THE UNION COUNTY PAPER EVERYBODY READS IT.
THE UNION COUNTY PAPER EVERYBODY EDS IT.-
THE
OMROE JOURNAL
PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS
VOL.23. No 92.
MONROE, N. O, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1917.
$1.50 PER YEAR CASH.
M
UNITED STATES TAKES
OVER ALL RAILROADS
XEW ORDER WENT 1XTO
EFFECT AT XOOX i
:dav
Secretary McAdoo Became Director
OcntTiU And All Railroad Officers
Will Continue Under Htm PresI
dent Wilson Makes Proclamation.
At noon today, Friday, all the rail
roads of the country were taken over
by the United States government
William G. McAdoo. retaining his
place In the cabinet as secretary of
the treasury, is placed in charge as
director general of railroads,
Every railroad engaged in general
transportation, with its anourten
ances, including steamship lines, is
taken over and all systems will be
operated as one under the director
general.
In a statement accompanying his
proclamation, tne President an
nounced that as soon as congress re
assembles he will recommend legls
lation guaranteeing pre-war earnings
and maintenance of railroad property
in good repair.
Government backing will be given
to new Issues of railroad securities
that a ready market may be found
GREAT SURPRISE
The President's move, although
forecast for weeks, came at this time
as a great surprise to nearly every
body in Washington, including rail
road officials. It had been generally
-believed that he would await the
reassembling of congress before
taking any step. He acted through
Secretary of War Baker, under au
thority conferred in th army appro
priation act.
Management of the roads will re
main In the hands of railroad officials
and the railroads' war board, com
prised of five railroad heads, will con
tlnue to direct actual operation un
der Secretary McAdoo's general su
pervision
The chief practical effect of govern
ment operation will be to permit
complete unification of all rail sys
tems, impossible under private oper
ation by reason of statutes prohlb
lung pooling of rail traffic and earn
lags. The roads themselves had gone
as far as they dared la this direction
. and it became known only today that
they had been warned by Attorney
General Gregory that v a violation of
anti-pooling laws could not be per
muted
PRESIDENT'S STATEMENT AND
PROCLAMATION
The President's statement follows
"I have exercised the powers over
the transportation systems of the
country which were granted me by
the act of congress of August, 1916
because It has become Imperatively
necessary for me to do so. This is a
war of resources no less than of men
perhaps even more than of men, and
it Is necessary for the complete mob-
ilicatlon of our resources that the
transportation systems of the country
should be organized and employed
under a single authority and a sim
plifled method of co-ordination which
have not proved possible under pri
vate management and control. The
committee of railway executives who
have been co-operating with the gov
eminent In this all-important matter
have done the utmost that it was DOS'
sible for them to do; have done it
with patriotic seal and with great
ability; but there were difficulties
that they could neither sccape nor
neutralize. Complete unity of ad
ministration in the present circum
stances Involves upon occoslon and
at many points a serious dislocation
of earnings, and the committee was.
f course, without power or authority
to re-arrange charges or effect prop
er compensations and adjustments of
earnings. Several roads which were
willingly and with admirable public
spirit accepting the orders of the
committee have already suffered from
these circumstances and should not
be required to suffer further. In
mere fairness to them the full au
thority of the government must be
substituted. The government itself
will thereby gain an Immense in
crease of efficiency in the conduct of
the war and of the Innumerable ac
tivities upon which Its successful con
duct depends.
TUBLIC INTEREST FIRST
"The public Interest must be first
served and, In addition, the financial
Interests of the government and the
financial interest of the railways must
be brought under a common direc
tion. The financial operations of the
railways need not then interfere with
the borrowings of the government,
and they themselves can be conduct
ed at a greater advantage. Investors
la railways securities may rest as
sured that their rights and Interests
will be as scrupulously looked after
by the government as they could be
by .the directors of the several rail
way systems. Immediately upon the
reassembling of congress I shall re
commend that these definite guaran
tees be given: First, of course, that
the railway properties will be main
tained during the period of federal
control In as good repair and as
complet equipment as when taken
over by the government, and, second,
that the roads shall receive a net op
erating Income equal in each case to
the average net Income of the three
years preceeding June 30, 1917; and
I am entirely confident that the con
cress will be disposed In this case,
as In others, to see that Justice is J
done and full security insured to the I
owners and creditors of the greal sys- j
hirh ih rovernment must now ;
use under Its own direction or else
suffer serious embarrassment.
