davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-02-02
Unmasking the Interests
Extracts from Speech of
HON. CLYDE II. TAVENNER
OF ILLINOIS,
In the House of Representatives
Wednesday. December 5 1915.
OF ILLINOIS,,

| Mr.. Tavenner-Secretary OF the
Navy Daniels in his annual report for
1914, called attention to the economy
of government manufacture by say
| ing that, contrary to popular idea,
| the navy department in what in man
ufactures does SO, from a superdread-
naught to a gallon of paint or pound
! of powder, cheaper than the same can
be purchased. This is particularly
true of the most expensive instru-
ments of war, but it is equally true
of gasoline engines, electrical sup
plies, engines for dreadnaughts, shrap-
| mel, clothing for marines and sailors,
accoutrements, and a multitude of
other articles required for the fleet
and shore stations"
| Government manufacture will mean
| that the workmen who perform the
| labor Of actually making the NUM-
lions will receive higher wages and
better working conditions than if the
contracts for war materials are award
| ed the private munition firms, among
| which are numbered the most bitter
enemies Of organized labor in the
United States.
| Right at this point want to read
| something from the report of an off,
| cial government investigation as to the
working conditions at one of the plants
receiving a large part of the govern
ment business-the Bethlehem Steel
company.
Thanks to an investigation of the
Bethlehem Steel companys strike in
1910, information is available as to
conditions of labor in that armor-
making concerns plants.
! The inquiry was made by the United
States bureau of labor in 1910, under
the direction of Ethelbert Stewart, a
special agent of the labor bureau at
the time, who bore the reputation of
being one of the most experienced
economic investigators in the coun-
try.
When this strike began there were
no labor organizations in the plant /;
the company would not permit them.
1t was the higher grade workers who
led off in the strike. Many of the
highest grade men had approximately
a 1012-hour day; but they were fire.
quently being required to work over
time on week days and to do addi-
tional work on Sundays. Fearing that
the entertainments of overtime and
Sunday work were leading to -
hour and 7-day schedule for the whole
force, they therefore protested. There
fore the protesting committee was dis
charged therefore the strike
The government investigation re-
vealed this:
That out of every 100 men 20 were
working seven days every week.
That out of every 100 men 43, in
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-02-02
Faith TALK
81
William Brady,M.D.
Keeping Cool and Warm.

About this time of year father,
mother, and the rest of the folks fire.
quently and cordially disagree upon
the correct degree of warmth essential
for comfort and health. Generally the
furnace tries hard to please all tastes,
but with so many sanitary engineers
regulating it and such marked varia-
tions of weather the average indoor
climate is anything but equable.
1t is all a question of habit. Take
your face. for instance. You are not
in the habit of wearing clothes on
your face, and your face feels fairly
comfortable in any ordinary winter
weather. But with your feet it is diff
ferent, or your neck, or your chest.
These portions OF the skin are usually
more or less dressed, and hence sensi-
tive to cold.
Surprising you fix upon 70 degrees
as the proper temperature for living
rooms. At rs you will feel comfort
able. But when you go to call on the
neighbors-let's pretend you are &C
quainted with your neighbors, even if
it isn't fashionable-you find It diff
cult to keep from shivering, their eli
mate being only 65 to 70 degrees. But
they INTO be quite comfortable, and,
what is the more remarkable, quite
healthy as we'll
children quarrel about the furnace if
is sign the house lacks good Their
mometers, or better, thermostat
Personal sensations are no guide for
the lanitor. Even the same individual
Will feel chilly at one time and too
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-02-02
GEORGIA IS AROUSED

