davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1918-02-22
''Melon-C Cutting" Finds
Place in England

There is growing tendency among
Industrial companies to capitalize re-
serve profits, accumulated in prc-war
days, by distributing large bonuses to
shareholders in the form of free
shares. The effect Of this "melon-cu
ting" is to obscure the real earning
power of the business Larger capital
is made TO rank for dividend, and al
though the subsequent distributions
appear to be lover. fortunate holders
really receive as much as they did on
the original basis, e not more. and
have the additional satisfaction Of see
ing substantial appreciation in the
market value Of the watered capital.
War prosperity has been given as the
pretext for this pernicioas financial
practice; but a stronger incentive, as
naively admitted recently by the chair
man Of Mitchel]s & Buffers. the
Birmingham brewers, is the evidence
Of the increasing tendency TO state
control and ultimate purchase. This
company. which has regularly paid
good dividends. has distributed e8O0,-
ooe reserve profits among It's share
holders since 1916. and hint has been
thrown out that the state should have
some Indication Of the capital value
with which it might be dealing. But II
Is quite conceivable that the govern
ment would discriminate between capi-
tan value and value of capital.-London
Daily News.
New-York tribune., 1918-02-22
Business Men to Get Inn
portant Posts in Reorgan-
lied Quartermaster Corps;
y. E. Wentz Is Named
He Will Have Charge of Pro
curing Fuel for NUM-
ton Factories

WASHINGTON. Feb. 81. Reorgan-
ization Of the quartermastcr corps
under Major General Gocthals has been
completed, and n summary made public
to-day shows radical changes designed
to insure the food and clothing supply
of tho army, particularly of the over
seas forces. General Goethals is de-
pending very largely upon highly spe,
cializcd civilians to carry out his pro-
Grammc.
One step taken is to meet such a
situation as the recent railroad conges-
tion, which found the cmbarkation SER
vice cut off from its usual food sup
plies for tho transports. A series oil
cmbarkation storchouses have now been
established at the ports of departure,
where vast quantities of foodstuirs are
kept constantly in stock
The fuel and forage division, to
which is assigned the duty of aiding
army contractors in procuring fuel, is
headed by Daniel Is. Wentz, Tor years
an active coal operator. He has sur
rounded himself with civilian experts
on fuel forage and oil, which he pur-
cEases for the army.
Stlll another new clement OF organi~
zation is the QUILTING of troops bound
overseas at special camps maintained
for that purpose. Heretofore they
were outfitted at their training camps.
Camp Merritt, near New York City, is
now used for this purpose, and arrange
rlents are being made for similar use
of Camp Stuart, Va; Camp Dix, N. J.,
and either Camp Meade. Md, or Camp
Lee, Va. Great quantities OF supplies
Ct all kinds for Quitting purposes are
being concentrated at these camps.
New-York tribune., 1918-02-22
Kaiser Asks Russia
To Give Up Czarina
He Also Wants Other Members
Of Household Who Arc
tiohen7cllerns
I.SfnF Co51.csDondencel

WASHINGTON, Feb, 2l.--onq Of
Germany's demands to be presented
to the Bolshcvik government, it was
predicted in diplomatic circles to-day
will be for the surrender of the OK
Czarina and some other members of
the former Russian rulers family, who
arc relatives of Emperor William.
In view of the apparent ahjcct sub
mission of Lenine and Trotzky to any
terms the Central Powers impose. 1T
was regarded as not improbable that
the German representatives would re-
quirc the Bolsheviki to give up, also
ex-Emperor Nicholas himself. Such a
course. it was said, involving thu, resi-
dencc in Germany Of the deposed Gar
and his heir. would confer upon that
country an important advantage IN
treating with the political situation IN
Russia in the future.
During the course Of the peace ncgo-
.iations in Rrest~Litovk in January
the German delegates presented re-
quest to the Bolshcvik delegates lhar
the latter place no obstacles III tpe
way of the journeying to Germany OF
the ex-Czarina and other Russian rela-
tivcs Of the Kaiser. According 10
Maxim Gorky's Petrograd newspaper
this request had as it's only result q
decision by the peoples commls:,sarles
10 place the cX-impcrial family on
trin
New-York tribune., 1918-02-22
y. S. Takes Salmon Census

