if
LEATHER FORECAST
A . . ' v I
v. : , ''''ii f
North and South Carolina Fair;
00ler tonight; Wednesday, fair.
FU LL L E ASED W I R E SE R V I CE
V0L.XX1H. NO. 103.
WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA TUESDAY AFTERNOON, MAY 1- 191 7.
1m l&iiiGii
F5 FINAL -USJ
EDITION
PRICE FIVE CENTS. U :
'St fS!
Rules Behind The Lines
Now
or i iic 1 1W v-y oo o
Teutons.
OUTSIDE WORLD
IN IGNORANCE
Of Happenings in the Central
Empires Vague and Un
certain Rumors of Serious
Labor Troubles Typhus
Fever Reported Prevailing
In Industrial Centers.
(By Associated Press.)
May Day has dawned with the
armed hosts of England, France and
Germany still locked fast in the most !
tremendous struggle of the whole' trc
mendous world war. But the eyes oV
the world are fixed for the moment
on the stage behind the battle line,
where, inside the closely guarded fron
tiers of the Central powers, the burst
ing of the long brewing storm of dis
content is awaited with a mingling of
fear and hope.
Extraordinary -measures have been
taken by the rulers of the Central em
pires to prevent the outside world
from knowing what is transpiring
within their borders. No German
newspaper is allowed to pass into a
neutral country, and for the last ten
days all persons have been forbidden'
to leave Germany. Thus the scanty
"and dubious new,
from the GermalTpress or, from cas
ual travelers has been completely cat
off and the Teutonic empires are al
most as isolated from the rest of the
world as was ancient Japan.
Reports from Switzerland of- vague
and indefinite jiuthority assert that
the troubled conditions in Germany
have been intensified by a widespread
outbreak of typhus, said to be espe
cially prevalent in the great industrial
regions. The epidemic is attributed to
the growing food scarcity, but the
story lacks confirmation.
The same veil which has been
drawn over events in Germany . and
Austria obscures the situation in
Sweden, where a great nation-wide
demonstration by the workers was
also planned for today. Since the out
break of a couple of weeks ago when
rioting took place in Stockholm, the
only news received as to conditions
in Sweden has been -the bare an
nouncement that a general strike had
Jeen ordered by the labor leaders for
May Day, coupled with a warning to
ne government against undue inter
ference. On the fighting front in France lit
e change has taken place for some
rh The French are striking hard
m Champagne and have made some
Sams, but without, as far. as tha offi
J communications go, materially al
Jrmg the situation. The fighting in
Macedonia, which was resumed on a
JJe front last week, is still in pro-
ss, ut information regarding it re
JHuns too indefinite to judge wheth-
tne Alhes are engaged in a ma
jor offensive.
B5.MesPotamia the British are
too J8 steadilJr forward, but here,
anv ?et,ails are too meagre to throw
taL on the extent of the cam-
thp B "uuicuiaie uojeuLive ui
- "misn
commanders.
f Bill AGAIN
BEING FOUGHT
Senator LaFollette Injects
Wstion of Referendum
Conscription.
Yashin L A?8ociated Press.)
bill S May 1--Tne army
t0 -LVas renewed in the Senate
inS th m Work was besun on shap
form for iasure into a Parliamentary
orflniL i11-61106- This is to be
iQg its of y the Senate substitut
ed the H fr the ne wnich
vrrllw to amend
the bill to
. ""M LOT Thp
"present em
'"siean of
the "existing
Some sT "eaien m the Senate
as
nni . U4lurs did not fool that tv,
Ill
a wr on T a draft in other than
Senat ermany
a KaUonaiUPollette,s amendment for
as Pend in lCription referendum
el to lli When the Senate re
l Joffre M' Viviani and Mar-
oe the French mission.
EXECUTIVE ORDER
Of Cable, Telegraph and Tele
phone Lines Communicat
ing With Other Counties
OBJECTS OF ORDER
FOR SUCH COURSE
r Prevent News of Interest to
enemy or to Hamper Our
Officials in Cohducting
Operations.
(By Associated Press.)
Washington, May 1. An executive
order signed by President Wilson pro
viding for the censorship of cables
out of the United States and of tele
graph and telephone lines into Mex
ico, together with regulations govern
ing the same, were made public to
day by the Committee on Public In
formation. The object is to prevent
the- sending of. information which
might be of value to the enemy.
