Solution bf "Very Delicate'* Situation With U. S. Put Up to Carranza Mexican Senate HARRISBURG TELEGRAPH - . Jslar-JndtpcndenU •_ % LXXXVIII— No. 287 22 PAGES Da,, & a ue c r ep a\Wkt HARRISBURG, PA. WEDNESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 3, 1919. ""'iWJSSSg B Wc&% E3 HOME EDITION GERMANY FLATLY REFUSES TO SIGN TREATY PROTOCOL Conference Is Notified Huns Decide Paper Is Not Acceptable BARON VON LERSNER TELLS BODY OF GERMAN DECISION By Associated Press j Paris, Dec. .s.—Germany has decided not to sign the protocol presented to her by the Allies as a condition for putting the Peace Treaty into effect, the Peace Conference has been notified. It was learned only to-day that Baron Kurt Von Lersner, head of the German delegation here, called on Secretary Dutasta of the conference, on Monday, and told him that Germany had made such a decision. This attitude is taken us confirm ing the reports of a sharp reaction in Germany within the last fort night. Trained observers of German developments have expressed to members of the Peace Conference ltie view that there has been a com plete transformation of the situation in Germany, brought about, in their opinion, by the failure of the United States Senate to ratify the Peace Treaty. ' These observers declare that, while the vast majority of the Ger mans, before the Senate's adjourn ment, desired the Peace Treaty rati fied as soon as possible, they are now supporting the government's attitude in resisting the demands of the Allies for indemnity for the sinking of the German fleet at Soapa Flow, recompense for which was provided for in the protocol. The question upon which the German representatives here, how ever, appear most sensitive is the insistence upon the trial of German officers accused of the commission : of crimes in France and Belgium. Thus far, it is stilted, no indica- 1 tions have reached Paris of any dis position of the Germans to modify their attitude. NO PLEDGES FROM GEORGE By Associated Press. London, Dec. 3.—Premier Lloyd George gave no pledge of any kind to the American representatives at the Peace Conference that in cott iiideration of th question of Irish self-government not being dealt with by the conference the British gov ernment would, as soon as possi ble after the signature of the Peace Treaty, settle the Irish question on a home rule basis. This statement was made by An drew Bonar Law, the government spokesman in the House of Com mons, in reply to a question in the House to-day. S.11(10 IDLE WHEN PLANT SHUTS By Associated Press. Gary, Tnd., Dec. 3.—Eight thou sand steelworkers were thrown out of work here to-day when the Amer ican Sheet and Tin Plate Company, the largest manufacturing concern of its kind in the world, was forced to close because of the coal short age. FACE GAS SHORTAGE Columbus. Ohio, Dec. 3.—On top of an already acute coal shortage, many Northern Ohia cities are facing a big curtailment of their gas supply from West Virginia as a result of an order of the West Virginia Utilities Commission brought to the attention nf Ohio authorities. • 2ND SHIP LAUNCHED By Associated I'ress Philadelphia, Dec. 3.—The 7.825 , ton steel cargo carrier Cold Harbor, which was named by Mrs. Woodtaoi j Hog Island's seventy-second ship; which was named by Mrs. Woodrow j Wilson, was launched to-day. Mrs. j I'. S. Collins, of Wyncote. Pa., was, the sponsor. NEW DRESS STYLE EVERY MONTH Atlantic City, Dec. 3.—Delegates at the annual convention of the Associated Dress Industries of America to-day voted unanimously in favor of exercising all their ef forts to put the dress manufactur ing industry on a 12 months basis. It is their purpose to produce new styles every month, intro duce new fabrics, and in this man ner meet the demands of American women for dresses, which have grown beyond all proportions in the past 16 months. Itmeweathf.i?T Hrrrtsburg sod Vicinity t Fair continued cold to-night with lowest temperature shoot ]g degreed. Thursday fal, mn4 warmer. Pennaylrnnlni Pair to night f"d Thursday, not quite so cold Thursday. Moderate northwest winds, lilvert The Susquehanna river and nil Ita branches will con tinue to fall. Nome of the trlbn tarles will probably become |ee boaad In places to-night. * stage of .about M feet Is Indi cated for Harrisburg Thursday morning. , Stomachs vs. Press Jxjndoti. Nov. 24. Why the peace with Germany was signed j at Versailles at 3 o'clock in the ! afternoon was explained by Sir j George Itiddell in the course of | a speech at a recent luncheon