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About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (April 27, 1920)
TITT3 NORTH PLATTE SEMIAVfflft? THIBlNI3. TTrririrarr RUSSIANS BEHIND STRIKE WEST STORM SWEPT Attorney General Declares His Depart ment Has Evidence Showing Huga Plot Against United States. PEOPLE IN CRAWFORD, NEB., GO' NINE STATES IN PATH OF 3E VERE BLIZZARD. WILD OVER DISCOVERY. DRILLERS i Business SUsp.ended at Denver to Clear Streets Heavy Loss of Live Stock Looked For. Denver, Colo. Montana, Utiili, New Mexico, northern Arizona, Wyoming, Colorado, western Nebraska mid Kimi wis won: swept last Saturday mid Sun dny hy the worst blizzard In years. Train service was annulled or almost paralysed find wire communication wrtH cut on from a great part of tho Hlornl district In- Deliver, all outgoing trains were cancelled, and several (rains wont (stalled near this city witli scores of linssengors aboard. There wore no ho ul or restaurant acconnnodatlons at Arvndn. liltorurbun nnd local street car sen- Ice was suspended and thousnmls of persons wcro forced to walk homo from work through a blizzard backed by a -lO'iiille mile. Interference with electric power caused suspension of electric light service for street lamps. Heavy losses In the cattle country nro feared by stockmen, who say that the feed shortage and the fact that a rain preceded the blizzard, putting the cattle In poor condition to withstand the snow being driven by the terrific Kale, rendered the situation the most herlous In years. According to reports from the local weather bureau, the storm started li Montana and swept over eastern Idaho, Utah, northern New Mexico, northern Arlzonn, Colorndo, Wyoming and parts .of South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa and Kansas. The temperature here ranged from 25 to 27 degrees above zero, 120 degrees below normal for this date. At Alliance, Neb., snow drifted In some places 'from six to eight feet deep and trains were reported staged Jn dozens of places In Nebraska. The mayor of Denver Issued a proc lamation prohibiting trnllle In the downtown streets to give the street cleaenrs a chance to remove the drifts from the thoroughfares. CHARGES AGAINST CREEL. Printing Committee Finds War Papers Mismanaged. "Washington, D. C. Legal proceed Ings by the government against George Creel, former chairman of tho commit tee on public Information; Roger W, Uabson of Wcllesley Hills, Mass., and others concerned In the transfer of tho conmUltco's War publication, the OlIlV InPBullcdn, to Bnbson, are recommend ed In a report' made public by Senator Smoot, republican, Utah, chnlrman, nnd Representative llless, republican, vice chairman of tho Joint congrcsslon. al printing committee. Tho commltteo finds that money was wasted reck lessly on (he scores of publications at army ahtl navy camps for tho purposo of fostering morale during the war. Iowa Boy Wins Contest. Washington, D. C Donald L. Camp bell, a 15-year-old high school student of Clinton, In., was announced ns first prize winner In the nrin.v national school contest for the best essay on the benefits of enlistment In the army. Second prize went to Marjoiie Sheets, Chllllcothe, Mo., and third to Salllo Brown Kason, Olive Brunch, Miss. Medals will be awarded the winners, who will get a free trip to Washing ton, by Secretary Baker, Barlon Whee ler, Sallnu, Kas J, C. Made) Sioux Falls, S. D., and Irene l.asater, Santa Fe, N. M., wen among' those given honorable mention. Labor Scarce Despite High Wages. Washington, D. (!. Although the os tnbllshed wage scale for common In borers Is $0 for an eight-hour day as compared with 1.75 for a nine-hour day before the war, there Is a !() per cent shortage of laborers In New York City. Strike Gives Kiddles Vacation. Chicago, 111. As a resull of a stiiko of engineers, Chicago public schools have been closed and (he kiddles aro enjoying their spring vacation. The strikers, now paid frpm $ 1,58a to $2,100 n year, jeek a 40 per cent Increase. Mexico Seeks Aid of U. 8. Wushlngton, D, C. Mexico has iiBk ed permission from the United States to move troops through American ter ritory so ns to attack (ho Mute of So nora from the norUi. Tho Carranza government wishes to move Its forces on (ho Mexico Central line lo El Paso Ihenco through American territory to Douglas, Ariz., and across tho boun dary to Agun l'rleta, from which point n movement against ncrmoslllo, the cnpltol of Sonorn, would bo under tuken. Challenges Palmer's Strike Theory, Washington, D. C Attorney Gen mil I'aliuer's conclusions that tho "outlaw" railway strike was traceable to activities of radicals and revolu (lonlsts, was sharply challenged In a Matctucnt Issued by Frank. Morrison secretary of (he American Federation of Lnbor. An Indopeiidenl Investlgu tlon of strike causes by the railway executive, the statement said, reveal ed "Just t plain, ordinary strike for more pay." The department of JustU I'uk made no comment on (he chnl leiige. Washington, f). C Attorney Gcn prnl Palmer told President Wilson and the cabinet at a meeting Inst Wednes day that the department of Justice has evidence to support the charge that the communist international party of Russia, dominated by Loiilno and Trotsky, and working through the 1. W. V Is the moving force behind the present railroad strike Jn (he United States, and that Wlll'am 'A. Foster, radical leader of the unsuccessful steel strike Iflst fall, Is closely associated with the movement. After the meeting, In which he hnd expressed his Minnzement at tho attor ney general's revelations of the com munist plot, Mr. Wilson took the fol lowing steps toward ending the rail strikes: Authorized the attorney general to make public his evidence of the fo mentation of the strikes by the com munist agitators, with a view to warn ing the strikers of the trap Into which they have fallen and Inducing them to return to their union allegiance and to work. Instructed the attorney general to employ all possible diligence (o ap prehend the c inununlst plotters, to In stitute criminal prosecutions against American citizens Involved nnd to Initiate the deportation of conspirators who aro aliens. Called the newly appointed railway labor board, members of which have been confirmed by (he sennte, to Washington to deal with the questions of strikers' grievances and the Inter ruption of transportation. The attorney general laid before the cabinet evidence showing Hint plans of the sumo leaders are nlready laid for similar strikes In other Industries and (lint for some time Mliy 1 next has been fixed as a day for n general up rising of the workers spurred on by the nnnrchlst ngents boring Into tho American unions from within. Ar n result of these disclosures, the government has broadened Its Investi gation, agitators in nil labor organiza tions nro under surveillance, funds used are closely watched,- and nil clews to the course of the flnnnclnl mipport are being followed. Nebraska Judge Succumbs. Lincoln, Neb, Albert .1. Cornish, Judge of the" Nebraska supreme court ami one of the most widely known Jurists In Nebraska, dropped dead In the rooms of. the Lincoln Commercial lull. He had Just returned from the funeral services for Kd Strode, a prominent member of the Lincoln bar, (it which he hud olllciated as one of the honorary pallbearers, .Tudgo, Cor nish was born Itf Iowa City, la., on December 10. 18."i(), The Judge Is sur- Ived by his wife and three children, Virginia, Joseph and Albert, students in the Lincoln schools. Appeal for Turk Exclusion. Washington, D. C. A memorial ap pealing to the government. to excludo the Turks from Europe and to tnko a tslep toward assuming Ahh-tIcii's share of responsibility for the welfare of the Hiibject races of (he former Ottoman inplro was presently! to President Wilson by a committee of the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ In America. Bishop William F. Mc Dowell of tho Methodist Episcopal hurch headed tho committee which presented similar memorials to Vice- president Marshall nnd Speaker Gil lett. Opposes Guarantee Extension. Washington, D. C Contlnuitiico oC (he government wheat guarantee for HI or -10 days after It terminates June 1, proposed by Senator. Cappm repub lican, .Kansas, at the request cf west eril growers, was opposed by Presi dent Barnes of. tho United States Grain corporation, la n letter received liv the Kansas senator. 