Wood River, a tributary Of Nusha-
gak Bay, Alaska, has for many years
been set aside as a natural breeding
preserve for salmon, and is chiefly re-
sorted to by the red salmon. In order
10 ascertain to what extent the salmon
are able to escape fishing operations in
the bay ana pass up the river to their
spawning grounds, the United States
Bureau of Fisheries b gan in 1908 a,
annual count of the fish in this stream,
BY means Of temporary rack thrown
across the river the fish are compelled
to pass through narrow gate. and ara
there counted by agents kept continu.
ously on duty, day and night, for about
seven weeks during which the run lasts
In the year 1916, between June 23 and
August u, the number of fish that wont
to the spawning ground was 55l $50
They came mostly IN three distinct
waves, in July, at the crest OF when
oi281, 1888 and 55.s6l, respectively.
were noted in twenty-four hours
Scientific American.
New-York tribune., 1918-02-22
Captain Calls General
"A ough Old Bird
Winterton, of jersey City, Found
DisrespectfuI at Camp
Mcclellan

CAMP McCLELLAN, ANNIsTON.
Ala, Feb. 21.-During the next three
months Captain Clyde +. Wintcrtou,
OF Jersey City, n. j.. viii have ample
time to ponder on the wisdom of call
ing his divisional commander, Major
General Charles G.. Morton, "a tough
Old bird, as popular as the smallpox" ;"
This statement Of opinion caused the
court martial Of tho free spoken cap
tain, and his sentence to confinemen.
IN his regimental area for the next
three months.
General Morton is by no means satis-
lied By the sentence passed upon his
characterizer. lie returned the report
OF the findings of the court martial
with the following comment attached:
The court failed to find the accused
guilty OF conduct unbecoming an officer
and a gentleman, but found him guilty
OF dlsrespect toward his commanding
general. The action Of the court shows
Il lack of appreciation OF the standards
required OF an officer in the army of
the United States. The sentence is in
adequate for the offence Of which the
accused is found guilty.
Captain Wlnterton was formerly In
commapd OF Company A Of the old 4th
New Jersey infantry. He is now in
command of Company l., 113th Infantry.
New-York tribune., 1918-02-22
Legal Aid Bureau
Hits at Draft Decision
Attorney for Directors Crit'-
cises Interpretation by
Federal Court

The New York Bureau OF Legal i'ir'l
Aid, the avowed purposes OF which, as
stated By its attorneys, are to get their
LEGAL rights for conscientious objec-
tors, persons denied free speech, So
cialists, persons charged with sedition
and seekers OF draft exemption, has
issued statement criticising q deci~
sion Of Federal Judge Chatficld decree
ing that Abraham pfefer, Russian,
who had declared his intention to be-
come an American citizen, is subject
to draft.
The bureau, through It's counsel.
Charles Recht. of 10 West Forteth
Street, decided to use P fefcr's case to
test the liability OF declarants to mill
italy servivcc. and urged that the case
was not covered by the selectiVc ser
vice law, but that the law itself is
unconstitutional. The contrary view
of the court was a bitter blow, and
led Nh Recht to declare that intcrna-
tional law expressly forbids any nation
to force subjects of other nations into
its own armies. He said
"ln The decision the court dogmati
cally states that it has already been
several times held since May IS that
treaties with foreign nations had been
repealed insofar as they were contrary
to the definite language of the selcc-
tive draft act, and that the act eX
pressly repeals both laws and treaty
rights in conflict Herewith. except as
such treaty rights may be reestabllshed
with the approval OF the Senate, through
the Department of State
The first man charged with treason
in this country was defendcd-and still
is being defended the bureau" said
Mr.. Recht "Nicholas Hourwich was
charged in Bridgeport. Conn, with in
citing workngmcn to hamper the pro
duction of war munitions. Bridgeport
attorneys wouldn't touch the case be
cause the charge was treason. The
ubreau stepped in. The case has not
come to trial, but the bureau has sue
ceeded in getting the bail cut down
from held without BALI to $1,000.
THE bureau IS supported by sub
scription. We get a regular monthly
subscription fro mthe Socialist party
The bureau is the legal branch of the
Socialist party"
The bureaus executive committee in
cludes: Fola LaI'ollctte, daugter of the
Senator; Jacob iiillquit, brother of
Morris; Martha Crushing, who was ar
rested last spring for circulating anti
draft literature; DR.. John l.. Elliott
chairman of the Ethical Culture So
ciety, and half dozen prominent pac-
fists
New-York tribune., 1918-02-22
Woman and Two Men
Accused of Blacknail

