v . • • '
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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.