VOL.
XXXIX
MOUJfl AIRY, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY. 'JftARCH 15 1917.
MO. 3-5
TO KEEP MERCHANT
MARINE AFLOAT.
Order Directing That Gun* bo
Placed Aboard American
Merchant Ve»»el» Issued by
President at White House.
Washington. March 8.—Pre* Went
Wilson from a nick bed today ordered
the arming of American merchant
ships against Germany's ruthless sub
marins warfare, ami at the name time
iasuad a proclamation calling an extra
session of Congress to tneet April 16.
The Praaident's decision came suddenly
lata this afternoon, following the act
ion of tha Senate yesterday in revising
its rules to permit prompt action on
important questions and the submis
sion of formal opinions by Secreta!*
Lansing and Attorney General Greg
ory that ha has the power to arm
merchantmen without action by Con
gress.
Details of the Government's urmed
neutrality plans for defending tha
* merchant marine were withheld to
avoid endangering Americans and
their ships by permitting tha infor
mation to reach Germany. The only
• statement at the White House and the
Navy Department was that the Presi
dent had determined -0 fully protect
American rights.
The decision, coming at the end of
a period of tense waiting, was gener
ally hailed as the natural and unavoid
able next step in the policy adopted by
the President when he broke off diplo
matic relations with Germany and
gave warning that the United States
could not tolerate attacks on American
ships and citizens in violation of in
ternational law.
Fraught with the grave possibility
of war with Germany, the action was
taken by President Wilson only after
he 'vas convinced that Germany actual
ly *ras proceeding with her campaign
of ruthlessness, and had made effort.*
to plot with Mexico and Japan against
the territorial integrity of the United
States.
Long before the order was given
from the White House, all necessary
preparations for the arming of mer
chantmen had been completed at the
Navy Department. Secretary Daniels
issued an appeal to the press of the
' Nation to refrain from discussion of
these preparations.
The President's action sent a thrill
through the Senate, meeting in special
session and throug the Government
Departments. Still hoping that war
with Germany will be avoided, offi< i
als and Senators declared that the
issue rests entirely with Germany.
Last Word Spo'.en, Declares
Zimmermann.
Amsterdam, Via London, March 9.
—DutcU newspapers publish the fol
lowing statement made by Dr. Alfred
Zimmermann, the German Foreign
Secretary, to a representative of a
Budapest newspaper:
"As far as the United States is con
cerned, we have spoken our last word,
and the decision is in President Wil
son's hands.
"We are determined to carry
through the submarine war to the
•end. The results of unrestricted sub
marine .war thus far have been very
satisfactory.
"As to peace, I i..ay say that de
spite the refusal of our peace offer,
Germany still stands by the words of
the Imperial Chancellor and is pre
pared to place herself at the head of
an alliance of States for the mainte
nance of the world's peace.
"As to European neutrals, I believe
there will be no change in their pres
ent relations with us in the course
of the war. Neutral shipowners should
give up their trade with England.
They have made enough money, and
can afford to bear the loss of Eng
lish trade. They will soon recognize
that it is to their interest to keep
their ships at home so that they may
use them to the best advania?* after
the wat>"
Over Ten Miiiions Have
Been Killed in Great War.
Washington, March 11.—More than
10,000,000 men are tecorded as killed
wounded, raptured or missing in the
European war in the first complete ta
bulation of official and authenticated
semiofficial reports of the various bel
ligerent* received here.
Among the military proper 4,441,'
200 are reported dead, e,lW8,M)0 woun
ded and "2,fifl4,M>0 raptured and miss
ing. Among civilians, especially on
the Russian aivl Rnlknn fronts and in
Armenia another 400,000 are figured
as cither dead or wounded through the
■war.
GERMAN SEAMEN FOUND
GUILTY OF SINKING SHIP.
Counsel for Defense Argued
That they Shouldn't Be Puni
shed Because They Were
Only Obeying Orders.
Florence. 8. C., March 9^ - Ki(fht
1 officer* and men of the Gorman Hanaa
(I,lne freighter T.iehenfela, which began
; -inking in Charleston harbor on the
night of January 31. were found
' guilty of Kinking tbe vessel in a navi
gable stream by s jury in the United
States Diatrict Court here late today.
| They were acquitted, however, of a
■barge of conapiracy to iiink the
tearaer. Capt. johann R. Klattenhoff
ii ill at Charleaton and wax the only
lone of the indicted men not tried.
The convicted mer are Johann I.ub
ken, ^-hief officer: George Sunkel,
third officer; Jonaa Edward Janaen,
chief engineer: Heinrich Waltenburg,
usaiatant engineer; Wilhelm Schwar
ting, machinist. All are Germana ex-'
cept Janaen, who is a Dane. Several
of the men ai i German naval reser
vista.
Counsel for the defense argued that
the men should not be punished, inti
mating that they were only carrying
out orders. The defense offered no
testimony. Its motion for a new trial
was denied. Sentence will be passed
tomorrow.
Thr Government introduced teati
mony to show that the seal of the
United States Government had been
broken on the wirelesa apparatus,
which had .x.jn wrecked; that the
machinery had been seriously disabled,
and that the seacocks were open.
There also was testimony to show the
wreck of the Liebenfels constituted a
possible menace to navigation of the
channel leading to the United States
Navy Yard at Charleston.
Liebenfels began to sink on the
night of January 3i. The plight of
the freighter was observed early on
February 1 by two tugs, but an offer
of assistance waa refused by Chief
officsr Kubgen, it vyis stated, on the
CTTWIHJ flttt Captain Klattenrhoff waa
not on board. The Liebenfels, which
had been tied up at Charleston since
the war began, is being floated under
supervision of United States Army
engineers. -1 ■ •
TO USE NUMEROUS
U-BOAT CHASERS.
Navy Department Plans to
Have Large Number of Craft
Constructed Immediately.
W»-hirrton, Ma'ch 10.—Plans for
th*> immediate construction of a large
number of submarine chasers for use
by the naty in count patrol work will
be discussed with motor boat builders
at a conference called by Secretary
[>anieN here Monday. The types of
boats to be ordered, as well as the
number, it is understood, will depend
upon what the builders say as to their
plant capacity.
The Navy Department has designs
for several types of chasers, ranging
from 30 foot boats up to big, swift
craft more than * 100 feet long. To
make use of the small boat shops t*at
dot the American coasts, it is proposed
to build many of the chasers of wood
instead of steel so as tg draw on a dif
ferent class of skilled labor and also
lessen the strain on the steel market.
Naval officers favor the larger boats
because they would be able to keep the
sea continuously in ordinary weather
for a considerable period. Heavier
guns could be carried also.
It has been estimated that the first
chasers could be constructed in two
months or less, and that duplicates
could be produced at the rate of 30 to
60 a week thereafter. The engine sup
ply probably would be the governing
factor.
un nionuay, also the major ship
building companies will furnish the
secretary with written statements of
their capitalization, contracts, pUnt
plans and other data necessary to dis
tribution of the navy program under
the speeding up requirements recent
ly authorized by Congress.
After Monday's conferences, repre
entatives of the manufacturers who
supply machinery and equipment for
navy vesaais will see the secretary to
[discuss their part in the speeding up
process.
How to Prevent Croup.
When the child it .subject to attacks
of croup, nea to it that re eats a light
evening meal, as an overloaded stom
nt-h may bring on an attack, also watch
for the first *ymi>ti.ui- hoarseness,
inj give Chamberlain's Couph Remedy
ax soon us the rhild becomes hoarse.
I Obtainable everywhere.
IT IS AN ACT OF WAR
SAYS GENERAL HUGHES.
British Officer Comment* on
Authority to Sink U-Boeita.
New York, March 10.—The belief,
that in the event of war between the
United States and Germany, Ameri
can officer* fighting with the forces
of Canada should have no difficulty in
obtaining their re!«aseto aid in train
ing American troop* :»as expressed
here today by Mnjoi General Sir Sam
Hughes, former Canadir^ minister of
militia.
Sir Sam came to Wew Yor>; Friday.
His mission, according to reports, was
to confer, as a representative of the
British army, with United States army
officers. He declined to discuss his
vistt, hut admitted he had conferred
with Major General Wood, command
ing the department of the east.
Sir Sam expressed keen interest in
the stale department's ruling that
armed American merchantmen may
fire upon German submarines at sight.
"If the government has done that,
it is an act of war," he exrlaimed. But
Germany has already committed acts
of war on the United States many
times."
Sir Sam alluded to the Zimmermann
note inciting Mexico to invite Japan to
from an alliance against the United
States in case of war with Germany.
"It shows that Germany is pretty bad
ly done for," he said. "It shows also
that Germany has no appreciation of
America's position Tn world affairs.
"If there is war," he added, "the
Yankees of today will prove they have
not degenerated from those of years
ugo. I have been acquainted with con
ditions in the United States army for
20 or 30 years. Your ^soldiers are
among the first to be found anywhere
and the spirit of liberty i« still mighty
jttrong in the United States."
Sir Sam expressed his opinion that
German submarines would never get
near enough to New York to shell the
city.
British Tnuwport Sunk.
London, March 9.—The British
transport Mendi, carrying South Afri
can native laborers, was sunk after a
collision on February 21, and 625 per
sons lost their lives.
Ten of the persons lost were Euro
peans according to th>i announcement
made today to the South African Par
liament by den. Louis Botha, the
Premier. The collision occurred off
the Isle of Wright. The official an
nouncement says:
"Premier Botha stated to the South
African Parliament today that the
transport Mendi, carrying the last
i>atch of the South African native
laborers contingent (the rest of whom
were landed safely in France) col
lided with another vessel en route
from Kngland to Havre and sank in
2ft minutes. The collision occurred
off the Isle of Wight February 21. The
escort's searchlight could not pene
trate the fog, but the survivors were
rescued by passing vessels. Twelve
European officers and 191 natives
were saved. Ten European and 615
natives were lost.
"Difficulty in obtaining authentic
information caused the delay in mak
ing the announcement public.
"Premier Botha said that the rela
tives of those natives who are pre
sumed to have been drowned would be
advised. He added that the magis
trates and native commander! had
been instructed to inform the chiefs,
head men and people io that they
might know the truth and not heed
idle and mischievous stories which ex
perience proved might be circulated
sedulously. The Imperial authorities,
he declared, would pay compensation
to natural beneficaries."
Washington is Proceeding
With the Arming of Boats.
Washington, March, 11—The Ameri
can government having announced its
decision to proceed with the arming of
merchantmen intending to go toEu
rope in defiance of Germany's ruthless
submarine campaign no further details
on the situation were given out today.
Many interesting questions relating
to the new policy remained unanswer
ed. The only statement authorized
was that nothing will be dope by the
government not in strict accord with
international law.
Because of reports of bad food con
ditions in Germany, the fall of Bagdad
to the entent allies and other news
looked upon as unfavorable to the cen
tral powers, some officials considered
further peace suggestions from Ger
many as among the possibilities.
BAGDAD CAPTURED.
Fighting Along Tigris British
Drive Turkish Army From
Positions.
London, March 11.—ItaipUd, the
chief Turkish city in MewpoUmii and
formerly the capital 01 the empire of
the Caliph*, haa h«en captured by th«
Hritiah force*. Announcement of the
capitulation of the city wk made this
' evening by the British officii! preu
' bureau. *
The statement wan Issued or receipt
'of a telegram from (ienerai Maude
laying the Britinh force* had occupi
ed Bagiiad early Sunday morning. No
detail* of the, rapture of the city were
contained in General Maude'* dupatch.
