v
.J I:
r 1
-
a Year In Advance
-FOR GOD, FOR COUNTRY AND FOR TRUTH."
Slngl Copies, 6 Cent.
VOL. XXVII.
PLYMOUTH, N. C, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1917.
NO. 33.
7
r
U.S. WILLiT ENTER
N
S GERMANY CON'
ER RUTHLESS U-
BUM WAHrAKL
J
BLUNT REPLY TO PROPOSAL
V
la Made by Lansing at President's
Direction. Renewal of German
Pledge Prerequisite to Any Diplo
matic Discussion.
Washington. The United States
has flatly rejected Germany's offer to
discuss differences between the two
nations while the ruthless submarine
campaign is in progress.
In a note today to the Swiss min
ister,who on. Saturday presented oral
ly the German proposal, Secretary
Lansing said the United States "does
not feel that it can enter into any
discussion with the German govern
. ment concerning the policy of subma
rine warfare against neutrals which
it is now pursuing, unless and until
the German government renews its as
surances of the 4th of May (the Sus
sex note) and acts upon the assur
ances." The state department's announce
ment follows:
"In view of the appearance in the
newspapers-of February 11 of a report
that Germany was initiating negotia
tions with the United States in regard
to submarine warfare, the Department
of State makes the following state
ment: "A suggestion was made orally to
the Department of State late Saturday
afternoon by the Minister of Switzer
land that the German Government is
willing to negotiate with the United
States, provided that the commercial
blockade against England would not be
interfered with. At the request of
the Secretary of State, this suggestion
was mads in writing and presented
to him by the Swiss minister Sunday
night.
"The communication is as follows:
" 'The Swiss government has been
requested by the German government
to say that the latter is now, as before,
willing to negotiate, formally or in
formally, with the United States, pro
vided that the commercial blockade
against England will not be broken
thereby.
(Signed) ' P. RITTER.'
Lansing's Reply.
This memorandum was given im
mediate consideration and the follow
ing reply was dispatched:
"My dear Mr. Minister:
"I am requested by the president
to say to you, in acknowledging the
memorandum which you were kind
enough to send to me on the 11th in
stant, that the Government of the
United States would gladly discuss
with the German Government any
questions it might propose for discus
sion were it to withdraw its proclama
tion of the 31st of January, in which,
suddenly and without previous inti
mation of any kind, it cancelled the
assurances which it had given this
government on the 4th of May last;
but that it does not feel that it can
enter into any discussion with the
German Government concerning ihe
policy of submarine warfare against
neutrals which it is now pursuing un
less and until the German government
renews its assurances of the 4th of
May and acts upon the assurances.'
MEXICAN FIRST CHIEF '
WOULD BE DOVE OF PEACE
Washington. Revolution swept
Mexico's de facto government has en
tered the lists of international peace
makers. With an identic note to
all neutrals, it proposed a joint effort
to end the European war, to be follow
ed, in the event of failure, by the cut
ting off of all exports of munitions
and supplies to belligerents.
The communication was banded to
the state department by R. P. de
Negri, charge of the Carranza embas
i ' sy here. It was received with expres-
sions of mingled amusement and grav-
ity in official quarters.
CHINESE DON'T WANT
TO RETURN TO JUAREZ
Columbus, N. M. Fve hundred Ch
nese refugees from Mexco protested
aganst the contemplated plan of de
porting them to Juarez. Leaders said
Villa was expected to attack Juarez
and that all Chinese would be executed
if he captured the town. The protest
has been forwarded to Chinese min
ister at Washington. Immigration of
ficials said arrangements have been
made at El Paso to give asylum to Chi
nese if the Mexican town fa .Hlrxtvl
INTO
5vi S. L
DISCUSSIO
f
HAS LITTLE HOPE
OF AVOIDING WAR
BERLIN HAS NO EXPECTATION
THAT HOSTILITIES WITH U.
S. CAN BE PREVENTED.
RATHER DEFER THAN AVOID
Ultimate Hostilities Inevitable if
President Adheres to Position That
Loss of American Life Is Hostile
Act. .
