North Carolina Newspapers

-4 r r X A t , 4 M )J V( t -V - t, . ii. a t..tu.j tUii A CAROLINA HOKE NEWSPAPER, CONSTRUCTIVE, CLEAN, RELIABLE "WHEN YOU SEE IT IN THE OBSERVER irS.SO." FOUND Ep 1869 CHARLOTTE. N.. C, SATURDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 7, 1918. PRICE FIVE C2:,'7. rani TO GET CONTROL IF NEWSPAPERS .t,-.y . i-. e ' V'''" . ; Had Cbance to"Buy Washington J J' fost tor $2,000,000? , ACTIVITIES ARE REVEALED Bielaskl Lays Confidential- Rec ords of Department of Justict's , Before Committee. ' Washington, Deo. .Confidential I records ot the department of Justice dealing with the activities of German agents and others la the United State were placed todaybefore the senate committee investigating brewers and . German propaganda, by A: Bruce V-Blelaskl, chief of .the department's bureau of Investigation. ' They dealt with correspondence of t Count von Bernstorff, former German amnassaaor, - ana outers ooncemini " the : possible purchase of The'Washr Jngton Post and other newspapers; .he-sending of William Bayard Hale t mT" 'St mmmtm n n u As M ASMS RAH A mm Af t Kil ' iu y TTTTIII Tilt J TTTT VVI t efvuuM hv Hearst-newspapers. described ,by Votf (Bernstorff as having "outspokenly i piaoea tnemieives on .. mo uwmu "ideVind with suggestions of to .' mentmg trouble between the United Ajjlng munitions shipments to the al- 1j -ir-..t. . Mr. Blejaski told the committer that under d&ti ot October 17, 11X4, lnak TH..n .am rltia tnaa. If VVUIIb TVU US1IWW1U vuv Miw K,- sage from Washington to Dr. Bernard i min tnnti in Mw Tork; . Washington Post Offered? , The Washington Post ' was offered me today to buy foe $3,000,000 with i the understanding to buy it back T again after the war for a million and t a half. A second offer was to put the I paper entirely at our disposal"? or two months for $100,000. The paper is of Importance as the only large news paper of the capital How do you stand on the question of the money? I have not yet inquired at Berlin." . There was nothing to show that - any reply was made, but Mr. Bielaskl , said that under date ot October 27, 1)16, the German ambassador sent this message to the Berlin foreign office In cipher: "In - the official accounts for the first and second quarters of 1911 will be found entries of payments to Mr. Theodora Iowa. As to this T ham tn renbrt that this entln4n la f flap. "tnau origin and is married to a Ger- man lady. He offered us his serf ; vices to work on a paper in Washing ton, The National Courier. This of fer came at the time we were deeply regretting the death of John R. Mc Lean. . This gentleman had given his newspaper an entire anti-English character, so that his death left a great gap which The National Cou rier can unfortunately never hope to AIL The Washington Post has since then been fairly neutral, but may be entirely lost to us if It cannot, as it very much desired, be put into the hands of Mr. Hearst" V To Berlin Foreign Office. Under date of August t, 1916, Mr. Bielaskl said, this communication was sent to the Berlin foreign office and - was signed by Dr. H. K. Feuhr, a former German consular agent tn the orient who came to the United States early In 1914: "The Washington Post, whose neu tral attitude, towards the belligerents during the present war has won for It warm recognition from the German side, has of late materially changed its tone la questions of European poli tics and seems fairly on the way to Join our enemies. - "From rellAbla mnrxu T v. ' ' - .CUU lUAi this change of front is due to the Russian ambassador In Washington. After the death of its former owner, John R. McLean, The Washington Post, together with The . Cincinnati Enquirer, came in' the hands of the son of the first mentioned, on whom his aunt. Madam Bakhmeteff, is said to have great influence. "Mr.McLean, Jr., Inaugurated his ownership by naming as "editorial director-one Bill Spurgeon. who is said to be a British subject, and a nephew of Robert Porter, one of the chief leaders of the Northcliffe ring." , New York Paper Also. Another communication produced by Mr. Bielaskl, and alleged to have been : written by Samuel Untermyer, ?l,New. Tork t0 A,bert In February 191$. dealt with the purchase of a New Tork paper for $2,000,000. The name of this paper was not mentioned in the communication, but