AMERICAN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 September 1923, Page 2

AMERICAN ITEMS.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. PRESS STRIKE CRIME. NEW YORK, Sept. 23. The first tragic occurrence to grow out of the pressmen’s strike is the death of George Davis, aged 50 years, who was employeod in the mailing room of the “New York American.” Deceased was badly beaten by an unknown assailant in a dark passageway, leading from the newspaper’s press room.

The incident lias deeply stirred popular feeling and the newspaper has offered a reward of 2500 dollars for the discovery of the assailant.

The Police Department, which has surrounded all newspaper plants with cordons of policemen since the pressmen walked out, is making every effort to find the assailant and half the availale detective force is being assigned to this duty.

There have been minor incidents of violence during tile past tew days, motor lorries carrying newspapers being upset, and volunteer pressmen intimidated.

The strike lias proved an unbelievable interruption of normal eitv life, and popular attention is being centred as never before, upon the labour difficiiltv.

Moreover, tile end is not yet evident, the pressmen to-day voting to continue tlie strike, despite first reports of a settlement.

Endeavours will be made to import pressmen from outside cities, but it is probable that the combined limited editions of newspapers will routine for some time, and without advertisements. | U.S.A. PRESIDENT’S VIEWS. WASHINGTON, Sent. 21. In his first public address since bis incumbency, President Coolidge, at the opening of the American Red Cross Convention, said: “America will remain ltnenQiimbered by spoils, and also independent, unattached and unbought. The need of civilisation is an idealism that does not seek reform merely h.v a legislative act, thinking to unload its burden upon the Government, as if to be relieved of further effort. The world is coming more and more to rely on moral forces, and less on physical, but the ideals of human brotherhood and service are idle dreams unless they can be transmitted into practical action. It is necessary to avoid the illusions of visionaries. Each individual ancl each nation owes its first duly to itself. Each must work out its own destine.”