But Machine Guns Sputter
When German Agitators At
tempt to Coerce Miners Into
Laying Down Picks.
I-ondon Tim** ?abl* tervlc* [Copyright 1*18, by
**tfbUo I*tlot f . Co. | to Th* Sioux Ctty Tribune.
THE HAGUE, Dec 23.—(by wire
less.)—The Berlin newspaper strike is
serious. Only one of eight newspa
pers appeared Wednesday. Employes
demand more wages. Wages so far
average 50 marks ($12.50) weekly, be
sides 29 rnarkr supplemental, owing to
the dearness of provisions. The strik
I era want 120 marks ($30.)
For the night staff they ask 20
marks ($5) daily. After a long dis
cussion representatives of the news
paper firms declared they were willing
to give a provisional addition of 15
marks ($3). But the publishers’ rep
resentative, striking his fist on the
table, said; "It the workers do not
accept this provisional offer within
five minutes, these firms will simply
not allow their papers to appear." And
negotiations were off.
Come to Blows.
IWork ip. the great Koonlgsgrube
mines has been resumed. With this,
the strike in the Bechum district may
t»e considered to have ended. In the
Essen and Gelsenkirchen districts work
Is proceeding.
That a strike occured in the Con
cordia mine is due to terrorism. Force
[was also used in causing strikes in
other mines. The Spartacus people
■desire an entire cessation of industry.
Troops guarding the mines were com
pelled to utilize their arms, and killed
•one and wounded five. Blows were in
flicted on the Spartacus people in the
Hoellen mine. The government, it Is
reported, intends to establish garrisons
of the people’s defense force, who will
■assume the service of guarding the in
dustrial region. An Essen telegram
«ays the radical strike movement
again has given rise to serious dis
turbances by miners in the various
mines.
According to tho Essen workers' and
•soldiers’ councils a small crowd went
from mine to mine compelling the
staff to strike immediately on pain
■of arms being used. The workers’ and
soldiers' council arrested wire pullers
at one mine, but an excited crowd
•obtained their liberation, whereupon
tlse workers’ and soldiers’ council was
Itself arrested and Its chairman mal
treated. At another mine the armed
force was dismissed and the works
were put under the protection of the
workers' and soldiers’ council.
Negotiations between the miners and
the workers' and soldiers' council on
•one side and a mob on the other pro
duced no result.
In the state mines a crowd stormed
the approaches from whence they were
repelled by rifle and machine gun fire
end several persons were severely
wounded.
(Large Quantities Placed Under
the Control of the Ameri
can Army of Oc
cupation.
L By Associated Preat.
American Army of Occupation, Dec.
23The German authorities bean to
turning over to the Americans
ll^jThird army large quantities of war
material which will require several
trains to transport.
k Included in the artillery given up by
[ the Germans are "60 guns of large cal
■ iber and nearly 3,000 machine guns.
The other guns range from 150’s to
210's.
lletternieh, just outside of Coblenz,
is the assembling point for this ma
terial. Some of it comes from east
of the Rhine, many of the guns having
been sent into the interior of Germany
for repairs as the terms of the armis
tice require that all artillery be turned
over in first class condition. Today
American officers began checking up
the guns as they came in. German
officers especially assigned for the
final delivery of the material assisted
In the work and received the receipts
«s fast as the Americans inspected and
accepted the surrendered property.
This is the largest amount of artillery
turned over to the Americans under
the armistice and It is estimated it
will require a week to inspect and
receipt for all the equipment.
BOMBARD THE BOLSHEVISTS
Fleet Guns Turned on Russia-Reds
at Reval.
T.ondon Times cable service [Copyright 1918, by
Public ledger «*o. 1 to eiie Sioux City Tribune.
THE HAGUE, Dec. 23.—A Koenlgs
berg telegram says that, according to
reports from Reval, the British fleet
b igan bombarding the bclshevlst posi
tions on December 14. The bolshevists
retired.
The British fleet has taken on itself
the protection of the troops at Reval.
