v . • • ' / * J German-Made Peace Is Not Attractive to the Freedom-Loving Allies of Anarchy-Swept Russia HARRISBURG ifSgllll TELEGRAPH Sk ®l)e Star-Jn&cpcnbcnt & I LXXXVI— No. 308 1!4 PAGES WILSON TAKES OVER ALL U. S. RAILROADS; McADOO TO BE HEAD Government Will Assume Control of All Transportation Facilities of the United States at Noon Tomorrow; Will Operate Them as Unit Under Direction of Secre tary of Treasury McAdoo, as Director General of Railroads; President to Ask Legislation Guaranteeing Proper Return to Holders of Railway Securities Washington, Dec. 27.—The government will assume control of all transportation facilities of the United States at noon Friday, and will operate them as a unit under the direction of Secretary of the Treasury McAdoo, as dictator general of railroads. The President announced this last night by a proclamation, basing his right to take possession of the roads under power of control for military necessity vested in him by Congress in the Army appropriation act of August 29, 1916. Will Seek Guarantee For Investors The President will go to Congress next Thursday and ask for legislation guaranteeing to in vestors in railway securities a proper return on their investments and the maintenance by the government of the railroad properties. He will submit two express recommendations. First—That railway properties shall be maintained .during Federal control, in as good repair and as complete equipment as when taken over by the government. Second—That the roads shall receive a net operating income equal to the average individual net income of the three years preceding June 30, 1917. Actual government operation of the roads will be gradual. Secretary McAdoo will continue his duties as Secretary of the Treasury, and he will direct the transportation system through the present directors, receivers and other operating forces. There will fic no immediate change in the status of the employes of the roads nor of the handling of freight or the traveling public. No steps to curtail passenger traffic nor to eliminate the transportation of nonessentials are to be taken until Secretary McAdoo believes they are necessary for more efficient handling of troops and supplies and traffic related intimately to a prosecution of the war. DIVIDENDS ARE ASSURED UNDER WILSON'S ACTION No Immediate or Startling Changes Contemplated in Conduct of Properties Washington, Dec. 27. Regular dividends of the roads are assured •'in due course," and maturing obli gations of the carriers may be re newed with the directors' approval in taking over the railroads by the gov ernment. The President makes this plain. President Wilson Is the flrst to take over the railroads since Abra ham Lincoln found it necessary to act in the Civil War, and the United States is the last great nation to take such action in the present conflict. Driven l>y National Necessity The President declared, in an nouncing his decision, that a "great national necessity dictated the action [Continued on Page 14.] Bread Cards Unnecessary in Paris; Public Assists By Associated Press Paris, Dec. 27.—The issuance of j bread cards, which was to have been j made on January 1, will not be car ried out. The minister of provisions, Victor Borel, made this announce ment to-day. Appreciable results nave been obtained by voluntary rationing, he added, and if a further effort were made It would be unnecessary to Is sue bread cards. Restrictions In the consumption of bread have been applied since Decem ber 20 to hotels and restaurants, re sulting in a saving of twenty per cent. - j THE WEATHER I'or Harrlsbnrs: nnd vicinity! Fnlr, continued cold to-nlght, with lowrat tempemture nliout IS degrees) Friday partly cloudy find not ao cold. For Eastern Pennsylvania: Fair, continued cold to-nluhts Fri day partly cloudy and not iiulte so cold; IlKht northeast winds. River The Susquehnnnn river and all It* lirnnches will remain Kcncrally frozen und nearly stationary. A stage of about 4.2 feet Is Indi cated for IlarrlsborK Friday morning. Genernl Condition* An anticyclone from the Xorth west, now central over the St. I.nwrence Valley, linn caused u general fall of 2 to 14 detcrees in temperature In the Atlantic and Fast Gulf Stntes. 4 dis turbance over the Upper Mis sissippi Valley has caused snow In Mlnneaota, the Dakotas, and rain and snow huve fallen over the northern plnteau region and In Western Canada. In the l.akc Region, the Ohio, Mississippi and l.ower Missouri valleys nnd In the Southern Rocky Moun tains and the Southwest a gen eral rise of 2 to 20 degree* In temperature. Temperaturei S a. m.. 14. Sum Rlaea, 7)33 a. m.; sets, 4i41 p. m. River Stair* i 4.3 feet above low water mark. Yesterday's Weather Highest temperature, 2A. I.owest temperature, 18. Mean tempeipture, 22. Normal temperature, 38. Stocks Soar When President's Action Is Made Public New York, Dec. 27. Stocks soared at the opening of the stock market today, denoting the satisfaction of the financial com munity with the President's de cision to take over the railroads. All the standard shares being bid up furiously. New York Cen tral advanced 7% points to 71; Erie 2 3-8 to 16; Reading 2 7-8 to 70 1-2; Southern Pacific 6 1-4 to 84; Union Paific 8 1-4 to 112. St. Paul jumped 11 5-8 points to 48; Atchison 9% to 87V&; Del aware and Hudson 14 po*ns to 100; Canadian Pacific 4 points to i 134; Norfolk and Western 7 3-8 i points to 104. Baltimore and Ohio recorded a gain of 17 points. LOCAL OFFICIALS | WILLING TO GIVE LOYALSUPPORT ! ; Hearty Co-operation Is Prom ised Government by De partment Heads Here Philadelphia division officials are ready to obey any and all orders when the United States government takes charge of the railroad busi ness in the United States. little is known here as to what change in the present order of things, if any, will be made. J. K. Johnston, su perintendent of the Philadelphia division said: "We have little to tell you just now. Secretary McAdoo is a good man. and I believe he will make I rContinued on Page ll.] Two Troops of Cavalry Pursue Mexican Bandits By Associated Press Marfa, Tex., Dec. 27. —Two troops of American cavalry are pursuing fifty Mexican bandits toward the in terior of Mexico to-day, making tho second time within a month that Mexican raiders have been followed across the border. Movements of the American troops were unknown by Colonel George T. Langhorne, com manding officer of the Big Bend pa trol district until late last night, as it was impossible for the pursuing forces to get in connection with head quarters until they had chased the bandits out of the rocky country where they sought refuge Tuesday night after raiding the Brite ranch and killing three men, one American and two Mexicans. Ambassador Francis Issues Firm Denial London, Dec. 27.—David R. Fran cis .the American ambassador to Russia, issued on Tuesday a firm re buttal of the charges made against the American embassy by the Bol sheviki. lie declared, according to a Petrograd dispatch to the Times that he and his staff never interfered ■with internal affiairs in Russia, nor aided General Kaledines or any other faction. TO HEA It KMI'KV Officers of the Bed Cross Chapter announced to-day that the headquar ters would be closed to-morrow even ing on account of the Empey lecture. The rooms will be open on New Year's Day. HARRISBURG. PA., THURSDAY EVENING; DECEMER 27, 1917 GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE FUNDS FOR EQUIPMENT Large Sum Will Be Available For Rolling Stock to Re lieve Congestion in Roads By Associated Press Washington, Dec. 27. —One of the first acts of the government in be ginning operation of railroads will be to reduce large salaries now paid to the railway executives and in crease in some measure the wages of the railway workers. Securities to be issued while the government is in control will be at interest rates not less than 4 per cent, and the issues will be made under joint authority of the direc tor general and the Interstate Com merce Commission. President Wilson, when he out lined ihe government's plans in his forthcoming address to Congress, will ask that the government be em powered to buy any quantity of new railroad securities. All earnings over and above an amount to be agreed upon will go to the govern ment. Congress will ask also to appro priate a large fund—probably two hundred million dollars—for the im mediate supply of rolling stock to handle the flood of traffic which has swamped the roads. The director general will have au thority to decide whether the gov ernment shall also assume operation [Continued on Page 14.] Railroads to Give War Priority Now The West Side Belt Railroad Com pany operating in Pittsburg, has filed notice with the Public Service Com mission of intention to discontinue passenger trains for six months in order to devote all facilities to hand ling coal and other freighth, especial ly government business. A statement issued by Chairman Ainey, of the commission, says that the Public Service Commissions have had called to their attention "neces sity of relieving railroads as far as possible, from the hurder of build ing new stations, increasing tlieir passenger train facilities and from grade crossing separations and eli minations during the war to conserve men. money and material." 11 Enemy Aairplanes Brought Down by British Rome, Dec. 27.—Kleven Austro- German airplanes have been brought down by the British and Italian forces in a big aerial battle which developed when the Teutons made an unsuccessful attempt to bomb Treviso, 16 miles north of Venice. Announcement to this effect was made officially today by the Italian war office. FEW I'I.EAS OF GUILTY Only a few pleas of guilty have been listed for Monday. Defendants who will be brought into court are: Albert Robinson, larceny; Harvey Rodkey, larceny; T. G. Qarver and Al fred Farley, surety of the peace About sixty continued cases and 100 new cases are on the list already for the January sessions of Criminal Court, it was reported to-dav. Two murder cases are included in'the list STKAMKU NAGI'I'B WItKC'KKH London, Dec. 27. —The British steamer City of Nagpur has been wrecked in Delagoa Bay, Poruguese East Africa, according to a dispatch to the Times from Lisbon. The passengers, numbering 259, were saved, as was the cargo. The Widow's Might—The True Spirit of America CHRISTLEY IS SENTENCED TO ELECTRIC CHAIR Wife Murderer Loses Fight For Life in County Courts; Says He Was Crazy John O. Christley, convicted of first degree murder on a charge of shooting his wife to death before his children, was refused a new trial to day by the Dauphin county court, and the death sentence was imposed by Judge S. J. M. McCavrell. The motion for a retrial was based on the contention that the court er red in ruling out evidence to show insanity among cousins. This was argued several weeks ago, and to day Judge McCarrell read the opin r ion of the court from the bench, in which this contention was over ruled. Before giving the sentence Christ ley was asked if he had anything to say. He was standing at the time and was staring at the lloor. He leaned forward slightly and the court repeated the question. Christley then made his only statement in pub lic since he was arrested a year ago in July. While he had spoken to counsel during court trial he had not been put on the stand. "Well, i don't think that I was in a responsible condition of mind at the time the crime was committed," Christley began, speaking in a low tone. "X do not remember anything about the crime at all. I have no 1 cognizance of this crime at all, and I don't know anything about it, and I am fully persuaded in my own mind that I must have been irre sponsible legally at the time the crime was committed —by the at tending circumstances and my taint —hereditary taint—of insanity and by all the other evidence of worry and the troubles and one thing and another that I have been laboring under. 1 believe that I was in an irresponsible condition of mind le gally at the time." Masons Plan Service Badges For Men in Army The Grand Masonic I.,odge of Pennsylvania is planning to give each member of the lodge who is called into government service a gold recognition badge to be worn on a conspicuous part of the uni form. Each member will receive a special emblem, with his name and the familiar compass and square in scribed on it. The local lodges of Masons- will probably present their members with these badges. Should he be found by another Mason lying on a field of battle anjl needing care or medical attention the badge would be a sufficient demand for that fraternal help which all members are pledged to give. It is planned to present the recog nition badges to most of the enlisted Masons prior to their departure for the other side. In all probability the badges will be pinned on their breasts by high officials of the or der. Harrisburg Nurses Arrive Safely in French Port Word was received here to-day of the safe arrival in France of Miss Margaret C. Lehman, former head nurse at the county almshouse and Miss Graybill, of the State Dispen sary, who sailed from the United States with hospital unit No. 34, , ADVOCATES CASH AND CARRY PLAN FOR GROCERIES Food Administrator McCor mick Takes Up Matter With Dealers "Cash and Carry" signs soon will be posted all over Harrisburg if Donald McCormick, food admin's trator for Dauphin county, succeeds in making arrangements with the Harrisburg Grocers' Association. Mr. McCormick is seeking to have all grocers reduce their deliveries to tho minimum. Co-operation with the dealers by the consumers will, it is believed, so far reduce the overhead expenses that great sav ings may be effected. Probably half a dozen stores have already taken up the cash and carry plan, but it now probably will involve every establishment, big and little. Many grocers have volun teered their favor of the plan. They say it will save motor - car service, salary of a driver, telephone ex penses, wrapping paper and sun dry other items which now total up to a surprisingly big amount. Fur thermore, it will • eliminate the charge system and save the firms on bookkeeping. Mr. McCormick said this morning that Harrisburg should not look upon this system as a hardship. It falls on all alike, and .there is no disgrace in going home even with your arms full of purchases because the nation demands it. Last of Christmas Mail Cleared From Postoffice More than 300,000 pieces of first class mail passed through the Harris burg postoffice in the four days prior to Christmas. The Christmas rush was unprecedented. 126 loads of par cels post being delivered in the four days. One wagon continuously col lected from the stations at several of the big stores, working from 3 o'clock in the morning to 9 in the evening. Another wagon was collect ing continuously for twelve hours each day. About 8,500 parcels and 1.900 insured parcels were sent through the main post office during | the four-day Christmas rush. In uJ j dition to this, the mail at the HiJi a id I Maclay street stations was very | heavy. The number of special deii l '- [ cry leters during the four days, re ' ceived and delivered was 1,993. Other incoming mail was so heavy that the mailing room of the new post office building was used during the rush. The newly remodeled post office ' building will be open for occupancy I February 1, the contractor, Augustus I Wildman. announced. The Federal I Court is scheduled to meet here Jan i uary 14. and the contractors are en j d favoring to get the rooms in good i shape by that time. WITHOUT TBACHKR It wag reported to-day at tho county school superintendent's office that due to a resignation there was a vacancy at the Gruber school. East Hanover township. Efforts are being made to locate a teacher £s soon as possible fo thta the school can be opened after the holidays. TO ENTERTAIN BOYS I'ninue games and stunts will be ffatures of the boys' social at the Y. M. C. A. this evening, under the di rection of Arch 11. Dinsmore, boys' work secretary. A grab-hag has been planned, and boys who are coming, are asked to bring an Inexpensive present with them. The affair is ex pected to surpass all others of a simi lar nature at the Y. M. C. A. Tho pro gram will be opened at 8 o'clock promptly. CITY TO BOOST TAXES AND LET ASH CONTRACT Water Rate to Go Up to Avoid Deficiency in the Treasury Council at an open meeting of the budget committee last night gave as surance that ashes will be collected next year through a contractor em ployed by the city; four new patrol men and one sergeant will be added to the police force, and to meet the increased cost in the various munici pal departments the tax rate will be increased from nine to ten mills and the domestic water rates from a min imum of $4 to SG, with proportionate increases for. manufacturers. This statement was given during the session at which representative businessmen of the city were pres ent to learn the financial problems confronting the commissioners. Bids for ash collections will prob ably be advertised for within the next week or two it was said and provision for the expense will he made in the budget ordinance which may be presented at a special meet ing to-morrow night. An executive session will be held this evening and it is hoped that all the department estimates can be gone over for the last time. To Carry $850,316 The 1918 budget will carry total appropriations of about $850,34 C, not including the provision for ash col lections, it was said. With a ten mill . tax rate and other taxable J sources this amount can be raised. By increasing the water rates to tli% [Continued on I'age ll.] Washington Doubts Sincerity of Proposals By Associated Press Washington, Dec. 27.—The condi tions surrounding Count , Czernin's proposals for a basis of peace caused' officials here to feel some apprehen sion for their sincerity. There is a great disposition to feel that the ob | ject of the German plenipotentiaries j is simply to protract the negotiations ; as long as possible without any ex j pectation of an immediate peace i agreement with the double purpose ; of leading the German people to be lieve their government really is de sirous of making peace, arid of gain ing time for the further strengthen ing of the German lines in the west. One condition regarded as im possible for the present at least is that the adherence of all belliger ents must be secured to the peace the Germans are trying to mak*e with Russia before it can become ef fective. This is accompanied by a demand for the return of the Ger man cdlonies now in the possession of Russia's allies. Ballroom to Be Built fnto Penn-Harris Hotel "It is practically certain that tho | contemplated ballroom, will.be in corporated