McADOO NAMED
"Tne secretary of war and I are
agreed that, all the circumstances be-
ing taken into consideration, the best
results can be obtained under the im
mediate executive direction of the
Honorable William G. McAdoo, whose
practical experience peculiarly fit him
for the service and whose authority
as secretary of the treasury will en
able him to co-ordinate as no other
man could the many financial In
terests which will be involved and
which might unlesi '.systematically
airccieu. ru.ier ,-., rmuai.-aMng u-
tanglements.
"The government of the United
States Is the only great government
now engaged In the war which has
not already assumed control of this
sort. It was thought to be in the
spirit of American Institutions to at
tempt to do everything that was nec-
essary through private management.
ana u zeai ana aouuy ana cauiuuc
motive could have accomplished the
necessary unification of administra -
tion. It would certainly have been ac-
complished; but no zeal or ability
could overcome insuperable obstacles,
and I have deemed it my duty to
recognize that fact In all candor, now
that it is demonstrated, and to use
without reserve the great authority
reposed In me. A great national ne
cessity dictated the action and I was
therefore not at liberty to abstain
from It.
"WOODROW WILSON."
Red Cross Notes.
Red Cross work was suspended for
the Christmas holidays, notwithstand
ing deeds of mercy and love have
continued with many of our good wo
men. Through the untiring and
voluntary services of many of thse
eood women of the town and coun-
ty. the Red Cross chapter of Monro
has been able to send .during the
v
tides to headqaurters for supplies to
be sent over the seas. One box khlp-
. . . -i-J irt i OA
pea uec. owwwu p.--.
neimeis ana o "'.
box. shinned
n nl ran i n1
392 nieces 25 sweaters ana 3 nei-
mets.
Headauarters having made altera
tlons in hospital bed shirts, all auxin
aries making these garments oy rorm
er sample are aBked to discontinue
same until further Instructions aro
furnished, which will be mailed out
as soon as nossible.
The work room will he open Man'
day. Dec. 1st. Special work for tliat
dav will be making ready the coin
fort kits for the fifty-three Union
countv boys who leave for Camp
Jackson Tuesday. Jan. 1st. inese
kits can be made at home and any
who wish to assist In this work, call
at Mrs. Lane's and sample and ma
terial will be furnished for same.
Chairman of Red Cross Supplies
reports the following donatio.. . Jjr
XJZVZuVZTXLtfRnlt
Houston, two bolts of Bheetlng donat-
ed by Jackson Mills, through presi
dent. Mr. B. D. Heath. Membership
fees: Mesdames Jno. rainey, jr.,
H. Mears. McDonald, Walton, wray,
Eugene Ashcraft and Messrs. W. A. I
Lane ana K. uearearn, ii.uu eacu.
Contributions to supplies: Mrs. n is-
bet 11.00. Mrs. W. 8. Lee iiu.uu,
Mrs. Clarence Laney 75c, Miss Ber-
nice Shannon 40c, Mrs. Miaaieion
R ft A Mr. r-hrlotonhtir is on. Tne I
W J Rudge Co. have contrlDutea
19 21 to Red Cross, amount realized
frnm th meltlne Dot. The following
donations were handed to Mrs. Koch-
titvv for nostaee on boxes to
Franre- Mr.. Morrow IX. OU. Mrs.
J . - - r I
ir.on.an ti fin Caroline and Wilbur I
Kophtltzkv-20c. Mrs. S. O. Blair
1.00. Mrs. Roscoe Phifer 75c Mrs.
---- I
Lane, Chm., Supplies.
$0,(NM IV GREENBACKS
DISAPPEAR IX TRANSIT
KcKlstcrcd Touch Disappeared i
' . 'yz ..
tween riamiei ana i oiumma
IVwtofflre Inspectors Are Working
On Case.