The British fleet, so far, has not land
ed. The bolshevists have blown up the
' great bridge at Warmar, by which ac
tion troop transport is endangered.
Dorpat also is now threatened. ,
BANDITS SECURE $12,600
Rob and Shoot General Electrio Pay
master at Everett, Mass.
By Associated Prees.,.
Kverett, Mass., Dec. 20.—-Six un
him of $12,000, the weekly payroll of
the company's steel foundry here, and
escaped from a thickly populated
neighborhood after shooting and seri
ously wounding the paymaster as he :
sat helpless with his hands held over I
his head. Brown was rushed to a Bos- I
ton hospital, where his conditions to- 1
might was said to be critical.
William Allen White, Who Has Sailed For Europe to Cover the
Peace Conference, While In Washington Obtaining His Pass
ports, Interviewed a Great Number of Statesmen of All
Shades of Political Opinion and Affiliation. The Re
sult of These Interviews Is Embodied In
the Remarkable Article Which Follows.
Not for the circus parade did Pres
ident Wilson go to Europe, though the
circus parade from Rome to London
will be the greatest military triumph
ever seen on earth. President Wilson
went to Europe for three major poli
cies.
First, for freedom of the seas.
Second, for a democratic, economic
internationalism, and third, for a
league of democracies.
And to explain them—even in the
terms of the president's own speeches
—makes it obvious that a man of the
president's cast of mind could not stay
at home while these things are in the
making. But those near the president
now are using a candor in discussing
his plans which makes it plain that
they feel that their chiefs tempera
mental lack of candor is unfortunate.
It is fair that the American people
should know in plain terms just what
their chief is after for them in Europe.
And what follows will not be credited
to "one in a position to know" nor “to
one of the president’s advisors" nor to
“a man whose name would carry far
more than merety official weight if it
were disclosed." What follows is what
scores of men know who have spoken
to the president. But one may write
with the bridle off who has not talked
to the president when one has found
many men talk so freely. Hence this
definition of terms and aims in simple
English.
Freedom of the Seat.
First—The free interchange of non
contraband goods in war and the defi
nition of "food not consigned nor evi
dently destined for soldiers" as non
contraband goods. Second—the pollc
ing of aii canals and strategic straits
Panama, Suez, the Dardanelles, the
Kiel canal and Gibraltar—by an inter
national naval police force under the
executive direction of the United
States. Why the United States? Be
cause England, the world's greatest
sea power, trusts us. Why? Because
we gave England trade rights through
Panama when we might have inter
preted an ambiguous treaty against
her." Giving England the freedom of
the Panama canal Is one of the bases
upon which the president’s whole for
eign policy rests. He stresses national
henor. He believes that bread cast
upon the international waters in 1913
is about to return in American glory in
1919. There can be no doubt but that
the president is resigned to the fact
that England will continue to be mis
tress of the seas. But America will be
the traffic cop who will keep her down
to the traffic rules and stop scandal!
This will grind the faces off British im
perialism. But it will probably satisfy
British labor, and that situation is im
portant. We will return to it later.
Democratic internationalism.
Now for the second proposition, a
democratic, economic internationalism.
We must not forget that peace without
victory is one of President Wilson’s
phrases. He Is not a bitter ender. A
man who is too proud to fight may be
a bit squeamish about loot. It is the
academic mind. And the German in
tuition is keen. The invitations to visit
Germany will be rejected because that
would be embarrassing to one who pro
poses to declaim before the peace con
ference squarely against an economic
boycott on Germany. For a year the
president has had a group of college
professors working on economic ques
tions that shall arise after the war. And
these professors will scent a German
boycott a decade off In any innocent
phrase that may be proposed by the Im
perialist of ar.y nation at the confer
ence. The president has the college
professor's low esteem of the business
man. So the president may be depended
upon to stand for no peace terms that
will merely “help business.” That pro
gram also will offend the European
Imperialist; but it surely will meet with
the approval of the liberal, the labor
crowd and the socialists of an inter
national frame of mind, and In Europe
they have it—except the Germans who
are “we Germans" first.
