"1 ft' i 4 f ,' fiuentng public fc&cjer THEWEATHER Washington, Feb. 14. Fair ami sllghtl)' colder today; fair tomorrow. TEMI'KIlATUnKjAT IMCfl HOim K 4 rs 1 1) no in H2 1 1 1 2 T0 138 130 4l"42 1.1 4 5 ), ' AS , ', ! VOL. VI. N6. 131 ' Entered as Second-Class Matter at the Postofflce. at Philadelphia, Fa. PHILADELPHIA, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1920 Publlihed Daily Except Sunday. Subscription Price 10 a Tear or MalL PRICE TWO CENTS Copyright, 1920, by Publlo Xedarer Company. unusr mq Act 01 fliaren 8, 18TB. d1 WILSON OUSTS LANSING AS SECRETARY OF m . "V ,r 4 7 j u . , Thirty -five Are Injured as Seven Crowded Hog Island Trolley Cars Are Wrecked in Crash fi POSTSCRIPT . STATE 2 TRAILERS BREAK AWAY AND SHE ONRUSHING TRAIN pars Following Hit Wreckage as Passengers Are Being Lifted Out WERE FILLED BY EARLY MORNING SHIP WORKERS Men and Women Are Cut by Flying Glass Brakes Fail to Work Persons Injured in Hog Island Crash Lawrence II. Madden, 2G34 S. Bonnaon terrace. William Grafton, 012 May street. Thomas J. Tobin, 1430 North Hirst street. H II Purse, 1207 South Forty ninth street. William Connors, 344 North Fifty -sUth street. . Andrew Duffy, 1236Mnrkoc street. Michael McAneley, 5620 West minster avenue, Frank Ccllbarg, 8104 Holstcin avenue. Charles Cooke, 2135 South Sixty first street. Frank J. DuPont, 2031 South Sev entieth street. II. Ensminger, 2425 South Sixty first street. Louis Mion, 1117 South Fifty fourth street. Martin Waite, 227 North Peach street. J. Cummings, 5023 Willows street. Frank J. Keegan, 2000 South Fifty-eighth streeL K. M. Pcik,'C054 Kiugsessing ave nue. 4John Beck, 1130 South Paxon Thomas Iionsall, 6141 Upland street. Joseph J. Cypllcrs, 5004 Walnut street. George H. Scibert, 7254 Dicks avenue. William Stanton, 200 McAlpin street. II. Teirvilliger, 1827 South Fifty -fifth street. Jay W. Muiford, 7020 Saybrook avenue. William E. Giles, 22S Simpson road, Ardmorc. Thirty-five persons were injured and seven trolley cars wrecked in the dense fog that enveloped the meadows one mile north of the island' shortly after 7 o'clock this morning. After two cars, trailing a third, and crowded with hundreds of persons, had broken from the leader car and raced through the fog to crash into three other crowded trolleys, a third car, with one trailer, loomed out of the fog and crashed into the wreckage of the five Wrecked cars. The accident occurred at 7.15 o'clock. en Route 45 of the Philadelphia Rapid iransn, just at the foot of the hill np- i i!xr llle, D"!iKe across the tracks -.... i-uiix,viruma uanroad. i,M a.S Vle ,flrst trnin of biK steel .I. y? l'?(1 ubout accomplished the 2' n . e t0 "" the bridge, the jnupllag between the fender car and Tfl"i" 'joi'ero snapped in two. fc-u i. D lcU(Icr continued across the Sn.eVi.the.tW0.heavy trailers started "a the steep incline, gathering mo- &t yellow 'fog1! mhcd tllrUBh tUe Men shouted and women screamed, trail., ,wns; no oue on the wildcat trailers who knew how to apply the emergency brakes. moL"? ,tlle, h?avj cars hiul al' K..Ma.hc? the bottom of the steep M"ne, the leader car of another train w three ears loomed out of the fog. carVe Vs, ' tci;rific ernsh os the wild in7tri?b.d ll.en"-n into the oncom aaVu?n,"' bcan",B feveraI hundred men m, omen on their way to work. fhock n i .iWB wero hl'attered by the In n?ithc SSI"8 were fi""1 with fly- A. tno "UUriCH. aaBan,i VC? f tXlc'h anrt the motor togan hin1n,lue.tlnr .f the fiecond tra'n wck.w ?hnB ,he injurttl from tbe tie thirS' !"D was a shriU whlstle an(l rWlni "'V1" out from thc fB lot BLnl?torwan, of the third train did u it V w,r.c,k "ntil bo was directly ut i, ?v,nppl d ,the fi'"gency brakes, Vn IriS!,whwih of the third train Mrs .nKal?st tbc rail- the two atfiwP "e " BraaRhed into the Women Were Hysterical 'criffi wh f0"wed were inde- "a wverni :?e? bccame hysterical i.i.. vrul fuinteH nt i,a 0iu i, "d sevpmi til ? u;l-ume nysiencai Injured VrfttlntFfI at tI,e si8ht of the but if L. iMen shouted hoarse orders. dreds of , Bnme tiwo bcfore the huu iato thl ,,asseDK(,'-. crowded compactly trlcate , S;..car,i.