VOLUME 37. THE SMITHFIELD HERALD TUESDAY, DEC. 24, 1918. Number 103 CLAUDE KITCHIN OPPOSES GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP. Democratic House Leader Sees Peril Ahead With the Railroads in the Hands of the Government—He Will Strongly Oppose the Five Year Ex tension Recommended by Mr. McAdoo. Washington, Dec. 19.—An organiza tion oi railway employes into the most powerful political machine the country has ever had, a pork-barrel bill incomparable to the rivers and harbors “pork barrel” bills and un reasonable freight and passenger rates are the results of government owner ship of railroads as foreshadowed by Hon. Claude Kitchin, chairman of the committee on ways and means. Hon. William Jennings Bryan, the original champion of government own ership of the common carriers, had solicited the powerful influence of the North Carolina Congressman in favor of government ownership.- Conse quently, his pronounced views on tha subject were conveyed to the great commoner at his home in Asheville. Mr. Bryan favors a dual plan of own ership, state and federal governments jointly exercising authority over the railways. “As to government ownership of railroads.” said the majority leader of the House of Representatives to Mr. Bryan: “I am not convinced that it is a wise thing, and the results of the government operation and control so far have not tended to increase my faith in its wisdom. “It seems to me that government ownership would mean: “First, unreasonable increase in freight an4 passenger rates. Second, organization of railway employes into the most powerful political machine the country has ever had. Third, a continuous demand upon the part of the organization for higher wages and shorter hours, and the continuous bid ding by each party for the influence of the operation and the vote of its employes, hy promises of shorter hours and higher wages, which, of course, would mean higher passenger and freight rates, or a large annual deficit to be paid by the taxpayers generally. Fourth, the institution of a railroad ‘pork barrel’ bill in Con gress at each session. Each member would have several projects for build ing railroads in his county and State, and many would have big projects for building interstate railroads. Members would also demand public buildings railroad depots at numerous stations in his county and State. The so-called rivers and harbors and public build ings ‘pork barrel’ bill would not be a circumstance to these.” Mr. Kitchin, who perhaps is the best informed Congressman in the House of Representatives as to the trend of legislation, in an interview today ex pressly for this correspondence, stated that the Sixty-fifth Congress would not sanction government ownership. “I am opposed to government own ership of railroads, but for strict reg ulation bv the government. This Con gress will never pass any legislation favoring government ownership, and it is exceedingly doubtful whether the five-year plan of Mr. McAdoo will be adopted. T will strongly oppose the extension.”—S. R. Winters in News and Observer. Jerusalem a Scene of Great Red Cross Activity. In Jerusalem the social problems are many, and the Red Cross is trying to solve them all as rapidly as possible. The question of food is an important one and the Red Cross has devised several plans new to the Holy Land to meet this demand. One of these plans is to rent oxen for plowing purposes, as in a given district there are only available 65 plowing animals against 418 during the war. The war garden plan which makes every vacant lot available for planting, is another Red Cross plan for increasing the food shortage and this also gives employ ment to scores of destitute native women. The present is the planting time in Jerusalem. In addition to the war gardens the Red Cross is seeking to find employ ment for thousands of destitute wo men and girls in other fields of work. There are some 10,000 applications for employment before the Red Cross and work rooms for women aTe being es tablished in many localities. All creeds and classes are engaged in the various sorts of sewing, knitting, weaving, basket work and other sim ple forms of handicraft. The Red Cross supervises all this work and it excellent work, too, and a means of saving the people from absolute des titution.—Red Cross Bulletin. Eleven With Flu at Same Time. Mr. S. A. Godwin, who lives in the Little Creek section, was here Satur day, having recovered from an attack of influenza. Mr .Godwin, his wife and nine children were all sick with the flu at +he same time. They are all up now and will soon be well again. CONVICTS RECEIVE PARDON. Governor Grants Release to Men Whose Aggregate Sentences Total 42 Years. Four pardons in addition to the par don of Jim Wilcox were granted by Governor Bickett yesterday, freeing men whose aggregate sentences were forty-two years. The pardoned men are Henry Hayman, of Martin coun ty, convicted in March, 1911, of man slaughter, „and sentenced to eighteen years in the State Prison; Beil Black, of Cumberland county, convicted in November, 1915, of second degree murder and sentenced to fifteen years in the State Prison; James Harper, of Forsyth county, convicted in Decem ber, 1915,^ of rape and sentenced to seven and a half years in the State Prison; James Houser, of Forsyth county, convicted in municipal court of Winston-Salem, of larceny and sentenced to eighteen months on the roads of Forsyth county.—News and Observer. GOVERNOR BICKETT GIVES PARDON TO JIM WILCOX. Having served half of his thirty year sentence, Jim Wilcox, convicted as the slayer of Nellie Cropsey, his Elizabeth City sweetheart, in 1902, was pardoned by Governor Bickett yesterday. Governor Locke Craig twice refused to grant Wilcox a par don and Governor Bickett once, but neither Governor before had the state ment of Wilcox himself. This, backed by the prisoner’s perfect record and by public sentiment in Pasquotank that the prisoner has been sufficiently punished, moved the Governor in his course. “The jury found him guilty of mur der in the second degree and, under it, the prisoner could not be executed,” said the Governor. I do not believe in life imprisonment except in incorrigi ble cases. I am clearly of the opin ion that no further good can come to society or to James Wilcox by keeping him in prison any longer.” Governor Bickett issued the pardon shortly after receiving from Wilcox first statement he has made in connec tion with the crime since his arrest, and with it an appeal for clemency on the part of Capt. H. T. Phelps, guard at construction, who has observed Wil cox for many years, and whose recom mendation for pardon was the first of his eighteen years’ service as a prison official. For sixteen years and over I have been unjustly punished,” wrote Wil cox to the Governor, “and now broken in spirit and health, I come to you asking mercy.”—News and Observer, 21st. Mustering Them Out. Efforts of the War Department to hasten the demobilization of ustrain ed recruits will be heartily approved by the people of the United States. Now that the need for training the big army has passed, the sentiment in fa vor of getting the men back into civil life is growing stronger daily. Sena tors and Representatives are besieged with requests to use their influence to get men cut of the cantonments, and the War Department is flooded with similar demands. Secretary Baker states that already more than 300,000 troops have been demobilized and that men are being discharged at the rate of 150,000 per week. If this rate is maintained it will require about eight weeks in which to muster out all the men se lected for demobilization. General March recently stated that it was planned to discharge men at the rate of 30,000 per day, and while this rate has not yet been attained it is possible that it may be. As the mustering offi cers be.come more familiar with their work it is believed that the rate will be increased. Young men who willingly joined the colors at the call to arms are now ea ger to get back to their ordinary em ployments. Good jobs are ready for them ,and their friends and relatives are anxiusly awaiting their home coming. Under the circumstances the War Department should use every means in its power to hasten the mus tering out process, not only in defer ence to the wishes of the public, but to relieve the industrial situation throughout the country. At the same time, the department must hold in re serve a supply of men for overseas duty in case the occupation of enemy territory should be prolonged. It is not to be expected that the department will reduce the army to mere handful of men.—Washington Post. Musical Mysticism. “What is that tune you were playing on the piano?” “That isn’t a tune. That is a sonata.” “What’s the difference?” “Well, with a sonata it’s hard for the average listener to detect mis takes. With a tune you’ve got to know pretty well what you’re about.” —Boston Transcript. KAISER’S PROPERTY 5,000,000 IN CASH. Only 7 of His 90 Estates Are Crown Property, Is Report. The Hague, Nov. 28.—The Rhein isch-Westfalische Zeitung says that the kaiser’s private fortune in cash, mostly deposited at 4 1-2 per cent with various banks, is estimated at 20,000,000 marks, or $5,000,000, and his annual income therefrom roughly at $225,000. The revolutionary government has declared (so far as its declarations have any effective value) that the Kaiser’s private landed property will not be seized, though the crown do mains will pass to the treasury. The newspaper says that of ninety forest, farm, park and other estates, castles, etc., only seven are crown domain, all the rest being private property. Thus the Kaiser’s private estates in clude Bellevue palace in Berlin and Monbijou palace, within whose grounds is St. George’s English Church. In Potsdam he has thirteen palaces, all belonging to him; also Wilhelmshohe palace at Cassel, where King Edward paid his last visit to the Kaiser, and where Napoleon III was confined after Sedan. Besides, palace and estates in Cob lenz, Weisbaden, Charlottenburg, Friendwalde, and elsewhere, he owns the well-known experimental farming estate of Cadinen, of which he used to boast when the Agricultural League met annually in Berlin; also the fam ous shooting box and forest of Rom inten, near the eastern frontier. He has house property at Trouville, and apparently the Achilleion palace in Corfu belongs to him. The cash consists largely of savings effected by Frederick William Ill calculated in 1840 at about $3,750,000; after 1871 William I, received $1, 125,000 as a sort of war bonus. Since this latter item clearly came from the French indemnity, the Kaiser might possibly have to disgorge when Ger many has to repay the indemnity. The Kaiser also received $2,500,000 from the State for the ground where the royal library stands, and for the old Opera House of Kroll, where the late Sir Herbert Tree gave his Shake speare performances. Most of this, however, was spent in improving those very royal stables from whose sub terranean passages officers resisted the revolution. The University of Paris Honors Mr. Wilson. Paris, Dec. 21.—In the great am phitheatre of the University of Paris (the Sorbonne) President Wilson this afternoon received the degree of doc tor, conferred upon him in recogni tion of his work as a jurist and histo rian. This is the first itme in the history of the University that a* honorarary degree has been bestowed, authorization for its granting having been given by a recent decree. President Poincare, the presidents of the Senate and Chamber of Depu ties and diplomatic corps, government and civil and military authorities at tended. Great crowds cheered the President when he arrived, accompanied by Mrs. Wilson, American Ambassador Sharp and Jules Jusserand, French ambassa dor to the. United States. Alfred Croiset, dean of the faculty of letters, welcomed President Wilson in a short address and presented to him the di ploma of doctor as a testimonial to his work as an historian and his writ ings on historical subjects. Ferdinand Lamaude, dean of the faculty of law, then bestowed upon the President the degree of doctor for his works on ju risnrudence and political science. Lucien Poincare, vice-rector of the University and brother of the Presi dent of the Republic, paid an elo auent tribute to President Wilson’s ability as a professor before he en tered upon his political career, and told of the President’s part in the war. THREE IN AUTO KILLED BY RAILWAY TRAIN. Wilson, Dec. 21.—Mrs. J. T. Flowers and her daughter, Miss Laura Flowers, and her son-in-law, Mr. Harvey Har rison, all of Old Field township, who were riding in an automobile, were fatally injured here last night when the car in which they were was crash ed into by the rear car of a Norfolk Southern train at the Tarboro street crossing of the railway. All three were removed to a hos pital. Mrs. Flowers and Miss Flowers died in about an hour. Mr. Harrison died this morning at 8:15. The accident occurred w(hen the train was backing out of the “Y” pre paring to resume its eastward trip. The auto, with its occupants, was dragged about 15 feet. The rear car of the traia was derailed.—News and Observer. Rev. E. C. Stevens will preach at Blackman’s Grove Baptist church, Sunday, December 29, at 11 o’clock. DR. J. Y. JOYNER RESIGNS. Has Been State Superintendent for Seventeen Years—Governor Bickett Appoints Mr. E. C. Brooks, of Trin ity College to Succeed Him—Gossip Says Joyner May Be Candidate for Governor. The news sent out front Raleigh Saturday and published in the Sunday papers that Dr. James Y. Joyner had resigned as State Superintendent of Public Instruction came as a great surprise to the general public. The Raleigh dispatch to the Charlotte Ob server gives the story as follows: Dr. J. Y. Joyner has resigned as State Superintendent ofPublic Instruc tion and Governor Bickett appoints E. C. Brooks, of Trinity College, as his successor, the resignation and ap pointment to be effective January 1. The resignation came as a complete surprise although it seems that Dr. Joyner had notified the Governor last summer that he contemplated such action. Dr. Joyner has been State Su perintendent of Public Instruction for seventeen years. Dr. Brooks, the new State Superin tendent, was for a number of years connected with the State Department of Education before he joined the fac ulty of Trinity College. He is an ed ucator of recognized ability, and is fa miliar with the wcrk of the State Su perintendency1. Dr. Joyner’s resignation is for the purpose of taking a much needed rest. However, in spite of this, gossip is getting him very much entangled as a strong possibility in the next race for Governor and also as president of the University of North Carolina, as successor to the lamented Dr. E. K. Graham. Dr. Joyner wrote this letter to the Governor: “My dear Governor: “As county superintendent of my native county before I was 21 years of age, as chairman of the county board of education, as teacher and superintendent of the public schools, as teacher and dean in the State Nor mal and Industrial College, as State Superintendent of Public Instruction for the past seventeen years, I have been in public service and have felt the weight of public responsibility for 37 years. I have had joy in the service. I am more grateful and ap preciative than I can ever express in word or fact for the measure of con fidence, support, co-operation and ap preciation, far beyond my deserts, that I have received from the people of North Carolina during all these years. I need a rest now. I hope to have earned it. I«iave had scant time, especially during the past 17 busy years, to give to my private business. It needs attention. “In accordance with my notification to you last summer, I beg, therefore, to tender my resignation as State Su perintendent of Public Instruction, to take effect January 1, 1919.” In accepting the resignation, Gov ernor Bickett wrote Dr. Joyner as fol lows: Governor Pickett's Reply. “My dear Doctor Joyner: I am just in receipt of your letter of this date tendering your resigna tion, effective January 1. I deeply re giet that the State is to lose the ben efit of your services, but concur in the opinion that you have rightly earned a period of rest. “I know that any words of fulsome praise would be distasteful to you. but writing with rigid conservatism, I am constrained to say that during the 17 years you have been State Superin tendent of Public Instruction you have made a noble and imperishable con tribution to the intellectual and moral life of the State. “I deem it not improper to add that when you notified me last summer of your intention to resign the first of January I at once offered to consult with you about your successor. You stated that vou would prefer that I should not do so, as you did not de sire to have anything to do with nam ing your successor. Immediately after this conversation I made up my mind to appoint Dr. E. C. Brooks,‘of the chair of education in Trinity College, and at once went to Dr. Brooks to as certain whether or not he would be willing to accept the appointment. He advised me that he would, and T am todav naming him as your successor. “With sentiments of affectionate es teem, I beg to remain. “T. W. BICKETT.” Td<>a?s of Service. Boys and girls who g™ to count j ’pr