North Carolina Newspapers

WEATHER FORECAST. r M fair tonight and ; Wednesday with lowly risi ng temperature. Moderate , erthWest winds becoming variable. 1 Mi CM LARGEST CIRCULATION f 1NU WILMINGTON VOL. XXII. NO. 339 WILMINGTON, NpRTH! CAROLINA, TUESDAY AFTERNOON DECEMBER 1 9, 19f6. !CE FIVE CENTS: s - : v,. -. ' . pa MOT CTnl t, ' V -S 1 - ;w-f;:;-:tt;iv.'.;ivi,:. -. ...... . . ' .... -. 1 1 1 '- 1 1 1 i i i - - i i . A 1 1 l " VI 4 ' 1 V v. w 1 ate Committee He Had Look For The Conflict. SAT UP AT NIGHT AWAITING IT. National Cuuardsmen Not Have Been Sent Across The Border Only Mexico's Unpreparedness Saved The Dav, He Declares. '- F u'asbington, D. C.Dec. 19. The National Guard-force mobilized on the Mexican border would have required nearly a year's intensive training to, liave prepared them to nieet trained troops, -Major lieneral Scott, chief cf the army staff, declared before the Senate sub-military committee today. "Fortunately, ,tfae Mexicans were untrained troops," he added, "and our purpose to protect the border was ac complished merely by the , presence of the men on the border, without, firing a shot. We never contemplated send;ng the National Guardsmen over the border without being trained, al though I sa up until 2 or 3 o'clock every morning fully expecting a mes sage that the. fighting was on with Pershing's; forc" or the border guard fed been, attacked. - -- "We felt that he National ? Guard troops would hate- "destroyed" hem selves marching . had they" been "sent "Pershing's trodps made phenomeri f:i marches. Not ft National Guard or ganisation could have done it. - It would have killed both men and horses." General Scott said there were 20,000 Carranza troops around the Pershing expedition and 14,000 more' opposite Douglas, where great American inter ests were located. That these were looked to for an attack. EST PRICES British Premiers Statement Sends The Market Up Once More. Chicago. 111., Dec. 19. An excited f'J1-ante of more than 7 cents per bushel today in the price of wheat re sulted from Premier David Lloyd George's speech. Thjnarket reach ed within a few cents of the point made before the peace proposal was made by Germany.' May delivery, the thief trading option, ascended $1',71 3 ' as against $1.64 1-2 to $1.64 3-4 at yesterday's close, a jump of 7 cents to 1-4 cents. At this stage the selling increased ad the market began to react. D FDR A TOTE IN SENATE Advocates of a "Dry" District Putting Up Stiff Fight. i Washington, D. C, Dec. 19. Advo cates of the Sheppard bill, providing fr prohibition in the District of Col Uln'oa are trying to get a vote on the measure in the Senate. Before a final vte, however, the Underwood amend ment for a referendum of , the resi sts of the District on the prohibi ,io tmestion must be acted upon.: DEPENDENCY BILL GETS FAVORABLE REPORT: Jishington. Dec. 19. An appro bation of $4,250,000 for the deDend-J i AGAIN GOING P ESSI ect families of militiamen on.the Mex-f FWendV ' border is Included in the urgent Efficiency billrpported to the House today. . . . : . - Major General Scott Tells Sen-i : , GERMAN. AMBASSADOR OPTIMISTIC. IS Washington, Dec 19 Count -a- von jtsernstorrr, tne uerman am- -sfi bassador said after having read -K- i Could . David Lloyd-George's speech: "That sounds like they would -X- not refuse to talk about peace, any way." - ' ' ' S OF THE ARE NOW TO FORE - House and Senate Committe6s , Busily Engaged on Such Qnr ' j uestions iOday. orrvr-T nrwpttrp I GEN. SCOTT RENEWS i STRONG PROTEST. SirnnriR i Anire?ir5 . In' . Rfalf 1. w , laiw UilAMiW - TV tU(V c 1 Weaver Discusses Coast Guard Service. Washington, D . C . , Dec . 19 . Con gressional committees were again en grossed .with National defense prob lems today, the House . military and nflmtl f nTTiTnittpoo H on tin or "ojit Vi ncrp& sary-appropriations to carry forward luc nai auu navj uyai uu;ui9 uuiiu- ing programs and develbpment of the National Guard, while Major General Scott, chief of staff, renewed his plea before the Senate sub-committee for abandonment of the National Guard and all other volunteer systems in fav or of universal training and service. General Scott made it plain that the i general staff had no quarrel with the officers and men of the guard, but only with the system and argued that the defects were inherent in any plan based on inclination of the individual towards military training. Before the naval committee, which resumed consideration of the- 1918 es-j timates, after a week s delay, Captain William S; Simms, commander of the new r super-dreadnaught, Arizona, was the first man of the active fleet to present his views. He told of the con duct ofmodern naval practice at sea and of the progress being made by the fleet towards battle efficiency. Brigadier General Weaver, chief of coast artillery, continued before - the House military committee his expla nation" of the 'items for the coast de fense in the-4918. bill. 1 4. 