- were able to ex- l ", l."TlStlVe.S from Mm wwim SrX XT the' Hog Ishttid N,?T,M1 were rushed to tho Wnroo ' i?, 'A10 wnminatlon of in ' the st,pi ' U was founa that, due ond mS'.Vi'S and. thc fact tbat u'c ftC ?u llhi t,raiDS had been pro- ' the flnwi y owiDB t0 tbc fe. ne All ?J.Uur,cs. was Kcrious. pfrtoa 1th )"1Cll,1;cre tted by bl to ti m? ,tl,c "'"hulances and sent KWucjg homes on a 8Pe:,8l train E-5. '.:... K-m IMUII LLUU ML. J W:B WsieASE'Lf-; K Mb '-' ''? Police Investigate Circum- Wjk - . mimr' , 't ' ' stances in Death of Dentist's ?',,'; '- , l881' ' , Wife at Girard Ave. Span W &m - -r-. . -mMHllM I llllllllKl "' ' ''iPsSI'd JACOB GOULD SCHURMAN Who has tendered his resignation as president of Cornell University after having been for twenty-eight years head of that institution Famous Educator Resigns Pres idency After 28 Years Was Former Minister to Greece HAD HONORARY DEGREES By tho Associated Press Ithaca, N. Y.. Feb. 14. Dr. Jacob Schurman, president of Cornell Univer sity for nearly twenty -eight years, 'ten dered his resignation to the university's feneral administration committee ut a meeting of that body today. In n letter to the board of trustees Doctor Schurman said he always had held the chief executive of a great in stitution should not retain the post more than twenty-five or thirty years. He added that tendering of his resignation, an act delayed because of the war and thc past-war 'problems the university faced, would set him free for other duties he much desire'd to attend to. He asked that his resignation become effective June 23, 1020. Doctor Schurman was elected to the nresidency of the university in 1802. succeeding tho late Charles Kendall Adam's. He is descended from a Dutch family of colonial Now York and was born at Freetown, Prince Edward island on May 22, 1854. In 1875 he won the Canadian Gil christ scholarship in connection with the University of London and during the next five years he studied abroad. Returning to Canada in 1880 Doc tor Schurman, during the next six vears, taught in Acadia College and Dalhonoio College. In 1880 the Sage professorship of ethics av41 philosophy was established at Corliyi and the chair wus offered to him , He held this professorship until Ktelection to the presidency. .Vfe President Schurman. wofi'lfead of thc first United States commission to the Philippines and spent most of the year 1809 in those islnnds. In 1012-13, during the socqnd Balkan war, he was United States minister to Greece and Montenegro. He is the author of a number of books. He is an honorary doctor of laws of Columbia. Yale, Edinburgh, Wil Mams, Dartmouth, Harvard, Brown and the University of Pennsylvania and nn officer of the French Legion of Honor. TOBACCO TAX INCREASES Total Income on Levies In This Dis trict In $9,761,697 Receipts from taxes on tobacco and randy iu the First Pennsylvania In ternal Revenue district each totaled more during January than during any previous month, nccording to a report made public bv Kphratm Lederer, col lector iu this district. Total receipts from intcrnnl revenue in the district were $0,701,007.85. Mr. Lederer said. Of this amount $1,501, 521.47 came from tobacco and $274, 178,17 from candy. Of thc receipts on tobacco, $472,730 was furnished from taxes on cigarettes alone. Taxes on ice cream and nonalcoholic beverages brought the government $101,007.35. McAVOY NEW U. S. ATTORNEY Recommended to Succeed Kane by A. Mitchell Palmer Recommendation of the appointment of Charles D. McEvoy, of Norristown, as United States nttornev for the east ern district of Pennsylvania is in the hands of President Wilson today. The recommendation was made by Attorney General A. Slitchell Palmer. It is expected that Mr. McAvoy's nomi nation to the office will be sent to the Senate in u few days. Mr. McAvoy, will succeed Francis Fisher Kane, who resigned because of ili a nlrnnnrm nnnnrnl'd (if tit twin tniimfil radicals. 2 GIRLS MEET FIERY DEATH Log Cabin Home Burned to Ground While Parents Are Away Uarrhburg. Feb, 14. (By A, P.) Luella and Myrtle Gipe, small daugh ters of Samuel Gipe, of Pikctown, near here, wera burned to death yesterday afternoon when their log cabin home was totally destroyed by fire. Both parents were abscut at tile time and when tho blaze was discovered by neighbors the chance to rescue had niUoed. , m f SCHURMAN QUITS AS CORNELL' HEAD . uinMAH ic ifli i en : MURDER OR SUICIDE? ARREST IS PROMISED Family Say Son's Death in Ac cident in Brazil May Have Affected Mind Mrs. Isabel Stokes Nitzschke, thirty years old, 4128 Market street, was killed at 7:30 o'clock last night by n fall from the eastern