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VOLUME VI. NUMBER 18.
WILSON ASKS FOR
FULL AUTHORITY
President Wants Power To Protect By
Force All American Rights- Congress
Hesitates To Act
MEANS .ARMEDNEUTRALITY
Measure Introduced In House Giving
Wilson Authority Asked And Pro-
viding $100,000,000 Bond Issue
Washington.—President Wilson has
taken the inevitable step and asked
■congress for authority to use the forces
of the United States to protect Amer
ican ships and lives agajpst the Ger
man submarine menace —to put the na
tion in a state of armed neutrality.
The immediate response was the in
troduction in the house of a bill ap-’
proved in advance by the president,
empowering him to furnish guns and
gunners to American merchantmen;
to “employ such other instrumentali
ties and methods” as may become nec
essary, and providing for a $100,000,-
000 bond issue, to be used in his dis
eretiba'ffdr w'ai'lnr iran'-c to encour
age American commerce to brave the
submarine peril.
Although President Wilson told con
gress he was not acting because of the
long-fearered “overt acts,” news of the
destruction of the Cunard liner La
conia, with Americans aboard, was re
ceived here as he was entering the
doors of the capitol and was passed
from mouth to mouth through con
gress while he was speaking!
America Is Asking Only Peace Rights
But the president made it clear that
America was asking to exercise none
but the rights of peace, that he was
not proposing nor contemplating war,
—he -was thinking, he said, of the right
of life itself, the rights of humanity,
■“without which there is no civiliza
tion,” rights deeper and more funda
mental than merely the rights of
Americans.
“No course of my choosing nor of
theirs,” said the president, “will lead
to war. War can come only by the
willful acts and aggressions of others.”
Four weeks of unrestricted subma
rine warfare, the president told con
gress, has seen the destruction of at
least two American ships, American
commerce driven in a large measure
from the seas through fear of the un
derseas peril and a resulting conges
tion of America’s vital industries
growing more serious every day. The
fact that more American lives had
not been lost, he said, was due more
to the fact that German submarine
commanders had exercised “an unex
pected discretion and restraint” rather
than because of the instructions under
which they were acting. To be un
prepared, with congress out of ses
sion, the president said, would be
“most imprudent.” Consequently he
asked for authority to act.
26 AMERICANS ON BOARD
DESTROYED CUNARD LINER
Washington Considers Case Most Se
rious—May Prove To Be The
Expected Overt Act
Washington.—The sinking of the big
Cunarder Laconia, apparently without
warning and with twenty-six Ameri
cans on board, loomed up as the most
serious disregard of American rights
since the ruthless German submarine
campaign began. Government officials
made no attempt to conceal their con
cern.
While details of the cargo of the
Laconia are withheld under a recent
ruling of the customs officials, it was
learned at the office of the company
that the following items were among
the principal commodities carried;
One thousand bars of silver, 40,000
bushels of wheat, 2,843 bales of cotton,
1,408 boxes of fresh fruit, 3,000 tons
of shell casings and other war sup
plies, and 9,000 tons of provisions.
In addition to cargo and passengers
the Laconia carried 5,000 bags of
United States and Canadian mail.
British Still Advancing In The Somme
London.—The British advance along
the Ancre river has attained a depth
of two miles and extends along a front
of about eleven miles, according to the
official report from British headquar
ters in France.
Turks Routed By British Soldiers
New York—ln Mesopotamia the
British have captured from the Turks
the entire line from Sannaiyat to Kut
el-Amara. At the latter place the
Turks have been forced to evacuate
the positions they captured from the
British nearly a year ago and now
are being driven back, harassed by
British cavalry, says the British war
office. Large captures in men and in
war stores were made by the British.
In admitting a retreat from Kut-el-
Amara, a Turkish official comunica
tion says the movement was expected.’
