The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume], April 28, 1917, Image 1

About The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961

Image provided by: West Virginia University

                
Hundreds of Wheelin^ites Who Can't Shoulder a Musket Are Volunteering* to Wield the Hoe"?-More Food for the Nation|
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THE INTELLIGENCER
Largest Morning Paper
Circulation in West Virginia.
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The W eather *
* probably Rain Saturday and Sunday. *
sic 4(
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V 0 I. u M E I, XV.. NO. 211
WHEELING, W . V A . , SATURDAY, APRIL 28, 1917.
PRICE? TWO CENTS
Deadly Fire-blast Kills 120 Men;
All Hope Abandoned by Rescuers
UNFORTUNATE WORKERS AND OFFICIALS
CAUGHT IN THE FACE OF WALL OF FIRE
Disaster Occurred Early Friday Morning, and Throughout
Day Many Rescuers Toiled in the Effort to Reach
the Imprisoned Men, but Without Success.
TiJIXIPAD. Colo.. April 27. ? Hope that any of t ho 120 men
thought to be entombed in the Hastings mine, near here today, may be
rescued, was abandoned by rescue crows tonight. The men ?wore
caught behind a wall of fire which followed an explosion in the main
.stope early this morning and cannot be reached.
Trie first bodies of victims have been found by t ho rescue squads,
according to Charles Dalrymple, chief inspector of ihe state mining
bureau. He said the rescuers have penetrated 2,000 feet into the
workings.
L "One hundred and eighteen men arc behind the fire and there
is little ehanee of reaching them," Dalrymple reported.
(Continued on. Faffe
B10.LI1EIN
PREVENTS THE
?BtiING UP OF
flRIDEE IN W. tt.1
Sitciil Dispatch t-? the Intelligence".
CLARKSBURG. W. Va., April j
27. ? An attempt t?> blow up the |
big Baltimore and Ohio railroad!
bridge at Adamston last night is {
being probed by special officers]
who Avere rushed here today. An!
unknown man eluded guards and
placed a bomb of dynamite and
nitroglycerine upon aft abutment,
but was chased away by Charles
i;ravcs. a signal repairman, Hefore
the fuse could be lighted. The
bomb "was confiscated.
Will Forward Deeds
For Armor Plant Site
CHARLESTON,- W7" /a.. April 27.? j
The Charleston chamber of commerce ;
received a telegram today from FU'Hri
Admiral Ralph Earle. chit'f of the bu-j
reau of ordnance, navy department, as '
follows: |
"Place title and deeds in our hands
ms early as possible, so tht we may'
legally be possessed of the property.*'
The property in question is 205 Vi
acres in South Charleston, which was
si\en the federal government by the
chamber of commerce of Charleston
as an inducement leading to the loca
tion here of rhe proposed government
armor plate plant and a projectile and
?^un-forgine plant.
The deeds necessary are being made
and will be sent to Washington at
once.
WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE IS
GALLED INTD SPECIAL SESSION
Appropriations, Virginia* Debt, Armor Plant Site Con
demnnation. War Finance and Other Matters Figure
in Call Given by Governor Cornwell, Friday.
CHARLESTON. W. Va.. April 27.? ,
The West Virginia legislature will be
convened in special session Monday,!
May 14. Th?- proclamation oi Gov. \
John J- Cornwall to that effect wasj
issued late today.
The purposes of the session are as;
follows: .
First ? To make appropriations of.
public money to pay the compensation j
of. the members, officers, clerks and'
other employes of the legislature fori
this extra session.
Second ? To pass a general ^ppro-j
priation bill, making appropriations;
of public money to pay the general i
charges upon the puolic treasury.' j
Third ? To amend section 4 of chap
terT of the code of West Virginia, as.
amended by chapter 2'2 of the acts of;
tie legislature of 11)1.". and to pass .
such additional legislation as may be {
deemed necessary to authorize and'
empower the federal government to
acquire by gift, purchaso or con-1
200,000 TEUTON
LIS ARE LAID
DOWN IN EFFORT
AGIST ALLIES
INFANTRY OF BOTH
ARMIES NOW RESTS
But the Terrific Anglo-French
Artillery Activity
Continues.
The .cannon are booming from
Lens to Auberive, in France,
while the infantry of both oppon
ents apparently rests after the
the great battles of the past three
weeks along this great line.
The British artillery, which, in
the scond week of the battle ot
Arras, used up more shells than
ever had been used in one action
in the history of modern warfare,
continues it* deadly and destruc
tive work. The French guns are
also active, while the German ar
tillery answers at various points.
Apparently this is the lull before
the next great clash in northern
France.
While the Germans have check
ed for the moment the latest ef
fort of Field Marshal Haig's sol
diers to capture the strongly en
trenched positions commanded by
Crown Prince Rupprecht, their ef
forts to recapture positions taken
from them by the British ana
French have met with sanguinary
failure. South and northwest of
St. Quentin, that strong and im
portant link in the German defen
sive system. British and French
troops have hurled back the Ger
man countpr-attacks with heavy
losses. Efforts of the Grman
Crown Prince to break the French
grip northeast of Soissons have
failed.
Recent German efforts to check
the French here, a report from
Paris says, have resulted in the
loss of 200,000 men killed, wound
ed and captured.
In local operations along the
Arras-Cambrai road, and north
ward, the British have gained
some ground and the Frnch have
advanced near Hurtebise on the'
Vauclerc plateau, as well as at one
point in the fight-scarred region of
Moronvilliers. ?
Over the battle line and behind
the German positions the wasp
like airplanes have been busy aid
ing the artillery in finding its tar
gets. Both French and British
birtlmen have battled desprately
with German airplanes to obtain
information which only they can
get. tti numerous fights over, be
hind and in front of the entrench
ments Anglo-French aviators have
brought down ton German airmen
and sent down twelve others dam
aged or out. of control. Berlin
claims the destruction of eleven
allied machines.
General Maude in his progress
(Continued on Ptffe Twelve.)
damnation the till"* to sufficient real
estate upon which to construct an
armor plate plant, projectile plant, or
other works, and 10 exercise jurisdic
tion over such land when acquired.
Fourth- To enact any proper meas
ure which, in l he Judgment of the leg
islature may Im> necessary to enable
the state to render proper or neces
sary aid or assistance to the federal
government in prosecuting the war in
which it is engaged.
Fifth ? To make necessary special
appropriations of public money to
defray any extraordinary expenses
that may be incurred in rendering
assistance to the federal government
in the prosecution of the war or in
the protection of the citizens of the
state, or their property.
Sixth ? To legalize the appointment
of the state council of defense and to
clothe it with power and authority to
(Continued . on Pace Eight.)
OH T. B.
PLAN FOR ABMY
DEBATE ON THE ARMY v j
BILL NEAR ITS END
?Enactment of the Selective
Draft Measure Declared
! to Be Certain.
WASHINGTON, 6r~C., April 27.?
Roth houses of Congress sat until late
to-nighr? u*-iiijn\.the way for passage
to-morrow of the war army bill, under
which millions uf_ui.cn are to be raised
and trained. Apparently enactment
of the administration's selective draft
by large majorities is assured, al
though the volunteer advocates will
fight until the roll call.
Champions in the House of an
amendment designed to permit Colo
nel Roosevelt to recruit a volunteer
force for immediate service in France
lost their- fight late to-day on the first
volt* taken after the close of general
debate. The amendment, offered by
Representative Austin, of Tennssee,
and vigorously supported by Repre
sentative Gardner, of Massachusetts,
and others, whs defeated,' 170 to 106.
Among those who voted for It was
Miss Rankin, of Montana, who tear
fully opposed the war resolution.
Decisive Vote This Morning.
The House leaders agreed to have a
vote immediately after convening to
morrow on an amendment which
would restore the measure to the form
in which it came from the War De
partment, eliminating the volunteer
section substituted by the military
committee. General debate was
closed early in the afternoon, with
final statements by Chairman Dent, of
the military committee, for the volun
ter section, and Representative Kahn,
of California, tho Republican member
leading the administration fight for
the general staff plan.
Scores of members spoke ' to-night
under the rule permitting five minute
speeches on amendments. One of the
first wns Representative Mann, the
Republican floor leader, who broke his
silence on the subject of conscription
for the' first time with an emphatic
declaration in favor of the general
staff bill.
In the Senate.
On the Senate side the debate con
tinued throughout the day and to
night, with only occasional flares of
interest from tile floor and galleries.
The leaders have agreed to lake the
final vote before adjournment to-mor
row night.
Minor differences in the measure as
it will pass the two houses probahlv
will necessitate a conference, but the
bill is expected to be ready for Presi
dent Wilson's signature by the middle
of next week. Then the plans of the
War Department, already carefully
laid, will be put into operation.
Near midnight, when the Senate was
about to adjourn. Senator La Follette
took the floor and announced his in
tention of speaking, lie has pending
amendments io strike out the draft
provision, and to submit the question
of raising aij army to a referendum.
Senator T,;i VYdletto had a Rroat pile
of books and papers bAt'oro him and ap
parently Intended to talk several hours.
Big Western Crops
Now Are Assured
OMAHA. Nob.. April 27. ? A gen
eral fall of rain and snow within
the pasr 21 hours, ranging from
one inch at Omaha to seven
inches in I ho northwestern part of
I he Stati\ will greatly Improve
the condition of winter wheat,
crop experts say, and a full crop
of spring wheal, oat;; and barley
is practically assured by the un
usual amount of moisture. Condi
tions for other spring planting
will likewise be improved.
ARSON SUSPECT
UNDER ARREST;
KiiELBERGER'S
QUEST AT END
Because bo abused two National
t.iuardsmen who refused to permit him
tij cross the Wabash bridge from Wheel
ing Junction lo Steubenville. <).. Hurry
Koefer may have to eonto bark to A Vest
Virginia to fan' two charges of arson.
Kecfer, who g." ve his place of residence
as \Vierton. is in the county jail at
Steubenville by order of federal authori
ties. and Deputy Ft re Marshal M. C.
K'ndelbcrgcr of Wcsi Virginia. Is work
ing to secure his extradition to this
state to fc.ce charges of arson In Krooke
county.
He is susn"vted of complicity in start
ing two ri'P>Mit fires at 'Wheeling Junc
tion. One was the conflagration which
destroyed a big u p.oceqipiod frame house
at 'Wheeling .hinct Ion' about live weeks
ago: the other a blaze which consumed
n smalb r unoccupied house at the same
place two weeks or more ago: ?
Deputy Fire Marshall M. O. Kindcl
berger has been inve.stigt<ing htiLh (Ires
and has visited Keefor in the jail at
Steubenville. Yesterday Mr. Kindelberg
er wired Chief Fire Marshal Horan at
Charleston of the arrest of Keefer. and
that tho prisoner will be surrendered to
him.
Several days ago Keefer attempted lo
cross the "Wabash bridge from Wheeling
Junction and was turned hack by sol
diers. Ho went to tlie station agent
there nncl pursed and abused the guards.
The "soldier's were' informed and they ar
rested Keefer, taking* him to a guard
tent on the. Ohio side. Keefer was later
taken before iho Steubenville mayor.
T'nlted States Deputy Marshal Simon K.
Hol'tus conferred with the mayor and
at the close of the conference. lO-ofer
was removed to The county jail. On
Thursday evening Deputy Fire .Marshal
Klndelberger called to see him and the
advice of Fire Marshal Horan of the
arrest of the suspect followed.
URGE PROHIBITION
DURING THE WAR
Sprrial lliM'Atrli t?? : lie liilcllicoiuvr.
CLAKKSKUFIU, W. Va.. April 27.?
At. a meeting of the Clarksburg Board
of Trade directors to-day telegrams
were .sent President Wilson and the
West Virginia Congresssmen, urging
national prohibition during the war as
a means of saving grain for food.
I'nder the rules a senator cannot be
taken off hls-feet by a motion to ad
journ. so the handful of senators on the
floor settled down for an indetinite stay.
After speaking for two hours Senator
t.a Folbtte gave no indication that ho
was near tie- end of his speech.
STRENGTH OF THE U. S.
! NAVY AN EYE-OPENER
Some of the Principal Cities
of the Country Are to
Be Visited.
WASHINGTON, 1). t\, April 27.? ;
Conferences between France's war
mission anil representatives of the
? United States government to-day,
? broadeneil in iliejr scope.
The Freneh mission left Paris with!
, unlimited powers tn negotiate with
j tiie United States tin all subjects ?
? military, naval, financial and econoru
| ic ? but. at the time it was believed
that little more would be required of
lit in this country ilian to salute
j France's new brothers-in-arms. Tne
mission lias fniind, however, that def
inite ami speeiiie understandings con-i
corning lite war against Germany are)
desired, and the conferences are now!
proceeding on that basis.
Members of the mission in confer
ence with various officials informed
them to-day that the things France
needs most from the United States
are moeny. food in quantities, fertil
izers, coal, .steel, oil and transporta-!
(lion equipment for service on both
land and sea. especially a great num-j
j her of ships to carry materials from
I the New to the Old World.
I Exchanging Views.
i The Frrneh visitors spent virtually
ithe entire day exchanging views and i
! information with representatives of.
:the American government. The1
; groundwork for joint conferences of
;the British, French and American rep-1
; resent at ives was laid during a talk!
between British Foreign Minister Bal- j
j four and Rene Viviani. head of the
! French conferees.
j From Admiral Cocheprat and other!
: naval members of the commission Ad
miral Benson and other American na-,
Jval officers received first hand inror-t
mation regarding the war operations!
of the French navy. No official state
ment concerning their talk was made,
Ibtit the French officers are known to
I bo in a position to offer the American
navy any assistance it desires, includ
ing the use of ports in France.
Problems Discussed,
j Marshal J off re and the military con-!
tingent under him discussed army
I problems with officials of the War De
ipartment and war college experts,
j Most of the facts communicated by i
ithe visitors were of a highly confiden-j
j rial nature. Marshal Joff re himself!
i an.-l his staff called at the army war j
(college and upon Major General Scott j
land members of the general staff.!
! The Marshal addressing himself to
! General Scott, expressed with great j
! earnestness the gratiligoatirtn of the'
| French army at having Americans as i
I brothers in arms.
Tribute to Jorfre.
j General Scott, in reply, referred toi
! Marshal Joff re as the foremost soldier
j of the world, the victor of the Maine,
'the decisive conilict of the greatest,
(.war in history .
! Marshal Joff re also visited the army
(engineer barracks and received many,
of the officers. The marshal himself j
(is an engineer and he noted with
j smile* the American engineer " corps .
i insignia, a castle similar to that used1
tin ihe French army.
M. Viviani devoted the day to Von-!
: ferrinc with American officials, receiv
ing callers and visited the United,
j Sta t os supreme court. ?
limile llovelaque, who accompanied
|the mission to the United States espe
cially for the purpose of co-ordinating
! American benevolent activities for
France, and who has been acting as
.an assistant to M. Viviano, received.
(Continued on Pr-ore Ei?l;t.)
Placed on Tnal for Attempt
to Disrupt Munition
T rade.
I NEW YORK. April 27.? Ability to
|fii in the jury box and "Iook r.n alien
I enemy in iho face while the strains of
bands pjaying the "Star Spangled Ban
ner' catne through 1 1 1 ? * window, and
yet give liim a fair trial," was a prime
qualification required by counsel for
the defense in choosing jurors for the
trial here today of Captain Franz
Rintelen of the German navy. He is
charged with seven other with con
spiring to disrupt the entente allies'
munition trade in this country by
fomenting strikes.
In summing up this qualification,
counsel referred 10 the playing of
patriotic airs by bands at recruiting
tents in City Hall square, outside the
jcourt. Before the work of getting the
jury began, counsel objected to the
trial going on at this lime on the
ground- that the spirit of the times
would make an impartial trial impos
sible.
At the close ?f ili. court day, how
ever, twelve men had been found who
1 swore t ii? - > rutiM In- fair under "all
'the.-p conilit ions, hut they will be stih
Jjectvd to fun Iter questioning Monday.
I The government is said to regnrd the
case as the climax of its numerous
{prosecutions of (i-e;aian plots in tits
j country. The defendants named with
Rintelen include former Representa
tives H. . Robert Fowler and Frank
'Buchanan, David I.amar and Frank S.
I-Monnelt. It i.- charged that through
j Labor's national i'eace council, al
j leered to hnvp he^n mainly financed hy
?Rintelrn. they brought about labor
jtrottbles in munition plants and
jatnoim pier workers handling ship
jinents.
ICOBB PEN PICTURE
OF THE EXHORTER
jAudience Cold at Beginning
|- ? but Soon Won by the
By .IRVIN S. COBB.
NEW YORK, April 27.? I have just!
come from seeing the hardest worked
man in this country. That man was]
'the Rev. Hilly Sunday, evangelist. ex
traordinary.
They say Ilillv Sunday is rich: that. |
he owns a fine house somewhere out i
(west amd. rides in a high powered
i automobile of his own >hen he's at j
'homo, and wears silks and fine linen!
jin the summer time and a fur coat
[with a nap on il six inches deep when!
?'the weather suits. His enemies ? and|
j he appears to have acquired a large'
! sincere group of enemies as he went
j to and fro expounding th.e gospel;
I according to 1>. Sunday ? are forever!
! viewing with alarm the circumstance,'
Ithat he has made money for himself j
'out of his revival campaigns.
j Well, i am here to tell these de-j
'tractors of c h< ? man and his methods |
(that, if Sunday made his money by!
j preaching, as I shrewdly opine he has, j
jin? earned it, every cent of it.
' Ordinarily the greater an artist a
'man is, in his own particular line, thej
more easy the job appears to he.!
Outsiders see him engaged in hisi
j avocation or In hold the finished fruits,
! of his labors and figure it out that the;
! craftsman did not put any real elbow
?grease and brow sweat into the thing:
: that he achieved his results by virtue!
jof a certain deftness, a certain knack.1
ja certain trick of the trade.
The trouble wkh these persons is
?that they look no deeper than the
j shellac on the top; they do not. sense
jthe main fact, which is that, before
the artificer applied the varnish, he
I put in quite a spell or hard licks on
I those details which do not appear so
(Continued on Pivfe Tour.) ]
Commissioner of Prohibition
Issues "Quart a Month '
Instructions.
I CI1A I'M.KSTOW \V. Va.. April 27.? !
i Those who seek ic break the prohibi-i
hion si a I nt os of West Virginia after;
{the "quail a month" new 'prohibitory'
ilaw becomes effective on May 2 will
J u so automobiles ami freight trains for
i the importation of intoxicants rather
; than passengei trains is 'lie belief of
;Tax and Prohibition Commissioner
Walter Mnllanan.
i The prohibition commissioner tod iv '
mailed to all sheriffs, prosecuting at.-'
jtorneys. justices of the peace, mayors J
land police chiefs of the state a letter i
[embracing the principal charges made I
in the prohibitory statutes and asking!
for hearty co-operation of these ofTi-j
rials in the full and vigorous enforce-,
im-nt of th<- law*.
The letter mailed to the officers by
Commissioner liallanan emphasizes
the material changes made in the old
lews, referring to the provisions mak
ing it unlawful for any person to carry,
into the state in his personal baggage'
or otherwise more than one quart dur-i
ing ::i> consecutive days; providing for!
the seizure of automobiles, wagons,
boats or other conveyances used for'
transporting liquor contrary to law
and giving the owner of real estate
authority lo cancel a lease on prop
erly where intoxicants are sold. |
TO SELECT TEXT BOOKS. j
<"l I All LKSTON. \V. Va.. April 27. ? |
The suite school bi>ok commission will I
I meet in i lie stale department <>!' schools J
on Monday ne\t for a I lu-< c ilays ses- j
sion h?Te A Inrpp delegation of srhoo]
honk auetits are .-mmti-*! in b<- present
from all over *li? country. The tinal
selection of hooks \< ill be made In a
subsequent meeting to tic IkM the first
i Tuesday in June.
Adventists Decline
War Participation
WASHINGTON, D. C.. April 27.
? Seventh Day Adventlsts have
notified the War Department that '
i heir religion will not allow them
to participate in the war between
the United States and Germany.
The declaration adopted by the
executive committee of the North
American division conference sets
forth that although believing in
the principles upon which this
government is founded, and ac
knowledging that it should re
ceive the support, of its citizens,
the Adventists "are compelled to
decline all participation in acts of
war and bloodshed as being incon
sistent with the duties enjoined
upon us by our Divine Master to
ward our enemies and toward 3II
mankind." "
?FINE n
UNLESS ALLIES
CAN PUT DOWN
THE U-BOATS
WASHINGTON, April 27. ? Evi-'
dence of growing success for the ruth
less German submarine blockade has
forced the problem of supplying the
entenre quickly with food and other
necessities sharply into the forefront i
of the American government's war!
program. I
Aroused by information brought to
this countryyby the British and French)
war missions, President Wilson and
his cabinet gravely set about today to
launch with its full force as speedily
as> possible their campaign to break ?
down the blockade, planned by the|
administration as the nation's first j
physical stroke against Germany, I
The .food problem occupied the cabi- j
net meeting almost to the exclusion of i
all the other important war questions!
before the government. Afterward it,
was indicated that the recent German !
submarine ravages were considered so 1
successful that the l.'nlted States must;
marshal its resources immediately to [
put more merchant ships into commis- |
sion, to help devise some means * of ,
righting submarines nnd to Insure a
greater yield of foodstuffs to offset the I
Increasing destruction of food cargoes)
in the war zone.
Members of the cabinet took to the
meeting a great guantlty of informa
tion given by the visiting missions, in
cluding a plea by some members of the j
French commission that America must
act quickly if the world is to be. saved j
from famine. Recent declarations in.
the l'.ritlsh parliament were reviewed 1
as .supplementing this evidence. There j
was no attempt to conceal the inipres- .
sion that, the food problem had taken j
on an aspect making it incoparably the
most pressing question facing the I
t'niti d States in its efforts to stem the
progress of its enemy.
Although details of the steps to be
taken were not revealed, there were in- j
dieations toniprht that more energetic 5
measures might be expected to speed j
tip the work of relieving the food situ- !
at ion in the Kntente countries.
Sutherland Presides j
Over the U. S. Senate;
S iff 1:4 1 to |)io IiiMiipf-rreer.
WASHINGTON, D. C., April 27.? \
Vice President .Marshall paid Senator j
Howard Sutherland the delicate com- 1
pliment this afternoon of calling him
to preside, the first recognition of the
kind given a new senafor since t his 1
congress convened. For three hours
the junior senator from West Virginia'
wielded the gavel with dignity and in
a way which expedited the business of
1 he session. A sub-committee ap
pointed by the senate committee on
elections to hear former Senator Cliil
t on's contest againsl Senator Suther
land today set next Friday as the date'
on which they would begin their
examination of Chilton's complaint. I
WEST VIRGINIAN ON
LUMBER COMMISSION;
WASHINGTON," T\pril 27.? To facil- ?
itate the operations between the gov
eminent and the producers of lumber:
the council , of national defense has;
appointed a sub-committee of fourteen
on lumber nntl forest products with
R. H. bowman, of New Orleans, presi
dent of the National Lumber Manu
facturers' association, as chairman. :
Bernard M. Barueli. chairman of the
advisory commission's committee on!
raw materials, in making the appoint-,
nients, said he believed the personnel
was such as to insure a high degree!
of efficiency in meeting the lumber,
needs of the government. Mr. Dow
man and several other committee!
members are to maintain a permanent 1
organization in Washington.
Members of the committee include
W. M. Rittcr, of Welch, W. Va. '
SHERIFFS WILL BE
PLACED IN CHARGER
Of the Registration of Citizens >
Liable to Service in *.
the Army.
I WASHINGTON, April 27.? With en.*
actment of the selective draft army/;
bill apparently assured, the war de-,;/
partment is preparing to set machin- &
ery in motion without delay to ppv.
duce under the measure within tw<j &
years a trained array of 2,000,000 men. vi
Within ten days after the bill -?a
[signed-' every township in the country
will he registering its young men for'
duty and work will have begun on the ;
sixteen training cantonments or camps ^
where preparation of the forces foi^
war will start in August or Sepujs^?
ber. Sites for the cantonments
been selected tentatively, and ill aiv-r
rangements made for the concentfSr ?
lion of the troops assigned to each."" '";
To Use the Sheriffs.
Decentralization of administrative - >
work will be sought by the department >
in every move it makes. Details will ^
not be disclosed until the bill haa
passed, but it is known that registra- ?
tio'n will be carried on through sheriff*
and other county officials, aided by
postmasters or other federal agenclea -
where that seems advisable. InatrgOrvJ
tions and forms already have been
pared and will be forwarded to
state adjutants general for distrlb
tion among county officials.
Up to the Citizen.
Wide publicity is planned, so
no man liable for registration
have a good excuse for failing to
spond. On a date to be set every
zen affected by the act will be-reqi
on pain of heavy penalty to p
himself at the nearest regtet
place, where machinery will be
vided for classifying the recruits-,
eliminating those exempt. DouF
cases will be referred to higher
thority.
With the rolls of those liable
service complete, the task of sel
the men to go in the first increment
of 500,000 will begin. It has been eu
gested (hat this be done by means1
the county jury wheel. The first mij^V':
whose name is drawn would go, under ->
that plan, with the first 500,000, to b'q *
called out. for training within a few >3
months. The second drawn would JSW i
with the second increment, to be called
six months later; the third with the Q
third increment, with duty a year o?: ?
the fourth with the fourth increments
and so on. *7 . t
Building Cantonments.
Meanwhile the work of building
cantonments will go forward. Regular.^
course of training.
The plans call for the transfer }ta&$
the first r.00,000 men obtained by draif ?
of from ISO, 000 to 200,000 non-commis"
sioned officers trained in the regular
and National Guard regiments. It is '
here that the opportunity lies for men V
who volunteer now as enlisted men Ini^
the ranks of the. two services. On
them, war department officials believe, f
even to a greater extent' than upon .
troops and National Guardsmen will
(Continued on Pair# Twclvs.) ?;
FAILEOWnXTHE |
responsibuM
t ,
CHESTER, Pa., April 27.? An open $
verdict failing to fix the responsibility/.,)
for the explosion at the Eddystone.
Ammunition corporation's plant ".at -r
Eddystone, Pa., near here, on April 10, >
was returned by the cornorer's jury
today after deliberating nearly three
hours. The jury found that no .evfr- V
dence had) been submitted at the in* '{
quest which would decide definitely /:
the cause of the disaster. Included i
in the verdict was the finding that:"?
the 129 victims came to their death
from burns or exhaustion due to tke'r.vl
explosion.
"The evidence shows that all pre- 1
cautions were taken by the corpora- -a
tion to guard against accidents of any %
character,'" the verdict read, "and that
while upon at least two occasions' ?
steel laps were found in loaded shells
prior to the1 insertion of the pellet, ?
pencils yet there is no evidence teforaA*
the jury to lead to the conclusion that
this caused the explosion nor does f'
any of the evidence submitted point- ;
definitely to any other cause." . ;
The jury decided that the explosion-*;'
occurred in the vibrating rooming
what w;is known as the "Old JL .h
Building." '
After rhe verdict was announced,
Albert D. Granger, one of the JurOM, >i
explained that while several* jtirtfs
were inclined to believe that a plot ^
was the cause of the explosion there -
was no direct testimony to support it:' ;
VICTORY CERTAIN BUT IT WILL NOf
BE SOON, IS THE EXPERT OPINION
WASHINGTON. D. C. April 27 ?
" ?? h i 1 e definite ascendency over the I
German war machine has been estab
lished by the allied forces in France,
both in personnel and equipment, and!
eventual victory is in sight, many)
months of bitter fighting are still j
ahead. j
This is the view of military experts!
attached to France's war commission!
as gathered by officers of the Ameri-i
can general staff to-day during lnfor-j
ma! conversations at tlie War Depart-i
meni . The French officers discussed !
the situation most frankly. Much ofi
what was said was strictly confidential,1
and information as to the immediate i
military situation of the utmost im-i
parlance was freely given under that
seal. * I
Statements of the Frenchmen fully!
confirmed conclusions reached by the
geueral staff after its long study of
losses in armies actually engaged in
Europe, in an effort to learn the pro-!
vision they must make for maintaining!
the fighting strength of an army at. thel
front. The terrible toll in dead, I
maimed and prisoners, computed o?
figures including Russia's enormous
losses in captured, amounts to 10 per
cent, a .month of troops at the front. J
Half of these are permanently out of-.!
action, and were it not for the co'n-:J
slant stream of recruits going for
every day an army of a million
soon would fade away. *
Of the wounded and ill sent to tf
rear, great numbers recuperate and
turn to their regiments. With a med-' j
ical corps service working at highest '1
possible efficiency, half of the entire ?
loss of an army is recovered to active'
duty, but the process takes ^**.ore than
three months.
This condition is one ot the impell
ing reasons why the general stall liM?
stood firmly for the selective draft
plan of the administration's army bili
THE WIATHXa.
WASHINGTON, April 27.? Tc
We it Virginia. ? Probably rata l?tv
day and Sunday.
Olito and West. Pimuylrinli Off
ca?t north, probably rain aoutli
day; Sunday rain; continued oooj.