During the day the following official
report wan received concerning the
operation* againit rfegdad, carrying
them up to Saturday morning, when
the Turk* had been forced back to
within three milea west and southweit
of the city:
"Our force* engaged with the Turk*
on the Diala line the night of the
eighth *ucceeded, deapite the bright
moonlight* in effecting a surprise
crosting of the Diala and establishing
a strong post on the higheat bank
thereof. Meanwhile on the morning
of the eighth the Tigris having been
bridged St some distance down stream,
a British detachment marched up the
right bank and found the enemy hold
ing a position about lix miles south
west of Bagdad.
tiic ciiciiiji won uiivcn iiuiu uii.i
position to another position two miles
in the rear. During the night of the
ninth, a parage of the Diala was
forced anil our troops advanced Dome
four miles toward Bagdad.
"During the ninth our forces on the
right bank Tigris) drove the enemy
from hi* second position, bivouacking
on the ground gained. This advan
tage, notwithstanding a blinding dust
storm and a violent gale, was pressed
on the morning of the ter.th, the Turks
being forced back to within three miles
wnt and wmtbweat of Bagdad."
Bagdad's capture marks the climax
to one of the most dramatic and pic
turesque phases of the world war. The
city which has fallen to British arms
links the present to h past so distant
that it is semi-fabulous. The known
history of Uagdad reaches back for
more than 1,000 years to the shadowy
times of King Nebuchadnezzar of
Babylona, a quay built by the scrip
tural monarch still existing submerged
in the Tigris. YVuhin its precincts al
so there still stands the tombs of the
Jewish prophet." Joshua, Ezra and
Ezekiel, and the well of Daniel.
Long after the Babylonian dynasty
had ceased to be more than a memory,
Bagdad rose to splendor as the artis
tic, literar)', scientific and religious
capital of the world. The heart of the
great Islamic empire o fthe Caliphs for
hundreds of years, it was known
throughout the world as "the glorious
city" and was the scene of many fan
tastic exploits of Haroun-Al-Rashid,
the potentate whose magnificance is
immortalized in the Arabian Nights.
In 800 A. D. Bagdad was credited
with a population of 2,000,000 and was
easily the first £ity in the world in,
wealth and commerce. With the fall j
of the Caliphs before the Turkish
sultans, the decline of Bagdad com
menced. It was successively the prey
of Turks, Mongols, Tartars and Per
sians but it was not until 1638 that the
city became definitely a part of the
Turkish empire.
The British campaign against Bag
dad was opened early in 191S when kn
Anglo-Indian force under Maj. Gen.
Charles Vere Ferrers Townsend was
landed at the head of the Persian gulf
and moved rapidly up the Tigris. The
primary object of the expedition was
to secure the valuable oil wells in the
region at the mouth of the Tigris, but
the ultimate and Kr greater object
was the shattering of the great Ger
man dream of dominion in the near
east.
ine realization 01 tms dream was (
based on the construction of the Ber-1
lin-Constantinople-Bagdad railroad
and by the seizure of Bagdad the
British hoped to prevent the com
pletion of this roud, at least by Ger
ipan hands.
General Townshend commanded a
force of about 40,000 men and at first
he pushed forward with amazing
speed. Early in June. 1915, he captur
ed Kut-el-Amura, about 250 miles
from the mouth of the Tigris and
about 100 miles from Bagdad. On the
22nd of the following November he
rea-hed Ctcsipron, 20 miles from his
goal, where ha was attacked by an
overwhelming force i>f Ottoman troops.
Hi* water supply gave out and he was
fomd to rrtraat
Fighting a continuous roar guard
action, the Britiah evpedition regained
Kut-el-Amara on Dwtmbtr .'.th.
Hera General Townahend determined 4
to make a stand with a portion of his I
forces and entrenched with about 10,
000 man, while tha remainder of hii |
troupe continued to fall hack alonu »Se
Tigris in order to join hands with the
relief army that was hurriedly dim
patched from France and India, after
the defeat at Ctaaiphion.
Thirty thousand Indian troop* and
two Anglo-Indian division* which had
haen fighting in France formed a re
lief cotpe that joined tha remnants of
the Townshend expedition and made
desperate effort to rescue the beleagu
ered gairiron at Kut-el-Amara. For''
three m(«n''.« General Sir Percy I.ake,
the rtrf'v/ commander, fought his way
up Tigris and was within eigli*
miles of hi*! besieged comrades when !
on April 13, 18H, General Town»hend. j
nia food supplies exhausted, was com-.
pelled to surrender. Tn the meantime,
additional reinforcements had been
sent from Egypt. Including the 13th
colonial division which had taken pa rt
in the Illfated Gallipoli campaign. Rut
after the disaster at Kut-el Arama the
British abandoned the offensive for
several mon'hs.
General Town«hend's opern»'«nH
against Kagdail had lieen seconded by
the Russians, who had advanced from
Persia and the Mush region and had
reached within 70 miles of the Tigrin
when the Townahend surrender oc
curred. Shortly afterward the Ru.s-:
sians abandoned their campaign and
after some desultory fighting with
drew to the Persian mountains.
The resumption of British operation*
occurred in Deceisibvr, lSlfi, when an
advance on Kut-el-Amara was made1
from the Bahylonion plains, while a
second force again moved up the
Tigris. Gen. Frederick Stanly Maude
was in command of the new campaign
and was unofficially reported to have
120,000 men at his disposal.
rrom w lime or t.ne opening or tne
campaign the British progress was
steady and uninterrupted and in it*
last phase* aI remarkable rapidity.
On February 23 Kut-el-Amarn was
captured for the second time and sev
eral thousand Turkish prisoners taken.
Within two rveek* the British had
driven forward abcut 90 miles and on
March 8 their cavalry patrols were.
within a few miles of Bagdad.
The fall of Kut-el-Amarn and the
rapid progress of the Briti h toward
Bagdad was the signal for the renewal
of the Russian campaign to the n»rth.
A Russian army advancing from Per
sia captured Hamadan and t«><he<I
-wiftly forward in the direction of the
Tigris.
On March 9 the Russian troops v.ere
reported within 70 miles of the Tigris
while another adve'sion was caused by'
the unheralded advance of a second
British expedition into Pa!est:ne from
Egypt. At last reports this force had
pushed within striking distance of
Jerusalem, but the meager official de
tails have shed little light on its ulti
mate purpose and composition.
Maj. Gen. Frederick Stanley Maude,
the conqueror of Ragdad, is 53 years 1
old and has had a distinguished mili
tary career. He took part in the1
Sudan campaign in 18X5 and served
with distinction in the South African
war.
Prior to taking command in Mesoptv-'
tamia he saw service in France, where I
he was wounded; was mentioned in dis
patches five times and created a com
mander of the Bath. From 1901 to
1904 he was military secretary to the
governor general of Canada. |
ELECTION OF CARRANZA
PRACTICALLY CONCEDED
First National Election Since:
That Which Lodged Madero
in the Presidency is Held in
Mexico.
Mexico City, March 11.—Election i!
were held today throughout the repub-1
lie for president, senators and depu
ties. The election of Carrnn/.a. \>hi
as first chief of the con»:itnl 'onalisc
revolution has dominate,! Me'icn since
the overthn* of the liutrta govern-1
meat was conceded. i
It \va» the first national election i
since that which lodged Francinco 11
Madero in the presidency for his short
lived term of office. This fact caused i
much enthusiasm among the people. ><
There were several disturlwncc* re- i
po: ted In some places due directly to j i
the electoral compaign. But theM
disorders were bloodless affray*.
Mr. Carranza took an active part in i
the cani;miKn. Many persons who
held themselves aloof from revolution- i
ary activity cast their votes in his
favor. i
HOME DEMONSTRATION
WORK
We* (field Home Demonstration
Club and Ita Work.
The Home Damon-.tr.>' on Club at
WeatfieM i» steadily growir* in mem
>*n, interact and efficiency. They
have pin ed an nil atove am! nereaaary
equipment in one room ' the hand
some naw school heiMinp and now
hold their meeting* the .a twic# a
month. They have ananged for the
County Home Damonatration ascent to
meat Kith them twice a month giving
'hem practical leaaon* in cooking. So
Weatfidd, through th>- effort i <<f this
Hub i* the only school In Purry County
which has cooking leaao.ia for ita girla.
New fluke Organized.
Some of the women and girla at
White Plains met at the home of Mra.
(ieorga Nichola Wednesday afternoon
and with the aid of the County agent,
organized a Home Dem'mat ration club
which is to he held regular aeai
monthly meetings at the hornet of ka
memtxri. Sixteen were enrolled,
-showing the large interest of this com
munity in club work.
There are several new Canning claba
already organized thia year with pro
ipecta r.f others. P:W Mountain
i; i((h School and Dero* o:. Pilot Moun
tain Route No. 3., have Kent in good
Rnrollmenta. Already the girla are
vetting ready to take part in County
Commencement Day celebration at
Elkin, April 13. They will wear the
Club uniform; blue chair>-ey ilreaaea
and white <~apa and apron.*.
..iargaret M. MeLw..
Quarterly Conference to be
Held at New Hebron.
Saturday March S-J, 10 a. m. to 12
a'clock.
Song service. by Sun*1 iy schools.
Devotional service by Presiding
Cider.
Organization and R< II Call, by Pre
siding Elder.
Report on General State of the
I ht ch, by Pastor.
Report of the Charge Lay Leader, uy
J. M. Parker.
Song by Sunday schools.
Reports from Sumia,. schools.
The Teacher and the Class, by E. L.
Brown.
Duties of the Sunday School Supt.,
ay W. L. Gwyn.
The Family Altar, by J. M. Parker.
Revival Needs, by E. J. Miller.
Benefits to be Deri. .! f ora a Cir
cuit S. S. Convention b> . 1 etcher Wall.
12 o'clock to 1 p. m , Dinner on the
k ound.
Song service by Sun . ' ools.
System in Church s'iqutce I y L L.
Ai mfielil.
What Should be D n-- v :'h the
Church member who ts abu to contri
bute to (he support of !he Church, but
refuses to do so, by Jesse Richards.
The Bible and the Tithe, ! y J. D.
Wall.
Our Conference Collections, by Pre
siding Elder.
"Collections in Full," J. W. Gardner.
The place of Methodist Literature in
the Home, by Pastor.
Song.
Sunday, Love Feast, behind closed
doors.
10 a. m. Sunday Suiiool.
Sermon fpllowed by the Lord's Sup
per.
The speakers named above will lead
the discussion with short talks on sub
jects assigned, which wi'l be followed
up by a general discossion, participat
ed in by all.
H. C. Sprinkle, P. E. • *
J. W. Bennett, P. C
Increase in U-Boats U Much
Greater than Low, y
Berlin, March 11,—Vi". Sayvilto.—
Discussing the submarine situation the ^
Overseas News agency (the German
>fficial news bureau) quotes the Ger
nan press with reference to the "re
jorts spread by the entente about the
leavy louses of submai ines" as saying.
"Even if the losses of German sub
narines became irrea'er than they
-rally are, even then the increase in
.he number of submarines, which is
ontinuous and uninterrupted, would
till be several time* gr< ater than
luch losses."
The German newspapers point out
hat losses are una^idablc on account
>f the particularly delicate character
>f submarines, the undaunted bmvery
>f the crews and the vast de'ensiro
lystem set in motion by th« entente,
>ut that nevertheless German xub
narine loss*.- have Vw-en held within
•ery moderate limits aid nre Infinitely
imaller than the figures reported or
tinted at In hostile and some neutral
•ports.