Amited Armament and Suppression of Conscription Proposed by Vatican to Prevent Future Wars
Jfe HARRISBURG iSSflli TELEGRAPH M
i * ®lyt otar~Jn&cpcn&ent * -
LXXXVI— No. 227 14 PAGES
J. WM. BOWMAN
MAYOR FOR SIX
WEEKS' PERIOD
Prominent Merchant is
Named by the Dauphin
County Court to Act Un
til Successor is Elected in
November to Serve Out
Mayor Meals' Unexpired
Term
SELECTION MEETS
PUBLIC APPROVAL
Widely Known as Public-
Spirited Citizen; Pioneer
For Shorter Hours and
Betterment of Working
Conditions; Former
Chairman Board Public
Works
J. William Bowman, member of
the firm of Bowman & Company,
end one of the best-known and most
progressive businessmen of Harris
hurg, was appointed at noon to-day
mayor of the city of Harrisburg by
Judges Kunkel and McCarrell, of the
Dauphin county court, to fill the of
fice for the six weeks' period between
now and the general elections in No
x ember, when his successor will be
chosen.
The appointment was made in ac
cordance with the recently passed
State law which requires the court to
appoint, upon petition of ten quali
fied citizens, in cases where a council
fails to fill a mayoralty vacancy
•within thirty days after death or
resignation of an incumbent. In this
case the death of Mayor Charles A.
Miller left a vacancy which council
failed to fill in the required period
and Colonel Henry C. Demmins, act
ing for the Harrisburg Volunteer
Firemen's Association, presented the
necessary petition to the court. The
appointment of Mr. Bowman was
announced by the court at noon to
day in response to this petition.
Mr. Bowman will serve until his
successor is selected in November.
Whoever is elected at that time will
serve out the unexpired term of
Mayor Meals and therefore will take
office as soon as his election shall
have been certified to the courts.
Appointment Pleasing
The appointment of Mr. Bowman
came as a distinct surprise, but met
THE CIVIC CLUB'S
SECOND FLY—MEASURING DAY
SEPTEMBER 29
9 to 12.
Prizes awarded: 6 cents a pint
for all flies.
THE WEATHER
For HiirrlMhurK mil vicinity! Knlr
to-night and Sunday; not
much otannKe In temperature.
For Fnntern I'ennnylvaula: Fair
to-nliiht mid Sunday; little
clianice In trmprraturr; mod
erate north tvindx.
lllver
Tlie lower portion of the main
river will continue to fall
niowly. The upper portion will
licklii to rise niowly to-niKht
anil the middle portion Sunday.
The lower portion?) of the .North
and West branched will rlne
Hllichtly to-niKht and prohnbly
begin to full Hlowly Sunday. All
other Htrennm of the aytcm will
fall niowly or remain nearly ta
tionary. A Ntiiße of about :t.l
feet In Indicated for IlnrrlnhurK
Sunday mornlnx.
(.ctcral Conditions
The uiiNCttled conditions that ob
tained over the northeastern
part of the country Friday
monihiK. resulted In thunder
showers Friday In Eastern
Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
The weather has cleared gener
ally In the Middle Atlnntic
and New Fngland States, hut
cloudy and unsettled conditions
persist In Tennessee, South
western Virginia and In Georgia
and the Carolina*. Under the
Influence of the high pressure
area, now central north of the
tireat takes, temperatures gen
erally have fallen 4 to 12 de
grees In the Ohio Valley and
from the l.ake Region east
ward.
Temperature i 8 a. m., Bfl.
Sum Rises, 8i54 a. m.| sets, <1:01
p. m.
Moon i First quarter, September
27.
River Stage I 3.H feet above low
water mark.
Yesterday's Weather
Highest temperature, 7h.
Lowest temperature, HB.
Mean temperature, 70. |
normal temperature, 61
--
J. WILLIAM BOWMAN
WILL ACCEPT BUT
CAN'T DO MUCH
J WILLIAM HOWM.W when
notified of his appointment,
said: "The honor comes as ti
surprise to me. 1 appreciate tlie
confidence the court has imposed
in me. If 1 consulted my own per
sonal inclinations I suppose 1
should decline tlie appointment,
bid I believe it is the duty of
every Rood citizen to serve when
called upon, and 1 therefore prob
ably shall accept. But my ac
ceptance will IK* with the very
distinct understanding that tlie
brief period during which 1 shall
serve will he entirely too short
in which to carry out my own
ideas as to the conduct ol' the
office.
with immediate and widespread ap
proval on all sides. The selection was
as heartily endorsed by the public
as was that of Mayor Miller when
council chose the then city clerk to
take the place made vacant by May
or Meal's death. Mr. Bowman is a
Republican, but has never taken an
active interest in politics. He is one
of the city's most prominent busi
nessmen and repeatedly has been
urged by men of all parties to stand
for mayor but has always pleaded too
many other interests.
The new mayor is well acquainted
with the affairs of the city. He served
on the old Board of Public Works,
as its chairman, an unsalaried posi
tion that during the strenuous period
of public improvements in Harris
burg required constant attention,
sometimes more than the members
Were able to give to their own af
fairs. The excellence of the work
of this board has been proved by
time and the low cost of the
improvements was remarked at
the time and since has brought
many municipal experts to Harris
burg to see how it was done.
He was one of the organizers of the
Harrisburg Chamber of Commerce,
when that body was formed from the
old Board of Trade, and served one
term as its president. He has been
prominently identified with every
city betterment campaign in many
years. He was a generous subscriber
to the new hotel company and is a
member of its board of directors. He
took a leading part in Liberty Loan,
the Red Cross and the Boy Scout
campaigns. He has been as liberal in
all movements of the kind as his
means would allow and has been a
leader among the businessm.cn of the
city for shorter hours and the bet
terment of laboring conditions In the
commercial establishments of the
city. He was among the prime mov
ers for the establishment of the
half-holiday for clerks in the sum
mer and in many ways has been
instrumental in bringing about a bet
ter feeling between employers and
employes.
Mr. Bowman is an ardent advocate
of "Greater Harrisburg" and an en
thusiastic believer in the future of
the city. He is president of the
Greater Harrisburg Navy and much
interested in the development of
playgrounds and the transformation
of the Susquehanna basin at this
point into a great recreation place
for the people. He is a modest, re
tiring, home-loving citizen, whose
chief recreation is to slip off from
the store where he spends most of
his time for an afternoon's fishing
in the streams about the city.
The Unexpired Term
The successor to Mayor Bowman
will take office immediately after
election and will serve until the un
expired term of the late Mayor
Meals, which will he until the fall of
1919, when the next regular mayor
alty election will be held.
Sale of Siberian Point
to Americans by Russ
Because of Debt Rumored
By Associated Press
Petrograd, Sept. 22.—The Russkia
Volia says that a strange rumor was
circulated yesterday that the Rus
sian government intends to sell the
peninsula of Kamchatka on the
northeastern coast of Siberia, to
Americans. The report said that
Americans were offering several bil
lions of rubles for the territory. Tho
, project Is prompted by the finances
of the treasury and the desire of
the government not to Increase the
debt.
THIUSB TRACHHRS TAKEN
County Superintendent of Schools
P. E. ShamhauKh announced to-day
there are three vacancies to be filled
Ir. county districts one at East Han
over township, another at Carsonvllle
and one in Conewago, because of men
i being selected for the National Army, 1
HARRISBURG, PA., SATURDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 22, 1917
THE LOVE OF
SUBMARINES WIN
GREAT FIGHT AT
SEA, IS REPORT
Five Merchant Ships and Two
Destroyers Said to Have
Been Sunk
BATTLE NEAR IRELAND
England Said to Have Or
dered Services to Keep
News a Secret
lly Associated Press
An Atlantic Port, Sept. 22.—Pas
sengers who arrived from England
to-day on an American steamship
brought circumstantial reports that
five British steamships and two de
stroyers out of a convoy fleet of six
which left Lough Swilly,* Ireland, Sep
tember 3, were sunk by German sub
marines within a few hours of the
port of departure.
The story was told, among others,
by shipwrecked seamen, who were
survivors of other submarined ves
sels, and by a merchant siiip officer
who had been in Lough Swilly.
MiiNNed V - Uon t *
The five vessels, it was said, con
voyed by the destroyers, put to sea
shortly after midnight, and they were
attacked by massed submarines at
daylight the following morning. The
news of the disaster was learned
when the destroyers which escaped
put back to port bringing survivors
of the torpedoed merchantmen and
warvessels.
The closest secrecy was immedi
ately thrown about the incident," the
merchant ship officer said. "The sur
vivors were given positive instruc
tions to say nothing about it. and no
details as to the names of the ships
or the extent of loss of life could be
learned. It was reported that one
and possibly two of the U-boats were
sunk by the destroyers.
Churches Will Be
Able to Get Steam
Heat if Necessary
Every effort will be made to have
city steam in the churches to-mor
row, if heat is required. The work
at the heat plant 'las been delayed
through the receipt there of sev
eral valves in bad condition. The
valves are of a special kind, and can
Vie obtained only from one source.
They have been repaired, and while
definite announcement was not
made at the offices of the Harris
burg Light and Power Company
that heat would be turned on to
night or to-morrow morning, all
plans are being rushed to this end.
The giant stack at the plant is
nearing completion. It is believed
that heat will be available for the
entire city beginning Monday.
SIXTEEN NEW CITIZENS
Sixteen of the twenty-seven ap
plicants for citizenship were ad
mitted yesterday at the scsston of
naturalization court held here,
Thomas B. Shoemaker, chief federal
examiner, conducted the Investiga
tions and had eleven of the ap
plication# contlnuod until the men
seeking naturallcatlon can answer
necessary questions about the na
tional, State and local government J
URGES PEOPLE
TO PLANT TREES
EXTENSIVELY
Dr. Schaeffer Calls Attention
to the Need of Refores
tation at Once
Dr. Nathan C. Schaeffer, State
Superintendent of Public Instruction,
to-day issued his Autumn Arbor Day
proclamation designating l^riday,
October 28, as the date and urging
people because of the war to plant
trees extensively. "The problems of
conservation anil reforestation are
more pressing than ever before," says
the Superintendent.
The proclamation is as follows:
"The ravages of war emphasizes
anew the importance of observing
Arbor Day. J,arge areas formerly
covered by foresta have been turned
into deserts. New tracts have been
robbed of their timber to supply the
lumber needed for shipbuilding. The
problems of conservation and re
forestation are more pressing than
'ever before. The rising generation
should be made to see the relation
of tree planting to the food problem.
Trees produce not merely apples*,
peaches, pears, cherries and many
other fruits, but indirectly they have
much to do with, providing food for
man and beast. Forests regulate
the flow of water, help to prevent
destructive floods and soil erosion,
and thus indirectly contribute to
abundant harvests. The economic
uses of trees in their relation to food,
fuel, shelter, shade, commerce and
Industry, should be taught along with
the best methods of planting trees
and protecting them against noxious
Insects and other enemies.
"Few birds are found where there
are no trees. The value of the
feathered friends of the farmer
should receive due attention in the
lessons on trees given at school.
Annually the Chief Executive ap
points two Arbor Days in the month
of April. To perpetuate the laudable
custom of observing in the fall an
additional Arbor and Bird Day.
"Friday, October 26 th, 1917, is
hereby designed as Autumn Arbor
Day, and the schools are earnestly
requested to observe the day by the
planting of trees and by other ap
propriate exercises."
China Wants to Send
24,000 Soldiers to Europe
For Trial, if Way Is Paid
Hy Associated Press
Peking, Monday, Sept. 17. —(De-
layed).—The president and the cabi
net have agreed to the plan of send
ing a trial division- of 24J)00 Chi
nese soldiers to France It monfcy,
equipment and shipping are avail
able. The entente allies have ap
proved the proposition and Franco
is eager to receive the contingent.
The Chlnne probably could reach
France by January 1. An abundant
number of fairly trained soldiers is'
Immediately available for the expo-!
dltion.
The premier Is In favor of send
ing 300,000 men and the provincial
authorities are heartily in support of
the plan In the event that the Canton
provisional government gives Its ap
proval to the war with Germany.
The Chinese soldiers probably will
be used aB a second line force In
France until they are better trained
In the latest methods of war.
ARMED THIRTY
THUGS TO BEAT
UP THE VOTERS
Four More Political Gunmen
Trailed to New York
and Arrested
WEBE PAID TO TERRORIZE
Promised Protection and
"Easy Money" by Politic
ians as Yet Unnamed
Philadelphia, Sept. 22.—With six
men under arrest, the police authori
ties to-day said, they have thor
oughly established that a band of
Mred men were brought to this city
for "strong arm" election work at
last Wednesday's primary and are
now endeavoring to learn the iden
tity of the men higher up who en
gaged the men and furnished the
money.
Two alleged gunmen arc under
arrest here, one charged with the
actual shooting of Policeman Eppley
and the other with being an acces
sory. Tn addition Mayor Thomas B.
Smith, Isaac Dutsch, one of the can
didates in the election row, and Da
vid Bennett, a police lieutenant, are
to have a hearing Tuesday on a war
rant sworn to by another politician
charging them with conspiracy to
commit aggravated assault and mur
der. Dutsch and Bennett vehemently
deny they had anything to do with
the hiring of thugs to win the pri
mary. Mayor Smith, who also de
nied when the warrant was issued
for him that he knew anything about
bringing hired men to the city.
The men arrested. Captain Tate
said, are Ruggierio Falcone, 37 years;
Braunelli, 24; Michael Donnelly,
31, and Fred Burkhardt, 31.
Qnntlun Gunmen
The two alleged gunmen under ar
rest here were examined by detec
tives to-day in the hope of learning
further details of the alleged plot to
murder and terrorize voters in the
Fifth ward on election day.
Mayor Smith, who, with a local poli
tician and a police lieutenant, will be
given a hearing next Tuesday on the
murder conspiracy charge, is out of
the city, having packed up his golt
sticks and motored to Atlantic City.
The indignation of citizens result
[ Continued on Page 2]
BRITISH STEAMER SUNK
By Associated Press
An Atlantic Port, Sept. 22.—The
British steamship La Negra, on her
way from Buenos Aalres to Havre
with a cargo of Argentine beef, was
sunk by a German submarine Sep
tember 3, forty-five miles off Ply
mouth, according to survivors of the
crew who arrived here to-day on an
American steamship.
EVOLVE MILITARY TRUCK
By Associated Press
Washington, Sept. 22.—Announce
ment of the completion of the denlgn'
of the new standard military truck)
to meet the field transportation prob
lem of modern warfare was made
to-day by Secretary Baker, The ma
chine represents the efforta of about
two scoro truck specialists and will
he ready by tfle middle of October
when final tests will be made, De
liveries are exuectud to bosln In Jan
uary,
SEVENTY-SEVEN
ARE BRANDED AS
SLACKERS HERE
Big Number Fail to Appear
Beforo Two Boards; Sonic
May Have Enlisted
RUMOBS OF GRAFT HEARD
Reported That Interpreter |
Took Money by Telling Men
He Could Release Them
Dauphin county has 77 "slackers."
This was announced to-day by the
Steelton and Paxtang boards. A
search of the papers filed away by
both boards disclosed the names of
77 men who had failed to put in ap
pearance when summoned for ex
amination.
The Paxtang board has a list of
62 names, which represented those
who did not appear out of 867 that
were examined. The Steelton board
has thirteen, representing those
missing from the last 90 men that
were called to appear Wednesday.
The Steelton board several weeks
ago published the names of more
than sixty "slackers'" and the ma-
I jority of these were rounded up by
| the Steelton and State police. The
names of the last 15 men published
to-day has been sent to the police
the rounding up of them has
begun. Of the fifteen, fourteen live
[Continued on Page 7.]
House May Probe Bribes
Given by Von Bernstorff;
Lansing Not Suspicious
By Associated Press
Washington, Sept. 22.—Chairman
Flood, of the House Foreign Affairs
Committee, declared to-day after
conferring with Secretary Lansing
that he thought there probably would
be a House investigation of Count
Von BernstorfC's plans to influence
Congress by spending $50,000 as re
vealed in his dispatches to Berlin.
Secretary Lansing sees little that
a congressional inquiry • could develop
but charges made on the floor yes
terday by Representative Helling of
Alabama that certain members havo
"acted suspiciously" and veiled accu
sations made by other representatives
in interviews probably will force an
investigation Mr. Flood said.
Secretary Lansing authorized the
following statement:
"Jf there is any misunderstanding.
I wish to say very emphatically 1 do
not see how the Bernstorff message
in any way reflects upon Congress or
any member. Apparently it was the
purpose to employ agencies to influ
ence them, of which they would have
no knowledge and in case they were
influenced would be entirely innocent.
I do not know what the organization
was. This expose is apropos of Ger
man methods of peace propaganda
and there is no intention of casting
suspicion on members of Congress."
Appeals Can Not Go
to the Governor
State draft headquarters to-day is
sued notices to all district and local
boards to correct the idea of many
people that appeals could be made to
the Governor from decisions of
boards. Numerous appeals have come
to both the Capitol and the State
headquarters addressed to the Gover
nor objecting to decisions of boards.
State headquarters to-day called at
tention to the fact that boards have a
right to reopen appeals, but that ap
peals can bo taken to the President
of the United States only from dis
trict boards and then only in certain
cases, notably agricultural. A number
of appeals on agricultural grounds
have been taken.
Among the letters reaching draft
headquarters hi protest against de
cisions by local boards have been
some from fiancees of drafted men.
Potatoes at Market
Bring Higher Prices
Potatoes jumped flve-cents a bushel
In the oity markets this morning.
Other produce was practically the
same as Wednesday. •
Potatoes sold for $1.45 and $1.50 per
bushel as against $1.40 Wednesday.
Farmers could give no explanation of
the increase.
Butter and eggs at fifty cents a
pound and a dozen, respectively; cel
ery at ten cents bunch, corn at
twenty-five and lettuce at ten cents
were the principal offerings. Apples
and homegrown melons made their
appearance. Apples sold at twelve
cents quarter peck. Melons ranged
from fifteen to twenty-five. Apple
butter is selling at thirty cents a
quart.
MORE BIRTHS) FKWER DEATHS
Figures compiled by the city health
department give the birth figures for
August this year as 144 and the
deaths, 82. Last year there were 90
deaths and 126 births. Of the births
last month, 87 were male and 57 fe
male children.
POSTPONE HEALTH MEETING
Because of the absence of Com
missioner Samuel P. Punkle who Is
out of the city on an Important bus-
Iress trip the conference last night
with Health Officer J. M. J. Raunlck
was postponed by City Council.
HII.E ICI,K<TION EXPENSE*
Harry A. Boyer, Republican nomi
nee for city school director; J. U
Yoder, defeated candidate for nomina
tion for City Council, and Patrick J.
Kenny, who wn- defeated for nomina
tion in the mayorallty contest, all
tiled statements with Prothonotary
Holler, making an affidavit thta their
election expenses were less than SSO.
Single Copy, 2 Cents HOME EDITION
TEUTON REPLY TO
POPE TO HAVE NO
BEARING ON WAR
Kaiser Gives no Intimation
What His Terms of
Peape May Be
THE BRITISH HOLD TIGHT
Assaults on Advanced Lines
Fail Witli Heavy Losses
to Germans
Bj Associated Press
Washington, Sept. 22. Tlie j
replies made by Germany and
Austria to Pope Benedict's peace
proposal contain nothing that
will in any way alter the posi
tion of the United States us out
lined hi President Wilson's reply
to tlie Pope.
The full text of Germany's answer
to Pope Benedict's peace note shows
the German government expressing
deep appreciation of the papal ef
fort to bring about peace and as
greeting "with special sympathy to
leading idea of the peace appeal"
embodying the papal conviction that
"the material power of arms must
be suppressed by the moral power of
right."