'Government Injection Into business should be terminated uit the earliest possible moment," said Mr. Barnes. Runs Amuck In Church. New York. Dr. .Tames Markoe, a well known surgeon, was shot and killed While taking up the offering at the morning service In the fashionable St. George Protestant Kplscopal church, Fifteenth and Stuyvesant phtce. Ills assailant, who was cap tared after a short chase by a group of parishioners, gave his name tlrst as Thomas W. Shelley. Police snld Unit ho had escaped from tho eastern stato hospital for the I: sane at Williams burg, Va. Move to Save Paper. Cincinnati, O. Announcement la made by the Cincinnati newspapers that owing (o (he shorlage of news print paper, editions will be limited to. eight pages until the situation Is it' lleved. Mav Annul Movie Stars' Marriaae. Mlndcn. Nov. A suit nskliu: that, the decree of divorce grunted by Dis trict Judge Langen to Gladys E, Moore, known as Mary Plckford, from Owen K. Moore, be set aside, was lled here hv Leonard B. Fowler, attorney ucncrnl of Nevada. The suit was tiled "In the Interest of the stale of Ne- vndn." The comnhiliit Is based on al loLMiiliiiis of fraud, connivance and col lusion between Moore, his wife ami Douglas Fairbanks, to whom the for mer Mrs. Moore was married a short (line after her divorce was granted. 1. Repreaentntlve Porter who introduced pence resolution In house, lutlon In house. 8. Strike Inconveniences New York commuters. NEWS REVIEW OF CURRENT EVENTS Attorney General Sees Red Plot in Rail Strike and Orders Ar rest of Many Radicals. LABOR TROUBLES IN KANSAS Prospect of Anarchy In Ireland Brings Factions Into Closer Union Strong Military Measures In Turkey Sonora Secedes Fronj Mexico German Coali tion Government on Trial. By E. F. CLIPSON. As foreshadowed by the general ap pearance of tho railway strike from its beginning and pointed out In tho previous Issue of this review, the Ethiopian concealed In the wooUpilo has been the American I. W. W., fos tered, supported and directed by the Moscow Third Internntlonale. If this Is not true then the United States de partment of Justice with Its secret service, Its mass of data and all its splendid fncllltlcs for gnth.erlng lnfor mntlon nnd evidence, hns gone woeful ly astray. The Third ln(crnntIonnle Is the. branch of the communistic govern ment of Russia devoted to interna tional propaganda and organization and pledged to tho cause of overthrow ing the existing order In Amerlcn and throughout tho world. Its principal aim is to promote revolutionary class (rugglo and estnbllsh wherever pos sible a dictatorship of the proletariat such as exists In Russia. One of Its obJcc(s, entering Into the dreams of all radicals, Is the organization of nil workmen, everywhere, Into one big union. With such an organization and such a powerful weapon, an oligarchy of labor would bo possible. Tiie I. W. W. Is committed to these views, hence Its fight to disrupt tho Ameri can Federation of Lnbor which stands for collective bargaining nnd the pres ervation of contractual rights between employers nnd employees. Observers everywhere have been pointing to (he trncenblo effeefs of communistic prop aganda In the disturbed conditions nil over Europe and the strikes and rum blings In Amerlcn. Wherever the doc trines hnvo gained nscendency, ns In Itussln, Hungary, portions of the Bal kans and recently In n pnrt of Ger many, terrible conditions nnd In some cases nctunl chaos have resulted. Attorney General Pidmer reports thnt evidence In his hnnds proves that William Z. Foster, leader of the late steel strike, and other prominent rad icals, have been tho concealed brains back of tho rail strike. The govern ment's announcement was followed by prompt "action In Issuing federal war rants for n number of the ncflve lend ers of the strike. The warrants charged violation of section 2 of the wnr-tlmo Lever law. Before the Issuance of the warrants nnd (he determination to take drastic action had been announced,, the gov crment's disclosures had begun to have an effect on the strike nnd Its early collapse, or nt least gradual death was anticipated. Even before tho disclosures from Wnshlngton nn Improvement In the situation was manifest In the West, although acute in Now York nnd somo other portions of tho East". In Chicago whore the strike started and In other ports of the West, rnllrond men who had been enticed by the "outlaw" movement, be gan to see signs of n (rap and (o turn again to the counsels of their old lenders. This was having a gradual effect In the restoration of traffic and normal conditions. 'Jfhe new rallwny labor board au thorized by the Cumiulns-Esch law and appointed by the president, will now have the arduous duty of review ing the whole railway labor question, relntlvo to wages, hours of employ ment, working conditions, etc. Out of tho great volume of (estlmony to which It will listen and nil (ho data compiled, It is called upon to find a solution which will be equitable to (he nien, the employers and tho publje and prevent n recurrence of strife for the near future nt least. Some Job. ncz pas? The eyes of (lie entire country and probably some foreign eyes ns well, are turned upon the slate of Kansas In Its efforts to settle lnbor troubles through a state law and nn Industrial relations court. Alexander M. Howat, president of the Knnsns Mine Work ers' union nnd several other officials, were Jailed for refusal to testify be fore the court. Some rnllrond men In (he state hnve also been arresled for violating the law by participating In (ho switchmen's strike. Injunctions are being freely used by (he state offi cials and the chief point of Interest Is, ns (o whether (he law will s(and nnd be nn effecllve means of settling lnbor disputes, or will fall under the as saults to be made on It In the higher courts. Governor Lowden, ns was expected, carried the presidential preference primary In Illinois, nllhough his plu rality of more than 80,000 over Leon ard Wood was somowhnt startling. Lowden stock received n boom and so did that of Hiram Johnson whose ad mirers In the city of Chicago to the number of over 40,000 nnd upwards of 10,000 down the state, wrote or pasted his nnmo on the ballot. Few of the preferential primaries bind delcgnles to Instructions for the nntlonql con ventions, although they do express (o n considerable exlent (ho wishes of voters. The fight Is still nn open one with General Pershing edging his hnt tentatively Into the Republican ring, ne hns stated that he Is not n candi date for tho presidency, but, that no man should refuse the high office If called to It by the people. No accu rate forecasting of tho real convention strength of nny cnndldnte Is yet pos sible. Affairs In Ireland take on a less turbulent aspect. The prospect of an archy Is reported as bringing the fac tions closer to an agreement. The number of extremists Is reported ns diminishing and moderates In all par- t'es are said to be frightened at the outbreak of all kinds of crime under the guise of political action. A com mon meeting ground Is being sought, but that It will not be found In the present home rule bill Is apparent. Ireland will never Indorse the bill with any unanimity. The Brlllsh govern ment averted a serious crisis by re leasing the 70 Irish prisoners who were on a hunger strike after four had collapsed and others weru in the last stages of exhaustion. A general strike Impended unless the government granted the releases. Internal problems In China having nn Important hearing on the future of (hut country, are In process of har monlzatlon through a financial con sortium of tho powers. The scheme provides for control, through the banking groups of the different al lies, of loans for railroads and the de velopment of public utilities In China. Allied propaganda has been further ing the project for more than a year, but until recently the Jealousy exist ing among the Shanghai Chinese and those of South China ngnlnst the Peking government, has stood In the wny of an agreement. The and Peking lenders appear to be satisfied so long ns Amerlcn, England and Franco direct operations under the loans and Peking otllclnls hnve noth ing to do with the actual expenditures. The remaining problem Is , to Induce Japan to Join the consortium on equal terms with the other three nations, thus easing the Japanese yoke on China. With the other powers pre senting such a strong front, It Is be lieved Japan will Join. Pending the final disposition of Turkish affairs through the medium of the peace treaty which Is expected to be ready for .submission to (he Turks early Iti May, England, France and even the sultan's government are preparing for strong military mens ures ngnlnst Mustnpha Kemal nnd his nationalist forces. French re-enforce incuts nre reported to have dampened the nrdor of the nationalists In S.vrln and Clllcln. The British have fortl tied lsmld, 'Hie French aro marching through Clllcln to tho relief