THE
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FULL LEASED WIRE SERVICE
i
VOL. XXIII. NO. 99.
WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA, FRIDAY AFTERNOON, APRIL 27, 1917.
PRICE FIVE CENTS,
i
WULMING
iLJIk3)Jr jfi, 1L vuitFlt 3i EDITION
GREAT IK F K
EOT? TO BEAT. ffllEMY
Balfour Sends riack Home
First Report ot fcSig Kecep
tion in America.
PUT HEADS TOGEATHER
ON NAVAL OPERATIONS
Financiers of the Commissions
Also in Close Consultation.
Bank of London Official
Goes to New York On Busi
ness. (P.y Associated Press.)
Washington, April 27. -Arthur
James Balfour, head of Great Britain's
mission here, today sent to England
his first report of the reception ac
corded the commission and the pm-
x : 1
gross oi negotiations, wmuu, u
stated on behalf or tne commission,
would be "very joyous news for the
British people."
This, Mr. Balfour's first report,
will be made public through the Lon
don Press Bureau.
Mr. Balfour, it was stated, is eager
to make the whole situation a mat
tor of popular knowledge and of in
terest to both countries and to lay
not only before the two governments,
but before the two peoples through
me press all possible details except,
of course, military and naval infor
mation. Rear Admiral Sir Dudley R. S. De
Chair was today presented by Secre
tary Daniels at the Navy Department
jto the heads of all the various bu
reaus, for an intimate aiscussion
with the specialists on each line as
to submarines, patrol, blockade, con
structions and kindred subjects. This
is the beginning of the detailed con
ferences of experts which will work
cut the actual lines of co-operation
under general principles.
Mr. Balfour has worked out a
complete statement of allied needs in
such a way as to give the American
officials the information as to how
most efficiently to assemble American
resources. '
Lord Cuncliffe, governor of the
Bank of England, went to New York
today to confer with various bankers.
Military, naval and financial co
operation between the United States
and France were discussed today by
members of the French mission and
representatives of the American gov
ernmpnt. The ground work for con-
terences between theBjitish, French
and American representatives was ex
pected to be laid later at a confer
ence between Foreign Minister Bal
four, head of the British mission, and
j- Viviani, head of the French party.
rne chiefs of the missions had an
appointment to meet at the headquar
ters of the French mission.
viviani todav visited the Su
preme Court and received some call
ers among them Charles M. Schwab,
01 the Bethlehem Steel Corporation.
'idisnai Joffre workpri in his st.uriv
M i members of his staff, lunched
the Army and Navy Club and later
''Sited tho rn rui ,
Z ,u Jne milltary contingent went
" war Denart
Department and con-
ferred
Wth members of the general
Admiral f!hrrhoT.ot f tha
section conferred at the Navy
JJPanroent with Admiral Benson,
sea '1 naHi members, discussed over
of i a.nsports and tn participation
01 Uf. American navy.
CNGRESSMAN HOOD
tAKS AGAINST BILL
v.iBy Geor9e H. Manning.)
thP u "culse wood, in a speech in
House f r ..Z.. ,!.
niKf "l '--iuesenLaiives last
cijj '' 0xplained his reasons for de
tee hiii VOte for the House commit
ainiv v,Prviding for rising the war
sortinJ !"ough volunteers before re
tirgPfi the selective draft, 'as
mr advisers n
SSTOWN30MBED
OI UNKNOWN AVIATOR
Rnr (5y Associated Press.1
paris )T tWltzerland, April 27 (Via
Unov,n Tuesday night an un-
town of p flew er the Swiss
sive bornT0rrentrui7 throwing explo
Hildino? V1 seriously damaging
people a curing a number of
night 'worirWatch factry. in which
Slrwck ti, was Proceeding, was
lelegranh beinS blown off and
strove 3.nd telephone wires de-
chld u-J. ?e Persons, including a
Cities 1 1D3ured- The military au
Cfltinaiitt rSef,kinS the identity and
"Ul!y of hp aviot
ifiun
, ' : I
AGREE ON RAISE IN DEMUR. '
RAGE.
4
(By Associated Press.)
