WHEAT PRICE JUMPS; MEN ASKCONTROL Orgy of Speculation Renewed, After Brief Hesitancy When May Delivery Is De clared Closed. 1NOW OVERSOLD 100 TIMES Price Could Have Been Hiked to $10 a Bushel by Longs— No Check on Other Deliveries. Chicago. May 14—The state council! of defense, composed of 16 of the most prominent business and professional men of Illinois, today adopted resolu tions urging congress to enact at once, as a measure of the utmost necessity, a liw creating a commission for the ab solute control of food stuffs, fuel and other basic commodities. Chicago, May 14 Tlie most sensational advance in the history of the present crop, if not in history, marked the trade in wheat today when net gains ranging from 27 to 32 cents were scored in the July and September options. July wheat closed yesterday at *2.46. Today it closed at $2.734*2.75. September, which closed the pre vious day at $2.14, closed with bids ranging from $2.44@2.46. Chicago, May 14—The decision of the board of trade of Chicago to terminate trading in May whrat and the fixing of the price of that option at $3.18 by a committee which met this morning, hid practically no effect on speculation. For weeks new business in May iWheat had been comparatively slight and allot there was simply accrued to tlie more distant futures when trading was resumed today. After hesitating at tlie opening with prices slightly un der yesterday’s close, July wheat shot up 15c and September 14%c from the early bottom. Made To Check Profits. The action of the board in no way applied to these options and trading in them was active and feverish. July sold to $2.01, and September to $2,28%. In effect the fixing of the May price was tn save shorts from further losses and tn prevent the longs, among them representatives of the allied govern ments, from obtaining further profits. Tlie settlement price, however, permits of handsome gains on wheat bought even two weeks ago. There was no promise in t*:e resolu !l tions that the May situation would not V be repeated in July or even September. / The resolution adopted by the board read: “There is comparatively little wheat in Chicago or territory contributory thereto and available for delivery on May contracts.’’ This statement was said to have stimulated some buying. The operations of agents for the allies was not referred to as ‘‘speculation’’. Those with May contracts arc noti fied to close them by May 16. if not closed the board will assume that the actual wheal is ready for delivery Fail ure, in such cases, to deliver, will con stitute a grave offense against the board and will be penalized as such, according to the resolutions. Oversold 100 Times. The price committee, of which James A. Patten was chairman, met an hour before tlie opening of the board and fixed upon $3.18 as the proper price for the reason that this was the figure es tablished by competitive bidding at the close yesterday. There arc in Chicago public elevators 219,000 bushe ls of wheat of the grade required for delivery on contracts. A rough estimate places the amount con tracted for at perhaps a hundred times that quantity. Thus, had not the boar,] intervened, probably 99 per cent, of the contracts would have had to he settled at any price, even $10 a bushel, demanded by the holders of the con tracts, in trade parlance known as “shorts" absolutely at their mercy. New Ki«d of Corner. The situation differed from a corner . ’ in that the holders were scattered, fl whereas In a manipulated corner tlie f supply is congested in the hands of an individual, or a group of speculators acting as one man. A.s a mailer of fact the allied govern ments, through their food commission ers, in id a natural corner. At one time tlicw were “long” 29,000.000 bush els of wheat in the Chicago market. Much was closed out some time ago. They had wanted the actual grain, but fiuding that the bottoms necessary to carry it abroad were not available they reduced their holdings and by force of circumstances took a hand some speculative profit. They con tra'ted for delivery of further wheat in July and September and the status of tjieir deals ;n theso months is not defi nitely known, save that they already have a big profit on paper in both op tions. No Check on Speculation. The elimination of May contracts by Dak yta Jack Tar , “Goat” for Warship’s Officers Back Up “T JP Celestial Officers Decide H< chine Gun on In: Roubaix. R. D., May 14-‘•Tommy” Riley, a South Dakota boy who is serv ing in the United States navy, in a letter just received by his parents here, tells of an incident wtiich for a time ( threatened serious consequences and , M which might have involved the United States i difficulty with China. The letter was written from Hong kong. where the American warship on i which young Riley is serving is tem porarily stationed. A party of promi- I nent Chinese visited the warship and during their inspection of the ship stopped to have explained lo them the mechanism of a machine gun. During the demonstration of the machine gun for the benefit of the visitors the weapon, in some unaccountable man ner, was accidentally discharged and a them' •- of the Chinese party was killed. The remaining members of the party were thrown into a state of groat ex citement and anger by the tragle death -if their companion, and ns the dead \ man was a person of eowstderaAle ira 4 4 4 TEN MILLION MEN TO 4 4 BE SUBJECT TO DRAFT 4 4 UNDER NEW AGREEMENT 4 4 4 4 Washington. D. C., May 14— 4 4 Ten million men in tne United 4 4 States will be subject to the se- 4 4 lective conscription on July 1, 4 4 within the ages agreed upon in 4 4 the conference report on the 4 4 war army bill. Director Rogers. 4 4 of the census bureau announced 4 4 today. This number of men be- 4 4 tween the ages of 21 and 30 in- ♦ 4 elusive, represents very nearly 4 4 10 per cent of the total estimated 4 4 population of between 103,000,- 4 4 000 and 104,000,000 on July 1, 4 4 1917. ♦ ^4444444444444444444444444 no means eliminates speculation in grain. The action of the board, while not in terfering with the freedom of con tracts on the part of either individuals or governments, compels those re quiring wheat for immediate consump tion to make purchases from farmers or grain dealers rather than through the medium of a contract for future de livery on the floor of the exchange. Mr. Patten was asked what action was contemplated to prevent a repeti tion In July of the May situation. "That remains for the future to de cide," he said. —4— . ST. LOUIS STOPS IT. St. Louis, Mo.. May 14—Trading: in May wheat was discontinued at the Merchants’ exchange here today after the price had been bid up from *3.25, yesterday’s close, to $3.37%. No rule was fixed as to the price at which con tracts should be closed, this being left to private arrangement. SUSPEND MAY WHEAT TRACE. Chicago. May 14—Tile settlement price for May wheat, wiped from the hoard of trade yesterday as a specula tive option, was fixed at $3.18 a bushel today. OMAHA FOLLOWS CHICAGO. Omaha ,Neb.. May 14 -The closing of the Chicago Exchange to deals in May wheat will have no effect on the Omaha market, as there has been no dealings in May here for several weeks. The local board has taken similar action to that of the Chicago board. Kansas City. Mo., May 14 New trading in May wheat on the local board of trade has been discontinued under the terms of a resolution adopted today by the board of directors. It was ex plained that the action was taken solely as a patriotic move and with the idea of cooperating with the government in the national crisis. Minneanolis. Minn., May 14—The board of directors of the Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce at a special meeting today decided to continue trading in May wheat. Minneapolis. Minn.. May 14—Flour prices continued their upward trend today and fancy patents touched the new high point of $17.10 a barrel 40c above yesterday’s top figure. First clears advanced 50c, being quoted af $14.90. u. sjsMl FOOD TO GEliY Neutrals Must Band Themselves to Stop Teuton Supplies Before They Will Be Fed. Milan the •font” of the affair and made t vigorous defense, protesting ids inno •cuice. The officers of the ship made in investigation and this resulted in Ftlley being cleared of all responsibility !er the accident and their refusal tc lold him ft : trial. The Chinamen in dNted that he be held and the officers if the ship were e doors the entire day. Bakeries have j signified their intention of delivering no bread to retail stores and to supply only hotels and restaurants. The Orpheum will give a sacred con cert Sunday afternoon and evening the county attorney says, to which admis- J sion will be charged. The Empress will ’ attempt to run its usual vaudeville bill. All movies expect to close except the three or four who will run religious nttd educational pictures to make test cases In their move to knock out the "blue laws." Drug stores decided to close yester day because they declared they cap sell only drugs and papers and therefore would lose money. No drugs will be obtainable anywhere in the city. BALL. CONFEDERATE. DIES. Ixja Angeles, Cal., May 14.—(.'apt Thomas Ball, assistant U. S. attorney general from 1893 to 1898, died yes terday at his home here. Captain Bull, a veteran of the confederate army, was known as one of the leaders of the democratic party In the south. He served at different times as assistant attorney general of Texas an;* in the Texas state senate. ROOSEVELT TELLS FRIENDS NOT TO DELAV DRAFT Washington, I). C„ May 12. Senator Harding and Representative Gardner, leading advocates in the Senate and House of Colonel Roosevelt's plan to raise a volunteer division, have received ) a telegram from the Colonel saying he hoped none of his friends in congress would carry their fight for authoriza tion of the plan to the point of seriously delaying enactment of the urmy draft kill. ♦4444+44+444444444444~+4444 4 MARRIED MEN MUST GO t 4 TO ARMY UNDER DRAFT 4 4 UNLESS WILSON PREVENTS 4 4 4 4 Washington, D. O.. May 14— 4 4 Married men are not exempted 4 4 in the army bill ns adopted 4 t either by Senate or House. Mar- 4 4 ried and single men, however, 4 4 are exempt when they have de- 4 4 pendents, but only by a special 4 4 provision by the president. This 4 4 section reads: 4 4 Those in a status with respect 4 4 to persons dependent upon them 4 4 for support which renders their 4 4 exclusion or discharge advisable. 4 4 and those found to be physically 4 4 and morally deficient may be 4 4 excluded from selective draft by 4 4 the president. No exemption or 4 4 exclusion shall continue when a 4 4 cause therefor no longer exists. 4 4 4 UPS AND U. S. TO CLASHJR UNITE? Nippon Leader Says Few Ques tions Are of Such Vital Importance to Mankind. Toklo. May 14—The inaugural dinner Of the new American-Japanese society was attended today by 300 members, umong whom were many of the most prominent men in Japanese public life. Viscount Kaneko, former minister of justice, presided and the principal speech was delivered by Baron Goto, former minister of communications, who said: "There are few questions of such vital moment to the welfare of man kind as the relations of Japan and the United States. All the forces of the east and west will meet. Will they unite or clash'.’ I believe it lies in the power of the United States and Japan to an swer that question. "For this reason the relations be tween Japan and the United States are of supreme importance. Will Japan and the United States work hand in hand or will they turn their backs on each other? I hope the two nations will find principles on which to base abiding relations of mutual trust' and confi dence.” Premier Terauchi said that Japan and the United States had never, in tho history of their Intercourse, come to such a path as to endanger cordial re lationship._ _ _ RUSS TROOPS QUIT FIGHTINGj GO HOME Socialists Seek Leader as Chaos in Slav Nation Grows More Alarming. New York, May 14—The depart ure of the French and English mis sions to Russia soon is expected. | Copenhagen. May 14—With political [ chaos In Petrograd and throughout Russia- thousands of soldiers have laid down fhelr arms and left for home. Socialists are searching for some jeader strong enough to unite all tho forces Land owners are giving land to the peasants, nnd it is thought that they are planning to disrupt the new Russian government. Petrograd. May 14—It is the anxiety’ of the plain people of Russia instantly to bridge the chasm between the au tocracy that was, and tho democracy that is to be, without testing the bridge that menaces Russia today. The peas ants mistrust the duma leaders. There fore the government Is practically in prison and without power, according to a report by the delegate, Shulgin. The friction between the duma nnd the soldiers and workmen is serious. Petrograd. May 14—The executive committee of the council of workmen’s and soldiers’ delegates, has decided by a vote of 23 to 22 not to participate in the formation of a coalition govern ment. The question will be referred to a plenary meeting of the council. N. C. Tcheldse, president of the coun cil of soldiers’ and workmen’s dele gates, after an investigation declares that all rumors of anarchy, the pro clamation of an autonomous unit or strikes in powder works in theSchlues selburg district are absolutely un. founded. SEA BATTLE IS REPORTED London. May 14—Flashes of light indicating another aerial attack on Zeebruggo were observed between 3 and 4 o'clock this morning, a Reuter d a patch from Flushing, Holland, reports. Later heavy und continuous gun fire was heard from the west. It is believed a naval engagement was in progress. PETAIN HAS REAL JOB. Paris, Muy 12.—President Poincare has signed a decree defining the status of the new post of t hief of the general stuff to which General Petain has been appointed. General Petain is "the dele gate of the minister of war for the study of all technical questions con cerning military operations anil for the direction of military services in French territory" the decree reads. MISSION TO PETROGRAD. London, May 12.—The Dally 1Cxpress says the independent labor party, (he pacifist socialist section of »)>e labor Ites, has appointed James Ramsay McDonald and Frederick W. Jowett, labor members of parliament, to go on a mission to Petrograd. The newspafier adds, however, that there is some doubt as to whether they will be able to ob tain passports. PEACE MISSION •'FAKED.” Copenhagen, May 12—The last trap pings have been stripped from Porg bjerg's peace embassy to Petrograd by the Associated Press dispatch from Iterlin stating that Borgbjerg carries! no authorisation or instruction from the Oermnn socialists, am: that the peaye conditions outlined by him were merely hla voluntary interpretation of socialist proposals. IOWAN ASKS PROHIBITION DURING WAR America Must Choose Between Booze and Food, Senator De clares in Urging Quick Ac tion to Stop Waste. “DRY” PLAN WINS SUPPORT Statistics Show That England, Nearing Hunger, Has Wasted 7,000,000,000 Pounds of Food in Liquor. Washington, I). C., May 14—Prohibi tion against the employment or use o( cereals, grains or other edible thing.', in the manufacture of beverage liquors during the war and one year after, v -at proposed as an amendment to the es pionage bill by Senator Cummins. "Within one year,” he said, "if w« may believe the people who are be-d in formed, the people of this country and the countries with which it is allied, will be starving. They may havi enough to sustain life, but they will not have enough to sustain the strength to makf them a vigorous fighting force Kither we will have to do without bon?.* or we will have to do without bread I am in favor of doing without booze." Should Choose Quickly. “Between revenue and food." said Senator Cummins, “there can be oid> one choice. We should not hesitate foi a single minute.” Senator Callinger. the republican leader, said he was in favor of the pro hibition amendment, and quoted from statlr-tlcs to show the 7,000,000,Ooti pounds of food were used annually in the manufacture of liquor. “Tf that be true,” said he, “it is noth ing short of a crime for the United States to set idly by and allow the enormous conscription of the food sup plies into the manufacture of liquot which is injurious to the people.’’ "There is a similar amendment now pending to the food conservation bill which has been introduced,” objected Senator Overman, “and the propet place for the amendment is there.” • Act Would Save Food. Senator Curtis, republican, said he. was in favor of the Cummins' amend ment and that it should be attached to the espionage bill. "This is an Important amendment.’’ he said," It will save millions of bushels of grain for the manufacture of bread and other food." FOOD SPECULATORS AUIES OF GERMANY Vrooman Says Lobby Is at Work —Chicago Board Bars May Wheat Deals. ’ Washington, D. C., Ma.v 14—Sensa tional charges that a lobby of “food gamblers, some of them men of im mense wealth,” already is at work in Washington sselQng tQ defeat the ad ministration food control bills, were made In a formal statement by Assist ant Secretary Vrooman, of the depart ment of agriculture. ’’Allies of the kaiser—unpatriotic and disIqjtU—who should be made to feel the loathing and contempt of every pa triotic American,” are some of the char acterizations applied by Mr. Vrooman to “food speculators, food cornerers and food gamblers,” who. he promises, will in time be touched by appropriate legin latlon. -4 NEW PURCHASE PLAN. Washington, D. C„ May 12.—An in ternational agreement under which there will be placed In the hands of a small commission, possibly of one man. the purchasing power of virtually every dollar of the billions to be lent the allies by this government and the additional billions which they will spend in this country out of their own income is m process of formulation. The agreement would seek maximum efficiency, both for the allies and the American government, for every dollar spent in this country for war purposes. The commission would have the widest purchasing powers ever in trusted to any one body of men In the history of the world. It virtually would be u purchasing agency for all Chris tendom. BIG FIGHT AHEAP QVERINCOME TAX Huge Incomes Should Bear a Larger Burden Than Placed by Bill, Senators Believe. Washington. P. C’.. May 14—A big light is ahead In the Senate over Income tax. Conscription of wealth will be urged and a much higher surtax on In comes from swollen fortunes sought. Senator Kenyon and several ofher senators will lead the movement and Senator Kenyon is gathering data. TAKE MEN UP TO 5C. London. May 12—The war office an nounced that the voluntary recruiting nge soon will be advanced to men of r>0 years of age. both single and mar ried. The announcement expresses the hope that those who come forward will be ready to serve without delay when called upon. HONORS FOR BALFOUR. New York. May 12.—America's most distinguished leaders of industry, com merce and finance today paid high honor to Arthur J. Balfour, British sec retary of state for foreign affairs, and members of .iw- war mission visiting this city at a reception and luncheon at the chamber of commerce. WEEKLY V1EATHER FORECAST. Washington, D. May 12.—Weather predictions for the week I eglnning Sunday. May IS. issued today, foUow: Plains States and Vpper and Middle Mississippi Valley—Normal tempera tures probable, (lencrally fair Except that local rains ore probable TVesdiug and Wednesday.