ut ' vy Irri Ylll WAVY: HA FPY HI, S f H'i iH News Without Bias Views Without Prejudice G Q ... 1 n I r " i I w 1 1 ? mi ' i r'l r r r .J The Only Dcrnccrilc Newspaper Published in Elizabeth City , VOL 1 ELIZABETH CITY, NORTH CAROLINA FRIDAY EVENING DECEMBER 29, 1916 NO 172 Peace "Ui e ineiiie v :or the Joining fear Most Important Subject Be Bfforejj State Department as countryl Must Playj Big Part in Peace Negotiations Forwarded ; Note Today 'London, December 29 The Scan dinavian nations today forwarded a peace note to European bellige rents, accrdlng' to ,a Copenhagen dispatch. - By CARL D GROAT (Unltefl Press tsff u0rrepondent) Washington, December 29 Peace promises' to be the transcendent theme of -the State Department the' coming year in . sharp con trast to the almost warful moments finite ook definite form in the last of some months last year . Intermittent peace talk took de finite form in the last two weeks of December, after Germany had proposed peace to the Allies. From now on it "will be the enormous subject before the state depart ment in view of the fact that the government seems destined to play a, big part in what ever peace negotiations are undertaken, A Yet while peace talk passes back ' and forth between the chancellories ht Enrnnn unit In tha rrnnltft hfllln and mahoganled chambers of the American State ' department, other international matters -of grave 'mo- men must be settled." These ques tions,, serious at times almost to iha nnlnt rimttiTAt rptitfnna ftPA -direct heirlooms of the war, affect America as a neutral and are des- ' tk.ett to have their standing when international law is rewritten after . .the war.. 5- ? . ' t OTHER DIFFICULTIES In addition to the possible com plications with -Mexico, tbe main tnai.M. Alt. 1 '- ... . ' 111 - AMA pregnant 1 'with difficulties which American diplomacy i9 . seeking tg, smooth out et the same time pro tecting adeauately and honorably the , rights of America and Americans. These Issues-are Submarine t problems ' between . "Germany and the United States. x German deuortition of Belgians. English interference with .mails. ' English blacklisting of ' American Arms with German Interests. V; English 'embargoes affecting A merica. - . rsormativ'a . Tanhmiirlnn wnrrnrn ." enme, to a head Insofar, as, the 'Uni ted Sta)ej' 1b concerned when this 'nvarntnoii( loaf ' Marrh p'lilnAfl 'n. .wUU,.U. . O through a break in relations. In deed, this government did threaten to break ' after the Sussex torpedo mg, If Germany broke her pledges, but since then the spirit has been to tring( Germany up short, gain a Bharp, air tight definition of her pledges and then insist upon ad herence" to them. Prospects of peace though Btill Undoubtedly some months distant will probably sffect future dealings with Germnny, and even more strongly influence the administra tion's idea of avoiding a break with Germany. Germany's depDrtatlon of Bel gains provoked i protest from this government, but her answer gave but little satisfaction. T'-.e ad ministration plans to watch the sit uation" clojely. life and Property German trangresslons , have in volved American lives. In these circumstances the general view has been that the cases required quick, fctrong protest. On the other hand, England's of fenses have involved American commercial rights, not live's ., These have been the "subject of objections and negotiations, ' but differences ere - sbl'.l extant over England's treat ment of ' American malls, her black list and her.. embargoes.' , The state deportment will continue ne rotkting andprotestlng against in fringements, of United State .rights by England, though none of these cases, the department" holds, in volves such seriousness as to call for a threat-of a breach in re!a-iions.