Ski-
. v
-FOR QOD, FOR COUNTRY AND FOR TRUTH."
Single Ooples, Cent.
VOL. XXVIII.
PLYMOUTH, N. C, FRIDAY, AUGUST 241917
NO. 8.
BIG OFFENSIVES
DRIVIN&TEUTONS
FRENCH AND ITALIAN ARMIES
HAVE STARTED MONSTER .
, DRIVES.
BRITISH HOLDING GROUND
French Make Great Gains at Avo
court on ,. Eleven-Mile Front. Ital
ians Bombardment is of Appalling
intensity.
With the British troops 'busily en
gaged In the successful parrying of
German counter thrusts against .the
newly-won ground in Flanders,, the
French and the tlalians have started
French and the Italians have started
against the Gernians near Verdun and
the Italians against . the Austrians
from the region of Plava to near the
head waters of the Adriatic sea. -,
Sharp, decisive blows have gained
for the French positions held by the
Germans on a .front of more than
eleven miles extending from the'Avo
court wood eastward across .the river
Meuse and into the Bois de Chaume.,
while the Italians, after a bombard
ment, of an intensity never before ex
perienced in that i theater,' have level
ed Austrian defenses, crossed the ruins
and also the Isonzo river and now are
at deadly grips with the enemy along
a front of about thirty-seven miles.
Nearly 12,000 prisoners already have
been counted by the French and Ital
ians, and doubtless this number will
be materially augmented when full
details of the fighting are "kt hand.
In addition the Germans and Austrians
lost heavily In men killed or wounded
and in guns .and machine guns cap
tured. '
Weltered in Blood.
The new territory taken by the
French embraces positions that have
literally weltered in French and Ger
man blood in battles that have been
waged to and fro since ' the German
crown prince started his most costly
enterprise, the attempt to take Ver
dun, which resulted in utter failure
as a military maneuver and cost the
lives of tens of thousands of his men,
UNITED STATES JUDGE
. HOLDS DRAFT LAW VALID
Common Law Cannot Prevail Against
' Act of Congress. .
Mount Airy, Ga. Federal District
-Judge Speer held the selective draft
' law constitutional in a decision made
public here. The decision was ren
dered on application for writs of
habeas corpus . for Albert Jones and
, John Story, held in the Richmond
county, Georgia Jail, charged with vio
lating the law and. were represented
by Thomas E. Watson. Watson con
. tended that the law is in contraven
tion of the Involuntary servitude
- amendment.
Judge Speer left for Fairfield, N.
C., where it is expected he will decide
' whether or not The Jeffersonian, a'
magazine published by Watson, shall
be allowed in the mails. It has been
denied admission by the postmaster at
' Thomson, Ga., the place of publica
tion because it contained what had
been charged seditious utterances. .
Judge Speer in denying the writs,
t. declared that to agree to the conten
.jjr tion that the selective draft law con
f travenes the thirteenth amendment
would be to conclude that the soldier
is a slave. - .
"Nothing could be more abhorrent
td the truth," said Judge Speer, noth-,
ing mode degrading to that indispen
sable and gallant body of citizens,
trained in arms to whose inanhpod,.
skill and courage Is, and . mast '.'., be,.'
committed the task of maintaining the'
very existence of the nation , and all
that its people hold dear."
PRICE OF HOGS GOES TO
$19.73 PER 100 POUNDS
Chicago. Hog prices, which have
risen every day since July 21, reach
ed a new high record when they soar
id to $19.75 per 100 pounds.
On August 1, 1914, hogs sold fqr
$8.90. The top price during August
1915, ws $7.85.
TWO EXEMPTION BOARD
MEMBERS ARE SENTENCED.
New York. With two former mem
bers of draft exemption board number
ninety-nine in this city sentenced to
two years each in the federal peni
tentiary at Atlanta, Ga., after they
i had pleaded guilty to charges of con-
gpiracy to obstruct th selective draft
law, federal attorneys announced that
speedy Justice would be sought in the
case of Kalman Gruher, a dentist, in
dicted as an slleged "go bet w ten."
MARGARET E.THOMPSON
lift MtaI4 - iW . : ;
V v. if i
m km tMiifriiii.iriiiiriimmihnmiii? llri IffillljrMiiL j
. Washington has licensed
woman elevator operator..
ducts an old-fashioned outfit worked
by a rope and located in the building
occupied by the Y. WVC. A. Her name
is Margaret E. Thompson
WHOLE ARMY REORGANIZED
EVERY UNIT IS MADE TO CON
FORM WITH EUROPEAN ARMY
STANDARDS.
Infantry Company Hereafter Will
Have 250 Men Two Captains, Four
Lleujtenants to Provide Against Dis
organization. '
Washington. Complete reorganiza
tion of all branches of the Americau
army to conform with European Stan
dards as recommended by Major Oen
eral Pershing, is provided for In army
orders revealing that" the recently an
nounced divisional reorganization
plan in to be carried down into the
regiments and companies. The ad
ministrative unit of the infantry arm
hereafter will be a company of 250
enlisted men and six commissioned
officers, in place of something over
100 men and three officers: The com
pany will be divided Into four platoons
each in command of a . lieutenant
There -will be two captains as first
and second in command, one first
lieutenant and three second lieuten
ants. Reports of the review of the
American troops in France show that
this plan already has been carried
out in General Pershing's forces. f
The object of assigning two cap
tains to -each company, it Is under
stood, Is to. provide against disorgan
ization of the unit through the loss of
Its commander.. The second captain,
under the European system, does not
go into battle line with the company
if his senior is present. He fsjheld
as a reserve to reorganize the com
pany if necessary. Under ;'the new
plan each regiment will ' have three
battalions of four- companies, making
a total of '3,000 men.. r Supplemented
by the regimental headquarters, sup:
ply and machine gun organizations,
the strength of the new regiment wHl
be brought up to. approximately '3,600
men .as against little niore than 2,000
in existing war 'strength, regfments.
Other. Arms ''Not Changed. . ,
The unit organizatioh foi the field
artillery and other arms of jie . ser
vice has not been changed. . As a' re
sult of reducing, the number f regi
ments in a division, the division, in
stead of 28,000 men, 'will ; 'total here
after about 19,000 men, 15,000 of
them Infantry.
NEWLY APPOINTED .
OFFICERS GO TO FRANCE.
WMI
Be Given Intensive Training By
- Gen. Pershing.
Washington. From the 27,000 offi
cers taken from the training camps
Just closed a considerable number are
being selected to begin Immediately
intensive trainln! in France under
direction of Major General Perehing.
The plan provides for establishing
an officers' school in the American
army where they can be given inten
sive instruction similar to that being
given the regular army contingent al
rr1v there.
: Its first
She con-
THERfl TROOPS
MAY GO TO FRANCE
MANY NEW ENGLANDERS WILL
PROBABLY NOT COME SOUTH
TO TRAIN. '
TWO DIVISIONS WILL GO SOON
Will Make Up First Contingent of Na
tional . Guardsmen to Go Abroad
From New England Who Will Train
Six Weeks at Home. C
' Washington. Two army divisions
instead of one, comprising a total of
at least 38,000 men, probably will
make up the first contingent of the
national guard to go to France.
Although no official confirmation
was - attainable, there was evidence
that the composite forty-second divis
ion whose organization recently was
announced, will be accompanied
abroad by the twenty-sixth, made up
of New England guardsmen.
The commander o the twenty
sixth is Major, General Clarence Ed
wards, now acting as commander of
the department of the northeast. The
forty-second is commanded by Major
General W. A. Mann. " . -
A. report was current that suffi
cient shipping will be available for
forwarding , two divisions within the
time fixed for. the departure of the
forty-second and that the twenty
sixth had been selected to go because
it comes from a compact -area and is
composed largely of regiments of high
rating, . and - representing states whose
troops were left out of the composite
division.
The forty-second division is being
mobilized at Mineloa under the new
European standard, which requires
that the strength of the individual in
fantry regiments Be increased more
than fifty per t cent. The process ne
cessitates the addition of some units
not included In the original order, for
where one company of infantry, for
Instance, was to have" come from any
state, two-companies have been con
solidated to give the 250 men neces
sary. Thus hundreds of men have
been transferred . to fill up the regi
ments selected to go. AH the other
national euard divisions will go
through a similar process on arrival
at divisional camps.