As result Of the complaint Of Paul
E. Heller, a wealthy resident of New
ark, N. j., who says he was The victim
Of an attempted plot to extort $4,000
from him by blackmail, the grand jury
yesterday indicted Philip Kastel, Of
10 West Seventh-fourth Street; his
wife, Edna Kastel, Of 200 West Fifty
eighth Street. and Frank Rose, Of GO
West 128th Street, on charge OF at
tempted extortion.
The Kastels were arrested last Tues
day morning. Rose was taken into
custody the previous day. Heller, who
is a member Of Heller Brothers Steel
Company, testified that be met Mrs
Kastel a year ago and believed she was
a divorced woman. She invited him to
her apartment in West Fifty-cighth
Street, he said, and in tho midst OF
his call, Kastel and Rose broke into
the house and after assaulting him,
suggested that the matter might be
hushed up for 100000.
Heller alleges that the Kasteis
threatened to name his ac correspondent
in an alienation suit.
New-York tribune., 1918-02-22
Bill Prepared to Insure
Fair Representation on
Reserve Directorates
Now Before House
Measure Is Designed to Clar
ify Statutes and Expand
Fiduoiary Privileges

WASHINGTON, Feb. 21~~A bill to
amend the Federal bank laws, designed
TO insure better representation Of
smaller banks on Federal Reserve bank
directorates, to increase national bank
privileges to wider scope of fiducary
business than as executor and admin
istrator ard to clarity existing laws
in other ways, was introduced to- day
by Chairman Glass of the House Bank
ing and Currency Committee.
The bill is The result of conferences
between Chairman Glass and the Fed
cral Reserve Board. One of its chief
aims is to make the Federal Reserve
system attractive to small state banks
and trust companies. 1t has no cor
ncction with the twenty bills submit
ted by Controller Williams for the in,-
provement of the national bank system.
The intent of the present law was
TO have one Federal Reserve bank di-
rector from the largest banks. one from
the medium sized banks. and one from
the smaller banks within Federal Re
servo district, but in some instances
this purpose was evaded The proposed
amendment is intended to make eva
sions more difficult and to give fair
representation to all classes of banks.
Another change amplifies and more
definitely specifics the nature of the
transactions which may be engaged in
by associations Incorporated under
Federal authority to do foreign bank
ing business.
Under the bill national banks would
be permitted to act as trustees. execu-
tors, administrators, registrars Of
stocks and bonds, guardians of estates.
assignees and receivers, and to act in
other fiduciary capacities, in conform
ity with Supreme Court decisions up
holding the law permitting national
banks to act as executors and admins
traitors, the legality Of which was cor
tested by The state banks and trust
companies.
Another section would permit mem
ber banks located in the outlying DIS
tricts of reserve and central cities, or
III territory added to such cities by cX-
tension of their corporate limits, to
hold the reserve balances specified fer
country banks, rather than the bal
ances required for the Reserve banks.
New-York tribune., 1918-02-22
Freight Crushes Trestse
killing Four Worlu1en

PHILADELPHIA. Feb. 2l. - -Four
workmen were killed to-day when a
2oo-foot section of q trestle bridge col
!!apsed beneath the weight of four cars
loaded with dirt on the new railroad
spur which the Pennsylvania Railroad
IS completing to the government ship
building plant at Hog Island. The ac-
cIdent occurred in the southwestern
part OF the city where the new line
crosses IS tne tracks of the Philadelphia
d Reading railways Chester branch.
When the wooden framework of the
bridge started to topple, four cars be-
ing hauled by 4 locomotive parted from
the engine and fell forty feet. Tho
men killed, who were riding IN the cars
we're buried beneath tons Of dirt and
the wreckage OF the treste.
New-York tribune., 1918-02-22
Cruger Case Detective
Guilty of Neglect
He Failed to Investigate Coo
chi's Reputation Before Slayer
Fled. jury Finds

Detective John L. Lagarenne was
found guilty last night before Justice
Golf, in the criminal branch of the
Supreme Court, on a charge of criminal
neglect Of duty in that he filed false
and misleading report regarding the
character and reputation Of Alfredo
Cocchi, the slayer OF Ruth Cruger. Tho
evidence showed that Lagaronne did
not make any attempt to lean the
duct toward women and young girls
until after Cocchi had disappeared.
When The jury, after four hours de-
liberation, returned with the verdict,
Il jury was being drawn to try Detec-
tive Sergeant frank McGee, who, with
Acting Captain Alonzo r. Cooper, of
the 9Th Branch Bureau, was indicted
on the same charge. McGee. who was
a witness for Lagarenue, was visibly
affected by the outcome Of his friends
case.
Justice Gof remanded Lagarenne in
the custody Of Frank AranoW, his coun-
sci, for sentence,
Acting Captain Cooper. when asked
for his opinion of tho outcome Of the
Lagarenme case. sail:
I've dd the best we could If It is
necessary TO 90 to jail for doing ones
best then We will haze to go, that's ALL
Criminal neglect of duty constitutes
a misdemeanor and is punishable bv
penitentiary or 'Gndcterminace" SEN
tence. This consists OF terms OF from
six months to three years in the rQni-
Tertiary. The Parole Board, with the
consent OF the trial judge can release
Lagarenne on good behavior at the ex.
piration OF six months. II is probable
that an appeaL win be taken.
New-York tribune., 1918-02-22
Senate Committee
Cuts Down Powers
In Overrrlan1 Bill
Measure Now Provides
Only for Redistribution
of Functions

WASHINGTON, Feb. 2l.-ln accord
ance with the plan for d compromise on
the war reorganization legislation. the
Administration bill extending Presi
dent Wilson's authority to coordinate
government agencies was revised to-day
by the Senate judiciary Sub-Committee
and will be reported next Monday to
the full committee.
The subcommittee was divided 8 to
9 on the amended draft, Senators Over
man, of North Carolina, and Fletcher.
of Florida. Democrats, and Nelson, OF
Minnesota, Republican. voting TO report
the measure; Senators Reed, Of Mis-
souri,, Democrat, and Dillingham;, Of
Vermont, Republican, against it.
The subcommittee hopes its amend
ments will bring Republicans and Dem
ocrats to the support OF The measure,
which plans to abolish legislative re-
strictions now preventing consolidation
and coordination of effort in the eXecu-
tive branch Of the government.
Several important revisions are de-
signed to allay opposition and to in
sure that no new powers are conferred
upon the President.
As revised the bill would authorize
the President "to make such re-distri-
button of functions among executive
agencies as he may deem necessary, in
GLIDING any functions, duties and pow
ers hitherto conferred upon any cXccu-
tive department, commission, bureau
agency, Office, or officer" during the
period of the war only
a clause permitting the President to
make such changes 'in such manner as
he may deem most appropriate" was
eliminated and authority would be
given only "to utilize. co0ordinatc and
consolidate" such agencies with the
Limitation that these shall be only such
as are "now existing or hereafter ere.
ated by law" Another clause authoriz-
ing the President ito employ by execu-
tive order any additional agency" as
he should deem appropriate, also was
eliminated.
New-York tribune., 1918-02-22
NOTICE TO ALL ICE MANUFACTURERS
AND DEALERS

Under and pursuant the Laws the New pro-
vded Chapter Of the laws Of 1918 NOTICE IS HEREBY
ALL CONCERNED, that the manufacture and sale of
hbtcd and after March 1918 in the City of New York
island and the counties bordering the Hudson River
udns the Counties Of Albany and Rensselaer, No person. partnership
corporation shall the business selling deliver
artificial of inhabitants after
March 1918 and before February 1919 before license
do be issued by the Ice Comptroller the form prescribed by HIM
This gwen therefore, to all persons interested IN order that
hey make application, writing the Ice Comptroller his Office
Room 1888 20 Broadway. Such applications by mail to
the undersigned
B. g. ODEIL Ice Comptroller
New-York tribune., 1918-02-22
Increase in Price
OF Wheat Opposed
By Administration
Pending Legislation, OF.
cials Believe, Would Ad.
vance Cost Of Bread
i.SiGG CoYfespondence1

