North Carolina Newspapers

r V 4Y the ill :sfs 11X0 a Year ki Advance FOR QOD, FOR COUNTRY AND FOR TRUTH." Single Cop!, I Centa, VOL. XXVII. PLYMOUTH, N. C, FEIDAY, APRIL 20, 1917. NO. 42. It LS 1 L ISSUES WARNING AGAINST TREASON BOMB PLOTTERS MAY NOW BE GRIPPED WITH LAW'S IRON HAND. PROCLAMATION BY WILSON Resident Aliens as Well as Citizens Owe Allegiance to United States, Says President. Treason is De fined. Washington. All persons In the United States, citizens and aliens, are warned in a proclamation issued by President Wilson that treasonable acts or attempts to shield those commit ting such acts will be vigorously pros ecuted by the Government. The proclamation defines treason, - citing statutes, provisions of the Con stitution and decisions of the courts, and declares that the acts described will be regarded as treasonable, whether committed within the bor ders of the United States or else where. Far-reaching importance attaches to the direction of the warning to aliens and the declaration that "resi dent aliens as well as citizens owe allegiance to the United States" and therefore are equally subject to the laws against treason and like crimes. Bomb plotters now may be gripped with an iron hand. Not only are con spirators themselves subject to heavy penalties, but any one, even a Ger man resident, who has knowledge of treasonable acts and fails to make known the facts to the authorities, may be sent to prison for seven years and fined $1,000 for misprision of trea son. EVERY POSSIBLE HONOR WILL BE ACCORDED VISITORS Washington. Major General Leon ard Wood, ranking officer of the act ive list of the army, was designated to represent the military branch of the government on the committee which will welcome to the United" States the distinguished British war commis sion headed by Foreign Minister Bal four. The selection of General Wood is in line with the administration's plans for according every possible honor to the high rank and notable character of Great Britain's commissioners. The state department is represented on the committee by Breckenridge Long, third assistant secretary; the navy by Rear Admiral Fletcher, of the general board, and Commander E. F. Sellers, and the army by General Wood and Col. R. E. L. Michie. It was stated at the White House that the president had arranged to sea the British visitors this week and the French commissioners at the same time, if they had recahed Washington. The state department announced, how ever, that it was not certain when Mr. Balfour and his party would come, and that nothing definite was known con cerning the arrival of the French com mission. WHEAT AND FLOUR PLACED ON FREE LIST Ottawa The government has placed wheat, wheat flour and semolina on the free list, thus opening the United States markets to Canada and Cana dian markets to the United States in these products. Plant Land in Food Crops- ? Washington Secretary Lane ap pealed to holders of land made valu able by government reclamation work to put all their available soil in food crops. FLEET BASE AT HAMPTON ROADS IS RECOMMENDED Washington. An appropriation of $3,000,000 for the acquisition of land and equipment for a fleet operating base at Hampton Roads, Va., to be Immediately available, was reeom mended to Congress by Secretary Danlles. "The $3,000,000," Secretary Dan iels stated, "is urgently and immedi ately necessary for the acquisition of the Jamestown Exposition site, on Hampton Roads, Va., to be developed and equipped as a fleet operating base and to include a training station, submarine base .aviation operating base, oil fuel storage, fleet storehouses, mine and net storehouses, itorpedjo storehouses, etc. The land can be pur chased for $1,400,000 and the immedi ate necessities are the training sta tion, the initial development to coat $1,600,000." $1000,000,000 WAR LOAN PASSES HOUSE NOT A VOTE WAS RECORDED AGAINST THE BIG REVENUE AUTHORIZATION. DEBATE WAS ON HIGH PLANE Former War Opponents Demanded Record Roll Call. Amendments Confine Loans to Nations at War With Germany. Washington. With a total absence of partisanship the House, by a vote of 389 to 0, passed the Seven Billion Dollar bill to finance the prosecution of the war against Germany, including a loan of $3,000,000,000 to the Allies. Representative Meyer London, Social ist, of New York, who has conscien tious scruples against war and appro priations for war, answered "present" when his name was called. Owing to general pairs and absen tees only 389 votes were recorded for the bill, but both Democratic Leader Kitchin and Republican Leader Mann announced that all of their members would have voted affirmatively if they had been present. The formality of a roll call would have been dispensed with if several members who voted against the war resolution had not in sisted upon having the opportunity of recording themselves in favor of pro viding money to carry on hostilities now that the nation is at war. The bill authorizes $5,000,000,000 in bonds, of which $3,000,000,000 will be loaned to Entente countries, and the issuance of Treasury ceriflcates for $2,000,000,000 ultimately to be met by increased taxation. Passage of the measure never was in doubt during the two days it was under consideration in the House, and favorable action by an overwhelming vote is assured in the Senate, where it was taken up Monday. It probably will be signed by the President this week. Chairman Simmons of the Senate Finance Committee took up the bill with his committee Monday, and since there is no opposition to it, expects to report it to the Senate at once. Lead ers expect to keep it the unfinished business until passed. There will be no great opposition, on the floor, al though there may be some debate. The bill was not materially amended in the House, excep. for the inclusion of language specifically directing that the loans to foreign Governments shall be made during, and not after, the war and that the securities bought by this Government with proceeds of the vast loan shall be the securities of na tions fighting Germany. Other amendments adopted would prohibit the sale of the United States bonds at less than par and permit the purchase of foreign bonds "at par." INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE TO ASSEMBLE IN FEW DAYS. United States Officials Plan For Com ing of Commissioners. Washington. With the assembly of the most momentous international confeernce ever held in this country only a few days distant, officials of several executive department sof the Government devoted themselves to making final preparations for greeting the distinguished men Great Britain and France are sending here to dis cuss war problems. State Department officials directly responsible for the details of the arrangements, conferred in an effort to have no merke of court esy lacking. Those familiar with official etiquet abroad say that the sending to this country of men like British Foreign Secretary Balfour, French Minister of Justice and former Premier Rene VIviani and General Joffre is almost without precedent. Not only does the trip here require much more very valuable time than the various Euro pean war conferences, but it submits the high officials to real dangers from mines and submarines, experienced in crossing to the continent. It is known that the present trip was taken only with the deepest foreboding quick ened by memories of the loss of Lord Kitchener. Committee of Welcome. The preliminary committee of wel come, consisting of Third Assistant Secretary Long, representing the State Department; Rear Admiral Frank P. Fletcher and Commander D. F. Sellers, representing the Navy and Col. Robert E. L. Michie, Lieut. Col. Spencer Cos by and Capt. John G. Quekemeyer, rep resenting the Army, is ready to leave for the port of arrival at a moment's notice. The committee will welcome the commissioners. A formal recep tion will greet them here, in which the highest officials of the Government " -i.. i MAP SHOWING THE FOREIGN STOCK IN THE POPULA TION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. MM Hfrfmntim (By foreign stock is meant foreign born and children of a foreign-born father or mother.) The states in black have more people who are either immi grants or the sons and daughters of immigrant parents than they have of native stock. The immigrants of the United States and their children would populate to its present density all the United States west of the Mississippi with Alabama and Mississippi added. ENTENTE LEADERS AT CAPITAL ARE HERE TO CONFER ON AMERI CA'S PART IN SEA WAR FARE. Protecting Seaboard From Northern Canada to Canal Zone to Be First Duty of American Warships. With draw British and French Ships. Washington. With high British and French Naval officers in conference here with American Naval officials, definite steps have been taken toward participation of the American Navy in the war against Germany. Patrol of the entire Atlantic sea board, reaching southward to the Pan ama Canal zone and possibly north ward to include Canada, will be the firs duty of American warships. With, that goes the necessity of guarding against the probable extension of the German submarine campaign to In clude approaches to major American ports. British and French ships now on this patrol duty will be withdrawn as soon as the American forces have their lines established. The Ameri can squadrons will operate from Brit ish and French bases in the South At- lanttic wherever necessary. This . was learned in connection with the announcement that Vice Armiral M. E. Browning, of the British Navy, and Rear Admiral R. A. Grasset, of the French Navy, are in Washington conferring with Secretary Daniels, Admiral Benson, Chief of Naval Oper ations, and other officers of the Amer ican Navy. The conferences have to do with the part the American fleet will play in the war either imme diately or later, when its strength in light patrol craft and trained men has been increased. It has been expected that Germany would formally announce a sumbarine blockade of Boston, New York, the mouth of the Delaware, the mouth of the Chesapeake, Charleston and Sa vannah. These are the arteries through which flow the main traffic in foodstuffs and war supplies for Eu rope. ARMY AND GUARD IS NOW OPEN FOR VOLUNTEERS. Doore Are Opened For Enlistment For Period of War. Washington All men who enlist in the regular Army or the National Guard in" the present emergency were assured in an announcement by Secre tary Baker that they would be kept in service only for the period of the war. The action followed a confer ence between the Secretary and Presi dent Wilson., In effect, this placas on a war-time volunteer basis all of the men enlisted since the state of war was declared. It makes available .a total of 517,868 places in the enlisted grades of the two services to men who wish to serve for the war only. Mr. Baker laid stress on the fact that this action was contemplated when the Administration bill was framed, and was in no way to be construed as a compromise plan. The Secretary pointed out that the net result of the application of the war enlistment plan would be to leave the Nation without an army of any sort, regular or National Guard, if the war lasted beyond the enlistment terms of new men now In those services. "I stand firmly and unalterably in support of that bill," Secretary Baker said, "without modification of Its least detail." IS FIRM FOR GONSCRIPTION INSISTS ON RAISING LARGE ARMY ON PRINCIPLE OF SELECTIVE CONSCRIPTION. President Confers With Speaker Clark and Leader Kitchin. Will Probably Be Opportunity For Half Million t Volunteer. Washington. President Wilson, in a conference with Speaker Champ Clark and Majority Leader Kitchin at the Capitol, insisted on the terms of the Administration plan for raising a large Army on the principle of select ive draft. At the same time, it was learned that the War Department vir tually had decided on plans under wTliffl nnnnrtlinitv wahH a er fir Art tr r approximately 500000 meQ to volun. teer for service for the term of the war. The net result of the new plans would be to make the total National Guard and regular force to be organ ized first independently of the select ive draft plan, approximately 724,000 men, making room for the absorption of half a million volunteers. No attempt to enlist men to ac complish this will be made until Con gress has acted and authority is grant ed to enlist such volunteers for the duration of the war only. The President talked for nearly an hour with Speaker Clark and Rep resentative Kitchin and discussed the Administration Army plan in detail, making clear that it had been drawn upon only after the most thorough consideration at the War Department, and after it had been decided that it was the only way to meet the demand for a great and efficient fighting force. Opposing Sentiment. Both Speaker Clark and Represen tative Kitchin told the President that much sentiment existed in Congress against the plan, principally on the ground that draft should not be re sorted to until an effort had been made to raise an Army through vol unteers. Careful reconsideration of the terms of the existing National defense act is responsible for the contemplated change of the Administration's policy in regard to the mobilization of the National Guard for war. Officials now think the law grants the States the right to organize additional guard units up to the full limit of 800 men to a Congresional district. LATIN AMERICA'S MORAL SUPPORT ASSURED NATION. Argentina "Recognizes the Justice" of This Country's Stand. Washington. Without formally an nouncing abandonment of their neu trality, two more Latin-American Re publics, Argentina and Costa Rica, have given assurances of their moral support for the United States in the war against Germany. Argentina, choo.ing a middle course between those of Brazil and Chile, her sister Nations in the influential A, B, C trio, has notified the State Depart ment that she 'recognises the justice" of this country's stand against Ger man aggression. The communication contains no Intimation that the Argen tine authorities contemplate an actual break with Berlin. Little Costa Rica, just emerging from the throes of a revolution, sent word to her diplomatic representative here that she endorsed the course of President Wilson and was "ready to prove it if necessary." GDETHALS IS TO BE OF SHIPS WILL SUPERVISE SHIP BUILDING PROGRAM OF AMERICAN NAVY. MORE SHIPS MEAN VICTORY Lloyd-Gorge's Prophecy Discussed by Cabinet Congress Will Be Asked To Substantially Increase Appropri ation. Washington. Means of quickly put ting additional vessels into the trans Atlantic trade and thus fulfilling the prophecy of Premier Lloyd-George, of Great Britain, that more ships meant victory for the Entente Allies, was the principal subject before the meet ing of President Wilson's cabinet. Major General Goethals who built the Panama Canal, will supervise the merchant ship building program, It was announced. A bill will be intro duced in both houses of Congress sub stantially increasing the $50,000,000 appropriation now available for the shipping board, and giving the board additional authority that the building of wooden ships 'and the acquisition of other vessels may be expedited. Legislation also probably will be proposed by the administration giving the shipping board power to formally take over the German merchantmen in American ports now in the custody of the treasury department. While It is conceded that the president would hav ethe right to take this step it is understood that a specific act of Congress will be preferred. First among the uerman ships to be put into active service will be two of the fleet of 23 lying in Phillippine harbors. The Insular bureau of the war department has secured permis sion from the treasury depatment to hasten repairs on the machinery of the two vessels least damaged by the crews and it is expected that within two or three weeks the ships will be loading Manila hemp to be rushed to the United States to prevent a failure of th supply of binding twine for the farmers for the crop of this season. While the exact sum to be requested of Congress for the uses of the shipping board in building up the American merchant marine has not been disclosed, it has been estimated that $225,000,000 will be necessary, f f COMPLETE DEVLOPMENT OF FOOD PRODUCING POM One of the Means of Meetlr Ing thf A - w S Problems of the War. I Washington. Intensive ment of the food producing the United States on a scale nei fore contemplated was discuyf President Wilson and Secretaif ton as the means of meetinr the vital problems of the Germany. i Secretary Houston returned Louis, where he conferred with entatives of the great grairj states. He laid before the plans under which the Fe" ernment, working in co-oper state and local agencies, wi'Jj its utmost endeavors to sti production and economical n of food. nans to include a requei islation by Congress giving ernment power to regulati food prices if necessary anrY large distributing agencies Houston will begin confei congressional leaders to af terms of the needed bills. 1 To continue the" goverf tation for increased pr" economy in the use of fc ie'ent Wilson probably proclamation to the N: inj attentio- 'o the situ gestion to this effect, Secretary Houston, wt him by Representative1 nessee, and J. R. Painf representing the Tr, Farming Association. AMERICAN REAR AI SIMS NOW Washington. Rear Ati S. Sims, president of thfy College at Newport, has af London to act as an intermedin tween British admiralty officers aili the navy department in the working out of problems involved in participa tion by the American navy in the ranks of the Entente Powers. His mission was admitted at the navy de partment after news of his safe voy age had been received. BUILDER INDORSEMENT OF COURSE ' TAKEN BY UNITED STATES: BY SOUTH AMERICAN COUNTRIES! GRATIFYING TO WASHINGTON. Ecquador, Venezuela and Colombia, Not Yet Heard From, Expected to " Define Attitude. Washington. Prompt endorsements! from South America of the action ofi the United States in taking Germany's l challenge to war are the source of" great gratification to officials of thai adminlstratino. There remained buti three countries, Ecuador, Venezuela, and Colombia, which had not defined) their positions, and it was believed! that before the end of this week they,, too, would respond. With the exception of Costa Rica, none of the Central American group had declared its attitude, but no con cern over where their sympathy will be placed has been felt at the state1 department. So far Cuba is the only war spot tai Latin-America, but the positions as sumed by Panama and Costa Rica place them practically in the list of warring nations, and almost no doubt remains that Brazil will be at war within a few days. The only govern ments that have not been frank in their enrodrsement of the step takea by the United States are Chile and1 Perua, the former confining itself to a formal declaration of neutrality and the latter to "deploring", the fact that the United States had been unable to adjust her difficulty with Germany without recourse to war. Way They Line Up. Following Is the way the other Latin-American nations, whose posi tions are defined, were lined up: Cuba Declared war against Ger many. Panama Declared her readiness to assist in any way possible in the pro tection of the Panama Canal. Costa Rica Offered her porta and other territorial waters to the United States for war needs of the American, navy. Brazil Relations broken with Ger many. Bolivia Relations broken with Ger many. Uruguay Endorsed the action of the prV&, States and characterized r.prf l,i'i.,'i'fV',n'e as "an in ' 4 1 t)ifri :aer- tish .Tleet :dministration'.i siJig a vast fleet of woo'u CiV Japs to transport sup- j r - - r plies to the, es and thus defeat the German submarine campaign wa3 put definitely under way Monday, when the Shipping Board formed a' ?50,000, 000 corporation to build and operate ' BSC13.