Copenhagen, via London. Littla
hope or expectation prevails in Berlin
that war with the United States is
avoidable, or that a modus Vivendi re
conciling the policies of the two Gov
ernments can be found.
There now is a desire on the part
of the authorities and a vast bulk of
the people to avoid actual hostilities
in any way consistent with the general
lines of the present submarine policy,
but only in such a way. Acordingly,
instructions were given, so the Asso
ciated Press has been reliably inform
ed, to submarine commanders before
they started on their February mis
sion, to take the safe side when neu
tral vessels, particularly American,
wer eiu question, whenever possible,
Enemy merchantment, when recogniz
ed as such, were ordered to be sunk
at sight, but neutral merchantmen
were- to be warned when such action,
in their judgment, was consistent with
the object of the campaign and the
safety of their own ships.
It is realized, however, that after
the prompt and resolute stand taken
by President Wilson, these orders
could only be palliative and only de
fer, not avoid, an ultimate break. Al
so, that if President Wilson stood by
his announcement that the destruc
tion of American lives or ships would
be regarded as an act of hostility, a
casus belli must come sooner or la
ter probably sooner on account of
the number of Americans on enemy
ships. Moreover, there was the dis
cretionary nature of the instructions
to submarine commanders, who were
informed that while the careful course
toward neutrals was recommended and
desired, they would no 'longer be sub
jected to punishment for departing
from their former procedure of warn
ing, if they found this advisable.
It is considered that the only pos
sibility of the avoidance of hostilities
would Result from a modification of
its standpoint by one or the other
side, and before the Associated Press
correspondent's departure from Ber
lin, there seemed no probability that
Germany would give way this time
or abandon the ruthless campaign now
started.
FOUR MILLION DOLLAR FIRE
LOSS IN PITTSBURG SUBURB.
Machine Shop of Union Switch and
Signal Company Destroyed.
Pittsburgh. The machine shop
building of the Union Switch and Sig
nal Company, the largest plant for the
manufacture of switch signals in the
United States, and until recently en
gaged in filling munition orders for
the European Governments, located at
Swissdale, a suburb, was destroyed by
fire with a loss estimated at $4,000,000.
The cause of the fire has not been de
termined, although officials of the
company believe it resulted from spon
taneous, combustion.
The blaze started in the packing
department of the building and, fan
ned by a high wind, gained such head
way that it was necessary to call out
the fire departments from the adjoin
ing boroughs of Braddock. Wilkins
burg, North Braddock and Rankin,
and apart of the Pittsburgh department.-
DEMOCRATIC SENATORS HOLD
CAUCUS AND APPROVE MEASURES
Washington. The diplomatic breach
with Germany having been indorsed
by the Senate, Congress is devoting
itself to important general business,
together with emergency measures
necessitated by the strained interna
tional situation.
Emergency measures awaiting ac
tion in the Senate include espionage
and conspiracy bills recommended by
the Attorney General, and amend
ments to the shipping laws. The Sen
ate expects to pass the Porto Rican
citizenship bill during the early part
of the present week, after which a
fight again will be instituted for legis
lation in the pending postoftice appro
priation increasing the rate on news
papers and periodicals and ' providing
for one-cent drop letter postage. Rev
enue legislation also will be pressed in
the Senate within a few days.
1
PROUD MEN I HAVE MET
WHiN' A i i "JTT
$J, H05TArtt" Vll fjL I
r rrn Notice iff I tcipM&iitf
tCopyrlgrht.)
LINER SUNK WITHOUT WARNING
WOMEN AND CHILDREN ABOARD
BRITISH LINER CALI
FORNIA. On Death and Thirty Hospital Cases
One Woman From Wyoming Whose
Husband Had Taken Out Natural!
ation Papers.
Washington. Consul Frost, at
Queenstown, cabled the State Depart
ment that the British passenger liner
California had been torpedoed without
warning off the Irish Coast, and that
the one American known to have been
on board was saved. Some of the pas
sengers and crew still were missing,
including two women and several chil
dren. - -
Frost's dispatch was as follows:
"Anchor Liner California has been
sunk; bound Glasgow, presumably
from New York. Two hundred per
sons on board; one death; 30 hospital
cases; survivors reach here late to
night." The captain of the ship is quoted as
saying the submarine did not hail or
give any warning before firing two
torpedoes from a distance of COO yards
and sending the California down.
The American survivor was John A.
Lee, of Montgomery, Ala., who is sup
posed to have been a member of the
crew.
Wyoming Woman on Board.
Casper, Wyoming. Mrs. Alexander
Cuthill, a passenger on board the liner
California, sailed two weeks ago to
visit her parents in Scotland. Mr.
Cuthill has taken out his first papers
of naturalization and has filed on a
homestead here.
No Americans Aboard.
New York. No American citizens
were among the 31 passengers on the
California, according to officials of the
Anchor Line in the city. Records filed
when applications were made for pas
sage showed that while many of the
persons who sailed on the liner lived
in the United States, they were sub
jects of Great Britain. The crew num
bered 184. The cable message receiv
ed at the Anchor Line offices in this
city announcing sinking of the Cali
fornia said that 1G0 survivors out of
the total of 215 persons aboard the
vessel had been landed. Nothing was
said of the fate of the remaining 55.
LEFT TO PRESIDENT TO
MAKE THE DECISION.
Washington. The steady stream of
reports telling of the destruction of
merchant ships by German submarines
was brought to a climax by a cable
gram to the State Department from
Consul Frost, at Queenstown. an
nouncing that the British passenger
liner California had been torpedoed
without warning, and that an Ameri
can citizen was among the survivors,
Whether this will prove to be the
overt act to drive the United States
into war no one would attempt to say.
President Wilson, who must maki
the decision, had retired when tho
news came, and officials did not wake
him. He had been informed of a me.i
sage from Consul Frost telling of the
sinking of the California, but giving
no details as to warning or the pres
ence of Americans..
The President undoubtedly will
wait for complete reports on the sub
ject before determining whether to go
before Congress and ask authority t-.
"use any means that may be neces
sary for the protection of our seamen
and our people."
SPEED IIP WORK ON BIG SHIPS
ALL WORKING FORCES DOUBLED
AND CONSTRUCTION WILL BE
RUSHED TO LIMIT.
All Possible Steps to Prepare For
Any Orders in Event That Country
Enters Into War. Just Waiting For
Word to Go.
Washington. Construction work on
warships building at the plants of the
Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry
dock Co., the Fore River Shipbuilding
Company and the Electric Boat Com
pany will be speeded up to the limit
of these plants. Work on the two su
perdreadnaughts building at the New
port' News yard is proceeding under
doubled crews at the suggestion of
Secretary Daniels, and the Secretary
accepted the proposal of the other two
plants to similarly hasten work " on
the war vessels 'vy are building.
At the Newport News plant it is
estimated that the battleship Missis
sippi, recently launched, can be com
pleted by midsummer instead of Jan
uary 1, 1918, as called for in the con
tract. . The keel of one of the four new
battleships recently contracted for
will be laid on the slip vacated by the
Mississippi Instead of a merchant ves
sel, as had been intended.
Representatives of the Fore River
and Electric Boat Company called on
Mr. Daniels, offering to rush work on
destroyers and submarines, for which
they would set aside private work.
They were told to go ahead at full
speed. The plan is to get the vessels
launched as soon as possible, freeing
stocks for then new set of destroyers
and submarines to be authorized in
the pending navy bill.
SAFE CONDUCT FOR
COUNT BERNSTORFF.
Will Be Given by Great Britain, the
Foreign Office Informs Ambassa
dor. London. Count von Bern3torff, for
mer German Ambassador to the Unit
ed State, will be given safe conduct
so far as it is within the power of the
British Government to bestow. This
announcement was made by the For
eign Office. It followed a conference
between A. J. Balfour, Secretary for
Foreign Affairs, and Ambassador
Page.
The two were closeted for nearly
an hour. Both were non-committal
on their deliberations, but at the con
clusion of the conference, the For
eign Office authorized announcement
of Great Britain's decision to accede
to Washington's request, mad two
da" a?o. At the same time, the For
eigi Office cabled its decision to the
Stute Department at, Washington. It
is sai dthat Great Britain is ready to
grant Count von Bernstortf safe con
duct, but that it could rot guarantee
the former Ambassador's safety
against the acts of his own countrv-
j nier. The British Government has ex
! pressed itself as anxious to meet the
I State Department's wishes.
GERARD'S COURSE IS
GIVEN APPROVAL.
Washington. Ambassador Gerard's
refusal to enter Into any sort of nego
tiations with the Germar Foreign Of
fice is approved by tbi State Depart
ment as the only possible course for
him to pursue in view of his status
of a private citizen. Any communi-!
cation from the German Government j
regarding a treaty or any other sub- j
jeot would have to be carried out !
through the Spanish or Swiss diplo- '
matic renrespnf ati- in Periin I
WILSON DECIDES
COURSE TO PURSUE
DETERMINES MOVE IN EVENT
GERMANY MAKES USE OF
FORCE NECESSARY.
PROTECT AMERICAN RIGHTS
If President Goes Before Congress it
Will Not Be to Declare War, But to
Protect American Rights.
Washington. The course to be tak
en by the United States if Germany
compels the use of force to safeguard
American rights, has been determined.
It was learned authoritatively after
the Cabinet meeting that in the event
President Wilson goes before Con
gress again, it will not be to ask for
a declaration of war, but to follow
literally the words of the address in
which he announced the break of dip
lomatic relations, and request author
ity to use means deemed necessary to
protect American seamen and people.
The President, it was said, is as
anxious as ever to avoid war with
Germany, but also is as determined
as ever that American citizens and
ships shall be free to travel the high
seas unmolested. His next step, if
taken, will be to enforce that right,
and even then the issue of war or
peace will be with Germany. Any
hostile action will have to come in
the form of an interference with an
American right.
Details of the Government's plans
are not discussed. It is known, how
ever, that convoying and arming of
merchant ships are being considered.
No new development came to indi
cate that the overt act by Germany
regarded as inevitable was nearer at
hand. Fewer reports of ships sunk
came in, and rrone told officially of the
loss of American life. Further infor
mation received about George Wash
ington, the negro fireman lost on the
Turino .indicated that he probably
was a British subject.
i Practically every member took to
the Cabinet information about the ac
tivities of his department in connec
tion with the general precautions be
ing taken. Questions discussed in
cluded proposed :r.?rgency legisla
tion, steps for protecting property,
mail problems precipitated by the
failure of ships to sail from American
ports for Europe, economic issues and
the Army and Navy preparation.
After the meeting, it was authori
tatively stated that nothing had yt
happened to change the course pur'
sued by the Government since the
break in relations with Germany.
The effect of the tying up of ships
in American harbors because of fear
that they will be sunk, if they pass
through the war zone, is one of the
questions being given careful consid
eration. The enforced idleness of the
merchant fleet is a subject of grow
ing exasperation.
RED CROSS PREPARED TO
CARE FOR ARMY OF MILION.
According to Reports to Washington
Headquarters Chapters Are
Ready For Field Service.
Washington. An expert hospital
force sufficient to care for an army
of a million men, could be mobilized
by the Red Cross within a few days
after an outbreak of hostilities, in
the belief of officials at headquarters
of the society here.
Since this call was issued February
3 instructing Red Cross chapters
throughout the country to place them
selves on a footing for field work,
many encouraging reports have been
returned to headquarters, together
with a great flood of personal offers
of service. Eliot Wadsworth, acting
chairman, estimated that the force
which could be mobilized immediately
in case of war would include:
Twenty-six completely equi
army and navy base hospital v.
with a total personnel of 1,250 u
aids
A hospital base reserve of 415 i
and 525 nurses' aids
A
A corps of expert instructors JF
al dressings, totalling abou'
Thirty-two partially complcl
gic
Thi
detachments of 20 nurses eacii
K
One hundred and fiftev
flniflrffonpr ,1 of a f m n t j
Ill V I 1 1 . V. I t. V 1 1 I V. 111.', -
"With the customary asslgny
10 patients to each nurse," 1
"wd rnuld thii taUo c:wo
sick and wounded at oncef
earlier stages of war. the 1
of sick and wounded is abouj
cent. In other words, we ar
umay 10 give expert nursing
an army of 1,000,000 men.
"No National emergency has eve;
found the Red Cross better prepared
than it is today."
F
I'
er
Jred
NAVAL MAUI
IS
GENERAL ORDERS WERE ISSUED
BY THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL
REGARDING IT. '
LIEUT. WILSON IN COMMAND
Commissioned Officers Take Drop In
Rank Under the New Rules Gov-
erning Them.
Raleigh. Reorganization of the na
val militia of the state to conform to
Federal regulations ' has just been
completed, and general orders wero
Issued by the Adjutant-General regard
ing it. The militia is organized into
a battalion, comprising the second
division of New Bern, fifth division
from Elizabeth City and the sixth
division from Washington.
In the reorganization scheme all tha
officers are reduced one peg In rank,
and Lieut. J. Kenyon Wilson, of Eliza
beth City, is made commanding offi
cer. Other officers are: J. C. B. Ehr
inghaus, lieutenant, executive and
navigation; E. E. Williams, lieutenant,
engineering officer; R. Duval Jones,
passed assistant surgeon, with rank
of lieutenant, medical officer; Claud
B. Williams, assistant surgeon, with '
rank of lieutenant, junior grade as
sistant medical officer; Everard H.
Baker, passed assistant paymaster,
with rank of lieutenant, paymaster;
B. F. Huske, chaplain, rank of lieuten
ant. The warrant officers are L. W.
Nelson, boatswain; J. L. Bell, machin
ist, and J. K. Hollowell, pharmacist.
Funeral of Soldier at Newton.
Newton. The funeral of Patrick
Thornburg, of Company A, Hickory,
who wa3 knocked from a car at Knox
Tille and killed, when the troop train
bearing the National Guard companies
passed under a bridge, was held from
the residence of his father, George
Thornburg. Interment was made in
Eastview Cemetery with mHitary hon
ors, a detail of 16 men, his comrades,
being sent from Company A.
Ilfev. V. L. Fulmer, of the Lutheran
church, conducted the services; "taps"
was sounded over the flag-draped,
wreath-covered grave, and three vol
leys fired. The young soldier is sur
vived by his wife and an infant which
he had not seen; his parents and sev
eral brothers and sisters.
Fifty-Five Pass Law Examination.
Raleigh. Fifty-five applicants for
license to practice law in North Caro
lina were successful in the examina
tion prepared by Justice Walker for
the court, according to announcement
of the court. Two out of the five
negroes who took the examination
passed.
Mr. J. PGolter and Mr. O. F. John
son. wer two Raleigh applicants
for licen were successful. They
were pi hr the examination by
yll and were tlie only
r license with his cer
ise who applied for
ie the court, or a
ight Stories.
Griffith, a young
ion Hospital, suv
tured skull and
'd in a plunge
tn elevator shaft
here. - In addi-
n this number
theuard floor of a ele-
A alter was accompanied on
the aerial journay by a trunk, and
despite this combination of circum
stances, he has a good chance of re
covery. The negro as wheeling the
trunk on a truck and did not notice
that the gate guarding the freight
elevator was open.
State Normal Has Big Fire.
Greensboro. One of the dormitory
lilrHnfj of thp North Carolina Stafq
rmal College, located here, was de
froyed by fire. Thirty young lady
ijured. The students lost all their
ersonal effects. The property loss is
laced at $10,000.
Bonds For Bridges.
Shelby. The county commission
ers decided on a bond Issue of $80,000
to bear four and a half per cent in
terest. The question of the issue will
not be submitted to a vote of the "peo
ple because the money is needed to re
place a public necessity, namely the
washed away bridges of the July
floods. The commissioners have gone
ahead with the bridge work, however,
and erected and contracted for some
thing like $60,000 worth of new steel
bridges. Three new steel bridge
wers contracted for
REORGM ZED
Judge r
ones ai
tificaj
UcJ
i 1
iiejr I
ferD I
i
vatoFr'
In