Jhlldiw
V J •
“BONE DRY’JILL IS PASSED
Anti-Liquor Law May Go Into Effect
When President Signs The
Postal Measure
Washington.—Absolute prohibition
legislation took its longest forward
stride in the nation's history when
the house, after two hours of uproari
ous debate, approved by a 4 to 1 ma
jority a senate measure which would
raise an ironclad barrier against im
portation of liquor into prohibition ter
ritory. It is expected to receive the
approval of President Wilson within'
a week, adding immediately to the
“bone dry” territory about one-third of
continental United States.
Although some members have giv
en it as their opinion that the legisla
tive features added to the postal bill
would not be effective until July 1, the
effective date of the appropriations it
carries, senators and representatives
who are considered authorities said
that all the legislative riders, includ
ing the Reed prohibition amendment,
undoubtedly would become operative
as soon as the president has signed
the measure.
The provision is regarded as the
most far-raching that could be en
acted by the federal government, and
as sweeping as would be possible un
der any method short of a national
Prohibition amendment. It would cut
off entirely liquor importations, now
amounting to millions of dollars an
nually, into the large number of states
which have forbidden manufacture or
sale but have permitted importation
for personal use.
The vote, as officially announced,
was 321 to 72, but a recheck of the
roll changed it to 319 to 72. Party
line were completely broken down and
numerous representatives from prohi
bition states were recorded in the neg
ative. So large a vote seldom is re
corded on any measure.
A provision barring liquor adver
tisements from the mails in states that
prohibit such advertising is included
in the measure, which came before the
house as a rider to the annual postof
fice bill, inserted by the senate. last
week on motion of Senator Reed by a
vote of 55 to 11. Although the appro
priation bill will go to conference be
cause the house disagreed to other
senate amendments, there is little pos
sibility that the prohibb’on amend
ment, concurred in without change,
will be altered.
VIGOROUS DEMAND MADE
TO FREE AMERICANS
United States Sends Note To Berlin
Insisting On Immediate Release
Os Yarrowdale Prisoners
Washington.—The United States in
a note transmitted to the Berlin for
eign office through the Spanish am
bassador there, has again demanded
the release of the Americans made
prisoners on the prize ship Yarrow
dale. In the absence of a satisfactory
response to an inquiry sent recently,
it was decided to demand thir imme
diate release.
The generally accepted idea that
President Wilson will address congress
again on the German crisis virtually
was confirmed in official quarters.
There was no announcement and it
was said that the president still was
considering his next step, but officials
pointed out the necessity of congress
making provision for any emergency
which might arise after adjournment,
and explained that the president would
go to the capital not to ask for a dec
laration of war, but merely for au
thority to protect American rights.
The president, it was reiterated, is
just as anxious as any member of the
senate or house to avoid war, although
determined that the rights of the
United States be respected. One of his
reasons for desiring action by con
gress now instead of risking the neces
sity for a special session Was said to
be a belief that a call for an extra
session in an emergency might result
in dangerous excitement.
People Getting Poor On Big Incomes
• Boston. —Bishop William Lawrence,
in telling of his work in raising a
$5,000,000 pension fund for the Epis
copal clergy, said during a sermon at
Trinity church that, besides a lesson
for a more highly organized church,
he had found that people with incomes
of from $50,000 to SIOO,OOO are now
poor, or on the way to poverty, be
cause they set a pace so near their
incomes that when they reach 45 or
50 years of age they are really poor.
Big Gain Made By British Troops
New York. —Again the British forces
fighting in France have attacked Ger
man positions at several points and
been rewarded for their efforts by an
aggregate gain of more than 1,150
yards, •ccording to the latest British
official communication. South of Ar
mentieres the German line was pene
trated deeply on a front of about 650
yards and southeast of Ypres on a
front of about 500 yards. Numerous
casualties were inflicted on the Ger
mans at both places and prisoners and
guns also were taken.
IRWINTON, WILKINSON COUNTY, GEORGIA, FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 1917.
BRITISH ADVANCE
ON ANCRE FRONT
Almost Without Fighting General Haig’s
' Troops Take Possession Os Pys,
Serre And Other Positions
BAPAUME NOW THREATENED
Kaiser's Troops Took Advantage Os
Foggy Weather. To Fall Back At
Some Points Three Miles
Paris.—On one portion of the Brit
ish front at least the war has become
a war of movement. Under cover of
fog and mist, which had been partic
ularly heavy for forty-eight hours, the
Germans carried out the greatest re
tirement they have made on the west
ern front in the last two years, and
the British have swept into possession
of Pys, Serre, Miraumont and Petit
Miraumont, including the famous
Butte de Warlencourt, which has been
the scene of some of the fiercest fight
ing of the war, and in places is deep
with the bones of dead men.
The exact extent of the German re
tirement is not known, but it is esti
mated that it approaches a depth of
three miles at some point. British
patrols are out in all directions, har
assing the Germans and keeping in
touch with their movements. Until
they report it will not be possible to
say j-ust where the Germans have de
termined to fix their next line of re
sistance.
Bapaume Must Soon Fall
Nevertheless it can be stated that
the British now are, or soon will be,
in a position possibly to force the
evacuation of Bapaume, which has
been the key to the German position
since the beginning of the battle of
the Somme. The points which already
have fallen into the British hands
have stood out in the history of the
fighting on this front, and had been
most stubbornly defended. Only about
a week ago when the British attacked
on a two-mile front east and south
of Miraumont and Pys, the German
resistance was bitter and the. high
ground desired was won only after
desperate hand to hand encounters and
the taking of more than eight hundred
German prisoners.
NO SUDDEN EMERGENCY
IN THE FOOD SITUATION
Enormous Exports And Lack Os Econ
omy By Housewives Chief Rea
sons For The High Prices
New York. —Enormous increases in
the exportation of staple articles of
food, without corresponding increases
in production, and lack of intelligent
economy by housewives are ascribed
by the department of health of this
city, in a report, as the chief reasons
for steadily rising prices.
The department declared “there does
not appear to be any sudden or re
cently developed emergency in the
food situation in this city,” although
there has been serious rioting in va
rious parts of the city.
While the report asserts there is
“obviously less dependency and real
need than has been common for many
years,” it also says, “it is apparent
that unless the present high prices of
food are reduced or controlled, or as
an alternative the income of families
which now maintain themselves on
SBOO a year or less is increased by
raise of wages or throuhg relief agen
cies, there will be a constantly in
creasing number of people whose
health will be jeopardized by their
inability to buy sufficiently nourishing
food.”
Government Probe Os Food Situation
Washington.—The house has adopt
ed as an amendment to the sundry
civil appropriation bill an appropria
tion of $400,000 for an investigation
by the federal trade commission of
the high cost of food. The vote was 83
to 51.
Pro-German ism Charged To American
Paris. —Additional evidence in ref
erence to the discovery of a pro-Ger
man plot has led to the re-arrest of a
man giving the name of Wood, claim
ing'to be an American, who had been
set at liberty, says a wireless dispatch
from Madrid.
Submarine. Attacked 7 Dutch Ships
London. —From Dutch sources it is
learned that it was the submarine U-3
which attacked seven Dutch steamers.
Three were torpedoed outright, while
German sailors boarded the other four
and placed bombs that were exploded.
So far as known these four vessels
did not sink, but their location has
not been ascertained, except that of
the Menado, which was towed into
harbor by a British trawler. The
crews of the Dutch vessels rowed to
thh Scilly Isles, believing that all of
their ship§ had been sunk.
MILITARY SERVICE FOR ALL
Secretary Os War Baker Submits Uni.
versal Service Bill To
Congress
Washington.—The army general
staff universal service bill was trans
mitted to the senate military com
mittee by Secretary Baker without a
definite expression by the administra
tion, either on the general subject .or
the specific proposal.
The secretary suggested that wide
publicity be given the staff plan “to
the end that both congress and the
war department can have the benefit
of an enlightened, thoughtful public
opinion upon the needs and wishes of
the country.”
In round numbers the staff plan
would supply a trained force of four
million men, with one year of inten
sive military Instruction. It is esti
mated by the war college that approx
imately 500,000 boys in their nine
teenth year would be available for
training annually. They would be lia
ble to call tb the colors until 32 years
of age, passing after the first eleven
months of training to the first reserve
for the next four years and one month,
then into the second reserve, and final
ly into the unorganized reserve until
they reached the age of 45.
First Reserve of 1,500,000 Men
The purpose of the bill is to consti
tute a first reserve with a strength of
1,500,000, ready to respond instantly to
a call to arms. The second reserve, of
equal size, but only partially equipped,
would require some time to take the
field. Eventually there would be one
million additional trained men ready
to fill gaps at the front.
In addition to these forces there
would be the regular army, composed
of men choosing military life as a
profession, of 24,400 officers and 285,-
886 enlisted men. Os these 997,000
would form the overseas force, the
remainder composing the permanent
training personnel which could take
care of the instruction of from 492,-
386 to 654,292 reserve recruits annual
ly. If the proportion of available men
for training was greater than the fig
ure given, the permanent training
force would have to be proportionately
increased.
SERIES OF TORNADOES KILL
AND INJURE MANY PEOPLE
In Alabama, Mississippi And Georgia
Great Property Damage Is Caused
By Many Storms And Winds
Atlanta, Ga. —Thirteen persons are
reported killed and more than a hun
dred injured in a series of tornadoes
that swept portions of Alabama, Geor
gia and Mississippi.
The most serious loss of life oc
curred in middle Alabama, where
eleven of the deaths occurred. Hol
lins, Midway, Stewartsville and 'Whit
sett were swept, seven persons being
killed and more than a hundred in
jured in the section, while at Whit
sett four negroes were killed.
Two negroes were killd at Lithonia,
Ga., and at least thirty dwellings de
molished. Six children were injured
in a storm at Georgetown, Miss., when
a school was blown down. Small tor
nadoes also struck near Wetumpka,
Ala., and Hurtsboro, Ala.
Storm Strikes Lithonia, Ga.
Lithonia, Ga. —Two killed, a number
injured, one of whom is dying and
thousands of dollars’ worth of prop
erty laid to waste, was the toll taken
by a tornado which descended upon
Lithonia February 23 at 4:15 p. m.,
raged through the town with the fury
of elements gone mad, and spent it
self against Pine Mountain, three
miles distant.
Sister Os Mrs. Wilson Dead In Roanoke
Roancke, Va. —Mrs. Mathew Maury
sister of Mrs. Woodrow Wilson, died
here after an operation for peritonitis.
Mrs. Maury has been ill only a few
days. She was the second daughter
of the late Judge and Mrs. William
Bolling of Wytheville, Va., and was
born in Bedford county, 51 years ago.
Besides her husband and two daugh
ters, Mrs. Maury- is survived by her
mother, five brothers and three sisters.
News of her death was sent to Presi
dent Wilson at the white house.
Gaelic Leaguers Placed Under Arrest
London. —More arrests of members
of the Gaelic League and of persons
identified with the recent rebellion
have been made in Ireland, says a dis
patch from Dublin, which adds that
other arrests were expected later.
American Killed On Torpedoed Ship
Washingtan.—Robert Allen Haden,
an American Presbyterian missionary,
stationed at Foo Chow, China, perish
ed when the French liner Athos was
destroyed by a submarine, 210 miles
east of Malta on February 17. Con
sul Keblinger at Malta cabled a re
port of Haden's death to the state
department and said that the mission
ary’s address was given a| in care of
the Presbyterian mission board at
Nashville, Tenn. The vessel sailed
from Yokohamo December 26 for Mar
seillro.
AMERICAN RIGHTS
CLEARLYVIOLATED
Sinking Os The Liner Laconia Another
Lusitania Affair In Priniciple
Though Fewer Lives Lost
WASSUNKWITHOUTWARNING
Killing Os American Women By Tor.
pedoeing Ship Furnishes “Overt
Act,” It Is Stated Officially
Washington.—The.sinking of the Cu
harder Laconia by a German subma
rine was stated officially to constitute
a clear-cut violation of American
rights.
Conclusive official information at the
state department shows that two Amer
ican women lost their lives, that if
four other Americans among the pas
sengers and the 14 among the crew
were saved, it was only by good for
tune, and that the vessel was sunk
without warning in direct defiance of
all the principles for which the United
States has stood.
Consul Frost’s reports from the sur
vivors show that the vessel was struck
by a first torpedo without warning at
10:30 at night, 150 miles off Fastnete.
The engine was stopped as the ship
listed to starboard, wireless calls were
flashed broadcast and six rockets were
sent up. Thirteen boats with passen
gers and crew got away in a heavy
sea.
About twenty minutes after the first
torpedo, the reports add, and while
some of the boats were still nearby,
a second torpedo was driven into the
vessel, which sank three-quarters of
an hour after the original attack. The
small boats with survivors pitched
about during the long hours of the
night until rescue ships came up. Dur
ing this time the two American wom
en, Mrs. Mary E. Hoy and Miss Eliza
beth Hoy, of Chicago, died of expos
ure and were buried at sea. There
were several other deaths, net of Amer
icans.
No further facts are needed by this
government, it was stated officially.
Officials are entirely clear in their be
lief that Germany has committed the
act which President Wilson has said
it was impossible foi him to believe
she would commit.
Ten Lives Lost On Laconia
London. — The Cunard company
gives the following names of the La
conia’s passengers missing and sup
posed to have been lost:
Mrs. Mary Hoy. Miss Elizabeth Hoy.
C. P. Ivatt, William I. Robinson. Dr.
Fortunat Zyndel and William Eva.
United States Consul Frost at
Queenstown has telegraphed the
American embassy here that Mrs.
Hoy and her daughter. American pas
sengers on the Laconia, died cf expos
ure and that their bodies were buried
at sea.
GERARD WARNED BY GERMANS
TO KEEP OFF OF THE OCEAN
Before He Left Berlin Ambassador
Was Advised Not To Sail From
Spain To The United States
Corunna, Spain.—lt became known
that on the day he left Berlin ex-Am
bassador Gerard was warned person
ally by a German friend in high of
ficial position against sailing from
Spain for the United States.
The fact that the warning was giv
en has not yet become known except
to those men who are in Mr. Gerard's
confidence, but among them there is
a feeling of anxiety in regard to the
Americans sailing on the Infanta Isa
bel. It is kno^n that Mr. Gerard re
gards the warning as serious.
A newspaper correspondent, refer
ring to the embarkation of James W.
Gerard, former ambassador to Ger
many, and his party, for the voyage
to the United States, says:
“All the town turned out to watch
the grand embarkation, which proba
bly is destined to become historical.
The embarkation was the largest seen
here in many years as. in addition to
the Americans, the Infanta Isabel is
cartying seventeen hundred Spanish
emigrants to Cuba."
Pension For Mrs. Frederick Funston
Washington.—A bill granting a pen
sion of SIOO a month to the widow of
the late Major General Frederick Fun
ston has been passed by the senate.
Yarrowdale Prisoners Still In Toils
Berlin. —The release of the sixty
two American prisoners brought to
Germany on the steamer Yarowdale,
although ordered some time ago to
be released, cannot be carried out for
moment, as an infectious disease has
been discovered at the place of their
residence. As the outbreak of the
malady necessitates a quarantine
measure affecting the number of per
sons about to leave Germany, it is
stated that the delay in the departure
of the Americans is in the interest of
neutral countries.
SI.OO A YEAR
STATE ITEMS
CONDENSED
Waycross.—Steps toward the reopen
ing of the Farmers’ and Merchants’
bank at Alma, are expected to be taken
soon. The bank was closed by the
directors.
