Newspapers / The Roanoke Beacon and … / May 31, 1918, edition 1 / Page 8
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V v -j r 7 .4 1 FIRES BROADSIDE AGIST SHERIFFS X.TAJOR Jl. D. LANGSTON CHARGES aGROSS NEGLIGENCE OF . ..- THEIR DUTIES. DISPATCHES FROM RALE Ooincs and Happening Jhat Mark th Progress of ftjt,h Carolina Peo A?!, Gathered fJnd the State 'Capital. ' . Raleigh. ilrosa negligence of official duties, 'particularly failure to apprehend de 'erters from the "army, is the rather tartling charge that Major John D. Langston is bringing against the sher iffs cof North Carolina, with an as tonndingly small proportion of excep tions. That North Carolina is infested Cram Murphy to Maiiteo with desert r, who are either deliberately stay ing away from camp or who have fail ed to return questionnaires and to re spond to the order of local boards to report for service, Major Langston de clares is the condition existing and in a broadside against the official charges that they are either grossly negligent jot in' sympathy with the deserters. Letters reaching his office indicate that the condition inthe State is one to be deeply regretted and in instance after instance the charge is brought th&t the sheriffs and deputies are fail las to co-operate with the military au thorities in arresting the deserters. On letter particularly charges that IZl officers "positively refuse to aid The condition in general, Major Icings ton points out, rather than par ticular and complaints have been reg , Istered against a large number .of county officers over the State. Refer ring to it, he pointed out that the department of justice has ordered spe cial operatives to Mitchell county, where the trouble is perhaps most ag gravating. Unless the officials in the county will lend their aid, Major iLangston says it will be impossible for the federal authorities to accom jIih anything, i Davie county is another bad county .axul the conditions there are almost as .' Sad ;&g in Mitchell, according to re : porta to the adjutant general's depart j:menL - ' Under the selective service law and xyegulations, Major Langston says, offi--wrs.pf the United States, the various : tiiei and their subdivisions, are' "dratted Into service and it is incum beat, under this law, upon the sher iJEa and; their deputies not only to ap prehend deserters and carry them, to .the military authorities but it is plain er their duty thoroughly to investigate reported . desertions and other viola tions of the selective service act. VMle a zealous performance of duty Reduce Number of Little Graves. A large number of communities in North Carolina are -taking an active interest in the Baby Sa-rlng Campaign, and the State Board of Health is daily called upon for literature, exhibits, lec tures lantern slides and advice with regards to the methods of best arous ing local interest. North Carolina is asked to reduce its Infant deaths this year by moije than 3,900 as the State's portion of the 100,000 babies which it is hoped will be saved in the United States during the year. There are born each year' in this country, now, over 2,500,000 babies, and statistics show that one out of every ten of these babies die during their first year of life, between 250,000 and 300,000 each year. It is. fully real ized by those who are well informed on questions relating to public health that at least 50 per cent of these die from preventable diseases. It is to reduce this appalling harvest of the Grin Reaper among the little ones that the Baby Savings Campaign has been Inaugurated by the Children's Bureau of the United States Depart ment of Labor. Three thousand live and smiling ba bies fn North Carolina this year, or that many little graves? Briefly, that is what the campaign in this State means. ' Better Off Without Them. Along with .a mass of heavy routine and the necessary tedious work of ar ranging for the second registration, the office of Adjutant General Young 13 being daily besieged with letters from irate spouses urging that their husbands be drafted into the army. Most of the letters charge abuse of deferred classification and most of them, General Young says, have been investigated and found to be correct. When inquiry by local boards confirms the statements made in the letters, the registrant is reclassified and inducted immediately into military service. The general run of the complaints reaching the Adjutant General come from wives of registrants who have been given deferred classification be cause of dependent families. These, largely, aver that the registrant is not supporting his family and, in short, is a nuisance and much better suited for the army than "hanging around." These are not ail, however. Every mail brings to General Young a ques tion like this: "We, the undersigned, who have dependent mothers or sis ters, wives or other relation, are in class one and we would like to know why , whose mother has enough property to amply support her, (some times the right of industrial classifica tion i3 challenged), is in class 3?" In these good wives' views all can concur. Many a wife in North Caro lina would fare far better without the things they must call husbands. Au thorities are close behind the cases in this state and everyone will get jus tice but justice is just what these idlers don't want. Carr Urges South. Speaking before a mass meeting of citizens at Wilmington, Gen. Julian S. Carr and Dr. Clarence L. Owens, of the Southern Commercial Congress, r- e a- !; i, i- jaiilsipfefiigi rfmmmi Litems Western 1. Une of the AuK iii-aa heavy howitzers in Fiance being loaded for action, yards at Kearney, N. J., trying to beat the English-record of 3,093 rivets in a gineers making an emergency telephone post out of a wrecked tree. EW OF TH PAST WEEK America's Great Record in the Raising and Sending of Troops Is Revealed. CROWDER KITS AT LOAFERS Every Registered Man Must Fight or Engage In Useful Occupation Al lies Strike at Reorganizing German Armies Brit-. ish Arrest Plotting Sinn Felners. By EDWARD W. PICKARD. . Ninety thousand American troops landed in France in the first ten days' of May? a million men to be on the other side In a year from the time the first were sent across the Atlantic; a grand total of 2,038,222 in active serv ice or in training, to be Increased to 4,000,000 or 5,000,000 before the end of the next fiscal, year. Such is the proud record of the war department and its plans for the near future as stated to the house of representatives by Mr. Caldwell of the military affairs committee. The committee unanimous ly approved the $11,000,000,000 army appropriation bill and It was reported to the house. Mr. Caldwell added : "The potential man power of America, for a seven year war, may be conservatively esti mated at 20,000,000 fighting men of recognized military age this out of a population of 125,000,000." Continually harassed by the artil ing record with that of Great Britain, he said : "We began with less, went further, and arrived with more In shorter time." The army bill was so amended that President Wilson Is given unlimited power to call drafted men to the col ors. As a step .toward realizing the gov ernment's expectations in the matter of man power,. Provost Marshal Gen eral Crowder on Thursday issued a drastic amendment to the selective service regulations, which will com pel every man of draft age to either fight or work after July 1. Idlers and all engaged In non-useful occupations will be called in by draft boards and given their choice of joining the col ors or finding some useful occupation. Among those affected by the order nre gamblers and race track attendants, baseball players and other professional sportsmen, waiters and bartenders, theater ushers, passenger elevator op erators and other attendants of clubs and hotK domestics and clerks in stores. ' In applying the rule deferred classi fication on account of dependents will be utterly disregarded, and local boards may t"'-" action whether they have origin:;. ' " of the registrant or not. It is believed in Washington that the "fight or work" plan will go a long way in solving the problem of getting sufficient labor for the farms, the ship yards and the munitions plants. Un til the results of its .operation are seen there will be no more talk of the conscription of labor. Attorney General Gregory followed op General Crowder's order with the statement that all who leave the coun-t-y to escape the draft will be prose ted on their return. , That there will be enough ships to jneet the requirements of the situa tion seems assured, for the shipyards are turning them out In steadily In creasing numbers. At Rutgers college (jn, week Secretary Daniels said that 74re another-summer we shall have dough ships to carry millions or rroops Ao France, and. enough destroyers to see thtm there in safety. "The em peror of Germany" he added, "knows that when the United States builds enough ships his end has come, and we are going to build enough ships." . President Wilson has consented to restore to the original number the fleet of stonmers employed to carry food to the ten .-million starving in habitants of German-occupied Belgium Newppr Union (BS.sv.i and France, but on the xther hand he has 'caused Holland to be notified that if it wants the remainder of the grain promised it by America it must send Dutch ships for it at once. The Neth erlands government had prohibited the departure of Dutch vessels from Its ports, where more than '400,000 tons of shipping are ljing idle. The grain rations promised to Norway are going forward, In Norwegian bottoms. )Ea The food situation n France has Improved so much that the end of the regime of restrictions is in sight, and the three meatless day a week, only recently instituted, have given such ex cellent results that the measure will be of short duration. Many of the older French soldiers will be released J for farm work as the American troops arrive in greater numbers. , In sharp contrast with this Is tlie condition existing In Germany and Aus tria, where the people are reliably re ported to be on the verge of starvation and of consequent rebellion. Wash ington is Informed that even with the reduced ration planned for June 15 Germany will not have enough food to last through to the next harvest. The Berliner Tageblatt says horse meat and dog meat are being used by the poorer classes In Saxony, and the price has gone up. The war prisoners of Germany of course are the greatest sufferers. The first contingent of Russian prisoners,' 1,500 in number, to be exchanged un der the recent agreement, has just reached Petrograd and they, are de scribed as "veritable walking dead men." As was predicted in this review weeks ago, the food supply to be ob tained from the Ukraine, of which the German government boasted so much in advance, has proved so small as to be almost Inconsequential. And the kaiser's treacherous treatment of that country greatly aggravates the situa tion there, for the people do not pro pose to raise crops only to be robbed of them. IPS Continually harrassed by the artil lery and air forces of the allies, the German commanders were still labor ing heavily last week to complete the reorganization of their armies on the west front for the resumption of the drive. So great was the task and so effective the Interruptions that com petent observers believed the offensive could not be begun again before the middle of June. Meanwhile General Foch and his associates, instead of waiting quietly to be attacked, took every opportunity to Improve their sit uations, with the result that their lines grew stronger daily. First the Brit ish and then the French, always aided materially by the Americans, struck hard in local operations so extensive that lh previous wars they would be classed as battles. The Anzacs start ed off the week by recapturing Ville-sur-Ancre, Inflicting heavy losses on the Huns. Next the Poilus made one of their whirlwind attacks on a 4,000 yard front In the Locre region, near Kemmel, taking a considerable number of prisoners and holding the objectives gained, which strengthened their de fensive positions around Scherpenberg, Mont Rouge and Mont Noir. On suc-C(?PfTp,- (-j vs jhe Germans were pushed back In other sectors,' the nl'ies always gaining ground of tactical .Importance. The Huns seemed to have lost much of their fighting spirit and their counter attacks had little dash and no success. The artillery firing on both sides in creased during the week all along the line. The Germans were especially free with the use of gas shells, bvrt In the American sector northwest of Toul, at least, they got more than they gave, for the Yankee batteries fairly deluged the German position and cantonments In the Gerechamp wood with gas, In flicting severe punishment on the en emy. - " The Americans carried out a number of spirited patrol actions and raids In their sector bu'i had no extensive en gagements. m 1 Fighting end bombing operations of the aviators were extraordinarily nu merous and exciting last week. Many machines on both sides were brought down, but "the Huns were by far the greater sufferers. Among the noted nlr men lost wus Major Raonl Lufbery, the American, who Jumped from Tils blazing machine and wa3 killed. Other American aviators were very active and many of them gained new laurels. 2. Riveters in the' federal ship-nine-hour day. 3. Canadian en- The allied air men carried out numer ous bombing raids over German towns, besides , dropping ; many tons of ex plosives on the enemy's military estab lishments. . - ' - - The Germans made a great air raid on.London, killing 44 persons and los ing five of their planes, and attempted two raids on Paris with little success. More satisfactory to the Hun mind were the results of some air raids on British hospitals behind the lines, for several hundred sick and wounded sol diers were killed and Injured, and among the victims w.ere several wom en nurses who would not desert their wards. The commander of the squad ron of Gothas that made this charac teristically brutal attack was Brought down and captured and declared he did not see the Red Cross si$ns on the hos pitals, though they were plainly visible. . ! Id Austria's renewed drive against Italy did not develop last week, but reports from Viennirsald Austria had ceased all military operations In the east on May 20 In order to concentrate her forces on the Italian front, so It Is like ly th offensive will be started there very soon. The allies have little fear of the result. fcl The Germans captured the city of Abo in Finland and also occupied Bjorko, an island in the Gulf of Fin land 80 miles from, Petrograd. In Kiev, capital of the Ukraine, there was heavy fighting between the forces of Skoro- padsky, the new Ukrainian dictator. and troops that remained faithful to the rada. .Inaku, on the Caspian, which was previbuslj' reported captur ed by the Russftnvs, the bolshevikl and Mussulmans fought long and bitterly. More than 2,000 were killed and muefc. of the city was burned. The food sit uation In Russia was reported . to be growing steadily worse except In Mos cow. Petrograd Is now entirely with out bread. - . Copenhagen dispatches say that Gen eral Mannerheim, commander in chief of the Finnish white guard, has re signed because he was ordered to In vade the Russian province of Karelia. fa Declaring that it had discovered an extensive and dangerous pro-German plot In Ireland, the British government descended upon the Sinn Fein sudden ly and arrested several hundred mem bers of that party, Including Its presi dent, Professor de Valera, and prac tically all the other leaders. The coup raised storm in Ireland and even the nationalists, though disclaiming any sympathy with the revolutionary aims of the Sinn Feiners, declared the gv ernment's action was not sincere and was taken to cloud the home rule and conscription situation. The Irish ob jectors to the draft seem to rely great ly on public opinion in the United States, and over here there is a ten dency to suspend Judgment concerning the Sinn Fein arrests until the British government adduces Its proof of a plot. It Is said the existence of the plot was known for weeks by American secret agents and that such notorious Irishmen In America , as Jeremiah O'Lenry now missing were concern ed In it. It Is certain that no pro-German plotters in any of the allied coun tries will get any sympathy from the American government or the American people. Director General McAdoo startled the country last week by summarily re moving from their positions all presi dents of railroads, In order to obtain more complete co-operation In the run ning of the lines, and, Incidentally, to save about $20,000,000 a year in sal aries. Many other high rail officials also have lost their Jobs because they were doing little to earn their pay. It Is Mr. McAdoo's Intention to appoint a federal director of the roads In each region, and some of the best" of the deposed presidents will get these places. " The government also has takes over the carrier business of the Pullman company, making It a part of the rail way system. The company will be paid rental for Its carrier ladustry based on the three-year average earn ings prior to June 30, 1917. ; Mrs Rose Pastor Stokes, well-known socialist, was found guilty of violat ing the espionage act by a federal court jury in Kansas City, She had nttaf-ked the government as an ally of the profiteers. MIDDLESEX DENTIST Oil Ml Dr. Lemuel Johnson Being Tried at Richmond, Vs., Charged With Mur. 0 der of His Three Weeks' Bride. -"- ii ri - '' Special from Richmond, Va. Wheg the fight for the life of Dr. Lemuel Johnson. Middlesex, North Carolina, dentlst, charged with the murder of his girl .wifa, is resumed the battla will be waged upon the admissidn aa evidence of letters seized bV detrfve's after the arrest of Johnson & W Wilson, , N. C." When, Attorney Harry M. Smith1 left at the afternoon adjournment, he carried with him letters , passing be-1 tween Johnson and his wife and Oose written to Miss OUle White, Zebulon. N. C.,. music teacher, with'him. . The letters were used at the prelim inary hearing where it was disclosed. be repeatedly, referred to the. music teacher as "My Dear." ' One of the letters whereby the'pros ecutlon seeks to establish a motive, which was introduced at the prelimi nary hearing, closed with: "I want you to cometo my burial. I have always loved you, and you shall be the last to come to jay mind before I die. You have trustad me In every;, way and have cajised,Jay life to be . happy. Ollie, I want ydu to get married if you can ever find asoVisr, Good-bye forever." , This letter was foujidtfn the room in the Wilson hotel tviere Dr. Johnson sought to end his lffe and was address ed to Miss Ollie Whit,so the prosecu tion claims. The Stae claims this let ter established a motive as to why Johnson should have sought to kill his wife whom he married three months' prior. Another letter was addressed to Dr. E. C. Powell of Middlesex, N.- C. It said: . "My trouble is this: "In order to save the character of another, I ruined myself, my name and honor. I have never loved but one and I cannot bear to look into her innocent face again.' Many other letters are included in the seizure and it is understood the de fense, after perus'ing the contents, will make every effort to have them ex cluded from the testimony when the case is resumed Monday. Johnson fdr the first time was vis-' Ibly affected Saturday afternoon when his attorney drew from the suitcase containing the exhibits, a piece of rib bon which had bound the floral offer ing Johnson had placed on his wife's casket. A card hung at one end upon which was written "My Wife." He placed his handkerchief to his eyea and sobs shook his frame. Home Gets New Start. Raleigh. The first step toward the realization of a home for wayward girls and women since the passage of the act creating the "State Home and Industrial School for Girls and Wom en" by the'jegislature of 1917 came when Governor Blckett announced the appointmenfof the Board of Managers consisting of five persons, three of whom' are" women. The board is to meet in"RaJigh on May 28 when it will organize and perfect plans for the establishment of the home. The legis lature appropriated, $25,000 for' the buildings and $10,000 annually for maintenance. Additional funds neces sary to establish the institution must be raised by popular subscription. The Board of Managers appointed by the Governor and, their term of office are : Dr. A. A. McGeachy Charlotte, for a term of five years. Mrs. J. R. Chamberlain, Raleigh, for a term of four years. Mr. W. S. Blakeney, Monroe, for a term of three years. Mrs. Stephen. C. Btbw; Washing ton, for a term of two yars. Dr. Delia-Dixon Carroll, Raleigh, for a term of one year. Dr. McGeachy, given first appoint ment on the board and for the longest term, has for years been an earnest advocate of the measure which got through the legislature of 1917. At the 1915 session he led a State-wide fight for the institution,, and only the policy of economy in "State appropri ations defeated the measure. In 1917 the fight was so strenuous and the need for such ani nstitaition was so strongly presented that even th?- pol icy of curtailment failed to bring it to defeat. . NORTH CAROLINA BRIEFS. Money must be plentiful here in North Carolina A colored man in this state advises in a paper that he ' will give a reward of four dollars and a half fnr tha n ,i a that is lost. Four dollars and a half for the return of a little old white poodle dog, and "over yonder" are hungry orphan babies whose fathers have been killed fighting to make the world a safe place in which to raise poodle dogs. The wheat crop in Caldwell county this year promises to be the best ever kaowa. They are having a glorious season and all crops are looking ex ceptionally well. Every farmer and; gardener now has an opportunity to , help' win the war. With appropriate exercises and ad dresses the cornerstone of Guilford county's new half a million dollar courthouse was laid by jthe Grand Lodge of Masons of North Carolina. Grand Master George M. Norfleet, of Winstcn-Salem, and the other grand officers were in attendance, and took r su-i Ie the exercia
The Roanoke Beacon and Washington County News (Plymouth, N.C.)
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May 31, 1918, edition 1
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