Muncie Post-Democrat, Muncie, Delaware County, 24 February 1922 — Page 1

THE ONLY DEMOCRATIC NEWSPAPER IN DELAWARE COUNTY THE MUNCIE POST-DEMOCRAT

VOI,. 2. NUMBER 8

MUNCIE, INDIANA, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1922

SUBSCRIPTION PRICE $2.00 A YEAR IN ADVANCE

City CouncO Seems Strong for Economy, But Efficiency Seems To Have Been Overlooked

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The new city council has done little, up to date, except to formulate the rules necessary to conduct the business of that august body at its semi monthly meetings. Its actions so far have been negative, rather than positive. Nothing has been done, notwithstanding the fact there has been much ado over trivialities and much pompous argument in deciding the tremendously important difference been tweedle dee and tweedle dum. First, it took one month for the council to adopt rules of proceedure. Three matters of importance have come up for consideration—the jitney ordinance, the building code and the public employment agency. The jitney ordinance, being a live wire, and likely to affect the fortunes of the grand old party if handled in a manner obnoxious to the general public, is now being jug|;led with and the mighty solons have their ear to the ground, awaiting inspiration. At first it appeared as if the building code was about to go to the discard, and our ward statesmen decreed its eai’ly death, but powerful interests took a hand in the game and council has begun to waver. It is now admitted that, although the code was passed by democrats, who of course are not supposed to know anything, there may be some virtue in the code. Consequently the new-laid statesmen are sitting on the lid waiting! for somebody to tell them what to do with it. The employment agency was k/lled at the last session of the council by a vote of nine to three. Three of the four democrats in the council helped destroy this much-needed department and the fourth, finding that there was nothing in the rules which Councilman Friedly kindly consented to have passed, that permitted a councilman to vote on both sides of any given question, just kept still when his name was called and didn’t vote at all. In killing the ordinance proyiding... for a. ilgputy in _the office of the city controller, the coiincil passed a virtuous measure, provided, of course, there is any virtue in trying to starve a city employee in order to create the impression that the city, at last, has fallen into the hands of real watch dogs of the treasury. The proposed plan of reducing! the pay of street laborers to twentyfive cents an hour, is part of the economy program of the new council. If this is accomplished there will probably be an accompanying ordinance prohibit/ing these employees and their families from eating more than one meal a day. If the council has its way about it the fire department will fare well in the matter of equipment. Monday night when a member of the safety board asked council to sanction the expenditure of $4,500 for repairs on fire fighting apparaturs, one of the watch dogs popped right up and declared that he knew a man .who had a great uncle whose cousin told a friend that somebody had heard Cary Crozier say that the work could be done for two hundred dollars, and that settled it. We can see, very plainly, that life is to be one glad, sweet song, for the new council wdth an occasional discord in the music.

SPARES “SPIRITUALIST” Florence, Italy^-Mrs. Margaret Carver, French widow of a rich American, has refused to prosecute Emma Vannuccipi, a bogus spiritualist, who defrauded her.

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INDUSTRIOUS PRINCE Nice—Prince Danilo of the former kingdom of Montenegro spends more than twelve hours a day at the gaming table of Monte Carlo.

Japanese Divided On Conterence Results

Conservatives Fear Country Has Fallen Prey to Designs of Stronger Nations.

TOKIO, FEB. 23.—Results of the arms conference at Washington have split the thinking element of Japan into two opposing camps, according to a staff correspondent of the Kokusai News agency. The conservative group views the Washington agreements with uneasiness and feels that Japan has fallen a prey to the designs of the United States and European powers. The progressives declare the Washington conference has given Japan a golden opportunity to become one of the leaders in the uplifting civilization. This latter school maintains that Japan’s future is bound up with three problems, what to do with an increasing population, where to obtain a food supply and where to obtain raw material. It is pointed out that fields of emigration are limited, since many powers bar Japanese. It is also said that other nations are disinclined to supply Japan with raw materials owing to their fear of Japanese influence on the world's trade. The nroeressives’ reply to questions is a demand that Japan maintain the friendliest relations with other powers and by peaceful means obtain a hearing for her problems. They even go so far as to suggest that an international arrangement might be brought about whereby Japan would purchase Mongolia and Manchuria from China and settle all these questions for all time.

