North Carolina Newspapers

Y OAS ONM DA Weather: Rain Local Cotton 17 Cents VOL. XLHI. NO. 77. 'GASTONIAj'N. C, FRIDAY AFTERNOON, MARCH 31, 1922. SINGLE COPY 5 CENT3 COMMISSIONER WATTS THINKS HE'LL COLLECT AROUNDJM MILLION Over 24,000 Individuals Have Made Returns Also 1,600 Corporations Mr. Watts, However, Will Not Make Statement Until the Returns ; Are All In. ( (By W. T. Bust.) RALEIGH, March 20. Corporate in coma blanks returned bad stepped above 1,600 and individuals above 24.7U0 thin afternoon when the nice of Commission m A. D. Watts of the department of revenue had gone through bis last mails and -worked on the money which flows daily in. But for all the numerical strength shown Commissioner Watts would risk no iruess on what amount of money in comes will raise for North Carolina this year. Under the old plan of levying on those who haven't and giving immunities to those who have, the state collected from $300,000 to $400,000 annually, tiince corporations and properties began to iay no man has been intimately enough acquainted with North Carolina business to be able to say how much the first application of a real income tax will bring in. The old tax commission figur ed on $2,000,000 at the least; the com missioner reiterated today his belief that two millions will be conservative. But nearly half the aotual amount to be paid in has not even mado a start toward Italoigh. The big payers have taken ad vantage of their days of grace, several hundreds have been given extensions. Cer tainly one third of the two millions has not been returned and quite a few cor porations are yet to show up. Mr. Watts wll not be ready to make a statement until the returns are all in. The federal government's larger ex cmptions will give the state a slight lead and the expectancies there are about 28,000. The state begins on its citizens at $2,000 if married and 1,000 if not. The federal tax gatherer takes no money until $2,500 haS been turned in and if there are children each is allowed $400. Both governments are libera to people who give with chronic philanthropy so largely to the Lord. But after reach Ing a certain altitude the two classes run well together. The state has more ex emptions because it employs more pcr- mnnm an,l these do not pay me icueiai tar. But the federal collector gains in the ."i.000 cross income class w.iuh gives Undo Sam a sort of compensation winch the official class takes from him. Commissioner Watts said today that he income tax collections will be $2,000,- 000 ; wig would guess that he counts on more than that. But ho could not say liow much better the law will work in the bad year of its first application than lie had anticipated. OUESTION AS TO WHAT TO DO WITH THE MONEY. CHICAGO, March 31. The dath of Rosa and Josefa Blazek, the "Siamese Twins," has left the-Cook county pro bate court with a legal problem which apparently is unprecedented. In deter mining the disposition of the $1)0,000 estate of tile twins the conrt must de cide if 11-year-old Franz is the son of one or both of the twins. A scientific, controversy which began even before the death of the sisters ear ly yesterday has resolved itself into the question: "Were Rosa and Josefa Bla xek one individual personality or did they constitute separate entities!" If they were one personality the son will inherit the entire fortune, which was accumulated by the twins during their exhibition tours of the world. If they were two distinct personalities, Rosa being the mother and Josefa the aunt, only Kuan's half of the estato would go to the lad while Josefa 's closest relatives, including her 8."yenr old father, and four brothers, would be entitled to her half. Physicians say there are physiologi cal facts to support each contention and attorneys agree that illegal opinion must be based upon a scientific aualy ais of the bodies. , 8o far a tost mortem has been op posed by the brother Frank Blazek, who is in this city. It was he who prevented an operation before death which physicians urged as the only pos sible means of saving one of the sis ters. LOWER MICHIGAN COVERED . WITH SNOW AND ICE. DETROIT, Mich., March 31. Low rr Michigan today was under a blanket of snow and ice, communication lines were crippled, many highways were im passable, with telephone poles and wires blocking traffic and interurliaii railway service was greatly hampered by ice covered rails and interruption of power transmission lines. The glaze covered the southern half of the .lower peninsula, while in the north, which was all but cut off from wire communication, a heavy snowfall was reported, 'Wie sleet storm which raged all day yesterday, promised this morning to continue, the temperature remaining just below the f reeling point. It was the. third storm within six weeks to sweep the "state and from fragmentary reorts the property dahiage will be as great as that eaused by the others. Officials of the Michigan ' State Tel ephone Company said today damage to its equipment would amount to $1,500, 000; the Detroit United Railway plac ed its loss at $10,000 and the Western Union and Postal Telegraph companies also sustained heavy damage. farmers also will be hard hit, accord-' ing to reports reaching here, which said many small trees had broken under weight of the ice. THE WEATHER North Carolina, showers tonight, cool er in west portion; Saturday generally fair and coller. probably preceded by showers on the coast ; ' SENATE SPEEDS UP AND CLEARS CALENDAR OF THE CONFERENCEJREATIES Ratines Far Eastern Treaty by ! Unanimous Roll Call Chi-,1 nese Tariff Receives Only : One Opposing Vote. . j (By The Associated Tress.) WASHINGTON, March 31. By an unexpected burst of speed, the Senate today had cleared its calendar tf the; arms conference treaties. Ratifying by! a unanimous roll call the far eastern ! treaty and with only one opposing vot, j the pact for revision of the Chinese tariff yesterday, the Senate exceedVd even the expectations of administration leaders in the speed with which it swept to conclusion its ratification program. Sixty six Senators voted in the unani mous approval given the far eastern treaty while 00 of the 59 voting on the tariff treaty only one. Senator King, Democrat, Utah, was recorded against it. The comparatively brief debate on the far eastern treaty developed virtuully no differences of opinion, although Sen ator Borah, Kepublican, Idaho, express ed a fear that the far eastern settle ments of the arms conference generally might in future years be interpreted as giving "moral assent" to past aets of aggression in the Orient. In sever al sharp exchanges which took place over the tariff treaty, Senator Hitchcock, ranking Democrat on the Foreign Re lations Committee, and Senator King led in criticism of American participation in the fixing of Chinese customs sched ues, while Senator Underwood, the Dem ocratic leader, defended the past. Sena tor Hitchcock left the chamber and did not vote on the tariff treaty. REV. G. H. C. PARK NEW H", PASTOR OF CHAPEL CHURCH Comes from Kannapolis and Will Devote His Entire Time to This Congregation. The Chapel Evangelical Lutheran church is putting on an aggressive program since Rev. G. II. C. l'ark has become the pastor. As most of the read ers of The Gazette know this is an old church, located about two miles "from the business section of town on the Charlotte highway. The congregation is made up chiefly of substantial farmers and until recently was in a pastorate with Christ's church, Stanley; nnd Bethel church. Iron Station. But since the Flint. Groves, Kanlo, Spencer Mountain, Rex and Smyre Mills have been built in close proximity to the church the congregation recently became a pastorate itself and called Rev. G. II. C. Park as their full time pastor. Rev. Mr. Park comes from Kannapolis where he has done successful work for almost eight years. He is now making a thorough canvass of the mill villages a round the church that he and the congre gation may be better able to serve that community. Sunday school and morning and evening services are being held every Sunday. The Sunday school meets nt 10, the morning service is hold at 11 and the evening service at 8. A wide-awake Luther League meets every Sunday at 7 p. m., just an hour before the evening service. FREE PARTY STRENGTHENED SAYS WINSTON CHURCHILL Agreement For Pacification of Island Gives Rise to Hope Tor Co-operation Between North and South. Bv The Associated Tress.) LONDON, March 31. The Free State party in Ireland is enormously strengthened by the agreement for the pacification of the island, signed here hist night, the House of Commons was told today by Winston Spencer Church ill, secretary for the colonies. Paying tribute to what he termed the statesmanlike courage of the Ulster leaders, Mr. Churchill said, the agree ment gave hope for co-operation be tween the north and south and opened a prospect for a future for such Ire land has never before contemplated. Ulster, he said has lent a helping hand to the Free State and the can -e of ieace in Ireland the value of which could not lie overestimated. "For, by taking all the measures hu manly possible to bring .cessation of re ligious partisan warfare in Belfast it self nnd remove the causo of friction," he aii id, "Ulster has given the treaty and the provisional Government a far greater chance of success than otherwise would have been possible. "There is no doubt whatever that the conflicts in slums of Belfast have armed the foes of the Free State with every sort of argument to rally their side forces which otherwise would have had nothing to do with their wrecking, destructive campaign. "As far as the measures now taken may have an effect in tranquilizing the situation in Belfast the cause of those fighting for the treaty will be enor mously strengthened. x "Additionally there is in this a grcement hope of co-operation between the north and south a co-oieration on ly for the coming on the basis of the treaty a eo-operation which would- be finally destroyed were a republic set np. - "This hone of unity and eo-opera tion opens to Irishmen the prospect of a peaceful, protected future such as was never held out before. In these two ways Ulster has rendered a supreme sen-ice not only to Ireland,- but to the British empire." .' ' j MOOSEHEABT CHILDREN - f TO STAGE BIG PAGEANT MOOSEHEART, IU., Mar. 31 An elaborate children's pageant it planned as a feature of the annual national convention of the Loyal Order of Moose to take place here duritof the week of August 20. President Harding has been invited to attend by Secretary of Labor James J. Davis, who is director general of the order. All members of the cabinet have also been in vited. Numbers of children in various communities are being trained for the classical dancing called for by the pageant. A reproduction of the capitol of Washington has been or dered as a background for the re viewing stand intended for the President. Large adult and chil dren's choruses are being organised. ACCUSED NURSE FALLS FROM STAND IN FAINT Woman on Trial for Murder of Kinkead Unable to Pro-i ceed With Story (By The. Associated Press.) NEW YORK, Mann 31. Halting her testimony frequently to weep Miss Olivia M. P. Stone admitted today, at ber trial for the murder of Ellis Guy Kinkead, former corporation counsel of Cincinnati, uuthorship pf a threatening letter to Kinkead which she denied yes terday she had written. Apparently recovered rom her collapse which halted the trial yesterday after noon Miss Stone took the stand1 at the opt ning of today 's session and faced Assistant District Attorney Warbasso for further cross examination. Handing her paper and pencil, Mr. Warbasso asked her to write at his dicta tion. The letter, he read, dated October 4, 918, nt Mount Olivet, Ky., advised Kinkhead that Miss Stone intended to file a suit or breach of promise and that she hud told her lawyer "all about that woman the real caube of your not wanting to marry me." "After the suit is over." 'Mr. War basso Tead, and Miss Stone wrote, ' ' I um going to telegraph my brother Guy to come to me at once and you know what will happen to you after he sees me and hears tlie story. "You will he mortified to death when the suit is brought for breach of prom ise." Handing her the letter Mr. Wurbassc asked her to compare the handwriting with what she had written, anil say whether the comparison did not refresh her memory of having written the oii ginal. She Ha id it was her handwriting bui that she had no recollection of having written it, adding that there was "some thing back of these stories" NEW YOHK. March .10. Olivia M. P. Stone, graduate nurse, collapsed this afternoon on the witness stand at her trial on a charge of murdering KUis Guy Kinkead, former Cincinnati corporation counsel, in front of his Brooklyn home. Two state alienists, after examining her, said it would be inhuman to ques tion her further, and Supreme Court Jus tice Aspinal adjourned the trial until to morrow. A series of letters demanding money from Kinhcad, sprung as a surprise by Assistant District Attorney Warbasse, appeared to bowl her over. Virtually all these letters, which he asked her to identify, demanded money on threats of divorce or breach of prom ise suits, Mr. Warbasso said. But when each was shown to her, she stoutly denied the handwriting' was hers. "Miss Stone," asked Warbasse, ' ' would you tell a lie to save your life!" "A lie, lie," she murmured. "I would not.' ' As she spoke, she crumpled, fell heav ily forward and lay in a heap almost at the feet of Justice Aspinall. After a recess Justice Aspinall called in the jury and telling them Miss Stone1 oft to anticipate every one of milady's was in collapse dismissed llicm. She was ' wishes. Preacher Barrett had nothing taken back to jail in a taxi'cao. . j to do but sit back and enjoy the ev- From the first, when she took the r-ning . His well-trained men had cv stand this morning, she hud testified crvtiing arranged. The parson evident- wcaniy aim oroKeniy. most or the time weeping, ncvera Times mucuing were applied and frequent rests given her so she could regain her posure. She said Kinkead had tired of left her, married another woman, 8a"8 were and then avoided her to the extent of hang ing up the telephone when she railed him. But in the afternoon there was a sli-rM .-iLinifTi, Th.. ll..o- f i. ir,t. ! ters introduced seem to rouse her for a I time. Her tears ceased, and she leaned I forward now ind then her ryes flashing j folks of the church. During the ev as she told Mr. Warbasse that the let-j cuing ?hort talks wvre -made by Mrs. ters wore mysteries to her. Then she ' Iliglismith, Mrs. II. 1J. Moore, Mrs. slumped back and in a voice again I Joe 8. Wrav, Mrs. C. P. Nanny and broken by tears, declared: "I don't know "whether or. not." wrote that ATLANTA HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES OF 1872 GET THE DIPLOMAS TONIGHT (By The Associated Press.) . ATLANTA, March 31. Superin tendent of Schools, Hutton will have a problem on his hands tonight when he delivers diplomas to a class graduated from the-hoys high school. Almost with exception, its menilxrs have the ad vantage over him in years, and therefore, in experience and- the homily which usually attends such occasions would be sadly malapropos. The c'ass was graduated in lft72-and included a number pf boys who have achieved prominent places in the voca tions they afterward selected. Among them wore Clark Howell, editor of The Atlanta Constitution, Frank P.' Rice, leaning realtor, Marion -r.rwin. prouii-J nent in southern legal circles, snd many others. Por some reason, long forgotten, the diplomas were never presented- to the young hopefuls in the yean interven ing since their graduation FRANCE RECOGNIZES THE RIGHT OF U. S. TO PAY FOR TROOPS ON THE RHINE Only Question Is to Whom the Request of Pay Should be Made, to the Allies or to Germany. (By The Associated Press.) PARIS, March 31. France replied today to the note from the United States concerning payment of the costs of the American military occupation of the Bhinelaud. The French note repeats the recent declaration of the minister of finance before the Senate that France ec ogni.es the rights of the United States in the matter. The only question is to whom the request for reininitwrscmcn should be made to the allies or to Ger many, the note says. The French Foreign Oflice character ized the note as a mere acknowledgment o the American communication. The Aniberican cmbusey, however, consider the note a full acceptance of the claim as set forth in the American note MEN OF BAPTIST CHURCH ENTERTAIN THE WOMEN Delightful Banquet Served by Men of First Baptist Church to Women of Congregation Men Did All Cooking, Serving and Dishwashing. If the men of the First Baptist church were fully cognizant of the pickle into which they have gotten themselves all on account of the wonderful banquet they serve! to tin lailics of that church last evening at the Baptist Annex, they would not haw been so zealous in their efforts to dis play their skill with skillet, frying pan rolling pin ami dishrag. "If 1 hud known my husband could do all this, or help a little bit, I never would have spent half the time I have in the kitch en preparing food for the brute," sa'.d one prominent lady member of tie? church during the course of the feed. "Further more," added another. "they have kept so well tlie plans am secrets of tins banquet that we are wondering if there are not other dire and dreadful secrets in their lives th-it ought to be divulged. We don't know what our husbands cflu ami will do when they are out from muter our wing. " The men of the church planned, pre pared and served a banquet to the In lics. Not one of the women had a d ill the preparation of the menu oi i'.' serving thereof. Everything was done . " them and all that was requir ed of t..i'.n wus to sit down and eat and talk. They did all three excellent ly and to the King's taste. About 17.") of tlie women wen- pres ent and they sat down to a delicious menu, concocted by Andy Armstrong uild a corps of some -j or .'10 chefs, cooks anil bottlewnshers, of the follow ing: Grapefruit cocktail, celery, ol ives, barbecued pork hum, creamed po tatoes, English peas, lettuce and toma to salad, chicken salad, ice cream ami cake, coffee, cheese and crackers. , The work of the evening had been thoroughly planned and organized by the men. Joe Wray, dressed in Press Roper's police overcoat and somebody's beaver hat, acted as chief butler and showed the ladies up to the hall, after acting as chief of transportation to get them there. They were met by a com pany of dress suited, white-tied flunkies who extended them the right hand of welcome and made them feel at home, as if the women needed such solicitous care. K. B. Deuny, head waiter, had a whole flock of barbers ami waiters in white coats and hat-t running their legs iv i,...i - ,jL, time, for, when he was called to the idione, some one heard him say, in response to a certain inquiry from the other end: "Oh, I'm having the time of my life, (lot about two hundred women up here." He was to have a seance with Mrs. Barrett after tlie banquet. The affair was one of a series of banquets which the Baptist church is stairuiL'. rirst the men First the men were entertain- cd by the women, and then vice versa Next on the program are the young- Miss Littlejolm. A beautiful quartet bv Messrs. Thorite and Phillips, Miss Mabel Padgett and Mrs. J. 15. Pink ston, "Believe Me, If All Those Kn dearing Young Charms,'' added much i to the pleasure of the evening. Iteci- tations by Mr. J. U. aioore ana Airs. Highsmith were also enjoyed. The entire affair was one of the most enjoyable ever held by the people of the Baptist church, and is one of tT rer'w of such events being held to de velop the social life of the church. Thanks. (Charlotte Observer.) The lively little neighbor at the oth er end of the steel and concrete lines across the Catawba is planning another protuberance from its sky line in the shape of a new bank and office build ing that will be -eight or ten storiei high, and work upon which is shortly to begin. It in. the enterprise of tlu Third Trust Company, 'and, like several Other buildings of the sort in Gjstonia will be of a class which many towns larger .than Ca-tonia. would Vs glad to dai!r - " 300 Jlllll MM COAL STATES TO ROTARY CLUB HEARS ABOUT (JMl AND PLAYGROUNDS J. H. Separk and J. Lander Gray Offer 25 Acres of Land or Substitute of $500 to Start Movement for Ro tary Camp. ' Two speeches by Messrs. Hedges and Wallace, of Cuuuuurity Service und of fer by Messrs. Separk anil Gray of land fur a park and the nomination of Sum A. Robinson for president for tho ensuing year featured the weekly Kotary luncheon Thursday. For the oflice of viee-prosi-dent, the names of Jim Kennedy and Bill Balthis were proposed. The election will be held April Ki. For directors, two of whom will be elected, the names of Kd Rankin, Will Haynes, Oscar Miller, Arthur IMxon anil Will Clifford were nominated. These elections will also take place April l'J. Following the address of Mr. Wallace, of Community Service, in which he stressed the value of parks and play grounds, President Joe Separk announc ed that, as a starter for a $.),000 fund for a Rotary Park and Camp for boys, he and J. Lander Gray would donate acres of land for the park or in lieu thereof, if the location were not suitable, tho sum of $.j(MI. This statement was greeted with applause, Tho entire mat ter of a Rotary camp was referred to the boy's work committee. W. L. Bal this, speaking for Community Service, announced that tho Clinton lot at the corner of South street and Second avenue had been secured for the use of a play ground and recreation ground this sum mer. A handstand will be erected, pluy- ground equipment installed and eleetrit. lights strung so that it will he available for list! in the evenings. It is planned to put a capable supervisor of plays and games in charge of the grounds. Futher details of the plan will be announced. Mr. Wallace, of Community Service. stressed the fact that the leisure time of an individual is what forms one's habits and character. What one iloes in tin- hours between work time and seep is an accurate gunge of the individual's likes anil dislikes. Ho urged the Rotary club to support tho movement for a system of parks and playgrounds in Gustonia, pointing out the fact that now is tne time to secure space for these spots. Ik- said that in Richmond $oOO,000 was be- ng spent for parks and playgrounds that could have been secured nve yearn ago for $100,000. FAIRVIEW ORGANIZES A COMMUNITY FAIR Another Live Section of Cher- ryville Township Will Com pete For Community Fair Honors This Fall Mauney Preaches Live at Home Campaign. Puirview fell into line enthusiastically and unanimously for a community tair at a meeting that crowded the school ouse Wednesday r.ight. Farmers and their wives as well as boy und girl club members were out in force nnd it was u ive sort of a meeting. This community,) ocated on the Gastonia Cherrvville high way between Tryon high school and Clicr ryville. has always been known as a live one whenever it uimerroos. liny ciuu munity project. This is its first attempt it a community fair. 11. fc. Sellers was elected president, W. K. Farnsworth. vice president ami ovd Mauiiev. secretary-treasurer. um- mitteca will soon be mimed by these of ficers. The meeting was addressed by Kxecu- tive Secretory Fred M. A.tlen ot tlie Big Gaston County Pair relative to commun ity fair organization, by minty Agent C. I.ce Gowan on this and other matters, bv Andrew J. Mauney of the staff of the First National Bank of Chcrryville on the tank's corn show anil soil improve ment exhibit, by Mr. Sellers, Mr. Farns worth, Mr. Mauney and ninny others present. Incidentally Mr. Mauney is i ruling man who is rapuliy developing n to a speaker of real force and the gos . ... i) i... :. ,....,!;-.. pel "t live III iioiiie in- ri i'm-h 11 Cherrvville township wouhl ne goon fr ul lirntdll COUIltV to llcUT. lie CltCS facts and figure to his audience relative tr) moiiev going outside tin- county from eiierryville annually for foodstuffs that j should be produced i'l the county. j Fairview makes the third community! fair for Gaston this year, tlie others being the veteran SunnysidC fair and a new one at Mount Beulali on the Dallas Chcrryville road. TO SEEK RECOGNITION OF SOVIET GOVERNMENT (By The Associated Press.) RIGA. March 31. Recognition of the Soviet regime as the dejnre Govern ment of Russia will be sought at the Genoa, conference "not because this f..rm nf recognition has magic power. hut Waiise it will aid in restoring trade , relation Itctwccn Russia and the ret of the world," said Foreign Minister Chitcherin, head of the Soviet delega- lion, in his interview yesterday wi:h the foreign correspondent!. " The Soviets hold that the entente liowers were the instigators of the paigns eoiiiiueieu oy oenrmi in-uimo and General Itaron Wrangel, he said, aud the delegation is prepured to pre , . , . . t ta..:i:... sent claims in that connection at Genoa The success of the conference, depended niton tlie extent to which the powers were prepared to go for conciliation. Th bolsheviki would not hold , themselves sfUipaoie ir um ouirr naumia irirwuir at Genoa were irreconcilable an-1 pre eeuted iaro:dbl'j eou'lit'.ons. MINERS QUIT Fight Is Forced by Operators Declares John LV Lewis Stack of Coal on Hand Is Largest Since Armistice Day Length of Strike Is Matter of Conjecture. (Rv The Associated Press.) INDIANAPOLIS, 1ND.. March 31. Tho last day of work under present wage contracts was completed today, by the country's half million union coal miners. Officially their suspension of work was set to begin tonight at mid night, but virtually it was to start six hours ahead of schedule for most miners and their shift in the mines at that hour. The extent of the suspension, however, will not bo an exact certaiuty until tomorrow, the first day of tho shutdown. A complete tie up of union fields in 20 states was predicted today by offici als of the United Mine Workers of America at the union headquarters here, and they also asserted that 100,000 non union workers would lay down their picks President John L. Lewis said at least tiOO.OOO men would join tho walk out, his estimate including the non union participants. No final instruc tions to district leaders were planned to be issued today from union headauar- J iters and officials declared any move a- vcrting the suspension was now impos sible. "We are ready for a fight, forced on us by the operators," declared Mr. Lewis. "We have sought in every hon orable way to get new contracts but the operators have persistently refused to deal with us. Then, too, the powerful nun union interests have tried iu every possible wuy to peinudau the union oper ators to fight tho United Mine Workers in order that the non-union interests may reap a financial harvest by operating during the st'ik-v' Twenty States will be affected by the shutdown, and the only union men ex pocted to continue coal producing are 6,000 workers in southwestern Ken tucky, whose contract with the opera tors does not expire until April 1, 192:). In addition, forces of the union men will bo left in the mines to protect the! property from damage. Pennsylvania will turn out the largest number of men, und other states to be affected1 are West Virginia, Ohio, Indi ana, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas, Alabama Tennessee Kentucky, Maryland, Michi gan, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and Washington. Western Canada is also expected to join the suspension, but not thi-'Nova Scotia district. Not only is Pennsylvania expected to send out the greatest force of the union, out also the union omcials anticl- pate an cxoiius or me non-union- miners .. i.t Th Bthrit .tiafrw-ta which are haf unionized,: nr expected to be shut down completely, and in addi tion many bituminous miners from the central part of that State have been called on to join with the union men there. West Virginia, Kentucky, Ala bama and Washington also are expect ed by the union officials to experience idleness at the non-union mines of those states, the must important of these strikes being from the New Bivcr and Winding Gulf fields of West Virginia. The duration of the suspension in the union fields, as also the strike at the non-union mines, is a matter of conjecture. The shutdown begins with warm weather approaching and with stocks on baud the largest at any time for the Inst several years. Government reports placed the stock at 6.1,000,000 tons, n quantity as large as that which had been accumulated at the end of the war armistice day, November 11th, 1!IS. This supply, Government offi cials estimate, will meet every demand for 4: days and the depletion of this reserve is regarded by union officials as neccs-'jiry before they expect the bitu minous operators to indicate any wil lingness to confer with the new wage contracts. union on ' Anthracite operators, however, are , already conducting wage negotiations,- with ment the union and an earlier settle- j m l nose licuis is promised man i for the principal foft coal 1" districis. Not all of the latter fields, however, are thought to lie able to withstand a long strike, and in a drawn out strug gle the fight may center in the strong ly organized central competitive field, comprising Western Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, nnd the South west interstate district, including Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas. For the non-union miners joining the shutdown, the union docs not plan to liiianco their idleness, olticiais uecianng their program for winning the eo-opcra-tiou of these workers calls only for a "peaceful appeal." Organizations, however, have been quietly at work for some time, and their effectiveness can not be forecast, but no loug interrup tion seems imminent in the non-union fields. For six months, the threat Of ,the susH"nsion has l-cn becoming moro ap parent. Last September the miners made it clear that their policy was op- OSe,i to anv wage reductions, which j 0jM.rators generally were asking, but the j exaet stand of the union was made Uown a little more than a month ago. Dreifly, the miners demands are that (present basic wages be retained in the i mft roa fields and that the anthracite cam-.tonnage workers receive a 20 per cent increase witn si a uay auvanco m-ing given the anthracite day workers. The basic rates for tho soft coal workers ranee from $1.03 to $1.11 a ton for ,,i,.k mining, and the day men receive 7.50 a day. Exaet tonnage rates in tho anthracite fields are said by- the union to be lower than in the soft coal district, and the anthracite day wen re ceive from.20 to $3.60 a day. Aside from tha wage question, ths IN 20 WORK AT MIDNIGHT fight of the miners in the soft coal fields is directed toward preserving tho .union's system of bargaining that