ft
LEATHER FORECAST
LMEMCTON
North and South CaroHna Fair
tonight and Wednesday; continued
cool.
FULL L EASED WIRES ER VICE
X0L XXIII. NO. HO.
WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA, TUESDAY AFTERNOON MAY 8, 1917.
PRICE FIVE CENTS f I j
IteST FINAL W
1 edition I
OlSPATQ
1
1 -
r v r ? Ipl
Supplies Said to Have Been
Given German Submarines
In Atlantic.
GOVERNMENT NOW
MAKING INQUIRY
Crew of Ship Detained at St.
Thomas Make Damaging
Admission The Steamship
Company Operates Oufof
New York.
(By Associated Press.)
Washington, May 8. The govern
inini is making a rigid investigation
of the activities of the steamer Mani
towoc and other vessels of the Amer
ican Trans-Atlantic Company, which
are said to have carried supplies to
German submarines in the Atlantic.
This was admitted at the Navy De
partment today.
The American Trans-Atlantic Com
pany has offices both! in New York
and Boston and its ships fly the
African flag. Offjctals., would not
say what had aroused their suspi
cions, but said that- the ships had
l'oen held lor investigation at St.
Thomas, Virgin Islands.
:
German Submarines Supplied From
United States.
San Juan, Porto Kico, May 5 (Cor
lfspondonce of the Associated Press).
-There are German submarines in
tiie Atlantic and until very recently
they have been supplied from the!
I'nited States by ships flying- the
American flag, according to state-!
ments by members of the crew of the !
-learner Manitowoc, which for several
uerks was detained in the harbor at
Si. Thomas. Twenty-one of the crew
;He returning to the United States
:,fn- difficulties with Cantain F.
Hngsi.ad, master of the ship. The
'wnuowoc, Muskegon and Allaguash
j 'tpionging to the same line, short
ly beforo the Danish islands became
1 Virgin Islands, U. S. A., put into
'1: harbor at St. Thomas," bound from
Buenos Aires to New York, supposed
t" await orders. They were still
waiting for orders when the islands
ttp,'(' transferrer in thp TTnitp.H
batps. According to their manifests
a threo ships carried coal and
''fr furl supplies. Members of the
uew ot tho Manitowoc say all the
pssfls wore loaded with contraband
lor German submarines.
"Wl
"n we left. New York last we
""p supposed to have a cargo of coal
exclusively,-' one of -the crew
Mrtprneath the coal were all sorts
' "1 and food supplies. Supposed-
nip cargo was destined for Buenos
. Between St. Thomas and
uenoK Alros W(i gQt rid Qf Qur cargQ
rim' '-gh 'Scas to German subma
We had no cargo when wc
!fI Buenos Aires."
M,fl Bupnos Aires, that ship, the
-'ISKegon, and the Allaguash, all took
Sll ri:J'npral (:lu-goes, oil and other fuel
with 10S vhicn were covered over
several hundred tons of coal,
,vo,', , ' 0n the Manitowoc there
,. dlo placed two iron chests
7.ia- : opposed to
ti1(, , -,"). i ne.se, according to !
coal Hlso nidden under the
,i'dVrshthUaitins jn SL Tnomas for
Jerreri t Danisn islands were trans
shins tt the United States and the
crew f not Permitted to sail. The
some or k Manitowoc tried to get
harbor h pay while idle in the
to nialU CaPtain Hogstead refused
thpn maH any Payments. - The men
Oliver comPlaint to Rear Admiral
rcquivL pernor of the islands, who
tee that haptam Hogstead to guaran
more en i wo.uld not supply any
niitted tr iy ships before being per
ablv f' l?ave the harbor, presum-
Ho'ead ttST Aires CaPtain
any instnut e was unable to get
N'ew York 8 from the owners in
tr.e thp?ing' according to the
flaS hokrJi ain ordered the ship's
lhere wa 1 U.PSide down indicating
ticers from Jny aboard. When of-
find out xlhl e came on board to
lhe men in . the trouble was and
?t0H exrS! .ed there was nothing
hi mZlTl t0r the fact that they
nUnul, WOrk unless their Pay
mued n rag- EIgllt) .
' h
MAY WHEAT GOES TO THREE
DOLLARS.
it (By Associated Press.)
!fr Chicago, May 8. May wheat
sold .at $3 a bushel today, the
highest price on record. It was
an advance of 17 cents. The "
V close was at $2.97. July wheat
. rose 7 1-2 cents to $2.33 3-4.
