney set for June 20 to 2o.
Section 2, page 4.
Seattle bowlers to send at least 12 teams
to Portland tournament. Section 1,
page 4.
Rule on gridiron safety Is changed.
Section 2, page 4.
Commercial and Marine.
Seed potatoes taken freely by California
buyers. Section 1, page 19.
Unloading by longs carries down Chicago
wheat prices. Section 1, page 19.
Railway and other shares advance in
Wall-street' stock market. Section 1,
page 19.
Tanker Swlftscout launched with cere
mony honoring Boy Scouts of America.
Section 2, page 24.
Wall-street turns attention to current
domestic problems. Section 1, page IS.
French steamer Mont Cervln ordered up
river to load in Portland. Section 2,
page 24.
Portland and Vicinity.
Eastern Oregon gains political prestige.
Section 1, page S.
Pantages Interests accjuire ' Hippodrome.
Section 1, page 1.
Manager Darnell of Swift plant ploads
- economic necessity as reason for wage
cut. Section 1, page 3.
5SO miles of highway work left over from
last year. ' Section 1, page 11.
Income tax crowd Increases as last day
draws near. Section 1, page 14.
Merger of Portland fiscal agencies Is
announced. Section 1, page 11.
Crater Lake plans need half a million
and a financial Moses. Section 1,
page 13.
Portland Service league will make aggres
sive campaign for members. Section 1,
page lo.
Sister of late lord-mayor of Cork visits
Portland. Section 1, page 17.
Community chest committees are being
organized, for drive. Section 1, page 12
Merchants, plan to organize s:ate. Sec
tion 1. page 13.
Oregon Elks win give state-wide publicity
at national conclave in Los Angeles.
Section 1. page 1o
Srs ONLV ONE" WAV to
'-::
Victim Suggests Enemies
Plotted Death. .
WOMAN DECLARED PENITENT
Business Partner Tells How
He Ordered Girl to Leave.
$5000. FUND PROVIDED
Witnesses Corroborate Statement
That Victim Laid Blame for
Shooting on Paramour.
ARDMORE, Okla.. March 12. Addi
tional testimony that Jake U Hamon,
Oklahoma national republican com
mitteeman, had declared on his death
bed that he had been shot by Clara
Smith Hamon. as he lay on the bed
in his hotel room, was introduced at
the woman's trial today.
W: B. Nichols, a business associate
of Hamon, corroborated testimony of
yesterday as to the shooting and
Rev. T. E. Irwin, who coitducted Ha-
auoted Hamon as say
ing Clara Hamon had told bim that
the affair was a "frame-up by oth
ers" and that she was sorry for what
she had done.
Politics, which gained Hamon na
tional renown, was toucnea -
one witness stated he had been told
by Hamon to "take direct to Warren
Harding- the appointment to olc
of several of Hamons friends. In
whom Hamon still expressed deep in-
tercst. .
Fr-me-t - Is C.srgrd.
. frame-up by others.
Rev T. E. Irwin, pastor of the Pres
fJVn rhurch at Lawton, who d
Dyiorisu yr - ..-. oraton.
T man told bin,
'eTume;! Paid her off. but this
'"Dr'lrwm'aTparently speaking with
.nn declared he did not want to
roneantiustice and insisted
:. itt.rt io make an e-
on nems fc --
prelude to direct re-
planatlon as a
..Lj hv both state
nllps to quesuu"
defense counse. Bo . sides how
ever sharply demanded that he reply
to"he Question, doctor, never mind
the explanations."
The clergyman th.
that the
. . Hon from tiamou
had shot him, he said.
voung woman
Blame Placed on Clara.
W B Nichols, ex-chief of police'of
Oklahoma City, and business and poli
tical associate ot Mr. Hamon. was
he second man through whom the
8tat6 had sought to introduce an al-
leged dying siw" -
B?mon and his testimony, like that
f K M. Roach, an Oklahoma City
icsurance man. yesieru,
had been told by Hamon he knew
he was dying and that Clara Smith
Hamon shot him.
-Bill, she got me," Nichols quoted
Hamon as saying, and continued that
the wounded man had asserted he was
lying down for a rest when Clara
Hamon came to him, placed her left
hand on his head and fired into his
body.
He told how Hamon sajd he threw
up his left arm to knock aside the
firearm, but too late, then leaped up.
knocked the tiny automatic pistol
from the woman's hand, recovered it
trom the floor, placed It in his pocket
and then walked to the sanitarium,
where he died in ftve days.
Flight Is Agreed on.
The witness said he was In Mr.
Hamon's office the folfowlng morn
ing when Clara Hamon entered and
agreed on demand of Frank Ketch,
business manager for Mr. Hamon
then, and now administrator of his
estate, that he leave Ardmore.
"No more disgrace for the Hamon
(Concluded on Page 3. Column 3.)
EVENTS IN THE NEWS.
VNHO'S
Red Men Said to Have Feared
Wrath of Health Officer if '
Casket Were Opened.
REDDING. Cal.. March 12. Charges
that William Taylor, an Indian af
flicted with smallpox, was burled
! alive on Hat Creek two weeks ago.
were presented today to District At
torney Carlo for investigation. The
allegation was made by Chief Samson
Grant of the Hat Creek Indians.
Smallpox has been playing havoc
recently with the remnants of the Hat
Creek Indian tribe, according to word
received here, and Dr. M. D. Pratt,
health officer for the eastern part of
the country, had placed several fami
lies under quarantine.
Mrs. Rhoades. a daughter of Chief
Grant, who Is vouched for by the lo
cal Indian agent, wrote to her father
that two Indians, Johnny Armstrong
and Roderick Buckskin, burled Tay
lor after nightfall by the light of a
lantern.
. Before they took the coffin to the
grave, the letter said, they heard Tay
lor kicking, but they were afraid to
open the casket, fearing the wrath of
the health officer.
Indians who have succumbed to
smallpox are Mrs. Molly Dick, an aged
widow, who left 110,000 in a bank
according to the Indian agent, "Shot
gun". Hawkins, Alexander Patterson
and Govle Valley Jack.
Another version lold by the Hat
Creek Indians states that while Will
iam Taylor was dying he kicked four
times and at each kick he named tan
Indian. The four he is reported to
have named followed him in death
Mrs. Dick, Shotgun Hawkins, Alex
ander Patterson and Govle Valley
Jack.
HOMESTEAD LAND OPENED
Ex-Service 3Ien Given First Right
to File Upon Farms.
WASHINGTON. D. C, March 12.
Lands in the Santa Fe district. New
Mexico, totalling 1,499,000 acres, were
topened for entry today by the de
partment of 'nterior and 47 appllca
tlons ere approved under the stock-
raising homestead laws.
Tha remainder of the land Is avail
able lot entry under a 63-.'ay priority
for former service men.
LEGION ADVISES CAUTION
Veterans Would Guard Against
Error in Slacker Lists.
INDIANAPOLIS. Ind.. March 12.
National officers of the American
Leg'on today took steps to prote t
men who may be wrongfully classed
as draft evaders in the lis: to be
Issued soon by the war department
and to make certain that none guilty
of evading military service escape.
All posts were notified that they
should aid In establishing te correct
ness o the l'sta.
DINING CAR CHARGES CUT
Great Northern Also Will Reduce
Summer Tourist Rates.
ST. PAUL, Minn., March 12. Re
ductions of from 15 to 25 per cent In
dining car charges were announced
today by the Great Northern railroad
company.
The company also declared it would
put Into effect this year special sum
mer tourist passenger rates repre
senting a reduction of from 20 to 25
per ceit.
COW OFFERED PRESIDENT
Lack of Dairy Quarters May Pre
vent Acceptance.
WASHINGTON. D. C, March 12. A
cow has been offered President Hard
ing by a Libertyville. 111., man. who
in a letter received today, said It was
"his hobby to raise very good Jersey
cows and to place them where they
will be most appreciated."
Lack of a suitable home for a cow
on the White House grounds may
prevent the president from accepting.
"ErVVUY
ON TOP J
OFFER ACCEPTED
Packers and Unions Reply
to Secretary.
ALL-DAY MEETING IS HELD
Heads of Industry, However,
Hold Wage Is No Issue.
NORMAL TREND CITED
Standards in Mines and Other
Manufacturing Institutions Rc-
garded as Impossible.'
CHICAGO. March 12. After an all
day discussion by heads of the pack
ing Industry, a telegram was sent
Secretary of Labor Davis at Wash
ington accepting his suggestion that
they send two representatives to con
fer with him and two representatives
of the employes regarding the situ
ation In the Industry.
The telegram, signed by Armour &
Co., said:
"Tour message received. Will be
glad to follow your suggestion."
A statement given out said:
"We assume that the Justice and
necessity of wage cuts will not be at
issue. Nor can there Justly be an
issue on the matter of hours."
I'nlosa Also Accept.
Secretary Davis offer of personal
mediation in an effort to avert a
threatened strike also was accepted
by the union leaders, Dennis Lane of
the Amalgamated Meat Cutters and
Butcher Workmen of North America
said In a telegram to him. It said
In part:
"It has always been the policy of
our organization to co-operate with
all governmental agencies. We ac
cept your tender of services to work
out a solution of the situation. We
suggest such conferences be held In
Washington March 18."
Return to Normal Cited.
The statement issued by the pack
ers did not mention the war-time
arbitration agreement canceled by
them February 26.' It said: ,
The nation's insistence on a return
to normal and Us refusal to pay war
prices in peace times has caused
prices of our products to drop to
what are practically pre-war levels.
Our-own business has been conducted
at a loss for two years, but our oper
ating expenses remained at the war
time peak. Wage reductions, there
fore, are essential.
"The standards of hours of labor
established In" mines, foundries and
manufacturing Institutions cannot be
applied in plants handling perishable
products. It would be Just as reason
able to say that the harvesting of
crops must be accomplished on an
eight-hour-day basis."
'Any Industry that has not estab
lished its working conditions and
hours of labor to handle perishable
products in season economically and
promptly Is fundamentally wrong.
"The basic eight-hour day was not
a measure for determining the ac
tual working hours. It simply served
to penalize work In excels of eight
hours and provided no offset for work
of less than eight hours. Any ad
justment of wages that requires ex
tra pay for less than 48 hours' work
a week unless that work is per- .
formed at unusual hours is an un
just tax on the business which the
pfibllc eventually has to pay.
48-Honr Week Proposed.
"Our plan contemplates giving the
men 48 hours' work weekly and does
no: contemplate reducing our pres
er: forces."
The American Unity Welfare Labor
league, composed of negro packing
house employes, announcd in a state
ment today it was ready to accept
(Concluded on Paee 2. Column 2.
IHTt rr
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