davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-20
BILL AUTHORIZES | $11,199,000 FOR
 DEFENSE 0F COAST
Measure Provides for U. s. and Insular Coast Defenses
 and Panama Canal Qualifications
n, A....,.Asd prs.s


 Washington. February 10.-The annual appropriation bill carry- ing S11.I99,OOO for seacOast defense of the United States and It's fnsu- lar p0sse~xiOns was passed tonight by the House without . record vote and sent to the Senate.
 The bill carries $4,641,692 for coast defenses in the United States. $4O0.OOO for proving grounds, $1,6S3,750 for coast defenses in the insular posses sions and $4,523,S49 for Panama cana Qualifications. The original estimates submitted before hostilities ended, to- tailed $5S9, 1899, but later were re- duced by the war department to $o6,- 91,262 Further reductions were made by the committee. especially in the es inmates relating to field artillery and field artillery ammunition.
 The only item in the bill which was closely questioned was that making available former authorization oi $417, 900 for the construction of ra- dio dynamic underwater topedo ln- vented by John Hays Hammond, Jr.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-20
Summary of the News

1-Congress launches drive against
 league of nat1ons.
 French premier wounded by assas-
 Gin.
 tiAc6tea.
 Two held Tn naval bribery case. SBosten preparing to entertain Pres-
 ident. 3Stories Of day from Washington. 4-EditOrial. SCoiias hearing set for Friday. @SOciety. 7-Acip~e organizes w. s. s. society. @SpOrts. @Truss gives views on crime wavo 1O-Farm news. li-sl bills sis.ea by sever.er yes
 terday. 13-MnrketA
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-20
NEARING FREED OF SED|T|0N CHARGE BY FEDERAL JURY
American Socialist Society, CO-Defendant, Is Found
 Guilty on Two Charges
By Associated Prsu

New York, February 19-Scott Nearing. one-time professor in the University of Pennsylvania and Toledo university, and socialist candidate in this city in the last congressional campaign, was ac- jury here today
 The American Socialist society code fendant, was found guilty on both counts in the indictment. The jury was given the case at l o'clock yesterday afternoon and returned it's verdict after deliberat- ing approximately g hours
 The indictments were based on pubIi- cation by the Rand Book store, operated by the American Socialist society oi Hearings pamphlet, 'The Great Mad ness in which he discussed militarism.
 The two counts on which the society was convicted charged the society and Nearing individually with having at- tempted to cause characterization and re. fusal to perform duty in the army and navy. and with having attempted to in. terfere with enlistment
 OTHER COUNTS DROPPED
 The other counts, charging Nearing and the society with conspiracy. in the pub. lication of the pamphlet, had beer dropped before the case was given to tho jury.
 On motion of attorneys for the defense Judge Mayer immediately set aside tht conviction on the count charging an at tempt to cause insubordination and re fusal to perform duty in the army ant
 (COntinued on Page TwD)
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-20
Building Employers
 and Unions Fail to
 Reach an Agreement
ax A,,aeiated pra..

Washington. February 18.-Rep- resentntives of the Building Trade Employers association and of the building trade unions failed to reach an agreement for settlement of the threatened nationwide strike at conferences here today and tonight with officials of the war and labor departments. An- other conference will be held. In New York within . few days. and if 1t is unfruitful third meeting will take place in WsshinEton next MOndAy.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-20
GERMANY MISLED AST0 WARS CAUSE DECLARESHARDEN Says People Believed at Out break That Germany in
 Right, and Still
 Think So
ss A.s.ciatst Press

Brussels. February 19.--( (Brtish Wire less Service )-Maximlian Harden, editor of Die Zukunft of Berlin, in an interview in Ie Soir of Brussels, declares that the German people were msed as to the cause of the war They believed at the outbreak that Germany was in the right and even believe now that right was oi their side.
 Emperor William, Harden declared, was drawn into the war against his own 1 wishes, but once hostilities began it was he who kept alive national hatred and was responsible for the methods of war 1 fare for which the world would never ! forgive Germany.
 "Our people," said Harden, did not know and do not now know They loy- ally believed that rIgnt was on thei' | side. If they had not, they would nc' have fought and suffered as they did
 They believed in coalition against Ger 1 many They did not understand that Great Britain, France and Russia had nc other object than to protect themselves | against the adverse designs or the Kaiser.
 They did not understand that the vio- lation of Belgium was crime which
 turned the enlightened universe against Germany. They are still certain that ii Germany had not invaded Belgium
 Great Britain and France were ready tc do so. Personally, I do not think France
 ever thought of such thing. and if sht had. Great Britain would not have per. nitted it.
 WAR KAISER'S IDEA But it was an old idea of the Kaiser s 1 Tn one of his outbursts he once said tc 1 Leopold II. If there :s war I shall gt through Belgium. If she resists, Belgium will not exist any longer.
 Tt is the 30 years of reign of William III which carried responsibility for thu war It is the teaching which has pois oned youth. It is the spirit of militar l ism that has been soaked into the people
 Kaiser Wilhelm was drawn into il himself, perhaps against his own sent ments. He was not warlike; he was no | even courageous. and I know that he did 1 struggle to conquer his personal feelings
 before he could be brought to sign thu mobilization decree.
 But once war was declared. it was h. ! who kept alive the national hatred. I was he who used methods of war fol which the world will never pardon him Believe me, it causes me terrible pain tt have to admit this
 When the interviewer pointed out t l Harden that no protests against Ger rnany's methods ever were raised in Ger many, Harden declared that even nov not only the actors in the tragedy hesi tate to admit Germany's guilt, but tha persons who hace lost brother or hus band in the war desire to cling to tn belief that they have suffered their shar
 of bereavement in a good cause the,
 think it would take away from the dig nity of their grief if they recognize tha the cause for which their country tough
 was criminal.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-20
Tuo Awaitir,g Trial On Bribery Charge
Secretary Daniels Also Reveals That Arrest of 7 Third Naval Officer In Connection With Graft
 In Third Naval District Has Been Ordered
By Associated Press

Washington February 19.Leutenant Benjamin Davis of Plymouth Pa the medical and Ensign Paul Beck of city, both members of the naval reserve force arrest at New York awaiting coumartia in with charges of bribery and graft in the Third naval district.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-20
Victory Loan 70 Be Notes
Maximum Authorization of Notes Fixed At Seven Billions, and Glass Given Authority to Fix
 Interest On Four Types to Be Sold
sy AssssI.tsl rrsss

Washington February 19Final decision for the sale Liberty April of shortterm notes maturing years instead of bond reached today House committed Assistant Secretary fngwe of the treasury told the committee that the plan acceptable to Secretary Glass
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-20
Student Aviator Is
 Dead From Injuries
sv A.,se,.t.s Pres,

BY Ase0ctat0t Press
 MiauaA. Fla. February lv.-Al- bert Esrmond Taylor of Phiiadel- phia. student aviator at the naval station here. died today from in- Jurics received when hts seapiane "ssk nose dive into Biscayne bay.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-20
MONROE DOCTRINE
 KILLED BY LEAGUE,
 BORAH'S OPINION
Makes Public Open Letter to Mir. Taft Asking Opinion on Amendment to Pro-
 tect Doctrine
Gy Asseeiated Press

Washington, February 19. Senator Borah, an opponent of the league of nations, made public today an open letter to former President Taft, asking whether MT. Taft and other league advocates would object to the addition of an amend
 ment to the proposed constitu-
 tion specifically guaranteeing
 continued existence of the Mon.
 roe doctrine.
 Senator BOrah quoted the former
 President as stating that the league
 of nations "saves the Monroe doe trine," and said dispatches from England and France, as we'll as opinion here, took the opposite vfew.''
 T have conversed with a number ol lawyers in this country" the letter con. tinued, most of whom agree that tht league and the monroe doctrine cannot
 exist together and all with whom have spoken agree that the matter is lef in great doubt. League journals in thi. country take opposite views of tht question. The proposition which I sub init to you is why should so grave z matter be left in doubt when three lines added to the constitution except ing this important policy of ours from the Jurisdiction of the league will place the whole subject beyond contention or cavil?"
 If the advocates of the league in the United States want to preserve tht { Monroe doctrine" MT. Borah,s letter continued, will they offer any objec tion to writing in this proposed consti tuition an exception or reservation clause which will preserve it beyont question? If England. Japan, France and Iatly do not want to destroy tht Monroe doctrine, they will readily con sent to the reservation. If they dt not consent it will be sufficient proc to all that they wish to destroy it ant I believe that this league constitution accomplishes that fact-a sufficient jus ! tification to warrant the American peo ] pie in. insisting upon unmistakable Ian Buage to preserve it ?'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-20
ASSASSIN FIRES SEVEN SHOTS AT FRENCH PREMIER; THREE EFFECTIVE
Planned to Kill Clemenceau Because He Was Enemy of Humanity and Was Preparing for-An-
 other War
Premier Doing Well
By Associated Press

Paris, February f9.--Forcign Min ister Pichon visited the premier, re- mnining with him for half nm hour. This was about | o'clock in the aft ernoon. and M. Pichon reported the premier as sdoinS we'll" He added that after the first shot. M. Ciemcn- ceau said:
 "He has missed me-" not thinking thnt other shots would follow.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-20
FIRST PREPARED SPEECHES

The addresses by Senator Poindex- ter and Representative Fess were the first prepared ones made in Congress since the constitution of the league was published and since President Will son requested that discussion be post poned until he could confer with mem bers of the Senate and House foreign affairs committees at the White House next week.
 When Representative Fess conclud- ed there was no further discussion in the House, but Senator Poindexter s address, Senator Hitchcock of Nebraska. Republican Leader Lodge and Senator Knox of Pennsylvania and Brandege of Connecticut, all members of the for eign relations committee, briefly inter- jected comment on questions involved in the league. Senator Reed of Mis- souri, democrat. spoke in criticism or the proposal and also vigorously de- nounced delay in demobilizing Ameri- can troops. senator Shafroth of Colo rado, democrat, in defending the war department. after MT. Reeds attack, spoke briefly in support of the league charter, declaring it would stop nine tenths of future wars.
 During the day. Senator Borah or Idaho. republican member of the for eign relations committee, who yesterday announced his refusal to attend the White House conference, made public a letter he had written former Presi- fC.ortauued nm Page TyyO)
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-20
QUOTES HAGUE CONVENTION

QOOI Eo hAG UE JUN FIN HUN 1 Senator Borah quoted provisions adopted by the arbitration convention i of re Hague conference of 1907, pro- viding that nothing contained in the convention should be construed to re- quire the United States to depart from its policy of not entering entangling alliances and exempting the Monroe 1 doctrine. This provision, he declared. wa sthought necessary then by Elihu Root, senator Lodge and Senator Knox, then Secretary of State.
 l q am told" the letter added, by those who were in public life at the 1 time that it met with your indorse-
 ment. Most Of all it was insisted upon l by Theodore Roosevelt, who always stood dauntless against every infringe
 ment of American rights and for the 1 full preservation of American prin- ciples.
 Now The Hague convention has been swept aside for more drastic organi- | ga tion with vastly increased jurisdic- l tion and greater powers. If it was | deemed necessary and wise to have this 1 reservation in The Hague convention, how can it be contended that it is not | equally necessary and wise to have i this reservation in this proposed con I stitution of the league of nations? ;. :. Tt must be remembered. too, that 1 this constitution is only a proposed l constitution. Mir. Clemenceau stated 1 specifically to Mr. Hughes that amend ments would be offered and that op-
 portunity would be given to all who desired to offer amendments. Italy gave
 official notice that she would have , amendments to offer. Japan did the
 same. It will not, therefore, delay con-
 sideration for a single hour for the ! United States to offer an amendment. ] 1T all parties concerned desire that it l shall be reserved it will not even lead l to discussion
 The question I submit to you, there fore, is this Will you and other friends
 and advocates of the league indorse
 an exception or reservation clause to Ii be attached to this proposed constitu-
 tion in the language of the reservat tion
 attached to The Hague convention of | 1907?."
 POINDEXTER BEGINS FIGHT 1 In the first prepared address on tho league of nations delivered in the Sena te 1 since the constitution of the proposed league was made public, Senator Poin- dexter Of Washington, republican, today declared entrance of the United States into the league would mean a surrender
 of American rights, privileges and sover- eighty, the abandonment of the Monroe doctrine and a violation of the consti- tuition. The constitution of the league, he asserted, was conflicting, indefinite
 and uncertain, and the machinery which it proposes to set up similar to the
 soviet government of Russia"
 Il No such colossal burden, or entagling alliance, was eyer before conceived in
 the world the senator said Instead
 of being an instrument of peace, it is the , fertile seed of war-the dragons tooth
 from which when sown, armed soldier win spring."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-20
6y Associated Press

Washington, February 19. Vigorous criticism of the pro- posed constitution of the league of nations was voiced today in both houses of Congress.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-20

crowded galleries. Senator POindex-
 ter of Washington, republican, pre-
 cipitated n discussion in the Senate
 which embraced other subjects and
 consumed practically the entire
 session. However, there was no
 formal reply to the Washington
 senator from the democratic side. Discussion in the House was unex- pected and not general Just as the members were settling down for night session Representative Fess of Ohio, chairman of the republican compression al campaign committee, delivered a carefully prepared address in which he took up the constitution section by section and denounced the whole as abridging the sovereignty of the United States and containig vicious possi- bilitieS"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-20
OTHER COUNTS DROPPED

(Continued on Page Two)
The sun., 1919-09-28

they are entitled to every just consd-
eration." but II is asserted they have put
themselves entirely in the wrong by
''needlessly forcing an industrial war
upon the country three months before
the negotiating period would eiapse."
The Daily Netos, which IL always SYM
pathetic to labor, says there was no
shadow or semblance OF excuse for the
strike" adding:
THE disproportion between the dead
llness of the weapon which has been
unsheathed and the magnitude of the
issues In dispute II such that even now
there 10 ground for the hope that a
sense OF the wantonness of the wrong
done the nation may bring a swift end
to the strike"
J. II. Thomas. the union leader, and
certain Of his colleagues are credited by
some newspapers with having tried to
avert the strike, which Is attributed In
these quarters to alleged extremists who
captured control Of the executive COM
mittee OF the union. On the other hand,
the Herald maintains the Government
and not the National Union Of Railway
Men, precipitated the crisis.
take stand against the railway men.
For months the word compel has
Noe- on the lips of certain trades union
leaders," says the BvenfrO STANDARD,
'and 1t was only a question of time
before q trial of strength came. The
railroad mems leaders won the inglori-
Gus race and are the first to declare
war on the country"
The sun., 1919-09-28

no special knowledge of labor matters
and no associations with labor interests.
The Food Controller. George Henry
Roberts, on the other hand, In a Labor
member OF Parliament. The three labor
leaders who figure thus far in the fight
are G. T. Cramp, president of the Ma
tional Union of Railwaymen; James
Henry Thomas, general secretary Of this
union, and John Bromley, secretary Of
the Society of Engineers and Firemen.
Thomas Best Known Leader.
President Cramp is man in the
early forties He is little known to the
general public. James Henry Thomas
ls by far the best known of the three.
He has been aligned with Arthur Hen
derson, John Ward and others as a re-
straining influence against the radicals
in the labor movement Between him
and Bromley there has been strong
rivalry for leadership in the railway
world.
Some newspapers have criticised the
position OF Mr. Thomas and other paid
officials OF the labor unions who are
members of Parliament, making the
point that their duties as legislators
and as labor officials are bound to clash.
Mr.. Thomas was supposed to be against
the strike, and is described by reporters
as being in tears when discussing the
result.
II am convinced that the Premier
was anxious to ind some way to a set
Element of the differences, but Sir Auck-
land and Sir Eric Geddes barred every
avenue to an understanding" he said.
The sun., 1919-09-28

acy. They can see the ruin and misery
It has brought in other lands And their
common sense has hitherto guarded
their organizations against the control
OF these intriguers. These men have
MADE many efforts to get hold OF the
levers of trade unionism so far az,
their endeavors have ended in failure.
There Is no more patriotic body Of
men in this country than the railway
men. and their conduct during the war
demonstrated that fact. When they re-
alize that they are not fighting fpr fair
conditions for labor of their class but
are being used by extremists for sinister
purposes their common sense will re-
sumo It's sway and save the country yet
and their families from disaster.
Meanwhile the interests Of the ma.
ton and Government have no alterna-
tive but to accept the challenge thrown
down to society as a whole. They in
tend to meet this blow at the public
veal with all the resources at the dis
posal OF the State, and they look to the
nation without distinction OF class, for
it affects everybody. cheerfully TO bear
The sun., 1919-09-28

the privatlons which will result from
this indefensible strike, and give their
aid to maintaining the fabric of social
order upon which the prosperity Of this
country depends"
In the beginning Of his message Mr..
Lloyd George says:
II have been constantly criticised as
too extreme a partisan of those who
are struggling for better conditions"
stoppsEe Is Complete.
J. H. Thomas, secretary Of the strik-
Ing railway men, issued this statement I:
There Is a complete stoppage from
John Q. Groats house to Landsend. II
was what I expected, and It is only fair
to say that 1t was what the Government
itself expected"
With regard to yesterdays conference
IN Downing Street he declared Premier
Lloyd George has made an offer In
which Thomas saw q ray of hope and
Immediately attempted to interpret II as
possible way out. But before he could
complete his sentence, he said, Trans
port Minister Geddes said to the Pre-
mier: You cannot accept this"
Secretary Thomas added that he had
long foreseen the danger of an upheaval
that would not merely be one of hours
and wages but an attack upon the whole
constitution of the country. There are
some who would welcome that, he COM
mented, adding that the press was maxi
ing II the issue. He said he would beg
the newspapers not to do anything which
would make an already difficult situation
worse. The railway men could not be
diverted from fighting for what they
considered Just principle. he said
Secretary Thomas declared that in all
tie. he ha1 m
determined a desire on the part of some
OF the Premier's advisers to do every
thing to prevent settlement being
reached.
Thomas Makes Demand.
lengthy verbatim report issued Off
cially tonight concerning Fridays con-
ference between the Government and
railway men shows that Secretary
Thomas asked for a minimum OF SIS q
week for all workers. Lloyd George ad-
mitted that the railway men before the
war had been disgraeefully underpaid.
Liverpoors meat supply was held up
at Birkenhead. At Hartlepool the steel
works closed and the iron works are
damping down. Clerks worked the
trains on a small stretch of the Great
Eastern. One aged union fireman refused
to strike because he had completed to
within one day Of fifty years OF service.
Several race meetings were abar-
doned. Sir Edward Carson was unable
to open his home rule campaign at Bel
fast because no train was available to
take him from London.
The mail deliveries in London to-day
were virtually restricted to letters posted
In London, but the Postmaster-General
Is organizing a road transport for the
mails and expects to have a fairly
efficient service In the next day or two,
which it is hoped to supplement with an
air service. Arrangements have already
been made to transport the mails to
Belgium and Holland by airplanes.
VIII Aid Hospitals.
The railwaymen's strike committee
agreed late to-day to transport food
needed by hospitals and fodder for the
horses owned by the railways.
Government arrangements to meet the
strike emergency have been completed
with the greatest rapidity. Already
supplies OF petrol have been rationed and
The sun., 1919-09-28

something which cannot possibly come
into operation until next year; yet the
nation Is thrown into the dislovation OF
a hurried strike without even a weeks
warning"
Pointing out that the men declined
even to discuss the Governments offer
to consider any particular injustices,
the Premier declares: Every employer,
every worker, is entitled to at least one
weeks notice to terminate contracts OF
service. The precipitancy OF this action
gives the impression OF a deliberate and
matured intention on the part of some
individuals to seek quarrel at any
cost
at has convinced me II is not a strike
for wages or better conditions. The
Government have reason to believe. It
has been engineered for some time by
small but active body Of men who
have wrought tirelessly and insidiously
to exploit the labor organizations of
this country for subversive ends, .s
II am convinced that the vast ma
5ority of the trade unionists of the land
are opposed to this anarchist conspir-
The sun., 1919-09-28
Premier Is Conciliator.

The Premier alone OF this group has
reputation as conciliatcr In deal
ings with workingmen. The Geddee
brothers have been the Government
handy men in several offices during tie
war. Sir Eric, with his American rail-
reading experience and his record as
head Of the Admiralty, gained a rating
In the popular eye as a masterful and
unyielding character
SHORTS personality makes no special
appeal to the sympathies OF the working
people. He Is a lawyer with a court
manner, who had brief career as Irish
Secretary in a stormy period. Recently
he had to deal with the London police
strike, when he stood successfully for
the unconditional discharge Of all the
strikers
Sir Robert Stevenson Horne Is a
| Scotch lawyer. popular In Parliament,
but all the labor papers objected to his
| appointment on the ground that he had