I
OTHER VICTIMS
OF SUBllE
Greek Vessel Parthenon Torpedoed-:
Ship and ? Cargo
Valued at hour Millions v
Kew ' Ytork, Bay 8. The GreeH
steamship, Parthenon, which left New
York on April 14, for Havre, has been
sunk by a German submarine, with a
loss of $4,000,000 in vessel and cargo,
according to a dispatch received hre
today by the owners.
No Report as to Crew.
New York, May 8. The Parthenon,
a ship of 2,934 tons gross, was under
charter to the Royal Belgian Lloyd.
She carried Greek officers and crew.
The cablegram did not say whether
they were saved. The vessel was de
stroyed April 30, presumably' off the
French coast.
Three Norwegian Steamers Torpedoed.
London, May 8. The Norwegian
foreign office reports the Norwegian
steamers Tolska, Vale and Tromp
sunk by German submarines, says a
Central News dispatch from Christi
ania. Three men were lost from the
Vale.
The Vale of 719 tons, was built in
Christianiav in 1913. The Tromp, of
2,751 tons, built at Stockton, in 1897,
was last reported arriving at Gibral
tar on April 5 en route from Cardiff
to Spezia. No steamer Tolska. is list
ed in available records. The Norwe
gian steamer, Tolosa, of 1,833 tons',
built at Frederikstad in 1915, may be
the vessel alluded to.
Norwegian Bark Sunk.
London, May 8. The Norwegian
bark Dione was sunk by gun fire on
May 2. Her crew of 12 were rescued,
including two Americans, C. H. Ed
wards, of Normat, Tenn., and H. K.
Parker, of Trents street, Portsmouth,
Ohio.
Claim Recapture of Fresnoy.
(By Associated Press.)
Berlin, May 8 (Via London) Ger
man troops have recaptured Fresnoy,
says the official statement issued to
day by the German army headquart
ers staff.
HORSE PLAY HELD
AS NO DEFENSE
Judgment Against Grand
Lodge, Order of Moose for
Death From Initiation.
(By Associated Press.)
Washington, May 8. By refusing to
review Alabama court proceedings
the Supreme court yesterday put into
effect its decree awarding $18,000
damages against the Supreme Lodge
of the Loyal Order of Moose for the
death of Donald A. Kenney during
initiation at the Birmingham, Ala.,
local lodge. Kenney died after re
ceiving an electric shock from a
"branding board." "that this feature
was not a regular part of the initia
tion, but impromptu "horse play" of
the local lodge members, was con
tended unsuccessfully by the Su
preme Lodge.
THE INCREASE OF
! Before The Interstate Com
merce Commission by
Railroad Presidents
SOUTHEAST ROADS
GIVEN HEARING
Norfolk and Western, South
ern and Seaboard Air Line
Presidents Tell of Their
Road's Condition.
, (By Associa&d Press.) , I
rasnmgipir, Mift 8. - E. John--
son, president of the Norfolk & West
ern Railroad, was the first of-the ex
ecutives of the southeastern railroads
to be heard today by the Interstate
Commerce Commission on the applica
ation of all lines of the country for a
general 15 per cent, increase in freight
rates. Mr. Johnson emphasized the
emergency existing in railroad oper
ation and asserted that the increase
asked for would not offset advances in
wages and the increased cost of fuel
and -material.
"The Adamson law," said Mr. John
son, "does not in itself create the
emergency. It is simply contributory
to a condition which became critical
because of the country's entry into the
war. It is difficult to determine at
this time what additional burdens will
be imposed upon the railroads, but it
is certain that special train service
and terminal facilities will be neces
sary on a broad scale."
Mr. Johnson said he felt tnat fu
ture dividends of railway securities
should be assured in order that they
may subscribe to war loans. The wit
ness read figures detailing increased
operating expenses of the Norfolk &
Western.
Replying to questions, Mr. Johnston
said the Norfolk & Western now pays
7 per cent, on its stock. Coal in
creases averaged 98 cents a ton over
last year. Representatives of eastern
railroads who appeared before the
commission yesterday said that they
were required to meet increases of S2
a ton. Mr. Johnson said his road
could purchase coal cheaper, because
it ran directly into mining regions. He
attributed the raise in the price of
coal to the extraordinary demand,
shortage of labor, and lack of transpor
tation facilities, principally motive
power.
Further questions by the commis
sion brought out the fact that the Nor
folk & Western recently had bought
two coal plants to supply its own
coal.
Mr. Johnson emphasized the need
for increasing credit facilities, which,
he said, was impossible unless freight
increases should be granted. !
