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C" m TERMS INSINCERE. tmonmALH attract only passing intkkkkt among waahlngton ofictals. Will Not Enter Into Anj Where the People Hate Mi ftnjr. Washington. Dee. 37.?Germany's te the Russian Bolshevlki through the Austro-Hungs fSisj foreign minister, for a basis of have attracted little more than Piter set here, chiefly because Skjft attitude of the United States gov it has not changed in any de since President Wilson solemly t^ld ocagreee that word of the present fillers of Germany could not be ac? etate* for anything worth while. f Moreover, officisls here think the conditions imposed by the Teu plenlpotentlarles itamp their of no annexation and no in Itlee as insincere. < There Is a disposition to fesl thar vho object of the German plenlpoten sfrnss la simply to protrsct the nego nations as long as possible without ally expectation of sn immediate peace ment with the double purpose of the German people to believe fjteir government really is desirous of shaking peace, and of gaining time for tie further strengthening of the Ger saan lines in ths west. One condition regarded as impossi |>|a for ths present at least, is that th adherence of all the belligerents must m secured to the peace the Germans ao? trying to make with Russia be |>*? it can become effective. This is accompanied by a demand for the re teiin of the German colonies now in n<ea*salon of Russia's slUes. #. It can be stated authoritatively that m%9 position of the American govern faent has not changed In any respect With regard to Its determination to Osier Into no agreement with a gov Cement which doee not represent the ee will of the governed people. This tp>u)d dispose of any hope the Ger Maas might have that the Russians Mold induce America to subscribe to the peace treaty which they are now typing to arrange. As for the Ger? ft en colonies, the American govern* ?tnt has never recorded itself on the ? eject, and IJoyd George recentlj itsjl?red that was a subject for the fcisjtee conference. CALLED AFTKH FIIRRt ARY Made Affects Rrdanos of Viral Draft Quota. ' Columbia, Dee. 17.?The additional It per eentum of the first draft will ket be called to the colors until after bbruarv IS of next year, according ?o a telegram received by the office If the governor from Provost Mar WmU General Crowder today. De Seiendes In the other four increments should be made up from the men al ry selected for service and report teak to the local boards by the district exemption boards, according |s> the interpretation given the tele? gram by the draft authorities, until Classification of class one is complet? ed. The wire fellows: "It has been decided that there will ie no more formal calls for deferred in tags of the preeent quota be? fore February IB. While boards mid. until they have enough men dry classified In class one, send ird promptly men selected under the old regulations to make up de flelencte* In calls already made, the result of this decision will be that we thnll be abls to give the benefit of the bow Classification system to all men whose order numbers are so late as .W place them within deferred per ^itagee of the present call. Calls 1. however, be made very shortly gnder the provisions of section 149, for the special elate) of men there mentioned. For the sake of compos? ing the public mind, and for the con? venience of registrants, this informa? tion ought to be given wide dissemi? nation.'? # In another telegram to the governor Provost Marshal General Crowder has lhstructsd that the district boards re thra ths records In the various casir, ionsldsred under the old regulations .0 the local board having Jurisdiction fh this way ths local boards will be rt}ade offices of record. * PEACE OONFERKNCK RECTOS. n Negotiation* Adjourn 1 'mil January Ith. Petrograd, Thursday. Dee. u7. ? The delegates to the peace conference st Breot-Lltovsk have agreed to a eon days; rsesss in the peaoe negotia? tions, which will bs resumed Jannar) Ith at a place not yet determtm <l An armistice Is reported to hi b*?a reached between the Bolsheviki forces and the troops of Gen. Kalt dines st Rostov, with a neutral g0JM between the opposing lines. Washington. Der. 28.?Pres dent Wilson is today oollbmthsl his sixty first birthday There was no special ceremony at the Whle House because of the rush of work. FREIGHT BY SHORT ROUTE. INDIVIDUAL RAILROADS X(<T CONSIDERED NO A. Now Plan of Operation Sure to Re? sult in IiunuM'il Efficiency iu Transportation. Washington, Dec. 27.?Under the traffic pooling plan to be worked out by Secretary McAdoo as director gen? eral of railroads freight will move over the shortest and most convenient routes regardless of the individual in? terests of the roads. Since earnings ss well as facilities would be pooled this system cai be pursued to un ex? treme limit, officials pointed out to? day, without endangering the revenues of any line, learnings will be pooled and paid out on the basis of pre-war returns regardless of how much frslght a railroad actually moves. Railroad experts admit there is a great loss of efficiency in competition. Freight is often billed over a particu? lar line when it might be handled much more expeditiously over anoth? er. A shipper has had a right to ship bis freight as he pleases but under government operation and traffic pool, ing it matters not which road gets his freight it will move over the line or lines best able to handle it. Two railroads running between New York and Chicago for instance might cross I at some point in between. Under the ordinary system freight given to I one road in New York would pro? ceed all the way over that line. Un? der the new plan it might be divert? ed to the other road at the crossing point if the other road from the cross? ing into Chicago offered at the time better faclllies for moving. While admitting th xt competition slows up traffic In a situation such as exists at present, railroad men point to the fact that competition has brought all the improvements in rail? road facilities such as the airbrake and other devices. But during the war even they admit the Invention of new appliances is far less important than the moving of freight. Under the government pooling plan a railroad with its linos congested will not be given more freight to handle if it appears it may add to the congestion. Interestate commerce commission officials will work with Secretary Mc? Adoo in a comprehensive operating plan. WILLIAM ELLIOTT FOOD ADMIN? ISTRATOR. Hoover Announced Appointment by President. Columbia, Dec. 28.?-William Elliott is in the employment of the federal government. He has been appointed federal food administrator for South Carolina to succeed David R. Coker resigned. His salary is $1 a year. In other words, when Herbert Hoover, yesterday evening teleghaph ed to Mr. Elliott: "It gives me pleas ure to inform you that the president has today approved your appoint ment as federal food administrate for South Carolina to succeed D. R Coker," he meant to congratulate th* State and country upon the willing and self-sacrificing service which Mr Elliott Is to give. Mr. Ellltt is a very busy man. Be sides having a large private law prac? tice he is the general counsel for the Columbia Railway, Gas & Electric Company, the Pacific Mills, the Union Buffalo Mills Company, the Pan Shoals Power Company and a number of smaller cotton mills. It is needless to say that Mr. El? liott will give to the food ad min ist ra tlon the same excellent business man? agement that he gives to all other concerns with which he is connected. With the American Army in France, Thursday, Dec. 27.?A corporal o* the American engineers was killed and one private wounded on Christ? mas Evo when a German shell drop? ped near a party working in th? trenches on a section of tho French front. Washington. Dec. 28.?As the first practical btep in the government's op? eration of the railroads, which began at noon today Mr. McAdoo has drafted all railroad war boards into the fed? eral Horvlce to work out plans of uni? fied operation. With American Army In Franc e, i Thursday, Dec. 27.?During a recent moonlight night German aviators dropped bombs near a certain town and two American privates, camped in 1 wood, were killed. I'i'ih, DOC. 2S.?Franc.? will not ac peace based on conditions before ?M w,tr, Foreign Minister Plchon de? clared in replying in the Chamber of i" puttee yesterday to the peace terms of the (Vntral Powers outlined to Russia. H#. asserted that Germany la endeavonmr to invlove France in tl> negotiations with tbe Bolsln vlkl. but the war will k<> eg whether or nOt Russia made u separat?. p?.ae... ' TAX OFFICERS MEET. commission MEET with aud? ITORS and ASSESSORS. Governor Shows Tlutt State Stands Ixmcst In Per Capita Payments for Taxation. Columbia, Dec. 28.?The first meet- ? j Inj of the convention of the auditors of the State and chairmen of the county boards of equalization was held last night in the court house. Adv dresses by Gov. R. I. Manning, Sena? tor Alan S. Johnstone of Newberry and others featured the program. The meeting is held for the purpose of breeding a spirit between the tax com? mission and the auditors and the tax assessors of the different counties of the State and create uniformity in as? sessing property of the State. The 'meeting adjourned at 10.30 o'clock to reconvene today at 9.30. After the meeting had been called to order A. W. Jones of the tax com? mission, chairman, welcomed the visitors in an address in which he set forth the purpose for which the tax commission was created. He stressed the wide differences between the assessments of the various coun? ties on practically the same property, and asked that all auditors of the State cooperate with the commission in an effort to regulate the irregularities, reiterating the statement that only in this way would the State be doing its greatest service. Governor Manning in his address stated that the creation of the tax commission was his pet hobby, and that it was brought into being for the distinct purpose of doing away with the old board of equalization am: 1 to eliminate the vast differences in the tax assessment of past yeai's. The governor referred to the war as one for justice, humanity and freedom and that it would necessitate the rais? ing of more money in the future than ever before, and that the State, wore it to be a progressive State, woulu need more money ythan ever, and thai "no citizen, however poor he might be suffer his State to go backward in any respect." Ho also made mention of the statement of the surveyors who some time ago offered to make a sur vey of the State and take their salary from the money received for taxes on lands not now on the books which the survey would put there. The governor also stated that if b Statewide policy of making all assess? ments on a basis of 50 per cent, were adopted, only 30 per cent, would fee* an increase while 60 per cent, would either be lowered or not touched at all. He called attention to the far. ihat this State stood next to last in the amount of revenue that is pal by the people with $1.86 per capit1 and stood absolutely last in amdunt of money spent with $1.94. In the United States the revenue received per capita averages $4.67, while the aver age spent by all States for purposes o government was $5.10. He also stress? ed the need of lowering the levy and increasing the assessment by puttin,. land on the tax books that was not re turned. ' Senator Johnstone of Newberry said that the principal mistake of the oh board was that they considered them? selves as county officials while under the system used they were State agents. The old plan was that aftfi the returns had been received from the several counties the board from the entire sva*o rnet and arranged as? sessment;*. Jnot taking into considers ment was not wanted in one county it was needed in another, and for this reason the unequal assessments were placed. He stated that the harm was not done when one county aeeepte?. the return of mules at $28, but when another county received them at $97 because by this means the Irregulari? ties were created. In reference to th? State survey which was mentioned b> Governor Manning, the senator stat? ed that the leglslaure had not voteu to pass this act because they wanted more time to think over it and study it. The biggest trouble about tho ir? regular taxation, stated Senator John stone, was the fact. J. D. Durham of the tax commission spoke at some length of the great need of cooperation and the fact that the board were seldom furnished with sufficient data from which to mako the returns. E. R. Buckingham, chairman o1 the board of Alken county, said that tho peopfe of his county felt that th commission had not done right when it had reduced the baf.is for assess Went of the mills from 50 to 28 per cent, and left farm lands at the high? er figure, but if it was the law Alken would abide by it. W. <; s. o'Shiclds of Spartanburg talked for a few minutes on tho effi? ciency that eras necessary in placing all data before the board and the ad Vlsabtllty of not letting property hold erg mail in their returns. Th?? meeting today will oonclude tb<? convention. that while an asues-s STATE POLITICS FORECASTED. SOME THINGS THAT MAY AM) MAY NOT HAPPEN BEFORE ANOTHER YEAR GOES BY, The Candidates so Eni- 1? The Field I ?What Some of Them Stand for and Who They Stand With in State Politics. Columbia, Dec. 21.?The near ad? vent of the second session of the Seventy-secodn general assembly, which meets here on Tuesday, . Jan? uary 8, has revived discussion of the probable political situation next summer. Political prophesy Is always dan? gerous; at no time more so than a; the present. The great war in which America is enga: 9Ji is rapidly up? turning former standards, and those of this State are passing through the leavening process. However, one in? controvertible premise may be laid down. No one opposed to this war px to the administration in its efforts to? ward a victorious conclusion of this war need offer for political prefer? ment in South Carolina with hope ot success. , Each politician has to reckon with one factor; perhaps before the next campaign the American troops In France will have offered valorous and heroic fight to the Germans, and out of such engagement there might have arisen a South Carolinian, exalted b> daring and sacrifice, incapacitated by injury for further service. Should he come back to his home State and of? fer for election to almost any office, there is little chance for him being defeated by the "stay-at-homes'." Out of this arises a prediction: The sol? diers fighting the battles of democracy on Europe's ensanguined fields will be the future rulers of the United States, South Carolina among them The politicians of the present may af well prepare themselves for the over? turning of their order. No man in South Carolina at the present time offering for office can predict his election a year from now; but the relative strength of candi? dates, announced and prospective, at this time can be fairly accurately guaged. Cole L. Blease, who has announced definitely for the United States sen? ate, is not as strong as he was when he ran for governor in 1916, and was defeated. However, he is not "dead" by any means, as some would per? force believe. He is alive enough to be in a second race should the pri? mary bo held at this time. Either Senator Tillm?ri."wh?, ft seems assur? ed, will run If his health permits, or Congressman A. F. Lever, who un? doubtedly will be in the race if the senior senator does not make it, can defeat the titular leader of the so called "reform party." The ex-gov? ernor's speeches at Pomaria and Fil? bert estranged some of his most powerful lieutenants, and consequent? ly weakened him with the rank and file of the minority faction. Col. Nat B. Dial, of Laurens, is def initely announc?d for the senatorial toga, and he has considerable strength. Although the Laurens man has entered the race as a non-parti? san candidate, yet he can be aligned with the anti-Blea8e faction. He* as? suredly will make a strong fight against Senator Tllman, should th? senior senator run. Col. Dial will un? doubtedly get all the intonsely bit tor anti-Tillmanites of the '90's who will not vote for Tillman and who arc as strongly opposed to Blease This vote, along with a considerable personal following, will make him a formidable candidate. Among those who have been sug gested as other possible candidates., but who have made no announcement are: R. Goodwyn Rhett, of Charles? ton; L. D. Jennings, of Sumter; W. P Pollock, of Cheraw. and Dr. George B. Cromer, of Newberry. Latterly, however, Dr. Cromer's name has beer repeatedly mentioned as a candidate to oppose Congressman Fred H. Dom inick, of the Third district. It hav been said that the perennial candi date, John T. Duncan, of Columbia will announce for the senate instead of governor this year. W. Jasp. Talbert, of McCormiek who has definitely announced for the senate, is a strong Blease partisai and bitter political enemy of Senatoj Tillman. There are five candidates definite^ announced for governor and two ii perspective. Robert A. Cooper, of Laurens, stated some time ago that he will make the race, and he Mandl the. best chance of being elected, al? though Lieut. Gov, A. J. Bethea has gained strength and is looming up These two men are strongly anti Blease, and one of them will go into the second race with a Blease can dldate. Attorney General Thomas' H Peoples and W. A. Btuckey, of Bish opville. have been aligned with the Mease faction, are the only ones of that faction so far definitely an nounced for governor, but Major John <*5. RlohardS, chairman of the Stat Railroad Commission, will undouhl ARMY SUPPLY SYSTEM. CRITICISM OF AVAR DEPART? MENT CONTINUES IN CON? GRESS. Members of Senate Military Committee Not Salislied With Soldiers" Cloth? ing ami Equipment. Washington. Dec. 27.?Criticism uS the system of the war department ana council of national defense in secur? ing clothing and other supplies fo ! the army was sharply renewed h j members of the senate military com? mittee today during further examina? tion of Maj. Gen. Henry G. Sharpe. quartermaster general. General Sharpe said his approval of j contracts negotiated by the council', supplies committee was to an extend perfunctory and none had ever been \ disapproved. He defended the estab j lishment of the civilian committee., however, as a necessity because of the j enormous task involved in handliiifj war orders for the expanding army Shortages of winter clothing, Genera! Sharpe attributed largely to belated deliveries on account of garment mate ers' strikes and lack of special ma? chinery in private factories and to the decision to send American soldiers t France enrlier than originally planned. Orders to clothe more than 1,960. 000 men have been given, Genera. Sharpe stated, and early next year i' 'is expected to have on hand enough jfer 1,300.000. Steps taken by Secretary Baker be . fore the American war declaration to secure clothing for a large army were again recounted by General Sharpe. On April 4, two da\'3 before the War? the secretary authorized emergency' contracts to clothe 600,000 men and contracts were let in the open market without advertising. For another ' GOO,000 men contracts were let in May. Questions relating to cantonment construction contractors were asked by the committee, but General Sharpe said all cantonment matters had been handled by General Dittell. The latter and his assistants are to be called soon. Tomorrow the committee expects to hear, probably in executive session, Maj. G<5n. W. M. Wright and Maj. Gen. Camps, Doniphan and Bowie, re? spectively, regarding their recent in? spection of Gen. Pershing's expedi? tion and their own camp experiences. edly be in the race, and strong pres sure is being made on John L. Mc Laurln, of Bennettsville, former Unit? ed States senator, by his friends hi Anderson county to enter the con test. It is expected that he will of? fer. John Madison DesChamps, of Columbia, who can be classed as anti Blease, has definitely entered the race. Mr. DesChamps was in the race for governor last year. Of the Blease candidates so far an nounced, Attorney General Peeple-a apparently has the edge on the other so-called "reformers." If the pri? mary were held now he undoubtedly would go into the second contest witn an anti-Blease man. Mr. Stuckey. however, will make a strong race; he has announced that he will pitch his campaign as the leader of the ag gricultural and labor elements of the State. He promises to make the fight interesting, ho asserts. John G. Richards, so far unannounced, is the choice of some of the leaders of the Blease faction and they will un? doubtedly prevail on him to make the race, and will endeavor to make him the standard-bearer of the self etyled "reformers." John L. Mc f.aurin, say politicians who are studying the situation, is gaining ground in the Piedmont section, par Lieu larly tince Lowndes J. Frowning, of Union, who himself was a candi? date for governor in "914, has en? dorsed him. Proctor Bonham, Senator from Greenville county, some months a:;o vas spoken of as a possible guber? natorial candidate, but lately this tal* his subsided. Should Senator Bou ham enter the race he would offer ? oniplications for the other aspirants; he is not only extremely popular In the Piedmont section of the State where he served a number of terms as solicitor of the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, but he is a "stump" speaker of experience, ability and magnetism. He would draw votes from both po j litical factions. Claud N. Sapp, assistant attorne general, a Blease partisan, has an? nounced to succeed Thomas H. Pee pfof as attorney general. Robinson P. 94 arson, a member of the house from Bain well county, who has been op nosed to the minority side of the po? litical fence, but not an extreme fac tlonallat* also has announced. It is understood that Bam M. Wolff, form? erly a member of the house from An? derson county, will make the race. The name of Samuel T. Dan ham. mas ter of Spartanburg county, also has been prominently mention?i for at? torney genral. George w. Wlghtman, of saiuda, who was defeated last year by Wil? liam Banks Dove for secretary of State, has announced that he will op WAIL POOCH STOLEN, <j SHIPMENT OF MOXE\ FAILS TO REACH COLI Yi tin. Fifty Thousand Ikdlar Disappears Between Richmond Bank an.? Cm ] umbiu. Richmond, Va., Dec. .7.?A pouch containing $50,000 sent y the federal reserve bank of Richmond to a bank in Columbia, S. C, disappeared in transit last Saturday aud is believed to have been stolen. Deteciivcs are now at work in several cities endeav? oring to find the pouch and the per? son who got possession of it. Just where the pouch was taken from the train is not i'.nown. Detec i tives and bank officer i have not I . divulged the name of the railway over which the money was sent. Post office authorities could throw little light on the case this afternoon other than to say that the money is believed to have disappeared afUr it left Rich? mond, there being nc clue to its whereabouts, governn-?nt inspectors having been detailed to look for it as soon as it became known the pouch was lost. George J. Seay, governor of the federal reserve bank, ?va3 not in his office this afternoon when inquiry was made concerning the missing pouch, but other offic - in the bank would neither confirir nor deny the disappearance. The money was of small denomi? nations, being $5 and $10 notes. It was sent from the federal reserve bank in Richmond, Va., December 17, to the National loan and Ex? change Bank of Columbia and was transmitted over the Seaboard Air Line Railway. The package was're? ceipted for in Hamlet. N. C, the last transfer en route. When the mail pouch was received at the Columbia postofflce, the package of money was missing. No other packages of ma? terial value were in thu pouch. Blame has not yet been fixed on any ?ar? ticular individual. ALLIES PEACE TERMS. Lloyd George Tells L, bor Conference Declaration Oan Be Made Only by Joint Action. London, Dec. 28.?Lloyd George in a letter sent to the 1. bor conference, said a statement on war aimes could only be made In agreement with Great Britain's allies. The question of issuing a fresh joint declaration, he added, is being constantly kept in view by the allied governments. _Thejacjhj^ejnejftlj^; pUrpOBftfl fOT which the allies are Jghting is essen - lal to the future freedom and peace of mankind, Premier Lloyd George said in the lecter whi h he sent today to the labor conference. The state? ment is regarded as the British an? swer to the German i eace offer. DEATHS IN CAMP. Washington, Dec. 28.?Deaths from j disease in National A . my camps dur jing the week ending December 21st were one hundred and eighteen, against ninety-sever. the previous wek in the National Guards and one hundred and twenty, against one hun ! di ed and sixty-ifive, iccording to the report published tod y. It says that many new cases of ; aeumonia have developed in camp Wheler, Macon, Ga., and Camp Cov. i r, Texas. Measles are spreading in can ps Gordon, Tra? vis and Pike. _ Petrograd. Thurs< iy. Dec. 27.? Soldier.s acting under the/ orders of finance commisioner Menshinisky, to* day seized all privat banks in Petro? grad, including the branch of the National City Bank of New York. Manager B. R. Stev : ns was arrested, and detained a short time. Many mank directors were arrested. Chicago, Dec. 28.?A number of i persons are reported to have been killed in an explosion at a blast fur? nace plant of the Inland Steel Com? pany. Indiana Harb r. Indiana, today when the plant caught'fire. The en? tire plant is threatened with destruc? tion. Washington, Dec. 29.?There will be no general revision of coke prices for 191S. Fuel Administrator Gar lleld today issued order continuing in force the prices fixed last Septem? ber. pose Mr. Dove for the same office next year. Edward C. Elmore, formerly chief clerk for the comptroller general, has announced thr.*: he will oppose Comptroller Gener u Carlton W. Sawyer next year. Junius T. Liles, of Orangeburg, chairman of the v .<.ys and means committee of the he-use, has made a conditional announcement for lieu? tenant governor. It li understood that Dr. E. C. L. Adams, of Columbia who unsuccessfully opposed the re? election of Lieut. Cov. A. J. Bethea last year, again Will make the race. ?-W. J. Cormack i< News and Coup? ler.