North Carolina Newspapers

VOL. XXIV. N5T67 WILMINGTON; NORTH CAROLINA; SATURDAY, MARCH 16, 1918 PRICE FIVE CENTS RUSSK -BSS;.: ON P I ill-Russian Congress ttas,iNot Taken a Vote on Ur man Treaty, ipPROVAL WAS ONLY BY THE BOLSHEVIKIi kill Doubtless Be Ratified More Activity Shown Along the Entire Western Battle Front . - final action on the German peace jdty apparently has not -yet--been tfen by the All-Russian Congress of iiriets "at Moscow. While dispatches Kted Thursday from Petrograd re- sited the congress naa aeciaea over delmingly to ratify the treaty, ad- liKS Il Oin .uustuw r i iuaj jmj uiai jiere has been a division In the uoun i of Peoples' Commissaries and indi ate that Russia has not , yet been ionmitted to the German terms. Bolshevik approval of the -treaty leemingly has aroused the members (the government belonging to the prty of the Social Revolutionists of e left who reruse to ratiiy it. rne Social Revolutionists are said to have solved to resign from the Council Mi the Congress approve the My. This probably means that de jsve action has not-yet been taken hthe Congress as a "whole. An Associated Press dispatch from Soscow dated Thursday, says 'the Bol- Aeviki at a party caucus-voted ta-ap- sove the course of the Lenme. gov- nunent in agreeing to thei German urns, which, nevertheless they. icon- iemned. The Bolsheviki.- said It was pessary to organize for the defensa tf the nation against the' invaders. Several minister, in the Lenine 3fCOv- rament are members of the Social tih loses of powerunlesihe revolu tionists were recogjuzed 'The "Social Swolutionists of tile right have been opposed continuously to the Bolshe i&i who broke up the Constituent toembly when the party of the right Jetted the chairman. French troops in the Champagne ire answered the strong German ar-i Iffy fire there by an attack in which sach elements west of Mont Cam let, taken by the Germans on March Iwere re-captured. In the success M operation the French took 42 doners, including four officers. Pur ler east the French penetrated the nan lines at Mont Blond and took Jiamers. On the British front", ' the fighting Wty continues lively, especially fereen Ypres and Arras. NeaT'Lens th of Arras, Canadian troops were stressful in a raid on German trench in which prisoners were taken tetheast and south of Ypres. Messi- and Lens, the German artillery fohas been intense. ere has been no chantrp on the terican sectors near Toul and east Luneville. The American and British min'is 18 at Stockholm have sent a demand General Mannerheim, commander 'the Finnish government forces, for release of one American and 16 Wishers taken from the Aland Isl J by the Germans to Dantzig, jmany. The Aland Islands are Jig used as a base by the Germans "to are aiding General Mannerheim tDUr finer ilnnrn V fn:.. I -1 1 - tATokio newspaper reports that 150 pnese have been murdered by pheviki at Blagovieshtchensk, capi- Inf Amur Province and 500 miles 5& of Harbin, Manchuria. Another wi is that only three Japanese killed and seven wounded. TORO LYNCHED IN COURT HOUSE YARD Jnrnp To f V. k? rri 1 1 Ij - luaivu ID. 1113 UUUy . worge McNeil, one'of two negroes JSted Sterdav snsnopfoH nf im. !J'oman here Thursday, was L! haneinS to tree in the court T yard early todav. I Tllp-Vif ii . , 1 7 1 l"L Lae snenn ana aepu- 18 hart , . . ... - h LflUeu m auxomoDiies tor uJ?on with McNeel and John ds, the other subject. RGE oWfcJ31bH TPAAxrirri r . tv mnn ; ty v,at 1 UnlLL i l-ijjon, March 16. A number of 1 Gothenburg steamers have 'the l y uerman submarines "htia j w,-tne northern extremity ''GfmT uenmark. and forced to go Wd I tny accordin& to a reporc t - lue Gothenburg Shipping illH fnn. I . 