The League of Nations.
Third—We now come to the league
of nations. That must first of all be
democratic. And the president never
has indicated that he believed a form
of government determined democracy
in a nation. A democratic nation, ac
cording to the Wilsonian formula, is a
free nation, a nation in which live no
coerced populations. From the presi
dent’s recent public utterances—and
these are emphasized by his reiterated
private expressions—the American
stand for a league of nations will be
organized not to enforce peace but to
prevent war. The Wilson idea is mil
lenfal, not military. He will stand for
supervised elections in self determina
tion among the weaker people—the
buffer state people, the exploited and
intrigued smaller nations—and no one
about the president would be sur
prised to see him drop Ireland like a
monkey wrench into the machinery of
the conference if it seems to lack other
diversions, and again we find a policy
which would soil the waters of the
world’s Junkerdom and give aid and
comfort to their adversaries.
Mr. Wilson’s Methods.
This program of Mr. Wilson’s will
not be popular with the envoys of the
allies at the peace conference. No one
knows this better than the president.
Yet he believes that it is a program
that will find great favor among the
war wearied masses of Europe. He is
aiming at them. And because he is aim
ing at them he went to Europe. For
them, protest his friends, the trans
continental European circus parade;
for them the pomp and circumstance
of an American president leaving his
country, breaking all precedents and
receiving such homage from the nobil
ity of Europe as no king or conquerer
ever dared hope for. And still h’*
friends protest that this triumph is not
to flatter the president’s vanity but to
advertise his goods. Thus we reason.
Back of tlie tenures of the two most
powerful enemies of this program.
Lloyd George and Clemenceau, are tw. I
great socialist constituencies; in Italy J
also is an overwhelming socialist con
stituency; and the Belgian government
was dominated by the socialist five
years ago and the government may be
again socialistic when it begins to func
tion. To this great European socialist
constituency—which is not bolshevist—
(yet!)—the president is appealing. He
expects that constituency to be inade
quately represented at the conference.
And he has not colored the American
delegration with a distinctly socialist
tint. Mr. Lansing. Mr. Houston, Mr.
White and Colonel House are anything
but reds. They are far from the shell
pink socialists who Infest New York,
and there is no hope that any of our
American delegation In a preliminary
rough and tumble could hold their own
with Lloyd George and Clemenceau.
Either the British or the French man
would outtalk any or all of our peace
delegates in a gala feast. Nor will the
president sit In with the delegates.
Certainly no one expects him to debate
the merits of his case with the strong
debaters of Europe. President Wilson
never debated. He doesn't even assert
forensleally. but rather “ventures to
suggest" and “by leave to offer” and
“may-I-not-hope” or "sees tfte possi
bility” of ukase No. 7 being accepted;
and then having tossed it out of the
cosmos returns to the cloister! He has
legislated thus through congress. He
expects to function thus at the peace
congress. He will make definite and
certain his 14 points under the three
headings above suggested. Then the
subsequent proceedings will “interest
him no more.” He will have the pres
tige of the triumphant procession
across the earth, behind his program;
he will have advertised it to the Euro
pean masses, who according to the
Wilson theory accept the program
strongly; he will place the United
States officially behind his program
without reserve or qualification—even
though it is sweetly elucidated In the
subjunctive mood—and then having
spoken upon such formal occasions as
seem wise, Mr. Wilson will fade out
like a movie film.
What Will Be Results?
And the program will be before
Europe with on one to defend it who
can talk for sour apples. And hence no
one to modify it.
If it la adopted it will be the Wilson
program—not the House plan, the Lan
sing proposal or the White resolution.
And if it is rejected—it wilt still be the
Wilson plan. And then what?
Mr. Wilson has Just one bag of tricks.