The Delaware grand jury has been in session, on and off, for the past two weeks. As is generally the case, the grand jury is composed of good men, who feel the responsibility of their position, but that, in our estimation, does not in itself recommend the grand jury system to the consideration of the public. We fail to understand just why the grand jury system has not been abolished long ago. In the olden days the doges of Italy secretly sent men to their death or imprisonment. The doges listened only to the evidence of those who supply information against those who were secretly accused. In fact th e latter did not even know, in most instances, that they were under suspicion. The difference between the doges of Italy and the grand jury of Delaware County lies in the fact that the present day grand jury is only empowered to return an indictment, which is later translated into punishment by either a judge or a jury. The doges, however were possessed of m ore power. After hearing the evidence, they not only indicted the man under suspicion, but condemned him to death and sent the executioner on the trail of the victim. Frequently the first intimation on the part of the condemned person that he was even charged with a crime, was the stab of a stiletto under his fifth rib, and before he had time to hire a lawyer or even expostulate, his spirit had departed and the case was closed. Nowadays the system of accusation is much the same. The grand jury provides a splendid forum for the informer who wants to get his enemy in trouble. If it happens that the grand jury and its presiding genius, the prosecuting attorney, have anything in common with the informer, it is mighty easy to vote an indictment. The history of the grand jury system in Delaware County, as well as that of every other county in the state of Indiana, is replete with instances of wrongful indictment of persons who had incurred the enmity o ' those who had the ear of the grand jury. Perjurers of the type of Halford Johnson and Bat Masterson are frequently permitted or even encouraged to spew their rotten lies before the grand juries and the “evidence” of such men in many cases causes infinite trouble for men who are not guilty of the crimes they are charged with. A grand jury some time ago, wrongly advised by men with axes to grind, returned a report criticizing the judge of the Delaware, circuit court, advising that he be impeached and removed from office and declaring that he had corruptly conspired with criminals. % The grand jurymen themselves would not have thought of making such a report. They $ merely signed it after it had been carefully prepared by individuals not belonging to that f body. % As a result of this foolish action the judge cited the six grand jurymen for contempt % and fined them each $250. Former Governor Jim Goodrich remitted the fines of five % of the men but in the case of the foreman of the grand jury an appeal was taken and * 4* on Tuesday of this week the supreme court affirmed the decision of the local court. % If Judge Thompson had been guilty 01 the offenses charged against him he should % ❖ have been indicted by the grand jury. Instead of that the grand jury was merely used by * ♦£ those who had an axe to grind to air their personal opinion of the court. ❖ % In that case the grand jury was victimized. The members themselves had no grudge * J against the court but a plausible written T-eport” was presented to them and they sign- % ❖ ed it, much the same as the average citizen will sign anything that is presented to him. * Petit jurors, being examined as to thair qualifications to sit as iurymen, are asked % £ - if the fact that a man is indicted is taken as evidence of his guilt . % J We have known of many cases where men have been indicted by honest grand jurors % on the evidence of crooks who had been hi ed to get tell lies against the victim. ❖ There are cases, and ithere have prdfe ! y been some in the-Delaware circuit court, ; 3? { where the fact that an indictment was muinecf was not only not derogatory to the £ ❖ standing'pf the accused, but was in his favor. ^ We have outlived the doges, the inquisition and Salem witchcraft, but the good old ? % grand jury seems to be here for keeps. %

RELEASE OFFICIAL/S SON

S 21 YEARS NOW SINCE SINKING OF THE MAINE BROUGHT WAR

Columbus, O., Feb. 23—Delbert Smith, sixteen-year-old son of E. S. Smith, state superintendent of public works, who was arrested last night after his automobile had struck and killed two thirteen-year-old boys in the university district, according to police, was released upon his promise ; to attend a police investigation of the affair late this afternoon. Young Smith told the authorities that the two boys who were killed were riding on a bicycle that carried no lights.

PLAGUE OF LOCUSTS Capetown—Many sections of South Africa report a plague of locusts. At one point they clustered two feet deep on the railroad track, stopping; all traffic.

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Murdering Defenseless Workers Police, armed with riot guns, Tuesday morning fired into a crowd of striking textile workers at Pawtucket, R. I., and killed several. The strikers had crowded around the gates of the mill and the guns were turned upon them after their refusal to comply with a demand to disperse. Before the order to fire was given the mayor of Pawtucket read the riot act to the men, and he was greeted with shouts and jeers of derision. Immediately the order to fire was given and a murderous volley turned upon the defenseless workmen. It sterns that it is about time for all American citizens to insist upon a cessation of a policy of murder. Shooting down defenseless men and women who refuse to work under conditions and wages that would make a Chinaman weep, will surely bring down upon the defenders of such a policy a whirlwind of wrath which will cause rivers of blood to

flow.

