Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Oregon daily journal. (Portland, Or.) 1902-1972 | View Entire Issue (May 23, 1919)
irS ALL HERE and ITS ALL TRUE" VOL. XVIII. NO. 65 Entorad u 8cond-elas Matter Portoffiea. Portland. OreoB. PORTLAND,1 OREGON, FRIDAY EVENING, MAY 23, 1819. TWENTY-FOUR PAGE. PRICE TWO CENTS ON TRAINS N NIWI STAND riVK CINTt P1TISM CLASH IS OH U SENATE Sherman of Illinois Opens His Campaign to Smash League of Nations Pact in Peace Treaty. Johnson Demands That State De partment Furnish Full Copy of Treaty Framed in Paris. . Washington. May 23. Assailing the proposed League of.Nations as a '"gigantic firebrand for a world con flagration," Senator Sherman of Il linois today, in the senate, declared the covenant's ratification would be a signal to prepare for "the next war." ' Sherman declared the league pro posal ''reduced the United States to a vassal state. It is a call to action and resistance by every means God '.and man has given America." COMPLAINS OF COST A million American soldiers, he de clared, will be required to meet the re sponsibilities and duties of the United State In foreign lands. He urged the senate to separate the covenant from the : treaty proper, "so that we may consider under civil procedure and civtl authority, uiiawedby executive war powers, the "colossal and vital changes proposed Jn our form of government" V Interlocking of the treaty and cove nant he said, 'Is a confessed case of Jog foiling." The league is Interlocked with the treaty designed for an ulterior pur pose. ..--" 40HSSOS GETS BC8Y " Sherman then analysed various arti cles of the covenant, taking particular exception te article 10. which binds league members to protect the territorial integrity of other members. This, - he said, would mean that the United States must ,-b called on to send soldiers to fight China to make good the peace con ferences grant of Shantung to Japan, and would involve us An. all the European , and Asiatic disputes. ' r Johnson's renewed cjrticism of-the ad ministration for not supplying the sen ate with opy -"of the treaty was made when h called up his resolution calling on- the- state department to produce the document. He declared the senate and the American people "had a right to know what was in, the treaty." CAST BE DONE Hitchcock assured the senate that it was impossible for the state department to furnish a copy of the treaty now. He declared that never before had an effort been made to force the president to furnish the senate with a treaty which was Still under discussion, it be ing the 'president's constitutional- right to withhold the treaty until the present negotiations1 had been completed. "Meddlesome interference with the executive powers in this important mat ter," Hitchcock branded Johnson's reso lutfon. "It would be extremely embarrassing to the president at this time if the reso lutions were complied with, Hitchcock added. "It would be throwing a monkey wrench into the machinery of our Internationale-relations and peace negotia tions. It would be a violation of diplo matic custom and international propri eties." DISTRUST 0E PRESIDENT As Hitchcock remarked that it would be "an indication to the world that the senate distrusted the president," there was laughter from the Republican side. "Tommyrot," said Johnson in replying to Hitchcock. He charged that the presi dent was "juggling in secret with Amer ican lives and American treasure" and seeking to throw "American soldiers for all time in Europe's. Asia's and Africa's endless and frequent turmoils." Johnson was . accused by Senator Thomas, Democrat of Colorado, "of wrestling with a spectre that does not exist." - :, Senator Rood, Democrat of Missouri, announced that not until Monday would he deliver an address he had planned on certain aspects of the league covenant. WILI 'C03TI3rE-ipHT.v Senators Poindexter and King are - prepared to keep the Russian discussion going . If Johnson should be defeated. Poindexter has a resolution demanding an explanation of the- 'American mili tary policy, and King wants formal recognition of the Omsk government and deportation of Bolshevik! agents from the United States. The house 'appropriations committee continued" its work on money bills. It took up the $15,000,000 Indian bill in an effort to report It for passage during the day. As soon as this is disposed of the District of Columbia bill will be acted on. Early next week the com mittee is to take UP the railroads' finan cial needs. A bill appropriating $1, W)0.000;000 probably will be reached. Only Three Minutes Taken to Pass Big. Appropriation Bill .. - Washington, May 23. (I, X. S.) The senate today passed an appropriation of $ ta.000.000 for the payment of allot ments by the bureau of war risk in surance and for pensions for Civil war veterans, in three minutes. Senator . Lodge, Republican leader, . asked that , the bill - be passed without . going to a committee,, in order that the dependents of soldiers and aMlors might receive, their allotments. , ' The . measure ; was jammed through without a rollcall. , It was passed by the house Thursday.- ,It- nowsgbes to - the president. -..v- ... -. .v i.-- LEGATION IN COSTA RICA AIM OF PLOT WASHINGTON, May 23. (I. N. S.) An attempt to de molish the American legation building at Han Jose, Costa Rica, was made Monday night, when a bomb was net off in the Interior of the structure, the Mate department was advised this afternoon. The bomb, Jiowever, did but little damage, some of the windows being shat tered by the explosion. The bomb had been placed near the entrance of the reception room. Benjamin F. Chase, the Amer ican consul in charge. Is con ducting an investigation. It was stated, bat as yet there have been no dews to the perpetra tors of the plot. J 32 BELIEVED DEAD IN DUST EXPLOSION Eleven Bodies Already Recovered From Ruins of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Starch Plant. redar Rapids. Iowa, May 23. (U. P.) Thirty-two persons are now thought to be dead in the fire which Thursday night and today destroyed the 3,000,000 plant of the Douglas Starch company here. The eleventh body was taken from the ruins of the wrecked plant at noon today. It mas charred almost beyond recognition. Company officials this afternoon ad mitted 21 persons are missing. These persons probably are all dead, as no one could survive the terrible heat created by the flames which enveloped the plant, it was said. As soon as the ruins cool, probably late this afternoon, a thorough search of the debris will be made. BFILDINO GOES SKYWARD The central one of three buildings blew skyward with a great roar as 106 workmen who had Just begun their du ties for the night were assembled at their various tasks. , Scores were injured by flying debris. Fourteen of the injured are In hospitals while others, suffering minor cuts; and bruises, were treated and sent to their homes. ' Eight bodies were taken from the blazing ruins Thursday night and two men died in . hospitals shortly after be ing rescued from the wreckage. Nearly all the victims are foreigners. OTHERH MAT HIE The Injured being treated at hospitals were mostly cut by flying glass and crushed by falling timbers. It is thought some may die. ? Accumulation of dust in the drying room of the three-building starch plant Is thought to have caused the explosion. It was said today the vacuum system was not working. This allowed the dust to settle In large quantities, causing combustion. ' When firemen reached the scene they were handicapped in fighting the flames because water mains in the neighbor hood had burst through the force of the explosion. The fire fighters and thousands Blood about, unable to rescue men trapped In the burning debris. The eries of the men couldbe heard for blocks. Two men, finally rescued from the flames, were so terribly burned and crushed that they died almost immedi ately after being sent to hospitals. BLAST'S FORCE TERRIFIC The force of the blast was felt within a radius of a mile. Windows were broken and persons injured by flying glass and timbers in parts of the city far removed from the Douglas plants. Fred L. . Burns, foreman in charge of the night shift at the plant, said that the day shift of more than three hun dred men had departed from the plant only a short time before the night force went to work. Had the explosion hap pened a few minutes earlier, the list of dead and injured probably would have been bigger. : The police, firemen and reserve offi cers' training corps of Coe college are in charge of the situation today. Orders have been issued to keep out relatives and friends of men not ac counted for in the check today. BUILDINGS ARE ROCKED Near the plant were several public buildings, a hotel, the V. M. C. A. and a moving picture house. They were damaged by the explosion and for a time threatened by fire. D. J. Borman, a Chicago traveling salesman, was blown from the window of his hotel, suffering cuts and bruises. Frank Sodoma. an employe, . was car ried from the ruins of the plant with both legs gone. He begged spedators to kill him to end his suffering. J. S. Hall, president of the Hall Manu facturing company, was cut and bruised when thrown from a chair In front of the hotel. J. Harner. who was in the boiler room, was blown through the building and, al though seriously injured, it is believed he will survive. Batteries A and B Will Come Through Portland, Decision Batteries A and B of the 147th field artillery are coming through Portland on their way to Camp Lewis and will leave Camp Podge, Iowa, today. This Information came to . Portland . today from two sources. A wire was received by Frank 11. Hilton at the Liberty Temple from Senator McNary in Wash ington, D. C. stating that the war de partment advised him that an order had been sent to Camp,Etedge, where the batteries were Thursday;- Instructing them to stop over at Portland. A telegram sent-by Captain C. B. Gay. io command of one of the batteries, stated that the - two units would leave Camp Dodge today and that they would go . via Huntington; Or., which means that they will be on O-W. It. & N. tracks I and will come through Portland. - F.J. HE? REPLIES TO Sends Letter to Congressional Committee Denying Statements as to Jury Packing Charge. Wickersham as Attorney Gen eral Refuses Chance to Reply; McArthur Letters Are Quoted. Washington, May 23. (WASH INGTON BUREAU OF THE JOUR NAL.) Francis J. Heney has writ ten the house interstate and foreign commerce committee a complete de nial of .statements that during the land fraud trials in Oregon he or William J. Burns, packed the jury box to secure the conviction of Wil lard N. Jones or other defendants, as alleged In the report of George W. Wickersham. attorney general of the United States, when Wicker sham recommended a pardon for Jones. Mr. Heney says the Wickersham re port was for the first time used against him during the meat packers' investiga tion, that his version was not asked during the consideration of the Jones pardon application, and he resents in ferences of Improper action In the trial of the land fraud cases. He devotes considerable attention to the "McArthur affidavit" and denies statements made by the affiant, C. N. McArthur. now congressman from Ore gon, which were strongly relied upon by Jones In his application for pardon. The present controversy "broke out" during the packers' Investigation, when Heney had a tilt with Congressman Te walt of Pennsylvania, and Dewalt in troduced in evidence the latter of Wick- (Onnetadad on PhiiNIiwimi. Column Onet to citizens' Jury Attorney Asserts that City Offi cials Try to Shift Blame of Death Onto County. "Why," shouted John A. Collier, at torney who charges city officials with neglect in the case of Eugene Tuck, al leged wife slayer, who died in jail. "That is the word that has rung out through out these proceedings. Why was Eu gene Tuck allowed to tie in a cell and die while nurses and doctors sat idly by?" That was the closing question of At torney Collier to the citizens jury in whose hands now rests the fate of city officials charged with neglect of duty in the care of Tuck. The question marked the close of a searching investigation into the conduct of Portland health and police officialdom A report, submit ted to Mayor Baker within th.- next few days, will herald to the public whether present city office holders will retain their posts. Dr. George Farrish, city health of ficer, was the "last witness called to the stand prior to an inspection of city and county jails by "the citizens' jury. "I believe Tuck was a mental and physical wreck and possibly used dope, and I want to go on record here as still be lieving it," declared Dr. Parrish. He told the jury that he goes to the city jail once daily and sometimes more, and that after the examination of Tuck by Dr. Zeigler Tuesday he gave Instruc tions to put him in a cell which is light and airy, and look after him. rather than send him to the hospital. 'Dti Parrish later returned, according to his testimony, and examined .Tuck, whose temperature was 101 and pulse and res piration normal, he asserted. Mrs. (Concluded on I'fttfe Two. CohiniD Flre) Weather Again Forces Delay in Seaplane Flight By Jack Telock Ponta Delgada. Azores. May 23. (I. N. s.) Adverse winds today forced an other postponement of Lieutenant Com mander A. C. Read's seaplane flight to Lisbon. Lieutenant Commander Read said he would "hop off" tomorrow morning on the next leg of his long flight from America to England if the weather con ditions are favorable. A third dispatch from Admiral Jack son, filed at Ponta Delgada, at 6:20 a. m., Washington time, stated: f "Barometer 30.12 inches, and" un steady. Wind" south to southwest 26 miles. Sea rough. No indication that weather will become settled within next six Xo eight hours, but will probably, be come much i better by Saturday morn ing. Southwest wind 20 to 30 miles and probably wind squalls expected to day." , . " ; Ruth . Law May Try , San Francisco, May 23. (U.'- P.) If theNC4 falls to complete its trans atlantic flight, Ruth Law, avlatrix. will try the blfehop, she said, , I may take a 'try at Jf, anyway," she added, TUCK CASE GOES VOLCANO OF STROMBOLI IS ACTIVE AGAIN ROME, May 23 (V. P.) The volcano of Stromboli Is In violent eruption, according to reports received here today. Several persons were said t Have perished and jiany have been injured. Rescue parties were reported to be en route to the Island of Messina. Stromboli is a volcanic island in the Mediterranean, off the northern coast- of Sicily. The volcano, which forms the great er part of the island. Is more than 3000 feet high. It has been in almost constant erup tion for 2000 years. LIGHTS OF-PLANE SEEN IN ATLANTIC Cableship Reports Aviator Was Half Way to Ireland on Morn ing of Monday. Ixmdon, May 23. (L N. S.) The cable ship Faraday reported today that she sighted the lights of an airplane early Monday morning, about midway between New Foundland and the coast of Ireland, the wireless press announced this afternoon. The Faraday gave the exact position of the plane at 50.28 north. 30.02 west. If the Faraday's lookout was not mis taken, the airplane must be the Sopwith biplane in which Harry CI. Hawker and MacKenzie Orieve were lost In attempt ing to fly from New Foundland to Ire land. The Faraday's report !s the first seemingly authentic word regarding the missing airplane since she left St. Johns ' last Sunday evening, and apparently dis poses of the theory that - Hawker and his navigator dropped, into the sea shortly after starting. Traveling at a speed of about 100 miles an hour, the average Hawker hoped to maintain, the Sopwith biplane would have been in about i the position the Faraday indicates early! Monday.' The Sopwith Airplane company re quested the Marconi Wireless company to send' messages to all ships on the Atlantic route in an attempt to obtain further" lkormation. "HawJteFs position, it was said at the offices of the feop with "iompany. was exactly what it should have been .early Monday, be tween 900 and 1000 miles from St. Johns. ADM I R VT Y SEVERELY ' CRITICIZED l LOXDON London. May 23. The Daily Mall an nounced late today that its $50,000 prize, which was to go to the flrsl flyer to cross the Atlantic, will go: to the heirs of Harry G. Hawker and his navigator, Mackenzie Grieve, if the daring aviators lost their lives. Attacks on the Brit ish admiralty for its. lack, of cooperation with Captain Harry G. Hawker have become more intense since the virtual certainty of the daring aviator's death somewhere in the Atlantic. Commander Bellairs, M. P., said to day : "When we Reflect that the admiralty, with hundreds ,of ships, allowed the Oermans to escape at Jutland, the ab surdity of two destroyers and a half manned sloop searching -for Hawker is obvious. "The admiralty has shown a dreadful lack of imagination." No Trace of Aviators London. May 23. (U. P. ) Nothing has been heard of Harry Hawker or Mackenzie Grieve, who started from Newfoundland Sunday in a Sopwith plane in an attempt to fly across the Atlantic. The search for some trace of them is continuing. The only hope of their friends is that they were picked up by a sailing vessel which does not carry wireless. New Theory Is Advanced St. Johns, N. F May 23. (U. P.) The theory was advanced today that In dropping the under carriage of his air plane, Harry Hawker broke the wire less ground trailer, thus making wire less transmission impossible. This was believed to explain why no communica tion was received from Hawker after he juped off here for Ireland last Sunday. President Cables His Nominations to S e n at e Chamber Washington. May 23. (I. N. S. The president this afternoon cabled the fol lowing nominations to the senate : To be attorney general of the United States A. Mitchell Palmer of Pennsyl vania. , To be assistant to the attorney general Charles B. Ames of Oklahoma City,, Okla. ' i . To be United States 'district judge, northern district of Texaa James Clin ton Wilson of Fort Worth. To be first judge, first circuit, Hawaii Cornell S. Franklin of! Honolulu. To be United States attorneys A. C. Hindman of Boise, Idaho, for district of the capal zone ; D. E. Simmons of Hous ton. Texas, for southern district of Texas. , The nomination of Palmer as attorney general was bnt a matter of form as he bad been serving on an ad interim appointment since - March 5. r The "lieutenant g o v e r n o r" amendment Is discussed in an ar ticle on Page. 9 of today's Jour nal. ; This Is the fifth of the series of articles explanatory of the measures which are to be submitted to' the voters at the special election 'on Jane 3. ; On the same page will be fonnd a discussion of the city measure to extend the police telephone sys tem. .... - 1 '-.- t .... 1st ?a Clemenceau Tells Enemy Envoys They Might Well Endure Suf fering Since They Began War. Reminds Huns of Ttieir Savagery in France in Answer to Their Complaint Against the Treaty, Paris. May 23. (I. N. S.) "A rash assertion," was Premier Clem enceau's reply, on behalf of the al lies'today to the dramatic declara tion by Count von Brockdorff-Rant-zau. head of the German peace dele gation, that the signing of the-peace treaty means "the death sentence of millions of German men, women and children." The text of the German protest on economic conditions, in which Von Brockdorff-Rantzau's statement was made, and the allied answer were made public today. Premier Clemenceau reminded the Germans that they might well bear larger loss of life as a result of the war, since they started it. He denied, how ever, that the economic restrictions Im posed on Germany would mean 1 her death, pointing to Great Britain as a nation which imports at least half her food supply and most of her raw ma terials foom abroad. The aJlied reply further pointed out that no German territory had suffered either from, devastation or pillags In the war and that Germany's remaining re sources, supplemented by the volume of Import trade, are sufficient for her re covery and development, "The German reply also ignores the Immense relief that will be. caused to (Continued en Pas Two,; Column Xt!) TURKS ARE AGAIN IN SADDLE Critical Situation Feared in Otto man Empire if Peace Terms Unfavorable. Constantinople. May 22. I. N. S.) (Via London. May 23.) The committee of union and progress (Young Turks) has regained most of its oldtlme power in Turkey and reports from the coast and interior today indicated that, if the peace terms are unfavorable, a critical situation will develop. Both -the Ottomans and the Christians are aware of the dangers, but tempo rarily they are on friendly terms. The only two powers that would be acceptable to all the nationalities here as mandatory for Turkey are Great Britain or the United States. Students of the situation declare that "even at this eleventh hours an endeavor should be made not to 'Balkanize' Tur key." TURKISH AND BULGARIAN DELEGATION'S EN ROUTE Geneva. May 23. (I. N. S.) The ad vance guard of the Turkish and Bul garian peace delegations have arrived in Switzerland en route for Paris. The Turkish envoys protested today against the partition of Turkey and the reported intention of the allies to relieve Turkey of the administration of Con stantinople. Report of Resignation Confirmed Washington, May 23. (I. N? S.) Confirmation of the reported resigna tion of the Turkish cabinet as a pro test against the Greeks' occupation of Smyrna and the landing of marines to protect the American consulate, at Smyrna, reached the State department this afternoon. Bad Luck Descends In Torrent on Fire Bureau Lieutenant Dismissal fromthe fire bureau, a sen tence of four months in the county jail and a fine of $100, are the disasters that occurred to P. J. Hutter, a lieutenant on the fire boat David Campbell, following his appearance in Municipal Judge Ross man's court on a charge of driving an automobile while intoxicated. Lieutenant Hutter was arrested Wed nesday evening after be had collided with a Hawthorne avenue street car at Kast Eighth street and. Hawthorne ave nue. . Judge Rossman suspended the Jail sen tence pending good behavior and with the understanding that Hutter would no longer be connected with the fire bureau. The prisoner is still in Jail, not having raised 1100 to pay, his fine. Casuals Are-Due in Portland Wednesday Hoboken casual company No. '623 left Camp Merritt. N. J.. Thursday for Camp Lewis by way-of Portland ?r, the O-W- St. A lines,, ; It includes 132 soldiers from various organizations. The detachment should arrfcva jbere"abut Wednesday. ",: : ... .. ,f -. Jt, No One Bet That Is Still Kiernan Suggests That Dock Commisr sion Acknowledge Blunder and (jive Way to Practical Men; Grills Engineer CLOSING a sensational speech with the suggestion that the dock commission acknowledge it. has made a blunder at the St. Johns terminal and "give way to more practical men," Franlf E. Kiernan wagered $1000 in cash at the members' forum of the Chamber of Commerce this afternoon that subsidence of the 1,000,000 bushel grain elevator at the St. Johns terminal has not popped, all reports to the contrary notwithstanding. There were no takers for Mr. Kier- nan's money. "The offer will be good until 5 o'clock tomorrow evening." declared Kiernan, "and I will wager the same amount that the subsidence won't be stopped within 30 yiys." The critic of the dock commission pro posed that if any one meets his wager the winner will pay the amount to any charity selected. ASKS THOROUGH TKHT J. Llndsey. an engineer, the first speaker before the Members' Forum, de clared that the soij underneath thegrain elevator is a "mobile mass of quicksand, silt and mud," through which Is flowing a perceptible current of water, and upon which he does hot believe the grain ele vator can be established, even through the medium of a spread foundation" by some of the engineers that have exam ined the site. He proposed that a thor ough boring of the site be ordered In ad vance of further work that this plan for examination of foundation soils be ex tended to include the entire harbor. Aa to the report of G. W. BOBchke, engineer, that "pinch piling" have stopped subsidence and the elevator may safely be completed, he averred, "that report Is a bluebird which will some Poll ' Taken". bytWew-York World Indicates Sentiment in Both Houses at Washington, New York, May 23. (I. K. S.) A poll taken 'by the 'New York World and pub lished here today, shows a large per centage of congressmen opposed to com mitting themselves on the repeal of war time prohibition, as recommended by the president, but a majority of nearly two to one against repeal by those who stated their views. The results are : Senate For repeal; 18 : against re peal, 30 ; non-committal. 32 ; absent, 16. iic. tfnr reneal. 104 : aealnst re ' peal, 199 ; non-committal. 10S ; absent, : 18 "Roughly," says the World, "these ....Lit. indicate the congressmen are two to one- against repealing the law." HEStLTS I" SETS ATE The senate poll in detail follows: Rrandeeee. Calder. Cul- iberson. Edge, Fall, France, Hitchcock, King. Moses, Penrose, Fheian, Keea, Ransdell. Shields. Stanley, Thomas, Wadsworth. Walsh of Massachusetts 18. Against repeal Beckham, Borah, Capper, Ch. mberlaln, Cummins, Curtis. Deal, Frellnt'iuysen, GrOnna, Hale, Har rison, Jones of Washington, Kirby. New, Newberry, Page, Poindexter. Sheppard, McKellar, McN'ary, Sherman, Smith of South Carolina, Smoot, Town send, Walsh of KoitB"-. Williams, Wat son, Trammel!. ! riand and Sterl ing 30. Absent Ball, Klkins. Fernald, Gay, Gerry, Harris, Johnson of South Dakota. LaFollette, McLean. Nelson. Robinson, Owen, Smith of Arizona, Smith of Mary land, Wolcott and Myers 16. The remaining 32 senators were non committal, i RESULTS IX HOUSE Some of he state delegations in the house showed the following results : Alabama, for repeal. McDuffle, Dent, Blackmon; against. Oliver, Bankncad, Heflin ; absent, Huddleston ; others non committal. California, against. Randall ; absent, Kahn ; others non-committal. Colorado All members against. Georgia AH members against. Idaho All members against. - Illinois, for repeal, Juul, Brltton, Rodenberg, John A. Rainey, Sabath. Gallagher; against. King, McKinley, Williams ; others non-committal. Indiana All against. Kanaas All against. Mississippi, Qulnn absent ; others all against. Montana, for, Evans ; non-committal. Riddick. Washington All against. Oregon rAll against. Billings Will Be Tried in Portland Los Angeles. May 83. XX, P.) The case of J. A. Billings of Portland, ar rested here as an alleged I. W. W. and espionage act violator has been post poned one week.' The government plans to take him to Portland for trial. Moonshine Whiskey Is Cause of Arrest Frank Trundow was arrested - Friday morning by Deputy Sheriff Hurtbnrt at 392 Columbia, street, .charged . with hav ing in his possession a. gallon and two pints of "moonshine." .Trundow has been lodged in county Jail to await trail. CONGRESS AGAINST PROHIBITION REPEAL Takes Up Elevato: m day alight and lay an egg in some body's lap and that somebody will be Mr. Boschke." No one appeared to speak for the dock commission or In Its defense. Mr. Llndsey and Mr. Kiernan spoke at the invitation of the Investigation commit tee appointed by the Merchants ex-, change. Charles F.' Berg, chairman of the Members' Forum, explained that in giving the dock commission's critics a forum the Chamber of Commerce is iot taking sides In the controversy, but will extend the same privilege to the dock commission or Its friends any day next week except Monday. BOARD RKFUSES OFKKR -- In the course of his remarks Mr. Kier nan said he had suggested the boring of the elevator site before the erection of superstructures but that the com mission, through its engineer, had re fused to do so. He then employed 1 an engineer and was ready to do the bor trig at his own expense, the estimate of cost being $2600, but the. engineer, Mr. Turner, returned frbm a call at the dock commission's office only to quote -Engineer Hegardt of . the dock - commission as saying that the -commission would (Concluded on Pais Fire. Column Tbree). 0. S. ENVOY WILL MEET KOLCHAK . ..! - , g. ; :.. Ambassador Morris Leaves Tokio for Conference With Head of Omsk Government. ' By Lewell Mellett Parts, May , 23. (U. P.) Roland S. Morris. American ambassador to Japan, has left Tokio for Russia to confer with Admiral Kolchak, head of the Omsk government, according ( to a report re ceived from reliable sources here today. This information followed closely the revelation that, while still refusing to recognise the Kolchak government, des pite pressure from certain allies, the American government has "prepared an Interesting proposal," which will be for warded to Kolchak. This proposa it is understood, will suggest recognition st Kolchak's authority over the" territory he controls, provided he sets up a demo cratic government, or, perhaps, gives proof of his ability and willingness to do so. Whether Kolchak will accept the re ported proposal, it is impossible to fore cast at this time, and it undoubtedly de pends largely upon the momentary state of the conflict between him and the Bol shevik!. The French are carrying on a formid able propaganda In favor; of complete recognition of Kolchak, but this is re garded as unlikely.- The British are di vided, but some elements are supporting the French. .Kowledge of strong popular opposition at home, however. Is causing eome hesitation by the British delegation regarding unqualified acceptance of Kol chak. CONVERGING MOVEMENT f BEING MADE ON CAPITAL London, May 23. (I. N. B.) Two armies are making a converging move ment upon Petrogrsd, and advices today indicated that the Bolshevik troops will be compelled to evacuate the Petrograd-Pskov-Mlnsk line. . j The Finns are advancing from the north and the Esthonlans are driving from the southwest. The Poles are - overwhelming ' the Ukrainians. General Haller's 'divisions that were sent into Poland from France are . apparently everywhere victorious in the fighting against the Ukrainians. There is severe fighting In -progress ground Kiev where the Ukrainians are attempting an offensive. ,t 4' ., Nicholat Lenin and Leon 1 Trotzky, heads of the Bolshevik regime at Mos cow, are now reported : to be In per sonal command of the Bolshevik armies. The Bolshevik commissary of , war states that? "Petrograd will be defended to the last man." said a wireless press dispatch. " . - - Strike Situation In Winnipeg Shows Sighs of Breaking Winnipeg. May 23. U. P.) There were signs today to presage the break ing up of the strike Jam here. Minister of Labor Robertson called various union officials of high rank ; for conferences Some office buildings , were permitted limited elevator, service ; some grocery deliveries were permitted and there was an understanding that a conference to day may pave the way to aa agreement to end the general .tteup. ; " ... - ., The "conference" was based on- a rumor . that labor officiate, city and provincial authorities, were to get to getter. Coupled with these rumors were declarations against . some - alien factions . These were attacked as al leged fomenters of - Bolshevism .and I. ; W. W'istn. - I Sink PIISF1 R EGA L L ED Assumption' Is That Government -Will C. Continue v Construction of Moderate Sized Vessels. Portland Shipyard Owners Are Awaiting Word ; From Confer ence Being Held; at Capital. . Sudden abandonment of the plans of the" shipping board to build 12. 