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CHARLOTTE, N. C. MONDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 19, 1917.
FOUNDED 1869
ft Jl KVr
SIXTY-FOURTH
CONGRESS HEAR
Ei OF ITS LIFE
Leaders Bending Every Effort to
Get Legislation Through.
WISH NO EXTRA SESSION
All Else Must Give Way to Appro- j
priations and Measures Re
lating to Defense. ;
Washington, Feb. It. With the end 1
of the Sixty-fourth Congress bat two j
weeks off. Administration leaders are s
concentrating their energise to the
enactment of revenue and national
defense legislation. Much long-pending
nixes mast give way to appropriations
and measures that relate to the prepa
rations of the Nation for eventualities
which may grow out of the diplomatic
breach with Germany.
. In the Senate, the revenue and
naval bills are to be given the right
ef way as soon aa the espionage and
anti-conspiracy bin. now under con
sideration, is out of the Way. The
House will pass the Army appropria
tion bill within a few days, and then
devote Its attention to the sundry civil
and general deficiency appropriations.
What emergency legislation may be
enacted before adjournment depends
entirely upon the decision of the
President Many believe he will com
municate within a few days bis plans
for handling the International crisis.
Prevailing opinion is that he will ask
Congress for authority to use the
armed forces of the Nation for the
protection of American seamen and
American rights on the high seas, not
with the purpose of making war, but
to open the sea to shipping.
To Ilssn ii Action.
While awaiting the next step, what
ever it may be, the Senate la deter
mined to hasten action on the revenue
bill, the naval appropriation bill
amended by the naval affairs commit
tee to carry $511,000,000, an increase
of $15,00,000 over the House bill,
and the Army appropriation bill. In
addition to these measures, the ship
ping bilL urged by the shipping- board,
extending the powers of the Govern
ment to control commercial shipping,
is of paramount Interest.
Whether there will be time for pas
sage of isilroad labor legislation and
other general bills. In view of the
congestion of essential measures, is
seriously doubted by leaders of both
parties. It has been detremlned to
proceed With the most urgent matters
regardless of the possibility of an
extra session, and there is confidence
that all the appropriation measures
except possibly the rivers and harbors
bill, can be enacted by March 4.
The Senate waa In session today for
eulogies to three members who died
during the last session, former Sena
tors Clark, of Arkansas, President
pro tempore; Shively, of Indiana, and
Burleigh, of Maine.
Don't Wish Responsibility.
House leaders are determined that
necauseXtof faHur. toaTleSSSSon
.'Tw0!11":! 1 .,U".n I
Jority Leader Kltchln, who Insists
there will be no extra session, is work-i
ins- well Into the earlv hours everv
morning In an effort to clear the
decks. The House probably could
rush through all of the President's
program If work in- the Senate was
equally far advanced.
The tentative program for this week
includes consideration of the Danish
West Indies bUL which. It is hoped,
may be passed tomorrow, and passage
of the Army, Military .Academy and
sundry civil appropriation bills. The '
Army bill, carrying an appropriation
of 8247,000.000, probably will be
passed Tuesday.
Members on both sides are confer
ring over the outlook for party' con
trol. A Republican committee will
meet .Thursday night to appoint a
sub-committee to consider and report
regarding the questloif of a committee
on committees, a steering committee
and other revisions of the rules as part
of the Republican plans for the next
House.
Prohibition legislation may crop out
at any time. The poetofflce appropria
tion bill, with Its Senate amendment
for "bone dry" prohibition, may be
called up In the House Tuesday.
When the committee moves for non
concurrence, several members, includ
ing Representatives Randall, of Cali
fornia,, Prohibitionist, will move to
concur in an effort to put the prohibi- -
tlon Issue squarely before the House.
Hemners or the rules committee, !
who have been conducting the "leak" j
Inquiry, will meet In executive session !
tomorrow to discuss making; a final j
report, which probably will be made
to the House before the end of the i
week.
FORMER SPANISH ENVOY
TO WASHINGTON DEAD
Baltimore, Feb. 18. R. E-L.De
Potestad today received a cablegram
notifying hlra of the death In Geneva.
