FLETCHER FACES 1 DIFFICULT TASK Native of Cumberland Valley on Way to Re-establish Rela tions With Mexico ■j vjnßf - _ ffl^H m ' n V' ; HHU .4S2?IW tf)d _,P*4 ■■> ■■i v lH .H " fr HL ; HENRY P. FLETCHER . Washington, Feb. 12. Ambassa dor Henry P. Fletcher has started for Mexico City to re-establish with the Government of that country diploma tic relations which were severed in April, 1914. when' American marines took Vera Cruz. He was accompanied by Captain Frank McCoy, as military aid, and Captain .Edward Hanna, who served with Fletcher in tho Rough Riders and who will act as secretary of the embassy. Ambassador Fletcher's instructions arc to proceed directly to Mexico City by Laredo and Monterey. Just at present some of Villa's bandits are holding a section of the national lines between Laredo and Monterey so that Ambassador Fletcher probably will be compelled to remain at San Antonio temporarily. Before sending Mr. Fletcher to the Mexican capital President Wilson gave him diplomatic powers of almost un limited latitude that he will employ in attempting to bring about a better understanding between this govern ment and the persons who are now in charge of Mexico. Dillicuit Task Alicad The Administration is satisfied that Ambassador Fletcher has one of the most difficult assignments ever given to an American diplomat. He is ex pected to "get right down to brass tacks," if it is possible to do so.and find out Just what is responsible for the unfriendly attitude which has prompt ed Carranza to insult this government on every occasion and to block every attempt that President Wilson has made to help Mexico help herself. Mr. Fletcher has been supplied with a great mass of material which he may find it advisable to present to Car ranza for the purpose of proving to liim support of every sort just as soon celved concerning the purposes of the American government by persons who are or have been in his confidence. The State Department appears to be satisfied that if Mr. Fletcher pierces the ring that surrounds Carranza at present he may be able to do the First Chief incalculable good by changing his viewpoint concerning the attitude of this government. In the ovent that Mr. Fletcher finds a responsive chord in the First Chief, he is empow ered to assuro him that the govern ment of the United States will lend liim suppor of every sort Just as soon as It has reasons to believe that such support will be welcome, and will be ■used for the benefit of Jthe entire coun try and not for the aggrandizement of a handful of political generals. 90 Per Cent, of Graft Following- the conference between the American and Mexican commis sions, Secretary of the Interior Lane, John Mott and Judge Gray frankly in formed President Wilson that the present Carranza movement repre sents about 10 per cent, of honest idealism and 90 per cent, of grafting demagoguery. The commission advised the Presi dent that the sole hope In the situ ation rested on the possibility of get ting Carranza to rid himself of the dis honest element. In the event that Carranza gets together a nucleus of honest, efficient Mexicans, the com mission reported this government should get behind him and help him organize and finance a stable republic. Ambassador Fletcher is expected to drive the opening wedge. If ho suc ceeds, the Administration hopes that the long-awaited period for establish ing a government in Mexico will have arrived. If ho falls in this, the Admin istration expects Carranza to go through the form of being elected President of the country, and then be thrown out by Obregon or Pablo Gon zales, his principal military chiefs. "What is likely to happen thereafter no one connected with the Administration is willing to prophesy. Mr. Fletcher was born in the Cum berland Valley and la widely known in the city where he has many friends. Carranza Names Member of Joint Commission as Ambassador to V. 5. "Washington. Feb. 12. Ognacio Bonillas, one of General Carranzo's representatives on the Mexican-Amerl '■an joint commission, has been named ambassador from Mexico to the United States. Mr. Bonillas is nof at Palm Beach, pHa. It 5j expected he will come to Washington this week to present his CTedentlals, at almost the same time Henry P. Fletcher, the American am bassador to Mexico is received by the Mexican government. iftcr th- failure of the *Mexlcym- commission to effect an Ad justment of the questions at issue be tween the two governments, Mr. Arre dondo was called to Mexico. It was understood at this time that Mr. Bon- J lias would be chosen as his successor, although Mr. Arredondo insisted that would return to his post. - Mr. Bonillas has been the minister of communications in GeneraJ Oar ranza's cabinet Hince the formation of his government and is one of the few jnen who is reputed to hare the entire confidence of General Carrania. He was educated at the Massachusetts In. stltute of Technology and .married an American woman. Keeps the Teeth White and Healthy MONDAY EVENING, gTOltii'lllllllllllMillllllllll'lMllil'lllHllllllMM LUXURYCARS J I ON EXHIBIT AT 120 MARKET STREET j 1 Harrisburg, Pa. ' , I McCURDY-BRAINARD CO., Distributors J J Pittsburgh, Penna. ' '.: !| OFFICIALS DISTRUST KAISER'S PEACE PLEA [Continued From First Page] which has been delayed here for the past week aboard the St. Louis. Major Spencer Cosby, former mili tary attache of the American embassy in Paris, who recently suffered tem porary loss of his voice as the result of an experiment with asphyxiating gas was a passenger on the New York. He said he was going direct to Wash ington and would not talk of his ex periences. The fourth ship under the American flag to sail from this port for an Eu ropean destination since Germany's renewal of unrestricted submarine warfare got away last night. She is the 32 5-foot freighter Owego, of the Federal Forwarding Company, bound for Genoa, carrying a general cargo of 2,500 tons. Her master and many of her crew are Americans. Get Official Reports on Sinking of 8 Ships Washington, D. C., Feb. 12.—Sink ing of eight British and neutral vessels with an aggregate tonnage of 15,762 by German submarines was reported in a dispatch received at the State De partment to-day from Consul-General Skinner, at London. All the vessels previously had been mentioned In press dispatches, but additional details on the sinking of some of them came in the Lloyds report. The British steamer Beechtree, which press cables said was believed to have been Bunk, was torpedoed and sunk In seven min utes. Her crew was landed safely. The Norwegian steamer Solbakken, carrying a cargo of wheat from Buenos Ayres to Cherbourg, was torpedoed off Flnlsterre. Two of her crew died, one from cold, and a boat containing the captain and fourteen men Is missing. The British steamer Sallag, about which there was doubt of identifica tion, is given as a 826-ton vessel. SHIPS CARRIED VICTUALS Berlin, Feb. 12, via Sayvllle.—Of seven 'steamers and three sailing ves sels reported sunk by German sub marines on February 9, says the Over seas News Agency, two steamers car ried metal and three were laden with either corn, nuts or provisions. Two of the sailing vessels carried victuals for England. Reports from Chrls tiania say that the Norwegian steam ship Sorland was fired at by two Brit ish torpedoboats while in Norwegian territorial waters. WOULD MAKE IT UNLAWFUL FOR MERCHANTMEN TO ARM Washington, D. C„ Feb. 12.—Sen ator La Follette to-day introduced a resolution to make it unlawful for any American merchant ship in time of peace to depart armed from any port of the United States to any port in an other country. It was not debated, but put on the table subject to call. U-Boat Enters Nentral Harbor and Sinks Ship New Tork, Feb. 12. —A German sub .marlne entered the neutral Spanish harbor of Ixis Pal in as, Canary Islands, on December 6 nnd sank the Greek steamer Spyros, according to two of the freighter's seamen who arrived here to-day on the steamship Morro Castle. Recent maritime records told of the Spyros being towed "to a Span ish port" after being torpedoed. The sailors arriving here said the Spyros put into Las Pal mas on her voyage from Buenos Ay res, carrying grain for Hull, Bngland. The U-boat entered the harbor, they asserted, and notified the captain to abandon his ship within forty hours, at the end of which time it would be destroyed, and the threat was fulfilled. 31 Americans Face Death as Three Ships Are Sunk London. Feb. 12.—Thirty-one Amori cans facc<l death In the Illegal sinking of two British vessels, one a passenger steamer, last week, according to com plete advices received hero. Both the vessels in question, the Japanese Prince and the Mantola, were tor pedoed without warning. On the for mer ship were thirty American hos tlers. The only American on the Man tola waa Earl M. Rice, of Portland, Ore., the ship's surgeon. There was no loss of life on the Japanese Prince, though many of the crew were Injured by the explosion of the torpedo, which struck with terrific impact amidships. Taking to the boats, the crew were picked up within an hour. American Consul Frost, at Queens town, reported that the Mantola had been torpedoed without warning on February 8, 186 miles southwest of Kastnet. The survivors were landed at Queenstown yesterday. Seven Las cars lost their lives. Asks Navy For Guns to Arm Ships of American Line Washington, D, C., Feb. IS.—A. S. Franklin, president of the Inter national Mercantile Marine, to-day made formal application to the Navy Department for guns to arm the senger liners of the American Line. The request states that the com- LIFE INSURANCE AGENTS SUCCEED Connecticut Mutual Rranch Made Rest Record in 1916, Representatives Told Agents of the Harrisburg branch of the Connecticut Life Insurance Com pany, who had the best business rec ord during the past year, met Satur day in the local offices in the Union Trust building. The year, according to the report given by V. W. Kennedy, was the best in the branch's history, from the standpoint of new business acquired. Mr. Kenney gave a brief history of the Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Company, saying that the company was organized in 1846 in Hartford, Conn., to furnish life insurance protection at the lowest possible cost; that there never had been a stockholder of the company and there never would be; that all profits were returned to the policyholders and that the company Is in a better position to serve the pub lic to-day than ever before in its his tory. Short addresses were made by A. Raymond Long, of Harrisburg; Eugene Hoaster, of Lebanon, and Paxton W. Wolfe, of Maytown. Luncheon and dinner was served at the Harrisburg Club. Those present were A. Raymond Long and Charles E. Dasher, Harrisburg; Eugene Hoaß ter, Lebanon; J. R. Keen, Reading; Philip F. Aldlnger, York, and Paxton W. Wolfe, Maytown, and V. W. Ken ney, Harrisburg. TO ABOLISH CITY DETECTIVE BUREAU [Continued From First Page] plaints, arrests and disposition of cases. Under One Head Frequently Bince his appointment more than a year ago, Superintendent Windsor has been under fire, and sev eral times it was reported that he was to be dismissed. Each time, however. Mayor Mealß declared that he did not intended to abolish the detective bu reau which was started under his present administration. The changes, however, which may be recommended to-morrow are being made with a view to increasing the efficiency of the entire police depart ment This can only be done, a num ber of officials repeatedly declared, by placing both uniformed and plain clothes men under one head. Wliito Well Qualified Should Council approve the recom mendation for the employment of a clerk for the department. It is under stood that Earl M. White, police re porter on city newspapers for years, will be given the position. White has long been asso<9ated with police officials and men on the force in the city, and his long experience will make him one of the most capable to be found for the position, everyone agrees. pany has been unable to find guns elsewhere. It Is indicated that the Navy De partment, while opposed for military reasons to any project of convoying American merchantmen through the prohibited submarine zones, favors furnishing such ships with guns for their own defense. Inasmuch as the government has recognized that naval stores are the only supply of naval guns, it has been held that obtaining guns from that source does not alter the private or commercial character of the ship. The Navy Department, it was stated officially, hp.s a considerable number of old model 8-Inch and 6-Inch rifles available for arming merchant ships, but not enough for the conversion of all ships It would require in time of war and also a furnish defensive arm ament for all merchantmen. The question of supplying trained gun crews for merchantmen is more difficult from a departmental point of view. Thero is objection to withdraw-, ing men from the active service of tho navy at this time and there is also some question as to what effect such a step would have on the status of b. ■hip. French ship owners furnished guns by their navy were required to make oath that they were to be han dled by civilian crews. The possibility that the navy might supply guns indirectly through loan or sale to ship owners has received some consideration, but a preference for di rect action by the department in plac ing the guns aboard Is indicated by the ship owners. SWISS APPROVE THEIR GOVERNMENTS U-BOAT NOTES Zurich, Feb. 11. —The Swiss notes on submarine warfare addressed to President Wilson and to Germany are In general well received by the news papers which say that the language of the communications Is clear and reso lute and conforms to the opinion of the Swiss people both in respect to the Interpretation of neutrality and the energetic protest against the German submarine blockade. The newspa pers ssy that Swltserland has placed itself on the solid ground of law and right HXRRISBURG TELEGKSPtt SEVEREST COLD WAVE OF YEARJiWEEPING IN 'Continued From First Page] thick where the cold has welded one block of ice on top of another. Good Skating Skating on all three lakes in the jurisdiction of the City Park Depart ment is good and absolutely safe, it was said at the park offices. The red flag, signifying good Ice, Is fluttering from the top of the Union Trust Com pany building. The department lists the skating places as follows; Willi wood—Excellent. Twelfth street—Good for children. Paxtang—Good. The river—Fair. The river, of course, is not under the Park Department's authority. The Ice is not as good there as on the still ponds because of the gorges and gen eral roughness. 24 Below In Vermont The New England States suffered the worst from the prevalent low tem peratures. In Vermont the mercury fell to 24 degrees below zero. In the mountain regions near Saratoga, N. Y., 40 below was the minimum. In the Middle West temperatures ranged from 16 to 22 degrees below in Ohio, Illi nois and Michigan. A shortage of fuel in many cities in this region caused much suffering. Jews Will Sacrifice Selves For America if War Comes New York, Feb. 12.—1f war comes, | the Jews of this country "will sacrifice themselves for America," Henry Mos kowitz, chairman of the Municipal Civic Commission, said to-day before the National Workmen's Committee on Jewish Rights, In convention here with delegates from all parts of the United States. "Let us show America," he added, "that the 500,000 Jewish workingmen with a history of persecution un equaled in the history of the world, will say, if need be, that a country worth living for would be worth dying for. The address of President Wilson before the Senate has shown the American people to be the greatest ally of the Jews in their struggle for national rights." Railroad Notes Members of the Pennsylvania Rail road Young Men's Christian Associa tion gospel crew returned to-day from Danville. They report large attend ance at all meetings yesterday. Charles J. Hogentogler, in charge of the Motive Power basketball, is ar ranging for several elimination con tests. The Lucknow Athletic Association will meet at an early date to take up plans for tHe summer. Superintendent N. W. Smith, of the Middle division of the Pennsylvania Railroad, was in Harrlsburg Saturday, He made *an Inspection of his division east to Marysvllle. J. B. Denlson, former traffic man ager of the Clyde and Mallory steam ship lines, has been made assistant to President H. H. Raymond, with head quarters In New York. The first sections of the Second Ar tillery trains passed through Harrls burg over the Reading railway at 1 o'clock Saturday aftemocn. The sec ond arrived at 8.18, the third at 9 and the fourth and last at 10.80 at night. General Superintendent W. H. Kef fer, of the Reading Railway, has been asked to improve working conditions of firemen employed on freight and passenger trains. A committee vißlted this official at Reading on Saturday. The annual meeting? and banquet of the Mutual Beneficial Association of the Schuylkill Division of the Pennsyl vania Railroad will be held at Norrle town Saturday. Secretary H. J. Babb, of the Veteran Employes Association of the Philadel phia Division of the Pennsylvania Railroad, will attend the annual meet ing and banquet of the Schuylkill di vision vets at Philadelphia, Febru ary 24. E. J. Kohler, freight conductor, run ning between Columbia and Frederick, Md., Is 111 at his home In Columbia. C. F. Smith, Pennsylvania Railroad passenger conductor, Is 111 at his home In Lancaster. General Secretary Frank H. Gregory, of tho Pennsylvania Railroad Young Men's Christian Association, is again confined to his home. He is suffering with a severe cold. Physical Director Horace Gelsel was in charge to-day. S. C. Kepler, of Mifflin, employed an a Pennsylvania Railroad signalman. Is on a vacation. H. C. Murphy, of Newport, is looking after his duties. J. N. Hoffman, assistant yardmaster at Liewistown Junction, is off duty on account, of the death of his father. H. H. Rohrbach is looking after Mr. Hoffman's duties. Wilson Signs Order to Exclude Spies From Zone Washingon, D. C., Feb. 12. —An ex ecutive order to exclude spies and other undesirable persons from the Panama Canal zone and give to the governor virtually unlimited author ity to regulate Immigration there has been signed by President Wilson. The text of the document has not been made public but it Is understood to contain drastic provisions, very broad in terms to prevtnt entry of persons who would be a menace to the general welfare." JOINT EFFORT TO FORCE BREAD UP IS CHARGED Illinois Representative Sug gests Rakers Re Called in High Cost of Food Probe Washington, Feb. 12. Charging a concerted effort to put up the price of bread, Representative Ralney, of Illinois, in a letter to-day to the Fed eral Trade Commission and the De partment of Agriculture which have been directed by President Wilson to investigate the high cost of foods, sug- Kests that certain men be called to tes tify as to what they know about the matter. These men are: Paul Schulze, a Chicago bakor; S. F. McDonald, of Memphis, and J. M. Dell, of Chicago, president and secretary, respectively, of the National Master Bakers' Association; John L. Llnd, of Minneapolis, attorney for the wheat mlllors, and the editor of "The Mod ern Miller" of Chicago. "I suggest calling these men," nald Mr. Rainey, "because at the conven tion of the master bakers In Salt Lake City last August, Mr. McDonald, an nounced "a nation-wide move would be inaugurated at once both by advertis ing and publicity to educate the public to a ten-cent loaf." Sure enough the first announcement to that effect was made by the Bchul*e Baking Company, of Chicago, a short time after the con vention." Mr. Rainey also charge* the bakers' association with maintaining a lobby here to prevent favorable action on the pending bill to repeal the tax on mixed flour which, he says, would open the bread market to about 60,- 000,000 bushels of corn every year. To Atk Wilson to Approve $200,000 Appropriation For Food Price Probe Washington, D. C., Feb. 12.—Presi dent Wilson will be asked to approve a $200,000 appropriation for the food price investlomtlon to be conducted by the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Agriculture at his dis cretion. That amount, it was said to-d&y, will be necessary to carry on an In qulry thorough enough to develop whether antitrust have been vio lated. The Department of Agriculture, throush its office of markets, already has collected a mass of material bear ing on storage and distribution of foodstuffs. That will be turned over to the Trade Commission for use in determining whether there has been conspiracy or restraint of trade In han dling the nation's food supply. Evi dence gathered by the Department of Justice in its cost of living investi gation also will be available. The Trade Commission's part In the investigation. It was explained to-d&y, willj>e primarily to determine If there have been trust law violations. The Department of Agriculture's part will be to assemble statistics. In ordering the Investigation Presi dent Wilson asked the commission to pay particular attention to manipu lations, controls, trusts, combinations, conspiracies or restraints or trade out of harmony with the law or the public Interest. Plans for the investigation, it was said to-day, are not complete. They will be worked out in conferences be tween Trade Commission officials and Department of Agriculture officials as soon as the appropriation Is made available. EXPHOT I!"f■TIIUOTIOJfi Chicago, Feb. 12.—Agents of the Fed eral Department of Justice expect to receive Instructions today from Wash ington to continue an Inquiry into food prices here In connection with the In vestigation which the Federal Trade Commission and the eDpartment of Ag riculture have been directed by the President to make. Agents of the De partment of Justice hare already col lected a quantity of Information here along this line and have forwarded It to Washington. STRICKEN OS CAR C. Nelson Hamilton, aged <7 years, dlde this morning at the Harrlsburg Hospital. He was stricken with apo plexy on a Third street car late Sat urday night. Mr. Hamilton was taken to the Harrlsburg Hospital In an un conscious condition, where he died this morning. Funeral arrangemenUi have not been made. iMiUttW Your eyes are worthy of the best attention you can (Ire them. Det ainer glasses can be ted as low 205 locust Sr. Optometrists Opp. Orpheum Theater Eyes Examined No Drops MSMsawMasasss FEBRUARY 12,1917. Submarine and Convoy Are Sighted in Midocean New York, Feb. 12.—Two mysterious vessels, one slald to have been a sub marine, the other having every appear ance of being a raider or submarine supply ship, were sighted In midocean, Monday, February 6, by oHcers and pasengers of the American Line steam ship Kroonland, which arrived yester day from Liverpool. On February 11, one day out from Liverpool, those on board declared they witnessed the de struction of a Dutch freighter by shell Are from a submarine. The Kroonland then was about eleven miles oft the Irish coast and opposite Fastnet light. The crew of the ship sunk took refuge In a lifeboat and were towed away by the submarine, it was said. The Kroonland .was within five miles of the Dutch steamer, and her crew and passengers declared they saw the sub mersible come to the surface, approach the freighter, then sink her by three shots from a dack gun. The Dutch ship went down In about five minutes. THIRTEEN COWS DIE IN FLAMES Lancaster, Feb. 12.Fire of Incendiary origin Saturday night destroyed the barn on Ivan Krelder's farm, near Bridgeport. Along with much grain, thirteen cows, two horses and a mule perished. Loss, $9,000. PAHMEK, CUTTING WOOD, DIES AS HE LEANS AGAINST WAGON Tork, Feb. 12.—Alonzo McAllister, of Fawn drove, was found dead In a woods near his home. His body was In a standing position and leaning against his wagon. Death is supposed to have been due to heart trouble. He had gone to the place whero he was found to cut wood. He had died after half filling the wagon with wood. By Actual Test the Ferro- Jackson Motor in the "Wol- I / verine Eight" is the most f m • powerful for its piston dis \J T?T?-r placement and the most ottoi economical Eight-Cylinder ***—*" motor built. FOOT Models: FWe-Pasaenger Touring Car $1295. Four-Paaaenger Cruisw, including five wire wheels $1395; wood wheels ■ SIOO less. Two-Passenger Roadster $1295- Fire-Paa icncnr Sedan (Demountable Top) including regular topIISOS. All prices to.b. factory. P. H. Keboch, District Sales Manager J 15 S. THIRD STREET 8011, 572-W Harrisburfir, Pa. IT is difficult to describe —in • words —the sensation en joyed by a ride in an person Roadaplane. The roads seem to be K. L. COWOKN Central n jWlvani^^atrlbutor Two Classes of German Ships in American Ports Washington, Feb. 12. There are two classes of German ships in Amer ican ports. Those interned are war vessels, such as the commerce raiders Prlnz Eitel Frledrich, Kronprjnz Wil helm and such naval vessels as the gunboats Cormorant at Guam and Grler at Honolulu. The crews of these vessels, as well as the ships, be ing part of the German naval forces which have taken refuge in neutral harbors are interned as prisoners for the duration of the war under provi sions of international law and The Hague conventions. The status of the war-bound Ger man merchantmen is different and HO is the status of their crews. The mer chant ships are not interned in any sense of the word, but are remaining in harbor of refuge. They are free to pass to sea at any time and take their chances with the enemy •war ships. Their crews are in the same status as any other aliens coming to the United States. Any one of them may be admitted to the country upon fulfilling the immigration require ments. While they are in the status of aliens they are for the present con fined aboard their ships by the im migration authorities in accordance with the steps taken against the destruction of property or menaces to navigation In American harbors. It is believed that Germany's in quiry is to clear up misconceptions widely circulated there that Germans in the United Strifes hcive been Im prisoned and that German property has been confiscated. President Wil son has announced that all foreign rights are to be respected in every sense. 11
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers