North Carolina Newspapers

ft.- LEATHER FORECAST North and South ' Carolhia MINGr probably day- rain tontsht and Satur- 1 FULL LEASED WIRE SERVICE 0L. XXIII. NO. 57. WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA, ' FRI DAY AFTERNOON, MARCH V l.9t 7. PRICE FIVE CENTS A , -' 4. . . Autocracy Shattered At Last, In Both Sides Hold Separ: - Con ference In New York and Watch President. WILSON AND CABINET ARRANGE CONFERENCE A T 1 f President May Act In JcSehalt of The Country at This Crit ical Hour One Hopeful Sign Both Sides Express Willingness to Further Con fer. (Dy Associated Tress.) New York, March 1 6. There were no surface indica tions this afternoon that any move had been made to pre vent the strike which threatens to paralyze the transportation svstem of thccountry, sched uled to begin within less than thirty hours. Both groups were in sepa- rate conference here today and each was apparently in readi-. ness to receive overtures rrom tfiP ntKpr (By Associated Press ) " m El Paso, Tex.. March 16 Reports Both were expecting some of a new revolutionary movement in .1 i .i j ' Mexico headed by General Obregon, action taken by the adminis-. elix Diaz and with Villa inciuded tration and were eager to hear i in the alliance, have been received .i 1. r . j i. j.'here. The Yaqui Indians from So- the result of todays cabinet WJ0 wereq sent to chihuahua meeting. I City are reported to, have revolted Mr,,r v,;l,.JB A in favor of Obregon and Sonora is re- ivlany railroads today de-j ported about to join in the new move. ciarea rreight embareoes andiment more wereexpected to follow suit. The national conference committee of managers advis ed all the roads to declare em bargoes on perishable freight. w. G. Lee, spokesman fdr the Brotherhoods, declared his belief that not more than 1 out r 12 employes would refuse! to obey the strike order. Both the railroad managers and bortherhood chiefs' heldj separate conferences all thej forenoon, but no overtures for j a resumption of a joint meet-1 jngcame from either side, j tach group apparently was waiting for the other to make! fbe first move. j Both sides were informed! that the President has sum moned a cabinet-meeting and indicated they expected some action in Washington. W. G. Lee, head of the trainmen saiVJ j-V Kvofkvkooric Were willing to consider anyj Proposal from the President, j n?on is expected to make his first "10 W In r.rn.rAt IT il X 3 J1 nr I;!r;kp after today's cabinet (';i,)'nc( meeting when he got re-J ."' froir, the conferences in .New ' :ind I hen he suddenly sum-after- "lonofl lhomembers for this noon A 7rcr.rai impression prevails in iirc hnth Wilirfl-.,!,. ,,-,.1 . . t il, ''- 'urn men not to piunge J!'?,!-y into a railway strike at this ' 1 M l( tincture of International af- pm-thor than that the President's ''"" liave not been openly dis continued on Page Six.) GERARD Gil NOISY WELCOME New York Greets Him Pomp and Style Thinks War Imminent. n (By Associated Press 1 New York, March 16. If war comes with Germany, James W. Gerard, form er ambassador to that country, would be willing to lead a regiment of, German-Americans, he said, upon his ar rival here today, at the close of his journey of 7,231 miles from Berlin. A citizens' committee, completed by Mayor .Mitchel, greeted him and the city gave him a noisy "welcome. "We are on . the brink of war with ! Germany and I believe those of Ger man descent in this country will re main loyal,'' Mr. Gerard - said irifSf".- urged to reach -aT sett!emfenf public address. "I would not jnind leading a regiment of German-Americans in the event of hostilities and I feel sure I would not be shot in the back." Nw RVOLX REPORTED CADMiMr tm rutwim MEN WHO HOLD RAILROAD SITUATION IN THEIR HANDS. ' ' , ' m i,0 fhipfs nf the four hands rest the railway strike situation of the United States. u 1 worron s sionp. of tTie Brotherhood of Locomotive 1 MUV iXl O V,1XVxaw. . neers; w s na.rt.er. or tne croineruoou ui iva"ij Garretson, of the Brotherhood of Railway Conductors. CALLS CONFERENCE OF THE 45- LEADERS. -X- (By Associated Press.) -X- a- Washington, March 16. Af- -K- ter the Cabinet had been in ses- -X--X-" sion 15 minutes this afternoon -X--X- Secretary Wilson left saying that -X--X- Secretary Baker would issue a -X--X- statement shortly on the rail- -X--X- read strike situation. -X-4f Action decided on was to have -X--X- Secretaries Lane, Lansing and"-X-7? Daniel Willard and Satnuel Gom- -X--X- pers confer at once with Repre- -X--X- resentatives of both sides. 4f -X- Secretary Baker announced -X- -X- after the Cabinet meeting-tbat -X-X- the Council of National . Defense -X-v:- with the approval of President -X- Wilson had decided upon this -X- step. Arrangements for confer- -X- ences with the representatives -X--X- of "the two sides will be made at - once X" The railroad officials and the -X- brotherbpod representatives will -X- 5f on the ground bf patriotism be cause of the International situ- ir ation facing the country. -X- Secretaries Lane and Wilson -X- are members of the Council of -X--X- National Defense and Mr. Wil- -X- lard and Mr. Gompcrs are mem- -X- bers of- the advisory committee -X-X- of the counci!, In effect they would act as mediators between -X--X- the two sides. The mediators -X-4f planned to leave for New York -x-X- immediately to begin confer- -X- er.ces. . -X -X- The mediators, speaking for -X--X- President Wilson, will ask the -X--X- brotherhoods and, the railroads to postpone the strike if they -X--X- cannot avert one, on the ground -X X- of National emergency. -X- w . jl M. A5. Jt. JA- -V- 4c- X- N bier railway brotherhaaas Engi A. B. and in whose GOFT. MIGHT TAKE DRASTIC STEPS TO KEEP ROADS OPEN. Every Phase of the Serious Situation Being Carefully Considered. DISSENTION REPORTED t AMONG THE EMPLOYES Many Said, to Be Opposed to The Nation-wide Strike Council of National Defense i Takes Up The Question. (By The Associated Press.) Washington, March 16. Considera tion was' given by administration of ficials to possibly drastic steps which ! might be taken to force the operation! tually comes. i One means suggested was for the government to ask for receivership! if necessary, for the roads and un- i j dertake their' operation. The discus- j sion was entirely tentative, However. The Council of Rational Defense, including several cabinet members, at a meeting here today took up the threatened Nation-wide railroad strike and it was indicated that some action looking to a prevention -of the strike might be taken. An unsuccessful effort was1 made to reach Samuel Gompers, who is a member of the advisory committee. . The council discussed the threaten ed strike bec2u.se of its- relation to the National defense at a time when the country is threatened with war Exactly what action can be taken wa9 not disclosed. Immediately after the meeting thi cabinet meBjbers jyent .to ' the White House for 'the meeting there. Cabinet members who are on the council declared the situation was not finally disposed of. Reported Break In Ranks. Chicago, March 16 Reports of dis sension among the hundreds of local brotherhood chairmen attending the r eietuuvc mtreiuig luuaj iu i iry me striKe oraer were circulated. Timothy Shea, assistant president of the firemen, and' other officials de nied them. Representatives of the Kansas City locals, the most powerful west of St. Louis, were said to have instructions to oppose the strike. Denver was said to have similar instructions. Some of the chairmen were said to insist that the Brotherhood chiefs" in New York had no right to call a strike on the basis of the vote taken last summer. COLOMBIAN TREATY RECALLED TODAY Won't Be Considered at Spe- cial Session of Senate New Treaty. (By Associated Press.) Washington, March 16. The treaty with Colombia to pay $25,000,000 for the partition of Panama was with drawn from the Senate today on mo tion of Chairman Stone of the for eign relations committee and will not be acted upon at the present special Senate session. Senator Stone's action was taken to foreshadow further diplomatic ne gotiations with Colombia for a new treaty which would not be received with such strong objections. An ef fort to frame a more acceptable treaty is expected before the Con gress which convenes in special ses sion April 16 has adjourned. OLD TYPE TORPEDO DESTROYER HIT MINE. (By Associated Press ) London, March 16. A British tor pedo boat destroyer of old type struck a mine in the English Channel; a ,oo or,v on or, f ficial announcement made this after- miles northeast of Bagdad has been noon. All the officers were saved. I occupied by the British, it was an One man was killed and 28 sailors are.nounced m a report received today missing. were drowned. ' .' ., on the risht bank of the TiSris ' T" SENATE ADJOURNS. French Again Advance. 4. Paris, March 16 A French detach- (By Associated Press) ment advanced last night between the Washington March 16. The ' ,4 special Senate session which be 4 gan March 5, adjourned sine die 4 at 3 : 03 o'clock today. " ' . 4, 4. 4. 4. 4. ' 4 'TURKS CONTINUE TO FLEE BEFORE While Russians Also Press Down Upon The Sorely Tried Muscovites TRYI1W TA nPII7 WEDGE IN LINE. Turks Making a Stand on One Side of The Tigris The Battling at Other Points. The Turks apparently have not al tered their flight northward from Bagdad on the west bank of the Ti gris, where they were last reported by Constantinople as somewhere to the south of Samara, 70 miles north of Bagdad. General Maude, the Brit ish commander, reports them con; tinuing to fall back! On the other side of the Tigris, however, the Turkish forces are ap parently endeavpring to hold on to territory lying :3rtheakfc :tn&& -Bffgrf dad, towards the Persian border. General Maude's report announced occupation by the British of a portion of the town of Bakubah, on the Diala river, about 30 miles northeast of Bagdad. Turkish resistance there is suggested. j seems not unlikely that the Turkish purpose is to hold off the British in .this region to assist the Turkish armies from Kermanshah, which at last accounts were retreat ing toward the Persian border not far north of the present point of contact between British and Turks on the Diala. The British object in driving northeastward seems to be to push a wedge between the Turkish Meso potomian fronts and the Ottoman troops retiring along the Kerman-shah-Bagdad caravan road. Fighting of much importance is taking place on the Macedonian front. The French have been on the aggressive for some days. Today's Berlin reports say repeated attacks by the French occurred yesterday, northwest and north of Monastir. The German-Bulgarfan position near Niionole. six miles west ifMon- astir' was admittedly breachefl ln this Otherwise the attacks are declared to have failed, as did French attacks farther west between Lakes Ochrida and Presba. In the House of Commons today the British Chancellor, of the Exche quer indicated that an appeal to the country was impossible because of the attitude of the Irish Nationalists, hampering the government in its con' Inct of the war. There has been a general desire in Great Britain to avoid elections during the war and the life of the Parliament has been extended to obviate the necessity of holding them. Petrograd, March 16, Via Lohdon (British Admiralty, Per Wireless Press). Russian troops have dis lodged the Turkish forces from their fortified positions on the summit of Narleshkian, to the west of Kerman shah, in Northwestern Persia, says an official statement issued today by the Russian War Department. Britons Take Another Town. A London, March 16. A portion of the town Of Kakubah, on the right ! bank of the Diala riven aboitt 30 the British igris forces. The Turks continue to fall back Avre and the uise ana occupied a mim- ber of points, taking prisoners, the 4 . war office announces. 4 German raids on the Verdun front 4 weer repulsed. Artillery engagements V occurred in the Champagne. T MOV . ': , OM Russia j EM MM X- -X- -X- -X- -x- -x- X- DENOUNCE BROTHERHOODS. X- X- (By Associated Press.) & X- Winchester, Va., March 16.- At a mass meeting of citizens' -X- here today the action of the rail- -X- road brotherhoods in calling a X- strike at this time was de- -X-X- nounced as "unpatriotic and un- -X-X- American." -X- x -x- -x- -x- -x- -x- a- x- :- v v- -x- -x- -x- HOSTILE AIRSHIP Resort Near London Visited By War Aviator Today. No Casualties. (By Associated Press.) Jbonaon, Aiarcn lb. ine war omce DROPPED BOMBS announces that at 5:30 today a hostile, 4 airplane dropped bombs at West Gate. '' 1t There were no casualties and the ma-( Qrand Nicholas, idol of tho terial damage was reported as slight. Russian army and, ranked as Russia's West Gate is a watering place close master strategist, loom up as the big to Margate and about 80 miles from tailitary figure of the hour ln the em London. On March 1 a German air- ire wnich has jugt witne8gted a suc. plane dropped bombs on Broadstairs, cessful and almost bloodless revolu another watering place in the same Uon and the aDdIcation of It3 Em. neighborhood as West Gate. The Brit- peror ish officials statement said that on this , m. , . . . . . , , . occasion one woman was injured. Ac-1, Te. relinquishment of the throne cording to the German version the ?y Nicholas IT automatically deprives raid on Broadstairs was carried out by a number of hydroairplanes which, attacked merchant shipping and the railroads. OHIO RIVER HAS PASSED FLOOD STAGE ' (By Associated Press ) Grand Duke Nicholas is reported to Louisville, Ky., March 16. The Ohio ,have arrived at the Capitol and the river had passed the flood stage here probability is pointed to that he will early today and was still rising at the .take command of the troops, rate of about 0.1 foot an hour. The,1 0f the complete success of the rev Government guage in the canal above olutionary movement in which the the falls registered 29 feet, one foot lead was taken by the Duma, there above the flood stage. seems to be no doubt. While there have been few advices received, as to TO TAKE ALL WHEAT i CROP FOR ENGLAND. (By Associated Press.) Ottaway, March 16. The govern ernment has received word that the Canadian council of agriculture, meeting at Regina, has -decided that the whole wheat crop of Canada shall be taken for the British government. BITTERLY ASSAILS GERMAN POLICY Socialist in Prussian Diet Bit- terly Denounced Offer of Peace. (By The Associated Press.) London, March 16. The German submarine campaign was denounced as inhuman and the German peace offer 'of last December characterized as ridiculous in a stormy speech by Deputy Hoffmann, Socialist, in the Prussian Diet, after Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollweg had delivered his speeqh promising, internal political reign and reform of the franchise after the war, according to a dis patch transmitted by the Central News corespondent at Amsterdam. Deputy Hoffmann, after being , thrice called to order, was forced to leave the chamber. . Hoffmann, ac cording Ao the dispatch, declared that the military despotism in Germany which is causing mad and unneces sary shed of blood. The Germans, he added, should' make known their peace terms, for a mere blank peace offer without terms was ridiculous. Submarine warfare, he insisted, was absolutely- opposed to the laws of humanity. Old Regime Completely Over thrown By Popular Move ment of People. DUKE NICHOLAS BACK AT CAPITAU Idol of the Times and Will Likely Take Army Hunt ing Out All German Sym pathizers In The Empire. , 4. .u 4 4 v ABDICATION NOT COMPLETE. ' (By Associated Press) 4 London, March 16. The abdi- 4 cation of Emperor Nicholas and 4 the appointment of Grand Duke 4 4 Michael as regent has not yet 4 been carried into effect, though it 4 has been decided on by the exec- M " utive power,; Andrew Bonar Law, 4 , 4 nounced today ih" the Htttise of 4 pnminnnR . 4 .UL "1S ttH wuiiubuuwiu-wiiw th Russian armies. The heir to liic tin uiie in a.u. luiaui eiuu uiauu Duke Michael, named as regent, while a soldier of repute, is not of com- manding military experience. Thus the nation, the Petrograd des patches indicate, is turning to its most tried and trusted military leader.. the attitude of 'the army at the front, such news as has been receive'd in dicates that the military with the ex ception of reactionaries among the of- . fleers, together with all the popular forces of the empire, is backing the new government. The civil forces are co-operating with the government most heartily in restoring normality in the life of the' empire. The Duma, which is the chief factor in shaping the course of the new re-' gime, and the Zemstvo council are re ported co-operating successfully in straightening out the various tangles which have resulted from the momen tous change in government control. The food problem Is being attack ed and the people themselves seem ito be exercising their own authority to repress any elements of the popula tion that might b inclined to indulge in excesses. " A measure of general political am nesty is reported in course of prepar ation by the new Russian minister of justice. Grand Duke Nicholas is said to have indorsed ;thi( move as one necessary to save the empire and bring the war to a successful conclu sion. The Old Banished. Petrograd, Thursday, March 15 (Via London, . March 16). The old : regime of conservatives has been sup planted by a government of liberalsj M. Kerenski, the new Minister of Jus- tice, is a Socialist. He accepted the portfolio on the stipulation that there should: be absolute freedom of speech and of the press and full political am nesty, "' The cabinet has been chosen ex clusively from present and past mem-, bers of the Duma. It was named by -the executive committee, of the Duma , in conjunction with, other .deputies and representatives j of the working men -and the soldiers, which held an : all night session. .......... . ... (Continued on Page Eight) " V i 3 1 Is I i V 7 i. . 1 Y 7