WASHINGTON, Feb. 2f.~-Tbe A.
ministration VIII oppose the increasss
wheat price legislation now pending h.
fore Congress, It was learned in an ~
thoritativc quarter to-day. Both Il.
Department Of Agriculture and the Foo5
Administration arc opposed TO an !,
crease, in the 500 price for No !,
Northern wheat at Chicago, fixed h.
the Price Fixing Commission last sun
mcr.
A material increase in the price o+
wheat to the farmer, it has been sta,.s
by officials, would increase the price =.
both flour and bread to the consunsr
20 a point that might have a dangerous
effect on the entire war programme
Three dollar wheat would mean -four a.
about s17 per barrel, It IS competentlv
stated, and would further cause an ad-
vance Of two or three cents in the cost
Of the bread loaf to the consumer.
In addition to the consumers inter.
ests in the pending proposal, figure:
prepared by the Department of Acri-
culture. which viii be made public il
the next two weeks. show that. whilt
the farmers profits have mounted oye,
10o per cent in the last two years, MS
costs have increased only about - pel
cent on the average, though some Of n,
consumption commodities have adj
vanced as high as 10 per cent.
In opposing the wheat price increase
legislation, the Administration, It is ex-
pected, will have the support of viru-
ally all Republicans from the East and
North who represent large consuming
sections. Though fight is likely to
develop on the proposals, those in touch
with the situation predict its eventual
defeat.
New-York tribune., 1918-02-22
Gornpers Note,
/ visited, Stirs
British Labor
fro-Gernan Charge Not
Included in Original
Message

LONDON, Feb. 21.-This mornings
session OF the intcr-allied conference
OF Socialists and Labor parties was
occupied to the exclusion of all other
business with u discussion of an
. ellegcd representation of the atti-
tude OF Samuel Gompers, president Of
the American Federation Of Labor,
toward British labor, as outlined in
press dispatches from Washington
yesterday. Delegates 10 the confer
once generally regarded the press telc-
grams IS malicious effort TO SOW dis
cord between the labor clement of the
Allied powers. The conference, after
instructing special committee to deal
with the matter. approved sending q
cablegram to Mr.. Gompers inviting
him to repudiate "the gross falsifica-
tlon OF Your message, which is ap-
parently part OF campaign OF ma
uclous INSTRUMENTATION by the enc
mics of labor"
The text Of Mr. ,Gompers's message
was printed in all London newspapers
Yesterday afternoon and in most of this
mornings editions. 1t follows:
All are advised that any person pre-
sGming TO represent American labor at
Your conference is self constituted and
Unrepresentatiye. American labor be-
lieves German influences have inspired
the- London conference and until this
5 dIsproved will avoid the conference" !"
The latter sentence was not in the
text of the message received by Arthur
henderson, former minister without
portfolio III the Wax Cabinet and leader
OF the Labor party, and the conference
declared the whole message was OBJ
Nlously an effort TO create discord. The
correct text of Nj. Gompers's message
was made public by Mr. Henderson to-
= day, but delegates declared it would be
very dlihcult to counteract the wrong
impression created by the widespread
publication yesterday of tho incorrect
version
The Central News explains the pas
sage referring to German influence in
ierpolated In Mr.. Gomperss message to
the labor conference by saying that t
was added the dispatch by its New
York correspondent. Unfortunately
the ticker machine omitted the Quota
ton marks on each side of the pas
sage and the dispatch ran on as if the
whole were Mr.. Gompers' message
During Wednesdays session OF the
conference Arthur Henderson read a
cablegram from Samauel Gompers, an
nouncing the refusal of the American
Federation of Labor to participate in
this or other conferences at the pres
ent time, owing to the belief that Ger
man Influences were their inspiration.
After listening quietly 20 the reading
Of the dispatch the message was re-
ferred TO q committee to decide upon
The form of the reply that was to be
sent to Mr.. Gompers.
New-York tribune., 1918-02-22
New Star Discovered
By German Astronomer

CAMBRIDGE, Mass, Feb. 81. The
discovery by Professor Wolf, Of IIeidel-
berg, of a new star, with a magnitude
of 8.5, the first picked up by astron-
'omers since 1912, was announced in a
cablegram to the Harvard College OBJ
servatory from Copenhagen to-day.
Its position on February was Right
ascension, 7 hours, 22 minutes, 30 sec
onds; declination, minus degrees,
81 minutes.
The new star was traced back tu
January l on Photographic plates at
the Harvard Observatory
New-York tribune., 1918-02-22

American Federation of Labor, OK.
pressed surprise yesterday when shown
n cable dispatch from London to the
effect that his message. declining in
the name Of American labor, to send
delegates 10 the intcr-allied conference
OF Socialist and Labor rarties had
been taken as reflection on those
back OF the movement.
"My CABLE said he. did not state
that American labor believes the Lon
qon conference was German inspired.
How any one could read that meaning
into it is more than can see"