9
91.00 a Year In Advance
"FOR GOD, FOR COUNTRY AND FOR TRUTH."
8lngJe Coplea, 8 Centa.
1 IV
i 1
f f V
1 j
VOL. XXVII.
CONGRESS TO HUSH
ALL FISCAL BILLS
MEMBERS RETURN FROM CHRIST
MAS VACATION PREPARED
FOR RUSH.
WILLING TO WORK OVERTIME
Railroad Legislation and Revenue De
ficit Are Unusual Issues Army and
Navy Supply Bills and Military
Training Demand Attention.
Washington. Members of Congress
returned to Washington from their
Chirstmas holiday, prepared to get
down to hard work on the accumula
tion of legislation that must be
dealt wijh before adjournment on
March 4. '
With railroad legislation and reve
nue deficits confronting them as un
usual issues, the rank and file deter
mined to labor with a will to clear
the way of routine business, particular
ly the appropriation bills, which must
be completed before the actual reve
nue needs can be definitely establish
ed. Estimates on all these measures,
including especially the extra heavy
army and navy supply bills, are In
hand giving the House- ways and means
committee enough information upon
which to frame revenue legislation at
once.
Appropriation measures will be
considered in the Senate, immediately,
the Indian bill probably being: the
first taken up, while various commit
tees are engaged in paving the way
for consideration of railroad meas
ures, a corrupt practices bill and
other general legislation. The House,
which already has passed five appro
priation bills, still has nine more to
work out, and will approach that task
vigorously with night sessions In pros
pect for the near future.
Returning members who were re
elected do not look on the talk of an
extra session and declare they are will
ing to work night and day to avert
one. They insist that ncne will be
necessary unless action by Congress
on the railroad legislation proposed by
the president should be held up. Even
in that event all are not satisfied that
the president would call an extra ses
sion for this purpose.
THOUSANDS OF GUNS NOW
BEING MADE BY TEUTONS.
Every Available Skilled Mechanic
Taken From Trenches Prepare
Big Campaign.
Berlin, via Sayville. Many thousand
guns per week is reported to be the
measure of the mighty manufacturing
effort which Germany is now making
for the campaign of 1917 an effort
upon which the entire manhood force
of the nation which can be spared
from the front and their regular oc
cupation is being concenterated un
der First Quartermaster ron Luden
dorf universal labor service law.
Counting four months before the
probable renewal of the world war
in full vigor on all fronts, these fig
ures mean a new immense supply of
cannon of all calibers from field guns
up to the gigantic howitzers, to meet
the admittedly gigantic effort which
th Entente Allies are expected to
make in this the third year of Kitch
ener's prophecy, to turn the scale
of the war.
Along with these guns the German
factories are turning out correspond
ingly stupendous quantities of am
munition and the production of ma
chine guns, each of which virtually
replaces a platoon of men, has been
placed on a scale far beyond that
of the past year.
The campaign of 1917 will. It is
already evident, be fought as a wide
extension and development of the
Somme battle, with even a heavier
conception of artillery over a far
wider front and with lines literally
bristling with machine guns. Con
fidence that their opponents will be
unable to break through this wall of
steel and fire is not only expressed
by the higher commanders, but also
is manifested right down into the
ranks of the common people.
Gypsy Plum Brown Bread.
One cupful granulated cornmeal, one
cupful graham, one cupful flour, one
cupful ryenieal, half cupful molasses,
one cupful or little more of sour milk,
one and a half teaspoonfuls saleratus,
heaping teaspoonful salt, one cupful
of 40-50 prunes, pitted and cut la
halves f boll three hours.
On Toast.
If you wish to piece out a dish of
vegetables, serve It on .toast. Any veg
etable except potatoes will be Im-pro-ed
If served on buttered toast.
JOSIAH 0. WOLCOTT
mm
r
J
To Joshiah O. Wolcott of Delaware,
a Democrat, goes the title of "Baby
of the Senate." He is thirty-nine years
old and has just been elected a mem
ber of the upper house of congress.
He practices law in Wilmington and
is rated as one of the leaders of the
bar in the state.
TERMS GIVEN FIRST DAY
CENTRAL POWERS WILL HAVE
PEACE OFFER READY WHEN
CONFERENCE CONVENES.
Counf Von Bernstorff In Statement
Says He Considers Answer to Wil
son's Proposal as Acceptance By
Teutons of AM Suggestions.
Washington. In spite of the wide
gulf between the insistence of the Cen
tral Powers for an immediate peace
conference and the forecast of a unl
mous refusal by the Entente Allies to
enter such a conference without know
ing Germany's terms in advance, the
Amorican Government believes that
the negotiations in progress are result
ing in good. It was said with authority
that until the door to peace actually
closed by one side or the other, Presi
dent Wilson will continue to hope that
any discussion of the subject will tend
to hasten the end of the war.
Count von Bernstorff, the German
Ambassador, returning unexpectedly
from New York, authorised tha Asso
ciated Press to make the following
statement:
"I regard the note of my govern
ment as constituting an acceptance of
everything suggested by President
Wilson In his note to the belligerent
nations of Europe."
It was made clear at the Embassy
that Germany stands ready to make
known her terms on the first day of
any conference that may be held, and
officials expressed themselves as be
ing greatly surprised at the view pre
vailing in some quarters here that
the Berlin government had failed to
meet the President's suggestion by
note, setting down in the reply the
terms upon which it is willing to make
peace. The German displomats say
President Wilson has no intention of
drawing a public declaration concern
ing terms from the Central Powers.
On the contrary they think the Pres
ident's suggestion "that an early oc
casion be sought to call out from all
the nations now at war such an avow
al of their respective views as to the
terms upon which the war might be
concluded." has been fully met by
Germany in seeking an immediate
conference with her enemies.
RESOURCES OF NATIONAL
BANKS SHOW BIG INCREASE.
Gain of Four Billions Made In Past
Two Years, Making Gigantic Total
of $15,520,000,000.
Washington. Resources of National
banks of the United States, Comptrol
ler Williams announced, have increas
3d more than $4,000,000,000 during the
last two years and now aggregate $15,
520,000,000 exceeding by about $1,000,
000,000, the total resources of the
Bank of England, the Bank of France,
the Bank of Russia, the German
Reichsbank, the Bank of Italy, the
Bank of Spain, the Bank of The Neth
erlands, the Bank of Denmark, the
Swiss National Bank and the Imperial
Bank of Japan combined.
m i i
PLYMOUTH, N. C, FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 1917.
E 101
THEIR PEACE TERMS
SPECTATOR OUTLINES DEMANDS
ON CENTRAL POWERS BY EN
TENTE ALLIES.
ARE BRIEFLY SUMMARIZED
Peace Terms Are to Start From Status
Quo Before the War. Must Give Up
Much Possessions and Change Gov
ernment. London. The Spectator devotes the
greater part of its issue to answering
President Wilson's question as to what
are" the peace terms of the entente al
lies. Briefly" summarized the principal
demands as outlined by the Spectator
follow : 7 1'
"The peace terms are to start 'from
the status quo before the war, thus hi
eluding the evacuation of the whole of
northern France, Belgium and Luxem
burg, and of all lands taken from Ser
bia, Rumania, Russia and Montenegro.
"Alsace-Lorraine is to be restored to
France. The Danish portion of Schles-wig-Holstein
is to go to Denmark and
Posen, Polish Prussia and Austrian
Poland are to be added to the new sub
kingdom of Poland whih the Czar has
pledged to create.
"The Slavs of Bosnia, Herzegovina,
Delmatia, Croatia,, etc., are to be
created into a new kingdom.
"Bohemia is to be an independent
state.
"The Rumanian section of Transyl
vania to be added to Rumania.
"The whole Austrian Tyrol, plus
Triest, Istria, and the other portions
of Austria which are Italian in blood
or feeling, tobe added to Italy.