- , ' s . - THE MEXICAN MUDDLE Mexico liis been a sore spot in rtlp'omacy the past year. Conditions became such that American troops twere sent Into Mexico, and militia to the border, following VIIIb'b raid on Cofumbus. The state department found many Intricate problems with Carranza. finally ft brought him np short with a recital of outrages against Amer. lens end thMr property,' and - de .finite demand to know whathe was going to do'hereafter t V Where is , ThatlBanner (Br Unltrd JjrosB) Washington, Dec. 29 Who sot the button, Ann's age, and who hit Billy Patterson probably will all be solved before he National Congress Icnai Union for Woman Suffrage finds out who got the banner they swung befre President Wilson from the House - gallery. ' Also the "question, of where It 1B now. Pross Agent Henry Swlnehart, who en gineered the affair that started the Joint Congressional audlence on that otherwise peaceful day, ad mitted today that the Union has about given up hope of - getting back its banner. The dav after its appearance in the House, those who flung It t0 the legislative breeze on!y to hav it .unceremon iously jerked to arth, went to the sergeant at arms' office to get it back. They failed to do so. The nest heard of tbe new historic em blem was at the Gridiron dinner several Saturday nights back, when the Grtdironers pulled a burlesque of the incident while the President was addressing them. The same banner was used in the burlesque. News of this event gave Congres sional Union officials hope. They buttonholed every Gridiron Club member they knew and some they didn't know. They pleaded they wanted the grandoldfla to use as a background . when they were pho tographed In their new home upon tha occasion of dedicating it. They did not get it. WAR HOT I ED If.ilViEOh'TELY BERLIN BELIEVES ALLIES MAK ING READY FOR CONCENTRA TED EFFORT AGAINST GER MAN FRONT' . Eerlln, December 29 Judging from tbe unofficial reports from the front and from diplomatic com-, mept, the ' Peace efforts of Presi dent Wilson, the. Central Powers and Switzerland will not succeed In immediately ending the war. ' That the war will not end with out the -Allies making another 'gi ganic concentrated effort to break, the German front is indicated by their artH'.ery preparations. - ed ' chanee ltt ; her submarine ; Methods, and": pledged to continue fehehnitallon v and peace .without - eh a milder courte. ... . '! The Lusitania ' case hung fire, . tnough , Germany s , ierm( .pisetue ment were virtually satisfactory In at much as this government did ' not desire 'o .finally close t mat ter while other oubmarine matters were pending. . ' GERMANY'S PROMIE8 ; ' Tor a time Germany seemed . to Te scrupulously following" her pro . , yythe last : four months, 'rnoVfever.Ylbere-has been a feeling ' that she was going as" far ; as she . could without provoking new trou bles with the United States.' tn these circumstances, the state "de partment investigated dnrlng theS closing day8 of the year a series of pinklngs, notably the Marina, 'Arar bio, Chomung, and a dozen others. Evidence indicated Germany 'was overstepping at loaet the spirit'.1 of her p!ed;e, and the United States proceeded to plan for hr next step. VrlrV have been mmierous. The fpie Department, however, ' i ! " M-uh ndmlnWrstlon nrms. But the problem , before the Mexican-American Commission i8 still "grave and enormous, J, Vlla ?atn is - making trouble, though Carranxa in recent . months has shown 'disposition and some abil ity to alter dreadful conditions. ' Bui with all - tha." problems' that have spelt . trouble, the idea - of peace the, world over has been a permanent hope snd more lately, a pregnant, possibility. MARRIED HERE THURSDAY, .. Mr. Kenneth Mallory and Miss Effle Leona RIg?ins, botji 0f 'Nor folk, were married ; Thursday tftr no'on at two o'clock by Rev. I. N. Loftin at his residence on Penwiyl vania Avenue. They werQ accom p?n!ed ty Mr. H. T. Wellpr 'and Mrs. Courtney Mallpry ; Sprouse, who witnessed the ceremony. Mr. , Will Ferrell of this city and Miss Annie Brinkley. of Cora penke,were married et four o'clock Tburrday nftprnnnn by Justice of ' V " J '7. " '-? rt V-H GAVE CHRISTMAS CANTATA A Christmas Cantata, The Loyal Santa Claus', was f given by Black wellN Memorial Sunday School lapt. night in the Sunday School an nex. Opening March Instrumental -Opening Chorus School. 'Santa Claus solo, Bertha Clifton. Tom George Modlin Jim Randell Hotleman Santa W. I. Peal. We're- the Boys' Boy's Chorus. The Happy Ttme-Glrl's Chorus. D:n Cupid Solo, Oliver Gilbert, Jr. The' Street , Waif Solo, Margret Chesson. Our Loyal Santa Claus Solo and" chorus, Henrietta Godfrey. He'll be here Solo and chorus. Nellie Hastings, , , .-;. , . He . won't be here tonight reed ing, .Franklin Owens.. By-lo Solo, Little Miss Elizabeth Carter. ' ' v In' Blumberville Solo, . Miss Au Tllla'Strahl. v The Fairies Song Chorus, Pri mary girls. X i "'. He' may yet come duet and chorus, Nellie Hastings, and Annie Belle Trueblood. '' s Little Roy Quee Flanalogue and chorus, Norman Trueblood.- . ' . ' The Situation solo and duet, Odell Long; Song of the Snow " Fairies cho run, Primary girls.. Coxey's ' Army chorus, George Modlljr,. Captain. , . i Jack Frost solo Mr, Sim Bur gees. ' . '. You better be going solo and duet,' Messrs 81m. Burgess and W. I. Teal. ' . Ring,-" Bella Ring chonis. Good Bye Santa chorus, a'l the Temper Justice With Mercy (By United Presst London, December 29 (By Mall) Richard Cunningham, 34, the lance corporal who killed his wife in a fit of grief over her betrayal while he was ln the trenches today be gan a sentence of one year under a man-slaughter chsrgo. The stern English jury frankly temper ed, Justice with -mercy in Cunning ham's case in which the unwritten law played a decided part. Cun ningham, taking his turn In tlie tiencheg was tormented by his wife's silence. ' He seldom heard from her during his first few months with the colors and later lior !etterg ceased altogether. Frknds wrote hlra mentioning a mysterious caller at his home in London. The soldier wrote to local authorities In an effort to learn what had become of his little eon but received scant satisfaction tn the official replies with , their Impersonal wording and red tape. At the first opportunity Cunning ham obtained leave from France and returned home. A few days later the police found him lying unconscious acrosg the'' dead form of his wife. She had been stran d. An officer said Cunningham was a high type of soldier without A single black mark against his name in the army records. His former employer gave him a simi lar good character. In passing the minimum sentence the Jury rec ommended that the convicted sol dier oi'ght not to be compelled to ter.ve his time among common criminals. AS NEVER SUCH A YE ASfflS FOR BETSEY ' .' ( V' '. ..-.,.... v.-j v.' , ., ' ' : . s '''-' ''' o.1 f ''., ': -'f' - V ' ' ;; ' '-' '''" "-.'' : The Picture City is Not Only More Prosperous, But More Active, More Co-operative and More Beau tifnL DETAINED BY PRESS OF WORK Mr. Anson Cohoon of Medford Oregon, who was to have arrived in his Home Town this week to spend some time with his father. Mr. F. F. Cohoon, was unavoidably de tained by the press of work and at the last minute had to postpone his trip. . Mr, Cohoon works for Uncle Sam in the Forest Service sndthe work cf closing . up the year's reports is a painstaking and Important one. He expects to be able to make his trip In Janu ary and hopes to get a. leave of absence from headquarters at Wash Ington for a visit of several months The year 1916 comes 'to' lt8 close on the stroke of twelve Sunday night in Elizabeth City with PROSPERITY written in"larg8 let ters in the business record and with unprecedented progresB in the activities of the town. Early in the year a vigorous cam pi;n was launched for the open ing of the Y. M. C. A. The build ing had long stood.. Idle, heat, wat er, equipment and organization be in lacking.. The Y. M. C. A. opened in May with an active membership under the direction of Secretary C. W. Ford, who came here from . Portsmouth to take charge of the work, and whllethere la yet need for equipment, the As sociation has made an excellent be ginning and row steadily In fav or throughout the city. The enthusiasm aroused in the Y. M. C. A. campaign spread In the direction of the re-organlzatlon of the Chamber of Cmmerce, and during the same month the Cham ber of Commerce began its new era of accomplishment with Attor ney C. R. Pugh as manager,' and Mr. . W. G. Gaither, cashier of the First National Bsnk, as president. The Chamber of Commerce at once went to work to plan for a big celebration to brin to gether the peop!e of tho city and country of the section and make for unity and co-operatlor . The date set was Ju!y the fourth, and the event was ternied Good Will Day. No effort' was spared in preparing to welcome the city's vis itors and when the day dawned clear and fair the guests began to arrive and continued to arrive Un til the crowd was estimated at ten thousand - or more. An elaborate program, which included the- flight around the city of a big hydroplane from Newport News, was carried out without a hitch, and only one accident', a minor one, was report ed throughout the entire day's festivities. An active Chamber of Commerce did much to make 'good business" during the summer season ; and not until very late in the summer. did (he annua! period of dullnots arrive. This period was then- of BASKET BALL TONIGHT There will be a basket ball game tonight between the High : School and the town boys.. Admission will be free, end all good fans are invited. ... - ..... , . ' LOST. Bob tall pointer dog, about a year old, !iver and white b potted , ' Answers to ' name of Ned Wore collar having name of owner, L. W. Cox, when left home. Re ward for , information leadings to his recovery, L W COX. dec 29 6t day FVhnol were dlHtrlhntpd f t ' I a I ' ' . I in or an early data. The new municipal market house ii . now complete and cold storage facilities . Installed. ; It will be turned over to "the town' early In the new year, sad it Is said to be one of the best-equipped, though of ; course not the largest, in the entire state, :;- ., ,t --v; V. v' Mr. W. H, -Weatherly's new home on Riverside Drive, Mr. W. L, Cohoon's on Church Street, Mrs. Clay Foreman's dn Main Street, Mr. Oliver Gilbert's pa Pennsylvania Avenu. are. but a, few of the handsome modern res ldences that, mark"- the increasing beauty, of the Picture City of the Pasquotank. ' . ' , During the month of December the city was the host of the Bap tist State Convention with a large number of delegates from all. over the state and many visitors ; , from . Virginia, all of whom were lavish in their praise of the beautiful lo- of thri nnnnln nf irt1nhnh rif . The program for HIT embraces'1 such features as; Community Ser vice Week, getting -as packln? house; building a highway , that, will connect the city directly with' Gates county; opening ' th9 new . market another Good Will Day; better equipment for the Y, M, C. ' A., "and many other enterprises ot benefit to the entire town and Its tributary territory. ' ' v V, , , 1 III PflSSULD secret iti;;.:s MERELY ACTING AA ME83EN GER BETWEEN GERMANY AND OTHER WAR NATIONS - AT- Washington, Dec. 2 "If Germa yn desires the : United States to pass along any secret peace terms ' for the Allies to consider, this gov ernment will do It," said i a : high State Department official today. ex comparatively short duration, b v:&iningt however, that the 'United. cause of the good crops of the coun try surrounding the city and the high ' prices for cotton and other farm produce. Good business con tinued" steadily '.'through the'1 fall mnnths coming to a climax In, the last six shopping days before Chrlsmas, which In spite of clouds and sometimes rain brought the biggest shopping crowds for a like period in the city's history and the best sales records, Tblg good business was not con fined to the stores of the city. The banks passed all records, and more buildings were erected In the busi ness and residence sections of the city than In any proceeding twelve month. ' ' Tbe ' palatial residence of MK and Mrs. Charles Oakley Robinson on Main Street, erected this year, - is the handsomest . in the city, and ranks with the " most beautiful homeg In the state. . A very large three story brick build ing is almost completed 'adjoining the W U. l Weatherly Company on Water Street, which Is perhaps the largest . building ' undertaking of Its kind gurln the year. This bnnt'ns wns erected bv Mr. C. II I ' : "'"1 p-.-l, it in V ! o 8tateg would be merely acting as a messenger,- and . that, "in such. capacity there could be no impro prlety "j4rJ,iJ- tik t It was suggested to him that Ger many Is apparently trying to ' man' euvtr the United States Into fur-' thering a secret peace conference. The official pointed out that when, this government acts, as a . messen-. gertor one , side or another, ' any communication which It handles be tween belligerants must be : kept secret if the ; power transmitting such, communication so requests, . Meantime there Is talk among tha congressman that affairs have been bungled and that secret diplomacy is being tried. Thia ta!k is not confined to tjie Capitol Hill." ,. An admllstration official said today Lthat the State , Department had bun riieu iu puuiiuuy arrangeuioiug ui the President's peace notes subse quent, to ' Lansing's interpretations and thai the subsequent explana tion wag Issued solely to mako . 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