o
r
1
THE WEATHER
10
PAGES TODAY
ONE SECTION
H
Showers Friday, except fair- extreme
east portion, cooler at night; 'Saturday
probably fair.
A.B.-1867
VOL. CI-NO. 6.
WILMINGTON, C FRIDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER 28, 1917
WHOLE NUMBER 39,184
SECOND LIBERTY LOAN TOTALING
THREE BILLION OR MORE TO0E
OFFERED THE PUBLIC OCTOBER
Bonds Mature in 25 Years, Re
deemable at Option of the
Treasury in Ten Years
ABE TO DRAW 4 PER CENT
prompt Deliveries Will be Made,
Avoiding Issuance of In
terim Certificates
INTEREST SEMI-ANNUALLY
Denominations Will be $50 and
Multiples of $50.
Washington, Sept. 27. Secretary
McAdoo tonight announced the details
of the second Liberty' Loan, which will
be offered to the public October 1. The
chieF features are:
Amount: $3,000,000,000 or more, the
excess not to exceed one-half of the
amount of over-subscription.
Terms of bonds: Maturity, 25 years;
redeemable at the option of the Sec
retary of the Treasury in ten years.
Denominations of bonds: $50 and
multiples of $50.
Interest rate: Four per cent, pay
able semi-annually on November 15
and May 15.
Terms of payment: i Two per cent j
upon application, 18 per cent Nov. 15;
40 per cent- Dec. 14 and 40 per cent
Jan. 13, 1918.
The privilege of converting; bonds of
this issue into bonds of any succeed
ing issue bearing a higher interest
rate than 4 per cent during , the period
of the war is extended, and through
an arrangement under which bonds
will be printed with only four cou
pons instead of fifty (to be exchanged
at the end of two years for the bonds
containing the full number of cou
pons). .
Deliveries will be prompt. In this
manner the issue of interim certifi
cates . will be avoided.
XicAdoos ABoaaccment -
Secretary McAdoo's announcement
reads as follows:
"With the approval of the. President
I have determined to offer on October
1, 1917, three billion or more dollars
of United States of America four per
cent convertible gold bonds, due on
November 15, 1942, and subject to re
demption at the option of the United
States at par and accrued interest on
and after November 15, 1927. The
bonds will bear interest from Novem
ber 15, 1917, and the interest will be
payable on May 15 in each year.
"The exact amount of bonds to be
issued under this offering will depend
on the amount of subscription receiv
ed. It is, of course, to be expected
that subscriptions considerably in ex
cess of three billion dollars will be re
ceived, and in that event the right is
reserved to allot bonds in . excess of
three billion dollars to the. extent of
not over one-half of the sum by. which
the subscriptions received exceed
three billion dollars. In other words,
if subscriptions to the extent of five
billion dollars are filed, four billion
dollars of bonds may be allotted.
"The bonds will be offered as be
fore at par and accrued interests and
will be in denominations of fifty dol-
lars and multiples thereof."
The statement then explains how,
under the war credits bill which au
thorized the bond issue, the bonds are
to be exempted from taxation except
estate or inheritance tax and income
surtaxes.
Subscriptions By Oct. 27.
"Subscription for the bonds must
reach the Treasury Department, "Wash
ington, D. C, a Federal Reserve bank
or branch thereof, or some incorporr
ated bank or trust company in the
United States (not including outlying
territories and possessions) on or be
fore the close of business Oct. 27, 1917.
The applications must be accompanied
by a payment of 2 per cent of the
amount applied for and subsequent in
stalments upon bonds allotted will be
due as follows:
"18 per cent on Nov. 15, 1917; 40 per
cent on Dec. 14, 1917; 40 per cent on
Jan. 15, 1918. On the latter date, ac
crued interest on the deferred instal
ments will also be payable.
"I am very glad to be able to an
nounce that by authorizing the en
graving of these bonds with only four
coupons attached instead of the full
nurrfber of fifty coupons, it will be
Possible to have the actual bonds
ready for delivery as soon as full pay
ments are completed,, thus avoiding
tlie trouble and delay incident to the
issuance of interim receipts or tem
porary bonds. On and after Nov. 15,
JIS. the holders of the bonds will
have opportunity to exchange them
for new bonds having attached there
to coupons for the balance of the pe
riod for which the bonds will run.
Immediate Delivery.
"It is also expected that on or about
October 10, 1917, there will be in the
hands of the several Federal Reserve
banks a supply of these new bonds
ready" for immediate delivery to sub
scribers in amounts not in excess of
nc thousand dollars 'to any' one sub
scriber against payment in full, there
by avoiding in such cases the trouble
incident to waiting until after allot
ment for delivery.
"The campaign for the sale of these
bonds will open Monday, Oct. 1, and
iU close Monday, Oct. 27. I confi
dently hope that when the campaign
s over it will be found that the tota
number of subscribers is at least ten
millions and the total subscription in
excess of five billion dollars. Such a
response would be notice to our ene
mies that the American peopje las a
L iGontiaufid ,oa 3Cwjt JL . , ,
Roosevelt Tells
Of the Venezuela Incident
Chicag.o Sept. 27. Colonel Roose
velt today gave his version of the se
cret conferences he held with the Ger
man ambassador in 1902 relating to the
occupation of Venezuela by Germany,
an incident that then threatened to
bring on a war between Germany and
the United States. Colonel Roosevelt
told the story for the first time, he said,
in an address at a luncheon here.
"It was about a year after I took
office," Col. Roosevelt began. "Ger
many was engaged in striving to ex
tend her domains. She had in view cer
tain chosen positions in South Ameri
ca. She aimed to turn South America
into va German appendage. Venezuela
at that time had a dictator named Cas
tro, commonly known as 'The Monkey
of the Andes.
Sent for German Envoy.
"I was determined that Venezuela
should not become a German posses
sion. Germany said it was not o be
permanent and did not define what was
meant by permanency. I permitted
HAS THE RIGHT TO
EXPEL L'FOLLETTE
Dr. Butler Demands That Con
gress Exercise Its Consti
tutional Authority
BANKERS APPROVE ACTION
President of Columbia Declares That
Letting Him Remain In the Senate
Is Like Poisoning the
Soldiers' Soup.
Atlantic City, N., J., Sept- 27. Mem
bers of the American Bankers' Asso
ciation launched into vehement expres
sions of approval when Nicholas Mur
ray Butler, president of Columbia Uni
versity, addressing them today on "The
Changing World," demanded that Con
gress exercise its constitutional rights
to expel United States Senator LaFol
lette. "We are repelling attacks upon the
American people and institutions of
two kinds," Dr. Butler said. "We are
fighting across the sea and we are
fighting evil-minded suspicion, coward
ice and treason which have raised their
heads at home. Our soldiers can fight
the soldiers of the enemy. You and I
have got to fight sedition and treason
here.
"Have the American people lost their
capacity for corporate indignation?" he
asked.
.'JThere is a provision in the Constitu
tion providing that Congress may ex
pel a member by a two-thirds vote.
What are they thinking of to sit there
and permit themselves to be contami
nated by Senator Robert M. LeFol
lette?" Cries of approval came from every
side as Dr. Butler proceeded.
"Gentlemen, you might just as well
put poison into the food of every boy
that goes to his transport as to permit
this man to make war upon the Nation
in the halls of Congress.
" lam a native son of New Jersey,
which has two patriotic sons In the
Senate. I call upon them to take the
lead.
"I am a citizen of New York. New
York has two patriotic sons in the Sen
ate. I call upon them to take up the
challenge. No single act would go so
far to shorten the war."
Speaking of peace, Dr. Butler said:
"Any human being who asks for
peace on any other terms than uncondi
tional surrender is asking another and
still greater war. Peace will only come
when the supreme confidence the Ger
mans have in their Instrument of ar
mor and their world-dTSmlnating alms
are brought to defeat. That is the only
road to peace."
LTOLLETIE'S OWN PEOPLE
DEMAND HIS .EXPULSION
Racine, Wis., Sept. 27. The League
of Wisconsin Municipalities in session
here today adopted resolutions at the
close of Theodore Roosevelt's denunci
ation of Senator Robert M. LaFollette,
demanding that the United States Sen
ate expel the Wisconsin senator from
that body.
The huge audience which packed the
auditorium greeted Colonel Roosevelt's
vitriolic utterances against Senator
LaFollette's reported "attempt to con
done" the sinking of the Lusitania and
its consequent loss of lives of women
and children, with loud applause and
cries of "That's right! That's right!"
Colonel Roosevelt said that he fully
appreciated the loyalty of Wisconsin
and scored those who discriminate
against a man because of his birth
as un-American.
Reverting to the quoted remarks of
the senator concerning the Lusitania,
the Colonel pictured the scene in the
morgue at Queenstown where dead
mothers lay with dead babies in their
arm, and concluded:
-"And a senator of, the United States
tries to condone this infamy!
There were cries of "Shame! Shame!"
" J - jpnUnttd:.oa Pag4 Twa).
His Story
John Hay to write a number of notes
and then I sent for the German ambas
sador and said to him:
" 'This Venezuela business has been
going on long enough and I cannot af
ford to let It go to the point where it
will cause trouble for this country."
"At that time "England was backing
Germany and, while I had both against
me, I paid little attention to England
It was the last flicker of England's
antagonism to the TTnited States.
Demanded a Statement.
"I called, the attention of the ambas
sador to the fact that Germany had a
squadron of warships near Venezuela,
threatening the mouth of the proposed
isthmian canal. I demanded a state
ment by what Germany meant by tern
porary possession, saying I did not
propose to have any 99-year leases.
"The ambassador told me he did not
feel he was at liberty to discuss such
an important question. That confer
ence wound up with the following ulti
matum:
Gave an Ultimatum.
" 'Tell your government that in ten
(Continued on Page Two.)
BRITISH HOLD FAST
TO NEW POSITIONS
All Objectives Which Haig Start
ed to Get Wednesday Are
Grasped Securely
GERMAN THRUSTS FUTILE
Crown Prince's Forces Again Repulsed
By the French at Verdun Italians
Have Not Yet Resumed Their
Offensive.
(Associated Press War Summary)
With all the objectives for which
Field Marshal Haig started his men
early Wednesday morning in a new
offensive near Ypres securely in their
hands, the English, Scotch and Aus
tralian units now are technically hold
ing them, notwithstanding fierce Ger
man thrusts that time and again have
ineffectually been launched in efforts
to regain the lost ground.
Most Violent Fighting.
As had been expected, by reason of
the contour of the country over. which
the battle was waged, the fighting
through has been of a most violent
character. Near the Polygon wood,
where the Australians are facing the
foe, north and northeast of St. Julien
and northwest of Zonnebeke, the en
counters have been of a sanguinary
character, the Germans losing heavily
in their counter-attacks.
Of all the points of vantage sought
for and gained by Field Marshal Haig
the village of Zonnebeke probably
was the most important, for six miles
farther on lies the Ostend-Lille rail
way, the cutting of which by the Brit
ish would seriously interfere with op
erations between Germany's naval
bases at Ostend and Zeebrugge and
the southern part of their line.
Germans Re-Captured Ground.
Only at two points during the fight
ing were the Germans able to recap
ture lost grdund. This was east of
St. Julien, where two redoubts again
fell into the hands of the enemy. One
of these had to be relinquished by the
British and still remains in German
hands, but from the other the Ger
mans were scattered pell-mell by a
fresh British onslaught.
Thursday was spent by the captors
of the new positions in consolidating
them preparatory to starting another
I vigorous offensive.
Crown Prince Repulsed.
The German crown prince along the
Ai&ne front and in the Verdun sector
has made several attempts to break
the front of General Petain, but as
on former occasions the attempts were
repulsed with heavy casualties. On
the greater portion of the line ar
tillery duels are in progress.
Germans In the Baltic.
On the front in northern Russia and
Rumania the activities of the Ger
mans and Austro-Hungarians has al
most ceased except for small outpost
operations and here and there an ar
tillery duel of slight proportions. The
Germans, apparently, are reconnoiter
ing in the Baltic Sea, preparing for
attacks against the Russian fleet.
Their naval airplanes aiso are taking
part in this work, but are flying high
and keeping out of the range of the
Russian anti-aircraft and coast bat
teries. Italians Still Resting.
There, has been no resumption by
General Cadorna of his intensive offen
sive against the Austrians along the
Isonzo front, where only minor en
gagements have taken place. On the
Carso plateau the Austrians have be
gun again a violent bombardment of
Italian positions, but the Italians are
effectively countering. Large quanti
ties of explosives daily are dropped by
the Italians on Austrian positions be
hind the fighting front.
German Establishments Bombed.
In Belgium the British and French
airmen also are keeping, up their raids
against German, naval bases, canton
ments and other important objectives
and are scoring hits which give vis-
iblo - indication of great damage1 ,L
GOVERNMENT TO
TAKE OVER SHIPS
OCTOBER 15TH
Every American Vessel of 2,500
Tons Dead Weight Capacity
to be Requisitioned
CHARTER RATES PUBLISHED
Most of the Vessels Will be Turn
ed Back to Their Owners
to be Operated
Washington, Sept. 27. Every Amer
ican merchant vessel of more than 2,
500 tons dead weight capacity avail
able for ocean service will be requi
sitioned by the government, October
15, the Shipping Board announced to
day in a statement giving the charter
rates at which the vessels will be
taken over. American ships available
for ocean traffic total slightly more
than 2,000,000 tons, but some already
have been taken over for the army
and navy.
In most instances, except where re
quired for actual government service
the ships, it was said, would be turn
ed back to their owners for operation
on government account, subject at all
times to any disposition the Shipping
Board may elect.
Sharp Cut in Rates.
The shipping rates will cut sharply
the present charter rates charged by
American vessels for carrying govern
ment supplies. It is the intention, it is
understood, to apply them later to any
foreign ships chartered in the United
States. The chartering will be in
the hands of the Shipping Board's
chartering committee.
For freight vessels the rates a ton
a month figured on time charter on a
basis of dead weight tonnage are as
follows:
More than 10,000 tons, $5.75; 8,001 to
10,000 tons, $6; 6,001 to 8,000 tons,
16.25; 4,001 to 6.000 tons, $6.50; 3,001
to 4,000 tons, $6.75; 2,500 to 3,000 tons,
$7.
Vea&els of a speed in excess of 11
knots will be allowed5o" cents a ton
additional ior each knot, or fraction
over eleven
For passenger versels the board
adopted a two-fold basis of classifica
tion, Class A comprising steamers with
a capacity of more than 150 passen
gers, and Class B with a capacity of
from 75 to 150 passengers. Steamers
in ooth ratings are further classified
according to fepeed. Passenger steam
er rates based on time charters and
figures gross register are as follows:
Class A: 10 to 11 knots, $9 a ton; 12
knots. $9.50; 13 knots, $10; 14 knots,
$10.50; 15 knots. $11; More than 15
knots. $11.50.
Class B: 10 to 11 knots, $8 a ton;
12 knots. $8.50; 13 knots, $9; 14 knots.
$9.50; 15 knots, $1D; More than 15
knots, $10.50.
Some For Army and Navy.
Some of the vessels to be requisi
tioned, which will be used exclusively
for army and navy service, will be
taken oer on a bare ship basis. These
vessels will be manned and operated
by the army and navy instead of by
the owners and the rates fixed for their
use are $4.15 for cargo boats and $5.75
a ton gross for passenger steamers of
11 knots speed, with an additional al
lowance of 50 cents a ton for each
knot in excess of 11 up to 16 knots.
All of the rates are tentative. The
board, it was announced, will determ
ine on any revision that appears nec
essary. Government Assumes Risks.
The government will assume the
war risks on the ships requisitioned
and in some instances the marine risk
as well. Where the marine risk is as
sumed the usual rate for this insur
ance will be deducted from the char
ter price.
Within less than six months vir
tually every one of the 458 American
vessels now available for ocean ser
vice, including regular lines, will be
either in the service of supplying
American troops and warships abroad
or in trades considered vital to the
war. The intention of the government
is to replace ships drawn from regu
lar trade routes and from the coast
wise service with neutral tonnage.
Foreign ships will be admitted into
the coastwise service by suspension of
the coastwise shipping laws. A bill to
make this suspension possible is be
fore Congress.
CAMPAIGN AMONG SOLDIERS.
Effort Will be Made to Instill Thrift
and Economy.
Atlanta, Ga., Sept. 27. A campaign
I to instill thrift and economy among
soldiers will be inaugurated at once,
it was decided at a conference here to
day of camp secretaries and education
al workers engaged in the Southeast
ern military department, under the
auspices of the War Work Council of
the National Y. M. C. A.
Voluntary subscriptions to the sec
ond Liberty Loan by soldiers; sending
of a certain sum of the soldier's pay to
his dependents regularly, and the in
dividual and systematic depositing in
savings banks of a portion of a sol
dier's pay monthly, are among the pur
poses of the campaign, it was an
nounced. Representatives at the conference
included L. E. Hawkins, Camp Greene,
Charlotte;- Jonah Larrick, Ft. Caswell,
N. C; C. W. Dievtrich, Camp Wadsworth,
Spartanburg, S. C. ; H. M. Johnson, ma
rines, Paris Island, S. C, and E. D.
Langley, Camp Sevier, Greenville, S. C.
Chilean Cabinet Resigns.
Santiago de Chile, Sept. ., 27. The
Chilean cabinet resigned today.
ON
War Tax Bill,
To About $2, 700,000,000,
Is Completed By Conferees
Washington, Sept. 27. The war tax
bill, increased to raise about $2,700,
000,000 federal revenue in addition to
$1,333,000,000 secured under existing
law, was completed today by the Sen
ate and House conferees.
After two weeks' deliberation, the
conferees reached an agreement on the
bill the largest in American history
and in the making four months and
sent the revised draft to the printer.
Only formal approval of the new draft
remains to be voted.
Presentation of the conference report
to the House late tomorrow is planned.
It will be considered first by the House
and the bill's enactment into law next
week is regarded as assured.
Additional taxes of between $250,000,
and $300,000,000 over the Senate bill,
which totaled $2,416,000,000, were add
ed by the conferees. As passed by the
House the total was $1,868,000,000.
Senate levies of $1,060,000,000 on war
excess profits and $842,200,000 on in
comes were substantially unchanged,
the conference increases being divided
among many items, with a few new
taxes added and many eliminated
House provisions restored. The system
of levying war excess profit taxes was
practically re-written in a compromise
between the Senate war profits and
House excess profits system. A mini
mum exemption of 7 per cent on invest
WILL ANNOUNCE
Judge Webb Hears Application of
Means' Counsel to Hold
Dooling in Contempt
DEFENSE CAN USE PAPERS
Clement Says Documents Are In. His
Possession and That He is Willing
to Let Mean Have Copies of
Them.
Gastonia, Sept. 27. Judge James L.
Webb, of the State Superior Court, will
announce in Charlotte Monday his de
cision on the application of Gaston B.
Means, now held in jail on charge of
the murder of Mrs. Maude A. King,
for an order holding John T. Dooling,
of the office of District Attorney
Swann, of New York, in contempt of
court for failure to deliver to the
court officials of Cabarrus county cer
tain documents alleged to have been
brought from New York.
At the same time he will announce
a decision on the application for an
order citing Solicitor Hayden Clement
and Attorney General J. S. Manning
of North Carolina, to show cause why
they have not surrendered the same
documents as required by an order is
sued by Judge Webb Monday night.
The announcement that he would
reserve decision on the applications
until next Monday was made by Judge
Webb at the conclusion of arguments
before him here today by Solicitor
Clement and by E. T. Oanslr, of coun
sel for Means, who filed application
before Judge Webb yesterday. So
licitor Clement, speaking for himself
and Mr. Dooling, said that he had af
fidavits from the New York attorney
and his associates in the case from
I New York to the effect that thev had
delivered to the solicitor all the pa
pers in the case which they had in
their possession. He denied that the
alleged second will of the late J. C.
King, former husband of Mrs. King,
was not among the papers and as
serted that the contempt proceedings
were brought to humiliate and intim
idate witnesses who voluntarily came
from New York to appear for the
State in the Means case. He said thai
the papers in question were in his
possession and that he was ready and
willing to furnish copies of them to
Means' counsel, and declared that
there was no disposition on the part of
the State to withhold them from the
use of the defense.
Mr. Cansler asserted that Means had
been deprived of the benefit of the
papers in the proper defense of him
self in the charges brought against
him and that he was only asking for
his legal rights in insisting that the
papers be turned over to the court of
ficials of Cabarrus county where they
would be available for hls use. He
cited the fact that the returns on
Judge Webb's order showed that Dool
ing had refused to comply and asked
that he be held in contempt. He took
occasion to attack the methods of
District Attorney Swann's office, par
ticularly those resorted to in getting
possession of the. papers in question.
The application for an order to cause
Solicitor Clement and Attorney-General
Manning to show cause why they
should not be made to turn over to
Cabarrus county court officials the
documents from New York was made
before Judge Webb by Attorney Cans
ler here yesterday. Judge webb did
not issue the order, but advised So
licitor Clement at Salisbury by "tele
graph late yesterday that the appli
cation was pending an'd he came to
Gastonia today voluntarily to appear
for himself. Manning and Dooling.
Judge Webb reserved decision until
Monday on this application, as also
on that asking for an order of con
tempt against Dooling. No contempt
proceedings against Clement and Man
ning are pending or in contemplation,
according, to a statement by Mr. Cans
ler tonight,
DECISION MONDAY
Increased
ed corporate capital is said to be pro
vided, with modified allowances for In
tangible assets.
The only change in the Senate in
come tax section was to re-arrange and
harmonize a few graduated surtaxes on
incomes over $50,000, without substan
tial change in revenue returns or in
dividual taxation. Normal taxes on in
dividuals and corporations and the
lowered individual exemptions as re
vised in the Senate were approved.
Liquor and tobacco sections of the
Senate draft also were practically un
changed, although a slight decrease in
revenues from whiskey and manufac
tured tobacco probably will result.
Of the $250,000,000 to $300,000,000
agreed to by the conferees, about one
third was placed upon postage. The
House 1-cent letter tax estimated to
raise $70,000,000, which was striokeai
out by the Senate, was restored by the
conferees and the agreement for a
graduated zone increase on s econd
class mail rates is estimated to raise
some millions more.
Another large increase ordered was
in passenger transportation and Pull
man accommodation taxes. Amusement
admissions alsp bear a considerable in
crease, with Senate exemptions of out
door parks and their attractions re
jected. The Senate provision exempt
ing motion picture theatres charging
25 cents or less from taxation was
changed and provision made for ex
(Continued on Page Two.)
MAY FOLLOW UP
HEFLIN'S CHARGES
Both Parties in the House Demand
Inquiry Into the Bernstorff
"Slush Fund"
HEFLIN TALKS WITH ZEST
Mentions LaFollette and Several Others
and Says He Is Willing to Name
the 13 or 14 Suspicious
Congressmen. . '
Washington, Sept. 27. Inquiry by a
House committee into whether Ger
man money has been used to influence
Congress probably will be proposed to
morrow in a resolution sponsored by
the Rules committee and supported by
the Democratic leaders.
Demands for an exhaustive inquiry
overwhelmed the House leaders from
both sides today while the Rules com
mittee in executive session was con
sidering whether to report favorably
one of the several resolutions intro
duced since Secretary Lansing made
public Count Von Bernstorff's message
to Berlin asking authority to spend
$50,000 to Influence Congress "as had
been done before."
In a speech to the Rules committee,
Representative Hefiin of Alabama,
whose declaration on the floor of the
House that he could name members
who had acted suspiciously is largely
responsible for the agitation, urged
that the question of whether German
money had been used be investigated
first and that his statements be looked
into incidentally.
Willing to Name Suspects.
All efforts of committeemen to get
Mr. Hefiin to name some of the men he
had in mind failed, but he reiterated his
willingness to name them if a com
mittee were appointed by the Demo
cratic caucus.
Mr. Hefiin added seat to his remarks
by bringing in the names of Senator
LaFollette and Representatives Britton
and Mason, of Illinois, and Represen
tative IBaer, of North Uakota, in con
nection with certain legislation and
propaganda which he declared he did
not consider loyal and by indicating to
Representative Norton that he wanted
to "question" him later. He diu not
say that any of these men were in
cluded in his list of "thirteen or four
teen." Wants to Ask Seme Questions.
"Do not be sidetracked by the sug
gestion of Mr. Norton about investigat
ing me," he told the committee. "I
know some- would like to see me ex
pelled. I; will give Mr. Norton an ap
portunlty If that motion is made to vote
on a roll call for my expulsion. We
must not lose sight of the Von Bern
storff slush fund. I want an opportu
nity to ask some gentlemen about this
Mason bill (to repeal the selective
draft law) and I want to ask some of
them about their correspondence. I
want to know how many of them are
now in a quiet understanding to flght
the selective draft bill In the next-cam
paign. I want to know how many of
them have written letters that they fa
vor the Britton bill which would ex
empt Germans from fighting the battles
of our country, thereby crippling the
United States government.
"While we are investigating let us
see who furnished all the postage
stamps for all the correspondence In
regard to exempting German boys from
the army."
An Inquiry Advisable.
Mr. Hefiin insisted that inquiry was
advisable for the purpose of ascer
taining how a man stood on the war at
home as well as in Washington. In
this connection he mentioned Repre
sentative Baer who soon after his elec
tion to Congress as a representative
of the Non-Partisan League, introduced
a resolution asking for a statement of
(Continued on Page Two.)
RUSSIAN SOLDIERS
MURDER OFFICERS
AND LOOT TRAINS
Bolskevikis Fast Gaining Power.
German Victories Give Cause
for Rejoicing
FIGHTING SPIRIT IS GONE
An American, After Six Weeks
in Petrograd, Gives Out a
Pessimistic Report
Stockholm, Sept. 27. An American
who has spent ten years in European
capitals and whose position compels
him to take the viewpoint o fan impar
tial observer, reached here today after
six weeks in Petrograd and gives a
pessimistic report of the fighting spirit
in Russia and of political and industrial
conditions there. He says:
"There is no fighOig spirit except
among the Cossacks and Caucasian
and that seems to be waning. A Cau
casian colonel said to me:
" 'There are no real flghtera left in
Russia except us and we are not Rus
sians, thank God, but Caucasians ana
Mohammedans.'
"The interior cities and villages are
filled with Russian troops who refuse
to go to the front. Young Russians of
the better class are hunting the streets
of Petrograd' for men who are willing
to become officers. Since the murder of
officers by men has become a daily oc
currence only the most fervid patriot-
will assume the risk of taking com
missions.
Travel is Dnnfc'rouit.
"Th p. reports of open disobedience of
troops at the front and of deeds of
violence committed by them are count
less. Railway travel In many piaces,
particularly southwestern Russia, is
unsafe because soldiers loot trains,
steal luggage and maltreat and even
murder those who resist.
., "I sat in the war office at Petrograd
when the report was received of the
murder of nearly 00 officers at Vib"org
and of the preparation of proscription
lists against officers fn Tammerfors.
"Newspapers in Helslngfors carry
daily accounts of mhttary deeds of vio
lence and of the murder of officers and
civilians by soldiers, often accompanied
by robbery. The government has not
dared To do more than announce that
these matters 'will be investigated care
fully.' Bolshevikls Gaining Ground.
"The Bolshevikls are gaining the up
per hand in Petrograd and are Increas-
ing their strength in Moscow. I ven
ture to predict their eventual, suprem
acy. I know this means almost the
elimination of Russia as a factor in
the war and places new burdens on
America. '
"The government's utte powerless-
ness was recently shown in connection
with its exile of a number of 'dark
forces.' The Bolshevikls took them
from a train at Viborg, now 'are send
ing them back to Petrograd and the
government does not dare to insist
that its deportation order be "carried
out.
Rejoiced at Fall of Riga.
"The Bolshevikis demonstration of
.ioy over the fall of Riga held in front
of the war office was suffered by the
government in silence.
"Such facts, together with the gov
ernment's rapid changes in personnel,
form and policy, demonstrate the
seriousness of the situation.
"When Korniloff issued his ultimatum
the news was received with joy by a
great proportion of substantial citi
zens and men in the government de
partments told me of their secret hope
that he would come to Petrograd. The
comments from English newspapers
rejoicing at Korniloff's failure were re
ceived with ausement by these people
who saw in his success the only pos
sibility of saving Russia.
Munition Factory Closes.
"A factory near Nizhni-Novgorod,
manufacturing war materials and em
ploying 15,000 hands, has Just been
closed because it has been impossible
to meet the wage demands. Armed
workmen . terrorize the owners of fac
tories, workmen's committees spend
their whole time drafting wage sched
ules and nobody may be hired or dis
charged without their consent. La
borers unloading wood from barges at
Petrograd won In one day a strike for
an increase of from 43 to 52 rubles
daily.
"Conductors and porters on Finnish,
railways refuse to accept Russian mon
ey at any rate of exchange. I saw four
one-ruble and three three-ruble notes
bearing the same respective numbers."
GUPTON WINS OUT IN THE
NASHVILLE MAYORALTY RACE
Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 27. In one of
the closest contested municipal ,elec
tions ever held in this city, former
Mayor Hilary E. Howse was defeated
for mayor today by William .Gupton by
a majority of approximately 150 votes.
In the race for commissioner of wa
terworks, Paul W. Treanor, a former
newspaper man, defeated the incum
bent, Robert Elliott, by approximately
1,600. votes.
E. T. Lewis defeated George Stain-,
back for commissioner of stvseis, sew
ers and sidewalks by about 2,000.
BAINSIZZA PLATEAU NOW
FIRMLY HELD BY ITALIANS
Washington, Sept. 28. Italian troops
have completed their occupation of the
entire Bainsizza plateau which is now
firmly in Italian hands, according to
official dispatches received here today,
from Rome. The principal offensive!
activity at present is by Italian air 1
planes scouting over the Austrian linear
and bombarding depots and column
of troops. , 1
X : '-
V ;
!
Alt
...
H,
t ,
-.
-.
f -x