p
57 77nI
7f.
ELIHKn EVERY THURSDAY AT MORGANTON,
'THE BEST TOWN IN NORTH CAROLINA"
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY $1.00 PER YEAR IN ADVANCE
MORGANTON, N. C., THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22,1917
No. 16
'.
st Period Count Was
r
Jlade Last mursaay
I
J Maini,. t.arrison Won the Two
f ,!ir tr Having the Most Votes
u!M!P,lons 5Iiss Winnie
I i!..- 0:-e Hollar for the Most
Si ' " .
;rih..ni-' ,,i,i,,n o,es-
i
I , I S TILL NOV. 30TII
I , 'ri- l,,r Merchants Coupons
IVt liino lo liegin
. it; .iv.ijv night at S o'clock,
t-ri :
Aa :,h!:iiiMt1. the last period
i .....I Mi- It P Oiivi iml
ill i!tri - " -
If X. ll.i!il'irtin acted as judges
V AiUJ. the fount.
c t t'nV Camsoii was awarded
i-tt.i .i,. .i n - u-r having the largest
;i,.r sm.iii the one dollar prize
Ls.' - m,,sl merchants cou
v.,t,. Mr. C. A. Khyne is mak
lv t .-c-coiid in subscriptions
r '$.? Mr J 1- -vtt is following close.
l-i-l i-Liur candidates have madt
i :.r aa.t aiv likely to come up
3:.r: .ir. ";th a big gain.
1 jmiidatrs Are Working.
:i t!:r laiuiidatt-s are doing some
. i ik lVr the past few days, and
vtrrd ur' ii!i inations have been
l-MMt- last week. The best time
:.itrMrr is and before another
;sf it is expected that sev-
4 Lht-r viil be added to the list.
Aj vvh." enter within the next few
jj. .i ll m.ui.I a chance in our next
.r K.ul-'ii- votes will be given on
M!t.si-rirti'i!s turned in by the
j. ,Liv ci this month, Nov 30th.
'r 1- th- t't-st time of the whole
ii. .-ik. as me scaie 01 voies
I i!r after the next period closes
:j"th.
it all for .Merchants Coupons.
uie lo call for merchants cou-
t vvht-p. vnu trade at the stores that
:!t giving iLem away. Tell your
::t:.ii in fur them and turn them
ti. you as that will help you to
i ihc Lig prize.
jVr are eoing to give a cash prize
.he one turning in the largest num-
of merchants' coupons by Fri
4 Nuv. oOth.
cr folio lag is a list of the mer-.-f:its
who arc giving vote coupons,
i. nn them:
J R. Taylor, groceries.
I Davis v Son, dry goods and
I'lurainon Motor Co., all kinds au
' t.i.blk- repairs and tires.
' r- lais it Sons, department
!.b!er Ltru Co., medicines, toilet
ties and school books.
x'i. dry goods, shoes and cloth-
J'V. H. liibbs, feed and groceries.
jKirksy & Company, hardware and
future.
f The Candidates Stand to Date
I Morsranton. N. C.
'I .Mamie Carrison 08,900
J L links 41,000
Jt Reach 6,150
fs K"se Davis 1,000
itett.,- .MeCalliard 1,000
s Ifr-ne t:.,man 1,000
Ava Uallman 1,000
Latietta Bridgers 1,000
Ti w . -
i..
n Bristol J 000
A. C Swofford 1,000
"ItittMKT 1,000
Koute 1, Alorganton. IS. C.
: Mary Williams 24,650
js AuiJh Bowman 1.000
' Iter Epley 1,000
A. Buff 1,000
Route 2. Woreanton. N. C.
f -3 -Mimie Holler 1,000
f fjule 3, Morganton, X. C.
? ss Winnie Smith 2.V100
t ' C C Hensley 1,000
I
f Houte 4, Morganton, N. C.
El" D r ..
v tiitener 1,000
Iff
Rrt"te 5, Morganton, N. C.
i
; Nott 4300
Lackey 1,000
Urexel, N. C.
-a. Khyne 45,300
'anK tserry 1,000
l'Ute J Ilirknrtr T.r
1. j i
if II' . . - .
I " .Johnson .' 1.000
den Alpine, JSf. C.
