davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-05
TAX ON MUNICIPAL
PLANTS IS ORDERED
Oregon Legislature Enacts
First Measure of Its
Kind in U. S.
BY GEORGE E. DOYING.

For the first time in the history of
the United States law is about to be
placed upon the statute books of a
State providing that publicly owned
utility property shall be assessed and
taxed in precisely the same manner as
privately owned utilities.
The oregon Legislature has Just en-
acted such a. measure. It was advo-
Gated by Gov. Julius L. Meier. The
most surprising feature of the situation
is that the Recommendation was made
by one Of the leading advocates of pub
lie ownership of public utilities and the
law was passed by his supporters. The
idea has long been supported by the
utility interests, but in more or less
half-hearted way, on the theory that it
was hopeless suggestion.
Districts Created.
The Oregon law was enacted as a
part of a bill creating peoples utility
districts for the ownership and opera
ton of water, water power and electric
services. A district may be of any size
and may include municipalities, all
though the creation Of such a district
does not necessarily carry with it the
right to take possession of a utility al
ready owned and operated by city
within the district. The city must con-
sent to such move.
At the same time the Oregon Legis-
lature created q State Hydro-electric
Commission to have complete jurisdic-
ton over all such projects other than
those of the Federal Government.
In Wisconsin the Legislature is on
the verge of taking still more adj
Vanced step in connection with public
control of utilities, although the ques-
ton of taxing such public property
has not been presented. Under the
Wisconsin plan, State corporations
would engage in the public utility bust
ness. The resolution must be present.
ed again at the next session of the
Legislature, in 1888, and, If approved, it
Will be submitted to a vote of the peo-
pie at the general election in 1884.
Sites Involved.
The resolution opens the way for the
recapture of water power sites now I'M
der lease to private corporations until
194l, and permits the State to go into
the power business. It follows recon-
mendations made by Gov. Philip F. La
Toilette.
In Idaho the Legislature is wrestling
with a proposed constitutional amend
ment that would permit the taxatio of
municipality owned electric and water
plants. A resolution to this effect has
been adopted by the State Senate, but
it is not certain that the House will
approve the plan.
Additional bills to prevent public
utilities from engaging in the mer-
chandising business have been present.
ed to some of the Legislatures, but so
far none has been enacted into law.
The nearest approach to this is in
Kansas. where the House has passed a
measure of this kind. Pennsylvania is
also considering an misunderstanding
bill.
Copyright, 1919
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-05
NEW SECURITIES

NEW YORK, March 5 C4).-New Sc
curities offered today include:
City of New York $40,000,000 serial
bonds for school construction and other
municipal purposes, due March l, 1882,
to 1871. inclusive, priced to yield from
2.25 per cent to 4.08 per cent, by a
syndicate headed by Kuhn, Loeb & Co.
City of New York 100000, 900 corpo-
construction, due March /, 1881, priced
to yield 4.08 per cent by a syndicate
headed by Kuhn, Loeb g. Co.
City and County of San Francisco
81, 100000 Az per cent gold bonds ma
turing February /, 1896, to 1860, in
elusive, priced to yield from $50 to AIS
per cent, by r. w. Pressprich & Co.
and American Securities Co.
Town of Belleville, N. j., $1,098, 900
Az per cent gold bonds maturing serial
~ October 1, 1882, to 1868, priced to
yield from 3.75 to 4.30 per cent, by a
syndicate headed by j. S. Rippel g. Co.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-05

it still has a long way to go In the de-
velopment of suitable housing for the
great mass of people.
John w. Harris, prominent New York
City builder and chairman of tie Inter
national Relations Committee of the
Associated General Contra ctors of
America, which will participate in tie
Brussels conference, declares rerts have
mot come down as have otter basic
items of family expense and they will
not come down until something is dune
in radical way to bring down the cost
of building" 1t is absurd, he savS, that
the great industry of construction
should lag so far behind other major
industries as to cling stubS7rnly TO
methods, materials and mental processes
which were out of date years ago
The new bureau will gather the Ie-
ports of a thousand research bureaus
and will digest, coordinate anc publish
such results as stand the tests the 5u-
reau will apply in making them avail
able to the world.
Mr.. Harris says there are forces at
work in the economic life of the world
which compel the introduction of eff
cheney and new ideas into the building
business, making it appear inevitable
that something will be done to bring
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-05
Washington Produce