It is not strange that labor is organizing for the defense. State constabularies, state militias and other armed organized organizations are all too frequently called upon when labor troubles take place. We know of very few instances where the laboring man is treated better than he deserves. Under present conditions it is almost impossible for the laboring man, with a large family, to subsist upon the wages that are paid. To many of them luxuries are a thing unknown. Millions of them, out of employment, are in absolute want. The employer, knowing that the scarcity of work gives them an opportunity of fixing the wage of those who are employed, in too many cases take advantage of their opportunity to cut their employes down to

starvation wages.

Incidents like that of the Pawtucket murder do not help by any means to solve the differences between employer and employee. They only serve to inflame labor to the boil-

ing point. American citizens cannot be frightened into t tor the personnel of the medical prosubmission by the reading of riot acts or by the murder • * i fession. “No one should think of en

| of those who refuse to comply with military orders.

MAINE- MEMORIAL IN ARLINGTON C&METARY

Twenty-four years ago, in Ha-1 yana harbor, the U. S. S. battleship Maine was destroyed, and soon afterwards, and in part as a result, the Spanish American war started. Now throughout the United States, Maine Day, February 15, is observed in the 1000 posts of the Veterans of Foreign wars, with memorial exercises and services in honor of those who gave their lives in the sinking of the battleship and in the war. Prominent members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars include several survivors of the Maine disaster, Rear Admiral Charles D. Sigsbee, U. S. N. (retired), was the commander on that 15th day of February, 24 years ago. Admiral Sigsbee, and Rev. John P. Chidwick, who was chaplain of the

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Maine then, are members of the Col. Wallace A. Downs post. No.

26, of New York.

Col. Till Huston, prominent part owner of the New York Yankees, and one of the national council of' the Veterans of Foreign Wars, had

Maine, after the close of the war. Colonel Huston, who is mentioned as the next commander of the veterans’ organization, recently organized the “Unknown Soldier Post” here, including Irvin S. Cobb, Heywood Braun, Bozeman Bulger, Damon Runyon, Franklin P. Adams, and other prominent newspaper and magazine writers. During the world war Colonel Huston commanded the 16th En-

gineers in France.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars is an organization composed exclusively of those who have had service beyond the boundaries of the United States. It has 125,000 members, most of whom served in the American Expeditionary Forces. The national headquarters are located in New York, at 32 Union Square. State departments and local posts are estab-

charge of the raising of the J iished ^throughout the country.

GERMAN WOMEN WORK FOR RETURN OF THE MONARCHY

Berlin—The British Medical Journal has launched a campaign to bet-

tering] this profession who is unprepared to spend $7,500 on his medical education,” the journal asserts.

SENTENCED TO LEAVENWORTH

Harley North, recently given a court martial trial at Columbus, was given a sentence of two years at hard labor at Fort Leavenworth. At the expiration of that time he is to be given a dishonorable discharge. Prosecutor Little, who represented North, will appeal.

LIBRARY OPENED

The library and reading) room of the Concord township school was opened. Monday. Over 100 books both of fiction and reference, have been purchased, and a number of donations made, making a total of about 250. The farm bureau made a donation of $100 to purchase books.

Banquent Will Stir Up the Workers of Delaware County

DERIDES SINN FEIN; KILLED Belfast—A few hours after she had derided-the Sinn Fein as a “pack of fighting cats and dogs,’’Mrs. Mary Connor was found murdered in her home here.

LENINE EXPECTS U. S. TRADE Moscow—Lenine told a Greek mer-

Active steps are being taken, under the direction of J. Cooper Props, democratic county chairman, to organize a democratic club and to promote a big democratic banquet to be held some time during the middle of March, the

date to be named later.

Ex-Governor James M. Cox, of Ohio, and Claud Bowers, of Fort Wayne,

chant here that he expected trade rela- j will be invited to speak at the ban-

tions with the United States to be es-

tablished by spring.

Expects to Dispose Of Its Entire Fleet

Shipping Board Believes That Sales Will Be Made on Rising Market

WASHINGTON, FEB. 23.-By offering its entire fleet for sale at this time the shipping board expects in the event of passage of the ship subsidy plan about to be submitted to congress to sell the vessels on a rising market, it was said today by shipping board officials in connection with the announcement that bids would be received until March 14. The shipping board, it was said, is required under the law to make ‘all ship sales through competitive bids which require time and in anticipation of a ship subsidy which is expected to increase the tonnage value of American bottoms, advertising at this time in the opinion of board officials will meet all technical requirements and make possible a quick, advantageous sale when the subsidy is adopted. Of 1470 vessels offered by the shipping board, 43 carry passengers and cargo, while the remainder are various types of cargo ships. Included in the passenger vessels are 20 former German and Austrian ships ranging from 4760 to 20,765’ tons. These latter comprise a number now in service through allocation to various operating steamship companies in South American trade and Atlantic and Pacific trade. The big liner. Leviathan is not included as this vessel will be held after she has been reconditioned. Twenty-three passengdf ships of 13,000 tons each, built by the emergency fleet corporation, also are included and are declared by shipping board officials to represent the last word in passenger ship construction up to this tonnage. Some of these, notably the Southern Cress, Bay State, Pine Tree State, Palmetto St^te, and Nutmeg State, are of the 535-foot class. Most of these vessels are either on the South American trade routes or those of the North Atlantic and on Pacific routes to the far east. The shipping board possesses 1713 vessels altogether.

quet, and the hope is expressed that it will be one of the most notable democratic gathering^ to be held in

the middle west.

Ray Andrews, democratic city chairman, has been selected as chairman of the banquet committee and it goes without saying that his pep and energy will guarantee the success of the

project.

The new democratic club will have headquarters most likely in the Anthony block and all democrats will be solicited for membership. The democratic party was never in better shape in Delaware county than it is at present. This is to be a democratic year and if party unity is preserved, with the right kind of men nominated for the various county offices, there is no reason why Delaware county should not be redeemed from the grossly extravagant and corrupt rule of the selfish republican stand pat

machine.

Independent republicans strand ready this year to unite with the democrats to redeem Delaware county and the democratic party should so conduct itself as to merit this vote of confidence by presenting a list of candidates who stand for decency, honesty and square dealing^.

Aged Woman Boasts 274 Descendants

Three Additional Great-Gaud Childixna Arrived in Kansas Town Recently.

PLEADS FOR LOOTER

Vienna—At the request of Sir William Goode, the British official recently robbed when a mob of unemployed raided the Hotel Bristol, the Austrian authorities have pardoned the man who stole h|s clothing. POLITICS IN GREEK CHURCH

Constantinople—The election of Mgr. Meletius Metaxakis as Greek Patriarch has been followed by allegations of politics in connection with his choice.

SABETHA, KAN., FEB. 23—Mrs. Bertha Perkins, who will be 98 years old next April, found a real thrill recently when three additional greatgrandchildren arrived in three Sabetha homes, within a period of 48 hours. They brought the number of her descendants up to 274. Mrs. Perkins’ five generations of descendants are divided as follows: 10 children, eight of whom are living. 75 grandchildren. 155 great-grandchildren. 25 great-great-grandchildren. 9 greatf-great-greah-g^andchilciren. Mrs. Perkins was bom in Virginia April 25, 1824, married David Perkins in Ohio March 16, 1843. Her maiden name was Bertha Marcum. In 1848 they emigrated to Iowa, and in 1857 took a homestead in this—Nemaha county—where she has lived ever since. DRUG GANG CAUGHT Paris—French police have captured the members of an international gang of cocame smuggllers. The prisoners include two Serbians, a Belgian,-a Frenchman and a Dutchman.

LIFE FOR HER DOLL Windsor, Eng.—When her favorite doll’s dress caught fire 12-year-old Margery MacKay tried to put it out. She was fatally burned and died soon afterward.

Them Purity Lady Assistants (Portland Sun) All good first class up-to-date Circuses have what is known as Route Man, whose business it is to Route the Show, away from other Shows, and steer clear from strikes, etc. With the vast number of Inspectors and regulators, now spying on the people of Indiana, a Route Board is very urgently needed to keep in hand and direct this vast Army. One day last fall there occurred in our new Court House a small mob scene, for an avalanche of eleven inspectors, spies, wardens and regulators congregated together at one and the same time in our midst, showing and telling Jay County how to run things. Each Inspector (except two Game Wardens) was accompanied by a Lady Assistant, Bob Haired, Powdered Nose, Dreamy Eyes, Stream Line eye brows, and roll down silk Socks. These Lady Assistants are very kindly furnished by the State for Company to the brave Inspectors on their lonesome trips through the wilds of Indiana. The Sun wishes to remonstrate against the unjust discrimination against our Brave and valorous Game Wardens, who under the Law are not permitted the cheerful Company of Lady Assistants, while on their hair raising, Death Dealing and Dangerous warfare and onslaughts against desperate and villainous rabbit hunters, and as a recommendation for the State to provide these Dreamy Eyed companions, point their record for the year 1920. Blood thirsty hunters and fishers arrested 1,421 Fines and costs, collected $32,585’44

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