North Carolina Newspapers

r UNSETTLED -VOlTxXXVII, NO. 140 THE ASHEVILLE CITIZEN TCH LABEL ON YOUR PAPER It Will Tall Veu Wbsn Yam' Subtcriptieit Enplris. R-n-w Five Days Bfor fc. pirtion. So You Won't MIm An Issue. ASHEVILLE. N. C. WEDNESDAY MORNING, MAIU'H 2.01)21. POLISH VICTORY IN fjnusTKiAL region PRICE FIVE CENTS m J! v IF UPPER SILESIA Claimed By French Despite the German Majority In Plebiscite. COUNTRYDISTRICTS ON THEJPOLISH SIDE Inter - Allied Commission Gives Germany Major ity of 245,002. BERLIN, March 22. The linn I ,10 I" ph'lllM'itC 111 l'lMT Mlcsiu HS announced toduy liy (he i inter-nl"cd -oninilslon is: tier- I many IolfiMl 41.406. 1 BSIS Of COM Ml Nr. VOTE. 1 WASHINGTON, March 22- A inn - iorliy l l"p Clisiricis oi i ppcr M Jpsia vi ere carried hy Tola ml In (ho i-rrent plebiscite, the Polish legation here announced tonight upon receipt ,.f orTii if I advices from its foreign nf-j ili-pat Warsaw, i.ii a total oi it, ms-, WHERE TURKISH NATIONALISTS AND FRENCH TROOPS BATTLE jiii-ts in me nroMiin-, i-manu nas cion- , i;elv carricu mum-, mm hi nu n are in the rich oal and industrial .section. nas a no en. Return upon which the foreign of fice statement wan based, t ho legation, id. were not complete hut won- enn- elusive and showed that Poland had jtainert majorities in 462 communes and Germany in but fl2. No advices BPi-p received concerning the results ., the other seven districts, j The districts claimed by the Polish , legation in its statement are: Pless. ! Rvhnik. Spreheliti!, Glciwtiz. Tarno-I wit. Illndonburg. Beuthcn. .Makowitz nd Kucnigshuettc. The result of the plebiscite will he determined, the lo cation said, not by a majority of the Central vote Cast but hy commune majorities. "The inter-allied mission." the mes sage from the foreign office at War nan said, "will present to the supreme rouncil I of the league of nations) the plan for division of Upper Silesia on the basis of the commune vote, taking into consideration the geographical mirl economical situation of each lo-mllty" FRENCH TO Al'I'KAI,, OF'PELN. Upper Silesia. March 22. -Indications in official quarters to day were that the Kronen section of the inter-allied commission would Mf'k to convince he rouncil of am iMssadors at Paris that Poland had non virtually the entire industrial sec tion of l'pper Silesia, on the left hank i if the Oder, despite the general Ger mhh majority in Mie plebiscite. The Germans are claiming- the in ilustrial region as a whole by'fiO.nnO majority and are conceded to have "in the plebiscite hy approximately "in.onn, but the French suggest a 1'nlish victory hy a majority of the. i.iiimunes In the big mining and In-' iliistrial centers. Ciermany won In the; '.-.. ltlu K.. i, ju..-,. . ji'ng Polish, a majority of the com I'munMi voed for the Polish side. Thus! in,- x i-iii-n nuFKesiion oi giving; jo land the territory south of Oppeln' sni ensl of the Oder. British circles are understood to be j lot wholly favorable to the French ""siiion, but are inclined to permit fie ionn.il of ambassadors to decide, "ithoiit presentation of any brief on 'h part of the allies. The German plebiscite commission issued the firm and apparently accu rate returns of their final figures, giv ing Germany 718,406, hut Poland only 171,232. The Poles are visibly disappointed r the result, but are pinning their rope on the action of the council of imhassadors, wriile, the Germans are Preparing a vigorous protest against 'he commune proposal or any par-'Minning. PROSPEGT OF PEACE PRESIDENT ISSUES ST III PACKER DISPUTE GALL FOB CUBESS Whiskey Syndicate B EGOM ESJBH I G HTE R TO MEET APRIL 11 Davis Informs Cabinet He I To Receive Legislative Rec Has Hope For Early j ommendations From Agreement. New Administration PACKERS AGREE TO FIVE SUSPECTED OF PLANTING BOMB ON PLAN OF MEDIATION: Believe Employes Will Sub mit to Reduction as Made March 7. HARDING NAMES NO SPECIFIC PROBLEM Taxation and the Tariff to Be Main Plea in Pres ident's Message. I WASHINGTON, formal rail fur an congrc--. to moot receive Vgi-iative Arrow points to region in which recent dishes occurred. Despite the fact that the Turkish Nationalist- and the French sicro ed a preliminary peace agreement in which France agreed to withdraw her troops from Cilicia, it is reported from Constantinople that, after brief truce, fighting has been renewed. Numerous anti-Bolshevist up risings near the Cilician border also are reported. SOVIETS APPEAL TOTaMERICA FOR RESUMPTION OF TRADE; TO SEND DELEGATION TO U. S. FIFTY BUILDINGS ARE WRECKED AT FIREWORKS PLANT CINCINNATI. March 22. Fire, which for a time threatened the entire residence section of Read ing, a suburb of Cincinnati, today destroyed 50 buildings of the A. Ij. Due fireworks plant. Explosions following the lire shook houses for several miles around, and persons and property in the vicinity were menaced by thousands of pieces of fireworks which shot in all direc tions. Among tho larger buildings de stroyed were six warehouses, six charging houses, and six supply houses. Other buildings burned were for the most part small struc tures. Estimates of the loss could not be obtained from officials of the company, but it was said it would run well above $100,000, including $15,000 worth of finished works stored In one of tho warehouses awaiting shipment. Suggest Negotiations For Trade Agreement Be Made at Once. WASINGTONHAS NO CONFIRMED REPORT EMPLOY HUGHES TO ROUND UP EVIDENCE Connect 51 With Alleged Round-Up Evidence. Witness Unable to Estimate Value of Shipments Stolen by Himself. MACON, Oa.., March 22. During his cross-examination today in the I trial of 53 persons accused or con- spiracy to steal express shipments I f, 'ih I'nited States government. geographical and industrial , AV A Hughes admitted that after he had confessed to express ronneries. he was employed as a special agent of the American Railway Express company "to obtain evidence to back up my testimony." Wallace Miller, leading counsel for ti e defense, 'put Hughes through a rigid cross-examination and had not concluded when court recessed until tomorrow morning. As to his testimony connecting all but two of the accused persons with tho alleged conspiracy. Hughes de clared that he was not having daily rehearsals with attorneys for the gov ernment or with anyone else. He de clared that he recalled from memory the information that lie had given. At different times, he said, he had reduced to writing the story of the transactions in which he had figured, and he said that he had used this information on two occasions. Ho admitted that he knew when he was testifying before the federal grand jury he was making out a con spiracy case. "Get the Orders." "Didn't Superintendent R. H. Mays tell you to continue stealing and to persuade others to steal?" asked Mil ler. "He said if I got orders for goods from the men to take them and he (Continued on Page Eignt.) TCOMPI,KTI0 VICTORY. RKR1-IN. March 22. Sobered by incompleteness of their victory in !"e plebiscite in ITni-iei- Sltpsin the 'ernian government and press are be-innin(,- to assert vociferously that Ipper Silesia constitutes "an Indls- somiilo ' " This was the kevnotn nf lhi e,ome extended today 'hy Chancel- 'T PehrPnbnoL- , t, H rnAtirn Mlnl.tAr Simons to those returning from the Plebiscite zone This ia kn ihn hui-. ln of editorials in the papers. W'OIXD DIVIDE SECTION. "ARTS. Mare, R,r lh. A.n. 'taterl Press.) French official circles 'nd the newspapers admitted tonight "M me i.ermans had a majority of no vnfpj, jn T'nner Silesia hut ali-o-iHv ie advocating allowing the district's Ihleh decided 111 fuvnr nf PnlnnH In Win that republic. I lie Petit Pnrfsipn avi the C.r. "mns- carried 12 out of the 17 riis 'he five southeastern districts I'a.iaont ,0 p0anfl voting heavily In i favor, bringing the general nv . dEe of v"tes down to 65 per cent n tavor of Germany for the entire "rritnry. The Temns also advocates separat ist nJ'f'r s"p-'a and giving to Po 11 u Pfl!,tern districts. Including vi host mining territories, which tL ,n her favor- The plebiscite purpose was for the "Kingman as well as the other ,,p s ,0 dispose of themselves." the wspaper says. "The allies will not i tiie Polish workmen be surround- ' h' Germans " Administration's Attitude Shows Question to Be a Political One. LONDON, March 22. (By the Associated Press.) The Russian soviet government has appealed to President Harding ;ind the American government to rosumo trade relations with Russia, says a wireless message from Moscow today. The soviet government proposes to send a delegation to th United States to negotiate a trade agree ment, the message adds. The appeal which is made by the All-Russian central executive com mittee suggests that negotiations be started immediately for the resump tion of trade. It asserts there has been a long rxisting hope for friend ly relations with "the great north ern republic." refers to the hostility of the democratic administration," trusts that the present government will "appreciate the great advant ages which would ensue to both re publics by the resumption of trade relations," and declares that it is to tho interests of both nations to re move the wall which now separates the two countries. When many other states have con cluded treaties with Russia, tho ab sence of normal relations with the United States, the appeal says, ap pears as a "strange phenomenon." WASHINGTON, Mulch 22. - Pros pects of peace in the pitckinu indus try arc understood to be brighter tonight than at any time since Secre tary Davis, acting fit tho direction of President Harding and with tho as sistance of Secretaries Hoover and Wallace, began his efforts at media tion In the dispute between the big live packers and their union employ ees. The principal events of the day In cluded a conference between Secre tary Davis and representatives of the employees, consideration of thu mat ter ni the regular Tuesday cabinet meeting and separate conferences between Mr. Davis and tin' packers' .representatives and between the la bor secretary and the employes dele gates. At the close of the last con ference Secretary Davis announced that he would continue his meeting wilh the employes' representatives at !i:;in o'clock tomorrow morning. As ihe matter stood tonight it was believed that the employes had reconstruction .agreed in a general way to the wage j reduction put into effect March 7 ; and that in turn the packers had agreed to the extension of the war time Alschuler agreement for sub mistdou of differences between them and their employes to permanent me diation. Question of Hours The matter of hours. It was believ ed would be solved by the adoption of a weekly maximum based on an eight hour day to meet the peculiar conditions obtaining ill the. packing industry. The question of hours was considered before the conference be gan to be a minor difference but it is understood now that the question Involves the consideration of a mass of technical data. After conferring with the packers' representatives last night and with employes" delegates this morning, the labor secretary indicated before he attended today's cabinet meeting that he hoped for an early settlement and so informed the cabinet. Similar op timism was reflected In other quarters. Returning to the department or la bor from the cabinet meeting for a Joint meeting which had been arrang ed for 3 o'clock for which both sides had arrived. Secretary Davis called Carl Meyer and G. Gregory Condors for the packers into his offl.ee for an hour's session. Iater he was closet ed with Dennis Lane and Redmond S. Brennan, representing the em ployes and then announced a contin uation of this conference for tomor row morning. March 22. - A et t a Sessloc of on April ' ' a nil recitinineudation PUBLISHED from tin- new udministraHors was , lu minor in Issued today by President Harding. None of the specific problems to, be laid bet, ire the legislative branch were named in the procla mat ion. the) President merely declaring that an J extraordinary u.-i aslon reiiuircd that i congress ci-meni'. "to receive such' comnmnieat ion as may be made by i the cxeciit ivc " Mr. Harding already has indicated' however, that the tariff and taxation will be foremost in his message to the special session. He is expected to make ;l special plea for prompt relief to the nation's agricultural in terests and the list of recommenda tions mav touch main other sub jects, such as the railway Mlu.i'lun. the merchant murine, and immigra tion. One recommend. ition rohitivc fo leasiuis within the government machine itself is ex pected to suggest flic creation of a general commission to dispose of many kinds of property acquired by government agencies during the war. Whether the message will touch on foreign relations is a matter of spec ulation, but the President has indi cated that his primary desire for the session is that It work out a plan of governmental and industrial rehabil itation at home. Working Agreement. A program for the session has been discussed at a series of conferences between the President and loaders in tho senate and house, and although definite decisions still are. to be made, a feeling of confidence Is manifest that there will be a working agree ment that will expedite legislative business from the start. Some of the President's friends believe he will follow the custom of President Wilson in delivering 111.-. message to congress In person. It was said tonight at the White house, however, that no decision on Mint detail had been reached. Text of the proclamation follows: "Whereas public Interests require that the congress of the United States should bo convened In extra, session at 12 o'clock noon on the eleventh day of April, 1921, to le-t-eive such communication as may be made by the executive: -'Pow, ttiereTorr, "T. Warren (!. Harding, president of the United States of America, do hereby pro claim and declare that an extra ordinary occasion requires the con (Contlnued on Page Eight) ' Develop Potential Hoot leg Mar ket Into Wholesale Proportions. I.W c.i:k. March 22 - Thou.., ;, ,.( I'll-ls ca.-l Jn. I. Hi!.- ami m,,n w.i.n ir.r!. astute in sensing n.el, l,,i spirituous stimulants in , n tin e lii'lls. lie customers. tl.le i i , lo , 1 1 this ioteut;, l-ootl.-K tll.Uki'! 1 1 1 1 . 1 1 1 -I - see 'T onirt Ion-, f. l. -I : I u oiiil.it urn , n . fol, . IIH-lll iiKi nls revealed here loil.IV I Mi -t of the pus 11 i an lee ni, 11, III, v -anl. nue lleioiiiiarti rs ill .1 1 ; I I I u 1 1 1 house huKcmems Hy a snni,1 nm k ( illK Kg fei inetlt , then- llllse.-n ci.sliilinl. along. the ilunihwatol- .ililli ,u- .ilile t i iiiiiki known Ihelr teal wains siuiply lo iliswi-Iing " i s ' or ,' to ih,. I,-,-, u i a 1 1 ' c,i; of ' ice.' wiin ,i risini; lil j M lion. l Milk wagon drivers nlieiate sriuiewli.it I different . the oiii'orooiiioiit agents said, i They eillu-r i.iiry hip llaslvs iuiii 'i aie 'sold while on tin ir rounds or rls,, do- paque container. ACCURACY DF RATES DENIED BY CAS COMPANIES Seven Cities Combine Ef forts in Fight. Companies Deny Any De lay Hearings Caused by Their Action. LEGION FOR RETURN DECLARE RAILROAD OF G. C JERGDOLL IINTAIO SPIES Want Wealthy Draft Evad er to Face Justice. Assert Pennsylvania Seeks Open Shop Basis. Men Who Attempted Arrest Atterbury Maintains Rail- T.Af'K roXFirtF.XCE WASHINGTON. March 22.-loffi-cial confirmation was lacking here tonight of information contained in Moscow wireless advices received in London announcing that the Rus sian soviet government had appealed to President Harding to resume trade relations with Russian. Responsible officials refrained from discussing the situation specific ally today and the most definite in dication of the administration atti tude on the question remained in the statement of Secretsry of Commerce Hoover yesterday denominating re sumption of trade with Russia as essentially a political inslead of an economic question and advancing the belief that any considerable trade with Russia at this time was phy sically Impossible. Officials professed to know noth ing of the possibility of a delega tion coming hero from tho soviet government to negotiate a trade agreement. ' CABINET TAKES LONG JOURNEY OF EXPLORATION THROUGH REALM OF THE NATION'S FOREIGN AFFAIRS . ASHINGTOX; March 22. Presl "nt Harding's cabinet was taken to My for a long Journey of exploration "rough the realm of the nation's ror"'gn affairs. . rhe excursion, which absorbed the th,.''rcRt of the ten secretaries nund the cabinet table, touched on ' UCOs - 'hs situations seaiierca over ti. , dPUmatic map from Yap to lirfr . ..nd afforded several illuminat naM ps ,nt0 eucf "elds as lnter- nL 1 ,rade and immigration. uMretary Hughes had the role of 'sri.-'.u elatlnr to the other secre ii thp inside storv of the biar and Hhj. 1uetions of foreign affairs to fall," h9 new administration has th heir- From the archieves of department he had pre state hni. comPrehenslve picture of the W L, elga oufook. which he vterr me resident and his ad ""ns. m ""Ponse to many ques- nniy T" "aid that the study was t,tlve in character, Mr. tid making no recommendations ' cabinet attempting no de cisions on specific subjects. Exhaust lve consideration was given to no particular phase of the general pic ture, the purpose being merely to put all the facts at the disposal of Mr. Harding's official family so that de cisions to be made in the future may be reached with a comprehension of all collateral issues. Thus It ..was understood that In considering" the league of nations and other considerations involved in the European situation, the President and his cabinet made no effort to canvass details of policy but merely availed themselves of all the: latest official Information In preparation for the decisions yet to be made. In the same way, Mexico la said to have been passed over with a general sur vey of broad principles. The discussion was at the sugges tion of the President himself who was represented as feeling that all the cabinet members should be afforded a glimpse of the foreign outlook now that they have familiar ized themselves with the problems of more direct concern to them within their own departments. PREMIER DEFENDS ENGLISH AGREEMENT WITH RUSSIA LONDON. March 22 (ByThe Asso ciated Press.) Defending the govern ment's trade agreement with Russia. Premier Lloyd-George declared In the house of commons today that a com plete change was evident In the atti tude of the bolshevik government to ward wnat is called capitalism. "Indeed," he said "some of Lenine's speeches might very well have been de livered by Mr. Churchill himself." The Russian soviet premier was be gining to realize that trade war, essen tial, that locomotives cannot be patched up with theories and that the nriirinni soviet theories are .unworkable, said Mr. Liioyn-uporge. xne agreement ne continued, wrs purely a trade agreement recognllng the defacto government of Russia, not a treaty of peace. Claims against Russia with respect to loans or for Injuries to nationals naa oeen reserved for discus sion, when there would be a general settlement: in the meantime all claims were amply safeguarded. He ridiculed the idea that the trad ing community waa opposed to agree ment and asserted that every uredictlun about bolshevlsm coming to an end had railed or reauatfon. The bo'shevists were in as complete control In vast Russia as any government could be under present circumstances. of Refugee Placed on Trial in Germany. WASHINGTON. March 2 (By the Associated Press.) Request that the war department take "prompt and decisive" Btepn to secure the return from Germany of Grover C. Do.gdoll, wealthy rhllndelphin. draft evader, is made by tho American legion s na tional executive committee In a let ter to Secretary Weeks made public today by the committee. The letur. which was sent, at the direction of National Commander Galb;'allh find the league's executive committee also requests the new administration to secure tho release from a German jail of the two American army sergeants, Zimmor and Nuef, who wero arrest ed when they attempted to capture Bergdoll on German soil. "The Bergdoll case as it now stands." tho letter savs. "is a dis grace to the government of the Unit ed States and a cruel and undeserved insult to the five million men who served America in tho world war. While Bergdoll. army deserter and criminal refugee, speeds at will over the roads of Germany In a high powered automobile, two young American boys are this day on trial before a German court because single handed and alone they attempted to bring Bergdoll to the justice he so richly deserves." WITHDRAW WARRANT CHARGING SEVERN WITH AIRPLANE THEFT ELIZABETH CITY. Msreh 22. Accord ing to a telephone messaae from w. .t Talt at Colnjock,' Sheriff Flora, of Cur rituck county, has received a mnmut from the Miami. Fla. authorities say.oi the charge against Bennett Severn, for whom a warrant was Issued last week. charging him with the theft of a sea--plane, has been withdrawn. Sheriff Flora could not be reached by telephone tonight. Talt la Severn's father-in-law. MIAMI, Fla., March 21. Sheriff Allen. of Dade county .announced tonight that ne naa wunarawn tne warrant chanting Bennett Severn with stealing t iculut here two week age- BEUGDOMi ON STAND. MOSBACH, Buden, March .2. (By the Associated Tress.) Grocer C. Bergdoll, deserter from the American army, -took the stand today in the trial of Carl Neuf and Franz Zimmor, the two Americans, who with the aid of four Germans, attempted to ar rest Bergdoll at Eherbach le.st Janu ary. Bergdoll testified that Zimmer leaped against the automobile and pointed a revolver at him. Xeuf. he further testified, aimed his revolver at him and fired, 'he first b'.llet hit ting a young woman. Llna Butt, and the second entering one of the tires. Zimmer denied having di.iwti a weapon; he said if ho had he would have fired. Neuf made a long stitynic.it detail ing the nature' of nis acti'itls as a dotective for the American military forces at Coblenx. He asserted that he had succeeded with the aid of the German authorities, in apprehending numerous American deserters in var rious sections of Germany. He had been on Bergdoll's trail for a long time, and he said he had sought a German police vise for his American passport In order to avoid complica tion at Eberbach. He had sought to kidnap the American slacker In order to forestall escape at Stuttgart, as Neuf believed that the German po lice at Eberbach were disinclined to assist him despite the fact that the ponce authorities at Coblcna Had given him credentials which he un derstood entitled him to operate in unoccupied parts of Germany. Two German nnllce officials from Poblens testified that the German au thorities were frequently called on to ivenunusd an Page tignt) way Unions Attempt to Force Closed Shop. CHICAGO, March 22. Charges that the Pennsylvania railroad was fighting for the open shop and that the road maintained a spy system before tho war were the subjects of n heated, all day discussion before the railroad labor board today. Brigadier-Gonpral W. W. Atter bury, vice-president of the Pennsyl vania charged the unions with at tempting to force the closed shop, and Frank P. Walsh, labor attorney, retaliated with declaration that the Pennsylvania had maintained spies and arsenals to take care of labor troubles, Tho whole day's testimony re volved about General Atterbury's stand that he could negotiate agree ments with his own employes but that no Just and reasonable agree ments applicable to Hie entire coun try, could be. written by anybody. Ho also maintained the right of the minority to a voice and charged the unions, with assuming to represent all employes and using coercion in attempting to niako them Jtdn tho union. Attorney Walsh opened his charges of a spy system on the Pennsyl vania with a statement that $8-,l0,-000 had been spent in 1914 on the roads police system. General Atter bury explaining that this amount covered all protective measures, rurh crossing watchmen and similar em ployes. Under questioning however, he admitted that the road did main tain a spy system but declared he could not say how much had been spent on that department. "Utile Arsenals. When Mr. Walsh asked the witness if the road did not have "little arsenals guns and revolvers," Chairman H. at various points whore you kept M. Barton halted the examination on the ground that It was getting away from the inquiry ordered by the board. Several board members Joined in the subsequent discussion, but O. A. Wharton, labor member, finally insisted that the examination con tinue. Mr. Walsh then explained that the rule on discrimination against any employe because of union affiliation was the "most important rule there is." His questions, he said, were in tended to show that "a situation might arise and had arisen on tho Pennsylvania where disputes between employes and the road could not be settled despite General Atterbury's statement that all the men on the road had grown up together." A closed shop, either union or non union was denounced by the general, who said a worker should have the right to be, or not to . be, a union ma n. Taking up General Atterbury's minority reports as eharman of the railway executives labor committee. In which he stood against national boards of adjustment. Mr. Walsh open a series of questions on the statements cf tho minority group. ' General Atterbury declared' national, (Continued on .Page Eight) . By R. E. POWELL,) HALKIGll. March 22. -one full days hearing tielore the corporation commis sion for the purpose of living gas rates In seven North Carolina cities ended n -night with nothing more sensational tHan a statement from the Ninth Caro lina gas association denying the accu racy of comparative ligiireH which haw been employed hy the morning pap r here In its crusade against the compan ies. General Manager Paul Ttllerv. of Ji Carolina Unlit and Power company, was. on the witness stand ail day and when the hearing a.djourned this evening he was under cross examination by former Mayor Frank MoNlneh, of Charlotte. , t)10 IMroct cxHinuiHt Ion of the witness was by .lames II. Pen. while tho Hihi spoil of cross fire was from .lolin W. Hlns dule. represent lug the citv of Kaleign, and Sidney W. Chambers, representing Uurhum. Insofar as Is possible, the case of tho seven cities has been consolidated ami In the Joint, fight on the petition for making permanent the temporary rates granted by the commission last July, inc. cities have selected Mayor MoNlneh as chief counsel. Col. Clement Manly, of Winston-Salem, is here representing that city. Robert Itnrak Is representing Wilmington and William Dunn is rep resenting New Hern. The first evidence offered the conunls flon today was a denial that any delay in flic bearings now under way had been caused hi the Instance of ths com panies. Mr. Tltlery was asked to tes tify to this as a fact when Mayor Jlr Nlnoh protested that tho cities were not making such an allegation. It had been charged in tho press, however, and Mr. Pou insisted on getting the record straight. "The bearings havn not been delayed at the Instance of tho companies" If. -terjecled Commissioner Lee anil Mr. Pou was satisfied. Hen then offered a comparative statement showing higher rales obtained In several cities other than Raleigh and to, this evidence, the cities protested. The commission was about to rule-It out when Mr. Pou de clared: "The whole gravamen of the caie hero Is compaartlvc rates." Commis sioner Maxwell dissented to this and Mr. Pou pointed out that the press campaign had been to discredit the reg ulatory power of tho state by picturing Raleigh as tho highest fhb town In thu country. VJie evidence was admitted. Nineteen cities have a higher rate than 3.1(J, according lo the figures, against the rate of S2 :I0 for Raleigh and J2.10 for Charlotte. 4 cities pay S2.75 and better, 130 pay $2.25 and better and 3411 elites pay In excess of $2.00. Many of these municipalities are close hy. Tho witness compared his present rate of $2.30 with a rate of $1.65 ob taining prior to July last and a late, of $1,50 obtaining prior to the outbreak of the world war. Coal since that time, he declared has Increased more than 100 per cent, gas, oil, 80 per cent and labor from 10" to 140 per cent. At this Juncture of tho proceedings Judge Pell, a member of the commis sion, sought to hasten the proceedings with a suggestion that a dgreat deal of j the detail ho omitted by the witness. 1 Mr. Pou was on his feet with some sug- ' Best Ion for the ldcntltlcatlim of tho body JALL STREET HELD "Consular Prisoners" Un. der Charge of Mutiny, Returned to U. S. TRIED T00R0ANIZE "SOVIET" ON VESSEL Treat Captives as Desperate Men and Hold Them Incommunicado. NEW ORLEANS. March Held in separate cells in the Orleuns parish prison tonight wen- tho men who classified t In-nisclvcs as seamen, but whom it was Indicated through statements of Captain ,1. H. II. Van Wcclilot n ,,f lie New York and Culm line freighter Rusbville. and implica tions of department of justice otfl clals, might he wanted in New York in connection with the investigation of Ho- Wall street bomb plot of Sep. tcmbcr 16 last. Shackled hand and foot, the men were taken from (ho steamer Rush villo I'lilin, hustled lo the parish pri on, booked under the following mums. Philip Hinder. Lionel K.U-brei-ztitT. Rudolph Dorsh. Hans Ran din and llenrik Lipan, then held in coiilluqilii ado. After Captain Van Weeldorn re lated the manlier in which the men were captured and the diHcultios cn counieied In moving from Rio d Janeiro to New Orleans, ho too be came communicative and tonight would make no further statements. Department of Justice officials said they w.-rc "awaiting Instructions." lst Saturday when tho Rushvllla was approaching this port the mas ter wirelessed the department of Jus tice requesting that they care for five "consular prisoners." Elaborate preparations were made for handling the captives and they were treated as desperate men from the time fed eral officers took them over from the ship guard under which they were In charge. Captain Kclutcs Story, Orders issued by tho master of ths Rushvllle worn that no member , of crew should discuss the prison ers with outsiders under penalty of salary deductions. Tho captain, however, related tho circumstances leading up to his acceptance of the men as involuntary passengers. Last month, according to Captain Weeldorn. the United States shipping board steamship City of Alton, then nearlng Rio do Janeiro, received' a wireless message presumably from officials of the United States govern ment, requesting arrest of the five men. A fight utarted and according to Captain Van Weeldern, it was with extreme difficulty that tho men wero subdued, placed in Irons and taken to Rio d Janeiro where they were Imprisoned. They were to be BhJP. ped to New Jlprk whore they were' "wanted." The American vice-counsel at Rio do Janeiro, according to Captain Van Weeldern requested the Munson line steamer to take tho quintette to NeWr York. Still heav ily guarded the men wre placed aboard the Yoro and In aomo man ner, according to tho Rushvlllo cap tain, started a furious light. Tho Yoro's master speedily returned them to the Rio do Janeiro jail. Attvptcd and Delivered. About that time tho Rushville camn in to load coffee for New Or leans. Vice-Consul Thomas managed to persuade Captain Van Weeldern to attempt transportation of the pris oners. "Wo accepted and hero they ure," the skipper concluded. The prisoners, apparently between 25 and 35 years of age. were said to be for tire most part well educated, some speak ing several languages. The officers of Rushvlllo spent the day a'nd rrt of tonight In the offices of the department of Justice. No Indication s given as lo when the prisoners would be taken to New York, orders apparently be- lug awaited. Aside from a reporter from an after noon newspaper who managed to talk to one of til" iron and was able to peer through some of the baggage before he was excluded from the parish prison no one outside of federal officials have talked with the men. TRIED REVOLUTION NEW YORK. March 22. Shipping board records here liow that life five men brought Into New Orleans today on the steamer Hnshvllle and alleged to bo un der Investigation in connection with the Wall street explosion were charged with starting a "revolution" aboard the when 7,. V. Taylor, general manager of steamer Citv or Alton last February. Tho tho Southern Public Utilities company, I i-oeords contained no allegations that remarked: thev- had a. hand In last Septembers' dls,- "1 have Just been Informed. Mr. 'oni - aster missiouer. that five learned and dignl-i According to shipping board files, live, fled members of the supreme court are. r,ujutpt tried lo organize a "soviet" en listening to extensive argument this 'lv nf Alton after they pulled from morning to settlo the ownership of a i nrrn for south American ports last Octo miile. This case Involves millions of ber. The revolution, alleged to have oc. curred In February was put down by loyal mcnibeta of the crew. When the ship reached Rio de Janeiro the "revolutionists" were arrested by Brasilian police and laken before (he American consul, who tried them, and rr dered them back to the United States. to , They w-efp ordered placed on tho IIuioiv (Continued on Page Eight) dollars. Is of Immense importance to the gas companies and to the gas consumers of North Carolina, and I believe that the testimony should be presented to your honors in minute details." Upon the submission of this remark, Chairman Lee and 'oitimissioner Pell agreed that it would take longer (Continued on Page Eight.) THE COLORADO, AMERICA'S MOST POWERFUL WARSHIP LAUNCHED; SPEAKERS OPPOSE DISARMAMENT CAMDEN, N. J-, March 22 montst against disarmament tho keynote of three speeches at a luncheon which followed the launch ing of the superdreadnought Colorado Argu-, armed with 16-inch rifles. The others formed now building arc the Maryland, Wash ington and West Virginia and all five were given names previously assigned to armored cruisers, which since have hsre today. The speakers were The-j been named for cities. odore Roosevelt, assistant secretary' of ihe navy: United btates senator Samuel IJ. Nicholson, of Colorado, whoso duughter, fVIrs. Max Melville, of Denver, sponsored the great war craft, and Representative Patrick H. Kelley of Michigan, chairman of the sub-committee on naval appropria tions of the house appropriations com mittee. Many distinguished naval officers, representatives of the army. men prominent in public affairs, shipbuild ers and leaders in other professions were In the throng which gathered at the Camden plant of the New York Shipbuilding company to watch the hnirn mass of steel which is to be the navy'spride" slide gracefully into the) Although far more powerful than any American warships now In com mission, the Colorado class will Vie urpassed by the other six battleships authorized in 1916 and known as the Massachusctts-lowa class. The Col orado class mount eight 16-lnch guns each, whereas the others will carry twelve such guns. The Colorado's main battery will be mounted m four turrets, with two gunS each, located along the center line, two turrets forward and two turret aft of the superstructure. The Massachusetts-Iowa c lasts will carry three guns to a turret and will develop two knots more speed thau the 21 knots of the Colorado class. The Colorado is 624 feet long and Delaware from her ways beside herj slightly more than 97 feet wide with sister ship, tho wasnington. at tne luncheon which followed, were en thusiastic In voicing their approval of normal displacement of 32.600 tons. The motive power will be furnished by four W estinghouse electric drive the pleas against armament and for at turbines constructed to develop 28. navy second to no other nation. 900 horsepower. The crew will con The Colorado Is the second of the sist of 65 officers, 1,343 enlisted men eleven great superdrcadnoughts au- and 75 marines. thoriad In 191 to be Launched. A' The secondary battery of the Col slster ship, the -Maryland. Is now orado will be'14 five-Inch rifles, tour nearlng completion at Newport News three-inch anti-aircraft guns aad two and probably will be commissioned torpedo tubes. The Masaachusetts thls year. Iowa typo will have two additional There are five shisti of this class, five-inch guns in the secondary bat tho first in tho Am"can navj to bo, tery.