( 1 l 10
91.00 Yr m Advance
FOR GOD, FOR COUNTRY AND FOR TRUTH."
fiingl Cop ft, 6 Cants.
VOL. XXVIII.
PLYMOUTH, N. C FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1917
NO. 21.
ERIGAHS SAFE
III PETR06HAD
AMBASSADOR FRANCE3 AND CON.
SUL GENERAL SUMMERS
MAKE A REPORT.
CONDITIONS ARE NOW CHAOTIC
Recommended That All Unattached
Women and Men Accompanied by
Children Leave About 200 Ameri
cans in Fetrograd.
Washington. Messages from Am
bassador Francis, at Petrograd, and
Consul General Summers, at Moscow,
received at the state department, said
all Americans in the two principal
Russian cities were safe. Conditions
In both places were . represented aa
tnieter, but still chaotic.
Ambassador Francis reported that
he had obtained transportation from
Petrograd to Harbin over the trans
Siberian railroad for Americans who
wished to depart from the capital.
He had recommended that all unat
tached women and children leave. Of
ficials have estimated that there were
bout 20 Americans in Petrograd.
No suggestion was made of moving
the Americans from Moscow, although
the fighting in that city appeared to
have been more general and sanguin
ary than that in Petrograd. During
the fiercest of the street battling,
many Americans were gathered in
the Hotel Metropole.
Ambassador Francis' dispatch said
the Petrograd city duma had not rec
ognised the Lenine-Trotzky faction
and that many of the government de
partments were closed while others
were operating under subordinate of
acfals. A few Bolshevik! newspapers
were appearing at intervals with fre
quent changes of names and banks
were open part of the time. Dis
patches from the state department
were beginning to reach Mr. Francis,
the first one being dated November 9
And containing the American-Japanese
agreement regarding China.
Conditions in Moscow, Consul Gen
eral Summers' dispatch .under date of
November 17, said, had somewhat
improved after a week of fighting, i
The maximalists had taken over the
"isrovernment. i
'OVERWHELMING INDORSEMENT
GIVEN SAMUEL GOMPERS
A. F. of L. Delegates Approve His
Support of President
Buffalo, N. Y. Union labr put its
stamp of approval on the attitude of
Samuel Gompers, president of , the '
American Federation of Labor, in1
working hand in hand with President
Wilson and placing the needs of the
j nation above all other considerations
in questions involving the working-
"men's part in a vigorous prosecution
; of the war against Germany.
The' vote of confidence came after
more than three hours of debate, in
which the pacifist element at the con
vention of the federation was given
ample opportunity to express itself.
Out of a total of 450 delegates, only
, 15 were recorded in opposltlop. The
garment workers of New York, under
the leadership of Rose Shapiro, was
the only organization refusing to go
on record on the roll call.
The test of strength came upon a
report from the committee on resolu
tions. The committee reported favor
ably a resolution indorsing the "pa
triotic work of the Alliance for Labor
and Democracy which Mr. Gompers
took an active part In organizing as an
offset to the People's council, a pa
cifist organization.
The attack on the resolution was led
by Delegate Barnes, of Philadelphia.
He was supported, in addition to Miss
Shapiro, by Delegate Burke, of the ,
Sulphite workers; Joseph P. Cannon,
of the Mine workers, and a few others.
The alliance and Mr. Gompers were
defended by Delegates Walker, of Il
linois; Brown, of Washington; Mat
thew Wall, of the Photo Engravers;
George Barry, of the Pressmen; Max
S. Hayes, of the Typographical union,
and Vice-President James Duncan.
EMPEROR WILHELM
REFUSES TO TREAT
Petrol-ad, Germany has refused' to
treat for peace with the new soldiers'
and workmen's government in re
sponse to a recent proposal, accord-
ing to the newspapers here, which
publish this news as coming from a
well authenticated source. It is stat
ed that Emperor William announced
in his reply that he would treat only
with the legal successor to th3 impe
rial government or with the constitti
-s aBseu My.
LORD READING
A new photograph of Lord Reading,
lord chief justice of England, who has
taken charge of the financial negotia
tions for his government between the
United State and England.
AMERICAN SOLDIERS KILLED
REPORTED KILLED OR WOUNDED
IN RECENT SHELLING OF
TRENCHES.
American Artillery's Fire Believed to
' Have Been Effective Tar Heel is
Included in List of Those Wounded
In Trenches.
With the American Army in France.
A number of American soldiers have
been killed or wounded in the recent
shelling of the American trenches by
the Germans. One shell which drop
ped in a trench caused several casual
ties. A group of Americans were in a
shack in the reserve when the Ger
mans began shelling heavily. The of
ficers ordered the men to a dugout
but before they could get there a large
shell dropped on the position nd ex
ploded. The American artillerists con
centrated their fire on the communi
cating trenches of the enemy and it is
believed that their shells caused con
siderable casualties and damage.
The war department had received
no report of the wounding or killing of
American soldiers as the result of Ger
man shell fire. The department did re
ceive, however, a corrected casualty
list of the trench raid of November 3,
The new list does not change the num
ber or names of the dead, but shows
the wounded and missing to have been
11 each. The original list gave three
dead, five wounded and twelve miss
ing. The report adds First Lieutenant.
William M. McLaughlin to the list ot
wounded. Among the privates added
to the wounded list is Lester C. Smith,
of Concord, N. C. Private William P.
Grigsby. of Louisville, Ky., previously
reported as captured by. the Germans
also is added to those wounded.
ITALIANS ARE NOW HOLDING
INVADERS IN CHECK
Italian Northern Line Has Evidently
Been Strengthened.
With the Russian situation still ob-
scure by reason of the fact that no ja decided nervousness on the part of
direct advices are being received ,the Germans lest any unexpected of
from Petrograd or Moscow, the Ital- j fensJve action develop,
ian situation remains of transcendent j The news from Italv ia ore en
Interest in the news of the world war. j COUraging. Operations involving the
Everywhere along the battle front gkillful handling of large masses of
from Lake Garda eastward, and troopa an(1 the reorganization of de
thence southward along the Piave riv- fensive positions, entailing superhn
er to the Adriatic sea, the Italians j man efforts on the part of officers
are holding the enemy In check, ex-1 men alJke have been carried out
cept in the hilly region in the vicinity by the Italian armies with energy
of the Asiago plateau, where addition- ' an(1 courage.
al gains have been made by the invad-
ers. The new advances by the Teu
totnic allies, as observed on the war
maps, do not indicate that points of
extremely great strategic valu have British Front in Belgium. Five
been won, but rather that the Italians members of the party of American
on various sectors have given ground : congressmen and private citizens who
before superior numbers and at the spent two days visiting in the Belgian
same time have straightened out and :war zone ha(j a narrow escape from
lessened the length of their front. , death or injury this morning when
In the .hill3 north of the Venetian (they were caught In a sudden burst of
plain. General Diaz, the new com- German machine gun fire while in-mander-ln-chief
of the Italians has -pecting the front line trenches near
withdrawn his advanced posts sonth Dixmude.
of Monte Tomatico. !
WILL MAKE FIGHT TO
MAKE MARYLAND DRY
Baltimore. George W. Grabbe, gen
eral superintendent of the Anti-Saloon
league of Maryland, announced that
the league will make an uncompromis
ing fight in the Maryland legislature
which convenes in January for state
wide prohibition. He said the ques
tion of a referendum will not be con
sidered. Mr. Grabbe said the "drys"
have an indicated majority In the legislature
BAKER ISSUES WAR
REVIEW FOR WEEK
SECRETARY CONTEMPLATES FU
TURE IN ITALIAN THEATRE
WITH CONFIDENCE.
ENEMY STRENGTH STIFFENING
Reinforcements Are Arriving Fur
ther.Offensive on Western Front In
dicated by Increased Artillery Fire
American Worthy of Best.
Washington. Hardening of the
Italian defense and the precision with
which British and French reinforce
ment are being delivered in the Ital
ian war theatre leads Secretary Baker
in hrs weekly "war review to contem
plate the future in that field with
confidence. Hh points out however,
that the full strength of the Austro
German efforts has not yet been de
veloped. Further allied offensives on the
western front, Mr. Baker says, are
indicated by increased artillery fire
and the nervousness exhibited by the
Germans. The only reference to the
sector of this front where American
troops occupy first line trenches is
that the men have shown themselves
worthy of the best traditions of the
American army.
"The training of our national army
ia now progressing rapidly, the
statement says. "At all the camps the
morale of our new citizen-soldiers ia
reported as excellent.
"The men who have been called
upon to defend our country in the
present emergency are taking hold of
the work in a serious, high-minded
spirit, which will produce the best
result.
"The British and French officers
who are to assist in instructing our
new armies are arriving. They come
for the purpose of initiating our-men
into the latest developments of mod
ern warfare, so that from the very
outset our forces may be trained ac
cording to the most efficient ti-ne,
and life-saving methods.
"In France, the training of our
troops is likewise being carefully con
tinued. In the sector where our
forces are in the trenches, they have
shown themselves worthy of the best
traditions of our armies.
"After the successes gained by the
allies in the west during the preced
ing week, the relative calm of the
last seven-day period was to be an
ticipated. "It is significant, however, that the
reaction of the enemy has been rela
tively slight, both in the region north
of the Aisne and-in Flanders.
"At this season of the year the
sodden, fog-bound fields of Flanders
and the bad weather which prevails
along the entire western front makes
It difficult to co-ordinate major oper
ations with precision. Nevertheless,
artillery preparation has continued
in the two chief theaters of activity in
the west, presaging further offensive
engagements.
"Destructive hostile artillery fire is
noted in the area along the Yser.
centering around Dixmude, and the
shelling by the enemy increased dur
the iatter Bart of the week betravinc
MEMBERS OF CONGRESSIONAL
! PARTY CAUGHT IN FIRE
PERSHING VISITS
SOLDIERS
AMERICAN
IN TRENCHES
With the American Army in France.
General Pershing returned to his
headquarters from a visit to his troops
in the first line trenches and the sup
port in the rear. Artillery firing on
both sides was normal while he was
there and no shells fell near him.
Patrolling continues actie and con
tact with the enemy's patrols has been
established several times, shots be
ing exchanged. The Germans have
a Artf nvar mnra crn ah all a
PRINCESS JOLANDA OF ITALY
iiiatpi
Mm
:.: . .
...
Princess Jolanda js the eldest
daughter of the king and queen of
Italy, and like them she has endeared
herself to the Italian people during
the war.
SIJ1LLESI HEKLT MIL IE!
RESULT OF ACTIVE MEASURES
TAKEN BY THE BRITISH AND
AMERICAN NAVIES.
Only Six British Merchantmen Sunk
During Week and Only One of Those
Above 1600 Tons Italians Hold on
to New Line Along Piave.
Germany's submarine campaign is
waning as the result of the stringent
measures that have been taken to
J combat it by the British and American
navai lorces. ijasi wees, umj o
British merchantmen were sunk and
only one of these was a craft exceeding
1,600 tons.
This is the smallest total of vessels
sent to the bottom during any week
since the submarine warfare began,
the lowest previous figures having been
twelve merchantmen, eight of them in
the category of l.GOOtons and over,
and four of less than 1.G00 tons.
While the Italians continue to hold
tenaciously to most of the new line
along the Piave river rom the Adri
atic sea to the region of Feltre and
through the northern hills westward
from Feltre to Lake Gorda. they again
have been compelled to give ground in
both sectors to the Teutonic allied
armies-
Upon the shoulders of the Italians
alone for several days must rest the
security of the Piave line and ot his
toric Venice, for the information has
been vouchsafed by Major General
Maurice, chief director of military
operations at the British war office,
that it will be "some days yet" before
British and French fighting forces can
bo placed in the field to reinforce the
Italians.
Meanwhile, the enemy is striving
energetically to force passages of the
Piave at various points and again has
been successful on southern reaches
in crossing the stream at Grizola, four
miles distant from its mouth and some
twenty miles northeast of Venice.
Here, "however, in the swamp regions
the Teutons are being !eid by the de
fending forces from further gains.
The north around Zenson, where'
the stream was negotiated by the
Austro-Germans Tuesday, fighting lis
still in progress with the Italians hold
ing the upper hand, but not yet hav
ing been able to drive back the invad
ers to the eastern bank of the stream.
Still farther north attempts to gain a
foothold on the western bank of the '
Piave bttween Quero and Fenere were
repulsed with hoary casualties.
neeiriAi fi accicicatiaw :
v. v.nw w.r-ivw,i i j
AS TO MILITARY DUTY j
'i . t
mm
mm
. (his talent for standardization of pro
Washington. The five classes. Into j duct ion in speeding up the building of
which 9 000,000 men registered for mil-ja merchant fleet. lie was made a
itary duty ade divided and theUpecial assistant to Charles Tiez, vice
order in which they will be called for i president of the board's emergency
srvice was officially announced in the - fieet corporation. His particular task
provost marshal general's question- wju be to introduce into shipbuilding
naire which every registered man vnujft. ) the multiple production of methods
fill oifl and file. The order shows . e has used with success ia proiucins
some change from the tentative draft ' automobiles.
U-BOATSMAYAPPEAR
OFFAFVIERIGANGQAST
PREDICTIONS MADE BY SPEAKER
AT NAVAL ARCHITECTS AND
ENGINEERS MEETING.
DEUTCHLANO'S TRIP IS CITED
Speakers Believe That Submarine It
self Will Be Best Defense Against
German Undersea Boats Other Ex
amples. New York. -Predictions that enemy
submarines will soon make' their ap
pearance off American ports, that the
submarine will be found to be the
best antidote for the submarine, and
that the great world powers In the
near future will have flotillas of "con-tra-submarines,"
especially built for
operating against undersea craft, were
made by speakers who -addressed the
annual conventions-of the Society of
I. aval Arch I tec tes and Marine Engi
neers here.
Simon Lake, the inventor, pointed
to the possible danger to American
shores from the submarine menace.
He cited the trans-Atlantic trips of
the merchant submarine Deutschland
and the activities of the U-53 off the
North Atlantic seaboard as examples
of what is possible with the subma
rine. Commander E. S. Land of the Unit
ed States navy, took Issue with Mr.
Lake when the latter said he did not
believe the submarine could be ef
fectively used against the submarine.
"A submarine can fight a subma
rine as well as a battleship can fight
a battleship,", said the commander.
Though he said foreign tendencies in
submarine construction were toward
displacements of 2,000, 3,000 and
even 5,000 tons, Commander Land
declared his belief that craft of the
800-tou type are now being most
generally built because of their
adaptability for .all-year use.
Marely. F. Hay predicted the de
velopment ct ;at.l'contra-submarine,"
or a -submarine-fighting undersea boat
which' wouhi do most of its work
whill submerged. -
Estimates that Germany had in
commission over 700 submarines last
May and that she would have in serv
ice a total of 1,200 under sea craft by
the end of the year, were discredited
by Mr. Hay.
"It does not seem possible that
Germany had more than 200 subma
rines in commission last May," he ;
said. "Information at hand would
indicate that the actual recent output
has been approximately ten subma
rines a month."
NEW CABINET ANNOUNCED
BY M. CLEMENCAU
Formation Is Completed Within 24
Hours.
Paris. M. Clemenceau presented
the ministry to President Poincare
the ministry to President Poincare.
The new ministry follows: .
Premier and minister of war,
George Clemenceau.
Minister of foreign affairs, Stephen
Pinchon.
Minister of justice, Loui3 Nail.
Minister of interior, Jules Pams.
Minister of finance, Louis Klotz.
Minister of marine, Georgo Ley
gues. Minister of commerce, Etienne
Clementcl.
Minister of public works, Albert
Claveie.
Minister of munitions, Louis Louch
eur. Minister of Instruction, Lonis Laf
ferre. Minister of colonies, Henri Simon
Minister of agriculture, Deputy Col
tiord. '
Minister of labor, Victor Boret.
The rapidity of the formation of
i the ministry establishes a record in
politics. Premier Clemen
ceau began his task at 4 o'clock in
the afternoon and completed it
within 24 hours.
A committee of radicals and radi
cal socialists, by a vote of 59 to 26,
approved of members of the party
participating in the ministry.
IhENR YFORD JOINS THE
I SHIPPIN GBOARP STAFF
4. h. tt i
wasnillgi-i'U- xiuy ruiu joined j
the staff of the shipping board to lend
LISTS 9,000,000
FOR U. S. SERVICE
Provost Marshal Gives Rules Re
garding Liability for Mili
tary Duty.
Washington, Nov. 15. The five
classes into which 9,000,000 men regis
tered for military duty and those who
are registered hereafter are defined
and the order in which they will b
called for service were officially a
nounced In the provost marshal gen
eral's questionnaire which every regis
tered man must fill out. and fllel The
order shows some change from the
tentative draft published some time
ago. "
Contrary to some published reports,
it does not exempt married men as s
class, but It does place married men
with dependent wives and children far
down on the list of liables. In fact,
flie questionnaire Indicates that only
men of the first class will be called t
the colors, except in the gravest emer
gency. The five official classification
of registrants follow:
CLASS I.
(A) Single man without dependant rsU
Uvea.
(B Married man, with or without ehu
dran. or father of motherless children,
who has habitually failed to support hbft
family.
(O Married man dependant on wife for
support.
(D) -Manied man, with or withobi cfctl
dren, or father of motherless children;
man not usefully engaged family sup
ported by Income independent of hln la
bor. (E) Unskilled farm laborer.
IT) Unskilled industrial laborer. '
Registrant by or in respect of whom no
deferred classification ia claimed . or
made.
Registrant who falls to submit questlona
nalre and In respect of whom no deferred
classification Is claimed or made.
All registrants not included In any other
division In this aheritilft.
CLASS II.
(A) Married man with children or fatti
er of motherless children, where sueh
wife or children or such motherless chil
dren are not mainly dependent upon hta
labor for support for1 the reason that
there are other reasonably certain sources
of adequate support (excluding earning ,
or possible earnings from the labor of the
wife) available, and that the removal of '
the registrant will not deprive sueh de
pendents of support
(B Married men, without children,
whose wife, although the registrant Is en-
eased in a useful occupation. Is not
mainly dependent upon his labor tor sup
port, for the reason that the wife Is
skilled In some special class of wor
which she Is physically able to perform
and In which she Is employed or In which
there la an Immediate ooenlng for her
under conditions thnt will enable her to
support hers'Mf decently and wlthoot uf
fering or hardship.
(O Necessary skilled farm laborer In
neoessary asrrtculHiral enterprise.
(D) Necessary skilled Industrial laborer
In necessary Industrial enterprise. .
CLASS III.
(A Man with dependent children (net
his own but toward whom he stands fa
relation of parent).
(B Man with dependent helpless brotsr-
ers or sisters.
(D) County or municipal officer.
(E) Highly trained fireman or police'
man, at least three years In service of
municipality.
(F) Necessary custom house clerk.
(G) Necesary employee of UnlteA
States In transmission of the-malls.
(H) Necessary artificer or workman in
United States armory or arsenal
(T Necessary employe In service of
, United States.
(J) Necessary assistant, associate or
hired manager of necessary agricultural
enterprise.
(K) Necessary highly specialized tech
' nlcal or mechanical expert of necessary
Industrial enterprise.
; (D Necessary assistant or associate
I manager of necessary Industrial enter-'
, prise.
CLAS3 IV.
i (A) Man whose wife or children are
mainly dependent on his labor for eup-
port.
. (B Mariner actually employed on sea
i service or citizen or merchant In the Untt
! ed States. 1
fO jeM,5cSry sole managing, con
trolling or directing head of necessary
j ft-Tlcnltural enterprise.
I (p) Necessary sole managing, co-'
! trolling or directing head ; of ,necer
! Industrial entei-prlne.
CLASS V.-'
j (A) of fleers-legislative, executive or :
' judicial of the United States or of state,
territory or District of Columbia. S '
(Fj)Regular or duly ordained minister
i of rellsrion. . ' '
fC) Student, who on May lS. 1917, was
preparing for mlntstry In recognised
echool.
fD Persons In military or naval serv
ice of ITrited States.
(Kl Allen enemy.
(F) Resident alien (not an enemy) who
claims exemption.
(C) Person totally and permanently
physically or inentaily unfit for military
service.
(TT) Person morally unfit to be a soldier
of the TTr,!td States.
(TV-Licensed pilot, actually employed m
the pursuit of his vocation.
Member of well-re cognized reltglons)
sfct or organization, organized and exist
ing on May 18. 1917. whoe, then existing
creed or principles forbid Its members W
participate In war In any rorm. ana wwjm
relle1ou8 convictions are against war or
participation therein. .
The questions on the subject of de
poiidfnts nre frnmed to meet every
po?sihle clrcumistnnce and to draw out
every bit of information thnt mlRht he
of value to the bonrds In fixing the
elnss to which a mnn is to be ssslfmed.
Seven days are nllowpd retstrnnts
!fi.V-Yeipt of the questionnaire t
f ' (it and return it to the local