davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-01-22

make armor plate for the government
at whatever figure the governments
experts decide is a fair price.
The Bethlehem Steel Company is
the corporation which has offered to
build cruisers for the government at
the price for which they can be built
in the goyernments own navy yards,
and to deliver them sooner than the
navy yards can.
The Bethlehem Steel Company is the
corporation which in case of war the
government would have to depend
upon for very large part of it's sup
ply of munitions.
And yet the Bethlehem Steel Com
pany is brusquely turned away with
out explanation in order that Secretary
Daniels may favor British company
whose specifications and other agree
ments with the government are kept
secret by Mr.. Daniels.
This is neither fair to American
businessmen nor to American work
men, but it is much more unfair to
the American people. In case of war
we could not depend upon England
for our 16-inch Shells and unless we
encourage their construction by Am
erican manufacturers the outbreak of
hostilities would find us with lot of
big guns and no ammunition with
which to supply them.
Germany, it may be pointed out by
way of example. encouraged the
building up of the Krupp works,
which correspond to those of Bethle-
hem in this country, and had it not
been for Krupps Germany long ago
would have been crushed for lack of
munitions. The German government
would encourage the Schwab interests
were they located in that country, in
stead of doing everything in its power
to discourage them.
The American people, also, are en-
titled to know what kind of shells
they are buying. Are they second
raters, turned down by the British gov
ernment as not coming up to grade, or
have they been in storage so long that
their usefulness is doubtful? Is this
the first effort of England to unload
her cheap labor products on the
United States? Are our workmen to
be turned down after the war is over
in favor of English workmen, simply
because the English will work for less
than our workmen will? Are we to
buy all our governments supplies
abroad because Europe will be will
ing to sell at starvation prices, while
their cheap workmen get the work
that our highly paid employees should
have?
These are questions that interest the
people nightly and it will be sur
prising if labor does not unite with
capital to demand an explanation of
the lordly Mr.. Daniels and his col
leagues.
Mr.. Daniels assertion that the Beth
lehem company cannot make shells
up TO government tests does not hold
water since Bethlehem has been pro-
viding the Allies with couptless shells
the quality of which never has been
questioned.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-01-22
Local Option

when the friends of booze argus
about local option, sincere personr|
are going to say that local optionl
would work better if the liquor inter-
ests would permit it to work, and
would not use the machinery of the|
Federal Government. as they do now,
to defeat the purposes of varous
States and counties which have gone|
dry. Moreover, if prohibition can bel
adopted successfully as nation wde|
rule by Russia and by France, why|
not by the United States? If Paris
and Petrograd can get along without
booze, why not New York? And i'll
those countries adopt protibitionl
under the pressure of a necessity toI
achieve a maximum moral and physi-|
cal efficiency, why shouldn't we do III
as part Of the policy of prepared i
?"-t'rom January goth Collier's.I
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-01-22
WHAT OF THE SESSION?

TF the Legislature which reconVeneS
= tonight after a recess of three
weeks-this period having been
utilized in conferences of political
leaders with those who will conduct
the business of Senate and House
will honestly endeavor to legislate for
and in the interest of the people, then
the waste of weeks OF time may be
overlooked. Indeed, there is so little
that need be done in the way of new
| Legislation that remedial measures only
merit serious consideration.
AS the Telegraph pointed out few
days ago, most of the time of the
Legislature is consumed in the discus
sion of matters affecting the munich
palities of the State when, with some
constitutional limitations removed and
a larger measure of home rule pro-
vided, these same municipalities could
paddle their own canoes and in a
much more satisfactory way work out
their own salvation.
Philadelphia and Pittsburgh and
Scranton and Harrisburg and scores
of other cities are forced by con-
stitutional and statutory restrictions
to go before the Legislature every two
years for relief which would not be
necessary under proper home rule
provisions.
What is satisfactory for one city is
wholly unsatisfactory for another, but
with thou shalt nots" confronting the
various municipalities at every turn
their development is checked and in
tolerable conditions arise which de-
mand legislation to correct.
Harrisburg is at this moment faced
with a problem which illustrates the
point The death of one of the five
city commissioners now compels the
holding of a special election to fill the
vacancy and there is thus imposed
upon the taxpayers needless and bur-
densome expenditure of approximately
six thousand dollars. All because the
trainers of an act designed to govern
all the cities of Pennsylvania save
three. instead of permitting them to
manage their own affairs under proper
general restrictions, neglected 10 pro-
vide some simple and inexpensive
method of filling such { vacancy.
Then comes Senator Penrose and
others with a program of legislation
for Philadelphia. including a civil
service provision for the police force
and the creation of 4 single council for
the metropolis. All very good, and
here's hoping the civil service business
will apply to all police departments;
but why should the Legislature be
called upon every two years to wrestle
with these municipal problems?
This imperial Commonwealth is
spending millions of dollars in legis-
lating under general provisions for
specific municipal ills when the cities
are perfectly able to do their own
legislating if allowed to do so.
Cities and boroughs and other in
have more freedom of action. They
must have the chance to expand, and
the Legislature should find time be-
tween probings and investigations and
other political diversions to do a good
turn for the folks back home
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-01-22
RAILROADS, CEASE FIGHT
ON FEDERAL REGULATION
Now Advocate Measures of National Control Deemed
Radical Ten Years Ago-Dual System Costly

A LITTLE over decade ago the
- railroads were fighting hard
against national regulation"
says Harold Kellock in an article in
the February Century published to-
day. To-day their attitude shows
complete reversal. Virtually every
railroad manager in the country rec
ognizes that regulation has come to
stay. They are reconciled to 1T, and
they are advocating more thorough
national control. In fact, they go far
beyond the measures proposed by the
advocates of the Hepburn statute,
now the basis of our national rail-
road law, which was considered rad
ical ten years ago. The people want
regulation say railroad managers.
Let's help make it efficient
Railroad managers are substan-
TALLY agreed upon the following pro-
gram to end the present railroad
muddle:
Federal incorporation of all inter-
state carriers.
Federal supervision and regulation
exclusively for all carriers of inter-
state commerce, this supervision to
include Federal regulation of all Sc
curities.
Increasing the size of the Inter-
state Commerce Commission and di-
vding it regionally, so that regional
bodies, as under the Federal Reserve
Board, will conduct Investigations on
the ground in the different traffic dis
tricts and present their findings to the
central body at Washington, which
need review only exceptions to such
findings.
distributing the functions of the
commission so that the same body
does not act as judge, jury and prose-
cutor
THE rate muddle with forty-nine
States indulging in rate-ffXing, COM
peting with one another and conflict
ing with the rate-fixing powers of the
Interstate Commerce Commission, is
productive of some of the most veXa-
tious and costly litigation the rail-
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-01-22
Pse;t;c4 ir
Pe~~o4e0o~ia
By the Ex-Comnitteeman

The policy the State administration
investigation of the departments of
the State government is the big theme
of interest in Pennsylvania politics to-
day. 1t is dwarfing even committee
places and legislation is forgotten for
the time.
The Penrose people insist that the
resolution for the probe is going to be
presented and that it's passage will be
demanded. The State administration
people have not yet announced what
they will do, but that there will be
resistance of some sort is indicated by
Attorney General Browns remark that
he thought some fair Democrat like
+. Lowry Humes United States dis
trict attorney for Western Pennsyl-
vania and chairman of the Democratic
legislative advisory committee, should
be chosen as counsel. This suggestion,
says the Philadelphia Inquirer, has
added to the ''tenseness of the sit
uation."
Senator Penrose has announced a
series of bills relative to Philadelphia
that look as though Mayor Smith
would have to abandon his position of
the last year or take the consequences
The Democrats are regarded as SIM
ply trying to make all the capital pos
sible out of the ruction. notwithstand-
ing high sounding statements by Pal
mer and his pals and reverberating
editorials in the national chairmans
newspaper.
The Philadelphia Ledger says that
the State administration demanded
various things of Banking Commits
sioner Smith, which made it impos-
sible for him to remain any longer in
the office. 1t is also charged that he
was not backed up as he desired by
the Attorney Generals departm 1t
is also said that efforts to get the
Health Department into politics were
made. On this the Ledger says: DIR.
Dixon, the Health Commissioner, is
not in politics, and he does not pro-
pose to be. Despite this fact, Private
Secretary Ball has made demands on
the commissioner at odd times for the
dismissal of some of his employees on
the ground that they are not loyal
to the Governor There are more
than 300 appointments in the Health
Department, and the politicians are
more than anxious to oust at least
half of these persons and put in their
places their own followers This mat
ter will no doubt engage the attention
of the investigation commission, be-
cause many of the persons in the
Health Department must be skilled in
| their line of work"
Considerable discussion has been
aroused in Western Pennsylvania by
the Pittsburgh Gazette Times state
ment that the Democrats are consider
| ing Ambassador Guthrie and Col.
Richard Coulter, Jr.. commander OF
the. Tenth infantry, as gubernatorial
| timber.
Representative John w. Wicker
man will speak at the welcome of the
| North boroughs of Allegheny to the
returning suardsmen.
The fact that Senator Ware and
| Senators McNichol and Snyder had a
| LONG conference on Saturday at Phil
| adelphia has started a lot of gossip
about the South Philadelphia senator
| having been modified,
Mayor Thomas b. Smith, of Phil
ade1phia, insists that he is not TAX
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-01-22
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Pay Pressmen More Than Scale

To the Editor of the Telegraph:
y few days ago your paper pub
lished on the front page q small item
stating that the Harrisburg Telegraph
had given the compositors an increase;
or in other words, had signed the
union scale, and that the Telegraph
has dealt squarely with these men ever
since the Typographical Union was
formed. Now we want to congratu-
late the Hon. Edward j. Stackpole
and his associates for their friendly
dealings with the typos, but now it
appears to me that there are other
labor organizations connected with the
printing trade just as important to
the printing craft as the compostors
are. This other organization of which
speak is the pressmens organization.
This labor body, we learn, has pre-
sented a scale to the employing print
ers some time in December to take
effect on or about the first of the year,
but have not as yet received their in
crease. Now what they ask in COM
parison to the compositors is a very
small item. In conclusion we wish
to say that If the Telegraph can boast
of giving one part of it's employees an
increase, why do they not deal fairly
to all union labor and give all an in
crease so that they may enjoy the
pleasures of the present? Kindly pub
lish this in your paper tomorrow
evening and put it on the front page
for the benefit of all organized labor.
(Signed) UNION LABOR.
Editors Note-The new scale for
the pressmen, mentioned in the fore
going letter, went into effect Janu-
airy 1. 1t affected only two press
men in the employ of the Telegraph
for the reason that all but two of the
Telegraph pressmen were receiving
more pay than the new scale provided
long before it was presented to the
employers.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-01-22
WELL. KNOWN PEOPLE

Congressman Thomas s. Butler
has been invited by citizens of Coates
willie to get Il new post office for that
city.
DIR. B. X Wilbur has been elected
president of the Lower Merton Board
of Health for the ninth term.
The Rev. DIR. G. III. Woolston.
Philadelphia pastor, celebrated thirty
years in the ministry yesterday. He
has preached to 1900. 900 persons.
w. II. Connel1, chief of Philadel-
phia's bureau of highways, has called
in medical men to help devise ways to
clean up the town.
John +. Lowers, former legisla-
tor, has been elected president of the
Protective Association of
Allegheny county
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-01-22

ing a hand in the present muss and
that all he is interested in is the en-
actment of Philadelphia legislation
and nothing else. The mayor says
that both factions are favorable to his
legislation. He is urging a special
loan to take care of sewers and other
improvements in his city.
Speaker Baldwin has started out
to insist upon a plan for economy. He
will insist that the governmental ap-
preparations be held down, including
the Governor; that the school and
road appropriations shall be increased;
that the country members have more
say in legislative affairs, and that
there be a speeding up of some of
the departments of the State govern
ment
According to Philadelphia papers
Senator Penrose will urge among
other measures a bill to take the
police of all cities in the State out of
politics and thus divorce them from
further participation in factional
squabbles. 1t will also include bills
to abolish dual officeholding by men,
bors of Councils, require the confirma-
ton of Mayoralty appointments by
Council or Councils, eliminate office
holders from canvassing election pre-
cincts and probably provide for the
substitution of a small single body in
stead of the cumbersome Councils of
the present with its two unwieldy
branches. Other measures which are
expected to be introduced early are
congressional and Legislative appor-
tionment bills required by the State
constitution. which We're neglected en-
tirely by the last Legislature and that
of 1913 as well.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-01-22
He Retains the Brogue
New York Sun1

John Mccormack, who has taken
out naturalization papers. may call
himself an American, but his brogue,
the most delicious that ever came
from the Land of the Shamrock, he
can never relinquish; and no Irish
man Will ever be able to compete with
him in singing Kathleen Mavour-
neen" and Killarney"
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-01-22
OUR DAILY LAUGH
CAREFUL
HUBBY.

Does y o IL r
husband sub
scribe to the
theory that kiss
ing transmits
germs.
No. He thinks
that germs are
mostly trans
m | { { Q d b v
money, and is
very careful not
to hand me
any.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-01-22

City Clerk Charles A. Millers name
has been suggested as one worthy of
consideration in filing the vacancy in
City Council. Without knowing how
Mr.. Miller feels about it, this news
paper has no hesitation in saying that
such a choice would be eminently
proper to make in view of the intimate
knowledge of municipal administration
possessed by the popular City Clerk.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-01-22

Upon another page this evening is
printed Photographic reproduction of
the new Penn-Harris million-dollar.
fire-proof hotel as it will appear when
finished year hence. AS was sug-
gested by a prominent clergyman in
one of the city's pulpits yesterday,
every step in the progress of this i'm
portant community enterprise is
watched with interest.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-01-22
DO YOU KNOW

That Harrisburg distributes
hundreds of cars of coal for east
crn points every twcnty-four
hours?
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-01-22

Judging from present prices of shoes,
parents are apt to be more than un-
usually inclined to let their boys go
barefoot next summer
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-01-22

Il
ing statement of the Bethlehem
Steel Company relative to the recen
contract let by Secretary Daniels t.
a British firm for shells for the United
States Navy:
To the American people:
The Secretary of the Navy has
awarded contracts amounting to
over S3,000,0O0 to a British bidder
for fourteen and siNteen-inch pro-
jectiles for the navy. for the rea-
son that the British firm offered
prices very much below those of
American manufacturers. including
ourselves.
We know nothing of the basis
upon which the British bids were
made. but the public is entitled to
know the facts upon which we our
selves bid for this work
Our bids for the sixteen
inch shells tsheIIs which
have never been used by this
country, were based upon
our experience In making
fOurteen-inch prOjectiIes.
Two years ago we took
contracts to make 4,2O0 four
teeD-Inch shells mt a price of
SI,515yO 600 with heavy PEN
aIties for delayed delivery.
Despite the fact that all our
experience and facilities
have been strained to fulfill
these contracts, up to now
not n single shell has been
accepted by the Government,
although
We have expended in
wages. materials,
etc, on these or
ders ,.;..:....-,.... s447,Ss1
tests on shells.... $4,000
Making our total ac-
tuaI expediture. s522.ss1
And we have not
received SINGLE
DOLLAR ON these
contracts.
In addition, literal
enforcement of the
contract might in
volve payment of
penalties for de-
layed delivery al
ready amounting to
S67S,016.
Navy Department tests are now
so severe that neither we nor, so
far as we know, any other manu-
fncturers have yet been able to
produce in quantity fourteen-inch
shells which will meet them.
aud having no other basis, we bid
for sixteen-inch shells approxi-
mately the same rate per pound as
that upon which the Navy Depart
ment actually awarded a fourteen-
inch she'll contract one year ago.
The Bethlehem Steel Company
the corporation which has offered t
turn its entire plant over to the gov
ernment I'm case of war
The Bethlehem Steel Company 1
the corporation which has offered /
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-01-22
HIsTORIC HARRIsBURC

William Maclay ran lines for what
is now Front street before the Revolu-
tion.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-01-22
LAUGHING
STOCK.

AT e y o II
laughing at me?
demanded the
professor stern
ly to his class.
Oh, no sir,
came the reply
in chorus.
Then, asked
t h e professor
even more GRIM
~, what else is
there in the
room to laugh
att
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-01-22

Peace comes roaring onward with all
the meteoric rush of an invalid snail
with a ball and chain attached to his
tail.-Kansas City Star
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-01-22

Switzerlands peace proposals are be-
ginning to look like a chunk of her
famous dairy product.-Boston Tran
script.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-01-22

Secretary Lansing's postscripts to the
peace note suggest the advisability OF
having a woman in the Cabinet to
handle such matters expertly.-Chicago
Daily News.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-01-22

Peace proposals without terms are as
dead as faith without works-Louis-
VILE Post.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-01-22

The Kaiser suggests holding the i'm
mediate peace conference in some "neu-
trail city," which let's Milwaukee, Gin
cinnati and st. Louis out of the running
La Crosse Leader Press.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-01-22

1t has been a great year for all finan-
cial institutions. Even the pawnshops
report a record prosperity.-New York
World.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-01-22
MONDAY EVENING, JAN. %

I like not ttoice to grieue my soul,
First in bearing pain itself and then
relating. -SophocleS.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-01-22
FAIR PLAY FOR HOME INDUSTRY

TNHERE is food for thought for
every American in the follow
ing statement of the Bethlehem
Steel Company relative to the recent
contract let by Secretary Daniels to
a British firm for shells for the United
States Navy:
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-01-22
EDITORIAL COMMENT

1t is now evident that Germany can
reply to some notes much more prompt
ly than to others.-Nashville Southern
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-01-22

Entente Allies New York resolutions
seem more convincing than most.-Wall
Street Journal.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-01-22

A good example of the topsyturvy
conditions growing out of the war is
afforded by the arrest of those mill
tant suifragettes for participating in
peace demonstration in Bondon.-Nash-
willie Southern Lumberman.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-01-22

of patience. and very justly so. They
are paying out their money and get
ting nothing in return.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-01-22

Several third-class cities are watch
ing to see the manner in which Har-
risburg handles the vacancy in Council
which has resulted from the death of
Commissioner II. f. Bowman. This
city has taken the lead in regard to
municipal legislation in many ways
and it's tryout of the Clark act has
been awaited with interest in more
places than one would think.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-01-22

Il. j. J.STACKPOLE, Prest aud Ediior-in.C Chief
F. r. OYSTER, Business Monaeer.
GUS NJ. STEINMETZ. Managing Editor.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-01-22

Published evenings except Sunday by
THE TELEGRAPH PRINTING CO.,
Telegraph building. Federal Square.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-04-03
Tea Dance for bethany Home.

A tea dance. the proceeds from which
will he for the benefit of Bethany home.
has been arranged for this month al
the Commercial club i'm Moline. TO be
given under the direction Of the edu-
catjonal committee OF the home. These
plans were made at the meeting OF The
committee held yesterday ln she Manu-
facturers hotel Moline. Mrs George
FitzGibbon and Mrs Clara JorSensen
of Moline are the committee in charge
of arrangements ror the affair. Mrs.
" H. Van DerVoort serving as chair
man Of the refreshments committee.
The educational committee sponsors
two entertainments for the benefit Of
the home each year. one iu Rock Is
land and one in Moline card party
having been given at Masonic temple
in this CRY last tall A special meet
ing of the committee wjIs be held Mon
daE morning at the Manufacturers mo-
tel TO complete ABRAMS ements for the
tea dance.