The Omaha Daily Bee
THE WEATHER
Sb
owers
VOL. XLVII. NO. 3.
OMAHA,' THURSDAY MORNING, JUNE 21, 1917 TWELVE PAGES.
ttinssJiSZX single copy two cents.
ELSIE PHELPS MOT TO TESTIFY TILL
MRS.
& CONCLUDES EVIDENCE
DANIELS IS
WAGING WAR
OK RESORTS
Executive Asked to Put Lid On
at Newport, Where Secre
tary Says Immoral Re
sorts Are Wide Open.
Washington, June 20. Charges that
naval recruits at the Newport, R. I.,
training station are exposed to open
gambling houses, immoral resorts and
illegal sales of liquor were made by
Secrelary Daniels today in announc
ing that he had appealed to Gover
nor Beeckman.
In response to a preliminary com
plaint the mayor of Newport made a
general denial and declared there was
no unusual degree of immorality in
the fashionable city.
The Navy department, with the as
sistance of agents of the Department
of Justice, thereupon made a sepa
rate investigation and as a result Sec
retary Daniels renewed his complaint
to. the governor.
Gives List of Illegal Resorts.
Secretary Daniels said today in an
nouncing his action:
"I have just sent to the governor
of Rhode Island a list in detail of
some of the most notorious houses
of prostitution and open gambling
houses in Newport, also calling his
attention to the extent and methods of
illegal sale of liquor to sailors and
naval reserve recruits and informing
him that the department is ready to
furnish him with further specific evi
dence if the state's own officers do
not produce it.
"At Newport and other places are
gathered several thousands of the fin
est youth of the lai who have of
fered their lives for the .service of
their country at a time when this
sacrifice is no figure of speech. Most
of thein have come from carefully
guarded homes and their parents have
given them to their country in sacred
trust that the government will safe
guard them irom unnecessary perils.
Duty of State Officials.
"I am charged with the duty of
training these young men for service
in the navy. State tud local officers
are charged with the duty of see
ing that the laws of their states and
of the United States are safely exe
cuted. There lies upon us morally
to a degree faf outreaching any tech
nical resDOnsibilitv the duty of leav
ing nothing undone to protect these
young men from that contamination
of their bodies, which will not only
impair their military efficiency, but
blast their li-.es for the future and
return them to their homes a source
of danger to their families and to
the community at large.
Temptations are Multiplied.
"Those dangers are bad enough in
ordinary times: in time of war when
great bodies of men are necessarily
gathered together away from the
restraints of home and under the
stress of emotion, whose reactions
inevitably tend to dislodge the stand
ards of normal life, they are multi
plied manifold and the harpies of
the underworld flock to make profit
out of the opportunity. If we fail
in vigilance under these conditions
the mothers and fathers of these
lads and the country generally will
rightly hold us responsible.
Government May Act.
"I feel confidence that the gov
ernor of Rhode Island and the local
officers responsible to him, and the
civil authorities at other places
where the navy has -gathered large
numbers of men enlisted for service,
will appreciate the vital importance
of this matter and will take such
steps as will make unnecessary any
further steps by the government of
the United States. I am determined
that so far as this department is con
cerned, nothing shal' be left undone
that is possible to discharge the
duty of protecting these lads who
have been committed to our care."
Grande River is
Diverted Into Bail
Cut by a Landslide
Grand Junction, Colo., June 20.
Repair crews who have been busy
for days on flood protection work
along the Grande river were occu
pied early today in determining the
extent of damage caused to railroad
property when the stream suddenly
changed its channels shortly after
midnight this morning.
The change in channel was caused
by the caving in of a quantity of earth
and rock from a mountain which the
stream had undermined. This dammed
the old cours; and the waters, which
have been at flood stage for days,
found a new one for themselves along
the right-of-way at Tunnel, seven
miles from Palisade, which is about
twenty miles from here.
Next Week Recruiting
Week for Regular Army
Washington, June 20. President
Wilson issued a proclamation today
designating the week of June 23-30,
as recruiting week for the regular
army and called upon unmarried men
without dependents to enroll for war
service in order that the ranks of the
regulars might be filled promptly.
Interesting Sidelights on Police
As Seen by The Bee's Artist
P00L0FC0ALAND
TRANSPORTATION
NOW PROPOSED
Commission Says Direct Fed
eral Supervision of Mines
and Railroads Needed to
Prevent Disaster.
Washington, June 20. Government
pools of coal production and distribu
tion and of rail and water transporta
tion ere recommended to congress
today by the Federal Trade commis
sion as the only means of avoiding a
disastrous coal shortage next winter.
"The commission believes," says the
report, submitted after many months
of investigation ordered by congress,
"that the coal industry is paralyzing
the industries of the country and
that the coal industry itself is
paralyzed by the failure of transpor
tation. There are enough coal cars
in the country, but not enough are
delivered to the mines, and these cars
arc not moved to the point of con
sumption with the greatest expedition
nor are they promptly discharged."
Two Recommendations.
In view of these conditions, the
commission recommend;:
"First That the production and dis
tribution of coal and coke be con
ducted through a pool in the hands of
a government agency; that the pro
ducers of various grades of fuel be
paid their full cost of production, plus
a uniform profit per ton, (with due
allowance for quality of product and
efficiency of service) ; and,
"Second That the transportation
agc.xies of the United States, both
rail and water, be similarly pooled and
operated on government acdount, un
der the direction of the president, and
that aH such means of transportation
be operated as a unit, the owning cor
porations being paid a just and fair
compensation, which would cover nor
mal net profit, upkeep and better
ments." Chairman Harris Dissents.
These recommendations are ap
proved by Commissioners Davies,
Colvcr and Fort. Chairman Harris
dissents on the plan for transporta
tion pool, except as a last resort, and
suggests instead "that during the war
the president be authorized to order
rail and water transportation agencies
to give preference to shipment of
coal, coke and other commodities in
the order of their importance to the
public welfare."
An urgent necessity exists for im
mediate legislation to correct condi
tions, says the report, because the
usual SDrine and summer accumula
tion of coal stocks at points distant
from producing districts "is not now
taking place, but it must be made
during what remains of the summer
unless the country is to face .next
winter a most serious and an irre
parable situation."
Soft Coal Production Low.
Present production of bituminous,
or "soft" coal is 40 per cent under the
possible maximum, principally be
cause of coal car shortage, the report
declares. Consequently, the extra
large production of anthracite coal
thys spring, one-fourth greater than
usual, has been diverted to industrial
markets ordinarily filled by bitumi
nous coal and coke. Anthracite mines
have been given ample car supply,
the commission observes, "by reason
of the close corporate relations be-
(Continued an rave Two, Column Three.)
Little Invalid Mother at Holbrook
Thanks Bee Good Angels for Gifts
The Omaha Bee has received the
following letter from Mr. and Mrs.
Albert Sockland of Holbrook, Neb.,
thanking the Bee's "good angels" for
the gifts that were sent to the Sock
land home:
"The box of clothing and the doll
for our little girl came Friday and the
check for ?20 today. We wish to
thank The Bee's "good angels'" for
Big Cunarder Badly
Damaged by Torpedo
New York, June 20. The British
passenger steamship Ansonia, of
8,153 tons gross registry, owned by
the Cunard line, was hit by a tor
pedo and badly damaged, but ar
rived in port on its last trip from
Canada, it was learned today.
M'KINLEY PLANS
BIG DRIVE FOR
ARMYSATURDAY
Omaha Citizens Requested to
Assist in Filling Quota for
District of Nebraska and
Western Iowa.
""The quota for the Omaha recruit
ing district, which comprises all of
Nebraska and the western half of
Iowa, with a population of 2,405,000,
is 4,810, Up to and including June 15,
4,116 men were enlisted for the regu
lar army from this district.
Captain James F. McKinley of the
cavalry, iu charge of recruiting, plans
to make a big drive in Omaha Satur
day in compliance with a request
from the War department.
The following statement by the
secretary of war has been sent to
all recruiting officers:
"The cavalry, engineers, coast ar
tillery, signal corps and quartermas
ter corps of the regular army have
already been brought to war strength.
Forty-five thousand recruits are
needed at once to complete the new
regiments of infantry and field artil
lery. Twenty-five thousand addi
tional recruits are desired at the
earliest practicable dale to till vacan
cies in order that the war strength
of 300,000 men may be maintained.
Citizens Asked to Help.
"Facilities are in readiness for plac
ing these 70,000 men under proper
training. Any delay m obtaining this
number will necessarily cause the loss
of invaluable time.
"It is the earnest desire of the War
department that 70,000 single men
between the ages of 18 and 40, who
have no dependents and who are not
engaged in professions, business or
trades vitally necessary to the prose
cution of the war, to be enlisted in
the regular army before June 30."
"To accomplish the task set forth
bv the Wat department, the number
of enlistments obtained in this district
must average fifty-eight men per day
for every day, Sundays excepted, for
the remainder of this month," said
Captain McKinles".