Columbia, S. C, Dec. 27. Green
backs of small denomination, totall
ing $50,000, the major portion of
which were for $5 and 110. in transit
Richmond, Vs., to the National Loan
and Exchange bank of Columbia, are
ted here this afternoon. Whether
they were misplaced or were stolen
was not stated..
The currency, which Is alleged to
ave been shipped from Richmond
December 17 In a registered package
or pouch, was checked at Hamlet,
N. C. it was stated, by W. H. Cole
man, Columbia postmaster, and dts-
DDeared between that point and Co
lumbla. The postofflce authorities art
t.. ftr
?iU!lthiSwe0.0k" l"!.
peared at th Seaboard station heTe
. III
or In the Columbia postofflce.
Postofflce
Inspectors are work ng
on the disappearance of the pouch
which, it Is understood, contalnea
nothing of value except the $50,000
in currency.
The First Clerk Didn't Know
A lady of uncertain age went to
the Bureau of
Information at the
Grand Central Depot and asked when
the next train left for Albany, and
the answer she received was, "Twen-
ty minutes to eleven." She looked I
doubtfully at the man and went follow who was particularly loud in his
one of the .'eats. In a few minutes denunciation of the measure and de-
there was an exchange of clerks. She I
promptly went to the window and re-j
peated her question. This time she
was told that the train left at "ten
forty." "There," said she In trl-
omph. "I was sure that other man
didn't know." I
FORtiET IT AT ONCE
That Is If You Have Done a Kind
, newt. But Xcvcr Forget It If You
Have Received Ouo.
Correspondence of The Journal.
Indian Trail. Dec. 26. After hav
ing been on the shirker list for the
last two weeks. I will try to succeed
myself with a short litter in order
that The Journal readers may know
what is going on at the little village
of Indian Trail.
Being freed of the two weeks'
snow, some of which is still with
us we nad about come t0 the C0Q.
clusion that the bad weather was
about over up to Christmas evening
when he had to change our minds on
account of the rain which fell and
the light snow which fell during the
morning. We felt at the time that
we had a nice chance for more rough
weather, but it seems at the present
that we are going to have a fairly
nlce weeken(j
. . ..o...
SoVaTVen a thV of
1 'A A PrASaW nn Snt.
urilav , ht f lh ' nf ,
ing funds for the purchase of a new
musical instrument for the Methodist
church, this being the second effort
for this worthy cause. Many of the
young people were present and all
seemed to enjoy themselves to the
highest extent. We wish to thank
those who lent their means so liberal
ly to the cause to which this social
gathering was aimed. Each person
was sent an invitation in an envelope
which also contained a small blue
cloth bag which was to be returned
at the social with as many pennies
as years they were old. The proceeds
amounted to 17.17 which was a good
ly amount as there were no extreme
ly "old" ones present.
Mr. Sanford Forbis, who is , In
,,. , w' t
k, d h on lugt Mond
L, M tQ gpent a few days wUU mg
m
parents and friends. It is reported
. m.pHi iat it.
that he was married last night
I VUI iruiu.s, UUl UIO 1
Christmas, but the writer is not cer-
ulD that the ..orUear wa8 perf0rmed
Hll.t., i. , en nravion thi.
I " '
year as usual, or not in this part of
the county at least, I suppose from
the fact that ammunition is so high
In price. Col. Quail should be thank
ful that the war Is going on as possi
bly it has saved his life many times.
Of course he need not be afraid if
all marksmen are not unlike the
writer as he surely was tried out for
his skill not ' long since, shooting
fourteen times and getting one,
For the coming New Year It will
be well for every person who may
read this to make this his or her
resolution for 1918, which is as fol
lows in a poem taken from an alma
nac;
Forget each kindness that you do
As soon as you have done it;
Forget the praise that falls to you
- ndeMh'at you "hear"
Forget each slight, each spite, each
The moment you have won it;
sneer,
Wherever you may meet it.
IRemeber every kindness done
tq you. whate'er its measure;
Remember praise by others won
And pa88 it on wltn pleasure;
Remember every promise made
And keen it to the letter:
Remember those who lend you aid,
And be a grateful debtor.
