North Carolina Newspapers

'J Trr. TT' - , i i ff . I X9M ft PmilSIIED EVERY MONDAY, WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY. iOL. XXXIX. .NO. 1. GASTONIA, N. C. WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON, JANUARY 2, 1918. C2.00 A YHUi II 5 I V t IMPORTANT NOTICE TO s : GAZETTE SUBSCRIBERS -' A large number of Gazette subscriptions expire the first of January and many more during the month. - Those of oar read ers whose subscriptions expire at this time will save the pub lishers much trouble and will prevent the probability of miss ing an? copies of the paper If they will tend or bring In their renewals at once. To take off and then, within a few days, put back on a large number of names on our "mailing list is no small task and requires several days work. Hence, we ask all of oar readers' whose subscriptions ex Sire at any date In the month of anuary to favor us by sending in their renewals at once. Ad dress all communications to The Gazette Publishing Co., , Gas tonia, N. C i :a : ' ', '' I. 1 n 5 ' '41 ft SHORT LOCAL ITEMS U-:l?-An you writing it 118? , Stock-taking is the order of the , day with Gastonia merchants. T;' Mr. M. D. Haney, of Rock HI1I, ,L C was in town Saturday fi-Mr Fred Rhyna is with ;Wtnget Jewelry Company. , the -There will be no prayer service l night, on account of the weather,. J . Mrr J, R Carson, oil the PIsgah rMr.' Wi M. Matthews, of Clover, was a business visitor in Gastonia ; "i section, was a visitor in town yester- .day. .ifi:-V:.o;'-J-;;vi:A:f!: V V ' Mrs. Emma Hooper, of Kannap- V j v olI,'is spending some time in the C rf-1-i'city with relaUves.:...--;.r.,!-v .-V'.-y'v5 ' i. yesterday. , On- account of the very lnclem- .' ni ,lliai thora will ho nn nravAr service at the . First' Presbyterian v church tonight, Within ' the next week or two . there will be considerable shifting of quarters In the business section of . Gastonia. : f '''r, -f --Miss Gertrude McCarter. of the ' Bethany section, . is . spending the week here .with her. sister, . Mrs- R. O. Craig; rJT a",-? jr - Mr. and Mrs. G. R. spencer and Miss Ruby Spencer have returned from Florida where they spent two a. z." .!'. s k ' . Mr. Lester Ferguson had the ; misfortune to fall on the street a 1 vday or so ago and break his collar - bone.-.' -''s -My-.' ''-w J: . -. Is , ' wOu account of the inclement weather there will be no meeting of the board of stewards of Main Street .IkfAthfldlat church toniarht.' ? ' i ,4'-. Sgt Sam Suggs, of Camp Sevier, I Greenville, S. C, is spending a few f days here with his brother, Mr. Le ' roy Suggs. v.;'"V' 4 Mrs. J..W. Campbell and 1 Miss . Addle Matthews, of Clover, were m town yesterday- en . route to Green ville. 8. C. rf?.. ' .;c : Mr."': Wade Sanders, of : Camp Jackson, Columbia, S. C, arrived last night to spend several days with his father, Mr, M. T. Sanders, at i" GroVes. ft..;.:d', ? ; This is the first issue of The Ga zette for 1918. There will be 155 ; ' others, God wining. . If you haven't . .subscribed, do it today. " . One: local wholesale merchant received a. car load fit flour yester- -" W . m whl.1t - A W.A- Mil., I'Cfrom the shortage. Other shipments. Mrs. Lloyd G. Hooper and chll- t - dren, of Kannapolls are spending of Mrs. Hooper's father. Rev. F. W, Bradley, and family.:: : v ; .,:.v , Installation of officers for ; the ensuing year will be the special or der of business of J3astonla Lodge ' Knights of Pythias at Its regular meeting next Monday night. . " - Mr. W. D. Martin, of Brooklyn, spent Saturday night and Sunday in rthe city as the guest of his - sister, Mrs. J. G. McLean, at her home on East Third avenue; . .;w ;". .- . ; Mr. and Mrs. W. fP. Covington - and little son, of . Charlotte, are spending a few days here with Mr, and Mrs. A. O. Myers and Mr. and Mrs. M, F,-Kirby.:;v-.' ; Contractor H. B. PatUIo began work yesterday on the Rankin build- lng. which is to be occupied by the Atklns-Baber Book, Companv. This firm expects to open for business a bout March 1st. :, -- ;v., . Miss Ruth Moore, of Inman, S. C., who has been the guest for sev eral days past of Miss Reglna Coon, will return home tomorrow. Miss Coon will accompany her for a brief In the advertisement of J. M. Belk Company in last Friday's and Monday's Gasette an error occurred in the. price of 18 cent Heavy Yard Wide Sheeting, which should have been 16 and 1-2 cents per yard in stead of 6 and 1-2 cents. ;, , Miss . Nola.Clarke, of . The Ga zette offlce force, returned' Monday from Morganton, where ' she spent the holidays with homefolls. . She was accompanied by her sister. Miss Ossle Clarke, who will be her guest for some time. -1 - Mr. George Van Dyke, of Com pany A, U5th Machine Gun Batta lion, Greenville, S. C.i Is ipendin a few dayshere with homefolns. "We bcyj certainly do enjoy The Gazette", 13 said yesterday.' "They grab for f m right er, .1 lr:t wben they come". Mr. Van Dyke salid that Co.' a pre sented Capt. Cherry with a aancsome uniform as a, Christmas present, Captain Cherry Is greatly beloved by his entire company. . ' , Mr. and" Mrs.' J. H. B. Jenkins, of Rock- Hill, . C, visited his sister, Mrs. John Adams, last Thursday and Friday.. .They also visited in .Bowl ing Green. They left for. their home Saturday. y --; ' t , An unknown person - smashed one of the large glass tn the front of T. P. Rankin & Co's. store at Lowell last night and took a pair of shoes from the display .window. The thief. it appears, did Aot go Insider proba bly being frightened away. ' Painters and paper-hangers are at work overhauling the interior of the Bank of Gastonia's quarters. All of the woodwork and fixtures is be ing done over, new linoleums, placed on the floor, and .'other touches are being added which will r give the banking rooms of this institution ;, a new attractiveness. , - ; , .-1.,-; f ' 'There will be a meeting of Troop No. 3, Boy Scouts, , Friday night at the Chamber of Commerce, at 7 p. m. The registration of the troop expires this month and the matter of re-registering at : National Headquarters, along with other things of importance 'Will be dispos ed of. All scouts are requested to be present,".::';.:? ?v: V-.-:', '' Mrs. B. G. Bradley had the mis fortune Monday to slip on some tee on the bath roqm floor, at her home on West Airline avenue and sustain very painful, injuries. ' It is feared that she sustained a bone-fracture, though this has not . been definitely determined yet - Her condition is quite serious. Her friends are hoping. however, that she will recover rapld ly. ,-' "v"'!;vV''''' ' ' -1 yv-'-'.i-i. Today's Gazette is only half the regular size due to the fact that two of our printers are kept at home by illness. A quantity of live matter Is necessarily held over till Friday's is sue.,? An interesting feature of the next Issue will be a full cage review of the events of the year 1917: in chronological order. This Is an an nual feature of The Gazette and is one which grows in favor with the paper's eaders.Ii"i.f:: -'.';:.',.'' Dr. and Mrs. J. I M. Caldwell have had as their guests during the holidays thel daughter. Miss Isabel Caldwell, who is a -student at Win throp College, Rock Hill. 9. C. and their two sons, Mr. James CaldwelL of the U. S. Ship Arkansas, and Mr. A. G. Caldwell, a member of . the headquarters company of the. 105th Engineers, Camp Sevier. '- The latter has been selected to attend one or the , third officers t reserve F training camps, and expects to go to. a post In Texas soon. , , . s Gastonlans were treated to an other surprise this morning when they awoke to find , an inch and a half of new snow on. the ground. It has : been "spitting'' snow at inter vals during the day. : There has been snow on the ground for more than three -weeks and , present prospects Indicate that this condition will pre-. vail for at least another week or two. The Gazette's friend, Charlie Ford, the undertaker,' predicted, as he sat by a big base-burner in his offlce this morning, that there would be snow pn the ground until March 1st at least "We're going to have one of those real old-time winters, : mark what I tell you," was the way Char He put it to the reporter.'. There are others of the same mind. ' coal Mis i:o; IB ID i Washington. Jan, 1. Coal trains went forward today, under new gov ernment orders, based on the belief of Director ' General McAdoo that railway congestion rather than' ac tual shortage Is responsible for the fuel famine In many districts, i ' Upon receipt of reports that hun dreds of loaded coal cars were stall ed on sidings behind long strings of cars containing shipments of higher preferential rating than coal,' all ex isting priority orders for the entire country" were suspended by Robert S. Lovett, priority director of the war industries 'board, on recommendation of the director general. This is ex pected to result in quicker " move ment of the entire mass of congested freight, whose sluggishness has been caused largely by a multiplicity of priority orders. v r , , vr "S, President Wilson, it was learned tonight, will go before Congress Friday-to present his recommendations for-legislation to .make government operation fully effective and to pro ride for compensation of the '. car riers, and legislation which has al ready been drawn will be introduced immediately after-hls address. Some officials think there will be a vigor ous fight over the question of wheth er the legislation should be effective only for the period of the war and a limited time thereafter, or should re main in force until specifically re pealed, or modified by Congress. .' . JAPS TO SEND NEW.AMBASSAt (By International Nss Service.) ; TOTf TO Jn 1 r.ttt wan r"ceuiiy ueauea a special mis sion, tooths United States, is expected to be narped ambassador to the Unit ed States. At a meeting of the for eign council dissatisfaction was . ex- j pressed with the work of the present i ambassador. Count Eato. - . .." . ; 11 BULLETIiiS: LY STATE WAR AIMS AGAIN, ( By International . News Service. I WASHINGTON, Dec. 81. A re statement of the war alms of the Al lies loomed up as nearly certain late this afternoon. , This . re-statement wilt be designed to meet Germany's peace propaganda now "being widely circulated in neutral countries' When it is made it will contain the "last word", on peace so far as Germany's enemies are concerned. State - De partment' officials this ' afternoon re fused to discuss at any length -the coming conference in Paris between British Prime Minister Lloyd-George and Premier Clemenceau of France.' It was stated that no official Inform a tion regarding the conference had yet reached here. However an offl cial said that they had not the slight est doubt that the conference would result in a decision as to whether a statement of the Allies'- War alms was necessary and it is accepted that the decision will be that if it is nec essary. I;.--: v: A:-'-vr:-": - TO MAKE FORMAL REPLY, (By International News Service.) LONDON, Dec. 31. The Allies will make formal reply to the last German peace proposal, it is stated today. ASSASSINATION PLOT REVEALED (By International News Service.) NEW YORK, Dec 31. Rumors of a plot ' to assassinate Lenme - and Trotsky are current' in Petrograd, according to a cablegram received here. The -plot is attributed to the social Revolutionaries; " FOOD FAMINE IN MOSCOW. v n . . . . . n . . idj international ,ewa oerrice. i COPENHAGEN, Dec. 8 1 Severe fighting in many places in Russia, including , Clrkpt and Voladlveskl, Siberia, is reported here, there . is said to be a food famine in Moscow, FATE OF SEVEN AMERICANS UN. i KNOWN. . ;v (By International News 8ervlce.l AMERICAN HEADQUARTERS IN FRANCE, Jan. 1. The fate of seven of the 12 Americans supposed' - to have been captured by Germans ts causing, concern. A picture of the captives shows only five men. The Doughboys swear vengeance If the other seven have been murdered. SAYS GERMANY IS THE AGENT . OF GOD. (By International News Service.) THE HAGUE, Jan.' 1. In his New Years address" to the army, the Kai ser declared that Germany is the agent of God to bring peace to the world by force of arms. BRITISH LINE REMAINS INTACT. (By International News Service. LONDON, Jan. 1. Unofficial dis patches report hard fighting for po sitions on Wells Ridge, Cambral, to day. . Despite attacks the British line remains intact. LOOKING AFTER HIS PEACE DRIVE. . !,... (By International ' News Service.) AMSTERDAM, Jan. 1. The Kai ser Is giving his personal attention to the peace drive, according to a dispatch from. 'Berlin. - It is stated that the German people believe that peace ls nearer than ever before. This was a big factor in the gayety of the New Year celebrations. The opposition of the pan-German press toward no annexations and no in demnities Is dying out. . - WILLIAM MOTON. Correspondence of The Gasette. . LOWELL, Jan. 2. William i Mo ton, an operative at the Lowell Cot ton Mill, died at his home here a bout 5 o'clock this morning. Last Thursday morning, while at work in the mill, he was suddenly rendered unconscious by an attack of paraly sis. He never recovered conscious ness and grew, rapidly worse ' until the end today. He is survived by a widow, who Is a daughter ' of Mr. John Henderson, of the - Bethesda section, and three children. Hewas the only son of the late Andy Moton and was about 45 years of age. Fun eral and burial services , will take place tomorrow morning . at eleven o'clock .- at . Bethesda . Methodist church, of which he was a member. Rev. Mc Kennedy, the pastor, offi ciating. ,, ' .. KING PETER ILL. , (By International News Service.) LONDON, Jan. 2. King Peter, or Serbia, is seriously HI at Athens. - - OF ,THE WAR-TTSDS VARIETY. (Bv International-News Service.) WASHINGTON. Jan. 1. New Years day here was distinctly of the war-time variety. - Time-honored customs as to receptions given - by various officials, some of them dating back to Revolutionary times, were abandoned. The bibulously inclined had to go to Baltimore to get a drink. All the government depart ments are closed, but behind- closed doors the heads of departments are working strenuously. . .... A dispatch from Klnston says that the Neuse river has been frozen sol id from bank to bank during the re cent cold weather. DEATHS HI SQGIAIL CIRCLES UTEST EVENTS . 1)1 m BETTERSIENT MEETING FRIDAY AFTERNOON. . ' The regular meeting of the Wo man s Betterment Association - will be held at the Central school audi torlum on Friday afternoon, Janua ry 4th, at 3:30 o'clock. The build ing will be heated and the members are all urged to be present - '; y ' TURKEY DINNER , LAST EVENING. Mrs. W. L.' Coon gave a most de licious turkey, dinner to the guests of her boarding house last evening. in addition to the regular: guests there were present several invited guests. The dining room was most attractively and appropriately dec orated in holly and mistletoe.. The event was a most delightful one for all present ' ; CARSON-CHENEY MARRIAGE. ".' Mr. Ralph Carson and Miss Annie Cheney both of the PIsgah section, were - married ' Monday . : evening, December 24th, at 6: SO o'clock; at the parsonage of the PIsgah Associ ate Reformed Presbyterian church. by Rev. J B.; Hood in the presence of a few friends.' ' i, - The groom is the son of Mr. and Mr. J.. R.J Carson and has a large circle of friends. The bride is a daughter of Mr., and Mrs. C. W, Cheney and is a young lady of charm ing personality and has a host "' of friends. r :;' : RHYNE-FARRAR ' .WEDDING MONDAY. A wedding which came as a sur prise to their many friends was that of Mr. Brady C. Rhyne and Miss Laura' Marie Farrar.. which was sol emnised by Rev. J.' C. Diets, pastor of the Lutheran church, at his resi dence on Chester street Monday er ening at 7 o clock. The bride is a daughter of Mr. C. A. Farrar, of Gas-J tonla, route two, while the groom is a son of Mr. Peter S. Rhyne, who lives' near Ranlo. Mr, Rhyne , nas been living for the past year or more at . Benton. Ala., and left yesterday with his bride for his home at that place.'. TRYING TO SOLVE LABOR PROB- . ... ; LUM. (By International News Service ' WASHINGTON, Dec. 31. With the executive end of the railroad problem solved for the present Di rector General McAdoo today turned bis attention to the labor. situation. The beads of four big railroad broth erhoods have been asked to come to Washington for a conference Thurs day. It is realized that the engineer regiments and war manufacturers have taken thousands of workers from the railroads and higher wages will be necessary to hold the present forces on their Job. It is expected that a general increase in freight rates and an Increase in salaries will be announced simultaneously follow ing the conference to be held Thurs- 5ar : . ; O ? NO RADICAL CHANGES NOW, ; (By-International News Service:) WASHINGTON. Dec. 28. At noon all. the railroads in the United States passed under government con trol. At that time Mr. McAdoo was in conference with the Railroad War Board, which Includes Daniel Wll lard and Fairfax Harrison. At the Conclusion of the conference Mr. Mc Adoo announced that all railway of ficials will retain their places: that the operating committee of vice-presidents will retain their places and that absolutely no changes will be made at the present For the pres ent there will be no order unifying all the systems. All these matters will be held in abeyance until the vice-presidents can submit their rec ommendations to Mr. McAdoo re garding the future operation of tne roads. f Opening Date Postponed. . The city public schools, which had been scheduled to resume work to day following the Christmas holi days, will not open until next Tues day, January 8th. This postpone ment will help somewhat toward re lieving the threatened shortage of fuel, and the pupils will not be re quired to come out in the severe weather. ' which has prevailed ror some days. Soldiers Badly Equipped as to Shoes. (By International News Service. WASHINGTON. Di 28. Eighty five percent of the American soldiers are equipped with shoes either, too long or too short, Sharpe admitted today on cross examination before the Senate probe. - - ROADS CLEARED FOR COAL . MOVEMENT. -t BY International ?ews Service.) WASHINGTON. Jan. I. . The railroads were cleared today for the movement of coat Orders issued by Director McAdoo started long train loads of coal to suffering localities and provided for the movement of cars that must be loaded within the next 10 days. The railroads have been Instructed to observe the wlsn es of local coal administrators re-v gardlng the disposition of" coat This mornlnr'a Obaarver un fhf durinc the mit 48 hnnr !x utid. iers died at Camp Green, this being tne largest numoer so far during any s-nonr period. T - - - wi i:ec9tlui::is ilwe eeeii (By International News Service.) - 't LONDON, Jan. ,2. Peace negotia tlons between the Bolshevik! : and Germany have been' broken- off be cause Germany demanded the right to keep v garrisons in Poland and Courland, according to a f dispatch printed today in The Dally News. The correspondent stated that he got his Information from : a rellabld source He says that the Bolsbevikl are preparing to defend the frontier, The Russian envoys, it stated, re fused to grant the Austro-Germans further time to consider the matter.' flEVVS OF THE GOUIJTY LATEST FROa D0B COBEESruNTS Lowell Locals. Correspondence of The Gazette, v . . . LOWELL, Jan. 1. Born to' Mr. and Mrs. H. Henry Cox Saturday. December 29th4 a girl. " Mr. Frank Robinson, Jr., return ed : Wednesday to -.Westminster School to resume his studies. Prof. Grady Gaston Is : spending some time with homefolks. Mr. Gas ton Is principal of the school m North Wllkesboro. - MrjJ. Ltnwood Robinson,' of Ruth erfordton, spent several days in town last week. - v.-.vv:y-v ; Miss Annie Ford spent last week In Salisbury with relatives.: Mesdames 8. M.- Robinson and J. R. Tltman spent Friday in Charlotte as the guests of Mrs. Howland. Mr. and Mrs.' Ross,,, of Philadel phia, were the guests Thursday of Mrs.. S. M. Robinson. Charlotte, the little daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Blllle Haues, who has been quite HI, Is slightly Improved. Mrs. S. M. Robinson had quite an experience Monday morning, : when the pipe. connecting the water tank to the cooking stove exploded. Con siderable damage was done; the cook sustained a slight Injury on the arm. .'.-..,-'., Urn. Colt Robinson entertained at dinner Saturday in honor of her guests, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Taylor, of Westminster, S. C. Mrs. J. W. Reld entertained de lightfully at a four-course dinner to day in honor of her brother, Mr. Les lie Reld.who is at home from the Uni versity for the holidays. Her guests were Mr. and Mrs. R. C. Patrick and Dr. and Mrs. L. N. Patrick, of Gasto nia; Mr. and Mrs. H. F. Gash, Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Reid and Misses Mary, Irma and Helen Reid and Mr. Leslie Reld, of Lowell. A QUIET NEW YEARS DAY. (By International News Service.) NEW YORK, Jan. 1. Realization that the United States Is In war caus ed a quiet New Year celebration here. CHICAGO. Jan. 1. With Chief of Police Scuttler on the lid, Chlco goans are having a quiet New Year. ATLANTA, Jan. 1. Prohibition throughout the South caused New Years to look like any other day, ex cept that some business concerns rec ognized it as a half -holiday. PROBE MAY RESULT IN PROSE. CUTIONS. (By International News Service.) WASHINGTON, Dec. 31. There are strong Indications today that prosecutions may grow out of the recent army probe. Senator Frey llnghaus today demanded that all witnesses be put under oath as the evidence "may come before the At torney General for action." General Crosier was on the stand this morn ing. He read a -long statement lay ing the blame for the lack of artil lery on the general public for failing to rally to a preparedness program. UNNECESSARY OFFICES TO BE ABOLISHED. (By International News Service.) WASHINGTON, Dec. 31. Under an order being prepared by Mr, Mc Adoo absolute operation of all roads will be demanded by the government. All unnecessary offices will be abol ished. Including publicity agents, freight and passenger solicitors and hundreds of attorneys who do little work. : - -: . v:'-, DECLARES ITSELF A REPUBLIC. ": f By International rrews Service.) SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 31. Low er California has declared itself an Independent republic, according to reports. Fielding Stllson has been appointed by the governor - of, the new republic as diplomatic represent ative to the United States. PLOT TO BURN BIG PLANT. ; (By International Kews Service.) DETROIT, Dec 31. What is be lieved to have been a German plot to destroy the 13,000,000 plant of the Liberty Motor Co. here was frustrat ed today when firemen and employ ees subdued an apparently incendi ary blaze in one of the buildings un der construction. The - loss was small.' This was the second . blaze In plants doing. government .work within three days. 'JMI'ORTAXT ?OT:: : TD gazette sii:;;c.::..: ... .i . A large number of 4,'atnti subscriptions eT"e the. frt cf January and many noro Cil the month. , Those f cur re ers whose subset'. : 4 ex, 9 at this time wiU t vo t: " 1 llwhers much troi " 'y ait J v.. 1 prevent the probat. ty of ml ing any copies of the rpfcr if they will send or bri.15 la tht'r ' .renewals at once. To take c.I and then, within A few days, I - t back on a large number of na'MM on our mailing list Is no u...:l cask and require several work. Hence we ask all of our readers whose subscription 3' et- plre at any date In the month f f- January to favor us by senrtf"-; In their renewals at once. AO- dress all communications to The Gazette Publishing Co., Ga tonla, N. C ,'':-" .- l .: , . .' . ' , gave B'::autT m i::n sr;Fr;;iE:ui5 p,.?sji::?i!'if-i- l . Col C. B. Armstrong was host at a banquet Saturday night at the Arm ingtoh Hotel to the superintendents' and overseers of the ten mills com prising the Armstrong chain of mills. The mills composing this chain are the Armstrong, Clara, Dunn, Pied mont, Mutual and Seminole mills, of Gastonia; Elizabeth Mills, Charlotte ; . Monarch Mill, Dallas';': Wymojo Mill. Rock Hill, 8. C, and the Anna Mill at Bakers, this county. Timers were (1 guests at the table. A sumptuous' repast was served. ' Col. Armstrong , acted as toastmaster and a number of impromptu talks were made by guests. The occasion was a thor oughly delightful one throughout 1 AM-GEra scirrms FREEZE TO tlATO (By International News Service.) ' ;' ROME, Jan. I. Many Austro-Ger-man soldiers have frozen to death in the ( Venetian Alps. Many others are on the verge of starvation because the deep snows make the bringing up of food almost Impossible. News of conditions within the German lines is revealed by prisoners Who sur rendered, they stated, to keep from starving.' I1MIDRS 0!l VERGE Of IlllTLTf- (By International News Service.) , , . AMSTERDAM,: Jan. , 2. German , munition workers will try to force the Kaiser to make peace; according to information trickling across the ' border today. Following serious and ,. disastrous explosions In- munition plants scores of Independent work- , ers have been arrested. ; Workmen ' . crossing the border recently reported that the Krupp gun works had burn- ' ed for 24 hours and that supplies for the army were thus seriously affect- ed. ' v''!;',;'-'.:;: TURNS LAND OVER TO PEASANTS t ; (By International News Service.) WASHINGTON. Jan. 1. Official , dispatches from Rome state that Ita : ' ly has requlstioned all land that may be used for agriculture and ' has . turned it over to the peasants. - - TO ENLIST 100,000 BHIPBUILD- . ;.'. '... ERS. ' ' f. v : .' v ( By International Newt- Service. 4 f WASHINGTON, Jan. 1 A hun dred thousand workers from 70 vo- -'f cations will be voluntarily enlisted -for ship building 'work,--. Chairman 1 Hurley announced today. These men will be exempted from military duty. 1 It is hoped to have all shipyards tpd- nlng 24 hours per day. by the first of ': February. . . . ., .. , . - AMERICAN AVLTOR3 IN ITALY. ; (By' International' News Service.) .. . 4 WASHINGTON. Dec, 28. Ameri can aviators have arrived in. Italy c but are not yet on the firing line. . , , u . " .' - . ; INVESTIGATING FIRE. (By International News Service.) NORFOLK, Jan. 1. A searching investigation into the origin of the -' big fire here has been begun. Two mysterious explosions occurred Just -prior to the breaking. out . of -the $250,000 LOSS BY FIRE TODAY". (By International News Service.) . HARRISBURG, PA., Jan. 2. Fire today almost completely destroyed three departments of the Harrisbur? Pipe Co:, engaged on ..government work. It is believed that the orf-n of the fire was lneenf 'iry. The I 1 Is $250,000. . ' , STONE MOU"" ". C V. J?". " The busln" 1 c ' ' was practical y ieic ' morning. The loss 1? $50,000.