"To obtain the quota allotted to this
district the army needs the assistance
of al! patriotic citizens. All citizens
are requested to personally see and
tjlk to their employes and friends
Saturday in an effort to obtain proper
response to the secretary of war's
call for men to enlist prior to June 30.
Great Training Force.
"Men who enlist in the service now
will be preparing themselves to help
train the great army which it will
be necessary to raise for the prosecu
tion of the v,4r. There are a very
(Continued on rase Three, Column One.)
Westinghouse Declares
Red Cross Dividend
New York, June 20. The Westing
house Electric company today an
nounced a special Red Cross dividend
of ' per cent on common and pre
ferred stock. This is expected to
amount to about $187,000.
what they have done. They have made
us happy indeed, and we wish them to
know we appreciate their kindness.
"The dresses were fine and just fit
our little girl. She was very much
pleased with the presents.
"Mrs. Sockland and daughter,
Marie, are going to have their pic
tures taken soon and will send one
to The Bee."
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
IN NEBRASKA GAIN
DURING THE YEAR
State Convention Receives
Greetings From Iowa and
Then Members Listen to
Reports of Officers.
The time of the afternoon session
of the convention of the Nebraska
State Sunday School association was
given overi largely to the rcporl9 of
officers, in which was detailed the
work accomplished during the year
just about to close, they showing that
there had been gains in attendance
and financial receipts.
tne session opened with the au
dience singing "If Your Heart Keeps
Kigin, louoweu Dy urigiitcii the
Corner Where You Are," after which
Rev. Charles E. Cobbey, pastor of the
rirsi Lnnstian cnurcn, umaha, con
ducted the devotional exercises, speak
ing briefly on "Arise and Jehovah Will
Be With You."
Marion Lawrence, Lmcago, was
called to preside and Rev. E. J. Lang,
pastor of the First Evangelical asso
ciation and second vice president of
the Iowa State Sunday School asso
ciation, now in session in Council
Bluffs, was introduced. He brought
greetings from the Sunday school
workers of Iowa and his remarks
were loudly applauded.
The reports of L. C. Oberlies, Lin
coln, treasurer; W. H. Kimborly, busi
ness manager, and Rev. Dan C.
Troxel, chairman of the executive
committee, had to do with finances
and figures. These reports showed a
balance of $86.71 on hand July, 1910,
and $264.23 at this time. During the
year the receipts wore $7,623.52 and
the disbursements $7,5(7.W. How
ever, there is an outstanding? debt of
$1,139.58, handed down from a num
ber or years ago, when the associa
tion was having something of a strug
gle in order to exist. This debt is be
ing reduced each year and the hope is
that it will not be long until it is
wiped out.
Teachers in Training School.
Nellie C. Kirriberly reported 167
teachers in the training school and
1,473 students during the year, 285
having been graduated. On account
of a number of the counties having
failed to hand in reports, she was un
able to give the number of schools
in the state or the total number of
Sunday school scholars.
During the year Miss Kimberly
wrote 3,527 personal letters having to
do with the Sunday school work,
handled 4,868 packages, amiled 6,437
leaflets and sent out 30,548 circular
le
The report of Margaret Ellen
Brown, general secretary, showed
that during the year she spent 195
days in ninety-five conventions within
the state, visited 1,165 Sunday
schools, talked to over 200,000 chil
dren, delivered 546 addresses and did
a vast amount of work in connection
with the dry campaign. She attributed
the success of the prohibition move
ment largely to the Sunday school
workers and the children in the
schools.
Reporting on Sunday schools, Miss
Brown said the largest in the state is
the Methodist of Lincoln, with an en
rollment of 1,245, and the largest cra
dle roll is in Falls City, where there
are 225 of the little people.
W. H. Kimberly, business manager
for the association, reported having
(Continued on Page Hcven, Column One.)
Norwegian Steamship
Cederic Reported Sunk
gian steamship Cederic, a freight ves
sel oi i, ico ions gross register, wnicn
I. ft h.r. Mr,,, 7H Inr t ;,.,l
been sunk by a submarine, according
ro reports received today.
Italian Army Resumes
Offensive at Monte Ortigara
Rome. June 30. (Via London.)
The Italians resumed their offensive
yesterday. The war office announces
the capture of Austrian positions on
Monte Urtigara and 930 prisoners.
Graft Investigation
in Council Chamber
LAWYER HINTS AT PERJURY;
RECORDS OF CHADRON CASE
SHOW CONFLICTING STORIES
Police Graft hearing is Postponed Until After Alleged
Blackmail Charges are Tried before District
Court in Dawes County; May Proceed1
Behind Closed Doors.