"Turkey to yield Constantinople
and the straits to Russia.
"The Armenians . to be put under
Russian tutelage.
"The Arabs to be freed, while Syria,
Asia Minor and Mesopotamia are to be
under external protection guarantee
ing tranquility.
"The German colonies to remain in
the hands of the entente. Moreover, a
money indemnity for the ruin Ger
many has done In Belgium, France,
Serbia, Montenegro, etc.
"As regarding shipping, Germany to
make reparation in kind for all ships
of commerce destroyed ton for ton,
neutral shipping to be replaced only
after all the demands of the allies
have been satisfied.
"The German navy to be handed
over and distributed among entente
nations.
"As a guarantee against future war,
the allies are to insist upon the demo
cratization of the German government.
"The Kiel canal to be neutralized
under an international non-German
commission including the entente
countries, the United States and other
neutrals."
REFUSAL OF MAKERS TO
TALK STOPS PAPER PR08E.
Department of Justice May Be Asked
to Take Hand in Investigation.
Washington. Hearings reopened
here by the Federal Trade Commis
sion in its news print paper investiga
tion came to a sudden end when paper
manufacturers refused to discuss the
reasonableness of news print prices.
Both publishers and jobbers had been
heard.
The manufacturers declared that
they had not had time to study tables
prepared by the commission's inves
tigators purporting to show huge prof
its. Members of the Trade Commis
sion announced that despite an appar
ent unwillingness by the manufactur
ers to co-operate in the investigation,
the commission's report would be is
sued probably in about 10 days and
that such recommendations to Con
gress would be'ma '.e as were thought
necessary. At the same time it was
said the commission would soon be in
position to announce whether its con
sideration of a paper distribution plan
showed an actual paper shortage and
a need for distribution under super
vision of the commission.
FOREIGNERS IN MEXICO
MUST RESIGN RIGHTS.
Mexico City. A decree ha3 been is
sued giving foreigners holding title to
real estate, mining and oil properties
and timber lands until April 13 to re
sign their treaty rights fn so far as
the properties in question are concern
ed. Formal renunciation of such
rights must be made in accordance
with the decree issued more than four
months ago which provided that such
foreigners must become citizens in so
far as their property ws concerned.
ALLIES MAK
ATLEE P0MERENE
i"s'k' 'Ik i$
New photograph of Atlee Pomer
ene, who was re-elected United States
senator from Ohio.
CENTRAL POWERS REPLY
SUGGEST THAT CONFERENCE
BE HELD TO DISCUSS BASIS
OF PEACE TERMS.
In Washington, Action It Looked Upon
as Advancing Cause, Although
There is Disappointment Because
No Terms Are Set Forth.
Washington. Germany's reply to
President Wilson's note is regarded
here as having advanced the peace
movement another step despite the
fact that it disappoints in not meeting
his suggestion for an avowel of terms.
The reception German's reply re
ceives among the Entente Allies,
whose statesmen have publicly de
clared against such a program, now
becomes the point .upon which a furth
er move hinges. The German note
probably is the prelude to a series of
carefully considered delicate moves in
the great game of world diplomacy all
possibly leading to an approach tor a
real discussion of peace terms on
grounds which all the belligerents can
place them at no disadvantage.
This is the official view of Ger
many's reply, so far as it has been
formulated on the basis of the un
official text. The official copy had not
been received and President Wilson
was keeping his mind open.
Neutral diplomatic quarters, too, re
garded the note as a step toward peace
and rather leaned to the view that
Germany might follow It with a con
fidential communication of some sort
outlining her terms.
The reply of the Central Powers as
given out at Berlin, says:
"The high-minded suggestion made
by the President of the United States
of America in order to create a basis
for the establishment of a lasting
peace has been received and consider
ed by the Imperial Government in the
friendly spirit wihch was expressed in
the President's communication.
"The President points out that
which he has at heart and leaves open
the choice of roads.
"To the Imperial Government an im
mediate exchange of views seems to
be the most appropriate road in order
to reach the desired result.
"It begs, therefore, in the sense of
the declaration made on December 12
which offered a hand for peace nego
tiations to propose an Immediate meet
ing of delegates of the belligerent
States at a neutral place.
"The Imperial Government is also
of the opinion that the great work of
reventing future wars can be begun
only after the end of the present strug
gle of the nations.
LUIS CABRERA DENIES ANY
TIME LIMIT FOR SIGNING.
New York. Luis Cabrera, chairman i
of the Mexican delgation on the Mex-;
j ioan-American point commission said
jhere that no time limit had been fixed
.for General Carranza either to accept
' or reject the protocol proposed by the
Mexican-American conference at At
lantic City. There was id understand
ing during the sessions of the joint
commission he ;iMtd. which gave the
American commissione.s authority to
impose su;h a time limit.
GARRANZA APPEALS
NGE FN PLAN
FIRST CHIEF SENDS OBJECTIONS
TO PLAN FOR MEXICAN
BORDER CONTROL.
NOTE IS NOT MADE PUBLIC
Latest Suggestions For Changes In
Agreement Will Be Considered by
The Three American Representa
tives, Lane, Mott and Gray.
Washington. One more appeal for
modification of the protocol providing
for the withdrawal of American troops
from Mexico is made by General Car
ranza in a message delivered to Sec
retary Lane by Luis Cabrera, chair
man of the Mexican members of the
joint commission. The Mexican first
chief replied to the insistent Ameri
can demand that the protocol signed
by his s'pokesman at Atlantic City be
ratified with an eight hundred word
document in which he failed to ac
cede to the demand, but refrained
from writing anything that could be
construed as a flat repudiation.'
The latest suggestions for changes
in the agreement now will be consid
ered by the three American represen
tatives Secretary Lane, J. R. Mott
and Judge Gray. Secretary Lane ad
vised his colleagues of the character
of the reply and asked them to meet
him here as soon as they conven
iently could.
A joint session of the Mexican
American commission will be held at
which the Americans will give the
Mexicans their answer and on its na
ture depends the future course of the
commissioners.
It was learned that the Mexican
commissioners were confident that no
inseparable barrier had been raised by
Carranza.
The chief insistence of Carranza has
been that the American troops should
be withdrawn unconditionally 'which
the American commissioners would
not consider. It was Indicated that
Carranza's insistence on that point
was less pronounced now and that the
change in his attitude had been
wrought largely by the altered mili
tary situation in northern Mexico.;?
ADAMSON ACT CONFERENCE
SPLITS OVER WAGE IS$
End Comes Abruptly No More1
ings Until Supreme Court Pa.
On Law ;
New York. Conferences be'
representatives of the railroad,
the four brotherhoods of railway
ployes at which were discusse
nnqihiliti of a settlement 4
eight-hour controversy, were jf?
tinued abruptly today when it becaoe
apparent an agreement could not be
reached.
It was announced by both sides that
there would be no more meetings until
after the United States Supreme Court
hands down its decision on the consti
tutionality of the Adamson act.
The break came, It was learned,
when the rairoad representatives re
fused to concede the demands of the
new wage schedule fixed by the Adam
son law, which goes into effect Janu
ary 1st.
The brotherhood chiefs held, it was
said, that their men had the right to
begin drawing wages according to the
scale rovided by the Adamson law
immediately after the law became ef
fective, irrespective of the suits
brought by the railroads to test its
validity.
CALIFORNIA
PRESS TO
INCREASE
RATES
Sacramento, Cal. An increase in
subscription and advertising rates as
a means of fighting the high cost of
newsprint paper is favored by mem
bers of the California Press Associa
tion, according to a report made by a
special committee of the association.
PRESIDENT WILL VETO
PUBLIC BUILDINGS BILL
Washington. President Wilson told
callers that he would veto the $28,000,
000 public buildings bill If it comes
to him in the form in which it is now
pending in the house. Its advocates
plan to seek to obtain a rule for con
sideration of the measure by the house
soon after the Christmas recess. The
president ha? reached no decision on
the rivers ami harbors bill laid before
him recently by Chairman Sparkman
of the Rivers and Harbors Committee
NO. 27.
WILL ASK LAW FOR
ROAD MAINTENANCE
WITHOUT IT STATE CANNOT
CLAIM $114,000 FEDERAL ROAD
APPROPRIATION.
COMMISSIONERS MEET JAN 8
State Highway Commission Will Con
siders Plans For New Years Work
and Report to Legislature.
Raleigh. Unless the State Highway
Commission can get from the General
Assembly legislation providing for the
maintenance of roads constructed, the
state cannot claim $114,000 of the Fed
eral road fund already apportioned
among the counties of the state. The
commission will meet here on January
8, when It will consider plans for the
new year's work, and also settle upon
the requests It will make of the legis
lature. For one thing, the commission wants
its appropriation increased from ten
thousand dollars to fifty thousand
dollars. Already its work has extend
ed to more than three-fourths of the
counties of the state, and the possibil
ities of further extension are only lim
ited by the finances.
Mr. W. S. Fallis, state highway engi
neer, stated that the commission's
work has succeeded thus far in every
instance where the commission has
supervised county work, in saving be
tween 25 and 30 per cent of the cost
as estimated by the lowest bidder.
And with the road work in North Caro
lina aggregating five million dollars
annually, he declares he is perectly
safe in estimating the saving of one
million dollars annually on highway
construction, if the commission were
put in charge of all this work.
As to the federal aid, the stipulation
which now holds North Carolina from
its benefits is the one requiring main
tenance provisions in the state. Under
present conditions, the county csmmis
sioners in the various counties have
maintenance authority for only two
years. The federal law requires some
thing permanent. And that $114,000,
which is due to increase from year to
year, will remain idle, so far as this
state Is concerned, until that mainte
nance provision Is secured.
The highway engineer hopes it will
come through the use of the entire au-
tomobile license tax for maintenance
M purposes. This will be one or. tae
i things the, commission will ask of ths
j5eneral assembly. It will ask that 60
ft,r cent of the tax be turned back
sfjio the counties in proportion to the
y'jjces paid in that county, to be used
the county authorities under super-
VnsPion or 1
, maintei
Nov
-aiseel the C(
onstuon of the Highway Commission
maintenance. The other 40 per
commission wants turned
for use in its discretion
rfverever it is needed over the state
for highway upkeep.
Big Hotel For Greensboro.
Greensboro. The long-hoped-for
"big hotel" for Greensboro will prob
ably be a fact before Christmas, 1917.
When the needed $75,000 in common
stock was all subscribed at a meet
ing ine the Chamber of Commerc
rooms a sigh of relief went up from
those who have been working on the
proposition for some time. The site Is
to cost $20,000 and the building $300,
000. First mortgage bonds to the
amount of $160,000 will be issued, and
Becond mortgage bonds will ba In the
amount of $85,000. The first bonds
and $65,000 of the second class bonds
have virtually been placed, so that of
all the stock and bonds, only $20,00
yet remain to be placed.
Another Dam at Badin.
Albemarle. That work on the sec
ond big dam to be b!lt by the Ameri
can Aluminum Company at the falls of
the Yadkin about three miles below
Badin is to commence upon a big
scale is evidenced by the fact that
a double track of railway is to be con
tinued down the river from Badin to
the falls. It is reported upon good
authority that the final survey for this
road is now being made and that
states are being driven preparatory to
active construction work of the road.
Craig Issues Election Papers.
Raleigh. Governor Craig has made
out and delivered the certificates of
election to the federal and state of
ficers elected in this stata at the No
vember election and notifications for
the presidential electors to meet in
Raleigh January 8 to elect from their
number the messengers who shall go
to Washington at the appointed time
and cast the North Carolina vote for
Woodrow Wilson for President. The
utmost care is being exercised to rig
Idly conform with every detaP of the
election laws.