Mr. Biel askl sal dthere were Indications that it was The New York Sun. The let t ter said: "I have received word that our op portunity has ow arrived to acquire JPSfP evening paper about which we hava hanaii,in. ....I ..Ji S5Ahad at Prlce "ghtly under $2,000,000 for four-sixths of the canl- tal stock, which Includes valuaBle real i estate on Park row, but that action j must be taken immediately? i ; , Under proper conditions ' my friends would be willing to take a , one-fourth interest, provided some ar- rangement could be made giving them . the option to acquire the majority at , some future day. say after the lip" i. of one or twn v t. - "ir of the war, whlchould" afford eve" i t" oe possibly i want Art. I nntaA . i. . J I "a " "either, losing noiVakfi ''mlJPJt? sUd Ir from you , tlon to take up this -subject seriously 1! and promptly with me and bring it to ' a conclusion, if. as I believe, the terms .are advantageous. V "f , X llc?f8.t Wn on-Hnn Payroll. : ' .Mr. Bielaskl also produced a copy V?' '.?,8'" 'anff to Dr. Hale go ing to Germany for the Hears news papers, which; he said, was sent by 1 rSlrnr ' Britain, June, 19163: , i"'B" -aires ana Stockholm, nium nuu, wan on' me iConnned on page t.y EXCLUSIVE RIGHT OF WAY TO BE GIVEN REVENUE BILL IN SENATE -i . - .- . ; - - . j - . - - ' Debate to Begin Next Tuesday Promises to Be Lively and 1 ' LengthV Bill Reported to Senate by Simmons; Committee Majority and Minority Reports to Be Filed Later Every Ef fort to Be Made to Expedite Passage of Measure. ' Washington, Dec 6. In reporting the war. revenue bill to the senate today Chairman Simmons, of the finance committee, arranged for beginning of debate next Tuesday, with exclusive right of way given the measure. Filing of committee reports on the bill was deferred until next week. Senator Simmons will present the majority report and Senator Penrose,' of Pennsylvania, will nie a minority report, attacking especially the plan ot fixing 1920 rates. Senators Smoot, of Utah, and LaFollette, of Wisconsin, republicans,' gave notice that they would file separate reports to present their Individual views. Senator Simmons served hotice today, that every effort to expedite the bill's passage would be made and Senator Penrose replied that, while no filibuster would be attempted, there would be thorough discussion. As re vised by the senate committee to meet peace time conditions, .the measure Is designed to raise $S,958,4S,000 as against $8,100,000,000, Which would have been yielded by the house draft passed September 20. Following are estimates of senate committee , experts of comparative yields from the revised pill and the Incomes ............ War excess profits Transportations and insurance Beverages . Admissions and dues Tobacco Excise taxes , . Special taxes Stamp taxes Total estimated revenue ENTIONED : e , His Connection With Germany Aired by Bielaskl, Shows N. C. Man - Was Paid Thousands for Getting Evi dence Against Creat Britain. ' ' , ,. BY n. E. C. BRYANT. Washington,,, Dec. 6. A Bruce Bielaskl, head of the" intelligence service of the department of Justice, testifying before the Overman com mittee today told of. Gaston B. Means' activities for the German government before we entered the war. . - - He said that Gaston B. Means, commonly known as "Bud" Means, was paid $3,000 for thlurp getting evidence to show that the British government was shipping supplies to Its warships at sea from New York. Means, it was stated, in co-operation with other German agents, posed as a wealthy Canadian to see what he could -do for the cause ot Great Britain and the war, and had a number of tug boat cap tains brought to him for the pur posee of getting them to take sup plies to the ships! He then, accord ing to Mr Bielaskl. made it known he was a British agent, and that the best possible proof of their taking the supplies would be statements that they had done so. "He foulid one tug boat captain willing to say so," according to Mr. Bielaskl, "but others shied oft. The idea was that statements would be presented to the state department and lead to action against Britain." ' Mr. Bielaskl said the department of Justice would not prove that Means, in doing this work, knew its purpose the checks were to go to Means through the Burns Detective agency, but Mr. Bielaskl