North Carolina Newspapers

.11 WATCULAIZL' on your tp"i4 rnwi v 4syo k.far. S'firaUon la order I. avsia aMiBg Ingls sopr. Cim lMI Far nsrtwdaw ss4 m y mrnim FrtfsT m M tatstis Tasnaaay. Hid ,,VOL CXIV."NO. 112.. SIXTEEN PAGES TODAY, RALEIGH. N. C THURSDAY MORNING. OCTOBER 20.-192.1. SIXTEEN PAGES TODAY. PRICE. FIVE CENTS Observer ' , -'iii . r ' i-JMflmg,.. 'i. . T '....n '".I, mm DAY AT STATE FAIR WILL 5iayf The Big Day of State Fair, Promiset Recoro- Breaker PRESIDENT RECEIVES GIFTS OF EXHIBITORS IT taxless Orsgf i Tuniiih Thrill Hot Contracted Tor When They Oruh In Midair; Orowdi Yesterday Equal Eecord-Breaken of Lait Tear; Fertiliser Xxhibiti Today ia th day whn all food Tar feeds cob. to BalairH and the State UIr. Officially the day U North Caro lina Day, and the management of the fair is prepared to reeieve jnst al many Jeopl a will tome fifty thousand, a Saadred thooaand,, or whatever number of folia that may feel impelled to eome lither for the annual fesOday. Thousands earns yesterday, just how tnany had aot been counted last Bight, jbat a nit number, aa many, or more Shan were hero on the second day of Ike fair last year. Even with more boom than was available last year the sjronnds had the appearance of being fcs full as they were any day of last year's fair. Secretary Pogue thought the records were being broken. History was engaged generally in the femes of repeating itsel?. The erowds looked like they looked last year and ths year, before and the year before, We. They did the same things they 'did last year, marveled at the exhibits, praped at the free attractions, were (flim-flammed by the midway fakirs, bad their fortunes told in ye same amazing tJaahlon, had their corns tromped upon aaw the same midway shows. It is the air. Today Big Day Todsy will be as other peak days of jthe fair have been, only perhaps more no, xne weauier propneia yrumiBo cuu itinued aridity, and dust will fly 'the usual clouds. The exhibit halls will be so filled with, folks that they :will likely hare to stay until tomorrow If they must see everything tbnt is oa display. Tomorrow will be just as good a day as today for seeing the fair, but if it is people you want to tee, today ia the day. lira. George W. Vandcrblit, presi dent of tho Fair, and who is slated to neeeed herself, and break again the bonds of tradition, continued her per onal inspection of every exhibit at the fair, Eateaaiya as her estates ia Bun combo county, ah may have to buy more land upon which to store the gifts that are being showered upon her. Everywhere she stopped to admire an eihlbit, it immediately became hers with the enthusiastic good wishes of the exhibitor. Cakes that have been the marvel ef the fair were bestowed upon her, and a wide variety of other things. Mrs. Vandcrblit Popular As president of the Fair, Mrs. Van derbilt has worked her way into the hearts of everybody ns no other presi dent has ever dono. Her coming to the fair grounds each morning is watched for with eager interest, and there, is a stir among exhibitors where ever she goes. Everybody knows licr, and hundreds have made her acquain tance in the exhibit places an.d about the grounds, and the lowliest has no hesitancy in speaking to her. The fearless Greggs furnished more thrills than their contract called for yesterday. Something went wrong, somebody miscalculated by a fraction ef a second, and there was a collision ia midair aa one automobile shot under the other as the second did a loop in tho air. One or 'the brothers was koneked unconscious for a few minutes He was not seriously Injured, and the damage to the ear ww only slight.. They were back on the job three hours later. Gregg Brothers Wreck According to their -explanation of the mishap, due to calculation was not made of the rise in temperature. leat has Bo little to do with the air resis tance to the movement of the two cars, and their movement must be gauged to tho fraction of a second. It is all eal cnlated with the acme of mathematical precision, just the precise moment the second ear must be eet in motion in order for it to pass under the second while it is in the air. It went wrong, nd the smash came. The accident wss witnessed bv sever tl hundred people, but by no means the crowd that would have seen it, had the stunt been pulled at the time sched vied oa the program. It happened at noon, and tho crowd, expecting the free atratctions to begin at one o'clock had not moved much toward that see tion of the grounds. The other free