Fairfax Harrison, president of the
Southern, discussed the finances of
that system and the increased cost jof L
everything that enters into its opera
tion. An increase of 15 per cent, in
freight rates, he said, would fall $2,
000,000 short of meeting the expected
income necessary for the proper -operation
and development of the line.
Mr. Harrison told the commission that
some of the coal now bought by the
Southern cost $2 a ton, where as be
fore, it had cost $1.25.
The trouble with the Southern, the
witness declared, is not so much a
lack of equipment, but the embargoes
that are encountered; the Southern
not yet having had the trouble that
confronts roads in other sections of
the country. Mr. Harrison said a 15
per cent, increase as proposed actual
ly would amount to a total increase
of freight rates of 11 per cent.
W. J. Harahan, president of the Sea
board Air Line, gave figures to sup
port his plea for the increase.
FREIGHT RATES
ARGUMENT MADE
GO VT. OPTIMISTIC
OVER SOLVING THE
BIG SUB. PROBLEM
A BILLION WILL
BE SPENT SOON
Giant Appropriation Will be
Sought For This Vital
Work.
ALL STEEL PLANTS
WILL BE CALLED ON
Private Contracts Will be Can-!
celled to Permit the Govern-
ment Work Will Short
ly Be Started.
' 4 r; 4 '
BIG AMOUNT FOR NEW SHIPS.
' (By Associated Press.)
Washington, May 8. Congress.
4' will be asked to appropriate $1,- f
000,000,000 for the building of the
great Ameijicafei merchant fleet 4
which is to overcome the subma-
4 rine menace.
Estimates of the shipping board 4
& are that 5,000,000 to 6,000,000 tons
4 of steel and wooden vessels will 4
! be constructed by the govern- 4
4" ment . during the next two years. 4
4 The projrr&meyolved fcy the"
4SmTpingard" contemplates the 4
4 diversion to government uses of 4
4 the products of every steel mill 4'
4' in the country, cancellation of ex- 4
4 isting contracts between those 4
4 mills and private consumers and '4
.4 where necessary, payment of 4
4 damages by the, government to 4
4 the parties whose contracts are iJ
4 cancelled. 4
44444'-4444'
Washington, May 8. The only
manufactures of steel to be exempted
from the ship building program will!
be those needed otherwise for thei
National Defense. Bills for introduc-
tion in Congress have been prepared
auu uie auiiuiiisLianuu xiupes to geti
them under way so promptly that the
first of the shipbuilding operations
may be in motion within two weeks.
Cooperation of the labor organiza
tions has already been pledged, it is
understood, and there will be no leg
islation, unless the present program
is changed, looking to the drafting of
the labor necessary to carry out the
plans.
The only other exception to the
general cancellations of private con
tracts with steel mills will be those
of rail roads. Steel mills, it is con
templated, will be permitted to sup
ply them with the minimum amount
of steel products with which the rail
roads can get along.
It may be unnecessary for the gov
ernment actually to take over the
shipbuilding yards of the country and
they probably will be operated by
their present owners under strict
governmental supervision.
The program contemplates the use,
NW
SHIPS
10 me maximum, or every resource . (By Associated Press.)
within the United States speedily to New Orleans, May 8. VV. B. Thomp
design and build the largest number son, prominent in the cotton industry
of ships possible. Should the num.-1 of the South, and other members of
ber of vessels thus turned out be the New Orleans exchange, today sent
inadequate to meet the German sub- telgrams to members of Congress pro
marine menace shipbuilding facilities i testing against the proposal to tax
will be increased. I cotton production $2.50 a bale as a
: I war revenue measure. Mr. Thompson
SKAC STRUCK ON
ROOSEVELT MOVE
Conferees Become Deadlocked
Over This Question in
Army Bill.
(By Associated Press.)
Washington, May 8. Confereees on
the army bill today fell into such a
deadlock over the amendment to per
mit sending Colonel Roosevelt's divis
ion to France that they suspended
work and considered returning the bill
to the House and Senate and asking
for instructions.
The conferees professed to be in
complete ignorance of the Administra
tion's wishes .arid some of the members
said a few words from the White
House would clarify the situation.
The prohibition amendment, the age
limits for the selective conscription,
and the amendments for raising volun
teer patrol regiments for the Mexican
border also are stumbling blocks.
Something Definite Expected
Soon in Invention, Declare
Officials.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS n
AT CAPITAL TODAY
Think That Remedy For The
Evil Will Be Found In Near
Future Plans Are Being
Kept Secret.
(By Associated Press.)
Washington, May 8. Some definite
developments in the near future may
be expected from the experiment of
American inventors and scientists
working cn means to combat the sub
marine menace.
This summary of the situation was
obtained authoritatively today in con-
I113UL1UI1 Willi V1S1L LU VVilBUlllgLUll
of Chairman W. L. Saunder, of the
Naval Consulting Board, and members
of the special committee of the board
dealing with the subject. . '
Officials of the Navy Department
most familiar with what is being done
stated today that the outlook was hope
ful. "They are getting down to brass
tacks," was the way one official ex
pressed it.
It was again said by Navy officials,
however, that no intimation of plans
that are being laid would be given out.
It is upon the fact that all that is
being done seems to be tending to
ward certain definite points that the
belief is based that a remedy for the
submarine will be found at some not
distant date.
AMERICANS JN TURKEY,
LEAVING THERE.
(By Associated Press.)
Stockholm, (Via London), May 8.
The American minister here, Ira Nel
son Morris, has been advised through
the Swedish foreign office that a party
of Americans, 70 in all, left Constan
tinople on Thursday for Berne, and
ithat arrangements have been com
pleted for the departure from Turkey
of twenty Americanconsular officers.
All information reaching Minister?
Morris is of a reassuring character,
that Americans from all parts of Tur-
Upv nfp asapmhlinc in P.rmstnntinnnlp
and that any desiring to leave the
COUntry will be permitted to do so.
MACHINE GUNS TRAINED
ON OUR CONGRESSMEN
(By Associated Press.)
Washington, May 8. Four machine
guns trained from the well of the
House upon the members, along with
a great array of rifles, revolvers and
other weapons, formed an exhibit yes
terday to accompany a speech by Rep
resentative Tilson, of Connecticut
former national guard officer and mem
ber of the House Military committee
urging that the United States should
use the British army rifle to equip its
war army.' He argued that there would
be a great advantage in having any
American force sent abroad use the
same ammunition as the British.
PROTEST AGAINST
PROPOSED COTTON TAX
j in his telegram .to Chairman Lever,
of the House Agricultural committee,
declared a sufficient supply or cotton
was necessary both for offensive and
defensive purposes during war and
that its production should be stimulat
ed by the government.
WOULD HAVE MILITARY
PARK AT GUILFORD
j (By Associated Press.)
! Washington, May 8. An appropria
tion of $8,100 to begin the establish
i ment of a national military park at
the battlefield of Guilford Court House,
N. C, was recommended to Congress
today by the War Department.
CROWDS CHEER FRENCH
IN INDIANAPOLIS TODAY
(By? Associated Press.)
j Indianapolis, May 8. The French
war commission arrived in Indianapo
lis at 12:13 o'clock this afternoon. A
reception committee composed of State
i and City officials 'immediately escort
ed the party along business streets
which were lined with eheering
throngs. The commission remained
here about one hour.
i
I
Charged With Failure of Teu
tons to Win Complete Vic
tory Early in The War
HIS HESITANCY
AT BEGINNING
Accountable For Allies Vic
tory on the Marne -Opposition
to Submarine War
fare Prevented Ending
Copenhagen, (Via London), May 8?
The Conservatives and pan-Germans
have now brought up their heavy ar
tillery in the battle against Chancel
lor Von Bethmann-Hollweg and boldly
lay the blame for the long duration
of the war at his door.
The Conservative Deutsche Tages
Zeitung explains three or four days'
delay in German mobilization at the
outset of the war, due to the Chan
cellor's hesitant policy, caused the loss
of the battle of the Marne.
The paper holds that the troops that
were detached to stem the Russian
! invasion of East Prussia would have
been sufficient to change the defeat of
General Von Kluck's army into a. vic
tory and that in that case the war
would have ended in a speedy and de
cisive German triumph. The Tages
Zeitung goes on to declare that the
Chancellor threw away a second
chance of triumph of terminating the
war by opposing ruthless submarine
warfare. It cites Field Marshal Con
rad von Hoetzendorf, Austrian commander-in-chief,
as saying recently:
"The war would have been over long
ago if the submarine campaign had
been begun a year earlier."
The pan-American annexationists
are also comparing 4;he Chancellor to
Bismarck and demanding his retire
ment because he does not measure up
to Germany's "iron man."
The agitation for the downfall of
von Bethmann-Hollweg is unconcealed
in press and Parliament and is reinforc
ed by mass meetings organized by
imperialist leagues and the independ
ent committee for a German peace.
The bitterness increases as 'the
chances grow for a reform of political
conditions in Germany.
The Chancellor's opponents couple!
their attacks with far from flattering
remarks about the Austro-Hungarian
government for its declarations in
favor of moderate peace terms.
WOMAN ARRESTED
AS GERMAN SPY
Taken Into Custody by
Guardsmen at Railroad
Bridge Near Moncure.
(By Associated Press.)
Raleigh, N. C, May 8. A woman,
giving her name as Mrs. B. C. Perrin,
of Elxia, Ohio, was arrested by guards
on a railway bridge near Moncure, thir-
ity miles from here late Sunday night,
j and is being held under suspicion of
.being a German agent, pending further
j investigation. She explained to Na
Itional Guardsmen on duty, when ar
1 rested, that she had walked there from
, Raleigh, but, it is learned, she carried
a letter urging her to cut her hair
and adopt male attire and also sug
gesting a trip to Canada. The wom
an gives her age as 65 and explains
that she is a professional hobo.
VIGOROUS ATTACK
BY GERMANS ON
THE CHANCELLOR
cn w ik
I
Rolling Up of Important
Teuton Sector a Matter of
Only a Few Days.
DESPERATE EFFORT
i , TO CHECK BRITISH
In Their Enveloping Move
ment German Realization
of Menace in Alternate
Sledge-Hammer Blows of
Allies Significance q
Kaiser's Late Utterance.
The great human nippers which!
General Haig has forged around the '
southern end of the Drotottrt-QueantV '
switch line are BteadU.oslli-..tl,'';..;
the roiiing up ot this important sec- ., : yjn; ';
tion of the German defenses appears .-', j
to be a matter of a few days. ,Tha! V. ;
Drocourt-Queant line is the hastily im-)'i;.r'j,
provised barrier thrown up by Field '
Marshal von -.HinderihnfBrlo . -Broiect.' W
trflrai" 'tarff'TTKraar 4 tnei mora ,
famous line, named in honor or him
self, had been smashed by the Brit'
ish. .
The bitter. resistance offered by thev
Germans to the British advance has
centered in their defense of Bulla .
court, two and a half miles west of
Queant. T,( the south the British
have forged well beyond' Queant, but
have been forced to mark time until
Bulle court falls.
The capture of the village was en
trusted to Australians and these hard
fighting colonials have almost sur
rounded the German stronghold so
that its surrender or extinction Is ex
pected momentarily. The Drocourt
Queant line forms a broad salient in
the British front, 18 miles at its top
and paralleling the Douai-Cambrai line.
The crushing in of this salient will
mean that the German grip on the
great Lens coal region will be broken .
and the entire German line in north
ern France imperiled.
There are many signs that the Ger
mans realize the menace to them In
the alternate sledge-hammer blows of
the British and French, beneath which
their choicest troops are being steadily
driven from position afjter position
News from the western front is not
merely being suppressed) in BeTllnJ
but is being doctored for the consump
tion of German newspaper readers. ,
Discrepancies between the German
and allied official versions are appar
ently arousing suspicions in some Ger
man minds, at least, and the Berlin
newspapers are being bombarded with -questions
that their military critics '
seem to find some difficulty in answer
ing. There is significance also in tho
fact that the German Emperor,, in tho
latest of his congratulatory telegrams,
speaks of a "serious and decisive''
time, instead of exulting over victories,
real or imaginary.
Apart from France, the only fight-.
ing of significance reported from the
war theatres is taking place in Mace
donia. The reports from this front
are meagre and they indicate an in
creasing activity which may presago
a general offensive by the Allies. -
GOLDSBORO TO HAVE
CITY MANAGER FORM,
(Special to Tho Dispatch.)
Goldsboro, N. C, May 8. Goldsboro
is to have a city manager form of gov
ernment. It was adopted in the city
election here yesterday by a majority
of 37 voters. j
John R. Higgins, having no opposi
tion, was re-elected mayor. The en
tire board of aldermen, with the ex
ception of J. W. Sadler, were re-elect
ed. J. W. Cole succeeds Mr. Sadie
as a member of the board.'
HUNDRED MILLION
DOLLARS PAID FRANCE
(By Associated Press.) . ; '
Washington, May 8. France today .
received the $100,000,000 the United".-',
States has decided to lend her to
meet her expenses in this country :
during May. The amount was trans
ferred by Secretary McAdoo to Am- V ;
bassador Jusserand today t by treas
ury warrant. ' 1 ' v
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