end of Girard ave nue bridge, Park guards and police are. investi gating. They are not satisfied ns to the cause of her fall, whether she lumped with intent to commit suicide, or was thrown over by some one. The park guards hinted this morning that an arrest might soon be made. Members of the dead woman's family said today that if she had committed suicide it was while temporarily de ranged through brooding over the denth of her eleven-year-old son, William, who was killed by an automobile in Rio, Brazil. The young woman's body was terribly battered by the 100-foot drop from the bridge to" the East River drive below. Every bone in her body was broken. No Witnesses Found No witnesses have been found. A motorist passing saw the body in the snow and notified Park Guards Reed and Phillips. They sent thc body to tho Lankenau Hospital. The woman was dead. William E. Stokes, a brother of the dead woman, who is a lawyer with of fices in the Commonwealth Building and lives ct 242 South Forty-fourth street, idmlified the body at the morgue. Mrs. .Nitzschke leaves three children, the eldest nine years ohi, thc youngest three. Her family say that her life was happy, that she had no financial worries and that her children were very d6ar to her. Her husband. Dr. William II. Nitz- .schke, a dentist, practiced In Rio, Bra zil, ior many years, ana it is sam ac cumulated a competence. He returned to this country last August, and since then the family had lived temporarily with Mrs. Nitzschke's mother, Mrs. Ella IC. Stokes, 4128 Market street. Mrs. Nitzschke Wears Jewels Mrs. Nitzschke, when found, wns well dressed in a black hat, dark coat suit and white shirtwaist. She wore two rings, oue a wedding ring inscribed with iier initials and her husband's and the date of their marriace. the other a Lindsome jeweled ring set with diamonds and blue stones. There was no money found on the body, which the police view as a sus picious circumstance, though they can not account for the rings on her fingers if she was attacked by highwaymen. Members of her family say that they became worried over her continued ab sence last evening and telephoned the police. At 10 o'clock they received a call from City Hall telling them that a woman answering her description had been found dead on the river drive. Y0 H0J A BARREL OF RUM Three Unwise Men Lose Whisky Cast Up by Sea New York, Feb. 14. A whisky bar rel floated ashore yesterday at Long Beach. Thc three men who first found the barrel aren't on speaking terms be cause after tapping one end of it all they drew forth was a powder of some sort. And so they spurned the barrel, but after them came a wise man who now is thc custodian of fifty-two gal lons of the "real stuff." While walking long thc beach Fred erick J. Knob and Thomas J. Walsh found a full-sized whisky barrel which had apparently drifted iu with the tide. Knob and Walsh were planning the party they were going to have when along came Carroll Tompkins, another Long Beach man. The three monkeyed, with the barrel for a few minutes, dis covered the powder, and went their way. Now Gcorgo Loris happened to be looking for just such a barrel in which to store some cider, He found the bar rel and started to roll it nway. Dis covering it to be full, he investigated further, cut a hole on the side, and now any one can have his cider who wants it. The barrel was built with false-bottoms, in which tho powder was con tained. KNOCKED DOWN BY CAR While trjing to cross at Nineteenth and Brown streets last night, Arthur H. Henry, seventy-five years old. of 1830 Vineyard street, was knocked down by u trolley car. He died a few minutes later. At the Lankenau Hospi tal, where the body was taken, it was said that Mr. Beary's skull was, frac tured. John Conroy, Judson street, the mo torman, was held to await the action of thc roropcr today by Magistrate Rooney In Central Station, FIRE DAMAGES NEW HOUSE The newly completed stone dwelling of A. Ernest Margerison, Seventh Btreet and Sixty-fourth avenue, Oak Lane, was damaged by fire last night. Margerison, a towel manufacturer, who planned to move there March 1. estimated the los at $4000. H now lives at 1210 Foulk lod street, Frunkford. The House is valued at' $35,000, The blaze begun in thc basement and wus of unknown ori- fiUu V $?? ' v xy& ''.'; 'l ,, h - ', f , , - , Sb S N-''Ji VO-rWAvX'i.V, v Mss&&kSS&m