attractions were pulled off on schedule time, and without damage to the actors or undue excitement to spectators. Boll Fertility Stressed Possums in their native element. a persimmon tree laden with yellow fruit as yet untouched by frost, aa Indian Wigwam covered with ast.il regioi moes and it accompanying native In dian maiden serve to eal lattention to one o ft he striking fertility exhibits at the fair. This is the booth occupied by the Seminole Phosphate Company. The exhibit pictures in faithful detail a North Carolina harvest showing ex silent stalk and ear of corn, leaves of tobaeho, sweet and Irish potatoes, wen oeveiopea stalks of cotton laden with the snowy lint and peahuts. Sam pies of the fertilizer mixtures msde by saw OMnpaay-oompWe tho iextliblt. " The American:. Agricultural Chemical Company have their exhibit, down among the farm product .displays, .-Bomal enlargements ahowinc the re mit of tho proper (ns of fertilizer wits, some or the leading crops of the Stat U the main feature of this ex . (Continued oa Pago Two) BRING THOUSANDS Harris Must Dieln Governor Refuses To Interfere Telesrama Pour In Upon Him Foreman And Other Members of Jury Who lned Hams Recommend Commutation; Dr. Hall, Noted Alienist, Offers Similar Recommendation; Judge Carter Presents New Evidence; Governor Former TJaiaprisssd by last aslant ap peal from oon and daughter, denying aadionee to those who would have eoa ferred with aim and with, a great (tack of telegrams, letters and petition urg ing commutation naread, Governor Cameron hiorrison yesterday afternoon issued a statement detuning to inter fere with tho judgment of the court that decreed tho death of J. T. Har ris, Kidgeerect merchant, in the elec tric chair of the State Prison this morning at 10:30. Word from Kev. 0. B. Mitchell, Bap tist minister of Cameron, who has been hi spiritual adviser, lsst night was that Harris, slayer ef P. W. Monnish, wealthy citir.es of Alabama, in Septem ber, 1920, is ready to die. Juror Ask Commutation But whils the Governor has declared emphatically that his determination is fixed, attorneys and friends of Harris last night were making supreme efforts in his behalf. In ths Governor's file of telegrams is one from the foreman of the jury which eonvicted Harris asking for commutation, while tele grams from two more jurors asking for commutation went to him last last night. These telegram, in spite of the Gov ernor s declaration that ho had read none of them, gave to the friends of the condemned man last night some hope They expected, him to read them last night '"I was foreman of the jury thnt eon victed Harris," read the telegram from C. J. Woodcy. "I feel that Jostle Would be met by commuting ths sentence to life imprisonment und I would request that you so do. New matte has de veloped which if the jury had- known the verdict might have been different." The two other jurors were Parker and MulUnax. Letter From Carter Coupled with this was the statement presented to the Governor yesterday in an open letter from Judge Frank Carter in which Judge Carter, explain ing that the ordinary chancels of an proach had been closed to hi since his first public utterance two day age Unusually Large Attendance of Ministers and Laymen When Conference Convenes By T. A. STKKS High Point. Oct. 19. Tho first day's session of the Western North Caro lina conference which began its 32nd annual meeting in Wesley Memorial church, this city, at 9 o'clock this morn ing was featured with addresses by Rev. Luther E. Todd, D. D., secretary of the board of finance of the Southern Methodist church, and Dr. H. N. Snyder, president of Wofford College, opartan burg, 8. C. Those gentlemen represented the cause of the superannuate fund that is being raised for the benefit of worn out preachers of the ehurjn, and Chris tian education respectively. These speakers wcro accorded applause sev eral, times as they told of the great .needs of these two interests of 'he church. Save Home of Preacher. Another matter that called for the fine collection for Rev. M. T. Steele, one of the honored superannuate members of the conference, was a let ter read by the secretary from the mayor ef St. Petersburg, FlaH which stated that Mr. Steele had been swindled out of several hundred dollars and ras about to lose his home in consequence of what ho had lost. The brethren quickly raised tho amount necessary to save the home of the preacher. At the hour appointed for the con vening of tho conference Wesley Me morial