AMERICAN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 June 1923, Page 3

AMERICAN ITEMS.

♦ ALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. r.S.A. OFFICIAL VERSION*. WASHINGTON*. June 10. The Federal Prohibition C'onimissinn“■sSS- or, Mr Hayes, issues a statement recounting his work done during the first two years of the Harding administration in the enforcement of Prohibition. He declares the sentiment of the country is growing in favour of enforcement. and expresses a confident hope that tho problem is growing progressively easier of solution, though lie still is unable to obtain adequate co-opera-tion in many eastern communities, especially on the Atlantic seaboard. Ho says the Federal Government has brought 05,750 criminal and 3,500 civil *>. cases against prohibition violators, anti has secured 43,905 and 3314 convictions respectively. Afore than 0,500.000 dollars of fines have been collected. X.S.W. SHIPPING HOARD. NEW YORK. June 11. Mr Lasker has advised the President that the Government should assume the direct operation of 250 of the U.S.A. Shipping Board’s 1.450 vessels, maintain two hundred ships as a reserve, and scrap the remainder. Ihe total dead weight tonnage of the vessels re- . taind would he 2,950 thousand. TERRIBLE FLOODS. (Received inis dav at' 9.25 a.m.) NEW YORK, June 11. Thousands of families have been driven from their homes. Five persons were killed and millions of dollars damage done by floods winch are sweeping large areas in Kansas, OkUdiama, and Texas, duo to the torrential rains swelling the rivers hi the northern half of Oklahoma which is virtually inundated. Three thousand persons are homeless in Arkansas City and Kansas alone.

COMPULSORY ' ARBITRATION. (Received this day at 1.0 p.m.) WASHINGTON, June 41. The Supreme Court unanimously declared unconstitutional the Kansas Industrial Court law which essayed to prevent strikes by requiring employers and employees in the industries affected with public interest to submit their disputes to the Court for compulsory arbitration. r I lie Industrial Court virtually dictates the prices of necessaries as well as wages while denying the workmen the right to strike. The opinion stated hv the Industrial Court, insofar as it permits the fixing of wages, is in conflict with t le fourteenth amendment, and it illegally deprives the plaintiff of property and liberty of contract. Afr Gompers, the Labour l ender, generally has been one of the bitterest opponents of the Industrial Court throughout Us three years’ existence.