Athens.—The Red Cross association
chapter for this city was organized at
city hall, which was packed to its ca
pacity. More than two hundred mem
bers were enrolled.
Savannah.—Mrs. Eleanor K. Gordon,
widow of the late Gen. William Wash
ington Gordon, died at her home in Sa
vannah. Mrs. Gordon was the first
white female child born in Chicago.
Bainbridge.—Mayor J. W. Callahan
of this city has invited the entire
Georgia delegation in the lower house
of congress to be his guests on a
fishing trip down the Flint river in
the month of April.
Waycross.—Plans for securing a sys
tem of land titles for Georgia that
will eliminate much of the trouble ex
perienced at present in perfecting ti
tles will be outlined at the meeting
of land owners to be held at Bain
bridge March 14 and at Valdosta on
March 15.
Atlanta. —Despite the fact that the
movement met with decided opposi
tion from the peace societies, persist
ent efforts of Prof. W. F. Dkyes, prin
cipal of the high school, have resulted
in the beard of education granting per
mission for drill periods in the boys*
high school after regular school hours.
Augusta.—A fortune in liquor will be
poured into the sewer as the result of
the supreme court decision in the Carr-
Delaney-Green-Hett case. This liquor
—worth between $12,000 and $15,000 —
has been guarded night and day by
deputies of the sheriff of Richmond
county for many months at a cost
of about SI,OOO to the county.
Molena. —A large crowd of business
men and farmers cf this section of
Pike county heard a strong talk on
“Growing Cotton in Spite of the 801 l
Weevil,” made by "801 l Weevil” Bur
ley, the government's expert. Mr.
Burley made a strong impression on
his hearers by reason of the fact that
he has had practical experience for ten
years on his own farm with the wee
vil.
Cordele. —J. Gordon Jones, mayor of
this city, and who first advanced the
plan of “Home Market Chibs," is grat
ified to see his plans adopted by the
state agricultural department and be
ing worked out in such away by J-
J. Brown, commissioner of agriculture,
as to arouse the people all over the
state to the importance of a market
for every kind of farm produce, inde
pendent of cotton and cotton seed.
Waycross.—Following a general sur
vey of the road situation in Ware
and a canvass among leading citizens
in different districts, it has been de
cided that the only solution of the
highway problems is a bond issue of
sufficient size to give Ware a system
of permanent roads without delay. Pe
titions will be circulated asking that
an election for issuing one million dol
lars in bonds be called.
Atlanta. —Billy Sunday, despite the
fact that he is dated up through 1920,
will probably make an exception in
favor of Atlanta and conduct a cam
paign here in February or March of
1918, according to information just
received by Dr. Richard Orme Flinn,
pastor of North Avenue Presbyterian
church and chairman of the local com
mittee of ministers which extended
an invitation to Mr. Sunday to come
here.
Sandersville. —Four car loads of
hogs have been shipped to the mar
kets by Washington county during
the past few days, with ten more to
be shipped during the next three
weeks. This year is the first time
Washington county has shipped hogs
on Such a large scale and is evidence
that the farmers are no longer de
pendent upon cotton. It is reported
the shipment would net the shippers
close to 10 cents per pound gross.
Bainbridge.—The touch of early
spring has gotten into the fishermen's
blood in this section. There has been
more early fishing this year than for
some time, and nearly every day sees
an expedition headed for Flint river
or Spring creek, 4 while some go across
the line into Florida where the catch
es are said to be better. It is claim
ed by the informed fishermen that '
there will be a bigger supply of fish
this year, due to the high water on
all streams last year.
Macon. —For the second time with
in a month Governor Harris is to be
asked to commute the death sentence
of a Macon man convicted of wife
murder. A short time ago the gov
ernor reduced the sentence of Rich
ard Glawson, a negro, to life impris
onment the day before the negro was
to hang. Now counsel for B. O. Lu
cas, a white man. who is sentenced
to be hanged on March 22. is circu
lating a petition to have Lucas' sen
tence reduced.'
