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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (July 20, 1920)
The Omaha JDaily bee VOL. 50 NO. 27. Cnttr.4 it SMond-CltM Mitttr May . I Ml. it 0 mailt P. 0. Untfw Act ! Much S. 117. OMAHA, TUESDAY, JULY 20, 1920. By Mall (I ttu). Iiwldt 4th Zona. Dilly d 8widy. M: Dally Oily. : udy. 4. TWO CENTS Outildi 4th Zona (I yaar). Dally ana Sunday. 116: Dally Oaly. 112: $day Oaly. So. ,,,u vu" X1J OITSIDB OMAHA AND (MUN CH ULUKVS. K1VB CL.NTS. COX LOOKS 10 WEST TO PUT ACROSS After Conference With Wilson Democrat Nominee Believes Folks of Plains and Moun tains Will Favor League. SECRETARY COLBY WILL BE USED AS CHIEF ORATOR In Western States Liquor Issue Will Be Soft Pedalled, While Thirsty East Will Be Re minded Governor Is Liberal. By ARTHUR SEARS HENNING. Oilmen Trlbune-Omahn lire l.fimfd Wire. ; Washington, July 19. Governor Cox of Ohio, the democratic nomi nee for president, accepted not only President Wilson's uncompromis ing stand on the league of nations at the White House conference yes terday but Mr. Wilson's plan of campaign to win the election on this ts the paramount issue. President Wilson, it transpired to day, belieces that the same western states which broke from their re publican mooring and carried him to victory in 1916 can be relied upon, with proper attention by the demo cratic ranpaign managers, to repeat the pcTiormancc this year insuring election of Cox and Roosevelt ;'.nd indorsement of the Wilson policies. The "kept us out of war" issue to which has been generally attributed Lmhe success of the president in car rying a number of state west of the Mississippi is to be given a new dress, the raiment of the league of nations, and trotted out again to court the approbation of the folks on the plains and .mountains of the country. Cox to Make "Circle." Governor Cox himself is to swing "'round the circle," seeking to con vince the far west that only the league of nations can save the na tion from war and preparation for war, that we can enter the league without incurring obligation to en ter war not of our own making and hat the first requisite for attain ment of this end is the election of the democratic ticket. But the real simon pure spokes man of the president on the league of nations in the far west is to be Secretary of State Colby, an engag ing and "forceful orator, who will be relied upon to interprent the cove nant in detail with greater fidelity to the president's view than Governor Cox could be expected to attain. There is naother purpose, too, in the decision to send Mr. Colby to the far west. This region is one of the old strongholds of the bull moosers, of whom the secretary of state was one Df the conspicuous leaders until Roosevelt indorsed Hughes in 1916. Soft Pedal Liquor. Thereupon he went over to Wil son and the president has been Quoted as assertnig that Colby ren ered him more effective aid than any othqr speaker in the last nation al election. So, Colby's mission to the west will be not only to elucidate the covenant, but to atract the former-progressives to support of the democratic ticket. ' So far as the democratic campaign plans can be discerned now, the in dications are that the liquor issue 1 wiil be soft-pedaled in the far west, 'which contains a number of banner prohibition states. In the east, how ever, Charles F. Murphy of New Ycrk, Senator Walsh of Massachus etts, Jim Nugent of New Jersey and other leaders are basing their cam paign plans upon the appeal Gov ernor Cox's "liberal" views of the prohibition question will' make to those who are dissatisfied with a , bone-dry country. 4 ' Cox a Reservationist . . The democratic nominee's com plete acceptance . of Mr. Wilson's views on the league of nations has raised the question whether he has - surrendered his previous convictions. It was known that Governor Cox ad vocated reservations, but his friends here insist that he never went farther than espousing the interpretative reservations to which Mr. Wilson said he would not object. On May 23 Governor Cox sug gested this reservation: "In giving assent to this treaty the senate has in mind the fact that the league of nations which it embodies was devised for the sole purpose of maintaining peace and comity among the nations of the earth and preventing the recurrence of such destructive conflicts as that through which the world has just passed. The co-operation of the United State with the league and its con tinuance as a member thereof will naturally depend upon the adher ence of the league to that funda mental purpose." He also proposed this resolution: "It will, of course, be understood that, in carrying out the purpose of the