davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1923-01-12
AUTOCRACY OUTDONE
BY BERWIND-WHITE COAL COMPANY, WHOSE
MINERS AWFUL PLIGHT is REVEALED IN
MAYOR HYLAN'S INVESTIGATING
COMMITTEE REPORT
Says Egyptian Slaves We're Treated Better; Underpay
ing, Short Weighing Overchargng For Food and
Clothing Some of the Charges

New York.-"No Egyptian Pha-
raoh rearing for his glory towering
monument, ever drove his slaves hard
er than these minesr were driven. No
czar was more autocratic than this
big business"
The above is part of a report of a
committee appointed by Mayor Hylan
to investigate labor conditions in the
Berwind coal mines in Somerset and
Cambria counties, Pennsylvania, which
supply the interborough rapid transit
company with coal.
The report states that E. j. Ber-
wind, president of the Berwind- White
Company, as chairman of the board of
directors of the interborough, controls
the coal supply policy of the transit
company, which has made it possible
for him "to purchase from his own
company coal mined under unfair and
heartbreaking conditions and reap
therefrom enormous profits, amount
ing in 1921 to over S1,600,000, with
corresponding financial detriment to
the tax and rent payers in the city of
New York" The report recommends
that the government take over the
coal fields.
Instead of receiving assistance to
get the TRUTH" the report said, "the
committee met insults at almost every
turn from the Berwind- White Mining
Company. The officials of the COM
pany refused the committees invita-
ton to attend the hearings, but en-
deavored to entrap it behind closed
doors, the favorite method of soulless
corporations.
"The committee heard narrowing
tales of suffering and deprivation, and
saw in tents, hen houses, stables and
in other improvised homes, women
and children whose feet were bare and
bleeding and whose bodies were thinly
clad.
1T did not take long to learn that
the Berwind White Company officials
treated their employees as beasts of
burden and sacrificed the lives and
limbs of thousands of men and the
happiness and future of thousands of
women and children to build for
themselves an industrial autocracy
"Sad as it is, the charges of under
paying, short weighing and overcharg
ing for food and clothing against the
company by its striking employees are
only too true. The detected condition
of the miners, the wasted bodies Of
their wives and the sad faces of their
understood children testified in the
strongest terms to their helpless and
poverty-stricken condition.
'The stories of these poverty
stricken people were such as would
melt any heart except that in the
stony bosom of coal baron.
The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1923-01-12
CHILD LABOR DECISION
HANDED DOWN BY HIGH COURT is MONUMENT
TO LEGAL SIDESTEPPING WHICH DOES
CREDIT TO EVEN TAFTS ABILITY
Outlaws Act on Ground That Percentage Profits On
Chldrens Products Was Penalty and Not Tax

Washington.-The United States
supreme courts recent annulment of
the federal child labor law is recalled
by the announcement that hearings
will be held by the senate judiciary
committee on proposed constitution
al amendment that is intended to
legalize child labor prohibition.
This decision, delivered by Chief
Justice Taft, is a marvellous exhibi-
tion of how the legal mind can glide
over decisions by the same court
which run directly counter to the child
labor decision.
The court outlawed the child labor
act on the ground that the 10 per
cent profits on child labor products
was penalty and not a tax. The
court also ruled that the provisions of
the act which permitted inspections
of factories, so the act could be en-
forced, was an invasion of states
rights.
These two points constitute the
courts major objections to the at
tempt to check child labor by taxing
the profits of child labor.
The decision is contrary to many
other decisions by the same court. In
the case of Veazie Bank VS.. Fenno
g Wallace, 538) the court held that
the power of congress to use a tax to
destroy cam OF be questioned. That
case revolved around the right of con-
gress to tax state banks out of ex-
istence. The supreme court said this
was legal. In the child labor case
the same court held a 10 per cent tax
on profits was a penalty and not a
tax.
The court also upheld the tax on
oleomargarine, which was intended to
outlaw that commodity.
In upholding the federal narcotic
drug act, the court ruled that federal
officials have the right to inspect drug
stores. This, said the court, is a rea-
sonable relation to the enforcement of
the tax and is, therefore, valid In
the child labor law, however, the court
held that inspection to enforce that
act is violation of states rights.
In a former decision evans VS..
Gore, 253 U. s., pp 255-256) the su-
preme court, in upholding the exemp-
tion of state securities, said;
This court has repeatedly held, the
power to tax carries with it the power
The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1923-01-12

would indicate that bankers will not
oppose the amendment.
Congressman Garner, of Texas,
challenged advocates of the proposed
amendment to select any five lawyers
in the house, and if he could not con-
vince them that the proposal took
from the states and municipalities the
right to issue bonds he would retire
from the fight.
1t was also stated that the amend
ment would increase by 10 to Is per
cent the value of more than $11 ,000,-
100000 of state and municipal bonds
now held mainly by banking interests,
insurance companies and other cor
porations.
Friends of the proposed amendment
say money could be used "for other
purposes" if these bonds were not is
sued. This is answered by the claim
that no ''other purposes" are more
important that schools, roads, sewers,
etc.
The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1923-01-12

reference to the relative rights of the
parties in controversy of this char
acter," the report declares, "it will sell
dom, if ever, serve any useful pur-
pose for the commission to aggravate
the local conditions resulting from a
national movement involving employ
ers and employees in any particular in
dustry."
After discussing various phases OF
the controversy as it applied locally
to st. Paul and Minneapolis, the board
continued as follows:
"In addition to this and other cir
cumstances it appears that there ex-
listed throughout the United States a
movement on the part of the printing
crafts to change the basic week from
48 hours to A hours. A meeting was
called of representatives from various
organizations of employing printers
and representative of the interna-
tional bodies of the employees organi-
cations which became known as the
international joint conference council.
This council adopted resolutions or
agreements to the effect that in the
renewal of existing collective bar
gaining agreements between employ
ing printers and the employees organ
izations, the basic week should consist
of "a hours instead of 48 hours, and
that in effect the 44-hour week pro-
vision should become the law of the
trade after May 1, 1921.
Notices were sent out by the joint
council of the agreement upon a A
hour week basis and both employers
and employees understood that this
matter was settled. After this agree.
ment was thoroughly understood, 8
number of employers in many of the
large centers, including Minneapolis
and ST. Paul, organized a National 48.
hour League of America and refused
to abide by the agreement reached by
the joint council.
Through the activities of this
league the employers and their organ.
izations were quite generally advised
The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1923-01-12

that the action of the international
joint conference council was not bind
ing, either morally or otherwise, on
| employers organizations not repre-
sented in that council. This informa-
tion, however, seems never to have
been given to the local organizations
of the employees. Accordingly, when
negotiations were opened to renew
the existing agreements and wage
schedules in st. Paul and Minneapolis,
which contracts generally expired on
May 81, the local organization of en-
ployes, acting upon definite instruc-
tlons from the national headquarters,
advised the employers and their or
ganizations that the 44-hour basic
week must be included as part of
the new agreements. The employers
objected to this provision and insist
ed upon the 48-hour week basis, and
the strike followed.
"We felt that the facts disclosed
ought to induce the employers to un-
derstand the honesty of purpose of the
employees organization in insisting
upon the 44-hour week basis. After a
reasonable time for reflection upon the
actual situation we hoped for a salts
factory settlement which, however,
was not effected. The commission then
attempted to get the parties together
but were unsuccessful"
in conclusion" the report de-
clares, the commission feels justified
in stating that the stipulations and
agreements resulting from collective
bargainings should be construed and
enforced by some impartial agency,
whenever a dispute arises in relation
thereto, to the end that the essential
industrial activities shall not be in
jured or destroyed or the regular
wage income of willing workers be
suspended or lost entirely We be-
lieve that the solution of this ques-
tion is one which deserves the imme-
diate and serious consideration of
legislative bodies, both state and ma
tional"
The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1923-01-12
ENGINES NEED REP PAIR

Pittston, Pain answer to a query
from striking shop men regarding the
condition of motive power on the Le-
high Valley railroad at Coxton, A. G
Pack, chief inspector, writes from
Washington:
'On November 8, 8, 13 and 16, there
were 35 locomotives inspected at that
point, 80 of which were found to have
defects approaching or constituting
violations of the law and rules, and
"a were ordered withheld from SER
vice, as provided in the act.
81 regret that, due to our limited
office force and the vast amount OF
work before us, we cannot send you
a detailed report covering the defects
found on specific locomotives, but
hope that the above will serve youl
purpose"
The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1923-01-12
PRINTERS WERE RIGHT
In THEIR CONTENTION AND JUSTIFIED IN STRIKING HOLD
THE MINNESOTA STATE INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION
AFTER YEAR AND A HALF'S INVESTIGATION
Charge Employers Organization Deliberately Violated
Representatives Say State Bureau Was Influenced

Minneapolis, Minn.-One year and
half after hearing evidence in the
strike of st. Paul and Minneapolis
Typographical Unions for the 44-hour
work week, the state industrial COM
mission of Minnesota has filed it's re-
port in which it declares that the
unions were justified in expecting the
shorter work week on account of the
agreement made by the national or
ganizations of employing printers and
the printing trades unions, which was
repudiated by Minnesota employing
printers.
The state commission regrets that it
has not the power of authority to en-
force its awards and suggests that
"stipulations and agreements result
ing from collective bargainings should
be construed and enforced by some
impartial agency, whenever a dispute
arises relating thereto"
James Fullerton, business agent of
Local No. 20, of the Pressmen's Union
of Minneapolis, declared that the com
mission had purposely held up the re-
port until after the election in the in
terest of the republican administra-
| ton. He said that the release of the
report on the eve of the meeting OF
the legislature, with recommends
tion for an impartial agency" to en-
force decisions was for the purpose OF
creating propaganda for the enact
ment of law in Minnesota similar tc
the Kansas industrial court law.
The report of the commission con.
sumes ten typewriter pages, in which
| the events leading up to the strike
are reviewed Considerable space is
devoted to answering criticism direct
ed at the commission for its failure te
make formal findings of the facts dis
closed at the hearings with its conclu-
sions and recommendations
! In view of the fact that there is nc
power vested in the commission to en-
force any judgment of conclusion with
The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1923-01-12
STOCK DIVIDENDS
Worked Overtime By Reac-
ton to Avoid Income Tax

New York.-The stream of stock
dividends continues as corporations
strive to protect themselves against
a possible legislative attack on their
surpluses and undivided profits. The
new congress will not convene in reg
ular session until December, 1923,
but privilege is taking no chances
that special session is forced on
the agents of reaction, who now op-
pose the plan.
The flood of stock dividends recall
the wall of distress by those who
urged the present congress to repeal
the excess profits tax. ''The law is
hamstringing business and deadening
business" said the wise men, who
predicted revival of prosperity, if
excess profits were not taxed
Although the law did not operate
until profits became excessive, con-
gress repealed the act.
Industry, of course, was not stimu-
lated by the repeal and the men who
claimed it would are again posing as
prophets as they sing the praises of
their latest gold brick-the ship sub
sidy.
With excess profits protected, the
next move by privilege was to protect
it's excessive incomes. This is done
by taking advantage of the supreme
courts 5-to-4 decision that stock divi-
dends is not income. The one ma
jority was narrow escape for priv
ilege, but that one vote served its
purpose, and means millions of dol
lars to those who are surfeited with
wealth.
The stock dividend wave was start
ed by the Gulf Oil Company, which
had surplus of $112,00,000 This
company is controlled by the Mellon
family of Pittsburgh, of which Sec
retary of the Treasury Mellon is q
member.
Since 1918 prices have dropped 1C
The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1923-01-12
DIVIDENDS FAIL

Minneapolis.-The anti-union Great
Northern railroad has brought woe to
it's stockholders because dividends
are not Forthcoming. The roads
locked-out shop men suggest that they
be put to work that the public be
served and dividends be issued.
The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1923-01-25
CHAPTER XIV

Simon Turner had given Dave very
definite instructions concerning his
embassy to Hudson. "The first thing
this Bruce will do" Simon had said,
'is to hunt up Hudson-the one living
man that witnessed that agreement
between Ross and old Folger. One
reason Is that he'll want TO verify
Linda's story. The next is to per-
suade the old man to go down TO the
courts with him as his witness. And
what you have to do is line him up
for our side first"
"You think" Dawes eyes wan.
dered about the room, "you think
that's the best way?'
81 wouldn't be tellin' you to do 1t
If | didn't think So" Simon laughed
a sudden, grim syllable. Dave, you're
a bloodthirsty devil. l see what you're
thinking of-of a safer way to keep
him from telling. But you know the
word | sent out. Go easy! That's
the wisest course to follow at present.
The valley people pay more attention
to such things than they used to; the
fewer the killings. the wiser we will
be. If he'll keep quiet for the hun
dred let him have it in peace"
Dave hadn't forgotten. But his fea.
lures were sharper and more ratlike
than ever when he came in sight Of
Hudson's camp, just after the fall OF
darkness Of the second day out. The
trapper was cooking his simple meal
a blue grouse frying in his skillet.
coffee boiling. and fapjack batter
ready for the moment the grouse was
done. Dawes thoughts returned to
the hundred dollars in his pocket-a
good sum in the hills. A brass rifle
cartridge, such as he could fire in
the thirty-thirty that he carried In the
hollow Of his arm, cost only about six
cents. The net gain would be-the
figures flew quickly through his mind
%niprty-nine dollars and ninety-four
cents; quite a good piece of business
for Dave. But the trouble was that
Simon might find out. The word had
gone OUT for the present ut least, TO
"go easy" Such little games as oc-
Cured to Dave\ own he watched
the trapper In the freight with one
The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1923-01-25
SYNOPSIS

CHAPTER AT the death Of his foster
father. Bruce Duncan, in an eastern city,
receiver a mysterious message, sent by "A
Mrs Ross. summOning him ~percmptorily 10
southern OreEon-to meet Linda
CHAPTER III has vivid but BAT
ding recolections OF his childhood in an or
phanage, before his adoption by Newton
Duncan. with the girl Linda.
CHAPTER III-At his destination. TraIIs
End, news that a message has been sent
to Bruce is received with merked displcRsure
by a man introduced to the reader as
simon"
CHAPTER Iv.-Leaving the train, Bruce
Is astonished at his apperent familiarity
with the surroundings. though to his know
ledge he has never been there.
CHAPTER V-Obedient to the message,
Bruce makes his way TO Martins cross
roads store, for direction as to reaching MIS-.
Ross cabin.
CHAPTER VI.-On the way, simon"
sternly warns him TO give up his quest and
return East. Bruce refuses.
CHAPTER VII-Mrs. Ross, aged and in
firm. welcomes him with emotion. She has
tens him on his way-the end of pine
Needle Trail"
CHAPTER VIII.-Through a country puz-
zlingly familiar. Bruce journeys, and inds
his childhood playmate. Linda.
CHAPTER IX.-Th girl tells him Of
wrongs committed by an enemy clan ON
her family, the Rosses. Lands occupied by
the clan were stolen from the Rosses, and
the family with the exception Of Aunt Ell.
mira (Mrs. Ross) and herself, wiped out by
assassination. Bruce's father, Mathew Fol-
ger, was one of the victims. His mother
had fled with Bruce and Linda TIL" girl,
while small. had been kidnapped from the
orphanage and brought to the mountains.
Linda's father had decided his lands to
Matthew Folger, but the agreement, which
would %confute the encmy's claims to the
property, has been lost.
X.-BruCe's mountain blood
responds to the call OF the blood feud.
CHAPTER XI.-A giant tree, the Sen
tinel Pine. I'm front of Linda's cabin, seems
to Bruce's excited Imagination to be en-
deavoring to convey a message.
CHAPTER - sets out in search
Of "A trapper named Hudson, IA witness to
the agreement bctweelv Linda's father and
Matthew Folger.
The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1923-01-25
APT XII,

Miles farther than Linda's cabin.
clear beyond the end OF the trail that
Duncan took, past even the highest
ridge of Trails End and in the region
where the little rivers that run into
the Umpqua have their starting place.
is q certain land OF Used to Be@ II
isn't q land of the Present Time ut 4.
II Is n place that has never grown al l.
of civilization, and the shadows of the
unbroken woods drop over him, he Is
likely to forget that the year Is nine
teen hundred and twenty, and that
the day before yesterday he had seen
an airplane passing over his house.
The world seems to have kicked off
its thousand-thousand years as a
warm man at night kicks off covers /;
and all things are just ms they used
to be. 1t Is the Young World-a
world Of beasts rather than men, a
world where the hand of man has not
yet been felt.
On this particular early September
day, the age-Old drama Of the wilder
ness was In progress. 1t was a drama
Of untamed passions and bloOdshed,
strife and carnage and lust and rap
Inc and 1t didn't, unfortunately, have
a particularly happy ending. The
players were beasts, not men. The
only human being anywhere in the
near vicinity was the old trapper,
Hudson. following down his trap line
on the creek margin on the way to
his camp. 1t Is true that two other
men, with a rather astounding SINH
larity Of purpose, were ut present COM
Ing down two Of the long trails that
led to the region; but rs yet the
drama was hidden from their eyes.
One of the two was Bruce, coming
from L.inda's cabin. One was Dave
Turner. approaching from the dIrec-
ton Of the Ross estates. Turner was
much the nearer. C~uriously, both had
business with the trapper Hudson.
The action Of the play was calm Mt
first. Mostly the forest creatures
were still in their afternoon sleep.
The does and their little spotted
fawns were sleeping; the blacktail
deer had not yet sought the feeding
grounds On the ridges. The cougar
yawned In his lair, the wolf dozed in
his covert. even the poison-people lay
like long shadows on the hot rocks
An old raccoon Weakened from his
place on a high limb. stretched him
self, scratched at his fur, ihen began
TO steal down the limb. He had a long
way to go before dark. Hunting was
getting poor In this part Of the woods.
He believed he would wander down
toward Hudson's camp and look for
crayfish In the water. A coyote Is
usually listed among the larger forest
creatures, but early though the hour
w~as--early. that Is, for hunters to be
out-he was stalking a fawn in q
covert.
All the hunts were progressing ia
mously when there came a curious in
terruption. 1t was a peculiar growl,
quite low at first. 1t lasted a long
time, then died away. There was no
opposition to II. The forest creatures
had paused in their tracks at its first
note. and now they stood as II the
winter had come down upon them sud
denly and frozen them solid. All the
other sounds OF the forest-the little
whispering noises Of gliding bodies
and Huttering feet. and perhaps a
hird,s call IN q ahrpb-Xere suddenly
The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1923-01-25
Continued from page y

Continued from page y
John p. Nolan, Sheriff fees . 1920
ID. Sharp. justice fees ........ 22.S5
The Quarterly Justice report Of o.
ID. Simkins. was on motion approved
and fees therein allowed as follows:
O. d. Simkins, justice fees -. 1920
S. A. Simkins, constable fees. $3.50
The board on nation audited and al
lowed the following claims:
r. H. Anderson, repairs ...... 1900
Geo. e. Bishman, driving truck 100
F. M. Bull was allowed $4,000 in
The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1923-01-25
SEND IT IN

II you have a hit of news,
Send ii in;
Or a joke that will amuse,
Send it in.
A story that is true,
An incident that's new,
We want to hear from you
Send 1t in.
Never mind about the style,
II the news is worth the while,
1t may help or cause a SMILE,
The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1923-01-25

Over two hundred New Dwellings Built
during the past three years. Besides many
Business Blocks and other Substantial I'm
Beautiful trees line the streets and the
City presents a fine appearance, matted as
II is. In the midst OF a fine growth. OF shade
and ornamental trees. Her citizens are will
ing and ready to encourage and assist every
helpful industry.