Switzerland, on Saturday of bis rath
er. the Marquis de Potestad-Fornari.
-. . . . . . .
He was o ana was represeniauve oi
the Spanish Government at Washing
ton for many years. He later repre
. sen ted bis Government In the settle-
still, he was In the diplomatic service
of Spain In Europe. He married Miss
W. Ella Chapman, of Philadelphia.
He was a half nephew of Gen. Robert
E. Lee, his maternal grandmother be
ing Miss Lucy Lee. Besides his son
here, he leaves three daughters, two
in Madrid, Spain, and Mrs. Richard
Tighlman, of 81 David's, Penn.
CHIEF CLAIM AGENT
: FOR SOUTHERN DEAD
Washington, Feb. 18. II. M. Doo
lev, aged 70, chief claim agent for
the Southern Railway, and widely
known in railroad circles, died at his
home here today after three-days' III-
ness from acute Indigestion. Burial
jrlll bJednesdaytJ)lXo)r7nerJ.t2me,
in KnoxTl-ie, lean.
"1
THREE VESSELS ADDED TO
LIST C? I -BOAT VICTIMS
Two zeore vessels were an
nounced m being sank In yester
day's reports of the submarine
warfare, and another, the British
steasser Woreesnire, was reported
seek. Inctadlng the Worcesulre,
the tonnage destroyed was t,008.
The remits of the U-boat cub
psUgn since Frbrmary 1 are as fol-
REPORTED SUNK YESTERDAY.
Ship Tonnage.
Worceshire. British 1,173
Valdez, Britbih 2.285
Ramsdalea, British 2,548
Day's total ,008
Prerioasly reported 229,244
Total sank 333,25
Susamary of ships sank: Ameri
ran. S; other neutrals, S3; British,
; other belligerents, 7; total,
111.
IN no CITY
jgjg official Delegation Receives
American Ambassador.
Military Escort In Procession.'
El Paso Hears That Villa Has
Cone to Japan.
Mexico City. Feb. 18. The Ameri
can Aaassador Henry P. Fletcher,
arrived here late last night He was
met by officials from the Mexican
Foreign Office, members of General
Carranxa's staff and a big delegation
of Government officials headed by a
military escort. -
Ambassador Fletcher expressed his
appreciation of the courtesies fehown
him on his Journey through Mexico.
REPORT THAT VILLA ,
HAS CONE TO JAPAN
El Paso. Texas, Feb. 18. Eduardo
Soriano Bravo, Mexican Consul, to
night declared Carranza ouicui he.e
and in Juarez had heard several days
ago that Villa had embarked in dis
guise for Japan on a political mission.
"Villa has not been accounted for
since he went' to Parral about six
weeks ago," said the Consul. "How
ever, we are inclined to doubt the
story that he has gone to Japan. That
may have been Invented to account
for his absence. It is believed more
likely that he Is In hiding in the
mountains, either to try to reorganise
his bands there, or because he is sick
or wounded."
Consul Bravo said he heard that the
raid on the Corner Ranch was used
by Salazar as a diversion in order to
smuggle ammunition over the border.
i SALAZAR NOW AT
HEAD OF BIG FORCE
Columbus, N. M.. Feb.' 18. Jose
Ynez Salazar, with forces estimated at
about 5,000 men, is reported to be
moving westward from Ojltos, Army
officers said here tonight. Advices
also were received from Hachita that
-nnch netr' Corner R
and was moving westward againsl
Salazar.
tti riscai oi aaiaiiu
iC T I LtMtN rLANIMlnU
TO CHASE BANDITS
El Paso. Texas, Feb. 18. A report
is current tonight that cattlemen In
the Hachita district of New Mexico
intend to form a punitive expedition
of their own to cross into Mexico and
chase the bandits who murdered three
Mormon cowboys on the Corner
Ranch last Monday. Lem Splllsbury,
the Mormon scout lately with General
Pershing in Mexico, was said to be or
ganizing such a posse.
MEN OF LAWS CREW
HAVE REACHED ROME
Schooner's Captain Tells of De
struction of His Vessel by
Submarine. '
Rome, Feb. 17. via Paris, Feb. 18.