of Amer leans at Alntnb and Urfa. A move- Chump Clark debntlng pence reso- luent Is under wny to place 150,000 Turks, loyal to the sultan, at the dis position of the British forces and un der command of British officers. Tho French have re-eslnbllshed railroad communication between Adnnn nnd Aleppo. Probably 2,000 refugees will be removed from Adnnn to Cypress. A disturbed condition exists from the western borders of Turkey straight cust for 2,500 miles to the western border of China. In (he Caucnsus bol shevlsm Is strong. A disquieting situ ation has arisen at Batoum where the Georgians who have been opposing al lied occupation, threaten to Join tho bolshevlkl and take over the whole region. Armenlnn mobilization has been ordered in preparation for a pos sible campaign against the Tartars nnd Azerbaijanese over disputed ter rltory. Wnrllke Kurds, relieved o Russian restraint, come down from the north and attack nnd pillage Ar menlnn settlements frequently. The council of the League of Na tions Is seeking a guardian for Ar menia. That It may be somewhat dif ficult to find Is evidenced by (he re port of (he American military mission lo Armenln bended by Gen. G. G. Hnr boord. The report recently made pub lic states that any country ncceptlng the Armenian mnndnte will require nn army of 59,000 men, a good-sized fleet of nnval vessels and nn outlay ot $757,000,000 during the next five years. The mission demonstrated Its com plete neutrality by enumerating 13 reasons for ncceptlng the mandate and 13 reasons against acceptance, rather Implying In the significance of th numerals, that It Is unlucky If we da nnd unlucky If we don't. Of speclnl benrlng on the case of Armenia and other minority peoples who have been under Turkish rule Is the declaration of the council of the League of Na tions (hat it will guarantee clauses in the Turkish peace (reaty providing for the protection of all non-Moslem mi norities. Ten years of fighting seem not tin have diminished the Mexican gluttony for strife. With rebellions on every hnnd nnd the Carranza regime hold ing power only because It seemed to be the most strongly orgnnlzed body, while no two of the others could com' bine effecllvely- against It, a new ele ment now enters the situation In the form of secession. Sonora, the north, western border state with an area of approximately 77,000 square miles nnd rich In gold, sliver, lend, copper -and other resources, but having less than 300,000 people, bus unnouneed jta wKbdrnwal from t lie so-called repun He. By proclaninllon the republic of Sonora Is established, said proclamn tlon being Issued by Gen. P. Kilns Cnlles, commander In chief of tho military forces. The federals are re-' ported organizing for suppression of the rebels. Other Mexican states may Join the movement but whether or not they do, Is not likely to change nf fairs much or either Increase or dlmln Ish disturbed conditions In the coun try. A new alignment of actions mny occur, hut the whole Incident tnkes on the character of a diverting high light In a strenuous presidential campaign being waged in the country. Germany's coalition government la still on trial with a shifting of ele ments and sentiments due to the re cent troubles. Labor is dissatisfied over (he treatment of workmen In the Ruhr difficulties. Moderate socialists, Irked by the hard economic conditions, are reported Joining tho Independent socialists nnd communists. Both re actionaries nnd extremists are dlssat lstled that they have no representation In the government and are according' ly making all the trouble they can. All fncdons condemn (he government on nccount of the French occupation of Frankfort nnd other German cities, Tho hardest problem of the govern ment Is the nttltmlo of labor which Is endenvorlng to rule (he cabinet The principal element of strength In the coalition Is In the fact that It Ii so beset on all sides that It must re main united to prevent n full nnd chaos again. Franco nnd Grent Brit, nln have smoothed out their disagree ment over (he French occupullon, France will withdraw her forces from Germany ns soon as the Germans withdraw from the Ruhr, and prom lses (here will bo no fuitlur Independ cnt action on her port, LAND VALUES MOUNT SKYWARD Business In Town Suspends When Someone Sets Fire to Gas Well Flames Seen for Many Miles. Crawford, Neb. Citizens of7 Craw ford nnd other western Nebraska cit ies where drilling for oil is In progress nro "oil mad." Vuluos on hind be lieved to be In the oil stratu have doubled nnd trebled In the jiast few days, and oil speculators from the Wyoming fields nre hurrying to this locality and wlrliig friends to obtain leases for them. Business practicnlly suspended here last Friday, and people from miles In every direction visited the .oil well being drilled by F. M. Sfnploton. a local banker, nnd W. H. cblemun, on High School Heights, In the heart of the city. The drillers punctured u vein of a gas pocket end the ensuing explosion was heard for eight blocks. Mud, sand iind water were thrown to n height of 70 feet and the derrick and ground for n dlslance of 50 feet were covered with. mud. Tho grouml Is covered with heavy traces of oil that burns freely. The well wns set on fire by nn ad- vendirsome member of (he crowd who doubted that the well contained gas. The huge, roaring flame could be seen for miles nfter dark. Mr. Stapleton announced imme diately nfter the gas pocket was struck that drilling would be continued n an effort to find oll-bearlng sands. Several oil companies have been or gnnlzed among local people, who have- mude no effort to drill, but nre rapidly preparing to s(nrt drilling at once. North nnd west of Crawford several companies are now drilling and are preparing to Increase their drilling crews' nnd work night and day. " U. S. RELEASE FOOD. Drastic Measures Taken to Relieve- Suffering Due to Strike. Washington, D. C. The Department of Justice nnd the War department have, both come to the assistance of the public In the food crisis duo (o (he outlaw railroad strike. The War department has released for public consumption its surplus food stores In populous centers, Including Chicago, and (he Department of Justice hns urged nil d!sfrlct utlorneys to curb profiteering thnt might arise us a result of (he strike-enforced food shortnge. Attorney General Palmer has issued n wnrnlng to denlers ngalnst taking ndvantnge of the strike crisis to boost prices. Secretnry of Wnr Baker announced t lint the War department director of Kales had sent telegrams to state and municipal officials In railroad strike centers in which there Is In storage surplus stocks of frozen beef and can ned roast beef nnd bacon, making these stocks available to relieve tho shortage. The telegrams were direct ed to governors nnd mayors. Lowden Wins in Illinois. Chicago, III. Governor Frank O Lowden carried his homo state In the opubllenn presidential preference- prhnnry April 13, with Major General Leonard Wood second and Senator Illrnm Johnson third, the lntter's name- being written in by the state. General Wood 'carried Chicago and Cook conn- - ty, but Governor Lowden's vo(e In (he-t state outside of Chicago gave him n lend which progressed stndlly with . the counting of returns. Senator Johnson's strength wns In Chicago, where most of his vote ap peared. 1 First Clash With Carranza. Agun l'rleta, Sonora. Troops of the new republic of Sonora have had thelr first battle with Carranza soldiers on the Sonorn-Slnoloa boundary. Military authorities say the battle meant war between the Carranza government nnd the seceding state. Probe Potato Prices. Chicago, 111. Twenty Chicago prod uce dealers were summoned to the federal building anil questioned by the grand Jury In connection with a gov ernment Investigation of potato prices. Pershing May Pitch First Ball. Omaha, Neb. General John .7 Pershing, republican candidate for the presidency, has been InvKed to officiate at the opening of the Wostorn league baseball season In this city, Thursday, Mny 5, when the Omnha team, under the management of Pa Rourke, will play the Tulsa. Okln., nggregatlon. Elaborate prepar.vlons have been made for tho opening game and vis itors from many towns nnd cilles over the suite nre expected to attend. Indicted for Profiteering. . Detroit, Mich. Four lialictmeiits,. chnrglng two meat dealuiv, and two. potato dealers with profiteering In foodstuffs were returned by ths fed eral grand Jury here. Spurn Clothiers' Request. Birmingham, AM. Birmingham newspaper publishers have flatly de nied the requetr of retail clothiers that news of the "oxerallR" movement be suppressed on the ground thnt It was dainaglut, the rctai clothing In -l-ness.