Butter.-one-pound prints, s3Aa34;
tub, 32a33.
Eggs-Hennery, 21a22; current re-
ceipts, 19a20.
Poultry, Turkeys, young, 3Oa32:
old, 25a27; Winter chickens, 30a35;
Spring broilers, 38a40: hens, heavy, 20;
small, 18a1e; Leghorns, 16; ROSTERS, 10;
ducks, Is; keats, large and young, 60a65;
old, 25a30. Dressed-Turkeys, young,
a40; Spring broilers, As; hens, heavy,
22a23; small, 81; capons, large, 37a38;
small, 32a33; ducks, 24a25; ROSTERS, 10;
keats, young, T0a8o; old, 40a45.
Meats-Beef, 14a22: lamb, 20a22; veal,
1921; pork loins, 17a19; fresh hams,
17Ia; fresh shoulders, 1919: smoked
hams, 21a23; smoked shoulders, 1919;
strip bacon, 10; lard, in packages, 10;
in bulk, 8.
Live stock-Hogs, heavy, 6.75a7.25;
medium and light, 7:30a7.60; pigs, elsa
725; loughs, 3.5Oa5.00; calves, 500a8.5o;
lambs, 750a8.50.
Fruits-Strawberries, 50a55; honey
dews, Chile, 300a350; oranges, Florida,
3.5Oa4.OO; California, 4.00a4.25; lemons,
350a4.00; tangerines, 200; grapes, Bel
GUM, hot house, per pound, LOCAL rs;
EmperorS, kegs, $50; apples, bushel
baskets, 100a2 90; box stock, 2.00a3 90;
pears, box stock, 3.5Oa375; cranberries,
25-pound box, $50; pineapples, 4.o0a
500; lines, per 100, 200; grapefruit,
300a3.50; rhubarb, 5-pound boxes, hot
house, nearby, rs.
egetables-Potatoes new, per bushel,
275; old, 100-pound sacks, 2.25; Idaho
bakers, 100-pound sacks, ESQ. Toma-
toes, Span crates, 3.75a4.OO. Sweet
potatoes, per bushel, 1.50. Broccoli, ITS
Kale. LOO. Spinach, 100. Cabbage,
per hamper, $50; old, per sack, 100.
Parsnips, rs. Caulifower, 200a2.25.
String beans, 5.00a5.50; limas, 800a9 90.
Peppers. 400. Summer squash. $50.
Mushrooms, 1.00a1.10. Turnips, so.
Cucumbers, per box, 500. Lettuce,
Iceberg, $50; Florida, 1.50a200. Beets,
per dozen punches, rs; per crate, 800.
Carrots, per dozen punches, IS; per
crate, 800. Asparagus, per crate,
Q O0a1000
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-05
WEST VIRGINIA COMPANY
LIFTS EARNINGS IN YEAR

The West Virginia Water Service Co.,
a subsidiary of Federal Water Service
Corporation, reports gross revenues of
1858. 685 for the year ended December
81, 1880, as compared with $812,775 for
the preceding IL months. Operating
expenses. maintenance and taxes, other
than Federal income tax, totaled $473,-
ITO, as against $434,921. Gross income
amounted to $380,515, which compares
with $377,854 for the year ended De-
cember 81, 1929.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-05
CONSTRUCTION COST
INQUIRY IS PLANNED
international Research Bureau
Will Be Established
in Brussels.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
Lower rents are the indirect promise
of an international bureau of research
to be established in Brussels late this
month by the international Federati N
of Building and Public Works.
The creation of the bureau initiates
far-reaching movement WITHIN the
building industry to bring costs Of cen
struction down to levels that will on
able capital to go into much needed
fields Of construction, particularly in low
priced housing IN the greaI cities.
While the building industry has con-
pletely caught up With the shortage in
every other field which the Wer created,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-05

the production costs of building into
line with modern ideas ana modern
methods.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-06-09
Weakness In Our Unemployment
Work

ternal organizations should contribute certain
amount of money monthly for the organization
of the unemployed.
The Functicning of Our Party in the Unemploy-
ment Work.
The Polburo resolution sharply criticzng the
New York District on its burocratic methods in
its work is correct This condition is reflected in
our unemployment work. Comrades who are fur
thest removed from the work give the most cata-
goric instructions This applies to the district
the section committees, as well as to the unit
buors. BY not participating or becoming &C
quainted with the details of the work instruc-
tions cannot be anything else but burocratic and
far from the actual requirements.
The net results of such directions is confusion
no organized fraction, either no work done or
wasted energy. Doing work for the unemployed
branches and wrongly, the branch being abso-
lutey unconscious of it. Even when we do come
down to the branch, it is done in very dicta-
torial manner which is even wrong in our Party
and particularly damaging in a mass organiza-
ton. I will give some concrete illustrations Of
such misdirection. section organizer decides
to merge two branches of the Unemployed Coun-
Gil in the Bronx and note is put up on the door
to that effect The secretary is transferred
without the branch even knowing about it. When
7 came to the scheduled meeting 40 workers in
Guiding six housewives were present and up in
arms about such action. Performances similar
to this kind keep us busy undoing such situa-
tons when this time and energy could be spent
in reaching the outside masses.
Take the issue of securing immediate relief for
starving families. The section organizers are in
structed by the district that on a certain day
they must get a group Of starving families and
have delegation at the Board of Estimates
Instead of advising them how to proceed with
the work and leaving the delegation follow as the
logical consequence of that, work. we have a me-
chanical carrying out of the instructions.
The result is that in Harlem where we have
thousands of Negro and white families starving
they picked up drunkard. delegation went
with him to City Hall that the neghborhood
knew nothing about. The comrades worked hard
carried out the instructions and here is the
result
ITO be continued)
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-06-09
&z4..<
Nicking KnickerbOcker
BY JORGE

1t seems that number of people are writing
to the N Y Post about Knickerbocker and his
Red Trade Menace" One of them whose letter
IN the Post of June 1, opens up as follows:
TO the editor of the Evening Post: Sir-rf
one will carefully peruse the names OF your cor
respondents relative to the Knickerbocker arti-
cles on Russia, they will note that those who
look with disfavor on this interesting expose, are
not OF American extraction or in sympathy with
American ideals, namely, Max Tart, Adoiph
Wolff and Dora Isaacs'"
Now that stimulated US to look at the names:
although how name could reveal not only
lack of American extraction" but, as the writer
indicates a lack of sympathy with American
ideals" is beyond us. We looked over that very
June l issue and what did we find?
Of those expressing fixed prejudice" we dis
covered, that Those against Knickerbocker were
named, HOLSTER Noble, j. Kelley and Paul Por-
ter. While the only one besides the chap who
had this notion about names, and that was
really enthusiastically pro-Post and anti-SoNet
was named-1SAAC POLIATSKIN.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-06-09
How to Use Party Life Column

Negroes, etc. What we want to print in Party
Life is more of the type of articles we were get
ting formerly, dealing with the actual exper-
fences Of comrades-whether non-Party work.
ers, rank-a filters lower or higher func-
tionaries--in mass work, in approaching and or
ganizing the workers. The article Of Comrade
Holden from South Carolina on the Unemployed
Councils and the Trade Unions couple Of
days ago, the recent article Of Comrade Amter,
on the approach to non-Party workers, the ar
ticle of Comrade Wagenknecht printed above,
analyzing the successes, failures and prospects
of the Salt Lake unemployed movemcnt-these
are examples of the type Of article which is
most needed by Party Life-the type of article
that provides for real exchange Of experiences,
that gives real help To other comrades facing
the same poblems
Another point, IN the last few weeks most u
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-06-09

How To Use The Party Life Column.
In the last couple of weeks, we note that the
comrades have not been sending In to the Party
Life column as many articles as formerly Of
the type which are really the most necessary
and most instructive-that Is, articles on our
experiences In mass work. Recently, we have
had several articles by unit members, unit func-
tlonaries. section functionaries, all dealing with
questions of the actual relationships between
these bodies in the Party. their shortcomings,
their failure To work together well enough, etc.
All these matters are important problems, other
wise would not print articles about them at
all. But they not the main problems Of the
Party. The main problems Of our Party work
are the problems Of our work among the masses
the problems Of cru Trade Union work, Al
our unemployment work. of our work among the
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-06-09
By SAM NESN.

