The herald and news. (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, March 13, 1917, Image 1
A KM ED AMERICAN SHIP",
WILL ENTER WAR ZONE
Washington, March 11.?Within 10
days the question of actual hostilities
or peace between the United States
and Germany will be settlt4.
With American armed merchant
men prepared for the dash through
the war zone of German ruthlessness,
President Wilson and his advisers to
night settled down for a period of
watchful waiting." j
Long days and anxious nights of
waiting for news from the war zone
now will occupy Washington and the
^mintrv. The administration was con
vinced that the differences between
the United States and Germany will
reach a climax when the first armed
.American merchant ship meets a Ger
man submarine.
While all ship movements were
s"hr<>xuded behind impenetrable secrecy,
it was stated that the departure of
? American commercial ships carrying
2iaval guns and gunners would be a
master of but a few days, and that
in armpd American ships
f
JLAWU1U XV W ? _
would be in the war zone.
With the gunners aboard American
ships under orders to fire at once on
?^ ? - ? orMYrnophoc In a
-any s uuixiax iuc ayy- uuvuvo --- ?
threatening manner, the first encoun
ter between an American ship and a
German undersea boat will bring de
finite, decisive results.
DR. ZHDIEEJfciSN EXPECTS
1. S. TO RESPECT TREATY
J-'nrpiVn Secretary Says This Country
Cannot Seize German Ships.?
Still Ready for Peace.
Berlin, via Sayville, Wireless,
-March 11.?"The treaty of 1875 with
the United States is still in force, and
I expect America to keep it. Tne
treaty also provides for the eventuality
of war, and if America wants to stand
on the basis of international law then
she cannot seize German snips lying
in American ports."
Foresign Secrtary Zimmermann is
quoted as making the above state
ruent to a representative of the Buda
pest newspaper, Vilag. 'He reiterated
his assertion of a few days ago that
war or peace between Germany and
the Unittd States "depends solely up
on President Wilson,", and that Ger
many has spoken lier nnai wora re
garding unrestricted/U-boat warfare
and will not recede from her position.
Asked whether Germany still ad
hered to her declaration that she was
ready to join in, or even lead, a lea
Sue for international peace, Dr. Zim
mermann answered:
''Yes, unconditionally." > He added:
"We always have been a peaceful'
nation and wanted nothing but peace, J
<While our neighbors to the right and j
left carried on wars, our endeavor was
to maintain peace, we were iuiwcu
into our armaments by our geographi
cal situation, and peaceful Germany,
which wanted nothing but its place
in the sun, always had to be 'en ve
dette.'
"Events have proved ho/v necessary
and just our continuous preparedness
has been. If we had not been pre
pared, our enemies long ago would
have been in Berlin and Budapest.*' j
" that tTlfi
JJr. Z'lmmermaau ucviaivu wmmw ?^
results of the submarine war up-to
date have been satisfactory.
He concluded:
"We shall prove to our enemies that
it is impossible to annihilate Ger-'
many, and that it is impossible to
starve Germany. We will repulse them
with their own weapon. We shall
bring this war, which was forced up-1
on us, victoriously to its termination.".
MAM SUBMARINE CHASERS
TO BE BUILT IMMEDIATELY
* * A t A Plonc frtT*
W asnmgion, 4,victi t*u jlu.?a.v4
the immediate construction of a large
number of submarine chasers for use
by the navy in coast patrol work will
be discussed with motorboat builders
at a conference called by Secretary
Daniels to meet here Monday. The,
types of boats to be ordered, as well
as the number, it is understood, will
depend upon wnat tne Dunuers s>aj |
as to the capacity of their plants.
The Navy Department has designs
for several types of chasers, ranging
from thirty-foot boats to big, swift j
craft more than 100 feet long. To
make use of the small boat shops
that dot the American coasts, it is
proposed to build many of the chasers
of wood instead of steel so as to draw
on an entirely different character of
skilled labor and also lessen the strain
Wlrnf
on ine mcwi iluxjaci.
It has been estimated that the first
chasers could be constructed in two
months or less and that duplicates
could be produced at the rate of thirty
to fifty a week thereafter.
The major ship building companies
will furnish the secretary with written
statements of their capitalization, con
tracts, plant plans and other data
neoessary to distribution of the navy
building program under the speeding
up requirements recently atffitorized
by congress.
After Mondays conierence repre
sentatives of the manufacturers who
supply machinery and equipment for
navy vessels will see the secretary to
discuss their part in the speeding up)
process.
rl'KESIDEST-TAKES STEPS
FOR FREEDOM OF THE SEA!
Will Arm American Merchant Vessels
?Calls 'XongTess Together
Again.
[
I
I (Washington, March 9.?Presiden
Wilson, from a sick bed, today orderet
the arming of lAmericail merchan
ships against Germany's ruthless sub
marine warfare and at the same tim<
issued a proclamation calling an extn
session of congress to meet April 16
The president's decision came sud
denly late this afternoon, following
the action of the senate yersteraay n
revising itg rules to permit prompt ac
tion on important questions and th<
submission of formal opinions b:
Secretary Lansing anu Attorney cen
eral Gregory that he has the powe;
to arm merchantmen without actio!
V? n/Nn/vw/vnn oilc Af tha ffAVOm
UV luugl caa. JJctaiio ui
ment's armed neutrality plans for de
fending the merchant marine \ver<
withheld to avoid endangering Ameri
cans and their ships by permitting tin
information to reach Germany.
The only statement at the Whiti
House and the navy department wai
that the president had determine(
fully to protect American rights.
Only the >ext Step.
The decision, coming at .the end o
a period of tense waiting, was gen
erallv hailed as the natural and un
avoidable next step In the pollc:
adopted by the president when h<
broke off diplomatic relations wltl
Germany, and gave warning that th<
1'nited States could not tolerate at
tacks on American ships and ci:;zen:
in violation of international law.
Fraught with the crave possibility
of war with Germany, the action ^a:
taken by President Wilson only attei
he was convinced that Germany ac
tually was preceding with her cam
paign of ruthlessness and had madi
efforts to plot with Mexico and Japai
against the territorial Integrity of th<
United States.
Long before the order was givei
from the White House, all necessary
preparations for the /'arming of mer
chantmen naa Deen compietea m im
navy department.
Thrill in Senate.
Th .^president's decision sent a thrH
through the senate, meeting in specla
session, and in government depart
ments. Still hoping that war wltl
Germany will be avoided officials de
cfared that the issue rests entirely
with Germany.
Formal announcement of the gov
ernment's policy was given in the fol
lowing announcement issued from th<
White House:
"Secretary Tumulty stated in con
? + a nfAouTonfc? r* q 11 fn'
an extra session of congress that th<
president is convinced that he has th<
power to arm American' merchan
ships and he is free to exercise it a
once. But so much necessary legisla
tion is pressing for consideration tha
he is convinved that it is for the bes
interests of the country to have ai
early session of the Sivtv-Fifth con
gress, whose support he will also nee<
in all matter collateral to the defenst
of our merchant marine.*'
The president's proclamation calling
the extra session of congress follows:
"Whereas public interests require
that the congress of the United State:
should be convened in extra session a
12 o'clock, noon, on the 16th day o
April. 1917, to receive such communi
cations as may be made by th? execu
tive:"
"Now, therefore, I, iW'oodrow Wil
son. president of the United States o
America, do hereby proclaim and de
clare that an extraordinary occasioi
requires the congress of the Unitec
stntoQ frmvene in extra session a
the capitol in the city of Washington
on the 16th day of April, 1917, at 21
o'clock, noon, of which all person:
who shall at that time be- entitled t<
a^t as members thereof are hereb]
requested to take notice.
"Given under my hand and the sea
of the United States of America th<
9th day of March in the year of ou'
Lord one thousand nine hundred ant
seventeen and of the independence o
the ("nited States the 141st."
BERLIN FIGURES OX
LOST TONNAGE C03IPILE1
'New York, March 3.?The following
is a compilation of German officia
reports of tonnage destroyed by IT
boats in the barred zones since Febru
ary 1. These reports give the tota
tonnage reported on certain days t<
have been sunk d
ods. Reported on:
February 10
February 11 ...
! February 13
I February 14 .
February lo ... .
| February IS ... .
j February 19 ... .
February 21 ... .
February 22
'February 25
February 28 ,
March 4 ...
March 5 . ..
March 1 ... .
March S ... .