GeOTgia's answer to the north's crit
icisms, following the lynching of Leo
Frank, was to assume an air of in
JuTed innocence and to argue that its
outraged WOmanhood would be aveng-
ed. Holding the record for mob exc
eutions in every year but two in the
last five, and starting 1916 with five
hangings by the crowd, Georgia has
been forced to adopt a different tone
Georgia is not Iynching negroes merely
Tor the ''One crime" it lynched one
the other day for robbing a store The
next victim of mob violence NAV be
black pickpocket or window smasher
The better element" in Georgia. as
distinguished from the small minority
that perpetrates and sympathiZes with
these lynchings finally has been oblig-
ed 10 face facts and acknowledge the
states shame. Admitting that the
state has won national disapproval
and is in fair way to win national
condemnation the Atlanta Constitu-
ton has this TO say to its politicians:
What is the matter with the public
conscience? Has it become atrophied ?
Here is another question we pro-
pound to the candidates for governor,
entered and yet to enter in the race.
What will you do to put an end to
lynching and mob law in Georgia?
You, who want to serve your peo-
ple and vOur state cannot do them he+
ter service than this: Point the way
and lead to the achievement of law
enforcement
We know you stand for law and
order. but what will you do to preserve
them? What will you do to redeem
Georgia from this record of shame?
Georgia awaits your answer"
These are strong words, but they
are spoken none too soon. Georgia s
own citizens are admitting that the
state suffered blow from the Frank
lynching, that struck in the most sensi-
tive of all places, the pocketbook.
Business interests are afraid OF
Georgia, not so much because it lynch
ed man whose case had attracted
wide interest and sympathy, as because
the constituted authorities of the law
have repeatedly given a shocking ex-
hibition of helplessness and ineffi-
cheney.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-02-02
ITALY NOT EGYPT.

Military observers of the war, who
some time ago predicted that the leu
tons, after completing their Balkan
campaign, would make a drive on
Egypt, will in all probability reverse
their decision. From all appearances
Italy is to be the next objective of the
TeutOnic armies. Although Germany
is not officially at war with King Vic
tor Emanuels government, Germany
can rely upon Austria to punish the
traitor" while the kaiser's forces
protect other Austrian fronts, where
Franz Josef's men are now stationed.
With the dominating heights of
Mount Loycen-in the hands of the Aus
TRANS, the Austrian fleet has been en-
abled to assemble safely in the harbor
of Cattaro This new naval base is
within easy reach of Italy's Adriatic
coast and with the Adriatic controlled
by the Teutons' naval forces, much
damage could be inflicted upon Italy's
coast cities in the way of sea raids
The fall of Montenegro shattered the
dream of Italy to make the Adriatic
sea an Italian sea and Italys Adriatic
fleet is about as useful to the Rome
government as the Kiel canal fleet is
to Germany.
So much for the naval end of the
campaign.
The Austrian advance into Albania
and the swiftness with which the Aus
trian steam roller went through Mon
tenegro has caused general alarm in
Italy, according to an Associated Press
dispatch. A still later cable brings
the news that the big Albanian port
Of Scutari has fallen and now we hear
that the drive is continuing and that
San Giovanni Di Medua has been cap
tured.
Military experts, however, affirm
that no immediate anxiety is felt for
| BurazzO, which they declare is salts
factorily defended by Essad Pasha.
But in this day of big guns, little can
| be told of the ability of rival foes.
/ Activity along the Austro-Italian front
/ has been revived after a period of dull
ness and recent dispatches contain the
account of a violent battle near Os-
! lavia in which the Austrians took part
of their enemy's position and captured
over a thousand prisoners, including
| forty-fve officers" AT other places
along the Isonzo front there was in
creased activity the account con
| tinueS.
1t will be remembered at the time
! of Italy's entrance into the war that
! this nation was denounced by the Aus
/ trian press as their most hated en-
envy" and that this nations decision
to fight her friends" would only serve
to prolong the war.
1t would not be a rough guess to
say that Emperor Franz Josef is going
to invade Italy and that the crushing
of little Montenegro and the rush
through Albania, together with the re-
Gently launched offensive on the Ital-
ian front, is the beginning Of the gi-
gantic drive.
Whether or not this Teutonic power
will cut off all hopes of Italy to regain
her lost provinces, the tomorrow alone
will tell.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-02-02
FRANKLIN AS OBSERVER.

Benjamin Franklin, over a century
ago, said THAT people who live in the
forest, in open barns, or with open
windows, do not catch cold, and that
the disease called "a cold is generally
caused by impure air, lack of exercise
or overeating"
Modern scientists are telling US to-
day things what poor Richard told the
people in the old colonial days. Sci
ence is proving to the people today
what Franklin knew to be true from
his own observation Franklin was in
deed a keen observer
One hundred years from today sci
entists will still be telling the people
about the value of fresh air. and one
hundred years from today there will
still be people who doubt Its value
Such Is lifel
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-02-02
Skaters Carry Dispatches.

kiev-Among German prisoners re-
Gently brought here were a number of
men who called themselves dispatch
skaters" From them it was learned
that a whole company of expert skat-
ers had been equipped early in the
winter to carry dispatches by short
cuts across the lakes among which the
Germans have taken up winter guar
tiers in various sections of the front.
The organizer was said to be a man
of the name of Wagner from Vienna, a
prize skater and racer of local re-
nown. The prisoners, including Wag>
ner, were captured at Volini, near
Vladimir Volynsk.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-02-02

GLIDING these 20, we're working some
Sundays in the month.
That out of every 100 men 81 we're
working IL hours day.
That out of every 100 men % were
working IL hours a day seven days q
week
That out of every 100 men 4d were
earning less than 80 day.
These are the grim figures wnlcn
the United States bureau of labor
gives us of the working shifts OF the
Bethlehem Steel company as drawn
from the companys own time books.
This Is the manner in which tie con-
Germs that have drawn down S1l5,O0O,-
600 of the peoples money were treat
ing their employees in 1910. Since that
day considerable eight-hour day legls-
lation has been passed, and there is
no record of the number of 12-hour
shifts now in force.
Workingmen of the nation, are you
willing that your government shall
IOlltlhuC " SlNo lOilIi avs Q
into millions annually to firms that
have mistreated and underpaid their
employees as have these great war
trafficking concerns If you are not
willing, then protesl against it. But
let me assure you st the outset that
one protest will not be sufficient. The
chances are you will have to speak
loud and often before your voice will
be heard in far-off Washington.
Practically all of the peace socle-
| ties Of the world which do not have
on their boards of directors or in their
memberships stockholders in the pri-
vate war-trafficking firms, have de-
clared in favor of tie naturalization
of the manufacture of munitions OF
! war, on the theory that if private profit
and private graft are taken out OF
militarism the incentive for at least
that portion of the systematic agita-
ton for increased military appropria.
tons inaugurated by those who di-
rectly or indirectly profit from the
sale of war materials will have beer
removed and an important step taker
in the direction Of peate. Government
manufacture of war materials was
also endorsed by the American Fed
Grafton of Labor at its convention il
Philadelphia in 1914
Naturalization of the manufacture
Of war paraphernalia offers program
on which all save those directly or in
directly interested in private war
trafficking concerns mayunite. Wheth
er in favor of disarmament, vastly in
creased arm ament, or maintaining thu
present armament, all can meet on
common ground. Those who desire
greater armament can obtain i
through government manufacture
without placing increased burden:
upon the taxpayers.
| Ito be Continually
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-02-02
Sidelights on the European War

war, but economy of operation caused
the change, according to this expla-
nation.
Austro-German submarine activities
have resulted in increased insurance
premiums in the Mediterranean tral-
fic. Ships are delayed at the canal oF
shortage of coal. Furthermore, the
canal toll rates are to be RAISED
shortly. These increased costs more
than overcome the additional mileage
of the Cape route.
In recent years the Cape route mas
been growing in popularity, OWING
its cheapness. Even before the wal
the government of the South ATTIC
Union recommended the improvement
of its ports to accommodate the grow
ing trade, and it adopted senems
for extensive wharfage and harpU
changes. English companies were VIC
first to favor the Cape as Opposed
the Suez route.
Tientsin, China.-Two American
firms here have protested TO Inc .a'
ted States Minister Reinsch at feAls
concerning injustice they nave w.
fered at the hands of the Engiisn tiau
ers acting under the screen Oh las
and regulations designed TO cut on "
trade of England's enemy ana hel
lies. The two complaining frlns "
exporters of wool and formerly aA
large business in Mongolia. a. "
time the war broke out these hfm' y
extensive contracts for MohsOD.
wool. There was much delay !,
fecting the delivery of this WOOL ~
finally the TransSiberian RAILWAY
it could not handle it. Russian oln','s
took the position that Russia ana
allies needed the wool and couiu ~
allow it to be exported by the a~'
| leans.
However, the complaining hrins :
that an English concern dong W
ness in China and Mongolia was ~,
mitted to purchase the WOOL
contract to the Americans, nov
hauled out on the Russian rah's
shipped it to the United States 4,
realized a handsome profit on
| transaction, =.
Similar complaint have peeh ~.
by American exporters in othef -.
ese ports, who insist that inc .;.ss
| lish firms are using war fesa'. III,
| for their selfish ends and doihs
Injustice to neutrals in China
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-02-02
TAVENNER ON PREPARED
NESS.

No one-need be surprised if it is
charged one of these fine days that
Congressman Clyde H. Tavenner is
opposing the president on his program
of preparedness.
The munitions patriots are trying
to make 1t appear that anyone who is
lighting for government manufacture
Of munitions, armor, battleships. etc,
is opposed to the president and OPP
posed 10 preparedness.
Representative Tavenner's often de-
clared position is that he is not OPP
posed TO preparedness. but that he is
oppose" only to the kind of prepared
Jess that the mu.ziSas natE.sss stand
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-02-02
The Daily Story
A Dolls House - BY Elinor Marsh.

faey snoufn ger ont or remain
they were. The question Wa wee
ter Of life or death with tbsn aa'
their arguments were BIZ ma ~ sN
subdued. Marcy. hearing vo,css : 'aa'
bowels of the earth beneath her ,a.' :
and ran back home as fast "a - .s.as
tie legs would carry her. Her M, y
seeing that the child bad been ,.as
ened. questioned her and wa ~
that some men were in her p,a,.. ~
and would take her dolly ava, y.
them. 'A
Mrs. Bickford had heard Of IN. =,
robbery. and it was not long 49,
she began to suspect the truth co, ~
ing the voices her daughter had ~. ~
in the cave. She went at ones !.
neishbor and reported the case =
fortunately most of the men .h..
about had gone off after the roIb..
who had ridden away. and not enoss
men could be got together TO v.,-'
attacking an unknown number ~ -
peradoes ensconced In a cave "a ~,
ing was done except to station , 4.
of sixteen to watch the hiding plss,
Charnley decided to remain rh..
the robbers were only till msr,,s,
then to walk to the nearest statior -
miles distant and board a train a..
would stop there at 4 few minutes !.
err / o'clock.
Billy Simpson. who was on VISTA
saw them leave the cave. He follows
them to the station. near which th,,
waited till they heard the train comb,
and then went up on to the platforr
Billy went to the rear car unseen l,
them and got aboard at the same I'm.
they did. There were four men IN A,
gang, but they took separate nm
They paid the conductor their Az
and he passed on to the rear car. whr,
Billy informed him as to the natur, \
the passengers who had just got Oh d,
train.
The conductor wrote a teler,r
which he gave to Billy, instructinr HI,
to get off at the next station, five mia
distant. and send 1t, believing that \,
own motions would be watched by II,
robbers. On reaching the station B,
stepped off on the dark side Of the a,
unseen, anu the train went on. n,
agent was In bed, but Billy routed Bin
out, and the telegram was sent to
stable town ten miles distant.
Meanwhile the conductor directed u
engineer to slack speed that suffice,
time might be given for preparsus
for capture.
But few men could be got togethe
In SO short a time. and they were dl
guised, having boarded the train N
went on with it. The robbers ben
to leave it one by one. thinking The
were unsupported. This rendered the
capture easy. and they were all seir.
without a fight
Little Marcy. who had saved $4,000
was adopted by the express commn
Billy was given a handsome rewu
and later q position on the railroad
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-02-02

Train robberies, which had quieted
down during the early part OF 10,
broke out with renewed vigor in the
autumn OF that year. One OF these
attacks was not only well planned, so
far az getting treasure was concerned.
but In getting away with it.
Jim Charnley was the leader OF the
band that made the attack and chose
the field Of enterprise by personally in.
vestigating different points on the rail-
road he proposed to operate on. He
discovered a cave concealed by thick
underground where a party OF men
might hide So far as he could learn,
no one knew Of It. He proposed to rob
a train as 1t passed within a few hun
bred yards Of this cave. A part OF the
force would make off on horseback
while another part with the plumber
hid in the cave. A posse would follow
those who had ridden away while the
men in the cave waited till the excite.
ment had died out and then make off.
The robbery was eminently success
full. The train was stopped and the
plumber taken from the express car.
The robbers made off through a wood,
dropping the treasure into the hands
Of four men who made their way to
the cave unseen. Those who had rid.
den away were followed but not cap
tured.
A surprise awaited those who had
gone to the cave, among whom was
Jim Charnley, the leader Of the gang.
He had not been to the cave since he
had discovered it several weeks before
On entering 1t be saw a doll in a little
bed and several articles of doll furni.
ture beside it.
The presence Of this inanimate com.
bination Of china and sawdust caused
a commotion on the part OF the rob.
bers. Some of them. fearing that their
presence there might be discovered.
were for moving at once. But Charm
ley argued that the region of the rob-
berry would be filed with persons NOV.
ed by curiosity, If nothing more, and
that any move for the present would
be dangerous. If the child came to
play in the cave she could be taken in
and held from giving information of
their presence.
Little Marcy Bickford, who lived on
the other side of the rise from the
mouth Of the cave. was the child who
had made the place a playhouse. On
the afternoon Of the robbery she start
ed to 60 there to get her doll and bring
1t home. Coming to the rise. she pass.
ed over the roof Of the cave, where
there was a break in the rock that
formed it. not sufficient to let in light,
but through which sound might pass.
The robbers had closed up the mouth
Of the cave and supposed that they
might talk with freedom. At the time
Marcy was passing over the break in
.i:c ronf they were discussing whether
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-02-02

for, the kind which gives them big
profits but leaves the nation still I'M
prepared Tavenner declares he will
not support extravagant increases I'M
less some substantial concessions are
made to government manufacture. II
enough Of his colleagues will take the
same attitude, the principle of govern
ment manufacture will be embodied
in army and navy legislation at this
session of congress. If members OF
congress do not take firm position
as Tavenner is taking, the army and
navy bill will be framed In the inter
ests of the munitions patriots as here
tofore. They have powerful friends
in the right places in Washington.
The Public, of which Louis F. Post,
assistant secretary of labor, was SO
long the editor, has the following to
say on this subject:
The proposition for government
manufacture of munitions is max
ing some preparationists squirm.
II they actually believe in the
need of preparedness, and have no
private ak to grind, they should
certainly be willing to agree to
government manufacture in order
to minimize opposition to the pro-
lection Of which they claim we are
in so great need. An example of
this squirming is furnished by the
Chicago Tribune in its issue of
Jan. 16. 1t could not we'll urge
that certain interests, such as the
steel trust, owners of ore beds and
others with material to sell might
push the government into policy
of excessive production. That
would be too descriptive Of the
preparationist agitation itself. So
it had to express the fear, in the
course of a needlessly long editor
ial, that a government plant would
use Anticipated machinery. If that
is true, then the government is too
inefficient to be trusted with SO
dangerous an institution as big
army and navy. But is not the
real objection to be found in the
fact that government manufacture
would be bad for certain NUM-
tons manufacturers engaged in
pushing the preparedness pro-
gram? If so, it is no wonder the
Tribune presented so poor an
answer
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-02-02
During IA months of operation tn

During IA months of operation the
Washington government bureau of war
risk insurance on ships, premiums
amounted to s2,194,454 and $695,9S4
was paid out for losses. This leaves a
profit of s1,498,469. The percentage on
total receipts will put any other war
business in the shade for richness.
And it will be recalled that this was
a business which was taken up by the
government simply because private in
surers would have nothing to do with
it except at prohibitive rates.