,uh Ktts 1,000
-ry River, N. C.
j'f ( ,fit Hallman 1,000
Hutherford College, N. C.
ll.l-V U IT-.,
Wilson 1.000
Connelly Springs. N. C.
h. " " Alexander 1.000
A. L. Harbinson, R. 3 1,000
fc"dgewatr, N C
U. Epley, 1,000
Hildebran, N. C.
tzer 1 ,...1,000
h so
WHAT IS HAPPENING IN
RUSSIA IS DARK MYSTERY
So Far as Official Washington Goes
Not a Cable From Ambassador
Francis For a Week
Washington, Nov. 17. What is hap
pening in Petrograd? If officials of
the United States government knew,
it would relieve them of much worry
and help decide the questions of poli
cy toward Russia.
Not a cablegram has come . from
Ambassador Francis for a whole week.
Rarely has an American embassy
been cut off from communication with
the department of state for that length
of time since the European war began.
Although press dispatches say Ker-t-nsky
is in control of Petrograd, this
is doubted. If he were in the capital
again the feeling prevails here that
he would not hesitate to send a word
of greeting to the outside world. Tel
egraph .and telephone lines would
again be in his possession.
Bolsbeviki Still in Control.
The department of state has had to
content itself wjth fragmentary infor
mation from countries contiguous to
thissia.
The American minister at Stock
holm, the nearest point with which the
American government now has com
munication, cabled under date of No
vember 14 that the Uolsheviki were
still in control of Petrograd, that
lighting was in progress in the streets
and that communication with the out
side was frequently interrupted.
In the meantime, everybody in
Washington sympathizes with the
score or more of Russian officials at-
ached to the embassy here who do not
inow from one day to the other what
.overnment they represent or Whether
heir tenure is suddenlv to terminate.
Notwithstanding the apparent mis-
akes that Kerensky has made, effici-
feeling seems to be on his side. The
United States government proceeds
still on the theory that he is at the
head of the Russian government, and
' he hope is that he will be able to
establish his power in Petrograd once
more. But, strictly speaking, war
plans are based on the assumption
:hat no help can be expected .from
Russia.
Russia is a Burden.
Instead of an aid Russia is a con
siderable burden. But the United
States government would be interest-
Hi in stimulating democsacy in Russia
.vhether the rest of the world was at
,var or at peace. Even though peace
,vere to come between Germany and
the entente, the traditional policy of
'.he United States would be to extend
noral and physical support to the new
opublic.
Yet there is no denying that the re
erses in Italy as was the chaos in
'.ussia have compelled officials in
Washington, to recognize that only by
edoubled efforts can the decision of
he whole war be brought about on the
western front. For months the im
pression has prevailed outside the na
tional capital that peace was near at
hand and that America's participation
in the war would be short lived be
cause of the exhaustion of the belli
gerents. This is not the case among
veil-informed officials. In fact, in the
ast two weeks opinion reaching here
'rom all parts of the country tends to
;howr that people are beginning to un
derstand that war may be prolonged
it least another year and a half if not
ihree years. Certainly official Wash
ington gives every impression of a
'hree-years war. '
Reports from reliable sources as to
Germany's food situation indicate that
the central powers have had success
.vith their potato and grain crops, and
'.hat millions of Russian prisoners now
i demented by thousends of Italians
have been put to work on the farms.
The American embargo has not yet
had time to affect Germany. But the
central powers, at last reports, are not
tarving, though they lack raw mater
als necessary to make munitions and
torpedoes. The embarga on these com
modities, however, will not make Ger
many feel the pinch fir another six
.months.
Justification
A former- Berlin correspondent was
talking about Admiral Hollweg's book
on justification of the submarine war.
"The Germans, with their queer,
blind souls, can justify anything
anything, I mean, that they do them
selves," he said
"The Germans are like the lady who
had a costly string of pearls" sent
home.
"You ought to be ashamed to buy
those pearls," said her husband, bit
terly, "considering how I'm situated.
"Why George," said she, "that's
just it. Do you want everybody to
know what a hole you're in." Se
lected. AMERICANS IN MONTREAL
Montreal, Nov. 19. For the first
time in the history, of the present
generation, if not since the declara
tion of independence, armed American
treeps are in MontreaL They will
participate in the victory loan parade
today.
BRITISH MAKE ANOTHER
BREAK THROUGH LINE
Fighting is Progressing on the Whole
Front Between St. Quentin and the
Scarpe River Attack Was Begun
Tuesday Without Artillery Prepa
ration, the Germans Being Taken
Completely by Surprise.
London, Nov. 21. The Hindenburg
line has been broken to a depth of
four to five miles, the waroffiee an
nounces. British troops stormed the first sys
tem of the Hindenburg line defenses
on the whole front between St. Quen
tin and the Scrape river. ' (From St.
Quentin to the Scrape is 32 miles.)
The British infantry and tanJft
pressed on and captured the second
system of defenses, over a mile be
yond. The attack was begun yesterday by
the third army. There was no artil
lery preparations and the Germans
were taken completely by surprise.
Several thousand prisoners have
been taken. The British also fought
their way through Cullet wood.
Lieutenant General Sir Julian Byng is
in command of the attacking army.
The whole German line west of the
Canal Du Nord to the Bapaume-Cam-brai
road has been captured.
The announcement follows:
"Yesterday morning, the third ar
may, under command of General The
Honorable Sir Julian Byng, delivered
a number of attacks between St.
Quentin and the river Scarpe. These
attacks were carried out without pre
vious artillery preparation, and in
each case the enemy was completely
surprised.
"Our troops have broken into the
enemy's positions to a depth of be
tween four and five miles on a wide
.'ront, and have captured several
ihousand prisoners with a. number of
runs. Our operations are continu
ing.
' "At the hour of assault on the prin
cipal front of attack, a large number
of tanks moved forward in advance
of the infantry and broke through suc
cessive belts of German wire which
were of gteat depth and strength."
THANKSGIVING PROCLAMATION
Governor Bickett Issues Call to Peo
ple of North Carolina
Raleigh, Nov. 17. Governor Bick
ett has issued the following proclama
tion: "Salvation comes through vcridne.
"He who would truly save his life
must be ever ready to lose it.
"The man or the nation that prizes
breath above honor, and riches above
righteousness is dust already, and can
never hope to put on immortality.'
"In the Providence of God the world
is today engaged in blood-red debate
to determine whether governments
shall henceforth be guided by the love
of justice or by lust for self and pow
er. "Not in rashness nor in anger, but
thoughtfully, in the fear of God, and
out of respect for its own conscience
this nation has consecrated its unlim
ited resources and its unconquerable
spirit to the maintenance' of govern
ments that will guarantee fair treat
ment to every man and eveTy nation.
Ut is cause for universal Thanks
giving that in the most awful and
most august hour of human history
the conscience of our people triumph
ed over the counsel of selfishness and
fear.
"This is the blessing "of the year.
"Now, therefore, I, Thomas, Walter
Bickett, Governor of the State of
North Carolina, in obedience to the
sacred custom of our fathers, and in
accord with the proclamation of the
President of the United States, do
hereby set apart Thursday, the 29th
day of November, one thousand, nine
hundred and seventeen, as a day for
universal Thanksgiving.
"And I do call upon the people of
North Carolina to assemble on that
day in their places of worship, and
with humble and contrite hearts give
thanks to the Lord of Hosts ajid the
Harvest for His omniscient care.
"And let us remember in helpful
ways the widow and th,.orphan and
all who, walk in the shadow. of advers
ity. .
"And let us pray unceasingly that
He who rides the whirlwind and di
rects the storm, may crown our forces
on sea and land with everlasting vic
tory, and that war may come no more
upon the earth.
"Done in our city of Raleigh, on this
the eighteenth day of November, in
the year of our Lord one thousand nine
hundred and seventeen, and in the one
hundred and forty-secdnd year of our
American Independence. .
(Great Seal.)
"T. W. . BICKETT,
"Governor.
"By the Governor:
"SANTFORD MARTIN,
"Private Secretary."
Stockyard figures gathered by the
Food Administration show that 73.3
per cent of "the calves slaughtered at
nine large packing points in thos
country during the first nine months
of this year were males. -
M. E. CONFERENCE MEET AT
MONROE NEXT YEAR
Appointments Read By Bishop Atkins
Asheville, Nov. 19. With the selec
tion of Monroe as a meeting place for
next year, and the reading of appoint
ments for the coming year by Bishop
Atkins, the Western North Carolina
Methodist conference came to a close
today, after on of the best sessions
in the history of the conference, ac
cording to ministers attending.
While Monroe was selected for the
meeting place next year, Greensboro
served notice that it would make a
bid for the 1919 conference.
Bishop Atkins preceded the reading
of appointments with a short talk, in
which he stressed the importance of
the work of a Methodist preacher, and
told of his own work in the church.
Plans were put in motion looking
toward the self-entertainment of the
conference, a committee being ap
pointed to look into this question and
report to the conference next year.
The final session of the conference
was attended by a crowd that filled the
big Central Methodist church to its
utmost capacity. The principal inter
est, of course, was in the appoint
ments, which were read just before
adjournment.
The appointments next year for
Morganton and Shelby Districts ai'e as
follows:
Morganton District.
Parker Holmes, presiding elder;
Bakersville, M. G. Erwin; Bald Creek,
John S. Mitchell, supply; Broad River,
D. S. Richardson; Burnsville, A. C.
Swafford; Mill Spring, J. M. Barber;
S. P. Mauldin, junior preacher; Cliff
side, N. JVI. Modlin; Connelly Springs,
B. Wilson; Enola, M. W. Heckard,
supply; Forest City, W. T. Albright;
Henrietta and Caroleen, M. B. Clegg;
Marion Station, J. R. Scroggs; Marion
circuit, M. W. Mann; Marion Mills,
E. L. Kirk; McDowell, J. A. Fry;
Micaville, E. O. Smithdeal; Morganton
station, E. E. Williamson; Morganton
circuit, A. J. Burrus; Old Fort, R. F.
Mock; Rutherfordton, T. C. Jordan;
Spring-dale, J. B. Carpenter; Spruce
Pine, J. P.. Morris; Table Rock, J. B.
Tabor; Thermal City, C. C. Totherow,
supply; professor in Rutherford col
lege, J. R. Walker; student at Trinity
college, T. F. Higgins; professor in
Rutherford college, W. T. Usry.
Shelby District.
John F. Kirk, presiding elder.
Belmont, A. P. Ratledge; Belwood,
D W. Brown, L. E. Stacy and H. G.
Stamey; supernumeraries; Bessemer
Concord, J. D. Rankin; Cherryville, J.
F. Moser; Crouse, D. P. Waters; Dallas-High
Shoals, R. A. Taylor; Gas
tonii', East End, A. Burgess; Frank
lin Avenue and West End, E. P. Sta
bler; Main Street, H. H. Jordan; Fred
II. Price, junior preacher; Kings
Mountain-El Bethel, R. A. Swaringen;
Lincolnton station, W. F. Womble;
Lincolnton circuit, J. P. Davis; Lowell
Bethesda, J. W. Kennedy; Lowesville,
J. A. Sharpe; McAdenville. A. R.
Bell; Mount Holly, J. S. Hia i; Polk
ville, C. R. Canipe; Rock Springs,. W.
B. Shinn; Shelby, Central, C. AWood-;.
Shelby circuit, N, C. Williams; South
Fork, T. A. Plyler; Stanley-Iron sta
tion, L. L. Smith; secretary of educa
tion, II. H. Jordan.
HEAVY TRANSFER FROM
THE RUSSIAN FRONT
Geramny Taking Advantage of Rus
sia's Condition to Transfer Troops
Copenhagen, Nov. 20. Reports from
several sources in Germany bear out
the assumption that taking advantage
of the situation in Russia, the Ger
man government is making heavy
transfers of troops from the Russian
front. Only part of them appear to
be going to Italy, where the front is
too narrow to permit of the use of
great masses, and a blow by von Hin
denburg at some other point, in the
way of a diversion, " may perhaps be
expected.
Some troops are reported to have
been moved to the western front, but
this is not necessarily signilcant, as
Field Marshal Haig's pounding tactics
necessitate frequent reliefs for ex
hausted German divisions.
German newspapers discuss with
suspicious frankness and activity the
prospect of an ocensive on the Salon
iki front, but have never a word to
say about the obvious chance of a
smashing blow at Rumania in an ef
fort to end the resistance of that na
tion. .
As for Italy, if the Austrians and
Germans find the reinforced Italian
army too hard a nut to attempt to
crack, the central powers can easily
and quickly change to the defensive
on a strong line for the purpose of
seeking to force a decision on some
other selected front with the bulk of
their strategic reserve.
Reports Great Movement
London, Nov. 20. A telegram from
Maestricht, Holland, to Amsterdam,
as forwarded by the Central News re
ports a great movement of troops with
artillery on all roads leading to the
Flanders front. These troops evi
dently are from the Russian front, the
dispatch, says. .
" Enthusiasm is to a man what steam
is to a locomotive.
ITALY'S LINE HOLDING ENEMY
Austro-German Attacks Are Flung
Back by Army Along the Piave
Rome, Nov. 18. Italy's line is hold
ing. Her doughty troops have flung
back enemy attacks and at one point
where the Austro-Germans succeeded
in crossing the Piave river have fore
ed them back, broken and bleeding.
The official statement yesterday
brought quiet rejoicing in the capital
last night. Italy knows great forces
of men and guns from her allies are
on the Way to supplement her own
efforts. Some British artillerymen
have already gotten into action.
On the Adriatic coast, British mon
itors are likewise co-operating with
Italian naval vessels in bombarding
enemy positions around Vecchia. With
the present Piave river line holding,
these reinforcemnts in men and guns
soon to be in action will turn the tide
completely against the Teutons, ac
cording to the public's belief.
But the exploit of the Italian forces
which aroused the greatest joy here
was the war office official announce
ment that between Salettuol and San
te Andrea di Barbarano- the enemy
yesterday at dawn had forced a cross
ing of the Piave, only to be driven
back later. The enmy suffered terri
bly from the furious Italian attacks.
(Sante Andrea is about three miles
north of the Zenson loop, about mid
way in the Piave river line. It is on
the main highway to Treviso.)
The war office also asserted the en
emy's zone of occupation in the Zenson
loop of the Piave "was being more
and more restricted." Violent fight
ing is in progress here the Austro
German forces battling desperately to
keep their precarious foothold on the
far side of the river.
Great speculation was aroused here
tonight by the possibility of a sea
battle in the Adriatic. The war office,
in paying tribute to the work of the
Italian navy on the right wing of the
army ashore, mentioned that naval
seaplanes and shore batteries had re
pulsed "five nemy destroyers before
Cortellazzo." (Cortellazzo is located
almost at the mouth of the Piave river
in the Adriatic.)
Italian naval forces are ftnown to
be in this section. During the rer
treat to the Piave river line the war
office announced tonight vessels had
landed sailors who greatly assisted
the retirement of the army to prepar
ed positions.
The unquenchable spirit of the Ital
ian populace under the adversity of
the German invasion was aptly illus
trated tonight in a letter circulated
here. It was written by Crown Pros
ecutor Pezzatti ofUdine, now in ene
my hands. -
"If it is necessary," Pezzatti declar
ed, "we will destroy the river banks
nd inundate the Venetian plains.
"Though we see the land, of our
fathers and our own hearths and home
disappear, still we cry 'Vivi Italia.' "
SEVENTEEN ADDED TO TOLL
Admiral Sims Reports 17 Additional
" -Peaths on Steamr Rochester
Washington, Nov. 17. Seventeen
additional deaths on the torpedoed
American stealer Rochester were re
ported by Admiral Sims oday. Tlw
killing of the crew'" riembers by the
explosion was previously reported.
Ernest II. Gragg, of the mival guard,
perished in an open lifeboat wifch throe
membrs of the ship's crew before they
c lid make shore. -
One crew iMtT.ber was lost at senV
Twelve persons in the second offi
cers' boat are missing and undoubted
ly lost, including five gunners.
The Rochester was sunk Novem
ber 2.
Today's announcement follows
"Dispatches received from Admiral
Sims today state that Ernest H.
Gragg, seaman of the naval armed
guard and three of thex ship's crew
who left the Rochester in an open boat
when that vessel was sunk by a Ger
man submarine, died before the boat
reached shor.e
"One member of the crew was lost
at sea. The chief officer and third of
ficer of the ship and Stephen J. Sta
vish and Joseph P. Hoff, seamen of
the armed guard, were landed safely.
Gragg was buried in Ierland. He en
listed at Houston, Texas, February 20,
1917 and gave as his text of kin, moth
er, Mrs. Cora Gragg, 515 Gregg St.,
Corpus Christi, Texas.
"The second officers' boat in which
were 12 persons has not been found
and it is believed to have been lost."
The Spirit That Needed
G. Bernard Shaw, the Irish play
wright, said recently in London that
nobody but an idiot could imagine
that the socialists would be allowed
to have any say in the peace negoti
ations which will end the' world war.
"If Shaw is right," said a labor
leader, "it's a bad thing for the world,
and so I hope he's wrong.
"I hope the peace negotiations will
create among the nations the spirit
embodied in a saying which an old
grandmother used to quote in my
childhood, namely
"If you want a neighbor, be one."
Selected, '
PEOPLE STILL AROUSED
OVER PRISONERS' FARE
Asked to Sign Pledge Hot Springs
. Women Refer to Those Costly
German Menus at Camp
Asheville, Nov. 18. Vashington may
send out statements to the effect that
the Germans at Hot Springs are given
only "plain, substantial food," but
"plain, substantial food" served at Hot
Springs is entirely different from the
American definition of those words,
according to E. F, Portwood, engi
neer on the Knoxville division of the
Southern, whose engine handles con
siderable of the food that reaches the
Germans.
Mr. Portwood says that he handles
choice cuts of beef, pork, lamb chops,
all kinds of fresh vegetables, every
variety of the finest . canned goods,
including meats, fish, etc., and every
thing fine that the market affords.
Much of this food is handled in thou
sand pound lots or larger, he says, and
if that is "plain, substantial food," the
general classes of the American neo-
ple today have never eaten that varie
ty of food.
Mr. Portwood says further that the
sight of all this superfine food, sent
in to the German camp, has aroused
the mountaineers, who are unable to
afford anything even approximating
the German menu, to a state of sul
len revolt. They are against every
thing that tends to give the Germans
better than anything that Americans
riave, and their wives openly sneer
when asked to sign food pledge cards
Many Good Beef Animals Coming to
North Carolina.
West Raleigh, N. C, Nov. 19. That
Tar Heel farmers are realizing the
value of good pure-bred animals to
head their herds can be seen in the
fact that over 200 registered pure
breds have been brought into the State
during the past year. The field work
of the Agricultural Extension Service
with beef cattle has been rather a dis
couraging feature of the work until
the present year, but with the contin
ued efforts of the past years are now
beginning to bear fruit, and many
farmers who would not buy an animal
costing over $75 are now heading
their herds with animals costing from
$150 to $300. In fact, the latter price
is now beginning to be not an unusual
thing in Western NorthrCarolina.
To satisfy the demand for good beef
stock, five sales have been held in the
State during the past year. Two of
these were held at the Live-stock
meeting in Winston-Salem, one being
a Hereford sale of 20 animals, and the
other a Shorthorn sale of 30 animals.
Another sale of 20 pure-bred Aberdeen-Angus
was held later at Salis
bury, while 21 pure-bred Shorthorns
were sold still later' at West Jefferson
at public auction. The latest sale was
held at Clyde, on October 23, when 22
pure-bred Shorthorns were disposed
of. A sixth sale of 25 pure-bred
Hereford cattle will be held at Salis
bury on November 30. ,
In addition to these sales, one of
the beef cattle field men attended a
sale at" Bristol, Tenn., and another at
Knoxville, Tenn., where he purchased
2G head of pure-bred Hereford and
Shorthorn cattle for farmers in North
Carolina. He also attended a sale in
Atlanta where four other Ilerefords
were bought. All of which goes to
show that beef cattle men in the State
are awakening to the fact that good
pure breds are' most economical in the
long run. In fact,, the State has never
experienced as much interest in beef
rjattle as at the present time.
m
SETTLE THE SCANDALS
IN A FEARLESS MANNER
This Must Be the First Task of the
New French Ministry If It Succeeds
Paris, Nov. 17. The London Times
corresdondent after . emphasizing the
fact that Premier Painleve's resigna
tion was due to internal scandals and
not .alterer by the conference matter,
proceeds: "This is the first occasion
since the war chamber has assumed
the responsibility of inflicting open de
feat of the govrnment, but in spite of
this fact it is more than usually dif
ficult to foresee to whom President
Poincare will entrust the task of form
ing a new government. Today Presi
dent Poincare received Bourgeois,
Harthou, Doumer, and Peret. This
afternoon he will receive Clemenceau,
Viviani, Briand and Ribot.
More than-one writer comments up
on the irony of the event which came
the day afte"r, Lloyd George's procla
mation setting forth the necessity of
( losing the ranks of the alliance and
which has brought a ministerial crisis
of unusual gravity to . France. Since '
the beginning' of the war France has
had five ministries,- three of which
have come to grief in the course of
1917. How, it is asked, can continui
ty of effort and firmness in the lead
ing of any inter-allied council be pos
sible if the French representatives
are charged every three months. Much '
instability in French politics in recent
months has been directly due to the
ramification and effects of Boloism.
There is wide divergence Of opinion
in the great serious mass of the public
which only concerns itself with, poli
tics when forced to do so.
The first task of the new govern
ment must be to settle the various
scandals in fearless manner and with
out delay. It is for that reason that
so much has been heard recently of '
the possibility of a Clemenceau minis
try. Capus admits, in the. Figaro this
-norning, that there will be many risks
in such a solution, arising mainly out
of the systematic hostility of, the so
' ials, syndicalists and a large portion
of the radical socialists.
Whether it be Borthou Clemenceau
Viviani or Briand, he will, the Temps
points out tonight, have to realize that
the country has put up so long at much
sacrifice, and supported as a conse
quence so many mistakes, and has
ben so used by politicians, that now
it intends to be served by them. It
:s saturated with promises and rhe
' oric and calls for fact and action.
WOOD SUPPLY TO AID COAL
SHORTAGE
Raleigh, N. C, Nov. 19 Thousands
of dollars spent for coal in North Car
olina could be saved and farm wood- .
lots could be improved at the same
time if the farmers of North Caro
lina would supplement with wood the .
coal used for various purposes, ac
cording to information furnished by
the Agricultural Extension Service of
the College and Department of Agri-
culture.
In many of the woodlots there is
considerable waste fire wood, dead,
trees, and different kinds of other un
derbrush that we might call "weed"
trees which could be used for fire
wood; and when two ponds of sea
soned wood is approximately "equal to
one pound of coal in heating value,
this would mean a considerable sav
ing in coal Quite a few citizens in
the Statehave already taken notice
of this act by establishing municipal
woodwards and otherwise encouraging
selling and buying of this com-
lity.
The Ohio experiment Station has
and that a cord of hickory, oak,
ech, birch, cherry, hard maple, ash,
m, or locust is equal in' fuel value
a ton of coal. The same beat val
exists in a cord and a half of syc-
nore, sole mapie, nemiocK; or in
o cords of poplar,- catalpa, bass
)od or whjte pine, as in a ton of
al. .
Owners of wood Jots can easily cut
ough fuel for themeslves and even
pply the same to local markets
rough the winter and will thus use
eir spare time to good advantage,
well as the time of their .hired ,
n who probably have a lot of extra
e time on their hands. In this way
ey might make a prifit for them-
ves, as well as use a lot of wood
at is now wasting away and which
ght displace much high price coal.
Much of the many thousands of
res of woodlots in North Carolina
uld be cleared of waste wood at a
bfit this year, and be improved in
dition. Some trees are old and de-
epit, and others are spreading and,
shy in growth. Useless themselves
lumber, they crowd out thrifty
ung trees or prevent seedlings from
irting. When such weed trees are
noved young seedlings spring up
turally and soon grow 'into timber
value. '
net profit of almost $2.00 per cord
s secured by one woodlot owner last
hter. The wood was sold $6.00 per
d in one of the largest cities, Where
market is near, and good roads ex
the cost of marketing is very little,
ving a good margin for profit on
L interprise. F. H. Jeter. '
X
TV