000 to 14,000-ton steel vessels in place of the smaller ships now being constructed in Portland yards han added a new' angle to the' shipbuild ing program of the, government. It Is generally Iw.Ileved here that this indicates - discovery - by - the 1 shipping board that ships of the larger type may not- be necessary from the standpoint tt practicability In operation. MAY REVERSE .POI,tfY Shipping men have expressed the opin ion that the board eventually will rtHn- ' state contracts on the 8800-ton basis be cause of the ease of manipulation, econ omy of operation, and, most of all, be cause of'the greater probability of get- , ting full loads on return trips, especially from Oriental iointn. According to C. D. Bowles.- vice pres!-" dent of the Columbia Ulver Shipbuilding corporation, the shipping boards hat) ordered, the plans for the I arse vVhspIs to be returned to headquarters at once. The telegram, which has Just been re- celved. sta!- ' that plsns for bulldluK the larger ciosh of ships as previously announced had been abandoned. REPORTS ARE AWAITED The ..Portland steel yards had received the plans for the purpose of making h bid on the construction of the-' blggrr ships. ' . '- - , ; ,.;, It has been the contention of Chair- man Hurley of the shipping bos rd that vessels of 12.000 or more tons, enabled to make a good rate of - speed, were needed -for the American merchant ma- rine and that the policy, was to build no more 8800-ton ships or those of smaller tonnage then . 8800, after the present "contracts on which the yards are working shall have been finished. Word is expected now any time from Washington as to the result of the con ference between shipbuilders and Chair man Hurley on tlie future building pol icy of the government. , If BILL INTRODUCED Under Measure Possession of Liquor Obtained Prior to 'Dry' Law Would Be Illegal. Washington, May 23. CL N. B.) An appropriation of 83,600,000 for, the en forcement of prohibition by a prohibition commissioner, appointed by -the sccrt -tary-of the treasury, Is provided in -a. bill presented In the senate this after noon by Senator Hheppard of Texas. Under the provisions of Senator SShep pard's enforcement bill, it is unlawful to. "manufacture, sell, export, transport, take, ' give away or possess Intoxicating liquors or equipment for the manufac ture of intoxicating liquors." - Possession of liquor secured before tb prohibition act became effective. In pri vate residences for private uses is not permitted. No warrants shall be Issued for. the search of private dwellings, ib. bill provides, unless affidavits of com plaint are ' made showing that a part of the dwelling is used for a boarding house, store or meeting rooms. Advertisement of anymeans or meth od of securing intoxicating liquor In any place, "on land, sea or In the air," would be made unlawful in the bill. The bill would not prohibit manufac ture of cider for vinegar,, denatured al cohol. medical preparations under for mulas of the United States pharmaco poeia or the American Institute of Ho meopathy, non-potable proprietary medi cine, intoxicating liquor for medicinal purposes or for the arts or manufacture. -';."--"..'". -T Repeal Is orferrd Washington, May 23. i I. N. 8.) Re peal of the provisions of the food control act which-prohibit the manufacture of beer and Tightwlnes." Is provided for in a bill offered In the senate this afternoon by Senator Phelan of California. High Tarifr Deeided Washington. May 23. U. P.) A hfjrh protective tariff, approximately doubling the present customs rates, has been de cided upon by house Republicans, It wss stated by members of the ways snd means committee today. Molokai Martyr Refuses Pension -- Honolulu, T. H-. May 23. Brother Jo seph Dutton. who succeeded Father !a mten. the martyr, st the leper settlement on Molokai. has refused to accept a pen sion from the territory and a bill In the legislature to give him $50 a month for life has been tabled at his request. Brother futton said he was In good health and wanted no reward - for hi work among the lepers. He had not been off the Island of Molokai for 23 years and has contributed $10,000 of his own money for relief work. STRINGENT OH