Captain McDonough,and the crew of
the American schooner Lyman M.
Law, recently sunk by an Austrian
submarine, arrived in Rome last even
ing with -Roger TredwelL the United
States Consul at Turin, and were in-
terroeated at the American Embassy.
Captain McDonough repeated his story
of the sinking of the schooner, add-
ing that the vessel had a Urge supply
of canned goods, especially meat.
chicken and vegetables, which doubt
less attracted the officers and crew of
the submarine In their search for food.
Captain McDonough described ths
y-puun
""f, ! Vr h hlH T,rk f ln submarine warfare, owes its
about 40 men all big, biona. hUBkyiT, ,,,,. ,J . -
fellows." Describing the approach of fJJ0. w.i?!"11! 1 oh',.a2f
the
American schooner said:'
"If my ship had been armed with a
SwnAiint.r T 4aiiM ha v. AoutmvmA
.. ... , . . . "-.
the submarine as easily as Buttering :
a piece of bread. .Neither myself ,Bs"ton tor a conference on the sub
nor my men lowered our dignity by marine question was sent by the Reu
howinr nv resentment. I did not ter Amsterdam correspondent on Feb-
ask them to spare the ship, and left
' . in , 1 1 . i . . i
. ncr nnuin(ij wu.ro wiw Auaumua ami
smiled. I wuuingion was irauBrnmea 10 uer-
Captain McDonough and his crew j many by Switzerland, the Minister of
noon will be sent to the United States. , fering, if Germany were agreeable,
Thomas Nelson Page, the American j to mediate In negotiations with the
! Ambassador, has sent a report on the
sinking of the American vessel to the
State Department at Washington.
Growing
Charlotte Must
Have More and
JtefteT School
Facilities.
C 0 N GENTRATING
FOR 1 ATTACK
ON SANTIAGO
Government Forces Will Try to
i .
i Drive Out Cuban Rebels.
i SUN DAY PASSED QUIETLY
'Only a Few Minor Brushes Re
portedPresidential Decree
Suspends Oriente Election.
Havana, Feb. 18. Sunday passed
quietly as far as revolutionary activi
ties were concerned, only a few minor
brushes between rebels and Govern
ment forces being reported from Iso
lated places.
With Ciego de Avila In its hands
Mdommunlcation with that point
Ire-established, the Government prob-
ably is concentrated its forces for an
attack on Santiago de Cuba, which
aZ and Csnaral Slmos at wept back to their tranches,, suffer-Mrnriiro0hnl?o7rnKanTGen-t
, Jnf earhe British
eral Cebreco at Baracoa. with a atta,nf 55
strong force, are preparing to march " ?e Brit sh suffered no cas
agalnst the Capitol of Oriente prov- , ualtles. The British captured 768
Tinco. j officers and men.
The partial elections which were' The Berlin War Office In its descrlp
scheduled to be held in Oriente Feb- i tlon of the Ancre fighting of Saturday,
ruary 20, and which, it was expected, ' says the positions several times
would settle the long drawn out dis- changed hands, but before abandon
pute as to whether President Menocal lng their advanced crater positions,
was to serve another four years as the Germans took 130 men prisoners,
president, or step aside for Alfredo and captured five machine guns.
Zayas, Liberal presidential candidate, . Trench raiding operations and ar
wlll not be held on that date, the I tillery duels still continue on various
president by special decree having 1 sectors of the front In France and
suspended them. A new date for Belgium. In Champagne, near Ri
these partial re-elections will have to ' pont .according to Berlin, the French
be fixed by the provincial electoral , have actively shelled the Germans in
board. j the positions captured from the
The American supply ship Dixie i French last week, but have been un
came into port this morning from ' able to launch infantry attacks ow
Guantanamo but she carried no arms, i ing to the terrific artillery reply of the
and her visit was said to be purely one Germans.
m -m ... .
of courtesy. Assistant secretary oi
State Patterson Is quoted as spying
that Carlos Cespedes, the Cuban Min
ister at Washington, had cabled in
advance the coming of war vessel to
this and other ports of the island and
adding that he had assurances from
Secretory of State Lansing that their 1
, . . , . ,
Dresence was intended to give moral
- . . . - . mans miu xvuasin ireuuues wuui ui
UPPm'Lti.h!eS ? naS inSfr D. later they were
virion a8surance8 of non-intr-1 driven out. .li i the Carpathians, a
nr Alfredo Zavas is reliably re- I trons' Austro-German work south of
ported lklngT conference with kn Jr.4 y Ba
the American Minister but Mr. Gon- 8la"8,,k. .. ; . .. .
sales would not say that he is to meet ' ,In Austro-Italian and Macedo
Mr. Zayas. who Is in hiding in or near , theaters, artillery activity p re
Havana, supposedly in a foreign le- dominates; Nothing ' new Has corns
ration. (through concerning the situation on
Numerous arrests of suspected men the Irak front, where the last reports
are being made at various points in credited the British with having taken
the Republic and reports continue to additional positions from the Turks
come in of rebels giving themselves In the region of Kut-el-Amara.
up with their arms, singly and in Two more British steamers have
small groups. been sent to the bottom by German
Troops under command of Carlos i submarines. Their aggregate tonnage
Gonzales Clavel left here this morn-
ing by train for the purpose of at-
attacking Manzanlllo.
Major Bertot, of Manzanlllo, has
taken refuge in the American consul
ate.
No confirmation has yet been re-
celved of the reported capture of two
brothers of President Monocal when
the Liberal forces took possession of
the Monocal sugar mill at Palma So
riaao. AMERICAN WARSHIP
ARRIVES AT SANTIAGO
Santiago de Cuba, Feb. 18. The
United States mine-layer San Fran
cisco arrived here this morning and
Commander Butler arranged with the
Military Governor not to allow the
warships of President Menocal or oth
ers carrying troops for the purpose of j ships, one of them flying the Ameri
attacking Santiago, to enter the har- ; can flag, sailed from here today, pre-
Dor, proviaea tne uovernor wouia not
mine the harbor or sink a ship in the
channel. No American troops have
been landed here.
WITHOUt INSTRUCTIONS
FROM SWITZERLAND
.
Minister at Washington Acted in
Effort to Bring About Resump
tion of Relations. x
Geneva,' SwiUarland, Feb. 18. Via
Paris La Suisse learns from Berne
that the Swiss Minister at Washing
ton. Dr. Paul Ritter, acted on his
own Initiative, without Instructions
from the Swiss Government, in the
action concerning resumption of re
lations between the United States' and
Germany.
- S
-A Reuter dispatch from Berne un
der date of February 17 said that
"the note presented by the Swiss Min
ister to the American Government,
lumattnK fresh negotiations reeard
ernment"
What purported to be the German
official version of the proposal made
ltk..l. a.,l.. ut.u.. tii..L
I ruary 14. This version set forth that
"a t.l.vram frnm thi Q w 4 a. HnI v. n
, .-..-. w.uu... .
American Government about the dec-
larstlon of nrohibited area, aa fhoro
t... , V A Jt n . . r -
many and the United States might be
diminished.
Tht Swiss Government" ' It was
j further declared, "was then requested
to iniorm its minister at Washington
to negotiaate with America in case
the commerce barrier against ' her
enemies remained untouched."
PENSION FUND.
New York. Feb. 18. Bishop WU-
i Ham Lawrence, of Boston, announced
here today that the old age pension
! fund .which-the Episcopal Church is
raising had passed the 7 8 5,0 00,000
mark. Original estimates; he explain
ed, required, this sum as a minimum
If the movement -was ' to be 'a -sue
"cesit .! ' '. .' ; ' ':.
GERMAN CASUALTIES
'EXCEED FOVR MILLION
London. Folk 18. Casualties In
the Germany army, exclusive of
Colonial troops, reported in the
German eiinualty lists in the month
or January, 117, totalled 17,634
officers and men killed, wounded,
prisoners or missing. The total
compiled from the list follows:
Killed and died 13,906
Prisoners , 1.S45
Missing 11.874
Wounded 48.109
Total ........ ..... 77,554
Tliewo casualties bring the total
of Germans killed and those who
died of won mis or sickness to 988,
329, and the total casualiles since
the war began to 4,087,692.