Misses wuuia tiaraey ana Mamie
Ross left Saturday night for Wingate
where they were to spend a part of
the ChrlBtmas holidays with the lat-
ters parents, Mr. ana Mrs. t. a
t -I. . . - J I 1 .. ... . V. .. I
hum, buui i uisiuutu iruui iuai
place.
Misses Nannie and Lizzie Boyd left
W .1 . .. 1 . I. .. ( .1 .
1UUUUU7 iu wane men ueuunuuii
somewhere near the Catawba river to
spend a few weeks with relatives and
friends.
Mr. Samuel Lemmond, who stood
a Civil Service examination a few
onths ago was called to Charlotte
to fill a position as clerk during the
rugh of the holidays. He reports that
the work was very pressing while he
worked during last week.
Mr. Burdett Crowell of Matthews
spent Christmas day in the Trail
we were giaa to welcome our
grandfather and grandmother, and
Mr. Hoffman King, and Misses Mag'
gle and Maude Lee Boyd in our home
for Christmas dinner with us. 'Pos-
T.'Dl." ru,'" ."".i.f .-'fJ
also a few other things that taste
good to a fellow about this time of
the year. Sir John
"When tiavellng In Iretand I heard
a capital sioiy," said a clubman, re
cently returned from Europe. "It
may be old as the hills, but I had nev
er heard it before and it struck me
as a good sample of an Irish bull. We
diving around the lakes on ono
of the Jaunting cars and got to talk-
Ah,e J.? !"? 5
iu iiriauu iui iuci win lam iu juu
,n n Ij
" 'wu uv" i' T .
esiavu est i vvs iuivi iuvii'ii it -
gave us was the fact that the clergy
exacted a tenth of every person's
property for the use of the church.
" 'That s a big slice out of your
Income, Pat,' said I.
'Arrah!' he exclaimed, 'that's
nothing.
Bless your soul they'd be
after takln' a twentieth if they
could
Recently, when there were some
talk of Imposing a tax on the unmar-
rled men In this state, one young fel
rlared roundly that It was an out-
rage, and was effectually silenced by
Jan older bachelor, and perhaps one
better able to stand the expense, by
the remark, that, in his opinion "lux-
uries were Just the things that ought
to be taxed."
VERY BAD FOOD SITUA- . there being a total deficiency of hu-
TION IX GERMANY, j man and animal labor and manures.
It is asserted the situation Is leading
There- Is a Total Deficiency of Human to German agricultural collapse un
and Animal Labor and Manures less agricultural laborers, especially
for the Cn I-elziR liKr iurt
ed at Sayini; Situation Becomes
Criticuu F.very Hard Winter Day,
(Special in Greensboro News.)
Amsterdam, Dec. 26. Christmas
finds Germany confronted r ith manv
diiflculties which derpite all r.ttempts
at concealment be-one daily man
fest. There are signs of trouble such
as arrest of Independent socialist
leaders at Cologne, which is said to
te for purely military reasons, but
the details are suppressed. It is not
surprising if this is connected with
food difficulties, which appear to be
reaching very serious stages. Univer
sal demand exists for the increase of
the potato ration from seven to ten
pounds per head weekly. Workers
say that responsible authorities agree
that seven pounds is Inadequate. The
Quality of the potatoes is fo bad that
often of the seven pounds given only
tlx that are usable. The Leipzige
Volks Zeltung describes the Leipzig
Christmas market. It sav3 that not
withstanding everything, if a man has
money he can l.ve well this Christ
mas as in peace time, thanks to illicit
trading. "But if you have nothing
at all the situation becomes more
critical every hard winter day. Coal
tnd light are lacking; potatoes must
be used In order that cabbage, tur
nips and kohlruebe may not pre
dominate too soon again as tne prin
tlpal dishes on the dinner table,
The affect of the war food is discuss
ed frequently lately In the German
medical press. An Increase !n stran
gulater hernia Is attributed to the
present diet. The Deutsche Medizln
sche Wechenschrlft contains observa-
tlons of a Lubsch surgeon who agrees
with this view and thinks that other
serious intestinal disorders are caus
ed by the unsuitable food now uni
versally consumed.
1 have received a letter from
Dutch correspondent in good position
to know the German situation. He
writes: "The economic situation is
growing critical. The population are
passing through times more difficult
than any yet experienced. Workers
of my acquaintance in various Indus
trial establishments complain bitter
ly of bad food. They belong among
the; privileged classes who work in
munition production, to whom until
a few .weeks ago food was regularly
supplied, including Rome fat, and
sometimes meat. This belongs to the
past. Dozens of workmen employed
in German munition works have told
me in the last few days that the food
there is no longer edible, and that
more appropriate is used as pigs food
in normal times. The quantity of
bread given workers at hard man
ual labor, munition workers, is about
four or five pounds weekly, but the
quality is very bad, and of little
nutrient value. What additionally is
supplied consists of a mixture of po
tatoes, cabbage leaves, mangoes and
wurwls, all cooked in water without
additional fat. No wonder these
woikers generally suffer from under
feeding and are obliged to stay many
days, sometimes a week in Holland
In order not to become total nervous
wrecks even if they survive. These
belong to the privileged class of
workers. Outside the circle of muni
Hon workers or workers employed In
government work, the position of the
working classes Is much worse, tven
a German foreman employed at the
works of one of the greatest German
firms assures me the condition of
their families is becoming Intolerable
Thev are In much worse position
than their subordinates because it is
thought extra rationing of the latter
might keep them from opposition ana
discontent. Those who suffer the
most hunger, however, are the mill
tary class, since their ration is sUll
too small. The mortality or cnuaren
old and delicate persons rises daily
In alarming degree. There Is hardly
a place where one or several do not
fall down weekly, never to rise again.
The number of cases of tuberculosis
increases at a great rate while chil
dren suffer all kinds of diseases, the
little bodies bearing evidence of bad
and totally inadequate feeding. Medi
cal aid where obtainable is of little
avail, In these cases, since the entire
medical means of restoration, name
ly decent food, Is lacking.
The total absence of fat is tne
greatest evil and is permanent. Fat
tening pigs Is now practically a thing
of the past, while the best cattle have
been requisitioned for the army ana
navy, and milk, butter and cheese
production are declining enormously.
Owing to the need of cattle food, cat
tle stocks are in pitiful condition,
while what cattle food can be got is
requisitioned by the government,
mainly for the troops. Germans of
the town and country alike say the
situation cannot longer continue as
hunger will master Germany. Whole
families are thus suffering famine
and slowly going under. This Is true
especially in the town population,
who. compared to the higher circles
with great purchasing power, and
workers In indispensable labor, are
much prejudiced. What will happen
next year at harvest Is a conundrum,
THE TIME IS SHORT
On Jan. 1 the name of every
Journal subscriber, who has not
laJd ahead of that date, will be
dropped from the' lint. The pa
per positively goe on v cash-In-advance
system the first of the
ye.r, and there will he no ex
tennion of time. Everybody
who wishes The Joaraal visit
to continue U arged t scad hi
renewal at esee.
i foremen are released from army ser
vice. It is said account must be
taken of the fact that not over 20 per
cent of the agriculturists in military
service return. With the present
food Eupply matteis are becoming
steadily worse, let people attempt as
they will to represent otherwise. The
near future will show Cerniany's
economic position untenable althouga
Germans may a thousand times as
sure the contrary.
PRICE FIXED BY ADMIXSTRATOli
To KoYcrn Sale of Wood Shipiied In
to City or Town State Fuel Ad
mliitstrator Fix Wood Irlce at
Once.
(From the Charlotte Observer.)
The North Carolina fuel adminis
tration has made a regulation, appli
cable anywhere in the state, that
when the maximum price of wood in
four and eight foot lengths has been
fixed for any given city or town, the
maximum price of wood shipped by
rail to such town or city shall Le
the price fixed for that city or towu.
less the freight per cord from place
of shipment and less 25 cents p;r
cord for cost of unloading, according
to a communication received from
the state administrator yesterday.
The effect of this regulation will be
to relieve local committees from the
necessity of fixing the price on cars
f. o. b., at place of shipment. This
will leave to be fixed by the local ad
ministrator the price of wood In four
or eight foot lengths from farmers'
wagons and the price to be charged
by retailers of wood sawed, split upd
delivered.
This regulation is expected to make
a territory nearest a city or town the
source of supply; It is expected to
stabilize the prices paid by dealers
for the wood they buy for sawing,
splitting and resale, and it is expect
ed to give the producer or shipper an
abundantly fair and Just price if the
basic price fixed for that city or town
is fair and Just.
In fixing the price to be charged in
Charlotte for wood In four and eight
foot lengths, the state administrator,
in the communication, refers to the
following schedule of price adopted
by one of the cities of the state: Pre
vailing price of four and eight foot
wood per cord from farmers' wagons
In 191 S, 13. Add for increased cost,
labor, etc, $1.25. The mamlmum
basis Is then $4.25. The sawing and
splitting or the wood and the delivery
would cost $2.25. The wood, then,
would cost $6 In cord lots.
In the communication the stale ad
ministrator urges the city adminis
trator to see to It that the basic price
fixed is amply fair and Just to the
producer, or to the man who brings
It to the market, and also amply fair
and Just to the retailer, for prices
can be fixed, the administrator ad
vises, with due regard to right of the
producer and the dealer and at the
same time conserve the interest or
the consumer. The communication
that prices of wood be fixed for Char
lotte before the first of the year. By
fixing the price at once any further
advance in price will be prevented,
and If any exorbitant prices exist
these will be corrected. It will also
bring on the market wood that Is be
ing held back for advance in price.
The price fixed Is to be In operation
until the end of the war, according
to the communication.
IIIXS MUTILATE BODIES
OF AMERICAN SOLDIERS
American Sentry In' France Found
With His Throat Cut After He Was
Shot Drive Children In Snow.
With American Army In France,
Dec. 26. (By the Associated Press).
German atrocities against Ameri
can soldiers are officially reported.
An American sentry has been found
with his throat cut, and, it Is official
ly declared, "he must have been so
killed after capture."
Information concerning German
savagery has reached the troops In
one of a series of bulletins read to
them by the unit commanders and
posted on the bulletin boards. Here
Is what they heard:
"After a raid by the Germans on
trenches held by American troops, n
lone sentry of Infantry was found
with his throat cut from ear to ear.
He had been surprised by an over
whelming force of Germans and must
have been so killed after capture.
"Such brutality is familiar to old
soldiers who served against savages
n the Philippine campaign."
Another bulletin tells the men how
the Germans in occupied sections of
France and Belgium are turning wo
men and children out of their homes
Into the snows, the buildings being
then given over to soldiers, horses
and material.
Thirty Jen-lsh Men and Women Ex
ecuted by Turks.
New York. Dec 27. Thirty Jewish
men and women were executed by the
Turkish army that surrendered Jeru
salem to General Allenby December
10, according to an announcement
made here today by the provisional
executive committee for general Zion
ist affairs. Included in the number
massacred were some of the most
prominent residents of the Holy City
and Its suburbs, it was stated.
The retreat of the Turks through
Gallllee drove 12,000 Jewish survl-l
vors northwsrd where they are in
dire need. The committee has un-
dertnken to furnish a minimum of
$30,000 monthly for their relief, it
XO AX.VK.XATIOXS AND XO
1 NDI:M IT1 E.V ACCK1TABLK
But KuwiaS Allies Mut Guarantee
To Fulfill Trrni Wil.son Demands
Ignored .Nothing s:,j, of j.
building of lU ltiuin .r Serbia, of
Alsare . Lorraiii, Xor End Mili
tarism. Terms under which the Teutonic
allies will be milling to make "an im
mediate and gciioral peace" have been
made known to the Russian delegates
engaged in the peace pourpaileys at
Brest-Litovsk. The terms have been
set forth in an address by County
Czernin. the Austro-Hungarian for
eign minister.
As in previous Teutonic allied Inti
mations of what will be reuuired from
the Germanic viewpoint to bring
about a cessation of hostilities and
eventual peace, the latest terms are
hedged about by conditions which
seemingly a-e insuperably from the
standpoint ol (he United States and
the entente allies.
The basic principles of the peace
terms of the Russian revolutionary
masses no annexation and no in
demnitiesCount Czernin said he be
lieved could be made the basis of a
general peace, but that the Teutonic
allies could not bind themselves to
these conditions unless a guarantee
were given that Russia's allies would
recognize and fulfill them.
Notable omissions in the statement
of Count Caernin connected with the
concrete demand of the United
States, Great Britain and France, as
already made known, are the ques
tions particulaily of the rebuilding of
Belgium and Serbia, the return of
Alsace and Lerraine to France and
the overthrow ef the militarist gov
ernment in C.eraiany and the forma
tion In its place of a government that
can be believed the latter demand
as set forth y President Wilson in
his address to congress calling for
war with Anslrla-Hungary.
Pending the placing of Count Czer
nln's proposals before Russia's allies,
the Russian delegates to the peace
conference have asked for a 10 days'
recess in the negotiations at Bresl
Litovsk. INCOME TAX MAX WILL BE HERE
Collector Watt Will Have Agent in
Monroe, Mnrshville and Waxhaw
Better 1h Them Up. , '
Collector ef Internal Revenue
Watts has announced that 19 officers
will start Tread hi3 headquarters on
January 1st and on January 2 every
one of them will be on the Job in
the county assigned to him. to meet
the people and help them make out
their income tax returns. The of
ficer assigned te this county will be
at the following places and dates, as
follows:
Marshville, Jan. 2 and 3; Waxhaw,
Jan. 4 and fi; Monroe, Jan. 7 to 12,
Inclusive ant) Feb. 18 to 21, Inclusive.
"It will be well for every untnar
mled person whoje net Income for
1917 Is $1,(00 or over, and every
married person living with wife or
husband whose net income for 1917
Is $2,000 or ever, to call on the in
come tax man and learn whether or
not they have any tax to pay," Col
lector Watts said. "The person sub
ject to tax who doesn't make return
In the time prescribed is going to re
gret It. The government will get af
ter all Income tax slackers.
"A multitude of business and pro
fessional men, traders and farmers,
who did not have to pay heretofore,
will have to pay this year. The safe
thing to do is for every person who
had a total Income of $1,000 or $2.-
000, as the case may be, and who is
not sure about what deductions the
law allows him. to play it safe by
calling on the Income tax man."
Emperor William Has Close Call at
Front.
Geneva, Dec. 28. The German
emperor, returning with his staff
from the Verdun front, had a nar
row escape during the reprisal raid
of a British air squadron on Mann
heim Christinas eve, according to a
dispatch from Basel. Only about an
hour earlier the emperor's special
train left the station, which was part
ly destroyed by several bombs. A
section of the tracks was torn up,
cutting communication north.
In fact, the emperor's train was
the last to leave Mannheim, and no
trains arrived at Basel yesterday from
that city. Two bombs fell on the
palace and on the suspension bridge
across the Neckar river, both struc
tures being badly damaged. An am
munition factory in the northern
suburb was blown up. Few persons
were killed, however, as the employes
were having a holiday. A consider
able number of persons were killed
or injured within the town, and sev-
eral were blown into the Rhine.
Heavy Christmas Mail Still Reaching
France.
Paris. Dec. 27. Four carloads of
Christmas mail which arrived at a
French port from the United States
were forwarded today for delivery at
me neaaquarters or the regimental
units of the American expeditionary
forces. The bulk of the Christmas
mall, which consisted of thirty thou
sand sacks and required ninety
freight" cars to move, was delivered
at the headquarters of the various
units on or before Christmas day, but
a storm at sea delayed for three days
the arrival of the mail sent forward
today.
Besides the mall delivered by the
army postofflce, there were several
C&roiina of ar?al nirVmrm nH
wnlrhlnir mm-, fh.n ' a.
which tor nnrtiort hv ,- nn.i
was Dtatcd. 4uaa.cr s L:X.i. '