Washington., April 27. The
railroads of the country and the
chief shippers, represented in -X-X-
the National Industrial Traffic
League, have agreed upon a 100
55- per cent, increase in demurrage -J5-
charges over the rate in effect
prior to December 1, last, when -X-
emergency rates were prescribed
by the Interstate Commerce l
if Commission.
The new rates which will go -Jf
- into effect May 1 provide charges
of $2 per. day on each car de-
& tained for unloading, after arri- -55- j
sf val at its destination, for the 4f
-" first four days, and $5 a day
thereafter.
STATE BONDS MAKE
FINE SHOWING
Bids For Nearly Half Million,
Recently Authorized
Opened Today.
(Special to The Dispatch.)
Raleigh, Nv C., April 27. Fourteen
hundred and fifty-one thousand dol
lars stacked up1 against the first half
million series of three million author
ized for State institutions recently
after the opening of bids today. The
Wachovia Bank and Trust Company,
Winston-Salem, took the entire half
million at 4 per cent., with $1,250
premium, but the Citizens' National
of Raleigh, bidding on $150,000, with
$602 premium, combined with the
Wilmington Savings and Trust Com
pany's $100,000, with $112 premium,
and added to three smaller bids, threo
and three-quarters and three ninety
eight rate of interest, made a differ
ence of $170 in favor of individual
bids.
The State Treasurer could not
award the bids without consultation
as to cost of new plates. It was gen
erally agreed that the Wachovia's bid
would figure out $200 better than the
combined ones. Another series opens
in a few days. Everybody is happy
over the fine sale.
BOTH FRANCE AND
ITALY TD GET
United States Will Make Fur
ther Foreign Loans
Shortly
(By Associated Press.)
Washington, April 27. Loans by
the United States to France and
Italy within the next fortnight, pos
sibly within a week, was indicated to
day as the outcome of negotiations
in progress between French and Ital
ian representatives and Treasury De
partment officials. The amounts of
the loans have not been definitely
determined, but indications are that
France will get approximately $100,
000,000 and Italy a smaller sum. The
money would come from a further is
sue of treasury certificates of indebt
edness. The issue of another block
up to $250,000,000 is under consider
ation by Secretary McAdoo. Mean
time, Mr. McAdoo is accepting belat
ed subscriptions to the first issue of
$250,000,000, already over-subscribed.
More than $5J00,000 in subscriptions
have been accepted during the last
24 hours.
ARMY RECRUITING
TAKES ANOTHER SLUMP
(By United Press.)
Washington, , April 27. The total
number cf recruits for the regular
army yesterday was 1,375, a slump.
from the 2,000 daily average the recruiting-depots
have been maintaining
for the last ten days. Illinois yester
day regained first place in the re-s
cruiting with a total of 182 for the(
day. j
N
I
i
AGENT OF GERMANY
S
OF THE RUSSIANS
R;or Prerirnrarerl at Ml-incr in
rreciP"ated at Meeting III
fetrograd Addressed by
Socialist Lenine.
SEPARATE PEACE
FOR THAT EMPIRE
Advocated by The Intriguer
His Views Repudiated by
Rank and File of
Socialists.
(By Associated Press.)
Petrograd, April 26 (Via London,
April 27). A small riot was precipi
tated last night when a crowd drove
the audience of the Socialist Lenine
into the street as a protest against
his exhortations for a cessation of
the war and his attacks on the pro
visional government. A score of Le
nine's followers were arrested, but
the agitator remains at liberty.
Lenine, who recently returned from
exile through Germany, has become
the leader of a faction of Socialists
who seemingly desire the cessation of
the war, regardless of the conse
quences to Russia. He is living in
the . palace of the famous dancer,
Kshesinska, a former favorite of the
Emperor, from the balconies of
which he harangues his followers. It
is generally assumed that he is in
the pay of Germany, and at any rate
his return leaves little doubt in the
minds of the great majority of Rus
sians that he is working in the inter
ests of a separate peac3 at the insti
gation of Germany. His activity is
permitted by the government, which
fears that his arrest would make him
a martyr.
With the new freedom of speech in
the press and assembly there is a
deluge , of new dailies and periodicals
and numberless conferences and con
ventions of people of all trades, pro
fessions and callings. The separate
peace- element appears to be concen
trated in the group under Lenine's
domination. Their views are quite
generally repudiated by the rank and
file Of the Socialists and working
classes and even by the Socialist
peace party, which is working for
a unanimous cessation of the war.
On the question of peace the newly
established Working Men's Gazette
says:
"Every day the bourgeois newspa
pers repeat the same thing, namely,
that peace without annexation means
a separate peace and that those op
posed to a separate peace must con
tinue the war to a full victory and
the ruin of German militarism and
imperialism. That is an error. We
do not want a separate peace, be
cause Belgium, Serbia and France
would be the victims of such a
peace." The paper then outlines the
peace conditions which it advocates
and which are based on a restoration
of the previous map of Europe and
full freedom for all nations.
A TAX ON LIFE
115 WELL PROPERTY
Why Governor Bickett Favors
Selective Draft Plan For
Raising an Army.
(By Associated Press.)
nharlnttP. 1ST. C,.. Anril 26. In a state
ment issiifirl here today. Governor T.
W. Bickett announced himself strong
ly for the selective draft plan for rais
ing an army. "War is a tax on prop
ertv and life." he said. "All men con-
rfide that the tax on property must be
levied uniformly. The higher tax on
life ought to be levied with strict re
gard to the same principle or uniform
ity . and-equality. The volunteer sys
tem Duts a tax on patriotism and a
premium on cowardice."
AROUSE
ANGER
in
QUESTION ilSEfl
AS TO VALIDITY
f LEGISLATION
On Local Matters at The Late
Session of Tpe Legis
lature. OPINION OF THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL
Is Against The Validity f
Such Enactments-Southern
Railway Strength
ening Its Roadway.
(Special to The Dlspatcli.)
Raleigh, N. C, April 27.--Inquiries
sent to the several State departments
indicate something of more than curi
ous interest in the discovery of Judge
Manning who has raised the question
as to the validity of all local legislation
recently passed by the general assem
bly. This interrogatories have been
coming in from alLsides. There are
countless bond issues throughout the
state, an resting upon tne legality of ""-
the acts passed by the Legislature. ed the Delano home, where she was
Some of these questions have been employed, shortly afterwards,
sent to the Supreme Court, which has I The young woman was pale and ap
not received the major issue the right peared slightly tired; however, there
of the Legislature to fix the date for was nothing to indicate the likelihood
the force and effect of ,a constitutional of her becoming hysterical. She told
amendment which had been ratified by her story in a straightforward and
plebisciate. And the Legislature has easily understandable manner, smiling
set a date which the voters did not faintly when Coroner Holden informed
have in mind when they voted. J her that she had nothing to fear and
More bond issues were ordered it. advised her to tell all she knew about
the late General Assembly than at any 1 the affair, first warning her that she
time previous. They were nearly all need not answer questions that would
local. They urn into the multi-mil-' tend to incriminate herself. She ap
lions. They will go several times peared eager to tell all she knew about
above the bonded indebtedness of the the tragedy and while she talked a
State. Every such bill that was enact- little rapidly, her every utterance was
ed is in danger of invalidation by distinct and very easy to hear.
Judge Manning's discovery. The At-, Present at the hearing, in addition
torney General was working in his ca- to the coroner and jury, was Thos.
pacity as attorney in a civil action w. Davis, Esq., Dr. Harlee Bellamy,
when he stumbled upon this law and Dr. Charles T. Nesbitt, the attorneys
became a convert to the, belief that the ,in the case and representatives of the
amendments went into effect Novem- press. The click of the typewriter as
ber 7 last. The sale of many a bond ner statement was taken verbatim did
issue has been held up since the news-j not appear to annoy her as had been
paper readers received the notice ot'feSLTe
SUTtottrJe'f t,. i1t! Miss Davidson's statement did npt
Ti in 5r a to rnt tn(rothor flio inrtwrv'
was a member of the Supreme Court - examination brought out as that was
from 1909 to 1911. He thinks in judl-if1111 ln Progress as The Dispatch goes
cial terms and made a fine record aSlto Press and lfc " possible that the wit
a justice then. He is now Attorney jness may ave become hysterical lat
General and really a member of the er n. the afternoon, however there was
court, the sixth wheel, so to speak, i nothing to indicate the likelihood of
His opinion on bonds is therefore im- .this during that time when The Dis
poitant and his interpretation a semi-jPatch man was present,
official one. She told the jury that she left the
Mrs. S. P. Christy, of Dallas, Texas, : Delano home on the night of the trag
in a letter to Governor Bickett, asks edy about 8:05; that she had an ap
a chance for Christy, who was the pointment with Neal Walton and that
partner of Ida Bell Warren in the she met him in front of the house;
murder of G. J. Warren, of Forsyth that they walked to the new house that
. i c 1 11 i 11 ta Vioinr Vmilt hv Mr T?iirlro RriHcpru
uuuuiy. 00 liir as is nuuvvu it is me
lirst appeal made tor the man. The j
papers were full of petitions for Mrs.!
Warren, but Christy was as effectual-1
ly lost as the associate of Mrs. War- had been sitting tnere pernaps min
ren in murder as he would have beenjutes when a shot rang out and Neal
had he been the groom at a wedding. toppled over, exclaiming, "Oh". She
Nobody pitied him, nobody tried to stated that some one sprang forward
save him, nobody thought of him. and clutched her by the throat and
.Everybody wanted to save the worn-(that she fainted. The next thing she
an from the electric chair, though, of ; dould remember, according to her
course, hundreds did not wish to do 1 statement, was that she was running
even that. down a hill, but could not say whether
Christy took part in the murder, her assailant had. hold. of her or not;
then fled to Texas
He married a 1
girl there and despite all or it the
woman is willing to forget his aban
donment of her and protests his inno
cence. She uses Mrs. Warren as
authority for the innocence of Chris
ty. -Mrs. Christy thinks Cliff Stone
street, who was caught with
ren's watch, is much guiltier than
Christy, and Stonestreet was given.
only three years.
The Grand Council of the Royal
Arcanum chose Greensboro as the
convention city for 1918, and April 24 ,
is ' the day. Dr. R. L. Allen,
nf
Wovnpsuillp was rP-Plprtort e-rnnH rft-
gent, and Dr. J. Howell Way, of ' of the approaching automobile and of
Waynesville, made supreme repre-'the second shot being fired. Of her
sentative for the Supreme Council,! unwelcome reception by the man and
which meets in Boston in May. Dr. j woman in the car and of them forcing
Allen received the past grand regent's! her to get out of the machine a short
jewel while the council was in ses-, distance away. It was then that she
sion here. The council ad journed : returned to the Delano home and Mrs.
with better feeling- about insurance : Delano 'phoned police headquarters
affairs of the fraternity, insurance and called in a number of the neigh
CommissinTiPr James R. Youns: SDoke (Continued on Page Eight).
to the men last night and referred!
in complimentary way to the business I
methods of the Arcanum. The" order,
had always met its obligations in this
State and had shown 100 per cent
solvency.
Continued work on the Southern's
track between Greensboro and Golds
boro is given by railroad men as the
forerunner of big trains that will be
disnatchfsd over that division. It is
understood by the employes that the i
Southern will -send its lzou and isou j
type passenger engines, beautiful ma-j
heaviest trains on the main line, and
the 4500 freighters, which are many
tons heavier than anything that comes
this way now. ' The 4500 freighter
matchps thp Spaboard's 300 f reieht-
ers, while the passenger type to be eral important parts. Encouraged by
introduced here is under the Sea-j their first success, 16 more heavy
board's biggest passenger puller. The ' shells .were thrown upon the vaults
Southern recently put on 1400s, which land towers. The northern tower suf
match the biggest the Seaboard has. fered most from the shelling and is
The track is ready for the big en-'leaning so that it may give way at
gines, but a few trestles have been; any time. The vaults and transept
under-strength. These repairs ac- have suffered irreparable loss. The
count for the delays of the Southern's , proejctiles being used are of the 380
trains on their way to Greensboro. millimetre size.
MISS DAVIDSON
TELLS STORY OF
WALTON TRAGEDY
During Direct Testimony
Nothing To Indicate Over- '
wrought Mind.
EXAMINATION HELD
AT THE HOSPITAL
Solicitor Burton Went' There
Under Protest Nothing ,
New Developed Early
Afternoon.
Dressed in shepherd plaid co.at suit
and seated in a wheel chair in the sun
parlor of the Morris Bear Memorial
annex at the James Walker Memorial
Hospital early this afternoon, Miss
Florence Davidson, companion of Neal
Walton on the night of the 11th, when
he was shot to death by an unknown
party in the woods near Bellevue cem
etery, recited the incidents leading up
to the fatal shot and the subsequent
events during the period intervening
tery,
It is not known what the cross .
"""" 1
on EighteenU, ' "1
into the edge of the woods nearby and
sat down under a pine tree. That they
tnat sne suimoiea anu ieu anu mat
i she was assaulted at this time. That
she was yanked to her feet by the hair
of her head and told that she must
accompany her assailant over there ,
under a tree. She stated that she
begged the man to let her go, prom
War-'ising not to say anything, but that he
refused and forced her to accompany
him across the bridge spanning Burnt
Mill creek. According to her state
ment, her assailant was very profane,
and she "stated that he told her he was
fTOm Mexico and that if she made any
outcry that he would kill her
&ne toiu meu oj. siuiu6"5 m
A number of Heavy
Shells
Fired Into The Cathedral
At Rhiems.
(By Associated Press.)
Paris, April 26. The Germans to
day threw 15 large calibre shells at
the 4 Rheims cathedral, damaging sev
Ail EXAMPLE
GERMAN VANDALISM
iDio DOiTiPLi rera n -m
did oni i ion iNrcnwu.
UIIDHNP PGDMA1E! M
NEARING THE END
OF DEBATE ON WAR
General Debate Concluded in
The House This After
noon.
VOTE IN SENATE
TOMORROW NIGHT
Leaders of The Two Proposi
tions in the House Close
The General Debate on
The Bill.
-x 3
(By Associated Press.)
Washington, April 27. Debate on
the war army bill reached final
stages in Congress today.
In the House general debate was
concluded after a session which last
ed until 2:30 o'clock .this morning.
The House was to meet at noon today
to hear summing up speeches by
Chairman Dent, of the Military Com
mittee, on behalf of the volunteer
system, and by Representative Kahn,
for the selective dratf. plan. , After
tbx4jsaembeirs spfcclM?8" were 0- fc
- limited to five minutes
House leadr
ers hoped to reach a vote tonight,
although this appeared doubtful.
In the Senate the bill was taken up
under an agreement to reach a final
vote by tomorrow night. Sixteen Sen
ators were to be heard.
Debate in the Senate was opened
by Senator Jones, Republican, of
Washington, who supported the se
lective draft.
"The man who must conduct the
war, our commander-in-chief, urges it
as wise and necessary now," said he.
"The military authorities, almost
without exception, urge it. The Sen
pnmtT,ittpP that hno fnllv aystti-
t The
lessons of this great war point to it
as a wise course. Why should. I not
vote for it?"
Senator Kenyon read figures to
show enormous increase in the in
comes cf corporations affected by the
war, and added:
"I want to say that wtiile I am vot
ing for conscription of these men I
am going to vote later on for con
scription of the great incomes of this
country to help pay the expense of
this war. Conscription of incoines'
above the ordinary amount that any
ordinary demands of life need is just
as logical as the conscription of men
In judgment every income above
$100,000 should be commandeered or
conscripted for the benefit of the gov
ernment to carry on this war."
Senator Kenyon said he expected
to support the bill, but wanted ex
emptions in favor of men in employ
ment of military value changed so
that the power of enforcing such ex
emptions would not be in the hands
of military men alone. He opposed
the LaFollette amendment for civil
tribunals to pass upon questions of
exemption.
The Iowa Senator declared he fa
vored also an amendment which
would permit Colonel Roosevelt 0 go
to the front in command of American
troops.
"It would be an inspiring thing,"
he said, "if Colonel Roosevelt could
lead a division side by side with the
tri-colors of France. Nothing would
help bring the war to a speedy end
as much as that. But they say it
would demoralize our army. It seems
to me it woufd demoralize the army
of the enemy more."
Enlistments in the army since April
1, Senator Calder declared, show the
failure of the volunteer system and
"sustain completely the argument that
the United States cannot raise an ad
equate force by that system".
"Talk about raising a million men
overnight is nonsense. The United
States has been actually at war for
three weeks and the ranks of the regu
lar army and National Guard have
been open to more than 600,000 volun
teers who are coming in slowly."
The House resumed debate under
a plan to remain in session at least
part of the night and to dispose of the
bills by 6 p. m. tomorrow if possible.
Chairman Dent closed the argument
in favor of the Volunteer amendment
and Representative Kahn summed up
in support of straightout selective con
scription. The House cheered Mr. Kahn loudly
(Continued on Page Three).
1 RAFT BILL
Desperate Assaults of Tens of
Thousand Teutons Repelled
By The British. Troops.
FOUR DAYS' BATTLE
FAILS FOR KAISER
Military Critics Expect Attack
to Be Resumed Germans'
Desperately Desirous of Ob- .
taining Important Position.
Fatherland's Economic Con
dition Serious.
Having withstood all the violent at
tempts of the Germans to drive them
from the . commanding positions they
have taken on the Arras battlefield,
the British have again begun to forge
ahead. General Haig's report today
shows advances for his troops in two
of the most important sectors of the
front.
On the two and one-half mile Una '
between Roeux ana Gavrelle' impor
tant positions have been captured,
driving still further the wedge into
the German lines toward Dougl.
Likewise in the Monchy-Guemappa
region near the Arras-Cambrai road,
similar telling inroads have been
made in the German defense syst
tern.
The French armies along? the, Alsne
try to good effect Gains of ground
in the Hurtebise region, where Ger-,
man possession of Craohne is being
menaced, are reported by Paris today.
The French position near Cerny,
west of the Vauclerc plateau, also
has been improved. The French like
wise have advanced near Moronvil
Iiers and elsewhere in the Cham
pagne.
The British campaign in Mesopo
tamia continues to score marked
progress. General Maude has fol
lowed the Turks northward from
Samara, from which they have re
tired several miles, and now reports
the British in touch with them along
the foothills of the range between
the Diala and the Tigris -where they
are entrenching.
The desperate efforts of the Ger
mans to drive the British from the
captured heights on the Arras front
have failed after four days of the bit
terest fighting that the world has
seen since the bloody days of Verdun.
Tens of thousands of Germans were
hurled forward again and again only
to recoil blasted and withered from
the inferno caused by the British fire.
Military critics expect that the at
tacks will be renewed again If the
German man-power can stand the aw
ful drain. They base this expectation
on the great strategical importance
of the blood-soaked heights which the
British have wrested from their foes.
These hills crown tho great plain of
Douai and their unmolested retention
by General Haig spells almost cer
tain doom .to the Wotan line, the last
protecting barrier before Douai and
Cambrai.
In the lull of the great battle the
murmur of the rising currents of dis
content which are sweeping through
Europe can be heard more plainly.
The political and economic storm
which has been brewing in Germany'
has apparently been by no means
averted by the hasty measures of the .
igovernment. The meagre items
which elude the censor throw some
light on the situation. Not merely '
are the Berlin papers showing in
creasing nervousness over the threat
ened general strike on May 1, but it
appears that the recent strike has
not been so definitely and satisfac-
torily settled as has been asserted
in official circles. The Lokal An
zeiger,, staunch organ of the junkers,-
admits that some of the strikers are
still out, and official reports, to -.the
Washington State Department speak
of . 250,000 laborers in Berlin haying
quit work.
The seriousness of the economic
situation in Germany Is indicated by
the action of Chancellor yon Beth-mann-Hollweg,
who has" appealed to
the various German governments to
punish strikers with the greatest pos
sible severity. This- follows on-the ,
heels of an announcement from en
lin that large numbers of men pre
viously exempt from military service
are. to be sent into the field. This
announcement has added significance
from the fact that one of the princi-' ,
pal demands of the Berlin strike lead- ;
ers was that none of their number
should be punished by , being drafted ,
into the army- . ' : i 2.
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