VAIN EFFORTS MADE
TO RETAKE GROUND
GAINED BY BRITISH
Attacking Germans Come on in
Waves, Only to Be Swept Back
With Heavy Losses From De
fenders' Fire.'
The Germans In the Mairumont
sector of the Ancre front In France
have striven hard to regain the posi
tions taken from them by the British
O..,o hut thir nMnmnts were
j frulUeSm according to the British War
, nm Attkhur in waves, the Ger-
Office. Attacking In waves, the Oer
mans came under the concentrated
43 Yl4uli ariina sin A WArsk
i lire ui uiv iji lunu Wk uuo nuu w w w
. Excent for -isolated attacks, the
most violent of which was delivered
by the Russians against Teutonic Al
lied positions in the Oituz valley In
Rumania, and which Berlin says was
repulsed, little fighting is In progress
in the eastern theater.
reirogretu uuimui me entry oi uer-
' , . . , -
Is 4,333. Another British steamer, the
Worceshire, 7,175 tons, is reported to
have been sunk.
A German official communication
announces the sinking during one day
by a single submarine of 51,800 tons
of Entente vessels an auxiliary cruls-
er or zu.oou tons, two auxiliary cruis
ers, or transport steamers, of 13,600
tons each, and one transport Of 4,600
tons.
TWELVE VESSELS OFF
FOR EUROPEAN PORTS
But One of Steamships to Brave
Submarine Danger Is of Amer
ican Registry.
New York, Feb. 18. Twelve steam
sumaoiy ior European ports, wnicn
1 will necessitate their passage through
the "prohibited zone" announced by
uermany. Three vessels that came
through the restricted area, one of
which was of American registery, ar
rived here.
Two of the steamers departing to
day, the British liner Laconia, for
Liverpool, and the French liner Roma,
ior Marseilles, are passenger ships.
Whether there were any Americans
on board either vessel was not dis
closed. The City of Pueblo was the lone
American vessel sailing today to brave
the dangers of the , submarine zone.
Her captain, John E. Wlllet, is a New
Yorker, and other officers, 13 in all,
are Americans, while the crew is com
posed, of Russians, Norwegians, Jap
anese, Swedes and Scotch. The steam
ship Is bound for HavreFrance, with
merchandise.
The steamer Morenl, from Mediter
ranean ports, was the only American
vessel arriving here today.
It is expected that several Ameri
can steamships will leave for the dan
ger zone tomorrow, among them the
Mongolian and Algonquin.
JO-JO SAYS
. Partly : cloudy and slightly colder;
Vain tomorrow.
Nothing will make a person color
blind Ilke'temng-TrnttrMleg. 1 "".
Cloudy
VIENNA THINKS1
SITUATION N 0 T
WITHOUT HOPE
That Break
May Be
With United States
Avoided, Possible.
FRIENDLY SOLUTION SOUGHT
Nevertheless, Dual Monarchy Is
Not Willing to Surrender Prin
ciple of U-Boat Warfare.
Vienna, Feb. 18. Via London.
Despite the fact that some of the
newspapers are taking a gloomy view
of Austro-American relations and the
situation brought about by the sever
ing of relations between the United
States and Germany, official circles
In Vienna are inclined to believe that
the situation Is not entirely hopeless.
This also is the vlfw of Frederic C.
Penfleld, the American Ambassador,
who Is doing everything possible to
assist in reaching a friendly solution
of the situation.
At this moment, there are two in
dications, though possibly they are of
little weight, which permit of the
conclusion that Washington is not
contemplating an immediate break
with Austria-Hungary. One Is the
transfer to the Embassy here of Jo
seph C. Grew, former Secretary of
the Embassy In Berlin, who arrived
here tonight from Switzerland to as
sume the duties of counselor of the
Embassy.
The second indication arises from
the fact that Secretary of State Lan
sing yesterday wired here on behalf
of various Hebrew charity organiza
tions the sum of $250,000, the amount
having been donated by American
Hebrew societies. At the Embassy
here, the opinion was expressed that
the United States Government might
not have transferred this sum had a
break between Washington and Vi
enna been even tentatively decided
on.
No Conjectures.
At the Foreign Office, no conjec
tures are indulged in regarding what
the near future may bring. The fact
that the two Governments are unable
to communicate their views more
freely than the present conditions
permit has made the exchange of
opinions slow and unsatisfactory.
The Associated Press is able to say
that the Austro-Hungartan Govern
ment as a result remains in almost
total ignorance of what measures are
needed in order to meet the views of
President Wilson and his Cabinet The
Impression here is that in Washington
It is believed the Dual Monarchy will
recede from the position taken Jointly
with Germany regarding submarine
warfare.
The feeling here, however, is that
while the Austro-Hungarlan Govern
ment might consider small modiftca
tions of the new, blockade regula
tions, as Germany has done in the
case of Holland, there is not the
slightest choice that it will yield in
the least so far as the principle In
volved Is concerned. Meanwhile, it is
said, the Government is ever ready
to listen to some proposition from
Washington, provided it 'does not af
fect In any form the submarine war
fare as it Is directed against the En
tente States and the imports from
neutral countries to these States.
Public Reconciled.
There seems to be no doubt that
official circles and the entire public
have become thoroughly reconciled
to the step the Dual Monarchy has
taken Jointly with Germany and that
the Austro-Hungarlan Government
has been ready to accept all respon
sibility for its attitude during the
past two weeks.
With the exception of a few radi
cal Germanlsts, nobody has shown
much bitterness here against the
American Government, though what
has been termed "the unfairness of
Washington" has resulted In much
disappointment. The public and the
Government alike take the stand that
President Wilson has denied the right
of self-defense In depriving them of
the only effective weapon at their dis
posal. Persons with whom the cor
respondent has talked have laid great
hopes on the American Congress. The
belief has been expressed by them
' that open debate in Congress would
lead to an understanding of the posi
tion of the Central Powers.
Much faith is placed in official and
other quarters on the prwesumption
that the United States would be un
able to put a large army In the field
In a short time, and that the war in
Europe will be over before the mili
tary strength of the United States
could be developed. Much comfort
Is found by the people generally in
the reports concerning the activity of
the submarines, the results of which
everybody hopes will be such that the
Entente will he compelled to enter
tain peace negotiations before the
United States would be In a position
to land large forces in France. .
HAMPTON ROADS CLOSED
TO SHIPPING AT NIGHT
Destroyers Charged With Use of
Such Force as Necessary to
' Obtain, Strict Compliance.
Norfolk, Va., Feb. 1 8. Hampton
Roads, fenced by a great steel net
Is closed to all shipping at night
Under an order issued today by Rear
Admiral McLean, commandant of this
naval district Certain known Ameri
can vessels In the coastwise or Chesa
peake Bay trade will be permitted
so. enter or depart up to 9 o'clock at
night but other craft will be barred
from darkness until daylight
Even by daylight ships going in or
out must be passed by patrol boats,
which will open a buoyed gate for
authorized vessels. '
Admiral McLean's order, after giv
ing instructions as to the procedure of
vessels, entering or leaving the roads,
closes with the warning that destroy
ers on guard are charged with the en
forcement of the new instructions with
such force as is necessary for strict
compliance.1 " 1 " , 1 1
NAVAL OFFICER IS
APPOINTED CENSOR
LIEUT. CMAHLES PCLKNAP
Lieutenant Belknap Is the first of
ficial censor appointed by Secretary
Daniels for all the news of this coun
try's naval affairs before it Is given
to the press. The Navy Department
Is maintaining rigid secrecy about
movements of the fleet.
United States Battle Fleet Has
Completely Disappeared.
Whereabouts Will Be Kept Se
cret Publication of Bulle
tins Has Been Suspended.
BY J. HERBERT DUCKWORTH.
New York, Feb. 18. Uncle Sam's
battle fleet has mysteriously and com
pletely disappeared. It is purposely
lost and nobody here knows its where
abouts except President Wilson, Secre
tary Daniels and the chief of naval
operations.
From now on until the end of the
war, whether we become involved in
hostilities with Germany or not It is
not likely our Navy will have its bid
ing place revealed.
Absolute secrecy of movement is the
first law of naval strategy. When the
Germans bombarded the East Coast
of England the British people angrily
demanded to know where Admiral
Jellicoe's fleet waa
' "Lost somewhere in the gray mists
of the North Sea," was all the satis
faction they got from Winston
Churchill, then First Lord of the Ad
miralty. Now it Is the turn of the American
fleet to be "lost somewhere in the
blue haze of the North Atlantic." The
Navy Department has suspended pub
lication of dally bulletins giving the
movements of warships, and Secre
tary Daniels has requested the cor
respondents not even to speculate con
cerning the whereabouts of the units
of the fleet.
Respecting this request, I do not
intend to hazard a guess as to what
has become of our first line of defense.
But from- eight months experience in
England trying to get a, line on the
goings-on of the British fleet I can
give a picture of the safeguards the
Navy Department will adopt in event
of war.
The immediate vicinity of our Navy
Yards at Portsmouth, Boston, Brook
lyn, Philadelphia, Washington,
Charleston, Mare Island, Puget Sound,
and Newport will be declared "prohib
ited areas. "
Of course, it Is Impossible to hide a
battleship, or In fact any other vessel
when it is in port but where it has
come from and where it is going, and
the location of the fleet of which it is
a part will be secrets.
All letters from ships will be cen
sored and friends of men on board
ships will be required to address let
ters "care of the Navy Department
Washington."
Should the great fleet be sent to
European waters, the fact would not
be made public unless an "Incident"
should occur. The fleet would keep
in constant touch with Admiral Wil
liam S. Benson, chief of naval opera
tions, by wireless.
Through agreement with the war
Department a board consisting of
Army and Navy officers has been or
ganized tor inspection of merchant
vessels of all kinds from liners to
harbor tugs, with a view, to -.. their
On war being declared, the greater
number of these merchantment would
be at once Impressed into service. This
collection of craft would be about all
most people would see of the grand
onerations. Carrying ammunition and
other supplies they would be kept busy
scurrying to and from the mine-protected
ports and the fleet at sea.
We have paid out hundreds of mil
lions of dollars for our fleet,- we be
lieve In our officers and men. They
are our first line of defense. ' If war
comes, we will have to trust them and
permit them to go about the business
of protecting our interests without
asking them to employ a press agent
to blazon forth their every move.
TWO KILLED AND
- NINE ARE MISSING
Of Crew of British Steamer Re
ported Torpedoed and Sunk
Without Warning.
London, Feb. 18. Lloyd's shipping
agency announced today that the Brit
ish steamer Worceshire, of 1,175 tons
gross, was reported sunk. Lloyds also
announced that the British steamship
Valdez, of 2,288 tons gross, had been
torpedoed and sunk without warning.
Two members of the vessel's crew
were killed and nine are missing. The
captain and others of the crew have
been landed.
The sinking of the British steam
ship Romsdalen, of 2,(48 tons gross,
has been announced.
No late movements of the steam
ship Valdez have toeen recorded in
the maritime registers.
The Worceshire was on a voyage to
Liverpool to Rangoon. India, and sail
ed-frtmreuwnlawuary-lt.
IN BLUE HAZE OF
NORTH ATLANTIC
WAITING POLICY.
El
1011
With Reference to Germany!
Ruthless Submarine Campaign.;
BUT NO TIME IS LOST
Preparations Go Steadily For-
ward Speculation as to When
Praeirlont Will AMraea Cnnoress
I I V4IVVIII M www w-ny
Washington, Feb. 18. The Ameri ¬
can Government continued Its wait
ing policy towards Germany's ruthless)
submarine warfare today, and' al-
thniirh It ink tn for srranted in all
quarters that President Wilson will
go before Congress on tne situation,
statement was authorized that so fa
he had made no definite plans to that
end. - '
The visit of the President to tne
Senators advisability of appearing be- .
rore a joint session to asa luuiunir
for protecting American sailors and
ships from- submarines has given rise
to much speculation as to when the
step will be taken. The belief every
where that there win oe acuon no
n.Yt wMk. if nothing hao-
uni tn nrninltntft it before. Is based
upon the Knowreage mat ine
Aant iihH to avoid cellina an extra .
i riAmMa it twiMilil.' ftnd .
oaaivu v. v"".w - '
the reiterated declarations of mem
bers of the Administration mat we
j.M.tll.na tmlfor wfllnh MASK.
nf th Atnorinan shins in overseas
trade have been frightened lute can
celling sailing oates, cannot am pw-
miuea to conunuw. - .
Tho amatl numbr of vessels SUDlC
bv submarines within the past lew-
days is attracting no uiuv Bwnumn
nrtinioi. aiwavs nolnt out. however.
that this does not alter Jtne tact was ,
through fear of the consequences.
American ships and many of those of
other nationalities are remaining ns
port The opening of Halifax as "
port of examination, allowing some '
vessels to avoid the danger area by
not going to Kirkwall,, is expected te
mmawhit iMuutn the , effectst of the
virtual blockade of eastern Americas
ports. - ' '
' Every means at the disposal of the
Government continues to be used te
prepare for any ' eventuality, and the
Administration believes no time has
been wasted. If a decision te arm
American merchantmen should b
reached, It is understood that It coul4
be done very quickly. , -
X llvTV i ma wqu uw w --- - .
ments in the situation between the
United States and Aiistria-Hungary
and Turkey. While press dispatch? j
frnm Berlin told of the dispatch eg
official word of the release of the
ill uni iizmu ihwiivi. v.. m' '
gel Yarrowdale, the receipt cf the
notice has not been announced by the
State Department- .
SPANISH NEUTRALITY Z
SUBJECT OF DISCUSSlOri
Animated Debate In Cortes Over
Spain's Attitude Relative tst
the War. vJrV
Madrid, Feb. 18. Via Paris Span-
lsh neutrality was the subject of ani
mated discussion In the Cortes last
night when several deputies questioned
the Premie", Qount d-v Romanones,
on the attlt nte of the vernment la
the war. T'n Presofer .said the Gov
ernment wh abovo 'all neutral as be
tween tire two opposing elements, and
had shown Its attitude very distinctly ;
In the action taken in connection with,
several moves of- the United States;
one, the invitation to Intervene for
the re-establishment of peace, and an
other invitation to declare war against
Germany, .
Deputy Rodes, Interrupting the
Premier, said that this declaration by
Count de Romanones .was incorrect.
because the United States had never
Invited Spain to declare war.
Amid considerable excitement la
the chamber, caused by this remark,
the Premier replied that In reality the
United States had invited Spain only
to break off diplomatic relations witn
Germany and added:
"Spain Is the mend of all the bel
ligerents and all neutrals, and for
that very reason it cannot undertake
discussions of negotiations .which
would have the effect, of Injuring our
friendships and , our tranquility." "
? The Premier closed the debate by
ueotanng mat ins uuvcrnmcni vonia
muniun wiia pnae iim mavsuir ana
would defend all points of Its note
to Germany protesting against the
submarine blockade. - ' j
WILL TAKE CHARGE OF "
SOCIAL SERVICE WORK
New York, . Feb. 18. The Rev.
Worth M. Tippy, pastor. of Madisoa
Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church,
reported to be the highest salaried,
pastor In his denomination has ac
cepted at a sacrifice of $4,800 a year
the office of secretary in charge of
social service In the Federal Council
of Churches of .Christ In America and
announced- his resignation as paster
today. ' ' -' '. -
He was prompted in this step, he
said, by a sincere desire to partici
pate ' in a movement soon to be
launched In which 207,000 churches
of all denominations are expected to
Join for the expansion of social ser
vice. . ,
FARM LIFE SCHOOL . I,
GETS PRIZE BULL
Special to The Observer. ; -
China Grove, , Feb. ,18. The , ret
lstered Holsteln bull, won by thm
Farm Life School Judging team at
the State Livestock Association meet
ing, - arrived Tuesday from Winston
Salem. The prise was donated by P.
H. Hanes, of Winston-Salem. The
calf is 18 months of age, and weigh
I, 000 pounds, .mi . I