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THE
WEATHER FORECAST.
TG
North and South Carolina Fair
tonight and Sunday; continued
waif"-
EDITION
'4 M
FULL LEASED WIRE SERVICE
vol. xxm. NO
4NE 23, 1917,
PRICE , FIVE CENT31
P
RUSSIAN MISSION IS WEL COMED AT NATION'S CAPITAL.
DRAFT METHOD TO ;
BE APPLIED IN THE
NATION'S CAPITAL
FINAL
,; WILMINGTON NORTH PA R OT INA ?At nbnAV ArTCDMnr
" a ' ' ' i ii
md. I
DCI1IUIH
St l "II III mil llllmmirli mi.n in ' .
1ST
But So Far No Substantial Suc
cess Marks the Crown
Prince's Assault.
TRYING TO WARD
OFF FRENCH ATTACK
Teutons Adopt New Plan in
Order to Forestall On
slaught From the Allies
French Fife Tremendous.
Hravy attacks by the Germans are
continuing along tne Aisne front, with
the fighting attimes assuming almost
the. proportions of a general engage
ment. No substantial succees have
attended the Crown Prince's efforts, f
The latest bulletins from the front,
indeed, indicate the fighting to be
turning even more favorably for the
French, whose artillery is provi
ness in breaking up attacks
The Crown Princess primary pur:
po?e apparently is to forestall the
renewal of the French offensive move
ment, which was expected in this
important sector, southwest and south
of the fortress of Laon, the German Genoa, Italy, and resulted in the navy
kev position, which would be serious-1 . ,
iv menaced by any further French gunners on me Amencan vessel scor"
advance. So far as appears, General jin& at least one hit, was reported by
Potain has lost none of his com-, the captain of the steamer on his ar
manding positions, while the Germans j rjvai here today. The captain said
have sacrificed heavily for
nil l V I
small gains as they have been
to effect.
i ,
The plan of Gernmjsee.
be to iaancfrt
atively narrow fronts in-1 the area un-;
der attack. They penetrated a salient !mIssed snip by about 20 feet Fire
m the French line yesterday on. the. . J1AT
Chemin des Dames in the neighbor-; was immediately opened on the U-boat
hood of Enine de Chevregay in one ' with a stern gun and 4 shots were dis
such attack. Last night they tried to 'charged in rapid succession as the
1.1 1- f 11 J Ik... MM
ueuoucn irom me gruuuu iuus Bai"Ju..vhTTiarinP snhniPr? ThP spr-nnH
but found all their efforts broken up
by the French fire. Other attacks in
the region of Vauxaillonj to the west,
and near Chevreaux and other points
to the east, were likewise futile.
Correspondence Published.
Pari:?, June 23. Dr. Hoffman, the
former Swiss foreign minister, ac
cording to the Geneva correspondent
of the Petit Parisian, forwarded cor
respondence between Count von Bue
low at Luzern and certain Italian
anti-interventionists at Rome to the
Swiss diplomatic pouch. According
to the Matin,, Dr. Hoffmann also ne
gotiated for the return of Lenine and
other Russian Socialist refugees to
Russia through Germany.
The foreign affairs committee of
the chamber of deputies examined yes
terday the detrimental situation
caused by German intrigue in Swit
zerland. Premier Ribut and Deputy
Andre Lebey communicated a series
of documents relating to the Grimm
Hoffmann incident a3id respecting
agents who, in agreement with the
Berlin government, directed from
Berne and Zurich to Anarchist peace
campaign in Russia.
NORWEGIAN STEAMER
REPORTED DESTROYED
(By Associated Press.)
London, June 23. The Norwegian
steamer Laatefos has been sunk by a
German submarine, says a Norwegian
foreign office report transmitted in
a Central News dispatch from Copen
hagen. The crew was rescued.
WELL KNOWN VIRGINIAN
PASSED AWAY TODAY
(By Associated Press.)
Ripi-mond Va., June 23. Richard
p I:, .ham, 71 years old, postmaster
f Petersburg, former editor of the
ndex Appeal of this city, and widely
nown student of history, died sud
denly of heart failure in his home to
day He succeeded the late General
Smith Boiling in March, 1914, as post
master. He served in the civil war
a member of the Hampton Legion,
Longstreets corps.
Mr. Barham leaves a widow but no
children.
AMERICAN
RED CROSS UNIT
FOR RUSSIA.
(By Associated Press.)
Vashine-trm .Tnnp 23 The
Red Cross will send an Ameri-
7 can mission to Russia to work
along and behind the battle-
tront, in the same way a similar
" Lmmission is to operate
In
Prance and Belerium
In that
way ambulances and
lef for the Russian
other re-
army will
supplied.
racK
b
CD
IT
U-BOAT
HIT BY AMERICAN
Freight Steamer Had Clash
1$' Submarine Out of
Lenoa.
LAUNCHED TORPEDO
WHICH WAS DODGED
iSecond Encounter in Two
Days in Which American
Ship Came Out Victori
ous Over Submersible.
(By Associated Press.)
An Atlantic Port, June 23. A fight
between an American freight steam
ship and a German submarine, which
took place June 6, one day out from
U-boat suddenly appeared at a
' distance
of about 50C yards and
' 1 " -a A. 1
Its wake- wati
and it -ttstfteeau?
bie to" maneuver- the vessel so that it
shot, the captain said, struck the peri
scope throwing it high into the air,
and the last shot fired hit the water
on the exact spot where the U-boat
disappeared. The American vessel
suffered no damage.
This is the second encounter report
ed within two days in which an Am
erican ship successfully defended her
self against submarine attack.
Confirmation Received.
Washington, June 23. Confirmation
of the sinking of a German subma
rine by the navy gun crew of an
armed American merchantman, men
tioned in yesterday's dispatches, was
received today by the Navy Depart
ment in a report from Chief Boats
wain's Mate O. J. Gullickson, com
manding the gunners.
"Apparently the submarine was
either sunk or badly damaged," his
report says, "as nothing further was
seen of it."
BOY SCOUTS AT WORK
DIGGING POTATOES
(By Associated Press.)
Richmond, Va., June 23. One thous
and Boy Scouts began work today on
the Eastern Shore of Virginia digging
4,000,000 bushels of potatoes that prob
ably would have rotted in the ground
on account of the fact that 15,000 ne
groes have migrated to the north. The
negroes demanded 25 cents a barrel.
The boys are digging them for 15 cents
a barreL The boys are from Washing
ton, Richmond, Petersburg, Norfolk,
Baltimore and as far north as Wil
mington, Del. They are under the
supervision of Scout Executive
Charles L. Weaver, of Richmond, and
a health officer from the Virginia State
Board of Health. The boys range in
ages from about 12 to 18 years.
PRESIDENT HAS NOT
SETTLED THE TROUBLE
(By Associated Press.)
Washington, June 23. President
.Wilson today authorized Secretary
Tumulty to say that the President has
not already Fettled the difficulties
between Chairman Denman, of the
Shipping, and General Goethals of the
Emergency Fleet .Corporation, over
the wooden shipbuilding program. The
President, Mr. Tumulty said, was
waiting for further information which
he expects to obtain in a few days.
WARM WEATHER
FOR COMING WEEK.
Washington, June 23 Warm
weather with occasional thunder
showers was forecast today for the
coming week in Tennessee, the South
Atlantic and East Gulf States, by the
weather bureau.
ANOTHER
CRACK
GUNNERS
gawrovjiiiiiimiiiiwwii
The special diplomatic mission from Russia has been received in" Washington with every possible effort to
reflect America's profound hope and confidence in the newest European democracy. The Mission is headed by
Boris A. Bakhmetieff, who in paying his respects to President Wilson, is understood to have given Russia'3
pledge to the continuance of the war. Those shown in the , photograph, front rank, are Lieut.-General Roop Am
bassador Bakhmetieff and Professor Lomonosoff.
APPEAL
FOR VOLUNTEERS
To Raise the Regular Army to
Standard of Strength
What is Needed.
(By Associated Press.)
Washington, June 23. A
nation-
wide drive of one week to recruit
70,000 men to bring the regular army
,up to its authorized war strength of
300,000 men began today in accord
ance with President Wilson's procla
mation calling for volunteers.
This is the first step in the
war
.organization of America's army. Next
iItifef tf MC7i1inr,g the full
rymwuon or men r u,'
new nnnnnai nrmT frnm thu millirna
who registered June 5.
- " ..
The President calls
ried men between the ages of 18 and
Aft V V A ? 4-
"'"l3
who are not engaged m pursuits vi-
tally necessary to the prosecution of
the war."
ms means mat inose Detween tne
ages of 18 and 31, and 31 and 40, as
well as the recent registrants, will be
given an opportunity for immediate
training and the prospect of early ac
tive service.
The urgency of filling the ranks of
the regular army is emphasized by
army officers, who declare it will be
necessary within the next six months
to take many of the regulars as in
structors for the new selective army.
It is planned to incorporate in the
new regiments of the regular army,
portions of already established and
trained units as a framework to as
sure rapid development.
,, , ..
GOMPERS URGES
PASSAGE OF FOOD BILL
(By Associated Press.)
Washington, June 23. In a state
ment last night again urging the im
perative necessity of enacting the ad
ministration's food legislation before
.the next harvest, Samuel Gompers,
president of the American Federation
of Labor,' declared that unless control
of necessities was provided prices
would become prohibitive and that it
was unthinkable that the people "rest
content under such conditions and
work and fight."
IN THE FOOD BILL
To be Hotly Contested Before
the Measure Comes to
Final Vote.
(By Associated Press.)
- Washington, June 23. Prohibition
as a war measure loomed up as the
big issue in the House today with a
sharp fight promised before a final
vote on the Food Control bill, which
is expected by tonight.
The contest was over the question
whether the section of the bill author
izing the President to limit, regulate
or reduce the supply of food mate
rials or feeds used in making alco
holic liquors shall be changed. Pro
hibitionists were determined to se
cure, if possible, the adoption of a
stronger "dry" provision.
Most of them favor absolute prohi
bition of the use of grain for bever
age purposes during the war, but are
divided over the various pending pro
posals to accomplish this.
Consideration of the Food bill con
tinued in the Senate yesterday, while
the leaders, held further informal con
ferences in an effort to reach an
agreement on disputed points in the
measure.
URGENT
LIQUOR
CLAUSE
REMARKABLE 0
BY BRITISH SAPPER
C
u
They Unearth Skeleton of a
Mammoth on the Battle
Front in France.
(By' Associated Press.)
With the British Armies-in France,
June 23. Excavating near the bat
tered remnants of the Hindenburg
line, British soldiers struck a strange
object which proved to be the tooth
of a mammoth. The discovery caused
great excitement anion e the troops
I who flocked lo the place . regardless
of the danger of drawing. shell Are
; r "Ti -ZrlS, speed up construction and spend
' muun nun wccn
,,ft;i iia :
r uniiiiiici t nji.ai t'li aim i r t:i nil in. r.-
posureof it is proceeding
under a
noVelty in natural history research
spiwntil p i in It will Jvo
a decided
iiuciLj ixA uatuiai iiiotwij' l cn
this updigging of a mammoth in the
v forefront of the world war.
SON OF NOTED FIGHTER
WINS NEW LAURELS.
CA.7T. LOUIS BCTIIA.
Captain Louis Botha, son of the
former Boer leader, General Botha,
has been awarded the Distinguished
Service Order of the British Army.
The photograph shows Captain Botha
in his regimentals. It was recently
taken in South Africa, where he holds
an important post. His father, once
a leader in the Boer rebellion, has
been in supreme, command of the
British troops that ; wiped out Ger
man power in Africa, and recently at
tended the Council of Empire in Lon-
don.
l
X-
mrn mm.
0 SvrAZsss) rsossAt. .
PRESIOENT'S PLAN
FOR SHIP BUILDING
Considered a Victory For
Those Advocating Wooden
Vessels.
(By Associated Press.)
Washington, June 23. President
Wilson's plan to delegate full purchas
ing power to Major General Goethals,
-manager of the Shipping Board's
emergency fleet corporation, with in-
structions to build as many wooden
ships as possible, was regarded here
today as a victory for the board's
wooden ship program. -
The plan authorizes General One-t
thafs'itr commandeer
I
. . c.aa nnn Ann T-
me iruu,uuu.uuu ayurouriaiea oy jon
gress for shipbuilding.
Chairman
Denman, it is believed,
will retain
Powers for operating and chartering
ships and, as president of the fleet
corporation, will pass finally on con
struction contracts.
At the request of General Goethals,
the steel committee of the Council of
National Defense is to conduct an in
vestigation in the price of steel in the
hope of shedding some light on pro
duction costs. General Goethals' con
tracts for $95 a ton have been met by
Chairman Denman's refusal to expend
more than $56 a ton.
RAILWAY REVENUES
FOR MONTH OF APRIL
nmnloro riciiroe nf rnilwnv rova.
1 o - - " "J
2fe;
mission yesterday show an increase
of more than $500,000 in net earnings
for 1917 over 1616, although the East
ern roads failed to reach last April's
figures by nearly $4,000,000.
Southern carriers in April, 1916,
earned $14,234,000; in April 1917, $14,
989,000. Western roads showed an
increase ' from $36,388,000 to $40,620,
000. A new record for railway operating
revenues was set during the first four
months of this year, the total being
$1,202,606,000. For the same period
jin 1916, the previous banner year in
railroad revenues, the figures were
$1,095,916,000. Operating expenses
also set new high marks, however, in
creasing in similar period from $753,
360,000 to $879,693,000.
L
FOR PANAMA GANAL
Governing Number of War
ships of Other Nations Al
lowed There at One Time
(By Associated Press.)
Washington, June 22. To meet war
conditions, President Wilson has ap
proved new regulations for the Pan
ama Canal, prescribing the length of
time belligerent warships may remain
in canal waters and the conditions un
der which they may coal and provi
sion.
To ensure a free and open water
way on terms of eaualitv to merchant
ships and warships, it is ordered that
mere snail not De, except Dy special
arrangement, at any one time a great
er number of war vessels of any one
nation, other than the United States,
including those of the Allies of such
nation, than 3 in either terminal port
and its adjacent terminal waters, or
more than 3 in transit through the
canal, nor shall the total number of
such vessels at any time exceed 6 in
all the territorial waters of the canal
zone.
The regulations are in general sim
ilar to those governing the Suez canal.
T IS
FRENCH LOSSES
IN CARSO SHIPS
DURING THE WAR
Less Tran the Additions
Thereto Made During the
Same Period.
GERMANY'S LOSS
FIFTY PER CENT
Of Her Merchant Marine
Question of Making Addi
tions to France's Under
Discussion.
(By Associated Press.)
Paris, June 23. The resolution
adopted by the Chamber of Deputies
calling for the work of increasing the
French merchant marine to be placed
under the control of one department
was accepted by the government and
voted by a show of hands.
Louis Nail, Under Secretary for the
Mercantile Marine, said that the
French merchant fleet was 2,500,000
tone at the beginning of the war and
since then had lost 560,000 tons. Dur
ing the same period 680,000 tons had
been built or bought and another
140,000 was on the stocks so that the
fleet was actually greater now than
before the war.
Secretary Nail then pointed out that
Germany had lost 2,500,000 tons, 50
per cent, of its entire fleet, and de
clared that reports that Germany was
building hundreds of ships were mere
bluff.
Deputy Bouisson declared that the
secretary was too optimistic, that the
merchant
fleet was in a dangerous
situation and that it was due to the
1 government's inertia . He said ships
must be built at once or France would
izes General Jdoe-1 not DG aDle to feed herself. The
;r ships "nW Dutta'fy declared" that :tnT lauestioAj
took precedence over all others, evdn
that of effectives and that England
preferred to lend France ships and
build for herself. He concluded by
demanding that the government insist
upon the allies giving France the help
they owe her.
Premier Ribot said he recognized
that the situation was not satisfactory,
but pointed out the difficulties In
buying ships. Commissioner Tardieu
had bought some in America and had
asked French ship owners to buy oth
ers, but the Premier said that he must
admit they were slow about it. The
question of paying cash was another
difficulty, and, while it would be bet
ter to build, he declared that the na
tion's activity must be concentrated
on the manufacture of munitions. In
addition, raw materials were scarce
and skilled labor insufficient.
.
nnjH that a a thora uraa nn lnnircp a
need of ships to import
cereals the desire of the Chamber to
place the merchant marine under one
control could be gratified.
ITALIAN MISSION
IN NEW YORK CITY
(By Associated Press.)
New York, June 23. The Italian
colony of New York again virtually
'took charge of the public exercises
where the Prince of Udine and his fel
low members of the royal Italian War
commission appeared. At the college
of the City of New York the great
stadium was given over almost entire
try to Italian residents for a reception
rendered the visitors by Italian so
cieties .
After the reception the - commission
ers were guests of Dr. Nicholas Murr
ray Butler, of Columbia University, at
a private luncheon.
TAR HEELS APPOINTED
IN MEDICAL CORPS
(By George H. Manning.)
Washington, D. C, June 23. Seven
more North Carolinians have been
given commissions in the medical sec
tion, Officers Reserve Corps, the War
Department announces. Their names
and addresses are as follows:
Benjamin A. Thraxton, ureensboro,
first lieutenant; Marcus C. Houston,
Charlotte, first lieutenant; Charles Z.
Candler, Sylva, first lieutenant; Glenn
W. Choate, Rockville, first lieutenant;
Louis G. Beall, Asheville, first lieuten
ant; Floyd C. Shugart,. Elkin, first
lieutenant, and Franklin C. Herndon,
Rocky Mount, second lieutenant, vet
erinary section.
DRAFTING GUARDSMEN
(FOR SERVICE POSTPONED
(By Associated Press.)
Washington, June 23. Drafting of
the National Guard into the Federal
armies for war service may be de
layed until August 5 because it has
been found that untfer the present
plans for drafting the guard in three
increments, July 15, July 25 and Au
gust 5, the relative rank of its offi
cers would be established on an un
fair basis The National Defense act
provides the National Guard officers
shall tate rank as of the date of draft
This Will Be Done So As to
Eliminate All Chance For
Favoritism
NUMBERS WILL BE
USED IN DRAWING
Identity of Men Will be Un
known Until They Are Se
lected Regulations Ready,
and Only Await President's .
Approval.
' (By Associated Press.)
Washington, June 23. Regulations
for drafting the new national army,
now awaiting President Wilson's ap
proval, contain provisiofn for everj
step in the great undertaking, except
the actual method of the draft itself.
No official announcement has been
made, and) official confirmation; is
being withheld, but it has been stated,
and generally is accepted here as true,
that the Federal government itself
will do the drafting, probably in Wash
ington, so there will be no opportunity
for local favoritism, political or other
wise .
As the regulations stand now, every
registred name bears a number. The
numbers will be forwarded to Wash
ington and fhe drawing will be entire
ly by number. The identity ot the
numbered men will be entirely un
known to those in charge of the draft
machinery and can be established only
by comparing a number with a printed,
list in the man's home district.
As the numbers are drawn, they will
be telegraphed to the home districts,
where the registered men will learn
if they have been drafted.
Then the question of exemptions
will come up, and this will go before
the local boards. If a man Is exempt
ed, the man bearing the number which
was . drawn next in order will take
his place, and so on.
In this way all those available for
service out of the 10,000,000 who reg
istered will be made ready for the
country's call, and from them the
first increment of 625,000 will be as
sembled. Ther others will be called
as, the need develops. PJenty, of tim. ..,
will -Bfr gTvW W dratted: men' toYf-r
range their personal affairs and re
port to the cantonment camps.' It is
i hoped to have them all in training by
September or very soon thereafter.
MARKED IMPROVEMENT
IN RUSSIAN AFFAIRS
(By Associated Press.)
Petrograd, June 28. In spite of the
disorders of Sebastopol and Anarchist
threats here, there are indications of
a marked improvement in the situa
tion, with a growing support of the
government, and a growing animosity
against the forces which make for
disintegration in the army.
The resolution passed Thursday by
the pan-Russian congress or councils
of deputies is regarded as a signal de
feat for the extremists and pacifists,
the motion supporting the provisional
government being passed by a major
ity of more than 4 to 1. A further
significant resolution admits that the
transfer of all power to the democracy
would weaken the revolution. This la
the democracy's own admission that .
it needs the knowledge and experi
ence of the educated classes.
By declaring for the speedy attain
ment of "a" general peace," and at the
same time for an increase in the fight
ing capacity of the army," the con
gress tacitly repudiated the program
of a separate peace. Equally impor
tant was the unanimous vote of the
peasants' congress, representing 130,
000,000 people, approving the expul-:
sion of the German pacifists' agent,
Robert Grimm, and inviting volunteers
to enter the army and strengthen it
by their example.
Speeches of similar tenor In the
Cossack congress were still more em
phatic. ENGINEER CORPS
CALLED INTO SERVICE
(By Associated Press.)
Washington, June 23. Yesterday's'
order calling National Guard engineers
into the Federal service applied to en
gineer troops in the guard establish. '
ments of Massachusetts, New York.f
Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Georgia,4
Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois.'.
Mississippi, Iowa, Kansas, Texas.
California and New Jersey. It is ex-''
pected the troops will be returned to
their own National Guard divisions for .
military training affer they have com
pleted their work at the cantonments.
The only National Guard engineers :
now in the Federal service are two
companies from North Carolina and
four from Ohio, which were retained
when demoblization ot the National
Guard on its return from border duty
was ordered.
EXPLOSION KILL8 HUNDREDS
. (By Associated Press.)
Amsterdam, June 23. More .
than 1,000 persons were killed or
injured or are missing in conae- .
quence of an explosion in muni-
tions factories at Bleeweg, ac
cording to an announcement in
the lower house of the Austrian
parliament by the minister of
defense, as forwarded in a . dis-
patch from Vienna. 1 '
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