4. 4. 4. 4, 4 4. 't EMPTY STOCKING FUND. - ' : , As was announced last week, 4 The Dspatch this year is devot- ' ing its energies -to helping raise an "empty stocking fund" for the 4' Salvation Army, instead of con- fr ducting an independent move- 4 ment, as for the past two years. ' The fund raised by The Dispatch will be placed in the hands of Ad- 4 14' jutant Yates, well known and v i - I -4 popular Christian soldier who 4 will use it in helping to defray' the expense of a big Christmas 4 4 tree, which the army will give 4 4 the poor children of Wilmington. 4 y In this way it is hoped to reach 4 4 'every poor child with Christmas. 4 4 But it is a big task, this ma,tter 'nf financiner it. So noney is 4 needed, and The Dispatch will 4 4 be glad to receive contributes, 4 4 to be" turned over to Adjutant 4 4 Yatesy . & The ' Dispatch acknowledges 4 4 the following donations: 4 Clerks in the office- of the '4. " auditor of the A. C. L... $26.10 Baraca Bible Class, First 4 4 Baptist1-church, ;. . 3.35 4 LOO; 4- Total ..I'..'.'.-,'.. ... V. $30.45 4 4 4 4 4.4.: (P T Ti NOT Berlin Does Not Think It Will Affect Military Situation in , Slightest. WATCHING FOR THE NEXT STROKE. Speculation as to Where Von Hindenburg Will Send His Troops to Strike -May Be In Macedonia. Berlin, Dec. 18. (via London, Dec. iq a itu v. n j.n . f aiiuuugu luc UCi UIclU LUlllLULi y authorities are making no effort to belittle the recent French eains near Verdun and look for more attacks they maintain that the result attain ed was small and will have no effect on the military situation. They do not believe that anticipated future attacks will necessitate any! transfer of troops from the east tp the west as ample reserves are on hand. -Ai" The continued German advance in Rumania,- aside from straightening the line and reducing the length of the front has freed a lajrge number cf troops. The Germans are watching with in- terest foreign speculation as to where Marshal von Hindenburg will employ these forces. Whether it will be against the Italians,, Russians or entente forces Oh the Macedonian T T T 1 T "X" p n W m w JOFFRE STEPS DOWN. Paris, . Dec . 19 . General Jof- fre .has handed over the com- 4 -mand of the French armies in the 4 4 north and northeast to General 4 Nivelle, recently appointed com- ! ft "" of those armies. 4 '4r .4" Optimism, Enthusiasm,' and rersistancy win uerermine s iriners in The Dispatch Voting Contest. THE PRIZES. . - $685 Overland Automobile. Ford Automobile. Carolina Beach Lot. $100 in Gold. $75 Victrola. $50 O. K. Mystic Range. $40 Sellers Kitchen Cabinet. $25 Wrist Watch. - Two $60 Diamond Rings. Candidates in The Dispatch con test are hustling for subscriptions and votes, and every day there are many changes in-the standing. People are beginning to wonder who are going to iTin the valuable prizes offered by The Dispatch. Find the persons who start out and wn.lr a llHIa aary rlnv nnd vftll will! more than ikely Pick the winners. . Time .is far from being the most vai- uable asset, and those who have the least time5 are often winners in an af fair of this kind. On the Other hand, optimism and enthusiasm win more battles and pave the way to success more han any other instruments known." ' While optimism and enthusiasm are paramount in ,a contest such as is now being waged by The Dispatch, the winner of anyvof the prizes must liave one. other, qualificationpersist encyi Worlds have Deen conquered by this trait of. character in many in- stances ana me - two a,uujiiu"c& the other prizes will be won by those who are persistent in their efforts. There are a number of candidates entered in The Dispatch, contest who are optimistic, enthusiastic, and perj TIE IS 10T GREATEST ASSET TO MTESlTS RESMNTERS T PREMIER ilEt ASSERT j This HoWb Chief Attention In f The European War News Today. RUSSIAN TO MAKE 'A STRONG STAND. Prepare, For a -Big Defense Again Teutons-Only Bombardment on The Verdun Front. Interest in the war's operations j i was larsrpJJv swpnt a..riifv trustv wifh I . . r- -- i ' attention centered in the speech ofj prumier iaviu Laoyuwge . m me Briish House of Commons, which is expected to. state the British atti tude ibday on the peace proposal of the ccritral powers, as well as out line the government' sgeneral policy ; The military developments of , the past twenty-four hours have been few in number .and sunimportant " In ! France on tue Verdun front there has j been only bombardments - since " the j French attack yesterday, which Paris reports as winning back a, position which . the Germans had taken in a counter-attack. ' ; . In the Rumanian war tLi?,tre ' thel latest reports- indicate t... preparations by the Rsianat imjjte a; definite stand inCiSouthern Moldavia inhere they are reported to be making: a strong defense line. Petrograd yesterday reportea. a Berlin announced no - new advance. except in Dobrudja, where the Russo Rumanfan forces have fallen bad some distance, conforming to there treat across the Danube in Walla chia. Quiet on Macedonian Front. Paris, Dec. ,19. The official com munication given out here today re garding the campaign on the Mace donian front says no important events occurred yesterday. latent.. No one will be slighted by - line: to be amone the winners when t.hft awards are made, and subscribers and non-subscribers are warned to have their money ready. , You might as well pay your subscription now as later.! In fact by paying a subscrip- 'tion before Friday. might at nine o'clock, anyone will be able to iielp a candidate more than ' at any time later. For the benefit of any candidate who reads this article, who happens to be a pessimist, we want to impress Lupon you the fact that you have the same opportunity to win in tnis con test as anyone. Don't let someone scare you out by her big talking. You know it is not always the automobile which has the loudest horn that can run the fastest or longest, and those who do the most talking are often ones who are doing, the least work. Remember, the first period of the contest will close at nine o'clock Fri day night, and that after that time each $15 club of subscriptions , will 140,000 extra votes, or 10,000 less than this wppV - Remember that-the competition for the $60 diamond-ring will end at nine o'clock next' Friday , night. The ring is to be awarded the candidate who turns in the largest, amount of money for new subscriptions: during the two weeks ending next Friday, who does not ; win one of the more valuable prizes. -' - ,- . . - Contestants living outside of Wil mington w(ill, receive .the first period extra votei, Vand''tneir subscription money wll apply, on ..the diamond ring, if ; they mail : snbscfiptions : : anytime T!V4?oir -TViict vpr' tiiAm thft AflmA 11 opportunity as the city candidates! Palerma, torpedoed and sunk recently and they can work up until the' last" off the Spanish coasts The evidence miniite.x' ' : jtends to show. the steamship, was sunk (Continued 'on Page i Seven.) ilTALYSSEEKING REVESSELS i Making Strong Bid by Remov ing AH Taxes From The v Ships. t - Rome, Dec. 19. In order jto in- crease its: ,,mercantue . marine Italy has by governmental decree dropped its subsidy policy and made a bid to shipbuilders to place their vessels under the . Italian .flag by ordering the removal of practically all ship taxes for five -years and - exempting such , ships- from ; military requisition for a similar, period. Already; twelve new ships are building in Italy under the new law and .inasmuch as a ves sel pays for' itself within three ' or four' trips under- existing .freight rates, it is anticipated . that foreign firms will take advantage of these new conditions . . The immediate reason for ttie new law is ; that ' Italy has beenVsuffering severely during the war: because of high ocean rates on grain, cball and every; other product imported. .' r. However. Italy has beenCV actively Increasing- her-, mercHarit marine 'for to continue that policy after tne wf. Before the war she.- wais ' spending $8,000,000 a year in - subsidies, five million of which went to vessels car rying the mails, one to cargo boats, and two to shipyards. She has lost through submarines during the war more than "100,000 tons of , vessels, which has cut down her increased tonnage obtained by subsidies. Her total njet tonnage January 1, 1915, was 1,82,115, as compared to 1,632, 614 tons in 1905. Her number of steamers at present is 949, represeDt- jing a tonnage of 938,156.' TO LOOK AGAIN THE SITES Secretary Daniels Appoints Special Board on Armor Plate Plant. Washington, Dec. 19. A special board of navy officers was appointed today by Secretary Daniels to make a final study of the sites recently ap proved by the general board for the project of the $11,000,000 govern ment armor plate 'plant. The gen eral board recommended recently that no site within 200 'miles of the Atlantic or Gulf Coast or the Cana dian border should be chosen, for reasons of military security in time of war. The final selection will depend al most entirely upon the special board's report, ; Secretary" Daniels said today he would refer the report to the Navy's general board before making final choice. Folding last of 1916 CITY ELECTIONS.: i : " . I Boston, Dec. 19. The last of -this year's city elections, were held today, when , the voters went to the polls' in Boston, Fitchburg, North Adams, Pea- body and Quincy. In this city sup porters and opponents of continuance I of thfl nresent svstem of licensing the i sale of liquor made strong effort to I brins out a large part of the register- ed vote. - - GATHERING EVIDENCE ON SHIP'S SINKING'. Rome, (via. Paris); Dec, 1?.- Amer ican Ambassador TliomasN Page " is gathering the evidence of the 25 hos- tierss on Doara me . iuxuh.il . avetiuiei, without warning, ana. wnen sne -: was not attempting to escape. " , W INTO y u ' -X- FRANCE SAYS "NO? TO GER- MANY. . ' Paris, Dec. 19. Premier Briand announced in. the Senate -Jf today that the entente allies w would send a concerted reply tomorrow, making known to the ' central, powers that -it is impos- sible to take their request for J5- peace seriously. ' , -X -5f Undelivered - Packages-4 Con , tained Vast , Fortune in : t . Checks and Drafts. Washington, Dec. 19, More . than tW , and . a.lquarter , million dollars worth df ;i$eck grafts, .money or ders and pther valuable papers - were found in tmdeliverable letters by-the Dtead Lefter: UQfflce during tlie .last aioren xo -ineir Tjwners- - v irst assisi- ant Postmaster General Daniel -C. Roper,-in his annual v report -announces that the Dead Letter! Division han- died 10,839,890; letters ind parcels during the year, a . slight- increase over the previous year. One-third of these letters and parcels, or 3,677,194, was delivered; 101,485 contained things of value without clue to their rsenders and were held for claimants; 7,019,436 had ,to be destroyed r and 41,775 were still being investigated. In addition to the, valuable papers, with a face value of $2,308,119, found in undeliverable letters, many con tained stamps and some currency was found loose in the mails. The stamps and currency unclaimed, to gether with proceeds from the sale .- of "articles of merchandise-, removed from undeliverable ietters aggregat ed $53,665 and $11,000 was realized from six months' Operation of a new postal regulation requiring collection of - one cent cm advertised letters, making the total net revenue $64,665. Mr. Roper says that the revenue es-!a timated under present conditions for a year would be approximately , 1 $75,000, which would make the Deadj Letter Division self-sustaining. To prevent the unnecessary accu mulation of letters containing valu able enclosures, a provision was con tained in the last postal appropria tion law reducing the limit of time that such letters shall be held await- MILLIONS FOUND IN TIE MAIL ing reclamation from four years torWOuld be impossible. two years. . The Postoftice Depart ment has decided to discontinue the final disposition of dead parcels by the . postoffices ; at Pittsburgh and Cleveland. Such matter formerly going to Pittsburgh will be sent to New York City, while that InOhl6, formerly going to Cleveland, will be sent to Cincinnati, and matter from the Southern peninsula of Michigan will go to Chicago. , On account of the large - growth . in the parcel post business, experi ence has demonstrated that the. ac cumulation of this matter at the points designated for handling dead t Parcels has become so large as to j uiaac ii. uuin,uii jjjju oyac iw ( accommodation. Regulations provide j in the case of insured parcels that i claims for indemnity must ; be filed j withi . six months, and it has been; found there is -very little call for Iost Parcels ' after the lapse - of .that time- Abcordingly an order will, be msueu ituicuuiug viae icguiauuuB du as! to reduce the time for- holding such parcels -prior to sale from twelve, months to six months. Last year 395,161 ; parcels were -found un- . deliverable. - - v ; , -. ' Ded; mail r received by the Division of Dead .Letters during the; year con tained x 677.700 f misdirected letters, 115,766 "unaddressed 'letters ' . 228,700' letters 'held- for postage, 440,200 let ters written on hoteL letter paper by i persons "unknown to the? hotels' and 104?7O0, letters .bearing fictitiotis rsif: 'natures, lid Declares Allies a Unit In Op position to Any . Terms- But ' Reparation. s.t READY TO CONTTNU& WAR TO THE VERY END.' ;.t- Germany Attempting, to Wipe; Out Outrages With Few. . Phases About Humanity; ' He - Asserts Rumania's Blunder Only Prolongs The '-.War. : - ' London, Dec. 19. The first appear--ance of David Lloyd-George lefore the, House of Commons as ' premier ' was made today . in circumstances Seldom., if ever, faced by a new holder of tho office. : 1 Even If the peace proposals of the central powers had not 'intervened, his' statement of the policy of his govern ment, which was chosen In. reply -to : public demand for a more vigorous . prosecution of the war, marked an im- portant step in the orld conflict. The peace, note, howeyer. shifted . in-, terest,: ancT every corner' of tha. world awaited announcement of- Great ritr ain's attitude toward vthe-move of, the centxl.pxjwers. - The .secret.:wat well. kept, that' the l)eBt informed ' par llamentary vcorrespcrefdents. differed, jaa : torfeg-areatmeni ace' proposal, wcvdldreceivet London papers upportinf'. the Lloyd-George government more i strongly expressed the view that a ; conference on the German" proposal would; not be given. Even th& modern provincial papers warned the pacifists I that they had best make .up V ' their , minds that a prompt refusal would be forthcoming, but hope was expressed in many quarters that not withstand- ; ing the German note contained no terms the Premier would be a little . more communicative and give the' central powers some hint as to what v they would have to give as the price : ot peace. ;v Besides the peace proposals the V Premier had to deal with many othef ? ' questions, including the drastic war emergency measures, the - Irish -; and - food problems and the submarine y menace. r? , J ) Every member of the House of 1 -Commons, with the exception of mem- V j,ers on the sick list and these in ac-'- jtive - service, made an effort to secure -' : gat or standing room, i while the ; ! rubiic and private galleries: tickets"5 ; ; were iong ago exhausted. , . ' The new Premier said that the en- 'tente felt that they should knbyr be- fore- entering intd negotiations if.Ger-' many was prepared to accede to ;the only terms4 whereon it . was possible for peace to be obtained and main tained r in? Europe; . The. Premier de-: clared that without reparation peace. Mr. Lloyd-Ceorge said . there ' was no proposal for peace. To enter into , a proposal of which ' they" had ' no , knowledge' was to -put their head unto i'a noose with the ' rope ;end in the v .., . t ' As much, s.8 they - longed ,, for it, the . 1 ; Premier 5 added, the; central '. powers " proposal and the speech preceding It " oflPrtfHol' u-m-sll oiicniirdiroiYiert " niifl ' ' T hope for an , honorable - and . lasting - peace r j- Mr. Lloyd-George said:.. ., ' ."Our . answer will: be given in full accord with bur allies. - Each and all. separately and independently, have , arrived at the same cotttlusion." v jl gian ma nrat answers were given by France and Russia." ; . , ; ; Mr. Lloyd-George " said ; . the ' allies would insist that , the' only., end of the ' war must, be a complete ' gu against "Prussian jniliUrism , guarantee" - rortne -.peace of , Europe" ' .The.-formal , reply . Gt the allies, Ithe-. Premlerv.announced, WOUld De given ill TUG COUTSe OI n lew , days..Nv . . ; ;- .The Premier jaid : t 'J' . . "We! will await to hear .what terms and . guarantees surer;' than ' those which-; .Germany has broken. . In the meantime we put our trust Into ourun- . broken army.'? - ; v v ,": 1 1- i After declaring that: peace without reparation would be V impossibly; the Premier asked whether all outrages on ;.; land and sea have been liquidated by a; few pious phrases about humanity?". :. During the war . the Premier ? said ..' v (Continued, on page three.). : . a: 1 f