Nebraska Newspapers

    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 <vis Paris). May 14—The
Swiss government has informed p.er
lin. according to the Corriere Della
Sera, that the recent commercial agree
ment between Switzerland and Ger
many cannot be carried out because oi
the rescinding of transportation con
tracts by all American steamship com
panies with Switzerland, Holland end
the Scandinavian states.
The paper sees in this news the put
ting into effect of a complete economic
blockade of Germany, and also states
Ihat the American government pro
poses to neutrni countries that theii
supplies would be assured if they
agreed to suspend absolutely all ex
ports to Germany, even as compensa
tion for exchange.
STUDENTS BELIEVED DROWNED.
Annapolis, Mt.. May 14—John Avery.,
uf Colorado. Springs, Colo.; Stanley
Robinson of Hillsboro, Ohio, and Ed
ward L,. Goff, of Davenport, la., stu
dents at a naval academy and West
Point military academy preparatory
school at Severn Dark, near lien;, have
been missing since Thursday and last
night were believed to have been
drowned in the Severn river.
WEEKLY BANK STATEMENT,
New York. May 14 - The stateimo
qf the actual condition of clearing
bouse hanks and trust companies fen
the week shows that they hold i 1 17.
199,000 reserve in excess of legal re
quirements. This is an increase ot 5'6,
120,934) over last week.
Refused to be
Killing of Chinese
)mmy" Riley, of Roubaix, When
i Is Guilty of Turning; Ma
ipection Party.
lortance In China they were determined
that someone should be held respon
sible and punished for his death.
They scanned the faces of the A inert
: sailors who had been at and in th«
vicinity of the machine gun when ii
was accidentally discharged, and whet.
:helr eyes lighted on the young South
Dakotan they decided he was respon
dble for l he discharge of the gun ant l
deman led that he be tried by court '
marti.ii.
You.ig Riley determined not to he ,
•n > 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<e<illv persistent in
heir refusal to hold him. The China
nen finally left the ship in a high state
or a coal bunker until he was sure the
if indignation. While ’‘Tommy” teadi
tarty had gone ash ere.
♦ *++++*AAAAAAAAAAAAAA4 444+
♦ SLAYER GOES ON TRIAL: A
A- SHOT GIRL WHO T A LAN TED A
£ him, PLEADING REVENGE A
Columbus. Ohio, Muv 14—Wel
don IT. Wells. 23. went on trial for
his life here today. He is changed
with the murder last winter of
Mono Simons, 20, whose body was
found with a bullet hole through
the head in a roq/i\ at a fashion
able hotel here.
Wells, whose home is in Hunt
ington. Ind., was arrested there
several days after the killing. He
was brought back to Columbus.
Hp until a short time before the
crime Wells was employed as a
broker's clerk in Kansas City,
where his mother now lives.
He said after the murder that
the woman had taunted him that
she had revenged herself on him
for her wrongs at the hands of
men.
MAUDE HITS
TURKS AGAIN
London. May It -General Maude has
opened a new offensive In Mesopotamia,
llis British troops are still pushing
back the German forces. The official
statement said that the new British
line was from 60 to 80 miles north of
Bagdad.
Telling blow* were struck by the
British at the Hindenburg line last
night and early today.
Near Bulleoourt, where the main
Hindenburg line has been pierced, a
further successful Thrust was made by
General Haig’s troops. This was pushed
borne and the objective gained despite
ihe desperate efforts which have been
.made during the last few days to com
pel the British to relax their unceasing
pressure upon this vital spot.
On the Aisne and Champagne fronts
the French arc keeping up a destructive
artillery fire and harrying the Germans
by outpost attacks. Loss energy is be
ing displayed by, the German artillery
along the line held by the French, the
Only exception being the Verdun region
London. May 12.--British troops at
tacking the Hindenburg line have
gained their objectives and taken some
hundreds of prisoners, the war office
announced today.
The British attacked near Bullecourt.
on both sides of the Arras-Cambral
road and north of the Scarpe river last
night and early this morning.
BRITISH DESTROYER SUNK.
Berlin. May 14—The admiralty an
nounces that a British destroyer was
sunk in the engagement on May 10 be
tween German light forces and British
cruisers and destroyers.
VERDUN SMASH COMING?
Paris, May 14—Unusually heavy ar
tillery fighting took place lust night on
the Verdun front near Avocourt, today’s
official statement says. French pa
trols penetrated the German tines at
several points in Alsace and near
Bezonvaux.
GERMANY REPORTS GAINS.
Berlin. Mav 14—German troops op
erating in the Crony region on the
Aisne front forced the French hack
yesterday at Bovelle ridge, say s today's
war office statement.
Fifteen Frencli and British airplanes
were brought down.
Fighting developed today between
Aoheville and Queant, on the Arras
battle front. The British, it ia declared,
were repulsed in attacks made last
night. The fighting is continuing at
the Roeux tail way station.
SENATE DEFEATS
Johnson’s Motion to Strike It I
From the Espionaqe Bill
Carried, 39 to
33.
Washington. D May 14—By a
majority of one vote the Senate today
j entirely eliminated the administration's
hard fought newspaper censorship sec
tion from the espionage bill and then,
by an overwhelming vote, defeated an
ittempt to reinsert the section in a dif
ferent form.
This action, if permitted to stand on
(Inal passage of the bill, leaves the
House on record in favor of the cen
sorship, and the Senate against it and
probably will throw the question Into
a conference committee for settlement,
where the full force of the administra
tion will be exerted to put a censorship
through in some form.
Without a record vote, the Senate
adopted an amendment hy Senator
Heed to make the whole bill effective
only for the duration of the war.
BIG SUIT FOR TAXES.
Lexington. Ky., May 14—Suit has
been filed here by W. S. Byars, state
revenue agent, against A. K. Macoinber,
of San Francisco, for back taxes al
leged to lie due 0:1 property with an es
timated value of $1,80,000. Tile hold
ings on which tax collections are sought
consist of stocks In various industrial
concerns and race horses. Macombet
is a soninlaw of the late L. V. Harkness,
from whose estate this county has al
ready collected nearly $300,000 in taxes.
SOLDIERS KILL COOPER.
El Paso, Tex.. May 12.—Trooper
Raymond If. W.estcott, or the Seventh
United States cavalry, has confessed to
taking part In tbs holdup of the non
commissioned officers' club Ut Uanip
Baker, nrar here, in which Sergt. Sam
uel I’. Cooper, of the 10th United States
infantry, formerly of Springfield, Miss.,
was killed. Irt his signed confession,
Westcott implicated two fellow mem
bers of bis machine gun troop—Walter
c. Jenson and Walter Wehr.
3TARVING ON ICE FLOE.
Marquette. Mich. May 12.—Members
of the crew of the freighter Munising,
stranded for five days in an Ice floe, in
laike Superior, seven miles off shore,
are starving. All efforts to get food
to them have been futile.
Fear was expressed also that mem
bers of the craws of four steamers, the
Grand Island, Isphemlng, Barlow and
Peter White, which after a vain at
tempt at rescue were caught In the ke,
also are In danger of starvation.
GANT MAKE RIFLEC,
U.S. TO USE ENGLISH
Only 66,000 Springfields Have
Been Made in America Since
Beginning of War.
Washington, D. C„ May 14.—Repre
sentative John Q. Tilson. of Connecti
cut, a republican member of the Mili
tary Affairs committee, declares that
the United States is unable to make
Springfield rifles—the regular service
rifle—for the war with Germany and
a decision has been reached to use the
Enfield rifle, now being used by Eng
land.
Indirectly criticizing the war depart
ment. Mr. Tilson said that but 66,000
service rifles have been made by the
United States since the outbreak of the
European war.
Enemy Knows Conditions.
Representative Tilson also said that
the army is far short on its supply of
rifles as well as machine guns. When
it was suggested that information of
this sort possibly should not be made
public, Mr. Tilson replied:
"Everybody knows it except our
selves: our enemies know it.”
"I am informed the Westlnghouse
people are now manufacturing a rifle
for Russia and can turn out 2,GOO a
day.” he said. They believe they can
make 5,000 a day, hut the Russian In
spector, who is very strict, did not Re
lieve they could make more than 2,500
a day and he was right.
"We cannot increase our output of
Springfields. whereas we can make the
Enflelds quickly."
"The Lewis gun is manufactured in
large numbers now in Great Britain and
is also being made in Belgium. Then
there is a. large manufacturing plant in
this country.
“At the present time we are using
only four machine guns to a regiment
of troops. We know that is ridiculous
ly small and we must increase it. I be
lieve General Wood recommends one
machine gtin to every 10 men, and we
going to try to get us many as we can.1*
MRS, GATT REVIEWS
SUFFRAGE TRIUMPHS
Mississippi Suffrage Confer
ence Opens at Columbus for
Three Days’ Meetings.
Columbus, Ohio. May 14.—Triumphs
of suffrage during five years were re
viewed today hy Mrs. Carrie Chapman
Catt, international suffrage president
in an address to the Mississippi Valley
suffrage conference. She forsaw speedy
further development of the ‘votes for
women' sentiment, and called atten
tion to how women's war work in Eng
land has assured them the ballot.
The conference sessions here will last
three days. Several thousand dele
gates are in attendance from the fol
lowing states: Arkansas. Minnesota.
Nebraska, Indiana. Iowa. Kansas, Ken
tucky, Louisiana. Michigan. North Da
kota, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia
and Wisconsin.
Mrs. Harriet Taylor Upton, president
of the Ohio association, and many
other noted suffragists will address
the convention.
IRISH CRISIS BROUGHT
ABOUT BY ELECT!Of1.'
London, May 11. -The Dally Tel
graph’s parliamentary lobby u.uo
pondent says that owing to tj^< i,*<ent
unfavorable turn In Irish affaits sov
oral leading members of tin* nationalist
party are threatening to resign theii
seats in tire house of < opinions.
According in lire Times, the South
Longford election, in which a Sinn
Peiner won the seat, has n:t altered
the government's rletermi, ation to sub
mit to parliament propot.*'s of an Irish
union but there is little doubt that it
will cause ministers to modify their
views on the practicability pf the
country option Or any similar form of
partition. The nationalist in, mbers
says the Times, do not conceal anxiety
over the future position arnl already
are talking of desperate measures. An
Influential section is prepared to advise
the party. If the government propos
als Concerning their view are fair and
practicable, to resign in a body and ap
peal to their constituencies for a man
date to accept the proposals.
They feel, tile Times adds, that af
ter two Sinn Peltier's victories they
have no authority to bind the Catholic
parts of Ireland to any fundament.d
change.
DES MOINES TO CLOSE
DOWN TIGHT TOMORROW
Deo Moines, fa.., May 14.—All drug
stores In the city will be closed all day
Sunday because of the enforcement of
the "blue laws." County Attorney Ward j
Henry said he was informed that all j
cigar stores in the city will close their >
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.