The committee announced today
to put the executive" order Into effect
immediately. The excutive order was
signed by the President under author
ity vested in him by the Constitution
and by the congressional resolution
declaring the existence of a state of
wan- Enforcement is delegated to the
War and Navy departments.
The order, dated April 28, is as fol
lows: "Whereas, the existence of a state
of war between the United States
and the imperial German government
makes it essential to the public safety
that no communication of a character
which would aid the enemy or its al
lies shall be had.
"Therefore, by virtue of the power
vested in me under the Constitution
and by the joint resolution passed by
Congress on April 6, 1917, declaring
the existence of a state of war, it is
ordered that all companies or other i
a n : i
persons, owning, cuuuuumb auu upd
ating telegraph and telephone lines
or submarine cables are hereby pro
hibited from transmitting messages
to points without the United States
and from delivering messages received
from such points, except those per
mitted under rules and regulations to
be established by the Secretary of
War for telephone and telegraph lines
and by the Secretary of the Navy for
submarine cables.
"To these departments, respective
ly, is delegated the duty of preparing
and enforcing rules and regulations
jinder this order to accomplish the
purpose mentioned.
"This order shall take effect from
date.
"WOODROW WILSON."
The objects of the censorship, as
announced by the committee, are:
"1. To deny the enemy informa
tion of military value or any informa
tion prejudicial to. the interests of
the United States or to the interests
of other enemies or the imperial Ger
man government.
"2. To obtain information of value
to the several departments of the
United States government.
"3. To prevent the spreading of
false reports or reports likely to in
terfere directly or indirectly with the
successes of the naval or military op
erations of the United States or likely
to prejudice relations with foreign
powers or the security, training, dis
cipline or administration of the naval
and military forces of the United
States.
"Secretary Daniels has assigned
Commander D. W. Todd, director of
naval communications, to have charge
of the cable censorship, and Com
mander Arthur B. Hoff-will be in con
trol of the New York division. Briga
dier General Mclntyre has been se
lected by Secretary Baker to direct
the telephone and telegraph super
vision on the border. The censorship
of telephones and telegraphs will af
fect the Mexican border only.
"The Committee on Public Informs
tion will provide the clearing house
necessary to regulate the activities
of the naval and military censorship
to every department of the govern
nient. "These cable censorship regulations
are issued for the guidance of the
public."
PR01IN6 FOR
. SUPERVISION
"
MORE STRIKES IN. GERMANY.
- - .
4 (By Associated Press) ' '
London, May 1. "In the Rhine
V provinces more than half the mu-
nition workers decided to strike
today," wires the correspondent 4
at The Hague of the Exchange
Telegraph Company. '
Essen, home of the great Krupp 4
fr works, is shut off from the rest
4 of Germany and completely from
the world in order to prevent fe
slightest information about strikes
at the Krupp works from leaking -
out. Strikes are eeneral in small
towns near the Dutch frontier. 4
That is Upmost For Consider
ation By Missions In
Washington.
(By Associated Press.)
Washington, May 1. The problem of
mailing supplies ujt me ameu peo
ple's and armies ana of finding ships
for transporting them were taken up
A- 3 X H A. a t p j.
luuiijf in tue ii rat rormai conierence oi
the British war commission with
American government officials:
The British government was repre
sented by Mr. Balfour, Sir Trie Drum
mond, his private secretary and Sir
Richard Crawford, of the British em
bassy. American officials present were Sec
retaries Lansing and Redfield and
cnairii
boanl.
Chairman Denman, of the Shipping
The British commissioners had sup-
SUPPLY PROBLEM
BEING WORKED ON
plied this government with details of Started to leave the chambers the Sen
their critical shipping situation and ators scores Gf Representatives, who
today s conference discussed appor
tionment of supplies among the Allies
and the necessary balance to be main
tained between food and munitions ex
ports. The American government by
bills pending and about to be intro
duced in Congress seeks direct control
of the country's shipping and of the
direction of exports.