church the seat of conference, was filled with this great body of relig ious workers, and Hishop Darlington announced the opening hymn, "And Are We Tet Alive and See Each Other's Face.'' This old hymn, which has been sung at the opening of conference ses sions, for more than a hundred years, was never sung with greater fervor than it was this morning. Bishop Darl ington himself conducted the opening religions service and hi address em phasized the love of Christ. Secretary Calls Roll. When the bishop hsd finished his ad dress and tho conference had sung, "Jesus, Name High Over AlI,'TTtcv. W. U Bherrill, who has been the efficient secretary of the conference, for more than aquarter of a century, was ssked to call the roll of the conference. An un usually large number of the preachers anjJ lav jeantes answered to their names. ties. ,W. L. Sherrill was elected sec retary to succeed himself. He nominatod as his assistants, Bevs. C. M. Pickens, W. F. Standford, C. C. Brinkman, E. 0. Cole and J. J. Gray. Rev. A. W. Plyler, secretary to the cabinet and presiding elder of the Greensboro dis trict, nominated the standing commit tees and they were elected a follows: Standing Committees Naned. Spiritual state of thev church, P. L. Shore, Mrs. H. A. Dunham, H. G. Har din, Fred N Hall, H. C. Bprnkle, Fred C. Odnll, J. C. Postell, Mrs. M. G. Goodwin, J. W. Combs, Mrs. J. L. Woltx, T. E. Wagg, J. E. Btanbury, Ira Irvin, A. H Sides, A. L. Stanford, Harrv Falls, J. W. Ingle, J. L. Nelson, R. F. Mock, J W. Walker A, & StaffortUuil J. F. lluynes. Sabbath Observance, 3. A. Bowles, J. A. Hell, B. K. Brady, G. T. Bond, J. A. B Holderby J. E, Rector, i.- A. Fray, 0. B. Gardner, L. P. Bogle, W. B. Ware, Mis Delia Perkins, A. B. Burratt, T. A. Haitheock, W. T. Albright, Mrs. O. A. Hoyle, J. T. Batledg. Mr. By C. (Coatlancd on page Two.) METHODISTS OPEN ANNUA MEETING Chair Today; From AH Part of State; Declines To Discuss Matter presented om new evidence which ho maintained warrantee: at lean stay of execution natil investigation might be had. Judge Carter a4 lnxormatioa that on the day before the tragedy, Mia Bessie Harris, daughter of the condemn ed man, had written a letter to Moa- aiah warning him that her father would kill him on account of hi attention on her Mother. Mis Harris questioned by Jndg Carter yesterday, upon her arrival here, denied this but admitted that her mother, oa tho night before the tragedy, asked Rev. Livingston T. Mays, principal prosecuting witnese in the ease, to warn Monnish that he wa in danger because of her husband s be lief that there wa criminal intimacy between her and Monnish. May d dined. "If thi ttatement Is true, and I am positively certain that it is," declared Judge Carter, it throw aa entirely new light on thi case and utterly falsi fie the State's theory of the motive of the killing the only theory which the jury could honestly and intelligently have reached the verdict which they rea dored." More than one caller on the Governor yesterday in the interest of the Harris commutation wa disappointed. No one was more deeply offended, however. than Dr. Charles E. Maddry, correspond ing secretary, Baptist State Convention Dr. Maddry, returning from Chapel Hill, where he has been holding a re rival, called on the Governor in his in dividual capacity as a eitizen of the State to ask for commutation.. I have never boon treated so dis courteously, sajd Dr. Maddry after the interview. Apparently, the Baptist secretary never had a chance to male his state ment. Governor Morrison interrupted repeatedly with the declaration that he had been lied about and bounded by people in the matter, that his mind was msde up, and that he didnt want talk to anybody else abont i.. 'He appeared to be very angry,"' said (Continued On Page Two.) LINCOLNTON GETS NEXT STATE SYNOD Reports of Presbyterian Educa tional Institutions Show Thriving Growth m v s a w . larwiro, uci. i. Lanoomton was unanimously selected as the place for the next meeting of the Presbyterian Synod of North Carolina at the after noon session of the Synod, which is in session at Howard Memorial Presby terian church. The sessions today were devoted to hearing reports from th educationaVinstitutions of the churc and tonight's session was devoted t the home mission work of the church The Synod, which convened here last night, will be in session through Fri day morning. The morning session of the Synod opened with devotional exercises by Kev. W. a. Mcllwaine, of Charlotte After thi service the minutes of th previous evening s session were rea and approved and Rev. Dr. W. E.sHill th new moderator announced standing committees. 1 Want New Presbytery The following overtures were read From the ' Presbytery of Fsyetteville asking for the erection of a new Pres bytery to be composed of the counties of Orange, Person and Durham, from the Presbytery of Orange; of Granvill Vance, Warren, Franklin and Waki from the Presbytery of Albemarle, an of Chatham and, Lee from the Preshy tery or r aycttevwe; also asking to the transfor of parts of Sampson ani ISIaden counties from Wilmington to Fnyetteville Presbytery. From the Concord Presbytery for the elimination of many business details i the meetings of the Synod, which have already been transacted by the Pre byterks and fully reported; and in stead of these to have a committee arrange a program for considering a popular and inspirations! wy som of these matters. Bright Prospect at Davidson An elaborate report was presentt from Davidson College showing that the 86th session of that institution opened with the largest enrollment for the first day; there re 812 students enrolled to date, of which 208 are freshmen and is said to b the largest and best pre pared elasss in the history of the col lege. There are also two young women There are members of nine diffcrc denominations nd there are Si stu aent or ,ne ministry. Seventeen states snd three foreign countries a represented in the student body. There have been added three new professors and two assistant professors and it stated that others are still badly needed and will be added as soon possible. There are 25 active professors besides many assistant tenofiers. Fou new faculty home have been erected and the pressing need bow is for dor mitory, laboratory and recitation buil ings and a heating plant. Apnrox matelv 150,Ono hat been added to th endowment. It is stated that the col lege is better organized and bett eqnipped than ever before and th mornie or me siuaeni oay is eieep tional fine. .The report for. the .Pinion. TheoUieal neminary snows wai tnere are 100 etn dents enrolled with seven full profe sors snd one instructor! The student are doing- mission work at eight point Desides street preacntng and 23 are vol unteers for tho foreign fields. Sch an filer Hall, a . modern Sunday school build Ing for normal work, and handsome (Contlaaed Ob Pag. Two) ACTIONS DONTFIT i REPUBLICAN TALK ABOUT EFFICIENCY ppointments ' Indicate That Only Good Republicans Can - Land In Positions DEMOCRATS RILED BY , PATENT HUMBUGGERY . X Ssnator Moses Attacks Agri cultural "Bloc" In Senate; William Sandolph Hearst In rites Members of Congress To Visit Canada at His Ex pense To Study aJes Tax The New and Observer Rureau, 603 District National Bank Bldg., By EDWARD E. BRITTON (By Special Leased Wire.) Washington, Oct. 19 To listen to the utterances for publicity which sre now coming from Republican high offi cials of tho government one would think that there was a "drive on" to rid the government service of politics. But the trouble is that while there is a plenty of talk and then some about efficiency in place ef polities, it does not materialize, and the list of Ap pointees for political reasons continues up and down the ladder. There is no complaint from Demo crats that Beuplicana are being ap pointed to office. They are of the opinion that ss the Republicans have the government the matter of appoint ments is u p to them. But what they do object to i th matter of pious air of seeking efficiency above politics with which the powers that be regale the country, and while the pretense goes on that Republicans are put on the Federal pay rolls because they are Re publicans and as a reward for party service. It is the humbiigcery hat is indulged in that gets the goat of the Democrats. Efflcieacy Means Republicans Four ease in particular are evidence just now of this publicity campaign of appointment solely for the good of service. Engaging in this are Presi dent Harding, Postmaster Genera! Hays Prohibition Commissioner Ilaynes and Director of Veterans Bureau Forbes. It will be remembered that only a very few davs ago President Harding dedar ed that he preferred efficiency "With a hard-boiled Democrat rather than to hav ia service a yellow Republican,'.' a statement that would indicate that efficiency and not politic 'Was to rule th roost. But if any one can find that Presi dent Harding has found th needed ef fleitney except within th rank ef the Republican party the evidenre of it has been carefully hidden. Postmaster Gen eral Hays, past master in the art of politics and political appointments, de claiming for the public ear that merit is to be tUe gauge of appointments, yet has found th way with (lie aid of fake eivil service xecutiva order of Presi dent 'Harding to place Republicans in psotmasterships whether or no, and in cidentally is waorkmg the "acting' post master business to the taste of all Be publicans. And all this in the face of his demand for efficient service and his calls for men to enter it who will "de vote their lives" to the work. To "de vote their lives" to gflTVnment with Republicans being appointed is the good Idea from the Republican view point because they are grabbing off the job and would like to hang on for life. "Few die and none resign" is the slogan. Mack Talk. Little Actio. Prohibition Commissioner Haynes is also out with the notice that he is for efficiency above all things else, and that he wanta service and not politic to be the rule ia the enforcement of prohibi tion law. But the jobs under his do main are regarded aa extremely good picking, by Republican spoilsmen, and if ho proposes to make good he will have to show it by deeds rsther than b ywords. That Republicans of various states are getting the positions in hU bureau ia the talk among members of Congress, and unless there is a swift turn about it will continue to be poli tics of Republican brand that will be the best recommendation for getting the jobs. Director Forbes, of the vet ersns. bureau is reported in the papers (Contlaaed On Pago Two) FAVORABLE PICKING WEATHER CONTINUES Harvesting of Cotton Crop Con tinues To Make Rapid Prog-' ress In Belt Washington, Oct 19. Ideal weather for picking and ginning cotton pre vailed during the past week and very rapid progress wss made in all sections where this work hss not been eom Dieted, according to the National Weather and Crop Bulletin issued U day. Killing frosts occurred in the northern sections of the cotton b'lt but without material damage, the bulle tin stated, and sdded: "Picking has been completed in South Carolina, except in the northwestern portion, snd ths crop has been mostly gathered in Tennessee. This work far sd vineed in Arksnsas, is well along in Oklahoma snd about completed in Texas, except in the northwest portion. Picking has been practically aeeom plished in Georgia, and has been fin isbed in most sections of central an southern Alabama, while rapid progress was made in North Carolina and Mi aisaippi and the crop ba been mostly picked ia Louisiana.' The feeding of Small grain made rapid progress daring the week in the tonthern portion of tho winter wheat belt from tho Mississippi Valley out ward, but the toil has become too' dry for wheat in th -Atlantis Coast Btatrs front Virginia southward and in Okla homa. Rain i needed also for fruit aad fsU track ia al! parts of the Booth. Ambassador Herrick Has Narrow Escape From Bomb Deadly Missile Believed To Have Been Sent By French Com' munisU As Protest Against Conviction of Two of Their Members In U. S.; Valet Who Opened Package !i Slightly Hurt Paris, Oct 19V (By ths Associated Press.) A small, oblong package wrap ped in plain whit paper, tied with a strong cord aad marked ''perfume," lay oa a table In th American Embassy all this morning. It was addressed per sonally to the American Embaasaitnr, Myron T. Herrick, and had been deliv ered by registered post. Bomb Ia Package Thinking it was a gift for the Am bassador, Secretary Lawrence Norton carried it to the Ambassador'e resi dence. Karly in the evening the Am bassador'a valet, Blanchard, saw the package on a desk, and following cus tom, started to open it The removal of the paper revealed a email paste board bux, such as might be used for holding soap. Almost immediately a spring was released snd as Blanchard lifted the lid he heard a familiar noise which brought back the duys lien he was a bomber in the llritii.li army. II hurled the box through the open bathroom door and ran from the room The bomb exploded in the doorway, wo fragments hitting the valet in the back, lie was not seriously injured. Narrow F.wap The Auibassador, his daughter in law Mrs. I'armley Herrkk( and her sewn ear old son, wero just at this time as- eending the etairwav preparatory to entering Mr. Herriek's suite. Blanch ard rams running out as the Ambus sador reached the top. A biimb exploded and I am hit. the vaict shouted. I hank. Ood, )ou were not in the room. Dlnnrhard then collapse.' and as carried downstairs. Tho Ambassador motored immediately to the Hotel Cril Ion to ask General Pershing the best thing to do, and the Prefect of Poli.-e was summoned. Convmanieb Suspected. The bomb is believed by the police to have been sent by rrench Conimun ists as a protest against the conviction of two Communists in the Vnitcd State charged with murder. It contained the deadliest of explosives, according to the Prefect and his staff of bomb experts. Proof of the strength of the explo sives is shewn tv the fact that the bathroom was wrecked, that much dam oge was done in the bedroom and that President Gets Honorary Degree Of Doctor Of Laws Chief Executive Speaks at His toric William and Mary and at Yorktown TOUCHES ON RELATIONS WITH OTHER COUNTRIES Announces Policy of Anglo- American Friendship; Visits Historic Scenes Williamsburg, Vs., Oct. 19 President Harding wo given the honorary de cree of Doctor of Uaws by the College of William and Mary today at exercises of installation (or Dr. J. A. V. ( hand ler as president of the institution. In tap and gown, Mr. Harding, in an ad dress, appealed for increased patriotic attention to the national educational system and praised the part played in American history by the institution, which is the eecond oldest college of the country and among whose grad uales are numbered three Presidents of the Vnited States. Spoke at Yorktown Before coming here the President d livered an address from the spot in Yorktown where ljord Cornwallis sur rendered the British forces of the Rev olution to' General Washington in 17K1 and announced to the world a policy of Anglo American friendship for all fu ture time. The United States and Great Britain, the President asserted, had consecrated a long time friendship by association in the common sacrifice of the world war and found themselves "arrayed to gether" in a trusteeship for the preser i at ion of civilization. He spoke also a word of gratitude for the aid given by France in the Revolution and de dared the time had come for world wide co-operation and amity among na tions. Declaration of Policy That part of the Yorktown speech de voted to British American relations was in the form of a brief declaration of policy on which the President did not elaborate. "The triumph of freedom in the American colonies,'1 he said, "gretitly strengthened liberal Tiews in the Obi World. Inevitably this liberal public opinion, deliberate and grown dominant, brought Great Britain and America to a policy of-accommodation and pacific adjustment for all our differences. "There has been honorable and un broken peace for more than a cent iry We canie to rur.imon sacrifices and en sanguined association in the world war, and a future breach of our penccfu and friendly relations is unthinkable. Ia the trusteeship of preserving rivili ration, we were naturally arrayed to gether, and the convictions of a civill- ration worthy of that costly preservs tion will eialt peace and warn against conflict fur all time to come." Participation "Inevitable" In the general discussion of world relations which followed, the President declared American participation in world affairs "inevitable, and voiced t hope that general co-operation "to the eoahnen- grmd-'1 "wotrtd -nshr-r'ttt a rw day of international relationship. He sounded a warning, however, against impairment of national sovereignty in tne name or international unity. Delegates were present at the Wil liam and Mary exercise from all col lege in the country more than Its) year old and honorary degree also r ' - (Continued, on Pg Twlv.) seven fragments wept through a thick stool wardrobe mhiMlhers made deep dent la th metal door of a cabinet. Civ Phll Details. Th Ambassador's first thought was to ignore the matter, but General Per shing and other advised him to make tho full details publis because of the possibility of other boaib o I rages. The Prefect, accompanied by the Attorney General of France, came to the hotel and ahortly afterward went with th Ambassador to th latter horn. Th Prefect made the announcement that five thousand police and detectives would begin at once a sesrehing in quiry and that probably there would be numerous arrests smong known Communists, Mlllersnd Congratulate. President Millerand was among the first to congratulate the American Am bassador on hi escape. He sent his personal representatives to convey n- gratulations in the name of th people of France that the Ambassador had not been, hurt and to assure Mr. Derrick that the outrage was deeply resented by every Frenchman worthy of the name and Uiat greatest efforts would be made to npprohend the guilty. , Premier Briand, 1-eon Bourgeois and many members of the diplomatic corps sent similar messages, and throughout Paris the moat intense indignation is expressed st the attack on the Am bassador. Threatening Letters. Mr. Herrick had refused to take seriously scores of letters he received protesting against the conviction of the two alU'ged Communists in the United States. Home of these were politely phrased but others made open threats to "set the Ambassador" snd blow up the embassy. Most of these letters were placed by Mr. Derrick in wha,t he calls his crank box. As typical of the campaign the Com munist press has been conducting for the past fortnight in connection with the conviction of Baeeo and Vansotti, the following appears in the Journal: Du Peuple: Csmmanlat Propaganda. "A machin so powerful America (Continued on Pag Twelve.) Superintendent of Schools Con fers Here With Attor . ney General Faced by the necessity of closing down the schools of his county unless some method can bo found to overcome the refusal of the Boar.1 of County Com-nissioners to levy the neeesssry taxSuptrintendent C. M. Tlckson here ynst-rday in conference with State officials as to the best method of get ting the matter into the courts. A final decision wss not reached owing to the absence from the city of State Bupt P. K. Brooks, but Mr. Dkk son was given an opinion from Attorney Gencrnl James S. Manning to the effect that the situation is on all fours with the one presented in the easo now on appeal in the Supreme Court from Ynil kin County, in which it was held by th Superior Court that the commissionors am required by law to levy a tax thnt will produce the same amount as a 30c tax did on the 1920 valuation. It is probablo that on Mr. Dickson return home that a mamlumus proceed ing will be brought by some citir of the county, similar to that now pend ing from Yadkin County. I he ladkin county proceeding was instituted by the county board of edu cation, but in Ashe county the boar split on tho question of approving the budget submitted by the county sup rrintendent, which calls for i II 1 cent tax to raise the amount obtained from the .10 cent tax on the valuation of 1920, which have received a horir.on tal cut of S3 13 per cent. Two Fill One Vacancy The even division on the Ashe count Board of Kducation was brought about by the appointment of two members to (III one vacancy by the Inst legislature This was brought about beenuse of the appointment of G. P. Greene as a mem r.er of the county Highway Commissi Hut Mr. Greene refused to accept th rew post and did not resipu from me bership en the Hoard of Education, with the result that the latter body now ha four members, with the old menders standing by the superintendent and th 'two new ones eppofiing him T. . Howie, who represented th county in the last session of the Igis laturc, has advised the Board of Kdu cation to which he is attorney that there is no necessity r.ndcr the law to ievy more thsn 20 cents tax and tha the deficit mtst be mode up bv th Stats Equalizing Fund. Mr. Howie ij backed in this lejjal opinion by the attorney to the Board of Ccrnty C6m missioner. However, the ruling of the Attorney General, under which the SUte Hoard in nrling, is In r on fo rarity to th fi cision in the Yidkia eouuty case and the schools r.yiv have only money enpugli to run for i.7 months, with! prospects tlat they will be cut oil from the benefits of the equalising fund. A number of Teachers in the eounty have resigned and several of th schools have closed for that reason, with (till; other (Con tinned on Pag Twelve.) ASHE CONTROVERSY TO GO INTO COURTS PEACE EFFORTS lfl REGARD TO STRIKE WILL BEGIN TODAY Conference Between 'Big Five' Heads and Labor Board of Chief Interest MINOR ORGANIZATIONS NOW DEBATING QUESTION Attitude of Jewell and Smock Held Out As Sign of Peace ful Settlement of Difflcul ties; Public Group Proposal Mot Meeting With Much Pa Tor; Rail Heads Meeting Chicago, Oct. 19. (By the Associated Press.) Preparation for th various moves through which it is hoped the threatened Rail strike will be averted wero completed today and tomorrow the peace effort will b in full (wing. Tonight head of the union and of the carrier were silently alert with figuratively speaking oiti eye on the conferences tomorrow and the other on meetings of officials of eleven unions which have not yet Joined the conduc tors, enginemen, trainmen, firemen and switchmen in a strike order, for both sides were agreed that out of these conference wonld come the final deeis- on as to whether a general walkout of ail employes would matertlixe. Important Conference In the conference with th laser rested the possibility of the "Big Five" being persuaded to caneet their order for a walkout in the meeting of the eleven unions which actually started today, wns to be decided whether these organisations, holding the balance of man power through numbering three- fourths of the nearly 2,000,000 rail workers in their membership, would join the "Big Five" if they walked out October 30 as planned. Signs of Peace While the "Big Five" conference was looked on as the most important of the peace moves, railroad men tonight profeased to see signs of a peacful settlement of the difficulties In th at titude of B. M. Jewell, head of the 456,000 member of the six railway shop craft organizations, and of J. C. Smock, vics-president of the Maintenance of Way union, which number 800100 men. Th shop waft executive souneil net today, but took no action other than to sail in th conference committee ef 100, Th committee, whil having pow er to call a trike, also is expect to defir aotica by sailing in th 1,000 general chairmen for meeting Friday, when the Inal attitude of th group probably will b mads known. - The maintenance of wty executive council met only informally today, the formal meeting coming tomorrow wken all of the members are expected to be preaent Do Not Want a Strike "1 cannot ipoak for my entire organ ization now, but personally I will any that we to not want a strike, that we would never strike on the wage ques tion unless forced to, and that we will not go into any walkout with tCe brotherhoods unless we have definite promises of eo-oporationt which so far have not been forthcoming from them," said J. C. Smock, maintenance of way vice-president, tonight. The labor board will go Into sanfer enee with assurance of full support from every intercstod governmental de partment, its members said tonight, following an executive session at which they went over the case. One member intimated he believed the board had found a legal method of enforcing its ruling. Jleretofere, ths board has maintained that it had no power to carry out its decisions and union and railroads each have charged the other with violating tho board's rulings. Makes No Annoancement. The board had no announcement to make tonight as to its procedure to morrow other than to say that the d. ........ u "Ulii.l U u KUIIV VCI fcl4UlUUU- ly'. It was understood, however, that a plan similar to thnt proposed by the publio group in Washington calling for acceptance of the last wage cut and cancellation of the strike order by the mon, with ths roads immediately re ducing freight rates and temporarily postponing further wage cuts would be the basis of discussion. Board members admitted they realise the board really ia lighting for its life and that much of its future depends on its ability to handle the present situa tion. Proposal Not Favored. In connection with the possibility of this conference sverting strike, it was minted out, however, that many railriwida have announced positively that the public group proposal is im possible in ttieir opinion while few labor lenders Imve expressed very warm approval of it. In this connection Samuel O. Dunn, editor of Kiiilway Age, issued a state ment tiolny denouncing the plan as "in volving a complete surrender by ths roads to the labor unions." The state ment said that the "labor leaders' op position to the plan was a bluff, as it was exactly what the unions waut" Possibility of immediate steps to bring about a .labor board hearing en the proposed l'J per cent wage cut which the romls recently announced iiit-.T nuuio m nils rt-jiuncu. lu tan cireles, hut locally no action yet has been taken to this end. Informal meet ings of presidents of railroads enter ing CIiicj:;o aro being held almost daily, however, and it was said that definite announcements would be made shortly. " TS'ol 'Advertising Tet Frcsldtiuts of railroads centering hsre Invi) not yet advertised for men 0 man the trains in case of a rtrikiv ss has been done in New Y'ork, but this sction also will be taken within a few days, it was said. Kecall of M men on pension, appeals to th publie to help .run th trains, . (Centlsw4 on Peg Two) '.