The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, September 24, 1919, Image 1
8FHK SUMTXR WATCHMAN, Eetab i
Consolidated Aug. 2,1
STEEL STRIKE
IS IN EFFECT
Thousands of .'Workmen Obey
Orders of Union Leaders
to Walk Out x
OFFICERS SAY PLANTS
WILL BE RUN, HOWEVER
Order Being Maintained By
Patrols of Police and Mm
Guards
Pittsburgh, Sept.. 21.?Clashes be
tween Pennsylvania State police and
crowds bent on holding labor mass
meetings in the Pittsburgh district to
day ushered in the strike in the
' iron and steel industry. The
most serious disturbance occurred
at North Clairtor., 20 miles from
Pittsburgh . late in the afternoon,
' where the State troopers , charged
a crowd of union men holding a
mass meeting and broke it up. Re
sistance wa's offered and it is charged
by union leaders that the mounted
.policemen used their clubs vigorous
ly and injured a number in the crowd.
About a dozen men were arres:ed.
* The meeting was broken up at the
^request of the local authorities.
According to eye witnesses the
meeting was. proceeding quietly when
the. State police broke it up- The
crowd scattered and some ran up a
railroad embankment and threw
stones and other .missiles at the
troopers. During1 the melee, sever
al in the crowd were struck on the
head by the policemen, it was said.
The crowd soon scattered and' as far
. as can: be learned no one was serious
ly injured. During the melee tn?
.horse of one; of the troopers suffer
ed ?. broken leg.' It is alleged tha*
several shots were fired by some one
in/'the crowd.
"William ZL Foster, secretary of the
rational committee for organizing iron
.and stt^jp workers, tonight said that
^r^Si^8*s protest would be lodged
{With the- State government' against
what.,,: he termed a "murderous at
tack upon law abiding people."
Some of the Wast furnaces of the
^^r^iegfe^ Steel \*mh9miy'-^^?foi&edi
" .;{T6ere4was a slight disturbance at
I^^Keespbrt, where union organizers
attempted to hold a mass meeting in
defiance of the proclamation of May
or George Dysle forbiding public
gatherings. More than 2.500 steel
Workers and sympathizers were gath
ered near the southern i;mits of the
**Uy when a souad of McKeesport po
lice dispersed them, driving the crow
Into Glassport, an adjoining borough '
When the crowd again began to is
semble in Glassport the local poliet
appeared and ordered the meeting dis
persed.
The crowd refused to move and <
dfetiichment of State police appearec
and with drawn clubs broke up tb
meeting. No one was injured. Twr
aliens were arrested for refusing x<
fcbey the order of the police to "mov<
vn."
After dispersing the Glassoori
meeting the State police returned tc
McKeesport and patrolled the streets.
Crowds were dispersed without dif
ficulty.
All preparations had been complet
ed by Mayor Lysle tonight for putting
down disorder in McKeesport. All
day . long men were being sworn in a>
special officers. Members of the Mc
Keesport chamber o;! commerce were
sworn in as special police. More thar.
2,500 civilian policemen are now
available for duty. About 3,000 em
ployees of plants at McKeesport have j
been made deputy sheriffs to protect j
company property, it was stated. Th? i
steel plants in and about McKeesport
employ approximately 18,000 work
men.
All plants in the McKeesport dis
trict are under heavy guard .tonight
Search lights have been installed anc" j
command all entrances to the com
pany's property.
Quiet reigned throughout the day
at Duquesne, Homestead and East
Duquesne. There was no attempt j
made by the steel m^n to hold meet :
ings and there was no congregating !
on the streets.
..The steel plants at Homestead an< j
Duquesne are prepared to protect
their property. Special barbed win
fences have been constructed about
exposed property and searchlights
h&Ve been installed. Deputy sheriff
afe patrolling the company property.
Although the call of the union?
made the strike effective tomorrow
morning, reports showed that steel
companies in the Pittsburgh district
at least, have already felt the effect
of the summons. The skeleton Sun
day shifts in many plants were no'
as complete as under normal eonditior
and union leaders said that a large
number of men had decided not tc
report tonight.
Sunday was a day of expectancy ir
\irtually all the iron and steel mill
communities in the district. Active
unionists were busy canvassing men
in their communities to get an idea
of the extent of the walkout and in
the afternoon mass meetings were held
in many places in last efforts to per
suade men to join the strike.