The Maloney hearing: before the city council was brought
to a halt yesterday afternoon, when announcement was made
that a postponement would be taken until the determination of
the Chadron case. Omaha defendant in the conspiracy case
will go to Dawes county this afternoon to appear in district
court Friday morning. '
Attorney Baker is confident that a change of venue will be
granted at Chadron and that the case will go over until the Sep
tember term of court.
Mrs. Margaret Melson was reported under the care of a
physician and it will be a week before she can appear to con
clude her testimony. Attorney Elmer Thomas, for the prose
cution, would not agree to place Elsie Phelps on the stand until
Mrs. Melson returned, as he proposes to show that Mrs. Melson
in reality does not know Elsie Phelps and could not pick her
out of a group of women.
MRS. MELSON EXCUSED.
Attorney Baker agreed that if Mr.
Thomas would put Mrs. Phelps on
the stand first he would promise that
Mrs. Melson would not be present.
Mrs. Melson was excused last week
from the witness stand when she
pleaded illness and after she had testi
fied that Paul Sutton and Elsie Phelps
had clandestine meetings at her home
at 516 South Nineteenth street. Sut
ton, at Chftlron and at the Maloney
hearing, denied that he ever had been
at the Melson place.
"I intend to show that Mrs. Melson
uttered a monstrous lie when she
testified that she saw Mrs. Phelps at
her home," announced Attorney
Thomas.
Now 'phasing Rainbows."
"Let Mrs. Phelps take the stand and
then we can dispose of that phase of
the case. Ninety-nine per cent of the
testimony ill this case has nothing to
do with the charges against Maloney,
anyway. We are chasing rainbows,"
replied Attorney Baker.
Commissioner Butler suggested
that transcript of the Chadron case,
hich is betore the council for
perusal, be accepted for further testi
mony regarding the alleged attend
ance! of Sutton and Elsie Phelps at
the Melson place. In that transcript
the denials of Sutton and Mrs. l'helps
are recorded.
The commissioners will begin to
consider the matte of a general in-
estiffation of the oolice He nartnit'nt.
There is a disposition to begin that
investigation without delay and one
recommendation has been made that
witnesses appear behind closed doors,
before the city commissioners, city
legal department and representatives
of the newspapers. Such a plan, it
has been explained, would tend to
give witnesses more freedom of ex
pression. See Need of Reorganization.
The coinmissioneVs are not express
ing themselves for publication at this
time on the merits of the Maloney
hearing, which is yet uncompleted;
but several have been heard to re
mark that the evidence has not con
nected Maloney with the Chadron af
fair or the -Omaha Detective associa
tion. They do, however, state that
there is need of reorganizaiton in the
police department and sentiment is
unanimously in favor of a thorough
investigation of the department.
The evidence offered by many wit
nesses has been so conflicting that the
city commissioners are in a sort of
mystic maze. One set of witnesses
appeared and swore to certain state
ments and then another group swore
as vehemertly to another version. t
Evidence Contradictory.
Tuesday Mrs. Rohr of Florence,
when questioned, could nut recall that
she had ever snoken to anv nerson re
garding money to have been paid for
the testimony of Mrs. Melson. Yes
terday Mrs. Fred Allen was placed on
the stand and she testified Mrs. Rohr
told her that Mrs. Melson had tele
phoned her to say she woud get .fJOO
ahul that Maloney would pay the
money. Steve loth yestreday asso
ciated Maloney with the Pollock hog
farm and Menry Pollock himself
swor9 Maloney had no interest in the
farm. William S. Jolan and Charles
W. Pipkin, officers of the Omaha
Detective association, repudiated the
allegation that Maloney had any in
terest in their association.
Witnesses testified that Elsie
Phelps did not hear a telephonic con
versation between Harvey Wolf and
Steve Maloney.
Pollock One Bright Spot,
Henry Pollock relieved the mono
tony yesterday when he referred to
the Honeywell oration which was
"mentioned in the dispatches" iast
week. The name of Honeywell re
mains as a classic in the memory of
the crowd attending the hearing. Mr.
Pollock admitted that he "carried a
message to Garcia," or rather the
Honeywell oration to Tom Denison.
He admitted that he delved into the
contents of the oration, and was quite
upset when he read that he had been
catalogued as the kaiser, Dennison as
the satanical boss and Mayor Dahl
man as the original bad man from
Jackson's Hole, where the natives eat
raw meat.
Witness Absolves Maloney.
roilocK absolved Maloney trom any
and all connection with garbage haul
ing or hog farms. Steve Toth, gar
bage hauler, offered heasay testimony
that Maloney was connected with the
Pollock hog-garbage institution.
Commissioner Kugel appeared
again on the stand and discounted the
testimony of Officer linger and placed
a premium on the words of Paul Sut
ton. Kugel Again on Stand.
Commissioner Kugel was recalled
and closely questioned by' Attorneys
Baker and Thomas. He denied that
on any occasion he referred Officer
Unger to Johnny Lynch or that Un
gcr ever reported the alleged ques-
(t'onllnued on Tbso Four, Column One.)
Seven Cars of Oil
Explode; Town is Burned
Linden, Ind., June 20. The little
town of Kirkpatrick, just east of here,
was practically wiped out by a fire
caused when a train containing seven
cars loaded with oil was wrecked in
the center of the village and exploded..
One man was burned slightly and
there were a number of narrow es
capes. Kirkpatrick has a population
of about 400.
REED FEELS
THAT STRIKE
IS ALL OVER
Employers Are to Take Back
All the Men Who Desire to
Return to the Places
They Left.
Attorney General Reed went to his
home in Lincoln last night, feeling
that the labor troubles here are at an
end and that within the next day, or
two, or as soon as conditions can
right themselves, all of the old men
who desire to do so, will be back on
their old jobs. The mediation board
after a brief meeting, adjourned until
Friday at 10 a. r.
Prior to leaving town Attorney
General Reed had a conference with
the employers of labor and whose
men have been out on a strike. He
was informed that all of the old em
ployes who remained loyal, will be
retained. In a good many instances,
men who have been taken on since
the beginning of 'the strike, will be
retained, provided they measure up
to the jobs.
The attorney general aserts' that
there is so much work in sight that
there will be plenty for all who are
seeking employment.
Injunction Covers Wage Question.
As to the injunction, it is so broad
and its scope covers so many features
ef the labor problem, that the attor
ney general believes it will have much
to do with the regulation of the wage
question, linder-payment of men.
would be a violation of its provisions
and therefore, according to the attor
ney general, employers and employes
do not need to enter any controversy
over vages.
The attorney' general did not care
to discuss the mediation board, o
its action, simply saying that with the
strike of the teamsters and other
trades, there could not be anything to
mediate.
It is expected that this morning, all
lines of work affected by the strike
will start up and the building cam
paign will be resumed and pushed
along as rapidly as possible. -No
Need of Hearing.
"The hearing before Judge Leslie
never will be held, for the contro
versy will be settled long before June
27," said the attorney general.
The State Board of Mediation and
Investigation yesterday was told by
Attorney General Reed through Dun
can M. Vinsonhaler that to continue
the strike investigation at the present
time would embarrass the attorney
4 general.
it would be in violation ot the
spirit and letter of the restraining or
der. The attorney general asks that
you will not hamper him at the pres
ent time," the speaker added.
Previous to this Robert Cowell.
chairman of the hoard, had been
served with papers as an employer
of labor and a member of the Busi
ness Men's association, making him
a party and defendant to the injunc
tion hearing to be held June 27 be
fore Judge Leslie.
The board adopted a motion sug
gesting that during the interim, em
ployes and emplojers get together
and arrange for a resumption of work.
Miss Marjorie Barrett
Given Master's Degree
Northampton, Mass., June 20.
(Special Telegram.) Miss Marjorie
Barrett of Omaha, who has been spe
cializing in English and history at
Smith college, was awarded the Mas
ter of Arts degree yesterday by Dean
Burton. Miss Barrett received a
Doctor of Philosophy degree from
St. Mary's college.
Conspiracy Charge Against
L
Girl Student Dismissed
New York, June 20. Eleanor Wil
son Parker, a Barnard college senior
was acquitted today by direction of
the federal court of the charge of
conspiring to defeat the operation of
the selective draft law. The cases of
Owen Cattcll and Charles F. Phillips.
students, who were indicted with
her, went to the jury.
Twenty-Seven Large
British Ships Sunk Last Week
London, June 20. Twenty-seven
British ships of more than 1,600 tons
have been sunk according to the
weekly British summary given out to
day. Five British vessels under 1,600
tons also were sent to the bottom. No
fishing vessels were destroyed.
In These Day of
National Thrift
a vacant room is just as great a
burden as an idle person. They
should be put to work at once, and
with the great demand for rooms
of the better kind you will have
no trouble renting yours if you
will call .
Tyler 1000
You ara as clow to
The Bee Want-Ad Dept
as your phone is to you.