The Milwaukee leader (Milwaukee, Wis.), May 24, 1932, (Home Edition) (page 1)

The one thing now needed above all others is the education of the people, especially the working class.--Eugene V. Debs. Vol. 21--No. 144. SOCIALISTS SEEK MORATORIUM ON INTEREST Blackmer Would Pay Fine, Come Home FUGITIVE OIL MAN TENDERS U. S. $60,000 Tired of Being "Man Without a Country." NEW YORK--(U.P.) --Henry M. Blackmer, fighting district attorney who left the roaring mining camps of Cripple Creek to become a mil uaire oil man without a country, sent .$60,000 to Washington to pay his fine in the Teapot Dome oil scandals so he can come back home. And if the Denver millionaire's payment is accepted, as is probable, he may return from his self-im posed exile in France and face charges of income tax conspiracy involving penalties of $9,000,000. Blackmer has been abroad, most of the time in Paris, ever since the Teapot Dome scandals broke about the greyed, financially worried Al bert B. Fall, secretary of the inte rior in the cabinet of Warren G. Harding, sending Fail to prison. Fled Contempt Charge. The attorney, oil man, banker and western "good fellow" had refused to testify against his old friend, Harry F. Sinclair, soda clerk who became one of the most daring of the millionaire oil operators in the middle west fiields. Blackmer was fined $60,000 for contempt of court. He fled to France. The government confiscat ed SIOO,OOO, of his porperty, levied a fine of $60,000, then took away his passport, making travel in Europe most inconvenient. The French government refused to send the oil man back to this country for trial and Blackmer has been in France since, banned from all American social affairs in which official Washington was represent ed, but active in other social life about the French capital. Announced by Battle. So today, it became known through an announcement by Black mer's chief counsel, George Gordon Battle, that the oil man sought an end to his exile. "Securities covering the amount of Mr. Blackmer's fine have been turned over to the United States marshal's office in Washington," he d. This was confirmed in Wash mon. Blackmer was one of the organiz ers of the Continental Trading Co., a group whose activities brought about another sensational corpora tion battle--the fight of the Rocke feller interests to oust Col. Robert Wright Stewart, former head of the Standard Oil Co. of Indiana. Other Charges Pending. Blackmer has spent a fortune fighting prosecution for his failure to testify against Sinclair, who also was convicted on a contempt charge and forced to serve a short jail term. _ And if his $60,000 fine is marked off the books, Blackmer may then proceed to settle a federal court iu dictment in Denver charging con spiracy to violate the income tax laws, and government penalties im posed for alleged failure of his es tate to make proper incoine tax re turns. This latter may be compro mised at $4,000,000. Machine Guns Used In Strike Battle NE W PHILADELPHIA, Ohio (U.P.) --A brisk battle, with ma chine gun and rifle fire, broke out between strike sympathizers and guards early today at the Wolford Coal Co. mine at Newport, near here, and lasted nearly an hour. More than 200 shots were fired but no one was reported injured. KOHLER OUT OF GOVERNOR RACE FORT ATKINSON, Wis. (U.P.) --ln a letter addressed to A. J. Glover, Fort Atkinson farm paper Alitor. Walter J. Kohler announced officially today that he will not be a candidate for governor in the Sep tember primaries. Glover headed a delegation of farmers w'ho called upon Kohler to urge his candidacy against Gov. Philip F. La Follette. "A most thorough study of all the 'actors having any significance or my influence on my decision has re ulted in the conclusion that I hould not enter the campaign," tohler wrote. "This decision was rrived at solely through consider tion of the question from my own landpoint and was not influenced v the attitude of others who may a concerned in waging campaigns t their own." The Milwaukee Leader 4 lAtt 1 I iiiLJH aMlllwHs <OJBW^ wwißlh W Wigg wSg^ Bi. iWffw ix JW vw jMw- wjv k. y ^TwBW*W ImwwSßßWh«B^ v i-M KmOMKMM^^ BwlMk MMroW) MKKiI V IflHi •■■.W* KyShmi- "wM V <T| '4 V ->v- r ^s. r j- 7/ X 1 B w apa*? B JI W? 111 HI I Israal^^ 1 ^l--B^. Party differences and factional strife were forgotten last night as 600 delegates and visitors to the national convention of the So cialist party, whose "inner man" had been satisfied by a dinner in the Fern room of the Pfister ho tel, were regaled by speeches in a light vein. Shown below, seat ed at the speakers' table are, left to right, Aid. Paul Gauer, presi dent of the common council, who acted as toastmaster; Mayor Daniel W. Hoan, Mrs. Hoan, Nor man Thomas, New York, candi date for president, and James H. Maurer, Reading, Pa., candidate for vice president. VETERANS PUT OFF TRAIN AND GIVEN TRUCKS BULLETIN. By The United Press. CASEYVILLE, 111. (U.P.) About 25 trucks to transport the veterans "bonus army" to