RIEE
ER1G HT
REEZY
BITS OF NEWS
CHRISTMAS BRIDES-TO-BE
ARRIVE IN NEW YORK.
New York, Dec. IS. Forty young
women, Christmas . brides-to-be of
former American soldiers in France,
have arrived on the steamer Chicago,
from Bordeaux. The Travelers' Aid
society has undertaken the task of
. safely getting to their destination all
the young women who were not met
at the pier by responsible persons.
RETAIL MEAT- PRICES
JjjLUMP IN CHICAGO.
, Chicago, Dec. IS. Retail meat
prices dropped in Chicago Monday.
Sliced ham fell from 50 cents a
pound to 40 cents. Bacon, formerly
sclling at 60 cents a pound, was
down to 48 cents; pork chops went
from 45 to 38; pork roast from 40
to 35, and lard was down to 30 cents,
as compared to 37 last week. '
The lowering of prices was cred
ited by a representative of one. of
the big (packers to a reduction in
the wholesale pHce of pork because
of the cutting off of exports and the
increased supply of hogs. There was
no great change in the price of beef.
WELCOME AWAITING
GOLDMAN IN RUSSIA.
' New York, Dec. 15. Emma Gold
man was informed by Ludwig C. A.
K. -Martens, bolshevik "ambassador
to the United State's," that she, Alex
bander Berkman and other anarchists
awaiting deportation at Ellis island
wpuld be welcome in soviet Russia,
whither tie United Stafes govern-
incut intends to send them. ,
In a letter to Miss Goldman, Mar
tens denied he had" said the bolshe-
viki would execute her if she ptolted
in soviet Russia as she had in the
United States.
READ A. K.'S "HEART BEATS" A BRIDGE FROM SOUL TO SOUL IN THE BEE'S WOMAN'S SECTION.
TV-rr
M
aha Daily Be
VOL. 49 NO. 155.
Etm4 ii MMU-elm Mtttr May M, IMS. t
Omaha P. 0. mitt act af Hank t. 1(7.
OMAHA, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1919.
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48,000 WHITE SLAVES
LIVE IN GERMANY.
Berlin, Dec. 15. There are 48,000
registered "white salves" in Germany,
according to a statement made by
Prof. Fribos in a lecture at Rostok
university. The spread of social dis
eases as a result of the war is so
alarming that the government has
sent questionnaires to every physi
cian in the country to get exact sta
tistics . It cost. the government
3.500,000.000 marks annually to fight
these diseases.
NOT DISGUSTED WITH
CONDUCT OF SENATE.
Washington, Dec. 15. Senator
John Sharp Williams of Mississippi
admitted that he will not be a candi
date for re-election, but denied giv
ing as his reasons the following ex
pressions said to have been em
bodied in a letter received from him
made public in Hickory, Miss.:
"I am disgusted with the whole
political ' situation, and with the
treatment of international affairs as
if they were questions of party p6lU
tics, and I would rather be a dog
and bay at the moon than to spend
one day in the United States senate
after niy term expires-.'1-
, The senator said:
"I did not express myself as dis
gusted with the conduct of the sen
ate, but I think I used the expres
sion that I would rather be a dog and
bay at the moon than stay in polit
ical life. I am tired of political life,
dead tired of it." .
.MAY SOLVE HOUSING
PROBLEM WITH CARS.
' Berlin, Dec. 15. The housing
problem in Berlin has reached such
a serious point that the ministry of
public works has taken up the idea
of utilizing 150 sleeping cars stand
ing idle in railroad yards. It is ex
pected that about 3.000 beds nightly
w ill be, made available by this meas
ure. . ,
VILLA CAPTURES AND
EXECUTES "NEMESIS."
Sun Antonio, Tex.. Dec. 15 Gas
ion Be Pride, a young sportsman
well known in New York and New
Orleans and whoywith a companion,
is said to have left New York sev
cVal .weeks ago, with the intention of
Wiling or capturing Pancho Villa
'.car Chihuahua and winning the
350.000 offered by the government
of Chihuahua state for the rbel dead
or alive, was taken before he ac
complished his mission and executed
by Villa without ceremony,, accord
ing to newspaper dispatches reach
ing San Antonio. from N Ciudad,
Juarez.
f When and 'where this young
sportsman entered' Chihuahua state
is not disclosed nor is there any veri
fication of the statement available,
hut the source is considered reliable
Ly Mexican newspapers of San Anionic
NOTH DAKOTA x
LEGISLATORS "STRANDED."
- Bis mark, N. D., Dec. 15. Sena
tor J. I. Cahill of Grant county
has started suit against Carl R.
Kositzky, state auditor, for payment
of mileage and pay due him as the
result of the recent special session
of the. North Dakota legislature.
According t-6 Auditor Kositzky
th.e fund set aside for this purpose
has been exhausted and he declares
that it is impossible to issue fur
ther pay warrants. A , numeber of
legislators are "stranded" here be
cause they have not yet received
their expense money.
PLENTY OF WHISKY
STORED IN CHICAGO. v
' Chicago. Dec, 15. Revenue agents
declared that fully 7,000,000 gallons
of whisky were stored in Chicago.
Of this amount 430,00 gallons were
in bonded warehouses, 350,000 gal
lons having been shipped to Chicago
in bond during last month.
, The Chicago district, which now
includes Peoria, is said to have
5.000.000 gallons of whisky stored.
In Chicago, when the wartime pro
hibition act went into effect on July
1, 440,000 galons of liquor'in the
hands of wholesalers and retailers
were scheduled.
58.000 GIRLS "LOST"
IN U. S. DURING 1919.
I New York, Dec. 15. Approxi
mately 68,000 girls have disappeared
or run away from their homes in the
United Stafes during.the last year,
according to a statement issued by
the Travelers' Aid society. A spe
; tial meeting of the society has been
tailed to devise ptans to meet de
mands made bv the great increase
in runaways aud helpless travelers.
DEMOCRATS
ARE FLAYED
BY JEFFERIS
Omaha Congressman Aids in
Figrrt That Effects Immedi
ate Consideration of Report
On War Expenditures.
DECRIES LARGE SUMS
WASTEFl)LLY EXPENDED
Pays High Honor to Soldier
Boys From U. S. Who Did
Their Work Well, But Scores
The Administration.
"Leaks" on Supreme Court
Decisions Are Being Probed
Department of Justice Agerits Investigating Reports
That Minor Official Was Giving Out Informa
tion by -Which Speculators Had . Attempted to
Prof it in Stock Market Transactions. ' '
BY E. C. SNYDER.
Staff Correspondent of The Bee.
Washington, Dec. 15. After a
democratic filibuster extending over
two days, involving numerous roll
calls, . costing the government hun
dreds of dollars in time wasted, the
republicans of the house today
adopfed a rule reported on Saturday
from the committee on rules, making
the consideration of a report from
the special committee on war ex
penditures of the highest parliamen
tary privilege, which gave Represen
tative Jefferis his first real oppor
tunity to be heard as a member of
the committee charged to enquire
into ordnance expenditures.
Heretofore Mr. Jefferis had con
fined, his talk in the house to the
consideration of measures that had
more or less local bearing. Today,
however, as one of the investigations
into the extravagances of the War
department, the Omaha congress- j
man lor an hour beld the undivided
attention of the republican side,
while the democrats sought to in
terrupt him repeatedly as he ar
raigned the secretary,.of,; war and
those in authority for making unheard-of
settlements of claims in
behalf of favored industries and at
the expense of the taxpayers of the
country.
Given Rousing Reception.
Having his subject well in hand,
with good v6ice and a commanding
presence, Mr. Jefferis drove his point
home like one accustomed to rough
and ready debate, and although he
had not concluded the presentation
of fact6 gathered from the examina
tion of many -witnesses, he was given
a rousing reception' by his col
leagues. Congressman Jefferis said:
"Out in the central portion of the
United States, where I have lived
for some 25 years, no republican,
democrat or other citizen, no mat
ter what his party might be, has up
to this time, ever opposed hearing a
discussion of the truth concerning
public officials in public life. I am
sorry indeed that after I had become
a member of congress that I should
have the experience of observing the
minority party struggle and fight for
a da and a half, to keep the ma
jority party from discussing some
what the truth as they have learned
it from the investigation of oae of
the departments of the government.
Seeking for Truth.
"If this government is to continue,
if the people are to be interested in
the affairs of their government, then
necessarily the truth regarding the
administration of the government
should be available to the people in
order that' they can take proper ac
tion for constructive statesmanship
in the years to come. The truth
shoula hurt no honest man, it should
hurt no political party, and I had
thought when I came here and was
honored by a position on thrs com
mittee and heard the assertions from
members on the democratic side that
there was a unanimous thought in
this house that all matters pertaining
to the conduct of the war should
be investigated fairly, firmly and
(Continued on Page Two, Column Foor.K
Washington, Dec. 1 5. Announce
ment is made by the Department of
Justice that an investigation was un
der way of reports of alleged "leaks"
on supreme court decisions by which
speculators had attempted to profit
in stock market transactions.
Captain Burke of the bureau ofin
vestigation of the Department of
Justice, issued the following' verbal
statement:
"On November 23, Mr. Marlin
Pew, manager of the International
News Service of New York, came to
Washington and consulted Chie't
Justice White of the supreme court
in regard to the alleged leaks in the
supreme court's decision on the
Southern Pacific oil land leases.
Chief Justice White then came to
Judge Ames and asked him to in
vestigate a report by Mr. Pew that
a friend had talked to him and had
said that he had been approached by
a Mr. B. E. Moses wjth offices in
the Munsey building 'in regard to
profiting by tips on supreme court
decisions.
Mentions Case in Part.
.'Mr. Moses told Pew's friend that
he had advanced information on a
supreme court decision, that if Pew's
friend would connect him with finan
cial agencies able to finance the
proposition they would be able to
play the market on advance informa
tion on the supreme court decision
and that much money could be made
as a result. At that time he, Moses,
mentioned some decision that would
be handed down as proof of what he
couldido.
"When this was brought to Judge
Ames' attention he directed the bu
reau of investigation to institute in
quiry. "Moses told Pew's friend that he
had been doing business for some
time, but he did not have sufficient
funds to make the profit he might
make'if he had financial backing. The
friend of Pew insisted that before he
could get the finances, which Moses
desired he would have to be con
vinced that advance information on
the supreme court decision was ab
solutely obtainable. He told him that
on November 16, that the man who
furnished him (Moses) was em
ployed in the Department of Justice
in Washington. Furthermore, his
man was with Moses in New York
on Sunday, November 16, and that
on Monday morning they weut
downtown, and played Southern Pa
cific short,! closing out when South
ern Pacific dropped 3 points. They
made some money, but they did not
say how much.
, Stopped at Waldorf.
They both stopped at the Waldorf
Astoria, but only Moses registered,
and they returned together to Wash-"
ingtpn on Monday night. At that
time Southern Pacific was being
played thejjther way, so obviously
they had the c6rrect information.
'Moses was interrogated by Will
iam Flynn, thief of the bureau of
investigation of the Department of
Justice of New York.
"Moses stated to friends that the
Department of Justice man from
whom he was getting his informa
tion was getting it in turn from a
minor attache of the supreme court
Moses admitted, he had played the
markets, but denied he had received
advance information. He said he
had made his deductions on-the fu
ture movement of the stock as any
lawyer might have dne from the
(Continued on Pago Two, Column Two.)
MAYOR SURE
DAVIS1SMAN
WHO HIT HI
"That, Is the Manhie Cries
Dramatically, Rising to Point
Out Peddler in Court, "I Am
Absolutely Positive."
SAYS CROWD DRAGGED
HIM OUT BY THE HEELS
Alleges Davis Swore When He
Said He Had Called on Gov
ernor for Troops and Then
Hit Him Terrific Blow.
BIG PUBLISHERS
FIGHT LIMIT OF
24-PAGE PAPER
- . . '
Anthony Bill to Conserve News
print Paper Argued Before
House Postoffice Committee.
Washington, Dec. 15. Provisions
of the Anthony bill, which would
limit to 24 pages daily newspapers
and periodicals using the second
class mail privilege in order to con
serve news print paper, were com
mended and opposed by more than
score of newspapers and magazine
publishers before the house postof
fice committee.
Opposition to the measure came
chiefly from the representatives of
the larger newspapers, who declared
that restriction on the size would do
little to remedy the situation result
ing from the shortage of paper and
would serve only to work a great if
not fatal hardship on the large news
papers of the country.
Supported by Small Papers.
The bill was supported by pub
lishers of small newspapers who de
clared they would be forced to sus
pend publication unless something
was done. . ,
Representative Anthony of Kan
sas, author of the bill, declared that
from 2,500 to 5,000 small papers face
suspension and perhaps extinction
should the present shortage of news
print paper continue. The shortage,
th? Kansas representative charged,
was due to the action of the great
publishing concerns in buying up
practically the entire available sup
ply." -
Speaks for Tribune.
Speaking for the Chicago Tribune,
a large user of paper, James M. Pat
terson declared that the 24-pagc te
stiiqtion would affect only 50 to 60
newspapers, but to -put it . into effect
immediately would bankrupt many
of the newspapers. The larger
papers, he told the committee, were
willing to accept a 10 per cent cut,
but were strongly opposed to the
Anthony proposal, which he esti
mated in some cases would amount
to a cut of 60 per cent. Many of the
larger papers, he added, already had
instituted reductions n size amount
ing to mo-re than 10 per cent.
New York Rail President
Is Tried for Manslaughter
New York, Dec. 15.-Both sides
hnve completed their case in the trial
of John j. Dempsey, vice president
of the New York Consolidated Rail
road company, charged with man
slaughter in connection with the
Malbone street tunnel wreck on the
Brooklyn "L" on November 1, 1918,
which cost 90 lives. The case is ex
pected to go to the jury Tuesday.
Dempsey, who was on the witness
stand for five hours, denied -all re
sponsibility for the wreck. ' He
claimed he was ill on the day of the
tragedy and absent from his office.
State Engineer Busy.
Washington, Dec. 15. ((Special.)
State Engineer George E. John
son of Lincoln is in Washington to
interest the-, members of the Ne
braska delegation in getting the War
dtjttrtment to apportion road build
ing material to the several states in
addition to army trucks. Congress-
nan Reavis, chairman ot a subcom
Member of Wealthy
Philadelphia Family
Attempts Suicide
New York. DecM5. Capt. Clar
ence L. Wiener, member of a
wealthy Philadelphia family, who
foughf with the British army during
th. Boer war and with the American
army in the world war, attempted
suicide here in a Broadway hotel.
He was removed to a hospital with
a pistol shot wound just below the
heart and his condition is said to be
critical.
Although reputed to be worth
$2,000,000 at one time and known in
England and other European coun
tries as a wealthy sportsman. Cap
tain Wiener left letters indicating,
that he was in straitened circum
stances. He asked that H. Scott.a
Philadelphia lawyer, be notified that
he might settle a bill for $75 due the
hotel. -
One of the letters was addressed
to a friend, Arton Teweson, head of
a local news service.
Mr. Teweson said that Captain
Wiener had been one of the most
prominent Americans in England,
vi-hrrc tip haH a rastlp. He was much
interested in nolo matches and one imittee of the war expenditures corn-
time spent an income which Teweson! mittce .has given assurances that he j
SCHOOLS TO OPEN
MONDAY, DEC. 29,
INSTEAD OF JAN. 5
Board Decides to Begin
Earlier and Keep Sat
urday Holiday.
Omaha schools will open Monday,
December 29, instead .of Monday,
January 5. This was decided by the
Board of Education at its meeting
last night
. When the coal strike became seri
ous the board voted to close the
schools until January 5, but settle
ment of the strike and prospect of
getting plenty of coal makes it possi
ble to open one week ahead of that
time.
There will be only the usual five
days of school a week. No school
will be held Saturdays, as would
have been the case if school had
not opened until January 5. Prob
ably there will be no spring vacation,
however. There will be no schpol
New Year's day.
The board approved the contract
with Clark & Clark, architects, for
building the new High School of
Commerce. The contract provides
that the architects shall receive a fee
of 6 per cent of the first $250,000 and
5 per cent of the remainder of i the
?1,700,000 estimated cost of the build
ing. ,
The board also voted to complete
construction of the Clifton Hill
school by building the auditorium of
the school at an estimated cost of
$25,000.
Former Army Nurse
Enrolls as Student
In Vocational School
. 7
San Francisco, Dec. 15. Miss
Monica Clary, former San, Fran
cisco school teacher, who served as
an army nurse overseas, has en
rolled as a student in the Knights
of Columbus vocational school here.
She is said to be the first woman
among more than 100,000 students
who have enrolled at such schools
in various parts of the country. ,
New York Corporation
Lends China $5,000,000
Peking, Dec. 15. The Pacific De
velopment corporation of New York,
has concluded a loan with the Chin
ese government for $5,000,000 against
treasury notes secured- by the sur
plus revenue of the wine and tobacco
administration. This creates a prece
dent with respect to America and,
like the Crisp loan in 1912, is non
political. - '
Edward B. Bruce.'president of the
corporation, in a statement regard
ing the loan, says that the Pacific
Development corporation has no
connection with any American group
or international - group and has
undertaken this business as a purely
private transaction between itself
and the Chinese government.
estimated at $200,000 a yea,'
will $id in the movement.
i
Baker Back at Work.
Washington, Dec. 15. Secretary
Baker and General March, chief of
staff returned to their desks in the
War department Monday after a two
weeks' inspection trip of the mili
tary establishment of the , Tanama
canal aud Porto Kico, 1
"That is th,e man, right there,"
declared Mayor Smith pointing from
his place in the witness stand of
District Judge Recfick's court yester
day afternoon at George Davis, who
is being tried on charges of assault
with intent to murder, and assault
with intent to do great bodily in
jury to Mayor Smith, the night of
the court house riot.
The mayor's dramatic utterance
came in answer to the question by
County Attorney Shotwell, "who
struck the blow that knocked you
down?" , '
''Are you positive George Davis,
the defendant, is the man who struck
the blow?" asked Mr. Shotwell.
"Ab-so-lute-ly!" exclaimed Mayor
Smith with the greatest emphasis.
"How did he impress himself on
your mind?" asked the county at
torney. . . .
"As I stood in the -midst of the
mob outside the east entrance of
the court house," said the mayor,
"I noted him particularly because
he is such a large man, and the
th aught went "T continually through
my mind that here was a man so
much bigger than the rest in the
crowd that if he were not such
a coward, he could save my life."
Attorney Eugene O'Sulhvan, for
Davis, interposed obje'tions
throughout the mayor's recital of
the events of the fiot nightT bpt
Judge Redick permitted the mayor
to' tell the whole story.
Mayor Smith told the story in
a voice that sometimes shook with
emqtion. '
He arrived at the court house
about 6 the day of the riot, after
a neighbor had informed him that
a mob was surrounding the court
house.
Hooted the Mayor. t
"About 1,000 people were on the
Harney street side of the building
and very few on the other sides
at the time," said Mayor Smith. "I
went to the south entrance of the
building and tried to talk to the
crowd but they hooted and jeered
and threw stones so that I could
not. '
"I then entered the building and
went to the main floor where I
found about 15 policemen. Com
missioner Ringer, Chief Eberstein
and Commissioner Zimman arrived
about this time. I began giving in
structions to the policemen at once.
About a dozen fallows reached our
floor. We drove some of them out and
sent the rest up the elevator to jail.
"Then the Farnam street doors
were smashed in with the cannon.
Capt. Haze and a party of police sta
tioned themselves on the west steps
in the lobby. I borrowed a revolver
from a policeman and stationed my-,
self with the rest of the officers on
the east steps. We held the crowd
that way for about an hour.
Beginning of Firing.
"Then shots began to be fired. I
went up to the sheriff's office and
got some one to telephone to the
governor for troops. I came down
again, y When the fire was started
I went to the sheriff's office. The
w6men became ' hysterical and
begged me to get them out. I went
again to the main floor which was
then' filled with rioters. They de
manded the negrp. I told them to
never mind the negro but let the
firemen go to work and put out the
fire.
"They seized me, threw me down,
took hold of my heels and dragged
me" down the steps and out of the
east entrance of the building. Then
(Continued on l'aice Two, Column Four.)
Army Transport to Be
' Ark' That Will Deport
Radicals to Russia
New York, Dec. 15. The United
.States army transport Beaufort, now
loading supplies in Brooklyn, is to
be the "ark" to carry back to Rus
sia from Ellis island, radical colony
consisting of Emma Goldman,
Alexander Berkman and some 80
other Russians awaiting deportation,
according to reports.
The vessel is scheduled to leave
this week, with a Notwegian port
its first call.1 A petty officer of the
Beaufort asked Supreme Justice
Fawcctt' toexpedite his naturaliza
tion papers .so that he might leave
with the boat Wednesday; adding
that he understood he was to have
"he "undesirables" as passengers.
Superintendent. Baker at Ellis
island, referred all inquiries to Com
missioner Caminetti at .Washington.
Veteran Engineers, Stricken
On Duty, Still Unconscious
Little Hope Entertained
For Recovery of Union
Pacific Pilots, Who Col-
lapsed in Cabs.
Strickctv with paralysis at their
throttles Saturday two Union Pa
cific, locomotive engineers are still
unconscious at St. Joseph hospital
and little hope is entertained for
their recovery. 1
J. W. Coolidge, 61 years old, 24
South Twenty-second street, Coun
cil Bluffs, was stricken while his
train was speeding through Valley,
Neb. His fireman noticed his con
dition in time to stop the wild train
and prevent a rear-end collision with
the second division of the train. A
special train was made up and
brought the injured man to Omaha.
William H. Bay. 58 years old, 3522
Seward street, for years a chum of
Mr. Coolidge and engineer of the
second section of Overland Limited,
assisted in caring for his friend in
Valley. On his -return trip from
Grand Island piloting the locomo
tive on the Los Angeles Limited Mr.
Bay was stricken just as his train
pulled into the congested terminal
at Omaha. True to his charge, the
last thing he did before collapsing
on the seat.was to turn off the steam.
He was taken to the same hospital
where he had assisted in sending his
chum a few hours previous.
PATRIOTISM IN
PEACE URGED BY
CHAIRMAN HAYS
Republican Party, He Says,
Must Lift Country Out of
Slough Into Which
It Has Sunk.
Buffalo, Dec. 15. Appeal for "pa
triotism in peace as well as in war,"
was made by Will H. Hays, repub
lican national chairman, speaking at
a d'nner of Erie county republicans
Monday night.
"If those hundreds of thousands
of men and women who unselfishly
carried the burden of the war work
can maintain some small part of the
same interest in their country now,"
said Mr. Hays, "it will bring to the
situation an impetus for untold
good."
Mr. Hays reviewed the plan for
the appointment of a committee on
policies and platform to meet before,
the national convention next year.
Underlying that plan, he said, is
"The responsibility of lifting Amer
ica out of the slough into which the
present administration has sunk it
and putting into force the most com
prehensive program .of wise con
servative measures ever attempted
in this republic.
Discussing the industrial situation,
Mr. Hays declared that the pres
ent difficulties would be solved in
one way by finding exact justice
and applying it.
'It is," he said, "simply a mat
ter of Roosevelt's square deal ex
act justice for labor, exact justice
for capital and exact justice for the
public, the third side of the triangle
which must not be lost sight of,"
The republican party is against
government ownership of indus
tries and utilities, but in favor of
a strong regulation of them, Mr.
Hays said. "We are against that
pedagogic form of paternalism
which has recently developed in this
country," he added. "We will not
forget that while we fought in
France to make certain the rights
of free government in this world,
we have a republic to preserve in
this country, that we are a repre
sentative government and not a
bolshevik syncopation."
Officer Identifies
Man Who Held Gun
On Him During Riot
Ben Danbaum of the oolice force
testified yesterday ' against James
Blankenship. of Cduncil Bluffs, . on
trial before a jury in District Judge
Estelle's court on a charge of as
sault with intent to murder.
Danbaum said Blankenship pointed
a shotgun at his breast at Eleventh
and Farnam streets the night of the
court house riot. He and Detective
Van Deusen had arrested two men
looting a pawn shop and were wait
ing at the patrol box.
After they had taken the' two men
to the police station they went out
again and arrested Blankenship at
Thirteenth and Douglas streets.
He said they found the cartridge
m the shotgun had failed to explode
because it did not quite fit the barrel.
U. S. Food Products Stock
Slumps' as Lid Is Clamped
ork. Dec. 15. Wild trading
New Y
in' Unite
which has large stores of liquor on
hand, followed receipt in Wall
:-treet n( the ne'ws that the United
States supreme cpurt had declared
war-time prohibition constitutional.
The stock, which had been selling a
few minutes before at 78 to 81; im
mediately droped to, 73. , 1
Industrial Alcohol was less se
verely affected, losing about two
points. The general list was moder
ately unsettled, .t '
SENATOR NORRIS
INTRODUCES NEW
RAILROAD BILL
i
Proposes Public Ownership
And Government Operation
Warning Against With-- ,
drawal of Protection.
Washington, Dep. 15. AJjill pro
posing public ownership and gov-,
erntnent operation of 1he railroads
f-wa introduced by- Senator Nbrris,
republican, Nebraska, and referred
to the interstate commerce commit
tee. It would create a federal raiU
road corporation, managed by five
directors, appointed bv the presi
dent, and have $10,000,000,000 of
stock with additional "employes'
stock." subject to subs;ription only
by railroad employes equal to one
fourth of the book value of the rail
road property.
' The public would be permitted to
subscribe to the general stock of the
company, which woiild be authorized
to take over existing railroad prop
erties by condemnation proceedings,
ani! also build new lines.
The Norris Jljll also provides for
issuance of government bonds for
financing the corporation and would
limit its stock dividends to o7 per
cent with excess earning reverting to
the government.
Congress Warned.
Congress was warned that if the
railroads were turned back without
enactment meanwhile of legislation
for protection of the properties, two
thirds of the roads would be in the
hands of receivers within 30 days.
Speaking with earnestness and
frankness, Chairman Cummins bf the
Senate Interstate Commerce com-,
m'ttee, that drafted the pending rail
road billdeclared the 'senate could
not afford to set it aside or delay
its consideration in view of the ap
parent determination of President
Wilson to end government control
the first day ofthe new year. -
Breaking into the debate while
senates were pleading to postpone
action on all railroad legislation until
after recess. Senator Cummins told
the senate its duty was plain.
Could Exist a Month.'
"If the roads are returned without
effective legislation they could ex
ist for a month," the senator declared
(Continwd on Page Two, Column One.)
James W. Gerard Out
1 For Presidency on
South Dakota Ticket
Pierre, S. D.. Dec 15. (Special
Telegram.) -James W. Gerard of
New York, former ambassador to
Germany, and previous to that' a
justice of the supreme court-of New
York, has filed a minority demo
cratic nominating petition signed by
six protesting proposal men as a
candidate for endorsement of this
state for the presidency. The na
tional summary1 of principles is,
"Make and Keep the Country afe
for Democracy," and the state sum
mary, "True Democracy."
Under the state law, Gerard's
name would go on the ballot as an
independent' democratic- candidate
inasmuch as the state republican
proposal meeting endorsed Maj.
Gen. Woftd as their candidate and
the democratic meeting favored
Woodrow .Wilson.
Wife of Judge Lindsey
Hurt in Tram Wreck
Milwaukee. Wis.,-Dec. Ii Mrs.
Henrietta Lindsey. wife of Judge
Ben B. Lindsey of Denver, was one
of seven persons injured when a Chi
cago and Northwestern Railway
train was accidentally derailed at
Mequoin, 15. miles north of here.
Mrs. Lindsey's injuries were slight.
Judge Lindsey. who was with his
wife on the train, is on a speaking
'tour, a '
ACT UPHELD
BY SUPREME
COUflTOFU.S
Opinion, Given by Associate
Justice Branrjeis. Holds That
President May Terminate,
War-Invoked Dry Period.
VALIDltrOF VOLSTEAD
LAW NOT ACTED0N
Decision Practically ' Sweeps
Away All Hopes of "Wet'f
Christmas Kentucky Dis-:
, tillers Jotted Plans Upset.
Washington, Dec. 15. By iinani-
pious decision constitutionality., of
the -wartime prohibition act was sus
tained today by the supreme court.
The opinion, given by Associate
Justice Brandeis, held in effect, bow- .
ever: that ttle war-invoked "drv" Ot-, ":
rind stilt ma v be terminated hv i
presidential proclamation of dc- ,
mobilization. ; t . .' f-
' In rendering its opinion the court,
however, did tttt act upon th valid- '
ify of the Volstead prohibition en-
torcement act or on appeals involv- y?
ing the alcoholic content of"betrf
leaving these cases to future" onin- ,
ions which may be handed down next .-.-
Monday before the court recesses , -for
the Christmas holidays. Today's
decision practically swept away all
hopes of a wet" Christmas as the ;
possibilities of the wartime act Je- "
in.T repealed "before constitutional
prohibition becomes effective, one "
mofltli from t. morrow were-considered
remote." 7 V
Distillers' Case. I . "
The cases .decided were those' of .V
the Kentucky Distilleries-and Ware-"
house Company of Louisville, and
Dryfoos. Blum & Co. of New .York "
instituted for the ' purposA.-ii xoHhu'
pelling the government to" release
whisky from bond. In i both case?
the court demed " contentions oi V
Elihu Root and other aitorneys foij V
the distillers that thi act in vio-
lation of Jhe constitution takes '.ftrj- ".
vate" property without'just ompen
sation, that the perioM of the war
emergency for which the act : was '
passed had terminated, that the law "t
was an interference with the state .'
police powers and an undue exercise ;;
of the war powers of congress. " ; , ;
Conoress did not intend for hi
'wartime 4ct to terminate on the 4
conclusion of the war, but at the end
of the period of demobilization in
view of the court which held that :
the "conclusion of the war clearly -did
not mean cessation of hostili
ties." .
"Congress therefore, provided,"
the opinion added, "that the time
when the act c-ased to be operative
should be fixed by "the president's
asserting ar.d proclaiming the date
when- demobilization had been ter-'
minated." , - : '
President Didnt Move.
Had the president, on October 8
last, when .he vetoed the Volstead -
act, believea that demobilization had
terminated, the court said.' "he would " '
doubtless have issuedi then a proc
lamation to that effect, for" he had
manifested a strong conviction that
restrictions upon the sale of liquor
should end r -
"Only by such proclamation could
the purpose of congress be attained, ; .
and the serious -consequences at- -tending
uncertainty be obviated."
"In view of facts ; of public
knowledge." the opinion continued. ;
"some of which have been referred
to. that the treaty of peace had not V
yet been concluded, that the rail
ways are still under national control
bys virtue of the war powers, that "
other war activities have not been
brought to a close and that it cannot :
(Contlnned on I'm ft uVo, Column feTta.)
X-Ray of Clernenceau f'i
bhows Eighth Rib I
Received a Fracture -
Pans. Dec. 15.-Doctors ' Turner
and Laubry after another X-ray ex-
animation of Premier Clernenceau
issued the following bulletin: ; .
. "The X-ray examination shows a '
fracture of the eighth rib on the left
side, with a little .displacement.
There are no complications." V,
M Clernenceau remained at home,
but received President Poincare and
Dr. Rentier, the Austrian chancel- "
lor. - - - ....' . .. . -- '
Famous Publjc Works , j .
Contractor Succumbs
London, Dec. 15. Sir John Jack
son, famous as a contractor for pub
lie works in various parts of the",
world, died Monday. He was born
in 1851. . .
Among the great projects in which
Sir John Jackson aided were the
Manchester ship canal, the, great
railway across the Andes from Arica
on, the Pacific coast to Lapaz.. Bo
livia, the great barrage across the
Euphrates river near. Babylon, " the
Mesopotamia irrigation works, the
harbor works in Canada, South .
Africa, Singapore and other places
lie was created a knight jn 1894