league, the government of of the league, the government of the United States must at all times act in strict harmony with the terms and intent of the United States constitution, which cannot in any way e altered by the treaty making power? Chinese Regulars Defeat Forces of Anfu Division Washington, July 19. Forces of Gen. Tuan Chi-Jui, former Chinese premier and minister of war and head of the Anfu party in China, have been defeated by Chinese reg rlar forces under General Wu-Pei-Fu and driven back toward Men oukuo, the American legation at Peking reported today to the State department. The fighting occurred near Peking and the wounded are arrTiag in that city, w HM "Blood and Iron" Rule Is Blamed By America "Unrestricted Submarine Part Played by High In Ignorance, Forced Of German Victory, Berlin, July 19. The report of the second sub-committee of the committee of investigation on Pres ident Wilson's peace efforts during the winter of 1916-1917, prepared by Professor Sinsheimer, former so cialist member ot the reichstag, draws the conclusion that President Wilson's action made peace over tures possible, but that the German government, not availing itself of them, instead took a stand for- un restricted u-boat warfare. The report, made available here today, is signed by six members of the different political parties. It is a grave indictment of the German military dictators. The report shows haw the eco nomists of Von Bethmann Hol wegg's civil government, even Dr. Karl llelfferich, then minister of finance, did not believe unrestricted u-boat warfare could insure victory. As the gravest mistake the reports mention that America's resources were underestimated. The report says it was argued the submarines would prevent transportation of American troops "if there were any." It further declares that the submarines failed to terrorize suffi ciently neutral shipping, that no suf ficient attention was paid to the anti u-boat measures of Germany's enemies and that when America en tered the warvmilitary authorities failed to make adequate provision for its inevitable lengthy protrac tion. Public Misled. That the German public was grossly misled is a further charge in the report, which implies that al though the economic experts gave adhesion to unrestricted u-boat war fare at the behest of the military leaders, experts were rabid party men and did not include really first class authorities. In fact, the report says, "no ar guments against n-boat war were being placed" before the reichstag. The report mentions the withhold ing from the public knowledge tf conditions presented by Haniel Von Start Murder Trial Of Man Who Rode on Hearse With Nurse Manchester, Vt., July 19. Selec tion of a jury for the trial of Byron M. Pettibone, charged with the mur der of his wife by poisoning at their home in Bennington on April 6, was begun here today. The charges of which State's At torney Collins M. Graves will pre sent to the jury "include the story of the alleged infatuation of Pettibone, an undertaker's assistani, for a nurse, whom, he first met at the homes which he visited in the course of his work. Witnesses were ex pected to tell of frequent rides by the young woman on the front seat cf Pettibone's hearse. Alleged confessions subsequently repudiated by Pettibone gave finan cial worries as the cause of his act. In the statement attributed to the defendant it was said that he gave his wife poison in a dose of salts. She was the widow of a former em ployer of Pettibone. - Miss Helen I. Guilow, the nurse of whom the defendant was said to be enamored, i.. held in $1,000 bonds as a material witness, but State's Attorney Graves announced there was no implication .that she had any prior knowledge of Mrs. Pettibone's death. T d Military Lorries in Cork Attacked by Civilians Cork, July 19. (By The Associa ted Press.) Two ' military lorries loaded with soldiers which passed through the streets of Cork at 3 o'clock this morning were attacked by civilians with bombs and blown up. Between 60 and 70 soldiers were injured. The civilians threw 29 bombs. This attack followed a night of terror into which the city was plunged as a result of street fighting in which Sinn Feiners and the mili tary participated. Two men were killed atd some 40 wounded in the gun fighting, which brought the total of casualties well over the 100 mark. The Sinn Feiners used the guer rilla tactics which had been outlined in the plan of campaign of the repub lican army. Opening of Angel Island To Reporters Is Demanded San Francisco, July 19. Demand that the Angel Island immigration station here be opened to newspaper men so "they may investigate and suggest betterment of conditions," was telegraphed from here today to the secretary of labor by Represent ative Isaac Seigel, New York, who as a member of the house committee on immigration and naturalization visited the island recently. Seigel asked provision be made immedi ately for more watchmen and fire fighting apparatus. 1 Pennsylvania Railroad To Lay Off Many Employes Philadelphia, July 19. A 10 per cent reduction in the working force of the Pennsylvania railroad will be made this week, it was announced here today at the company's office. In the eastern region alone, which takes in the teritory east of Altoona, between 11,000 and 12,000 workers will be laid off, it was stated. It was stated the reduction was rendered necessary by the fact that expenses have been exe'dina in come for tome time pasp " Germans for Entering Wp5uii I IN Warfare" and Dominant War Lords, Keeping Public Yanks Into Battles at Cost Report Asserts. Ilaimhausen, formerly chancellor of the German embassy at Washing ton; Dr. Franz Von Pappen, former military attache to the embassy, and Dr. Heinrich F. Albert, former commercial attache to the embassy, v.hi being familiar with the Ameri can situation warned against unre stricted u-boat warfare. The report mentions notably Von Pappen's message to General Erich Von Fal kenhayn, former chief of the Ger man staff, "if you fail to keep the United States out you have lost the war." Real Cause of Collapse. Capitulation of the civil govern ment's misgivings as to what now has proved to be the mistaken policy of friglitfulncss and the fact that the reichstag was kept in, ignorance of the real situation, according to the report, caused Germany's collapse. "The historical blame of Ger many's political defeat is" the re port continues, "that on the vital question of Germany's existence it allowed to happen that which in its conviction was pernicious to the country. The blame of the military leadership is that, knowing unre stricted u-boat warfare would in evitably entail America's entry, it played the card." Appended to the majority report is a document giving a marginal Von Holtzendorff, then head of the Ger man naval general staff, in which the latter suggested a refusal to the proposal by the American embassa dor at Vienna that fo avoid enbroil mcnt, American ships going to Eng land should not be torpedoed. The Kaiser wrote: He Can Have It. "I agree to be declined. An end must be made once and for all to negotiations with America. If Wil son wants war he can make and have it." A minority report consists main ly of arguments that President Wil son's efforts were not definite enough and that there were suffic ient reasons for unrestricted u-boat warfare. Deny Scandal Caused Prince Joachim to Kill Self at Potsdam Berlin, July 19. (By The As sociated Press.) Friends of Prince Joachim of f Hohenzollern deny stories current in Berlin that his sui cide at Potsdam, Sunday, was caused by scandal. They mention only his marital disappointments and finan cial troubles. Like his brothers, he is believed to have been sadly in need of funds, owing to the limited allowance from the crown funds permitted him by the Prussian gov ernment. 1 Prince Jachim is also reported to have been brooding over the ultimate fate of the former royal house and the criticism to which his father has been subjected in Germany. By those who formerly were close to the Hohenzollern family, Prince Jachim was said to have been the favorite son of the former empress and fears are expressed that news of his suicide may have a fatal effect on her, as she recently suffered an acute recurrence of her heart trouble. Eight Miners Buried In Give-In in Mine Due To Explosion of Gas Pittsburgh, Pa., July 19. John Luteman, night 'foreman; two fire bosses, two pumpers and three la borers were entombed by an explo sion in the mine of the Union Col lieries company at Renton, 18 miles from here, at 3:30 o'clock this morning. The explosion blew the cage out of the shaft and as soon as repairs to the hoisting apparatus can be made rescue crews from the Pittsburgh station of the bureau of mines and similar crews from ad joining coal properties will en deavor to find the buried men. At midnight Sunday, following re pairs, Foreman Luteman and his crew entered the mine to see that all was in readiness for operation this morning. It is not known how far they had gone into the workings but at 3:30 o'clock a ter rific explosion shook the entire neighborhood. Strike Leader From Seattle Is in Chicago Now Chicago, July 19. Leon Green, alias Leon Butowsky, one of the leaders in the Seattle general strike last year, is in Chicago, according to information given to state authori ties today by Ole Hanson, former mayor of Seattle. Hanson, who is here to testify for the state in the trial of 20 mem bers of the communist labor party, arrested last spring in the general roundup of radicals, located Green at a Chicago union headquarters. The former strike leader is acting as business agent of two unions of clerks. Will Seize Oil Plants To Get Fuel for Navy ' Vallejo, Cal., July 19. Oi! from nearby plants will be seized, if nec essary, to operate the Mare Island navy yard here when its present two weeks' supply is exhausted, Cap tain J. J. Cheatham, naval supply officer, announced today. On ac count of differences over price, no oil is being delivered bv oil com panies to the yard DRYS READY DING RACE Delegates Arrive in Lincoln For Opening of National Covention on Wedesday May Nominate Bryan. SENTIMENT STRONG FOR BILLY SUNDAY ON TICKET Dr. Clinton Havard, National Reform Chairman, Also Men tioned as Probably Nominee For Presidential Race. Lincoln, Neb., July 19. The pro hibition party is preparing for a fight to a finish in the coming presidential campaign, according to W. G. Cal derwood, vice president of the party's national committee, and the various delegates who already have arrived tor the national convention which opens Wednesday. Every delegate who has arrived thus far declares that a presidential ticket will be placed in the field and they are unanimous in the declara tion that William Jennings Bryan and "Billy" Sunday are the men who will head this ticket. The question of whether Mr. Bryan will consent to head the party's ticket now is up permost in minds of the delegates. Mr, Calderwood, however, take ex ceptions to a statement credited to Mr. Bryan that enforcement of the prohibition law rests more with con gress than with the president. Too Many Wet Officers. "It is true," said Mr. Calderwood, "that we should not go to sleep at the congressional switch, but the president can, as the president has, appoint wet enforcement officers who will make the law ridiculous and bring it into such disrepute that even the drys will be disguster. Since I reached the tate of Nebraska, a very prominent citizen told me that in the wet portion of the state the law was a farce. The same man called attention to what the whole nat'on knows, that the same thing has occurred in other wet centers with like results." Monday and Tuesday is expected to see the arrival of the bulk of the delegates and visitors. National Chairman Hinshaw is due to arrive Tuesday. The California delegation and those from the far western states are expected Monday night or Tuesday morning. Present expecta tions are that the convention will be made up of about 400 delegates, with an equal number of visitors. Dr. Clinton N. Howard, chairman of the National Reform association, who has been mentioned in connec tion with the presidential nomina tion, made three addresses today, taking for his subject Missing Planks of the Political Parties'." J. r A. Murray, chairman of the Nebras-1 ka prohibition committee, is quoted as saying Dr. Howard will receive the support of the Nebraska delega tion for the presidential nomination. Vice Chairman Calderwood spoke at a church mass meeting this aft ernoon on "How the Committee of 48 Met the Call." His Heart in the Grave. Mr. Bryan should not allow his heart to remain in the grave, Mr. Calderwood said when shown a copy of Mr. Bryan s periodical, The Commoner," in which the ed itor had said that because of the action of, the national democratic convention in turning down a dry plank in its platform and nominat ing a wet man for the presidency, "my heart is in the grave." Mr. Calderwood urges that the president by the appointment of law enforcement officials in sympa thy with the wet cause can make the enforcement of the law a joke. Millions In Foodstuffs Are Held In Ukrainia Washington, July 19. Fifteen million tons of grain, 20,000 to 30,000 tons of surplus sugar, and a large quantity of hides, bristles, wool, cpgs, poultry and bacon, are held in Ukrainia, much of it available for export, . according to an official statement prepared by the Ukrain ian government at the request of the London Chamber of Commerce, the Department of Commerce an nounced today. The needs of Ukrainia, it was stated, comprise every variety of manufactured goods and machinery. Payment for im ported goods must be based on ex port of wheat and raw materials, the report says. Utah-Idaho Sugar Company Faces Trial for Profiteering Salt Lake City, Utah, July 19. The Utah-Idaho Sugar company, as represented by its directors, was bound over for trial on a charge of profiteering in sugar today by United States Commissioner Van Pelt. The president of the company is Heber J. Grant, president of the Church o Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The presiding bishop of the church, Charles W. Nibley, is the principal stockholder of the com pany. It was charged that the com pany sold for more than 23 cents a pound sugar whose production cost to the company was less than 9Yi cents. Mascot of Dodgers Drowns in Amusement Park Lake Coluumbus, O., July 19. Benja min W. Lewis, 16, of Brooklyn, N. Y mascot of the Brooklyn Na tional base ball club, drowned in the swiming pool at an amusement park here Sunday. Hundreds of bathers and his sisters, Dorothy, 12, and Jane, 9, saw him drown An Awkward Moment for Mother CORK IS SCENE OF REIGN OF TERROR DURING NIGHT Bayonetting of Soldier Is Alarm for General Firing. One Killed and 14 Wounded. Cork, July 19. This city was in a state of terror last night as a re sult of street fighting which broke out" after a bavonettine incident in the street, in which a former soldier was killed. About 10 p. m. indis criminate firing started in virtually all sections of the city. The casu alties reported up to this morning were one dead and 14 wounded. The firing, which was participated in, it is stated, by military patrols m motor lorries and armored cars, caused cohsternation. Frightened women and children hurried into side streets and doorways and knocked frantically at numerous houses for admission. Several young girls and former soldiers were wounded before they could gain shelter. The rush of civilians from the principal streets was followed by volunteer patrols who warned the people to lie down while the volun teer guards watched the movements of the armored cars. Most of the casualties occurred in the northern part of the city. After midnight the streets were comparatively quiet, with the mili tary patrolling them. Crown Prince Depressed By Suicide of His Brother Weiringen, Holland, July 19. The tidings of the sudden death of Prince Joachim came as a great blow to his brother, the former German crown prince, who only this morning learned the news from Adjutant Von Mulheim. The relations between Joachim and Frederick William were always of the most friendly nature, the former being the favorite of the family. The ex-crown prince con ferred this morning with Burgo master Pereboom and probably will go to Doom, the refuge of the former emperor, this afternoon. Sheriff Will Go to Border To Get Jack Johnson Los Augeles, Cal., July 19. Sheriff John C. Ciine, Los Angeles, announced today he intended to leave immediately for the Mexican border; where he expected to arrest Jack Johnson, negro, former heavy weight champion, under sentence in Chicago for violation of the Mann act. Clhie declared friends of Johnson visited him yesterday and said the pugilist was willing to cross Ihe boundary and surrender to him. Johnson is reported in Tijuana, across the border from San Diego, Cal. Reds Tell British Ready to Sign Armistice With Poles London, July 19 (By the Asso ciated Press.) The British govern ment today received a note from the Russian soviet government stating that Russia was prepared to agree to an armistice and to make peace with Poland. The Weather Forecast. Tuesday fair and warmer. Hourly Temperatures. 5 . m A4 1 p. m HI it. m AS 2 p. nt SI 7 . m. OA- S p. m 84 8 . m 70 4 p. m .'....A 9 a. m It S p. m 85 10 a. m 74- ft p. m 83 It a. m ,.7A 7 p. m M 13 noon t.T9 S p. m. ...81 (Copyright, 19:0. by the Chicago Tribune.) yes; of course i know I J (Xs YOU LOVE BOTH OP YOUR J 1 f FAVORITE SONS, BUT I j Troops and Machine Guns Guard Jail to Protect Pri nsoners Graham, N. C, July 19. State troops were guarding the jail here today following threats yesterday of a mob of white men to take from the prison three negroes who had been arrested in connection with an attack on a white woman at her home Saturday. Quiet had been re stored this morning and with the prison flanked by machine guns no further trouble was expected by the authorities. The attack on the woman was made Saturday evening by a masked negro while'her husband was absent from home. She is in a serious condition. Three bloodhounds followed the same trail to a hospital where George Troxler, the cook, was ar rested. , Two other negroes found near the hospital also were taken to jail. Railway Service in Peking Interrupted by Head-On Collision Tien Tsin, July 19. Railway serv ice with Peking has again been in terrupted by a collision near Yangt sun. As a result there is much con gestion of troop trains from Muk den. A repair train left Yangtsun Sunday and replaced the derailed en gine, but was unable to proceed futher because of congestion due to the arrival of Anfuite reinforce ments. The gates to the city of Peking were closed Sunday to keep out ref ugees and defeated Anfuites. One division of Anfu forces has already arrived here from Mukden, another is on its way, and a third is ready to start when trains are available. Fighting has begun on the Chihli Shantung border. Tien Tsin is quiet. Ole Hanson to Testify In Case of Communists Chicago, July 19. Judge Oscar Hebel, sitting in the trial of 20 com munist labontes, charged with con spiring to overthrow the govern ment by force, today ruled that tes timony of Ole Hanson, former mayor of Seattle, and Harry Wil son, United States secret agent, who posed in Seattle as secretary of the Soldiers' and Sailors' and Work men's soviet council was admissible. Attorneys for the defendants had argued for two days ,to oar the stories of the two witnesses, who will tell the story of the Seattle general strike last year. The state contends the strike was a revolt and had the endorsement of the communist-labor patty. May Bar Out of Ireland Prelate From Australia London, July 19. The question as to whether the Most Rev. Daniel Mannix, archbishop of Melbourne, Australia, shall be barred from Ire land, in view of his recent utter ances in the United States, which are reported here as anti-English, is under consideration by the British government. This statement was made by An drew Bonar Law, the government spokesman, in the House of Com mons today in answer to a question ss to whether the government would not prevent Archbishop Man nix from visiting Ireland because his presence and speeches might be likely to increase the difficulties al ready existing. Gonzales on Trial. Washington, July 19. Advices to the State department from the em bassy at Mexico City today were that General Pablo Gonzwles, ar rested at Monterey last week, would be placed on trial today on a charge of rebellion. MAN IS FATALLY SHOT BY WOMAN WHOM HESPURNS Assailant Then Turns Gun on Herself and Commits Sui cideVictim Estranged From Wife. Chicago, July 19. Miss Pauline Meglitsch, -36 years old, a book keeper shot Julius Jonas, 48 years old, a traveling salesman and then killed herself in her home on the north side Sunday, according to the police. Jonas, who has a wife and four children, was taken to a hospital where it was reported his condition was critical. He had been separated from his wife about five years and had boarded with the Meglitsch family several months. Last March Mrs. Jonas, who is a sister of Leo Feist, New York mu sic publisher, filed suit for separate maintenance, naming Pauline Meg litsch, but a reconciliation was said to have been affected. Saturday night Jonas was said to have received a telephone call from Miss Meglitsch asking him to sec her. At the hospital Jonas said he spent the night in the guest room of the Meglitsch home, and Miss Meglitsch entered and fired without warning. In a letter addressed "To the pub lic" the woman said: "I tried to get Jule to kiss me to night, but he refused. He said he loved his wife and family more than he did me and that he was through with me. He said he was going back to his wife and family, and he seemed to mean what he said." Zionists Adopt Report Giving Land to Jews London, July 19. The Zionist conference today adopted the recom mendation of the committee of 40 on the Palestine property ownership auestion, providing that all the land and property in Palestine be declared the property of the Jewish people, and that the control of this property be gradually assumed by the Pales tine state. This recommendation, made in the majority report ot the committee submitted this morning was ap proved amidst a great uproar raised by socialists who favored the minor ity report. The minority recom mendation was the land and proper ty be declared immediately the property of the Jewish state and that private ownership and specula tion be forbidden. E. H. Moore Will Not Manage Cox Campaign Youngstown, O., July 19. E. H. Moore, democratic national commit teeman for Ohio and preconvention manager for Governor Cox, who re turned to his home here from San Francisco Saturday night, stated to day that he positively would not ac cept the position of chairman of the democratic national committee and manager of Governor Cox's cam paign for the presidency. Special Patrol Placed on River to Stop "Rum Running" Windsor, Out., July 19. Reports that numerous small sraft from the American side of the Canadian river, believed to be engaged in "rum run ning," are operating at night with out lights and without permission, led today to ah order by A. T. Mon treuil, collector of customs, placing a special patrol on the Canadian side. MEN WAITING WAGE AWARD TALK STRIKE While Awaiting Official Report Early This Morning Rail Union Chiefs Consider Action If Increases Unsatisfactory. INVESTIGATION STARTED TO FIND ST0LEr COPY Heads of Four Brotherhoods Hope to Delay General Strike Be Taken on Question. Chicago, July 19. The railway labor board, created under the Esch Cumniins transportation act, will hand down at 8:30 a. m. tomorrow its first award, increasing the pay of virtually all the 2,000,000 railway employes. Tonight reports from reliable quarters indicated the award would average from 50 to 60 per cent of the amount asked by the man, or be tween $500,000,000 and $600,000,000 of the billion dollar total they sorght. Judge R. M. Barton, chairman, admitted "that is not far off," when shown the report. Whether an award on the basis re ported would be acceptable to the men, no union officer tonight was prepared to say. Nearly 1,000 broth erhood chairmen and executives as sembled today to discuss union af fair and adjourned until tomorrow. A feeling of pessimism was evi dent when union leaders met and privately they did not hesitate to declare a general strike was a possi bility. Tonight, however, it 'was vir tually certain that the union chiefs themselves would not call a strike, but would submit the question ac cepting or rejecting the board's award to a referendum. Copy of Award Stolen. The labor board today began in vestigating the looting of its offices last night, when some one broke in and stole among other things a copy of the award. Two copies had been prepared, one for the board's files and-thc other for the printer. It was tlit former which was stolen. The printed decision covers twenty pages, making about 6,000 words. While an air of doubt hung over the railroad situation here it was an nounced from Philadelphia that the Pennsylvania railroad planned a 10 per cent reduction in its working force this week. The road's an nouncement said that in the western region between 11.000 and 12,000 workers would be laid off. J. G. Rodgers, vice president of the northwestern region at Chicago, said that the reduction applied only to the eastern region, but that a re duction in this territory was under consideration. From the office of the southwest ern region in St. Louis it was learned no reduction in working force was contemplated. The reports from Chicago that the railroad organizations probably would reject the proposed award, affected Wall street, active trans portation shares averaging one point decline. All Are In Conference. The most closely watched con ference of rail leaders today was that of the "Big Five" group, compris ing the brotherhood of railway fire men, conductors, trainmen and switchmen. Representatives of the six feder ated crafts, including the black smiths, boilcrmakers, carpenters and electricians also were in session, while leaders of the maintenance em ployes, clerks, freight handlers and laborers met in several conferences. "There is nothing to be said yet," said W. S. Stone, grand chief of the enginemen. "We are here to re ceive the awards of the railroad wage board tomorrow. None of us know what the award will be. We are talking things over today." Immediately after announcement of the award tomorrow the grand council of the brotherhoods will be called. It will be the first session in more than a year. Sixteen groups of rail workers will be represented. They will act upon the award, sec tion by section. At the general meeting of union heads today, at which Peter Kil- duff, chairman of the engineers un ion on the Rock Island svstem was selected chairman; credentials of all union employees were careiuuy ex amined before they were allowed to enter. Secrecy shrouded the meet ing. Compromise Unacceptable. The only union leaders here who were outspoken concerning the sit uation was S. E. Hcberling, presi dent of the switchmen's union, of North America. He declared the unions were not bound to accept the awards. Asserting that he "should not like to see a general strike call ed" he said that with the switchmen asking a 60 per cent increase" a com promise would hardly be accept able." "If the award is not sufficient to assure us a decent living, we will take concerted action," he said. While the recognized brotherhood chiefs were in session another group representing the new rail unions organized during the rail strikes in April met under tha leadership of John Grunau, presi dent of the Chicago Yardmen's as fociation, to formulate plans of their own. They have asked that their seniority rights be restored, but the board refused their repre sentatives and it was understood that the awards would not touch on their status. "We are not ready to say at thU time just what we will do," said John Grunau. "But I don't believ (Continued oa Ff Two, Column OnaJ