has grown up during tlie last 40 years. In the past wages liave been fixed by an interstate contract applying to Western Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Illi nois, with contracts for other soft coal fields being based on the iutteratate con tract. The contract question, however, is not an issue iu the anthracite dis trict. : In addition to reduction in wages,' the soft coal operators have refused to continue the interstate method of con tract making. Reductions proposed by the operators generally amount to for ty per cent of the prevailing scales, or a return to tho wagun established by contracts mado in 1110. ' Moine opera tors' also insist ou the abolition of th union's V check off," the plan by which operators deduct union dues from the miners wages. While t!iehnion 's affairs will be di rected generally by the international executive officers, and . the subordinate district officials, all questions of policy have been vested in a special committeo of 116 men, completing tho various dis trict unions. The committee will meet on the call of President Lewis, who said that future meetings "depend on developments of tho strike." As out lined oy ine committee, the union's policy on entering the suspension is to permit no wage agreements being mado fur any soft coal fields until after a contract, substantially the same as that existing today, has been mada for tlie central competitive field. For the an thracite field the "policy stands for wage increases, while the policy, is sub ject to committee change, it now calls : for ending the suspension in any lield only after tho miners have approved a new contract by a referendum vote. ; FLOOD SITUATION IS BECOMING CRITICAL First Line of Levee on Mis sissippi River Near Helena, Ark.f Are Caving in - Gov ernment Engineers on Job. (By The Associated Press.) IIKLKNTA, ARK., March 31. The situation at Old Town, Ark., 17 rnilcs ! south of here, where caving in of the i fivu i 41 . . . I . ,me lev?rg 9f Mississippi river began yesterday because of flood waters. was described this morning by govern ment engineers as critical. Two more feet caved in early today and the strong current from the Mississippi side is saii to be eating its way under the levee on the Arkansas side. Heavy rains last night made it imii possible to continue emergency work : which was suspended at fl o'clock, to -permit tho men to seeuro some Tesfc . from tho task before them today. Levee engineers state that the rivet at Old Town is now five miles wide. They expressed the opinion that the : river will continue to rise at the rate ., of three or four inches a day until Tuesday, when the crest is expected t reach the endangered point. 1 Reports coining in from headquarters of the Missouri Pacific Railway Com pany here Etato that a section of track one mile long between Mariana and Soudan, Ark., is five inches under wa ter. A further rise, it was reported", caused uu indefinite suspension of traf lic. - ... . Water is still at track level along tho Memphis, Helena & Louisiana Railroad ' between Helcua and McGehee. Ark.. but traffic continues uninterrupted. , Heavy rains last night made it fm possible to continue emergency - work which was suspended at 9 o'clock to per- mit the men to secure some rest from the tasK ocrore mem XOUay. .Levee engineers state that the river at Old Town is now five miles wide. They expressed the opinion that tho river will continue to rise at the rate of three or four inches a day until Tues day, when the crest is expected to reach the endangered point. '-. - - Reports coming in from headquarters of the MiHsotiri Pacific. Railway Com pany here state that a section of track one mile long between Mariana and Soudan, Ark., is five inches under water. A further rise, it was reported, eaused an indefinite suspension of traffic. Water is still at track level along tho Memphis, Helena & Louisiana Railroad between Helena and McUehee, Ark., but traflic continues uninterruted. - Cotton Market CLOSING BIDS ON THE " NEW YORK MARKET ' NEW YORK. March 31. Cotton fu tures closed steady.' - May 17.92; July 17.37; October 17.34. December 16.87; January 16.76. TODAY'S CDTTOa T.IAEKET Cotton seed .....Sio Strict to good middling .....17s. Tomorrow is the last day of tli big Columbia grafanuhl sale which tlio Winget Jewelry Company has ha-lv on for khe past two week. Tie- s-i!e tins been a most successful one, n- . chines having been wdd..