Steel Workers Hear O'fktrqmffbSt
Chicago, Sept. 21.?While union
meeting were in progress today all
over the Chicago steel district with
Readers making-Anal appeals to the
kfced April, 18*0.
"Be Just a
881. SUM
HARDING BACKS j
COTTON FIGHT
Voices His Hearty Approval of
American Association in ^
Their Undertakings
EXPORTS NOW PROBLEM
UP FOR CONSIDERATION
Committees Appointed to Ad
vance Formation of Export
Financing Corporation
Columbia, Sept. 21.?Following a
conference in Atlanta between W. P.
G. Harding, governor of the federal |
reserve bank system, and J. Skottowe!
Wannamaker, president of the Amer- :
ican Cotton Association, special com
mittees have been appointed by the
American Cotton Association to push
forward the organization of the ex
port financing corporation with all
possible speed, according to an an
nouncement made at the offices of the
American Cotton Association in this
city.
Mr. Wannamaker has issued a call
to the president of every bankers' as
sociation in the cotton belt urging
that special conferences of the bank
ers of each State be held at the ear
liest possible' date for the purpose of
discussing the aims, object and pur
poses of the American Cotton Asso
ciation and to arrange means by
which said bankers can be of the ut
most assistance in financing the cot
ton crop of the South and to help
maintain the 'minimum price rec
ommended at the convention held by
the American Cotton Association at
New Orleans recently.
Mr. Wannamaker said that the
bankers can be of the greatest as
sistance by fixing a maximum loan
.?alue per pound when secured by fed
3ral, State or bonded warehouse re
ceipts, and that they could be of fur
her assistance in the -organization of
the export corporation. He said their
assistance would be needed also in the
fullest practicable exploitation of the
new export facilities provided in the
Edge bill and other recent legislation.
Governor Harding, in. Atlanta^ lent
his . very hearty, ^endorsements to - the
work of the American Cotton Asso
ciation, saying:
"I cannot emphasize too strongly my
approval of the great work which
has been accomplished by the Ameri
can Cotton Association. I heartily
commend the wonderful service it is
rendering. I most strongly urge'the
importance of locally owned and con
trolled warehouses in every county in
the cotton belt. A tremendous amount
of work has been done by the Amer
ican Cotton Association for the pur
pose of emphasizing the vital import
ance of the erection of these ware
houses and of their control and
ownership by the farmers, merchants,
bankers and business men of the
South. I am more and more con- j
vineel that if the South desires to j
obtain a fair price for cotton it j
should put itself in iv?siiion to finance
the marketng of it both at home and]
abroad. Our people have for years j
been accustomed to financing the;
growing, crop, and of recent yeaxsA
they haVe learned ho*v to hoM their!
cotton after it has been ginned and j
baled, over a period of temporary dis-j
tress. They ought to go one step fur-j
ther and finance it until it gets into I
the hands of the spinners."
President Wannamaker said yester- i
day that telegrams and letters were
being received from all over the cot
ton belt indicating that the South is
solidly behind the American Cotton
Association. Warehouse corporations'
are being formed all over the belt, i
he said. Several of these are located
in South Carolina
In South Carolina it was stated tha*:
the campaign was progressing most;
satisfactorily. State Manager B. F.
McLeod spent the latter part of last j
week in the Peidmont section and re-j
ports that practically everybody who
is solicited is joining the association
in that section.
PROPOSED TREATY
IS CONSTITUTIONAL
Washington Sept. 22.?The senate
judiciary committee has decided the
proposed treaty guaranteeing imme
diate assistance of this country to
France in the event of an unprovok
ed German attack was constitutional.
men to obey the strike call tomorrow
morning and thereafter stay away
from the steel nulls, John Fitzpatrick.
national chairman of the committee
for organizing steel workers, issued
a statement asserting that E. Ff.
Gary, head of the United States
Steel corporation, had refused to lis
ten to President Wilson, who advised
a conference with union chiefs.
"The whole thing simmers down to
the question: 'Is E. H. Gary bigger
than the chief executive of this coun
try?' " said Mr. Fitzpatrick.