in our plans." said one of the local executives fn charge of the building of the new Feu<i-Hair : g ho tel. Plans will be made public in a short time. Construction work Is rapidly pro gressing, and, bo-ring vivtther and labor conditions, the building will be under roof in three wjs'h. Tho main trouble is to secure laborers and if there is no trouble in this r3"t>ect, the roof will bo on in a abort time, I, Single Copy, 2 Cents HOME EDITION CITIZENS MUST SAVE WATER TO AVOID FAMINE Mayor Calls on Householder to Conserve Supply Dur ing Emergency THE SITUATION IS GRAVE Munitions and Manufacturing Plants Face Shutdown Till New Equipment Arrives Harrisburg is in such grave danger of a serious water famine that Mayor Keistcr to day requested all residents to use as little water as possible until the pumping equipment can be increased by an elec trically driven emergency pump. This may require several weeks, it is said. "It developed at last evening's conference," said Mayor Kelster to day, "that at one timo during the [Continued on Page !(.] Careless Enlisted Men Classed as Delinquents Enlistment of registered men and their failure to officially notify local draft boards means that a number of men now in the service will be mark ed as delinquents and placed in the first draft division for failure to re turn their questionnaires, member! of the three city boards said to-day. It was said that a large number of men have thus enlisted. Parents who wish to avoid the odium of having enlisted sons class ed as delinquents, may take the mat ter up with the boards by submitting proof of enlistment, it was said. Un less this is done within the seven-day time limit, exemption board members must, it was said, class the men as slackers. 4* GERMAN. ATTACK REPULSED • Paris, Dec. 27.—Three attacks made by the Gcr- i m mans >.t u&h r tl - Verdun front cast of the Mcuse, J It is . ; offi ially. At their third attempt the.Gcr- I . • mans succeeded in reaching the French lines but were . X diately, wijth heavy losses, leaving 1 i X P r ' soncrs • I ; T BROADENS ORDER J i m Mexico City, Dec. 27.-—'The government "yesterday TO- , T vi ked a circular issued recently providing that customs r4* brokers at j j entry be native-jporn Mexicans. A |> ;£ : that naturalized citizens also may be J customs brokers. - m ||X BOMB THROWN AT CONSULATE | J ! 4 * -f 1 r I 4 i 4 ' and no cne was hurt as the building was a 5 ■ ! PETROGRAD INDUS! London, Doc. 27.. —The Putiloff- works, employing | 4 30,000 men, and the Petrograd metallurgical ■ X their men, J 4 i 1 A | T \ kke is reported to lw ■ J 4 - Amatitlan, fifteen miles south of Guate- T * at i :;j • '! e been received L 4 2 ¥ j T® on , '• 1 1 4* German minority Socialist party were arrested on Chris'. 9 T ma: eve by the German m iit;;:y authorities, according T to a Zuri*. h dispatch given out to-day by the Wireless .• J HAS GIVEN UP PRIVATE CAR m Philadelphia, Dec 27. E. T. Stotesbury president of 3 JL the Reading Company, has discontinued the use of X t* private car for the period of the war. ■ , 4 f MARRIAGE S 4 * • X (iforßr Front nnd Adn Mlllrr. Ifnrrlaliurei CoMon S, Jnrkami, 7* Obtrlln, unit Mnry lluv, Ntrrtloni Adrrsn Kullrrcr, Wiiabinirtoil. IJ. Mt 4i C.. unil l.aln M. I.nvln, llniirmiowm Mvrvln 11. Knuffmnn nnd llary J. . I'lrlrh, llnrrlkburttl John J. J. I.OIIK unrt UeNale P. Hrlcker. Mia- T j* dlrloM n. K^a CENTRAL POWERS ACCEPT RUSSIAN TERMS OF PEACE Germany Cannot Bind Herself to Terms Without Approval of Russia's Allies GENERAL PEACE DESIRED Pact Eliminating Annexations and Indemnities Would Suit Central Powers Washington, Dec. 27.—Vir tual acceptance of the peace terms offered by Russia was made by the central powers in a statement issued to the peace conference Tuesday by Count Czernin, tjie Austro-Hungarian foreign minister. The Teutonic allies, however, cannot 1 ind themselves to the Russian terms unless Russia's allies also recog nize them and carry them out honestly toward the central powers. Peace without forcible annex- rContlniied on Paste 5] Total Eclipse of Moon Scheduled For Morning The most important astronomi cal event of the month, and the clos ing feature of the year, takes place early to-morrow morning. It will be a total eclipse of the moon. This i.i the seventh eclipse of the yeaT and the third of the moon. The moon enters the shadow ot the earth at about 3.08 a. m. For only twenty-seven minutes, from 4.31 to 4.58, the eclipse will be total. Krom that time until the eclipse ends at 6.30, the eclipse will be partial. Those who arise early may see the moon low in the west partially eclipsed. The sun does not rise until 7.24.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers