Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1917-08-24
Draft Act m HIob Court.

IeClNe mlHIdry conScT1pt1on law Is W
be settled once for all by the United
States supreme court
The test is to come up in connection
with the conviction before Judge
Westenhaver of the United States dis
trict court at Cleveland of the three
Socialist party representatives
charged with conspiring to defeat the
law.
The case will be docketed before
Aug. "a, and will go to trial with the
opening of the fall term of court. All
other cases will be temporarily set
aside. decision is expected in Octo-
Der. The announcement that the con-
scr1pt1on law would go before the su-
preme court came from the depart
ment of justice at Washington. In
a dozen or more cases over the coun-
try where the constitutionality of the
law has been assailed, the protests Of
this character have been thrown out
of the lower courts
The officials of the federal govern
ment are glad, however, that the issue
which has been seized upon by paci-
fists and pro-German agitators in many
parts of the country is to be irrevoca-
bly, settled. There is supreme conf
dence among all officials of the gov
ernment to raise armies under the Sc
| lective system. In fact, government
| officials regard the case largely as a
| formality so far as the decision is con-
! cerned.
The case is regarded. however, as OF
! the greatest importance in its effect on
the general situation throughout the
country. A favorable decision means
that influences now working against
the government and all its war plans
will be definitely silenced. No longer
will they be able, officials say, to hide
behind pretended legal rights. With
the decision in connection with the ex-
listing law matter of record, the gov
ernment will be able to proceed
against all objectors, it was explained,
on charges of sedition as well
as conspiracy.
A statement of the case from the
federal department of justice read:
"a case designed to test the con-
stitutionality of the conscription act
will be docketed in the United States
supreme court on or before Aug. "a
next and will be called up for trial dur
ing the fall term. The case will come
up on writ of error from the district
court at Cleveland, Judge Westen-
haver presiding"
Charles e. Ruthenberg, recently So
cialist candidate for mayor of C1eve-
tot
secretary of the Socialist party, and
Charles Baker, were convicted with
having conspired to induce persons
subject to the conscription act to
evade that law in violation of section
1872 of the federal penal code, and were
sentenced on July 25, by Judge Wes-
, tenhaver, to term of one year in the
: Canton (Ohio) workhouse. The de-
) PENDANTS sued out a writ of error and
: citation was served upon United
| States Attorney E. S. Wertz on July
? rs, returnable Aug. "a.
: To Fight for Consumer.
: Ohio kept pace with the national ad-
ministration, priming its guns to do
\ battle for the consumer while news OF
: the passage of the food control bill
was still fresh.
Gov. James M. Cox announced the
! state would stand between the coal
dealer and the consumer, establishing
equitable retail prices, just as the fed
eral government will stand between
q the oeprator and the public in fixing
mine prices.
\ At the same time the governor laid
d down this broad policy, interpreted as
J. covering food control as well as regu-
a latien of coal prices:
4 '"The people are making every sacri-
# fee to win this war. They are giving
# their sons. their energies. their sub
h stance to the nation. They have in
4 return the right to demand that the
h government will give them something
back-the right to demand that they
be protected against hardship and suf
fering from extortionate prices for the
y necessities of life"
Two brands of munitions were ad
= vocated for the states guns at the
g capitol, however. Gov. Cox made the
= point that with the regulatory enact
: ment of congress, the federal govern
T. ment has the authority to fix mine
~ prices of coal, and that the states
~ business would be to give protection
against possible extortion by retail
u dealers.
s. Coincident was the issuing of a IS
u page printed opinion by Atty. Gen
u McGhee, holding that the Ohio gen
eral assembly has power, with certain
~
II coal and of food products.
al The opinion was given to Fl. H. Tim
m by, state senator from Ashtabula.
a, Price scales, fixed by any one Goa
W producing state, independent of sur
nt rounding states and in the face of as
IN sured federal action, would seem i'm
practical" Gov. Cox said. -
The situation thus created was re
rs garded as indicating, on the one hand
ic that Gov Cox does not want a spe
p cial session of the assembly unless ah
in solutely necessary, and does not con
of slider the necessity to exist at thi
al time. On the other hand, it indicated
ID, that the attorney general believes tn
in way,to price regulation is through leg
On islative action.
~ In his opinion, Atty. Gen. McGhe
held that coal is a commodity.
Increases Light Plants Value.
ly Among increases placed by the stat
I'D tax commission on the valuations G
III electric light companies in Ohio 70
n 1917, the largest is an addition O
m $2,0S5,390 to the 1916 valuation of tn
1g Cleveland Electric Illuminating Con
ar pany.
us The 1916 valuation of the Clevelan
concern was $2O,O14,3S0. The valus
ed ton given it this year is S22,099,770
in The aggregate increase in the valus
ng tions of all privately owned Ohio ele,
on trio light companies over 1916 is Ss
nd 465, ,450, the total value for this yea
being $54, 4,639,60O.
Three Held as Arsonists.
rv Fire Marshal T. Alfred Fleming r
in ceived report of the arrest of J. /
is O'Neal and May Longnecker at Eato
hit on charges of arson, growing out {
he an alleged attempt to fire a residenc
he there, Investigators also have arres