low is 1t that after all our activities in New
II York City we only have seven branches of
the Unemployed Council, and out OF a total regis
tration of about $4,000 unemployed workers we
have less than 1000 that are members?
We were not certain of our organization forms,
AT the July National Unemployment Conven-
ton we we're firmly convinced that industrial
branches are the thing After many months Of
activity along that line we found that the In
dustrial Unemployed Councils were collapSible
councils. We then agreed to work on territorial
basis, but We concentrated mainly on breadlines,
flop houses, employment agencies and markets
where the membership was shifty. This account
ed for the great fluctuation in our membership.
The acceptance of particular residential blocks as
concentration points will result in more steady
membership and viii involve whole families in
the activities of the unemployed branches.
We are also faced with the problem Of estab-
fishing some degree of permanency in the tunc-
tionaries. 1t is common occurrence to come to
a meeting of the branch and find one secretary
and at the next meeting he is gone This applies
to all functonarieS and committees of the I'M
employed branches. Instead of sending commit
ices from the branches of the Unemployed Coun-
Gil to various workers organizations for direct
support for the work, we occupied ourselves with
calling conferences and building super-struc-
lures. we QlSSlpdUSQ our energies py attempting
TO build from the roof down when we should
concentrate on doing the ground work OF organ
izing functioning branches.
No women in our unemployed branches con-
stitutes great weakness in our work and handi-
caps our approach to the neighborhood.
Attitude of Unions and Leagues.
The attitude IF our unions and leagues towards
branch of Unemployed Council is very me-
chanicr strike takes place, they either
call up a message asking for a certain
number kers to picket These unions and
leagues ! st as a part of their concentration
work at a particular factory shop assign a
number of members TO the unemployed branch
in that neighborhood. These assigned workers
can give leadership to the branch and at the
same time raise the question of solidarity with
the employed workers normal phase of the
branch activity. The same applies to the shop.
Each union and league as well as workers fra
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-06-09

Five Year Plan over in Four Years in the Soviet
Union
1t was not any orders from the Kremln"
which developed the most wonderful thing in
the Soviet Unon-"revolutionary rivalry"-With-
out which Che Five Year Plan would have
dragged along, but the enthusiasm of the mass
of workers who understand clearly that in build
ing up socialist industry they are building for
themselves, their own industry
Let us see if Daily Worker readers can match
that by building up their own paper-the Daily
Worker. Let each reader of the Daily. you who
read these lines, think what he or she can do
In every center where there is an agent of the
Daily Worker, he has instructions about forming
a DAILY WORKER CLUB. We hope you will
attend its meeting Many ways in which you
can tell us what you think of the Daily Worker,
and how to help your favorite paper will be ex-
planned But we will have more TO tell you In our
next message.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-06-09
FROM EDITOR TO READER
A Message to the DAILY Worker" Family

you are reading the central organ Of the Com
munist Party. We suppose you read it be-
cause you find in it something that you like
What 1t is that you like we would like to know.
But there may be something else you don't like
We would like to know that, too!
There's great big family of you readers of
the Daily Worker! Three times as many as there
are members in the Communist Party. It is easy
for lis to find out what the Communist Party
thinks about the Daily. But we want to know
what the whole Daily Worker Family thinks
We want to know what the whole working class
thinks of us! In this and other messages to you
well tell you how you can get the widest opinion
possible, to us.
We want to know this because we, the Com
munists, depend upen the working class We
look only TO workers for support, for subscrip-
tions donations and that same enthusiastic SYM
pathy expressed in action which is putting the
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-06-09
A Landlords Government

If you review the papers published just before
election last year, ycl will see there Mayor
Walkers promise that no unemployed worker
would be evicted. But that was before election.
NoW-thousands of evictions are being carried
out.
The capitalist papers which devote lots of ink
to telling about the Red Trade Menace" rarely
if ever say word about this menace of the
landlords and their government Wednesday
they had to mention two items at least the
Times did. In one case the Times had to make
the following admission because A "reds" were
arrested for putting the evicted workers fur
niture back:
"The practice Of moving evicted families back
into their former homes has become frequent
of late the lower east side"
Now, II that practice has become frequent"
If stands to reason that evictions are also fire.
quent." So what has become of Mayor Walkers
promise?
The second item forced itself into the Times
because Peter Romano Sc, and jobless with a
wife and three children, shot his landlord, An
tonic Capace. Capace came demanding rent,
and Romano told him that his wife had gone out
to raise the $50 due for two months rent:
Pay up or get OUT" yelled the landlord and
ing to the sidewalk. The old worker got out"
revolver and ended that landlords abuse with
four well-paced bullets We suppose that this
was the only way Romano had of emphasizing
that Jimmy Walkers promise wasn't worth any
thing.
Now let's look over the N Y State government.
Somebody, probably interested in the plumbing
business but proposing bill in the recent State
at ri ~
ings must be furnished with toilets, saw the
bill defeated. 1t would have forced landlords to
spend some money to make workers apartments
sanitary, so it was voted down on the ground
that was "conflscatory legislation"
We go to the U. S. Congress There, on Jan.
81, in the most sneaking secrecy and under the
head of the Appropriation Bill" there was put
over clause allowing the Post-O Office Depart
ment to pursue and harass any tenant who
moves out without paying back rent.
The law hitherto forbid postal workers from
telling anyone at all the address of any person
If you were worker and out of Job, couldn't
pay your rent for the past month, so moved
out and went to live with your relatives the
mail carrier was forbidden from telling the land
lord or anyone else where you had ordered your
mail sent
The capitalist government has tender feel
ing for landlords, so the U. S. Congress on Jan.
81 this year, altered this law, allowing the
Post-Office to tell the landlord where you moved
to- so he can follow you up and garnishee your
wages if you ever get any
Naturally, the landlord is under no obligation
TO keep this to himself, so the butcher and
grocer will follow along and the furniture man
will be after his installments or the furniture
When the burden of the crisis has to be borne.
the capitalist government will see that the job
less worker and not any capitalist bears 1t.
All of which Is good reason for organizing
Tenants Leagues.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-06-09

Tammany graft of millions In all city de-
partments was exposed In the lsst article.
Previous articles dealt with the rise Of graft
and gunner the base of American espi-
talism. They showed Al Capone's connections
with the leading Chicago capitalists and boss
political parties.
nm August g. 1880 Justice Crater OF the Su-
" preme Court disappeared. Since that day
not trace of him has been found. In ques-
tioring some of Judge Crater's intimate friends
the Justices social connections led into nearly
every dive in the city. But why did he dis
appear? The fact is he was about to be ques-
toned on the purchase of judgeship by Mag
istrate Ewald. Judge Crater withdrew $22,50o
from his bank account just before he fled At
the same time, he was about to be questioned
regarding his little profit of $s5o,oo0 made by
acting as receiver in the crooked bankruptcy of
the Libby Hotel.
Supreme Court Justice Levy OF New York, be-
sides his usual graft, took bride Of $1,000
from the Bank of United States just before it
crashed and while he was trying case against
the bank Levy appointed Crater receiver
for the Libby Hotel s
In New York there Is a price scale for every
judicial office. The prices paid for the various
judgeships are as follows: Magistrates jobs,
$4,000: City Justiceships, $4,000; $4,000 for
General Sessions; $4,000 for Special Sessions
and $4,000 for the Supreme Court. This does
not mean that sometimes the price Is not high
err. Often il is
Supreme Court Justice Cohen, for example,
paid 100000 for his appointment, but then
Cohen didn't feel the strain because his father
n-law advanced the Inorey as wedding gift.
Again. Supreme Court Justice Sherman was
forced to pay s15O,ooo and evidently thought IL
well worth it.
The Seabury Whitewash
The Seabury investigation which is still on
at the time this Is written will not uncover
any grating that is not already known. The
carefulness with which Referee Seabury moves
gives the Tanmany grafters all the opportunity
they want to cover up their tracks. Emanuel
H. Lavine, an experienced New York reporter,
author of THE Third Degree" and compre-
hensive book on New York graft, Gimme"
states about Investigations Of graft: