North Carolina Newspapers

i T VOLUME 38. THE SMITHFIELD HERALD TUESDAY, FEB. 18, 1919. dumber 14. PUBLIC BUILDING BILL REPORTED Bill Carries an Appropriation of $4",, 000 for Postoffice Building at Smithfield — Greensboro to Get $450,000—Other Places to Get Mon ey for Buildings Are Dunn, Louis burg, Mount Olive and Others. Washington, Feb. 14.—Including $450,000 for a new postoffice and fed eral building at Greensboro, the om nibus public buildings bill, which will be reported to the House tomorrow, will carry more than a million and a quarter dollars for North Carolina. In round figures the House commit tee authorizes $1,300,000 for North Carolina projects, the Greensboro item being the largest in the lot. Nevertheless there are several import ant projects approved by the com mittee, o The item relating to Greensboro provides for a building and a site at a cost of $450,000, with proviso that the secretary of the treasury is author ized to sell the present building and site at either private sale or public auction. However, the secretary of the treasury is not to accept less than $150,000 for the present building and site. This money is to be turned into the treasury as miscellaneous receipts and the full amount og $450,000 is al lowed for anew federal building and site. The Stedman bill proposed an authorization of $500 000, but the committee decided that an adequate structure might be erected for $450, 000. Should this amount later preve insufficient, an increase may be ob tained. Since the forthcoming bill contains numerous items increasing the limit of cost of buildings hereto fore authorized in various sections of the country. The Greensboro item authorizes “postoffice, courthouse and for other government activities at Greensboro, $450,000.” Mount Airy, in the Greensboro dis trict. is. allowed a new building to cost $55,000. The site is already owned. Here are the North Carolina items, as approved by the House committee tonight: Other Tar Heel Items. Federal buildings at the following places, where cities are already limit cost of building as stated: Lenoir, $45 000; Lumberton. $40, 000; Mount Olive, $40,000; Edenton. $40 000: Smithfield. $45,000. Buildings and sites, the two to cost in the aggregate as follows: Louisburg. $45,000; Albemarle, $50, 000; Dunn, $45,000; Morganton, $50, 000; Rutherfordton, $30,000; Wades boro, $45 000. In the case of Wades boro it is provided that the authoriza tion for a site heretofore made at $5,000 is increased to $10,000, making the grand total for Wadesboro $50, 000. •> Acquisition of sites in North Caro lina to whs are allowed as follows, all thfjse being new projects and to be followed eventually by building ap propriations : Clinton, for site, $6,000; Hamlet $10,000; Hertford, $5,000; Marion, $6,• 000; Sanford, $7,000; Tryon, $5,000; Wililamston, $8,000. The additional sum of $14,000 is al., lowed Wilson for a large building for its postoffice and other government ac tivities. Some time ago $60,000 was authorized and with this additional Wilson will ect a $200,000 building for its postoffice and federal court, the committee finding that more business bpth of the postoffice and court, and cofistruction costs, made the original figure inadequate. Asheville is allowed $95,000 for ex tension and enlargement of its post office building.—Theodore Tiller, in I Greensboro News. WAR REVENUE BILL NOW LACKS ONLY SIGNATURES Washinglon, Feb. 13.—Final legis lative action on the war revenue bill levying $6,000,000,000 in taxes this year and $4,000,000,000 yearly there after until revised was taken late to day by the Senate without a record vote, and with but a few scattering “noes,” the conference agreement was adopted as approved last Satur day by the House. After the bill is signed by Vice-President Marshal and Speaker Clark it will be sent to the White House for approval by Presi dent Wilson after his return fro a France. Formal approval of the bill by the President is regarded as as sured. New Ambassador to France. On board the U. S .S. George Wash ington, Feb. 15.—President Wilson has nominated Hugh C. Wallace, of Tacoma, Ambassador to France, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of William Graves Sharp. PAY FOR JUDGES VOTED. Senate Passes Stacy Highway Bill oa Second Reading—Refuses to Con cur in Senate Amendments to Doe Bill; Sent to Conference. Raleigh, Feb. 14.—*0n motion of Representative Ray, of Macon, the Houso today refused to concur in the Senate amendments to the State-wide dog law and provided for a confer ence committee. The amendments put on the bill last night included re quirements for collar and tax paid tag, right to kill dogs chasing or wov • rying sheep, goats, cattle or fowls, and exemption_ of puppies to six months’ old. Ray, author of the bill, is resisting especially the collar and tax amendment. Doughton introduced a bill to pro vide for constructing a highway across the Blue- Ridge from Doughton to Roaring Gap. In the Senate the Stacy substitute highway bill passed its second read ing without further amendment and took its place on the calendar for fina1 reading Saturday. ■ Senator Brown introduced the de partment of health bills for repression of prostitution, to obtain reports of persons with venereal diseases, and to prevent venereal diseases, three sep arate bills. . Senator Carr introduced a bill to encourage holding farm products to stabilize the markets by authorizing a tax value of products held subject to liens the difference between the due value and the indebtedness against the products to constitute tht tax value. The House indulged in a lively de bate this afternoon on the Senate bill increasing the salaries of judges so that Superior Court judges will get $4,000 salary and $1,500 expenses and the Supreme Court justices will re. ceive $5,000. The bill passed by a ma jority of 20 votes and is ordered for ratification. The House committee on manufac tures this afternoon reported favora bly a substitute bill by Neal for child labor control. It provides for a child welfare commission to consist of the commissioner of welfare, secretary of the State Board of Health and Super intendent of Public Instruction; pro vides compulsory school attendance with truant officers to go out after tEe children ,and provides for inspectors to work under the direction of the commission, appropriating $6,000 for the expenses of the commission. It is understood that the manufacturer will get behind this bill as opposed to’ the Connor-Saunders bill that would put the inspection work in the department of labor. The bill is to go to the committee on education which has the Connor-Saunders bill.—W. J. Martin, in Charlotte Observer. THE HUN DAMAGE IN BELGIUM What the German Army Didn’t De stroy Was Largely Stolen and Carried Off. The Belgian commission investiga ting the damage done by the Germans to railroads in occupied territory, while it has not yet finished its work, is in a position to give interesting figures relative to the] destruction caused by the Gormans. The figures show that nearly 690 miles of railroad tracks were destroy ed completely and nearly 260 miles virtually destroyed and rendered use less out of a total mileage of approx' mately 2,600 in Belgium. These de structions mostly were in the Mons coal valley, in the region of Toumati and around Ghent, Bruges, Ostend and Courtrai, and seventy per cent of the destruction was carried out during the period from the start of the Bel gian offensive on September 28, 1918, and the sigmng of the armistice. The Germans appropriated 2,1614 locomotives out of a total of 4,634 or about fifty-seven per cent; 9,062 pas senger coaches out of atotal of 10, 812, or ninety—three per 'cent and 80,568 freight cars out of a total of 94*737, or eighty-six per cent. The block signal system in Belgium was desti-oyed and replaced by a German system with which Belgian locomotive engineers are not acquainted. It will have to be removed and the Belgian system again installed. All the bridges leading in and out of Ostend and Bruges have been de stroyed and virtually all in West Flanders as well as those over the Meuse at Liege, Nahur, Huy, Dinant and Anseremme. Eight bridges over the Ghent-Terneuzen canal were blown up. It is estimated by the com - mission that more than 100,000,000 pounds of steel will be required to re build the bridges in Flanders alone. The commission estimates the dam age to railroad material track-1, bridges and other equipment at more than a billion dollars.—Paris dispatch , The Republicans are planning to run 'a daily paper at Asheville. PRES. WILSON TO RETURN TO PARIS Speaks of Occasion in Address Deliv ered Thursday—Addresses Delega tion From French Association for Society of Nations. Piesident Wilson in addressing Thursday a delegation from the French association for a society of nations, said: “I appreciate very deeply what has been said and I* take it that the kind suggestion is that some time after my return wg^should arrange a public meeting at which, I am quite confident, we may celebrate thp completion of the work, at any rate up to a certain ve?’y far advanced stage, the consum mation of which we have been work ing and hoping for, for a long time. “It would be a very happy thing if that could be arranged. I can oniy say for myself that I sincerely hope it can be. I should wish to lefid any assistance possible to so happy a con summation. “I cannot help thinking of how many miracles this war has already wrought, miracles of comprehension as to our inter-dependence as nations and as human beings; miracles as to the removal of obstacles which seem ed big and now have grown small, in the way of active and organized co operation of nations; in regard to the establishments and maintenance of justice. “And the thoughts of the people having been drawn together, there has already been created a force which is not only very great, but very form idable, a force which can be rapidly mobilized, a force which is very ef fective when mobilized, namely, the moral force of the world. “One advantage of seeing one an other and talking with one another, is to find that, after all, we all think the same way. “We may try to put the result of the thing into different forms, but we start with the same principles. “I have often been thought of as a man more interested in principles than in practice, whereas, as a matter of fact, I can say that, in one sense, principles have never interested me. Because principles prove themselves when stated. They do not need any debate. The thing that is difficult and interesting is how to put them into practice. Large discourse is not pos sible on the principles, but large dis course is necessary on the matter of realizing them. “So that, after all, principles until translated into practice are very thin and abstract and I may add, unintev ing things. It is not interesting to have far-away visions, but it is in teresting to have nearby visions of what it is possible to accomplish. And in a meeting such as you are project ing perhaps we can record the suc cess that we shall have acrieved of putting a great principle into prac tice, and demonstrated that it can be put .into practice, though only, let us say, five years ago it was considered an impractical dream. “I wil co-operate with great happi ness in the plan that you may form after my return, and I thank you very warmly for the compliment of this personal visit.” — COMMITTEE BEGINS WORK. Men to Choose Future Head of State University Visit Chapel Hill. Chapel Hill, Feb. 14.—The special committee of fiv» trustees of the State University appointed by Gov ernor Bickett, at the recent meeting of the board of trustees, to conduct a thorough investigation with a view to the suggestion of a desirable head for the institution, will come to Chapel Hill today for the purpose of ascer taining faculty and student sentiment in regard to the selection of a sue cessor to the late President Graham Several conferences will be held by the committee, which is composed of Dr. R. H. Lewis, of Raleigh; Victo* S. Bryant, of Durham; W. N. Everett, of Rockingham; George Stephens, of Charlotte, and Charles Whedbee, of Hertford. Odd Fellows Convene at Selma on March 10. March 10 has been set as the semi annual convention of the Odd Fellows for the eighth district and the con • venti'en will be held in Selma. M. L Shipman, district supervisor, an nounced yesterday. Seven lodges are organized in thi3 district, and are expected to send del egates to»this meeting. The program is now in course of preparation. The lodges taking part are Manteo No. 8, Raleigh; Olive Branch No. 37, Selma; Tabula No. 185, Cary; Seaton Gales, No. 64, Raleigh;, Zeb Vanco No. 183, Henderson; Franklin, No. 241, Frank linton, and Apex, No. 295, Apex. ROADS STILL LIVE TOPIC IN SENATE Senator Scales Proposes Two Impor tant Amendments to Stacy Substi tute—Made Special Order for Next Tuesday. (News and Observer, 16th.) Two important amendments to the Stacy substitute road bill were offered yesterday by Senator Scales, who ask ed leave to “appeal from Philip drunk to Philip sober.” The first would pro vide that the State geologist and the president of the State A. and E. Col lege shall serve in an advisory ca pacity on the State Highway Com mission ar.d shah '-eeeive their actual expenses while on duty. This will be acceptable to the proponents of the Stacy bill and probably will start no fight. The second amendment by Senator Scales proposes a tax of 50 cents on the horsepower for automobiles. Sen ator Scales’ original bill provided for 75 cents but during the strenuous fight conducted by him and Senator Stevens there was a time when 50 cents would have been accepted by them as a basis for settlement! of dif ferences. May Consider Property Tax. Owing to the absence of many Sen ators from the chamber -yesterday, the Stacy substitute went over and fwas made a special order for next fTuesdqy when Senator Scales’ amend tnont will be considered. The pro posed increase in taxes will meet with a strenuous Ight on the floor, if push ed as the supporters of the Stacy substitute are-standing squarely to gether on their measure. In the meantime, it is learned that a well defined movement is under way in the House for a bill to place the bulk of the taxes for a State highway system on the owners of abutting property. This is maintained by many of the legislators to be the only fair and equitable way to levy a ^ax for roads. It is recognized by the sup porters of an automobile tax that a tax on abutting property would not be unreasonable if fairly administered, but in sparsely settled sections it would render a great injustice, they claim1, because of the large assess ments that would have to be made. Under the proposed plan of taxing abutting property, which is under stood to have the approval of Gover nor Bickett, the county would pay one-fourth of the cost of building the roads, the State one-fourth and the Federal government one-half. The State’s part would be collected from the automobile tax, as proposed in the Stacy bill, while the county would get its sha’-e from the tax on abutting property. Governor Bickett went on record in has message to the General Assem bly as being opposed to a bond issue for securing the State system of high ways, and the plan as outlined is un derstood upon good authority to be hi3 solution of the problem. Under that plan enough money would be secured to avoid a bond issue. Contrary to State Iidea. Requiring counties to pay one one-fourth of the cost of building the roads is opposed in many quarters because it is contrary in spirit to the idea of a State highway system. The supporters of the original Scales Stevens bill have insisted that the State and not the county must be made the un;t. The Stacy substitute ie destined to meet with strong opposition in both Houses because it provides only for a two-year program, which is directly contrary to the purpose in view, and because it relies mainly upon a bond issue, which would in the course of a few years amount to a large sum. These are its greatest defects. POSITION OF WESTERN BANKS. Country Institutions Reflecting Pros perity of Farmers. Chicago, Feb. 14.—Country banks are jn better shape for buying paper than are those in the city. These banks are the best buyers of pap^r and Treasury anticipation certificates. High prices for grains and hogs se cured by the farmers have given tin country bankers the best of it, as they have not had the demand for money experienced by the city bank ers, as the latter have had to take care of the industrial and merchant:le business. Commercial paper is sell ing at 5 to 5 1-2 per cent and money is loaning at 5 1-2 to 6 per cent. Lo cal bankers are buying little paper, having other use for their money.— New York Evening Post. The Best Teacher. He is the best teacher of others who is best taught himself; that which we know- and love we cannot but commu nicate.—Dr. Arnold. TAR HEEL GENERAL COMMANDS Trasport Arrives With Unit Under Command of General Richmond P. Davis—7,000 Officers and Men De bark at New York. New Feb. 16.—The United States cruiser Huntington and the transports Matsonia and Louisville docked here today, debarking 7,101 offieeds and enlisted men of the American exped' tionary force. The steamers Dante Alighieri with 1,588 officers and mer. aboard and the Saxaola with 47, re ported off the coast by wireless, and were expected to arrive tonight. The Matson ia has the largest pas senger list, composed of 3,346 officers and men, commanded by Brig. Gen. Richmond P. I)avi3, of Statesville, N. C. COVENANT FOR LEAGUE OF NATIONS PRESENTED. President Wilson Reads Document to Delegates. Paris, Feb. 14.—President Wilsnr. was the central figure of the plenary peace conference, which opened at 3:30 o'clock this afternoon, when *n person he read the covenant establish ing a league of nations. There was added interest in the session as it was the last gathering of the delegates prior to the President’s departure as well as being the occasion of present ing the document with which his name is identified. The President was received with military honors as he arrived at the foreign office and the large crowds which had congregated gave him a cordial welcome as he passed through The delegates already were assembled when the President entered the coun cil chamber. “I have very groat pleasure,” said President Wilson as he began, “In presenting the report of the commis sion which has framed the constitu tiion of a league of nations. I am par ticularly happy to be able to say it is a unanimous report, signed^ by the representatives of all the powers on the committee.” President Wilson spoke earnestly, but without oratorical effect. “The best report I can make,” the Presient continued, “is to retjd the document itself.” Thereupon he read from a printed sheet the constitution of the league, while the assembly followed his read ing w'th the closest attention. While the President was reading, Mrs. Wilson, accompanied by the President's naval aide, was escorted to a place back of the delegates’ table. The reading continued for 35 min utes without interruption or amase. As he closed, the President laid aside the document and spoke of what had been accomplished. The deliberations of the commission had been most in structive, and throughout the proceed ings there was an undertone of enthu - siasm in the great work being accom plished, he said. The results, said President Wilson, embodied the judg ment of 14 nations represented on the commission, and these 14 nations were a representative group of tjie confer ence itself. “This is a Union of will in a com mon purpose,” the President proceed ed, “it is a union which cannot be resisted, and I dare say, one which no nation will attempt to resist.” The President pointed out that the document was no “straight jacket.” It was elastic, and not a vehicle of might, he said. It was yet to be de veloped, and as yet care should be taken as to the causes put into it. While elastic, yet it was definite. “It is definite,” continued President Wilson, “as a guarantee of peace. It is definite as a gilarantee against ag gression. It is definite against a re newal of such a cataclysm as has just shaken civilization.” 30TH DIVISION LOST 49 PER CENT OF ITS MEN. Columbia, S. C., Feb. 15.—The Thirtieth division’s casualties amoun1 ed to approximately 49 per cent, ac cording to a letter from Major J. Shapter Caldwell, formerly assistant adjutant—general of South Carolina, to W. W. Moore, the adjutant general, received several days ago. Major Caldwell is the adjutant of the “Old Hickory division.” The Thirtieth di vision was stationed at Ballou, France, on January 13, the date the letter was written. The latter, which is full of interesting gossip relative to the division and the officers, said that Colonel McCully, who trained the 118th infantry (the old first South Carolina national guard infantry) at Camp Sevier, Greenville, and who was relieved of his command in Belgium, is again in command of the regiment. —Charlotte Observer. Former Ambassador to Franc >, Myron T. Herrick, is reported ser' ously ill in California. TWO MORE WEEKS OF PRESENT CONGRESS Hope of Passing Much Pending Leg islation Within That Time Aban doned—Resume Work on Rivera and Harbors Bill—Congestion is in Senate, House Hopes to Clear Up Urgent Measures in Time. Washington, Feb. 16.—The Sixty fifth Congress enters tomorrow upon the final fortnight of its existence with hopes of passing all of the al most unprecedented mass of pending legislation virtually abandoned bv most' leaders. Night sessions of the Senate and House until March 4 have been ordered, but the belief is grow ing that an early extra session of the new" Congress will be necessary for the enactment of some of the annual appropriation measures. Pressure this week wiFI^e concen trated on mony bills but admittedly progress will depend largely upon de velopments in connection with the proposed constitution of the league of nations. Should general discussion of this document follow the return of President Wilson from France some leaders believed passage of any legis lation after that time would be al most out of the question. Congestion of legislation now is centered in the Senate which has two thirds of the appropriation bills pass ed by the House. The army appropria tion measure probably will be com pleted by the House early this week. It will be followed by the fortifica tions and sundry civil bills and t;ho measure appropriating one billion dol lars for maintenance of the govern ment wheat price guarantee. House leaders hope to have passed all ui gent measures within ten days. Work on the rivers and harbors bill will be resumed tomorrow by the Sen ate, while committees are preparing the naval, agriculture, Indian and other money measures. Hearings on the Naval bill with its new three-year building program will be started to morrow by the Senate naval cotnmi - tec and later this week the Senate military committee plans to take up the army measure. Predictions are general, however, that both of these important bills will fail of enactment at this session. The Treasury Department bill au thorizing about $5,000,000,000 addi tional bonds is to be brought out in the House this week, with co-opera tion in the Senate assured, but prob bly after considerable revision of the administration features, requested by Secretary Glass. Final action is expected during the week on the measures validating in formal war contracts and for develop ment of oil, coal and gas lands. Although committees mostly are engrossed with appropriation bill*, hearings on other legislation and spe cial inquiries ordered by the Senate and House will continue this week.— Associated Press. FLU BAN AT STATESVILLE OFF AFTER SIX MONTHS. The quarantine which has been in effect at Statesville since last Sep tember, being lifted only temporarily during the Christmas holidays, has been removed by the board of aider men and unless the influenza situa tion, on account of which the ban was first placed on public gatherings be comes acute again, it is not likely that tre restrictions will again be effect ive. The board passed an ordinance making it a violation of the law for any individual who has the disease or who has been associated in any way with any one who has had it, to mm gle with the people outside his own premises. Mayor Bristol says he in tends to strictly enforce this ordi nance. The quarantine being lifted allows the moving picture shows to reopen and also religious service in. th4 churches. The city schools be yond the eighth grade will also open but the lower grades will not be per mitted to open for the present.— Statesville Landmark. Judge Henry R. Bryan is Dead. Judge Henry Ravenscroft Bryan died in New Bern F'riday morning. He was one of the oldest and most highly esteemed residents of the city, a man who, in years gone by, had been one of the most prominent jurists in the State and whose opinion on matters of legal and many other natures was often sought; a man who was held in the highest esteem by all and whose passing takes from the midst of the life of the city one of its grandest old men. Judge Bryan, who was a native cf New Bern and in his eighty-third year, in passing leaves a record of a well-spent and useful life, one of which any one would feel proud.