5n h i"iwa,raea rrom copeh J the Exchange Telegraph EACE WAR AT A MOST CRITICAL STAGE He Declares for a Peace With out Seeds of a Future - War ADDRESSES WOMAN SUFFRAGE MEETING Would Not Be Surprised-if Germany Came Along Now With Promise of Concession for Peace London, Thursday, March 14. The most critical stage of the war has been reached, in the opinion of Ar thur Henderson, secretary of the La bor party. Speaking in. London at a woman suffragist celebration, -today Mr. Henderson added "I have been imagining duringthe last few days, having regard to what has taken place in Russia, that, some German emissary might come along and say, 'Why do we fight? TTfcy cannot we settle it? We are prepared to come "to a compromise with ryou regarding colonies and we are ite pared to make considerable conces sions, to ; France with reference to Alsace-Lorraine.' ' J "That yould be a cynical peace, containing the seeds of -fattire. way. It would mot be' a clean peace aadl It would be the desertion of Russ and the women of this country mus? stand against it like flint. "We are anxious for peace and the sooner it comes the better. But let me say it must be a peace, consist ent with the ideals for whicnwe en tered the war. No one? deplores more than I the collapse . of - Russia, but I believe that that does not rep resent a majority of the Rnssianpeo-:1 pie. The Russian people iwere very anxious for peace. I am anxious for peace, but never in any speech that I have - made or in "any suggestion that I made privately have I com mitted myself to a position similar to that in Russia. "By all means let us try for peace, a peace based upon international jus- Ltice -and that only." MAXIMALISTS HAVE Report Says That 1 50 Japa nese Have Been Killed in Siberia London, March 16. Maximalists in Siberia have murdered 150 Japaneso at Blagovieshtchensk capital of , the Amur province, according to a report printed In the newspaper Hochi ShinV bun Friday and forwarded by Reuters limited. A dispatch from Tien Tsin, Cftina, to the paily Mail, says that the Jap anese embassy at Peking has been informed that luring recent disturb ances at Blagovieshtchensk, three Japanese were killed and seven in jured while defending their property against Bolsheviki. A FREE FIGHT IN AUSTRIAN HOUSE . . Copenhagen, March 16. Czech and German members of the Lowe House of the Austrian parliament engaged in a wild scuffle in which ! several were injured Thursday dur ing a speech by the Szech Deputy Soukop, according to a Vienna dis patch to the Hamberger Fremden blatt. The disturbance became so ser ious that the chairman had to dis cnlvo tVio clttinc Denuty Soukop complained that Prague, the capital of Bohemia, had been for several days without food. including potatoes. Deputy Wolff, "a German member, jumpe'd to. his feet and shouted : "The Szecha have not given out propel quantities of food. The Czechs will starve us. They are the allies of, the. British." The German deputy's harangue was interniDted by Deputy Kyaiaziz, a Czech, who threw him to the floor. The tuult thus begun soon spread MURDERED JAPANESE thlOUrh!Sr ih Housed LERYFIRIi Small Raiding Parties ahd Re ciprocal Sniping Almost 1 Continuous ; ' . ' V GERMANS ABANDON . CERTAIN TRENCHES Still Close Enough at Some Points to Be Heard Talking. ' Learn Not to Stick Up Their Heads With the American Army in France, Wednesday, March 13. Active artil lery firing! continues on the American sectors; northwest of Toul and east of Luneville. "A considerable number of gas shells have been falling inter-mittedly-on the-Toul front. An enemy patrol was discovered this morning in the r American, wire en tanglements northwest of Toul. The Germans were driven off witji rifle fire and a number of them were hit. One body was left hanging in ' the wire. American snipers have been very busy on both sectors.: East of Lune ville six enemy snipers were silenced by the Americans. On the Toul front during last night and today consider able talking, and even singing, was heard within the enemy lines Sey. erai umes me uennans sxuck meir.fiit trials heads over the parapets to ftee what, the Americans were doing. Each time a bullet from an American rifle went in the direction of the head. After several of their number were hit-the Germans stopped looking. At one place last night an Ameri can sentry saw a figure slinking through the darkness. The man halt- led when challenged and was found to be a German "prisoner who,, had, escap ed and was trying to get back to his own lines." The German was turned over to the French, authorities. The place where the Germanr.was capturediwas not far from where an America4nerpoimderras busyiflr- "who hacTbeen annoying our lines. Af terseverW shots the Germans with drew. The Ameridn artillery in the Toul sector again battered the German lines and observation posts, and caus ed an explosion, probably of an am munition dump. - 'Hundreds of big shells were sent into three new Ger man trenches where "weapons resemb- fas projectors had been erected, T.n visibility was poor today but many airpianes were up. it is Deiievea certain mat tne Ger mans have permanently abandoned trenches to the northeast of Badon villers, near Luneville. The enemy is now hurling quantities of large shells, some of 12 inches, at our posi tions there. the American front in France Thuis- i An Associated Kress n snarr.n rrnni uaj icyuiicu hull vjeuerai rcrsuiug s ; men nad made their first permanent advance in occupying evacuated trenches northeast of Badonvillers and consolidating them with their own lines. German attempts to eject the Americans were repulsed. SPECIAL SESSION OF VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE Richmond, Va., March 16. Tele grams went out last night to all mem bers, Af the State legislature to have a quorum at the State capitol at 12 o'clock Monday. The call was issued by the Speakers of the two branches following a conferense with Governor Davis. The call stipulates the Legis lature is to receive an important com munication from the Governor. Tonight Governor. Davis refused to discuss the matter. However, it is well defined that the' $19,000,000 ap propriation bill is responsible -for the sudden summons. Governor Davis had had several accountants at work fig uring up the provisions of the bill. RUSSIAN DELEGATES IN OPEN CONFLICT London, March-16. A conflict be tween the Maximalist and Social Revolutionists of the Left members of the Council of Feoples' Commis saries occurred in Moscow Friday, according to a report received here from the Petrcgrad Telegraph Agency. - The Social Revolutionists refused to ratify the1 treaty of peace with Germany and said they were re solved to resign the moment the treaty is ratified by the All-Russian Congress of Soviets. Invite Ltird Reading. Mr. ThosT W. Davis, secretary of the North Carolina Bar, and. Mr A. W. McLean,' of '"Lumberton, president, have gone to Washington to invite Lord Isaac Reading, English ambas sad or, to address the annual gather ing of-the Carolina lawyers this sum mer. Mr. I)avis has been in Wash ing since Thursday and Mr. McLean arrived tnere yesterday. nnnr-'irn addi Aiior ran All-Rttssian Congress .Receiv es Sympathetic Words ; Sent by .Wilson ADOPTS RESOLUTION OF APPRECIATION nil LnUuL . GfiiiiisiGE OF THE PRESIDENT The Message Was Read atUtory Related by Defendant Upenmgpession or Con" gress or Soviets and Was Acted Upon Moscow, Thursday.s March 14. President Wilson's message' . of sym pathy to the Russian peopl was re ceived w'th marked applause "when it was read tonight at he opening! session of the All-Russian Congress of Soviets. The Congress immedi ately adopted a resolution of appre ciation. Resolution of appreciation reads: "The All-Russian Congress of So viets expresses its . appreciation to the American people and, first of all the laboring and exploited classes in the United States," for the message sent by President Wilsbn to the Congress of Soviets in this time, when the Russian Socialist Soviet republic i8 iIving through most dif "The Russian republic? uses the oc casion of the message-from Presi dent Wilson to express?- to all peo pres wbo are dying jtnd suffering from the horrors of this imperialis tic war, its warm sympathy and firm conviction that the . happy time is near when the laboring masses in all bourgeois1 countries; will throw off the capitalist yoke ?and establish a Socialist" state of society which is the only one capably of assuring a permanent and just peace, as well as the culture and well, being of all who toil. The Congresa is being held in the r:s4snperors'' often were entertained. Soldiers, sailors and peasants formed a majority of tie 1,164 delegates present. M. Sverdlbff; chairman of the Cejntral executive committee of the Congress, presided. The Bolshevik members number 722 and there are 38 Social Revolutionists of the left. Premier Lenine made the principal speech and received a great ovation. He reviewed th historv of the revoli tion -and' emphasized the necessity of signing a peace treaty. M. Tchit cherin, the acting V foreign minister, read the peace terms. It was decid ed that peace should be considered first and after that the permanent removal of the capital from Petro grad, and. the election of a new cen tral executive committee. Strong forces of guards were about the hall, but therp were no attemnts xr -ni uimiii r. iv I iiniu w am 11111,1. nil shevik control apparently being ab- solute. MAKE PROTEST AGAINST ARREST OF AMERICAN Formal Protest is Sent to Fin nish Government by Min ister Morris Stockholm, March 15. An attache of the American legation left today for Finland carrying a formal protest from Minister Morris to General Man nerheim, commander of the govern ment forces, against the arrest by Germans on the Aland Islands, of Henry Crosby Emery. Demand is made that the Finnish government ob tain the release of Mr. Emery. The American attacbe was accom panied by a member of the British le gation conveying a similar protest and demand regarding the arrest of 16 Britishers in the same party with Mr. Emery, all of whom were taken aboard a German steamer and taken to Dantzig, Germany. Minister Morris did not wait for in structions from Washington, but de tailed a conference of Entente minis ters which decided to take the matter straight to General Mannerheim, who will have a chance to show whether Finland is an independant State or a vassal of Germany. HOLDINGG DUTCH SHIP. Washington, March 16. Witk the exception of two steamers the United States is now holding all Dutch ships in the United States porta to prevent their escape on the probable requisition Monday. No more blinker licenses will be issued for their " sailing, it was learned today, until they are tak en overt either by jjommandeering or. by negotiation. !IoRV AGAf-T CANDLER Defendant 1 jnsational At lanta Case Tells Her Ver sion of the Affair SAYS MONEY OFFER CAME FROM OTHERS Was Published Today, and Furnishes More Highly Sensational Features Atlanta,, Ga., March 16. The trial of Mrs. Margaret A. Hirsch ac cused in an indictment of attempted verbal blackmail of Asa G. Candler, mayor of Atlanta, out of i $500,000, was resumed in Superior Court here oday, Indications were that the caie would be given to the jury before night. The defense, after it had rested its case yesterday . afternoon announced that it would probably summon sev eral more witnesses in rebuttal Attorney Reuben Arnold, for the prosecution, likewise, said the State would call additional witnesses. The State, which rested its case on Thursday, had re-called Mayor Cand- er and another witness in rebuttal yesterday when court was adjourned. The hearing before Judge Ben Hill, before whom Mrs. Hirsch is being tried, of a motion of J. W. Cook, al- eged accomplice of the defendant, for a new trial, was set for today. Cook, who was jointly indicted with Mrs. Hirsch was convicted recently and sentenced to serve a year and a day at hard, labor, and to pay fine of $1,000. It had not been announced early today what procedure the court would take in regard to Cook's mo tion, but it. was assumed -that an other date woud be set for the hear ing. Appearance oi Mrs. Hirsch and Cook on the stand were the outstand At her owrijjJequ'estrMrs. Hirsch" tes tified behind closed doors. Cook on te hatand yesterday swore he did not have any communication with Mrs. Hirsch after her visit to the mayor's office, until he and the defendant were arrested on the grand jury indictments. - A verbatim transcript of what was purported to be the testimony given on the witness stand ' behind closed doors by Mrs. Margaret A. Hirsch yes terday, was publbished today by au Atlanta morning newspaper. At the request of Mrs. Hirsch, the courtroom was cleared yesterday of all specta tors and newspaper men while she testified in her own behalf. The alleged transscript, which con tains more than 10,000 words, de scribebs in detail the circumstances leading up to Mrs. Hirsch's acquain ance with "Mayor Candler, of her visits to his office, and of their alleged im proper relations in Mr. CaSdler's prt vate business office on February 6 It was on that date that J. W. Cook. alleged accomplice of Mrs. Hirsch and jointly indicted with her swore in tes timony at his trial he had seen Mrs. Hirsch and the mayor in a "compro mising position" in the mayorr's office. Mrs. Hirsch began her statement, according to the published article, with details of her meetings with Mr. Candler in connection with the raffle of an automobile for the benefit of the Red Cross. After reciting details of the visit to Mr. Candler's office and the se curing of his approval of the scheme, Mrs. Hirsch's statement went into the details of her acquuaintance with J W. Cook Continuing the statement described incidents leading up to the alleged oc currences in Mayor Ca'ndler's private business office on February 6. "To the best of my recollection. the statement said, "I met Mr. Cand ler on Forsyth strreet on Tuesday, February 5f He walked up and shook hands with me, patted me on the shoulder, and asked about a fever blister on my lip. "We talked about that and he then asked 'When are you coming up to see me again? I replied, T don't know, Mi. Candler, Mr. Hirsch is in town today.' "Mr. Hirsch left town the next morning and at 4 o'clock that ; after noon, I went to Mr. Candler's office." The statement then ; described the alleged actions of Mr. Candler, and later for conferences with Forest Ad air, who told her, she said, that. Mr. Candler had made a full and complete confession to him and that he was working in Candler's interests. In these conferences with Adair the state ment says, he inquired concerning her husband's salary and the matters per taining to his "income after which Jae remarked: "Well, if we were to pro vide for you wiib an amount equival ent to Mr. Hirsch's salary , and give you. this .much would you be willing to leave here Tie even suggested Penver as the place to which I should go- Continued on Page 3. A STRONG THAT GERMANY MADE TO CURTAIL USE New Rule Tried in Texas and May Apply to Whole South WHEAT CONSUMPTION GROWS IN THE SOUTH More Wheat Flour is Now Consumed Than Before Substitute Rule Went Into Effect Washington, March 16. Furthe. limitation of the consumption of wheat products in the South will be asked by the Food Administration if the experiment of confining the flour ration to six pounds a month, begun today in Texas, proves a success The South is such a large user of other cereals than wheat that addi tional curtailment of the sale of wheat will not work hardship, it is declared. The present Food Administration rule that an equal amount of substi tutes shall be sold with each sale of wheat flour has resulted in an actual increase of wheat consumption in some Southern States. The use there of large quantities of hominy, corn meal, rice and other native grains ordinarly has been more than 50 per cent, of the cereal consumption. Request by the Texas .Food Admin istrator fto . limit - consuxatKion ot the Food Adcainlstratidn - which; . d mittedly Is facing a serious, situation in supplying the Allies and this country with sufficient grain. T Wl TO A T Believed That an Early Dec laration on Russian Situa tion is Coming Washington, March 16. There were intimations in official circles today that President Wilson might make an early declaration on the Russian situation. It was not indi cated what might be its form, or its manner of delivery. America's attitude toward inter vention towards. Siberia by Japan has not undergone any change, it was said today at the State Depart ment. , Officials remained reticent regard ing Japan's expressions of her inten tions, but it is thought that an ex pression of views was continued, and it was deduce. IHat Japan has not determined definitely on a course. It was suggested that final Heclslon might be delayed until the new Jap anese Minister, Count Ishii, reaches America, but the probability of that was discounted at the department. It is known that the United States has opposed intervention by Japan, many officials of this government fearing that such action might bring together the various factions in Rus- sia to combat the Japanese even J?, they were supported by the armies of the Entente and America. GENERAL HAIG NOW HAS A SON London, Marvh 16. A son was born to Lady Haig, wife of Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig, comman der, in cnief of the expeditionary force in France and Flanders, Fri day night: Field Marshal Haig, the then gen eral' Haig, was married, in 1905 to the Honorable Dorothy Vivian, the daughter of the Tnird Lord. Vivian. They Tiad one daughter, who was born several years ago. i- Four New Recruits. feeTgeant Bradford, who is in charge ot ho army recruiting station, in the basement of the Federal building, has r-nlisted four iecruits this week, two voung white men, and two colored men, the latter for the stevedore regi ment. The two white men were Clar ence B. Sternberger, who enlisted in the medical department, and George W. Mizzell, who Joined the signal corps. - Both have gone to Ft. -Thomas, Ky .. PRESDEN SON MAKE STATEMEN BELIEF HAS Neutral Diplomats See Ample .Signs of This in Recent Utterances alOed diplomats DECLINE TO TALK Believed That Germany i : Willing to Make Conces4 sions to France if Permitted to Keep Russian Ore Field Washington, March 16. Inference that Germany may have made a new peace . offer to the Allies, proposing terms at the expense of Russia, co incide with an undercurrent of dis cusslon which has been running in diplomatic circles here for some-time but-which never -has shown any evt dence of tangible developn?--' The statement of cil in London yestgg proposals would ? be rr'tpilf NEW OFFER pled with Marshal Hindenburg's an nouncement that the German offen sive would go on in view of the En i tente's attitude towards Germany's 4; peace intentions, served to strength .. en the view of neutral diplomats who L for some time have believed that un- derground feelers have., been going 4 out for some time. American officials and Allied diplo mats, while agreeing entirely with, Lord Cecil's statement that no such ; terms can be considered, give no evi- .- dence of how much may be .known here of what Hindenburg refers to -as Germany's peace intentions. J?? Some of the neutral diplomats, i " however, have for some time firmly believed that Germany would be will - 7; ing even to give up Alsace-Lorraine if she were permitted to retain her hold -on the Baltic provinces ' and the - mineral belts in the other nearby ' sections of Russia. The general cur rent of opinion in diplomatic circles for some time has turned toward " the possibility of Germany" attempt y int0 give: wjwvj-i the j West .andig: The extent to which the' qirtreftoit - ef future supplies of iron ore. enter1' into Germany's peace plans is indi cated in latest advices received here showing discussion of the subject in Germany. These show that Germany , knows production of ore within hj&r own borders Is limited by experts to 50 years; that Sweden contemplating ; an iron industry of her own, will require her own ores and that thfe supply in Spain upon which Ger many also has drawn is approaching exhaustion. . Consequently German officials con- 1 tend that her supply of ore must log ically come from the fields of Long wy and Briey, assuring ore for; a , century, unless It is to come from somewhere else.. Inasmuch as the. Allies, are pledged by repeated" dec laration, to the restoration of France, diplomats see in proposed permanent ' acquisition of her mineral belts in the Russian provinces Germany's last hope of remaining a military- power. 26,000 PRISONERS IN SWITZERLAND Berne, Switz., March 14. Switzer land now shelters 26,000 interned war prisoners, according to a recent cen sus. .Sixteen thousand are French, English and Belgian; while 10,000 are Germans. In addition 7,000 relatives of interned men are visiting here. Owing to the scarcity of food no further visitors for a long stay will be accepted. FAIR AND WARMER FOR COMING WEEK Washington, March 16. Present pressure distribution indicates that fair weather will prevail, generally throughout the country during' the. week beginning Monday, with tem peratures above the seasonal aver age as a rule, the Weather Bureau announced today in its weekly fore cast. V. NO LIVES LOST IN STEAMER COLLISION Dublin, March 16. No lives were lost in the collision late Thursday night between , a trawler .and tb.e steamship Rathmore . in St' George channel, according to the owners .ot the vessel. The Rathmore, which,; was on its way to Dublin from Wales, carried 732 passengers and a crew of 50. WHEAT HOLDINGS SHOW A DECREASE . Washington, vMarch 16. Wheat holdings at country mills and eleva-: : tors on March 1 were estimated today by the Department of Agriculture at 68,972,000 buchels. That is about' 20,- 000,000 bushels: Tews than was- held-' March 1 last, year, and $6,000,000 This1- -els less than in 1916, -r - 4-