The allied commissioners aw o-rnoor.
ed to Dresent a definite nlan fnr hand-1
ling exports tor give the countries most Cheer after cheer greeted this and
in need of supplies what they must'tney ceased only, when the hero of
have to keep their utmost military ! tne Marne had disappeared from the
strength on the war lines. It is con-
RflPrArl lllrolv that - a. nlan -nrlll t
be I
Biiiys iur an me Ames win De direct
ed from Washington.
Today's conferences and others to
follow will produce a definite export
and shipping program to be followed
by all the countries fighting Germany.
BIG TROOP SHIP SUNK.
(By Associated Press.)
London, May 1. The Peninsu-
lar and Oriental Line steamship,
Ballarat, of 11,120 gross tons, 45-X-
which was used as a troop ship,
was sunk recently by a German
Jf submarine. All the troops were
X- saved. The Ballarat was carry-
ing troops from Australia to Eng-
land. The soldiers were rescued
by British torpedo boat destroy-
ers and trawlers.
DUTCH T
Many People Killed and
Houses Wrecked by Bombs
From Airplanes.
(By Associated Press.)
London, May 1. Bombs were
dropped by an- airplane Sunday night
on Zierikztie, in the Dutch province
of Zeeland, says a Reuter dispatch
from The Hague, under Monday's
date. Three persons were killed and
much material damage was done, the
message states.
The Hague, May 1 (Via London).
: The Telegraaf, of Amsterdam, states
that tlie bombs which were dropped
on Sierikzee did such extensive dam
age that the village is in ruins, more
than 100 houses being smashed or
damaged. A terrible panic prevailed
in the town, says the newspaper, in
tensified by the play of the search
lights' operated by the airmen.
It is declared that the bombs were I
not dropped Dy iinsutH.t;, me a eiegi iicii
adds, but were purposely launched.
The nationality of the airplanes has
not been established.
Advices from Sluyskil state that
last evening two German airplanes
appeared above Hasvengent and dis
appeared in a southwesterly direction.
PEACE TALK CAUSES
DROP IN WHEAT PRICES
(By Associated Press.)
Chicago, May 1. Reports that the
Swiss -minister in charge of German
'diplomatic interests in Washington
had asked for a conference with
President Wilson and that the Ger
man . chancellor's pace terms would
be outlined in an address to the
Reichstag next Thursday, caused a
harD drop in wheat prices today.
.r ta wont a tn $5?kk- Tniv
may wwiucu j.v i
10 3-4 to $2.15; and September, 6 58
cents to $1.82. I
ATTACK ON
WN
HERD OF M AB N E
GIVEN GREETING
1 BY CONGRESS
Viviani and General JofFre Ap
peared on r ljoor of Senate
To
EACH ACCORDED
A BIG OVATION
France's Former Eyemier Made
a Stirring Speech Joffre
X:
Cheered by - Crowded
Ga
s.
(By Associated Press.i ,
Washington, May- 1. Rene Viviani
and Marshal Joffre,- heads of tho
French mission hereAvere received to
day on the floor of the Senate.
M. Viviani, as farmer premier of
France, is by custo entitled to entry
to the floor but the rule makes no
! provision for such dignitary as Mar-
ghal Joffre
By unanimous consent, however, the
Senate rules were Suspended to per
mit the marshal's appearance with M.
Viviani, and the Setiate-" took a recess
in the midst of 'C(pideration of the
Army bill to receivhe visitors.
The galleries wefpacked with par
ties of distinguishejyrlsitors.
The appearance ' M. Viviani and
Marshal Joffre stirred the Senate and
galleries to a patriae outburst such
as seldom has been' le&ualed.
Mr. Viviani deliveiped a' stirring ad
dress and was rophdjy applauded.
When he concluded; and the party
came from the House, and the crowd
ed galleries, arose and cried: "Joffre!
Joffre! Joffre!"
The gray-haired hero of the Marne
returned to the rostrum, in response
to the cries. The marshal waved his
hat before him, bowed low and in
a soft voice said:
"I do not speak English. Vive la
Amerique ! "
caamuer,
- J.
COLLEGE TUTOR
THE TRIED
Sensational Murder Mystery
in Virginia to Be Aired
This Week.
(By Associated Press.)
Christiansburg, Va., May 1. When
Montgomery County Circuit Court met
this morning with Judge W. W. Mof
fet, of Roanoke, on the bench, atten
tion of court officers and attaches,
as well as that of the people of the
State generally, was directed to the
case of the Commonwealth vs. Charles
E. Vawter, member of the faculty of
the Virginia Polytechnic Institute, at
Blacks"burg, charged with killing
Stockton Heth, Jr., who was fatally
shot in the Vawter home early in the
morning of March 13.
Within 30 minutes after court con
vened this morning to take up trial
of Charles E. Vawter, of the V. P. I.
faculty, charged with killing Stock
ton Heth, Jr., in the Vawter home at
Blacksburg, March 13, a grand jury
was organized and within two hours
a true bill had been returned.
Among the few witnesses appearing
before the grand jury was Lieutenant
Clement Heth, U. S. A., brother of
Vawter's victim, who took Stockton
Hetti's dying statement. The little
town of Christiansburg was thronged
with persons from the rural districts
and surrounding towns and the court
room early was packed to capacity.
Many lawyers are here simply to
watch proceedings.
..When instructed to plead to the in
dictment Vawter said, "not guilty," in
a clear, firm voice. His wife was not
in the court room. Immediately the
selection of a jury was taken up and
before court adjourned at 1:15 o'clock
a jury composed of eight farmers, one
merchant, one merchant-farmer, one
carpenter and one miner had been
sworn in. At 3 o'clock, when court
reconvenes, opening statements of
counsel will be made.
The jurors selected are: G. G. Cor-
rell, farmer; Jerry Grant Whitaker,
farmer; M. W. Zirk, merchant; G. W.
Sisson, merchant-farmer; A. J. Alti
zer, farmer; J. T. Welch, carpenter;
C. W. Allen, miner; R. H. Shelton,
afrmer; D. H. Lucas, W. C. Hensley,
Joseph M. Kanode, and R. T. Smith,
farmers.
SENATE PASSES sARMY BILL 4f
ANEW.
(By Associated Press.)
Washington, May 1. The Ad-
ministration ;army bill, with the
conscription provision retained,
was passed anew today by the
3f Senate .without a roll call, vir-
tually as it approved the meas-
5C- ure last Saturday. The bill now
E-oes to conference.
7
OFFICIALS FAVOR SENDING
TROOPS TO FRANCE.
- (By Associated Press)
' Washington, May 1. President 4
Wilson and his cabinet held a
very brief session today and; while
3 the subject of sending American
troops to France at an early date 4
was not discussed formally, it be-
came known definitely that the
4" prevailing view among administra-'4
4 tion officials is that a force should 4
4 be sent as soon as possible.
4
4
4t4444'44-,
DECISION TO BE
Outcome of Submarine War
fare Will Depend on The
Amount Tonnage.
(By Associated Press.)
Washington, May 1. Lord Percy to
day declared that tho present rate of
British construction, of ships and the
present estimated American rate could
not keep pace with the present rate
of destruction by submarines.
"The balancing figure in the world
struggle," said Lord Percy, "is the
tonnage the United States can sup
ply." Lord Percy's announcement was the
first intimation that the shipping con
ference had actually resulted in any
agreement. It was taken as a fore
runner of a very wide degree of co
operation in which the present ton
nage and the future building powers
of this country will be pooled with the
Allies to defeat the German subma
rine menace.
Lord Percy stated that the British
mission had supplied the American
government with every detail of the
shipping problem, including the total
allied tonnage, the total destruction
by the U-boats, the irreducible needs
or tne allies, the present rate of con-
ouuuu uuu u uiB ..uuiuaiuueu
U."U1"5 American snip-
h-.irtiest -tinn with th fn.
est understanding of the ureencv of
the situation.
rpu. ; . i t i I
xue ouippiuK issue, sam iora
Percy, "dominates everything else
and is very grave indeed. Both the
present British construction and the
i eatimaiea American, eonsirnction ean
uwv Aor j(w7 itiiu. uic (ncocuit lave
of destruction. Both must be speeded
up very appreciably if the seas are to
be kept open. The war has resolved
itself into a race between the effic
iency of the British and American
shipyards and tho German submarine.
"The balancing factor in the world
struggle is the tonnage the United
States can supply. Only in case this is
large can the present military service
and food supply be continued. This
is ;the most vitally serious problem
which cannot be exaggerated."
1
HOLLWEG WILL MAKE AN
OTHER PEACE OFFER.
!
-5f
(By Associated Press.)
The Hague, Netherlands, May
(Via London). Dr. von Beth-
man-Hollweg, the German im-
" perial chancellor, will make an-
other peace offer in the Reich- &
stag on Thursday of this week,
Jfr according to an announcement
made today by the Berliner Tage-
Jfr blatt
WILMINGTON MAN
.Governor Bickett Announces
Members of State's Build-
ing Commission. lv
(Special to The Dispatch.)
Raleigh, N. C, May 1 Mr Hugh
MacRae, of Wilmington, Col. Charles
E. Johnson, Raleigh, $nd R. Frank Dal-
ton, High Point, are the Democratic,
and Dan W. Patrick, of Snow Hill, and
Joseph M. Prevatte, North Wilkes
boro, the Republican members of the
State Building commission appointed
todav bv Governor Bickett, The three
Democrats, and Patrick are wealthy
men and, big builders, selected for that
reason, 'but young Prevatte, who rep
ersented Wilkes in the lower house,
was endorsed by all the big Republi
cans from Linney, candidate for
Governor, down.
This commission has charge or an
State construction, and handles tre
mendous projects.
.GOLDSBORO VISITED
BY SEVERE STORM
(Special to The Dispatch.)
Goldsboro. N. C. May 1. The en
tire city was in darkness for several
hours and Goldsboro was visited by
the worst wind, and thunder storm
in years last night at 10 o'clock.
Trees and wires were torn down by
the terrifiic wind, but no one is re
ported injured.
The Chautauqua tent, in this city,
taxed to its capacity last night, threat
ened being tossed away, and this
caused considerable excitement among
the spectators, who were forced to
take refuge from the storm outside.
WITH AMERICA
NAMED N
D
T.
GETS OFFICALS
Consul General Skinner Sends
Report on Destruction of
The Vacuum.
OFFICER AND SOME
MEN YET MISSING
Details of Act Received by
American Embassy But
Not Made Public Sur
vivors on Way Liverpool
(By Associated Press.)
Washington, May 1. First official
news of the submarine destruction of
American tanker Vacuum, with
lo of,-some of the American gun
crew was received today by the gov-
ernment
Consul General Skinner, at London,
,r(,nortine the destruction' of thfi shin.
.confirmed that Lieutenant Thomas,
commander of the naval gun crew,
- !iKnm - OJ
some of his" crew, still are missing' and
probably lost. Seventeen of the ship's
crew and three of the naval gunners,
all in one boat, were rescued.
Pending receipt of more detailed in
formation, the Navy Department "will
not make public the names of the gun
crew.
Officials of the Vacuum Oil Com
pany here in response to a cable to
London asking further details on the
sinking of their steamship today re
ceived the following:
"Harris, captain, Unofficially report
ed drowned. Further details later."
Will Reach Liverpool Tonight.
London, May 1. The survivors of
the American oil tank! slteamer
Vacuum, who will arrive in Liverpool !
at midnight, include Robert Williams, ;
Oscar Gailes, W. Lundgren, A. Byl,
and Raymond Nunez.
The details of the sinking on April
28 of the Vacuum have been received
at the American embassy here, but
cannot be made public, it was explain
ed today. The full particulars are in
the hands of Rear Admiral Sims and
the American naval attache, who pre
sumably have made reports upon them
to Washington. The American con
sular officials will obtain the custom
ary full affidavits from the officers and
members of the crew who already have
landed.
The following are other survivors
who have been landed: John Simpson,
August Lotos, William OreU. G. Wit
zam, Louis Purdi, J. Mauchel, Marc
Singros, Camillo Diof Andrews, Les
lie J. Hatton, John Mekola, George
Wilson and F. Lasher.
R;?(bert P. Skinner, the American,
consul general in London, receivejd
only a meagre report from the sur
vivors of the Vacuum, who were land
ed at an obscure point out of touch
witn the telegraph service. The early
report did not indicate how many
gunners were among the survivors.
It is nofbelieved here that the miss
ing gunners were taken prisoners, al
though it is possible that the master
and lieutenant may have been taken
aboard the submarine. The whole
crew of the gunners, however, would
have been too many visitors to be
comfortably accommodated on a sub
marine. The probabilities that the missing
boat load was lost, as life boats of the
' . w. Mi
size carried by tne vacuum, according
to naval men, would have fceen over
loaded with more than a dozen men
on board.
AMBASSADOR ELKUS
NOW RECOVERING
(By Associated Press.)
Stockholm, (Via London), May 1
Abram I. Elkus, the American ambas-
typhus fever, passed tbJe .crisis on
lic " w 1
will be able to travel in a month.
This information is conveyed in a
message from Constantinople through
the Swedish foreign office to the Am-
erican minister here, Ira Nelson Mor-
ris. "
AMERICAN
IN
w
0
Germans Arrested in New
York Admit Having Plotted
Dynamite Acts.
WANTED TO STAMPEDE
THE STOCK MARKET
That is Their Assertion But
Some Think It Is a Blind
Held in Large Bail For
Trial.
(By Associated Press.)
New York, May 1. Intention to de
stroy a "big Wall street institution
tap telegraph trunk lines, send out
false reports of President Wilson's as
sassination and U-boat raids on the
Atlantic coast, and then disrupt the
wires to prevent denial, all to affect
the stock market for speculative ben
efit, was the ambitious plotconfessed
today, the police declare, by Wolf
Hirsch and George Meyringer, Ger
mans arrested last night charged with
having a prussic acid bomb in their
possession. The men were employed
at Roosevelt Hospital.
Hirsch, the police assert, besides
being a chemist, is a former German
secret service officer and a reserve
petty officer in the submarine divi
sion cf the German navy, while Mey
ringer, who was a kitchen man In
the hospital, is an expert telegrapher
and a student ,of finance. '
The Germans expected, the jfolicp,
say, to make a fortune. in Wall: street
un 'Short" intesttaeHts. V PerAons'Ta-
have informed the police that the Ger
mans either were misled about the
probable outcome .of such an occur
rence in Wall street, or that they are
putting this story forward to hido
their real intentions.
Confession was made in court today
by Wolf Hirsch, arrested last night
j with George Meyringer, both Ger
, mans, that they were on their way .
to blow up the offices of J. P. Mor
gan & Co. with a bomb when inter
cepted by the police.
Hirsch told the court that the ex
plosion of a bomb at the Morgan of
fices was a part of a scheme to cre
ate a stock market reversal from
which he and Meyringer could profit.
He told the court he had made' the
bomb under the direction of Meyrin
ger and another man in a laboratory
at
the Roosevelt hospital, where
they worked
He said Meyringer had
induced him to speculate in Wall
street and had suggested as a quick
er way of getting profits a scheme to
frighten the stock market. The plan
included blowing up the Morgan of
fice and the sending out over tapped
telegraph wires of false news that
President Wilson had been assassi
nated. The men were held in $10,000 bail
each.
NAVY RECRUITING
NEARLY TO LIMIT
(By Associated Press.)
Washington, May l.--The enlisted
strength of the navy now has reached
86,326 within less than 700 Of tt
full war quota now authorized.
The marine corps has already com
pleted recruiting for its full author
ized strengtu of 17,400, but both
services, will continue recruiting cam
paign without modification as bills
pending in Congress are-expected to
give the navy an authorized total
strengyjwof 150,000 and raise the ma
rine corps to 30,000.
GIVEN ENTENTE
Being Turned Over to Them
by United States Govern-
rr T Too t
1 lUlll A Ul VY . wow I
irt Associated Press.)
s Washington, May 1. The .United
States 'has already placed a consider
able amount of ship tonnage at the dis
posal of the Entente Allies. Lord Eu
stace? Percy,, ship expert, with; the
British mission, .said today that the
government had supplied certain Yes-.
. . 1 1 A ho llfUa
(sels to be used according to the. Allies
n ,, TJxl arwl
I me ieruiu VY" .
"Clara Mennig. at New York, have been
turned over by the American govern,
ment for use of the entente-allies,
One, ship will go to France and tho.
other to Italy. ' , ? . "
OFFICE,
POLICE
GERMAN
STEAMER
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