to Frencli journalists here. Sir George said that when ar rangements were being made for the time at which the Treaty should be signed he suggested to Premier Clemenceau that it should be at eleven o'clock in the morning for Hie benefit of the press. M. Clepieneeau replied: "No, it is impossible. What about lunch eon '!" Sir George said: "What about the press?" M. Clemenceau replied: "What is the press to COO suffering stom achs? It. will be 3 o'clock on Sat urday afternoon. I hope the ques tion will not be raised again." MEXICO PLACES MUDDLE BEFORE ITS PRESIDENT I Solution of Difficulties Aris ing Out of Affairs With I". S. Up to Him ! HOLD A SECRET SESSION Senate Behind Closed Doors I Decides Not to Make Any legislative Intrusion By Associated Press. Mexico City, Tuesday. Dec.'2. | —The solution of difficulties | arising out of international af- I fairs with the United States was ! entrusted to President Carranza j without legislative intrusion by | the Senate at a secret session ! held to-day. Relations with the j United States were declared j during the session as being j "very delicate." Jenkins Writes From Mexican Penitentiary After Refusing Bail Nanbvfllr. Tenn., Dec. 3.—"X am I now in prison, because 1 refuse t | give bail for one cent, as 1 will not I even compromise with them under : any circumstances." W. O. Jenkins, j the American consular agent at j Puebla, Mexico, declares in a letter | received by John B. F.dgarton, 1 of I,obanon, Tenn.. who was captain | of the Vanderbtlt football team when j Jenkins played tackle. I Writing in the Puebla penitentiary, 1 Jenkins said: "I regret very much the great no toriety that has been given to my hard luck, in being carried sway by some bandits who live near here, but it has been unavoidable, although the incident would have been forgotten if the authorities had not tried to cover up their criminal responsibility in allowing this city to be unguarded, by charging me with my own abduction. [Continued on I'age 13.] MILLION DOLLARS TO BE PAID OUT FOR CHRISTMAS Savings of Year to Be Distributed by Banks in Time For Holiday Shopping Christmas savings dollars, slightly more than one million of them .will be distributed wlthip the next week or ten days In checks among hun dreds of people tif Harrisburg and nearby towns. The systematic savings of these same hundreds of people, will bring forth Its fruit, with the re ceipt of these checks, covering the full smount paid in together with in terest. The amounts to be distributed this year, promises to exceed the dis'.#- butlon of last year by 10 per cent., according to one well-known banker, lie said the amounts to be distributed by his bank are that amount greater and that conditions tare believed to be the same witli other savings ac counts. Dast year was slightly bejow Dr. Garfield's Polar Relief Expedition Goes to the Rescue U. B. HEADS FROM ALL OVER WORLD GO INTO SESSION All Corners of Earth Repre sented at Important Conference One of the most important con ventions in the history of the Unit ed Brethren Ohurch opened this aft ernoon in the Derry Street Church, Fifteenth and Derry streets. The conference includes joint ses sions of the Foreign Mission Board, Home Mission Board, Church Erec tion Board, Board of Education and Board of Bishops. Among those attendant upon the conference are missionaries from the fields of Africa, China, Japan, the Philippines and Porto Rico. The sessions, beginning this after noon, will continue throughout the week, closing Saturday morning. On Sunday the visiting officials will fill various United Brethren pulpits in the Allegheny, East Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania Conferences. This afternoon's session opened with five-minute addresses by bish ops and conference superintendents. Bishops Bell and Fout presided. Re ports of the secretaries and treasur ers of the several bodies, together with the appointment of committees, comprised the business of the "after noon. To-night Dr. J. S. Fulton will pre side and addr'esses will be given on denominational missionary prob lems and training of the necessary leadership for tills work by Dr. A. R. Clippinger and Dr. A. B. Stattor*. The conferences throughout Thurs day, Friday and Saturday will cover in detailed fashion the work of the Women's Missionary .Association, the Church Erection Society, Home Mis- Hlona, and so on. normal oecause of war conditions, but nevertheless. It Is believed that distribution this year will be In excess or that of any previous one. More than half-score savings banks in Harrisburg and surrounding terri tory now havc*employcs busy mailing out and checking up these slips or paper, which will aid people of the district, in meeting the high cost of living this Christmas tide. In some Institutions, the checks arc practical ly ready for the malls and the work of mailing them out will lie started within the next several days, prob ably Saturday. But banking Institutions are not the only firms of the city that con [Continued on I'age 21,] CUT IN GRIP OF COLD WAVE Real winter gripped Harrisburg to-day with the arrival of the crest of a cold wave. The mercury this morning had dropped to the eight een degree mark. No material change in tempera ture is expected during the night, according to the weather man's forecast. More seasonable weath er is expected to-morrow. FUEL CUT IS MAKING PUBLIC OUTLOOK GLUM Prospect of Further Curtail ment of Industry as Result of the Coal Strike By Associated Press Chicago, Dec. 3.—Further disrup tion of the national industry because of the fuel shortage brought about by the strike of bituminous coal miners was in prospect to-day. Re gional directors of railroads had au thority to annul passenger trains where the public would be least in convenienced, and many additional manufacturing plants throughout the country faced shutdowns either through exhaustion of their coal supplies or the strict rationing de cree by the Federal Fpel Adminis trator. Statu executives, twljo; under ap peals ftfmj cphsUtuents for aid, have gqUght ways and means for re plenishing the dwindling fuel supply to-day Virtually were without en courageniojit as regarded Increased production," Only in isolated in stances w&re there .reports of a change of front by the miners. Gen erally the workers adhered to their altitude of remaining away from the mines until better terms than rContinucd on Pago 21.] William S. Leib on Stand Makes General Denial of Charges By Associated Press. Pliiladclphla, Dec. 3.—William S. Leib, of Pottsvllle, took the stand in his own defense to-day and made general denial of the forgery charges against him. He declared positively he first saw the tax receipts he is charged with forging when they were presented in court by the prosecution as evidence. Leib. a commissioner of Schuylkill county, and former resident clerk of 1 the House at Harrisburg, Is on trial ! here charged with signing the names ! of clerks in the State tax offloe to re- ! ceipts he gave the Merchant and Evans Company, of this city. Leib wns cool when sworn by a court officer. He answered unhesi tatingly questions put by John Whe lan, his counsel. GAS SUPPLY IS THREATENED BY FUEL FAMINE Coal Shortage at the Steelton Mills Would Make Har risburg Dark A ■ Any serious curtailment in the ! fuel supply of the Steelton plant of . the Bethlehem Steel Company may j mean the immediate withdrawal oi ; the city gas supply. This announce- ; ment was made to-day by officials of . the Steelton plant at the same time I j that it was announced that fires in one blast furnace and one mill had j I been banked as a method of coal | conservation. While there is a possibility of the I cutting off of the plant supply, the I situation is not expected to reach I such a crisis. More cqpl is now be ing consumed at the Steelton plant I than is being received, but there is |up immediate danger unless the I shipments are cut down conslder [ ably. Optimistic View This latter possibility, it is gen- j orally believed, will not'result. It! is expected that all public service j companies will receive full supplies j of fuel. So by reason of its furnish ing gas to Harrisburg and Steelton. j [Continued on I'age 15.] ARMY FOOD TO BK PLACED OX SALE Mayor Daniel L. Krister hopes to i be able to make a definite announce ment regarding the sale of food in ! Harrisburg by to-morrow afternoon, j Several propositions are under con- | sideration. One is to place the food j and government supplies on sale at j local stores, two having made, appli- j cation. Another is to rent a large I room and place a committee in j chu rge. The Central Labor Union appoint- | ed a committee on Sunday. The lat- I ter will confer with the Mayor this | evening. i BIG PERCENTAGE OF AUTO OWNERS BREAK ROAD LAWS I Nearly 1,200 Violators Cheeked Up in Two Months in Dau phin and Cumberland Counties 'Tlie new bureau of law enforce- | I ment of the State Highway bepart ment's automobile division has turn ed up over 6.000 violators of the automobile code of Pennsylvania in less than two months. The new bu reau, which is headed by John 11. ! Glass, has n force of five men and ! almost f,200 of the violations were 1 discovered In Dauphin and Cum ' berland counties. And hundreds of other violations were found In Phila delphia, Allegheny, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Northumberland, Schu.vl . kill, Luzerne and several of the i j eastern counties. Mr. Glass to-day called attention j LAX METHOD OF j GIVING BUILDING | PERMITS SCORED Commission to Supervise New | WArk and Remodeling Projects Is Asked ROTARY CLUB ACTS FIRST 'j "7 | Present System Permits Con-, tractors to Erect Unsani tary Structures Criticism of the method of grunt- ' | ing building permits in Ilarrisburg, of the methods of construction per- j mitted and the lack of proper Hon- j ing of Ilarrisburg from a building j standpoint were voiced before a j meeting of the Ilarrisburg Rotary. Club Inst evening at the ottices of, the Bell Telephone, North Third . street, where the Rotarians were the , guests of District Manager \V illiam H. Fetter. The discussion arose over tlio j ' following resolution, offered by re i quest by .lames W. Barker, which | was finally .adopted: Whereas, It is very important I and of interest to every citizen | of Harrisburg that buildings to I be erected shall be of a perma- ] nerit form and our | city, and Whereas, In the past and at j present buildings have been and : are being built or remodeled af- j ter a fashion that is hazardous . J to surrounding property and In | a manner that depreciates ad joining property and on a plan | that permanent sanitary condi- : tions cannot, be maintained; ' , therefore, be it Resolved, That, the Rotary | Club of Harrisburg through the j Committee on Public Affairs take up at once with the city j commissioners of Harrisburg the I question of appointing a building j commission which shall have , authority to approve and super vise all building operations | whether new or remodeling j | within the city limits of Harris burg. It was brought out at the meet ing that while llarrisburg has a building inspector it is the custom to grant building permits merely up on the statement of builders and contractors nnd without even a plan being submitted. Inspection and su pervision are not thorough, it was . snid. and many buildings of a dan- ( ; gerous character are being erected, j Proper regulations are required albng certain lines for certain build ings by the State, it was reported, but so far as general regulation by I the city is concerned there is very little done effectively. J. William Bowman, of the Cham ' ber of Commerce housing commit | tee. told the members of the plans now under way to better conditions [Continued on I'age 15.] Ice Encrusted Crews of Barges Are Brought to Land by Guards ,!. By Associated Press ! Westerly. R. 1., Dec. 3.—The Watch Hill roust guards brought ashore to j rlay under difficulties the crews of | the barges. Rita Howard and Peter I Howard, after they had been blown off the roast by a heavy gale in biting [cold. Captain W. S. Tripp, of the , Peter Howard and his wife, and Cap tain Herbert Robinson and George Butler, crew of the Rita Howard, were ice encrusted When they were : landed, but suffered no lasting in jury. | The coast guards went 17 miles out ,to rescue the people of the distressed barges. After a breakfast at station, the guardsmen set out again to bring In the crews of the tug NTe ponset and two othfr barges, which were also in trouble. The Neponset. with four barges In tow from Boston for New York, haij engine trouble when off Mnntnuic Point late last night. Finding that her anchors would not hold, the tilg cut the Rita Howard and Peter How and loose, signaling to the coast 'guards for assistance. ! When the coast guardsmen reached !tlie scene they foynd it impossible to • approach the barges in their power j boat because of the storm. A dory was launched from the powerboat and ; the people on the barges were low i ered into it by ropes. PLAN NEW SHIPS By Associated Press. New York. Dec. 3.—Two tank | steamships of 20,500 dead weight | tons each, which will be the largest ' hulk oil carriers in the world, have I been ordered by tlie Standard Oil | Company, it was made known here | to-day. The tankers will cost ap | proximately $3,500,000 each and will I have cargo capacity for 140,000 bar t rels of liquid fuel. Other additions |to the tank steamer fleet of the Standard Oil and subsidiary com | panies for which contracts have been placed, will be vessels of I 10,000 tons and six of 7,500 tons ' each. i of a number of applicants for 1920 registration to the fact that they had been reported for violations of features of the law, and this plnn will be followed. A number of pros ecutions for serious violation have taken plnif. "The mujority of the violations haw been for operating without regard to speed I'mlt or the rights of the road, using one tug or none at all and disregard of the truck regulations," sold Mr. Glass. "The new automobile and truck code tins been in operation long enough I for everyone to know what ll means | and there is no excuse for this num | ber of violations.' EXTENSIVE PROGRAM FOR IMPROVEMENTS OUTLINED BY C. OF C. Housing Will Be Studied Along With Commercial and Social Welfare Developments in Coming Year PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS TO GET FIRST COMSIDERA TION Municipal improvements, commercial welfare, social wel fare, community service, trans portation problems, and agricul tural interests, comprise the live planks of the comprehensive program outlined for the en deavors of the membership of the 1 larrisburg Chamber of Commerce during the coming year. The program was made public to-day after it had been worked out by the officials of the organization. A solution of the housing prob lem, consideration of a city-county governmental building, contagious disease hospital, city armory, and aviation field, are the projects listed under civic improvements. The nec essity of some definite plan which will give the unhoused of the city suitable homes at prices within their reach is emphasized in the program, which cites a special committee whose duties consist of a study and solution of this difficult civic prob lem. The encouragement of home trade and the expansion of local markets, for wholesalers, retailers and manu facturers are the endeavors outlined under the commercial plank. The establishment of a Federa tion of Charities to be financed on the budget plan, and a foundation to handle estates and bequests of a beneficiary nature through a board of trustees appointed by the court through an incorporated body, are other projects under the considera tion of the Chamber of Commerce, X I ? * IT • * !! £ • ? I " •"■••■ jhlyaS. ! * ENERAL PROBE OF TRADE COMMISSION j X i 4 • x " , J •$• ft ' T * T* * 4* " T i J :4< * >4* j. 1 ®f* 4* • * 4* 1* 1 j * ? \l v IG PRESIDENT. WILSON TO SEVER DIPLC > ,J MATIC RELATIONS WITH MEXICO WAS IN- JJ J DUCED TO-DAY BY SENATOR FALL, RE- f g 4 MAN OF TH I ' ' SENATE COMMITTEE CHARGED WITH AN IN- J ] J VESTIGATION OF THE MEXICAN SITUATION. ,* J ' I CHARGE,-,SAID SENATOR FALL, "THAT THE jj MEXICAN EMBASSY, THE . CONSULATE GEL * ]| ORK AND THE CONSULATI •RA-'A . ■ - ■ : T'J * I ! GED IN '* ' >1 \GA A • AT , ■ DONE WITH T OWI j J YND CONSENT Of CARRANZA." * I ' :: * MARRIAGE LICENSES ] 4 I'tani-len I. Hoffman and I'hrc llormnn. I.ewUtown; Willrr * My era, t-'ranklln iiiunl;, r.nrt H tlicr K. Dirk. York t-nuntyi l)a nr , ii* '( , llnvld. n(r llntn. lu., Hurt A.nin I*. Ah),oil. Hartleyti Itavmonrt K• * lv. H<-| iturt Ht-rtrudr 11. tnrk, llnrriibar K | Alarm,:,. |(. iii-it— u _y, f nnil l.ouevo llrle, t'olley. ■ • which has set itself to the task of solving such problems and provid ing such agencies for the betterment of the city. With the idea of community serv ice in view, a special bureau with a competent manager has been estab lished by the Chamber as a part of its activities, to carry out the rec ommendations of the fourth plank of the program. Two special commit tees to study local and railroad traf fic problems have also been brought into existence to carry out the points [Continued on Page 9.] Dividend Is Declared on Penn-Harris Stock; Big Return First Year Directors of the Pcnn-Harris Hotel Company, the corporation op erating the city's chief hotel, had an important meeting yesterday and declared its first dividend—six per cent, on the preferred stock of $50,000, and ten per cent, on the common stock of $200,000. This distribution of earnings is divided in the proportions of forty-nine per cent, to the Harrisburg Hotel Com pany, owner of the property, and fifty-one per cent, to the United Hotels Company, which is manag ing several other important hotels in addition to the Penn-Harris. It is expected that the Harrisburg Hotel Company will declare a six per cent, dividend later this month on Us capitalization of over a mil | lion dollars. This is the company i formed by Harrisburg people to build the hotel.