sssstsmi ROBERT LANSING Former secretary of' state, who lias resigned at the request of the President as thc result of disagree ments of long standing CHARLES INVOLVED IN PL01 Former Emperor Tried to Re-enter Austria, Evidence Indicates Budapest. Feb. 14. (By A. V.) Circumstantial detnils have been reveal ed of u plot b which it is alleged for mer Emperor Charles made a futile at tempt to enter Hungary under a false passport and re-establish himself on the throne, Documentary evidence said to be in thc bauds of the government indicates that it had been planned for the ex empcror to cross the Austrian frontier under thc name of Kaspar Kovacs. Then he was to proclaim his return, with thc expectation that his former subjects would bupport him. It is alleged that the plot was ar ranged by Colonel Lchar, now- governor of West Hungary, and by Minister Be nitcky, thc latter having attempted to have tho passports viseed. The Swiss consul, however, recognized thc photo graph of the ex-emperor, it is said, and reported the matter. GENERALS SUE ERZBERGER German Officers Charge He Made Defamatory Statement Berlin, Feb. 14. (By A. P.) Mathias Erzbcrger, vice premier ' and minister of finance, has" been sued by the League of German Officers for an nllegednnsult In saying at a meeting of the Clerical party that the Gerninn gen erals who were asked to'-cscort former Empress Auguste Victoria in Novem ber, 1018, when she was permitted to visit the cx-emperor at Amerongen, de clined the assignment. Shu finally made the trip, said Herr Erzberger, in company with General Rliadewald and Herr Molkenbuhr, ma jority socialist leader, the latter travel ing ns a representative of the people's commissioners. t The officers of the league charge Erzberger with having made a defama tory statement. FAIR AND C0LDNEXT WEEK Forecast Indicates Subnormal Tem peratures to Start With Washington, Feb. 1.4 (By A. P.) Weather predictions for thc week be ginning Monday are: North and middle Atlantic stntes: Fair, with temperature below normal first of the week. South Atlantic and cast guf states: Fair, with temprcature below normal first of the week ; rising to normal by middle of the week and remaining nor mal or above last part of the week. Ohio valley and Tennessee: Generally fair, rising temperature firt half of tile week ; above normal second half. Region of (treat Lakes:' Clearing weather first of week, with rising tem perature ; probably snow at close of thc week, with temperature above seasonal average. MORE WOOD ALCOHOL Llqubr Found in Wilmington Res taurant Deadly Stuff Wilmington, Del.. Feb. 14. Liquor confiscated in a raid on the restaurant of Ernest Harry, contained S3 per cent spirits, principally wood alcohol. State Bucteriologist AVatson testified at the hearing in City Court yesterday. Harry was sentenced to six months in jail and fined $100. It was testified that some of the liquor consisted en tirely of denatured alcohol and that nearly 1500 bottles marked "ginger" were found in the restaurunt. Mrs. Balderino Saienni wns fined $100 on a similar charge. It was said she sold two quarts of "raisin wine," containing I) per cent of, alcohol, in fpilk bottles. 51 WILL OPPOSTCAILLAUX Prominent 'Witnesses to Testify at Trial Next Tuesday Paris, Feb. 14. (By A. P.) Fifty one witnesses have been summoned by the prosecution to testify in the trial of Joseph Cnilhiux. former nremier. charged with intriguing to bring about a premature and dishonorable peace with Germany, which opens next Tues day. Jean Jules .Tusscrand, ambassador to the United States; A. R. Conty, am bassador to Brazil; Camllle Barrerc, ambassador to Italy; Henri Allize, dip lomatic representative at Vienna ; Jules Cambon, former ambassador to Ger many, and former Premiers. Rarthou, Brinnd and Vivinni will be among those testifying. STEP UP, CHEESE EATERS Bucks County "Lightweight" Cham plon Issues Open Challenge Do j lest own. Pa,, Feb. 14,-r-WillIara Lewis, of Wycombe, issued an open challenge for n cheeso-eating contest to uny "lightweight" for he weighs only 110 pounds after eating one and ono half pounds of cream cheese in two minutes without liquid to wash it down. Recently he ate five nounds of cheese 'ami twenty-two baker 'a Diva in one day. "-:""''jB "BBt jlWHRl TROTSKY TORTURES OFFICERS OF CZAR E Sneeringly Calls Them Rad ishes, Red Outside, but White Within REFINED CRUELTY USED AGAINST IMPERIALISTS Bolshevik War Minister As sumes Napoleonic Airs at Army Reviews By B F. KOSPOTH Special Corrrnpflndrnt nf the Kvenlne rubllc I.edcrr In Switzerland , Copyright, J 020. Geneva, Feb. 14. I have just had a long talk with a Russian officer who served until quite recently with thc rank of major in Trotzky's Red army. Like many other professional soldiersin Russia, lie was forced bv starvation and thc menace of death to take part inNthe organization of thc Bolshevik forces. He was with thc Red army in the Ukraine and nurnoselv remained behind in Kieff when it was forced to hastily evacuate that city several monthil ago. Passing through thc Ukrainian lines, and subsequently through Galician and Austrian territory, he succeeded in reaching Switzerland as the, bearer of fresh and valuable information concern ing the mysterious military strength of the Red dictators. For obvious reasons it Is impoiblc 'o reveal his name, but responsible Rus sian circles here vouch not only for his reliability, but nlso for the sincerity of his democratic convictions. Arrested for Unknown Cause His story, which helps to clear up the vexed question of how the Bolshe viks have been able to otgauizo and maintain an armv callable of success fully resisting and even defeating their opponents, is as follows: "After serving during the war with Germany on the Galician front under General Brussiloff, I left thc army upon the collapse of Kcrcnsky's government, intending to live the simple life of a re tired officer in Moscow. For some time I escaped the notico of the Bolsheviks, but soon after Lcninc and Trotzky transplanted their oanitnl fmm Pctm. grad to Moscow I was arrested, along mm muuy onier retired otneers, and cast into prison. We were kept in prison several months without being able to find out on what charge we were being held. The conditions in tile, prison were frightful and we received barely sufficient food to sustain life. "Finally, one morning, when our sus pense was growing intolerable, a Bol shevik commivvarv arrived, accompa nied by a squad of Chinese mercenaries. All the ex-officers detoinel in the prison were collected and ordered to line up. At first we thought we were doomed to instant execution, but instead wn were ordered to form n column of fours and marched through the streets of Moscow to the Kremlin, guarded by Chinfse and Lett soldiers with fixed bayonets. "We were led into n narrow court- jnrd inclosed by the buildings of the Kremlin. Here we found a great num ber of former officers who had arrived before us from other prisons. All day long fresh detachments of prisoners kept arriving, until at last we mustered more thnn 1200, nil ex-offiecrs of the regular army. The courtyard was so crowded that there was scarcely room to stand, and the higli walls of the old buildings surrounding it added to the sense of suffocation that soon op pressed us, "We arrived in this courtyard at 0 o'clock in the morning, and we were kept there for three days and three nights, without any explanation, abso lutely without food, und so closely hud dled together that most of us could not even Ue down to lest, much less to sleep. Rend the uccounts of thc Black Hole ot Calcutta and you will know what we suffered ! Tortured For Definite End "Already exhausted by our previous privations iu prison, many of us were incapable of resisting this new diabol ical form of torture. Madmen strug gled, raving, amongst us. Corpses re mained stiffij upright, wedged in be tween the living. In vain wc implored the guurds who watched us from the Kremlin windows to tell us at least why wc were being caged thus, and what fate was in store for us. They only grinned and answered that we must wait. They knew well enough that it wns the intention of their musters to break our spirit by imposing upon us these terrible mentul and physical tor ments nnd to make us eager to hail any chnugc as a. deliverance from intolerable misery. "At last, on the morning of the fourth day, another commissary came nnd made a sneech, declaring that all of us who were willing to enter the Red army as officers would he immediately rolHnkorl. nnil nromisliitT US sneedv nrn- motlon nnd high pay if we performed our military duties well. Those who re fused his olter, lie auueu, would nave to btay where they were until they changed tneir nuuu, "What are we to do? We were ut terly broken and unnerved by amr sufferings, and the only alternative offered us was slow starvation, mad ness and death. "Guardian Angels" for Iecrults "Wc were conducted into u (second, larger courtyard,, where wc were liar rangued by Trotzky in person. Ho told ' us that vast opportunities of wealth nnd luxurious living awaited us if wo served tho soviet faithfully. His address culminated in the warn ing; 'Don't imagine that you arc go ing to have a chance to Indulge in reactionary intrigues or propaganda In my army, or to heray us to the enemies of the revolution. Each of you w-ilj Continued, oa I'm aeitan. Column Jtw INTO S BSE VI N Why Lansing Left Cabinet Shown in These Letters Washington, Feb. 14. Thc corrripoiidcncc hetween the President and .lrr. Lanning follows: THE WHITE HOUSE Washington, 7 February, 1020. My Dear Mr. Secretary : Is It true, as I have been told, that during my illness you have frequent ly called the heads of the executive departments of the government into conference? If it is, I fe.cl it my duty to call your attention to consid erations which I do not care to dwell upon until I learn from you your self that this is the fact. Under our constitutional law nnd practice, as developed hitherto, no one but the President has the right to summon the heads of the executive departments into conference, and no one but' thc President and the Congress has the right to ask their views or thc views of any one of them on any public question. I take this matter up with you because in the development ot every constitutional system, custom and precedent arc of the most serious consequence, nnd I think wc will all agree in desiring not to lend in any wrong direction. I have therefore taken the liberty of writing you to ask j ou this question, and I am sure you will be glad to npswer. I nm happy to learn from your re cent note to Mrs. Wilson that your strength is returning. Cordially and sincerely yours, WOODROW WILSON. Hon. Robert Lansing, Secretary of State. "VARE CAN'T GET AWAY WITH CHALLENGE ON CONTRACT S-" SAYS MAYOR "Senator Vare can't get a-way -xith this challenge to r;. amine the books of his contracting firm," declared Mayor ooi. in a fiery statement today, "uor will he get ama.y with uv. political challenge. An examination of the contractor's booh will probably be made." This statement was in response to Vare's offer to submit his books to Chief Hepburn. FAIR PRICE BODY TO CONFER WITH STOREKEEPERS Joseph H. Hagedorn, chairman of the fair price com:nute, has sent letters to heads of departments of all pi eminent ifta'i stores asking them to meet in tho finance, Building- nt 3 o'eloc:; Tuesday to discuss problems confronting the committee. Tiii invitation includes heads of department and tpecialty stores.' CONTRACTORS r Street Cleaning Men Have Until Then to Prepare Defense to Hepburn Statements FACE $10,000 IN FINES Street-cleaning contractors have until Monday afternoon to prepare their de fense against statements made by Chief Hepburn, of the Burcnu of Street Clean ing. Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock the contractors will "go to the mat" with Director Winston nnd Mr. Hepburn. Unless the contractors have a valid defense to offer, they face the payment of fines for the month of January total ing $10,000 for deduction of duty. Of this large Mini it is iudicuted that Sen ator Vare will have to pay half. It is possible also that they may be asked to pav what it has cost the city extra to remove the snow during the recent blizzard, according to Slayor Moore. Tliis cume to between $7."),000 and $100,000, Tlie contractors w ill be given ample opportunity to refute the assertion that they have failed to keep the streets as clean as their contracts demand. May Accept Challenge It wns indicated ut City Hall today that Chief Hepburn would accept the challenge made by Senator Vare and others of the contractors recently, to examine the books of the contrnctiuc firm. The' contractors say that their profits have not been excessive, nnd say they are so sure of their position that thev would gladly submit to an examination ot tnctr oooKs, Chief Hepburn has an appointment today to see Aicher Soby, general man ager for Senator Vare, and is is ex pected that arrangement will then be mude for nn examination of tho con tractor's books. , Street-cleaning inspectors freely ad mitted todav the truth of the statement by Chief Hepburn thnt some contrac tors' wagons are credited with more cubic yards of snow removed than their rated capacity. I)cny Dishonest Motives They defied, however, that there was any dishonesty in this. The explana tion given by scernl inspectors was that provision is made for "heaping loads," and rules are given the inspec tors for making extra allowance for ftuch loads. William Gumpper, nn inspector as signed to the Eighth district, which is in the central section of the city, said when asked if the inspectors allowed more than the cubic rating of wagons. "Sure we do of course we (Jo." He pulled out a blue-bound book of prints from architects' drawing, which Continued en I'Mt Xwo. Column Ona MONDAY THE SECRETARY OF STATE Washington. February 0. 1020. My Dear Mr. President: It is true that frequently during your illness I requested the heads of thc executive departments of the gov ernment to meet for informal con ference. Shortly after you were taken ill in October, certain members of the cab inet, of which I was one, felt that, in view of the fact that wc were denied communication with you, it was wise for us to confer informally together on interdepartmental mat ters and matters as to which action could not be postponed until your medical advisers permitted you to pass upon them. Accordingly I, as the ranking temper, requested the members of thc cnbinet to assemble for such conference, and in view of the mutual benefit derived the prac tice was continued. I can assure you that it never for a moment entered my mind that I was acting unconsti tutionally or contrary to your wishes, and there certainly wns no intention on my part to assume powers and exercise functions which under the. constitution are exclusively confided to the President. During these troublous times, when many difficult and vexatious questions have arisen and when in the circum stances I have been deprived of your guidance and direction, it has been my constant endeavor to carry out your policies as I understood them and to act in all matters as I be- Continued on Tare Eighteen, Column One IS Alba B. Johnson Says Former Secretary of State's Stand Was Actuated by Patriotism PAYS TRIBUTE TO ABILITY Many prominent Philadelphinns to day expressed regret at the resignation of Secretary of State Lansing. After reading the correspondence which passed between President Wil son and Mr. Lansing they were unani mous in the opinion thnt Mr. Lansing noted for the best interests of the coun tr.v when he called conferences of heads of executive departments und took other steps w ithout asking the advice of the President. Alba B. Johnson, president of the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, said : "I have known Mr. Lansing for sev eral years and have always admired him. In common with the public at large I have watched his course as sec retary of state. I have realized the difficulties, of his position nud noted with much interest the comment throughout the United States suggesting his resignation because of the slights forced upon him by the President, Sacrificed Himself for Country "Analyzing the situation closely, however, I realize that lie had to make n choice between obedience to his per sonal inclination and his sense of patri otism and loyalty to the best Interests of the country. "By remaining nt his post ho saved the rountrv from nil sorts of compli cations. His continuance in office was the country's safeguard against prob able indiscretions iu thc conduct of our foreign affairs. "His resignation comes aR a big blow to the countij," Regarding Mr. Lansing's action in conferring with the heads of depart ments, Mr Johnson said: "In view of the circumstances, Mr. Lansing did what was necessary nnd proper, nnd will be supported undoubt edly by every patriotic American. Those who kuow Mr. Lansing know that he is a man of lofty character and charm ing nature. He i8. sincere nud actuated by thc best of motives in whatever he does." t Lansing's Only Alternative Former Governor Edwin S. Stuart, president of thc Union League, said ; "I do not see what else Mr. Lansing could do under the circumstances. Of course, I am not conversant with thc steps which should be taken according to constitutional procedure. From a standpoint of common sense and prac tical business methods, however, I thluk that Mr. Lansing acted wisely in con ferring with the heads of departments .Ctauaucu on Jro Uihtem, ;,i,imVTfar.,.' LAN! A TIN DEPLORED HER PRESIDENT AVER E EXECUTIVE POWER Lansing's Dismissal Due to Long-Standing Clash Bul litt Testimony Had Influence NO MORE RESIGNATIONS FROM CABINET EXPECTED Polk Acts Ad Interim He or Ambassador Davis May Get Post HIS AD ED By the Associated Press Washington, Feb. 14. Rebuked by President Wilson for calling cabinet meetings during his illness, Secre tary of State Lansing has resigned. The President has accepted tho resignation, which he requested, "with appreciation," and Mr. Lans ing becomes the second secretary of state to leave the administration over a disagreement with his chief. Although the correspondence be tween Mr. Lansing and the Presi dent makes the calling of the cabinet meetings during the President's ill ness the incident which leads directly to the secretary's resignation, per; sons "on the inside" of the adminis tration who know what has been going on say that was only an inci- V dent and that the real reasons for the break go back over a period of many months and come from funda mental differences of opinion in' policy. No More Resignations There will be no more resignmi tions from the cabinet as a result of the Lansing incident, it was sajii' -at the. White House today. ",I .am, riot going "to discuss tho , Lansing Wilson controversy the letters speak for themselves," Secretary' Tumulty said. There was no information avail able at the White House as to a probable successor to Mr. Lansing, but the appointment is expected to be made soon. John W. Davis, ami bassador at London, and Under Secretary Frank L. Polk are being discussed. Mr. Polk will serve as secretary ad interim following Mr. Lansing's resignation. Cabinet meetings will be resumed "very soon," and as announced a few days ago, President Wih?on will preside. White House officials re iterated today that he was making rapid strides toward regaining his health. Differed Even Before War The disagreements between the President and the head of the Stato Department even antedate the entry of the United States into the war. The relations between the two men almost reached the breaking point early in 1917, when Mr. Lansing is sued his celebrated statement saying the United States was daily being drawn nearer and nearer the war. By some it was taken to forecast the entry of the United States. Tho President made every effort to over take the statement after it had been given out at the State Department, but it was impossible. When Mr. Lansing went us a mem ber of thc American pence delegation to Paris more diffcrencf developed. With other member of thc American mission he was not in accord with the President's idea of making the treaty of pence and the covennnt of the League of Nations one and the same insepar able document. It wnR Mr. Lansing's idea that such a plan would delay the ratification of u peace treatv nnd in this he wns supported by Henry White nud E. M. House. Many Differences Developed It may be sold with a great degree of authority that while the President and Mr. Lansing were together In 1'arU other differences of more than minor na ture developed, and this is confirmed by the reference which thc President makes to it in one of his letters. When President Wilson went back to Paris last March and found that dur ing his brief absence in the United Stntes Mr. Lansing and the others of the American mission had agreed, ten tatively at least, to have the pcuco terms nnd the League of Nations cove nant spnrated, the situation cume very near a breaking point and probably wuh avoided only because the President thought it more important not to let European statesmen see n split in ths American penco delegation. While Mr. Lansing probably saw and conferred with the President in l'rls as much as any othrr member of the American mission, it was a matter of remark tlm he aw him very littlf. However, the incident which came nearer rauslug a break than any oth was tho sensational testimony of yU Ham C. Bullitt, one of the experts t tached to thp American peace mixBlon, before the Senate Fireinn UeUtlmm CoatbHwd a fw MfWms Vtbma. fa u iJ3 $& ' w yj 111 111 " WW- 1 m wfKl w III $ v Sfl t r $! tt -'tt V . it n V .t ii. M . i , H"4VfcW.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers