Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, June 14, 1919, Page 9, Image 9

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    THE BEE: OMAHA, SATURDAY; JUNE 14, 1919.
9
MORAL PROBLEM
IN ENGLAND IS
BIG QUESTION
Irate Soldier and Brother Tar
.and Feather Man Alfeged
. to Have Trifled With
Home Ties. V
By ROBERT WELLES RITCHIE
tnl venal Srrvlrs Rtaff Correspondent.)
Special Cable DUpatch.
London; June 13. Lt. Francis
Wright, M. C, who. assisted by his
younger brother, tarred and feath
ered Sub-Lt Tesmond Kinahen in a
Cambridge garage Saturday night
ind subsequently chained and pad-
locked him to a tree on the Cam
bridge road, was formally arrested
by the military authorities late yes
teMay. ; . - '
This migbt not be worth cabling
if it did not refer to circumstances
wider than that of the mere as
sault on "this rabbit Kinahan" as
Lieutenant Wright called his victim
when arrested.
Tli. t tu. .: :r: ...
lies exactly in the" measure of the
distance between sTexas and Eng
land. In similar circumstances a
Texas coroner's jury would now be
sitting, but in England they arc not
ao direct, but nevertheless equally
resentful when an absent soldier's
home is wrecked for that is the
alleged deed for which the wrath
of the Wright brothers was visited
upon Kinahan.
They have set a new precedent in
dealing with one of the most deli
cate problems, and this is what has
set England talking. The. action of
the two brothers one is practically
helpless through war wounds has
brought into publicity one of the
most serious, post-war problems of
Britain. f.,o 'i
In short, Elinor Glyn's "Three
Weed's" threatens to become the
valid medium of a certain class
of, dancing, carefree young matrons.
Now the Wright brothers have out
the Gordian knot with tar instead
of bullets. They are widely ap
plauded for their act, which, how
ever, raises the interesting question,
"is that better than killing or the
divorce court?" . ' ' .
The Evening News publishes the
photograph i of the "woman in the
case"' which is inscribed "To Dinkie
With Sweet Memories."
RRNewefl, National
Head of Engineers,
to Address Local Body
The American Association of
Engineers, Omaha chapter, finally
secured Frederick Haynes Newell,
the national president, to address a
state-wide meeting of professional
engineers at the Chamber; qf Com
n.erce, Monday,' June 23, at 8:30 p.
nir-. He was the first chief engineer
(i902-07) -and director (1907-14)-of
the United States reclamation ser;
yice," then consulting 'engineer Du
ing the next few years the organiza
tion of the reclamation service was
completed.-nd .plans for, extensive
work in each of the western arid
states, work being initiated on most
of these. In 1907 the reclamation
service was organized as a separate
bureau of the department of the in
terior with Mr. Newell as director.
The" late Theodore Roosevelt de
clared; "For '14 years I have fol
lowed the work of Frederick H.
Newell. -He was one of the most
loyal, disinterested and efficient
servants the United States has had.
He is a public servant, of whom it
is the bald and literal truth to say,
that V his service he has made all
American citizens his debtors."
He has written quite extensively
on the problems of development and
use , of the resources of the country,
his - principle books being upon
irrigation, the public lands and re
lated subjects, notably "The Public
Lands and their Water Supply."
Gave Wrong Age, Father
Says; .Wants Marriage
Ctf His Son Annulled
; The .district, court was asked to
day to' nnul the marriage of Car
son Titus and Emilia Titus. The
plaintiff in the case is Frank Titus,
father of Carson. The father al
leges that Carson and Emilia wen:
to Kansas City, Mo., January 22,
1919, and by misrepresentations se
cured a marriage license and were
married. Carson was only 17 years
old at the time his father says. The
young couple are now living apart
from each other. ' -
Clothiers Urge Repeal of
; x Luxury Tax on Apparel
The directors of the Nebraska
State Clothiers' association, at a
meeting held here, went on record
as favoring a repeal of the luxury
tax-on wearing apparel. - V
President S. M. Durfee of Pierce,
Neb., stated that this tax is unjust,
and that a man who wants to buy
quality .merchandise is placed at a
disadvantage. He added that $3
shirt is not a luxury, but an econ
omy, because a $3 shirt is cheaper
in the long run than one which Wells
for less money. . , . 5 '
Those present besides President
Durfee were: A. W. Stern, Grand
Island, vice president; Nate C Hol
man of Lincoln, secretary, and the,
following directors: Ed Mathiesen,
di.:.. At n1neti3 frfnhk? Oliver
Olson, Newman Grove. The direct
ors laid plans for the next state con
vention which will be held in Om
aha, February 4 to 6. 1920. ;
Omaha Firm Gets Contract
It Tflkflmah for Over $55,000
: Callahan-Walker Dredging com
pany of Omaha was awarded a con.
tract at Tekamah Thursday to clean
.out main and lateral ditches of the
Burt-Washington drainage district
An a hid of 15.75'cents per yard for
240 000 yards in main -ditches and
$0,000 yrd 5 20 cent9 Per yr1
in the laterals. H. A Nelson is
the engineer of the improvement.
The con fit mounts to more than
SPEAKER GILLETTE SIGNS SUFFRAGE BILL WHICH PASSED
HOUSE Speaker Gillette signing the suffrage bill which recently
passed the house. The ceremony took place in the speaker's office in
Washington, before a gathering of prominent congressmen and mem
bers of the Natipnal American Woman Suffrage association, v
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MEDICAL FORGE
MOBILIZATION
UNIQUE STORY
Dr. Martin Tells of Huge Task
Undertaken at Begin
ning of War; 140,000
Men Enrolled. .
5peJjrGxHette eiftvs suiSnaai btUi
2
Industrial Round Table for
Solving Problems Leading
to Unnecessary Strikes
By J. R. CLYNES, M. P.
London, June 13 If labor during
this period of widespread unrest for
feits any of the good name which
it secured for itself during the war,
it will not be altogether due to the
action of labor, for much of . the
blame for strikes and threats of
strikes must be shared by employers
and employers' associations.
With the very best of intentions,
associations representing the two
sides in the engineering trades ar
ranged for a reduction of working
hours. Trouble verx soon arose on
the literal meaning and effect of the
arrangement. The employers took
the view that the arrangement meant
that 47 hours ' should actu
ally be worked. The men took the
view that the arrangement did not
require them to suffer, any reduced
wages, and that none of the little
privileges or customs in the work
shops which have existed were can
celled by any, new plan which deter-,
mined the working time.
i , .Denied Treasured Rights.
' In pursuance of the employers'
view, the management of certain
works .made alterations, put up no
tices which took iway rights that
w'orkrnen had enjoyed with regard
to things .' which , are more than
amenities because they had grown
into thenecessities of workshop ex
istence. A short spell for rest or
food is no slight matter to the in
dividual workman. It means more
to him than what is generally sig
nified by eloquent language about
commercial prosperity and volume
of production. To retain these rights
workmen will often more readily
make common cause and go to the
length of a strike than they would
think of doing for the attainment of
some comparatively big object.
What has happened illustrates the
truth that very : little trouble can
lead to great disasters, or in other
words, trifles make either for peace
or strife. -
It is quife common in industry for
one blunder to follow another, and
it would appear that workmen who
should have reported their griev
ances to the proper authority and
exercised patience in seeking a sat
isfactory remedy rushed to the ex
treme of calling shop or mass meet
ings, passing resolutions, some
times in language which indicate a
hot temper, and declaring their in
tention to apply very drastic meas
ures unless things which they named
were speedily accomplished.
War Strains Alter Temper.
This conduct ought not to dimin
ish the reputation built upon the
great national services rendered by,
labor during the course of the war.
War strain added to the physical
fatigue which the war period engen
dered, has gone far to change the
temper of men and workshops. Ex
travagant demands have often been
the result of war strain; but, in ad
dition to war strain, there is some
evidence that the spirit in the. work
shop is being changed, and not al
ways in the right direction.
Unhappily for the country, and
also for working class interests, a
situation such as we have seen de
veloped in the engineering and in the
coal industries is not covered by any
existing machinery which would
blend the interests and the just
rights of the contending parties with
the claim which the third great in
terest, namely, the public, justly has
in all these troubles.
Must Consider Others.
An industry such as engineering or
coal mining cannot decide on im
portant alterations with regard to
hours, production, wages and cus
toms of work as though these things
had pothing to do with other peo
ple. '
A change to 47, 44 or 40 hours per
week in any one of a series of trades
is the signal for demands being im
mediately formulated in scores (of
other occupations. "Undoubtedly in
the case of miners, chemical work
ers, locomotive drivers and many
other men working under great
mental and physical pressure,-there
are grounds for great improvement
and strong reasons for generous
conditions of employment. But
changes even in these industries
should be considered in their rela
tion to claims which will inevitably
be made in other occupations. No
one trade, thefore can separate it
self from the industrial interest and
outlook of other trades.
There is in existence a bewilder
ing number of federations and asso
ciations of all kinds representing
separately employers and workmen,
and sometimes representing the
joint interests of employers and
workmen. In spite, however, of this
multiplicity of bodies, we appear fre
quently to stumble into trouble, and
not until we are in the middle or at
the end of. it do we see how simple
is the course by which trouble might
have been avoided.
An industrial parliament might
well be formed of representatives of
the great associations which have so
far dealt only with trade and work
shop questions, and which have'
never taken in hand questions of
great principle, or dealt with any
subject bearing upon the psychology
of situations which are created by
workshop changes. A national and
representative body consisting of
leaders who would not be afraid of
telling both sides what should be
done in their interests, and in the
national interests, would serve an
excellent purpose. Such a body
would be sure to proclaim the sim
ple fact that great improvements are
impossible in any one occupation, or
in any group of trades, ; without re
gard to consequences.
Chicago, June 13. The story of the
mobilization of the nation's medical
force's for the army, navy and pub
lic health service will form a unique
chapter in the history of the world
war. according to Dr. Franklin Mar
gin, chairman of the committee on
medicine and sanitation of the ad
visory commission, and chairman of
the general medical board, Council
of National Defense.
Dr. Martin, who recently returned
from Washington where the big task
was taken up on December 6, 1916,
announced today that final figures
show 40,000, civilian medical men
were mobilized as officers of the
army, navy and the public health
service. In addition, 72,000 medical
men' and women in the volunteer
medical service corps were enrolled,
classified and coded, making a grand
total of 112,000 out of a total medical
population of approximately 140,000.
Task Half Finished.
Approximately 50 per cent of the
doctors in military service now
have been demobilized. They are
returning to civilian life when the
units with which they are connected
are demobilized., Most of them are
returning to practices which were
left in the hands of coworkers when
they entered service. 5
"Practical proof of the permanent
value of the volunteer medical serv
ice corps is the fact that the surgeon
general of the army, Maj. Gen. Mar
riette W. Ireland, has asked the
Council of National Defense to com
plete its survey and make it a part
of the library of the surgeon general,
where experts will keep the records
up to date," said Dr. Martin.
, After reviewing the numerous ob
stacles which he and his coworkers
had to overcome, Dr. Martin point
ed out that the three governmental
departments, . the army, navy and
public health service, had less than
1,200 commissioned officers at the
outbreak of war. ,
First Duty.
"Our first duty, then, was to ob
tain medical officers for the army
and navy from the civilian medical
profession in the proportion of about
10 doctors for each 1,000 enlisted
men," he said. "This was accom
plished through organizations al
ready in existence, and through the
general medical board of the Coun
cil of National Defense, which es
tablished a large committee of med
ical men in each state. To sub
divide the work and make it ef
fective, finally county organizations,
under the respective state organi
zations, were effected in more than
4,000 counties of the United States."
Dr. Martin said there was mo dif
ficulty in securing medical men, for
the response of the profession was
spontaneous.
"The only reluctance we observed
on the part of doctors was" to blind
ly accept service without a definite
assignment. In the first rush' of or
ganizations we were unable to prop
erly classify physicians so that they
would be chosen with reference to
their special fitness and desire.
' New Plan Devised.
"However, six months before the
end of the war a clan was devised
which relieved thisAincertainty. The
volunteer medical service corps, un
der the presidency of Dr. Edward
If. Davis of Philadelphia, was or
ganized. Briefly, it consisted of
asking the 90,000 medical men not
yet enrolled to agree to 'serve the
government in any capacity, with the
implied reservation, however; that
they would be selected, so far as
practicable, with reference to their
preference for service. '
In, spite of the subtle propa
ganda, based on the alleged op
position to men blindly signing an
agreement for service, 72,000 of these
applications were signed and made
the basis of a classification (that
would have been of - inestimable
value for further mobilization."
The applications were so coded
that it was possible to secure al
most instantly a group of men for
a special line of work, he said. In
stances where large numbers of
doctors were furnished 'within a day
or two after requests were received
from the public health service were
cited by Dr. Martin. s
ffl
Registration Closes;
ALx)ut 2,500 Women
' Enrolled as Voters
"The first. registration of Douglas
county women to vote .closed v last
night at 9 o'clock in Election Com
missioner Moorhead's office in the
courthouse. .
It was a record day, more than 120
women registering during the diy.
No count has been made of the
NoV count has, been made of th:
total registration of women which
began Taesday, June 3,. On that
day 57 registration places were open
in the ' county. Every day s sin:e
then Mr. Moorhead's office has been
open for registrations. Mr. Moor
head says the registration probably
will total about, 2,500. This is just
about half the ' number which he
thought would register.
These registrations entitled the
women to vote at the presidential
election provided they . do s not
change their residence before that
time. If 'the suffrage amendment
should be ratified, this registration
also makes it legal for the regis
trants to vote at any election. :
Steal Coffin Plates
Philadelphia, Pa., May 31. - A
package of bronze and silver coffin
plates, all bearing the date of 1915,
was found in" Haverford township
and police are endeavoring to locate
the cemetery from which they were
stolen. The package tontained eight
plates. All plates bore engraved in
scriptions and by. these inscriptions
.the. police hope to fad the cemetery. nothing.
Reported Rich Strike
X Starts Rush of Old
Timers to Alaska
Portland, Ore. Old time miners
of the northwest are making toward
Portland canal, extreme southern
part of Alaska, where a rich strike
has been reported. , '
The exodus of prospectors brings
to the mind the famous rich strikes
of the early days. Hundreds of men
are leaving on every boat for Alaska,
via the inside passage, taking their
chances on staking some . , rich
ground. , r
Ihe striCk was made, say reports,
on old diggings on the Alaska side
of the Alaska-British : Columbia
formation.
. Practically air promising claims
have been staked. ' '
New York Jews. Blamed for
-. U. Hatred in Russia
.Thomas L. McArtney, visiting at
the Fred A. Lundgren home, tells
many tales of the horrors in Russia
under Bolshevik rule. . He has lived
in Russia for four years. " v
' Much of the hatred against Amer
icans he blames to young Jews .who
have lived in New York, and refuse
to work over there and ire respon
sible for industrious men losing their
jobs. He says they tell in Rtrssia of
being "sweated" to death m Amer
ica1 and that the ' capitalists have
everything and the middle -classes
Kansas Music Lovers
Arrange Program of
Well-Known Artists
Hays, Kan. One thinks of a
musical! festival as confined to
a city, but away out here on the
plains of northwestern Kansas a
far-famed festival has sprung into
existence. The leading artists "Sof
the musical field come here to this
little village, situated ion the plains,
where men and women, hungry for
the! music that fills the soul, come
hundreds of miles by train, automo
bile and, in some instances, 50 or
75 miles by wagon to hear the music
they so much desire. . , '
Tomorrow night when Prof.
Henry. Edward , Mallow lifts his
batqa before the big chorus of 700,
the 3,600 people who will fill Sheri
dan Coliseum will hear the opening
strain of "The Messiah" sung by
men and. women who were born and
raised or brought up hundreds of
mile away from musical centers.
A whole week of music will be
gin tomorrow. In the afternoon,
Mme. Margaret Matsenauer, of the
Metropolitan Grand Opera of New
York City, will open the festival
Next Sunday afternoon Toscha Sei
del, the sensational violin prodigy
will give a recital. "The Messiah
will close the week of music next
Sunday night. '
An illustration of the , holding
power pf music is seen in the lives
of Mr. and Mrs. C M. Stock and
-family. For nine years one or all
of tr.e boys sang in the chorus. This
year four of the boys are still over
seas. All winter long Mr. and Mrs.
Stock trudged through snowdrifts
to attend rehearsals that, the Stock
family might be represented in the
chorus again. t
V Bee Want Ads Produce Results. :
The Law Will Be Enforced,
Statement of Clarence A. Davis, Attorney General for the State of Nebraska
"To all employers of labor, whether members or non-members of , the Business .
: Men's Association, and to all employes, whether members or not members
- v of the Teamsters, Truck Drivers and Chauffeurs, Union No. 211
As Attorney General l am charged with the enforcement of our state laws.
I propose to fulfill that obligation. I have no interest other than as a private
, citizen in the present strike, whether it is a strike for wages, liours, conditions of
work, or what not. I am not concerned with it so long as the laws of Nebraska are
not broken. I am informed that It is a strike to establish the union wage scale.
However, the affidavits of many men who are alrea'dy receiving more than the
union scaleand who have nevertheless been forbidden to work, point to the con
clusion that it is a strike to establish, the closed shop. Even with that I am not
interested. I desire to see only that all parties to the controversy receive their
full legal rights.' ' 7 . .
! Right of Transportation Clear. Under Law,
"The right of employes to quit work is clear. They may quit for any reason
or for no reason and remain away so long as they see fit. - On the other hand, the
right of any citizen in, this state to engage in any lawful occupation is equally
clear. The right to travel the roads of the State of ; Nebraska, , including the
Streets of Omaha, is a right that belongs to every citizen. The right to transport
lawful goods over the roads is equally clear, and that right .is especially sacred
when it is applied to milk wagons, ice wagons and grocery wagons."
, ' State Procured Injunction in 1917 V
' "I am interested in this strike for this reason that in 1917, when a strike of
a similar nature occurred, there was a grave hardship worked upon the people of -Omaharand,
because of the refusal to deliver freight, on the peqple of the .entire
state. In other words, the conduct of the strikers at that time affected the in
terests of the entire people of the state of Nebraska. - ; -
"For that reason my predecessor filed a petition in the District Court of Doug
las County, Nebraska, asking that all people, whether union or non-union,
whether employes br employers, be restrained from interfering in any manner
with ihe lawful transportation of merchandise over the streets of the City of
Omaha. ' , , . ',
"That petition was ultimately granted, and an injunction was issued against all people, and
more particularly the members of the Teamsters, Truck Drivers and 'Chauffeurs' Union, ,from
interfering in any manner with the transportation and the free hauling of goods over the streets
of the city. The case was appealed, and in Novembe, 118, affirmed, by the Supreme Court of
Nebraska, and the injunction therein issued was made permanent. That injunction is still in
force. Among other things it provides:" t . ... v
The Injunction Provides
1. "All employers of labor, whether- members or non-members of the Business Men's Asso-
ciation of Omaha, who own, operate, manage, and control lumber and building material yards
in the city of Omaha, from closing their yards or from refusing to sell goods in pursuance of an .
agreement to close said yards, or to refuse to deliver or sell goods. .
2. "Employes and other persons are each of them restrained perpetually from in any
manner committing any act or acts in restraint ofrade, transportation or commerce, or agree-
ing so to do. V:V .. ..'.J . :l '-f ';;&' ' '
- 3. -"From unlawful picketing, threatening, intimidating or assaulting,, any individual,
whether he belongs to a union or not, in doing or performing any lawful work which such indi
vidual may seek or attempt to do, and from requiring or seeking by force, threats or intimidation,
any individual to join a union or local organization. ' '
4. "From congregating at or near the premises of the employers of teamsters, chauffeurs,
stablemen, or helpers, for the purpose of intimidating their employes or coercing said employes, .
or preventing them from rendering their service to said employer. v
5. "From attacking, assaulting, threatening, or by the use of abusive, profane, obscene,
or annoying language, or by in any manner of intimidation attempting to prevent any of the .
employes of said employers from continuing in their service or engaging in their service.
6. "From following employes, either singly or collectively, for the purpose of intimidating -'j
or coercing any or all of them.
si. "From congregating or being upon or about the sidewalks, streets, alleys, or approaches
adjoining or adjacent to the premises occupied by the employers of teamsters, chauffeurs, .
stablemen, and helpers for the purpose of intimidating or coercing said employes, or preventing
them from rendering their service to their employer.
8. "From in any manner committing any other act or acts in restraint of trade, transpor
tation or commerce, or agreeing or conspiring to do so." ;
' Injunction Will be Enforced
"This injunction is still in force. Whoever violates any of its terms is guilty of contempt of
court, and will be prosecuted and punished accordingly. , .
! Under the terms of the decree, the owners of building and lumber material yards are for-'
bidden to close their yards and are forbidden to refuse to sell to the public. If these men do
refuse, they are guilty of contempt of court, and will be prosecuted. On the other hand,, it is
especially important that their deliveries be protected." 1 4'
Union Forbids Soldiers to Work
"I want to call attention to other specific features. I have in my possession the sworn affi-,
davits of several men who are not members of the union, who were recently discharged from
the military service of the United States. Some of these men were with our army in foreign
service. Several of them are heroes of the Argohne and Chateau Thierry. I have their sworn
affidavits that they were yesterday ordered to quit their jobs; we. re told they could not walk ;
oil $ie streets of Omaha without a union button, irrespective of their wages. I regard this as ;
disgraceful, and I regret that any citizen would do anything in the least with the lawful occupa
tion of any returned soldier." . B f '
- W V ' ,
"I have further affidavits of men who are employed by concerns who pay more than the J
union scale, and who do not have any union em ployes."v There was, therefore, no strike in these
establishments.. Nevertheless, the employes of these concerns, who are entire outsiders to the
labor controversy, were stopped on the streets and told that they could not drive in Omaha with-
out a union button, despite their wages." ' ;' . , p " j '
Union Permits to Use Streets Nothing More Nor Less Than Bolshevism
"Lastly, I want to call attention to the vicious system of issuing permit carets which entitle
people to travel the streets unmolested. So far as I am aware, the legislature is the only lawful
authority in Nebraska that determines who shall travel the streets of Omaha. The, legislature
has said that any law-abiding citizen can travel the streets at any time in any lawful occupation.
I propose to see that this is carried out in the city. The system of issuing, a permit card, giving
the right to travel the streets, is nothing more nor less than bolshevism. There is no lawful
authority for such action. It is contrary to the injunction. It will not be tolerated."
"I make these statements in all kindly feeling, actuated by the sole desire of upholding the
laws of the state. With the conduct of the strike I shall make no interference. To the enforce-,
ment of the laws, however, I shall bring all the machinery of my office and the power of the
state. of Nebraska, so far as lean control it" v ,
ThU statement of the Attorney General was given to the public on June 12th, 1919, and
is reprinted, without permission, by OMAHA EMPLOYERS OF : TEAMSTERS AND
TRUCK DRIVERS. -x ,"; ; ' - "-V. ; 1
i These employers are obeying the law in every detail and are doing business as usual
except when prevented by violence or intimidation.
nw1