Birmingham. Sept. 21.?On the eve
of the steel strike conflicting state
ments are being given out by officials
and employees, the former claiming
that they will be only slightly ham
pered by the strike and that the
plants will be operated as usual, while
union officials claim that the plants
will be badly crippled and probably
forced to close down.
od Fear not?-Det all the ends Thon Ah
[TEE, S. C, SWEDNED
STEEL PLANTS
ARE OPTIMISTIC1
Reports From Pittsburg and
Other Cities' Claim That All
Furnaces Are Going
GUARDS AROUND PLANTS j
TO PREVENT TROUBLE
I
_ I
Mill Representatives Claim That)
Most of the Strikers Are of j
Foreign Birth
-,
Pittsburgh, Sept. 22.?Represents- j
tives of the , Carnegie Steel Com
pany declared that all plants in and
about Pittsburgh got away in gdod
shape this morning despite the union
strike orders and claim that all fur
naces were going and declared prac
tically all the striking workers were
of foreign birth. William C. Foster,
secretary of the National Committee
for organizing the iron and steel j
workers declared he was surprised j
at the showing made and predicted)
that many of the mills would be fore- I
ed to close down within a few days
when the full force of the strike
would, be felt. No disorders was re
ported in this city or vicinity. Early
reports from Chicago, Cleveland and
Youngstown districts indicated the
mills there were operating. Police
and company guards were stationed
about^ all the plants to prevent trou-1
ble. i
Pittsburgh, Sept. 22.?-The steel .j
strike went into effect today and early'
indications were that thousands would
obey the union leaders' orders to w_lk
out, although steel mill officials main-'
tained that their p'ants would ' con
tinue to operate. City police and mill
guards patrolled the streets.
BOLL WEEVIL
IN BEAUFORT
Only Two Bales of Cotton to
Twenty Acres
?? <From^the "Beaufort CazetteTr""~^
The statement recently made Dy a
large farmer in Beaufort County that
"he had twenty acres of cotton, all
growing fine, but .that he would do
well if he harvested two bales from
the twenty acres, where he had form
erly made a bale to the acre, on ac
count of the ravages of the lx)ll wee
vil this year,'* gives everyone a clear
insight into the exact situation which
the cotton farmers in Beaufort County
are facing.
All which goes to prove that we are
facing a new era. We must have
some permanent substitute for the
former money crop, cotton, or else
the farmers will have to stop farming,
except those who plant truck exclu
j sively. and as everyone knows, truck
I can be planted successfully on the
larger places, or rather by men who
have a substantial financial backing to
tide them over the seasons when they
I do not realize good profits on their
truck.
It. is for the. small colored farmer
j of Beaufort County, that the boll
I weevil has r?ng in the final curtain
I on their time honored money crop.
I Only a small percentage of them are
j acquainted with the cultivation of
; any money producing crop save cotton
'and the 1910 census reports there are
20.000 negroes living in the county.
I and it is safe to say that 75 per cent
\ of these have made their living, since
the days of the phosphate mines on
i their small cotton patches scattered
j over the mainland and numerous is
I lands along the coast,
j This brings us up to the permanent
j industry which will handle the hogs
|and cattle that the small farmer, both
i white and colored can raise in almost
j unlimited quantities on Beaufort soil,
I and a local packing plant, which i4
j now in the making, so to speak, will
I solve the problem. The latest re
| ports from the meetings which are
! now being held daily over the four
1 adjoining counties give promise c!
' success to the undertaking and it
I should have the moral and financia*.
j backing of every Beaufort County
j business man.
CZECHOSLOVAK
TROOPS TO GO
Supreme Council Has Decided
to Transport Fifty
Thousand,
Paris, Sept. 22.?The supreme
council has decided to transport fifty
thousand Czecho-Slovak troops from
Siberia to their homes. They have
I decided also that Teschen district
take a plebiscite within three months
to decide whether the region should
? rro to Poland or Czecho-Slovak.
MORE TIME GIVEN
_
Borne. Sept. 22.?General Babo
luis' ultimatum to D' Annunzio
giving him forty-eighht hours
: leave Fiume ha'-: b*?"n extended forty
eight hours according to advices rc
: ceived here. Despite the blockade of
j Fiume a number of volunteers have
joined D'Annunizo's forces.
i mn
net at be thy Country's*, lay ttod't ?
AY, SEPTEMBER 24. 1
TEXTILE WORKERS
ARE ARRESTED
Twenty-seven Are Arrested in
r
Connection With Last Mon
\ day's Disorders
TROUBLE AT WISCASSETT
j MILLS WHEN 2 ARE SHOTj
Face Charges of Inciting to Riot
and Interference With An
I Officer
->
\ Albcmarle, Sept. 21.?Twenty-seven
union textile workers were arrested
in connection with the disorders at
j the Wiscassett Mills last Monday in
[ which two persons were shot. They
i were placed on trial on charges of |
inciting to riot and interfering with
an officer in the performance of his
duty.
PINEWOOD BANK
CHECKS UP SHORT
Statement Issued By State
Bank Examiner
Columbia. Sept. 20.?An apparent
shortage' of % 4,918.59 hjis been "found
in the Bank of Pinewood, Sumter
county, by the State bank examiner's
office. C. P. Huff, who was found
:Jdead in his room at the Palace Hotel,
"fan Francisco". Cal., on September 31.
under rather mysterious circum
stances, was the cashier of the Bank
"?Jf Pinewood.
Relative to the shortage, James H.
Craig, State r bank examiner,, gave
'out the following statement:
"Numerous inquiries have come to
me relative, to the condition of the
Sank of Pinewood, following the
death of its, cashier. C. P. Huff, who
Was. found dead in his room at the
Palace Hotel, R*ui Francisco, Cal., on
September li.
-: "In order to answer all inquiries
aill,' as well as to set at rest any
doubts that m"H5>?*:-C7:ist locally. JJpwwi
^Jjfcmffo*_ **>f=* to- inform those ..con
cerned in a'public way.
"Learning of the, delayed' absence
of the cashier, unexplained, a repre
senttaive of the State bank examin
er's office was sent to make an ex
amination. He reported several ir
regularities, enough to justify an im
mediate audit. In compliance with
the suggestion, the services of a com
petent accountant were secured and
the audit made. The accountant .re
ports a total shortage of"'$4,9fSs<69,
of which amount $3,150 were liberty
bonds pledged as collateral that had
been extracted and in some way dis
posed of. The remaining items were
j small, severally. The former cashier
jwas under a surety bond of $5,000,
which will more than cover the short
age. The loss ascertained, is not suf
ficient to impair the capital of the
bank. The bank is perfectly solvent
and the public will not lose a dollar.
? on account of the apparent shortage/'
PLAN TO NATION
ALIZE COAL MINES
I Miners Would Have Government
Purchase Private Mines
Cleveland. Ohio, Sept. 20.?The con
vention of the United Mine Workers
of America today developed its plan
for the nationalization of coal mines,
which includes purchase by the fed
eral government of all private mines
at their actual value as determined by
federal appraisers and operation by
the federal government, with equal
miner representation upon' the bodies
administering the industry and liximr
wages and conditions of employment.
Nationalization of coal mines in Can
ada is also proposed. The miners of
fer right of way to nationalization of
railroads. provided the railroad
brotherhoods pledge themselves to
continue the tight with equal vigor
for the nationalization of mines. Ac
tion was taken by a unanimous vote.
The convention further adopted res
olutions demanding legislation to take
from the United Slates Supreme
Court the power to declare unconsti
tutional laws passed by the elective
congress; calling upon President
"Wilson to remove Postmaster General
Burleson as the "uncharitable, harsh
and malignant" opponent of labor?
and asking a new trial or full pardon
for Thomas j. Mooney and Warren K.
Billings, the repeal of the Espionage
Act and amnesty for political pris
oners. It refused, however, to call
r.s proposed a general strike and
stoppage of u.11 production until all
political and industrial prisoners are
released and in tts resolution on the
Espionage Act declared that many of
fenders had been justly convicted for
interference with the prosecution of
the war and that it had no desire to
condone such offenses.
D'ANNUNZIO BE
GINS OFFENSIVE
- V,
Paris, Sept. 22.?Troops under f?'
Annunzio have begun to extend their!
zone of occupation into Jugo-Slai
territory, according to the Jugo-Slai
delegation here which claims tha
D'Annunzio's men have advanced sev.
on miles, occupying Uisniak.
JUt T__-_'?.a IHK TR CK
L919.
GERMANS PLAN
ANOTHER WAR
Conditions in Central Europe
Are So Developing As to
Give Huns Opportunity
MINISTER MORGENTHAU
FORESEES TROUBLE
New Nations Are Quarreling
Over Territory Instead of Or
ganizing Stable Governments
i ? -
Paris, Sept. 19 (Py the Associated
.Press).?"Germany came through this
-war a perfect dynamo of strength. Her
human military power is practically
as great as ever and her 65,000,000
people have been schooled and har
dened by trials. They have learned
economy and self denial.
"The nation has been compressed
into a concentrated mass, which is
surcharged with energy and moving
with centripetal force, while Ger
many's neighbors are spreading them
selves out thin, and quarreling and
moving with centrifugal force." |
. Thus spoke Henry Morgenthau,
who headed the United States inves
tigation commission in Poland, in
discussing today his observations in
Central Europe.
'\And what will be the result," Mr.
Morgenthau asked. Replying to his
own question he continued, "If disin
tegration keeps up among Germany's
?neighbors, there can be but one result.
I doubt whether Germany fully ap
preciates her own strength. As she
sits, calmly watching the dickering
going on between the new states,
which arc losing sight of great prin
ciples and fighting over little strips of
territory, she must take grim satis
faction in the battle her enemies are
waging in her behalf, and a.Germany
encouraged by such disorder among
weak and struggling states, undoubt
edly wili resort to arms within a few
years and regain her lost territory.
"What will' prevent the military
clique from regaining control in Ger
many if Europe continues to offer
such tempting prizes to various nat
. * ionalitib^L ? Suokra, %itu_tJan-W?ll- wot
encourage Germany , to regain her
trade by peaceful means and to pay
indemnities.
"It will not satisfy the militarists
of Germany to return to the factories
if their war worn neighbors weaken
themselves further and deliberately
offer themselves a^ prey to the Prus
sian spirit.
'?What is to encourage the demo
crats in Germany who are trying t.c
get away from miiltarism? Europe
rapidly is driving on toward a situa
tion which eventually must result in
a coalition between Russia and Ger
many and the absolute destruction of
many of the newly created powers
unless steps be taken to prevent it.
"Opinion is strong that the league
of nations is the only means for pre
venting such a disaster. And it must
come soon and have the loyal support
of both great and small powers.
Greece. Italy Jugo Slavia, Czecho
slovakia. Poland and other European
countries which have been fought over
and are in a sadly weakened condi- i
tion need the support of some or-1
ganization which will afford them the j
proper tribunal for their disputes and
assist them in winning their publics i
j away from the idea that war is the ;
j only means of getting justice.
"It is impossible to create barrier!
I states against Bolshevism and mili- j
jtarism. and if these new states con-J
j tinue their quarrels and weaken
j themselves they can not resist any
[enemy, much less a great untouched I
] power like Germany."
CAR SHORTAGE j
} BECOMES SERIOUS
j Mr. Hines Says 900 New Cars
Are Delivered to Roads
Each Work Day
Washington, Sept. 21.?Warning of
I a. se.ous car shortage unless every
j effort is made to expedite the move- '
j ment of the equipment was given to- j
j day by Director General Hines.
j Calling on shippers to continue the
j cooperation which made them so "pa- j
j trictically helpful" during the war, j
I Mr. Hines said that despite the deliv- j
i ery of more than 900 new cars to the!
J railroads rach working day. reviving)
I business was making demands which
could not be met without obtaining!
j the greatest possible utility from the I
(existing limited facilities. Prominent:
j in the causes making for transporta
[tion shortage he mentioned unusually:
I heavy grain and coal movements and j
iconstruction of public highways in alii
! parts of the country.
I "Receivers of freight can assist by:
j prompt unloading of cars and notice;
I thereof to the carrier, by ordering!
: Toods in quantities representing the'
: full safe carrying capacity of cars
and d:sregarding trade units, by or-i
Bering from the nearest available;
] source, and by pooling orders so as to j
? secure full carload.
i "With a strong: effort on the rail-'
jro:?d administration and the shippers;
'and receivers of freight it is hoped,
j'hat. durfntr the period of abnormally!
I heavy rtaffic with which we are nowi
* confronted the nation's transportation!
Breeds may be met with reasonable I
I satisfaction to all parties." '
SOPTHBUN, ?%i?bU'JM4 Jam, i j?
VoLXLIX. No. 12.
civil service
row continues
Congress Takes a Hand in the
Wrangle Between Commis
sioners and Burleson
POSTOFFICE DEPART
MENT DENIES CHARGES
First Assistant Postmaster Gen
eral Koons Presents-Emphatic
Defense of Burleson
Washington, Sept. 19.?Charges of
Charles M. Galloway of South Caro
lina, former member of the civil ser
vice commission, that Postmaster Gen
eral Burleson was "debauching" the
civil service system by undue inter
ference in the selection of postmasters
together with insinuations by Her
man W. Craven of Seattle, Wash.,
another former commission member,
of alleged irregularities in civil ser
vice examinations were vehemently
denied today by witneses before the
senate postoffice subcommittee consid
ering contested postmaster nomina
tions.
The charges of both former com
missioners brought spirited replied
from J. K. Koons, first assistant post- -
master general, and Martin A. Mor
rison, president of the civil service
commission, who asserted that neith
er Mr. Burleson nor any other post
office department official had attempt
ed, to exert any influence over the
commission's action in the certifica
tion of postmasters or that politics in
any way controlled the .commission.
Mr. Craven, who appeared before
the committee in connection with . a
test over a postmastership at More
head City, N. C., declared the coin-,
mission's examinations in some in
stances, were a "sham." In making"
the assertion he said he- intended It
fcr the,members of the commi3siot)?
and asked that it not be' placed in
the record.
"I object to that statement and It
won't be borne dutcby the facts/* de
clared Mr. Koons jumping to" his feet.
A similar .denial was made by ??res-:
ident STorrison to' 'jv^lx? -?raVsefn an-~;;
swere.d that what he said did not ap?
p'y to postmaster examinations ior
offices paying' less than $2,400. an
nually and added:
"I don't say it does apply to all
cases above that amount, but exami
nations can be made a fake whenever
the postmaster general wants them to
be."
- Mr. Craven, when pressed for the
reason for his recent resignation, said
it was at the president's request and^'
it was due to the fact that "he would
not be subservient to the postoffice
department." /
Assistant Postmaster General
Koons told the committee that both
Craven and Galloway, after their res
ignations had been demanded, came
to Mr. Burleson and asked that he
urge the president to withdraw his re
quests. In reply Mr. Burleson told
them, he said, that he could do noth
ing for them as lie had no connection
with the matter.
Assistant Postmaster General
Koons as well as Mr. Morrison and
James G. Tagen, assistant chief ex
aminer for the commission, denied
that there had been any irregularities
In the commission's action in chang
ing the percentage by which R. T.
Wade, Democrat, and a newspaper
man. was given the appointment as
postmaster at Morehead City over
Cleveland "Willis, Republican, and
said a reexamination, had shown a
mistake was made in the first test.
TO SAVE POTATOES
Laurens Warehouse Will Have
, Capacity of 5,000 Bushels
Laurens, Sept. 21.?Special: Work
on the sweet potato storage warehouse
for I^aurens is in progress. A cofti
pany with H. Terry as president and
R. E. Babb, secretary and treasurer,
was formed some weeks ago for the
purpose of handling the surplus po
tato crop in the county. The building
which is located on a lot at the de
pot and which was donated to the
company's use by the railroad authori
ties, will have a capacit: 5,000
bushels. It is being const: ced ac
cording to specifications furnished by
the Clemson College agricultrual ex
tension department.
ADVERTISING
MEN MEET
Convention of Advertising
Clubs of the World
New Orleans. Sept. 22.?The fif
teenth convention of the Associated
Advertising Clubs of the world open
ed here today.
Cooperation between the manage
ments and workers in industries will
eventually bring about an increased
production needed now. according to
(jompers. In a paper read before the
Ad Clubs he defended high wages
which, he claimed, would bring im
proved methods, and progressive ma
chine production, and said the settle
ment of peace terms is necessary be
fore the world can resume an order
ly process. He urged a promp* rati
fication of the peace treaty.