AMERICAN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 July 1923, Page 2

AMERICAN ITEMS.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. AAI ERF CAN LABOR. NEW YORK, duly "• Chicago icports two new poiitiial parties ,•ime into being on Friday, the federated former Labour Parly and Farmer Labour Party. Both announced intention of entering the 1924 election campaign with separate platforms and candidates. A Convention was called with the object ol creating a single farmer Labour Party, but a majority of the Farmers Labour Party refused to affiliate with tlu» federated Hotly, when tho latter's control was gained by leaders favouring recognition of the Russian Soviets and policies ol Aloseow rule. The Farmer Labour Party decided to retain the support of the American Federation of Labour, by vigorously opposing the radical tendency.

ENGINE ROOM STRIKE. NEW YORK. July 7. Sixty-four members of the engineroom stuff of the giant White Star liner Adriatic, delayed the ship’s sailing for an hour while- they forced the ship'-, master, Captain Beadnell, to sign an agreement by which each man would receive £5 bonus upon arrival at Liverpool. They even compelled Beadnell to come out on the street and carry on negotiations, while on the vessel more than a thousand passengers waited. Twenty-one firemen had deserted the previous day and when tho chief engineer Ruddle, had not supplemented the force with new men, the strikers sent a. demand to the captain! for a. bonus declaring they wore compelled to work an extra shiit. The captain said he had no authority to gram the bonus and the strikers took their belongings and camped outside the pier. Hurried telephone calls to the White Star executive resulted in an agreement to grant the bonus but the men refused to return until the Captain descended into the street and wrote an agreement. ROCKFE LL FR’S BIR 1H1)A V. NEW YORK. July

John I). Rock feller is -till probably the richest man in the world. I osierday he celebrated his 81th birthday at home in a local -üburb. Mr Boekfcller’s life 25 years ago was despaired of owing in ill-lualth. His physician today predicts lie will live to be 100 by reason of his rigid diet, and simple life. He 1 i-es early, and plays » lew holes of golf every morning. He wears warm clothing and has congenial ti icliils.

Mr Rock feller, on ouch birthday, has a bariil concert, but a- yesterday was Sunday, lie went instead to the church, which' his friends built, and distributed among the cbil 'ren 15 new tiveoent j.-ietes. Formerly it was hi- custom to distribute 10-ient piece', nr might pennies.

Mr Rock feller, "lull asked for a statement -aid : “There are too many p Ct ,p!e who talk in this woild. I had hatter be silent.” He has distributed 500,000,000d01. in various philanthropic works. XAVAL ARMAMENTS. XEW YORK. July 8. The. “Xew York Times” Washington correspondent learns that the General Board of the T'.S.A. Xuvy has submitted a plan which Naval Secretary Denl>y has approved, to maintain in fighting trim a minimum naval force at sea of eighteen first line battleships, irrespective ot what action Franco takes regarding tho Washington Naval Treaty. A strong feeling, however, exists among an important faction in Congress that when France approves, the United States will he able to reduce its navy below the size authorised in the treaty. The correspondent finds that tho officials are inclined to approve, of the Japanese sentiment (already cabled) for a British-Anterican-Japanese pact in tho event of a French failure to approve of the treaty.