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mmnji british policy VMITCD STATES ADDREHSI s HGTK TO GRKAT BRITAIN ON NAVAL ACTION. Cef la Attention to Injustice of Seiiure of Neutral Vessels on Suspicion? VrtT? Early Statement by EngluiMl of Ita Intentions. Washington. Dec. 28.?Tho United States government toilay dispatched a long note to Greet Britain Insisting on an early Improvement In the treat ment of American commerce by Brit? ish fleeta It warned England that mucv eellng had been aroused In this c jjntt y and that public criticism was general over unwarranted inter? ference with the legitimate foreign trade of the United States. The docu ment. constituting the strongest rep? resentation on the subject made by the United States to any of the bel? ligerents, was cabled to Ambassador Prtge to be formally presented to Sir Edward Grey, the British foroign sec? retary. Its preparation was begun a month ago by Solicitor Cone Johnson, Counselor Robert Lansing and Sec? retary Bryan, and during the last two weeks had the personal attention of President Wilson himself, who re? vised Its phniseology with minute care. A* the detailed point of view of the United State? in the numerous specific pease of detentions and selsures of cargoes had been set forth in a series of emphatic protests, most of which have gone unheeded, today's com? munication was couched in general terms covering the entire subject of the relations between the United States and Oreat Britain as affected by the letter's naval policy, considered highly objectionable to this govern? ment. The note declares at the outset that the representations are made in a friendly spirit, but that the United' Mates considers It best to speak In terms of frankness lest silence be con? strued as an acquiescence to a policy of Oreat Britain which infringes the rights of American citizens under the laws of the nations. Since France has adopted virtually the same decrees on contraband as has Oreat Britain, today's note Is a scat ment Intendei for all members of the Triple Entente. The document points out that com plaints on every tide and public criti? cism In the United States hold the British policy as directly responsible for the depression in many Ameri? can Industries. Reimbursement alone for cargoes unlawfully detained or seised. It states, does not remedy tho evil. as the mt lef difficulty is tho moral effect of British practice on American expor* rs who are restrain? ed from taking risks or hazards which in no caso ought to surround legiti? mate trade) between the United States and other neutrU countries. Feeling has been aroused on tho subject to such an extent, the com? munication adds, that the American government feels compelled to ask for definite information as to Great Brit? ain's attitude In order that it may take such measures as would protect American citizens in their rights. The United states, It points out. was patient at first, realising that hos? tilities had heaped a mass of bur? dens on the British government and thinking an early clearing of the air would come. Five months have elapsed, it asserts, with no Improve? ment in the situation. In tho mean? time, American shippers have availed themselves of various suggestions from the Biltlsh government, such as shipping cargoes to deft iltely named consignees in neutral countries and the taking out of certificates from consuls In this country which follow? ed promises of the British foreign office that the allied fleets consequent? ly would cease detentions of these cargoes. The situation, however, Is described as having hardly Improw I after these concessions. Reference Is made in the note to the high principles of equity which have actuated Oreat Urltaln in her championship in the past In the free? dom of the sea* to neutral com? merce, and tho hope Is expressed that even though a belligerent herself, she will realise the seriousness, to tho neutrals of continued Interference. Reserving until some other date the discussion of those articles Whtoh Great Britain has taken from the gen? erally accepted lists of non-contra? band and placed on the list ol abso? lute and conditional contraband, th?? American government declares that the llrlttsh Meets have been regard? ing absolute and conditional contra hand as In the name class, whereas International law detlm < iibsolut.c eon trahand as consisting of those arti? cles Intended directly for the use of an army or navy, and conditional contraband th?