No hint has been given as to the
probable-time 't w'H require to pre
pare the forty-second for embarka
tion. The question of equipment also
enters into the fixing of a sailing date.
The same considerations apply also to
the twenty-sixth. "
The war department announced the
final, allotment of state troops- among
the national army cantonments and
made public the list of colonels as
signed to regimental commands In the
Various divisions; both of national
army and national guard.'
WILSON TO GIVE APPEAL
OF POPE GRAVE ANALYSIS
May be Several Days Before Concrete
v Step Is Taken.
Washington. That the government
is determined to give Pope Benedict's
peace proposal the most deliberate
and painstaking consideration before
framing a reply :was evinced again
by developments both at the white
house and the state department. The
cabinet, holding its first- session since
the. note arrived, avoided any general
discussion of the. subject because Pres
ident Wilson is understood to feel that
there-must be a -searching analysis of
the questions "raised before such dis
cussion would be profitable.
Secretary, Lansing and his advisers.
on whom mosV-of the responsibilities
for making thi3 analysis will rest, con-tinued'their-study
of the pontiff's sug
gestions with every Indication that it
protably would be several days before
any concrete "step could be expected.
Meantime the undercurrent of oni-
cial thought manifestly continued to
trend toward a conviction that ' the
grand alliance will find some of the
proposals In the Vatican note very
difficult to accept.
PLAN SEVEN BILLION
DOLLAR LOAN .FOR ALLIES
Washington. hwmance' of $7,538,-
945,000 worth of four per cent federal
bonds, subject only to Income super-
tftxfla. war nroflts and excess profit
taxes' and designed to provide $4,000,-
000,000 for further allied loans and to
retired the $3,000,000,000 non-taxable
three and a half per cent Issue now
authorized to cover loans to the allies
Is contemplated in suggestions sub
mitted by Secretary McAdoo to the
house ways and means committee.
NO
C. A. RICHARDS
f i ' s " ' A
I If - j
It Mi--1
T
' ' ' Vs.. jfJ - s
:S : A
hi K: rh
4
President Wilson's export embargo
proclamation made it necessary for the
government to. create machinery to
carry out his orders. A division of ex
port licenses in the department of
commerceva8 formed with C. A. Rich
ards of New York at its head. Mr.
Richards is one of the "big business"
volunteers who are giving their time
and energies to the government In
war time. He is export and import
manager for one of the biggest export
ing firms in New York, and is excep
tionally qualified for his work.
TO TAKE'OVER WHEAT CROP
HOOVER PREPARES FOR ACTION
IF NECESSARY TO STABALiZE
FOOD PRICES.
Form Fifty Million Dollar Corporation,
With All Stock Held by Federal
.. Government to Buy and Sell Wheat
at Principal Terminals.
Washington. The food administra
tion prepared to take over the entire
1917 wheat crop if necessary to stabil
ize prices thoroughout the year. It
formed a fifty million dollar corpora
tion, with all of thestock held by the
federal government to buy and sell
wheat at the principal terminals. ,
The move was the first of a series
to be taken to reduce the price of
bread. Millers already have agreed
to put themselves under voluntary
regulations and are working out with
the food . administration a differential
of profits. Distribution of flour by
the wholesalers and the baking of
bread will be taken up next.
In announcing formation of the
wheat corporation, the food adminis
tration also has made known the per
sonnel of committee -which will fix a
price to be paid for this year's wheat
yield, and the names of thirteen men
who will act as purchasing agents for
the corporation at terminals.
The wheat corporation will be put
under the administration's grain di
vision. Its . chairman will be Herbert
Hoover and its president Julian
Barnes, a Deluth exporter now serv
ing as a voluntary aide in the food ad
ministration. The price-fixing com
mittee will be headed by President
Garfield, of Williams college.
The wheat corporation will handle
all allied grain purchases and will do
the buying for the American govern
ment. The allies will be required to
purchase flour instead of wheat on
the theory that manufacturing costs.
wil be reduced and American indus
try encouraged.
GERMANS SPEND MILLIONS
BRIBING WEARY RUSSIANS.
Root Discusses Conditions Found
While on Visit in Russia. -
New York. Expressing confidence
in the soundness of the character of
the Russian people for self-government,
Elihu Root, head of the special
diplomatic mission to Russia in two
addresses here at this city's official
reception to the mission, denounced
the part played in that country during
its time of peril by "men correspond
ing to the I. Wj W. here, the ex
treme socialists and anarchists with
whom the German agents made com
mon cause."
Col. Theodore Roosevelt, who also
spoke at the meetings, first at city hall
and then at the chamber of commerce
likewise declared "that organizations
like the I. W. W. are criminally aid
in; German propaganda in this coun
try" addinf
BIG M PROGRAM
IS WELL ADVANCED
LEADERS EXPECT VACATION BY
SEPT. 15 OR OCTOBER FIRST
AT LEAST.
SOME NEW FINANCE BILLS
After Passage of Revenue Measure
Congress Leaders Will Devote a
Short Time to a Peace Debate on
Resolution of LaFollette and Others.
Washington. The legislative pro
gram of Congress has assumed such
definite form that leaders expressed
hope for a vacation about September
15 or not later than October 1.
Included' in the progrem for dis
posal within the next three or four
weeks are:
The $2,006,000,000 war tax bill.
A new war budget authorizing
about $7,500,000,000 in bonds, proba
bly at four per cent for further loans
to the allies and to retire the $3,000,
000,000 of 3 1-2 per cent bonds al
ready authorized and providing for
$2,000,000,000 worth of certificates of
indebtdness and a like amount of
small denominations war savings cer
tificates. ( Great New Appropriations.
A deficiency appropriation measure
aggregating between $6,000,000,000
and $7,000,000,000 now being prepar
ed by the House-appropriations com
mittee. The administration trading with the
enemy bill, which passed the House
July 11.
The administration insurance of
soldiers and sailors bill.
The Webb export trade bill, peace
resolutions in the Senate, extension of
the espionage act and several minor
measures. ' ' ,
Most of these measures leaders be
lieve can be disposed of while the
war tax bill is in conference. Should
obstructive opposition develop against
the less important bills some may be
postponed until Congress reassembles.
Passage by the Senate this week of
the war tax bill is expected by lead
ers of both parties. The Senate has
entered upon decisive and vigorous
disputes over the income, war profits,
publishers' and consumption tax pro
visions. Immediately after passage of the
revenue measure, Senate leaders plan
to devote a short time to a peace de
bate, on resolutions of Senator Le
Follette and others.
Administration and some republi
can leaders expect to overwhelmingly
table pacifist proposals.
NOW PERFECTING PLANS FOR
, GREATEST TROOP MOVEMENTS
Draft Armies of 687,000 Men to be
- Mobilized in Three Increments,
the first September 5th.
Washington. Plans for the most Im
portant troop movement ever attempt
ed in this country involving the trans
portation of 687,000 men are being
perfected by the American Railway Asi
sociation at the request of the federal
government, according to an announce
ment made her by Fairfax Harrison,
chairman of the railroads' war board.
"The movement of troops from the
various states to the army canton
ments will start September 5," said
Mr. Harrison .and between that date
and September 9 the railroads will
complete the entrainment of 200,000
men, approximately thirty per cent of
the total number to be moved.
"It is expected that a second move
ment of 200,000 men will begin Sep
tember 18, continuing for four days
and a third movement of the same
sfte on October 3.
"Some conception of the task which
confronts te association may be
gleaned from the fact that 6,229 cars
made up in 366 trains, with as many
luw"Yea uu """ ' f '
quired to one field army of 80,000. .
,pTVi a i.ttllpA'iiia novo fllaA noon aalr.F
locomotives and train crews, are
The railroads have also been ask-r
ed to supply transportation for 350,4
000 soldiers of the national guard tf
their training camps. This has, a
ready been started and will contlnu,.
In increasing volume until all havft
been moved."
FORMER CZAR NOW
EXILE IN SIBERIA
Petrograd. It was officially an
nounced that the residence of Nicholas
Romanoff, the deposed Russian empe
ror Is at Tobolsk, a western Siberia
town which recently achieved a du
bious publicity in revolutionary Rus
sia as the birth place of Gregory Ras
putin, the mystic monk, who wielded
a remarkable influence over the ex-emperor's
family up to the time of the
priest's assassination.
MEANS MONEY SAVING
SPECLAL STEPS TAKEN TO PRO
VIDE AMPLE FACILITIES FOR
STORING OF POTATOES.
Government Officials Have Worked
Out a Plan Which It Will Be for
the Best Interests of Growers
to Follow.
Washington. Active efforts are to
be made by the federal authorities to
secure concerted action in the effort
to conserve the country's supply of
potatoes. In this connection the fol
lowing statement has been issued:
Unusual facilities for financing stor
age are offered American potato grow
ers as a result of war conditions. The
federal reserve system is at their dis
posal, and farmers who store their 1917
potato crop in approved local ware
houses, may obtain, upon their storage
receipts, 90-day loans from member
banks of the reserve system at a rate
not to exceed 6 per cent. Mr. Lou D.
Sweet, potato expert with the food ad
ministration, was instrumental in
bringing this matter to the reserve
board's attention.
New England growers have started
a movement to take advantage of this
ruling to help them solve their market
ing problem. The prospect which the
growers of this group of states face
Is that of handling 45.000,000 bushels
of potatoes one-tenth of the entire
United States crop without causing
an overstocked market and the result
ing loss of all profit on the crop.
The growers communicated with lo
cal authorities in their respective
states, who in turn laid the situation
before the food administration. A con
ference between the growers, local au
thorities and experts from the food
administration was held recently at
Boston, Mass. A plan of action was
mapped out at this meeting which in
cludes the following:
1. Marketing of only one-third of the
crop at harvest time ; another third in
90 days, or placing in storage and later
distributed as demand affords oppor
tunity; the remaining third to be
stored by the grower and marketed
throughout the year.
2. AH potatoes to be graded with
care, taking out culls, cuts, cracks and
any that are bruised. It was recom
mended that a wire- screen grader be
used one and seven-eighths-inch mesh
for oblong tubers and two-Inch mesh
for round ones. Graded stock then to
be placed in good two-bushel sacks
one hundred and fifteen pounds to the
sack and the sacks sewed tightly so
as to prevent shucking and bruising.
3. Increasing the load in each rail
road car from the normal 30,000
pounds. That these cars can be un
loaded within 24 to 30 hours or their
arrival at destination.
4. That municipalities and other
bodies provide storage for as large
quantities as possible at the peak of
the harvest.
"A storage house," said Lou D.
Sweet, who attended this meeting,
"such as will conform to the require
ments, laid down by the Federal Reserve
board, does not call for a specially con
structed house. There are Innumer
able , buildings, which, if properly
cleaned, ventilation provided, and man
aged so as to maintain a temperature
of about 35 degrees,' will answer ad
mirably for this purpose.
"This year the United States planted
its potato crop from the poorest qual
ity of seed that ever went Into the
ground, and naturally the harvest will
be potatoes of roor quality. Strict
grading, careful packing, common
sense storage, and careful shipping are
necessary to insure just returns to the
growers who have responded to the
president's call for incr-ased produc
tion of potatoes."
SHE HAD WAYWARD DAUGHTER
Neighbor Was 'Surprised When She
Found Cause of Severe Rebuke
Administered by Mother.
A lady living in a large apartment
houae relates the following:
. "I had occasion one day to visit the
nTwfmpnt of n npltrhhor. Such irrava
Varnest tones of remonstrance
V myf ears. as I approached my
' - - . ..
iroom, that I hesitated about
i found her winsome young
with her, and the mother had
been rebuking her, for the
Vas flushed, and there were
f eyes.
"' said my friend. "I have
It I was saying to Jenny,
sne' win reiuruiwr my
Ah. ' these children these
chil-
dren !" thought I to myself.
"I have Just been telling her," con
tinued my friend, "that she must not
wear her evening gloves when she goes
shopping In the morning. In the first
place, It Is not genteel; and In the
second place, It Is extravagant."
Her evening gloves! And yet. I as
sure you. her tone and expression, and
the Impression made on the child,
would have befitted a seriorus wrong
doing one that had Issues In tlni
ind eternity.