WuMaftm, Aug. I.—UfiiUUon
that hu almost rompietad it* work
■■In Woedrow Wilaon virtual dicta
tor of the United MMh.
Dicta torahlp la a word utranga to
d—ni i ariaa, but the pwiri conferred
upon tha Praatdant bacauaa of war
time* amount to little laaa. No king
or rular of a foarign (ovamnunt to
day p**■■■**■ tha pawar and authori
ty of tha Preaidant of thi* country; no
crowned haad la aa heavily weighted
with raaponaibillttf.
Tha authority Kan baan gradually
baatowad Law aftor law hax baan
enacted with tha Proeident'a name
writtan .into fundamental prnviaiona.
Tha public ha* raad from tuna to tuna
that "tha Praaidant ia given authori
ty" to do thia or that. In tha atraaa
and aatltwmnt of war condition*
theac thing* have baan raad hurriedly
by tha man and woman at the braak
faat or dinner table and eaueed only
paaaing comment.
Holds UnUliM at RlOM.
Few parsons appreciate how thesa
power* waava into one another; how j
the President today has dominion over I
practically ever; inhabitant and every
industry of the United States; how his I
authority in the aggregate surpasses |
anything in the history of republics, j
It is only by a resume of the session's,
legislation that one grasps the mean-1
ing of it all and realizes how the dea-'
tinies of the nation and all th ■- re
is in it are in the hands of the man in!
the White House.
noticeable than ever during the past
four months, that he can see no one
save the most important personages,
and that he is working in practical se
clusion at a job bigger than ever en
trusted to any human.
Within the week a conference com
mittee has been agreed upon, and one
body of Congress has approved the
food control bill. The same state
ment applies to the "priority shif
ment'liill. Conference reports on
both of thse measures went through
the house and doubtless will be ap
proved by the senate this week. With
the senate this week. With the sen
ate approval the major legislation of
the session except the war revenue
bill will have been put on the statute
liooks and the last links forged in
President Wilson's chain of power.
Power Given President.
And now, what power has the Presi
dent received ? Take the laws, one by
one, passed in the rioting days of the
last session and the four months a war
session.
The food control bill empowers the
President "by reason of the existence
of a state of war" to issue rules and
regulations that will prevent the man
ipulation of food prices, the hoarding
of foodstuffs and injurious speculation
therein. He is empowered to regulate
also the distribution and sale of fuel,
farmiag implements, fertilizer and
other things entering into the produc
tion of food. The President may li
cense the important manufacture,
storage and distribution of necessar
ies and to force a discontinuance of
evil practices and unjust rates and
prices.
The President may fix the price of
coal and coke and take over mines and
operate them . lie may limit the
amount of foodntuffs entering into the
manufacture of malt or vinous liquors
or prohibit their brewing. He may
enter the business of purchasing and
selling foodstuffs and guarantee a
reasonable profit and price to the pro
ducer and the consumer.
The priority shipment Sill empow
ers Provident Wilson to direct, in
the name of the nation's security and
.iafenaa, -htpmctiU at railroad* and
p»wwd to demand Ik* prefei eiitlai
«hipm«nt by tke eomman ranters at
certain dum at fraigkt. Otkar
freight mutt wait. If a man kai a
carload of hoaeeknld furniture «•»
route to hia naw home tka Praaulant
tfiiy aidttreck that car Mid conp^l tht
railroad to handle tha freight la which
tka governaiant la interooted. Tka
ordinary travalar la of aeeondary com
■idaration In war tiaiaa.
Ta (fin Artartaa Carpa.
Prealdewt WII*on Is alao empowered
to uaa tka ai wad forcaa at tka United
■State* to pravant tka retardation at
tka paaaage at tka mail* or of fraigkt
in inter*tat* commerce.
Tka aviation bill carrying an appro
priation of $640,000,000 for tka land
ing of a groat aerial flaet to tke bat
tlefield* of Europe, cloth* tke Preei
dent with autkority to "provide tka
additional comniaaionad personnel re
quired by tkia act;" he ia to officer tke
aviation corpa and may uaa tke draft
in obtaining aviators and the United
State* will train tfcouaanda of avia
tor*.
The espionage bill authoritaa the
president in war time to govern the
movement of any vaaaal, foreign or
domestic, in Industrial water* of tha
United States. Ha may taka full con
trol and poaaaaaion of any veseel to
preserve tha rights and obligations of
tha United States.
Furthermore, tha President may
withhold claarance from any vessel
believed to be carrying fuel, arms or
ammunition to any enemy of the Unit
ed States. Ha may seize any muni
tions of war baliavad to be ready for
shipment to an enemy.
The same bill gives President Wil
son power to put an embargo on cer
tain exports. If tha public safety
shall so require, the Praaidant may ia
ding exports from this country of
"any article or articles mentioned in
such proclamation' am; thereupon it
shall be unlawful to export them.
The great general deficiency bill,
appropriating more than $3,000,000,000
for army and navy needs, empower?
the President to enforce these broad
powers:
To requisition any ship under con
struction in this country for a private
purchaser or a foreign government.
To take over shipyards, in whole or
in part, and commandeer their output
for the United States.
To direct the expenditure of a fund
of $750,000,000 for the construction of
a merchant fleet to be used by this
country during the war.
Authority to Raise Army.
Amendments to the law creating the
war rink insurance bureau, authorize
the President to issue a proclamation
'•uspending the judgement no further
necessity for such insurance exists.
The army conscription law gave to
President Wilson Authority to raise
an army for service in Europe, the
selections to be made by draft and not
volunteer enlistments. This legisla
tion represented the first departure is
concerned, from the volunteer system.
Under its provisions the commander
in-chief is today raising an army of
1,000,000 men to go to France.
The President also may make regu
lations governing the sale of liquors
about training camps and the sale of
liquors to officers and enlisted men.
The army la now "bone dry;** so is the
navy.
Previously there was legislation
which enabled the President to draft
into the federal service officers and
men of the national guard. The great
est bond issue bill in the world's his
tory gave Secretary McAdoo "with the
approval of the President," the right
to Issue $5,000,000,OuO :n lionds and
f 2,0(K),000,000 In short term certificates
of indebtAMS and to make loans ag
gregating $3,000,000,000 to foreign
governments with whom the United
State* is now allied. •
The act of May it authorized the
I Pruident to take immediate posses
■tea of and title to u; riml within
the watora of the United Stetoa ha
longing to fltnmij -r any natiea
with which thia country ia at war
The Preeident wu Mapowerod to a*,
ante, Ia««i. chartar and equip iuch
vaaaala for lorriaa of tha United
Stotea. Tha naval appropriation bill
ina tha Preeident an warganry
fund of to ba expended at
hia direction, to eapadite eeaatrwction
of naval vaaaala. In addition tha
Praatdant woa eatpowarod te rntnman
daar any aatabliahmont capable of
Making ahipi or war material for tha
navy. Eatabiiahmant of harbor da
fanaa lonee and of dafanatva aaa xonaa
by tha Praatdant waa providad far in
thia bill. Legislation forbidding
"trading with tha enemy" givaa tha
Praatdant authority to naaka ragula
tiana which will prohibit commercial
intercourse batwaan citlxana of tha
Unitod Stetoa and hor anamiaa. Thia
bill ia ona of iwaaping authority.
Specific aad Gaaaraf Power*.
Early in<<ba war tha Preeidant waa
givan a lump ium appropriation of
9100,000,000 to ba uaad for purpoaa*
of national dafanaa and proeocution of
tha war. No atringa wore tied to thia
eum and tha Preaident may uae it ia
any way ha aaaa fit.
The war declaration against Ger
many prove* that the President "be,
and ia hereby authorized and directed
to employ the entire naval and mili
tary force* ofthe United States and
the resource* of the government to
carry on war against the imperial
German government; and to bring the
conflict to a successful termination all
the resources of the country are here
by pledged by the Congress of the
United State*." Thia pledge ia *o
generous that the President may take
almoat any action which he deem* ne
c canary to win the tar.
able him to Mice all wire)*** station*
and maintain them for government
um, to ccn*or all cable and telegraph
message*, to commander any of the
industries of the United States need
"or the prosecution of the war, and to
-equisition land and factories thai
Biay be needed in the training of an
army or in supplying clothing, food,
1 fuel, and ammunition for the army
and navy.
,io nuniunmtni in so large mat
the President cannot ronraindttr it
in th« name of the national defense
and none is so small that it does not
<-ome within the war powers of the ex
ecutive.
War legislation of the session cen
tralizes power in the White House and
under it the President may take action
affecting the industries of the nation
and every man. woman and child in it.
A complete resume would require col
umns of space.
Other nations conduct the war
largely through war cabinets and min
isters change with politics and vice
versa, things may be done in the name
of the king of England or France, for
instance, but the war board is the di
recting spirit. The Congress of the
United State* and its constitution has
delegated practically all war power to
the President of the United States and
the entire cabinet and the council of
nation defense might quit tomorrow
and yet the President could continue
the war and designate other agencies
to carry out his wishes. The power
centered in him is so great and the
end probably is not yet, that only the
word dictatorship describes what Con^
gress in it* confidence has created in
this greatest of all democracies.
Russian Slacker* Marked
Petrograd, Aug. 4.—The command
ing general of the twelfth Russian
army, has decided that all soldiers be
longing to units which disbanded ow
ing to mutiny or refusal to take part
in an offensive shall wear on their
arms a distinctive emblem which shall
be black in color.
When their conduct under Are shall
have rehabilitated them they will be
permitted to discard the emblem.
r
BRITISH TANKS PROVE
WOKTH IN CONFLICTS
I British Headquarters to Frmnc. and
Belgium, Aug. 4.—(By the Associated
F>—■>—The grsat snaartrna of link
which want tate action with tha British
infantry at dawn Tueeday proved their
right to a place among the modern en
gines of war. Tha hattla of fltnlan'
furnished tha Moat comprehensive teat
of tha worth of tha Monatora aa fight
ing machines whwh baa fat boan given
and they cam through tha rnhal
with flying colon notwithstanding tha
fact that thay wara operating undar
tha moat trying conditions of terrain.
Tha opening at tha conflict aaw a
considerable concentration of tanks.
Fewer tanks proportionately wara
knocked oat by a direct bit than in any
previous engagement. Tha total of
the casualties among the tank crews
was remarkably low and moat of theae
wara among man who deliberately left
off tha cover of thair iron fort and
worked in the opening under machine
gun lire.
The material damage by the tank*
to the enemy defense* wa* enormou*
and prisoner* itate that vary heavy
casualties were inflicted on the Ger
man*.
That the enemy i* extremely afraid j
of the tank* i* without question and I
in numerou* instance* the German*!
surrendered freely on the appearance >
of one of these engines, which truly'
are of terror-inspiring appearance. At ,
one place eight German officer* -<ur%j
rendered when a tank crawled up and
threatened to open Are and HO soldiers j
were captured Jyr a
There were accidents which though j
| regrettable, were not without teaches'
of humor. One tank which wa* trund-1
! ling in the dark toward the front'
! sometime before the battle, encounter-'
. ed railway wagons standing at a cross
ing. The operator of the tank did not
see the obstacle and the engineer of
the train eould not hear the approach
of the tank because of the noise made
by hi* machinery. The tank went
through the train a* if it were made of
paxeboard and continued its lumber
ing but ruthless way, leaving one of
the railway wagons much the worse
for wear.
i The tanks did much fighting in the
difficult country about Saint Julien
and Frezenberg and in the territory
lying directly east of Zillebeke. At
the defenses near Frezenberg a spec
tacular battle occurred. The»e con
sisted of two strong redoubts, one of
which was known as the "castle." In
front of them flows the Hanebeck and
the surrounding ground was marsh
like and difficult for heavy bodies to
move acroes. The attacking tanks
1 advanced over the stream and sodden
ground under heavy fire from the ma
chine guns in the redoubts and the
anti-tank guns hidden behind the for
tications.
One tanker worked its way around
the castle and. open fire, drove all the
defenders into the other redoubt. It
then forced its way to the rear of the
occupied redoubt, and compelled all
the enemy to flee back to the castle,
where, in a frenzy of fear, the Germans
iook refuge. At this point other
tanks joined in the fray and after sur
rounding the castle delivered a con
certed assault, clearing the castle for
the second time, as well as all the out
lying defenses.
Another tank attacked Saint Julien
with the infantry. It drew the fire of
a small fort to the west of the village
and turned aside to deal with this. One
shot only it fired at the fortification
and the Germans to a man ran out
with hands raised, crymg "kamerade,"
and gave themselves up. This was a
capture totalling 00 prisoners. -
MIL ROOT TO ENTER
WILSON'S CABINET?
II U CUii.d TTm War Cm mm H
Rt^abliaaa Pruy—irt—
Bapraaam fad.
Wuhin|ton, A tiff- T.—TWra ia a
■trong bailaT In (U«|i aaaional rirelaa
that Praoidant Wllaon will n-onuiiu
hia rabinat within • ahort tlUM and
that Elihu Root, now rttuminf from
hia Koaian miaaion. ia carta in to b«
on* of thoaa whom tlw Praatdawt win
■alart aa • lambar at hia official fam
ily. Many elate that Mr. Wllaon haa
tha whut eabinat in yaara. Mo ona
and ranch about thla daring ordi
nary ttmaa, bat now that tha country
ia at war it ia eontaftaa that tha Praai
dont ahould surround himaaif not only
with big man, but man of all political
faitha.
The President at thia tima haa tha
biggest job of any man m tha world.
Ha haa mora powar and mora raapon
sibillty. Fear la expressed that Mr.
Wilson may break down under thia
haavy burden unleaa he haa men
aratutd him to aba re hia trouble! who
can think with a nonpartisan mind.
It la being oread, therefore, that he
•elect the biggest men poaeible from
all three of the big parties. Demo
crat, Republican and Progressive, and
that capital and labor both be rep
resented in the men whom he shall
select.
Elihu Root is without doubt one of
the brainiest men in the country and
therefore he is being talked of as a
possible selection to head the state
department. It is not even known
that Root would have the place, but
many of his friends declare that he
would acept the portfolio simply on
patriotic grounds should the Preai
III ■ IM II ■ I I ■■■ I
velt is talked of as Tiead of either the
navy or war department, but so far
this is merely gossip. There is real
reason, however, to Relieve that the
President is seriously considering
Root as a member his official fam
ily and should he take this step ip is
certain to make a number of changes
in his cabinet.
TV!. * L^. i. Li UaL ...
mis war cannot be rougnt eitn«r u
a Democratic or Republican proposi
tion. It is too big 'or any on* man
or any one or all political parties un
less such parties work together.
Thoue who are advocating the non
political cabinet feel «ftat all parties
should be allowed to put their shoul
ders to the wheel and work together.
James H. Pou, of Raleigh, one of
the strongest supporters the President
has, and incidentally one man who is
doing a great work in North Caro
lina to help fight the war, many
months ago suggested that changes as
above outlined, might be made in the
interest of greater efficiency.
Had not the war been forced upon
this country it is known that Presi
dent Wilson would have re-organized
his cabinet soon after March 4. of
this year. The President, his friends
believe, did not think it wise to make
any changes when th<> war situation
was so serious, because of the effect
it might have had in Berlin. Such a
condition does not exist now, because
in making these changes the Presi
dent would be doing nothing less than
bringing all factions in the country
more closely together and thereby
bringing the war to a close that much
sooner.
The President has no ill feeling to
wards any members of his cabinet so
far as it is known here in Washing
ton. Such changes as he may make
would be in the interest of the coun
try's welfure without regard to politi
cal alignments. He would pick the
biggest men he can And, wherever he
finds them and assign them to the
places which they can best flU. He
would give them a certain work to
do and hold them responsible for that
part of the national defense.
If such changes are made there
would be little, if any use for the so
This board haa mimpliAW littla
ud thara noa no pens part of Ma
•ppttn to bo no haad U> tha council
and no ana knows jaat what tba duttaa
mm.
Lot mm raayanaibta haad da tlM
baying and lat ting of contracts far tW
gnvarnroant and allow thasa h mdiadi
M boainaaa Man who rnapm tha ac
tional dafanaa rnuncil go hack hooM
and halp manufacture gooda far tk*
/ovammant naada, la tha way ona man
put* it. TIwm man ran sarra tha
i -f>un try bat tar at ha«a in thair par
! tkular Una of boainaaa than thay cm
1 hara in Waahington whara ovary body
; aatns to bo trying to got mto tha
' ami "duck pond." That pond la ta
' oaa how much buainoaa can ba obtain
ad for thair particular linaa. In auuiy
instances.
MYSTERIOUS FACTORY
OUT AFTER EMPLOYES
Greensboro Mechanics Offered
Fancy Pay For 18 Months of
Virtual
Greensboro News.
Greensboro has been visited by aa
agent looking for expert mechanics far
s factory which will be employed in
the manufacture of a new invention.
The secret of the device is to be care
| fully guarded and one of the retire
ments to which the mechanics have to
subscribe is that for 18 months they
1 .thall be segregated from their fellow
men of the outside. In other words,
those chosen and who accept the offers
being made will be virtually prisoners
for the next 18 months.
It is stated that the agent here ten
dered positions in the factory to sever
al young men who are good automobile
mechanics, and the offers were said te
that a man with a family might
ry his family along and live together
in the segregated town which will be
: constructed for the employes in the
mysterious factory.
The work of the man who was here
in the interest of this endeavor was
dene quietly, but it is not yet ap
parent that he will get recruits front
Greensboro.
It is understood that the advisory
board of mechanical expert* which is
co-operating with the government has
produced some instrument or im
provement on an old instrument for
use in warfare which is expected to
have a distinct bearing upon the strug
gle in which the country is engaged
and this factory with its secluded em
ployes is to make this article. Wheth
er this is true, or the persons con
cerned are merely desirous of getting
expert mechanics for the develop
ment of various ideas which are to ha
kept secret is not known.
NEW LIBERTY LOAN
DATE NOT YET SET
Issue Likely to Be *3,000,000,
000, to Carry at Least Foot
Per Cent.
Washington, Aug., 2.—When Sec
retary of the Treasury McAdoo left
Washington this afternoon for hia
summer home in Pennsylvania he bad
not determined upon the date for
floating the next Liberty Loan.
Neither had any of the details of hia
loan been agreed upon, either aa to
the amount or the rate of the interact
the bonds will carry.
It is generally conceded, howaver,
that bonds to the value of $3,000,004^
000 will be issued and that the rate of
interest is likely to be higher than
tha initial loan, which carried three
and a half per cent. The big beak
ers throughout the country, and ee
pecially in New York City, are de
manding that the rate of Intereat on
the next loan be fixed at either few
or four and a half per cent.
11m second loan will be floated ta
the same manner as the Aral oae. 9