Stress is laid upon the claim that
Emperor William all through his
reign has been animated by pacific
I purposes and that he did " his ut-
I most to prevent tho present war.
! The papal recommendations for
I limitations of armament and settle-
I ment of disputes by arbitration are
! sympathetically alluded to and it is
declared that the German govern
ment "will in this respect support
every proposal compatible with the
i vital interests of the Germln empire
j and people."
People Consulted
It is pointed out particularly that
representatives of the German peo
ple were taken into conference by
the government in preparing its
reply to the papal note.
Nothing approaching a definite
[Continued on Page 2]
| *** * lUI ,w "i
A
4 ! £
IJ b 3 Krican and British naval vessels has materially +
4 ' ■it ■as said to-day officially at f
t * navy officials believe th.it L
*"* nan submarines on the con- '* *
* * voyed meorhantships cf which the American tanker I
Westwego was one, indicates a change in tactics by the * *
®
4 # German admiralty. British and American naval strate- '
11J gists,, however, are working out a method of meeting ma * *
attack v a
4 ♦
4* 41
I X Cape May, N. J , Sopt. 22.—George W. Boyd, pas- £ J
X sender traffic manager of the Pennsylvania Railroad, who !• $
T had been ill sinceeearly in Ju je, <4ied at his cottage here £ ;
w-d<ry.
X PAID BY GERMAN EMBASSY 'II
l"t* '* *
IX i ' >
>f hecks show payrr.mts aggregating |J J
4* !♦ a
jP $6,500 by the German embassy here to the Fairplay ?'
& •
l Publishing Company, wit receipts signed by Marcus f k
<-jh> in a
T Braun and J P Bryan. ¥ ,
"f* Berlin, Sept. 22f.—Jacobstadt, on the Dvina, has been i* '
• # *
L captured by the Gennan forces on the Russian front, to- '
T gether with the , * *
| miles deep on tj-. • injk of the river, army head- '•
4* '•
T r. : i -Yi:n killed !• ■
-Wilbur D. Monf ,
T a ca( 1 as killed this aftcrtiocn >.* jj
J wlv■"> ./'Mind ■ ' the . overn- ♦
.X ment that Mong attempted to '* *
1 b ' birth
A ' "-F WITH ASSA"' T J*
T '' I' T ' ( 516 Daxiphir- *, <* *
in/ mati atW e A 1 L' "dis late this * *
| charging City Detective Hyde Speece with assault and v *
X battery. The alleged assault occurred in the Twelfth * *
T* " i *■
§ ward on election day. The hearing will b held Monday. „ J
4 * *
MARRIAGE LICENSES I
Joae Carlo* Loptii, Ithnrii, N. Y., and Sarah R. Weaber, I.rba- * '
<"j lion I Plilllp Crawford anil Clara 1,. Zell, llarrlsburß) Harry L.
JL Kllr, Endrrx, anil Stella M. Krller, I'.lirnhrthvlllr t Enoa W.
7® Burke nnd Lillian llarrlx, Stcclton.
DISARMAMENT OF
NATIONS TO END
WAR,POPE'SPLAN
Would Suppress German Mil
itarism to Make Another
War Impossible
HITS AT CONSCBIPTION
Big Armies Said to Make
Great Nations Beady
For Fighting
By Associated Press
Rome (Friday), Sept. 22.—Cardinal
Gasparri, the papal secretary of state,
has emphasized to The Associated
Press the views of the Vatican re
garding a solution of the war by the
suppression of conscription and also
a joint commercial boycott of ar\y
nation which refused to disarm, the
occasion being the publication in the
Italia, of Milan, of an article on the
ptace plan of the Holy See. It Is evi
dent from the article that the Vat
ican aspires to suppress German mili
tarism by securing a peace treaty
requiring the permanent disarmament
of that nation.
The Italia declared that the Holy
See in its call for peace out of a
feeling of delicacy towards the bel
ligerent powers would not indicate
practical motions with which to ob
tain and maintain disarmament leav
ing the nations to decide the means,
[Continued on Page 12]