North Carolina Newspapers

V CHAMX MEWS 8 PAGES H NIGHT EDITION TODAY AND EVENING,CHRONICLE "GREATER CHARLOTTE'S HOME NEWSPAPER" ) -iRI,OTTE NEWS Established, Daily, 1SS8; Sunday. 1910. rHE .c."l,v(i CHRONICLE Estnblls bed, 1903. iuE - grltislh Railwymeini Support MIsieirs; Break Wiftlfo Owner CHARLOTTE, N. C, THURSDAY EVENING, APRIL 7, 1921. cgwgLB ggygft PRICE FIVE CENTS. ail EVIDENCE IN WILLIAMS' TRIAL IN HANDS OF JURY L.t Ajn as Innocent as a Man t?o Stated Williams. L,ttll JJt- k ' ' 7 His Only Witness. fovinaton. a April 7. Evi (fnfe in the trial of John S. Wil liams. charged with murder of one 0 eleven negroes who met death after Federal investigation into al leged peonage conditions started on his farm, was concluded here today. The only witness for the defense a5 Williams himself, who told the jury "' am as mnoce,lt as a man ran !e-" The last two state's witnesses who tifird today corroborated statements Clvdf Manning, negro farm bos:i. Manning tokl the jury yesterday Wil 'ians directed the killing of the men. 'hree "f whom were drowned in New ton county. TIip state anmwuiced it expected to iff three hours and the defence approx ::ii;'tfiy uc. The order or arguments was an i - -n. ....... roimcpa as C. C. Kmc. uovingion. ror aetense; Graham w rigru. assisiant staie attor- ?v scner-il. prosecution; v . II. Key, )f)Rtice:io. u;i.. neiense; ooucuor uen- al A. 11- tfranu, prosecution; w . &i. Howard. Augue-ta, Ga.. prosecution; lirren F- Tohnson. Monticello, defense. Mr. Kins started speaking soon after the afternoon session began, arguing i,n the law regarding omission of cor- :ohoration or me testimony of an ac- uin;p!ice. lie resardod the defense expected to r also on the "alibi" which he said "Viliiams had established 'as far as Us?ibK' liy describing how he was at ome the night the crimes are charged beainst him. Kins sought to show the jury that planning "probably had sufficient mo tive in his own mind to make way kith these negroes." Manning, he said, knew nothing about the penalty for peonage and. iwhen Federal agents told him he was just as guilty as v imams was ana ad "lied and ought to be hanged," the egro "no doubt thought he had com .lited a hanging crime and "proceedd o get these negroes out of th- way." There really had been no peonag-3 on h farm and Williams knew this and ad no possible motive for the kiil r.?s. "If you wore to take Clyde Manning's c-jtimony out. that's practically all you would have," he said. In conclusion, he made charges that t:ate ? witnesses had beer, "coached land reminded the jury that Williams as on trial for the allege.! murder of 2'eter?on alone. Williams told the jury he had told Federal agents he might be technically suiity of peonage if their statement as o the Federal laws were correct ana iid Clyde Manning, negro farm boss, ad told him the agents said Manning was aa guilty as Williams was." Williams confined his remarks to the. laes of Lindsey Peterson, Harry Price fnd Willie Preston, three negroes frowned in Newton county. He is spe ifically on trial for the death of Peter- Ion. Court recesses for luncheon when Filiiams left the stand and the argu fier.ts were assigned to start at the ffternoon session, each side to have f hree speakers. Having introduced no testimony, f.erely lettine Williams tell his story p the jury without being sworn, tht defense won the privilege of opening ?nd closing the arguments. The fact iat AVilliams was not sworn prevented ''s being cross examined. Rena Manning, wife of Clyde Man ning, testified in corroboration of .her husband's statement that, on the night person, Willie Preston and Harry nee were last seen alive, William. rried them and Manning and Charlie -nisholm off m his car. Sheriff B. L. Johnson of Newton county, testified that Manning identi 1 i he bodies of Peterson, Preston !nd Price found in Newton county rlv and told where the other bodies -"lid be found. Williams took the stand as the first fitness to make a statement in his 'n behalf. ''I have never had any kind of crim- al rnarort j. , . &- ngcuiisi. me or my ooys 'Ore this." We amnno- Vio first "fdS Of Williams in th inrv "illiams said his four errnwn" sons among thfi first In the. ormntv -".7 me country's call to war. ,,tUKe most farmers, I have bonded Jl negroes anrl wnricii ,J"tinued. '"Warns said hp nafrl tnor. a6eS. He tVlOn r.f ITAvnl , . ' 4 - 1 wiu ul Liic J. tun Ci-t ;e-tigation that started last. Vcth- ary. He aaltori tViQ nonorfmt .