REGISTRATION FOR- SCHOOL BOND ELECTION GLOSES "SATURDAY REGISTER NOW !
K -
"I ,, , . . ,
' H I- ff! ' TOWW' nn-A;1l5 I 5 PGESTODAy I ;
THE WEATHER
Rain and wannr FrhJay; Saturday
fair, except rain in northeast portion.
VOL. CI-NO. 216.
TERRIFIC STRUGGLE
IS BEING WAGED ON
THE WESTERN FRONT
Germans Are Hammering- the Al
lies in Two .Sectors With Re-'
suit Yet Unknown.
BRITISH EE-TAKE VILLERS
Enemy Swept Back atThis Point
Almost to Where Present -Fighting
Started, -."
FRENCH GIVE UP HANGARD
German Gains Toward Amiens
Thus Far Are' Small
(Associated Press War Summary.) . .
The great double German drive, In
the Somme and Armentieres sectors,
which began Wednesday .morning, has
developed into a 'terrific struggle. The
tide of battle has surged to and, fro
during the last two . days with ' the
decision still in the balance. The Brit
ish, having been forced back out of
Villers-Brettoneux, launched a counter
attack and swept the Germans back
almost to the lines which were held
before the present .fighting began. The
French have been driven back out of
Hangard-En-Santerre." but are holding
their positions close by while on the
line southwest of .Ypres; .the.; British
have been compelled - to withdraw
slightly before furious attacks along
the Meteren-Bailleul-Wytschaeee line.
Wounded Americans are arriving' at
a hospital behind the French lines in
the Somme sector, showinjj:thatrjGen
eral Per shing's ffieiare bearing", their
share of the burden of the great bat
tle. - - .". !
Notwithstanding the frantic prepa
rations made by the Germans for a
continuance of. their" drive, toward
Amiens and the extreme violence, of
the fighting their, gains thus far in
that region have " beenvery small.
Along the line from Albert south to
Castel, except at Hangard, the Ger
man assaults have been ; hurled back
by the allied forces which are strongly
posted on the higher gorund to which
they retired during the last days of
the German drive in Picardy.
It is unoicially reported that four
to six German divisions, or from 48000
to 72,000 men, have been hurled at the
British and French lines near Ypres.
The retirement of the British in this
sector must have been small for there
are no great gains reported by Ber
lin so far. It was rumored Thursday
that Mount KemmeL a dominating
height north of Wulverghem had been
taken by the enemy, bu this has not
been confirmed. . ' -
That only slight gains have been
made anywhere along the two frontK
which have been subjected to attack is"
proof that the allies are prepared to
defend their positions. In . the last
three weeks the Germans have hurried
up heavy cannon to the old Somme bat
tle ground . and .have marched many
fresh divisions to the " points where
they have been held for the moment
of attack. Their failure to do more
than gain almost insignificant1 bits of
ground is one of the most' encourag
ing features of the fighting' that now
is going on and which may be looked
"ipon as the third phase of the great
German offensive. -
Raiding operations are reported
along the French lines east of Mont
didier. It is officially announced at The
Hague that negotiations between Ger
many and Holland are not progressing
satisfactorily. The: Dutch foreign
minister has declined to give the de
tails of the situation between the two
countries which : is admittedly quite
delicate.
POrR TO SIX HUBT DIVISIONS
ATTACK ON SEVEN-MILE FRONT
London, April 25.- A 'dispatch to
Reuter's Limited from British head
quarters in France says' that it is re
ported that the British have re-established
their line easlj of Villers-Bre-tonneux.
The rumor that "the Ger
mans have reached the crest of Mount
Kemmel is not confirmed. . Four and
rossibly six German divisions delivered
an attack this morning over a seven
mile front on -the Meteren-iBailleul-"Wytschaete
line. x - -
AUSTRALIANS AND ENGLISH
CAPTURE MORE THAN 600 MEN
London, April 25. Australian . . and
English troops have recaptured Villers
Bretonneux and taken' more than 600
prisoners in that region, Field Mar
shal Haig reports from headquarters
tonight. - ' ' . ' -
Further to the north on a line from
Kaiiieul to Wytschaete there has been
very heavy fighting and the allied
roops were obliged to withdraw from
their positions. ' V' ,'-' ' .
To Obrve Total EcIJpe.
- Richmond, Va., "April 25.- Pr..:Sam-t-'el
A. MitchelL professor of astronomy
at the University of .Virginia,, left to
ay for Baker Cif y, - Ore., where he
11 ill observe a total eclipse of the sun
June 8, for the government. Dr. I
Hoxton, Ir. p. W. Merrill and the
hisses Bigelow jtnd-Hopkins-of- Smith
J'ollege, accompanied him.. The party
is equipped with special astronimieal
paratus . furnished ? by Johns- Hop
kins University, '- -V .' "-v'-" "
Americans Wounded in the
Great Battle are Arriving
, ' , A Hospitals in the; idear
Paris.. April 25. American sol
lfx. wounded the great battle
which now. is being waged already
are arriving at the rear. American
wounded and sick to1 the number of
128 , have reached hospital No 25
flf are -r?m units engaged in .
fighting side 'by side with French
and British in stemming the Ger
man . advance.
V hospital No .25 is one of the new
institutions, established behind the
line as It stood after the allies
stopped the recent German drive in
tPicardy. -".
Few of the Americans remained
at the hospital very long, being
taken farther to the rear. . ,
Sixteen girl students of Smith
college are working in day and
night shifts at. this points and are
operating a well-arranged canteen
at the railroad station for the sol
diers coming through on the hospi
tal trains."
Mrs. Clark, the Misses Justice,
Brogan and Scott and M I,. Ral
this and E. W. JJowrey, of the Amer
lctn Red Cross, have rendered not
able service at the hospital.
ZEEBRUGGE RAID
DARING EXPLOIT
Commander of Cruiser Vindictive
Gives Associated Press Story
of the Attack.
SHIP COVERED WITH SCARS
"r, ' "f -'.. . ;
Cruiser lrd Attack Affainst German
. Battery While Other Crews Were
Bn7 in Effort to Block Chan-
nel Much Los of Life.
Aboard H. M. S., Vindictive in Dover
Harbor, April 25. A correspondent of
The , Associated Press visited . the
cruiser Vindictive as the guest of Cap
tain Alfred FB. Carpenter, who com
manded her in the expedition last
Tuesday against the German subma
rine base, at Zeebrugge on the Belgian
coast. ' - . ,
Captain Carpenter received the cor
respondent with his arm in a sling
from a shell splinter wound. The ship
showed innumerable signs of conflict,
her decks and superstructure "being
covered with the scars of shells and
machine gun hits. The commander
during1 the attack was at the end of
the bridge in a small steel box ,or cab
in, which , had " been-- specially con
structed to house a flame thrower. In
the course' of a long account pf the
part taken by the Vindictive in the
raid, Captain Carpenter said to The
Associated' Press: ''
"Our chief purpose in the expedition
was to distract the attention of the
battery while the block ships ran in,
especially the battery of llinch guns
which occupied a commanding position
at the tip of the mole. Our ship was
elaborately prepared for the business
of landing soldiers on the mole, which
is of stone, 40 feet high and 15 feet
above the Vindictive's;top deck at the
state of the tide when the attack took
place. . . . ' '
"We had a special superstructure
over the upper deck and three ;long
gangways or "brows' which were de
signed to take the men up to the level
of the mole as soon as we got along
side. Exactly according to plan we
ran alongside the mple,"approaching It
on the port side where, -we were
equipped with specially built buffers
of wood two feet wide. r
"As there was nothing for ..us to tie
up to we merely dropped anchor there
while the Daffodil kept us against the
mole with her nose ' against the " oppo
site side of our ship.' In the fairly
heavy sea two" of, our three gangways
were smashed, hut the third held and
500 men swarmed up on this, on to the
mole. . This gangway, was . two feet
wide-and thirty feet long. " V - , s.
"The men who, went up it included
300 marines and 150 storming seamen'
from the Vindictive and 50 or so from
the Daffodil. They swarmed up the
steel gangway carrying hand-grenades
and L.ewls guns. No Germans . suc
ceeded in approaching the gangway
but1 a hard hand-to-hand fight took
place about 200 yards up the molar to
ward the shore.
toward .the shore so the bridge got, the
full effect of enemy fire from the shore
batteries... One shell exploded' against
the pilot house, killing nearly-all of its
ten occupants. Another burst in the
fighting, top, killing a lieutenant and
eight men who were doing excellent
work vwith two pompoms and four ma
chine gus. .- ' ' .' . . . ;t-
."The battery of eleven-inch .guns at
the end of the mole was only 300
yards Away and it kept trying to reach
us. The shore batteries also were
diligent. " Only . a - few German shells
hit our hull - because it was well pro
tected by the wall of the mole, but the
upper - structure, -stacks and s ventila
tors showed above the wall and -were
' " Continud oa Pajr Seven J. ; .
WtLMlNGTOIST, INY
WILL CELEBRATE
TODAY 111 BEHALF
OF LIBERTY LOAN
Demonstrations To - Be Held
Throughout Nation to Speed
. Up the Sale of Bonds. ' .
EXPECT TO PASS 2 BILLION
Subscription Reports Lagged Yes
terday, Only $108,000,000 Be
ing Reported.
" Washington, April 25. Liberty day
will be celebrated tomorrow' by the
nation with patriotic demonstrations in
practically every city and town to
speed the sale; of . Liberty bonds. Sub
scriptions by tomorrow night are ex
pected lo'be well above $2,000,000,000,
or two-thirds of the minimum -total.
In big cities special efforts, will be
made to get banks and corporations to
turn in. their, pledges, held , back here
tofore for a multitude of business .rea
sons, and - local - campaign committees
sent word tonight that the- sales un
doubtedly would break records for. the
campaign. ... '
In many states a legal holiday has
been declared and , in - others arrange
ments ' have been made for - business
houses and f actories to close for part
of the day to allow citizens to partici
pate in Liberty ' parades or , to 'make
house-to-house canvasses for subscrip
tions. In Washington, government clerks
will be released . from work, to march
in' a-"" great procession doWn Pennsyl
vania avenue. Many high officials had
enrolled tonight to march.' ' , v. ?
Subscription reports Jagged , today.
Ladding only-JI5y,u000e tp previous -re-H
porta and making, the total $1,898,785.
050." Off icials had looked for 4 much
larger figure for today than eveh the
$120,000000 daily average which must
be maintained to reach the 'three bil
lion dollar mark by the . end of next
week, the -close of the campaign. N
Having won the honor of being the
first district, to attain its quotar the St.
Louis district now engaged in a final
effort., to : put Tennessee . over , the . top.
All of the state is over except the city
of Memphis and 30 teams of, ten men
each started a house-to-house canvass
there for. subscriptions.' One "hundred
thousand dollars an hour was collected
during the first half .day. Both the
Atlanta and Richmond districts report
that it is impossible for them to ob
tain detailed information regarding
the subscriptions in their districts. At
lanta's latest report shows a subscrip
tion of $28,049,250, or 31 per cent, while'
Richmond has subscribed ' $65,94,350,
which-is 0 per-cent.- '
MAY BE NEW GERMAN
THRUST' AT "AMIENS
From Dawn Until JVight Enemy Throw
Strong Awmvltlns Column Re
peatedly at Hangard..
With -the French .Army in France,
Wednesday, April 24. (By the Associat
ed Press) Attacks by the Germans in.
Picardy today if large forces engagea
may . be taken as an indication were
evidently intended . as ' the forerunner
of a new thrust toward "Amiens. From
dawn until night the enemy ' threw
strong assaulting columns repeatedly
at Hangard, where the fighting was
of the most desperate character. -
Toward evening some of the enemy
detachments managed - to obtain a
footing in Hangard wood, lying about
a mile northward of the village, and
also in the eastern outskirts of the
town Itself. ".Their hold, -however, was
most precarious for the French obsti
nately ; declined to give . way. . They
fought back with terrific "dash making
the position of the Germans almost
untenable. ' " ' : ' '
A little further, to the north the Ger
mans attacked the British units hold
ing Vlllers-Bretonneux. This appar
ently was part of the same forward
movement.- - Here also the struggle was
of , the - fiercest kind. . The French
fought' side by side with the British
and sundown found' the combatants
still at close grips. 4 There were slight
chairman, and Miss Mary B. Poppen
at other points, but there were no ser
ious retirements. ,
KAISISR. VISITS ; ZEESUGGE.
Witnesses . Damage Done by the- Brit-ih-Rald.
-
'London, April 25. Reuter's Amster
dam correspondent- senads the follow
ing telegram .received from Berlon ,
"The kaiser on Tuesday visited Zee
brugge, the scene .of the ,:, frustrated
English raid.' ' He. boarded the mole
where - he convinced himself that the
damage caused-by - the, blowing; up of
the .railway ; onage naa aireauy been
temporarily repaired : and that a final
bridging' of the gap ,can . be , done - in- a
few daysl.'.. "He; also satisfied, himself
of the perfectly, good condition of all
the structures and installations on "the
outer part of the mole, w;hich- was : the
objective of the attack. . : .
-Hea then proceeded to -the ' canal
lock where two. cement laden cruisers
lie and at the scene of - the nocturnal
battle obtained an exact account from
several- participant offloers. ; . The
kaiser got a captured English captain
of marines . " .who : , . happened : "to be
rousht-paat to-, explain., the battle: -
O, rBIBAY MOfelSriKG,
LAST OF 39
a
i-l-Ivvs Irt' THEt
These are bellboys, 30 in number,
and alj were formerly employed by
the Hotel Biltmpre, in- New York. One
week before Ameriea declared war oh
Germany this .photograph- was - taken
Lite
AT PIER AND SINKS
Steamer StPjiul of the American
Line Completely Submerged
' Fcr?nd Aft.
LOSS OF THREE MEN FEARED
.; .. . ;" :
Vessel Wa Befnc Bromt From Dry
doHk and Several Huadred Were
Aboard- Etxaet Cae of Ac- -'
; cideat Uadetermiaec. C'
' . 1 "..T 'V' . ..
nAt4a-'7E!orV-priVi tSSS.
American line uteameaip st. 'vaur, a
famous passenger. : liner, " overturned
and Bank at her pier-here today while
being warped 'into a. pier preparatory
to being loaded "for a trip to Europe.
Three men probably...lost their lives in
the accident. ;: ,
"At the time the' St." Paul was not un
der steam, but "was' being- brought by-
tugs from a drydock, "where for the last
week she had been-undergoing repairs.
On her ; at the time, were: several , hun
dred men a . majority j of , .them . ero-v
ployes of the drjydocK who had been
sent with the -vessel to "complete their
work while she was: being loaded. -The
steamer now is lying on her; port side
with about ten feet of her hull amid
ships' above water" and is completely
submerged both fore and af t; ' , ' :
Three MensMiMinff. .t
A statement .Issued.; by the company
shortly after the; accident occurred
said three men, known to have been op
board, were missing, and that it was
feared they had been jlost. ""Whether' it
was believed these men ' were trapped
below decks as the ship iv.ent oyer or
were drowned by jumping overboard'
could 'not be ascertained'. 1
A general ' ajrm t was - sounded
through the ship -when it was seen that
she. was in danger, .and,1 as fully, ten
minutes lapsed before' she turned over,
it is thought most; if not all.' the men
reached the deck. A. large number of.
men escaped .by simply , climbing over
the rail and onto the exposed side of j
the vessel as It came uppermost, while
others - leaped into the water and -were
picked up by the tugs.; , . -
No Statement on. the Canoe.. , '
Several possible causes for the acci
dent were advanced, -but owing to the
uncertainty surrounding it no definite
statement was given' out and will not
be, bfflclals of the , line said, ufitil offi
cers of the navy and' federal officials
and representatives . of the company
can complete an Investigation, which"
was begun immediately. .' i , L
' One. dt the causes. advancedvh?c.h
wassupported - by experienced 'marine
men, was that the' ship."' which .was be
ing warped into, the pier by ..lines from
the Bhore and assisted" by . tugs pushing,
listed so far that water "entered open
coal ports, this -resulting in an over--coming
of the center of gravity. Another-explanation
offered was that the
ship's' seacocks might' have been open;
either by accident.or. design. ;
. ... . Salvaging: i Begron. .
. - Steps to salvage . the vessel - were
promptly begun and -a number of large
wreckings barges, tugs and floating
derricks "are tonight .engaged; in1 the.
work.- Officials of the. company said
they expected: to complete the 'work of
raisin ;the steamer early next week.1
Immediately after --the accident a
heavy guard of soldiers, police and ma
rine forces were, thrown about thepier.
and government tugs took up positions
outside " the. slip. Vt AH war zone passes
V (Continued-on Pag;e Six.) ,; i
IIIIIIIIIIIllIIIIlIIlllIIlIIIIHilllIIIIIIlllIIIIf
I TO ADVERTISERS! 1
- s;
V Advertisers; and other who
S3-;- have, opy which, they desire
S " 'to' ap'oear in Sunday's paper ;
should furnish the eame to-:
SS "day if poseible. , Owing to dlf-.
; 1 ficnltlee of seeurina- ei tra help
S3 and the general - rush" of rsnn-."
3 day advertlalna- we regTet we
5 .- will he unableY to nupply apace ,
' unless eopy'j is ; furnished :: at
S3 the earliest peathl moment.
This apnUe to -small as well
S3 as to larger requirements..
uuiiiiuiinMiiiMHlnimiijiiiiiiiiinnira
vf' IF ! -
APRIL 26, 1918
HOTEL BELL BOYS JOINS
SERVICE , '5t.
while they were drilling atop the big
hostelry. Now all have Joined the col
ors. .-.Half of ; them have already seen
action in France, six of them being
members pf 'Canadian organizations in
Those Reaching Their Majority
Since June 5 Last Year Will
Be Registered.
JIOUSE ADOPTS MEASURE
Had previously I
Now Goes to
aaate and
Conferen
New
.- Xtea-latrnntM Will Be Placed
,. on Bottom of List.
late today v adopted the senate resolu
tion 'for the registration f6r military
service , of young, men who 'have reach
ed the age of ' 21 years since June 5
Iasty The measure now goes to con
f erence."-' "
An- amfxdroen, offered by Represen
tative iiuii oiy&iowa ana aaoptea, 119
to' "$1, " provides' :,.at;5aeii.V registered
under the bill, shall be, placed' at the
bottom v of . the classes : to which they,
may Cbe assigned. ' - -"'-' - - t
The house sustained . the , military
committee In strikingout a provision
of - the "bill as - it-passed the senate
which would exempt, from registration
those' eligibles who- have entered med
ical - or divinity.:, schools': .since . June 5
las.t. . ' .. . , ; y ... .....
Representatives ahn of California,
ranking republican on the -military
committee, told the - house that the
proposed new registration would place
frqm 500,000 to 700,000. new, registrants
available for . military service. In that
connection he' recalled - that Germany
recently -called into . service- its class
of - 1919,- feonslsting , of approximately
550000 men. f
Chairman Dent of the military com
mittee ' opposed the amendment of Mr.-
Hull. He -said he understood: it is tne
plan of the war department . to .place
the newly registered at , the bottom
newjyregistered at the bottom
of the .respective classes unless some
thing unforeseen occurs to'- prevent,
but- did hot believe It proper to tie
the hands . of the department, by . an
amendment which would require that
action. ."-.. ...
Mr. Kahn also opposed " the- amend
ment and declared : there "are thou
sands ' of young men now under 21
who volunteered at ..the ' beginning of 4-
the; war and. who now are serving In
France. ; -. , ' . , . ' :
THIRXI WARD ENDOWED.
V.' D. C Make. 'Another Contribntion to
.r Hospital at Neuilly; " ; ,
Birmingham, Ala., April 25U An
nouncement' is. made today -by Mrs. J."
A.. "Rountree, of . Birmingham, s general
chairman, and Miss Mary; B. Poppen
helm, of : Charleston, . S. gVj '.. presiednt
generaUvthat the United Daughters of
the; Confederacy, have completed the
endowment , fund of a thiTd ward , In
the American military .- hospital No. 1,
Neultty, Irance, the endowment be
ing: made by funds received -from the
members of the, Daughters of the Con-'
federacy of ..Jackson Tenn., - chapter;
vTexas, Missouri, Tacoma, Wash. ; Mary
land. North Carolina, . Ohio, Denver,
Colo.. Georgia and an individual gift
from , Mr. and Ms. Samuel Drey fuss,
pf ,Sbryeport, La. . Beds in ' this ward
wjll ,be named in memory of Gen. Na
than Bedford Forest, Hood's Texas brl-
gade, officers and men "behind the
guns, 1'Generai Sterling Price, . to the'
men' of Camp Lewis, tfacoma, Wash.;
Maryland boys of 18W-65, North Caro
lina heroes of 1861-65; Robert E. Lee
(two bedsr Alexander H. Stephens and
Our. Boys, of Today.
CRITICS OF THE OVERMAN
- ; BILL PREVENT EXPECTED VOTE
. " Washington, April 25. Critics of the
Overman, bill renewed today their vig
orous opposition to its proposed au
thority for the president to reorgan
ize government agencies and many
speeches for and against, the measure
prevented the expected vote .on' pend
ing restrictive .; amendments. A . sur
prise of the" day was the' Introduction
of. a new amendment authorising, the
president, to appoint a single executive
officer' to "Con tror the aircraft program
which Senator : Overman stated ; ' he
YOUNG MEN NOW 21
SUBJECT TO DRAFT
- - ; . i . -. ......
U. S. ARMY
- "V' -
the front lines., The last " of the 39
was James Rellly, captain of the ser
vice at the Biltmore.V Who, left this
week. He was" the '.recipient of many
gifts and farewell wishes for success.
MARINE
LIST .TOTALS
278
Killed in Action 22, Died From
Wounds, 10, Died From Acci
dent 2, Wounded 244.
EIGHT OFFICERS WOUNDED
List Include Losses - Suffered by the
Marine Brigade Since It Took Its
Position at Front Several
Weeks Ago.
losses othe brigade of -marines - WitTTT
the American expeditionary force ' in
France so far reported was announced
today by MJ.". Gen.' Barnett, comman
der of . the. corps,, as -278, divided as
follows: . ........ . . -. . .
Killed in action, 22; died from,
wounds, 10; , died " from accident, "2;
wounded in . action, . 244. .' .
AH the dead are - enlisted men but
eight officers two" captains and ' six
lieutenants were among the wounded.
Five of the ; enlisted men were slightly
wounded, but General Barnett's state
ment did ''net. show "whether ; the offi'
oers and - other men . were severe?y or
slightly hurt. : ... , r ...
Most of the casualties were in one
company, .which General Barnett said
lost a total of 21. men killed and 140
wounded out of a personnel of 250. The
dates on which the marines were kill
ed and wounded were not made public,
nor was it ' indicated . on .what, part - of
the line Mhe soldiers of the sea" are
holding or - in what actions they have
participated. - Such information is
withheld for military -reasons. 1
It Is known,, however, that the ma
rines have been- holding a front line
trench sector , for several weeks, hav-
ing been moved, up to the ' battle line
f-; , . 'MTnmJ?eftt,on
since they . first went to ' Europe with
the vanguard of. Pershing's forces last
summer. . '
Today's list' was the first marine"
corps casualty2 list made public rand In
cluded all names reported to April 23.
Since' the marines are considered an
Integral part of the army in France,
officials' of the corps ' had expected
their .casualties to be Included In those
of the army announced I by ' the war
department. Inquiry, however devel
oped that such was not! the case and
the compiling of a complete " list was
ordered by General 'Barnett. ' It was
regarded as probable that some of t the
named announced " today ; previously
had been issued by the war " depart
mept in the' regular army lists made
public dally. : ' '
"Considering -the length'' of time the
marines have been on the fighting line
the casual ties" : were regarded as com
paratively small."
- , Reorganise " Aircraft Machinery.
-- Washington, "April .25. Reorganiza
tion; of the army aircraft machinery
announced yesterday was said, at the
war "department today to.be a prelim
inary step, designed to meet - the im
mediate need for- expediting the air
.craft r program. Congress .will be asked
to legislate on the question as soon as
John D Ryan,, . director pf production,
has determined, just what further
steps are necessary,
r All ' Oftlcera : Re-Eleeted.' - r
Memphis, Tehn., April 2b. Charles
S. Keith, of Kansas City, president, and
ill other officers of the Southern Pine
Association, 'were re-elected at a meet
ing of jthe directors1 of the association
here today.' I Committee reports ' sub
mitted at the; meeting Indicated' that
southern - pine- mills ' are two months
ahead of schedule on government con
tracts. -, ' " : - -
. V Potnto'Crop- Short. y
Richmond,- Va., April 25. Reports
received from various sections of the
state by- Edward - A. -Evans. director of
the weather-bureau, indicates -that, the
potato crop in . the . tidewater section
f will.be:, from ,25 to. 50. per cent , short.
Heavy rains and lowlands being Inun
dated for days at a time" has drowned
tha.eed ao4-cafied -rot,. . y ;
y-i. ':;:
i
.vtfSx fa v;:1 1
WHOLE KUMBEB 39,394
KITCHIH L0DF.1S UP
AS NEXT SPEAKER
IF CLARK
And Indications That Clark Will
-- ....
Accept Appointment to Sen- j
ate are Strong. ' ' -
SUCCEED SENATOR STONE
North Carolinian Could be Elect
ed Eay Without a Fight by
the Republicans.
By PARKER R. ANDERSON.
Washington," April 25. Majority
Leader Claude Kitchin loomed up to
night as the next speaker of the na
tional house of representatives, fol
lowing strong indications that Speak
er Champ Clark will accept the ap
pointment to the senate offered by
Governor Gardner of Missouri. . That 1
there was a strong probability of JJfr. "
Clark being offered the senatorial toga
and of Mr. Kitchin being elected
speaker of the house as his successor
was forecasted, exclusively in this cor
respondence immediately following
the death of Senator Stone. ;
SpeakerClark promised his personal
friends tonight that he would make
a definite announcement tomorrow
concerning his acceptance or rejection
of a seat in. the United States senate.
Should he resign, there is not the least ,
doubt that Claude Kitchin would im
mediately be "elected as his successor
as presiding ' officer of the house.
RepnhUeana -Make No Fight. Vi '
This', was made certain late this af
ternoon when republican, leaders of . the
house went ! to Speaker Clark and : in
formed him that they would, not' stage
jt.partsan cpfltest at this time foJr4 the
control o the house. Onel raasbriif or
the speaker's hesitation about the sen
ate' offer was' -the fear of a bittei
house row over - the speakership. The
republicans evidently are willing to
let the speakership "? slide until after
the next election, hoping' to'gain cdn
trol of that body-at the polls in the
November election. The democratic
majority in the house is so small that
waiving oth&r Considerations,' Speaker
Clark might have . hesitated to resign
the speakership and precipitate an
other contest ' for the organisation iof
the lowe rchamber. Mr. Clark was in
conference most ? of - the ;day. with
friends in both the senate and house.
Senator Reed,, of . Missouri, was' one
of the first to call upon the speaker
and c urge - him to accept ; the- appoint- -ment
' proffered by Governor Gardner.
It is understood that the majority of
those who saw Mr.- Clark advised him
to accept the place,- although -expressing
regret that by so doing he would
leave the', house, where he has served
22 years and made hundreds ofr warm
personal friends. " 'r
SpekersWi a Bigr Job.
' The ; fact that Speaker Clark debated '
all day the acceptance of .the appoint
ment to the senate : strengthened ; be
lief here tonight that he will event
ually take the seat vacated upon : the
death of Senator Stone. " Tn - the past,
the speaker,- both in puMIc- utterances
and private - conversations v has ex
pressed decided . preference to work in
the house. On more than one occa
sion he has insisted that the position
he now occupies is the second hlgh
ert in the - government, .the , vice-presidency
notwithstanding., ...
Two years . .ago . the . sneaker prob
ably would have, turned, down Instant
ly the offer of appointment to, the sen
ate, but; fcondltlons now are somewhat
rhaneed. The: democrats .are not too
certain of eontrol.In the .next ' house.
Tn act. It. Js-the. firm belief , of many
lendinc statesmen, both republicans
and democrats, that the party, now'.ln'
powr WU -lose control of that : body
at the noils thl fall... Tn that -eveTTt-
nallty. Mr. Clark .would be re1gatd
to a place on the floor, and. under, the
rule of erlftniatln -n' seniority
would not -even be the flon- leader ?
hl party.; unlenw -Claude rKitohtn vol
unteered to retire In his favor- 5
KftMn V.1n. P!ftr.V,; S .
Marlfv - Tender Kitchin;- lt. neem,
would- hnv Ttf or no troMe )n,t
irttr -elected -to fh spVer-Mo t V-.
farte Tfniernm. Mr. IT'tcKin's frieta
contend fhafhe Is eft-Mile to the hon
or' and th- 1emoc,tc - floor. , leader
IndlCstAd a WillfnnAfis- accent
bA place If the vicncv occurs. Po
run . known " tonfe't the ont-n- man j
ten''d m '". polM'e nmrTnt ,of
t. Kitchin !s .'Repret't've -rrti ,;
rr!p. of Gorir1a. forrnerlv pji.-ii- Jj
mentorr clerk of'fhe how t on of J,
the Ute Sneaker Crn. - Howcw . v,
rHw' personal relations' w.tv M".
Kitchin ere snch.fhat It ls know e
woiid not,n"rmlt th iw. of wg nnftie
fn Ions as Mr; Kitchin Is a candidate f
for te honor.', v r; v. '"';Vv-' - t
A ifQ're nt to nj(ct :part.'fftn ,po1!- ,
1rs In the midst "of war lARisfatlnn !'or j
to coniiiict a-con- fr the, mvr- -1.
"h'n trr f les" tcon a year. 'pctnfed J.
rP"hHcftn Piiority fn; informfntr -4,
Mr, - njk tht he rallv deofred .to j'
accept Me senate amointmnt 1
notoid Hack In fear of a speakership ;
row In the houe. , '
f Tf tb , weaker ftccep f the . rovrn- '
or's ' aPPo'ntTnent, he .will ne , a' CftndT- J
date for the 'senate In ; the elctldn
next November. for -the remainder of g
Senator, Stonr: term- three yyearv j,
Th various, Mi!JoiirI fectloni. It ? Ift J ;
believed." wotild unite on Mr. Clark and ;
' iConttnued oa Tig TTw&f
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