>ae articles susceptIMi of use by armed forces, but who.*;e destination must bo the determining factor In detentions. The American note. mantlonlni? here that foodstuffs are conditional contraband, since they may be des? tined for the use of a civil popu? lation as well OS an army, says the GOVERNOR SH?NTS CLEMENCY OPENS GATES OP PENITENTIARY TO FORTY-FOtil t'OX VICTS. Eight Pardons ami Tlilrty-slx Paroles lssuctl?TWvemy-thrco of Those Freed Und Taken Life, Two Hud Committed Criminal Assault. Columbia, Dec. 29.?The governor yesterday granted pardons and pa? roles In 44 cases Practically all of the prisoners were serving terms in the State penitentiary, on the State farms and the county changangs. MM of the prisoners released were confined In the State peni entiary. Pardons were granted in several cases to restore citUenthip, paroles having already been given. Since assuming; office the governor has extended clemency In 1,488 oases. The crimes of the prisoners released by the governor may be classified as! follows: Murder. 12 Manslaughter. 11 Arson .?. 2 Criminal assault. 2 Safe cracking. 1 Miscellaneous. 16 It was stated last night that 204 prisoners are left In the State peni? tentiary and on the State farms. The number of paroled yesterday who are serving on the State farms is not de? ducted from the above number. The list of pardons and paroles wer? sent to the secretary of State yesterday by the governor and after the great seal of the State had been affixed the papers were sent to the State penitentiary and the clerks of court In the various counties where the prisoners are confined. The gov? ernor did not send a regular "Christ? mas list" to the secretary of State's oftVe this year, only eight receiving clemency at that time. United States is in entire agreement with tho doctrine expressed by Lord Salisbury, British foreign secretary, In his correspondence with the Wash? ington government concerning the sh. pment of foodstuffs to the Tran? vaal during the Boer war in South Africa. Lord Salisbury wrote then: "Foodstuffs, with a hostile destina? tion, can be considered contraband of war only If they are supplies for tb enemy's forces. It Is not suffi? cient that they are capable of "being so used; It must be shown that this was In fact their destination at the time of seizure." This is perhaps the most far reach? ing declaration of the American note since, if it were accepted by Great Britain, American trade with Germany and Austria, virtually at a standstill now, would be resumed, affecting the prices of wheat, flour, live stock and tho variety of products which go to make up "foodstuffs." Taking up the subject of d'tentions of American ships at sea, tho Wash? ington govern nent states that it can not tolerate undue delays in examin? ing them or .he convoying of euch ships to Britisb ports for detailed ex? amination. It argues that proof of hostile destination of the cargo must be In evidence at the time of seaich at sea. The belligerent right of search the notr adds, is fully recognized, but It can not 1 be extended to the point of diverting American ships into Brit? ish ports merely on suspicion. The United States asserts, more? over, that it views with growing con? cern the detention of scores of Amer? ican cargoes consigned from this country to neutral ports, contending that it should be the duty of the bel? ligerent to protect neutral commerce and prevent innocent merchants from suffering. One of the most conspicuous com plants cited In the note is against the treatment by Great Britain of Ameri? can cargoes of copper. It is charged that Great Britain is not according the same treatment to American trade in copper with the Scandinavian coun? tries as to commerce in this product between the United States and Italy under the same conditions of ship? ment. Even though tho Italian gov? ernment has proclaimed an embargo en tho exportation of copper from Italy to btlltsjogeut countries similar |a tho embargo in force in Norway, Denmark and Sweden, the consign? ments of oopper to Italy from the United States are said to be held up, while those to the Scandinavian coun? tries are not molested. The Ami'iliJiii government further rocords ita position of consignments shipped "to order" of no Specific con? signee, stating that this circumstance AlOAt is not Millichnt on which to hold American cargoes and is of Itself not suspicious. This view has been expressed by the supreme court of tho United states, but (treat Britain announced recently that cargoes shipped "to order" would be consid? ered "suspect." Today's llote points out that to hold consignments marked "to order," proof must be presented when lbs de? tention or eelsurs is made showing tliat a hostile lentlnatlon is intended, or else a Sufficient number of other facts must be advanced to justify fur FEARS ATTACK FROM MOB. MAYOR OF 1IARTWELL, GA., ASKS GOVERNOR FOR All) OF TROOJ'S Reported That Crowd Was Gathering In Oconoo County to Attack Ne? groes in Georgia. Hartwell. Ga.. Dec. 28.?Gov. Slaton tonight was asked by Mayor Thornton here to send troops to Hart well to protect negro prisoners in the county jail from possible mob vio? lence. Reports received here indicated that a mob was forming across the State boundary in Oconee county, South Carolina, to lynch a negro who was placed in jail here after a recent stabbing affray with a white man in Oconee county. The negro was brl ly wounded in the fight and died to? night, but this was not known by the public. Local authorities feared that if a mob visited the jail and found the negro dead vengeance would be taken on other negro prisoners. Race feel? ing has been intense recently in Oconee county as a result of crimes said to have been committee by ne? groes. Three negroes were shot and killed a few days ago in a clash with white residents near Fair Play and today the body of Ernest Gray, another negro, I was found near here. A coroner's jury returned a verdict that he had iheen killed with an axe. An inves? tigation of the killing is being made. HOLDS UP ACTION. Slaton Thinks Local Authorities Can Control the Situation. Atlanta, Ga., Dec. 28.?Gov. Slaton tonight deferred .sending troops to ' Hartwell to pro' cct negro prisoners in jail there, pending further advices I from tho Hart county authorities. His I latest informatit n, he said, was that the local authorities probably would be able to control the situation. To Open Exposition. Washington, Dec. 26.?Secretary McAdoo lett Washington tonight for San Diego, Cal., to open the Panama canal exposition on December II, Mrs. McAdoo accompanied hirn. They will return January 10. ther examination of the cargo. It is in this connection that the United States romarks that commerce between neutral nations constitutes the normal relations of peace and not war and that the presumption of guilt can not rest on neutral shippers, but the burden3 of proof must be im? posed on the belligerent who inter? feres. Although the sending of the note was not known to members of the diplomatic corps tonight, and it is unlikely that the Washington govern? ment will communicate it. to them, with the exception of the British am? bassador, UnlOM they request it, high officials thought it not unlikely that the path marked by the United States 'would be followed by other neutral I governments. South American nations 'especially have been keeping in close : touch with tBi attitude of the United I States on subjects of neutrality, and in most cases have adhered to the American position. As the note in? volves commerce mostly with Euro? pean neutrals, it is believed that diplomatic representatives here of the latter will seek to learn the Ameri? can viewpoint for transmission to their governments. Tho position of the United States as expressed in today's noto is a con? sequence of several steps by Great Britain, France and Germany on the subject of contraband. Although the 'declaration Of London drafted In 1909 embodying the previous understand? ings of international law and new rules for the conduct of maritime warfare with respect to neutral com? merce had not been ratified when the present war broke out, it was 'thought for a time all countries would adhere to it. Great Britain, by an order in council on August 20 last, declared the declaration of London effective With certain modifications. Germany announced to all neutrals her willingness to adhere to the . hole declaration, if the other bel? ligerents WOUld, The United States took the position that it could not ac? cept piecemeal adoption by the allies of the declaration of London with their own amendments and declared that it would be guided by the gen? eral practice of international law, ir? respective of tht declaration of Lon? don, The German government In ;i for? mal note to the United states and other neutrals then VOlced its objec? tions to the British modifications which similarly the United states op? posed. Today's follows in many Import? ant points the argument then ad? vanced by Germany that British practice with respect to neutral corn mere" was a distinct departure from many previously accepted principles oi International law. ASKS THAT ACREAGE REDUCTION BE GIVEN FAIR TRIAL. President of State F-irmers' Union Writes of Marketing and Other Problems of Farmers. "I wish that I could get the car of tVtry farmer In the State to beg that! this law be allowed to stand until it can be thoroughly tested out by three or five years' trial," says E. W. Dabbs, president of the South Carolina State Farmers' union in an address to the farmers of the State, In which he makes an appeal for a retention of the !cotton acreage reduction law. Mr. Dabbs' letter follows: To the Members of the Farmers' Union and All the Farmers of the State: In notice in the papers of Monday that there is a movement to induce the next legislature to repeal the cot? ton acreage law. I wish I could get the ear of every farmer in the State to beg that this law be allowed to stand until it can be thoroughly tested out by three or five years 'trial. I do most sincerely hope that no farmer will be so determined to show his in i dependence, or to assert his liberty to jdo as he pleases with what is his own, ;as to go into the courts to set aside this wise law. I can not believe that there is a single farmer in the State whose condition will not be better next November if he lives up to the letter jand spirit of the cotton acreage law, jthan if he succeeds in smashing that law either in the courts or in the leg? islature. It is the most conservative ;and sensible cotton reduction measure jthat has. ever been proposed, and j bears equitably upon all farmers alike, I rich or poor, landlord or tenant. In my opinion, the only farmers who have any kick are the few who sell corn and hay at fancy prices to their more improvident neighbors. They will have to take what their stuff is worth hereafter in the world's mar? ket less the freight. The average farmer will find his own farm mar? ket that has been a buyer plus the freight, plus the commissions, plus the time prices, will absorb all that j he can make and save him these com? missions and profits that are making every one but himself rich. Besides with less cotton to engross all his time, if he plans right, he can harvest oats and wheat 30 to 60 days before the grain belt and sell at the highest price in the world's markets. Of course this means that the thresh? ers must be ready to sack the grain right from the field and that the farm? ers have new* sacks ready, and have organized some system of marketing. The biggest work that Clemson has ever undertaken lies right here, and If the powers that be in Clemson and Washington back Dr. Long to carry out what I know he has wanted to do ever since I first met him, there will be sano marketing In South Carolina next June and July. Right now is the time to be plan? ning for sacks for this grain. Every man who expects to have a hundred bushels of oats to sell ought to pledge to use new cotton sacks *o put them up in; four-bushel sacks for oats and i two-bushel sacks of wheat and rye jwouid be about the right size?126 pounds and 120 pounds, respectively. I trust that this is a matter that the farmers' union will take up at the January meeting and we should like to hear from manufacturers what they will charge for such sacks. I hope this matter will be taken up at once and pushed through. Certainly if we demand that salt, flour, etc., be put up in cotton, we ought to put our grain on the market in cotton sacks. The wheat growers of Washington through the farmers' union sent a committee to Atlanta for 10,000,000 cotton sacks three years ago and could not get them. And the hop growers of California had to go to Philadelphia for cotton twine, when the mills of the Carolinas and Georgia ought to have supplied both. B. W. Dabbs, : President South Carolina State Farm? ers* Union. COLD WAVE AT CHICAGO. Snow und gleet Fall in Western Slates. Chicago, Dee. 29.?Another cold wave is predicted for tonight with ?ero temperature. Snow and sleet fell today over the central and western States. Blizzard Brings Death in England. London, Dec. 29. -Many deaths are oported from a eovere blizzard which is raging in England. Today ship Ping was badly damaged. WILL HELP SOMEWHAT. Germany Won't Take From Him That Hath Not. New York, Dee. ;p>.?Llndon W. Hates, vice chairman of the American Commission for relief in Belgium, an? nounced today he had received assur? ance that Germans would make no further requisitions of food supplies In Belgium while Americans were sending relief there. VALUE OF FARM PRODUCTS. GREAT INCREASE SHOWN OVER: LAST YEA IL Secretary Houston Estimates Worth at Approximately Ten Billion Dol? lars, Nearly Billion More than Ever Before. Washington, Dec. 30.?American farm products during 1914 eclipsed! all records for value, with a total of almost $10.000,000,000. Secretary j Houston announced today that the ! total value of all farm crops, farm an jimal products and farm animals sold land slaughtered uggregted $9,872,-j ,930,000. That was 883,000,000 more than the grand total for 1913, the pre? vious record year. It was more than double the value of all farm products I in 1899. Crops this year were valued j at $6,044,480,000 and farm animal products at $3,828,4 50,000. The value of crops was slightly less than in 1913, 'on account of the reduced value of cotton. The corn and wheat crops jwere the most valuable produced. |They brought the year's crop value I total to only $88.279,000 less than the total for last year, despite the loss of ?more than $300,000,000 in the value of cotton. "The estimated value of the animal I products of the farm in 1914," said the announcement today, "is distinct? ly higher than in 1913, which was it? self a record year in the value of this class of products. j "This is due to general but slight increases in production, except for sheep and swine, and in prices, more especially to a small increase in the average farm price of eggs, and to a more considerable increase in the farm price of cattle and calves sold and slaghtered. i "It must be borne in mind that the amount of these estimates do not stand for wealth produced, nor for cash received, nor for prolit, nor for income in any sense. Each product is valued, as in the census, when it reaches commercial form, and the , grand aggregate of all items is to be J regarded as an index number, or form a relative rather than from an abso? lute point of view." Sales of crops last year were esti Imated at $2,928,00u,000; sales of live stock $2,919,000,000, a total of $5, 1847,000. The estimated value of total sales per farm was $S92, and sales per capita of rural population (ex? cluding towns) $139. The value of the principal farm !crops this year was: Corn, $1,702, 599,000; wheat, $878,680,000; hay, $779,968,000; cotton, $519,016,000; ,oats, $449,431,000; potatoes, $198, 609,000; barley, $105,903,000; tobac |co, $101,411,000; sweet potatoes, $41, 1294,000; rye, $37,018,000; sugar beets, $27,950,000; rice, $21,849,000; Max seed, $19,540,000, and buckwheat, i$12,892,000. In the production of these 14 prin? cipal crops the aggregate was about 10 per cent, larger than in 1913 .and |6 per cent, smaller than in 1912. which year stands as the one of the greatest aggregate production in the United States. This year two import? ant crops exceeded previous records? wheat with S91,000,000 bushels, fol? lowing the 1913 record of 763.000,000 'bushels, and cotton, with 15.966,000 bales (preliminary estimate), the previous record being 15,69 3,000 bales. SWALLOWED KNIFE BLADE. Mayor of South Carolina Town Accid ? ently Swallows Knife in Oysters. Anderson, S. C, Dec. 30.?Waking ; Tuesday night with sharp pains In his stomach after eating heartily of oys? ters from the half shell. Mayor J. H. Godfrey consulted a physician with the result that an X-ray photograph showing a broken knife blade two and one-hetf inches long and one-halt 'inch wide In the mayor's intestines. The blade was broken off in the open-1 ' lng of the oysters and unconsciously 'swallowed by the mayor while im I bedded in an oyster. lie is reported I to be in no danger. I _ SAME WAGE SCALE. WSII be In Effect at Navy Yards as for the Past Six Years, Says Daniels. Washington, Dec. 30.?Secretary Danit^H announced to.lay that, after thorough investigation he "had come Ito the conclusion that labor condi? tions affecting wages throughout the country have not experienced any es? sential change during the past six years, and he has therefore decided to continue the same schedule at the navy yards during the coming year." Small Boy Killed. Cameron, Pec. U'J.?George Flood, a I small boy, was accidently shot and ] killed yesterday morning by Stokes' llouek. Tho little boy was sitting in I a buggy and stokes was standing on the ground by the buggy with a gun In his hands. The gun slipped, Calling against the wheel and going off blew the side of the little boy's head off. Causing instant death. The boy had for some time worked around the IfOUCk's boy home and the two were very much attached as children usual? ly are under such elrcuinstances. S AMERICA CAN END WAR. BY CUTTING OFF SUPPLY OF MUNITIONS AND ARMS. Representative Vollmer of Iowa Before the House Foreign Affairs Commit? tee Says It Is Possible?Dollars anil Dum Diuns Together. ! Washington, Dec. 3d.?That the United States could end the European war by cutting off export of war ma \ terial was the assertion of Representa? tive Vollmer, of Iowa, today before the House foreign affairs committee. With Representative Bartholdt, he en? dorsed a resolution to authorize the president in his discretion to prohibit such exports. "President Wilson," he said, "sus? pended the embargo of export of arms and munitions to Mexico in the inter? ests of true neutrality as against neu? trality on paper.' " The right of congress to impose an embargo, he said, was fully established and the only question at issue was one of "national policy." "I maintain," said Representative Vollmer, "that this resolution is in line with the historic reputation of this nation as the greatest advocate of ! peace. It is not in line with that rep? utation to supply the instruments of murder to European nations. "We are now in the position of send? ing dollars for Belgium and dum? dum bullets for Germany." Representative Vollmer emphatical? ly declared: "Germany cannot be beaten in this war. Her people are united and deter? mined to fight to the last drop of blood. If this war continues it will go on and on until all the world is dragged down to bankruptcy. ' There is only one nation whoso lines of national interest are hopeless lly opposed to ours. I do not hesitate to predict that Japan proposes to hold not, only Kiao Chow but the islands of the sea which she has seized. She de? sires to secure the unlimited possibili? ties of the rapidly developing trade of China as against the world. Some day this issue must be tried out in the Pacific and it may be to the interest of this country to have a powerful friend at her side." "Do you think the German govern? ment expects us seriously to pass such a resolution as this?" asked Chair? man Flood. "I believe, and persons who have been in Germany say," replied Repre? sentative Vollmer, 'that the .Germans ilook with grave displeasure on ship? ments of arms to the allies." Representative Bartholdt to'd the committee that by "dollir neutrality" the United States was alienating the friendship of Germany and Austria, "That friendship has been unbroken since the beginning of this govern? ment," he said. "We ought to preserve it. The alliance of Great Britain with the yellow race is not a good omen for our future in the Pacific. We are now selling our neutrality for British gold." Mr. Bartholdt asserted shipments of munitions since the war began aggre? gated $150,000,000. "I am convinced," he said, "that by cutting off the exportation of these war supplies we can bring the war to la close very soon." ACCIDENT, JURY'S VERDICT. Inquest into Killing of American by Canadian Soldiers. Buffalo, N. Y., Dec. 30.?A coroner's jury at Fort Erie, Ontario, em? panelled to investigate the death of Walter Smith, the Buffalo man shot Monday by Canadian soliers, return? ed this verdict tonight: "We found that the deceased met his death while evading arrest for un? lawfully shooting ducks out of season in Canadian waters, by a volley deliv? ered acctdsntaly from the rilles of three militiamen, who were called upon by Provincial Officer Thomas Delaney to assist him." Oncer Delaney appeared before tho jury and took responsibility for tho whole affair. J. B. Curtis, United Sttaes vice con? sul, questioned the oncer's authority to call upon the soldiers, but was as? sured by the Crown attorney that De jlaney had such authority under On? tario laws. REJECTS LITERACY TEST AMEND? MENT. Only Religious Refugees Exempt from Test. Washington, Dec. 31,?The senate today rejected the Thomas amend? ment to the literacy eiause of the Burnett Immigration bill. The clause now only exempts from Uterancy test "refugees from religious persecution." ZAPATA ARMY DEFEATED. Hundred Men Killed and Many Pris? oners Taken. Washington, Dee. i;o.?Cairaasa agents report that the Zapata army of live thousand men was defeated at Tepeace Puebla by the Carransaists, a hundred were killed and ninety pris? oners taken.