Grand total
. .2;>,W0 tOD
..37,5-00 ton
..78,660 ton;
..64,500 ton
.204;000 ton
.131,000 toni
.839.810 ton
Mr. W. D. Pitts returned last Fri
day from the Columbia hospital
greatly improved after a serious op
eration, his friends will be pleasei
to know
1 FIGHT FOR CONTROL
*j MAY BECOWE BITTER
Prospects of Even Division Between
| Democrats and Republicans In
House Suggest Battle Over Organ
! ization. Coalition May Save (he
t Day, However, Some Think. Inde
- I J J. MJ !ll di Jt I Iaa
penoenis Sim omuumir aiwi,
Washington, March 9.?Optimistic
forecasts of the control df the next
house came from Democratic and
Republican leaders tonight when they
heard of the president's call for an
extra session of congress April 16.
Unbiased observers forsee only a
long and bitter organization fight un
= less a coamion agreeurem. prevents, j
Speaker Clark and Representative
- Woods of Iowa, chairman of the Re-'
r publican congressional committee,!
I predicted victory for their respective (
- parties. Each said his party was as- j
" sured of at least 218 votes. The of-.
* ficial standing of the incoming house
" is as follows: Republicans 215; Demo-!
3 crats 214; Prohibitionist 1; Pro-'
J gressive 1; Progressive-Protectionist
5 1; Socialist 1; Independent 1; vacancv
3 1.
II The vacancy exists in the Fifteenth
j New York district, which is over- j
' whelmingly Democratic. It has been :
'.generally believed that Gov. Whit-;
" i man would call an election before
". next Friday, which would make vir- j
? tuallv certain a tie at 215 between;
5 the Democratic and Republican mem
1 bers in he opening day of the session, i
3 Republicans are Worrying. I
" j Republican leaders are worried
5, over the illness of three of their
j members and the statement of Rep- '
*' rfi?entative Heintz of Cincinnati's
5 fourth. that he does not favor Repre-.
r, sentative Mann for speaker.
" j Representatives Hill of Connecticut. '
" - Sulloway of Xew Hampshire and
3 Graham of Pennsylvania are ill. |
1 All the newly elected Democratic ;
' and Republican members probably
! will be summoned here for caucuses a
1 week or ten days before congress is
7 reconvened. Several Progressives en- j
" rolled as Republicans, it is understood,
2 will decline to be bound by caucus
rules. Some members of both the
old parties would not be surprised to
1 ~ ^ ~ ~ /inoHtiAn O irroom PT11 PTltpTfid
5CC cX LfaiiLxuii ufji wM*vaSV ?-?
1 , into before April 16 and the slate
", carried through with a rush before
1; the end of the first day. Success of
"' the bi-partisan proposal will depend
j in a great measure on the internation
j al situation and .saps which may be
caused in the ranks of the big parties
by illness or death. Neither side pro
3 poses to permit weeks of wearisome
j and useless balloting for speaker lo
tie up important government business.
r j To Remain Independent.
3 Despite the growing talk of coali
3 tion the five independents insist they
t win nnt nrnniesoe auietlv to the
r j wishes of big party leaders. By agree
' j ment none of the independents will
I j pledge himself to any candidate for
cj speaker until all have met here again.
II News of the calling of an extra
"! session relieved the uncertainty of
1; more than a hundred members wfco
have remained here since the last ses
1 sion ended. Many left for home to
-night. Speaker Clark predicted that
: i once congress resumed sittings In
5, Anril it will not adjourn until August,
Jjl918. He thinks that organization
J'n-ork will be disposed of within four
days and then the entire field of legis
". lation, including bills which failed at
" | the last session and new proposals,
! will be opened up.
> 1- +V./S WV.Ua
?' ine speaKer went uj mc nun&
E House today shortly before the proc-,
"jlamation was issued. He was un
1 able to see the president on account
| of the latter's illness, but talked with
li Secretary Tumulty and told him it
1 was absolutely necessary that there
, j should be some word, preferably a
31 proclamation, that would enable mem
} 1 bers and congressional attaches gen
Vp their nlans. ;
j w " ' ?lu Ui ?w ? ,
I Some of the members of the house
insular affairs committee have plan
\ ned to make a trip to the Philippines,
1 | others have arranged to visit Alas*%
' and Hawaii and the Indian affairs
i committee proposed a trip of inspec
tion in the West. All these plans now
will have to be abandoned.
> BAGDAD CAPTURED BY
11 BRITISH WHILE TURKS FLEE
\ Amsterdam, March 11.?Bagdad has
. fallen to the British. From historic,
_ battle-scarred citadel of the ancient
1 Mesopotamian metropolis flutters to
> night the Union Jack, and far beyond
_ the city's outskirts British cavalry Is
hard on the heels of the Turks, flee
ing along both banks of the Tigris.
! News of Bagdad's capture bfr Gen
? eral Maude's army reached London
^ { late this afternoon. It promptly was
s; flashed broadcast and came to all Eu
? i rope as one of the greatest surprises
I of the war.
i That the city would fall sooner or
I later was generally expected, but that
the capture would come so soon sur
prised even the most sanguine Brit
ish experts.
The Turks had been expected to
make a stubborn stand on the river
Diala, six miles away.
Only a few days ago Maj. Gen. Fred
erick B. Maude, chief dfre^*>r of mili-j
tary operations at the British war of
fioe. had predicted a hard battle.
(. The idea was general that for two j
-! years the Turks had been busy con-1
3,structing powerful defenses to ward,
' off the final British onslaught. I
EKNEST BROOKS TAKES FIRST
PRIZE BOYS CORN CONTEST
The State of last Friday carried an
account of the prizes offered and the
winners in the boys corn contest for
1916. Ernest Brcoks of the Prosperi
ty section of the county is the winner
of the firs| prize and by courtesy of
The State- The Herald and News
prints the photograph of young Brooxs
and the account of the announcement
of prizes so far as it relates to him.
We notice that two of the winners
were young ladies. The Herald and
A.. 1 ? * /?11 r\f +Viom and
6 W S COIlgI~Cl tu. Lix ICS CLJLl KJ JL (.UV111 WW?
especially does it felicitate young
Brooks on the suscess which he has
won. It is through the boys and girls
that we are to save the State. It is
just like Dr. Brown said at the meet
ing last week, it is difficult for the
old fellows to learn and to adopt new
methods, even if they are shown the
right way, they still cling to the old
love. Here is what The State has
- * 1 tVin+ is fr\ 'hp fiV
tO say 01 Lilt; uauquci mat 10 ?-v/ "v 0.
en and what it says of Brooks:
L. L. Baker of Bishopville, State
organizer of boys' corn and pig clubs,
was in Columbia Thursday, laying
rreliminarv plans for the annual ban
quet to be given some time within
the immediate future to the prize
winners of the Statewide contests
of 1916. In addition to the appetiz
ing "feed,'' which Mr. Baker is pre
paring for these progressive farmer
""'"lc! o ctrrmc hatferv of
UUJr 3 (tnu 511 i?, ?. ^
ViAKIOUS AND ALL ABOUT.
A car load of beef cattle from
Blackville arrived in Newberry last
week. They were gone after and
bouglit by Messrs. A. P. Boozer and K.
L. Hutchinson. The farmers of New
berry ought to make a note of this.
Magistrate C. W. Douglas tried a
bunch of black gamblers Monday
morning. The gang was rounded up
by Constable Havird and Policeman
Connelly, two and a haif miles rrom
the city. The men were convicted
and fined $5 each. All paid.
The latest buyers of automobiles
through the Carolina Auto company
are: Mr. I. M. Smith. Sr., and Dr. T.
H. Pope of Kir.ards, each a Maxwell
roadster; and a Maxwell tourmg car
each to the following: Messrs. Dan
Wicker, W. J. Swittenberg, Herbert
Carlisle and C. T. Summer.
A fairy tale is to be presented at
the opera house Thursday, in which
exquisite little Marguerite Clark will
be the star. There are seven real
dwarfs in this play, and "all the ten
der memories 01 cmiancxm come u ay
ping to the mind when Snow White
looks from out the dear soul of Mar
guerite Clark."
At the meeting in Columbia Fri
day, at which was organized tlie South
Carolina Motion Picture Exhibitors'
league, Mr. H. B. Wells was elected
treasurer. The objects oMhe associa
tion are to benefit the exniDitor ana
the patron, promote better projection
of the moving pictures, the elimina
tion of objectionable films and the se
curing of better subjects.
Two goats from "Tant" Wicker'b
goat farm between Newberry and
Helena were run over by a Southern
train last week. One goat was killed
by the train and the other woutided.
The wounded goat was killed later by
hand. Ceasar Cannon, the faithful
Cline hand, was given the goat meat
That was one time someone got
"Tant's'' "goat.''
Competitor Wise's horse must have
speakers are being engaged for very'
brief talks. ? J
| Ernest Brooks of Prosperity, New-;
berry county, gets first prize in the
i corn club contest. He will receive a j
| gold medal offered by Congressman j
! A. F. Lever and $25 in gold from the
j H. 0 Hastings Seed companv of At-!
[_ j
lanta, Ga. His yield was 81 bushels
at l cost of 17 cents a bushel.
Enviable Record.
Young Brooks als< holds an en
";a;.')e record in the corn club work.
In 1915 he won first prize in New
berry county. For this he was award
ed a ton c( limestone from the Ameri
; can Ballast company of Tennessee, ft
; short agricultural course at Clemson
i collese and 1.000 pounds of sulphate
/vf ommnnia frr?m Rarrott CllGmi
, cal company of Athens, Ga.
In the fall of 1915 Brooks distri
. butcd the ton of limestone on his acre,
and immediately thereafter sowed the
i land in clover and vetch for a winter
' cover crop. This coating of green
. growth was turned under early in the
j spring. The ammonia and acid pixos
| phate were used during the planting
; and cultivation of the crop. When the
corn had been laid by. he entered
Clemson college last* summer and
| d^aill pulOUtH Ulllgvuu; u.w ~
in elementary agriculture. Although
; last season was registered as a poor
i one for the corn crops in his com
; munity. he succeeded in harvesting
89 bushels of corn from bi? acr* a-'
an average cost of production of 11
cents a bushel.
| had some of his master's hurry in
Oofnr-r?ov iv-hiic thp last rarload
( null uaiui uo,' ? miv .v.~v
, of mules was being unloaded at the
i depot. Tliey say it was a beautiful
and graceful fall. Wise crawled out
from under the horse and headed his
i mules while the horse made for the
1 stables.
1 Deputy U. J. Taylor returned on
j Saturday from the St. Lukes com
munity, after a visit to his brother,
Mr. Xoah Taylor, whose son, tfernara,
got his leg broken at a saw mill on
Thursday afternoon. A log on the
carriage of the saw mill struck young
j Taylor on the right leg, breaking two
' bones near the ankle. Dr. Beden-.
baugh attended the injuries and Mr. '
' Taylor is getting along all right.
| _The biggest week's attractions at
I the rmem house for anv one week will
j be seen this week. There never was
such an array of stars for six con
secutive days. Monday it was Viv
ian Martin. The balance will be as
follows: Tuesday, Marie Dressier.'
(Wednesday, Mme Petrova. Thursday,'
Marguerite Clark. FYldajy, Dorothy
Gish. Saturday, Beverly Bayne and!
Francis Bushman.
"Civilization"' is remarkable for the:
fact that it presents on tne screen tuc
I first filmed record of how a_ subma-'
rine operates when attacking a big
steamer. The sinking of three enemy j
ships take place in full view of the an-;
dience, and one boat is blown 500 feet'
in the air, while all about the sea is |
tortured into a thousand seething |
spouts by the bursting shells. For use
in the thrilling battle the United j
States government furnished two bat
tleships, two torpeao ooat aestrujerb, j
one cruiser and two submarines.
There were 1200 shots fired, 600 of
which were real by the U. S. Marines.
"Civilization"' will be seen at the Ar
cade Monday and Tuesday. March 12'
and 13. On both days it will be shown
continuously from 3 o'clock in the af- j
ternoon until 12 o'clock at night.
WHY NOT SELL SECURITIES
AND PAY OFF BONDS
Mr. Editor:
Your editorial article in the last
issue of The Herald and News, upon
the Commissioners of Public Works
issuing $30,000.00 of new bonds to re
deem a portion of the issue of th.e
$42,000.00 of the water and light
bonds, makes a very appropriate sug
gestion ^ well as a nertinent !naulrv
as to tu. advisability of their propo
sition, to sell $30,000.00 worth of new
bonds and to redeem the old bond3
with the proceeds of the sale.
A more businesslike proposition, aa
you suggest, would be to sell out
right the $25,500.00 worth of bond3
and apply their proceeds with $6,564.
Q7 rash in thp etinldner fnnrt and tatft
up $32,000.00 of bonds with that mon
ey, and get rid of $32,000.00 of
debt, rather than sell new bonds to
buy the old ones, and have the sink
ing fund holding on to $30,000.00 la
vested, in securities, tlie interest om
these securities to pay the interest
on the $30,000.00 worth of bonds, for
twenty years. Whether the intecest
on these securities will pay the in
terest or not the city will have to
~ 0.1 ? i. A ^1
rneei uie liueiessi on ner utmus. -woia.
the debt of the city twenty years from
now will still be the $30,000.00, arid
what concerns the city Is will these
assets or securities be ^orth $20,
000.00 at that date. Any Depreciation
in their value will be a loss to tha
city.
At this time these securties are
worth par, and the question is: la
it not best to sell them now and set
tle the debt?
Now as to the sinking fund, havlii^
these securities to sell, we take the
following figures from the last Feb
ruary's report of the condition of the
sinking fund on January 1, 1917,
which shows at date, assests amount
ing to $42,487.98. Of these assets
there were:
Bonds at par value $25,500.00
Cash in bank 6,564.97
making $32,064.97 or assets that
upon jApril l, 1917, might have been
utilized to purchase $32,000.00 of the
original issue of $42,000.00, leaving
-only $10,000.00 of the debt.
This same statement of January 1,
1917, also shows that there was $10,
487.95 of good paper assets, and with
the city paying up $32,000.00 of her
debt, it ought not to be a dufficult
proposition, with the city's credit and
$10,48-7.% of good assets to borrow
$10,000.00 at 6 per cent. Take up
this balance of $10,000.00 of bonded
debt, collect in twelve months this
$10,487.95 which is all an interest
bearing asset, and pay off this $10,
'/l/l/.UU ueui ciliU 3CLHC LUC nuuic uiav
ter.
Or with $6,564.97 in money and $25t
500.00 in bonds they could propose t*
exchange these bonds and cash fo?
$32,000.00 of bonds, for ftie parties
holding these bonds would have to
take their face value $32,000.00, when
the larger portion of the bonds of
sinking fund could be sold above par.
To sell new bonds will be addition
al cost, the attorneys fee for the draw
ing of the bonds on advantageous con
ditions for the city, the printing of the
bonds, and the advertising and com
mission sales, all of which expense
conid be saved by either of the above
plans.
With grave doubts as to the author!
ty of the commissioners to issue such
a series of bonds, or the legality of
the bonds when issued for such pur
posses, with assets on hand sufficient
to take up all old bonds, that are to
be redeemed under this plan; and
also with much misgiving as to the
advisability of the plan proposed, for
arranging this debt, I think it would
be very desirable to call a meeting of
[ne citizens.
When after hearing the advantages
and disadvantages of the proposed
plan, the meeting may vote as to the
advisability of adopting same.
James Mcintosh.
STATE HIGHWAY COMMISSION
.x^niviiOfW imc 4 VT7 4 TOTAY
riittrttia no vuuA.uvAj.tTiM
< :j
Columbia, 'March 10.?The State
Highly Commission met here thi3/
afternoon and tonight elected J. Mon
roe Johnson, of Marion, chairman, and
Charles 0. Hearon, of Spartanburg,
temporary secretary. X. C- Homes,
head of the engineering department at
- TT-; ? - ? ? ?V C PorAHno Tiro <3
ine Lnivcrsity ui ^uuiu uaiwuua, ?-?u>j
instructed to prepare an abstract of
the highway act passed at tlie recent
session of the general assembly.
The two other members of the com
missioin of five are the heads of the
engineering departments at the Cita
del and Clemson college.
Honor Roll Tranwood School.
Following is the honor roll of tran
wood school for month beginning
February 9th.
6th Grade?Marie Epting, Mary
Epting. Ruth Epting, Floyd Reeder.
5th Grade?Frances Abrams.
4th Grade?Hugh Epting, Claude
Waf-fhow?
3rd Grade?Margaret Sease.
2nd Grade?Kenneth L-ong, Robert
Gee.
1st Grade?Myrtle Eptlpg, Lester
Epting.