It is putting the fear of God into his
adversaries. He made the republicans
vote for the Adamson law, gnashing
their teeth as they voted! He made the
southern democrats take conscription
and a strong nationalism, damning the
hand that fed It to them. There was
no debate; no explaining; no persua
sion. Just a mild subjunctive ukase
with a T. N. T. bomb in its disobedi
ence; and the fear of balked socialism
turning bolshevlst in allied lands is the
merry little hand grenade which the
president has coated with the chocolate
eclair of his gentle self deprecating |
suggestions and has so diffidently
passed into the situation in his well
known potential mood. The allied lead
ers have known for a month what he
was bringing to Europe. Northcliff,
who has been welcoming the American
president while he abused Lloyd
George, may have suspected what is In
the president's package. But now
Europe is beginning to realize It.
No one can predict what the result
will be. The president is running true
to form; he i« treating the conference
as he has handled congress for four
years. And it remains to be seen
whether the conference reacts to the
Wilson treatment as our American
congress reacted. But the spectacle
of the president coating his radical de
mocracy in the saccharine and soft
soap of his persuasive rhetoric and
thus while the fuse fizzes—disappear
ing as gently and as innocently as the
Cheshire cat with revolutionary cream
on „its whiskers, will be well worth
watching.
It is not necessary to agree with this
program to report it fairly. And unless
all his friends are fooled or unless they
are fooling their friends, the foregoing
is a fairly accurate guess on the situ
ation that is unfolding these days in
France.
Copyright, 1918, The Wheeler Syndi
cate.
President to Ride to Bucking
ham Palace Iu the Royal
Cart iage—Troops
as Quard.
By Associated Press.
London, Dec. 21.—Arrangements are
being made for an Imposing military
reception of President Wilson, accord
ing to some of the newspapers. There
will be a guard of honor at the station
when he arrives and he will be greeted
by King George.
Mr. Wilson and the king will then
drive to Buckingham palace through
the streets lined with troops. They
will ride in the royal carriage. Premier
Lloyd George will be among the promi
nent persons taking part in the wel
come of President Wilson.
It is said that the route of the pro
cession will be as extended as possible
so as to permit of a great popular
welcome.
'President Wilson has not as yet re
plied to the lord mayor’s invitation to
a civil luncheon in Guild hall where
it is understood the city corporation
wish to present a welcoming address
to Mr. Wilson. This address will be
enclosed in a golden cialcat
FOR PRESIDENT,
Final Details of Voyage to Eng
land Completed—Will Visit
American Front—Peace Par
leys Over Until February.
By United Press.
Paris. Dee. 23.—President Wilson will
return to Paris from his English trip
December 30. prepared to take up the
final preliminaries cf the formal inter
allied conference.
By that time he will have obtained
the principal points of view of the
British, French and Italian diplomat*,
together with those of some neutrals.
The presidential party will leave
Paris for American headquarters at
Chaumont in a special train December
34. in addition to 1 lie president there
will be Mrs. Wilson, their private sec
retaries and Bear Admiral Grayson.
Another special train will carry the
party from Chaumont to a channel
port Christmas night. They will ar
rive at tills port at 10 o'clock the fol
lowing morning. Thereafter Oil ar
rangements will bo in (he hands of the
British.
I* Tendered Warship.
The channel will be crossed in, a
warship. The piesidcnt wiil reach
London at 2:30 in the afternoon and lie
will go to Buckingham palace, whore
lie will dine wttli King George.
The president will attend a dinner at
the guild hall oil the Ui'th. and will go
to Manchester on the 2Sth. On the 29th
he will go to Carlisle, the birthplace of
his mother, where ihere is to bo a con
cert. He will return to London that
night and leave for Paris tiie following
day.
By Associated Press.
Paris. Dec. 23.—The preliminary
peace conference at Versailles has been
postponed until the beginning of Feb
ruary at the earliest, says Marcel
Hutin, editor of the Echo De Paris.
This postponement is due to changes
In plans because of President Wilson's
visit to England, and the reconstruc
tion. due to the elections of tho British
cabinet, whirji will occupy Premier
Lloyd George.
Preliminary exchanges, which were
to begin today, have also been deferred.
By United Press.
Paris. Dec. 23.:—Great Britain is will
ing to go as far as possible to meet
President Wilson's point of view ic
garding “freedom of the seas,” accord
ing to the advance skirmishes of the
British peace delegation.