said he could only account for $2,200. is. liepiymg lu oeimiur vYciurau, mi . Bielaskl said there was no evidence that Means , was connected with agency after the country went to war. A scheme that did - not work out was intended to rouse German .sen timent in the south over the cotton situation, through a number ot south ern newspapers. "They never got to the point of approach to any of these newspapers," it was stated, "they wanted to show that England was interfering with southern cotton." Mr. i Bielaskl did not name any papers in this connection. NOMINATION OF GLASS WITHOUT OBJECTION IS CONFIRMED BY SENATE " ' 0 - ' - - Will Immediately Resign From Congress, After ' 16 Years Service, to Begin New Duties December 16. Washington, Dec. 6.- The nomina tion of Representative Carter Glass, of Virginia, to be secretary of the treasury to succeed. Willi!. G. Mc Adoo was confirmed tonignt by the senate, without objection. Mr. Glass immediately will resign from Congress, ; in which he has served , 16 years, and will .take up his new duties on December 16. Mr. McAdoo will continue as director gen eral of railroads until his successor for that position shall have been ap pointed. '; V.-' " : Representative Glass said today that he had every reason to believe that the future policies of the treasury would not Tae different from those now being pdrsued except as varying cir cumstances may suggest There is no further statement that I could make at this time which would either interest or enlighten the! pub lic," said Mr. Glass. "I would read ily wish that I may succeed even ap proximately as well in. administering the affairs of the treasury as has the distinguished marl whose retirement so distresses ' the country. It Is my judgment rthat nis retirement is a national, misfortune." - ONOER IMMUNE FROM ' LAW ARE HOH ENZOLLERNS i Berlin, Dec. 6. The Prussian gov ernment has formerly withdrawn the privilege heretofore held by the mem bers ot the Hohenzollern family of Immunity from law. GASTQN MEANS U : I original house aralt: senate dul. : . . $2,207,000,000 House bill. $2.37,186,000 2,400,000,000 8,200,000,000 75,000,000 110,000,000 229,000,000 460,000,000 64,000,000 240,600,000 123,000,000 JJ.866,000 '1,000,000 192,660,000 1,137,600,000 109,000,000 . 241,204,000 616,306,000 166,000,000 82,000.000 $8,182,492,006 . .$5,963,466,000 THE SOIL TILLER Houston Shows . How Farmers X- Helped Win the War. Bumper Crops Crown This Year and Last Despite Reverse Weather Conditions. Washington, Dec. 6. Tribute to the part played by the nation's soil tillers in winning the war is paid by Secretary Houston In his annual re port for 1918, transmitted to Congress today by the White House. Bumper crops were grown both this year and last in spite ot adverse weather, the mt. v f i secretary says, and the millions of men and, women and boy a4.iriQB. 1 the farm with the organized agencies assisting them, performed satisfactory iiy the sumpremely important task or ; sustaining their own country and those associated with it in the war. Emphasizing the difficulties and the absence of dramatic glamor in the war Job of the farmer, Mr. Houston speaks with satisfaction of the change dur ing the past year toward giving ag riculture a larger place in the news papers and magazines and. the world's thought and bringing the great urban populations into closer touch with rural life. "It Is one thing to ask a man to save," says the secretary, contrasting me tasa oi me one wno conserves and the one who produces, "It Is an- during the war. These pivotal Indus other to ask him, confronted as he tries produce articles upon which Is by the chances of the market and otHer industries depend and which the risk of loss from disease, flood and were formerly obtained from foreign arouin, to put nis moor ana capital , into, the production of food and feeds, , and the raw material for clothing." j Pointing out that the size of the harvest may not measure the labors of the farmer, Mr. Houaton records that the acreage planted this year in " ,s . i mercnaru marine De continued and 000,000 acres, or more by 5,600,000 ; amplified; that revenue legislation to acres than in the preceding record be passed by Congress conform to the , . A views exprea-wd by organisations of Of .next year s prospects, the report commerce and Industry, that tax laws "72: . , . . m shall provide that during present con "It is too early to make detailed anions the taxpayer shall be allowed suggestions for the spring planting to make a deduction from his annar. season of 19 19. During tnis rail tne.ent profit by way of a reserve for a department, me anncuuurpi uuuegea, and other agencies carried on a cam palgn for a large wheat acreage, and indications were given by states as to where the requisite planting could be secured without calling ior an ex tension of the area or even a normal acreage in the states which had suf ferred from drouth for two years- It was suggested tirat if possible, at least 45,000 acres of wheat should be planted. The Informal Indications coming to the department are that the farmers exceeded the plantings suggested by the department "We do not know how either the wheat or the rye will come through the winter, and are not now able to state what the requirements should be for the next season, Ti or can anyone now ten wnat tne worm demand wu be at the close of the harvest season of 1919. - . "We do know that for the ensuing months the nation is likely to be called upon for large quantities of available food and feeds to supply not only 'the peoples with whom we co operated in the war ,but alRo those of the neutrals and the central pow ers. This will involve a continuation of conservation on the part of ouf people and probably of the mainte nance ot a satisfactory range of prices for food products during the period." Increased values for all farm prod ucts are shown. "On .the basis of prices that have recently prevailed," says the report, "'the value ot all crops produced In 1918 and of live stock on farms on January 1, including horses, mules, cattle, sheep, swine, r 1 1 poul try, Is estimated to be $24, 700,. .00,000, comnared with $21,325,000,000 - for K1917. $15,800,000,000 for 1916, $12.- 660,000,000 for 1914, and $11,700,000, (100 for the five-year average, The Increased values reveal that the mon etary returns to the farmers have in creased proportionately with those of other groups of producers in the na tion and that their purchasing power has kept pace in the 'rising scale of prices." . " FIFTEEN MILLION GROSS TONNAGE LOST IN WAR London, Dec. 6. The world's total losses of -merchant tonnage from the beginning of the war to the end of October, 1918. by enemy action and marine risk was 15,053.786 gross tons, according to official announcement Is sued tonight 1SIIIE5S SEiS . - 1 v - Reconstruction Congress Adopts Many Resolutions. FINAL SESSION IS HELD ! Urges Speedy Return of Rail roads to Private Ownership; Opposes Burleson's Plans. Atlantio City, N. J., Dec. 6. Ap pointment of a European commission representative of American business to go to France and be available for any aid to the peace delegates from me united States in considering eco nomic problems that might enter into the peace negotiations was decided ) upon today at the final session of the reconstruction congress of the indus trial war service committees. Other reselutlons adopted urged the speedy return under federal char ter to their owners of all railroads opposed government ownership and operation of telegraphs, telephones and cables, appealed for modifications of the Sherman anti-trust law and en dorsed the Industrial creed respect ln In hor enunciated by John D. Rockefeller, Jr., yesterday. Cheers greeted the adoption of the resolution providing for the European commission. The Chamber of Com merce" of the United States, through its president, Harry A. Wheeler, of Chicago, recently inquired of Presi dent Wilson whether such a commis sion would be helpful, but according to Mr. Wheeler, the President made no repiy. . Study Needs In Europe. The proposed commission while abroad will also etudy the recon struction neesd of Europe. The size of the body has not been decided upon but. will probably number 15 to 25. It is planned to pick at least one representative from each of the Important Industrial groups. Only one voice, that of a delegate from Lynn, Mass., was raised against the passage of the resolution for thr prompt return of the railroads to their owners, and he only asked de lay until more light could be had on the situation. The resolution favor ing modification in the anti-trust laws declared that the war has demon strated that through industrial co operation great economies may . be 5?ievea; wa" nciSPcy increased acnieved, waste eliminated and et- ,; The congress "decided that ft is In tfMyptyfr"tiecwt- -that- air war . ar ders placed by "' the government whether regularly executed or not should upon cancellation be promptly una equuaoiy adjusted and satisfied I as If every formality had been -served. To Stabilize Business. What is regarded as ei important step In the work of stabilizing busi ness through the readjustment period was the creation of a war service ex ecutive committee which will keep the business and Industrial Interests of the country in close touch with the government The congress urged the government to encourage ana preserve "pivotal In dustrles" that havn hn Hvain.4 countries, notably Germany. Other resolutions odapted by the congress included these: Recommending the development of public works of every sort so that em. ployment may be created for unskilled labor; that the construction of a great subsequent ShrinkSge in the value of merchandise: the strenatheninc of commercial relations with South America. WEATHER IN NOVEMBER FAVORABLE TO COTTON Washington, Dec 6. With few ex- ceptions the weather during November was favorable for Increase in the late and top crop of cotton, according to the national weathor and crop bul letin issued today. - "Much late cotton matured under the Influence of mild weather and the absence of serioua'trost. damage, es pecwuy -in westerq cotton area. "i"w "In South Carolina It Is renorted that one-third of the crop remains to be picked, while in North Carolina only about 10 per cent is yet In the field, The crop was mostly gathered in other sections."' J0-J0 SAYS Fair today and Sunday," v .c change in temperature. '. Not all big headed men are broad-minded. ALLIED ARMIES COMPLETE FIRST STAGE OF MARCH INTO GERMANY Progress So Far Marked by Orderliness on One Side and De 1 cent Respectfulness on the Other Aix LeChapelle, First Really Large Town Occupied, Shows Evidences of Prpsper . Ity Nothing Found Indicating Approach to Starvation. BY PERRY ROBINSON Special Wireless to The Observer From The London Times. ,1. (Coprrtrttt, till, by PoeUo Ld(r CO With .the British Army, Deo. 6 The allied armies of occupation have completed the first stages - of their march Into Germany without unto ward Incident, its progress having ao far being marked by orderliness on the one side and decent respectful ness on the other. The country through which It passed was beautiful In spite of the war and had every appearance of prosperity. It la, how ever, easy to find evidence of gxlevous food shortage in sections near the Dutch frontier, which we have so far penetrated. large German I town occupied by the allies. I had there Wednesday cer - talnly the best andmost lavish meal ikT.Mtan for a Ion time. It Aix Lacnapeue is ine nrsi reu ,TmViirtbbro be, got in Brussels, Liege or Namur ana m . infinitely more generoue man umui, Bruges or Ostend could produce. I do not know where on this side of London or Paris one cquld do better. Nor is there in the shops any appear ance of shortage. People complain but do not show outward signs or under-nourlshment Prices are about the same for eatables and lower for wine than in occupied parts of Bel gium. Neither in the villages nor in the first large city I have seen do the German pepole appear anywhere near starvation. Aix is In the Belgian area of occu pation. I stood on the steps of the Rathhaus while Belgian troops march ed through the square. The band waa playing. I found it a curious experi ence after the last weeks, when any gathering of troops anywhere has been enough to collect a cheering crowd, to Erzberger to Participate in Peace Negotiations. Sr&alfioW as Very Crave; Trial of Hohen zollern Chancellors Demanded. Special Wireless to The Observer From The London Times. (Copyright, 111, by Public Lodger Co.) Stockholm, Dec. 6. The Berlin soviet in conjunction with the Ba varian executive council have decided that Dr. 8olf must retire and Herr Ereberger must be allowed to partici pate in the peace negotiations. Ber lin correspondence to the Swedish press describes the situation as very grave. Dr. Liebknecht and his Spartaeus group is continuing to demand the trial of the Hohenzollern chancellors of the former regime by a revolution ary tribunal In Berlin. This party is determined to prevent the assembling of the constituent assembly. The rabble at their command are prepared for any iolence and have easy access to arms and ammunitions. The Vossische Zeltung expresses anxiety. Vorvmerts dreads a counter revolution and shows that counter revolution manifestations are occur ing all over the country, instigated usually by officers of the army, the generals ordering the tearing down of red flags and discarding of red cock ades. Large sums apparently are be ing spent in Berlin by the soviet In support of their cause, one paper de claring the executive council already has expended eight hundred million marks (nominally $192,000,000.) GERMANY BEGINNING TO SURRENDER HER LOOT Special Cable to The Observer From TIM London Times. (Copyright, . by Publto Vtttw Co.) London, Dec. 6. This afternoon' newspapers in London make a special feature of the Impending demand tor the extradition of the ex-kalser ap parently arising out of an Interview with Premier Clemencoau tn Paris. It is declared President Wilson Is being kept informed and consulted. Also is featured the fact that Ger many Is beginning to surrender her loot having already handed over to the allies tor safe keeping three hun dred million pounds In gold exacted fmm Ruwila. Rioting is reported In Cologne. and everaUother German DECIDE DR. SOLFTAXES HEAVY ON MUST STEP DOWN LARGE INCOMES towns in weiipnaua.-in lng,, tneae BeliUreSi 746, or ex- troopsare now less than , 30 mues,actl one-thlrd, occurred within the from toiogne. y - .. .'-' MANY TRANSLATORS TO BE AT PEACE TABLE Paris, Doc. 6. -Tranlators in 23 languages. Including Chinese, Arablo, Turkish and some not even so well known, have been called for by Brig adier General William W. Harts, who Is directing the equipment of the American peace delegates. The num ber required" in indicative of the : di versity of the races and countries hav ing Interests before the peace con gress, either through participation in the war, or by reason of treaties ' or other relations. ' ' . . - ... j, WRECK IN FRANCE FATAL ' ; JO MORE THAN A DOZEN Orleans.' France, Deo. (Havas) An express train from Orleans last night crashed Into and telescoped an other train loaded with American ma terial near Meung-Sur-Lolre, 11 miles southwest of this city. 'c Twelve bodies have, been removed from the wreck and Identified. Other dead still re main in the debris. Twenty-five per sona were Injured, Four ot the rail road cars were smashed to bits. see this column here filing through the streets, devoid of bunting, with only casual sullen interest shown by the passersby. Already the streets of Aix are placarded with notices over the signature of the Belgian com mandant phrased as nearly as possible along the lines of similar German procalamatlona In occupied districts. People are warned against offering violence or disrespect to allied troops. All men must take off their hats to officers In the streets. All cafes, res taurants and theaters ar closed till further notice, as are all hotels except a tew kept open for the convenience of allied troops. People are forbid den to go outdoors between o'olock at nlsht and T o'clock in the nlornlng. Shops and streets must be kept light ed all night Use of vehicles in the I streets is forb Wden. No one may wear 1 a German uniform or carry arms, the (.penalty being summary shooting. l So far. all has irone quietly, though I understand officers have found it .... a IfmaaI. AtV lh A w t 1 m necessary to knock off the hats of some civilians refusing to salute them according to orders. One walks down street continuously . acknowledging hat-ralslna- which sroes on on every side. However salutary it may be, this regulation has its penalty lor amea officers as we l as tne innamtants. For a rreat part of the day I slaved tourist at Aix Except for. a certain unspoken consciousness of strained relations on account of hat-raising in the streets, my experiences of v the day differed little from those of any holiday in peace times. The poeple manage to observe an outward semblance of courtesy, but it was impossible not to wonder how widespread was the sentiment she reflected wnen a worn an in a shoo declared that so long as the war was finished nothing else mattered Light on Great Majority Those Under, $3,000. of Commissioner Roper, In Annual Report, Shows Much "Moon shining" in Piedmont Section Washington, Deo. 6. Direct ttaxes fell heavily on corporations and on nersons havlns large Incomes and lightly on persons earning less than $3,000 a year. It was shown today by the annual report ot Internal Revenue Commissioner Roper for the ?-ear end ing last June 30. Although 2,319,000 persons with Incomes of $3,000 or less in 1917 filed returns, including many heads of families having Incomes ranging between $1,000 and $2,000, which were reportable but not tax able, they were assessed only $22,895, 000 In the aggregate, or less than $10 each. On the other hand, 665,000 In dividuals with incomes of more than $3,000 were assessed $692,613,000, Corporation excess profits taxes of $2,046,713,000 came from 117,000' concerns, while 218.000 corporations were assessed Income taxes ot $48. 175,000. Other assessments by classes were as follows: Insurance companies income taxes, 2,100 returns, $3,072,000; railroad companies Income taxes, 4,096 re turns, $29,878,00.0; Individuals sub ject to excess profits tax, 31,000 re turns, $88,731,000; partnership ex cess profits tax, 87,500 returns, $93, 125,000; . munition manufacturers, 8, 248 returns, $9,418,000. Actual coU lection figures differed slightly from the assessments. From Internal Revenue. Revised reports on collections show that $3,694,619,000 was collected from internal revenue. Including $2,838, 999,000 from Income and excess profits taxes, $317,1153,000 from distilled spirits, $125,285,000 from fermented liquors, a total of 443,838,000 from a liquors, and $156,188,000 from to bacco. The year 1918 marked the beginning of a new era of taxation, commented L Mr. Roper, because the bulk came from income and profits taxes rather than from liquor as in previous years. The report deals with, the efforts of the bureau to suppress the lUlcIt manufacture and sale of Intoxicants under the head of "conservation of manpower and war materials." Moonsliining In Carolina. "Illicit distilleries," the report con tinued, "numbering 2,238 were found, fto ,onr notorious tor "moonshin principally in the southeastern sec- single state of North Carolina. Nine- ty-flve per cent of the illicit distilleries were seized within the six states of Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Vir ginia. . - Besides illicit distilleries seized, 1,849 illicit distillers were seized and destroyed, of which half were discov ered in Georgia and North Carolina. During' the past year "moonshiers" have - been '"Unusually active in the Piedmont section and in other locali ties adjacent to the army camps and cantonments. A special fore of rev enue officers has been et Vved ' to protect the camps from this demoral izing traffic. Squads j of specially trained officers were sent to sections where unsatisfactory conditions were reported, and they have been largely successful In keeping the trafflo In abeyance. ' 1 ' '' ; . LIPSNER RESIGNS. -" New York, Dec. 6. Captain B. B. Lipsner announced here tonight that he had tendered to. Postmaster Gen eral Burleson his resignation as sup erintendent ot the aerial mall service. The reasons given were that he had been Informed novices , are to I he placed In charge ot Important branch es ot the service and special air planes constructed for carrying mall. PEACE G0i:G i i m i U 4.1 s iLllii TO OPEi! FIRST lEKIIUBi! Yiisbn Informed by Wire! cf Plans for Conferences.' FINAL ACTION MAY FIRST? Expected In Paris That Peacaj Deliberations Will Last About -Four Months. : ' Paris, Deo. 6 .-"(By the Associated Press.) The opening . of the peace , conference at Paris has been set for .,; the first week In January. It is ex- ; pected here that the peace dellbera ' .'' tions will last about four months.' UnV. less unforeseen obstacles arias the be- , lief prevails In well-informed quar- ters that final action will be reached toward the early part of May.. " . . President Wilson will be Informed by wireless today (ef the plans for the ' assembling of the Interallied confer ence and the meeting of the peace conference. He .will also be advised ' concerning the recent gathering j tne supreme war council at London. In the meantime, reports that the President . has approved of anything aone at tne supreme council are pre mature, as the steps taken at that meeting will not be made known to him until today. " v , The plans concerning the peace meetings are the results' of Colonel Edward M. House's long talk with Premier Clemenceau, following a con ference with Baron Sonnino, the Ital- lan foreign minister, and the Earl of Derby, British ambassador to France, The lnter-ailled conference will re assemble on December 16 or 17. The meetings will be at the foreign office in tne uuai D'Orsay and not at Ver sailles. David Lloyd George, the i British premier,, and Foreign Minis- t ; ter Balfour expect to come here at that time to meet President Wilson and attend the conference, but ' the elections In Great Britain mar not permit them to remain more than two ' . or -three days. v -it The opening of the peace Congress Is set for the first week In January. It was the desire of. the Americans to begin at the earliest possible mo- ment Other delegations felt that a, later date would be necessary, owing to the Christmas holidays and the official functions connected , with tbe " presence of . President Wilson and f Klng Victor Emmanuel, of Italy, but , the first week In January finally was ' chosen. The first meetings will be for the actual framing of the prelimin aries of peace with the representa tives of the enemy powers, who will be present) The names of the French delegates to the peace congress have not as yet been announced, but it Is understood v there will be three members of the government and possibly a fourth, -member. The British delegates will be Premier Lloyd George. Forelen Minuter Balfour Chancellor of the Exchequer Andrew Bonar -Law, George Nlcoll Barnes, labor member of the war cabinet, and a fifth dele- gate not yet selected. It la antici pated that the peace deliberations wilt last about four months, and unlesn v unforeseen obstacles arise,' that final ' action will be reached toward the early part of May. FIRST CONFERENCE TO " BE. ONLY PRELIMINARY'. London, Do. . (By the Associated Press.) Foreign Secretary Balfour la outlining his views on the peace con-. feren.ee today told the Associated ' Press he thought the meeting tn Paris " this month would be merely informal , and preliminary to the conference of the associated , governments- at the first of the year, which would tor- ' mutate all the Important terms et peace agreements. This conference, he added, would be the most Impor tant and the longest of the series, When It was finished the enemy coun tries would be called in to ratify the conclusions rearhed. , i , Mr. Balfour said the British gov- ' ernment had not ; yet cade any fixed arrangements for President Wilson to visit England, as it would be prema ture to do so until more was known regarding the President's own plans. - The foreign secretary said he be- ' lleved the question of a league of na- ' tions vwaa the' most important .work imposed .on the conference. "The i prominer.ee Mr. Wilson has given the ' subject is a valuable contribution te -civilization," he declared. t 1 ROME EXPECTS WILSON i EARLIER THAN REPORTED Special Cable to The observer From The London Ttmes. ... (Copjrrlirht, lilt, by Pabtla Ledfw Co.) : The Hague." Dee. 6. A disnatch dated 'Wednesday, says The Nleuwe , Courtant, announces the crown prince ha, HittfffltAt il 1yV, a Ka Kmma A Rome dispatch of Wednesday says there is good reason to believe Presi dent Wilson Is coming to Rome sooner than was expected and before the opening of the Versailles conference en the twentieth.' Capltolo palace is being prepared for a great reception. LONDON TO CJVEREED0M : OF THE CITY TO WILCCn Special Wireless to The Observe? ' From The London Times. . (Cppyrlfht. tut, by Fublie Ldgr Co.) London, Deo. (.The city of Lon-. don will .present : President Wilson with a freedom of the city similar to ' that s given to Ulysses & Grant In 1887 and to Mr. Roosevelt la 1910. , The cotton spinning -profits in Lan cashire for the year ending Novembc 10 last were greater than la any simi lar period In a quarter ot a cent er. Forty companies, operating 40 tn.. show a net profit ot 84 per cent v ; each share of capital after allow for depreciation and intecest chsr On a share ef loan coital the t bined profit was 23 .r c-t, j (Continued en Te ) ' 1- -