Wash ington, Ind., are being concentrat ed in East St. Louis, Sheriff Jer ome Munie advised the veterans today. CASEYVILLE, 111. (U.P.) Hurried preparations for breaking "Camp Bonus," where 310 World war veterans had held a Baltimore and Ohio freight train since yester day, were made today as six com panies of state militia approached from the north. The train, which the men cap tured by military strategy, was re leased today after Sheriff Jerome Munie promised the men to provide trucks to carry them to Washing ton, Ind. Jeer at Guardsmen. The former service men, en route from Portland, Ore., to Wash ington to plead for immediate pay ment of a bonus, arrived in St. Louis Friday aboard a Wabash freight which they had "captured" in Council Bluffs, la. Since then they have advanced only 10 miles, all of which they walked. The veterans lined the tracks as the guardsmen sped past. They jeered and waved derisively at the khaki-clad militiamen. The Baltimore and Ohio freight train was released after Sheriff Mu nie, himself former service man, pleaded w'ith the men "not to cause any trouble for us." The men agreed on condition that he pro vide them transportation to Indiana and conduct negotiations for the re turn of the freight train. Prays for "Sinful Railroads." At sunrise today, the Rev. John Gould, chaplain of the army, called the veterans together for a brief prayer, in which he asked divine guidance for the veterans and "charity toward the sinful rail roads." W. W. Waters, "field marshal" of the army, left his command and lura to Page Two> Column Slight, FORGET PARTY DIFFERENCES AT BANQUET |JU k? Wiiir i ■k jsMMMIIIM O -a Mik <1 I JI IM F X 1 --Bi i COSTTOU.S. OF FREE MAIL RACKET HUGE BY RAYMOND CLAPPER. Staff Correspondent Th.? United Press Copyright, 1932, by The United Press. WASHlNGTON--Government ex penses are materially boosted by the heavy tonnage of free mail sent out under congressional frank. Part of it is political campaign literature. It goes out by the train-load. Sena tors and congressmen "loan" their franks so that lobbyists and even candidates for public office can cir culate free literature at government expense. Before reporting some instructive statistics, a specific case will explain the intricacies of this free mailing racket, which has been flourishing unchecked by the depression along side the family payroll racket, the fancy fishing and dude ranch junk ets which are kindly paid for, down to fishing licenses, "mineral water" and soda, out of the senate contin gent fund. Take Case of Weaver. Claude Weaver, who served two years as a Democratic congressman from Oklahoma and retired in 1915 to become postmaster at Oklahoma City, is running for congress again. He has mailed out from Oklahoma City copies of one of his speeches un der the frank of Senator Carter Glass, Democrat, Virginia. He has just asked Glass to supply him 40.- 000 more franked envelopes but the senator refused, he told the United Press. These speeches are printed in a form imitating The Congressional Record and bear at the top the line in black type "not printed at govern ment expense." That much is true. Weaver can get all he wants of them at the government printing office for $2.86 a thousand copies. Uncle Sam Does Rest. The government will throw in free strong manila envelopes on which Turn, to Page Two, Column Seven, TUESDAY EVENING, MAY 24, 1932. Fellowship Spirit Is Exemplified at Socialist Banquet The spirit of fellowship, com radeship, party loyalty and stead fast adherence to a great cause which animates the membership of the Socialist party w T as exemplified as never before at a banquet of over 600 delegates,' visitors, local party members and sympathizers in the Pfister hotel last night, follow ing upon an afternoon of heated and at times acrimonious debate over the election of a national chair man of ^he party at the national convention session in the Audito rium. Good sportsmanship, too, was demonstrated when upon the an nouncement of the result of the roll call vote in which Morris Hillquit, New York, present national chair man, won over Mayor Daniel W. Hoan, the supporters of both candi dates equally cheered Hillquit's vic tory and gave three rousing cheers each for Hillquit, Hoan and the So cialist party. Spirit Is Lauded. "The great asset of our party is this spirit of fellowship and com radeship which makes us sink our differences and work unitedly for our great and holy cause," Norman Thomas, the party's candidate for president, stated. "It is a fitting thing that this gathering tonight is held in the city of Milwaukee, a friendly city, and a place where lasting friendship is so easily established." Speaking of the continuous work of the Socialist paUy and particu larly about the work to be carried on in the impending national cam paign of the party, Thomas pointed out that the program of the party cannot be accomplished alone by the winning of 4 few cities. "Socialism Not Dream." "It is a great thing, however, to have a city like Milwaukee to which we can point and say, "you see So cialism is not a dream, it is a real ity--it works in this great city," 1 Thomas continued, "It is a great thing to be able to see a little something of what can be done to show what greater things can be accomplished under a co-operative commonwealth. It Turn to Pag© Two, Column Six. LAIDLERWILL SPEAKTONIGHT ON NORTH SIDE Milwaukeeans will have the op portunity of hearing Dr. Harry Laidler, New York Socialist and economist at a mass meeting in Jef ferson hall, 2617 west Fond du Lac ave., 8 tonight. Dr. Laidler, with Judge Jacob Panken, New Yorker who has at tended all the Socialist national con ventions for the past 25 years, will probably tell of the opportunities which active Socialist workers will have to capitalize the chaotic con dition of capitalist economics. Studied Vienna Projects. Laidler is particularly familiar with the progress which Vienna So cialists have made in overcoming the slum conditions in that European Socialist city, having recently stud ied housing conditions there. Judge Panken is the New Yorker who came to Milwaukee in 1910 to assist local Socialists in putting the Socialist slate across in the city hall for the first time. Auto to Be Awarded. Tickets for the lecture, which have been on sale for the past several weeks, allow the purchaser to parti-' cipate in a drawing at which an au-1 tomobile will be the award, Entered m second-class matter August 25. 1920. at the vostoffics at Milwaukee. Wisconsin, under the Act of March 3. 1879. --By Leader Staff Photographer. FIFTY SOLONS FACE DEFEAT ON DRY ISSUE WASHINGTON (U.P.) Both wet and dry leaders in the house predicted today that at least 50 congressmen will be defeated be cause of their votes on beer. Representative O'Connor of New York, author of the defeated 2.75 per cent beer bill, declared the new house to be elected in November would show a majority for modifi cation. The beer bill was rejected by 228 to 169, so a shift of 30 votes would have given the anti-prohibi tionists a majority. The roll call vote put nearly every member on record publicly and wet organiza* tions will concentrate their cam paigns accordingly. Drys acknowledged they are in for a fight, but insisted that some of those who favored beer will find that they misjudged their constitu ents' views. Prohibitionists also pointed out that while the house majority against beer was only 59, recent votes in the senate show that body still dry by about three to one. Anti-prohibitionists were encour aged by three other developments: Senator Johnson of California, long an ardent dry, followed the lead of his colleague, Senator Shortridge, and came out for a referendum. Senator Borah of Idaho, a leading dry, indicated he would not attend the Republican national convention. He had been counted on by prohibi tionists to lead the fight against a referendum declaration this year. Republican Leader Snell of the house, slated to be chairman of the Republican convention, predicted it would adopt a "liberal" prohibition Jplank. PROTECTION OF SMALE HOME OWNER URGED AS 11TH PLATFORM PLANK Amendment Is Left to Incoming National Executive Committee for Consideration On Motion of Mayor Hoan. By unanimous consent the convention late today took up consideration of the anti-prohibition law plank suggested by Heywood Broun, New York; Oscar Amer inger, Oklahoma City, Okla., and Mayor Daniel W. Hoan. Led by Emil Seidel, America's as well as Milwaukee's first Socialist mayor, a concerted effort was made in the Socialist national convention today to add a declaration favoring a moratorium on all interest charges to the planks submitted to the delegates by the platform committee. The matter came up as an amendment to a proposal that government aid be invoked to protect small home own ers and farmers from foreclosures. The latter was offered as the 11th plank of that part of the platform devoted to unemployment and labor legislation, nine of which were offered by the platform committee. A 10th offered by Powers Hapgood, Indian apolis, and passed by the con vention without dissent, put the party on record as favor ing "laws to enforce the rights of workers to organize into unions and to bargain collectively; to outlaw yellow dog contracts and injunctions in labor disputes. Nothing for Interest. Seidel, in his first speech since the opening of the convention, de cried attacks upon government, de claring that "government is the only thing we see any hope in." He said "we get something--parks, playgrounds--from what we pay in taxes, but we get back nothing from wl.at we have to pay in interest." Upon the motion of Mayor Hoan, the whole amendment was left to the incoming national executive committee for consideration and de cision. "Let's leave it to the new com mittee to get us up a nice Socialist platform, and get down to all the business the convention still has ahead of it," the mayor proposed. Tired But Happy. After 15 hours of almost continu ous debate yesterday, culminating with the banquet which extended until midnight, delegates arrived at Juneau hall of the Auditorium in a tired but apparently happy frame of mind today. With little delay, and less noise, the convention got down to the busi ness of nominating the 10 who will serve with Chairman Morris Hill quit on the national executive com mittee of the party. Approximately 35 names were placed in nomination, of which 15 declined to be candi dates. Among the latte? was Mrs. Victor L. Berger, Milwaukee, nomi nated by Oscar Am.ringer, formerly Turn to Page Two, Column Five. Showers Tonight Expected to End Brief Warm Spell Showers late tonight are expected to bring to an end the brief warm wave which hit Milwaukee today and sent the mercury soaring to 81 degrees at noon, according to Frank H. Coleman, weather observers. The temperature remained around the 50 mark for the first five hours in the morning, but around 6 a. m. the wind shifted to the southwest to send the mercury hopping 30 de grees in the next seven hours. Although the wind remained in the west and southwest, tomorrow will be slightly cooler, with a tem perature range of 56 to 70. It will be partly cloudy. Fire Hazards All Gone, Buildings, Too--Who Pays? EAU CLAIRE (U.P) --Two men eliminated fire hazards by removing rubbish from the county fair grounds buildings late yesterday but the wind carried sparks back and the grand stand and all other build ings, except the agricultural unit, were destroyed by fire. Insurance companies sent the men to destroy the rubbish. Damage was estimated at $25,000. The loss was said to be covered fully bv insurance. Rules Drys Cannot Arrest Customers BOSTON --Patrons of speakeasies are immune from arrest, search and unlawful interference unless raiders are armed with a warrant for their arrest, according to an apparently far reaching ruling made by a fed eral district judge here yesterday. HOME EDITION PRICE THREE CENTS HILLQUIT, N. Y., AGAIN NAMED AS CHAIRMAN Morris Hillquit, New York, one of the most prominent leaders in the Socialist party for 40 years and national chairman of the party since the death of Victor L. Berger, two years ago, was re-elected to this position over Mayor Daniel W. Hoan by delegates to the national party convention late yesterday after a prolonged and tumultuous session. The election was bitterly con tested and in the heat of their feel ing delegates on both sides vehe mently made and denied charges of racial discrimination, sectional feeling and vote-getting expediency. Supporters of Hillquit claimed that the contest was the culmina tion of an organized campaign of many months' duration against Hill quit. 108 to 81. But this charge was vigorously denied by the Hoan supporters w ho claimed that they based their ad vocacy of Hoan's election purely on the ground that he was the best man for the position under present circumstances. The vote of the Individual dele gates resulted in 108 delegates vot ing for Hillquit and 81 for Hoan. On the basis of the vote the dele gates were entitled to, according to the membership they represented, the vote was: Hillquit 7,526 Hoan 6,984 Would Amend Constitution. The fight on the floor of the con vention came after appeals for party harmony were made by James H. Maurer, Reading, Pa., vice presi dential candidate; B. C. Viadeck, editor of The Jewish Daily For ward, New York, and Morris Kap lan, Minnesota, and after a motion by the Wisconsin delegation for a reconsideration of the convention ac tion on the constitutional provisions on the national chairman and the membership of the national execu tive was defeated. The Wisconsin delegation, which solidly supported Hoan, wanted to amend the constitution to do away with the position of national chair- Turn to Page Two, Column One. $1,200 Damage in Rooming House Fire Fire in the three-story rooming house of W. H. Garland, 2611 North Frederick ave., caused $1,200 dam age today^ The blaze, which was confined to the attic, forced a num ber of women roomers to leave the building. Milwaukee and vicinity: Mostly cloydy tonight, probably with showers. Tomor row partly cloudy; somewhat cooler in afternoon. Moderate to fresh southwest to west winds. Temperature range to morrow, 56 to 70. Wisconsin: Generally fair In west por tion; partly cloudy to cloudy in east por tion tonight and tomorrow. Showers Honight in extreme east portion. Some what cooler tomorrow in extreme east. 6 p. m 53! 4 a. m 51 7 p. m. ...,....52| 5 a. in ...51 8 p. m 50! 6 a. m 57 9 p. m 491 7 a. in 61 10 p. m 49, 8 a. m .67 11 p. m 49| 9 a. in ...72 Midnight 50 10 a. m ...75 1 a. m 50|ll a. m ....80 2 a. m 50!Noon ............81 3 a. m 501 Humidity: 7 p. m., 65; 7 a. m., 36; j noon, 27. Temperature. 24 hours to mid night: Maximum, 56; minimum, 46; mean. 51: normal. 56. Midnight to io a. m.: Maximum. 73; minimum, 50; wind velocity at 7 a. m., 15 miles; direction of wind at 7 a. m„ southwest; sunrise J today. 4;20; sunset, 3:17.