North Carolina Newspapers

LEATHER FORECAST. isjorth and South Carolina Fair tonig-1 with light frost. Thurs day c,r,u " Its 1 ... . . ' ill " ! !; BaK I I 1 w II rULL, LLAotU WIRE, SERVICE j 1 1 r 7 ' VOL. XXIII. NO. 69. ; r v ? WILMINGTON, NOOTH CA f PRICE FIVE CENT& A Ul j M S Jj H V 1 IIW I) a CALLED BACK T SERVCE. j -STATE'S FIRST ' CITIZEN, t mXnn ABANDONS PLAN. -jS. fl J-lU ? VH ! T 1-1 A W uJ fl li" flU Hi U If I ZH 7 IT, J wi5?' AfSSOCiteesSA) ' ' :4-C ! ; (By Associated Press j : J LDI M n - fU 1 Ht ! s 1 1 lp fftfUl lUft I lii 2. U . J . J . . . II If VI y I I Washington, March 28 Orders U wo.hLt -mwi, 98Awo lilt H k f V IHl it 1x1 Iff 1 11 I lllrl If II.' MB Germans On I rial In New York Confess, But Deny They Knew The Object. MADE ON A NORTH GERMAN LLOYD LINER They Were Fixed So As to De stroy Ships Carrying Muni tions to The Allies Work ed Under Instruction of Dr. Scheele. (r,y Associated Tress.) . v York, March 28. Germans on trial in the government's prosecution of men. under indictment on r charge of plotting to destroy entente munitions-carrying ships leaving: Ame.-.can pons in 1915, testified in their own defense here today in Federal court. Chanes von KLeist,' one of the de fendants, asserted that at the tirr-M h? assisted in the production of bonds used to damage vessels he did not kr.ov.- their character. Thesp bombs, according to earlier testir mony. vrers made on the North Ger man Lloyd liner, Friedrich dor Grosse at Hoboken. Ernest Becker, another defendant. an electrician on the same ship, told how he and other electricians sawed load pipe into lengths, which were used as shells for bombs in the work shop on the vessel. ,He did not know to what purpose the. shells were to ptit, he testified, and worked under th; instruction of Dr. Walter T. Scheele, a chemist, The latter, one of the defendants, escaped arrest and is believed to be in Mexico; JEWISH WOMEN WANT PART IN PEACE WORK. (By Associated Press.V New York, March 28. Prominent I Jewish women throughout the United States, it was announced today, are organizing to represent their sex at the American Jewish Congress. The Mate for this Congress will be fixed at a conference held here April 1. L Mrs. Aathan Straus has been elect-' ed honorary president of the women's organization and Mrs. Joseph .Fels, active president. It is the plan of the organizers to choose-Fepresentatives t the C ongress by Democratic elec - tion based on universal suffrage. One purpose of the Congress is to formu- ia.e tor presentation to the peace con-1 Ifrrmico, that will follow the war, a Programme for the emancipation of lf,ws living in countries where they are now subjected to persecution. An important part of this programme, ays a statement issued by the organ li!(irs. will be a call for the recognition o the National claims of Jews in Pal- mine, with the possible creation of a Jewish administration anrl nn infpr- AN EIGHT-HOUR DAY FOR WESTERN UNION. (Rv AssofMntrl Pr -N''v York. Marrh 28 -An Pisrht- hfjur work dav will hp nut intn ffrt hv Jll(i Wocforn TTniVn Tnlnmnnh v.oiixx U11IUU X ClCfel CLJll. I'l'incinal offices it. was nmnmi-nnpfl here tonisrht LEO ON LABOR TO SIGN PLEDGE ead of New York Federation Icnc C 11 tl Tii i 'ibues Vall tO lhe Members To Stand By Wilson. (By Associated Press.) X Pf-a W York. Marfh 2R Official 'o oreranizpfl lahnr tn inin in 11 Kn-.ftf a pledge to support the Presi- none at other points. In the Laredo in protecting American rights , district, 34 who crossed have return as issued today- by James P. Hoi- ed to the United States." President of the New York El Paso reports show many cross tate Federation of Labor. 'ings back and forth, but only those of pledge is being circulated by "residents in the usual transaction of majority of New York's Commit- business. " . e fn National Defense, copies hav-. 