1.
',. ' J N I
I1M a Year In Advance
'FOR GOD, FOR COUNTRY AND FOR TRUTH."
Single Copies, S Cents.
: -
VOL. XXVII.
PLYMOUTH, N. C, FRIDAY, MARCH 30, 1917.
NO. 39.
MM
.4
r
MORE STEPS FOR
PREPAREDNESS
GOVERNMENT MAKES FURTHER
STEPS TOWARD PREPARA
TIONS FOR WAR.
OTHER STATE TROOPS CALLED
Executive Order Issued Directing
That Marine Corps Be Recruited to
Full War Strength. Aliens May Be
Registered. Thirty Regiment!
Called.
Washington. War prepartions by
the Government included calling into
the Federal service a score of addi
tional National Guard regiments for
police service in the Western and
Middle Western States and an order
for the immediate recruiting of the
Marine Corps to full war strength of
17,400 men.
With both the Navy and the Marin9
Corps ordered up to full strength, the
only step remaining to, increase the
Navy personnel without action by Con
gress is the calling out of the Naval
militia. It has been understood that
the militia will be needed to fill out
crews for the many vessels to be add
ed, but no announcement on the sub
ject has been made.
Secretary Baker said no further
call upon the National Guard was in
prospect. More than thirty-two regi
ments have been summoned to Feder
al duty to guard industries or other
property which might be threatened
by internal disorder growing out of
the German situation.
Marine Corps Increased.
The crder to increase the Marine
Corps from its present authorized
maximum of 14,981 to 17,400 was an
nounced by Secretary Daniels in the
following statement telegraphed to
newspaper editors whose aid in find
ing the men is sought:
"The President has signed an exe
cutive order directing that the author
ized strength of the Marine Corps be
increased to 17,400 men.
"He was authorized by Congress in
case of emergency, to direct such in
crease in enlistment.
"The United States Marine Corps
is the soldier branch of our 'first line
of defense.' Marines serve both ashore
and afloat, and are trained as infan
try , heavy and light artillery, and ma
chine gun companies. They form the
landing parties from ships of the
Navy, are the first men detailed for
expeditionary duty, and defend, all na
val bases. Each capital ship of the
Navy carries one company of marines.
There has been a net increase of over
3,000 in the strength of the corps since
Congress recently authorized an in
crease but over four thousand more
are needed and needed now.
"Will you please emphasize the
needs of this important branch of our
naval service by giving special prom
inence in your papers to the Presi
dent's order.
"The marine corps offers exception
al opportunities to young men of grit
and ambition to serve their country
in the first line of denfense.
"In this emergency you have the op
portunity and privilege of performing
this public service, and I am con
fidently appealing to you for your cor
dial and helpful co-operation."
WILL MAKE NO FURTHER
PACTS WITH GERMANY
United States Declines to Reaffirm or
Extend Treaties of 1879 or 1828.
Washington. In refusing the Ger
man proposal to affirm or extend the,
agreements of. the, treaties of 1799 and
1828, the United States government
also said it was seriously considering
the question of iwhether Germany's
"flagrant violations" of these treaties
had not in effect abrogated them. The
position of this country became known
definitely when the . reply to the
German suggestion was made public,
having been delivered previously- to
Dr. Paul Ritter. the Swiss minister,
now representing the interests of Ger
many in this country.
LINER ST. LOUIS HAS .
REACHED DESTINATION
Washington. The American liner
St. Louis, the first armed ship to cross
the Atlantic, has arrived safely at her
destination Secretary of the Navy
Daniels was informed by offices of the
line in New York. No details of the
trip were given.
New York. The St. Louis left an
American port on March 17 with 31
passengers, of whcm 14 were Ameri
can citizens. . Amon-g-he' ctvw of 394
persons were 131 Americans. , ,
EXECUTIVE ORDER
TO PLAGE NATION ON
FULL WARFOOTING
NAVY IS ORDERED RECRUITED
TO FULL STRENGTH OF 87,000
MEN.
MANY NATIONAL GUARD
UNITS CALLED TO COLORS
This With Naval Construction Al
ready Ordered Means President Has
Exercised Full Limit of Authority as
Commander-in-Chief to Prepare For
War.
Washington. President Wilson took
steps to place the nation on a war
footing.
P By executive order, he directed that
the Navy be recruited without delay
to full authorized war strength of 87,
000 enlisted men. Taken in connection
with emergency naval construction, al
ready ordered, this means that the
President has exercised the full limit
of, his legal powers as Commander-in-Chief
to prepare the Navy for war.
For the Army, the President di
rected that two new military depart
ments be created in the Atlantic Coast
region. The order means that the
task' of organising whatever Army
Congress may authorize will be divid
ed among six departmental command
ers instead of four, in the interest of
speed and efficiency in mobilization.
The third step was to assume as a
National duty the task of protecting
American industries from domestic
disorders in the event of hostilities.
For this purpose, 11 full infantry reg
iments, two separate battalions and
one. separate company of National
Guards were called back into the Fed
eral service to act as National police
in important districts. Supplement
ing these troops a regiment of Penn
sylvania Guard and two companies of
Georgia Infantry en route home from
tliV border for muster out, were order
ed retained in the Federal service.
No Explanations Given.
The President's orders were made
known in terse official statements is
sued by both Departments. No ex
planation accompanied them except
the statement that reorganization of
the military departments, effective
May 1, was designed to facilitate de
centralization of command. Follow1
ing fs the Executive order bringing
the Navy up to war strength.
By virtue of the authority vest
ed in the President by the act of
Congress approved . August 29,
1916, entitled "an act making ap
proprations for naval service for
the fiscal year ending June. 30,
1917, and for other purposes" it
is hereby directed that the au
thorized enlisted strength -of the
Navy be increased to 87,000 men.
(Signed) WOODROW WILSON.
The Navy must enroll immediately
approximately 20,000 men to reach
the required strength. Secretary Dan
iels supplemented it with personal tel
egrams to newspaper editors all over
the country urging them to aid the
Department in every way in their
power to obtain the men.
CALL TO COLORS FOR
TROOPS OF NATIONAL GUARD
Fourteen Regiments are Again Called
to Service for Police Purposes
Washington. Calling into the Fed
eral service of 14 regiments of the
National Guard for police protection
purposes was announced by the war
department.
The department issued this state
ment: "Many states have deemed it ad
visable to call out the National Guard
for police purposes of protection. As
the necessity for such steps arises
from issues which are more National
than local, it has been deemed advis
able by the president to call into Fed
eral service for the above-mentioned
purposes fourteen organizations of the
National Guard.
"Massachusetts, Second and Third
Regiments.
"Pennsylvania, First and Third
Regiments
"Maryland, Fourth Regiment.
"District of Columbia, First Sepa
rate Batallion.
"Vermont, Company B, First Regi
ment. "Connecticut, First Regiment.
"New York, Second and Seventy
first Regiments.
"New Jersey, First and Fiftieth
Regiments.
"Delaware, First Battalion, First
RegimeriC
SPRING
(Copyrlg-ht.)
NATION OFFERS MEDIATION
EUROPEAN NEUTRAL MAY TRY
TO AVERT WAR BETWEEN
GERMANY AND U. S.
Proposal Probably Another Move to
Confuse the Issue and Divide Senti
ment Here, Is Way Washington Re
gards the Matter.
Washington. Word that a neutral
European Nation might .offer media
tion to prevent open war between the
United States and Germany has come
to the Administration without caus
ing surprise or in any way affecting
the Government's plans for meeting
the situation forced by submarine
ruthlessness. Such a proposal is re
garded here as nothing more than an-other-scheme
fostered by Germany
with the hope of confusing the issue
and possibly dividing sentiment in
this country while the destruction of
American lives and ships on the high
seas continue.
At the State Department officials
would neither deny nor confirm that
the Government already had been ap
proached on this subject,, although it
was admitted informally that some
such move was not unexpected.
It was very emphatically stated that
no suggestion of mediation or discus
sion would be considered unless it
was . accompanied by abandonment of
illegal assaults upon American ship
ping, a course which, there is no rea
son for beliving the' Imperial Gov
ernment is giving a thought.
The feeling in all quarters here is
that the United States has with in
finite patience and forbearance done
everything possible with honor to
avoid the virtual state of war now ex
isting through Germany ' aggression.
So long as this aggression continues,
officials say there is nothing to do but
adopt measures of defense; and no
basis exists for discussion.
Suspends Eight-Hour Law..
During the 10 days that must elapse
before Congress assembles in response
to his call, President Wilson will give
close personal attention to the prepar
ations going forward through the War
and Navy Departments. He saw no
callers today, but was in touch with
both of the Departments. One of the
duties he performed was the signing
of a formal proclamation suspending
the eight-hour law as applied to plants
engaged on naval work, as step auth
orized by Congress as a part of the
general plans for speeding up con
struction. ANOTHER VESSEL FLYING
AMERICAN FLAG IS SUNK.
Healdon is Torpedoed in North Sea
Without Warning. Twenty of
Crew Lost.
Washington. American Consul
Mahin, at Amsterdam, cabled the State
Department that the American steam
er Healdton, sunk by a submarine off
Terchelling. Holland, was torpedoed
without warning, and. that 20 of the
crew were drowned. The Consul's
dispatch follows:
"Standard Oil Ship Healdton, from
Philadelphia for Rotterdam, cargo oil,
torpedoed without warning 8:15 even
ing of 21st, 25 miles north of Ter
schelling, Holland. Twenty of crew
drowned. One died of injuries. Oth
ers (taken) to north of Holland. Sub
marini seen after torpedoing. More
details to follow."
The sinking of the . Healdton adds
another grave chapter to the story of
war waged against American ship
ping by Germany to be laid before j
Congress by President Wilson at tho
special session he has called for April (
SHOPPING
EXTRA SESSION ON APRIL 2ND
CONGRESS EXPECTED TO MAKE
FORMAL DECLARATION OF
WAR ON GERMANY.
President Will Probably Be Clothed
With Authority to Use Armed
Forces of the Country as President
McKinley Was Empowered to Do
at the Outbreak of the War With
Spain in 1898.
Washington. President Wilson met
the constantly increasing probability
of war with Germany by summoning
Congress to assemble in extra session
Monday, April 2, two weeks earlier
than the date he had chosen before
the latest assaults upon American
rights on the seas.
'When the President addresses Con
gress, he is expected to show how a
state of war actually. has existed for
some time because of the unlawful
aggressions of German submarir.es.
Congress is expocted formally to de-'
clare a state of war existing, vote :
larg sum, probably half a billion dol
lars, for National defense, and clothe
the President with authority to use
the armed forces of the United States,
as it empowered President McKinley
to deal with the menace of Spain in
1?9S. .
w Such action would not be a declara
tion of war except in a technical sense,
and whether the United States and
Germany actually go to war in the
fullest acceptation of the term will de
pend on what the Imperial Govern
ment does before Congress is assem
bled or after it acts.
Dispatches from abroad declaring
that the German Government expect
ed a state of war within the next 4S
hours placed an ominous aspect on
the situation.
Much to change the President's
present intentions or the course of the
Government in the crisis may develop
before April 2. The first American
armed ships will by that time have
reached the war zone. The ruthless
destruction of one of them undoubt
edly would be an act of war.
On the other hand, sinking of a sub
marine by one of the armed merchant
men probably would be met-as an act
of war by Germany. Even the arming
of American ships with the avowed
purpose of defending them against U
boats may be declared such- an act.
In any of these events, practically
nothing would remain except for Con
gres to acknowledge a state of war ex
isting from a certain specified date,
probably last Sunday, when three
American ships were sunk with loss
of life.
The next few days, until Congress
meets, will be days of tense anxiety,
of eager waiting and watching,
fraught with possibilities of tremyi
dous consequences to the United
States.
President Wilson and his advisers
in the Cabinet and in Congress have
no intention that war shall be de
clared by the United States. By the
hostile acts of German submarines
they believe the Imperial German
Government is actually making war
on the United States, and that it shall
be recognized as such a state. To
meet sucii a condition, the armed
forces of the country and all the Na
tional resources are to be put in a
state of readiness. Then whether the
Nation shall enter the war in its full
sense -will depend upon how much
further Germany carried her acts of
aggression.
In laying the whole situation be
fore Congress, the President Is ex:
pected to detail fully the warlike acts
of Germany aaginst the United States,
and o pay particular attention to the
future of the American Government
as the ?;'-eai conflict draws to a close
STORM SWEEPSOVER
EW ALBANY. IND.
TWENTY-FIVE TO FIFTY ESTIMAT
ED KILLED AND OVER HUN
DRED INJURED.
MASS OF WRECKAGE IN PATH
State Troops Asked For. Aid Rushed
From Louisville and Jefferson.
Work of Devastation Leaves Many
Homeless.
New Albany, Ind. Between 25 and
50 persons were killed and probably
100 or more were injured by a storm
which swept over New Albany, demol
ishing scores of residences and several
industrial plants.,
Twenty-five bodies have been re
covered, and it is expected this num
ber will be materially increased when
all the debris of wrecked buildings
has been cleared away.
The lighting system for the resi
dence section of the city was put out
of commission by the storm, and the
work of rescue is proceeding with
difficulty.
The storm struck about two mile
from New Albany and moved south
west. Entering the city at State
street, near Haly, It swept through
three blocks. At the Intersection of
State and Pearl streets, it left the
ground and then struck again at Vln
cennes street and the Charletown
road nearly a mile away. At that
point, dwellings in three blocks were
demolished.
In its progress along the Corydon
Pike, the storm uprootted hundreds
of trees and destroyed many small
houses, many of whose occupants
were injured.
The streets in the path of the storm
were a mass of wreckage a.id it was
soon seen that outside assistance was
needed to meet the situation.
An appeal was made to the city
authorities of Louisville, who sent a
large number of policemen to the
scene. In addition, every available
officer from the Indiana State Refor
matory at Jeffersonville and from the
Jeffersonville police force were hur
ried to the stricken district. A call
was made on the Governor for state
troops, and it was reported that these
were on the way. Numbers of citizens
from surrounding towns hastened to
New Albany and offered such aid as
they could.
PLANS FOR PARTICIPATION
OF UNITED STATES IN WAR
Preparations Are Talked over f
Cabinet Meeting. No Half-Wa-t
Measures.
Washington. The American V
ernment has decided upon swetr
measures to be put into effect, f
ing the expected declaration by
gress son after it meets April 2,
a state of war exists between
United States and Germany
Fully appreciating Germany'?,
cy of acting in .war first and
afterwards, the Government h
termined to provide against
Questions involved were ais
at a Cabinet meeting, to whic
of departments carried report?
parations already made andi
contemplated. s
Regretfully the Governing jjb
tk- Viaa HoirlpH that sinr- il
,..J . V..V.WV. .......
through ruthless killing offl,
and destruction or.tneir)p
issue uiusl uc uici miu tjj
more far-reaching than men
to protect individual merch.
Once a state of war is decln
ist, aggressive measures a
to be taken.
As outlined after Fnda
meeting, the preparation
ernment are not to be foil .
or a war marked by haJ
ures. A complete progr
prepared so that
every
carried out in a systeni
The exact measure cJ
ticipation in the war
to be revealed until
dent addresses Congr
public sentiment cryst
Whether an army
abroad is left to the fu
possibility Is being tal
sideratlon. and the Go
poses to be ready for it!
practicable
A
Detailed plans requlril
sional action are expected to
plete when Congress meets A
Prior to that time, the Demor
and KepuDUcan leaders win co.
with the President and members 2
his Cabinet. Speaker Clark and Rep
resentative Kitchin returned to Wash
ington from the South.
f-iw..4..tw.w.
SECRETARY DANIELS
APPEALS FOR RECRUITS
Following the President's authori
zation that the enlisted strength of
the navy be recruited to 87,000 men.
Secretary of the Navy Daniels U
making a direct appeal to the na
tion, through the press, for a quick
response by young men to the
President's call. The following
telegram was received from Secre
tary Daniels, which is self-explana
ory :
Washington, D. C, March ,15, 191'
'To the Editor:
"The President last night signea
an executive order directing that
the authorized enlisted strength of
the navy be increased to 87,000. He
was authorized by Congress in case
of emergency, to direct such in
crease in enlistment. New ships
and ships in reserve are being fully
commissioned as rapidly as possi
ble and the need is imperative for
a larger enlistment to man them.
There has been a net increase of
over 6,500 in enlistment since Con
gress recently authorized an in
crease, but many more are needed,
and needed now.
"Will you not emphasize this
need by giving special prominence
in your paper, to the Presidents'
order, and also by making an edito
rial appeal for new recruits for the
navy?
"The navy offers exceptional ad
vantages to young men of stuff and
ambition to serve in the first line
for national defense. In this emer
gency you have the opportunity and
the privileges of performing this
public service, and I am confident
ly appearing to you for your cordial
and helpful co-operation .
"JOSEPHUS DANIELS."
4 .
SOME CHANGES MADE IN
MILITARY DEPARTMENT
Washington. Division of the Unit
ed States into six instead of the ex
isting four military departments was
announced by the War Department.
MaJ. Gen. Leonard Wood is trans
ferred ..'rom command of the Depart
ment oithe East to the new Southern
Department, with headquarters at
Charleston ; Maj. Gen. J. Frankrin Bell
from ths Weston Department to the
Eastern "Pe trt MaJ- Gen- Hun
ter Liggf Philippines to
the West -tt and Brig.
r.n rf 1m th
Canal. V
partf
the
Gi
a
mm.
'l. department
Jfiin Bell will
V Department.
JMggett will com
am Department and
-'ce R. Edwards will
Northeastern Depart-
f r v . .
Eirig
irigS
comma
ment.
nea. jijawara H. Plum-
mer wi,
command the troops in the
Panama
Canal Zone. Other Depart.
r
i
i
-Si
r
HP Jh "
y6" ffias
ment commanders
present."
will remain as at
i tn i
If