Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 18, 1917)
X X tinl tt. i iiirnrv " Medford Mail Tribune Forty-seventh Tear. Dally Twelfth Year. . MEDFORD, OREGON, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18,' 1917 NO. 153 ALL MEN ON DRAFT LIST IN OREGON TO POSTAGE TAXES 10 SI0P SHE IN SHIP PLANTS OFFERED BY KAISER BE REVENUE BILL 4- . GOMPERS ASKED BUSINESS ASKS KAISER REGRETS PRICE POLICY OF TELEGRAM SENT GOVERNMENT SWEDEN President Confers With Labor Head and Shipping Board Appeals to Him to End Walkouts in West Hurley Favors Wage Increase- Contractors on Percentage Basis. WASHINGTON, Sept. 18. Chair mnn Hurley of iho shipping board and William Blackmnn, conciliator of the department of labor, will leave tomorrow for Snn Fruncisco to un dertake adjustment of labor troubles in plants building ships for the gov ernmcnt. WASHINGTON. Sept. IS Secre- tary Wilson has telegraphed W. T. Boyce, assistant commissioner of Im migration at San Francisco, to tender his offices as mediator or conciliator in settlement of the strike ot Iron workers and shipbuilders there. Extension of the strike to mills producing lumber for government ships Is feared by shipping board of ficials. From Portland, and Astoria, Ore., came reports that striking car- jpontors were trying to persuade other workmen to walk out and that lum ber mills might be affected. The government marked time today In efforts to settle the strikes at San Francisco and other coast cities pend ing arrival Wednosday or Thursday of officials of a Seattle company which has granted a high wage scalo. Conciliator William Blackmon ot the department of labor, has studied the demands of the men, but will take no other action for several days. The shipping board Is awaiting complete ' reports of the San Francisco situa tion from Captain A. F. Plllsbury, . district officer of the board for the Pacific coast. iFftvor AVago Increase. Shipping board officials favor a substantial wage Increase, with a sliding scale for government partici pation. The proportion of wage rais es to be paid by the government should depend. Chairman Hurley of the board believes, on the profits of shipbuilders. Some officials have urged that the government pay fifty percent of the Increases tor compan ies making ten percent profit or less and require profits of more than that amount to go inio wage grams. Samuel Gompers has an engage ment to confer with President Wilson late today. Navy contractors Involved In the strike virtually all are of the cost plus a percentage of profit type adopted to meet precisely the situation that has arisen. When bids for destroyers, cruisers and battleships wore opened private builders said they could not make flat contracts except at an ex traordinary advauco in price since they had no assurance as to what la bor might cost them before the work was completed. omper ApieleI To. Chairman Hurley of tho shipping board today appealed to President Gompers of the American Federation of Labor to stop tho strikes which are holding up government shipbuild ing on the Pacific coast. A confer ence will be held today between Mr. Hurley and 11 r. Gompers. Chairman Hurley also conferred today mllh Secretary Daniels on tho navy's set tlement of wage demands in govern ment shipyards. NATION-WIDE FIGHT ST. PAUL. Sept. 18. A nation wide movement lo combat the high cost of living whs inaugurated here today when several thousand dele gates representing, it is said, approx imately 3,(1011,000. members of the in dustrial nnd agricultural organiza tions, met for the first session of the Producers' nnd Consumers' confer ence. , The purposes of the St. Paul meet ing, as explained by A. f". Townlcy, nrc to urge further price regulation, to eliminate profiteering, to place heavy war taxes on wealth, nnd prob ably to urge government nwnerhi of natural monopolies, transportation systems, flour mills and fann ma cliinery manufacturing. f l ttH 4 FKTHOGRAD, Sept. 18. Twenty generals and other of- fieer.s arrested on Friday with General Korniloff, leader of the revolution . against the provis- ional government, nro being elosely (.nnrded. General Korn- iloff is imprisoned in a hotel at Mohilev, where he is writing; n, statement, which is expected to 4 lip finishcil loilnv. 4 " LULL IN BATTLES By Associated Press, Sept. 18. Still lucking in lurgo offensivo oper ations, the European war fields con tinuo to furnish news of multiple lo cal activities. The Germans last night in an attack toward the Ncuf chatel road, near Rhcuns, rccaehed the French lines, but were ejected. JiOndon's official stntcmcnt is par ticularly colorless today, but recent communications have mentioned very active raiding work and airplane ob servation. The Hussions apparently have slopped their forward movement in Die Kign district, in which some of I he ground lost in the recent retreat was reclaimed. Enterprise continues to bo shown by the Roumanians, who yesterday captured a section of tho Teutonic fortified positions in the Vnrnitzn region on the Moldavian front ' The Italian official stntement merely reports the repulse of further Austrian counter attacks on the Bainsizza plateau, and heavy artil lery lire on the Cnrso. REMAIN CLOSED PORTLAND, Or., Sept. 18. No change was reported today in condi tions resulting from the strike Sat urday of union employes of wooden shipyards on the Cnlnmhui and Wil lamclte rivers at Portland, Vnncou ver. Wash.; SI. Helens, Or., and As toria, Or. All but two Portland yards remained closed or crippled to day. The men walked out lo press their demands for the, closed shop. Tlie Portland Metal Trades coon cil was lo meet late today and, ac cording to reports, was to consider the possibility of calling a strike m the Portland steel shipyards in sym pathy with the Sun Francisco walk out. OF LEGISLATURE LIKELY SALKM, Sept. 18. Governor Withycoinbc announced today he in tends (o moke an investigation to dc termine how much money the state .can set aside for support of depend enls of Oregon soldiers and sailors. "I will willingly call a special ses sion of tlin legislature to discuss the care of dependents when the situation is grave enough, iho governor as serted, "but I am not Inclined to re gard it as suc h as yet.'' Governor ithvcombo said war problems may require n sccial ses sion within Ihc next few months. CHICAGO, Sept. 18. Tho discov ery of sixteen new cases of Infantile paralysis, bringing the total number under observation now In the cilv to 110, caused Health Commissioner Robertson (oday lo put twenty-five additional quarantine Inspectors to work and to take other steps to pro tect the city from an epidemic. Chambers of Commerce of Nation Pleads for Fairness in Laws and Regulations Uncertainty Upsets Business Business Back of Ad ministration In Support of War. ATLANTIC CITY, N. J., Sept. 18. George M, Reynolds, president of the Continental & Coinmerciul Na tional bank of Chicago, in a speech at the convention of the chamber of commerce of the United States here today, urging that the government make known immediately its war price policy, nnd declared business would be injured by harsh legislat ive measures. Talk of too strict a regulation of business, he said, was causing uncer tninly and uneasiness in industrial circles, "Stability and fairness in laws and regulations," ho said, "will en able business to get its bearings and put its entire strength back of the president. Uncertainty, tho mother of fear, breeds timidity, halls busi ness, and if not removed, results in depression. There is no occasion for worry if the policies to be adopted nnd carried out are wise and definite nnd made known without too much delay." ATLANTIC CITY, N. J., Sept. 18. American business has no inten tion of profiting at tile expense of the government in tho sale of war sup plies, R. G. Hhctl. of Charleston, S. C, president of tho chamber of Com merce of the United Stntes, declared today in opening the war convention of Amorican business and industrial lenders. i . 'There .undoubtedly ,hnyp lecii cases where selfishness and greed have outweighed patriotism, but the cases have been exceptional," he said. And the great body of business men have invariably stood squarely be hind the government in its plans and proposals." Franklin k. Lane, secretary of the interior, in an address, spoke of the peace terms desired by the allies, saying : Want Gorman Hostngc. "It is now nineteen hundred years since Caesar defeated the Germans in France. When they came asking terms lie said to them: 'Go bock whence you camo, repuir the damage you have done and give hostages to keep peace for the future.' It was the ancient and barbaric custom to. take princes and high men as host ages, and this custom Germany fol lowed when she entered Belgium. But the world does not ask such hostages today. It is tho problem of world statesmanship to discover what kind of hostage Germany can givo when sho has been convinced that her dream of world over-mastery cannot come true." President Rhett, in his nddrcss, said : "Business has been croping in the hi rk becauso it finds the vcrv to r dations of eiihimcroc hove been up turned. Demand and supply can no longer be permit ted to control prices, becauso the extraordinary demands ot tho government have eoniploi-ly unbalanced the scales. Snn;t lniii else must be done to lake it-, place for the time being. The givcrnm.Mit is now searching for that nm thing, "The president has well said pint this war is not a battle of am H but n conflict of nut inn- in which every national resource must be cod ed into play. (Vlirllct of No! loll. .... ... "Let me einphnsie the primary nnd paramount purpose of this con vention. Our countrymen want I know just how the business men feel about this war. Our allies likewi-c want to know. (Continued or Page Five.) . PAPER CONTRACTS PAWS, Sept. 18. The intcr-min isteriol pres committee has been ad vised that Norweumn print paper manufacturers have just concelled their contracts, invoking as a pre text the Gentian submarine blockade. This is exected to again reduce the size of French newsiaK'ri, PARIS, Sept. 18. Tho Amer- icon headquarters staff in Franco has just been informed by the French authorities thut Emperor William has promised a prize of 300 marks and threo weeks' loave to the first German wlm niitifiirps nil Amcriciin ko1- dier. This information came liii Tins tiifiirniiilion nntne 4" from n German prisoner recent- ly taken, who declared the offer T was contained in an order is- T sued turnout the nnuy. BUILDING PLANTS SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 18.- Whilo lurge nnd small ship yurds, iron and machinery building plants, totaling more than ono hundred, lay smokeless nnd idle today, paralyzed by the strike of approximutoly 25,000 iron workers nnd shipbuilders, con ferences between leaders of employ ers nnd employes continued in an ef fort to brenk the deadlock. 1 Further spread of the strike to other industries was declared immin ent by leaders of Iho iron trades council, the organization of twenty five affiliated unions on whoso au thority tho walkout was ordered. Al ready, it was reported, many shops and plants had been forced to oper- ate on a reduced schedule Early to duy ubout .100- women employed at tho American Can company's plant were forced to quit work because of the strike of skilled mechanics. W. T. Boyce, appointed today by Secretary of Labor Wilson ns federal mediator in the iron trades, strike, immediately called a meeting of the conference committees of tho Call fornia Metal Trades association, tho organization of employes, and tin iron trades council. W. R. Burton, president of tho lat ter organization, declared ' tho em ployes were willing to have tho gov ernment pass judgment on tho fuir- ncss of the strikers demands. "If our cause were not just this army of workers would not bo on the streets today," Hurton said. Marines patrolling tho Union Iron Works, (he largest of the plants af fected, refused lo allow any one to approach Ihc gales unless armed with a pass. No violence of any kind had been reported today. T OF RED OAK, In., Sept. 18 Another link in the chain of evidence pertain ing to the much discussed "bloody shirt" was woven into the records today by the state in the trial of Rev Lvn George J. Kelly, charged wilh murder in connection wilh the Yil lesca slaving. Mrs. Cora Morqliord, n murker in a Council Muffs laun dry, testified she hod opened a pack age of soiled garments at the laun dry shortly alter the murder, anil thai it had contained a shirt, appar ently blood sloiucd. The state con tends this package belonged to Kelly. IS CIIRIHTIA'MA, Sept. IS. The Norwegian foreign office announced today that the Norwoglan steamship Askclnd, of 2823 tons, had been sunk hy a German submarine. Ono boat with 11 men was lost and the captain and ten men wcro saved.. It was also announced that the Norwegian steamship Rein, 117.". tons, had been sunk hy a German submarine off Capo Bt. Vincent. Ten men lout their llvos and tho captain and nine others of the crew were saved, German Minister Formally Expresses Sorrow to Swedish Government Sorrow Over Exposure Explan ations Reserved Until Count Lux burg Heard From. STOCKHOLM, Sept. 18. Tho German minister to Sweden today formally expressed to tho Swedish government Germany's regrets in consequence of the Swcdish-Argen- tinan telegram affair. The German minister is understood to have reserved explanations' re garding tho telegrams sent by the German minister at Buenos Aire thru the Swedish legation until the report from Count Yon Luxburg has been received. Inquiries at the foreign office to day regarding the statement that Swedish assurances in 11115 that tho forwarding of German dispatches would be discontinued wcro of gen erul application and not ns tho recent Swedish communication implied, valid only so far as communication be tween Sweden and Washington was concerned, were met by a reaffirma tion of the terms of tho original owcdish communication. ' It was pointed out that this would not huvo been drafted and issued without consultation wilh tho foreign minister Ihen in office. Therefore! it is churned, it represents the version of Count Waltenburg, tho former foreign minister. TO BE LONDON, Sept. 18. Germany, at the request ot King Alphonso of Spain, Is about to restore to llborty Adolpho Max, tho burgomaster of Drussels, according to roports re ceived by tho Amsterdam correspond ent of tho Exchange Tolegraph com pany, from Berlin. . Rocent dispatches from Germany have said that Burgomaster Max was seriously ill in prison at Cello, a Prussian town 13 miles northeast of Hanover, and that King Alfonso ot Rpain was Intervening in his behalf. Tho burgomaster was arrested at Urussols on Snptomhcr 28, 1914, for his "Iroconellahle attitude," accord ing to an announcement madoliy tho Gorman military governor of Bel gium, Homo time ago the newspa- papers of Paris asked President Wil son, Pope Benedict and the King ot Spain to use their Influence In secur ing the gurRomaster's release. More recently (he Belgians offered to ex change Dr. Sclincc, govornor general of German Hast Africa, for M. Max. BOSTON, Sept. 18. The .lapoiiesc mission headed by Viscount Isliii was welcomed lo Boston- today by a great crowd, notwithstanding a disairreee able northeast rniiislorm. Troops lined up in the south station train shed, stood at present arms while a hand hailed Ihc guests with the Jap anese national antheiii as they step ped from the train. There was an informal parade in automobiles to the stole house, where the party was greeted by Gov ernor Mi-Call. After a brief recep tion the visitors went into the con vention, which is silting to revise (In state constitution, and there Vis count Ishii expressed his delight til being ill New England. SOLDIERS KILLED IN CLASH AT HELSINGF0RS IIKI-SINGKOKS, Sept. lH.-In the course of disorders al the Finnish fortified seaiMirt of Viliorg, 7-t miles northwest of Pclrograd, in which soldiers were involved, twenty offi cers were killed nnd sixly others are rnissinjf, SAI.M. Sunt. 18 Ml Ore. con men on tho draft list may soon havo to undergo physical 'examination, according to Gov- crnor Withycomhe, who nn- nounccd hero today ho favored a recent suggestion of tho war department that the men be ex- amined in the near future, in- stead of waiting until they nre called. Examination now would 4" uiil'A limn liili.r. it. in ctniliii.il. TROOPS SENT TO FOR PROTECTION PORTLAND, Sept. 18. Colonel C E. Dontlcr, U. S. A., announced here toduy lio would send n special train- loud of troops to Astoria tonight to prevent Industrial Workers of the World from endeavoring to coerce employes of tho Hammond Lumber mill Ihero to strike in sympathy with Scottlo strikers ngoinst ten-hour lumber. The Hammond niill is work ing on aeroplane spruce. Iniliistriiil Workers of Iho World havo recruited a largo number of Hindus and are picketing the Ham mond plant, according to A. B. Ham mond, president of tho company. Tho pickets are endeavoring to frighten tho workmen nwny, ns the millmen do not want lo strike, Mr. Hammond as sorted. . , As the Hammond mill furnishes lijrht in! power for Astoria, the Port of Astoria aulhorllics communi cated wilh Governor Witltycombo to day regarding the situation. ' Appar ently Iho governor transmitted the Complaints to Colonel Dcntler, who ordered tho troops to leave tonight. Approximately 100 more men went on strike lit Astoria today, accord ing to dispatches received here. 20 CENTS A NEW YORK, Sept. 18.. Konilnlno knlttorB of articles of wearing apparel for soldiers and sailors are beginning to worry about tho high cost ot being patriotic. An Increase of 20 cents a hank In tho price of wool todny put It at the dollar mark. Since April the prlco por pound has risen from $1.50 to $2.40 to the Red Cross and other relief organizations that are supplied by tho manufacturers and wholesalers at tho lowest figures. ' In all tho relief societies tho policy prevails of asking tho knitter of wool to return her flnlHlinil garment to the society. Consequently If tho knitter wishes to present hor own particular here with something of her making she cannot get wool at Iho reduced prices offered by Iho relief societies Manufacturers attribute the rlHO partly lo the fact that Ihc government now is using much raw wool for unl forms, nnd to (ho higher wages paid mill labor. ARMY TO BE READY MAHHII), Sept. 18. Al a cabinet meeting last night It wns decided to creolo new regiments of field nrtll lery, seven battalions of garrison ar tillery and seven bnttallons of heavy artillery. U was derided also lo ap point a special committee to draft a plan of Industrial mobilization from a military point of view. Kduardo Dnto, tho premier. plained that these rofonns wcro not undertaken In any militaristic spirit They were, be said, only a part of the army reorganisation scheme . which was one of (ha principal features in (tin government's policy of reforms, Modified Zone Plan for Increasing Newspaper Rates Higher Letter Postage Also House Debates Seven Billion Dollar Deficiency Bill Considers Collective Agency Bill. WASHINGTON, Sept. IS The $7, 000,000,000 war deficiency bill, car- rylng hugo appropriations for the army, fortifications and shipping board, passed the houso today by a unanimous vote. WASHINGTON, Sept. 18. Second class postnge taxes In the war tax hill wore agreed upon today by the conferees. A modified zone plan for increas ing rates on newspapers and period icals was decided upon, according to rollublo Information which filtered thru tho strict order of socrecy. None of the conforecs would disclose any Intimation of the! ractlon. Others, howovor, in close touch with the second class mail question said the conferees had agreed upon a modification of tho house zono plan. Their Information was to the offoct that o compromise betweon tho hoiiHo and McKollar plans had been reached proposing a limited circula tion area In which the present one-cent-a-pound rates would not be rais ed nnd reducing both tho graduated zono rato Incrcasos of both the house and McKellur plans. -' Halve Postgo Rates. ' : " Postmastor General Burleson talk ed with the conference before tholr decision was reached today and was said to have urged the Hnrdwick plan of raising postago rates, especially on advertising portions of publications. Representative Kltchln nnd the other house conforecs. It wns said, threatened to tako tho fight back Into tho houso if tho senato conforoes did not .vllil on tho socond class mall question. Coupled with the agreement on the publication postago rates woro said lo be a decision by the conforoes to rcstoro, In part at loost, tho houso taxes on first class mall. Secretary McAdoo also talked with the eonfcreoB and It was said ho fav ored tho McKollar proposal. It was considered probable that, In view ot the Becrolnry's unexpected entry Into tho situation there might be some soiun further discussion. Aiidiinolillo TU-. A tenlntlvo agreement to Impose an automobile tax on manufacturers, as proposed In the original houso bill, has been reached. It would elimi nate tho proposed tux on Individual owners, Machines selling for loss thnn $r00. flfteon dollars; $50 Oto $750, twen ty dollars; $750 to $1000, twenty- flvo dollars, and $5 additional for each $250 adilloual In tho soiling coal. Motor trucks would bo oxempt. The Intention of Iho conforecs In making tho lax dcrinlto was that the manuractiircrs could puss It on to the purchaser. Hclllug Agency Hill. Senate consideration of tho admin istration hill to permit American bus iness concerns to nperoto collectively selling ngencles abroad began today. Leaders plans arc to push It to final action ns speed My as possible Tho measure passed tho houso Juno 13 lust. Tho legislation Is designed to en- (Continued on page six.) SAFE CONDUCT FOR Li HI'DNOS A1RKS. Sept. IS. In prl vote sources It was learned by the Associated Press today that tho Ar gentine government has asked Spain to tako the responsibility of obtain ing from the Amorican and Brlllsh governments a safe conduct for Count Von t.iixburg, the German minister hero, who recenlly was given his passports, arguing that the count Is lo leave Argentina for Spain on a Spanish vessel. Accordingly, it was said, tho Spanish ambassador has asked tho Madrid government to Btart negotiations to this end,