-4 . J ' ivii iiiiii cAabij Peonage was and said, on being ll,i WfirKinf' rrYirto1 nowrnoo wjc !itLhu told the federal agents he ; ,,"de oeen technically guilty and uennition was correct." I0U lying SCOlinrlr.! i-nn nucbt tr ''I6rfy?;ur nPk broken," Williams said - uie agents said to Manning after paring the version Williams had -a about the recapture of Gus Chap- H npfri-n x,-Vi,. v.,l A " -wanning had captured. Chapman atiM 6n. brouht back after attacking , ."'ngs Wife, the defense ha ftx- " ecl- Williams said Manning denied wl aRfjnts that he knew of the of Chapman. an , f'Urroundings are much better f:i a A',W:. agents ioici mm, ne , -mi rtuupri, - you may be teenmc T guilty of peonage." hn. Wf l'e "well fed and wpII lrpsserl ." said. ' . ehtr" Jhnny you ain't treated me "for'PJ'tu ma'le m out a liar right :?,nni lh0'wP agents,' Williams said "Xh "R l0!d him afterwards, rptrml !d me 1 was 3ust as guilty nZ e as you were," he also quoted The S, as yg- VsnSt nisht Weston. Price and him wrre wen' " said, they came '"in L " sai(l the-V wanted to visit H f -but WOuld return. They (j '''' and got five dollars each, he e trni ' u "p wnerea 10 lane tnem to 'ii. vni- 'iftv cntg aoiece from 'nat w a9 the last 1 ever saw of Forecast inter Wheat Crop Of Abr 1621 Washington, April - ForecavSt of a winter wheat crop "of about 621,000,000 bushels was made today by the Department of Agriculture, basing its estimate on the condition of t3ie crop April 1, which was 91.0 per cent of a normal. There was an increase of 3.1 points in condition from December 1 last to April 1 this year, compared with an? average decline of 4.8 points -between those dates in the last ten years. The production forecast is based upon the acreage planted last fall with the assumption of average abandonment and average influ WARNS BUSINESS TO PURGE ITSELF Daugherty Will Counte nance No Vioation of the Law, Says a Statement. Washington, April 7. A. general war ning to business that the Department of Justice will countenance no viola tions of the law wras sounded today by Atcornsy General Daugherty. The country, Mr. Daugherty said, "should take notice of a new day and a new way" and those who had been guilty of illegal practices should not "close their eyes." His statement, he added, was a "modest, but emphatic warning" to those for whom it was intended and could be regarded as an opportunity for any of those who should mend their ways to do so. The Attorney General said the De partment of Justice did not intend to harness business in any way, but that it did intend to enforce the law. He pointed out that, while the profiteering sections of the Lever act had been de clared unconstitutional, the department still could proceed under the Sherman anti-trust law. Mr. Daugherty was discussing speci fically the situation in the building ma terials industry, which he declared re ports to the department showed to be "intolerable." He said the department of justice would ask for more aid from the outside than it had received here tofore, and that lawyers representing firms should regard themselves as agents of the department of justice in upholding the law. i MEXICAN BRIDE OF , i AMERICAN SUICIDES Chihuahua, Mexico, ' April 7. So corro Molina "de Weiss, beautiful 21-year-old bride of Robert Weiss, an American, of San Bernardino, Cal.. committed suicide in the Hotel Pal acio here following a trivial quarrel with her husband. Weiss, who , is connected with an American oil com; pany at Tampico, won Senorita Mo lina after a whirlwind courtship ani she eloped with him in defiance of her parents' wishes. They were spending their honeymoon in Chihuahua. When Weiss informed his bride that he was going to a downtown cafe she became angry, and upon his return to the hotel she was dead. An image of Christ was clasped in her hands, an empty bottle of arsenic by her side and three letters she had written were on a table nearby. One, addressed to the police, exonerated her husband of all blame. Another to her mother, begged forgiveness for eloping. A third, to Weiss, bade him farewell. Weiss was arrested, but released later when he explained the circumstances of the tragedy. The couple married February 17 last. . CONSOLIDATION OF BUREAUS URGED Washington, April ' 7. Organization of a Veterans' Service Administration, consolidating existing governmental bureaus having to do with treatment of disabled service men, is recommend ed in a report submitted today to President Harding by Charles G. Dawes, of Chicago, chairman of the special commission investigating . sol dier relief problems. The commission, which' began its session here Monday, completed the draft of its report in an executive ses sion this morning and immediately went to the White House to present it to the President. Mr. Harding will pass finally upon the recommendations. Col. F. W. Galbraith, Jr., comman der of the American Legion, was ap pointed as a committee of one hav ing charge of the publication of the report. He said it would be given cut late today for publication in morning papers of tomorrow. Members of tho commission said it conformed in the main with' sumaries already publish ed. BUILDING MATERIALS TRADE TO BE PROBED Washington, April 7. Investigation of illegal practices in the building ma terial trades is to be undertaken at once in all parts of the country where necessary,, Attorney General Daugher ty announced today. ' Reports from some sections of the country are that the building material situation is "intolerable," Mr. Daugh erty said, and the Department of Jus tice desires to contribute in any way it can to improving it. PALMETTO OFFICERS SENT AFTER VAUGHN Tampa, Fla., April 7. Alex Heise, sheriff, and two deputies are en route here to take T. A. Earl, said to be T. U. Vaughn, back to Columbia,-S. C. Earl, or Vaughn, is said to be a fugitive from the South Carolina insane asylum, where he was placed after being con victed of assaulting several young girls at the Greenville, S. C, Odd Fellows' orphanage in 1912. Earl denied today that he had been married before and Million Bushels ences on the crop to harvest. Production of rye was forecast as 66,386,000 bushels from a con dition of 90.3 per cent of a nor mal. ' Winter wheat condition April 1 last year was 75.6 per cent of a nor mal and production 577,763,000 bush els on April 1, 1919, it was 99.8 per cent and production 729,503,000 bushels, while the ten-year average condtiion is 83.6 per cent. Condition of winter wheat on April 1 in southern states was: Virginia 92; North Carolina 94; South Carolina 87; Georgia 90; Ten nessee 94; Alabama 88; Mississippi 90. RICH HAUL MADE FROM THE MAILS . j ChlCagO BandltS Are Be- HeVed tO Have Secured . Cmn nnn f7KA nnn Chicago, April 7. An abandoned mail sack, found by the police early today and believed to be the registered pouch stolen by the ban dits from a mail truck late yester day, contained wrappers for money, which the police said showed that from $500,000 to $700,000 was ob tained by the robbers. It was report ed last night that the loss would not exceed $50,000. The abandoned pouch contained wrappers indicating a shipment of one package of $40,000 in one-dollar bills, a package holding $50,000 in currency; another containing a hun dred $1,00 bills and five large tacks consigned to branches of the Fed eral Reserve bank, each sack con taining five smaller bags, which, in turn, held currency of large denomi nations. The robbery took place at the Dear- j born street staton in the business quar ter. Bystanders said the robbery was com mitted in less than two minutes. So sudden was the assault on the mail truck that many conflicting stories were given to the police by witnesses. According to one account, the robbers had played baseball all afternoon in a lot adjoining the station where the holdup occurred. Other witnesses said the robbers rushed up to the mail truck in an automobile justas it was prepar ing to unload. The four bandits held up a dozen mail clerks and several bystanders at the point of pistols, demanding t.oat 1 the registered mail pouch be thrown out of the truck; One of the robbers. described as a huge man" weighing more than 200 pounds, grasped the sack with one hand and carried it to a car across the street. Two other mail pouches were then taken, witnesses agreeing that one of the bandits shot at a companion before recognizing him. Whether the bullet took effect was not known. As the bandits' machine turned the first corner, a policeman fired two shots at the car without effect. Early today the police found the three mail pouches, ripped open and their contents missing, in a vacant lot. Wrap pers in the registered pouch gave the first indication that a large amount had been obtained. PROHIBITION SHOULD GET A 50-YEAR TRIAL Chicago, April 7. The country should give the prohibition amendment a trial for about fifty years "to see whether it is the best thing for us or not," in the opinion of Judge K. M. Landis. The judge spoke last night on the subject at an anniversary celebration of Ameri ca's entry into the war. "I warn you that the 18th amend ment is in danger of nullification by bureau heads those deuces and treys of officialdom who are making a lot of rules which permit soft-drink saloons to sell' booze ill bottles labelled 25 per cent alcohol; for medicinal purposes only'," said judge Landis. "And there are a lot of crooked saloon keepers getting away with it, too; with a lot of crooked doctors and druggists in cahoots. I know of instances where they have sold booze for as high as $32 a quart. How do they do it? Well, I have been through it for a year- and it's too much for me. ' ALL-AMERICAN DAY BEING CELEBRATED Philadelphia, April 7. Philadelphia today celebrated all-American day with General Pershing, Admirals Benson, Sims and Coontz and Governor Sproul among the gu;sts-of -honor. The municipal government, the Am erican Legion and scores of civic, so sial, business, charitable and patriotic organizations joined in patriotic dem onstrations. A patriotic mass meeting of approximately 75,000 ch"Ol children was held in Independence Square, while a 'half holiday was generally observed. Admiral Benson was the principal speak er at an all-American day luncheon of the Poor Richard's C!ub. THIEVES STOPPED HERE Chester, S. C, April 7. While at prayer meeting last night, county Engineer H- H. Kester had his auto mobile stolen by three soldiers from Camp Jackson. The automobile and soldiers were stopped at Charlotte. The soldiers will be tried at Chester. CHARLOTTE BANK CLEARINGS. (Reported by Chamber of Commerce.) For the week ended: April 6, 1921 .......... $5,755,986.46 March 30, 1921 $4,974,306.3) April 7, 1920 ., $8,737,227.16 UNSETTLED Charlotte and Vicinity: Unsettled with probably occasional showers to night and Friday; little change In tem perature. Gentle to moderate north east winds. North and South' Carolina: Cloudy and unsettled tonight and Friday, prob ably showers: little change in tempera r ture. .. . : TAX REDUCTIONS; TO CAUSE WATTS SOME REAL WORK Counties of State Reducing Their Land Values from 25 to 60 Per Cent. By JULE B. WARREN. Staff Correspondent of The News. x. Raleigh, April 7. General and hori zontal reductions in the values of all real property in the state will give the new Commissioner 'of Revenue a real job soon after he takes over the office in adjusting these values in the different counties. Indications are that there are general decreases au thorized in land values ranging from 20 to 25 per cent to 60 per cent. The largest so far authorized is the 60 per cent cut of Wilson countv. The wide variety of the cuts author- fred means that the new Commissioner of Revenue will have to set in motion lne Proper macmnery ior amustin the proper machinery for these differences in every county so that the valuation in every county will be uniform throughout the state. Oth erwise, the inequalities of the old system will again come into existence and the work and money spent by the state in an effort to, iron out these inequalities will have been spent in vain. Col. Alston. D. Watts, new commis sioner of revenue, is not wori-yhig about this work so far. He is stiil in town and holds frequent confer ences with the Governor, presumably about the work to be undertaken by the new department, but so far neith er Colonel Watts nor the Governor has indicated any evidence of hav ing mapped out a general policy. The law allowing the revaluation of the property, however, gives the tax commission the right to adjust differ- ences so that equal values will be applied in the different counties in order that there may be no 'hardships worKea m the equalizing fund for public schools. State officials generally are of the opinion that, except for the school fund, it does not matter with the state what the counties do with their land values- It is recognized that every cut will have to be met with a proportionate increase in the tax rate in order for the cities, and coun ties to get their revenues for the coming years. No one pretends to believe that a 60 per cent cut or a 25 per cent cut in values will mean a 60 and: 25 per cent reduction in taxes for , the coming ye.irs. Prac tically every city today is-staggering under a load of debt for past work and demands for future permanent improvements, which will absorb every bit of the revenue it is possible to raise. Just what, will become of the cities in the counties where the large reduction, is authorized is a matter for the city officials to worry about and not one for the state officials. The talk of the special session per sists in spite of the announcement by the Governor that he sees no need for a special session. Some believe the general reduction of values will put the financial con dition of some of the cities and coun ties in such shape that a special ses sion will have to be called in order to help them out of the financial mires they are getting into. What is true, of the cities is also true to a certain extent of the counties, though the latter are not in such need of as large amount of money as are the cities. The average county in the state has not spent as much money as the cities, since there has been no such demand in the country for permanent improvements as in the towns. There is less bonded debt gen erally and less borrowed money piled up against the counties than the cities. So far as the state is concerned, its finances will not be affected in any way. by the decrease in tax values, for it will, under the revenue act of the last legislature, get all of its mon ey from the franchise tax, corpora tion tax and income sources. The bonds authorized by the legislature are still undisposed of. Every board that has met here, however, has empha sized the immediate need of funds and the State Treasurer is unable to sup ply these funds. The road commission, the hospital boards, the blind school and other institutions will be need ing their money in the near future. The Governor and the State Treas urer, in accordance with f suggestions of the Governor two weeks or more ago, will leave for New York this week (Continued on Pagre Eleven.) Tilford Moots has started t' save fer his next vear's income tax. Squire Marsh Swallow, who is in Washin'ton on businesft connected with th' pust- office, says ,th plum line is four miles J Harding Seeks To Bring About Reduction In WAGE REDUCTION PLEA IS DENIED BY LABOR BOARD New York Central Sought to Provisionaly Reduce Pay of Unskilled Labor. Chicago, April 7. Permission to make provisional reduction of the wages of unskilled labor on the New York Central railroad was de nied by the Railroad Labor Board here today. The railroad recently requested permission- to put cuts of from 17 to 31 per cent into effect on April 1. The dispute was taken to the Labor Board after the railroad and the employes had conferred. The dispute between the New York Central and the unskilled labor employes over a permanent . reduction in wages will be heard on April 18 in connection with similar disputes which have been filed by other railroads. A resolution passed by the board in connection with the New York Central decision states that the board also will take up other carriers' disputes at that time. SHOULD CANCEL WAR DEBTS OF THE ALLIES Spartanburg, S. C, April 7. Governor Robert A. Cooper, of South Carolina, speaking here today, said he has come to the conclusion that the United States should cancel the war debts of the Al lies to this country. "I have never said this before," he continued, "but I believe the best policy for this country in the re-adjustment of world conditions would be cancella tion of the war claims against France and England. These countries are un able to pay even the interest on these debts at this time and nobody can say when they will be able to pay the prin cipal. . . The Governor said the paramount problem in this country is the adjust ment of our international relations, all else is of secondary consideration and the most positive and determined effort should be made to have the United States take its place with the other countries of the world in the effort to restore confidence and moral conditions, CONSPIRACY CASE TO GOTO JURY TOMORROW Macon, Ga., April 7. Federal Judge Beverly D. Evans will deliver his charge to the jury tomorrow morning in the cases of 45 men on trial here on charg es of conspiracy to rob the American Railway Express Company of more than $1,000,000 worth of merchandise. United States District Attorney John W. Bennett will start the closing argu ment late this afternoon and will be given two hours tomorrow morning in which to close the government's case. Defense arguments were continued when court was convened at 9:30 o'clock this morning with Attorney Oliver Han cock speaking. He began by an ana lysis of the evidence against his two clients, J. N. Smith and H. L. Rocker. BONDS STUMBLING BLOCK. V Washington, April 7. Requirements that collectors of revenue give a large bond not only to cover taxes they col lect but the uncollected taxes of their predecessors, is said to be proving a stumbling block in the way of members of congress who are putting forward candidates for the collectorships. AGREE TO REDUCTION. Washington, April 7. Sea-going ,tug boat employes agreed Wednesday at a conference with the employers and Sec retary Davis to accept whatever wage reductions are agreed upon by em ployes of trans-Atlantic ships upon the expiration of the agreement between seamen and ship owners on May 1. Nicotine Able Ally In Fighting Pests I .1:" Nicotine can he enlisTd In f. ght ' ihg tne plant pes, says today's lesson by the .American T"or-.-irv Association which is conducting a nation-wide drive of education in battling against the bugs that eat up about fifty milli.m dol lars worth of property every ytar. The safest spray material f.M' killing plant lige (aphis) thrips and other soft hodicd insects is a nicotir;e ?ri ; arntion. These preparations are put on the mar ket commercially, nl, although appar ently expensive -n their concentrated 09.(tp o Suipjcto't? permnp uohjav 'vudof tions a very effective spray is obtained at a cost little exceeding one cent a gallon. "Black-Lear 40" iE a forty per cent nicotine-sulphate combination which is very widely used in spraying operations. Other nicotine prepara tions of similar or lesser strength are on the market. A forty per vent nic otine-sulphate solution used at the rate of one part to one mousana pans or water, with or without soap, is very ef fective against all forms of the more delicate aphids and tender insects For the black cherry aphis ana DiacK peach aphis, it is necessary to use a stronger solution, one part io irom six hundred to eight hundred parts of wa ter being recommended. , Tobacco decoctions - can be prepared readily at home by steeping (not boil ing) one pound of .tobacco stems in three gallons of water in a covered ves sel for two or three hours. Strain off the liquid and use as a spray. If very delicate plants, such as new growth on rose bushes or sweet peas, are to be . sprayed, this solution can be diluted with equal parts of water. Nic otine or tobacco preparations, although very effective for their designated pur noses, do not injure foliage. and on that Jjiccount are very, desirable sprays. " Freight Rates BY DAVID LAWRENCE. Staff Correspondent of The News. Copyright 1921, by News Publishing Co. Washington, Aprn 7. President Harding has begun to use the influ ence of the executive to bring about, if possible, a reduction qf freight rates at the same time as wages are cut on the railroad systems of the country.. Mr. Harding is not "offi cially" interfering or forcing his ad vice, influence or suggestions on either the railroads or their em ployes but nevertheless, he is medi ating in a dispute on whose settle ment perhaps depends more the , revival of business in America than any other single factor. Mr. Harding refers to his efforts mod estly as merely seeking information. He is conferring daily with the labor leaders. Next week he talks with the raidroad executives. The viewpoint of the shippers of agricultural products has been ably presented in cabinet meetings by Secretary of Agriculture Wallace, c Aa a consequence. Mr Hardine: be lieves a reduction of freight rates is absolutely tssential. But the Interstate Commerce Commission, whose expert judgment in railroad matters is not questioned, insists that it would be dangerous to reduce freight rates unless the railroads can cut their "operating expenses," which means, of course, wages, because labor is the largest item in railroad operation todav. To reduce wages would be a relatively simple task if there were not inter woven in the question something . else much more vital to both the railroad executives and their men that the re vision of the wage scale of this . month or this year. It ig the ticklish problem of railroaj standards anj methods of adjusting future wage scales. " President Harding has himself recog nized the delicacy of the problem by this method of handling the labor lead ers. The railroads, for instance, insist that, now that the war is over, each railroad system should deal with its own men while . the railroad brother hoods wish to have all matters of wages adjusted by a national board representing the workers on all systems of tht country. The so-called national agreement which covered this method of negotiating on disputed questions, was put into effect by Walker Hines in his last days as Director General of Railroads, at a time indeed when it was simpler for the Federal government to handle all wage questions uniformly with the heads of the brotherhoods. Naturally, labor is more powerful if it deals for the men as a whole and with the railroad systems as a unit Conversely, the brotherhoods cannot exert such a powerful influence over their men if the same classes of labor are differently paid in various regions of the country. Their solidarity is af fected. 1- . ' "."There "is division in : the ranks of T4i bor as well as in the ranks of the railroad executives. Some labor lead ers, notably those who are eager to have the American Federation of La bor play its part in handling railroad labor policies, insist upon having the national agreement which was made by Mr.1 Hines maintained so that ev erything can be dealt with on a n a tional basis. Other labor leaders are adopting What seems to the railroad ex ecutives a much more reasonable atti tude, namely the division of the coun try into regions so that regional board3 may be appointed as between rail roads and workers in every section. Inside the railroad executives groups are those who think that is a fair companies. Other executives, of a more aggressive nature, such as Gen eral AUerbury of the Psnneylvania Railroad, insist that the issue is clean cut either the Pennsylvania Railroad deals with its own employes through their spokesmen or it is being depriv ed of inalienable rights. It bear some relationship indeed to- the open and closed-shop contrbversy which has been troubling employers other than railroad executives. Whether to deal with a walking delegate of a union or a spokesman of a shop committee of one's own employes is a moot ques tion which the industrial world has not yet succeeded in solving to the univer sal satisfaction of either employers or employes. That's why Mr. Harding's ef forts as a mediator on this very phase of the railroad controversy are being watched with tense anxiety. Shou'.d the " executive bend one way or the other, the significance of his attitude would not be lost on either side. The President studiously avoided recognizing the brotherhoods as a whole by calling the various labor leaders into conference singly. Had he called for the group who have rep resented railroad labor, he might have been suspected erroneously of recogniz ing the same arrangement as was pro vided in the famous national agree ment. From the fact that Mr. Hard ing has not asked any organizations as such to confer with him but has adopted the idea of summoning indi viduals "for advice," he believes no body can accuse him of meddling or forcing a decision on any group. The President, however, is anxious that the disputants settle the issue them selves. He doesn't want the Harding administration to be put in the posi tion of cutting wages. That isn't good politics or good economics, especially in a period in wi.-ich the government's read policy is to extricate itself from acts of paternalism or benevolent par tnership either with business or "labor, as was necessary during war times. Mr. Harding is endeavoring to usa his executive influence to bring the parties in dispute to Eettle thsir questions on an equitable basis and he believes that this can be done by personal talks with the principals and by pressure upon both sides to heed the demand of pub lic opinion for a fair settlement. AVage cuts would be accepted by the repre sentatives of the workers if the whole power of "the brotherhoods were not threatened. The railroads are reluct ant to promise freight rate reductions -until they pare evpenses and some of the railroad executives tnink this is the n oment to deal a smashing blow to the railroad unions as a whole. It is a safe prediction that, if the plan for re gional adjustment of labor disputes were accepted, the whole problem would be solved overnight, for it is doubtful if the railroad worker? will accept wage reductions and a blow at union soli darity at the same time. Nobody can speak for Mr. Harding as yet, but the attitude of the Harding administra tion in the first industrial aisputa thus far settled the packers strike is be ing taken as a criterion of government r-olicy, namely the bringing about of wage reductions without impairing the 'abor standards acquired by the men through years of bitter strife. MINERS REFUSED TO WORK PUMPS DURING JDEBATES Leaders of Allied Federar tions Consider What Form Support Shall Take. London, April 7. (By the Associ ated Press.) With the breakdown of the conference between the coal miners and the striking miners con cerning the wage dispute this morn ing and the almost immediate deci- sion of the railwaymen to join the transport workers in suporting the miners, Great Britain this evening . was trembling on the edge of an industrial precipice. The prime minister, Lloyd-George who had attempted mediation, an nounced the complete rupture of the negotiations to. the. house of commons at mid-afternoon, adding the significant statement that the issue raised was much wider than that of wages. This was interpreted generally as meaning that the gov ernment and the miners, to all in tents and purposes, were again at grips over the old question of na tionalization of the mines. Some ray of hone sequent debate in the commons when J. R. Clynes, chairman of the parlia- nicuiary moor party, and others pleaded with the prime minister to . on n , miners and owners again together, vvilu nenner siae onering conditions as the basis for the re-opening of nego tiations. One of the members of the miners' executive body, Samuel Finney, declared the miners were willing to ne- swai-c on mis Dasis ana the debate generally showned a rieaft-a m , m,i. every effort to bring the contestants to- eetner again. Meanwhile, the representatives of the railwaymen, the transport workers and the miners were conferring to decide what immediate stena hmiii k to enforce the miners' demands. Both me railway and transport men had stated their intention of giving the min ers full support, but no intimation was forthcoming as to whether this would mean a nation-wide strike. lhe government, on the other hand, continued apace its preparations to meet any emergency with the employ ment Of all the facilitioa nf Vi - aimj and navy. .London, April 7 (By the Asso ciated Press.)-.Leaders of the min ers union, who conferred with , Prime Minister. Lloyd-George 'this morning, refused to order pump men and engineers in mines af ected by the coal strike to resume work, pending negotiations with the mine owners. As the result of this refusal, the miners and their ...employers will not meet today. Leaders of the Transport Work-., ers Federation, which already has decided to support the miners, met ; this morning but adjourned until 4 o'clock this afternoon in order that., they might learn the result of the conference of the miners and the prime minister before deckling what ' form the support will take. The National Union of Railway men also convened during the fore noon, but it remained -in session., to hear the result of the premier's conference. The conference of the prims minis ter and the miners' leaders lasted two hours. Mr. Loyd-George, accompa nied by Sir Robert S. Home, the chan cellor of the exchequer; Thomas J. Mc Namara, minister of labor, and offi cials of the mines department, urged the miners to accede to the owners' conditions that pumping be resumed rendinsr negotiations. This the min. ers representatives declared they were unaoie to consent to ana, shortly after adjournment of the conference, ' the board of trade issued an official state ment saying "the negotiations have broken down." London, April 7. New disturbances cccurred in the town" of Cowdenbeath Scotland, last niBht. . During the dis order, a shop window was broken and the contents of the place were car ried away. The police dispersed the crowd with their clubs, according to a Central New3 dispatch from Dunferm line. Transport workers of the Brit ish fleet in the Firth of Forth have been given sleeping berths on board the battleships Crescent and Rosyth. Dou ble guards have been placed on all cais sons in the Forth area. Queenstown, Ireland, April 7. Naval units here and at other home ports have been instructed, as a result , of the strike of British miners, to hold themselves in readiness for emergency service. Shore leave has been cur tailed and naval officials view the sit uation as being filled with the gravest possibilities. The question of shfting large num bers of crown forces in Ireland to Eng land if disorders ensue, has been fully considered. Officials, however, ara aware of the possibility that the Irish republican army may take advantage cf he opportunity offered by disorders in England, and military authorities are reluctant to deplete forces in Ire land. TORE AMERICAN FLAG TO SHREDS, HE SAYS Tampa, Fla., April 7. Captain H. Jackson, master of the American schooner Telegram, arrived here today from Vera Cruz, Mexico, via Havana, to take up with officials of , the United States his charges that Mexicans at Alvaria, 40 miles from Vera Cruz, had torn an American flag into hreds, re fused to aid him and his crew when they were forced ashore after the ves sel was wrecked and refused' to help get the vessel out of the harbor on March 6,. last. The Mexican consul here has reported the matter to Mex ican representatives at-Washington. BENNY KAUFF INELIGIBLE. Chicago, April 7. Benny Kauff , star outfielder with the New. York Nation als, today was decided ineligible to play in organized baseball by Commissioner ; Landis because of the indictments re turned against him in New York charg ing him with the theft of an automo bile. . . ... t J v 1