4JZ bUcJfhoJ?s- SSSSi 1 SPECIAL ELECTION where hundreds of thousands Of gnatnrps hnv Ho on nffi-s-tid ('V Til a in in V anftnn AT r- TTnl ar'd sain- "I :.Tn nr t v. -nica 'nat has been raised by some people ' sional district today will name a can Hie opposedHto any action for the didate to seek the place of -the late rf-a of our National rights, but I Democratic Congressman, Michael F. convinced that In . the ranks of Conry, at the special .election; called for Anril 12. The Republicans Will - urea by only a small fraction. As Dodv, working men and women are 1!'Jly bfthinH tho Prooirlont in thist stand for resistance to foreign ag- CTnl ERIC LINER TO SAFELY E GAUNTLET i : The Freight Steamship Man-j i . ? u uiuna rrrivcs cit lier Les- ' tination. A BRITISH SHIP f ALSO SAFELY OVER Manchuria Sailed Day Before The St. Louis The Ad riatic The Same Day. (By -.ssoclated Press.) ' New York, March 28. The Ameri- can Line freight steamship Manchuria has arrived at an English port after a voyage across the Atlantic, it was an nounced here today by P. A. S. Frank lin, head of the International Mercan tile Marine, owners of the vessel. A cablegram received here . announced the Manchuria had, reached her desti nation. The Manchuria left an Ameri can port -.about 24 hours before the sail ing of the American Line passenger steamship- St. Louis. The safe arrival in England of the St. Louis, which SECOND AM RUNT sailedT armed because - of Germanys-tlotisly U-boat warfare off the British coasts, was announced on Monday by the Navy Department at .Washington. Among the Manchuria's crew of 159 men were 90 American citizens, all native born except three. The vessel carried no passengers. The Manchuria, formerly in trans- Pacific trade, is of 13,638 tons gross. The British passenger .steamship Adriatic of the White Star Line, which left the United States on the same day j on which the St. Louis departed, also i has arrived safely at an English port, Among the Adriatic's 65 passengers !were six American citizens, members of a Harvard surgical unit on their way to Fraice. KO TRUTH TO SUCH REPORTS Only Small Number of Ger mans Have Crossed Into Mexico Since Feb. 3rd. Washington. March 28. Official re-! ports from the Southern Department made public today say reports that many Germans have crossed into Mex ico since diplomatic relations between the United States and Germany were broken off are without foundation. The records of the immigration au thorities and of the army intelligence service along the border show that only three Germans have passed into Mexico since February 3, in the Brownsville district, and 78 in the Laredo region, 34 of the latter having returned to the United States. The statement follows: "Prsss renofts have stated recently that many. Germans are crossing into iMexico. Reports from our intelligence Lffir. whirh innlnde thp. records of the immigration officials at various points, do not confirm these reports. Since February 3, there have been but an-.three prnssinerR in the Brownsville dlS- trint onVJ 78 in th Taredo district, and FOR CONGRESSMAN mv United Press.) Mow vnrt March 28. Democrats nf tViQ Tfiftoonth Npw York . ConErres- name a man, but it is expecteu, uu . . J 3 account of the Democrats strengtn in the district, that the Democrats will win. This will leave tne Jtiouse lineup as W was before. (By Associated Press.) Washington, March 28 Orders 55- were issued today , by the War Department calling all National Guard units which have partially -K- demobilized back into the Ffed- eral service. 4p -X- The order applies also to troops demobilized within the w X- last few days, which the de- partment understood still to be X- in the Feedral service when its -X- previous orders were issued. -X- There are about six regiments -X-X- in this -class. x- -X- -X- -X- X -X- X GERMAN SPY ATTEMPTS SUICIDE Caught With DamaginglDocu ments on His Person. (By Associated Press.) Rochester, N. Y., March 28. Adolph Vattes, a German, is under arrest in Geneva, on the technical charsre of attemnrerl snicido. npndinc ' w the arrival there of Federal officers.?;? fromT Bn- e disco,Yery of a let- j ter he had written, telling of visits tn nl n n t a at Snrino-fiolH Mass nnrl other cities, where he found condi-J liUilS clll IlgUl, H11U I1HU UitS IieU it notice to the German agent for trans mission to Mexico, led to his arrest. Later he attempted to kill himself with a knife. i A search of his personal effects re vealed maps, clippings, photographs and other suspicious documents. - ETECT1S FIND Disappeared Last November and Supposed to Be Dead. (By Associated . Press.) Baton Rouge, La., March 28. Infor mation has been received here indicat ing thai William M., McCausland, forr mer fiatpn Itouge banker who . myster- disappeared while hunting': near Mobile, last November," and was sup- posed to have been drowned, is alive and well in Seattle, Wash. Representatives of life insurance companies in which McCausland was reported to hold policies aggregating about $100,000, stated the companies hired detectives to search for Mc Causland and that their represent atives took photographs of a man in Seattle resembling the missing bank er. The photographs were sent here and were reported to have been iden tified by friends and members of the family as .likenesses of McCausland. No attempt has been made to col lect the life insurance and no charges have resulted from McCausland's dis appearance. REPORT ON COTTON SEED AND PRODUCTS. (By Associated Press.) Washington, March 28 Cotton seed and cotton seed products statistics for seven months ending February 2S announced by the census,, bureau yes terday include: Cotton seed received at mills, 4,218,402 tons; crushed, 3,417,723 tons; on hand at mills, 815,008 tons. Crude oil produced, 1,044,354,498 Refined oil produced, 808,184,809 Lpounds; on hand, 221,639,915 pounds Linters produced, 969,438 equivalent 500-pound bales; on hand. 15,206 bales. Hull fibre produced, ,260,615 bales; on hand, 18,560 bales. Oil imports, 2,807,961 pounds; ex ports, 80,539,008 pounds. Linters exports, unbleached, 90,411 running bales.; bleached, 73,068 bales. STATUE OF LINCOLN PRESENTED TO FRANCE (By The Associated Press.) Paris, March 28. The statue of Lincoln, which -America is giving France, will be erected in Paris, the city council having accepted the offer of it made, by Premier Ribot. Adrian Mithouard, president of the on the subject, says: "The city of Paris is happy to be honored with ' such an offer, in which we see a new and precious nledsre MISSING BANKER of traditional friendship, and I beg'Petrey, a small town in Crenshaw you to transmit to the organizing , committee our-acceptance and our cor dial thanks. "As tn whoro iha atatno will 'ho rmt I it will be decided when we receive it, , house and Masonic lodge were wreck but our American friends may be sure'ed arM the Atlantic Coast Line depot we will give to the statue of Presi-1 was blown across the railroad, tracks, dent Lincoln a location worthy of it.". Some suffering is reported. . Two churches were destroyed at rVYT f Vrr CTIinUMTC Ansley and in -the country districts IAJLAJCAjII. o 1 UUtlN 1 0 'about Petrey, Milo, Ansley and Troy, ARE NOW IN DEMAND many farm-houses were damaged. , Greensboro, in Hale county, and Clan cy Associated Press.) ton, in Chilton, suffered heavy prop- Washington, March 28. Civil ser-,:erty damage in the destruction of vice commission officials today called houses." A new public school building upon heads of American universities was blown down at Greensboro, but and colleges to permit senior techni- there were no fatalities, cal and scientific students to receive The Confederate Home at Mountain diplomas at once, so the government i Creek, north of Montgomery, was part if -necessary, may quickly obtain their ly unroofed. None of the veterans (services.- . ' j i - . niwii m ipiii i. i wu. iuiiii v- mv uvuw i - - ii - v. II - mm n - . - iu mi mi ti i i i i i v ii iiii kiii iiiiimi mm r- ??i IkJIlfii Governor T. W. Bickett. Progressive North Carolinian, speak er at the Live Stock Exposition and Conference in Wilmington today. BITTER ATTACK Ml ON HEADS F THE UNIONS Southern Pacific Official Calls BrbtherKood Chiefs " '"Arrogant Scathingly Denounced Them Before Committee Be lieves in Compulsory In - Vestigfation. (By Associated Press.)" Washington, March 28. Railroad brotherhood officials were criticised today before the Newlands joint com mittee by Julius Kruttschnitt, chair man of the Southern Pacific board. In reviewing the recent strike con troversy, he said the brotherhood heads took an "arrogant attitude" and evidenced "absolute contempt of the public, of the President, Congress and the Supreme Court." "Anyone with contempt for the law and the courts and his fellow-citizens," said Mr. Kruttschnitt, "should be taught respect by some regulatory authority. We cannot get good serv ice from men who have no respect for the laws." Compulsory investigation of labor disputes, but not. compulsory arbitra tion was advocated by Mr. Krutt schnitt, who said the "involuntary servitude of brotherhood members is vastly greater to the unions than to the railroads." THE DEATH RILL REACHES ELEVEN In the Storm-Swept Section of Alabama Great Damage to Property. (By Associated Press.) Montgomery, Ala., March 28. Elev- en persons were killed and three prob- (ably fatally injured in the storm that swept a portion of Central Alabama .early Tuesday morning, according to the latest reDorts available here. Six of the known dead were negroes. Crenshaw, Pike Hale and Chilton counties were swept by the storm, but the heaviest loss of life occurred at county where tour persons were kiu ed, among them Robert J. Jeter, a wealthy, planter. Every residence in Petrev was demolished, the school were injured. for a' non-partisan organization, of 4 the Ijiouse of Representatives, at t the special session next week, were virtually abandoned today i by Representative Mann, Repub- 4 lican leader in the last House and v proponent of the plan. 4 4 4 mm GIVEN OVER' TO OLD OWNERS By Order of Supreme Court "Prize Ship" Given to Eng lish Today. (By Associated Press ) Norfolk, Va., March 28. The Unit ed States District Court here today ton order of the Supreme Court, turned over the prize ship, Appam, to Floyd Hughes, representing the British-African Steamship Navigation Company, owners of the vessel prior to her cap ture by the : Germans; What disposi tion the owners will make of the Ap pam is not known here. The court also ordered that $590,000, the proceeds of the sale of the cargo, be paid to the English owners The monftv i-i m IMnrfnllr and RirhmnnH banks. Thomas H. Willcox, of Norfolk, was apponited by the court special com missioner to ascertain the costs and damages suffered by the owners. The unsold portion of the cargo, consisting of ore, is ordered restored to the owners. The German defend ants are ordered to pay all costs in connection with the case. I'S OFFER OF WITHCRAWAL Considered a Political Move and Evidence of His Belief in Democratic Victory. (By George "H. Manning.) Washington, D. C, March 28. The Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives recognize in the offer t)f Congressman James R. Mann. Re publican ioor, le MR MANN return to wasmngton, to put asiae mstructed and the islands used as a ambition to be the presiding officer and co-operate with the Democrats in a nonpartisan or bipartisan organ ization, an admission that the Demo crats have the votes to elect Speaker Champ Clark and organize the House. Returning to Washington, Mr. Matin announced he was willing to retire from the Speakership contest and pro ceed immediately with the organiza tion of the Housa along nonpartisan lines. The international situation, Mr. Mann said, is such that no time should be wasted in partisan dickering. Mr. Mann's announcement may sound nice and kindly in his own State of Illinois and in Republican territory, but about the Capitol, where Mr. Mann's bitter partisanship is well known, it will be realized that the Re publican leader saw he had no chance to win against Champ Clark and gracefully withdrew with a show of patriotic motives. "I have come to the conclusion," said Mr. Mann, "that the House ought to ba organized along nonpartisan or bipartisan lines. So far as I am personally concerned, I am ready to withdraw from the contest for the Speakership. I hdve not consulted with my Republican colleagues since my return. I have givn the matter serious reflection, however, and am willing now to co-operate in a non partisan organization of the House. This, of course, would mean the re election of Champ Clark. Other de tails would have to be worked out. If we are going to war we do not want any partisan politics. If we are to have peace we should not bring it about by partisan politics. Unanim ity is-needed in this country at this critical juncture." Aside from Mr. Mann's announce ment, the Democrats have 215 votes and the Republicans 215 votes in the House, and the Democrats have pledges of support of three of the five independents. There are now, and have been for some montjis, many Republicans who would not, vote for the Republican floor leader, even though it should result in defeating the Republican efforts to control the House. Mr. Mann, although an able parliamentarian , and a man with unequaled ability as a legislator, is so personally obnoxious to the major ity of Democrats and a number of Republicans that he never had a chance of being Speaker, and almost everyone knew it but Mr. Mann. He would have had an awakening on April 2 if he had .not had it today. ' Mr. Mann is now bluffing and try ing to effect a compromise to give the Republicans a few committee chairmanships and better committee nlooac tnieav notTiintr nf a srnnci filip.P. of the' House patronage. sneaker Clark, when appraised on Mr. Mannas attitude, said: "I do not know whether a bipartisan organiza tion can be worked out to operate smoothly or not. It is possible, of course, but it probably would work a bit roughly. I do know, however, that the : country will not stand for a long deallock over partisan organi zation at this time." Democratic Leader Kitchin said non-partisan organization would not be practicable. - ill 3 0 OLIVER AS GOVERNOR OF Danish Islands to be Formally J Transferred to the United States Next Saturday. FURCHASE PRICE TO BE DELIVERED To Danish Minister by Secre tary McAdoo -Hoisting of and Salute to Stars and Stripes. (By Associated Press.) Washington, March 28. Rear Admir al James H. Oliver, chief of naval in telligence, today was named by Secre tary Daniels as Governor of tne Danish West Indies, which are to be 'taken over Saturday by the United States. The chief ceremonies of transfer will take place at St. Thomas and in Washington on the same day. Secret tary McAdoo will deliver the govern ment warrant for ?25,0u,OOO in pay ment for the islands to the Danish Minister;, , ..iJi: :. - naval base for further protection of the Panama canal and for general mil itary purposes. Rear Admiral Oliver will leave Sat urday for his new post. He will serve until a permanent form of government is fixed by Congress. Secretary Dan-i iels announced that two naval vessels, the transport Hancock and crusier Olympia, have been ordered to St . Thomas for the transfer ceremonies. Captain B. B. Bierer, commanding the Harcock, will officiate as the ranking naval officer. The acquisition will be marked by the lowering of the Danish flag and the raising of the Stars and Stripes and firing of salutes ty the two ships. DUTCH STEAMERS ROWED TAKEN Great Britain Said to Have Confiscated Such Vessels in Port. (By Associated Press.) Washington, March 28. Dutch steamships in British ports were re ported here today to have been con fiscated by the British government. The information is understood to have reached here from a grain house, which sold the Dutch government the grain aboard many of the vessels. It could not be confirmed at the Nether lands legation. About 40 Dutch ships now are in ports belonging to Great Britain, and a fleet of 15 grain-carrying , vessels ! is understood to be on its way f rom j a Holland port to the United States. Many "of the Dutch ships now in Brit ish ports have been detained for from six to eight weeks. The British government for some time has been insisting that ascertain percentage of Dutch merchant ton nage cjftvy cargoes to British desti nation d the Dutch government has rei t 11 " T A. Z A. Z m New Yor March 28. Representa tives here o; Holland steamship lines were miormea yesieruay mruugu unomai sources that the Entente Allies were negotiating with the Dutch I Allies were ueguuavmg nuu iuo ui.u i government to take over all freight I ships .detained in ports controlled by urear . cniam. tuuuj j lines at the State Department and The Netherlands legation at Washington ' and by cable to Holland has so far The representative of a Swedish 'steamship line said today that more than 200,000 tons of Swedish ship are held in ports controlled by England and her allies. Among these ships is a passenger liner which left New York more than one month ,ago with forty persons on board. m 5 SESSIONS PI 1 Southern Wing of Teutons Hosts In France Is Slowly Recoiling. FIERCE STRUGGLE ! TO HOLD FOREST. v'. Germans Trying Hard to ' Wrest Plateau NearVSt. Quintin From The Freiich Bad Weather Interferes With Operations. The southern wing of the German army is slowly recoiling along a ten mile front under the furious on section of the great Coucy-St.' Gobain forests has been completely cleared of the invaders, and General Nivelle's troops are now face to face with the last formidable natural barrier which lies between . them and Laon the plateau of St Gobain. This densely wooded plateau lies between the Oise and the Ailette, and is about 10,000 - acres in extent, ris ing from about 80 to 200 . Ieet in height. No ; railways '. or J highways traverse it, but an important railroad sweeps around its , souther border and nins north jto Chauny. This road is in the handa of the Fnench up to within about three mile? of Anizy, which is ten miles west of 'Laon. To the north, the FrencJ.are ,a;it twp miles from the tofa of(XoJhil center of the vn vCrt tories in Euro. VV ., j i C miles .northwest. No change hai Taken place in the neighborhood, "of it. Quentin, where the Germari;are 511 malrincr Hoanor the jjflsslgny-Benayi piaieau; unaisput- ed possession of which wjll accord ing to military critics, render the fall of the city inevitable. Further north the British have made some slight progress, but no material change in the situation has taken place. Bad weather is reported to have seriously interfered with operations on this portion of the front. Sporadic fighting has occurred in several of the other war theatres, but nothing to indicate the commence ment of major operations. Apparently the Russians have no need to apprehend a German drive on the northern front towards Petrograd in the immediate future. Warnings that such an attack was impending were recently issued in the Russian capital based on German concentra tions along this front, and it had been thought that Berlin might take advantage of the possible disorgani zation of the Russians, due to .the recent radical change in the form of -government, and press an offensive. The spring thaw has now set in along the whole front, however, anJ opera tions on a large scale will be impos sible there for some weeks. Meanwhile the other . fields where the expected big Teutonic drive may be inaugurated are being scanned. At tention is particularly attracted to the Austro-Italian front. An attack of the heaviest character here has been hinted at, and the probability of its taking place is being widely dis cused in Rome. Somo consideration in this connection is also being given points on the Franco-Belgian front outside the zone of the great retreat. The Germans, for instance, are dis playing notable activity in the Cham pagne region, and today Berlin reports the capture of French trenches south of Ripont in this district. CUBAN REBELS STEAL H CIRCUS Bandits Draw Lots For The Garments of Caesar and Cleopatra. (By Associated Press.) New York, March 28. Cuban rev olutionists stole an entire one-ring t . . A rt. ! circus except the tents and the saw- , dust, according to Edward' and Lot tie McGinley, members of the show, who arrived here today on a steam ship from Cuba. The rebels, ordered by their,. chief to commandeer the circus horses and food supplies, made off . with the gar ments of Caesar and Cleop'atra, after drawing lots for distribution of them, : and captured also a. 23-year-old lion, ; and Hattie, the elephant. The circus -was playing at a: town about" 20 miles from Havana, the arrivals here said. '.V'.'."V"' t, v:-. 'Vr .' 1 s .' i. ' X: J' V