They say that Great Britain is fully
cognizant of the necessity for revising
antiquated sea laws. But they point
out that any such revision must bo
consistent with Great Britain’s Insular
position, which they believe, Wilson
himself, will agree requires special con
sideration and safeguards.
T^ese Britishers who, while net of ft -
i rials, are high In the councils of the
empire, are giving the Impression that
Anglo-American differences regarding
“freedom of the seas" and other Wil
sonian principles are not fundamental
and most likely will be reconciled when
the president and Premier Lloyd
George have the opportunity for a di
rect exchange of opinions about the
details.
Regret Conference Delay.
The greatest regrei «s expressed by
these unofficial diplomats that Lloyd
George's conference with Wilson has
been delayed inasmuch as the French
are busily utilizing every opportunity
to cultivate the president and the
American delegation. They express
Btme apprenension that Wilson, be
cause of his lack of direct acknowledge
will tequire erroneous impressions re
garding the British attitude. In regard
tr indemnities, even Lloyd George’s
closest friends admit he went much
further in the heat of election cam
paigning than he himself intended. He
is said to be prepared to advocate a
cooler atmosphere at the qua! d' orsay
(French foreign office). On the other
hand, it is known that Wilson himself
Is somewhat embarrassed owing to the
delays he has experienced in petting in
to immediate touch with the British
leaders. He would have much pre
ferred informal conferences with them
and the French together for the pur
pose of a proper comparison and co
ordination of views. He is also ex
tremely anxious to complete all this
preliminary work as soon as possible
and be ready for the informal inter
allied conference which is expected to
begin the first week in January. Ho
wants to give the conference Ids un
divided attention when once it starts.
Spain For League.
Spain to the last man favors the
league of nations. Premier Bomouos
declared in an Interview today.
"Spain unanimously recognizes that
the project is the only salvation of the
smaller nations” sakl the premier, who
has come to Paris to confer wltl. Pres
ident Wilson.
Half of Spiain's national budgets
consists of war expenses. If the
league of nations were now in exist
ence this money cotyd have been used
for industr.al nnd commercial devel
opment
"While counting upon formation of
the league to help us out. we also
count upon our friendship and com
mefeia! relation:, with the United
States. With America, the past no
longer exists—only the future—in
which we hope for development of our
commercial and industrial relations.
' This should be easy, because our ports
are closest to America.”
GERMAN BISHOPS PROTEST
Complain of Separation of the Church
and State.
Munich, Friday. Doc. 20.—Catholic
bishops under the leadership of the
diocese of Wuerzburg have protested
formally against the separation of the
• hutch and state and the abolition of
religious oversight of schools.
USE ONLY ENGLISH.
Washington, Dec. 21.—War time reg
ulations requiring that confirmations
of cablegrams shall be in plain lan
guage instead of code wore revoked to
day by the government censorship
hoard.
Prince Humbert Has
the Wilson Smile;
Rivals President
By United Press.
Paris, Det-. 81. — Entranced by the
smile of President Wilson, Paris is
now enthralled by the smile of Crown
Prince Humbert, 11-year-oUl heir to
the Italian throne.
The young prince is reputed to be
the handsomest and "smillngest" boy
in Europe, despite his long cruises on
Italian warships and the hardships
shared with his father at the Italian
front.
On this, his first visit to Paris, Hum
bert has been unable to conceal his
boyish pleasure and excitement. His
dancing eyes and his dark, eager face,
radiating the sunniest of smiles. In
stantly won the hearts of Parisians. He
is already the idol of the Italian people.
Emmanuel and Premier State
Desires to the President—
Program of the Day
Is Outlined.
.
London. Deo. Jl. —■ It was definitely
announced this afternoon that Presi
dent and Mrs. Wilson would arrive In
London on Thursday of next week,
December 26. They will be the guests
of King George at Buckingham palace.
Paris. Dec. 20.—President Wilson
spent the moat of today conferring
with Italian statesmen and considering
the claims that Italy will lay before
the peace conference.
Early in the day Mr. Wilson confer
red for some time with Premier Or
lando and Foreign Minister Sonnino.
of Italy, who explulned their country's
ambitions. The president has ex
pressed warmest sympathy with
Italy’s aspirations, but has not com
mitted himself fully as to his views.
After the conference Mr. Wilson
spent some time in going over ma
terial presented and comparing it with
data collected by Col. E. M. House,
who spent some time In attempting to
determine what, in his opinion, should
be Italy's legitimate claims. Mr. Wil
son frankly told Premier Orlando and
Baron Sonnino that he did not know
what Italy should receive, hut added
that he Intended to support action that
would be just.
Become Friendly.
The cordiality shown at the meeting
between Mr. Wilson and King Victor
Emmanuel yesterday was subject of
much comment by those who were
present. The president has been some
what concerned as to the event not
knowing that the Italian king speaks
English. After the exchange of greet
ings, the two statesmen came to a
mutual understanding and during their
conversation they could he seen to be
smiling and gesticulating in the most
friendly manner.
It. is probable that members of the
American peace delegation will hold
informal conferences with Premier Or
lando and Baron Sonnino for the pur
I pose of gaining personal knowledge of
their views which have been explained
In a preliminary way by Count Di
C'ellere, Italian ambassador at Wash
ington. This will go far toward lay
ing the ground work for consideration
and determination of Italy's claims in
actual conferences later.
Much Accomplished.
Mr. Wilson's first week In France Is
drawing to a close with ills advisers
feeling that much has been accom
plished in a preliminary way. Organ
ization is now appearing out. of the
confusion which prevailed during the
first few days after the president's ar
rival. Various sections of the Ameri
can mission are settling down to the
work which must be done before the
early part of January, when the first
sessions of the peace conference are
held.
Big Reception Tonight.
The program for the day also in
cluded a reception at the Murat resi
dence of the ambassadors and minis
ters accredited to France. The cere
mony, one of the most colorful and
dignified to take place durlngvMr. Wil
son's visit to Paris, was scheduled to
begin at 5 p. m. The majority of the
members of the large diplomatic corps
here had never met the president and
all were eager to greet him person
ally.
While the diplomatic torp3 was be
ing received a committee from the
French senate waited to formally wel
come the president to France and ex
pression to the cordial sentiments and
bonds of friendship between the two
republics. Because of this engagement
a previously arranged luncheon with
Stephen Plchon. foreign minister, was
cancelled.
ROMANONES ARRIVES.
Paris. Dec. 21.—Count Romanones,
the Spanish premier, arrived in Paris
today. He comes for conferences with
President Wilson and representatives
of the allies.
PICK M’ADOO^ successor
Announcement of Rail Director Ex
pected In Few Daye.
By United Press.
Washington. Dec. 21.—Appointment
of a new director general of railroads
to succeed William G. McAdoo, re
signed, is expected to be announced by
the White House within a few days.
CHURCHES J300ST LEAGUE
Federal Council Endorses Plan to Unite
Purpose of Nation*.
New York. Dec. 20.—The federal '
council of churches announced t -day
it had sent to President Wilson a
cable message conveying the action
of its executive committee at Atlantic
City favoring the proposals for a league
of nations, supplementing this letter
with a letter containing the declara
tion and the resolution in full.
Report on Government Project
Near Philadelphia Shows Mil
lions Wasted, Investigators
Assert.
__ *
■y United Prate.
Washington. T>. C.. Dec. 21.—Gross
mismanagement and extravagance per
meated affairs of the American Inter
national corporation in building the
great Hog Island ship yards at Phila
delphia, according to findings of de
partment of justice Investigators made
public at the White House today.
While no criminal responsibility is
Axed, recommendations were made for
examination by a board of experts Into
the corporation's expenditures. The
Investigators arc G. Carroll Todd and
Mark Hyman, assistant attorney gen
eral.
The report says officials of the cor
poration attempted to justify their
position by explaining that they wero
forced to sacrifice economy for speed.
They claimed also that In giving them
a second contract, the United States
shipping board had waived any mis
management. But the Increase from
$21,000,000, the first estimate of the
yards' cost, to $61,000,000, was not ac
counted for to the full satisfaction of
their Investigators, says the report.
Combination of Factors.
Such discrepancy must be due to
some fundamental miscalculation In
the original estimates, to supervening
conditions, including enlargement of
plans, to mismanagement In operation
or to a combination of these factors.”
the report continues. A discrepancy
of this magnitude would seem to call
for a clear explanation from the cor
poration; but this lias not been fur
nished."
In 10 specific charges the Investi
gators tel! the story of how $61,000,000
was expended in building the big plant;
they reveal how the government paid
“two to three times as much per ship
way at Hog Island” than for building \
In other yardH which were constructed
under like contracts and under similar
conditions.
Employes cere brought from the
plants of subcontractors to be placed on
the Ilog Island payrolls at greatly In
creased salaries, according to evidence
gathered by the Investigators. So
many men were hired that there was
an "organized riot" and the entire or
ganization waa disrupted with unsatis
factory labor conditions resulting. In
some cases, the report suys, the pay
rolls were so overloaded that men stood
around Idle. The labor turnover, as a
result, ranged as high as 100 pi r cent
a week, the data showed.
Paid for Knowledge.
It la charged that although the Amer
ican International was paid a “very
substantial fee for the ‘know how' ’’
and was e-xpected to be equal to the
task. It allowed seven weeks to elapse
after signing its contract before giv
ing attention to transportation features
of the enterprise. As a result 11,000
cars of freight piled up In Philadelphia
and finally an embargo had to be placed
against all freight shipments to that
city. Congestion In freight yards, due
to the careless methods, the report says,
was not confined to Philadelphia but
extended as far as Norfolk, Va.
Ordered Much Freight,
"In spite of formal warnings from
the Emergency Fleet Corporation and
the railroads,” the report says “that
more freight was being ordered than
could be used, officials of the Ameri
can International disregarded advice,
and took the position that they were
responsible for the job and would
properly handle the situation."
When shipyard officials began to
disentangle the freight congestion they
found that little of the material they
needed at once could be had. Con
struction of the ways and of the yard
proper thus was held up for weeks,
according to the report.
Elaborating further the charges of
mismanagement, the report says:
"Having failed to make adequate
progress during the first 12 weeks
when the weather was good, the cor
poration sought to make up for lost
time by jamming the work through
six or seven- weeks of unusual cold,
when it was Impossible to make pro
the effort or expense, often trying to
work night shifts, overtime and holi
days. at enormous increase in payrolls
to do work that could be done in a
fraction of the time in proper construc
tion weather. Much of this work could
have been postponed without detri
ment to the program as a whole.
Hands Supplant Machines.
“Large quantities of construction and
floating equipment were brought to the
Island and held idle during these
weeks at a monthly rental of 5 per
cent.
“The effort nt speed under such Im
possible conditions resulted in aban
donment of most forms of dredging and
machine digging, forcing the substitu
tion of hand picking and hand shovel
ing, often accompanied by blasting or
thawing frozen Cround and involved a
sudden and horizontal Increase again
in the number of laborers needed, with
out adequate time to build up the
supervising force.”
Big Salary Boosts.
Amplifying their charges that tre
mondous increases in salaries werj au
thorized out of the government funds,
the Investigators reported that 37 em
ployes of Stone & Webster (sub-con
tractors on the job) were transferred to
the Hog Island payroll and their sal
aries raised from $3,973 to $5,379 each
annually.
Thera, are 2,614.523 vo’unres in the
library of congress.
LIFT COPPER PRICE.
Washington, Deo. 20.—Maximum
prices on copper will expire January 1
and will not be renewed, it was an
nounced today by the price fixing com
mittee of the war industries board.
PRICE OF BRAN JUMPS.
The price of bran Jumped from
$27.73 to $46.00 a ton here today, the
sudden rise being due to the removal
of all milling restriction- by the gov
ernment.
